//------------------------------// // Nine: First Assignment // Story: Celestia's New Student // by Art Inspired //------------------------------// With the door shut and locked, an empty plate sat on Trixie’s bed where a wide assortment of fruits and other yummy foods had almost been finished off. A stack of books rested in the middle of the room. Trixie trotted up to the pieces of literature, her mane a mess, curling every which way and eventually leading down to her shoulders. Not before looking immensely frizzy, though. Had anypony saw her in this condition that day, she’d have likely died from embarrassment. No make-up on, mane undone, and the whole time, she just kept huffing from her hard work done thus far. With a hoof, she laid down the scroll Princess Celestia had given her atop the stacking hardcovers, and skimmed the notes a few times, checking off what she’d already looked over and what still required her attention. “Book three, page one eighty seven,” she said with worry in her voice. “Says here Trixie will find a brief summary on the layering tactics of how to create common fog.” Her hoof squeezed the middle of her eyes. “This is tedious!” With her horn glistening again, the book was brought forth, and her eyes quickly returned to the scroll. While her hoof laid on it to keep the loose fabric still, she began to bite her bottom lip, her head hurting somewhat. Book three was placed down on the bed, and it soon opened to the corrective page only for her to walk up and move a lock of her undone hair out of her eyes. She looked down upon the instructions more closely. “Fog is often created only for it to dissolve,” she ready aloud. “But did you know that you can conserve more mana by forming a top layer first? You don’t need to sustain what is already created. It often enough sustains itself after a portion is made. So once the first layer is crafted, just let it loft, and make the next layer, and then the next, and so on… But, I’ve found that doing this still requires too much magic for Trixie to do it discretely!” She looked at the sleek floor where dampness had fallen from the atmosphere around her, and huffed, but Trixie wasn’t about to allow all she’d worked on go to waste. “One last try at it, but after that, if Trixie can’t keep it going, she’ll have to tell Princess Celestia that she… That she…” Her eyes shut tightly, her head shaking in defiance to the mere notion. She wouldn’t even finish her sentence, and instead, got right back to work, determination in her eyes now rather than worry. Like the last few tries, her horn glowed its bright, pink aura, and the spacing around her was filled with her soft magic. “T-too noticeable! Lower…” With focus, the light dimmed, eventually forming a slight mist. Already, a bead of sweat was forming along the ridges of her cheeks and forehead. It didn’t matter, though, because the crowd would definitely see this, but still, she had to complete the spell. One blob of evaporated water emerged after another, out of seemingly nothing, formed by Trixie’s efforts. After another second, she’d let go of that layer, and then the next was made just to float downwards along with the one underneath it. “T-Trixie’s doing it! Haha… she’s doing it, finally!” Her concentrated frown soon changed into a satisfied looking smile, and her eyes glanced all around the imaginary stage. She could see all the ponies there beaming her way, cheering her on, and in the very back would be Celestia looking down from up above, happy that her student had passed. Though, then, it stopped. She was in her room again, alone, facing the wall that stood firm just a few feet away from her. She began panting from the ordeal while the smoke slowly fell to the floor and dissipated. With sadness in her voice now, she reminded herself, “Nopony would be impressed by a basic fog spell, though. It’s… only an effect for the show. I can’t even keep it up for five minutes without keeling over from exhaustion! I need to...” She glanced back up to the mirror, and saw herself finally. “Trixie!” She gasped. “She needs to freshen herself up!” At those words, she ran across the dampened floor, and could see herself in the reflection of the white tiles below. Though she felt pained to feel as if all her studying time that day had resulted in very little progress, if anything, Trixie wasn’t about to wake Druid Shield from his slumber looking like this, tired and mane a miserable mess. It took her mere minutes to finish her preparations, and was ready to head out. “Where’s my coat? And where’s my hat?!” She asked this while leaving the bathroom, steam trailing behind her. She trotted up to the stack of books, and soon after snatching the scroll, she grabbed her coat and hat as well. They were found behind