//------------------------------// // Forest IV // Story: Princess Sparkle's School for Eccentric Unicorns // by ColtClassic //------------------------------// For the first night since she had come to the forest, Trixie did not dream. There were no painful memories or nightmarish landscapes, no glowing eyes or spreading black wings. She was barely aware of anything at all, only the dull ache of her body and the comfort of oblivion. She had won, somehow. It wasn't clear anymore what she had won, but she had, and for a long time that was enough. But eventually more coherent sensations returned to her mind and body. She was lying in a bed, a scratchy and warm blanket enfolding her. Low voices occasionally reached her ears. Spikes of pain occasionally shot through her horn, but they seemed less and less frequent. Sometimes the fog lifted enough for her to open her eyes, and she saw blurry shapes moving in the flickering light of a fire. She wasn't exactly happy, but there was no more fear. When she finally woke up fully, there was sunlight coming in through the windows of the hut. She shuffled in her sheets, sitting up and blinking her eyes groggily. This attracted the attention of her companions, and almost as soon as she was aware of her surroundings, they were filled with the eager and concerned voices of the other ponies. “She's awake!” “How's it going, Tricks?” “Don't crowd her, everypony stand back please.” Five colorful faces stared down at her. She shifted beneath her heavy blanket and focused on Twilight Sparkle, whose face was heavy with concern. “How are you feeling, Trixie?” the Princess asked. The effort of speaking seemed gargantuan. Trixie tried to sit up and failed. She could already feel sleep creeping back over her brain, and her eyes flickered shut, but she smiled. “Tired,” she muttered. “But I did it,Twilight Sparkle. You weren't there, but I did it. I made new magic.” “Er... not quite.” Her eyes flickered back open. “What?” “Well, I'm still not exactly sure what happened. When you put on the amulet, pretty much every animal in the forest went wild. I mean, more so than usual. And at first I though that you—or it—was controlling them. But I think that it was more like a reaction; I don't want to say that the forest can think, exactly, but something out there knew that something was wrong and lashed out in the only way it knew how.” With the mention of the amulet, the full memories of what had happened, what she had done, came flooding back. Putting on the amulet, the rush of power, the battle with the Ursa Major. What she had done to Lyra. What she had almost done to everypony. She wanted to crawl back under the covers and hide away forever, but she settled for burying her face in her pillow. “I'm sorry, Twilight. I'm so sorry.” “I'm that one who should be sorry, Trixie. I knew that the amulet might still have a connection to you, and I brought you here anyway. I put you in unnecessary danger.” “Danger?” said Trixie, her voice still muffled by fabric. “Twilight Sparkle, I was the one that put all of you in danger. Just to try and prove myself.” “You're being to hard on yourself,” said Twilight. “The Alicorn Amulet was a extremely powerful magical artifact, not to mention a malevolent one. It choose you for its purposes, but anypony could have fallen victim to it.” Trixie turned to look at Twilight. “'Was'? The Amulet is still out there, Twilight, and I'm not sure if anypony is safe while—” Twilight levitated a familiar black necklace into view, and Trixie practically screamed. She recoiled violently from the amulet, and almost fell out of bed as she entangled herself in the sheets. “Get it away! Get it away from me!” “It's alright!” said Twilight, reaching a hoof out to keep Trixie steady. “It's okay! It's harmless now, look!” The amulet floated between the two of them, inert and motionless. Trixie reached out a hoof, cautious, and kicked it. It swayed, but nothing happened. “Is it... dead?” “Well, it wasn't really alive, but yes. Lyra told me about what happened in the forest.” Trixie turned toward the green mare, who was smiling nervously. “Lyra,” said Trixie. “Trixie is—I'm sorry. If you hadn't—I might have—” “Woah, hey, whatever. You'd have done the same, I'm sure. And, uh, Vinyl helped too, you know.” “You bet your flank I did!” “Anyway,” said Twilight, “Once we got you back here, Zecora and I went out to find it again, but it was totally lifeless. All the magic's gone out of it.” “Why?” asked Trixie, frowning down at the amulet. The ruby eye still stared back at her, and she