Putting her show on the road may have been a bit more than she initially thought. Trixie let out a tired sigh as she continued walking and following the road thought. The magician had made it from Ponyville and past Rambling Rock Ride as it was. It had been about a week since she remembered seeing the train tracks or even a pony at all.
Her spirits never seemed to dampen as the blue unicorn trudged on and pulled her caravan along with her. Every step just meant it was a bit closer to Baltimare. She couldn’t wait to see the place flock to her show when she arrived and set everything up. Of course, she would be showered in bits as the crowd asks for an encore.
Trixie smiled to herself and lifted her head. While she may have got a little lost after crossing a river, she still assumed she was heading in the right direction. There were a few times she could even hear the running water and opted to steer clear just in case she might be looping back around on accident. It wouldn’t have been a terrible idea for her to grab a map but that would only work if she could find a pony that had one at some point.
The week long journey had been a little rough starting out but things did even out for her. Food didn’t seem as scarce as she was thinking once before. At least she had a comfy place to rest in. Not many venturing out could say the same.
A rock caused her wagon to jostle lightly. Trixie glanced back to the swaying lanterns and bobbing flower resting on the sill. Nothing looked to have come loose. She had learned to appreciate what she had after nearly losing it all before.
While it was an interesting trip so far, she still wished she could have had her friend come along. Starlight would probably love to see the sights with her and camp out. Maybe even be a part of her show! Trixie made a smug smile at the thought and nodded.
Another rock made her halt entirely as she checked to make sure things were still okay. It was odd how many rocks she seemed to be running over even though she never saw them. A small shrug was offered at the curious anomaly before she continued on and hummed lightly to herself.
It had been quite the thing to watch the stars at night while laying on the top of her wagon. She often had plenty of chances to enjoy such things but only recently took the time to. Starlight would have loved it. The cozy hammocks in her caravan with the small iron stove made for a very comfy night to top it all off.
Her thoughts drifted from one thing to another as she considered taking her friend the next time she wanted to travel far. Maybe even make it a small road trip to see as many sights as possible along the way. She was sure to bring back a souvenir or several for Glimmer to have either way. What a wonderful friend she was!
Trixie felt the shafts pulling to one side and shifted herself to move it back on track. She would need to invest in a better saddle with some proper traces and more at some point. The mare continued, keeping herself and her wagon as steady as possible along the road. With the amount of bits she might get at Baltimare, she might eventually be able to afford such necessities and more.
It was a lovely dream and nice idea to think of. A magician never revealed their secrets but she knew so many as it was. Disappearing acts, rope tricks, the famed infinite handkerchiefs. Trixie knew it all or at least believed she did. While proper magic wasn’t her forte, she excelled at entertainment for all ponies. It did make her happy to see her audience enjoy such work.
There was another tug against her saddle as she stuck her tongue out and strained to right the direction of her mobile home. Why had it been so stubborn lately? Ever since the river crossing her home had been drifting to the side. She had to be close to the city. Maybe another day or two at most. Then she could relax and get things fixed up.
Plenty of daylight was still ahead and Trixie planned to make the most of it. Traveling by night wasn’t really an idea she thought fondly of. While her legs may be sore she knew how it would all be worth it. The crowd cheering, the bits, her friend congratulating her.
Trixie smiled as she looked off to the side at the thick treeline to her right. She was lucky not to be caught up in all of that. The left had just as much going for it with tons of bushes and trees that almost acted as if both side were telling her to just keep walking. With how tall and far the branches stretched, things nearly appeared to be looming over the road in areas.
When another tug to her side made her focus on the task of her wagon, the magician felt her efforts nearly be in vain. The mare grunted as she tried pulling herself to the right while using her magic to give the slightest lift to her caravan. It seemed to work, for the most part. Then she stopped using her spell.
The wagon dropped a foot or two but with quite the commotion. Her ear pinned to her head at the sound as pots and pans, lanterns and so much more were randomly tossed around from the drop. There was even an odd groaning coming from it which she couldn’t place at all. Confusion overtook any small bit of panic as she stopped and watched.
The purple wagon looked okay from a glance. It was just that groaning noise that didn’t seem to stop. Moving only made it worse and had her consider her current options.
“Trixie commands you to stop that!” she yelled at her wheeled home.
Stop it did. The entire wagon shifted to one side before the front left wheel finally gave in. Wooden groans of stress turned to splintered cries as the wheel broke and managed to wretch itself free of the wagon. Every fiber of the pony’s being struggled to keep her home upright but it seemed far too futile of an attempt.
Even through her best try, Trixie’s caravan tilted and refused to correct itself. Her worry had her unfasten the saddle around her before running over to assess the damage done. The wheel itself was useless with it broken in a few areas and unable to return to its former glory. While her wagon wasn’t ruined it certainly wasn’t going to be going anywhere with no easy way to steer it.
