The Illutionist

by joca002

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Human, Other, Trixie, Adventure, Derpy Hooves
Length: 8261

After her second attempt to wow the citizens of Ponyville, Trixie took her show on the road. Unfortunately, due to the mishaps of life and overall bad luck, she soon finds herself lost in the Everfree Forest. It is here that our story begins...

After her second attempt to wow the citizens of Ponyville, Trixie took her show on the road. Unfortunately, due to the mishaps of life and overall bad luck, she soon finds herself lost in the Everfree Forest. It is here that Trixie has an encounter that will change her life and possibly, all of Equestria.

Published 2013-08-31 02:40:03 UTC
Last updated 2013-09-19 06:39:20 UTC

Chapter 1 - Lost

The cold wind forced another shiver down the unicorn's azure body, her tattered cloak useless. The edges of her pale blue mane were caked in frost as was the magician's hat on her head. The mark on her flank, a magic wand with a dash of pixie dust, seemed dull and hopeless. The trees surrounding the dirt path swayed eerily with the winter wind. Dark clouds floated menacingly on the sky, covering the Everfree Forest in a thick shadow. The unicorn’s heavy breathing was the only sign of life for miles.

Stumbling on a loose pebble, the unicorn went tumbling into the bushes. A low moan of irritation escaped the pony's lips before she shot up onto her unsteady hooves. The unicorn threw her head back and yelled, “Curse this twisted forest and its most unfriendly vegetation. Trixie demands retribution!” As if on cue, a strong gust of wind swept dirt and twigs onto the unicorn’s face. Rubbing at her head furiously, Trixie shot a glare into the heavens only to be met with a steady drop of snowflakes.

Hurrying back to the path, the unicorn cursed under her breath as fresh snow quickly piled on top of her long line of hoof prints. Trixie felt something heavy drop in her stomach as she noticed the dirt path beneath her was steadily and greedily swallowed by white patches of snow. In only a few moments, Trixie's last remaining link to civilization was gone. She gulped, mind on full gallop, “I'll be all alone and nothing more than a forgotten name at this rate.” With a shudder, the unicorn began to run.

Trixie shot through what little remained of the path with a new found vigor. Branches scratched the unicorn's sides, slush was blown on her eyes, and frigid air burned the back of her throat. The unicorn laughed through the shivers. “Is that the best you can do? I will not be defeated so easily forest!” Trixie's exclamation was met with an even larger flurry of snow and ice. Winds were becoming sharper and colder. Her mad dash for safety progressively slowed to a trot, a walk and then a bone chilling crawl through knee-high layers of snow.

With the little visibility she had left, Trixie spotted something move amongst the trees. “Are my eyes playing tricks on me?” Even in her mind, Trixie's voice shuddered. “Does it matter at this point?” Disregarding her safety, she approached the thick row of trees. That's when it stepped into view. Twice the size of a regular pony, half as long and hard to make out in the blizzard, the bipedal figure stood calmly amidst the raging wind with thick robes that seemed to blend in with the shadows. Trixie's shudders intensified.

Before she could gather her wits though, the figure turned and moved behind the cluster of frozen trees. “Wait! Trixie demands answers!” With her voice lost in the wind, Trixie began to follow, past the trees and deeper into the snowstorm.

The figured kept its distance at the edge of Trixie's vision and despite the unicorn's struggle to move past the numbness that was starting to set in, the figure moved with ease, leaving no trail behind and keeping a steady pace. Gritting her teeth, Trixie kept her eyes locked onto the strange figure ahead, admittedly afraid to be left behind. The figure glanced behind its back many times, face hidden in its shadowy robes, but acknowledged Trixie no further.

After what seemed like a cold eternity, the figure stopped and slowly faced Trixie. Raising one of its sleeves to the left, the figure remained still. Trixie quickly looked to the direction the creature pointed and felt a flutter of relief. In front of her, the rocky, tall side of a hill display a deep cave. It was almost too good to be true. “Shelter!” Trixie rushed to its entrance, leaping and kicking past the fresh snow.

The inside of the cave was in the shape of a cone, with the tip being the five foot wide entrance. Snow and ice covered the floor nearest the entrance but quickly transitioned into milky white stone, jagged and cracked. The ceiling and inner walls of the cave were also made of the strange stone. Numerous light brown stalagmites and stalactites littered the space further in. Tiny glowing fungi clung to the the rock structures, bathing the inside of the cave in a gentle, light green glow.

Satisfied with the cave's interior, Trixie turned around to thank the figure, but saw nothing more than snow upon snow. Too tired to care, the unicorn slumped at the base of a large stalagmite, far from the chill of the entrance. Succumbing to the exhaustion, her eyelids slid close. The last thing Trixie remembered was a shy warmth enveloping her in a comfortable embrace.

Chapter 2 - Shadows

Trixie had no idea how long she slept next to the enormous stalagmite. The moment her eyes opened, the unicorn tried to stand but her weary body kept her in place. Looking around, Trixie could see sunshine streaming into the cave, its reflection reflected off the shiny walls. From what she could now see, the cave had a near perfect triangular shape. The mushrooms no longer glowed and the temperature had risen into comfortable, albeit still chilly, levels. All around her, a relaxing silence drenched the milky white stone of the cave.

