I sighed, crossing my front hooves over my chest as I sat on the marble floor. Sun motifs decorated the walls, with a throne in front of me. Upon that throne was an enormous unicorn-pegasus hybrid. “I’ve told you already over a thousand times, Princess! I. Do not. Know.”

“But you have to know something about this, Sunset-“ began the Unisus, or pegacorn or whatever she was called. Personally, I didn’t even know what species she was. I didn’t particularly care, either. All I really cared about was getting home.

However, I cut her off. “Please don’t call me that, Princess; I’ve told you already that I’m not Sunset Shimmer. I don’t even know why I’m here, even, or who brought me here.” I looked down at the ground, shutting my eyes to make sure no dust got in them. “Just… let me-” My voice cracked, and I coughed, before continuing. “Let me have some time to myself, please.”

The pegacorn princess – her name is Celestia; remember that, it’s important – spoke up after a few seconds. “…I think you need more than just to get home. You need some friends, S-” She caught herself, stopping for a few seconds as I looked back up, and then continued. “Evening Gleam.”

Evening Gleam. That was the name I gave myself, of course. I don’t know why, though.

Well, I suppose you’d like some context for all this, would you? Wouldn’t want to have you too confused, would I? Now… I’ll start from the beginning.

14 billion years ago-

Ha, you really think I would do something like that? I’m not a jerk, you know.

Now this is where the story really starts…

One Wednesday evening, I was sitting on the couch of my apartment, flicking through the TV channels as I did so. I was wearing a casual shirt and shorts. I had my left leg over my right. A bit of hair got in my face, and I brushed it out of the way.

I had just turned 24. It was the first year anniversary of the day I’d gotten out of my parents’ house. But I had no job; nearly nothing to my name, in fact. I grumbled. Over a hundred television channels, and there’s still nothing on… Throwing the remote aside, I stood up, turning to the left. Walking down the small hall, I sighed.

I was living all alone, with no-one to care for me, or talk to. Not that I necessarily minded… I was never much of a people person. I did at least have some interaction, though, but most of the time I was just grunting and saying short sentences, and hoping to go home. There were card game tournaments, but those were different.

Thankfully, the standards of living had gotten better in 2022; I was able to afford books, computers, internet, and a phone with a plan. If not for that, it would have been a complete blowout.

Suddenly, I heard a knock at the door. Sighing, I walked through the hall to the other side, past the TV and towards it. After taking a breath and waiting, I opened it. “What is it?” I asked.

Standing there was an odd-looking man. The whites of his eyes were yellow, and his irises red. He wore mismatched patchwork clothes, and had an odd smirk on his face. “I think you ordered this, ma’am.” Reaching behind himself, he brought out him a strange little box. It had a picture of an orange and red sun on the top, and was made of an odd metal; it had a hinged top, with a rather large lid, and otherwise was completely stainless metal.

“…I’m not sure I did,” I said, my voice soft. I usually got nervous when around others.

However, this was not the only reason why I was nervous right at that moment. No, the reason was the man – no, the thing – in front of me. He looked like a normal person to me, but something about him just didn’t sit right with me. Of course, that meant I had no idea why I did what I did next, as he held it out towards me. “Go on, take it!” he urged.

I took the box.

Thanking him, I turned around, closing the door behind me. After a few seconds of standing there, I sighed, and began to walk towards the couch. Putting it on the coffee table, I pulled it closer to the couch. Plonking down on it, I flipped it open.

The lid was heavy, and took a bit of effort to budge. After a second of straining my hand, though, I got it open.

I’m not sure what I expected to see then; only that it was something either worthless, or expensive, and given a complete stranger had given it to me, I believed it to be worthless.

What I actually found, though, was a piece of paper, bulging on the inside, and folded up. My eyes widened slightly. Taking out the paper, I unfolded it once, twice, and a third time before something fell out, clanking on the floor. Ignoring the object for a moment, I read the letter.

“‘To help you on your journey – D.’ Who’s this ‘D’ person? And what journey?” I muttered. It wasn’t the time for that, though. I shook my head and looked down at the floor. There was a thin metal chain. Lifting it up, I unravelled it, and soon, dangling in front of me was a light red gemstone, set into a golden case, shaped like a stereotypical depiction of a sun.

My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped. What kind of person would just give someone something like this? It looked like an amulet. No, scratch that; it looked like it cost over a thousand dollars! The main problem was I didn’t know what to do with it.

I sighed, picking up the piece of paper. It had turned upside down when I had dropped it, and I was about to scrunch it up and throw it away, when I noticed that there was something written on that side.

Blinking, I paused, unravelling it from how it was. “‘P.S. You’re meant to put it on’?” I blinked. “How did that guy know… you know what, I don’t even care. Screw it. I’ll put the amulet on.” Dropping the paper, I held it up, and put it around my neck.

I really shouldn’t have been all that surprised when everything went black.

Baltimare was… odd.

