//------------------------------// // 4 - The Everfree Forest // Story: Trixie Through Time // by Yukito //------------------------------// After waking up early the following morning to a nightmare, Trixie tried to fall back to sleep for a few more hours, but found herself unable to stop thinking of her dream. It was the same dream she had two nights ago, which involved her future self dying before her eyes… only this time, she was seeing it through the eyes of her future self. To Trixie, it was a harsh reminder that time was running out, and that she would have to hurry if she wanted to change the future. She still had no idea what the cause of her death was exactly, but the way things were looking, it was probably a result of investigating these black crystals. They certainly seemed like a bad omen. She considered simply running far, far away, out of the Country, and waiting until the promised day had passed. However… “The future Trixie set me on this path in the first place. I never would have thought to investigate these crystals had I not visited the crystal mine. Running away won’t do any good. If I want to change the future, I have to trust my future self’s judgement. There has to be a way, there just has to…” “Why don’t ya stop worrying so much and just get some sleep?” Lightning Dust suggested, startling Trixie. She thought that her friends were all still asleep. “No point stayin’ up worrying about it. Save the worryin’ for later, when it’s actually time to act.” “… Trixie know this, but… it is hard to sleep, when every time Trixie closes her eyes, she’s forced to see herself die. Or even worse, experience it.” “Hey, look at this way: when your time actually does come, you’ll have had plenty of practice, so it won’t be so bad… Probably.” Trixie threw a disapproving glare at the smirking Pegasus. “Is that supposed to make Trixie feel better?” “It was a joke. Lighten up, Trix.” Lightning Dust stretched her legs, and looked outside the window. “It’s still early, but let’s go for a walk.” “A what?” Trixie asked, giving her friend a strange look as she climbed out of her bed. “C’mon, it’ll clear your mind. Help ya chill out. And ‘sides, I need to pick up some coffee, anyway. Can’t exactly go into the Everfree Forest hungover.” “Then go by yourself,” Trixie said. “Trixie isn’t in the mood.” “I know you’re not, but if you don’t come with me, I’m not gonna let you go into that forest.” Trixie shot the Pegasus a threatening glare. “The Great and Powerful Trixie would like to see you try to stop her.” Lightning didn’t back down. “There’s no way I’m letting a friend into that forest, when she’s in no state to defend herself. Until you cool down, you’ll just be putting your life at risk by goin’ in there.” “Trixie’s life is already at risk.” “I know. That’s why us five are goin’, to find a way to save you. But there’s no sense in you going, if you’re just going to shorten your life even more!” Trixie growled for a few seconds, glaring into Lightning’s narrowed eyes. Lightning did not flinch, or even move a single muscle, as Trixie stared at her. She just stared right back, a determined look in her eyes. “… Fine then. Trixie supposes you have a point. But don’t wake the others.” “I wasn’t going to, but why not?” Lightning asked, creeping across the room carefully, not making a single sound as she moved. “Two is company, three or more is a crowd. And right now, Trixie would prefer not to be crowded.” Trixie climbed out of her own bed, and approached the door, where Lightning was waiting for her. She stopped to take a quick glance at Inkie, who was still sleeping soundly in her own bed. “Besides, we’re trying to lesson our worries here, not spread them.” Lightning’s stifled laughter drew Trixie’s attention, and she looked at her with a questioning look on her face. “Dude, you look ridiculous! Maybe you should tidy up a bit, first.” Trixie used her magic to draw a nearby mirror towards herself, and frowned at the mess that was her mane in the mirror’s reflection. She then shot a glare over at Lightning Dust, whilst using her magic to summon a brush to tidy her mane. “You could be a little more tactful about it,” Trixie said. “Hey, I just calls it like I sees it.” Trixie sighed, and ran the brush through her mane. ‘Well, at the very least, she should be a nice distraction from that nightmare…’ After brushing her mane to tidy it up, and donning her disguise, Trixie headed out into the streets of Ponyville with Lightning Dust. They walked around for a bit in silence, down the near-empty streets where a few early-risers were setting up their market stalls, before stopping at a small café to get some coffee for Lightning Dust. Trixie just bought some water, since she intended to get some sleep when she returned to the inn. “So, this test of yours,” Trixie began, no longer able to take the silence, “What exactly does passing it mean for you?” Lightning put down her coffee, and a proud grin spread on her face. “It means me and Dash are on the fast track to becoming full-fledged Wonderbolts!” “Trixie thought you were already on the fast track?” Trixie asked in a teasing tone. “In fact, haven’t you been on the ‘fast track’ for the few months now?” Lightning Dust scowled at the showmare for a second, but then grinned as she decided to turn the conversation around. “So, you found yourself a coltfriend yet? Y’know, one who isn’t already seeing a Princess?” Trixie slammed her good hoof on the table, and her face flushed red as she glared daggers at Lightning. “He wasn’t seeing her at the time, he was just chasing after her flanks!” “Who?” Lightning asked, feigning ignorance. Trixie realised her slipup, and started to sweat as she tried to come up with something. Unable to think properly in her sleep-deprived state, she simply brought her glass of water to her lips and drank slowly, so as to avoid answering. “Oh, you mean that Prince Blueblood guy?” Trixie spat the water into Lightning’s face. Not out of shock or surprise, she simply wanted the Pegasus to shut up. “Please! To think that oaf could ever catch Trixie Great and Powerful eye is simply-” “Didn’t you try to court him at the last gala?” “… That was then. Before Trixie realised what a crude, arrogant, stuck-up mule he was.” Trixie turned to face something at the table beside her. “No offence.” “None taken,” the mule sitting beside her said. “Anyway, that was only because Trixie didn’t want to dance alone. She never intended a long-term relationship to come from it, and thankfully, she realised what a terribly insufferable stallion he was before she allowed herself to be seen on the dance floor with him.” “All so that you could make Shining jealous and come crawling back to you.” “THAT’S NOT IT!” Trixie shouted, slamming her hoof on the table again. “If you keep insisting such nonsense, the Great and Powerful Trixie will make your name very literal.” “Gonna have ta catch me, first!” Lightning challenged, jumping out of her seat and hovering in the air. “Unless the ‘Great and Powerful’ Trixie doesn’t feel confident in her own abilities?” Something inside of Trixie snapped, and she climbed out of her seat and glared up at Lightning Dust, her horn sparking as she scuffed a hoof against the ground. “Bring. It. On.” “ThreetwooneGO!” Lightning shouted before she flew down the street at a high speed, stopping by a flower shop a few feet down and waving to Trixie. “C’mon ya slowpoke! Or is running not one of you ‘extraordinary talents’?!” Trixie gritted her teeth together, and charged down the street after Lightning Dust. “Now you have incurred Trixie’s wrath! Prepare yourself!” “Ooh, so scared!” Lightning responded in a sarcastic tone. “Perhaps you’re forgetting that I can fly?” Trixie ran towards Lightning, who responded by ascending higher into the sky. “And perhaps your forgetting that I’m the Great and Powerful Trixie?” Trixie’s horn lit up, and two clouds appeared above Lightning. Both of them shot bolts of lightning towards the Pegasus’ flanks, narrowly missing as Lightning nimbly dodged them. Trixie anticipated this, however, and was already casting her next spell to create a magical wall where Lightning Dust was attempting to fly to, blocking her path and leaving her open to a magical ensnarement spell. “Got you now!” Trixie shouted as she pulled the ensnared Pegasus down. Lightning struggled