Pandemonium had come to Ponyville.
Not that it was the first time, the little town had a reputation for attracting the bizarre and dangerous; from ravenous parasprites and spirits of chaos to enchanted dolls, but still, even locals of Ponyville would run from lightning and fireballs. Trixie was, quite literally, having a blast with her newly obtained Destruction magic. Chain Lightning, Fireball, and Icy Spear were so fun to play with.
Carrot Top screamed and dove away from her vegetable cart just as it was impaled by a spike of ice with enough force to knock it into the house behind it, pinning it there. One of the bells that hung from the jester hat-shaped joke shop shattered as a bolt of lightning passed through it. Trails of fire swept through the dirt roads as Wall of Flames was sprayed around.
'How exhilarating,' thought Trixie as she threw another Fireball from her horn. The searing orb barely missed the poor pegasus she'd been aiming at and sailed off into the direction of the local apple orchard. 'And all this thanks to just that one spell from that prissy unicorn. I wonder what I can obtain from Twilight Sparkle?'
Trixie had a rudimentary knowledge of Twilight and her friends and was aware that none of them had an aptitude for magic like Twilight did, yet this Destruction magic was so potent. Once she encountered that mulberry unicorn she would obtain such power she knew even the princesses wouldn't be able to stand up to her.
'And then Trixie will get some well deserved payback for what that little upstart did.'
As fun as it was to throw around her new arsenal, Trixie was also positive that causing all this mayhem was the quickest way to coax out Twilight from whatever rock she was hiding under. And maybe a little insistence from the locals would also help.
"BRING TRIXIE TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" Trixie screamed at the nearby crowd of cowering Ponyvillians. "IF SHE DOESN'T COME FORTH, TRIXIE WILL JUST KEEP CASTING SPELLS UNTIL YOUR LITTLE HAMLET IS REDUCED TO RUBBLE!"
The townsfolk didn't appear to have any desire to meet Trixie's demands, in fact, most were too preoccupied with getting to safety to even hear what she even had to say. However, one pony had apparently heard her. From out of the crowd a middle aged mare wearing half moon glasses approached Trixie, her trot carrying the air of authority.
"What do you want with Twilight?" asked Mayor Mare with a scowl.
Trixie turned to the local politician with a wicked sneer.
"Oh, nothing much," she said smugly. "Trixie just owes her some 'retribution'."
"Retribution?" Mayor Mare didn't like the way this unicorn said that.
"Yes!" The gleam in Trixie's eyes became dangerous. "Retribution for all the hardships Trixie has had to endure because of her!"
Mayor Mare's scowl deepened. "Twilight Sparkle is a respectable member of our community. If you intend to harm her I will only ask this once for you to leave my town peacefully. Otherwise I will notify the royal guard."
Trixie didn't appear threatened by the mention of guards, in fact, for the most part, she just looked annoyed. "Guards?" Trixie laughed and stroked the Alicorn Amulet almost affectionately. "Nopony, not even the Royal Guard, can stand up to the magical might of the Great and Powerful Trixie!"
Mayor Mare wasn't swayed by Trixie's boast.
"If you think I'm just going to sit idly by while you threaten one of the citizens of my town you are mistaken!" She stamped a hoof threateningly. "I am the mayor of Ponyville, the well being of the ponies who live here is my responsibility. And I will do anything in my power to defend them from the likes of you!"
Trixie snorted, and, without another word, shot a crimson beam of magic at the mayor. A bright flash illuminated the area, and when it dissipated Mayor Mare found herself trapped in what appeared to be a giant bird cage.
"HEY, LET ME OUT!" shouted the political mare, pounding her tan hooves on the bars.
Trixie didn't grant her request, what she did was levitate the cage closer to her and sneer at the pony confined within.
"I hope, for your sake, Twilight is just as passionate towards her fellow pony as you are." Trixie's eyes flashed red for a brief moment, arcs of electricity channeling through her horn as a Chain Lightning spell prepared to discharge.
Mayor Mare didn't so much as flinch, only mentally bracing herself.
"TRIXIE!"
The shout resounded from the opposite direction and before even the echo faded Mayor Mare's prison was engulfed in mulberry magic and dispelled, its occupant levitating away. Trixie didn't appear concerned about the liberation of her hostage, for the object of her wrath was gently setting her down next to her across the town square. Trixie felt a sinister desire well up in her at the sight of Twilight Sparkle as she inspected the mayor for injury.
