Wide Gray Sky

by Saffron Panther

Rating: teen
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sad, Romance, Trixie
Length: 6618

On the path in the rain, Trixie encounters a changeling beast...and her worst enemy. Or friend?

Based off an odd storystorming session of mine, Trixie finds herself on the difficult path in the rain when things worsen as she encounters a Changeling beast that attempts to harm her in her stolen image. However, she also encounters her perceived nemesis Twilight Sparkle, but discovers that maybe vengeance isn't what she needs.

Using artistic license on the Changeling involved (I don't know if they all can do magic, but for the sake of the story, this one can), "Wide Gray Sky" is an experimental story working with the silent and nameless variants where there is no dialogue and the characters are unnamed to put more emphasis on their actions, gestures, and so on. An oddity considering my general dislike of Trixie, but ultimately, a good short story to flesh out in the end.

Before anyone asks, I'm not a Twilight/Trixie (or "Twixie"-that sounds like a candy bar) shipper, although I have read some decent Twixie works. This is just how the story developed. Funny where stories lead, huh?

Published 2012-09-24 10:34:03 UTC
Last updated 2012-09-24 10:34:03 UTC

Silence is Golden

The Great and Powerful unicorn rests under the tree for a moment as the storm clouds build overhead. Since the destruction of her wagon, she hadn’t many supplies or bits and going back into that town would have been a bad idea. Even if she has nothing. Yes, hunger had demanded that she eat her leftover food. So she has nothing. Well, save for a small bag of bits hidden in her mane. Living a life on the road teaches one to have such things prepared.

She silently counts the bits on the ground before, getting a total of twenty-two and letting out a low sigh. The unicorn quickly collects the bits back into the small bag before tucking it away in the thick hold of the crest of her mane. Look both ways. Never know when some bandit might try to rob her.

For about the third time now, she is reminded of the incident. That damned Ursa Minor and those damned foals bringing it to the town before she was even ready! She kicks a patch of path ahead of her, spitting out the dust that flies into her face. What indignity!

And because she isn’t humiliated enough, rain begins to fall.

The starry unicorn’s magic sparks in her attempt to form a barrier atop her head but raindrops in her eyes break her concentration. She brushes her left forehoof over them, feeling some relief until the incoming rainwater causes the tip of her mane to sag over the left side of her face. Annoyed, she beats the patch of path beneath her again and shakes the light mud from her hoof.

Not wanting to remain undignified for more than five seconds, mercifully outside of the public view, the starry blue unicorn gets to her hooves and makes her way down the path. She hates the sensation of the mud squishing beneath each step but withholds the urge to continue cursing everypony for messing with the Great and Powerful. How dare they? HOW DARE THEY?

Her vengeful thoughts are interrupted as a branch sags, depositing its heavy load of water all over her. The stench of the ditch lining the path gets to her as well. The starry blue unicorn shudders and gallops ahead as the rain continues falling. She shakes the clinging tip of her mane from her face when its hairs start digging into her eye. Sigh. If only she still had her stuff. If only she was still Great and Powerful.

Wait, was? No, still is! She is the Great and Powerful-!

Her mental attempt at reaffirming her status is cut short when thunder cracks behind her, driving the pony to run faster. The small bag of bits, normally held so well in her hair normally covered by her grand sorceress’ hat, starts to slip and lands atop her snout. Before she can catch it, the bag lands and spills its golden contents into the mud. Frantically, she gets down to her hooves like some insignificant foal and gathers as many of the bits as she can, fearing the worst.

How the Great and Powerful has fallen.

As she collects her remaining bits back into the bag, her line of vision catches a figure in the horizon. With her deep purple magic’s aura, she stashes the bag back into place and smoothens her mane as best as she can with such environmental factors. Even at her worst, she still needs to look her best and all.

Amidst the falling rain, the figure reshapes into the image of a brown colt with a blackbrown mane similar to the color of bottles she had seen pelted at her during one failed performance at a tavern. He holds his head low as if to count his steps with his mane hairs drooping over his eyes. A clumsy horn pokes between his front bangs, emitting a dull blue green glow.

