Equestria Abides

by AmberRoss

Chapter 5

The crowd at the Lucky Horseshoe Casino sat surrounded by the haze of cheap cigars in the dimly lit dinner theater. Provocatively dressed waitresses sold cheap shoestring fries and spaghetti to casino patrons taking breaks from gambling their bits away. Trixie watched over the scene from her suite which overlooked the casino and dinner theater. A nicer room would likely have a view overlooking the crystal towers of the city, but Trixie wanted to be near her audience. Sure, it wasn't the most luxurious hotel in Las Pegasus, but she had a lucrative contract that guaranteed her lots of bits, a meal allowance, and all the smoothies she could drink. Her suite was once an office, remodeled into a room. The decorating was a bit anarchistic, with garish yellow shag carpet, striped wallpaper in a clashing teal, and lime green furniture covered in cigarette burns (despite the fact Trixie didn't smoke). It wasn't a mansion, but very comfortable compared to sleeping in a wagon on a bed of straw. The unicorn combed out her hair and gazed at herself in the mirror, grinning sideways.

“My Trixie, you are truly the most beautiful creature in all of Equestria,” she said to her reflection.

Trixie got all of her luxuries for just one show a night, two on Saturday. She almost felt as if she were stealing! Tonight after her show, she'd have her dinner at the casino's restaurant and play a few hands of poker, perhaps have a few drinks. It was an easy life for her here, being paid to do what she loved. Trixie knew this wasn't the end of it either; dozens of other ponies have had humble starts at places like the Lucky Horseshoe. Soon, Trixie would be moving up to the Golden Stable or Canterlot Gardens, where her audience would grow and her suite wouldn't have an unidentifiable stain in the carpet near the door. There was a knock at the door, and Trixie sighed.

“Yes?”

“It's Seth.”

Trixie opened the door with her horn, a yellow stallion with red hair standing behind it, grinning at her with a cocky smile. The casino was small enough that the pit boss, Seth, often handled the booking of shows and the managing of talent. Trixie appreciated the work he did, but the barely concealed crush he had on her was sometimes annoying. Though Trixie did enjoy how it made him easier to manipulate.

“Hey'a Trix. Great show down there!” Seth said placing a leg across Trixie's shoulder.

“Seth, what did we say about touching?”

Seth removed the offending limb, “Sorry babe, hehe...did you have dinner yet?”

“I was just about to, why?”

“Well ya know that contest the big wigs were having? 'Win a date with a showmare'?”

“Trixie is familiar. What does it have to do with me?”

“Well, somepony won and they chose a date with you.”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie is no showmare...”

“I know, I know. But the rules say the winner can choose anypony they want, and she chose you.”

Trixie smiled at herself in the mirror and batted her eyelashes, “Well, it isn't as if I blame them. Still, I will be far to busy tonight.”

“C'mon Trixie. I know it's short notice, but this griffon is the demanding type- she said she wanted to have dinner with you and nobody else.”

Trixie raised and eyebrow, “A griffon you say? Well, well, well, this may be interesting. Did she give her name?”

“Didn't catch it. Started with a 'G', I think...”

“That hardly narrows it down, Seth.”

“Well, I dunno. Look, I'll give you the meal free. That is, it won't come off your meal allowance.”

Trixie finished brushing her long white hair and grinned, “Very well, Seth. I'd hate to disappoint a fan. What's the special tonight?”

“Roasted marrow I think” Seth said, “Eh, Trix...be careful with this griffon. She seems the shifty type.”

Trixie only smiled as she sauntered past “Oh don't worry, I can handle griffons.”

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This deep in the mines, Diamond dogs navigated by their sense of smell alone. But the old tribal elder, to whom Rover answered to without question, was nearly scent-blind in his old age, so an oil lantern lit their way. The lanterns were used only sparingly, as lamp oil was a rare commodity in the wastelands and high mountains. If a mining operation ran out of standard, they would be forced to use wood alcohol in the lamps, which burned more violently.

