Lost in the waste, a forgotten city looms. Trixie intends to plunder it.
Lost in the waste, a forgotten cursed city looms. Trixie intends to plunder it. This ain't no bullshit adventure tale, this one has dudes getting brutally fucking murdered, half the story was written on lsd and salvia, gold and treasure by the ton, battle scenes out of fucking conan, we're talking shit that don't even make sense yo. Shit from the nightmares of an opium addict.
You look a bit young to be here. Sit down and let me tell you a story. I'll buy the drinks. It all starts in the badlands to the south. I vaguely remember what brought her to those barren wastes. She never told me direct like. Where love and harmony will desert you the they say. See for yourself if you want, south to the plains and over the hills. Monsters come from there you know, the nature types say they're fleeing. I've never been but I've heard the tales. I'm sure that you have too. They say the smell of death drifts from that gravel, that hard baked rock.
She was unconcerned with that I think. A delusion which some call strength she had. Yeah, delusion sounds like a fitting word for it. Her name was Trixie, you wouldn't forget the name if you met her. She'd mention that name only 20 times a minute so, yeah. You'd remember. Or the "Great and Powerful Trixie" as she preferred. She turned heads when she went into a room and it wasn't just the good looks. She had that sense of danger to her. She walked through those doors o'er there and I sensed the danger immediate. Always liked the danger ya know. Used to get into trouble myself before I settled in life. Buying drinks for foals so long they listen to my yarns. That's all I do now... Anyway, back to the desert.
"This map is a fraud, a joke to swindle Trixie! How is she expected to read such a filthy piece of parchment?" Brushing the greasy white mane away, glaring at the ground and marching on she bellowed out her rant. "A map older than Equestria, old in the days of Princess Platinum, worth more its weight in bits to any seeker of antiquities. Lies! A baldfaced and loathsome lie. He laughed at Trixie. They all wish to stop her quest! They all think her a fool!" She slumped down into dust inside the shadow of her hat. "It was all deception. Trixie was swindled by a common earth pony. There's supposed to be jungle here, not wasteland." Gazing upward to the tyrant sun, from frustration flowed her tears. Though not despair she'd likely say. Paused for a just a moment and did say to none.
"I'm lost."
She was a danger to herself and others they told me. Never did find out the details but she was once a performer. With that certain flair, that sway she did deliberate, I can see that she could work a crowd. A treasure hunter now. I asked her why she gave up a life of entertainment and all she said "Trixie found her first magic artifact and. She learned the power of magic great and dark. The girls... forgave her. She's a humble Trixie now. But Trixie didn't." I didn't pry and let's not dwell on secrets.
"I hate the wind. I hate the heat. Trixie hasn't bathed in a week. This was a fools journey." Crushed by the desert heat and burdened by saddlebags, she slumped into gravel. A lone blue dot against the desert waste. Slowly at first she rose. A single hoof pushing down, she felt the crunch of grit. Doggedly, deliberate, she marched deeper into nothing.
Limping on, beset by evil winds and baking sun. Grit and dust grew thick into the air. The way she said it, I imagine bits of babbling softly to no one. "You're the greatest Trixie! The treasures of Carsapone are yours for the taking! A jungle empire, now rising from the desert! They looked in the wrong places for it but Trixie knows! Yes, Trixie knows that this is exactly where the lost city is! The Great and Powerful Trixie is the greatest unicorn, the greatest showpony, the greatest treasure hunter in all of Equestria. Nay all of history! A hero! She's a hero, the mare who stood against the tyranny of stars and broke us all of chains of fate! She'll find it! She'll PLUNDER it!"
And it was when Celestia retired that she noticed. Silhouette against a hazy sky, she saw a thin plateau. "You did it Trixie! You found the Tower of Arizapan from which the immortals looked upon the Lake Hali! It'll be simple for a mare such as myself to find the city from there!" From a faltered trot into a lazy gallop, a "tower" came into her view. Formed by crumbling crenelation were the sloping sides. Not from natural stone, that rare and twisted vegetation, but from masonry it grew. Exposed by wind and rain those were inner chambers and no natural caves.
Bouldering under setting sun, she radiated merry. A rival to Celestia she glowed so grand and unconcerned by rubbles fall with every step she took. The coming sleep of sol made her think for just a moment. "A mighty chill will soon set and then where will Trixie sleep! No, no, no, no. This won't do. This is intolerable for I." Upon the crags above dancing shades of living ink were seen, animated by the yawning slumber of the sun. "Perhaps Celestia is to blame? Perhaps she has secrets of her own in Carsapone? Perhaps..."
