Act 1 — Ballad of the Dawn
Trixie gasped for air, only inhaling a mouthful of dust. She coughed and heaved as her ears rung and the world spun around her.
“... Out!” A muffled voice yelled to her side. “Get... The way!”
“... Castle!” Another one cried.
When Trixie’s vision cleared, she spotted a large silhouette through the smoke. Unable to move, she watched in horror as a crystalline structure fell toward her.
Suddenly, she was tossed sideways, disproportionate hooves carrying her. They met the ground, tumbling as the structure fell with a crash behind them, sending up a cloud of dust. She coughed through the dust, and when it cleared, she knew what had fallen. This was a segment of the West Wing of Twilight’s castle.
She looked to her side to see a draconic maw, with the long body of a snake, disproportionate limbs from different creatures, but they only pointed to one person. “... Discord?” she asked.
“Trixie, you’re bleeding,” he said, gesturing to his ears. “We need to find Fluttershy and get out of here!”
“What about the others?” she inquired.
“They’ll be fine,” Discord insisted. “But Fluttershy... She’s frail. What if she—”
“D-Discord...” A small voice came from the rubble. Discord looked toward its source in horror. Her normally yellow coat was made grey. Blood traced down from the crown of her head and her mouth, her cheeks wet with tears.
“Fluttershy!” He yelped, scrambling to his feet and scurrying to her. She was pinned between two broken bookshelves, below piles of rubble. “We’re going to get you out of here, okay hon?” He butted his shoulder against the fallen bookshelf on her, pushing it up. Fluttershy screamed in pain.
Trixie's eyes widened. Why wasn't he using his magic? "What are you doing? Discord!” she yelled. “Discord, you’re hurting her!”
Discord stopped, his eyes widening as he realized the huge splinter of wood threaded through her side, still attached to the shelf he was lifting. “Oh, no...”
Trixie looked above the bookshelf Fluttershy was under. Debris rolled toward the opening where she was pinned. If he’d moved the bookshelf any farther, she’d be crushed. If he let go, Fluttershy would face the same fate. The unicorn glanced at the draconequus, only to realize his wide-eyed expression. He was absolutely hopeless. Could she even rely on his magic?
Trixie lit her horn. “Discord, let me take it from here. You find some help!”
Discord’s eyes filled with terror. “But I can’t leave her!”
“You’re of more use than me right now,” Trixie said.
Discord glanced at Fluttershy, then back at Trixie. “Can you hold it?”
Trixie nodded. “Just leave it to me.” She closed her eyes, imagining she herself was in Discord’s place, bracing all the weight. She felt tension in her mind, the beginnings of a headache throbbing at the back of her skull. “I got it! Go, Discord!”
Discord glanced at Fluttershy once more. “I’ll be right back. Just hang on, hon.” He gently let go of the bookshelf, the weight of it all crashing down on Trixie’s mind as he left.
Trixie’s head was about to burst. How much rubble was there? It felt like a few thousand pounds were weighing down on her. She tensed, locking her knees as she struggled to keep the bookshelf where it was. That’s when she heard a cracking noise. Her eyes darted around, and realized the cracks in the walls surrounding Fluttershy. If they broke…
Trixie imagined a brace between the walls, keeping the cracks from forming any farther. She was no longer fighting the bookshelf alone, she was fighting the whole structure. Her head pounded in a pain she’d never before felt in her life, as if her own mind were splitting asunder. Her aura flickered, but she leaned further in, sweat covering her face. Where was Discord?
Trixie closed her eyes. The pain took the forefront of her mind. She felt dizzy all over again, and heat drained from her body. Her mouth and throat dried as she screamed in agony, just imagining in the darkness of her eyelids the tower staying in tact.
She didn’t know when it happened, how it happened or why, but the next thing she knew, she was on her flank, tension releasing from her mind. Gasping for breath, her eyes darted to the tower as the world spun once more, her heart sinking as she saw the tower split in two, creating a point where Fluttershy was at.
Or where she would be at. She was gone.
However, the world didn’t stop spinning. Darkness tunneled her vision, and she felt numb. The sensation of falling out pricked at her as she lost consciousness.
“... Victims,” a voice said from around her.
“Good heavens,” another voice said, female. “Who on earth would’ve done such a thing?”
“Hang on,” the other voice said. “Her eyes are opening.”
The room around her was painfully white. It was small and square, and relatively empty, with the mare and stallion looking at her from above. She blinked, her vision slowly clearing. The male had an impossibly square jaw, his mane super short, but not buzz cut. The female was skinnier than average, her cheekbones visible, but not horribly so. Her mane was in a messy bun, with a few hairs falling loose.
“Can you hear us?” The female asked.
Trixie nodded weakly.
A sigh of relief. “It doesn’t look like she’s deaf, but she did take some significant damage to her eardrums. She must’ve not been far away from the blast.”
A machine hummed to life, projecting a yellow image on the opposite wall. “How many dots do you see in this image.”
Trixie squinted. “One. Front and center.” She swallowed. Her voice was raspy, barely recognizable even to herself.