the bed. “Huh, Trixie only had to shout once this time around… The spacing is definitely an improvement!” With that, she was out the door. Outside, she greeted Druid while he yawned. “Morning, sleepy head. Ready to go?” “Yeah,” Druid said, his hoof scratching his neck. “Although, I’ve got instructions from Celestia.” “What kind of instructions would be more important than my need for food? Hmm???” He held his hoof where it was, pressed up against his chin, and gave her this look. “Food?” “Yes! Food. Trixie requires you to take her to the kitchen first!” He blinked once with a pause. “... Please?” “Okay,” Druid shrugged. He then turned around to face the hall. “Follow me.” Trixie trotted forth eagerly, sometimes passing him by at particular corners, her stomach noticeably growling every step of the way. “Have you eaten much?” Trixie answered, “Some fruit, but that’s about it, and that was… was it five, or six hours ago…? Trixie forgets.” She said the last part while smiling. The expression soon became one of curiosity, because at that moment while she trotted by a window, she could see Celestia down blow, under a gazebo. Next to her stood Rarity, plainly noticeable thanks to her beautiful, curling mane. Druid kept walking, and then came to a door at the end of the corridor. “Right this way,” he said to get Trixie’s attention. For the most part, it seemed Celestia was seeing Rarity off, so Trixie didn’t worry about it too much. Trixie could now be found before a table waiting with closed eyes, and her nose sniffing the air, trying to catch a whiff of what she had ordered. She tapped her hoof on the ground, her belly rumbling, and her muzzle scrunched in annoyance. “He said it’d only take a second…” The area around her was one of many dining halls, a rectangular room used by guards and the like to dine, or take breaks, but for the moment, it was vacant save for Trixie sitting at the far end. Above the middle of the elegant furnishing hung a broad, and dangerously dangling chandelier. It stayed still, but just from looking up often forced just about anypony into dizziness. To the left of Trixie was the door to the kitchen. A few rattling noises could be heard beyond the wall, but no smells left its creases for Trixie to sample. Just when she was close to bursting from impatience, the doors opened up finally, and out came a chubby, red coated, white highlighted stallion with a matching engineer’s hat. Patterns of red and white decorated his chef’s uniform, including the random headpiece. With him, he brought a plate filled with a wide assortment of various food. Things like chopped carrots, a side of grains, some hay with flower petals sprinkled in here and there, and some sugar cubes for dessert. As he set it down before Trixie, he said with an italian accent, “Just as ordered, signora, and sorry for being so late. Mille scuse.” Trixie didn’t hear a word, not that she’d have understood some of it. She just began eating. In between bites, she mumbled, “Thish is good!” “Grazie! Twilight liked that particular selection as well!” Trixie stopped a bit from entering her mouth. The fork floated there with her magic holding onto it, a carrot disk stuck in its prongs. “Twilight… Sparkle?” “Esattamente!” Trixie looked away, shook her head, and said, “Right, she probably ate here, too.” “Sat in the same spot, Sì! Oh, mio Dio!” Even despite Druid Shield coming up to her at this point, all Trixie could do was resume eating, if only appearing a bit distanced. “Enjoying the meal?” “Mmhmm...” “Good. Mind if I share with you what Celestia wanted of you now that I have your attention? She told me that when I could, she’d like me to escort you to the ballroom. Turns out you won’t be performing in front of anypony tomorrow after all. That’s all I’ll say, though.” Trixie looked up, hay sticking out of the left side of her lips. She slurped the hay in quickly, gulped, and then breathed before saying, “I’m done! Take me to the ballroom.” “You… only finished half of-” “Debating with Trixie, are we?” Trixie said quickly. “If Trixie might share some advice. When she makes up her mind, that’s it! Trixie wants to hurry along to Princess Celestia.” She nearly leaped out of the chair, the chef standing idly by with a puzzled expression. “Was it something I said…?” Meanwhile, in the halls, although Druid Shield was supposed to be leading the way, Trixie walked in front, her strut fuming with attitude. “Something the matter?” Druid Shield asked. Trixie slowed. She was now next to her guard, and said while staring forward, “Twilight and I have a checkered past. At first, she irritated me, and with time, infuriated me, but now, it’s changed. It’s just… strange.” Druid watched Trixie’s movements closely. She looked away while he