Trixie sat quietly in the doctor’s living room, warmed by the lit fireplace beside the plain wooden chair beneath her. Cloudy drips of water slowly fell from her wet and disheveled cornflower blue mane. Her body felt sore from the earlier fight with the Diamond Dogs, but Trixie’s horn ached the most physically. Unicorn horns weren’t particularly delicate, but neither were they designed to impale one’s opponent in a collision.
Emotionally, Trixie’s true pain was the worry over Iggy’s wellbeing in the next room.
The doctor worked his practice from a spacious, single-story home that was decorated in warm woven rugs and bright earth tone colors. The doctor seemed to have a liking for maze-like patterns in his rugs for each one was embroidered with a colorful zigzagging design.
Across from Trixie sat Ellie and Cheryl, both kept silent and waited with Trixie for news of Iggy’s health. The only sounds heard in the room were the soft crackles of the fireplace and the tingling noise of metal as Ellie worked to reshape her crushed prosthetic wing.
Cheryl leaned back in her chair, it was difficult to relax with the tension that loomed over the group.
As Ellie worked on her wing, she decided she could not take the silence that enclosed them. The Pegasus broke it with her soft voice. “Trixie, say something to us,” the young Pegasus pleaded. “You’re not blaming yourself for Iggy’s predicament, are you?”
Trixie closed her eyes and the sting of their dryness caused her to flinch. With her eyes still shut, the Unicorn uttered a soft, uncommitted reply. “I don’t know.”
“Well, you certainly held your own in that fight,” Cheryl said approvingly. “I reckon Roxy is going to be bedridden for days with the injury you gave her.”
Trixie grimaced as the image of the final moments of the fight floated through her mind. She had frightened herself with what she was capable of doing. The only other time in her life that she had lost control from anger was when she was a filly on the streets of Manehatten. She defended herself from a gang’s advances with a wooden plan and had broken several teeth from one of the colts that attacked her.
“Come off it Trixie,” Cheryl stated seriously. “Haven’t you ever been in a tussle?”
Trixie put her fore-hooves together and rested her chin on them. She sighed deeply as her eyes opened to look directly at Cheryl. “Sure, I’ve had my share of fights, but,” the Unicorn faltered for words, “I have never taken a life. I almost went too far back there.”
“Maybe you went just far enough,” Cheryl rebutted casually. “Pounding Roxy to within an inch of her life still leaves her with enough brain matter to learn something. I reckon you’re the lesson she needed beaten into that thick skull of hers.”
“Hey!” Ellie angrily interjected, “Trixie is a good pony. She isn’t your angel of justice or such nonsense.”
The front door opened and the bell that hung over the frame rang out for attention. Valiant stepped in, cold and wet, with a grim expression on his face that showed he was not happy with what transpired today. The deputy closed the door softly before he stomped the mud off his hooves on the mat that lay on the floor. Valiant slowly walked over to the mares and pulled up a chair alongside them by the fire. He sat right beside Trixie.
“Afternoon Valiant,” Ellie said meekly.
Valiant nodded. “Hello Ellie. I see you finally took up to finishing that wing of yours.”
“Yeah, I reckon I did,” the Pegasus replied with some satisfaction. “I do owe a debt to Trixie for it. If it weren't for her, well…” Ellie trailed off, unsure how to finish her thought.
“Yes, if it weren't for Trixie,” the deputy agreed as he looked at the miserable Unicorn that sat beside him. Trixie turned her head slightly and met Valiant’s gaze.
“Are we getting incarcerated?” Cheryl asked pointedly.
Valiant shook his head. “No. As a matter of fact, I came here to apologize to Trixie.”
The blue Unicorn slowly raised her head, a mote of confusion in her expression. “For what?” Trixie asked the law-pony.
“For doing the job I should have been doing,” Valiant explained. “I got what you were saying back there. You’re right, we failed ourselves and we let Roxy lord over us with fear. Trixie, you mayhap gotten folks around here mightily irate with your antics in the past couple of days, but I reckon deep down inside us we’re going to realize that you’re the piece of pudding we all needed to kick us in the flank. And for that, speaking just for myself, I want to say thank you.”
“So, no pokey?” Cheryl asked with hesitation.
The deputy snorted. “Not if I have anything to say about it. I went over the evidence Trixie handed to me. Lulu confirmed that the forged handwriting matches the supervisor. I have to still investigate the business about the miners digging beneath the town, but I reckon if the company made an illegal tunnel under us then this’ll have Geo answering to a whole lot of questions and get you lot off the hook.”
