With the way Fell Wind shot from behind the rock to the crevice in the opposite wall a little ways ahead, it was almost as though she had never had any issues trotting in the first place.
Though, from the slight wince Fell Wind showed upon sidling up to the cave wall, Trixie could see that it hadn't been as easy as Fell Wind made it seem. Trixie watched her every move, waiting for the signal to follow after her.
Fell Wind peered out from behind the wall for several seconds before motioning for the azure filly to follow. The crevice Fell Wind had hidden in was just deep enough for the two of them, so when Trixie quickly but quietly dashed to where the mare was, she didn't have too much trouble getting in and around her.
With Trixie securely behind her, Fell Wind once again peered out from their hiding spot to search for the next one. There was another large rock big enough for the both of them, but it was much further than the crevice had been and there were two shadow ponies between them and it.
"Damn it all to Tartarus," Fell Wind muttered as she retreated back into the crevice, "I can make it, but..."
"What's wrong?" Trixie whispered with a worried frown, "are there shadow ponies over there?"
"Yeah, two of them," Fell Wind replied quietly, "I could make it, but I don't think you'll be able to, kid."
"Trixie can do it."
Fell Wind eyed the filly with a dubious frown.
"Look, kid," Fell Wind whispered, "you've been a big help, getting me away from those shadows and making it all the way here, but--"
"Trixie made it into your room without you noticing, didn't she?" Trixie argued back, "and besides, the shadows don't notice me at all, remember?"
She had put on the most confident face she could muster, but inwardly, Trixie knew she was taking a gamble. For this to work, Fell Wind would've had to believe the filly could get away with trotting right past the shadow ponies.
She watched Fell Wind's expression go from doubtful, to thoughtful, and finally she nodded as if coming to a decision.
"Alright, you've got a point," she conceded, "I don't know how you do it, but you're basically invisible to these guys."
"And you really believe that Trixie can do it?" Trixie pressed, giving the pegasus a pointed look, "or are you just saying that?"
"Nono, I believe you," Fell Wind whispered, raising a hoof, "you're no ordinary filly, I can at least tell that much."
"Good," Trixie replied with a satisfied nod, "now if you'll excuse Trixie..."
The azure filly took a deep breath and trotted past Fell WInd. She stepped out of the crevice and into the open, heading straight for the other rock just up ahead.
She didn't stop, trotting quickly but confidently to her destination for Fell WInd's sake. Though she was nowhere near the level of a professional showpony, Trixie still knew a thing or two about putting on a performance, and this is all that was -- at least that's what she told herself.
It isn't about what you actually do, but about what the audience thinks you do...
With that in mind, she shoved down her nervousness and continued onward. A shadow pony suddenly stepped out of Trixie's blind spot and for a few heart-pounding seconds, the filly thought she was done for.
Then it trotted right past her and continued on its patrol.
Trixie however, didn't stop until she made it behind the other rock. She reached it just as the second shadow pony passed by, and once she was sure she couldn't be seen, she fell to her haunches and let out a shuddering breath.
She closed her eyes and tried to calm her nerves -- tried to will her legs to stop shaking. She had done it, and it was all thanks to Fell WInd's honest belief that she could.
The filly felt oddly touched by that fact.
She finally opened her eyes and nearly yelped in surprise when she saw Fell Wind crouched right next to her. As it was, she started violently and let out a little gasp as her focus on the constant pressure of the Memory Weaving spell momentarily slipped.
She quickly brought it back under control, but not before noticing Fell Wind flinch slightly and bring a hoof to her head. At the same time everything around them flickered and paused for a few seconds.
Fell Wind shook her head and looked at Trixie in bemusement.
"What the buck just happened?"
"W-What do you mean?" Trixie asked, trying to look as innocent as possible, "I'm... Trixie is just waiting for you to tell her what to do next."
The pegasus gave the filly an odd look, but shook her head once more after a moment.
"Whatever," she replied, waving a hoof, "look, that was all sorts of impressive, kid," she flashed Trixie a small smile of acknowledgment before her frown returned, "that actually makes things a lot easier for me."
"That's good," Trixie responded, "so... what should Trixie do then?"
"Well that depends," Fell WInd replied, peering out from behind the rock, "how does your little invisibility trick work? How long can you do it for?"
"Ah... well..." Trixie wracked her brain for an explanation, "that's... a secret!" she nodded, "yes, it's Trixie's greatest secret, but you don't need to worry. Trixie can stay invisible to those shadow ponies for as long as she needs to."
