//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 – Errors of Opinion // Story: Outlaw Mares 3: The Good, the Bad, and the Boastful // by Digodragon //------------------------------// A single bright light in the darkness glared upon the spectacles over Historia’s eyes. Her legs were held down by straps to a cold metal surface. She blinked slowly until her eyes adjusted to the poorly illuminated room. There were shadows in the corners of the room, forms that barely moved, but made soft ticking sounds. Historia tried to get a better look, but her head was restricted by a copper cap strapped to her. The sound of metal sliding upon metal emanated from the darkness behind her. Hooves walked slowly up to her table, but she could not turn her head upwards to see who it was. A soft female voice sung out to her. “Tell me your secrets.” Sweat rolled down Historia’s face. “What? What do you want?” Golden leaned over the pegasus from the shadows. The mare’s eyes made Historia cringe. They were completely black with silver irises, but what startled Historia more was the viper that slithered around Golden's neck. “I thought I was being clear,” the sorceress responded. “I want you to tell me your secrets.” “J-Just who are you?!” Historia stammered. Golden smirked. “I see you didn't pay attention to introductions at the museum. Very well, my name is Golden Jubilee, leader of Equestria’s new underground army which I call the Zenith Dawn.” She lifted the light away from Historia's face and flipped a switch above the bulb. Several other lights above Historia turned on and dimly illuminated the laboratory they were in. Cold metal tables held strange mechanical contraptions and vials of colored liquids. The shadows in the corners were now visible. Ponies made of clockwork parts and canvas coverings that ill-fit their angular bodies stood around her. A diamond dog in a white lab coat and red-colored goggles walked up to the pegasus. He ensured that Historia’s straps were secure. “Let me go! Please!” Historia cried. Golden shook her head. “Not until you give me your translation of King Sombra’s journal.” “His… journal?” Historia asked meekly. “I-I don’t know anything about it. It’s said to be untranslatable without the proper cipher. No one can read it!” “Poppycock,” Golden said with disdain. “It seems silly that Canterlot would sink a lot of money to have a useless journal protected, in two very different places no less, while paying your salary to sit on it. Oh, and by the way? I noticed that your half in Cloudsdale wasn’t in the museum anymore, so some pony of authority had it moved to protect the knowledge contained within. Now tell me, how untranslatable is it really?” The viper around Golden’s neck began to crawl over Historia’s chest. The pegasus gulped down hard. “Well, I did make a little progress on the cipher.” “Fascinating,” Golden said in a happier tone. “Were you able to translate any of his entries yet?” “N-No, not really,” Historia replied slowly. The sorceress sighed. “Disappointing,” she said as she picked up her snake. “You stuffy historians are always keeping your discoveries to yourselves until you find a way to make money off them.” Golden walked over to a valve on the far wall and began to turn it. The ceiling slowly opened up like an iris and a large machine lowered down over Historia. “Rico Barkla is my chief inventor,” Golden said with a nod to the diamond dog. “He’s a mite eccentric, but all the smart ones are. Rico put this little contraption together as a means to extract information from the minds of… difficult ponies.” “It also brews a very nice cup of coffee,” Rico added in a raspy voice. The diamond dog flipped two switches on a nearby machine. The contraption overhead came to life as gears slowly rotated and pistons began to slide and hiss steam. Historia wiggled in her binds to get free, but she was held tight. Rico walked over to her and secured a long hose between the hanging contraption and the cap on her head. “Any last words before you snuff it?” Golden asked happily. “Wait! I know what King Sombra’s journal actually is!” Historia cried out. “Let me live and I'll tell you!” “How adorable, you make it sound like bargaining for your life was an option,” Golden chided. “My dear historian, I already know that the journal is a key to unlock his hidden vault. I just can’t find its location. Rico, flip the switch.” The diamond dog pulled a small lever on the contraption. The machine squealed to life with squealing gears that spun rapidly. Historia twisted her body in pained contortions and let out a curdled scream from her lips. Rico covered his ears from the pony’s screech. A dark fluid bubbled out from the leaky hose attached to the cap and the contents traveled up the line and into the horrific machine above. Historia’s lungs seized up and her scream ended. She collapsed like a limp doll. Her eyes were left wide open and glazed over. The machine hissed loudly for several seconds before its pistons finally came to a stop. Several unseen gears spun and finally poured a muddy brown liquid into a tin cup. Golden reached up and took the cup into her hooves. She gently smelled the light steam that rose from the hot liquid before she took a deep gulp. The sorceress grimaced as she swallowed her drink in spite of the scalding temperature. Golden dropped the cup and it splattered the remainder of its contents all over the floor. She swallowed the fluid, her face scrunched in pain from the heat. “Mistress, was it too weak?” Rico asked worriedly. The sorceress slowly grinned with a chuckle. “No, it was perfect this time,” she whispered. “Yes, I can taste her thoughts. I know the translations…” Golden paused. She glanced back at the dead pegasus on the table and shook her head with an amused grin. A snicker came out between her lips. It grew into a giggle and then escalated into a deep, howling laugh. “I do not get the joke,” Rico stated with a confused look. “What is the joke here?” Golden recomposed herself, but