Her own story she knew it so well; the other Trixie’s story however, another of her own story she did not know. Still, but to her it was like her myriad previous experiences, her past automatically retrieved from ever shifting flow inside her consciousness. The Great and Powerful Trixie had vanquished the star-bear. Many times the alicorn princesses called her, and she performed her service, handling with the less sentient creatures. There were cases of them appearing throughout the vast wilderness of Equestria.
When such occasions arose, then it was Trixie who was called. In the parts where one seldom travelled, Trixie might stumble upon creatures that possessed neither the language of force nor that of reason, but both combined, both lacking. Then she would talk in their tongue, harnessing her skills and tricks in a most appropriate way she could think of, doing magic and tricks and illusions.
Trixie turned around the mirror. She faced the stillness of the place without flinching much. She had expected this, did she not? What time was it? Was it morning outside? The sudden change of her place partially succeeded to take many of her thought processes entirely tangled in the process. When she saw the mirror and it reflecting the place she should have been, she was immediately drawn into the scene, fixated at Trixie talking with the sun princess.
Except that she was not really there. Trixie was there, but not this Trixie, she thought. It was a very tricky question indeed, a great riddle that needed to be solved.
Trixie inside the mirror-she was from another place, but now it was she who was inside the mirror-provided some information she could contemplate on, of how she found herself in Trixie’s own world. But Trixie was Trixie. There was a change, but really everything was same. No difference hand been made. A fact that had to be constantly reminded her again and again, like her mind clinging to the right thread to search her reality. But did Trixie inside the mirror yet realize the fact, Trixie had to guess. If she was Trixie-which by now was becoming quite a fact-then she would have figured it out now, wasn’t she? She could never be so sure. Her own illusions were simple compared to the complexities of the real world. Sometimes she thought her magic merely copied only a fraction of what reality was really capable of.
She felt her reasoning slowly coming back beyond the brink of chaos where everything gained and lost meaning simultaneously. Inside the flow of her memory she searched, picking out the thread that she considered to be relevant to this strange happening. Wooden cottage-that was where she was, at least for now, in this very time. What time was it? Why could not she find a window? Why could not she answer her question? She thought. With a mind of a magician she thought once again, and took a deep breath. Sometimes one had to take one step back to go two steps forward. Control. She whispered. Control.
The air was not moving very much, having only a faint residue of weak magical energies that were used days ago. The place was semi-dark, only tiny bit of silvery light seeping from the outside through wooden cracks. Maybe it was nighttime, she wondered?
She would have to see with her own eyes. And also feel it with her horn, for sight alone often was not sufficient when magic was involved. With a little tweaking one could put formless things into existence. Imagining things, was she really imagining, or was the spell of a magician put her to think that she was imagining? Was this place real? Yes it was, for she could not detect the sort of energies when she used to render intangible masses to illusions with a real form, albeit temporarily. But If this was a dream, there was no way she could get it out of her own, for her dreams she found a pattern long time ago and had set up a plan of how to act should she found herself in the grip of the nocturnal mare. She understood her dream’s shifting nature; so simple it was, never staying the same.
Absence of rules was the rule itself then, perhaps. That was Trixie’s opinion. But what if there was something else? Just change one small part-and then it becomes a whole new thing. Realistic dreams she came across countless times, her past filtered through blurry forgetfulness of her-but dreamlike reality, what could such thing be? A magician could battle falseness and chaos, but could she fight against the reality itself? When the very world turned against her and cast her away to another part of the world, what could she do?
She shook her head. Too complex, even for her highly trained mind-a whole strange world it was; if this world was connected through her world via the mirror, as other Trixie said, it must be very similar to her own. Similarities among subtle differences. Well, she said to herself, in the end it was always mastery before manipulation. And even if she was not planning to use her magic, in Trixie’s experience it was always good to know the environment around her whenever she found herself upon a strange situation.
