The security room turned out to be one of the narrowest chambers in the castle, barely with a perimeter of 2x2 meters; it almost seemed like an 'expanded' version of a janitor's closet in comparison. And as if that wasn't enough, the space looked even more cramped due to the security equipment, monitors, typewriters, cabinets, books, magical artifacts, and other clutter piled up inside. It was evident that the room couldn't accommodate more than 3 or 4 ponies.
Ocellus, sitting next to Smolder, didn't feel uncomfortable because of the tightness of the place, but rather because of the clutter surrounding her.
"There isn't even a trash can..." Ocellus thought, frowning as she watched her dragon friend toss a piece of gum into a paper bag she found lying around. Ocellus hadn't been in that room before; previously, when her classmates divided tasks to watch over the castle, she preferred to check the weather and surroundings from one of the balconies. Gallus accompanied her, claiming he already knew the place, and they left their friends behind to divide the other tasks as they pleased.
They hadn't been very cooperative with their peers at that moment; now, the situation was different.
"They're coming back," murmured Smolder, who was sitting in front of the monitors showing the castle's exteriors. She turned her chair towards the door as naturally as a business executive. Ocellus tried to mimic her, but the chair got stuck, forcing her to awkwardly adjust it on her own.
As soon as she sat back down, the door to the control room opened, and Gallus and Silverstream entered.
Without wasting time, Smolder was the first to speak.
"We saw everything that happened outside, Gallus, but these devices don't have audio, so we don't know what they talked about. Now, tell us, what was all that?" Smolder asked inquisitively.
"I wish I didn't know," Gallus said, shaking his head. Beside him, Silverstream looked worried.
Gallus began recounting to his friends everything that had happened in detail. Smolder interrupted him several times, asking questions like "Did you really say that?" or "Didn't you ask her this?" and more. Silverstream nodded along with each interruption, helping to confirm various details. Ocellus, on the other hand, remained silent. Sitting in her seat, the quiet changeling simply listened attentively to everything her friends were discussing.
Then, when Gallus finally finished his tale, Ocellus spoke.
"So... that's what happened," Ocellus said, saddened.
"If that's how it went..." Gallus replied. "Are you not going to blame me for not being more delicate with the counselor?"
"No," Ocellus replied, looking away.
Earlier, when she and her classmates had gone to the security post alerted by the attack alarm, they discovered with surprise that the culprit had been none other than Counselor Trixie, who for unknown reasons had rammed into the castle's magical barrier.
That event sparked a brief and heated discussion among them. Questions like: What is she doing here? Why did she do that? However, when the idea of going to help her arose, Gallus halted the conversation with a resounding "Stop."
Gallus then reminded his classmates of the agreement they had reached with Starlight that morning. In order to ensure the group's school trip, as well as to take care of the castle, they were to prevent Counselor Trixie from entering. Although they didn't fully understand the reasons, they had to respect the orders received; otherwise, they would jeopardize their long-awaited promotional trip.
This bothered Ocellus. She knew that Gallus had taken this tough stance not because he was concerned about the promotional trip, but rather because of the resentment he held against the counselor.
Yes, Gallus was very upset with Trixie.
Days after the disastrous invasion of the orchid-octopi, when inquiries began into the causes of the infestation at the school, Gallus made a serious accusation blaming Counselor Trixie for what had happened. He claimed that along with another classmate, they had seen the counselor coming and going to the school's bio-garden late at night in suspicious, furtive behavior. And although his initial statements caused some stir among the authorities, they lost weight shortly after. When his companion from that night was asked if this was true, he replied that he wasn't sure if it was really Trixie or if it was some other pony. This was because it was very dark that night, and they didn't have lighting at that time. Adding to the fact that, unlike griffons, ponies do not have good night vision. Only Gallus had witnessed what happened.
Later, other testimonies were gathered describing the sighting of the orchid-octopi in the Everfree Forest parallel to those days.
In the end, Trixie couldn't be held responsible for what happened due to lack of evidence. Although it left a strong suspicion, as it couldn't be explained how the bio-garden, which was closed during those dates, could have become infested.
Of course, this preliminary result of the investigation considerably angered Gallus. For several days, he distanced himself from school and stayed with Sandbar in the hospital. Both had been on the front line of the orchid-octopi attack, and after a chaotic confrontation with the creatures, Sandbar ended up being captured by them and then used to attack his classmates.
This clash between friends had a strong impact on Gallus, who after what happened, began openly declaring to his classmates that he would definitely make the responsible party pay for that incident.
And now... that moment seemed to have arrived.
Ocellus considered the possibility of reproaching Gallus for his lack of kindness towards Trixie, but upon observing through the security cameras the sorry state in which the counselor was found, she didn't have the will to defend her. Ocellus didn't like witnessing irresponsible behavior in adults, let alone in someone holding a position at a school. She was sure that the impeccable headmare Starlight shared her same perspective, so she didn't anticipate any retaliation from the headmare, even though she was such good friends with Trixie.
And about the latter...
"Did the headmare expect this to happen? Was that why she warned us not to allow her entry?" the changeling thought. "I have a bad feeling about this..."
Ocellus lightly fluttered her scaly wings, feeling a growing tension in the appendages of her tail. It was a sensation similar to the one her body felt when a storm was approaching.
"Well, well, then did the counselor party too hard last night? Doesn't surprise me, it would be the third time she's done something like this that I remember," Smolder said, looking thoughtfully at the room's ceiling.
