Trixie fled through the woods, panting in terror. Branches and leaves whipped at her face and tore at her cloak. Her hat and cloak, gifts from her old teacher and once her pride and joy, lay forgotten somewhere behind her.
Back where the monsters were chasing her.
“Heeyyyy, Trixie! Don’t ya wanna show us some more ‘o your magic tricks? Like back when you humiliated ME?!?”
Trixie whimpered in fear as that voice fired new reserves of strength within her. She almost screamed when she stepped on something hard and sharp enough to bring a drop of blood from the frog of her hoof. Trixie hissed at the pain as she pulled the long black thorn out and tossed it away. She shuddered when the almost-recognizable voice spoke again.
“I smell your blood, you arrogant little showmare.” Then, more gleefully, “I’ll be smelling a whole lot more of it, REAL SOON!” More bestial joy sounded along with that voice’s laughter, savage whinnies and the maddened shrieking of a griffin all mingling together. Trixie froze and forced herself to think through her gibbering panic.
Come up with something, something clever, or you’re going to die in this forest, mare!
Trixie saw a thorn bush nearby with a bare patch beneath its branches that lay open to her. She hurriedly crawled into it. The cries of bloodlust from behind her sounded louder and closer than before. Once there, Trixie gathered her magic and sent it along her horn, firstly hiding herself from casual sight before conjuring up an image of her in headlong flight. She put it all together, the sight of her tangled mane and torn blue coat, the fear-sweetened reek of her sweat, the exhausted panting, and sent the image running away. Pride welled in her as she saw how she instinctively made it run around the shrubbery rather than through it. Even when scared out of her wits, she could craft the most exquisite illusions.
Screams like windigoes on the hunt sounded overhead. Millennia of equine instinct tried to take over, commanding her to flee the predators. Instead Trixie froze where she lay.
At first glance they looked like four pegasi flying by, rather doltish looking stallions. One of them with a white coat looked freakishly muscled. He also sported the smallest usable wings she’d ever seen on a Pegasus. She caught glimpses of barbells and basketballs for cutie marks on another two, half hidden by the crimson and black bodysuits they wore. Blood dripped smoking from their jaws as they snarled at each other. She wondered if they’d forgotten how to speak. Their eyes rolled madly. Trixie found herself pleading with the Princesses for the first time since fillyhood, asking, Please, please, let them notice my illusion and not me!
The over-muscled white coated one lowered his – its, head and sniffed at the ground. Trixie froze to see a drop of her blood there.
“She was here,” it growled, sounding more monstrous than the Ursa Minor she’d once seen. “And there she goes!” It pointed a hoof after the fleeing illusion of her before taking off with a wild howl of “EE-YEAH!” The other three made to follow, but the biggest one of them just grunted and spat.
“Why’re we chasin’ some no-talent narwhal when those Black Lanterns are smashin’ Equestria?”
In spite of herself Trixie bristled at his words before a new wave of fear swept over her. Had those zombie ponies reached Trottingham? Her father might be called up from reserve duty to fight. And what about her mother and sisters?
“Better get goin’, Dumb-bell,” one of the other young stallions grunted at him. “Dash said she didn’t want us showing off or messing around.” The first stallion just snorted, blowing blood from his nostrils.
“Rainbow Crash can’t tell me squat,” he jeered back. Trixie saw the other two flinch back. The first stallion snarled. “Wassamatter with you guys? We got power rings just like she does,” he raised one foreleg, showing off something that looked like a glowing crimson coal on a red band around it, “and I ain’t takin’ no more lip from Crash or her pet griffin or that blank flank dodo she keeps for a pet! We got the rage just like her, we got the power just like her, why can’t one of us be runnin’ the show?”
“You meatheads really wanna know why?” Trixie froze along with the three pegasi stallions as she recognized that voice. That mare from Ponyville last year, the showoff pegasus named, what was it, Rainbow Blitz, or Dash, or the like? She dropped down from the sky into their midst. Behind her and still airborne Trixie saw a small orange filly and a female griffin, both with blazing eyes. The speaker turned to look at all three of the stallions before she said, “Because I told ya to, that’s why! An’ if that ain’t enough, then…” The pegasus mare held her hoof up as she began to say, “Dumbbell, Hoops, Score, I expel you from the Red Lantern Cor--“
“NO!”
To Trixie’s utter confusion all three were on their bellies before the mare almost immediately. The filly behind her laughed.The griffin snorted, “Wimps.” The stallions ignored them to grovel before the rainbow-maned mare.