Rover was dreading the elder's visit; the mine was producing nothing but a few low-grade rock crystals and that large, grimy gem he couldn't identify. If not for trading it for the exceptionally rare Lunar sapphires, the expedition would've been a total loss. The elder had asked Rover why he was mining in an area where the surveys had proven there was nothing, but Rover hadn't told him of the mysterious figure who came to him. They extended an offer of power and wealth, if only he could retrieve an artifact of superb value. The elder was of the old guard, all he cared about was the short-term gain of gems, didn't see the bigger picture. Rover knew that the Diamond dogs needed treaties, alliances, powerful people on their side, and in the end, that would lead to more gems, and more power. Still, he had to appease the old Mongrel, and if he wanted to see the mysterious negotiator, he was happy oblige. Though Rover admitted, if Mongrel wasn't flanked by his guards, he would likely had done his people a favor and smash his head in with a pick.

“Rover, why are we this deep in your mines?” Mongrel growled, his voice like the sound of a pick being drug along a stone floor.

“You asked who's idea this mine was. I will introduce you to her.”

“Why do you bother with others? What we do is not their business.”
Mongrel had an annoying habit of referring to any who was not a Diamond dog as “others”, thinking they were only good for slavery. Even then, he only used them for unskilled labor like carrying mining waste or pulling carts.

“You will understand when you meet her.”

“Rover, this mine is worthless! Whoever gave you advice should be pulling a cart for the rest of their life, then fed to the timberwolves.”

Rover ignored the shaggy old dog's ramblings. Once Mongrel met with her, he would understand. The Diamond dogs emerged into a high-ceilinged chamber with openings near the ceiling, allowing sunlight inside to a small degree. More light was provided by pools of flaming liquid, natural gas wells funneled through water would burn like massive torches. Such constructions were rarely used except in large natural caverns that needed a lot of light.

“Your men dug all this out? For what reason?!” Mongrel grumbled

“She asked.”

“My palace is not even this large!” Mongrel said. “Such a waste of time and labor...”

As the two reached the rear of the throne room, a figure cast in shadow sat against the rear wall in a square alcove. Beyond the shadows, Mongrel's eyes could make out the outline of a pony, but couldn't really see any features.

“Who is this old used up fuddy-duddy?” A shrill female voice said from the throne.

“This is Mongrel, a high elder,” Rover said.

There was a noted pause as the pony leaned back in the ornate throne. “Why is he important?”

Rover explained, “He is the elder- the leader of the Diamond dogs of this area.”

“He can give orders that can contradict yours?” The pony said.

“Pony! You have no authority here, and what I say, Rover must do!”

“What if he doesn't feel like it?”

Mongrel growled, “Then he will be tied to a post and beaten!”

“Rover, do you appreciate the way he is talking to you?”

Rover gulped, knowing he was expected to answer. “I don't like Mongrel much, but it is my duty to follow him long as far he is alive.”

“Oh, well I can see that,” The pony's shrill, sing-song voice said. “I guess we'll have to kill him.”

Mongrol growled, “Who are you?! How dare you sow such dissent!”

“Rover, why don't you do it? You don't even like him.”

“But-”

“He is in between you and more riches than you could possibly imagine. He wishes to hold you back. I see no reason for him to be alive.”

Rover bit his lip, now surrounded by the four guards that had followed Mongrel here. He raised his paws obsequiously but mentally looked around for something that would work as a weapon. Diamond dogs despised war, seeing them as a waste of resources, but Rover had fought his shares of battles, both against rival clans and griffon raiders. He spotted a small pile of tools nearby, including an axe handle, a small chisel, and a heavy length of chain. If these guard were to to try to take him, Rover would fight back. Still, he hoped Mongrel would see that he didn't have a choice.

“You're such a stick in the mud! I'll do it.” The pony said, shaking her head.

