//------------------------------// // Losing Innocence // Story: The Fabled Adventures of Trixie Lulamoon // by Lastofakind //------------------------------// A blue blur was all she could see thought the trees as she galloped after the gem. The dark woods seem to get thicker as she kept her eyes on the prize. This kept going till the light stopped, then seem to go straight into the ground. Trying to come to a sudden halt she found her hoof go straight though the soft earth and down a pit. Her screams echoed as she hit the water with a splash. Confused she used her light spell to look around the cave. The only other light was from the moon coming down from the pits opening as she swam for a spot of dry land she found. Coughing a few times before shaking off the water she looked for the gems light. “One crazy thing after another isn't it?” She told herself before levitating the pistol out of her saddle bag. Loading it with a slug and setting it to her brace she started down the cave. She didn't think she needed it but the little training and knowledge of this new world she had it was better safe than sorry. The cave was oddly huge from what she could make from the light given off her horn. A few skeletons of animals that fell down the same hole lay on the ground. Her guess was the vines grown over the pit after each fallen animal. She cursed herself for not watching where she was going. Though she only hoped to find her way out before meeting the same fate as the animals. A shiver ran down her body as a breeze hit her. That was her key to getting out, follow the draft and hope it leads to an opening. Levitating the sword next she set it to her hip like Dirk showed her. It may have been a training blade but enough to fend off an attack. Her first objective now was to find her gem. Going down the only tunnel she could find she looked for the blue glow of the gem. She caught a small glimpse of the blue light and went after it. “What is this things problem, I though it took me as its master?” She followed it deeper into the cave. Behind her the clinging of metal and squeal of rusty gears staring to turn filled the air as the creatures followed not too far behind. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “The guys said they'll be back in the morning before the camp moves out. Lore and Harpy's camp must not be too far away if they made the trip here every day.” “You'd think Dirk would be tired by now?” Gilda said as she open the door for Octavia. “It was showing during practice today that he's been neglecting his own health as of late. It’s kind of showing in Trixie as well.” When inside the wagon they noticed everything was turned about in a mess. “What happen here?” “Hey Trixie!” Gilda called as Theresa approached from behind. “She left though the woods after her mothers gem.” “What? S-she didn't go alone did she?” “Unfortunately she did.” Gilda growled as she started for the weapon wagon. “That idiot!” She took a pistol, sword, and a round shield along with some ammo. Octavia loaded up as well. “Which way did she go?” Theresa pointed in the way Trixie ran off. “I can track her by air; you take the trails and cover what I can't.” “Got it!” - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Every now and then did Trixie spot the dim blue light reflecting off the damp cave wall. Following it she started to curse at it for leading her so far away from camp. “This must be the stupidities thing I've ever done! The camp is going to leave without me and I'm going to die in this cave if this stupid gem wont-” She found herself cut off as a low mechanical sound started to grow in volume. Turning as she started to ready a spell the noise stopped. With a small gulp she kept the spell ready as she started down the cave aging only for the nose to start again and this time even louder. She fired the spell as she turned. Gears and metal exploded in her spell as the light illuminated the cave. Trixie could now see the mechanical beetles crawling along the walls. Their bronze pincer open with sharp saw like blades snapping as sparks flew from them. Trixie let out a small cry as she fired another spell at them only to have them take flight. Loosing concentration her light spell went out as she ran down the darken passages. The clanging and scraping of their legs along the stones echoed behind her. Trixie came to a large opening of the cave. The moonlight pouring though the open pit in the earth was enough for Trixie to see she was in a dead end. The beetles started to spread along the walls. She counted eight in total as they circled her. “Pull it together Trixie! You need to fight your way out, no time to panic...” Drawing her sword she took her stance as a few of them took flight. The first to come at her opened its pincers and ready to close on her. Swinging the bland with what little skill she had hit the beetle’s topside, causing it to tumble past her and hit a rock. The next two flew at her at opposite angles. Trixie quickly jumped back as the two collided into each other. Swinging her blade down on them, she was able to cut their heads off. “I-I'm doing this! I mean The Great and Powerful Trixie shall vanquish you foes one by...” Trailing off she noticed more coming from the tunnel. “One...” They swarmed the cave as Trixie started firing spells at them. It seems for every one she destroyed another took its place. One took hold of her back before being flung off and hit with her sword. She was outnumbered and they were closing in. “Back off you metal scrap heaps!” Gilda cried as she landed next to Trixie. A beetle lunged at the two only to be bashed by Gilda's shield before her sword finished it off. “When we get back remind me to kick your flank!” A shot