//------------------------------// // Assault on Twilight's Castle - Act I // Story: The Great and Powerful Trixie in the exordium under the pyramids // by Khampostel //------------------------------// In Twilight's castle, in the grand map room, the only round table in the center of the room suddenly shimmered, displaying live the distant figure of a blue-coated pony with a white mane galloping at considerable speed. Seated in the most important chair of the six surrounding the magical table, Starlight Glimmer furrowed her brow. She set aside the scrolls she had been reviewing and approached to examine the image. She soon recognized the pony dressed as a wizard rapidly approaching the place. "Why is he coming in such a hurry?" she thought, perplexed. She had a meeting with him in the afternoon, so it didn't pose a problem. She had even prepared a scenario in case, for some reason, he arrived earlier than scheduled. However, what was the reason for this rushed visit? Then, an obvious answer came to her thoughts, putting her on guard. "Has he discovered me?" she spoke to herself with seriousness. It shouldn't be possible, considering all the countermeasures she had taken... or could it be... The sudden doubt that erupted in Starlight's mind vanished. There was another answer that could better explain what was happening. If she considered all she had investigated and learned from the unexpected visit of the younger bearers of the elements of harmony earlier in the morning, then she could conclude that what was happening now was a consequence of past actions taken by that irresponsible pony, actions of which the 'previous' Starlight was unaware. "Ugh, how annoying. I've had enough of these trivialities..." muttered Starlight, losing all interest. That pony was not a threat, but a nuisance. A nuisance best left for others to handle. Even if the situation got out of control, she had countermeasures ready to isolate the 'nuisance'. The plan was already in motion; it wouldn't be stopped. "But... what if I add...?" she murmured thoughtfully, but immediately shook her head. It was pointless. Glancing at the hourglass by her side, she confirmed her thoughts. It was almost complete. She had spent too much of her limited time dealing with the group of children earlier; it was time to conclude her duties. With just a flick of her hoof, the scrolls on the table vanished along with the image of the hurried pony. Next, Starlight tossed a small crystal into the center of the table, and it lit up. A dark silhouette was projected holographically in the middle of the table. Starlight bowed and said, "The first passenger has boarded." "Blessed tide. The other passengers have also boarded; let us proceed with the next phase immediately," announced an unknown voice. "Excellent, I'm sending you my coordinates." Starlight retrieved another crystal, and it flickered for a few seconds, as did the one on the dark projection's side. "All is in order..." announced the unknown voice as the crystals finished their glow. "THE TRAIN DEPARTS FROM THE STATION!" "See you at midnight," responded the lavender-maned unicorn. The hologram faded, leaving Starlight alone in the room. She rose from her seat and cast a amused look at the star-shaped emblem shining on the chair where she had been seated. Then, a wide smile spread across her face, but it was not a friendly smile... "The greatest victories are achieved before the first battle is even fought... hehe... Checkmate, princess...", said Starlight before disappearing in a teleportation light. From one of the balconies of Twilight's Castle, Ocellus observed with great interest the illuminated horizon of that sunny morning through a telescope. A large cloud was drifting slowly in the distance. "It looks like a cloud from the Everfree Forest..." murmured Ocellus, puzzled. "Is everything okay, Ocellus?" responded Gallus, from behind, flexing his wings at the opposite end of the balcony. "Oh, it's nothing important! Well, maybe it is... Tell me, Gallus, what do you think of that cloud?" Gallus turned around and directed his gaze to the horizon in the same direction Ocellus was pointing. After squinting to sharpen his sight, he spread his wings and, with a flap, soared into the air to surpass the castle's height. After a few seconds in the sky, he returned to the balcony. "Well, what can I say, it's definitely some weird weather from the Everfree Forest. It looks like a storm cloud moving northeast." "Oh no! That's not good. They forecasted good sunny weather for the entire Canterlot periphery. I have to report this immediately." "Hey, aren't