asked, “Why’s that?” “I feel as if…” Trixie began before stopping at a four way fork. “I feel as though she’s not really forgiven me. There’s lots of details you don’t know about, but I just felt weird sitting in that chair, eating that food.” Druid merely nodded before looking straight ahead at the entrance to their current destination. “Here we are.” That’s when from behind Trixie and Druid Shield came a shadowy figure. What surprised Trixie the most about this being, though, was when coming to the front, she turned out to be a bat pony. Thanks to Druid’s keen sense of hearing, he quickly gasped well before Trixie’s realization of any such presence, and had already asked curiously, “Moon Dancer? Is that you?” “Hey you two!” she hollered from behind. As soon as this mysterious mare entered Trixie’s line of sight, Trixie could already feel fear wash over her. She’d seen a bat pony's ears, and their teeth before, but never had Trixie seen more broad wings from such a mature looking, full blooded bat pony. Moon Dancer had purple hair, and a smoky coat, and with her flying by while nearly bumping into Trixie, she also heeded her little mind in comparison to Druid Shield. Faster than she’d arrived, Moon Dancer had already kissed Druid Shield, and at first, he seemed somewhat shy about it. He quickly closed his eyes, though before doing so, he made eye contact with Trixie. All the performer could do was watch her servant coldly, a bit of disappointment washing over her. He hadn’t told her he wasn’t single, after all. Once their embrace was over, Moon Dancer’s attention was brought to Trixie. “So, who’s this?” she said sweetly. “Oh, pardon.” He motioned to the mare he serviced. “This is Trixie.” Now, normally, Trixie is the first to introduce herself. However, in this particular instance, she merely stood there, a look of disbelief on her face. One could even call it a scoul. She just kept looking back at Druid, almost wanting to say something; why he would allow himself to become so clueless as to Trixie developing a possible crush on him. Is he so thick headed? “Wow, your friend here’s a lot like you, all zoned out all the time.” “Huh?” Trixie asked. Rather than repeating herself, Moon Dancer behaved quite knowingly, and kept the conversation light. “He used to talk more, and be all into the job, but nowadays, he’s just all outta it! You notice?” Trixie blinked. “I… thought that’s just how he was.” “Nah,” Druid spoke up. “Actually, she’s right. I just haven’t been myself lately.” At that, all Moon Dancer did was shake her head with a smirk. “Whatever, stud. Hey, Trixie? What’s your affiliation with Rudy anyway?” Trixie looked to the floor, and then the ceiling, and then at Druid’s blushing cheeks. Finally, she said, “He was assigned to me as my… servant?” Druid’s ears lowered. “For the most part, that’s correct.” “So, I guess I won’t see you topside then, huh?” Moon Dancer ventured to ask her stallion. “Not much, no… Sorry…” He got one last kiss before his love started taking off. “Trixie, if you can?” Moon Dancer requested before leaving entirely. “Yes?” She opened her mouth, trying to make her words decisive, but there just wasn’t any other way of putting what she wanted to say lightly. “Don’t… fall for him. He’s already taken.” With that said, she floated off towards the ceiling, and out the far window she exited, probably the same one she used to get inside in the first place. After her disappearance, things fell far too silent for Trixie and Druid Shield. The two of them just stood there, in that corridor, close by, knowing what one another was thinking. Finally, Druid Shield broke the silence by stating, “I should’ve told you about Moon Dancer sooner.” After that, he just walked forth where his Highness had instructed him to bring her student. Trixie followed slowly, and timidly behind, her heart sinking every step of the way. Furtively, she knew it hadn’t been long enough for her to have developed serious emotions for Druid Shield, so why did that incident move her so? With no more secrets, she asked, “When were you planning on telling me that you had a special somepony?” He slowed his pace, looked around with his mouth open, and finally said before speeding up, “I wasn’t, but neither was I about to let you develop any kind of love for me.” Trixie contemplated her next choice of words, but what ended up coming out was, “What if I’ve already developed emotions for you?” His tone grew cold as he said, “Then I feel sorry for you.” Soon after reaching the door, he stopped, turned around and said, “Here we are, but if it’s alright with you, I’d like to return to the-” “Be off with you.” His eyes had been mostly looking downwards, but after hearing Trixie say that, and with such a dark attitude, too, he