The Archivist

by Lets Do This


On The Road Again

"So," Sunny began, when they'd all gathered around the table for breakfast next morning, "overall we've been doing a great job figuring out the extra abilities that magic gives us. The pegasi have been learning how to use flight, manage the weather --"

"And coming up with a few new rules," Zipp added. "Now that pegasi don't have to use stairs, and can just fly over walls and gates. Gives personal space a whole new meaning..."

"Earth ponies," Sunny went on, "have been working on making use of their increased strength and improved farming abilities."

"I'm just worried about the day somepony gets a little too much on somepony else's nerves," said Hitch, "and I have to lock them both up. The one saving grace of enhanced strength is it floats all boats. If you could defend yourself before, you still can now."

"And unicorns," Sunny pressed on, "have been working on their skills with magic. And thanks to Trixie's library, we've been making progress on relearning how to craft more complicated spells."

Izzy nodded, and gestured with a hoof to her latest creation, hovering in front of her. It was a small translucent shield bubble, within which colorful dots arced back and forth, trailing loops of rainbow color in their wake. "Pipp showed me this awesome thing on her phone called a screensaver. I figured I'd try creating one of my own. Isn't it wild?"

"But... where's the screen?" Zipp asked.

"Hmm? Is there supposed to be one?"

Sunny rolled her eyes. "All of which is fine. But..." She paused, and tried to think how to put it. She didn't think she should go into the dreams. Or nightmares, or whatever they were. She glanced at Trixie. The two of them hadn't said a word about it. Sunny wasn't even sure how to ask.

Did we really face overwhelming, implacable evil together? Or was that all in my head?

"I'm just concerned," Sunny went on, "that the return of magic might not be all upside. That we might wind up facing something... dangerous. Either ponies misusing their new abilities, or maybe... I dunno, something nasty out of Equestria's past coming back to haunt us."

"Like what?" Pipp looked nervous.

"That's just it." Sunny shrugged. "I don't know. But we need to be ready for it. Because it'll be our responsibility. Ponies will be looking to us for answers."

Izzy nodded ruefully. "We are kinda the experts now."

Hitch nodded. "Okay, so what's the plan, Sunny?"

Sunny smiled gratefully. It was nice of him to so readily assume she had one. "Maybe we should start," she thought aloud, "by finding out more about the source of this magic. Where it comes from. How we're meant to use it. That way we'll know our limits, if things get tough."

"But where do we look?" Pipp asked. "I assumed magic was like the cloud back home. It's just everywhere. And you use your phone to tap into it."

"I thought it came from us," said Izzy. "Like, when I'm making stuff, and I need more blue clay or something? I just make some. Although..." she added, "I do get macaroni and gooey bunnies and glitter from the store. So maybe we need to find the store?"

"Really?" Zipp snorted. "Like heading to the local McWings for some take out? That'd be a heck of an order, right? "I'll just have Equestrian Magic, please, with a side-order of fries." "

"Zipp," Pipp scolded, "this is serious!"

"Hey, I am never not-serious about fries."

"Hitch?" Sunny asked. "What do you think?"

He shrugged. "I tend to leave magic to the experts, like you and Izzy. And Trixie now, too." He nodded to her. "Though I would say we should be careful. We go looking for trouble, we're that much more likely to find some."

"Trixie?" Sunny asked. "You have any ideas?"

Startled, Trixie looked up from where she'd been idly pushing paperclips back and forth over the tabletop.

"Me? Um... well, have you found the Tree of Harmony yet?"

"The what of what now?" Zipp asked.

Trixie glanced around at their puzzled expressions. "Big tree? Made out of crystal? Tends to be the source of just about everything weird about magic around here? Trust me, you'd know it if you saw it. I only saw it a couple times myself." She raised an eyebrow. "The students built a treehouse or something around it at one point..."

"Hey," Hitch said, "would that be like, a huge tree? Kinda like an oak or an elm? With pinkish leaves?"

Sunny gasped. "We passed by a tree like that, on the way to Bridlewood! Do you think it could be the same tree?"

