Lodestar
By: Bubujones
Chapter 1:
I Know When it's a Dream
A lone mare stood atop a high ledge, looking out into the far distance of the night. The full moon loomed ominously overhead, surrounded by a plethora of twinkling stars. She absorbed the vista with admiration; the fresh, chilling breaths were satisfying, and the fantastic view of the quaint and sleeping town of Ponyville was quite scenic. At this distance, only nighttime lanterns could be identified dotting the town’s barren paths, expressing its desolate, late-night nature. The town was peaceful. Too peaceful.
“Tonight will be the night when everypony in that wretched town remembers the name Trixie...” she spat underneath her breath, malice and scorn behind each of her words. “Especially that damn unicorn...”
With only delicate moonlight to guide her path into town, Trixie hurriedly made her way to the destination that held her undivided attention.
Here I am... she thought uncertainly as she arrived in the main square, looking about and unsure as to where or how to begin. What am I even doing? was a question Trixie had not bothered to ask herself before. She couldn’t understand why she had decided to come back to Ponyville, a decision that had proven catastrophic the times prior. Only one thing was really clear now.
She loathed the town. The town of Ponyville, the inception of her downfall and where she had lost everything: her only possessions, her livelihood, her self-respect, and much more that she would rather not remember. Her presence in the town churned her stomach, bringing an unusual sense of fear and loneliness with the sickening, heavy feeling of doubt.
Returning to this place scared her, but she couldn’t fully understand that either.
Perhaps you are scared of rejection? “What? Of course not! The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't need them!” Then you are scared of being run out... again. “No! That won’t happen! I am here for - for revenge!” Revenge? Revenge for what? “Revenge on this damn town for ruining my life!”
She argued with this voice, her own subconscious - her own common sense. She stomped her hooves hard against the ground, unable to process the thoughts that swirled uncontrollably around in her head. “Just... shut up already! Stop!” she yelled at a high, uncontrolled pitch, her body beginning to shiver ever so slightly.
Stop what? Nothing has been started. Will you run away before anything happens? As you have done so many times before?
“No! I won’t run away! Not anymore... I will destroy this town and everything in it!”
Horn shining brightly, Trixie braced her hooves to steady herself as a purple aura built up around her, pulsing with steadily-growing magic. She aimed her horn towards the closest structure, and with a forceful grunt released the pent-up energy in one concentrated beam.
It hit the front wall dead-center, causing the building to warp and twist in a strange manner before disintegrating into sand-like debris. Bemused by this odd effect, Trixie continued her barrage of magical blows on the town - the town that was now seemingly comprised solely of copies of the same building. Each structure dissipated in the same twisting and bizarre fashion as she struck them.
Trixie grew frustrated, beginning to pant heavily as her endurance dwindled with every magical burst. Continuing the barrage, she shot wildly until she could no longer force her magic freely through her body. She was oblivious to her surroundings, concentrating on nothing except the flurry of destructive power.
When she finally ended her assault, panting and shaking from the exertion, she looked around to find that everything had changed. The starlight had disappeared, leaving only the full moon. The town had become even more bleak, narrow pathways disappearing into darkness beneath the dim moonlight. She was alone in this world of conflicting feelings and thoughts.
“Are you scared?” Trixie froze at the sound of another voice from behind her, a voice she had heard only a few times before yet had never forgotten. She turned, slowly, unsure as to what would be facing her.
There she stood, that lavender unicorn from Ponyville. She was the one that had saved her own town, using her own magic. The one that had stood firm in the face of danger even as Trixie ran away in fear.
The other mare stood tall and confident, almost mockingly so. A wicked grin adorned her face, and her cold, vicious eyes stared deeply into Trixie’s own. That was when Trixie came to realize what this pony wore - her signature cape and hat, the light-blue gem hanging lightly against her chest and securing the cloak around her neck. A hateful scowl was returned as Trixie’s fear was momentarily replaced by anger and dismay.
