//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10 
// Story: Guardian Angel 
// by Absentialucci 
//------------------------------//

Seriously, how hard can it be to find one specific flower?
Trixie thought to herself, as she wandered back into Ponyville. Luckily the inhabitants seemed content to just ignore her.
Small miracles, I suppose…
With nowhere to really go, Trixie elected to head to the library in the middle of town until Rainbow Dash bothered to tell her where her house was. Trixie couldn’t help but smile at the marvel of Golden Oaks Library. The magic required to make the tree grow naturally, and hollow was staggering. Trixie didn’t know the specifics of the spells cast, but she knew that it was a marvel of Equestrian magical engineering, and took nearly a decade of concentrated effort. The Canterlot Royal Engineering Corps was very proud of the library, and Trixie couldn’t help but agree with them.
The door gave a pleasant jingle as she entered. The interior was cozy, and the amount of books that could fit inside of the library was… a little overwhelming. And impressive.
“Just a moment!”
Trixie froze. She remembered that voice. In all of the most ridiculous… how could she forget? The owner and proprietor of Golden Oaks Library was none other than…
“Trixie? What’re you doing here?”
Trixie gulped as she met the curious gaze of Twilight Sparkle.
By the great hellfires of Tartarus, please just end me now! Spare me the embarrassment of entering Twilight Sparkle’s abode uninvited! Just smite me now, and save me the struggle!
Trixie, as always, didn’t allow any of these doubts to show. She instead put on a brave smile, and stepped determedly towards the young librarian.
“Why, the Great and Powerful Trixie was simply going to peruse the greatest library in the land! Of which, the only superior is the Canterlot Royal Library itself!”
Trixie scoffed.
“Trixie would never lower herself to browsing some minor library elsewhere!”
“I see that you’ve not changed one bit.”
Twilight Sparkle muttered. Trixie could see that she was glowing from the praise her library received though.
Thank Celestia… I really don’t want to step on any more hooves than I already have…
Trixie coughed.
“Yes, well, why should she change? Trixie is clearly the greatest, and most powerful unicorn showmare around! She has absolutely no reason to change that fact of the universe!”
Twilight rolled her eyes.
“Now, if you’ll excuse Trixie, she has some time to kill.”
“By all means! This library is open to the public, and that includes you. But, I was actually hoping I could ask you a few questions? Specifically involving your use of the title ‘Great and Powerful.’ I… did some research based on a hunch after we last… ah… parted ways, and I was hoping to get some clarification over what I’d found?”
Trixie stopped, then turned to face Twilight Sparkle.
“Ask any questions you like, just know that Trixie reserves the right to not answer any that she feels uncomfortable answering.”
Twilight nodded in understanding.
“I won’t take long, just really clarifying some things. You know, as I don’t really know the answer to things. Well, I mean, I think I do. I was very thorough with my research, but I just wanted, yunno, a confirmation. And, well, I wasn’t expecting you to just waltz through my front door, but I did plan on contacting you somehow to get clarification and…”
Trixie couldn’t help it anymore. She busted up laughing. Twilight looked confused.
“What… What's so funny?”
Trixie didn’t answer at first, allowing herself time to laugh herself out, before wiping her eyes.
“You and Dashie do something similar, getting lost in your words. I just found it humorous.”
Twilight blinked.
“Huh, Rainbow wasn’t kidding. Now I know why she wanted my help.”
Trixie raised an eyebrow.
“Help? With, what exactly?”
Twilights mouth clamped shut with an audible click, before she continued.
“Nothing! Nothing at all! Anyways, questions! Yes, I have a few questions!”
Wonder what that’s all about… I might just have to drag it out of Dashie.
“Okay, what questions?”
Twilight visibly relaxed.
“Well, from my research into titles and what little I remember from Magical Kindergarten, titles can only be awarded by the Canterlot nobility, and only through trials of some sort or another. However, I couldn’t find any generic title of ‘Great and Powerful’ so… is it a legitimate title? Or were you just showboating?”
“Trixie would never lower herself to claiming a false title. She earned the title fair and square.”
“Then… why can’t I find any reference to it in my books?”
Trixie stammered a bit, before continuing quietly.
“Because… it is a unique title… Not a title awarded to any great achiever of magical status or skill, but a title that only an individual of the upper echelon of Unicorn Nobility can bestow.”
“That’s incredible!”
