A New Magician in Town

by BlackMetalPony

The Great and Powerful

After Shadow’s first date with Twilight, two days passed rather boringly. Shadow had devoted those two days to catching up on the studies which he had neglected in the face of a love interest. Luckily for him, Twilight understood, she too had neglected her love interest in the face of a new study. But when the sun crested the horizon on the third day since Shadow’s date, and he awoke from his slightly unsatisfying dream, nopony could believe who was trotting into town.

Shadow stared at the ceiling of his cottage, he tried to count how many small planks of wood made up each section of roofing, but got bored after the first few hundred planks. Restlessness began to nag at him, he knew that he had to start collecting herbs to sell if he wanted to eat, but his makeshift packing foam bed was unusually comfortable. Thoughts shot in and out of his mind, each vying for his attention, but one in particular stuck; the image of Twilight Sparkle and Princess Luna planted itself in his mind. Shadow’s mouth curled into a lust-filled smile.

Unluckily for him, though perhaps luckily for his mental constructs, somepony came knocking on his door before he was able to elaborate his thoughts, and Shadow was forced to get up. In an attempt to hide a rising situation, Shadow wrapped a towel around his midsection. The knocking grew louder the longer it took to answer.

“I’m coming, I’m coming hold your haunches!”

As Shadow descended the stairs he glanced towards the window hoping to catch a glimpse of the caller. The image in the window made him do a double take; a cyan pegasus floating a foot off the ground, staring directly through his window with wide eyes and wider smile. The sight gave him a shock, it wasn’t everyday that a filly stared in through his windows, and this was the first time she was smiling.

When Rainbow Dash made eyes contact with Shadow she became more excited than one would expect. Her hoof began to rapidly knock on his window.

“Hey! Hey Shadow! Shadow!! It’s me! Can you hear me?” Shadow couldn’t hear her, but decided to nod at whatever she said, his normal course of action when he didn’t hear someone. Before Rainbow Dash could say anything else that he couldn’t hear, Shadow opened the door and let the excitable pegasus into his home. She dashed into the cottage, nearly flying into the worn love-seat Fluttershy had given to Shadow.

“Hey! I like what you did with my poster!” Rainbow exclaimed proudly.

“Yeah. Thanks”

“This place is looking better, but it still needs to be about twenty percent coo-”

“ Yeah I know right. Can we cut to the chase?” Shadow cut off the pegasus before any more design suggestions could be made. He had done some research on the wonderbolts, and decided he didn’t want a life size picture of Soarin embedded in his walls.

“Right to the point eh? Suits me. So I basically came to tell you th- Hey, wait, why do you have a towel wrapped around you...?” Shadow began to stumble looking for an excuse, deciding he wasn’t quite up to telling Rainbow Dash the truth of the situation.

“Oh... Well, I was just... taking a shower!” He managed to squeak out an answer and matching grin.

“Why isn’t your mane wet then? Actually why aren’t you wet at all...”

“’Cause I’m really good with a towel okay!? Can we please move on?” Shadow was always thankful for his dark mane, he could feel the blood rising to his face and a visible blush would just make the situation terribly awkward.

“Alrighty then. I just thought I should let you know that today would be a great day to come back to town for a visit. There’s someone there who you should meet.” The pegasus adopted a very matter-of-fact tone.

“What? Who?”

“Well you won’t know if you don’t come. Duh!” Rainbow knocked her hoof against her head and stuck her tongue out to punctuate her sentence.

“Or you could tell me...” Shadow was slightly amused at the prospect of meeting someone important, but it was still too early for him to show an emotion other than mildly peeved.

“Naaah. Gotta dash! See ya in Ponyville!” Without so much as a warning, the pegasus was gone. Shadow stood bewildered at the speed of the filly. As he stared out the front door that had been left open by the disappearing mare he wondered who she could mean.

Shadow flung off his towel, and put off everything he had planned for the day, which was admittedly very little. In a second he was gone, and teleportation magic brought him right to the town square.

He found himself on the outskirts of a large crowd, which was rapidly growing larger. Looking around for somepony he recognized, he saw only one. He walked over to the plum-coloured earth pony and attempted a conversation.

