Magic Duel by Mail

by Lise

9. Trixie's Fate

Noonlight wanted to protest, she wanted to shout the truth to everypony. Instead she let herself leave the room accompanied by the professor. Behind her the door closed, like the gate of a prison. What had she turned into? She had betrayed Trixie twice in less than an hour. All her life Noonlight had grumbled against ponies like this, and now she had become what she despised the most. It was not Trixie who had abused their friendship, Noonlight had.

The walk to her room was silent, as if Noonlight were walking through a dream she couldn't wake up from. News of princess Twilight being at the school, had cleared the hallways, bird songs and the sound of Noonlight's hooves were the only thing remaining.

"Noonlight?" a voice brought her back to reality. "Do you need me to get anypony?"

It was Endless. Noonlight had completely forgotten about him. At this very moment she wanted to break down and cry. She wanted somepony to console her, to say everything would be alright. But those were empty hopes. Nothing was going to be alright.

"I'll be alright," she said quietly. "Thank you, Endless. For everything you've done for me. I just need to spend some time alone."

He nodded, offered some words of assurance, then watched has she continued onward.

"Not from the heart, from..." whispered Noonlight as she walked. The phrase was too painful to complete. Breaking in a trot, then a full gallop she dashed forward, as if speed could help dull the pain. Why? It was as if the cosmic order didn't want to her happy. Every time she dared find some happiness, something pushed her back in the mud. Maybe it was better to be alone? At least she then would become used to the constant boredom and solitude, and not have to suffer.

Arriving at her dorm, she locked the door and leaned against it, unwilling to move. Tears trickled slowly down her cheeks. A few sandwiches were placed by her bed stand, but Noonlight had no appetite. She didn't have a desire to do anything, just sit there and stare blankly forward, emptying her mind of all thoughts.

Evening came, then night. Noonlight's condition didn't change. This wasn't the first depression she had, but this one hit hard. Tired, but sleepless, hurting, but oblivious, she slowly used some magic to move her nightstand drawer to her. Inside were all the letters and postcards Trixie had sent her. Seven in total, each represented a memory. Very much like Noonlight's correspondence with Twilight. Soon that too was scattered on the floor around her, as she desperately search for a spark of happiness in the moments of the past.

Heya Noony!

Guess what? Trottingham was much more fun than I expected! Ponies here loved my performance so much that I couldn't make a few steps without being surrounded by a mob of fans. They just can't get enough of the Great and Powerful Trixie!

I guess I'll stay for a while longer, before going to Rainbow Falls. With luck I'll be able to find something for you at the fair.

Shine bright,

Trix

Trixie had spent a while going through the fair back then, all in search for a cure to Noonlight's condition. To be honest, Noonlight doubted her friend had been anywhere else. The dates didn't match up, and the time she got from one place to the next was ridiculously short. Still, she preferred to believe in what was written. It made for better memories.

Dear Starry Sun,

Really sorry for the delay. I haven't forgotten you! Just something really important happened, and I had to leave Ponyville for a few days. All is good now, so we can resume our duel.

You last spell gave me quite a fright. Literally. I knew they were illusions, of course. Didn't occur to me that you had placed the illusion on a water bubble. The first time it touched me, I really thought I had summoned a star fox. Guess I know what spells I'll be using next Nightmare's Night.

I hope you have as much fun unravelling my spell.

All the best,

Twilight

That was when Noonlight had devised a spell that would appear and behave as an animal. A simple illusion and, thanks to a bubble spell, solid to touch. Noonlight and Trixie had great fun when testing it out, especially since the pesky illusion had started jumping all over the place, knocking over books and furniture.

The hours stretched on, each spent rereading letters. On a few occasions a few classmates came to check on her. Endless too visited twice. Each time Noonlight's answer would be the same. Not budging from the door, she would ask for more time and continue living in the past. On the third day Noonlight was called back to school. Endless explained that she and the other top students would be announced as future assistants. It clearly felt like a hasty attempt to make her forget the incident with Trixie. Nonetheless she went through with it.

The event seemed so alien to Noonlight, in her present state, that she didn't even bother to force a smile. She behaved as the proper mare should - listening to speeches, enduring the excuses the Headmistress passed as academic jokes. The old mare had the nerve to call her "the brightest star" among the students. Not a mention that one year ago, she barely registered her existence, nor that she was still officially forbidden to perform spells unsupervised. Ironically it was exactly that joke that pulled Noonlight out of her darkness. 'Bright Star' - that was close to the name she and Trixie had used when challenging Twilight. Thanks to Trixie, everypony believed that Trixie alone was involved in the mess. But what if they were made to think otherwise? Then maybe they could show some leniency. In any event it would give Trixie a chance, and at the moment this was all Noonlight could hope for.

Noonlight started working on her plan the very same night. One final challenge, one that would make Trixie proud. There were a lot of hurdles along the way, but it was going to be worth it. The first step was to get the cooperation of Twilight's dragon. The princess had mentioned he was with her in Canterlot, and very looking forward to some tasty gems. Well, he was going to get them, as well as more than he bargained for.