Crawling on the ledge she spied a refuge from the night. The dark crevasse beyond was encircled by the polished stone. Timid-like she went into void only seeing by the light of a horn. She knew the stories well, of monsters hiding in the dark. Many a time she'd spun those yarns. Stories meant to frighten foals but we are largish foals, are we not? Stopping still, turning off her glow, she listened to the sound of breath. Clink. Clink, clink. The lonely sound of water dripping. Clink. Clink. Clink against polished stone. Clinclonk the second time into a standing pool.
Water! Trotting deeper down into the cave, guided by the sound through the maze. Cleanliness. Ratty now from dust and dirt her blue cloak had become. Ruined from grease and frizzing heat a mane once manicured so carefully. If I knew where a nice bath to get the dust off her was, what she said when we first met. If I could join her, my reply. Didn't work. Anyway... I know she felt joy at the idea of being clean. Presentable more like. Not that I'd mind of course, seeing her dirty. Covered in sweat. Neither here nor there.
A shallow grotto, glew with light but not reflecting. Hoarded light as if of fear an age would never come when day would deign to visit. Tossing back her saddlebags she trotted to the pool, a grin plastered on her muzzle. Trixie rolled about in water and cackled to nopone in particular. Reclining 'pon a polished stone she watched cerulean gems above. Clink. Clink against the stone. Cliclonk into water. Rivulets rolled down her snout and lazily she licked them. Cicklonk. Cliconk. A soft moan. A soft moan from from deeper in the cave.
Snapping up she commanded at the dark beyond. "Who's there!" In shades of pain and pleasure, moan continued. Wet, shivering but uncertain she pushed on into the void. "Who is there? Reveal yourself or face the wrath of Trixie!" A hint of smooth black carapace. Pushing forward yet again, two figures were revealed in sick embrace. A red mare, the innocent frame and face of a foal. Covered in wrinkles a face obscured by greying mane. In familial embrace, locked with something monster. A shape that mocked all ponykind, twisted, monstrous and deformed. Trixie's twitching eye perceived a subtle energy draining from the mare. Echoing about the stone was the sound of a child softly cooing. The monster turned a crooked face to gaze at Trixie. With a slightly buzzing tone. "Please dim your light for it disturbs me."
Trixie jumped back with a startle; tripping for some way, she summoned a glassy barrier to her front. Out beyond the shield was only darkness. She strained her eyes to see what lay beyond the shield and waited nervously. Coalescing into words came the insect speech. "It was a stranger coming to interrupt us. They wish to steal my love from you." To calm her breathing was a struggle. Her eyes darted back and forth to place the sound. Then a calmly screeching din was overheard.
"I'm so hungry. I'm so hungry. Can we eat her mommy?"
She was blinded to the source of the voices by the light of her own horn. "Kill her mommy! Crush her limbs and feed me the marrow!" Searching desperate for the sound she was most relieved when ambling forth, her glow reflected from black carapace.
"You can't hide behind your magic forever. I am tireless and the other is hungry."
"As if you could match the might of Trixie! I've defeated countless changelings, my magic is known far and wide!" Trixie threatened, her fear betrayed by twitching of the eye.
"I've never heard of you."
Cliklunk. The sound of water followed by an interjection from the dark. "Kill her mommy! Kill her!" And in a circle round her, a child's mantra did begin. "A treat! A tasty treat! A tasty feast! A tasty treat from mommy dearest!"
Carefully the unicorn backed away and took the shield with her into darkness.
"Before you die, think of the ones you love. You'll never see them again. Don't you miss them? You're very far from home aren't you?" "A treat! A tast-" "Trixie. Trixie-I have friends! Great ones like Twilight and.. Trixie has friends! Shut up! You seek to confuse her!" Gazing upon the mask-like face(A treat! A Treat!) she saw a glimmer of... pleasure perhaps? Into shadow it slid back (From mommy dearest!) and a chitter like laughter bellowed forth.
Trixie walked timidly to the grotto. "A tasty treat, a tasty treat!" Nothing could be heard but her own hooves. Child's chant and buzzing wings reminded her of what the darkness held. The failing shield began to flash and thus she galloped to the water. Sparkling sickly yellow now were the gems above. A pool devoid of light, its purity not inviting but disturbing. At the edges of the pool, standing fast by saddle bags she began to realize that the shield was near to fail.
