//------------------------------// // And Now You Know // Story: Gray // by Mayclore //------------------------------// Twilight grunted in protest as she felt an elbow jab her in the ribs. Her eyes slid open and she looked around, a frown etching itself on her face as the fog of her sleep faded away. At her left side was a worried Spike; on her right was one of the windows of the empty train car in which they sat. An announcement from above advised that they were about to arrive at Canterlot Station, and the librarian bolted upright in her seat and rubbed at her face. “I'm up,” she grumbled, dropping her hands and looking out the window at the mighty city that towered above and blotted out most of the predawn sky. “Ugh. My legs are killing me.” “Ten miles of walking will do that,” he replied, smoothing down his spiky hair and sighing. “At least we can get this over with now.” He watched as she produced her blue phone from the purple duffel bag at her feet. “Calling the Princess?” Twilight shook her head, gaining a hard look on her face. “No. I'm arranging a place for you to stay while I do my work.” “What work?” he asked firmly, leaning up in his seat and scowling. “Twilight, call the Princess! We need her help!” “No!” she snapped, so vehemently that he shrank back and scooted as far away as the seat would let him. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...” She slumped over and hid her eyes, allowing the stress to summon tears. “This is my fight, Spike. If I don't beat her on my own, then...” His shock had gone now, overcome with frustration as he crossed his arms. “Why do you think you have to do everything yourself?” She couldn't answer before the train slowed noticeably, signaling their approach to the station. The city scenery outside was intercepted by a massive arching frame of metal and glass as they entered the terminal, and in a minute more the train had come to a complete stop. Taking a sharp breath, Twilight snatched up her bag and allowed Spike to lead her toward the nearest exit. Once they stepped onto the platform, she took the lead, plowing a curvy path through the burgeoning morning crowd and into the station itself. This one was large enough to contain several small restaurants that served the travelers, and it was in one of these – the only one that was open – that the pair took shelter and got their bearings. “You didn't answer me,” Spike said, resting his arms on the little round metal table as he watched Twilight's fingers fly over her phone. “This isn't just your problem.” “It's my fight,” she replied calmly, her eyes never leaving the screen. “She challenged me, I lost, and now I'm going to find a way to beat her. Me. Myself. I'm not going to bother the Princess while Luna is still sick, and I'm not going to let Trixie frustrate me into begging for help. If I do, she wins again, and I'll be damned if I let that happen.” His counter to that was short, sweet, and terrifying. “What about Fuyu?” “I...” she stammered, her face turning into a mask of anxious realization. “Oh no, she'll have to eat soon--” A pause interjected itself to allow a throng passersby to get out of earshot. “--and she can't get to the cave with anyone! Damn!” Spike leaned back in his chair and nodded sagely. “Now you see why we need the Princess?” When Twilight shook her head, his jaw dropped. “Are you kidding me?” “No, I can still find a way around this.” Abruptly, she dropped her phone into the pocket of her blue t-shirt and gave her young friend a weary smile. “You want anything for breakfast before we go? I've got a place for you to nap while I go to the Canterlot Library.” “Fine,” he muttered, shoulders dropping with resignation. “What's in that musty old place that's going to fix anything?” “There's a high security wing there. They'll have what I need,” she said, standing up and wincing at the loud screech of her metal chair against the tile floor. “Come on, let's go order something.” Ten minutes later they were out on the sidewalk, Twilight attempting to hail a cab while Spike demolished the second of the three sausage biscuits he had requested. It took the dainty librarian three tries to be noticed amongst the forest of people crowding the side of the street, but at last a yellow car slid to a halt before them. He darted around to the left side and got in, while Twilight dropped her bag in the floor in front of the right seat and climbed in. “Morning!” the cabbie greeted, tossing her pale pink ponytail around as she turned to them. “Where to?” “The Canterlot Library, please.” With that, they were off. At first, their focus was waiting for the chilly black leather to warm up underneath them as they sat. As that problem disappeared, Twilight went to work writing down the address of Spike's final destination, which she passed to him. Neither of them talked as the sights of downtown Canterlot