//------------------------------// // Black, Turn 2: Black Knight to C6 // Story: Scholar's Mate // by MagnetBolt //------------------------------// Scholar's Mate Black, Turn 2: Black Knight to C6 By MagnetBolt Trixie knew a lot about rocks, having worked on a rock farm for several seasons, or at least between seasons. She could tell different types of stone apart at a glance, had learned to identify gem-bearing rocks and ore, and found it simple to determine what forces had shaped any given boulder. That knowledge had come with geography lessons, a necessary thing to tell the difference between Griffonian Red Granite and Badland Redstone, one of which could bear sapphires while the other only held quartz. As an example of this knowledge, part of Trixie's mind could tell that the rock she was looking at was an extremely hard form of shale, a type that was present in much of the mountains around Canterlot. It was found in nearly vertical layers in the steep mountains due to a seismic upthrust millions of years ago, and would shatter under the forces of erosion into sharp, razor-like sheets of thin stone. This rock in particular was eroding quickly due to the force of water on it, letting shale flake away and leaving it well-polished and as sharp as a blade. Trixie could be relatively sure of these determinations thanks to the fact that she was in Canterlot, and the rock was in a river valley. She was getting a very good look at it, thanks to the fact that she was approaching it at high speed from above. In other words, she was falling to her death. Part of her wasn't sure if it could actually kill her, since she was an alicorn. The rest of her told that part to shut up because if the fall didn't kill her, it was going to be extremely unpleasant. Her wings were bound to her sides under her armor, which would soon serve mostly as a way to contain her organs neatly, in the way a can contains soup. The worst part was that the fall was so long she'd already run out of breath from screaming. No, actually, as Trixie considered it further, the worst part was that she was falling to her death. She closed her eyes as the ground approached. There was a sudden jerk of motion. She winced. Was that it? Was she lying broken on the rocks, body so torn that she couldn't even feel the pain yet? She didn't feel like she was dying. Trixie slowly opened an eye. Impossibly, her fall was slowing. “For a winged creature you're awful at flying!” Trixie blinked at the voice, looking up. Legate Koloth was holding her up, his hooves gripping the straps of his armor as his wings pumped madly. “Where did you-” Trixie gasped. “I was keeping an eye on you!” Koloth snapped. “Hang on! I can't fly as well as a pegasus, so this is going to be a rough landing!” The thestral kept moving, straining himself, getting them past the razor-sharp shale plates to a bed of pebbles on the side of the river. He dropped Trixie, letting the alicorn land fall a dozen feet to the rocks. He followed a moment later, wings exhausted and hooves digging into the riverbed. “That was-” Trixie's heart pounded in her chest. “Trixie's first decree when she becomes a princess will be to have these bridges inspected.” Koloth looked up at the bridge over their heads. “I've never seen one of these bridges fail like that.” He narrowed his eyes. “I wonder if Luna put you with us to teach you a lesson or just to keep you safe.” *** Celestia and Cadence sat on the balcony, watching Luna's moon. They'd been quiet for a long time. Celestia took a cup in her magic and a wisp of solar flame caressed it, the tea almost instantly heating to a boil. “That's a handy trick,” Cadence said. “One of the few useful things a pony can do with flame,” Celestia noted. “Most ponies would argue that it's more useful than making ponies fall in love.” Cadence picked up her own cup, Celestia tilting her head to direct a swirl of fire around the teacup, leaving the tea inside steaming. “From long experience, Cadence, I assure you that the power to destroy only comes with an immortal's lifetime of regrets.” Celestia sipped at her tea, considering her next words. “I haven't always been wise with how I used my power.” “What do you mean?” Cadence raised an eyebrow at that. “It was before your time. Things were different back then.” Celestia swirled the tea in her cup. “Luna and I were not the only alicorns, merely the last that remained. It's a long, sad story of how power can corrupt.” “If you have enough power to let it corrupt you,” Cadence said, sadly. “If I tell you something, will you promise not to speak to anyone about it?” “Of course, Cadence. As long as you have the same courtesy for some of the things I've admitted to you.” “I've been having problems. Not with Shining Armor, before you ask. He's been wonderful.” She smiled, a genuine, warm smile that wasn't just for another pony's benefit. It faded as she continued. “Ever since I went to the Crystal Empire I've felt really... detached from everything. Like you've been keeping me away.” “It's your destiny to watch over the crystal ponies.” “And is that all I'm good for?!” Cadence snapped, dropping her teacup. It cracked as it hit the ground, tea spilling around her hooves. “I know I'm not as strong as you or Luna or even Twilight, but I'm still an alicorn!” “Cadence, calm down.” “I need to know that I'm not just some... tool of prophesy! I don't want to just be used to fulfill some prophesy and then abandoned like...” she trailed off, biting her lip. Celestia stood and stepped over to her, wrapping a wing around her. “Calm down,” she repeated. “I know you've been through a lot, but you've been able to get a second chance at life, and you have a wonderful stallion at your side and friends waiting to help you.” Celestia hugged her for a few long moments, nuzzling her neck like the mother Cadence barely remembered, then let her go when the young alicorn had calmed. "I hate the idea that I'm only useful because of something a pony wrote a thousand years ago,” she whispered. “You wouldn't let me fight Tirek or help when you knew Luna was coming back, and you kept me away from Canterlot when Discord woke up.” “It had to be done,” Celestia replied, sadness creeping into her voice again. “I had seen the signs. I knew it was Twilight's duty to redeem Luna, and that Tirek would not be beaten with alicorn magic. I had thought that Discord was the key to stopping him, but the true shape of the prophesy took me by surprise, as they often do.” “Who cares about... destiny and prophesy?” Cadence asked. “We must. Alicorns are creatures of prophesy. It's written into our bones. Almost literally, I think. There are no creatures in Equestria more bound to the wheel of fate, despite our power. In the past we fought and struggled against it. It created a time of troubles far worse than anything seen before or since.” “Worse than Discord?” “Worse than Discord, Tirek, or Nightmare