She considers darting away before he notices her after seeing his sullen appearance but she stays in one place as the colt nears. He pauses for a moment and kicks some mud off his hooves before lifting his head. The bangs fall from his eyes, showing a deep amber color greatly complimenting his blackbrown mane. He turns to her.

Be prepared now.

The blackbrown-maned colt offers a nice smile and shakes his head with a hoof raised towards the sky. Not nice weather, sure. She doesn’t regard him much but tries to fake it with her own smile. Not her best performance smile, but a nice smile. Maybe he’ll go away then.

Instead, he just refocuses his attention to his hooves, maybe rethinking the number of steps he’s taken since Celestia knows where. She really cares less and begins to move away when he makes a choking sound. Part of her insists that she go onwards but another part argues she stay and see to him. Against her usual judgment, she turns back to see if he’s alright.

The colt continues making that choking noise as she approaches, a look of disgust forming on her face as raindrops trail over her horn. His amber eyes hide behind the bangs as he chokes more violently now, as if he’s going to vomit his own lungs. The starry blue unicorn leans a little closer with her right forehoof raised.

Oh hell.

She reels backwards, pain exploding between her eyes after being hit with the blast of hot blue green energy. Her eyelids burn slightly as she forces her eyes open, seeing the colt charge her. The starry blue unicorn leaps to the side, struggling to keep her eyes open. The rainwater does a little to help soothe the burn.

Another shot of blue green energy fires at her hooves, scattering clumps of mud in shrapnel formation. While she has never been that great at combat magic, The Great and Powerful wastes no time in forming a counterattack, stirring up a mass of deep purple energy to launch at her attacker’s head. It collides head-on, seemingly scorching the sullen colt’s face. The colt lets out a guttural cry that just doesn’t sound right as his mercifully covers his face.

The starry blue unicorn begins to run, trying to pick up as much distance as she can with her would-be assailant behind her. How dare he strike her?! She winces as her eyes sting, almost causing her to lose her balance. The bag of bits miraculously remains in place.

What the hell was that?

The cry from before rings out, sounding more insectoid in nature. She picks up the pace just as the blackbrown-maned colt begins to change, sprouting transparent wings on its back. With that same cry, it launches into the air and gives chase.

The Great and Powerful ducks behind an upcoming tree, trying to calm her heart from its sudden desire to burst. She looks behind once, seeing the colt land onto the path with its snout to the mud. Same choking sound but with a definite buzz as twin fangs slide from his top lip. The bangs flop over his eyes shrink back, revealing irises now blended with amber and deep green. He raises his head with a smile-how many teeth does that thing have?

But The Great and Powerful does not run from a challenge! She steels her nerves and turns around the tree, expecting to attack the colt-beast head-on. Yet, nothing there.

Look behind.

The starry blue unicorn turns, still seeing nothing on the path ahead. But surely it couldn’t have gone far. Even with wings, surely she would have seen it?

Her eyes move up slowly just in time to see a pair of hooves striking her face. The starry blue unicorn’s back hooves slide against the dirt and mud, keeping her balance. She throws herself to the side as the winged colt slams itself to the earth. Bits of mud speckle the Great and Powerful’s face as she lunges forward, horn glowing brightly. The energy collides into the creature’s face once more, causing it to emit that terrible cry.

The Great and Powerful’s eyes widen as the face of the creature melts away like candle wax, revealing a grotesque...insectoid monstrosity beneath. It grins at her despite the gaping burn across its face with dead teal eyes glowing. It emits another cry and fires another shot at her head.

But these creatures can’t perform magic, can they?

It sheds the brown colt disguise, revealing its true insectoid form in full. With another loud cry, it lunges at her with its fangs bared. She tries to set out a break-shield but the creature slams right through her impromptu defense and sends her reeling into the tree. Her back hooves hit the dirt to regain her balance and she readies a deep purple barrier fired directly at the creature’s torso. Expecting another headshot, it moves to the side and gets struck in the left flank. Another cry.

How dare it attack the Great and Powerful!