zipped past, but the cabbie's incessant, cheerful whistling made them both smile. The librarian picked various things out of her bag: money to pay for the trip, a notebook and pen, her wristwatch, and the charger for her phone. The sun had not fully risen; consequently traffic was still light, and in fifteen minutes they were at the front of the enormous library. This was the biggest such public facility in the entire nation, and its architecture reflected that status – the whole front fascia of the place was propped up by several white marble columns, and the building itself was hewn from a faintly darker grayish stone. As she got out and prepared to scale the mountain of steps, she handed Spike her duffel bag. “I'll be along in a few hours, I hope. If you need anything, I'll have my phone with me.” She walked to the front passenger side door and thrust a handful of bills in the cabbie's direction through the open window. “He's going to give you an address. Would you take him there, please?” “Sure!” she chirped, accepting the cash and counting it before issuing her former passenger a smile and a nod. “Have a good day!” “You too,” Twilight replied, waving and watching the cab depart into traffic and vanish around a corner. “Let's do this,” she said to herself, almost storming up the stone steps toward the library's main entrance. After passing through the glass doors, she couldn't help but stop and inhale the musty scent that soaked the air. The floors were polished black granite, which donned red carpet runners to denote where one should walk. The walls were hidden by bookshelves so high, the stone was only visible far above the third floor near the roof. Twilight made for a set of grand stairs off to her left, scaling the two flights to reach the top floor and looking around to find the receptionist's desk. It was a few feet ahead, and consisted of a tall counter-like structure braced on two sides by walls. No one was standing behind it as she arrived, however, which caused her to frown impatiently. A silver bell was on the desktop, and she poked at the button to make it ring. A minute went by with no response. “Oh, come on,” she growled lowly, ringing the bell again. Once more, no one showed to answer her call; by now, the librarian was seriously beginning to lose her patience. “Hello?” she called, hand cupped around her mouth as she tried to yell into the open doorway behind the desk. “Just a second!” a female voice called. “Finally.” Twilight tapped her nails on the desktop and glanced around at what few people were up here wandering around and browsing. The receptionist arrived, and she prepared to issue her request. The identity of the woman, however, stunned her into silence. “Oh, hey!” Stormy waved. She was dressed much like the last time the librarian had seen her, sporting a black baby tee and a long, tan skirt that fell to her ankles. Her white hair was pulled back into a ponytail that she allowed to hang over her right shoulder. “Been a while!” Twilight's jaw slammed into the floor at the speed of sound. “Stormy?! What are you doing here?” “I work here! Been on about a month,” she replied, sitting down in a chair hidden behind the partition and grinning. “Actually, I got hired just after I left Ponyville. Hell of a background check they've got here.” “How did you even pass it?” Twilight stared. “This is supposed to be the high security desk! You're a thief! What in the world were they thinking?!” “First, I'm insulted you think I'd steal something,” she began, placing a hand on her chest and looking sufficiently upset. “Second, I've been nothing but a good girl since I left. I'm even going to get a raise soon! Third, I wanted the most boring job I could find after all the shit I've been through, and holy wow is this gig dull. I get paid to sit here for eight hours a day and I hardly see anyone! It's awesome. All I have to do is make sure nobody leaves with anything, and, oh by the way, they said my experience was a plus for that job!” she finished, wearing a smug smile. “Anyway, how can I help you?” Twilight processed her rant, crossed her arms, and pinned her down with a slightly annoyed glare. “You dropped my name in the interview, didn't you.” Stormy blinked, but her smile didn't change. “Yep.” “Damn it! I should have known it was you when that woman called me for a reference!” The librarian shook it off and pinched the bridge of her nose, deciding it would be best to get to the point of her journey. “Look, I need access to the confidential documents. This is seriously an emergency.” “Why?” Stormy was still grinning. “Don't you start with me, this is important,” Twilight hissed, her hands clenching into fists. The ex-thief stood and approached the partition, leaning forward until she was eye to eye. “I have to ask, it's part of the job. Also, if you try to kill me with a bottle again, we're