"Third time?" Ocellus and Silverstream asked, surprised.
"Oh come on, haven't I told you? It was last year during the headmare's birthday. They caused quite a stir at the town hall when she entered the premises to try to cash a check signed by Princess Luna. Ha, ha, ha," Smolder laughed cheerfully, vividly recalling what happened that day.
On that occasion, Smolder was present, assisting the mayor with various administrative tasks. Around noon, Trixie burst into the meeting room, loudly proclaiming the invalidity of her check to everyone present. What happened next was predictable; it took at least ten security agents to restrain her. Of course, this happened after the unicorn sang the Equestrian anthem on the mayor's desk.
"If only they had had a video camera..." Smolder murmured nostalgically. Then, another thought crossed the dragon's mind. "Wait a moment... what about 'I will avenge my friend in the name of griffon honor' that you kept repeating?" Smolder asked, raising an eyebrow and looking inquisitively at Gallus, who had just taken a seat.
Ocellus and Silverstream immediately turned to look at Gallus. What Smolder was saying was correct. Although Gallus had been very cold and distant with Trixie, it was surprising that he hadn't thrown the orchid-octopi incident in her face or shown all that sporadic anger he used to unleash.
In his chair, a tired Gallus rolled his eyes exaggeratedly.
"Come on, I was just letting off some steam. It's called anger dissipation. They taught us that in Professor Rainbow Dash's classes, remember? Besides, I'm not so attached to the old customs of my people. I'm a griffon of free thought," Gallus replied, puffing out his chest.
Smolder didn't respond to him; instead, she gave her companion a skeptical look.
"All that's fine and good, guys, but... what do we do now?" Silverstream suddenly said.
"I'll talk to the counselor," Ocellus replied seriously. "Thanks for your help, Gallus, but I'd better handle her from now on."
"Fine," Gallus replied with his characteristic indifference.
"I think that will have to wait," said Silverstream, looking at the equipment in the room.
"Why do you say that?" Smolder asked.
"She just left," Silverstream pointed out, indicating the empty screens showing the outside.
"Oh, she left? Well, we don't have to worry about her then," added Gallus mockingly.
"Uhmm. I really wanted to talk to her. Which way did she go?" Ocellus asked, thinking of sending a letter to Trixie.
"I'm not sure. The counselor just opened her mouth wide as if yelling and then teleported away," replied Silverstream, overflowing with calmness.
Crawling through the shadows, the unknown presence assumed a new position.
The prey had escaped again. But it knew it would return. It just had to be patient.
In the surroundings of the School of Friendship, on a quiet and relaxing morning...
"SPLATTTTTTTTTTT". With a kick, Trixie swung open the door of her trailer, shaking its entire interior; without wasting a second, she dove into the chaotic pile that was her belongings.
She needed to find something immediately. She needed it.
"WHERE IS IT? HIP! WHERE? HIP!" the unicorn muttered vehemently, lifting a box of billiard balls. With the same desperation as a diamond dog in a coal mine, she made her way through the boxes, books, and other piled-up packages.
Then, finally, she found it.
"AHA! HIP! Here you are! HIP! I knew I would need you one day! HIP! ... HAAAAAAAAAA! STUPID HIP! HIP!" Trixie exclaimed in a sudden burst of frustration, kicking the ground. The hiccup she had gotten a moment ago refused to leave her.
Annoyed by her condition, she carelessly lifted the dusty box she had found and, swiftly, dashed outside. Once outside, between the hiccup and the cough caused by the dust, she immediately tore open the cover of the box, revealing its true contents.
It wasn't a box.
Among the multitude of exotic belongings in her possession, Trixie had one that could well be her biggest and darkest secret, one that even Starlight was barely aware of its existence.
Before Trixie stood a wooden chest that exuded antiquity all around it. Visible among the hinges and metal edges covered in rust, one could still distinguish the gleam of the magnificent craftsmanship of the carpenter who had made it. Although its size, equal to that of a purse, would lead anyone to think that the treasure it hid, no matter how valuable, would end up being something very small. This would be a naive and mistaken assumption, as it masked its true magical nature.
Indeed, this was a magical chest, a very valuable and secret one that Trixie hadn't used in a long time. Moreover, she had sworn never to use it again.
"Click, Click..." with her magic, Trixie unlocked the enchanted lock of the chest and a moment later, the lid opened.
It was like a lazy black oyster opening up to the sun, or rather like a tomb. Inside, something resembling scarlet light spilled out.
Trixie's eyes gleamed, reflecting the malicious glow emanating from within. A long row of identical red potions lay inside the chest. Stacked one on top of the other, the potions in glass bottles were arranged within a mirrored background that gave the impression of containing the same infinite.
This was more than just an optical illusion; it was a true magical mechanism that replicated infinitely those mysterious red potions hidden inside the chest. Magic with a very useful and unsettling purpose.
"HIP! Now you'll see what happens, HIP, WHEN YOU ANGER THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE! HIP!" proclaimed Trixie proudly, displaying a malicious grin on an even more contorted face. She uncorked one of the potions and, determined, brought it to her mouth ready to drink it immediately.
However, she held back. About to drink the potion, the cold touch of the glass on her lips made her freeze, experiencing a brief moment of lucidity.
Suddenly, on her right shoulder emerged the vivid image of a tiny Trixie representing the good within her. With a soft and gentle voice, the imaginary figure spoke to her from the depths of her conscience.
