“Well, this is awkward,” said Trixie while the nurse finished applying the iodine. Although her hoof was still mostly numb, she could feel a very faint sting.
“There,” Nurse Redheart as she finished tying the bandage around Trixie’s elbow. “Now Miss, please be more careful in the future.” She wiped some sweat from her forehead. Before Trixie could say so much as ‘thanks’, Redheart was already out of the room.
Trixie was sitting in the same bed where she awoke. Once the general panic of the first impression had passed, Trixie was finally allowed to use the shower and wash herself off. She had cleaned up easily enough except for her coat. No matter what she did, she could not get her brilliant azure coat to regain its luster. After the second time nurse Redheart knocked the door and asked of Trixie was alright in there, she just gave up and resigned herself to looking pale as a bone.
The wound on her leg had never stop bleeding, one small drop after another. With all the lights on and without the initial shock clouding her mind, Trixie finally realized that her blood was also not in its usual color. Instead of the scarlet tone she expected, Trixie found with no little amount of fear that the liquid leaving her body was far darker, and not even a tone of red, but a sickening dark green that verged almost on black. For Trixie, it resembled axle grease more than anything else.
Surprisingly, she was thankful this time she couldn’t cry.
Now here she was, sitting in front of seven ponies she barely knew. She was sure that at least four of them despised her, and she wasn’t really excited with them either. The fifth was a yellow pegasus she had seen around them and knew was their friend, but she didn’t matter to Trixie one way or the other. And then was the one that made Trixie’s life a living hell. With such company, Trixie would have closed the door on sight, but it was the seventh pony present who prevented her from doing so; her Majesty, Princess Celestia. Trixie could only gaze in awe at the only pony she never dared to compare herself with.
“Your Majesty,” Trixie boldly dared to break the silence. “Although Trixie is more than honored to be in your presence, she profoundly laments that it took events such as these for us to finally meet.” Everypony in the room tilted their heads and looked at Trixie as if looking like a living corpse was now the least strange thing about her.
“No need to apologize, for you’re not to blame for this situation,” Princess Celestia insisted, keeping her composure. As usual, she spoke softly and calmly. “Although I admire your bravery, my faithful subject, you have every right to be scared and I understand that.” A warm smile adorned her regal face.
Trixie looked back at her, trying to imitate the smile but ultimately failing.“Must be the numbness.” Instead, Trixie did the only thing left to do in a situation like this one. The show must go on and she has a role to play; the act.
"Thank you for your concern, your Majesty. But Trixie is certain that in due time this unfortunate situation can be set right." Even through the numbness, the smile she finally managed felt wooden.
It was not helped by The Princess' next words. "I'm afraid that may not be possible, my little pony."
After that, she politely asked Twilight and her friends to give her and Trixie some privacy. Although Twilight objected, and some of her friends did as well, Celestia’s calm and resolution won out. After a final assurance to her faithful student that she would be safe alone with Trixie, the Princess returned to her seat opposite the showmare.
With the patience and practice of a pony who had ruled a thousand years and had more than her fair share of experience with breaking bad news to unfortunate ponies, Princess Celestia explained to Trixie everything that she had explained to Twilight and her five friends earlier. Through it all, Trixie couldn't help but see the look of infinite sorrow in the Princess' deep purple eyes, as though the alicorn herself where personally responsible for Trixie's situation.
And yet, Trixie resisted.
Trixie resisted while the Princess told her that the dark liquid inside her wasn’t blood, but something way more sinister known as necroplasm. Liquefied dark magic. Trixie resisted too after hearing that since the necroplasm was supplying the energy to keep her going, most of her organs were now useless and would eventually atrophy. Trixie kept resisting when it was explained to her that her heart wasn’t beating anymore, but instead it was the Alicorn Amulet what was keeping her going.
Trixie’s willpower was tested when Celestia said, with tears in her eyes, that she was dead.
In the end though, it all came down to a final question, one that Trixie had been subconsciously dreading since she had first seen herself in the mirror.
“Why is there a restraining ring on Trixie’s horn?”
