//------------------------------// // 5 - Crystal Uprising // Story: Trixie Through Time // by Yukito //------------------------------// As the six mares walked along the train tracks leading towards the Crystal Empire, they decided to pass the time by playing a game of ‘I Spy’. Or rather, Feathermay had decided to start playing on her own, and the rest joined in afterwards, with the exception of Trixie. The showmare told them that they were too old for such childish games, though despite her protests… ‘It’s got to be ‘turnip’. What else could it be? But wait, were we passing the turnip field when she came up with it?’ Despite her protests, Trixie still found herself trying to solve each riddle in her head. “We have to have gone through the entire dictionary by now!” Lightning shouted as she hovered gently beside Apple Fritter. Even though the doctor in Ponyville told her to stay grounded for a few days, that still didn’t stop the Wonderbolt-in-training from doing what she loved most – flying. “C’mon Feathermay, just tell us what it is already!” “Wait,” Trixie said. “… Is it ‘the Great and Powerful Trixie’?” “Nope!” Feathermay responded. “But good guess! And glad to see you’re finally playing along!” Trixie sighed and shook her head. “Then that’s it. Trixie gives up. She can’t see what else it could possibly be.” “I admit, I’m out of ideas, too,” Inkie said, still looking around the landscape in the hopes of some last-minute inspiration. “Go on then. What is it?” “It’s Terry!” The other ponies exchanged looks with each other, wondering if anypony else knew what she was on about. When all they could see were blank look on each other’s faces, they turned back to Feathermay for clarification. “Who?” Vinyl asked. “Remember that rat we passed by a while ago that Inkie thought was totally gross?” The mares all nodded their heads. “Well, I named him Terry!” “Ooh…” Vinyl said, whilst Feathermay continued to walk with a proud grin on her face. “And just how exactly were we meant to know that?” “You weren’t!” Feathermay answered. “Isn’t that the whole point? I come up with something so hard you can’t figure it out?” “Something we at least have a chance of figuring out,” Trixie said as she turned her head to look in front of her. “That’s it, Feathermay’s not going again. Fritter, you go.” “Whaaaat?” Feathermay asked in a whine. “It’s not my fault you guys aren’t mind readers!” “Fritter, you go,” Trixie repeated, causing Feathermay to pout as Apple Fritter looked around for something to use. “Okay, I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…” “Hey guys!” Lightning interrupted. “I think I see the top of the crystal palace over this next hill!” “No foolin’?” Feathermay asked. “Woo! Thank Celestia, my hooves are getting tired!” “Why didn’t you just fly, like me?” Lightning asked. “Because then my wings would be tired, and I only have two of those, as opposed to four.” Lightning Dust wasn’t sure whether the argument was sound or not, so she simply settled for nodding her head and flying higher to confirm what she saw. “Careful up there!” Apple Fritter yelled. “Ya shouldn’t even be flying at all!” “It’s okay,” Trixie said. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will be ready to catch her should something happen.” “Is there something special going on today?” Lightning asked as she descended back down towards the group. “It looks like they’re having some kinda party or somethin’ out in the streets.” “… Maybe it’s some important pony’s birthday?” Inkie guessed. “Or an important Crystal Empire tradition?” “Maybe they’re celebrating the black crystals disappearing,” Apple Fritter offered. “Maybe they’re aware we’re coming, and are preparing a celebration in our honour,” Trixie said, grinning widely as she giggled to herself. “Yeah, well, after what we went through, there’d better at least be some good food waitin’ for us when we get there,” Lightning said, licking her lips as an image of a huge tomato pizza topped with the spiciest peppers in Equestria entered her mind. “And medals. Medals wouldn’t hurt.” “You think they’ll have a stained-glass window of us put up?” Vinyl asked as she used her magic to remove her shades for a moment, wiping them on Trixie’s cape to remove some dust. Trixie used her own magic to yank her cape away, and gave the DJ a frustrated growl. “Guys, we should just be happy we were able to save our fellow ponies,” Apple Fritter said. “Rewards and such would be nice, but really, I’ll just be happy knowing mah friends and family are safe.” “I agree,” Inkie said with a nod. “I’ll happily welcome any rewards we get, but I don’t really mind if all we get is a simple ‘thank you’.” Trixie, Lightning, and Vinyl exchanged looks for a brief moment, and then laughed in unison. “Yeah, no,” Lightning said. “I almost died out there. The least they could do is give us some kinda grand party.” “Well, we’re almost there now,” Trixie said as she picked up the pace a little bit, heading up the steep hill before her. “Trixie can see the crystal palace. Finally, we’re-” She stopped as soon as she reached the top of the hill, and was able to see the Crystal Empire in front of her. Only, it was not the sight that she was expecting it to be. Down below, the streets were filled with ponies running all over the place, causing havoc and mayhem in the Empire. The Crystal Ponies were breaking into buildings and fighting with the Royal Guard, whilst the Royal Guard itself was protecting the non-Crystal Ponies and escorting them towards the palace. There was a black mist hanging in the air, polluting the streets of the Crystal Empire, and Trixie gasped as she saw a single black crystal in the middle of the street. “What’s wrong?” Inkie asked as she grew worried. A bad feeling washed over her, and she ran forward to meet with Trixie. As she did, she also noticed the Crystal Empire. “W-What’s going on?!” “Trixie does not know,” Trixie said, “But we should find out! Let’s go!” “Wait! We shouldn’t just charge in there recklessly!” “Inkie’s right!” Apple Fritter said as she and the others caught up to the two. “We should look before we leap! See what we can find out, before we go chargin’ in there!” “But-” Trixie began, but was cut off by a scream at the bottom of the hill. “Help me!” The six mares saw a yellow Unicorn mare running full gallop away from three pursuing Crystal Ponies. As they watched, the mare tripped over a rock on the ground, and fell down onto her face, allowing the three Crystal Ponies to catch up to her. “Somepony, please help!” “Change of plan!” Vinyl said as she ran forward down the hill. “Trixie, Lightning, you two stay here!” Feathermay instructed as Apple Fritter and Inkie followed Vinyl down. “What?!” Lightning shouted in anger. “Why the hell should we?!” “Because you’re both injured, and as such you’ll just cause problems if you end up slipping and tumbling down this steep hill,” Feathermay said bluntly, causing the two mares to scowl at her. “Please, just leave this to us, and take the safer way down.” Trixie and Lightning Dust looked over at the less-steep pathway to the left of them, and sighed. It was definitely the much safer option, but also the much longer option, too. “… Fine,” Trixie said hesitantly. “You guys deal with that, and we’ll catch up to you.” Lightning turned around and began to follow the long path down. “C’mon, let’s go! Every second counts, right?” Trixie nodded to Feathermay, and