Ursae Majoris: Eternal Knight

by Draconaes

Chapter 2

Chapter 2
******

Trixie sat on an elaborate throne made of moonstone and obsidian. Jade statues and marble pillars stood in rows before her. At her sides stood Celestia and Luna, garbed for battle. She herself stood taller than both of them, with a long, pointed horn and glorious azure wings. Her ethereal silver mane sparkled with black stars that shined darkly, producing an eerie effect. Before her throne stood a legion of happy, tear-filled faces, cheering her name. She was overcome with happiness.

She turned and looked behind her throne and gasped. A large window revealed a limitless, black expanse. All that was visible was a small patch of stars in the middle, arranged in bands that spiraled out from the center. The smallness of the patch and the surrounding void made Trixie feel very, very small for some reason. Somehow, she knew that what she was seeing was the entirety of the universe as she knew it. Everything she ever knew, and she couldn't even make out Celestia's Sun...

"By Luna's Toothbrush!" Trixie shouted, suddenly awakening to find herself drenched in water. She blinked a few times and scowled, looking for the source of her discomfort. A dark blue unicorn stallion with a white mane stood nearby, levitating an overturned bucket. He had a decorative sword for a cutie mark.

"Rise and shine, princess. We have training to do." He trotted over to the campfire and started preparing breakfast for the both of them.

Trixie just glared at him. "I thought I told you that I consider my apprenticeship complete!" She started drying herself with her blankets.

"And I thought I told you that you aren't done with me until you master a magic sword." He paused for a moment, tapping a hoof to his chin. "Well, master might be expecting a bit much in your case. But you at least need to actually summon one and be able to swing it without looking like a fool."

"And why, pray tell, do I need to learn something so crude to be a performer?"

"Crude? CRUDE!? Listen here, miss, magic swords are the most elegant weapons in existence. Why else do you think the the Alicorns use nothing but? As for why you need to learn it, I should hope I've taught you better than that. Use that organ at the stump of your horn. You're such a creative swearer, I would think you could puzzle this out easily. No? I'm beginning to suspect you don't think very well when grumpy. How are you going to deal with hecklers if you can't think while grumpy?"

"Easy, my performance shall be so great that none would dare to heckle me!"

He laughed. "Keep dreaming, miss."

Trixie glared at him. "You doubt my abilities?"

"I doubt your crowds. Hecklers are a statistical guarantee. Anyway, you need to learn the magic sword to help you perform action scenes. You can describe a riveting battle with as many metaphors and vivid descriptions as you like, but it won't hold a candle to actually acting the scene out. Crowds love magic sword fights. So swallow whatever strange compulsion you have against using the spell, wait a few hours, leave it in a ditch, and bury it before it attracts flies. Besides, you never know when you might accidentally find yourself in a situation where you actually need to fight. Or slice some bread. Now eat your breakfast." He dropped a bowl of boiled apples in front of her. She begrudgingly started eating.

******

"So, can you summon a blade? Or do I have to start with the basics?"

"Don't patronize me. Of course I can." Trixie quickly summoned a rectangular, blue blade.

The stallion sighed. "If that isn't the most piss-poor excuse for a sword I've ever seen, then my name isn't Rapier Wit. How in Celestia's name are you going to wow audiences with that?"

"It's functional."

"It's ugly! Do it again, and actually use your Moon-sent creativity for something other than finding new ways to piss me off!"

Trixie stuck her tongue out and banished her blade. She cast the spell again and was soon levitating a blue sword that strongly resembled Rapier's cutie mark. "Happy, Rapier Wittle?"

Rapier scowled. "At least it looks like a real sword this time, so it will be good enough for some basic practice. Once your done goofing off with this, find your own preferred design, even if it takes you weeks to find it. Now, since you don't seem to care about practical sword usage, let's start with stage fighting. First, swing it like this..."

******

Both ponies sat by the fire, panting from their exertions. Rapier chuckled. "By the way, "By Luna's Toothbrush"? I think you'll have to explain that one to me."

Trixie blushed. "W-Well, uh, Luna was in exile for a thousand years, so that means she might have had a used toothbrush that is over a thousand years old." Rapier burst into laughter. Trixie tried to change the subject: "How did I do with the sword?" Rapier's laughter took a while to subside. Eventually, he calmed down.

"Well, Trixie, I must admit, for all your trust and attitude problems, you are a pretty good student when you actually focus." Trixie let the insult/compliment slide, except for one part:

"trust problems?" She glanced at Rapier quizzically.

"Come now, Trixie, I taught you how to read ponies; I should be able to read my own student. I'm not sure why you feel the need to push others away, but it's pretty obvious. You're even afraid of developing any sort of relationship with me, your teacher."

"Congratulations, you have surpassed your status of crotchety old stallion and reached creepy, crotchety old stallion."

"Hey, I'm not old! Besides, that's not what I meant and you know it. Why don't you tell me what happened before-"

"The past is the past, it's none of your concern, Mr. Wit. Good night." Trixie retreated to her blankets and lay facing away from the fire. Rapier thought he saw what could have been sobbing. He quickly dismissed the idea, though; Trixie was better at bottling up her emotions that that. In fact, she hadn't cried at all since he had first met her, a couple of years ago...

******

Begin flashback!

Rapier was on his way to Manehattan. Ever since retiring as a Royal Guard, he had traveled Equestria, performing shows and teaching swordplay. He had heard of a mock sword fight being performed in Manehattan and wanted to see if he could learn some tricks, or offer some advice of his own. He might even manage to take part if he was lucky. While travelling through Whitetail Woods, however, he encountered something that instantly brought him up short.

A young filly, just entering adulthood by the look of it, sat sobbing just off the path. Her silver mane was disheveled, and she had nothing with her except for a couple saddlebags with some purple cloth sticking out of the top. Rapier suddenly felt empty, and decided he couldn't stand leaving the distraught filly in such a situation.

"Excuse me, miss." The filly stopped gasped and looked up. She quickly started wiping her tears away with her hoof.

"I...*sob* I'm sorry... it's... it's *sob* nothing. I-"

"What's your name, miss?"

Trixie stopped crying as she looked into his eyes. They weren't judging or pitying her. A small smile formed on her lips. "T-Trixie. My name is Trixie."

End flashback!

******

Trixie had told him that she was an aspiring performer. She hadn't directly said so until pressed, but Rapier learned that she also had nowhere to go. He had offered her an apprenticeship, and she had accepted enthusiastically. Since then, however, she hadn't opened up to him at all. She loved talking about herself, but was stoic regarding her past. Seeing as he would have to go yet another night without learning anything, he decided to sleep as well.

The morning found Trixie waking under her own volition. Rapier was sat by the fire, pensive. "What, no water today?"

"Nope. As far as I'm concerned, your apprenticeship is complete. Once we reach Hoofington, I'll head to Stalliongrad. You're free to choose your own path." He secretly hoped she would be inclined to join him; he still worried about her.

A grin broke out across her face. "Truly? This is fantastic! Finally, I can start my own career!" Rapier Wit mirrored her expression.

"I've taught you everything I think you need to know to succeed. As long as you don't screw yourself over, you should be fine."

"Don't worry! It won't be long before ponies everywhere know of The Great and Powerful Trixie!" She struck a dramatic pose as Rapier chuckled.

"Congratulations, Oh Great and Powerful Trixie. Your future awaits."

Comments

[Diamond Sparkle]

LOL about her dream.