"Miss Mayor, are you alright?" asked Twilight as she looked her up and down.
"I'm fine, Twilight," said the mayor, dusting off her collar and tie, "Why are you here? Don't you know she's after..."
"Well well well, if it isn't... Twilight Sparkle!" Trixie stomped across the square, her sneer never faltering.
Twilight looked to her as she approached, and sure enough, the infamous Alicorn Amulet sparkled under the cyan unicorn’s chin. Twilight could not believe that one of the most powerful, and dangerous, magical artifacts was in the possession of such a pony, a pompous braggart whose lies were only dwarfed in size by her own ego, and the Ursa she lied about. Trixie already had a brash personality to begin with, now coupled with the corruptive nature of that dark trinket she must be a full on narcissist by now.
"Twilight, you need to leave," warned Mayor Mare, "This crazy pony is after you."
"I am aware of that, Mayor," said Twilight, taking a defensive stance. "But I have to stop her."
"HAH! You? Stop me?" Trixie scoffed, having overheard the words between the mayor and Twilight. "As if. My magic has gotten better since the last time we met.
"You will find that Trixie will not be as easily one-upped this time."
Twilight had no doubt about Trixie's words. That amulet once gave a simple unicorn mare the power to stand par with two Alicorn princesses and their armies. Twilight had to do something, for all of Ponyville's sake, all of Equestria's sake.
She only hoped the plan she and her friends came up with would work.
But first...
"What is it you want, Trixie?" she asked, looking around at all the devastation Trixie had wrought on Ponyville. "Nopony here has done anything to deserve this, so why are you doing this?"
"WHY?!" spat Trixie, pointing an accusatory hoof at Twilight. "Because you humiliated me!"
Once again, like she had shown Rarity, Trixie projected magical images of all the ridicule she had suffered since her visit to Ponyville, claiming it was all because of Twilight. Twilight herself had gleaned a little from Rarity about the ex-showmare’s motivation, but could not help but feel appalled at the audacity of it all. Trixie had brought all this humiliation and hardship on herself, it was nopony’s fault but her own.
"And now I want revenge!" Trixie's look became almost hungry. "You and me, a Magic Duel. Winner stays, loser leaves Ponyville forever."
So that's Trixie's game.
Under normal circumstances, Twilight would never agree to something like this, but as long as Trixie had that amulet she was a threat to everyone. She also suspected that this duel was Trixie's way of trying to coax her into using the Thu'um so the amulet could duplicate the ability, which cannot be allowed to happen. But this actually fit right into her plan, and if things went smoothly, nopony, not even Trixie would be harmed.
But she wasn't going to go for the offensive as her first recourse, she had to at least try and resolve this peacefully.
"I don't want to fight you, Trixie. Leave peacefully, and nothing will happen to you." She stared at the Alicorn Amulet, contemplating. She could not let her leave here with it, it had to be confiscated. "And leave your necklace. It will serve as compensation for all the damage."
It was the only excuse Twilight could come up with to get Trixie to remove the amulet willingly, for its magical lock will thwart any attempt to remove it forcefully. And Twilight suspected that Trixie was gunning on the fact that she didn't know what the Alicorn Amulet was, so if she gave an inkling that she was aware of the trinket’s magic amplifying capabilities Trixie might actually retreat and resort to more sinister tactics to try and get back at Twilight.
Trixie only laughed. "Do you think Trixie is afraid? Enough talk, let's duel!"
Twilight thought that was going to be the outcome to her only objection, after all, with the power of the Alicorn Amulet, Trixie must feel invincible.
"Yeah yeah, you tell her, oh Great and Powerful Trixie."
Twilight and Trixie both turned to the sudden voice, finding it to be the dimwit colt Snips, the little pudgy kid standing in the gathering crowd, alongside his equally dull witted friend Snails.
"Yeah, show her what real magic is," said Snails.
Trixie's eye twitched.
"YOU TWO, QUIET!" Trixie suddenly fired a shot of red magic at the two young unicorns, who suddenly found their horns fused together.
"Hey, what the...?" Snips was suspended in the air upside down, his horn melded with Snails.
"Get off me!" shouted the yellow unicorn colt, running around in circles to try and dislodge the other pony.
