Chapters In the midst of night in the town of Ponyville, the moon illuminates the dark violet sky. As the stars faintly shine and wink, a shadow soars through the night air. The princess of the night and moon, Princess Luna, took flight on her search of ponies in need of guidance. As she scouted out the town, she felt an odd yet strong feeling of need come from the outskirts of Ponyville. Luna was puzzled on to why there was a pony settling outside of town for. As protector of the night, it was her duty to assist ponies in need of any internal conflict they may have. She turned and dove down towards the source.
Passing over trees and foliage, she had reached her destination. A rather large tent stood near a fireplace in the middle of a wide clearing. The tent looked like it could house up to three ponies, but there was only one set of saddle bags lying near the fireplace. Luna took a look back at the tent and made her way to the tents entrance. She pushed her head pass the flaps to see the interior of the tent. It may hold a small group of ponies, but it was set up as if a modern home in town. There was small desk in the far corner right with a laptop on it. The screen was black but a tiny orange light slowly blinked, indicating that it was running. Next it was a small safe with an old fashion turn dial combination lock. Luna thought whoever owned this doesn’t want anypony to see what secrets they might be hiding. Soon she turns to the other side. There she saw a familiar azure mare sleeping in a small bed. The bed was an ordinary wooden bed but was shrunken down some to fit inside the tent. The mare nestled under the covers of the bed was none other than the once well know show mare, The Great and Powerful Trixie.
Luna pulls her head out the tent as she covered her muzzle with her hoof to conceal a small gasp. “Now why would Trixie be out here for? Doesn’t she have her wagon with her?” she asked herself as she looked around but sees no wagons around. “Also, what problem could she be having that could so strong?” Luna tapped her chin with her hoof as she thought to herself. The sounds of the show mares groans broke Luna out of her thoughts and made her look to the tent curtains. Whatever problem she has, Luna had to help lean Trixie towards the right decision. Luna straightened herself and prepared her magic to leap into Trixie’s dream. Her horn lit up with a rich blue aura surrounding it and glows brighter. Her eyes flashed white as she was sent into the show pony’s subconscious and enters into the dream.
When Luna opened her eyes she expected to be in town where Trixie is doing one of her shows, but when she did, she was standing in the middle of some kind of cemetery. The fog in the area and eerie howls of the bare trees being blown by a chilling breeze gave the princess a slight shiver. She’s been to many dreams before, some silly, some very serious and even some really wacky, but never had she ever been in one so dark and depressing. She looked around the area, but didn’t notice anything she had seen before. She knows there are some graveyards in Equestria, but this is one she doesn’t recognize. Most of the graveyards and cemeteries in Equestria are not this ominous and bleak. As she looked more, she notices a tall cabin with a cross on top, not knowing what it means or what it stands for. All around her were unmarked gravestones, some having little to no engravings on them.
Luna observed the area for some time now, trying to piece together where she was. Soon a ruffle of grass and hoof steps caught her ear, making her turn to see a faded shadowed being walking around in the fog. It walked on four legs and had a small figure, but Luna couldn’t put her hoof on how it was. The figure continued on its way through the graveyard. Luna curious on how it could be, she processed to follow it, keep at least three tail lengths between her and them. The figure stopped a few times which made Luna stop. After several minutes the figure finally stopped at a gravestone that was near the building. Luna slowly stepped closer and closer to the figure before snapping a twig make Luna gasp and the figure turn to her. A light pinkish glow came from the figure’s horn; it was Trixie as she looked in surprised to see Luna.
“P-princess Luna,” Trixie said, a bit startled. “W-what are you doing here?”
Luna quickly regained her composure and looked back at the mare. “We came to aid you on your dilemma you may be having.”
Trixie then relaxed seeing that the princess could possibly help her in this situation. “Trixie is er- I mean, I am happy you are here Princess Luna. I’ve been having this….dream for some time now. It’s been happening for over the past 5 months. I don’t what it means. I come to this graveyard every now and then and just wonder, but I keep hearing little voices, but I can’t make them out too well.”
