In Somepony's Shadow

by Whammy

Great and Powerful Illusions

The smell of lavender tickled Princess Luna’s nose as she levitated another bundle of them into the scones that lined the throne room. It was a little ritual she liked to do, to help the denizens of the castle get to sleep after a long and busy day of governing. There was, however, another reason she enjoyed the task, one more personal. Nothing helped her to think more than a simple walk, and the stillness of the castle at night gave her plenty of time to focus on her own thoughts. After having dealt with Trixie last night and her stormy emotions, she really felt the need for such a moment of quiet.

“Good evening, sister. I hope that you are in a better mood to talk now?”

Or one not so quiet.

Luna turned to face her sister, who for once was not surrounded by a bunch of attention-seekers desiring her word on some issue or another. While she had hoped to have a moment alone to think, she still put on a smile for her sister, though she was also somewhat confused.

“What do you mean ‘now’? I do not believe we’ve had the chance to talk at all today.”

Her sister simply giggled.

“I’m not surprised you don’t remember. This morning I tried to ask you how your first lesson with Trixie went, but you simply grunted at me before biting into a pineapple and walking away. And after I went into so much work to make you some strawberry pancakes…”

Luna rolled her eyes.

“My apologies for being too tired to talk after working all night,” she said as she once again started on her walk, levitating another set of lavender flowers into another scone.

“Oh my, was Trixie really that much trouble for you?” Celestia, joining alongside her.

“No…well, there was the minor problem of her being an hour late due to sleeping in, which did delay my other duties.”

“No! An entire hour late?” Celestia gasped, though the small laugh that followed suggested it was in a jest.

“It may have been somewhat unfair of me to demand her to adjust to a nocturnal schedule after only a day. For now, I have decided to forgive it, so long as it does not become a regular occurrence,” she stated, her next hoof step coming down with just a bit more force than normal, as if to punctuate the declaration.

“That is quite merciful of you, Luna. Hopefully Trixie has learned to be more punctual since her school days. From what I recall, she was known for being a bit of a chronic tardier, usually because she was off somewhere trying some new trick.”

“I saw a mention of that in the records you let me borrow,” she said, glancing down at the wheel barrow full of lavender. “They suggested she had a rather…troublesome time in school.”

“Some foals do have trouble under the usual EEA requirements. I’ve tried to work with them about developing some new ideas for that, but it has been rather slow going.”

“Yes, I have heard of how difficult Chancellor Neighsay can be. Still, I am concerned that there might be more to Trixie’s problems than a simple disliking of textbooks and lecturing.”

“What do you mean?” Celestia replied, her tone having shifted from her usual playfulness to one of concern.

Luna bit at her lip, unsure how much to tell Celestia. Part of her still wanted to work this out on her own, if at least to show herself that she had a handle on this ‘mentor’ thing. But, she knew that Celestia had more experience in this matter, and at least had some knowledge of Trixie from the mare’s school days. It wouldn’t hurt, perhaps, to ask for some advice.

“Near the end of her lesson, after a relatively minor but understandable slip in her magic, she overreacted, and the next thing I knew she had challenged herself to, in one day, master the art of illusion magic to such a degree she could disguise herself as me and stormed out. It was all rather confusing,” she said, placing a forehoof on her head.

“Yes, uhm, that does sound a little confusing. Could you explain what this slip up was that got her so upset?”

“It was a simple request really. I wanted to test her glamour spell ability, and so I asked her to change the appearance of one teacup to look like another one. She had gotten rather close, but she had made hers shinier than the other. I simply pointed out she may have unconsciously transferred her usual desire to show off into the spell and—”

“Oh, I think I understand the problem,” Celestia said.

“And what is it, dear sister?” Luna said. She never quite liked being interrupted.

“You’ve mentioned before that Trixie feels guilty about what happened regarding the incidents in Ponyville, correct?”

“Yes, that is part of why I wanted to reach out to her after all.”

“It may be possible that she interpreted your comment about ‘showing off’ as throwing those incidents back in her face?”

“Perhaps.”

She looked down at the last bits of lavender that were left to put up as she thought. About her sister’s words. It sounded like a plausible reason for Trixie’s reaction. Being reminded of something one feels guilty about, even in such a small way, could elicit great emotion. Even after Twilight’s intervention, she still sometimes felt the heat of anger fill her when she saw a Nightmare Moon mask on Nightmare Night. Still, it didn’t feel like a full explanation of the events last night.

