A/N: Special thanks to SilentMech, Scarlet Conduit, Cadmium, Ozymandias42, The Last Cold Fang, ChaoticLightning, Ketvirtas, Psycho Kid, Borderline Valley, Magestikus, and Drgnwolf for your comments this past chapter! I hope to hear again from you at the end of this one, as this one will answer a lot of what you guys are wondering I think
In other news, my new story "Equestria was Merely a Setback" (<—Link) is released and has the first two chapters up for your enjoyment! It's a spinoff of this story, so it'd mean a lot if you guys could support it with your likes and comments now that it is released, though I hope you also enjoy it thoroughly!
Thanks for all of your support, and I hope to keep hearing from you all! I mean it when I say this chapter will put a lot of perspective on previous ones!
On a seeming whim one day, Trixie visited Asgard instead of remaining at her post in Equestria. She had since taken over many of Luna’s duties due to the latter’s required presence in the vulnerable Asgard and her almost finished pregnancy, and there happened to be little time seemingly when she was not working or visiting the still hospitalized Lulamoon.
She came by Loki’s room as the night just began and his time in the throne room ended. He had chosen to eat alone while Luna worked with Lady Sif and Hogun on finding new guards to replace the ones lost through disloyalty. He was not too surprised to find Trixie in the room, since he had long since granted her access to his personal library in the hope it would mean she would learn everything she could to defeat Thanos. She was reading through a book on architecture when Loki came in, the sight of which was more surprising than her actual presence.
Loki’s confusion was not helped when he thought about how she might be interested in the construction projects going on at the moment: that of her coliseum in Equestria, and that of the Sunwell in Asgard. She did not need to be the one to draft the plans, so why would she be so interested in the details?
“How goes the construction?” Trixie asked Loki as he entered his own room in his full regal gear. Loki set about removing his helmet and cloak as he thought about the reports he had been handed that day.
Things were going well, surprisingly. Well, at least as well as things could go for a project unlike any done by Asgard’s architects, magic users, and other authorities that were being pulled into the project.
Loki carelessly dropped his helmet, only for it to disappear before it hit the ground as he banished it back to the realm he kept his extra clothes in. He did not intend to go around shirtless again if he could help it, even if he required Luna to supply him energy to keep this little pocket dimension open every now and again, “Your companion’s idea seems to be working out so far. Our architects are moving at a steady but slow pace. Since their knowledge of the Bifrost is limited, their knowledge of a structure outside of our own culture is obviously far more lacking.”
“I am sure Kael provided adequate instructions,” Trixie responded, her voice matter-of-fact. Her eyes continued to scan intently across the pages she was reading while she spoke, no eye contact being made with Loki as she sought out whatever knowledge she required.
Loki had to admit that the Elf had been most thorough, even with how uneasy the Asgardians were around him because of his race despite having no relation to the Dark Elves, “That he did, but this is still ground not tread upon before. It will be worth it to receive the benefits this Sunwell is said to grant, but I have my reservations nonetheless.”
That managed to pry Trixie’s eyes from the text. She closed it so she could grant Loki her full attention, “Reservations?
Loki moved over to his bed and took to laying across it lazily, his mind tired from being in charge of so many things for once. Being king was difficult if done thoroughly and with true effort, “Asgard is filled to the brim with warriors who place value on physical strength and capability. The idea of having their powers augmented and increased by magic may unsettle them.”
The fact that the Asgardians might not accept the power granted to them had not occurred to Trixie, and she was not quite pleased about the notion, “They will have to accept the fact that this artifact could very well save their race.”
“Honor and pride before reason I’m afraid…” Loki mumbled as brought an arm to cover his weary eyes. He was beginning to miss his brother, who had become so wrapped up in his Earth life that he was barely a figure on Asgard anymore. He had fallen in love with a world away from his own, and while Loki could sympathize he felt that the eldest son was needed at home too. On Earth he was stopping conspiracies, defeating villains of a much less caliber than those Asgard was accustomed to, and generally wasting his abilities.
Not only that, but Asgard would need Thor if Thanos were to return. While Thor may not be on the same level, having his abilities would be better than letting them squander on Earth with the other so-called “Avengers”.
The plurality of Loki’s previous statement made it’s way to Trixie’s mind, and so she prodded him to continue as he made himself comfortable on the bed, “And your other misgivings?”
Loki waved a hand in the air at her, “His species is addicted to magic because of its long reliance on such a construct. We Asgardians may be strong, but the idea that we too could grow to rely on it is unsettling.”
“We only need it to empower everyone for the immediate time being, not the thousands of years Kael’s species was subjected to its power.”
“We will take things one step at a time I suppose.”
A pause followed as Trixie came to think about the acceptance of the Sunwell in Asgardian culture and Loki tried to forget about his daily tasks if but for a moment.