“Please don’t, Dash! We’ll listen, we swear we’ll do everything ya ask, just please don’t take our rings back, we need ‘em!”
“I know you need them, idiots!” Dash snarled at them. “But maybe I don’t need you if you can’t listen when I tell ya to do something. So now go an’ help Roid Rage hunt Trixie down. She humiliated me and my friends, and I’m gonna make her pay for it.” Dash’s voice rose to a howl. “NOPONY MAKES A FOOL OUT OF ME, EVER AGAIN!”
The stallions cringed away from their leader. Trixie still saw the rage and fury in their eyes. Dash must have seen it too, but she simply showed them her ring again. They growled, all three, and flew off. A moment later Dash, the filly and the griffin followed them. Trixie huddled, shivering in fear. Only when their voices faded into the distance did she dare to leave her shelter.
“Trixie knew she could fool those madponies,” she said, wishing that her voice didn’t shiver quite so much. She sighed and began walking back towards the fringes of the forest, where she could travel but stay hidden.
“Oh, but you didn’t fool me, Trixie.”
Something slammed into the unicorn mare hard enough to ram her into the ground. Trixie felt something snap inside her. She shrieked as an angry voice, its breath reeking of blood and hot metal, hissed into her ear, “I knew you’d come out of hiding if you thought we were gone.” Trixie looked to see Rainbow Dash’s eyes blazing into her own, filled with wild triumph. Behind her the griffin and filly settled to earth, and past them she saw the stallions flying in for a closer look. None of their eyes showed anything but rage and glee.
“Remember how you tricked and humiliated me, ‘Great and Powerful Trixie’?” Rainbow Dash stepped back with a smirk. “Because I do. Just like how I remembered what Chrysalis did to my friends and me, what she tried to do to all Equestria. When I catch her I'll show her the last lesson she’ll ever need,” she stuck her face into Trixie’s own, and the unicorn shuddered to see her reflection in those maddened rose-red eyes, “And now I’m going to do the same to you. Got any last words, you phony?”
“If she doesn’t,” a new voice said overhead, quite possibly the only one Trixie desired to hear even less than this lunatic’s. Dash hopped back with a snarl as a black-and-yellow bodysuited Twilight Sparkle dropped down in between Trixie and the pegasi, saying, “Then maybe I do. Dash, what the hay are you doing? We’re supposed to be using these,” Twilight held her own ring, glowing a brilliant yellow, out towards Dash, “against the Black Lanterns. Not anypony else, and especially not normal ponies!”
“Normal?” Trixie tried to rise but stopped at a wave of dizziness. But she still spat, “The Great and Powerful Trixie is not a normal pony!” She saw that other Ponyville unicorn who’d challenged her, Rarity, dropping down beside Twilight. She held a staff and wore clothes that would have looked more at home in Zebrica. The showmare said, “And Trixie does not need or even desire to be saved by you of all ponies, Twilight Sparkle!”
“Oh, then we can kill her?” The orange filly hovering by Dash asked hopefully, “Like we're gonna kill Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings?” She flew closer as bloody drool ran from her jaws to hiss and burn against the ground. Neither of them noticed the shocked look in the eyes of Twilight and Rarity.
“No, Scootaloo,” Dash snarled and rolled her eyes. “Remember, we can’t kill her, or she’ll become a Black Lantern...”
“The Great and Powerful Trixie is very much in support of this position,” Trixie said hurriedly.
“But nothing says we can’t cripple her for life.”
“Yes, the Great and Power – what?”
Scootaloo whooped and flew at Trixie, blood frothing from her mouth and eyes blazing, only to stop when a glowing yellow Horrorspider appeared between filly and mare. Scootaloo snarled and spat her burning blood at it. The energy construct dissolved with a hiss. Trixie turned to run but stopped when she found the griffin standing there.
“Where do ya think you’re goin, dweeb?” It leered at her. Trixie tried to dodge around her. The griffin lashed out and Trixie screamed as she felt its talons along her flank, digging in deep enough to actually grab hold. It smirked down at her. Trixie suddenly remembered every single story she’d ever heard about what hungry griffins did to ponies. That cruel tearing beak lowered towards her.
Trixie forgot all her pride and simply screamed, “Somepony help me!”
***
Twilight shuddered at the sudden rush of power she felt. Trixie’s panic was exciting her ring. She flew forward to help the mare only to stop short when Scootaloo flew before her.