“Though, imposing something as challenging a full body glamour spell to appear as one who looks so different from her seems a rather odd reaction if she was simply lashing out about her guilt,” she said, glancing back at her sister. When her sister gently laughed, however, she tilted her head. “Do you find my apprentice’s emotional turmoil funny, sister?”

Celestia waved a hoof dismissively. “No, no, my sister, I’m laughing at you for missing the obvious conclusion for that,” she said, smiling.

Luna, however, remained confused.

“You see, my dear sister, it is common for apprentices to sometimes…overreact in their desire to please their mentors. I presume you recall the time Twilight once casted a ‘Want It, Need It’ spell on the entirety of Ponyville simply to try and have a friendship lesson letter for me?”

Realization dawned on Luna, and she rubbed the bottom of her muzzle as she thought.

“So, Trixie likely imposed the challenge on herself in order to impress me, possibly because she thinks I’m somehow disappointed in her for her overreaction?” she said, before shifting from rubbing her muzzle to what the modern era called a “facehoof.” “I knew her pride and anxieties were deep, but this is truly a vexing level to deal with.”

She could feel her sister gently wrap her with a wing, and without really thinking about it, she found herself leaning into Celestia just a little. Her sister always felt rather warm to lean on, like a soothing nap under a heavy blanket in the middle of the night.

“It’s alright, Luna. As awkward as you can be sometimes…”

Luna gave her sister the side-eye, with Celestia simply smiling back.

“Don’t give me that look, Luna. We both know that you are sometimes not the most sociable of ponies. But, when it matters, I can’t think of a single pony who is better at empathizing and understanding the needs of another pony better than you. Sooner or later you’ll figure out the best way to reach out to Trixie, and I am sure she’ll be eager to accept it.”

“It is nice to know you have such confidence in me. Perhaps I should have a talk with Trixie after—”

“PRINCESS LUNA!”

“Or, possibly, right now,” Luna said as she turned her gaze to the silver-maned unicorn running towards the two of them from the other end of the hall.

“I think I shall take my leave, then,” Celestia said, letting go of Luna and turning to leave. Before she could take a step, however, Trixie yelled out again.

“WAIT! WE NEED A JUDGE,” Trixie said as she slid to a stop in front of them.

“Or I shall stay around to be a judge,” Celestia said, giggling as she turned to face Trixie, who was catching her breath. “And what shall I be judging, Trixie?”

“Evening…Princess…Celestia.” After a second Trixie’s breathing returned to normal. “I told Princess Luna that by this evening I would have mastered a spell that would make me appear just like her. We need you to judge how well I did by seeing if you can tell the difference…if you’d like, Princess Celestia,” Trixie said, finishing her request with a little bow.

“Hmmm, very well. While I can’t stay for your whole lesson, I think I can make time for this little test,” Celestia said, giving a wink to Luna.

Luna, meanwhile, was unsure. She had hoped to simply talk with Trixie without all this, for surely there was no way that Trixie would have mastered such a task after just one night. Yet, the look of excitement on Trixie’s face guilted her. Maybe it would not be too bad a result if Trixie’s failure gave her a launching point for talking on more serious matters. Though, the fact that Trixie was so excited gave her a moment of pause, for based on what she had seen Trixie should not be so enthusiastic to obviously fail. From that alone, she had to admit a tinge of curiosity for whatever it was that Trixie was going to do. Perhaps, in some feat of ingenuity, she had figured a way to do it.

“Whenever you are ready, Trixie, we can begin your challenge. Though, do not be disappointed if my sister is able to tell the difference. After all, we have known each other for a rather long time, and as such there may be minor subtleties she could spot...” she said, hoping that would provide an out for Trixie that would not hurt her pride.

Her curiosity was again tickled, however, as Trixie puffed out her chest just a tad and grinned.

“Do not underestimate the Great and Powerful Trixie’s abilities.”

Luna looked over at Celestia, who was giggling at Trixie’s antics. She personally didn’t want to encourage this bravado, but if it could give Trixie enough confidence to push on, then she would tolerate it.

“Very well, we shall begin. Sister, if you would,” she said, motioning with a forehoof for Celestia to turn around. Her sister complied, and Luna turned her attention to Trixie. “Are you sure about this, Trixie?”

Trixie nodded. “Yes, I said I would do it and I’m going to do it! No more boastful Trixie, after all! I’m going to show you exactly how great I can be at magic.”

“Trixie, there is no need to prove anything to me,” Luna replied, and for a moment Trixie seemed hesitant. After a second, and Trixie shaking her head, she once again appeared rather resolute, with whatever thought having stopped her now obviously gone.

