Full Circle

by BronyMetalhead

Shadows From The Past

Trixie wandered aimlessly through town, all too aware of the eyes of the local townsponies bearing down on her. Her conclusion the night before had been correct: many of the locals hadn't forgiven her for her brief reign of terror in Ponyville when she was in possession of the Alicorn Amulet. Trixie did her best to ignore them, though, and kept wandering. Occasionally, she would stumble in her sleep-deprived state, and sometimes her surroundings became blurry and non-descript. The magician-turned-keyboardist knew that this was her ninth solid day without real sleep; she'd catch little cat-naps when she could, but even then, the nightmares always came to her. The unicorn was grateful for the near constant touring she and her new friends had been doing lately, for it would usually exhaust her to the point where she'd sleep dreamlessly. Usually.

The mare could hear the ponies muttering, but the voices were muffled to the point where it became one single din. Suddenly, she found herself face down in the street, having tripped on something that she couldn't see. “Why don't you watch where you're going?!” a familiar voice reprimanded her, loudly and clearly. “You nearly bumped into The Great & Powerful Trixie!”

Trixie looked up and saw herself; rather, herself as she used to be, replete with her cape and hat, as well as the Alicorn Amulet. “Oh, how far The Great & Powerful Trixie has fallen,” the doppelganger continued with a sneer. “To think that Trixie was once the Highest Level Unicorn!! Now, she has stooped to the level of a common street performer!!”

“You're not me,” the keyboardist mumbled.

“Of course you're not!!” the double laughed. “No pony can be as great, as the Great & Powerful Trixie!!”

“Sweet Celestia, shut up!!” Trixie cried. “As the Pony Sisters are my witnesses, I will never talk like that again!”

“Of course you won't!” the mirror Trixie said. “After all, how can you talk like that if you can't speak to begin with!!! Ha ha ha ha ha!!!”

The keyboardist tried to open her mouth to scream, but found herself unable to, for her mouth felt as if it had melted shut. The mare looked to see if anypony could, or would, help her. Her vision had cleared, and she was aware that she was quickly becoming surrounded. What had been ponies had become shambling, deformed monstrosities. Suddenly, she felt something wrap around her fetlocks. With a shriek, she yanked herself free and galloped as fast as she could. “Go ahead, street performer!” the doppelganger screamed. “Try and run, but you cannot escape the Great and Powerful TRIXIE!!!”

Trixie turned around and saw it. The monster was vaguely equine in build, but it seemed to be made completely of inky blackness. It reared on its hind legs and let out a horrible scream that ripped through the keyboardist's soul, and she could see what looked like a horn on its head. It took every ounce of will she could muster to take her eyes from the shape so she could turn and gallop away. The unicorn mare didn't dare to look behind her, but she knew the monster was gaining on her. Suddenly, she became aware of two more of them: one had joined the first one, while the other had appeared in front of her. The demon in front of her reared on its hind legs and screamed, stretching ragged wings. Move, she screamed in her own head. Move, Trixie, move.

“Trixie!”

Trixie felt her limbs become entangled again. This time, she was too weak to break free. Still, she wriggled in a vain attempt to break free.

“Trixie! Blast it, wake up!”

Trixie shut her eyes, and then heard a loud explosion, and suddenly, she felt herself becoming soaked horn to hoof in cold water. She then felt her mouth open, and released the scream that she couldn't before. When her eyes opened, she found herself on the ground looking at a freshly-spent cloud over her head. “Oh gracious,” a familiar mare's voice said, “what has happened to you?”

Trixie turned and saw Rarity eying her with genuine concern. Next to her was Cacophony, his face a mask of worry. “Is she gonna be okay?” another mare's voice said, this time from the sky. From behind the cloud, Rainbow Dash flew out and stood next to Rarity.

“I don't know,” Cacophony said. “Trix, you and I need to talk when we get back to the inn.” He then turned to Rarity and said, “Sis, can you help me get her back to her bed?”

“Of course, dear brother,” Rarity replied with a nod.

“Wait a cloud-kicking minute,” the rainbow-maned pegasus said, “did you just say 'brother'?”

“Why, yes, Rainbow,” the dressmaker said, non-plussed. “Cacophony's my older brother.”

“You mean to say that your brother is only the singer for the most awesome band in Equestria?!”

Trixie had quietly followed the conversation only semi-interestedly, but her ears perked up the moment she heard the word “sis”. She looked at the unicorn pair in front of her and noticed the similar build, eyes, and facial structure. Even their horns seemed similar.

