The trip through the Everfree was, surprisingly, uneventful.
Neither Manticore nor Parasprite bothered Twilight or Princess Celestia while they traversed under the sinister branches of the forest's endless trees. Of course, nothing ever seen in this forest could even come close to the ferocity that was Celestia's current appearance at the moment. Her dark coat and foreboding eyes would even give Nightmare Moon a run for her money, at least in Twilight's opinion.
Curse Molag Bal and what his corruptive influence had done to Auriel's bow! Celestia should be the picture of grace and beauty, not have the appearance of a harbinger of death.
Still, without the happenstances of the last few hours, which Auriel's bow took no small part in, Twilight and her friends would never have been able to seize the Alicorn Amulet when it resurfaced in the hooves of the disgraced performer Trixie, thus preventing a dangerous dark artifact from wreaking havoc, as it had once done long ago. And the Princesses, upon learning the full detail of the situation, fully agreed that the current outcome, as it was, was far preferable to anything that might have occurred if Trixie had been allowed to utilize the Alicorn Amulet to its fullest. And, if Celestia was indeed keeping the dangerous animals the Everfree was usually known for at bay, even better.
Still, not everything had turned out for the best.
Mainly concerning the perpetrator, Trixie. The penalty for the usage of the Alicorn Amulet turned out to be... most severe, more severe than anything else that might be punishable by Equestrian law. And the law had never been changed, mostly due to the fact that the Alicorn Amulet hadn't resurfaced in a millennium. But, against all odds, Trixie had found it and used it.
And, despite her reputation for being lenient in her rule, Celestia had no intention of sparing Trixie from the demanded punishment of her crimes. Maybe such would not have been the case three years ago, but, in that time, despite there being a thousand more prior, Celestia had come to several realizations, not the least of which being that her immeasurable benevolence, while making her out to be a vision of tranquility in the eyes of her subjects, made her appear weak to those who would plunder her kingdom for their own ends. Celestia had vowed to change from just being seen as a benevolent leader to also a strong guardian since then, and she had decided to begin with the case with Trixie.
Such would have been difficult to swallow for one with such a heart as Celestia, had it not been the visage of an object of divine power known as an Elder Scroll, which, with a mere glimpse, had dredged up Celestia's long buried grit.
Trixie's fate would have been sealed, if not for two facts. First, nothing on the scale from when the Alicorn Amulets had been first crafted (from her very blood, no less) had occurred, second, there was something tied to the Alicorn Amulet, that, if Celestia's theory proved to be true, could greatly benefit current situations. So, as an ultimatum, Celestia had suggested to Trixie that if she cooperated she would be spared her current penalty in exchange for a less lethal punishment.
Said punishment being handed over to the authorities of her place of origin for them to determine her fate.
But, upon hearing this offer, Trixie had, instead of providing her promised cooperation, had receded in on herself to the point of incoherence. And not only that, she was now suffering a severe case of Hopeless Magic, which was slowly deteriorating her into nothingness. Upon consulting an expert, it was discovered that Trixie had some sort of past trauma that was causing her condition and the only thing that could be done was to consult the cause, but Trixie's mind was too jumbled to get a coherent picture of what traumatized her in the past.
That was why Celestia and Twilight could be found in the Everfree at the moment.
She, despite having a less than stellar past with Trixie, didn't want her to suffer her current fate, and had come up with a brilliant, if unorthodox, solution. Vaermina, the Daedric Lord of nightmares and memories, had a potion known as Vaermina's Torpor. When drunk, the Torpor had the ability to allow the taker to traverse the memories of another. But somepony would have to brew the potion, or, in this case, some zebra. Surely Zecora could brew the Torpor with no problem, Twilight even had the ingredients memorized, then she and Celestia could traverse memories easily, even those of one so emotionally disturbed as Trixie was at the moment.
'Heck, Vaermina delights in causing mental trauma as a hobby,' Twilight thought to herself with dark humor as she trod beside her altered mentor.
'Surely something of her design can accomplish this goal.'
It wasn't long before Twilight and Celestia saw the gnarled wooden structure through the trees that served as the home of Ponyville's neighboring zebra, the windows illuminated by firelight.
"Hmm," hummed Celestia contemplatively, her crimson eyes examining Zecora's hut as they approached. "It has been many moons since I beheld the architecture of the zebras."
Twilight noticed the tone in her matriarch's voice, turning to her to notice that some of her serious demeanor had fallen away to reveal a slight hint of familiarity.
"Have you seen places like Zecora's house before, your majesty?" she asked, her tone respectful, yet curious.
"Yes," was Celestia's simple reply. "Long ago, I sought the aid of the zebras, hoping to utilize their... exotic magic."
She couldn't bring herself to explain to Twilight that her uniting with her friends to bond with The Elements of Harmony wasn't even remotely the first attempt she had made to get her sister Luna back. And that at one point she was so desperate to redeem herself for what she had done to her only family that she had neglected her duty as sole Princess of Equestria to travel abroad, hoping some other magically gifted species might have a solution, the homeland of the zebras being one of the places she had visited. She hoped Twilight wouldn't inquire about her small explanation further, but, conveniently, the perfect distraction was literally just around the corner.