Taking her battered wizard's hat off, the unicorn gently placed it next to her and stared off into space. “Strange,” Trixie whispered, “Being lost in the Everfree would send me into hysterics any day. Not that anypony needs to know, but...this place does not seem that bad. It's a bit soothing even. It's a shame that I should get going so soon.” Rolling over onto a comfortable spot, the unicorn sighed, “Or not. Ten more minutes.”

That's when a lighthearted chuckle resonated throughout the cave. Trixie almost mistook the soft, quiet chuckle for a fellow pony, but the laughter had a strange quality. It was like the hollow echo a voice would make in an empty house. Trixie lowered her eyebrows. She hadn't heard any echoes when she had spoken. The chuckles continued regardless. With a shaky hoof, Trixie stood. “Hello? Is anypony there?” The sound continued. “Trixie does not enjoy this creepiness.” The small chuckles ended abruptly, replaced by a silence once again.

Trixie was about to dismiss the event as a figment of her imagination when she felt something behind her move. For a few moments, Trixie could not breath and her body would not budge. An explosion of adrenaline and fear shot through the unicorn’s system in a desperate plea to run. Every muscle and nerve in Trixie's body was ready to bolt through the exit but she couldn't do it. Something was watching her and its mere presence had frozen Trixie in place.

The shadows around Trixie visibly shuddered before they snaked there way in front of the shocked unicorn like living snakes. The tendrils swirled around each other, forming a dark cloud from floor to ceiling. Squinting her eyes, Trixie was able to make out a bipedal outline within the shadows. The same one she saw the day before. The figure's features were hidden beneath the veil of darkness that began to compress around it into a thick robe. Trixie tilted her head up. The figure was definitely at least a foot taller than her.

From within the shadows, a young male's voice, the gruffness of age barely settling in and weariness evident, spoke. “Is this better?” The voice no longer echoed.

Trixie had heard the tales of Shades many times. The stories of unfriendly specters that haunted the living world always caused a great reaction in her audiences. The part in which Trixie banished the Shade with a mere spell brought great applause every time. At this moment however, Trixie was not feeling ready to live up to her tales.

Throwing a pair of hooves in front of her face, the unicorn sunk to the floor. “Please don't hurt Trixie! She can't die yet!”

The figure remained quiet for a long time, shadowy robe flowing on a non-existent wind. When no harm came to her, Trixie slowly rose from her prone position only to be met with an eyeless stare. Then suddenly, the figure tilted its hooded head to the side and spoke with a voice full of curiosity. “Why not?”

The lack of evil or danger caught Trixie off guard. Was that something a dark specter would say to its victims? Or was this all a joke? Trixie scowled. “I'll show them,” Trixie thought. “But first...” Snapping into focus, Trixie breathed in deeply. A pulse ran through her body, tensing every muscle. A cone of light engulfed her horn and in an instant, a blue barrier stood between herself and the figure. Gaining some of her usual bravado back, Trixie yelled in mock supremacy. “Because I am the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

The figure chuckled softly again. It raised a cloaked arm and leaned closer. “That's very cute little one.” As soon as the outstretched arm made contact, a sound like stone splitting thundered throughout the quiet cave. The entire barrier cracked. “But this level of magic won't do. You need more practice.”

A rosy red spread over Trixie's face as she struggled to ignored the fear and irritation nipping at her concentration. The figure continued to add more and more pressure until finally, Trixie's mind could not handle the stress. With a yell of surprise, the unicorn was pushed back as her barrier shattered like glass. The figure made no further movements, giving Trixie time to collect herself. “What do you want with Trixie?”

The shadows, on what Trixie assumed were shoulders, rose in a shrug. “Nothing at all.”

The unicorn stomped a hoof on the ground, “Then why would you scare Trixie so much after leading her here? Is this some kind of joke?”

Soft chuckles emanated from within the shadows. “I've been alone for many decades little one. All that solitude has made me a bit prone to seek attention. Plus, I was very bored counting trees and organizing pebbles.” Trixie shot the figure an annoyed look, but found herself unable to cast another spell. The figured continued, “For what its worth, I did save your life.”

Trixie took a few breaths to calm herself. Why wasn't her magic activating? Before she could think much further, Trixie's eyes widen in realization. “So your not a Shade bent on devouring Trixie's life or a pony out to embarrass Trixie?”

The figure shook its head, amusement evident in its voice, “Out of luck I suppose.”

Trixie couldn't help but voice her new found curiosity. “What kind of creature are you then? How did you move with such ease through the snow? Trixie can honestly say she has never seen anything like you anywhere in Equestria before.”

The figure leaned in closer. The unicorn couldn't see the face that was no doubt grinning at her, but she could feel the way the figure's gaze swarmed with curiosity of its own. “You are an interesting pony, you know that? Losing your fears so quickly. Or so it seems...” Leaning back, the figure spoke carefully. “I am...the last of a group that accidentally made its way to this world centuries ago. It's a very old, very long tale that would make an excellent bed time story and as it would be, you don't seem ready for another nap. Besides, what I am doesn't really matter. As for the second question, I wouldn't think much of it. What you saw was only an illusion, just like what you're seeing right now.”