had a hard time suppressing a shiver. “My guess is that it came down to you taking it off—not because you were forced, not because you were tricked, but entirely out of your own free will. It needed somepony to feed off, you see. Somepony it could trick into doing its bidding. And when you rejected it, that was it for the amulet. It's totally useless now. Well, except maybe as a really ugly fashion accessory.” Trixie sighed, then pushed the amulet away. Twilight's magic was released, and it fell to the bedside table with a soft clatter. “Take it away,” said Trixie. “Smash it, bury it, I don't care. I don't want to see it again.” Twilight nodded, but she wasn't done. “I also wanted to talk about what happened with the Ursa Major.” Trixie perked up, and glared defiantly at Twilight. “I did it, Twilight. It was new magic.” “Again, not quite.” “It was! They saw it, ask them!” said Trixie, pointing a hoof at Lyra and Vinyl. “Um,” said Lyra. “I'm not sure what we saw. You faced down the bear—” “Which was so hardcore, by the way.” “—and your horn lit up, and then the whole forest went quiet. What exactly did you do?” “It was amazing,” said Trixie. “I tapped into my magic, and it was there. The whole forest, every tree, every rock, I could feel all of it, and I told it—I told it to sit down and shut up.” “A suggestion spell,” said Twilight. Trixie frowned. “What?” “You used to use them in your performances, I'm assuming. When the actual magic was too hard for you, or a trick didn't go right, you'd fall back on casting spells on the audience themselves. Make them think they saw something they hadn't.” Trixie glared at Twilight, who merely raised an eyebrow. “Well, am I right?” asked Twilight. “Perhaps,” said Trixie with a pout. “What you did with the Ursa Major was that... times a thousand, I suppose. On the scale of the entire forest. Which was an incredible feat! But not what we're looking for.” Trixie frowned, and then slumped against the bedframe. Her sleepiness was catching up with her. She wanted to curl up, maybe with a bowl of Zecora's soup, and not think about anything for awhile. Fleur stepped forward and cleared her throat. “So what do we do now?” “I think we'd better let Trixie get some more rest,” said Twilight. “I mean, with regards to our research.” Twilight chewed her lip, and shared a glance with Zecora, who nodded silently. “I think that our research could use a break,” she said. “And I think that we've learned all that we're going to here in the Everfree. It's time to move on.” “But we were getting so close!” said Lyra. “It's been an exciting week, Lyra, but we're not getting anywhere. The mysteries of the Everfree will have remain mysterious for the time being. We need to pursue other paths for our research.” “But—” “She's right, kiddo,” said Vinyl. “You've gotta know when to fold 'em, and all that.” “Don't worry, Lyra,” said Twilight with a smile. “I've got plenty planned for our next session.” “The next session,” said Trixie. Her throat felt dry. “Twilight, I don't think that—” “I know,” said Twilight. “I know you're worried. But don't decide anything yet, okay? Sleep on it first.” It was the best advice Trixie had ever heard, and her eyelids were already closed as she nodded to Twilight. She pulled the blankets around her, and the world once again fell into a comforting darkness. Fleur took one last look at the interior of Zecora's hut. It was strange to think that she was actually going to miss the cramped, dark, and frankly smelly cottage. But somewhere along the line, their peculiar host, with her rhymes and potions and platitudes, had grown on her. Zecora had a certain serenity, a confidence in her bearing, which Fleur had come to admire. She thought that if Zecora was the type to move to Canterlot, she might make a wonderful model. She stepped out into the morning light and found herself alone in the clearing with Trixie. The blue mare was scraping at the dirt with her hooves, lost in thought. Her hat was gone now, though she still wore the violet cape. Fleur approached her cautiously. “Are you alright?” “What? Yes, Trixie is... I'm fine. And once again, I'm sorry. About everything.” “You've made your apologies already, and we've accepted them. There's no need for any more.” Trixie laughed. “As if it's that easy. But I put everypony in danger, all for the sake of my own stupid pride. Again! Maybe that should be my special talent. Trixie, the Great and Powerful? More like Trixie, the walking disaster!” “Does that mean that you won't be joining us for the next session?” “I shouldn't