“Good,” the male said. “Now, follow this dot around the projection. Report any dizziness or visual distortions immediately.” The male used a hoof to slide levers on the projector, and the dot moved up, down, left and right, in wave patterns, zig-zags, and circles. “Anything?”
Trixie shook her head. “No.”
“Good,” the male said again.
“Okay,” the female began. “We’re going to tilt your bed a bit from side to side. Close your eyes and tell us which way it’s leaning.”
Trixie closed her eyes and nodded, and the tilting began. “Right. Left. Left. Right. Down. Up. Down. Up. Up.”
“You can open your eyes.”
She did so, her eyes adjusting once again to the light.
“So, Trixie, it looks like your coordination is just fine. Can you tell us the first test we did?”
Trixie opened her mouth, then stopped. She was tempted to say the dot test. “You tested my hearing,” she remembered.
She heard a small, “Hm,” from the female. “Okay. Do you remember what happened before we brought you here?”
Trixie knit her eyebrows, her memory hazy. “I... I was in the market... Shopping for... What was it... A book, a book on magic. Then the next thing I knew...” she gasped. “Fluttershy! Is Fluttershy okay?”
The doctors glanced at each other. “We had a Fluttershy just barely come out of intensive care,” the female answered, turning to face her. “Doctor, it seems like her memory and her coordination are in tact... She looks just fine, besides the massive ear pain she’s going to experience after getting unhooked.”
“We need to get her walking,” the male said. “If she can walk, then she is good to go.” He glanced at Trixie. “For right now, however, we need to let her rest up. We need to get her water so she can at least swallow.”
“Right away, Doctor,” the female said. She clicked open the plain door, and walked out of the room.
“It’s a miracle you still have your hearing, though,” the male remarked. “Typically, when patients suffer that extensive damage to the ear, they become permanently deaf.”
Trixie nodded, relief flooding in her chest. Although, there was one question that was pricking at her mind. “Doctor,” she said. “How many ponies were hurt?”
He knit his eyebrows. “From what I’ve heard? About ninety-seven. That was updated from eighty-four about ten minutes ago.”
Discord sat in the waiting room, staring down into his hands. How long has he been waiting? Three hours, perhaps. He clasped his claws harder, his mind heavy with the thought of Fluttershy’s condition. As soon as he’d called over the paramedics, he couldn’t even get near her. But he did see what happened. They ended up leaving the splinter inside of her while they carried her out. Fortunately, Trixie held on long enough before the tower crumbled apart where Fluttershy lay.
Discord stood, stretching out his legs and arms. He walked over to the mare at the counter, putting a claw on the desk. “So, it’s been a couple hours here. Has Fluttershy been moved to a room yet?”
The mare let out an irritated sigh, then assuming a glass smile. “Mr. Discord. You’ve been asking about her for the past four hours.”
“You didn’t answer my question, though,” Discord prodded.
Another sigh. “Yes, she’s been admitted into one of the rooms. But unless you’re immediate family, we cannot let you through.”
“C’mon...” he glanced at her nametag. “... Ms. Horizon. I’ve been living with her for three years. We’re practically family.”
The smile shattered, and a stern frown appeared on her face. “Immediate. Family. Only.”
He clenched his fist, shaking with anger for a second, then released. “Fine. I won’t bother you any longer.” He turned and walked to the elevator. He punched a key, calling on his memory. What was his name again? Ah, yes. With a snap of his fingers, he changed form. His claws and paws turned into hooves, tall and lanky. His overall appearance went skinnier, with a blond bun.
The elevator door opened, and he made a lap around the campus. He looked at doors and signs with a single eyebrow raised, wandering aimlessly.
“Excuse me, sir,” a feminine voice asked. He turned to a mare with a white doctor’s overcoat, and a wispy night-like mane. “Are you lost?”
“Ah, yes, I am,” Discord said. “I was going to visit Fluttershy? She’s my sister.”
She nodded. “Okay. If you go to the reception desk down this hallway, they can help you out there.” She gestured in front of them. “I’m sorry about what happened to her, though. She’s had some of the most serious injuries out of the bunch. It must be worrying.”
Discord nodded. “Yeah. Yeah it is. Thank you.”
He walked to the reception desk and walked through the steps he did hours ago, going back up the elevator back into the waiting room. He walked to the reception desk. “Hi, I was going to visit Fluttershy. I’m her brother.”
“Of course,” the receptionist answered. “What’s your name?”
“Zephyr. Zephyr Breeze.”
She wrote on a clipboard in front of her. “Okay, Zephyr, if you would sign here please.” She handed him the pen, pausing a second. “You guys have the same eyes.”
Discord dropped the pen. “What?”
She waved her hoof in dismissal. “Nothing. Just one jerk that was trying to visit Fluttershy. Anyways...” She pressed a button on the wall. “Head on in. Her room number is A11, down that hall and to the left.”
Discord nodded. “Thank you.”
He walked through the door, following her directions. He’d passed the hallway he was supposed to turn at, and he’d only realized that as soon as the doors started listing B’s. He turned around, turned down the hallway he needed to. He entered into A11, clicking the door shut behind him.