Many questions sprung in Trixie's mind, but she couldn't help but feel insulted at the last revelation. “So where is your real self, eh? Cozy in a hut perhaps while Trixie slept on this stone floor?”

Approaching the exit, a somber voice replied from within the shadows. “My real body is nothing but bones little one. I was trapped in this cave a long, long time ago. Unlike my body, I managed to keep my mind and soul alive with a trick and a bit of magic. At this point, I'm nothing more than a shadow.” Before Trixie could reply, the singsong voice returned. “I'm sure the floor wasn't too bad. I did warm up your surroundings for most of the night.”

Trixie was speechless.

The figure turned away from the entrance, the shadows losing some of their opacity. “Thanks for the chat. Your visit was just what I needed to keep the insanity at bay, but you should really get going while the sun's still high. There is no telling when another storm will hit.”

“Wait!” Trixie quickly trotted in front of the figure, dispelling the shadows she moved through. “Does what you said mean you're not alive? How can a ghost manage such impressive feats of magic? This doesn't make sense.”

“Haven't you heard? Anything is possible if you believe.” Trixie deadpanned. Bits of chuckling escaped from within the figure. “Not satisfied, eh? Let's just say that I still remember the lessons about magic I taught back in the day.”

Trixie narrowed her eyes in disbelief. “You were a teacher?”

“Among other things,” the figured 'shrugged' again, the remaining shadows bouncing slightly, “yes.”

The figure began to float forwards but Trixie stomped a hoof on the ground. “Then teach Trixie!”

The shadows tensed and a cold breeze entered the cave. “Excuse me?”

Trixie pushed aside the gnawing feeling of dread in her stomach. “For too long has Trixie gone without guidance. Life on the road has left Trixie with little time to study and hone her skills. An incident a couple of days ago left Trixie without the further need to travel. Now would be a great time for a teacher to help sharpen Trixie's amazing skills. After all, the Great and Powerful Trixie once encountered an Ursa Minor and vanquished it into the Everfree Forest. No pony was able to match Trixie's magical power. She...” Whatever else Trixie was about to say was lost as she stared into the empty hood of the figure.

In the blink of an eye, the figure had appeared inches away from the unicorn and with it, all the previous comfort in the cave vanished. Although the figure did not attack, its very presence snapped Trixie out of her rambling and shook her to the core. For the first time, Trixie was made aware of the sluggish way the shadows mixed and swirled within the figure. It was like watching a wounded pegasus trying to fly in vain. A pang of sadness filled the unicorn for reasons she couldn't understand.

Losing her bravado under the figure's eyeless stare, Trixie looked down and pawed at the ground. Words truckled out of her mouth before she could stop them. “My father is gone. I was left all alone and now no pony respects me. My... encounter with the Ursa Minor only made ponies laugh and ridicule me. No pony wants to watch my shows anymore. I tried to set things right at the town the Ursa Minor attacked but I only ended up making a fool of myself again. So I ran. To them, Trixie is just a fake. A phony. And a liar.”

Blinking away the mist in hr eyes, the unicorn shook involuntarily and sniffed loudly. In a short wave of anger, Trixie threw her head up in defiance to her emotions. With intensity to match the figure before her, Trixie whispered with courage.“But I want to show them how great I can really be.”

Serious and grim, the figured loomed over Trixie, last pair of shadows circling her slowly. “What I know isn't a game to impress others little one. My teachings requires a strong mind and an even greater spirit. Only a handful ever succeeded. And even less stayed sane.”

The unicorn suppressed a shiver and stood her ground. “If I can truly be great and powerful, then I don't care.” She locked her eyes onto the figure's empty hood. Fear and uncertainty were evident in her gaze, but something shone brighter. Resolve.

The figured chuckled ominously as the cool breeze intensified into a chilly wind. Suddenly, the darker of the shadows shot towards Trixie's hooves. When it made contact, Trixie's entire body felt drained and exhausted, but she still stood. Through her droopy eyelids, she could see the figure was gone. In its place, the young voice returned with its echo. “Then let's just say that the Great and Powerful Trixie perished in a cave during a snowstorm.”

Panic was starting to settle over Trixie but the shadows at her hooves prevented her from moving. Something warm landed on her head along with a familiar sensation. Looking up, a sense of relief flooded the unicorn at the sight of her wizard's hat. The voice continued in its cheerful tone. “And in her place, an apprentice was born.” The shadows melted away.

Trixie nodded, mixed emotions stirring in her core. “Thank you...umm.”

“Chase.” The voice added casually, “Rest if you must, but we'll need to head out into town. We'll need a proper place to train and as much as it pains me, this cave won't do.” Chase's voice began to fade, but his joyful nature remained in the air. Trixie saw her shadow shudder but felt no fear or danger, only a comforting gaze encouraging her forward. “You're not alone anymore.”

Trixie took a few calming breaths, but couldn’t keep the boundless energy from plastering a smile on her face.“I can do this.” With a bounce in her step, Trixie trotted to the entrance of the cave, past the rows of stalagmites. “I can really do this.” Head held high, Trixie took a step forward, out of the cave, into the light. “Look out Equestria!”

Chapter 3 - Cold

A thick shadow covered Ponyville. The quaint little town was completely covered by snow and ice. Vicious winds snaked their way across every road as temperatures plummeted into all time lows. Vision was almost impossible. The local weather ponies had tried their best to fight back the foreign blizzard, but the strength of the unnatural storm proved too much to handle. Even magic proved too burdensome and inefficient. Things from the Everfree forest were never manageable.