“See Trixie?” Ellie spoke up happily, “Things did turn out alright.”
Trixie nodded and felt a little more at ease, but still worried. The doctor entered the waiting room through a side door. Her dark, ashen coat smelled of the sweet and tarry antiseptic she used on her patients. After she gave the top of her short, maroon mane a quick scratching, she approached the guests that sat by the fireplace.
“Well, you all can breathe again,” she said happily, “Iggy is going to be alright. Other than a swollen eye and a broken leg, he seems to be in good spirits. He's very lucky you gals stopped Roxy from doing any more harm to him.”
“Thanks doc,” Valiant said.
Trixie was the first on her hooves. The doctor stepped aside to let her pass through and see Iggy, but Trixie was blocked at the doorway by the colt’s parents.
The father was a large cream-coat stallion with a scruffy face and an extremely short brown mane. He furled his eyebrows angrily at Trixie with his dark hazel eyes. Trixie was unsure if she should say anything, but the muscular stallion simply turned and walked around the blue Unicorn. Just as the father had entered the waiting room, he left the doctor’s house without a word to anyone.
Iggy’s mother appeared quite wearily, her moist white-and-brown pinto coat around her face gave away that she had cried an awful lot over her son’s wellbeing. Trixie met Iggy’s mother briefly last night when the girls brought the colt home, but at that time Trixie didn’t get a chance to properly be introduced.
With a gulp, Trixie tried to find a few consoling words to say to her. The Unicorn had almost forgotten the mother's name. “I- I’m sorry Alma if I caused your family a lot of trouble,” Trixie said softly.
The mother’s gray-blue eyes looked into Trixie’s for a moment before the mare stepped forward and gave Trixie a firm hug. “Thank you for saving my son,” Alma whispered into Trixie’s ear.
Trixie was taken a bit by the affection, but returned the hug gently. Her apprehension began to soften and it allowed her enough bravery to ask for a favor. “Would it be alright with you,” Trixie inquired, “If I could see your son for a moment and thank him for all his help?”
Alma nodded in reply to Trixie and stepped aside for the Unicorn. Trixie trotted down a short, dark hall. Her limp was still present, but the Unicorn took it in stride. She came to the end of the hall and the room Iggy was resting in. The door was left halfway open, which allowed Trixie to peak in first. She saw Iggy lying on a large bed, with his left foreleg set in a cast and a large gauze patch over his swollen right eye. Trixie mused for a bit that the colt would make a dashing little pirate.
“Hello, my little admirer,” Trixie said softly as she entered the room.
A weary Iggy turned and smiled upon seeing his hero here. “Hey Miss Great Trixie,” he weakly spoke, “Did you beat those Diamond Dogs?”
Trixie sat beside his bed and patted his good foreleg. “I sure did,” she replied, “But what you did there was awfully brave for such a little colt. You had me worried to tears.”
Iggy smiled. “Shucks, Miss Great Trixie. I was just doing my part like you wanted. I didn’t mean to make you fret over me.”
“Well, next time let’s not go charging head-first into a Diamond Dog, okay?” Trixie requested.
Iggy nodded in agreement. “Miss Great Trixie,” Iggy whispered, “I’m happy I got to see you for real. Thanks for protecting us from Roxy.” The colt yawned, too exhausted from the medication given to him to keep the conversation going for much longer.
Trixie patted the colt’s good foreleg again. “Thank you for believing in me,” she countered happily. “Now get some rest, Iggy. The Great and Powerful Trixie will handle things from here.”
The Unicorn watched the colt drift to sleep and afterwards she adjusted his blanket to ensure Iggy was warm. Trixie decided to leave, but she saw a small bottle of black ink sitting on the bed-side table. The Unicorn magically pulled a quill out of her pocket with the idea to sign Iggy’s cast. She dipped the quill into the ink and wrote him a quick message.
To Iggy, the bravest assistant in all of Equestria. Sincerely, The Great and Powerful Trixie.
Trixie quietly left the room and closed the door behind her with a gentle tug. Ellie and Cheryl were in the hallway waiting for her.
“Feeling better now?” Ellie asked.
Trixie nodded. “Yeah, I’m feeling alright knowing Iggy will be okay. Come on, let’s talk outside.”