gonna have a fight.” Sighing, Twilight relented. “The whole town's been taken over by a woman named Trixie. She was too strong for me to beat because of a magical artifact she was wearing, and I need to access the archives and find out how to defeat it.” The blank look on Stormy's face caused her to grumble. “What? It's true.” “Trixie. Wait, is this the same chick that calls herself the Great and Powerful?” She watched Twilight nod. “Hey, I met her once. Screwed me and a girl with a weird name over in a poker game one time. I should have stabbed that bitch. I didn't think she had all that in her, though.” Stormy walked through the doorway behind the desk and disappeared for a moment before showing up again in the hallway that ran past them. She placed a sign on the desk, then nodded. “Come on, then.” Twilight blinked and fell in behind her. For a couple of minutes they walked in silence, but Stormy was unable to keep her mouth shut for long. After glancing around to ensure they were truly alone, she looked back over her shoulder. “So, what happened to Fuyu?” “She's still in town,” the librarian said, trawling her thoughts carefully to determine what she could reveal and what had to remain secret. “We found a way to feed her that doesn't involve hurting anyone.” Stormy nodded, then jerked her head to the right to indicate a change of direction. They were now lost in a towering fortress of bookshelves. “Oh, that's cool. Hey, why don't you just let her beat Trixie's ass? She seems pretty capable.” “I don't know if she can. That's how powerful that amulet's made her. Besides, Trixie's cut the town off from the outside world, and my friends won't be able to feed her if I don't get back soon and stop this.” Stormy had come to a stop at a nondescript door at the end of one row of shelves. “This is it, huh? I've never actually been in here before.” “Yep. I'll have to stay and watch you, but I don't think you'll steal anything, right?” Stormy grinned at her negative reply. “Of course not, 'cause I'm the thief. Here we go!” They entered a small room that was plastered with white tile floors and white walls, and whose ceiling held long fluorescent light tubes. At the far end were two desks, each bearing a small monitor and a keyboard. Along the side walls were two small bookshelves, loaded with serious-looking tomes. The air was frigid, and there were no windows to be found. “This is it,” she chirped, sitting down at one of the desk chairs and spinning around to look at an underwhelmed Twilight. “What? Not what you were expecting?” “Not really,” she admitted, walking over and examining a shelf. “Whatever. It doesn't matter if I find what I need.” She plucked a book from the group and flipped it open, reading even as she went to sit down. “Because if I don't...” she trailed off, growing teary-eyed, “My friends are in serious trouble.” While Fuyu had spent the night trying to find Applejack without success, locating Trixie was almost a trivial matter. The persistent buzzing in her mind acted as a sort of sonar that got louder when she approached the amulet, and quieter if she went the wrong way. After playing a forty-five minute game of hot or cold, the noise finally got loud enough to bother her in front of a large brick building south of the town proper. Before Trixie, it had been a hotel; now, her magic had reshaped the structure into something closer to a three-story house, clad in blue siding with ostentatiously wide front windows. In these Fuyu looked, trying to see anything in the growing dawn light. The open first floor was unoccupied, so she glued her hands to the exterior and began climbing straight up the side. Once she reached the next set of windows and peeked in one, she found a bedroom. It was empty, she so shimmied to her left and looked in another window. It was a second bedroom, but the bed in here contained a tall blonde. On the dresser was that familiar tan Stetson. Fuyu began tapping on the glass. It took ages for Applejack to stir, but once she did she nearly fell out of the bed trying to get over to the window. “Fu!” she whispered harshly once she had the thing open. “How'd ya get out of the jail? I thought Trixie had done something ta the locks!” She had to step aside as the pale woman launched a black rope at the ceiling and reeled herself into the room. “She magicked the doors, but it wasn't enough to stop me,” she explained, grimacing at the increased volume of the buzzing. “She's in here, isn't she?” “Well, yeah, upstairs. She turned the whole third floor into a penthouse or something.” Applejack looked up at the ceiling and sighed, placing a hand on her hip. “I thought ya'd done croaked. What happened?” “That amulet made me pass out,” she explained, having to use all her willpower to not say 'my amulet'. She peered at the door for a moment before turning to face the blonde. “Why are you