"Your time is up pony mage." Slinking through the pool, water swished through porous legs. The creature creeping calmly ever closer dared not touch the shrinking shield. Running circles bout the mage, an ancient foal screamed her chant with a smile larger than her face. Quivering (from cold humidity she'd say) Trixie's thoughts turned to action.
"Has mommy ever fed you before?" The mage asked cruelly. Stopping suddenly the filly said uncertainly. "Of course she feeds mommy! She takes care of me because I love her." "Or does she leave to find cave crickets and slime?" A simple reply. "Enough of this! Mommy loves you and you love mommy." The insect roared, its green eyes glowing. "Trixie procured something at a cheap price from the last town she graced. Do you enjoy apples? Big, red and delicious apples? Friends give them to each other!"
Enraged the monster slammed itself against the shield howling as the cracks began to radiate. Trixie nudged the saddlebag, pushing a single apple to the foal. The filly positively drooled at the sight of food, clink, clink onto the rock, cliclunk into a pool. "Trixie can give you this apple. She's your friend, the greatest friend a young filly could have! Tell me, has this beast of a mother ever given you a gift? A terrible mother, Trixie thinks, to miss so many birthdays!"
The monster growled and gnashed its clinking mandibles as it set upon the shield, each blow weaker than the last. Trixie strained and then relented letting the shield explode into a million, billion, trillion particles. Deprived of horn-lights reddish-purple glow, darkness then consumed the vision of them all.
Posting at the edge of the pool, Trixie kicked the saddlebags leftward to the foal. She lit her horn to spie a filly eating apples oh so greedily. Back to darkness, listening intently to the sound of water being splashed about. The sound of a monster charging through the pool and with a single step leaping to the air. Trixie grabbed a nearish stone and by horn-light saw the changeling in mid air. Rolling back from impact, struggling to keep her grip upon the stone. The smooth carapace cutting to her flesh, Trixie brought the boulder crashing down into the insects face. Dazed for but a moment, the monster pinned her to the floor and reared its head as if to plunge its filthy fangs. That's when the stone came hurtling down again. Again and again until green ooze dripped onto the ponies face and the pin began to limp. The last thing that the monster saw was the gleam of Trixie's eyes turn from shock to fear, then to screams of rage and lastly laughter.
Heaving the corpse off of her, she stood shaking with adrenaline. An accusation roared at her "You monster! You killed her! You tricked me!" before the ancient child fell down into tears. And in between the wailing was the clink. clink. Cliklunk sound of water dripping in a pool. Pausing without thought, the acrid smell of slime shocked her into action. The treasure hunter fled as quickly as she could, through twisting tunnels, winding caverns, and finally was blinded by the light of evening starlight. Panting with exhaustion she continued on, scrambling over crumbling masonwork to the top of the plateau.
Gazing at lunas painting her thought was void right then. Pacing bout the shrub filled top of the plateau she pontificated. "Trixie did nothing wrong. She just wanted to show friendship to that filly. Even Trixie knows that sometimes you need help even if you don't realize it. Or if it's hard to accept. Trixie just needs to go down there right now and ask forgiveness. That monster was hurting that mare. It was obvious." And then she squatted onto gravel to ponder. "I came out of which cave exactly?" When lost in contemplation, her thoughts were broken by the thing she noticed in the distance.
The walls and towers of the city rising from cracked earth. Crude to those who've witnessed Canterlot but impressive for its age. Cyclopean walls both squat and tall contained a sprawling maze within of azure streets and rounded forms of dullen bronze. Standing tall above the maze were thin and twisted spires dotted with an amber glow of most antique enchantment.
Trixie fell more than ran down the side of the tower. Treasure, greatness and fame were there before her. Visions of adoring crowds blinded her to the debt she owed. She slammed into the desert floor with a gallop in a storm of dust. Trixie came to regret leaving her bags and the poor filly behind. But we all make mistakes. Though my mistakes are more to do with orchards than adventure. Into barren waste she cantered to the object of her quest. She'd sleep when she got there.
With every step the city moved to the horizon whilst the moon on on high cloaked the land in pale reflection. Feeling death with every gust she pulled her cape against the wind. Oh it was freezing agony as she walked slow, pushed to and fro, by a wind that deafened more than roared. And twinkling in the light of stars were far yonder massive walls of Carsapone.