Trixie motioned for the girls to follow her outside. As the trio passed through the living room, the Unicorn overheard the doctor explain to Valiant the number of stitches Roxy needed and that the Diamond Dog would be laid up for at least two weeks.
The Unicorn wondered if the doctor could feasibly keep Roxy tied to a bed for that long.
Neither doctor nor Valiant paid the three girls any mind when they left. Once outside, Cheryl and Trixie stretched their sore legs. Ellie flapped her good wing, but was quick to converse again as she stretched.
“Well, what do you suppose we do now?” Ellie asked inquisitively. “We caught the mining company being up to no good, but there’s still the issue of those weird creatures we saw last night.”
“The bigger issue,” Cheryl warned, “Is that the blue bunko here owes us a drink and she’s flat broke.”
Trixie let out a soft chuckle at the hopeless drunkard. Indeed, she owed a great bit of gratitude to these two mares. Trixie wasn’t used to feeling indebted to others, but she wanted to do something right by them both. The Unicorn thought for a minute and came up with an idea that might work.
“Cheryl’s right, we should celebrate,” Trixie said. “Maybe we still have unresolved questions to address, but I think we all earned a relaxing evening. Speaking of which, I have an open invite to Debon Aire’s party tonight. Since I’m the greatest magical pony in all of Equestria and now the hero of Saddlestone, I think I’m entitled to bring a couple friends to this party. Wouldn’t you two agree?”
Cheryl was impressed. “Us at Debon’s little shindig? Well wallop my withers! I wouldn’t turn it down for all the wine in Canterlot!”
“Sounds mighty fine,” Ellie agreed, “But we aren’t in any condition for a fancy gathering. Not unless they got a mud wrestling event. Hmm, I reckon a portable shower would be a great idea. I could build a carry-on pumping tank with a burner to keep the water warm. Oh, I bet it could double as a fire hose! We could fight fires and keep clean after our battles!”
“How many fiery mud fights do you expect us to get into?” Trixie asked Ellie with a confused look.
“Anyway, why don’t we all mosey down to my room at the inn?” Cheryl interrupted. “I reckon a quick bath, a good mane brushing, and three of my outfits will make us the head-turning trio at this party.”
“I wouldn’t have guessed that you’re the type to go around in fancy attire,” said Trixie.
“Well this Cutie Mark isn’t a pint of beer,” Cheryl sarcastically responded as she pointed to the folding fan symbol on her flank. “A good dancer has a dress for every occasion and right now I think we have three occasions in need of getting themselves all beautified, don’t you think?”
“I certainly do,” Trixie said with a mischievous grin.
“Oh!” Ellie exclaimed, “I thought your Cutie Mark was a funny looking compass that drew circles.”
Cheryl’s expression dropped to a frown. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”
~ ~ ~
Debon Aire’s abode was a spacious two-story manor with sturdy stone walls on the first level and a floor of actual polished marble. The second floor was of a wood construction, but the stucco finish was quality enough that at first sight no pony would have known. The central ballroom had a vaulted ceiling and connected to the second floor by a grand white staircase carpeted in red.
The entire house was lit with gas lamps that were interconnected to a central gas tank down in the basement.
Debon’s choices of décor were the antiquities that he had collected in his many trips around the known world. He was particularly fond of ancient sculptures and vases dating back several hundred years, displayed with careful attention upon polished marble pillars.
The stallion was indeed well off and did not care for modesty.
Debon’s evening ball invited only the prominent and successful ponies from some of the surrounding towns of the province; Carriage Springs, Dodge Junction, Foal Mountain, and the capitol of San Anponio. They arrived one by one and received an announced welcome by Debon’s butler Cervantes, a thin and lanky amber-coat stallion. The butler wore a sharp black vest and his short, brown mane was combed straight back to the point it looked like a spiky speed trail.
Debon himself wore one of his finest black suits over a wine red double-breasted waistcoat for this occasion. He always enjoyed hosting parties for his influential friends, almost as much as when a beautiful celebrity guest arrived unexpectedly with flair. Debon hoped tonight’s surprise was a certain blue Unicorn, but he had not made any mention of this in case his expectation was not met.
The night was otherwise nothing short of ideal. His classical band played uninterrupted, the food kept coming, and his guests were enjoying themselves. It was the perfect evening for the special announcement he had planned later on for his friends.
“Announcing the arrival,” Debon’s butler stated aloud, “Of Miss Cheryl Rose and Miss Ellie Sprocket.”