here with her? Where's the rest of your family?” “They're outside the dome, thank goodness, and she's kinda usin' me as her middleman with the townsfolk. I'm volunteerin' 'cause I figured they'd be able ta handle it a little better if I'm the one givin' the orders,” she sighed, walking over and sitting on the bed. “She's a lot more ornery than I remember. Kept sayin' she wanted ta kill some people for not obeyin'. I had ta convince her ta lock y'all up, even.” You are the only one that can truly control the gift I have given you. I have made sure of it. “Nnh?” Fuyu groaned, rubbing the side of her head and looking away. “Why are you talking to me now?” “Well, ya asked me a question,” Applejack replied, confused. Her eyes lit up as the realization struck. “Shoot, is that that there voice Twilight told me about? What's it sayin'?” “Never mind that.” The pale woman turned her back on the blonde and looked at the door again. At that moment, she realized the buzzing was increasing in volume even though she wasn't moving. “Trixie is coming.” “W-wait!” Applejack said, reaching out a hand as she flashed past and launched herself out the window. Before she could even stand, her door swung open and Trixie strode in, clad in her black cloak. The amulet glittered around her neck, despite the weak, cloud-choked light that streamed in. “Good, you're already awake.” She cast her gaze to the open window and smirked. “Perhaps I will install some climate control for you if you actually prove worthy. Get dressed and let's go.” She was gone without a further word, leaving a defeated Applejack in her wake. Fuyu, hanging on the side of the building, clenched her teeth and waited for the buzzing to die down enough to allow her to regain her faculties. Once Trixie was gone from the room, she pulled herself up and looked into the window. “Go with her. I'll follow you and figure out something.” “She's gonna kill someone when she finds out ya ain't in the jail!” Applejack warned as she snatched her hat off the dresser. “I can't let her do that, Fu!” “Then I'll make her spend her wrath on me instead.” Fuyu dropped off the structure before the blonde could speak, landing with a heavy thud on the dewy grass. After sneaking to the front, she waited for them to emerge. When Trixie stepped out onto the porch, she ducked behind the corner. “We're going to the police station after I meet my slaves. I want to see how they're getting along,” she cackled, adjusting her cloak. “I want to talk to that one with the black hair, too. What did you say her name was?” Applejack stepped out and shut the door behind her before answering. Her eyes were weary and sad. “Fuyu.” The magician sauntered down the steps as she nodded. “Winter. She must be from the east.” “Wait, is that what her name means?” the blonde asked, jogging to catch up and genuinely interested. “I thought it was just a random buncha letters.” “They have different names for the seasons there. Fuyu is winter, haru is spring, natsu is summer, and aki is autumn.” Once the blonde had caught up, she unleashed her magic and caused them to float. “Where'd ya learn that?” Applejack gulped, looking down at the sidewalk above which she now hovered. “I learned it from a woman in Trottingham who had a similarly strange name. I think hers was Natsu, but that's neither here nor there. I've got dictating to do.” From her hiding place, Fuyu watched them fly toward town. Once satisfied she wouldn't be seen, she darted from the bush and ran after them, although the magician's power made her almost as fast as those naturally gifted with flight. It took her some minutes to finally catch up. When she saw the woman again, she and Applejack appeared to be addressing the town in front of the meeting hall. Trixie was peering at a grand throne that seemed to be built of sweets of all kinds, but her face betrayed immense displeasure. “Why is it not done yet?” she growled, turning and glaring a hole in a lanky, orange-haired man standing nearby. “Ma'am, cake isn't designed to be this big, or, frankly, to be used in this manner,” he explained, doffing his white hat. “We can't seem to make the batter stiff enough.” “You will find a way,” she hissed, her right hand exploding with a red glow, “or perhaps you will wake up tomorrow morning and discover your precious twins are missing.” The man began to weep bitterly, but the magician floated away to the front of the gathering and folded her arms. “Does anyone else want to tell me something can't be done?” The crowd murmured anxiously, but remained silent. “I didn't think so. Get out of here. I'll call you when I want you.” While they talked, Fuyu searched the crowd for any sign of Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, or Rainbow Dash. They had apparently taken her advice about laying low – none of them were present, at least that she could see. She had