It had to be the wheel. The unicorn sneered at the broken piece before looking at the empty spot it once sat. As much as she didn’t trust them, her wagon was useless without them. She supposed it could have been worse but it didn’t make her feel any better.
Those violet eyes looked from one end of the road to the other. No sign of a city or even a town nearby. The closest place to even get a spare might be quite the walk as it was. It was an immediate mood dampener for her as she sat and tried to think of anything that might help.
Half an hour was spent of her doing the best she could on repairing the wheel itself. All attempt only failed the second she stood it up. One try even managed to make the situation worse. Her broken wheel had changed into a tea kettle trying to magically fuse it together. An upgrade from her usual magic, kind of. She would need to figure something out before long. Her gaze shifted to the sky and took a note of evening about to come.
Trixie sighed before turning around and looking right into the eyes of a very pale pony dressed in dark mauve robes. While the magician did tense up, it took a lot not to squeal. She was proud of herself somewhat.
“Nopony needs to be sneaking up on the Great and Powerful Trixie!” the blue unicorn stated while striking a small pose for herself, heart beating rapidly. “Also, hello.”
“Beyond the path you may find more than you need,” the mare in dark mauve said while lifting a hoof. Her indication pointed to a very small and nearly invisible path hidden by the foliage nearby.
“Oh, that’s convenient,” Trixie said aloud as she looked before turning back.
The shock of being left alone so suddenly had the blue mare looking all around her. She knew of disappearing acts but they usually involved smoke pellets or trapdoors. Her small search in the immediate area turned up nothing before she gave a small shrug. If she were to run into that unicorn again she might ask to be taught such a clean vanishing trick. Maybe even where she got those robes.
It was very odd to be told she was lost when she very clearly wasn’t. Her wagon had broken down was all. Though, if this supposed nearby harbor did have a spare wheel to use until Baltimare she’d happily take it. The only confusing thing to her was that she didn’t hear any waved from open water.
With little reason to stay where she was, Trixie opened her caravan and pulled out her saddlebags. There was no telling exactly how far such a town might be but bringing a little food wouldn’t hurt. Her magic dropped in a few bits as well for the spare wheel she hoped to find. Little else was left for her to do as she locked up the doors and looked at the small trail.
There were plenty of branches from trees and bushes all around to make the spot incredibly difficult to find. It was a wonder she had her home break down right near it. Her cloak and hat were donned as she pushed through the bramble and winced at the poking sticks. The only rough part was actually getting through the thicket enough to get past the barrier.
Soon enough, Trixie popped through and let out a breath. At least that part was over. Her magic straightened her hat before she began following the barely trodden path. It sloped at an angle down and she could only try not to lose her footing. Each step of her hooves made her wonder a bit more how she might try to manage the wheel back up properly.
The path itself curved a few times but always continued to descend. Light barely passed through the thick treetops above and left so much of the area in shade that it was slow going for the pony on her trek. A few times the path had been lost for a second due to the darkening shadows from the trees as well as the sun lowering further. She could only hope she’d find what she needed at the end of it all.
It was a much long walk than she had really thought. With how the trees and all covered so much, she almost as if she were walking through another world. Trying to spot the sun was pointless and the descent had begun to even out slightly.
Trixie perked an ear up as she stopped and listened closely. With a hoof behind her ear to funnel it lightly, she could make out the nearing sound of water. Waves, specifically. Perhaps there really was a harbor hidden down in some valley.
Instead of pausing her progress any longer, the unicorn got to walking again as she followed along once more. Eventually, the path started leading her through trees that had seen far better days before. Leaves became more sparse as well a general lack of plant life overall. If she didn’t know any better, it almost seemed a bit eerie.
Finally, after the long walk through the woods, she could see buildings ahead. Her pace picked up as she rushed close to the end of her little journey and stepped out of the dead treeline. Even though it was a new area to her it felt oddly so. Something different about it that she couldn’t place a hoof on.
Every building looked rather old and worn from the weather of the sea. Faded colors, warped boards, moss in some areas. It all looked far from ideal living standards, not that she was in a place to judge. It all had a very strange feel to it.
Looking along the small rows of structures, it seemed as if there was only one road in and out of town. It led right to the path she had emerged from. The buildings ranged from what she could only guess might have been a fishing shop, a tavern, possibly a few homes and a general store. There were a few others but she couldn’t make a guess on them. The tavern itself was one of the closest things to the port ahead.
As small as the port was, and the harbor as a whole, it could have been decent if it was all cleaned up. The port looked like it could barely keep half a dozen boats at most. Every board on the single pier jutting out was worn from time and water. The end of the wooden walkway pointed out at the open water and to a lighthouse ahead, perched on its own island.
