Trixie and the Mirror

by Mightyfinemorning

The Great and Powerful Trixie do not fall for cheap tricks

Trixie was alone in the room. Most of the lights were out, except the big candlelight which burned bright right above her. It was dark. Most part of the room was covered in dark blob of grey. Whenever the candle flickered, eerie shapes danced around the corners. The room was once used as the dressing chamber, but now that new room was built, no ponies ever came here except guards on duty. Consequently, the room started to lose its glamorous atmosphere it once had. The age Trixie could not only see but feel it. Several cracks she could discover among the rocky walls. The long wooden dressing table still held fragrant of the past. It smelled of perfumes. Deep, light, strong, weak; every odor she could imagine was mixed in this place. Smells, so much smells whirling around, eventually swelling into a thick layer. It almost made her dizzy.

The Great and Powerful Trixie stared into the mirror. The unicorn inside the smooth glassy surface smiled in return. Her sky-blue mane was carefully brushed, light and dark parts neatly formed into straight stripes. Her horns she polished with fine soft silks; it gleamed with myriad of blue hues whenever light shone above it. Her eyelashes she paid particular attention, making it pointed little upwards, but not to an excessive degree. She knew just the right angle. On her neck hung the dazzling blue sapphire necklace, matching well with her light azure body fur. She did not forget her ears, the earrings shaped of a purple six-pointed star. Her usual attire, the large pointy hat and cape, were not with her this time. Instead she was wearing a dress. A lavender dress decorated with night sky full of stars.

How nice you look, Trixie. Especially the color. Blue and purple. Trixie could not help but to adore the pony before her eyes. There was no narcissism involved here; she did indeed look beautiful. Great and Powerful she was, but she could also be elegant and graceful. She was somewhat worried that the two colors would not work well, but in the end the attire worked out fantastically. Blue she had in mind; it was her color after all; every pony had a deep affinity with his or her fur color. Purple, however, she could not easily decide. Then she knew it was time to ask others for their opinion. She knew sometimes it was best to ask others for advice. And so she did. Blue she chose to add to her dress because of such.

Just then she heard a knock on the door. She wondered who the mysterious visitor could be. Snips and Snails she sent them to do their errands, and she told them to meet her at the Canterlot hall. “Please, come in.” Turning around, she saw the lavender pony walking into the room. Trixie could see her dress. The color of it was the light cloudless sky, just the color of Trixie’s fur. On her dress were pointed stars, forming various constellation patterns that Trixie was also familiar with. Her earrings she did not miss; the two little crescent moons undeniably dangled beneath her ears.

“Ah, Twilight Sparkle. What a coincidence! Trixie was just thinking of visiting her friend for the thoughtful advice. She wishes to express her sincerest gratitude for the good-willed advice. Who would have known the two colors could blend so harmoniously?” Trixie said, slightly bowed her head in greeting.

“O Great and Powerful Trixie, I am extremely honored by your praise. I was deeply worried that my advice would do more harm than good; but I can safely disregard such thought. I am glad. Your dress indeed looks spectacular.” Twilight also bowed her head in return.

“Oh Twilight, let us drop the formalities! The Great and Powerful Trixie finds it more comfortable to speak with her friends without the fancy Canterlot speech. Twilight, thank you again so much for your kind advice. And your dress looks lovely too.”

“Thanks, Trixie.” Twilight said, smiling.

“Trixie does not want her friends to feel difficult approaching her.” Trixie made a big grin. It had the effect she desired; Twilight giggled, throwing off her usual official manner whenever she was in Canterlot. “By the way, what brings Twilight here?”

“Oh, trying to find some quiet place before the big celebration tonight.” Twilight let out a small sigh. “You know, the Princesses decided to hold two anniversaries this year, defeat of Nightmare Moon as well as the banishment of Discord. Being the bearers of elements, we sure got everypony’s attention.”

“Indeed, Trixie understands.”

Trixie recalled how earlier in the day Twilight and her friends were surrounded by ponies literally charging at them, each trying desperately to see the heroes of Equestria with his or her own eyes. Not only today, but ever since they arrived at Canterlot. On the first day, when the seven ponies got off from the carriage, they were immediately bombarded with dozen flashlights and several microphones pressed at them. Even the combined dedication of Snips, Snails and Spikes was no use under the sheer wall of ponies as they were swiftly crushed (both literally and figuratively) under the hundreds of hooves. Only after Princess Luna appeared at the scene did the fervent crowd reluctantly made the way for the seven ponies and three assistants to their chambers.

“The royal speech of the Moon Princess was our lifesaver.”

