Inner Demonsby NightShade22ChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 1With the magic duel concluded and the amulet locked in a chest, relief came to the citizens of Ponyville. Zecora was to take the chest and seal it away forever with a special spell so that nopony would fall to its corruption. Once back in her hut she began her work. "The best place to put what must not be found, is in a place deeper than the ground." Zecora thought to herself. She began collecting herbs and various ingredients from her shelves and mixing them thoroughly in a dish. Passing her hoof over the concoction she spoke, "Relic now with an owner you lack, begone from here and never come back." Placing the chest upon her table she slowly opened it to reveal the amulet shining menacingly. With a careful hoof she proceeded to pour the mixture from the dish into the chest coating the amulet. What she failed to catch was a subtle twinkle from the item and a faint haze drift away. Within minutes the amulet had dissolved into seemingly thin air. In truth it was an incantation locking the amulet in a space outside of the known plane. With the chest now empty, Zecora tidied up her work station and went about her nightly routine. ********************************************************************************************** Everypony cheered for the spectacle Twilight was performing. Celestia herself had taken audience to the show of levitated animals. Suddenly fireworks exploded mixing with the exploding cheers from the stands to create a thunderous resonation. Much to Twilight's surprise, Trixie Lulamoon stood close by with a countenance of apology and hope. "Trixie?" Twilight spoke in disbelief. "Its the least I could do. I treated you and your friends so horribly when I was wearing that Alicorn Amulet. I just couldn't control myself," Trixie looked down embarrassed by her confession. "You can forgive me, can't you?" She looked up at Twilight with pleading wet eyes. Twilight was taken aback for a moment but quickly recovered herself, "Hmm... Sure." She agreed with a smile. "Oh, good." Trixie sighed with relief. "Don't you think the great and apologetic Trixie is the most magnificent humble pony you've ever seen?" Her face lit up as her typical boasting persona shone through. Trixie posed in pleasure with herself for her victory. Twilight merely shook her head. With that Trixie let loose a smoke bomb and ran off into the night. As she ran something tripped her but she thought nothing of it and resumed her grand escape. Red eyes pulsed, staring after Trixie as she faded into the darkness. There was the creature these eyes wanted. Needed. A smoky mist swirled around the eyes constructing a face followed by a body. In seconds a blue mare stood in the spot in which Trixie had tripped. Its red eyes embers piercing into the shadows trailing Trixie. Her legs tensed and she was off in a sprint following the illusionist into the night and into the world. After a mile or so Trixie finally slowed to a trot and then to a halt for a breath. Seeing the opportunity her pursuer glided around Trixie to meet her face to face. Turning to a smoky mist she wrapped herself around Trixie's legs then slid away to form less than a yard in front of the unicorn. The smoke turned blue then magnetized together forming a mare of equal size to Trixie. Almost as if copying the magician, the mist matched her coat color, cutie mark, and body build. Its mane formed to replicate Trixie's then fell flat and the colors drained to black and grey. Its tail followed in suite. Red eyes pulsed and instead of a single spiral horn, a spiked nub rose from the part of the mare's skull devoid of hair. "Trixie Lulamoon." It hissed. "W-what is this?" Trixie demanded though clearly shaken. "Do you not recognize yourself? Your pain. Your past. You ambition," She hissed back. "Your darkness." a growl escaped. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is not amused by your attempts to frighten me." Trixie stuck her muzzle up as she pushed her egotistical persona forward. "Look in my eyes and see your's stare back. Know I speak truth Lulamoon." Trixie stepped aside and attempted to continue on her way. "Look I say!" the mare's voice boomed bringing with it a sudden veil darkening the night sky's light. "Fine." Trixie's front shattered leaving only a frightened and confused pony. Turning to face the strange copycat Trixie glanced at her eyes then quickly dropped her eyes. "Look Lulamoon." Doing as she was told, Trixie brought her gaze to meet with the mare's. Horror spread across her face as she realized the stranger had spoken the truth. Trixie was indeed looking into her own life. Her past. Her accomplishments, failures, adventures but most prevalent her anger and darkest desires. She became fixated in the pool of images as nostalgia and emotions of varying degree rapidly washed over her mind. "Who are you, really?" She managed to pull herself away. "I told you. I am you. Surely you knew the price of the amulet. While worn it corrupts, true. Its real price however is if you manage to depart with it. You fed it with your thoughts and being. Now I have been born from your actions. I am the darkest parts of you Lulamoon." "Wait shouldn't you be an alicorn or something? Or at least a unicorn like me? What's with the deformed horn? Its not even centered." Trixie chose to focus on the appearance of the creature before her and push the reflection off till later. "My form is given to me by you. Think with mischief and darkness and you breed a demon." The creature raised a hoof to pull its hair back revealing another small horn matching the first. "So you are a demon. Like, a legit demon?" Trixie's voice almost gave away her growing curiosity. "In the terms of this world, yes." it hissed in reply. "Hahaha!" Trixie laughed as if victorious. "Since you're a demon this means I get infinite power right! The Great and Powerful Trixie will be even greater and more powerful than ever before!" "You misunderstand Lulamoon." I can gift you no more power than what you have gifted me. What birthed me is what you already have." Trixie's faced dropped in disappointment into a frown. "Then what's the point. Begone foul thing from the presence of Trixie!" She commanded. The demon chuckled. "Rather slow on the draw aren't you. I'm you. Binded to your existence. You exist, so do I. I know you're an illusionist Lulamoon but I didn't expect you to be so dense." "Gah! Why you! And its Trixie but you can call me the Great and Powe..." "Hush now Lulamoon. You want power more than anything yes? So far you have gone to extremes dealing with other creatures and ponies but, can you deal with yourself? Master yourself and you may learn true unrivaled power." Trixie let out a huff and rolled her eyes. "Fine. But if I'm keeping you around then you will address me properly. And you will be my new assistant. And you will cater to my every need. And you will..." "Your servant I am not. Unless you wish yourself a slave. Is the great and powerful just a tag? Or is it a dream?" Trixie glared at the demon. "Hmm, okay. I still insist that you be my assistant and refer to me properly." Trixie posed proudly. "Very well." she smiled. "You may call me Lulatrix to prevent confusion. I'm rather fond of your last name." "If it pleases you." Trixie held her proud stance pretending to be unaffected by the now crushing weight of living with her darkness. Author's Note As you may have noticed a scene sounds awfully familiar and yes its word for word from the show (S03E05 Magic Duel). That segment is in no way my own thoughts and belongs to the appropriate copyright. Cover art is done by your's truly. Chapter 2"Ready? Its showtime." Trixie prepped herself for her entrance. With Lulatrix feeding her extra energy this was sure to be a great show. "Welcome everypony! I am the Great and Powerful Trixie! Today I