The Elements of Lunar Harmony
Part Nine: Goodbye Spitfire?
Trixie Roseluck Fleur and Apple Cobbler exchanged glances as they all switched between looking at Luna then Spitfire, after a moment or two the Wonderbolt gave in and faced the stoic princess who spoke in a dramatic tone.
“You have to go to the Wonderbolts HQ; the whole of Canterlot is in flames and only you may be able stop it!”
“Wait is this going to be our mission? Why don’t you want to go back Spitfire? You’re the Captain of the Wonderbolts?”
Roseluck asked this nervously at the dangerous sounding idea of going to a burning Canterlot, a single tear escaped Spitfires eyes as she shook her head.
“No it isn’t and I won’t go back, I don’t care if it all burns to ashes.”
Trixie skipped the usual sarcastic remark for once and interrupted with an attempt to understand the situation thus breaking the confused silence fast enveloping the small gathering.
“What can only Spitz stop?”
“H-Hey quit it with that stupid nickname already…”
Spitfire reacted to the bait but quickly turned away again as Luna caught her eye and the Wonderbolt avoided prolonged contact.
“As Captain of the Wonderbolts… …She has certain duties to fulfill that prevent her from continuing on this mission!”
The reaction to this was mixed but for the most part disbelief and confusion reigned as Trixie then spoke.
“And what pray tell are those? Photo shoots or endorsement deals or flank kissing at a royal soiree.”
Trixie’s angry tone and her hoof pointing at Luna’s chest once more put the flustered princess on the spot and Luna failed miserably as she stuttered tripped over her words and all round died on stage as Trixie grew impatient for an answer.
“The Wonderbolts threw a party that caused rioting to break out which in turn snowballed, Canterlot is under marshal law but civil order is in tatters and the royal guards are barricaded behind the palace walls and they refuse to go out to restore it since they’re seriously outnumbered…
…and without Spitfire to get the Wonderbolt’s under control and eliminate the heart of the troubles Celly says its curtains for Canterlot.”
Luna went into more detail about the other ringleaders and the utter hopelessness of the situation involving thousands of partying ponies without an immediate and ‘Spitfire’ shaped resolution.
She rushed the last part of the explanation but the impression it gave left all present in shock and awe at the damage a bunch of hot head flyers a DJ and to Roseluck and Apple Cobbler a suspiciously familiar sounding pink pony with a cannon could achieve.
“Like the mare said… Let it burn we have an adventure to go on.”
Trixie’s casual yet worrying writing off of her civilizations main form of government and its capital in favor of Luna’s as yet undisclosed mission got her some funny looks.
But not half as much as Spitfires sudden exit as she walked away towards a large wooded area running parallel to the road not too far away and which looked as though you could easily get lost in it.
As the other three exchanged worried glances both Luna and Trixie watched rooted to the spot unable to think of anything to say.
Spitfire soon reached the edge of the tree line, her head was held low her normally fiery tail and mane hung lifeless it’s usually vibrant colors seeming to just fade to a dull orange, without a look back she stepped into the wood and disappeared from sight.
The remaining group stared after her and looked about unable to break the following silence, except Trixie who gave Luna a disparaging look and with a sniff and a flick of her mane that left Fleur feeling like a newborn in her field of expertise the magician left after the captain.
As she too disappeared Luna turned to Fleur and did a better impression of an encouraging smile and the friendship starved mare brightened up and returned her smile (as aforementioned a rarity for Luna, no reference/pun intended.)
This gave Luna a warm fuzzy feeling of happiness, maybe this making friend’s thing isn’t so difficult after all she thought.
It was as this was going on Apple Cobbler took a moment to take stock of her surrounding area and the ponies still present.
“Uh Roseluck darling, ya’ll didn’t see where Berry went did you?”
Roseluck looked like her nerves were almost shot away her body was trembling as she replied.
“No.”
Apple Cobbler came to an executive decision regarding the situation as she scanned their surroundings for any hint of the now missing mare.