have been here for this one. I don't belong on this... this team, or whatever.” “I think we all doubt our own credentials, to a certain extent,” said Fleur. “But the Princess has confidence in us. She believes in this team. I can't pretend to understand why, but I think that I trust her now.” Trixie bit her lip. She wasn't meeting Fleur's eyes, and spoke in a harsh mutter. “I'm pretty sure her test failed. You know why? Twilight said that the fact that we tried, when everpony else gave up, meant that there was something special about us, that we were willing to face the impossible. But that wasn't what I was doing. I was... I was angry with her. I thought she was mocking me, singling me out with a fake, impossible test. And so I just pulled a spell out of my hat, just to spite her, really. It wasn't anything particularly difficult, just a light spell that I used in my performances. Something I had a knack for. It was my way of spitting in her face, but then she was smiling and telling me how impressed she was, and how I had passed, and how I had something special. I'm still not sure that she's right.” “I wouldn't worry so much about that. My own experience during the test was less than edifying. When Twilight asked me to do the impossible, all I was really thinking about was my husband. He had been so excited for me, so encouraging. I knew that if I walked away without trying something, that I wouldn't be able to face his disappointment. I don't believe I have a 'special something' any more than you do.” “Then what's your point?” “My point is that if you can't do it for yourself, do it for somepony else.” Trixie snorted. “Who? Who would I be helping by staying on the team?” “Her Majesty, for one. It may not seem like it, but I really do think that she needs our help.” Trixie was silent for a long moment as she thought about this, then turned to frown at Fleur. “What do you care? Why do you want me to stay?” “Because we're doing something important,” said Fleur. “And I really do think that we'll be worse off without you. After all, you did something incredible last night.” “I did a lot of things, most of them incredibly stupid. And one thing that was mostly an accident, and wasn't even what we were trying to do.” “How about this, then. The Princess likes you. She believes in you. And... and I do too. If you just walk out, if you give up, you're not just letting yourself down. You're letting down all of us.” Trixie finally turned to look her in the face, and Fleur found herself once again wondering exactly who Trixie was, where she had come from. There was such fierceness in her eyes. Where does she get it? Fleur wondered. Does she even know? The sound of hoofsteps came up behind them. They turned to find Twilight and the others walking out of the hut, saddlebags full. Twilight walked up to them, chewing her lip nervously. “Well, Trixie?” she said. “What have you decided?” Trixie gazed at Twilight, then to Fleur's surprise, turned her head with a scoff. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will of course be staying on the team. She—that is, I doubt that you would make much progress without my help.” Twilight looked startled for a second, but then broke out in a smile. “Well, then the Great and Powerful Trixie had better get her Great and Powerful rear into gear. It's time to head back to Ponyville.” Zecora gave each of them a low and graceful bow as they made their finally preparations. As they began their trek out of the forest, Fleur found herself walking side by side with Trixie. The blue mare was silent for a long stretch, and Fleur did not feel inclined to break it. Finally, Trixie made a noise that sounded like something between a cough and a choking noise. “Excuse me?” said Fleur. Trixie took in a deep breath, then, in grating, barely audibly voice, managed to say “Thank you,” then trotted quickly forward before Fleur could do anything but give her a bemused smile. They had only been gone for a week and a half, but Lyra had almost forgotten how bright the world outside of the Everfree Forest was. The sun was setting over Ponyville, but even in the dim light of the evening the town was a thousand times more colorful and cheerful than the forest at midday. It was a joke to call the town square “crowded”, but after the solitude of the forest Lyra felt a little claustrophobic being surrounded by more than a handful of ponies at once. “You alright, kiddo?” Vinyl peered at her from over the edge of Fleur's chariot. Trixie had already left for the train station, dodging questions about