The Great Spirit Detective
Another peaceful day was being enjoyed to the fullest by the diverse inhabitants of Ponyville. Passing ponies could smell the sweet aroma of freshly baked cakes, pies, and tarts. Meanwhile, other ponies strolling through the park heard the pleasant noise of chirping birds and playing colts and fillies.“Get out of the way!” Suddenly everyponies’ heads turned to the sound of screeching wheels, a foal’s scream, and a sickening thud.
“Trixie has to admit this must be the softest bed Trixie has ever lied on. It feels like Trixie is lying on air.” Indeed it did, and although Trixie couldn’t ever recall going to sleep on such a soft bed she could hardly care at the moment. A smile continued to loiter on the azure pony’s face, at least, until an offending smell of smoke invaded her great and powerful nostrils.Convinced that her father must once again be trying to undertake the task of cooking breakfast—which was completely and hopelessly out of his reach—Trixie opened her eyes with an annoyed grunt, ready to put out the kitchen fire, immediately regretting the act. At least 100 feet separated the now Terrified and Panicking pony from the Ground.
Trixie screamed and flailed her arms helplessly in the air, desperately trying to find something to grab or stand on—but all for naught. It wasn’t until she realized that the ground was not getting closer and (mysteriously) nothing was holding her up that she stopped her shrill screech.
*Chirp Chirp*
“What in Equestria!” Trixie’s panicked voice screamed as she watched a flock of birds fly by, seemingly unaware of her presence. Her horn did not appear to be glowing as she checked to make sure she did not simply dream-magic herself up here. “If magic isn’t the cause of this, then what is?” questioned Trixie.
Although she was still shaken from this unexpected turn of events, she managed to gather enough courage to inch her eyes back down to the source of the smoke that had alerted her earlier. A crowd of ponies were gathering around what appeared to be a terrible accident but Trixie was too far up to see what was actually going on. “Trixie wonders what’s going on down there. If Trixie only knew how to fly, then maybe Trixie could start figuring out how she managed wind up here.” While Trixie ran ideas through her head on the best course of action she didn’t notice that she was starting to drift downwards toward the area that occupied her thoughts. “Oh?” said Trixie, finally snapping out of her thoughts, “OH delightful! Trixie guesses she just needs to think about the direction she’d want her brilliant brain to go.” Somehow, finding a reason to smile again, she started to float loftily to the crowd, the sound of sirens started to become much more noticeable, and the source became apparent as the emergency wagon came around the corner of building with horns blaring.
“It appears as though some dolt ponies got themselves hurt.” The ambulance had come to a stop by now and the medical ponies got out in a hurry to check the damage. “Of course Trixie would never get herself in such a situation, she is much too smart for that.” With a snicker and now hovering close enough to scene to where she could assess the situation, Trixie observed as two medics came to a crying foal’s aid, the kid has an unusual amount of brown spots covering his coat but even more noteworthy was the amount of nicks covering his torso. “He seems alright, but he does have some cuts and bruises.” With a nod they put a blanket over the child’s shoulders and walked him back to the cart, still wailing but hopefully fine and healthy. Turning her head to see where the other two went, caused her face to turn pale as a ghost “which might be a very accurate description of me now.” She thought, because right in the middle of the road was the motionless body of Trixie Lulamoon.
“This kid’s alright, but we can’t say the same for her,” a medical pony stated as he glanced back at the sad image behind him. The voices sounded dreamlike and distant, the translucent pony tried to comprehend what exactly what she was seeing before her. “Let’s tag her and bag her.”
“Wait what!” This snapped Trixie out of her stunned trance. “Don’t you dare and write up Trixie! Don’t you know who you’re talking about!?” But the ponies ignored her as they took her body and placed it haphazardly on the stretcher. Trixie, not even trying to contain her anger as they loaded her body on the wagon, reared up on her front legs and kicked out at the closest medical pony, only to find herself staring at the sky as she fell through the colt and turned 520 degrees in the air. Trixie righted herself just in time again to watch as the ambulance disappeared around the corner it came from.
At this point Trixie was very scared that this might not be a dream. “How could this possibly happen?” panicked the showmare. “Think Trixie, what made this day different from all other days? What led to this moment?”
“Trixie Lulamoon, report to Mr. Inklet’s office immediately.” came the gruff voice of the school’s dean over the intercom system spread all over Ponyville University. It was passing period so students were standing in the halls, clotting them like the arteries of a regular Sugar Cube corner customer as groups of friends stood chatting and others walking slow as molasses.
