//------------------------------//
// Chapter IX - One Last Push 
// Story: Ballad of the Dawn 
// by Takarashi282 
//------------------------------//

Trixie wandered aimlessly down the streets of the Crystal Empire. Each building that passed was just a shadow in her vision, carefully avoiding the commonfolk as she strolled past.
Something struck her hoof, pulling her out of her daze. She looked and it was a hoofball. It was too tiny to be something sports quality. She looked up and realized two crystal foals looking toward her expectantly, but too afraid to approach. She sighed, lighting her horn, and a brief aura surrounded the ball before it fizzled out entirely. Frustrated, she kicked the ball back to the foals, who caught it with a smooth reflex. They didn't take their gaze off of her, however, as she went past.
At least some ponies have talent, she thought.
And back into her own thoughts she went, automatically strolling through the crowd. However, her legs seemed to stiffen, and she slowed down, taking in shattered breaths. Hopeless. Absolutely hopeless.
She had said that same thing before, back only a few months ago. She had been practicing a new spell, one that she had to study painfully long for. Starlight had stood to her side as sweat trickled down her face. What parts did she need to push? What things did she need to change? A furious cloud of frustration built up in her mind, and had finally taken over, and she had lost focus, sending the object flying.
"Trixie, you were almost there," Starlight had said, managing a smile.
"No, I wasn't," she had hissed, her vision turning red. "I'm not good at magic; never will be. Why even waste your time?"
"Trixie!" Starlight had snapped, lying a hoof on her shoulder. She took a deep breath before continuing, "Stop that. I'm not wasting my time. You were closer than ever with that spell!"
"Close?" She had turned to Starlight, her anger boiling up. "Close doesn't mean anything! Close doesn't make a good show, close doesn't make a good accomplishment. History isn't written by those who are close!"
"Tr—"
"Don't! Even! You're always bringing me here just to humiliate myself, always showing that you are better! 'Look at me! I'm the tutor of Twilight Sparkle, without trying half a damn to earn it! I'm friends with all of her friends because of her wonderful generosity!' Well, I hope you're happy, Starlight!"
Trixie didn't remember storming out of the room, out of the castle and into the street that day. She didn't remember finding her old carriage, but she did remember crying bitter tears, each sob feeling like a stab in her stomach.
It hadn't taken long for her tears to dry and her anger to quell. So, it was back to business as usual. She had went to the market, and picked up a few things until...
"... out the way!"
"... castle!"
"Miss, are you all right?"
Trixie had collapsed at the side of the street, choked up in sobs. How could she say that to a friend?
"Miss...?"
She looked up, a stallion with a cream colored mane and brown coat standing in front of her. He offered a hoof to her, and she took it. "It's all right. There, there, now. Let's head inside, okay? There's a step up... there you go."
The stallion led her to a table in a small cafe. The table was made of red wood that matched the hue of the hardwood floor. A bar stood in front of her, and the stallion hurried behind it lifting a pot of coffee of the warmer. Right now, Trixie was out of tears; she she was just congested. Through her hazy eyesight, she saw the stallion set a mug of coffee before her. He smiled. "Would you like any cream or sugar?"
"Two of each…?" Trixie said slowly, cocking her head to one side. The stallion proceeded to reach into his apron, pulling out the packets of sugar and mini cups of cream to her pleasure.
He cracked open each one, pouring them swiftly, but expertly into the mug. "I haven't seen you around here before," he stated, pulling up a chair and scooting the mug of coffee toward her. "Where are you from?"
"Ponyville," she responded. She frowned at the nasality of her voice, lifting the coffee mug up to her lips and taking a sip. It was a pure blend, and even though she wasn't one for coffee herself, it was good enough.
The stallion frowned himself. "Ponyville? We haven't had too many visitors from there, save for the Princess and her friends, of course." He sighed, laying his hooves on his lap. "Though it is sad what happened to them. Princess Cadence and General Shining Armor must be very worried. They're in talks of tripling the guard around the border, especially considering the explosion in the residential district yesterday."
Trixie nodded, taking another sip of her coffee. These ponies here were much more deliberate, including their rulers. Not as quick and politically minded as Princess Celestia and Luna, but a lot more thoughtful.
