Trixie and the Mirror

Chapters

The Great and Powerful Trixie do not fall for cheap tricks
The dream of the Great and Powerful Trixie
The Great and Powerful Trixie inside the mirror again
The Great and Powerful Trixies
The Great and Powerful Trixie talks with Princess Celestia
Two trixies, One Great and Powerful Trixie
The Great and Powerful Trixie arrives back at Ponyville for the first time and again
Inside the mirror
Outside the mirror
Talking with others
Trixie looked into the mirror
Mirror Magic
The Great and Powerful Trixie does not falter
The Great and Powerful Trixie contemplates
The Great and Powerful Trixie and the mirror

The Great and Powerful Trixie do not fall for cheap tricks

Trixie was alone in the room. Most of the lights were out, except the big candlelight which burned bright right above her. It was dark. Most part of the room was covered in dark blob of grey. Whenever the candle flickered, eerie shapes danced around the corners. The room was once used as the dressing chamber, but now that new room was built, no ponies ever came here except guards on duty. Consequently, the room started to lose its glamorous atmosphere it once had. The age Trixie could not only see but feel it. Several cracks she could discover among the rocky walls. The long wooden dressing table still held fragrant of the past. It smelled of perfumes. Deep, light, strong, weak; every odor she could imagine was mixed in this place. Smells, so much smells whirling around, eventually swelling into a thick layer. It almost made her dizzy.

The Great and Powerful Trixie stared into the mirror. The unicorn inside the smooth glassy surface smiled in return. Her sky-blue mane was carefully brushed, light and dark parts neatly formed into straight stripes. Her horns she polished with fine soft silks; it gleamed with myriad of blue hues whenever light shone above it. Her eyelashes she paid particular attention, making it pointed little upwards, but not to an excessive degree. She knew just the right angle. On her neck hung the dazzling blue sapphire necklace, matching well with her light azure body fur. She did not forget her ears, the earrings shaped of a purple six-pointed star. Her usual attire, the large pointy hat and cape, were not with her this time. Instead she was wearing a dress. A lavender dress decorated with night sky full of stars.

How nice you look, Trixie. Especially the color. Blue and purple. Trixie could not help but to adore the pony before her eyes. There was no narcissism involved here; she did indeed look beautiful. Great and Powerful she was, but she could also be elegant and graceful. She was somewhat worried that the two colors would not work well, but in the end the attire worked out fantastically. Blue she had in mind; it was her color after all; every pony had a deep affinity with his or her fur color. Purple, however, she could not easily decide. Then she knew it was time to ask others for their opinion. She knew sometimes it was best to ask others for advice. And so she did. Blue she chose to add to her dress because of such.

Just then she heard a knock on the door. She wondered who the mysterious visitor could be. Snips and Snails she sent them to do their errands, and she told them to meet her at the Canterlot hall. “Please, come in.” Turning around, she saw the lavender pony walking into the room. Trixie could see her dress. The color of it was the light cloudless sky, just the color of Trixie’s fur. On her dress were pointed stars, forming various constellation patterns that Trixie was also familiar with. Her earrings she did not miss; the two little crescent moons undeniably dangled beneath her ears.

“Ah, Twilight Sparkle. What a coincidence! Trixie was just thinking of visiting her friend for the thoughtful advice. She wishes to express her sincerest gratitude for the good-willed advice. Who would have known the two colors could blend so harmoniously?” Trixie said, slightly bowed her head in greeting.

“O Great and Powerful Trixie, I am extremely honored by your praise. I was deeply worried that my advice would do more harm than good; but I can safely disregard such thought. I am glad. Your dress indeed looks spectacular.” Twilight also bowed her head in return.

“Oh Twilight, let us drop the formalities! The Great and Powerful Trixie finds it more comfortable to speak with her friends without the fancy Canterlot speech. Twilight, thank you again so much for your kind advice. And your dress looks lovely too.”

“Thanks, Trixie.” Twilight said, smiling.

“Trixie does not want her friends to feel difficult approaching her.” Trixie made a big grin. It had the effect she desired; Twilight giggled, throwing off her usual official manner whenever she was in Canterlot. “By the way, what brings Twilight here?”

“Oh, trying to find some quiet place before the big celebration tonight.” Twilight let out a small sigh. “You know, the Princesses decided to hold two anniversaries this year, defeat of Nightmare Moon as well as the banishment of Discord. Being the bearers of elements, we sure got everypony’s attention.”

“Indeed, Trixie understands.”

Trixie recalled how earlier in the day Twilight and her friends were surrounded by ponies literally charging at them, each trying desperately to see the heroes of Equestria with his or her own eyes. Not only today, but ever since they arrived at Canterlot. On the first day, when the seven ponies got off from the carriage, they were immediately bombarded with dozen flashlights and several microphones pressed at them. Even the combined dedication of Snips, Snails and Spikes was no use under the sheer wall of ponies as they were swiftly crushed (both literally and figuratively) under the hundreds of hooves. Only after Princess Luna appeared at the scene did the fervent crowd reluctantly made the way for the seven ponies and three assistants to their chambers.

“The royal speech of the Moon Princess was our lifesaver.”

“You can say that again.” Twilight giggled. “Good thing many ponies prefer the new changing room.”

“Yes. For now Trixie just want to have some break before the celebration starts. We have still some time left, are we not?”

Both unicorns looked in the mirror. The two unicorns smiled back at them.

Trixie and Twilight were walking down the hallway. It was Twilight’s idea that they meet up with others at the rendezvous point, the little chamber next to the Princess Celestia’s room. Normally used as a reception room for special guests. Princess Celestia allowed the heroes of Equestria (as Trixie and the bearers of Elements were called) to use the place as a meeting point.

“And you even vanquished the Ursa Major! Even I couldn’t do that!” Twilight’s eyes were shining like when she spotted her favorite book.

“Hearing such word from the one who defeated Spirit of Disharmony? Trixie is surprised.”

“It would not have been same without you, Trixie. You helped us.”

Crack. She heard the sound. Maybe it was because of the old floor. This part of the castle wasn’t that well maintained. Her hooves must have stepped on the rusty part. Crack. So loud. She heard the sound. If Trixie was nervous, she was doing her best to hide it.

Twilight hummed her favorite song as she walked forward. “Almost there. I can’t wait to see them. Wonder what have they been doing?” Twilight spoke in a cheerful tone, as if completely oblivious of the suspicious sound that reverberated across the entire hallway.

Now Trixie knew something was wrong. A blue unicorn in the mirror looked at her. Mirror? She was no longer in the old changing room. The hallways had no mirrors. Now where did that come from? Trixie tried to think, but when she saw what was in the mirror she could not hold her gasp. Great and powerful Trixie: graceful and elegant manner she kept, fine and slender body she had. Her face was smiling, not a smirk, not a chuckle, not an evil grin, but big smile, a sign of pure bliss, sincere happiness.

But Trixie was not smiling. Trixie in the mirror or Trixie outside the mirror? One was not smiling. But who? Which Trixie? Crack. Another piece falling.

The candle above the mirror flickered from the sudden wind. The cold night airs soon began to pour into the room. She could see the nightly sky. So many stars on the sky forming a spectacular sight, a truly stunning night. A magnificent scene hosted by the Moon Princess. But why, Trixie thought, why was she not smiling? Moreover, why was she seeing the bare night sky instead of the splendid Canterlot ceiling tapestry?

“Trixie knows this is not right.” She muttered as she turned around from the mirror. She bit her lips, a rare behavior which only came out when she was worried about something. Was it because of the lavender pony? No. She was her friend. Great and Powerful Trixie knew better than to be jealous of others, especially those around her. Twilight’s friends she never disliked them. Trixie was on good accounts with them. They even invited Trixie on various occasions, of which Trixie all had a good time.

Crack. On good accounts. Had a good time. Really? With Twilight and her friends? Twilight Sparkle. Caring. Is it? Was it? Trixie again looked into the mirror, hoping to get an answer. Trixie always found the habit helpful when confronted by some problems that she could not solve (for the time being, of course; she was great and powerful). Gazing at her own reflection gave Trixie a chance to muse over her thoughts and try to organize them to workable thread. However disheveled her mind would be, after a good staring into a mirror she would eventually work her way out from the tangled mess. That was how Trixie solved her problems.

The blue unicorn in the mirror was still grinning. Trixie was not. She was frowning. Trixie knew something was going wrong. Crack. The sound continued.

“How did Trixie get into this?” No answer from the pony inside the mirror. Trixie in the mirror. She needed not to response. Trixie outside the mirror, she would have to figure it out…she was Great and Powerful. She gazed into the mirror.

Discord. Nightmare Moon. The grand celebration. The two anniversaries. Twilight. And her friends. Snips and Snails. Princess Celestia. Princess Luna.

It was a joke. It had to be a joke. A blatant cheap trick that did not even deserve to be called magic at all. Come on, Trixie. She said to herself. Trixie was a magician. She conjures, then she controls. Up in the stage she was the master. No exceptions. The Great and Powerful Trixie was the master of illusions. It was her specialty.

She did not defeat Nightmare Moon, nor did she banish Discord. It was Twilight and her friends who did all the work. But she did play a part; a very important part. It was Trixie who lead Twilight and her friends where Nightmare Moon hid herself. It was Trixie who resisted Discord’s chaotic influence and inspired Twilight to take action. Trixie deserved as much as Twilight and her friends fared. Trixie too saved Equestria. Twice.

No. A mere illusion. Fantastical tale, a world that never existed. A illusion built upon lies. A very dirty lowly lies. Trixie would use more elaborate, complicate ones. This world? Laughable!

“No.” Trixie felt a twinge inside her chest. She was no longer in the Canterlot castle. She was in her own room. No large windows, no antique dressing table, no candlelight. Just a small room surrounded with four wooden walls. No decorations, no beautiful paintings on the wall, no marble floor. She was Trixie. No blue-and-lavender dress, no six-pointed star earrings, no blue sapphire necklace. Just her old pointy hat and rugged cape. No perfumes, no make-ups. No Twilight. No one but her. Just Trixie.

"No.” Trixie suddenly felt the world going upside down. Crack. Crack. More pieces falling. She closed her eyes and opened. She was still in Canterlot Castle. Twilight was looking at her, visibly concerned. Trixie was standing in the middle of the hallway. Or was she? Which Trixie? Trixie on the inside or Trixie on the outside?

“Trixie? Are you okay?” Twilight walked towards her. How sweet, she thought, caring for her friends. If Trixie were Twilight’s friends, that was. That would have been good. Too good. Trixie knew better than that. She was Great and Powerful, after all. She recognized the mirror. Inside it was so good, but on the outside…

“Oh my! I hope she is feeling well…she must be tired from attending all those meetings with Canterlot ponies! Fluttershy was like her yesterday! She needs some assistance right now. Here, I’ll take left. You take right! She needs to take a rest!”

Crack. That voice…it was Rarity. But Fluttershy? Who was she? Trixie was trying her had to think, but nothing came out. Mirror. She was looking into the mirror, right? But why was she seeing other ponies? Why? The two unicorns stood next to her, almost ready to give Trixie a helping hoof. But Trixie was looking into the mirror alone. It was just Trixie.

“Hey! Is something wrong?

Crack. The assertive one. The Pegasus with rainbow mane. Rainbow Dash. The world around her was spinning now, and Trixie tried hard to just stand. She lied against the wall. Not smooth, but rough surfaces. Unlike the cold smooth marble walls in Canterlot…

“Ah hope she is okay! Girls, we’d better take her inside the room!”

Crack. That accent. The orange pony. Good with ropes…Trixie was quite surprised when she saw the earth pony showing her the tricks. But then she, great and powerful Trixie, showed the mare what Trixie was really capable of, right?

“Girls, get Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie!” Trixie assumed that voice came from Twilight. Who was Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, Trixie tried hard to think…

Trixie on the outside, she frantically searched for an answer to whatever place she was drawn into. Not Trixie on the inside. She was fine. How could she not remember Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie?

Remember what? Trixie did what? Trixie tried to say something, but nothing came out of her mouth. Her body felt stiff and did not obey her command. She tried to look straight into four ponies looking at her, but she kept blinking, trying to get rid of the blur that somehow landed on her sight. Now whirling shapes appeared before her eyes.

Great and Powerful, Trixie. Great and Powerful. Come on, she shouted. Still nothing. Absolute silence. Was she in Canterlot? Yes, the Trixie on the inside. But on the outside, she was looking at the mirror. With who? Just Trixie. On the inside, she was not looking into the mirror. Or was it? Trixie could not be so sure. But she was Great and Powerful. Not just great and powerful, but Great and Powerful. A title befitting Trixie. She had to show Twilight and her friends that she was okay.

The scene faded before her eyes, immediately replaced with the sight she was too familiar with. Ah, so that was how it worked, Trixie thought to herself. She was Great and Powerful; she should have understood it sooner. The mirror. Look at it and one sees her own self; her own self inside the mirror, to be exact. Trixie was looking at the mirror, alone. Inside the mirror, Trixie was with four ponies trying to help her. But on the outside, Trixie…

The world was just too much for her. Too sweet, too good to be true. Hence for the mirror showing it to her. When Trixie knew she was not inside the mirror, she cried.

The cold night air seeping through the walls reminded her where she really was. She looked on the mirror. Trixie on the outside, she was in her cottage, hastily constructed after Ursa Minor smashed her carriage into pieces. She took a deep breath, and tried to control her thoughts. Being a magician, Trixie had to learn to differentiate the reality and the fantasy. Sometimes the latter would be more appealing. Sometimes that world would seem to speak more truth. Sometimes it would appear to contain more honesty. She began the process. What was real, what had really happened...she searched for the one single thread among millions of thought threads. Only that one held the memory of reality.

Only after she stopped at the outskirts of Ponyville did she realize she had nowhere to go to. She remembered how she forced her magical energy to build another one from the scratch, which left her exhausted after several days. Her body ached from the great exertion, both physically and mentally. For now the woods outside Ponyville, dangerously close to Everfree Forest, was where her home would be.

When she could see the coarse wooden wall without geometric images flashing before her eyes, she decided move to more pressing matters. The mirror. Where did she get the mirror? Most of her possessions inside the carriage could not be salvaged. Her dresser, her table, her magical instruments, all destroyed beyond magical repairs.

“Trixie must remember…” She bit her lips hard. Some skins peeled off. She chewed it. It was bitter. She tried to focus her thoughts just as she had done with her magical energy. Grab the thread among the giant flow, and then control it. It was what Trixie did every day. Control. She controlled her thoughts and energy, not the other way around. Where did the mirror come from? After she ran away from Twilight and her ‘admirers’ (again she buried her teeth deep into her lips), she remembered she left her wooden carriage, which was practically her only home.

Slowly, Trixie began to unravel her tangled thoughts, forcing her energy to find among her many threads of thoughts the memory of what happened that night. When she thought she had got the right one, she began to examine the string, separating it from the rest of the flows.

Her show at Ponyville had definitely come to a dead end. The lavender pony made it sure of that. Trixie watched in absolute horror as Twilight Sparkle moved Ursa Minor from the village. Soon she recovered from her dumbfounded posture. But when the unicorn walked toward her, she could not take it. Trixie ran. She could still not remember what she said to Twilight back then. Even with all her efforts her stream of consciousness offered nothing. She could only retrieve her feeling at that time, of how she tried to act as if nothing had happened. But it was a mistake. Trixie could do nothing while Twilight stood proudly and fought, achieving what ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie could not. She lost. So much for Great and Powerful.

When she was sure that there was nothing alive near the vicinity, she stopped running, and just sat there. She cried until she could barely make a sound.

That night, after gathering enough courage and driving shame out of her mind (which soon swiftly returned back in her flow of thoughts), she returned to the scene. Among the wanton destruction she saw a mirror. How strange, she thought, to find the one of the most easily breakable object completely undamaged in the aftermath of the rampage. Out of curiosity she levitated it with her magic. It certainly did not look much interesting, just plain. The glassy surface was clean, but that was it. Just a rectangular-shaped mirror, its frame made out of cheap wood that was used to make basic furniture. It did not even have the most basic ornaments.

Still, for such a simple mirror the surface looked incredibly shiny. While the frame Trixie found it bit ‘common’, the glass part she could appreciate its fine quality. It was just so smooth, reflecting her face and mane in an almost otherworldly clearness. Not a single dust seemed to lie on the silver plate. Great and Powerful she was, she could not guess what purpose did the mirror serve.

It sure was no ordinary object, completely intact from the wreckage, yet Trixie could not discover anything magical about it. She would figure out it eventually. It was not hers; of course it would be stealing to simply take it away. But there was nopony in the vicinity. Where did Twilight, Snips and Snails gone to, she had no idea. To her what mattered was that she could take the mirror without anypony say something to her. Trixie felt she had to take the mirror. She found in her cottage anyway.

And so after her wooden house was completed, she put the mirror in the wall. She stared into the mirror, wondering what might happen. Trixie knew magical objects were not to be tempered with. But she was Great and Powerful, Trixie assured herself. She could find a way back to her old self. Enthrallment, mind control, brainwash; she could withstand them all. They were all so close to the spells Trixie utilized, after all. On the stage she made illusions. She made audience believe her words. With a bit of a trick she could insert incidents that never happened...and fail.

No, She could not let despair overshadow her. Trixie was Great and Powerful. Only one as Great and Powerful as Trixie could control her. “Great and Powerful. Trixie is Great and Powerful.” She murmured, almost in a trance, like whispering a chant. “I am Great and Powerful. I am Trixie. Trixie is Great and Powerful.”

She looked in the mirror. Trixie saw Trixie in Canterlot Castle. Trixie inside the mirror. Then she saw the lavender pony walking in. Trixie bowed her head to greet her. Trixie in the mirror, that was.

“Ah, Twilight Sparkle-“

She tried to control her freely running thoughts. It was Trixie who controlled what she wanted to see, not the other way around. She closed her eyes. Trixie was in the castle. She knew what would happen if she opened her eyes again.

“So, this was it. It shows you things.” Trixie chuckled. Slowly taking her eyes accustomed the candlelight, she saw her wooden home. Of course it was; mirrors. Magical mirrors, they did not show what was in front of them. They always manipulated things to their own accords. Like Trixie. Like her. She knew how the process worked. Illusions, past, future, nightmares, whatever one calls it; these mirrors showed what they wanted to show. When light shone upon them, what do they show? Trixie knew the answer. Mirrors of magical qualities showed whatever they were meant to show.

How ironic, thought Trixie, for the mirror showing her with Twilight and her gang; and how cruel. The mirror was obviously mocking her. Even Snips and Snails. They were her ‘assistants’ in that place. More like two asses. Saving the Moon Princess from the dark grasp and banishing the Element of Disharmony. Cleverly made; it knew how to mess up with one’s ego. So amazingly and delightfully painful. Trixie knew only Elements of Harmony could defeat such evil beings. Trixie was Great and Powerful; she may not fall to their influence. But defeat them? “No.” Trixie said to her aloud. “No. Impossible.”

Trixie stared into the mirror. She stared, did not dare to blink. The blue pony in the mirror was now surrounded by six ponies. Inside the Canterlot Reception Chamber was herlying down the luxurious curtained-bed. Twilight and others were watching, each trying to do something that would make the pony in the bed feel better. Trixie felt happy. Trixie inside the mirror.

“Happy, huh? Trixie feeling happy surrounded by Twilight and her gang? Never.” She still did not blink. Tears streamed down her eyes. Maybe it was because she did not blink for more than a minute. Or was she feeling sad? Angry because what she saw in the mirror could never happen? That blue pony in the mirror looked so happy, surrounded by ponies who cared for her.

But Trixie on the outside was alone in the stranger parts of the land. So was she…jealous of what the mirror showed? She could not tell. Staring at the glass made Trixie eyes hurt, but Trixie could not lose the fight. Yes, a fight, Trixie said to herself. This was a fight, and she was going to win it. That mirror may show whatever it liked to show; but Trixie was Great and Powerful. She was mighty. The power to control her emotions belonged solely to Trixie; the one and the only Great and Powerful Trixie.

Trixie felt tired, like the blue pony inside the glassy world. It was days after she took on the great labor, but she still felt her magical energies running low. Looking at the mirror just added to her fatigue. Controlling her thoughts and picking out the 'real' threads of thoughts among many false ones was the final icing in the cake.

Temporary retreat. “Trixie guess she will have to take a sleep.” She looked at her bed, and then turned back at the mirror. Now the mirror was showing the overall view of the Canterlot chamber. It was as if the inanimate object had its own sentient, deliberately trying to keep reminding Trixie what a different world it was. Her house barely had anything that could be called a furniture-just a simple wooden table and hard wooden bed. The Canterlot Reception Room, however, Trixie figured best not to think. It just made her more miserable. It made her to think about her current situation.

Magic mirrors. But it would not get better of Trixie. She would not fall for some kind of weird wacky otherworld. The world inside the mirror-she scoffed at the thought. Way too cliche. A magician could think better spells.

The wooden floor was hard to lie down, but Trixie was tired anyway, and soon she drifted to sleep, not before muttering 'I am the Great and Powerful Trixie'.

Author's note: Just wanting to write about Trixie. I really wish she makes comeback during season 2 (or season 3) and get a chance to redeem herself. When I watched the Trixie episode, I was quite surprised that she in the end ran away-I almost expected her to apologize for her boasting.

And I personally feel sad for her. Her carriage is destroyed in the episode but all she could do was just to run away (of shame maybe?). I think she deserves better than this. I really want to believe that her boasting she only uses it for her show and in behind the scenes she can be friendly as other ponies.

That was the sort of Trixie I had in mind when I wrote this. On the edge between arrogance and pride, but accepting the fact that her boasts have its limits.

*Edited to make it more readable

The dream of the Great and Powerful Trixie

Trixie shifted uncomfortably during her sleep. At one point she was facing right, soon turning to the left. Her eyes were closed, exhausted from the ordeal she had to go through investigating the mystery of the mirror, but some part of her mind was still awake, still processing the vital task of straightening out her thoughts among many illusions and tricks she stored.

Even in her sleep she would remind herself who she was: The Great and Powerful Trixie. Hence her mission of sorting out the great magician’s mind continued, even when other ponies would have gladly embraced the Moon Princess’s benevolent blessing. Trixie was as busy as ever, devising, checking, thinking, and refining many ideas and tricks she could come up with. At the same time she busily wandered around her river of thoughts, keeping its flow and assuming the control.

Though she was indeed the Great and powerful Trixie, picking out her reality among countless branches of imagination, sailing her ship through the rough ocean of her unconsciousness was by no means an easy task. She was looking-if the term ‘look’ could be applied to her process of selecting the right string of thoughts to preserve her sanity and not to get lost on glassy worlds she had in her mind-for the particular thread that marked her world: where she never defeated Discord and Nightmare Moon; where she never befriended Twilight and other ponies; where Trixie was alone, in her shabby house located outside of Ponyville, dangerously close to the Everfree Forest, bringing her back the haunting memories of the star-bear.

Threads of red, blue and yellow flashed before her eyes. The threads multiplied then rapidly combined into one single giant thread, only to be burst into millions of thin long threads wiggling, reverberating, shaking, and wobbling. Maybe the colors represented something, like red for her anger. Just a conjecture Trixie came up with; this realm Trixie could hardly apply her knowledge and understanding from her reality.

Sounds, she heard sounds, indescribable melodies forever repeating certain part of the song she never heard before, sometimes whispering, and sometimes shouting, always in an eerie and foreboding tone. Again Trixie could not fathom how to interpret these sounds she was hearing. The only thing she could to was to keep searching for one piece of memory that anchored her to the world she lived in and take extra care not to fall for lies and deceptions she often imagined.

It was easy, actually fatally alluring, to indulge in otherworldly pleasure. Not only indulge, but be completely consumed by it. Like the mirror she found. What would Trixie be in such worlds? She could, if she really wanted, to take one road that caught her attention, whatever it would be. Trixie knew how to coordinate her thoughts; she saw countless streams stemmed from the deepest part of her consciousness. She figured out which one to cling on and which one to ignore as mere fantasies. She did not stray from her course.

But all she needed was just one small mistake to let everything fall apart so quickly that she would not have known what hit her. Like when the two asses Snips and Snails foolishly provoked the star-bear…she was hit hard, so hard that she could actually feel the physical pain aching all over her body, the realization of the big fiasco manifested into quantifiable affliction. When she gathered her wits, she was in the middle of Celestia-knows-where part of the nameless wood located right outside of Ponyville, leaving her precious cottage behind. Then she returned, only to find…

“Control.” She commanded her mind to speak to herself, as if to reaffirm who was the master of this blue unicorn’s body and mind. Trixie was a magician after all, and she would not allow herself to be covered in lies and tricks she produced and promulgated, nor would she let the despair and anger fall her into the realm of delusions and deliriums. Her pride, her title, her constant chanting ‘Great and Powerful Trixie’; all elements that made Trixie would steadfastly maintain her as she was right now: she was Trixie. Other ponies may be lost among the pathways that diverged to infinite possibilities, where one’s thought could take her anywhere, but not Trixie.

The mirror before Trixie looked back at her menacingly. She tried to reassure herself that what she was confronting was just an ordinary mirror. Her horns could not detect any magical energy emanating from the object. The surface just showed whatever was in front; just a nervous looking unicorn who gulped as she looked back at her with the identical expression.

Trixie checked her attire just in case-what she was attempting to do not only required her magical skills, but also her cognitive ability as well. The star-patterned pointed hat and the cape. The blue emerald brooch. A magician's clothing.

In the end, a magician always had to remind herself who she really was. She performs, she shows. She captivates the audience with her illusions and tricks. A magician, therefore, had to be familiar with not so honest methods. To deceive, to trick, to fool others-that was what Trixie wanted to do. Why? She thought. Maybe she found the process absolutely thrilling. Trying her best not to let her lies and deceit exposed, sometimes making another lies, or slightly bending truth to supply false information without lying at all; to Trixie it was a spectacular, fantastic work of art. She was the protagonist in her show.

“Mastery comes before manipulation.” Trixie muttered. To a magician, it was the sacred incantation. To put in otherwise, clarification came before the control. She tried to recall what her master used to say: a magician had to know the world around her. She dared not to blink, lest her concentration dissipates like an ice melting in a hot summer days. It was just a mirror, but if she could not be so sure of herself with so mundane object, she would have trouble later dealing with magical ones.

She looked into the mirror again. Flashbacks; control, control. Trixie whispered to herself. What was this? Dreams? Dreaming while she was in the dream? Maybe. The deeper part of her memory? Did this happened at all, or did it never exist at all? Which one: figment of imagination or her true piece of memory? If it indeed was Trixie’s genuine memory, when did it take place? She gazed at the single thread of thought which happened to surface from her thoughts, sending signals at every direction she could think of. She guessed the direction of the signal, and began to unravel the tale it hold: at the Magic Kindergarten, after she had eaten lunch…

The blue unicorn grunted as small magical energies seemed to gather around her tiny horn, before dispersing into millions of particles, quickly evaporating into nothingness. She looked quite distraught at the result, almost on the verge of tears, but surprisingly held back well, as if swallowing her bitterness altogether with one big gulp.

She cleared her throat and waved her right hoof, making a simple arcane sign, steadily rising above her horn, until the energy within the floating glyph exploded, surrounding her with shooting stars falling all over her. She grinned, pushing away the fact that one of her spells did not work. The grassy field around her was a mess, painted with shades of deep dark blues, but she had good reason to be proud of herself, and cleaning could wait as she savored the sweet taste of what her magic could do.

“All right class! Five more minutes, then we are going back to the classroom!” Trixie’s ear picked up the cheery tone of her teacher calling from inside the classroom. Most of her classmates were by now hopping off from the see-saws and swings.

Somewhere deep in Trixie’s heart, she felt others had to show what she had just done. She managed to pull the spell off without stupidly flailing around or her mane covered with patches of black and white stripes. Her classmates, even her teacher, had to witness what Trixie was capable of.

When she saw the wooden crates lying around at the side of the field she thought it was her chance. She climbed up, eagerly moving her hooves, making a big grin on her face. When she reached at the top, she cleared her throat, and stomped her hooves, making a large crack sound. Soon she felt all the attention of her classmates and teachers gathering towards her.

The audience was to have the honor to see what Trixie was capable of.

“Come on, come all, witness the magic show of Trixie!” She stood proudly on used wooden crates she proudly claimed as her stage, trying to make the most imposing pose she could think of. Below stood her ‘audiences’, her classmates, whose eyes Trixie caught sure sign of mild skepticism. Soon it will all change, Trixie said to herself. Soon they shall witness Trixie’s great show. After gathering enough magical energy focused at her hone Trixie unleashed the spell, summoning tiny patches of colorful fireworks, and then projecting miniature version of shooting stars above her stage. Other fillies watched in awe as she continued to perform. Trixie felt a surge of joy sweeping her; the audience loved her show. At least in this very moment, she was great and powerful.

She chose the right spot. The crate offered her a vintage viewpoint of her classmates. They all looked at her with great reverence, the very exact eyes that Trixie demanded the audience to show.

“Now, watch Trixie as she pulls off the greatest magic you will ever witness!” Trixie could not help raise her voice louder then she intended to. Her audience wanted her to go on. With their oohs and ahhs Trixie felt she had to show something worthy of their anticipation. If they wanted a show, then Trixie would gladly give it to them.

Crack. One firework blasted off right above her. Crack, crack. Followed by two more, each blastoff combined into a perfect triangular shape. The ponies below her were clopping, and she was just thrilled at the sight. Clopping for her-there could be never enough clopping. More. She needed more.

Crack, crack, crack, boom! Boom! Boom!

The blazing rays of afternoon sun were momentarily blocked out by splendid streams of the magical rainbow: the color of the blazing ruby, burning ember, glittering gold, lush emerald, bright ultramarine, and deep amethyst. The six streams perfectly harmonized into one single stream of rainbow, its lustrous glory surely inscribed into the eyes of Trixie and her audiences. After floating in the air for several seconds, it too exploded into massive streams of colors, engulfing the stage and Trixie altogether.

The ponies looked in silence as smoke continued to blot out the makeshift stage. When Trixie stood again, her body poised forward, her mane proudly swinging in the wind, the ponies below her trampled the ground with their hooves. The sound of clopping, the great music she never grew tired of hearing. They were clopping for her, for her only. Trixie wanted to hug herself right now. She wanted to squeeze herself till she could not breathe.

"Thank you, thank you, my enthusiastic admirers. Now if you will all excuse me-“

When she was about to delve deeper into her past, the scene abruptly changed, the particular thread of thoughts sinking back to the rapid currents of her thoughts. She bit her lips, frustration visible in her frowning face. Why did the memory simply go away during she was unraveling it? Maybe it was the mirror, she thought. Figuring out the inside and the outside was a tiresome work for her.

She looked around. It was her room. Simple, but plenty of objects she would have to bear in mind. To start, there was the mirror in front of her. Then the dresser at the left side, the mini wooden bookshelf at the right, the red carpet below her, and the small light bulb above her. It was a good thing that the room did not have much thing except basic furniture; otherwise it would have been hard for her to do the spell.

“Remember, Trixie. Mastery before manipulation, clarification before control. A magician controls her spells, not otherwise.” She bit her lips. That act was her switch. The skin slowly peeling it off, she felt her randomly running thoughts rapidly organized into a single workable group of threads. It was time to do the magic.

She glared at the mirror with all of confidence she could gather. A blue unicorn that was almost the same size as her, wearing oversized hat and a cape was looking back with a satisfied grin. Not only proud, but charming as well; Trixie worked hard to maintain her image, after all. A magician’s image had to be impressive, inspiring awe, the charisma working at the maximum level as possible. Hence she not merely laughed, but grinned in a way that delivered conviction. Her tone she sounded strong and powerful, loud and clear, grinding her speaking like a fine weapon that would enrapture the onlooker with great awe. Her magic was always followed by the characteristic hoof gesture she made: graceful, elegant, powerful, and assertive. All of these were part of her magic, her show.

When her horn glowed with a deep blue light intricate signs floated around her. She theatrically waved both of her hooves, and bright small sparks appeared, filling the room with prismatic rays. Her horn slowly gathered the magical flow that was building her body ready to be utilized at her will. She guided the focused energy towards the rope. In her head she tried to remember how snakes moved, and tried to recreate their movement through the animated rope. Mastery before manipulation, clarification before control. The rope immediately came to life, hissing like a snake, quickly attempting to coil around Trixie.

“Trixie is the master of her show.” Trixie moved her horn, and the rope became still, the magical energy drained in an instant. Returning to to its previous inanimate state, it dropped on the floor. “Let’s try again.” Once again she focused the flow of magic, and in the mirror Trixie could see the rope moving perfectly at her will.

Trixie thought it was enough for the night; now she would really savor the placid darkness that relieved her from the magician’s duty. For now, she would forget about what happened today, and what happened few days ago. The star-bear, Twilight Sparkle, the two asses Snips and Snails, the magical mirror and the mock-world, it could wait.

Rest now, Trixie, she whispered to herself. You are Great and Powerful, and you deserve a good night’s sleep. She let her mind wander away, sinking in her everlasting flow of her memories and thoughts.

Author's Note: Okay..so decided that I should go Trixie as a 'magician'. I mean she was one in the show, so why not expand upon it? It is her job to trick and fool others, and to be the master of illusion she must know who she really is, what actually constitutes her reality (hence also making her quite 'immune' from mind control spells, because such spell would lie within her area of magic she employs).

The Great and Powerful Trixie inside the mirror again

Trixie was not sure if she was awake or not. She could think, but that was the only proof that she recognized her own self. What happened to her body? She tried to stand up, but to no avail. All of her four hooves seemed to be completely detached from her body. No amount of effort could convey her any feeling of her usual body parts. Nor could she rely on her senses; the only thing she could feel was the void surrounding her, something that could be only perceived, nothing else.

As it would be a great insult to her title, the Great and Powerful, Trixie did not feel terrified at all. The terms she would use to describe her feelings right now were ‘mildly irritated’ or ‘somewhat annoyed’, not ‘deathly scared’ or ‘completely terrified'. Amongst every tricks and illusions, amidst thousands and millions of lies and deceits, Trixie always found a thread of reality. She was a magician, after all.

But every night she would eventually, temporarily succumb to the fantasies she had in store, for even the Great and Powerful Trixie needed to take a break from her ordeal, and let her mind freely wander in the immaterial realm, unbounded by physical laws of the reality. Or, in plain terms, she just dreamt a lot. But not just ordinary ones, magical ones too; in such cases the adjective ‘magical’ was not to be confused with the diction ‘fantastic’, for magical dreams, in Trixie’s opinion, were not quite ‘magical’ as onepony imagined them to be.

The plain ones she dreamt the most: back when she was young, when she first succeeded in making the jewelry rainbow, at that night, in her bed, or to be more precise, in her dream, she was the Lord of the Rainbow, commanding every Equestria’s seven-colored arcs with her word. She was indeed the master, everypony enjoying her show. Not only the six-colored rainbows, but whole spectrum of every color existed compiled into one giant rainbow that could even blot out the midday sun. Somepony might dare to question her title as the Rainbow Lord, but in the dream she was the master of the show, and either through shrewd manipulation or pure skill she captivated the neighsayers armed with useless skepticisms, eventually subjecting them under the magnificent Trixie, eventually making them to recite her name in awe.

Of course, her dreams could be darker, gloomier…few days ago, Trixie recalled, in her dream she faced the giant star-bear. It was charging straight at her, but she was unable to move, her horns devoid of any magical energy. Trixie tried to scream, the sheer terror temporarily paralyzing her senses and wits, but wondered whether her muffled pathetic whimpers would do anything. She watched helplessly as the beast drew close to her.

Later she woke up from the nightmare. Her whole body was covered in sweat, and she was shaking uncontrollably at the sheer volume of the terror. Right before the claws reached her fur she woke up, on the verge of the pain registering its presence within her nerve. Utter dread filling her entire body and mind. She dared not to make any sound until she got hold of herself and reminded that it was those thread of thoughts that emerged from her bitter experiences, though she could not be so sure of herself this time. Trixie lied on the bed motionless for several minutes, the muscles all tense and paralyzed by the supernatural beast she faced, and the dark illusion she just had.

