Ponyville Jailhouse had not been put into use for several years.
Ponyville was a peaceful community where, unlike major cities like Manehattan and Fillydelphia, crime was unheard of. Occasionally, small time offenders would find themselves cooling their heels there, but the last time that happened was long ago. In fact, more than once, the local law keepers would petition Mayor Mare that they use the place as discipline whenever some local children begin bullying others, just so the building would see more use, but even that was a rarity these days.
In fact, the only fillies that would fit that description would be Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, but due to their status as the children of the wealthiest and most influential ponies in Ponyville, disciplining them so would only cause more problems.
And besides, they both had been away for quite a while, being tutored on how to maintain wealth when it came time for them to take the reins of their families legacy.
But now, Ponyville Jailhouse had its first occupant in decades.
"LET ME OUT!"
The voice reverberated throughout the empty cellblock, originating from the only occupied cell.
"THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE DEMANDS YOU RELEASE HER THIS INSTANT!"
She instinctively tried to channel her magic, but then the magic suppression device clamped to her horn lit up and forced her magic down like a cork into a bottle. It was just Trixie's luck that even a place like Ponyville followed the national routine of Equestria and kept at least one magical suppression ring on hoof in case an unruly unicorn should show up. Trixie banged on the bars of her cell with her forehoof, the echoes of the clanging of metal being the only reply to her outbursts. The only things within the tiny room with her were a toilet with a small sink and a mattress that had more springs on the outside than within. And it was obvious that Trixie was less than thrilled with the accommodations, for she had been ranting ever since the paralysis Rainbow Dash and Rarity had placed on her wore off.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen once again.
Trixie sat back into her haunches, too tired and sore to continue demanding for release. She could not believe it had happened again. Once again she had pitted herself against Twilight Sparkle and came up short. And to rub salt into the wound, she now knew that it wasn't even by her own powers that Twilight had defeated her, what with Rainbow Dash being the ever boastful athletic pony that she is, and Rarity being a drama queen who just loves gossip, it didn't take long for them to begin patting each other one the back rigorously while they carted her paralyzed self back to Ponyville.
Ponyville.
First Trixie put on a grand show here, the finale being an extravagant story about her truly vanquishing an Ursa Major, only for two dull witted colts to take her story too seriously and lure an actual Ursa into town for her to vanquish, which, of course, was beyond her capabilities, leaving the task to Twilight, who seemingly did so without effort, which, in turn, led to Trixie losing her reputation.
Then, after spending so long wallowing in bitterness, Trixie stumbled upon the most powerful magical talisman in the history of the arcane arts and came here seeking revenge on those who sullied her name, only to be out-bluffed and stripped of said talisman.
'Sometimes Trixie wishes she never stopped at this one horse town in the first place."
CL-CLANK
The silence of the Jailhouse was broken by the opening and closing of the entrance doors, Trixie bolted up to her hooves, her ears twitching at what sounded like armored footsteps approaching her location.
"WHO'S THERE?!" she shouted.
Not a second later two pegasus stallions dressed in royal guard armor came into view and stood before Trixie's cell. She stared at them for a second, for they were unmistakably the personal royal guards of Princess Celestia, their golden armor easily recognizable as it gleamed in the light that filtered in through the window at the back of her cell. The red gleam of the altered sun almost made them look menacing.
But Trixie immediately shook off her unease as she remembered her undignified situation. "Trixie demands to be released! You have no right to...!"
"SILENCE, PRISONER!" both guards shouted, the sharp edges in their tones silencing Trixie immediately, though they still retained the ever stoic expression the Royal Guard were famous for.
With their quarry falling silent at their demand the guard on the right continued, "We have come to inform you in advance that her royal highness Princess Celestia is here to interrogate you, as well as pass judgment on you for your crimes."
"So behave yourself," said his companion, "We will be observing, if you even think of trying anything."
With that the two guards took up positions beside the cell.
Trixie didn't know what they suspected she could do, what with the magic suppressor, but then what they said fully dawned on her. Princess Celestia, the millennium old matriarch of Equestria, steward of the sun, not to mention the personal mentor of Twilight Sparkle, the pony to whom she had sought to do harm, was coming here? Right now? A cold sweat washed over Trixie as her nervousness skyrocketed to Cloudsdale levels. Even in the height of her boasting career Trixie would never have wanted to face Princess Celestia directly, who would no doubt be none too pleased at what happened recently, and at her hooves no less.