Moon.” Celestia turned and pointed. “Look there. You see that train?” Cadence could see the lights of a train running along the mountain tracks. “The train tracks are like the weave of fate. Cutie marks are like tickets to that train, telling ponies where they're going.” “What about ponies without cutie marks?” Cadence asked. “They just... don't have anywhere to go?” “No, no.” Celestia smiled. “It means they can go anywhere. Ponies aren't born with cutie marks, and that's a wonderful gift. They get to decide for themselves where their fate will take them. It would be a sad world if ponies were born already lashed to fate's yoke.” “I suppose so.” “And a pony doesn't always have to listen to their cutie mark. More than a few fight against fate and get off at a different stop, or even jump from the train entirely. Some get hurt, more get lost, but others find something more wonderful than the destiny that was waiting for them.” “But you said alicorns were more closely tied to fate. So what, we're like conductors, going where it travels?” “No. We're the train. Far more powerful than any mortal pony, and bound to follow the tracks forever. If we fight and try to escape, disaster follows, claiming all the lives bound in our wake.” Celestia hesitated. “Cadence, have you ever heard the Prophesy of the Six?” “No,” Cadence frowned. “What is it?” Above them, lurking in the shadows, a dark form with glowing blue eyes watched the alicorns discuss something in hushed tones. *** Trixie tossed and turned, trying to sleep. Falling off a bridge had shaken her too badly to get rest. In the brief moment she had managed to actually sleep, she'd found herself back on a rock farm, but one from Tartarus, trying to push a boulder up a steep hill. Every time she neared the top somepony would be there to give it a gentle shove, and it would tumble back down, undoing her work. The pony at the top kept changing, Celestia one moment, Twilight the next, Shining Armor giving it a big shove when it became his turn. She got out of bed and sighed. If she wasn't going to be able to get rest, a walk would at least give her something to look at beside the walls of her guest room, the empty remnants of Twilight's old palace room. Trixie picked up her guard armor, considered for a moment, then put it to the side, hiding her wings under her star-covered cloak instead. She didn't relish not having her wings free, even if she'd barely had any time to learn to use them. The castle was quiet at night. Luna's night guard roamed the halls in shadows and silence, not bothering to light the way with lanterns, their cloaks muffling the sounds of their armor. They saluted as they passed Trixie. It was one more odd thing in a long list of odd things that she'd have to get used to. “What troubles my Palatine so at this hour?” Luna asked, stepping out of the shadows. Trixie frowned and glanced behind her. “How did you do that? There isn't enough space... And there was no flash of light for teleporting.” Trixie bit her lip. “Ah, my sister told me about how Twilight would sometimes get so distracted by a minor puzzle that she would forget what she was actually doing. Is that something thou also share?” Luna giggled. Trixie blushed. “Do not worry. I promise not to tell her, even if it is quite cute to watch.” “Sorry. I'm just tired,” Trixie said, looking away. “'Twas an older spell much favored by the Night Guard, though we rarely have unicorns with enough skill to cast it, especially in these days.” “In these days?” Luna inclined her head. “Thou must have noticed that most of the Night Guard are thestrals. This is not entirely because of their adaptations to the darkness. They have long been my favored race of ponies, if only because they appreciated the night when few others did.” “But... the princesses aren't supposed to have favorites.” Trixie frowned. “That is true. But as thou know, alicorns are still ponies. We still love and hate, and even have favorites. 'Tis no accident that much of the nobility is unicorn.” “Princess Celestia is-” “Is a pony who has a skill for helping teach others magic. I have always been a stronger flier than she. Her lack of athletic prowess is why I have a much smaller flank than her.” Luna turned, wiggling her hips. “Thou see? Tis the flank of an accomplished athlete! Her plot rests upon a cushion built over a thousand thousand cakes. Thou thinks my flank is much nicer, yes, Palatine?” “T-Trixie does not wish to play favorites,” Trixie said, blushing furiously. “Hah! I knew that would break you out of your dark mood!” Luna stuck her tongue out at Trixie. “Thou worries too much. My sister is no tribalist. She has merely had many unicorn students over the years, as that is what she is best at teaching. Ponies look to them for guidance, and over the course of generations they became a new layer of nobility despite her attempts to keep the ponies equal. She is hoping if I take on some pegasus students that they will be similarly favored.” “I see...” “Because the unicorns are seen as her favorites, they almost always join the Day Guard. I rarely have an opportunity to teach my spells to another, though Babbidi is making an effort.” “Trixie was surprised you let her join.” “She was corrupted by the Nightmare. 'Tis something I know too much about, and I blame myself for what happened to her. She is a fine unicorn with skills any should be jealous of. Though perhaps the Night Guard is where she was always destined to go. Did thou know she cannot go out in the sun?” “She's a... vampony?!” Trixie gasped. “Nay!” Luna laughed loudly. “She has a skin condition that causes her to blister from sunlight.” She leaned in close. “And vamponies go in my super-secret team of monster hunters.” “Wait, vamponies are real?” “Thou are the one who suggested they were a moment ago!” Luna smirked. “Now come. I will teach thee my shadow walking. Thou already have a grip on how teleportation spells function from what I saw in thine duel; this is a far safer spell when moving somewhere unknown.” “Trixie wasn't going to be able to sleep anyway.” She smiled up at Luna, feeling a weight lift from her as the princess started explaining how to put the spell together. *** It was so early in the morning that Celestia was still waking up and the sun had yet to peek over the horizon. The golden-armored guards were assembled on the field of battle in orderly lines, and their opposite number waited in their dark armor, milling around in a scattered crowd. Trixie looked back over her assembled troops. “...Where's the changeling?” She frowned. “Who knows?” Koloth shrugged. “Perhaps he's joined the Day Guard so he can be on the winning team. That damn insect is always where he isn't supposed to be.” “What's wrong, you can't even keep your soldiers in order?” Shining Armor asked, displeased. Trixie yawned. “Trixie thinks standing in a line where everypony can see him is among the