Eyebrows were raised as neither mare’s name appeared familiar to the guests. Ellie wore a simple black, velvet dress that matched her black slippers. Her green mane hung straight as silk and gave off a gentle scent of a summer breeze. The one peculiar thing about this Pegasus was that her left wing was mechanical and she wore a pair of brass goggles above her eyebrows.
Cheryl was also a complete unknown to the guests, but the mare did not appear to mind this. Her tightly knitted red silk dress, glittering pearl earrings, and veiled red hat over her pinned up pink mane stated that she was someone you wanted to know. As she cantered in with high-laced red slippers, Cheryl winked at the male guests playfully.
Ever the gracious host to beauty, Debon welcomed them both to his party. “Evening ladies, welcome to my abode. I do not believe we have had the pleasure of meeting before. I am Debon Aire, adventurer and entrepreneur.” He raised the right fore-hoof of each mare for a kiss.
Ellie blushed at the gesture, but Cheryl appeared to have had prior experience among high society. “Cheryl Rose, from Las Pegasus,” the Earth pony replied with a playful smile.
“Ah but you certainly are, my dear,” Debon said with a smile. “I am curious, Miss Rose. Las Pegasus is quite a distance to the west and I do not recall my invitations reaching that far. What brings you to my humble gathering here in Saddlestone?”
“Miss Sprocket and I are the entourage of your celebrity guest,” Cheryl explained. “She had asked us to enter first, so as not to interrupt her grand entrance.”
"She's here?" the stallion whispered to Cheryl. Debon became excited with curiosity. He turned to look at the main entrance expectantly. The grand doors were opened wide and Cervantes’ voice resounded clearly over the ballroom. “Announcing the arrival, of Miss Trixie Lulamoon.”
A puff of magical glitter blew in from the entrance and slowly fell in strands like a beaded curtain. The shiny drapes parted and faded away as a stunning blue Unicorn walked into the room, wearing a beautiful silk dress of a deep royal purple. Her elegant black velvet slippers matched the ornamental black bow behind her wavy and glitter-dusted cornflower blue mane.
Had Debon’s mane caught fire right now, he would have never noticed it.
Now this was a pony that the majority of the crowd had heard of. Some guests remembered that Trixie was a well-traveled magician. Others recounted that she had a dark reputation of spinning false tales. Many guests recalled the recent gossip that she had once wielded a dangerous artifact of great power. Although the crowd’s reception was mixed over her arrival, they carried a polite attitude about it.
Trixie walked up to her friends and nodded to them before she turned her attention to Debon and a group of his socialites that had gathered. “Evening, Debon. I hope you don't mind that I took the liberty of bringing along two of my closest friends along.”
Devon beamed proudly that his evening ball was now complete. “Not at all, Miss Lulamoon,” the stallion happily stated. “They are as welcome as you are.” Debon introduced several folks from his own personal circle to Trixie and her two friends. They were all business owners and investors from nearby towns.
Trixie tried her best to pay attention to the introductions, but a majority of them went through her ears as gibberish. She was too distracted by the onlookers around her to remember any pony’s name.
“Ah, Miss Trixie,” a white Pegasus spoke up, “I heard you were victorious over quite the scuffle earlier today against those ruffian Diamond Dogs. Good show there.”
“Thank you,” Trixie responded politely. “I hope that the Diamond Dogs have learned a valuable lesson not to tangle with a pony.”
“Here, here!” cheered an elderly gray stallion.
A cream-coat mare with a long red mane done up in a bun was the first to ask Trixie an interesting question. “I have never heard of the surname of Lulamoon. From whereabouts in Equestria is that from?”
“Manehatten,” Trixie answered as she pretended to be interested in conversation.
“The northern cusp of Manehatten, if I’m not mistaken,” added a middle-aged blue-gray stallion. “Lulamoon is more common just over the rim into the Broncks borough, correct?”
Trixie was impressed that anyone here could pin a surname to the right borough. “That’s right,” she said with a surprised smile. “And you are?”
The aged stallion gently shook Trixie’s hoof. He was a unicorn, and his accent gave away that he was a pure Manehattanite. “The name’s Victor Justice. I practice property law in lower Manehattan, but as of late I find myself traveling on retainer for Mister Debon Aire here.”
“That’s quite a distance to be doing business,” Cheryl stated.