“Ah’m sorry princess Luna but after I find Berry Ah’m taking her and Roseluck home, Ah ain’t letting them go on no mission if that Wonderbolt ain’t here to hog tie that evil witch… …b-begging your pardon princess but you’re student ain’t all there and when she is she’s worse than a timber wolf gone crazy…”
Words like ‘crazy’ and phrases like ‘mad as a hatter’ or ‘freaking sadist’ made up the following descriptions that poured from Apple Cobbler as the mares flanks continued to ache firing up her injustice fueled plea to the princess.
Roseluck nodded her head repeatedly as her friend described Trixie as an entity entirely constructed of malice and hate capable of immense destruction if ticked off.
It’s always worth noting that Roseluck confronted with any form of anger aggression or loud noises would immediately freeze or hide but for once she spoke up and gave her views on the blue mare.
Unfortunately for Luna Roseluck’s mindset was the same as Apple Cobblers, to her Trixie resembled something akin to a greater demon of chaos as her imagination twisted and skewed her memories and terrified her into a cowering tearful mess once again at the thought of all the scary things that had happened so far.
Meanwhile Apple Cobbler used this by pointing a hoof at Roseluck to demonstrate her case.
Luna sat back slowly as she realized she would have to face up to her impetuous decision on a student and tried desperately to think of something to say to validate it.
After failing miserably she gave up and just looked sheepish as her own successful find Fleur sat looking frightened as she processed the deluge of information this tricky situation was made up of and listened to the (pretty accurate) descriptions of the aloof blue mare.
Spitfire however was at a personal and professional low as she laid down in a small clearing she had found that contained lush green grass and a small spring that bubbled quietly from a nearby grouping of rocks and flowed down into a small trickle of a stream that passed out of the clearing into the thick woods.
She failed to see Trixie approach but as she heard less than subtle hoof steps get closer she raised her head and without acknowledging her traveling companion lowered it again and closed her eyes.
A minute or two passed before Trixie lost her fragile temper and began lightly kicking Spitfire then with increasing force kicked harder, she bit her lip as not to break her silence and just ask Spitfire what was wrong like she wanted to.
Somehow she couldn’t understand why, but somehow she knew it mattered, after all why be interested what this mare thought, it wasn’t like she was a real friend or anything…
“For the love of all that’s Celestia, what is it! Come to take me back huh?”
“No, why is there a reward?”
Spitfire wondered just how much her flank would have to be worth for Trixie to consider taking a bounty, and then she decided it was better not to think too hard about it since her own self worth was low enough as it was.
“Very funny, now get lost.”
“Can’t do that,”
“Oh yeah why not little miss magic.”
“I have a map I found it lying around in the cart.”
The Wonderbolt captain looked at the small map that Hovered around Trixie encased in her magic, on it was a label with the letters AC.
“Well can you at least stop kicking me?”
“Nope”
“Ouch… …I mean it… Stop it…”
Trixie sighed and ceased putting the hoof in as Spitfire forcibly sat up and shifted so her still splinted wing rested more comfortably and she was less open to attack.
It was the tear streaked cheeks and red eyes that made Trixie decidedly uncomfortable after all why had she followed Spitfire and why did she even care?
“So are you going to do this properly?”
“Huh?”
Trixie sighed again,
“You know that stuff you do with ponies who are upset, listen to them whine then talk it out and something about listening to all the past events or some such thing or other all about how they got to the point their at, am I right?
“Close enough I suppose, so do you care if I stay?”
At this Trixie hesitated but finally answered,
“Yes, yes I do.”
Spitfire didn’t outwardly react except for a small nod and a weak smile but inside at least she was happy to be wanted, but the way Trixie was now scuffing her hoof in the dirt and staring down at each blade of grass in turn studying each one intently whilst ignoring her companion made the Wonderbolt take note.
Spitfire spotted a slight creeping blush on the blue mare’s cheeks that piqued her curiosity.