Twilight could only frown at the scene, worried what would happen if this keeps up. Her plan wasn't fool proof, in fact, a lot rode on chance. One misstep and somepony could be hurt, or worse.
But left with no other choice Twilight turned back to Trixie with a glare.
"Very well, Trixie, let's duel."
Trixie smirked and turned back to Twilight, her horn glowing. Snips and Snails separated, and from within the crowd the ugly dress that Rarity had been forced into disappeared.
"Oh, thank Celestia," said Rarity, glad to finally be rid of the gaudy thing.
Without warning Trixie fired a magic bolt at a nearby cart, sending it airborne. It flew into a nearby group of ponies, sending them scattering, except for the cyan earth pony Horse Shoes, who had stumbled and could only cringe as cart and barrels descended upon her. Twilight acted fast, igniting her horn and catching everything in a levitation spell before it smashed poor Horse Shoes. Twilight wiped sweat from her brow as she set everything down, all in order, but then noticed Trixie was making her next move.
Multiple pies hovered before Trixie which then sailed at Twilight.
Twilight thought for a second, smiled, and, with a flash, summoned a single parasprite. The tiny creature saw the incoming morsels, licked its lips, stretched its mouth unbelievably wide and swallowed them all, belching up another parasprite afterwards. As Twilight dismissed the parasprite a shadow fell over her.
Looking up, Twilight was caught in a small avalanche of snow, covering her until she resembled a snowpony, complete with coal eyes and mouth. A heat spell from Twilight's horn melted the snow, and once her adversary came back into view Twilight went on the offensive and fired a purple beam into her face. Instantly, Trixie grew a wide mustache.
The crowd giggled.
Trixie was not amused, summoning a pair of scissors and trimming away the unwanted fuzz.
"Snips, Snails, step forward," she commanded.
Ever the followers, Snips and Snails obeyed.
"What is it, oh Great and Powerful Trixie?" asked Snips.
In response, Trixie enveloped both colts in an intense magical field. In a flash, they changed, each in a different way. Snips was now a little baby, which began bawling frantically, while Snails looked like he had aged several centuries, wrinkled, with glasses and a gray beard as long as his body, his legs wobbling beneath him as they struggled to support him. Twilight could only stare.
Until now, she and Trixie had been trading blows with rudimentary magic, but this spell was of one of the most advanced branches. Age spells were only for high level unicorns, only a hoofful in history had pulled it off, even fewer could have done it so casually. It would seem the power of the Alicorn Amulet wasn't exaggerated throughout history.
"Well, Twilight, What can you do against that?" Trixie taunted.
Twilight knew she had nothing to play against an age spell, she hadn't had a chance to reach that level in her study, and in a magic duel the combatants had to either perform the same feats of magic, or spells that are equal in grandeur to each other.
"What's the matter? Do you forfeit? I heard you obtained new magic from that Mora creature, is this all you’ve got to show for it?" Twilight could hear it in her voice, Trixie was deliberately trying to provoke her into using the Thu'um.
'No, I mustn't,' Twilight gulped, as much as she didn't want to do it she had to put her plan in motion. She only prayed to Celestia that she could pull off her bluff.
With a deep breath Twilight prepared herself. Trixie wants the Thu'um but Twilight was positive she didn't know the first thing about it and intended to use that to her advantage.
"Start getting ponies out of here," she whispered to Mayor Mare, who still stood nearby. "Things might get ugly."
Mayor Mare didn't question the request, walking off to disperse the crowd.
For her part Trixie could just feel that Twilight was about to use this new power of hers, why else would she send the spectators away?
Once Trixie and Twilight were alone in the square Twilight tensed and opened her mouth and spoke, her horn glowing. The words that flew from her mouth were strong and noble, but they were nothing more than a random phrase in old ponish, altered by a voice modification spell.
Trixie rubbed the Alicorn Amulet in anticipation.
---
Up above, Rainbow Dash watched the proceedings from the cover of the clouds. She had been instructed by Twilight to lie in wait until Trixie pulled something that was insurmountable by Twilight and that phrase in old ponish was the signal. Taking a deep breath, Rainbow raised the Wabbajack and took aim, the conjoining arcs of the head crackling with the Divine energy of the Prince of Madness.
"I hope you know what you are doing, egghead," whispered Rainbow Dash.
The Wabbajack released a flare of red energy...
---
...That impacted Twilight in the back.