Still, nightmares were fairly easy foes to overcome once she could identify how they worked. They were nightmares after all, and if she could trick ponies all over Equestria with her cunning tricks and pranks, there were no reasons why she should not be able to defeat these nocturnal ponies with her wits. The star-bear incident had left within her consciousness a considerable amount of bitterness, but Trixie was confident that in due time she would be able to confront the shadowy creatures who often came to her in darkest hours.

Then there were the ‘magical’ ones. Her dreams were usually her mind somehow catching one thread of her flow of thoughts and expanding upon it. Magical dreams, however, they showed Trixie the entire thread of her consciousness, of the whole process of how she picked out her reality, of the indescribable void filling her mind. Trixie was not so sure how could she dream of such things. If she was really tired, maybe after the big show, then her dream might be magical.

Like after watching the magic mirror, falling briefly under its spell and living the life of finding another version of her. Then her dreams could end up being ‘magical’, like the emptiness that surrounded her right now. That idea Trixie thought quite probable, for yesterday’s sleep had not been altogether pleasant. She figured it would be best to sink back to the sweet forgetfulness of the sleep; she dearly wished to be relieved of her task of organizing her ever-tangled thoughts, and when she felt the wave of fatigue taking her once again, she did not resist.

More of an instinct rather than an awareness, Trixie slowly gained consciousness, emerging from the oblivious pleasure she had taken momentarily. Great and Powerful. Great and Powerful Trixie. She whispered in her feeble, half-asleep state, her lips barely moving to sound the syllables. Nothing better than to start her morning with reiterating her title; she just loved the epithet. It fitted her perfectly. Uttering the lovingly magnificent three words was one of methods Trixie employed to start the day in good spirits and reengage her task of sorting out her flow of thoughts.

After her consciousness came her senses. Trixie did not miss the aroma gently caressing her nose, the refreshing scent of the warm day and cool night air harmoniously blended into a single unison, the exact manifestation of the two celestial beings working together in the sky, granting light and peace…

That was the first sense Trixie registered after her head was capable of processing the information her senses brought, her consciousness now fully springing to life. But why the smell of a perfume, she wondered. Four days she smelt bare wood and chilly morning air when she woke up. Why the sudden change? Trixie tried to work around her logic process, but it was always easier said than done-in this case easier thought then done. With her eyes still closed and immersed in a half-asleep state, she continued on her grand morning duty of waking up.

Was she still dreaming, drastically shifting, and crossing multiple boundaries of the dreamworld? Possibly. It seemed probable, for there have been more than several incidents where Trixie found herself in the dreamworld with her acutely aware of the situation. For a moment she wondered whether this one was her occasional sentient dreams; usually they left pieces of memories of which Trixie often found it hard to assess without suppressing a shudder when she looked back in reminiscience.

Dream or not, Trixie felt intrigued with this new change in her environment, and decided, albeit feeling a slight degree of apprehension, to muse further about the source of the scent. It was definitely there, not too strong or thick, the perfect example of the term ‘just right’. Nevertheless the splendid aroma did nothing to help Trixie’s already troubled mind. All sorts of questions invaded Trixie’s head. Her makeshift wooden cottage did not afford much space, and she knew better than to commit the ridiculous act of affording luxury goods in her current state. Rapidly working her mind to produce some theories she could take, she came to conclude that the presence of perfume smells she was still in the realm of uncertainty, her physical body still blissfully unaware of what was happening with her mind.

Trixie, the Great and Powerful Trixie, the magician; she was Trixie. Countless images and visions, but there was only one Trixie. She decided to see, to look, to gaze; to identify and to interpret with her own eyes. The perfume she could smell. What information would other sense yield to her? Was she still dreaming, or was she lost in her thoughts? Or had she fallen into petty trick that she labeled it as laughable?

Trixie, the Great and Powerful. She constantly reminded herself. But as much as she hated to admit, Trixie knew sometimes, sometimes all it took was just one small mistake to ruin the magician’s show. Like the moment when that despicable two little unicorns brought the star-bear. She cringed at the thought, but her mind held remarkably well. Years she perfected not only the art of the magician, but also the mind of the magician. She looked into the mirror, and assumed control of her feelings and emotions. Trixie was her one and the only master. It was her conviction, to a level of a blind obsession. Every morning, as soon as her mind reemerged from the sweet darkness that took her every night, she undertook the job of reminding how she was the master of herself.

Trixie, the Great and Powerful. She took a deep breath, bit her lips, and gulped quite audibly and noticeably. She opened her eyes.

She was lying down, feeling the soft fabric at her back. The bed she was lying down had a roof, of which she could see the arcane signs shaped into two heavenly beings, the sun and the moon. Her gaze soon moved down, her mind eager to hold more clues and cues to whatever situation she was in. The ivory-colored drawer, the red silk cushions, the rug, the violet porcelain vase filled with freshly picked flowers; the room she was all too familiar with Trixie, yet so foreign.

Trixie congratulated herself for not letting a single gasp escaping from her mouth. For a unicorn who once again found herself in a strange inversed world that made a mockery out of her, she was fairly relaxed, merely gazing at the hollow luxury before her. No screaming, but only silently staring at the unnatural sight before her and ponder over the situation she was into.

Already in her mind she found the piece of memory she was searching for: looking into the mirror and finding alternate version of her. She swore she would not fall for the tricks, and when she felt fatigue taking better of her she fell asleep; like any other days. But the mirror was better then she thought at pulling its tricks. It was cleverer then she thought, somehow drawing her back to its territory once again.

Hence she did not gasp when she saw the lavender unicorn at the far right corner of the room, still wearing the dress that matched Trixie’s mane and fur color, not to mention the blue crescent moon and falling stars sewed into the attire. Another joke that the mirror was pulling of, Trixie assumed, wondering how best to make out of this ridiculous show she was on. As much as she was irritated by this cruel yet still laughable con, she held her horse, containing her enmity well under her hooves.

But how long she could take? Surely she did not had to remind herself that it was Twilight who put in her misery in the first place? Though, not really, for Trixie knew the lavender unicorn did succeed in vanquishing the star-bear back to where it came from. The only thing she could blame was herself, as she felt somewhere in her mind ripped apart to the undeniable hard fact. Her incredible level of self-control prevailed at the end, and she swiftly turned her attention to contemplating what to do now.

So she was inside the grand show the mirror was displaying; there certainly was some degree of sweetness in it, making her cry the first time she was so abruptly thrown out. Now doubts began to gnaw her mind; did the mirror do that on purpose, to make her feel betrayed at the moment? And to offer Trixie a second chance, believing that she would cling to this world so dearly that she would gladly relish her reality?

Was she not feeling happy, taking a great pleasure talking with Twilight back at the chamber? Did she not experience supreme delight at the thought of participating in the grand celebration, respected as she should have been in the first place, truly eligible to bear the title ‘The Great and Powerful’?

Trixie chastised herself for the thought. As always, she bit her lips, trying to get hold of herself from self-indulged fantasies. Not a chance for the Great and Powerful Trixie. To give in to the world constructed of falseness was the sure one-way ticket heading directly to fatal consequences she rather not decided to ponder about. She was well-versed with tricks and illusions. During the show, high above her audience, she was the master, pulling twists and turns in a way that pleased the crowd. At that very moment the lies she made could be forgiven, for it was solely for entertainment her deception was put into use.

Outside the show, however, was entirely a different story. Trixie had well registered the fact in her mind: once outside her grand domain, her spells and tricks-she accepted with bitter resentment-was near useless. Who vanquished the star-bear at the end? Not the Great and Powerful Trixie, but Twilight Sparkle, the unicorn who just ran away from her show; Trixie sensed a bit of modesty from her, but unwittingly the lavender unicorn was the one directly responsible for the magician’s ruin.

No way could the lavender unicorn have intended it. Just a cruel coincidence, the world moving in its mysterious way, sometimes straying off here and there, defying prophesies and predictions. And that made Trixie felt more uncomfortable. No one to blame but herself; she boasted, and when her boasts were so suddenly revealed, the Great and Powerful Trixie was no more, just a frightened unicorn whose last moves were so pathetic that made her cover her face in shame.

But others ruined her show, didn’t they? Trixie thought, letting out her anger to speak for itself. They should not have committed the horrible act of accusing a magician of her boasts; it was her job! To boast, and to entertain! Nopony, not even alicorn princesses, was to question the magician’s authority-especially during the show, when she was supposed to be the arch-trickster purely for fun’s sake. Twilight, she at least should have known, yet so good a bookworm did not know the basic format of the magic show, of how it operated, the basic MANNERS of the audiences; ever since that day, her musing over the subject fostered great anger inside Trixie, and sometimes she felt it quite a burden to keep it under her control. Nevertheless she constantly reminded herself letting out her frustrations would not help much as her incredible amount of self-control forcibly worked inside her mind.

Trixie on the outside, she was a poor thing, alone in her shabby shed. Not a single pony cared for her. But the Great and Powerful Trixie on the inside, she had it all. Just name it. Glory, power, friends, honor, prestige, reputation, all Trixie ever dreamed of, not to mention greatness and power. Not to mention she knew where the scent of the perfume came from; the room of course! Dreams were consisted of visions, not smells and sounds. Could Trixie ever remember her dream involving any sound or smell? This was surely not a dream.

Before Trixie could wonder when the last voice entered her train of thoughts, she saw Twilight noticing Trixie busily engaged in her pondering. With her ears catching some hidden changes Trixie could not understand, Twilight turned around to see Trixie. “Trixie! You are finally awake! We were really worried about you.”

How did Twilight turned around from whatever task she was engrossed in Trixie decided not to inquire. She let go of her raging emotions; for now she would stay low, pretending to follow whatever play this inverted world had in store. She knew she was in a place where she should not be, and for now knowing that fact was enough for her.

Trixie immediately resumed her placid look, not giving any idea to Twilight that the blue unicorn in front of her was not really what she thought to be. “Trixie thanks her friend. She must have felt so tired from the ordeal she went through.” Besides, seeing the unicorn’s caring and genuinely concerned eyes actually did succeed in breaking down Trixie’s everlasting self-barrier of doubts and her agitation that existed mere minutes ago, making Trixie to form the most natural smile she had in ages. “Trixie is feeling fine; nothing to worry about.”

Forming her lips to say the word ‘friend’ left quite a sour taste on her mouth, but either Trixie masked her irritation well, or Twilight Sparkle here was so innocent, things passed smoothly without suspicions and doubts, at least on the lavender unicorn’s side. “Just a bit of daze, that’s all.” Trixie added, hoping she could convince the unicorn in front of her that nothing was wrong with her and the incident that happened before could be safely neglected.

“It is a relief, then, to see our master recovered from the great stress she was under.”

“Indeed.”

The door suddenly opened, revealing two unicorns dressed in black tuxedo suits. One was small and chubby, the other one tall and slim. They held the stern unchanging frown of the guard ponies, taking short restricted steps, the air of seriousness all around them.

This time Trixie tried real hard not to shout. In fact, she had to pinch her arm to make sure her slight chuckle go unnoticed. Her eyes grew big from the utter shock she just received. Somepony must have hit her head so hard with a hammer. That was the most logical explanation she could come up with. The two little asses (as she called them) as her apprentices, wearing fancy clothes and speaking eloquently? Trixie suddenly remembered how previously in this mirror world she conversed with Twilight in the old changing chamber, ‘recalling’ that Snips and Snails were to wait for her at the grand Canterlot Hall, but she really did not expect them to be so…reserved and refined.

She quickly regained her wits, however, her voice surprisingly calm given the situation she was into. “Snips and Snails, it is glad to see you two. But not to worry; Trixie relieves you of your duty for tonight. Of course she has not forgotten the grand celebration. Speaking of which, has the celebration started yet?”

Trixie could play the game. She was not entirely dumbfounded, for magician had to-or at least attempt to-take everything under her control. She coughed a little, again masking the giggle that somehow escaped her firmly closed mouth.

“Still a good thirty minutes left, master.” Snips said in the heavy Canterlot accent, the ever-curious method of speaking every syllable of Equestrian language in a ‘fancy’ way. Trixie nodded, still feeling little uncomfortable. But she hid her qualms reasonably well. “Now that we know that you are well, we shall wait for you at the hall, as you ordered. Come, Snips.” Snails motioned the pudgy unicorn to follow, of which he swiftly nodded and took slow purposeful steps.

“Miss Sparkle, I count on you and your acquaintances to take care of our master?” Snips’ voice had the similar accent as Snails’, only in deeper tone. He held the firm resolute gaze at the lavender unicorn, but soon made a small grin. “But that should not be a concern, if I may voice my opinion, as you are her acquaintance. We shall expect you at the Celebration.” The pair withdrew from the room as silently they appeared.

“You can count on me!” Twilight giggled, looking back at Trixie. “AJ and Dash carried you the moment you collapsed. The others immediately informed the two princesses. Princess Celestia and Luna came to see you, and said we should leave you to rest for a while. Well, I stayed in case you wake up.”

“How long have I been lying on the bed?” She asked Twilight. By now there was no doubt she was in this alternate world inside the mirror. Figuring out that fact, nevertheless, Trixie knew it was only the beginning of this ridiculous play she had fallen into. She tried to quickly scan over her memory and find out if there was any thread of thought she could refer to, but it was as tangled as ever, as if someone-or something-deliberately tried to make the mess inside her head.

“Not long. Princess Luna said that you were affected with a surge of weariness that had been building inside you for several days. Actually, she assured us and Princess Celestia you would wake up within few minutes. She is the Princess of the Night after all, so my idea is that she can tell how tired you are, and how much sleep you need to get rid of it.”

Trixie quickly analyzed the piece of information she just heard and from before. Now she performed the role of Trixie inside this world, she needed to make it sure her speech and actions did not stray from her given position. Back in the world where she originally belonged, she picked up from the ponies chitchattering to know how the bearers of the Elements defeated two evil beings, Nightmare Moon and Discord. She was at the both celebration, first time unknowingly, second time with a purpose in mind. Was she jealous? Probably. She could not entirely disregard her emotion, for it was a very natural for a pony to be affected by her emotion. Maybe it was also curiosity, and a slight degree of wonder, to see them blessed by the princesses, crowd cheering for them, they shouting out their names in great reverence, that made Trixie, as ponies often have uttered, green with envy.

During her show the audience cheered, sometimes cried out her name. But could the kudos she received be ever compared to the supreme honor bestowed upon Twilight and her friends, not only once but twice? She felt a slight twitch-a sure sign of her mind attempting to get better over her. She continued her information-processing task. What is happening right now? Soon there will be the celebration of defeating Nightmare Moon and Discord. Who defeated the two evil spirits? The Great and Powerful Trixie, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. How? Twilight and others are the bearers of Elements. Each represents one of the Elements of the Harmony.

But what did Trixie represent? Nothing. So how did she end up getting as much praise as the bearers? She helped them in times of great peril. She led the bearers to the Nightmare Moon. She confronted Discord, and bravely stood up to him. He tried his best to influence her, but to Trixie his tricks and deceits were at best laughable. She came out intact from the encounter, and managed to meet Twilight Sparkle, and inspired her to take on the action. Right?

Trixie did not. At least Trixie on the outside. In this world, now that was a very different story, as Trixie had seen so far with her very own eyes. She had to remember the fact-who was she? The Great and Powerful Trixie. What did she do? So much, but not defeating two ancient evil spirits. Where was she? Some kind of mock-world where she found it so dangerously tantalizing to give in.

All of her assessments happened in a flash of seconds, for Trixie had to show Twilight that she-at least on the surface-was Trixie Twilight expected her to be. “Indeed, Trixie feels fine now. That was what she needed: some nice quick sleep. She is now ready to meet her friends.”

This time, she hardly winced at all when uttering the word she briefly hesitated to use before. If she was to be part of the show, she better be perfect for her role. She would put the best of her illusions. At the very same time, she would find a way to break the mirror’s spell; it had challenged her with its own lies and falsehoods. Hence as a magician, she had to accept the challenge. She was not the Great and Powerful Trixie for nothing; one did not simply trick the Great and Powerful Trixie and got away with it. The lavender pony could wait. For now, she faced an immediate ‘neighsayer’ she needed to deal with.

“So, Trixie thinks now she and Twilight should go to the Canterlot Hall?”

“Sure! Oh, this night will be so wonderful!” Twilight took brisk steps which seemed like high jumps, almost like a pegasus getting ready to lift-off. Trixie again felt a slight twitch inside her-it would have been so wonderful, if this world was not built upon cheap lies and mockeries.

Trixie frowned in a way that was unnoticeable even to the most watchful eye, and began to follow the lavender unicorn still taking jolly steps. Quickly she resumed her analysis. What was to be done? For now, be the actor of the show-or to be more precise, allow Trixie to be the marionette of this show, until she could find a way to break away from this mirror world. Her place was high above the show, not inside it.

The Great and Powerful Trixies

From the mirror world to her memories of younger days, back to the world of illusion once again. Trixie thought. She thought and thought, wondering if this was another dream that her threads of thought created for her or the mirror doing its job. Why did she look into the mirror? Curiosity. It always triggered some unexpected results. Like in those stories, where ponies come across a dangerously looking tome and unlock ancient darkness bound for so long. Trixie always convinced herself that one as Great and Powerful as her would never follow the typical pattern of ‘lost in reality and found in fantasy’.

But somehow the fate of fictional characters has befallen upon her, and she was struggling to get back to reality. Trixie was walking with the unicorn that humiliated her, yet she-at least on the surface-appeared fine, holding a benevolent smile that betrayed her inner irritation. She was not awkward, no sweating, determined not to show the look of ‘Trixie does not know what is going on here’.

Her conversation with Twilight went smoothly, Trixie keeping her doubts behind her thoughts, bidding her time. Again, she convinced herself all of these were meant for Trixie on this side of the world, but as she herself was now the actor of this ridiculous show, she decided it was best for her to play the game, and accept the role that was given to her.

Sometimes, it was one small mistake that ruined everything. Like her ‘apprentices’ whose reckless action brought her ruins. Her anger, she perfectly contained it. She controlled her emotion, for she was the Great and Powerful Trixie. Yet she never let the feeling gradually dissipate into nothingness and be lost; the bitterness stayed within her, the star-bear incident appearing in her dreams. But the emotion she never let get better of her. She may have cried after running away. She may have sworn to return to Ponyville again and show the true might of the Great and Powerful Trixie. Nevertheless she did not allow her anger to purely dominate her course of actions. She thought what to do and made up various schemes. She planned what was to be done, and by what means it could be achieved.

But she let her exhausted body indulge into hollow pleasure for a very brief moment, and this was the situation she found herself gotten into. That was her fault. How nice, Trixie thought, to foolishly give in to something that never existed in the first place.

At least she appeared to be the hero who saved Equestria, and as much as she was irritated by this joke that was played upon her, she accurately realized that her choices were very limited: to be tricked, or pretended to be tricked until she could be the one who tricks others. Her mind sensibly concluded that the latter was the choice she would take. When Trixie and Twilight were greeted with five ponies standing in front of the Canterlot Hall gate, it was Trixie was the first one to speak, for she knew she was a Trixie who collapsed because of great fatigue and thus had to convince the other ponies that she was perfectly alright.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, girls, but Trixie is feeling fine now. Just as you see it, she is ready to attend the celebration.”

“I sure hope so. We don’t want to drag another collapsed pony.”

Rainbow Dash. Trixie assumed this was the pegasus Twilight was talking about.

“But that does not mean I find carrying you tiresome! I can and will help those in need!” She grinned widely. And of course, she was one of the neighsayers who challenged her in the first place; how could Trixie forget? This mirror version of her still seemed to possess that aura of smug confidence.

“Hopefully that won’t happen.” Rarity. Another neighsayer. Trixie glossed over her thoughts. How did the Great and Powerful Trixie put them on their place? To mess with the show, how improper! Trixie thought, quickly checking that her inner turmoil was absolutely hidden from her expressions.

And of course, no more collapsing, Trixie made a mental note to herself. It was so careless of her to allow herself to get the mirror better of her. She remembered the dreams, followed by the feeling of being consumed by nothingness. Then she was back in this strange place. After gathering her threads of past experiences, illusions, and future possibilities and musing over them while talking with the lavender unicorn, Trixie surmised that it was due to her carelessness, of allowing one tiny moment to let go of her control over herself, that set the event in motion and making her waking up from this inversed world. It was a hypothesis at best, but she could not come up with other explanation that sounded more logical than this theory.

Trixie quickly scanned the six ponies before her. As they exchanged words of greetings she registered their images in her memory, stored up for further analysis. The information she processed was huge, but with her usual efficiency of managing her flow of thoughts Trixie pulled the job quite nicely, allowing her not to make a fool of herself, such as asking ‘Um, did Trixie really say that back then?’ At the same time she continued to grope with her thoughts, recalling the previous night and analyzing that fragmentary memory from her reality.

The short greeting session done, Trixie spoke. “Now, Trixie believes we should go in?” She did not forget her given role in this world.

“Yes! Princesses will be waiting for us. Come on, girls!” With that the lavender pony swiftly headed to the door.

As Trixie and others entered, the guard ponies blew the elaborately decorated trumpet, the solemn, grand sound reverberating in the air. The seven ponies nervously walked the middle pathway that was reserved for them, covered with a red carpet. They passed along a large crowd. The usually spacious, wide Canterlot Hall was completely filled with thousands of ponies. The two alicorn princesses watched them with great respect and pride as they slowly approached; the heroes of Equestria: Six for the Bearers of Elements and one for guiding the bearers to successfully accomplish their mission, not only once, but twice.

Trixie put her artificial smile in the most natural way, but not to an extent to rouse suspicion, just plainly normal enough that nopony would notice. The seven ponies bowed to the princesses and turned around. When they reached at the top of the stage, they saw Princess Celestia and Princess Luna waiting for them.

“We celebrate this day for the great heroes before us.” The two alicorn proclaimed the word, their voice booming in unison. There was loud thundering sound of clopping, soon followed by excited cheering from the crowd.

“Tonight we not only thank our heroes for bringing Princess Luna back, but also vanquishing the ancient spirit of chaos and disharmony.” When Princess Celestia finished the sentence, there was greater intensity of shouts, whistles, and cheering, all combined like a great choir.

“Shucks, ah feeling little embarrassed here.” Applejack. Trixie moved her eyes to the slight left, registering presence of an orange-colored earth pony. Seeing her triggered her recollection of memory, of how the Great and Powerful Trixie put this presumptuous earth pony in her place.

“Oooh, I know this is just the beginning. I can’t wait for the real fun to start!” Pinkie Pie. Now Trixie cast a short glance at the right, seeing the hyper pony trying best to stand still who seemed to be on the verge of jumping down at any moment. Did she challenge her? But Trixie continued her inspection in hoping to know more of this world.

“…and in times of great peril, they were the one who actually stood up against dark spirits that cast a great shadow upon the land of Equestria….” Princess Celestia’s voice still boomed through the entire hall, the sound sending down powerful vibrations through the very end of the vast, wide Canterlot Hall.

For her part Trixie just looked at the crowd. Her task continued, the mechanical processing of information frantically and furiously working to make sense of this world, at the same time masking her true identity and playing the role that was given to her, at the same time straightening her thoughts and asking her reason and logics of the current situation. She put her make-up well. She appeared so fine, fitting the image of a pony who saved Equestria not only once, but twice.

“…thus we thought: they have given us so much, they going on great lengths to save our beloved kingdom. So we decided to give them our eternal gratitude, starting with this very night, celebrating their deeds.” Finishing the speech, Princess Celestia stepped back, letting her sister finish the speech.

“I for one especially wish to express sincere gratitude. But enough talk; let us enjoy this night, starting with a fine dinner!”

The sound of cheering and clopping thundered down through the hall. Princess Celestia raised her right hoof. The hall was again filled with the solemn air. Taking the cue the guard ponies swiftly guided the spectators below to the dining hall, of which servant ponies was busy preparing the tables with food and cutleries.

Trixie followed others as they moved to the dining place. At the center of the hall, among vast array of tables was the spot which was obviously meant for the two alicorn princesses and the bearers of elements, the seats decorated with one sun and one moon insignia, along with six signs that represented the elements of Harmony. Trixie retrieved her memory of the reading of the subject during her stay on Canterlot: taking the shape of a hexagon jewel each represented six elements that constituted harmony: kindness, laughter, generosity, trust, honesty, and magic making it all complete, harnessing the combined power of elements altogether.

She surmised that what she was seeing now was the result of something that Twilight and others accomplished: a lavender-colored star, a pink butterfly, an apple, red thunder, blue balloon and an amethyst, each image fitting the Bearers of Elements. Somewhere, sometime back in reality she has heard of the return of Princess Luna. She also heard of the ancient evil spirit breaking loose and eventually defeated again, which she quite rightly concluded as this ‘Discord’ others were talking about. When she first looked into the mirror, Trixie on the inside was talking with the lavender unicorn about how Trixie ‘helped’ her to vanquish the spirit of disharmony. The thought suddenly came back to her.

Before moving her eyes to the little right to see the seventh spot, she hesitated. She bit her lips-three times since looking at that strange mirror. There came, like a sudden wave, a fear that quickly shadowed her mind. What would she see? In this strange inverted world, what would her sign be? But why was she suddenly afraid?

“Come, let us go to our seat.” The gentle but clear voice of Princess Celestia reminded her that she would not be able to muse over her inner thoughts like a fictional character-she sometimes envied how the ponies inside the book had virtually infinite amount of time to reflect upon their thoughts, having the liberty to ignore their surroundings and stretch their thoughts as long as they wanted. Not her. She followed others, and prepared for whatever she was about to see. She was getting closer to the table, and there was no way that she could not see.

But she had her own benefits; she was the master of herself, Trixie governed only by the Great and Powerful Trixie’s will. She walked, talked to Twilight and others. She smiled, she said words such as “Yes, Trixie remembers that” or “Fortunately and unfortunately, Trixie is not the bearer of the element. Maybe for that reason Discord’s influences were less perceptible to me, but she alone could do nothing but to find a way to turn her friends back to normal”. She spoke well, her manner of speech was clear, and nopony suspected a thing. The Great and Powerful Trixie continued her task of making sense of this world.

“And Trixie. We cannot simply have done without her.” Twilight was talking to Princess Celestia, as Trixie’s picked up their little talks among the spontaneous conversation that took place as the group strolled along the tables to reach their spot.

“Yes, she deserves a place; we made it sure to that. Look, along with the seat for the bearers lie the seventh seat.” The clear voice of Princess Celestia there was no way Trixie could not recognize, and she let her eyes wander to see it for herself: whatever the alicorn princesses had in store for her-and whatever this world was preparing upon her-she would see it and then find a way to react.

A blue crescent moon with a small wand glowing faintly of blue hue-Trixie just stared the sign that was engraved in her cushion. Was that all? Just her cutie mark? She almost expected to see some act of creativity going on here as she usually did when making a fool of those daring neighsayers who foolishly challenged her. She expected to see the sign of the star-bear supposedly showing her vanquishing of the creature, except for the fact she did not. She could not. The crack, this time she did not hear it, but she would have rather favored to wake up than to remain in this mock version of Equestria as she knew it. The mirror was playing her. It wanted to ridicule her for her failure. That was what the mirror attempted to do, right? Trixie tried to answer her question.

But now why would she not like that? There was no reason to be fearful about it in the first place. She was the hero after all, Trixie on this side. On the outside, however…

“Trixie thanks you for your treatment, your highness.” Trixie quickly returned to the ‘reality’ of this mirror world. The twitch inside her returned with the feeling of something inside her chest that made her quite difficult to breath. Nevertheless, she did not gasp for air, but instead held perfectly fine, erasing the sign of trouble entirely from her face.

“Oh, Trixie. No need to be so humble and modest. Tonight we celebrate all of your great deeds. You should be proud of yourselves.”

To Princess Luana’s saying Trixie nodded, not before feeling a slight twinge inside her. Humble and modest, she could never relate herself to such words. She was a magician. She had to be proud, even to the degree of being arrogant, especially during her show. What was a magician without a swagger?

And nopony should accuse of a magician for her arrogance. But they did. The cruel joke played upon her. But who could she blame? The two ignorant foals who took the words for granted too much? The gifted unicorn that had not challenged her in the first place? Was she to blame her own self who was not as Great and Powerful as she should have been?

Trixie suppressed her inner voice. “Still, she does feel honored to stand beside the bearers of elements. It is them who finished the evils once and for all.”

“No need to put yourself down, Great and Powerful Trixie. You deserve to stand alongside with the bearers.” Trixie looked at the Princess Celestia. She could not guess whether the princess’ gaze pierced through her veils and saw who a Trixie who did not really belong to this world. Alicorns. She said to herself. They are powerful beings. They see what others could not see.

Princess Celestia turned her attention to her sister, and Trixie thought whether the Sun Princess’ speech had some hidden implications that Trixie was yet to discover. When they reached the table, Pinkie Pie was the first one to break from the group, securing her seat in an instant. Trixie positioned herself at the round table, when she found her ‘apprentices’ Snips and Snails greeting her with a small bow.

“We have been expecting you, master. And greetings to your highnesses and the bearers of the elements.” While Trixie thought she could still not get used to this strange version of the two dorks, she nodded to show her acknowledgement.

“Snips and Snails, please, take a seat too. And Spike, you may join us for the meal.” Princess Celestia then ringed a small bell on the table. Two ponies appeared, bringing the trays filled with food. Trixie wondered how this would turn out, and went back to her inner mind trying to make sense of what happened so far. Waking up. Twilight. Others. Princesses. A great feat she never accomplished. The celebration made out for her.

Her head hurt. The mental task of sorting out her thoughts was demanding. She found it hard to think. Maybe she was hungry, and Trixie figured a splendid meal would do better on her.

The banquet went smoothly, even succeeding in making Trixie’s ever vigilant mind to briefly enjoy a period of merriment. She marveled at the fine selection of dishes. The food was splendid, fresh vegetables just picked from Canterlot gardens cooked under finest chefs over Equestria. She talked with others over various subject, determined to take the role of Trixie inside of this world. Among all the talking and eating, however, Trixie focused more on looking into her flow of thoughts, still attempting to find the answer she was looking for.

“No no no, silly. Rock farm don’t actually ‘farm’ rocks. Everypony knows rocks don’t grow when put underground. Really, it is a fancy name for stone quarries!”

“What? Ah don’t believe it! Then why is it called a farm when ya don’t plant rocks?”

How the subject of the conversation changed from banishment of Discord to Pinkie Pie’s rock farm, Trixie decided it was best not to inquire. When abruptly thrown to the strange world of mirror, she had so much to think about besides relating herself with trivial talks.

“Yes, Twilight, I appreciate your observation of the constellations. I recall pony explorers looked at the stars to guide their ships through the oceans; I wonder if ponies still use them to find their way around?”

“Ever fond of heavenly beings of the night time, sister. Yes, they provide an excellent signs to find one’s way. The big dipper, one of small signs forming greater constellation Ursa Major, is said actually named as a way-pointer, for it always directs northwards.”

At Princess Celestia’s word Trixie felt the twinge returning, this time in greater intensity. She wondered whether she heard a crack. Again, not this time. Of course that would have been too easy.

“Oh! That reminds me. Trixie told me she once vanquished the giant star-bear.” Twilight’s voice did not contain any of the malice which would have actually fitted perfectly in such situation. Her shiny eyes Trixie found it rather too good to suspect any devious schemes. Yet, it was often the innocent-and the ignorant-that could perform the most terrible deeds without ever realizing it.

“Beating up the giant bear? Wow! That sounds so awesome!” The pegasus with a rainbow tail who was so eager to challenge her, now looking at her with a hint of admiration, greatly disturbed Trixie. She bit her lips-fourth time, telling the desperateness of the situation-but quickly returned to the placid smile she had been putting up on her face.

Trixie did no such a thing; at least Trixie on the outside, on the world where she was all alone. But in here, she performed the deed without any difficulty. She truly was the Trixie.

“Well.” Breaking away from her fragmentary thoughts and voices she swiftly responded to the pressing situation. “Please, Trixie performed no great deed.” Actually she performed no deeds. She did nothing, Trixie wanted to shout out, but kept her mouth sealed well. “It was more of luck than skill, really.” With that Trixie hoped that others would not inquire so much, and she decided to give it a chance to divert the topic of the conversation. “Speaking of constellations, Trixie knows few of them too. Once she saw a Canis Major in the night sky. Maybe that too is used as a sign for finding one’s way around?

There was a few second of silence before Princess Luna spoke in great enthusiasm. “Ah, another pony interested in the art of observing the night sky! To the untrained eye it is not so easy to find it. Why yes, that constellation too is very important.” Trixie sighed in relief, thankful of the timely intervention of the Night Princess.

“Trixie, if you don’t mind, could you please pass me that dish over there?” Another distraction, of which she gratefully accepted. Trixie pushed the dish to Fluttershy, who quietly said “Thank you” and began to enjoy the content of the dish.

“…and me and my sisters sometimes carved rocks. I can make any rock to a shape of a balloon!”

“You carve rocks?”

“The stars align themselves so that ponies could look and benefit from that. Now, me and my big sister Celestia have been working with Twilight to properly map the celestial beings held up in the dark night…”

Trixie complimented herself for averting the potentially fatal crisis for her. She suddenly felt the hunger returning again and decided to eat more of the mustard daisy sandwich.

The dinner was almost drawing to an end. By now most of the ponies were strolling around the hall or taking a walk in the Canterlot garden just outside the grand hall. Trixie was sipping a cup of Rose tea-how much she missed its sweet fragrance, bittersweet taste-taking a mouthful of the warm liquid, she let the flavor absorbed inside her mouth, the warmth spreading inside her body.

She thought, but to no avail. Her thoughts became more entangled then when she first started sorting out her many thread of thoughts. Mastery before manipulation, clarification before control. Control. Mastery. Control. But what did she master? What did she clarify? She admitted that hours of her search yielded nothing. The only fact she found was that she did not belong to this world.

Or was it? Who said so? How could Trixie be so convinced?

She was the Great and Powerful Trixie. She means when she claims to know something.

She claimed to vanquish the star-bear. Did she really mean it?

That was her mistake. But nopony questions the magician. Nopony.

But they did. The neighsayers.

Trixie should have expected that. She will devise something that fits their daring acts.

Why could not she expect that in the first place? What does she know?

Not much, she had to admit.

How could she return then?

She doesn’t know.

“A pony with fine taste, I see.”

Trixie immediately ceased her chat with herself. “I liked it ever since I was a young filly, your highness.” Trixie slightly bowed her head down to greet Princess Celestia, who was still sitting with her on the table. She chose her words carefully, her mind picking out the tone, grammar, cadence and other various things in a fraction of second. “It soothes her mind, allowing Trixie to think better.”

She suddenly decided that she would talk to Princess Celestia. Or Princess Luna. Abrupt change of plan, a magician’s whim (and tactical decision) after seeing her tricks not working wonders as they should have been. The princesses were alicorns after all, powerful and wise, seeing many things those other ponies could not see, their piercing gaze penetrating to the very base of one’s self. That was Trixie’s impression of the two princesses, when she had the chance to see the royalties from the distance.

One factor she did not take into her account. Alicorns.

Trixie let out a sigh, this time not hiding, and looked at Princess Celestia. The princess simply levitated her own cup and sipped the drink. Trixie did the same. Maybe she knew something. Maybe. Just her hypothesis, a magician’s wild guess after dealing with the strange realm of magic for so long. Dreams of exceptional life-like qualities that almost made one to think the illusory world was reality. Maybe it was that, Trixie said to herself.

“This must be another dream, right?” Trixie carefully maneuvered the flow of magic in her horn, directing the cup safely on the floor, it only shaking slightly during its levitation.”

“Why would you say so?” Princess Celestia sounded so calm and peaceful, her voice not straying from her usual tone of speech.