A lone figure pushed her way through one of the town's main roads. Wings tucked tightly against her sides, the gray pegasus noticed a sign barely visible through the blanket of falling snow. Stumbling her way forward, her heart froze as she recognize the sign. “Oh no.” Her words were spoken quietly. “I'm walking in circles.”

Why does this always have to happen to me? Why do I always mess things up?

Ditzy Doo sniffed in irritation, a knot in her throat. An icy crust formed around Ditzy's eyes as memories of her infancy trickled into her mind. “She's Derpy! Derpy! The funny looking Derpy!” Why did I have to be born with crooked eyes? She fell to her knees and began to sob. The never-ending mocking from her childhood replaying again and again.

Minutes, hours or days could have passed for all Ditzy knew. All that she was sure about was that the snow around her had become increasingly uncomfortable. Stiff and sore, she tried to stand but only managed to slip. Amidst her struggle to regain balance, Ditzy noticed something strange.

It was a dark blotch, much darker than the snowy surroundings around it. The figure was roughly the silhouette of a pony with something on its head. Ever so slowly, the pony-shaped figure leisurely moved towards Ditzy. A muffled voice followed the strange sight. “Why don't you just explain it to me now?”

The voice paused for a second. Ditzy strained her ears, trying to hear a response but heard none. The first voice responded nonetheless. “Yes, I am aware that there's a blizzard all around us. And...”

Ditzy blinked in confusion. Something about that female voice sounded familiar. Was it the way she seemed to demand recognition? And had the pony just talked to herself? An irritated yell from the figure snapped Ditzy out of her thoughts. “You take that back!”

A quick pause and the figure sighed. “Well, maybe, but this is different.”

For just a second, Ditzy heard what seemed to be a second voice. No wait. It was more like a gentle and lighthearted chuckle, but that couldn't be right. Who could possibly be laughing in a storm? Besides, the closer the figure got, the more Ditzy could see that there was only one pony. A hoof was stomped on the snow. “I don't care how badly you think this is. I will not sleep in a barn. I have standards.”

An awkward silence dominated the frosty air. Ditzy gulped and tried calling out, but her voice came as a hoarse croak. It was at that moment that Ditzy realized she had lost the feeling on her legs quite some time ago. She'd been so preoccupied with the spectacle in front of her that Ditzy did not notice the numbness spread all over her body. The female voice returned. “Fiiiine. But just this once. I think the barn was this way.”

The shadow turned away from Ditzy. Panicking, Ditzy did the one thing most pegasus would have done under normal circumstances: give chase. Unfortunately, this was anything but a normal situation. The cold winds shot Ditzy forward as soon as she opened her wings. Tumbling and spinning, the gray pegasus smacked straight onto the dark figure, producing a sound similar to a wet rag hitting a table.

Ditzy remained motionless for a few seconds, letting the shock of the impact leek out of her system. Something pointy poked the side of her head and looking down, Ditzy saw an azure unicorn with a light blue mane currently reaching a hoof for a wizard's hat off to the side. Ditzy mentally kicked herself. Why do these things always happen to me? The azure pony tangled underneath her probably hated her now. Before Ditzy could apologize, the unicorn grabbed the hat and shot Ditzy a nasty look. “Get off!”

Ditzy managed a quick “Sorry” before scrambling onto her hooves. Instantly, she realized that the air was unnaturally warmer. Maybe the thin purple veil surrounding her and the unicorn had something to do with that?

The unicorn stood up and jammed a hoof at Ditzy. “And just who do you think you are?” The unicorn's eyes narrowed. “Well?”

Despite the soothing warm, Ditzy couldn't help but feel chills. “I-I... um.. I'm Ditzy. Ditzy Doo.”

The unicorn rolled her eyes. “And just what were you thinking slamming onto me like that?”

Ditzy looked down. “I needed help and you were about to leave so I tried flying but the wind caught me. I'm really sorry, Miss...”

An awkward silence passed and suddenly the unicorn took a step back. “You don't know who I am?” Ditzy flinched but found no more aggression directed towards her. “Well, feast your eyes on the Great and Powerful Trixie! The best and most powerful unicorn in all of Equestria.” Trixie ended her sentence with a swirl of her cape and a quick sparkle from her horn.

Ditzy gasped in recognition. “You're the one that almost got Ponyville destroyed.”

Trixie's smug look fell. “Look, I'd rather...”

“Twice.” Ditzy cut in.

Trixie's mix of emotions were practically visible at that point. In fact, Ditzy was sure she could taste them. Anger, regret and embarrassment were thick and strongest with just a hint of worry thrown in the mix. The taste was bitter and hard to swallow. “Wait,” Ditzy thought, “What am I thinking?”

After a few blinks, Ditzy found her vision full of shiny orbs and blurred images. Something cold hit the side of her head and the pony realized it was the snowy ground once again. The world went spinning and nausea threaten to spill everything in her stomach. Thankfully, a dark cloud covered what was left of Ditzy's vision. The small amount of relief completely overshadowed the fact that Ditzy hadn't closed her eyes. Obscure noises similar ponies talking bounced back and forth on either side of the downed pegasus. One of the voices was very loud, the other calm.