Twilight stiffened up, her body shrouded in a gleaming red sheen. A foreign sensation washed over her and Twilight closed her eyes in preparation, bracing herself and hoping for the best.
'Please not a sweet roll, please not a sweet roll, please not a sweet roll!'
Trixie watched as whatever Twilight had done appeared to be affecting her own person, smiling wickedly. She rubbed the Alicorn Amulet, ready to take this power for herself. Then... Twilight vanished in a puff of crimson.
"WHAT?!" shouted Trixie, running up to the spot Twilight had stood not a moment prior, but finding no trace of her.
“What happened!?
"What is the meaning of this, Twilight Sparkle!" she shouted at the open air. "Did you run away!?" That's it, she must have teleported. "Coward! Trixie will not stand for..."
In another flash something appeared before Trixie.
She froze at what stood before her.
Two legs clad in ridged metal armor, colored red and black, standing in spiked boots, were before her. Slowly trailing the equally armored torso up, Trixie found a bipedal creature that stood a good six feet, towering over her. A dark head poked out above the massive breastplate, adorned in curved horns.
Trixie could not move, never before had she seen such a terrible creature.
It suddenly looked down at her, crimson eyes seeming to glow within its sockets...and it drew a large, ridged sword.
"Aaah, another who seeks death!" it called in a sinister, raspy voice.
It swung its sword at Trixie, who, caught off guard at the sudden lethal hostility, only had enough time to dive out of the way, while the Dremora's sword ripped the back of her travel cloak. Trixie recovered just in time to dodge a fireball, but her new opponent was not done. Trixie turned and ran, the Demon of Oblivion hot on her heels.
"Meet your end, mortal!"
The Dremora's sword swung, aimed at Trixie's neck. She screamed and let out a fanatic wave of magic that washed over the Dremora and pushed it away. The effort obviously drained her slightly because for a brief moment she had to pause and take a breath.
She looked over to the fallen creature where it had landed, ready to flee once more if it moved, but it suddenly vanished in a flash of crimson light and now Twilight was back, standing on all fours and looking unharmed except for her rolling eyes. Twilight shook her head to clear her cloudy mind, looking around to see if anything 'unbecoming' had happened during her ploy, but all she could see was that Trixie now wore a look of utter terror. Looking down she saw the footprints in the dirt, immediately deducing what happened.
'Random transformation into a Dremora, thank Celestia,' she thought to herself for a second.'One of the more survivable effects of the Wabbajack, at least for the victim, but Trixie is lucky to have survived.'
"Well?" Twilight inquired of her opponent. "It's your move Trixie."
Trixie shook her own head at Twilight's words, clearing it of the lingering terror after an encounter with such a horrible monster.
'So that's one of her new abilities,' she thought to herself, remembering the creepy biped as it tore after her with a sword. "Yes, Trixie will have many uses for this power. Nopony will stand against me if I can turn into such an intimidating form, not to mention anything else this Thu'um might have in store.'
Her cocky smirk emerging again, Trixie focused her magic and bridged it with the Alicorn Amulet... only for her horn to peter out without anything happening.
'WHAT!' Trixie just barely managed to not scream that out loud, trying again multiple times to access what surely must have been added to her arsenal, but coming up empty. 'Why isn't it working? She used the spell right in front of me?'
Twilight noticed Trixie's hesitation and mentally prepared herself for the next stage of her charade. "Do you yield? Give us that necklace for compensation and you can leave peacefully. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to get serious."
Twilight was hoping for this to end right here, right now. All Trixie had to do was take off the amulet and leave and nothing else would come from this situation. Otherwise, she would have to demonstrate what 'serious' meant in this ploy she was conducting, and she didn't want to have to resort to that.
It would not be good for Trixie, or for Equestria for that matter.
Trixie herself was beginning to have doubts. She had banked everything on being able to use the Alicorn Amulet’s duplication abilities to get access to the Thu'um, but when Twilight used it a moment ago the amulet didn't obtain anything.
'How is this possible, I was able to copy that one unicorn?' She froze as a thought occurred. 'Maybe the Alicorn Amulet can't actually copy the Thu'um's power?'
If that was the case Trixie was in way over her head. The Alicorn Amulet amplified her magic exponentially, but three years ago that tendriled thing pacified the entire country with but a single word from this mystical language. If she truly couldn't get access to it...?