Cacophony blushed so deeply that his coat turned a dark violet. “Hi,” he said, waving his left forehoof. “We're called 'Alicorn Malign'.”

“Alicorn Malign... Alicorn Malign... why is that name so familiar?” Rarity asked herself aloud.

“Who do you think buys all of your flawed gems, Rares?”

“You're the one who keeps buying my flawed gems?” Rarity asked, her eyes wide. She then looked to her friend and said, “You see, I really do hate to throw away gems, even if they're flawed and of no use to me. But they take up room that could be used to store my good gems!” She then looked back at Cacophony. “You always used to take away my flawed gems when we were foals, and now you buy them from my shop. I've always been curious why you'd want flawed gems in the first place.”

“Well, you see, little sister,” the musician began, “I charge up those gems with my magic to power our amps. I used to goof around with my amplifier back home, and I'd always break the original gems by pushing them too hard to get a good sound. Then, I'd see you throwing gems on the floor when you'd do your projects and they'd be there for weeks. I figured you wouldn't mind if I, you know, borrowed a few, ya know? You just won't believe the distortion you can get with a flawed ruby, and amethysts with veins of milky quartz running through it gives my tone so much body...”

“Umm, Cacophony?” a voice called.

“Sorry, Trixie,” Cacophony replied. “Rarity?”

“Coming, brother!”

The two unicorn siblings used their horns to levitate the damp and shivering keyboardist onto Cacophony's back. The musical stallion was surprised at how little his band-mate weighed; he could also feel her ribs against his coat. “Rainbow, darling,” Rarity began, “would you be a dear and have Twilight meet us at the Dewdrop Inn? She's waiting for me at the boutique. If anypony can help poor Trixie, it would be her.”

“I'm on it, Rarity!” the pegasus replied with a salute, and then sped off.

* * * * *

Sticks stood at the fence marking the Sweet Apple Acres property line mumbling in his native tongue under his breath. He had never been so nervous in all his life; he hadn't even been this nervous before his first show. After all, he had always been confident in his drumming abilities. His ability to talk to mares, however, was another matter entirely. Come on, Stikschev, he thought to himself, the worst she can say is 'No'.

He took a deep breath, exhaled, and then began trotting up the pathway leading to the barn. Curiously, he didn't see anypony around; just a lot of apple trees. Suddenly, he felt his legs and fetlocks completely stiffen and he couldn't move. “I can't do this,” he said aloud.

“Can't do what, sugarcube?” a voice said from his left.

Sticks jumped several feet in the air and cried out, clinging to a low-hanging branch. Unfortunately, it couldn't hold his weight, so it snapped off leaving the pony in a cloud of dust on the path. Applejack couldn't help but giggle at the sight, much to the drummer's chagrin. “Come on, pardner,” she said, extending a hoof, “let me help you up.”

“Thank you,” Sticks said while dusting himself off. “I guess I'll be going now.”

“Hold on there, handsome,” the farm-mare spoke as she blocked his egress. “You didn't come to my family's orchard just to turn around and skidaddle out. Earlier, you were more nervous than a bucket of apples at a cider press.” Applejack's expression softened as she smiled at Sticks. “What's there to be so dang nervous about?”

Sticks's mouth opened and closed several times as he'd try to say something and fail. “Well golly, you're almost as bad as Fluttershy. I thought you rockers were more confident than that,” Applejack quipped.

“I'm confident behind drum kit,” Sticks finally said, his accent thickened by his frayed nerves. “I'm confident with tools. Not so confident with mares, and I know mares don't like stallion what have no confidence.”

“Don't worry none, sugarcube,” the mare said, “I ain't gonna bite ya.

“Unless, of course, ya want me to,” she added with a wink.

Sticks blushed harder than he ever had in his life, then he smiled. “What are you doing tonight?” he asked, recognizing his cue.

“Well,” Applejack started, “I do have chores tonight, but if I can get Applebloom to actually help me instead of tryin' for her danged Cutie Mark, I'll have time 'round eight. Whatcha have in mind?”

“Honestly, I don't know,” Strings replied evenly, “I don't know what there is to do in Ponyville.”

“I'll tell you what,” the farm-mare began, “there's a hill near the eastern part of the orchard where you can see every apple tree in Sweet Apple Acres.”

“Would you like picnic in orchard?” Sticks asked, his accent thickening again.

“I'd like that a lot. Meet me at the barn 'round eight. I'll bring the eats and some cider,” Applejack replied softly. She then kissed the stallion on the nose, smiled, and added, “Don't keep me waitin', handsome.”