rang out as the slug brushed though Gilda's feathers and into the beetle next to her. “Watch your aim!” “Sorry!” Octavia called from above as she reloaded. “How did you find me?” Trixie asked before firing a spell at a group of beetles. “Your great and loud mouth echoed enough for us to follow.” Gilda answered as she bashed one of the attacking beetles with a downward thrust of her shield. “What made you come out here in the first place?” Octavia took aim and fired down to hit another beetle that was trying to close in on the two. “My gem was floating away. I was trying to catch it.” Trixie stabbed her blade into the pincer's of a beetle as it clamped down on it and broke the metal. Taken back by this she quickly fired a spell to melt it. “Floating? You dip into the wine when you got back?” Gilda threw Trixie her shield just in time for her to block an attacking beetle before Octavia shot it. “I swear it floated into the forest!” “I'm running out of ammo up here!” Octavia called down. Gilda tried to stop an attack before her arm was bitten. Screeching in pain she reeled back her head as she brought her beak down on the beetle, smashing it enough for it to let go. “We can't fight these things like this!” Trixie made a magic shield around them as she tried to think of a way to get them out. An idea light up in her as she called to Gilda. “I need you to throw the shield!” “Okay the floating gem part hinted at crazy but that idea of yours takes the cake.” “Listen! When I drop this spell I need you to throw the shield like a Frisbee. I can do the rest if you can keep them off me.” Gilda was about to argue with her but with her own lack of ideas she took the shield and ready for her cue. Once the pink field was down Gilda chucked the shield as hard as she could before Trixie shot it with a beam from her horn. The shield started to give off different colored sparks as its spinning started to increase. It started to circle around the two as the sparks grew more and more intense. “Now get us out of here!” “Wh-” “Get us out of this pit!” Taking Trixie in her in her arms Gilda leap into the air and with a flap of her wings she got the two just above ground level. Landing on the edge a loud explosion of fireworks sent them to the ground as Octavia leap to cover. “What the bloody hell was that?” Octavia asked as they started to get back up. “A spell... well more of a previously failed one. When I first started off as a show mare fireworks were out of my price range. I tried to mix two different spells together to make average metal objects into a pyrotechnic show. As you seen the results are violent.” “I never knew unicorns could mix spells.” “First thing my mother taught me was that magic is never cut and dry. New spells are learned by trial and error. Just... that spell has yet to get all the errors out of it.” The three caught their breath before looking down the pit again. The beetles melted from the heat of the spell. Gilda chuckled at this. “Looks like a winner to me.” She then squinted into the darkness. “Now about that gem of yours...” A rustle from the bushes behind them made the group jump. “More of them?” “Can't we catch a break?” Gilda cursed before she ready her sword as Trixie formed a shield for them. There was a long silent’s as the three ready for an attack. Gilda was the first to step closer to the bush. “Maybe it was nothing?” The last thing she remembered was a puff of black behind her as the blade struck her back, sending her to the ground before a bolt of electricity hit her. Trixie was caught off guard until the flash from the spell but was too late to react when the hoof struck her. She could tease the blood in her mouth as she tumbled to the ground. Octavia tried her best to fight back by swinging her sword at the attacker only to have it countered, sending her bland down the pit. The cloaked stallion took hold of her and threw her down the pit as well before starting back over to Trixie who was trying to roll herself to aim at the attacker with the pistol. He knocked her armed hoof with little effort before pinning it to the ground. Trixie screamed in pain as she tried to pull her hoof from under his weight only to have him take a blade and run it across her flank and over her Cutie Mark. The pain got a whimper from Trixie as tears streamed down her cheeks. He seem to be studying her as he watched her cry, a sick smile crossed his lips. Trixie could see the blue glow in his saddlebag as he took the blade off his belt. “Sorry... but this is only my orders.” Trixie could only gasp as he stabbed the blade between her ribs. She could feel it dig close to her heart as a final tear left her eye. He didn't even pull the blade from her as he started to walk away only to hear the struggle of Octavia as she tried to climb from the pit. He took a pistol from his belt and headed to the pit. “I'm going to die.” She could see Octavia trying to pull herself up before meeting the barrel of his gun. “No, I can't let this happen!” She tried to move. Her hoof was shaking but the brace still held the pistol. “Don't miss...” Octavia paused as he looked down the sights. “Please!” Octavia closed her eyes as she waited for the end to come. The bang made her jump; a breeze went past her as she heard a sickening splat from below. Octavia gasped as she looked back down to find the stallion lying dead on the cave floor. “Trixie, Gilda!” Using all her strength she pulled herself out. She was about to take a second to catch her breath when she spotted Trixie. “N-no Trixie!” A smile crossed her lips when she heard Octavia and Gilda's voice. She felt so warm at that moment. She could hear more voices in the distance. “Stay with us hero... your story is far from over.”