couldn’t help but to suddenly look up at her only to see his master looking the other way. She had anger in her eyes, the kind he was seeing for the first time. With little time delayed, he quickly rounded, and left Trixie there in the hall by herself. She wouldn’t even watch him leave, and didn’t enter till the echoes of his steps could be heard no more. She entered quietly into what turned out to be a ballroom with a stage built against the glass. This room was different in comparison to the one from before. This was another, already well prepared ballroom ready for use. However, there was one object in particular that seemed to be a tad bit off. Everything else was maintained so well, and themed so nicely, that ss she saw the huge, golden tree, she wondered if that was even supposed to be up there. It grew on the stage, its roots creeping over the edges, and something about it told Trixie that something random was about to take place here. At this time, Trixie heard from above, “There you are, my new student!” Celestia came floating down, landing between her student and the massive, golden tree. “Celestia, what’s going on?” Celestia had opened her lips to speak, but what sounded was a familiar voice, cold and nerve racking for Trixie. “It’s my thinking tree! And it’s got a special prize for you, Trixie… hence it’s bright colors.” Out came Discord from the bushes, landing right next to Celestia. The princess merely smiled his way, not noticing the grimace upon Trixie’s face. “Trixie knows you!” the unicorn stated loudly, and at that, Celestia returned her attention to the shaky unicorn standing before her. “Oops,” Discord played along, holding his paw up to his mouth. “Dear Celestia! I forgot to remind you, Celestia, that during my little run in with Tirek, I might’ve aided him in harvesting Trixie’s magic as well. Sorry about that!” Celestia only breathed with calmly closed eyes while Trixie voiced openly, “You did nothing of the sort!” “Huh?” Celestia said, her hoof closest to the student raising in surprise. “Trixie was insulted greatly by this beast!” “Psh, well, it was mostly Tirek who said your magical prowess wasn’t even worth his time.” Celestia gasped at that, something Trixie didn’t like one bit. She grew cold after hearing this, and looked over to Trixie. “Is this true? Because if so…” At that, Discord snapped his fingers after saying, “Of course it’s true! See for yourself!” He’d summoned a dimensional portal to the past. It took its spot against the bark of Discord’s thinking tree, and through it, Trixie and her mentor certainly did make out the depiction of Discord, Tirek, and Trixie all clustered in the back of some hotel and bar. It was the very same bar Trixie had been occupying for quite some time, and just then, her show was being interrupted by the two brutes. Tirek lead the way, sucking pony after pony dry of everything they had, until finally, he reached the stage. He was at his penultimate status by now, his horns ripping the ceiling apart. He looked down at the mare, and said, “All that’s left now is this pony, the princesses, and a few select others… Hehe…” “D-don’t you dare take Trixie’s magic,” Trixie said bravely. Tirek chuckled at her, and growled, “Do a little song and dance for me, and I might allow you to leave in one piece! Don’t, and I’ll... Well… either way, I’ll get what’s mine.” Trixie retaliated, and shot her electric magic at his chest. It did little good, and only tickled the giant. In time, Trixie stopped, scared of what might happen next. “Don’t you… t-touch Trixie!” He bellowed, before preaching, “Do you wish to know the saddest part about this whole endeavor? I’m able to honestly say that you’re the weakest unicorn in all these lands!” At that, he turned, the roof caving in. “Come on, Discord. She’s not even worth my time. Let’s leave this pony with her performances.” Discord gave Trixie a sneer from the entryway, and said, “By that attitude, she must be hot tonight! Haha!” Back in the present, Trixie backed away from Discord and his golden tree. Celestia, however, was not about to allow this to stop Trixie’s progression. “Now, now, little one.” Her hoof raised, stopping Trixie where she stood without the need for physical contact. “This is Discord, and he’s reformed. I know it’s probably hard for you to accept that, but-” “Come now Celestia,” Discord said. “What were we talking about moments ago?” Her highness looked at him, thought for a second or two, and then said, “Constants and variables.” “Very good, so in other words…” He walked up to Trixie, almost slithering his way into her personal space, and said, “You would do this one justice for me, wouldn’t you?” “Justice?” Trixie asked curiously, her attention being completely diverted. “Yes!” Discord