Marching on three hooves, the fourth clutched her hat as she stared down at the warping of the soil. With ripples like water afore a buffalo raid every stone and pebble came to roil. Squatting down to scout the scene, a desert grown phantasmagoric stretched beyond the edge of sight. Fractaling yet not resolving were the patterns of the land. Drowed in bloody air, the stars above sent down their multi-hued and ever changing tint. Looming past horizon were the sanded walls of lost and dreaded Carsapone and like twisted hands its towers clawed at crimson stars. A sense of statuesque the shifting desert lent the city off afar.
She closed her eyes and hummed a most exquisite tune. Something to help ignore the sound of lunar wails hidden on the wind. A rippling with every step she felt. The atmosphere was thin in the waste she realized. The hateful gaze of the nightmare in the moon bore down upon her. She felt it. Daring to look, she saw all around the beasts encloaked in night. She had difficulties describing them, not least of all the drinks I fed her. Their dimensions were evershifting but, and she emphasized this point; A cloud-like, smoky substance covered them which failed to obscure a biology not of this world.
Galloping seemed to be the answer at the time. Flying about, the visions shimmered in and out of thought. Some ancient king, floated in peculiar ways, his rotted muzzle exposing wriggling teeth. The ground collapsed to yawning chasms of slimmering demons yet she never fell into the clutching slime. Bearing down as if to crush her, the starry firmament grew claustraphobic. She even saw an ursa major rising from the earth, ya know. The beast broke free its chains and sent the stars to fright. Floating in refracted air the fish were undisturbed and wreathed in joy of double suns. A winged Twilight apparated to consume the bear. Her run was broken as an alicorn writ large enough to blot the sky stared upon her. One time in the height of summer I witnessed a mirage upon the plains. I know she understood how senses can deceive.
Trixie swallowed her fear. "Do you really think such parlor tricks can frighten Trixie?" She started with a dazzle of blue and green. A bit of pyrotechnics here and there and she then walked through the unreal thing. "I'll make this appearance a bit more to my liking!" Flowers bloomed with every step. A radiance of joy spread from her magics to combat the fey which overtook the desert. Shimmering beyond were all types of strange and frightful sight. Enclosed within the bubble of illusion, she was safe. Stumbling on for hours, daring not to look at those phantasms; that was how she reached the walls of Carsapone. And once there she promptly fell to sleep.
Now get out of here. Sweet Celestia, you're drunk as buck. You obviously can't keep up with what's going on anymore and this is a story you really need to hear. You're the bearer of the tale now, ya know. Alright, might as well get to the next part. I thought you could handle your cider.
She was performing in Ponyville again. Though this time they loved her. All of them did. Even her friend Twilight was there to support her. "And this is one of the many crowns of the ancient Alicorn race which I plundered! The Great and Powerful Trixie went into the depths of Carsapone! She fought ghosts, changelings and defeated an ancient evil to gain the crown! The city was restored! And that's the story of how Trixie freed all of you from the tyranny of stars!" A blast of glitter wreathed her stage and settled on the verdant ponyville green. The crowd of gathered freinds cheered for her. Every last one of them. Well except one.
"You." "Yes. Me." The night replied to her. A black and purple princess then flew onto the stage. "Please Trixie. You have to stop this." They'd had this conversation many times. "NO! YOU SEEK TO STOP ME! YOU'VE LIED TO HER, OPPOSED TRIXIE AT EVERY TURN!" With a hint of concern Luna coolly said "Please Trixie. Come back to Canterlot. We won't judge you. You're not well." Shaken for a moment the mage said. "You.. YOU'LL IMPRISON ME! YOU KNOW WHAT TRIXIE DID IN PONYVILLE. TRIXIE WILL BE VICTORIOUS! She will be a HERO! She'll go back to Ponyville and THEY WILL LOVE ME!"
Sadness crept into Lunas voice then. "We first knew when you broke into the Royal Library. Stealing books on ancient magic. Then what you did in Ponyville. Celestia... She forgives you. But I never should have told you when I learned you sought out Carsapone. I've seen it written in the stars. It cannot be changed."
Trixie sighed and looked off at the crowd now disappearing into dreamstuff. "Do you really think Trixie doesn't know what you told her? Do you think Trixie doesn't comprehend? Go ahead. Say it one more time. Maybe she has forgotten it. You do seem to think she's stupid!" Luna declared her hopeless rote. "I've seen it written in the stars. Don't you know? That you will die in Carsapone?"
And here's where the tale gets fun in the telling. It's the part where that brave mare woke up with a knife to her throat.