Twilight continued, oblivious to Trixie’s sudden lack of energy.
“What did you do to earn the title? Was it a feat of magic? Were you born into a noble family? What about…”
Trixie cut her off.
“It’s a very private, and… painful memory. Trixie would rather not discuss it at this current juncture.”
Twilight immediately went silent.
“I’m… sorry, Trixie. I promise, I won’t bring it up again.”
“Trixie appreciates that.”
“A-anyways!”
Twilight continued with forced cheer.
“Let me know if I can help you with anything at all! I’m glad you weren’t just flaunting a false title. Makes me… understand your actions a bit more.”
Trixie nodded, before moving towards the bookshelves.
The most important aspect of being a unicorn, and not only that, but a pony in general, is to be educated. Isn’t that what you said, Maestru?
Trixie sighed. Surely there would be something that she hadn’t known before here. She had no doubts that Twilight Sparkle had access to the Royal Library, and she suspected that Twilight would want to pull as many books from there to here. To bring the knowledge that some of the nobility inside of Canterlot would rather stay in their hooves, to here for the common pony to access.
Only things she wouldn’t bring over to here would be within the restricted section…
Trixie sighed.
I respect her for that. And… now that I’ve been out and about… interacted with the Canterlot middle class, and even some of the lower class… I can’t help but scoff at how I acted before. Unicorn superiority my flank… and who really cares about the purity of the noble bloodline?
Trixie absentmindedly started doing some light reading. A tome of ancient rituals and exercises to bring stability, peace and contentment to the individual within her magical grasp.
I’m… glad that I met Dashie. Without her, I would’ve likely gone right back to the same snobbish mindset. Thinking I deserved more than the average pony. Lineage be damned, it’s actions and character that matters. Dashie inspired me to not just work off my sentence… but to actually earn the forgiveness of other ponies. Even if they’re not being fair to you, and aren’t making it easy for you…
Trixie sniffed.
That’s what you were trying to teach me, weren’t you Maestru? I learned that once… but once you bestowed that title on me… I lost sight of the truth behind it. I faltered. Maybe that’s why you faded away… you saw that your teachings didn’t really sink into me… I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. If you can hear me now… I promise to live up to the true meaning of the title.
Trixie wiped her eyes, and set her jaw. She had some time to kill, and what better way to spend it than filling her head with knowledge of the past?

***

Trixie cracked her eyes open.
Ugh… I must’ve fallen asleep while I was reading… How embarrassing…
	Trixie slowly got up on her hooves, and arched her back in a stretch, stifling a yawn that attempted to escape her.
How… curious.
Trixie immediately dropped into a fighting stance.
No… why? Why you?
“What do you want from me? Why do you keep plaguing my dreams? Answer me!”
In due time, little Justicar. In due time.
	Trixie spun around, only to realize that she was by herself. There was no figure to accompany the voice.
	Now that that pesky lunar princess is out of the picture, we can have some time to talk one on one.
“What have you done with Luna?!”
Trixie cried out.
She is safe… for now. That is all you need concern yourself with. Whether or not she stays that way… well, that’s up to you, little Justicar.
“Wha… what do you mean? And why do you keep calling me Justicar?!” I need answers!”
Hmmmm… very well. I suppose there’s no harm in revealing to you this information. You are what is known as a deep dreamer. Vivid dreams and even more vivid nightmares are a consistent part of your life, are they not?
“I’ve… I’ve learned to not get lost in them. They don’t control me, they aren’t real. There’s no danger within them.”
	Ah, but that is where you are wrong, dear Justicar. Having the gift of lucidity does not guarantee safety. If anything, it means you are in an even more treacherous position. The lines between reality and the realm of dreams are becoming a bit blurred, are they not?
“No… a dream is a dream. There’s nothing more to it than that.”
Is that so? Then tell me, little Justicar, how is it that you are dreaming of real space, where you fell asleep?
“That… that doesn’t mean anything. It’s just an imprint on my subconscious that my brain takes advantage of, in order to make better sense of the dream.”
Hmmmm… perhaps, perhaps… I recommend you keep track of where you move within the dream realm. It could very well save your life.
	The voice sounded as if it was coming from the upstairs part of the library. Trixie started up the stairs, a spell coalescing at the tip of her horn.
“You’re avoiding the question. What have you done with Luna, and why do you keep referring to me as ‘Justicar’?”