Hearing this, Luna put her hoof on her chin as she scoops area again then looks beyond the cemetery an old but working clock tower. “It seem like your dream took you to another world.” She stated, pointing the tower. Trixie looked towards it and both saw the hands nearing 12 o’clock. The old gears in the giant clock creaked within the wooden walls as it works its way to reach the last hour. With a loud “Ka-thunk” the minute hand stuck 12 and the bell to toll. With each ring of the bell, dark clouds begin to form over the sky, covering over to dim lit moon and shrouding the land into shadows. By the sixth toll, thunder rumbled in the skies as it now shaded over the entire land. The ninth bell toll rung out and the gravestone the two ponies were near began to glow a very hazy black. It grew darker with each ring then at the last toll; it sunk into the ground and up came a long handle.
The two turned to each other with equally puzzled expressions. “What was that all that about?” asked the azure show mare. “We do not know, but it may have to do with this object protruding out of the ground.” The moon princess replied, pointing at the long object. Trixie turned and looked at the handle then her ear twitched slightly as her pupils narrowed. She begins to moves forward and extends her hoof out. Luna quickly seized her motion, breaking Trixie from a trance like state.
“It would be wise not to touch it.” Luna said.
“But it’s my dream, can’t I control what happens?” Trixie asked.
Luna nodded “Yes, but this feel much different than from any other dream. Sure you may be able to shift your dream patterns through the mind, heart or emotions. This however, is much different. You never been to any graveyards that was outside of Equestria, yet you are having a dream about one you never been that comes back now and then.”
Luna’s words were false, Trixie has been to a cemetery in Equestria, but never out. The only cemetery Trixie has ever gone to and is the only one she does is the one in Canterlot where her parents are. As Trixie was lost in her past thought, the handle released a pulse that shook her out of it. She looked over to Luna who stared back. Trixie knew looked back to the handle and took a step back. Luna watched her and turned her attention to the handle. She reached her hoof out slowly but within mere inches, a powerful dark shockwave blasted Luna back. Her body slamming hard against another gravestone and was instantly pulled out of Trixie’s dream.
Author's Note
This is for a blog I have.http://asktrixandberry.tumblr.com/
Luna gasped as she was dragged out of Trixie’s dream and back into the real world. She stumbled to regain her footing and to stable herself. She shook her head, getting the dizziness out her head. Her body was aching slightly from the blast that ejected her out. Once she finally balanced herself she turned to the tent. There a groan coming from the show pony as she starts to stir from her sleep. Luna acted fast and set off into the sky and flies back to Canterlot.
Trixie then woke up, rubbing her eye with her hoof as she sat up on the bed. “Uhhg,” She groaned. “What a strange dream. I got to stop having one of Berry’s ‘special’ Night drinks before bed. I could have sworn Princess Luna was in my dream.” She groggily got out of her bed and sluggishly walked to the tent curtains. She stepped out and sees that it’s still dark out and the moon was still high in the sky. “Well, since I can’t get to sleep again, I guess I’ll take a walk.” She said to herself and walked out into the woods.
Trixie strolled through the woods many times, so she knew where she was going. She’s been going this way the time the “dreams” began happening. She called her “Midnight Wander Path” whenever she can’t sleep from the “dreams”. The path heads up to a river and circles a few rocks then straight back to her campsite. The show mare usually takes a short break by the river, to help clear her mind.
Trixie reached the river and walked towards the water’s edge. She then sat down and stared in to the water, seeing the reflection of the moon on the surface. She let out a sigh as she thinks about the dreams she’s been having lately. She doesn’t know why it’s the same dream in the same place, a foreign graveyard that was outside of Equestria. It puzzled her from the day it started, months ago, when Twilight and her friends went to the Crystal Empire. A few days later she read the news article about Twilight now being a princess and returning from another. She doesn’t really pay attention to the news very often, but the fact that Twilight is now an alicorn completely shocked her.
“Why am I having these dreams? What does it all mean?” She asked herself then a voice replied. “It means it is time for to finally know.”
Trixie jumped as her looked around the dim lit area, trying to find whoever said that. She turned and stared into the dark woods, and then a small blue light lit up and moved towards the clearing. It was tall, almost at Celestias height. It had very slim legs but it hovered mostly. Its body was pure black all except around its collar and hair. The collar was red and resembled spikes. The hair was gray like smoke waving in the wind, which there wasn’t. The only thing the most caught Trixie’s attention was the glowing blue eye.
“Who…who are you?” She asked the dark figure.
“Please, have nothing to fear Lulamoon.” It said.
Trixie glared at the creature with anger and stood up to face it. “Hey, who do you know my uh, Trixie’s last name?” She asked in a more authorized tone.