have a special performance just for you." Blazing fireworks lit up framing the stage. "I, the wonderful Trixie, will stare down the worst horrors imaginable. First I will need a volunteer." The audience, which was only comprised of 7 ponies, was so silent they may as well not even exist. Losing her patience and fearing for her build-up to fall, Trixie picked out a guest herself. "You there! Come on up and meet Lulatrix. Stare into her eyes and bear witness to true horror." Lulatrix entered the stage just as the chosen victim ascended to the platform. The pony stopped before Lulatrix giving her a glance over and dismissing her as anything but a desperate assistant. Lulatrix widened her eyes, the crimson color flashing ominously. Her eyes met with the guest causing them to freeze in hypnosis. Trixie's horn radiated and a screen like magic blanket appeared above the guest's head. "Here we will see them face nightmares to which I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, will also face and conquer." An image faded in on the magical space. It seemed to be from the point of view of the pony on trial. A lake splayed out in front of them with the focus on a filly drowning. The filly called for help as it splashed frantically trying to stay above the water. The image jumped forward and water began splashing as if the pony was swimming after the filly. A few yards away the filly plunged under the surface leaving only bubbles. The image lurched forward violently till it reached the spot the filly had occupied only seconds before. Water rushed to flood the image as the view switched to now being underwater but the filly was gone. Rapid splashing and turning alternated on the magic screen as the pony searched for the filly. The water of the lake started disappearing leaving a crater. The image shifted down to see solid ground beneath hooves and still no filly. Sharp thorn bushes sprouted throughout the crater preventing escape. Heat waves danced off their outlines and onto the ridges of the crater. On a far ridge the filly appeared again beckoning the pony. Slowly, battling heat and thorns, the pony drug itself across the crater only to be caught in a thorn bush knot. Heat beat down mercilessly while thorns invaded the pony's legs. The distance began fading out in a bright light followed by a growing black void. Pure black engulfed the image and the pony on stage collapsed. By now there was a decent audience present due to curiosity. Gasps echoed along with concerned whispers. "Now it is my turn. I shall prove that no pony can withstand what Trixie can!" she turned towards Lulatrix readying herself for the nightmare. Shouts from the audience broke her concentration. "This is unnatural!", "Evil witch!",and "We better run away while we can!" were called amongst the frightened outbursts of now fleeing ponies. With her audience gone and another show ruined, Trixie stared at the grass. "Forget it. Let's go." Trixie mumbled as she turned to leave the stage. Tears welled in her eyes and frustration etched itself upon her face. "This was supposed to go well. I thought you could help my show. Now I'm right back where I started." "You asked for my input and this was it. My nature is to produce the horrors of the psyche. Perhaps that's why I look like you." Lulatrix spoke in a hiss. The words caught Trixie off guard. Perhaps Lulatrix was right. Her greatest horror was herself. She was destined for greatness but now is but a failure. The one thing she vowed never to be. "Trixie is going to call it a night." Barely able to put one hoof in front of the other, she trudged to her wagon. "So disheartened. So weak. You will become weaker before I am through Trixie Lulamoon. Feed me more. So easy and willing are the depressed and desperate." Lulatrix hissed through her teeth. Morning yielded no better results for the unicorn's mental state. Her bed glued itself to her body and her blankets wrapped around her in a death grip. A sigh escaped as she sunk deeper into her pillow. The energy to move was lost so she closed her eyes and hoped to sleep through the day. Try as she might the thoughts of her failures refused to leave. Each one so vividly crushing down on her mind. Tears streamed down her cheeks collecting in small puddles on her pillow. Soft whimpers mumbled out searching for relief. But none came. The proud unicorn that she had spent so much time creating and showcasing no longer existed. Without the persona how could she show her face in public? She would be doomed to self exile now. "My gift is illusions but I can't fool myself."Trixie murmured to herself. "Everypony knows I'm a fake." "Trixie. Have you awakened?" Lulatrix's hissing slid under the door. Then it hit her. Trixie had felt bad before but not quite this bad. "You damn demon." she growled. "Am I interrupting something?" the hiss came with the smallest hint of pleasure. The demon was the cause of this worsened depression. Trixie now realized it and knew the demon was doing it on purpose. With fury she lept from her bed, dashed across the room and threw open the door to stare down the demon. Lulatrix stared back with soulless eyes almost as if daring Trixie to make a move. Trixie was not one to back down from a direct challenge and so fell for the trap. "If I made you then I can banish you." Trixie's horn began to glow. "Ha but how, pray tell, do you plan on doing that? We both know you have no real power." "Then I will make real power!" Trixie seemed to spring to life and move with the rage of a wildfire. A blast of magic illuminated the confines of the travel carriage. The glow died to reveal Lulatrix and Trixie still standing glaring daggers at eachother. "This is not a path you want Lulamoon. Cease this foolery." Lulatrix warned. "You are only a part of me. I am the whole. The Great and Powerful Trixie!" She let loose another blast striking Lulatrix between the eyes. "Fine. Let's play." Lulatrix grinned maliciously. She dove forward throwing Trixie to the ground. Her eyes pulsed red and a dark mist swirled in around the two. A flash of Trixie's horn and the travel home was gone. Instead they now stood on a rocky path flanked by trees. The mist still lingered with ominous shapes appearing and disintegrating as if dancing to a ritual. Trixie shifted readying herself for attack and began prepping another spell to cast. Lulatrix's eyes pulsed and the mist swooped in to attack the unicorn. Quickly Trixie teleported behind Lulatrix and gave a swift kick to her hind legs causing them to buckle. The mist immediately responded by thrusting itself towards Trixie ensnaring her. A hoof came crashing down on Lulatrix's head slamming her jaw into the jagged rocks. Confusion arrived for but a moment but the Trixie enveloped in mist began to fade revealing it to have been a trick. Trixie's horn glowed and suddenly 5 Trixie's appeared in bursts of smoke surrounding Lulatrix. "You don't even know how to defeat me Lulamoon." The mist swirled around Lulatrix pulsing with faint hints of maroon. All of the Trixie's horns began to glow and spurt magic. Simultaneously they all fired a beam centered on Lulatrix. Mist shot forth absorbing the beams and striking each caster causing them to poof. All but one who was knocked onto her back. Anger and desperation filled Trixie's eyes as she rose from the ground. Summoning as much strength as she could she prepared a devastating shot of raw magical energy. Lulatrix winced for a split second as Trixie built the energy to cast her shot. Her horn heated and began to spurt. At the height of the build she unleashed a barrage storm of raw magical energy piercing through the mist and throwing Lulatrix off her hooves. Surprised with herself, Trixie took a moment to realize what had just transpired. She had no idea she held that much power. She didn't even know it was possible for her to do something like that. "Well placed. But