A hooded mare was approaching Ponyville. She had been traveling for many days, and her saddlebags were nearly empty. That was fine. She was almost at her destination. Getting into the town unnoticed would be nearly impossible, however, and she dreaded the ponies’ reactions to seeing her again. The night she had fled the town was still fresh in her mind. That night devastated her career. News travels fast. Because of this fact, she had never been able to draw the awe she used to from ponies. Now all she got was rejection and disgust. Tonight, she hoped that would change. She was looking for somepony. Somepony who she hoped could help.
As she entered the town, she was surprised to see that it had been fully repaired in the time she had been gone. A decent amount of the town had been damaged and destroyed as a result of her last visit, yet you would never have known that had even happened by looking at it now.
I should stop looking at the buildings, she thought, The longer I delay, the greater the chance somepony will remember me. I have to find her. But where is she? The hooded mare stopped and looked around her, trying to spot who she had come for. Not finding the pony, she stopped a nearby pony and asked where she might find the pony in question. The pony eyed her with suspicion, but nonetheless pointed her in the direction of the library. When she got to the library, she knocked thrice on the door. A lavender unicorn answered, and looked rather shocked by the presence of the hooded mare.
“What are you doing here?” asked the unicorn.
“The Great and Powerful Trixie requests your help,” responded the hooded mare.
“With what?”
“Well you see, after the incident from The Great and Powerful Trixie’s last visit, The Great and Powerful Trixie has been unable to draw a crowd of adoring admirers.”
“Well it’s not at all like everyone knows you’re a sham, now is it?”
“Actually, it’s exactly like that.”
“Either you didn’t pick up on the sarcasm, or you’re admitting you’re a phony. Anyway, you should probably come in before you cause an uproar.”
“The Great and Powerful Trixie agrees.”
“Now what exactly did you come to me for?”
“The Great and Powerful Trixie requests your help in attracting crowds of adoring fans like The Great and Powerful Trixie used to.”
“I won’t help you until you stop being so self-centered. If you plan on staying in Ponyville, you can stay in the guest bed here for as long as you want.”
“The Great and Powerful Trixie thanks you for your offer.”
“Also, pronouns exist for a reason. Use them.”
That bitch, Trixie mentally spat, I come begging at her doorstep for help to regain my popularity, and what does she do? She insults me! And acts like it’s MY fault, when SHE’S the reason I’m in this mess in the first place! Continuing her mental tirade, Trixie trotted out of the library and through Ponyville, finally stopping outside the Everfree Forest. Oh, I’ll show her, and once again I will be known as The Great and Powerful Trixie! She concluded, before entering the forest.
Being unfamiliar with the forest, Trixie soon found herself lost, and it was getting late. She looked around, trying to find a familiar landmark, but with no success.
Damn. Of all the places to get lost, she thought, I’m a bucking idiot for coming in here. I need to get out. Fast. Who knows what comes out after dark in here? An hour past and a light rain had started up, yet still Trixie found no way out of the forest. Now with no hope of getting out before nightfall, she began looking for shelter for the night.
There are several caves around here, but I don’t want to come across a dragon. Or worse, an ursa. Buck it. That one looks alright, she thought. Cautiously, she entered the cave. Upon finding it safe, to the best she could tell, she made herself relatively comfortable and fell asleep.
She was woken abruptly by a loud roar behind her. Since the sun had yet to rise, she lit her horn and looked in the direction of the roar. Blocking her exit out of the cave was a fierce looking manticore. The manticore pounced, and Trixie barely evaded the attack. Noticing the exit was now clear, she ran towards it. However, she never made it out. The manticore lashed out with its tail, catching Trixie on the flank with its stinger. Her body went into convulsions as the venom went through her body. The manticore turned and faced her, preparing to eat its prey. Before it got the chance to take a bite, a blinding light split the darkness. When the light subsided, the manticore was gone, and in its place was Princess Luna. The princess approached Trixie, lowered her head, and healed the wound in Trixie’s side, as well as cured the poison running through her veins.
“Princess, what are you doing out here?” asked Trixie.
“I could ask the same of you, Lulamoon,” responded Luna.
“I haven’t heard that name in a long time… How’d you learn it?”
“That is not important. Now, what are you doing out here?”
“I… I don’t know, Princess. I was looking for a way to show all of Equestria my greatness.”
“If I hadn’t come, you would be dead right now. I suggest we move to somewhere safer. We have much to discuss.”
Another blinding flash of light. When it subsided, the forest was gone, and they were in Canterlot Palace.
“Now,” said Luna, “Had you been anypony else, you would have died tonight. However, I could not allow that to happen. At my sister’s recommendation, I am looking for a student. As you are the only unicorn with sufficient ability, I have been watching you closely these last few weeks.”
“You’re mistaken, Princess,” said Trixie, “My magical ability is not that great. All I can manage is a few parlor tricks.”
“Lulamoon, what is your talent?”
“Magic. I don’t see how that’s relevant, however.”
“Exactly. Your talent is magic. You have limited yourself to simple parlor tricks. In reality, you are far more powerful than you think. This is why I want you to be my student.”
“I am honored, Princess.”
“However, there are a few lessons you must learn before I take you in.”
“Lessons? What lessons?”
“You’ll understand once you learn them. Until then, the only way I can help you is this: make some friends. I am sending you back to Ponyville. I will be watching you and will send you a letter when you are ready.”