“Just how much do you care?”
Spitfire asked in as nonchalant a voice as she could but afraid the answer might be more than she could deal with right now… …Trixie however saw the awkward looks she was getting from the Wonderbolt and blushed deeply.
“Not that much Y-you loopy stunt pony! What kind of mare do you take me for!!! I’m the Great and Powerful Trixie!!! ”
“OK, OK… Great and Powerful huh, I knew it… you’re a magician who does birthday’s aren’t you.”
“I AM NOT SOME LOWLIFE TRICKSTER!!! I AM TRIXIE THE GREAT AND POWERFUL AND I DO NOT PREFORM AT FOALS BIRTHDAY’S… SO THERE.”
“Wow OK calm down, so you’re a real top class magician, no parties then.”
“Yes!!! And no, no parties…”
“So why follow me?”
“I don’t have any pony to travel around with… Every extrovert needs a companion or two…”
“Companion… What are you talking about? I thought you said you didn’t care THAT much about me… ”
“A FELLOW TRAVELER FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRAVELING AND GOOD COMPANIONSHIP YOU IDIOT… YOU KNOW A FR…”
Trixie stopped as she realized Spitfire was open mouthed and staring.
“You nearly said friend, Trixie you think of me as a friend?”
“No… …Maybe… …Just a little… Look just please forget it OK.”
“I meant what I said you know back at Berries when I thought we were going to all die, about listening.”
“Really… You meant that?”
“Yes.”
“Wait when you thought we were…”
Trixie stopped as she saw Spitfires smirk.
“OK then…”
Trixie went for broke in front of the stunned Wonderbolt since she had little or no experience of friends as an adult, and her friends as a young filly had all stopped playing with her after that fateful night all those years ago.
(A Trixie Historical Note: Trixie’s birthday hadn’t been celebrated since it was held in a circus tent on her sixth birthday, this was due to her circus performing father who fond of performing to any crowd given a chance, and thanks to the age old circus traditions of his family he tried to steal the spotlight, Trixie still welcomed it unreservedly however.
On the other hoof magic was her true love, watching her mother perform was one of her greatest joys but being timid and shy was her mothers downfall as her demanding attention seeking husband would always get his way and so that night things would forever change for the young Trixie.
The party proceeded well until Trixie’s mother older brother and father at his overbearing insistence climbed up into the rafters to perform high flying stunts to amaze the youthful audience of Trixie’s friends.
(Of which there were many since she was the popular one in her class, caring open and wonderfully behaved, a beloved daughter and a real model student talented in magic.)
It was as they reached the top of the tent and prepared to begin that a rope snapped causing Trixie’s family to fall to their deaths in front of the forever scarred young filly.
This in turn would lead to her running away from her circus home and becoming a traveling magician like her mother had once been, but Trixie had been unable to deal with her circus heritage and her hatred of her father and so to avoid ending up like her mother Trixie made sure she made her own decisions from then on.)
As Trixie relayed the tragic events of her past and described the pain of constantly traveling alone and unwanted, usually begging and stealing to feed herself and always moving until discovering her cutie mark and her own talents for performance.
She failed to see Spitfires horrified expression mixed with a look of sheer sorrow.
Before Trixie continued onto her cutie mark story and into her difficult teenage years coupled with her growing power she was interrupted by a stunned Wonderbolt.
“Wait just wait OK, are you serious? That all happened your not just gonna crack a smile and laugh at gullible old Spitfire are you?”
Trixie’s slowly falling tears, the pained look in her eyes and her fragile expression gave Spitfire no reason to doubt her and made her guilty for thinking it.
“I’ve never told a soul, never, not one pony…”
“And you told me because you want me to understand you and be your friend…”
“Yes.”
“…And traveling buddy…”
“Yes.”
“You do realize you are the most difficult argumentative and downright frustrating pony I’ve ever met including my team and that I must be crazy…”
“Yes… …H-Hey!!!”