not enough." a blue demon rose from the ground unscathed. Thoughts of anger and frustration clouded Trixie's mind. The intensity forced her to the ground where she tried to stop it by placing her hooves on her head. The demon's eyes glowed bright, burning their way inside her mind. "Stop!" Trixie called out. "That's not me anymore!" "Perhaps you would be wise to remember this the next time you wish to fight me." an overconfident hiss stung Trixie's ears. With that the images and emotions vanished leaving only a worn and tired unicorn. "Now then, back to carriage?" Chapter 3The next week went by slowly. Trixie had bruises and aches that were limiting her performances to simple tricks. Short on coin, she spent a couple nights hungry and most nights restless. Lulatrix being a demon didn't require sustenance to thrive and be a greater pest than ever. To everyone else Lulatrix appeared in an adorable manner though a bit odd given her horns. To Trixie however it was as if staring into the eyes of Nightmare Moon after insulting the night. "C'mon Trixie," she spoke to herself, "You can't live like this." She had taken a stroll into a nearby town to get away if only for a moment. Ponies went about their daily business taking no note of Trixie. Everypony seemed happy and content which only made Trixie feel more alone than ever. The place had a vibrance to it that seemed to drift from pony to pony and echoed off the buildings. In a way it reminded her of Ponyville. "Of course. Twilight might know how to get rid of that thing."Trixie stopped in her tracks. "But that would mean sinking even lower and the Great and Powerful Trixie needs nopony's help." her voice trailed off showing her uncertainty. For a moment she entertained the thought of going back to Ponyville and Twilight helping her banish Lulatrix. "The amulet! I bet I can go back there and use the amulet to banish her." "Banish who my dear?" an all too familiar hiss swept around Trixie. "You wouldn't be talking about me would you? After all we've done together." "Its been just over a week but Trixie agrees it feels like an eternity." Trixie eyed Lulatrix with clear disgust. "You really should think better of yourself." Lulatrix grinned. "How about some food? You must be famished." The sentiment caught Trixie off guard. Her meals had come sparingly and without any assistance or concern from Lulatrix. "What's the catch?" Trixie asked warily. "I need you alive. Think nothing more or less of it." That was the clue Trixie had been searching for. She had forgotten till now but Lulatrix could only exist as long as Trixie did. 'If she is tied to me in such a manner then I may know how to rid myself of this asshole.' Lulatrix had escorted Trixie to the local bakery. The scent of fresh baked goods wafted through the air and past Trixie's snout causing her mouth to become a waterfall. Lulatrix motioned for Trixie to order. Before a protest on behalf of poverty could be made, Lulatrix shoved Trixie to the counter. "Why hello dear. What would you like today?" the mare behind the counter smiled. The pony's eyes faded to grey followed by the fall of her smile. She turned and fetched a small basket of muffins placing them on the counter. "Free of charge." she stated flatly. With hesitation, Trixie accepted the basket and left the shop confused. "Simple trick really." Lulatrix spoke up. "Too bad you want me gone, Lulamoon. I could bring you power you never even dreamed of." "Then why haven't you?" Trixie jeered. "Acceptance. Who would hand over the world to someone who despises them? Your hate only makes me stronger and you weaker ya know." Trixie sighed. The more she had dwelt on Lulatrix, the less she was able to function. 'I can use this. She is me right? I want power then so does she. The more power I give her the less alive I am. Its a perfect coincidence!' Trixie relished in her thoughts but remained distraught on the outside. "Alright then. The Great and Powerful Trixie will host a show tonight." "Perfect." Lulatrix let out a slow hiss. Chapter 4For the remainder of the day Trixie and Lulatrix promoted the coming show. An hour to curtain not a single pony had been denied the sight of at least one promotional poster. They had advertised with vigor but the question remained if their efforts would succeed in bringing an audience for that night. "The performance of your life Trixie, literally." Trixie stared blankly at her reflection in her prepping mirror. With a sigh she placed her hat upon her head. "You got this." She skimmed over tonight's acts mentally acting out each one. A lump caught in her throat as she looked at the last act on the page. It was a risky trick that she had never tried before and to make matters worse she would need to appear to fail without actually dying. Pushing her grim thoughts aside, Trixie busied herself with gathering all the needed props and equipment. Once everything was gathered she ran a rehearsal up till the final act. "Seems you are pushing to be prepared for this show Lulamoon. I've not seen you work this diligently yet." Lulatrix peered from the shadows. "I'm expecting a larger crowd and of course I want everything to be perfect to show off just how great and powerful Trixie is. Speaking of which, when are you going to provide me with this power?" "First act my dear." Lulatrix grinned with a sickening display of razors for teeth. Adding to the weight of Trixie's thoughts was the creeping fear of what nature of power would bury its way into her. She had no doubt Lulatrix would in fact bestow her with power, the question was the toll it would take. To distract herself from buckling under pressure Trixie snuck a peek through the curtains. Ponies had begun to congregate for the show. With a breath and forced smirk, Trixie evolved into a proud and confident stage magician. After a few minutes the audience had grown to a full house. It was show time. She took center stage as fireworks lit up the sky. "Ladies and gentlecolts! The great and powerful Trixie welcomes you," the curtains flew apart. "To the greatest show you will ever see!" another barrage of fireworks shot into the sky. "For the first act Trixie will summon an assistant from the darkness. A foul beast straight from your nightmares." Trixie threw a smoke bomb for effect. As the smoke cleared her horn illuminated with magic energy. A burst of light and Lulatrix appeared on stage beside Trixie. Hoof stamps rumbled through the audience. Trixie winked at Lulatrix to which Lulatrix responded with a grin. Red energy swarmed around Lulatrix pulsing dimly. Her eyes glowed with fury and passion. Lulatrix's hair flew back as if by a strong wind showcasing her pair of horns. Slowly it seemed that they were growing and tinted red. Trixie took a step back suddenly very unsure of her current situation. The audience knew no better and cheered on at the spectacle. A stream of energy shot forth from Lulatrix slamming Trixie and pinning her to the stage platform. Lulatrix stepped forward with pleasure filling her expression. At this the audience reacted in gasps and screams. Some decided to escape the show as something had obviously gone wrong. Trixie could feel her energy and magic fading. A wave of exhaustion washed over her causing her to go limp. "Thank you for your cooperation Lulamoon. Now I have all your power!" Lulatrix roared scaring away what was left of the audience. "Then you don't have much."Trixie whispered through her weakened state. "On the contrary. You know how much power you hold. What you would one day be capable of. Great and impressive feats, or should I say great and powerful. No matter now though dearest Lulamoon. All of it is mine!" Lulatrix chuckled pleased with herself. "I'm just a simple trick pony."Trixie sighed. "I can't even teleport." This statement caught Lulatrix off guard. "Wait what? You had so much power but you couldn't teleport? That doesn't make any sense." "That's what I'm telling you. Trixie's... not as great and powerful as she claims to be." she couldn't hold back a tear from forming. "You are a fool then. I can feel it. Your emotions, magic, beliefs, experiences and future. From here you would have only grown more powerful in the art of magic." Trixie felt so drained she could barely gather the words Lulatrix spoke but one caught her attention. Her plan to bring herself to the brink of death had failed but now she may be in an even better place. 