Nopony seemed to be any real hurry, except for one purple unicorn making her way to the rooftop where she knew where another unicorn was. Bursting through the door wearing the angriest scowl she could muster, the unicorn turned her head searching for the pony she came here to scold.
“Hello Twilight.” Twilight whipped her head towards the condescending voice knowing fully well to whom it belonged. “Have you come to bless Trixie with your presence?” spoke Trixie with the most sarcastic tone she could muster.
Ever since the Ursa Minor incident Trixie has been living with her father under the condition that she starts up school again so she can get a “real job.” By coincidence, Twilight was also receiving a higher education in the same class as the Great and Powerful Trixie. Some ponies get confused as to why Twilight would attend college when she has already been in the most prestigious school in all of Canterlot, having been taught by Celestia no less. But you see, that school’s sole purpose was to teach unicorns how to perform magic. The non-magic courses that earth and pegasus ponies receive are taught at Ponyville University.
In order to be officially certified as a librarian, Twilight would need to earn a master’s degree in library sciences. Admittedly ignorant to this fact until a year and half ago, Twilight failed to sign herself up for college until one especially warm and sunny spring afternoon when Mayor Mare knocked on her door, disturbing the concentration of the nerdy pony performing another science experiment. Though the news was unfortunate, the mayor agreed to let Twilight live in the library long enough so that by the time school started up again she could find a nice apartment to rent or a friend to crash with.
Until she graduated, Doctor Whooves agreed he would keep the library up and running, allowing Twilight and any other pony to check out any books whenever they wanted. After all, “We can’t shut down Ponyville’s only library can we,” Mayor Mare had said.
As far as school went for Twilight, she didn’t really mind all that much. Everypony that has met her can agree that if college was free, she probably would’ve gone there for fun. In fact, there was only one aspect that spoiled the experience for her.
“Well it’s nice to see you’re still alive. Don’t you know classes are something you - I don’t know - have to attend!” Thankfully there were no teachers around to hear her as she lost her cool or else she might’ve gotten reprimanded.
“Please Twilight, it’s not as though those sorry excuses of role models have anything of value to teach Trixie that she does not already know.” As the half eaten pinecone was lowered back down into Trixie’s lunch pale, she continued to stroke her ego as she spoke. “Perhaps, if they had anything worth teaching, Trixie would show up more often than she has. Besides, she is here now; Trixie does not understand why you have to interrupt her lunch just to lecture her.”
That’s when Twilight got up in the egocentric ponies’ face to unleash release the pent up anger she’d been saving up ever since she saw Trixie in class last period. “Maybe if you came to class more than once a week I wouldn’t have to chase you down and lecture you!” A couple nearby birds flew away in fear. Without any hesitation, Twilight continued her rant, “Not only does this reflect badly on you, but as the class representative, your poor attendance looks bad on me as well! If you keep this up, you will not be able to graduate!” It was apparent that any of this was getting through to Trixie as stubborn as she was, merely turning her head away with a *humph* of annoyance. Twilight, undeterred by Trixie’s act, only got madder. “You don’t care about anyone except yourself, and you’re not even doing that with the way you’ve been behaving, or maybe too stupid to realize that other ponies know more than you do!”
An awkward silence hung over the roof. Well, aside from Twilight’s panting.
The pail made a clacking noise as Trixie picked up the handle between her teeth. Purple eyes followed her as she stalked off in a huff. “Trixie doesn’t need this,” spoke the haughty unicorn, though it came out more unintelligible having it spoken through the metal.
Twilight merely sighed as she watched Trixie leave the roof and, after taking a few moments to collect herself, she walked down the stairs as well. As she reached the bottom without really watching where her hooves were taking her, she turned into hallway strewed with posters offering tutors to students in need and a few graffitied lockers with crude images spray-painted on. Quite honestly, Twilight didn’t know why she always got so upset with Trixie. It wasn’t like it was much of her business whether Trixie failed to graduate or not, and it wasn’t like her failure to show up reflected that badly on her either, since teachers where quite willing to not have Trixie show up at all.
Rubbing her temples in frustration, Twilight repeated to herself, “Just quit thinking about it.”
“Hiya Twi!” Coming up to Twilight where none other than two of her best friends; Pinkie and Rarity. She cheered up immensely.
“Why hello darling. I must say, that’s not something I would expect to hear coming from a smart unicorn such as you. What could possibly make you want to stop thinking?” mocked Rarity.
And her mood dropped again immediately.