“Rover, you bring this other into your mine and let her lead you to waste time and labor! I'll see you flogged on the wheel for this! And as for you pony, I demand you leave now! You have no place in these mines!”

Rover heard an ominous sound. A whistling, growing louder, like a distant bomb being dropped...

“Brave words for a dead dog.”

Mongrel stepped forward, “I'm not dead yet!”

The pony held out a comically large pocket watch, “Well lookie there, my watch is ten seconds fast!”

“What are-”

Mongrels final words were cut short as a massive player piano fell somewhere from the top of the cavern dropped directly onto him, crashing impossibly loud, dust and splinters of the black lacquered wood flying everywhere. The four guards were speechless, seeing their leader killed in the most bizarre way they could imagine.

“She killed Mongrel! Eh...somehow.” One of the guards stammered, “Kill her!”

As the four guards pointed their spears away from Rover, he dove and rolled toward the pile of tools, picking up the long length of chain, swinging it above his head and throwing it around the legs of the nearest dog and pulling his feet out from under him. The heavy dog smashed face first into the stone floor. Rover whirled the chain in a circle, unwrapping the chain to spin it above his head. The other guards spun, seeing Rover.

“Traitor!” one shouted, foolishly charging with his spear forward.

Rover stood, flat-footed, whirling the chain until the dog had gotten almost close enough to strike, then brought the chain down unexpectedly on the dog's shoulder, the satisfying crack of a broken collarbone ringing off the roof of the cave. It wasn't a blow that would kill, but would make it impossible to fight back. The next guard was a bit smarter, choosing to throw his spear from a distance. The long iron shaft flew strait, but Rover grabbed it out of the air. He spun to maintain the spear's momentum and threw it back to it's stunned owner, hitting him in the leg. The fourth guard took a step back, holding the spearhead between him and Rover.

“Make your move,”Rover hissed.

The guard dropped his spear, and held his open hands forward in surrender. “Hail the new elder!” He said obsequiously.

Rover looked to the pony on the throne, her silhouette nodded. “Go and gather together all the dogs he ruled over,” she said, “Arm them, armor them, and prepare them for war. We must retrieve the Emerald, and with it I can get you more treasure than you could dream. Your people will share in it, every one of them will live like kings and queens. And you, Rover, will be like a god.”

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Rainbow Dash walked with Gilda toward the command tent, where the newly arrived army of Princess Luna was finally marching into the valley with a massive brass band.

Gilda scoffed, “A band? You ponies don't now squat about war.”

Rainbow laughed, “Yeah, well, we like to do things with style.”

The griffon laughed and bumped Rainbow, “Hey, I do everything with style. You've never see my armor- had an engraver totally bling it out.”

Rainbow Dash laughed, as the pair reached the command tent. Count Veleris, Rainy Days, and Helios were talking with Derpy about the route, Luna still being asleep this time of day. The entire table looked up at Gilda's entrance.

“Rainbow,” Helios greeted. “This is your...friend?”

Rainbow clammed up, grinning stupidly; Gilda filled the silence.“Yeah, I'm a griffon, get over it. Suppose you never seen one,”

“Well, one of my captains is sleeping off the last encounter we had with a griffon, just yesterday. This griffon was looking for someone named Gilda.”

Gilda's face twitched, “I'm Gilda, but that's a pretty common griffon name.”

“Is it?” Helios asked.

“Look, he's probably just somebody with a grudge. He's gone now, okay? I'm just here to help.”

“Very well, I wouldn't turn down help in this situation. You're somewhat slender for a griffon- I assume you're a fast flier. We need some escorts that can keep up with Derpy, here.”

“Nice to meet you!” Derpy said with a grin.

“You know how to fly?” Gilda asked. “Or am I gonna have to hold your hoof the whole time?”

Dinky trotted forward bravely, “My mommy is the third best flier in Ponyville!”

Gilda sneered at the little filly, “Oh yeah, short stuff?”

“Yeah!” Dinky shot back.

