Curse My Name
**A/N: First off let me apologize for how long this chapter took to write. If you saw my blog post you know I flip-flopped between writing this chapter and another, unsure which to release, but this one won out in the end. I struggled with some major writer's block but I hope I'm over that. Also for new readers this chapter, along with the previous one, all take place BEFORE chap 1. It's weird I know but I originally meant this to be a one-off. Anyway enjoy the new chapter!
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CURSE MY NAME
I never forget a face. Though time marches ever on and the memories of ponies fade, I never forget. I cannot. It would be disrespectful to all those I’ve taken, all those who I’ve left broken and alone. Though the tides of history leave countless ponies faces in the dust I hold onto them, for I am the reason they will be forgotten.
I will never forget a face.
Some ponies are content to be ignored, both in death and in life. I find them alone, wheezing out their last breath.
For some the numerous family and friends they accumulate in life ensure that memories of them will live on long after I come for them, though eventually they too will be left by the wayside of time.
But I have met a few who would not go quietly into oblivion, who made sure during life that their name would live on forever; their face and name never forgotten by those who came after. They are the ponies who become famous, become legends.
Lastly there are ponies that try for fame, but never quite make it. Vainly they struggle to fight the onslaught of unforgiving time, but are crushed by its ceaseless march ever onward. Those I try hardest of all to remember. Those who fought against the inevitable, who didn’t want to be forgotten, those I pity the most.
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A new day comes and goes as quickly as the last, as painfully as all the rest. I get busier everyday as the demand for my service grows. It’s getting harder and harder to remember all of the faces, but I won’t give up yet. I can’t.
The day is nearly over, just one last job. I check my list to see where my unyielding task master will lead me. It reads “Cowgary” in simple black letters, so austere and cold. I pick up my hooves and fly off towards my goal.
After an hour of flying I near the town. It is a medium sized town growing day by day as it rapidly becomes the agricultural center of Equestria. Initially a town settled by ranch ponies in the middle of Equestria’s grasslands it has since become a place of business for farm ponies living around the town to come to to sell their crops.
As I fly over I find it hard not to be caught up in its modest beauty. The town itself is a series of old thatch roof homes mixed together with newer brick buildings which tower over the homelier dwellings, but what really stuns me is the setting the town finds itself in.
Thousands of acres of wheat and grass stretch on as far as my eye can see. It is a golden ocean of crops made all the more beautiful by the dying suns last golden rays reflecting off the never ending fields below. The town itself is a ship sailing the limitless amber sea. Rare moments like these distract me from my duties for just a moment. It may be brief, but I cherish all the distractions I can take.
I clear my head and return back to the task at hand. I close my eyes and concentrate. I feel the energy of the life I must take calling me from the city below and I descend towards it. Floating closer I can see I am heading towards a small camp on the edge of the town. The lights from what I now identify as a travelling circus light up the night and the sound of laughter and the smell of sweets fill the air of the rapidly approaching night.
I make my way to the centre of the circus where a magic show is about to begin. A wooden stage has been erected and a large crowd sits on the lawn in front of it waiting. I float closer and hover over the crowd, looking around. A dramatic red curtain hangs behind the platform and on it are hung two large banners announcing to the world “The Great Trixie!” in large bold gold letters.
I feel the time is near, but I have a few minutes to wait so I settle down and hover above the audience below.
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The muffled roar of the impatient crowd outside is all Trixie can hear. Sweat is pouring down her brow which she mops up with her custom made purple mage hat. She takes a second to look at it and smiles seeing the stars her sister sewed onto it a few weeks ago for good luck.
Looking at the mirror she makes sure her light blue mane is perfectly coiffed, her sea foam green coat perfectly combed and her cutie mark of two wands crossing themselves while sparks fly is not obscured by her matching cape. Giving her horn one last quick polish she smiles at herself, perfect as always.
“Ms. Trixie! You’re on in five!” A stagehoof calls out to her from the door to her tiny dressing room.
“That’s THE Great Ms. Trixie to you!” She responds trying to keep the nervous quaver out of her voice. The stagehoof just rolls his eyes and leaves to go over some last minute preparations.
Tonight is a big night for her. Tonight there will be important ponies in the audience, business ponies from the food market and possibly some talent scouts. As Cowgary grows an increasing number of ponies want more and better entertainment, and Trixie would be happy to oblige. Then she could finally get out of this ratty circus life. She is done with the smells of dung, and the long hours, and the hunger. Most of all however she is tired of her sister’s sad, fake smile. Trixie hates this most of all because she knows that look to well, sees it in the faces of her colleagues every day. It is the look of a pony that’s given up hope of finding anything better in life but doesn’t want others to know. But Trixie hasn’t given up, she has too much to gain should she succeed , and so much to lose if she fails.