The lunar diarch is safe. Though currently… out of commission. There are other forces at work here. Pieces moving, games of chess. The castle and the queen. As for your title… well, did you not do your research? I find that highly unlikely for such an educated mare like yourself.
The voice was behind a door in the library. Trixie moved towards it.
“What you’re saying is impossible. Stories of the ancient times. Myths, nothing more.”
Are you so sure of that? Take a closer look. I invite you.
Trixie slowly nudged the door open, and found herself in an impossibly long hallway. Several windows along it, and pillars between each window.
“What is this?”
Trixie asked, unable to hide the awe in her voice.
These are windows to times, past present and future. Go ahead, take a look. I’ll be waiting.
The voice sounded like it was coming from the end of the hallway. Unable to help her curiosity, Trixie approached the first window. Suddenly she was within a crowd of solely unicorns. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes fell upon a stunning unicorn standing tall and proud upon a stage. The unicorn had a coat of pure platinum, and a mane with a single stripe of dark blue. Her eyes were a piercing violet, as was her magical aura.
“Friends, unicorns, Countrymares, lend thy ears! Today we stand upon the precipice of greatness! Before we break for luncheon upon the morrow, we shall be recognized! Recognized we say, as the true masters of the land! For too long we stood by, content to let the plebeians of sky and earth to rule their pieces. No more we say! Tonight we push forward! Tonight we claim our bloodrite! Tonight… the other tribes will know who their rulers are!”
The crowd erupted into cheers around Trixie, clearly having been listening for a while. Movement caught Trixie’s eye though. When she focused on the movement, she saw a pegasus take off, and fly towards the clouds.
And suddenly Trixie was back in the hallway.
“What… what was that?”
She breathed, staring at the now empty window.
A piece of history. Nothing more, nothing less. There is more, should you let your curiosity take flight.
Trixie backed away from the first window, and moved to the next one, almost in a daze.
In this one, she saw decades of bitter fighting erupt across Equestria. Pegasi diving into groups of unicorn mages, daggers mounted upon their forelegs. Many unicorns fell, bleeding. In spite of the pegasi’s speed though, they were taking losses too. Trixie saw one pass to low to the ground, and get caught in a green magical aura. The pegasus struggled in vain, but the aura never let go. It simply closed in on the unfortunate soul. He screamed as his wings bent in unnatural angles, and his scream turned into a gurgle as the aura concentrated on his throat. Eventually, he fell to the ground, silent.
Pegasi with mounted crossbows wreaked havoc on the mage companies. So relentless was their bolts, the unicorns focused on defensive barriers and shields eventually faltered under the neverending hail. Trixie watched helplessly as unicorn after unicorn fell, screams abruptly cut short by the bolts finding their marks.
Battle after battle was waged. Losses mounted on both sides, before the Pegasi eventually retreated, leaving the unicorns victorious. Trixie then watched in horror as the unicorns descended upon the farms and orchards of Earth Ponies. Ceaseless slaughter, rape, and pillaging followed in the destructive wake of the unicorn army.
Trixie forced herself to close her eyes. Not wanting to see any more.
	After those bloody battles, peace reigned for ten years. Princess Platinum, the founder of the newly-formed MonÓkeros Empire, brought about prosperity to the ponies of Equestria. Then… it was all snuffed out, before real change and healing could begin.
Trixie shuddered, and moved to the next window. She saw Princess Platinum standing within a great hall, talking to who she could only see as unicorn nobility.
“We need a defensible location to put our seat of government. Suggestions?”
“My lady, there is a great mountain at the center of this great land. Shall we start construction there? A small city has already been founded at its base.”
“Yes, that is perfect. The ponies of Equestria will have  a symbol of hope and unity to look to… then we can move on from the blood that has been spilled to make this possible…”
Princess Platinum looked… drained. Bags were forming under her eyes, and her mane was noticeably less lustrous. The stress of running a fledgling Equestrian nation was clearly showing.
“I will… retire to my bed for the night. I trust that you all will put the plans into motion.”
The unicorns all bowed.
“Yes, m’lady.”
Then they left. Princess Platinum sighed.
“All that bloodshed… all the atrocities of war… it needs to never happen again. We need to move on past grudges and focus on rebuilding. What a fool I was all those years ago…”
Princess Platinum glided over the floor, like a dancer. She was… elegant. But, tired. Trixie could tell. Platinum left the hall, and Trixie watched as she floated over to what looked like a balcony. She put her front hooves up, and rested her head against them.
