//------------------------------//
// Return of Trixie 
// Story: Living Darkness 
// by vildtiger 
//------------------------------//

Note: This happens the next day after the last chapter.
part 2 and made from the episode 'Magic Duel'

Scout awakes early and takes a moment to realize what the bit heavy thing on his shoulder is. He is surprised to see that Spy- no his father hasn't left his side after he asked his old man to stay. From how his father is lying, Scout highly doubts he will get anywhere without waking him and—who is that female horse? Scout blinks seeing a mare sleeping beside his father, a very weird mare. She looks kinda like a zebra— hold up, that is the pony named Zecora? This must be how she looks like without her Halloween costume. Why is she here? He winches slightly when this mare opens her eyes and looks straight at him, she smiles gently.

"It is warming to see the young one awake this lovely morning."

"Huh?" Scout blinks, taken by surprise that she speaks like this, he thought she only spoke like that as part of the show. The zebra raises her head, clearly amused by his confusions. "You will in time get used to I prefer speaking in rhymes. What class name does the son of my dear spy reclaim?"
Okay, this is both weird and kinda cool at the same time. "Uh Scout." He introduces himself to the zebra.

Zecora nods in greeting. "I welcome you to my home, it is not much but I am quite comfortable in this humble zone." The colt smiles weakly before both turn their gaze to Spy who mumbles a bit in his sleep. She knows it is rude but from the looks of Scout; he has gotten enough lying around. "Move out your place will make him awake, I am sure he will forgive you for causing his head quite the ache." She muses out loud in her pretend to wonder.

Scout is starting to like this zebra, she has a good sense of humor. And taking her small advice, Scout leaves his spot, making his father's head drop to the floor. The changeling snaps awake and curses out something in French. Scout quickly points at the zebra, he knows how dangerous BLU Spy can be when angry. "She suggested it!" Winching from the small offended stare she sends him.

"Shift the blame my young Scout does not change the guilt you want to shout." Zecora says in a huffy tone, much to her satisfaction the colt shift on his hooves from his embarrassment.

Caressing his sour jaw from hitting the floor and get a very rude awaking, Spy points out to Scout. "Zecora right, she might've suggested it, but you went on with it. So the blame is partly on you too." But that does not make his dear zebra blameless, he turns to her smirking. "And shame on you; how dare you to beguile his questionable mind."

With a smirk on like Spy, Zecora nudges her head against his. "I cannot evade your son is easy to persuade."

"Hm, so true." Spy agrees and would've kissed her if not:

"Hey! I am standing right here!" Scout retorts greatly annoyed these two are teasing him.

Spy eyes the amused Zecora once, before turning to Scout. "You know we're right." He retorts back, Scout blows a raspberry, much to his amusement. Spy gets up and steps over to his son. Pulling him close so he can do something that feels equally nice to him. He lets the love he has transferred over to his son.
Like yesterday, Scout instinctively moves closer to his chest and where this energy is coming from, but this time he cannot do it as long as yesterday. Spy hasn't as much in him at the moment. He stops the transfer and steps away. "That's all I can give you for now." He tells his son.

"Man, it felt sooo good" Scout groans joyfully from getting more of the tasteless and yet delicious energy from his father. It powers his body like nothing else, eyeing his old man curious. "What the hell is it?" For he has no idea what it is.

Zecora gets on her hooves, no need getting explained what Spy have just done to his half changeling son. "Little Changeling cub, your kind feeds on love."

"Love?" Scout blinks, as in real love? He turns to his father and the older changeling nods, saying; "What you felt was the love I have gathered from other ponies. I can't feed you with my own love as I cannot convert it into—"
"Hold the freaking phone." Scout interrupts him for he is still quite startled that creatures in this world can feed on love and he is one of them. "Are you saying I just ate love?"

Spy nods. "Yes."

Throwing up his hooves. "Un-freaking-believable! Now I see why the ponies call you a love sucker! What I have been feeling all this time; is that me draining them?!"

"Of course not." Spy shakes his head and decides it might be best explaining to his son what he has learned about this form. "In my time here I have figured three ways for a changeling to feed. What you are sensing now is the passive form; it works much like a small snack but it won't keep us going for long. The two other ways are much more effective. A changeling can force out the love from other ponies, it steals their energy and not only does that form of feeding hurt but at extreme draining it will put the pony in a small coma." Spy taps on his chest. "and then there is what I did moments ago. Let it be real love or friendship, if a pony willingly shares it with a changeling, they feed the changeling; and the pony won't be harmed."