She charges it head-on, leaving a small bruise where her horn makes contact with the side of its head. The insectoid snaps its fangs and tries to sink them into her throat. A quick kick of her front hooves prevent such an atrocity. Another snap of the fangs with a drop of saliva shooting at her face.

Enough!

The starry blue unicorn fires a deep purple shot at the creature’s body once more, careening backwards as the blow recoils. Whatever that thing is, it disappears off the path and collapses into the ditch along the path, splashing up sickly brown water.

She regains her composure and gets to her hooves as the rain continues overhead. She brushes her left forehoof against the crest of her mane to ensure the bag is still there, safely tucked away. Holding her breath for a bit, she trots ahead, taking care to not have her hooves sink any further into the mud.

Still Great and Powerful, yes.

The incident with the Ursa Minor replays itself in her mind once more, driving a low growl to build in her throat. She shakes her head, as if to discard it from her body like flakes of mud. The tip of her hair slips over her left eye once more, setting well into place. Not wanting to get mud in her eye, she brushes her left front shin as the hairs split away. So undignified.

Something cries.

She turns around, expecting to see the insectoid beast back with its fangs protruding or perhaps trying to see if it can fool her once more with that blackbrown-maned colt disguise. Much to her disgust, some of the ditch water splashes upward, landing on the path where she once stood. Her horn emits a defensive purple glow.

Hoofsteps somewhere.

The purple glow expands as she readies herself. Breath catches in her chest. Heart slows from its quickening beat. The hoofsteps move around her and she turns, ready to-

But…the Great and Powerful can’t strike herself…

The Fake and Godawful makes a hissing sound that chokes out a laugh or two while wearing her face. It sneers, narrowing her stolen eyes and stomping one stolen starry blue hoof against a mudcake beneath it. She freezes in place as her eyes stay locked with its. The purple glow pulsates like her fearful heart.

She steps to the left. It steps to the left.

She steps to the right. It steps to the right.

She growls, trying to show no fear. It growls, mocking her.

She headbutts the creature. It stumbles back onto her stolen plot.

The Great and Powerful makes a run for it, deciding that beating up the ruffian that has stolen her image is a bad idea. More trees and the ditch pass her by as she keeps one ear focused on any hoofsteps or buzzing wings behind her. When she doesn’t hear any trace of the Fake and Godawful, she slows to a halt with her breath and heartbeat steadying.

She looks back to see if it should follow and attempt to pull a sneak attack perhaps while wearing her stolen image. Seeing nothing, she comes to a rest at the base of a tree, kept dry by the thick leaves and branches above cutting off the rainfall and shrouding the entrance. Aside from a few scrapes by the branches brushing against her side and plot, it is nice. Grateful for the little space, she shakes the water from her fur and mane and lies down. She checks again to make sure the bag of bits hasn’t slipped out.

Despite her concerns, The Great and Powerful falls asleep.

She dreams of the incident back in Ponyville, replaying her mind over for the nth time while echoes of the cheers and applause from her earlier act play over the mental footage like a dissonant soundtrack. Only now, the beast that dared to steal her image takes the Ursa’s place and laughs wickedly with that same choke-hissing sound. And that purple unicorn saves the day, blasting the monster away while the Great and Powerful can only shirk into the distance.

A cry shakes her from her sleep.

The Great and Powerful peers outside. The sky is still overcast as the gray-lit backdrop peering through the covering leaves tells her with the smell of fresh-fallen rain still about. But unlike before, the sky seems duller, like the afternoon sun has been obscured further. She stretches her legs, mentally chiding herself for having fallen asleep so long. And without her warm caravan anymore.

After checking to make sure that the bag of bits has remained in place, The Great and Powerful gets on her hooves and cautiously steps out from beneath the tree’s cover. With the memory of The Fake and Godawful, she treads lightly on the path, readying herself to make a run for it should it make another appearance in her stolen image. Normally, The Great and Powerful would never back down from a challenge, but she really didn’t need to deal with it now.

Her Great and Powerful stomach growls, driving her to clamp her right forehoof to it. But no food. Of course. Not since Ponyville.