then took off after Lightning. When Lightning looked over her shoulder and saw Trixie struggling on her tree legs behind her, clearly exhausted from the long walk the group had faced today, she slowed down to match her pace with the showmare. “So what’s going on? I mean, shouldn’t the crystals be gone by now?” Trixie winced as she felt a sharp pain through her body, but continued to run as she glanced to her side and found her friends fighting with the Crystal Ponies. “That’s right. Or at least, that’s what Trixie expected when we destroyed the mother crystal. It’s also what Mi Amore said would happen, too.” “You think there’s another one out there?” “If that were the case, it is odd that we have only seen this one crystal, despite travelling half the Country on hoof.” “Damnit! And I thought we were done with all this stuff! And why is it only the Crystal Ponies goin’ all crazy?” Trixie thought about it for a moment, but could not come up with an answer. She considered maybe it was a species-specific spell of some kind cast over the Crystal Empire, but then dismissed that theory as she realised such a thing would create an obvious epicentre, that the group would have seen long before arriving at the Crystal Empire. “For now, let’s just find our allies and get somewhere safe,” Trixie said, receiving a nod from Lightning Dust. The two eventually reunited with their other friends, who had managed to drive off the three Crystal Ponies and protect the fleeing Unicorn mare. “Are you alright?” Inkie asked as she helped the mare up to her hooves. “Y-Yes. I’m fine. But, what is going on here? Why are all of the Crystal Ponies acting so… savagely?” Inkie shook her head and sighed. “We were hoping that you could tell us. When did this all start?” The mare took a moment to think. “A-Around the afternoon. The crystals that popped up recently all disappeared, and everypony was so happy. But then, a few more popped up, and this strange mist appeared. Moments later, the Crystal Ponies began talk of finding and killing the Princess. Ah, Princess Cadenza, that is. And now…” “Now, it’s up to the Royal Guard to protect her,” Vinyl summarised. “And the trains are down because of this whole fiasco.” “The Crystal Ponies destroyed the engine, so that the Princess couldn’t escape via train.” “And is the Princess okay?” Lightning asked, grabbing the mare by the shoulders and turning her to look her in the eyes. The mare gulped and shivered under Lightning’s fierce glare. “I-I think so. T-T-The guards have been keeping them out of the p-p-palace, so…” “Lightning!” Apple Fritter shouted as she shoved the Pegasus away. “Ye’re scarin’ her!” “Why hasn’t the Princess evacuated?!” Lightning demanded, ignoring Apple Fritter’s scolding. “She can just fly away, can’t she?!” “I-I don’t know!” the mare answered, backing away from the enraged Pegasus. “All I know is that she’s holed up in the palace, that’s all!” “And that’s where we’re going!” Lightning shouted, taking off into the air. However, something tugging on her tail prevented her from going far, and when she looked back she found a purple aura around her tail. “Ugh, fine! We’ll go together!” “You should get outta here,” Apple Fritter said to the frightened mare. “And warn anypony you come across that it ain’t safe here. Spread word across Equestria ta stay away from the Crystal Empire.” “Yes… Yes, of course,” the mare said, smiling and bowing respectfully to her saviours. “Thank you, all of you. I am in your debt.” “Just keep ponies away from this place. That’ll be plenty enough payment.” The mare thanked the six friends once more, and then quickly ran off down the path that Trixie and Lightning Dust had just trekked. Not long after did the sound of hoofsteps catch the group’s attention, and as they all turned to find who it was, they saw several Crystal Ponies standing before them. Only this time, they were dressed in Crystal Guard attire. “These are the one who defeated you?” one of the guard asked the only Crystal Pony not dressed in armour. The pony nodded, keeping his distance from the six friends. “That’s them. And there are two more, too.” “Two of them are injured, and the rest don’t exactly look like they can put up much of a fight.” “Oh yeah?” Feathermay challenged. “Wanna give it a try?” “Octy’d be mad if she knew I was goin’ ‘round gettin’ into fights like this,” Vinyl said as she cracked her forehooves. “So if you guys can keep this a secret, there’re VIP tickets to my next show in it for you.” “Aren’t you guys supposed ta be protectin’ the Princess?” Apple Fritter asked. “Why’re y’all tryin’ ta kill her all of a sudden?” The lead guard pointed his spear forward, and his followers joined him. “The Crystal Princess must be killed! All who get in our way will also die!” “That’s just barbaric!” Inkie shouted, backing away and sweating as she looked at the sharp tips of the spears. “Didn’t you swear an oath, to protect your Princess and her subjects?!” “The Crystal Princess must be killed!” the guard repeated, charging forward and pointing his spear at Inkie Pie. “All who get in our way will also die!” Inkie braced herself for the incoming attack, readying herself to dodge to the left at just the right time in order to launch an effective counterattack. However, a pink light appearing between herself and her assailant repelled the charging Crystal Guard, and prompted the one following him to stop in their tracks. “If you wish harm them, then you shall have to go through me!” The Crystal Guards turned around, and were startled by the sudden appearance of an armoured white Unicorn stallion, approaching the scene with three Equestrian Royal Guards following behind him, a pink aura enveloping his horn as he glared the Crystal Guards down. “Captain Shining Armor, Prince of the Crystal Empire, and knight to Princess Cadance, hereby orders you: lay down your weapons, now!” “Capture him alive!” the leader of the Crystal Guard ponies shouted as he rose to his hooves. “We’ll draw out the Princess by using him as a hostage! Kill the others if they interfere!” “Sir, yes, sir!” the Crystal Guards shouted as they pointed their spears at the four interlopers. “Do you think they’ll be okay?” Inkie asked as she turned to face Trixie. “Well, Trixie can’t vouch for the other three, as she has never met them. But, if he brought them to this battle… then he must have faith in them. And as for the bumbling Captain…” A Crystal Guard slamming against the barrier surrounding the mares cut Trixie off, and startled the other five mares who were busy listening to the showmare. “… There is a big difference between the Captains and their subordinates. Even that oaf wouldn’t lose to lower-ranking soldiers like this.” “But there are so many,” Inkie pointed out. “And isn’t one of them a Captain, too?” “True, but they’re also Crystal Ponies,” Trixie replied, before another guard was thrown their way, and crashed into the barrier. “Their fighting styles are one thousand years old, very outdated. That gives the modern-day guard the advantage.” “You guys, are you okay?!” Shining Armor shouted as he approached the six mares, his barrier disappearing as he cancelled his magic. “Thank goodness! When the train was broken, we feared you may have just forgone walking here and simply delivered a letter!” “Providing we survived in the first place,” Lightning Dust said as she saluted the Captain. “Oh. Lightning Dust, Cadet