"Except, it seems like the Celestial guard is on its way too," the stallion added. He leaned back in his chair, knitting his eyebrows. "Being almost family, it makes sense for the Two Sisters to do that. But what about their own city? They might have a larger guard, but they also have a lot more cities to cover. Before long, they'll spread themselves too thin." He let out a low laugh. "I'm sorry, I pick a mare from off the streets and I talk about politics."
Trixie waved a hoof in dismissal, letting down her half-empty coffee mug. "You're fine. I've been wondering about that myself."
The stallion managed a smile. "That's good," he said. He briefly checked the door, then returned his gaze to her. "So what brings you to the Crystal Empire? Family, friends...?"
"Let's just say friends," she blurted. Her stomach turned sour at the thought of once again explaining why she was actually there. But her gaze shifted downwards, and she put her hooves on her lap. "One friend in particular..." Her voice faded.
The stallion gave her a warm smile. He put a hoof on the table, leaning forward. "Don't worry," he said in a hushed voice. "You can tell me. If you’re comfortable with it, I mean."
She sighed, sulking in her chair. "I just... said things that I didn't mean to say. I was getting frustrated at myself... and I just took it out on her." She cursed under her breath as she once again felt the tears sting at the back of her eyes.
The stallion nodded, leaning back in his chair, the floorboards giving a small creak. "I get that. Heck, one time I was learning how to play piano. I got to the point of diminishing returns, and I was just frustrated all the time. I had a competition and everything..." He sighed. "But at the same time, I had all but separated myself from my friends and family, and it hurt a few of them in the process. Realizing that, I decided to take a break from piano and tried to come to amends with them. Not everyone was convinced of my efforts, but those precious few that were, they’re my best friends, even to this day.."
He managed the warm smile again. "But by the sound of it, you two are really close. Am I wrong?”
Trixie hesitated. There was no doubt that they once were. She shook her head.
The barista’s smile grew wider. “Then, you have nothing to worry about. Best friends always stick with each other through thick and thin.”
She nodded, taking another sip of the coffee. She was surprised that she hadn't found any grounds yet. "But how do I forgive myself... even if she forgives me?" She fidgeted with the mug between her hooves.
He grunted, sitting up and adjusting his apron. "Well, let's flip that question around real quick. If she forgives you, why shouldn't you forgive yourself?" He paused for a beat, then shrugged. "I learned a while back that there's no point of beating yourself over the head with something you did in the past, even if it seems no one forgives you for it. All you can do is offer your sincere apology, and move on.”
The door creaked open hitting a bell atop the frame. In walked a couple of mares, brushing shoulder to shoulder. They stopped in front of the bar, looking around confused.
"That's just me, at least," he finished, gathering himself to his hooves, once again adjusting his apron.
Trixie conjured her coin purse. "How much do I owe you?" she asked, pulling open the sack.
The stallion waved a hoof in dismissal. "Don’t worry, it's on the house."
She didn't notice the smile come to her face. "Thank you!"
He bowed his head. "It's my pleasure." He walked to the bar and greeted the other customers. It seemed as though he had extra pep to his stride, a genuine smile on his face as he talked to the obvious couple.
Trixie glanced at the two as one pointed up to the menu, chatting gaily with the other. For a second, she could've sworn she saw Starlight and herself in their place. Although they weren’t a couple, she couldn't help but see Starlight to the right, with a smug smile on her face as Trixie herself would say, "Yes! Trixie wants that one!"
She giggled to herself, resting her head on her hoof. All I can do… is give a sincere apology… and move on.





After a few moments resting at the cafe, she bid the owner farewell, and went out the door. The noon air greeted her graciously, and she walked down the street. She was glad to find out that she could finally breathe. However, she was not so glad when she figured out she had absolutely no idea where she was. She cursed under her breath. She cast her eyes about, realizing that there was nopony around, but she did catch a bookstore out of the corner of her eye. It was a meager shop as compared with the others she had seen, but that made it all the more inviting.
She walked inside the doorway, a bell ringing as she opened the door. The store was almost deadly quiet, rows upon rows of bookshelves running deep to the opposite wall. The air smelled of the very same smell as Twilight's libraries: a musty, yet welcoming wood-like smell.
Her eyes fell on the front desk, which faced perpendicular to her on the wall on her right. An older mare sat there, her eyes focused on a clamp that held a naked book, intricate bindings lining the spine. Only when Trixie walked forward did the mare look up. "Oh, pardon me," she said with a loose Appleloosan drawl. "My hearin’ ain't what it used to be." She wiped a stray hair that had fallen out of her bun away from her eyes. "How may Ah help you today?"