you being too diligent? The weather team must have it covered. Plus, it's heading northeast. There's nothing there except the train tracks." "Anyway, someone has to let them know," replied Ocellus, pulling out parchment and a quill. "Haha, we wouldn't expect anything less from the future 'teacher' Ocellus," teased Gallus. Ocellus, about to write, paused her quill and looked at Gallus with surprise. Gallus, who was about to eat a corn snack, froze upon realizing the serious slip-up he had made. "Did you read my diary?" asked Ocellus, frowning. "Umm... I just remembered I didn't close the security post door. I'd better go back before the guys do something stupid..." "Did you read my diary, Gallus?" asked Ocellus, raising her voice and standing up indignantly. Private diaries were one of the most important personal possessions in the lives of the Changelings. Ocellus was no different, and the mere idea that a close friend like Gallus would do such a thing angered her even more. "Well... uh..." nervously, Gallus glanced towards the balcony entrance, already thinking about fleeing the scene. At that moment, the rest of their friends arrived, alerted by Ocellus's voice. They were very surprised to see the scene; such sudden anger in Ocellus was very rare to witness. Gallus, nervous about not knowing what to respond, remained silent, slowly stepping back towards the others. Then, Smolder, understanding what was happening, spoke up. "He didn't read your diary, Ocellus, it was me," said Smolder, very serious and in a firm posture. "What?" exclaimed Ocellus, surprised by the sudden revelation. "It was shortly after the invasion of the orchid-octopi, when we were cleaning up the flooded dormitories at school, I found a diary in the trash. I didn't know it was yours, so I kept it and started reading it. I found it very funny, so I also shared it with the rest of the gang. That's when Yona and Silverstream told me it was yours." The shaken Ocellus was still processing what her friend had just told her. Weeks ago, she had found her diary in the lost documents section of the library. She was very puzzled about how it had ended up there after losing it during the orchid-octopi invasion. Although her friends had previously told her that they couldn't find it during the school cleanup, it was now clear that it hadn't been true. Her surprise quickly gave way to another more obvious concern. "How much did you read from my diary...?" asked Ocellus, already dreading the response her friends might give her. "No, no, no. We didn't find out much, really!, except your big... I mean, little dream of being a teacher..." said Silverstream, somewhat nervously. "And the long poems dedicated to Princess Twilight to return to school," added Yona. Ocellus, now embarrassed, blushed as she saw the mixed expressions on her friends' faces. "It was an accident, Ocellus. It wasn't on purpose. We would never spy on anyone's private diary." "But you did spy on Sandbar's...," corrected Smolder with a suspicious look. "That was a bet, it's different," Gallus responded immediately. "Enough, guys. Ocellus, are you okay?" Sandbar interrupted, advancing in his wheelchair, noticing the distress in Ocellus. Ocellus hadn't said anything up to that point. Her heart was cold, and her thoughts were elsewhere, in the midst of a dark suspicion. "Are you mad at us?" Silverstream asked. "No. Well, I understand it was an accident, so it's okay, I forgive you," Ocellus responded mechanically, betraying a total lack of spirit in her words. "Phew, what a relief, guys. Everything's fine!" responded cheerfully Silverstream to the others, but she stopped herself when she noticed the concern in the rest of her classmates. Soon, she too became concerned as she noticed the cold expression on Ocellus's face. "Okay, you forgive us, but something still bothers you," said Smolder, breaking the cold atmosphere. "It's nothing," replied Ocellus. "Come on, if you're really mad at me, I can accept any punishment you give me." "It's not that." "Then what is it?" "Well, it's silly, but... for a moment, I thought you were only being so nice to me and helping me with the school trip just because you didn't want me to find out what happened with my diary," said Ocellus with evident sadness. Silence filled the balcony. "Hee! Of course not, we really care about the trip," replied Smolder, approaching her friend. "And yes, we felt a little guilty at first, but we definitely care about what you're doing and you matter more to us, Ocellus." Everyone else nodded, confirming Smolder's words. Then, finally, a relieved smile spread across