17 — Secrets, Secrets, and More Secrets
Chapter 17:
Secrets, Secrets, and More Secrets
October 1, 1000
Dear Jerkface Twilight Sparkle,
I’ve been thinking a lot about what I said to you in my last letter (which I doubt you’ve received yet), and I decided that what I said was wrong.
I don’t hate you with every fiber of my being. I hate you with every cell of every molecule of every fiber of my being. If you were to print the word ‘hate’ on every inch of every page of your thickest book, it would not equal one-one thousandth of the amount of hate I feel for you.
But that is beside the point.
I realized something more important than that. I blamed you for everything, the Ursa, my carriage, my career, my life after what happened, but I know now that that’s wrong. It’s not your fault that you defeated the Ursa Minor and upstaged me. It’s my fault for not crushing your pathetic excuse for a town when I had the chance. I had those idiots eating out of the soles of my hoof, but I threw it all away because I was too kind to simply destroy you when you refused to challenge me. It would’ve been a simple matter, too. Make no mistake though, the next time we meet I will not be so generous. You’ll wish that I had not been so good-natured the first time around.
I will defeat you. It is my destiny.
This is likely the last letter you’ll receive from me. I’m going away now, on a quest you might say, and the next time you see me I’ll be more powerful than you could ever imagine.
Until we meet again,
Trixie Lulamoon
Twilight read the letter again, scrunching her face. She sighed softly, setting the aside the letter and extinguishing the tiny spherical light source she had conjured up.
She looked a little to her right and smiled as she saw the bundle of woolen blankets heave slowly up and down. Spike may be a precocious baby dragon, but he was still a baby dragon. She reached over and placed a hoof on where she guessed his head was, petting it softly.
There suddenly was a loud snort that shattered the silence, and Twilight’s eardrums, from the other side of the cramped room. She glanced over just in time to see a sleeping Rainbow Dash roll over and exhibit a decidedly more quiet, and yet indiscernible, “Mmmhmhhhmm”. She giggled quietly.
It’s probably time for me to get some sleep too, I guess.
As Twilight was adjusting her pillow, she heard the quiet creak of the door opening and she looked up to see Lager entering the room. He didn’t notice her at first, not until Twilight said, “Lager? What are you doing up so late?”
He froze, something jingled in his free hoof, then he looked down.
“I could ask you the same, ma’am.” She didn’t really know how to respond to that, so Twilight just waited for him to say something. He grunted. “Hmph, well, fine, you caught me.” She raised an eyebrow. He backed out of the room and nodded his head back towards the bar area, saying, “C’mon then.”
Twilight’s brow creased, then, after a moment, relaxed and she shrugged. Following him to an empty booth, she sat down after he offered her a seat.
“Lemme jus’ go get a light real quick,” he said.
“Oh, no need,” Twilight replied. Her horn flashed briefly then the same ball of light appeared in front of them, slightly brighter this time. It illuminated Lager’s dark-brown fur, and the creased wrinkles beneath his sad blue eyes. They almost looked like little pools of fresh water amidst all the mud. In the faint, vaguely purplish light, she could see a tiny smile crack his thick lips.
“That’s quite impressive,” he said, indicating the makeshift lantern.
Twilight grinned. “Oh, that’s just some silly spell that I made up awhile ago so I could read at night and not wake Spike up.”
“You made that up by yourself?”
“Sure, I’ve made up lots of spells.”
He clicked his tongue. “Well, I’ll be damned. Ain’t that somethin’?”
The tiny light wasn’t quite bright enough to show off Twilight’s reddening face. “Oh, it’s nothing,” she said. “All I did was isolate the light that is normally produced from the horn when casting spells, they call it the “corona effect”, and then I move it to wherever I want using the same telekinesis spell I used to create the initial light in the first place. It’s actually very simple. It’s just a matter of—nevermind. I’m probably boring you with all this silly magic theory stuff.” Twilight cleared her throat and sat back down.
Lager waved his hoof dismissively. “No, no, it’s interesting to hear about magic. Don’t get to see much of it, bein’ an earth pony and all.” His eyes seemed to get just the tiniest bit sadder.
“Anyway, I doubt you came into our room to talk about magic theory, and I’m willing to bet that you didn’t even plan on me being awake. So that begs the question: why were you in our room at all?” Twilight said, perhaps a little more accusatory than she meant.