“Please, you can drop the whole three-person routine Lulamoon.” Saying as it rolled its one eye.
“It’s Trixie to you.” She said. “Now, tell Trixie who you are and how do you know her.”
With a sigh the dark figure looked down at the pony. “Fine, my name is Darkrai, the Pitch Black Pokémon and we’ve been watching you for some time now.”
“Pokémon, what are Pokemon doing here?” She asked. “And what do you mean you’ve been watching Trixie?”
“That, I can’t explain to you, but I can tell you why. My associate and I have been looking for someone that process the power of our previous master.” Darkrai said.
“You associate? Who are you talking about?” Trixie asked.
Darkrai looked over her wide shoulders and coming out the shadows was another pony, a purple mare.
“B-Berry, What are you doing out here!?” Trixie said in shock as she seen the mare look at her. Berry grinned wickedly and let out some kind of animal cry as her body in a black mist and shifted in a dark furred bipedal fox. Trixie gasp and took a step as she watched. “Who are you, what have you done to Berry?” She said in a demanding voice.
“Relax Lulamoon, your pony friend is fine. She’s probably at home or in a bar.” The fox said.
“That’s Trixie to you!” She snapped at the fox.
“Geez alright, Trixie,” The fox creature defended itself as it waved its arms up.
“Anyway, who are you?” She asked the dark fox.
“You need to look back on your post Trixie. You’ve seen me before.“ It said with slight cocky smirk.
Trixie thought about what the fox meant by “to look back”. She remembers scrolling through the pictures she’s taken for a site call Tumblr. Then it finally hit her in one of her post. She let out a gasp in surprise. “Now I seen you, you were in-“
“Yep, the outfox question,” He cut her off. “Names Zoroark, the Illusion Fox Pokémon.”
“So, why are you two doing here anyway?” Trixie asked looked at the two Dark-types.
“Well, like my tall shadowy friend here said, you have something our last master had.” Zoroark spoke out.
“So what would that be exactly? You never told Trixie what she has that of your last owner.”
“You have his Dark Energy. It’s has been growing inside you for a long time.” Darkrai said.
“Dark Energy?” Trixie repeated. “But Trixie doesn’t know any dark magic spells.”
“Not dark magic, dark energy. Dark magic is just a projection of dark energy. It has the same effects, but both are far from the same.” Darkrai explained.
“So, you think Trixie processes this ‘Dark Energy’? Puh-lease, Trixie is the purest pony of all of Equestria.” She said boastfully as tossing her head up.
Both Darkrai and Zoroark gave incredulous to each other then looked back at Trixie. “You really don’t look back on your post do ya?” Zoroark said blankly.
“What do you mean by that?” Trixie retorted back.
“Haven’t you been feeling some kind of, I don’t know ‘dark’ presence inside you whenever you get a message?” Zoroark said making quotes with his claws.
“Well, now that you mentioned it. Trixie has been feeling a bit odd as of late and does somehow feel this ‘dark’ presence.” She said, placing a hoof on her chest.
“It means the dark energy is ready to be let loose.” Darkrai said
“But, how did Trixie get this energy in the first place?” She looked at the two Pokémon.
“Well, there is one possible way it could have happened. It could been when you saw the news about uh….what was that one pony’s name?” Zoroark scratched his chin.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle.” Darkrai answered.
Trixie’s eyes widen at the words as she remembered seeing the picture from the newspaper.
“Yeah, that’s the one. It could have sensed your anger and rage and merged with you and settled inside until you fully unleash it.” Zoroark continued.
“So, what would happen if Trixie doesn’t unleash it?” She asked them.
“It will eventually take over your body and kill you.” Darkrai replied coldly.
Trixie gulped nervously. “Uh, okay. So, how does Trixie unleash it?”
Zoroark smirked as he looked over to Darkrai. “To do that, you will put to a test. You will have to unleash, maintain and control the dark energy to pass and defeat your opponent.”
“Test eh? This sounds easy enough.” Trixie said with a cocky smile.
“Oh, you think you are going to pass it with ease?”
“Of course, Trixie can pass any test.”
“Well, we’ll see about that.” Darkrai raised one arm and snapped his fingers and all of them sank into a black portal. The then vanished, leaving any trace of them gone. Hidden in the shadows was a pair of dark violet eyes, which was watching everything that happened near the river. It steps out the bushes and goes area and looks at the ground where the three were then looks up at the moon.