The door to the humble dressing room creaks open slowly, but Trixie is too absorbed in rehearsing her routine in her mind to notice. It’s an especially tricky sequence she designed herself where she dramatically fights off an enraged Ursa Major and saves a dashing prince (being played by one of the not so dashing circus clowns who had volunteered to help). It is a dangerous, energy consuming performance that she has so far been unable to perform in its entirety, but tonight she is confident she can do it.
A soft, tentative knock on the partially opened door breaks Trixie’s concentration and she looks up at the mirror. “Oh, sister it’s you. Come in, I’m just getting ready.”
The small filly unicorn steps in the room. Her purple eyes have been wet recently with tears but she tries to keep an air of determination to offset her frazzled silver-blue mane and shaggy azure coat.
“I don’t want you to perform tonight!” The small filly squeaks out, her voice betraying her emotions. “It’s too dangerous!”
The older mare frowns; this is an argument the sisters are starting to have far too often. She falls back on her default response, one she has recited a dozen times already.
“Lulamoon you don’t need to worry I’ll be fine. Magic tricks are my special talent, I’ve performed a hundred times before so don’t worry.” Trixie explains while trying to keep her voice calm and comforting, but unable to keep the impatient sting out of it.
“Don’t call me that! You know I hate that name! It’s dumb, unlike yours. And don’t brush me off again! You haven’t been able to do your routine once the entire way through yet and after each rehearsal you practically faint!” Lulamoon argues back as her voice grows in intensity. She knows her points are valid and can only hope her stubborn sister sees reason.
“Sweetie I have to do this. This performance could make my career; we could be rid of this circus by this time next week if all goes well.” She keeps her voice level but anger is creeping in; an anger stemming from the truth she wishes to deny. Her new show is too much for her to handle, but that isn’t something she wishes to acknowledge.
“Who cares about your career? You’re going to hurt yourself!” Lula’s high pitched voice is reaching a new octave as she pleads with her sister. “Besides, I...I like it here. Let’s just stay.” Her voice softens its pitch back to normal as resignation creeps in.
Trixie shakes with anger, she can no longer keep up the kindly facade. “WHY DO YOU THINK I’M DOING THIS?” The older sister shouts in a voice she usually reserves for the many debt collectors she tries to ward off. “I’m doing this for us, for you! So we can live in a house for once! So we’re not hungry all the time! Don’t stand there and lie to me that you like this dung infested sty we travel with just because you’ve given up! I haven’t do you hear?! I am not going to roll over and wallow in this filth for the rest of my life, forgotten by everypony! I’m not going to be a nobody like our parents!”
Silence hangs in the air like a thick fog. Her little sister is now openly crying and Trixie knows she has gone too far. Ever since their parents died of pneumonia several years back the two have rarely broached the subject, and never have either spoke ill of them or their circus background. Trixie only stands before her sister unsure on her next course of action, staring at her awkwardly.
“I...” The older sister starts to speak, unsure what she even is going to say or can say, when she is interrupted by the stagehoof giving an uncomfortable cough.
“Uh, Ms. Trixe, you’re up.” He quietly announces once he has her attention and then leaves the two sisters.
“I’m sorry Lula. I...I should not speak badly of our...” The performer stops, unable to say the words and face her sobbing sister. Instead she puts what she hopes is a comforting hoof around her sister’s shoulder and instead says “We’ll talk after the show.”
With that The Great Trixie leaves her shaking sister behind her, not looking back once, and marches onto the stage confidently to the applause of the exuberant crowd.
But their cheering cannot drown out the quiet sobs of her sister echoing in her head.
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The board is set, pieces are moving. We come to it at last.
I float above the crowd watching as the magician of the hour steps on to the stage to roaring applause from the audience below. She makes a melodramatic bow with a sweep of her hat and then raises it in the air. Fireworks and streamers burst from unseen sources offstage and The Great Trixie basks in the attention as the approval of the masses washes away all her worries. Almost.
The act begins with a few simple tricks to warm up the audience and get them excited. First she starts with pulling bunnies out of her hat, then moving on she ‘saws’ her assistant in half, and a finally she finishes her opener with a few simple card tricks that, while uncomplicated, seem to amuse the audience greatly.
The lights dim, the previous act’s props are cleared away, and The Great Trixie moves to center stage. “And now fillies and gentle colts comes what you’ve all been waiting for!” The crowd cheers enthusiastically. “The daring tale of how I, The Great Trixie, vanquished a fierce and powerful URSA MAJOR!” Her last words she shouts, emphasized by her horn shooting out a small lightning bolt that lets off a deafening boom. The thunder brings back unwanted memories of a job I performed only a few weeks ago. I am anxious for her performance to end as I know mine soon will begin.