Oh, well that makes sense he guesses, Scout thinks. Ever since he befriended some of the ponies, he has been pumped with energy and barely needed any real food. Seems like he now lives on friendship, and that is really funny in some weird way. "So simply being someone's friend is enough?" His father nods and says with a thoughtful frown. "However I do think you can draw energy from normal food as well." That comment does surprises Scout a bit. "What?" He chuckles weakly. "You will starve if not around friends?"
Spy eyes him and nods slowly. "Food cannot sustain me in this form." Wow, that is really weird and now that Scout thinks about it; scary as well. Spy has never tried to befriend the rest of the team, but now he needs that friendship in order to stay alive. Getting friends with them is easier said than done and the town's ponies are still scared of Spy after that wedding, so... "How were you able to feed me then?" He asks, for if his conclusion is right, then Spy would be starving at the moment.

Spy turns his gaze to Zecora, giving the zebra a warm smile. "I'm lucky there is someone who loves me."

Hold up, "You're a thing?" Scout asks startled, about to voice how wrong that is since—she is a horse and Spy is—
"Scout, do me the favor and don't go there." His father interrupts him, followed by emotions of sadness but also love— not aimed at him this time but at this zebra.
"What about ma?" Scout asks as he had been hoping his father and ma would get together again, and... well now knowing the truth he is a bit more okay with Spy infinity her.

Of course, his boy would ask that but Spy can't really blame him. "She and I agreed that it was time to go our separate ways."

"But—"

"Scout, I still care a lot for your mother, but the love I once felt for her has faded." Spy says in a tone he does not want to talk about it anymore. It was hard to leave her, but it was for the best and he has gotten better, more so when Zecora came into his life. Spy is now sort of happy Scout can feel his emotions as he got the hint and drops the subject instead of pressing him as most likely would've.

"Scout, isn't my love to your father proof enough?" Zecora asks the colt, finally deciding to speak now the moment between father and son is over. "I know this causes you some distress but forcing your parents together without love is bad to obsess."

Scout drops his head, disappointed in this fact but Zecora has a point. "Yeah... I guess you're right." What right does he have making two people who do not love one another anymore come together? It sucks but from what he is sensing between his father and this Zecora, it is clear they love one another. Still bit weird his father is dating a zebra, though.

Well, that went fast. Zecora is truly a miracle worker. Spy nuzzles his son's head once and steps over to his beloved Zebra, giving her the kiss he forgot to give her earlier. He smirks feeling Scout's small discomfort and decides that perhaps it is best getting his boy back before a certain pink haired pegasus will get a heart attack from the worry he is certain she will feel from not knowing where her houseguest has been all night. "Come, let's get you back to Fluttershy." He says and with a quick kiss on Zecora's cheek, Spy leaves the hut with Scout close behind. On the way back to Ponyville, Spy explains to Scout how important it is that they do not show their relationship with one another when around other ponies nor the team. "And especially not around Miss Pauling, she will report it to the Administrator and that's the last thing we want." He points out firmly

Scout can take all this vigilance if it means they won’t be forced to pretend there is nothing between them. "Got it." Hold up, what if Spy still wants to pretend he isn’t his old man? Scout eyes him, asking hopefully that his worries are nothing but his thoughts. "I can still visit you, right?" A wave of mild amusement followed by Spy chuckle eases his mind.

Oh, how his boy has deflated his spamming mouth and ego simply from being around him for a day, doubts it will stay that way, though. "If you are careful and try not get spotted." Scout smiles with the emotions of joy surrounding him. Again unable to help himself— he blames the effect from kid's constant emotions, Spy stroke his head over Scout's head before snapping into the mask of his class name. "Now, here is what you are going to tell the others if they ask where you have been."