exclaimed, “You see, I’ve been struck with unfortunates beyond my repair!” His claw flung upwards only for his palm to land on his forehead and rest there. “If only I knew of somepony who could stand up to what lies beyond the Cave of Hungers!” “Cave of what?!” “Yes, Trixie…” Discord came closer. “I’ve been watching you practice your magic, and so has Princess Celestia, and she agrees with me that you deserve a token. Something that will help to ‘push you forward’ so to say. It’s a medallion, embossed with the power to amplify one select spell of its bearer’s choice.” Trixie’s mouth dropped. “What?” “Oh, yes! However!” Discord pointed his finger to the ceiling. “If you take it upon yourself, and select the spell, then that spell shall forever be the only spell that the medallion amplifies!” Celestia inserted herself into the action with, “It was hidden away because of the danger it possesses, which is why we will be magnetizing that gem of your’s worn with your coat so that it will always be with you. Guard it well.” “What does it look like?” Trixie wondered. “Whatever you want!” Discord answered. “It will take the form of your choosing. Simply think of a symbol, and it will morph instantaneously! However…” “Yes,” Celestia said. “However… I saw to it that the medallion would never be stolen by the wrong hooves. It’s guarded well, but simply tell the beast that Princess Celestia sent you, and he will bow.” Trixie stepped towards where Celestia stood to ask, “What is it?” “It’s a surprise!” Discord stated with a silly attitude. “Now, will you be embarking on this mission to retrieve it for me and Princess Celestia, or won’t you?” Trixie huffed, looked at Celestia who only smiled back, and nodded. “If it means Trixie can use it to amplify her fog spell… then she’d be happy to embark on this quest!” “Not only that…” Celestia stepped up to the tree before resuming. “But, you’ll need not travel. This, as Discord puts it, is a one-way teleportation tree. It’s acting up just for you. The cave isn’t exactly reachable by hoof, train, but boat’s a different story I suppose… Still, you’d have to walk a pretty long ways after the ride just to… Well,” she giggled. “You understand. This is much faster.” “Yes ma’am…” She walked forth. “I’ll leave immediately.” “What?” Celestia asked, but she was soon reassured by Discord who laughed at Trixie’s bold behavior. “Constants and variables, Celestia!” With no more time to spare, he opened up the gateway for the all too eager mare. “Constants and variables!” Trixie hadn’t the faintest idea what that lunatic of a creature was rambling on about, but she didn’t very much care, either. For some reason, she just knew this trinket was something she needed, and she wasn’t going to get it by just standing around. “It’s just a cave after all,” she stated before being stopped by Celestia. “One last piece of knowledge, Trixie…” Looking her in the eyes, Celestia mentioned, “You’ll be meeting an escort beyond this point who will have provisions. You may thank my sister, Princess Luna for offering the service to you. She’s already gone ahead to set up camp, so we’ve still got some time. Now, let me see here. Please, Hold still.” Along came a paper ruler held by Celestia’s magic. Discord pulled one out of his ear as well, and then the two began randomly taking Trixie’s measurements. “Uh, excuse Trixie, but… hey! What gives?!” “There we go!” In little time at all, Celestia had finished getting Trixie’s measurements, and then stated gingerly, “When you return, I’ll also have your Grand Galloping Gala dress readied special. You… are coming, aren’t you?” Trixie blinked. “Ohhh… Uh, well, is Discord coming?” Celestia nodded with a sweet smile. Despite not liking him much based off what she’d seen of him, Trixie understood that first impressions were usually horrible instances for some reason. It’d be wrong not to give this stranger a second chance. “I… suppose so.” Discord’s ears perked up, and a grin formed. “You mean… you wouldn’t mind my presence? Because as I’m sure you know, I can be quite disturbing! Just ask Celestia!” The Princess giggled some more, and promised Trixie, “I’ll be keeping him on his best behavior. Now, shouldn’t you be on your way…?” “Yes ma’am!” Trixie stated quite excitedly. Without any more time to spare, she simply jumped in, head first. It was right then and there that she thought back to earlier that very day. It was when she’d seen Celestia standing with Rarity underneath that gazebo. Perhaps Princess Celestia wasn’t seeing Rarity off after all, and was instead greeting her. She might’ve even been going over the arrangements for Trixie’s dress, but it was too late to ask her highness now. Besides, Trixie wasn’t interested in keeping her escort waiting any longer.