“Trixie do not belong here.”

“Not you. But other Trixie belong here.”

Trixie tasted the fine liquid going down her throat. Her fur stood in a slight end. Still, she put her makeup so fine, so well, to a degree that nopony near the vicinity noticed her troubling face. “But there is only one Trixie. Trixie the Great and Powerful.” Her voice faltered a little.

“We thought the same.” Princess Celestia also savored the fine drink. “Good thing we have this drink when touching upon a topic that nopony seems to understand. Even me. ”

“Quite.” Trixie refilled her cup. She would need to drink a lot to continue her conversation with the princess.

Trixie opened her eyes. She looked at her surroundings: a creaky cottage that bore none of the similarities from the comfy bed of Canterlot. Not much furniture, cold air, shadowy atmosphere, and no Twilight and others. Was she surprised? Not quite. She had dreams like this before, finding herself in a world built upon illusions and imagination in a way that was so realistic.

Her gaze stopped at the mirror. Looking oddly familiar, perhaps vestige of her reality appearing in dreams. She recalled her threads of memory. Alone in the old changing chamber, looking into the mirror. Talking with Twilight. Then falling asleep. She did look into a mirror.

She looked at its smooth surface. She saw a blue unicorn bearing the exactly same look facing Princess Celestia, only looking more troubled then her usual confident self. They were talking. And She thought she could hear the conversation between them.

"Trixie thought this world was just a dream." That was what the Trixie on the inside said.

“And this Trixie thought this world was a dream." She bit her lips for the first time during the day. And that meant anything but good. She hoped this was a dream, a really strange dream. But her magician's mind told her that this was indeed a reality, always more fantastical than the artificial realm of imagination. What went wrong, Trixie asked herself. No answer.

Author's Note: Changed the format as even I found it difficult to read. Will edit previous chapters in a similar style as well as fixing few spelling errors (hopefully).

The Great and Powerful Trixie talks with Princess Celestia

Could she be so sure? Was this a dream? Or was it not?

The Great and Powerful Trixie looked at the mirror. She saw her own reflection: a unicorn with a blue fur, wearing the dress that her friend Rarity made. The purple dress, as she requested back in Ponyville, bore the symbol of the six-pointed stars, a sign of deep friendship between her and Twilight Sparkle.

But something was not right, Trixie said to herself. Her own self-Trixie who was inside the mirror-she did not look happy. How could she, surrounded by her friends and honored as a hero, bear an expression conveying doubt and caution? What had become of Trixie?

So there was the Trixie inside, there was Trixie right here, her very own being. So what was she, Trixie who was watching the mirror to find her own self, wearing then? She quickly glanced over her body. A blue pointed hat and a mantle, tied with a small gem brooch, reminding her of travelling magician’s costume she once went to watch with Twilight and others. What was the significance, she could not guess. Nevertheless she liked the cloth. Trixie did not feel strange to wear them, as if she was meant to be in this attire from the first place.

Her mind, however, clearly signaled a warning to the familiarity, the ever vigilant guardian of her own self, Trixie the Great and Powerful magician, giving the benefit of a doubt. Her horns caught a flow of magical energies that clearly differed from her usual environment. Change of place; dreams could do that. But was that all? Could she be so sure?

Maybe she could have been mistaken. She was familiar with lies and deceits and a little bending of reality and dishonesty and blatant lies. A quick glance was not enough. There was a possibility that the figure inside the mirror was anything but what Trixie thought it was. She looked more closely into the object, pondering if she would be able to find some features that she missed, small minuscule details that could maybe convince her by means she did not yet discover that this strange simulacrum of her was not Trixie at all, and this was just a real strange dream, perhaps slightly magical in nature.

Then Trixie inside the mirror talked. Trixie outside listened. Her own voice, by no doubts, the subtle pronunciations and tones unmistakably hers. Trixie talked more. Trixie listened.

“Then where is her? Where is this other Trixie then?”

She is right here, Trixie said to herself as she continued her observation of the Trixie inside the mirror. This Trixie from that world is here, in this world which was that world for this Trixie, at least from that Trixie's perspective. This Trixie's opinion? Well, she could not be so sure. A magician’s riddle, a fine elaborate play; truly mysterious and wonderful, except for the fact Trixie was not the magician this time, but the audience left at her own to gaze at the trick and be awed.

“To be honest, I do not know. I did not realize till now. How could have this happen? I would have thought this incident as another trickery of the spirit of the disharmony, except for the fact that the creature lies motionless in the stone once again. Then what could have caused this? Alas, there are some things even an alicorn with her fathoming cannot unravel.”

The serene smile of a ruler who knew displaying her inner turmoil could affect others around her. Trixie felt somewhat relieved as she observed the sun princess’s face inside the mirror-world. If what was she seeing was real, what she feared did indeed happen, then at least for now, it would be better to take care of the matter in a private manner. Not very good of causing a ruckus when there was a grand celebration going. But was Trixie inside the mirror good enough to pull the show? Was she like her own self, the Great and Powerful Trixie, the master of illusions and tricks, the royal magician?

“This Trixie…she looked in the mirror. She saw her own self. Trixie saw Trixie. Trixie inside the mirror, she was talking to Twilight Sparkle, the lavender unicorn of whom this Trixie does not take fond of. But other Trixie, she was so different. Or at least that’s what this Trixie thought and continues to think so. Well, she found herself in other Trixie’s place. Trixie was Trixie essentially, nothing seemed wrong-like a magician’s trick. Nothing looked wrong, but one knows-a fellow magician knows-some trickery has been made, that she had been made to believe something that seems right, but not quite so.”

A very interesting observation, Trixie said to herself as she lightly chuckled, gazing at the mirror. That Trixie inside sounded very much like her. She was much closer to her own self than she expected her to be. Perhaps she could, to a some degree, have a sigh of relief after all at the fact that Trixie there was much like Trixie here.

“A change of place. I assume our own Trixie might be in your place.”

“And this Trixie on her place, probably.” Trixie inside the mirror said with a grave tone, the voice of a cunning magician unraveling a trick.

So much like her. This Trixie also agrees Trixie outside the mirror said to herself. She would have come to the same conclusion, had she found herself in the same place. So the event somehow happened, the change taking both of Trixies and putting them in each other’s world? But how, she wondered. How could such an event take pace in the first place? By what means? She tried to recall her memory still fragmented into pieces after collapsing before her friends. The days she spent at Canterlot took quite a toll on her body and mind, eventually making her body forcefully order an immediate rest. She heard Twilight saying to get Pinkie and Fluttershy.

Darkness overtook her back then, her consciousness slipping, her thinking process eventually coming to a complete halt. But what happened after then? The data was lost as her own self could not have been present when extreme fatigue overtook her. By instinct she took a hiatus. What was the value of asking herself then? How could one search something that was lost, sank deep in Celestia-knows-where part of her mind? Nevertheless she began unraveling her thread of thoughts, attempting to access deeper part of her buried memory. But how? How could Trixie possibly pull out that was so enrooted in her mind, the contents disintegrated into unrecognizable microscopic bits?

Maybe she had to look further back. That might yield some hints of which Trixie could expand upon her search. Then she would be able to find an answer to this strange situation. Before Trixie was talking with Twilight, what was she doing before then? Where was she?

Canterlot old changing room. Perfume scents etched into the room, becoming the very part of its structure. The ancient fragrance engraved into the very place, olfactory particles rising like small mists whenever one made her move. The place would have had seen better days. Nopony used to go there anymore, and precisely that was the reason why Trixie chose to take a visit in the first place. She was very eager to keep away from the ponies keep bumping unto her, and she wanted to find a quiet secluded place before the celebration started, straightening her thoughts, doing the magician’s work.

Trixie kept summoning her past memories, letting them enter into her process of thoughts, which was busily working around to produce a logical explanation to the issue. She hurried to retrieve and fully restore the data. Her head felt dizzy from the ordeal. But she had to act quickly before the data would become virtually impossible to salvage. Her body felt stiff. She ignored. She wanted to lie down on the bed and pray she would wake up back in the comfy bed of Canterlot. But no, that would have been too easy. She dismissed the call. Dreams might have worked out that way. They were complicated, but there was an easy solution to them: just wake up. A pony was bound to wake up from her visit to the immaterial realm of dreamworld, where the place always seemed so magical and full of surprises.

But it was empty. Entire world could vanish instantly. All the complicity inadvertently nothing, destined to sink into void that defied categorization. If Trixie was in a dream, all she had to do was to wake up. If not, then she stuck with what she got. She told herself that there was no way she could escape from where she truly belonged. She could play around with it for a while, but in the end, she could only warp and alter for a brief period of time. She was a magician, not an alicorn; she was ultimately bound in the reality. She skirted along the very edge, stood at the threshold defining the real and the false. The Great and Powerful Trixie as a magician might venture-and very often she did-into the unknown; but she would return eventually. Tricks and illusions she mastered; they were under her control. They had to. Or else Trixie was not so Great and Powerful.

Then what was the possibility of her wrongly analyzing the situation? What if this was indeed a dream and Trixie has not figured out yet? Her magician’s mind always dealt with endless possibilities of everything she thought, imagining something that could have happened, never happened, might happen in the future and was thought to be happening right now. Mastery before manipulation, clarification before control; a magician’s word of wisdom. But now, Trixie had mastered nothing. Everything she could not clarify. So how could she manipulate and control of the situation? A world beyond her reasoning she found herself in, and Trixie, though being Great and Powerful, found it very hard to progress further in her search.

Maybe she was indeed in a dream. Maybe. The answer was simple enough, a comforting one. She was seeing her own self inside the mirror. It made sense. She was watching her own reality in a dream. That statement Trixie thought plausible. She was so tired. Her mind must have strayed into the hallucinatory realms of which she often skirted along while she was pulling tricks during her show. So why was she thinking this was reality in the first place? This had to be a dream, right? Or was it? It must have been due to lack of sleep, for Trixie found it absolutely difficult to summon her will to carry out the task of sorting out her tangled thoughts. She thought of lying down on the bed again, but her troubled mind, however exhausted it was, dutifully followed the last order that was given: make sense of the current situation. She continued to look into the mirror.

Maybe this was a dream. No, she forcefully said to herself. The Great and Powerful Trixie carefully contemplated the situation. She was inside the mirror. She should have woken up in her old cottage. Instead she found herself in a world where she was the hero and the lavender unicorn was her ‘friend’. She was inside the world inside the mirror.

She levitated the cup with her magic and drank the tea, the sweet liquid thankfully helping her to cope with her disheveled thoughts. She woke up inside the Canterlot Palace. The memory she summoned. There were contents inside her piece of thoughts, like candies and chocolates in a box of sweets. She would pick each part one by one and analyze it. Starting from where? No matter; her mind would eventually wander in such a way that she would deal with it. Waking up, comfy bed in Canterlot. Starting point Suggesting what? Meaning Trixie here clearly possessed a certain status, maybe beloved by the alicorn princesses…

She could taste the food. That felt so real.

Some dreams could be so realistic.

Then that dream must be reality.

There must be a line that defines dream and reality, some clarification.

Being able to taste the food. That could be one of the standards to differentiate between dream and reality.

How? Could she be so sure? So which world is real then? What is real anyway? Could Trixie answer all the questions she asked herself? If this was not a dream, there was the issue of defining reality. What was real? What was truly real that it had to be the definite reality that stood among everything else?

It was a scary thought of which Trixie tended to avoid when dealing with her endless stream of thoughts. Illusions were based upon reality. From honesty came falsehood. Truth spawned lies. A magician’s tricks came from the real world she lived in; the more she wanted to fool her audience, the more she had to be familiar with the truth, the real world where she belonged. Hence the magician’s wisdom: mastery before manipulation, clarification before control.

After all, her job demanded how much she could get away with tinkering with the reality around her before everything she knew fell apart. Lies. Varying degrees of truth, but still skirting very close to the truth, of the real world she lived in.

So what would happen if the order she believed in was wrong? Like the crowd seeing what the magician wanted to show, fooling her crowd, she was tricked, wasn’t it? This time Trixie was down below the stage, right? But she could not be so sure. Or was it? She needed more data to analyze. But Trixie has been doing that since last night. Last night, but really, how could she really know? No real answer, her reasoning dissolving into complete chaos, all the strings of her thoughts tangled even further.

Last night. She slept. Woke up in the night, which was for her a morning, since at least several hours had passed. Was it still morning back in her world? In here the sky was still in the domain of the Moon Princess, shrouded in a black veil, stars forming patterns of which she tended to stay her eye away from. Back to the question: so which was the real time she could cling to, of she could use to produce her tricks and lies if necessary? Her talk with her own self was not much of a help. Even her head continuously demanded to be relieved of the enormous task it had to undertake, overloaded with her own thoughts and questions and information all jumbled up.

Change of plan then; She had to-and could-improvise, make up for the situation. She should have always kept the maxim so closely in her mind. Neighsayers. They were always there, jealous of the Great and Powerful Trixie, wishing her ruin. But a magician was always ready for those who did not take her seriously. She had to. There could be a change of plan. She might throw off something completely new she hadn’t prepared, making one trick right on the spot. Then those who dared to challenge the Great and Powerful Trixie would watch in awe, their mouth agape, look of embracement in their faces. Then Trixie would laugh at their insolence to challenge her in her very own domain, the show of the Great and Powerful Trixie. She was the master, she was Great and Powerful.

Why, then, could she not remember the old wisdom when confronted by the star-bear? But no matter, she thought. Back to the more immediate issue. She would deal with those neighsayers later. She would show. But not now; she had more pressing concerns. Like finding herself in a completely strange world that somehow resembled her reality.

She turned to look at Princess Celestia. She too seemed to be immersed in her own thoughts. What was she thinking? Presumably thinking about her, of this sudden change between Trixies, working her alicorn mind to fill the gap that was suddenly imposed upon her process of thoughts, determined to solve the problem.

Maybe, she could help Trixie, and Trixie could help her? To master, to clarify, more information always made things smooth, albeit adding complexities to the issue. More she could analyze, more the princess could, gathering from her ageless experience, produce some hints they could both find it useful.

“Princess Celestia.” She turned to face Trixie, the concern slightly visible on her face. “Trixie is not still sure about this. She admits-“Trixie frowned a little, suppressing the horror of what she was about to say. Unexpected consequences. Then do something else. Improvise. “She is Trixie. She is the Great and Powerful Trixie. But sometimes she has to admit that she is not yet so Great and Powerful enough. She admits-admits that her mind cannot comprehend the situation she has fallen into.”

The words left a bitter taste in her mouth. She felt another twitch inside her, like the last time when she was forced to watch the lavender pony defeating the star-bear, the whole scene like a dagger directly piercing through her chest. But she was Trixie, Trixie the Great and Powerful. “Trixie knows, she knows to be Great and Powerful she must be so sure of her shortcomings. To fix or to mend or to make up, doing whatever she feels it to be necessary. To become greater and more powerful.”

“Just like Trixie I would expect her to be. She always wanted more she could add to her inventory of tricks and skills.” Princess Celestia grinned a little.

Trixie raised an eyebrow; only a little though, so subtle that nopony would ever notice. “This Trixie you look here never performed any great deeds. She definitely is not the hero who saved Equestria. She is a magician. She delves in the art of bending and altering of reality. She fools. She tricks. She deceives. She excels at disrupting the order and rules of the world, temporarily though the task may be. She is not the hero you expect. She is not like Trixie you hold so dearly, your highness.”

“Surely that we all expects from Trixie we know of. Indeed, she is a magician. That was the reason why she could be free from the influence of Discord. She knows his methods so well.”

“But this Trixie is not her. This Trixie may look like her, but she has met her ruins. She failed to beat the neighsayers. She can only blame her very own incompetence.” So that was her weapon. That was other Trixie though, not her. Then what about her? Could the Great and Powerful Trixie have done the same as Trixie have done?

“Nevertheless you pulled a fine trick. Even Twilight never suspected that something was not right. A great show you are putting on right now. Truly marvelous; I for one had to make it sure, to see it with my own eyes. I could not be so sure. It was very hard to confirm my suspicion until you spoke to me. Well played, Trixie.”

“She feels honored by your highness’ compliment. But unfortunately that does not solve her questions. What brought this Trixie here? What is this world exactly? If this is not a dream, is it a reality? So this Trixie is a dream version of the other Trixie? Who is Trixie then? This one or the other one? Trixie finds it so hard to think, so hard to reason. Even the magician mind of hers demands rest. So the Great and Powerful Trixie asks Princess Celestia. What happened? What really happened? What is going on? She needs to learn more about this world.”

Trixie refilled her cup. The liquid, it kept her reasonably well under the pressing circumstances. Talking with the solar princess she never done it before; but her magician-self prevailed, guiding her actions and speech. After all, she was the Great and Powerful Trixie. She would not falter even in the presence of the ruler of Equestria. And it would give her courage to admit her ignorance. Accepting defeat; but one should be aware of her shortcomings. To improve, to become greater, more powerful, more befitting of her title.

“Mastery before manipulation, as they say.”

“Clarification before control, to remind once again.”

“Truly a magician you are.”

She nodded. The princess was right, but she felt it was not enough. To make sense of the situation, she needed evidences. The more the better. She recalled the first moment when she stared into the mirror. Her own self talking with the lavender unicorn. Trixie talked with her. Twilight Sparkle. “Princess Celestia.” She kept her voice well. She was, after all, a magician. She could trick others to see, or not to see. Nevertheless the princess recognized the small tremble in her tone.

“Is something bothering you?” After a while the princess spoke.

“Yes. This Trixie still cannot really know of this world. She just cannot figure it out-what happened to her really? Her mind she finds it now so intolerable of her own self commanding it to sort out. So after a careful calculation and analysis Trixie concluded that she needed to know more to understand and assess her situation."

“Well, I hope there is something I can do. Unfortunately, as I told you before, even I currently do not possess a plausible explanation of this incident.”

“But princess, surely there would be something that you can tell me? Trixie will tell hers: you know she is not the hero. You know she has somehow gotten into this world by accident. Clarification before control. If you may allow, I would like to propose to approach the question in our own perspective. For Trixie, one day she somehow came across a mirror. She did not know back then, but it was clearly magical in nature. The Great and Powerful Trixie should have known better. To not cast a watchful eye at the suspiciously mundane objects, that was her fault. Truly a magician as great and powerful as her would have immediately recognized the magical aura. But no, Trixie was, she was-“

“Tricked, as you say?”

“Yes. Tricked. Fooled. So unfitting of her title.”

“This is interesting. A mirror you say? This object you speak of, what did you see inside? What did it show?” Her tone was still perfectly calm, not a single hint of urgency to be found. Still, Trixie caught the tiny bit of anxiety in the alicorn’s word, a sign of her distress, however infinitesimally small it would be for the moment. Trixie too, was troubled now, her mind thrown into turmoil ever since talking with Princess Celestia, desperately trying to cling on to something of which she could define it as reality, as truth. She checked her voice-was she good enough to remain calm, maintain her posture?

“She saw Trixie. She saw her own self talking with the lavender unicorn, Twilight Sparkle. Why, she wondered. Why was she with her? She scoffed it as a base joke, very lowly in forms; made only to spawn hatred and rage. Very different from a magician’s trick, not very entertaining, but really despicable.

“Why, do you hold any grudge against Twilight?”

“Yes.” Trixie said without hesitation. She could be frank if she wanted to. And she wanted to make sense of the world she was into; if the sun princess could help her in some way, then she in turn could afford to be more cooperative.

“Then you have played your show well, Trixie, for I did not see my protégé running to me yelling ‘Princess Celestia!’ with in great distress. So, back in your world, are you not a friend of Twilight?” To Trixie's amazement, Princess Celesita seemed to be more amazed with the fact that she masked herself really well than her feud with Twilight. Oh well, she quietly told herself: focus more on the immediate problem.

But Trixie felt something-it was small, but there was no way she could ignore it. Envy, perhaps? Student of the very ruler of Equestria. That explained her superior magical abilities. Trixie suppressed the slight twitch in her fur, the all too familiar feeling of having rash all over her body. Control. Control. She muttered to herself. The sign of her irritation. Mention her name, and she got the itch that reminded her of the humiliation, that very night when the real star-bear stood before her. Now she seemed greater and mower powerful than her. No. Trixie was Great and Powerful. Perhaps for now, that might be the case. But she learns from the princess herself. One day, she would rise. Where would Trixie be then? That was what Trixie saw.

She kept her calm look. As she constantly reminded herself, back to the question she was facing right now. Control. Focus. Certain feelings were better left to be hidden. Certain things that would not hurt one’s honesty. Like a magician’s show, reveal some, hide anything else.

“This Trixie you see here, your highness, she certainly does not befriend Twilight and her group of friends. Bearers of the elements, she has met them before, but she is effectively a stranger to them.” Trixie slightly adjusted her eyes to see the look on the princess’s face. Was she surprised? Probably not. The sun princess saw and heard what others could not. Maybe she could bestow some enlightment to Trixie.

“It is most unfortunate to hear that, for Trixie I know has been a good companion of the bearers ever since they saved my dear sister from the her fallen state. While not representing any of the elements, she proved to be a powerful ally in the bearers’ quests, hence for the very celebration honoring her among Twilight and her friends.”

“That is why this Trixie thought this world was nothing more than a world based upon wild imagination. She never saw nor heard of the bearers until very recently; she never spoke directly to your highness or the moon princess till now. She is but a magician. Trixie was-and continues to be-just Trixie.”

“I am very intrigued by your story. So you would have not known me and the bearers, and only met them by pure chance? Please, I must request you to tell more. In return I will tell my story; story of Trixie from this world. Perhaps our exchange of information might yield us some clues to make sense of this situation.”

Trixie nodded. The memory brought her moments she wished to drown deeply in her thoughts, but if it was to gain a better understanding of this world, she figured she had no other choice.

“She will present her story.”

And she would have to expose her downfall once again. But she was the Great and Powerful Trixie; if it was necessary, she would make it happen. She would, for the sake of being Greater and more Powerful, would tell her story to Princess Celestia. She was the Great and Powerful Trixie, after all.

"She is a travelling magician, wandering all over Equestria's cities and towns. On one particualr occasion, she found herself en route to a small town called Ponyville..."

Trixie thought it was very interesting to hear her story-different version of her, maybe, or a illusory creature that mimicked her. But she felt Trixie inside the mirror was indeed Trixie, Trixie who happened to be in 'another' reality. Maybe. Perhaps. But at least that seemed most plausible to her.

"So, what is the story of the Great and Powerful Trixie, Trixie wonders?"

Two trixies, One Great and Powerful Trixie

When she was talking Trixie always controlled her pace, not too fast or too slow. A magician’s speech had to be hold special magic of its own, even when speaking in front of the alicorn princess. When she faced her humiliating defeat, her voice stayed the same, the unchanging confident tone. She was Trixie, after all. She had to be Trixie the Great and Powerful.

This time facing the sun princess, however, she added a little twist of her usual enigmatic manner, rendering her words into simple speech as one would speak without any adornments. Not much fancy rhetoric this time: most part of the incident she would reveal. Unpleasant memory it may be, to understand and to solve her problem it was not going to help to push it away to the dark corners of her mind. She should not be afraid. She would expose her shame if necessary, for she was the Great and Powerful Trixie.

“And regrettably Trixie had to run away, for at the moment she could not do much. Twilight’s spell was not very spectacular in itself. But Trixie knows-she has to know-that her use of skills and wits was truly admirable. She would make a fine magician.” Trixie quickly gulped down the liquid. Speaking of one’s past mistakes always made her mouth dry. “Trixie knew she left the scene in a hurry. She realized, after rushing through the forests, that she left her carriage behind. Later she returned to find it smashed into ruins. Nopony was there. Just the wanton scene of destruction, the sight of her trailer smashed beyond repair. What could Trixie do? She-she just sat there and cried.”

Trixie stopped. She took a short breath, while taking time to observe Princess’ Celestia’s reaction. She was listening, her face closer to Trixie, the usually tall stature of an alicorn reduced almost to a unicorn’s eye level. Trixie pondered what thoughts were going inside the sun princess’s mind. But the alicorn’s eye remained enigmatic to Trixie, its serene eyes reflecting only a mild degree of pity and care for her subjects.

“Were you angry?” When Princess Celestia finally spoke, her voice almost became a whisper, like a telepathy coming from the deeps of Trixie’s mind. “To Twilight Sparkle. Did you?” An inquiry it was, though the menacing tone was completely absent.

The sun princess was waiting for her response. And Trixie would answer. She would confess it anyway, for it was a very important matter to clarify the issue. What really mattered, what was Trixie’s problem? She had to know if she wanted to get back at the lavender unicorn, to show what Trixie was really capable of. The sacred idiom acquired its own voice inside Trixie’s mind. Mastery before manipulation, clarification before control.

“No.” Without hesitation Trixie spoke. She did not have to work out her magician’s mind to produce the reply. It was, among many illusions and tricks and lies she possessed, few-or many depending on the situation-truths she could say it without even thinking.

“No. Trixie knows she must, one day, prove that she is a better magician than the lavender unicorn.” She looked at the alicorn’s eye. What emotion did it display of the princess’s mood? Was she surprised?

“Oh? How so?” Princess Celestia looked at her. Still the princess’ face displayed the benevolence of the benign ruler. This time she needed not to fall back behind the curtains. No hiding behind her veils, displaying only her shadow. Now was the very moment-as the magician’s saying goes-to reveal one’s trick, to pull down the curtains, and to open the mystery box and see the inside of it.

“Trixie commands her emotion. She is her master. The one and the only.” Her look, calm but full of conviction, was not one of many masks she feigned to possess. It was the genuine look of a magician who would take her rightful position as the Great and Powerful magician. “She was angry at herself, to be more exact. For not being Great and Powerful enough.”

“I see.” Whatever she was thinking, Trixie thought she would keep it to her own. And like Trixie she seemed to be interested in more immediate problem. “So what happened when you got back? Your cottage was destroyed?”

“Precisely. Among the ruin, however, Trixie found a mirror.” She quickly glanced over the sun princess’ face. Maybe she could get some information out from the observation.

“A mirror?” The Princess’ look finally changed. It happened so sudden, and only stayed for a brief moment of time. A look of uncertainty, of realizing something she knew but was unknown to others finally revealed. Subtle one at best; yet Trixie saw it happen, her eyes catching whatever she could identify. Perhaps Princess Celestia indeed knew something. Perhaps. Or maybe not. The possibility was there, and that was enough for Trixie for the moment.

Depressing as it was, Trixie’s story did provide her some information to work on. Already her mind began to analyze the data bits by bits, trying to salvage any piece that she could utilize to identify her situation.

One small mistake to ruin it all; one tiny coincidental happening was all that needed to drag down Trixie from her show. No elaborate plan or cunning scheme was required. Sometimes it was the ignorant and the insignificant that broke the most powerful spells and illusions. She knew it well. Too well, having experienced many incidents where her carefully constructed plans failed in a way that she least expected. A magician expected the unexpected, expected that there were inherently some things she could not expect, hidden deep in the future course. Trixie’s mind worked as Trixie commanded it to be, handling calculations, producing possible results, picking out her thoughts, and eventually finding the thread of reality. She needed to see beyond the shadows of doubts which often stayed within her.

Trixie inside the mirror was her. But Trixie’s carefully constructed expectations, born out of her hours of research and analysis, could betray her best expectations. Infinite worlds-which one among myriad layers of falsehoods was real? Which Trixie was real? Was she the Trixie?

Trixie looked at Trixie and Princess Celestia. Back in her world there was still Trixie. Nothing was essentially wrong. Trixie was Trixie, belonging to the place she should be. Trixie was a magician, and always she would be, ever since she found her talent was magic itself. The crescent moon with the blue star wand testified her for that matter: Trixie was going to be a magician. And she loved the fact. She willingly embraced the path that was set out before her. It was as if her desire for manipulating things manifested into her very cutie mark.

The blue unicorn inside the mirror who was outside of the mirror in the beginning-she was Trixie, the Great and Powerful. She was her own self. There was no doubt. She was talking like her, acting like her, and from her manner, thinking like her. Trixie was Trixie.

But why were they different? Why was Trixie inside the mirror put into much worse fate then that of a street magician, forced to accept her humiliating defeat, eventually cast out from her show? Arrogance somepony would say. Could it be? She expanded her flow of thoughts on the issue. During the magician’s show, nopony should interrupt the illusions she was creating upon the stage. It was the sacred rule.

There were always those pesky neighsayers, who wished to debunk the pompous layer she put on which like her attire, wishing to strip the clothing of a magician, to forcefully reveal what was beneath the Great and Powerful Trixie. Some have wondered what she really was. And Trixie would show them alright; she would willingly accept the challenge from the foolhardy. A magician’s trick she mastered, a devious one it was. She could put into many uses, slipping from various restrictions that constituted the world as she knew of.

It was most unfortunate of Trixie to fall upon bad luck, though she did chuckle at the thought of her two trustworthy assistants being such ‘asses’ (as other Trixie said with strongly disapproving manner) in some another reality. Reality-yes, or, well, maybe, she told herself. Both Trixies were contemplating on the issue. Two heads, as ponies said, were better than one. But really, this was Trixie who was thinking right now. One head, actually. Clarification had to be made.

“Uh, Trixie finds the task intolerable.” She blinked her eye for a second. Her mind, as usual, stemmed a branch of thoughts even in that moment. If she closed her eyes and open again, maybe, maybe she would be back in her own world. No, not really. Her own voice reverberated clearly inside her head. Reality in Trixie’s opinion was always more magical than the magic itself. The whole world was filled with the most powerful spells she could hardly harness it to her will. A magician, she believed, merely twisted the flow of magical energies to do her bidding.

She could summon images to her own will, any fantastical creatures registered in her mind. Inanimate objects she pretended to give them life, controlled by her. But her spells could not make Trixie wake up in a foreign world that was so similar from her own world.

Trixie inside the mirror talked of the mirror, indicating the possibility of the particular object being magical in nature. She for herself was not altogether new with the idea. There were stories of mirrors projecting anything but one’s own reflection. Only in stories, that is. Of many mirrors she saw, the strangest one was just presenting severely distorted images, deliberately constructed to the very purpose of doing so. Her memory did not yield any information of magic-infused mirrors actually in existence. They were inside stories and myths, but not in her world, of reality as she knew it.

Not in her world. Her world. The idea was not entirely new. Her process of thoughts from time to time naturally led to exploring the possibilities of another world. As a magician she could create a world. A world created with magical energies, temporary in nature, consisted of fantasies and illusions. They were not real. In truth they were fakes, just a copy of the world she knew. It was based upon reality. They were hers actually. She commanded it. Inside she was the master.

A whole world, now that was a different story. She still kept the possibility of this world being her dream. She would wake up eventually-or was it? Even in the most magical dreams she did not saw her place replaced by another Trixie. At least till now there was only one Trixie regardless of the place she was. Two Trixies-dreams were not capable of doing that.

Different but same Trixie. Her story of how a magician fell in shame because of unexpected happenings. She pondered what would the princess say to the other Trixie. Perhaps she would know the answer to this extraordinary happening? She decided to wait. The conversation between Trixie and Princess Celestia was not over yet. Trixie talked again, this time of the star bear. Trixie vanquished the giant star bear. But she also did not. Twilight did not too. She merely put Ursa Minor back to its nest. So who was the pony that actually vanquished the star-bear?

Few minutes have passed since the princess has asked of her of the lavender unicorn, subsequently asking of the mirror. Then the sun princess excused herself from Trixie to exercise her royal duties-which was actually partaking in the scene from the other side of the hall.

“We shall continue to discuss this matter. However, I consider for the time being it would be best for you to be Trixie as the hero of the Equestria. It would be quite strange for her not to join the celebration honored in her name.” That was what Princess Celestia said to Trixie.

Of course the princess could not appear overtly suspicious on the Grand Celebration Day by talking only to her for an extended time period; and Trixie herself too, for she was essentially the hero who deserved all the honor and fame. Trixie had to play her role in this show she was on.

This was not a dream-that was one fact Trixie deduced from her musing over the situation. It was like a dream; she ‘woke up’ from her ‘sleep’ and found herself inside the mirror-world. She still left a faint possibility that this was indeed a dream, but it was unlike any dreams she had. Her memory clearly attested for the fact.

Even if she was really dreaming, there seemed no way for Trixie to get out. It was like another reality. There was Trixie, there was Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Everything Trixie knew was here, inverted in a strange way, but still recognizable to her.

She was now the only one left in the table. She stood up. From her table she moved, stepping on to the ‘stage’, a place where all the ponies have gathered after the main feast was over. This part of the hall was cleared for this very night; there were tables, but they were meant for light snacks and drinks, more suitable for light conversation rather than a full meal. The crowd of ponies Trixie saw earlier seemed to be here. There were also the bearers, her ‘friends’; she saw Pinkie Pie waving her hoof at her from the distance, of which she responded with a fake smile that was real enough. At least the pink one did not dare to challenge the Great and Powerful Trixie, and she could at least show some degree of appreciation for that.

“Good to see you finally deciding to come here, master.” The thick accent she quickly learned to belong to her two ‘assistants’. It was Snips this time. For some unknown reason he had a mustache. A very odd one, Trixie thought, but she quickly dismissed it as one of her lesser concerns. “Perhaps there is some trouble in your mind? If I may voice my own thoughts, Snails and I were not able to find you for when the main feast was over.”

“Trixie just took an audience with the princess; that is all. Nothing to worry about.” If Trixie was indeed Trixie, that is. But she had to hide it-her magician’s instinct told her that talking to Princess Celestia was enough.

“If such is the case, then I am glad. I will now withdraw until the master needs of my service.” Trixie wondered whether this was the result of the magic of the mirror-the two unicorns which brought her ruins were the ones Trixie found to be strangest. The lavender pony was not much different from what Trixie knew of her: skilled in magic, representing the element of magic, for instance. The neighsayers too, the only difference they had from their counterparts was the fact that they were not overly hostile to the Great and Powerful Trixie. But those two, Trixie thought they were quite out of place even in this world inside the mirror.

This was just not the usual world she was in. Everything was familiar, yet so new, inverted in a strange way that she could only expect that it was completely unexpected. Her wits and quick reflexes till now allowed her to play the show. There were few moments where she was on the verge of slipping her true self. Inside the mirror there were certain changes; even normal ones did not exactly copy of the object in front of them. Trixie inside the mirror, even without magical energies, were adjusted to a slight degree.

But there was just so little information, so many questions unresolved for Trixie. Even the mind of the Great and Powerful magician could not keep up under the massive pressure it was under. Trixie figured it was best to be Trixie of this world.

She looked around the hall, wondering if Twilight and her friends would come back. The sun princess knew who she really was now. But Trixie was Trixie, as it had always been. The world inside the mirror she could recognize it with ease. It did not take long for her to talk in her natural tone even in the presence of the lavender unicorn and the neighsayers.

The scene was the height of the afterparty. There was the sound of music and loud cheering from the other side of the hall. Very few ponies were sitting on their table. A thought occurred to Trixie whether others would think strange of her to remain in her seat talking with Princess Celestia. Among the heat of the situation small things went unnoticed. She wondered what time was it now. The sky’s color seen from the window near the ceiling was still semi-dark. The real night was yet to come.

And she would have to be Trixie. She put up her grin and took a step. One, two three. She was now Trixie the Great and Powerful, back to her old self, but feigning her new identity. She was Trixie.

“Creatures of Everfree Forest are best not to be messed with. In the end, it was a good thing for Snips and Snails-and for everypony else and for the sake of Ponyville-to stumble upon the lesser of the star-bear family. And my student, Twilight Sparkle, as always, never fails to surprise me with her abilities.” She stood up and turned her head towards the gate, as if looking for somepony. Trixie soon followed her gaze, wondering what could have prompted the alicorn princess’ action. “So that is the end? Is it? Looking at the mirror to find yourself, and waking up to be Trixie in Canterlot Palace?”