Trixie frowned to herself. Not the image she was expecting from a bookshop owner. "Uhm," she grunted, snapping out of a little daze. "I'm new here..."
"Mmhmm..." the old mare hummed, her buggy eyes looking into her soul.
"... and I took a walk, and ended up getting lost..." Her gaze fell behind the mare as she saw a familiar spine of a book.
"Mmhmm..."
"... and I was... wondering..." Trixie trailed off, gesturing to the book spine she saw. "Could I see the book right there?"
The old mare smiled slyly, turning toward the bookshelf behind her. "I thought y'all'd never ask." She backed onto her hind legs, using a knobby hoof to lift the book out from a veritable jungle of them. She held the book out to her. "So this ‘un strikes your fancy?"
Trixie walked forward, lighting her horn, imagining a fishing line attached to it. She dragged it toward her, realizing it was more heavy than she'd anticipated. The front cover read in plain font, An Assessment of Legendary Creatures. The same book she'd seen almost intact in the castle wreckage. The old mystery bit at her mind; why, out of all of the books that she'd seen destroyed in the explosion, did this one survive, including a part of the Cutie Map itself?
Her eyes widened in realization. If Twilight had cast a protective spell around everypony else... "How much is this?" she asked, holding the book out in front of her.
The old mare squinted. "Normally, I'd sell it for twenty-three, but it was almost as if the book was calling out for you."
Trixie raised an eyebrow. "... What...?"
The old mare chortled, her eyes deepening. "This ain’t mah first rodeo, young lady. What Ah know is that there is a certain magic that in each book here. Each of ‘em has its own identity. And each has its own conscience." She tapped a hoof to the side of her muzzle. "That's why we end up so spellbound to them in the first place."
Frozen in confusion, Trixie thought about how senile this old lady must be in order to think that inanimate objects had their own consciences. "O... kay...? So how much is it now?"
The old mare scowled, unimpressed. She leaned forward on the desk. "For yer doubtful soul, still twenty-three."





In a rather unexpected turn of events, she walked out with her purse much lighter, her saddlebag much heavier, and with directions back to the inn. Fortunately the old mare wasn't too offended as to not give her the directions back, but after hearing her little spiel, Trixie wanted nothing more than to distance herself away from her.
She undid the latch to her saddlebag, lighting her horn to carry out the heavy book. What on earth were Twilight and the others doing with this book? Obviously, Twilight had come up with the idea in the first place; why would anypony but her want to read a book so eloquently yet boringly titled An Assessment of Legendary Creatures? But what type of creatures was she so interested in that she had to bring her friends in to talk about them?
She frowned, flipping through the pages. Each twenty or so pages held a passage for another creature: druids, titans, manticores, sirens, draconequus—
Her heart jumped, stopping on the exact page heading. She took to the side of a building to make way for traffic. She eyed the opening paragraphs:
Since time immemorial, two powers rul’d the universe: what the Olde Books call “Light and Balance,” or, as we knowe it today, Harmony; and what the selfsame books call “Darkness and Despair,” what we knowe as Chaos. These two powers drove the creation of worlds, and the creation of worlds beckon’d the creation of the Species in the same pattern: the “Peaceful and Lawful Creatures of the day,” and the “Warring and Lawless Creatures of the night.”
We knowe now that these translations from the Olde Books are symbolic and metaphorical, and the lines between Harmony and Chaos have been breach’d by Creatures once considered Chaotic becoming Harmonic, and vyce versa. However, there is some truthe regarding the evolution of the Species being either Harmonic or Chaotic, split into two seperate Creatures: Alycornes, who spawn’d the likes of the common Equus that we see today, and Draconequus, who spawn’d the Drakes.
Because of Alycorne magicks, Alycornes are still being made today, and natural Alycorne birth has been all but snuff’d out. However, as for the likes of the Draconequus, there has not been true evidence for their existence since Dyscorde himself. But there have beene stories, save the majority that were consum’d by tyme, that if their words are correct, we maye be steps closer to dyscovering if they exist today.