But before Trixie's doubts could persuade her to accept Twilight's terms and surrender, another pulse of dark magic swept through her from the Alicorn Amulet and the same corruption that made Princess Blood Diamond go even more berserk over a millennium ago forced her ego back to the surface.
"NEVER!" she screamed. "Trixie will not be one upped by the likes of you again!"
Another spell flew from Trixie's horn, impacting the cart she almost crushed Horse Shoes with and transforming it. Now it was several times bigger, made of solid gold and decorated with wing shaped siding, purple velvet cushions, and a figurehead in Trixie's own image. For some reason it now lacked wheels.
Trixie smirked at her work, it won't be enough for Twilight to just transform something, she had to make it just as fancy now.
Twilight could only lower her head and fold her ears back. Trixie had not fallen for it, so now she was going to have to step up her game. Which meant utilizing their 'last resort'.
'Forgive me Applejack. I know I said it would not come to this, but we have to secure that amulet at any cost.' With a final sigh of resignation Twilight prepared the spell she was going to use to signal Sweet Apple Acres that at the same time would give Trixie the impression that what was about to happen was Twilight's doing.
With one last random phrase in old ponish Twilight cast a red flare into the air that sailed skyward in a perfect straight line.
---
Among the crowd that Mayor Mare had herded to safety Spike saw that flare and knew that was his cue that Twilight was going with plan B and he needed to play his part. Scowling seriously, Spike cast a Chameleon spell on himself, and, cloaked in transparency, made his way through the crowd and back to the square.
---
Rainbow saw Twilight's flare fly past her and hugged the Wabbajack to her chest. While normally a thrill seeker, even Rainbow was nervous about what was about to happen. Not that she was worried for herself, she could take anything, but could the rest of Equestria? She had read about that amulet, recently in fact, and knew its history.
It had to be seized.
'Come on Applejack, show your grit and heed Twilight's signal.
---
At Sweet Apple Acres, the Apple family watched as a single crimson spark soared into the sky where it blended with the sun's rays. Applejack swallowed, knowing that this meant the first plan failed, which meant it was time to dish out the big gun... or bow in this case.
"Was that Twilight's signal?" asked Granny Smith.
"Eeyup," said Big Mac, nodding to Apple Bloom.
The little filly had begged to be allowed to do something to help in this situation, and they all decided that if it came down to it she could hoof Ariel's Bow to Applejack when the time came. Applejack had the best perception and aim, her skill at horseshoe throwing a testament to that, so Twilight decided she should be the one to perform the deed. She wished her talent would not have been used for something so sinister.
"Here you go, sis," said Apple Bloom sweetly, hefting the golden bow she was carrying on her back and setting it before Applejack, then offering her a gold quiver housing a single arrow.
Applejack reluctantly wielded the bow in her hooves, but hesitated to take the arrow.
"I... I can't," she groaned.
"C’mon youngin," said her grandmother who trotted over and massaged her grandchild's back comfortingly. "We gotta get that amulet away from that sidewinder. You know what that nasty Princess from the deep past did with it."
"Eeyup," said Big Mac.
"And we don't want Trixie to cause the same, do we?" continued Granny Smith.
"Nope," said Big Mac.
Applejack swallowed nervously again, but her resolve was bolstered by her family's encouragement. With ever growing reluctance, Applejack held Auriel's Bow in her left hoof and drew the single arrow with her right. She nocked it and pointed its red tinted head at what, according to the history of the bow, was the target that would activate its magic.
Applejack squinted in the sunlight and fired.
---
Trixie watched as Twilight spoke those mystic words and a crimson flare shot from her horn. It flew skyward and vanished into the glare of the sun. For a moment nothing happened.
'Maybe this time the amulet will work,' she thought to herself. But still nothing happened.
Trixie frowned and looked back to Twilight, opening her mouth to declare her victory...
BOOM
...Until a low pitch sound echoed from above.
Trixie looked up just as the light of the day visibly dimmed and she noticed an ominous dark cloud blanketing the sun, which then spread to cover the whole sky. The early evening soon became as dark as dusk, shadow creeping across the ground like a living thing seeking to smother the land. Up above, the sun was still visible in the middle of the sky, but it no longer resembled the warm, heavenly body Celestia has guided for a millennium.
Now it was pulsating with swirling red and black, its core a ominous void that appeared to be sucking the remaining light into it.