The feeling of apprehension grows as she continues to map out the scene. She explains how she fought the giant creature to save a noble prince, and that she will enact her brave feat for her audience.
However the boastful story barely registers as I now notice a small filly peering at Trixie from the side of the stage, almost all of her concealed by the curtain. She looks remarkably like the pony on stage. Her eyes are focused on the pony on stage and watch fearfully, eyes red from heavy crying. I groan as I realize what will so happen, the scene playing itself out in my head. I will have to be quick to avoid the scene which will follow. Taking a life in front of an anonymous crowd is hard, taking a life in front of a single family member is near impossible. I usually slip in and out quietly, attracting little attention, but with this outgoing show mare that seems not to be an option.
I turn my attention back to Trixie who has begun her act. The ‘prince’ is cowering in fear on the left side of the stage while Trixie stands in front of him heroically. Her horn glows a magnificent aqua blue and a mass of sparkles bursts forth from it. I can see the concentration on her face as the form of a massive starry bear eventually forms out of the effervescent mist of magic.
The crowd is completely in awe of the illusion, not even noticing that the best is an Ursa Minor, not major. Having seen the aftermath a rampage by both I can tell the difference.
The tiny filly staring at her sister from behind the curtain however is not as happy as those before her. She is muttering words under her breath, most likely a soft prayer to Celestia. A tiny stab of anger pierces my heart as my mind wanders towards thoughts of this land’s false godess, but I stop myself quickly. It is best not to dwell on thoughts of her right now. I must focus on the task before me.
I return my attention to the show mare, who is now sweating profusely, her apparition roaring and swiping at her in their mock battle. Her eyes are squinted and she grits her teeth. I can feel the moment coming closer even as the oblivious mass below me cheers louder.
The air grows tense as I sense the shifting energies swirling around the magician. Her illusion is fading slightly but she compensates by pouring more of her own energy into her act, her own life force. As her horn grows brighter I wonder if she realizes what she is about to give up for her fame, if she even knows how pointless her efforts are. For in the end even legends are forgotten, their names only recorded in dusty old tomes in the back of an ancient library. Only I am eternal, only I remember.
The moment comes quickly. The air begins to vibrate, something all below feel, as the last of the unicorn’s energy is poured out into the Ursa Minor. The show pony’s energy is all drained. The stream of magic coming from the mare’s horn suddenly stops, and she collapses like a rag doll. In the moment before she passes out the realization of her foolishness flits across her face, an expression only I and her sister notice. The illusion in the air quickly fades as though it were never there. The crowd starts to rise in confusion, the memory of the show already leaving their minds to be replaced by confusion and panic.
I move in, darting forward like an arrow. I must be quick.
Unfortunately I am not the first by her side. The small azure filly all but teleports to her sister’s side, shaking her desperately and yelling in her ear to wake up; but she yells in vain.
Or so I think.
Her sister, weak and barely alive, opens her eyes slowly. Ponies rush around both of them trying to see what they can do to help, but Trixie only sees the crying foal before her.Regret stabs at her heart and tears fill her eyes.
“Lula...” she begins to form words to a sentence she will never finish.
It is at that moment that I do the cruellest thing I’ve ever done. I quickly jab my hoof into the dying mare’s heart. I know the guilt of this act will pain my heart forever, but no worse than having to watch and remember the last exchange between these two sisters.
My touch instantly stops her frail heart. She arcs her back as if she has been shocked by a cattle prod and then moves no more.
“Trixie! TRIXIE!!!” The little filly screams desperately as her sister’s last breath slowly slither’s out of her mouth.
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The wind blows mercilessly at the thin, shivering filly, but she pulls her sister’s cape closer around her body for warmth. The hat perched atop her head nearly flies off in a strong gust but she grabs it quickly and keeps it firmly in place with her magic.
After the funeral there were no tears left. The little foal with the silver mane and azure coat is left empty and alone. She stands by herself for hours by the simple grave under the darkening sky, one name among thousands in the massive field; her gray slab no more special than those that stood alongside it.
Amidst the rows and rows of graves the foal comes to a realization. It pains her to admit it, but her sister was right. Trixie’s last words still stung but only because of the truth that burns in them. Lula had given up, had resigned herself to a miserable existence in a third bit side show. She would’ve died alone and forgotten in that circus had not her sister made her see otherwise. Their parents had left the world unknown, only two ponies in all of Equestria missing them after they were gone. Countless others in this field must have gone the same way and now all that was left was a half inch engraving of their name cut into a slab of rock.
Looking down at the grave which reads “Trixie: Beloved Sister” Lulamoon makes a decision. Her horn glows purple as she focuses her magic on the stone. She carefully recarves the words to read “Lulamoon: Beloved Sister”.