Her sleep was broken with clammy steel pressing gainst the neck. Drowsily she moved to swat it away. Grasping hooves propelled her up into a shove against the wall. Rocked open by the blow, blinding rays pierced her eyes. Rays of thought rose then dawned into panic when the force behind the knife yelled. "Who do you work for? Why are you here? Did Dr. Caballeron send you?"
*incoherent wheezy noises*
The shadow of a floating pegasus cutting through raging sunlight roared. "Answer me!" "Well.. She's a respectable traveler. A tourist come to visit Carsaponne!" The grey maned mare smirked knowingly, then tilted her head. The gleam of the helm stabbed at Trixies sight. "Hardly a treasure hunter are you? Not even a convincing lie?"
The mages thoughts scrambled as the brown furred pegasus, lean as a feline, gave a solid glare. "Trixie was stupid. What do I do?" "Come to despoil great Carsapone? Steal the crown of Belon the Immortal? The runes of Aliran? I bet you read one dusty tome and thought you could be like those dashing adventurers in the stories? This place isn't safe for you, amateurs die the way you do all the time." The pressure relaxed, giving time for thought to collect in Trixie's head. "Wait, were those treasures she knows about? Who is she calling an-" "Answer me. Now." The professional rolled and snapped into the posture of a sneer. The blade began to loosely dance on Lulamoon. Blurting nervously, "Yes. Yes it's true! Are you an artifact hunter too?". A whisper expelled through a forced grin. "`You are a competent and graceful hunter. Mayhaps you assist Trixie and be rewarded well by her?"
Rudely dropping her into the sand, the assailant hopped away. Between crackling laughter she proclaimed. "You? Help me? Do you even know which ziggurat contains the treasure of Belon? Anything about what you're doing? You'd slow me down, where are your supplies? I work best alone, especially when I'm not having to babysit and protect amateurs." "Stop laughing! Trixie could destroy you if she wished!"
The adventurer took a step to Trixie. In a monotone she decreed. "Go home if you know what's best." A quick left jab smashed into Trixie's snout. "I said go home." Lulamoon paused and then lurched to punch back but was tripped off her hooves. "I said go home." The mare hovered above Trixie crossing her forelegs in front of her coat. Trixie lay in shock for enough time to notice the sand seeping into her fur. A cold fury seized her, forcing her to turn to contemplate the loathsome hunter. "How Dare You."
"I don't have time for this."
Like a slingshot hurled over the walls the professional adventurer flew, naturally of course, since the great and powerful Trixie didn't have time to react. Who? What?
I don't like what you're implying. This be a good story, a true one this time. Don't tell me you read that pulp trash. Okay, bit of what I told were embellished. I'm a man of honor. That I'll admit.
Check out the poetry of Omar Khayyam of Neighshapore, that'll set ya on the right path. Buck, what happened next? You ruined my flow darnit. Meet me in a couple days. Bring a couple bits for the liquor and I'll share you the tale of the dread city of Carsaponne. The land of the anti-sun, the false and fey, by what was once Hali and the dancing court of- Out by the hat shop. To the left of it. Yeah, same street as the clock-tower. Well okay. Go then.
Ah, there your are kid. Drink slower this time, that was a shitshow last week ya know. *Ahem* Gotta get in my storyteller voice. Come on, let's get out of sight of the street. Sherrif'll be all up on my flank if he sees me drinking with ya. Used to be friends with em back afore he thought it okay to befriend the folk trampling our orchards. Never saw eye to eye with em on that issue. Anyway.
Grabbing her hat and with a few words of derision for the pegasus, she began to walk along the wall and look for the gate. Morning from the night had flung the stone that puts the stars to flight. And Celestia risen in the east had put the towers up above in a noose of light. Near the wall, piled high, had shed the grit of time. Trixie walked along the outer edge of the wall searching for an entrance. Though straight and solid as of single polished stone, she was dizzy gazing up to spy the yonder crenelations. It was her eyes refused to see the way they curve an warp and fault of her orbs that a sick trickled from her mouth. A noxious yellow slurry, it's what happens when a person hasn't eaten in a day, drank overmuch or views the walls of Carsapone up close. She stumbled through forgotten sands drifting 'neath a tyrant sun and after a bit of time reached the gate.
It was small. Scarcely wide enough for a single pone to pass. Jutting round the portal, stone was carved into spiral and at the tunnels end a dot of light invited her. She squeed in excitement, then quickly gained composure. All her dreams lay beyond the tunnel. Cold was the air and dark was the passage through. Her nervous footsteps echoed 'pon the hardbacked sand, pale blue hair flowing in the grasping breeze.