“The Alicorn Amulet's corruption works through the wearer's magic,” Celestia replied, refusing to even blink. “The only way to keep that corruption from progressing further is to block that magic." Celestia the mage, not the Princess, hesitated. It was clear to Trixie how much this was paining her as a fellow magic user. “Without it, there would be nothing to stop the Amulet from completely corrupting you.”
The room was dead silent, the only sounds those that drifted in faintly from beyond the closed door.
Even though she had been expecting it, even though she had been dreading it, part of her had to ask, “Does that means that I can never…”
“I’m truly, truly sorry.”
Trixie couldn’t resist anymore.
The rest of the night was mostly uneventful, or at least its events meant little to Trixie. Celestia tried to reassure her, telling her not to give up all hope, before finally taking her leave. Trixie had answered some more questions for the doctors before they departed again. Even Sparkle had poked her head back in, telling Trixie that she would be back in the morning and that she was determined to help.
“Help. From that mare.” In another time, the sole thought would have amused Trixie. In another life.
Trixie tried to sleep but to no avail. Whatever that ‘necroplasm’ was doing to her it clearly prevented her from feeling tired. Even if it wasn’t for that, she guessed she wouldn’t have been able to fall asleep. There was too much else on her mind.
Her entire life revolved around only two things; Magic and The Show. Or at least it had since she found her purpose in life, years ago with her masters in Neigh Orleans. She had clashed one too many times with her teachers at Celestia’s school, finally striking out on her own, making it as far south as that great old city on the bayou, before her path crossed with the first of them. They had taught her things those stuffy professors back at the school never could. They had shown her the true magic behind life and and changed hers forever.
She had never lost the thrill of The Show, not until she had come to Ponyville that first time. With that loss came the loss of everything else. That one boastful show had cost her everything.
“Why does it all have to be taken away from me?”
It wasn’t only her magic, that was just the worst of it. Trixie was now an horrorshow with hooves. She could see it in the doctors, she could see it in those six ponies. Trixie saw the fear in their eyes, the disgust that the mere sight of Trixie’s body-- no, of Trixie’s corpse. It wasn’t a body anymore, it was a corpse. Trixie wasn’t alive anymore, she was dead.
And, to add insult to injury, it had rendered her powerless.
It wasn’t just the magic itself or her tool of work that had been taken from her. No, it was much, much more than that.
It was her everything.
For Trixie, her magic was an extension of who she was. As far as Trixie was concerned, her magic was as much of her as her four hooves. Her very essence was taken away from her and without it, she might as well be truly dead. Yes, she still moved, she still thought. Somehow, even if technically dead, Trixie still lived. But to be without her power? What good was a unicorn without their magic? Now her magic was locked inside her, with the knowledge that if she ever tried to take it back out, it would also free the very thing that condemned her.
Lying on her back on the bed, Trixie raised her left foreleg, examining the bandage around her elbow. Hesitantly, she drew her hoof tip closer to her chest, where the object of her misery had taken her. She was afraid, very afraid, but a morbid sense of curiosity drove her to lower her hoof more.
Carefully, very carefully, she touched the red gem in the middle of the amulet. Unlike she expected, it was warm to the touch. In fact, it must have been very hot if Trixie’s numb hoof could feel it without problems. She slipped her hoof over the Amulet’s surface to its edge, where her own flesh and skin started. Again, the Amulet defied Trixie’s expectations. She was expecting to find badly healed scars around the Amulet but instead, skin, flesh and bones seemed to have fused with the unlucky charm, as if it has been part of her the whole time.
“I’ll be free,” she whispered. “I’ll be free from this, somehow.” Trixie closed her eyes, not to sleep, but to avoid seeing the reality in front of her.
She was glad that the tears couldn’t come any more.
Coming back to life sounds pretty hopeless.
Getting her magic back and blocking the corruption some other way, maybe?
True Kindness in all its cruelty.
Is it really a right thing to save a soul to continue existence, not the life?
This is so depressing. Poor Trixie. It's like saying you can never die no matter what you try and do. And to lose a part of herself, that's scary stuff. I would know.