A look of grim satisfaction spreads across the foals face. “Trixie has beaten you death. Trixie has a new chance at immortality.” The new Trixie smiles, a smile without mirth.
She had cheated Death of his prize; instead of The Great Trixie he had gotten the weak and insecure Lulamoon. No pony would miss her, but the Great Trixie would come back, stronger and more powerful.
Trixie smiles again. “The Great Trixie will not fade away quietly. We shall be better than we are now, after we have learned some new tricks we shall be back. The Great Trix-no, the Great AND Powerful Trixie will return, and then nopony will forget her.” She looks down at the freshly dug grave.”Your name shall not be forgotten. I shall make sure of it sister.”
The pony once named Lulamoon, now The Great and Powerful Trixie, walks away from the grave knowing she has no more reason to stay. Her future is uncertain, but her goal is unwavering. The name Trixie will resound throughout all corners of Equestria, and shall echo through the halls of time for all eternity. Her name will slip away into obscurity like so many others.
The Great and Powerful Trixie will become immortal.
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Author's Note: Thanks for reading again! To be honest I wasn't entirely happy with this chapter but after agonizing over it for hours I figured I could do no more with it. Also at time of release it's nearly 2am so if I've made some mistakes proof reading PLEASE don't hesitate to point out my mistakes.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please comment if you liked this! I read all the comments and they really do help inspire me, even negative ones make me want to do better.
Oh also just in case you don't know where I got the name "Lulamoon" from it is from a toy that looked just like Trixie but with a slight color change and they gave it that name. It got me thinking where the name came from, that coupled with why Trixie always speaks in third person led me to think that she wasn't the "real" or "original" Trixie.
Thanks again for the read!
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holy balls, this is good
great chapter, I really enjoyed it. I was worried Lulamoon/Trixie would die. But this stroy gives her a great motivator to do better than her sister/parents. Good job
This was very good, I have always been interested in stories with an anthropomorphized death; Mort, On a Pale Horse, Death, a Life ect. Looking forward to more chapters.
beautiful just beautiful
Very unique idea as to why Trixie's mannerisms are the way they are.
YEEESSSSSS. Oh GOSH I was hoping this would happen. When I realized that Trixie was going to die I was like, "Lula is ganna impersonate her!
" and I was REALLY hoping I was right!...well, I didn't say it like that exactly, but...paraphrasing.
I am SOO glad "The Great and Powerful Trixie!" didn't die! She's one of my favorites, honestly...and Lul-er, I mean, Trixie is just awesome for killing herself to honor her sister. This is just an amazing set of stories and I always look forwards to updates!
Also, 2 am? SO I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT DOES THAT, HUH.
175153
Thanks man!
175178
Me too, that is why I wrote this story.
175617
2am is best time to write/edit!!
Also I wasn't about to kill The Great and Powerful Trixie off, she too cool.
wow, amazing story. i do like how the story played out. the REAL Trixie is dead and the "Trixie" we know is just her sister taking her place. nicely written and I applaud you for that.
PS: I did spot one extra word in the beginning, "For some the numerous family and friends they accumulate in life ensure that memories of them will live on long after they I come for them, though eventually they too will be left by the wayside of time." The they that I underlined probably shouldnt be there. Just a heads up
175617i do it at 4am
makes so much sense!!!!!! oh my celestia!!! saddness!!!
176560
Dohoho, one-upper! All nighters are much more fun though...I don't do that anymore unless it's a special occasion.
176708latest iv bean was 5am than i got up at 6am...for 2 days straight and i didnt nap now i get about 3 to 4 hours of sleep most nights some say im insane and say im not insane...im insane and extremly paranoied
176727
Join the club! Some of my best stuff flys out in the early hours, actually...
DAT ENDING.
I'm loving this -- so happy you finally updated!
fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/345/f/a/the_great_and_powerful_trixie_approved_by_ambris-d4ivli5.png
175939
Fixed. Thanks for spotting that!
177222
Thanks man, I'm glad I finally got that out. Was kinda worried how people would like it after such a long incubation period but I didn't need to worry, you guys are awesome.
177296
well I should hope so
175387 177727
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177850
What Jamacob said.
I don't think I need to add more.
177850
You guys are best. Thanks for all comments.
This is so great... *sniffles*
OH GOD TRIXIE I UNDERSTAND YOU NOW
191947
Really? That's pretty cool to know that. Hope it keeps its top spot for you!
My god... That was such a great chapter... I honestly felt a slight tear understanding what Lula is doing for her past as one might call it
Wow, there's no words for how awesome this was.
It's been a while since I actually sat in awe when I finished a chapter of... well anything
It's just... perfect!
-Glassed
interesting turn of events, this would make a far better back story than that egotistical bitch hasbro came up with.