Zecora appeared from the corner of her hut in such a fashion that not only was Twilight distracted, but Celestia as well.
Only, this time, she was acting in a manner that Twilight had never seen before. She was moving almost sporadically, with jerky, unpredictable movements, the likes of which Twilight had only ever seen from Pinkie. Every now and then she would reach into a satchel at her waist and draw out a hooffull of glittering blue powder, which she would then scatter, and would ride the air in ways inconsistent with how the wind was currently blowing. And, to top it off, when Celestia and Twilight got within hearing distance, they heard her chanting in a language that wasn't Equestrian, though Twilight recognized some of the illegible words as similar to the necessary rhyme the zebra had spoken over the Poison Joke cure she had made for them when she and her friends first met her.
Celestia and Twilight exchanged bemused looks for a brief second just before they came within noticeable distance to Zecora, then Twilight decided to get her attention.
"Zecora?"
The zebra twirled in her direction, drawn by the proclamation of her name. Twilight had to reel back, the look in her zebra friend's eyes less than inviting. Her pupils were wild and dilated, the whites of her eyes bloodshot.
"Twilight! So glad you are here, my friend!" called Zecora, her voice just as frantic as her posture, running up and grabbing one of Twilight's forehooves. "Quickly, your aid you must lend."
"What's wrong?" asked Twilight worriedly, looking around for whatever it was that was causing Zecora distress."
"Look at the sky, look at the sun!" said Zecora, scowling up at the red haloed void the sun had become. "I fear something evil has begun."
Twilight became much calmer as the reason for Zecora's current behavior became apparent. She should have seen this coming. It wasn't every day one saw the sun extinguished.
But before she even opened her mouth to explain what was really going on to her panicking zebra friend, Celestia, who apparently had heard the zebra's woes as well, approached with a reassuring smile.
"There is no need to be afraid, Zecora," greeted the solar matriarch. "There is a perfectly reasonable explanation..."
"BY EVERYTHING FOUL IN THE EVERFREE!" Zecora shouted, unbuckling the satchel from her waist and drawing it to her chest. "TIS A SHETANI BEFORE ME!"
Celestia blinked in confusion at the zebra's sudden declaration, but Twilight became concerned about what her friend was about to do with the contents of that satchel.
"Zecora! Wait! Don't!"
"Fear not, dear Twilight, soon, this abomination will be banished from our sight!" Before Twilight could stop her Zecora had thrusted the satchel forward, sending the glittering powder inside directly at Celestia in a thick cloud.
The powder impacted her head and upper chest, clearing to reveal a black Alicorn with a glistening blue complexion from the chest up. Celestia blinked in bafflement for a second, before coughing once and expelling a small cloud of the powder she had just been doused in.
Twilight stood stock still, dumbstruck that Zecora had just thrown who knows what at, not just her mentor, but one of the co-rulers of all of Equestria.
"I don't understand..." mumbled Zecora as she looked at her satchel, perplexed. "Wherever that concoction lands no evil spirit may stand!"
Twilight managed to snap herself out of her daze at Zecora's comment. "Zecora, you know Celestia isn't evil!"
Zecora started and gave Twilight an Incredulous.
"Your princess?" She turned back to Celestia, who was busy dusting the powder off with the feathers of her wings. "Surely it can't be true! The benign and graceful Celestia is... you?"
"Indeed," was Celestia's simple reply, completing her self grooming with a frantic shaking to dislodge the remaining powder. "I'm afraid I've had some unforeseen alterations to my appearance since we last met, Zecora."
The voice of the dark Alicorn was unmistakable, even if such wasn't the case for the rest of her, and Zecora seemed to finally grasp what she had done, dropping her satchel and bowing humbly before the princess.
"Your majesty, forgive me my presumptions," she said apologetically. "The events of late have me on edge and led to the wrong assumption."
"I don't begrudge you for your mistake," Celestia said reassuringly, Zecora seeming to be comforted by her words, standing back up with a sigh of relief. "Truth be told, your reaction is preferable to other recent ones." She gave Twilight a knowing look.
Twilight blushed, mentally reminding herself to chastise Rainbow Dash and Applejack later about keeping one's composure while in the presence of royalty.
She was also sure Celestia was working on a similar reprimand for Luna.
"Though I am rather curious as to why you are still unaware that the state of the sun isn't something to worry about," said Celestia, looking up at said celestial body. "My announcement was reflected on the very surface of the sun, I was certain it reached everypon...uh everyone."
"Ah, yes, here I may be at fault," admitted Zecora, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck. "When I am in meditation my mind is like a vault. Few things can get my attention, even divine intervention."
Twilight, at least, could understand. When Zecora meditates she has a habit of directing all her focus inward, and can only be distracted under dire circumstances. Like parasprites accidentally modified by magic to eat anything but food devouring Ponyville.
"Well, what brings such essential ponies here?" Zecora asked, before pausing and staring up at the menacing form of the sun again in realization. "Now that I think about it, could it coincide with what has filled me with such fear?"
"If you are referring to the appearance of the sun," commented Twilight, taking a seat on the ground before her zebra friend, "Then yes, that is part of the reason why we are here, though not in the way you might be thinking."
