Inner Demons

by HexGirl

Chapter 1

With the magic duel concluded and the amulet locked in a chest, relief came to the citizens of Ponyville. Zecora was to take the chest and seal it away forever with a special spell so that nopony would fall to its corruption. Once back in her hut she began her work.

"The best place to put what must not be found, is in a place deeper than the ground." Zecora thought to herself. She began collecting herbs and various ingredients from her shelves and mixing them thoroughly in a dish. Passing her hoof over the concoction she spoke, "Relic now with an owner you lack, begone from here and never come back."

Placing the chest upon her table she slowly opened it to reveal the amulet shining menacingly. With a careful hoof she proceeded to pour the mixture from the dish into the chest coating the amulet. What she failed to catch was a subtle twinkle from the item and a faint haze drift away. Within minutes the amulet had dissolved into seemingly thin air. In truth it was an incantation locking the amulet in a space outside of the known plane. With the chest now empty, Zecora tidied up her work station and went about her nightly routine.

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Everypony cheered for the spectacle Twilight was performing. Celestia herself had taken audience to the show of levitated animals. Suddenly fireworks exploded mixing with the exploding cheers from the stands to create a thunderous resonation. Much to Twilight's surprise, Trixie Lulamoon stood close by with a countenance of apology and hope.

"Trixie?" Twilight spoke in disbelief.

"Its the least I could do. I treated you and your friends so horribly when I was wearing that Alicorn Amulet. I just couldn't control myself," Trixie looked down embarrassed by her confession. "You can forgive me, can't you?" She looked up at Twilight with pleading wet eyes.

Twilight was taken aback for a moment but quickly recovered herself, "Hmm... Sure." She agreed with a smile.

"Oh, good." Trixie sighed with relief. "Don't you think the great and apologetic Trixie is the most magnificent humble pony you've ever seen?" Her face lit up as her typical boasting persona shone through. Trixie posed in pleasure with herself for her victory.

Twilight merely shook her head. With that Trixie let loose a smoke bomb and ran off into the night. As she ran something tripped her but she thought nothing of it and resumed her grand escape.

Red eyes pulsed, staring after Trixie as she faded into the darkness. There was the creature these eyes wanted. Needed. A smoky mist swirled around the eyes constructing a face followed by a body. In seconds a blue mare stood in the spot in which Trixie had tripped. Its red eyes embers piercing into the shadows trailing Trixie. Her legs tensed and she was off in a sprint following the illusionist into the night and into the world.

After a mile or so Trixie finally slowed to a trot and then to a halt for a breath. Seeing the opportunity her pursuer glided around Trixie to meet her face to face. Turning to a smoky mist she wrapped herself around Trixie's legs then slid away to form less than a yard in front of the unicorn. The smoke turned blue then magnetized together forming a mare of equal size to Trixie. Almost as if copying the magician, the mist matched her coat color, cutie mark, and body build. Its mane formed to replicate Trixie's then fell flat and the colors drained to black and grey. Its tail followed in suite. Red eyes pulsed and instead of a single spiral horn, a spiked nub rose from the part of the mare's skull devoid of hair.

"Trixie Lulamoon." It hissed.

"W-what is this?" Trixie demanded though clearly shaken.

"Do you not recognize yourself? Your pain. Your past. You ambition," She hissed back. "Your darkness." a growl escaped.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie is not amused by your attempts to frighten me." Trixie stuck her muzzle up as she pushed her egotistical persona forward.

"Look in my eyes and see your's stare back. Know I speak truth Lulamoon." Trixie stepped aside and attempted to continue on her way. "Look I say!" the mare's voice boomed bringing with it a sudden veil darkening the night sky's light.

"Fine." Trixie's front shattered leaving only a frightened and confused pony.

Turning to face the strange copycat Trixie glanced at her eyes then quickly dropped her eyes. "Look Lulamoon." Doing as she was told, Trixie brought her gaze to meet with the mare's.

Horror spread across her face as she realized the stranger had spoken the truth. Trixie was indeed looking into her own life. Her past. Her accomplishments, failures, adventures but most prevalent her anger and darkest desires. She became fixated in the pool of images as nostalgia and emotions of varying degree rapidly washed over her mind.

"Who are you, really?" She managed to pull herself away.

"I told you. I am you. Surely you knew the price of the amulet. While worn it corrupts, true. Its real price however is if you manage to depart with it. You fed it with your thoughts and being. Now I have been born from your actions. I am the darkest parts of you Lulamoon."

"Wait shouldn't you be an alicorn or something? Or at least a unicorn like me? What's with the deformed horn? Its not even centered." Trixie chose to focus on the appearance of the creature before her and push the reflection off till later.

"My form is given to me by you. Think with mischief and darkness and you breed a demon." The creature raised a hoof to pull its hair back revealing another small horn matching the first.

"So you are a demon. Like, a legit demon?" Trixie's voice almost gave away her growing curiosity.

"In the terms of this world, yes." it hissed in reply.

"Hahaha!" Trixie laughed as if victorious. "Since you're a demon this means I get infinite power right! The Great and Powerful Trixie will be even greater and more powerful than ever before!"

"You misunderstand Lulamoon." I can gift you no more power than what you have gifted me. What birthed me is what you already have."

Trixie's faced dropped in disappointment into a frown. "Then what's the point. Begone foul thing from the presence of Trixie!" She commanded.

The demon chuckled. "Rather slow on the draw aren't you. I'm you. Binded to your existence. You exist, so do I. I know you're an illusionist Lulamoon but I didn't expect you to be so dense."

"Gah! Why you! And its Trixie but you can call me the Great and Powe..."

"Hush now Lulamoon. You want power more than anything yes? So far you have gone to extremes dealing with other creatures and ponies but, can you deal with yourself? Master yourself and you may learn true unrivaled power."

Trixie let out a huff and rolled her eyes. "Fine. But if I'm keeping you around then you will address me properly. And you will be my new assistant. And you will cater to my every need. And you will..."

"Your servant I am not. Unless you wish yourself a slave. Is the great and powerful just a tag? Or is it a dream?"

Trixie glared at the demon. "Hmm, okay. I still insist that you be my assistant and refer to me properly." Trixie posed proudly.

"Very well." she smiled. "You may call me Lulatrix to prevent confusion. I'm rather fond of your last name."

"If it pleases you." Trixie held her proud stance pretending to be unaffected by the now crushing weight of living with her darkness.

Author's Note:

As you may have noticed a scene sounds awfully familiar and yes its word for word from the show (S03E05 Magic Duel). That segment is in no way my own thoughts and belongs to the appropriate copyright. Cover art is done by your's truly.