Trixie was frozen in shock, the hole in the sky hovering directly above for her alone seemingly. Never before had she seen anything like this, she couldn't believe it. Yet it was up there, plain as day, or as plain as a day should be, given the situation.
Her mind locked up, the swirling vortex above looming, almost as if...it wanted her.
---
So distracted by the scene above Trixie didn't notice the sound of clawed feet behind her.
Spike, careful not to do something that might break the Chameleon spell, slowly crept towards the mesmerized braggart, parted her travel cloak like a curtain and slipped under her barrel. He rubbed his claws together in preparation, breathed in deeply through his nostrils, and cast a spell into Trixie's belly. The action caused his body to reappear, but he quickly renewed his Chameleon before Trixie could notice. Moving on to the next step, Spike lay down on his back and placed his feet on Trixie's stomach.
'All or nothing.' He shoved Trixie upwards, crawling away backwards as his gentle shove sent her into the air.
---
Trixie was too focused on the sun to register her travel cloak ruffling, she didn't even notice the spell that had been placed on her, or the Alicorn Amulet reacting and assimilating another branch of magic from Nirn.
But she did notice when she suddenly began levitating, ripples of purple energy swaying beneath her.
"HEY, WHAT IS THIS, WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" Trixie screamed, kicking her legs, but it only seemed to be making her ascend faster.
Twilight dredged up the most aggressive stance she could muster as she walked up to the levitating Trixie. It was time to lay all the cards on the table, no more beating around the bush. It was time to lay her ultimate bluff and only hope Trixie does not call it.
"Exactly what you deserve," Twilight answered Trixie, scowling up at her as the rippling energy carried her about fifteen feet in the air.
Trixie brought her attention to Twilight, then looked to the pulsating energy beneath her, then back to the swirling hole the sun had become.
"What... what are you doing?" Trixie asked, still kicking her legs, but it still didn't help her get back to the ground.
"What I have to, for Equestria's sake." Twilight pointed at the sun. "Like the Elements of Harmony once did to Nightmare Moon, his Thu'um allows the caster to imprison their foe in the sun."
Trixie visibly paled at hearing that. She looked back up at the sun and realized it did indeed want her. It was to be her prison, and Twilight had been the key to open its front gates.
"You... you can't do this!" she called out, squirming frantically as she continued to climb. "You can't use lethal force in a magic duel!"
"Did you honestly think I was that gullible?" asked Twilight, genuine annoyance in her voice as she pointed at Trixie's neck. "Did you honestly think I would not recognize the Alicorn Amulet?"
Trixie froze again, absentmindedly covering the amulet she wore.
"You broke the rules of this duel long before it started, Trixie," said Twilight, "And since you have failed to take that dangerous thing off willingly I have no choice. I will seal it somewhere where it won't cause harm to anypony, if I have to seal you along with it, so be it."
This was it, it would go three ways from here.
Trixie would either surrender the amulet at last, call Twilight's bluff, or flee.
Twilight could cope with the former or the latter, but not the middle. All Trixie had to do was wait for Spike's Levitation to wear off and the ruse would be out. Trixie would realize that the sun wouldn't suck her into its depths and would just hover in the sky like it always had, just with a temporary new look.
Trixie was in a frenzied state of mind. Not only was her trump card found out, but now she was about to suffer a fate only one other had even remotely experienced. And something told her being imprisoned in the sun wasn't the same experience as imprisonment in the moon. That thing up above looked like it would rend her to pieces as soon as she came in range. Maybe Twilight would spare her if she gave up the amulet and surrendered?
No, she would not give it up.
This amulet finally made her feel as Great and Powerful as she always claimed to be, she would not part with it. But she didn't want this fate either, no, Twilight may have won this round but she would be back. And better prepared.
Trixie focused her teleportation spell and disappeared, actual teleportation instead of using a smoke screen and then galloping off.
But Twilight didn't seem worried. While not the outcome she would have preferred, now things were out of her hooves. Now it was time for a few of her friends to tag in and enact the final contingency plan to claim the Alicorn Amulet. At least now Trixie could be dealt with without any more collateral damage, hopefully.
Spike appeared at her side.
"Was that supposed to happen?" he asked.
"It was good enough, Spike, now our friends know what to do." She looked around and saw that Ponyville was completely enraptured by the sight above. Some looked on in wonder at the new appearance of the sun, but most looked frightened. "Come on Spike, let's see if we can prevent a panic."