CL-CLANK
The sound of a door opening and closing again was all too audible as Trixie was still coming to terms with her situation, followed by the sound of heavy hoof-falls. But Trixie steeled herself. Princess Celestia was indeed the ruler of the nation, but it was well known that she was wise, radiant, and tranquil. What did Trixie have to fear from her, she didn't do anything overly bad? She would probably have her help clean up the mess she made in Ponyville...
The owner of the hoof steps finally came into view and took up position between the guards.
And the last thing her visage projected was tranquility and beauty.
No, the tall pony was the very picture of fear incarnate. Her coat was as black as the moonless night, her mane and tail shapeless swirling masses of red and black, and her eyes...oh, her eyes were menacing slitted things of the deepest red. And the scowl she wore only completed the ensemble.
This pony's foreboding presence draped over Trixie like a shadow, in fact, the very shadow she cast literally draped over her. It left her with one reaction.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
To scream in absolute terror.
Trixie fell onto her back, scrambling backwards to escape the shade this pony was casting onto her, scampering on her forelegs to skid backwards until she crammed herself into the corner of her cell, pulling her hind legs up to her chest to squeeze them as her body was wracked by tremors. She could see herself reflected in the crimson pupils as they gazed down at her, carrying the weight of all the malice Trixie could feel radiating from them. Who was this pony!?
No way in all of Equestria could this be Princess Celestia... could it?
Princess Celestia could only curl her lip in disgust as Trixie scampered away from the sight of her, like a little vermin suddenly exposed to the sun. Typical of a braggart, talking a big game, but when the time comes to show you have grit, house of cards. The Solar Matriarch had seen many ponies like this during her many years, and the sight of them wasn't any less pitiful now than it was a millennia ago. It would seem that everything Twilight reported about this Trixie's mannerisms was right on the nose.
"Who... who in Tartarus is that?" Trixie half mumbled half screamed as she pointed a shaky hoof out towards Celestia.
Celestia rolled her eyes and thought l, 'Then again, maybe I shouldn't blame all her reaction on false bravado. I will admit, I look a terrible sight.'
"Watch your tongue, prisoner?" snapped one of the guards, his outbursts making Trixie squeak in her frazzled state. "You speak to her royal highness, Princess Celestia."
Trixie blanched at that and looked up at the tall mare before her cell bars, only now noticing the raven feathered wings folded to her sides. "It...it can't be..."
"It is," said the other guard. "Now show some respect and stand up and bow..."
"At ease, gentlecolts," said the voice of Celestia as she addressed her guards, Trixie having no choice but to accept the fact that she was indeed who she claimed to be, for nopony had such a gentle voice as she, and with as often as she spoke to her subjects through some means or another, most ponies were familiar with her melodious voice.
Celestia then brought her attention to Trixie once again.
"But I agree, Miss Trixie, would you please stop simpering and stand up. You and I have something to discuss." Before Trixie knew what was happening she was straightening up to stand on her hooves, her body following the command almost instinctively. She approached the bars again, despite the intimidation having not lessened, and stood before the pony, crimson eyes boring into her again.
"H... how...?"
Celestia arched an eyebrow at Trixie's inquiry. "From what I have been told, you are actually partially to blame for my altered appearance, Trixie."
Trixie's jaw dropped at what she perceived to be an accusation. How could she be responsible? While it was true, part of her act as a showmare was to alter the appearance of others when challenged to do so, whether for humiliation or request, she had been out of the circuit for years. Not to mention not even the Great and Powerful Trixie would dare do such a thing to the ruler of Equestria, regardless of the circumstances.
"Trixie wasn't responsible for this," she said in her defense.
"Oh, so was it not you who came to Ponyville and wreaked havoc, which only ceased when my student improvised certain tactics to stop you, one such being her using a foreboding magic that had the effect of altering the sun?" exclaimed Celestia, pointing a lengthy hoof out Trixie's cell window towards the void in Equestria's sky that was once the sun. Trixie wasn't a graduate of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, but she was smart enough to put two and two together, especially when she noticed that Celestia's Cutie Mark (infamous for being a perfect representation of the sun she controlled) was now a reflection of the sucking hole that had replaced the sun. So that's what was going on. When Twilight did whatever she had done it also affected Princess Celestia as well.
And all she could do was gulp nervously.
Celestia's stern glare grew sharper, Trixie's palpable increase in unease was answer enough.