They have condemned her to a mournful existence and there's nothing they can do. Except pull the plug I guess. However they would do that. I wonder if there will be a way to save her from this corruption? Still, good chapter.
She just needs another body.
I'm thinking a ferret
There are things in life that are worse than death. Trixie is 'living' one of them now. If this happened to any of them, what would they choose? Death or Existence? What would we choose?
Trixie as a Lich. Interesting. I like the story so far. I shall be watching this
5990701
Trixie, the Great and Powerful Carpet Shark! Scourge of loose socks and small items!
This is bleak. I wholeheartedly agree that losing her magic and her ability to perform would hurt far worse than practically anything. As 5990943 said, a fate worse than death.
However, Trixie is also known to be quite ingenious. Since I can't see you wanting to make this a grimbleak wangst-piece ending on a downer, I look forward to seeing how she copes with it and ultimately triumphs.
Keep up the good work.
You know that ring is the only thing that keeps Trixie from being corrupted by the Alicorn Amulet. So what if an evil force like queen Chrysalis would remove it? You know unleashing a terrible force which the heroes need to fight and when both parties are exhausted from beating one other. Chrysalis then appears to crush the weaken ponies.
Hehehe well penny for your thought with this latest brainstorm of mine, can't wait to see what trails you will bring our undeath Trixie to face.
As for the story I'm still enjoying it and can't wait for the next chapter.
Is it me or are you hinting here something?
Oh my god... my stomach, my mind... they twist and turn at the thought of what I just read.
If I were Trixie I would much rather be dead in these moments. Dead, free, whatever.
5990540
Now I'm thinking that this could have been my entry to the "It's impossible" contest. Oh well, next time.
About her magic, we, I don't want to spoil but I really don't want to spoil. Still reading? Okay, I'll just give you this; Earth Ponies and Pegasi have magic too besides not having a horn. There, that's all I can say.
5990563
Depending on your definition of life. Considering how bad can dark magic get in Equestria, Trixie could be as well in an "I have no mouth, and I have to scream" scenario. *shudders*
5990589
Oh crap! I really didn't meant to go that far, really. I'm sorry. Huh, I can't tell you about the future (an English guy telling me to not) but I can tell you to have some faith. In the end, all will be well.
5990701
That would be... interesting.
5990943
Not an easy choice, isn't it? And even there, how to really chose if the AA seems to be on control here?
5991094
Why does everybody keep saying lich? Not complaining, but before this I didn't even know the term existed, so it really amazes me how I managed to describe and characterize a creature I don't even know.
5991186
Should we seriously consider this???
5991449
It doesn't seem like the same author anymore, isn't it? Yeah, even with nightwalker keeping an eye on me, I still managed to get too far with the bleakness. I would like to think that these last three chapters have been limited to the hospital room as a way to symbolize the bleakness and now we're finally getting outside there, bleakness is staying in that room.
But keep your hopes, I have a plan.
Or maybe I'm making it up as we go, it's hard to tell when I'm the one writing.
5991702
Remember, I'm trying out a brave new style here. Of course, it seems I'm overdoing it a little since in any other fic of mine, by chapter four we would be facing an entire new arc.
How long it took Dante?
5992031
Interesting idea you have there. Since in this timeline Keep Calm and Flutter On haven't happened yet, even discord could be waiting his turn to use the advantage. After all, Trixie is now the magical equivalent of a hand grenade; take the pin off, count to three and wait for the chaotic explosion.
Maybe it is because Celestia let something as dangerous as the Alicorn Amulet lose. Maybe it's because Celestia feels impotent by not being able to help Trixie. Maybe it's because she's somehow involved in all of this. Maybe she knows something. Maybe she can help her but can't at the same time. Maybe she feels responsible for her as for any other pony under her rule.
Maybe (God, I am becoming a troll).
5992222
It makes Trixie look like a real heroine by actually resisting all the torture that must have been being told. There's no big bad or battle for the fate of everything, and yet, Trixie's fight agains despair may be the most intense fight I've ever wrote.