as she was lowered the ground, and Trixie grinned in victory as she approached her. “Is that enough proof of Trixie’s extraordinary talents?” Lightning stopped her struggling, and let out a chuckle as she quickly extended her wings, breaking the magical bond that had her ‘trapped’. “That’s more like it,” she said, floating up in the air in front of Trixie once more. “No worrying, no pessimism. Just have faith in yourself and keep movin’ forward. That’s why I started hangin’ with you guys in the first place, ‘cause you and Inkie always powered through everything with nothing but complete faith in yourselves. Being worried about what the future holds… just isn’t like you at all, Trixie.” Trixie stared at Lightning Dust in silence for a few moments, before looking down at the floor with a smile and a sigh. “… Trixie will make you take back your insults today,” she said, before turning around and beginning to walk. “But later. After Trixie has altered the course of time to avoid her own demise.” Lightning followed after Trixie, a satisfied grin on her face that her plan had worked. “You’ll have ta earn it, y’know?” “Then, you’d better not run away and hide before all this is over,” Trixie responded, before letting out a loud yawn. “Now, let us return to the inn. Trixie thinks she might be able to fall asleep now.” “Right behind ya, Trix!” Trixie looked at herself through mist-filled eyes, her breathing hot and heavy as she struggled to remain standing upright. The Trixie before her stared at her with a look of horror, her eyes wide and her pupils small. Her mouth moved, but no words came out. “Trixie,” a voice called out. The scared Trixie’s eyes started to close up a bit, soon returning back to normal as her shaking stopped. “Trixie!” Trixie gasped and turned. She saw five ponies standing behind her, each of their faces obscured by a shadow, save for their mouths, which were curved into wide smiles. “Trixie, c’mon!” one of them said as it moved forward. “C’mon, get up!” Trixie opened her eyes and let out a tired groan. She felt herself moving from side to side, and wondered if there was an earthquake happening. Then she realised that it was just Inkie Pie shaking her with her hooves. “Come one, wake up! We’re all waiting on you, y’know?” she said as she continued to shake the waking showmare. Trixie slowly pushed herself up and rubbed her tired eyes. “Up bright and early, just like you said!” Trixie stopped to glare at the gray mare for a second. “… Don’t use Trixie’s words against her like that.” “Hey now, get up already,” Apple Fritter said, grabbing Trixie’s bedsheets and pulling them off. A chill passed over the showmare’s body, causing her to shiver. “If ya don’t, we’re gonna have ta get Vinyl ta start gettin’ loud.” That caused Trixie to roll over and jump out of her bed. In the process, she almost landed her bad leg on the floor, but managed to catch herself and raise her leg before it touched down. “Alright, I’m up! Unplug that keyboard!” On the other side of the room, Vinyl’s face fell as she was forced to unplug her instrument from the wall socket. “Awww. And I had the perfect ‘wake up Trixie’ song, too!” Inkie sat down on her bed beside Trixie’s, and opened up her saddlebag. “Let me just replace that bandage real quick, and then we’ll get going.” Trixie let out a long yawn, before nodding and walking over to Inkie. She sat down beside her friend and extended her leg, allowing Inkie to take the bandage off so that it could replaced with a fresh, clean one. Upon seeing the horrible swelling and black marks trailing up Trixie’s foreleg, Apple Fritter and Feathermay both cringed. Vinyl and Lightning simply stared at it in awe for a few seconds, before the sound of Inkie clearing her throat snapped them out of it. “Hey guys,” Lightning called out, “Let’s go get some grub while we wait.” “Uh, yeah…” Apple Fritter couldn’t help but keep her attention on Trixie’s wound. She knew that she was hurt, but she never imagine it would look so… horrifying. It gave the farmer an idea of just what kind of force they were up against. In that, she now had no idea just what to expect from this kind of enemy. Feathermay tugged at Apple Fritter’s foreleg to get her to stand up, and the four mares walk out of the room together, leaving Inkie and Trixie alone. Inkie applied some cream to Trixie’s leg to prevent that would prevent it from itching, and then began to wrap a new bandage gently around it. “How’s your magic?” Inkie asked. In response, Trixie’s horn lit up and began to spark. “Pretty good, after a good night’s rest,” Trixie answered with a grin. “So no, Trixie will not run away if things look dangerous. She can still fight.” “I wasn’t going to say that,” Inkie said. “But if you’re going to fight with us, don’t push yourself. We don’t know what the cause of your future self’s death was, so it would be best if you kept yourself strong and healthy when the day comes. You’ve got five friends with you. Put some faith into them, okay?” “Trixie doesn’t need to tell her that,” Trixie responded. She felt Inkie’s wrapping stop, and looked up to see the gray mare giving her a disbelieving look. “Maybe five months ago,” Trixie sighed, “But you’ve nagged Trixie to the point where she puts more faith in others. Satisfied?” With a smile, Inkie resumed her bandaging. “Alright, now brace yourself.” Inkie tightened the bandage and fastened it up, causing Trixie to wince in pain. “I said to brace yourself.” “Not much good warning ponies, if it comes at the same time as the thing you’re warning them about!” Trixie shouted, resisting the urge to rub her leg better, knowing that that would only make it worse. “Gee, thanks Inkie. So glad to have a dependable friend like you,” she said in a sarcastic tone. “You’re very welcome,” Inkie replied. “I hope the others have our breakfasts ready.” Trixie stood and began to walk towards the door. “Trixie hope that this town at least has good food. She ate here the last time she came, but the amulet had some negative effects on Trixie’s memory.” Trixie stopped for a second to think. “For some reason, apples are turning her off right now.” Inkie shrugged and walked past the showmare. “After those three train rides, I’ll be happy with anything, so long as it’s cheap.” “Be careful what you wish for. You’ll regret it later if you suddenly get hit by food poisoning in the Everfree Forest.” Inkie shuddered at the thought as she opened the door and stepped outside. “Good point. Thankfully, Fritter’s with them, so it should be fine.” The Everfree Forest was a strange and mysterious place. There, the fauna and flora tended to themselves, and the weather acted entirely on its own. It was also a dangerous place, too. There were many creatures that lived there that love the taste of a pony’s flesh, and they are adapted to hunting, be that by having large claws, binocular-vision, a poison-tipped tail, or just being as tall as the trees that they live amongst. “So we’re really going in there?” Feathermay asked, a shiver going down her spine as she was certain she saw something moving in the bushes. “Wow, it’s… even scarier close-up.” Vinyl shrugged. “Yeah, it’s creepy an’ all. But compared to getting’ around the paparazzi with Tavi, this’s nothin’.” “Come on girls,” Trixie said as she marched forward, a determined look on her face. “We’re wasting precious seconds here. According to Mi Amore, the mother crystal is located near an old campsite in the forest. We have to find a stream and then follow it to the campsite.” “And we’ll find the stream by going straight down this path, right?” Inkie asked, receiving a nod from Trixie. “We’ll be walking along the edge of a cliff at some point, so we’d better proceed with caution.” Lightning flew beside Inkie and gave her a strange look. “Man, you’re really nothing like your sister, are ya?” “Ah, so you met Pinkie today, I take it?” Inkie asked, receiving a grim nod from Lightning Dust. “Yeah, believe it or not, but she’s the oldest sibling. My twin sister Blinkie is a little more like her… but, more on the perverted side, which contrasts well with Pinkie’s child-like innocence.” “Really? ‘Cause, lemme tell ya, that pony was totally all over me and Dash last night.” Inkie raised an eyebrow at that. “You… didn’t let her near alcohol, did you?” When all Inkie got in response was a sheepish grin from