Spitfire sighed and looked away from her unlikely new friend before replying.
“I wish I could but Luna’s right I have a duty to my team and to Equestria…”
“Maybe you could rejoin us after you put them in their place…”
“I can’t Trixie it’s like intensive care or a nursery, if just one of them is out of my sight for more than a moment you wouldn’t believe what can happen, not to mention my second’s the worst of the lot for getting into trouble.”
“Can’t you appoint a proper second? Or a foal sitter?”
“I’ve tried dear Celestia I’ve tried…”
“Surely you can’t be the only one who can run the team? What about what you want?”
“I wanted to be a Wonderbolt the Captain no less so after flight school I applied but… …I should have realized sooner when the previous captain took me on without experience or any training and gave me her job on the first day and flew away laughing…”
“Gee so how long after that did you take to realize something was wrong… …Idiot.”
“Hey did I interrupt your over complicated heartfelt back story?”
“Yes…”
“Oh… …Well then, I don’t know I’ve tried everything and I just can’t take it anymore but it’s my life… All I ever wanted to be and known.”
As tears slid down the Wonderbolts cheeks Trixie did something even she didn’t believe could happen, she closed the gap and embraced the now weeping mare and for just a moment the pair let go of their own pain and shouldered the burden of the other in a so far unique and unprecedented display of solidarity and friendship.
After a few minutes of gentle whispered reassurances to each other the pair attempted to end the moment but were halted as the small silver chain around Spitfires neck caught in Trixie’s mane and they were left with their muzzles only a hairs breadth away from the others.
Through the trees a wind came and gently ruffled their manes and crickets chirped as they sat frozen breathless and frightened in a daze of curiosity and so far unconsidered possibilities, neither could speak or move and began to doubt if they actually wanted to and more to the point which way, away from the other or closer to each other???
More minutes passed before with an awkward cough and her heart pounding Trixie relented using her magic to pick free the chain and free them but as they both scooted backwards they were startled by an angry and disappointed cry.
“AWWW COME ON…”
“BERRY??? Is that you?”
“Yup”
Berry Punch was poking out from behind a bush on the other side of the clearing near the stream.
“Uh Berry what you didn’t see happen just then, didn’t happen OK?”
“You mean the soft cuddle the longing eyes and the almost right ending?”
“Yeah… I mean No!!! we weren’t cuddling it was a friendly hug and we weren’t looking longingly into each others eyes… and exactly what is the right ending anyway… …never mind I get what you mean.”
“Just what are you doing hiding and spying on us?”
Trixie asked Berry Punch while she felt the heat rise to her face as the unexpected private moment was broken up by jokes and accusations against her sexuality.
This only served to enrage her further as she tried to put the intimacy and its budding questions behind her and focus her anger on the smiling cheerful Berry.
“I thought you said nothing worth spying on happened hmmm?”
“Oh shut up, besides are you feeling OK? You look well… …Almost sober for once, did you run out of booze.”
Trixie asked this in a desperate attempt to take the focus off of her and Spitfire and onto the unusually straight edge looking Berry, who as the seconds passed suddenly and spontaneously took a turn for the worst at the reminder of her own personal predicament and the reason she had wandered off (to look for a new source of booze of course).
“I’m perfectly fine, thank you for your concern my dear Sir I shall retire immediately.”
With that she saluted then teetered then fell into a heap on the grass her eye lids flickered as the early stages of withdrawal kicked in and her legs began twitching.
After a slightly awkward silence and a few stolen glances to make sure the other wasn’t secretly doing the same Trixie and Spitfire managed to haul Berry Punch onto their backs and between them began moving slowly back to the cart and their other companions.
“Trixie”
“Hmmm… What?”
“Do you think all the stress must have got to us… …You know… made that more awkward than it should have been perhaps?”
“Maybe… Yeah I think it must have.”
“So are we good?”
“Yeah I guess we are.”
The two normally quiet ponies continued to pick apart the reasons for the awkwardness in their own minds as they lapsed into silence and continued on.