the vicious smile remained. “It seems that Miss Books had a pen pal, one that she was selling the translations to for a little extra money under the table. See? You just can’t trust a historian. Well, it looks like I’ll be tying off a loose end in Seaddle. I’ll leave you to clean up here.” The steel door to the lab screeched as it slid open. Two pegasi stallions approached Golden with a salute. Their manes were disheveled and several tears were visible on their body-suits. “Thundercracker and Skywarp reporting in, my mistress,” the blue-maned pegasus stated aloud. “We haven’t found Trixie’s body, but we recovered her hat from the Everfree Forest.” Golden stomped a hoof firmly on the floor. “Her hat is not the problem! That mare has the devil’s luck,” she countered. “Until a body is found, your team is to assume that she’s still alive. Where’s the nearest town from the forest?” “Ponyville, ma’am,” Skywarp responded. “Then fetch the other Black Wings and begin your search there,” the sorceress commanded. “But… wouldn’t that attract attention?” Thundercracker asked hesitantly. “Debon may find out and follow us there. He may even find Phoebe by chance.” “Since I pay your salaries, I give the orders,” Golden interrupted. She kicked the tin cup over their heads. “Now go and turn that town inside out until you find me that blasted unicorn!!” ~ ~ ~ Trixie squirmed as Scootaloo tightened the bandages around her hooves. Despite the many lacerations and bruises on her body, it was a miracle that she didn’t break any bones when she crashed into the Everfree Forest. On the other hoof, she was spending tonight in the care of a filly whose medical knowledge was based on the pamphlet that came with the first-aid kit. “Ow!” Trixie exclaimed. “For a child you are not very gentle.” “Well if you think you can do a better job patching yourself up,” Scootaloo retorted, “Then you can do it yourself!” The orange filly took an adhesive bandage and pressed it over the bridge of Trixie’s snout with deliberate force. Minuit was resting her eyes in the corner while Apple Bloom assisted Ellie with repairs to the mechanical wing harness. The bat-pony fared no better than Trixie, as her many bandages suggested, but her upbeat attitude had not been bruised in the slightest. She opened an eye to look at Trixie. “Relax,” Minuit said with a smirk. “Just be grateful that Scootaloo doesn’t have to apply iodine to your colossal ego. Now that would sting like the dickens.” “Says the peanut gallery napping in the corner,” Trixie grumbled. "Thank you for your wonderful insight." Minuit shrugged. “Complaining about my pain would only waste time,” she explained with a smile. “Besides, do you really want to argue with a foal that is helping you pro bono?” Trixie sighed silently. “I’m only suggesting that she use a little more ‘T’ in her TLC.” She flexed a bandaged foreleg. Scoot’s work really wasn’t that bad and the fact that the filly and her two friends willingly hid her here in the treehouse meant that the unicorn should be nothing less than grateful. “Fine… I’m sorry Scootaloo,” Trixie admitted to the little pegasus, “I didn’t mean to be condescending.” “Apology accepted,” the orange filly responded with a final hard tug on the last bandage around Trixie’s waist. She smirked when her patient grimaced from the pain that the tug caused. “Now ain’t that interesting,” Apple Bloom commented. “What’s interesting?” Trixie asked. “That I apologized to your friend?” “No,” the yellow earth pony replied with a smile. “That you’re referring to yourself in the first person. I think it’s nice that you’ve started to become a better pony since the days you’ve fallen off your high horse.” “Literally in today’s case,” Scootaloo added with a cheeky grin. Trixie snorted. “Ah, I see,” she began with a sarcastic tone. “I’m glad that you all still find me entertaining in some capacity.” There was a rapid series of stomps on the ramp outside. A few seconds later Sweetie Belle bounded into the treehouse full of energy. Cheryl and Zeeps followed behind her at a much slower pace. “I found them! I found them!” the little white unicorn proclaimed. Scootaloo did a double-take. “I didn’t know you were friends with Daring Do!” she exclaimed. Trixie was relieved that Zeeps had her disguise on. It appeared that the three fillies were none the wiser on the changeling’s true nature. However, Zeeps and Cheryl flopped over onto the floor wearily without a word. “What tired you two out?” Trixie asked. “It’s only a quarter after nine.” “Bug butt got held up in town,” Cheryl explained. “She was fawned over by a bunch of fans.” “Fans?” Trixie asked with a confused look. “Zeeps doesn’t have any fans.” Zeeps lazily waved a hoof. “No, but Daring Do does.” “Oh,” Trixie said slowly as she now understood. She quickly cleared her throat. "Scootaloo, this is Zeeps. She's an avid fan of Daring Do and likes to dress up as her. Beside her is my other friend Cheryl, who makes up strange nicknames for everyone." Cheryl pulled out a small wrapped package from her saddlebag and slid it over to Trixie. “Here, the mail mare handed this to me, but it’s got your name on it.” Trixie looked at the package hesitantly. “A package for me? Who knows that I’m out here in Ponyville?” She looked for the sender’s address, but only his name was written down. “It's from Rose Stone,” she said with surprise. “Your ‘benefactor’ wrote you again?” Ellie asked. “Isn’t that just a wee bit creepy that he seems to know where you are?” Trixie unwrapped the brown paper packaging and found an old pair of rounded reading glasses inside. The lenses were rose-colored and slightly chipped. She tried them on, but found nothing remarkable about them. Minuit took an interest to the glasses. “Why are the lenses tinted red? Did this mysterious Rose Stone leave you a note?" “No, just the glasses,” Trixie answered. She stored the eyewear in her saddlebag. “I’ll think on it later. Right now Golden is on the move and we should find ourselves some transportation