Lightning Dust, she sighed and shook her head. “I’d have thought Ponyville would’ve learned by now, to keep my sister sober at all times.” “So basically,” Apple Fritter said, “Yer sisters are the easy-going, carefree type of ponies, and you’re the calmer, more responsible one, right?” “‘Sane’ would be a better word,” Inkie said. “Let me tell you, as much as I love them, it was not easy sharing a room with those two growing up. And there’s a reason I always avoid inviting them to any big events up in Canterlot. It’s hard enough as it is for the ponies there to take me seriously.” “Guys, stop!” Trixie shouted, drawing the group’s attention to her. Ahead of Trixie was the path that would start leading down the cliff they were currently standing on… but it was blocked off, by part of the path not being there. “It looks like it collapsed. What should we do now?” “We’ll have to find another way around,” Inkie said. “Unless Lightning and Feathermay can carry us over, of course.” “Sorry guys,” Feathermay said. “I don’t quite have the upper-body strength for that.” The group turned to Lightning Dust, who was shifting her eyes between everypony quickly, sweat running down her brow. “Uh… well, of course, I could do that, but, uh…” “What? Spit it out already!” Apple Fritter said. “Ugh! Fine! I hurt my back during the test yesterday. I don’t think I can lift anypony right now.” Trixie sighed, and turned back to look at the collapsed path one more time. “No choice then. We’ll have to find another way around.” Trixie turned back to the group, and was about to suggest they split up to look for a new path, when something caught her eye. Some stones had fallen from the plateau beside them, and the showmare quickly turned to see what it was. Everypony else turned too, and they all gasped as they saw something jump down towards them. It was large, had claws, fangs, a sharp tail, and wings. It didn’t take long for Trixie to identify the creature. “A manticore!” “Inks, heads up!” Lightning shouted as the manticore charged towards the stunned Earth Pony. The fast-thinking Pegasus quickly charged the large beast before it could reach her friend, knocking it to the side, and accidentally sending it towards Trixie. “Oops!” “Wha-Wha-WHAAAAAA!” Trixie shouted as the manticore collided with her, and sent her tumbling down the cliff. “LIGHTNIIIIIIIING!” “Sorry!” Lightning shouted down at Trixie. “Hold on! I’m comin’ down!” She quickly turned back to her friends. “You guys find another way down! I’ll help Trixie!” “I’ll come too!” Feathermay said as she extended her wings and followed Lightning down the cliff. As they flew down, they found Trixie hanging off of a branch on the side of the plateau. “Trixie, hold on!” she cried as she sped up towards her. Reaching her hooves out, she grabbed Trixie’s good leg, and immediately felt the showmare’s weight pulling her down. “Oof!” “Heads up! We got company down below!” Lightning shouted as she watched the manticore below them looking up at the three mares, and lowering itself as it got ready to jump. “I’ll handle this guy!” “R-Right!” Feathermay said as she struggled to keep herself and Trixie from plummeting down to their deaths. She flapped her wings as hard as she could, to lower Trixie slowly to the ground. “Just… keep him busy for a bit…” “No problem!” Lightning said as she clapped her forehooves together. The manticore jumped up, and Lightning bolted forward as fast as she could to intercept the pouncing beast, kicking it square in the face. As the manticore fell down the base of the plateau, Lightning followed after it, landing just a short distance away. “What’s wrong? Lil’ kitty not tough enough to play with the big cats?” The manticore roared as it shot up into the air, flapping its wings above Lightning Dust, before charging towards her. Lightning jumped back to avoid the attack, and delivered a roundhouse kick. However, she underestimated just how tough a manticore’s skin could be, and failed to do any significant damage. She saw the manticore raise its claw and swing it towards her, and nimbly dodged it by back flipping into the air. “Too slow!” she taunted as she charged forward and kicked again, this time aiming for the manticore’s stomach as it stood up on its two hind legs. The manticore roared in pain as the kick connected, and was sent stumbling back a few steps. Lightning continued her assault by kicking with her forelegs at the manticore’s chest. When the manticore finally had enough, it raised its two forelegs, and attempted to crush Lightning Dust between them. However, she managed to fall back just as the manticore’s paws slammed together. “Close!” she said to herself as she hovered before the beast. She narrowed her eyes as she watched it carefully for its next move, but then felt a sharp pain down her back. “ARGH! My spine, at a time like this?” “Lightning, watch out!” she heard Feathermay call out. She saw the manticore swinging a paw towards her again, and made a move to evade it, but another pang of pain down her back halted her for just a brief moment, allowing the manticore’s attack to connect. Lightning Dust yelped as she was swatted like a fly by the manticore’s paw, and sent flying into a tree to her side. Picking herself up off of the ground, Lightning let out a few coughs as she tried to steady her shaking legs and focus her mind. She slowly turned her head to find the manticore charging towards her, eager to finish the Pegasus off. A sudden blast of purple magic caused the manticore to stop in its tracks with a startled yelp, and then turn around to locate the source of the blast. “Tag out, Lightning Dust!” Trixie shouted as she glared the manticore down, her horn sparking and her hat levitating above her head. “The Great and Powerful Trixie shall handle the rest!” The manticore growled, with such force that Trixie had to focus to stay up on her three legs, and then charged towards the showmare. “Have at thee!” Trixie shouted as she used her magic to form a whip, which she flicked towards the charging beast. “‘Have at thee’?” Lightning Dust asked as she watched Trixie keeping the manticore at bay. “Seriously? What century does she think this is?” “Feathermay, now!” Trixie shouted as she flicked her whip one last time. “En garde!” Feathermay shouted as she landed down onto the manticore’s back, a small knife in her hoof. She drove it down into the manticore’s neck, causing it to howl and flail about in pain. She jumped off and landed beside Trixie, watching as the manticore fell down onto its side. “Wow. A fake knife did that?” Feathermay asked as the knife in her hoof began to fade away. “The power of suggestion is a force to be reckoned with,” Trixie explained. “In reality, the manticore has not been harmed. But it felt the pain as if it were real, and fell unconscious through shock.” Trixie dispelled the magic forming her whip, and smiled as Lightning Dust flew over to her. “You don’t seem to be in too bad a shape.” “Nah. I’ve hit the ground harder than that before,” Lightning told her, grinning as she landed in front of Trixie. “So, what now? We wait here for the others?” “The path leads here,” Trixie said, turning around to look at the path that leads up to the cliff. “We could go up and meet them halfway, but if there are forks in the road, that would cause complications.” “I say we stick together, and wait for our friends,” Feathermay suggested, to which Trixie nodded. “Agreed. This place is far too dangerous to go wandering off and-” A loud roar interrupted Trixie, who quickly turned back around, only to find the manticore towering behind Lightning Dust. “It’s back up already?!” “Must have not been so shocked! Watch out!” Feathermay shouted, but it came too late. The manticore swiped its paw at Lightning, knocking her across the clearing and sending her rolling across the ground. “Lightning!” “Heads up!” Trixie shouted as the manticore’s tail rose and lunged towards Feathermay. Trixie moved to intercept it, charging her magic to create a barrier. The tail collided with the hastily-made barrier, and seemed to be stuck for a moment, before the barrier shattered, and the tail made its way towards Trixie’s face. “TRIXIE!” Feathermay grabbed the showmare as she fell backwards. Trixie was panting heavily, and there was a wound around Trixie’s left eye, blood pouring out of