Twilight trotted towards the other ponies, but soon realized she was alone. Looking back she saw Spike was also mesmerized by the sun, his slitted pupils growing to almost encompass his eyes.
"Come on Spike, I think I need my number one assistant for this." Spike just kept staring at the sky, barely breathing.
Sighing, Twilight trotted back to Spike and shook him by the shoulder. "I know it's quite the sight Spike, but I need your help."
Spike snapped out of his daze with a snort and gave Twilight his undivided attention. "Right, sorry."
He followed Twilight as she led him into the crowd of skyward gazing ponies, taking one last look at the sun himself beforehand. The swirling void seemed to be reaching out to him, he didn't know what it was, but something within the sun seemed to resonate with something within him while it was in this state. He felt slightly thirsty.
As Spike began making an effort to calm the crowd with Twilight, he occasionally scratched his neck, the sensation growing under the dim light of this unique sun.
---
A few minutes earlier:
Rainbow had known what Auriel's Bow could do, but nothing could prepare her for the sight above, the sun now transformed into the exact opposite of what it should be. Now it took light instead of giving it.
Rainbow Dash was so awestruck by the sight that she almost missed Trixie teleporting from her position in the sky, a similar light going off in Whitetail Woods in the distance.
'Aw yeah, I was hoping she would wanna do this the hard way.' She cast an Invisiblity spell on herself, (sweet Spitfire she loved having magic of her own) hefted the Wabbajack, which had been too dangerous to use near civilians, hence the need to do all this so as to get Trixie away from innocent ponies, and dove off the clouds and into the crowd below. She found the pony she was looking for, wrapping the hoof not gripping Wabbajack around Rarity and flying off with her.
Rarity had been mesmerized by the sun too, so it took her a while to realize it was time to get her flank in gear and do her part alongside Rainbow Dash, casting Invisiblity over herself as well. She and Rainbow we're the backup in case Trixie tried to flee with the amulet, now was the time to put Twilight's plan for them in motion.
"Did you have to pick me up so roughly, Dash?"
"Less talk, more preparing to kick rump."
In an instant, thanks to Rainbow's speed, they soon closed in on White Tail Woods.
---
Trixie reappeared in the forest on the outskirts of Ponyville. She struggled against the rippling energy that was keeping her aloft, but hoped putting distance between her and Twilight would hinder that imprisonment spell. The sun still hung menacingly above, but wasn't directly over her anymore.
Then the ripples disappeared and Trixie fell to the ground flat on her face. Despite the harrowing experience moments ago, Trixie was still annoyed at faceplanting. Standing to her hooves Trixie cast one spiteful glare at Ponyville before galloping off in the opposite direction.
She would return, and stronger next time.
"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"
Trixie suddenly found her path blocked by a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane. Rather than just waste time with subtlety, Trixie fired a barrage of magic bolts from her horn. Rainbow agily dodged each one and slammed her forehead into Trixie's, halting her in place.
"OUT OF TRIXIE'S WAY!" screamed Trixie into Rainbow Dash's face.
"Not a chance,” said Rainbow, pushing back. "We're not through yet, especially not after what you did to Pinkie."
Trixie growled and ignited her horn. Suddenly, Rainbow held out her hoof and from a nearby tree a dark rod sailed into her waiting fetlock.
"What the...?" Trixie stammered as she beheld the bizarre staff Rainbow wielded.
Rainbow capitalized on her distraction, charging up the Wabbajack and striking Trixie with it's bolt. Trixie jumped back as an aura of gold light washed over her, but she soon realized she was alright. Infact, she felt refreshed.
"What the.. " Rainbow glared at the staff, remembering Twilight's caution of its random enchantment. "I bet Pinkie would love this thing."
Trixie went on the offensive again, charging another spell. Rainbow retaliated with another blast from the Wabbajack. It was unpredictable, but it was all she had, and the Alicorn Amulet could not recreate its power.
But what came next was the epiphany of bad draws.
"Ah, another who seeks death!" the Dremora charged at Rainbow, brandishing an ax. Rainbow dodged a swing, took to the air, and, struggling to keep a grip on the Wabbajack, struck the Dremora in the back with another blast.
Trixie reappeared, too wobbly to notice a second blast to the back. She screamed and fell to her haunches, lightning coursing through every part of her being. With her opponent distracted, Rainbow took one more shot.