“Indeed,” Debon agreed, “I’ve been in the market to buy some land out here, but the new zoning laws are so tricky that without Victor I daresay I’d be sent to the moon for my troubles.” Debon let out a soft laugh and everyone joined in politely.
“What sort of land are you looking to buy?” Trixie asked Debon. Her tone grew coy with her questions. “Looking to strike it rich in the mining business?”
“No, I find the mining company here to be a dreadful bore,” Debon answered flatly. “I’m all about the real estate around future railroad expansions. That is where the real money is to be made.”
Trixie was sure she detected a little contempt in Debon’s voice directed at the mining company. She decided to break conversation now before she got too personal. “If you’ll excuse me,” Trixie asked politely. “I would like to go powder my nose for a moment.”
Debon nodded. “Of course, my dear.”
Trixie led Cheryl and Ellie away from the crowd as Debon began on the subject of railroad projects. The blue Unicorn was not in the mood for business banter and she guessed neither were Ellie and Cheryl. The three walked over to the buffet table, where Ellie became enamored with the contraptions there.
Beneath the tables were pipes that carried heated water to keep the large serving trays of food warm. There was also a spring-driven device for mixing drinks and the waiter who manned it appeared to be an expert at creating concoctions that could have also doubled as art.
Cheryl helped herself to one of the colorful drinks.
“Wow Trixie, this is all just swanky,” Ellie squeaked happily.
“I’m doing this for you two, despite my objections about Debon,” Trixie explained. “You two should go enjoy yourselves for a few hours. I prefer to lay low in the corner for a while.”
“You should have fun with us,” Ellie said. “These folks seem friendly enough.”
Trixie glanced around at the crowds that chattered with one another. “I’m just surprised that these guests haven’t jumped into questions about my less than stellar reputation.”
“Don’t fret about it,” Cheryl said confidently. “I’ve mingled in fancy parties before and these types of ponies don’t talk about celebrities when they’re in the same room. You could say it’s professional courtesy.”
“Sort of like how sharks and lawyers don’t eat each other?” Ellie asked.
Trixie snorted with a chuckle. “I think Victor is more the whole grain oats type.”
“Well, the buffet isn’t getting any fresher,” Cheryl said with hunger in her eyes, “So I’m going to start at one end over there and see if I even make it to the other.” Cheryl cantered off to mingle with a few stallions at the far end of the banquet table.
“You should go mingle too, Ellie,” Trixie encouraged.
“Nah, I’m not really good at being social,” Ellie responded. “I think I have an easier time talking with machines than I do with ponies, especially among these rich types.”
Trixie pointed off to the other side of the ball room. “Well, I see a large telescope on display there. Why don’t you go have a chat with that?”
Ellie smiled and wandered off in the direction of the telescope display. This left Trixie alone, but it was what the Unicorn had planned. She wanted her friends to enjoy themselves, but at the same time Trixie wanted to find a quiet corner and just relax, outside the view of these talkative high rollers.
The party wasn’t as bad as Trixie assumed, however. The folks here did seem polite in her company and the Unicorn pondered the prospect of finding a few ponies here that were good at public relations. Even Debon was gracious and treated her with pleasant respect.
Trixie decided to make her way to the ladies room anyway, so she meandered over to one of the servants. “Excuse me, which way to the little fillies’ room?” Trixie asked.
The servant pointed up the stairs and to the right. Trixie thanked him and made her way up the marble staircase to the landing above. She turned right and walked down the red-carpeted hall until she was out of sight of the party entirely. The Unicorn wasn’t sure if she passed the bathroom yet so she walked a little further and reached a junction where she could go either left or right.
As she stood at the intersection, Trixie heard Debon’s voice presiding over the party below. The blue Unicorn stood still and listened to his speech.
“Esteemed colleagues and guests,” Debon began, “I would like to thank you all for attending my little party. I am honored to know such skilled and professional folks. Therefore, I would like to reveal this bit of news to you first that I, Debon Aire, will be running for the mayoral seat in San Anponio and I intend to win the election three months from now with a platform of bringing the magical resources of the east here to the western frontier so that every Unicorn, Pegasus, and Earth pony can enjoy true modernized living.”
Trixie heard a resounding applause from the audience that followed Debon’s speech. The Unicorn herself had no opinion in politics, but she pondered how Lulu would react. Debon’s late entry into the election felt like a publicity stunt to Trixie, and such endeavors always annoyed those who took elections seriously.