Trixie knit her eyebrows, skimming through the next few paragraphs. There was a lot in regard to the origins of the books before it delved into the actual material. But when it did, one mysterious name stuck out to her: The Strait of Effervescence.
The name of this place is an archaic mysnomer. The way that the Sun hit the waters made it seeme that it was boiling. But this Strait is assum’d to be where the penultimate battle betweene the Alycornes and the Draconequus took place. Much has beene done to erase this battle from history, and the majority of the records burnt were accounts of the Draconic Battles. However, if the above sources are correct, this battle in particular was raged neare the Draconequus’ homelande. Therefore, it woulde stand to reason that the missing Draconequus tribes can be founde here. 
Trixie racked her brain. She hadn’t heard much of the Strait of Effervescence before now, if at all. Where exactly was it? The Eastern Continents? Here in Equestria? She frowned. Could this have been what Twilight was looking for? If it was, then that would explain the inclusion of Fluttershy, given her connection with Discord, but why Applejack, Rarity and Starlight? Why weren’t Pinkie and Rainbow Dash included? 
Before she knew it, two guards walked out the door, one of them pointing to her. They both approached in perfect sync. "Trixie Lulamoon," the one to her left said. "You've been summoned to the castle on immediate business."
Her heart jumped. Could this be the results from the tests? "What about Discord?" she asked.
"He was notified a few moments ago, and has teleported to the castle grounds. You'd best do the same."
Her heart then fell. "Okay," she said, focusing her energy in her horn, drawing a line between her current location and the one in the castle grounds. However, it was very hazy and dreamlike, and her concentration failed, her horn fizzling out. "Perhaps the Great and Powerful Trixie had better walk," she said downheartedly.
And by walk, she meant run. She followed the main street to the base of the castle, galloping as fast as her hooves could carry her. Her saddlebags bounced up and down painfully on her back. But she tried to ignore that, her burning lungs and the metallic taste in her mouth as she sped up considerably, the castle looming over her as she went.
She stopped only when required to by the guard, and when they figured that she wasn't a threat, they let her through, and she continued to run. Surprisingly, she kept it up until the third flight of stairs winded her entirely, and she slowed, gasping for air, her head pounding with her heartbeat. She sluggishly climbed the rest of the staircase, accelerating her pace to a trot when she reached the next landing.
Two more flights later, she ended up at the throne room, bursting through the doors. Shining Armor, who was standing around a table along with his wife and Discord, yelped as the doors slammed against the walls. Cadence glanced at him, stifling a laugh.
"Honey, please don't..." he groaned, his cheeks turning a notable shade of red.
Trixie walked up to Discord, the doors swinging shut behind her. His eyebrows creased in concern. "Where were you? You were gone when I woke up."
"Trixie just needed... to take a walk," she huffed, her heart still pounding. She put a hoof on her heaving chest. "But... I'm here, aren't I?"
He shrugged.
"Well, now since you're both here," Cadence began, "we can finally get this meeting started." She nudged Shining Armor affectionately but teasingly. "I will let my precious little schoolcolt have the honors this time."
Shining leaned away, flicking his head outward. "C'mon, no fair..." He cleared his throat, straightening his posture once more. "Anyway, so we analyzed the shrapnel from the bomb that was set of yesterday in the housing district. It turns out it was just a regular bomb. From what we could gather, it used a chemical reaction from two unstable molecules to explode.
"But, that was only at first glance. Upon further investigation, we managed to find a magic signature in some of the shrapnel. While some of it was Discord’s—” he nodded to the draconequus, “—thank you for the sample, by the way—there was another signature among the pieces." He lit his horn, light from the windows gathering toward it, making the room dim slightly. He projected an image onto the tabletop. With its detail, Trixie figured that it was a map of the Frozen North. A single dot lit up near a snaking line at the northern edge of the map: the Yakyaki-Crystarian border. "With this we were able to track down Boggs’ whereabouts."
Discord knit his eyebrows, and Trixie thought she heard a snap behind his back. "Why would he want to go to Yakyakistan? Wouldn't that cause more trouble than it's worth?"
"Well, it's the only place he has left to run. He's made an enemy of both our Kingdom and yours." Suddenly, Shining Armor's mane parted itself from his head, wrapping into a bipedal shape. It danced freely, its feet tap dancing elegantly on an invisible floor. "But it's clear he's running out of options. If we set out now, we can intercept him by nightfall."