“Oh! It’s that frustrating unicorn Trixie! Why can’t she just listen to reason?!” The look she gave her friends was the type of look one would give to someone who knew all the answers. Rarity just stood there wondering what floodgates she had just unleashed upon herself. Pinkie was the first to say anything.
“Why do you even talk to Ol’ Meanie Pants? Of all the ponies she would talk to, you would be at the bottom of the list. Besides, aren’t you afraid she’ll try to start a fight with you? She likes too rough house with other ponies almost every day and not in the fun way either.” Twilight knew Pinkie had a point and as she was just debating with herself a moment ago, she has still yet to find an answer.
She let loose her second sigh that day and struggled to find a suitable answer to both herself and her friends. “I guess it’s because Trixie has no friends.” The tone that she carried before had completely disappeared by now, replaced by a more saddened one. “She’s only hurting herself when she acts like she does, and I can’t help feeling that if she had just one friend, she wouldn’t be so awful all the time.” Pinkie and Rarity didn’t say anything, fearing that if they did, Twilight would start shouting again.
“Besides”—the atmosphere suddenly taking a totally unexpected swing, as Twilight sounded more cheerful than before—“she may not be smart and she may not admit it, but she knows she can’t beat me.” Glad that their friend was smiling again, Pinkie and Rarity walked off with Twilight back to her class.
“Trixie Lulamoon, I know you’re here today. Come to my office immediately.” Even outside, the intercoms could be heard as they amplified Mr. Inklet’s voice across school grounds.
“Will that Old Man ever just stop barking?” questioned Trixie. She walked outside along the building, glad that Twilight let her leave instead of forcing her to stay. Having no intention to see Mr. Inklet today, since every encounter she had with him left her with a feeling she only feels when Twilight talks to her, Guilt. She didn’t like that feeling at all, and chose to avoid the two as much as possible.
Walking, deep in her thoughts, and trying to escape these feeling, she looked for something to distract herself, she was not disappointed as she heard two ponies talking behind the dumpster.
“You did what?” laughed a rather dorky- looking colt with glasses taped together.
His friend waved a saddle bag filled with bits and chortled as he bragged about his accomplishment. “You heard me, this guy was about to beat my brains out of me until I told him I was a cousin of Trixie. You should have seen his face. He gave me his bag and asked me to forgive him before he ran away.”
The pair laughed at the expense of the pony for an entire ten seconds before the dorky one asked a question, tears of laughter dripping from his eyes. “What if Trixie hears about that, she’ll get you if she does.”
The other one only laughed harder before he retorted, “She’d probably believe it. In fact, she’d probably believe I was her dad if I told her so.” As he said this, a shadow fell across his back, and his friend turned pale as he looked at the figure behind him. “Hey, what’s wrong?” The one wearing the glasses simply pointed his hoof behind his friend. Turning his head, he quickly wore the same expression when he saw Trixie standing behind him, staring daggers at the both of them.
They both got up against the wall as Trixie approached them, not even daring to run as they knew that Trixie was a very fast runner herself. Even if she wasn’t, her horn would eliminate that need as she could just use magic to catch them for her.
“Wait, please,” the one holding the bag begged. “I was just joking. Here, take the money.” He threw the bag at her front hooves hoping that she would just accept it and leave them before things got ugly. Instead, she stepped over it and placed her front hooves on both sides of his head up against the wall.
“You think Trixie cares for your filthy money?” Trixie spat. Her horn glowed with blue magic aura as she got ready to teach this loser a lesson.
“Trixie! Put out that spell!”
“It’s Professor Shady!” cried out the colt with the glasses. Sure enough, as Trixie put out her spell and backed off, one of her teachers, Professor Shady, stood to her left. He was just a regular earth pony, but just as menacing as the toughest pegasus. His coat was light red, his mane a dark tannish color, and his cutie mark a piece of paper with frowny face stamped on. As usual, whenever he caught Trixie doing something she shouldn’t be, he had a slimy smirk on his face, like he was a spider about to sink his teeth into an especially big juicy fly.
“Don’t worry boys, you’re safe now. Now why don’t you tell me what’s been going on here.” Before they thought of a response, he had already caught sight of the bag full of bits. Putting together a scenario in his head was all too easy. “I see, Trixie was beating you up for your money, typical scum behavior.”
“Whatever!”
Professor Shady couldn’t be stopped in his assumptions however, and continued his accusations. “Baked bads such as you should have been thrown out a long time ago. You don’t belong here Trixie. Get out of here. I don’t expect to see you back ever again.”