"Don't do it, Trixie! You're angry and scared about what could happen to our dear friend Starlight, but you don't need to go this far. This is not what she would have wanted from you. We must keep calm first!" serene and firm, the angelic Trixie said.
In response, another figure immediately appeared on her left shoulder. This was the Trixie representing the evil within her. With a deep and violent voice, she replied to her counterpart.
"Keep calm?! Where have you been all morning?! Starlight's future could be at stake, our reputation is already at stake! The students have turned against us, and time is running out. We must strike back now!" the diabolical Trixie responded furiously.
"This is not the right way to do things, dear."
"This is the way of the great and powerful Trixie!"
"It's not."
"Yes, it is!"
"No, it's not!"
"Yes, it is!"
Caught in the middle of this absurd fictional argument was a disoriented Trixie, who had no idea what was happening.
"Enough... HIP! Where did you come from? HIP! Get out!" With just a shake of her mane, both imaginary figures disappeared from her sides. However, even though her hallucinations had gone away, she continued to shake her head uncontrollably until, in a misstep, she stumbled and awkwardly fell to the ground.
"This is too much," the unicorn suddenly muttered, with grass in her mouth and in an uncomfortable position.
Trixie wasn't thinking clearly, or rather, she wasn't thinking at all... the night before she had consumed too much cider and had skipped breakfast in the morning. Her body felt heavy and yet she had rushed uncontrollably to Twilight's castle. Now, with an irritated horn, her head was starting to ache.
She had reached her limit.
With great effort, a dizzy Trixie straightened up and sat down listlessly. Distracted, she gazed towards the castle.
There, in the distance, was the home of her great friend, Starlight Glimmer. The first pony she had ever recognized in her life as a true friend. The same pony who served as an assistant in her circus acts despite being a more skilled sorceress than herself. The pony who fulfilled her role as a school principal in an exemplary manner and who had chosen her as her closest advisor...
And now, her friendship with that pony was in danger.
Wasn't she supposed to give her all to protect that bond? thought Trixie, exhausted.
Shortly before, the Young Six had stood her up, preventing her from entering the castle to see Starlight. Not only that, she learned that Starlight was already in a meeting with Chancellor Neighsay, confirming her worst fears.
Distraught, she returned to her trailer, so frightened and angry that even the crazy idea of using that old potion chest she had forbidden herself to use arose in her mind. However, thanks to fatigue, she was now beginning to regain her composure. In the midst of all this, she no longer felt confident enough to continue with that idea.
"Ahhh HIP!... what should I do now? HIP!" Trixie muttered, discouraged.
Trixie wanted to go back; she wanted to interrupt Starlight's meeting with the chancellor right then and there. She wanted to tell her friend how much she regretted everything that had happened. To tell her that it was all her fault.
But she couldn't; the castle was closed to her, guarded by those meddling kids...
"HIP! Ahhh Why do these things happen to me?... HIP!" Trixie protested back, amidst her stubborn hiccups and a renewed frustration that was beginning to overcome her.
If it weren't for that nightmare, probably none of this would be worrying her so much and she would be resting peacefully in her trailer... having more cider with oat pancakes...
Trixie's stomach emitted an unmistakable growl. Trying to ignore the growing hunger inside her, she glanced at the red potion she held with her magic. The eerie gleam of the potion flickered amidst an unsettling whisper, urging her to consume it immediately.
Trixie rolled her eyes in boredom.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, HIP! you're wicked and you'll give me the power I need to do whatever I want, HIP!" Trixie spoke irritably to the potion; obviously, it didn't respond and continued to glow with its hypnotic light. "On the other hand... HIP! I guess if I don't use you now, HIP! it wouldn't make sense to have kept you all this time. HIP!"
Trixie, tired of thinking any further, didn't dwell on the matter anymore, she uncorked the potion again with her magic and brought it to her mouth.
She drank its contents in one gulp.
The potion spilled inside her, causing a strange sensation of warmth that quickly turned into a surge of heat that engulfed her completely. A crimson magic enveloped her figure like a blazing flame; instantly, her hiccup and fatigue vanished. Strength and vitality filled her completely, restoring that proud bearing that so characterized her.
The Great and Powerful Trixie was back.
"Yes, I can feel it now," murmured Trixie, watching the glow of her own figure. Filled with the harmful and powerful magic coursing through her body, she turned to look at her trailer. Her mind buzzed with violent ideas about what her next move would be. Such was the effect of the crimson potion that it reduced morality and reason in exchange for power.
So, for Trixie, everything was clear now; since she hadn't been allowed passage to enter the castle, she would force her own way in.
"Uhmm... maybe I need to take only what's necessary... no, on second thought. I'll take everything!"
With a single movement of her horn, the trailer and Trixie rose into the air. And, with a sudden flash of magic, they disappeared.
On one of the balconies of Twilight's castle...
"Wait... LESSON? 'Laughter Enforcement and Squid Suppression Operation Network'?" exclaimed Sandbar, surprised as he read the newspaper Yona had handed him.
"Professor Pie insist much on that name."
"It sounds really forced," commented Sandbar as he scratched his head.
"Yona agree, but initials of name be very funny," replied cheerful Yona with a smile. Sandbar returned the smile and continued reading the newspaper.