“No, I do have to prove something,” Trixie said, staring forward and taking a breath. Luna simply sighed, hoping that after they had a chance to talk Trixie wouldn’t feel like that was a case.

With nothing else to say, the two mares stood side by side a couple of feet apart, standing in as close to the same pose as they possibly could. Luna still looked at Trixie out of the corner of her eye, watching as Trixie’s horn began to glow. The flash of magic forced her to close her eyes, and she felt tempted to keep them closed for a bit longer so as to delay disappointing Trixie. When she opened her eyes and looked, however.

“T-Trixie, how did you…”

There would be no need for Celestia to judge this contest, for Luna felt as if she was looking into a mirror. The silver-maned mare was no more, replaced instead by a clone of her. Trixie had even somehow mastered the slightest fidgeting of the wings, so as to give them the illusion of being real. Such a feat was a challenge for any illusionist simply trying to replicate a pony, let alone all the differences between an alicorn and a normal pony.

“Luna, it’s too easy a challenge if you talk,” Celestia said, still turned around. Before Luna could respond, however, Trixie-as-Luna spoke up. “There is no need to worry, sister, for Trixie has made such a wonderful disguise that even talking won’t help.”

She…she had somehow copied her voice as well. Sure, she knew Trixie had some sound illusion ability with her fireworks, but perfectly replicating another pony’s voice? All she could do was look at Trixie, her mouth slightly agape, as Celestia turned around.

“Is that so? Well, I think I’ll…be the judge of that?”

Glancing at her sister, she could see that Celestia was also looking at Trixie with some awe. A moment of silence passed, both of them simply taking in the sight, the Trixie-Luna simply grinning in victory.

“Soooo, does this mean that The Great and Powerful Trixie has won the challenge?”

“Well, I would certainly say so Trixie,” Celestia said, gently giving a bow. “It appears that I may have underestimated your skill, for I was half expecting you to simply look like a miniature version of my sister, minus the luxurious mane and wings of course.”

Trixie laughed, but there was a nervousness to it that Luna couldn’t help but notice.

“Well, that was what it looked like at first, but after I really put my mind to it, I figured out how to do it.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. It couldn’t be that simple, could it?

“And what was this trick that you discovered that allowed for such unexpected results?”

“Oh, well, you know, really learning how to imagine you in my mind and trying to ‘fit’ myself into that image. I mean, at least that’s kind of how I would describe the feeling,” Trixie said, rubbing a foreleg across another one.

“It seems you have quite the powerful imagination, and quite a memory, to have been able to perfectly replicate my sister in such detail,” Celestia said, having moved around Trixie so as to get a better look at the mare’s illusion from all angles. For what was supposed to be an amazing accomplishment that Trixie would be proud of, however, Luna couldn’t help but notice the mare seemed particularly fidgety, her wings twitching so slightly in that way some pegasi did when they were being questioned.

“Yes, it is most impressive for you to have advanced your knowledge in illusion magic so quickly in such a short amount of time,” Luna added, taking a small step towards Trixie, who matched her movement. An odd thing indeed.

“Like I said, I wanted to prove to you that I really knew what I was doing, that I wasn’t just boasting,” Trixie said, looking at Luna.

The princess could see Trixie’s eyes darting around. Luna could guess that it was in search of even the slightest sign of disappointment or rebuke. She turned slightly to look at Celestia, who, now done with her investigation, simply smiled and nodded at her.

Perhaps all of this was simply Trixie showing a rare moment of embarrassment at the attention she was getting. Still, something was obviously bothering Trixie, and while she had hoped to talk later, there didn’t seem to be any reason to not try to talk now.

“Trixie, I appreciate your eagerness in wanting to show your talents, but there’s no need to prove anything to me,” Luna said, letting her face soften into a gentle smile. “When I took you on as an apprentice, it was because I believed that you had potential that, with proper guidance, could indeed allow you to be the great and powerful mare you believe yourself to be.”

Trixie quickly glanced away from Luna, a hoof gently kicking at the floor of the hallway.

“I know you say that, but…I mean, look at Celestia’s apprentices. Twilight was a prodigy and became a princess, and so was Sunset Shimmer before she ran off into that mirror thing! I just wanted you to know that I could be one too.”

Luna was about to say something, but all of a sudden Celestia stepped forward, a slight furrow to the brow that she had only seen on her sister when she suspected something was wrong.

“How do you know about Sunset Shimmer and the mirror? Not many ponies outside of the castle would know of such things, considering it was supposed to be secret.”