As the pair reached the edge of the woods they both paused but before Trixie could make her well thought out joke about carrying Berry meaning they were packing a punch to relieve the tension Spitfire spoke first.
“I kissed a filly.”
“Isn’t that a folk song?”
“I mean I kissed a filly at flight school just to try it…”
“Okay…”
“It was soft and gentle…”
“Are you coming on to the Great and Powerful Trixie?”
“No I’m not I… I like stallions, but back there if I had… Would you have stopped me?”
“No.”
“WHAT… WHY THE HAY NOT?”
“Beggars can’t be choosers besides you’re practically a stallion what with your tomboy attitude and you have the stones to stand up to me, believe me not many fit that bill, stallion or mare.”
“Are you just making fun of me per chance Trixie?”
“Maybe a little, but seriously apart from that snake in the grass Braeburn I’ve not met any stallions really worth the effort.”
“I hear you, I just wish there existed the perfect stallion, a good and true, hardworking a real family stallion… Not bad in the looks department…”
“Don’t forget a big…”
“I was getting to that.”
“Just saying…”
As Trixie and Spitfire continued to elaborate on their ideas (and measurements) both came to realize if such a stallion existed the chances of him being single were non existent or he would be into other stallions so they gave up in embarrassed silence.
(Concurrent Note: Back in Ponyville on Sweet Apple Acres a large red stallion the focus of many a pony’s wet dream sneezed whilst suddenly feeling like he was being talked about, but it was short lived and so he continued his work.)
Trixie turned to her new friend with a better understanding of her tastes and spoke confidence filling her voice.
“Don’t worry about the loony princess, I have an idea just follow my lead.”
“Glad you do, so are we good right?”
“Guess so, as long as you don’t mind me telling stallions at bars we’re together if I don’t like them.”
“Huh? W-well I guess that’s OK, as long as you don’t mind me doing the same… Hey why are you laughing?”
“You expect stallions to pay you attention when I’m about? Oh that’s precious.”
“Screw y… Oh never mind…”
The strange trio reached the remainder of the group just as Luna was beginning the ritual for raising the moon and ushering in the night, since she hadn’t done this outside of the castle for a thousand years a little nervousness kicked in and in several observatories across Equestria it was noted some of the stars seemed a little off trajectory (in one case causing a meteor shower that annihilated a small planet whose occupants were just about to discover rock and roll music).
Luna finished her work and received a standing ovation from Roseluck Apple Cobbler Fleur and a semi conscious Berry but Spitfire and Trixie gave a slightly more reserved show of appreciation.
Trixie waited for every pony to quiet down then with a flourish of her hoof and a flick of her mane she managed to dislodge Berry and flinched as she hit the ground.
“Forgot you were there, I’m sorry Berry.”
“Ssss…OK…”
Shrugging it off and ignoring the arched eyebrow from Spitfire who was surprised at Trixie apologizing for once, not that she said anything mind you she continued to listen with the others as the blue mare addressed them.
“I’m the leader of this group as appointed by the so called princess over there… I have something to say and its non negotiable so shut up and do it.”
Trixie smiled as she monopolized the attention of her group and with practiced ease she used her magic to retrieve the hat and cloak she had stashed in Apple Cobblers cart, as they floated over Trixie changed her magic and used it to wrap the cape across her shoulders and slowly place firmly on her head the wide brimmed hat.
Despite desperately needing a bath and some time to spruce herself up Trixie cut a fine but fragile figure as she lifted her head and her face became visible, Luna and the others were taken aback by the fiery and determined look behind those eyes
“Luna’s mission can wait, we have to go to Canterlot and return Spitfire to her team and peace to Equestria.”
The obligatory tumble weed slowly rolled through the silent scene as the breeze blew ponies hair this way and that.
“I’m serious…”
Spitfire blinked back a tear.