He assumed his regular form, his eyes fixed on Fluttershy. Small tubes went through her nostrils, and IV plugged into a foreleg. Her entire abdomen and part of her head was wrapped in heavy-duty bandage. The heart rate monitor beeped regularly and slowly.
A pang of anxiety filled his chest before calling out. He didn’t want to interrupt her while she was sleeping. But then again, it was only a matter of time before the nurses showed up, and he would be escorted out.
“F-Fluttershy?” he asked gently.
Fluttershy breathed in sharply, her eyes opening ever so slightly. “Discord...”
Discord smiled, tears stinging at his eyes. “Thank goodness you’re awake!”
She managed a small smile. “How did you get here? I thought only immediate family was allowed at this point.”
He shrugged. “I have my ways.”
She groaned. “Discord...”
“I know, it wasn’t a nice thing to do,” he conceded. “But I just had to see you.”
The smile returned. “This is so much like you.”
Discord clasped his claws, his eyes locked on his palms. “So, how are you feeling?”
Fluttershy narrowed her eyebrows. “I-I’m floating… exhausted… an ache in my side…” Her eyes opened slightly more. “But I think I’m doing okay.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. Just as long as she wasn’t in pain, he could rest easy. “Good,” he said. “I’m glad we were able to get you out of there, though. Trixie couldn’t hold the castle together for much longer.”
Fluttershy raised a weak eyebrow. “Trixie was with you?”
Discord reached up and rubbed the nape of his neck. “Well, yes and no. I heard the explosion and she was near ground zero. I’m surprised that she was even alive.”
Fluttershy gave Discord a gentle smile. “Thank you both. I wish there were some way to repay you.”
Discord waved a claw in dismissal. “Your recovery is well enough a payment.”
He had hardly noticed the heart rate monitor accelerate. But it roared in a flurry of beeps. Fluttershy’s face went slack as she started spasming.
“Fluttershy!” Discord yelped, running up to the bed. “Fluttershy!”
Three doctors burst into the room. “Sir,” one of them said. “You need to leave. Now.”
“But—”
The one doctor pushed rushed him out the door. “Now.” Before he knew it, he was back in the hallway, the door slamming shut in front of him.
Time slowed down. All he could do was watch through the window as the doctors attempted to stabilize Fluttershy. They unhooked the defibrillator, rubbed the two ends together, and pushed it into Fluttershy’s chest. Her body convulsed, and Discord’s stomach twisted.
Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned, and there stood Zephyr Breeze himself. He scowled. “Outside. Now.”
The two exited the two automatic doors. The smoky air made Discord snarl in disgust.
When Discord was a little away from the building, Zephyr turned. “What are you doing here?” The red light from the dreary sky made his face look hellish.
“I was visiting your sister,” Discord explained matter-of-factly, folding his arms. “I suppose that much would be obvious.”
Zephyr’s scowl deepened. “You have no right, " he growled.
“What?” Discord hissed.
“You have no right. No right to take my appearance to gain access to her. No right to even visit her after what happened.”
“I have every right!”
“You promised my family that you would protect her!” Zephyr’s eyes filled Discord’s vision, his muzzle only inches away from his. “You were away, and look what happened!”
“Oh, please,” Discord snapped. “You were never there for her. You were too concerned with yourself to give a damn for your own sister’s well being!” Their heads butted together.
“At least I didn’t almost kill her!” The fire in Zephyr’s eyes grew ever brighter and hotter.
“And what would I have done?” Discord snarled.
“Take her place!”
The words echoed off the walls of the campus. A thin sheet of silence fell around them, as if the world was holding its breath.
Discord backed away. “You don’t think that I wish that,” he said solemnly. “If it were up to me, then I would’ve gladly taken the hit for her. But it just wasn’t.” His heart plunged into his stomach, tears once again stinging at his eyes.
Zephyr fell silent. The intensity in his gaze broke. He bore holes in the ground with his stare. “Just go. Get out of my sight.”
Discord inhaled sharply. With a snap of his fingers, he vanished, leaving Zephyr to his own devices.
He appeared atop a hillside overlooking Ponyville, the square in utter ruin. He grit his teeth as a multitude of emotions erupted from his chest. The anger at Zephyr and what he had said was self-explanatory, but now that the rush of the attack was over and the truth finally setting in, a deep regret grappled his heart. He wished that he was there, but that wasn't it. It was the fact that he panicked. The fact that, when he saw Fluttershy in the wreckage injured like that, that he forgot his own power. In the end he only ended up injuring her more, instead of using his magic to get her out of there.
For the first time in what felt like ages, Discord sat on terra firma and pondered, the vacuum of depression settling in his gut. Why did he lose his composure? There wasn't any way he could've prevented the attack, but in his mind, he only made it worse.
“Are you sure you don’t remember anything?” Trixie asked, sitting on a sofa across from Rarity.
She shook her head. “Unfortunately so, darling. The doctors said that I most likely wouldn’t remember anything before the trauma.” She shifted in her seat. “As much as I’d like to.”
