The street lamps bathed Trixie’s carriage in a dim light as she surveyed the night sky. Rain poured from above, just inches from her face. A faint burst of thunder roared off in the distance.
She closed the curtain, sunk back into her portable home, and laid back down on her futon. The sound of the showers tapping on the roof graced her ears, making her wonder how long it would be until her cart fell apart from age. Her savings had slowly grown over the past few months from donations; maybe she’d have enough to buy a new cart by the time her current one crumbled.
A knock against the wall took Trixie out of her thoughts. She poked her head out to see a member of the royal Canterlot guard frowning at her.
“Hey! Your cart’s in the middle of the road. Either move it or I’ll have it towed.”
“Why should I? It not in anypony’s way.”
“What if there was a fire? The cart would get crushed in all the hurry to put it out.” He struck the cart with a hoof, rocking it slightly.
Trixie grumbled under her breath. “Do you have any idea who I am?!”
“No, and I don’t particularly care.”
Trixie scowled at the guard as the rain soaked the fur covering her face.
“Just move it,” the guard said, stepping back.
Trixie glanced back up at the liquid cascading from the heavens. Sighing, she stepped outside. “Yeah, yeah…” She hitched herself up the the cart and dragged it away.
~~~~~~~~~~
Twilight’s hind legs shivered as she sat upon the throne of the Crystal Empire. Everything in the room seemed as if it was sculpted out of frozen water. The great expanse of the room only served to emphasize how hollow it was since Twilight had taken over for Cadance.
She eased herself back onto her hooves and trotted onto the outside balcony. The starry night sky was highlighted by the pastel aura streaming from the castle. It only served to remind her of Rainbow Dash—her friends. They all had jobs to do back in Ponyville. They all have lives, other friends…
Even Spike had stayed behind to be with Rarity. Twilight wondered idly if he’d ever win her over. Perhaps he would end up with Sweetie Belle, or maybe he’d give up chasing after mares and find a nice dragoness to be with.
In the meantime though, Twilight was alone. Her eyes drifted to the metropolis below her, and she wished that she could go out and play with them.
With the shake of her head, she traveled back to her bedchamber. One of the castle maids was just finishing up dusting her bookshelves when she arrived.
“Greetings, Your Highness.” Eyes wide, the maid quickly bowed to her. “Will there be anything else for the night?”
Twilight tapped her chin in thought. “Hmm, would you like to play a game of chess?”
“Not particularly.” A moment of silence passed between them. “Oh, uh… That is, unless this is an order.” Her knees started to shake.
“No, if you don’t want to play, then it’s fine. I guess that will be all for tonight.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” She bowed again and left.
Twilight collapsed onto her bed. She acts just like everypony else does now that I have these wings. Her hooves wrapped around the top layer blanket, hugging it close. A moment later, her cheeks felt a little damp, and she soon drifted off to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~
After trotting for some time, Trixie found a rest stop just outside Canterlot; she parked her cart nearby and went inside. A dull glow from the lantern hanging by the desk tried its hardest to brighten the room. Besides the fleeting storm outside, the only sound that drifted through the air was the snoring coming from behind the desk.
Guess they won’t mind if I park my cart overnight. She was about to leave when she heard the door slam shut behind her. Her gaze snapped to the entrance, but nopony was there. Must be the wind.
When she tried to open the door, however, it wouldn’t budge. She couldn’t see a keyhole either. A magenta aura enveloped the door. Trixie gritted her teeth and pulled with all her might. Her forehead started to sweat. It feels barricaded, somehow. She slowly inched it outward a little. Almost there.
Then, the door flung open; the invisible barricade evaporated. The wind rushed in, shoving Trixie against the back wall. Papers flew everywhere. The lantern light flickered a little.
Once the dust had settled, Trixie got back on her hooves. The pony at the counter continued sleeping. She looked around at the mess of journalism around her. What a waste. They’ll never be able to sell them now. Her horn ignited, and the newspapers danced around the room into a nice neat pile.
A cluster of fog drifted through the open door. Speeding over the pile, it flipped one of the newspapers to the front page. Trixie gasped upon seeing the cover image. No, it can’t be! She snatched it within her magical grasp and sat down. Her eyes flew over the words, and when she was finished reading, she started again.
Twilight, an alicorn princess? But her parents aren’t royalty. Trixie stood and trotted back to her carriage. Is it possible? Was she actually turned into an alicorn? An immortal, all-powerful deity among the living. Why, if a small town hick such as her could become one, then anypony—
Her eyes widened in realization. She glanced back at her cutie mark. And if anypony can become one, then why not me? With all that I’ve been through, I certainly deserve it. Her lips formed a grin, and she hitched herself back up to her cart.