5993443
Hmm...
Nah, I went as grim and gritty as I can without shooting anything yet. And since this is not My Deadly Shot, I think it's time to move on from hell.
I would probably use the rap song "Rigamortis" (or the Remix of the song) By: Kendrick Lamar for this chapter. Mainly because I think it fits this chapter to me.
Now about this chapter!
It seems if Trixie removes that Ring from her horn, something bad and deadly will happen. Let's hope she'll be saved by the others. If not, then Rest In Peace, Trixie. (We already know this an Alternate Universe, so this is just a "what if..." theory.)
Awesome Job, Wave Blaster! Good Luck on the future chapters!
5993538
Again, thanks for sticking up through the whole thing. Don't worry, although I like to avoid spoilers as much as possible, I will tell you that i'm personally and actively against tragedy as a story's motto. Make out of that what you will.
And thanks for the support. I'm doing what I always do in these situations; panic, attack the wall head on, and then write till something good happens. But overall, do my best.
5993437 Your Welcome, Wave!
Quick Question, what's this thing you added on your comment? Cause I don't understand that. :rainbowhuh
(Note: It says "Cloud 4" on it.)
5993630 It's an image link of a thumbs up by the Heavy Weapons Guy from Team Fortress 2. My way to say thank you.
5993646 Well then I'll give you a Sonic Thumps Up for my respect!
And Again. Your Welcome!
5993444
5993452
5993564 Good Luck, Homie!
5993410 Sorry. I have a thing for mythos and legends and such. comes with where I live. anyway yeah a Lich is a type of undead creature. Often such a creature is the result of a transformation, as a powerful magician or king striving for eternal life uses spells or rituals to bind his intellect to his phylactery and thereby achieve a form of immortality. Liches are depicted as being clearly cadaverous, bodies desiccated or completely skeletal. Liches are often depicted as holding power over hordes of lesser undead creatures, using them as soldiers and servants.
Unlike zombies, which are often depicted as mindless, part of a hivemind or under the control of another, a lich retains revenant-like independent thought and is usually at least as intelligent as it was prior to its transformation. In some works of fiction, liches can be distinguished from other undead by their phylactery, an item of the Lich's choosing into which they imbue their soul, giving them immortality until the phylactery is destroyed.
Copyed from Wikipedia cause it explains it better than I can
5993410 Right now, the all the Alicorn Amulet is doing is keeping her alive. Plus, it was the Princess and Zecora that rose Trixie from the dead with it. They could have just put that thing under lock and key in Canterlot and left Trixie dead. Which begs the question, why did they bring Trixie back?
5993472 Trixie is going to be in her personal hell for quite some time. She still has to leave the hospital. She still has to be seen by others. She still has to learn how to function and get used to not functioning.
5993728
Oh, no need to apologize. I was just wondering out loud, still amazed at how I got a creature that already exists without knowing nothing about. Too bad I can't discuss how accurate is the lich description, but it would spoil the experience of finding out.
5993796
First, that's a very valid question.
Second, those are very interesting things to consider. Again, spoiler free talk, but yes, Trixie's new situation still has a lot to offer that haven't been addressed.
5993841 Ooo cant wait to read it
I hope she finds a way to do magic via the amulet instead of the horn. It would be rad to control her regeneration with it...
5993989
On it.
5994326 i think that using the Amulet directly would be worse. I mean, if by the intermediary of her magic it turned her into a Sombra-like dictator, imagine how bad it would god by removing the intermediary.
5995198 Not by something that would be connected to the mind. I think if Trixie's corpse will be damaged on a too big level - the amulet would automaticly restore it's state of that fresh after death.
Necroplasma hm?
Someone get Trixie a long, semi-inteligent crimson cape, chains forged from pure hellfire and a black bodysuit. We got ourself a new Spawn here.
5995364
Well, it's keeping everything running. Maybe the AA at least cares about something.
5995543
Someone got it? Holy-- Someone got it!