Leaving her friend engrossed in his reading, Yona began to check the suitcase behind Sandbar's wheelchair. She found the lunches she had prepared for their friends and, after examining them for a moment, confirmed they were well sealed and still warm. Satisfied, she closed the suitcase, not forgetting to put back the cups and the thermos she had taken out earlier.
Noon was almost upon them.
"Lunchtime is near. Better start heading towards friends so we won't be late for lunch."
"Yeah, we should get going. I don't think there's anything else we need to do here," responded Sandbar, promptly putting away the newspaper he had.
Both Yona and Sandbar had taken on the task of watching over the castle grounds from the balcony. This would have been a more suitable job for Smolder or Gallus, however, due to certain clashes among their peers, they had ended up with this duty.
Sandbar, sitting in his wheelchair, observed the imposing magical barrier surrounding the castle. Although it was an impressive sight from the inside, it failed to instill a sense of security in him. The scars of his recent accident still manifested fresh in his body and mind. An unsettling tingling persisted in his hind legs...
Suddenly, his field of vision darkened. Something warm and fluffy enveloped his face. Trapped by memories of his previous trauma, Sandbar panicked and was about to scream. However, he restrained himself upon recognizing the mischievous laughter behind him. It was clear who was responsible.
"Yona!" Sandbar protested.
"Friend Sandbar shouldn't be so tense, should laugh more, feel safe among friends now," chuckled the large yak, withdrawing her large hooves from Sandbar's field of vision and giving him an affectionate hug.
"Yeah, okay. I get it. I should be more cheerful. The doctor said so, but it's really hard for me... I still feel those things on me at night. Haaa... I wish I was as strong as you, Yona."
"Sandbar be strong, but Sandbar hurt. Yona help heal," replied Yona, giving him a small kiss on the forehead.
Sandbar was about to respond to Yona when...
It was sudden.
The magical barrier flickered, then a thunder-like roar echoed. Startled, the pair of friends quickly looked down from the balcony towards the source of the noise.
In front of the castle gates, the magical barrier waved as if it had been struck by a giant hammer. However, only a small figure stood there...
A bolt of red magic struck Twilight's castle's magical barrier, shaking it to its foundation with impressive force. The light emanating from this violent assault, akin to a giant welding at a distance, would have been visible even in Canterlot if the angle of its glow had been favorable.
The responsible for such a colossal display of power was none other than Trixie herself, with cape and hat.
After a long minute of continuous attack that seemed like an eternity, finally, the powerful magic bolt gave way.
"Heh... Heh... Still standing?...", Trixie murmured under her breath, panting in front of the barrier. Things weren't going as she had hoped. Bringing down the barrier with her powerful magic and then triumphantly entering the castle had been her initial plan. But, despite her formidable effort, the barrier still stood tall like an impregnable wall.
This infuriated Trixie greatly, but there was something that infuriated her even more.
"AND YOU, KIDS, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! I WARN YOU, DON'T MAKE ME ANGRIER, LOWER THE BARRIER NOW AND I PROMISE YOUR PUNISHMENT WILL BE LESS SEVERE THAN IT ALREADY IS!" Trixie shouted with eyes filled with corrupt red magic.
There was no response.
Trixie knew she was making a scene outside the castle; it was impossible for the Young Six not to have noticed. However, up to that point, they had not shown up.
"FINE!" Trixie exploded with impatience, gave a loud snort through her nose, and flicked her horn defiantly. Behind her, the door of the trailer she had brought opened, and several objects floated out in a row, parading in front of her.
"Umhhh, let's see... Okay, but not... no... no... What is this doing here! no...", Trixie carelessly listed the most dangerous objects she had inside her trailer. C-4 explosives, bee-bear traps, enchanted scrolls, a Twilight plushie (which was immediately thrown in the trash), a black root of eucalyptus-everfang, a clam-eagle horn, among others.
Despite the dangerousness of these objects, Trixie didn't seem convinced to use any until...
"Aha," exclaimed the unicorn. Sending the other objects back to her trailer with a quick flick of her horn, Trixie set one aside and brought it closer to her with a malicious smile.
"It's time to bring out the heavy artillery..." reasoned Trixie excitedly about what she would do next.
The object Trixie would use to bring down the magical barrier was an ancient urn.
But this was no ordinary antique.
The ancient urn, as large as Trixie's own head, had a body resembling a clay jug, old and weathered-looking, passing unnoticed at first glance. However, on its wide mouth was attached a thin, long piece of yellowed paper, akin to a large tag. Printed on this paper were intricate, illegible characters of a forgotten language in black ink. For someone knowledgeable about the ancient world, it was clear that this latter was a talisman serving as a seal and warning to anyone daring to open this relic.
Of course, Trixie couldn't care less about this and removed the seal immediately. Confident in the power she held between her hooves, she advanced towards the magic barrier, raising the urn high, and then proclaimed:
"GHOSTS OF EULFALIA! I, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE, SET YOU FREE! APPEAR AND SERVE ME!" her voice echoed loudly as the unicorn radiated the light of her magic around her. Nature fell silent at that moment. All who could see and hear her turned their senses towards her, expectant of the imminent and extraordinary event that would occur in that place.
However, nothing else happened.
Trixie, with her gaze fixed on the urn and a frozen face of excitement, waited for several seconds.
Nothing was happening.
Nature, forgetting the previous startle, resumed its course.