For a moment, Lager seemed to be fumbling with something underneath the table, then he produced a small leather bag tied together by a twine drawstring. It hit the table with a metallic thud, and the contents seemed to jingle happily.
He pushed it towards Twilight, saying, “That’s for you and your friends.”
She picked it up hesitantly with her magic, then looked past it at Lager. “What is it?”
“Bits,” he said simply. “Your lodging fees plus a little extra, what little I could spare.”
“I can’t take this,” she said, trying to hand it back to him. He refused, putting his hoof out to stop the floating satchel. “But, we’re the customers. Why are you giving us money?”
His right hoof reached up under his jaw and scratched his chin. “Look,” he said, “I’m not the kinda guy to go around handin’ out money to strangers, but I gotta feelin’ you’re gonna need it more than me.”
Twilight shook her head. “But why us?”
“Lotta folks pass through here every day. Most don’t even stay for more ‘an a few hours, the rest are gone by the end of the day.” He shrugged. “But that kid, Trixie, she was something different. Don’t know what it was, but I hafta admit, I got a soft spot for her.” In the dim light, Twilight could see his eyes staring off into space, not really focused on anything, misty. “I just don’t want to see her get hurt,” he finally admitted. Putting his hoof over Twilight’s, he said, “Far as I can tell, you three mean to find her and bring her back. Giving you a bit ‘o money is the least I can do.”
“I’m sorry. I really can’t accept this,” Twilight said as politely as she could. “I don’t feel right taking your money.”
“It’s your money too,” he said. “I charged you way too much anyway.”
“But why even charge us in the first place then?”
He leaned back in his chair and let out a long, slow sigh. Crossing his fore-hooves, he said, “Look, I’ve got a reputation around here. Like I said, I ain’t the kinda guy to go around givin’ money to strangers. If they saw me handin’ out free rooms with a bag ‘o bits I’d be outta business in a week.” He played with the stubble on his chin. “Hell, I didn’t even want you to know I was givin’ you money. Of course it’d be just my luck to find you wide awake,” he said, somewhat amused.
Twilight’s eyes glazed over as she stared at the small money pouch. After a few seconds, she said, “I–I don’t know what to say.”
“Nothing,” Lager said, leaning forward suddenly. “I don’t want you breathing a word of this to your sleepin’ friends, you hear?” Twilight nodded. “Can’t go around advertising my generosity, can I?” He chuckled warmly.
Twilight smiled, taking the satchel and placing it somewhere safe. “Thank you so much, Lager. Really, you’re too kind.”
“Don’t go tellin’ anyone else that, heh,” he laughed. He put his hooves on the table and scooted himself out of the booth. “I think it’s time both you and I get some rest,” he said. Helping Twilight out of her seat, he added, “I’ve no doubt you’ve got quite a journey ahead of you.”
After she had managed to evict herself from the cushiony seat, she glanced over her shoulder and blew out the little light ball, eclipsing them in total darkness.
“Oh, sorry,” Twilight apologized.
“S’all right,” Lager replied. “I know my way round this bar light or no. Been in this place thirty yea—Ow!”
There was a dull thud, followed by a crash and a yelp of pain.
“Oh my gosh!” Twilight cried. “Are you okay?”
Wheezy laughter echoed dryly. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Nothin’ bruised ‘cept my pride.”
“Hang on a second.” Twilight’s horn ignited with purple flame for a brief moment then another one of her light orbs bounced off and lit the room with its vaguely purplish glow.
In a heap, on the ground, Lager lay face-down. He wasn’t wearing his usual bar tender’s apron, and Twilight saw his hind legs for, she realized, the first time. One was completely normal, a leg coated in a thick layer of dark-brown fur and with a flagon-shaped cutie mark, overflowing with foam near his haunches. But the other, it was different. Something about the way it moved seemed unnatural, almost robotic. It twitched, startling Twilight.
She jumped back. “Umm...”
Sighing, Lager heaved himself up and looked Twilight in the eye. “Well,” he said without a hint of the laughter from before, “Guess that’s two things you ain’t gonna speak of again.” He patted his left back-leg.
It almost sounded hollow, and definitely not like a normal leg. Twilight’s eyes widened. “Augmentation,” she said breathlessly.
He nodded. “Busted my leg a few years back in an accident involving a chimaera, and, since I wouldn’t’ve been able to work anymore without it, I, well, had it ‘fixed’.”
