//------------------------------// // A Beginning, For Lack of a Better Word. // Story: Alone in the Woods // by RDopeth //------------------------------// It was a beautiful day in Ponyville. Rainbow Dash had woken up early to clear the clouds, and the sun was brightly shining all over the small, quaint, town. Twilight Sparkle was sitting in the library, reading a book entitled Starswirl the Bearded: A Comprehensive Guide. She let loose a long yawn, and continued on with her notes. “Starswirl effectively perfected time travel in the year 1200,” she wrote in her notebook to the left of her. She smiled, as she knew that this day was destined to be both relaxing and fun. In the Everfree Forest, a land on the outskirts of Ponyville, which was full of both mystery and unorthodox creatures, sat a cloaked figure. She had been a social outcast everywhere that she had gone. This was none other than the supposed ‘Great and Powerful Trixie’; a pony that had clung on to whatever pride that she had left. However, she was there under odd circumstances. Without a job, she had felt meaningless. She had wandered into the Everfree Forest to escape the torment that she was receiving from all of those which she knew, which she loved. However, she was lost, and had recently had an encounter with a colony of vampire bats. She had been bitten several times. To make matters worse, she was in deep distress; her food supply was running low and she was becoming weaker with every passing moment. Her last hope of survival was to put one hoof in front of the other, and walk as far as she could to escape the dark realm that was the Everfree Forest. And so she trotted along, desperate, hungry and weak. Meanwhile, in Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle had recently finished reading and analyzing her book. After a quick good-bye to Spike, she left her house and began to trot to Sweet Apple Acres. “Applejack must have something to do, perhaps she needs help bucking apples,” thought Twilight to herself. Suddenly, she heard the happy, fun-loving voice that she was used to. “Twilight! Twilight! Are you having super awesome fun today? Can I join? Pretty please?” questioned Pinkie Pie whilst jumping around Twilight in a circle. “I haven’t had much fun yet, but if you tag along with me to Sweet Apple Acres, perhaps I might,” replied Twilight. “Yippee!” shouted Pinkie, who then proceeded to give Twilight a quick hug. Twilight, caught off guard, gently pushed Pinkie away, and they set out on their way. Trixie had been walking for hours. She was trembling, and could hardly stand. The dark forest was her world. The black grass, the mysterious-looking animals, and the night were here only companions. Her will to live was the only thing keeping her alive. While strong, it was diminishing with each step she took. She took a step ahead. “Will I die?” she thought to herself. She placed another hoof in front of her. "What is to become of me?” she pondered. Suddenly, she could not hold herself up any longer. Trixie rocked from side to side. The world was spinning before her very eyes. She fell to the ground with a thud. With her last touch of energy, she looked upwards. Light. Light was in front of her. But she could not move; she had no energy left. She stuck one hoof out in front, desperately reaching for the light, but it did not come. This effort used the last of Trixie’s energy, as well as her will. With a thud, her head fell to the ground, and she lay, battered and bruised, and unconscious. Pinkie and Twilight had made it to Sweet Apple Acres in record time. Meeting them at the entrance of the barn was Applejack, a strong, iron-willed pony who just so happened to be the most honest in all of Ponyville. “Howdy y’all! What brings you ‘round these parts?” questioned Applejack, with a welcoming tone. “Applejack! Applejack! Are you doing anything super totally awesome today? I can’t possibly miss out on anything of that sort!” said Pinkie Pie, while she invaded Applejack’s personal space on multiple levels. Twilight rolled her eyes, and walked towards Applejack. After gently pushing Pinkie Pie out of the way, Twilight said, “Applejack, we were just wondering if there was something that we could do around on the farm. I’ve finished my studying for the day, and I could use a little bit of a break.” Applejack was quick to respond, “Why Twilight, ah sure could use some help putting up a fence. With your magic, ah’m sure that it’ll be up lickity split.” Pinkie Pie stood awkwardly off to the side. “B-b-but that’s not fun! Oh well, I’ll go see what Dashie’s doing. See you gals later!” she stammered. After Pinkie Pie was out of eyesight, the two remaining mares looked at each other and laughed. “Typical Pinkie,” said Twilight, rolling her eyes. Twilight and Applejack gathered some supplies and went to the border between Sweet Apple