"SERIOUSLY?!" Trixie exploded, her patience at its limit. Annoyed, she held the urn and began shaking it. "YOU COST ME 3 SCHOOL TUITIONS AND THE SAVINGS IN FOOD EXPENSES ON THEM! YOU MUST SERVE SOME PURPOSE!" she shouted frustratedly. Irritated, the unicorn began pressing the urn with her magic in an attempt to open it.
A grave mistake. That roughness was too much for that fragile relic.
Suddenly, amid the pressure Trixie exerted with her magic, a crack opened on one of its sides. Alarmed, Trixie immediately released her magical grip. But it was too late. Before she could do anything else, the walls of the urn collapsed, and like an egg hitting the ground, the remains of the relic fell on the grass, scattering in all directions.
What was once a valuable treasure of the ancient world was now just a pile of dust and broken clay.
A solitary breeze swept through the place where a stunned Trixie stood.
"Ahhhh," Trixie broke the silence with a furious neigh, kicking at the air. Although such behavior was unbecoming of an adult mare like her, she had weighty reasons to act this way. On her last trip, she had acquired that ancient urn at an exorbitant price in an auction, literally costing her the last savings and loans she had left. Despite being aware of the risk of that purchase, she held out hope of recouping the investment by reselling it in Canterlot's black market.
Now she watched as her investment dissolved with the wind amidst the pasture.
After raging for a long while, Trixie gradually calmed down. She exhaled several times until she finally took a serene breath and said:
"It's okay, Trixie, this was just a setback. The expensive urn you bought, which supposedly contained powerful ghosts capable of destroying entire realms, turned out to be a hoax. It's not your fault; it's others taking advantage of you. Things like this happen to you often. Now let's move on to something safer... EXPLOSIVES!" Trixie shouted so loudly that she nearly lost her hat. With this abrupt gesture of stress, she ended her monologue; it was evident that she no longer wanted to dwell on her recent loss.
Thus, with no more comfort than what she could tell herself, she began to advance towards her trailer to...
Suddenly, a subtle "Paff" resonated in the air, and Trixie found herself sprawled on the ground. Surprised, she looked underneath her...
Her hind legs had tangled with a yellow paper. It was the same sealing talisman she had thrown away a moment ago.
She stood up, and in a reflex of pure rage, Trixie ripped the talisman from her legs with her magic and threw it against the barrier.
It made no noise upon impact. In an instant, the talisman was consumed in a ball of green fire.
Trixie, who paid it no further attention, turned her back disdainfully. All she had in mind was to find her C-4 explosives and prepare them to blow up the barrier.
However, where the talisman had previously been consumed, the resulting smoke slowly began to swirl, growing in size and depth...
Meanwhile... at the security post of Twilight's castle.
"... you should have more confidence, let Smolder handle it. Huh! She knows more about these devices than we do," said Gallus, moving a heavy cluster of monitors.
"Yeah, I know, but... ugh, I can't believe this is happening, right now!" exclaimed Ocellus exasperatedly, searching through a box of spare parts.
"Setbacks always happen, but seriously, you should have been more careful with the control panel."
"I didn't think it was so fragile, and besides, you said the red button was to deactivate the barrier!"
"I said 'the red button is for deactivating the barrier, the red-red button is to further secure the doors.'"
"They look the same!"
"They're not!"
"CAN YOU TWO PLEASE BE QUIET! I'm trying to concentrate," shouted Smolder angrily, poking her head out from under the desk where a panel filled with colorful buttons and tangled wires was installed. Without saying more, she put a screwdriver in her mouth and grabbed a nearby flashlight, then went back under the desk. In response to her companion's words, Ocellus and Gallus stopped arguing and silently returned to the urgent tasks they had to fulfill.
They must not forget they were in the middle of an emergency.
Outside the room, in the hallway, a worried Silverstream watched a screen displaying the castle entrance. Despite the static caused by stretching the monitor cables too much, the images it showed from the outside were still recognizable.
Outside, the situation seemed to be worsening.
Then, as if a large rock was rolling down the stairs, Yona and Sandbar arrived, although it was more accurate to say that Yona arrived with Sandbar clinging to her back.
As soon as Yona saw her friend, she ran towards her, announcing:
"COUNSELOR TRIXIE IS BACK! COUNSELOR TRIXIE IS BACK! COUNSELOR TRIXIE IS BACK!"
"WE ALREADY KNOW!" came a loud reply from inside the security post. Surprised by the firm response, Yona abruptly stopped her run, halting until she was in front of the security post's door, almost on top of Silverstream. Now stopped, Yona and Sandbar, who didn't understand what was going on, glanced inside the room.
Inside the room were Gallus, Ocellus, and Smolder, who were focused on reviewing the control panel of the castle's security system. None of them looked away from the tangle of cables in front of them, nor did they wear their usual friendly expressions. They looked more like a cold group of doctors trying to diagnose a seriously ill patient.
Puzzled, Yona and Sandbar turned their gaze to Silverstream, who was standing beside them. The question they were about to ask was obvious.
"What's going on, Silvi?" Sandbar was the first to speak.
"Well, we're experiencing serious technical issues with the castle's defense system. Remember when Gallus mentioned that all the security equipment was extremely delicate and we had to handle it with care? It turns out it was even more delicate than it seemed..." Silverstream replied, pointing to some burnt monitors that had been taken out from inside. Not far away, there was a fire extinguisher.
"Wait... the control panel got burned? But if that's the case, then the barrier and the doors are..." Sandbar, still on Yona's back, trailed off.