***

(At Fluttershy's cottage)

Twilight takes Medic and Demo over to Fluttershy, wanting to show them how they should do the show with the critters. Fluttershy is quite reluctant to the idea but does agree. The pegasus gather some of the animals and lies down before them, ensuring them although it's more herself there needs it than her animals. "Don't be scared, little friends. Twilight is wonderful with magic." She ensures the animals, adding hard to Twilight as the mere thought her animals friends getting hurt is very distressing. "Anything happens to them, Twilight, so help me...!" Spike steps in between them, telling the nervous pegasus as he leads her a bit away. "Aww, don't worry, Fluttershy, Twilight's magic has gotten a lot better since she accidentally crushed me and Applejack with a giant snowball." Twilight shoots Medic and Demo a glare for laughing at Spike's comment before turning to Fluttershy with a sheepishly smile.

Fluttershy knows Twilight is good with magic, she has seen her friend magical skills several times. "Of course she's good with magic— Twilight's great with magic. I guess I just don't want my little friends to be scared." And goes in straight in PANIC mode. "Look how scared they are!"

Everyone turns to the animals, and only Fluttershy does not see how excited they are about this.

Demo pokes Medic's shoulder, getting the bit taller unicorn's attention. "Oh yes, they are so terrified." He remarks in a mocking tone. Medic smirks as a reply and both returns back to the scene of Twilight ensuring Fluttershy nothing will happen to the animals.

The purple unicorn then walks over to the awaiting animals, calling to the two turned humans. "Now look closely you two." Activating her magic there surrounds the animals. She does not start the small show as Fluttershy panics, eyeing her friend for a moment before she returns her attention back to the animals and starts the levitation show. She makes them fly up to the air and into a circle, then splits them up, making the two groups fly between one another and finishes off by making them fly into an infinity sign.

"Twilight, that looks amazing!" Spike cheers at the sight.

Smiling Twilight puts the chittering in joy animals back onto the ground. They run over to her, jumping up and down in excitement. She gives them a small smile. "That's all for now, little ones. Maybe we can practice again later if Fluttershy says it's alright." And the animals run over to the shivering on the ground Fluttershy, Twilight has a pretty good guess they are asking Fluttershy if it's okay.
She turns to the two stallions who should at week's end be able to do this. She opens her mouth to explain to them how to do it properly, but just then, something reminding Twilight of a strange lightning bolt speed past her. Turing to check what it is, she sees Scout now lying upside down against the nearest tree, the almost adult colt gives them a cheeky smile. "Hey, guys!"

Fluttershy recovers from her panic mode about the animals and asks both worried but also relived her houseguest is alright as Rainbow ensured her last night when Scout went into the Everfree forest after his father. "Scout, you're alright." She jumps over to the colt. "Oh, I was so worried." Scout gets up from the ground, shaking the leaves off him. "I'm fine, nothing can keep up with me after all!" He boasts his chest.

Medic rolls his eyes, not one bit impressed. "Unless you have to dodge obstacles."

"Hey, it's harder than it looks, okay!" Scout snaps, these speed boost he can make when on high enough energy makes him very fast but he yet hasn't figured out how to properly steer. Scout has a feeling it’s because of his tattered wings, that or he’s just going too fast. "You try and see you can do better- oh wait, I forgot; you don't have these babies." Flapping his wings and with a laugh takes to the sky before the two can do some of their weird magic on him. Also so he does not have to explain what he has been all night, Spy's story is good but he doesn't think he can pull the lie properly off.

Fortunately for Scout, the two older stallions are busier either rolling their eyes or throw back a few insults than question where he has been since yesterday, for really; they don't care. However, the three turned humans all forget their small insult contest when Rainbow Dash; now the speedy one, tackles Twilight onto the ground, however not because of a failed practice round.
"Twilight! Come quick! It's an emergency!" She tells the unicorn and drags Twilight with her. "Trixie is back!" Twilight gasps and quickly follows the blue pegasus.
The three mercenaries decide to follow, Fluttershy decides to stay behind, well aware she won't be much help.

Scout lands and gallop beside the two mares, asking as from their emotions, they consider the return of this Trixie seriously. "Whoa, whoa; who is Trixie?"

"She is a fraud unicorn who thought she was better than anypony." Rainbow replies.

"Doesn't that sound familiar." Demo chuckles, both Scout and Rainbow Dash shoots him a glare, Rainbow does quickly shake the bit offending remark off. "Yeah well, she couldn't back up her bragging and when Twilight beat her with magical skills; Trixie left, but now she's back and casting spells on anypony! She has already taken out Soldier and Heavy!" The four gasp, finally realizing how serious this must be if Soldier- who fights the Everfree forest beasts daily and Heavy who is their strongest member cannot handle this unicorn.