This lull lasted just long enough for Trixie to think of something she had heard and was curious about, “I hear you are constructing an orphanage. A little standard, is it not?”
She had often wondered what it would have been like if she had lived in an orphanage. At the time she had worried they would return her to her abusive mother, but Trixie’s slimmer frame than other ponies her size showed that perhaps there were drawbacks on an even physical level of her homeless beginnings.
“Sleep Near only revived those lost in the conflict with Malekith, not those lost to Lorelei’s coup. There is still much need for an institution for those who are left without families as a result,” Loki reasoned. He had not expected to get any flak over constructing an orphanage, even if it was joking.
“Of course.”
Thinking more about the orphanage, Loki snorted at how he was unable to accomplish the last real task related to it, “The construction of the facility is done at this point, but I am trouble finding a name for it. I suppose it will come to me with time.”
Another pause fell between them, but this time it caused Trixie to decide to go. She had other things to do that night anyways outside of talking to family.
“Well, I will not bother you any further, father. I have other things to check up on.”
Loki mumbled a goodbye and pulled the covers over himself as he waited for his absolutely massive wife to join him. Their one year anniversary was approaching, and she would no doubt want him to do something to commemorate the event. The question was what though…
Trixie was able to track down the semi-elusive Discord in a minute, finding him in the same place that she had found him before: Fluttershy the former element bearer’s cottage by Ponyville. He had seemingly moved in after befriending the pony, but to get to the topic at hand Trixie ignored the scandalous image of him living with another mare despite fathering a child with Celestia.
Fluttershy had opened the door when Trixie knocked, and the cowardly mare ran away and shoved Discord out the door at the sight of Trixie’s cool eyes.
Trixie gave Discord a blank stare as the latter yawned and pretended to be too sleepy to be paying attention, “I need to ask you a favor.”
Discord shifted to another form of annoyance, dropping his sleeping act in the night light to adopt a grin and float above her, poking at her glistening silver-blue hair playfully as he spoke, “Oh, you are that pony all those others are gossiping about right now. Princess Lunamoon or something. It seems others have taken umbrage with the reforms you have been working on like abolishing the nobility, rooting out corruption in office, remov—”
Trixie fought the strong urge to stomp a hoof, “I did not come to talk about the view insolent whelps have of me or my policies.”
He pretended to be taken aback by this, “You didn’t? But it’s so much more fun, at least I think. Does Luna know that her old reputation has rubbed off on you? That ponies whisper and criticize you, just not as brazenly as they do her?”
It was quite difficult to keep herself from growling at the annoying man, but Trixie forced herself to nonetheless, “No, and I have done well to keep that information from her. Now, I need you to do something for me. It does not matter if you want to or not, you will do this and I will repay you in kind for it.”
Her strong words made Discord land and cross his mismatched arms, “I’m not so sure I want to do this favor. I don’t even know what it is!”
Trixie jabbed him in the gut while also secretly casting a spell that would soundproof them, so that Fluttershy could not possibly overhear them from inside the cottage, “I need you to stop dallying around and find Tirek. Find him, befriend him, and join him in his plotting. Help him slowly acquire power, but make sure that it is not at too fast a pace.”
Discord shook his arms like he was excited, though his voice was nothing but mocking, “Maybe we’ll go and have some fun and eat popcorn together at that event Celestia said you were making…the Equestria Games 2.0, if I may say so.”
“Retract your sarcasm. I have enough insolence to deal with as it is,” Trixie threatened, only for Discord to just laugh right back at her.
“Oh really? I don’t see why I have to do this for you at all, actually. If Celestia was asking the favor, that would be one thing, but I’ve only met you a couple times. What could you possibly do for me?”
Trixie narrowed her eyes at the deadbeat father to Equestria’s youngest royal family member, “Discord, as a former threat to Equestria yourself, you must realize that if Tirek has his way your daughter will be in grave danger.”
That made Discord stop in his tracks. He might not be there every day, but he did visit his daughter on occasion. He would not admit it but he held fatherly affection in him, even if his childish personality had trouble reconciling with it.
Seeing that she had his attention finally, Trixie continued to capitalize on her success, “And Tirek is not the only force that is moving against Equestria right now. There are three efforts against it, all of which I have my hoof in handling, and so your effort will help stop whatever harm may befall your daughter as a result of the coming tides of battle.”
“And what purpose will my befriending him serve? What will me helping him gain his power do?”
“It will serve our interests in the end,” Trixie replied vaguely, not wishing to bestow any of her actual plans with someone that was such a wild card, “Do this for me…no, do this for your daughter. So that she can grow up without ever facing harm.”
Discord placed his bear paw on his hip while turning his head away defiantly, “Fine. But I will have you know that the reason I have not found Tirek is that he is not making it easy to find him. He is not using his powers, or else I could sense him and find him easily.”