Somewhere in a desolate abandoned mining town out in the west of Equestria, tumbleweeds rolled by the blowing winds and the howls of the barren and empty buildings. The sky above was faintly lit by the moon, lightly shaded by clouds. A low hum resonated as a black appeared and grew in size. Darkrai, Zoroark and a very noxious Trixie appeared out the portal. Zoroark sniffed the air as Darkrai scanned the area. Their attention was then drawn towards Trixie, who was swaying a bit and had a sick look on her muzzle.
“Hey, if you’re gonna barf don’t do it here.” Zoroark said, backing up a bit after the dizzy pony.
“Trix-Trixie is not going to….b-barf. She….she just needs to collect herself. That’s all.” She replied in a slightly slurred manner. With a calm breather and light shake, she stable again. “So, mind telling Trixie where we are and what is this place?” She asked checking her surroundings.
“This is your testing area.” Zoroark blurted out, spreading his arms out.
Trixie raised an eyebrow at the fox. “Come again.”
“He’s right, this is where your test will be at.” Darkrai spoke out. “This was once a busy bustling mining town in the past, one of many here in this world, until a mining incident happened. They soon had to close the mines up and the ponies here had to move to a new town. Legend says that a certain pony roams this area till this day.”
Suddenly, there was a ghostly neigh that echoed out and bounced off the vacant wooden buildings. Trixie jumped at the wail and looked around. “W-what was that?” She asked in panic. Soon a tall like horse like shadow loomed over the three. The figure was about the size of Princess Luna, its body was jet black and long flowing dark blue tail. The head of it was clearly gone as it revealed the meat and bone of its neck. It stood above them with the moon behind it.
“Ah! Is that….the Headless Horse?” She franticly said, pointing at it.
“Yup, and he’s your test.” Zoroark said cocking a smirk on his face.
“What?! Trixie has to defect the Headless Horse?! Trixie thought it was only a Pony’s tale.”
Zoroark snickered some at the last two words. “Pony’s tale?”
Trixie rolled her eyes at that.” Yes, a made up story ponies would tell their foals.”
“Well, you can tell him that he isn’t real.” Zoroark said back.
“But what if he kills me?”
“Then it means you're weak and your fail the test.” Darkrai said coldly.
“Yeah, so, good luck.” Zoroark said, giving her a thumbs up and with a snap of Darkrai’s fingers they were both gone and leaving Trixie alone with the Headless Horse.
Trixie gasped as she looked around for the two, but couldn’t find any signs of them. She then looked up and stared at the headless horse. Her ears flatten on her head as she stared at the decapitated pony. It then reeled on his back legs and let out a grossly loud ghostly neigh causing Trixie to finally move and run off. Her instincts were null as she did nothing but run. She looked around hoping to find a place to hide. Her running slowed to a fast trot as she looked behind her. She let out a sigh of relief then bumps into something. She jumps back as she saw the headless horse more close up. She turned around but ran smack into a wall as she was trapped in a room with him. All that Trixie could do is close her eyes and fear the worse. This was the end of her, until she remembered the words Darkrai said to her. “Your weak.” The words echoed in her mind and grew louder and louder. She could feel a shadow looming her mind as she pictured images of Twilight. Soon her mind was filled with words and images about twilight and Trixie not surpassing her expectations. The thoughts made Trixie feel dark inside. By the time the headless pony was near her, she had her head facing her floor.
“I….am….not….weak,” The softly uttered to herself the pony tilled its neck as if puzzled on what she said. “TRIXIE IS NOT WEAK!” Her voice boomed out, surprising the pony. Then a dark shockwave blasted him out the room. Trixie’s body emitted a dark glow as her azure fur blacked along with her mane and tail. She leaned her head up and opened her eyes. With shrunken pupils she eyed the pony on the ground and with a devilish grin began walking towards him.
The pony begun the shiver is fear as he watched Trixie slowly approach him. Trixie now in control of the dark energy the welled up inside her was now unleashed and under Trixie’s command. She stopped at the doorway and looked at her hoof. It was shrouded in a black fog the also covered her body. She looked at the pony and pointed at him. The shadows under her came to life as it twisted and bent to her will. The pony jumped he scurried to his hooves, but was too late, the shadow morphed out of the ground and grabbed him by his back left leg. Trixie rotated her hoof and slowly closed it. At the same time, the pony was being dragged into the darkening pit the shadow gripped more of his body. In mere seconds the headless horse was gone as Trixie put her hoof down. She then heads to where the two vanished. Then on cue, Zoroark and Darkrai came back, both with astounded expressions and Zoroark with his mouth open.