it. Feathermay panicked as she held Trixie in her hooves, completely forgetting about the manticore until she heard its roar once more. “Oh no…” Feathermay squeaked as she looked up at the beast looming over her, getting ready to finish the two mares off. “Oh no you don’t!” Feathermay gasped and fell back onto her haunches as a yellow and green blur rushed past her overhead, and collided with the manticore. “You’re not eatin’ any friends of mine without a fight!” “Fritter, make way!” Vinyl shouted as she stopped beside Feathermay. Apple Fritter quickly ducked to the side, and Vinyl’s horn lit up. “Let’s see… what was that frequency?” The manticore roared and charged towards the mare. “W-What are you doing?!” Feathermay screamed to Vinyl, who was sweating and grinding her teeth together as she worked her magic through her horn. “Got it!” Vinyl shouted, before quickly unleashing a blue shockwave of magic, which was accompanied by a loud screeching sound that caused Apple Fritter to stumble a bit. “Fritter, move a bit farther back!” Apple Fritter nodded, and turned around to run away. The manticore stopped its assault, and held its paws to its ears as it roared and thrashed about. “What’s going on?” Feathermay asked as she watched in awe. “Sound magic,” Trixie explained, groaning as she tried to lift her head up to get a better view. “Vinyl’s speciality. Trixie… may have t-taught her some s-self-defence magic… but, to think she c-could amplify it to such a degree…” A grin appeared on Trixie’s face, and she let out a slight chuckle. “Vinyl Scratch, you truly are… Equestria’s top DJ, without a doubt.” “This frequency is designed to give intense headaches and stomach aches to ponies and other creatures that it reaches,” Vinyl explained as she continued firing her spell, adding a little more power to be on the safe side. “I figured it would affect the manticore, too, so I gave it a shot.” “You mean you took a chance?!” Feathermay asked in complete bewilderment. After seeing the DJ’s confident grin, Feathermay found herself smiling, too, and began to laugh. “Yeah… that sounds like you. Totally crazy. Octavia must have fun with you around. Wait, how come Trixie and I aren’t affected?” “It doesn’t affect those close to the source,” Trixie explained. “We’re in Vinyl’s ‘safe zone’, as it were.” “Yes! It’s working!” Vinyl shouted as she watched the manticore turn around and begin to run away. “That’s right, pussycat! Run to yo momma!” “That should keep it away for a bit,” Trixie said. “Manticores cower easily, and they have sensitive ears. Trixie wagers it will stay away from us until its ears are back to normal.” “Will you be okay?” Feathermay asked as she gently lowered Trixie onto the ground. “We need to get this cleaned up. The scent of blood will definitely attract other creatures.” “Hold on. I’ve got some water in my bag,” Inkie said as she approached the three mares with Lightning hanging off of her shoulder. Apple Fritter was supporting the Pegasus from the other side. “Vinyl, you have the first aid supplies, right?” “Yep!” Vinyl answered as she used her magic to open her bag. “How’s Dusty? She need anything?” “She’ll need to have her wounds cleaned and bandaged, but they don’t look so bad. What about Trixie’s?” Feathermay moved some of Trixie’s mane away from her eye, and examined the wound closely. She breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that it wasn’t that deep. “It’s actually pretty shallow. And the bleeding’s already stopping. I think the barrier altered the tail’s path just enough to avoid a fatal strike.” “Manticore tails are poisonous,” Trixie pointed out, bringing a worried look to Inkie’s face. “Check again. Do you see any purple in Trixie’s blood?” Feathermay took another look, and shook her head. “No. Just red.” “Oh… That’s good, then. It means that either the poison wasn’t injected, or it was in a small dose. In the latter case, Trixie will still need an antidote, but she’ll actually have the time to get it.” “What kind of antidote?” Inkie asked as she lay Lightning Dust down beside Trixie. Lightning’s wounds became visible now that they were no longer pressing against Inkie’s side. A few claw marks ran down Lightning’s side, and there was light bleeding coming from each one. “Trixie made sure to pack some, just in case. It’s the grape juice in Fritter’s bag.” “Oh, that?” Feathermay asked. “… Oops. I, uh, kinda drank that.” Everypony stared at the Pegasus in shock, and Trixie began to grow very nervous. “I’m kidding!” she said with a nervous laughter. “Just trying to keep your spirits up!” Trixie sighed heavily. “Well do so in a manner more friendly to Trixie’s heart.” Apple Fritter opened her bag, and pulled out a carton of grape juice from within. “How much do we need?” “Just a few drops… It will have to go into the wound, so…” Trixie gulped, and shifted her head to look at Inkie Pie. “… You’ll… have to hold Trixie down, to keep her still. This is undoubtedly going to sting, so…” Inkie nodded in understanding. “I got it. I’ll do my best.” “I’ll help too,” Vinyl said. “Octy will confirm I’m good at keeping mares from moving.” Trixie would have rolled her eyes if she weren’t in so much pain. “Right… Well then, no time like the present.” Trixie braced herself as she felt the two mares holding her down at either end of her body, and closed her eyes as she awaited the painful treatment. As she felt the first drop of grape juice enter her wound and began to scream bloody murder, a thought crossed Trixie’s mind. One that she wasn’t able to fully grasp until about one minute after the treatment, when the pain had finally subsided, and she was able to rest on the ground and catch her breath as her friends tended to Lightning Dust. “The future Trixie,” she said in a whispered voice, “Had a swollen left eye… And it was bloodshot, too.” “… T-That doesn’t mean anything,” Inkie, who had volunteered to stay by Trixie’s side, told the showmare. “We’re still not done here yet. We’ll find this mother crystal, and put an end to this whole thing.” Trixie smiled slowly, and nodded her head. “Yeah… Definitely.” “Alright, Lightning’s wounds are all wrapped up!” Feathermay said as she helped Lightning, whose chest was now wrapped in bandages, up to her hooves. She had insisted on carrying her along with Apple Fritter, but Lightning assured them that she was fine, and insisted on walking alongside the rest of them. They knew that she was lying, from the way her wings twitched in their folded-up states, but they decided to humour her, under the condition that they watch her very closely. Trixie wasn’t offered the same courtesy, as Inkie insisted on carrying Trixie for the rest of their trip through the Everfree Forest. Not that Trixie could walk in her state anyway, but it still bugged the showmare that she wasn’t offered the helped, so much as it was forced onto her. The group continued through the forest exercising extreme caution, until they eventually found the stream that Cadance described to them. They checked the direction of the current, and then moved against it, as per the Princess’ instructions. As they walked, Lightning felt her legs growing heavy, and her chest beginning to burn. Her breathing started to increase, and she had to wipe the sweat from her brow with a foreleg. “How much longer ‘til we get there, exactly?” she asked, trying not to let on that her wounds were starting to hurt her. “Mi Amore said that it won’t be far, as long as we stuck to the path up to the stream,” Trixie answered. “She said that the campsite was used back when the Royal Sisters’ castle was in the forest. It was essentially an outpost that would warn of enemy attacks well in advance.” “And then, the mother crystal should be somewhere near the campsite, right?” Inkie asked, received a confirmatory nod from Trixie. “… Guys, I think we’re nearly there,” Apple Fritter said, pointing to something on the other side of the stream. Her friends turned to look, and their eyes widened as they saw a large black crystal in the distance, poking out over some trees. “Huh… Well, there’s the mother crystal. Let’s go,” Trixie said. “One problem,” Feathermay said. “This stream has a pretty fast current. How are we supposed to cross exactly?” “Oh. Did you need to cross, my little ponies?” a voice called out. Everypony looked around for the source, and then jumped