“I have faith in the god of chaos to find one dissident soul,” Trixie said, her back already turned to Discord as she began to leave. She knew that playing that card would get Discord to jump to helping her, even if everything else about him was chaotic.
“What is your angle in all of this?”
Trixie did not even look back to him as she began to teleport, “The winning one. Now go. Get to work. Stop wasting your time here.”
By the time he opened his mouth to speak again, Discord was left alone in the cold night air.
Trixie’s next stop was the house the Sirens had taken for their own. She brought Kael with her this time, but she had him occupy one of the guest rooms as she approached one of the three women who, once upon a time, were a threat to all of Euqestria.
“You don’t seem very much like the others. Why are you even helping them?”
Sonata was all by herself in the large house when Trixie found her. Trixie cast her sound proof spell again to prevent anyone from overhearing them, and decided to proceed with the next step of her plan.
Sonata laughed at the question, not seeming to get the traitorous connotations of it due to her own stupidity, “Well, I don’t really know. It’s been such a long time!” she brought a finger to her lips as she thought about the question more while reclining on a luxurious couch, “When we were kids a long time ago we were like total besties I think. They’re all I really remember after so long.”
“Besties?” Trixie questioned, not knowing what the term meant.
“Yeah! Best friends!” Sonata explained to Trixie’s embarrassment. Trixie, only having a couple she could call friends, was not familiar with the term, “I’m not that smart,” Sonata laughed and snorted, “Like at all, but Adagio always looked after me. And because Adagio did, Aria did too!”
Trixie felt her shoulders sink. She had come in her Elf form due to the three seeming to be more comfortable around humanoids, and so her hands softened as did her eyes as she heard that. Sonata seemed to have memories that Trixie doubted Adagio or Aria had anymore after so many years of isolation on a foreign world with a foreign culture. Luna had mentioned before that she only remembered things so well because all she could do on the moon was relive old memories, but to be trapped in a place where things actually were happening…
Sonata continued on as Trixie took a seat across from her, the ditz not really noticing the sad look on the other girl’s face, “When we got our powers I found just how fun it is to make people do what you want!” Sonata cackled as she showed off her necklace with its red gem, “It’s so fun doing whatever you want, though starving all those hundreds of years kind of puts a damper on the fun we did have. At least we got to do fun stuff like manipulate humans and make them crash ships in the meantime!”
Trixie decided to see where this could go, since Sonata seemed to be the most loyal of the three. She may be stupid, but that made her no less evil than the others it seemed. It just made her reliant on the others, “How did you survive?”
“Adagio was really powerful before we got beat by Celestia. Back then Celestia was actually a threat since she still knew how to fight, but now we’re totally better than her,” Sonata sighed for a moment to let her memories flow through her. When her simple mind had processed enough of them, Sonata decided to actually answer what was asked of her, “So, anyways, Adagio started feeding us her power, since we were still besties then. Eventually we found that humans had some magic potential too, though they were like so weak compared to Equestrians. We decided to gobble it all up!”
Trixie could not help but remember Kael’s magic stealing phase, but quickly shook the memory away so she could focus on what Sonata was still saying. The ditz really could talk a lot if you let her gab on without interruption.
“The humans make good food though, which is kind of ironic since they themselves aren’t that tasty,” Sonata finished, a content look on her face as she pat her extremely skinny stomach. Trixie had been a bit hungry before, but lost any trace of that appetite at the blue siren’s comment.
“Did you actually eat them?”
Sonata stuck her tongue out and blanched, “Blegh, of course not!” she reeled her tongue in and brought a finger up to her chin, a more thoughtful look growing on her, “Unless you count absorbing their power until there is nothing left of them. I don’t remember if I did that. Maybe when I was really hungry? That was more of Adagio’s thing…”
With so little magic on Earth, Trixie found it doubtful the three had been fed all that well over their long exile. In fact, she was surprised they lived that long with their near anorexic diet, “No wonder you’re all so thin…”
Sonata brought one hand to her chest and another to her hip, “Haha, we may be thin but we’ve got fat in all of the right spots!” Sonata glanced across the room at Trixie, only to laugh at what she saw, “You’re a little flat though.”
Trixie blushed. She had purposefully reduced her…proportions down to the bare minimum after Luna tricked her into making them obscenely huge, though she kept the alternate size as a backup in case she ever needed to feel her back break under their weight so she could impress some lecherous fool. In contrast, to make herself appear less boyish Trixie increased her overall hip size quite greatly to make up for her less feminine top. She would not be called a man if she could help it.
Trixie turned her head away as she continued to blush, “A personal preference when I’m not trying to impress anyone.”
Sonata winked at Trixie before laughing, “You mean that Elf guy? Oooh, are you two screwing? I bet you two have a lot of fun when you’re studying! Want a third? I bet even I could teach you a thing or two that way!”