to hide again as the crowd dispersed, darting into an alleyway out of sight until everyone had shuffled past. Once they had, she emerged into the street to continue tailing Trixie, but found she'd come out too early. “Hey!” a voice called, stopping her before she could really get going. She turned to see Bon Bon and Lyra wave, then run up to her. “We thought Trixie carried you off and killed you or something,” Bon Bon said with a frown. “What happened to you guys?” Fuyu was itching to get after her quarry, but something prodded at her to stay a moment and speak. “She locked us in the jail. I broke us out.” “I told you she'd be the best option besides Twilight,” Lyra said, nudging Bon Bon in the ribs with her elbow. “The whole town freaked out when you fainted, man. Figured we'd have no shot. I mean, Rarity tried her best and all, but Trixie's way too strong!” She looked over as Bon Bon grabbed her hand and sighed. “I wanted to try and fight her too, but she'd have slaughtered me.” Her sad look disappeared when she laid eyes on Fuyu again. “Go kick her ass for us!” The pale woman crossed her arms, but couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. “I have some things to do first, but I will try.” She bid them a quick farewell; too much time had passed already, and she was desperate to get eyes on Applejack again. Fortunately for her, Trixie was walking, and it only took her a few minutes to make contact with the pair once again. The clouds above were darkening as the three of them moved – so much that Applejack couldn't help but notice. “Looks like the bottom's gonna fall out,” she said, tipping her hat aside to look at the whirling gray above. “It'll rain when I tell it to rain,” Trixie replied darkly, still in a bad mood. “I feel like punching someone. Perhaps there will be a volunteer at the police station.” Applejack cringed strongly as she looked down. “I'm sure that ain't gonna be necessary. Just, ah...Rarity does this breathin' thing to calm herself down! Maybe y'all should try that?” “Rarity! I'll smack her around for a while. Thank you for the suggestion,” the magician grinned, crossing her arms. Applejack winced again, but this time remained silent. Neither of them spoke again until they entered the station. Fuyu waited for them to go downstairs before entering and hiding behind a desk in the back to wait. It didn't take long. “How did they get out?!” Trixie roared, stomping out of the stairwell and into view. Her hands were burning with red magic as she glared around. Applejack only arrived a few seconds later, looking rather terrified. “I bet it was Rarity, she's the only one left that could even hope to defuse my spells. Well, I'll show her.” She turned to the blonde and jabbed a finger at the doors. “Find her little sister. Bring her to the town square, and summon the slaves. I believe I need to set an example.” “Is this really n-necessary?” Applejack pleaded, hands clasped. “I-I mean...” “You begged me to leave them be, and this is what I've gotten in return! I will not be made a mockery of!” Trixie growled, her voice and expression growing angrier with every word. “Now do what I told you to do or I'll be more than happy to string you up from the library tree!” Weeping openly, the blonde skittered out of the station and vanished from Fuyu's sight. The magician, however, lingered for a moment, talking to herself as she paced around. “I hope she finds out about this. Perhaps I should allow in a reporter to watch. Wait! I'll make one of the slaves tape it.” A dark grin curled her lips. “I almost wish she were here. I would love to see the look on her face.” After a few more seconds of evil hand-wringing, she left the station and floated into a light drizzle. Fuyu waited until she had gone out of view before standing up and approaching the doors herself. “Sweetie Belle?” she mumbled, vocally calling up the memory. Rarity's younger sister was a bipedal ball of adorable that the pale woman had met twice before. Like Applejack and Apple Bloom, the two were extremely close, even if the girl was sometimes too dense and stubborn to admit it. “That can't happen.” After leaving the station and ensuring Trixie had left the area completely, she started walking in the direction of the Boutique. If Rarity had done as she promised last night, there was a high chance they would both be there. It was deathly quiet; the whole town was as empty as when she'd woken up yesterday morning. Another cursory glance confirmed how alone she was, so she decided to pick up the pace and use the sludge. She launched gooey black ropes at the fronts of buildings, reeling herself in and firing another ahead to repeat the process. What Fuyu didn't see below and behind her, however, was the confused and terrified face of Bon Bon, hands slammed over her mouth as she watched in order to keep herself from being noticed.