Twilight’s jaw hung open slightly. She stared at the leg. As far as she could tell from here, it looked fairly normal, but it felt wrong. “I’ve heard about augmentation before,” she said. “But, I’ve never seen it in real life, and certainly not so close.”
“Tonight’s just the night for firsts ain’t it?” He smiled unhappily.
“I don’t understand. How does nobody know about this?”
“Well, not ‘nobody’. Thunderclap, he’s been my best friend for Celestia-knows-how-long, so he knows, him and a few others. But I don’t like the rest of the town to know my business,” he said gruffly. “After a few years, you get pretty good at hiding it. No one knows about this if I don’t want them to.”
“Except for me,” Twilight said quietly.
“Except for you.”
She shuffled her hooves awkwardly, biting her lip. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I–I didn’t mean to, uhh...”
He waved her away with his hoof. “Nah, don’t worry about it,” he said. “I ain’t blamin’ you; wasn’t your fault.” Suddenly, he put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder and said, “Now, I think that’s enough secrets for one night, don’t ya think?”
Still somewhat bewildered, Twilight simply nodded. After a moment she regained her composure and added to the nod. “I think that it’s time I go back to bed.” She turned around and walked towards their ‘bedroom’ door. Lager watched her open the door before he turned towards his own bedroom.
As Twilight was closing the door, she saw Lager cross the room, his head held up, and an almost imperceptible limp in his left back-leg. She stopped, opened the door again and said, “Thank you again. I’m sorry about your...” she trailed off. He glanced sidelong at her and gave a nod. She was about to close the door again, but instead added, “Goodnight.”
He turned, gave her a kindly smile and said, “Goodnight to you as well, ma’am.” Twilight smiled back, and pulled the door close. But right before it clicked, he said, “When you see her, tell her I said hello.”
She stopped, holding the door just barely cracked open. “Her?” she said, barely more than a whisper.
Twilight was just about to ask who ‘her’ was when she heard Lager’s bedroom door click shut, followed by the dull thunk of the lock sliding into place. She sighed, then closed her own door and lay down in her makeshift bed.
“Her?” she repeated.
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Kind of a short one this time, sorry guys.
In case it wasn't apparent, this takes place after The Steel Bit and before Old Friends and New.
Damn this non-linear narrative!
Confusing non-linear narrative is confusing, but the story marches on! Huzzah!
Hey, 'I Have no Mouth and I Must Scream' reference.
Neat.
2087159
Yes! I knew you lovely folks wouldn't let me down.
Fun Fact: I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream is my favorite book...
Honestly, I haven't really had any trouble following the timeline. You're doing a pretty good job anchoring the reader each chapter.
Ok so I know who he means but why didn't she at least accidentally make a connection to Trix? Just a thought.
2087213 Not to insult anyone, but I'm probably the only one who caught it.
To anyone else who did, congratulations for having god-tier taste.
Just finished reading all the current chapters, and I love this story!
Oh, and this.
imageshack.us/a/img33/5764/likethischapter.jpg
Pony-On!
I imagine Trixie didn't exactly excel at the sciences, did she?
Lager has either a crush on Trixie, or she reminds him of someone he loved.
Augmentation, care to explain? I'm curious on your idea of it.
Sees update.
Has this reaction:
iambrony.jsmart.web.id/mlp/gif/gVTJs.gif
dashie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw8055-Beautiful.gif
media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m24j14d9qB1r1crym.gif
denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw1021_Rainbow_Dash_says_youre_awesome.gif
I will now proceed to read!
2088447
>Augmentation
All I can say is, keep reading.
2087213 I got it, too. Methinks Trixie is not quite up to AM levels of hate. And ouch on Lager. *Rubs own leg*
2089693
Heh, no, not quite, which is why I changed what she originally wrote to something a little more tame.
What I originally had was: "If you were to print the word 'hate' on every nanometer of every page of every book in the world, it would not equal one-one billionth of the hate I feel for you at this second". Closer to the original quote, but far too... hateful
Oh, "I have no Mouth and I must Scream" I really need to go read the book version of that sometime (did you know there's a video game based on it that uses that line in the opening narration?).
The chronology on this fic is a bit annoying. You already have the letters and what's happening with Trixie out of order, plus an interweaving of her narrative with Twilight Sparkle's. I feel like you'd be better served to at least have the Twilight bits arranged in sequence. Especially when it's a while between updating them (since the last two chapters were Trixie ones, I had to go back and skim the Twilight ones to figure out where this went).
