//------------------------------// // The Green Diamond // Story: Diamonds of Stardust // by Lulamoon-Crystal //------------------------------// Trixie sat inside Zecora‘a hut with a cup of tea, she explained her situation and what happened, the zebra listened well. The unicorn took a sip from the warm tea, it did calm her down a little, but she was still a little stressed. The zebra showed concern for the filly, she felt bad for the situation Trixie was in. “I can see why you frown, your companion went down!”. The unicorn nodded at that remark as she put her cup down after a sip. Angrily, she waved her hooves in the air, accidentally knocking her own drink over. The liquid went over the table and dripped onto the floor, Zecora was a little unimpressed, but she didn’t make a huge deal out of it, it was an accident after all. “Can you believe it!? After saying we were going to save the world together, she drops the whole responsibility on my own!”. Zecora shook her head, “I may not be the chosen one. Or have that special bond,” she started, “I could join you on this journey. Then your future won’t look so murky”. Trixie cocked her head in confusion, “Huh?”. After taking a sip from her drink the zebra spoke again, “I wouldn’t mind going with you, that way you won’t feel so blue” Zecora smiled, “Maybe with an extra pony you’ll won’t be so lonely”. “But you’re a zebra... not a pony” Trixie corrected before realising the reason Zecora said that was because lonely rhymes with pony. Before the zebra could say a word, Trixie interrupted her, “But wait, aren’t you supposed to heal sick ponies and make potions?”. The zebra only smiled with assurance. “Nopony will mind if I go away, it’s not like it’ll be more than a day”. Trixie nodded as Zecora went to grab her saddlebags. “Now, let me go pack, I’ll be right back”. The unicorn watched the zebra pack some gear like books and stuff in her saddlebags and pack a few extra things in another bag. The zebra also wrote a note that she was on a journey across Equestria with Trixie, so she will be unavailable, of course the sign rhymed. “I’ll only travel to the ruins you’ve known, then you’ll be on your own,” The zebra informed her. ✨💎💚💎✨ Trixie avoided stepping in mud as she walked through the dangerous forest, she heard some noise. It sounded like some cockatrice, Zecora tread carefully, the unicorn did the same. “Why did it have to be that noise?” asked Trixie, the unicorn replied nervously “that’s a cockatrice...isn’t it?”. “Head of a chicken, body of a snake... if you see it you may be at stake. If you look into it’s eye, then you’ll petrify,” Zecora explained. Trixie nodded, she knew a cockatrice was not good news. Trixie loudly yelped when she thought she saw the tail of one in a bush. ”Since you had to yell, the cockatrice may find us now” Zecora replied a little unimpressed. But she was right! Trixie was a bit too loud, a cockatrice approached them, Trixie looked away with her eyes closed, knowing looking into their eyes is what makes them petrify. Angry squawks and the sound of fluttering surrounded the group, it was a flock. Trixie felt her heart race, she knew she needed to get out of there now!. She wanted to run, but knew it was going to be too dangerous. The unicorn didn’t want to go down like this, petrified by a cockatrice. She relaxed when she heard “The cockatrice had to fly, you can open your eye”. Trixie slowly opened her eyes and saw the lack of cockatrice. She happily sighed. ✨💎💚💎✨ The duo walked along a cliff above a slope, it was open and had a lack of trees, making it easy for Trixie to pull her wagon. The rocky ground that they were walking on was pretty unstable through, so Trixie had to be careful that a wheel on her wagon wouldn’t go off the cliff or get stuck in a hole. Zecora knew where she was going, since she lived in the Everfree forest, she would know about the place. Trixie looked into the distance and could only see trees and a river, she was happy the forest wasn’t as dangerous at night, but she did hope they would make it out before night fell. She still missed Stardust, she felt angry and sad about her but knew she had a promise to keep. But something did worry her, why were they collecting the diamonds? What will happen when she collected them all? Soon enough the bumpy ride ended, and they were back on the ground, Trixie had to get her wagon through a bunch of trees. The duo arrived at a river, much to Trixie’s dismay. Zecora walked across happily, the water was calm, but it went up to her chest. Zecora stopped halfway through and looked at Trixie, wondering why she wouldn’t come. “I don’t want to get soaked...” Trixie whined. Zecora looked at Trixie with slight annoyance. “Well Trixie, it’s just water as you can see” the zebra explained. The unicorn sighed, she slowly put her front hoof in the water, it was freezing cold, she had both front hooves touching the sandy bottom. With an annoyed expression, Zecora watched Trixie nervously walk in. Trixie sighed a little annoyed as she felt the water soak through her outfit and fur and to her skin, it was freezing cold. She walked across, pulling her wagon as fast as she could. Once on the other said, she shook her body like a wet dog, drops of water flew everywhere. ✨💎💚💎✨ The duo travelled a bit further, they decided to take a small break. They sat in some sun, Trixie held her cape up in her magic and wrung out the water, so it would dry quicker, she shook some water from her body too. After a bit and they were rested enough, they decided to continue. Zecora got up, “We don’t have far to go, but let’s not go too slow”. Trixie got her wagon ready, and they walked to their destination. “What room did Princess Luna tell Stardust it was in?” Thought Trixie, who was once again avoiding any mud as she walked. “Maybe I should try the throne room,” Trixie decided. Soon enough, the duo made it to the bridge, that was looking quite old. The castle ruins was right on the other side, they could see how damaged and worn they were. Plants over grew the sad looking remains. Trixie had one look at the old wood and rope bridge, “I don’t think I can take my wagon across this...” she said with worry. Zecora assured Trixie, “Never fear, just leave it here” She told the unicorn, “I’ll protect your wagon, while you keep your avenge the former dragon” Trixie groaned, “You better!” She pointed at Zecora before she crossed the bridge. The zebra smiled, she stood in front of the wagon and watched the unicorn crossed. She felt excited for her, she was glad she was able to help her get to the ruins. Trixie went across slowly as the old bridge swayed. Trixie