Zecora blinked in confusion, "You do not wish to know who darkened the sky? Why?"
"You need look no further into pursuing the perpetrator responsible for that, she sits before you," said Celestia as she took a seat herself, a slight hint of mischief in her voice.
Zecora blinked again and looked at Twilight, who only grinned sheepishly. Zecora scoffed and facehoofed, "I shouldn't be surprised, but here I am. Another tale of woe I suspect will be delivered with a grand slam."
For the next few minutes Celestia and Twilight filled Zecora in on the happenstances occuring in Ponyville, about how, not long after they had parted ways at the train station, their preparations for the upcoming wedding had been interrupted by the reappearance of Trixie, now wielding the Alicorn Amulet, and, with the Elements of Harmony being inaccessible, due to Pinkie being indisposed, Twilight and her remaining friends were left with no choice but to seek aid through alternative means. The Alicorn Amulet could duplicate any magic cast at it from living things, rendering anything Twilight and the others could do useless, and counterproductive, so Twilight had decided that the best plan was to find other magical artifacts to use against Trixie. Said mare was already causing havoc, so it would have taken too long to seek out artifacts from Canterlot, or anywhere else in Equestria where they were known to be stored, but Applejack's family actually had an alternative on hoof.
Though not one anypony would turn to by choice.
So, using the Apple family's Black Book, which they had to explain the concept and origin to Zecora, they contacted Hermaeus Mora and managed to convince him to lend them powerful magical artifacts from the world of Nirn that, while not outright capable of going head to head with the Alicorn Amulets power, were useful in bluffing Trixie into making a mistake, which, in turn, allowed them to seize the amulet from her neck.
"I have noticed that your friend Applejack's farm had new livestock, but I didn't know they originated from this other realm," said Zecora, looking up at the blotted out sky. "Such power, it's enough to overwhelm. One of the artifacts did this you say, it made the light go away?"
"Yes," Twilight said with a regretful nod, "Auriel's bow. An artifact that was once of pure light, but became corrupted by evil powers and now does the opposite."
"I recommend you keep this tarnished relic hidden, such a thing should not be unbidden," said Zecora warningly.
"Don't worry, the artifacts have served their purpose," said Twilight with a reassuring smile. "The danger with Trixie and the Alicorn Amulet has passed, so we will be returning them to Hermaeus Mora."
Zecora seemed genuinely relieved to hear that, most likely due to the ominous feeling she got from Twilight's description of Auriel's bow. But it also raised another question.
"I have heard of this amulet and am disturbed that it has chosen here of all times to reemerge, for a joyful wedding is on verge. But if the danger has passed, why have you come to me? Celestia and Twilight surely aren't here to see the trees."
"You would be correct," said Celestia, "A situation has come up regarding the perpetrator, Trixie."
"Ah, poor girl, shame she must suffer such a fate," said Zecora, shaking her head in pity. "She must have been unaware of the harsh consequences she would face, but alas, it's too late."
"Not so much so," said Celestia, gaining the zebra's attention. "I felt that the ancient penalty for usage of the Alicorn Amulet was too harsh, given Trixie hadn't had the opportunity to wreak the true terror the cursed thing is capable of, so I offered her an ultimatum."
"You are indeed a just ruler, your grace," said Zecora respectfully. "To show mercy to one who utilized an artifact crafted from one's own lifesblood must not have been an easy thing to face."
"I had an ulterior motive to do so in fact," admitted Celestia. "There's certain information surrounding the Alicorn Amulet that can be beneficial to current situations, and I'm sure Trixie can help, what with her recent acquisition of it, but, once I gave her my offer, that is when things took a turn I didn't expect."
"Oh, and what might have happened that you didn't expect?" asked Zecora, "I would think that the resurfacing of a dark artifact anything would suspect."
"In exchange for giving the information I desire I offered not to have Trixie executed, but instead handed over to her place of origin and to let the local law enforcement decide her fate," explained Celestia, rubbing her nose in frustration. "But I didn't expect Trixie to have some sort of deep-seated trauma involving her origins."
"Ah, inner demons, that's tricky business," said Zecora, nodding in understanding, "And now they prevent her from earning forgiveness?"
"It's more complicated than that," said Celestia, slight annoyance in her voice. "Her condition has become so severe that its caused a flare up of Hopeless Magic."
"Hopeless Magic?" inquired Zecora. "I've heard tell of its effects, for it is the soul that it infects. The only remedy is to wheedle out the core of the problem, then tranquility will blossom."
"Yes, but therein lies our current problem," explained Celestia. "Trixie's mind is so jumbled that it's impossible for us to determine what is causing her condition. Even the most skilled psychologist in Ponyville couldn't reconstruct her mind enough for us to help. And to make matters worse, the Hopeless Magic coursing through Trixie is so strong that it's doing more than just sapping her color and positive emotions, she's literally fading away."
Zecora balked at this revelation, "If what you are saying is true then her life is on the line, and the only remedy is to make her life shine. However I can assist, my talents you may enlist. For Trixie had made a mistake, and this miserable fate she shouldn't undertake."
"That's actually why we have come to you, Zecora," said Twilight, having decided to let the princess explain until now. "I know of a potion that I think can help."