at Wonderbolt Academy, rank one, sir.” “At ease,” Shining said with a smile as he stopped in front of the group, his three guards following him. “I’m glad you guys are okay… though I can’t say I’m too happy with you being so reckless in such a state,” he added as he directed his attention towards Trixie’s leg. “You’re just civilians, you really should have just left this to the Royal Guard.” “This is Trixie’s personal quest,” Trixie said coolly, flicking her mane as she looked away from the Captain. “Trixie’s been here since day one, and it’s her life on the line here.” “Well, whatever. No use crying over spilled milk,” Shining said with a sigh. “So, I take you weren’t able to destroy the crystal then.” “Wrong,” Vinyl said with a grin. “We actually busted that thing! Totalled it, with that bead your wife gave us.” “The bead was destroyed too, though,” Apple Fritter added. “What happened here, though? The crystals all over Equestria are gone, so why are there still some here?” “Captain Armor!” one of the guards shouted, interrupting the conversation. “The enemy is heading this way!” “We’ll talk later!” Shining told the six mares, turning around and lighting up his horn. “Guards, I’ll leave this to you! I have to take these mares to the palace!” “Yes, sir!” With that, Shining Armor charged forward, using his magic to break through the approaching enemy forces, and motioned for the six mares to follow him. As they ran through the streets of the Crystal Empire, which had been overtaken by ponies running about and fighting each other, they caught the stallion up on what they had learned in the Everfree Forest, and how they had destroyed the mother crystal with the bead that Sombra had left behind. When they finally reached the palace, Shining used a special spell to see them all inside safely passed the gathered mob, and told the mares to wait whilst he looked around for his wife. Forty minutes past, and they were beginning to grow bored of the wait, until the sound of hoofsteps drew their attentions. “Princess Cadance!” Inkie shouted as the pink Alicorn Princess approached the group. She bowed, along with her friends, with the exception of Trixie, who took advantage of her leg as an excuse not to bow. “Shining Armor has informed me of what you have told him,” Cadance said as she motioned for the group to rise. Her voice was a lot less gentle than they remembered it being. And also, more mature. “It seems that I was right after all. The Fuente de la Corrupción is behind all of this.” “You serious?!” Vinyl shouted as she rose up, quickly catching herself and placing her forehooves to her mouth. “Er… Your Highness.” “So there are still roots about? But how? And why only in the Crystal Empire?” Inkie asked. Cadance shook her head. “You’re mistaken. These aren’t roots, but saplings.” “Saplings?” Inkie asked. “I don’t understand.” “Sometimes, when a plant dies, it will spread its seeds around the area, in order to keep the race alive.” Trixie eyes widened, and she took a step forward. “Are you saying… that this is going on across all of Equestria?!” “No, no,” Cadance said with a smile. “Thankfully, the situation is contained here. The original Fuente de la Corrupción, could only be grown here, in the Crystal Empire. There seems to be some special property in the air of the Crystal Empire that allows them to grow…” “Damnit!” Lightning shouted as she slammed a forehoof against the floor. “This must’ve been what that bastard was saying before! About how it didn’t matter what we did? He knew this would happen! Like a final revenge kinda thing!” “Please be calm, Miss Dust,” Cadance said as she placed a hoof under the Pegasus’ chin. “Y-You know my name?” Lightning asked, stars in her eyes as she met the Princess’. “But of course. Captain Spitfire has informed me of her number one flyer lots of times.” A proud grin formed on Lightning’s face, but it didn’t last long. “She also said that you’re rash, and reckless, and impulsive, and always need a good scolding to keep you in line.” Lightning simply gaped at the Princess’ bluntness, while the other ponies present tired to hold back their laughs. “You sound so much like Shining, back when he was a colt.” “H-Hey!” Shining Armor shouted in protest. “Anyway,” Cadance continued, looking over the rest of the mares now, “Hope is not lost yet. If we can destroy these saplings before they mature, then their effects should be reversed, and they will not be able to spread any more seeds.” “Then what are we waiting for?!” Lightning shouted as she backed away from the Princess. “How many are there? I’ll take ‘em out in no time flat!” “There are seven,” Shining Armor reported. “However, destroying them will be no simple task. In fact, it seems that the only method to destroy them, is that same method used to destroy the previous Fuente de la Corrupción.” “… The bead,” Trixie said, putting her good hoof to her chin. “But, the bead’s gone now. We can’t use it again.” “It would seem that Sombra’s plan, was to destroy the enemy’s Fuente de la Corrupción, and allow the saplings it created to create turmoil here,” Cadance surmised, receiving nods of understanding from the mares. “Only Sombra knew how to create the bead. And, although we have analysed it… we still do not know how to create one of our own.” “No way…” Feathermay said as she looked outside the window behind her, her ears flattening against the sides of her head at the sight of ponies fighting below her. “There must be something we can do.” “There is,” Cadance informed them. “Even now, our finest minds are working on analysing samples our troops have brought back from the saplings. We will find a way to create more of those beads. Until then, I shall remain here.” Cadance walked over to the window, and leaned on the edge as she looked outside. “… If I run, then the Crystal Ponies will follow after me, storming all of Equestria in order to find out my location.” “Is that why you stayed?” Trixie asked. “Yes. The Crystal Ponies seem to have two goals: to kill me, and to take over the Crystal Empire. As long as those goals have not yet been realised, they will remain here. But, if they were to leave… then, Celestia would no longer be able to hold her forces back. The only reason she hasn’t issued the order to detain or wipe out the rebel elements yet, is because it is contained in the Crystal Empire. Though they might be under the taint of the Fuente de la Corrupción crystals, they are my subject nonetheless. And I want to protect them…” “… Is there anything that we can do?” Inkie asked. “Trixie, couldn’t you help them analysis the samples?” Trixie shook her head. “Trixie is still exhausted from today. Maybe after a good night’s sleep, but right now she is in no state to go around analysing something she has never even heard of until yesterday.” “Not to mention that analyses aren’t your strong point, right?” Vinyl asked in a teasing tone, earning a scowl from the showmare. “What? That’s what ya told me when we were bunkin’ together.” “Regardless, she has a point,” Cadance said, drawing the group’s attention once more. “It is getting dark, and you have all travelled so far on hoof. I have prepared some rooms for you all to get some rest, and a meal shall be prepared shortly. Please, rest up tonight, and if you can, help us in the morning.” “Sounds like a sweet deal to me!” Lightning shouted enthusiastically as she pumped a forehoof into the air. The other mares agreed, with the exception of Trixie, who simply stared out of the window behind Cadance, at the setting sun in the distance. ‘… Tomorrow is the fated day. If I haven’t altered the course of time yet, then tomorrow, I’ll…’ “Trixie, let’s go,” Inkie said, snapping the showmare out of her trance. “Hm? Were you thinking about something?” “… Just that, Trixie hopes tomorrow will go well.” Inkie looked confused for a second, before she remembered what day tomorrow was. She was about to say something, before Trixie smiled and walked past her. Not sure what else to do, Inkie also smiled, and turned around to follow her friend. ‘If tomorrow really is her last day… If it turns out that we failed… then, at the very least, we can cherish this time together. And smile.’ “Man! That was awesome! It’s a wonder the Princesses aren’t so fat, with food like that being served to ‘em everyday!” Apple Fritter laughed as she watched Lightning Dust lean back lazily in her chair whilst patting her stomach with a forehoof. “Careful there, Dust. You’ll turn into a cow at this rate.” “I’ll keep that in mind, grandma.” Lightning responded as she fiddled with a toothpick between her teeth. “Hey, wait. Shouldn’t you guys be rationing your food, if you’re gonna hide in this tower?” “Well, by our estimates, the guards outside won’t be able to keep the mobs at bay for any longer than three days,” Shining Armor informed them. “And I have faith in my researchers to find a means to save the Empire before then,” Cadance added. “Not to mention, we have a special guest on her way to help us push the research along. If anypony can find the answer, it’ll be her.” “Who’s that? One of the Princesses?” Vinyl asked, bringing her glass of wine to her lips. “Yes,” Cadance answered. “Shining’s little sister, Princess Twilight Sparkle.” The sound of a glass shattering startled everypony in the room, and almost made Vinyl Scratch choke on her wine before she turned to see what was going on. Sitting at one end of the table, next to Inkie Pie, Trixie was glaring at the space in front of her and her horn was emitting furious sparks as fragments of a recently-broken glass, along with the wine it once held, floated above the table in front of her. Inkie quickly reached a hoof over and placed it on Trixie’s shoulder, getting the showmare’s attention. “Trixie, calm down. She’s only coming to help the Empire, please try to ignore it.” “C’mon Trixie, you’ve got more important things to think about, right?” Lightning Dust said. “Look, she’s gonna have to walk here, and I doubt she’ll make the journey at night. She’ll probably be here tomorrow, so just try to get her out of your head before then, alright?” “It’s not her that’s the problem,” Trixie said, gritting her teeth as she gently levitated the glass fragments down onto the table. “It’s that, once again, she’ll take all the credit. And Trixie will be left with…” A fire lit in Trixie’s eyes as she moved her head aside, throwing the pool of wine in her magical hold out of the window behind her. “… Nothing.” “That’s not true,” Vinyl said, placing her glass down and looking down the table at Trixie. “You get to hang out with us at a special, friends-only gig after this is over!” “You get another story for your shows,” Apple Fritter pointed out. “I’ll make sure ponies know that you played a part in this!” Lightning told her. “And even if the rewards suck, the ride itself is fun!” Feathermay added. “Even when things were scary and looked pretty bad, I still enjoyed getting to travel with all of you.” “I know!” Inkie shouted enthusiastically as she clapped her hooves together. “When this is over, I’ll paint a picture of your heroic deeds! Then, all of Equestria will know of what you did here today!” Trixie stared at her friends for a moment, all smiling at her across the table, and then smiled herself as she lowered the brim of her hat. “The Great and Powerful Trixie used to have fans all across Equestria, and now she has a meagre audience of but five ponies.” “Quality, not quantity, Trix,” Lightning Dust said, the others nodding in agreement with her. “Huh. Trixie had never thought of it that way before. Perhaps you’re onto something… Perhaps, just you guys being behind me is enough… for now.” Trixie added the last part with a flick of her mane, earning a giggle from Inkie at showmare’s attempt to put on a cool face. “That’s sweet and all,” a voice behind them said, interrupting them and destroying the cheerful mood that had been established, “But would somepony mind explaining to me why I came all the way to the Crystal Empire, just to have wine poured all over my face?” Lightning’s eyes shot wide open, and she practically bolted up out of her seat as she saluted the new arrival. “C-C-Captain Spitfire! W-What are you doing here?!” “What does it look like?” Spitfire asked as she snatched the towel brought to her by one of Cadance’s servants, and began to wipe herself clean. “I’m here to bring important information to the Princess of the Crystal Empire, that’s what!” “Captain Spitfire,” Cadance addressed the Wonderbolt as she rose out of her chair, “I’m sure you have had a long journey, but could you please take a moment to calm down, before delivering any message you may have?” Spitfire shot the Princess a glare for a second, but then softened her look as she took in a deep breath, held it, and then released it in one go. “… Sorry ‘bout that. It’s just that situation has gotten a lot worse!” “How so?” “It seems the attack on the Crystal Empire was just the start. A strange mist has started to spread through Canterlot, and ponies are starting to turn on each other left and right!” Cadance gasped, and rushed over to the yellow Pegasus as fast as she could. “And black crystals have popped up in the city?” Spitfire shook her head. “No, Your Highness. Just the mist. And it doesn’t seem to affect everypony, but so far, we’ve been unable to ascertain what kind of ponies it is targeting, and why.” “Well, what kinds of ponies have been affected so far?” Inkie asked. “Common citizens living in the less-wealthy areas are the most affected. Nobles and Royalty seem to be completely immune to it, and within the Royal Guard, it is unfortunately the strongest members that are being affected.” “What about race-wise?” Trixie asked. “Is it safe to assume that Unicorns are suffering the least from this mist?” Spitfire nodded her head. “That’s right. A good thing, too, since Celestia’s School is filled with Unicorns of exceptional talent.” “Then, it’s likely affecting those with weak minds,” Trixie surmised, putting a hoof to her chin. “Unicorns generally have stronger minds than Pegasi and Earth Ponies, and as you said, it is the less-wealthy and the physically strong that are being affected by this.” “That’s one possibility,” Cadance said in agreement. “But for that to be true, it would mean that somepony released that mist, not that the mist was released randomly. Otherwise, it would only target the Crystal Ponies.” “Is that what’s happening here?” Apple Fritter asked. “Why does it only target the Crystal Ponies?” “Because, it was originally designed to, by Somb-” Cadance stopped and stared into space with a horrified look on her face. “… Sombra… was the one who originally designed the Fuente de la Corrupción. The mist is the tainted magic that it collects, and it was he who designed it to attack the Crystal Ponies. To corrupt