The drummer smiled and cantered slowly back towards town. When he was sure nopony was in earshot, he let out a loud 'whoop' in delight. In the distance, Sticks could barely hear a stallion shouting in his native tongue. It lost something in translation from the original Stalliongradish, but its closest Canterlotian equivalent was “I can't believe I lost another bet!”

* * * * *

“So, you understand, my brother's always had a hard time with mares,” the spiky-maned stallion said. “I always try and help him out, but he'd always clam up and be a blubbering mess.” He took a bite out of his second strawberry cupcake. “I lost that first bet when I found out I was hitting on my bud's ex. Sticks got me on a technicality. Can you believe it?”

“No, sir!” the pink pony who had been listening to Strings replied with a smile.

“You see, there are just some things a stallion doesn't do,” Strings continued after finishing his cupcake. “She had the cutest name, though... 'Rarity'...”

“Oh! Rarity's not Cacophony's ex-marefriend,” the pink pony said, still smiling.

“You mean, they're still together?” the guitar pony asked, his eyes wide. “That'd explain why he doesn't indulge with the groupies.”

“Oh, they're not a couple, silly-dilly! That'd just be nasty. Another cupcake?”

“Yes, please. These are really good!” he said. “How do you even know what I'm talking about?”

“Oh, I don't. Not really,” the odd mare said with a grin. “I mean, Rarity's my friend and we had a talk about Cacophony, who I think is really cute. I don't know if he wants a marefriend, though. I know my friend Twilight's got a crush on him, but I think he likes somepony else. I know she's got a crush on him because I got a Pinkie Sense I've never gotten before. My left eyelid tingled for ten seconds, and then my right fore-knee got pinchy. But I've gotten lots of Pinkie Senses today, none of which I've ever had before! Just an hour and a half ago my ears started ringing, and I started seeing spots while my rear hooves started itching. That means that somepony is having a traumatic experience and needs to have a violent outburst. And just a little bit ago, all my knees got wobbly and all the hairs on my back went straight up! That just means that someone lost a bet that he was sure he was going to win. And that's when you came in!”

Strings stared at the pink pony for a long time, then shook his head. “You, my dear, are the most baffling mare I've ever met in my entire life,” he said. He then smiled and said, “My name's Estringei. You can call me 'Strings', and yours?”

“I'm Pinkie Pie,” the mare introduced herself, “and making new friends smile is what I do best! So you're friends with Cacophony?”

“Yes. We play in a band together, called Alicorn Malign,” he replied. “My brother's name is Sticks, he plays drums. Cack and I play guitar. Cack is singer, too. Our bassist's name is Thunderwing, he's a pegasus. We call him 'Thunders'. And our keyboard player's name is Trixie. She also handles the pyro.”

Pinkie's eyes narrowed to slits. “Trixie,” she growled. “That mean mare used her magic to take my mouth off! I couldn't talk for days. It was horrible! Before then, she was acting like working at a rock farm wasn't good enough for her. I was raised on a rock farm!

“Wait a minute,” Pinkie added, her tone completely changed, “that might explain another Pinkie Sense I had! My eyes got all watery, and my tongue got dry, and my ears started flapping. That means that someone who used to be a big Miss Braggy McBraggypants and a Meany McMeanerson is now a nice pony, but is also scared.”

“Yeah, Trixie used to be kind of abrasive. At least, she was when she audition for us. I actually talk her into auditioning when she come into shop I run with my brother. She was playing piano and she play beautifully. She say she not play since she was in orphanage, but I find hard to believe. She audition and we like her playing, and we work with her on attitude. I actually think she like Cack, but I'm not sure about that. I think her attitude comes from never having any real friends.”

“Aww,” Pinkie said with a frown, “if I had known that then, I would've thrown her a party! That would've turned her around. It always works! Well, except with that meany griffon that Rainbow Dash used to be friends with. But no pony, and I mean no pony can resist a Pinkie Pie party! Which reminds me! I've gotta throw a party for you and your band! I mean, you guys got here yesterday and I never got to throw you all a party!”

“Finally, a pony in this place that knows how to party!” Strings said with a smile. “You know, the band and I are gonna be practicing a lot until the train's ready to leave, but when I get downtime, you and I can plan this party together.”

“Oh, that'll be a great idea!!” the pink mare said with a grin. “You know, you're kinda cute. I really like how you do your mane.... very rock 'n roll!”

“You're not so bad yourself,” said the guitarist, smiling back.

