It was a lovely spring day in Ponyville. Birds were singing, foals were playing, and everypony was going about their business in a cheerful upbeat manner.
It was a day that seemed to be begging fate to send something to spoil it.
That something seemed to come in the form of a figure making his way to the residency. As he stopped in front of the building, he took a moment to savour the fact that all his planning was finally coming to fruition.
"And so the stage is set. Tres magnifique!"
He took some powder from a small bag and rubbed it between his two front hooves and it started to glow slightly.
"But before we start things off, I believe a round of applause for my co-star in this performance is in order."
The representative and her assistant were currently in the office, discussing the day ahead over the obligatory morning coffee.
"So what's on the agenda?" Trixie asked before taking a big sip from her cup.
"Not a lot." Pokey replied. "You've got some weather reports that need to be checked over before noon, a council meeting at two and a few odd jobs around the residency before heading out for a afternoon tea with Lyra and Bon Bon."
"Potential causes for concern?"
"Well, Windowpane did stop by while you were in the shower. He thought it would be professional courtesy to let you know that the specialised safe break glass you now request is on back order and any repairs to your window wouldn't be able to happen until next week."
It was at that moment the window was hit with a massive percussive force.
"TREMBLE IN FEAR LULAMOON!!" A voice shouted through the window. "FOR THE TIME OF YOUR RECKONING IS UPON YOU!!!"
Instead of responding straight away, Trixie took in a couple of breaths as she lay down her cup.
"Now that we have that out of the way." She commented dryly. "Let's go see who's at the door."
"Can't you just look through the window?" Pokey asked.
"Why ruin the surprise?"
My little pony, My little pony
Ahh ahh ahh ahhh...
My little pony
Friendship never meant that much to me
My little pony
But you're all here and now I can see
Stormy weather; Lots to share
A musical bond; With love and care
Teaching laughter; It's an easy feat,
And magic makes it all complete!
You have my little ponies
How'd I ever make so many true friends?
Trixie stepped out of the residency. "You know I have a door. It's a very nice door, good solid design. Opens up real easily and when you knock on it you can hear all throughout the building so you really don't..." The representative stopped her rant when she saw who was waiting for her.
It was a stallion. At first glance you would have mistaken him for an Earth Pony if it wasn't for the fact that his coat was a robin blue with navy blue stripes. He was wearing a purple dinner jacket that had obviously seen better days. Over his short, upright, aquamarine and navy striped mane was a purple top hat decorated with feathers and other trinkets. On his flank, in place of a cutie mark, was a 4 cross with arms all equal length that split at 45 degree angles at their ends, and in the middle of each of the 4 'squares' the cross formed was a small circle.
"That’s right, Lulamoon. Accept your fate as at long last your past is catching up to you."
Trixie raised an eyebrow. "If I was actually trying to run from my past, I really suck at it." She commented.
Right on cue Pokey stepped out to see what the hubbub was about.
"So who's the smartly dressed Zebra?" he asked.
"He's a Zebrony." Trixie corrected. "Zebra/pony hybrid, there's decent community of them in Neigh Orleans."
"Right." The assistant replied in mild interest. "So who's the smartly dressed Zebrony?"
"His name is Galeb." Trixie replied.
"Former friend?"
Trixie gave her assistant a suspicious look. "Why do you assume 'former friend'?"
"Well you know him by name, most ponies don't know your last name and your current friends know you don't like being called Lulamoon."
"You've been working on your deduction skills." Trixie commented.
"Yes I have, thank you for noticing."
"DON'T IGNORE ME!!!"
The two Unicorns drew their attention back to the Zebrony.
"Now what are we supposed to do?" Trixie demanded. "So far all you've done is smash my window and shouted about my reckoning. What do you want?"
"I want you to pay for what you did to my brother in the name of your own ambition."
Trixie sighed. "Look, I know you blame me for what happened to your brother but this really isn't achieving anything."
"Blame you?" Galeb repeated. "He's rotting in a prison cell because of you."
"No, he's rotting in a prison cell because he's a criminal."
"Enough!" Galeb snapped. "I will not let this slander against my family's name go unpunished."
"Slander?" Trixie asked in dismay. "There was a trial. He plead guilty to get a reduced sentence. This is fact."
"Enough!! Trixie Lulamoon, for what you have done, you will be punished."
"Really," Despite her wanting to resolve this matter peacefully she was kinda curious to see how the Zebrony was going to make her pay.
"I challenge you to a Magic Duel." Galeb answered. "You win, I let the matter rest. If I win, you forfeit your knighthood and your position as representative."
Trixie blinked a couple of times. "A magic duel?" she repeated. "After all this time you've had to plan your revenge against me and the effort of making the trip here from Neigh Orleans, the best you can come up with is to challenge me to a magic duel."
"What?" Galeb scoffed. "You think that because you are 'The Element of Magic' you won't lose?"