Helios grinned, “Perhaps, Derpy, it would be a good idea if you, Gilda, and Rainbow took a flight or two together to get used to each others flying styles.”

Gilda grinned sideways at Derpy, “I'll try not to leave you rolling in a mud puddle, Bubbles.”

Derpy grinned back, “See if you can catch me!”

Without delay, Derpy shot into the air, the wind from her takeoff kicking up a cloud of dust. Gilda nudged Rainbow, the pair joining in the pursuit. Derpy looked over her shoulder, smiling back, flying with all her speed. Derpy's fastest wasn't anywhere near Rainbow and Gilda's fastest, and soon the two were pulling close. Gilda reached forward to grab Derpy's ankle, but the gray mare disappeared from view, the pair soon finding that Derpy was flying away, strait up and waving at Gilda playfully.

“How'd she climb so fast?” Gilda asked, Rainbow not answering. “Dash! Get your head in the game!”

Rainbow shook her head, “Sorry G, it's just...the General-”

“What about him?!”

“I mean, he's dreamy.”

Gilda rolled her eyes, “Dash, not now; we've gotta save face here!”

Rainbow nodded, climbing after Derpy, easily catching up. But every time she tried to close her arms around the mare, she slipped away, zipping left and right with a superior agility. The weatherpony and the griffon tried surrounding her, splitting up, even shouting distractions, but everywhere they turned, Derpy was twirling and giggling the opposite direction.

“Gah! Dash, did you know she could fly like this?”

“No way! I mean she's a good flier, but I never thought she could outrun me.”

“Everypony wants to steal the mail,” Derpy explained, corkscrewing over their heads, “I learned how to dodge pretty well.”

To the observers on the ground, the chase looked like nothing but a trio of contrails snaking across every corner of the cloudy sky. Every soldier gazed at the sight with reverence and amazement. Derpy felt the constant closeness of hooves and talons, and knew the two were too fast and resourceful to avoid forever. Finally both Gilda and Rainbow captured Derpy simultaneously, pinning her between them.

“Ya got me!” Derpy said with a grin.

“You sure can fly,” Gilda admitted, releasing the mailmare's leg. “Your kid was right.”

Helios ascended toward the trio, his own strong wings beating slowly, he smiled his sideways smile.
“I think we've found Derpy's match. Come, we have a lot of preparations.”

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Trixie normally preferred to wear her cloak, but in Las Pegasus, she was often annoyed by fans if she wore the same outfit she wore on stage. To avoid the fans and their pestering, she invested in a bit of formal wear: a purple bejeweled saddle and pair of crystal shoes. Trixie shied away from such gaudy clothing but the magician knew she looked good in whatever she wore.

The restaurant of the Lucky Horseshoe was little more than a roped off area of the casino floor with tables and a buffet. Food could be ordered here, but most of the fare was mushy and bland tourist feed. Today the restaurant was empty except for the hostess and a few members of the wait staff. They stood about with nothing to do, which was rare during the dinner rush hours. Trixie enjoyed being waited on, and even if the food was mediocre, the price was always right.

The mare scanned for table twenty-three where her “date” for the evening would be seated. She quickly found the small two-seater table, only a few feet from the buffet but still out on it's own. As promised, a griffon sat there, two talons folded in front of her. It wasn't the griffon Trixie was expecting, but one that was a shade larger, with fur and feathers slightly darker. She was shapely and well-combed, her eyes a brilliant emerald. She wore leather armor bracers on her talons that seemed more ornamental than functional. Around her neck was a leather necklace decorated with small bones, and a round smooth stone. The griffon turned to Trixie as she approached and smiled, the feathers on her head hanging like a flowing mane, giving a playful wink.

“Talk about eye candy,” Trixie breathed to herself. The blue mare was no fillyfooler, or at least she didn't consider herself one, but she would never turn away a good time. By the look in this shapely griffon's eyes, Trixie was in for one.

“Evening,” Trixie greeted. “I, as you know, am the Great and Powerful Trixie.”