her destination but assuring them all, one last time, that she would be returning for the next session. Fleur had offered Vinyl a ride back to Canterlot, and the two were saying one last goodbye before they left. “Yeah, I'm good. You're coming back, right? For the next session?” “Of course I am. You'd think I'd want to miss out on something this crazy?” “What about that time you freaked out in the woods?” “Yeah, well,” said Vinyl, running a hoof through her mane, “I've been meaning to apologize for that. And to thank you, for coming after me and taking care of my sorry flank. But it was kind of fun, wasn't it? You and me, off in the woods, danger on every side, overcoming huge magical monsters with just our wits and our magic. Most excitement I've had in a while, I'll tell you that.” “The way I remember it, it was terrifying. And Trixie was the one who drove off the Ursa Major.” “Please. She couldn't have done it without me. Er, without us.” Lyra chuckled. “I just hope that the next session won't be quite so perilous.” “I wouldn't count on it,” said Vinyl. “Either way, stay out of trouble until then, okay?” “What do you mean?” Vinyl shot a meaningful glance towards Twilight, who was chatting with the chariot drivers. “I mean, don't do anything stupid.” Lyra frowned. “I know what I'm doing, Vinyl.” Her friend lowered her voice. “You really think now is the best time to approach her? After everything that happened in the forest, you should really give it some more time. Sleep on it.” “I've slept on it for long enough. Besides, I've gone face-to-face with an Ursa Major. How dangerous can asking somepony on a date be?” “You'd be surprised,” said Vinyl, not smiling. “What are you two whispering about over there?” Lyra turned to find Twilight looking quizzically at her. “Oh, just, uh, trading some musician's secrets. You know.” She grinned sheepishly. Twilight raised an eyebrow, but any questions were forestalled by Fleur stepping into the chariot behind Vinyl. The tall unicorn gave Twilight a small smile as she bowed her head. “I do not mean to be rude, Your Majesty,” she said, “but we must be off if we are to reach Canterlot before it is too dark.” “Of course. And really, Fleur, you can call me Twilight. Get plenty of rest while you're in Canterlot—I've got big plans for the next session. I'll send you the details in a week or so.” “Wouldn't miss it for the world,” said Vinyl. “Catch ya later, Sparks.” “You too, Vinyl.” Vinyl turned back to Lyra, and looked as if she had something she needed to say. After a short moment, thought, all she said was “Good luck, kiddo.” With a nod from Fleur, the drivers began to beat their wings. Dust rose from the ground as the chariot began to lift off. In a few short moments, the vehicle was airborne, rising in a slow circle over the village square before it cleared the rooftops of Ponyville. Soon the chariot was nothing but a small dot in the sky above them; Twilight and Lyra stood waving goodbye until it disappeared in the dusk towards Canterlot. Twilight sighed. “'Sparks.' I'm not one for formality, but I am still a Princess. I should probably do something about that.” Lyra giggled. “It might be already too late.” “So, you live over on Horseshoe Lane, right?” “Oh! Yeah,” said Lyra. “But, um, I could walk you home. If you like.” Twilight shrugged. “Sure, I guess. If it's not too far out of your way.” “No, it's, uh, no problem.” They began to make their way through the streets to the library. Light and music spilled out from the occasional restaurant, and here and there a pony or small group passed them, but for the most part the streets were dark and deserted. The two ponies also walked in silence for some time. Twilight seemed lost in thought, her face an unreadable mask. For her own part, Lyra's heart was pounding. A thousand unspoken thoughts crowded in her brain, and she couldn't find the courage to give voice to a single one. No limits, she told herself. “So,” she said suddenly. “I think that the first, uh, session, went well, don't you? I mean, we didn't discover any new magic, but we learned a lot about the forest. And, um, each other. I mean, we got to know each other, you know?” Twilight nodded, smiling absently. As the light grew dimmer, her features seemed to Lyra to take on an otherworldly beauty. The soft, gleaming eyes, the grace of her gait. Even the shade of her coat seemed to take on an extraordinary color in the growing moonlight. Twilight spoke softly. “I think it was a success as well. It makes me optimistic for the project overall.” She turned