//------------------------------// // Book 3 - Chapter XLVII // Story: The Sunset Trilogy // by ocalhoun //------------------------------// Book 3: Equestria Abides Chapter 13 Apollo didn't stay long in his case of shock – he hadn't gotten through a lifetime of exploring by standing still and worrying. “Shimmer, a flare please.” He said. Shimmer Spell really seemed to enjoy that one, though they didn't use it often. The blue unicorn stood stock still for a moment in concentration before her horn flashed and swirling blasts of light flew off from it in all directions, quickly moving to and through the walls. Shimmer's flare spell was the prearranged emergency signal for Apollo's crew to gather together, and though the flares didn't fly straight, the ponies would be more or less able to figure out what direction they had come from, and being illusionary as they were, they would shoot right through the walls like they weren't there. “Quarter, Needle,” He called out once the flares had gone, “grab the cold weather gear while we wait for the others, okay?” The two ponies nodded and rushed off – or creaked off in Quartermaster's case – leaving Apollo alone in the entrance hall with Shimmer for a moment. “Is she going to be okay?” Shimmer surprised him by asking. He turned, and was a little shocked at the amount of concern Shimmer was showing. She seemed to be nearly in tears. He nearly gave in to the compulsion to tell her a little white lie, just something to make her feel better, but something in him just wouldn't let him. What was it that Twilight had said about 'elements'? She didn't like his moment of silence, not at all. She rushed up, getting uncomfortably close. “Is she safe?” “We'll find her.” He said simply. That, at least, was true... one way or another, he wouldn't give up until he found her... though he couldn't guarantee he'd find her soon enough. “What's the deal with the two of you, anyway?” He wondered out loud, backing up for a bit more space. “The two of you sure acted strangely when you met, and now this...” “Ah...” Shimmer dithered for a moment, backing off herself. “Shimmer is just concerned about her new teammate...?” Apollo just squinted his eyes a little, blatantly not buying it. She stood nervously sweated for a moment before giving in. “Shimmer Spell met Twilight Sparkle a long time ago... before she met you and before she changed her name.” “Wait,” Apollo interrupted, “You changed your name?” “Um... yes,” she said, abashed. “What was it?” “She used to be called... well, Trixie.” “Trixie?” Apollo laughed a little but quickly cut himself off when he saw her face, “It, ah... sounds pretty short, that was really it?” “Well, um... she called herself 'the great and powerful Trixie'.” He looked at her anew now, gamely restraining himself from laughing this time... “And this involves Twilight how?” “You promise not to tell the others?” She asked. “Shimmer has only told Albatross about this before... she would prefer it not be well known.” “I promise.” She made a little gulp before continuing softly, “Trixie was a performer. She traveled and put on shows with lots of magic... mostly fake magic.” He raised his eyebrows at that, but didn't interrupt, fascinated now to find out about Shimmer Spell's true past. “And one day she performed her show in the town of Ponyville...” She looked away, apparently not enjoying her own story. “Trixie was boastful... she claimed herself the most magical... the best unicorn ever.” “And Twilight...?” Apollo inquired. “Trixie didn't know her then... but it didn't seem to matter, she just ran away.” She slumped and looked down at the floor. “And then the ursa came.” “An ursa!?!” he gasped, “As in an ursa major?” He had heard of them, of course, even seen one once from a distance, explorer that he was. He certainly had no wish to see one again! “Yes, well, sort of,” She confirmed, “Trixie had boasted that she could vanquish an ursa major. But the one that came into town was an ursa minor.” “But she – you – couldn't vanquish it, could you?” He asked. Drat, now she had gotten him doing it! “No,” she said shamefully, “and Trixie was part of the reason it came... and everypony saw her shame when she could not defeat it... but then, another unicorn came... Twilight Sparkle. “The new pony vanquished the ursa, and exposed Trixie's fraud for everypony to see... she sent the ursa back to its cave, and she put Trixie to shame.” “What did you do?” “Trixie ran... and ran... before she finally collapsed. She had lost everything... not just her possessions, but she had lost who she was, too. She was sure news of her shame would spread to other towns, and the great and powerful Trixie laid down and cried.” “Is that when you changed your name?” He asked. She nodded. “Trixie's life was gone, and after a long time feeling hurt and wronged, she finally figured out who was to blame.” “Twilight Sparkle?” He said, with a knowing nod. “No!” she said vehemently staring him in the eye, “It was Trixie's fault! She brought it on herself.” She looked down again. “... and then she changed on that long night on the roadside. She decided to get rid of Trixie and become somepony new.” “And that's when you named yourself Shimmer Spell?” “Um... not exactly,” she gave a weak little laugh. “Shimmer didn't name herself until a passing group of ponies found her there and helped her... she had to make something up when they asked her who she was.” “Hey,” Apollo interjected, surprised, “That was us, wasn't it?” She just nodded, leaving him to chuckle for a moment to think that she had just made up the name she gave him right there on the spot that day... and he had never known. “But why the concern for Twilight?” he asked. “wouldn't you two be enemies or something?” “NO!” She shouted, much louder than needed, eyes shut tightly. He could see that the suggestion was somehow hurtful. “No... That is Trixie's way.” She looked up resolutely, and a little tearfully. “and Shimmer is not Trixie!” She looked away again, off towards the door. “at least not anymore...” He looked at her, still a little confused about why she seemed to care so much about Twilight Sparkle, and she seemed to notice. “Twilight is special... She is the one who broke Trixie... the one who set Shimmer Spell free, in a way. ... Shimmer Spell owes her for breaking her out of her shell. Otherwise she would still be Trixie... and she would still have no real friends. And... well... Trixie owes her too. Trixie was mean to Twilight and her friends... and now Shimmer wants to make up for that.” He moved over embracing her closely, now at least somewhat understanding how she felt about that purple unicorn. “We'll find her, I promise–” He was about to say more, but the stairwell door burst open, spilling most of his crew into the entrance hall, with Albatross at the lead. Suddenly realizing his compromising position with Shimmer, he quickly separated and tried to act casually... which – he realized after seeing Albatross's accusing face – was probably counterproductive. He sighed. This could be sorted out later. For now, they had a wayward purple unicorn to find. “Okay everypony, Twilight Sparkle is missing. She's probably out there in the storm.” He looked around to his crew, “Did she tell anypony where she was going, or did anypony see her?” Blank, concerned looks and a few shaking heads met him in return, pretty much confirming his worries about the unicorn. “So, we need to organize a rescue. Quartermaster and Splints, I want you two to stay here and keep watch, in case she comes back. The rest of you, get your cold weather gear on and come with me!” * * * Apollo slammed the door back behind him, looking back at his crew, who all stared at him with a mixture of expectancy and confusion. He cracked it open again, peeking out. The wind was screaming by, despite the protection of the surrounding walls, full of snow and reducing visibility to almost zero... the snow had already built up to his hocks near the door, and it was only getting deeper by the moment. Closing the door again and looking at his crew, he decided they needed a little more organization, or they would only get scattered, lost, and frozen themselves. “Okay,” he said, a little fearful of the ordeal ahead – not that he would ever let that show! “Get some lanterns... and hm... some rope! There's some in the wagon... Oh, and Pebbles, where did that box of whistles go?” * * *