"Completely sealed," Silverstream finished the sentence with a grimace of distress.
Now Sandbar and Yona also understood how serious the situation was.
"FRIENDS, WHAT DO WE DO NOW?!" exclaimed Yona nervously, looking at the still-functioning monitors.
"For now, the guys are trying to fix the panel with the spare parts we have. Smolder says she knows how to do it," Silverstream replied.
"Wouldn't asking for help be better?"
"That could make things worse, Yona," Sandbar replied, swallowing nervously as he imagined what would happen to them when Director Starlight found out.
"BUT COUNSELOR TRIXIE IS OUT THERE, AND SHE'S VERY UPSET!"
"That's true! She was firing blasts at the barrier! We should go out and talk to her," Sandbar added.
"The others wanted to do that too, but then they decided to fix the panel first..."
Interrupting Silverstream, another voice resonated strongly in the hallway.
"IT'S DONE, IT'S WORKING!" Smolder announced excitedly from inside the control post. "We just need to give the system a moment to finish rebooting."
Finally, the tension that had gripped the trio of friends inside the security post began to dissipate. Then, before anyone could say anything else, Gallus quickly approached the rest of his friends who were at the entrance and asked, "How is it outside?"
Silverstream immediately checked the monitor she was carrying, her face turning anxious again.
"I think we have a new problem..." Silverstream nervously responded, pointing towards the darkness glimpsed on the monitor screen.
Ghosts, in a world shaped by magic and inhabited by ponies, such entities were not nonexistent. Since time immemorial, ghosts have always been a strongly rooted presence in the lore of common knowledge and arcane understanding, their involvement mentioned in a wide array of tales where they play a role as either heroic support or malevolent antagonists.
However, despite the plethora of stories involving such entities, it's difficult to know where they come from and what their true purpose is in the world. For example, there's the story of the ghost of a wise dragoness who appeared in a kingdom to protect it when it was at its most difficult moment. Another story is that of the malevolent spirit of the desert that poisoned a king's mind with unchecked ambition. Both tales, bordering on the fantastical, were not events from the distant past but recent occurrences that had been thoroughly studied. Of course, such studies could only corroborate the events that occurred, and no further information could be obtained about the true identity of the apparitions.
Added to this was the problem that it was very difficult to encounter these entities and even more so to summon them.
Thus, the wisest could only conclude that ghosts resided on a plane beyond our own, likely being the watchers or instigators of stories that transcend beyond our own lives or understanding.
The less wise, on the other hand, would only have more stories to surprise the younger ones with.
Through all this, Trixie Lulamoon, a unicorn almost ignorant of these profound subjects, was about to become part of one of these stories...
"... with these should be enough. I just have to be very careful not to drop them... or touch them. I have too much spark in my hooves! Ha ha ha," Trixie laughed in the midst of a wild delirium.
She had just finished preparing her C-4 explosives. Behind her, Twilight's castle's magical barrier shone imposingly.
"Just wait, these fireworks will surprise you..." Trixie muttered to herself with a dark smile as she carefully placed the dangerous explosives in a box marked with her own face.
In her mind, Trixie already imagined how her explosives would blow the castle's defenses sky high. Then, she would make her triumphant entrance through the main door, where she would meet some frightened and remorseful Young Six, take care of them, and finally meet Starlight and then...
Trixie interrupted her thoughts, alerted by a strange feeling of being watched. She looked down and found something she didn't expect.
In front of her, a few steps away, there was a small white rabbit looking at her. It was a tiny and fluffy creature with a tenderness in its face that could melt any pony's heart.
But, for the darkened heart of the great and powerful Trixie, this was nothing more than an intruder poking into her personal affairs.
"SHOO! GO AWAY!" the annoyed unicorn ordered. However, the little white rabbit continued to watch her. Uncomfortable, Trixie grabbed a broom and prepared to shoo it away.
However, she stopped.
As she looked closer, Trixie suddenly perceived a deep feeling in that gaze, a sadness that struck deep within her. It was as if the rabbit reflected the great sorrow one would feel at seeing their best friend lost on the wrong path.
A brief flicker of conscience shone in Trixie's mind, however, it was quickly suppressed by the corrupt red magic clouding her judgment.
"I'm doing the right thing! It's a good plan! Starlight would do the same for me!" Trixie shouted angrily at the rabbit with red eyes. Then, consumed by the hostility filling her, she threw the broom aside of the rabbit.
But the rabbit didn't change its posture and continued to cast that accusing gaze. Trixie snorted.
"What do rabbits know about friendship!" Trixie mocked with deep disdain. Taking her box of explosives, she turned her back on the rabbit and prepared to place the bombs around the castle's magical barrier.
But she didn't; she stopped again.
She had been mistaken; the harmless rabbit from before hadn't been looking at her, but at the supernatural presence that had emerged beyond her.
Dropping the box of explosives she was carrying (fortunately, they didn't explode), Trixie opened her mouth wide and her eyes widened as she contemplated the apparitions that had emerged behind her a moment ago.
Six figures, resembling equine specters, stood materialized in front of her. A dark and shifting mist enveloped them, creating the impression of a portal to a cosmos of darkness. These spectral figures, with expressions ranging from smiling to stern, with eyes that shone like graveyard lanterns, remained firm in their ethereal presence. Each one was clad in personalized armor and unique ghostly attire, indicating distinct roles among them. Despite their heterogeneous appearances, they all shared the same mark: akin to runes representing the sun and the moon, hanging from their flanks, a symbol that manifested the deep unity among them.