Nevertheless, The Great and Powerful steps on, trying her best to ignore the growling. The smell of fresh rain upon the earth is somewhat comforting as she cracks the hardened patches of mud under her hooves. The Great and Powerful lets out a low sigh, wondering just where she might find some cheap food, lest she blow her last twenty-two bits.

That cry.

The Great and Powerful tenses, fear and anger building in her chest. She barely has time to turn around as the creature brushes by her, lightly cutting the bridge of her snout with the tip of its closest wing. She clutches the area with her left forehoof as light blood leaks out, eyes shutting in a wince. It skids along the dirt path and stares at her with a hungry expression. Once her eyes open, it snaps its teeth.

Deep purple energy strikes the creature head-on just as its holey legs start gaining a starry blue color. A trickle of red goes down her snout as she lunges, not wanting to give it another chance. Just as it recovers, she fires another shot of raw purple energy right at the creature’s face. It raises its wing to block the blow, leaving a purple-black impact mark against the light blue film.

The Great and Powerful bows her head, launching another shot of deep purple energy at the creature’s feet. The insectoid monstrosity begins to flail wildly as her next spell drags it into the open air, constricting around its wings like an energetic cocoon. She grins as her spell binds around its neck.

Her grin shrinks into a horrified grimace.

The creature punctures the deep purple hold and dives down at her, casting her from her hooves. The Great and Powerful holds back a scream as it throws her to the earth, rolling onto her back as it hovers over her. She leaps to the space behind it as it lunges, getting a mouthful of mud. It coughs up the crumbled mud-cakes with that same hissing-buzzing sound and moves to strike her again.

Panicking, the starry blue unicorn retreats back towards the space where she slept the night before, thinking she might be able to hide behind its cover. Maybe it wouldn’t-

It rams into her side just as she reaches the cover. The Great and Powerful tumbles into her hiding spot as the creature readies for another shot, raising its front legs in a menacing galloping pose.

A massive beam of purple energy soars and collides with the creature’s raised abdomen. It howls and flails as it soars unwillingly into the air and is catapulted into the wide gray sky. For a moment, a glimmer of sickly green light appears in a starry dot against the skyscape.

Getting to her hooves, The Great and Powerful shakes her head and braces for the next attack. A few seconds pass before she opens her eyes. Her body tenses as hoofsteps emit from beyond the tree cover. Her horn glows a thin purple layer just in case.

Somepony’s face peers through the tree cover. The Great and Powerful examines this new face. Somepony with purple fur. Dark purpleblue mane with twin violet and pink streaks. A purple horn peers above two purple eyes. Almost radiant and kind of pretty-

Her.

The Great and Powerful steps back when the memory of the purple unicorn returns, lifting the Ursa Minor into the air. How she usurped her position and made her appear as nothing but a total fool. And now, she is here, the Usurper! Usurper! Usurper!

The purple unicorn also recognizes her and fully opens the tree cover with her magic’s own purple aura pushing the branches aside. The wide gray sky behind her beams down a little, giving her a faint glow. The Great and Powerful stares for a moment, transfixed by the image of her usurper in the almost angelic radiance. She almost looks lovel-

Back to earth now, The Great and Powerful glares at the purple unicorn and stamps her left forehoof. The purple unicorn steps back with a worried look on her face. The Great and Powerful disregards her, stepping past the usurper in a proud and gallant walk like a true showmare ready for her next act.

The rain conveniently picks up once more just as The Great and Powerful steps into the open. And because she really needs it, her stomach reawakens and growls much louder as if to compete with the rainfall. Without looking at the purple unicorn, The Great and Powerful walks back under the tree cover, mane drooping over her left eye once more. As she rests back into place, her stomach growls again. Annoyed, she punches the area, only to them tumble over.

The purple unicorn stifles a small chuckle and hushes up as the starry blue unicorn glares at her. The Great and Powerful considers blasting the usurper out of her space but her thoughts of finally gaining revenge are cut short by another stomach growl.

On cue, an apple floats in a purple aura and lands gently before The Great and Powerful’s forehooves. The Great and Powerful raises her head slowly with narrowed eyes meeting with the purple unicorn’s gaze. The Usurper offers a smile and gestures towards the apple. As if to prove herself, the Usurper levitates another apple from her saddlebag and takes a bite. A drop of juice slides from her lips.