“Uh, no thank you, we’re fine—I mean we’re not in that kind of relationship!” Trixie responded with embarrassment at first and then extreme worry as she realized how her original words may have been taken.
Sonata gave a couple hip thrusts and laughed at her ally, “Suuuuuure, I get what you mean. You’re into some really kinky stuff, aren’t you?”
That was enough for Trixie, who stood up and decided to go work on a more useful person, “Ugh, I can see why the others can’t stand to be around you anymore…”
Trixie had a new plan for approaching Sonata, but for the moment she would need to get some space from the crazy, psychotic idiot.
Adagio was outside in a hot tub she had refitted to work for humanoids and not just ponies. Trixie brought Kael with her just as insurance when she approached the leader of the Sirens, who greeted Trixie with a sultry smile.
“Ahhh, my dear, care to join me?”
Trixie glanced into the pool and noticed that Adagio was not, in fact, wearing clothes, though the bubbles and water helped disguise this fact, “No, I am fine.”
“Suit yourself. I suppose you’re satisfied with what you have,” Adagio replied reluctantly while glancing towards Kael, who gave no response. A bit perturbed by his lack of response, she lifted her chest above the waters and flashed him a smile, to which he only blinked.
Adagio lowered herself into the water again as Trixie took off her shoes and moved her robe so she could hang her own legs in, “He’s quite the gentleman, Trixie. Being around such beautiful women like us and keeping himself in check,” Adagio looked Kael over and found herself quite surprised, “Or is he…you know…” she leaned in closer to Trixie to whisper, “Fabulous?”
Trixie reached back to touch Kael’s leg as he continued to stand stoically beside her, “I know for a fact he is attracted to women, but I could not care less either way. He is my partner and nothing more.”
Adagio shifted back to her spot in the tub and smirked, “Don’t worry dear, no-one here will judge you. Except Aria. She’s not too fond of men, or those who lust after them. Likely because of our other companion’s inane prattling about them for so long,” Adagio closed her eyes and leaned her head back as memories flooded her just as they had Sonata, “Aria didn’t mind the bits about women, but Sonata is fond of men as well and I think I remember her constantly talking our ears off about them too. I am having trouble remembering, but she may even have met a stunning example of mankind early in our stay on Earth. He reminded me of one of those Asgardians since he possessed greater strength and magical abilities…”
Trixie found it ironic that the group idiot had the best memory out of the three, but she did not bring this fact up out of tact. She just let Adagio stew in her own memories and the bath as well, fine with taking her time if it would help gain her the trust of the group’s leader.
Adagio began to laugh as she remembered something she had not thought of in hundreds of years, “Yes, it’s coming back a little to me now. The idiot let herself get pregnant, and in the end she let him keep the baby instead of keeping it herself. Laurel…no, Lauriel…”
Trixie smirked as she put pieces together of a puzzle, all the while surprised that one of them was a mother, “Lorelei?”
Adagio nodded her head while snapping her fingers, “That is it, thank you!” she laughed as she thought about how Sonata’s stupidity had lead to such an embarrassing occasion. She could not remember what she thought then, but thinking of it at the moment made her laugh, “It has been a thousand years, forgive me for my memory. You lose some less important details over time, and I could really care less for what Sonata does on the side. Besides, it gave her a bigger bust and a better set of hips, and I sure don’t keep her around for her intellect.”
Her eyes drifted from Trixie to something inside the house which brought a new smile to her face. She snapped her fingers at whoever was walking by in the house, which caused Trixie to look back to what caught Adagio’s attention.
“Hey Aria, be a dear and grab me a drink. Our servant is off socializing right now and spreading our good name, so you will have to be my service wench,” Adagio taunted her second in command and sexual partner. Trixie was not sure the term “lover” was warranted or correct, given that it appeared to be a relationship bore of hatred.
Once upon a time, could it have been something else though? Trixie wondered how different these three were when they were younger. When they were actual friends like Sonata remembered, if her memories were actually true.
It almost made Trixie regret all of this…at least until she remembered how evil they were.
“Fuck you!” Aria yelled back from the house through the open door Trixie had left.
Adagio laughed and formed a microphone with a hand, “You already do, dear, so bring me that alcohol if you don’t want to just be with Sonata tonight!”
Trixie could hear more swearing and grumbling from the house, but Aria gave no more real protest. With the outcry done with, Adagio went back to smirking at Trixie, “Works like a charm every time.”
Having had the necessary bonding time, Trixie smiled at Adagio while retrieving her own legs from the pool.
“I think I will go fetch myself a drink.”
Trixie wiped her legs off on Kael’s robe, who looked down at her with amusement as she prepared to go back inside. When Trixie left, he remained standing by the tub quietly as if in thought.