least important skills a soldier can learn. Trixie seems to recall standing around in lines was exactly what the Day Guard did during the invasion of the changelings. She also recalls that despite being on guard and alerted to a threat, they were overwhelmed in a matter of minutes.” “And the Night Guard-” “Was following your orders to stand down,” Koloth growled. “Of course, you were being mind controlled at the time by your wife.” “She wasn't my wife!” “I apologize,” Koloth said, tilting his head. “Your fiancee.” Shining Armor took a step forwards. Before he could do more than that, a polite cough stopped him. Celestia, Luna, and Cadence were watching them. “I hope you don't plan to start a brawl,” Celestia said. “If so, you hardly need judges.” “No, Ma'am.” Shining Armor stood at attention. “I was merely defending my wife's honor. He shouldn't compare her to the changeling queen.” “Why not?” Koloth asked. “It's not like you could tell the difference between them.” Luna snorted with laughter and tried to contain it after a harsh look from her sister. Cadence turned red and suppressed her own giggle. “Well Shiny is a little slow on the uptake sometimes,” Cadence said, waving a hoof. “And I'm still a bit upset at him that he couldn't tell us apart, too. So he deserves to be reminded of it sometimes. Oh don't make that face, sweetie! Do a good job and I'll give you a special reward later.” She giggled. Shining Armor turned bright red and went back to his troops. “At least he remembered that they were the ones in golden armor,” Koloth noted, quietly enough that only Trixie could hear him. “You really don't like him much, do you?” Trixie asked, equally as quiet. “He has not shown the proper respect due to us,” Koloth said. “We may be a rabble, but we are all soldiers. Luna knows our checkered pasts better than anyone, but gives us a fresh start. By treating us like less than soldiers, he does not respect the second chance that the Princess has given us. Most of us can take pride in little else.” “Trixie understands what that's like.” She put a hoof on Koloth's shoulder. “Maybe that's what princesses are good at.” “Perhaps. But for now, we have a battle to win. Let us see how the enemy handles himself.” Koloth frowned. “We might learn how to avoid embarrassing ourselves.” *** “By Luna's black flank, we have no chance in Tartarus,” Koloth said, watching the Royal Guard as they went around the course. The Day Guard was acting as a single unit, with the kind of coordination typically seen in high-precision industrial machinery. At each obstacle on the course they turned from a group of ponies marching in formation into a greater whole. The low wall, for example, which had posed a huge obstacle that few of the Night Guard were able to conquer, turned into a mere speedbump. The first ponies to reach the wall knelt at the base, allowing the next to use them as steps to reach the top, where they remained to give the rest of the ponies a hoof up. It barely slowed them down. “We should have known they'd be good at it,” Trixie said. “They suggested it. We knew we'd be at a disadvantage.” “Palatine, you saw how good we were,” Koloth said. “And by that I mean you saw in great detail that the word good should never be used in any context with our performance.” The next obstacle was even less of a challenge. As they got into the trenches, the soldiers moved in almost perfect synchronization, staying in a constantly moving line instead of bunching up as Trixie's often did. She saw clearly now how even one pony slowing down or stopping caused a rippled effect that jammed up the traffic for everypony else behind him, only getting worse as it cascaded to the end of the line. “We can't give up.” Trixie sighed. “Trixie just has no idea how to actually win...” “Really? It seems obvious to me.” Discord leaned in between Trixie and Koloth, holding opera glasses and watching the Day Guard. “You just have to cheat. It's the easiest thing in the world.” “Trixie isn't going to cheat!” Trixie looked appalled at the suggestion. “What?!” Discord dropped the opera glasses, the fragile glasses shattering and melting into chocolate milk. “I had such high hopes for you. I thought you were a bit more laid-back than the rest of the alicorns, and it pains me to see you brought down to their level.” He produced a hoofkerchief and wiped a tear from his eye. The soldiers got to the swinging ropes and, thanks to Shining Armor standing on the side and helping them keep time with a cadence. Not his wife, of course (as while she might be open to sharing he was absolutely not) but the kind of simple song soldiers used to keep in time with each other. They got into a rhythm on the ropes and swung regularly to the other side like pendulums, the pattern making sure they didn't bump into each other and knew when the others would move. “I admit, from the stories I have heard, I expected you to cheat as well, Palatine.” Koloth raised an eyebrow. “Trixie has to beat him at his own game.” She turned to face Koloth and Discord. “The point of this isn't just to beat his time, it's to show that we can be disciplined and... soldier-ish.” She waved a hoof, stumbling over the non-word. “The point is, Trixie has to follow the rules. This is a competition, not a battle.” “Hm.” Discord rubbed his chin. His eyes narrowed as he watched the first few Day Guards get across the balance beams that marked the end of the course. “You're right, of course. This isn't a battle at all. It's hardly worthy of your skills.” “Trixie isn't going to fight him,” Trixie said, glaring at Discord. “If we're going to lose, Trixie would prefer to do it with dignity.” “Fifteen minutes and thirty seconds,” Princess Celestia called out. “I believe that is a new course record.” She looked at Trixie. “Are your troops ready?” “Hold on, hold on!” Discord yelled, stepping forward. “This won't do at all. I think we need to make this a lot more entertaining for everypony.” He coughed. “Oh no,” Celestia said, her wings flaring out in alarm. “Discord-” He snapped his talon before she could stop him, the world dissolving in bright light. *** As the flash of white light faded, everything went dark. Sound rushed in around the assembled Night Guards, the crash of steel on steel and screams of ponies. The scent of coppery blood filled the suddenly ice-cold air. “We're not in Canterlot anymore,” Trixie whispered, looking around. The sky was pitch black. They stood in a courtyard, a city burning around them, smoke rising into the sky in pillars of flame. Koloth grunted as he picked something up from the ground, a long pole topped with a torn and bloodied banner. The crumpled shape lying in the shadows had once been its bearer. “Unfortunately, I believe I know where we are,” Koloth said, growling. He planted the pole in the dirt, letting the banner twist in the wind. It showed a moon surrounded by wings and surmounted with a