"I thought as much," she said, sitting down before the cell on her onyx haunches. "Now, shall we begin with the integration?"
Trixie gulped again as she also sat down, finally able to tear her gaze away from Celestia's.
"No, Mrs. Trixie" began Celestia, "Several accounts from eye witnesses claim you just suddenly began wreaking havoc for no apparent reason."
Trixie snapped up at hearing that, her trepidation in Celestia's presence suddenly broken. "Trixie will have you know Trixie had very good reasons..."
"Silence!" commanded Celestia, her voice quiet but stern, Trixie hunkering down at her wrath. "I already heard about your supposed motivation. To take revenge on my beloved student for some slight humiliation she caused you in the past.
"SLIGHT HUMILIATION!?" Trixie exclaimed, her assertive personality having been roused at those words, regardless of who they came from. "I LOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF HER! MY CART, MY STAGE, MY REPUTATION! BECAUSE OF YOUR PRECIOUS LITTLE STUDENT TRIXIE HAS SUFFERED SO MUCH..."
"COMPOSE YOURSELF AT ONCE!" Shouted Celestia, her voice almost reaching the volume of the abandoned Royal Canterlot Voice, the force of which was enough to not only overpower Trixie's passionate rant, but also send her mane over tail in the opposite direction. She was seized in a golden magical aura before she could impact the wall though, and brought before the Princess again, though this time hovering at her eye level.
Trixie started shaking as she once again found herself staring into the crimson abyss that was Celestia's gaze, the sensation they stirred far from peaceful.
Those eyes narrowed. "Was all of that Twilight's intention back then?" seethed Celestia, remembering Twilight's Friendship Report involving the incident with this pony. "Did Twilight defend Ponyville from an Ursa Minor, a creature that, despite its age, is more than capable of destroying this town, costing ponies their home and possibly their lives, deliberately to humiliate 'you'?"
Trixie could not help but curl in on herself tighter as Celestia threw these accusations at her, and not because they were groundless, no, Trixie knew from the start her grudge against Twilight would seem petty and narcissistic from an outside point of view, but the arrogant attitude she had never let her think beyond how her actions would affect others. It was part of her show after all. No, what had Trixie receding in on herself was there wasn't a trace of the boundless kindness Celestia was known for.
"What is this?" Trixie mumbled to herself, unaware that she was speaking out loud. "She isn't being lenient, like I was expecting."
Celestia's eyes narrowed into crimson slits at hearing Trixie's vocalized expectations and it brought her back to the happenings of recent years.
She remembered how, long ago, she had been forced to banish her only sister to the moon, and despite the necessity for the deed, how it had traumatized her. Since then Celestia had viewed herself as a monster, a monster who had done something so horrible to her beloved younger sibling, and that, in turn, would lead to circumstances that she would regret just as deeply as Luna's banishment. Desperate to prove (more to herself than anypony) that she wasn't a monster, Celestia had began to show an image of benevolence and fairness with every fiber of her being, her once brilliant knack for swift retaliation to those who would do harm fading under her guilty conscience.
And somewhere down the line she began to show that grace towards those who would see her kingdom burn.
How foolish she was.
Twilight was right that day, she had been a coward. The image she had been portraying, while giving Equestria the image of a tranquil paradise under her benevolent rule, gave the likes of Discord and Chrysalis the impression that her kingdom was theirs to plunder and do with whatever they wished, allowing them to become more dire threats than was tolerable. No, Celestia, as a ruler needed to have strength as well as a fair hoof.
She shouldn't have used Discord as a garden decoration once he was sealed away. She should have crushed him into gravel and spread his pieces amongst Equestria's railroad tracks with no hope of being reassembled. She shouldn't have thrown the fight with Chrysalis with the naive hope Twilight and her friends would take up the Elements of Harmony to vanquish her. No, she should have beaten the smug changeling queen down and used her as leverage, demanding her forces to cease hostility and then be tried as war criminals.
And then Celestia... no, all Equestria would not be having to contend with the likes of Hermaeus Mora or the horrors of his world.
Celestia had had three years to contemplate these facts and had been dedicated to finding the strength to fight her own battles once again, strength that would make it clear that, despite Equestria's peaceful nature, her kingdom wasn't to be trifled with. She knew that strength was there, she had it before. Princess Blood Diamond and her Necromancers had emerged not long after Equestria was founded and Celestia had remembered those times vividly, fighting tooth and nail to ensure that Equestria survived and its citizens had a future.