With Trixie gone, Adagio winked at Kael, “It seems like she has left you in my care. Tell me, how are you so comfortable around such stunning women? There must be some trick.”
The prince shrugged, “My race is much more…hedonistic than any you have come across I am quite sure. It is common for women to walk around in only what you call bras and underwear, not to mention how we do not as a culture use doors that often so much is in plain sight that would be hidden in other places by other people.”
“And?”
“And I was royalty and a leader in a coalition of forces that had an army of consorts. I have quite literally seen enough women naked to satisfy any curiosity I had.”
“Is that so?” Adagio grinned devilishly at the handsome man, “How about I sing you a song to pass the time?”
Inside the house Aria was busy smashing things. Trixie made sure to avoid the broken glass that Aria had smashed on the floor in a fit of rage, the purple siren obviously put off by being ordered around like a servant.
Trixie approached the other member of their little group and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, “Why do you just listen to whatever she says?”
Aria brushed Trixie’s hand off roughly, “She’s the leader, duh.”
Trixie allowed her hand to be removed, but she moved it to a position where her hands were raised up defensively, “No, I mean, why is she the leader? How is she any better than us?”
Aria snorted at the question, “Well it sure as Hell shouldn’t be Sonata,” she paused as she narrowed her eyes warily at Trixie, the purple siren already having been distrustful of her, “And I’d lead if I felt like it. Too much of a hassle though.”
Trixie shrugged and prepared to defend herself from the punch she was about to receive from the siren who instead of wearing standard girl clothes wore what one might find on a rebellious teenager with ripped sleeves and everything, “Adagio doesn’t seem to be all that great though. Are you only listening to her because you’re her little toy?”
In anger Aria turned and swung a fist at Trixie, “Why you—”
Trixie caught Aria’s risk faster than Aria could even swing it. Trixie shook her head at the sad attempt at causing physical harm, “Tssk, tssk tssk. Remember, we’re on the same side. I know you don’t like listening to her. So why should you?”
That calmed Aria down, and she found herself curious about what the new girl was talking about. New, as in, having been with them just under a year compared to the extreme length of time the others had been together, “What are you thinking?”
Trixie tried to put on the most sincere face she could, “You seem more intelligent than her. I would rather follow someone with a brain than someone who is overconfident like her.”
Adagio was overconfident. She had been unchallenged and undefeated for about a thousand years if the things Trixie read about were true. Their reign of terror was unhalted for so long, their powers unchallenged for such a long period of time, that of course overconfidence would come of it all.
Aria nodded slowly as she began to see what Trixie was saying. A coup within their own group, “I see…” just because she could understand what was being said did not mean that she trusted Trixie though. A schemer was a schemer after all, “But what do you get from this? Why don’t you want to be the boss?”
Trixie was so glad she casted her spell again that made their conversation private, which she decided to dub the cone of silence, “I am already a princess. I can manage to not be the leader of a small group of individuals I am partnered with.”
Aria crossed her arms and glared at Trixie, “Hmmmph. Whatever. I’ll do what I want, but you better not do anything stupid. Unlike Adagio, I get that you’re not the sort that is easily manipulated. Maybe you were once, but I think Adagio’s let the fact we’ve been winning the past millennium get to her.”
Trixie was pleased to see someone corroborate her assessment on Adagio’s contentment and overconfidence.
Trixie gave a defensive posture again, “Oh I have been counting on it. It’s easiest to join a group who will soon rule the world when the leader of it thinks you’re already a groupie.”
Aria jabbed Trixie’s chest with a finger and scowled, “Just remember who should be on top and we won’t have a problem. We’re as strong as you now, so you better not try anything.”
“Of course, of course.”
With that, Aria wandered off towards the exit with two empty glasses and a bottle of whine in tow. Trixie let her go without any further comment, all the while smirking to herself.
Aria might be loyal, at least vocally, but the seeds of doubt were there now.
After Adagio and Aria decided to make up and removed themselves to a bedroom, Trixie took the hot-tub herself along with Kael. She made sure Sonata joined the other two before relaxing herself by entering the pool.
Trixie let out a content sigh as the warm water and the jets massaged her aching body.
“And with this…I win the world. Check.”
Kael smirked at Trixie from across the large hot tub, his precious robes discarded on the side of the pool to keep them from getting wet, “You really believe this will pay off in the end?”
Trixie kept her eyes closed as she let her body relax, “Of course I do. They believe I am not too powerful since my power is currently being used elsewhere, and they think I am just another pawn. Their goal is to gather a large enough group of ponies that they can absorb their magic all in one fell swoop, instead of the gradual leeching they have been doing these past months.”
“And when they gather all of the power in themselves…” Kael trailed off as he waited for Trixie to finish.
The princess contently replied, “I show them that I am far more powerful than they, and take their power for myself.”