Trixie shrugged. "Darned if I know. The tree I'm talking about was pretty definitely made of crystal. Of course, I don't know how long it's been. And it was a magic tree..."

Izzy grinned. "Maybe it pulled a Ponocchio? Turned into a live tree somehow?"

"Well..." Sunny said speculatively, "I guess there's only one way to find out, huh?"

Izzy nodded eagerly. And then she suddenly looked nervous.

"I hope it doesn't turn out to be that tree I knocked down to make a bridge for us..."

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Having no other plans for the day, the group set out at once. And it quickly became a kind of procession, since the party included Sunny, plus her friends, plus the two pegasi guards from Zephyr Heights as escort. And Trixie, who insisted on taking her wagon along, the books still loaded inside it.

"It's my home," Trixie said. "I'm used to travelling with it." Having divested herself of the dress suit, she was using her magic to strap herself into the wagon's harness.

"We could at least leave the books here," said Sunny. "We could stash them up in the lamp room, and lock the doors."

"With nopony to watch them?" Trixie shook her head. "Be a fine thing, wouldn't it? Lugging these books all the way through Limbo, then having them swiped in less than a moon? No thanks! This is Trixie's responsibility."

"You want some help pulling the wagon, at least?" Hitch offered.

Trixie gave him an aloof look. "I have traveled hills and dales pulling this wagon. I'm used to it. Plus I'm tougher than I look." Then she looked sheepish. "But, uh... if we do come to any really steep hills, and anypony feels like giving this thing a push, I wouldn't say no."

They set out along the road inland, and soon left Maretime Bay far behind. And Trixie hadn't been bragging about being comfortable pulling her wagon. On flat areas of road or meadow she trotted along easily, as if the wagon wasn't even there. And when they came to a small creek or muddy patch, Trixie lit her horn and carefully levitated the entire wagon, books and all, over it. At first Trixie seemed surprised herself at how easy it was. After a while though, she seemed to take it in stride, not even bothering to unhitch herself or do more than glance behind her to make sure the wagon had settled back on its wheels properly.

And as the group trotted along, Trixie gazed about at the passing scenery, a reminiscent smile on her face. "This is one reason I became a travelling magician," she said. "Between shows I could just roam the countryside. No rules, no schedule. When I got tired I parked my wagon and set up camp. Then I'd set out again in the morning. And when that got old, I'd find a town or village, and do my show for a while. It's nice being able to make your own time, set your own rules. Plus there's spots out here where you can see for miles..."

They were on a trail passing over a ridge at the moment. She gestured with a hoof, at the distant forests and mountains, an almost proprietary look on her face.

"King of all you survey, eh?" Hitch said jokingly. "Sorry, Princess, I mean."

For once, Trixie simply nodded in agreement. "Out here, there's nopony to tell you who you are. So you get to decide for yourself, make it up as you go along." She giggled. "I'd invent new routines on the road, work up the patter out here, where nopony could hear me. Behold!" She called grandly, "a sight you shan't soon see again, not in an age and a half! The Grrreat and Powerful... uh..."

She fell silent, then waved her hoof vaguely. "You get the idea."

It was late afternoon by the time they finally arrived at the daisy-dotted meadow. And before them stood the tree. It was impressive, standing all on its own on a rise of the meadow, massive and time-worn, with its crown of bright-pink leaves.

But apart from its size and age, it appeared perfectly ordinary. Trixie approached it and cautiously rapped the base of the trunk with a hoof.

"In my considered, expert opinion," she said, "this... is a tree."

Then she stared around. "And where's the ruins? There was a ruins of some sort of castle all round here." Her face fell. "Wow... has it really been that long?"

Izzy squinted, her horn glowing softly. "I'm not getting much of a sparkle reading off it. Not more than the usual background, anyways. Maybe it's asleep or something?"

"What about you, Sunny?" Pipp suggested.

Sunny nodded, and summoned the horn and wings. She cautiously felt around with her magic. "Nothing," she said. "I'm not even sure what I'd be looking for."

"Well, I guess it couldn't be that easy." Hitch glanced around. "It's getting kinda late in the day. Maybe we should just set up camp here? See if we can figure out something by morning?"