silver crown. “That is the symbol of the Lunar Rebellion, aff?” Ingrid asked, her accent coming on strong. Koloth nodded. “Yes. No one has raised this banner in a thousand years. Not since Nightmare Moon tore Equestria apart in a bid for power.” “It was a very interesting time, wasn't it?” Discord asked, appearing behind the assembled group. “You know, back then the seal was still fresh, and I still very nearly escaped with all the chaos around me. Ah well, good times.” He laughed. “This is a pathetic illusion,” Trixie declared, boldly, stepping past her troops to face the chaos spirit. “As a princess of Equestria, Trixie demands you put us back in our proper time and place!” “You're not a princess, and besides...” Discord said, with a smile. “You can't leave until you've completed your challenge!” “And why is that?” Trixie asked. “Because it's more amusing this way?” “Well, that would be part of it,” Discord admitted. “But I'm afraid it's out of my claws now. You'll pop back to the present in, oh, about twenty minutes.” “Then Trixie will just wait here,” Trixie said, putting her rump down stubbornly. “Trixie refuses to play your little games.” “Oh really?” A claw grabbed her chin, twisting her head to look into the distance, to the castle appearing as the smoke cleared with a wave of Discord's talon. “Behold, the Castle of the Twin Pony Sisters. Right now, it's the capital of Equestria. Canterlot hasn't even been built yet.” “This is the Final Night, isn't it?” Babbidi asked. “Oh, someone has been reading their history books! Or maybe you just remember a bit from having the Nightmare Entity running around in your head. Either way, full marks. This is the night my dear little Tia put her sister under lunar house arrest for a thousand years. And you, my precious little ponies, have a part to play in it!” “No we don't,” Koloth said. “All of the Night Guard that attacked Everfree City were killed when Celestia took to the field.” “Close. Nearly all of them were killed. There was one unit that managed to breach the walls and get into the castle.” “The Third Lunar Assault Force,” Koloth said. “Which we are not.” “No, unfortunately, these ponies are. Or rather were.” Discord gestured around them, to the bodies lying in the shadows. “They were wiped out in an ambush before you arrived. But the good news is, that means you get to take their place!” “Absolutely not,” Lucky Strike snorted. “We should just make like trees and leave.” “You'll never get away in time,” Discord noted. He pulled out a pocketwatch. “Hm. According to this clock – and it's very accurate – you have about fifteen minutes and thirty seconds to get inside the castle. Why, what a coincidence! That's how long it took Shining Ninny to get his men around your little obstacle course! I'd try to beat his time, if I was you.” “What happens if we don't?” Trixie asked, standing slowly. “Well then you'll get a nasty case of sunburn,” Discord said. Sunglasses appeared on Trixie's face. He vanished before she managed to remove them. Trixie looked up at the castle, then at her troops. Not much of a choice. “Get moving!” She yelled. “Ingrid, take point!” Koloth added. “Everyone else fall in formation around the Palatine!” He glanced at Trixie. “You're our artillery and trump card. If we run into trouble, you need to strike it down like your life depends on it.” “I can't just kill somepony!” Trixie said, paling. “In fifteen minutes they will be cinders in Celestia's flames, neg?” Ingrid asked, before taking wing and scouting ahead. “They're looking to you to lead them,” Koloth whispered, stepping closer. “I hate dancing on his strings, but they need a strong leader.” Trixie nodded, taking a deep breath and letting her carefully-built stage presence and confidence wash over her like a mask. “Everypony! We need to move quickly! Make for the castle and if somepony gets hurt or trapped, help them! That's an order!” “Yes, Palatine!” Trixie felt herself blush as the soldiers saluted. She quickly suppressed it and pointed with a hoof. “Stop saluting and run! Trixie commands you!” Koloth gave Trixie a terse nod as the ponies started moving. Nothing could stop them now. *** Something had stopped them now. A wall stretched out in front of them, as far as they could see in both directions. It was almost exactly as tall as the wall on the confidence course. Suspiciously so. “We don't have time to play by the rules,” Koloth said, his wings flaring out. “Everypony who can fly, grab someone who can't and-” “Get out of the way!” Trixie yelled. Koloth saw a glow and felt something prickling at his coat like static electricity. He threw himself aside as Trixie charged forwards, horn glowing. Her hooves kicked up sparks with every step. The air around her shimmered with a sudden heat, and a bolt of blinding magical force slammed into the wall. Koloth ducked as shrapnel from the blast rained down around them. He coughed in the storm of dust and shattered brick. Trixie's harsh glow died down slightly, but sparks still flickered around her, outlining her form in ghostly blue flames. “Get moving!” Trixie yelled. “You heard everypony! We don't want to be here for sunrise!” The night guards got to their hooves and started moving again. Koloth paused to look at the wall. Trixie had blown enough of it apart to let an army through. “Well, that's one way to do it,” Koloth muttered. “Come on, don't just stand around!” Lucky Strike pushed him. Just as he did, a javelin sliced through the air he'd been standing in, catching Lucky in the armor. The pegasus winced as it dug in, reaching around to grab it with his teeth and breaking the shaft, leaving the barbed head in. “Crap. A bulls-eye is such a stupid cutie mark.” “Idiot. Learn to use cover,” Durin said, plodding along, suddenly beside him. Lucky frowned. “I'm not the cover!” He yelled, after he realized what the donkey was doing. *** Ahead, Trixie skidded to a stop as a burst of rapid-fire magical bolts reached towards her. A barrier of swirling red and blue energy flashed before her, deflecting the bolts before fizzling out. Babbidi panted with effort, her horn glowing with clashing colors of magical energy. “Not bad, right? Even like this I'm stronger than the average unicorn!” Babbidi winced as the magic on her horn fizzled, sparking and leaving a discolored mark on the ivory. “We need cover!” Ingrid said, diving down as javelins and bolts of lighting lanced towards her, the deadly projectiles barely missing her. She landed behind Lucky Strike. “Oh for Luna's sake- I'm not the damn cover!” Lucky yelled. “At least not cover enough for all of us.” Babbidi agreed. “I don't think it's going to be a problem,” Koloth growled. He pointed. Ahead of them, trenches had been dug in the mud, giving just barely enough cover to avoid being killed if they crawled. “We should have expected this.” “Trixie is going to turn Discord into a statue and have a sculptor