“You can say that again.” Twilight giggled. “Good thing many ponies prefer the new changing room.”

“Yes. For now Trixie just want to have some break before the celebration starts. We have still some time left, are we not?”

Both unicorns looked in the mirror. The two unicorns smiled back at them.

---

Trixie and Twilight were walking down the hallway. It was Twilight’s idea that they meet up with others at the rendezvous point, the little chamber next to the Princess Celestia’s room. Normally used as a reception room for special guests. Princess Celestia allowed the heroes of Equestria (as Trixie and the bearers of Elements were called) to use the place as a meeting point.

“And you even vanquished the Ursa Major! Even I couldn’t do that!” Twilight’s eyes were shining like when she spotted her favorite book.

“Hearing such word from the one who defeated Spirit of Disharmony? Trixie is surprised.”

“It would not have been same without you, Trixie. You helped us.”

Crack. She heard the sound. Maybe it was because of the old floor. This part of the castle wasn’t that well maintained. Her hooves must have stepped on the rusty part. Crack. So loud. She heard the sound. If Trixie was nervous, she was doing her best to hide it.

Twilight hummed her favorite song as she walked forward. “Almost there. I can’t wait to see them. Wonder what have they been doing?” Twilight spoke in a cheerful tone, as if completely oblivious of the suspicious sound that reverberated across the entire hallway.

Now Trixie knew something was wrong. A blue unicorn in the mirror looked at her. Mirror? She was no longer in the old changing room. The hallways had no mirrors. Now where did that come from? Trixie tried to think, but when she saw what was in the mirror she could not hold her gasp. Great and powerful Trixie: graceful and elegant manner she kept, fine and slender body she had. Her face was smiling, not a smirk, not a chuckle, not an evil grin, but big smile, a sign of pure bliss, sincere happiness.

But Trixie was not smiling. Trixie in the mirror or Trixie outside the mirror? One was not smiling. But who? Which Trixie? Crack. Another piece falling.

The candle above the mirror flickered from the sudden wind. The cold night airs soon began to pour into the room. She could see the nightly sky. So many stars on the sky forming a spectacular sight, a truly stunning night. A magnificent scene hosted by the Moon Princess. But why, Trixie thought, why was she not smiling? Moreover, why was she seeing the bare night sky instead of the splendid Canterlot ceiling tapestry?

“Trixie knows this is not right.” She muttered as she turned around from the mirror. She bit her lips, a rare behavior which only came out when she was worried about something. Was it because of the lavender pony? No. She was her friend. Great and Powerful Trixie knew better than to be jealous of others, especially those around her. Twilight’s friends she never disliked them. Trixie was on good accounts with them. They even invited Trixie on various occasions, of which Trixie all had a good time.

Crack. On good accounts. Had a good time. Really? With Twilight and her friends? Twilight Sparkle. Caring. Is it? Was it? Trixie again looked into the mirror, hoping to get an answer. Trixie always found the habit helpful when confronted by some problems that she could not solve (for the time being, of course; she was great and powerful). Gazing at her own reflection gave Trixie a chance to muse over her thoughts and try to organize them to workable thread. However disheveled her mind would be, after a good staring into a mirror she would eventually work her way out from the tangled mess. That was how Trixie solved her problems.

The blue unicorn in the mirror was still grinning. Trixie was not. She was frowning. Trixie knew something was going wrong. Crack. The sound continued.

“How did Trixie get into this?” No answer from the pony inside the mirror. Trixie in the mirror. She needed not to response. Trixie outside the mirror, she would have to figure it out…she was Great and Powerful. She gazed into the mirror.

Discord. Nightmare Moon. The grand celebration. The two anniversaries. Twilight. And her friends. Snips and Snails. Princess Celestia. Princess Luna.

It was a joke. It had to be a joke. A blatant cheap trick that did not even deserve to be called magic at all. Come on, Trixie. She said to herself. Trixie was a magician. She conjures, then she controls. Up in the stage she was the master. No exceptions. The Great and Powerful Trixie was the master of illusions. It was her specialty.

She did not defeat Nightmare Moon, nor did she banish Discord. It was Twilight and her friends who did all the work. But she did play a part; a very important part. It was Trixie who lead Twilight and her friends where Nightmare Moon hid herself. It was Trixie who resisted Discord’s chaotic influence and inspired Twilight to take action. Trixie deserved as much as Twilight and her friends fared. Trixie too saved Equestria. Twice.

No. A mere illusion. Fantastical tale, a world that never existed. A illusion built upon lies. A very dirty lowly lies. Trixie would use more elaborate, complicate ones. This world? Laughable!