"A secret, huh?" Fell Wind muttered as she eyed the filly. Much to Trixie's relief, Fell Wind shook her head and went back to scoping out a secure route past the shadow ponies, "you unicorns and your magic, I swear..."
Trixie breathed a quiet sigh of relief, and her ears perked up as the mare spoke again.
"If your invisibility is as reliable as I hope it is, you should just be able to trot right past these things and head for the entrance to the next building," she turned back to Trixie with a nod, "I'll be following right after you."
"What?" Trixie hissed, "but what about you? What if you get--"
"I'm not gonna get caught, kid," Fell Wind replied, "just relax and let me worry about me, alright?"
Trixie still wasn't convinced, but nevertheless, she nodded.
"Good, now get going," Fell Wind responded before jerking her head towards the path further up, "I'll be right behind you."
Trixie swallowed nervously before tentatively stepping out into the open once again. She took a second to gauge the distance between herself and the next building. beyond the large rocks and shadow ponies, Trixie could see a large metal structure not too much further ahead.
It looked like the facility was built directly into a cavern wall and rose from ground to ceiling. She could just barely make out a door on the opposite end of the darkened path.
Trixie looked back to Fell WInd who silently but urgently motioned for her to go on ahead. Turning back to the task at hoof, she set her face in a determined frown before trotting forward once more.
It was working.
Trixie didn't relax in the slightest, but sure enough, none of the shadow ponies she passed paid her any mind. Bolstered by this, she moved more quickly and with a bit more actual confidence than she had before.
She glanced behind her just in time to see the silhouette of a pegasus dart into another crevice. The filly was relieved to see that Fell Wind had kept her word and was right behind her.
A few more minutes of trotting passed and before she knew it, Trixie had found her way to the brown metal door. She stopped in front of it and turned to check on Fell Wind's progress.
She frowned as she scanned the cave for the mare, not seeing her anywhere she looked. The filly began to get worried as two minutes turned into three, then five, then seven.
The spell is still active and the memory is still stable, so she has to be here somewhere...
After another minute of waiting by the door and watching the shadow ponies patrol back and forth, Trixie decided to head back to where she had last seen Fell Wind.
Trixie trotted off to the left and over to the crevice nearby. She looked inside and her eyes widened in alarm before she rushed in and knelt beside Fell WInd.
The mare was lying on the ground, desperately trying to hold back a series of violent coughs. Her body jerked and heaved with the effort and behind the hoof covering her mouth, Trixie could see small drops of blood hitting the ground.
"Why--" more muffled coughs "--why did you come back, kid?" her body heaved again as she silenced another cough, "I'll... I'll be fine in a second just go and--"
"No."
Fell Wind gave Trixie an incredulous look, but the filly ignored it and leaned down to look the pegasus mare in the eye.
"Fell WInd, you are not as sick as you think you are," Trixie said with absolute conviction, "trust Trixie when she says that your sickness is all in your head."
The mare looked at Trixie as though she had lost her mind, but Trixie continued on regardless.
"Trixie knows how crazy she sounds, but it's the truth," the filly pushed, "you're only weak if you think you are. You're only sick if you think you are. You are as powerful as you make yourself out to be."
"Kid, what... what are you talking about?" Fell Wind replied with a bewildered frown and another fit of muted coughs, "that's the most ridiculous load of--"
"You want to know why Trixie is invisible to those shadow ponies?" Trixie interjected, "you want to know how she got into your room and how she made the shadow ponies who captured you disappear?"
Trixie straightened up, turned around, and trotted right out into the middle of the cavern where several shadow ponies were patrolling. Fell Wind looked on with widened eyes.
"Trixie can do these things because she knows that she is Great and Powerful," the filly announced, paying no heed to the shadows around he and addressing Fell Wind directly, "she knows without a doubt that she can do anything she puts her mind to!"
She stomped a hoof and gestured to the shadow ponies.
"These things hold no power over Trixie!" the filly announced, "they don't have to hold any power over you either, Fell Wind!" she trotted back over to the stunned pegasus as she continued, "it's the same with that sickness you think you have. It doesn't exist, Fell Wind... not really."
The azure filly held out a hoof to the dark green mare. Fell Wind looked from it to Trixie with a look of uncertainty. Trixie pushed back her nerves and gave Fell Wind an encouraging smile.
"Stop lying around pretending to be sick and go save your brother."