remove his favorite parts with a chisel!” she snarled. “Everypony into the trench! Keep low and move quickly!” The ponies ducked as another wave of magical bolts streaked overhead. “We'll never make it in time,” Babbidi said. “Trixie, cover me.” She started drawing in the mud. Trixie deflected a bolt that would have hit her, a circle of force appearing in the air and bouncing it back where it came from, the bunker at the far end of the field erupting with eldritch purple and green flames. “Make it fast,” Koloth said. “I think our great and powerful leader's lightshow has made everypony in the city decide to come and take a look.” Indeed, the commotion was growing, the sound of steel and screaming going from a distant background drone to a more immediate soundtrack. Trixie deflected a second magic attack into the air where it detonated with a pulse of orange flame. Babbidi reared up and slammed her hooves down into the diagram she'd drawn on the ground. It flared with the color of her magic, and the earth shook, a trench forming in the ground. It was deep enough to run through and wide enough that they wouldn't get bunched up. “There. Just needed a little earth pony style magic.” She panted and rubbed her brow. She was trying to pass it off as nothing, but it had obviously been draining. “No harder than a cloud-walking spell, really.” “Good work,” Trixie said, smiling at her. “Everypony! Double time!” She turned to Koloth and whispered. “That's the right term, isn't it?” *** “The wall, that I expected. It's a castle, after all. The trench was at least plausible. But this is ridiculous!” Lucky Strike kicked a rock with a hoof. It went flying into a yawning pit of flames which had erupted from the ground like some kind of volcanic fissure. Over it, a series of chains dangled enticingly. “At this point, Trixie isn't sure if Discord is just a lot less clever than he thinks,” she said. “We will just fly over.” At that moment, a roaring downdraft formed around them. “That's going to be difficult,” Lucky Strike said. “And I don't mean that just because one of my wings is back in Cloudsdale.” “How convenient. An impossible downdraft into flames. Of course there's no thermals or anything over fire.” Koloth snorted. “Clearly Discord is annoyed we aren't playing by his rules,” Trixie said. “He hasn't learned Trixie doesn't take orders.” “That's not what you said before,” Koloth noted, giving her a chuckle. “As I recall you were the one who told him we needed to follow the rules.” “This isn't about honor or pride now. Trixie has to get all of you out of here alive.” She took a deep breath. “Trixie will go first to make sure it's safe.” She walked to the edge of the pit and looked down, swallowing nervously. She could see lava down there. “Neg. I will go first.” Ingrid gently pushed Trixie back with a talon. “I am on point, aff? And I am the strongest flier.” “And the heaviest,” Lucky put in. “Don't be a jackass,” Babbidi said, quietly. “That's racist!” Durin yelled. “I am going!” Ingrid barked, interrupting the forming argument. The griffoness grabbed the first chain and swung gracefully, easily getting to the next in line. The scaffolding they were attached to creaked, but didn't buckle. “Safe enough,” Koloth declared. “Get moving! If you slip and fall, you will die.” “That's a bit blunt,” Trixie muttered, as the soldiers lined up. “It's honest,” Koloth said. “And I don't think words will intimidate them quite as much as a pit leading halfway to Tartarus.” Ingrid made it to the other side alive. She waved a talon to the other troops. They started across, hesitantly. This close to magma, the chains should have been red-hot. Instead they were cool to the touch. Trixie watched as a few of the bravest soldiers made it to the other side. There was another group halfway across when the earth shook. Trixie felt her mane stand on end, ambient thaumaturgic energy suddenly increasing tenfold, like static electricity before a thunderstorm. “What is that?!” Babbidi asked, feeling it herself. “Something with a lot of magical power,” Trixie replied. She looked down into the pit, wary. “Not down there. Up in the sky.” Koloth tapped her on the shoulder and pointed. Trixie's eyes went wide. Far above them, two stars swirled around each other. One was a bright harsh white, like looking into the sun. The other was an almost ultraviolet purple. Both were glorious and terrible, even at this distance. “Celestia and Nightmare Moon,” Trixie said, taking a step back. Bolts of energy struck between them, the agile sparks dancing away from the beams of death. One struck the castle ahead of them, a buttress collapsing into rubble. The ground shook, the air almost rippling with the overpressure from the blast even at this distance. A wash of static fell over Trixie, the magical power of the bolts so high even an earth pony would sense it. “No wonder the Everfree is still contaminated with magic!” Babbidi gasped. “I had no idea an alicorn had this much power!” “They're so much stronger than I thought...” Trixie whispered. She shook it off after a moment. This was entirely the wrong time to feel jealous of somepony else's power. “Babbidi, can you make a bridge or something across this gap?” “It would take too long without a focus,” Babbidi groaned. “It's faster than building a normal bridge, but it'd still take almost an hour of work. I can't just make the rock get up and move!” “We don't have time to waste with everypony swinging across.” Trixie grabbed a soldier with her magic and flung him to the other side. “Trixie will throw, you catch!” “Wait, I'm not ready!” Babbidi barely had time to slow the soldier's fall before he landed heavily in the mud, confused and terrified. “Just thirty more!” Trixie said, grinning. She picked up three more, the soldiers yelping as they were tossed like toys. Toys with feelings, which could experience pain and were being flung by magic from an alicorn who possibly did not have the best grip on her own powers. Across a giant chasm filled with lava. Surely nothing could go wrong. “Not so many at once!” Babbidi winced with effort, her horn sparking. “You can manage it,” Trixie said. “Trixie knows you are possibly the strongest unicorn in Equestria.” “So humble for someone who is probably about to follow that statement with 'Because Trixie is an alicorn, and so is Twilight Sparkle.'” Babbidi groaned. “Even so, Trixie means it.” Trixie turned to look at her. She put a hoof on Babbidi's shoulder and gave her a confident smirk. Babbidi blushed and turned away. “Just don't go too fast. If they end up getting hurt from you throwing them, it's your fault.” The sky suddenly lit up with a flash, the bright star falling from the heavens and slamming into a distant wing of the castle with the force of a comet. “Do you think that was supposed to happen?” Lucky asked. “I mean, we didn't accidentally change the past so Nightmare Moon won, right?” “Well