They were, undoubtedly, a presence that would intimidate anyone.
Trixie, who had remained silent for a while trying to process what was happening, watched as the tallest of the figures advanced towards her with a gallant and menacing stride, bowing before her with the same elegance a knight would show to their ruler.
"The guardians of Eulfalia present themselves before you, Oh great and powerful summoner! We eagerly await to fulfill your will," announced the specter with its head bowed, tapping on the ground with authority.
It was quite curious. Despite her imposing figure, the voice of the powerful specter turned out to be ordinary and feminine, which contrasted with expectations. But setting that aside...
"...great and powerful summoner?" Trixie only needed a moment to comprehend, then let out an excited whinny. "Hiiiii!"
Unable to contain herself, Trixie waved her hooves in the air with joy at the reality before her.
In an extraordinary and unpredictable event, Trixie Lulamoon had summoned the powerful and heroic guardians of the forgotten lands of Eulfalia, a mythical team of specters who had remained sealed in the ancient (and excessively expensive) urn she had inadvertently broken a moment before.
Filled with the excitement of her success, the unicorn celebrated enthusiastically, amidst laughter and frolics. However, she soon stopped; the cold aura emanating from that ghostly group reminded her of the urgent situation she was in. She coughed for a moment and tried to maintain her composure as best as she could; she then thought that, if those ghosts were truly under her command, she was obliged to show herself as dignified as possible before them. For someone like her, who lived off her image and word, it would be simple...
Trixie swirled her cape and adjusted her hat, assuming a posture that seemed to envelop her in mystery, she presented herself to the ghosts with a proud and steady gaze.
"Ahem... Greetings, my subjects. Indeed, it is I who have summoned you, I, the one and only, the extraordinary, the great and powerful Trixie!" proclaimed the proud unicorn to all around her.
The leader of the specters, who had previously bowed, raised her head attentively; behind her, the mixed expressions on the nebulous faces of her fellow ghosts turned serious in unison. They all fixed their glowing eyes on Trixie, demonstrating that they were completely devoted to every word of their new mistress.
Noticing those devout looks, Trixie's heart swelled with power at having such attention from such powerful beings; convinced of their loyalty, her thoughts loosened, and the words began to flow freely from her mouth.
"And yet, today I have been the victim of a terrible injustice against my person. Being so humble and kind to others, I have been deprived of entering my own home. And worse! I have been denied the possibility of reuniting with the best friend a pony could have in their life. So you, my subjects, guardians of Eulfalia, have the duty to put an end to this injustice. This magical barrier that envelops this castle, my home, must disappear. I command you to use your power to undo it and allow me to enter. May your energies tear and dissipate this barrier, paving the way for my triumphant entrance to my abode and thus reunite with the friend I cherish the most," declared Trixie with gallantry and severity, her cape fluttering in the wind as she pointed with her hoof towards the imposing luminous barrier shining behind the specters.
What was all that? Not even Trixie herself was sure what she was talking about. She had never heard of "the guardians of Eulfalia" before. With this title, the ghosts had introduced themselves, she was simply going along with it. She knew that the ancient urn she had acquired contained a powerful group of ghosts, but nothing more.
At this point, she wasn't sure what the ghosts would exactly do now that she had ordered them to destroy the barrier.
Just as a bead of worry sweat started to form on her forehead, Trixie watched as the "Guardians of Eulfalia" solemnly nodded, accepting the order she had given. Relieved and somewhat surprised, she saw the specters slowly rise into the sky and position themselves at the highest point of the magical barrier protecting Twilight's castle.
Gradually, the atmosphere over the castle began to change; tension filled the air as the mysterious magic of the specters intensified. On the ground, Trixie watched with bright eyes, eager to see what might happen.
"Oummmmm... dooo..., Oummmmm...reee..., Oummmmm... miii..., Oummmmm... faaa..., Oummmmm... solll..., Oummmmm... laaa..."
It was bewildering.
For several minutes, the specters began to chant rhythmlessly from above. At this distance, Trixie could hear perfectly well, so she was sure her ears weren't deceiving her. If that was the case, then... why were they singing? Trixie had expected an explosion or the manifestation of some kind of powerful magic. Lights and flashes. Not ceremonial chants.
"Is it part of a ritual?" murmured Trixie, scratching her head.
This kind of magic seemed strange to her. While she had heard of ceremonies of this kind and knew that ponies used to practice them frequently in the distant past, it was extraordinarily rare to see them nowadays. Perhaps it was still possible to find them in the Crystal Empire, where such extravagant customs were still preserved.
On the other hand, as she closely observed the ghosts in the midst of their ritual, she began to notice something unusual, something surprisingly familiar. The dark manes of several of the ghosts bore a unsettling resemblance to... Princess Twilight's friends. One of them even wore a hat similar to Applejack's, which clashed with the armor worn by her fellow ghosts...
"OUMMMMM... SYYYYYY!" Suddenly, Trixie's reflections were interrupted by an intense proclamation from above. The tension, which had pervaded the atmosphere until that moment, began to dissolve into a profound silence.
The spectral Guardians of Eulfalia began to descend. Their ritual had ended.
The magical barrier around Twilight's castle still stood.