Zecora turned to her and gave her an appreciating smile, knowing how her pony friends had faith in her brewing skills.
"If a potion is what is needed you have come to the right person," Zecora said, before pausing and tapping her chin in contemplation. "Though, I don't know what potion could repair emotion. And the mind is a fickle thing, it often doesn't take well to meddling."
"I thought so too, but we don't have a choice," said Celestia worriedly. "If we don't act fast Trixie will be lost."
"Very well," said Zecora, turning back to Twilight. "The potion you spoke of, what is its function, pray tell?"
"When taken, it allows you to traverse the memories of another," explained Twilight, a slight bit of pride in her voice. "Even if the memories aren't entirely whole."
"I... have never heard of such an elixir," said Zecora, slightly perplexed at what Twilight described as the effects of the potion they need her to brew. "I have seen any remedy for any ailment, yet this one is unfamiliar."
"There's a reason for that, Zecora," said Twilight, putting a hoof on her zebra friend's shoulder.
---
"Twilight, my friend, I have always trusted your judgement, but now, I must ask, have you taken leave of your senses?" asked a wild eyed Zecora, Twilight and Celestia currently residing in her hut. "These ingredients will brew something most foul, it will surely have consequences."
To say Zecora was less than thrilled with the details of Vaermina's Torpor would be an understatement. Not only would the ingredients, when mixed, produce something with unpredictable (if accurate) effects, but, when Twilight explained who it was that developed the torpor, and what she represents, she practically became unreasonable. And who could blame her?
"And you said this Vaermina is a Daedra Lord, same as this Hermaeus Mora beast, you shouldn't trust her in the least. And you also said she specializes in trauma and fear, something like that shouldn't be allowed near. " Zecora appeared to be adamant about her argument, obviously believing she was justified in her refusal.
Twilight couldn't come up with a good counter argument, at least not immediately, but Celestia, who had over a millennium of experience ruling, knew what needed to be said.
"I wouldn't have resorted to this either, miss Zecora, but this, I hate to admit, is our best option," began Celestia. "Twilight gave me a detailed description regarding these Daedra creatures, and, although I don't like Vaermina's mannerisms any more than I do the rest of her kind, I think she might be the best solution to reconstructing Trixie's fractured mind. Minds are Vaermina's domain, after all."
Zecora actually scowled at the princess. "Is the information that Trixie possesses really important enough to resort to this? Consorting with these beings could really go amiss."
"My personal reasons aside, Trixie has done nothing to deserve what she is going through," said Celestia, her tone authoritative . "She may have followed a path I definitely don't approve of, but she is still one of my subjects. I must help her, no matter what."
"But surely there is a better solution," protested Zecora. "This psychiatrist from Ponyville isn't the best in the trade, has this option been weighed?"
"Yes, I have considered it," said Celestia, her tone still unwavering and professional. "But Trixie doesn't have much time. Given a day, at the most, the Hopeless Magic would dismantle her soul entirely. If we don't restore her mind by finding out what's causing her distress, she's done for."
"Please, Zecora," said Twilight with desperation. "I know better than anypony the risks of dealing with Daedric Princes, but, the truth of it is, the torpor is just a potion, regardless of whoever developed it. There shouldn't be any adverse effects from utilizing it."
Zecora didn't look convinced.
"Please, Zecora," Twilight begged.
Apparently, for whatever reason, this was enough to finally make the zebra relent, but not without one last eye roll.
"I do this only because I trust your judgement, my friend," she said, finally turning to her cauldron to begin the preparation. "I only hope to avoid a tragic end."
Twilight and Celestia just took a seat on the hut's wooden floor and observed the zebra at work. Once again Zecora displayed her skills in the art of brewing, going over the directions Twilight had produced from memory. Each ingredient went into the cauldron, stewed with individual methods, each of them complex, one after the other. Yet again, it was a testament to Zecora's brewing skills.
Even with a potion that was literally from another reality.
Before too long, Zecora was ladling a transparent liquid from the cauldron into a wooden pitcher. The odor was anything but inviting, but this concoction wasn't sought for its appealing taste, after all. Zecora also wrinkled her nose, which was unnerving given her experience with potions.
Eventually, the zebra placed the supposed Vaermina's Torpor on her table and turned to the princess and Twilight.
"The potion you have requested of me is done, though I wish I had made none," she said, her muzzle still wrinkled in disgust. "The smell alone invites a foreboding feeling, 'tis most unappealing."
"Won't argue with that, Zecora," said Twilight, hoof pressed against her nose, while Celestia almost had a noticeable green tint to her currently dark cheeks herself.
"I am pleased you agree with me with this, at least, my friend," said Zecora, bringing her focus to the both of them afterwards. "Now who gets to taste this vile blend? If it's truly the only way to save this poor mare from the Hopeless Magic destroying her soul, who will take a memory stroke? If that is indeed what this stuff provides, for I have my suspicion that its true purpose it hides."
Celestia and Twilight exchanged uncertain glances.
In all that had happened since they had set out for Ponyville, it never occurred to them which one of them should take the Torpor.