They did so. And quickly found it was best just to follow Trixie's lead. She almost instinctively found a comfortable, relatively sheltered hollow in the meadow, where there was a natural spring. She parked her wagon, and the others gathered in the open space in front of its end stairs. And in a trice Trixie had set out a small heap of crystals, cast a spell on them that made them glow warmly, then placed a small metal grill over them. On this she set out a cookpot and tea kettle. Then she busied herself placing a ring of focus crystals around the campsite, which she charged with warding spells.

In short order, they had a makeshift camp, which felt comfortable, safe, and lived-in, as if they'd already been there for days.

It was close to sundown by that point, so Sunny summoned her horn and wings again, and carefully lowered the Sun and raised the Moon. And once everypony had gotten over seeing that small miracle happen, the group sat around chatting at length, turning over various ideas for how to awaken the Tree -- assuming it was indeed the one that they were looking for.

Trixie sat on the grass near the steps of her wagon, saying little, staring at the glowing fire-crystals, with a vaguely contented expression on her face.

"I've missed this," she said, seeing Sunny's questioning look. "Being camped out under the stars, miles from anywhere, at the end of a long, hard tramp over the countryside. It's... nice, actually."

"You ever think you might take it up again someday?" Hitch asked. "The travelling showpony life?"

"Mmm... not sure," Trixie shook her head. "I mean, if I'm not doing my show anymore, there's little reason to be traipsing all over Equestria. Still, it would be nice, wouldn't it? Having a reason to be out here again."

After a while the group had talked themselves out, so they all settled down on the bedrolls they'd brought along. As did Trixie, spreading a comfortable, careworn quilt by the stairs of her wagon. She could have just stayed in the wagon itself, but that didn't seem fair to the rest of them. "And it isn't like I can invite you all in, either. With the books and all, it'd be a bit crowded." She shrugged. "I've slept rough before. This'll be fine for me."

And once Hitch and the pegasi guards had sorted out between them which of them was taking what watch, the ponies finally made themselves comfortable, lay down, and drifted off to sleep.

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Sunny opened her eyes, lifted her head, and stared around at the camp, and at her slumbering friends. Then further, at the meadow all round them, and the tree in the distance. Its branches were gently frosted by the chill gleam from the Moon overhead.

Everything seemed normal. Sunny almost put her head down again.

Then she noticed Trixie's blanket was empty. The mare was sitting on the steps of her wagon instead, staring disconsolately down at the fading glow of the fire-crystals.

And she was wearing the magician's cloak and peaked hat again.

Getting up, Sunny cautiously approached her. "Trixie?"

Trixie looked up in surprise. "Oh, it's you. Look, Trixie is almost certain this is her dream this time. So what are you doing here?"

"I'm not sure. I don't mean to intrude. Maybe it's because I'm worried about you."

"About me?"

"Yeah. And too, I'm still figuring out my powers. Maybe visiting ponies' dreams is one of them?"

Trixie considered that. "Or maybe it's Trixie's fault? That wouldn't surprise me." She gazed up at the Moon. "When Trixie was little, she had a Great and Powerful friend, a teacher of sorts. One who was really good with dreams and such..." The showpony's gaze fell to the fading crystals. "Then suddenly she went away. And Trixie had to figure it all out by herself." She sighed. "Maybe Trixie still has some of her power left. Maybe it's Trixie messing around with your dreams. Sorry about that."

"It's okay. I don't mind the company."

Sunny sat down on the steps beside her, and the two of them were companionably quiet for a while. Then Trixie looked at Sunny.

"You're actually worried about me?"

Sunny nodded. "You seem so unhappy all the time. I wish I could help."

"Not sure anypony can help. Trixie did this to herself." She waved a forehoof at the empty quilt at the base of the stairs. "Little goodie-four-shoes," she sneered. "Trying so hard to fit in and not offend anypony. And she blames me for being stranded here. But the truth is, she's the one to blame. Because... because Trixie was jealous!"

"Jealous?"

"Uh huh." Trixie nodded. "Of Princess Twilight, for being so perfect at everything. Of Headmare Starlight, for being so wrapped up in her work and her relationship with Sunburst that she didn't have time for Trixie any more..."