Back with the conversation, back at the table. Time seemed to flow in a non-sequential way, Trixie’s mind registering its presence in bits and pieces. The world she was in, to her it changed in scenes rather than one gigantic continuum. She was talked with the ponies at the hall. She talked with the bearers-she had to compliment her on holding so well, looking so natural. Back to her problems, breaking away from all the illusions-or realities-she were immersed with.

“Yes.” Trixie was fast to reply, her thoughts once again focused on more immediate issues.

“Which in turn, becomes a starting point for the Trixie’s story as we know it.”

“We?” It was a second. Or maybe shorter than a second, a moment that vanishes whenever one thinks about it. Her mind, her magician’s mind, was working vigilantly to detect any implications of the princess’ speech. The time seemed to stretch into an infinite rubber band, forever stretching and never making a snap. But then the snap happened after billions of imaginary non-existent time scales have passed as the sun princess spoke.

“We all have heard Trixie’s deeds, of her role among the bearers. Naturally you heard the gist of it from my sister. But the full tale, I believe it is best to hear from the very witnesses of her show.” She turned her face towards the door. Trixie followed her gaze-and found the lavender unicorn just entering the hall, surrounded by the neighsayers of whom Trixie was quite familiar with. “Some were lucky enough to see what she actually did. Some saw how Great and Powerful Trixie could be-as she always said.”

The princess’ uttering of the title came like a piercing strike to her; but she knew what she had to do. To make sense of the situation, to fully know who really was Trixie. “The bearers.”

“Yes.” The implications Trixie did not miss.

“So she will have to tell them her story again.”

Princess Celestia nodded. And then she smiled. It was a strangely comforting sight, easing her a bit. But at the same time her mind wondered whether the alicorn princess back in her world outside the mirror would be like her. Inside the mirror, Trixie was a magician. Outside, she was also one. Trixie was Trixie, she equaled herself. But things were really different. The simple equation was really deceptive and cunning. Like the very magic she put into use.

To cast away her cloak, to be Trixie as she really was, could she really do that? Trixie asked herself. This time the dissenting voice inside her head did not respond. She would have to find it out for herself. Knowing oneself was, even for a magician-or perhaps because she was a magician, was a very demanding task. She gulped. She cleared her throat. She had to be ready, to be calm as she usually was high above the stage when she would meet the lavender unicorn and the neighsayers.

“Twilight and her friends will surely come back. We shall wait them here.”

Trixie slowly savored the taste of the rose tea. "As you wish, your highness."

The Great and Powerful Trixie arrives back at Ponyville for the first time and again

Her own story she knew it so well; the other Trixie’s story however, another of her own story she did not know. Still, but to her it was like her myriad previous experiences, her past automatically retrieved from ever shifting flow inside her consciousness. The Great and Powerful Trixie had vanquished the star-bear. Many times the alicorn princesses called her, and she performed her service, handling with the less sentient creatures. There were cases of them appearing throughout the vast wilderness of Equestria.

When such occasions arose, then it was Trixie who was called. In the parts where one seldom travelled, Trixie might stumble upon creatures that possessed neither the language of force nor that of reason, but both combined, both lacking. Then she would talk in their tongue, harnessing her skills and tricks in a most appropriate way she could think of, doing magic and tricks and illusions.

Trixie turned around the mirror. She faced the stillness of the place without flinching much. She had expected this, did she not? What time was it? Was it morning outside? The sudden change of her place partially succeeded to take many of her thought processes entirely tangled in the process. When she saw the mirror and it reflecting the place she should have been, she was immediately drawn into the scene, fixated at Trixie talking with the sun princess.

Except that she was not really there. Trixie was there, but not this Trixie, she thought. It was a very tricky question indeed, a great riddle that needed to be solved.

Trixie inside the mirror-she was from another place, but now it was she who was inside the mirror-provided some information she could contemplate on, of how she found herself in Trixie’s own world. But Trixie was Trixie. There was a change, but really everything was same. No difference hand been made. A fact that had to be constantly reminded her again and again, like her mind clinging to the right thread to search her reality. But did Trixie inside the mirror yet realize the fact, Trixie had to guess. If she was Trixie-which by now was becoming quite a fact-then she would have figured it out now, wasn’t she? She could never be so sure. Her own illusions were simple compared to the complexities of the real world. Sometimes she thought her magic merely copied only a fraction of what reality was really capable of.

She felt her reasoning slowly coming back beyond the brink of chaos where everything gained and lost meaning simultaneously. Inside the flow of her memory she searched, picking out the thread that she considered to be relevant to this strange happening. Wooden cottage-that was where she was, at least for now, in this very time. What time was it? Why could not she find a window? Why could not she answer her question? She thought. With a mind of a magician she thought once again, and took a deep breath. Sometimes one had to take one step back to go two steps forward. Control. She whispered. Control.

The air was not moving very much, having only a faint residue of weak magical energies that were used days ago. The place was semi-dark, only tiny bit of silvery light seeping from the outside through wooden cracks. Maybe it was nighttime, she wondered?

She would have to see with her own eyes. And also feel it with her horn, for sight alone often was not sufficient when magic was involved. With a little tweaking one could put formless things into existence. Imagining things, was she really imagining, or was the spell of a magician put her to think that she was imagining? Was this place real? Yes it was, for she could not detect the sort of energies when she used to render intangible masses to illusions with a real form, albeit temporarily. But If this was a dream, there was no way she could get it out of her own, for her dreams she found a pattern long time ago and had set up a plan of how to act should she found herself in the grip of the nocturnal mare. She understood her dream’s shifting nature; so simple it was, never staying the same.

Absence of rules was the rule itself then, perhaps. That was Trixie’s opinion. But what if there was something else? Just change one small part-and then it becomes a whole new thing. Realistic dreams she came across countless times, her past filtered through blurry forgetfulness of her-but dreamlike reality, what could such thing be? A magician could battle falseness and chaos, but could she fight against the reality itself? When the very world turned against her and cast her away to another part of the world, what could she do?

She shook her head. Too complex, even for her highly trained mind-a whole strange world it was; if this world was connected through her world via the mirror, as other Trixie said, it must be very similar to her own. Similarities among subtle differences. Well, she said to herself, in the end it was always mastery before manipulation. And even if she was not planning to use her magic, in Trixie’s experience it was always good to know the environment around her whenever she found herself upon a strange situation.

She was inside a house-and naturally it was the first thing she began to see and register and analyze. The cottage was small with little furniture. Her eyes studied every object she could find: a small drawer which was empty and therefore was quite unnecessary, a short clothes hanger of which Blue Cape hung, a table with a blue sapphire brooch on top of it, and a shabby bed that made Trixie to pity herself (for according to her conclusion Trixie was Trixie). Nothing special, not any of them holding magical aura except that of Trixie herself; she checked the walls, but there were no strange runes or signs she expected to see.

Then there was the mirror, which was still displaying her own self sipping tea with Princess Celestia, she engaged in her own workings to figure out what really happened to her. Like Trixie said, the mirror itself, at least with its look, was hardly special. Without any fine delicate touch of an artificer, it was actually a waste of glass and the wooden frame, a deliberate mockery to the ingredients which could be made into a fine work of art.

That was Trixie’s evaluation-in artistic perspective. But of course, she knew her analysis was just one little piece she just found. There would be several other ones to complete the puzzle. Or she was just thinking nonsense. Who cared about aesthetic qualities of an object that was responsible for the strange incident?

And she learned to expect the unexpected, know that she does not know, and to remember that she could forget. To produce illusions, one had to master reality. To raise the sun, one had to be familiar with the latter part of the day-and hence one alicorn princess being able to command both celestial bodies. Many magician’s wisdom Trixie knew, and on this occasion one particular axiom she recalled from her mind.

“Opposites attract.” She uttered the word. There was no feeling of great enlightment sweeping over her body, of uncovering one grand truth, but to her it did provide momentary gratification of getting one step closer to the solving the mystery of this trick, finding one small thread that unraveled the whole labyrinth she somehow gotten into. From reality came magic. Truth produced falseness. Complicacy consisted of simplicity. And not to forget, ordinary itself was extraordinary.

The mirror was without any decoration, its glass not of a spectacular quality. Trixie’s horn did not sense any slightest disturbances in the vicinity. It was like a normal mirror. Like. Only like. It was not normal, that was for sure. How both Trixies could miss the fact in the first place? The magic was there, the object not reflecting but displaying, but her horn did not give her the signal of magical energies. She had to see, see it with her own eyes. But actually, no, the voice inside her said-like her alternative inside her mind gaining its own will but still part of her-no. She had to be inside the show. A grand show, a fine trick the mirror was presenting to the audience. As a magician, Trixie had to admit the fact and be amazed by it.

Once again she stared into the mirror. But as she expected, it just kept showing Trixie. It was a mirror after all-it showed one’s self inside the mirror, whoever that really was. In Trixie’s world there was Trixie with her friends, and nothing was wrong. Trixie inside the mirror was grinning-and if she was smiling, no matter how fake would it be, then Trixie was Trixie, and nothing was wrong. At least it seemed to be, and thus everything was fine.

To a magician like her the matter was entirely different. Whether others would notice, that was not really important. If the Great and Powerful Trixie sensed disturbance in the horse-well, then something was wrong, even if she was the only one to think so. But since even the sun princess agreed to other Trixie’s doubts-then there was a problem that had to be solved, a trick that needed to be debunked.

What was to she do, then? What would Trixie do? She questioned herself. No answer. Her usual dissenting voice, the benefit of a doubt, was not there this time. After all, it was unexpected that Trixie did not expect of this. She thought and thought-it was the ever arduous task of working on a mystery, of conjuring tricks and sometimes revealing their secrets.

“What do you mean she is not Trixie we know of?” Trixie reminded herself as she heard the lavender pony’s voice. Control. Control. She grinned as Twilight saw her. Nothing was wrong-or at least it appeared to be, and Trixie was Trixie, she was now Trixie inside the mirror.

“Huh? Really? But she looked fine to me!” The pink earth pony was evidently displaying her confusion, of which Trixie did not forget to take heed.

“What, so she’s been lyin’ to us all?” Applejack cast her suspicious look. Trixie did not avert the gaze, her face trying to hold emotion that was neither embarrassment nor bewilderment. Trixie was Trixie, and she had to show the fact.

She was expecting this-the awkward moment of seeing the bearers again. To be honest, it was really first time seeing them. But she knew some of them. Or was she?

“Um, but she did not do anything that bad…” The timid pegasus-she remembered her name was Fluttershy-said nervously. She did not challenge her.

“Except not telling the truth.” The firm voice of Applejack was too familiar. Element of honesty-no wonder, Trixie thought. Truth-that was important, really. Trixie knew too well. “But whoa, ah never thought it was possible, and honestly, I thought it only happened in books, ya know?”

“Wait, I don’t quite follow. Princess Celestia, what is going on here? She just looks like Trixie we know! And she talks like her!” Twilight Sparkle, like her ‘other’ self, was flustered by the situation-at least that was what Trixie observed. She was powerful-Trixie admitted, albeit with a bit of resentment.

Trixie saw Twilight looking at her. Trixie kept her featureless look, trying not to appear to be in a panic. Sweats forming on Twilight’s forehead, Pinkie Pie’s stunned expression, her eyes huge and mouth saying ‘huh?’, and the young dragon Spike looking at her with a suspicious glance-Trixie’s watchful eye continued to watch their reactions. She expected this. Expected their reaction, of their surprise, their new-found suspicions. Like the neighsayers back in her world. The sun princess said to her not to worry, but how could she not?

At least this time she was not in such a humiliating situation. This time there was no star-bear rampaging around the scene. She did not make a fool of herself. But then she would have to tell them who she really was. The story. Then how would they face her? Their worried face, they were caring for her. Right?

No. They were worrying for their Trixie. And she was different Trixie. She was Trixie-but she was not who they cared for. A splendid trick, indeed. Trixie was really Great and Powerful. But she was not. She was not the Great and Powerful Trixie. She was still great and powerful, perhaps, but not the Great and Powerful. A crucial difference it was.

She made the conclusion, as highly skilled magician she was, in a flash of second. She had to say something. Twilight and others were visibly confused, unsure of how to approach her.

She wasn’t so great, was she? Other Trixie was. She was the friend of the bearers. She vanquished the star-bear. She was there when Twilight and her friends defeated Nightmare Moon and Discord. But Trixie, where was she? Who was she if she was not the one so Great and Powerful?

It was she who was Trixie, the Great and Powerful Trixie, not her. But she was Great. She was Powerful. And she could be Greater. And she could be more Powerful. Thus she was Great. Thus she was Powerful. She had to be. She had to remind herself all the time, lest she be lost in her own illusions. She was the master, the one and the only. Only Trixie could be Trixie, nopony else.

“Now, my little ponies.” When Princess Celestia spoke, the confused expression of the six ponies before Trixie seemed to lessen a bit. “Trixie here-well, how should I say-is from a ‘different’ reality. I am afraid that is the only thing I know for now.”

“But how? I thought alternative universes only existed in fictions!”

Trixie figured now was time to intervene. To work her own magic, of analyzing the situation and then contemplate how best to act; it was a prerequisite for her magic shows.

“Ahem.” Everypony, including Princess Celestia, looked at her. “Princess Celestia, Trixie thinks it would be best for her to tell Twilight and her friends again of her story.” How would they react, she pondered. The story of her downfall, how her boast had been completely busted; what faces would they make?

“I suppose I am not the one to say no.” Twilight and others looked at the sun princess with curious eyes, then looking back at Trixie. She did her best to remain calm. “Trixie, would you care to explain how you came here again?”

“Certainly, your highness.” Trixie made her mistake. True-she lied. She did not really defeat the star-bear. Nevertheless that was only one of her mistakes. Unexpected circumstances. She did not see it coming. It was her fault, really, to be oblivious of the complexities of the world, of the chaos among patterns and laws. “Where Trixie should began, hmm, yes, Ponyville. She is a travelling magician. Well, she was, until she came here. One day she happened to arrive at the very town.”

They were listening, their eyes going wide with anticipation. Then would come the anticlimax. The faces they will make, Trixie would not miss those. All the more for her grand analysis, for the great working of her mind; she would reveal her downfall, because she had to.

After the brief observation was over she headed to the door. She stepped out. It was dark. Stars on the sky, cold night air bristling against her fur. It was night alright, with a very high probability. It had to be. There was also the moon, glowing with the magic of the alicorn princess, slowly gliding across the celestial mass.

Once she assured herself of the time of the day, now was the time to be familiar with her surroundings in a more literal sense. There were trees. Trees taking darker hues, not the lovely green shades back in Canterlot Garden, but more verdant in shadowy way, their vitality emitting not vibrant lively atmosphere but obsession to live, clinging to the surface, protruding out to every possible direction. Their branches were somewhat out of place and slightly twisted. It was not a pleasing sight, the surrounding flora standing ominously in the pale silvery light.

She recalled her memory. When was she here last time? Regardless of existing in a whole new world, the very place was not entirely foreign, at least according to Trixie’s flow of thoughts. Once she walked the very path. In her own world, but the sight did not escape from her eyes. When she was with the lavender unicorn and the others, before the bearers came to represent the elements; Trixie met them here, didn’t she?

She did. She remembered that moment, the part etched into her mind which she visited more frequently than others. She picked up the right thread of her memory. That had really happened. Trixie did meet Twilight and others back then.

But no dwelling on past memories, she thought. Her mind once again returned to her foremost task, mostly concerned with continuing to identify her surroundings. Outside the cottage were trees, lots and lots sprawling around the small wooden structure, their tangled shapes casting ominous masses of shadow on the ground. What else?

Her nose sensed the queer air that was quite ancient; old stale air, but different from the old Changing Chamber back at Canterlot. That contained past memories, various fragrances holding fragmented pieces of hundreds of perfumes, of capturing high hopes and great expectations of those who were once in that very chamber. This place and its atmosphere, however, were filled with those that one would not dare to remember. Various odors tangled as the twisted boughs and roots of the misshapen trees, the pieces they held were best to be left alone.

Thoughts aligning in an instant, the process of reasoning working like a formula-her magician’s mind labored to find the answer she was looking for. The place, dark and eerie, she had been here before; she remembered, it was before Twilight and others were entrusted with the elements.

Before Trixie joined them in a short but epic journey to defeat the Nightmare Moon, wasn’t it? They all walked the same path. A matter of chance some may say-but Trixie was there at the right time, for it was here she met Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity.

“Everfree forest, Trixie assumes.” To be more precise, Trixie confirms, she said to herself, complimenting on the fact that her mind was still brilliant as ever. It took a little longer than she expected, but in such circumstances of finding oneself in a world that was not so different, but still somewhat distinct from what she knew, Trixie could not blame herself for such small mistakes.

Though she would keep that in mind; she was surely tired, and it could affect her abilities. That Trixie had to remind herself.

Then there had to be a way that would lead her to Ponyville. There would be Twilight Sparkle. Perhaps she would know something? And she was very close to Princess Celestia. Her highness may enlighten Trixie on this matter. Trixie checked her reasoning. The other Trixie was taking counsel from the sun princess, then why would she not follow what Trixie herself considered to be the best choice?

But that Trixie was not her. She was Trixie, but not this Trixie who was thinking right now about Trixie. Now she knew the story of Trixie, Trixie who was humiliated, and her confidence crushed. She would rise; there was no doubt, for she was Trixie. The other Trixie inside the mirror was Trixie alright, and thus she would show the neighsayers who she really were. It was somewhat sad for her to see her ‘friends’ actually being so disapproving of this other Trixie, but she figured that Trixie inside the mirror would handle things as Trixie always did: a shrewd manipulation of her skills to the finest, that was much obvious.

Now she was in that Trixie’s position, Trixie contemplated how the bearers back in Ponyville would react to see the failed magician returning again. That was what the other Trixie was right now, bereft of her pride, reputation and her shelter. The worst part? Trixie could blame no one. She should have seen it coming, to expect the unexpected; she was a magician after all, and one as Great and Powerful as her should definitely have acted more wisely, swiftly handling the situation to her favor.

A magician had to be grand, pompous, and downright arrogant. Without it, she was nothing. When Trixie was high up in the stage, she looked down towards the audience, stressing her accent to show her grandness, “The Great and Powerful Trixie!” She had to be ready. Every challenge had to be accepted.

But as the other Trixie failed to do that, and now she was in her place, returning to Ponyville was going to be awkward. Trixie ran away-and did she have the face to return again after all the fiasco she created? Even Trixie herself found it hard to actually commit the act.

Though she had to, for staying back at that cottage was anything but helpful. The mirror was clearly not intending to reverse the process it started, and Trixie who was once inside the mirror-at least according to other Trixie-had to find her own way getting back to where she belonged to.

She found a familiar track. Just like old times; after Princess Luna was once again, Trixie and the bearers gleefully walked down the trail, the dark forest no more looking so grim and depressing. Now, however, the place had regained its creepy atmosphere-and now was the time when the moon princess ruled. Even in the brightest day there were places where the sun princess’ power could not reach. The moonlight was soft as a silk but thin as a single thread. It was natural to be dark in her hour, but some darkness was more welcomed then others, soft ones tenderly enveloping the place, the quietness gently covering like a warm blanket.

But there were those which could quickly turn into suffocating veils, the silence piercing the night like a sharp blade, slowly slithering that everypony found it ever hard to look upon. Trixie too, learned to fear such blackness, for it swallowed rather than covered, not warm but fatally cold, its maw a great abyss, like a tartaros keeping eldritch creatures that were better left to be forgotten for eternity.

And Everfree Forests was one of the places that happened to contain such darkness that was far from comforting. And she was alone. And she was in a different world-though in a very similar world; but to her it was worse, for familiarity could easily slip to confusion-all things considered, Trixie was not in a favorable position.

The black mass was all around her. The path was covered with one great mass of blackness. Under the twisted branches the grace of the glittering moonlight was not allowed. The rustling from the bushes, cold howling from afar-the silence came and went at its own will. A few second of utter stillness, quickly followed by intermittent rustlings; one could not expect more from the sinister atmosphere of the Everfree Forest.

Thud. Her cautious step made a big echo resonating through the vicinity. Trixie listened and smelled and saw everything around her. Realization had to be made, by any means necessary. There was not a single particle of magical energies she could feel-but her vigilance was not to go down so easily. Another step she took. The earth was cold and hard as steel. She moved forward, counting each steps, her mind calculating every possibility that could happen to her as she proceeded forward.

The big thick trees and their stumps still covered most of her vision from top to bottom. Now her eyes could only make out a faint fragment of silver ray, treetops grown quite dense. Was Trixie ever been to this part of the forest? Of course, she was never here to begin with-she should never have been here, probably. That was for other Trixie, Trixie thought. If she had not come across the mirror, that was. Unexpected events come in, well, unexpected way-that was what Trixie learned, hence expect that the Great and Powerful Trixie could unexpect.

She searched her flow of thoughts. This path, where did it originally lead to? Supposedly to Ponyville? Her reasoning signaled a ‘yes’ output. She tried to summon her relevant memory. The place somehow reminded Trixie the moon princess, when she was not quite herself.

Thud, thud. Her hooves touching the ground, her firm steps making a noise that echoed throughout the area; a sound loud enough to bring unnecessary attention, she knew it perfectly. Deep in the night, such loud thump-creatures lurking from the shadow could follow her. Perhaps.

She thought she heard a growl from the distance. A very near distance. What was it, she wondered. Or maybe it was from very far off, a predator finishing off the unlucky prey. The unexpected prey. It should have seen it coming.

Trixie continued her pace, her hooves making a steady, rhythmic noise as she galloped. The growl stopped. Perhaps it was there, but was never there from the first place. A dark place void of the moon princess’ grace, illusions could become reality and vise versa.

She saw the familiar sight-she visited here, after it was all over. The small house that was strangely situated near the shadowy forest she just went through.

Sometimes, she wondered, whether the timid yellow pegasus was really like her name. A shy one living so close to the forest that ponies so dreaded about-to Trixie, reality was always more magical than her fantasies and illusions.

Inside the mirror

Except Twilight intermittently asking a question or two and subsequently mumbling inconceivably, the bearers were more accommodating than she thought. Even the cyan pegasus, the neighsayer who was first to challenge her, stood there quietly, deeply immersed in her own thoughts. Though it was only a temporary relief, a short moment of which she could rest upon, Trixie greatly welcomed the short rest allowed to her. But how long, she had to figure it out by herself.

“Well, that is the story of this Trixie. Very different from the Trixie you know-Trixie here never vanquished Ursa Major. Nor did she aid you when two ancient evils threatened Equestria. She is a magician. An illusionist who excels at manipulative arts; but she cannot truly bring her illusions to reality-that is what the Great and Powerful Trixie is.” Trixie said.

She sipped the tea. The sugary liquid gradually melted into bitter residues that left a stinging taste in her tongue. What faces were they going to make? She quickly scanned the ponies who until then were listening intently to her tale.

It was as she expected. They were trying to keep their faces, and their attempts were working reasonably well. Trixie appreciated their effort. As a magician she sometimes saw what others did not see, something she did not want to see; such sights just forcefully came to her, regardless of whether she liked it or not. Following the path of the trickery, that was what she would occasionally face. Still she saw only the slightest bit of doubt on their looks, the six ponies trying to grasp the situation that had befallen upon them, their mind genuinely wondering what maze of riddles they had all fallen into.

This time she surveyed across the bearers’ faces more closely-bewilderment, surprise, and confusion. Twilight particularly seemed troubled, contemplating deeply, searching for answer that was never going to come to her solely by her own act. If Trixie could not find the answer to the problem, then who could? She expected this. The most basic task of a magician, the grand inner workings of her mind accustomed the practice to incorporate the act part of her instinct by now. She knew what she could see, what she could not see.

Finally, the lavender unicorn accepted her defeat in the face of the great mystery. “Uggh, I still don’t get it.” Twilight said.

She was frowning-what was she thinking, anyway? Trixie had to wonder. Was this Twilight like Twilight she knew? One needed a lot of time to truly know a pony-a short exchange between she and Twilight, and then somewhat lengthy conversation she somehow managed to go through undercover with this Twlight-could she look into what the lavender unicorn was thinking right now with such short information she had for the moment?

“Ditto. I just don’t know what to say…Hmm. you don’t look that bad. I really did that? But I’m right here! Oh boy, is this confusing or what!” Rainbow Dash said.

Trixie quickly adjusted her attention to the pegasus. The one most hostile to her, now appearing to be apologetic; this world-or every world she knew-never ceased to amaze Trixie. A fine trick it was playing.

But what was it exactly, she could not yet find out. Or was she going ever? To perform some tricks of hers, she relied more on countless practice rather than understanding the concept. Maybe that was how they were meant to be understood in the first place-the ever mysterious and wonderful realm of illusion, the art which she grew so fond of. The only way to learn, was to not to learn at all. Trixie could fathom over its perplexities for hours, then making a conclusion that did not mean anything that she could comprehend, her reasoning disappearing like a mirage, blended into nothingness and then closing her thoughts altogether.

As always, her mind quickly found a way back to the reality-this reality she was currently in-and she thought it would be best to approach others with hospitality.

“Trixie thanks you for such nice remark. Rainbow Dash I knew would not say that.” She said. Trixie kept a gentle, serene smile; it had the immediate effect she desired.

“Um…” The cyan pegasus was evidently at a loss what to say, her eyes getting even bigger, their pupils slightly trembling, a sure sign that Trixie did not miss at all.

To observe and analyze, that was part of her magic. Trixie found the method extremely useful on many occasions. It was not going to fail her. But it was enough for now; she had more immediate issues she had to deal with-observing how others tried to understand the intricacy of the situation, while it was a very amusing sight, did not help her case much. She needed explanation for all the things she went recently. An answer that would solve this trick-but how, she had to think, think very hard. Even then she could not be so sure, she thought. But she had to reach a conclusion somehow-no matter how insignificant it was going to be. One step was going to lead another, small tricks paving the way for the great mastery of illusory play. Just one start. That was going to give her boost which she greatly needed.

Telling her humiliation to the bearers, apparently, was the first of the first step in solving the trick she was into. Then what next? She asked herself. No reply. She did not know. Who could know? Could the alicorn princesses enlighten her on this matter? But how?

Again her mind focused on more immediate issues. “Trixie do not blame her. After all, Trixie did play some trick that was rather quite harsh, even in her opinion. It was most natural for her to have some hostility towards Trixie.” She said with a clear voice, not a sign of anger or resentment to be found.

Even if she still had some left, it was reserved for other Dash, not this one, she thought.

“Well, even if you say that…” Rainbow Dash was now trying to smile back, albeit awkwardly, of which Trixie found it quite amusing.

Of course, such petty feeling of getting back to the cyan pegasus had to be promptly ignored, for many reasons. Trixie could just list them all day, number one being the fact that this Dash inside the mirror was not the same Dash, despite appearing to being so in several ways including her name and shape, even having the identical cutie mark.

“It is Trixie’s fault, really. If a pony challenges her, then it is her job, her duty to show how Great and Powerful Trixie could be. She was not Great nor Powerful enough-that was the problem. She gave the audience a good show by meeting your challenge. But perhaps, it was a bit too much to strike you with lightning. Maybe that prank she has gone a little too far.” Trixie sighed. She made it sure Dash heard what seemed to be like her regretful apologize.

But maybe she did go too far-tricks were meant to be enjoyed, to be shared by everyone of its entertainment. Maybe. Undeniably there was some regret in her mind, small portion of her reasoning saying that it zapping her tail with lighting might have been a little inconsiderate of Trixie.

Well, anyway, she thought, this Dash was not the pegasus she had to get back, that was for sure. No need to feel sorry for her. Even now she was on her way to come up with a fitting trick to fool the cyan pegasus once again, later after getting out of this mess, part of her mind already working on to produce a befitting punishment for her reckless arrogance, claiming that it was her job to ‘show off’-but now, Trixie had to show others that there was no ill feeling towards them. The bitterness was better left to be stored, waiting for its proper use; her revenge would be directed towards the right targets at the right time. Now was not the time.

“…This is really confusing, you know. Even after hearing your story, I still find it hard to understand.” Rainbow Dash said, with an uncertainty in her tone.

“Yes, yes. I have to agree with Dash. All the books I read don’t really mention the concept of alternative universe much, at least not in an academic sense. And ones I found, they mostly said that it was uncertain whether such world could really exist. So, in conclusion, this is really confusing!” Twilight said. By now her troubled state was dangerously getting obvious to everypony near the vicinity. She was now prancing back and forth.

Other ponies who were still around the table cast a worrying look. Trixie saw one guard coming towards her and the others, but Princess Celestia promptly stepped front, whispering to the guard. The guard pony nodded, and then quickly went back to her respective patrolling position.

“Oh. Sorry, Princess Celestia.” Seeing the little incident she caused, Twilight stopped her frantic movement at once (or she attempted to do, in Trixie’s perspective), but still kept an anxious face nonetheless.

“It is a truly perplexing phenomenon. I admire all of you staying relatively calm despite the strangeness of the situation.” The sun princess said. She took a sit beside Twilight.

“Yes. I am sure the all the study I had mentioned nothing like this at all.” Twilight said, much recovered from her previous state. The presence of the sun princess had the soothing effect to her, Trixie concluded. They were very close, by no doubt.

Not long after she managed to gather her little belongings and settling down in her temporary shelter, she picked up the information that Twilight was actually a special protégé of the alicorn princess; that explained her exceptional ability, the sheer terror of seeing someone else being Greater and more Powerful than her engraved into Trixie’s memory with a painful realization. And even in the world inside the mirror, Twilight was the beloved student of Princess Celestia.

Trixie too, numbered among the bearers.

But Trixie was not Trixie-Trixie was only Trixie she was, and that was the problem.

And who was Trixie going to look for in times of need?

A foolish question, for only Trixie herself is master of Trixie. She does not need anypony else. She handles her problem alone, by herself.

Her dissenting voice was not going to interfere with her close observation. Twilight talked, and Trixie had to listen-Twilight Sparkle, who was she? Who was she there, who was she here? Who was everypony here? Where was this place? Trixie listened. She was on her own. Trixie had to know more.

“But this is really bothering me. The more I think about it, the more frustrating it gets.” Twilight gulped down the hot tea in an instant. Not a good sign, Trixie thought. Twilight continued to talk. “So there were two Trixies all along? A whole world that is same-and different-from what we know as reality? That means there would be two of me and two of each of us! So every pony we know there is another version of that pony in this world where Trixie came from so Trixie here is Trixie and she even has the same cutie mark but she is not Trixie yet still she is Trixie and even with the most potent illusion spell I know cutie mark cannot be copied. So Trixie or are you really Trixie I guess that does not matter much now anyway so Trixie do you know if any of your spells can copy another pony’s cutie mark oh this is simply getting ridiculous!”

The lavender unicorn had the hindsight to keep her voice down relatively low-the princess’ own student manically (for that was the impression Twilight was giving right now) uttering her speech was definitely not going to be pretty sight. Still, upon closer inspection she did appear quite disheveled, few strands of her hairs now poking out from her mane. Only after a while did she seem to calm down with gulping down some rose tea-she chose it wisely, Trixie thought-though her face still bore the worried expression.

Trixie was, technically, in the same situation. She was only hiding it better than Twilight; that was the only difference. It was good that the bearers were more hospitable than she thought. The other Trixie, unfortunately, she was on her own. Here, Trixie was supposedly a hero, a great friend to the bearers of the elements.

Back in her own world, however, she was just-just, she had to use the word, though it hurt a lot to apply the term to her-a travelling magician, an illusionist. And the fact was not going to change, the cold, hard fact etched deeply in her mind, denying the very change of which she appeared to so freely wield, her warping of the reality not working against of which she believed to be the absolute truth. Some things were beyond manipulation, it seemed.

It seemed-there was a chance, wasn’t it? A tiny possibility that could eventually develop into a full phenomenon, very tiny; but it could happen. Then it might happen. That fact was so crucial.

But really, Trixie was better off praying to the principle of probability that governed the world with dead accuracy. No doubt, but just solid cases that could be so cruel, yet so true. It was not going to happen. She was better off with her own magic than to plead for miracles to happen. Trixie was, after all, Great and Powerful. She had to live up to her title.

Wandering in her thoughts, once again, she had to return. Twilight was close to start walking in circles again. Then Applejack tapped a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. That made the unicorn calm down a bit.

“Ah figure it would be best if we all don’t make a big fuss over thing, at least not with all the other ponies celebrating around in here. It is good, though, ah think, that we all know the truth now. Still, gotta agree with Dash here. Can’t believe ya ‘roped’ this Applejack. Well, I’ve seen quite a number of rotten apples trying to look good, but you sure aren’t lookin’ like one.” Applejack said, smiling.

“Trixie thanks you for saying that.” She smiled back, hoping that the expression was genuine. But which her, she had to wonder. So many things she had to consider-the grand workings of her mind was never quite finished, always on its vigilant task.

“Applejack is right.” Princess Celestia stepped in front of them, then taking a seat in the table. “We certainly would not want everypony here asking what happened to Trixie. I am certain that this event has nothing to do with Nightmare Moon or Discord-their influences are diminished, they no longer concern the fate of Equestria.” She said.

“Then what could have caused this entire event, princess?” Twilight said, now a bit recovered from her overzealous contemplation.

“As I said before, I cannot give a clear answer to your question, Twilight. But while I was away with my younger sister, we talked about what happened to Trixie. Well, should we say Trixies? My sister too could not say much about the incident, though she did enlighten me on this matter. You said there was a magic mirror, Trixie?” With that she looked at her.

Trixie replied. “Yes.”

The sun princess nodded. “I believe the mirror connects your world to ours. I recall reading about the subject not too long ago. Perhaps the answers we seek might lie very near. Canterlot Library is well known for its huge storage of books and scrolls.” She said.

“But Princess, are you sure about that? I tried to remember every book I read about magic, both here and back in Ponyville. And none of the books mentioned anything about this magical mirror, or this special spell Trixie mentioned.” Twilight said.

“Canterlot had its library since from its very beginning, Twilight. Some of its parts you may seldom come across-such as the Starswirl Wing.”

“Starswirl Wing?” With the mention of the name Twilight’s eyes grew wide, a sparkle in her eyes, like a filly who heard the word that she did not know, but instinctively knew that it was something important.

Trixie was also interested. The name sounded not so distant from her constantly shifting memory. Where did she hear the word, she searched inside her mind. Where? Back when she was a filly herself, when she was not yet so Great and Powerful (but was very close, for she was Trixie), when she was learning to the path of an illusionist, mastering the art of magic-

“We decided to name the place in honor of Starswirl, commemorating his role as the spell-crafter; perhaps you have heard its name?” Princess Celestia said.

“Um, I actually never knew such section existed in Canterlot Library. How come I never came across the place?” Her curiosity peaked to the maximum, Twilight asked.

She felt now was the time to intervene. The name was there in her memory all along, waiting to be retrieved. “Trixie have heard the name.” Trixie said, finishing her search.

The others immediately looked at her, all surprised by no doubt, Twilight especially, surprised to see somepony other than her knowing more about Canterlot Library. There was a slight defeated look in her face. Only for a short time, but Trixie saw it.

But what benefit could come out of it? It was her own face, after all, seeing the very lavender unicorn handling the Ursa Minor without a problem. The bitter resentment stirred again inside of Trixie. How to respond-she thought for a split second. She knew, of course, she was not lying. She could if she wanted to, but not now, she reminded herself.

“From her mentor Trixie heard it. A place where a pony needs to look if she needs to find the ancient spells which are now quite forgotten.” Trixie ignored her emotion trying to get better of her-the tides were always in favor of Trixie. It had to be. Always. Control, she said to herself, forcing the indoctrination again and again. Control. She kept her humble face-no use of her stage voice and appearance. She was not high above, but down below, at least for now. She was waiting, biding her time.

“Your mentor has taught you well, Trixie.” Princess Celestia grinned.

“Huh? But how come I never heard of the place?” Twilight said. To Trixie she sounded little hurt not knowing this information.

“Trixie only heard it once from her teacher, Twilight. She does not know much.” Trixie said, trying not to go too far proving her superiority.

It was never there, anyway.