She was inside a house-and naturally it was the first thing she began to see and register and analyze. The cottage was small with little furniture. Her eyes studied every object she could find: a small drawer which was empty and therefore was quite unnecessary, a short clothes hanger of which Blue Cape hung, a table with a blue sapphire brooch on top of it, and a shabby bed that made Trixie to pity herself (for according to her conclusion Trixie was Trixie). Nothing special, not any of them holding magical aura except that of Trixie herself; she checked the walls, but there were no strange runes or signs she expected to see.
Then there was the mirror, which was still displaying her own self sipping tea with Princess Celestia, she engaged in her own workings to figure out what really happened to her. Like Trixie said, the mirror itself, at least with its look, was hardly special. Without any fine delicate touch of an artificer, it was actually a waste of glass and the wooden frame, a deliberate mockery to the ingredients which could be made into a fine work of art.
That was Trixie’s evaluation-in artistic perspective. But of course, she knew her analysis was just one little piece she just found. There would be several other ones to complete the puzzle. Or she was just thinking nonsense. Who cared about aesthetic qualities of an object that was responsible for the strange incident?
And she learned to expect the unexpected, know that she does not know, and to remember that she could forget. To produce illusions, one had to master reality. To raise the sun, one had to be familiar with the latter part of the day-and hence one alicorn princess being able to command both celestial bodies. Many magician’s wisdom Trixie knew, and on this occasion one particular axiom she recalled from her mind.
“Opposites attract.” She uttered the word. There was no feeling of great enlightment sweeping over her body, of uncovering one grand truth, but to her it did provide momentary gratification of getting one step closer to the solving the mystery of this trick, finding one small thread that unraveled the whole labyrinth she somehow gotten into. From reality came magic. Truth produced falseness. Complicacy consisted of simplicity. And not to forget, ordinary itself was extraordinary.
The mirror was without any decoration, its glass not of a spectacular quality. Trixie’s horn did not sense any slightest disturbances in the vicinity. It was like a normal mirror. Like. Only like. It was not normal, that was for sure. How both Trixies could miss the fact in the first place? The magic was there, the object not reflecting but displaying, but her horn did not give her the signal of magical energies. She had to see, see it with her own eyes. But actually, no, the voice inside her said-like her alternative inside her mind gaining its own will but still part of her-no. She had to be inside the show. A grand show, a fine trick the mirror was presenting to the audience. As a magician, Trixie had to admit the fact and be amazed by it.
Once again she stared into the mirror. But as she expected, it just kept showing Trixie. It was a mirror after all-it showed one’s self inside the mirror, whoever that really was. In Trixie’s world there was Trixie with her friends, and nothing was wrong. Trixie inside the mirror was grinning-and if she was smiling, no matter how fake would it be, then Trixie was Trixie, and nothing was wrong. At least it seemed to be, and thus everything was fine.
To a magician like her the matter was entirely different. Whether others would notice, that was not really important. If the Great and Powerful Trixie sensed disturbance in the horse-well, then something was wrong, even if she was the only one to think so. But since even the sun princess agreed to other Trixie’s doubts-then there was a problem that had to be solved, a trick that needed to be debunked.
What was to she do, then? What would Trixie do? She questioned herself. No answer. Her usual dissenting voice, the benefit of a doubt, was not there this time. After all, it was unexpected that Trixie did not expect of this. She thought and thought-it was the ever arduous task of working on a mystery, of conjuring tricks and sometimes revealing their secrets.
“What do you mean she is not Trixie we know of?” Trixie reminded herself as she heard the lavender pony’s voice. Control. Control. She grinned as Twilight saw her. Nothing was wrong-or at least it appeared to be, and Trixie was Trixie, she was now Trixie inside the mirror.
“Huh? Really? But she looked fine to me!” The pink earth pony was evidently displaying her confusion, of which Trixie did not forget to take heed.
“What, so she’s been lyin’ to us all?” Applejack cast her suspicious look. Trixie did not avert the gaze, her face trying to hold emotion that was neither embarrassment nor bewilderment. Trixie was Trixie, and she had to show the fact.
She was expecting this-the awkward moment of seeing the bearers again. To be honest, it was really first time seeing them. But she knew some of them. Or was she?