Trixie vanished, in her place was a chicken, waddling around, clucking, still wearing the Alicorn Amulet.
"Now Rarity!"
The mare in question galloped out of the trees, levitating the Skeleton Key in her baby blue magic as she approached the mare turned fowl. She stuck the key into the latch in the back of the amulet. Inside, Alicorn magic warred with the essence of the Daedra Lord Nocturnal.
For a second it was a stalemate, but no matter how potent, no mortal magic could stand up to the Divine power of a Daedra Lord. With a click, the Alicorn Amulet unlatched from the chicken’s neck, and Rarity caught it in her magic.
"Yes, we did it!" shouted Rainbow, doing a victory dance in the air.
"Yes, I must certainly say, a job well done." Rarity held the Alicorn Amulet away from her, revolted at the thing’s sinister appearance.
Suddenly, Trixie turned from a chicken back into a pony, her eyes twirling. She saw the two mares before her and fired magic at them. Rainbow and Rarity didn't get out of the way in time.
But nothing noteworthy happened but some giggling.
"Stop it, that tickles," complained Rainbow between laughs.
"Indeed, it is uncouth to tickle a lady," giggled Rarity as she struggled not to fidget and ruin her hair.
"It only tickles? It’s supposed to..." Trixie could only look in horror at the amulet Rarity held in her magic, feeling her neck to find it bare. "No, give Trixie back her amulet!"
"Ah ah ah!" Rainbow brandished the Wabbajack threateningly.
Trixie backed away from the sinister staff. Without the Alicorn Amulet she was back to being the mediocre illusionist she was before. She was outmatched and she knew it.
In a puff of smoke her empty traveling cloak fell to the dirt, but Rarity and Rainbow Dash could easily see her retreating figure as she galloped away.
They exchanged evil smirks.
"What do you think, Rainbow?" asked Rarity, wiggling her eyebrows.
"You go high, I go low?" Rainbow asked, rubbing her hooves together.
Rarity winked and then they both turned towards Trixie's shrinking figure. They each summoned a pulsating green orb, Rarity's at the tip of her horn, Rainbow between her hooves. They took aim and discharged them, Rainbow’s hitting Trixie in the hindquarters, Rarity's the back of her head. The two Mass Paralysis spells caused Trixie to stiffen up like a statue, her body dropping to the dirt without even the ability to go limp, a living pony statue wreathed in a green aura.
Rarity and Rainbow exchanged a high hoof.
---
The two arrived back in Ponyville just as Twilight, the mayor, and Spike finished calming the population, hefting the paralyzed Trixie between them.
"Rarity, Rainbow, are you okay?" Twilight asked, galloping up to them with Spike, Applejack and Fluttershy bringing up the rear.
"Better than fine," said Rainbow as Rarity levitated the Alicorn Amulet to Twilight.
"You got it, oh, thank goodness," said Fluttershy. She had come back into town to help calm Ponyville after the sun went dark and it took all her willpower not to curl up at the sight herself.
"Alright, miss high and mighty is dealt with," said Applejack, glaring at the figure between Rarity and Rainbow. "Now what about Pinkie?"
"Now that Trixie isn't threatening anypony we can work on returning her home," said Twilight, grasping Trixie's paralyzed body in her magic and teleporting her to the guard station. "Come on everyone, I will need all of you."
They followed Twilight as she left, Applejack looking up at the dark sky with an expression of guilt.
"You know there was no other choice, Applejack," said Fluttershy, giving the farm mare a hug.
"I know," said Applejack with lowering ears. "I just hope the rest of Equestria isn't panicking about it too much."
"LISTEN TO ME, MY BELOVED SUBJECTS!"
They all looked up to see the silhouette of Princess Celestia projected in the heart of the sun.
"FEAR NOT THE APPEARANCE OF THE SUN THIS FINE DAY, IT IS MERELY THE RESULT OF A MAGICAL EXPERIMENT OF MINE. IT IS NOTHING TO BE CONCERNED WITH."
The image faded and Twilight and her friends exchanged relieved looks. If anything could calm the ponies of this catastrophe it's the words of Princess Celestia herself. By now, most ponies were probably breathing a sigh of relief and everyone in Ponyville was no different. Though Twilight suspected she would have some explaining to do to Celestia before too long, she probably already suspected she and her friends are involved somehow.
But for now the main concern was getting Pinkie Pie home safely.