“It is where scrolls of ancient spells are stored.” Princess Celestia said.

“And the word ‘ancient’ is often synonymous with ‘dangerous’. An ancient spirit which ruled Equestria long before me and my sister came into being, for instance; or it could be the alternative word for ‘mysterious’. Alas, even we sometimes have trouble deciphering the true mechanisms of such spells.”

“Princess Luna!” With the voice of Twilight everypony turned, and there was the moon princess, clearly no longer troubled by the ancient apparition, back to her royal status after the event.

After what? Trixie questioned herself. She tried to recall her memory-did she see her as Nightmare Moon? But she was not there, was she not? Not this Trixie, she had to remind herself again and again. Not to fall for lies that lured her. The place was for others, not Trixie.

Regardless of Trixie’s thoughts trying to figure out the situation, Princess Luna walked towards the table. She sat down with a warm smile on her face.

“Hello, Twilight and my dear sister Tia. And greetings to all of you. And Trixie, too, though she is no longer with us-“ With that she stared at Trixie, looking at her like seeing her for the first time, not so sure how to react. Her stare, however, soon turned into a look of deep concern. “But Trixie is still here, yet she is not Trixie we know. A very strange turn of events, I have to say. When the world was not completely free of Discord’s reign, even after for so many ages I and my sister have witnessed very strange spells-but this mirror spell, I have not seen it. Though, my memory reminds me of something.”

“Nice to see you again, Luna. I have been thinking the same.” Princess Celestia said.

“But we cannot be so sure of what we think, sister. We do not know if it can be indeed called a spell.”

Princess Celestia frowned a little. “I am very well aware of that. But what we see now we are not so sure what to think of, are we not?”

“Truly. A great mystery it was, and now this-we have lived long, but this event we never seen it actually happening.”

The conversation between the two alicorn princesses did help Trixie on some issue-but of course, as every talk between the wise did, their talk only served to confuse her further. The more she began to unravel the mystery, the more enigmatic it became. She now knew some, but she did not know everything else.

“My, what is really going on here? We are not so sure what to say on this matter.” Rarity said. “I still can’t believe you did such thing to us, well, if they are really us. That story alone is hardly believable.”

Twilight nodded. “I agree with Rarity. Till now we never realized what happened to Trixie, then all of sudden there is another Trixie who came from a different world. I thought I couldn’t be more surprised. But now Princess Celestia says there is the place where old spells I never heard before lies. How did this all happen?” Twilight said. She was still struggling to keep her anxiety.

“My dear student.” Princess Celestia said. “I am afraid me and my sister cannot be much help on this matter.”

“Is this something serious? Like the last time?” Twilight asked. She gulped, as if expecting a certain doom that was going to happen.

“Perhaps.” The Princess said.

“Huh?” Twilight said. Even Trixie had not expected such a reply. The lavender unicorn was now looking at the sun princess with wide eyes, not quite sure what to think of the princess’s word.

“A mirror, Twilight, reflects one’s image. Magical ones, however, may show something else. It may bring whatever the viewer wants to see.” Princess Luna said.

But no, it was wrong. Trixie wanted to say it. But she was going to be discreet this time. What she wanted to see-how? Did she want this? To see befriending her enemies that she had to overcome?

No. Of course not. Her plan was far more elaborate than this, scheming devious plan that was going to surprise everypony who dared to laugh at her, even the favorite protégé of the sun princess. Her mind devised a grand plan that was not going to disappoint her. Not like this. So simple, so childlike-if this was her plan, to become the friend of Twilight and her gang, than she was better off not being a magician at all. As Trixie the Great and Powerful, she had to be better than this. More complicated, more mysterious, more complex-a grand trick that was going to fool everyone. A fine trickery she was planning. But surely, not like this.

Before she could say something, the moon princess continued. “It would have been so simple, would it not be? I am sure Trixie here would have noticed it without a doubt.” She looked at Trixie, her keen gaze seemingly piercing through her intricate mindset.

“True, your highness.” Trixie kept her face well. “This mirror, Trixie thinks, is far more complex than simple magical ones.” She said, her eyes beaming with interest. She instinctively realized the alicorn princess knew something about this. Well, they were alicorns after all, she thought.

But how much did they know?

The great riddle was not going to be solved so suddenly. She had to know.

Yes, this was just the beginning. A one step among thousands in her path to disenchant this magic. To prove that she was indeed Great and Powerful. She could not fail this time-once, it could be forgiven. But twice-that was a great crime.

“Indeed.” Princess Luna said. “But we should act with discretion. While we are free from ancient spirits, we do not know who-or what have caused this event. Is it solely the mirror’s doing? Or are we facing yet another apparition from the past?”

Everypony, including Trixie, was silent upon hearing the moon princess’ word.

Trixie tried to search her thoughts, hoping to find a thread that was going to help her. But it was just simply not possible. How could it be? Nightmare Moon and Discord-they were defeated. Even without Trixie the bearers used the elements. There could be no trickery about that. Even the mighty spirit of disharmony could not pull off such trickery.

Then what was it? No answer, like it has always been ever since she tried to ponder upon this matter.

“Hearing your story, Trixie, was not enough, it seems.” Princess Celestia said. She looked at her. Like her sister, the gaze of the alicorn princess had a certain power that made her shiver a bit. “The night has progressed quite far, is it not? Perhaps at the Starswirl Wing we might find some clue.”

“I agree, sister. Twilight, meet us at the library. We will handle our official duties here.” Princess Luna said, standing up. She raised a hoof. The guard responded. She whispered something to the guard’s ear, and he moved.

“We’ll be on our way, princess!” Twilight said. “Come, let’s go. And where is Pinkie? I thought she was here all along. Oh well, Dash, you know where to find her.”

“Got it.” She galloped away.

After they found all six ponies, and their 'assistants' Spike, Snips and Snails, under Twilight’s command the six ponies moved. Trixie followed them from behind. She needed her own moment to ponder about what the two princesses said. A spell-well, she did recognize it was the mirror’s doing, some kind of magic working. But what was it exactly?

She could just wait for Princess Celestia and Luna. But then again, how much did they know? A starting point, that was all. It was Trixie who found herself in a strange place. Then it was her problem-she had to figure it by her own.

The other Trixie too, she had her issue to deal with. For her things would be less accommodating. The defeated magician was, technically, back in town. Her mask was no longer there-how would Trixie outside the mirror react?

Trixie stood there, unsure of how to approach. She heard what Trixie said; she ran away from this town. And now, she was, in a sense, coming back. She did not meet anypony on her way here. It was night, and Everfree Forest was not the safest place to wander at the time.

But now, she was back at Ponyville, where she supposedly failed to live up to her standards. They would not welcome her; she did not have to guess that. One did not have to be a magician to figure that out.

Fluttershy’s house stood there, the cozy atmosphere all around it. The light was on, giving a warming orange-colored light. But was that air granted to Trixie? She hesitated. How to approach, how to do this? She thought while on her way. No answer.

The door suddenly opened, and she saw the cyan pegasus proudly marching out. She saw her. Trixie thought for an instant, how to react. She just stood there below the small hill, smiling a little. Rainbow Dash was dumbfounded for a moment-then she smirked.

“Well, it seems the Great and Powerful Trixie has returned to apologize? Huh?” Rainbow Dash said. She glared at her. The disapproving look was evident in her eyes.

Trixie kept smiling. So this was what Trixie was supposed to be?

Outside the mirror

“Hello, Rainbow Dash.” Trixie said. What to do, she had to think. Fast. Swiftly respond to every possible situation that was going to happen, expect the unexpected; she had to be ready.

The cyan pegasus glared at her. Trixie kept smiling, but the pegasus in front of her did not return the favor. “Why hello there, loudmouth. So the great and powerful Trixie have returned?” Dash jeered.

Petty insult-Trixie did not cringe even a bit. “And why should this Trixie do that?” She said, still smiling.

“Don’t dare to play your tricks, Trixie. You won’t fool anypony this time.”

“A bit harsh, don’t you think?” Trixie replied. Play around words, was she going to do it? She was talking just like Trixie. She would not speak this way to Rainbow Dash. Under normal circumstances, that was.

Things could go from normal to anything in an instant. She woke up-waking up could often involve a change of place. Every time she woke up, Trixie had to make sure everything was all right-she was the Great and Powerful Trixie, always, anytime, and everywhere.

Her rapid processions of thoughts, as usual, were quickly interrupted. “A fitting treatment for a loudmouth like you!” Dash shouted. She spread her wings wide. Typical of the winged ponies, displaying their emotion via their vital organs; so easy to read.

It was she who should be called as loudmouth, her booming voice attracting unnecessary attention.

“Is something wrong-ah!” From the door came another pegasus, looking at Trixie with wide eyes. Trixie sighed. One more pony she had to convince. Who else was she to expect except the owner of the house, Fluttershy?

So now Trixie was facing two of the bearers. What to do, she had to think. The very crucial act she never forget its importance. The grand mind of Trixie had to produce a strategy that was going to work. It was hardly a challenge, nonetheless still requiring her wits. To contemplate, to ponder, she was to come up with something to control the situation which was going very awkward for her.

The sudden silence was not to last long. Fluttershy’s face soon changed to a disapproving look. “You! Why did you return?” Her voice was raised-not a good sign, of which Trixie noticed.

“Beats me. But we’ll have to be careful. Don’t know what she is up to this time.” Dash said, watching at her. Fluttereshy too, her stare trying to reveal what she believed to be the mask of Trixie.

Too bad she was not wearing any-right now, Trixie was just Trixie. It was only them who were wearing masks, warping their sight. But Trixie could not blame them for acting such. Both Trixies, actually. One was to blame her own self, and the other had nothing to do with this event.

Inside the mirror, as other Trixie said, everything could go fairly smooth. Trixie was their friend after all, hailed along with the bearers. She was going to be welcomed, with a bit of awkward moment which was soon going to pass. But here, outside the mirror, she was just a street magician whose veil has been lifted. This Trixie had to devise a new plan, to adapt to the new environment.

She naturally found the task as easy as a pie. To manipulate was her nature, and she did not walk the path of the illusion for nothing. The Great and Powerful Trixie, master of illusion. She was just spectacular. No explanation was ever needed-was there any doubt from the start?

Trixie knew what to do. “Please, Trixie here comes in good will. Would you at least allow this Trixie to tell her tale, of how it all happened?” Trixie said. She tried to sound polite as much as possible, speaking in a somewhat apologetic tone. Trixie did not stare. She just looked at the two pegasi, hoping her effort was paying off. “Really, it is not what you think.”

She did not expect them to immediately listen to her words. Of course, they were not so easily convinced. But the first step-right now it was all that mattered. The most complex trick consisted of many steps-and the very first started it all, making everything possible.

“Hey, we all know what happened. You never defeated Ursa Major. You couldn’t even handle Ursa Minor! Twilight did all the job. You did nothing. You just ran away, because you were afraid that someone was actually greater and more powerful than you. How do you like that?” Dash said. Fluttershy kept looking at her with stern look in her eyes.

She went through much worse situation. Trixie knew-she had to know-how to behave in such situations. “This Trixie, she assures you, has nothing to do with her.” Trixie said calmly.

To unravel the great question of her present state, this was just the beginning, she said to herself. More awkward moments were soon going follow. She had to be ready to meet them all, handling everything so professionally that they ceased to be problems anymore. Her plan was going to work-she had to make it so.

“Quit joking around. You ARE Trixie, or are you going say no? Just look at you. Pointy hat, blue cape. This is not even funny.” Rainbow Dash said.

“Dash is right. You are Trixie.”

This was never funny from the start. Trixie sighed. She expected this, ever since she heard Trixie’s tale. But how to explain, how to make Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy to understand her situation, both Trixies’ strange happenings?

First step, to begin everything. “Yes, she is Trixie. But she is not Trixie, for she is Trixie.” Trixie said.

Even the Great and Powerful Trixie had hard time understanding what happened to her. Both Trixies themselves were not so sure, unable to form a reasonable explanation to make sense of the incident.

Trixie cleared her throat, giving her a moment to further clear her thoughts, and continued. “This may sound strange, but you have to listen to this Trixie. She is not who you thinks she is. The Trixie you speak of, she is not where she is supposed to be. This Trixie has met the same fate with that Trixie. At least that is her hypothesis. And this Trixie here figured it would be best to talk to Twilight.” Trixie continued to say.

Hopefully they were willing to listen. If not, she had another card up her wings-as pegasi often said.

“Speaking riddles now, huh? I bet Twilight makes better ones than yours!” Rainbow Dash snickered. “You said you are Trixie. Is this supposed to be a joke?”

Her hope rapidly dwindling, Trixie looked at Fluttershy, hoping (for no matter how infinitesimal small possibilities could be, chances was that seemingly impossible could happen eventually) at least she would at least try to say something in favor of Trixie. But to Trixie’s slight disappointment (not that she did not expect such reaction) she was as cold as ice.

So much for element of kindness-then again, Trixie probably never deserved it anyway in the first place.

But not this Trixie-that was the problem. Both Trixies in a wrong place, a truly bothersome happening it was.

“Anyway, you better say sorry for all the trouble you caused. You may have gotten away last time, but I’m going to make sure you properly apologize this time.” Dash said. She walked towards her then stopped.

She did not do it. Trixie never did anything in the first place. She just had her show, the audience was pleased. Everything was fine. Most importantly, she was not that Trixie. But the cyan pegasus in front of her was not going to listen.

She was just a few hooves away. Both of the pegasus’ wings were spread wide. Rainbow Dash was clearly intending to stick to her words, standing in the middle of the path, glaring so intently, like a predator marking its prey, looking for the right time to strike, ready to pounce at any moment’s notice.

“I will not move until you promise you are going to say sorry.” Dash said. And it was clear that her words were not hollow threats as she lowered her position, ready to sprint towards her.

At least Fluttershy was not moving. But her stare was so cold, so different from what she usually saw from the affectionate pegasus. Trixie wanted complain just whatever she did to be in such a situation. Searching for her memory, not a single thread was to be found that justified her current situation.

How did she get into this? Ever so complicated, the path of the magician was not a smooth one, curved, intertwined, and tangled with intricacies that she could never hope to fully comprehend. Magic was part of the world-and thus, every magic was bound to the reality, seemingly normal days always more magical than her hallucinatory tricks and warping images.

But she accepted this complex principle already, for she was Trixie. Not exactly mastering, but catching it almost instinctively. To overcome, to turn the tides, Trixie found it not so difficult. She was to devise a scheme, like the way she eventually found the single thread of reality among her vast inconceivable mind. Well, her friends Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were back in there somewhere, and Trixie had to concentrate on solving her immediate issues.

“Well? Are you going to apologize or not?” Rainbow Dash was growling now.

Great, now that was too much, she thought. Why did they have to be so overly hostile? No matter-it would at least make her less regrettable for tricking her ‘friends’. She checked her plan once again. Just a little trick, she said to herself.

Trixie took one step. The pegasus in front of her did not move, carefully observing her move. Yes, like Dash she knew. She wasn’t one of the best flyers over Equestria for nothing. She was naturally swift, able to maneuver her movement in an instant. When she was flying, she was more like a hawk than a pony. Born to fly, that was what others said about Rainbow Dash.

Focus on more immediate issue, like she done before. Another step. Still Dash did not move. Trixie saw her lips clenching, her leg muscles tensed.

One precise moment; that was all she needed to perform her trick.

To trick the neighsayer one more time, like Trixie. She smiled bitterly. It seemed she was going to apologize after all. Well, she thought; if Trixie was Trixie, then Rainbow Dash was Rainbow Dash. She was what Trixie knew, and what this Trixie knew-she would act in a way of which both Trixies expected her to be. A curious combination indeed, she momentarily contemplated upon the fact.

Not to forget the yellow-furred pegasus who was observing her every move. A secondary obstacle compared to one in front of her, but nonetheless a target not to be ignored. Would she move? She tried to expect her action. She might, she might not. Trixie was master of herself, but for others, she could only pretend. The Great and Powerful Trixie only pretended-with luck, a wit, and careful observation, ready to analyze and predict the course of action.

One step forward. Standing in the path, the two mares looked at each other. Both of them were biding their time, waiting for the right moment to strike their plan. To Trixie, it was unfortunate that her plan was for superior than Rainbow Dash’s. Could Dash expect her plan?

Definitely not.

The very moment to strike, she found it.

Trixie moved. This time, instead of moving one more step which was bound to trigger Dash to move, Trixie stepped back. “Trixie will apologize.” She muttered. Before the startled Dash could say anything, she lunged forward.

Still, Rainbow Dash acted relatively quickly. “Been expecting that!” Her wings flapped furiously. She dashed in front of Trixie.

“And she expected this.” Trixie whispered. She moved to the right, her magic temporarily boosting her body with an incredible speed. The cyan pegasus in front of her seemed to falter a bit-but she quickly adjusted her position, this time rushing from the left side.

Trixie cast a glance at Fluttershy, who was watching the two engaging in what seemed like a combat. She was clearly not intending to move, her wings folded on her both sides. Maybe she thought Dash would win. And she had good reason to think so. A fine pegasus Dash was, possessing both agility and grace. Even in this world, Dash was still Dash.

Sadly for them, and fortunately for Trixie, Trixie was determined to end this fast. And she was not going to stop her.

A fraction of second, and that was going to be enough for the Great and Powerful Trixie. She began to cast her teleporting spell. The very instant when Dash was about to tackle her down-Trixie expected the timing. She temporarily phased out from their sight.

“Urgh!” Seeing her target disappearing, Dash turned around, already adjusting her trajectory, focused on the magical sparks flashing off from her behind. With a speed that belied the combined acceleration seriously limiting her movement, she made a quick U-turn, charging towards the site where Trixie was going to appear.

She was going to; then she changed her mind. Every fraction of a fraction of a second counted. She waited for the right timing, forcibly shutting off the magical energy that was building towards her horn.

Back to where she started. One short moment to look at Fluttershy, who was still watching her with that-not-so-amused-look when her tricks did not work wonders as they should have been. No matter, she thought. Impressing her audience, she could do it without even thinking-she was a magician. And if somepony was watching her show, then she had to impress her-a good show she was going to behold.

Her magic was not quite finished yet. She cast her spells, this time directing its energy towards the rushing pegasus. The azure-colored light surrounded Rainbow Dash’s wing, making a sharp screech as it latched on to her. Dash winced-but to her surprise, the force surrounding her gradually slowed her down until she was hung in mid-air.

Trixie breathed hard, but short. Piece of cake, she thought, though it did fatigue her considerably. “Please, Rainbow Dash. Trixie here does not have time to wander around. She needs to see Twilight.” Trixie said, still catching her breath. She slowly controlled her magic, levitating the cyan pegasus then putting her down in the ground. “She is sorry.” Trixie said. “Forgive this Trixie for doing this, but were you in her position, you would have done the same.” Trixie bowed her head down.

The yellow-furred pegasus now had some visible change-and Trixie liked to see how her expression contained mild surprise. Not so profound, but the reaction was enough for her small trick.

“See how this Trixie is different from Trixie you know?” Trixie said. Hopefully her message would be much clearer this time.

Rainbow Dash cast a suspicious look, but she was, at least for now, willing to listen, her wings folded back to her sides. “Fine.” She said. “You certainly don’t have that Trixie feeling.” She looked around her. “But you look exactly like her. You even have the same cutie mark. How do you explain that?”

“I would like to ask the same question.” Fluttershy spoke, now much more hospitable to Trixie.

A good question they asked-and it bugged Trixie too. She knew so little-even that fact she could not be so sure.

Interpreting the language of the riddles was surely not an easy task, but Trixie figured she had no choice. “This Trixie is from a different world.” She said, attempting to organize her thoughts, picking out relevant threads from her ever-shifting memory. The choice she made-sometimes, it was better just to blurt it out. A magician had to remember the virtue of truth-she had to know how to use it properly, on every possible occasion she could ever think of, and those she could not even imagine.

“What?” The two pegasi spoke in unison, their tone not really different from what Trixie expected. Rainbow Dash’s face was showing the obvious sign of confusion, Fluttershy’s face being much the same.

Of course, they were going to say the word. Who could believe the concept of an alternative world actually existing? She had to convince them to understand the fact. They had to know; that was the part of her plan she came up with in the first place.

“Trixie here means when she means; do you think Trixie here is lying? Why would she do that?”

Maybe it could have been avoided, maybe; very small chance of that actually happening, but nonetheless the possibility actually existing. Trixie in this world played a little trick on her ‘friends’. And she ran away. It was a problem of other Trixie she one day had to resolve on her own-had this had not happened.

Rainbow Dash was quick to raise an objection. “That doesn’t even make sense, Trixie. You just said you are Trixie!”

“Yes, she knows how you feel. It does not make much sense. Even this Trixie is still not sure how this had happened.”

“Wait, so there are two Trixies then? Are you sure? A different world?” The cyan pegasus was persistent in holding her suspicion.

“You just said yourself this Trixie did not have ‘that Trixie feeling’, didn’t you? Then do you not think that this Trixie here is not your Trixie, thus confirming my statement?” She directly looked at her. Not to be arrogant; for this moment, Trixie had to be serious and sincere.

“Well…” Fluttershy said. “Even if you say that, it’s really hard to understand.”

“Yeah, care to explain?”

Trixie took a deep breath. Yes; how to understand and how to explain-the great questions which could be the starting point for her magic. “Because.” Trixie said. “You too know something is wrong if Trixie does not speak so Great and Powerful, don’t you think? Anything you can do, Trixie can do better. That is what Trixie is supposed to say. She does not say ‘She is sorry’. As far as she knows, Trixie should not say that, at least in this world. Because she is Trixie. And because this Trixie is not her, something has got to be wrong, would it not be?”

They did not say anything, obviously thinking upon the fact they forgot. Making progress.

“Still don’t quite get it.” Dash said.

“Let’s put it this way.” Trixie said, hoping her comparison would work. She just made it up just a moment ago-but it was the best explanation she could come up with at the moment. “You two obviously know how to fly, right?”

“No kidding.” Dash said. Fluttershy looked a bit uncertain, but nodded nonetheless.

“Then can you explain Trixie how to do it? How exactly you move your wings in the sky, and how do you steer yourself in the air? By what mechanism you stay afloat despite the wind?” Trixie said. She waited for their reply.

Rainbow Dash was the first one to speak. “I don’t know? Heck, how do I explain that? I just know it naturally. I think it’s in my head somewhere.”

Trixie smiled, seeing Dash making a surprised face.

“Wait, so you tell me that’s how you feel right now? That feeling you somehow know, but can’t quite explain?” Dash said.

“I think that is what she is talking…like the feeling you somehow understand how animals feel?” Fluttershy finally spoke.

Perfect. Now they were on agreeable terms. To proceed, she said to herself. To carry out her plan further.

Trixie nodded. “Yes.” She walked towards Rainbow Dash. She did not move this time. “Trixie admits she does not know much right now. What caused this? How did this happen? Lots of questions she has in mind. Princess Celestia’s protégé Twilight is, and Trixie thinks she can be a great help to her.”

“You sound as if you know Twilight personally.” Dash said, her tone displaying her slight apprehension.

Yes-Trixie was well aware of that. She was about to get that point. One step at a time, she thought. It was good that they were not as hostile as they were before. They were now listening to who they believed to be Trixie, and it was a great improvement.

A very tiny bit of a second-that was to give her enough time to wonder how to execute the next step of her plan. Introduction was somewhat done-but not quite. Like a magician revealing her tricks, she would explain only what she thought to be necessary. How much could they know? Trixie had to decide.

“Of course, she knows Twilight very well.” Trixie said without hesitating. “Trixie knows every one of you. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie. Each one of you represents the element of harmony.”

She quickly glanced over their faces. Surprised expressions; then it was good enough for her. “Let us not forget Spike, Twilight’s number one assistant. Snips and Snails-Trixie heard they used to be Trixie’s fan. What a coincidence, to think my two trustworthy assistants are Trixie’s followers in this world.” Trixie finished her word, anticipating some reaction from them. Naturally they were going to wonder how Trixie knew it all. Both Trixies would know-Trixie had her own ways of knowing-but this Trixie, she had to know. After all, she was their friend.

“What are you talking about? We never saw you before.” Dash said, still recovering from what she perceived to be a great revelation.

“This Trixie here said she is from a different world.” Trixie said. “She is-as they say-from an alternative universe.”

“Okaaay….” Dash’s voice trailed off. The two pegasi looked at her, their eyes like children who just could not comprehend the complexity of the world around them.

“And Trixie expected this.” She sighed again. And Twilight was definitely going to have the same reaction, she thought. “Well, now you two know that this Trixie is different from your Trixie.”

“Wait! You said you are going to Twilight’s place, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, we are going too.”

“Trixie does not find any problem with that.”

Trixie walked to Ponyville, the two pegasi following behind. They were getting close, soon getting next to her. Fluttershy blushed.

“I thought it would be better if we walk together. If you don’t mind?” The yellow pegasus meekly said.

“No problem.” Trixie said.

At least they would attempt to explain to Twilight, Trixie figured. And still, even in a different world they appeared to be her friends. She had the feeling-Fluttershy was right. The feeling was there, that they were different, nonetheless the same ponies she knew. Somehow. Like a pegasus naturally knew how to fly, she had the feeling.

How unfortunate of Trixie, to regard them as the neighsayer. Then again, she had her own issues, probably, Trixie thought, as the three ponies walked towards the center of the Ponyville.

The same hallway, reminding her how this had all happened. Trixie would have loved to walk this place with her friends-other Trixie, that was. That Trixie must have been very different from her, judging from the bearers’ reaction towards her.

Was she feel to envy, she wondered. To be jealous?

But she never thought about it. First time, she did quite know what had happened to her. Second, Trixie realized something was wrong. Then she contemplated ever since, of how to get back to her world, where Trixie was not the hero, but just a magician whose show was trampled by the pesky neighsayers.

So why would she want to go back?

Trixie bit her lips. Not a good sign, but she just had to do it, the act reminding her of the current situation. Because she was Trixie. She was the Great and Powerful Trixie. She was Trixie, and she was only Trixie. Nothing else, nothing more.

Trixie looked around. The six ponies were chatting with each other, the mood ever so jolly. She could not find a way to break into their circle. Perhaps other Trixie might, but not Trixie.

“Trixie?”

Twilight’s voice-Trixie woke from her train of thoughts. Was she thinking that hard? They were all looking at her. A slight twitch inside her, the feeling of heavy lead in her stomach-the uncomfortable feeling. They were looking at her, thinking about her. But about what? Why?

Trixie silently gulped. Nopony was going to notice what she just did. “Yes?” Trixie said. Was she displaying sign of loneliness? Because she was just a magician and they were not really her friends? Was she sad?

Trixie could not tell.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, Trixie is fine. She is now more attuned of this world, it seems. Trixie does not feel so tired and dizzy anymore.”

“Aha! That’s so good! We were really worried about you, Trixie!”

The jolly voice of Pinkie Pie-ever since from that day, she remembered all of the bearers’ names. So typical of that earth pony-but who was she worried about? This Trixie, or the other Trixie?

Did she not know the answer already?

Trixie smiled. “She is fine now.”

But which Trixie? This Trixie, or the other?

“That is good to hear. Now, the Starswirl wing should be here somewhere…”

She could not stop herself from thinking. Which Trixie?

Talking with others

“I can’t believe we are going to the Starswirl Wing…just imagine all the wonders we might come across! I’m just so excited!” Twilight Sparkle said enthusiastically as she walked down the corridors.

“Well, I for one simply have to wonder why the place was never revealed to everypony except a few.” Rarity said.

“Not particularly interested, but for Trixie, I guess I have no choice but to follow. Rainbow Dash said.

“Uh, so when is the princess comin’ back?”

“Have patience, Applejack. I’m sure Princess Celestia and Luna have their own issues to deal with.”

“If ya say so, Twilight.”

The merry conversation between the bearers. The six ponies all along by each other, walking the hallway that leads to the library. They were Trixie’s friends.

And so there was Trixie among them. Perfectly normal. But out of place, right?

No doubt.

There was Trixie. There used to be Trixie. Now that Trixie was gone, and they were looking for her. Not Trixie, but their Trixie. Their Trixie-could Trixie ever imagine being called as such?

Words-words had power. Her magic depended on her speech. The Great and Powerful. Indeed, uttering the name made Trixie truly Great and Powerful. Their influence was not to be ignored. As a magician she had to translate magic to her speech. Lies and illusions spoke their own language. Trixie had to know. The Great and Powerful Trixie had to understand the words and know its proper usage.

The possessive case was never meant for Trixie. Trixie was just Trixie. My Trixie. Your Trixie. His Trixie. Her Trixie. Their Trixie. All wrong, not quite right. The word that was most fitting for Trixie was not such. Only her title-the Great and Powerful-was a true match for her. Somepony’s Trixie-no, that was not possible. It was simply not going to happen.

She had to know herself well, to be in charge of her all the time. Endless thoughts, she had to make it end somehow. To focus on more immediate issues. The atmosphere. Was there something wrong? Trixie looked around. She sniffed the air. Or was she just overreacting? The sweet smell of the perfume was all over Canterlot hallway. Not too strong, but just right amount that filled a pony’s nose with delight. The air was regularly circulated. Trixie never really understood how exactly the mechanism worked, but she was smart enough (and much more, to be exact) to figure out the guards activated some kind of ventilation spell every day.

Not cold, not hot, just cozily warm air that gently caressed Trixie’s body. It was softly touching her fur, the feeling of being brushed. She liked the feeling. Every fur being stroked gently, the exceptional touch of a skilled professional-

So why was she having a slight twitch constantly? Mixed emotion of jealousy, confusion, and false alarm-or was it false? So many questions, her mind ever vigilantly producing them; which Trixie did they really care? Who were they really?

But did she not know the answer already? They were looking for their Trixie. Not Trixie, but their Trixie. A very crucial difference.

Control. Trixie silently grumbled under her lips. Another reality-the concept kept bothering her. She had been to Starswirl Wing-no, she was never there, but she heard the name, back in her own world. She tried to remember what her mentor said. He described the place as he told her. And young Trixie was mesmerized by the idea of a library full of magical spells. So many mysteries, so many wonders. One day, she said to herself, she would ask the sun princess herself to be granted access to the place.

How ironic was for her wish to suddenly come true, in an unexpected time from an unexpected place? She recalled his voice. Somewhat coarse voice of a stallion-but it was a sweet music to Trixie’s ear; the place where truly arcane spells were stored, how spectacular could the place be?

What did he say? Trixie tried to remember, diving deep into her thoughts.

‘To be honest, it’s nothing special. I’ve been there several times, but the dull air just kills it for me. The place really needs to be flashier. Like in the books. Ever recall how they always make the library so wonderfully ornamented with every sophiscated meaningless artifices as much as possible? It needs to be like that. Now that would be better!’ He laughed, gulping down the apple cider in an instant, emptying his cup. The bar was his favorite place to hang around, and Trixie too often found the somewhat shabby place strangely comforting, despite the queer air that was imprinted on the very walls.

‘But if it is a place where somepony cannot normally go, it must be very special, would it not be?’ Trixie said, sipping her teas. Bars or not, she still preferred the bittersweet rose tea. The owner of the place, despite his roughneck appearance, sure was an expert at creating the perfect masterpiece of the heavenly delight she eagerly sought on all occasions.

Her mentor laughed heartily. ‘The most noticeable thing about Starswirl Wing, my dear Trixie, is the huge hourglass at the center. Truly huge it is-I heard they had to travel to the very far north to get the special timber to construct such wooden frame. Imbued with most advanced unicorn magic, the device sustains itself, turning as soon as the bottom is completely filled with sand.’

‘And Trixie assumes that is somehow related to the time itself? Perhaps it foretells coming of a certain age that will either be a final doom or a new hope for Equestria?’

Again he laughed, this time louder. ‘Ha! Good one, Trixie. No, it’s just a big fancy clock showing how much hour has left for the guards on their duty.’

Trixie frowned. ‘That is not what Trixie expected. She now knows one cannot judge a book by its cover, but that, she thinks, is fairly anticlimactic.’

‘Old Starswirl was quite a fellow, mind you. He thought it would be good to make a clock so big that everypony would immediately notice upon entering the place. Too bad nopony’s actually interested in going there.’

‘What do you mean?’ Trixie asked. How could the place, where ancient spells lied, be so easily forgotten? She just could not grasp the idea of ponies ignoring the perfect treasure chest waiting to be opened.

‘First few years, Princess Celestia made it sure to guard the place well. Words are very magical, Trixie, and this specific term-ancient-could be synonymous with so many things. But what would ya know? Nopony ever came. Nopony ever asked the princess to gain entry. So her highness thought it would be just fine to leave the place. Now it’s like any other place in the library, just less known. I’m pretty sure she would grant admission to anypony if asked.’

‘So does that mean Trixie can go there if she wants to?’

He grinned. ‘Exactly, missy.’ He shouted out loud, the voice booming the entire place. ‘One more cider for me!’ His voice then suddenly changed to softer tone. ‘And bring this Great and Powerful lady some of her favorite.’ He smirked as Trixie looked at him with somewhat cold stare. ‘Feeling not so Great and Powerful? Hah, I’m sure your favorite will definitely make you so.’

He was always like this. Trixie now knew it well. To concentrate on more important problem. So did she really want to go right now? Trixie saw his face. So rough and relaxed, a pony could mistake him for a drunken brawler who had his fair amount of salt.

Nonetheless she knew it now. The old axiom, ancient wisdom conveyed through generations-a pony was never to judge a book by its cover. One needed to investigate, to look further, deeper into the very core, and check every places she might have missed. Did she really desire it? She had to think, think ever hard.

When the owner charged through the crowds and placed the tray filled with cups, she said thank you and drank the tea. The liquid would help her to think. Or at least she believed to be so. And sometimes believing could actually work.

Trixie finally spoke after a prolonged silence. ‘Trixie have the feeling that she is not quite ready to be in Starswirl Wing, even if she was to gain the permission to enter the place.’

He looked at her with a curious face, still grinning. ‘Now tell me, Great and Powerful Trixie-why would you say that?’

Trixie knew what she was facing. The title, there had to be a reason her mentor uttered it. Was she Great and Powerful enough? ‘Because Trixie figured that she is not quite ready.’ She said, taking another sip of the fine rose tea the owner made.

‘Not ready, eh?’

Trixie nodded. ‘Even if she were to come across age-old spells, she would not be able to understand it clearly.’ Trixie said, organizing her thoughts, wondering if she could convey what she really thought to him. ‘For ancient can mean many things, its qualities too often arcane in nature. Trixie doubts whether she will actually understand if she is given the chance to study them.’

He gave another big laugh. ‘Ha! Now that’s a good one, worthy of the Great and Powerful Trixie. Even I doubt I will truly understand their nature. Yes. Nopony can understand a thing. Last time I’ve heard, the spells are now pretty much forgotten. And they would definitely have a good reason for being so.’ He said. ‘Too complicated and too complex, probably. Now, could the Great and Powerful Trixie understand it, ey?’

‘No.’ She said firmly without a doubt. He made a curious face, as if anticipating something to follow her short reply. ‘Not for now. Trixie is Great and Powerful because she knows she is not quite there yet.’ She took another sip of the tea. ‘But she will be able to know it, and use it one day, for she is the Great and Powerful Trixie.’

‘Wonderful. Mastery before manipulation, eh?’

‘Clarification before control.’ Trixie said. She heard him laughing again, emptying the cider glass in an instant.

Trixie saw the big hourglass sign was on the wall. Below was the large sign that read ‘Starswirl Wing’.

“Well…this is not what I quite expected.” Twilight said, staring at the door. “I thought it would be more…fancy.”

“I concur.” Rarity looked at the sign. “This is the place where Princess Celestia said to wait, right?” She watched intently, as if waiting for something magical to happen. “Clearly it is not so fancy as onepony would expect, Twilight. I would say it is very mundane-at its finest, strangely.”