them and make them rebel. He’s the only one I can think of who would know how to alter it, and make it attack other ponies, instead.” “Now that I think about it,” Inkie began, “Didn’t that guy in the Everfree mention that Sombra’s plan was to attack Canterlot from within?” “So Sombra’s still alive,” Shining Armor muttered to himself. “And with the Crystal Ponies like this, we can’t use the Crystal Heart to defeat him!” “No, the Crystal Heart still shines strong,” Cadance said, turning her attention towards the nearby window. “If we can remove those saplings, then the Crystal Ponies can power the Crystal Heart once more.” “But will Canterlot last that long?” Lightning asked Spitfire, who looked to the ground with a grim look on her face and shook her head. “Even supposing that the saplings can be removed tomorrow, at the rate things are going, there will be numerous casualties by then. And the Princesses refuse to evacuate or fight back.” “We have to go to Canterlot, now!” Lightning shouted, slamming her forehooves against the floor. “At this rate, lots of ponies are gonna be killed, right? We have to do something! At least buy some time while the Crystal Heart is powered up!” “That’s actually not a bad plan,” Trixie said. “But unfortunately, you can’t go.” Lightning turned to Trixie with a look of disbelief. “Why not?! ‘Cause I’m injured?! You are, too!” “Because you’ll likely fall under the mist’s influence!” Trixie corrected, causing Lightning Dust to settle down a little bit. “The same goes for all of you. With the exception of Trixie and Vinyl Scratch, the corruption would likely be too much for and of you to bear. At the very least, Trixie doesn’t want to take the risk. She doesn’t…” Trixie paused for a second, before adding in a whispered voice: “She doesn’t want to have fight you, of all ponies…” The group fell silent for a short moment, before Vinyl interrupted it by speaking up. “Uh, Trix? Sure I may be a Unicorn, but I’m not exactly a magical powerhouse or anything.” “No, but you have a pure mind and a strong resolve,” Trixie said with a grin. “Even when offered a contract that would ensure the sweet life for you, you refused it, because it would mean abandoning your friend in her time of need. And even after that friend had shrugged you off as a nuisance.” Vinyl’s face turned a slight shade of red, and she let out a nervous chuckle. “Well, that was back in College. I did a lot of crazy things back then…” “Trixie can’t imagine that you would fall under its corruption,” Trixie said. “But the rest of you, Trixie just isn’t sure. In any case, the Crystal Empire needs you here.” Shining stepped forward. “I agree with Trixie. Our guard are doing all that they can to keep the mob at bay, and they’re utterly exhausted. We could use all the help that we could get here in order to reach the crystals, when the time comes to destroy them.” “You guys can catch up to us when the Crystal Heart is powered up,” Trixie said. “Until then, we’ll minimise the damage done to Canterlot by keeping the corrupted ponies at bay and rescuing the non-corrupted ones.” Princess Cadance considered the offer for a second, before nodding her head. “Very well then. Captain Spitfire, will you assist them?” Spitfire saluted the Princess. “Yes, ma’am! It was my intention to return to Canterlot after this anyway to assist my troops.” “There is an airship in the hanger that you can use to get there. When the Crystal Heart is powered up again, we will make our way to the outskirts of Canterlot, and launch a signal to tell you that we are ready.” Trixie reached into her cloak and pulled something out. It was a small black tube with a fuse attached to one end of it. “Use this as the signal. It’s powerful, and makes a distinctive noise, so we’ll be alerted to it even if we are indoors.” Cadance looked at the strange object with a curious look, before deciding to take it into her hoof. “Just be careful! Light it from a distance.” “Uh, okay…” Cadance studied the object, trying to determine what exactly it was. “We will wait no more than thirty minutes after launching the signal,” Shining Armor told them. “If you do not meet up with us before then, then we will simply carry on without you.” “Sounds fair enough,” Vinyl said. “C’mon, let’s go already! Octy could be in trouble right now!” “Octy?” Spitfire asked. “Her marefriend,” Lightning explained with a roll of her eyes. However, Spitfire’s eyes seemed to light up at the news, and her mane seemed to flare up and wave about, making it look more like a fire than it already did. “You don’t say. Well then, let’s hurry this up! I totally understand the feeling of wanting to rescue one’s true love on the battlefield!” “Good luck, everypony,” Cadance said as the three took off into the hallway of the Crystal Palace. “Shining, I’m going down to the balcony. I must make sure that nopony thinks I’m fleeing on the airship.” “Then, I’ll come with you, and search the city through the telescope.” The two left the dining hall, leaving the four other mares alone in the large room. “… Guess we should get some sleep,” Apple Fritter said after a long silence. “Ready for when we’ll be needed tomorrow.” “Good thinking,” Inkie said, followed by a yawn. ‘Trixie and Vinyl are doing their best. We have to do our best, too.’ It was early in the next morning when the airship arrived at Canterlot. Trixie and Vinyl had rested up during the trip, though they didn’t manage to get much sleep. Thoughts of Octavia fighting for her life against ponies that were once her friends kept Vinyl Scratch awake, and despite her attempts to maintain a cold attitude, Trixie couldn’t help but be concerned for the ponies she had come to know well in the past few months. Spitfire announced that they were drawing near, and the two mares prepared themselves as they watched the castle drawing closer and closer from the airship’s deck. “Pegasi rebels have the air completely blocked. We’re gonna have to land here and charge in through the entrance.” “Trixie is ready,” Trixie said as she stared out into the night sky. ‘This is the day. The day that Trixie will supposedly die. It’s all-or-nothing, now.’ “Right, then hold on tight. It’s gonna be a rough landing, since the terrain is pretty mountainous.” The airship descended some feet outside of Canterlot, and landed on the hilly plains outside of the city’s gate. After anchoring it down and locking the controls, the three ponies exited the ship and faced the city before them, which was illuminated brightly by the flames from within. With one final nod, they ran forward towards Canterlot, ready for battle. “We’re in luck!” Spitfire shouted as she approached the gates, which were being guarded by two Unicorn Royal Guards. “The unaffected guards still hold the gate! Getting in will be simple!” “Captain Spitfire, sir!” one of the guards called out as the three mares approached. Both guards saluted as the Captain reached them, and she motioned for them to be at ease. “Captain, how is the situation in the Crystal Empire?” “Not much better than it was early, but Princess Sparkle should be there soon! I sent Soarin to give her a ride in the Firefly Mk. 3. As soon as the situation there is under control, Princess Cadance and Captain Armor will arrive with the Crystal Heart to restore the order here.” “The Crystal Heart?” the other guard asked. “Will that fix whatever madness is going on here?” “It will, providing