“Grizelda of the Boine, Daughter of Guraan.” The griffon's voice was a bit deep for a female, but in a sultry seductive way.

Trixie bent and tenderly kissed the griffon's talon. “A pleasure.”

“You know nothing of pleasure. Not yet.”

Trixie shivered a bit, “Well, aren't we forward.”

“Life is short,” Grizelda said simply.

“All of your kind seem very...assertive.”

“It is our way,” Grizelda droned. “Though, I know you have already met one of our kind. A particularly saucy griffon; Gilda was her name. She is not my match for beauty, and shall we say creativity in coupling, but I should want to see her again. Perhaps you know her whereabouts?”

“Of course. Trixie has made her company a number of times. Nothing, however, is free.”

“Really?” Grizelda said, “And a night and morning with me is enough to secure this information?”

Trixie giggled absently, “Indeed.”

Suddenly, the seductive, grinning griffon's face dropped into a more menacing look. Grizelda's beak twisted into a frown, and her eyes bent angrily. Trixie could swear they were glowing with a dim unsettling light.

“Already you lie to me,” Her voice said, now twisted and echoing with a menacing ambiance.

Trixie puzzled over the rapid mood swing, as a waitress approached with Grizelda's meal on a covered platter. There was a thick odor of cooked meat as Grizelda opened the platter and took a tearing bite of a large drumstick.

“They don't serve meat here,” Trixie said, quickly placing her hoof over her mouth to fight back the building urge to vomit.

“They're doing a lot of things I ask of them,” Grizelda mumbled around a beakful of the meat.

“You're a Soul Mage,” Trixie said realizing, “You rigged the contest.”

Grizelda gave an evil grin, holding up the stone from around her neck. “Yes, indeed. The soul stone is a rare thing, forming in the gizzards of only one in one-hundred griffons, and only one in one-hundred learn to use them. Most of the old ways are lost forever.”

The mage pointed up to the balcony above the Casino where Seth and a large part of the staff were standing, faces blank. “My mind magic does not allow me to probe the inside of your mind, Trixie. Your magic skill is basic, but strong. However your friends, they are totally subject to my will. Should I wish them to leap from that balcony and fall to their deaths, I am perfectly capable.”

Trixie scowled, “Really? And I suppose you think I care?”

“Your heart is not stone. You're not sentimental; no, you'd never be accused of that. But you wish no harm on the innocent. I can see that on your soul. Tell me where Gilda is or all of the ponies here will die.”

“Trixie does not respond to threats! And if you wish to harm anyone, especially my meal ticket, you'll have one hell of a beating coming your way.”

Grizelda scoffed, “Very well, I will demonstrate.”

The stone around Grizelda's neck glowed an eerie shade of greenish-blue, and Seth stood on the balcony, his face still impassive as he leaped off. Trixie quickly pulled the large Persian rug from under the tables and puffed it up to catch Seth like a large cushion. The showpony kicked her seat aside and stood, her horn glowing in warning.

“Well, well, well, seems Trixie has a challenge on her hands,” Trixie grinned, “Bring it on.”

Before the griffon could stand, the drumstick in her hand turned into a bouquet of flowers. She looking at it quizzically, not noticing a swirling black cloud above her head. A small bolt of lighting struck her, sending her skidding across the floor into a row of slot machines, a small smoldering spot on her chest. Grizelda stood, the bolt barely phasing her, but a second drove her even further back, through the line of slots and into roulette table, chips scattering around her.

“Had enough?” Trixie asked, “Release those ponies and be spared Trixie's wrath.”

Grizelda brushed the smoldering burns on her chest, giggling to herself. Without a word, she stood on all fours, letting out a massive roar that soon became a mist, then a blue and white column of flame that engulfed Trixie. As the flames faded the mare could again be seen, encased in a bubble of magical energy, not a hair on her mane singed despite the furniture and floor around her being blackened hulks.

“Flame? Please, Trixie has mastered flame!”