She stepped into the massive courtyard paved with rainbow coloured cobble, sheening with a film of translucent sand. Among intersections of winding roads were spheric buildings made of gleaming bronze, all stacked upon each other as if grapes. Dotted mongst the spheres were gems each shining with the glow of lost enchantment, all arrayed without pattern. Undulating softly were crystal pillars in ever-lurching crescent rows.
Whilst surveying the scene, a deep and friendly voice began to boom which shocked her into fright. "Trixie! Welcome! Welcome home! Welcome o' Traveler! Enjoy your stay in Carsapone!" The magepony began to back back into the portal. Her courage thought better of it. "Who are you? What sorcery do you wish to fool Trixie with? How do you know her name?" No reply.
It was then that from the spheres rippled several ponies. Within a minute the courtyard held some several hundred. Bejewled with crimson masques they glode upon the cobble and in pairs of two, stallion and mare, they thus began to dance. "It must be illusions again. Some way to frighten or confuse her. As if I would fall to such parlor magic!" Trixie proclaimed. She began to walk through the crowd and not a single one did notice. In dead languages they spoke as lovers do. With a well timed magic flourish to match her rondo, a unicorn bedazzled while above two pegasi did fly about in aerial Each faded away like will-o-wisps as Trixie touched them 'til bumping into a stallion. He twirled to her and curtsied, saying with the timbre of a sonor. "I'm am sorry my lady for I did not see where I was going." His pale brown coat fell down to well groomed fetlocks. A face divine yet hidden by a crimson masque of scale and feather.
"I must say that you are rare. A mare of upmost beauty. Give my compliments to the avant garde who designed your hat. And what a fine lady the wear! Certainly you are... of noble birth?" Unusual it was, an illusion which did flatter. Trixie started as to question but then he placed a hoof upon her mouth. "Please oh dear, words are vulgar things so we must speak in dance. Will you be mine if even for a single dance?" Little harm in indulging oneself Trixie thought. It had been so long since a cultured stallion had taken interest even if he was nothing but a spirit. Grabbing by the frontward hooves he held her in a standing gait. She wobbled with unease on hinward hooves but he held her. Gliding with precision, working with her stuttering gait he began to craft a masterpiece of tango.
"Who are you?" Trixie said in awe. It was an apathetic sing song way he spoke. "I am but a dancer, that we all are, for it doth please the lord Belon." "Belon? The immortal?" Dipping down he began to lead a waltz. "He is the one of many names for we are but figments of his dream. And oh beauty is his dream! And I hope he joins us soon. With Lady Kalria they do enjoy a ballroom dance. Now this once I must ask you and I wish not to offend..." "Yes?" Quickly spun and in a bow, his body pressed against hers softly. "My lady." Leaning to her ear as if to peck her neck. "I see you have no mask."
Trixie slammed into the pavement as the dancer disappeared. A grumbling boom overwhelmed her and then a single high pitched tone overtook her hearing. She rolled onto her hooves and scanned about through smoke and dust. An ebon pegasus was seen before a second shockwave hit, this time nearer. The mare stumbled, black static filled her vision but she saw the pegasus again. Wearing a yellow cape he floated over the spheres holding a wooden staff in his mouth. The rod was capped with a copper orb cackling with lightning. The screeching tone subsided to make way to the growing hum of the staff. The assailant had a gleam of delight in his eyes, a malevolent wit about him. She sent a jolt of magic to disrupt the floating of the pegasus, then galloped to behind an undulating pillar. Panting, she waited for the ebon pegasus to make a move, unsure of his position.
That's when she was waved at to follow by a white unicorn from the portal of a building. Sprinting inside, she saw the interior was gilded in silver. "Hurry now. We can't let the demon catch you!" The mare had beady violet eyes, was clothed in a green cape and searched nervously bout the floor. "Ah, here it is. And just in time!" A latch that Trixie knew she could never have hoped to find was opened. The illusionist followed the unicorn down into a long tunnel. It was a circular stone passage, sloping deep into the earth, lined regular with glowing emeralds. The unicorn suddenly stopped at an intersection. "It's okay. You're safe now."
The white mare took a right turn and Trixie followed behind. "What were those dreadful things crawling in the city? Those dancers and that pegasus? Why did he attack Trixie?" Walking along in silence, making several turns through intricate tubes, the mare continued. Trixie paused for a moment to lean against the wall. It was soft to the touch, warm and sweating. The gems glared their disapproving light at her, giving a migraine. On purpose, Trixie later told me. The white unicorn stopped to wait. "Are you okay?" "Yes, she is fine. Now answer her questions!"