Strings had to admit that, despite the fact that she was a little chubbier than the mares he usually dated, and a great deal more bizarre, he was quite interested in her. He found her cheerful attitude and her silliness quite infectious, and that he never once had to put on airs around her. Strings had no difficulty getting supermodels and the upper class mares to go out with him, but he ultimately found it exhausting. Pinkie was the opposite of them all in almost every way. Perhaps, he thought, maybe this one will actually work out.

* * * * *

The going to the inn was slow, but the two unicorn siblings arrived without jostling their passenger too much. Trixie was still shivering, but had completely dried and was now clutching onto Cacophony for dear life. Waiting at the door was Twilight Sparkle, as well as something the purple stallion never expected to see in Ponyville: a zebra. “Oh, wonderful,” Rarity said with a smile, “she brought along Zecora. Between Zecora and Twilight, Trixie will be back to full health in no time at all.

“Her presence doesn't bother you, does it?” she asked her brother when she saw his facial expression.

Cacophony snapped out of his thoughts. “Oh, no,” he replied, “not at all. I mean, I've heard a few tunes from Striper, but I've just never actually met a zebra before.” Bowing his head to the zebra mare, he said, “I meant no offense, Zecora. If you can help my friend, I'd be forever grateful.”

“No offense taken, let me assure you,” Zecora replied with a smile, “I will gladly see what I can do.”

“Let's get Trixie to her room,” Twilight added.

The group soon made it to Room 102, and before long, Trixie was curled in a fetal position under a heavy comforter. Cacophony explained that he and Rarity were strolling through town when they saw the mare stumbling through town talking to herself with her eyes nearly shut, and that they gave chase when she started running. “I've never seen her like this,” the musician concluded. “Mind you, she's extremely private, so we give her space when she needs it. If I'd have known how much she's been suffering-”

Twilight gently put her hoof to his lips. “You would've had no way of knowing, nor would you have known what to do. Heck, I'm not sure what to do, since not much is known about the Alicorn Amulet. I had to resort to trickery just to get her to take it off.”

“Wait,” Cacophony cut her off, “did you just say the 'Alicorn Amulet'?” When the librarian nodded, he continued, “I know enough about that to know it's bad news. Anypony is going to have a hard time adjusting to having and then losing that much power.”

“Y-y-you're not going to fire me, are you?” Trixie whispered.

Cacophony sat at the side of the bed, laying a hoof gently at the mare's side. “No, Trixie. I'm not going to fire you,” he replied softly. “Get that thought out of your head right now. Why didn't you tell us?”

A tear went down Trixie's face as she spoke, “I saw my one chance to put my past behind me and actually make friends. I was afraid that the four of you wouldn't accept me if you knew what kind of pony I had been.”

“Look, let's get you better first,” Cacophony said with a smile, “we'll talk about this after the show in Filly.”

“Last night, Trixie told me she had been having nightmares ever since she took the amulet off,” Twilight explained. “She said something about it 'engulfing' her.”

“For Trixie to get some rest, it seems, she needs something to stop her dreams,” the zebra intoned.

“Does she always talk like that?” Cacophony whispered to his sister.

“I will gladly mix a special brew, but there are some things I will need from you,” Zecora continued. “The ingredients Twilight will know. I will watch your friend; now, you two, go.”

“Thanks, Zecora,” the musician replied. “And thank you, Rarity, for helping me get Trixie here.”

“It was no trouble at all, dear brother,” his sister said with a smile. “I must be going, though. If you need anything more, you know where to find me.”

The siblings embraced, and after Twilight wrote down a checklist of the needed ingredients, the two unicorns were out the door.

* * * * *

Strings then heard the door to Sugar Cube Corner open. He turned and found Cacophony and a lavender unicorn that he hadn't met before. That must be the one that's got a thing for him, the guitarist thought to himself.

“My brother asked out that farmer pony,” the earth pony guitarist said. “He actually pulled it off! I can't believe it.”

“Nice! And what did she say?”

“Judging from cheering I heard from him after the fact, she said 'yes'.”

“That's wonderful,” Twilight said, “I think Applejack would be good for him.” Her eyes went wide, and then she extended her hoof. “I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. My name's Twilight Sparkle. You must be Strings. I see you've met Pinkie Pie.”

Strings bumped her hoof. “Yes, she's very... fascinating.”

“That's... a good word for her,” Twilight said with a smile. Turning serious, she continued, “Pinkie, can please you get me a pound each of powdered ginger and chamomile herb, a jar of honey, and a couple of sarsaparillas?”