“Uh…right.” Twilight said. “Hmm. Well, this part of the library I have never been before. How did I miss the door? It’s not like the place is completely hidden with concealment spell.” Twilight’s horn glowed for a moment and the purplish light touched the hourglass sign. “Nope, nothing special here.”

Trixie knew where to look-he told her. He often talked about the place. The Canterlot Library she visited many times. He said it was very easy to find if a pony knew where to look. It was quite novel, he said, that the place seemed to magically ‘appear’ to only those who were trying to find the place. If one paid no attention, then he or she could easily miss the place. That was what he said.

“Trixie?”

“She is listening.” Trixie said, quickly breaking away from one of many flashbacks she possessed. She turned to Twilight. It was her voice. She could not miss it, absolutely not.

She was not lost in her thoughts again, was she? Of course not. The lavender unicorn was just going to ask her something. Trixie could expect that. Naturally a unicorn like her would take great interest in the library wing she never visited. If there happened to be somepony who could tell her about the secret wonders that lied on Canterlot Library, then she would be more cooperative.

“So you said you are from a different world…and that means there is Twilight Sparkle from where you came, right?”

Her mentor told her about many secrets about many things. Not all of them were dark; some were bizarre, and some were just too absurdly strange. He never said if it was real or not. Was she tricked by him, believing in stories that never happened in reality?

“Yes. And as Trixie said, you, Twilight sparkle, was the one who vanquished Ursa Minor in the end. Your use of spells was indeed remarkable.”

Perhaps; she could never believe everything he said. Not that he did ever mind. He was the most able trickster she ever met-and that was the reason she begged him to be her instructor. To become Greater. More Powerful. He scoffed at her first, but eventually her want to learn the trick impressed him. So the lessons began.

Twilight’s face showed a sign of slight disturbance. “But I did not do that. It’s not technically me…it’s just not scientifically possible. Two me? If I happened to cast time spells and go back to the past; that might make some sense. But I did not. How is this possible?”

He knew the path so well. Or he did not. He knew absolutely nothing about it. And he knew it perfectly well. He said the way was so crooked that it was ultimately straight. The far ends met in the end, he emphasized again and again.

“Trixie too, does not quite comprehend what has truly happened. The only thing she knows for certain is that she looked into the mirror and suddenly found herself in this world. You remember the old changing room, right?”

“So that’s when you were here?” The lavender unicorn walked back and forth along the hallway, her surprisingly heavy steps seemingly almost possible to leave deep track on the soild stone floor. “Let’s see. The dress. Yes, I remember we talking about how lovingly our dresses were. Rarity made them for us. You thought-wait, Trixie thought-it was a good idea to match our dress colors to each other’s mane colors. Wait.” Twilight stopped. The five ponies looked at her. Trixie too, kept a close watch at Twilight.

“But back then, Trixie was still there…right?”

Trixie nodded. “Yes. Other Trixie. It was she who was there.”

“You mean when Twilight went to that changing room to look for Trixie?”

“Yes, Fluttershy.” Trixie said.

Clarification-she could surely benefit from it. The mind of Trixie had to always put into work. She needed all the tricks she could use; not just petty tricks, but truly magnificent masterpiece that was more of an art than a mere con. To play the grand scheme of Trixie. She had to remind herself. To be above the stage once again, addressing proudly to her audience. She would return to her place. She was inside the mirror, taking part in this great artifice, but not for long.

“But if Trixie was still Trixie…how do you know what happened in that room?” Twilight said.

“Trixie was about to get to the point.” She wondered too-was what she was thinking really right? She was looking at them, right? “Until some point, she was watching you two talking to each other. Trixie was still Trixie then. This Trixie was outside the mirror…but not quite. Trixie was watching you through the mirror.”

“Oooh, that sounds very interesting.” Pinkie Pie said.

“And very strange.” Twilight said. She was now walking back and forth again.

The line, when did she really cross it? Trixie was not Trixie they knew. They were same, but different. It did not make much sense, of course, but the path of an illusionist was exactly like this. Seemingly simple, but complex, or vice versa, or everything combined together. Two furthest points meeting together in the end. So hard, so easy.

“One point, Trixie found herself in Trixie’s place.”

“Sure is strange, if ya ask me.” Applejack said. “Ah could never get quite hold of unicorn magics.”

Was it really magic, Trixie had to wonder. Even that she could not be so sure.

“I am positively sure the princess will explain us about this spell. Then everything would be much clearer.” Rarity said, looking out to the far side of the alley. “I think I’m hearing somepony coming this way…could it be the princess?”

Princess Celestia did say she knew about the spell. But how much did she know? Could they understand it? If the spell was in the Starswirl wing, it had good reason to be there.

Was Trixie ready? She vowed to herself that one day she would be in front of the door that led to the very place. By her own, of course. By then, she would be ready to understand what she could not understand before, to accept the mysterious ways of how magic worked.

But now she was about to enter the place, was she not?

She looked at the door. Like Rarity and Twilight said, it did not look mystical in nature. Not at all. Some would not even agree to call it a door. It was just a black bar with a lock on it, the ones that could be found on Canterlot dungeons of which she once had to go through. To her it seemed not very proper of honoring Starswirl. From the entrance it was looking like rusty old storage. Her mentor did say it was not really that special-but this she did not quite expect.

The image could be deceiving; Trixie did not forget the fact. He said Starswirl was quite a guy. In his opinion, the term ‘eccentric’ meant ‘normal’ for Starswirl.

Which could explain this rather shabby place ‘honoring’ him, Trixie thought.

The Everfree forest surely had its distinctive atmosphere. The darkness she found it very familiar. Like the very day she happened to come across Twilight and her friends, shrouded in mystery she found it hard to pierce through. Where the bright light did not reach began the realm of the shadow. Nopony could ever truly know what happened in the absence of light, and many did not prefer to know.

Trixie found gazing at the darkness not a pleasant task. One tended to imagine lots of things in still emptiness filled with something darker than black. The place was like a huge abyss that happened to exist on the surface.

Then Ponyville too, would be much like what she knew. Fluttershy’s shed was the starting point. It marked the boundary of the small town. Many ponies said how it was very strange for creatures from the deep of the Everfree Forests to never approach where the shy pegasus lived. Starting from there, the air changed considerably. It was much warmer.

Trixie saw the sight of town getting closer. And then there was the ponies doing their own business, each busily engaged in their tasks. Even in the deep of the night many ponies seemed to be awake, as if the darkness was just a mere absence of light, and thus nothing to be fearful of. But upon seeing Trixie, some of them were quite visibly startled. They did not overly display their agitation of seeing the failed magician, but there was no way the subtle nuances would ever escape from the Great and Powerful Trixie.

“Interesting. Ponyville looks…fairly same as I know.” Trixie said, trying to keep her eyes on everything she saw as much as possible, innocently smiling back to ponies who looked at her with slightly confused face.

“You sound like you know Ponyville very well.” Dash was following behind her, now much more willing to accept the fact that Trixie was not quite Trixie she knew. Fluttershy was further away, but her face did not convey that much sign of disapproval. Eventually she would make it up to her, she thought.

“Back in her world, she met Twilight and others just outside of Ponyville.” Trixie said. Again making the meekest smile she could muster to the pony who stared at her with dumbfound expression. “She will tell her tale when she reaches Twilight’s library. Trixie now thinks we are almost there?”

“Yep. Should be there about a minute.” Dash said.

As they walked, Trixie saw the giant tree gradually rising from the horizon. Truly, Ponyville was different from the deeps of Everfree Forests. The huge tree stood there, its thick branches spreading out to the sky like its roots taking firm place in the earth. It was literally looking like a plant, not an ominous creature that was leeching everything it touched with its warped tendrils. Trees back in where Trixie’s small cottage was, they were unnatural in nature; but their wicked influence could not ever pervade through here.

One window was lighted. Twilight too was still awake, it seemed, probably immersed in her study in the library. Trixie had been there several times, spending many enjoyable moments with Twilight, discussing about magic spells all night long. She was her best friend.

But in here, Twilight was her rival that she had to overcome. Both Trixies, both Twilights. Just what made the difference? Why Trixie had to be left in the cold open of Everfree Forests, and Twilight not her friend, but her competitor? The true magic was the world itself. And Trixie could never quite fully grasp its mysterious nature.

She now stood at the door. How to approach? She thought. Just knock and say that the Great and Powerful Trixie was now here, back at Ponyville?

Rainbow Dash stood next to her, as if contemplating on something. “Listen, I feel me and Fluttershy should go in first, you know? I figured it’d be better if we tell Twilight about your strange case…whatever exactly that is. Would that be okay for you?”

One moment to think-and the chance she had to use it wisely. Supposedly Twilight was very shy about ‘showing off’ her magic skills. And she did not stop Trixie. Why, she could not quite understand. Was it an act of kindness, or was it a deliberate plan of hers to instill good reputation? Maybe she really meant to not to pursue her and humiliate Trixie further, hoping that one day she would regret.

But would Trixie ever? To Trixie, Twilight’s innocent act may have been more fatal blow. One did not always have to endeavor to hurt other. Sometimes, all it needed was just an incredible stroke of luck that just could not be explained.

“She thinks that would be most appropriate.” Trixie said, quickly folding myriad thoughts spawning inside her once again, like she always did with great efficiency. “No good would come out of surprising her.”

“Well then, just wait a minute or so, okay? Come, Fluttershy. It’s really strange, but guess Twilight might know more once she hears from us.”

“Right.”

After Dash tapped on the door several times, and when she was just about to strike, the door opened. Trixie knew who she was facing. The purple dragon was always seen around Twilight. Spike was still her assistant, even in this reality. She found it very interesting. So much overlapping qualities, so why different Trixies?

“Sorry, I was just writing down all the magic reports Twilight has been studying. And-huh?”

Nopony could be dull enough to miss the surprised look on his face. Here we go again, Trixie said to herself. She knew who he was and vice versa. But was that not a different story? He was one of the neighsayers who dared to shout discouraging words to the show of the Great and Powerful Trixie.

Gladly for her, Rainbow Dash was quick to act. “Wait, wait! I know how you feel, but we can all explain it later. Where’s Twilight?”

His puzzled expression got quite amusing. “Huh? Dash, are you really speaking in favor of Trixie? Did I miss something?”

Dash looked at Trixie. “It’s kinda hard to explain.” And indeed it was. “She said she is not Trixie we know, and that she is from a different world.” Dash said. “I know, it don’t make much sense, but I’m sure that is actually true.”

Simplest things could become quite difficult to take. But they were managing relatively well, weren’t they?

Spike was still not very convinced, it seemed. “But she just looks like Trixie…”

Then again, Trixie could not really blame him for that. A magical mirror that had the power to swap two ponies in a different world-most would just simply regard it as ancient legends or old pony’s tale.

But ancient meant many things, right? The past could predict what was to come. No matter how absurd it may be.

“I’m sure she is not Trixie we think her to be.” Fluttershy spoke, this time in a very firm tone, making her immediately getting attention of two ponies and one dragon. “She doesn’t look so mean. She just…feels different.”

“Not you too, Fluttershy? Geez, either Trixie tricked you two or she has really changed.” Spike said, his tone conveying he was still not ready to fully believe who Trixie really was.

And Trixie had to correct him on this matter. “Both of your assumptions are wrong, actually.” Spike stared at her, who was still having that look, convinced that she was the one responsible for the recent mess. Trixie walked close to him, and he flinched, as if expecting her to cast a malevolent spell.

But even she knew, right? That Trixie was never one to blame for that from the start? If she was to be accused, then it was only for her being not so prepared.

“As Trixie said to Dash and Fluttershy, this Trixie is clearly not Trixie you know.” She said, hoping the young dragon would get the message this time. Now she stood very close to him, grinning in the most serene face she could fabricate.

“Yeah, Spike. Even I see she is not we usually know.”

“Well, if you say so.” Dash’s word had the effect Trixie desired, as Spike walked back to the door.

After a while there was the voice, going ‘What?’ from the distance. It became quiet once again, followed by a loud hoof steps from the distance. Twilight Sparkle appeared from the door, her mane looking like blown by a huge tornado. The lavender unicorn looked at her with wide eyes. Trixie just smiled. The same reaction-well, they had the rights to do so, she thought.

“Trixie?”

“Yes. She is Trixie. But not Trixie.” Trixie sighed. She was not going to understand it. But that was how it happened. A mirror there was, and it somehow its magical nature swapped two Trixies from two different worlds which were so similar.

“Huh?” Twilight said, still not very aware of the sight before her, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy standing awkwardly next to Trixie.

“Didn’t you say you met future self? Yeah, I think her case is kinda similar.” Rainbow Dash said in an uncertain voice.

Trixie looked into the mirror

Trixie and others did not have to wait long. Princess Celestia came back with her sister after they waited for few more minutes. After the sun princess summoned the guard pony with the key, of which she inserted into the hole to open the steel-barred door, Trixie and the bearers walked inside, finding themselves at the part of the library which few knew nowadays, the Starswirl Wing.

Trixie thought of hesitating a second. Why? Because a magician was to plan her every move as much as possible, and being the greatest magician in all over Equestria, even the act of hesitation had to be planned. The chance of entering the place she aspired for so long-now it was coming to her so freely. A most gracious offer, a moment Trixie has been waiting for. The opportunity was there for Trixie to take it a filly getting her birthday present.

But was she truly ready? One could never be so sure about anything. Tricked or not be tricked, the dividing line lied in one being extremely careful as much as possible, expecting every possibilities and checking them again and again. She had to search her memory and be mindful of the particular thread well. Diligently her mind worked. Ancient could mean many things. The intricacies of words and their multiple meanings, was Trixie well versed in the art of trickery to face them?

After a quick look around the place, Trixie realized the place was just like her teacher described. There was nothing much special about the place, except for the giant hourglass that stood tall in the middle of the room, displaying its magnificent posture to those entered the wing, sustained by two huge wooden frames at its top and bottom. Through the glass one could see the sand falling steadily, its flow smooth as a trickle of a stream, never wavering but forming a rhythm that produced a silent music of its own. There was no way that the object could not be touched by unicorn magic-truly it represented the unending time with the incessant movement of shifting sands inside the apparatus.

Unfortunately, other than that, the Starswirl Wing was no doubt going to disappoint those who initially marveled at the grand and awesome sight of the giant hourglass. Trixie found the wonders of the place quick to run out. Even the most eager unicorn who delighted in learning the mysteries of magic would be unable to hide her disappointment. As soon as one moved her sight from the giant object, the next things she was going to encounter was the dull brown-colored bookshelves stuffed with pallid yellowish scrolls, filling every parts and corners, ultimately dominating the entire space. No fancy and comfortable sofas to sit down and enjoy reading the book, no soft blue lights that were great help to read at night, and no intricate, elaborate magical signs at the walls showing which section was one currently at. It was more of a large storehouse rather than a library, filled with scrolls and more scrolls that lay silent in the dusty shelves, smelling of the very age they withstood withering in the dark shadows.

The atmosphere even seemed to affect Trixie’s breathing. It was just like the ancient perfumes that resided in the old changing room when she first found herself as Trixie who was a friend of Twilight Sparkle. But that ancient was like memories that were waiting to be read upon by others, each one holding fragrances of the past that sometimes one longed for. This ancient, however, was something else. Trixie did not want to delve into its contents: covered in age-old dusts, forgotten in the shadows, holding deathly quietness and dreadful silence of the past that now completely ceased to exist, the memories now long gone from most of the ponies’ minds.

And of course, Trixie did not have to remind herself of the fact that such memories residing in the realm of the oblivion had many good reasons for doing so. Looking into such pasts could lead to problems. Her mind quickly moved to other subjects. She slightly moved her eyes to the bearers. How were they faring?

Like Trixie, she concluded. Initial surprise, then probably followed by subsequent disappointment. At first, Twilight’s eyes grew wide upon seeing the huge hourglass. Unfortunately for her, the lavender unicorn’s high expectations rapidly faded as she discovered the rest of the place. The rest of the bearers were not much different as they looked around the whole circle, they thinking how the place could be so dull and boring, and wondering if they had not yet recognized anything wonderfully mysterious about the hidden section of the library which was sealed for so long.

“Well…this is not what I quite expected.” Twilight’s head titled slightly to the right, probably hoping that she could somehow find some mystical icons or signs that could convince her that this was indeed the Starswirl Wing, known only by a few which held so many wonders of the past.

“Her teacher did say it did not live up to most ponies’ expectations.”

“It sure doesn’t look fun.” The cyan pegasus muttered.

“Old Starswirl specifically wanted it to be that way.” Princess Luna said with a smile on her face. “He begged us to let him direct the construction of the place.”

“And we thought it would be nice to grant his wish for all the services he provided to Equestria.” Princess Celestia said. “But yes, even we do find it very strange. You could say it is quite stuffy in here. Well, this is Starswirl we are talking about, so it should not surprise us much.” She grinned.

Plain or not, if the princesses could find the scrolls they talked about, and then it did not matter for Trixie. Even her intricately woven mind holding so many threads of realities and illusions could not fathom over her situation so effectively she desired to be; sometimes a help from others was, indeed, necessary. She just had to return the favor in some way, for the Great and Powerful Trixie was determined to pay all the debts she owned to others, as her title required a bit of generosity that was expected from one being so Great and Powerful. She had to her image to keep, after all. But how to? She had to think while all these events were happening around her.

“So sister, where do you think we can find the scrolls? I am very sure it is located here somewhere. Even I sometimes lose direction in this ancient place.”

“If I am right, Luna, any spells related with mirrors should be on section M. He did stress alphabetization was important for later uses. He was right, it seems.”

“Let us head that way, then. Lead the way, sister.”

“As you wish, Luna. Come, my dear ponies.”

The two alicorn princesses swiftly strode through the tall bookshelves which were lined like soldiers in their marching position. Twilight and others followed. Trixie too, seeing that they were on the move once again, did not hesitate to join the trail. As long as she was here, it was probably best for her to make good impression, she told herself.

As the group moved Trixie did not have to remind herself who was at the very last of the whole group. But did she really have to point out the obvious fact? Yes, for clarification was very important. Then again, she could not help but to cringe a little when she saw where she was. Trixie was behind them. Princess Celestia and Luna, Twilight and her friends; they could group together. What about Trixie? Well, she was on her own, right at the very end of the line.

It should not have bothered her. Definitely not. The fact was as clear as pure crystalline water. It was dead obvious to the point that even the most foolish neighsayer could not dare to ask a question about it. So clear it almost hurt to look at its brightness, piercing the very blackness of ignorance. Well, there was only one who could be truly Great and Powerful. She was better off alone.

But she knew something was not right, did she not? A magician’s sense was as sharp as a blade-and as deadly as well. Her logic could be so easily refuted. Of course one needed not to be alone to be Great and Powerful. Twilight Sparkle, she was better skilled then her in magic, and yet she had friends which she could look forward to-

Just why did she suddenly think of the lavender unicorn? Because Trixie was jealous, was she not? Her thoughts stopped for a second. For Trixie it felt like an eternity, the flow of time completely stopped at this very specific point, everything else not mattering to her. In reality-in the world inside the mirror-the very present lasted no more than a second. Nevertheless Trixie realized that she could almost perceive the concept of time being very unreliable, so easily influenced by her own feelings. When she felt afraid, time also felt afraid, and then it refused to move forward, abandoning its movement. Or at least that was how her mind was going to interpret it.

To question was her nature, and Trixie just had to ask herself what she really thought of this whole situation. How did she feel when she saw Trixie being so intimate with the lavender unicorn? How did she react when she realized with a cold shudder that Trixie was not really Trixie herself?

Control. Word had power. Control. It was going to make her feel much better-no, no really, but it could make her calmer.

It could not. As long as she was here, she could hardly feel better. She just pretended herself that she was fine with the current situation. She was a shrewd liar-she had no shame in proclaiming herself to be so. To deceive, to trick, to tell not the truth, to speak less of the fact, and to tweak here and there-she just loved the act, delighted in doing so. Because she was a magician, also an illusionist, and also the Great and Powerful Trixie.

The confusion inside her was never to be revealed; the most basic step of practicing the path of a magician was to choose what to display to others. As the Great and Powerful Trixie, she was to read, not to be read. As she followed the groups in front of her she stayed close, not straying off by being lost in her thoughts. She was trained well, and she was not going to make such basic mistake.

But she did fail, as she did not except that she could not expect. The two asses. The neighsayers. She was not so effective in handling untold circumstances. On the other hand, the lavender unicorn who was much better than her, even in terms of magic skills, under the immense pressure of facing the terrible Ursa Minor, composed herself well and quickly acted in a way that Trixie could not.

Could she doubt the skill of the lavender unicorn?

Nope, she said to herself.

So she was better than her, right?

Control. She firmly said to herself, biting her lips (she lost count already) so hard that she thought she could taste the blood inside of her mouth. Control.

She had to focus on what was going around her right now. Even now Princess Celestia and Luna were guiding Trixie closer to the answer she so strived for. One step closer to solving the strange situation that she has gotten into, though the solution was most likely to be given by others, not Trixie herself. Not that it particularly bothered Trixie. It did not hurt her highly conceited self at all. Why should she feel that way? Getting help from others was not going to look so honorable, but it was highly unlikely that anypony would mind. A straight path was best to take, but detours and crooked sideways could be welcomed on various occasions.

The problem was that her ice cold reason sometimes conflicted with her burning feelings. It was a very tiresome task of maintaining balance between the two, she prowling along the edge. Trixie was definitely going to remember later she could not solve this riddle on her own. When she would come across this thread of her memory in the future, how would she react? Admit that she was not so Great and Powerful?

But what was so wrong about receiving help from others? She could feign humility if she wanted to. Even the Greatest magician ever in all over Equestria could not expect to face every obstacles with dignity that was often expected from her. Sometimes, one needed some nice little tricks to get away with some minor inconveniences. And sometimes, situations of the most extremity did require some novel approach that she never dared to consider before.

“Aha! It seems we have arrived at our destination.” Princess Luna stopped at one bookshelf that did not look any different from other countless similar shelves aligned in the room. She raised a hoof to point the large ‘M’ sign imprinted on its side.

To Trixie it looked no better than the somewhat rusty cases back in Ponyville library. Actually, its quality was much worse. The cracks were very visible even to the most untrained, and the paints were peeled off which gave it a rather unsettling sight. Supposedly each one of these decayed wooden structures held ancient wonders (or complexities) that nopony now looked. And among those piles of scrolls smelling of ancient age itself there was a clue to unravel the trick Trixie had fallen into.

Princess Celestia walked close to the shelf and looked at the scrolls. Trixie did not exactly know by what method the princess found the scrolls she wanted among many of them looking virtually same with all holding their murky brownish coloration, but she figured the sun princess had understood the complexities of this place long time ago, already forming an explanation for this strange phenomenon inside her head. Trixie wondered whether the alicorn princess’ conclusion was as same as hers.

Twilight and others watching Princess Celestia nervously, all very quiet, not intent to interrupt the solemn task she was doing right now. They were not magicians, but even they knew the serious nature of the whole operation.

“Mirror spells…there are many magic about the object. It itself is quite magical…it shows one’s reflection. But what exact reflection, one has to question herself.” Princess Celestia muttered.

Trixie’s mentor too, once said such words about mirror. Because when Trixie looked in the mirror, she saw nopony but Trixie. The pony behind the mirror-or rather inside the mirror-was Trixie. There could be no doubt. To be proud of oneself, to boast how Great and Powerful Trixie was, she had to know her own self very well. Reflection of Trixie was Trixie; that was the starting point.

“Oh, like how you look funny on convex mirrors?

“Yes, Pinkie. But we are not just talking about normal mirrors. Magic can be a strange thing. And Mirror itself, even on its own can be quite tricky and magical; now if one were to combine magic and mirror…”

“One may never know what might the result would be.” Twilight spoke, now with a serious look on her face.

The lavender unicorn learned quickly-Trixie knew it way before she did, of course, for she was a magician who relied on tricks and illusions. Twilight here, and presumably back in her own world, did not seem to be interested in magic of trickery. Still, she could guess about its nature, for she was the student of the sun princess. Trixie had to bitterly remind herself of the fact, her inner self involuntarily cringing at the thought of the lavender unicorn being able to understand the concept fairly quickly.

Well, Trixie sighed unnoticeably. There was nothing she could do about the fact, except probably brooding the thoughts inside her mind and let it develop into not so desirable feelings that did not fit for her title the Great and the Powerful, of which she did not clearly intend to do. She had her own issues that needed to be solved.

Mirror and magic, the two combined could produce unforeseen consequences. She perfectly knew she was not to expect the outcome in the very first place-and thus she found herself here, in this strange world inside the mirror where Trixie was friend of the lavender unicorn and the proud hero of Equestria.

So in here, Trixie was really Great and Powerful as she often proudly proclaimed back in her own world. And because of that, Trixie here did not have to say Great and Powerful all the time. Because others did call her with the title.

She knew that, right? Trixie instantly recognized that from the start when she looked into the mirror.

And yes, looking at that scene made her sad. Her recollection clearly spoke to her of how she cried after Trixie found herself in old cottage, its dry voice factual to the extreme.

So what did she do? The Great and Powerful Trixie still had few magic up her wings-as pegasus sayings went-and there was this mirror showing what it normally did not reflect. At that very moment the mirror did something-so why could she not do anything about it? How did she found herself in other Trixie’s place so easily, not even without a fight? The sudden change did not make any sense at all. She should have at least recognized the magic workings out its wonders. Even back in her own world, though she could not vanquish the star-bear, there was no way she could possibly miss the flow of magic that undeniably happened when she looked into the mirror.

“You’re right. Old Starswirl actually spent some time studying mirror magic. His works included imbuing mirrors with magical qualities to distort their reflections as well as casting spells on mirrors to produce variety of effects.” Princess Celestia’s horn glowed as she lifted several scrolls from the shelves, the pinky light clearing off the age-old dusts that had accumulated over all the papers.

Trixie was still very much occupied at trying to understand the apparent absence of magic when she looked into the mirror, but another part of her was still attentive to the alicorn princesses and the bearers. Maybe they knew something she did not yet know.

“As we said, I and my sister talked over the case of Trixie while we were away doing our royal duties.” Princess Luna said as she too, with her horn glowing, picked up a hooffull of scrolls from another shelf.

Both alicorn princesses removed the strings that bound the scrolls, making them reveal their full contents to Trixie and others as the papers unrolled.

Twilight and Trixie could not suppress their sighs of wonder immediately upon seeing the scrolls. Even the white unicorn, whose name Trixie knew as Rarity and who was not so much interested in magic itself, stared at the documents with interested eyes.

Magical. Mysterious. Marvelous. Miraculous. Every unicorn upon seeing the scrolls was naturally going to be delighted. It was hard not to; among ponies unicorns had the most affinity with the magic itself. They were born with the ability to somehow grasp the ever-changing flow of magic, and learning to harness its energy to do their biddings.

The inscribed characters and drawings, Trixie could hardly understand most of them. It must have been same for the lavender unicorn too, for Trixie was absolutely sure that if the Great and Powerful Trixie herself could not readily perceive any scrolls that was related to magic, then nopony else could do the job. Save alicorns, of course. She knew better than to claim to be superior to them. Trixie’s place was high up above the stage, possibly highest she could imagine, but the royal princesses stood entirely on different plane. She accepted the fact a long time ago.

“Fascinating, isn’t it?” Princess Celestia grinned playfully, opening up several more to Trixie’s amazement.

“Ah don’t know much thing about magic, but heck, even lookin’ at them makes me feel quite strange!” Applejack said. She looked almost mesmerized, just like when Trixie cleverly manipulated her rope to make a fool of herself. “Only problem be that we really can’t understand what’s on the scrolls.”

Ancient could mean many things. But mostly, it meant mystery, something that captivated whoever deciding to gaze upon it. That was what Trixie knew for now.

“Do not worry, Applejack. These words I am quite familiar with. It seems like only yesterday I walked upon this hall, reading scrolls that suited my fancy.” Princess Luna’s eyes looked around the place, recalling her past moments. “So, it should only take a few minutes before me and my sister read them.”

“In fact, we are about to begin the task now…so let’s see, mirror magic. What do we have here?” Princess Celestia’s horn glowed as her powerful magical energy enabled her to levitate dozens of scroll simultaneously on the air, her gaze not lasting more than a minute on each one.

“Please allow us to decipher their contents.” Princess Luna said, as she picked up another handful of papers into the air.

Twilight Sparkle’s eyes shone like a bright star in the night. Others too were still under their magical allure; perhaps the scrolls themselves were magical, Trixie thought. Could she herself ever understand their contents?

Yes, because she was Great and Powerful.

But she was not. Did she not know the answer already?

She could be Greater. More Powerful.

But Trixie knew such hope was very fragile, right? Meaningless thoughts, false light that ultimately led one to darker places, making her to despair, starting the ever-downward spiral she could not dare to escape. So she cast a trick, did she not? She always tricked others, and that was her job as a magician. That was all she did. Trixie made others to believe her lies and deceits. She was really nothing. She just pretended to be what she claimed to be.

Now how did her thoughts progress into this mess? She questioned. She answered. This Trixie was not even other Trixie who was currently outside the mirror. Her own self she was. Divided-now she was divided, her own self gradually splitting. When she first came here, there were two Trixies. But the other Trixie was different from her, thought she was still Trixie. That Trixie was different from her from the start. So what was this voice inside her which assumed her own self, yet feeling so distant and unfamiliar? It was baffling, but she could somehow see it made sense in a way. Trixie looked in the mirror. And at the same time, there was Trixie on the other side who looked at the mirror. There was something else-some factor that made the situation a whole lot more complicated. But what really was it? And how could she come to such a conclusion?

Because she knew how it happened. Her memory was not going to fail her. It could not fail her at all. It was dead honest. Many times she searched upon her memories-and she was very familiar with the method. When it came to remembering things, nopony could claim superiority over her. Threads of her thoughts, containing illusions, past, future, realities, fantasies-among the maze she herself erected inside her mind Trixie always found a way, picking out a single thread she was looking for, the thread of reality of which all of her tricks were based on. She was not afraid to look inside her mind. She could check upon her shames and mistakes, reflect upon them, study what went wrong, and eventually learning not to repeat the same mistake again.

Nevertheless her mind failed on this occasion. She did not know what really happened when she looked into the mirror. It was not so far within her memory. Just this night Trixie talked with Princess Celestia. What did she say? Of course she knew, for she was the Great and Powerful Trixie. She knew that she did not know much about how the incident happened. She looked in the mirror-Trixie looked into the mirror, and at the same time on the other side of the mirror Trixie looked into the mirror. Both Trixies looked into the mirror.

And one Trixie did something…right? She remembered it. Her mind never failed her. She could fail it, but not vice versa. That was how her mind operated itself.

But no, she did not know anything. She just could not remember. It happened at an instant. She just suddenly found herself talking to Twilight. Only after hearing the word star-bear did she realize that something was not right.

Trixie tried best to hide the creepy feeling of sensing something she could not yet quite figure it out, but the rash on her skin made it very difficult to do so. Tiny invisible bugs freely roamed inside her fur. Imaginary creatures, but they all felt increasingly real.

She heard the voice. It spoke to her once again.

Now Trixie remembered, right? Because she was so good at remembering things, right? No details left unchecked, right?

She felt something very heavy inside of her-not just the feeling, to be exact. The sensation became extremely real as her stomach ached from the phantom rock that somehow found a way to be inside of her body and crushing her innards.

Just her wild imagination making things increasingly real, no real harm; of course her organs were intact. It was just her thinking that made her feel so.

And yes, her thinking led this entire thing to happen…right?

The alicorn princess’ voices struck her like a hammer. “Hmm, it seems in order for a mirror magic to work, somepony must direct the flow of magic. Starswirl has confirmed from his several experimentations that the mirror alone could not cast magic.”

“Why, it does make sense! Magic only happens when a unicorn casts it, isn’t it?” Twilight said excitedly.

So simple fact-how did she miss it? Just how did the Great and Powerful Trixie completely miss the point?

Trixie spoke. You know the answer, right?

No, I do not. Trixie said. I am Trixie. She said to herself. I am the Great and Powerful Trixie. She is Trixie. She is the Great and Powerful Trixie. I am Trixie. She muttered.

“Which means somepony-or something-must have done something when Trixie looked into the mirror!” Rarity said proudly, like a filly who just solved out a question that bothered her for so long. “Hmph, as a unicorn I do know such things.” She grinned at Dash who just shrugged.

“Alrighty then.”

I am Trixie. Trixie muttered. I knew it, right? Because I was so Great and Powerful. Trick was my specialty, and so I did it.

Yes, you did it. Trixie did it. The voice said again.

Control, she said. I am Trixie. I am the master of me. The one and the only.

The familiar sight greeted Trixie. She had been here before-in fact, many times. Except for the fact that the atmosphere was not so pleasing, ponies looking visibly startled whenever Trixie looked at them. But this was Ponyville she knew, at least a very similar version of it. The library was indeed made out of a giant tree, as she could confirm it from the distance. Inside she saw what she expected to see, bookshelves towering over to the ceiling with each and every one filled with books, with a stairs at the side leading to the second floor, which Twilight’s room was located. There was cage and an artificial tree branch for the owl to rest upon-Trixie even remembered its name was Owlicious, who stared at her with is keen gaze.

And then there was Spike, a young dragon whose job was to send and receive letters. She also knew Trixie here did not hold a favorable opinion towards him. He too, had the same thought about Trixie, even if that Trixie was not Trixie he knew.

“So you are from another world, huh?” Spike looked at her, obviously still not convinced of her explanation.

“Spike, you do believe me and Fluttershy, right? Whoever she is, she is not Trixie!”

“Actually, she is Trixie.” She said. Rainbow Dash was looking at her with a confused look. “She is not Trixie you think of-as she said, Trixie here is from a different world.”

“Um, yeah, Spike. Trixie here is not the street magician that ran away.” Dash said, though sounding not so sure.

“I’m still not really convinced. So Trixie here is saying that she looked into the mirror and found herself in this world? What if this is part of her plan to trick us? Making us to believe that she’s now changed, but secretly plotting something against us?” Spike was not easily impressed. Maybe he thought it was his duty, being the number one assistant of Twilight Sparkle, to detect any sign of danger that could approach them without a warning sign.

Not bad, Trixie grinned. Even back in her world, the dragon was always willing to be a help to Twilight Sparkle.

“She assures you, Trixie here would not do such a thing. Why would she do such a thing to her friends?” Trixie said as she made the most gentle, serene expression she could put into her face.

It was an artificial act, but her emotions were real. Harmless pranks, then she could maybe consider about it. But planning on revenge on behalf of other Trixie was not her intention. That was her problem, not this Trixie’s. If Trixie who was inside the mirror now was really Trixie, then she had to solve her own issues, being the Great and Powerful Trixie she was.

“Whatever you say, Trixie, but this is just not scientifically possible…well, yeah, okay, maybe Dash is right. I thought time travel was not feasible, but I did cast a spell to go back to the past in the end. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see mirror-version of Trixie…” Twilight looked nervously at Trixie, fixated at the blue unicorn who bore the exact same cutie-mark as the street magician whose performance came to a swift end after arriving in Ponyville. “Now, can you tell me how did this happen? So there is a spell that can make a pony swap places with her mirror-self?”

“Unfortunately, that was what this Trixie was going to ask you, Twilight.” Trixie said, noticing the unicorn in front of her being disappointed. “You are Princess Celestia’s protégé, after all. Trixie here thinks this world and her world is quite similar-one almost the mirror version of another. Back in my world, Twilight there too is a favorite student of the sun princess.”

“That is…interesting.” Twilight pondered for a second. Then seeing Trixie standing there, she spoke, as if she just realized something very important of which she could not remember till now. “Wait, you are not just going to disappear suddenly are you? It happened with my future self last time, and I don’t want to go crazy over you suddenly vanishing into thin air. You are not leaving, right?”

“Um, No.” Trixie replied. “At least not for now, as Trixie is pretty sure she is stuck here right now.”

“Okay…” Twilight sighed. “Mirror spells…I think I have some books in the library that can help you. Spike, can you go to section M and pick out all the books and scrolls from 23 and 24?