to keep up with her ship.” Ellie looked up from the repaired harness. “You reckon that black airship under Cloudsdale was hers?” “I’d bet my horn on it,” Trixie stated flatly. “That seven-pointed star is likely part of a new front for the Horizon Walkers. We’ll need to come up with a new attack plan before we confront them again. Our collective rumps were kicked badly today by that marilith they have.” “What’s a marilith?” Sweetie Belle asked. “A big, ugly rattler with a hat,” Cheryl muttered. Apple Bloom threw several tools into a small box. “I bet my siblings can help you fight off these Horizon Walkers. They’re among the bravest ponies in this town!” Trixie shook her head. “You little hayseeds are better off staying out of my business,” she replied. “Horse-apples!” Apple Bloom interjected. “You were nearly killed tonight by what you said was an earth pony that can cast spells! If one unicorn is no match for that, then you’re going to need all the help you can get!” “They’re not your run-of-the-mill kind of spells,” Trixie countered. “Like I explained to you when you first took me in, the Horizon Walkers use forbidden artifacts. Magic that can easily kill a pony.” Sweetie curled up with fright. “I don’t think I want to meet these walkers,” she said quietly. “Unless you’ve forgotten,” Bloom retorted to Trixie, “You are a pony too. Who died and put you in charge of taking on dangerous folks in Equestria anyway?” “Luna did,” Minuit interjected. Her answer made the fillies nearly jump with a startle. “Err, that is, the princess put Trixie in charge. Luna isn’t dead. She is fine, really. She just… you know, put Trixie in charge of things… because she’s alive.” “Has Princess Celestia done anything about this evil sorceress?” Scootaloo asked. “The Elements of Harmony could easily defeat Golden and they all live right here in Ponyville!” Apple Bloom shook her head. “You forgot an important detail, Scoots,” she pointed out. “Twilight is out of town on an errand. The Elements of Harmony won’t work without her.” Trixie felt disappointed in her own abilities. She couldn’t fight off a superior organization while she was in this poor of a condition from just one skirmish. Her eyes glanced out at the twinkling lights from Ponyville. However, there was one light that appeared too high to be from any of the houses. Trixie limped over to the telescope by the window and adjusted it to get a better look. She saw that the light hovered high above a huge tree that served as the town’s library. That light belonged to an airship. “Gals,” Trixie muttered without looking up. “I think the town has some unwanted company.” “Golden?” Ellie asked worriedly. Trixie adjusted the focus on the telescope. “No, but you’re awfully close. Here’s a hint; I can see the initials ‘D.A.’ on the hull.” “Debon!” Zeeps angrily called out. Trixie nodded as she stepped away from the telescope. “His airship is hovering over the library and I’m certain he’s not there to return a book.” She hobbled over to her effects and donned the torn purple cape and saddle-belt. Trixie levitated Debon’s stolen journal out from under the cape and perused the entries. “So what is Debon doing here?” Bloom inquired. An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. It lasted for a full minute before Trixie slammed the book closed. “Little hayseeds, please don’t take this question the wrong way,” she said nervously, “But where did Twilight hide the Alicorn Amulet?” The three fillies looked at each other and shrugged. Trixie’s friends appeared to grow worried. Ellie raised a hoof. “Are you certain that’s what Debon is after?” the pegasus asked. “Yes,” Trixie answered firmly. “He listed ‘magical amulet in Ponyville’ as one of the resources he was collecting. It was because of that accursed thing that Debon even knew about me!” She tucked the stolen journal under her cape and reached for the winged harness. Apple Bloom stepped forward. “Trixie, even if we knew where Twi hid the amulet, we just can’t trust it with you.” “I wouldn’t trust it with myself either,” Trixie added in a softer tone. She stopped to take in a deep breath. “I only wish to prevent Debon from getting his hooves on it. As long as the amulet remains hidden, I’ll be satisfied.” “Alright, finally some action,” Minuit said as she rubbed her fore-hooves together. “What’s the plan?” Trixie gathered the ponies together. “Apple Bloom, take your friends and walk the perimeter two blocks out from the library. If you find any townsfolk wandering about, keep them away from Debon’s airship. Minuit and Zeeps will fly behind the library and sneak in from an upstairs window. Cheryl, Ellie, and I will take the front door. We go in, surround Debon, and take him out quickly. His fellow Walkers will hopefully grab him and flee from our surprise attack.” “Take out the leadership,” Minuit said happily. “A simple plan is often the best plan.” “Yeah, it sure beats fighting on a cloud,” Cheryl added. “Alright, let’s go cause us some trouble.” The three fillies got up and ran out the door with a cheer. “Cutie Mark Crusaders night watch squad, go!!” They skipped the last steps on the ramp with an excited leap. “Where do they get that kind of energy?” Trixie wondered. She brushed a hoof through her mane and felt a longing for her signature purple hat. She donned her Stetson from Ellie’s saddlebag. “I suppose this one will have to do.” Zeeps patted her on the back. “Don’t worry, Trixie. You can break just about anything regardless of what’s sitting on your head.” “Twilight, please forgive the mess I’m about to turn your library into,” Trixie muttered as she limped out of the treehouse. ~ ~ ~ The airship hovered silently high above the library. Trixie saw neither movement upon its main deck nor lights from the few portholes along the hull. The town was also silent this night with no guards or townsfolk in sight. Trixie studied the area around the library from behind a nearby shop. There were two stallions guarding the library entrance. One she