//------------------------------// // Musing // Story: Three Butterflies and a Star // by Impurity //------------------------------// Chapter 2: Musing "Life can be short. It's best to make the most of it before it's too late." "Get away from me!" The blue mare yelled, shooting magic bolts in one direction whilst running in the other, trying to escape her pursuers. One of her bolts hit one of the many timberwolves, only for two more to leap over and replace it. Will these things ever give up? Trixie thought to herself, unwilling to believe they could last much longer. Being creatures birthed by magic gave them irregular abilities. In this case, it gave them an overwhelming amount of ferocity that frightened their enemies into submission and stamina for long distance chasing of those who didn't. Hoping for the best, Trixie swerved to the left and jumped between two trees, the gap barely large enough for her to fit through. To the mare's misfortune, most of the timberwolves were not so stupid as to follow the same route, instead choosing to go around and accelerate back to their original speed. Come on Trixie hurry up! It isn't- The blue mare could not finish her thoughts as one of the timberwolves decided enough was enough. "AHH!" Trixie let out a blood curdling scream as she felt the hard wood tear through her skin. Going as far as exposing the muscle to the outside air. The mare could not run any farther and slipped in the mud before she could stop. She fell hard on her right side, the side without much injury. Trixie could think of nothing but the exposed flesh on her leg, and the copious amounts of pain that followed directly behind it after landing. Even the timberwolves, who caused her pain were fazed out of her thought process partially before the heavy sounds of their breathing could be heard. Trixie closed her eyes, giving up on life entirely but not wanting to see the sight of her predators finish her. It's over. This is how the Great and Powerful Trixie Dies... It's been an hour, or has it? I can't really tell anymore, space and time have lost all meaning to me. All I can see is an empty void of darkness in all directions. I really wish those timberwolves had finished me off now that I think about it. All I can do now is wait for the inevitable, hopefully nobody finds my body once I'm dead. All they'll do is cheer. I'd rather stay lost than found if that's the reaction my death will cause. Maybe the universe has given me a chance before the angels take me away. A chance to make right and go to paradise, instead of the nether realm like many of the ponies have threatened. As much as I hated Mary, she might have been right about one thing. "Trixie stop playing with your little toys and start practicing. You have a recital tomorrow and you must be the paragon to their eyes." Mary, her mother scolded the blue filly, wanting the filly to start acting the way she wanted. "But I'm- "No buts! When I come back from the meeting I expect you to play Empty’s void." Her mother spoke harshly, silencing any rebellious thoughts or ideas she might have had instantly. "Okay..." Trixie said as her mother left the room, defeated by her sharp tone. There was nothing she could do against her mother. Her word was law in the house. Always has and always would be. "Cheer up Trixie!" A feminine voice came from her bed a few seconds later, uplifting her spirits slightly. "I'll help you practice.” Her sister jumped off the bed, fluttering her tiny wings to try and slow her descent even if by just a little. The filly in question was a seven year old butter yellow pegasus with a short magenta coloured mane. Compared to most fillies and colts her age, Priscilla was rather tall, only under her older sister by a few centimeters. "Thanks but I don't even want to be a stupid violin player. I want to do magic as a living, not wasting my time with this." Trixie complained, lazily making her way to her violin case. "You know mom said she wouldn't let you. She said that if you became anything but a digni- digin di- “Dignified character, I’ll turn up dead somewhere on the streets." Trixie corrected and finished her sentence. Their mother had always been one about threats, never about delivering physical punishment. She believed that attacking from the inside was a better tactic than outside. "I know but she doesn’t even know what I want to be. Being a violin player is a waste of my potential, Mrs. Finch even said so.” “It's not so bad. Just try it a little longer, maybe you’ll start to like playing it.” Her little sister threw her an idea that she would never take up. “I’m never going to like playing the stupid violin.” Priscilla. I haven't found you yet have I? That was what I wanted to do before settling down. Meet you one last time. I guess I lied to you all those years ago. I never could do what I promised. "Goodnight Priscilla, I'll see you tomorrow morning." She called out to her sister, walking out the door with a smile. "Trixie?" Her little sister quickly called her out before she left. Slight fear flowed from her voice. It was rare that she would ever show real fear unless it was something bothering her quite