'I know how to do this now. If only I could.' She tried moving her legs but it seemed as if the entire world rested on her muscles. "If you think you have so much power then prove it." Trixie managed to call out. "Ha! It would be a pleasure to showcase what you wasted." Lulatrix engulfed herself in red energy. Blasts of red energy shot from her horns striking the stage with force enough to break the boards holding it together. Wood splintered and collapsed upon itself bringing the sides crashing down barely missing Trixie's body. The platform itself buckled under the pressure and damage and began to split. "Teleport out of this you bitch." Trixie managed to call before being swallowed by the breaking boards. Stage lights had started to fall and now the entire overhead system was plummeting. With an annoyed glance up, Lulatrix gathered energy to teleport. A flash of red light and she disappeared as the stage crumpled. Dirt and debris flew outward as the last standing part of the stage fell creating a heap of wood and cloth upon the ground. Chapter 5Darkness and pain were the only things Trixie could experience. She tried to shift her weight but an overwhelming sense of nausea forced her to a halt. A faint hint of light trickled down from somewhere but with all the boards and debris she had trouble locating its source. Surprisingly there didn't seem to be much weight on top of her. She had been pelted with wood and metal but most of it settled somewhere else after falling. With caution Trixie tilted her head testing for any pains as well as wiggle room. Her neck appeared to be fine and if she could muster the strength to push upwards on a beam there was the possibility of escape. "Lulamoon. You there?" a hiss came but its typical malice had been replaced with concern. Trixie hesitated to respond. Lulatrix was out there waiting to do Celestia knows what to her On the other hoof Trixie couldn't stay in her current situation and she doubted she had the strength and physical health to break free on her own. "Here." she sighed. "Good. I'm ashamed to say I need your assistance." "Well that's just too bad. Why should Trixie help a bitch like you?" even in her current state Trixie wasn't short of comebacks. "Fair enough I suppose, but you can't leave me here. I have all your magic. Would you, the great and powerful Trixie, walk around with nothing?" "Really? Are you seriously trying to tempt me with power right now? Look around dingbat! We are both stuck and probably going to die. Thanks to the dumb and bitchy Lulatrix there won't be a great and powerful Trixie." anger began settling into Trixie's words. "So we are both stuck. Fun times." Lulatrix sighed. "Don't fucking sigh at me bitch! Its not my fault! Well not entirely..." she whispered. "Okay okay, how about a deal?" "Are you mad? Why in Equestria would I make a deal with you?" "I will give back enough of your strength to get us out of here. Then once we are free I will give you all of it back. Its worthless anyways. You can't even do simple spellcasting." "Worthless! I'll have you know I am the great and powerful Trixie. Powerful!" Trixie's anger rose. Lulatrix felt a tightening in her chest. She didn't know what was happening but she felt weaker. "How are you doing that? I thought you could only weaken me through positive emotion." "What are blabbing about now?" "You mock me." Then it hit Trixie. She felt stronger. The anger was coming from Lulatrix. The energy was making its way back to her. She was still in pain but she felt she could attempt breaking through the debris. Trixie shifted, placing her horn on a board she began to push. Nausea and pain nearly overwhelmed her but she pressed on. With a growl she managed to push the board causing an avalanche of debris. Moonlight blasted into the previously dark confines. Trixie shakily stood. Pain pulsed from her right hind leg causing her to favor it. "The great and powerful Trixie lives!" she shouted into the night sky. "Congrats. Now if you don't mind." Lulatrix cleared her throat. Trixie took in a deep breath. Negative thoughts, memories, and emotions were flooding through every crevice of her brain. This was the moment she had waited for. A moment to make a choice. She limped through the debris towards Lulatrix's voice using large pieces to steady herself. "If you want out I'm not doing it for free." "What is it you want? You already have your power back." "Be humbled demon. Too many times I have been shown up or put down and ignored the lesson. Not this time. Not again. The simple and wise Trixie will help but you have to fix my stage." her emotions began to balance out with thought and reason. "Very well." Lulatrix hissed unimpressed. Trixie's horn illuminated along with a group of debris. The effort to use magic quickly became more than Trixie could handle. She lifted the bundle only to lose control of it sending it crashing back down just as Lulatrix lurched from the dirt. A piercing shriek sounded out causing Trixie to wince. Gurgling cut off the shriek and then silence interrupted that. Trixie opened her eyes to see one of Lulatrix's horns had been broken off. A black ooze crept out of her mouth. Eyes that once flashed bright crimson now were grey and lazy. Before Trixie's very eyes, Lulatrix began to fade away. A wisp of red energy floated out of Lulatrix's remaining horn then leapt into Trixie. Within a minute Lulatrix had vanished. Trixie stood in silence staring at the ground still absorbing all that had happened. After a moment the adrenaline wore off and exhaustion won over control of her body. Her eyelids fell heavy and her body sank to the ground to rest. Trixie woke to the sound of chatter. Groggy, she sat up to check what was going on. Half the town was staring at her. "Waah! I didn't do it!" Trixie protested out of habit. "You are going to be fine." a stallion stepped forward. "I medicated your broken leg and put a cast on it. I would recommend staying off it for awhile though." "Oh, thank you."Trixie was caught off guard. "What happened?" a mare asked. "Uhhh," Trixie looked around to find the debris had been cleared. Not like she could've used it anyways. "I just had a rough night." "Well I hope you don't any more like that." the doctor pony spoke. "If you need some time to recover you are welcome to rest at my clinic." She stood and instantly felt a rush. "That sounds like a good idea. At least until Trixie is feeling better." ******************************************************************************************************** A couple moons later and Trixie was back on her hooves. The town had been great company but it was time to hit the road once more. As a traveler she tried not to get comfortable in one place for too long and with the memories of her demonic self tied to the town she wanted to run far away. Her caravan was ready and a new portable stage was in the works. Having been able to work temporarily around town she had gained enough bits to support herself again. She fastened the harness to herself and took a breath. "Onto the next adventure. Hopefully this time without demons." With that Trixie followed the road out of town. Author's Note Thank you for taking the time to read through this. I've been out of writing for a bit so this story was a way for me to dust off. Feel free to leave any constructive criticisms, let me know what you enjoyed or what you found less than appealing.
