Diamonds in the Night
Tears glittered like diamonds in the night.
Brief gasping sobs whispered like a wind, drifting between the trees, as a light blue mare lay in the clearing. The moon shone over her tattered cape and hat of multi-hued stars, giving a clear glimpse of her unkempt baby blue mane. Small cuts were scattered on her legs, sides, and face; burrs and twigs were tangled in her mane. The Everfree Forest wasn’t very forgiving tonight for a pony who had lost everything...
How could this have happened? She thought as her sobs continued to pierce the ever so silent night, eventually ending in gasping breaths and devolving into silent tears. Am I, The Great and Powerful Trixie, cursed to roam Equestria, searching for fame and fortune only to be run out every time I come close? Sniffling, the light blue mare sat there, neck arched, and eyes downcast. Mear hours ago The Great and Powerful Trixie’s magical prowess was known to all of Ponyville, but those two foalish colts ruined my fame. Now everypony hates me.
The Great and Powerful Trixie’s head rose as she heard the rush of birds startled from their perches and a twig snapping in the distance. Swiftly, yet clumsily, The Great and Powerful Trixie leapt to her hooves, drunken from her sorrow.
“Who goes there! Who dares to disturb The Great and Powerful Trixie!” she screamed at the darkness beyond the treeline, lighting her horn in defense. Her eyes shifted from left to right, expecting an attack from anywhere within the Everfree Forest. Sweat donned her brow as she waited for the unexpected. Timber Wolves? Manticores? Another Ursa Minor? Or even a dreaded Ursa Major?!
The Great and Powerful Trixie suddenly realized:
She didn’t care.
Slowly, she sat back down and faced the other way.
The Great and Powerful Trixie has always been trying to defend herself, has always been going on through all the “Boos” and jeers as she’s been kicked out of towns, one after another.
The Great and Powerful Trixie is tired...
I am tired.
Darkness engulfed The Great and Powerful Trixie’s vision as she closed her eyes.
If I want to leave Equestria, I guess this is how I do it, she thought. Off in the distance, the faint sound of branches being swept apart could be heard as four limbs beat the ground, closing the distance between the, now prone, form of The Great and Powerful Trixie.
Her heartbeat sped to an alarming rate as she anticipated for an attack. Her limbs trembled and she started to sweat profusely. Her muscles tensed as she tried to make the fatal blow just a little more bearable.
A tumbling stone signified that the beast was almost upon her. She gave a deep gulp and breathed what was to be her last breath of air. Her heart felt like it was about to leap right out of her chest.
Any second now...
Any second...
And finally she felt the contact of the beast, but it was not what she expected. It wasn’t a sharp jab to the neck, it wasn’t a piercing pain from a bite.
It was the comforting touch of a pony hoof.
Trembling, The Great and Powerful Trixie turned, startled to see the pony she had made a foal of only a few hours ago. She too had small cuts on her body, which showed more clearly through her white coat. Twigs wrapped in her deep purple mane, but, unlike The Great and Powerful Trixie, she had a small, loving smile on her face.
“Now why is The Great and Powerful Trixie out in the Everfree Forest by her lonesome?” Rarity asked, as she slowly and gently tried to turn The Great and Powerful Trixie around to face her.
The Great and Powerful Trixie recoiled from the mare as she said her stage name, as if being slapped by the words she spoke. Turning away from her, The Great and Powerful Trixie downcast her eyes again.
“Please do not call me that! Call me, Trixie, for that is who I am. Just a plain and simple mare, not special at all.”
“Pish Posh!” Rarity scoffed as she trotted in front of Trixie, lifting her head up. “You may not have as many spells as my friend Twilight Sparkle, but you definitely aren’t ‘plain and simple’!”
“I am!” Trixie yelled, pushing the sympathetic hoof away. Reeling around, she faced the darkness of the Everfree forest. Tears formed in her eyes again, dropping to the forest floor every time she blinked. “I only know unsophisticated tricks and ridiculous little party illusions,” she said, speaking in a barely audible whisper.