“No.” Trixie felt a twinge inside her chest. She was no longer in the Canterlot castle. She was in her own room. No large windows, no antique dressing table, no candlelight. Just a small room surrounded with four wooden walls. No decorations, no beautiful paintings on the wall, no marble floor. She was Trixie. No blue-and-lavender dress, no six-pointed star earrings, no blue sapphire necklace. Just her old pointy hat and rugged cape. No perfumes, no make-ups. No Twilight. No one but her. Just Trixie.

"No.” Trixie suddenly felt the world going upside down. Crack. Crack. More pieces falling. She closed her eyes and opened. She was still in Canterlot Castle. Twilight was looking at her, visibly concerned. Trixie was standing in the middle of the hallway. Or was she? Which Trixie? Trixie on the inside or Trixie on the outside?

“Trixie? Are you okay?” Twilight walked towards her. How sweet, she thought, caring for her friends. If Trixie were Twilight’s friends, that was. That would have been good. Too good. Trixie knew better than that. She was Great and Powerful, after all. She recognized the mirror. Inside it was so good, but on the outside…

“Oh my! I hope she is feeling well…she must be tired from attending all those meetings with Canterlot ponies! Fluttershy was like her yesterday! She needs some assistance right now. Here, I’ll take left. You take right! She needs to take a rest!”

Crack. That voice…it was Rarity. But Fluttershy? Who was she? Trixie was trying her had to think, but nothing came out. Mirror. She was looking into the mirror, right? But why was she seeing other ponies? Why? The two unicorns stood next to her, almost ready to give Trixie a helping hoof. But Trixie was looking into the mirror alone. It was just Trixie.

“Hey! Is something wrong?

Crack. The assertive one. The Pegasus with rainbow mane. Rainbow Dash. The world around her was spinning now, and Trixie tried hard to just stand. She lied against the wall. Not smooth, but rough surfaces. Unlike the cold smooth marble walls in Canterlot…

“Ah hope she is okay! Girls, we’d better take her inside the room!”

Crack. That accent. The orange pony. Good with ropes…Trixie was quite surprised when she saw the earth pony showing her the tricks. But then she, great and powerful Trixie, showed the mare what Trixie was really capable of, right?

“Girls, get Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie!” Trixie assumed that voice came from Twilight. Who was Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, Trixie tried hard to think…

Trixie on the outside, she frantically searched for an answer to whatever place she was drawn into. Not Trixie on the inside. She was fine. How could she not remember Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie?

Remember what? Trixie did what? Trixie tried to say something, but nothing came out of her mouth. Her body felt stiff and did not obey her command. She tried to look straight into four ponies looking at her, but she kept blinking, trying to get rid of the blur that somehow landed on her sight. Now whirling shapes appeared before her eyes.

Great and Powerful, Trixie. Great and Powerful. Come on, she shouted. Still nothing. Absolute silence. Was she in Canterlot? Yes, the Trixie on the inside. But on the outside, she was looking at the mirror. With who? Just Trixie. On the inside, she was not looking into the mirror. Or was it? Trixie could not be so sure. But she was Great and Powerful. Not just great and powerful, but Great and Powerful. A title befitting Trixie. She had to show Twilight and her friends that she was okay.

The scene faded before her eyes, immediately replaced with the sight she was too familiar with. Ah, so that was how it worked, Trixie thought to herself. She was Great and Powerful; she should have understood it sooner. The mirror. Look at it and one sees her own self; her own self inside the mirror, to be exact. Trixie was looking at the mirror, alone. Inside the mirror, Trixie was with four ponies trying to help her. But on the outside, Trixie…

The world was just too much for her. Too sweet, too good to be true. Hence for the mirror showing it to her. When Trixie knew she was not inside the mirror, she cried.

---

The cold night air seeping through the walls reminded her where she really was. She looked on the mirror. Trixie on the outside, she was in her cottage, hastily constructed after Ursa Minor smashed her carriage into pieces. She took a deep breath, and tried to control her thoughts. Being a magician, Trixie had to learn to differentiate the reality and the fantasy. Sometimes the latter would be more appealing. Sometimes that world would seem to speak more truth. Sometimes it would appear to contain more honesty. She began the process. What was real, what had really happened...she searched for the one single thread among millions of thought threads. Only that one held the memory of reality.

Only after she stopped at the outskirts of Ponyville did she realize she had nowhere to go to. She remembered how she forced her magical energy to build another one from the scratch, which left her exhausted after several days. Her body ached from the great exertion, both physically and mentally. For now the woods outside Ponyville, dangerously close to Everfree Forest, was where her home would be.