"No, it’s the fact that this scheme of yours hinges on the fact that I would accept such a bone-headed challenge."
Galeb took a moment to process Trixie's response.
"Oh I get it. You're scared of facing me."
Trixie knew this was an attempt from Galeb to get a rise out of her and frankly it was a bad one.
"No, it's the fact that I have worked hard to earn my titles and what idiot would wager something as valuable as their knighthood in a duel?"
"Sir Iron Hoof and Sir Torrential Storm of Trottingham." Pokey offered. "Wagered their titles to settle a dispute involving a half eaten lemon tart and a glass of sherry." He then saw the other two looking at him. "Oh come on, you must have heard of the Twits of the Terrific Trottingham Tart Tussle."
Galeb and Trixie blinked a couple of times before refocusing on each other.
"I knew you were spineless Lulamoon but at least have the decency to face your nemesis."
"My nemesis?" Trixie repeated in disbelief. "You honestly think that you're my nemesis?"
The representative closed the distance between her and the Zebrony.
"Let's make something perfectly clear." Trixie said. "You are not my nemesis, I don't have a 'nemesis'. Even if I had a nemesis, there are a whole lot of creatures more likely than you to be it, including but not limited to; Corona the Tyrant Sun, Zecora her Zebra henchmare, nobles that hold a grudge but are too scared of Luna to do anything, Solrathicharnon the big red Dragon, Spike the small purple Dragon, the salamanders, idiot inventors from Detrot, who ever made it a legal requirement that tax reports had to be fill out in triplicate,whoever wrote the 29th amendment to the Liqueur Consumption and Distribution Bill, whoever keeps subscribing me to Erotic Knitting Monthly, whoever keeps ordering the last Lemon Muffin Surprise at Sugar Cube Corner before I can get to it and whoever those foals are that keep playing base ball too close to the residency. YES I SEE YOU STANDING THERE!!"
There was then the sound of small hooves scurrying away.
Galeb looked on at the unicorn, emerald eyes brimming with hate.
"Lulamoon you will fight me in a duel or I'll..."
"You'll what?" Trixie interjected. "You lay one hoof or spell on me or my friends and you will be deemed an enemy of the state and thrown in the darkest hole Princess Luna can find for you."
"You can't do that." Galeb shot back.
"You wanna try me?" The representative asked, when she didn't get a reply she said. "That's what I thought."
Trixie did a sharp turn, "accidentally" hitting Galeb in the face with her tail. "So just to conclude, I won't fight you, I'll send the bill for my window to your Neigh Orleans address, thank you for coming and have a safe trip home."
Galeb snapped out of his stupor in time to see Trixie walk off to her door. "Votre mère était une pute!" he shouted venomously.
"Et votre mère était sa meilleur cliente." Trixie shouted back as she slammed the door.
Pokey Pierce then approached Galeb. "Sorry the whole 'being Trixie's nemesis' thing didn't work out." The assistant said in hopes of consoling him. "But if you're set on being a nemesis, I know Pinkie Pie's looking for one."
As Pokey turned to leave, Galeb noticed something to his left and when he looked he saw an excited pink pony standing there.
"Ohpleaseohpleaseohpleaseohpleeeeeaaaaseee be my nemesis." Pinkie Pie asked. "It would be so much fun. We can plot schemes, do villainous monologues and take turns wearing this moustache." To prove her point the mare then stuck on a fake moustache.
Galeb instead focused his attention back to the residency. "Shrug me off now Lulamoon but you are at the top of my list and vengeance shall be mine!"
"Yes." The moustache wearing mare said as she rubbed her hooves. "Vengeance shall be ours!" She then let out an evil chuckle as a vein popped out of Galeb's forehead.
"You know just because we've just met doesn't mean I won't add you to my list." He warned.
"That's okay." Pinkie replied. "I've already added you to mine. See?"
She held out a piece of paper. Galeb saw that it is a invite list for a party, at the bottom was written "Grumpy Blue Zebra."
"I'M A ZEBRONY DAMMIT!!!"
"Jeez, keep that attitude up and you won't get any party favours."
Pokey stepped back into the residency. "Wow, I don't know the last time I saw you tear into somepony like th..."
He was promptly pinned to a wall by Trixie. "Alright Pokey listen closely. We are now officially in a state of alert. Business will continue as usual but until we're certain Galeb is gone I want you to keep an ear out for any trouble."
"But a minute ago you didn't seem at all intimidated by him."
"Don't let his hammy performance fool you." Trixie warned. "He may be a showpony, but he is opportunistic and will use any sign of weakness as leverage. I couldn't let him have even the slightest idea that I'm afraid of him."
"Are you afraid of him?" Pokey asked.
"No, but I'm not stupid." Trixie answered. "And Neigh Orleans Voodoo is not something I take lightly."