The need to put a stop to the pain and suffering caused to fuel the maniacal ambition of a jilted unicorn princess.
But even in three years Celestia could not readopt the mindset she had back then, for not only had her spirit been dulled by the guilt of banishing Luna, a millennium of relative peace had as well. Celestia was about to resign to the fact that she would forever be viewed as a gullible goody four hooves, in which case she would hoof all matters of national security to her sister, who still retained more of her warrior's faculties due to the fact that not much time had passed between Blood Diamond's demise and her banishment. But then chance came in the most unexpected form. A new force hostile to Equestria emerged quite recently, and while Celestia's involvement in dealing with it was relatively small, the circumstances allowed her to come into contact with a most peculiar artifact.
An Elder Scroll.
These mysterious items were the most powerful known magical artifacts of Hermaeus Mora's realm, rumored to be the very fragments of creation. Containing vast amounts of knowledge regarding past, present, and future events, these ornate scrolls had been utilized throughout the history of Nirn in numerous ways, and the time came when Equestria had need of one in order to combat the threat they faced. Preparations needed to be made in the meantime though, so Celestia took it upon herself to watch over the Elder Scroll until all was ready, for Twilight had warned her that utilizing Elder Scrolls was very dangerous, for their knowledge was so great that, if one wasn't properly prepared, exposure to such knowledge could result in some rather adverse effects, such as blindness and the loss of one's sanity.
But as Celestia stood guard the scroll unfurled itself of its own accord, and before she could do anything, Celestia was staring into the depths of runes she had no idea how to interpret. It was like being drawn into a realm purely of literature. The runes and glyphs that composed the contents of the Elder Scroll seemed almost alive.
It lasted but a moment, but when Celestia came back to her senses it felt like an eternity had gone by. Or, more accurately, gone in reverse. She still had command of her mental facilities, and, as far as she could tell, her vision was as clear as ever, so Celestia had not suffered any of the known side effects Elder Scrolls were known for, most likely due to her alicorn nature (or, more likely, due to her lineage, which, after being an enigma since the beginning, was recently brought to light) but something else had changed. The Elder Scroll must have sensed Celestia's desire to reclaim that fighting spirit she had lost through her actions and inactions, for after her glimpse at it she could feel it in her soul clear as day.
The need to punish those who do wrong.
To defend Equestria and its citizens from harm at any cost.
To show no mercy to enemies who would threaten her home for their own gain.
To recognize who should be offered a chance to redeem themselves for past misdeeds because they could repent, instead of using said chance to try and get the advantage, especially when it came to some conquest of Equestria.
Yes, Celestia would still rule with benevolence and peace, as she had always done, but from the time she gazed into the eternity that was an Elder Scroll and onward, anything that thought they could plunder Equestria would rue the day they crossed her.
"I've had my eyes opened to how naive I've been," Celestia said after her split second of musings, "If someone that does what you have can believe they have nothing to fear from my judgment then it's time I changed that. I am Princess Celestia. It is my duty to protect the ponies of Equestria from harm, and I've come to realize I have been negligent in that regard."
Her eyes almost seemed to bore right into Trixie's soul. "Especially when the enemy utilizes the most powerful, dangerous, and above all else, most forbidden magical artifact in Equestrian history."
Trixie gulped again.
Every one of Celestia's words now was like a hammer blow, making her flinch at each one as it echoed through the jailhouse, punctuated by Celestia's aggressive tone. Again, she was reminded that this most likely wasn't going to end with a slap on the hoof like she originally believed. Yet, the last words rang in her ears more than the others. Trixie knew the Princess was referring to the Alicorn Amulet, for it was, without a doubt, powerful and dangerous, but for all she knew of the dark trinket, never once was she aware of it being described as 'forbidden artifact'.
"Mo... most forbidden magical artifact in Equestria?" Trixie echoed Celestia's words, trepidation creeping into the furthest reaches of her very soul.
Celestia's response was to nod before she continued. "Yes, and, according to the ancient law I passed in regards to that cursed object so long ago, the penalty for its use..." Celestia could not suppress a sliver of pity and regret from bubbling to the surface, her motherly nature towards her subjects, all her subjects, fighting against what she knew was to come, but as ruler of Equestria she must make hard decisions. "Is death."
The jail grew steadily quiet to the point that if one were to drop a pin the resulting cacophony of noise might just blow the place over like a house of cards. Even the ever stoic guards flinched at what Celestia had said, though their composure returned in a blink.