our theory is correct,” Trixie said, receiving a nod from Spitfire. “Until then, the three of us are going to go in and minimise the number of casualties by whatever means necessary. To that end, I order you to grant us entry.” The two guards saluted briefly, before one of them ran towards the small shack at the side of the gate. “Ma’am, it is total chaos in there. Princess Luna has been injured, and Princess Celestia is staying by her sister’s side.” “Injured?!” Spitfire and Vinyl both shouted in unison. However, Trixie didn’t buy it. “More like, she’s under the mist’s influence, too,” she whispered, just loud enough that only the other mares heard her. “Because she has been corrupted by dark magic before, it is likely that she is especially vulnerable to it, even if her mind is still strong.” “Then, the Princess is making sure her sister doesn’t become Nightmare Moon again?” Vinyl asked, and Trixie nodded. “Trixie’s theory, at least, but Trixie refuses to believe that Princess Luna would be injured by the citizens of Canterlot to such a degree that her sister would need to tend to her. For one thing, it hasn’t even been a full day since this turmoil started.” “Then, all the more reason for us to get in there and help everypony out!” Spitfire shouted. “Where’s Discord? Isn’t he doing anything to help?!” “C-Captain!” the remaining guard stuttered, looking at the two Unicorns behind the Wonderbolt with a fearful look on his face. “Discord?” Trixie asked. “What does he have to do with this?” “This is confidential, but given the nature of this incident, I guess I can brief you on this a little bit,” Spitfire said. “Discord was recently freed from his stone prison, and swore his allegiance to the Princesses.” Trixie scoffed. “And they say that Trixie likes to tell tall tales.” Vinyl chuckled nervously and adjusted her shades. “G-Good one, Cap’n. Yeah, as if Discord would…” Spitfire didn’t laugh, or turn to face the two mares, or respond in any way. “… Y-You’re for real?” “As real as my flying abilities,” Spitfire confirmed. “Impossible!” Trixie shouted in protest. “That bastard turned all of Equestria upside-down in less than one hour! He turned so many ponies into deformations of their true selves, and he-” Trixie stopped herself as she recalled what the Spirit of Chaos had done to her. “… I-In any case, there’s no way he would-” “Soldier!” Spitfire shouted, interrupting Trixie. “Answer my question! What is Discord’s status?” The guard hesitated for a second, before saluting once more and beginning his report. “… Unknown, sir. Discord… is on vacation, sir.” Spitfire felt a vein in her forehead pop. “He’s what?” she asked in a flat tone. The gates began to open, but ignored it. “H-He left on v-vacation, two d-days ago. W-We’ve been unable to reach him…” Spitfire slammed a forehoof into the ground and let out a roar. “That bastard! I told them not to give him too much freedom, but would they listen?!” Spitfire’s wings shot out of her sides, and her body seemed to burst into flames as she lifted gently off the ground. The guard, Vinyl Scratch, and Trixie, all took steps back from the enraged Pegasus. “Forget him, then! We’ll protect Canterlot on our own! Trixie, Vinyl, move out!” Spitfire shot forward through the open gate, into the city of Canterlot, leaving a stunned Trixie and Vinyl Scratch behind. “Uh… should we follow her?” Vinyl eventually asked. “Possibly…” Trixie said, before shaking away the shock of what she had just seen. “Well, we did say we’d help protect Canterlot whilst we wait for the Crystal Heart to be powered up, so… After you.” “Gee, thanks,” Vinyl said as she ran through the gate followed closely by Trixie. The gate closed behind them, and they ran down the street, following the orange glow in front of them that was Spitfire. “Man, this place is a wreck,” Vinyl observed as she looked around at the destroyed buildings, the toppled stands and carriages, and the emergency relief tents set up by the Royal Guard. “Looks like trouble up ahead,” Trixie said, causing Vinyl to look ahead of her to check it out. Spitfire had stopped, and was engaging some ponies dressed in armour in combat. Despite them also having weapons, and Spitfire having no equipment whatsoever, she was holding her own quite well. “She’s good, but we should back her up.” “Totally,” Vinyl said, before being suddenly ambushed by somepony from the side, knocking her down onto the ground. Trixie noticed this, and turned around to help her. “Vinyl! Are you o-” Trixie stopped when she noticed who had attacked the DJ. It was a brown Earth Pony mare, with a long black mane and tail. The pony’s hair and coat were a little messier than usual, but she was still easily identifiable, especially by her Cutie Mark. “O-Octy…” Vinyl said as she gazed into the eyes of the pony on top of her. “Y-You’re okay! You’re-” Vinyl gasped and quickly moved her head to the side, dodging the knight that was thrust down towards her face by the mare above her. “What’re ya doing?! That could’ve killed me!” Another attack came, and Vinyl used her hind legs to push Octavia away from her, knocking the mare down onto her back. “Shoot! Are you okay?!” Vinyl asked as she rose to her hooves. Octavia only responded by rising to her hooves slowly, and Vinyl got a good look at her eyes. They were completely black, with streams of purple mist flowing out of their sides. The cellist lowered her head and charged towards the DJ. Vinyl wanted to move aside, but if she did there was a chance that Octavia would hit the wall behind her. And she fight back without hurting her, either. Octavia was about to connect her head with Vinyl’s shoulder, but stopped suddenly mid-charge. Despite the fact that her legs were still moving, the cellist simply remained suspended in the air, flailing her legs about and screaming at the top of her lungs. Vinyl noticed the purple aura around her, and looked over at the showmare she knew to be responsible. “You okay, Vinyl?” Trixie asked as she struggled to keep Octavia in her hold. “What are you doing? She’s not in pain, is she?” Vinyl asked, looking over at Octavia with a concerned look on her face. “Not from Trixie’s spell. Trixie’s simply holding her, but her next spell will hurt a bit.” Before Vinyl could say anything, the light from Trixie’s horn intensified, and Octavia’s screaming stopped as she let out a pained yelp, before falling limp in Trixie’s hold. Vinyl ran over to the cellist’s body as it was lowered gently to the ground. “Don’t worry. Trixie applied a shock to her system to knock her out, but she’s under no harm.” Vinyl didn’t say anything for a few moments as she simply stared at the sleeping body of Octavia on the ground. She looked like she was having a nightmare… and a tear ran down the cellist’s face as she uttered one word: “Vin… yl…” Vinyl grit her teeth together, and reached down to pick Octavia off of the ground. “She’ll only slow us down,” Trixie said. “We should give her to one of the guards to look after her.” “No,” Vinyl said. “We’re taking her with us. If I start to slow down, just leave me behind.” Vinyl pulled Octavia up onto her back, grunting as she adjusted to the new weight now on her. Trixie sighed as she watched the scene before her. “Trixie isn’t going to do that… Very well, how about we drop her off at the castle? Will that suffice?” Vinyl nodded after taking a moment to think about it. “Fine then. But only if we can