Trixie stared a bit longer before noticing the skyline shifting to twilight. Her day was ending and night had come to take over. The chill from the open water and wind rushing off it made her shiver as she watched the sky begin to cloud over. If she was going to get her wheel then she wanted it soon to stay out of the rain.
Turning from one side of her street to the other, there looked to be nopony home. No lights on inside or out of the buildings. Trixie paced along the cold ground as she turned a corner to see the tavern. Not even the sound of mugs were hitting the counter. Everything just seemed empty. She began suspecting she had been led into a ghost town.
If she had been tricked into running off to some empty place so that unicorn could steal from her, Trixie would make her pay. The thought made her grit her teeth as she tried to mull over her choices. Heading back would take just as long or more considering nightfall. Staying left her with little else to do or go on.
“This was hopeless,” she stated to herself with a sigh.
A door creaked nearby. Startled, Trixie jumped and turned around before looking to see the source. Still no lights. Not even a whisper that she could hear to indicate somepony else was there. The splashes waves on the shoreline seemed like the most company she might get.
“Hello?” the unicorn called out. “Is anypony there?”
It didn’t hurt to at least try and ask. She felt as if she were quite the pony the be in awe over but not to the point none wished to approach. A few moments passed before she walked over to what she could only assume must have been a general store and rapped on the door with a hoof. The wood felt as old to the touch as it looked.
“If there’s a pony in there, I wish to do business!” Trixie yelled and glanced around. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the lack of anypony in the town. “I’m very much in the need of a new wheel for my wagon!”
She wasn’t sure if a general store would even have such a thing but it was the only building that seemed worth checking at the moment. A few more knocks were only met in silence. Either the ponies had packed up long ago or she was trying to communicate with ghosts. Neither of the thoughts were pleasing.
Standing in the quiet town, the blue coated mare sighed and looked back down the road. The only ways into the area were either by boat, of which there were none, or the trail she had hiked. No wonder the place was devoid of anything. Nopony would want to come out to such a desolate and empty place to stay.
Her eyes followed the trees up to their tops but then stopped. There was no slope or downhill struggle that she could tell from just looking. It just appeared as if the trees became denser the further in until it was nothing but black. Where had she come down from?
It almost seemed entirely useless for her to have traveled to the hidden town. Not a single pony looked to be around and she was only getting more fed up the longer she stayed. She had nearly decided to just cut her losses until the squeak of a door sounded out nearby. Her head turned in search of it as she tried spotting which building it had originated.
“Who’s there?” Trixie asked, doing her best to keep the demand out of her voice.
The door opened more, revealing to be one of the house-like structures across the street. There was nothing beyond the open doorway for a moment until a pony finally emerged. Their coat was scuffed and their clothing ratty as if they’d been inside for years without proper care. Even their eyes looked as if they didn’t manage much rest.
“Outsider?” they merely stated, squinting as they stared at the magician in her fancy hat and cloak.
“Uh, yes?” Trixie answered questionably. She wasn’t sure what else to say. Formal greetings had left her for a moment while she stood still and both ponies studied each other.
“What’s your business here?” the disheveled pony inquired.
“I was just needing a wheel,” said the blue unicorn as she raised a brow. She felt as if she trespassed onto some private property.
“A wheel?” they repeated back to her.
Trixie was starting to feel as if the conversation might lead to nowhere. Out of the entire town, one pony finally had come out while looking as if they had been cooped up for years only to start making her feel unwelcome. To the town’s credit, the mare already felt rather shunned just by how the place looked.
“Is there another?” came a voice off to the side. Another pony was peering out from a door with two others behind them.
“Hello,” Trixie tried greeting though feeling uneasy. She was used to eyes on her from stage performances but all of this felt different.
“Who are they?” another voice came from afar.
“Replacement?” said one more.
It seemed as if ponies had been in some very quiet hiding for a while. Trixie saw more and more show up and step out of the various buildings as talking ran among them. The more they kept going on about other random things just made her feel like she stepped into the middle of a conversation that had ceased years ago only to start up just then.
“Will anypony help me?” the magician asked, trying to politely speak over them.
Their mumbling among themselves was mostly lost on her. A few words were picked up but nothing really made sense no matter how she looked at it. Her eyes scanned the crowd drawing near as they looked her over like she was some oddity. She felt as if she should have just toughed it out back at her wagon.
The growing crowd did seem to have a limit. A good couple dozen of ponies looked to be surrounding her and leaning to one another to whisper or speak low. It was awkward to be the center of such attention but for a reason completely different than doing a show.
“Who brings you here?” one of the ponies called out.
“Uh, myself?” Trixie answered confused. It really was her own doing by taking the trail offered to her.