Trixie scowled at Discord, and Cadence chuckled to herself as she watched the display. Shining cast his eyes about, raising an eyebrow as he looked up above his head. A particularly frightened look appeared on his face as Discord laughed gaily. But when he met Trixie's intense gaze, his laughing slowed. He pouted. "You're no fun," he muttered, snapping his fingers. Shining's mane returned to normal.
He sighed in frustration. "Did you get any of that, soldier?" he grunted, narrowing his eyes.
Discord nodded almost too enthusiastically. "Heard you loud and clear, Cap'n." He saluted him with mock seriousness, which elicited another sigh.
“Discord, Trixie,” Cadence addressed, nodding at both of them. “We have our best trained calvary at the ready, but because this has also become your problem, we would like to extend an invitation for you to accompany us.”
Trixie’s heart skipped a beat. “W-what?”
“I’m going,” the draconequus announced, slapping his palm on the table. His expression suddenly turned solemn. “I want to be sure that Boggs’ ass is in a prison cell or cold and dead.” Both his and Shining’s eyes met, flame in his eyes. “He might’ve killed Fluttershy. I’ll not forgive him for that.”
The prince/general locked his gaze for a few more seconds before slowly nodding. “We welcome your assistance. Just don’t lose control and we’ll be fine.”
“Then it’s settled.” Cadence glanced at Trixie, frowning. “Trixie, are you okay? You look pale.”
She gave a nervous laugh. The long and short of it was she wasn’t. Her gut was doing flips, and she could feel acid bubble up into her throat. She swallowed. The Great and Powerful Trixie… going to war? She could feel a cold sweat trickling down her temple. “I… just need time to think about it.”
She looked at Cadence, who attempted a sympathetic smile. “We didn’t expect either of you to answer immediately.” She raised an eyebrow at the draconequus. “I’m actually really surprised Discord answered so quickly.”
“But we don’t have all the time in the world,” Shining pressed. “Optimally, we would like to leave in an hour or two.”
Trixie inhaled sharply, shaking in her hooves. “Do… d-do you guys have a bathroom around here?”
Cadence’s mouth formed a straight line. .She gestured with a hoof. “Out the doors and to the right. Had it installed before morning sickness kicked in.”
The unicorn didn’t quite hear the last bit of her sentence as she was already out the door to that point. She entered in the door in a blind haste, not even locking the door behind her as she vomited into the toilet bowl. Her sinuses and her throat burned as she wretched again, wiping her nose of the mucousy concoction.
She sat on the cold tile, blowing her nose into the bath tissue available. She had not had a reaction as adverse as this since she had stage fright back in her home village. Just, it didn’t have the penalty of death if she failed.
She spat out another mouthful of sick, pondering into the almost spotless throne. She had been convinced before that she would see this through until the end. After all, she had assisted in taking out a Changeling Queen. But she suddenly remembered Fluttershy’s side impaled by a bookshelf, Starlight banged up and in a coma and the broken bones that Rarity had suffered. This wasn’t a fanciful quest dealing with friendship: this was the doing of a madman, a pony that was out for blood.
And she didn’t want to die.
There was a knock at the door. “Trixie?” Sunburst’s voice penetrated through the door. “I thought I saw you running past. Are you all right?”
She sniffed, instantly regretting it as another bonfire of acid lit in her sinuses. She coughed, her eyes watering. “Trixie is… not particularly in her best shape,” she rasped. 
“You looked just fine when you came in,” he noted. “Did anything happen?”
Trixie knit her eyebrows. “You saw me come in?”
“W-well, yeah…” his voice cracked. “I was just wondering what all the commotion was, with the calvary suddenly being mobilized and everything, so I skirted past here to see if I could gather any info.”
She did her best to laugh. “I don’t think that’s part of your job description.”
“Well, neither is having your head nearly blown off by a baby alicorn,” he blurted. “Daily. But some things just come with the territory.”
“I guess so,” Trixie responded. She paused. Should she tell him what happened? Was it behind some sort of non-disclosure? She decided to take the safe route. “Hey, Sunburst… how far would you be willing to go for Starlight?”
She could hear his frown. “We talking literal distance or hypothetical?”
She shrugged. “Both, I guess.”
Sunburst grunted, going silent for a second. “Well, I’d walk the whole Earth for her. If she needed me there by her side, I wouldn’t hesitate.”