Trixie was stunned into paralysis when the final word passed through her ears, her eyes shrinking to pinpricks and her mouth dropping open like an opening drawbridge. Celestia couldn't have said what she just did. There was no way Trixie was going to lose her life because of this.
"Why... why would you do such a thing?" Trixie whimpered, trembling so much that Celestia's golden magic rippled like a pond in a rainstorm.
"Do you know nothing of the evil trinket?" whispered Celestia with a sinister, breathy tone, "No, I don't suppose you do." It was understandable, Celestia had gone to great lengths to assure that what went down with Princess Blood Diamond wasn't common knowledge. She didn't outright wipe it from history, only making it to where those events were only known if they were deliberately sought.
"The Alicorn Amulet was involved with an incident that almost brought forth all of Equestria's destruction," Celestia explained, feeling that a little enlightenment might show Trixie how deep she was in it. "Several existed in the beginning, and their bearers brought untold pain and suffering that, to this day, Equestria hasn't seen since. Eventually, my sister and I were able to quell the carnage these evil ponies wrought, rounding up the amulets one by one and destroying them. But when it was over, one was unaccounted for."
Celestia leaned close to Trixie, almost poking her muzzle through the bars and touching it to the imprisoned showmare's, her own nose wet with tears of fear. "We searched relentlessly for it, but found no trace. Equestria was in a dire state and we could not waste much time with the search, so in the end, I decided that if the final Alicorn Amulet couldn't be located I would place laws forbidding its use, the sentence being capital punishment if that law was broken, for due to the amulet's corruptive influence, even the most noble hearted pony would become just as dangerous as those who first wore it."
Celestia's eyes narrowed again to slits. "After a millennium I was extremely doubtful that the Alicorn Amulet would resurface, until you somehow stumbled upon it."
Trixie was crying great fat tears now, her fear increasing to intolerable levels. "But... Trixie didn't know..."
"Whether you knew or not is irrelevant," said Celestia as she finally placed Trixie back on the floor of her cell, her knees buckling instantly and sending her crashing onto her stomach. "You deliberately used a dark artifact with the intent to do harm. The history of the Alicorn Amulet may not be common knowledge, but the laws surrounding it are, I have made sure of it. And even if you were unaware of the consequences, obliviousness doesn't absolve you of that crime."
"But... Trixie didn't do what those ponies did..." Trixie mumbled, coiling into herself like a scared mouse, slightly shaken up by not only the harsh penalty she was undoubtedly facing, but also by the fact that the Alicorn Amulet had such a background. If she had known about its chaotic history she would have run from the thing, rather than revel in its discovery. "Please, your majesty, have mercy."
"I cannot," said Celestia, though her voice did lose some of its sternness. "In fact, my business here is concluded. I only came to get the facts from your side of the story, but it seems you have all but confessed to deliberately donning the Alicorn Amulet. This interrogation is over."
With that Celestia turned to head back down the corridor, her guards falling in step behind her. Trixie could not believe this was happening. Would she really face capital punishment for this?
Never in a thousand years did she ever see herself in a scenario like this, were she would be judged and found guilty, then be told her life was about to end.
"NO, PLEASE PRINCESS!" she called after the retreating figure of Celestia. "PLEASE, TRIXIE DOES NOT WANT TO DIE!"
Trixie continued to beg and plead, her voice echoing down the corridor, but Celestia didn't look back.
Not too long ago she would have submitted to her bleeding heart to spare that young lady, but now she knew her place as Princess once again. The Alicorn Amulet wasn't to be taken lightly, and if Princess Celestia were to not to follow through with the law she herself instated, it would only serve to endanger her kingdom in the end. She fully intended for the Alicorn Amulet to never see the outside of a vault ever again, and the only time that wouldn't be the case was when a way was found to destroy it. The Elements of Harmony destroyed the others so it stood to reason that they could do so again, but Celestia didn't want to rely on them for this.
Twilight and her friends would still need them when they returned to Apocrypha and who could tell when Hermaeus Mora would call them back, plus, when the other Alicorn Amulets had been destroyed they were in the possession of a bearer, and if they needed to be worn to be destroyed that meant somepony would need to put it on and Celestia wasn't going to do that.
"PLEASE, TRIXIE WILL DO ANYTHING!"
It was starting to look pathetic.
Celestia did feel for the poor, misguided pony back there but her hooves were tied. And if she did anything to forestall what the law demanded happen it would only reflect badly on the law enforcement of Equestria. It would once again weaken her image.