“Is somepony having trouble sleeping?”

Twilight nodded and said, “Yes, Pinkie. Trixie has been having nightmares and Zecora is making a brew so she can sleep without dreaming. Zecora was helping me with my studies on the alchemical lore of her people, and it seems I'm going to be getting some hooves-on experience in that. I had hoped that I'd have time to study the Ancient Pegasus Empire with Cacophony tonight. I've always wanted to study it, but in learning about the Magic of Friendship, I never had the chance.”

Strings looked at Cacophony, then at Twilight, then back to Cacophony. He then turned to Pinkie and said, “Is this typical for her?”

Pinkie enthusiastically nodded. “Yep! She's one smart cookie! OOH! That reminds me! I've got some chocolate chip cookies. They're fresh out of the oven. Want some?”

The pan of cookies drew all three ponies closer instantly, and the scent rising from them made their mouths water. Strings gobbled up three, and seemed to melt into a puddle on the floor. “That mare knows my weakness,” he whispered. “Confound that pony.”

“These are really good, Pinkie,” Cacophony said after finishing his second cookie. “I'd say they're 'just like Mother used to make', but trust me... you really, really don't want my mother cooking for you.”

“Is she as bad as Rarity says she is?” Twilight asked. “I heard that she can actually burn orange juice.”

“With Mom, it's almost an art form. I ended up teaching myself to cook, and in turn, taught Rares.”

“Oh yeah!” Strings said, pulling himself off the floor. “Cack, can I ask you something in private, stallion to stallion?”

“Sure,” the unicorn guitarist said, “Twilight, can you give me a moment?”

Twilight nodded and said, “Absolutely. I'll just talk with Pinkie for a bit.”

When Strings was satisfied that they were out of earshot, he whispered to his bandmate, “So, Rarity isn't your ex?” Cacophony shook his head. “And you're not currently dating her, or else you wouldn't be on a date with her friend.” The unicorn shook his head again. “So... you two are just foal-hood friends?”

“I'd say Rarity and I are a lot more than friends, Strings. She's my sister.”

“Oh, I'm so dead- wait, younger or older?”

“Younger.”

“Oh, I'm so dead!”

“Why?”

“You gotta understand, dude; your sister is gorgeous, and you know when I see a mare like that-”

“You asked my sister out, didn't you...”

“I'm soooo dead...”

“If you had known she was my sister, probably,” Cacophony said. “Don't sweat it, buddy. Besides, it looks like you've made a cute new friend. A very strange cute new friend, but still...”

Strings looked at the curly-maned pink pony and smiled. “Yeah, she is cute. And you know what? She seems to get me. I've never once experienced that. I actually feel like I can be myself around her.”

“Then go for it, my friend,” Cacophony said, putting his hoof on his friend's withers. “Anyways, you have fun with Pinkie. From what Twilight tells me, it's almost impossible to not have fun when Pinkie's around.”

Strings grinned. “I knew there was something I liked about her,” he said enthusiastically, looking at the poofy-maned mare. “Well, it looks like your friend's waiting for you. Have a good time with cute 'n nerdy mare. I'm gonna see if Pinkie's got more strawberry cupcakes.”

“Sounds like you've got your evening all set,” the unicorn said. "Anyways, I better get back to Twilight and finish getting the things for Trixie."

"What is wrong with Trix? What's this I hear about 'nightmares'? Will she be okay?"

"You know how we never actually see her sleep? Well, apparently she doesn't. She promised she'd explain everything after the show in Filly."

"We still have gig? Are we still headlining act?"

"No, but we're opening for Mercyfilly Fate, which is why we need to get Trix back in top form. She's in her room at the inn; one of Twilight's friends is apparently going to mix up something that will help her. Twilight and Rarity are pretty confident in her abilities, so I think Trix'll be okay.

"She needs us to be supportive of her, got it?"

“You got it, comrade,” Strings said, bumping his friend's hoof. "I'll check on Trix later."

Author's Note:

Dear Sweet Luna, I HATE writing dialog for Zecora...

Comments

[Frankie]

Dear Sweet Luna, I HATE writing dialog for Zecora...

I can imagine. It amazes me how some authors can pull it off, though.
In any case, I loved this chapter. I can hardly wait for the next. Are we going to see Thunderwing and Fluttershy have that discussion we know they must have? After helping Trixie, of course.

[Bolshevik Skeleton]

YEAH!this chaptchers ALRIGHT!