made it across and looked at the ruins, she entered through the front door and made their way through the ruined hallways. Trixie was happy, she was getting closer and closer to the first diamond. But this was only the start of a very long journey. ✨💎💚💎✨ The blue unicorn got lost as she explored the castle, she was covered in a bit of dust when she finally made it to the old dusty throne room. Floating in the centre was a green diamond, it was slightly smaller than Stardust, Stardust... Trixie sighed somberly as she remembered her. The diamond the same size as all the other diamonds they have to collect. “That was easy” Trixie thought. She expected and hoped the next five would be this easy. Picking up the diamond in her magic did nothing to it, she grabbed it in her hooves and it started to glow. Much to her surprise the diamond also spoke. “Each diamond flickers when it’s near any uncollected one... the next diamond, yellow is in the desert” it said before the glow went away. Trixie carried the diamond in her magic as she made her way back out the castle. “So I just go to each location, collect the diamond and listen to it?” She thought, “Well Trixie can do that easy!”. Trixie proudly walked over the bridge. She smiled when she saw her wagon was undamaged. Zecora grinned, when she saw the blue unicorn and the green diamond. She noticed on a clock that it was late afternoon she was a bit confused. “It’s almost sundown already?” Trixie did the math in her head. “Guess I did spend a bit of extra time at Zecora’s and Stardust did spend a bit of unnecessary time at Rarity’s... and after walking through that river we had lunch, plus I did get a bit lost in the castle” “As you can see, I kept it safe, Trixie” the zebra told her. The blue unicorn buckled her wagon back to herself and put the diamond inside where it would be safe. “Thank you for walking with me” She smiled at the zebra “Trixie has got this”. She turned around but was stopped. “Wait Trixie, I know a quicker way Actually” Zecora explained as she pointed south, “If we’re going straight to the desert, going this easy would be a better exit”. The unicorn sighed but decided to agree. As she departed Zecora called out. ”Be careful to not get stuck. I wish you luck!” Trixie smiled as south, she avoided mud and plants in case they were unsafe, she made sure to stay alert but she was pretty lucky. Well up to a point where she needed to cross some muddy swamp water, she walked though unhappily through the mud that went halfway up her legs. Her horn was lit making a soft pink glow. But then her wagon got stuck suddenly, she looked back in fear, she was wet and cold. She wasn’t very happy about walking through the muddy swamp water in the first place. “Now what!?” She asked as she looked at her wagon She unbuckled the wagon and walked to the wheels, she used her foreleg to see if there was a vine that got tangled around the wheel. There was, she groaned in response. Trixie used her horn’s magic to loosen the tight vine that stopped the wheel from moving. “I don’t have the time for this” she complained. She went back to pulling her wagon, she pulled it as hard as she could, soon the rest of the vines broke and the wheel was free from the grip. The unicorn continued her journey out of the forest Trixie wasn’t sure how long the walk was but it felt over an hour, soon she made it out the dangerous forest. Once it was far behind her, Trixe stopped and took a moment to appreciate the warm sun on her. She cleaned the mud from her and her clothes using some water that was stored in a container in her wagon. By the time she was done the sun was gone and the land was dark. ✨💎💚💎✨ As the sun was setted and she was out of the dangerous forest, the unicorn stopped and decided to take a break. She unbuckled the wagon and got out some food and water, a bottle of water, an apple and a daisy flower sandwich was what she was going to eat. She started a campfire and ate her meal, she sat on the cool grass and watched the stars, she saw a shooting star, she gasped happily. A wish, a shooting star means a wish. “I wish for an amazing journey! And maybe Stardust to come back?” She wished in her thoughts. Trixie laid on the grass and watched the stars until she let out a yawn. “Better go to sleep” She told herself, “Have a big day tomorrow”. When she got into her wagon and closed the door behind her she sadly looked at both hammocks, wishing Stardust was still with her. She was fine and used to travelling by herself but what worried her was that Stardust knew, or at least had an idea on what would happen exactly when they collected the sixth diamond. Stardust mention that there was possibly a battle after the sixth diamond, Stardust knew a lot more while Trixie didn’t know a thing, meaning she had to go into the battle blind. The unicorn laid in her hammock and thought about the future. Soon she went to sleep, she dreamt about running to the desert with Stardust. The diamond was right in front of them, she touched it but everything went black. She looked around a bit confused. “What the-“ Trixie asked right before waking up, she looked at the empty hammock and sighed. She stretched and yawned happily when she got out her hammock and on to the floor, she grabbed an apple to eat and put her outfit on. Dawn was yet to come over the horizon but she was awake already, she decided she might as well start. After getting out and getting her wagon buckled up to her she had a look at the map, the desert was still quiet a while away. ”I guess my adventure starts today” Trixie commented. The sun had risen while she walked, it was in the sky. She finally approached the bridge that went over the ravine that’s known as the Ghastly Gorge. It was a deep ravine with water that rushed south. Of course she decided to check and refill her water supply first, she was going to enter the desert that day. So she grabbed her bottles and containers that carried water, removed her wagon from herself and walked down to the ravine. The way down and the bottom was a bit like a pathway so there wasn’t much risk in slipping and falling in, she stood on the edge and used her magic to submerge the containers into the water to fill them. She heard the water loudly rushing through and hitting the rocks. Some water hit rocks that created mist and sprayed at Trixie who didn’t mind, she found it refreshing. Trixie didn’t stay for long through, once the containers were filled with water, and she took a drink, she walked back up to her wagon. She decided not to stop again until she found the next diamond, So she crossed the bridge and continued on her way.