“Don’t interfere!” The angry filly spat more of her flaming blood at Twilight’s hooves as she said, “Rainbow Dash is going to do what you should’ve done long ago, Twilight!” Dash just hovered nearby, smirking.
Twilight hesitated. She heard another panicked scream from Trixie. Her ring almost purred. That decided Twilight.
“I control you, not you me!” Twilight snapped at her ring as she flew past Scootaloo. The little filly snarled and went after her, only to stop with a shriek when a glowing yellow Nightmare Night Nightmare Moon appeared before her, showing wolfish fangs. Twilight wondered who was doing that – none of her Corps were nearby! – until she saw the symbol glowing on Rarity’s forehead.
( = Fear = )
“Go and help Trixie, Twilight,” the elegant unicorn said. The three jock pegasi snarled and went for her. Rarity simply glared at them and hurled yellow energy at them in a blast that sent them head over hooves. “I can handle those ruffians and poor Scootaloo, dear.”
Twilight nodded and flew to Trixie’s side.
***
Trixie sobbed as both the griffin and the white Pegasus took turns lashing at her with their rings. She dodged wildly, avoiding a bloody lightning bolt from the Pegasus only to catch a set of fiery talons along her wounded side. Trixie dropped in a heap, only to spring up and run headlong from them.
“EE-yeah! I got her!” Roid Rage flew after her at top speed only to pass through the illusionary mare and collide with the very real and solid tree beyond her. The tree exploded into splinters. He dropped with a groan.
“Hah!” Trixie called from the side, only to shriek as Gilda dropped and pinned her. She kicked in panic as the griffin rolled her over on her back, exposing her soft belly. Gilda licked her beak. Trixie froze in horror.
“I always wondered what fresh pony tasted like,” Gilda shot Trixie a nasty grin. “Aw, stop whining. A few scars won’t kill ya!”
“Good. That means I won’t have to kill you.”
Gilda jerked her head up only to be sent flying with a squawk as a yellow Pegasus with a flowing mane and tail smashed into her.
“That one was for Fluttershy, Gilda,” Twilight said sternly. She held her forelegs crossed over her chest. Sounding like a very stern teacher, she added, “Stay down. Because I really want to stop holding back right now, and I don’t need an excus –“
Gilda hurled herself at Twilight, shrieking in rage, talons outstretched. Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes right before she set a yellow barrier up between her and the griffin. Gilda squawked once right before she hurtled into it at full tilt. She slid to the ground with a groan. Twilight looked away from her to Trixie.
“Are you okay? I can feel that you’re scared.”
“I’d be stupid if I wasn’t scared right now!” Trixie huddled close to Twilight. She looked past her and choked.
“BLAST IT, TWILIGHT!” Dash dropped down by her fallen Corps members. She near roared into Twilight’s face, “Why are you defending her? She tried to humiliate you the way she did me and, and Rarity for that matter – and will you stop knocking those idiots around?”
Both ringbearing mares looked at Rarity. Her staff was alight, and she’d been alternating between crimson rage and yellow fear as she’d dealt with Score, Dumb-bell and Hoops. They groaned where they lay, knocked senseless. Scootaloo merely seethed, locked as she was inside of a magnificent yellow birdcage just big enough to hold her and with a muzzle over her jaws.
“So very sorry, Rainbow Dash,” she said, sounding a little tired. “I tried not to hurt them, but they wanted to force the issue.” Dash groaned and facehoofed before she turned back to Twilight and the cowering Trixie.
“Rarity and I came here to stop you, Dash. We heard about what you’ve been doing all over Equestria these past few days, and I knew that she was probably next.” Twilight pointed to Trixie. “You KNOW you’re not supposed to use that ring to hurt innocent ponies!”
“Like she’s innocent!”
“And what was that about killing Changelings? My brother told me that they’d heard some rumors to that effect. But Dash, you couldn’t have!”
“They were monsters, not ponies,” Dash looked away with a snort. “They didn’t deserve ta live. They almost killed your old foalsitter, remember? And they eat love, so that makes them like the Black Lanterns and we’re supposed to be fighting them. And we didn't kill a lot of them, just a few here and there. Besides,” she added with a menacing look in Trixie’s direction, “I wasn’t gonna kill her. Just, I dunno, scar her, break her legs or something.”
Twilight echoed Rarity’s gasp. Trixie whimpered in fear. Twilight fought down a sudden sense of elation from her ring as Rarity said, “Rainbow Dash, what is happening to you? You, you’ve always been a roughneck, but that’s just sadistic! You’re letting that ring control you!”