I suppose Twilight could use a suitor, Trixie thought as she trotted ever closer toward the Crystal Empire.
Trixie pulled her cart a little faster as she charged forward. Her long and perilous trek to reunite with Equestria’s newest princess was complete. The shimmering magenta hue of the Crystal Empire gates stood up ahead.
As she approached the home of the crystal ponies, the castle at the center of the empire sprung into view. Even from a distance, the radiance of the tower shone brightly. Wisps of pastel aura ribboned out of its peak. Once she arrived at the gates, she paused.
High in the sky, between the ruby gates, there hovered a trio of gems: the two on the sides were lavender, the one in the center azure. The crystals slowly flittered in the air as the gravitational force of the towers held them above the grass below. Trixie eyed them with suspicion as she passed through.
The path connecting the border gate to the city stretched endlessly into the distance. Knowing how greatly the empire had expanded since it was freed, Trixie had no doubt as to the purpose of such a road. The ponies surrounding her were a mix of mostly of crystal, with a few solid ones here and there. Trixie marveled at the way their coats sparkled in the morning sun, radiating a sense of calm that seemed to permeate the entire kingdom.
The buildings that lined the street glimmered in the sunlight. With every step toward the castle, the colossal landmark seemed to grow ever taller, making Trixie feel like an ant before the mighty oak. The light from the tower felt warm on Trixie’s fur. She wondered whether it was only a reflection of the sun, or if the building itself actually glowed. A sudden thought made her lightly chuckle. It matches my coat.
Her gaze floated upward to see the princess of the Crystal Empire sitting on the balcony. Trixie had forgotten how pretty she was, even while doing something as simple as sorting paperwork.
“Hey, Twilight, how’s the weather up there?!” Trixie said, waving to her.
“Trixie! Is that you?!” Twilight stood and waved back, leaning over the railing. “Oh, I’m so happy to finally see a friendly face.”
Huh? Why’s she so eager to talk to me? Trixie thought. Sure, we aren’t mortal enemies anymore, but she’s acting like we’re best friends. She shrugged off the thought and called back to her: “So, are you going to show off those new wings of yours?”
“Sure, just let me—whoa!”
Trixie’s eyes went wide as Twilight lost her balance and tumbled over the balcony railing. “Fly, Twilight! Open your wings!”
“I’m… trying!” Twilight grunted as her wings unfurled, and she flew through the air towards her guest. Faster and faster she sped.
Trixie gasped as Twilight’s face connected with the pathway. The princess tumbled across the ground and stopped inches away from Trixie’s muzzle.
“Your Majesty!” Trixie said, quickly unhitching herself from the cart. Her heart skipped a beat. “A-are you all right?”
With her head wobbling side to side and her eyes not quite aligned, Twilight Sparkle let out a chuckle. “I guess I just haven’t got the hang of landing, yet.” She scratched the back of her mane with a hoof.
“Oh, you must be more careful, Twi—I mean, Your Highness. I hate to think what would happen to the Crystal Empire if you had gotten hurt.”
Twilight shook her head. “Sorry, I guess I couldn’t help myself. You’re my first visitor since Princess Cadance went back to Canterlot.”
A sly smile formed on Trixie’s face. Perfect. Without anypony else competing for her attention, I have Twilight Sparkle all to myself. She quickly hid her smugness before Twilight could notice. “What about your old friends from Ponyville? Haven’t they had a chance to drop by?”
“No, not yet...” Twilight’s face and ears drooped. “They haven’t been able to find the time. The train trip to get here is so long that they’d have to stay overnight for it to be worth it. But Spike stayed behind with Rarity, so we can still talk through letters...”
“Oh, Twilight.” Trixie shook her head, smiling. “You’re not alone now. I’m here with you, and I plan to stay for a while.”
“You do?” Twilight asked, looking up at her. Trixie nodded her head, smiling. “Oh, that would be fantastic! Finally, those long, lonely days are over.” Twilight leapt in the air and spread her wings wide. “Let me give you the royal tour.” Princess Twilight galloped off, dragging Trixie along behind her.
~~~~~~~~~~
The first things to pop out at Trixie were the twin griffon statues that guarded the library. Their heads stood proud as they gazed intently at the café across the street. Trixie ducked down as she passed under the right one’s claws and glared at it, idly wondering if they were secretly real griffons.
“You coming, Trixie?”
“Huh?” Trixie turned to see Twilight holding the library door open for her. She couldn't help but smirk at the sight. “Why, Your Highness, I’m supposed to do that for you.”