“One day… all of this will have been for something. One day we will rise as a truly powerful, and unified nation. And it will be beautiful.”
As she watched the sunset, Trixie noticed movement once again. She shifted her attention from the peaceful sight, and saw a pegasus gliding silently from the clouds, a crossbow mounted on her right foreleg. Trixie tried in vain to warn the tired Princess… but she couldn’t do anything more than watch helplessly as the pegasus lowered her crossbow in Platinum’s direction. When she landed on the roof of the building, Platinum’s ear twitched, and she whirled around, simultaneously casting a spell around her. The bolt flew, and Trixie could swear she could hear it screaming in the wind as it plunged right to where Platinum had been only moments before.
The pegasus cursed under her breath in a language Trixie didn’t recognize, and immediately shot towards the Princess.
“Guards! Assassin in the great hall! Come quickly!”
Platinum cried, as she ducked underneath the pegasus’s attack. Trixie could see her readying a spell, at the same time that the pegasus landed unnaturally upon the balcony rail, and spun around.
Platinum let loose a bolt of lightning, aimed at the pegasus’s heart. The bolt was moving too quickly for the pegasus to dodge it, but she didn’t seem worried. Trixie then watched in awe, as the pegasus flicked her wing and seemed to slice through the arcane bolt, dissipating it. Platinum was also clearly shaken by this, and the pegasus took advantage of her temporary freeze. She shot towards platinum at breakneck speed, a dagger strapped to her left foreleg. Platinum recovered quickly, but not fast enough. The dagger found its place within Platinum’s chest, and she fell down, blood pooling beneath her. The assassin yanked the dagger out, and stared down at the fallen monarch.
“You… you’ve ruined everything… now… peace won’t reign for… another two centuries… mark my words.”
Platinum gurgled out.
“That does not concern me. May you find mercy within the goddesses.”
The pegasus muttered under her breath. And with that, she slashed her dagger across Platinum’s throat, sealing the monarch’s fate, and whirled around to attempt to flee. But she had taken too long. The royal guards of Princess Platinum came barreling out of the doorframe. The pegasus tried to flee in futility, but found herself caught within the magical grasp of a mage.
Trixie backed away. She had an idea of what happened next. Didn’t matter that the assassin had been caught… the damage had still been done. Ancient Equestria’s best hope at peace had just been swiftly, and brutally smothered.
The Alato-MonÓkeron War raged for centuries after that. The MonÓkeros Empire couldn’t keep their own people in check while fighting against the newly-formed Alatum Republic, and a third power arose from within their own borders. The Earth Pony Kingdom. King Solar saw that war would only lead to more war, so he attempted to broker peace. This was… in vain.
Trixie gulped, there were still two more windows. Should she carry on? This was… a one time opportunity to experience history in person. She steeled herself, and moved to the next window.
She found herself within a crowd again, this time of Earth Ponies. A simple box had been set up, where a handsome stallion now stood. He was very powerfully built, and had a coat of umber, and eyes that glimmered in an amber color. His mane was a dark brown, and he spoke in a low, powerful voice.
“Our brothers and sisters have shed each other’s blood for too long! For years, the Unicorns and Pegasi have butchered each other mercilessly, and none of them seem to remember what Princess Platinum truly desired! Which was a unified Equestria! My friends, I must go! I need to broker a peace treaty between our two sibling nations, lest we destroy ourselves!”
The ponies murmured amongst each other, clearly not certain about this course of action.
“My lord! What if your attempt drags us into war on one side or the other! Surely, it would be best to just let them fight themselves to a standstill?”
The king, for Trixie now noticed a crown of gold atop his head, shook his head sadly.
“Once they fight, and one side wins, they will have an army of experienced soldiers who have known nothing but war for the past two decades. How long, pray tell, before they descend upon us again, as they have in the past? No. We must broker peace, or we may never live to see true harmony. I must go. I refuse to take any more than my personal armorer and my squire. I must appear unarmed, in order for this to work. May the sun be with us. May the sun be with me…”
As the king and his audience faded from view, Trixie now found herself within a much smaller audience. This one of all the tribes. King Solar stood between a unicorn and a pegasus.
“Please listen to me, my brothers and sisters! War will not get us anywhere!”
The unicorn, adjourned almost entirely in armor, spat on the ground.