The Great and Powerful glances down back to the apple before her. Cautiously, she lifts it in her own magic’s purple aura and examines the apple. No cuts. No scrapes. No rotten spots. No bug bites. No signs of anything being inserted. Seems safe enough. Fine, she’ll eat it, just at least to shut her stomach up.

She takes a bite as The Usurper finishes her apple, taking care to spit out any seeds into her right forehoof. The purple unicorn presses the seeds and core into the ground, perhaps thinking of herself as one of the orchard ponies. The Great and Powerful has a mental laugh at this as she takes another bite, welcoming the fresh flavor.

Nevertheless, The Great and Powerful does not take her eyes off The Usurper as she makes herself comfortable while it continues to rain outside. A growl builds in her throat but is cut off by the last remnants of apple. The Usurper does not notice, her attention drawn towards a book drawn from her saddlebag. She doesn’t bother to see the purple unicorn’s reading choice since it’s probably something only a loser egghead would read.

As she finishes, The Great and Powerful sets the apple core on the ground near her forehooves. With The Usurper nearby, she is reminded again and again of that scene, the humiliation. Why is she here? What is she doing here? Did she follow her? Was she seeking just to humiliate her some more?

The Great and Powerful brings her left forehoof down upon the apple core, knocking off a few bits of apple. She brings it down again, nearly cracking the apple core in half. For a moment, the Usurper’s face melds into the apple with a smug grin. Forehoof comes crashing down again and again, splattering more apple bits and snapping the core in half.

Glancing up from her latest tome, the purple unicorn watches as the starry blue unicorn smashes the apple core to bits and halves. The starry blue unicorn grimaces in disgust at the sight and feeling of her forehoof covered in sticky juice and dirt specks. Her eyes cautiously move up to meet with the starry blue unicorn who returns a glare. Smiling, the purple unicorn tilts her head back to the saddlebag and levitates another apple before her hooves.

The Usurper doesn’t take the hint, does she?

The Great and Powerful still accepts the second apple as her stomach demands more and eats, thankfully no longer plagued by that mental replay of the events. This apple tastes much sweeter which leads The Great and Powerful to relax. Even with the Usurper present, she feels calm now.

The purple unicorn returns to her reading, starting a new chapter.

Several minutes pass as the rain continues outside while the two remain miraculously dry by the leaves and branches somehow keeping the water from entering their little hiding spot. The Great and Powerful steals glances at The Usurper, expecting her to pull something more heinous at any given moment. Her body tenses with hooves just aching to leap at and trample The Usurper while her guard is down.

No, not a trampling. Why soil her hooves over some miserable trash? Why not use her own magic to reclaim her dignity from The Usurper? Yes, a magical thrashing. Just what the showmare ordered.

But all attempts at her vengeance are, once again, shoved away as the purple unicorn looks up from her reading. The starry blue unicorn transforms her malevolent grin into a sour frown, trying to hide her intentions. Of course, the purple unicorn figures she might try something after seeing her smash that apple core. Probably even saw her own face as she brought her forehoof down on it again and again. As expected, she’s still sore about what happened back in Ponyville.

The Great and Powerful mentally curses her bad timing as she resists the urge to beat The Usurper’s smiling face in. No, for now, she must be civil.

Several more minutes pass as the purple unicorn lets out a small yawn, breaking the starry blue unicorn’s attention. She levitates the book back into her saddlebag and stretches her legs. Her eyes droop a little as sudden tiredness comes upon her and the purple unicorn gives her starry blue associate one small smile before closing her eyes. A minute later, the purple unicorn is fast asleep.

That malevolent grin returns to The Great and Powerful’s face as she praises Celestia for such good fortune. Of course The Usurper would be stupid enough to lower her guard and leave herself completely defenseless. What a fool! What a moron! What a loser! Prepare yourself, Usurper!

So why then does the starry blue unicorn remain in place?

The starry blue unicorn hangs her forehooves over the purple unicorn’s slumbering head like precarious stones. They tremble yet stay in place as the expression on her face shifts from evildoer’s grin to a confused frown. Pouting, the starry blue unicorn draws back her forehooves and sits back in her corner of the hiding spot.