if we did, we're in the right bucking uniforms for it!” Trixie yelled, throwing Lucky to the other side of the chasm. Babbidi squeaked with surprise and lost her grip on him at the last minute. Ingrid caught him in her talons, the two guards sharing a look. “Flirt on your own time!” Koloth snapped. Ingrid dropped him like a sack of potatoes, her feathers ruffling as she backed away. Babbidi took a deep breath. “I'm ready this time. Go ahead, Palatine.” Trixie nodded and started throwing guards across, one at a time. Even like this, it was faster and safer than using the chains. They established a rhythm and everyone was quickly across except for Trixie and Babbidi themselves. “Can you catch yourself?” Trixie asked. Babbidi hesitated. “Sort of. I'll be fine.” Before she could think twice, Trixie threw her. The unicorn fired a burst of magic at the stone on the far side. When she landed, the stone distorted for a moment, her hooves sinking into it like she'd fallen on a mattress. “Wait, how are you going to get yourself across?!” Babbidi demanded, as she recovered. “Luna taught Trixie a few things.” She ran into a dark corner, sliding through the shadows there and out of a dim alcove next to Babbidi. “Trixie will have to thank her later.” “The drawbridge should be just ahead,” Koloth said. “We're almost to safety.” “Almost might not be enough. That took far too long,” Babbidi said. The unicorn was starting to look worn-out. She clearly wasn't built for this kind of thing. Trixie wasn't either. But she still felt fresh, like she could do it a hundred times more and not even get winded. It was an odd feeling. Babbidi seemed to have caught some look in her eyes, because she snorted and looked away. “Don't feel sorry for me just because I don't have freakish alicorn super-strength and endurance. If you were still a unicorn you'd be in worse shape than I am.” “Actually, Trixie worked at a rock farm for quite a while,” Trixie noted. “Trixie was in excellent physical shape even before her transformation.” “Lucky you,” Babbidi sighed. “Our little witch is right,” Koloth said. “That took almost all of our remaining time. It will be a miracle if we can get across the drawbridge before we burn.” They ran through a wall of smoke from burning debris and were confronted with the final obstacle. “I don't know what else I was expecting,” Trixie said, as the drawbridge came into sight. Mysteriously and conveniently, the crossbeams had been destroyed, the structure crumbling until only a few long beams bridged the gap leading into the castle. “If we somehow get out of this alive I'll never take my training for granted again,” Lucky said, a hoof over his heart. “Stop yappin' and keep goin'!” Durin stepped onto one of the long beams, starting the walk across. The donkey looked down at the broken rubble below them, not even slowing as light gleamed from a field of spikes and sharp edges. “Form up!” Koloth yelled. “Flying over the gap will probably work just as poorly as last time, so keep your hooves on the ground!” “We'll never make it in time,” Babbidi whispered. “Don't say that,” Trixie said, her eyes watching the sky. The clouds were lit from below, a kaleidoscope of light rising from the castle. “I can just throw everyone across again.” “I can't catch them,” Babbidi groaned. “I'm one spell away from passing out on my feet.” “This is the end,” Koloth said, whispering and watching the spectacle above. “The end of the Darkest Hour. It's...” “Terrible,” Babbidi suggested. “Powerful,” Lucky put in. “Beautiful,” Ingrid said, quietly. “All of those, and more,” Koloth said. “It is not something a mortal can witness and live.” A beam of prismatic light lanced across the sky, transfixing the dark star above them. The clouds vanished as a shockwave exploded through the air, rending the vapor apart. Thunder pressed down around the Night Guards, the very stone protesting with the force of the magic. The moon shone for a moment, a rainbow shimmering in a circle around it. Then the blank white face of the orb changed, craters and shadows appearing. The Mare in the Moon was fixed on its surface, just as it had been in their childhoods. “Oh my. It looks like you're just about out of time,” Discord said, appearing in a flash and pulling out a pocketwatch. He presented it to Trixie, the hands just pointing to the word 'Sunrise'. “You know, I really expected more of you. I even let you cheat a little bit because it would be more fun.” “Get us out of here!” Trixie demanded, throwing the watch down. “I wish I could. I truly do.” Discord smirked. “But I can't! You haven't gotten into the castle yet. If I just poofed you away, I'd be messing with the timeline. Dear Tia made me promise not to cause any damage to time and space this week. I hope she lightens up in time for the sequel.” “What are you- You already messed up time and space! We aren't supposed to be here!” Trixie snapped. “No, you're supposed to be in that castle.” Discord frowned. “Hm. I hope I didn't forget something... Oh well. It's not safe to be outdoors right now. Tia just banished her sister to the moon and she's a little emotionally unstable.” He leaned down to whisper in Trixie's ear. “And let me tell you, she can make Twilight Sparkle look positively stable even when she isn't having her feelings twisted around with magic.” “What?” Trixie asked, confused. Discord stood up. “Don't give me that look. You'd be upset if you banished your sister to the moon!” “Trixie doesn't have a sister! And what do you mean about magic?!” “Maybe I'll explain later. Or maybe not! But the sundial is ticking.” A sundial appeared between them, shadows growing on its surface as the sky started to light up with the rising sun. Trixie looked up. Not the sun. Celestia. The bright star was descending and even from this distance Trixie could feel the heat of her flames. Trixie looked at the soldiers scrambling to try and get to safety, and the flaring solar princess coming towards them. “Koloth, get everyone inside. Trixie is going to buy us some time.” She swallowed. “And how do you intend to do that?” “Trixie is going to do something really stupid,” Trixie said, lightly. “Ah, good. That's the Night Guard's oldest tradition.” Koloth smirked and slapped her on the shoulder. “Try to die with honor, if an immortal can manage it.” Trixie snorted. “Trixie was hoping to live forever instead, so don't be too slow. Trixie will only be stupid enough to get you a few extra seconds.” Koloth turned back to the troops scrambling to get over the broken beams of the bridge, screaming for them to move. Trixie was certain the insults regarding their parentage were mostly unwarranted. Trixie squinted as she tried to focus on Celestia. The star burst with a flash, revealing Celestia's glowing form. Thunder and a wash of hot wind followed the light's wake a moment later. Even at this distance, Trixie could read the body language. She