Twilight giggled. “Yeah, I know,” she said as Trixie followed her inside. “But I want my guests here at the Crystal Empire to feel at home.”
Oh, I definitely feel at home, Trixie thought.
The size of the Crystal Empire library easily dwarfed the one in Ponyville. Around them, the murmurs of voices and flipping of pages filled the air. The sapphire shelves shimmered brightly. Such a beautiful way to store books. This was clearly a society that valued knowledge greatly.
A couple of mares passed them. They avoided facing Twilight as she gazed longingly at them. Trixie ignored Twilight’s mumbles about how nice it is to have friends.
The two of them found the librarian reshelving a cart full of books. She bowed as she saw them approach. “Welcome back, Your Highness. Do you need any help finding anything?”
“Not today.” Twilight motioned in Trixie’s direction. “This is my good friend, Trixie. I’m just showing her around today.”
Trixie tilted her head to see the books behind the librarian. Her eyebrows shot up when she noticed the line of carts behind it. “My my, I knew the crystal ponies read a lot of books, but this...” She shook her head.
The old librarian laughed. “Oh, those aren’t returns. They’re the new books we acquired with the increased budget.”
Trixie raised an eyebrow at Twilight, smirking.
Twilight responded with a sheepish grin. “Well… yes. I thought it would help the crystal ponies to adapt to this new time period.” Her eyes darted between the two of them.
“Yes, of course…” The librarian sighed. “It’s just…”
“Something wrong?” Trixie asked.
“I’m not sure I completely understand these new books. They’re so much shorter than the ones I read in my youth.”
“Actually,” Twilight said, “they aren’t that much shorter. Look at the Daring Do books. They’re just one really long story that’s been divided up into smaller ones.”
As the two of them looked at the books, Trixie turned her attention to the shelf next to them and ran a hoof along the various tomes. Then, her jaw dropped.
That… No, it can’t be!
She slipped the book off of the shelf and into her hooves. Inscribed in gold print on the cover was a single word: Philonomicon. Trixie gazed at it, wide eyed. She had heard stories of a lost spell book written by Starswirl The Bearded, but she never thought she would be holding it in her hooves. Oh, the wonders that awaited her inside. She slowly peeled open the front cover and flipped through the first few crisp snow-white pages.
“Oh, horseapples!”
The passages were scribbled together with very jerky prose. All the letters ran into each other, too.
She rested her head on the tome, pouting. A collection of some of the greatest magic spells in all of Equestria sat in front of her—limitless power beyond the comprehension of mere mortals—and she could never know the secrets that lay within.
Twilight picked up the book to get a closer look. After skimming a few pages, she said, “Why are you complaining, Trixie. It’s just cursive. My letters from Celestia are written in it all the time.”
“Cursive!” Trixie huffed. “Archaic scribbling from a primitive time. It was antiquated from the moment the typewriter was invented.”
“Well, if you don’t want me to help you read it…” Twilight said, rolling her eyes.
“But I suppose I could endure the... flowing prose,” Trixie said, getting back on her hooves, “especially if it means spending time with you, Twilight.” She slipped a forehoof over Twilight’s back and pulled her close.
Maybe even a lifetime, if I play my cards right.
“Hmm, that does sound like fun.” Twilight turned back to the librarian. “I guess I just have one to check out for today,” she said as Trixie floated the book over to the elderly mare.
The librarian adjusted her spectacles to get a better look. “Oh, this is one of the older books that we’re throwing away to make room for the new ones.”
“What?!” Twilight and Trixie said in unison. “You can’t!”
“Well, I had thought of putting them up for sale, but who would want to buy them? The other patrons seem more interested in catching up with the last thousand years of literature.”
“I’ll take them off your hooves,” Twilight said, rushing over to her.
“Oh, but I couldn’t ask you to do that, Your Majesty. You’ve done so much for us so much already.”
“What if I bought them? I’d even pay with my own personal slice of the royal budget.”
“Well, when you put it that way…”
“I’ll send Spike over to get them later.”
“Uh… Twilight?” Trixie asked.
“Yes, Trixie?”
Trixie stared at her. Slowly Twilight’s face turned into a frown.
“Oh, right…” Twilight shook her head, then turned back to the librarian. “I’ll send a member of the royal staff to retrieve them before the day ends.”
With that, Twilight and Trixie left the library.
~~~~~~~~~~
The racket of many ponies chatting away drifted through the air outside of the café, but all voices fell silent as Trixie and Twilight entered the establishment. Guess they’ve never seen a celebrity live before, Trixie thought, smiling.