recognized as Roc Tumbler, the unicorn who could manipulate rocks. The other was an earth pony with a gray coat, but there was nothing familiar about him. “How did Debon get his airship here without anyone noticing?” Trixie asked quietly. Ellie donned her goggles. “I reckon he used sails instead of running his engines. I wonder if the ship’s crew is just hiding below deck for stealth.” “Well, you two can go admire his fancy ship,” Cheryl whispered back. “I’m going to go beat the tar out of those two Walkers by the library door.” Trixie held up a hoof. “Hold on, I think we can circle around and approach from behind the library.” Cheryl charged out into the open at Roc. The yellow stallion saw her and lifted several large stones with his magic. The dense stones zipped into the air like bullets at Cheryl, but she gracefully dodged them. The stones shattered a glass window near Trixie’s hiding spot. “She’s going to get us killed!” Ellie angrily stated. Trixie sighed. “I know. That used to be my job.” She hobbled out from her hiding spot and lifted her slingshot. With careful aim, Trixie fired a metal bullet at Roc. The yellow stallion dodged the incoming bullet. Cheryl reached him and swung a hoof. She connected with his snout and sent him stumbling backwards into the bushes by the library door. The gray stallion leaped on Cheryl and pulled her away. “Hold her, Slate!” Roc commanded to his partner. Cheryl threw her head back into Slate’s forehead, but the blow struck her like she had just head-butted a brick wall. “Ouch! Your head’s denser than a month old cow patty,” she commented. Roc lifted and threw several more stones at Cheryl’s friends. Ellie jumped around them as she closed in, but the pain in Trixie’s legs only allowed her to fall over and duck the stones that sailed over her head. She fired back a poorly aimed bullet. The iron sphere smashed through one of the library windows. Trixie winced. “I hope Luna can pardon that.” A larger stone lifted off the ground at Roc’s command. Ellie pressed a switch on the side of her goggles. The powder in the third eye burst into a bright white flash and blinded Roc. Unfortunately the glare robbed Ellie of her sight as well. She charged blindly right into the hard wood of the library’s wall. “Get off me!” Cheryl growled as she wrestled Slate to get free. She managed to turn herself sideways and jab his chest with a hoof. The stallion felt like a solid block of muscle. A branch above them snapped apart. Zeeps and Minuit dove out of the tree above and slammed on top of Slate. Cheryl pulled away as her opponent was squashed by her friends. Zeeps lifted the heavy branch she had torn off and smashed it over Slate’s head. The branch snapped in half, but knocked the stallion out instantly. “Ha! Fear the branch!” the changeling cheered. Now free, Cheryl took several swings at the still dazed Roc. The yellow unicorn backed up toward the library entrance, his fore-hooves held up to block the blows. Minuit rushed in and slammed Roc to the ground. Cheryl kicked at his head several times until he surrendered. “Stop! Stop!” Roc cried as he covered his bloody face. “I give!” Debon swung the front door open and stepped outside. “What is the meaning of this?!” Cheryl and Minuit turned and together kicked him square in the gut. Debon momentarily left the ground and then flopped to the floor, head first. He moaned weakly as he curled up in pain. Trixie caught up with her friends and together they surrounded the three Horizon Walkers. “I thought I told you two to sneak into library,” Trixie said to Zeeps and Minuit. “And miss the action out here?” Minuit asked. Several townsfolk had awoken from the noise of the fight and gathered around the violent scene. Trixie was pretty sure they’d see this moment as a random beat down of a rich pony on the library’s doorstep. The crowd murmured Trixie’s name angrily among themselves, which assured her that they did not forget who she was. Minuit cleared her throat. “Do not be concerned citizens,” she assured the townsfolk. “I am a member of the royal guard on official business.” “Where’s your badge then?” one of the ponies demanded from the crowd. “Do you have proof that you’re with the royal guard?” Several other townsfolk shouted in agreement. “Uh, no I don’t,” Minuit corrected sheepishly. “Okay, this business might be slightly less official than I stated.” Debon slowly sat up. “What… do you think… you’re doing?” he wheezed out. “We’re here to stop you from doing something stupid,” Trixie replied. “Pot and Kettle, reunited at last,” Cheryl muttered. Ellie snorted. “Said the pony who charged headlong into danger,” she accused. An orange earth pony with a Stetson shoved her way through the crowd. “What in tarnation is going on here?!” she shouted. It only took her a second to notice the azure unicorn with the same hat she wore. “Trixie? I don’t know if I should be flattered or insulted by your new look. Just what are you and Daring Do up to here?” “You’re Applejack, right?” Trixie responded with a devilish smile. “See, I was inspired by your magic of friendship and decided to gather element bearers of my own. I took up the same role as the greatest earth pony with a hat. That would be you and your element of Justice.” “Honesty,” Minuit corrected. “Whatever,” Trixie dismissed. AJ narrowed her eyes. “You’re about as honest as a snake oil sales-pony,” she muttered. “So who is this poor feller here that y’all are beatin’ up on and where’d that airship come from? It’s been sitting up there all night.” “The ship belongs to this stallion, Debon Aire,” Minuit answered. “He has been charged with theft of the late King Sombra’s Journal.” “We came here to stop him from stealing the Alicorn Amulet as well,” Trixie continued. There was a resounding round of gasps at the mention of the artifact’s name. Half the crowd took a step away as everyone muttered about the day Trixie had come to Ponyville wearing the amulet. The crowd grew agitated and began whispering plans of chasing Trixie