Trixie blinked some of the remains of her magical smoke out of her eyes, hearing the thundering of her own hooves upon the road below her while she fled away from the townsfolk as fast as she could into the dark purple glow of the night.
A loud angry voice rose up behind her. “Why that little!” She glanced back just long enough to spot the winged mare take to the skies and fly in her direction. The sight spurred her on to run even faster. She recognized that voice as the loud, multi-colored foal whom she’d shown up earlier, but not before getting an impressively clear display of just how fast the pegasus was. Trixie was sure she was pursued by her after that. She could only hope to make it as far away as possible. At least that way, when the rainbow mare would eventually catch up and drag her back, Trixie would make that trip as long as possible before facing the townsfolk again. She dropped her ears flat in fright at the idea of being dragged back to town.
“Just keep going! Maybe she will lose Trixie in the dark!” She immediately chastised herself for the foolish notion. There was not a single cloud in the sky, and the stars lit up her enchanting white mane and tail like a beacon. She felt a pang of bitter regret at the thought that she’d lost her hat and cape somewhere in what remained of her carriage. Their purple color and star motif would have camouflaged her quite well. The only place she could see that was actually dark was the forest to her left. “Wait that’s it! Trixie just needs to make it to the trees!”
She did not waste a single moment to even look back as she swerved towards the tree line. A light orchid glow surrounded her horn to summon up quick puffs of smoke as she tried to keep herself from being too easy of a target. As she galloped past the first tree, Trixie flashed a triumphant smile. She had made it!
Trixie weaved through the trees quickly as she dashed deeper into the darkness of the forest, extinguishing the orchid glow to blend into the black. She was completely certain she had shaken the cyan pegasus. “Haha! That foolish foal was outwitted by the Great and Powerful Tri—OOf!”
In her haste to outsmart the pegasus by ceasing to emit light in the dark forest, she had also made it impossible to actually weave out of the way of the trees and smacked straight into the rough black bark of what she estimated was surely the sturdiest tree in all of Equestria. She bounced off the tree and collapsed at its roots. She curled up to cradle her poor muzzle with her forehooves.
“Ah! Trixie will not forget this! You! You! Uhm...” She tried to recall her pursuer’s name, but she had not truly paid any attention to it. She did however recall the name of her friend, having heard it just after her humiliation. That would just have to do for now. “...Twilight Sugarcube.” Still, she just knew that not being able to remember the pegasus pony’s name was going to nag at her all day.
Trixie rested on her back uncomfortably on the hard roots of the tree that had toppled her. She was breathing heavily to catch her breath after her galloping escape. She shifted her body to slip in between two roots till her blue fur laid down upon the cold forest floor, and actually felt a bit of relief with her new position. Trixie stared up at the just barely visible night sky through the heavy canopy of the forest.
Excellent! There is no way those foals will find The Great and Powerful Trixie now! Trixie boasted inwardly of the results of her genius idea. Just as planned of course. She fought the urge to crow of her victory out loud for the moment, however. Although she was well hidden, the ponies might still hear her.
Her eyes shifted back and forth, trying to make out anything in the darkness like the shapes of approaching ponies or lit up horns through the trees. After some time, Trixie was finally satisfied that it was indeed impossible to tell that she was here, so she allowed her mind to rest on another thought: Well... it is good that The Great and Powerful Trixie has triumphed over her foes... but Trixie can’t see a hoof before her eyes, and creating light would be counterproductive to her escape... Perhaps it is best if Trixie remains here until daylight and gathers her strength. She nodded slightly at her own train of thought and stifled a yawn while closing her eyes, not that it really made that much difference in the darkness.
The events of the night had been so terrifying when she was driven out of her bed to battle a raging Ursa Major by those foolish colts. If that Twilight Sugarcube could do it, then surely the Great and Powerful Trixie could have had those colts wait till morning like Trixie commanded. Nopony would have the energy to fight after spending the day performing feats beyond imagination! Not even Trixie! I mean, The Great and Powerful Trixie! …Oh, who is Trixie kidding… The memory of her rude waking forced a yawn from her. Trixie began to realize just how exhausted she was from her performance of unimaginable feats: bravely holding of the line against the Ursa, escaping the ungrateful town and that prismatic pony.
Thoughts and worries of the ungrateful Ponyvillians tracking down the Great and Powerful Trixie played through her head. What would they do if they caught her? Just how close were they right now? They were probably looting her poor wrecked carriage and dividing up the spoils to pay for a couple of minor claw marks on that roof the Ursa Minor briefly rested its paws on.
Trixie was starting to feel sleep overtake her while she pondered on that second feat. That blasted name on the tip of her tongue. Prism Crescent? No. It was something... to do with... her act... was it not...? The answer escaped for the day as the last of Trixie’s resistance was overcome, setting her drifting off between the rough tree roots deep in the Everfree forest.