***
(Ponyville town square)

A red beam of magic hits Derpy, and a band clams around her eyes, removing her sight. The mare starts to panic in the horrific thought that she has lost her sight permanently, she crashes to the ground, crying of one of her worst fears coming true. Sniper runs over, ensuring her. "It's only a band covering your eyes."
Sobbing, Derpy nods slowly and sits down. "I'm sorry I couldn't be more help..." She apologizes and feels like a really lousy element bearer.

Sniper nudges her shoulder. "No worries." Before he turns to the one causing so much havoc, he takes out his silver bow and arrow, aiming at the unicorn currently busy transfigure horrid clothing onto Rarity. "You bloody prancing show pony." He whispers angrily and shoots. Before the sleep-inducing arrow hits its target the unicorn stops it in midflight and with: "Ah ah, it is not yet time to finish up my great and powerful show!" and fires the arrow back, Sniper dodges it thanks to his agility, but poor Engineer isn't that lucky and he drops to the ground fast asleep. "Ah, bugger..." Sniper swears from they have lost one of the team's smarter people. He pulls out another arrow, this time taking flight but before he can make the shot, the unicorn hits him with a beam and he crashes to the ground and god-awful ugly dog collar appears around his neck with a chain attaching itself to the ground. "You bloody piker!" He roars while struggling to get free from this embarrassing dog chain.

The others arrive about there, seeing the scene of Pinkie and Applejack putting a pink sheet around the heartbroken looking Rarity who is in some horrible looking dress. Soldier trapped in a strap-jacket, Heavy trying desperately trying to stand but cannot because of the constant soap forming around his hooves. Derpy has been temporarily blinded by a band clamped around her eyes, Engineer sleeping thanks to a powerful stunning spell and lastly Sniper almost breaking his own neck to get free from the dog chain.
Seeing this made especially Rainbow Dash angry. "I show you not to pick on my friends!" and tackles into Trixie. The unicorn stumbles but even lying on the ground, she still able to cast her spell. Rainbow's right wing turns twice its size, making her flight impossible, she yelps in surprises and although she does a decent attempt recovering, she still crashes to the ground.

Two unicorn colts laugh at that scene. "Oh! She's Rainbow Wobble, now!" The smallest of them exclaims up to his taller friend there agrees with a laugh, turning to Trixie. "Good spell, oh Great and Powerful Trixie!"
But Trixie did not approve of those two praises and with a spell, she fuses their horns together, forcing the first to hang upside down onto the other. The two colts start running around like a pair of headless chickens as if hoping that would put them back to normal.

A certain light grey stallion got quickly enough watching such idiocy and stops them with a freezing spell. "Dummkopf! Stay still already!"

Twilight turns to the unicorn causing all this havoc, demanding Trixie hard. "Stop picking on my friends, Trixie!" But that blue, white-haired unicorn is way more interested in seeing her here than stop tormenting Twilight's friends. "Well, well, well. If it isn't... Twilight Sparkle." Trixie steps forward to the purple unicorn, saying with her usual boastful tone. "You and I have some unfinished business. My magic's gotten better since I was here last. And I'm going to prove it! Me and you, a magic duel." Pointing at the edge of the town" Winner stays, loser leaves Ponyville forever!" The last she cries gleefully and for a moment her eyes light a dim red.
Twilight didn't notice the red glow though, she is too busy being mad over what Trixie has done to her friends. "Forget it! I'd never make a deal like that! Now stop your bullying this instant!" She demands, stomping her hoof in anger.

Trixie chuckles amused over this now ordinary unicorn thinks she can command the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie around, she thinks not! "Your choice." She turns her magic onto Twilight little pet dragon and forces him into a ball shape, Spike yelps in both pain and fear as Trixie bounces him around like a real ball.

Twilight quickly turns her own magic on Spike, releasing him from this very uncomfortable position and pushes the whimpering Spike behind her so Trixie won't use her magic on him again. "Why are you doing this?" She demands the other unicorn.