get some kinda guarantee of her safety.” “There are holding cells in the castle. Not the most pleasant places in Equestria, but at least she won’t be able to harm anypony. Or herself.” Vinyl looked over her shoulder and at the mare on her back. “Sorry, Octy. We’ll take care of this real soon, and then you’ll be back ta normal. Just wait a little longer, okay?” “Hey guys!” Spitfire shouted, drawing their attention towards her. She was just a little bit further down the street, kicking a pony dressed in Royal Guard attire in the chest. “Over here! There’s a family barricaded in there!” She pointed to the pub beside her, where the windows and doors were all blocked by various furniture. “C’mon, let’s get ‘em out!” Trixie and Vinyl made their ways over to the Pegasus, who was just finishing off the last of the corrupted guards attacking her. “We gotta get in there and help them! I think there’s a corrupted pony in there with ‘em!” “On it!” Trixie shouted as he horn lit up, along with the piece of furniture blocking the door. She grunted as she pushed forward. “Damnit! They’ve done a good job keeping ponies out! Spitfire, try charging it whilst Trixie pushes!” “You got it!” Spitfire reared up in the air, and shot forward suddenly without warning. As Trixie pushed with her magic, Spitfire rammed the barricade with all her might. Trixie grinned as she felt it slipping. “Again!” Spitfire rammed the barricade again, and again. “One more should do it!” Spitfire rammed the barricade one more time, this time succeeding in pushing it out of the way. “We’re in!” she shouted, looking around for the family. She found one stallion, one mare, and one filly huddled up in the corner, whilst a second stallion approached them with a knife being held in his magic. “Oh no you don’t!” Trixie ran in after Spitfire, with Vinyl following behind her. They watched as Spitfire threw a kick at the stallion, who narrowly dodged it and attempted to counter by lunging his knife at her. She nimbly dodged the knife, and landed on the ground in a defensive stance, ready to engage the pony in combat. “You guys, get out of here!” she shouted to the frightened family. “Over here!” Vinyl shouted, waving to them. “H-Hold on!” the stallion shouted as the mare and filly moved slowly towards the door. “Our son is in the kitchen! We can’t leave him in there with that psychopath!” Spitfire cursed under her breath as she quickly jumped aside to dodge another incoming knife attack. “Trixie!” “Yes, yes, Trixie shall get the colt!” Trixie shouted, before turning to Vinyl. “Don’t let them leave the pub. We’ll escort them safely to the castle with us. It’s too dangerous out there.” Vinyl nodded and moved in front of the door, whilst Trixie turned to head into the kitchen. When she entered, she found a Pegasus mare banging against the pantry door with her hooves. Trixie narrowed her eyes and focussed her magic on the mare’s tail as she took a step closer, but stopped as she felt her hoof kicking something on the ground. The sounds of something metallic rolling across the ground alerted the mare to Trixie’s presence, and she quickly spun around and glare at the showmare. Trixie noticed that this mare had the same eyes as Octavia, and was momentarily thrown off by the almost inpony scream that the mare let out as she charged forward. The mare was faster than Trixie expected, and managed to swing a hoof around Trixie’s head before she could react. Trixie’s focus dropped, along with the magic she had built up moment ago, and before she could react to this mare’s sudden attack she found her body being pushed aside, and her head being pushed down at such a high speed. She let out a startled scream, though it didn’t last long as her head was suddenly submerged into water. She flailed and kicked her legs in an attempt to free herself, and then soon focussed her magic once again. ‘If I remember right, it was right… there!’ Trixie felt her magic connect with the spoon she had kicked away earlier, and she threw it at the mare holding her down. The mare jumped at the sudden attack, and allowed enough of an opening for Trixie to trip her up and free herself from the water. “AIR! Oh Celestia do I love air!” Trixie quickly turned her attention to the mare, who was already up and charging at the showmare again. This time, Trixie did not underestimate her opponent, and kept a close eye on the pony’s movements. Trixie dodged a few incoming blows, and when she saw an opening, she delivered her own kick with her hind leg. At the same time, though, the mare had flared her wings and flapped them to thrust herself forward, allowing her to deliver her own blow to Trixie’s chest. Both kicks connected at the same time, and both ponies were pushed back by the blows. Trixie felt something wet run down her head, and groaned as she struggled to push herself upright. Her nose caught a familiar scent, and she took a few sniffs to determine what it was. “Wine?” Righting herself once more, Trixie turned around to find that she had been pushed into wine barrel, which had subsequently exploded and poured all over her. “What a waste!” she screamed, before she remembered that she was in a fight. A scream behind Trixie prompted her to turn around, and sure enough, her opponent was not finished just yet. And this time, she was holding a frying pan in her hoof. Trixie used her magic to throw one of the wine barrels towards the charging mare, and then ran in after it. The mare jumped to the side to avoid being hit by the flying barrel, and Trixie used her magic to explode the barrel as it flew past her. The mare let out a startled yelp and held up her frying pan as a makeshift shield from the sudden torrent of wine, and Trixie took advantage of the opening to launch a magic attack at the mare’s chest, giving her the same shock that Octavia had received earlier. The sound of the frying pan crashing against the floor was accompanied by the mare’s body colliding with the hard wooden floor beneath her, and was then followed by Trixie’s heavy pants as she fell back on her haunches and took a moment to recover from the recent ordeal. After the moment had passed, she remembered why she was there in the first place. Getting up, Trixie ran over to the pantry door, and attempted to open it up with her magic, only to find that it would not budge. “… Hey! It’s safe now!” she shouted, but there was no response. “Hey, kid! You can come out now!” Again, there was no response. Trixie was about to try kicking the door herself, when a voice behind her stopped her from doing so. “SON!” Trixie turned around to find the stallion from before running into the kitchen, with the mare and the filly following after him. “Son, it’s me! You can come out now!” “Pops?” a voice called out from inside. Trixie was surprised to hear the sound of a teenager’s voice calling out, and as the door opened slowly, she saw that the Unicorn colt inside was indeed a teenager. Or maybe even a young adult. He had an unshaven face, a flowery jacket and headband, and a long, greasy mane and tail. He looked the exact opposite of his noble-looking father. “Pops, mum, sis! You’re all safe!” The colt or stallion ran out of the pantry and joined his family a big group hug, which caused Vinyl, who had walked in moments after the father, to sniffle and wipe away a pretend tear. “Aww, isn’t that sweet, Trix?” “Did Trixie miss the part where she told you to let these