When she could see the coarse wooden wall without geometric images flashing before her eyes, she decided move to more pressing matters. The mirror. Where did she get the mirror? Most of her possessions inside the carriage could not be salvaged. Her dresser, her table, her magical instruments, all destroyed beyond magical repairs.

“Trixie must remember…” She bit her lips hard. Some skins peeled off. She chewed it. It was bitter. She tried to focus her thoughts just as she had done with her magical energy. Grab the thread among the giant flow, and then control it. It was what Trixie did every day. Control. She controlled her thoughts and energy, not the other way around. Where did the mirror come from? After she ran away from Twilight and her ‘admirers’ (again she buried her teeth deep into her lips), she remembered she left her wooden carriage, which was practically her only home.

Slowly, Trixie began to unravel her tangled thoughts, forcing her energy to find among her many threads of thoughts the memory of what happened that night. When she thought she had got the right one, she began to examine the string, separating it from the rest of the flows.

Her show at Ponyville had definitely come to a dead end. The lavender pony made it sure of that. Trixie watched in absolute horror as Twilight Sparkle moved Ursa Minor from the village. Soon she recovered from her dumbfounded posture. But when the unicorn walked toward her, she could not take it. Trixie ran. She could still not remember what she said to Twilight back then. Even with all her efforts her stream of consciousness offered nothing. She could only retrieve her feeling at that time, of how she tried to act as if nothing had happened. But it was a mistake. Trixie could do nothing while Twilight stood proudly and fought, achieving what ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie could not. She lost. So much for Great and Powerful.

When she was sure that there was nothing alive near the vicinity, she stopped running, and just sat there. She cried until she could barely make a sound.

That night, after gathering enough courage and driving shame out of her mind (which soon swiftly returned back in her flow of thoughts), she returned to the scene. Among the wanton destruction she saw a mirror. How strange, she thought, to find the one of the most easily breakable object completely undamaged in the aftermath of the rampage. Out of curiosity she levitated it with her magic. It certainly did not look much interesting, just plain. The glassy surface was clean, but that was it. Just a rectangular-shaped mirror, its frame made out of cheap wood that was used to make basic furniture. It did not even have the most basic ornaments.

Still, for such a simple mirror the surface looked incredibly shiny. While the frame Trixie found it bit ‘common’, the glass part she could appreciate its fine quality. It was just so smooth, reflecting her face and mane in an almost otherworldly clearness. Not a single dust seemed to lie on the silver plate. Great and Powerful she was, she could not guess what purpose did the mirror serve.

It sure was no ordinary object, completely intact from the wreckage, yet Trixie could not discover anything magical about it. She would figure out it eventually. It was not hers; of course it would be stealing to simply take it away. But there was nopony in the vicinity. Where did Twilight, Snips and Snails gone to, she had no idea. To her what mattered was that she could take the mirror without anypony say something to her. Trixie felt she had to take the mirror. She found in her cottage anyway.

And so after her wooden house was completed, she put the mirror in the wall. She stared into the mirror, wondering what might happen. Trixie knew magical objects were not to be tempered with. But she was Great and Powerful, Trixie assured herself. She could find a way back to her old self. Enthrallment, mind control, brainwash; she could withstand them all. They were all so close to the spells Trixie utilized, after all. On the stage she made illusions. She made audience believe her words. With a bit of a trick she could insert incidents that never happened...and fail.

No, She could not let despair overshadow her. Trixie was Great and Powerful. Only one as Great and Powerful as Trixie could control her. “Great and Powerful. Trixie is Great and Powerful.” She murmured, almost in a trance, like whispering a chant. “I am Great and Powerful. I am Trixie. Trixie is Great and Powerful.”

She looked in the mirror. Trixie saw Trixie in Canterlot Castle. Trixie inside the mirror. Then she saw the lavender pony walking in. Trixie bowed her head to greet her. Trixie in the mirror, that was.

“Ah, Twilight Sparkle-“

She tried to control her freely running thoughts. It was Trixie who controlled what she wanted to see, not the other way around. She closed her eyes. Trixie was in the castle. She knew what would happen if she opened her eyes again.

“So, this was it. It shows you things.” Trixie chuckled. Slowly taking her eyes accustomed the candlelight, she saw her wooden home. Of course it was; mirrors. Magical mirrors, they did not show what was in front of them. They always manipulated things to their own accords. Like Trixie. Like her. She knew how the process worked. Illusions, past, future, nightmares, whatever one calls it; these mirrors showed what they wanted to show. When light shone upon them, what do they show? Trixie knew the answer. Mirrors of magical qualities showed whatever they were meant to show.