“Hey, I control it,” Dash snapped back at her, “not the other way around! Not like YOUR staves and rings do in the Indigo Tribe, Little Miss ‘I’ll force compassion on bad ponies to make them better’! Besides, until the Black Lanterns come back out into the open, me an’ my Corps have to do something useful for Equestria. And gettin’ rid of jerks like her,” she thrust a forehoof at Trixie, “Is the best thing I can think of!”
“I won’t let you do it, Dash!” Twilight said, and “Nor will I!” Rarity said as she flew to stand beside her friend. Trixie unsteadily got up and stood close by them both. Gilda, Scootaloo, and the other Red Lanterns gathered in behind Dash as Twilight added, “Think, Dash! We’re tolerated and accepted for now because of the fight against the Black Lanterns, but if you start doing things like this you’ll get us all in big trouble! And you promised not to attack ponies!”
“Hay, I said I wouldn’t kill any ponies that jerked us around,” Dash snapped at them. “I never said I wouldn’t make ‘em sorry they did it in the first place. Unless she’s in a Lantern Corps and no one told –“ Dash shut her mouth a moment too late.
“That’s right!” Twilight turned on Trixie. “Trixie, listen, I think I can protect you, but it’ll mean…”
“How can Trixie get one of those power rings?” Twilight looked stunned. Trixie just laughed. “Please, Twilight Sparkle. Trixie’s magic may be slightly less powerful then your own, but she is not stupid. I have heard enough. If I wish to be safe from those would-be windigoes,” she pointed her horn at the Red Lanterns, “Then Trixie must join one of your ‘Lantern Corps’, correct?” Twilight just nodded. Trixie said, “Then tell Trixie how to do it, and she will.”
Twilight looked at Rarity, who shook her head no. “Sorry, dear, but after our talk with Celestia, I’ve held off on forcibly bringing any more ponies into the Indigo Tribe unless it’s absolutely necessary. It, it doesn’t feel right unless they know what they’re getting into.”
“Got enough still-breathing zombies?” Dash jeered. “And don’t you look at me, you little braggart. Unless you wanna get every dirty job I can think of.”
“Trixie would not want to be part of your wolfpack,” the showmare said. Ignoring an angry snort from Dash – few ponies liked being compared to predators at the best of times – Trixie looked at Twilight and said in a tone that made it sound like she’d just drunk lemon juice, “Then it must be you and your Corps, Twilight Sparkle. Trixie will join the Yellow Lanterns.”
“You’ll have to take orders from me, sometimes,” Twilight warned her.“And you’ll be partnering with monsters from the Everfree that I gave intelligence to with these rings.”
“If that ring can do all of that,” Trixie said, a gleam in her eye, “Trixie wants to be in more than ever.” Twilight gave her one last measuring look before she raised her ring above her head.
“In Blackest Day, in Brightest Night,
Beware your fears made into light.
Let those who try to stop what’s right,
Burn like my power, my Yellow MIGHT!”
( = Ring Duplicated. Deputization On Authorization of Yellow Lantern 7201 = )
Trixie gasped as she saw a new yellow power ring manifest. She held her forehoof out and cried out as she felt it settle there, filling her with every fear and terror she’d ever felt or inflicted on another all at once. As she fought to control them all, she heard a cold voice say within her mind:
( = Trixie Lulamoon of Equestria = )
( = You have the power to inspire great fear = )
( = Welcome to the Yellow Lantern Corps = )
Yellow light flashed around Trixie as a uniform like Twilight Sparkle’s formed around her. The yellow parts burned like fire; the black chilled to the bone. Her wounds healed themselves, flesh knitting back together and bones straightening. And as one last touch she instinctively formed a peaked hat and starry cloak like her old stage gear out of the yellow light and wore them.
“Meh,” Dash flew over to Twilight and her newest Yellow Lantern. “Okay, so she’s off limits. For now.” She stuck her hoof under Trixie’s nose. “But if you ever get tossed from Twilight’s Corps, I am going to hunt you down and…” She jerked back with a shocked yell as a gleaming yellow Flying Bonerattle snake snapped at her face.
“Trixie now makes others fear,” the showmare said smugly. “She does not feel fear. Go and take your Corps with you, Rainbow Dash!” Dash growled and flew off, her Red Lanterns following her. Trixie looked at Twilight and asked with a sigh, “What do we do next, Lady Twilight?”
“First I train you,” Twilight said. “Then I introduce you to the rest of my – our, Corps. And after all that we find out just how much damage the Black Lanterns have caused while we were fighting each other.”