“And with that power, you can easily defeat whatever Tirek has gained for himself with Discord’s aid.”
“And with all of their power combined, the Sunwells, the Aether, and mother’s scepter, I will confront Thanos and defeat him.”
“Are you sure it will be enough?”
“No. Which is why I am cultivating these other players so thoroughly. I need every ounce they can offer me,” Trixie opened her eyes and looked up into the star filled night, “The Sirens are already powerful, more so than I originally expected when I learned of them, but how much will that power increase when they have access to an audience of thousands of ponies, Asgardians, and Jotuns?”
Kael felt good being one of the only two who knew of this plan, as well as one of the two pulling the strings of it all, “The real games won’t be between the three races, but between us, the Sirens, and Tirek.”
“Of course. Discord will bring Tirek to the games as a way of amassing power. Not only can I play the Sirens against Tirek then, I can take all of the power for myself,” Trixie laughed, once again glad that no-one could listen in on her due to the spell she learned for such an occasion.
“And this little charade today?”
“Like I said, the Sirens have grown more powerful than I expected originally. If I can continue to isolate them, cause them to turn on one another while gaining their individual trusts, I will have less risk later.”
“The best of schemes is when the puppets of the show do not know they are having their strings pulled, not to mention are actually in someone else’s show entirely. But even the best shows can end in tragedy, should the wrong cards be dealt the protagonists…”
That brought some pause to Trixie, who closed her eyes again as she swore.
“I’ll win. I have to.”
Well, it could be worse. She could be setting things up so she is the only real counter to Tirek. Rather than encourage Discord to replicate the show, she is encouraging him to do it because he already has something at stake. After all, what is the miracle of life but the greatest bit of magic to ever exist?
Everything is going according to plan, let's hope that Trixie's plans don't go all up in smoke.
My assumptions about Trixie were correct.
This is going to end very badly.
Instead of taking out her enemies immediaetly or working together she tries to protect everyone on her own. Conspires and manipulates and ultimately is putting those in grave danger that she is set to protect.
I have an idea how this might end but I guess I'll have to wait for the next for chapters to see this confirmed.
Anyway, it's a very interesting way of letting Trixie act and it makes very much sense.
First of all, Trixie had massive problems with her selfconfidence.
Later she came to accept herself and open her shell, only to be hurt by seeing her loved ones getting hurt. Without her powerboost she might not have felt the way she apparently does now.
She might not have felt to be responsible for everyone.
But that feeling of beeing on her own and disregarding the help she might get from others as insufficient anyway will lead to her downfall. The difference is, this time she will actually have had the power as compared to the past with the alicorn amulet.
I think this makes very much sense for her character as on the one hand, she now has a family for the first time, but her interactions with them seem somewhat colder than before she got the Aether.
Other than Twilight she has not learned of the truly important things, yet.
She seeks security through power but that way lies corruption.
My guess is, that you are going to let things play out similar to the show but within the workings of your 'universe'. In the end Trixie will get a downgrade but will come to her senses at the right time, and will right her wrongs.
I presume she will, together with all the other big players (Mane Six, Luna, Discord, Loki, maybe the Avengers) bring an end to the Thanos story-arc in a surprising and ingenious way.
How I don't know and do not dare to predict. You have surprised me often enough^^
Anyway, if I don't missunderstand how you intend to show the characters and if I further am not wrong in my assumptions how you would logically continue the chain of events and the inner-character psychological workings, then I'm pretty sure I am able to guess where you're going.
P.S.: On account of the 'seeking security through power' and corruption thing I think you did a wonderful job with Loki as he has been through all of this in the first part and as he is now shown as contrast to Trixie in that sense as he is wary about it.
P.P.S.: On account of Trixie shutting others out. Although she refrains from doing 'unimportant' things like interacting with those close to her to remind her what she does what she does for, she seems to be in a very interessting situation with Kael. I think she isn't aware of it. She act's towards him similiar like she acts towards other, however he is her confidant. He silently watches over her and gently gives her impulses to reflect on herself (like he did at the end of this chapter)
His clear view of things is, narratively spoken, a brilliant move. Keeping him around serves to purposes. It shows the readers another perspective than Trixies, although very sublty and it implies, that Trixie subconsiously needs him. It shows that there are still insecurities left in her and that she is not (that) corrupted (not in a sense, that she were bad but only in a sense of being on a wrong way).
Also her behaviour towards him represents her inner conflict of longing for closer relationships on the one hand (be it being with her family, be it having friends or be it being with him) and shutting them out and getting her 'work done' on the other hand.
P.P.P.S.: As you might have guessed from my long pseudo-psychological analyses, I enjoy this aspect of your story tremendously and so I'd like to repeat my earlier praise: I love your character development!
At least she didn't proclaim that "nothing could go wrong now" because we all know how the universe hates people who yell stuff like that.