Trixie glared at the professor, trying not to let her anger get the best of her. Otherwise she might get in a whole lot more trouble than just expulsion. “You shouldn’t talk. Ponies will hear how stupid you sound.” With that weak statement, Trixie turned her back and walked away without a single glance back.
“Trixie should be happy,” she kept telling herself, “now Trixie will never have to come back here again.” But standing at the grounds entrance, she couldn’t think about anything besides what her dad will do when he hears about this. Supposedly, he’ll flip out, but Trixie doubts that he’ll even care. All her dad ever did was go out and party—if he wasn’t sleeping or belittling her that is. She wondered how he even made any money. It wasn’t as though the apartment, the food, the electricity, or the gas bill all paid for themselves.
Trixie reached down to pick up her lunch when she suddenly realized she didn’t have it with her. She’d accidentally left her pail back near the dumpster and failed to remember to pick it up before she left. There was no sense in going back for it. Professor Shady probably took it so he could have the satisfaction of seeing Trixie grovel before him, begging for her possessions back.
As she got ready to leave the university once and for all, a strong, fat, grey leg wrapped itself tightly around her neck, and a rough hoof started giving her a noogy. Screaming in pain and embarrassment, Trixie struggled against the strong grip. Having been held in it enough times to remember for a lifetime, she knew who it was before he even started talking.
“I’ve been calling you on the intercom all day Trixie,” came the gruff voice of Mr. Inklet. He released his grip on Trixie when he felt she had enough. If looks could kill, then the one she was giving him right now would have knocked him dead on the spot.
“Trixie guesses those intercoms aren’t as loud as you think then, because Trixe didn’t hear anything all day.” Mr. Inklet paid her statement no mind. He had no intention of mixing banter with the mare, having more important things he wanted to ask her.
“Can’t help but notice you were leaving us, Trixie Lulamoon. Care to explain why that is?”
She put on a nonchalant face as she tried answering his question as uncaringly as she could. “If you must know, Professor Shady gave the Great and Powerful Trixie the boot. Trixie will not want to have it said that she stays where she is not wanted.” His head nodded in understanding.
“We’ll see about that.”
Mr. Inklet’s horn glowed and a grey aura surrounded Trixie’s ear, tugging it as he started walking back towards school building.
“Ow ow ow ow!” cried Trixie, hating the utter humiliation that she allowed the dean to put her through. Inklet continued to chat though, a little amused at the cartoonish nature of this entire scene.
“I suppose we had better discuss your continued enrollment in our school with Professor Shady then. Perhaps I can make us both some tea and-?” A bright blue flash stopped him in tracks. Quickly he turned to see what Trixie had done. A life size plushy of Trixie stood exactly where she had been just a few seconds ago. Mr. Inklet did a double take.
“It’s a just a doll! Get over it!”
Mr. Inklet turned and watched as Trixie ran past the entrance and, presumably, back home. Standing back up, after falling on his rump in surprise, he smiled softly.
The door to the apartment opened, revealing dishes that cluttered the sink, random garbage strewn across the floor, and air that stung the eyes of anyone that wasn’t yet used to the stench. It wasn’t much, but Trixie still called it home, and until she earned enough bits to buy a caravan to replace her old one, this is where she was staying.
Quietly she shut the door behind her. Father was probably still asleep and she didn’t wish to disturb him if she could help it. She made her way further inside, picking up some random dropped bottles that could be recycled later, not that it made the place seem any cleaner. Trixie turned the handle to run the faucet, water ran over wasted food and plates. Clanking was heard from the sound of bottles being dropped in the recycled bin filled to the brim with even more bottles.
After such a difficult day, Trixie was ready to stop and relax. Washing the dishes wasn’t the most enjoyable job she could perform, but at least it took her mind off of everything else.
“What are you doing back home?”
Her father still had the blanket covering his body, giving the indication that he hadn’t even tried to get off the couch he had passed out on last night after he came home from a long night of partying. Father’s coffee stained colored coat clashed terribly with the blue blanket covering him, and the pipe he had taken fancy to was lit up, starting its destruction of breathable air.
“It’s a holiday, Dad. Trixie doesn’t have to go to school today.” Trixie was pretty sure that college didn’t have holidays off, but was also pretty sure her father didn’t know that. Mr. Lulamoon took a few puffs on his pipe. Trixie could practically feel the air quality dropping.
“You shouldn’t lie to me, Daughter. If you got in trouble again, you might as well just tell me and get it over with.”