“These cowardly pegasi murdered our princess. Why should we ever be at peace with them? They will pay a tally in blood tenfold for each unicorn slain by their filthy tactics.”
“Don’t you try and claim the moral high ground here, Celeste! You know as well as I do the injustices inflicted upon both the earth ponies and pegasi by your Princess Platinum’s war! What we have done is justified!”
King Solar looked helpless.
“Senator… please, listen to me!”
He begged.
“War will just result in ruin, can’t you see?”
The pegasus Senator spat on the ground too.
“Yes. I do. In the ruin of the Unicorns.”
The armored unicorn let loose an audible growl at that. Trixie then heard a whistle fly past her head. She blinked, and then gasped. An arrow, fired from somewhere behind her, and buried itself in the side of King Solar, who slumped to the ground. She tried to look behind her, but wasn’t able to.
The unsteady peace that the three negotiators had established, snapped. The unicorn, still growling, summoned several gemstones that formed what seemed to almost be a blade, a flexible, terrible, blade of fourteen diamonds. She launched herself over the fallen king, and slashed at the pegasus senator, who quickly shot backwards, and flew high, disappearing in the clouds. The pegasi that had accompanied him, formed up, and were about to attack.
The unicorn held up her hoof, as her own accompaniment began to form up.
“Heh. Don’t you all worry about your pretty little heads. I got this. She then charged towards the pegasi formation, surprising them all.
Trixie could only watch in awe as their weapons sparked harmlessly off of her seemingly impenetrable armor. One after another, they fell. Wings severed, throats slashed… some were gutted on the spot. Every single diamond within the unicorn’s magical grasp was a lethal blade. Any pegasus who tried to break and flee, found themselves held down by grim-faced unicorn mages.
One by one, the pegasi were cut down. Not a single one remained of the thirty or so that had accompanied their senator.
“Now you…”
The unicorn snarled, flicking scarlet blood off of her diamonds, before making them disappear.
The armorer and squire of King Solar stood between their king and the unicorn bravely, but Trixie knew that it would not matter if she truly wanted to kill them. They knew it too, from how they looked. The poor squire, still a colt, was shaking in his leather tunic. The images of the massacre likely scarring him for life. But still, he stood between his king and the monster that terrified him.
“Tell your people that Celeste Prism is coming for them next. But for now…”
She chuckled.
“For now, we have a pegasi republic to upend. Fall in!”
The unicorns silently fell in behind her, as she stalked away.
“My lord… please don’t die… we need you now more than ever!”
The squire begged. Trixie felt her heart lighten when the king groaned, and staggered to his hooves.
“My lord!”
The squire cried.
“You need support! My lord, please! Listen to me!”
The king silently started moving back towards his kingdom.
“Father… please don’t die father…”
The colt whispered.
Trixie slowly backed away, and found herself in the hallway again. Only one window remained.
The voice was silent this time.
Trixie wordlessly approached the final window, and braced herself for what she would see next.
It was a simple vision. Not very long. All it showed was the squire sobbing over his father’s lifeless body.
“I will avenge you, father… I promise it.”
The armorer of the king opened his mouth.
“Your father would want peace! Don’t sully your memory of him by focussing on vengeance!”
“SILENCE! I AM NOW KING, YOU WILL FOLLOW ME OR YOU WILL BE RELEASED FROM SERVICE!”
The colt screamed. The armorer snapped his mouth shut audibly.
“My lord, I stand by your side, as I have taken up a vow of protection. Whatever you decide, I will follow. You have my word.
“Good.”
The young king said softly.
“I am King Flare of the Earth Pony Kingdom. And I hereby demand that we mobilize, and march on the unicorns. So I command.”
The images faded entirely from Trixie’s sight.
And just as Princess Platinum predicted, centuries of war followed until a new threat forced the three tribes to work together. The Windigoes caused the death of many, regardless of the nation.
“Why… why are you showing me this?”
Trixie asked, voice coming out as if she was choked with thorns.
Simple. That way you understand. Now, if you wish your precious princess to be safe, you’ll utter not a single word of what you’ve seen tonight.
Trixie then opened her eyes. She had somehow migrated from the downstairs to right outside of a door that she assumed led to Twilight’s personal quarters.
What is happening? Who is this voice? And what is its goal? Things I don’t know the answer too… not yet... And what does it mean by... Justicar?