That came with being the central trade hub of Equestria, of course. There were all sorts of beings who came from lands far across the sea to trade, or live in, the city. Minotaurs, Zebras, Centaureans, and even Changelings had come to seek out their fortunes there.

However, the most common species, probably because their land was right next door to Equestria, were the griffons. You would walk down a street one day and see a griffon talking with a pony, or selling some ‘genuine magical’ wares. No matter where you went, you would almost always see a griffon.

It didn’t matter, though, what these creatures were; no matter who you were, or what kind of a pony you were, you were always, without fail, accepted by the people of the city.

Well, almost always.

Beatrice Lulamoon, formerly known by her stage name of ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’, walked through the streets of Baltimare, alone, cloakless with just a saddlebag on her back. She sighed, shivering in the cold of the night.

When she had returned to Baltimare after losing to Twilight Sparkle in a magic duel, alongside the Alicorn Amulet, an artifact of dark magic, she had found that her house – her hard-earned house that she had bought with money that she had earned with her own shows, the house that she stayed in every time she came to the city, her home – had been sold to a pair of donkeys. Her parents had abandoned her, even disowning her from their family.

And to add to that, the only place that would accept her was a ratty old hotel, run by a griffon who overcharged her for rent, and she had a job as a garbagemare, which paid 5 bits an hour and required her to work until after the day had ended.

Sighing again, Beatrice finally reached her destination. It was a late-night café with a bar, ‘The Mare’, run by a zebra called Jamal. She hadn’t been there in over a year. Gulping, she took a deep breath, then breathed out again. Reaching up a hoof, she pushed open the glass door of the café to the jingle of a bell.

There weren’t very many ponies there that day, with maybe 2 or 3 tables taken. Inwardly, Beatrice groaned with relief. This would make it easier. At least she wouldn’t be beset upon by a bunch of angry townsponies. Approaching the bar, her hooves made careful creaks on the wooden floor. Picking a stool, she reared back onto her hind legs and jumped back onto the stool with a ‘whuf’ of breath.

Facing away from the bar, a zebra stood, polishing an empty glass. It seemed like he wasn’t listening. Then he spoke up.

“So, what is it ya want?” he asked. Beatrice looked at the shelves, tapping her hoof on her chin before coming to a decision.

“I would like an Apple Acres Moonshine, please,” she said, taking 3 bits out and putting them onto the counter. The zebra stiffened, and spun around almost instantly.

“Trix, izzat you?” he asked. His face was blank, and for a few seconds, the unicorn almost thought he might forgive her for it, before quashing that hope. Beatrice nodded, smiling nervously.

What happened next surprised her: Jamal dropped his glass on the bar, and jumped towards her, giving her a hug.

Beatrice froze. Jamal was… hugging her? “…Why?” she asked. ‘Why are you hugging me?”

Pulling back, Jamal smirked. “I thought I told ya the last time you left, Trix; we’re friends ‘til the end, no matter what.” He chuckled. “Though, I kinda hope that you’re goin’ alright with that ‘Great and Powerful Trixie’ thing you had goin’ on.”

Almost instantly, Beatrice’s ears flattened themselves against her head. Jamal blinked. “What? Did I… say somethin’ wrong?” he asked.

Jamal was fairly big for a zebra; he reached about 5 hooves tall, and had a mane dyed green and styled in a bun at the back of his head. His voice was deep, but about the same amount of deep as you would hear a Minotaur.

Beatrice looked away. “Didn’t you… didn’t you hear what I did?” she choked out, nearly sniffling. “I… I brought an Ursa Minor – not even an Ursa Major – to the town of Ponyville, and it almost wrecked everything! Then, after that, I took over Ponyville myself, to take vengeance upon the members of the town!” She sneezed, sniffling properly.

“Yeah, I did, and it’s a shame,” the zebra said, sighing as he patted Beatrice on the back. “From what I heard, those hecklers in the audience kind of drove you crazy.”

The sky-blue unicorn took her face out of the Zebra’s fur, her coat stained by tears. “…Y-you don’t hate me?” she asked.

The zebra scoffed. “Why would I hate ya, Trix? You an’ I, we’re best friends forever, remember?” He grew a cocky grin. “I ain’t gonna go an’ say that it’s all your fault when it isn’t.” He paused. “Although, you do still kinda need to get a lid on your anger; or you’ll go on a vengeance streak like that again.

Beatrice’s eyes began to glisten. “R-really? You’d- you’d really forgive somepony like me?”

Jamal’s grin grew rider. “Hey, I did, didn’t I?”

With that, the floodgates opened, and Beatrice cried. She bawled like a baby for the next 5 minutes. The other ponies quietly left, leaving their finished meals on the table.

Soon, Beatrice was sniffling, having let out all the tears she had been saving up for months. Then, she started to rant.

She ranted about her life, her job, her home, her family, anything she could think of.

A few minutes later, she had exhausted herself of the rant. She was panting, her throat hoarse. “I… I guess I’m just not cut out to do this anymore.” Beatrice took a shaky breath, then continued. “Just… please don’t call me ‘the Great and Powerful Trixie anymore. I want to- to leave that name behind.”