Trixie huffed out a sigh. “I’m just glad you’re safe,” she said, putting her hooves in her lap.
“Oh, I was extraordinarily lucky,” Rarity said. “Apparently, Twilight had cast a protective spell around us before the explosion could do much damage.” She shifted her gaze away from Trixie. “I wouldn’t doubt that. I just hope that she’s all right.”
Trixie nodded. Of course Twilight would’ve done that. She was the very definition of a do-gooder, and even if their relationship was on the rocks, she had a strong sense of morality and selflessness. If it had not been her prowess in magic, then it would be nothing short of a mindless rivalry. However, Trixie was determined to keep it up as long as possible.
But if only she had had her powers when she was helping Fluttershy. If only she could’ve helped further than what she did. Out of all Twilight’s friends, she’d been the most accepting. And she didn’t even know if she was alive at this point. Stupid...
Trixie shook her head. This wasn’t any time to boo-hoo about herself. There were more important things at stake.
She gasped in sudden realization. “What about Spike? Was he in the explosion, too?”
Rarity shook her head. “No, thank heavens. He was visiting the Apple farm—probably playing that silly game with Big Mac, let’s be brutally honest. But, Twilight or no Twilight, he wouldn’t have survived the blast.”
Trixie nodded. It was really weird to think that he was still a baby dragon. It’d been a couple years, and he hadn’t grown an inch between her rather unfortunate visits. Unfortunately, Spike took a lot after Twilight, and her relationship with him was less than affectionate. Which reminded her…
She frowned. “Rarity,” she begun, sitting forward in her seat. “I was wondering… why did you invite me over? Hardly anyone can stand me. Heck, even Starlight can only barely stand me.”
Rarity shrugged. “To be frank, darling, I nearly didn’t. But when I heard what you did to help Fluttershy… well, consider this as a thank you. For saving one of my best friends.”
Trixie nodded, a warm feeling in her chest. “Well, thank you, too.”
She nodded, breathing in sharply as she sat up. “Anyways, I’ll let you get some sleep. I extended the same invitation to Spike, so he may be coming later tonight.”
Trixie nodded, a sort of reluctance stiffening her body. Only the next best thing to Twilight herself. She gathered herself to her hooves, walking to Rarity. “Here, let me help you.” She gestured to Rarity’s rear leg, which was wrapped in a thick cast. “With that broken leg, you’re not going anywhere without help.” She offered her hoof to her.
Rarity hesitated, staring at her hoof almost in dismay. “Y-yes, of course.” Rarity took her hoof, hoisting herself back on her hooves. “Thank you ever so much, darling.”
Trixie managed a small smile. “You’re welcome.” She gestured to the stairs. “Consider it a thank you for a thank you.”
“Ah, I see,” Rarity chortled.
Trixie walked to her other side, slinging Rarity’s hoof over her shoulder. She gestured to the staircase. “Let’s get you to bed, all right?”
Rarity nodded. “All right. But, if you would, bring me by Sweetie Belle’s room, please? She doesn’t know I’m home yet.”
“Right.”
They ascended the flight of stairs, one hoof draped over Trixie’s back. It was an odd six-legged affair, but she made it work. They stopped by a room just barely past the stairs, and Rarity opened the door quietly. The room was dark, and Sweetie Belle laid in her bed, her pillow case wet with tears. Sweetie Belle flipped over, her eyes opening slowly. “Rarity?” she asked in a drowsy haze. Then her eyes opened wide. “Rarity!” She ran up to her sister, flinging her hooves around her. Rarity hugged back, kissing the crown of her head.
Sweetie Belle loosened her grip. “I’m so glad you’re okay!” Her eyes welled up in tears.
“Me too, darling.” She nuzzled her sister. “I love you so much!” They hugged once more, Trixie watching from the side. Tears stung at her eyes. It was a sweet and wonderful thing, witnessing the love that sisters had for each other. No shortcoming, not even a broken leg could get in the way of it.
Rarity broke the hug after a moment, stroking Sweetie’s mane. “I’m going to get some sleep, okay? You should, too.”
Sweetie Belle nodded. She caught Trixie’s gaze, frowning. “Wait...” she said. “What’s Trixie doing here?”
Rarity glanced at Trixie, and she gave an awkward smile. “She’s spending the night here. But there’s nothing to worry about, darling. She’s actually quite sweet when you get to know her.”
Sweetie creased an eyebrow. “... Okay,” she said with uncertainty. “Love you, Rarity!”
Rarity smiled once more. “I love you too, Sweetie. Now, get some sleep.”
Sweetie nodded. She yawned and climbed into her covers. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” Rarity whispered. Trixie helped her out of Sweetie’s room, clicking the door shut behind them.
Trixie hoisted Rarity farther down the hallway, ignoring the burning in her legs. Upon Rarity’s instruction, she turned an immediate left. Inside her room, Trixie helped Rarity in her covers. She adjusted her pillows and covers to Rarity’s liking, even though she protested that she was fine.
