Dark Petrification

by bnewton

Chapter 1: The Patient and Repentant Trixie

Trixie was not loved, she was not popular. Still, she could not deny that she was one lucky mare. She had the luck to be right inside the Crystal Empire's shield when the dark mist reached it.

Trixie hears a sound not unlike a pillow hitting a window, she looks around and notices the dark fog behind her. She doesn't trust anything unfamiliar to her of any description, so she decides to just continue towards the center of the city.

What she found was a crowd of Crystal Ponies outside the Crystal Palace, looking up at the balcony. She tapped a mare on the shoulder. The mare had a crystalline glow about her coat that was banana-yellow, she had rainbow irises, and a her mane was shining like a sapphire. The mare turned to look at Trixie, and Trixie asked "What's going on?"

"We're waiting for Princess Cadence to come out and tell us what the black fog outside the Empire limits is." the Crystal mare said.

"Oh, well, do you know what time it is? I haven't been able to figure it out since the black fog is covering the sky. And on that note, how is it still so bright here?"

"Well, we are surrounded by crystals infused with the magical energies that's supposed to keep evil things outside the Empire. If I were to guess, I'd say the fog doesn't enter the Crystal Empire because it is made of evil's essence, or perhaps something close to it. And the crystals themselves emit light quite nicely, but I guess the fog reflects the light back towards the ground, giving the illusion that the sun is still visible."

"Those are quite some interesting theories you have... are you a scholar, by any chance?"

"Why, yes, yes I am a scholar, and, oh dear, we don't even know each other's names, heh. Mine is Rainbow Refraction."

"I am known as Trixie, I used to call myself The Great and Powerful Trixie, but the title only managed to bring trouble to me in the end. I am currently training myself to live up to my former title, terribly arrogant though it may be."

"Sounds like you've been through some hard times. Does your necklace have anything to do with it?"

"This is from... a friend who helped me to see the truth. However, ahem 'Trixie speaking like Trixie does makes a Trixie's act more impressive' or so I thought." Trixie says waving her hooves around, mocking herself performing stage tricks."

"You used to speak in third-person? You have quite the colorful history, don't you?"

"I guess that's one way of putting it..."

"Oh, there's the Princess! I hope she has an answer to what exactly the fog outside is." Rainbow Refractions says, pointing at the balcony, where indeed there was a pink Alicorn with a megaphone levitated in front of her.

Cadence speaks into the megaphone, saying "CITIZENS OF THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE AND OTHERS, WE HAVE NAMED THE BLACK FOG 'MALUM' AND WE BELIEVE, BASED UPON LUNA'S VISITING A PONY WHO FELL ASLEEP DURING THE MEETING, THAT ANYPONY WHO IS PURE OF HEART OR TOO POWERFUL TO CONTROL GETS TURNED TO STONE UPON TOUCHING THE MALUM. THOSE WHO ARE OTHERWISE NOT SO PURE AND/OR WEAKER, SIMPLY BECOME EVIL WHEN THE MALUM TOUCHES THEM. FOR THIS REASON WE ARE ORDERING ANYPONY WITH EXPERIENCE IN BUILDING HOUSES OR OTHER SUCH BIG PROJECTS TO ERECT A WALL ABOUT 3 FEET FROM THE MALUM, DON'T BOTHER MEASURING THE DISTANCE, LEST YOU TOUCH THE MALUM. A FEW REFUGEES HAVE ENTERED THE EMPIRE FROM WITHIN THE FOG, YET ARE NOT CORRUPTED BECAUSE OF SOMEPONY BEING ESPECIALLY AFFECTIONATE TOWARDS THAT PONY. OFTEN THOSE PONIES ARE FILLIES. WE ASK CITIZENS TO INVITE REFUGEES INTO THEIR HOMES, AND TO RATION THE FOOD, AS WE NO LONGER HAVE ANY MEANS OF TRADING."