Yet another blinding light. Trixie found herself back in the Ponyville library when it died out. Noticing her fatigue, she found the guest bed and crashed onto it.
A loud thump in the library woke Trixie the next morning. This was then followed by the voice of Twilight berating somepony by the name of Spike. A second voice, presumably Spike’s, answered Twilight in apology. Now woken from her sleep, Trixie rolled out of bed, straightened her mane, and opened the door of the room. Surveying the room, she guessed that the term somepony was not appropriate for Spike, whom she assumed was the baby dragon in the room.
“Oh! Good morning, Trixie,” Twilight greeted her, looking rather surprised, “When did you get back here? I haven’t seen you since you left yesterday.”
“Let’s just say I had a rather interesting night,” replied Trixie.
“Well if you’re hungry, there’s still some oats in the kitchen. You might have to heat them up, though.”
“Thank you.” The words felt odd in her mouth. They even caught Twilight off guard.
Trixie was indeed hungry, and sure enough, in the kitchen was a small pot of oats. She levitated the pot over to the stove and went to light it, but stopped. If what Luna said was true, she thought, I should be able to heat these with magic. Trixie concentrated on the thought of hot oats, and soon felt the tug in her chest that she usually only feels during her performances. When she broke her concentration, a pot of steaming oats was in front of her.
After eating, Trixie went into the main part of the library. Heating the oats had piqued her curiosity, and she had to know what she was capable of. She found Twilight in her room studying various books, and asked, or rather demanded, to know where the books on magic were. Twilight, puzzled by this sudden interest, directed Trixie to the specified section of the library.
Trixie pulled off various books on all different styles of magic, and took them to the room she was staying at. Once inside the room, she poured herself into them, learning all she could from the various tomes. After several days of this, Twilight decided to check in on her guest.
“Hey, Trixie?” asked Twilight.
“Yes?” came the response.
“You’ve hardly come out of there in over a week. Are you ok?”
“Yes. It’s just these books… they’re fascinating! It’s simply amazing what kind of power magic possesses!”
“I know. I’ve read them all. If you’re that interested, might I suggest The History of Starswirl the Bearded?”
“I think I’ve got quite enough here at the moment. Sweet Celestia, looking at some of these spells makes me wonder how I ever thought I was once the most powerful unicorn in Equestria!”
“Some of them can get pretty powerful. I recommend you start with the easier spells and work your way up, tho.”
“I thank you for the suggestion, Twilight, but I am already more than half way through Advanced Magycks of the Paleopony Period.”
“Not bad, but that’s still a beginner level book compared to some of the other books in the section.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Afraid not.” That being said, Twilight left Trixie to her studies.
After that conversation, Trixie decided it would be for the better if she stepped away from the books once in a while and actually had a social life. At first, this was simply asking Twilight questions about spells, mainly the more difficult ones. Twilight was more than happy to finally have somepony to share her vast knowledge of the arcane with, no matter how unlikely of a pony that was.
After this had gone on for a while, and Twilight was convinced Trixie truly had changed somehow, Twilight started taking Trixie along on some of her errands. The sight of the showmare aroused suspicion from onlookers, who only too well remembered her first visit. However, as time progressed, and some of the villagers got to know her, the townsfolk soon set aside their caution.
One day, as the moon was just beginning to rise, a letter arrived.
“A letter from the princess?” asked Twilight, “She never sends them after sun down.”
“It’s from Princess Luna!” said Spike, “And addressed to somepony named Lulamoon. I’ve never heard of her. Weird.”
“Strange. Maybe Trixie might know? Hey Trixie!”
“Yes?” responded Trixie, coming down the library stairs.
“Have you heard of anypony named Lulamoon?”
“Yes, actually. That’s me.”
“Come again?”
“I’m Lulamoon. Trixie was a pseudonym. A show name that I just got too used to hearing.”
“Oh. Well, this letter is addressed to you then.”
Taking the letter, Trixie read it to herself.
Dear Lulamoon,
I believe you have learned much from your stay in Ponyville. It is because of this that you are receiving this letter. I offer to you my guidance and teaching. If you accept to be my student, come to the Royal Palace in Canterlot by the end of the week.
Sincerely,
Princess Luna
“So what’s it say?” asked Spike.
“Spike! Other pony’s mail is none of your concern!” Twilight scolded him.
“It’s quite alright, Twilight,” said Trixie, “It’s an invitation for me to become Princess Luna’s student.”
Twilight was rather surprised. “You’re kidding.”
“I’m not.” Trixie then explained her adventure during the night she had arrived at Ponyville.
“Well, that explains a lot. I never understood your sudden interest in magic, but now it all makes sense! You should definitely accept it. Becoming Princess Celestia’s student is probably the best thing I ever did.”
“I intend to accept it. You’re Celestia’s student?”
“Yes. I have been ever since I was a filly.”
“Wow. Well, I should probably be heading off to Canterlot. I only have until the end of the week.”
“If you want, I can teach you a long distance teleportation spell.”
“That would be very helpful.”
“Alright. Let me warn you though, it takes a lot of energy.”
After learning the spell, which was surprisingly simple, Trixie thanked Twilight for letting her stay at the library and cast the spell. One blinding flash of light later, she was in front of Canterlot Royal Palace.
Twilight was right, she thought, That spell does take up a lot of energy.