Ocellus's face as she sensed the honesty in her friend's words. Soon, the cold feelings that had paralyzed her heart just moments before melted away, and she was herself again. "Thanks, guys, I'm really glad to hear that," Ocellus responded genuinely uplifted. "We're glad we didn't find out more from your diary. Ouch!" said Gallus, but he was interrupted by a nudge from Sandbar. The group of friends laughed again; everything was as it always had been. "Don't you feel like something's missing?" Silverstream asked, suddenly stopping her laughter. The answer came quickly. "Group hug!" Yona bellowed to her friends. "Now? Haaa!" Gallus exclaimed, being pulled into the air by Yona as he tried to escape. In an instant, they were all caught in a tight Yak-style hug in the middle of the balcony. "Ouch, ouch, ouch, Yona... that's... enough!" cried Ocellus as she felt her exoskeleton being compressed. The hug ended at that moment, and Yona released her friends, who couldn't help but take a deep breath to recover lost air. "Haaa... Well, I think we've had enough doses of friendship for one day. If you need me, I'll be in the storeroom..." Gallus said, recovering from his friend's powerful hug. "WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?" Smolder exclaimed, raising her voice towards Gallus, who was already re-entering the castle. "Eh? I didn't say anything, I'm going to the storeroom..." "Like that? Don't you forget something?" "What could it be?" "Maybe a certain griffon with a feather memory doesn't remember making a 'dragon oath' to his friends that he would never speak about a certain diary for the rest of his life," Smolder said, with a look befitting a dragon whose treasure had been stolen. Beside her, a surprised Ocellus watched what was happening. "Come on. We've already moved on from that...," Gallus responded. "You made a dragon oath!" exclaimed Smolder, pointing her claw at Gallus. "I really don't care, Smolder," said Ocellus, trying to calm her friends. "He has to pay for his mistake, Ocellus," roared Smolder, who was not willing to back down from her position. Ocellus looked to the rest of her friends for help, but their gaze was stern. "Yaks never fail their word. Understand dragon oath very well. Oath must be respected," said Yona solemnly; beside her, Silverstream and Sandbar nodded in agreement, showing they shared her position. "Seriously, guys!" Gallus complained as he saw his friends turning against him. "Is there any way to fix this?" Ocellus asked, now concerned about how the situation was evolving. "Well, yes, there's one or another way to fix it. But the main thing is that he has to suffer a punishment!" Smolder pronounced. "A punishment?" Ocellus repeated; she didn't like the idea. Gallus seemed to like it even less now, and he was now frowning in annoyance. "Uhh I know, he should shave the feathers on his head before graduation," suggested Silverstream cheerfully. "Hey, hey, that's not fair!" exclaimed Gallus indignantly. "They won't do that, right?" Ocellus asked Smolder, worried. "Of course not. The punishment must be chosen by the aggrieved person. In this case, 'you' must decide it," Smolder replied to Ocellus. All eyes turned to the shy changeling. "Heeee!" exclaimed Ocellus nervously. "I can't do that, he's..." Gallus sighed, already resigned. "It's okay, Ocellus. Give me a punishment, and it's fine by me." "But, Gallus..." Ocellus said, unsure of what she should do; then she turned her gaze back to Smolder. "You said there were other ways, right?" "Yes. The other is for him to spend a hundred moons locked inside a volcano," Smolder replied with a malicious grin. Ocellus swallowed hard, aware that Gallus wouldn't last even a day in a place like that. "Ocellus, it's okay. I deserve it for being a blabbermouth. Now give me a punishment and let's put an end to this once and for all," said Gallus, no longer interested in continuing that conversation. Ocellus sighed, exhausted. Just a moment ago, they had given each other a friendship hug. Now she would have to sentence her friend Gallus. Did friendship really work like this? Did Princess Twilight go through situations like this with her friends? Or was this just something they did? "I need to have private lessons with Princess Twilight in the future..." Ocellus thought disheartened. Then, an idea came to her mind. "Gallus, this will be your punishment. You must tell all of us, with total honesty and truth, what you wish to be in the future," Ocellus spoke aloud, without any shyness in her words. Gallus didn't laugh. Neither did the rest of the Young Six. None among them