The blue unicorn levitated a half-burned cigar from a nearby ashtray, lifting it into her mouth, puffing on it before blowing back into it and launching a baseball-sized fireball at Grizelda. The griffon held up her talons, the leather grieves glowed and blocked the fireball like a shield. Trixie now fired a flurry of the fireballs, a salvo of flaming spheres that struck and exploded on and around Grizelda, who blocked as the blasts came near her, just singeing her fur.

“Enough special effects!” Grizelda shouted, “You can tell me what I want to know or I will destroy you!”

Trixie was fearful behind her confident grin; she knew her opponent was strong. The griffon's soul stone's magic was much like a unicorn's horn but with less focus. If a unicorn's magic was a pair of tweezers than ta griffon's magic was more like a sledge hammer. Trixie knew her shield barely held last time, and Grizelda seemed to be able to shrug off Trixie's best attacks, which were actually not designed for combat. All the things Trixie knew about combat magic could likely be written on a napkin.

Grizelda stepped forward and tore the soul stone from around her neck, balling it in a fist and slamming it into the floor. A massive shock wave rippled the floor like a stone in a pond, floor boards flying at Trixie like missiles, slamming all around her and splintering as if they were throne by a tornado. Trixie had a split second to cover herself. Even with her force shield, the shock wave tossed her like a leaf, crashing into a card table and scattering the cards all about. As she mentally checked herself for injuries, another shock wave struck her. Unidentified debris battered her from every angle, before she skidded across the hardwood of a dance floor.

Trixie stood on wobbling legs, knowing that another shock wave would soon strike her, before getting an ingenious idea. She used her horn to grab the soul stone from Grizelda's grip and send it skipping across the floor.

“Ha! Let's see you fight without that!”

Grizelda sighed, before pulling a small flintlock pistol from under her leather gauntlet and firing it at the braggart. Trixie was injured, bleeding from a number of wounds, but still smiled smugly as she caught the bullet in her teeth with the help of her magic, spitting it to the floor.

“Seriously, the old 'catch the bullet' trick is simple for a magician of my magnitude. What else you g-”

Her last sentence was cut short as the griffon brutally slammed a fist into her jaw. She attempted to cover herself, but a flurry of blows further battered her wounded form. Instinctively, the unicorn turned her magic on almost every loose object in the room. Slot machines, chairs, and ashtrays began battering Grizelda, who was knocked back time and again by the avalanche of furniture. The griffon held her hand forward, the soul stone sliding back into her palm, and then slipped the necklace back around her neck.

Trixie staggered to her feet, and focused her magic, knowing she didn't have a lot left. She knew she had broken bones, knew she was bleeding, now knowing she was fighting for her life. Grizelda held both talons forward, a swell of energy forming in front of her. Trixie shouted, releasing all her remaining power in one tremendous blast, the bright blue beam almost striking Grizelda before she clapped her talons together, sending her own enormous shock wave from her palms.

The two forces of magic collided, and for a moment, a split second, there was an eerie silence. For that brief moment in time everything in the cluttered casino seemed weightless, and the air was still. Trixie and Grizelda realized what had happened, from early on every foal or griffon learning magic knew a undeniable rule: Magic was never to be used on magic. Casting a spell on top of another spell was horribly unpredictable: both spells could fizzle harmlessly, or more likely, they could combine and gain strength, forming a reality-shattering chain reaction. Trixie tried to shriek, but her voice sounded quiet, distant, as if she was outside her body.

The next few seconds went by in a series of flashes. Trixie felt herself tumble, roll and collapse. For a brief moment she felt she was in the sky, looking down upon the lights of the city, but soon she felt the kiss of cement on the street, and looked up to see Grizelda emerging from the collapsed front door of the casino. Police ponies were running toward the scene, and Grizelda gazed at them briefly before opening some kind of doorway in the air, a portal, and stepped into it, disappearing. The wounded unicorn attempted to stand, but found she didn't have the strength to move her legs. She saw Seth with the police and a paramedic running toward her.