More mumbling. Words traveled the crowd in waves. It was almost as if they had never seen another pony in ages. Judging from their ratty looks, Trixie almost believed that could very well have been the case.
“Why are you here?” somepony asked, almost pleadingly.
“Just need… a wagon wheel. What’s going on?” the unicorn inquired while giving a wary look. “You all act as if you haven’t seen a pony before yet you look at each other fine.”
Silence fell over the crowd. They merely exchanged glances as some gave worried looks. The longer it kept on the more Trixie preferred the rambling among themselves. It was uneasy to have such a large group of ponies be so quiet and acting so strange.
As she did consider breaking the silence herself, Trixie barely got a chance to think of anything to say before a scream erupted in the back of the crowd. The entire mass of ponies almost broke out in a panic as they all turned to the open water. At first, there looked to be nothing out of place at all. It wasn’t until she glanced up to the lighthouse that the unicorn noticed what they might be freaking out over.
The standing tower, faded as the rocks it stood upon, shined its beacon out with an almost odd radiance. While it looked no different in terms of hue, the beam appeared rather strong. Whether it was due to a light fog in the distance or maybe just something with the darkened overcast, Trixie didn’t know.
Soon, hooves were pressing her back as the store’s door opened behind her. Piling into the building, ponies scrambled to get inside and shut the rotten barrier. The rusted latch groaned at the use.
“Wha-” Trixie attempted to speak up before a hoof was placed over her muzzle.
The wide eyes and clear fear along all the faces of the ponies had her obey the wish. There was no wind that she could hear nor any movements of the ponies. They were almost as still as a statue. Her own worry seemed to be drawing of theirs as she had no idea what was going on except that it seemed rather bad.
It also didn’t help that the hoof against her mouth was extremely cold. The hold to keep her quiet had her wait as her eyes looked around the best they could. Tins, baskets and an assortment of other things nearby were in horrible shape. Greenish hues were set on some areas much like the pier itself. Moss?
While the store was rather dark there were still other things that could made out. Old spots where food had been, clothing that had little use, cans that were far too old to even consider opening. It began feeling more apparent that the town she had ventured into might not be able to help her replace a wagon part.
The light from the beacon shining swept through the town in a lazy fashion. There were a few shuffles nearby but then stillness once more. Trixie couldn’t see what was going on but felt a small wave of fear wash over her as the light attempted to peer inside from the bad angle. Only a small bit of one wall managed to light up before it passed. Somehow, she almost believed that it was looking for something. Or somepony.
As soon as it seemed to have begun, the whole moment of panic had ended. It was another minute or two before the hoof left her muzzle and they ponies began to move again. Trixie rubbed at her mouth and still felt the near damp cold upon her face for a moment longer.
“What exactly is going on?” she asked, hardly feeling like keeping her voice down. Everything had started to confuse her the moment she stepped hoof into the town.
One of the ponies opened the door and allowed them all to file out. Trixie adjusted her hat as she looked around and spotted others cautiously leaving their homes or buildings. The entire area looked as though it had just before the random panic.
“It…,” one pony said, turning to speak to her before looking back at the others. “It sometimes takes one of us.”
Trixie’s eyes went from one pony to the next. They all seemed rather serious but she felt utterly lost. When she noticed a few of them looking out to sea, her eyes followed theirs until she saw the lighthouse once again. It sat as it had before with no real threat that she could tell.
“The lighthouse?” she asked, skeptical at best.
“Yes. It is no lighthouse though,” the pony said in a hushed voice. “It claims one of us should it deem it so.”
“Uh,” Trixie muttered while a confused look spread across her face. She didn’t know where to begin. “Why do you assume it’s not a boring tower?”
“Listen to them!” a pony nearby cried. “She doesn’t believe! It hadn’t chosen in years until she came!”
A few others tried calming the distressed pony down while the rest tried resuming the conversation. None of them seemed to enjoy the topic.
“It’s hard to explain,” said the pony from before. “It had just… appeared one day. Nopony built it.”
“How did boats come to port?” Trixie asked while raising a brow. They were acting very odd and almost as if they were hiding something more from her.
“We never had one before it. Our town used to be different. Larger, more of us. Then it all changed. It all just… happened,” the pony explained, or tried to.
“Then what’s the port for?” she asked, wanting to be a bit more direct.
No answer. Instead, the pony turned to face the others while shaking their head. A few of them looked away as others appeared more nervous than before. Something was up.
“If you can’t answer nor help me, I should take my business elsewhere,” Trixie simply stated and upturned her snout before turning away and starting to head down the road towards the treeline.
“Wait!” one of them called out. “You can’t leave.”