out of town. “You might want to hold back on the details,” Ellie whispered to Trixie. “These folk seem uppity.” Zeeps nodded in agreement. “Seems like popular emotion in any town we visit.” “I wonder why,” Cheryl muttered to the disguised changeling. Trixie adjusted her cape as she addressed the crowd. “Despite my unfavorable personal disadvantage in this town,” she said with a glance to AJ, “I’m actually here to defend you all. I have been charged by Princess Luna to retrieve Sombra’s journal, stolen by this flank-kissing stallion.” “That is not true!” Debon interjected. AJ turned her attention to him. “It’s not true?” “Of course it’s true,” Trixie sarcastically interrupted. “I’ve seen him kiss a lot of flank.” “Will you just shut up?!” Debon angrily shouted back. “I didn’t steal Sombra’s Journal!” “Well a member of your exclusive club did,” Trixie countered. Despite her injuries, Minuit grabbed Debon by his vest and nearly hoisted him off the ground. “Golden had seized the first half of the journal under your orders," the bat-pony accused, "And you have been found in Cloudsdale today where the second half was kept.” “You’re all insane and completely wrong!” Debon corrected. He pulled himself out of Minuit’s grasp. “Golden left my so called exclusive club, and she’s on her way here to take the amulet. I was attempting to intercept her before she could find it.” “Really?” Ellie asked. “Golden went rogue on you?” “Are we surprised that she did?” Cheryl asked flatly. “Fearful might be more appropriate,” Trixie answered thoughtfully. One of the spectators shouted above the others. "Let's lock them all away until Princess Celestia can sort this out!" The rest of the crowd nodded in agreement, but Apple Bloom pushed her way through the crowd to Trixie’s defense. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were not far behind. The three fillies stood between her and the angry townsfolk. “Hang on a minute everyone!” Bloom shouted. “Trixie here is telling the truth!” “Apple Bloom!” AJ scolded. “I’ve been looking all over town for you! Get yourself back home right now, this is grownup business!” The fillies did not budge. “We saw that Trixie was attacked by some dark shadows as she fell out of the sky! Haven’t you even noticed that she’s talking in the first person? I think she’s being honest with us this time around and we should give her a chance.” “Honesty or not,” AJ countered, “I reckon we should first confirm her story before we divvy out our trust blindly. I say we contact Princess Luna and ask her for confirmation.” The crowd applauded AJ’s idea. Trixie said nothing, but felt that if that’s what it took to prove that she was telling the truth, then so be it. However, her mind was nagged by the idea that if Golden had indeed left Debon and stole the journal, then this venture against Debon was a complete waste of time. “I thought Luna expressly stated that we keep this mission a secret?” Minuit whispered to Trixie. “Ah, that bit did slip my mind,” she responded, “But I’m out of ideas on how to get out of this mess.” There was a series of short hisses in the night air. The crowed appeared oblivious, but Trixie and her friends found it eerily familiar. As the sound came closer it was accompanied by the flapping of wings and the jingles of loose metal buckles. Trixie and her friends looked up to find the source. “I know that sound,” Ellie said softly. “What is that?” “Sounds like Celestia after eating too much curry,” Minuit remarked with a smirk. Her eyes picked out five dark silhouettes in the sky. They were the same black-suited pegasi that attacked Trixie earlier. She grabbed her friends and pointed out the shapes. “Over there! We’re under attack!” “Everybody take cover!” Ellie shouted. “Get indoors!” The crowd was confused and looked around for the danger instead of fleeing. Trixie tried to push them along, but the ponies ambled slowly along the ground with their eyes up to the sky. Cheryl sighed and waved to Zeeps. The changeling dropped her disguise in front of the crowd and presented her true form with fanfare. “Boo!” Zeeps playfully barked. The townsfolk broke out into a panic and ran in all directions. Cheryl and Ellie shoved Debon and his two injured accomplices into the library. Zeeps waved her hooves in the air to scare Applejack away from the library. AJ responded by clocking her in the face. “Excuse me, don’t damage my friends!” Trixie scolded. “That’s a changeling!” AJ retorted. Trixie pulled Zeeps behind her. “Well, we all can’t be beautiful unicorns,” she rebuked, “And this one is pretty harmless. I suggest you take cover with your sister…” Trixie just noticed that Apple Bloom and her two friends had already disappeared. AJ galloped off to find her sister. Trixie pulled her friends together and headed toward the marketplace. Her chest wound stung as she tried to move quickly. The pain also made thinking difficult. “Do you have a plan?” Ellie asked her. “I have a loose collection of ideas not unlike a plan,” Trixie answered. “We need to ground those fliers. Let’s see if we can get them tangled up with ropes and tents.” The five pegasi in the air drew knives and swooped down at Trixie’s friends before they reached the market. Team Trixie scattered to avoid the swings of sharp metal. The pegasi broke formation and chased them in pairs. The fifth one circled around and watched the bat-pony who remained steadfast. Minuit took off into the night sky and charged the lone pegasi. As the two reached each other, Minuit banked away sharply to avoid his sword. She continued her tight loop and reached him from behind. Minuit grabbed the pegasus by the leg that held the knife. She folded her wings against her body and she wrestled him for the weapon. The pegasus was unable to carry the combined weight of her and his cylindrical tank. His altitude dropped sharply and the two crashed into the side of a tall house. Minuit landed on top of her opponent. She got up on shaky legs and kicked his weapon away. “It appears