“Um, but she did not do anything that bad…” The timid pegasus-she remembered her name was Fluttershy-said nervously. She did not challenge her.
“Except not telling the truth.” The firm voice of Applejack was too familiar. Element of honesty-no wonder, Trixie thought. Truth-that was important, really. Trixie knew too well. “But whoa, ah never thought it was possible, and honestly, I thought it only happened in books, ya know?”
“Wait, I don’t quite follow. Princess Celestia, what is going on here? She just looks like Trixie we know! And she talks like her!” Twilight Sparkle, like her ‘other’ self, was flustered by the situation-at least that was what Trixie observed. She was powerful-Trixie admitted, albeit with a bit of resentment.
Trixie saw Twilight looking at her. Trixie kept her featureless look, trying not to appear to be in a panic. Sweats forming on Twilight’s forehead, Pinkie Pie’s stunned expression, her eyes huge and mouth saying ‘huh?’, and the young dragon Spike looking at her with a suspicious glance-Trixie’s watchful eye continued to watch their reactions. She expected this. Expected their reaction, of their surprise, their new-found suspicions. Like the neighsayers back in her world. The sun princess said to her not to worry, but how could she not?
At least this time she was not in such a humiliating situation. This time there was no star-bear rampaging around the scene. She did not make a fool of herself. But then she would have to tell them who she really was. The story. Then how would they face her? Their worried face, they were caring for her. Right?
No. They were worrying for their Trixie. And she was different Trixie. She was Trixie-but she was not who they cared for. A splendid trick, indeed. Trixie was really Great and Powerful. But she was not. She was not the Great and Powerful Trixie. She was still great and powerful, perhaps, but not the Great and Powerful. A crucial difference it was.
She made the conclusion, as highly skilled magician she was, in a flash of second. She had to say something. Twilight and others were visibly confused, unsure of how to approach her.
She wasn’t so great, was she? Other Trixie was. She was the friend of the bearers. She vanquished the star-bear. She was there when Twilight and her friends defeated Nightmare Moon and Discord. But Trixie, where was she? Who was she if she was not the one so Great and Powerful?
It was she who was Trixie, the Great and Powerful Trixie, not her. But she was Great. She was Powerful. And she could be Greater. And she could be more Powerful. Thus she was Great. Thus she was Powerful. She had to be. She had to remind herself all the time, lest she be lost in her own illusions. She was the master, the one and the only. Only Trixie could be Trixie, nopony else.
“Now, my little ponies.” When Princess Celestia spoke, the confused expression of the six ponies before Trixie seemed to lessen a bit. “Trixie here-well, how should I say-is from a ‘different’ reality. I am afraid that is the only thing I know for now.”
“But how? I thought alternative universes only existed in fictions!”
Trixie figured now was time to intervene. To work her own magic, of analyzing the situation and then contemplate how best to act; it was a prerequisite for her magic shows.
“Ahem.” Everypony, including Princess Celestia, looked at her. “Princess Celestia, Trixie thinks it would be best for her to tell Twilight and her friends again of her story.” How would they react, she pondered. The story of her downfall, how her boast had been completely busted; what faces would they make?
“I suppose I am not the one to say no.” Twilight and others looked at the sun princess with curious eyes, then looking back at Trixie. She did her best to remain calm. “Trixie, would you care to explain how you came here again?”
“Certainly, your highness.” Trixie made her mistake. True-she lied. She did not really defeat the star-bear. Nevertheless that was only one of her mistakes. Unexpected circumstances. She did not see it coming. It was her fault, really, to be oblivious of the complexities of the world, of the chaos among patterns and laws. “Where Trixie should began, hmm, yes, Ponyville. She is a travelling magician. Well, she was, until she came here. One day she happened to arrive at the very town.”
They were listening, their eyes going wide with anticipation. Then would come the anticlimax. The faces they will make, Trixie would not miss those. All the more for her grand analysis, for the great working of her mind; she would reveal her downfall, because she had to.