“Hey Berry Punch! What’s this big crowd for?”

“Oh hi! ...You! How’ve you been doing?”

“Great great, just came into town to see what the big hubbub was about.”

“Fantastic. Look do I know you?”

“Yeah... We met a few nights ago, in an alley? Remember?”

“No...”

“Oh... Sorry I bothered you then...”

“Oh it’s perfectly alright, you can bother me whenever you want.” Berry Punch flicked her mane seductively and gave Shadow a wink.

“Great, yeah... So I’m just going to stand over there, try to get a better look at... at the thing. Bye!” Shadow left the mare to herself, as he walked away he glanced back at the mare. She looked sad, she stared down at the ground and pulled an inconspicuous flask from a saddlebag and took a quick swig. Before Shadow could draw any conclusions a familiar voice chimed into his ear.

“Sweet Celestia you’re fast! How’d you get here so quickly!?” Rainbow Dash hovered above him, looking in disbelief at the unicorn.

“Benefit of being a unicorn.” Shadow let his horn glow slightly.

“Aah, pff, well I wouldn’t trade in these babies for all the bits in Manehatten!” Rainbow Dash replied as she flared her wings.

“Ha, I bet you’re just jealous.” Shadow said playfully. His odd encounter with Berry Punch had made him a bit more thankful for the friends he had.

“Pff, you take you magic, I’ll take my flying!”

Shadow was about to make some snide remark about all the things he can do with his magic, but abruptly stopped when Rainbow gave him a slight hit to the shoulder. He noticed that a few earth ponies were giving them less than adoring glares. Looking up he saw Rainbow Dash giving an embarrassed and slightly apologetic smile to the surrounding earth ponies.

“Hey Shadow!” A voice called out. Shadow immediately recognized the voice as belonging to a familiar purple unicorn. Twilight left her friends behind her as she trotted up to Shadow and gave him an affectionate nuzzle. Rainbow Dash promptly let the two “loveponies” brood, and flew over to her four unattached friends. Rarity rolled her eyes at the public display of affection, a sentiment shared by Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy simply smiled, seeing Twilight’s and Shadow’s intimacy made memories with a certain pegasus pop into her cute little head.

“Hee Hee! So cute!!” Pinkie Pie hopped over to the two unicorns and embraced them both, slightly choking Twilight, and slightly aggravating Shadow. “I can’t believe I haven’t seen either of you guys for two whole days! You guys seriously need to get out more!”

Twilight and Shadow glanced at each other as they were slowly being suffocated by the pink one, and co-ordinated an escape. But before they could put their plans into action, Pinkie released them.

“So what’s this I hear about that Trixie character coming back to Ponyville?” Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she through forged a path through the crowd.

“Trixie?” Shadow asked cluelessly.

“Aka The Great and Powerful Trixie!?” Pinkie looked at him in disbelief. “You never heard of her?!”

“Not really.”

“How can you not have heard of the Great and Powerful Trixie?... Are you a spy?!” The pink mare stared Shadow straight in his eyes.

“I... don’t get out much?” Shadow replied, grasping for a viable answer. Before Pinkie could grill him anymore, Rarity jumped in.

“Well my dear, I think that is far from a bad thing. The less popular Trixie is the better I say.” She adopted a rather snooty look when speaking about Trixie. But regardless of Rarity’s feelings towards the G.A.P.T. Twilight felt a tad more sympathetic.

“Now Rarity, we should give Trixie a second chance. After all, as we’re all well aware sometimes a pony just needs to learn a little lesson every now and again.” Twilight gave a self-righteous smile that, although being justified, made Shadow feel as if Twilight was attempting to be overly “learned”.

It was nearing midday now, and the sun was crossing the clear skies. Suddenly a massive dark cloud positioned itself right above the town square. It showed no signs of blowing with the wind, and darkened the entire area, making it seem almost as if it was night.

“What in all of Equestria?” Rainbow spoke inquisitively. “There wasn’t any kind of weather change scheduled for today, and we never even use this kind of cloud.”