She gritted her teeth. Then she shook a forehoof angrily.

"And of every unicorn in the entire freaking world!" she yelled. "For having more power and skill with real magic than the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

She fell silent. And looked sheepish.

"I have compensation issues. You can probably tell."

Sunny smiled. "At least you're honest with yourself about it."

Trixie nodded. "But she's right, you know. The Great and Powerful Trixie did get in the way, a lot of the time. And screw things up. Trixie was always a little over-the-top. But... this is who Trixie is! This is who I am!" She shook her head. "It's just never seemed to be what ponies needed me to be... except on stage. Then I was exactly what they wanted: a diversion, a distraction, a bit of fluff entertainment."

She huffed, crossly.

"Well, Trixie is fed up with that. Trixie wants to be a part of things, to really help this time. Trixie wants in!"

She fell silent, shutting her eyes. Her head lowered, her shoulders drooped.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie..." she said, her voice almost a whisper, "...is tired of being a solo show."

Sunny nodded, and put a hoof around her, quietly hugging her.

And thought about it.

She looked up at the tree, looming in the distance. "That ruins you mentioned," she said. "Around the tree? What did it look like?"

"What's it matter?" Trixie said glumly. "It's gone now."

"Maybe. But if this turned out not to be the Tree of Harmony, then knowing what the ruins looked like would help. We'd know what we were looking for."

"Oh." Trixie shrugged. "Well, it was some old castle, like I said. It had a wall around it, which had a front gateway. With doors." She shut her eyes, remembering. "And the castle was tall, really tall... with towers and spires, and ornaments on top. Real fancy, because it was a palace, way back when. And they lived there... the two sisters. That's what it was called, back then, the Palace of the Two Sisters, and..."

Trixie's eyes snapped open.

"Uh... how the hay do I know all that? I suck at history almost as bad as I do at spellcrafting."

Sunny wasn't listening. She was staring. She pointed a hoof. "Was that it?" she asked quietly.

Trixie turned to look. And blinked in surprise. "Yeah. Pretty much."

Before them, all round the tree on the hilltop, there was a ghostly image of a castle. Or rather, as Trixie had said, a palace. It soared into the night sky, with walls and buttresses and towers capped with ornaments. It was grand, imposing, awe-inspiring.

And they could see the stars in the sky right through it.

Getting up from the wagon's stairs, they trotted up the hill together towards it, staring at it. "I only saw this place as ruins," Trixie whispered. "I never saw the original castle. I can't possibly be remembering all this."

"Maybe you're not," Sunny said. "If this is the Tree of Harmony, and you said it was magical... maybe it remembers what this place was like, all those moons ago."

Trixie looked puzzled. And skeptical.

"How can a tree remember anything? And what's its memories doing in my -- sorry, in our dream?"

Sunny shrugged. "How is it I can raise and lower the Sun and Moon? Observe first, understand later when you've got the facts. That's what Dad always said."

They approached the palace doors, which were shut.

And Trixie glanced worriedly at Sunny.

"What do you think is inside? Remember, not everything magical from back then was, well... nice."

Sunny shook her head. "I don't know. But we have to know. So we'll be ready for it."

Trixie nodded. Then she took a deep breath, and she shoved her hat forwards, grimly. "Then let's find out together, huh?"

Sunny nodded willingly. Together, they reached out with their forehooves, pressed them against the doors.

Then Trixie suddenly paused, looking at her. "I only wanted to be Great and Powerful, you know? Somepony who mattered. Somepony they'd never forget."

Sunny smiled. "Maybe you always were," she said. "Maybe you were just living in the wrong time. And maybe now's your chance to get it right, huh?"

"Maybe," Trixie said, nodding. Then she eyed Sunny suspiciously.

"Are you really Sunny Starscout?"

Sunny laughed. "Are you really the Great and Powerful Trixie?"

"But of course!" Trixie giggled. "And thanks, Sunny."

"Not a problem. What's a new Princess of Equestria for, huh?"

Trixie nodded. "On three, then? One... two..."

Together, they pushed the doors wide.

And the light from within was blinding...