“Alright.” Spike nodded. After a while he came back with several books and scrolls. Twilight’s horn glowed as the purplish energy made the pile to float.

“Let’s see. This won’t take long.”

“Yes, mirror magic. But there is just something Trixie here does not quite get.”

“What is it?” Twilight said as she finished scanning several books .

“You know magic requires some kind of locus, right?” Trixie asked, looking at Twilight directly to her eyes.

“Uh…yeah? What about it?” Twilight made a curious face.

“This Trixie just looked into the mirror. She did not do anything.”

“Huh?” Dash frowned. “What does that supposed to be mean?”

“Magic does not just happen. Somepony needs to gather magical energies first. Her memory is still not clear, but Trixie here thinks somepony-or something-cast the mirror magic spell when she looked into them mirror and saw her own reflection. Who-or what-could that be?”

Twilight looked surprised now. “You did not cast the spell?”

“Why would she ever do such a thing?” Trixie replied.

Mirror Magic

“And you can’t remember a thing after looking into the mirror?” Twilight asked her as she rapidly scanned through another book.

Was her decision to meet Twilight in this world was the right decision?

Trixie nodded. “And there would be no reason for her to just cast such spells. Trixie here have not yet mastered the mirror magic; its intricacy she finds it quite challenging. You do know better than to cast a spell without really knowing what is going to happen, don’t you?”

Was this the best choice she could make?

“Um…yeah.” For some reason unknown to Trixie Twilight awkwardly smiled, looking very eager to quickly change the subject. “Anyway, that does make sense. According to the books I read so far, mirror magic is especially difficult, requiring the caster to pay great attention. The magic attempts to temporarily break the boundary existing between the two worlds inside and outside the mirror, making it possible for moving one object in one world to another.”

“My, that sounds very confusing.” Fluttershy said.

One step at a time, because even a magician only half-expected the result of her tricks. Magic could be quite volatile-and when one dared to access the realm of imagination, unbounded worlds of fantasy, she could never expect what she would discover. Thus she had to be prepared for variables. Expected the unexpected.

Dash pinched her side with her wings. “Hmm. That felt real. So this is not a dream! Had to make sure. But it still feels like I’m dreaming. This is getting just too strange.”

It may have been a dream. Sometimes she ended up in places so realistic if not for her keen senses she would have never known it was a dream until she woke up. But she knew where she was right now. Because Trixie was good at locating where she was. She always found a way among the illusions she kept inside her mind. She knew this was real. A different reality-still the concept she did not fully comprehend, but her keen instinct which allowed her to take the path of the magician aided her in figuring out what to do in such a perplexing situation.

How? Well, she said to herself. Some concepts she just knew it by heart. She never understood it properly, but if she could cast magic, then it was generally fine. Could that not be considered as mastering it after all? She was sure Princess Celestia did not calculate the motion of the celestial body every time she made the sun rise. Mastery-yes, it was indeed important, but to Trixie there were many kinds of masteries. One could choose whatever she desired, depending on the circumstances.

She tried to continue with her thinking. So Trixie looked into the mirror. There was definitely a magic involved in her sudden displacement. A noticeable trace of magic she could not find, except the past residues of magical energy which did not mean much. But her experience told otherwise. A magician was to be very familiar with deception. Trixie could find her way inside the darkest shadows, though not completely confident, aided by her wits and educated guesses. She could not really explain to others. No evidence she had found to prove her thesis. It was just a guess, just as random as a madpony’s ramblings. Would she have believed if Twilight said she was from the future or from the world inside the mirror? Highly unlikely. But the unexpected always found a way to break into her world, and the Great and Powerful Trixie had to deal with them somehow.

Sometimes, she thought Equestria was more governed by disorderly energies that could not be tamed. Chances of impossible probabilities did really happen. If she did not take the road in that very moment, what would have all happened? What if she never met Twilight and her friends at all and never met Nightmare Moon or Discord?

She could be Trixie outside the mirror. Maybe. Maybe? Probably. She could never know exactly. Just guessing, expanding upon her threads of thoughts that were not particularly meaningful to her.

But the situation demanded that she search every possible explanation for her current state, and so she came this far, meeting the powerful magic-wielder who was not so expert in tricks as Trixie did, but who nonetheless possessed a keen knowledge of magic in general, in this world which was not so different from her own, but still somewhat distinct from it.

Twilight Sparkle. As the bearer of the elements, she represented magic which combined other five elements-kindnesses, generosity, honesty, loyalty, and laughter-working out wonders, defeating two ancient evils of Equestria. Trixie saw it with her eyes. She faced Nightmare Moon and Discord. Each time she did not falter a bit, staring at the mighty heavenly beings whose power she found it absolutely terrible.

And then there was this Twilight, harnessing the power of the elements, vanquishing the evils not once, but twice. In difficult times she worked out wonders. And thus the Great and Powerful Trixie came to seek her help. Trixie told herself this was the best choice she could make.

When she woke up in that cottage, and after pondering what to do in this strange world she found herself in, she headed straight to Ponyville Library. A very similar world-and a pony who she knew was within her reach. Not entirely same, but similar. Something might be different, but such small details she could work it out. She knew where to go. Trixie just had a feeling that she should see Twilight right away. Complete coincidence Trixie could not ignore.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Rainbow Dash. “And since this is not a dream, we’ll have to find an explanation. So far we know Trixie here is from another world. A world inside the mirror, is it?”

“Maybe.”

“What do you mean, maybe?” Dash raised an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you don’t know where you are from?”

Trixie sighed. Dash had a point. Just how was she going to convince her case when she herself could not be so sure? She was still working to make sense of her theory that was not yet even a theory. She could understand for Trixie inside the mirror to finally to let it all out to Princess Celestia. Inevitably she was going to meet up with the bearers-neighsayers, in her terms. The great mystery the Great and Powerful Trixie could not easily fathom. The trick was indeed an exceptional quality. It was just too fine, too full of disharmony. She would have suspected the draconequus who was now encased in a stone.

“I’m sorry, but that makes you more suspicious. You know that, right?”

“Spike, we don’t know if she is Trixie or not!”

“Yeah, Twilight. I just want to make it sure that this is not one of her trick.”

So this was the neighsayer Spike Trixie was facing, huh? She felt slightly annoyed, not only because of the young dragon’s words, but also because of her inability to truly understand the whole sequence of things. If she was high above the audience, doing her usual show, then she would have known everything on the stage, fine details and elaborate tricks that escaped spectators’ eyes.

She did not expect to understand the situation completely. That would have been good, but she was not the one who was running the show, at least for now. It was not her stage. She was down below, not high above. She could say she was like a puppet, a fictional character that performed her given role. The pony who was planning all of this grand scenario made sure she got only the information she needed to play the character she was supposed to play.

“Well, I’d say I can believe her story.”

Though Trixie did not have to remind herself that as the Great and Powerful Trixie it was not right for her to be inside the stage. If she was somepony else, then maybe she would have been content with her situation, maybe be amazed at this sudden change. But not for the Great and Powerful Trixie. She was not only Great, but also Powerful as well. The title alone gave her plenty of reasons that she be restored to her previous state immediately.

And that, Trixie believed, was among many reasons why Trixie outside the mirror who found herself inside the mirror approached Princess Celestia. Trixie could afford to lose some of her pride-temporarily. In the end she was going to reclaim her place high above the stage. Because she was the Great and Powerful Trixie.

“I agree with Dash. She does not look so mean like last time…”

“Geez, not even Dash and Fluttershy too? Guess I have no choice then.” Spike looked at her. He was not still convinced, that was for sure. Other Trixie might have stared down at him with all the pride and disdain she could muster, but not her. He was her friends’ trustworthy assistant, and she was going to show her hospitality as much as she could.

How unfortunate of Trixie, she said to herself. The question still not resolved, it resurfaced inside her mind. Why was everything so different? Trixie was Trixie-regardless of where she was, either inside or outside of the mirror. Just a mere chance that each Trixie found herself in a different position? Could it be?

But did she not know already? It had to be. A world governed by chances that nopony ever expected. Simple as that. Besides, it was Trixie’s problem, not hers. Trixie knew. Both Trixies had to know the fact, lest she be not Trixie and an imposter who dared to claim the title.

“The books does mention about mirror-worlds. According to Les Blanc the Prestigious, what we see inside the mirror may be images of otherworlds that may well be alternative realities. A powerful illusion spell may establish a connection point between two worlds, allowing a pony to swap places with her ‘mirror-self’. But who could have cast the spell then? You sure you don’t remember anything?”

“Her memory Trixie finds it still a bit hazy.” She said. And it was true. No matter how she reached every corner of her mind, the information which should have been stored was just not there. “But how, she wonders. Trixie looked into the mirror-then suddenly it happened. She did not feel a thing. She just woke up to find herself in this world.”

“So somepony cast a magic then?”

“Somepony-or something. Magic just does not happen without a proper source…as far as she knows.” Trixie muttered. She was not so sure. She hesitated to finish her words.

Trixie expanded upon her memories, once again embarking her search upon previous experiences she had. “She was looking at the mirror.” Trixie said. Others all looked at her, as if expecting she finally found an answer. Well, she hoped. Magic was never truly simple. It may appear to be, but as the Great and Powerful Trixie she was better than just to fall blindly fall into a false sense of security.

“Was there somepony with you?”

“No. Trixie was just alone. In the old changing chamber of Canterlot. She was preparing for the grand celebration.”

“What celebration?”

“I don’t think that’s important, Spike. So Trixie, you were looking at the mirror…so did you see something strange on the mirror?” Twilight’s eyes beamed. Perhaps she knew something?

Of course, a mirror was showing Trixie. She remembered that part clearly. But then what happened? Besides certain point her thoughts became a jumbled mess. There was a barrier-that was how she felt. Her memory she could not fully enter.

But why? How could the Great and Powerful Trixie not gain access to her memory? It should have been easy as a pie. It was a regular chore for her. As an illusionist she had to know what was truly right. Only then she could put her magic to full work. As the great maxim said, it was always mastery before manipulation, clarification before control. Was there something that she could not yet recognize, doing something to her?

Trixie carefully chose her words before speaking. At least she tried to. “Yes…she does remember staring at her own reflection. But then, next thing she saw was the old cottage of this world.”

“Well, I think maybe some sleep will make you remember. It’s already midnight, you know. If you don’t mind, I think I’m going to get some sleep.” Spike yawned and went up the stairs. “Good night, Twilight. And Dash and Shy too.” Then he looked at Trixie. “And you too, Trixie. Sure feels strange to see another version of you.”

“Technically she is Trixie as Trixie is Trixie.” She replied. “Maybe she could use some rest…especially after a heavy mental labor which required much of her concentration.”

“Come to think of it, we were almost getting ready for sleeps for ourselves.” Dash said. “But then we saw Trixie, and that’s how we got here.”

“Well, since it’s so late, why don’t we just sleep all here? I’m sure I got spare blankets somewhere. The first floor is big enough, so that shouldn’t be a problem. Would that be okay for you, Trixie?” Twilight said.

“Of course not. Trixie thanks for your consideration.”

In a relatively short time the bed was made, and Trixie lied down along with others. She could hear few giggles as Twilight, Dash and Fluttershy talked what they did in the day, but soon they were all asleep.

The scene itself Trixie was familiar with-she went to several slumber parties to Twilight’s place back in her own world. She was their friend. But what about other Trixie? It still bothered her. She caught a glimpse of Trixie-previously she thought the detail was insignificant. Maybe what she ignored was actually the key? She was planning to sleep like others, and try to think matters next morning. Maybe a good night’s rest would rejuvenate her exhausted brain. Now she thought she just could not sleep with the thought suddenly occurring on her.

Trixie yawned. Or she could just sleep.

But she thought she discovered something. Was she just let it pass away, sending it away to realm of oblivion? Memories were precious objects; one could not afford to lose any, especially a magician like the Great and Powerful Trixie. Two Trixies, looking at the mirror; then the magic happened. If one Trixie was doing nothing, then perhaps the other could be?

She shook her head. No, that cannot be possible. Trixie knew who she was. That just could not be. She would not do a thing. Trixie could never do it.

Another yawn escaped from her lips. Bodily functions she could control it only to a certain degree-Trixie was ther master, but she knew where her boundaries ended. Besides, sleep now seemed a really good option for her. Perhaps she might dream of something that would help her to unravel the mystery. Perhaps. Or maybe not. Either way she was going to sleep.

Trixie closed her eyes as she felt absolute darkness taking her. Even then she did not let go of her consciousness. A battle she knew she was going to lose- but then again, the effort could not be entirely fruitless. Dreams-sometimes she dreamt of things she so clanged while she was awake.

“Trixie does not remember.”

That was what she said. She did not remember.

“Maybe it would be better if we all take a good night’s sleep and refresh ourselves? Running the celebration was certainly an ordeal.” Princess Celestia said.

“And we did find out something happened while Trixie was looking at mirror. Come to think, when I talked with you in the changing room the magic was already done…well, we found one clue, and I’m sure we can figure this out when we wake up tomorrow. I do feel tired.”

“Rest assured, Twilight. And you all should sleep. I shall solely take any remaining official duties for the night. Though, I hardly expect any. Some cleanup perhaps would be necessary. I will inform the royal servants right away.” Princess Luna said. “Good night, everypony. I shall join you in the morning should you need me.” She stepped out of the library.

“Yep, ah doubt anypony would not mind hitting the hay.” Applejack yawned.

“Right, Applejack. You shall be escorted into your rooms shortly.” Princess Celestia said.

In a few minutes Trixie was inside one of the sleeping chamber. The room had several beds that could well store dozens of ponies. Already others were making their bed, falling asleep in an instant.

“Good night all!” The lavender pony said as she turned off the light. Others did not bother to reply.

But not Trixie. Sure, she was tired, but something was bothering her. She could not quite put it to words. It was like when she was learning magic that she could not yet understand.

‘If ya can’t understand it, then pretend you know. Just practice it.’ That was what he said. When Trixie asked how she was going to master the magic if she did not properly comprehend it, he just shrugged and assumed that doing something repeatedly could be an effective method. ‘Magic involves making something magical which is clearly not. All those practices, believe me lassie, are not pretty. Sometimes extremely boring. But since I’m a magician, I gotta make everything look pretty. Audiences don’t mind. If it’s good for them, then it’s fine with them. They love getting tricked. If you trick them right, that is.’

And she had to admit some tricks of her she just performed out of her memory. That he said was some kind of mastery.

But that was not important right now. It was only the feeling that was similar. A concept, an idea she could not readily accept-but which was somewhat familiar. No, she understood it. She knew it perfectly.

Two Trixies. She whispered. She had to make sure that nopony heard her words. They were all probably deep in their slumber-but her own silent voice thundered in her ears. Two Trixies, looking at the mirror. Then the magic happened.

As Twilight said, magic needed some kind of focus. Every unicorn know that. Magic just did not happen. It was a result of careful manipulation of energies. It was wonderful, but to do so a pony had to know what she was doing. Magic could be explained in some way. No locus, no magic. That fact was the divine truth.

Oh, Trixie. You know it already, don’t you?

Yes, she knows.

How long have you been ignoring it?

Ever since she found herself in this world.

It was kind of a success, right? Trixie here seemed to be in a favorable position.

Only for Trixie. Not for me.

You said Trixie was Trixie. Even if you didn’t say so, you know you believe to be so. What difference would it make? You are still Trixie, and in this world Trixie is truly what you wanted Trixie to be. Great and Powerful.

This world is inside the mirror. Trixie does not belong here. Not this Trixie.

Then why did you come here in the first place?

Trixie…has made a mistake.

Mistake? The Great and Powerful Trixie do not ever make mistake. What may seem like a mistake is only letting others fool for Trixie’s grand scheme.

No, you are wrong. It was a mistake. Trixie don’t know why she did that. That is what Trixie think. I know it was my mistake.

And whatever you are, I know you are Trixie as I am Trixie. But you would know I am the master of myself.

With that Trixie drifted into sleep. She was not in a state to continue the pointless argument with her own self. So many Trixies-if she looked into the mirror, she saw Trixie, her own self. Only Trixie. Always. No exception. If somepony looked at Trixie, she was only going to discover Trixie.

She did not remember. She chose to. It was not like she could not remember. She did not.

And maybe now was the time to reaffirm her status. It was obvious-she could trick herself, and yet still remember it was she who tricked Trixie herself.

So who did it?

Trixie did it. She said. I did it. It was me.

Then she surrendered to blissful oblivion. At least for a while she would not have to deal with the revelation. Well, maybe.

The Great and Powerful Trixie does not falter

The Great and Powerful Trixie knew this was a dream.

Barren land, black sky, and the blood-red crescent moon hanging like a scythe in the void sky-that was what Trixie saw before her. The freezing winds of the deepest winter cut her like sharp blades; the dead earth she touched had long ago been extinguished of any fertile soil. She was standing at the center of the desolate environment.

A Dream of the darker kind, that fact could not be denied. But what if she missed something? A hidden element that would be the ruin of her? Trixie had to make sure of what she was confronting with.

Trixie knew it was only a trick, a false image spawned by her emotion. Dreams, and then more falseness born from the reality. It felt very real-but still not realistic enough. Some part it was too exaggerated. Certain anomalies she instantly detected. Her mood probably decided what she saw-there could be external stimulus, but ultimately it was Trixie who dreamed and made the whole scenery come to life-an artificial life, that is, existing only in her dreams.

Her previous dream was a rather sweet one compared to this. How did it come to this? She thought for a moment, but then realized she just could not be bothered to come up with the answer that was just so obvious to the point of being pointless.

But couldn’t there be another possibility? Let’s think about this. Consider the following: Trixie did not do it. There was something else involved…

It is Trixie here who does all the talking and thinking. She said it firmly-well, she could not hear any sound, at least not at the moment, but she was in a dream, and her words were conveyed via means she had not recognized. Trixie stared at the desolate landscape before her. Perhaps there were foreign influences after all-perhaps. She could be never so sure. She had to find out, to search the “database” of her mind, possibly picking out some threads that she considered to be relevant to her current situation. It was a grueling job, not really magical, but Trixie knew the wonders of her tricks were based upon painfully precise calculations-it was always mastery before manipulation, and she needed to have the mastery, someway, somehow.

Was she still dreaming? She looked around, and saw something in the distance.

Yes, she said. Part of a broken fragments perhaps, but a dream was a dream, after all.

It was there-whether it was always there while she was surveying the land did not matter. It could have been there all along with Trixie not realizing at all; but Trixie was seeing the creature now, and she could safely assume that it now began to exist in a way that she could understand. In front of her was the pegasus with bat-like wings at its side. Its eyes glowed with a purplish blue flame. Its fur was black like the darkest night without the moon.

Mare of the Night. Trixie smiled bitterly. From the unimaginable abyss it came to her, bringing all the darkness, coloring her dream with its own hue.

But was it really there? She could not be so sure. At least not yet. Was the Night Mare really there, or was it just another illusion she conjured up because she was in a relatively sour mood?

Trixie closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and took extra time to let it out, making sure the extra time calmed her and her senses down. When she opened her eyes again the pegasus was still there, motionless, seemingly unaffected by her act.

Lifeless? Just an illusion? Something else? Wait-did it smile, was it smiling? Trixie wondered. She questioned herself, hoping her flow of thoughts held answers, or at least some hints to make up for her lack of information. What is it exactly? Or more importantly, what is it thinking? Reading others was as hard as comprehending the intricate theory of magical tricks. Trying to look into the mind (if it had any that could be properly defined as ‘a mind’) of a creature from the dream was, obviously, harder.

Being so Great and Powerful she thought she saw it sneering-then suddenly frowning.

Suddenly it changed shape to of which she was familiar with. Or it was always in such form and Trixie had not caught up with the image till now. Now it was looking like an alicorn-a very familiar alicorn Trixie knew. Its mane moved in the air as it had its own sentient, leaving a dark blue mist. Its horn was long, and sharp enough to probably impale steel. Its body was dark like Night Mare’s. But there was a difference. If the pegasus’ blackness was like darkness with the absence of any light, this alicorn’s blackness was the darkness of the night at its finest, full moon shining brightly in the sky, radiating a dim blue light that was quite bright.

Darkness shining with all its majesty-then it had to be Nightmare Moon.

Trixie know you. She said. She remembered; Trixie knew who she was. Which Trixie? Trixie, of course. She met Nightmare Moon. Which Trixie? Which Trixie? No, it does not matter, for Trixie meet her. Which Trixie? This Trixie, this Trixie right here.

Still no sound-but she knew the alicorn would hear her words.

Nightmare Moon promptly answered. You do not know me, petty jester.

She tried to say something-but the alicorn was no longer there. Or perhaps it was not there at all, and Trixie was made to believe the imaginary Nightmare Moon to be in front of her all along. What she really saw was Discord, the element of disharmony.

It was Discord all along; the draconequus was the master of causing chaos and disruptions. Of course Trixie had no choice but to be fooled by him, and end up inside the mirror and outside the mirror.

Maybe, or maybe not. He laughed, suddenly disappearing. Only the voice remained.

I am encased in a stone, do you not remember? The voice said in the draconequus’ tone. Besides, Discord here is absolutely sure Trixie knows nothing about himself.

Trixie knows you. She heard clearly his soundless laughter. She knows you, more than in just one way.

Indeed, for knowing can mean many things. You can pretend that you know.

Trixie thought for a second. Or she can pretend not to know. She watched as the image of the draconequus dissipated into the thin air, leaving only her alone.

I am not really here; do I really have to say it? His voice still remained despite his disappearance.

Yes, Trixie knows. She took a deep breath.

She was in her bed. What kind of bed? Where was she?

But did it really matter?

She knew she was in a dream-indeed, her mind was now familiar with this realm enough to recognize immediately whenever she found herself in this dreamworld. But when was the last time for her to talk with the ancient evil in the dream? First she thought this time she was dreaming nightmare-but it was something else, she said to herself. The black pegasus seemed to be there, but it was not. Only an illusion, created by a certain need, to perform certain roles Trixie had not yet recognized.

What kind of dream was she really dreaming? She had to know, she had to find out. The Great and Powerful Trixie was somewhere, and she had to know her way.

Endless potentials within her mind; Trixie freely applied them as part of her magic. Of course, she had to keep them relatively well, for her flow of thoughts and memory contained many things that appeared to be true. Thus she had to make sure which thread were her thoughts from the reality, to avoid confusion and remember where to return to should she find herself in one of her thoughts that could well be very close to reality. What did she really experience, what had really happened? The question was of a crucial importance to her. Every day she tried to ask herself the question. Mind of a magician was supposed to be composed of a mixture of senseless riddles and meaningful truths. Mastery was required to freely use them, and to do this Trixie always surveyed her ever-shifting thoughts which were bound by nothing.

Even the nighttime’s grace could hardly stop her work. She thought she was dreaming-partially right, partially wrong; it was ever so hard to make a clear distinction. Still, she had to make everything clear and organized. After order came disruption; an illusion needed sort of a host, tricks just could not spring out of nowhere. Most of the night, while her body was lying down comfortably in the bed, she (or to be exact, her mind) performed the task, her acute mind being awake despite her body’s full slumber, ensuring her magic could work to its full potential and she not be overwhelmed by the deceptions and falseness she imagined.

No. She said. Or she thought she said, or believed her voice now had its own will and wanted to speak. But let Trixie have a break, alright? She whispered in a soft tone. She is tired. That was what she thought. Or was she? Which Trixie?

Back to the question: which Trixie, Trixie inside the mirror or outside?

She is not answering such ridiculous question. Trixie said. It was her voice-then she was speaking, right?

Yes, Trixie was talking, and she was tired. She was sleepy, and she was going to continue sleeping. The task could wait. At least not for now. She said. Trixie said.

She closed her eyes and just lied down. She was going to continue sleeping. Cold earth-so what? It was just an image, of which she imagined. She was actually in bed. Right? In bed. It had to be.

Trixie felt nothing, save for the sweet blissful forgetfulness which she eagerly savored.

Exceptions invaded every rule of sorts, and there were times Trixie just gleefully savored the sweet flavor of forgetfulness. Even the most powerful magician all over Equestria, she admitted albeit with a slight bitter resentment, could not hope to be alert at all the time. She strived to be such, but perfection was only possible with a little bit of deception here and there. A certain degree of trickery could be allowed. Even the most complex machine of a pure genius needed to shut down occasionally and have some time cooling down. Treading through the flow of memory was a demanding task, and in Trixie’s opinion nopony, even the two celestial alicorn princesses, could possibly hope to remain dedicated to such excruciating ordeal for a prolonged period. A certain amount of time was always needed for recovery process; that was Trixie’s thought upon the matter. Her intermittent neglect of her duty could be justified.

She saw something-or she believed so. Or she hoped so. Or…

No, she shook her head. Or she thought she did. It did not matter, right? Trixie thought she could be excused this time. There was an image; there seemed to be an image she conjured. It was there all the time-but then she did not make it, did she? No, not now. She forcibly shut off her flow of thoughts on that matter of what exactly was she seeing. Trixie really felt tired. Instead of letting her logic continue its work she just let it pass, her mind entering the common sleeping state which was not so common for her. It had been quite a while since her sleep had been this uneventful, untroubled by her usual task of managing her thread of thoughts. Some part of her mind was partially active-but such half-awoken state Trixie did not have to bother at all.

What she saw was just blank oblivion at its finest-and she most welcomed it, after all she had gone through. She wanted to believe there was nothing in front of her. Nothing at all. Just her wild imagination, a magician’s mind free from its corporeal reigns. There were questions to be answered, issues to be solved; but right now, Trixie wanted nothing but rest. A tactical retreat for a promise of further advancement, Trixie muttered. Or she was just really sleepy and wanted to indulge in this prolonged state of nothingness as much as possible.

But no. She had unresolved issues. Did she not remember? She found the answer-or what seemed to be the answer, and she had to test it. Like she always did, working out her tricks, to complete them, make them much more refined-come on, Trixie. She knows what to do. You know what to do. In fact, I know what to do. She saw something. I saw something. Trixie said. I said.

Who was talking? Trixie felt tense for a moment-the feeling of something heavy in her stomach. Something she did not want was happening. The voice approached her in its formeless state and talked to her. And she had to answer. Who are you? She asked back.

Trixie, of course. There is nopony else but Trixie here. Time to wake up, albeit partially, and resume her task, because I have lots of things to catch up. Trixie knows, right? She knows-and therefore I know, for what Trixie knows I am bound to know.

How? No, not now. Not now. Just a little more...

Unfortunately not. The mirror! That’s how it all started. I have been trying to figure out how it happened. I talked to Princess Celestia. I talked to two Twilight. Eventually I was going to find the answer; though it was good of me that I let down of my pride a bit and talked to others. Anyway, I would have come to a conclusion in the end.

Conclusion?

Yes, Trixie. Me. Myself. I have come to a conclusion. Do I not remember? I have to do this. I know. I will call myself I; that is a common sense. Trixie knows that, and thus of course I know the fact. I know how Trixie found herself in the mirror-Trixie outside the mirror, to be exact. And because I know, Trixie knows too. For I am Trixie, and Trixie is me.

No, no. Trixie is tired. Not now.

Trixie exerted with all of her remaining strength to block the voice inside her head. Or was it inside her head? She searched-then she found the source, and banished its source.

I have to do this. The voice said, now calmly, despite the sound becoming fainter. The night can be long, and I will have to know that.

Trixie closed her eyes. She was seeing nothing now. Or she believed to-but if she believed so, then it could really happen.

Trixie was seeing something. It was real-real in the sense of dreamworld way, but it was definitely there. The voice now had a form. A voice of her own; she recognized the tone. So she was going to see herself. She was seeing something now. The process of seeing was now being indefinitely stretched, her eyes taking great time to adjust to this sudden object in front of her.

Slowly, but gradually the image took shape. The more she strived to see, the better her sight became. She had to see it for herself.

What? Trixie shook her head. No, that can’t be. How?

Surprised? The black mare grinned.

Wait. A mare? No, could it be called a mare? Trixie surveyed further. It was not right. She knew something was wrong. A black mare-like creature it was; it had jagged horn and transparent insect-like wings. Its body was covered-or at least that was how Trixie saw it-in chitinous scales. Part of its body had holes that were like gaping mouths. It looked like a pony, but it was not, and Trixie somehow immediately realized the fact. Perhaps it was due to her keen magician sense; Trixie knew the image before her, now in the form of a creature, was definitely not normal.

Its dark green eyes shined like bright emerald, the color of radiant vitality at its finest, actually too fine, possibly holding magical energy. Still, Trixie did not falter and looked at the mare-like creature’s strange eyes.

You do not know me, but I know you. It spoke.

Yes. Trixie said. No. She said again. We’ve never met before.

It giggled mischievously, the smile somewhat unnerving for Trixie. Perhaps it had the power to mesmerize, she thought. She searched her mind. Did she ever encounter such creature? Or in any way related to it?

How can you be so sure? It spoke again. What if it was my doing?

No. Trixie said, staring at her. Trixie came to a conclusion. She did. Trixie outside the mirror did. But she inside the mirror could have done it too, had she given the right amount of time. But it was Trixie who started it all-and she knows it all, of how it all happened.

The image was gone, and there was her familiar voice back again.

Good. It said.

I thought I had to make it sure. And that’s why I just could not sleep idly. I will forgive myself, as after this I am sure I will be able to get some sleep. Trixie will believe me, as I am Trixie and only under extreme circumstances I cannot believe myself. Trixie is good at deceiving others, but I think such isn’t the case for herself. Come on, anypony knows besting Trixie is bound to be very difficult.

The voice stopped talking, but when Trixie tried to say something, it began to speak again.

Wait. Let me talk. I can talk of many things, but this thing I have to say before I say something else. I have been tricked. By me. That is funny-I tricked myself. And I know that, right? I who am listening to me know now, of course. I was bound to know, as I said to me.

Trixie wanted to ignore her own voice talking in that characteristic Trixie tone. She was tired. She was supposed to be sound asleep. But if her mind was working and registering the fact that her sight was covered with complete blackness, it was obvious to her that she was awake, or at least she thought she was, her mind believing its vessel was in accordance with its awoken state. Even if the world she was currently in was an illusion or a fantasy that existed beyond reality, she was for the time being inside the place, and that was a definite proof that her mind was awake. She needed not to panic. Not her. She has encountered similar situations in the past-she just had to remind herself who she was and do the job of a pathfinder inside the boundless maze. She knew the starting point, and from that she could expand upon her thoughts and figure out what to do next.

Yes, it was so obvious. How could she not know? Finding out what happened, that was easy. It was her job, really easy for her, because she knew it by now. Or perhaps she had known this all along, for it was she who started it all. And thus she had to untangle the mystery she herself had created.

It was me, Trixie said to herself in a silent voice inside the dream. I did it, I did the magic.

And she spoke. Who spoke? Well, it did not matter. Trixie said. I spoke-Trixie spoke.

About time I figure it out and face the consequences, don’t you think? It is me who does the thinking-but I get what I mean. I mean, I am supposed to get what I say, for it is me who is talking right now and it is also me who is hearing my own world. A pony may never know what others think, but she is bound to know what she has in her own mind. Right?

It was Trixie’s voice she heard. Dreams. She thought. Such things could happen, of listening to one’s own voice or realizing the dreamy state without even waking up. Dreams of a plainer sort were just like watching a movie about her past. Their contents were shifted or interrupted; but Trixie could just sit back and relax, watching the entire thing happening before her.

Sometimes the atmosphere would be darker-such was the influence of the mare of the night with bat-like wings. Trixie could not really guess their nature, but in dreams the creature came unto her, turning her restful moments into unpleasant nightmares.

Let me focus on more immediate issue. The voice said to her. Trixie has other issues, does she not? Like the mirror? How did she get in other Trixie’s place?

Trixie nodded her head. But which Trixie? By who did this dream belonged to? Do you know? She asked. Or do I know? Does Trixie know?

Why, this is my dream, dream of Trixie. The Great and Powerful Trixie. The most powerful magician over all Equestria!

So are you Trixie? Trixie asked. As much as her question sounded absurd, she could not think of any better alternatives. Now even her dreams were like riddles, full of complexities and nonsenses.

I’d like to ask the same question to you. Are you Trixie? Then which Trixie are you? Inside the mirror, or outside the mirror? Does it matter as long as Trixie is Trixie? As long as I know the answer to this riddle, then it would be fine with Trixie. I would be content with it.

So which Trixie? She needed to know. It was always important to know one’s way around. But the voice was right. Trixie was Trixie; that made sense. And of course it made sense; Trixie was Trixie. Still the question remained: which Trixie, Trixie inside the mirror or outside the mirror?

I’d say I am more close to one outside the mirror. After all, it is I who cast the magic as I looked into the mirror. Trixie looked at the mirror. She saw Trixie. Trixie cast the magic and Trixie was in Trixie’s place. The voice laughed. I did it…how sad.

Why did she do it? Trixie asked to herself who was talking right now. Why did I do it?

Because Trixie felt sad, that’s why. Oh, and I felt angry too. My show would have gone fine, were it not for the neighsayers who dared to interrupt my show, and the two asses who was stupid enough to believe every part of my boast. Such fools, not knowing what magic was supposed to be, so base and ignorant of the fine art of my trickery, was the ruin of me.

Wait. Trixie here thinks she can blame nopony but her. She wasn’t shrewd enough. Taken by surprise she could not hope to perform her tricks. The neighsayers she gave each of them a fitting treatment.

The voice did not say anything, as if waiting for Trixie to speak. She cleared her throat and continued to speak.

It is her fault.

Trixie talked without a sound. It did not matter, for the voice was Trixie and it was listening to her. That fact she understood. She could meet herself here, inside the dream. If there was Trixie inside the mirror and outside the mirror, then there could be Trixie that encompassed everything, being the Great and Powerful Trixie.

Now the voice responded. I know that. It said. Or she said. Or I said. This is getting ridiculous. What am I afraid? I don’t really need to say Great and Powerful Trixie all the time. In my mind the fact is so obvious. As I’ve always said I have to focus on issues that are more urgent than others. The mirror. Where was I? Yes. I did it. I was about to talk about that.

So I did it-Why? Trixie asked. Or she asked. Or I asked myself. Why did I do it? I am Trixie-I am Great and Powerful. But what I did, that certainly was below my dignity. Why? Just why?

I thought. Yes, I thought, and therefore I thought. The Great and Powerful Trixie thought. But wait, let’s not get ahead. Certain step I should follow. I caused some disturbance; and to untangle its mystery a careful step-by-step method was to be needed.

Yes, I know-I had known the fact that I did the magic. But I have to remember how I did it. I am good at finding ways. My thread of thoughts I can move around, albeit with some difficulty. No need to worry about getting lost. So many years I have practiced. The endless variables I have all calculated, and the shifting nature I was now quite familiar with. No deceptions or tricks could hold Trixie. Not me. I would eventually escape, and I can escape. Mastery and control, the two necessary precedents before doing the magic, I do not find any problem with my approach on them, and I know where to thread and where to look.

That was what the voice said. Or that was what she, the Great and Powerful Trixie, the master of illusion said. She knew her way around here. It was a familiar territory for her.

When she first realized the truth she was reluctant to believe it. But sooner or later, she was bound up to reach her current position, talking with herself. She could have pretended nothing was happening in either of where she was, inside and outside the mirror.

Trixie spoke. She finally spoke. I finally spoke-and I let my voices sound clearly, so Trixie could listen. For me to listen. “To make things clear, I need to talk, to be given voice. In Trixie’s tone I am talking, for I am Trixie.” The unmistakable tone of Trixie she heard. And she knew it was she who was uttering those words.

“And so I talked with Princess Celestia, and the bearers. I suppose with their help I realized what had actually happened. I could say it was a shrewd choice. Even if it was not right, then it was best at that time. And the best choice can be mistaken as the right choice, sometimes even replace it-which I think is fair enough. I might make myself believe that it was indeed the best choice, a clever tactic devised by me, the Great and Powerful Trixie.”