Acres and the Everfree Forest. For hours, the two ponies talked while they worked. With Twilight’s magic, the job was going by at an almost supernatural speed. After thirty sections had been put up, Applejack a peculiar site in the Everfree Forest. She wondered, “What in the wide world of Equestria is that? Ah’ve never seen anything like that before…” Applejack had a feeling that this was something of importance; she could feel it in her gut. “Twilight, come over here real quick,” she said, signaling for Twilight to come over and take a look. Twilight gently placed down a shovel, and walked over to where Applejack was standing. “Twi, look at that,” said Applejack pointing with her leg. “Look at what? I don’t see anything but darkness,” responded Twilight, who had become confused. Applejack grabbed Twilight by the neck, and pulled her closer to her, so that Twilight could get a better view. “That Twilight,” she said. Suddenly, Twilight began to see a dark figure rise out of what seemed to be nothing before falling back down to the earth. “What is this creature?” pondered Twilight. “Could it be a…pony?” “Applejack, come with me, I’m going to see what this, this, thing, is,” said Twilight. And thus, Twilight and Applejack quickly galloped into the Everfree Forest, pushing both leaves and branches out of the way, before arriving at the subject of interest. Both ponies could make out that this creature was, in fact, a pony, and that she was cloaked. Other than that, the only thing they knew was that he, or she, was lying face-down in the mud. Twilight rushed to the pony’s side, and with one hoof, gently pushed over the hooded figure. Twilight sat down, and pulled back the cloak. She gulped. “Trixie?” XXXX “What do we do? Twilight, what do we do!?” shouted Applejack. The usually brave pony was confused. “What is she doing here?” she thought to herself. “Applejack, I-I don’t know. Perhaps we should take her to the hospital,” replied Twilight, whose face had changed from its usual lavender color to a bright shade of purple. She felt her heart beating in her chest. “Good idea Twi. Use your magic and place her on my back. I can carry her to the hospital.” With a nod, Twilight obeyed Applejack’s command without question. Using a simple levitation spell, she picked up Trixie and slowly, and ever-so carefully, placed her on Applejack’s back. Applejack trembled under Trixie’s weight, and struggled to stand. “Perhaps we need a wagon, sugarcube,” said Applejack. Twilight looked over at her friend, who was struggling to stand. She frowned, and said, “Perhaps I can just levitate her to the hospital.” She lifted Trixie from Applejack’s back, and quickly raised her into the air. She nodded to Applejack as if to tell her to follow, and began to run. As she began to reach the exit, she felt slight tinges of pain. The branches that were ever-so close to each other were grazing against her flank. One part of her wanted to stop and tend to these wounds, but the other half told her to continue on. She knew that if she broke focus it would only cause her to drop Trixie. Thus, she followed through the Everfree Forest, until she reached the exit. After exiting, she ran through Sweet Apple Acres, and all the way into the city. The citizens looked in both amazement and concern as Twilight ran through town. “Who is that?” asked one pony. “What is Twilight doing?” asked another. Twilight paid them no mind. She had a job to accomplish. Besides, she could see the hospital on the horizon. She picked up speed as she saw its outline. With one hoof, she wiped the sweat off of her forehead, and continued forward. Applejack, who had run alongside her friend the entire way, bucked the doors open. Twilight ran inside, and finally placed Twilight upon the ground. Exhausted from her journey, Twilight immediately fell over, and began to breathe deeply, and struggled to catch her breath. They were both admitted to the hospital that night. XXXX Trixie awoke from her slumber. She placed one hoof on her head. “My head hurts like hell,” she thought to herself. After a short struggle, Trixie opened her eyes. Everything around her was out of focus. It was as if she had been thrown through a washing machine, as the room spun, and her vision was incredibly blurry. She blinked her eyes a few times, and felt her eyes begin to focus. She looked around, and saw that she was in a hospital gown, and that she was lying in a bed. “In the name of Celestia, how did I end up here? And where am I?” “Ah bet you’re wondering where ya are,” said a familiar, southern voice. “A-A-Applejack?” stuttered Trixie, quietly. “Ah see ya remember who ah am.” “Yes, yes I do. But do you know how I ended up in this place.” “Ah sure as hay do. Ya see, Twilight and ah were putting up a fence, and ya happened to show up in the Everfree Forest. Twilight levitated ya all through