And, on a selfish level, Celestia was eager to put the whole business regarding Princess Blood Diamond behind her. The whereabouts of the final Alicorn Amulet had hounded her ever since it became lost, and now that it was finally accounted for she wanted everything to do with that overzealous unicorn princess pushed out of her...
Celestia's magic halted as she gripped the doorknob to the exit. Her brief contemplation back to Blood Diamond subconsciously stirred up some long forgotten memories of what happened back then. When the wayward princess defected from Equestria she took a certain object with her, and when she was vanquished, it disappeared along with her and the Alicorn Amulet.
It wasn't anything significant, definitely wasn't anything that made her the threat she was, in fact, it was such a trivial matter that Celestia was surprised she remembered it at all. But here and now it actually might have relevance. As stated before, the object had nothing to do with Princess Blood Diamond's actions, but it was unique, and under the current circumstances it might actually have value... in regards to Cadance and Shining Armor's wedding, that is.
If it could be recovered, it could only make their lives that much richer.
And they had a lead on its whereabouts.
If Celestia offered Trixie an ultimatum to her sentence she would no doubt willingly disclose the location of where she stumbled upon the Alicorn Amulet. Should she, though? She had dedicated herself to upholding her own law when she confirmed that Trixie deliberately donned that Amulet.
Still, she was taking the perspective from the point of view that she had a millennium ago.
The harsh law surrounding the Alicorn Amulet may not have changed but every other one has. Things like first time offense and harshness of the crime. And Trixie was right, nopony had been seriously hurt, and, truth be told, Ponyville had seen worse collateral damage. In fact, perhaps she was too hasty to enforce the ancient law, this might actually be a better solution.
But Trixie could not just walk away scot free, that would be something the residents of Ponyville wouldn't stand for.
But if execution was out, maybe incarceration?
But that could actually wait, due process takes a while, but now that a variable that could benefit Shining Armor and Cadance has come to light that needed to be addressed first. With no less authority than before Celestia trotted back to the cell that housed the briefly doomed mare, who had ceased her groveling and now just lay on the floor, sobbing into her forelegs. Celestia could not suppress a slight pity for her, she looked so broken.
Lightly, but sternly, Celestia clapped her metal clad hooves to the ground to garner Trixie's attention.
Her head shot up at the noise, tears that glistened in the sinister light of the altered sun scattering around her. She stared into the stern face of Princess Celestia, the royal pony's dark completion and glaring red eyes appearing even more menacing from her crouched vantage point.
"Pl... please... spare me," she begged, her third person speech pattern evaporating along with her pride. "I didn't know..."
"That fact is still irrelevant," said Celestia, Trixie cringing for the upteenth time. "However, I have decided that there may be an alternative."
Trixie's eyes brimmed with hope, as well as tears.
"Your possession of the Alicorn Amulet is a lead that may provide the whereabouts of something else that was lost," Celestia explained. "Tell me where you found it and I will spare your life."
Trixie blinked in confusion, "And what will you do for me if I provide you with this information?"
Celestia thought about it. Her intention was to have Trixie imprisoned for a time if she cooperated. But where, and how long? She really was rusty in this.
Ponyville Jailhouse was out of the question, for despite how tranquil this place was, what Trixie pulled here no doubt drew ire. If she was imprisoned here she would be subject to retaliation, and to be honest, this jailhouse wasn't capable of protecting her if that became the case.
Jails need to not just house inmates, but provide a security that would protect them from those who would seek their own justice.
Later, when she had some free time, Celestia would look into having Ponyville's Jailhouse updated, properly funded and be equipped with more pony power.
But Ponyville wasn't the only place Trixie could be sent to repent for her crimes. In fact, from what Princess Celestia knew, she wasn't even from here to begin with.
"If you cooperate, I will see that you are ousted from Ponyville and sent to your home," began Celestia. "Maybe even some of your family will be allowed to speak on your behalf, if they do desire."
It seemed like a fair deal. Trixie could get off easy, and maybe something beneficial could come from this whole ordeal.
But for Trixie, Celestia's final words resounded in her mind.
'Family...'
Something deep inside the showmare began to stir, like a slumbering being just now getting the stimulus needed to awaken. Her hooves began to tremble, followed by her legs, then body, then her head. Her pupils shrank to pinpricks, moisture building under her eyes again.