“Wh-what are you doing here?!” Trixie said forcefully, unable to convincingly evoke her prior animosity.
“Me? Why, we’re in Ponyville, Trixie. Where else would I be? You, on the other hoof, should not be here,” said the other unicorn. “Why, if I remember correctly, you ran away after you couldn’t defeat a measly Ursa Minor. And then again when you turned the whole town against you.”
“Shut up!” Trixie barked. “I’m... I’m here for revenge!”
“Revenge? Really?” she said with a sarcastic chuckle. “What can you possibly do, hmm? Everypony knows how weak you are. Your magic skills are just silly tricks that aren’t even noteworthy. I can do all you can do in my sleep.”
“The Great and Powerful Trixie is more powerful than you could even imagine!” She stomped her hoof on the ground, hate stirring up newfound energy. “You will regret crossing paths with me,” she threatened with teeth bared.
“Ooh, I’m shaking,” the unicorn scoffed. “Do you really think I’m afraid of you? I am the most magical unicorn in Equestria. The most powerful you or anypony has ever set eyes on. You will never come to be my equal in magic... and we are both well aware of that. I can see the doubt in your eyes, hear the impotence in your voice; I can read you like an open book. You are still weak, and no matter how much you try, you will always be weaker than me.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about! You know nothing of my ability!” Trixie retorted, trying to reject the verbal assault.
“I know you’re a coward as well. So easy to turn tail and run. How pitiful.”
“Shut up, shut up, shut up! Lets see you handle this!” she shouted, trembling with anger. Once again she charged her horn, an intense rose-colored aura engulfing it.
“Not running away, I see…” the pony continued to mock. Trixie ignored this, pushing her powers to their limits. She released the attack at full force, the twisting beam of light barreling towards its target faster than the eye could track.
A flurry of smoke and debris was sent aloft, forcing Trixie to shield her eyes with a foreleg. She gave a relieved sigh, eager for this whole confusing and frightening situation to be over. But that voice returned with an ominous, sinister laugh, one that caused a shiver to run down Trixie’s spine.
The dust settled to reveal the patronizing unicorn once again, completely unfazed by the attack. “Pretty valiant effort there. But I wouldn’t bother trying that again,” she said, taking undaunted steps forward and closing the space between them. “You’re no match for me… I thought we already established that.”
Trixie stood paralyzed as the other pony approached. She couldn’t move, no matter how much she begged her hooves to turn and run away. Terror was holding her in a vice-grip.
“Now you are afraid. You’re afraid because you believe there is nothing you can do. You can’t bear to face your problems… to face me. You give up hope so effortlessly. The Great and Powerful Trixie? More like the Pathetic and Hopeless,” she continued to heap scorn, her own horn beginning to shine with a dark-rose aura.
Trixie could only mouth nonsensical words through trembling lips. Her unwavering focus did not drift from the other mare’s piercing eyes as she took several unsteady steps backward. She tried to pick up speed but stumbled over her own hooves, falling back onto her rump.
“Aww, scared are we?” continued the other mare as she drew ever closer. “Is this your true self - a poor, trembling, hopeless little filly? Always alone, forced to face all of your problems with nopony else by your side. Sad really.”
Trixie, slumping forward onto her stomach, shielded herself as best she could from the hateful torrent, forelegs wrapped tightly around her lowered ears and head as she withheld tears with all her might. She did not even bother trying to defend herself.
“How do you expect to succeed in life when you can hardly even defend yourself? You had potential, Trixie. You really could have become ‘great and powerful’! But seeing you now, I guess I was right... you will always be sad and weak.”
“That’s not true...” Trixie said, forcing herself back onto shaky hooves. “I can...”
“You can what?”
“I can become great and powerful!” she snapped, tears beginning to well in her eyes.
“Then prove it to me.” The wicked mare’s magic surged; bright, blindingly white light radiated from the other mare’s wide eyes as her horn shone darkest rose. The magic’s force steadily intensified, reducing the cape and hat to charred tatters flapping in the wind. The blue gem at her adversary’s throat shone luminously just before cracking into a myriad of shards that disintegrated as they hit the hard ground.