Ponyville, and checked ya into this here hospital. It took a lot out of her, but she’s recovering at home. She checked out of here a couple of days ago.” Trixie’s eyes were open wide with shock. “Why, after all that I’d put them through, would they still save me,” she thought. “Ah see that you need your rest, sugarcube, so I’ll be off,” said Applejack, breaking Trixie’s thought process. “Wait, Applejack. Would you mind thanking Twilight for me, at least in the interim?” “Sure thing, sugarcube,” said Applejack with a smile. She exited the room, leaving a still stunned Trixie to her thoughts. But all that was on Trixie’s mind was her endeavors in the Everfree Forest, which had come back to haunt her. XXXX Trixie had left Ponyville, only to be treated with a complete lack of respect in every other city that she had visited. Her travelling cart had been dismantled by angry crowds, pelted with rotten eggs, and in a recent stroke of bad luck, it been stolen. It was only a logical step for her to decide that, until further notice, the Everfree Forest would be her home. It was the only place that she would be able to live in peace. It was a dark and stormy night. The wind was blowing with a vicious intensity. Trees swayed in the wind. Leaves and small branches were swept up, and seemingly floated in mid-air. Trixie stood at the outskirts of Manehatten, ready for her self-imposed exile. She looked back at the city, and shed a tear. It was the last time she would see the civilized world. With a sigh, Trixie, turned her head, and began on her journey. She ran through multitudes of puddles as the rain pelted her face. The leaves, which had been picked up with the wind, pelted her sides. Branches seemed to fly around her. Trixie carried on, never looking back. Within a short period of time, the Everfree Forest stood within her gaze. She stood at the edge, soaking in both the rain, and what was to be her new home. The dark trees seemed to beckon her towards the forest. The sound the wind made seemed to call her towards the dark woods. She closed her eyes, and pushed on. On her flanks, she felt the scrapes of bushes, vines, and branches from trees. The pain was irritating, but Trixie, in her anger, had the strength and power to continue on. She pushed through the outer layer of the forest, and found a small clearing. Trixie quickly ran towards it, and began to weep. She cried for hours on end, hoping for a better life when she emerged from the forest. XXXX A knock on the door ended Trixie’s deep thoughts. Trixie shifted in her bed towards the door. “Come on in!” she shouted, through gritted teeth. Her headache was still killing her. Walking in from behind the door was none other than Twilight Sparkle herself. Trixie felt the sweat drip down her face. While happy to see Twilight, she had always been more of a self-reliant pony. She hated to be seen in such a weak condition, especially by Twilight, of all ponies. She would never admit this to anypony, but she always that Twilight was kind of cute. Even though Twilight embarrassed her not once, but twice, Trixie couldn’t stay mad at her for very long. Twilight took a seat to the right of Trixie. Both ponies sat in complete and utter silence for a few minutes, occasionally looking at each other awkwardly, but never for long instances of time. Trixie’s face had changed from its usual dark shade of blue to a light shade of red. Twilight gave a small cough as if to clear her throat, and proceeded to speak with words of compassion, “So, Trixie, how are you feeling?” Trixie shifted uncomfortably in her chair, feeling a rush of different emotions. Part of her wanted to cry and give Twilight a great big hug, despite her state of weakness. The other side wanted Trixie to keep her modesty. For the time being, the latter won. Trixie replied calmly, “I’m a little tired right now. I’ve got this splitting headache, too.” Trixie pointed to her head. “Don’t judge me, don’t judge me!” thought Trixie to herself, afraid that her weak state would lead her to be judged by the only pony that mattered to her. “You poor thing!” exclaimed Twilight. Despite her generally shy personality, Twilight cared deeply about all ponies. No matter who they were or where they came from, Twilight would be there for them. Placing a hoof on Trixie’s forehead, she gently pushed Trixie’s mane off, revealing a scar three inches across. Quickly jumping back, Twilight gently asked Trixie, “W-w-what happened t-to your forehead?” Trixie sighed softly. “Oh no!” she thought to herself, in distress. Looking away from Twilight for a quick moment, she managed to say, “It’s…it’s a long story.” “Well, I have all day if need be. Spike’s out of town on account of royal duty, and I've finished my studying for the day. Perhaps what you’re going to say would make a wonderful letter to the princess,” said Twilight, almost