was furious beyond any words. “THIS WAR IS OVER!” She shouted, in a booming voice. It turned out she wasn't actually furious beyond words. They merely had to be extremely loud words screamed in the Royal Canterlot Voice. Light started gathering on her horn, and the world erupted into flame. Golden solar fire cascaded in a cone miles long, blasting through the city and forests around it, Celestia not bothering to distinguish friend from foe in her anguish. Magical bolts flew through the air at her, vanishing as they neared her body like the spells simply evaporated. Trixie's eyes went wide. She could just imagine Twilight standing there, explaining what she was seeing. “Celestia's incredible thaumaturgic overpressure is simply too much for the bolts to match. Trying to hit her with a spell right now is like throwing a cup of water at the ocean and trying to get a fish wet. She's surrounded by so much of her own magical energy that her aura has more power in it than the average unicorn's attack spell. Here, I can make a list and a few diagrams to explain..” Trixie shook her head. She didn't have time to think about Twilight making lists, even if, in her imagination, the young princess was wearing some very interesting lace. The simple truth is that it would take ten Starswirls to get enough power to do more than get Celestia angry. It was obvious, though, that it took considerably less than that to get her attention. The cone of divine fire turned to wash over the part of the city the bolts had struck from, half of the city turning into ash and scattering on the hot wind. “It's a good thing the Great and Powerful Trixie is as strong as twenty Starswirls!” She declared to herself. She ran forwards into the dark shadows thrown by the solar flare and stepped through them to the top of a guard tower just barely in her reach, closer to Celestia. It was like suddenly appearing in an oven. She was close enough to make out Celestia's expression of anguish, though any tears that would have streaked down her face evaporated instantly into steam. Trixie braced herself. There wasn't time to do anything except something really, really stupid. She felt her earth pony magic anchoring her to the ground as she focused all of her magic into one spell. Celestia seemed to notice the blue light of her magic an instant before Trixie unleashed it, the solar princess' eyes going wide with shock. Unlike the bolts from the unicorns in the city, Trixie's bolt weathered the storm of Celestia's magic easily. She had intended to just fire a warning shot to distract her, but the bolt turned slightly under the force of Celestia's aura and struck the solar princess in the face. With enough force to kill several normal ponies. Trixie winced. Her idea had gone from merely bad to the worst possible thing, and she didn't even have a fainting couch to pass out on. The cone of solar flame flickered and died. Celestia reached up and touched her face, blood streaming from a wound above one eye. She looked at Trixie. A timeless moment passed as their gazes met. Then Celestia's eyes started glowing with impossible brilliance, and the blood on her face started to boil. Trixie paled and teleported away as a solar flare annihilated the tower she had been standing on, the stone itself sublimating in the intense heat. She ran across the shuddering boards that had been the drawbridge, fear lending her speed her hooves would never otherwise match. Koloth was at the door, holding it open. Trixie felt her tail burst into flames from the radiant heat and screamed in panic as she grabbed his hoof, the thestral pulling her inside. Trixie had just a moment to see that everypony had gotten inside before the light from the doorway and windows bloomed with blinding brilliance, and she was blinded. *** Instead of searing pain, Trixie felt a cool breeze. She cautiously opened an eye. They were back on the practice field outside of Canterlot. She heard clapping. Koloth and the others were scattered around the field, most of them looking like they'd been dropped from a few feet up. “Bravo! You managed to get into the castle alive! That was wonderful, really.” Discord smirked, clapping happily. “It was much more entertaining than just some dull little romp through the mud. You didn't quite beat his time, but you managed to survive, so we'll call it a draw, I think.” “Trixie is going to turn you into the one thing you aren't yet!” Trixie snarled, gritting her teeth. “Trixie is going to turn you inside out!” “Now that hardly seems fair,” Discord said. “Here I was, just trying to help, and you're upset for no reason at all.” “You created an illusion that we were sent back in time!” Trixie snapped. “That did not help Trixie!” “Oh, it was hardly an illusion.” Discord appeared behind her, gently touching her somewhat shorter, blackened tail. “You might say that was the tail end of the little tiff of the pony sisters. In your case the tail end is abridged and scorched enough to be accurate.” “It was obviously an illusion,” Trixie said, putting her nose in the air and spinning to face Discord, yanking her tail out of his talons. “Otherwise it would have changed the present. Trixie has taken classes in intermediate temporal mechanics and paradoxes. And you said Princess Celestia made you promise not to harm space and time.” “Discord, what did you do?” Celestia asked, sounding tired and frustrated, as she landed next to the assembled ponies.”I told you this was a matter between Shining Armor and Trixie, and you weren't to interfere.” “I didn't have a choice!” Discord protested. “It was one of those prophesy things you alicorns are so obsessed with. Personally, I never saw the attraction. Seeing the future means you never get to be surprised, and surprises are such fun!” “Trixie doubts there was a prophesy about Trixie being thrown back in time and firing beams of magic into Princess Celestia's face.” Trixie frowned. Celestia, unfortunately, paled. “You did... what?” “Trixie and the others were trapped in some kind of illusion,” Trixie explained. “It was the end of the Lunar Rebellion and Trixie had to buy time for her ponies to escape so she, um, shot you in the face with magic.” She blushed. “But obviously it didn't really happen, since it didn't change the present!” “Of course it didn't change the present,” Discord snorted. “That implies it wasn't what already happened.” He appeared next to Celestia and moved a lock of her hair that draped over her face. There, above her eye, was an old scar. “I did promise not to harm the timeline. That meant I had to send you back in time! Otherwise you'd never have done what you were always meant to do.” “That's-” Trixie's eyes went wide. “I never found out just what pony was powerful enough to do this. I suppose it explains a few things.” Celestia sighed. “And I thought you said you'd taken the class on paradoxes,” Discord sighed. “This is a classic