> The Sad and Lonely Trixie
>  by Scourgeous
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Can Anyone Hear Me?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

My name is Trixie. Once a great and powerful unicorn... oh, who am I kidding, I'm a great failure. I used to be the most impressive of ponies, until my stage tricks were revealed. I regret my actions deeply, for now I reside in a small house with a few ponies known as Background Ponies. 

They've never known the glory of being in the center of attention. Never said a few lines to anyone besides themselves. I feel sorry for them, but there is another kind of pony who also requires sympathy. Alike myself, I've been there, done that. I've spoken to important ponies, I've said things aloud for all to hear. Everyone knows my name. But things have started happening since my last escapade ended.

Someponies don't remember me. Not even Twilight Sparkle, the unicorn who proved all of my wrong doings to the citizens of PonyVille. I've become an outcast in the minds of the more important ponies in this town. I've started feeling lost on the inside often, like I'm not supposed to be where I am. This often happens when I am outside. When I get back behind the walls of my own home, the dark outside world can't reach me.

How long this will last, I am unsure. All I know is that Great and Powerful Trixie is fading away. 

These events began a couple of days after the last time I ever spoke to important ponies, the ones who are always having fun, saving PonyVille, talking with Princesses and all that. I began to envy them more than ever, and then didn't even notice me when I passed. Once I even tried to call out, but it was as if the wind carried my voice away to be lost somewhere deep in Everfree Forest.

My anger carried me to Zecora, who confused me with her rhyming ways. I was just coaxing her to tell me if she'd felt anything of the sort when I heard a call from outside. 

"Zecora! Zecora!" It was Twilight. I spun around, cape dancing around my hooves as the lavender pony pushed her way in. 

She stared at me, then I realized she was staring right through me. She walked past, as if I wasn't even there. 

"Can I talk to you?" She asked the zebra, blinking her shining eyes.

I stomped a hoof. "Excuse me?" 

But neither pony turned to look at me. They continued talking as if I wasn't there. I shook my grief away and burst out of the door, deep into the dark forest. I wished to run into a monster, something, anything to pull away this loneliness. Even if I could speak to ponies, as soon as some better pony, Apple Jack, or Rarity, or someone who bore much greater importance, I was forgotten. They couldn't see or hear me.

I'd tripped on a root and fallen to my knees, but I barely attempted to get up. What use would it be? I was doomed to be forgotten by everypony. 

Much later in the day, I'd returned home feeling sick. Colgate was chewing on a salad at the table. I stared at her, words catching in my throat. Would she see me? Would she even care?

The minty fresh pony looked up at me, confused. "Trixie, why are you standing there?"

I hung my head, my wizard hat slipping to the ground. I slipped past her and took off my cape, shook out my mane, and flopped onto the couch. I started feeling dizzy, sickness overwhelming me. I had to get out of here: fast.

Before Colgate could say another word I was out of the door and down the streets of PonyVille, holding back strong, salty tears. Then suddenly I ran into something. But nothing was there. I rubbed my head and put a hoof out. Thud. I couldn't go any further. Up ahead I could see ponies gathering. What was going on? Why wasn't I allowed in? 

Then I realized it. Background ponies were making a ring, and the more important civilians were in the center, speaking to each other casually. This was my fate. Background ponies rarely said anything at all, so they were allowed to form crowds around these attention seekers who took all the limelight. But I was known. I had spoken before under the watching gaze of everypony here. I was not part of this group, for I was not allowed to be seen. 

I turned and fled, letting the tears stream down my cheeks. Was this really the end of Great and Powerful Trixie? Was I doomed to never be seen or heard again?
> The Other Ponies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"T-trixie?"

I looked up from a table, abandoning my half eaten sandwich. I blinked at the ponies in front of me. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, Slugs and Snails my own assistants, Derpy Hooves and her little filly daughter.

"What is it?" I snapped, feeling my emotions rising and choking me from inside.

They stared back with sad eyes, and Derpy spoke gently. "You have to come with us."

I blinked slowly, fear clutching at me. "Why? What if I don't want to come?"

"You have to!" Diamond Tiara burst out, looking as if she could cry. "All of us do."

The look in Derpy's eyes told me exactly what I feared. These ponies had rarely spoken, or not spoken at all. I was one of them. I followed them, heart beating slowly in my chest. We headed right out of PonyVille, and I was surprised that we didn't bump into anyone at all on the way. The streets were silent.

"I want to go home." Ditsy whined.

Her mother nuzzled her and kept walking along the narrow path. I glanced at them with grief swimming in my eyes. None of us deserved this. We were slowing, and I looked ahead to see the ground had fallen down into a channel, like a dried riverbed. No-one looked willing to skid down, so I summoned all of my courage and skid down the dusty bank and staggered to a halt. The others followed slowly. 

"Everyone," I announced. "I suppose things have happened to you, as to me."

I saw a few nods, others were just looking around with fear. I gulped, wishing for some sort of sign of what to do next. Coldness crept into me as the sun sank lower and lower. Soon we were sitting in darkness. Ditsy and Derpy were fast asleep. The others huddled together in a group. I sat away from them all, eyes on the stars.

"The Sad and Lonely Trixie..." I murmured under my breath, shivering.

At somepoint I must of fallen asleep, for I woke, the sound of water rumbling in my ears. I opened my eyes. I was lying on the bank again, looking down at the riverbank. But instead of being empty and dry, it was swollen with water, rising right up to lap at my hooves. I gasped and staggered back, watching the dark blue water swish past at speed. I looked around wildly, but everyone was gone.