that you have… um, something. I’ll think of a snappy remark later, bye!” She took off to find her friends. Farther down the street, Cheryl pulled the lid off a wooden barrel and stayed close to Trixie. Two pegasi swooped down at them. Cheryl blocked the first knife with her makeshift shield, but the second pegasus slammed into her and pushed Cheryl down on her back. Trixie tried to aim a spell at him, but Cheryl was too close to the target. The pegasus thrust his blade down, but Cheryl wiggled her head away from the weapon. She saw a patch on his body suit with the name Dirge. “What kind of stupid name is Dirge?” Cheryl mocked. “It’s the last song your friends will hear of you!” he replied proudly. Cheryl rolled her eyes. “Yeah, still stupid.” Trixie charged Dirge with sparks spitting out of her horn. The other pegasus landed in front of her and swung his knife. Trixie jumped back to avoid it. She tripped over her own hooves and fell over onto her side. The ache in her chest made Trixie angry that she couldn’t fight effectively. However, she still had her voice. “So what are you, Hymn?” Trixie asked. The pegasus pointed to his suit patch. “It’s Thrust!” he angrily corrected. Trixie held back a snort of laughter. “Cheryl, can we trade opponents? I cannot take a pegasus named Thrust seriously.” She wiggled her butt to underline the innuendo. "Careful, he's trying to poke me with... his short sword," she said with a giggle. Thrust angrily dove at Trixie, but the unicorn blasted his face full of magical fireworks. She rolled away and Thrust completely missed her in his dive. He bounced off the ground and collided into a thick haystack. "Looks like Thrust has been... screwed," Trixie joked cheekily. "Hey!" Dirge called out. "I'll make you eat that joke!" He got up off Cheryl to attack Trixie. Cheryl reached up and yanked the cord on Dirge's straps. The cylindrical tank on his back roared to life and he shot off into the air haphazardly. Cheryl wiped the sprayed cold foam off her face. Two blocks down the street, Ellie and Zeeps took cover behind a tented fruit stand. The pegasi Skywarp and Ramjet stalked them on the ground with their knives raised. Ellie picked up pears from a basket and threw them, but the fruit bounced harmlessly off the two armed pegasi. “Come over here so we can gut you both,” Skywarp threatened. “I promise to make it quick!” “What color do you suppose changelings bleed?” Ramjet mused. Zeeps growled at them. “We’re not monsters!” she argued. Her horn flashed green as she fired off a magical bolt of energy at Ramjet. The pegasus jumped over the magical bolt and sliced his way through the stand’s tent covering. With another swing he cut Zeeps across the left foreleg before the changeling could dodge. Ellie threw another pear and pulled Zeeps away. “See, red?” Zeeps remarked as she clutched the wound in her leg. “And… pain too.” Several apples struck Skywarp and Ramjet. They turned their attention over to the nearby produce cart. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo waved from on top of the cart. The three fillies jumped down on a plank which launched a basket of lettuce like a catapult. Skywarp was pelted by the barrage of food. His weapon was knocked out of his grasp and the bucket struck him hard in the snout. “So how do you like your honeymoon tossed salad?” Bloom taunted. "Lettuce alone!" Skywarp retreated up into the air. Ramjet scrambled to get off the cart, but his tank was tangled in the torn tent above him. He pulled the cord on his tank for extra lift, but the unbalanced force instead sent him into a hard right bank and into the wall of a cottage. “That ought to teach you to mess with our town!” Scootaloo jeered. Minuit landed by the three fillies. “Those tanks they carry must be fun at parties, but they’re quite a liability in battle.” “They look similar to a fire extinguisher,” Ellie commented. “I wish I could get a hold of one to find out what they’re using for propellant.” Cheryl came around the corner with Trixie. “Why don’t you ask them to attack you again?” she suggested. Applejack ran up from another alley and interrupted the conversation. “I’d watch out with what I’d wish for,” she said sternly. “Just who are these fellers chasin’ y’all around town?” “I believe that they’re Golden’s minions,” Trixie answered. She tore a strip from her cape and bandaged Zeep’s wound with Scotaloo’s help. “I’m pretty sure they were sent to kill us.” “You just can’t keep out of trouble, can you Trixie?” AJ asked in an annoyed tone. “Well if they’re all after you, then kindly take your friends and get out of my town.” The propellers on Debon’s airship spun up as its anchor retracted back into the hull. Lights ignited and the ship flew over the town towards the hills to the west. Everyone watched it rise and disappear beyond the thick patches of clouds in the distance. “There, why don’t you go and take his cue,” AJ said. “I’d love to,” Trixie replied, “But as unwelcomed as I am, I cannot leave if Golden is here. I must prevent her from acquiring the Alicorn Amulet. I just don’t know where the artifact is hidden in order to stop her.” “And it should stay that way,” AJ added. “Debon was at the library, right?” Ellie pointed out. “That thing is probably hidden away there... unless he just grabbed it and fled.” Trixie glanced at AJ with suspicion. “No, Twilight wouldn’t hide such a dangerous artifact in an obvious place. She’d bury it someplace out of the way, but still within reach in case someone went searching for it.” “What are you lookin’ at me for?” AJ asked. “Twi didn’t tell me nothing about where it is.” Trixie adjusted her hat. “You’re a terrible liar,” she said accusingly. “You stated earlier that you were looking for your sister, but you failed to check her treehouse first which happens to be back at your farm. Since Twilight is out of town and you obviously noticed the airship hours ago, I think you went to check on the spot where the amulet was hidden.” Applejack glared at her. “I trust you