Chapter 1With the magic duel concluded and the amulet locked in a chest, relief came to the citizens of Ponyville. Zecora was to take the chest and seal it away forever with a special spell so that nopony would fall to its corruption. Once back in her hut she began her work. "The best place to put what must not be found, is in a place deeper than the ground." Zecora thought to herself. She began collecting herbs and various ingredients from her shelves and mixing them thoroughly in a dish. Passing her hoof over the concoction she spoke, "Relic now with an owner you lack, begone from here and never come back." Placing the chest upon her table she slowly opened it to reveal the amulet shining menacingly. With a careful hoof she proceeded to pour the mixture from the dish into the chest coating the amulet. What she failed to catch was a subtle twinkle from the item and a faint haze drift away. Within minutes the amulet had dissolved into seemingly thin air. In truth it was an incantation locking the amulet in a space outside of the known plane. With the chest now empty, Zecora tidied up her work station and went about her nightly routine. ********************************************************************************************** Everypony cheered for the spectacle Twilight was performing. Celestia herself had taken audience to the show of levitated animals. Suddenly fireworks exploded mixing with the exploding cheers from the stands to create a thunderous resonation. Much to Twilight's surprise, Trixie Lulamoon stood close by with a countenance of apology and hope. "Trixie?" Twilight spoke in disbelief. "Its the least I could do. I treated you and your friends so horribly when I was wearing that Alicorn Amulet. I just couldn't control myself," Trixie looked down embarrassed by her confession. "You can forgive me, can't you?" She looked up at Twilight with pleading wet eyes. Twilight was taken aback for a moment but quickly recovered herself, "Hmm... Sure." She agreed with a smile. "Oh, good." Trixie sighed with relief. "Don't you think the great and apologetic Trixie is the most magnificent humble pony you've ever seen?" Her face lit up as her typical boasting persona shone through. Trixie posed in pleasure with herself for her victory. Twilight merely shook her head. With that Trixie let loose a smoke bomb and ran off into the night. As she ran something tripped her but she thought nothing of it and resumed her grand escape. Red eyes pulsed, staring after Trixie as she faded into the darkness. There was the creature these eyes wanted. Needed. A smoky mist swirled around the eyes constructing a face followed by a body. In seconds a blue mare stood in the spot in which Trixie had tripped. Its red eyes embers piercing into the shadows trailing Trixie. Her legs tensed and she was off in a sprint following the illusionist into the night and into the world. After a mile or so Trixie finally slowed to a trot and then to a halt for a breath. Seeing the opportunity her pursuer glided around Trixie to meet her face to face. Turning to a smoky mist she wrapped herself around Trixie's legs then slid away to form less than a yard in front of the unicorn. The smoke turned blue then magnetized together forming a mare of equal size to Trixie. Almost as if copying the magician, the mist matched her coat color, cutie mark, and body build. Its mane formed to replicate Trixie's then fell flat and the colors drained to black and grey. Its tail followed in suite. Red eyes pulsed and instead of a single spiral horn, a spiked nub rose from the part of the mare's skull devoid of hair. "Trixie Lulamoon." It hissed. "W-what is this?" Trixie demanded though clearly shaken. "Do you not recognize yourself? Your pain. Your past. You ambition," She hissed back. "Your darkness." a growl escaped. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is not amused by your attempts to frighten me." Trixie stuck her muzzle up as she pushed her egotistical persona forward. "Look in my eyes and see your's stare back. Know I speak truth Lulamoon." Trixie stepped aside and attempted to continue on her way. "Look I say!" the mare's voice boomed bringing with it a sudden veil darkening the night sky's light. "Fine." Trixie's front shattered leaving only a frightened and confused pony. Turning to face the strange copycat Trixie glanced at her eyes then quickly dropped her eyes. "Look Lulamoon." Doing as she was told, Trixie brought her gaze to meet with the mare's. Horror spread across her face as she realized the stranger had spoken the truth. Trixie was indeed looking into her own life. Her past. Her accomplishments, failures, adventures but most prevalent her anger and darkest desires. She became fixated in the pool of images as nostalgia and emotions of varying degree rapidly washed over her mind. "Who are you, really?" She managed to pull herself away. "I told you. I am you. Surely you knew the price of the amulet. While worn it corrupts, true. Its real price however is if you manage to depart with it. You fed it with your thoughts and being. Now I have been born from your actions. I am the darkest parts of you Lulamoon." "Wait shouldn't you be an alicorn or something? Or at least a unicorn like me? What's with the deformed horn? Its not even centered." Trixie chose to focus on the appearance of the creature before her and push the reflection off till later. "My form is given to me by you. Think with mischief and darkness and you breed a demon." The creature raised a hoof to pull its hair back revealing another small horn matching the first. "So you are a demon. Like, a legit demon?" Trixie's voice almost gave away her growing curiosity. "In the terms of this world, yes." it hissed in reply. "Hahaha!" Trixie laughed as if victorious. "Since you're a demon this means I get infinite power right! The Great and Powerful Trixie will be even greater and more powerful than ever before!" "You misunderstand Lulamoon." I can gift you no more power than what you have gifted me. What birthed me is what you already have." Trixie's faced dropped in disappointment into a frown. "Then what's the point. Begone foul thing from the presence of Trixie!" She commanded. The demon chuckled. "Rather slow on the draw aren't you. I'm you. Binded to your existence. You exist, so do I. I know you're an illusionist Lulamoon but I didn't expect you to be so dense." "Gah! Why you! And its Trixie but you can call me the Great and Powe..." "Hush now Lulamoon. You want power more than anything yes? So far you have gone to extremes dealing with other creatures and ponies but, can you deal with yourself? Master yourself and you may learn true unrivaled power." Trixie let out a huff and rolled her eyes. "Fine. But if I'm keeping you around then you will address me properly. And you will be my new assistant. And you will cater to my every need. And you will..." "Your servant I am not. Unless you wish yourself a slave. Is the great and powerful just a tag? Or is it a dream?" Trixie glared at the demon. "Hmm, okay. I still insist that you be my assistant and refer to me properly." Trixie posed proudly. "Very well." she smiled. "You may call me Lulatrix to prevent confusion. I'm rather fond of your last name." "If it pleases you." Trixie held her proud stance pretending to be unaffected by the now crushing weight of living with her darkness. Author's Note As you may have noticed a scene sounds awfully familiar and yes its word for word from the show (S03E05 Magic Duel). That segment is in no way my own thoughts and belongs to the appropriate copyright. Cover art is done by your's truly.