back in shock as something emerged from the water. It was a long, snake-like creature… with a moustache. “Oh, terribly sorry! I’m taking my bath right now and, well, I do love a fast current against my scales! But here, allow me to help you to cross this stream!” The serpent dove underwater, and arched various parts of his body to create makeshift stepping stones for the six ponies. After exchanging some confused looks with each other, the six ponies shrugged and approached the serpent. Vinyl was the first to cross the stream, followed by Feathermay and Apple Fritter. Lightning Dust cross next, but slowly so as to avoid straining herself too much. Finally, Inkie had no choice but to release Trixie so that they could both cross the stream. She allowed Trixie to move first, and watched with worry as the showmare moved dizzily across the serpent’s body. Thankfully, though, she managed to cross without any major disasters happening, and then Inkie followed after her. “Well, that was strange,” Trixie said before the serpent popped up again. “Thanks for the help, man!” Vinyl said, waving to the serpent. “My pleasure! You ponies should visit more often. It isn’t often that I get company around here that doesn’t wish to eat me.” “Then why don’t you move somewhere else?” Feathermay asked. “Because the air here is soothing, and the lack of daylight helps me to relax.” “… Oh. Well, uh, I guess I could drop by again, if I have the time…” “Hey guys!” Lightning shouted, drawing the group’s attention. At some point, she had moved ahead of them a little bit, and was now looking at something beyond the trees. “Check it out! It’s the campsite!” “No kiddin’?” Vinyl asked. “Sweet! Though if it wasn’t for the mother crystal, we would have just walked past it…” Trixie sighed and placed a hoof to her forehead. “Of course. An outpost like that would be hidden, so that enemies wouldn’t find it. Why did Mi Amore not think to tell us this?” “Well, all’s well that ends well,” Inkie said. “That’s the direction of the mother crystal. We might as well check the place out, to see if there’s anything useful there.” Trixie nodded in agreement. “Right. Let’s go.” Inkie offered to help her out again, but Trixie declined. This time, Inkie didn’t force it, as it was clear that Trixie’s injuries weren’t affecting her movements too badly. Still, she kept close to her friend, ready to catch her should she suddenly fall. Continuing on with their quest, the group passed through the some thick bushes and past the trees around them, and were soon at the campsite. Indeed, it was difficult to spot, and had they not been taking this route to find the mother crystal, they likely would have never found it. Everypony looked around the small campsite, trying to find anything that could be useful. “There’s a first aid tent over there,” Inkie said, pointing to a tent that bore the Equestrian first aid symbol on its side. “There might be something in there.” “Looks like the camp was abandoned in a hurry,” Trixie said, looking over to a watchtower. “There might be weapons or tools in there. And there’s a granary over there.” She turned to look at the building not too far from the watchtower. “There might be other supplies in there that we can use.” “Right! Well then, let’s split into three pairs and look around,” Vinyl suggested. “I think Trix and Inks should pair up, and I’ll stick with Feathermay. Since Fritter and Inkie are the two strongest among us who aren’t injured, it makes sense to partner them up with the injured ponies.” “Since when were you elected as group leader?” Trixie asked. “While Trixie agrees with most of what you just said, Lightning and Fritter aren’t exactly known for paying attention to detail, and are likely to overlook something. Inkie, as an artist, is able to pick out the subtlest details that even Trixie might miss, so Trixie thinks that Inkie should go with Lightning.” Vinyl scratched her head nervously at the suggestion. “Ah, yeah. That’s a good point, but, uh…” “It’s okay, Vinyl,” Inkie said, walking over to Lightning Dust. “I agree with Trixie. If we leave it to these two, we could miss out on something that might save our lives later.” Sighing, Vinyl seemed to give in to the suggestion, and turned her attention to Feathermay. “If you say so. C’mon, Feathermay. Let’s go check out that granary.” “We’ll check out the watchtower,” Inkie announced as she started to move towards the watchtower with Lightning Dust at her side. “Guess that leaves us with the first aid tent,” Apple Fritter summarised. “Shall we?” “After Trixie,” Trixie said, moving past Apple Fritter to move towards the tent first. The Earth Pony mare followed after her, sticking close so that she could help her should she suddenly collapse. As they entered, the first thing that caught Trixie’s attention was the horrid stench in the air. “One thousand years of abandonment… Unless they stored their supplies magically, it’s doubtful anything here is still good.” “Doesn’t hurt to check though,” Apple Fritter said, making her way over to what seemed to be a cupboard. She opened it up, and was greeted to a large layer of dust flying her way, making her back up and cough as she wafted the dust away with a hoof. Trixie walked over to a small chest in the corner, and tried to open it. It wouldn’t lift open though, so she tried her magic. The stubborn lid still refused to lift up, so she applied a little more force, grunting as she strained herself to get the chest open. “Fritter, would you care to lend a hoof over here?” Apple Fritter looked over from where she was standing, and made her way over to Trixie. “I found some bandages over there. I think, if we combine them with what we have left over from treatin’ Lightning, we’ll have enough to cover yer eye. They were in an airtight box, so they’re still clean even after all these years.” “That’s great,” Trixie said. “But first, could you help with this chest? Trixie believes it may have locked itself with rust over the years.” Apple Fritter nodded, and gave the chest a quick glance. Trixie was able to make a small opening, but that was it. Looking around for something that she could use, her eyes fell upon a long metal pole on the other side of the tent. “Here, I’ll use this to lever it open.” Trixie nodded as she waited for Apple Fritter to grab the pole and return to the chest. Once the pole was in position inside the small opening, Trixie shifted her focus onto the other end, pushing down with her magic whilst Apple Fritter aided her with some physical force. “Keep going! We’ve almost got this!” Apple Fritter shouted. Finally, the chest gave in and opened up, and Apple Fritter almost tripped as the pole fell down to the floor. “Finally! There better be somethin’ good in there!” Trixie moved over to the chest and looked inside. As she did so, Apple Fritter offered to apply some bandages over her eye. There was a mirror to Trixie’s side, and a quick glance revealed that the eye had, indeed, become swollen and bloodshot. However, the future Trixie didn’t have any bandages around her eye, so… “Do whatever you want,” Trixie said as she searched through the chest with her magic, allowing Apple Fritter to start gently wrapping the bandages around her head. “So, anythin’ useful in there?” Apple Fritter asked after the first wrap. “There are some fireworks in here,” Trixie told her. “And some paper… The writing hasn’t degraded too much. Let’s see… ‘In the event that the signal fires are unusable, use the fireworks stored in here to alert the Princesses of impending danger. In the event that the outpost is lost, use the gunpowder to destroy all traces of it. Our supplies, our equipment, our research. Nothing must be allowed to fall into enemy hooves. By Royal decree of Princess Luna, Captain of Her Majesty’s Night Guard.’