immediately after Trixie spoke. Twilight smiled at Trixie, and batted her eyes a few times for good measure. “Is she flirting with me?” thought Trixie. Blushing, Trixie responded, “Well, if you insist.” “Please, continue, Trixie.” “Here goes nothing,” thought Trixie to herself. “I ran into the Everfree Forest a while back. I was feeling down about myself, and thought that living in exile for a little while would allow me to come back as a different pony. After a few frightful days of living in the forest, I had begun to grow weary. The nights were horrendous. They were filled with the cries of creatures that are unknown to me. The forest was dark even during the day; cracks of light that came through the branches were the only way I could tell whether it was day or night. I had set up a camp in a clearing that I found the first day. I didn't have much; only a blanket and a makeshift form of shelter, formed from various leaves and tree branches that I had found and were able to assemble into something of a small hut. I couldn't find any food; I was starving, Twilight. One day, I saw a bunch of daffodils in a clearing. I thought with my stomach, and not with my brain. I ran towards them without looking for danger. As soon as I reached them, I heard a noise that stopped me in my tracks. I looked backwards, but nothing was there. I looked towards the sky, and what I saw still haunts me to this very day. There were bats, screeching at each other. After one final screech, the bats flew quickly towards me. I didn't know what to do, Twilight. I simply dropped the daffodils and ran. But it was to no avail. The bats had caught up to me. In a state of extreme fright, I cowered but it was no use. They had surrounded me. I don’t know whether it was intentional or not, but a few of them scraped past me and struck me with one of their claws, leaving me with these scars.” After her long monologue, Trixie pointed to her previously mentioned scars. There was one on her forehead, but there were at least five on her flank, and one had scraped her cutie mark into two halves. To her right, Twilight sat there, too speechless to speak. She was stunned, not just by Trixie’s hardships, but at the fact that she went into the Everfree Forest, of all places, to isolate herself. Trixie could feel herself move anxiously as she looked at Twilight. Her headache had subsided long ago, but she could feel her emotions building up inside of her. Trixie could not help what she did next. She sat up gingerly, and, with tears streaming down her cheeks, embraced Twilight in a hug. Caught off guard, Twilight was briefly shocked by Trixie’s action, but nonetheless returned Trixie’s hug. “It’s okay, Trixie,” Twilight reassured her, “It’s all over now.” Trixie couldn’t control herself. She continued to hug Twilight, and refused to let go. Unbeknownst to Trixie, Twilight was enjoying this hug. She herself had feelings for Trixie, and at a time like this, she felt that she needed to express them. After a short pause in Trixie’s crying and hugging. Twilight held Trixie’s shoulders, and kissed her. Trixie’s eyes widened. She pulled away from Twilight, and said, “W-what was that, Twilight?” She hid her true feelings underneath a layer of confusion. “I’ll be going now,” said Twilight. After making sure Trixie was properly aligned in her bed, she left the hospital room with a wink. XXXX As soon as Twilight left the room, a smile passed over Trixie’s lips. After a few minutes of smiling like an idiot, Trixie began to giggle like a little schoolpony. She rolled over in her bed, and was left to dream in peace for the first time in weeks. However, not all was calm in Ponyville. In the library, Twilight Sparkle lay in her bed in a fetal position. She was clutching her tail and rocking back and forth. While her actions felt right at the time, she did not feel the same way now. Instead, thoughts of fear, and even worse, terror had crept into her mind. “What if my friends judge me? What if Trixie doesn’t like me the same way? What if Princess Celestia finds out? What if she doesn’t accept my actions? What if I’m exiled from Equestria?” With each waking moment, she felt herself tremble. She felt a tear slide down her cheek. “What if I’m ostracized like Trixie?” With that last thought, she raised the covers over her head, and wept like never before. In her state of restlessness, Twilight enlisted the help of her personal demons. A theoretical line had been crossed. After tossing and turning for hours on end, Twilight eventually feel asleep. XXXX In the morning, Trixie was released from the hospital. She could walk under her own power, and was relatively pain-free. Her first order of business was to find a place to stay. Only one pony came to her mind: Twilight. Gleefully, Trixie trotted off to find the library, where she knew Twilight lived. “I hope