Celestia noticed this and tilted her head in confusion. She had assumed Trixie wouldn't hesitate to take her proposal, but when she mentioned what she had in mind for her cooperation, the incarnated mare just seemed to lock up. Was there something about where Trixie came from that put her on edge?
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
The ear piercing scream Trixie let out was all the confirmation Celestia needed to prove that theory correct. The blue unicorn wailed in absolute despair, clutching her head with her forehooves and falling on her back, scurrying on her hind legs until she backed herself into the far corner of her cell. She curled into a fetal position, where she trembled and cried hysterically.
"OPEN THE CELL, IMMEDIATELY!" Celestia commanded her guards, who wasted no time in complying, the bars opened with a key.
Celestia raced to the trembling mare's side and placed a concerned hoof on her shaking back. "Trixie, what's wrong?"
"Gone.... they're all... gone... mom... dad... Trixie.... where are you?" Trixie repeated these words over and over again into her hooves, the mantra only being broken by fits of whimpers.
Celestia couldn't help but drop her resentment she had held for this mare mere moment's ago. Celestia may have been tougher in her younger years, but she had always had a caring heart, especially to those who had needlessly suffered. And Celestia could tell that Trixie had suffered in her life.
'What happened to you, my little pony?"
Suddenly, a wave of sparkling magic draped over Trixie, starting from the tip of her tail and up to her horn, still bound in the magic suppressor. Once it faded away, Trixie's color had completely washed out, leaving her an almost pale gray. It was similar in appearance to what Discord had done to Twilight and her friends while under his influence, but Celestia recognized it for what it really was.
'Hopelessness magic?'
This rare magic was emotionally based, infecting a pony's body and projecting their negative emotions into their natural color. Celestia hadn't seen a case in a long time, for she worked diligently to ensure Equestria is a place of tranquility and prosperity. For Trixie to suddenly manifest this much of the vile stuff must mean that all this time she was masking it under her boastful nature.
And it had something to do with her family.
Trixie was still repeating those words over and over, not even acknowledging the Princess's presence anymore. Celestia continued to try and break through to her though, her concerns for her wellbeing now overriding anything. Whatever happened to Trixie's family must have deeply traumatized her.
And it would appear that things would just get more complicated, for in the next instant Trixie's Cutie Mark changed.
Celestia could only watch as the emblem of a magic wand leaving a trail of stardust faded away and was replaced with an entirely different image. Trixie's Cutie Mark now resembled a magnificent galleon at sea, its sails spread to propel it over shifting waves colored just a slightly lighter shade of blue to be seen against Trixie's coat. Celestia could only gawk at this turn of events, for it could only mean one thing.
All this time, the first Cutie Mark was nothing but a mere illusion.
It wasn't unheard of for a unicorn that specializes in illusion to conceal their real Cutie Mark if the situation somehow calls for it, but it should have been impossible in Trixie's case. The only explanation for why the magical suppressor didn't dispel the illusion the moment it came in contact with Trixie's horn was that her desire to conceal it overrode the magic nullification. What could cause Trixie (if that was indeed her name) to place such a spell on herself, one powerful enough to still function with a magical suppressor involved.
But whatever contemplation this situation might require would not be available, for a more pressing matter soon presented itself.
Celestia gasped as she noticed that the tip of Trixie's tail and several locks of her mane became transparent, the effects slowly creeping up the streams of hair and towards her. Celestia knew what the problem was immediately. While Hopelessness Magic wasn't anything to worry about in the physical sense, if it was severe enough a pony would eventually break down, both in body and in soul. If Trixie wasn't given aid soon she would fade from existence entirely.
"WE NEED TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL, NOW!" Celestia tore from the jailhouse, leaving the fading mare in the cell. Her guard was hesitant to follow for a second, one tearing after his ward after a second, but the next stayed long enough to close and lock the bars again, not that the fading mare made any attempt to escape.
---
Twilight had a bounce to her step.
All the preparations were finished, her friends really outdid themselves this time. Despite the irritating interruption on Trixie's behalf, the only thing needed to get the wedding between her BBBBFF and Cadance underway was to transport all their hard work to Canterlot, then all that would need to be done is set it up. Her brother and old foalsitter had been patient, waiting for the opportunity for her to finally attend, like she always should have.
Now it was finally about to...