"I will do it," said Celestia, dedication in her voice. "I am partially responsible for Trixie being in this state. I will be the one to traverse her memories and discover the source of her trauma."
She reached out to grasp the pitcher with her magic, which was still dark crimson in color, but found that another telekinetic field had grasped at the same time, resulting in two magical auras encompassing it, one side Celestia's red magic, the other violet. Celestia blinked and looked over at her student, who's horn was glowing in the same light as the one challenging her grip.
"I'm sorry, princess, but I have to disagree," she said, her face dedicated, but still carrying the unshakable respect she still had for her mentor. "This isn't entirely your fault. I was the one who came up with the idea to use the artifacts from Nirn to combat the Alicorn Amulet, which resulted in Trixie's incarceration."
"Twilight, my student, you mustn't blame yourself for the part your strategy played in this," said Celestia sympathetic, but carrying an edge of sternness. "The Alicorn Amulet was a major threat to the well-being of Equestria, you were right to secure it, through any means necessary. However, It was my ultimatum that caused Trixie to recall whatever it was that happened in her past that brought forth the Hopeless Magic, therefore, I should be the one to correct it."
"I still must disagree with you, your majesty," said Twilight, still not relinquishing her hold on the pitcher. "It wasn't long after you sent me to Ponyville to study friendship that Trixie first appeared there. Had I not left her to her own devices after that Ursa forced her to reveal the truth of her fable and smashed her cart and instead sought her out and offered her a hoof in friendship as well, she would not have suffered as much as she had and wouldn't have chosen to utilize the Alicorn Amulet. I am to blame as much as you are, Princess, if not more so."
Zecora watched the two gently arguing, looking back and forth between them when one rebutts the other. Neither one raised their voice, but it was obvious neither one was willing to back out either. From the looks of things, they could be at it for quite some time. But, if the situation was to be believed, time was something they didn't have the luxury to waste a whole lot of.
... for Trixie's sake.
"It's nowhere near my place to say the privileges of the princess and her student, but perhaps wrapping this up would be prudent," calmly interrupted the zebra, Twilight and Celestia turning their attention to her. "From what you've said, Trixie hasn't much time, so arguing whomever gets to undertake this task is a crime, so perhaps the burden you should share, to better help this mare."
Twilight and Celestia exchanged glances before Celestia spoke up, "Your zebra friend is right, we don't have time to waste on this nonsense. If things carry on like this, Trixie is going to run out of time."
"Yes, Zecora is right, on all accounts," agreed Twilight, looking back at the pitcher. "We should both take Vaermina's Torpor. Not only does it resolve this, but it doubles our chances of finding out what's wrong."
Having reached an understanding, both turned back to Zecora.
"Would you mind portioning this vile liquid for us?" Asked Celestia.
Zecora nodded and brought forth two half coconut cups to the table, pouring equal amounts of Vaermina's Torpor into each and offering them to Twilight and Celestia. Both took a cup in their respective magic and hovered them before themselves. They exchanged one last look before bringing the cups to their mouths...
...and downing the liquid created by the Daedra Lord of Nightmares and Memories in a few gulps.
Both cringed slightly at the taste. To both it was indescribable, and, at the same time unpleasant, but not to an intolerable degree. It had a slightly anesthetic aftertaste, though both knew that, if it had ever been a medicine, whatever ailment it was meant for could not be worse than the supposed effect this potion was meant to induce.
After drinking, both Celestia and Twilight set their cups back on the table and looked down at themselves expectantly.
"How long does it take to take effect?" Asked Celestia.
"It should be instantaneous," said Twilight, looking up at Celestia...
... and letting out a gasp of surprise.
"What is it, Twilight?" asked Celestia, looking up in
concern...
... and gasping in surprise herself.
Zecora looked on in concern herself. Before her both Celestia and Twilight were steadily growing transparent, the opposite wall of her hut becoming more and more visible through them with each passing second.
"Is... is this supposed to be happening?" asked Celestia, extending a wing to examine it, watching as her primary feathers grew more and more clear.
"I... believe so..." said Twilight, her voice starting to sound distant.
Then, in the next instant, both Celestia and Twilight vanished from sight, leaving nothing but the ground they stood on. Zecora walked over and ran her hoof through the air in the space they once occupied, proving once and for all that her previous guests had begun their self imposed journey. She smiled and looked up at her ceiling.
"Good luck to the both of you, I have faith you will see this through." Zebra turned to the interior of her hut, preparing to resume her own thing.
The reason for the state of the sun had been resolved, thanks to the explanations of Twilight and Celestia, and she had done all she could to assist them with their task. It was in their hooves now. Still, Zecora could not shake the feeling she had overlooked something... an important detail that could have provided a more favorable outcome to all this.
It wasn't until she inspected the closest shelves to get a count of the ingredients it currently held did the obvious become obvious.
"Oh, by the great spirits of Everfree, I have slipped up grievously, " said Zecora, facehoofing upon seeing a beaker whose neck was gold and decorated with motifs of pony faces with ruby eyes, housing a bright purple liquid. "Celestia is an alicorn, she could have used that potion easily."
---
When Twilight was able to take in her surroundings she felt as if she had just been knocked into the mud by Rainbow Dash again.