really knew what the answer to that question was. For quite some time, Gallus had avoided answering his friends when they asked him about that topic. And when he did respond, he always did it in jest, so no one could really take his words seriously. Now Gallus was forced to answer. The Young Six watched him with great interest. The griffon with blue feathers looked up at the sky with his thoughts in the clouds. After being silent for a brief moment, he finally turned his gaze back to his friends on the balcony. "I wish to be an adventurer. To travel like no griffon has ever done, to learn about the lives of other griffons in the colonies around the world, to broaden my horizons, and to bring all the knowledge I acquire back to Griffonstone to make it a better place," Gallus replied in a serious and mature tone. The wind gently crossed the balcony. There, the Young Six stood speechless at Gallus's surprising answer. No one had expected that response. "Wow. It's very noble of you to want to do all this for your home," responded Ocellus, breaking her companions' stupor. "Well... it's not like I feel indebted to the other griffons in the colony. But if it's possible to make the place where you live better, why not do it?" Gallus shrugged. "You have all our support!" said Sandbar in his wheelchair, also in a serious tone. Beside him, the rest of the Young Six nodded in agreement with his words. "Thanks, brother," replied Gallus; both approached, claw and hoof met in a gesture of friendship. The sun shone brightly over the Friendship Castle. A true group of friends stood defiantly on one of its balconies. And so they continued chatting among themselves for a few more minutes until... "Hoo, I just remembered. We found out there's a manticore in the castle basement. Do you want to go see it?" exclaimed Silverstream suddenly, remembering why they had returned to the balcony before the discussion with Ocellus. "Really? That's..." Gallus began to respond but was interrupted. A sudden screech reached them from inside the castle. The sound was so loud and powerful that everyone covered their ears. "Annoying noise! Where is it coming from?" growled Yona, trying to cover her large and sensitive ears. "It's the intruder alarm in case of attack!" Gallus replied loudly so his friends could hear him over the noise. "HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" they all responded in unison. A peaceful morning stretched over the vast meadow surrounding Twilight's Castle. Like any other day, birds sang their cheerful melody among the branches, while butterflies danced among the flowers. Under the soft light, some creatures still yawned sleepily, while others hurried, aware that the day was already advancing. However, the routine serenity of the meadow was suddenly interrupted by a growing murmur, which soon transformed into the unmistakable echo of hoofbeats. Appearing out of nowhere on the horizon, the silhouette of Trixie Lulamoon streaked the path over the hill. Galloping at an impressive speed, the unicorn descended the trail, leaving a cloud of dust behind her. Trixie was visibly in a hurry. She had crossed the entire distance from the School of Friendship to Twilight's Castle without rest. Although she had made that journey many times in the past, she had never done it with the urgency that drove her now. The fresh air filtered through her mane and sweat-soaked coat, witnesses to the urgency driving her. Her determined gaze would have instilled fear in anyone who crossed her path. Throughout the journey, she didn't take a moment to rest. She didn't care about the elegance of her figure, now disheveled and sweaty. Nor did she regret missing her traditional double summer solstice breakfast that she used to enjoy. None of that mattered in Trixie's mind, where only concerns and dark forebodings reigned, vestiges of the terrible nightmare she had experienced the previous night. "Almost there... Come on, Trixie!" the unicorn encouraged herself. Just a few meters from reaching the castle gates, Trixie, with her eyes fixed on her goal, quickened her pace even more, anticipating the moment when she would finally meet Starlight and put an end to her grim worries. She was so close... and yet so far. "PLAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM." A dull and cutting sound resonated in the air, disturbing the peaceful morning and alerting all unsuspecting creatures in the meadow. In front of Twilight's Castle, Trixie's body collided with an invisible wall, an obstacle that shouldn't exist there. "Ouchhhhh." Trixie whimpered disoriented for a moment before