“You better close your mouth or else a bug might fly in.” Trixie said with a cold look in her eye.
Zoroark did so and closed his mouth. “Wow, just….wow.”
“Yes, never have I seen someone or some-pony use dark energy like that. Not even from our last master.” Darkrai said.
“Well, that’s why I am the great and powerful Trixie. Now, tell Trixie about your last master.” She said in a demanding voice.
“Very well, you pass the test, I do think it is time you knew about our master.” Darkrai said and with a snap of his fingers he opens a portal and steps in. Zoroark then walked in afterward then Trixie and then the portal closed.
In the dead of night in a low humming could hear with an earshot away. A black dot formed in the dark and expanded. Soon Darkrai, Zoroark and a darkened Trixie stepped out the portal and into a graveyard. Trixie gasped as she quickly noticed where they were, it was very same graveyard she dreamt about. The ground and the air felt the same as if she’s was projected into her own mind just like what Luna did. Seeing all the exact same gravestones in their exact same position dilated her eyes some.
“This…this can’t be.” Trixie said a bit astounded at the scenery before her. “This can’t be the same graveyard Trixie has been seeing in her dreams.”
“Oh it is.” Darkrai answered. “Surprisingly, this graveyard is in your world, but outside from where you are living in.”
“So, this is outside of Equestria?” Trixie asked as she walked about.
“Yes, this is where our master decided his resting place.” He and Zoroark stood near a tall gravestone that looked odd from all the others. It’s as if it was made by someone else. “This is his grave.”
Trixie soon joined them and looked at the small stone pillar. “So, this was your old master huh?”
“Yup, he was a pretty good guy.” Zoroark said, sounding almost heartfelt.
“His name was Sir Laos Scarlot, he was a captain of an elite guard of the kingdom of Zane,” Darkrai began. ”He was the top ranked officer in the kingdom, until a spy infiltrated the kingdom. It was from a rival kingdom, the Regiga kingdom. The spy made Laos look like a fool in front of royals. He couldn’t bare the fact a spy was able to sneak inside and found about Zane’s inner secrets. Laos then set out on a journey, a quest to seek power. He had read and heard tales about a legendary blade, a blade that can bring an entire kingdom to its knees. It was called Darkest Edge and it took him days, weeks and even months to seek the blade. Once he finally did, it came at a price. He was consumed by darkness, letting it fill his entire being. His soul turned black and cold, but he was had a strong spirit which he was able to control the dark energy. Once he full gain control, he used his newfound power to single handedly take down the rival kingdom and those that were allies. He was feared by all, even by his own kingdom. So, he embarked on taking anything that would seem to be a challenge to him. With ever vicious victory, he discovered new ways of winning. That’s when Zoroark and I met him. He wanted us to seek out any willing opponent and weaken them so that his wins will be all the more pleasing. Soon he grew tired of his world and decide to test a new skill, a dimensional jump. As he was focusing, someone got through his defenses and attacked from behind. He just finished building energy for the jump and successfully performed it, but was too weak afterwards. So, he ordered us to bury his body in the nearest graveyard, lucky the jump landed us here. So, we did what he asked, but just as we were about to cover him up, the dark energy disbursed from his body and scattered all around this world. Now you know the tale on how we got here and about our last master.”
“Hmm, a very unique tale,” Trixie said putting a hoof on her chin. “So, what will happen if Trixie touch the handle of this thing?”
“Basically, you’ll have all the powers he owned.” Zoroark explained.
Trixie looked hesitated at first, but will her new power and attitude she felt confident. She reached a hoof out and touched the handle. The bell tower in the background started going off as the sword begins to pull itself out of the ground. The winds soon picked up and whirled around her as a dark glow emitted from her body. Once the sword was fully out, Trixie took it in her magic and grinned devilishly.
“Lulamoon, how do you feel?” Zoroark asked.
Trixie turned about and eyed them both. “The one name Lulamoon is no more, from this day forward I am now Trixie Nytmoon.”