.” Apple Fritter finished applying the bandages she had around Trixie’s head, covering her eye completely, and a hold of the paper. “‘Her Majesty’s Night Guard’?” she asked with a raised eyebrow. “Ain’t ever heard of that.” “If memory serves, the Night Guard was one of two elite forces that served and protected Equestria during the time that the Princesses’ mother and father were its rulers. The Day Guard, led by the first Prince Blueblood, was in charge of patrolling the streets of Equestria, keeping an eye out for troublemakers and protecting the common citizens. The Night Guard, led by Princess Luna, was more of a shadow organization. They protected Equestria by watching it from the darkness, never revealing themselves until it was time to strike. “According to documents found in ruins across Equestria, it is possible that the Night Guard have been responsible for saving Equestria many times in the past, and at the time, even Princess Celestia had no knowledge of their actions. Even today, it is rumoured that she is also in the dark about the Night Guard’s full history.” “Wow. So this campsite was set up by the Night Guard, then?” Apple Fritter asked. “Wait. ‘Gunpowder’? You mean there’s gunpowder in this here chest?! Whoa nelly… I sure am glad we didn’t set off a spark while we were forcin’ this thing open!” “Don’t worry. In this damp place, stored for a thousand years, this stuff likely isn’t going to be exploding any time soon.” Apple Fritter breathed a sigh of relief. “So basically, nothing all that useful in here. Let’s go ahead and meet back up with the others.” “Yeah, I think the bandages are about the only useful thing we’ll be gettin’ out of this place.” The two mares moved to leave the tent, with Apple Fritter exiting first. However, as she got out of the tent, she immediately backed up to the site of three timberwolves turning to face her. “You guys! Get out of there!” Lightning’s voice called out. Apple Fritter looked up to see the Pegasus on top of the watchtower, with Inkie at her side. “Over here! Hurry!” Looking over at the granary, Trixie saw that Vinyl Scratch and Feathermay were also okay, standing on top of the second floor balcony as two timberwolves below them growled at the pair. “Trixie, over there!” Apple Fritter shouted, pointing to an opening to their right. The two immediately began to move, and the timberwolves followed after them, only to be halted momentarily by a blast of magic Trixie’s horn. “Over here!” Lightning Dust repeated. “Inkie’s gonna open the door for ya! Hurry up!” “Easier said than done!” Apple Fritter shouted back as she continued to run, with Trixie behind her running out of breath as she continued to cast spells at the timberwolves. The spells were slowly losing their effectiveness, and she had to alter them a little bit to make them intimidating once more. “Don’t ya have anythin’ in there that can help us?!” “Not from up here! If I could fly, maybe, but…” “Fritter!” Trixie called out. “Trixie is going to make an opening! When you see it, just run straight towards the watchtower!” “What about you?” Apple Fritter asked. “Trixie won’t make it in her condition, but fear not! She has a plan!” Apple Fritter stared at Trixie sceptically for a second, before noticing the incoming timberwolves. “Alright, I’ll trust ya! But ya’d better not be lying!” Trixie grinned, and cast a spell to set off some illusionary fireworks near the timberwolves, making them stop and jump away from the flashy explosions. “There’s your opening! Go, now!” Apple Fritter nodded, and narrowed her eyes as she readied herself. She ran forward, streamlining herself to achieve maximum speed, and kept her eyes solely on the watchtower as she ran through the opening given to her by Trixie. As she reached the watchtower door, it swung open, revealing Inkie Pie on the other side. She quickly charged in, and the door was slammed shut before any of the pursuing timberwolves could get in. Trixie smirked, happy to see that her plan had succeeded. “Now then… I’ve just got to buy some time…” Trixie’s horn lit up once more, and a cloud of smoke surrounded her. As the smoke dissipated, numerous Trixie stood in the campsite, all grinning together in unison at the pack of timberwolves. The real Trixie watched as Feathermay flew towards the top of the watchtower. ‘Good, she caught on. Now I just have to wait for her to bring me something I can use…’ The timberwolves howled, and charged towards the group of Trixies. However, instead of attacking them, they simply charged straight through them, making their way closer towards the real Trixie. As soon as Trixie realised her mistake, she cursed and undid the spell, before charging another one up in her horn. “Damnit, of course! Timberwolves have a heightened sense of smell!” ‘And I’m too weak to put up a scent illusion… No, even if I could, their sense of smell is too good. They’d easily be able to pick out mine.’ “Dude, run!” Vinyl shouted as a timberwolf pounced towards Trixie. Just as it was about to hit her, a blast of magic from her horn sent it flying backwards and crashing onto the ground, shattering it upon contact. “Nice!” “Not quite!” Trixie shouted as she turned to run. Behind her, the pieces of the downed timberwolf began to pick themselves up and join together again. “This damn forest… There’s a reason that even heroes like to avoid timberwolves!” Trixie saw another timberwolf right on her tail, about to catch up to and attack her. She used her magic to summon a storm cloud, and fire a bolt of lightning at the beast, causing its wooden body to catch fire. The timberwolf stopped to let out a loud howl towards the sky, which vibrated through the air, followed by its body glowing an emerald-green. Moments later, the fire was put out, and it continued its pursuit of the fleeing showmare. “Damnit… Hurry up, Feathermay!” “You called?” Feathermay asked as she flew above the running timberwolves, carrying a pile of something in her forelegs. “Special delivery!” The Pegasus threw her forelegs up into the air, causing many sticks to fly up and then land onto the floor. The timberwolves lost their footing as they tripped over the round sticks, and fell to the ground. Trixie stopped for a moment to see what they were. “Dynamite?” she asked as she took a close look at one of the sticks. “That won’t work!” Vinyl shouted. “No way that stuff’s still gonna work after all this time!” An idea crossed Trixie’s mind, and she grinned as her magic flowed through her horn. “No, but it can still be useful!” The sticks of dynamite glowed together with the showmare’s horn, and a moment later, large clouds of smoke emerged from them. “Feathermay, go high!” Feathermay nodded, and quickly flapped her wings harder to go higher. She continued until she was out of range of the smoke cloud, and then cringed and began to tear up as a horrible smell reached her nose. She quickly placed a foreleg to her muzzle. “W-What the? Is this some kind of stink bomb?” The smell seemed familiar to the Pegasus, but she wasn’t quite sure why. “Is that… mane dye?” Vinyl used her sound magic to blast the smoke cloud away from her, removing her shades to wipe the tears forming in her eyes. “Hey, I recognise this from High School! We used it in our Science classes. It was… uh…” “Ammonia!” Lightning Dust shouted as she realised what the scent was, before quickly placing her foreleg back over her muzzle. “That’s right! In Daring Do and the Pirate’s Ransom, there was a part that said how dynamite was made! But, man, this stuff stinks…” Trixie used her cape to cover her own muzzle and watched through a teary eye as the cloud of smoke began to clear up. She breathed a sigh of relief, and then used her magic to create a gust of wind to carry away the leftover scent of ammonia in the air. Whatever timberwolves hadn’t been able to flee in time, were now passed out on the floor, kicking their legs weakly as they seemed to be struggling for air. “They’re down! And the one that fled won’t be returning for a while! It should be safe now!” she told her friends as she approached the centre of the campsite. A few moments later, the other five mares all joined her, and the six friends all shared a brief moment of celebration together over their surviving this recent close call. “Well, I don’t know about you guys,” Vinyl said after she was done cheering, “But I’m about done with the forest now. I think we should just finish up our journey, then head back to Canterlot and order some pizza.” “Sounds like a plan to me,” Feathermay said. “But not from that same place as last time. I think they’d probably spit on our pizzas after our… recent business with them…” “That wasn’t my fault!” Lightning shouted in protest. “The guy was totally five minutes late! You guys agreed with me!” “Yeah, but we didn’t tell you to start a fight with him when he disagreed with you,” Inkie said. “Or to throw