Speaking of annoyance, Trixie’s unfamiliarity with the layout of Debon’s home had left her completely unsure of which direction to go. The blue Unicorn couldn’t tell which of the identical doors led to the bathroom, so she decided to just check each door here until she found it. The first two doors were locked, but the third door opened up without a fight.
Trixie found herself within a beautiful study.
There was only one small desk lamp lit, so the Unicorn engaged her horn’s magical light to see the room in better detail. The tall oak bookshelves that flanked the central circle of reading chairs were filled with old tomes and journals, many of them were of Debon’s own writings from the many places he had traveled to. Other books appeared to be collections of obscure cultures and archeology, subjects that a world traveler like Debon would be interested in. Trixie presumed this study held a sizable portion of Debon’s private collection.
The four plush reading chairs in the central area faced each other with a single low coffee table between them. The fabric was a dark red to match the carpet and the wood finish was a dark brown. Behind the circle of chairs was a large writing desk made from beautiful cherry oak wood. The small gas lamp that sat on the desk was connected to the home’s gas pipeline with a line that ran adjacent the desk and down into the floor.
Out of curiosity, Trixie perused the volumes for anything that might jog her memory on spirals. If the image formed by the rocks this morning was from an ancient culture, chances were that Debon might have a book about it here. Unfortunately, the old tomes here contained little information on the cultural significance of shapes and the few books that spoke of them contained no illustrations to make a comparison.
Trixie decided instead to search for references to the cup or bell shape found in the center of the spiral image. It only took a few minutes before she found a small white tome that was willing to give Trixie the information that she wanted.
It was a small book on old cults of the west coast. Trixie used her magical horn to flip through the pages as she scanned the illustrations in each chapter. A third of the way in, she found her drawing of a spiral around a bell shaped object. Trixie read the entry’s title aloud.
Grogar’s Bells.
The book began with a short retelling of the legend. Grogar was a demonic ram said to have once enslaved the Unicorn nation of Tambelon thousands of years ago. The source of his great power was believed to be a necklace from which hung a number of magical bells. The bells imbued the wearer with the ability to manipulate the natural elements, but the quantity of bells and their precise powers varied by different accounts. Grogar was ultimately destroyed in a rebellion, but his loyal followers hid several of the bells away from those who quested to have Grogar’s dark magic destroyed forever.
A wide, beaming smile crept its way across Trixie’s face. She now had a name and a legend, information that could be researched at a proper library. The Unicorn trotted over to the large writing desk and searched the drawers for quill and ink. Trixie wanted to take notes, but the desk proved itself an antagonist as the first two drawers were completely empty and the third drawer was locked tight.
It felt foolish to break into Debon’s study and browse his collection unasked, but to pick the lock of his desk and break the confidentiality of a Unicorn that proved to be nothing if not a well-mannered host?
This was obviously beneath the concerns of The Great and Powerful Trixie, for the Unicorn had already reached for the mane-pins in her hair. Trixie unlocked the desk drawer with concentrated determination and pulled it wide open. Inside she had found what she searched desperately for, quill and ink. Trixie had also found much more than she expected.
Under the bottle of ink was a copy of the mining company’s maps, complete with Debon’s notes pointing to a buried temple of Grogar that sat beneath this very town. Beside that was a small silver lapel pin with the image of the capital letter ‘P’ super-imposed on a sextant.
“You appear to be lost,” whispered Cervantes.
The levitating white tome dropped to the floor with a thundering bump. Trixie turned to the entrance and saw standing in the doorway was the butler. The magical light from the Unicorn’s horn contrasted sharply off the stallion’s long and emotionless face. Trixie’s heart sped up with fear. She had been caught.
“My apologies,” Trixie began, “I could not help but admire your master’s impressive collection of works from around Equestria. I meant no harm in my intrusion.”
“My dear,” Cervantes said calmly, “You could not have caused harm even if you tried.” The lanky Earth pony closed the study door behind him and moved deliberately toward Trixie.
The Unicorn instinctively levitated the white tome in front of her like a shield. “Stay back!” she warned the butler. “I am The Great and Powerful Trixie. If you dare come any closer, I will turn you into six and a half notes of music!”
Cervantes reared up on his haunches with a balance few ponies could achieve. The joints in his hips and rear legs snapped and shifted into a configuration only seen in bipedal apes. The flesh at the end of his fore-hooves split open as talon-like steel claws protruded outward. The bloodless blades glinted in the illumination of Trixie’s light spell. The servant flicked his tail and stood unnaturally tall on those long rear legs.