Everything around her was blurry, all the hues of the surrounding colors were enhanced to the point that it was hard to focus, let alone discern what she was looking at. To make matters worse, the epicenter of her vision was clear, but magnified and out of focus, like tunnel vision. It was like looking through a kaleidoscope and a magnifying glass at the same time. Twilight felt her mind grow hazy as she struggled to process all the images into her head through her unprepared eyes.
Twilight's stomach churned, ready to release its contents in retaliation to what she was being subjected to, her legs wobbling as she slowly lost her equilibrium...
"Easy, Twilight," said a comforting voice as Twilight felt a large wing steady her by bracing against her chest. "Calm down, my student. Don't focus on what you're seeing, focus solely on your breathing, just like Cadance taught you ."
Twilight listened to the gentle voice that could only be Celestia, focusing steadily on her breathing, air flowing into her lungs when she inhaled, out when she exhaled, just like Cadance had indeed shown her long ago whenever she was stressed. Over time Twilight's mind seemed to adapt to the bizarre hues reality had taken enough to where she didn't feel like she was going to be sick just by seeing what was in front of her. The sight was still nauseating, but with enough willpower Twilight was able to collect herself and steady her nerves to where she could function normally, at least to a manageable degree.
"Thank you, princess," said Twilight, leaning off her mentor's wing and standing on her hooves.
"Are you alright, Twilight?" asked Celestia as she retracted her wing to the side of her body.
"I believe so," answered Twilight, looking up at Celestia, her new appearance even more foreboding with the psychedelic tint her sight was perceiving the world through. She also noticed that Celestia wasn't affected in the same way she was, in fact, there wasn't any change in the Princess's stance at all. "How are you doing, your majesty?"
"I'm fine, Twilight, don't worry about me," said the solar matriarch, her tone as regal as always.
Twilight couldn't understand it. Celestia, despite her grace and beauty, was a flesh and blood pony with the same bodily senses, how could she maintain such composure?
"If you don't mind me asking, your majesty..." started Twilight, pausing to shake herself to regain her composure again. "How is all this not affecting you? Everything looks so... weird."
It was a good thing Twilight was using most of her focus to maintain control of her senses, otherwise she might have seen the slight blush on Celestia's cheeks.
"I have... seen and experienced stranger sights than this, my faithful student," said Celestia briefly, trotting past Twilight. "And remember why we are here. It's best we leave trivial matters for later and focus on the task we came here for."
"Oh, yes, quite right," said Twilight, forcing down her curiosity, plus her bile, and trotting to catch up with her mentor.
Silently, Celestia prayed to the sun that the supposed later she mentioned would actually never come. She didn't want to explain to Twilight that her immunity to the effects that this warped vision was having on the both of them was due to the fact that certain things that are illegal in Equestria weren't always so.
Looking around, Twilight and Celestia saw through the altered vision their current surroundings. Needless to say, it was not what one would expect, if this was the memory of the boastful showmare Trixie. There was no grandiose stage with crowds of cheering ponies, nor any flashing stage lights, or anything of the sort.
Instead, the world swayed, tilting back and forth, like somepony would experience when riding a teeter totter.
Twilight's first assumption was that she was still woozy from her altered perspective, but she soon discovered the true cause of the swaying. Both Twilight and Celestia blinked in confusion and slight astonishment as they beheld the deck of a ship before them. They stared out past the pointed tip of the bow, the open sea ahead, melding into a midday horizon, a semi cloudy sky above.
Both Celestia and Twilight looked up.
The sky was visible through the rigging of the masts. The mainsail blotted out most of the view of the sky, rippling as its mighty fabric fulfilled its function, and caught the majority of the wind, providing the necessary energy propelling the mighty sea vessel across the waves, accounting for the swaying. There was even a crows nest at the very peak of the mainmast.
"I... wasn't expecting something like this, at least not from Trixie," admitted Twilight, suddenly struck by an unnerving thought. "Could Vaermina's Torpor have deposited us into somepony else's memory?"
"I don't believe that is the case," said Celestia with certainty. "I have absolutely no reason not to doubt anything regarding these vile beings, but I have seen something before that actually tied in with all this."
"Really? What is it?" Twilight asked curiously, but respectfully.
Celestia frowned and looked down to the wooden planks that composed the ship's hull.
"There is something I forgot to mention, my faithful student," said Celestia, looking up at Twilight. "Once Trixie's relapse began, the Cutie Mark depicting a magic wand leaving a trail of stardust faded away."
"Wait, what?" Asked Twilight, perplexed, "How could a pony's Cutie Mark just disappear?"
"That image was never her real Cutie Mark," explained Celestia, "It was an illusion Trixie had cast over herself, most likely to conceal her real mark." She raised an eyebrow at Twilight, "I'm surprised you didn't notice the change, Twilight, you saw Trixie recently."
Twilight rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "I... may have been trying hard not to focus on the parts of Trixie inflicted with the Hopeless Magic..."
Celestia could understand that. Trixie was vanishing from literally head to tail, everything in between soon to follow. It wasn't a sight one could focus on and not wish to look away at least partially.
"Anyway," continued Celestia, "Trixie's true Cutie Mark was that of a ship at sea, much like what we are seeing here."