As her consciousness began disappearing with the wind, a gentle force picked up Ditzy. It felt like a cloud. “What are we going to do Chase?”

“We'll give this little one just what she deserves.” The cloud spoke softly, comforting. Ditzy finally closed her eyes. “Hope.”

Chapter 4 - Training

The air around Ditzy felt warm and comfortable, but something inside of her felt icy and painful. A cold sweat drenched the gray pegasus as she squirmed under a heavy sleep. Ditzy frowned and murmured incoherently as memories from her youth came back.

High up on one of the finely crafted cloud-school's of Cloudsdale, young pegasi flapped their tiny wings mercilessly, trying to generate enough lift to fly. An adult pegasus with a whistle around his neck walked past each of the young ones, whispering encouragement to those with frowns on their faces. The coach's light hearted attitude sank when he approached a gray filly with no cutie mark. She was curled on the cloud's floor, her head buried in the fluffy material. The coach grunted in annoyance before approaching her, “What is the problem this time Ditzy?”

Silence.

The coach puffed up his chest and flapped his wings once. “I don't have time for this again Ditzy. If you do not get up this instant you and I will have a long talk with your parents.”

“No...not that..” The young pegasus flinched and reluctantly stood up. Her body shook slightly with every breath and sniffles were taking over. Ditzy stared at the floor. “I-I..”

The coach rolled his eyes.“Spit it out child. I don't have time to deal with another one of you fits. And for Celestia's sake, raise you head and look at me when I'm talking.”

Raising her head ever so slowly, the coach gasped at the sight of Ditzy's puffy, purple eye. It was the same eye the young filly had trouble focusing with. The coach narrowed his eyes accusingly. “Who did you fight this time Ditzy? For your sake you better hope their not hurt.” All that Ditzy could do to not burst into tears was stare at her hooves. The coach suddenly yanked her by the neck.“We're going to see the principle right now.”

Every other filly on the cloud stopped their exercises and stared at Ditzy. Their eyes were full of mock and laughter. Hiding in the crowd, a sooth-colored pegasus snicker as Ditzy and the coach walked past him. He tapped one of his eye with a hoof and put the other on his lips in a hushing manner. Right after, somepony screamed on top of his lungs, “Derpy! Derpy! The funny looking Derpy!” Soon, the whole yard joined in the chanting. “Derpy! Derpy! The funny looking Derpy!”

Young Ditzy looked down and let the tears fall as the infernal chanting continued.

“Derpy! Derpy! The funny looking Derpy!”

Crash!

Ditzy's eyes shot open only to be met with soft hay in her face. She was in what appeared to be a nest but quickly dismissed that idea. The wooden walls, stacks of barrels and farm equipment obviously didn't belong to a bird.“Why would a bird make a nest inside a barn anyway?” Another crash – this one closer – left the pegasus breathless. Hoof steps slowly made their way towards her in a manner familiar to Ditzy: annoyed.

Before Ditzy could react, the barrels in front of her were shrouded by a blue glow and yanked away. In their place, Trixie stood slouched and frowning. Her voice sounded quite irritated. “Took you long enough to wake up. C'mon, Chase wants to talk to you.”

Ditzy fumbled on her way up but managed to catch up to the unicorn.“Who'd want to talk to me?” Ditzy frowned, “Umm..Who..”

“Ask him when we get there.” Trixie cut in, walking further into the barn. “He's the master here.”

Ditzy gulped and kept her head lowered for a few moments. “I hope it wasn't anything I said. I really don't want her to get any angrier.” Ditzy sniffed and was pleasantly surprised to noticed the sweet smell of ripe apples. The scent increased with every step, probably due to the apple barrels scattered in every direction with more than one smashed open. Ditzy tried but could not keep quite. “Were these barrels the things making those noises?”

Trixie flinched but otherwise remained silent. The two soon arrived at a cleared, circular space with a single, intact barrel in the center. On it, a lit candle provided the only source of light. Trixie scrunched her eyes. “She's here.”

“Umm... Okay?” Ditzy waited for some sort of direction but received none. Filled with confusion, the pegasus was about to take a step forward when the candle went out. A heartbeat later, the candle reignited itself with a purple flame, drenching the room in more light than should be possible.

Suddenly, Trixie's shadow walked free of its owner towards the center of the clearing. Ditzy blinked her eyes furiously. “What?” Trixie's shadow finally reached the center of the clearing and in the same motion a pony would do to get up from the floor, the shadow picked itself onto all fours. The candle flickered and the shadow smiled.

Ditzy gasped in total shock. “But...that's not possible. Shadows can't do that!” The pegasus stood transfixed.

With a swish of her tail, Trixie blinked nonchalantly. “Was there any need for an entrance?”

Ignoring her question, the featureless shadow bowed towards Ditzy. A calm singsong voice came from all directions. “Hello Miss Ditzy Doo. My name is Chase and I hope you can forgive my apprentice. She's having a bit of trouble with her training.”

Trixie narrowed her eyes and shot her hoof through the shadow. “I am not having trouble. Your manner of teaching simply sucks.”

Chase chuckled and leaned forward. “Does it?”