Cadence stops to take a breath and says "MY HUSBAND, PRINCE SHINING ARMOR, WILL EXPLAIN WHAT WE HAVE COME UP WITH FOR THE SOLUTION, AND BEFORE I GO, WE ASK THAT SOMEPONY WHO HAS A GEMSTONE PRECIOUS TO THEM TO COME INSIDE TO MEET WITH ME, ONLY, AND ONLY IF THEY ARE WILLING TO RISK THEIR LIVES. AMONG ALL WHO COME I WILL HAVE TO TURN AWAY ALL BUT ONE, ASSUMING THERE IS MORE THAN ONE." She then sets the megaphone down, and walks inside.

Trixie blinks, and says to Rainbow Refraction "Did she just say something to the effect of me having this necklace means I should go to meet her?"

She looks at Trixie and says "Why, yes, I do believe she did."

Trixie sighs and trots over the the Crystal Palace's entrance, attempting to do so without bumping into everypony. When she makes it do the door, she takes a breath, opens the door, and trots inside. She follows various other ponies going up the steps.

It took a few minutes to get there, but she finally got to the top. Dang those stairs be long! Trixie looks around, and sees a long table with ICE COLD LEMONADE GLASSES. She sprints over and drinks up an entire glass, Earth-pony style. When she is done, she breathes in and out, heavily. Suddenly she notices everypony in the room is sniggering at her extremely over-the-top performance of tiredness. With a huff, she magically dries herself off and walks over to the circular table everypony else in the room is.

"Alright," Princess Cadence spoke "Now that everypony who could be coming has arrived, let us now start the meeting!"

Trixie spoke first "Princess, would you mind elaborating on what you were saying before, about gemstones of sentimental value to the ponies that keep them?"

An orange Crystal Pony adds "Can you also tell us what you're trying to do with us?" The rest of the group nods in agreement.

Princess Candence explains "Well, I need somepony who's willing to convert their unenchanted gemstone into a nexus for a spell, which should be able to provide a shield against the Malum. The reason it needs to be of sentimental value to a pony is so that similar feelings, such as hope, can be drawn in as a source of energy. The future depends on getting rid of the malum, so hopefully the dreams ponies possess can power the spell as well."

Trixie says "So, you need somepony to have their prized possession enchanted in order to have them venture out to find a way to cleanse the land of the Malum? I'm going to just assume I'm the best option, after all, I'm the only one with a cart that's made specifically for travel."

A grey Crystal Pony asks "Okay, well, on that note, anypony who isn't brave enough to go out into the unknown can raise their hooves." Everypony except for Cadence and Trixie thrusts their hooves in the air.

Cadence looks around the table, and responds "Well, if you aren't capable of this, then I'm not going to make you risk your life, seeing as I'm not going either. However!" She bangs her hoof on the table, and continues "Now that I know there is only one pony willing to do it, she can accompany the warrior I shall personally summon down from the heavens. You," she points at Trixie "will stay here, while the rest shall head back down and go home, everything that Shining Armor is explaining tothe ponies outside is also what I just told you all in a nutshell."

The Crystal Ponies walk out of the room, closing the door behind them. Cadence looks back to Trixie and says "Enchanting your necklace would probably take a while, as well as summoning a warrior from above. If you could hand that necklace to me and tell me your name?"

"My name is Trixie, Trixie Lulamoon. Twilight Sparkle helped me to regain my sanity, I can only hope to repay her. I'll give you my necklace, but-" Her eyes were giving off a slight glow at this point, making the room itself shine brighter. Her voice raises to an intensity of deadly seriousness "It is still my necklace, don't wear it out with enchantments." Trixie detaches the necklace with her magic and sets it gently upon the table.

Cadence's eyes go wide, and she responds "Yes, well, that would be an acceptable condition, but just so you know, the spells will be done in twelve hours from now." Trixie walks out the door, again, leaving it closed.

"Okay, I suppose now that she's gone, I can start preparing the spells!" Cadence then levitates the necklace, and takes it into a room with a door made of steel, which nopony noticed during the meeting, and closes it. There is a sign on the door. It reads;

WARNING: AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY

Author's Note:

Yep, I introduce Trixie in this chapter, and as you can see, she's given up on her career as a magician.

Written on 3/5/2013