Twilight was surprised to learn this, looking around at the huge galleon they were aboard in wonderment. It didn't make sense. How could a pony like Trixie, who was all about flair, surprise glamour, performance, showboating, and bragging be affiliated with maritime?
"It doesn't make any sense," Twilight voiced out loud as she started pacing, looking at every detail of the ship that she could. "How does any of this involve Trixie? This isn't the kind of thing I expected at all."
"My guess, Twilight," started Celestia, causing Twilight to stop her pacing and turn her focus on her mentor. "Is that this Great and Powerful Trixie image she's been projecting was a facade from the start."
Twilight's jaw dropped, "Y... you think so, Princess?"
"It's the only conclusion I can think of that makes sense," said Celestia, looking around again, seeing everything one would expect to find on the deck of a ship. "From what little we have gathered, I'm guessing Trixie hasn't always been the prideful magician you and your friends have encountered so far. My guess, she was probably a different person altogether until something happened that was so traumatizing that she adopted a new persona to cling to. Most likely to hide herself from all the anguish she no doubt experienced."
Twilight was perplexed for the upteenth time that day. What could a pony that had something to do with sea travel have gone through that turned her into the kind of pony Trixie is now?
"What do you suppose that was, Princess?" Twilight asked her.
Celestia gained a determined expression and turned to the stern of the ship. "Well, if this Vaermina's Torpor is doing what it's supposed to, that's what we are here to find out."
Twilight snapped into seriousness herself, reminded by Celestia's words why they were here... and the fact that this wasn't reality at the moment, this was a memory. A memory of Trixie, supposedly when whatever is causing her to deteriorate occurred.
"You're right, your majesty," said Twilight, walking up next to Celestia, "If we traverse this memory we will most likely find the cause of Trixie's condition. Let us get started."
"Right," Celestia agreed, her and Twilight looking around for where to begin the search.
And both noticed that there was something very out of place with this ship.
"Um, princess, am I seeing things," began Twilight nervously, looking back to Celestia, "Or is there no crew?"
"You are correct, Twilight, I see nopony myself," replied Celestia, her voice also nervous.
It requires a certain amount of hooves on deck for a ship to sail properly, especially one of this size, yet there was nopony. There was nopony at the rigging adjusting the sails, nopony up in the crows nest to plot a course, and there was nopony at the wheel even.
It was a virtual ghost ship
SNAP
RATTLE
The sudden combination of loud noises drew Twilight and Celestia's attention to the mainmast, watching as the mainsail broke free of its rigging and started plummeting down...
... straight towards them.
Twilight gasped in panic and fear. This may be a distant memory they were exploring, but anyone using Vaermina's Torpor was as susceptible to damage and bodily harm just as much as they would be in the real world. All in all, she and Celestia could still be hurt, possibly killed, while exploring Trixie's memory.
And she couldn't allow Princess Celestia, her mentor, to be harmed.
Twilight focused her magic, intent on catching the massive sail in her telekinesis.
"UH OH!"
A small, youthful, feminine voice called out, and before Twilight could even ignite her horn the mainsail was caught in a purple telekinesis. Celestia and Twilight blinked, looked at each other, then looked to the source of the voice. There, emerging from behind the pedestal of the ship's wheel, was a tiny unicorn filly. Twilight and Celestia leaned forward, confusion, yet recognition in their eyes.
The tiny foal couldn't have been older than five, but her distinct coloring they both knew well. Her coat was a light cyan blue, her main and tail a light blueish silver. Her magenta eyes were large and full of youth, her unicorn horn situated above them in the middle of her forehead, glowing with a magic aura in a color identical to her eyes, which, in turn, matched the telekinesis holding the mainsail.
"You get back to where you belong, Mr. Sail," she said sternly in that same youthful voice, and, now that Twilight and Celestia could get a better listen to it, sounded eerily familiar.
There was no doubt about it, this was the pony they knew as Trixie, still as a filly.
And, true to her earlier statement, the mainsail floated back up to its place on the mast, the rigging becoming enveloped in the same magic, which manipulated it back into place, the rope that had snapped suddenly melding back together as if it had never broken.
"Yeah, much better," said the filly Trixie, triumph in her voice. "And now..."
Before Twilight and Celestia's eyes every portion of the ship came to life. From the rigging, the sails, and the wheel, it was all encompassed in the same lavender glow that had repositioned the sail a second ago, then all was manipulated to where the ship glided on the waves, steadily and smoothly. And it was all done by a single filly, not even into the double digits of age yet.
She was practically a one-filly crew.
"And now..." The filly turned her back to her apparently unseen observers, for she had yet to acknowledge Twilight or Celestia, and a map appeared before her, hovering in her magic, her tongue poking through her teeth in concentration. "Where would be the best place to dredge for kelp this time of year?"
Twilight and Celestia just continued to observe with silence, both slightly baffled. Here this filly was, studying a map, while, at the same time, practically making the ship crew itself. Twilight, for her part, got a good look at the filly's flank, as she had her tail pointed towards them, the image of a ship at sea exhibited on her cyan fur.
It would appear what Celestia said was true, that magic wand image was concealing this pony's true talent.