"Why?" Trixie asks angrily, now her turn to stomp the ground.  "Because you humiliated me!" She conjures her own memories onto a screen there reminds the mercenaries about a conjecture, not that she noticed their reaction, she is way busier telling Twilight about her humiliation. "After you showed me up with that Ursa Minor, I became a laughing stock! Everywhere I went I was laughed at and ostracized. I even had to take a job on a rock farm just to earn a living! A rock farm!"

Pinkie steps forward very offended how this unicorn cried over have been working on a rock farm. "Hey! You're lucky a rock farm would take the likes of you!" She cries, blinking when Trixie conjure up an arrow and to her great distress, this arrow pulls off her mouth and throws it into a conjuring trashcan. Now unable to talk, all she can do is mumble how not cool this is.

Medic and Demo stares at her in disbelief, both desperately trying to figure out how to defeat someone who can do stuff like that! It is way beyond their experience fighting each other and giant robots. Hell, this is more they ever had to deal with when fighting Soldier's crazy wizard roommate!

Gleeful she has the power over these fools. "Now I want revenge! And I'll just keep casting spells until you agree." She cast a spell on Twilight's home, making the whole tree library float into the air and turn upside down, making Twilight's beloved books fall out, not even that owl can stop it. "Well? What do you say?"

Looking around, seeing all the horrible things Trixie has already done and know she will keep doing it until she agrees, Twilight reluctantly agrees to Trixie's terms. "Alright, Trixie." She gently pushes Spike away, he runs over to the remaining turned humans for cover. Twilight turns to that arrogant and going over the line unicorn. "Let's duel!"

Trixie smirks. "Excellent." And with a sharp flash of her magic, everypony she has cast spells on is back to normal, well except Pinkie; Trixie does not want to hear on that one. The olive green stallion did not get the hint she is better than anyone as he charges at her again, rolling her eyes, she conjures up a box and throws that annoying pegasus stallion inside. The cross-eyed grey pegasus flies over to the box with a very distressed look on her face, closely followed by a brown unicorn there tries but will fail to get him out. With that nuisance out of the way: "If I lose, I won't set hoof in Ponyville again. But if you lose, you're the one banished from this one-horse town!" Twilight friends' gasps, which Trixie completely ignores. "Draw!" and throws a spell on an applecart, making it fall over to a crowd of ponies.
Twilight catches it before it hits a tripped pony and puts it safely back to the ground.

Sensing this Trixie will use the locals as cannon fodder, Sniper takes flight, "Moves it peo- I mean ponies! You don't want stick around for this!" He commands them and does not has to say that twice. The town's ponies leave the area, stopping to watch at a safer distance. Those staying around are all those connected to the Elements of Harmony. He lands beside Heavy, both now watching Twilight summons a strange insect there easily eats all the pies Trixie throws at her. Both blinks when that one insect throws up another and Twilight dismisses those two with an annoyed grunt; clearly, she has dealt with those before.
Then everyone looks up when Trixie makes a whole cloud of snow and drops it onto the area, covering them all in snow.

Heavy brushes the snow off, grunting. "This is stupid." Watching Twilight use a heat spell to remove the snow. "We should help Twilight." Giving Sniper an annoyed stare when the griffin throws a wave of water on him by shaking. Sniper isn't sorry about it though and asks just as annoyed. "And what do you suggest we do against that?" Pointing at Twilight and Trixie showing off their magical powers. "Throw some rocks at her?"
Heavy grunts again, but he can see Sniper has a point. People like them do not stand a chance against this world's true magic users, doubt even with weapons they would stand a chance.

Of course, Scout did not realize that, before any of the others can stop him; Scout charges at Trixie. A bit to their surprise he does hit her but before any of them can get over and help Twilight defeat this magic user. Trixie traps Scout in a levitation spell.

"Ah good, I could use a volunteer for my next act." Trixie smirks up at this very strange looking colt. "Thanks for volunteering."

"Fuck you!"

Well, this one surely lacks the manner. Trixie is not impressed, so perhaps he should get a do-over. She shoots her magic on him, the colt gasps of the magic surrounding him and in a sharp flash, she drops the now really young colt onto the ground. However unlike most colts, there would cry from that action, this weird looking colt sits up with a huge angry pout on his face, fighting to hold back the tears.

The mercenaries and the mares are all in shock seeing this, Twilight as well. "An age spell? But... how could you do an age spell? That's only for the highest level unicorns!" She exclaims dumbfounded Trixie did it when she proved last time she wasn't that good at magic.