his bicycle into the lake.” “He got it back! Anyway, that guy was a jerk, and he kept makin’ eyes at Trixie. Didn’t that bother you?” Inkie’s face turned red. “W-Why should it?! It’s not like it’s any of my business if somepony has a thing for one of my friends!” “Alright, alright,” Vinyl said, stepping in-between the two. “We’ll buy from a different place. And we’ll all have a big party round mine to celebrate both Trixie’s survival, and Lightning passing her latest test!” “Can’t wait,” Apple Fritter said. “But no alcohol. I’ll stay for the party, but I’ll have ta get on the train ta Appleoosa the next morning, an’ I don’t wanna be goin’ home all hungover an’ stuff.” “Well then,” Trixie started, “The mother crystal isn’t far now.” She looked towards the large black crystal that was visible in the distance, along with her friends. “Let’s go end this, then go home and enjoy one of the Great and Powerful Trixie’s amazing showcases of extraordinary magical ability!” “Yeah!” Feathermay, Vinyl, and Lightning cheered in unison, whilst Apple Fritter and Inkie both rolled their eyes and chuckled to themselves. After spending a good amount of time trying to find a safe, traversable pathway through the forest, the group had finally arrived at the mother crystal. After seeing it up close, the mares were able to fully appreciate just how big it was. It easily dwarfed the buildings in Canterlot, and quite possibly reached the same height as the skyscrapers in Manehatten. The mares couldn’t even see the top. And that wasn’t all… “It’s still growing,” Trixie pointed out as she felt the ground shaking beneath them, and saw the crystal move slightly towards them. “It must be taking magical energy from all over Equestria. But what is it going to do once its absorbed enough?” “At that point, the attack shall begin,” a low, raspy voice called out, sending shivers down the mares’ spines and putting them on their guards. “The purpose of the Fuente de la Corrupción, is to take in the magic that exists everywhere in the land of Equestria, and then taint it, before returning it. This new tainted magical energy will weaken the ponies, making them unable to fight back, almost like a foul poison affecting their minds. And then, it will only take one attack on Equestria’s capital, Canterlot, and your land shall be mine.” “Who are you?!” Trixie shouted. “Show yourself at once!” “My, it seems your leg has also been tainted,” the voice said. “Though how strange that your mind has not been affected by it. Are you, perhaps, Princess Luna?” Trixie tilted her head in confusion. “As Great and Powerful as Trixie is, it is understandable you would liken her abilities to a Princess’, but… does Trixie look like an Alicorn?!” “Oh, forgive me. I have never actually seen the Princess of the Night, so I was unaware that she was an Alicorn. Your name is Trixie?” “That’s right. Now, why don’t you introduce yourself?” “I’ve never heard that name before,” the voice mused. “For you not to be tainted by dark magic, means that your mind must be under the protection of one with strong magical powers.” Trixie growled, angry that she was being ignored. “What are you saying? Start making sense already!” “Trixie,” Inkie began, “Back at the hospital, when you were still out of it, I saw Cadance casting her magic on you. I figured that was simply checking on your wound, but…” “It seems she did something more,” Trixie finished, looking down at her bandaged leg. She then looked back up at the large crystal before her. “… Are you… King Sombra?” The voice laughed, and the laughter continued to echo through the forest for a full minute, before it finally died down. “King Sombra… That fool attempted to attack Canterlot from within, using the Fuente de la Corrupción to brainwash its citizens into serving him. I saw this, and decided to take advantage of his plan. I stole a piece of the Fuente de la Corrupción, and planted it here, outside of Celestia’s watchful eye. Then, I waited, biding my time whilst my crystal grew larger and larger. “On the day of King Sombra’s attack, I sprouted the crystal’s roots across Equestria, with the intention of building a powerful army that would take down whoever won the battle. However, for whatever reason, the attack never came. I wonder why?” “That’d be because we stopped him!” Feathermay shouted in a proud tone. “We discovered his plot and stopped him. And from what it sounds like, we stopped him just in time,” Inkie added. “You don’t say,” the voice said. The crystal glowed, and a shadowy figure began to form before the six mares. “How interesting. So, you defeated King Sombra… Well, that essentially removes one of my enemies, then.” “Yeah, and now, we’re gonna defeat you!” Lightning Dust said, moving forward, but stopping when Apple Fritter extended a hoof in front of her. “Careful now. This guy can use some pretty freaky magic.” “It doesn’t matter what you try,” the voice said. “I have already merged with the Fuente de la Corrupción. What you see now is merely a projection of my true form. To destroy me, you would have to destroy the crystal itself, which, in its current state, is impossible.” “We’ll see about that!” Trixie shouted, charging magic into her horn and firing it at the crystal. Not so much as a single scratch was left on the crystal’s surface. “I told you, it is impossible. Trying is useless. Equestria is doomed.” “It’s not over until the curtain calls!” Trixie fired another blast, but the result was the same. “Damnit! Now what do we do?” “Trixie, try the bead!” Inkie said. “Maybe it can do something?” “Bead?” the shadowy figure asked, and then gasped as the showmare pulled the small black bead out of her cape. “Where did you get that?!” “Hey, he doesn’t seem too happy with you havin’ that,” Vinyl pointed out with a grin. “Guess we’re on the right lines then.” Trixie held the bead up to examine it, and her eyes widened as it began to glow a dark purple colour. “Trixie! The crystal!” Feathermay shouted. Looking up, Trixie could see the crystal glowing the same colour as the bead. She held it closer, and the glowing intensified. “Try touching them,” Lightning suggested, to which Trixie nodded and cautiously stepped forward. “I won’t let you!” the shadowy figure shouted, shooting forward and pushing Trixie backwards. As Trixie fell back with a pained cry, she used her magic to grasp the bed and throw it at the crystal. “NO!” The bead hit the crystal with a ding!, and all fell silent for just a few moments. Suddenly, the crystal began to change from a solid black colour, to a dark purple that occasionally flashed white. “No! You foal! How dare you?!” the shadowy figure cried out, reaching down and grabbing Trixie’s cape. Inkie and Feathermay moved to defend their friend, but stopped when they saw the shadow beginning to fade away. “I see! So this was his plan! He knew of my attack all along, and he intended to… But, it doesn’t matter. You waited too long to stop me. Stopping me here changes nothing; Equestria is already doomed!” The crystal began to crack at the base, and the shadowy figure was drawn towards it. The cracks spread up the crystal, and a ringing sound echoed through the area. “You may have destroyed me and thwarted my plans, but I shall not go, without giving you all a little parting gift. Enjoy seeing your beautiful Equestria turned upside down, my little ponies.” With that last threat, the shadowy figure completely disappeared into the crystal, which then shattered only moments later, exploding into many shards that evaporated into the air around the six mares. All fell quiet in the forest, and the six friends exchanged confused looks for a moment, before Inkie made a move to help Trixie back up onto her hooves. “Uh… I-Is it over?” Vinyl asked, scratching the back of her head as she looked at the spot where the mother crystal once lay. “I… guess so,” Inkie said, also looking at the same spot. She saw the bead lying on the ground, but before she could make a move to pick it up, the small bead cracked, and then shattered, much like the crystal had done moments earlier. “I guess… the bead was designed to shatter the crystal…” “But, why?” Lightning asked. “Why would that Sombra guy have something like that? Wasn’t the crystal his in the first place?” “That would be why he was able to make such a thing,” Trixie said. “The crystal was