“You said you had an idea to sort this? That’s it, that’s your great idea… SEND ME BACK, AFTER WHAT YOU SAID BACK THERE?”
“Will you let me finish, just count stars or something.”
“I really hate you, just wanted to put that out there.”
“Like I was saying back to Canterlot then we tell Celestia we’ll sort out the Wonderbolts, in return our payment will be Spitfire gets to step down as captain of the Wonderbolts and then we go on Luna’s quest.”
“And if she doesn’t agree and won’t release me?”
“Then we see just how stubborn a goddess can be when her castle’s burning to the ground around her while we sit back and wait.”
“Y-You’re my student… You can’t blackmail my sister that’s wrong…”
“Sorry I forgot you were a royal sister for a moment there.”
“…I hate you too.”
“Bite me.”
The looks being shared by the group all agreed she was mad but the way Trixie seemed to be shimmering with unreleased magic, determination and a new reason to feel confident swayed them slightly.
“That’s your plan… Hold up our own royalty… We’re already on the run if you remember and you want to escalate matters with this?”
“Yes I do, you’re in an impossible position so we’re going to return the favor.”
“Because we’re friends now, Trixie you really want to do this?”
“Why not, for the first time I have some pony to share the brilliance that is The Great and Powerful Trixie and look we have roadies.”
“Ah ain’t no ponies roadie gets yourself your own servants you silver tongued harpy.”
As Roseluck and Fleur helped to put out Apple Cobblers mane and Spitfire berated Trixie for setting it ablaze in the first place, Berry just laid there clutching her skull with all the screaming going on drilling into her already aching messed up head.
After another cool down period (literally in the case of the farm pony) the gang managed to settle down and after more helpful comments and threats from the magician agreed to go along with Trixie’s idea.
The magician stood and in an attempt to rally the troops morale (Spitfire’s idea) Trixie addressed them once more.
“Are we gonna let one of us get kicked around by the system!”
Apple Cobbler Roseluck Berry Punch and Fleur all punched the air with their hooves and cried in unison, “NO.”
“Are we going to Canterlot to sort this out?”
Apple Cobbler Roseluck Berry Punch and Fleur all punched the air with their hooves and cried in unison, “YES.”
“Right then first thing tomorrow we head to Canterlot.”
Luna sat a few hooves away from the others, she was happy… Her plan was working (somewhat) as she realized then by looking at them she had managed to assemble her own elements of harmony even if they lacked the unifying magic and the friendship..
A group of friends (even her own mind thought she was kidding on that one) who would have adventures and help her be more accepted and respected.
Luna was however more than a little scared by the plan Trixie had concocted since it involved blackmailing her sister, which she very much doubted would make things at the dinner table any easier for her, not to mention having to clear up the whole bank robbery business.
The princess let her worries subside slightly as she watched her student take charge and with Spitfire’s help plan their journey back to the capital on Apple Cobblers map.
After of course Apple Cobbler still angered by her singed mane berated Trixie for stealing her map without asking.
As Luna continued to watch them she took mental notes on their banter and on the relaxed way they argued and discussed what was sounding more and more like a con job as they talked about how they planned to hustle Celestia.
Luna decided it was better to just follow along for now and try to change Trixie’s mind as to how strongly she was going to present her argument as they traveled.
Meanwhile as the night hung over the scene, far away back in Ponyville Twilight Sparkle was one hoof short of a straight jacket as she tried to catalogue all the changes in the night sky’s routine but kept coming up with the same conclusion, there was a new constellation in the stars.
Amongst the other traditional constellations sat six ponies two of which looked distinctly like a pony with a hat and cape and a flying Pegasus.
(Authors Note: This chapters intimate events and suggestions and any that follow are in no way an attempt to ship any pony or turn this into a clopfic, it’s just an exploration of the characters when presented with no viable suitors of the opposite sex and the closeness of traveling with one another in times of stress.
However Trixie X Spitfire and the comedic possibilities therein are hard to pass up, so feel free to debate in comments and tell me what you think.)