Trixie’s eyes widened. “Er…well, someone might have mentioned something about her to me…”

“Who was this ‘someone’?” Celestia said. Luna was rather surprised at the intense look on Celestia’s face. She knew the stories of her former apprentice, one whose own pride and ambition had lead to a falling out and her disappearance across the magical mirror. It was odd Trixie would know of it, however

“N-no one in particular, really. Just, you know, Discord,” Trixie said, her mouth twitching as she tried to smile.

In an amazing moment of synchronization, both sisters sighed and engaged in a ‘facehoof.’

“Of course he would. That explains so much of your anxiety,” Luna said. It shouldn’t have surprised her that that draconequus would deem her apprentice a worthy target for mischief.

“Trixie, my dear, just how much Discord tell you of Sunset Shimmer?” Celestia said.

“Just, you know, that she was really arrogant and so you two might not like another arrogant apprentice around unless I showed I was just way too good to not keep around,” Trixie said, still grinning.

“Ugh, that insufferable draconequus,” Celestia said, shaking her head. “It is true that Sunset Shimmer was arrogant, and ambitious, but she chose to leave on her own, and it was only till recently it seems she learned she was wrong. Comparatively, you have a greater awareness of your flaws than she did as my apprentice.”

Trixie’s smile stabilized. “Really?”

Luna stepped forward. “Trixie, despite the word ‘powerful’ in your title, ultimately it is not your potential to be powerful magician that I am concerned about.”

Trixie blinked. “Uhh, then what are you concerned about? Because I thought that was the whole point of being an apprentice.”

Luna gave a gentle laugh. “No, Trixie, I am ultimately interested in your potential to master the power and magic of friendship and become a better pony. Sure, I will teach you magic along the way in hopes of you using it for good like Twilight Sparkle has, but even if you are not another Starswirl the Bearded in the making, I would continue to mentor you.”

Trixie simply looked at her as if she had never heard something like what she had just said. Luna was not so sure what to do in this moment, but continued to smile in hopes something would break the tension. Trixie starting to cry, however, was not exactly the tension reliever she had wanted.

“I…thank you, Luna,” Trixie said, using a forehoof to wipe the tears away…wait a moment.

“Trixie, how are you making the illusion cry?”

Once again, Trixie’s eyes widened. “O-oh, I, uh, guess I’m somehow making the tears from my actual body just kind of show up in the illusion’s eyes?”

That didn’t sound like how an illusion spell would work. Sure, one could fake it, if Trixie had been on stilts such that her real face was where the illusion’s face would be, but Trixie hadn’t been wearing stilts or anything when she arrived.

“Trixie, could you cancel the illusion and do it again, with some explanations?” Luna said. She didn’t want to discourage her student, but if Discord had been talking with her, there was the potential for some mischief having occurred here.

“Yes, I too am rather curious about how you pulled off such a grand illusion, Trixie? Or is this a ‘magician never reveals her trick’ kind of deal?” Celestia added.

“L-like I said, I’m just really good at translating my imagination to an illusion,” Trixie said, gently backing up. She then yawned and stretched. “Anyway, I’m really tired out by holding this spell for so long, so maybe we can talk about it more tomorrow?”

“Sure, Trixie, we can talk about it tomorrow, if that is what you would prefer,” Luna said. Something was up, but she was not eager to begin pushing her student away with suspicions after having finally gotten to her in some manner. If Discord had helped her cheat or something, there would be time to deal with it tomorrow.

“Great! Well, uh, good night then,” Trixie said, her horn glowing as the illusion dispelled.

Both Luna and Celestia had started to turn to prepare to head out themselves, but the air was soon pierced with Trixie’s screaming. Quickly turning around, Luna’s eyes widened at the sight, leaving her with only one question to ask.

“Trixie, could you explain why you have an Ursa Minor’s leg?”

Comments

[Fetch]

By the Moon! What has Trixie done?

[Grekoy]

Busted.

[cosmic flash]

Well hopefully they can purge the chaos magic.

[Frankie2]

I guess it takes a chaotic form to hold chaotic magic.

[Emperor]

Well, Trixie's letting slip about knowing of Sunset Shimmer was probably the best thing she could do here. She obviously wasn't confident enough to blab about Discord directly, but once she had to mention him because of Sunset, Luna and Celestia are at least intelligent enough to acknowledge the possibility of Discord's interference.

Also, that ending...if Trixie wasn't traumatised enough, having an Ursa's leg would do it!

[Gremory]

Yes , yes, yes, feed me more please.