and your friends about as far as I can throw the lot of you, and I especially don’t want you near that amulet again!” Cheryl walked up AJ. “Listen bucko,” she said sternly. “From one earth pony to another, I’m going to be straight with you. Golden and Debon don’t play fair. They have killed folks to get after what they want. Stubborn morals ain’t going to protect that amulet. You have to be willing to fight dirty, and right now I will deck you if you stand in our way.” “Cheryl, stop helping,” Trixie growled. She pulled the two ponies apart before hooves were thrown. “Look, Princess Luna chose us because we’re familiar with how Debon and Golden act. This may be your town, but they are our fight. If you want to help, then by all means join us, but don’t block me just because of our bad history. This situation is a lot bigger than a petty grudge.” “Trust in your princess!” Minuit added. “Luna would not have chosen Trixie if she did not feel her to be worthy of such an important task.” Trixie nodded in agreement. “Besides, I’m certain that these three fillies are going to follow me around town if you don’t keep an eye on them.” She glanced at the Cutie Mark Crusaders and they sheepishly smiled in return. Applejack exhaled loudly. “Alright, I doubt I could rustle up my friends before your problems get someone hurt. Twi buried it under the clock tower at the south end of town. I didn't see anyone there an hour ago, but who knows if anyone is there now. Go and stop those vagrants, but don’t you even think about usin’ that amulet. If you do, Celestia help me I will rip that horn off your head.” “If I ever find myself with such thoughts again,” Trixie said seriously, “Then I will destroy myself first.” ~ ~ ~ The thick rolling clouds slowly followed Trixie and her friends. The moon’s light was completely blocked and left the town quite dark. Trixie maintained a light spell upon her horn as she led the way to the clock tower. The other light sources within the group were a lantern that Cheryl had pilfered from a shop’s porch and the little necklace Ellie wore that gave off a dull white light from a chemical powder. The group neared Ponyville’s clock tower. The tall wooden structure had a weathered face that was still readable from a great distance. Trixie thought about how logical it was to hide the amulet here. No pony would need to go near the clock in order to read the time and whoever maintained it had no need to dig about on the ground under it. A large shadowy figure slithered out from the clock tower’s entrance. With its long, snake-like body Trixie assumed it was the marilith from Cloudsdale. The creature moved toward a small covered wagon, but then it quickly turned around and headed back toward the tower. “I think our lights were spotted,” Trixie whispered to her friends. “Then let’s put out her light!” Minuit brashly stated as she took off and darted toward the creature. Ellie let out a sigh. “For being as injured as you, she sure seems to fight like a champ.” “Follow her Zeeps,” Trixie commanded. “The rest of you come with me.” She led the charge past trees and groups of bushes for cover while the changeling zipped directly after the bat-pony. Minuit reached the doorway and the marilith. Phoebe lashed out with her long tail. Minuit swooped under it and struck her in the gut, then she followed through with an uppercut to the chin. Phoebe recoiled back inside the tower and nearly fell down a large hole had been dug. “Surrender now and I’ll spare you a broken snout!” Minuit shouted. Phoebe scooped up a hoof-full of loose dirt from the ground and threw it at the bat-pony’s face. Minuit was blinded with a painful sting in her eyes. She felt a hard blow strike her in the chest and throw her backwards into the cart outside. “Tag!” Zeeps shouted as she passed over Minuit with a firm touch on the head. Phoebe swung at the changeling with both left hooves. Zeeps dodged upwards and then came down on the marilith’s head with a thud. Phoebe growled at her. “By Tirek’s horn, you’re an annoying little pest!” Zeeps latched onto the marilith’s neck and bit down into the shoulder. Phoebe snarled from the pain. She coiled her powerful tail around the changeling’s body. With a hard yank she pulled Zeeps off and held her tight. “I will crush you!” Phoebe threatened. Her tightening tail made Zeeps whine in pain. She hissed happily with her captive, but was interrupted by a hoof to her face. “Tag!” Minuit shouted as she smashed in the marilith’s snout. Phoebe dropped the changeling as she recoiled back further and slammed into a set of wooden stairs. Trixie, Ellie, and Cheryl arrived with heavy panting from their lips. They cornered the marilith carefully. “Where’s the amulet?” Trixie asked firmly. “Go jump in a hole,” Phoebe hissed back with a nod to the deep pit behind the unicorn. Cheryl stomped hard on the marilith’s tail. “Start talking or I’ll make you into mashed potatoes.” Two mechanical ponies climbed out of the hole with a large wooden box between them. Their large, dirt-covered clockwork gears clicked softly. The pair of machines dropped the box upon the ground and immediately attacked Trixie’s friends with their heavy hooves. “Ah, jump in a hole,” Trixie muttered. “Well played.” Minuit and Zeeps seized one of the mechanical ponies in an attempt to pin it down. Although it was slow, the machine was just as strong as the two friends combined. The three were in a deadlock wrestling match. The other clockwork pony placed itself between Trixie and Phoebe. “Smash their skulls in!” the marilith commanded. Trixie blinded Phoebe with a blast of magical fireworks. The marilith thrashed about haphazardly with her hooves over her face. “Ugh! What is with you and bright lights?!” she shouted. Cheryl kicked the clockwork pony in the head, but it continued to advance on her. Ellie pulled out a screw driver and stabbed the machine’s inner parts from behind. Gears began to grind and teeth popped out. The clockwork pony bucked Ellie off and the pegasus