“Oh? And why not?” the unicorn asked casually, slowing her pace. She was hoping they may have changed their minds to help her out.
“Because,” they said, looking so very apologetic, “it won’t let you.”
Somehow, those words chilled Trixie to the bones. They almost sounded as if they meant it and believed such convoluted stories. Her head turned before she marched herself to the trees once again. She knew better than to think ponies that didn’t socialize would help her.
The blue mare worked herself into the trees without another look back and squinted at the ground. It would be hard to find the path in such reduced lighting. Her horn lit up a few times as she tried to attempt a light spell before simply pulling out some tinder and striking a broken branch. A makeshift torch would do fine.
Being careful not to start a larger fire, Trixie followed her way around as she kept an eye on the trail. It almost seemed to worm its way around more than she remembered. Every turn had her glancing back just to make sure she didn’t get confused and flipped around. Even with the dead trees, the sky was somehow harder to see.
While there was some overcast, it shouldn’t have been as tough to notice just looking up. Her walk picked up a bit as she hurried around, wanting to just get back to her caravan and wait out the night ahead. She could attempt walking the road and seeing if there was some town ahead in the morning.
Minutes went by but it somehow felt as if time itself was sitting idle. There had been no change in the clouds that she could see. No moonlight looked to be getting through but there was still some odd light out. Sun or moon almost felt absent at every check.
At long last, the magician could finally see a break through the trees into an opening. The torch obscured details beyond as she stepped closer and finally slipped out of the treeline. Her brow furrowed.
“We tried to warn you,” the pony from earlier said. They had been standing right where she left them.
Had she taken a wrong turn? Did she get lost? Her mind tried to come up with excuses despite knowing she had been very careful with following the path. Not once did she double back or loop around.
“What kind of trick is this?” Trixie asked, clearly not amused at the distraction.
“It won’t let you go. It only takes,” a pony whispered before walking into one of the buildings.
Trixie sighed and tried to gather herself instead of letting their cryptic sayings get to her. They honestly thought some lighthouse held them captive and took them by force. One of them had to have misled her in some way through the wooded area. Perhaps it was just dark enough to where she did doubt it was a flawless walk.
“If this… thing takes ponies, are you all not here right now?” she finally asked, doing her best to just be on their level of thinking.
A few glanced around, one announcing a head count. There were multiple names called out, all of which didn’t matter to the traveling magician. It did come to an end as most began looking confused for a moment. At some point they finally turned to face her.
“None are missing, strangely,” said one pony who looked scared at the fact.
“Then can you really believe the stories you tell others?” Trixie stated as she snuffed out her torch on the cold ground.
“Miss,” said a stallion in the back, slowly walking through the crowd as if he were moving through water. “I wish to apologize for the lack of humbleness this town has. Perhaps staying the night might be best as the trail is rough in the dark.”
Trixie was surprised at the sudden kindness offered to her. It was strange she hadn’t seen the stallion before. All the town’s ponies were disheveled and looked so tired. The stallion seemed like quite the exception.
His clothing, just a mere shirt that looked oddly tailored, showed little wear or ruin. The dark mane atop his head was slicked back in a casual but handsome manner. Trixie couldn’t help but admire his looks, especially compared to the others around him. How she never noticed him was a mystery but he had probably stayed near the back of the group the whole time.
“And, you are?” she asked, almost taking a liking to the stranger.
“Names are unimportant. What matters is the rest you deserve,” he said with a smile. His foreleg swept out and indicated one of the buildings. “I’m sure a room can be made to accommodate you for the night.”
The other ponies seemed wary of such an offer. She wondered if it was actually about the offer or the stallion himself. While he did look very attractive, something about him felt off. It wasn’t that he didn’t belong but something more. It didn’t help that he seemed to come out of nowhere with such formality after she had been hassled for merely stepping into the town not long ago.
Instead of wanting to stir up anymore annoyance from the town, Trixie slowly walked closer to the stallion and watched him carefully. His demeanor seemed genuine to some extent. The way he opened the door for her, allowed her in, lit lanterns and even let her take her own pace came off like a perfect gentlecolt. It just all seemed so strange.
Inside the building showed a rather spacious inn of sorts. No sign outside left her with no real guess as to what it could have been before entering. The few ponies inside just watched in silence as she was led around until coming upstairs and stopping at a room.
“Hopefully, this will suit you for the time being,” the stallion said and opened the door.
The room itself was larger than she expected but just as rundown as the rest of the town. Boards squeaked, moss took refuge in corners and the mattresses had seen far better days. The pillows and sheets looked full of holes but better than she was expecting considering the rest.
“Will you mind a roommate?” he asked softly with a smile. His eyes stayed on her, lingering uncomfortably.
“Uh, neigh. A roommate is fine,” Trixie answered while averting her eyes some. She almost felt as if she shouldn’t refuse his suggestions.