Well ain’t this just fine and dandy, Shadow thought to himself. He caught himself staring blankly at Applejack for no particular reason, but quickly looked away before she noticed. Ponies all around were talking amongst themselves, speculating as to what caused the sudden weather change, but none of them could reason why (aside from a mischievous pegasus) the weather took such a sudden turn. Suddenly, out of nowhere a voice began to speak.

“In the beginning, there was darkness.” A loud yet mysterious voice boomed out onto the crowd. “Then... There was Trixie!”

Shadow now noticed that there was a wagon, in the center of the crowd that was not normally in the town square. As his eyes were beginning to adjust to the dark he tried to get a better look at the wagon.

Without warning a blindingly bright firework shot from the roof of the wagon, immediately contracting Shadow’s now aching pupils, and into the dark cloud that shrouded the crowd in darkness. It did not pass through the cloud, but rather exploded in the center of it, immediately dispersing the moisture, and causing a rainbow to form amidst the mist of the exploding light. It was quite the spectacle indeed. As the “oohs” and “ahs” from the crowd were at their height, the voice spoke once again.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie lives!” With those words the caped unicorn jumped from the door of her wagon, and strutted into the crowd. As she waltzed through the path the ponies made for her, she proclaimed her intentions for coming to Ponyville.

“Tonight shall be a night that will live on in the memories of anypony who attends! Beginning at the sunset, I shall show you magic seen by none for hundreds of years! To miss it means you will have an average night, like any other. However, to attend means you shall see magic like you never before thought imaginable! Come one, come all, to Trixie’s show of wonders!”

As Trixie’s speech ended she vanished in a poof of smoke. Shadow didn’t get a good look at her, but he imagined she must be quite the pony, to have such magical prowess.

“My my my, looks like someponies never learn.” Rarity consorted with her friends. The six marefriends had began to walk away from the wagon, leaving Shadow slightly behind. Twilight noticed that she was missing an appendage and called back to it.

“Hey Shadow! You coming?”

“Umm, nah, I’ve still got some stuff I need to do. I’ll see you tonight back here! That is, if you’re coming.”

“Oh. Ok, sure! I’ll see you here at sundown!”

Shadow smiled and waved as his marefriend trotted away with her pack. As he watched them walk to wherever they were heading he began to think.

Sweet Celestia’s hooves, look at them. They practically travel in a pack. They’re pretty much a coven. I seriously wouldn’t put it past them to belong to some cult. Haha, I can
see it now, the cult of Lord Grogar. Run by six fillies. Oh man, that would be hysterical.

Before his fantasy play out any further, Shadow caught a glimpse of the azure coloured coat the magical mare wore. Trixie was attempting to enter her wagon as stealthily
as possible, and as soon as she entered, she swung the door to a close.

“Wait! Ms. Trixie!” Shadow called out.

Shadow used his magic to transport over to her wagon and stick a hoof in the door frame, preventing it from closing. Trixie gave an annoyed grunt and decided it would be less trouble to just hear the pony out than try to get rid of him

“Ms. Trixie! I need to talk to you!” Without so much as glancing at Shadow she sat down in a large chair on the other end of the wagon. Shadow looked at his surroundings before speaking.

Trixie’s wagon was by no means as extravagant as her attitude. It was rather bare considering how small it was. One wall bore a large poster of Trixie, with the words “The Great and Powerful Trixie” written on it in a mystical font. On the other wall was a picture of Trixie as a little filly, no larger than Applebloom or Scootaloo, and her parents. Shadow noticed that the mother, although she looked only a few years his elder, seemed very old. The way she held herself, it appeared as if she had reached the age where one has seen much pain, and has accepted the inevitability of death. Shadow shook off the sad feeling the mare seemed to emanate and looked at the father. Or what was left of him, the place where the colt’s head should have been appeared to have burned out long ago.

Shadow suddenly felt great empathy for the wandering magician, he recognized the formula that the picture put forth, the formula for a broken home and broken childhood. A young mother who has felt the pains of childbirth much too early, and a father who should just be burned from memory. He felt himself slipping back to his own childhood when a voice rattled him from his memories.

“Can I help you?” Trixie still hadn’t looked back at him, or seen him at all for that matter.

“Oh um, yes. I was actually just uhh...” Shadow couldn’t think of words to say. In fact, he couldn’t think of what he was really doing in here.