She scowled. Not the answer she was looking for. “What if it had you doing something dangerous or even fatal?” she specified, holding her head in a hoof.
Another hesitation. “The same,” he finally answered, his voice resolute. “I’d fight for my life for her. But isn’t that what you’re already doing?”
Her body froze. “What?”
“News passes quickly,” he said, somewhat matter-of-factly, but gentle. “I’ve heard that you were chasing down that bomber. Back then, you didn’t seem to care what the end result was.” He paused. “N-no offense, I mean.”
“It’s fine,” she said flatly. “But, that was in the heat of the moment. I wasn’t thinking.”
Another beat in the conversation. “Trixie, I don’t know what you’re thinking of doing. What you’ve done so far is admirable… but please don’t do anything rash. I know that Starlight wants to see your face when she wakes up as much as you want to see hers.”
She sighed, her heart sinking to her stomach. “I’ll try not to. But thanks.”
With that the conversation ended with Sunburst’s hoofsteps slowly decrescendoing to silence. She sighed once again, sitting before the toilet seat for a few more minutes before she figured it was safe to stand. Her knees were shaky, but it wasn’t anything that she couldn’t deal with. She cleaned up and exited, going back into the room that she was in previously.
At this point, the room was empty save from Cadence sitting the same chair she was in previously. Her eyes opened, and she lifted her face from her hooves when Trixie clicked the door shut. “Are you feeling any better?” she asked gently, like a mother to her own child.
“Not really,” she answered, her voice sounding absolutely miserable. “But give me a few minutes and I should be up and at ‘em.”
Cadence managed a small smile as Trixie took her seat once again. “I’m sorry for springing this so suddenly on you. I shouldn’t have been so hasty.”
“It’s fine,” the unicorn reassured, waving a hoof in dismissal. “The Great and Powerful Trixie would’ve probably had the same reaction in any other context.”
The princess shrugged. “Still though. I was extending an invitation for you to possibly throw away your life. It’s not something I should’ve taken so lightly.” She locked her eyes to the table, rolling the edge of her hoof around the dark wood. “To be honest, I’m scared too. Scared of what will happen to my husband and my people. We were able to avoid catastrophe thanks to your help, but what will happen if we don’t capture Boggs, you know? I’ve been up all night thinking about that possibility and so has Shining. But we have to do our best to protect our kingdom.”
Trixie bit her lip. “Would you blame me if I didn’t accept your offer?”
“Oh, not at all.” Cadence looked into her eyes, her gaze piercing to her soul. “You have done well enough at this point. Thanks to your efforts, we were able to track down Boggs. I wouldn’t force someone with that contribution into the Guard.”
The showpony nodded, staring down into her lap. She considered the possibility of staying back, and in her mind, it made the most sense. However…
“But something tells me that you’re conflicted nonetheless.” Cadence surmised.
Trixie scowled at herself. “Yeah. It’s exactly as Discord said. I want to see this pony safe behind bars. I want to see them in Tartarus. My friend may not be dead, but…” She felt tears well up in her eyes. Not now, she thought, not in front of the Princess! But no matter what she did, they came. “I couldn’t forgive myself if I stepped out now! We’re so close!”
She hiccuped through the sobs. This sucked. From crying because she was vomiting to breaking down like this yet again. Useless.
She didn’t expect it when a pair of wings wrapped around her, cradling her close to Cadence’s breast. Behind a wing, she stroked her mane, resting her chin gingerly on the crown of her head. “I know, Trixie. The journey must’ve been long for you, and I know what it’s like missing the end of something this important.”
For the next couple of seconds, the hug went uninterrupted. Trixie buried her face into Cadence’s chest; it no longer mattered that she was loyalty anymore. It reminded her of her mother’s embrace, one that she sorely missed. The overwhelming sense of love flowing from her thawed the icicles of fear and despair and made way for a comfort that she hadn’t felt in a long time.
When her tears subsided, Cadence pulled away to look her in the eyes. “You still have time to decide, Trixie. Give it a few minutes to let your remaining emotions to subside, then come back to me. You’re still welcome to our ranks, but we won’t judge nor blame you if you decide not to accept our invitation. Do you understand?”
Trixie nodded. Since the embrace, she could think a bit clearer; her mind wasn’t at war with itself any longer. She understood how Twilight must’ve felt during her developmental years, entering into her warm embrace after a hard day. In this way, she envied her.