Oh, wow.
I have been so busy lately, I haven't read a chapter out of this since you posted 7.
I just got all caught up this week, and I'm left wondering how I ever convinced myself I didn't have time for this fic. This stuff is downright brilliant!
2090594
Actually, surprisingly enough, I did know about the game. Harlan Ellison actually voices AM for that, and he does a damn fine job, too. That game is one of the most disconcerting games I have ever played in my entire life. It's just so deliciously dark.
>The chronology on this fic is a bit annoying
Heh, yeah I can admit it's a little confusing. But, if it makes you feel better, this will likely be one of, if not the only time I do a semi-flashback with Twilight. Her chapters will, for the vast majority of the fic, remain the most chronologically recent. Also, just to be fair, while jumping back and forth between Twilight (present-day), Trixie (slightly behind present-day), and Past-Trixie (about a year ago) may be somewhat hard to follow, all of their individual storylines progress in a linear fashion, with the rare exception here and there. Also, all of Trixie's letters, minus the first two, appear in chronological order as well. To put it simply, there is a method to my madness... not that that makes it any easier to follow, heh.
2090917
Well, I'm glad you caught up, and that's awesome that you like it so much. I hope you continue to read, and enjoy, as the story progresses. It's gonna be a long one...
2091791
Oh dang, whoops. Thanks for pointing it out.
2087213
Is Trixie gonna have to run through Corona and the others with an icicle to escape now? That'd be terrible.
Also, Trixie sounds like a cartoon villain in that letter, with the 'I should have destroyed you sooner' thing. Only Trixie can be be both threatening and lovable like that.
How is it Twilight doesn't know "Her" refers to Trixie?
Non-linear? That's okay. I read Homestuck.
2092504
Are you sure about that?
with the whole twixie hating part in the letter, that was a i have no mouth and i must scream reference, wasn't it?
Okay, finally caught up....
I'm really digging your style here; good descriptions, tight dialog, and a definite sense that this is going somewhere. To many fanfic writers just start typing and hope a story happens. You have a plan and it shows.
I'm back and forth on your characterizations. Dash seems a little too aggressive; Twilight seems a little too socially aware/savvy. I'll give you plenty of room on Trixie, she always got the short end as I saw it anyway.
The biggest weakness of this fic is the comment section. Seriously guys, everypony knows that Blueblood is worst pony.
Nice!
Hmm... Must wonder who "her" is, my guess either being Trixie or the Wyvern Queen, possibly the witch or even Luna. ( I say Luna because of the Scootaloo episode from season 3.)
You series is smelted from the very ores of awesome and win it's self dear creator.
Every time you switch perspectives or time locations I REALLY want you to continue in that vein but by the end of the next change I want you to continue in that vein. Back and forth, back and forth. Utterly brilliant, well thought out, AND I can't predict what'll happen. Which is just frosting on the cake.
Thank you for the lovely read, and I look forward to future installments.
Augmentations... I never asked for this.
Umm that is just a quote of course.
We enjoy 'tis story
It doesn't sound that confusing. I would have assumed he meant Trixie, given the circumstances.
Why is it that I have no problem reading the chapters in chronological order in my head?
It's like there's a piece of software in my brain that automatically tells me when things are happening.
2092703 Not anymore, but I'm sure that Twilight has no reason to assume it's anypony other than Trixie.
Too non-linear. Cancelling my readings. Permanently.
So...is it going to be explained how they jumped from fighting a chimera to save the witch earth pony to being asleep in the inn apparently for the second time? or perhaps this is ment to be a memory and I'm slow?
I don't get what all the fuss is about. I found it easy enough to figure out what was going on.
2892550 It's a narrative tecnique (I 'spose). Dan Brown use it a lot.
2521767
Suit yourself, you're going to miss out loads of good stories and movies. I believe Quentin Tarantino loves to do it non-linearly too.
Bet'cha he meant the witch.
2120839 WE ENJOY THIS IS STORY! :D
"wait, don't I have to strike you down first?"
4011616
I thought he was talking about Trixie...
4038106 That is a good question.
2086996
y u do dis, alex?
You're making me think and figure things out while I'm reading.
NOT COOL, MAN.
Man, i would LOVE a story all about Lager's life.