“Sigh.” Trixie actually said ‘sigh’. “This is normally the part where you ask for an autograph.” Trixie began to rise from the chair from which her magician’s hat now hung. Her magic floated a pen, which was rapidly scribbling on an accompanying bit of paper, over to the dark colt.

“There you are. I hope you enjoy the show.” Trixie, still in the sluggish motion of rising from her chair, gave a slight wave of the hoof.

“Oh, thank you...” Shadow replied awkwardly. The travelling unicorn still had her back turned to him as she tended something on the opposite side of her caravan. When she sensed that her visitor hadn’t yet left, she decided to speak.

“Look is there something-” Trixie swished around and stared at the unicorn that stood in her home. His charcoal coat, his long pitch black mane, his glowing red eyes, she had never seen somepony quite like him, and a unicorn to boot. Feeling her heart begin to melt, Trixie tried to finish her sentence.

“something... I can help you with?”

Shadow too was taking his first close look at Trixie. Through the crowd she was barely visible as it was, not to mention the sudden changes in lighting that distorted Shadow’s vision. He was thankful for the fact that he had spoken to her before he had the chance to be left speechless. The soft, yet entrancing colours of her mane and coat, the confident demeanour of her beautiful eyes, and her slender unicorn body. Suddenly a thought of Twilight popped into his mind. All he could think when he saw his pretty marefriend was: Fuck.

His mouth was as single tracked as his mind, but since he couldn’t actually say what he was thinking, he decided to go with a generic invitation.

“Oh, um... I was just wondering if you wanted to go get some tea... or, y’know... something else if you don’t like it... Tea I mean, if you don’t like tea you could get something else... to drink...” Shadow basically failed at asking Trixie on date, which technically was a great thing considering the fact that he already had a marefriend. However, Trixie wasn’t in a more coherent state than Shadow.

“That would be... charming. Yes.” Abandoning her normal proud nature, Trixie let her head slightly hang and her voice soften as she accepted Shadow’s invitation.

“Cool. We can talk.” Realizing that sounded terribly strange, Shadow tried in vain to think of something to follow up with. Luckily Trixie took the words right out of his muzzle.

“Yes.” She replied sheepishly.

Trixie felt like a little filly. I shouldn’t feel this way after being asked on a date. It’s perfectly normal for an attractive young mare to be courting, Trixie thought to herself, and she was right, it’s perfectly natural for two young ponies to go out together. But for Trixie, it wasn’t so normal. In fact, this was the first time a colt had ever asked her on a date. She was right to think it was perfectly normal for young ponies to date each other, but in that thought is the reason Trixie had never been asked on a date. It was for normal ponies.

Trixie had led a far from normal life, with a mother as young as hers and a father she tried to forget, her life began in tragedy. She left home when she was just a little filly, the road was the only home she’d had. Her magic served as her parents, her guiding light and comfort. But now, someone else was here for her, she didn’t even know his name, and she didn’t know their future, but right now they could be together.

Shadow opened the door for Trixie, letting her descend the couple of stairs before him. Trixie forewent the use her signature cloak and magician’s hat. Shadow couldn’t help but ogle her rump and flanks and she stepped down to the ground. Another image of Twilight popped into his head, he couldn’t stop himself from preparing the two. Unfortunately for all but Trixie, her flanks won out against Twilight’s in the head of Shadow.

The colt was beginning to feel anxious. He could feel his hormones calling out for Trixie, but he knew he couldn’t act on them. It was an odd feeling for him. The feeling that he shouldn’t do something, as opposed to couldn’t. He knew he held Twilight’s trust, along with her heart, in his hooves. And he did care for her, but something about Trixie was just drawing him in.

Ok, best case scenario, he began to think to himself as the two started to walk down a street. Best case scenario is that Trixie turns out to be a complete bitch, and we have nothing in common. His reasoning was flawless; if Trixie was what he hoped her to be, then he could forget her and go back to Twilight, happy and content. Unfortunately for all but Trixie once again, fate had different plans.

“So I suppose I should ask your name.” Trixie finally spoke after the two had walked for a good minute in silence.

“Shadow. Shadow Storm. But just Shadow.” The colt tried his best not to stutter, and for once he succeeded.