collapsing unconscious. Around her, the morning continued to progress. Among the shadows of the plants near the castle, an unknown presence lurked in the darkness. Its prey lay motionless. It was a perfect opportunity to capture it, but it decided not to act immediately. It shouldn't underestimate her. She would take her time... The unknown presence hid once again among the shadows. The sky stretched out in celestial shades, so deep that it was not strange to think that trying to touch them with hooves would damage their noble beauty. "Magnificent..." Trixie thought in whispers, lying on the ground, gazing at that majestic sky with eyes shining with nostalgia and delight. As a child, on clear days like this, she used to get lost in fantasies while looking at the sky, imagining herself as a magnificent figure among the white clouds. Then, her father, who listened to his daughter's daydreams, would lift her high on his back and tell her that with effort and dedication, one day she would be in a sky of stars, a sky where Trixie would shine brighter than any other. A sky reserved only for her... a dreamlike stage. "Ouhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." Trixie brought a hoof to her head as she felt a stabbing pain in her forehead. For some reason, her horn was very irritated. "Why does my horn hurt so suddenly...?" murmured the unicorn. Then, her thoughts abruptly stopped as she finally realized that she was on the ground. Trixie quickly got up and looked around. She was in front of the Castle of Twilight, which was enveloped in a beautiful bubble of magic. "But what...?" Trixie murmured, surprised, taking a few steps back. She didn't understand what was happening. Why was she there? At that moment, a meadowlark flew singing over her head, and suddenly her memory refreshed. The mental fog she had been in until that moment dried up and filled with anger. "WHO THE HECK PUT THIS BARRIER OVER THE CASTLE?" she shouted furiously as she realized what had happened. Just a few meters from reaching the castle, Trixie had crashed into the translucent magical barrier that protected it. If she had slowed down when she was so close, she probably would have noticed the magical wall in front of her. However, this didn't happen; she accelerated and ended up crashing, causing a big commotion. Her impact had been so intense that it even activated the attack alarm installed in the place. Now, indignant, Trixie stood at the gates of the Castle of Twilight. Suddenly, the alarm that had been sounding constantly until that moment stopped. A double 'beep' whistled through the air, and the castle gates opened. Trixie froze, startled. She had forgotten that Starlight had mentioned how busy she would be in the morning and also how much her friend got annoyed when interrupted. Quickly, she adjusted her mane and put on her best smile, hoping to mitigate the possible fury that would fall upon her. Two figures emerged from the castle. Trixie's smile collapsed. They were not Starlight. Silverstream, accompanied by Gallus, descended the castle steps. Silverstream's smile was as usual, but Gallus's gaze definitely looked sharper than usual... (Why are they here? Hmm...) Trixie thought, confused. Setting aside the urgency that had previously dominated her, she paid attention to the young ones approaching her. "Good morning, Counselor Trixie! It's a beautiful morning, isn't it?" greeted Silverstream casually with a smile. "Yes, yes, it's very beautiful, dear... and it would be even more beautiful if this magical barrier WASN'T HERE!" protested Trixie, hitting the barrier with her front hoof. "Ah, yes... Excuse us, Counselor Trixie, it's very untimely, but we are testing the castle's defenses. I hope it didn't cause you any trouble," responded Silverstream cheerfully but with a slight nervous tic. "Not at all," Trixie responded immediately with confidence, covering up her previous mishap. "And may I know who gave you permission to be testing the castle's defenses?" "Well, Director Starlight was the one who gave us permission. She asked us and the rest of the kids to take care of the security of the place. You know, with everyone busy with today's big party, there's no one to take care of those things... haha," laughed Silverstream. Trixie's eyebrows sharpened. Why did Silverstream look so nervous? Why would Starlight ask the Young Six to take care of security? Was it a punishment? Everything was very odd. But she would catch up later. She just needed to do one thing at that moment... "Alright, dear. I understand... could you do me the favor of lowering the barrier so