Twilight’s happy to see me!” she thought. Little did she know, but Twilight was not in the mood for visitors. XXXX Twilight heard her alarm go off at eight in the morning. With a slash of her hoof, she sent the clock flying. With a crash, the clock struck the wall, and shattered. Twilight stood up, and moved to do her normal morning activities. But there was something growing inside of her. A feeling of darkness, perhaps even recklessness. It felt…amazing, to her surprise. She looked at herself in the mirror, and was frightened at what she saw. Instead of her typical, cheerful smile, there was a frown across her face. Her eyes, usually so full of joyous youth, were replaced by ones that were more representative of Death itself. Wrinkles littered her face as well. It was as if she had aged by ten years overnight! Then, as if by magic, the face in the mirror began to speak to her. This voice, which seemed so real to her, was in fact a hallucination, brought on by her own negative thoughts. But Twilight did not have the slightest idea. It seemed so real to her. “Twilight, can you hear me?” Twilight shook her head violently. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing and hearing. But the voices did not feel like her imagination. And thus, she replied, “Yes, I can hear you. What is it that you want from me?” The face in the mirror laughed maniacally. “You do not wish to be a hated pony, correct?” Twilight nodded her head rapidly. It was true; Trixie’s fate was not one that she wanted to face herself. “Then, the answer is simple, isn’t it?” At this, Twilight shook her head. “You must forget about Trixie. It is the only way.” Twilight stared at the mirror in awe. Trixie was a gorgeous pony, and Twilight wanted to be with her forever and ever. Her beautiful silver-blue mane, her wonderful, blue mane, and her wondrous eyes full of mystery and unknown secrets were what drew Twilight to her the most. Twilight remembered Trixie’s tale from the other night. The tale of bats, struggle, and hardship was still present in her mind. Perhaps giving up love was the only solution. With a solemn nod, she replied to the face, “Yes, I will give up Trixie,” With a whispering sound, the face in the mirror disappeared, only to be replaced by the youthful face that Twilight was used to. After brushing her purple and pink mane, Twilight walked into the main room of the library, grabbed a book, and began to read. XXXX Trixie was practically skipping to Twilight’s place of residence. She was so, so happy that she could be together with Twilight. She trotted up to Twilight’s door, and knocked on her door twice. She stood near the door, and smiled. On the inside, Twilight heard the knock and walked to the door. She thought to herself, “Who could this be? Especially at this hour. Most of my friends are still asleep.” She opened the door, and to her surprise, Trixie was standing there. With a shy smile, Trixie said, “Thanks for last night.” It was difficult for Twilight to play dumb. Being the intellectual type, she was more used to seeing others play dumb, and then pointing out their mistakes. But this, this was different. With a carefully executed, puzzling smile, Twilight replied, “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean.” Trixie was truly shocked. The kiss was all that she could think of, and it wasn’t her that instigated it, after all. “The kiss, remember?” Plainly, and effortlessly, Twilight replied, “No. I remember visiting you, but nothing more.” Trixie felt tears in her eyes, but pushed them aside with a swift and expertly-timed swipe of her hoof. “Oh. Well, I don’t have a place to stay for the night, and I was wondering, do you have an extra bed?” “Even if Twilight had forgotten about the one thing that truly made The Great and Powerful Trixie happy, she should at least have an extra room. She can’t possibly live in that whole library by herself!” thought Trixie. Twilight calmly acted as if nothing was wrong, even though deep down, she wasn’t just sad, she was incredibly angry at herself for what she was doing. “No, I’m sorry, but I don’t.” And with that, Twilight slammed the door. She couldn’t let Trixie see her cry. She ran to her room, buried her face in her pillows, and began to ball her eyes out. “This is for the best, after all. For both of us,” she thought. Trixie stood near the door, and felt tears stream down her cheeks. Her happiness had been crushed, and it was replaced by anger and frustration. She ran off, towards Fluttershy’s cottage. If there was one pony that could understand her, it would be Fluttershy. She was a kind and gentle pony, after all. XXXX Inside the library, Twilight heard a voice whisper in a psychotic manner. “Excellent. Excellent indeed,” it said. It proceeded to let loose a laugh that shook the very core of Twilight’s soul. “Who’s there?” asked Twilight. The