“Then I bid you a good evening,” he says with a light bow. “Goodnight, Trixie.”
With that, the stallion turned and left. She couldn’t hear his hooves on the floorboards but also couldn’t recall hearing them while following. There was a brief moment before something dawned on her. She hadn’t said her name in town at all. With how awkward things had been, she had done without referring herself in such a manner.
“S-sir?” she called out, rushing to the door. “I never told you my-”
Not a soul in sight. Trixie rushed out of the room and down the stairs. The second she burst out of the inn she had a few strange looks given to her. Her violet eyes looked over each pony before she finally gave up. The stallion was nowhere to be seen.
“Where did that stallion go?” she asked the nearest pony.
Instead of answering, they sheepishly pulled away and lowered their ears. Their actions came off as if they were cornered from some predator. Trixie slowly backed away and apologized before asking a few others. The closest answer she got was one or two trying not to look out near the lighthouse.
Finding it pointless to ask, the unicorn sighed and slowly walked back into the inn. She had plenty of questions for all of the ponies but mostly the strange stallion that had offered her a room. Most of the ponies looked to be heading inside as well with quite the somber look about them.
Trixie made her up to her room and glanced in. It appeared her roommate had arrived in her absence. The magician looked over the mare and offered a small greeting to which it was hesitantly met. As much as she wanted to converse with the mare, they seemed more inclined to sit by the window.
The view outside was just above the roof of the next building over and looked out to the sea with the lighthouse in clear view. It had grown a little darker but not by much. Somehow, it felt like a constant late evening though she guessed it could be the overcast and other factors she didn’t know of.
“If you… wish to talk, I’m only right here,” Trixie joked with a forced smile to her other occupant.
The mare didn’t answer. She just stared out the window in what could only look like a form of dread. Whatever was spooking her wasn’t making itself as known to Trixie. The atmosphere of the town and ponies themselves were already a bit eerie and bordered on creepy for her as it was.
“Okay then,” the magician said as she made face while climbing onto the dirty bed.
As gross as it looked, it felt fine to sit in. The sheet was another matter but she had little in the way of options. At least when morning came she might be able to see the trail out far better. No mistakes and a simple path out. She’d worry about the wheel afterwards and figure something else out.
Oddly enough, she did seem tired but put the blame on the ponies stressing her out over strange stories and make believe things. All would be much more clear after she got some rest.
•••••
Trixie grumbled at the shaking as she awoke. Her silent roommate was looking rather worried and trying their best to stir her from the slumber. It took a moment before the unicorn sat up and looked to the pony with a frown.
“Why do you disturb the Gre-” Trixie started before a hoof went to her muzzle. She was already getting tired of that.
The mare shook her head with a pleading look before turning to the window. There was an odd light that Trixie didn’t notice upon waking. The room was almost glowing from it but it was evident that it was no sun or moon shining in.
As the light danced by and left them in slight darkness again, the mare gently pulled her hoof away and looked to her apologetically. There wasn’t much to say in response as the blue magician seemed a bit unsure if speaking was okay at that point. Opening her mouth had the mare shaking her head hastily.
Trixie closed her mouth and quietly got out of the bed. Her hooves did their best to be as silent as possible while she moved near the window and looked out. It was the lighthouse. The beacon atop it shined brightly and washed over the town in a slow manner.
Something about the way it was so slow made her uncomfortable. She knew better than to believe the nonsense that was told to her or any odd ideas that got into her head. It was just so strange to see that she almost felt it was looking. Going beyond that train of thought wasn’t something she felt like doing.
Slowly, the beam of light left the town and wandered in the distance. Seeing it still moving had her afraid to speak for a couple of reasons. While she didn’t quite fall for the stories told to her, deep inside she felt a bit of fear that stirred about. She also rather not make her acquaintance for her small time in the town suddenly panic.
It took a moment but the light did seem to revolve back around once again. The mare that had woken up Trixie was now slipping under her covers and shaking. The whole place was so strange. Not once had the unicorn felt something was even the slightest bit normal in the town. She should have guessed that her rest were to be far from it as well.
The light moved over the town slowly once more. A large part of the room lit up once again in the silent glow while Trixie leaned back from the window. Her eyes studied the area for a bit as she waited for it pass, seeing the shaking form on the other bed. She wanted to tell the mare it would be fine but felt it might disturb some unknown peace by speaking up. Maybe not peace but alert them while hiding.
A shiver ran down the blue pony’s back at the thought. The longer she waited for the light to pass the more aware she became that it wasn’t moving. Besides being blinded from the beacon, she didn’t feel the urge to check out the window for a number of reasons. Was the fear of the town rubbing off on her?