"Such fine control," commented Celestia with slight amazement, looking around over the entirety of the ship. "And over such a widespread area too. I have seldom seen such magical potential."
"Not even from your school, Princess?" asked Twilight, remembering Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns and her own time spent there.
"It was a rarity." Celestia blinked as Twilight gave her a look. "No pun intended. But no, not even at my school, at least not from one so young." She looked back over at the child version of Trixie, "There has only ever been one exception of a unicorn filly having such natural potency for magic without proper training." She looked back at Twilight. "And she's standing right beside me."
Twilight blushed at her mentor's praise for a second before turning her attention to the deck alive with magical activity. "I don't understand, Trixie's magic wasn't this potent when she first came to Ponyville, during her magic show or facing down the Ursa."
"It's because putting on magic shows isn't this pony's special talent," explained Celestia, "You can conceal a Cutie Mark and hide it behind a false image, but you can't alter the true image beneath, nor the talent it represents. This is her true calling, not showing off and bragging."
Twilight blinked in astonishment and understanding. Her talent may represent magic as a whole, and there was rarely ever a unicorn with her skill, but that didn't mean that there weren't other uses for magic. When a unicorn uses their magic in conjunction with their special talent there is often nopony else who can compete with their skill, at least not in the same way. Her friend Rarity was a prime example. She may not be able to lift the weight that Twilight could with telekinesis, or teleport from one end of Ponyville to the other multiple times in succession, but when it came to elegance and mass fine manipulation nopony could measure up to her.
Even Twilight admits she couldn't replicate Rarity's skills, the closest she had ever come was learning the gem finding spell, and that was a pale imitation, at best.
And, if Trixie was this skilled at seafaring...?
"I... wonder what could have happened to make her turn away from all this?" Twilight inquired, still admiring the skills being utilized to get the ship to function.
"That's what we are here to find out," said Celestia again. "And this new information actually makes sense, for how can a pony not be hopeless after denying her true calling for so long. Let us observe now, Twilight, so we may learn what befell this poor pony that made her forsake her destiny."
Twilight nodded in agreement and stood next to her, paying rapt attention to the proceedings of Trixie's memory.
It would appear that Trixie's skills in sailing a ship didn't extend to just labor either. She observed the map with nothing but an expression of understanding, nodding to herself every once in a while before adjusting the sails and the wheel to alter course. It was another thing for Twilight and Celestia to be impressed by.
Only a natural born prodigy could contemplate navigation at such a young age as well.
"Yes!" This is the spot!" exclaimed the filly, Twilight and Celestia turning at a sudden commotion behind them, only to find that Trixie was now tossing the anchor overboard without even needing to focus too much, the giant iron mechanism plopping into the surf with a sploosh.
The ship jolted slightly as it came to a stop, the only movement being the constant swaying that resulted from the waves still impacting the hull. But the anchor wasn't the only thing to go overboard. Trixie next levitated a weaved bundle from the deck of the ship, manipulating it in her telekinesis until it unfurled like a sheet. Twilight and Celestia observed as a net became visible before them.
It was similar to a fishing net, tools often used by griffons to catch large quantities of fish, but with some differences. The most prominent was several crystals that had been attached, glowing with a slight red light. Twilight and Celestia recognized the net, Twilight through her research, and Celestia having been around when they were invented.
These nets didn't function like a griffon's, which needed to be dragged behind the ship as it moved. These could be cast while the ship was stationary, for the crystals had an enchantment placed on them that drew the desired quarry in. But that had never been the fish that swam in the sea. Why would it be? Most ponies don't often eat meat.
No, these nets were designed to harvest marine plant life, such as kelp, and other such seaweed.
"Ah, that should be long enough," said filly Trixie as she hauled the net back on board.
It was now full to the brim with leafy clumps of kelp, the vagrant green stalks trickling seawater as they were deposited on deck.
Trixie's eyes bulged at the sight of the bounty.
"JACKPOT!" she exclaimed triumphantly, hoof pumping into the air and galloping over to her spoils.
"Excellent," she said, levitating a leaf up and munching on it. "And it's of the best quality too. Mommy and daddy don't like it when I take the ship out on my own, but I'm so good at bringing in the best quality seaweed. So what if I'm too young to be on the sea alone'."
Celestia and Twilight couldn't help but exchange an amused eyeroll. It was a classic case of a kid rebelling against their parents slightly. Not that there was anything wrong with it. Twilight went through it herself, so did her brother, and sometimes Celestia wonders if her sister was born rebellious.
"And such high quality kelp is rare, especially this time of year," said Trixie with a proud smirk. "It's sure to make a splash at the market. Maybe big sister Trixie can finally get that new brooch she wants for her stage costume."
Celestia and Twilight's jaws both dropped at what they had just heard.
They both knew Trixie was known to speak in the third person, but she had said big sister Trixie. it couldn't be, could it? Was this filly, who had apparently grown up to be a bragging showmare that inadvertently caused an Ursa Minor to wreak havoc on Ponyville, used a forbidden amulet, not knowing of the deadly penalty attached to it, and was now in Ponyville's jail, being ravaged by Hopeless Magic, not even the real Trixie?