“There she is!” Trixie could hear Seth just over the ringing in her hears. “She fought that griffon- she saved us!”

The mare laughed as she drifted off into blackness. She'd only been trying to save her own life, and Trixie felt she may have even failed at that.

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Grizelda emerged from the other side of the portal, immediately collapsing into the green grass. She glanced around Whitetail Woods, where a few other griffons had an improvised camp. One of them helped her to her feet. He was darker even than her, his fur colored a creamy dark brown and feathers a dark gray. He wore a full armor, the breastplate ornately engraved as the others, bracers, grieves, and spurs on his rear legs that jingled at he walked. His helmet was brushed black bronze decorated with a row of impossibly long spikes going from the back to the front. The sword-like spikes were a sign of status, as many griffons in high command wore. Grizelda often wondered how he even walked around without entangling the spikes in everything he passed.

“I suppose you had no luck with the fillyfooler.”

Grizelda shook her head, “No, she fought me back. Most pathetically at first, then with surprising strength. I believe I left her dead, Granite. I'm sorry.”

The one named Granite sighed, “Glenda and Gad had no more luck.”

He motioned toward the massive griffon, Glenda tending to his superficial wounds. The tiny Glenda was almost a comical contrast to her brother, seeming tiny and frail next to the mountainous form of Gad. Still, Grizelda knew how powerfully the small griffon could fight despite her small size. In fact, she was the only one not wounded from her mission to get information on the location of the deserter.

“We know she's near here- Grizelda's spell told us that. Why not just canvas the area? We'll find her eventually,” Glenda said, tying off a bandage on her brother's arm.

“Too many soldier ponies,” Gad grumbled, “They not want us around.”

“With all the ponies on the border, we should have been able to march right in without a problem.” Granite groused. “There's no reason for that army to be here.”

“I say we go home,” Gad said, “Ponies fight dirty, and to many of them around us. We come back later when ponies leave.”

“Not a half bad idea,” Grizelda said, “I'm with Gad: these ponies aren't going to be any help. They just won't betray her.”

“If we could ask without getting into a fight, or at least just fly around and look, we'd be able to get somewhere.” Glenda said, shaking her head.

“Yes! Is true! We go home, come back later.”

“No.”

The the griffons all fell silent at the new voice, a deep, throaty growl of a voice that demanded instant attention. The griffon was laying in a hammock contently as he spoke. Grizelda was always amazed how wherever the group camped, there always seemed to be two trees just right for setting up a hammock. Like the others, he wore a suit of armor, and a variety of weapons. His helmet was decorated with ram's horns encircled with bands of gold, his face deeply scarred with the evidence of a hundred battles. His left eye socket was covered in a leather patch, surrounded by a puckered wound where feathers no longer grew. It wasn't just his scars, but his firm brow, strong gaze, and total confidence of speech that demanded attention. He was obviously no one to ignore, and all present knew it.

“Granite, who is the commander of the pony's army?”

Granite cleared his throat. “Goderick, were you listening the whole time?”

“Yes, and I don't care if you were discussing going home. It's not unwise, just wrong for now. The commander?”

“Of course. The pony's army is commanded by General Helios, and we have it on good word that Princess Luna herself will soon be joining the formation.”

“Excellent,” Goderick growled, “This will work perfectly.”

“Beg your pardon, champion, but how is it a good thing that Celestia's most talented and competent commanders will be at the front of the army?”

“Granite, you only see obstacles when you take your eyes of the goal. In truth, you pointed out what will work to our advantage. Neither Helios, nor Luna will allow a single pony to be hurt. They will do anything to stop one of their citizens coming to harm.”

“Are we here to bring harm to ponies?” Gad asked.

“We could be,” Goderick said with a wicked smile crawling along his beak, “What we need, is hostages.”