“Oh that’s nice.” Trixie replied, trying to sound earnest and mask her sudden onset shyness. Finally, after gathering up enough courage, Shadow managed to make small talk. Small talk was a practice that he hated, but right now it was all had.

“So what brings you to Ponyville?” He asked, attempting to sound interested.

“Just another stop on my tour.” Trixie replied, suddenly returning to the boisterous tone she normally spoke in. It was a question she was asked often, and the response was programmed into her brain.

“Tour?”

“Oh, yeah... I tour around Equestria sometimes.” Trixie chuckled, the conversation began to stray from her programmed responses. “Well, actually, all the time. I pretty much live out of my little wagon back there.”

“Oh wow, that sounds like quite the life.”

“It can be. Sometimes it quite a hoof-ful” Trixie smiled, she began to open up to her new friend.

“Where are from? Like, town-wise?” Shadow inquired, hoping to spark a conversation.

“Well, I was born in Palominer, that’s a small mining city up north. But left when I was quite young.”

Shadow had to bite his tongue, he wanted to ask why (although he was already quite sure of the answer), but knew that it was a bit early to ask. But this is perfect ya dumb colt! If you ask her that, it’ll dampen the conversation, put out whatever flames you have growing in your flanks, and you can go back to a simple life. Shadow knew that would provide an easy out for his current conversation, but something was still bothering him. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to scare Trixie off.

“So where is this cafe, or whatever place we’re heading to, anyways?” Trixie asked, trying to change the subject. That’s when it dawned on Shadow, he didn’t know where they were going. Hell, he didn’t know where he was.

“Oh... damn... well, now that you mention it... I don’t really know.” Shadow eeked out an answer

“What?”

“See, I’m pretty new to Ponyville myself. I haven’t even been here two weeks, and I’ve only actually been into town twice. I live outside of town so... yeah.” Shadow felt slightly embarrassed, he wasn’t used to being lost, and on the occasions he did get lost, it turned into a game. But now he had a companion, and he really started to want some tea.

“Oh, well do you have something to drink back at your place?” Trixie gathered all her courage to ask Shadow this question. It took all of Shadow’s to respond.

“Y-yes. Yes I do.”

“Well... we could just go there... If you want. For tea, because you have it there. Right?”

“Oh, yes. Of course, yeah.”

“Ok, great. Let’s go?”

“Sure”

Shadow began to close his eyes to focus his magic into a transportation spell. Then it hit him, Trixie has no clue where he lived. He gave Trixie a brief instruction.

“Ok, umm, since you don’t know where I live, and walking there would take too long, just hold on to me okay?”

“Sorry?”

“Just hold on to me. And give me a second.”

Trixie decided that no harm could come from obliging the colt, and wrapped her forelegs around him. She was however, quite perplexed. Celestia’s transportation spells only allowed for one pony to be transported. Could it be that Shadow was... different?

In a second, and with a slight flash of grey and purple, they were gone. In another second, they were back at Shadow’s cottage.

Before Shadow could open his eyes, he felt something warm on his lips. As he pulled his eyelids upwards he saw the closed eyes of Trixie, staring into his. He felt her supple lips caressing his, not passionately, but lovingly. Trixie quickly broke away, slightly embarrassed, but apparently very excited.

“I just knew it!” She said happily. “I just knew you were different. There was something about you! Something that made you different from the other unicorns. And now I know!” Trixie was practically bursting with glee. Shadow on the other hand, was beyond confused. Until it hit him.

“Here, let me show you something.” Trixie said, trying to calm herself down. Her horn began to glow a with dark hue, as did one of Shadow’s ears. Trixie was using her magic to take control of Shadow’s right ear. That’s when everything made sense to him.

“Sweet Celestia! That... That’s Luna’s magic! Tr- Trixie! How... Where did you learn this?!”