Trixie leaned in until she was nose to nose with the shadow. Her eyes were fierce. “Well let me ask you a question master. What kind of training is lifting barrels?”

Ditzy put a hoof on her forehead. She could feel a headache start to kick against the back of her skull. “Umm...Excuse m...”

Before the pegasus could finish her sentence, the shadow melted into a thin cloud and surrounded the barrel in the middle of the clearing. “Like I mentioned before little one, this exercise is geared towards collecting information. I need to know at what level your magic is.” The barrel proceeded to swirl and glide around Trixie in circles, figure eights and other complicated maneuvers. “Lifting barrels can tell us the focus, patience, accuracy, and mental strength you posses.”

Trixie narrowed her eyes further. “I still think it's a waste of time.”

The barrel set itself gently on the floor and more chuckling resonated throughout the barn. “Be sure to keep that enthusiasm little one. Things won't be this simply for long.” A moment of silence gave Ditzy little time to digest the exchange she had just witnessed. “Trixie is taking lessons from her own shadow? That can't be right, but then that would mean the shadow's alive. Unless Chase is a wizard. But the only wizards that turn into shadows are bad guys. Right?” Ditzy was on the verge of speaking but Chase's voice returned. “Start from the beginning.”

Trixie stepped forward and mumbled something under her breath that made Ditzy's cheeks turn red. The unicorn set her sights on the barrel and visibly focused. Surrounding the object with a blue aura, Trixie levitated the barrel a few inches off the ground. The routine started with simple movements: left, right, up and down. However, after the twirling arches and spinning figure eights, the strain on the unicorn became obvious. The way Trixie's legs shook when the barrel spun too fast or arched too wide did not look healthy. Still, Trixie kept enough control over the barrel to add a bit of flair to the way the barrel zoomed around the clearing. Ditzy felt as amazed as she did concerned, “I hope she doesn't hurt herself.”

“She's safe I assure you.” The voice came from Ditzy's left. It was Trixie's shadow, or was it Chase? Ditzy wasn't sure, but what she did know was that the shadow had appeared out of nowhere. Granted, it wasn't too difficult to sneak up on the pegasus but the way the shadow seemed to be everywhere left Ditzy a bit nervous. Even stranger, Ditzy felt no urge to yell or so much as gasp in fear. Something about the shadow next to her left her feeling calm, almost numb.

Ditzy tilted her head. “You're not a really a pony, right?” Her voice came out louder, a lot bolder, than she meant. Ditzy quickly put a hoof on her mouth and looked towards Trixie. “I hope I didn't distract her.”

The shadow poked the space in front of it with a hoof. “Don't worry Ditzy Doo, you can talk as loud as you want. I've placed a sound barrier between us and Trixie so our conversation won't distract her.”

The pegasus stared into the shadow in a mixture of amazement and uncertainty. “You can read my mind?”

The shadow chuckled. “Your emotions are simple to read is all.”

Ditzy chuckled as well.“Well I guess that's good.”

Tilting its head the way Ditzy had previously, the shadow's tone lowered. “I suppose I could enter your thoughts, though. Still, I have no desire to go through something like that again. The mind is a scary place Ditzy Doo. It shouldn't be messed with.”

Feeling like a filly in the middle of a lecture, Ditzy nodded.

The joyful tone returned. “As for who I am, that's a complicated answer. How about you ask me something else in the meantime.” The shadow leaned in and whispered slyly, “Between you and me, Trixie hasn't been as curious as she should be.”

Ditzy could not see any features on the shadow but she could feel the playful smirk in the voice. Deciding to play along, Ditzy asked, “Is the sound barrier thingy the reason the animals haven't woken up?”

The shadow nodded. “Very perceptive.”

Ditzy flapped her wings. “This is kind of fun. Strange but fun.” Ditzy wasted no time and fired another question. “Why are we inside Applejack's barn?”

The shadow tilted its head again. “Applejack is the owner of this barn?”

Ditzy's eyes sparkled at the chance to answer a question herself. “That's right. Applejack is part of a large family that lives all around Equestria. The Apples have been in charge of this specific farm since Ponyville was founded. They're important ponies.”

“And here I was under the impression that Applejack was the name of the barn.” The shadow shook its head lightly. “Anyway, Trixie needed a place to train and you needed a place to rest. From what I understand, Trixie is not too welcomed by the ponies of this town, so what better place to stay safe and secluded than a barn? Besides, a little discomfort will do Trixie good.” A single chuckle emanated from the shadow that filled Ditzy with a bit of warmth. She couldn't remember the last time anyone had bothered to strike up a casual conversation with her.

The two continued to chat for many minutes, with Ditzy listening more often than talking. It was during a brief mention about the blizzard outside that memories of last night slowly made their way into Ditzy's mind. “So that means that you and Trixie brought me here” Ditzy's eyes lit up in realization. “You two saved me!”

The shadow nodded but remained quiet. Ditzy was about to question the lack of response but thought better of it. Was there any real need for a response? “I can't thank you enough but why is Trixie traveling around with a shadow monster?” Ditzy visibly winced. The moment the words left her mouth she wished they hadn't. “Oh no. I'm so sorry. I...”