Using the the test scroll of the Gem of Four Seasons, Noonlight filled her saddlebags with fusion gems. Now all she had to do was find Spike. Hardly a difficult task, knowing he thought mostly with his stomach. Twilight's letter had made that much abundantly clear. Donut Joe's was the ideal place to start from, and sure enough after a few hour's wait he was there. That was the easy part. Now the real magic began.

"From the heart," Noonlight whispered to herself as she took a deep breath. What she was doing was both risky and dangerous. Risky, because she might get found out. Dangerous, because she was going to use magic in the open.

A yellow aura surrounded her horn. A flash of light burst over her, causing a thick woolen blanket to fall on her back.

"Damn it!" she hissed. Her nervousness had brought out the curse of the Autocorrect spell again. Panicking, she looked around. There didn't seem to be anypony around, but what if one was approaching? With everything going on she could hardly explain what she was doing skulking in the park, with a hoof full of gems in one saddlebag and a costume in the other. Quickly, she tried to cast the blanket away, only to make it freeze over.

"Stay calm, Noony," she whispered, although her heart was beating like wild. This was a simple spell. She should manage. Just a trick, like Trixie's fireworks. The thought calmed her down a bit. "It's all a matter practice," her voice sounded much surer. Maybe. It was best to focus on the mane changing spell. That was the important one.

Closing her eyes, the unicorn tried again. Fortunately for her, this time her spelling was better. Her yellow fur and mane were now shades of light blue. With a star covered hat, a purple cape and she should pass for Trixie. At least that was the plan. And now to perform a teleportation spell.

Noonlight swallowed. Everything hinged on her getting it right. There was no reason she shouldn't. She had spent the entire previous night practicing. Of fifty three teleport spells, forty six had been acceptable. It had to be enough! Determined she cast the spell.

"...and make that to go," Spike said waving a claw, as he appeared in mid air, a few steps from the disguised Noonlight. At first the dragon hadn't realized what had happened. He remained there, puzzle expression on his face, until gravity pulled him to the ground.

"Why hello, Spike," Noonlight said in her best Trixie impersonation. "Fancy you dropping by."

"Trixie!" the dragon said with disdain.

"Now, now," Noonlight quickly cast a levitation spell lifting him from the ground. "This is no way to address an old friend." Several fusion gems levitated from her saddlebags, starting to circle round Spike. "One who created the recipe for all those delicious treats?"

"Let me down or Twilight will make you sorry!" He struggled in the air, but the levitation spell was holding him right. "And they weren't that good!"

"Oh?" Noonlight said, levitating a gem to rub against the dragon's cheek. "I remember reading something else."

"Forget it, Trixie! I don't know how you managed to escape, but I won't fall for your tricks!"

"A shame," Noonlight sighed dramatically and moved the gem away from the dragon. "And the Great and Powerful Trixie thought you would be such a dear and help her."

"Ha!" Spike crossed his arms. "You can give me all the gems in the world and I still won't!"

"Really? Even to protect a friend?"

Concern appeared on Spike's face. Just as Noonlight expected. He was a baby dragon after all, a very loyal baby dragon, who wouldn't let any of his friends come to harm. Noonlight really hated herself for what she was about to do, but it was the only way.

"You believe that Twilight's magic is a match to the Great and Powerful Trixie?" Fireworks shot in the air above Noonlight.

"Well, duh! She beat you twice before, remember? And that was when her magic was way weaker than now!"

"Really," Noonlight smirked. "Then how do you explain she hasn't defeated me in the mail duel? She cheated using that last spell. She promised not to use external magic to try and figure out who I was, and she did just that!"

In truth Twilight had done no such thing. There was no rule about her that forbid her using any spells to uncover 'Starry Sun's' identity. Spike, however, couldn't know that. Even now, Noonlight could see doubt in his eyes.

"Getting Trixie put away on some ridiculous charge, that had nothing to do with the duel, was also not very nice," the unicorn added. "I might as well have won the duel!"

"No way!"

"Then how about this, little Spike," Noonlight levitated him closer. "One final letter, one final challenge. I will make the greatest spell ever and you will deliver it to her! If she manages to overcome it, the Great and Powerful Trixie will admit defeat. If not, Equestria will know that I defeated the Princess of Friendship and am the greatest unicorn in all of Equestria!"

"Deal!" Spike was quick to agree, just as Noonlight expected he would be.

"I'll come here again in three days, with my spell," she said. "You will then take it to her, and we shall both see what the result would be! If you tell her about our conversation, or warn her in any way, I win by default."

"Fine!"

That was all Noonlight needed to hear. Casting a teleportation spell, she abruptly returned to her dorm. Her entire body was trembling. Thank Celestia all that had gone alright! Never before had she impersonated anypony before, nor cast so many spells successfully. She still couldn't believe she had managed to pull it off.

"Calm yourself, Noonlight," she whispered. This was just the first step. From here on the real work began - creating a spell that would be her best ever, and doing so alone. So far she and Twilight had exchanged a variety of complex spells in a number of fields - light, water, wind, ice... In no instance did any have the upper hoof. Their theoretical skills appeared to be evenly matched, and the method of dueling made practical skills all but irrelevant. Obviously something else would decide the final outcome - something unexpected.