“If Spike comes tonight,” Rarity said, “then there are blankets and pillows in the closet down there. He may know where they are, but if he doesn’t, would you be a dear and help him out?”
Trixie nodded. “I will.”
Rarity smiled. “Thank you, darling.”
Trixie returned the smile. “You’re welcome. Goodnight!”
“Goodnight!”
With that, Trixie clicked the door behind her, and descended the stairs. As if I need more to envy, she thought. Twilight’s friends were just too perfect. Meanwhile, the Great and Powerful Trixie… suddenly wasn’t so great anymore.
She shook her head, laughing to herself. Twilight was really getting to her. All the indoctrination of friendship and unconditional love from both her and Starlight was taking its toll. While the Great and Penitent Trixie was indeed getting her life back on track, she couldn’t help the irritation from boiling inside her chest that Twilight was inevitably winning.
Trixie laid out a blanket on the sofa, using the couch pillow for her head. One thing was for certain: Trixie would remain Trixie, no matter what happened. But as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light.
What seemed like only a moment later, she woke up to the sound of the door closing. She squinted in the dark when suddenly the lights turned on, blinding her.
“... Trixie?” a young, tubbier voice asked. As her vision cleared, she saw Spike standing in front of her, visibly slouching. His eyes were red and fatigued. His spines were less perky than before.
“Hello, Spike,” Trixie said, sitting up.
“I’m guessing that Rarity invited you over, too?”
She nodded.
“Okay,” Spike said. Trixie got up and he raised a claw. “Wait, you don’t have to get up, I’ll—”
“It’s just fine, Spike,” Trixie said, opening the door to the closet. She picked out a pillow and blanket for Spike, using her magic to set them down on the love seat on the opposite side of the room. “So, how’s Twilight doing?”
Spike’s eyes fell to the floor. “I... I dunno. I mean, she isn’t hurt too bad, but from what I’ve heard, she might be in a coma.” His gaze could’ve bored holes into the ground. “Stupid... If I’d have been there, I probably would’ve seen something.”
“Spike.” Trixie didn’t notice how firm her voice was until she heard herself. “If you were there, you would’ve died. Don’t blame yourself over something you had no control over.”
“It still doesn’t change the fact that it happened.” Spike’s claws clenched into a fist. “What if... What if Twilight doesn’t wake up? What if the attacker is still at large, and hurts more ponies? I just...”
“Spike, listen to me,” Trixie blurted, irritation burning in her chest He was exactly like Twilight. “You can’t go around and wonder about the worst case scenario. Trust me, I was like that once. That kind of thinking instills a fear that can turn good ponies bad.” She sighed. “I know you’re worried about Twilight. I am too, about Starlight, about Fluttershy, about Applejack... But have a little bit of faith!”
Spike was silent, his body shaking. His fist unclenched. “Y-you’re right... I need to look on the positive side of things.”
Trixie nodded. “That’s the spirit, Spike.” She gestured to the love seat. “Now, the Great and…” She yawned. “...very tired Trixie got you a pillow and a blanket. You’ve had a long day, and you need to get some sleep.”
Spike nodded. “Right. Thanks, Trixie.”
“No problem.” Trixie used her magic to turn off the light. “Goodnight, Spike.”
“Goodnight.”
Sleep came slower that time. Trixie lay awake, her mind rushing. She’d never seen Spike that down before, and he was a generally happy person. She couldn’t imagine the Apples with Applejack, how concerned they must be, and the concerned families with their injured or lost loved ones. A sick feeling settled in her stomach. How could anypony do such a thing? To cause such horror and confusion and havoc... It would take a heart of hate to instill these things into this world.
Trixie couldn’t help the feeling of hate rise like a cold iron in her chest. That was her, but on a much bigger scale. She never had the intention of killing anypony, but she had terrorized ponies before. Each time the memory came up, it was like a stab in the heart. But this, this was just disgusting. She hated what this pony did. She hated this pony for what they did.
But above all, the icey feeling of fear settled in her stomach. What if she became like that? To what extent would the world have to push before she dove off the deep end? That’s what scared her the most.
Then she remembered what she told Spike; to have faith. If only I could follow my own advice, she thought as her eyes drooped into an uneasy sleep.
A knock on the door greeted the morning. Trixie’s eyes shot open, jolting up from the sofa. She started climbing off when Spike held a claw up.
“Don’t worry, Trixie, I got it,” he said, groggily walking to the door. He pulled it open, revealing an officer in a decorated blue uniform.
Spike hesitated. “How may I help you, officer?”
“We have word Trixie Lulamoon stayed the night here,” he said, his voice gruff, matching his stature.
Trixie stood, walking to the door. “I am she,” she said, a pang of anxiety in her chest. “The Great and Powerful herself.” She creased her eyebrows. She hated the police. She didn’t know if it was a leftover disgust from her criminal days, or if it just was a congenital dislike.
“We have a couple questions to ask you,” the officer said. He gestured behind him. “If you would step outside, please.”