“Which composer?” Cervantes taunted.
Trixie dropped the book in soundless horror. The blue Unicorn turned to escape, but as she spun around Trixie slammed headlong into what appeared to be a solid shadow of a perfect pitch black. Trixie tumbled to the floor, stunned as the eerie shade took form and brightened into an array of colors. In a moment’s breath, the shadow had become Debon Aire.
The male Unicorn’s golden eyes stared down at the Trixie with sad disappointment.
“My Dear Miss Lulamoon,” Debon said softly, “I can see now that you are as tricky as the desert coyote, with a curiosity twice as wild.”
“You know, just the other day I was wondering what ‘trouble’ looked like as a Cutie Mark,” Trixie stated brazenly, “A coyote does sound about right. Well, I suppose it’s better than being a snake, am I right?”
Debon used his own magical horn to lift the white tome off the floor and had it placed neatly on the desk. He reached down to Trixie and offered her a hoof to stand up.
“I’ve never been taken hostage by chivalry before,” Trixie skeptically muttered.
“You are not a prisoner,” Debon scolded. “I am troubled as to why you are sneaking around my private study, but I am nothing if not a gentle-colt. If you wish to make use of my collection of books, then simply ask. I have nothing to hide from you.”
Trixie glanced at the monstrous Cervantes that still loomed behind her. “Am I the only one concerned that your butler just turned into Frankenstein’s horse?”
“Cervantes is loyal to me. He will not harm you so long as I will it,” Debon explained. “As to his present form, it is simply the magical gift I bestowed upon him for his devoted service.”
“I’d love to see the retirement benefits,” Trixie said sarcastically.
Debon picked up the sextant lapel from the desk drawer. “Do you know what this symbol represents?” He levitated the lapel magically toward the blue Unicorn.
Trixie slowly stood up. “Well, this capital ‘P’ is wide with heavy serifs,” Trixie remarked. “If my heraldry is accurate, I believe this is the symbol for Princess Platinum. Not sure what it has to do with the sextant though. Is this a forgotten emblem of her ancient navy?”
“Not a bad guess,” Debon told Trixie. “Centuries ago, during Princess Platinum’s reign, she founded a secretive order of knights with the sole mission to secure dangerous artifacts from the neighboring realms. Princess Platinum then turned to her trusted wizards to learn the nature of how these artifacts functioned. She believed that if they could be controlled, then they could be used in defense of her country.”
“Even so, I recall her kingdom was destroyed by an unnatural blizzard,” Trixie interrupted.
“An unrelated incident,” Debon dismissed. “I am one of the few remaining descendants of the original knights. We have revived the Order of the Horizon Walkers in order to secure Equestria’s sovereignty over her enemies.” Debon offered Trixie a chair to sit, but the blue Unicorn declined.
“We?” Trixie asked. “You mean all your guests downstairs?”
“A few of them are part of the order,” Debon stated vaguely. “Perhaps more or maybe all of them are members. We keep ourselves and our numbers secretive for a good reason.” Debon sat down on the plush chair that faced Trixie. He used his magical horn to increase the gas lamp’s light.
Trixie wriggled her nose with an annoyed expression. “And what is this about Equestria having enemies? Equestria is at peace with her neighbors.”
“Equestria has many enemies you do not see,” Debon warned. “The recent attack on Canterlot by the Changeling hive is only a taste of that. It was an attack that showed not only how mortal our beloved Princess Celestia was, but that the Canterlot royal guard was pathetically too inept to fight off the invasion.”
“Yes, I was there,” Trixie said. “However, the invasion was ultimately repelled by a magic shield-”
“A shield that was only coincidentally created by the combined magic of Princess Cadance and the captain of the royal guard,” Debon finished with an interrupt. “However, what if one of them was incapacitated at that time? What if the shield didn’t repel the entire invasion? Don’t you see that Equestria’s defenses rely solely upon a handful of unreliable magical princesses and nothing else?”
“Okay, I can see your argument,” Trixie admitted, “But what’s the Horizon Walkers’ plan? Are you going to start a coup and take over the country?”
Debon furled his eyebrows. “The Horizon Walkers are not a coup. We scour Equestria in search of lost artifacts of great magical power. Our mission is to wield these relics in defense of our country. We will destroy Equestria’s enemies where Celestia has failed.”
Debon pointed at the white tome to accent his point.