I can enter?" "About that, it's not to inconvenience you or anything... but it's going to take a little time before it cools down and we can lower it. Besides,..." "Besides 'NO' we won't," interrupted Gallus in a cold, sharp tone. Silverstream, who was still giving her explanation, froze surprised. "Excuse me?" responded Trixie confused. "You're not allowed to enter the castle," replied Gallus gravely stepping forward in front of Silverstream. Trixie, with an annoyed look, watched Gallus approach. "Huh?! What do you mean I'm not allowed to enter?" "It's none of your concern." "Not my concern? I live here, you know? I have every right to enter my own home!" Trixie protested. This was true. Although Trixie spent a lot of time in her trailer, 70% of the time, this was only during her travels or events she held. She actually had a room in Twilight's castle, which she had received from Starlight shortly after her friend moved there. It was practically her second home. But Gallus didn't care about that. "Is this your home? As far as I know, the castle belongs to Princess Twilight. You only live here out of her charity," replied Gallus mockingly. A chill was felt in front of the castle gates. Trixie widened her eyes upon hearing that blatant provocation, and instantly ignited with anger. On the other end, Gallus continued to maintain an imperturbable demeanor. In the middle, Silverstream, with a forced smile, began to step back, seeking to distance herself from the heated confrontation that was starting to emerge around her. The situation could have exploded at that moment, but it didn't. Miraculously, within herself, Trixie restrained herself. Yes, she had been hurt by the low blow she had received from Gallus. However, she decided not to unleash her verbal anger on the young student. Not because she felt that 'magical spirit' of a teacher seeking to understand her rebellious student, but because of the memory of the oath she had taken when she assumed her position as student counselor. A commitment made in the name of her respected father and in front of her best friend Starlight. Trixie closed her eyes and exhaled. She didn't understand what was going on. But she definitely wasn't going to break her word over such childish provocations. "I don't know what's going on here. But that's not the way to talk to a teacher, young man," Trixie responded coldly, trying to control the intense emotions rising within her. "You're not a teacher. You're just a student counselor." "I've been a substitute teacher." "True, but you were never good at it." Trixie furrowed her brow even more. Why was Gallus being so aggressive with her? She had had disagreements with him before, but never like this. (Something is definitely not right here...) thought Trixie, not taking her eyes off Gallus. "Hee... Gallus...", Silverstream interrupted fearfully, "I think... it wouldn't be right not to tell Counselor Trixie why she can't enter." Gallus reflected for a moment without looking away and then shrugged. "Fine, tell her," said Gallus indifferently. "Ehh, me?" responded Silverstream, flustered. "Yes, you. Tell her," ordered Gallus, looking away. "Ehhh... well..." Silverstream continued speaking hesitantly, seeming to blame herself for her previous suggestion. Then, evidently nervous, she turned her attention to Trixie. "Well, Counselor Trixie, you see... Director Starlight told us that she has 'veryyyy' important things to do in the morning and she doesn't want anyone to bother her. So, to comply with that, we closed the castle to prevent unwanted visits. Nothing personal, just following orders from the director!" Silverstream finished saying with a forced smile. "I'm not an unwanted visitor! I'M HER CLOSEST FRIEND!" Trixie protested, hitting the ground with her hoof. "And why does that matter? We have orders and we're going to follow them. Let's go, Silverstream," ordered Gallus, who turned around and began to walk back to the castle. Behind him, a remorseful Silverstream also turned around, not without muttering something like "I'm sorry." Unable to understand the unprecedented situation unfolding before her, Trixie began to shout. "No, no, wait! You can't do this. Come back here immediately! It's an order!" Trixie shouted almost jumping off the ground. Gallus and Silverstream ignored her and continued up the stairs. "Don't ignore me! This is important! I'm your superior and I need to talk to Starlight now!" Trixie yelled proudly but with a desperation difficult to hide. Still, nothing changed. With each step they took away, a feeling of anguish began to flood Trixie. If they left