“It's okay Ditzy Doo.” Ditzy could feel the smirk again but something was off. It felt a little forced. “That's something I came into terms with a long time ago.” The shadow paused for a long moment. “Trixie needs a teacher. She made that pretty clear on our first meeting so I agreed. As for what compelled me to do it, Maker knows.”

Ditzy lowered her head. That had been a lot more than she expected the shadow to answer after being insulted. “Maybe I should just be quiet.”

The shadow pony raised a hoof towards Ditzy. A gentle forced pushed Ditzy's head back up. “You know, maybe the reason why I agreed to teach Trixie was because I felt a similarity between the two of us. The same similarity I feel when I look at you. Don't feel worthless Ditzy Doo. You are important and amazing beyond anything you could imagine. Trust me, I've had experience with these things.”

Ditzy was at a loss for words. When was the last time anyone had said something like that to her? “Not even mom and dad said anything like that.” When Ditzy finally calmed her beating heart and misty eyes, she looked straight into the shadow. “So you're not really a pony, right?”

The shadow shook its head. “Let's call Trixie over. She'll wish to know this as well.” A purple glass wall blinked into existence between the pair and Trixie, but dissolved into the ground in another blink. “You can stop now Trixie. There's something we need to talk about.”

Trixie's barrel went hurling into the depths of the barn, smashing loudly against a wall. Fanning herself with her hat, Trixie trotted towards the shadow. Her whispers became audible as she neared. “Thank Celestia.” Her eyes shifted nervously as she noticed what she had just said. “Don't take me wrong, it's not like this exercise was hard or anything. I'm just glad I don't have to do something so tedious anymore.”

The shadow nodded and trotted towards the smashed barrel. Breathing a faint wisp of smoke into the debris, the shadow returned with a floating apple at its side. The apple, now purple, made its way towards Trixie. “Levitate this apple until I tell you to stop.”

Trixie laughed loudly and bowed mockingly, “Of course master.” Surrounding the apple with her magic, the piece of fruit shivered in the air. Trixie frowned and crunched her teeth. The apple fell to the floor. Trixie covered her eyes with a hoof and moaned in between her teeth, “What's wrong with this thing?”

The shadow snickered. “It's been enchanted to gradually dispel your telekinetic spell.” The shadow turned towards Ditzy but quickly turned back to Trixie. “That shouldn't be too hard for a pony with high caliber.”

The unicorn locked eyes with the shadow. “You're evil.”

The shadow seemed to smirk. “Regardless, Ditzy Doo asked me a very good question and I want you to know the answer to it as well.”

“Why?” Trixie asked as she focused her attention on the purple apple.

The shadow melted into the floor and returned to its proper place by Trixie. Chase's voice came from all directions once more. “Because it's about who I am.”

Trixie narrowed her eyes and dropped the apple. “I thought you didn't want to talk about yourself.”

“Keep that apple floating.” The joy drained from the voice. “I don't but there's something you need to know if we really are to make our relationship work.” There was a heartbeat to think. “I don't want what happened in the past to happen to you.”

Trixie's facial expression was ignored as a small cloud made from the barn's darkness accumulated into a bipedal shape similar to a minatour's, except with a thin chest and longer legs. The figure was unlike anything Ditzy had seen before. Roughly two times her size, the new, cloaked shadow faced Ditzy. “You see Ditzy Doo, I'm not a pony and neither am I alive.”

Ditzy's head was swimming with questions. “But, how can that be true if you're right here? I mean, your a shadow or were but..but.. I'm really confused.”

A single tender voice came from the shadow. “It's okay.”

With a gentle swing of its right arm, the shadows on one of the walls slid onto the clearing and molded into a circle. Like a pool full of ripples, images began to come into focus. “It all started in a place called Earth...”

Chapter 5 - Story

Trixie's eyes widen and a bit of gibberish escaped her mouth. The images in front of her, from exotic islands in clear waters to metallic cities in the sky to bipedal creatures mingling and chatting, reflected a world beyond her imagination. What was more, simple and gentle sounds escaped the images, increasing the level of immersion the spell portrayed. With the pool of shadows blending into the background, it was like nothing stood between her and a new world.

“This is a flawless,” Trixie thought, refusing to allow her compliment to escape her lips. She took a few steps forward and brashly poked the pool of shadows, trying to test the spells contingency. Her hooves plunged through with no resistance but the image remained vivid and sharp. A tiny smile began to form on her face as a thought popped into her mind, “I'd bet even that know-it-all Twilight Sparkle couldn't do something like this.” Noticing Ditzy recover from a similar set of gasps only to stand there with her mouth open, Trixie switched her expression into the most neutral possible, relieved to feel the cursed apple still in her mental grasp. Glancing at the pile of shadows that formed Chase and shrugging her shoulders unimpressed, Trixie sighed out loud. “I guess its impressive.”

Unlike Trixie, the gray pegasus did not hold back her tongue. “It's so real and unbelievable. I've never seen anything like this before. How... Why... I don't even know where to start.” Bouncing close to the pool of shadows, Ditzy stared mesmerized into the images. “It's amazing!”

“It certainly was.” Chase's sudden statement made Ditzy blush and take a few steps back, but Trixie noticed something odd. From her short time with her new mentor, Trixie had come to expect a certain amount of joy or sarcasm every time he spoke or whatever it was that he did to communicate with her. So it bothered the blue unicorn to sense a complete lack of emotion from her new mentor. Before she could give this strange behavior much thought, a blue globe formed within the pool of shadows, casually spinning in a background full of stars. Earth, she presumed.