“Really Dad, you’re going to talk to Trixie about what she should or shouldn’t do while you’re wearing your bunny slippers?”
Simply taking another puff of the pipe, he answered without any sign of Trixie’s words upsetting him. “If you don’t want me to talk about this you should get a job and buy your own place, except you and I both know that that’s not going to happen.” The words hurt Trixie more than she let on.
“This is the stupidest day Trixie has ever experienced!” She kicked a can to punctuate her sentence. After Trixie finished washing the dishes she took off into the town. The day was still early, and elementary students were just now being released. Foals and Fillies could be heard playing as they made they made their way home with the company of their parents. Some preferred to stay outside and continued their merriment while Celestia’s sun was still up. Good weather isn’t a rarity, but it is always celebrated.
Right now Trixie was moping down an alley, giving herself a pity fest. “The ONE day Trixie feels like going to school, everypony and their grandma want to gang up on her.” It wasn’t over yet either. When she met the intersection between “Knackers knick knacks”and “Tony’s Balonies ” she heard an obnoxious voice.
“Hey, Trixie! I’ve got a bone to pick with ya!”
“Oh, bother.”
Three colts ran out of Knacker’s Knick Knacks, tripping over their own legs in their hurry to block her path. They were all familiar to her. These three, nervously standing in front of her, were the same colts that liked to hang together with Trixie’s rival. Rival, might be too loose of a word though, more like a punching bag that grew a pair of legs one day, but constantly came back for more.
Footsteps echoed behind Trixie. It bounced off of the walls and into her ears. With three ponies standing before her, it didn’t take a genius to figure out who the last one to show up was.
She prepared something witty to say, and then turned to see the king of all fools, Knuckles Calhoun.
“Nice to see your ugly orange mug again, Knuckles, but pardon Trixie. She is not used to seeing you conscious.” Figurative smoke steamed out of Knuckles ears, an invisible outlet to the blood boiling at the unicorn’s remark, and he was quick to whistle a rebuttal. Pointing as hoof at her, he shouted at the top of his lungs.
“I was only out for a few seconds and you know it!” Trixie scoffed, amused that Knuckles was still sore after yesterday’s scuffle. But she knew what this was all about: he was always looking to test his strength against hers. The daily rematches even began to be something she could look forward to.
“It doesn’t matter anyway. Last time you got the better of me. But this time, this time you’re going down!” with that, Knuckles charged at Trixie, horn shooting orange spell after orange spell, but Trixie was ready. Without breaking a sweat, she deflected the spells he casted and unleashed her own torrent of magic. The magic Trixie flung flew through the air was as quick as a hummingbird and hit as hard as a bulldozer. Blow after blow struck Knuckles, leaving large purple bruises everywhere they connected. He didn’t stand a chance. All together the fight lasted less than ten seconds before she claimed victory.
Knuckles was down for the count, laying face up on the ground with legs splayed up in the air. Any fight Trixie got in, she usually won. This one was no exception.
“Well, Trixie’s work is done here. Trixie must thank you, Knuckles, you made her feel so much better.” The other three group members ran to his side as Trixie turned to leave the way she was going. Their voices could be heard as they walked away, slowly fading as the gang trotted away.
“She hit you pretty hard back there, Knuckles,” Boots chimed up.
“You should stop picking a fight with her,” McGee added. “You’re pretty banged up.”
“Yeah man, that’s 113 wins Trixie- 0 you.”
“NO!” screamed Knuckles, springing back to life, full of energy and determination.
“I’ll win someday! I swear one day, I will beat her.” The energy reserve quickly drained completely out of him. His friends sighed, and pulled Knuckles unconscious form onto one of their backs. He would have to get some rest for tonight, so he could repeat the same motions tomorrow.
______________________________________________________________________________
In a work shop, up on a hill, at the end of Concord street, the relatively unknown triplet of the Flim Flam brothers was working diligently to finished up his greatest invention. His brothers may be famous for their apple cider machine, but only he, Jeriah, saw the untapped potential wasted on the juicer. Today, the first automotive vehicle was going to be finished. Every wealthy pony will be driving one, soon and he will become a house hold name.
Maybe, the reason his brothers never mentioned him was because the title “The Flim, Flam, and Jeriah Brothers” just didn’t have the same ring to it as the simple “The Flim and Flam Brothers” did. This was perfectly fine to Jeriah. Those numskulls didn’t know how to work a business anyway. All the ever made was the one Cider Machine and stopped there. They never thought long term, for example, what if the cider maker was small enough to fit in every house and easy enough to make that it could be made in mass product? All ponies would need was the machine and their favorite apples to make the best homemade juice any pony could make. The bits would never stop flowing!