crashed into a stack of empty barrels. The damaged machine continued to limp towards Trixie. "Anyone have a bigger screwdriver?" the unicorn asked. “How about a little help over here?" Minuit asked. The machine she and Zeeps wrestled with began to overpower them. Cheryl threw her lantern and hit the undamaged clockwork pony in the chest. The greasy gears caught fire and engulfed the entire machine. Minuit and Zeeps jumped back from the burning clockwork, but it continued to advance upon them. The burning hooves on the machine set the dry hay on the ground ablaze with each step. “I said a little help, not an extra challenge!” Minuit angrily stated. Ellie got up and ran toward the burning clockwork pony. She grabbed a shovel from the ground and rammed it into the hot springs in the machine’s legs. The softened metal snapped apart and the machine tumbled to the ground. “It’s still on fire,” Zeeps noted. “I’m aware of that!” Ellie exclaimed between several coughs. “Shovel some dirt over it!” Trixie continued to back away from the limping clockwork pony that followed her. She shot her fireworks spell at it, but the machine was unfazed. Cheryl jumped on the machine and held on as it tried to buck her off. Trixie sighed in relief for the distraction, but Phoebe’s tail whipped at her from the side. The blow knocked Trixie over the deep hole. She dug her hooves into the edge and held on, but her strength was already weak from her injuries. Phoebe slithered expediently up to the hole and scooped up the box with two hooves. Her other two hooves protected her eyes from Trixie’s blinding spells. Without a word, the marilith moved toward a window and looked for the latch to open it. Zeeps and Minuit took off and darted at Phoebe. The marilith swatted Zeeps away with her tail, but Minuit collided into her gut and knocked out the air from her. Phoebe dropped the box in a coughing fit and wrestled with Minuit. The limping clockwork turned its attention to defend Phoebe from the bat-pony. Cheryl let go of the machine and galloped over to pull Trixie out of the hole. She reached down and lifted the unicorn up by the shoulders. “You still know that Iron Horn spell?” Cheryl asked inquisitively. “Of course,” Trixie answered with a pained cough. “Why would you… no, wait. Don’t do this!” Cheryl leveled Trixie out like a lance and charged the limping clockwork pony. Trixie screamed as she quickly cast the spell. Her horn turned a bright-gray and became a solid sharp point. Cheryl thrust Trixie horn-first into the machine and pierced the gears and springs that held it together. Cheryl’s momentum carried her, Trixie, and the now impaled clockwork into the wall with a resounding crash. The machine fell over lifeless, but Trixie’s horn remained stuck to its side. Phoebe grabbed Minuit with her tail and slapped the bat-pony against the floor. She scooped up the box again and began her escape out the window. Zeeps and Ellie rushed to follow Phoebe, but the sudden whistle of something through the air outside gave everyone pause. The entrance to the clock tower exploded. Phoebe was blown out of the window. The fires were snuffed out from the shockwave and the remaining ponies were thrown backwards into the stairwell. Everyone’s ears rang from the cacophonous burst of sound. Cheryl limped to a standing position and pulled Trixie free from the dead machine. Gear teeth, springs, and grease were all tangled in the unicorn’s mane. “What… what exploded?” Trixie asked. Ellie pulled herself off the broken stairs. “Cannon… that was a cannon,” she weakly replied. “Zeeps? Minuit?” Trixie called out. “Not dead,” Zeeps weakly called out from the ground. Minuit rubbed the back of her neck. “Yeah, not dead yet either,” she said. Debon’s airship slowly hovered into view beside the clock tower. The ship’s crew aimed two cannons at Trixie and her friends, with a third pointed at Phoebe outside. The marilith appeared to be unconscious. Rope ladders were lowered and a raiding party disembarked to capture everyone. “You are not leaving with that amulet!” Debon shouted from the ship’s top deck. Trixie limped weakly out of the tower. “I wasn’t planning to,” she replied, “but I don’t believe you should either.” Her friends rallied behind her. The crew secured Phoebe in iron chains and hoisted her up using the airship’s anchor. Debon himself came down the ladder to recover the wooden box. He opened it carefully and took in the sight of the Alicorn Amulet. Trixie felt a shudder down her spine upon looking at the artifact again. “Round up Trixie’s friends too,” Debon barked, “The townsfolk will be here shortly. Let us make haste.” “You’re giving us a ride?” Trixie asked curiously. “Aww, so you did miss me! I knew you’d come around.” Debon slapped Trixie’s face with the back of his hoof. The blow sent Trixie to the floor. Zeeps growled and took two steps toward him, but Ellie and Minuit held her back. The changeling fought to free herself. “Let me go!” Zeeps protested. “We should break him right now!” “Calm down!” Ellie countered. “He has cannons pointed at us! There’s nothing we can do to him right now.” She gave Zeeps a hug to reassure that everything would be alright. Trixie sat up from the cold ground. She was shocked that Debon struck her hard… that Debon would strike a lady at all! Trixie sat there bewildered. There was no warmth or charm in his tired eyes. Debon let out a snort. “You all will come with me,” he stated. “This way there will be no more surprises from you.” “Keeping one’s friends close and enemies closer?” Minuit remarked. “Indeed,” Debon replied as he walked back to his ship. “In your case, the line between them is excruciatingly narrow.” The airship crew shuffled Trixie and her friends up the rope ladder. They slowly climbed aboard and were led below deck to a small room. Whether they were guests or prisoners, Trixie didn’t know anymore. Any stallion that could strike a lady without remorse was capable of many frightening things. Her cheek continued to sting.