profusely. "What's wrong Priscilla?" She turned around and looked at her, showing signs of concern. The yellow filly was holding her blanket as if it were a shield, sitting instead of lying down. "I think there's a monster underneath my bed can you look?" The bright yellow filly pointed underneath her bed, her hoof shaking slightly. "Priscilla there- "Please Trixie." Her sister interrupted her, giving her a pouty face that always worked wonders for her. “I’m sure I heard something but i’m too scared to look." “Okay fine.” Trixie walked back from the door and towards her younger sister, a smile on her muzzle. Once at her bedside she bent her knees slightly and gave the underneath of her bed a thorough observation. "There's nothing here but a hairpin." "Could you check the closet please?" The yellow filly spoke again with fear, but this time it wasn't as great as before she checked underneath the bed. "Last one, I need to sleep too you know." Trixie replied, her smile wavering. The closet where the young filly had all her pristine clothes fit for proper occasions on the rack while all her toys neatly placed on the floor in their respective boxes. She slid the doors open and gave a just as thorough check as the underside of the bed to find nothing out of place. "See, nothing's here." Trixie closed the double doors tightly. "Thanks. I'm sorry to bug you." Priscilla looked down, radiating a depressing aura. Trixie looked at her younger sister and saw that she felt bad for making her do this. Out of nowhere the blue filly conjured up an idea that put a smile on her face. She walked towards the door and closed it, leaving both fillies with privacy in the room. While walking back to her little sister she spoke. "You don't have to say sorry; I don't mind it that much." Trixie sat beside the bed, facing the yellow filly. "You're scared and I get that but you don't need to be." "But what if a monster shows up?" Priscilla questioned her, the fear that left returned just as strong. She knew her younger sister would ask that question or something very close to it and was prepared with an answer that would quell her fears. "I'll protect you no matter what. It's my job as your big sister. Even if the monsters get you I'll go across Equestria if I have to and bring you back safe and sound.” Trixie declared, bringing her young sister the peace she needed to calm her nightmarish thoughts. “Do you promise?” Priscilla asked, knowing the answer but wanting to hear the words regardless. Even in the darkness Trixie could see her sister’s grin shining like its very own light source. “I promise.” Trixie gave her word and motioned for her sister to move over to which Priscilla nodded happily and slowly moved farther to the right, leaving a plentiful amount of room for her big sister. The blue filly took the prompt and climbed underneath the blanket, filling up the space. “Let’s get some sleep now; we have to go early tomorrow morning.” "Goodnight Trixie. I love you." Priscilla said, letting a small yawn leave her mouth, turning it into a smile as she closed her eyes. "Love you too." The blue filly slowly closed the gap between them with an embrace and gave her little sister a small peck on her cheek. It wasn’t often that ever since Priscilla had asked to be tucked in, Trixie had done so every night, no matter her mood. It just felt like the right thing to do seeing as how their mother would not tuck them into bed herself, either she wasn't here or just plainly refused to do, saying it would be spoiling them. Trixie slowly closed her eyes, feeling the effects of exhaustion finally taking its toll on her. It was only a few more seconds before the sandmare would whisk her off to dreamland when she heard a faint noise. It's nothing. I shouldn't have left that alone. She would have still been with me. "It's okay Trixie. I don't blame you." A voice spoke from the darkness, a voice familiar to the blue mare. No it can't be. In the darkness a sudden light appeared, slowing expanding replacing the darkness. In the center of the light, where it had initially expanded from, there was a slightly darker silhouette of a pony with wings. She wanted to call out to the outline but her words failed her, unable to say anything as the pony started to walk away. Don’t- She was interrupted as the flash of light exploded into a bright but harmless ray. “PRISCILLA!” Trixie yelled, reaching upwards into the air, grabbing nothing but empty area. Around her was a scene she could not have expected. Instead of the dark and gloomy forest that spelled out death to any who decided to wander in, it was a more mellow and inviting sight. Soft wool covered her body in the form of a blanket, giving her warmth. Her head rested on a cotton pillow. She was lying on a bed that was not her own but she couldn’t care less at the moment. All she could think about at the moment was her own failure. Against her will, tears formed in the corners of her eyes and fell to the sides of her face. A painful frown invaded her muzzle at the same time. Negative emotions flourished inside her mind: sorrow, anger, pain, hate, but one dominated over them all. The ever so common grief.