Chapter 2"Ready? Its showtime." Trixie prepped herself for her entrance. With Lulatrix feeding her extra energy this was sure to be a great show. "Welcome everypony! I am the Great and Powerful Trixie! Today I have a special performance just for you." Blazing fireworks lit up framing the stage. "I, the wonderful Trixie, will stare down the worst horrors imaginable. First I will need a volunteer." The audience, which was only comprised of 7 ponies, was so silent they may as well not even exist. Losing her patience and fearing for her build-up to fall, Trixie picked out a guest herself. "You there! Come on up and meet Lulatrix. Stare into her eyes and bear witness to true horror." Lulatrix entered the stage just as the chosen victim ascended to the platform. The pony stopped before Lulatrix giving her a glance over and dismissing her as anything but a desperate assistant. Lulatrix widened her eyes, the crimson color flashing ominously. Her eyes met with the guest causing them to freeze in hypnosis. Trixie's horn radiated and a screen like magic blanket appeared above the guest's head. "Here we will see them face nightmares to which I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, will also face and conquer." An image faded in on the magical space. It seemed to be from the point of view of the pony on trial. A lake splayed out in front of them with the focus on a filly drowning. The filly called for help as it splashed frantically trying to stay above the water. The image jumped forward and water began splashing as if the pony was swimming after the filly. A few yards away the filly plunged under the surface leaving only bubbles. The image lurched forward violently till it reached the spot the filly had occupied only seconds before. Water rushed to flood the image as the view switched to now being underwater but the filly was gone. Rapid splashing and turning alternated on the magic screen as the pony searched for the filly. The water of the lake started disappearing leaving a crater. The image shifted down to see solid ground beneath hooves and still no filly. Sharp thorn bushes sprouted throughout the crater preventing escape. Heat waves danced off their outlines and onto the ridges of the crater. On a far ridge the filly appeared again beckoning the pony. Slowly, battling heat and thorns, the pony drug itself across the crater only to be caught in a thorn bush knot. Heat beat down mercilessly while thorns invaded the pony's legs. The distance began fading out in a bright light followed by a growing black void. Pure black engulfed the image and the pony on stage collapsed. By now there was a decent audience present due to curiosity. Gasps echoed along with concerned whispers. "Now it is my turn. I shall prove that no pony can withstand what Trixie can!" she turned towards Lulatrix readying herself for the nightmare. Shouts from the audience broke her concentration. "This is unnatural!", "Evil witch!",and "We better run away while we can!" were called amongst the frightened outbursts of now fleeing ponies. With her audience gone and another show ruined, Trixie stared at the grass. "Forget it. Let's go." Trixie mumbled as she turned to leave the stage. Tears welled in her eyes and frustration etched itself upon her face. "This was supposed to go well. I thought you could help my show. Now I'm right back where I started." "You asked for my input and this was it. My nature is to produce the horrors of the psyche. Perhaps that's why I look like you." Lulatrix spoke in a hiss. The words caught Trixie off guard. Perhaps Lulatrix was right. Her greatest horror was herself. She was destined for greatness but now is but a failure. The one thing she vowed never to be. "Trixie is going to call it a night." Barely able to put one hoof in front of the other, she trudged to her wagon. "So disheartened. So weak. You will become weaker before I am through Trixie Lulamoon. Feed me more. So easy and willing are the depressed and desperate." Lulatrix hissed through her teeth. Morning yielded no better results for the unicorn's mental state. Her bed glued itself to her body and her blankets wrapped around her in a death grip. A sigh escaped as she sunk deeper into her pillow. The energy to move was lost so she closed her eyes and hoped to sleep through the day. Try as she might the thoughts of her failures refused to leave. Each one so vividly crushing down on her mind. Tears streamed down her cheeks collecting in small puddles on her pillow. Soft whimpers mumbled out searching for relief. But none came. The proud unicorn that she had spent so much time creating and showcasing no longer existed. Without the persona how could she show her face in public? She would be doomed to self exile now. "My gift is illusions but I can't fool myself."Trixie murmured to herself. "Everypony knows I'm a fake." "Trixie. Have you awakened?" Lulatrix's hissing slid under the door. Then it hit her. Trixie had felt bad before but not quite this bad. "You damn demon." she growled. "Am I interrupting something?" the hiss came with the smallest hint of pleasure. The demon was the cause of this worsened depression. Trixie now realized it and knew the demon was doing it on purpose. With fury she lept from her bed, dashed across the room and threw open the door to stare down the demon. Lulatrix stared back with soulless eyes almost as if daring Trixie to make a move. Trixie was not one to back down from a direct challenge and so fell for the trap. "If I made you then I can banish you." Trixie's horn began to glow. "Ha but how, pray tell, do you plan on doing that? We both know you have no real power." "Then I will make real power!" Trixie seemed to spring to life and move with the rage of a wildfire. A blast of magic illuminated the confines of the travel carriage. The glow died to reveal Lulatrix and Trixie still standing glaring daggers at eachother. "This is not a path you want Lulamoon. Cease this foolery." Lulatrix warned. "You are only a part of me. I am the whole. The Great and Powerful Trixie!" She let loose another blast striking Lulatrix between the eyes. "Fine. Let's play." Lulatrix grinned maliciously. She dove forward throwing Trixie to the ground. Her eyes pulsed red and a dark mist swirled in around the two. A flash of Trixie's horn and the travel home was gone. Instead they now stood on a rocky path flanked by trees. The mist still lingered with ominous shapes appearing and disintegrating as if dancing to a ritual. Trixie shifted readying herself for attack and began prepping another spell to cast. Lulatrix's eyes pulsed and the mist swooped in to attack the unicorn. Quickly Trixie teleported behind Lulatrix and gave a swift kick to her hind legs causing them to buckle. The mist immediately responded by thrusting itself towards Trixie ensnaring her. A hoof came crashing down on Lulatrix's head slamming her jaw into the jagged rocks. Confusion arrived for but a moment but the Trixie enveloped in mist began to fade revealing it to have been a trick. Trixie's horn glowed and suddenly 5 Trixie's appeared in bursts of smoke surrounding Lulatrix. "You don't even know how to defeat me Lulamoon." The mist swirled around Lulatrix pulsing with faint hints of maroon. All of the Trixie's horns began to glow and spurt magic. Simultaneously they all fired a beam centered on Lulatrix. Mist shot forth absorbing the beams and striking each caster causing them to poof. All but one who was knocked onto her back. Anger and desperation filled Trixie's eyes as she rose from the ground. Summoning as much strength as she could she prepared a devastating shot of raw magical energy. Lulatrix winced for a split second as Trixie built the energy to cast her shot. Her horn heated and began to spurt. At the height of the build she unleashed a barrage storm of raw magical energy piercing through the mist and throwing Lulatrix off her hooves. Surprised with herself, Trixie took a moment to realize what had just transpired. She had no idea she held that much power. She didn't even know it was possible for her to do something like that. "Well placed. But not enough." a blue demon rose from the ground unscathed. Thoughts of anger and frustration clouded Trixie's mind. The intensity forced her to the ground where she tried to stop it by placing her hooves on her head. The demon's eyes glowed bright, burning their way inside her mind. "Stop!" Trixie called out. "That's not me anymore!" "Perhaps you would be wise to remember this the next time you wish to fight me." an overconfident hiss stung Trixie's ears. With that the images and emotions vanished leaving only a worn and tired unicorn. "Now then, back to carriage?"