After the brief observation was over she headed to the door. She stepped out. It was dark. Stars on the sky, cold night air bristling against her fur. It was night alright, with a very high probability. It had to be. There was also the moon, glowing with the magic of the alicorn princess, slowly gliding across the celestial mass.
Once she assured herself of the time of the day, now was the time to be familiar with her surroundings in a more literal sense. There were trees. Trees taking darker hues, not the lovely green shades back in Canterlot Garden, but more verdant in shadowy way, their vitality emitting not vibrant lively atmosphere but obsession to live, clinging to the surface, protruding out to every possible direction. Their branches were somewhat out of place and slightly twisted. It was not a pleasing sight, the surrounding flora standing ominously in the pale silvery light.
She recalled her memory. When was she here last time? Regardless of existing in a whole new world, the very place was not entirely foreign, at least according to Trixie’s flow of thoughts. Once she walked the very path. In her own world, but the sight did not escape from her eyes. When she was with the lavender unicorn and the others, before the bearers came to represent the elements; Trixie met them here, didn’t she?
She did. She remembered that moment, the part etched into her mind which she visited more frequently than others. She picked up the right thread of her memory. That had really happened. Trixie did meet Twilight and others back then.
But no dwelling on past memories, she thought. Her mind once again returned to her foremost task, mostly concerned with continuing to identify her surroundings. Outside the cottage were trees, lots and lots sprawling around the small wooden structure, their tangled shapes casting ominous masses of shadow on the ground. What else?
Her nose sensed the queer air that was quite ancient; old stale air, but different from the old Changing Chamber back at Canterlot. That contained past memories, various fragrances holding fragmented pieces of hundreds of perfumes, of capturing high hopes and great expectations of those who were once in that very chamber. This place and its atmosphere, however, were filled with those that one would not dare to remember. Various odors tangled as the twisted boughs and roots of the misshapen trees, the pieces they held were best to be left alone.
Thoughts aligning in an instant, the process of reasoning working like a formula-her magician’s mind labored to find the answer she was looking for. The place, dark and eerie, she had been here before; she remembered, it was before Twilight and others were entrusted with the elements.
Before Trixie joined them in a short but epic journey to defeat the Nightmare Moon, wasn’t it? They all walked the same path. A matter of chance some may say-but Trixie was there at the right time, for it was here she met Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity.
“Everfree forest, Trixie assumes.” To be more precise, Trixie confirms, she said to herself, complimenting on the fact that her mind was still brilliant as ever. It took a little longer than she expected, but in such circumstances of finding oneself in a world that was not so different, but still somewhat distinct from what she knew, Trixie could not blame herself for such small mistakes.
Though she would keep that in mind; she was surely tired, and it could affect her abilities. That Trixie had to remind herself.
Then there had to be a way that would lead her to Ponyville. There would be Twilight Sparkle. Perhaps she would know something? And she was very close to Princess Celestia. Her highness may enlighten Trixie on this matter. Trixie checked her reasoning. The other Trixie was taking counsel from the sun princess, then why would she not follow what Trixie herself considered to be the best choice?
But that Trixie was not her. She was Trixie, but not this Trixie who was thinking right now about Trixie. Now she knew the story of Trixie, Trixie who was humiliated, and her confidence crushed. She would rise; there was no doubt, for she was Trixie. The other Trixie inside the mirror was Trixie alright, and thus she would show the neighsayers who she really were. It was somewhat sad for her to see her ‘friends’ actually being so disapproving of this other Trixie, but she figured that Trixie inside the mirror would handle things as Trixie always did: a shrewd manipulation of her skills to the finest, that was much obvious.
Now she was in that Trixie’s position, Trixie contemplated how the bearers back in Ponyville would react to see the failed magician returning again. That was what the other Trixie was right now, bereft of her pride, reputation and her shelter. The worst part? Trixie could blame no one. She should have seen it coming, to expect the unexpected; she was a magician after all, and one as Great and Powerful as her should definitely have acted more wisely, swiftly handling the situation to her favor.