Trixie brushes her necklace smugly. "Well, Twilight? Give up?" She taunts with a sweet smile, well aware Twilight cannot win and enjoys every moment of this ordinary unicorn fighting against the evadible.

"Try Twilight." Heavy says, for he really does not want to explain to Spy why his son has been turned into a small child. He knows how cruel and persistent Spy can be when pissed and he would prefer not having to go through that outside the War Games and without respawn to count on.

Twilight takes a deep breath and turns her magic on full power onto Scout, he gets lifted into the air but no matter how much she pushes her magic, she does not have the training nor skills to do such a spell and the young colt drops to the ground again. The only thing saving him from getting another hard landing is a levitation spell from Demo, Scout lifts his hooves with a huge smile on his face. "Again! Again!" He laughs, not realizing what she has been trying, he only knew that being levitated is fun.

Trixie laughs at her rivals great failure like she knew from the start TRIXIE is the greatest unicorn! "Trixie is the highest level unicorn! And now it's time for you to leave Ponyville! FOREVER!" She shouts, the magic of her amulet makes her eyes shine red. Of course, Twilight's friends do one futile attempt on stopping her exile.

"That's enough, Trixie!" Applejack shouts.

"You proved your point," Rarity says, shaking her head. "But you can't possibly expect Twilight to leave Ponyville!"

Sniper pulls out his weapon, aiming an arrow at the Trixie. "She won't" Heavy, Medic, Demo, and Derpy join, Scout trots over to them too, doing some kind of song and completely ruins their offensive position. Derpy can't help but daaw at this, the four turned humans sends the team speedster an unsure look of what they should do with him, then snaps back to Trixie when she starts laughing.

"She is already gone!"

A red aura surrounds Twilight and hurls the unicorn out from the town. Twilight's friends follow, the mercenaries do as well with Derpy carrying the young foal to Scout.
Twilight lands outside town and before she can return back, a huge fishbowl appears above the town and separates her from her friends.
Heavy tackles into it, but the large crack he made fixed itself up, much to his annoyance.
Twilight puts her hoof onto the spot where Spike has his claws, ensuring all of them. "It's okay, guys. I'll figure something out."

"Perhaps Pyro can break this barrier?" Medic suggests thoughtfully.

It is a good idea but Twilight is unsure it would be wise letting a fire happy dragon near a town filled with houses made out of tree. "I will ask Zecora for help first. If she doesn't have anything, well, I'll get a hold on our second dragon." The group nods, Twilight takes one step, then turns her gaze back to her trapped friends. "Take care of each other. And keep an eye on Trixie. There's something strange about her." And with that, she runs off.

"Twilight?" Spike calls after her, feeling lost watching her leave. Blinking he looks up from a very young child voice whimpers. "It hurt..." noticing it is the foal turned Scout.

Medic titles his head of what the now turned child has said. "Does age spell hurts?" Not sure what to think about it, for in one hand it is possible the body and partly the mind is aware he shouldn't be in that age, but on the other hand, would a child like Scout even be aware?

But Heavy knows better of why Scout is feeling distressed. "Scout can sense emotions." He explains, eyeing the wimping kid in Derpy's hooves. "That what hurt baby Scout."

"Me no baby." Scout grumbles, and yet he still clings to Derpy like a child his age would. For him, he does not know this form isn't normal. His mind and body are completely in the age of the age he has been forced into.

Sniper somehow finds that amusing. "Heh, even in that age, he tries to be such a tough little bastard." But now to the big question. "What should we do with him? I doubt miss Show pony is going to turn him back."

"I can take care of him." Derpy says, throwing this young colt gently up and down in her hooves, making him giggle madly. "I love children."

That's one problem solved, so now to the one who caused all this mess. "We better keep an eye out for Trixie." Applejack suggests.

"And perhaps inform Miss Pauling what has happened." Medic points out and speaking of her. "Where is she anyway?" He hasn't seen much of her the time she has been here.

"Oh, she was inside Twilight's library the last time I saw her." Rainbow Dash replies. Two seconds later everyone realizes that if Miss Pauling had been in there then she would've been thrown around when Trixie cast that anti-gravity spell on it. Rainbow winches of the thought and yet; "I gotta see this." She grins and flies off.
The others follow at a slower pace.