Her gaze moved to stay on the shivering lump under the sheets across the room. It felt like the longest five minutes of her life as she tried waiting out the light and staying still. Silent and still were all she really knew the ponies of the town did for certain. If she saw that stallion again she’d be having many more questions for him.
The shaking form on the bed suddenly stopped. Trixie waited to see a head lift or the shivering motions to continue but nothing else happened. She was about to risk calling out to the mare until the sheets just dropped. The cloth sank right where it was as if the pony beneath had been pulled through the bed.
Trixie couldn’t help but let out an audible gasp. Almost as quickly as the sheets fell, the light shut off. A distant noise could almost be heard in the direction of the lighthouse.
Wide eyed and still, the magician tried to understand what just happened. A minute slipped by before she managed to walk over to the bed and lift the covers. Nothing. She ducked down to look under the bed. Again, nothing.
While she had seen plenty of disappearing acts and done them herself, it was confusing her by the second on how it happened before her. A hoof pat at the floor to check for any trapdoors and waved around to check for any mirrored illusions. In all her attempts to find a plausible answer, nothing seemed to surface. The vanishing mare wasn’t even a unicorn so any spell was out of the question.
Trixie thought about it longer before moving to the door and opening it. It was an odd feeling to her. The panic, the fear, all that numbness. It was slow when she felt it but the tsunami of those sensations hit her heavy when they did.
The unicorn found herself running out of the room and down the hall,leaving her saddlebags behind. Her hooves hit the boards every step as she ran down the stairs and outside. Other ponies were already waiting, almost like they knew.
“S-she’s gone!” Trixie exclaimed, not sure why she was feeling the sudden rush of dread.
“It took her?” one asked.
How was she supposed to answer that? What was ‘it’ they referred to? The confused look must have shown as the small group outside lowered their eyes. None of them seemed inclined to tell what just happened before her eyes.
“She was there one second and gone the next,” the magician stated. “I’ve seen these tricks before! Why can’t I find her?”
“Because it took her,” one of the ponies said quietly.
“Who?!” Trixie shouted, a bit upset that she felt as if they were running her around in circles.
The ponies all lifted a foreleg and pointed a hoof out at sea. They were referring to the lighthouse. It still didn’t make sense to her. How would a building take a pony?
“This is pointless,” the blue unicorn spat. “There isn’t anything special about a stupid lighthouse!”
None of the ponies looked shocked or surprised for her blasphemous words. In fact, they looked a bit sad. It almost appeared like they wished she could see the way they do.
“Trixie is leaving!” she shouted and turned to run.
“I can’t allow you to do that,” came a slightly familiar voice from the back of the crowd.
There was a moment of hesitation before she turned to see the fact of the stallion from earlier. He looked as oddly nice as before. Something about the thick tendrils of his mane swept back reminded Trixie of a squid somehow.
“You can and you will. This town has been nothing but crazy and helpless!” the mare yelled. “Nopony even answers properly! Just riddles or phrases. Trixie doesn’t like riddles!”
The stallion kept quite the blank stare. He wasn’t really giving any answers either.
“How did you know my name?” Trixie asked, stepping forward.
“I know many things,” the mysterious stranger admitted. “I know you can never leave here.”
That statement made her heart sink. She had no reason to believe such a thing but also had nothing else to go on. He did know her name before she spoke it which was strange enough.
“Where did that mare go…?” she asked next and felt herself lean away when she waded through the crowd like water.
“She’s gone,” the stallion said simply.
“Gone? Where?” Trixie insisted, growing tired of not getting direct answers.
“It isn’t time for you to know,” he said, staring her down. “You ask many questions. I know there is still much you don’t understand. In due time, you will come to know and accept all that is given.”
Trixie wasn’t happy with his talk. She also couldn’t seem to break the contact from his eyes as much as she wished. He was peering into her very soul from the feeling of his gaze. A window into her very being just by staring. It was the most insecure feeling she ever had.
Instead of trying to get an answer that would make sense, Trixie turned and ran. Her hooves kicked up small bits of cold ground as she headed into the trees once again. It was dark but she didn’t care. Just getting back to the wagon would mean she was out of the crazy town and away from such strange occurrences.
As she ran, she could feel her heart beating quickly. The thought of being stuck in a town that offered nothing with her only company being almost cult-like had her wanting to put distance quickly. It was more than just odd or strange with the things going on in that town. It was downright frightening to her.
No lighthouse just spawns from nowhere and nopony is ever fully trapped in one place forever. Trixie panted as she hurried through just making a straight line away. No twists or turns to run her back around. If she had to climb then she would climb. Sticks and branches scraped at her while she did her best to flee.