guys in here?” Trixie asked rhetorically. “Hey, I have an unconscious mare on my back, and she’s not exactly light y’know!” Vinyl winced as she felt Octavia’s hoof pinch her side. “A-Anyway, how did you want me to stop ‘em? You’re lucky I convinced them to stick with us and follow us to the castle!” Before Trixie could say anything, a flower appeared between herself and Vinyl. She turned to see the colt or stallion kneeling down next to her, his left hoof over his chest and his head bowed down as he held the flower in his magic. “You’re the one who saved me, right? That was radical, man. Please accept this as, like, a symbol of my gratitude.” Trixie looked at the colt or stallion with a raised eyebrow, before hesitantly accepting the flower by grabbing it with her magic. She ignored the sounds of Vinyl’s stifled laughter, more focussed on the fact that somepony had just said ‘radical’ in this day and age. “Oh my goodness, are you okay?!” the mother asked as she rushed over to Trixie. “You’re bleeding!” “She is?!” Vinyl asked, removing her shades from her eyes. “Darn things make me blind as a bat in dark rooms… Holy Celestia! That’s a lot of blood!” Trixie wondered what they were referring to, until she noticed that they were looking at her head. She summoned a small mirror with her magic and looked at her reflection. Indeed, it did look like blood. Large streaks of it, in fact, staining her now-flat mane… Trixie gasped, and dropped both the mirror and the flower as her magic suddenly stopped. ‘N-No way… I-I look just like the future Trixie did, when she visited me. With the exception of the bandages around my eye, I’m…’ “Trixie?” Vinyl asked with noticeable concern in her tone. Trixie took a breath, and shot her friend a smile. “It’s just wine, Vinyl Scratch. Nothing to concern yourself over?” “Wine?” Vinyl asked, before leaning in to take a sniff. The colt or stallion did the same thing, much to Trixie’s annoyance. “Hey, you’re right! Phew, thank goodness!” Trixie cleared her throat, and used her magic to push the two ponies away from her. “Anyway, we should make haste! To the castle, at once!” “Capital idea!” the father shouted, and the rest of the ponies agreed. “Then if you’re all ready,” Spitfire began as she entered the room, “I’ll escort you all to the castle. Stay close to me, though. The guards were right; it’s total chaos out there.” Trixie and Vinyl both nodded, and braced themselves as they followed the Wonderbolt Captain back out into the streets. Upon reaching the castle, the Royal Guard saw Spitfire’s group inside safely and escorted them towards the refugee area for the family they had saved, along with the few other ponies they had helped along the way. A separate group escorted Vinyl Scratch to the holding cells, where they assured her that Octavia would be well looked after whilst they contained her. Trixie, meanwhile, decided to take a walk around the castle in order to clear her mind. Not that it helped much; the fact that today was the day she would supposedly die still weighed heavy on her mind, and with all the signs of her death coming true, she was beginning to wonder if she should just run away now, whilst she could. But she couldn’t. She knew that being in a place like this was probably a bad idea for somepony concerned for their life, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of her head telling her not to run away. That she had to see this through to the end. That she had to go back down into the crystal mine, and defeat this enemy. As Trixie passed by a certain room, she felt her fur stand up, and stopped to look behind her. She was sure that somepony was there, but she could see no signs of anypony following her. She checked the room to her left, and was surprised to see that Starswirl the Bearded wing was open and unguarded. She had always wanted to take a peek in there, but being a commoner with no big family titles over her head made that impossible. Now, though, with all the chaos going on outside, and all the guards none of the guards even caring for this place right now… Trixie decided to walk inside and take a look at some of the spells. ‘Maybe there’s something here that will help me,’ she thought to herself. To her surprise, and shock, she found one scroll just laying on the floor. “What the? Who the hay would dare to just leave one of Starswirl the Bearded’s spells just lying around like that?!” Using her magic to pick it up, Trixie’s curiosity got the better of her, and she opened it up to take a peek inside. “Wow, this is some complex stuff. Trixie might be able to pull it off, all except for the energy required to do so. Let’s see, the spell is for…” The spell’s title and description was covered by some strange brown substance. Trixie leaned in and sniffed it to see what it was. “Chocolate? Somepony dared to get chocolate all over this important document?!” Trixie grit her teeth together in rage, and used her magic to gently remove the chocolate from the scroll. “Now, let’s see what you are…” Before she could finish, a loud bang from outside caused her to jump. “W-What the?!” “COME ONE, COME ALL! COME AND SEE THE AMAZING MAGIC, OF THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!” Trixie breathed a sigh of relief, and used her magic to roll the scroll back up. “That’s the signal. Guess it’s time to go. Now, let’s see here…” Trixie wanted to put the scroll back into its original place, but there was a problem. She had no idea where that place was. Biting her lower lip as she looked around, Trixie eventually decided to just take the scroll with her, and return it later. “THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE, SHALL LIVEN UP YOUR BORING LITTLE LIVES!” “Yeah, yeah!” Trixie shouted as she ran out of the room, the scroll now stowed away inside of her cape. “Trixie’s on her way! Hold your horseshoes already!” After navigating the large maze-like castle, Trixie eventually grew tired of trying to find the door, and instead opted to use one of the smashed windows to get outside. She found herself in one of the garden’s near the front entrance, and as she looked up into the morning sky, she could see fireworks launching up into the air, and exploding into shapes of herself striking different poses. “Trixie!” Trixie’s ear twitched, and she turned her head to see Vinyl Scratch approaching her. “There ya are! I’m gonna go ahead and guess this’s your signal?” Trixie grinned and nodded. “It is! Pretty neat, huh?” “Yeah, sure,” Vinyl said in a sarcastic tone. “‘Loud’, is also another word for it.” Trixie waved her hoof dismissively. “Is it Trixie’s fault that they launched it at maximum volume?” “Considering you didn’t tell them how to change the volume, yeah!” “… Details, details! Remember that we have but thirty minutes to reach them! Let us no dawdle on such trivial matters, okay?” “THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE, THE MOST AMAZING UNICORN IN ALL OF EQUESTRIA!” “… How long does this go on for?” Vinyl asked, to which Trixie shrugged. “No idea. This is actually the first time it’s been used.” Vinyl sighed and shook her head, laughing as Trixie walked past her. “Shall we?” Vinyl turned to follow Trixie. “Yeah, right behind ya, Trix.” The two braced themselves as they ran away from the castle, and into the city. ‘No matter what happens,’ Trixie thought to herself, ‘I won’t run away. I’m going to face this thing ‘til the end!’