She heard her own voice-of course, who else could it be but Trixie?

The voice talked. And that voice came from her mouth, because there was nopony but Trixie here. “I was jealous when I saw the mirror. Which I? I have to ask myself. Trixie outside the mirror; that I would be most likely to be. Now I question Trixie: was she jealous? Was that the reason?”

“And Trixie outside the mirror answers the question. Yes, she was. Indeed she felt jealous.”

“And I like that. I like me for saying that I was jealous. Sometimes saying something is hard; truth is scarier than lies, sometimes. And Trixie knows; it is ever so easy to go around the straightforward path-but to walk on its very road, it certainly requires great determination. And thus clarification is a very important process. It is a great displeasure to admit-but I consider it as a necessary evil. I need to become Greater, more Powerful. And to do achieve my aim, I have to be ever honest with myself. For I may create tricks, lies and deceptions, they would be all based on little grain of truth, and I always have to trust myself that I can do it. I can fool others-but myself I cannot trick. Eventually, and always, Trixie finds her way out.”

“She looked into the mirror, and saw Trixie talking with Twilight. It is very rare for one to see oneself in the mirror-even if the mirror is a plain one. One may see other presences-how many could claim to see themselves when they looked at the mirror? But Trixie saw Trixie-that, I think, is a very important point I should make. Sure, she was with that lavender unicorn, but Trixie was there. Her mentor talked about mirror magic, and Trixie remembered his words. He said it was a challenging spell and one take great caution to cast it. She wanted to know how other Trixie was faring. She looked so happy, so cheerful…and Trixie here felt she wanted to be that Trixie. Trixie inside the mirror.”

“But as Trixie is Great and Powerful, I was skillful enough to pull off the trick. And Trixie found herself inside the mirror-while Trixie woke up to in a different world outside the mirror.”

“So I met Twilight, yet I never met Twilight in certain circumstances. Do I want to know how I felt? Tell me, myself. What was it like?”

“This Trixie is thinking. Give her some time. Ah-wait. She got it. What was it like, Trixie asks? Trixie will answer now. She immediately realized something was off. She felt it was not right. She felt happy at first-but she was not Trixie who vanquished the star-bear and defeated two evils. Hold on, I missed a step. Just to let me know, I will have to point out the fact that I also tried to trick me by casting amnesia spell. Just what was I thinking, foolishly believing temporary forgetfulness can drive me away from accessing my memory.”

Trixie said those words-it was she who was speaking. She did it by her own accord, because she thought it would do her good. No, the voice said. What voice? The voice of doubt, of course.

“Jealousy, Trixie. Jealousy. Or anger. Or frustration. Or rage. But she knows, right? Trixie knows she is her own master. Control, it has been always control, and it will continue to be.” She said firmly, staring into the desolate landscape before her.

The vision changed and Trixie saw Trixie with the bearers. She did not flinch-even if she was about to do so involuntarily, Trixie would have immediately assumed direct control of her body and forced it to stand where she was.

“Trixie looked into the mirror…and cast the magic.” Trixie said.

“The reason?” Trixie asked, because she wanted to know.

“She thought she could pull of a great trick and be other Trixie. And she wanted to be in Trixie’s place. I understand, right? The star-bear incident. She was dangerously close to being off. Going odd. Not a good sign. Then Trixie saw Trixie…being with others. Not that she needed some company. It would be good-but not enough. So why did Trixie do the magic?”

“Because she felt sad, regretfully. She was certainly bit off at that point. Lost her way around, don’t know where to go. But temporarily. TEMPORARILY. A condition that was sure to expire.”

“But she was not that Trixie-Trixie was Trixie, but she was not Trixie inside the mirror.” Trixie who knew replied. She sighed.

“So is that all?” Trixie asked.

“ Yes.” Trixie said.

“All clarified?”

“Yes.”

“Good. The Great and Powerful Trixie would find no trouble with tweaking her magic then. To be done, to be undone, it is all the same, or maybe partially same-I would either walk straight, or walk back. That’s how it walks, the casting of magic and its disenchantment.”

It was she who manipulated the thread in the first place; tracking down the level of disruption was to take time, but not for long, for it was her magic, her specialty.

She had come to the conclusion-a sad conclusion, but nonetheless a real conclusion. It had to be done. She was the Great and Powerful Trixie, and she did not falter. She could not, she would not.

The Great and Powerful Trixie contemplates

Her matter was settled-at least partially. Trixie now knew how it had all happened.

Trixie dreamed-Trixie outside the mirror dreamed. It was Trixie outside the mirror who was dreaming now. She had been dreaming the dream of Trixie, but at last she was dreaming her own, dreaming the dream of Trixie outside the mirror. Trixie inside the mirror might have different dream; only Trixie inside the mirror could tell what her dream was.

It was simple. She cast the mirror magic because she was jealous. Or maybe not. Simple or not, how could she tell? Could her act be defined as one single term? It could not be. The language of magic was different from the language of the ponykind; translation was needed, sometimes, always, or hardly at all. Which of the three, Trixie could not tell, or she could tell, or she simply had no idea what to choose. How was she so proficient at magic then? Magic of trickery-was she tricking herself as well? It could not be. The Great and Powerful Trixie could never be tricked. The illusionist was not to be tempered with her own art. She could look into the mirror and only see her own reflection. She could understand the chaos, thus not know or understand anything at all, then comprehending the mysteries of the world, like a fool, like a scholar. Somewhere between the two, there was Trixie, believing she knew, or not knew, of the world she lived in.

The magic was done, she thought. Putting all her mind’s working aside, all she had to do was just take one step back and undo her magic. Right?

No, it could not be that easy. Reversing magic was not a simple process, especially for her kind of magic. The magic which spawned trickeries and lies, her sort was bound to be complex like disheveled mess were she to describe it, an object that would require both admirable patience and great intelligence (a quick wit would make the task much better) to comprehend even its tiniest bit. Or maybe it was like a thread of unending loops which seemed to stretch out in an infinite way, made possible only by her ability to weave non-existent images she gave a false life. Now how could she know that she took one step? In fact, she could have taken two steps; or two steps front and then three steps back. The possibilities were simply endless, as the magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie knew-or at least Trixie herself pretended to-had no bounds.

True, the fact that she did something remained. She took a step or few steps-she took a certain amount of step; that was for sure.

Sadly, and unfortunately, no. Trixie smiled, admiring her amazing practice of instilling distortion upon distortion, building lies upon lies, and ultimately countering falseness with more falseness. Sometimes with a bit of truth, or facts that happened to be much nearer to the truth rather than falseness, she cast her magic. Trixie could say she never took a step, but the magic somehow happened and she seemed to have moved certain distance-distance encompassing both physical and metaphorical concepts.

The idea was actually quite simple-suppose she did not took a step back, but instead ran forward or walked backwards; such silly ideas could actually happen, for her magic was mostly concerned with illusions. They were made to look real, and sometimes they could be indeed real, but merely guising under the term ‘illusion.’ What had really happened, even that fact could be insignificant, as she understood how to decorate blend fantasy into lifelike reality.

So if she could not identify what she really did, how was she going to undo her magic? Trixie who was inside the mirror, who used to be outside the mirror, who was the Great and Powerful Trixie, contemplated on the matter with great consideration, carefully analyzing what tactic she could take. It was her magic, and she knew it best-or she thought she knew it, but believing could well become reality in some cases-the possibility was definitely real. Truths were prone to be mixed with half-truths and exorbitant lies. They attracted many others, sending open invitations to all. And Trixie had to carefully select what was indeed the true original, of how it really happened.

What was real, she asked and asked, asked constantly to confirm where she really was. There never was a straight path for her. Always she wandered inside the maze or a straight path that was bound to be crooked and twisted, leading her to the grand labyrinth of her mind, or something entirely else of which she expected by never expecting it.

The question to her answer was singular-singular as there was one answer. That fact was much obvious. She only asked one question: “What is reality?” Trixie expected-and knew-that there was one answer. If she asked multiple questions, then the answer could be singular or plural. But that very question of reality, it was singular. And thus, the answer she would come up with was bound to be singular.

But of its contents, it could be plural. Or rather, it was always plural. Then her answer, her answer was one, but contained many things that were bound to be multiple, of being plural in nature, so many possibilities compressed into one single unity.

Gladly, this time, there was one answer, being clearly singular in many aspects. Or one answer holding many explanations. Trixie knew she was still in a dream. Just before she freely and openly confessed herself-in her own way, like the Great and Powerful Trixie above the stage as the grand magician, putting her marvelous show on display, inspiring the audiences with awe and great respect for her. Pulling of her trick she loved the awestruck expression of the neighsayers who previously had laughed off at her tricks-just wait till they get a real sense of Trixie magic, she would say to herself.

This time there was nopony watching with awe at her clever maneuver. It was sad, but she had more immediate issues to solve, such as getting back to her place. She talked to her own self-a funny idea, but if she was in a dream, what could stop her from having a sincere deep talk with Trixie who encompassed all Trixies in different realities, alternative worlds which never existed before till she recognized them? The mirror she saw and inside it she saw Trixie. She also saw an opportunity. Driven by her emotions she committed the act, and now she was here, trying to mend the problem of which she had caused it all. She was the one to blame. It was a very sad fact she had to face.

Even then she still saw Trixie. Trixie smiled bitterly. Seldom did mirror really show one’s own reflection, for one could see many things inside the mirror but not her own self. But Trixie saw herself in the mirror. A very rare incident it was, truly marvelous-just how many ponies could claim to see their own reflection in the mirror, when they felt such things could not happen? How many knew themselves so well that they could freely wander around the maze produced by their inner minds’ working? Angry, sad, or depressed-in such state, their minds affected by the violent waves caused by certain feelings, they could well be seeing the spirit of the eternal night herself; what they saw could be real, or could not be, and the boundary between the two could well lose meanings.

But she knew-Trixie knew-where to thread. So familiar with all the paths leading to one and nowhere, of roads linked nowhere, everywhere; the Great and Powerful Trixie carefully, but efficiently, searched the way she wanted to take, and she took that path, and it was all good.

She was doing her usual process: she had to look back, and to review her course of action. Not very pleasant, but the list of must to-dos were often of that nature. Back then, Trixie was, albeit temporarily, not in her proper state. She had to acknowledge it. After coming back at the scene, discovering the mirror and then running away unable to do anything, inside the shabby cottage she was kept reminded of her failures. In such situation, she knew all it took was just one little nudge. For no matter how a pony managed to keep herself well in trying situations, an expected unexpected push could trigger unforeseen events. The time was perfect for a strange incident to happen; she looked at the mirror while being reminded of her failures. A stone was thrown into the pool of her mind, and the rippling waves carried off the energy within a moment shorter than the shortest fraction of time. Nevertheless even tiniest amount was enough to cause major disturbances. Yes, she knew it, of how the great big was made as the tiny smalls were gathered, of how seemingly small insignificant factors allowing fundamental change to happen.

Indeed, the condition was ripe for trouble at that very moment. But something else also happened. At first she did not give it much attention, brooding over her failures, but now she realized when she saw the mirror the usual pattern did not apply to her. Inside the mirror Trixie saw Trixie with the lavender unicorn-just why did she think it would be better for her to be in such place? She only saw her own image in a completely different situation.

It was quick and efficient, not leaving much trace. The very instant she saw the mirror, at that night, her magic already began to work. So subtle, but ever so present, like a steady flow of stream that nopony ever took notice of, until one looked very close. A mirror was just a mirror. No magical mirror for Trixie, at least not the mirror which was still in her cottage. Like mirror the mirror magic was made to show, to show anything but true reflection. Trixie had always believed that what one saw inside the mirror at troubled times could well be part of mirror magic. Not casted voluntarily, but still done, like magic it was supposed to be, producing surprising results, making unbelievable things really happen.

The magic had indeed worked, for as she looked at the mirror she did see Trixie, and that put her in an unexpected course, an anomaly that was out of the ordinary. Trixie in Trixie’s place, that could have been tempting, her voice telling it could work. Nopony and nothing cajoled her but Trixie herself. Maybe the fact that she was indeed Trixie was enough for her to carry out the plan, for Trixie was so Great and Powerful.

There could be no doubt. She did the mirror magic, and it did not fail her. And Trixie was inside the old changing room of Canterlot, or she thought so, while her thinking gradually caught up with her changed situation.

But wait. There were unresolved issues still. At first she was really Trixie-that is, Trixie inside the mirror. She talked with the lavender unicorn as if she knew was really her close friend. She really believed that she was Trixie inside the mirror.

Then how come she knew something was wrong? Suddenly she knew she was originally Trixie outside the mirror. But how? She briefly scanned her memory. Memory of Trixie outside the mirror, for she was Trixie, but she was especially Trixie outside the mirror; one outside the mirror started it all, it was in a way her tale, her story, as somepony would say if she happened to hear Trixie herself talking about this incident later. And thus she reviewed what had happened seen from Trixie outside the mirror.

So she was inside the chamber, satisfied with her dress. Even looking at Twilight Sparkle, the lavender unicorn who outshined the ‘supposedly’ Great and Powerful Trixie and put her skills to shame, did not instantly make her fly into shouting hateful speech. Instead she sincerely greeted the lavender unicorn, without any doubts or confusion, not knowing how to act but to hide her true feelings. Clearly, at the early stage of the incident she was Trixie, Trixie inside the mirror.

Mirror magic itself was not enough. However great her desperation was, she could not have just made her so readily fit into the world inside the mirror. Trixie inside the mirror, while being Trixie, had her own standards. Different places meant different things in general.

Yes, Trixie knows that. She thought. Trixie inside the mirror was so unlike herself, being friend with the bearers. She even defeated Nightmare Moon and Discord; Trixie had to admit the huge difference between her and Trixie inside the mirror.

Then this should not have happened at all, for she knew changing places meant nothing, as long as she was still her own self. The Great and Powerful Trixie-she proudly bore the title, making sure that anypony who came at her magic show would clearly remember her as such. When she was practicing magic in her early years, she felt it was beneficial, actually necessary. For the magic shows it could not hurt to boast as much as one could. She entertained her crowd with lies and deceptions, or in more elaborate words tricks and skills. But to do so, she had to know how to bend the actual reality in the first place-hence the phrase, mastery before manipulation, clarification before control. Even for that she could pretend she knew it all, but even that required great skill.

So she thought and thought, like a traveler who carefully made his way inside the grand maze. She did not have the map. It was meaningless anyway. The walls could shift in an instant, changing the very pattern of the labyrinth. Dead ends could lead to multiple routes. Entrances and exits were multiple, and sometimes non-existent at all. But she was a magician, and lies and trickeries and illusions were her specialties. She often played around with them, making sure to present a good show to the audience.

But she was to concentrate on more immediate issues, for she was still figuring out what had really happened. Trixie looked at the mirror. She saw Trixie, and she cast the spell, and Trixie was in Trixie’s place. She had come to the conclusion. It was nearly perfect, with only few of the inconsistencies with her real experiences. The reason-by now she thought it more than thousand times-was that she was jealous. Sadly, she lost her control for the time being. It was her grave mistake.

A grave mistake that could be mended though; the Great and Powerful Trixie could always be Greater and more Powerful. Mistakes from the past she remembered quite a few. When she was about to perform her first magic show, back at the stage curtain, she took a deep breath as she stepped in front of few audiences that were looking at her with bored faces. She was to impress them first, this somewhat meager unenthusiastic guests. And she succeeded. Her first show went so smoothly, then her next one, then next-and it followed the typical cliché way, she making huge bloopers after she had gained a considerable amount of fame. First time failures-that could be amended easily. But missing a step after gaining attention a bit, that was often very fatal.

While she was working her way through truly becoming the Great and Powerful Trixie, once, twice, or multiples, or sometimes, or always (at least Trixie thought so), behind the stage, staring at the mirror Trixie sighed, trying to control her mind which was screaming everything was over. No. She said firmly. Or she thought she said. She probably spoke without a voice. No. Trixie is not perfect, and she does not think she will ever reach that point. But she was Great, and she was Powerful. The Great and Powerful Trixie.

Such things she would say to herself, whisper during her sleep, mutter when she looked at the mirror and saw only her reflection. Trixie was Trixie, she was Trixie and she was going to be Trixie no matter what.

“So then, what could have caused the Great and Powerful Trixie not to recognize her own self in the first place?” She asked. And she had to find the answer for herself-of course there was not any voice but her own who could reply back. She reflected back upon her memories, now accessing the deeper parts, which was hidden from her till now. And she did not notice the concealment at all. How?

Mirror magic was not enough. The thought had been growing upon her mind-she was merely mulling it over, thinking whether her logic was right. There were many magic that involved mirrors. Simple kinds involved distorting the images to a certain level. More advanced magic affected not the image, but rather what really was inside the mirror. The Great and Powerful Trixie used one of the highest orders: swapping places with one’s mirror-self. How? One might ask to her. Mirror-self, what was it?

She once asked her mentor about the subject. It made no sense. Hardly logical, her hours of consternation did not enlighten her on the matter. How come, she asked to him, that what I saw in the mirror was another reality? Could there be world inside the mirror in the first place?

We may well live inside the mirror, he said, and laughed. At least to those that are inside the mirror of our world. To us they must be living inside the mirror, don’t you think so?

There were multiple realities, but only one reality of which she recognized. Like how there were Trixie both inside and outside the mirror, ultimately being the concept of ‘Trixie’ of which every Trixie inside or outside the mirror believed her to be.

Now she was Trixie outside the mirror-Trixie who thought that she was outside the mirror and then looked into the mirror. But for Trixie inside the mirror, she was the one who was outside the mirror in the first place. The idea was confusing, but she thought she could somehow understand it. She looked from her own perspective, of Trixie outside the mirror-and thus she found herself in Trixie’s place. That Trixie, she thought-and because she thought, so it was done-was inside the mirror.

“Why, yes. The mirror magic part Trixie already knows. But there was definitely something else. Like memory spells.” Trixie whispered. “You know, those devilish tricks that can instantly turn a lover’s heart cold by making him forget whom he really desired for. Who loved who? He may never know. Trixie is fully aware of the danger it poses. But she was fairly desperate at that time. When one feels so devastated one may as well as take the path she never considered before.” Trixie laughed bitterly. “Why, Trixie did cast that magic too. Clever, am I not right?”

Nevertheless the fact she was inside her dream tracking back at her supposedly non-existing memory told her that the plan did not work smoothly as it should have been. In the end she could have said that it was actually better for her-but also very bitter too, for she had to remember her depressed state back then and was now trying to reconstruct her past actions, seeking what she really did in her dream.

If concentrated hard enough, there was no reason why she should not be able to alter one’s memory a little. And she already knew one could force oneself to forget certain unpleasant memories. Forget what was bad, remember only the good. Or rather, believe one’s memory had nothing to do with the unpleasantness. To deceive, and thus to believe; Trixie herself while looking at the mirror and letting her magic work must have known the same, therefore applying the wisdom unsparingly, making her fit for her role as Trixie inside the mirror, believing something she never experienced before.

It was not entirely successful. Actually, very close to failure. The trick lasted no more than a few minute. Not even a single day had passed before she realized she was really not who she was, but was made-up image of her own wish, though the image itself was real. Trixie pretend to be Trixie, borrowing from the real. Still, she was Trixie in the end, Trixie outside the mirror.

“Trixie is Great and Powerful.” She said.

“I am Trixie, the most powerful magician over all Equestrian lands.” She said with clear voice, not shouting, buy pronouncing each syllables slowly and very accurately, making sure her words were heard.

There was nopony here except her. Right now her dream had no physical space, not even made-up ones conjured by her imagination, as only her mind recognized her current ethereal state inside her dream.

But if it was her dream, then she could control it-to some degree. Like how she made the images of two evil creatures to disappear. She was indeed the Great and Powerful Trixie, and as she often treaded her thread of thoughts and walked inside the maze made by her complicated thoughts, she grasped the concept of her dream and attempted to manipulate it so that she might see her own self.

How? She asked herself, still a bit amazed after all the training she had gone through.

It is expected of the Great and Powerful Trixie, and thus Trixie can do it. If she is indeed Great and Powerful, this should be no such a great feat, but minor chores that can be done with relative ease. She thought. And her thoughts she thought it was good, thus answering her curiosity.

She saw Trixie. And that Trixie was looking like her. Or rather it was indeed her, her image reflected in the mirror. In the formless void there was a mirror. Like the featureless mirror she once looked at that night. And in the mirror she saw Trixie. Trixie who was inside the mirror was not wearing purple-colored dress but Trixie’s own costume. Pointed hat with blue cape, bound to her body by a blue sapphire brooch. Trixie did not smile, but made a small grin, because she who was looking at the mirror grinned.

“Looking at the mirror, I see Trixie outside the mirror.”

“So, how did she not realize this earlier? That she was not Trixie inside the mirror?”

“Do you not know? Trixie should know that. I knew it from the start. It was expected, as I know Trixie knows, she has known it all along, she would have known it. It occurred to me, to Trixie naturally, my thought working smoothly well.” She could not stop

There was the dividing line, though she did not immediately find out that something was inherently wrong like she should have been. Still, by natural process of her logic it was to be expected of her. Ursa Major; only the mention of the star-bear, the celestial monstrosity did enable Trixie to immediately recognize her folly, of attempting vainly to forget about her mistake, the fatal error she had caused. How could she forget the incident? She remembered many things-retrieving from her everlasting flow of memory; she was bound to come across that piece of information. And then, her shambles of low-grade lies would be exposed and then promptly vanished, for the trickery was not enough and lacked validity. Not real enough-at least not real enough for Trixie outside the mirror, for the reality of her vanquishing the star-bear did not belong to her. At least not for now. It could become her reality, the Great and Powerful Trixie one day in the future proudly proclaiming before the awestruck audience, retelling her tale of encountering the majestic beast. The possibility was certainly there.

But not now. She muttered. Not now, it could happen-and if it could happen, she could make it happen, because she was the Great and Powerful Trixie.

A most extraordinary situation, an unexpectedness that was certainly unexpected-wait, really? Really? But then again, was it not normal for her? To taste the bitterness of her defeat over and over again? Yet she was still the Great and Powerful Trixie, ever more so because she was able to maintain her posture. For Trixie, failure was not an option, but a common everyday incident lurking behind the corners to strike her down. She admitted-she had to admit, lest she not be so Great and Powerful-that she could not be ever so Great and Powerful. But the Great and Powerful Trixie, her title-what of it, her name, what of it, how to make the situation comprehendible? Still by acknowledging the fact she could be so Great and Powerful, or she thought she could achieve such position, and as she believed to be true it became reality, she could, Trixie could, she had to, Trixie had to, realize that she was in fact inside the mirror, ignoring her lowly tricks that certainly did no good.

She did fall, fall ever so deep, but she was to rise again…right? She asked.

“Yes.” She said. Trixie said.

“I said that word, and my word becomes reality, or at least that’s how I believe it, and by believing it becomes my reality, or at least I believe to be such, hence ending up making my reality, fabricating the real world I live in, of Trixie outside the mirror.”

“I took one step forward. Or maybe not. I moved-or did I? Nevertheless, the fact remains that Trixie outside the mirror now is inside the mirror. Suppose she took one step, Trixie did it, she did it-and since she did it, Trixie did it, she could, Trixie could, return. No, not return, but something else, maybe her, my, attempt to amend the situation. She said. Trixie said I said.”

The familiar process she began to reverse back. No, not reverse, but something entirely different. Still, she knew what she was doing, or she thought she was, and by this she actually knew what she was doing.

She cast the magic again, this time working backwards, or any directions that she did not venture before.

The Great and Powerful Trixie and the mirror

Waking up, like she always did. Like always, then a certain procedure to follow. Not very rigid, for she was quick to adapt to various situations, but she had to go through several steps to properly wake up. The question she always asked sprang up again inside her mind. Where was she? What was she? Yes, mostly it started with her questionings. To assess her situation, to find her way around so that she could work out her inner workings of the mind and decide what to do; that was the basic structure to her plan. Subject to change, of course, but not ultimately changing again, no ultimate, fundamental change, but a change of a minor kind-maybe not minor, but something else-change itself steadfast, never changing-change always happened, and thus there was hardly any change, embodied by one great unchanging change.

The answer was always there-she just had to look for it, search for the right path that led her to the solution she sought. So many variables-but there was an answer, a ‘plural’ answer ultimately leading to one single concept as ‘answer’, leading her to what she sought for.

Thus she began her mind’s grand workings. She was Trixie, she was the Great and Powerful Trixie, Trixie outside the mirror. Where was she? She was back, in the world outside the mirror, staring at the mirror inside her cottage located at the outskirt of Ponyville. What was she? She was Trixie. How did she look? She was wearing a blue cap and a cloak that went over her body, buckled by a blue emerald that now somewhat lost its precious gem-light shining in the darkness. Anything else? There was one thing. In fact, there were many things-but one step at a time, it was always like that. An order that was never stable; but the random factors did form a pattern of their own, and Trixie could somehow comprehend their haphazard forms.

One thing she took notice: the gem was not shiny as it used to be. Or two things, three things-so many things were there to consider. The cape was stained. Quite much, actually. Also, her hat was crumpled-not completely crumpled, but to some degree. Somewhat. A bit. A little. It was unacceptable. Small things made big differences. The ever-wonderful yet annoying paradox of oppositions-the two extremes often meeting together, Trixie knew it well.

Yes, it was very rash of her-how could she not care about her looks? Her title demanded that her image and looks match its grandiose might. She knew recent turn of events were not very favorable for her; but still, how could she not pay any attention to her magician apparels? Even though she was trying to recuperate from her fiasco at Ponyville-or wait, maybe it happened because her cloth was not up to her magician standards? Yes, maybe, definitely possible; there was no way she could fully convince the audience with such messy costume. It could explain why there were those pesky neighsayers daring to challenge her. She must have looked quite foolish. Other ponies would not be so impressed.

She would polish it again later, like every time she did after finding various small dirty marks stained to the ornament. First she would rub it with her special gem-handling cloth, and then dip into the liquid-filled container that was made for storing gems and restoring it to its proper radiant glory. Also, not to forget ironing her cape and tidying up her hat. A process of recovery-it took time, but it had to be done. Her grand splendor could not just be maintained by its own. Only with her supreme mind could she fix any holes that might possibly threaten her image.

Like every time she woke up. Lost only momentarily, quickly awaking from her daze she surveyed her surroundings; her incredible mind-machine was now reactivated to function again. Of course the ever-steady flow did not stop at all, even in her sleepy state, but now she was going to assume more direct control-a varying degree, yes, a part of her trick, of dividing a concept into small tiny bits. Many small made one big, after all.

But first things first, prioritizing after prioritizing; it had to be done-still she had more immediate issues right now. Finding the first concern, and then thinking for a minute, wondering whether she missed anything that deserved her attention, the magician’s mind was starting to get busy. For Trixie it was a natural process taking little more than a fraction of a second. She thought monetarily, her mind coming up with an answer she was searching for.

The mirror incident, she remembered it well. She solved the mystery. By her own, for Trixie was so Great and Powerful. Talking with the alicorn princess was but just one part of her grand scheme, of her devising how she could get things done her own way. Now she was just about to test if her plan really worked out as she intended.

The Great and Powerful Trixie looked into the mirror. She saw Trixie, her own self, like she always did every time she stared at the object which reflected her own image.

Not enough. What she saw, what she thought she truly saw, was it really that she saw? Great trickery, ensuring great chaos, the question always lingered around her mind whenever she woke up from her partially oblivious slumber. Was she real? Maybe. After a bit of thinking, yes. Was she in reality? Maybe-maybe not-how could she know? But she knew, of course, for she understood the interwoven paths paved by lies and deceits, the fog of illusion covering the entire roads. Yet, by her experience, by her knowledge, by being so Great and Powerful, she knew where to go, where not to tread, where to turn, and then finally where to arrive.

Already she was finished with her plan, following it step-by-step. Trixie continued to look at the mirror. Trixie in the mirror smiled-because Trixie who was looking at the mirror was smiling. The Great and Powerful Trixie smiled-a bitters smile, but still grinning nonetheless. Yes, it was her smile right. She really was smiling. Silently laughing inside, probably.

Next step. Trixie raised a hoof. The figure inside the mirror did the same. Right hoof reflected as left hoof in the mirror. Or simply reflected as an image should be reflected in the mirror. She had to make it sure. She knew her illusion magic was absolutely supreme, but she always had to check one more time. Expect the unexpected. She knew what she did not know, to see beyond the darkness, stare at the void of uncertainty to conjecture what was about to befall her. Even then there still could be most extraordinary circumstances seemingly fantastically realistic; that fact too, she knew well, predicting her failure, or believing she could do so by scanty yet compelling evidences telling her something would likely to happen. Perhaps what she saw were infinite possibilities, not exactly able to be deciphered any other language than magic itself. Like the magic of illusion of which she was so familiar with.

She still remembered the spell. She could cast it again if she wanted to-or if she thought she wanted to, regardless of her concerns, going against her better judgment. A not so careless mistake, though still a grave error on her part. She had committed it once. And twice. Actually, lots of times. Surely it was not her first time, of failing to assert herself as the only and rightful master of the Great and Powerful Trixie. She thought it as a proof of showing a room for improvement. Not very good, but fairly alright in her opinion. She was Great and Powerful-thus not entirely so at the same time, not reaching the topmost state of being Great and Powerful, and thus, because of such position she had-of not being at the zenith but somewhere between, an obscure place which could not be easily determined-she was truly Great and Powerful. It was the most wonderful paradox that seemed to made little sense to her-at first only. She thought about it for a long time, and came to comprehend the fact. Sometimes she made mistakes, because she was not yet so Great and Powerful. Greater. More Powerful. A room for improvement-yes, thus so Great and Powerful. Truly a miraculous seemingly false truth that held great wisdom.

“I am Great and Powerful.” Trixie uttered the word. Her voice sounded so sweet and confident, like she always used to be being so Great and Powerful. She looked at the mirror. As she spoke those words the blue unicorn inside the mirror moved her lips in the same way she did hers. “Trixie is Great and Powerful.” Still the image replicated every movement her body made. “Good.”

The incident, though a great mistake of her, was in fact a boon. That was her conclusion of it. Indeed, she was to rise again, be restored to her proper place; so high above the stage, showing off her magnificent tricks, fooling her audience with unbelievable magical skills, being so cunning, so clever. Believing she could do so, and indeed she was going to achieve it. One way or another. By tricks and deceits and lies probably, she would let all Equestria know that the Great and Powerful Trixie’s show was not about to close down its performance. There was simply no room for abandonment of her business. Merely having a hiatus-yes, that was what Trixie was meant to do, reconstituting herself from the recent unfortunate events, thinking how she could further develop her skills in magic.

So she has returned to the world outside the mirror-or rather to the world of her reality, to be more exact. Other Trixie too, would now contemplate on her own actions, of deeds of Trixie outside the mirror. That she would figure it out her own-Trixie outside the mirror had her own issues to solve.

Anger, jealousy, and any other feelings which often crept inside her mind when she fell from her place high above the stage-it was still there, of course, for Trixie was a pony like everypony else, and as a pony it was natural to harbor ill emotions.

But that could be hardly an excuse. Always she controlled herself. Unfortunately, the Great and Powerful Trixie momentarily failed to be the master of her own self. It was-it had to be-always mastery before manipulation, clarification before control. If a magician could not be the master of her own being, then it could never work well. She has been learning her lessons from her previous failures well, of continuing to be placid and confident-and if not, make her to be-in most desperate and troubling situations. Still she could occasionally slip here and there, thus making her contemplating more and more on her issues. Sometimes it was petty mistakes-not knowing how to act in front of jeering crowds or forgetting the order of spells she was supposed to cast for the performance; petty in terms of not being the master, of course, for failing at her show was a grave matter. Still, she would choose such incidents to strike her if she could fully control her fortunes.

And there were more serious mistakes, of being tricked by her magic. She would allow herself to be tricked; why? How could she allow such incidents to happen? She was The Great and Powerful Trixie; and as her title suggested, she was so Great and Powerful. No amount of repetition was enough to emphasize her Greatness and being full of Power. Nevertheless-indeed, nevertheless-Trixie knew, as she realized again and again as she managed to gather her wits and stand up again from countless piles of mayhems she caused (or may not have caused, but still related to her somehow). The worst sorts of failures were herself throwing away the logic of a magician, but instead believing in tricks and likes like a foolish bystander at the show, so easily duped.

No, she was not such kind who went bewildered every time the magician cast her most meager tricks-not even worthy of being called ‘magic’-and then clapping her hooves. She was, the Great and Powerful Trixie was, high above the stage; that was her rightful place. Others would genuinely marvel, or at least be amazed at how much wonder she could produce. And for those who thought such acts were deceitful and not right, Trixie simply scoffed at those lowly crowds as ‘neighsayers’ who could never hope to accomplish high position as she. She would show them her magic, trick them as best as she could, and then laugh triumphantly. The neighsayers could never hope to understand even a fraction of her grand mind-hence if they were to challenge her, then of course, it was gladly accepted. It was such a joy for them to learn their place. A world of lies and tricks and truths and half-truths and many more-they could never hope to comprehend even a tiny fraction-maybe because one had to understand everything to know the part, and vice versa. Only a magician could ever hope to achieve such a state, being so familiar with tricks and illusions.

But then something happened-she had to consider the extraordinary. Always. Just a few days ago, she met an anomaly-Twilight Sparkle. But not just her-the lavender unicorn was with other ponies. Those around her accused Trixie of boasting herself unnecessarily. Trixie scoffed at them. So, another of those uncultured ponies who could not enjoy the wonderful show she graciously offered to present to others-she had dealt with them before, countless times.

First she was reluctant to face them directly, maybe because she was afraid of them. They seemed so overly confident that they were like her-being so Great and Powerful. But as she performed her shows again and again she gradually realized how to make them silent and awestruck. A little trickery was enough. They could never take the wonder she produced. A combination of quick wit, great deception, and simple trickery hit them by surprise, leaving them visibly startled and making another good laugh for the audience waiting for wonders.

But they were not like others. Different. Somewhat. Very much, perhaps. Only later did she find out that they were actually bearers of the elements, defeating two ancient evils and saving Equestria twice.

So what? They came to watch her show-and they were going to appreciate it. They had to, because it was her show, the Great and Powerful Trixie’s Magic Show. If they did not enjoy it-though she thought such instances were not possible at all-then they could leave. The Great and Powerful Trixie knew some ponies did not appreciate the kind of magic she was so fascinated with-well, then she would try to show that her shows were a spectacular sight to behold (for the Great and Powerful Trixie herself was there to present her show). Even then there could be the expected un-expectancy. Then she did not stop them. Just evidence that she could be still Greater and Powerful, thus ultimately being able to impress those unimpressed as well.

Many thoughts running in mind-though all ultimately leading to one issue, of figuring out how to continue her state of being so Great and Powerful-she began to look back on her memory. The most urgent cause was, of course, to continue meditating on her issue. Next, maybe contemplate on how to talk to the lavender unicorn-she knew she had to visit her. Her other version talked with her-if Trixie do not visit her, than probably she would eventually find her and then come to her place. For many reasons-including the need to show that her pride had not yet been completely tarnished-she had to visit Twilight. And then, she would tell it all. No, not all, but just say what she want to say. The Great and Powerful Trixie knew how to speak, how not to speak. What to hide, what to reveal, speak less truth but no lies, somewhere along the line she would start a conversation. A plan was already beginning to form inside her mind.

One solution ended. One small step. She figured it all out. By herself-with her decision to use others. Yes, by her own. She thought so, and so it was. Now she was to propose the second plan. She knew she had to go to Twilight-other Trixie met her, so she had to explain her cause.

“She will have to think just a bit more…of how to approach this issue. Trixie is now finished with the mirror-not quite finished, but done in Trixie’s first process, ready to be moved into the second step.”

The Great and Powerful Trixie looked at the mirror, thinking how to solve her issue. The image inside the mirror held a serious tone, showing the Great and Powerful Trixie continuing to inspect on finding the best path to thread this time.