“Myself, I taught myself all my magic. You see, when I was a little filly I was on my own, and had nopony to teach me how to use my unicorn magic. The only way I could learn to control my magic was by reading all the books I could on the subject. But since I had no money and no parents the only way I could get books was by stealing them. And the first book I ever stole, the first thing that ever taught me about magic, was ‘The Darkness in the Light.’” Shadow recognized the book, very rare, and very expensive. It chronicled the creation and development of Luna’s dark magic, and was written by Star Shine, the twin sister of famed author Star Swirl “The Bearded”. The two had moved over to Fluttershy’s love-seat, and were sitting rather close on the well used cushions.

“Wow. And you haven’t been caught? Or at least persecuted for using Luna’s magic?” Shadow asked.

“Oh I’ve been caught for a few things, but never for that. I keep my knowledge hidden, and when I do use it in public, I hide it behind fireworks or other kinds of extravaganza.”

“Wow... That’s quite the amazing story.”

“Well, it’s really not. It’s just the way things are. Nothing amazing about that.”

“Oh c’mon. I mean, aren’t you known as ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’?”

“Well, that’s really a name I gave myself when I was a filly. I’d stand in the mirror wearing a cape that my grandmama made for me, and pretend I was a magician. I would call myself that to make up for the fact that I hadn’t really learned any magic yet. I guess it just sort of stuck.” Trixie gave a nervous chuckle.

“Haha, I think it suits you quite well.” Shadow flirted subconsciously, somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he was digging a very deep grave.

“Thanks. I like to think so on occasion.” Trixie sighed as she spoke.

Shadow saw something in Trixie that he could relate to. Isolation, loneliness, doubt, regret, he knew those things all too well, and he saw that Trixie knew them too.

“So what is it that you do, Shadow?” Trixie inquired, attempting to sway the topic from her past.

“Oh, well, I mostly study. I study magic most of the time, a little bit of history for context. But mostly magic. Specifically Luna’s dark magics. But since that doesn’t exactly pay
to well I’m starting to sell herbal mixtures and teas.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“I like it. If I hadn’t already invested so much time in studying Luna’s magic I would probably just give up my studies and settle down as an herbalist.”

“Really?” Trixie responded half consciously. She could feel herself beginning to grow weary, partly from the cozy atmosphere, partly from the long trip to Ponyville.

“Yeah, haven’t you ever felt that way? That Luna’s magic filled something in your heart that was missing and sent you down a strange path. And that given the chance, you’d go back and choose to lead a normal life?” Shadow’s tone suddenly much more serious than he liked. Trixie just sat there, staring blankly, lost in thought. Before even she was sure of what she was thinking, she spoke up.

“I know what you mean. Luna’s magic made sense of things for me. It put everything into perspective. It gave me a reason to be who I was.” Trixie felt herself being oddly sentimental.

“That’s exactly what I mean. And that’s what her magic is. It comes to those who are lost. Just like Princess Luna herself, lost, alone in the darkness she adores, so alone. But her magic seeks us out, it finds those who are lost and alone, who need a reason to go on living. And it comes down and embraces us in it’s cold arms, and shows us that there is hope.” Shadow finally had the chance to speak his mind. He finally was able to speak about his relationship with Luna’s magic to somepony who understood. Somepony who was like him.

Trixie felt a tear slide down her cheek. She tried to hold back, but nothing she did could hold back tears. She threw a foreleg around Shadow and rested her head in his shoulder as she cried. Shadow put his hoof on Trixie’s back and tried to comfort the sobbing mare. He wondered what Twilight would say if she saw him. Shadow quickly pushed those thoughts out of his mind, and tried to comfort the filly that was crying on his shoulder.

After almost a half hour of sitting in silence, Shadow spoke up.

“Trixie?”

“Mhm?” She responded without looking up from his shoulder.

“You said before, that you were on your own as a filly.”

“Yeah.”

“Why?” Shadow hoped he wasn’t asking too much of Trixie.

“I left home. I had to leave.” Trixie felt her tears beginning to form again as she poured out her past to Shadow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A young filly sat at her small table beside her small bed in her small room. She scribbled a picture of a mare resembling herself fending off a large mystical bear-like creature. The filly was happy, lost in her dream world of magic and wonder. She had to stay lost.

A slamming door and tired shout could be heard coming from another room.

“What are you doing!? It’s ten in the morning! And now you decide to come home?”