Slowly, everypony stood and bowed to Princess Twilight.
Oh… right. Trixie bit her lip. Twilight’s eyes darted around the room and she let out a soft, sheepish chuckle. Trixie took the first step forward as they trotted to the counter.
“Oh, Y-Your Majesty!” the crystal pony mare behind the counter said. “C-can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea? A sandwich perhaps?”
Twilight pressed her lips together as she tried to decide on what to order. “Hmm…”
Trixie pushed past her. “I will have a toasted bagel with peanut butter and a black coffee.”
Shivering, the mare behind the counter raised an eyebrow at her, then glanced at Twilight. “Y-yes, ma’am. Will there be anything else?”
“Yes,” Twilight said, “I will have a daisy sandwich and a cup of green tea.” She nodded her head and smiled, proudly.
“C-coming right up.” She bowed to Twilight and went to work preparing their order.
Moments later the two friends were eating at what was once an empty table. Twilight chomped away at her sandwich with a hint of a smile on her face. Trixie lifted hers to take a bite.
A salty, slimy taste flooded her mouth, making her gag. Trixie spread the two halves of her sandwich apart, revealing a margarine spread mixed with goobers.
Peanut… butter? She glared back at the mare at the counter.
“Is something the matter?” The mare asked as she saw Trixie trotting towards her. “That is what you ordered, isn’t i—” She snapped her head back when Trixie got up in her face, frowning.
“This is an outrage! I asked for peanut butter, not this… perversion.”
The mare shifted her gaze to Twilight Sparkle, who still sat at the table, watching them as she munched on her lunch. “I’m so sorry! I thought that was what you wanted. P-please, don’t send me to the moon!” Tears started to well up in her eyes.
Trixie took a step back, placed a hoof to her mouth. “I, uh…”
“Knock it off, Trixie. You’re making a scene,” Twilight said, staring daggers at her as she trotted up.
Trixie glared at Twilight. “I don’t care who sees me. I demand justice!” She pounded a hoof on the counter.
“But it’s just a sandwich. It isn’t worth making a fuss over. Just ask her to make you another. She can even charge me for both.”
Trixie thought about it for a moment, and then grunted. “I guess…” she said, glancing up at Twilight.
Trixie watched as Twilight showed the mare how to make a paste by mixing ground peanuts and honey. It should’ve been obvious that the mare wouldn’t know what peanut butter was, seeing as it was invented after the Crystal Empire’s disappearance. After a few moments, Trixie finally got her bagel and thanked the mare on her way back to the table.
“Mmm!” Trixie said after taking a bite. A wide smile grew on her face. Wow, this is amazing! The ingredients must have been recently acquired, and of course Twilight’s instructions had to have helped greatly. She licked her lips after swallowing the last bite.
A few moments later, her chest felt a little sore, and she knew that it probably wasn’t heartburn. Her gaze fell upon the empty plate in front of her, frowning. Twilight’s sigh snapped Trixie back to reality. She looked up to see her staring at a group of ponies at the back of the café.
“Twilight? Is something the matter?” Trixie asked, eyebrow raised.
“Oh!” Twilight turned back to her, then let out a light chuckle. “I just wanted to know what book they were talking about.”
Trixie glanced in their direction to see that they did have a book open on the table. Occasionally, one of them pointed to it mid-sentence. “Would you like to go over and talk to them?” Trixie asked, shifting her gaze back down to her plate.
Twilight shook her head. "I can't. They don't see me as an equal anymore. I sometimes wonder what life would have been like if Luna had never been banished in the first place. Would our subjects be so fearful of us, then? Or is it inevitable that somepony in a higher power would be feared?”
Trixie sighed as she realized she didn’t have the answers Twilight sought. She wondered if it really mattered, though. Twilight wasn’t alone now that she was here, and she could stay for as long as Twilight needed her. Maybe Trixie would even get a pair of wings out of it. She licked her lips and rubbed her hooves together at the idea.
After chatting for a little while longer, Twilight finished her meal, paid, and left. Trixie followed her, pausing for a moment at the front counter. “Ma’am?”
The mare behind it turned to her. “Y-yes? Is s-something wrong?”
“I’m…” Trixie scratched the back of her mane. “I’m sorry about the way I acted before. I should’ve been more specific with my order. Your peanut butter was most delectable, and I will be sure to stop by to taste it again.”
The mare looked a little relieved. “Thank you, uh… I never got your name.”
“Trixie.” She tipped her hat to her. “The Great and Powerful. Yours?”
“Aurea,” she said.
“See you around, Aurea,” Trixie said, before leaving to chase after Twilight.
