Chapter One
Trixie Lulamoon had been traveling to all different places in Equestria, showing off her magical talents to everypony. She wanted to be a good mare and give a great show to every crowd.
However, deep inside she didn't feel so great and powerful, as she was pretending to be. She felt as though there was a higher purpose that she was missing. A way to put herself and her magic talents to better use.
After another runaway from yet another town, just beyond Twilight's Kingdom, she found herself deep in the Everfree Forest.
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“I have grown weary of these shows,” Trixie had said to herself. “If I am really to become the great and powerful Trixie, it won't be on the stage. I know this now.”
She then took a few steps away from her wagon, and glared up at the sky. In her frustration, she yelled out, “Oooh, Trixie needs to be Great and Powerful! But how can I be if I can't even impress anypony with showing off?”
Trixie started to look around. She saw the leaves of the trees, moving about and the bushes leaning back with the passing wind.
After nothing had appeared from out of the forest, she hung her head low and closed her eyes. Trixie sat back onto the ground and contemplated about her miserable existence.
Can I really..go another day like this? She thought to herself as a small breeze came by, ruffling her mane.
It was there she had stayed. Just thinking about that one question. She knew her days of performing were coming to an end, but could she really leave it all behind? She had to ear her bits somehow. Despite all the times on the road, she hadn't been able to save any extra money. It was spent on food and other necessities. She was broke, and not just financially.
The dream, she had dreamt from since she had been a small filly, was to make a breakthrough from the background. To come out on top. To be---the great and powerful. She wanted to be the best.
Despite unhindered aspirations, she didn't come anywhere close to her dream life. She was a weak pony, sitting in the middle of nowhere. If she just ceased to be, would anyone even wonder about her?
She knew she was good at performing, yet that lifestyle brought her nothing but despair. Trixie let out a deep sigh. Not knowing what to do, she just remained there.
A gust of wind came, and knocked off her hat. She looked down at it. As she was gathering motivation to even pick it up, another thrust of air swept it further away between the trees.
She quickly took up her wagon and galloped away into the forest. "Wait, don't go! You're the only thing I have to show for myself." She feared that if she didn’t get back her hat there wouldn’t be another like it ever again.
She rustled through a few bushes trying to catch up to her hat that was floating away with the wind currents of the forest. Trixie pushed onward through the forest, despite thick branches scratching her and slowing her down.
She tried passing all the ways she could pass with her wagon, but she reached up to a pathway where it was destroyed mid way.
I must get that hat. I need that hat, she thought to herself. I won’t find any other like it, or I would probably have to change my whole wardrobe just for another, and I cannot risk that.
She started panting in her pursuit for the hat, and her legs were straining to maintain her speed moving through the forest. With every few steps, she became slower, and watched her hat gaining distance from her.
No, I must..get..that hat.
She kept on trotting despite her prized wardrobe possession leaving from her sight, floating away only deeper into the forest.
After some time, Trixie had slowed down to stop, and started panting away. She wanted to get her hat, but her lungs wouldn’t allow her to go on any further. In the despair of not being able to get her hat again, she sat down on the ground, her ears flopping.
“Now I have to unfortunately get a whole new wardrobe or else I won't be able to do anymore shows even if I'll want to,” she said with a sigh as she stood up, and continued walking, in withering hope of spotting her hat. In time, even walking proved to be too much of a strain. It wasn't just her battered body, it was her shattered mind that was persuading her to just give up.
All her life's burdens came crashing on her. She was too weak to live up to her dreams. It was always out of her reach, no matter how hard she tried. The admission of her failure just made her terribly feeble. She had to gather all her remaining willpower, just to bring herself to move on ahead.
Trixie was in a very dark part of the everfree, so she couldn’t see very far. However, there was a cave nearby with a mysterious glow that caught her attention.
When she got to the entrance, she looked in its bowels, and squinted toward the source of the dim light.
What is that strange light? Trixie thought. This is obvious a home to some creature. Best not disturb it.
Turning around to head back away, she spotted half a dozen in the thick bushes and trees of the forest. Out of the bushes, came three timberwolves growling and barking at Trixie.
She, without a thought, turned, and galloped in the only direction available—inside the cave. She ran as fast as her tired legs could take her. Running deeper, she became blind of her surroundings. The cave was so dark she couldn’t see her ownself. Trixie was approaching the light. She stumbled down parts of the way, but she pressed on keeping the light in her focus.
She traveled on to the light that became brighter with every step. She at times tripped a little into what felt to her as small, shallow pits along the way.
When Trixie had finally reached the point at which the light shined brightest, she was very much relieved. It was the end of the long cave, and she dashed around in confusion in the middle of the lit area. The first thing that caught her attention was her hat resting on an old wooden table.
“My hat!” Trixie came over, grabbed her hat, and hugged it tight. “Trixie thought she would never find you again,” she then placed it onto her head. She looked up to the top of the cave filled with enjoyment of having received her hat.
However, the mysterious markings of the cave had caught her attention. Tired as she was, she still found the energy to move on pass the table over to the marks in the wall. Of all the markings, the seven giant symbols on the wall intrigued her the most.
“And just what could these markings be?” Trixie had asked herself. She placed her hoof on the first giant marking that resembled the paw print of a giant bear. The only thing that she thought could have measured up to a paw print of this mass was, “an Ursa..M-Major!”
She stumbled back shuttering at the thought of very name. She then got up and turned her attention towards the table and saw an old tomb with mysterious markings written in a language unknown to herself. Trixie had used her magic and flipped the book the book open to the first page, “... A..Beastmaster’s Lore?”
She used her magic again and flipped the page over to the next. The next two pages began showing pictures of ponies and wild animals working together as one. Trixie’s eyes widened, and she planted her head in the book.
“Is what Trixie sees for real?”
Interested in what she saw, she skimmed through the rest of the pages out of curiosity. Trixie was only more amazed at the lore and knowledge within the tomb. And the pictures showing all pony races becoming one with beasts showed that she also can do it. She was so intrigued in finding out more of the knowledge that the feeling of pain in her legs had vanished.
An evil smile had come on the mare’s face, “Hehehe, yes, now Trixie can become great and powerful.
“Bwahahahaha!” she laughed aloud as she faced up to the ceiling. Her laughter was so loud that it had bounced on all the walls of the cave. A few heavy vibrations were made, and her laughter died.
Trixie had turned around to see what had approached her, and she came into view with a giant mouth that showed a wide row of large drooling teeth. Shivering, she slowly looked up, and her eyes met with the burning red eyes of an Ursa minor.
