"How DARE they!"

The unicorn sobbed angrily as she ran over the hill, tears streaming from her face.

"I didn't do anything to them! And they just kick me out like that?!"

She stopped for a few moments to catch her breath, and she looked back to what she was fleeing from; a faint glow shone in the distance from where she stood, smoke rising upwards from it.

"I mean, it's not like I lured that dreaded Ursa there and destroyed half the town! OOOHHHH!"

The unicorn started beating the ground angrily with her hooves, causing dust to rise all around in a thick cloud.

"Why?! Why did they have to ruin it?! They would have thought I was the most powerful in all of Equestria! They would have thought I really was The Great and Powerful Trixie!"

Finally, she stopped her mini rampage and slowly sank to the ground, burying her face in her hooves. She weeped uncontrollably in the middle of the road, anger finally giving way to sadness.

"They still will, you know."

Trixie suddenly sprang up as the whispery voice carried itself on the wind. "What? Who's there?" she said alarmed. Looking around, she spotted no-one. Just the wind she thought to herself.

"Not the wind. Tis' just me" the voice whispered again. Trixie started to break out into a cold sweat. She couldn't tell who was speaking, whether it was colt or mare, or where the voice came from.

"What? What now?! Is it not enough that I have been banished from Ponyville! Must you add insult to Trixie's injuries?!"

Then, she heard something clear it's throat behind her. Spinning around, she stood face to face with a mysterious figure. It was clad in darkened robes with a hood hat obscured it's face. From the way it stood, Trixie deduced it was another pony.

"Humph. And what do you want with the great-"

"Save your words, whelp" the figure interrupted in a calm and cold manner.

Trixie was outraged by the insolence of this stranger. "Whelp?! You dare call me, The Great and Powerful Trixie, a whelp?! Who are you to call me-"

"Just... shut your mouth for a second."

Trixie saw that arguing was getting her nowhere, and in a huff she obeyed.

"Now then, I suppose you know the damage that your little spectacle caused tonight?" She didn't answer, and turned her head away. "Your lack of magic stopped you from besting a primitive beast such as that. Great and Powerful, you are not."

"Yes- but- that was- I mean-" Trixie stammered, on the verge of more tears. "You think it's easy having nobody who cares about you? I spent my days living in other peoples shadows, shadows of other people's accomplishments! I wanted a taste of that glory, of being special!"

"So you lied. And now you are nothing, just like before."

Each harsh word of the stranger was like a stab in the heart to Trixie. She literally had lost everything. Her reputation. Her possessions. Her life. The figure stared at her snivelling and tear stained face before taking a step forward.

"But I can give it all back to you."

Trixie looked up at the stranger, wiping her eyes.

"What? What are you saying?"

"I'm saying," the stranger whispered in her ear, "that I can give you secrets. Magical secrets. Secrets that will make you great and powerful, just as you wish."

"Really?" Trixie couldn't believe what she was hearing. A second chance! But then the bubble burst.

"Wait. What's the catch? And how do I know that you're not lying to me?"

"If you wish for me to prove myself..."

The figure didn't wait for a response. A red glow shone faintly from under it's hood, and it emitted a fine ray. It hit a nearby bush on the roadside, causing it to burst into bright, blue flames! Trixie yelped as she jumped away from the fire, fearing her mane would catch fire too.

"Ok! I believe you!" Trixie grovelled, as if expecting the stranger to turn on her. It merely laughed in a deeply amused manner.

"Good. Then you know I am no fraud. And... your first question... all you have to do..." the stranger broke off and looks at Trixie menacingly.

"You just have to let me make a sign upon your hoof."

"That's it? No slavery? No blood deal? Just a little drawing and I'm The Great and Powerful Trixie once again?" she asked warily. The stranger nodded at her, and Trixie let out a long, thin smile.

"Very well then. Trixie accepts your proposal, stranger!"

"Excellent..." it hissed. "Just hold out your hoof and close your eyes."

She did as she was instructed without hesitation. The stranger raised it's hoof and uttered indescipherable, whispery words. A mark started to form itself slowly in a red light upon the stranger's hoof, in the shape of a roughly drawn X. Once it was finished, it gently pressed its hoof onto Trixie's, causing a great crimson light between the two. Trixie screamed as the great magical energy transferred from the stranger's body into her own. She felt her head spin as her brain was barraged with  ancient knowledge and arcane power. The connection lasted mere seconds, but seemed to be several agonising hours to her. Finally, with a great boom, the connection ended, and Trixie collapsed as the stranger removed its hoof from hers. Her eyes began to roll back into her head as she lost conciousness.

The last thing she remembered was the stranger standing over her, with a wide grin on its face.