“Shut your mouth you damn mare. Who’s the one who pays for this roof you’re under? Now shut it!” The slurred, raspy shout of the angry colt shook the walls of the humble house.

“Shh! You’ll wake Trixie.”

“What? What the hell is that worthless filly still doing asleep!?” The colt’s voice only grew louder.

“We were up late. Waiting.”

“Well why the hell would you do that? I don’t need some damn mare waiting up for me. I don’t need a damn mother!”

The filly in her room had to hold back a tear. The shouting was starting again

“Well you need someone to take care of you! You obviously can’t take care of yourself!”

“Shut your damn muzzle, mare. I keep a roof over our head and food on the table.”

“Ha! That’s a joke have you seen this place!? It’s falling apart!” The mare’s voice now rose into a shout.

“shut up...” the colt responded.

“And have you even seen Trixie lately?! She’s practically skin and bone!”

“Shut up.”

“Forget Trixie, have you seen yourself!? Look at you, you can barely keep a job at the mines between the time you spend at the bar you worthless piec-.”

“SHUT UP!” The filly heard the sound of something breaking. “Maybe if I didn’t get tied down with some worthless mare things would be different! If I didn’t have some pathetic little filly tagging on to my life things could be better! But no! I had to go knock up some useless mare who wouldn’t even get rid of the damn kid.”

The filly couldn’t hold back her tears any longer.

“And now look at me, a nothing with a nowhere job. Fuck you Morning Glory! And fuck that worthless thing you call our daughter. All she ever did was fuck up my life, and yours.”