“Turning my hair green was no simple bit of magic Trixie. It took me hours to turn it back to it’s lovely self,” Rarity replied, elegantly brushing her mane with a hoof in adoration.
“Why are you even here?” Trixie inquired, split between the fear and dread of being told off and the serious confusion and slight anger towards, what she supposed was, an enemy.
To Trixie’s surprise, Rarity’s untied her cape and removed her hat with her magic and pulled a large, flat stone in front of her. Seemingly out of nowhere, Rarity lifted up a miniscule sewing kit and a pair of ruby colored spectacles. Rarity began to mend the holes with a quick flourish.
“In all my years, I’ve learned one thing from my friends: A helping hoof and a sympathetic ear are sometimes the most generous things a pony can give. Come, sit dear and let’s talk.”
Trixie slowly turned to face Rarity and trotted to the other side of the rock, submitting to the white unicorn’s request. Trixie was silent as she watched Rarity work with practiced diligence on her hat. Not even she could do telekinetic spells that fast. And with such precision! In mere minutes, the hat was in almost pristine condition. Placing the hat in front of Trixie, Rarity began on her cape.
“Why are you mending my clothes?” Trixie questioned, still a bit confused by the kindness of the mare.
“I couldn’t let such a fabulous pony wear this outfit with a bunch of holes in it! That would be absolutely dreadful and I couldn’t have that on my conscience!”
Trixie’s magic enveloped the hat and began to float towards her head, but stopped as soon as it left the stone. Gently, Trixie placed it back. Either Rarity hadn’t noticed, or she didn’t care to comment.
“So,” Rarity began, as she fixed a particularly large hole on the left side of Trixie’s cape near the spine, “You seemed terribly brash when you left Ponyville. Why do you seem so broken here in this dreadful place?”
Trixie sat, wondering why she truly did come here to the Everfree Forest. Was it the closest place? Was it the most desolate place? Was it the most...dangerous place?
“I guess I just wanted it to end,” Trixie replied, lowering her head, “Moving from town to town only to be booed at can be...demoralizing.” She raised her head to look at the eternal night sky, at the millions of stars that each burned with different intensities. “I just wanted to shine over all of Equestria...”
Looking up from her repairs, Rarity sighed, “Oh I know the same feeling. We both want the same thing. I wish my beautiful dresses could be seen by royalty and worn all over Equestria, but I haven’t even gotten a single fashion designer to even look at anything I’ve made. Let alone show it off!” Slowly, she returned to her work.
Trixie lifted her hat to eye level, gazing at the expertly stitched holes. She was surprised to see so many, apparently with all the adrenaline, she never noticed how many holes she had ripped and how many cuts she had received.
“Yes, but considering how wonderful your stitching is, you're probably one of the best seamstresses in Equestria! I’m just a one trick pony...”
Slamming her needle and thread onto the rock, Rarity faced Trixie again. This time, she was not sweet or gentle, she was agitated and spiteful.
“Stop sitting there, throwing a pity party for yourself Trixie! You think you don’t have the talent but you do! Trust me! I know! I’ve been on the tail end of one of your ‘party illusions’” she yelled, beating her hoof on the rock a little too hard, Trixie noticed, as Rarity’s eye twitched in, what she believed to be, pain.
Slowly, Rarity calmed down. She picked up her needle and thread, checked to see if the thread was still secure, and restarted her hemming again as she said in her friendliest tone, “Trixie, you have so much potential. You just need to get some good education and a steady place to rest your head. Might I suggest the Arcane University in Manehattan?” Again, Rarity fixed a particularly large hole but this time it was near the bottom of Trixie’s cape.
“That does sound...interesting. But I could never be as great as that purple uni...”
“Twilight Sparkle,” Rarity interjected.
“...as Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie sighed, ”There are just so many ponies more talented then I.” Trixie trailed off in thought.
“True, a lot of ponies may be more talented than you, but you just need to believe that you truly are The Great and Powerful Trixie!” At the last five words, Rarity stood on her hind legs and mimicked the same stance as the mare in front of her.
“But what if the crowd boos me? I can’t stand being hated anymore...”