Jeriah had bigger things on his mind than household appliances though. The sparks stopped when he drew away the welder. Lifting his mask, he stroked his beard and grinned from ear to ear. The future of transportation was finally complete. All he needed to do now was take it for a test drive.
A soccer ball bounced once before landing in front two azure legs. Blue aura surrounded the ball and carried it up, where Trixie eyed it with curiosity. Something poked her in the legs, causing her attention to shift to the brown spotted foal below.
“Scuse me lady, but can I have my ball back please?” In Trixie’s professional opinion, this foal was adorable. If she thought so it was a fact.
“You shouldn’t be playing in the street you know.” The foal just gave her a nonplussed stare. “You’ll get in the way of carriages, which is very rude.” Still, he just stared at her.
Trixie was met the little pony’s stare with her own. ‘What would it take to get a reaction out of this infidel?’ she wondered. A thought crossed her mind. Why not try to put on a show for the kid?
The ball levitated on to the tip of her horn as the spotted foal looked on with curiosity. Then it began to spin. It got faster and faster until she started changing the colors on the ball. White changed to blue, and black changed to red, but that was merely the beginning. Soon all the colors of the rainbow spectrum were flashing on the ball.
“Wow!” The foal was hooked on the spectacle. He gazed up in wonder at the light show spinning on top of Trixie’s head. If the fight with Knuckles didn’t cheer her up before, this most certainly did.
Ten minutes passed had passed by. Passing ponies looked disapprovingly at the magician whose simple tricks developed into a full on show for her one audience member. The foal laughed at the funny faces Trixie made with her floating neon lights display, but she stopped before she ran out of material, still, a hole she didn’t know she had was filled and gave her satisfaction she had not felt in a long since the end of her career.
Observing the soccer ball floating along her side, she tossed it back to the child. “Stay out of the streets now alright.” He nodded, and gratefully kicked the ball away, chasing after it. But rather than go somewhere else, he stayed in the street. Apparently Trixie’s words were completely lost on him. “It’s extraordinary that somepony can be that stupid. But what does Trixie care, he’s not her problem.” So she turned to go home, but a screech made her look back again. A strange wagon barreled down the street with black smoke trailing behind it in its wake. Following after it was a tall gangly yellow colt, shouting to everypony that stood in the machine’s path.
“Get out of the way! There’s no break! It won’t stop!”
In the street, the foal continued to kick the ball around, unaware of his surroundings. Too late to do anything, he looked up to see the automobile was upon him. There was no time left for him to react. Grey metal filled his vision at an alarming speed. Only a miracle could possibly save him now. His breath got knocked out of him when something pushed him off to the side, saving him, to live another day. Glass shattered when the body hit the shield before the force sent the motionless form to the side. The impact caused the car to swerve and crash into a building on the right. While the dust cleared a crowd gathered around the body of Trixie Lulamoon. For the first time since any pony has known her, she didn’t have anything to say.
“That’s it then? The Great and Powerful Trixie ended up as road kill?” Thoughts meandered in Trixie’s head, coming to the next startling conclusion. “But, if that’s her down there, then--” She gasped. The final puzzle piece slipped into place. “That means that Trixie is a ghost!”
“Bingo! Congratulations Trixie, you’ve just won the grand prize.”
Trixie looked above her head at the direction that the voice came. After an Ursa Minor destroyed her wagon, Trixie thought she had seen everything, but a flying earth pony riding a boat paddle was something new. Her blue mane popped in contrast to her bubblegum pink coat, but her most prominent feature was her cutie mark. Unlike anypony Trixie has ever met before, she didn’t have one.
“Who, in Celestia’s name, are you?”
“Well you see Trixie, when a pony dies, they often can’t accept and become ghosts. You see?”
Trixie facehoofed. “That is not what Trixie asked.”
“Oh, forgive me. My name is Botan, but ponies in your culture call me the grim reaper: the ferrymare of the River Styx.” Trixie burst out in laughter. She clutched her side and laughed her flank off as Botan pouted at her. “I don’t know what’s so funny about what I said. You should be more intimidated.”
The laughter increased in volume, but Trixie managed to force the words she’s been trying to form. “You’re the grim reaper? HA! You’re supposed to be a skeleton! Where’s the black robe or the scythe? There is no way a pretty mare like you could be the grim reaper.”
“Huh? I don’t know whether I should take that as an insult or a compliment.”