~~~~~~~~~~
The crystal leaves swam around Trixie as she trotted with Twilight through the park. Twilight ruffled her feathers as the hint of an autumn chill graced them. The sunlight bleed through the prismatic petals, creating a vibrant array of radiant colors.
They sped up to a canter when the castle came into view. Then, Trixie noticed the light shimmer off the Crystal Heart, and she slowed to a stop. The way it glowed as it hovered there under the tower made her eyes go wide. She couldn’t look away. Her hoof raised as if on its own to touch the opal gem. If she just touched it, could she gain even a small amount of its power?
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
Trixie spun around to see Twilight standing next to her, smiling.
“This little jewel powers the whole Crystal Empire, and the crystal ponies in turn power it with the love they share.”
“Wow!” Trixie let out a whistle. “I wonder what would happen if I touched it?”
“Hmm...” Twilight tapped a hoof to her chin. “Well, I know one way to find out.”
“You mean I can…”
Twilight nodded in reply.
“O-okay…” Trixie gulped and, once again, raised a hoof to the Crystal Heart.
Trixie’s hoof felt toasty as she made contact with the gem. Surprised, she jerked her hoof away, sending the ornament revolving. As it whirled around in the anti-gravity hold of the altar, its vibrant light grew in intensity. The ribbons of aura swept over the stone path and enveloped Trixie, blinding her. When the luminescence cleared, Trixie found that her body sparkled in the sunlight. She found, when she tapped her hoof on the trotway, that her body was, quite literally, crystalline.
“Twilight? The crystal ponies… are actually made of crystal?!”
As she turned to face her, Trixie gasped as she noticed that Twilight’s body had also solidified. But Trixie noticed something else, then: she could see through Twilight Sparkle like a stained glass window.
Trixie pranced circles around Twilight, gleefully peeking through her at every angle. “This is amazing! I never knew such a place existed. I want to stay here forever!”
“Oh, yeah.” Twilight smirked at her. “I never did ask, where are you staying, Trixie?”
Trixie held a hoof to her chest, eyes closed and still grinning like a fool. “Well, as a traveling magician, I have a personal carriage where I will be staying. Do you think it would be out of the way if I parked it under the castle?”
Twilight whinnied. “Your carriage?! Trixie, it’s too cold to sleep outside in this weather. You’ll freeze! You must stay in the castle as my guest.”
“But I’ve been sleeping in that carriage since—” Trixie glanced at the castle steps, and then back at Twilight who was frowning at her. Why does she want me staying with her so badly? There’s no way she’d be this quick to trust me after…
Shaking her head, Trixie decided that it wasn’t worth worrying about. “Well… if you insist.”
With a winning smile upon her face, Twilight led Trixie up the steps and into the castle. The many sapphire pillars that lined the walls looked as if they had been grown out of the floor itself, sharp spikes protruding out of them. Trixie’s diamond-like tissue was the only thing keeping her from getting cut when she touched it.
It seemed like a long time, climbing staircase after staircase and trotting down hallway after hallway, before Twilight finally stopped at a door on the high indoor balcony that looped around in a ring. She let loose a knowing smirk as she opened the door. Inside was a royal bedroom. The sheets on the bed were a pale cornflower blue, the curtains a brilliant azure, and the bedside table and lamp magenta.
“This room…” Trixie said, mouth agape. “It looks just like me!” A grin grew on Trixie’s features as she scanned the room. “Oh, Twilight, how did you get this ready in such a short time? It must have taken the whole palace staff.”
Twilight giggled. “Oh, it’s always been like this. After my friends left, I got a little bored here all alone, so I explored the entire castle. I know the place top to bottom. When I saw this room, it immediately reminded me of you. After all, how could I forget The Great and Powerful Trixie?”
Trixie beamed at her friend as she said that last sentence. “You’re wonderful, Twilight. How can I ever repay you?”
“You don’t have to pay me back. Just being here as my friend means more to me than all the jewels of the Crystal Empire. As a princess, I’ve got everything… except somepony to share it all with.”
Wait a minute, that’s why Twilight’s been so friendly with me. Her friends have left her all alone. I’m the only one she has left… Caught up in her thoughts, Trixie didn’t notice Twilight trotting toward her until her friend’s forehooves were ribboned around her. Trixie felt a few burning embers in her chest as she returned the embrace, and the warmth stayed even after the two of them let go.
“Come on,” Twilight said, skipping towards the door. “Let me show you around the rest of the castle.”
Trixie nodded and dashed after her, but not before sparing a glance back at her new bedroom, one that she hoped would be a permanent one.