In her room, the filly sat, entranced by her drawing. An Ursa Major, vanquished by Trixie. The filly threw her cape and hat into a small saddle bag, along with a blanket, and crawled out her window into the world.

~~~~~~~~~~

Trixie sat in Shadow’s embrace, her eyes red from tears, her nose wet from crying. She hadn’t noticed, but she was practically squeezing Shadow. Her story was not easy to tell. In fact, Shadow had been the first to hear it.

Shadow felt a warmth well up inside him. But not a good warmth, one of a burning past, one that brought back memories that hadn’t been remembered in many years. But
amongst the memories he also found comfort. Just knowing that somepony else had the same painful childhood was comforting. But to actually hold that pony, to embrace her as she embraced him, it almost felt like... happiness.

“I don’t know what to say Trixie... I suppose that everyone has a past that they try to forget.” Shadow tried his best to comfort Trixie. Unfortunately, comforting wasn’t one of Shadow’s strongpoints.

“Thank you for listening. I’ve never actually told anypony that... ever. I sorry that I got your shoulder wet... Who knew a filly had so many tears in her eh?” Trixie attempted a laugh through her tears to ease the atmosphere.

“Ha, yeah. Who woulda guessed right.” Shadow responded as he rubbed Trixie’s back. “Now, how about a cup of tea?” Shadow looked down into Trixie’s lavender eyes. She responded with a little nod, and eased herself off of Shadow. He trotted over to his kitchen and put a kettle on the stove.

“Hey Shadow” Trixie called out, her speech nearly sob-free.

“Mhm?”

“Do you have a fillyfriend or anything like that?” Shadow gave a slight chuckle.

“What?” Trixie asked.

“Oh nothing. I’ve just never heard that expression before. Fillyfriend.”

“Really? It’s pretty common word in Palominer. But then does that mean that you don’t?”

“Don’t what?” Shadow tried to stall for time.

“Have a fillyfriend, or marefriend, however you want to say it.” Trixie’s tone turned playful. She was getting her hopes up.

Shadow froze, he had no clue what to say. On one hand, he felt as if Trixie was his other half. It was as if she was everything he had ever dreamed. On the other, Twilight was his marefriend, and he did care for her.

“Yes. I do. Her name is Twilight Sparkle.” Shadow spoke slowly, for once choosing his words very carefully. Trixie’s expression turned from hopeful to blank. Her battle with Twilight seemed to have no end.

“Oh... So I guess that means you’re not looking eh? haha...”

“Sort of... Well, not really. I mean... I don’t know!” Shadow was thinking out loud. “It’s just that Twilight... She’s sweet and interesting and smart. And you’re all that, but... you’re just... I feel like you’re the part of me that I lost.” Shadow didn’t know what spawned the uncharacteristic confession of feelings, but it felt good to have finally said that.

Before Trixie could say anything, Shadow walked in with two cups of steaming tea. The relaxing aroma seeped through the air and seemed to bring a certain degree of tranquility to the atmosphere. Trixie took a sip, being careful not to burn her tongue.

“Wow Shadow this is amazing!” Trixie exclaimed.

“Thanks” Shadow replied with a modest smile.

“No really, I mean, this is great. Not to mention I can practically feel myself relaxing. Tell me, what’s in this?”

“Well, ginger, chamomile, hemp, and a tiny bit of honey.”

“Wow, no wonder you make money as an herbalist.”

“I try.” Both ponies gave a little laugh as they sipped at the tea.

“So, from what I hear you don’t really have the best reputation in Ponyville.” Shadow began.

“Yeaaah.” Trixie began to blush slightly.

“What happened the last time you were here?”

“Well, I can be a bit... outspoken at times. Some people take my act a little too seriously I think.” Trixie tried to explain politely why nopony in Ponyville seemed to like. “I suppose I used to act a little full of myself. I still do. But that’s all just a stage show, just a show for my audience. But I never really had anyone close who I could be myself with. It seems like the entire world is my audience, and I have to act my part for them.”

“I know how you feel. Everypony feels that way sometimes. To quote a famous author, ‘all the world is a stage, and we are the players’.” Trixie looked into Shadow’s eyes, her heart melting.

“Wow... I feel like that sums up my entire life.” Trixie mumurmed.

“And he went on to say ‘to thine own self be true.’ I suppose he meant that, although you might be an extra in somepony else’s story, you still have yourself. You have your identity, regardless of whether or not other people see it, you are who you are.”

Trixie felt a tear begin to run down her cheek. But it wasn’t a tear of remorse or regret. No, Trixie had finally heard those words. Those words which she sought her whole life. The words that told her that she was perfect being just who she was, that she didn’t have to pretend to make something of herself. She nuzzled herself close with Shadow and took comfort in her friend’s warmth.

Shadow sat with Trixie, sipping on his tea. He didn’t know what was going to happen. He didn’t know whether or not Trixie would want to see him more. He didn’t know what Twilight would say if she saw him now. And he sure as hell had no clue what he was going to do about Trixie and Twilight. He decided to leave it, no sense worrying about it now. Shadow always thought that unless you knew what was going to happen, there’s no sense in worrying. Anyhow, there was something that he knew for sure, he just made a new friend, and the tea was damn good.

Comments

[BlackMetalPony]

Here it is! New chapter! Sorry about the delay getting this out, I don't have as much time as I would like for ponies But such is life. Hope you enjoy, please rate and comment and all that hithledeeblather.
Cheers!

[-Brutus]

I love how he still have his properties with goddamned tea :D

[Delicious]

files.sharenator.com/brilliant_Caption_This-s795x595-211145-535.jpg

Wow, adding Trixie really brought the story to new heights! I can't come up with much to say without it sounding like I'm a rambling praiser! Keep it up, I guess! I keep using exclamation points to make a point on how awesome this is!

[Delicious]

145824 Aaaannnddd... I still sound like a rambling praiser... Oh well, you deserve the praise!

[MeTaLGuArD]

I like where this went. I'm eager to see how things will turn out, though I'm actually more interested in seeing Trixie with Shadow instead of Twilight - probably because of how (not) often I see Trixie shipping.

[BlackMetalPony]

145833
Aw shucks :3

145858
I too enjoy trixie shipping... alot

[Gypsy]

disregard Twilight. Aquaire Trixie.

Trixie has best flank and dat accent!

[-Brutus]

Update? o:

[Chill Mists(Chilly)]

I find Trixie to be a very boring character to read about. I don't know why, and you still have a fantastic story here.

[Boolyboo]

Will we find out that Trixie and Shadow are related in some way seeing that they both possess the "Darkness" or will something els happen like they make a group of other ponys that posses the "Darkness"?

[-Brutus]

*awaits your comeback*

[-Brutus]

Come backkkkkkkkkkkkk!

[-Brutus]

Four years later, I'm still here lol