“Good,” she said, letting her go. “Feel free to walk the castle grounds as you contemplate.”







Trixie stood in the courtyard, looking up at the sky and taking in the mild fall breeze. The storm that they’d faced before they came here had all but cleared out, and the sky was a clear, crisp blue. 
She frowned. It hadn’t been more than ten minutes since she confided to Cadence, but her thoughts were refreshingly clear, clearer even than immediately after the embrace. Ever since, she looked at the situation from a whole new, different perspective.
This was how it boiled down in her mind: 1) she would stay and maybe even possibly head back to Ponyville. At this point, she was sure that Starlight would’ve regained consciousness. She could go home, get to sleep in her own bed and hang out with her as she stayed the course on her recovery. Or, 2) she would join Discord in the Calvary and finish up what was started. She’d thrown herself into danger multiple times before, on both sides of the good-evil spectrum. Starlight would still be there, and she’d be able to relish in possible victory with Discord after the fact. It’d be a hard road, but that was to be expected in any case.
But as much as she wanted to see Starlight awake again, as soon as possible, the first option made her feel… unfulfilled. Perhaps Starlight wasn’t awake yet, and the time that she could’ve spent with Discord and the guard would be wasted with a whole lot of nothing.
But in addition to the thrill of revenge, she couldn’t leave a show unfinished, without a proper finale. It may be life or death, but all the best tricks involve some risk.
Trixie ruffled through her saddlebags, procuring the envelope, and one last piece of paper she’d managed to pick up in the lodgings of the Mirenum church, unpacked a quill, dipped it in the remaining ink that she had, and wrote;
Opal,
I know it has been a while since my last letter, so please forgive my tardiness. Discord and I are now up in the Crystal Empire, and we finally have a lead on who our perpetrator is. He went under the alias of Boggs, and appeared to be a yak. The thing is, though, we’ve hit a snag: the bomb was set off with magic… Boggs’ magic. We’ve been assuming that he’s been using mist screens, which could mean that he could’ve also been the pony you mentioned earlier. 
To be honest, we don’t know what we’re dealing with here. It could be just Boggs, but it could also be a whole organization. I hope with all my heart it’s the former and not the latter. After all, the attacks are oddly concentrated and low in volume.
… It’s going to be the first time that I’ve mentioned my feelings to someone other than Starlight but... I'm scared. I don’t doubt that his magic is on par with Twilight Sparkle. I might be wrong and he could be an easy catch, but I doubt it. A pony who has the ability to destroy her castle isn’t going to go down easily, I just know it. 
I know that Discord and a some of the Crystal Guard is going to apprehend him, and Shining Armor has extended an invitation for me to go with. Even though I’m not confident in my abilities… I don’t think I’d forgive myself if I just sat back. I have to go. After everything Starlight and Fluttershy and everyone else has been through, it’s the least I can do.
But I’m not ignorant to the situation. I know that this letter might be the last one I write. I want to live so I can see Starlight wake up, and I will fight to my last breath to see that day. But at least death would carry relief of my past crimes.
But no matter the case, I want to ask you a favor. At the bombing site in Ponyville, there was a copy of An Assessment of Legendary Creatures mostly intact among the rubble, with a part of the Cutie Map. I’m thinking this was the book that Twilight was going off of when she was meeting with the others. So if you can contact her—or maybe Rarity, the owner of the Carousel Boutique, would be a better option, could you ask them what exactly was going on? I have my own suspicions, but I need to know for sure. 
Sincerely, Trixie Lulamoon
With that, she bursted through the doors of the castle, running up the stairs one last time. She felt a new energy in her limbs, and a new endurance of heart. This is the Great and Powerful Trixie!
At a landing, both Cadence and Shining were walking together, and Trixie slid to a halt as to not run into them. Her breath heavy, she proclaimed, “I’ll go!”
The castle fell silent all around them, Shining wide-eyed, and Cadence absolutely beaming.
“Well.” The pure white unicorn blurted. “F-follow me then. I’ll take you to the calvary.”
Trixie glanced once more at Cadence, who gave a nod of approval. “Welcome to our ranks!” she said warmly.
She nodded, and all of a sudden, her enthusiasm turned into a burst of anxiety.
What the hell am I doing?