Trixie could’ve scoffed. Like she had any other choice. “Yes, officer,” she mumbled, following him outside. The sky had cleared up a lot more from before, only a slight haze left over from the wreckage. From where the Carousel Boutique was, she could see the wreckage plainly; the shop, and Rarity’s home along with it, was only a few yards away from being part of it.
The officer turned, gesturing to his companion. “So, Ms. Lulamoon,” he began. “Where were yesterday afternoon?”
Trixie knit her eyebrows. “I was in the market,” she said. “Wait… you don’t think that the Just and Law-Abiding Trixie did this?”
The officer rolled his eyes. “Ms. Lulamoon, as I understand, you’ve been responsible for a terrorist attack before, with intent of establishing harmful rule over the residents of this place. It was only Twilight Sparkle that pardoned you of this crime, only recently.”
“And that was a mistake,” Trixie said, an ice cold feeling planting in her gut. “However, I had no intention of killing anypony. This attack was conducted specifically to do such a thing. The Great and Powerful Trixie is no murderer.”
The officer’s eyebrows soared ever higher. “Well. Does the ‘Great and Powerful Trixie’ have an alibi?”
Trixie shrugged. “Ask Donut Joe. I stopped by his shop on my market run.”
The officer gestured to his partner, and he jotted things down on a piece of paper. “Anypony else that may serve as an alibi?”
“Let’s see... Berry Punch, Grandpa Pear, I talked to Filthy Rich for a moment... But no one else I know by name.”
The partner jotted the names down as the officer continued, “And have you noticed anything suspicious around that time?”
She shook her head. “Nothing.”
The officer nodded. “Siren, you got all that?” he called out.
Siren nodded. “Every last detail, sir.”
“Good.” He turned to Trixie. “Thank you for the answers, Ms. Lulamoon. We will be in touch.”
“Joy,” she said in bitter sarcasm.
“It usually is,” the officer retorted. “Let’s head out Siren. We still have Discord to deal with.”
“If we can find him,” Siren completed. “Guy’s hard to track down.”
They walked away, leaving Trixie to her lonesome. She sighed in relief. Naturally, Discord was next. They were going to be asking any pony with a questionable background they could get their hooves on.
She sniffed. It was one thing when she remembered her past mistakes. It was another when somepony else ripped them open for her. It left her feeling raw, naked, and untrusted. Of course, when she thought about it, she wouldn’t have it any other way, but it stung nonetheless.
She looked toward the wreckage. Only part of the trunk remained on Twilight’s castle. Part of her ached to go see what remained. It was her home away from home, after all. She figured, however, that it would be blocked off by the police already. But she just had to check. After all, she didn’t need to be in the wreckage to see what survived, right? She walked back into the Carousel Boutique’s living quarters. She bade Spike and a groggy Rarity adieu, and headed toward the wreckage.
The market was in ruins, shards of crystal sticking out of the ground, shops knocked down at best, others disappeared plainly into dust. But the castle itself was a terror to behold. The wing that had almost crushed her still remained, but was taped off by the police as they shined their flashlights in hopes of finding anything that indicated a device that set off the explosion. But nearer to ground zero, most of the ground was covered in tiny crystalline shards and ash, the sun shining brilliantly off the surface. There was a huge shard, however, that she vaguely recognized had land masses; the remains of the Cutie Map from the throne room.
She couldn’t get close enough to the wreckage to investigate, as it was barred off by the police, too. However, her eye caught a book that was miraculously still in tact. It was out of reach, but was close enough that she could read the worn title: An Assessment of Legendary Creatures. Something I’d definitely see Twilight reading all night, she thought with a smile on her face.
She asked around about the wreckage, but from what she’d gathered, nothing was found about the attacker so far. All they knew is that there was an explosion, and it was unclear if it was caused by a device or if it was magically set off. Dissatisfied with the information, but knowing she couldn’t do anything about it, she headed back to the Carousel Boutique. But as she did so, she noticed a crowd of people headed the opposite direction toward the square.
However, a familiar face, cyan coat, and rainbow mane, flew around, door to door along with other pegasi. Trixie galloped to her. “Rainbow Dash!” she called out.
Rainbow Dash looked over to her, cocking her head. “Trixie? What’re you still doing in town? I thought that most of the affected residents were moved to the Apple farm.”
“I spent the night with Rarity,” Trixie explained. “But what’s happening? Why’s the whole town headed toward the square?”
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t hear? Mayor Mare called for a town assembly on immediate business. Said it’s word from Canterlot.”
Trixie narrowed her eyebrows. Word from Canterlot? she thought. That was fast. “Any word on what it is?”
Rainbow shook her head. “No. That’s the reason why she called a town assembly, duh.” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings. “Anyways, I’d better knock on some more doors. It’s important that we get as many ponies as possible.” She gestured to the square. “You’d better be headed with the crowd, too.”
Trixie nodded. “Right.”
With that, Trixie headed toward the square. Whilst doing so, she carefully listened to the folk around her. There were many ponies just talking about their loved ones; how their son was doing, if father was going to come home by dinner that night, and the funeral service for an aunt.
