Trixie's Tale

Trixie's Redemption

It was late in the evening and Luna had just finished raising the moon and setting the sky ablaze with constellations and meteorites to celebrate the spring. Luna stood alone on her observatory balcony overlooking a gala party below where they were celebrating the season.

“It’s a beautiful night princess” Trixie commented as she materialized from the shadows behind her. “Thank you my faithful apprentice, I’m quite content with it as well” she nodded before pushing her telescope aside. “I have an important assignment for you” Luna offered tapping a wrapped up scroll on her nearby table. “I need you to journey into the everfree forest. There is something you must acquire”.

Trixie had been training in secret for months “an assignment; that’d be great I’ve been waiting to test out my abilities” Trixie cheered to Luna’s dismay. Trixie stood at attention “right master, restraint.” Luna nodded floating the map towards Trixie “I’m sending you to my ancient fortress in the everfree. It is two days march from Ponyville. Do you think you can manage it?”

“No sweat!” Trixie remarked leaning over the balcony to a lower landing where Twilight was demonstrating her newfound powers for Celestia. Luna joined in to see the purple unicorn’s performance. Luna and Celestia had very different teaching methods: whereas Celestia promoted Twilight’s academic research and only observed her student’s assessments.

Luna focused entirely on Trixie’s training, and there were no performances. Trixie was also Luna’s student in secret so only they were privy to their relationship. “Her form is all wrong, and she’s expending far more magic than necessary to cast that spell” Trixie spat while observing.

Luna chuckled “her performance is spotless Trixie, and that little unicorn has more capability than what meets the eye”. Luna sat down to meditate as a polite cue for Trixie to join her “Magic is governed by the heart and mind, and no two ponies are alike”. Trixie sighed in submission “thus is the way of magic” she instructed before closing her eyes.

Trixie itched in her meditative state. She could feel something ominous watching her. It was threatening; sending cold chills as she repelled the dark force from her mind, “ah! Bad!” Trixie cried trying to pull herself out of the nightmare. She could hear Luna’s voice calmly “No Trixie, stay with it. What do you feel?” the blue unicorn shivered violently “it’s cold, and dark. I also sense anger” Trixie reported feeling a deep heat well up within her chest.

“I feel powerless” Trixie cried as the dark mass leached out scraping across her brain like sharp fingers. ‘Powerless… powerless’ the words repeated over in Trixie’s head until Luna spoke up again “you’re getting a small taste of the darkness inside you Trixie.” Luna’s voice was warm and filled with reason “the darkness will lead you to fear, and uncontrollable anger. You must control your emotions” she commanded.

Trixie focused bringing herself back in control. Her thoughts journeyed out of the dark place “Very Good, that’s enough for tonight” Luna commanded “I will see you when you return”. Trixie bowed elegantly before leaving disappearing in a dramatic poof of blue smoke before gleefully darting down the hallway.

***

Trixie treaded carefully as she entered the everfree. The forest was dark but she was brave. As she trekked towards the ruined castle no creature disturbed her. The only creature foolish enough to face her was a lone timber wolf that fled as a volley of fireworks singed its willowed hide. Trixie marched on beaming with potential.

The castle glared omnisciently at Trixie. Its ruined parapets and dark cold bricks seemed to scowl at her. The castle still bore Nightmare Moon’s banners though the standards were now tattered and beaten. Trixie removed her hood to allow for greater visibility. “Is there anypony here?” she asked her voice echoing through the hold. Nopony responded “what was I supposed to get?” Trixie wondered as she ignited a flare spell and began exploring the castle. “Princess Luna didn’t tell me what I was looking for” she wondered aloud as she moved about. “It’s probably in the throne room” she concluded “a magical artifact of some sort”.

The castle keep was enormous. Ornate pillars rose high where a lone throne rested peacefully at the opposite end of the room. There were shattered stone shards scattered about the hall; the remnants of the elements of harmony. Trixie strutted into the middle of the chamber and recalled her master’s previous advice.