laughter seemed to come from the mirror, perched near her bed. “Twilight, come closer,” it cooed. Twilight looked at the mirror, and shook. The face had returned. But it was different. This time, the face seemed more akin to Twilight herself. Twilight backed up a few feet, and muttered under her breath, “No, it can’t be.” “Oh, but it can,” the mirror replied. With a shudder, Twilight realized the obvious. The mirror, and the voice itself, was her. Her dark side, a side that lied within all creatures in the realm of Equestria, had come out, and convinced her of a path that she did not want, deep down in her heart. Her thoughts from the day before returned. But this time, Twilight was ready. “What if everypony judges you?” Twilight shrugged this thought off. If some ponies judged her, then she should pay them no mind. “What if Trixie doesn’t like me the same way?” Twilight knew better than this. Trixie’s reaction was proof enough that Trixie shared Twilight’s feelings. “What if Princess Celestia finds out? What if she doesn’t approve?” Princess Celestia was the most caring pony in all of Equestria. One’s love interest should not have an impact on the relationship with her mentor. “What if I’m exiled from Equestria? What if I’m ostracized like Trixie?” These last two thoughts were preposterous. They didn’t make any sense whatsoever. With a sudden loud noise, Twilight felt the negative thoughts and connotations enter her mind once more. This time, she would net let it manifest into a self-made monster. “No, no, no, no!” shouted Twilight, as she broke free of her inner demons for the first and last time. In an angry rage, Twilight grabbed hold of the mirror, and flung it towards the wall. The face that had become a familiar site for her cracked with the glass, and left her. Twilight realized that she had to get Trixie back, but how? XXXX “There, there.” Fluttershy held Trixie in an embrace while Trixie wept at the entrance of Fluttershy’s cottage. Trixie was numb. She did not feel Fluttershy’s compassion, but appreciated it nonetheless. “Why are you crying?” Fluttershy asked once the two had taken a seat on a nearby couch. Trixie felt like talking about Twilight, but could not bring herself to. Instead, she replied with, “My exile” Fluttershy was aware of Trixie’s mishaps in the Everfree Forest, and held her even tighter. “Why don’t you talk about it, Trixie? It’ll make you feel better, I’m sure of it,” Fluttershy asked. Trixie took a deep breath, pushed away her tears, and closed her eyes. She began another tale of her exile, “After being attacked by bats, I thought that the Everfree Forest couldn’t get any worse. However, I was wrong, and very wrong. The Great and Powerful Trixie would not like to admit this, but I was scared. Very scared. After spending many days and nights in my rag-tag tent, I had run out of food once more. I decided to search for some food. Just, something, anything to eat. But I could not find anything that was familiar to me. And so, I decided that I was to tough it out, and try again in the morning. As Princess Luna’s brilliant night took hold of the Everfree, I could not find my way back to my tent. In a nervous frenzy, I let out a squeal for help. Yet, no help came. Instead, two Timber Wolves jumped out from the woods. In a heartbeat, I felt my legs move. I did not know where I was going, but I ran. The Timber Wolves followed me. It seemed as if anywhere I went, the wolves were one step ahead of me. After running for what seemed like eons, the wolves were right on my tail. As one of the Timber Wolves stuck its head out to bite me, I jumped. In a cave no larger than four feet across and four feet tall, I landed. I lay in fear as the wolves tried to enter the cave, but to no avail. They could not fit. Eventually, they gave up. I was lost deep inside the forest, and to make matters worse, I was facing the threat of starvation.” Trixie opened her eyes, and saw Fluttershy looking deep into them. Quickly, Fluttershy hugged Trixie stronger than she had ever thought possible. For a period, they held each other in this strong embrace. Fluttershy eventually let Trixie go. “Would you like anything to eat or drink?” she offered. “Do you have any tea?” With a nod, Fluttershy left towards the kitchen. Trixie had stopped crying. Fluttershy’s caring touch had brought Trixie away from her anger, and towards a state of neutrality. A restless peace, if such a thing could exist. Her leave for Twilight burned inside of her as if her body was a wildfire, and it ravaged every cell in her beautiful body. But then again, Trixie didn’t blame Twilight for not accepting her. They were former enemies, after all. And though Trixie’s arrogance had subsided recently, she still felt as if it were too great for her own good. With a sigh, she laid her head on a pillow, and waited for Fluttershy to return.