And i can totally see how she plans on all of this going on, Sirens drain the crowd Tirek comes and try to or actually drains the sirens then Trixie comes in guns blazing and smacks Tirek down and then claims all the magic that has been thrown around,lets just hope nothing interferes and upsets everything.
Trixie seems to make for a better Loki then Loki himself. Setting up Tirek the sirens and even all of the three attending races to suck up all of the power to defeat Thanos. Although it does seem to look like all that planning and scheming is setting itself up for a rather large fall. Lets see how that ends up for her. So Lorelei is part siren, that fits rather well considering everything. Makes me wonder who the father is.
As far as the name for an orphanage goes, might as well go cliche and name it in the honor of some characters. Probably Odin seeing as how his sacrifice kind of topples everyone else's accomplishments.
That last line if anything is ominous. It might even seem rather treacherous.
Great chapter,definitely hit comedy mark on this one.
5522183 Tirek is literally the lowest on the totem pole for her worries, since he's a threat because he can take magic...just like all three Sirens. It's Thanos that Trixie is working to counter, and to do it she's taking everyone's magic for herself to confront the obscenely powerful man
5522767 At least she has plans, and good ones at that
5523831 You're actually completely wrong, not correct Her conspiring is what is allowing her to do the most effective plan possible for taking out her enemies. Thanos is supremely powerful and wishes to harness the power of things like the Aether, and he has a few of his own, so he's well above everyone else in terms of power. Obscenely so.
The Sirens are powerful, but Trixie is immune to them and is stringing them along. She can take care of them at any moment, but they can do something she can't: steal magic. She could take someone's magic, working with Kael and all she has to know how to, but she can't do so as a "good guy". But no-one would be mad at her for taking power from the Sirens by defeating them. So, she could theoretically steal the entire nation's power for however long she needed it to defeat Thanos so long as she siphons it from them. Then she can return it once she's done, like how Tirek let go of the power in the show.
Tirek is a another person who can steal magic, and he is seperate from the Sirens so he'll be siphoning from different areas and people. If Trixie can trick him into coming to an area where she can let him steal the magic from the Jotuns, the Asgardians, and more ponies, she can then take it from him just like she could from the Sirens.
Tirek and the Sirens are not really threats for Trixie at all. Thanos is, and she's devised a way to grab every last scrap of magic she can to confront him. So you're completely wrong about her scheming being a bad thing. She doesn't feel as if she can get away with this effective but morally ambiguous method if she tells others, which is why only Kael knows who is her other half right now. Even Luna would be against Trixie stealing everyone's magic, though Luna would certainly understand the reasoning.
So, even if things don't go 100% according to plan she can still deal with 2/3 threats "easily". That leaves Thanos, who will be bordering on the level of omnipotence when he comes knocking. And with an army.
Oh, and Trixie's power boost isn't really the cause for her feeling responsible for everyone. It's being a princess who wants to please her mother and who is trying desperately to be a good pony to validate her own self-worth. As you mentioned, she has self-confidence issues, and what better way to shush the little voices in your head than to be the kindest person there is?
She has indeed grown colder since obtaining the Aether. She's got a lot on her mind!
Things are going to be quite different from the show however Tirek's introduction was the end of any kind of canon. Now we're going full AU.
Mane 6 are hopelessly outclasses (except Twilight), so they'll be sitting all of this out. Sorry, but Applejack is not nearly as strong as even a common warrior from Asgard, who is entire leagues below the people who are themselves leagues below the likes of Thanos. They can't even fight the army Thanos has because they got beat by Changelings, who don't have guns and powerful weapons.
I hope I continue to surprise you, though I think this next bit will indeed do just that
Loki's been through the ringer with magical corruption, as has Trixie (and Kael), but Loki's wary of it while the far more powerful (due to the Aether) Trixie is more flippant about it. There's a reason for the difference, but I don't want to spoil it
Kael is Trixie's sounding board, and so he is valuable to her. He's also been acting as her errand boy, since the Sunwell is just another part of Trixie's plan to have enough power to take on Thanos, but he's there to give Trixie someone to confess everything in without possibly being betrayed or called out for her actions. He is an adviser who wants to talk to her and make sure an idea is sound, not question its morality. It's the role he played in his own series, and so it's in-character for him to continue doing so albeit under new management (believe it or not, the harsh Maiev was once his boss for a time, before of course he befriended Illidan).
And very perceptive of you to see that while not bad, Trixie is in a bad way currently She's got a lot on her shoulders and a lot on her mind. Luckily she has Kael to share that burden with, whatever their bond may be. Glad you like his inclusion, as it was something I have long looked forward to and have gradually over the past 40 chapters realized I wanted to make more and more important.
So happy you enjoy my character development, and I hope you continue to do so The final plan has been enacted, and now it's time to watch the show.