Have a pic:
derpicdn.net/img/2013/10/30/459959/large.jpeg
Come to think about it, the AA's color palette have some things in common with good old Al Simmons. now, considering Trixie's love for capes...
5995741 You sugest that the amulet hasa mind?
5995741
Ehehehee, well, Spawn is amongst the top heros from my early teenage years onwards, so the connection kinda jumped into my face, razorsharp claws first.^^ I scratched every cent together to get his comics as soon as they came into the shops.
That pic is pretty rad. Now that you point it out, it´s true. The Alicorn Amulet shares its primary colors with ol´Simmons. Uuuuhhu, I get all good kinds of shivers, envisioning Trix in that get-up, crouched on the rooftop of some building by night, highlighted by lightning during a heavy rain strom.
I like this so far, but please, think up a word for it that isn't necroplasm. It's so cheesy I can't take it seriously.
5995896
Huh... look, at cat! *runs away*
5995917
Spawn is by far one of my favorite independent comics ever, so it was going to inevitably end up in one of my stories someday. I'm glad that more people still remember it.
Now, about Trixie, since this is a spoiler-free comments section, I can't confirm or deny anything., but I personally find the mental image of Hellspawn!Trixie absurdly AWESOME!
fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/071/3/c/spawn_by_demonidras-d3bgl3k.jpg
5996094 I am the cat and I have your tongue.
5995922
Oh, come on, let me have me little piece o' cheese. Also, do you have a better name for death's blood?
5996201
"Ichor"? Yes, yes, I know, technically it means something different, but c'mon man. If you don't take your "sad, dark" story seriously enough to not use comicbook terms, then nobody reading it will, either.
5996266
It's not that I'm not taking it seriously. What's more, this is one of the few fics where I'm playing everything straight and serious. The fact that nopony is lampshading in universe how it sounds proves it.
I'll think about it.
5996356
Case in point, then. It would be alright if you weren't playing it straight, but to anyone who gets the joking reference, it makes the whole thing look like an intentional parody. It's not a bad thing in and of itself, but for the tone you're aiming for, it's just not fitting.
5996363
Well, think about this as a chemical that's highly charged with dark magic and has the properties of oxygenated blood but it's too tick for a regular heart to process. Since nopony really know what the flyin' eff is this, we will call it necroplasm till new evidence suggest it's another thing.
Man, this is some grim shit. At this point, it honestly looks as though she would've better off if they'd just let her die, and I can't believe I'm saying this about one of my favorite characters.
Still, the story's gripped me, and the concept is really intriguing. Keep this up, I wanna see how it goes.
6002071
You tell me. I still can't believe I'm doing this to one of my favorite characters.
Thanks for reading and don't worry, I'm working on it.
5993410
Both of which would be wonderful vectors for the Alicorn Amulet to corrupt it's host's mind without having to worry about getting around the horn limiter. Yeah, that might be a problem... {/Fridge Horror}
6006418
I love WMG's, it really puts the mind to work.
Man, hopefully Trixie can get to sleep at least. Being constantly awake would drive anybody bad after a few days (plus, presumably Luna might be able to do something in the realm of dreams). Not sure where the ending's going to go so far, something happy, bittersweet, or tragic.
6594287
Yeah, some sleep and sweet dreams would do wonders for Trixie's psyche... Man, I went kinda evil with that one.
And about the ending, there's an eventual one, but I can't say anything about it.
5990943 I would prefer Death, it's far more merciful than what happened to Trixie.
6685685
Point taken. But isn't Trixie already dead?
6692611 I suspect he refers less to the cessation of this temporary state known as 'life' and more to oblivion.
7166764
Fair point.
7285914
This chapter i the first one where all the focus and perspective is on and with Trixie. Since the previous ones were setting ones, this is the part when we put the reader on Trixie's side.
Now, knowing you got some ideas from it fills my cynic heart with a lot of optimism. I don't know if I'm doing it already already, but one of my main goals when sitting down to write is to inspire others to write too. That's how I started.
And I missed sleep writing, the you miss sleep reading. We're together in this.
Nos vemos.
-Wave