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Seth trotted down the hall of the busy hospital, a bouquet of flowers and a card clenched in his mouth. He'd heard that Trixie had been taken to this hospital, but had no idea of her condition and wanted to make sure he was okay and deliver a message. He learned from the on-duty nurse that she was stabilized and could have visitors. As he reached her room, Seth saw a doctor emerge, shaking his head.

“Doc, is that Trixie in there?”

The doctor nodded, “Yes, are you a relative?”

“Well...no. I'm a friend. Well, sort of a co-worker...I mean...is she okay?”

“She'll live,” The doctor said, “Though she was seriously injured, nothing is terminal. She's got more broken bones than whole ones. Cuts, bruises, burns. What happened to her?”

“She was attacked. We all were,” Seth explained, “Can I see her?”

“Sure, but you should know we had to wire her jaw. She can hear you, but she can't speak.”

“Will she be able to perform again?”

The Doctor paused, then spoke solemnly “She'll be lucky to walk again.”

Seth sighed, pushing open the door, seeing Trixie in in innumerable casts, some of her legs suspended in traction.

“Hi'ya Trixie,” Seth said, setting down the bouquet, “I brought you some flowers. And...your hat!”
Seth pulled Trixie's pointed hat from his saddlebag and Trixie levitated it to her head, the hat setting unevenly.

“You're lucky, considering. I mean your alive!”

Trixie rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, small potatoes, I know.” Seth admitted. “Look, I wanna let you know, I'm grateful you saved me. The whole time that griffon was in my mind...I was trying to get loose. I knew she was gonna kill us and you fought her when you coulda just ran! You saved my life Trixie, that's...what makes this hard to...I mean I was ticked off! I mean, angry as I've ever been! I mean you saved my life! You saved their lives! I was on your side. I gave those guys the business I was- you- they were- I mean-”

Seth trailed off as Trixie twirled a free hoof in a 'get on with it' gesture.

“All right, all right.” Seth said, “I'm sorry, Trixie- they fired you.”

Trixie's eyes widened. “They said you caused to much trouble! It's stupid! Sure, the place got trashed but it wasn't you who did it! Look, I won't be working for those guys anymore. They can plug a hole for all I care! I would never work for them again. Doing that to you, then sending me here to break it to you while your all messed up, pissed me off.”

Trixie's eyes filled with tears, looking to Seth for any comfort. “I do like ya, Trix. I don't care what they think. I know you're good- you saved my life, and look what happened to you! It just ain't fair that you just keep getting the short end of the stick.”

The mare looked away, angrily mumbling around the bandages in her jaw.

“I suppose you wanna be alone...”

Trixie nodded as much as she could with her casts.

“I'll be back tomorrow Trixie. Ain't right you should just be here alone.”

Trixie only grunted.

The former showpony closed her eyes, hoping the pain medication would allow her a little sleep among the dull ache all over her body.

“Trixie, so much power...rendered powerless.”

With all the pain medication Trixie wasn't entirely sure if she imagined the voice, it sounded as if it came from outside the window.

“I'm real, Trixie,” the female voice said, “I agree with Seth, it's not fair. You're so talented, so strong. You should never have to ask for anything from anyone. You should take it. You deserve it, Trixie, for all your suffering.”

Trixie closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to hear the voice anymore, willing it to stop.

“I only want you to have power, limitless power. Wealth, fame, all these things. I only ask for one thing in return: a trinket that once belonged Cosmos the All-father. I want the Celestial Emerald, and if you help me, I'll make you a god.”

Trixie mumbled something around her bandages.

“Oh, well, I suppose I'll have to heal you at least partially before you can agree.”

Trixie felt a warm sensation in her aching face, and the wires that held her jaw shut snapped off and the pain was gone. “How did you--”

“I can give you the ability to do this all yourself. And more.”

“Trixie is intrigued,” The unicorn spoke, “Tell me more...”

Comments

[Mistershield]

Is this a Big Lewboski crossover?

[AmberRoss]

Not at all! I actually have never seen it! 1865242