How ironic, thought Trixie, for the mirror showing her with Twilight and her gang; and how cruel. The mirror was obviously mocking her. Even Snips and Snails. They were her ‘assistants’ in that place. More like two asses. Saving the Moon Princess from the dark grasp and banishing the Element of Disharmony. Cleverly made; it knew how to mess up with one’s ego. So amazingly and delightfully painful. Trixie knew only Elements of Harmony could defeat such evil beings. Trixie was Great and Powerful; she may not fall to their influence. But defeat them? “No.” Trixie said to her aloud. “No. Impossible.”

Trixie stared into the mirror. She stared, did not dare to blink. The blue pony in the mirror was now surrounded by six ponies. Inside the Canterlot Reception Chamber was herlying down the luxurious curtained-bed. Twilight and others were watching, each trying to do something that would make the pony in the bed feel better. Trixie felt happy. Trixie inside the mirror.

“Happy, huh? Trixie feeling happy surrounded by Twilight and her gang? Never.” She still did not blink. Tears streamed down her eyes. Maybe it was because she did not blink for more than a minute. Or was she feeling sad? Angry because what she saw in the mirror could never happen? That blue pony in the mirror looked so happy, surrounded by ponies who cared for her.

But Trixie on the outside was alone in the stranger parts of the land. So was she…jealous of what the mirror showed? She could not tell. Staring at the glass made Trixie eyes hurt, but Trixie could not lose the fight. Yes, a fight, Trixie said to herself. This was a fight, and she was going to win it. That mirror may show whatever it liked to show; but Trixie was Great and Powerful. She was mighty. The power to control her emotions belonged solely to Trixie; the one and the only Great and Powerful Trixie.

Trixie felt tired, like the blue pony inside the glassy world. It was days after she took on the great labor, but she still felt her magical energies running low. Looking at the mirror just added to her fatigue. Controlling her thoughts and picking out the 'real' threads of thoughts among many false ones was the final icing in the cake.

Temporary retreat. “Trixie guess she will have to take a sleep.” She looked at her bed, and then turned back at the mirror. Now the mirror was showing the overall view of the Canterlot chamber. It was as if the inanimate object had its own sentient, deliberately trying to keep reminding Trixie what a different world it was. Her house barely had anything that could be called a furniture-just a simple wooden table and hard wooden bed. The Canterlot Reception Room, however, Trixie figured best not to think. It just made her more miserable. It made her to think about her current situation.

Magic mirrors. But it would not get better of Trixie. She would not fall for some kind of weird wacky otherworld. The world inside the mirror-she scoffed at the thought. Way too cliche. A magician could think better spells.

The wooden floor was hard to lie down, but Trixie was tired anyway, and soon she drifted to sleep, not before muttering 'I am the Great and Powerful Trixie'.

---

Author's note: Just wanting to write about Trixie. I really wish she makes comeback during season 2 (or season 3) and get a chance to redeem herself. When I watched the Trixie episode, I was quite surprised that she in the end ran away-I almost expected her to apologize for her boasting.

And I personally feel sad for her. Her carriage is destroyed in the episode but all she could do was just to run away (of shame maybe?). I think she deserves better than this. I really want to believe that her boasting she only uses it for her show and in behind the scenes she can be friendly as other ponies.

That was the sort of Trixie I had in mind when I wrote this. On the edge between arrogance and pride, but accepting the fact that her boasts have its limits.

*Edited to make it more readable

Comments

[Zobeid]

One of the reasons Trixie is such a great character is because she's so ambiguous. Even though she boasted, she also had some degree of actual talent. Even though the Ursa was a disaster, Trixie wasn't directly responsible for it. And even though she acted like an enormous jerk, it's never obvious how much of that was really her personality and how much was her act -- plus, having her wagon crushed was pretty harsh any way you look at it.

You can write a story that takes her in almost any direction from there, plausibly. She can be as good or bad as you want.

[Mightyfinemorning]

113934 Agreed. I see quite a number of different perspective towards the character. I would like to see Trixie as somewhat arrogant character who still tries to prove herself.

[0]

I found it hard to follow at the start, but when I realized what was happening i got hooked. Loved the story

[Niklashg]

113934 you forgot that she also "Tried" to do somthing when Snips and Snails broght the Ursa insted of just runing away.

[Zobeid]

123857

Quite right. Even though she was outmatched, she stood her ground and tried her best to counter the Ursa.

[Soft Shell]

Awesome.