"The dancers are the spirits of the masters dream. He sleeps peacefully. You were attacked by a demon. The demons wear the yellow. Ponies wear the green. We saw you enter the city, wearing the blue. Come now. It is only a little ways. We must reach safety ourselves before the anti-sun rises. And my name is Decipere Sneaux. Though you never asked." Trixie blurted out incoherent questions before being interrupted by Sneaux. "Quiet. This is the way we need to go." Sneaux tapped three times upon the blocks and spoke the olden words. The layers of blocks on the low ceiling above slid away revealing a fleshy orifice. Shrouded by slick and yellow lips was a pulsating sphincter. "Come on. Move. Hold your breath when you enter."
"WHAT? That vile, disgusting thing? You want Trixie to enter it?" "Exactly. Follow me or be lost in the tunnels. It's your choice." Decipere pushed a hoof past fleshy layers into the orifice. It began to loosen then tighten rapidly. The lips began to rotate, grinding stone away. Undulating contractions pulled Sneaux up and within seconds peristalsis had drawn her inside the orifice. Trixie hesitantly walked under the orifice, careful to avoid the dripping fluid. She felt nervous sweat began to collect as, trembling, she pushed a hoof up to it. Before touching it, the portal grew wide and dumped its contents on her. A thick and whitish yellow mucus splashed about, every part of her covered in sticky gel. Knowing her like I do, I'm sure she stood with her mouth open, eyes wide, refusing to comprehend what just happened. Then screamed and howled in indignation, stomped her hooves and pouted. "Buck it." Determined, she thrust her hoof into the orifice. A tendril textured like sandpaper grabbed her hoof and pulled. She quickly skipped to the next part of her tale when I asked what it was like inside the passageway.
Bursting through the ground, wet and slimy as a newborn, Trixie was helped to her hooves by Sneaux. Behind her the portal closed, stone folding like an eyelid. 5 ponies were all around her, looks of puzzlement upon their faces. She was inside an odd building. It was a single room with circular walls going into a pointed dome. The walls and floors made of a soft and yielding type of marble rested on supports of a black metal, bleeding ichor. The ponies stood between Trixie and the exit to the street.
A burly yellow pony to her right declared "We need to be quick, before the anti-sun rises.". They drew closer to her, Sneaux moving to block the exit. Trixie steadied herself and began to light her horn. "Relax" Came words in a soothing voice from Sneaux. "We have to ask a few questions to make sure you're not a nightmare." "Well then." Trixie chuckled a little to herself. "Trixie is flesh and blood is she not? Let's get this quant folk custom over with shall we?"
A lanky red stallion to Trixies left cleared his throat and began. "As speaker of law and ceremony I shall lead the trial of questions." "Are we free of the gaze from the moon?" At ease now, Trixie confidently answered. "The mare in the moon is long gone, nothing gazes at-" "WRONG" In unison they chanted. "All hail Belon who is the city. The city doth protect us from the night." "Will the dream ever end." Flustered and confused, Trixie responded "Umm. No? What do you want me to say?". "The dream must be with all. All must learn to love the dream." "Who does Belon protect the city from?" was the third question. "They were driven to the waste and left to die. They returned with their evil queens in pony guise. They are the elder race." Shouting and furious Trixie screamed "You didn't even give Trixie time to respond! This court is a sham!" "Lost to these lands is the lore of the high ones." They solemnly declared. "Oh come on! That's not even a question!" "Moonless nights await the return of the alicorn."
The speaker of law charged and then sharply turned to kick Trixie to the ground. They fled the building as she shot a magic blast, missing wide. Jumping to the spell scorched archway, she saw them dive into a fleshy circle. The mosaic slid over the orifice afore she even reached it.
She was alone again. Hungry as well... Stretching to yon yellow mist, the avenue galloped beyond the limit of sight. The only building she could see stood as a thumb of beating marble. The shadow of the anti-sun clawed the thumb, melting flesh away to reveal the iron skeleton. Approaching it, pooling bout her feet, the marble rippled as it touched her hooves. Cold to the touch. Everything was growing cold to the touch, as the shadow clutched her warmth away. From behind her rose the rays of anti-sun. Standing ever tall, far too quick, her shadow grew a blinding brilliant hue.
How do I know all this is true? I asked a traveling poet from Griffinstone ya know, if he had ever heard of such a place. The fragment of an ancient poem he told me. Said it brought bad luck to speak of a such a place so I gave him a couple bits.