“Alright then, Trix.” Jamal nodded in sympathy. “Just… I kinda think it’s a good time for you to leave.”

Beatrice blinked, looking up at the clock on the wall of the bar. Her eyes widened. “It’s 10:30 already?! Horseapples!” Looking down at herself, she shook her head, then looked at Jamal. Standing up hurriedly, she turned to face the door of the bar, and over her shoulder looked back at Jamal. “I need to go; it’s late enough that if I get back home much later, I’m screwed! See you!” Turning to face the door again, she galloped towards it, not even bothering to use her telekinesis to push it open and just barrelled through it.

Jamal’s eyes widened. “Wait a sec-!” But it was too late. His friend had left already. He sighed, and grew a wry smile. “Heh, that’s the Trix I know and love; always needing to get somewhere.” Turning back to his glass, he picked it up, putting it with the rest before picking up another to polish. “I just kinda wish she was a bit less… reckless. I just hope she gets home okay…”

Rushing through the dark, unwelcoming streets, Beatrice galloped through them, occasionally turning into shortcut alleyways. Soon enough, she was nearly at her new apartment. Smiling, relieved, she turned into the final alleyway, relief visible on her face.

She continued to gallop down the alleyway, undaunted, but suddenly, a prickling, cold feeling came to her back. Skidding to a stop, she froze. Turning around, she looked behind her. There was… something standing there. It was clear that it was there, but she couldn’t see it. It was almost like she could sense it…

“Hey, you!” she shouted, ignoring the oncoming sense of dread, as her instincts screamed at her to run like Tartarus. “Show yourself!”

Whoever, or whatever, it was, was silent for a few seconds. Then, it started to cackle.

Beatrice winced, her ears folding down; that was not a normal sound. It sounded more like something out of a horror movie than a normal laugh. Then, whatever it was, it spoke.

“Well, aren’t you the brave little pony?” it asked, its voice androgynous enough that Beatrice couldn’t tell if it was male or female. “Telling somepony like me to… show myself.”

“Me!” the voice snapped, now right behind Beatrice. She whipped around to face the direction where it was coming from, but there was still nopony there. A cold sweat began to break on her forehead. “Were you somepony who I knew was superior, or were it any other day, I would have let a weakling like you off. But unfortunately, the thing is, my little pony, today…”

She heard a snigger behind her. “…Today I’m hungry.”

Beatrice froze. This was it… She would die.

“Just be honoured that it wasn’t a lackey, but me, the Elder, who fasted upon your blood.”

At that moment in time, 3 things happened.

In the human world, a young woman put a mystical amulet on and promptly disappeared.

In the alleyway, the creature behind Beatrice pounced, aiming to attack as Beatrice turned to face her death head-on.

And in that same alleyway, there was a blinding flash of light that lasted for several seconds.

The flash unbalanced the creature, throwing it back by a few meters. Beatrice’s eyes widened when she saw it; it was a pegasus, with a pale white coat and greasy black mane; their eyes were closed. She still couldn’t tell if they were a mare or stallion, though; their proportions seemed… off.

Soon, the light died down, and there was still a warm glow where the flash came from. Both Beatrice and the pegasus looked at the source of the flash. Both grew shocked expressions, although for different reasons. Beatrice’s was at the young unicorn mare who had appeared there; a mare with a yellow, almost golden, coat, and a red and yellow mane.

The pegasus’ reason was… different. It opened its mouth, showing a pair of fangs, and hissed. “The Amulet of the Sun?! Impossible! That was destroyed a millennium ago!” it said, its face wearing a look of abject terror. Then, it looked at Beatrice, and a shiver passed down her spine once again. “As for you… I shall destroy you. You, your family, your friends… Just you wait. And if you survive, the master will make you pay…”

With that last word, the pegasus took off like a rocket. In less than a second, she saw no traces of it any more. Beatrice shuddered. She couldn’t outrun it even if she tried. Turning around, she moved her front right hoof, aiming to walk off… then stopped. That pony was just lying there on the gound, unconscious… It wasn’t her problem, though. She could leave without having to pick them up, and carry them.

But… Beatrice hesitated. Could she live with herself after doing something like that? Or would she just… leave them behind.

After a few seconds, Beatrice sighed. “Oh, damn it all to Tartarus…” she grumbled. Her horn glowing a light blue, she began levitating the other unicoirn, and after a few seconds, dropped them on her back.

Her Magic Duel with Twilight Sparkle had made her realise something: she’d lost herself in a quest for vengeance against a kind pony, and Twilight still hadn’t given up on her after all that she’d done with the Alicorn Amulet on. What kind of a pony would she be if she didn’t help a unicorn who’d just appeared out of nowhere, and unconscious, to boot?

Beatrice had slowed down a little with the unicorn on her back, but she knew she could still get back home on time. There was still one question, though, at the back of her mind.

What was this Amulet of the Sun?

Author's Note

So I just got this idea out of nowhere. It seemed like a fun one, so eh.