A magician had to be grand, pompous, and downright arrogant. Without it, she was nothing. When Trixie was high up in the stage, she looked down towards the audience, stressing her accent to show her grandness, “The Great and Powerful Trixie!” She had to be ready. Every challenge had to be accepted.
But as the other Trixie failed to do that, and now she was in her place, returning to Ponyville was going to be awkward. Trixie ran away-and did she have the face to return again after all the fiasco she created? Even Trixie herself found it hard to actually commit the act.
Though she had to, for staying back at that cottage was anything but helpful. The mirror was clearly not intending to reverse the process it started, and Trixie who was once inside the mirror-at least according to other Trixie-had to find her own way getting back to where she belonged to.
She found a familiar track. Just like old times; after Princess Luna was once again, Trixie and the bearers gleefully walked down the trail, the dark forest no more looking so grim and depressing. Now, however, the place had regained its creepy atmosphere-and now was the time when the moon princess ruled. Even in the brightest day there were places where the sun princess’ power could not reach. The moonlight was soft as a silk but thin as a single thread. It was natural to be dark in her hour, but some darkness was more welcomed then others, soft ones tenderly enveloping the place, the quietness gently covering like a warm blanket.
But there were those which could quickly turn into suffocating veils, the silence piercing the night like a sharp blade, slowly slithering that everypony found it ever hard to look upon. Trixie too, learned to fear such blackness, for it swallowed rather than covered, not warm but fatally cold, its maw a great abyss, like a tartaros keeping eldritch creatures that were better left to be forgotten for eternity.
And Everfree Forests was one of the places that happened to contain such darkness that was far from comforting. And she was alone. And she was in a different world-though in a very similar world; but to her it was worse, for familiarity could easily slip to confusion-all things considered, Trixie was not in a favorable position.
The black mass was all around her. The path was covered with one great mass of blackness. Under the twisted branches the grace of the glittering moonlight was not allowed. The rustling from the bushes, cold howling from afar-the silence came and went at its own will. A few second of utter stillness, quickly followed by intermittent rustlings; one could not expect more from the sinister atmosphere of the Everfree Forest.
Thud. Her cautious step made a big echo resonating through the vicinity. Trixie listened and smelled and saw everything around her. Realization had to be made, by any means necessary. There was not a single particle of magical energies she could feel-but her vigilance was not to go down so easily. Another step she took. The earth was cold and hard as steel. She moved forward, counting each steps, her mind calculating every possibility that could happen to her as she proceeded forward.
The big thick trees and their stumps still covered most of her vision from top to bottom. Now her eyes could only make out a faint fragment of silver ray, treetops grown quite dense. Was Trixie ever been to this part of the forest? Of course, she was never here to begin with-she should never have been here, probably. That was for other Trixie, Trixie thought. If she had not come across the mirror, that was. Unexpected events come in, well, unexpected way-that was what Trixie learned, hence expect that the Great and Powerful Trixie could unexpect.
She searched her flow of thoughts. This path, where did it originally lead to? Supposedly to Ponyville? Her reasoning signaled a ‘yes’ output. She tried to summon her relevant memory. The place somehow reminded Trixie the moon princess, when she was not quite herself.
Thud, thud. Her hooves touching the ground, her firm steps making a noise that echoed throughout the area; a sound loud enough to bring unnecessary attention, she knew it perfectly. Deep in the night, such loud thump-creatures lurking from the shadow could follow her. Perhaps.
She thought she heard a growl from the distance. A very near distance. What was it, she wondered. Or maybe it was from very far off, a predator finishing off the unlucky prey. The unexpected prey. It should have seen it coming.
Trixie continued her pace, her hooves making a steady, rhythmic noise as she galloped. The growl stopped. Perhaps it was there, but was never there from the first place. A dark place void of the moon princess’ grace, illusions could become reality and vise versa.
She saw the familiar sight-she visited here, after it was all over. The small house that was strangely situated near the shadowy forest she just went through.
Sometimes, she wondered, whether the timid yellow pegasus was really like her name. A shy one living so close to the forest that ponies so dreaded about-to Trixie, reality was always more magical than her fantasies and illusions.