“Then you get back up!” Rarity cheered, “You keep on going because that is your dream and nopony can take that away from you.” Rarity landed back on her hooves and looked at Trixie’s things. “Anyways Trixie, your cape and hat are all mended. Are you all right now?” the white mare questioned, raising an eyebrow.
“I believe so, if but a little confused on where to begin.”
Slowly, Rarity stood up and put her things away. Where to? Trixie could not tell. Running a hoof through her mane and slowly rising, she put Trixie’s newly repaired cape onto the rock in front of her. It looked just as good as her hat did. With that, Rarity started to trot back in the direction she had come from.
“Everything will fall into place, don’t worry. Well, good luck The Great and Powerful Trixie! I hope the next time I see you, it’s on the stages of Manehattan!”
And with that final farewell and a wave of a hoof, Rarity disappeared into the darkness of the Everfree Forest to return back to her comfy life in Ponyville.
Trixie sat in the clearing for what felt like an hour, staring at the stars as if they would tell her what to do next. Why did she help me? She thought, What should I do? Should I take her advice? I mean I don’t really even deserve her help...
NO!
Trixie bounded to her hoofs and stood with her head held high.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie does not sit and mope anymore! She gets things done and shows Equestria her true potential!”
The Great and Powerful Trixie quickly wrapped her cape in her magic and tied it around her neck. Standing on her hind legs, The Great and Powerful Trixie stood in her oh so familiar pose, smiling the widest and most true smile she had ever worn. She even conjured her own small fireworks!
That was when she felt a very soft thump in her hat. With a puzzled look, The Great and Powerful Trixie lifted the celestial cap off and glanced inside. Laying at the very bottom of her hat was a small piece of paper. Using her magic, The Great and Powerful Trixie unfolded the letter and read aloud:
Dear The Great and Powerful Trixie (or Trixie),
I've always watched as ponies came walked down the streets in rags, with barely anything to their name, and I haven't helped them in the slightest. Yes, it is true I gave them clothing and dresses, but I never truly helped them rebuild their lives and get back on their feet. Food, shelter, and an opportunity go so much farther than clothing! I only wish to help you Trixie and I wish you to know that my suggestions were truly what I believe you should do. Study magic more! It's a very complex art but with enough tutoring and hard work, I believe you will make a fine unicorn and performer some day. You’ll shine brighter than the stars some day Trixie, I can feel it.
Yours Truly,
Rarity
P.S. I’ve enclosed a ticket to Manehattan, a letter to a few friends of mine (show them the letter and they’ll help you), and 50 bits to help you along. Good Lu--
“Good Luck!” was suddenly smeared as tears dripped down The Great and Powerful Trixie’s muzzle.
How could she do such a wonderful thing? The Great and Powerful Trixie thought, overwhelmed by all of the kindness and generosity she had just received. Now I must do better. She believes so deeply in me to give me such a wonderful chance, I must prove to her that I am worthy!
The Great and Powerful Trixie wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and looked up with her confident look. She knew great things were going to happen, and because of Rarity, they would soon be a reality. Looking up into the sky The Great and Powerful Trixie stared at the stars, seeing an exciting new future ahead of her. She began to gallop as fast as she could the way she came. Where to? What was going to happen? What will she do for food? The Great and Powerful Trixie knew only two of those three questions but she didn't care! It was time to act.
Suddenly, The Great and Powerful Trixie stopped halfway through the clearing and turned around. Lifting the table-like rock towards her, The Great and Powerful Trixie began the biggest spell she had ever attempted. Her horn started to glow the brightest it ever had and wisps of magic flowed to the ground and wrapped themselves around the rock. Her horn ached and her brow sweat but when it was all done and over, The Great and Powerful Trixie placed the stone in the middle of the clearing and began to walk away with a feeling of pride and closure.
On the stone, were three perfect diamonds, each about the size of a potato. The trio were set to mimic Rarity’s own cutie mark. Moonbeams reflected perfectly off of the gems, making them twinkle like the stars.
Trixie loved those diamonds for all they had done for her.
Those Diamonds in the Night.
(Special thanks to Cureall and Psycho for helping with a lot of my grammar and characterization.)
