Lulamoon

When Trixie opened her eyes, Princess Luna was standing in front of her, just as promised.  The Princess was watching the moon set and then turned to the east and watched the first rays of dawn.

"Come," she murmured. "We must hurry. I have to lower the moon on my balcony in Canterlot. Immediately." Trixie blinked.

"But Canterlot is more than a day by train! We'll never make it in time!"

"I can use a teleportation spell on the two of us to get us back to my balcony. We have to hurry," Princess Luna repeated.

Without warning, her horn began to glow. Trixie yelped as the tendrils of magic curled around her and lifted her into the air to levitate beside the already flying Princess. "Relax," advised Luna. Trixie did as she was told and relaxed the muscles in her legs, then body, then neck. Princess Luna cast the teleportation spell, and Trixie experienced a feeling like being sucked forward, ripped apart, and smashed back together in a matter of seconds. She felt nauseous, and suddenly she was on an ornate balcony overlooking all of Canterlot. For a second, Trixie forgot about Princess Luna standing behind her as she took in the beauty of Canterlot waking up to a new morning. She was so lost, Princess Luna had to clear her throat several times to snap out of it.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Princess. Something came over me." Luna smiled gently.

"No need, Beatrix. Many have been captivated by the beauty of sunrise."

The pair exited the balcony and walked through a corridor in the castle, going from tower to tower until they finally reached the Princesses' living areas. Princess Luna's quarters were small and dark, resting on the top floor of the whole castle. Princess Celestia's was generally bigger and brighter, and occupied the next highest. Luna led Trixie through the den to the fireplace on the back wall, filled with glowing blue embers, occasionally flickering orange.

"I had this prepared especially for you," remarked Princess Luna.

"The fireplace?" Trixie was skeptical. Then she noticed a hollow directly over the center of the black marble mantelpiece.

"Insert your horn into that hollow, and you will find your way to your quarters." Princess Luna winked, and continued: "You are free to settle in for all of today and tonight. Your lessons begin tomorrow. Is that too soon?"

"Tomorrow is perfect," chuckled Trixie. "I've had enough traveling for a lifetime."

"It is settled, then. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some royal duties to attend to. I shall also inform my sister of your arrival." Luna paused. "I know you two will get along very well. Until tomorrow, then!"

Trixie turned around and poked her horn into the hollow. It took a few seconds, but the hollow soon glowed warmly with purple magic the color of Trixie's own eyes, and it expanded into a door with a hoofprint in the middle. Trixie tentatively placed her hoof on the print, and the door swung open, revealing no trace of the embers behind it. When Trixie stepped through, the door swung shut and she could see the horn hollow above the door frame. Smiling at nothing in particular, Trixie trotted down the short corridor to another door with another hoofprint. Without hesitation this time, she placed her hoof on the door, which promptly opened. Trixie gasped at what she saw.

A small, warm fire flickered in a welcoming fashion in a silvery stone fireplace with a picture frame featuring a moonlit river. A chaise lounge, a couch, and a comfortable chair were positioned around the fire. A room to the right featured kitchen with a refrigerator, small stove and oven, microwave, and a pantry stocked with snacks. To the left of the den was the bedroom.

The bedroom was by far the best part of Trixie's quarters, in her opinion. The wall to the left was lined with bookshelves, and the wall to the right had a desk with writing materials. The wall opposite the door was where Trixie slept: a four-poster, lush, dark blue, and otherwise perfect, bed. There was a small bathroom connected to Trixie's bedroom which had a toilet, shower, and sink with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Sighing, Trixie eased herself into the shower. She turned the knob and pushed it so she was soon engulfed in steam and hot streams of water. It had been so long since Trixie had taken a real, actual shower. She shampooed her mane and body, and rinsed the soap out. Then Trixie brushed out her silver mane until it was once again in perfect condition and she stared at herself in the mirror for a long time. She saw the face of the perfect, pristine, Great and Powerful Trixie.

She hated that face with a burning passion.

Trixie just didn't want to go by that face anymore. And her name was known in practically every city and town, especially Ponyville. Upon hearing the name "Trixie," most ponies would roll their eyes sarcastically or make a snide joke. And seeing the actual pony? When Trixie dared to approach any other populated town, she was pelted with rotten apples or moldy carrots. What stung more than the fruits and vegetables, though, were the words hurled at her.

Fake! Fraud! Get out of our town, Great and Powerful TRIXIE!!!

After many episodes of this, her pride was left as nothing more than a twig that had been repeatedly scorched and burned and hacked at until Trixie had been forced to take refuge in the Everfree Forest. The only pony who ever took any notice of her at all was Zecora, but even that relationship had its limits. Nopony, it seemed, was willing to forgive her. Trixie walked back to Princess Luna's quarters and looked out the window overlooking the ponies going about their daily lives.

It's okay, Trixie thought cynically. I wouldn't forgive me either.