She wasn’t sure how long it would take but she didn’t care. If it meant she got back to the caravan in the morning then so be it. Her struggling through the wooded area kept on the straightest path she could manage. All she wanted was to get away.
The minutes that passed in the colder air had her wondering how how much longer until she got to the road and saw her wagon once again. Tripping and pushing onward, Trixie wasted no time to put the entire experience behind her. She had plans to take the longest bath of her life when she got to Baltimare. Her show would be the most extravagant she could manage.
Almost in an instant, her hooves snagged on a random root or branch that sent her forward. Toppling over, the mare grunted as she slipped out of the treeline and landed on the cold ground below. Her senses were a little warped before she pushed herself up and tried to dust off. She had made it.
“Nopony leaves,” she heard ahead.
Trixie’s heart almost stopped at the words. She didn’t want to look. There was no possible way that she had made a straight line back into town. No turns had been taken. It was impossible.
A drop of freezing rain landed on her back. It couldn’t compare to the cold running through her and numbing her body when she finally raised her head. All of the ponies were still standing there and waiting. The stallion before them all looked displeased but not angry.
“You’ll learn,” he told her. “Just like they did,” he stated and motioned to the crowd behind him.
“No,” Trixie whispered, her sight blurring as more drops of rain fell from the dark sky.
“When you feel ready for enlightenment, go to the end of the pier,” the stranger told her before he turned and slowly walked away.
His body moved past the numerous ponies as they almost formed around him like water. The herd stood still otherwise as they watched Trixie’s spirit break. Those tears were far from warm the moment they spilled down her cheeks as the cool air whisked away any slight comfort they could have offered.
She watched the stallion through her crying. Her vision had grown worse from the tears. The icy rain didn’t help the further out the stranger went until he reached the water. Instead of walking onto the pier, his hooves slipped into the water as he continued his walk.
Whether it was the rain or her tears, Trixie still couldn’t understand what exactly she saw after. It was no stallion dipping into the water but something else. Details were blurred and memory recollection would be hazy at best. The only thing she truly know was that was no pony.
None of the others looked or seemed to care for what happened behind them. The group merely watched the mare break down at the crushing realization that she was stuck there forever. In one small venture she had lost everything.
Trixie couldn’t recall how long she sat in the rain, not wanting to accept her fate. There would be no true daylight for her again. The ponies eventually dispersed and went indoors after a while. They had probably gone through what she was. It was likely they all tried to escape as well.
Slowly, the mare got to her hooves and drew in a shaky breath. Her mane and tail were drenched but she didn’t care. The rain didn’t seem to let up as she walked down the empty road and tried to think of what was left for her to do. She was helpless against it all, whatever it was.
There was a bit of hesitation when she reached the beginning of the pier. She could wait all she wanted but it wouldn’t help her. Would she really want to know what the other ponies did? Was seeking such enlightenment truly the only thing left for her?
The boards creaked with her steps. Walking alone out on the pier almost put it all into perspective for her. An unknown darkness of the depths surrounded her with just a single way back. She had ventured into a territory she knew nothing about and was far beyond her comprehension.
At the end of the pier, Trixie sat and took a breath. She wasn’t sure why she was doing it other than the fact she had nothing else to go on. Leaving wasn’t an option. Knowing the cryptic sayings the ponies in the harbor kept spouting didn’t sound like something she wished for any longer. Though, where was she to turn?
“You’ll see them,” came a voice next to her.
“Who?” Trixie asked, her voice barely audible over the rain on the water.
The mare in dark mauve refused to answer that one.
“I’m scared,” Trixie muttered, turning to look at the mare in robes.
“As you should be,” the mare told her, looking up ahead. “It comes.”
Trixie turned to see the beacon atop the tower light up. When she turned back, the mare was gone. There was a low rumble below the water’s surface and under the pier she sat on. Even though the surface of the water was pelted by the rain, she could see the disturbance shifting it about from below. She really was scared.
Her breathing was shallow. It became hard to draw in more than a gasp as the water churned and shifted more. The spot right before the pier began to sink as a whirlpool started to open. Wider and wider, the circling water roared as Trixie shook.
She could hear something else. Beneath all the rain, the water and even her own gasps, she could hear something entirely not of this world. The mare had become too numb to move. Fear had gripped her more than ever as dread washed over like a drowning tidal wave.
Finally, she knew. She could see what all the other ponies had pointed to. As much as she tried to hold onto her failing sanity, Trixie felt her mind plummet into the fathoms as deep as the sea below. With it, the beast lay.
The lighthouse kept its light moving as the water continued that vortex into a dark abyss. She could see it. There was nothing she could think of to truly give it a proper description. Everything came crumbling down within her. She was at the mercy of it. No other action could even be attempted as her eyes stayed wide open.
Trixie stared into the abyss. The abyss stared back.