Strange is the night where black stars rise,
And strange songs echo through the skies,
But stranger still is
Carsapone.
It was then. In lost Carsapone that the tale grew ever stranger. She heard a familiar voice singing from the mists. A ragged, ancient and young voice.
"A wonderful treat! A wonderful treat! Mommy murderer did give to me! A greater treat shall be her flesh. The mommy murderer!"
Listen to Trixies most silly and intelligent tale. Of two urchins living in an alley. One was a bard, the other a thief. The bard was the elder, intelligent, great and powerful. The thief was a miser, brutish and dumb. They lived in Canterlot where they ruled the streets. Sneaking. Tricking. Performing and hunting.
One day whilst lounging in the sun, bard turned to the thief with a smile on her face. "Let me tell you, a bit of advice. I see how you steal, pillage and rut in the gardens of Celestia, princess of the sun. She's a cruel one. Who cares for no one, especially bards and thieves. She'll send guards to our alley, you'll reach for a weapon but it's too late. The eyes of the sun are upon you. She is so much smarter than you, one day you'll walk right into a trap."
The thief knew Celestia was wiser so nothing ever surprised her. She also knew that the bard thought herself smarter than the thief. Resentful she was at this arrogance, this powerful intellect.
So she struck with a hook, below the jaw. A series of blows to draw out the blood.
"Don't fuck with me. Don't speak about those who are greater than you. I see the deeper part of your advice."
"I never meant to sting you with my words.", the bard replied. "This one apologizes, she sees now that you are the teacher, here to instruct with violence."
The vagabond burglar loved the bards fear. Ignorant, she couldn't see the soul of the bard through her iris; couldn't see the resentment, deception and hate. A tyrant sun shone down to boil the blood that mixed with mud.
The bard grew hateful. Day after day the thief went to the garden to steal and pillage. Until one day, she was caught in the clutches a trap. By the hedgerows she grabbed at a bottle of wine and then she was sitting in a pit. Crying and screaming where she'd waste for days until she'd lay in state.
Attracted by the pain, a unicorn bard edged to the side of the pit. The bard cried and cried while the thief shared in her sadness which was of course false. "Oh how my heart doth weep for my friend to see the way I am. Oh how I've known you are a truest friend to weep for me who is caught by the sun."
Crying became laughter which rained in the pit like hail. "I hate you. I hate you always. You are a tyrant to me. These are not tears of sorrow but of laughter. This one is kind and merciful though. Take my hoof so I can pull you out."
Thief never thought wisely, so she surprised the bard and pulled her into the pit. Rage then burned from her soul into her iris. Two now caught in the pit, a prison of foolishness and hate.
"You fool! You ignorant, savage thing! We are doomed. The great bard could have saved you and now you damn us both!"
The thief laughed and laughed and laughed. Sunlight crept in as a warning. The party had ended, it was time to leave.
Thief thought cleverly for once in her life. Deciding to play the princess gambit, she said. "If you let me stand on your back, I can make my escape. Your words stung me but we are bonded by hardship, the only friends in this world."
Shrewdly accepting the princess gambit, the bard allowed the thief to climb out of the pit. Reaching for a hoof to pull her out, hoof and centre were denied to her. "You will never escape. I know your true colours unicorn. Celestia will love another victim. A victim! To add to her dungeon."
"Please! It was bitterness, jealousy and rage! This bard is sorry! She repents! For the love of friendship, let us not be anethema to another. I have helped you so many times! " Princess-side maneuvering failed to dislodge... The centre of hate in the young thief heart.
Thief stalked through the gardens of Celestia; under cover of wailing, foalish as it was, by the bard who was trapped in the princesses pit. The sun beat down upon her coat, sweating like a pig coming to the slaughter. Greedily eating from a larder, her hair stood up by its itty ibtty ends as the shadow of a princess crept up on her.
Running and panicking, no way to escape. She was a loose wheel bout to break, slithering like a snake though hedgerows. How could she escape the wisest, most ancient and powerful of solar mares? Cunning birthed through the head of conscience, a plan which was glorious divine.
At the pit then, extending her hoof. "The wrath of the sun is upon us. Take my hoof. Put trust in a thief one last time."
Separating then, the two split to opposite paths. Never to speak of trust and conflict. Never to speak to each other at all, preferring to hunt alone. Echoing throughout Canterlot was the mocking mirth of a tyrant sun.