Chapter 3The next week went by slowly. Trixie had bruises and aches that were limiting her performances to simple tricks. Short on coin, she spent a couple nights hungry and most nights restless. Lulatrix being a demon didn't require sustenance to thrive and be a greater pest than ever. To everyone else Lulatrix appeared in an adorable manner though a bit odd given her horns. To Trixie however it was as if staring into the eyes of Nightmare Moon after insulting the night. "C'mon Trixie," she spoke to herself, "You can't live like this." She had taken a stroll into a nearby town to get away if only for a moment. Ponies went about their daily business taking no note of Trixie. Everypony seemed happy and content which only made Trixie feel more alone than ever. The place had a vibrance to it that seemed to drift from pony to pony and echoed off the buildings. In a way it reminded her of Ponyville. "Of course. Twilight might know how to get rid of that thing."Trixie stopped in her tracks. "But that would mean sinking even lower and the Great and Powerful Trixie needs nopony's help." her voice trailed off showing her uncertainty. For a moment she entertained the thought of going back to Ponyville and Twilight helping her banish Lulatrix. "The amulet! I bet I can go back there and use the amulet to banish her." "Banish who my dear?" an all too familiar hiss swept around Trixie. "You wouldn't be talking about me would you? After all we've done together." "Its been just over a week but Trixie agrees it feels like an eternity." Trixie eyed Lulatrix with clear disgust. "You really should think better of yourself." Lulatrix grinned. "How about some food? You must be famished." The sentiment caught Trixie off guard. Her meals had come sparingly and without any assistance or concern from Lulatrix. "What's the catch?" Trixie asked warily. "I need you alive. Think nothing more or less of it." That was the clue Trixie had been searching for. She had forgotten till now but Lulatrix could only exist as long as Trixie did. 'If she is tied to me in such a manner then I may know how to rid myself of this asshole.' Lulatrix had escorted Trixie to the local bakery. The scent of fresh baked goods wafted through the air and past Trixie's snout causing her mouth to become a waterfall. Lulatrix motioned for Trixie to order. Before a protest on behalf of poverty could be made, Lulatrix shoved Trixie to the counter. "Why hello dear. What would you like today?" the mare behind the counter smiled. The pony's eyes faded to grey followed by the fall of her smile. She turned and fetched a small basket of muffins placing them on the counter. "Free of charge." she stated flatly. With hesitation, Trixie accepted the basket and left the shop confused. "Simple trick really." Lulatrix spoke up. "Too bad you want me gone, Lulamoon. I could bring you power you never even dreamed of." "Then why haven't you?" Trixie jeered. "Acceptance. Who would hand over the world to someone who despises them? Your hate only makes me stronger and you weaker ya know." Trixie sighed. The more she had dwelt on Lulatrix, the less she was able to function. 'I can use this. She is me right? I want power then so does she. The more power I give her the less alive I am. Its a perfect coincidence!' Trixie relished in her thoughts but remained distraught on the outside. "Alright then. The Great and Powerful Trixie will host a show tonight." "Perfect." Lulatrix let out a slow hiss.
Chapter 4For the remainder of the day Trixie and Lulatrix promoted the coming show. An hour to curtain not a single pony had been denied the sight of at least one promotional poster. They had advertised with vigor but the question remained if their efforts would succeed in bringing an audience for that night. "The performance of your life Trixie, literally." Trixie stared blankly at her reflection in her prepping mirror. With a sigh she placed her hat upon her head. "You got this." She skimmed over tonight's acts mentally acting out each one. A lump caught in her throat as she looked at the last act on the page. It was a risky trick that she had never tried before and to make matters worse she would need to appear to fail without actually dying. Pushing her grim thoughts aside, Trixie busied herself with gathering all the needed props and equipment. Once everything was gathered she ran a rehearsal up till the final act. "Seems you are pushing to be prepared for this show Lulamoon. I've not seen you work this diligently yet." Lulatrix peered from the shadows. "I'm expecting a larger crowd and of course I want everything to be perfect to show off just how great and powerful Trixie is. Speaking of which, when are you going to provide me with this power?" "First act my dear." Lulatrix grinned with a sickening display of razors for teeth. Adding to the weight of Trixie's thoughts was the creeping fear of what nature of power would bury its way into her. She had no doubt Lulatrix would in fact bestow her with power, the question was the toll it would take. To distract herself from buckling under pressure Trixie snuck a peek through the curtains. Ponies had begun to congregate for the show. With a breath and forced smirk, Trixie evolved into a proud and confident stage magician. After a few minutes the audience had grown to a full house. It was show time. She took center stage as fireworks lit up the sky. "Ladies and gentlecolts! The great and powerful Trixie welcomes you," the curtains flew apart. "To the greatest show you will ever see!" another barrage of fireworks shot into the sky. "For the first act Trixie will summon an assistant from the darkness. A foul beast straight from your nightmares." Trixie threw a smoke bomb for effect. As the smoke cleared her horn illuminated with magic energy. A burst of light and Lulatrix appeared on stage beside Trixie. Hoof stamps rumbled through the audience. Trixie winked at Lulatrix to which Lulatrix responded with a grin. Red energy swarmed around Lulatrix pulsing dimly. Her eyes glowed with fury and passion. Lulatrix's hair flew back as if by a strong wind showcasing her pair of horns. Slowly it seemed that they were growing and tinted red. Trixie took a step back suddenly very unsure of her current situation. The audience knew no better and cheered on at the spectacle. A stream of energy shot forth from Lulatrix slamming Trixie and pinning her to the stage platform. Lulatrix stepped forward with pleasure filling her expression. At this the audience reacted in gasps and screams. Some decided to escape the show as something had obviously gone wrong. Trixie could feel her energy and magic fading. A wave of exhaustion washed over her causing her to go limp. "Thank you for your cooperation Lulamoon. Now I have all your power!" Lulatrix roared scaring away what was left of the audience. "Then you don't have much."Trixie whispered through her weakened state. "On the contrary. You know how much power you hold. What you would one day be capable of. Great and impressive feats, or should I say great and powerful. No matter now though dearest Lulamoon. All of it is mine!" Lulatrix chuckled pleased with herself. "I'm just a simple trick pony."Trixie sighed. "I can't even teleport." This statement caught Lulatrix off guard. "Wait what? You had so much power but you couldn't teleport? That doesn't make any sense." "That's what I'm telling you. Trixie's... not as great and powerful as she claims to be." she couldn't hold back a tear from forming. "You are a fool then. I can feel it. Your emotions, magic, beliefs, experiences and future. From here you would have only grown more powerful in the art of magic." Trixie felt so drained she could barely gather the words Lulatrix spoke but one caught her attention. Her plan to bring herself to the brink of death had failed but now she may be in an even better place. 