Instead, The Great and Powerful lies down on her stomach with her forelegs curled before her. Blowing her mane tip out of her left eye and ensuring her secured bag of bits remain in place, The Great and Powerful keeps her watch on the sleeping Usurper. Maybe there’s something wrong about striking her while she sleeps, but once she awakens, she would feel The Great and Powerful’s wrath.

Several minutes pass as the starry blue unicorn continues observing the sleeping purple unicorn. She watches as her enemy’s side rises and falls rhythmically with each breath and her mane moves just slightly when her head shifts just so. Just how at peace she is surprises her. Even the starry blue unicorn had to admit she is kind of cute-

The Great and Powerful shakes her head as if to discard the blush creeping across her cheeks. No such thoughts! No such thoughts! No such thoughts for The Usurper!

Refocusing her attention on her objective, The Great and Powerful resumes watch, just waiting for the right moment. Any moment now.

Any moment now.

Any moment now.

Any moment now…

The Great and Powerful facehoofs and calms herself, wondering how in the hell The Usurper can sleep for this long without waking up. Impatient, she prods The Usurper’s sleeping face. She prods again, an annoyed frown forming across her face.

The Usurper sleepily brushes her left forehoof across her face and tilts her head just slightly.

The Great and Powerful fumes, her mind demanding vengeance that can’t be achieved as her nemesis sleeps. She pushes against The Usurper’s side in an attempt to flip her over and prepare her for the magic assault once she awakens. No such luck.

She tries again and again until the slumbering Usurper flips over onto her back with her legs slumping over to her right. The Great and Powerful’s malevolent grin returns just to die once again when The Usurper does not awaken. Close to blowing her top, The Great and Powerful places both hooves on the top of The Usurper’s underside in a mock strangling gesture and shakes her. Wake up, dammit!

The starry blue unicorn blushes heavily as the purple unicorn’s front legs wrap around her.

The Great and Powerful freezes in place, face burning as The Usurper pulls her closer with a dreamer’s smile on her face. Her legs give out and she collapses atop her enemy, being further pulled into the embrace. Her face flip-flops between an annoyed frown and a confused frown. But there is something intoxicating about the warmth she feels here against her enemy. Some trap…for sure…some trap…

The starry blue unicorn rests her head just beneath the purple unicorn’s, eyes closing as her mind turns from vengeance to sleep.

Her eyes snap open a few minutes later.

The Great and Powerful ponders why out of all that exists in the universe she is seeing a mass of purple before her eyes. She feels alright though, pleasantly warm like under the old blanket in her old caravan. The mass of purple shifts under her and brushes just by her horn. The Great and Powerful looks up.

She leaps from the other’s embrace, leading the other to turn onto her side, still smiling that dreamer’s smile with her legs dangling to her left.

The Great and Powerful mentally criticizes herself for not only letting her guard down but becoming chummy with the enemy. The Usurper is not her friend or her…whatever!

Before she can do anything, the purple unicorn begins to stir. That malevolent grin returns as The Great and Powerful readies a magic attack to rain down sweet vengeance upon her.

The Great and Powerful flies back against the bark.

The Usurper stands at full attention now, horn still radiating with Ursa-strong purple energy. Her face shows surprised eyes rather than a death glare or smug grin. The Great and Powerful gets back onto her hooves, rubbing her back slightly with her right forehoof. Nevertheless, her nemesis shall feel her wrath-

The starry blue unicorn sticks to the bark as the purple unicorn’s next spell holds her in place like a foal forced in the corner. She shakes her head at the showmare’s vengeful look and continues the duration of the spell until her associate’s horn stops glowing and her legs stop flailing. However, once she releases, the showmare attempts to attack her again, forcing her to resume the restraining spell with a disappointed sigh.

The Great and Powerful remains bound against the tree in the field of purple energy as The Usurper rolls her eyes and pulls back. She looks back once more and shakes her head before heading outside into the rain. The branches slide back into place, hiding the showmare from the world.