his, so he knew how to destroy it. If he knew that somepony had stolen his crystal… he probably made a move to create a weapon that could be used against this new threat.” “And since this guy said he was one with the crystal or whatever, by destroying it…” Apple Fritter trailed off as the thought ran through her mind. The atmosphere between the six ponies became grim as the sudden realisation of what they had just done had hit them. “No. Don’t you dare feel guilty about this,” Trixie said, glaring at the farmer. “Trixie was the one who threw that bead. Trixie was the one that shattered the crystal, not you.” “But we were in this together,” Apple Fritter said. “I know the guy was a threat ta Equestria, and he had ta be stopped, but… shouldn’t we have tried ta find another way, or somethin’?” “And in the meantime, let him destroy our home and kill our friends and family?” Lightning asked, before shaking her head. “Sorry guys, but as much as you’ll probably hate me for saying it, I think we did the right thing.” Vinyl adjusted her shades on her face, and turned away. “I… I dunno, man. I mean, I get where you’re comin’ from, but… I just can’t help but put myself in the dead pony’s position, and think how I would feel about my life being taken from me.” Trixie cleared her throat, breaking the tense mood and drawing her friends’ attentions to her. “Well, what’s done is done. If you feel guilty about this, then we can report to Mi Amore about we did here today… and let the Princess decide whether we should be judged or not. How does that sound?” “… Guess you’re right,” Vinyl said with a shrug. “Anyway, if we hadn’t have done that, I can’t help but feel that Octy might have become one of this dude’s victims. When I think about that… I’m not sure what to think anymore. But I know one thing: whether I learn to accept it, or feel guilt over this for the rest of my life, I don’t regret doing what we had to do to save Equestria.” After a moment of thought, the other mares all nodded in agreement. “You’re right,” Inkie said. “If we hadn’t done this, many more would have suffered… Anyway, I think we should probably get out of here.” A howl carried across the wind, causing Inkie to shiver. “I’ve had enough danger for one day, thank you very much. Or for one week, for that matter.” Trixie looked back towards the trees that they had come through, when a thought crossed her mind. “… Anypony remember the way back to the campsite?” After a brief moment of silence, the six mares all sighed and slammed their hooves into their faces simultaneously. “Great. Looks like we’ll just have to hope we get lucky.” Navigating the forest back to the campsite took a lot longer than the six mares thought it would have, not made any easier by Trixie’s need to stop and rest after a long day of exhausting her magical energy. However, after much trudging through the forest, cutting away at thorn bushes, and avoiding a pit of quicksand on the way, they eventually reached the campsite. From there, it was simple to retrace their way back to the stream. Unfortunately, the fast current from earlier hadn’t ceased, and the strange yet generous serpent from earlier was nowhere to be seen. The mares had no choice but to follow the stream until they came across an alternate pathway to get across. This alternate pathway eventually presented itself in the form of a bridge, but when they finally found it, the mares were so tired that they had to stop to rest once more. After a long walk back down the flow of the stream to find the pathway leading to the cliff, everypony was happy with the fact that the end of this little journey through the Everfree Forest was almost over, and that they would soon be able to get some rest after boarding the train to the Crystal Empire, to report in to Princess Cadance, as per her request. As they were walking up the cliff’s path, Vinyl, who was bringing up the group’s rear, stepped on something on the path. “Oops!” She raised her shades over her eyes to see what it was. “I told you not to wear shades in a dark place like this,” Lightning Dust said. “So what’s up? What’d ya step in?” “I’m not sure,” Vinyl said, narrowing her eyes as she examined the strange curly object beneath her. The object that then began to move into the bush to her side, before the head of a chicken rose out of that same bush. “A… chicken?” Trixie’s ear’s twitched, and she quickly turned around. She gulped as she saw the ‘chicken’ walking out of the bush, but with a snake’s body attached to its head. “Run!” she shouted, drawing her friends’ attentions. “That’s a cockatrice! We have to run!” “Heh, you said-” Vinyl started, but was interrupted by Trixie. “Not now Vinyl! And whatever you do, don’t look into its eyes, or it’ll turn into stone!” “Say what?!” Lightning shouted, before a loud roar from the cockatrice caught her attention, causing her to turn to face it. “Don’t look!” Feathermay shouted, twisting Lightning’s head with her hooves. “Go!” Inkie shouted, and almost in unison, the six mares began to run together, the cockatrice squawking as it chased after them.” Inkie slowed her pace to match Trixie’s, to make sure she could pick her up should she fall. “We’re almost there!” Trixie shouted as she eyed the exit to the Everfree Forest. “Don’t look back! It only slows you down!” “It’s still behind us!” Apple Fritter shouted, hearing the roaring behind her drawing closer. “What if it attacks the town?!” “Cockatrice’s are cowards! They won’t attack a settlement on their own!” Trixie told her as the six mare crossed the threshold of the Everfree Forest. “We made it!” The six mares stopped, and looked back to see the shape of the cockatrice shifting back and forth in the forest, before letting out a loud cry, and then turning around in order to flee. “Yeah, you’d better run!” Feathermay shouted, hovering in the air with elation after surviving such a close encounter. “That was strange,” Trixie muttered. “Cockatrices get scared of settlements, sure, but… that thing looks downright terrified.” “What does it matter?” Lightning asked. “We’re outta there! And now we can catch the train to the Crystal Empire, and-” “What d’you mean there are no trains to the Crystal Empire?!” Lightning Dust shouted as she slammed her forehooves on the ticket booth’s counter. “Why the hay not?!” “I’m terribly sorry, ma’am, but the train that runs between here and the Crystal Empire hasn’t returned yet, and we’ve yet to receive a response to our enquiry about this,” the ticket conductor replied, nervously backing away from the enraged Pegasus. “You’ve gotta be freakin’ kiddin’ me…” “It can’t be helped, Lightning,” Vinyl said, scratching the back of her head. “I guess we’ll just have ta walk there, then.” Lightning groaned, and stomped a hoof onto the floor. “Well there’s no way we’re walking in the states we’re in now!” Lightning pointed out. “I agree,” Apple Fritter said, looking between Lightning and Trixie. “You two need ta get those injuries checked out an’ treated. I say we head on over to the hospital, an’ then get some lunch, ‘fore we go travelling half the Country on hoof.” Trixie thought about it for a second, and then nodded her head with a sigh. “Alright, Fritter. Although the fact that the train has yet to return concerns Trixie, you bring up a valid point. With the mother crystal gone, the roots should also be gone, so the threat to Equestria should be no more.” “I noticed the crystals outside of Ponyville are no longer around,” Inkie pointed out, receiving a nod from the showmare. “Therefore, we shall grab lunch, rest our tired bodies, and set off at…” Trixie looked up at the train station’s clock to find that it was just a little past 13:00. “… Say, half-past-two? We should then be able to make it to the Crystal Empire just before nightfall.” A smile crossed Trixie’s lips as she looked between her five friends. “And hopefully, that will be the end of it. And… Trixie thanks you, for tagging along with her on this journey.” “Yeah, well next time, make sure to invite us from the start,” Vinyl said, throwing a foreleg across Trixie’s shoulders. “Got that, buddy?” Trixie chuckled nervously, and then nodded her head. “Yes… The Great and Powerful Trixie shall commit that to memory.” With that, the six mares began to make their way into Ponyville. As they moved, Trixie mumbled: “Thank you, all of you…”