predestination paradox. You were always meant to go back.” Discord rubbed his claws together. “In fact, if you didn't, it would unravel time! I just saved Equestria!” Confetti rained from the sky, and hats appeared on everypony present. “Trixie hates time travel,” Trixie muttered. Celestia carefully removed her hat. “Trixie...” “No,” Trixie said, taking a deep breath. “Princess, I'm sorry.” She knelt down in the mud. “Trixie- I made some mistakes. I want to apologize for being rude and... also for shooting you in the face with magic.” Celestia smiled. “Don't kneel, Trixie. I told you before that kneeling didn't fit you well, and I meant it. You're a pony who should have pride in herself. I'm the one who should apologize. I haven't been treating you fairly.” Trixie stood up slowly. “You've just been doing what you thought was best for Equestria.” “I've been treating you like someone trying to steal my-” She hesitated. “My best friend. I suppose you could say I'm jealous of you. Cadence suggested I talk to you about it.” “She would be the expert,” Trixie said, quietly. “More than you know. She's had to deal with a lot of difficult and complicated issues with her family...” Celestia stopped. “It isn't my place to tell, and in some ways I'm making the same mistakes with you that I made with her, taking you away from the pony you love and hiding you.” “You're really jealous of me?” Trixie asked, scraping at the dirt with a hoof. “Does it surprise you that I can get jealous? I'm still a pony, Trixie. Everypony forgets that sometimes, and I try to live up to that impossible standard.” She sighed. “It's not easy. But you already know what that's like, from your life as a showmare.” “Trixie knows how hard that can be.” She swallowed. “Princess, I-” “Princess! Get away from her!” Trixie found herself suddenly captured in a bubble of energy. Shining Armor ran to interpose himself between Trixie and Celestia. “I heard what she did. We'll have her and her troops in the dungeon at once. Assaulting the princess is high treason.” “Shining Armor, stop being silly.” Cadence sighed, flitting down next to him. “There's such a thing as extenuating circumstances. Or do you want to lock up your sister for her attack on Princess Luna?” “That was different!” “Trixie, you'll have to forgive him,” Cadence said. “He's just trying to be a good big brother and protect his little sister. I don't think he'd be happy no matter who was trying to date his LSBFF.” “His what?” Trixie and Celestia both asked at once. “Little Sister Best Friend Forever,” Cadence explained. “He always tries his best to protect others and this time I think he went a little far. You're both grown mares and can make your own decisions, even if Twilight does act more like a filly than an adult sometimes.” “She's sheltered,” Trixie admitted, quietly. “And she learned most of what she knows from books. But she tries her best to make ponies happy, and she cared more about me than any of my fans ever did. I know I don't deserve her, but I want to make her happy too.” “Aye, if it were merely her tight flank, I would have more quickly drawn her gaze than thy little sister!” Luna laughed as she joined the others after a few words with Koloth. “Come now, Shining Armor, thou must admit that your sister tends more towards a scholarly figure.” “I'm not going to discuss my sister's figure!” Shining Armor blushed. “Perhaps we should discuss thy wife's figure instead? She has a fine flank as well.” “No!” “I don't mind,” Cadence said, looking at Shining Armor coyly. “I think,” Celestia said, coughing. “That we will call this contest null and void due to outside interference.” “That reminds me, Trixie needs to turn Discord into a statue and banish him to the sun! Where did he go...” She turned to look for him. Luna gasped in horror. “What happened to thy tail?!” *** Dear Twilight, It took me a long time to decide what to put in this letter. I'm not sure exactly how to say what I learned, except that maybe Princess Celestia and I have more in common than I thought. When I was performing, I only had to keep up my act while I was on stage, and I could get time to myself to relax. She's had to wear that mask for over a thousand years. I guess it's something a princess has to be good at aside from smiling and waving and alicorn death beams. I'm starting to understand your brother too. He doesn't approve of me, but that's because he cares about you and wants to make sure you don't get hurt. Given our shared history, I can't blame him. Despite what Luna thinks, a grand gesture or two isn't going to sway him. I need to show him that I've become a better pony. That's going to take time. Oh yes, and the most important thing I learned – don't ever travel back in time. There's a lot of paperwork you have to fill out when you get back to the future. I don't even want to know why Celestia has those forms on hand, but I suspect it might have something to do with you. Yours, The Great and Powerful Palatine Trixie of the Night Guard *** “You shouldn't have tried to kill her,” Cadence said, swirling wine around in her glass. “You told me it was too dangerous to have her around my sister!” Shining Armor protested, before he was cut off by a cold glare. “It's more dangerous to try and kill an immortal alicorn. Besides, honey, you're not good at hurting ponies. I know you want to keep Twilight safe, but there are better ways to do it. Remember what we talked about?” “...About how if you were stronger, it would mean she didn't have to do so much fighting,” Shining Armor admitted. “That's right. And if Trixie is dead, it's going to be even harder. I need to use her as a wedge to keep the others busy. They don't need to know until it's over. Celestia can't stand the thought that I'd try to forge a new destiny for myself. Shiny, do you know why she sent Discord out to stop Tirek?” “She was worried Tirek would steal alicorn magic.” “No. It's because she read in her little book of prophesy that he couldn't be stopped with alicorn magic, so she didn't even try. But you know what?” Shining Armor didn't reply, letting his wife continue. “We could have stopped him, easily, without anypony getting hurt, without having to risk trusting Discord – which was a mistake in itself. Even after Celestia dropped the ball, Twilight nearly defeated him! If he hadn't had hostages, she would have turned him into a smear on the ground.” “She was right, though. Alicorn magic didn't defeat him.” Cadence threw a glare at him over her shoulder. “Sorry.” “The point, Shiny, is that a prophesy is like a script for a play. If you have enough will to do it, you can change the lines.” She looked up at the stars. “I'm going to find a way to do it. No matter what my cutie mark is telling me, I'm not just a figurehead to sit in a distant empire and play nice.” From up in the rafters, a dark figure watched over Cadence, wings buzzing almost silently.