and gave a Lyra a warmer smile. “And I think quite a lot of it has to do with you. You've impressed me quite a lot, Lyra. Especially with what you did for Trixie. I'm glad she had somepony like you there for her needed it.” “Well, what are friends for?” Lyra laughed nervously. “And I'm real glad to be on the team. It's been awesome so far. Real, uh, awesome.” The library loomed above them, its lights already lit against the coming night. Twilight was pulling ahead, trotting toward the door. Lyra's legs shook. Her heart hammered against her ribcage. No limits. “Twilight!” she blurted, her voice ringing too loud in her own ears. “I was wondering if you'd, maybe, like to go on a date sometime.” Twilight stopped in her tracks. She turned her head slowly to look at Lyra, her brow furrowed and a small frown on her face. “Excuse me?” “I mean, I feel like we've gotten to know each other, you know? Over the past couple of weeks. And, I don't know how you feel about me, but I find myself quite, um, you know, like, I like you, Twilight! I like you a lot. And if you would give me a chance, I mean, if you would go out with me, I think I could, um, I hope that you might find that maybe you could—maybe you might like me too.” Twilight chuckled. “Lyra, I—really, I'm flattered, but I really don't think that that sort of thing would be appropriate.” Lyra felt her heart sink in her chest. “Please, Twilight. It would mean a lot to me if you would just give me a chance. This isn't—this isn't easy for me, to finally confess my feelings like this, and I know it's asking a lot, but—” “Wait, 'finally'?” asked Twilight, her eyes narrowing. “What do you mean, 'finally'?” “Okay, I—I admit, I may have, um, been thinking about this, I mean, thinking about you, for awhile. Like, since we both came to Ponyville, and I noticed you, and, okay, that sounded weird, I know this all sounds weird, but I've always, I've always admired you.” Twilight was backing away from her. “Are... are you saying that you've been stalking me?” “No! No, of course not! I mean, we both live in the same town, and Ponyville's pretty small, and you're super famous, so why wouldn't I know who you were? But I'm not saying I just like you because you're famous! Like, I knew who you were before that, back at Celestia's school, remember? I mean, you probably don't remember me, but, uh, I thought that maybe if I joined this whole research project thing, then we could get to know each other, and you could get to know me, and maybe—” “So the real reason you joined my team was because you were... attracted to me.” “No! I mean, not just that, it's complicated.” “Do you even care about our research at all?” “Yes! I just care about you too!” “I have to say that I'm disappointed, Lyra. All this time I thought you were somepony different. Somepony who cared about the work we were doing. But this was all just about some silly crush, wasn't it?” “That's not—I'm not—it's not a crush!” yelled Lyra. “I'm in love with you, Twilight!” Those last words echoed in the empty street around them. The sun had finished setting during the course of their conversation, and now only the soft light shining out of the library window illuminated them. Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, there was neither warmth nor anger in her face, just a neutral coolness. “I'm sorry, Lyra, if I ever gave you the impression that our relationship was anything other than—was something that it wasn't. And I think that this fixation of yours is nothing but unhealthy. I can't accept your request.” “Twilight—” “In fact, I think that it would be best if you didn't return for our next session.” “What?! You can't—” “I can,” said Twilight sternly. “Trying to work together after something like this would be too difficult. For both of us. Again, I'm very sorry.” Lyra's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Her vision was blurry with the beginnings of tears, but she could make out Twilight as the alicorn turned her back on her. “Just—just please go,” said Twilight. The library door opened and slammed shut behind Twilight. Lyra sat there in the darkness for a long time as the lights in the library were shut off one by one. Her mind was a jumbled mess, and grasping for something, anything, she pulled out her lyre. She plucked out a note, then one more, but couldn't advance beyond that, and the instrument fell out of her magical grip and fell softly into the grass. All she could do was stare at the space where Twilight had stood. The moon rose, and the cool summer night settled in around her.