Twilight was startled out of her giddiness by thundering hooves, looking to the source revealed the still altered sun princess, galloping like her tail was on fire, her guard trailing behind her, desperately trying to keep up with their ward. Twilight, having spent years under Celestia's tutelage, could tell when something was bothering her greatly, so decided to pursue and see if she could be of any assistance.
---
Twilight herself was concerned once Celestia brought her up to speed on Trixie's condition, greatly appreciative of her student's assistance. They were to be found back in the Ponyville Jailhouse, before Trixie, who was practically bald at both ends now, a specialist from the local hospital with them. Twilight herself could not help but be concerned about Trixie, for despite what she had done, Twilight didn't believe she deserved to just fade away, or be in such emotional turmoil.
"It's no good," said Doctor Rorschach Test, a white unicorn mare with a black mane, her Cutie Mark a splash of ink depicting a bat. "Her mind is completely overwhelmed with despair, I can't get a bead on her thoughts."
"Isn't there anything you can do?" asked Celestia.
Rorschach shook her head. "I need to know the root of her trauma. Essentially, I need the memory of the event that caused it. Without it I can't even begin."
Psychiatrists like Doctor Rorschach Test were required to know a spell that allowed them to analyze a patient's memory, but if the mind was too broken it could be rendered ineffective.
"So... there's nothing we can do for her?" asked Twilight.
"Not without her memory," said Rorschach sadly.
Twilight didn't want this for Trixie, nopony deserved this. She felt the desire to help at any cost, especially now that she knew that the pony she knew wasn't likely the real Trixie. It was a fabrication Trixie had placed over herself to shield herself against something that happened to her in the past. Something terrible.
Something involving Trixie's family.
But to even begin, they needed to know what happened to Trixie to begin with. They needed the memory of the traumatic event.
We need the memory....
...the memory...
... memory...
"I have an idea," said Twilight, heading out the door.
Celestia gave chase, asking Twilight what she meant.
"We need to get to Zecora," explained Twilight, galloping towards the Everfree Forest. "She's the best pony... zebra I know at making potions, and I have one in mind that may be just what we need."
Celestia racked her brain, but could not recall such a potion anywhere in her long life, and she taught Twilight everything she knew.
"I don't recall such a potion," Celestia voiced her concerns.
Twilight visibly winced as they both entered the Everfree's canopy. Anyone else might be wary of entering this place, but Celestia... was Celestia, and Twilight now had the Thu'um on top of her own magical prowess, so there was little here that could threaten them. Though they gave the clearing of Poison Joke a wide berth at Twilight's insistence.
"You would not have heard of it, your majesty," said Twilight respectfully. "It originates from Nirn."
Celestia didn't like the sound of that.
Anything involving that vile world put her on edge. "Is it safe to use such a thing?"
"I won't deny it's powerful, Princess, but it's still just a potion," explained Twilight. "It's designed to have its desired effect and that's all."
Celestia was still uneasy, but Trixie didn't have long so she decided not to argue the point and trust her students' judgment. Though one thing needed to be addressed.
"Can it really succeed where a pony like Doctor Rorschach Test failed?" Celestia asked. "She's the best in the business when it comes to a pony's mind."
"I believe so," said Twilight confidently.
"How can you be sure?" Celestia insisted.
"Because," Twilight turned to Celestia with a determined look, the altered sun above illuminating her face whenever they passed under an opening in the forest canopy. "The potion is of divine origin."
Celestia started so bad she almost lost her footing and tripped, but managed to catch herself.
"You mean...?"
Twilight nodded her head. "It's called Vaermina's Torpor, and with Vaermina being the Daedric Prince of memories, it has the power to dredge up memories even as muddled as Trixie's are at the moment."
"But my student, a Daedric Prince...?"
"It's the only chance Trixie has, your majesty," said Twilight. "We don't have time to figure out anything else, and once we know what is wrong with Trixie, Doctor Rorschach Test can help her."
Celestia didn't want anything to do with a Daedric Prince, but, if what Twilight was saying was true, this was the best option under the circumstances. Celestia remembered Vaermina from Twilight's description of the Daedra Lords. Memories and nightmares were her domain, even fractured memories.
That, and she was technically her and Luna's father.
That would never not be awkward.
"How does it work?" Celestia asked, giving in and deciding to go with it.
Twilight smiled at her mentor's trust in her and delved into her memory of what she learned of the Torpor. "When ingested, the Torpor forces the subject into a dream-like state, where they witness the memories of another person..."
As Celestia listened to Twilight's explaination she hoped, in the back of her mind, they wouldn't regret this.