her outside, then... she wouldn't be able to meet with Starlight. Then, the dark future she saw... She wouldn't allow it. If her friendship with Starlight was in danger, she was willing to set aside all her pride to preserve it. "Please, you have to listen to me! This is very important! She's in danger!" Trixie began to beg, almost in tears, desperate to be heard. Her pleas had an effect, as Gallus and Silverstream stopped and turned to look at her. They were surprised and bewildered by the dramatic change in the counselor. "Danger?" Gallus asked. "Yes, yes, Starlight may be in danger," Trixie responded hopefully seeing that they were finally paying attention to her. "What danger do you mean, Counselor Trixie?" Silverstream asked. "An octopus, I mean... a door. Huh?" "Huh?" Both Gallus and Silverstream, like Trixie, were puzzled by that response. Trixie didn't understand what she had just said. She tried to think back, but all she got was a strange empty taste spreading in her mouth. Nothing. "Wait... give me a moment!" exclaimed Trixie, trying to regain control of the situation. As judgmental looks began to fall on her, Trixie quickly adopted a thoughtful posture and focused. Trixie was experiencing another mental lapse. Up until that moment, she had only galloped frantically to the castle, driven by her desperation. After crashing into the magic barrier, she had almost forgotten for a moment the real reason why she had undertaken that journey. Outside the barrier, Trixie began to grimace in a mental effort to find the urgent memory that had brought her there. On the stairs, Gallus and Silverstream looked at each other, confused. After several minutes of uncomfortable silence, in a futile effort to regain her memory, Trixie found herself even more lost than before. "This is ridiculous! Why can't I remember!" exclaimed Trixie, furious with herself. "Maybe I wrote it down somewhere? That's it, Trixie! You must have written it down!" With a smile mixed with a wild look, Trixie began to rummage through her cape anxiously to find any clue that her past self might have left to help her in that present moment. Soon she found something, but it wasn't what she was looking for or something she should have found at that moment. "Clank, clank..." Several bottles and other junk sounded as they fell to the ground. Trixie rummaged carelessly in the pockets of her cape, dropping everything she had stored. The bottles that fell didn't break, but the sour aroma of fermented cider in them quickly spread in the air. "It's not here, nor here..." she murmured increasingly restless. The cider bottles she had taken at the party the night before began to accumulate. Glowing in the morning light, filled with that sweet nectar that made ponies "merry and mischievous," these drinks betrayed the true state of Counselor Trixie. Astounded, Gallus and Silverstream opened their eyes wide at the inappropriate scene unfolding before them. Finally, after several minutes, Trixie, exhausted, stopped her frantic search. With her mane disheveled and a nervous look, she turned her attention to Gallus and Silverstream, unaware of the unfortunate spectacle she had just performed. "Aha, ha, ha, I know it'll sound unbelievable, but I had a dream and..." "Yes, Counselor Trixie, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE!" exclaimed Gallus exasperatedly, spreading his wings and looking at the sky. "You know, today is a fine morning. Go home and rest. We'll tell Director Starlight, 'when she becomes available,' that you came early to see her." "But I... HIP!" a sudden hiccup attacked Trixie at that moment, causing her to cover her mouth embarrassedly. "Don't worry. We'll tell the director as soon as she finishes her meeting with Chancellor Neighsay. It's a 'dragon's oath'!" added Silverstream. "Not again..." said Gallus, taking Silverstream by the neck and leading her back to the castle. "Don't wait!... HIP, Stop! HIP, HIP." The castle gates slammed shut, leaving Trixie outside trapped in a constant hiccup. Around her, only silence remained broken by the cheerful morning chirping of birds. Ahead, the magic barrier, now more impenetrable than ever, marked the boundary between her and the uncertain fate in which her best friend was trapped. "HIP Meeting with Chancellor, HIP, Neighsay? HIP" repeated Trixie trembling; her memory had finally been refreshed, and her desperation spilled like a broken dam within her heart. A strident neigh echoed throughout Ponyville at that hour of the morning. Many in the future would remember it as a prelude to the darkest day experienced during that year.