The Great and Powerful shakes her hind legs, kicking against the bark as she attempts to counteract the spell. Pretty advanced, she has to admit as much as she doesn’t want to. Yet, her spell seems completely ineffective against The Usurper’s.

The wide gray sky above darkens as the day passes on while the binding spell holds her in place. The starry blue showmare mentally panics, fearing if something like that monster that had stolen her image might return with her left completely helpless. Her mind shifts to angrily destroying her enemy for doing this to her. That bitch! Where is she?

Where is she?

Is she really gone?

It’s cold in here…

After a few more minutes, the showmare relaxes her legs and calms down, her mind now sobered by a sense of dread that she might have been completely abandoned by the purple unicorn. Sure, her vengeance would not be had, but now, being alone seems much worse than being denied that. As she slides down the bark onto her hooves, the starry blue unicorn keeps her neck arched to the entrance just in case the other comes back.

Nopony comes back…

That feeling of dread builds in her chest, not soothed when she places her cold right forehoof against it. The rain continues outside, pitter-pattering against the leaves above, a sound she didn’t notice with her enemy around. For a second or two, she sees The Usurper’s slumbering form in the corner, looking all cute before vanishing.

The Great and Powerful tries to ignore the blush creeping over her cheeks as she trots to the entrance of the tree cover. With her deep purple magic, she pushes the branches aside and looks outside. In what’s left of the light, she sees no trace of The Usurper. This does not help the dread in her chest.

Not wanting to get wetter, The Great and Powerful retreats under the cover of the tree and curls against the base. She shivers as the cold air creeps in and kicks against the dirt, knocking over a chunk of the apple core from earlier.

Her eyes snap open.

Somepony appears in the entrance with a comforting smile. The starry blue unicorn slowly gets to her hooves as the smiling figure comes closer. Her horn glows, revealing a familiar unicorn-

The Great and Powerful throws herself at the purple unicorn with open front legs. The purple mare is taken aback a bit but reciprocates nonetheless, wrapping her right foreleg around the other mare’s back. Thoughts of vengeance leave her mind, replaced by the wish that she wouldn’t be alone now.

The purple unicorn nuzzles her just slightly. The Great and Powerful blushes but doesn’t resist, closing her eyes as her enemy brushes her snout and lips against her neck. The starry blue unicorn rests her chin atop her enemy’s side.

Bzzt.

The Great and Powerful’s eyes shoot open and she flings herself from the other mare’s embrace.

Backing against the bark, the starry blue unicorn watches in horror as her enemy’s face contorts into a sickening grin. In an instant, sickly green light overtakes the face, peeling away the purple fur and eyes and showing the insectoid monstrosity from earlier.

Immediately, The Great and Powerful fires shot after shot of deep purple energy into the creature’s body, forcing it out of the hiding spot. In the pouring rain, she continues firing as the creature attempts to lunge at her again and again, fangs exposed and wings beating. The sickly green glow emits as the creature attempts to reassume her enemy’s form. Enraged, The Great and Powerful charges, directly impaling the creature in its eye with her horn.

Eye closed against the action, the creature moves into The Great and Powerful’s blind spot under the wide dark gray sky. She maneuvers and lands a shot of hot, raw energy upside the monstrosity’s underside. The beast buzz-shrieks as the blast scorches its skin.

For a moment, her mane falls over her left eye again in Phantmare of the Opera fashion, stalling her for just a moment. Out of her sight, she sees-

Her enemy grins as she rushes the starry blue unicorn and throws her to the ground.

The Great and Powerful kicks against The Fake Usurper’s upper torso as it climbs atop her while wearing that malevolent grin. She slams her right forehoof directly into the grin, but the copy remains unfazed as it looms over her. But she-

For reasons unknown to her, The Great and Powerful feels much weaker now. Her right forehoof slackens and collapses next to her as the creature continues its sick impersonation of her enemy. She tries raising the other forehoof only for it to fall as well. Her face flushes as it keeps grinning at her, showing an insane look in its stolen eyes. But why…

The Weak and Pitiful feels her body slacken further just as a mass of energy rushes above her, shattering the copy’s face and throwing it into the wide gray sky above. She looks up and sees another shape approaching her with its horn emitting a purple energy. Her vision starts to fade as the creature lets out another cry in the rain.