“... Received an odd visitor,” a mare said. “She was an interesting individual. Very secretive and antisocial. Just said she was passing through.”
Trixie’s heart jumped. “Wait,” she said to the couple, and they stopped their conversation dead in their tracks. “This individual. Can you tell me more about her?”
The mare shook her head. “Secretive. Antisocial. She looked Canterlotian, but I couldn’t be too sure.”
Her heart sank. “Oh. Sorry about the interruption.”
The mare cocked her head. “You’re friends with Twilight Sparkle, aren’t you?”
Trixie shrugged. “More of a friend of a friend. I only really know her through Starlight, her former pupil.”
The mare nodded sympathetically. “Oh. She was caught up in the blast too. I can’t imagine how that feels, to have a friend that close to the epicenter. She was practically the target.”
Trixie nodded. She realized that she didn’t know how Starlight was, or even if she was still alive. A sick feeling settled in her stomach.
They arrived in the square, and Mayor Mare stood before the wreckage, a solemn look on her face. “If I may have everyone’s attention, please,” she projected, and the crowd fell to silence. “First, out of respect of the fallen and the injured, I would like to invite you in a moment of silence.” A thick blanket of silence covered the square, and Trixie could feel its heaviness on her shoulders.
“Thank you,” Mayor Mare said. “We’ve all lost something in this terrible incident. We have lost loved ones, our homes, and our sense of safety in this town. Because of this incident, aid from Canterlot is coming as soon as possible, starting as soon as tomorrow morning.” Mayor Mare’s expression turned dark. “However, because of the magnitude of this attack, all residents of each town with royalty—ours included, are on strict lockdown. Nopony is to be let in nor out until further notice.” Murmurs started in the crowd. “To insure compliance, Canterlotian troops are en route for arrival tomorrow to set a border. If anypony fails to comply, I’m afraid they will be marked as fugitives, and will be taken into custody when found.”
The crowd grew to an uproar.
“Is this what it’s come to?”
“What’re the two sisters thinking?”
“I knew they didn’t have our rights in mind!”
“My wife’s in Canterlot!”
“Enough!” the Mayor screamed over the crowd, and the uproar halted. “I know how this may seem, but rest assured that this will only be a brief period. The killer will be found, and when they are, they will be brought to justice.”
Trixie shuffled through the crowd as the uproar started once again. As much as she enjoyed political discourse, the anger in the crowd was too much to bear. She felt like she was losing her well-kept sanity bit by bit.
When she finally made it out of the crowd, Discord materialized in front of her. “I’ve got to say,” he started, “out of all the chaos I’ve wreaked, this is some of the most I’ve seen... And it was not even me!”
“Discord!” Trixie warned.
“What?” Discord said. “It’s true!”
“Have you no mind?” Trixie bit. “These ponies have lost almost everything. I’ve lost almost everything! How can you even talk about that?”
“I know,” Discord said solemnly. “I’ve lost somepony too.”
“But Fluttershy’s...” Trixie’s heart skipped a beat. “Fluttershy. Please tell me she’s still alive!”
Discord shrugged. “I don’t know. She became unstable and I was rudely escorted out.”
Trixie felt sicker than before. Were their attempts to save her all for nothing?
“But it’s for that reason why I’ve decided to leave.”
Trixie’s eyes widened. “What?”
Discord nodded solemnly. “I have to track down the thing who did this to Fluttershy.” He spat out the word. ”I can’t sit idly by as incompetent royal guards file away in every city while that thing’s still at large.”
She knit her eyebrows. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Oh, Trixie, expecting an ulterior motive in everything. I see how it is...” Discord turned away dramatically. “However, since you asked, it would be rather lonesome if I went alone. I figured that since you were one of the victims, you would have a bone to pick against this monster, too.”
She stared at the ground. “I can’t. I can’t betray Starlight’s trust like that. I can’t become a fugitive.”
“You can’t...” Discord said, “... Or you won’t?”
“Well!” Trixie started, but the words choked in her throat. “Well...”
Discord narrowed his eyebrows. “Think about it, Trixie. Come tomorrow morning, I’m afraid you won’t have another chance.” He shrugged, and with a snap of his fingers, he disappeared into thin air.
Trixie frowned, closing her eyes to think. If she became a fugitive again, she would betray her friends’ trust. There’s no doubt about that. However, she knew that if the Celestial guard took it into their own hooves, they would take much longer than Mayor Mare would have the townsponies to believe.
She swallowed a spark of desire. She wanted to find the one responsible. She wanted to bring them to justice, for what they did to her friends. However, things would be a lot safer if she just stayed.
She sighed. There was one thing that she was sure she needed to do. She made her way toward the hospital, uncertainty welling up in her heart.
Trixie was only barely able to see Starlight. It was only because the receptionist lady quit on the spot. Because her partner felt bad for her, Trixie was let through.
Starlight’s room was really no different from hers. It was the the same hue of white, same setup as hers.
Trixie’s heart sank when she saw Starlight herself. A thick brace hugged her neck, the crown of her head covered in a tight bandage. She was asleep.