Trixie’s ears shot up straight. “Oh!” she exclaimed in an epiphany. “I see what’s going on here. You’re looking for Grogar’s bells and your search led you here. You’re the one breaking into the warehouse in hopes of stealing the artifact when the mining company digs it up, aren’t you?”
“That is only half correct,” Debon replied. “I have been anonymously funding the mining company to dig under the town in order to discover the temple below. The warehouse attacks are only a distraction to get Geo to trust me with keeping the artifact safe once his miners uncover it. The forged ledgers were Geo’s own undoing. It seems that greed over the discovery of electrum pottery got the better of him there.”
Trixie frowned. “I doubt the authenticity of a benevolent order that uses guile to acquire dangerous relics.”
“The Horizon Walkers are justified,” Debon said sharply. “We are capable of controlling these dangerous artifacts and we will use whatever means necessary to defend our beloved country.”
“Even if it means losing your souls to these dark spells?” Trixie scathingly asked as she pointed to Cervantes. “I don’t believe that a small group of ponies can control any of the artifacts in that book. Those things corrupt, kill, and destroy everything they touch. Why would you be any different than the original evils that created them?”
“Those are some interesting words coming from a unicorn that once wielded the Alicorn Amulet,” Debon replied angrily. “Yes, I read about that in the papers. How you acquired a dangerous artifact that slowly corrupted your mind, nearly enslaving an entire town for the sole purpose of extracting revenge on the townsfolk that ruined your petty career in parlor tricks.”
Trixie ground her teeth together. Debon had touched upon a sensitive nerve, but the blue Unicorn held back her fury with all her willpower. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
“Miss Lulamoon,” Debon said, “Do not misunderstand us. Our cause is to secure the peace of all pony-kind. Yes, there will be innocent casualties along the way, but we see the bigger picture. We see an Equestria that will be respected by her enemies, an Equestria that will never fall to an outside force.”
Trixie turned away, turned off by the male Unicorn’s conversation.
“We do not take recruitment lightly,” Debon continued. “Only those with an impressive mental willpower are considered for an invitation into our ranks. Your experience with the amulet would make you a perfect candidate if you wish to join us. Think of how great and powerful you would be with the magical blessings we can bestow upon you. I could even give you the power to properly control the Alicorn Amulet if you were to recover it for the order.”
Trixie closed her eyes. Memories of the Alicorn Amulet came to the forefront, how the amulet clawed at her mind and told her to do things against her nature; torture, oppress, destroy. No, never again she had promised herself. Not for all the glory in Equestria.
“I’m sorry Debon,” Trixie finally spoke as she slowly looked over to the stallion. “I must decline your gracious offer. I am flattered that you would find me worthy, but I do not. Now if you’ll excuse me, I must part ways here.”
Trixie dispelled her magical light as she walked to the study’s exit. Cautiously, the blue Unicorn opened the door and expected Debon and Cervantes to stop her right then and there, but the two stallions only watched her leave the room. Once out of sight, Trixie quickened her pace.
Cervantes grunted at Debon as he pointed to the doorway the little blue Unicorn just exited.
Debon shook his head casually. “No my friend, let her go for now. I know she will not keep us a secret, but we are gentle-colts if nothing else.” Debon remained calm and certain with his words.
There was a flash of red light with an accompanying soft pop. A breeze momentarily moved outward from the space to Debon’s right. The cream-coated Earth Pony from the party below had magically appeared adjacent to Debon. She flicked back a loose strand of her pinned-up red hair.
“Ah, Miss Golden Jubilee,” Debon welcomed, “Are you enjoying the festivities, or did you wish to alert me that the servants have run out of ice?”
“I’m noticing a distinct lack of blue Unicorn in the room, Debon,” Golden Jubilee stated firmly. “Did you scare her off with your usual dark charms?”
Debon casually stood up from the plush chair. “No my dear Goldie,” he replied solemnly. “It would appear she is no longer The Great and Powerful Trixie we had heard of. She has given up on her destiny.”
“I hate to see such potential go up the sprout,” Goldie said. “So few turn down our offer and you are rarely wrong about their potential. Why, I’d be toiling away on my sister’s cherry farm if not for you.”
“True, true,” Debon mused aloud, “But there are always exceptions to be found. Well, except for one.” Debon turned to his butler and resumed his business-like attitude. “Cervantes, please awaken Trigger for me. If I’m not mistaken, he has a recent history with this next target.”