'I know how to do this now. If only I could.' She tried moving her legs but it seemed as if the entire world rested on her muscles. "If you think you have so much power then prove it." Trixie managed to call out. "Ha! It would be a pleasure to showcase what you wasted." Lulatrix engulfed herself in red energy. Blasts of red energy shot from her horns striking the stage with force enough to break the boards holding it together. Wood splintered and collapsed upon itself bringing the sides crashing down barely missing Trixie's body. The platform itself buckled under the pressure and damage and began to split. "Teleport out of this you bitch." Trixie managed to call before being swallowed by the breaking boards. Stage lights had started to fall and now the entire overhead system was plummeting. With an annoyed glance up, Lulatrix gathered energy to teleport. A flash of red light and she disappeared as the stage crumpled. Dirt and debris flew outward as the last standing part of the stage fell creating a heap of wood and cloth upon the ground.
Chapter 5Darkness and pain were the only things Trixie could experience. She tried to shift her weight but an overwhelming sense of nausea forced her to a halt. A faint hint of light trickled down from somewhere but with all the boards and debris she had trouble locating its source. Surprisingly there didn't seem to be much weight on top of her. She had been pelted with wood and metal but most of it settled somewhere else after falling. With caution Trixie tilted her head testing for any pains as well as wiggle room. Her neck appeared to be fine and if she could muster the strength to push upwards on a beam there was the possibility of escape. "Lulamoon. You there?" a hiss came but its typical malice had been replaced with concern. Trixie hesitated to respond. Lulatrix was out there waiting to do Celestia knows what to her On the other hoof Trixie couldn't stay in her current situation and she doubted she had the strength and physical health to break free on her own. "Here." she sighed. "Good. I'm ashamed to say I need your assistance." "Well that's just too bad. Why should Trixie help a bitch like you?" even in her current state Trixie wasn't short of comebacks. "Fair enough I suppose, but you can't leave me here. I have all your magic. Would you, the great and powerful Trixie, walk around with nothing?" "Really? Are you seriously trying to tempt me with power right now? Look around dingbat! We are both stuck and probably going to die. Thanks to the dumb and bitchy Lulatrix there won't be a great and powerful Trixie." anger began settling into Trixie's words. "So we are both stuck. Fun times." Lulatrix sighed. "Don't fucking sigh at me bitch! Its not my fault! Well not entirely..." she whispered. "Okay okay, how about a deal?" "Are you mad? Why in Equestria would I make a deal with you?" "I will give back enough of your strength to get us out of here. Then once we are free I will give you all of it back. Its worthless anyways. You can't even do simple spellcasting." "Worthless! I'll have you know I am the great and powerful Trixie. Powerful!" Trixie's anger rose. Lulatrix felt a tightening in her chest. She didn't know what was happening but she felt weaker. "How are you doing that? I thought you could only weaken me through positive emotion." "What are blabbing about now?" "You mock me." Then it hit Trixie. She felt stronger. The anger was coming from Lulatrix. The energy was making its way back to her. She was still in pain but she felt she could attempt breaking through the debris. Trixie shifted, placing her horn on a board she began to push. Nausea and pain nearly overwhelmed her but she pressed on. With a growl she managed to push the board causing an avalanche of debris. Moonlight blasted into the previously dark confines. Trixie shakily stood. Pain pulsed from her right hind leg causing her to favor it. "The great and powerful Trixie lives!" she shouted into the night sky. "Congrats. Now if you don't mind." Lulatrix cleared her throat. Trixie took in a deep breath. Negative thoughts, memories, and emotions were flooding through every crevice of her brain. This was the moment she had waited for. A moment to make a choice. She limped through the debris towards Lulatrix's voice using large pieces to steady herself. "If you want out I'm not doing it for free." "What is it you want? You already have your power back." "Be humbled demon. Too many times I have been shown up or put down and ignored the lesson. Not this time. Not again. The simple and wise Trixie will help but you have to fix my stage." her emotions began to balance out with thought and reason. "Very well." Lulatrix hissed unimpressed. Trixie's horn illuminated along with a group of debris. The effort to use magic quickly became more than Trixie could handle. She lifted the bundle only to lose control of it sending it crashing back down just as Lulatrix lurched from the dirt. A piercing shriek sounded out causing Trixie to wince. Gurgling cut off the shriek and then silence interrupted that. Trixie opened her eyes to see one of Lulatrix's horns had been broken off. A black ooze crept out of her mouth. Eyes that once flashed bright crimson now were grey and lazy. Before Trixie's very eyes, Lulatrix began to fade away. A wisp of red energy floated out of Lulatrix's remaining horn then leapt into Trixie. Within a minute Lulatrix had vanished. Trixie stood in silence staring at the ground still absorbing all that had happened. After a moment the adrenaline wore off and exhaustion won over control of her body. Her eyelids fell heavy and her body sank to the ground to rest. Trixie woke to the sound of chatter. Groggy, she sat up to check what was going on. Half the town was staring at her. "Waah! I didn't do it!" Trixie protested out of habit. "You are going to be fine." a stallion stepped forward. "I medicated your broken leg and put a cast on it. I would recommend staying off it for awhile though." "Oh, thank you."Trixie was caught off guard. "What happened?" a mare asked. "Uhhh," Trixie looked around to find the debris had been cleared. Not like she could've used it anyways. "I just had a rough night." "Well I hope you don't any more like that." the doctor pony spoke. "If you need some time to recover you are welcome to rest at my clinic." She stood and instantly felt a rush. "That sounds like a good idea. At least until Trixie is feeling better." ******************************************************************************************************** A couple moons later and Trixie was back on her hooves. The town had been great company but it was time to hit the road once more. As a traveler she tried not to get comfortable in one place for too long and with the memories of her demonic self tied to the town she wanted to run far away. Her caravan was ready and a new portable stage was in the works. Having been able to work temporarily around town she had gained enough bits to support herself again. She fastened the harness to herself and took a breath. "Onto the next adventure. Hopefully this time without demons." With that Trixie followed the road out of town. Author's Note Thank you for taking the time to read through this. I've been out of writing for a bit so this story was a way for me to dust off. Feel free to leave any constructive criticisms, let me know what you enjoyed or what you found less than appealing.