Full of rage, the other fires another shot of pure energy into the creature’s torso, doing further damage. It tries to raise itself into the air as her ally takes another shot after another shot until the creature collapses against the path. The unmistakable sound of a death rattle.

The Weak and Pitiful fades out.

So warm…

The Weak and Pitiful slowly awakens, recognizing the hiding spot once more with its dry shelter from the storm. Her body aches with the desire to stretch her sore limbs. Yet once again, her vision runs into a mass of purple.

Her ally sleeps next to her, propping herself between The Weak and Pitiful and the open space to the entrance. The Weak and Pitiful blushes once more, but the feeling of dread leaves her chest as she stretches her sore limbs. No longer The Usurper. Now The Ally. Yes.

The dreamer’s smile appears on The Ally’s face as the purple unicorn brushes closer to The Weak and Pitiful’s side. Her blush deepens as she returns the gesture, slightly nuzzling her Ally.

Better than vengeance. Warmer too.

Once again truly feeling like the Great and Powerful, the starry blue unicorn falls into deep sleep resting by her Ally’s side.

A cry shakes her from her sleep.

The Great and Powerful awakens and immediately shivers as the rainwater covers her. She lifts herself from the base of the tree and kicks off the mud clinging to her hooves. The branches do little to keep out the rain that has been coming in since she fell asleep.

But where is her Ally?

The Great and Powerful frantically searches the hiding spot to only find mud, puddles, and a fallen branch to greet her. Her body shivers further as her stomach awakens and lets out a low growl. Dread builds in her chest, pang erupting here and there.

Pushing the branches aside, The Great and Powerful is greeted by the heavy rain falling from the wide gray sky. She shields her eyes against the drops with a simple spell and makes her way to the path again. Still, she sees no sign of her Ally in the distance around her.

The loud cry emits once more.

The Great and Powerful moves to the side as the creature returns, skidding its holey legs against the mud. She readies an attack when it begins its transformation, sickly green glow engulfing it.

She does not waste time to see whether it becomes The Fake Ally or The Fake and Godawful, bringing her forehooves down onto its face. It attempts to bite her, only for its fang to break under the repeated blows.

Alone! Alone! Why is she alone?! Why?! Why?! WHY?!

The Great and Powerful cries as the dream comes back to her, scattered by the rain and lost to the wide gray sky. She continues bringing her forehooves down onto the creature’s head, smashing its other fang. Some heavy bruises form around the base of her hooves but she continues to swing, remembering the dream and the reality around her.

Eventually, the creature stops moving beneath her, dropping to its side with the sickly green glow dulling until extinguished. Its wings sprawl against the mud like useless branches that can’t hold back the rain.

The Great and Powerful ignores the dread in her chest and growling stomach and continues moving onward down the path. The wide gray sky above her continues to rain, threatening every second to freeze her body to the core. She doesn’t think much of it for several minutes more as the dream replays again and again in her mind.

Down the path, she brushes up to check on the bag of bits secured in her mane. She almost breaks down when she feels it is gone, probably lost during the fight with the beast. Her head hangs as she lets out an angry cry, horn shooting off raw purple energy into the clouds.

Why?

Why?

Why…

The Great and Powerful spends several more minutes walking down the path before falling to her chest, her bruised forehooves aching horribly. Her growling stomach rests against the ground, drowned by the mud engulfing her body as the rain falls. She attempts to build herself a magic cover but it falters, sputtering sparks of deep purple before shutting off completely.

Why?

She thinks of how warm her Ally must be, probably back in Ponyville with her friends and tucked away in bed on such a rainy day. Her Ally must be very warm.

Her ears pick up hoofsteps in the horizon heading her away. The Great and Powerful uses what strength she has left to look up again. The figure notices her and runs closer, splashing through puddles and mud in a frantic hurry. She takes a closer look.

Somepony with purple fur. Dark purpleblue mane with twin violet and pink streaks. A purple horn peers above two purple eyes. Almost radiant and kind of pretty…