Below, Trixie watched them descend with an indifferent expression, similar to that of a dissatisfied customer after receiving a long-awaited and disappointing product.
Thus, finally, after a long and dramatic descent, all the specters touched the ground in perfect formation.
Without wasting a second, Trixie approached them.
"I see, I see... you've finished singing and all that," she said casually, approaching the leader of the ghosts, "now you could do me the small favor of explaining. What was all that?!"
Trixie finished, exploding with indignation, pointing her hoof at the magical barrier that those powerful specters were supposed to have destroyed.
However, the Guardians of Eulfalia didn't respond. Instead, they quickly formed a new formation. Splitting into two groups of three, they lined up on either side of the path, much like the Royal Guards of Canterlot would do when opening the way for royalty.
Before Trixie could say anything, the leader of the Guardians of Eulfalia raised his spectral helmet to the sky and, in the manner of an orchestra conductor, elegantly waved it downward while bowing.
Trixie was puzzled. She wasn't sure, but... It was as if he was showing her the way.
Then, unexpectedly, she saw how the ground beneath her hooves was filled with small red flowers. Magically, the flowers advanced along the path toward the castle like a red carpet unfurling, and it continued until it reached the magical barrier, and then...
In less than a blink of an eye, the magical barrier dissipated, as incredibly easy as if it were a mere soap bubble.
Trixie was no longer puzzled; she was astonished. No, she was shocked. But it wasn't over.
The flower path continued to advance until it reached the castle. Upon arrival, the entrance was adorned with large ornamental flowers, and the gates swung open wide to welcome her. At the same time, an inexplicable ceremonial melody began to play, while flower petals fell from the sky and a unique fragrance filled the air.
Trixie wasn't thinking anymore; she was ecstatic, forgetting all her previous insecurities. She now understood the pompous display; there was no doubt. It was a royal procession.
"Oh, of course. They were just doing exactly what I asked for. How considerate! and quiet... weirdos. But I like it!" Trixie, with a radiant smile, let herself be carried away and began to proudly parade along the flower carpet they had prepared for her. Although it wasn't necessary, as she had initially planned to enter the castle immediately once the ghosts had finished their task, with such a loyal audience watching her, she couldn't help but show off just 'a little bit'.
Thus, with a regal step and without taking her eyes off the castle entrance, Trixie confidently advanced along the red flower carpet. However, as she got closer to her destination, the anxiety within her grew. After taking several steps, Trixie began to trot faster, losing elegance in her gait.
"So close..." an urgent feeling of urgency began to invade Trixie. She no longer cared what the ghosts she had summoned thought of her, still watching her. Nor did she care about that unnecessary royal procession. What mattered to her was meeting Starlight right...
Suddenly, a subtle "Paff" resonated in the air, and Trixie found herself sprawled on the ground. Surprised, she looked beneath her...
She had stumbled upon a cider bottle.
"Seriously!" she exclaimed as she got up, and in a reflex of pure rage, Trixie grabbed the bottle with her magic and threw it away, far beyond the hill.
Just like before, she had stumbled again. However, this time, something else happened.
"Hehehehe," laughter echoed loudly around. The solemnity of the royal procession was broken, and a disgruntled Trixie turned her gaze.
One of the ghosts, with the least intimidating appearance of all, laughed heartily at Trixie's clumsiness. It wasn't a sepulchral or malevolent laugh, but one of pure amusement.
"Haha, very funny. Do you enjoy seeing your mistress on the ground so much?" reprimanded Trixie, shaking off the flower petals stuck to her cloak.
"Hee hee hee... Ouch! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, excellence! It won't happen again!" surprised by her behavior, the previously cheerful ghost resumed a stiff and serious posture along with her other companions.
"Oh, I hope so, because I, the great and powerful Trix..." Trixie stopped abruptly, about to deliver another speech, but something else caught her attention.
The other ghosts, who until recently had maintained expressionless faces, now showed a single emotion on their nebulous faces.
Astonished, they all watched their companion.
A breeze blew amidst the confusion reigning at the gates of Twilight's castle. The ghosts that Trixie had summoned with so much effort and trouble, the Guardians of Eulfalia, were no longer observing or thinking about their summoner but about the revelation that had emerged before them.
"Hey, girls, what's going on? Why are you looking at me like that?" nervously asked the ghost who was the object of her companions' gaze.
"How could you laugh, Electrina?" asked one of her companions with a cold stare.
"Heh, I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it..."
"This shouldn't be possible," interrupted the leader. "Since we were cursed by Dhona Oleg-Nar Dhazer, all our emotions were sealed, as well as our freedom to act on our own will. That's how it has been ever since. The fact that you were able to laugh now means that the curse has weakened enough or is broken, which would only be possible during noon on..."
The leader of the Guardians of Eulfalia didn't finish her words; an unheard-of possibility hung in the air, a possibility that was understood by all.
All except Trixie, who didn't understand anything about what was happening.
"What day is it today?" the leader sharply asked her companions. No, she didn't really ask, as she raised her spectral helmet to the sky without waiting for an answer and carefully observed the noonday sun rising high.
It was the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, reaching its highest point in the sky.
Trixie, who still didn't understand what was going on, watched uneasily as a grin from ear to ear broke through the cold face of the leader of the Guardians of Eulfalia like a shining sword cutting through the darkness.
Watching from afar the castle gates, the unknown presence hidden among the plants began to prepare.
She could feel it... the moment was drawing near.