“Plus,” Trixie continued her rant. “Trixie is sure that the Grim Reaper wouldn’t say bingo. Nope, she would take her job a lot more seriously.”
A look of sudden realization came on Botan’s face. “Now I’m sure of it.” She pulled a book out what appeared like nowhere and started flipping through the pages. The page she was looking for seemed to have been found when she stopped and began reading. “Rather than get scared or intimidated, you yell and tell me that I don’t know what I’m doing. Trixie Lulamoon: age 20, personality type is egotistical, rude, has no respect for authority, and a terrible student.”
Botaun giggled. “Your life wasn’t very good was it?”
“It’s none of your business!” Trixie tried to grab the book away from her, but the book was disappeared with a flash of light. With nothing to latch onto, she spun out of control, making Botan giggle even more. Embarrassed, Trixie floated back up, trying to look nothing happened.
“Fine miss ‘Grim Reaper’, can you tell Trixie what happened to that foal she saved?”
“You want to go see him?”
The thought mulled in Trixie’s head. “Yes, I do”
A nervous mother hugged her son as the doctor wrote some notes on his clipboard. Finally, he put his pen down. The mother squeezed her son tighter, but the doctor smiled.
“There is no need to be concerned. Your son Pip only suffered some bruises and scratches. He’ll make a full recovery.” Ecstatic, the mother smothered her son with kisses, embarrassing the foal in front of the doctor. Unknown to them, two sets of eyes watched them outside the window.
“Trixie is…happy that the child is alright.” A feeling of content filled Trixie. If this was her last act in Equestria, then she was happy with the way she spent it. Now it was time for the next stage.
“Alright, Botan, Trixie is ready.” For some reason, Botan looked confused, as if she didn’t know what Trixie was talking about.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard Trixie. She said that you can take her wherever she going now, whether it’s Ponyhell, Limbo, the Netherworld.” Finally, Botan understood what she was saying.
“Oh, I really should have said this earlier. You see, Trixie, I’m not here to take you away. I’m here to offer you a deal to earn your life back.”
Obviously, this was not what Trixie expected to hear. “What? What makes Trixie so special?” Now Botan looked nervous. Something she was about to say was going to make somepony very upset.
“Well, the thing is--” She was struggling to find a way to make this sound better than it did. “You weren’t supposed to die today.”
“WHAT?!” Botan’s ears were ringing-Trixie’s voice was so loud. “You mean that you expected that little foal to die?!”
“No, not at all, actually, without the confusion caused by you running in the street, a pegasus would’ve swooped down and saved him, leaving both completely unscathed.” Trixie couldn’t think. Was it pointless? Even when she was committing a selfless act nothing good seemed to come of it.
“So?” Botan was talking, but the words only barely registered. “Will you accept the ordeal?” The deal, of course, Trixie nearly forgot. But did she really want to go back? What would improve? Would anything change, or would she have to go through the same cycles over again?
“Nah, you said it yourself. Trixie is a lost cause. Even your book says so. Besides, with me out of the way, my dad can party all he wants.” Trixie didn’t know how much she has been thinking about the subject until she was saying it, but now she knew that it was all she’s been thinking about since she found out she was dead. She continued the list-- the list of how everypony will benefit from her death. “Twilight will be happy now that I’m not mucking up her life, Knuckles can finally be top dog, and Inklet doesn’t have to be on my case all the time. Everypony gets what they want, even me.”
“I’ m sorry you feel that way.” And she genuinely did look sorry. “Especially at such a young age too. Perhaps I should come back later- then you can tell me your decision.” The pink witch flew off into the setting sun.
“Didn’t you hear Trixie?! She has made her decision!” But it was useless. Botan’s silhouette has already shrunk until it was nothing. Where she went, Trixie had no clue. Lacking any direction, she went the only place that she knew.
By the time Trixie floated back home, Luna’s moon was already set, like a diamond in the sky. Students and teachers from Trixie’s school gathered around the complex. A group would walk out the door and another would walk in to pay their respects to the dead and grieving family members. That didn’t really seem to be on anypony’s mind however. She could see ponies smiling, others were laughing. It wasn’t really clear at what they were laughing at, but she could make a pretty good guess.
“Look at them laughing at me. Trixie bets they only came for the extra credit.” A cry split the air. Ponies turned to look, but a lot chose to ignore it. The cry came from the doorway to her apartment. It came from Twilight Sparkle. Her friends were trying to calm her down, but she kept balling. Why she would cry for her, Trixie had no clue. Eventually they managed to calm her down enough to lead her away.