“No!” Trixie cried, hoof outstretched as if leaping for the falling shards.
“It’s no use…” the other spoke in a portentous voice. “It’s all over now.” She rose slowly into the air, an intense sphere of magic swirling chaotically around her. Trixie could only cower below.
“Goodbye…” she said simply, shooting an immeasurably powerful beam of magical light straight at her fallen opponent.
“Nooo-”
~*~*~*~
“-ooo!” Trixie yelled as she sat up, breathing heavy and fast, her heart raging in her chest. Small droplets of moisture - she couldn’t tell if they were tears or cold sweat - trickled down her cheeks. She looked about shakily; it was dark and cool.
Several loud bangs came from beneath her. “Keep it down up there! Every night the same ruckus!” yelled a scratchy sounding voice - the elderly mare that resided in the room beneath her. Trixie was in her apartment, sitting upright in her own bed.
Her anxiety settled as she realized everything was safe now, that it was all a dream – no, a nightmare. She sat silently, wiping the dew away from her face with a foreleg, giving a loud sigh as her tense body loosened up once again in the solace of familiarity. Staring into the darkness, her mind was empty and confused.
The events of her dream slowly began to take shape in her head; blurry and senseless, it took time for clear images to emerge. The nightmare was familiar, as she had had eerily similar ones before. But those were dreams that often went ignored as random compilations of wandering thought; tonight was different. This nightmare had instilled in her conflicting fears that she could not yet understand.
Trixie noticed that her window had been left wide open, allowing a drafty, cool breeze to waft freely into the room. She stepped out of bed, slowly, still a bit shaken from her restless night; walking groggily to the window frame, she settled her forelegs on its old and splintered sill.
The full moon shone brightly over the not-so-distant Manehattan skyline, illuminating a picturesque scene. Stars twinkled like remarkable diamonds against a pure black backdrop. The nighttime air was sweet and refreshing, sending a chill down Trixie’s entire body as she greedily inhaled.
The night was young; the city was still as restless as she was. She knew sleeping would be hopeless now, without the aid of physical exhaustion or a few drinks. Feeling she didn’t have much of a choice, Trixie turned to step out of her apartment and into the night, guided by the ominous full moon.
~*~*~*~
Trixie entered the city outskirts. The illuminated street lamps and buildings together with the happy, late night crowds were, in a way, comforting. Ponies laughed and chatted gleefully with their respective groups of friends, living their lives to the fullest. However, Trixie couldn’t help but feel a bit resentful of them, of their happiness and their carefree lives. She was unable to recall any time when she had felt and looked that way. She scoffed under her breath as they passed, oblivious to her disapproval.
Trixie continued to wander the city, aimlessly walking through bustling and empty streets alike, and indifferently passing bars, nightclubs, coffee shops, and various other city hubs that were meant for having fun and socializing. She had no real purpose for being out at this hour, save to allow her mind to settle and drift away from her disconcerting dream.
Her stomach rumbled; she grimaced at the sound and the unwelcome cramps accompanying it. Trixie had left her bits at her apartment; I probably don’t have many there anyway, she thought with a sigh. She was tired now, but didn’t want to return to face her meager apartment filled with meager furniture, just to have her meager life shoved back into her face.
Trixie’s head hung low, her mind preoccupied by counting the cracks on the ground or knocking away trash and old pinecones. She came upon a face-down flyer and swatted it away with a hoof, only to have it stick to her foreleg. Waving her leg frantically to rid herself of the pestering piece of garbage only resulted in it flying off and covering her face; she grumbled under her breath, learning her lesson by carefully removing the paper that had been pierced by her horn. Before she could toss it off to the side, however, she noticed what it advertised.
Her mouth gaped slightly as she looked over the piece of paper. “The Lunar Tournament: The Search for the Protégé of Princess Luna,” she mumbled to herself, eyes wide and filled with wonder.