5523834 I specifically made sure to make her not say that, because it may give people the impression her plan wouldn't work. Given that her plan is about her sapping strength from villains far weaker than her, Trixie's not exactly in a bad spot and stands a good chance to defeat the Sirens and Tirek. The problem is Thanos.
Glad you can see how it all goes down though, since that sounds just about right I can't wait until it all goes down!
5526997 Loki has pulled off his own schemes in the past (mainly the first arc), now it's just Trixie's turn Take all of the power so that she has a chance at defeating Thanos certainly is better than just letting him come and kill everyone, so Trixie's willing to take a risk to do quite possibly the only thing she can to defeat him.
And yes, I realized once I started working the Sirens into everything that it would be fitting to have Lorelei's powers come from somewhere instead of just being. Since she's not a full Siren, she only has part of their immense power, and she can't absorb other people's magic because she doesn't have their necklace (which her mother had powering her when Lorelei was born). And I figured it would be Sonata out of the three to mother her, since Sonata seemingly has the least sanity left out of the three (but the best memory) so she would be prone to doing the most reckless of actions. I could come up with something for the father, but I don't think it's necessary. Just tying together some plot threads with the two groups of mind controlling females.
I actually have a name in mind, but the characters in-story don't have a reason to name it that yet Odin would be a good choice, but Loki hasn't come to that conclusion yet
Ominous? Treacherous? Well then it sounds exactly like I meant it to
Glad you liked the comedy. Comedy is harder for me to write than drama, so it's nice hearing people enjoy it when I do bits related to it.
5530900 True enough. Then again, she may just use him as a reference point while creating her own version of magic draining.
5534475 I honestly can't remember I think I did something for it, but it's been like 60 chapters so I can't remember off the top of my head.
5531018
Discord's Orphanage - because "Guilt tripping is Magic".
But seriously my guess is "Lulamoon" after Trixie's mother, who heroically dies while protecting her daughter when thing goes wrong. (Why? Because things always goes wrong.)
5535523 Wow, you guessed the name, though I won't say if your complete guess is right
5536931 We have thousands of comments between us. Why stop now?
5530904 Good plans are the best ones.
5536931
Pfff, but it's so fun!
it all comes out,let's just hope it doesn't backfire in Trixie's face
The title has already rustled my jimmys
Turning All Against The One is An Art That's Hard ***TO TEACH
Lets see what this chapter has is store
Aria’s risk faster
*fist
also not sure if whine was intentionally spelt like that or just a typo
5587099
Or 'wrist'. That was how I read it anyway.
Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if that was an intentional.
5587041
Agreed.
Very Mu
ch So Agreed.but I am trouble finding a name for it
how Sonata’s stupidity had lead to such an
with two empty glasses and a bottle of whine in tow
1. But I am having trouble finding a name for it.
2. Led.
3. ... Hah! Bottled Whine. No one would really like that.
Another twist to the parent of one of our short term villains. Man, almost seems like every villain has a family or something in here.
And now I see the irony of the spin off title. She dun goofed big time at the games.
10-11-2016 Edit:
The plurality of Loki’s previous statement made it’s way to Trixie’s mind
Trixie caught Aria’s risk faster than Aria could even swing it
1. Its.
2. Fist.
6271228 Haha, I realized when I introduced the Sirens I could come up with a rational explanation as to why another mind manipulating villain has their powers...so why not? And as for villains and family, it's deliberate on some fronts since our first villain was Loki, and our second real villain was Hela (Thanos wasn't really in the picture except for a brief stint). Looking at the source material, both Loki and Luna were villains at one point (and Loki is forever doomed in canon to keep slipping back into it), so family serves as the best kind of villain for them. Thanos and Malekith are the exceptions to the rule, but of course not everyone could have a relation to someone
And you see the irony now? How so?
Well, okay... sooo, this is were I take my leave. You are really a good writer and I will defs continue reading "Equestria was merely a setback" but this story of yours, it´s just not my cup of tea anymore.
At first it was a nice read but over time, your characters developed in a way that went more and more against my tastes in character development. I had to more or less force me to read this chapter and in all honesty, I stopped roughly after the half of it.
I wish you the best of luck with the remaining chapters and with your other writings.
Gaah, why do I feel so horrible right now?
Know that i have played hearthstone and am currently downloading WoW, i can better enjoy this! So what have we here?
...
I have a feeling, this will backfire, horribly.
7717607 I would normally offer to help people with Hearthstone since I've helped a few get to Legend (the top rank), but I've actually given up on it and have moved on to Shadowverse since it's not as stupidly broken and has more than only one competitive deck Anyways, WoW is still fun, even though I do prefer SWTOR.
You think things will backfire? I think they will go just fine. I mean, Trixie's playing everyone right now like a chessmaster, so what could possibly go wrong?