Trixie was just about to question Chase when she was once again interrupted, this time by a more composed Ditzy. The gray pegasus nervously gulped. “Oh no. Do you mean Earth doesn't exist anymore?” The blue pegasus raised an eyebrow. That was a bold thing to ask, but it did intrigue her.

The shadows at the edges of her vision shuddered after the question. A long silence filled the barn as Trixie waited in anticipation, not daring to breathe. When Chase finally spoke, it was quiet, tinged with a deep sadness in the most vulnerable tone she had ever witnessed. “I don't know.”

Trixie blinked twice before her anticipation made her burst in disapproval. “What! That's rubbish and you know it. How can you possibly say that after so much build up. You can't just not know. What about all of that power you have? There has to be something more you can tell me.” A little thud snapped Trixie out of her banter. The purple apple rolled between her companions, both of which were intently focused on her. Chase gave off the feeling of curiosity but Ditzy held a steady glared. Despite her unfocused eye, it was unsettling to say the least. Trixie looked the other way, both hiding her tinted cheeks and ignoring Ditzy's angry stare. Without another word, she resumed levitating her apple.

Chase's voice returned, careful but consistent. “You'll have to understand, I left suddenly, under the worst conditions.” The pool of shadows stirred once more and images, of what Trixie could only describe as a world in flames, flashed across its surface. “The planet was nearing its end. Fights for control of the last remaining deposits of natural resources left my kind desperate. Petty squabbles between factions blew out of proportion. And as you can see, I mean that literally.” Trixie could not quite believe what she was hearing. Who would ever take things so far that the planet would be in danger? Flashes of her dangerous actions in Ponyville, of the Ursa Minor and that twisted pendant, all entered her mind at once. She shuddered. Could she have taken things so far? Chase continued without pausing. “It was during this dire situation that a team was assembled.”

The images switched to more of those bipedal creatures, serious and somber. “Over two hundred participants were chosen, each an expert in their own feel. Our team only had about a month to find a solution. Desperate decisions were made, but ultimately, it was decided that the best chance of survival was escaping our native planet. We built a gateway, a portal, to the unknown. Every expense was taken to fund, fuel and finish it as quickly as possible. My job was to manage and stabilize the fuel chamber.”

Chase paused. In the pool of shadows, Earth came into view once more, but this time, a circular structure was visible on one of its oceans. It soon began to glow, a thin veil slowly forming on the surface of the ocean it encircled. The suspense irked Trixie to no end, but instead of bursting out this time, she succeeded in keeping a calm voice. “Then what happened?”

immediately, the inside of the ring exploded, sending a massive column of water well above the cloud line. As the water reached its peak, a sound like fabric being torn apart blasted Trixie's eardrums with sound loud enough to be felt. When she realized her heart was still in her chest, the image in the pool went blank. “I failed and the gateway collapsed into itself.”

Ditzy, trembling and spooked, managed to steady herself long enough to ask, “Is that how you came to Equestria?” Trixie blinked in surprise. Had Ditzy just put the pieces together faster than she had? With a huff, Trixie gave her fellow pony a flat look. Ditzy shrugged and flinched, still trembling. “Sorry.”

Chase sighed and the tension in the room wavered. “No apologies needed and you were right little one. Unfortunately, less than half our members survived and we found ourselves lost in a hostile land, away from our technology, our magics, our power.”

Had it not been for the constant strain that was levitating the cursed apple, Trixie might have extensively asked Chase to continue or explain his planet's doom with more detail, just the way Ditzy was doing. However, as it was, Trixie had had enough. Keeping her voice even but stern, she Trixie pushed past Ditzy, into her mentor's attention. “That is a most wondrous tale but I fail to see the point behind it. What did you really want to tell us?”

Ditzy gasped for the umpteenth time, Trixie noted but payed no more attention to her fellow pony. That is, until Ditzy regained her balance and stood directly in front of her. “How can you be so insensitive!”

Trixie was discovering that keeping a cool head around this pegasus was not going to be easy. Thankfully, Chase cut in, voice leaking from various points, “What Trixie says is true. There is a message behind all that I've told you so far, but it was vital that you knew what led up to my failure. I failed to keep the gateway functional because pride separated my team. As strong as I was, I needed help, but I was confident in my abilities. And as it was, so were all of my teammates in theirs. When problems in the system emerged, not one of our members asked for help.” An almost palpable smirk filled the hall with a soft warmth. “Do you understand now? What the point of my story is?”

Flashes of her previous times in Ponyville flashed through her mind again. A paw larger than her body tearing a building apart. A red dome over the town. The screams of the townsfolk and their distrustful glares. “I..”

Before Trixie could properly respond, a lock clicked open behind the barn doors.

Author's Note

Hello everyone and everypony!

Just wanted to let all of you know I'm trying my best to keep this story alive. However, I just moved to college last week (woo freshmen!) and my attention had to turn elsewhere for a while. The quality of the story and any timely releases may suffer but I promise to do the best that I can.

If you see a mistake, have a comment, question or concern, let me know down below. Thanks reading so far!