“Starlight...” she whispered. She raised her voice a little. “Starlight.”
Her eyes wouldn’t open. All she heard was the sound of her breathing.
Trixie sighed. “What am I supposed to do...” She sat at a chair at her bedside. Starlight’s heart beat steadily, the beeps filling the room.
“I don’t know if you can hear me, Starlight,” Trixie begun. “But… I’m lost. Discord came up with this stupid plan... A plan to leave Ponyville and try to bring down the pony who did this to you. And he... He had the audacity to ask me, the Smart and Integrous Trixie to come with him. Is it really worth it to become a fugitive to do this?”
No reply. Starlight slept peacefully.
The more she looked at Starlight, the more anger she felt. It boiled up unexpectedly, on the verge of erupting. That thing did this to her. It destroyed Ponyville, almost killed Fluttershy, sent Twilight into a coma.
In the show-pony’s mind, she had met a definitive crossroads. Her options appeared plainly in her mind; either to stay and let others handle her problems, or to go and confront them herself. Behind each was an element of fear: was she strong enough to do this by herself, and if she were to stay, how long would it take for that monster to be captured? How long would she be quarantined in her own city?
Is it really worth it to become a fugitive? The question spiraled in her mind before coming to a screeching halt. This was her only opportunity to act... And she had to.
In just a moment, the show-pony entered on a new stage, a stage left untrodden. She gathered herself to her hooves, and walked to the door. “When you wake up, this nightmare will be over.” The words burned in her chest, searing like fire when they left her lips. “I promise.” With that, she clicked the door shut.
The night air was chilled with the autumn breeze. There was naught a sound in the streets, only Trixie’s hoofsteps as she clicked the door to the Carousel Boutique shut. She adjusted her saddlebags and snuck to the outskirts of town in the ink-black curtain of night.
Trixie was only hoofsteps away from being home free when a pegasus landed in front of her. Her cyan coat and rainbow mane gave everything away. “What are you doing?” Rainbow Dash shot, stepping toward her.
Trixie sighed. “Doing what needs to be done.” She tried stepping around her, but the pegasus jumped in front of her once more.
“No way!” she exclaimed, fanning her wings out. “You do realize that this isn’t any ordinary bad guy, right? He’ll kill you!”
“He almost killed my best friend!” she retorted, lighting her horn.
“They’re my friends, too!” Rainbow Dash took a low stance, ready to pounce. “The Celestial guard is on their way to lock him behind bars. Why are you so insistent on fighting somepony else’s fight?”
The words caught like stone in Trixie’s chest. “J-just move Rainbow Dash. I have to do this.”
The pegasus’ eyes narrowed. “Not a chance.”
The stone burned into a furious flame, and before she knew it, she had gathered a smoke bomb from her saddlebags, and threw it toward her. It exploded in a plume of smoke, and Trixie galloped past her.
She heard Rainbow Dash cough and wheeze behind her. “W-what’re you trying to prove?” Rainbow Dash called out to her, her voice raspy as she went into another coughing fit. “Answer me, Lulamoon! What’re you trying to prove!”
Trixie closed her eyes, blotting out the pegasus’ words as they faded into the distance. Tears stung her eyes as she galloped away from what she now considered her home.
She galloped until the village was just a line on the horizon. She weaved between the rolling hills before her strength left her, and she slowed to a halt. Unable to catch her breath, she collapsed against the side of a steep hill, each lungful of air tasting like copper.
Suddenly, a bright flash popped in front of her, and she knew who it was before even looking. “Discord,” she said between gasps of air.
“Trixie Lulamoon,” the draconequus said sleazily. “I just have to admit, I didn’t think you would tag along this time.” He snapped his talons, and he was wearing business attire, with a microphone in hand. “So, how does it feel to be a fugitive once again? Awesome? Boring? Like you completely betrayed the trust of your only friends?”
“Stop it!” Trixie snapped. “Just... Enough. Trixie has had enough of your shenanigans for one night.”
Discord put a hand on his chest, breathing in an audible gasp. “My, my! Is our ‘great and powerful’”—He did air quotes around these words—”magician feeling cocky tonight? Perhaps... Above poor Discord!”
The magician groaned. “As far as I can tell, this was your idea to begin with.” She gathered herself to her hooves. “What’s the next step?”
The draconequus narrowed his eyebrows. “Answer my question, why don’t you?” He extended his claws, a map of Equestria appearing out of thin air. “Anyways, our next stop is Canterlot. I have a connection there. If we have any chance to know where our little monster is, then she will definitely know.”
“Wait,” Trixie said, eyeing the map. “Canterlot? Another royal city? We’ll be caught in no time flat!”
“Not with that attitude, tsk, tsk, tsk,” Discord mused. He shook a talon. “There are many other ways to enter Canterlot, dear. You just have to trust me.”
The show-pony raised an eyebrow. “What… other ways do you suggest?”
The draconequus chuckled menacingly. He stood above Trixie, looking down at her with an insane look on his face. “Come now… Why spoil the fun?”