“Twilight?” Trixie didn’t understand. Why would Twilight cry? Didn’t she hate Trixie the most out of everyone? Twilight wasn’t the only unexpected visitor though. Soon afterward, Knuckles muscled his way in, with his friends grasping him, trying to drag him back, but Knuckles was tough and determined. Ponies jumped out of his way as he made it inside, friends still trying desperately to stop him.
“Trixie!” Everpony inside got scrambled to the side, except for Trixie’s father who stood to the left of memorial, staring at the ground.
“Damn you! You think you can just leave because you’re scared?!”
“Knuckles please, this isn’t the place for this.” His friend’s pleas were ignored. Knuckles was going to have his say either way.
“I’m not leaving, not until she comes out and fights me again!”
“She can’t do that.”
He was almost to the coffin. His puffy red eyes fixated on Trixie’s picture-Taken from when she enrolled in the school.
“I’m going to beat you down you priss!” It was hard for Knuckles to see her picture through the tears, but just knowing it was there was enough for him.
“Do you hear me?! Who do you think you are?! Who am I going to fight huh?! Who am I going to fight?!” Now Knuckles was close enough so that Trixie’s photo filled his vision. Snot and tears dripped from his muzzle. He eyes bored into the picture, as staring down the mare in the picture will make her answer all his questions, or if he stared hard enough she’ll surrender this horrible charade and come out. “You’re supposed to be here--for me.” The strength of caring friends couldn’t be fought forever though, and now that Knuckles had said what he had come to say, his own strength left him. He didn’t go quietly. He wailed his misery as they pulled him out the door. The scene was getting more and more embarrassing every second they stayed, but their dedication to their friend motivated them to get Knuckles back home.
“Did you see that horrid display?” Trixie recognized the voice belonging to Professor Shady. He was speaking with another professor from campus, Doctor Buck.
“They were just a bunch of losers that Trixie would hang out with sometimes,” replied Doctor Buck. “It’s too bad that invention of Jeriahs didn’t run over them too.”
“Now, now Doctor Buck, we should be thankful. After a life of utter uselessness Trixie did something to give our school a good reputation.”
“Between you and me Shady, I bet Trixie was trying to steal the foal’s stuff and only saved him by accident.”
“Well, I wouldn’t be surprised by that. Trixie never was too bright.” Both of them laughed at that their cruel joke, but neither knew that a third University member stood behind them, until he spoke.
“You two should be ashamed.” Shady and Bucky turned in alarm at the presence of Mr. Inklet. “What do you think is more disgraceful, that colt shouting in misery or your insensitive and idiotic words?” The professors looked incredibly nervous in front of the Dean. Mr. Inklet said no more to them. Instead, he walked by them into Trixie apartment, and bowed his head in acknowledgment to the father. Then he turned his attention to the photo.
“At first I was so surprised Trixie--to hear that you sacrificed yourself to save a kid. You’ve always acted so much more selfish in the past. Darn it.” Suddenly he tensed up. “I don’t know why I can’t speak well of you. Why didn’t you stay, Trixie? I know you could’ve made something of yourself. You had so much potential.” Despite Inklet’s stoic expression, a few tears managed to escape his ducts. A chain reaction started and Trixie’s father, who was previously making no signs of any emotions, starting cry as well. As Trixie got closer she could her him gently saying her name.
Trixie couldn’t stand it anymore. She had to get away from all the crying and sadness-all this mourning just for her. It proved too much. Now, floating overhead, looking down at the ant sized ponies walking below, Trixie finally understood why she had to make an effort to live. It wasn’t for herself, but for everyone she’s ever had a connection with.
“So have you made your decision?” Botan was floating right next to Trixie. She came a long time ago and Trixie knew she was there, but Trixie chose to stay there in silence until she spoke to her. Below in the streets, the foal Trixie saved, Pip, and his mother were walking to the wake. Trixie didn’t want to hear them though. She’d had enough.
“Botan?”
“Yes?”
“Have you ever... Did you ever not know something, that to everyone else seemed obvious?”
“I believe everyone has.”
The next question to come was obvious.
“Are you ready to go?” Trixie didn’t even hesitate.
“Yeah.”
“Wonderful!” Trixie didn’t expect Botan to change moods so quickly. What was once a solemn sorrel suddenly turned into a happy, springy mare. And so she pulled Trixie onto her paddle and flew off into the night sky to begin Trixie’s quest, one that would, hopefully, restore Trixie’s life.