She sat quietly, closed her eyes and tried to meditate. The room was eerily silent as she cleared her mind, but her heart fed her warm thoughts of Canterlot and her proud master. Trixie’s senses heightened as her mind and body synchronized and she felt her magical powers elevate.

A cold chill shot through Trixie as a dark thought penetrated her mind and broke her focus. Powerless… powerless… The thought provoked as though she hadn’t conceived it. Trixie’s eyes shot open and a shadowy starved blue mare observed her with hollow eyes.

Trixie screamed seeing the horrifying creature appear and retreated as it hobbled towards her “nowhere to run, you’re alone after all” the creature hissed mysteriously teleporting to block her exit. Trixie moved to defend herself and gathered herself to cast a spell; it wouldn’t come though she couldn’t muster the energy.

The unicorn shade creeped ever closer. Its empty holes for eyes petrified the fearful Trixie. “What are you?” Trixie barked. The shade laughed “I am the sum of your fears”. The creature charged for Trixie and struck her across the side sending her skidding back several feet.

Trixie quickly recovered and moved on the offensive. She caught her breath and managed to gather enough magic to face the creature. She fired a volley of fireworks at the creature and pushed it back. The creature attempted to swipe at her with a shadowy spell but Trixie was able to dodge it.

Trixie sensed her powers fading and concluded she didn’t have the energy for a sustained fight. It’ll have to be a quick fight then. Trixie deftly jumped and sent a magical tremor through the floor. A magical hand constructed of stone erupted from the floor and snatched the shadowy creature crushing it into the floor.

Trixie slowly approached the writhing creature; now trapped beneath the stone construct. In the pale moonlight Trixie could see the ghastly creature had pale blue fur and a unicorn horn. Trixie immediately recognized the creature and the mimic saw she did “a monster horrified by its own reflection?” it spat as it tried to break free.

The creature laughed but it was labored “don’t think so? We’re afraid of being alone… our power is the only thing that makes us special. We’ve done bad things Luna, but it is okay. No family, no friends! We don’t need them we’re better than the others”. Trixie strengthened the spell tightening her grip on the mimic.

The mimic howled in pain. “I don’t blame you! We… We have nothing to apologize for.” The creature snarled. Trixie altered her spell to elevate the mimic and bring it to her so she could look the monster in the face. The mimic chuckled gleefully as the spell’s rocky grip shifted.

“No. You are wrong” Trixie screamed, she felt her chest fill with warm light. “I made mistakes, I hurt other ponies and I hurt myself”. Trixie smiled feeling her eyes well up with tears “you’re right I did horrible things; but I will not bask in them like you.”

“Yea?” the creature asked rolling its eyes. Trixie used her spell to release the creature and catapulted it across the room. The creature smashed against the wall. It was severely weakened only possessing the strength and hatred to bitterly crawl towards Trixie. “I am Princess Luna’s apprentice. I am learning to properly use my powers and I will do whatever it takes to right the wrongs I’ve done!”

A blinding force erupted from Trixie and saturated the room in snowy white light. Trixie felt herself lifted from the ground and imbued with elemental wisdom. The Trixie mimic exploded into a pile of ashes where a glistening object could be seen.

When Trixie’s hooves touched back on the castle floor she galloped for the pile of ashes. As she dug into the pile her hooves tapped something cool and metallic. A necklace. The necklace was forged gold with a gemstone in the middle. The gemstone was carved in the shape of a white ring with a sapphire center and an overlapping sapphire star.

“The element of redemption” a polite voice explained which startled Trixie. Luna carefully picked up the necklace and hung it around Trixie’s neck “you faced what you feared most and in that found what you yearned for most” Luna looked extremely pleased “I am so proud of you” she cheered hugging Trixie. Trixie yelped in surprise at being hugged and felt herself tear up “thank you princess… this means so much” she cried in Luna’s embrace.