//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - The Great and Powerful Magician // Story: Surrender or Death // by dessieh //------------------------------// “Trixie Lulamooon, as the new Princess of Equestria, I called you here to decide your future,” I said as I watched the guards leave the room. “You fought against me and the other rebels in our war for a better Equestria...” “Yeah, I know all that, just tell me what you want from The Great and Powerful Trixie,” she spoke in her arrogant tone, as always. It was unbelievable how even after losing a war, Trixie didn’t lose her pose. “My allies want the death of all who fought against the rebels.” I made a deliberate pause, waiting for some change in her attitude, but I couldn’t notice anything. “But I convinced them to give you a chance, the only thing I ask in return is apologize to the rebels in a ceremony this afternoon.” I forced myself to do another pause, still waiting for some reaction from Trixie. “So what’s your choice? Surrender or Death? “I think I prefer death, Twilight.” The blue unicorn looked selflessly to her own hooves, I was able to notice a mocking tone becoming present when pronouncing my name. “I have the right to a last request too? Before dying, I would like to have some thing-” I finally noticed what was so present in Trixie since she had stepped into this room: she thought all this was a mere bluff. I was forced to interrupt her. “Trixie, I'm not kidding. If you do not surrender, I'll have to hang you. The rebels demand it.” “Uh-huh, of course, Twilight.” A slight smile formed on Trixie’s face and I was sure that I wouldn’t like what she would say next. “And will you hang the princesses too? Your brother? Your dear friends who abandoned you? They also betrayed you and I do not think they will surrender.” When Trixie wanted, she knew how to hurt someone. I had spent the rest of the morning reminiscing about all we have passed on the war and crying about having to fight against my friends. In the most discreet way possible, I held my tears and took a deep breath. I would not cry in front of her. I never would show how much she had managed to hurt me, I still had my pride. I knew Trixie was right, as much as I avoided seeing the truth, I knew that. Shining had his loyalty to the royal guard, and his love for Cadance, he wouldn’t surrender easily. But my best friends, or at least those who were once my best friends, I knew nothing more about them. We spent so much time away that I had no idea of what to expect from them. Especially Rainbow Dash. “Trixie, don’t you see what Celestia did?” As much as she could be detestable, I did not want to be responsible for the death of anyone. “Think of the ponies you met and died of disease or some accident. They could be saved if it weren’t for Celestia!” “I know well what could have saved the ponies I met.” She took a step towards me, the anger clear both in her face and in her voice. “You not starting a war!” “This is your last chance to surrender. You can think whatever you like, but you have to make a choice now, Trixie Lulamoon.” I tried to sound serious, to show that I wouldn’t mind killing her. I tried to destroy the idea that it could have the remotest chance of being a bluff. “Surrender or Death?” “Death,” she spoke in a low tone, it was obvious that she wasn’t so sure of the bluff anymore. But I could see in her eyes something I hadn’t expected to find: she seemed to try to be ready to die for a cause, the cause of Celestia. “As you wish,” I said with a sigh. Celestia seemed to have brainwashed her allies. “Guards! You can take her, she will be hanged later today.” I could see the scared look that Trixie exhibited when the guards grabbed her. Now she was sure there was no bluff and that she would have to prove her certain to want to die for a cause. “Twilight, are you sure you want to start your reign with deaths?” Trixie's voice trembled with fear. Maybe the brainwashing of Celestia wasn’t that good. “Will you simply kill everyone who thinks differently from you? And do you think you will be better than Celestia doing this?” I gestured to the guards to stop to walk, for the relief of Trixie. “We're not killing those who think differently from us, but instead the ones who support a government that prevents the development of the country at the cost of the death of their subjects.” I made another gesture to the guards continue their duty. “What?” she cried astonished, being dragged by the guards. “Wait, Twilight! I changed my mind! I want to surrender!” “I said that was your last chance coming from me. You better hope my allies have pity on you before the hanging.” I sighed as I heard the screams and cries of Trixie. As much as I disliked her, I hated to see her despair “And, guards, ask Chrysalis to enter too.” “Yes, Princess!” the guards answered. I closed my eyes, making everything disappear, especially Trixie's face. “You know you have to forgive some of them,” said Chrysalis, as she walked in my direction. “To show how tolerant we are.” “I know, I know. But I'd rather forgive one of my friends than...” I made ​​a grimace of disgust. “Trixie Lulamoon.” “I understand.” Chrysalis decided to try to win the title of my adviser and she offered to help me deal with the weight of choosing the death of our prisoners. I know her intention is only to get more power, but she was really helping me. “Now it is better for us to get ready for the ceremony. You have to be there for her hanging.” With another sigh, I headed to my room. My allies had placed several dresses at my disposal for me wear them in the various ceremonies that we will have until the end of the sentences. One of the dresses caught my attention, it was dark blue and white. It reminded me of a dress that Rarity had given to me for the Grand Galloping Gala. I let a few tears fall before putting the dress. I missed all of my friends so much! But soon we'd be together again, as soon as they all surrender. So we would never split up again. I went to the ceremony and sat in the highest chair, the most prominent place. I let my allies speak for me. And then they talked about the reason of the hanging and they explained that this would happen with all the prisoners who refused to surrender. All the prisoners were there, they still trapped and had hoofcuffs. I avoided looking at any of them, especially Shining and Rainbow. The remaining of my best friends were sitting with the crowd, but they had guards around to prevent them of escape. They weren’t prisoners, but they would undergo the judgment for their betrayal when abandoning the fight. I didn’t want to look at Trixie also, I didn’t want to see the life slipping away from her body. So I ventured to look at my best friends in the crowd. Applejack and Rarity were with her ​​sisters. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are then grown up mares and were sitting together, with their respective sisters on their sides. I didn’t see Granny Smith or Big Mac around, had something bad happened to them? Fluttershy cried next to Discord, they were in the row behind Applejack and Rarity. Pinkie was in the right side of Fluttershy, with Limestone and Marble Pie, but I couldn’t see either of their parents or Maud around. Soon I noticed a big red stallion coming towards my friends, sitting close to Applejack and Apple Bloom. Big Macintosh was alright! I recognized Babs Seed beside him, Apple Bloom’s cousin, hugging a mare, which I assumed to be her mother. I still didn’t see Granny Smith or other Pinkie’s relatives. I managed to find Rarity’s mother a few rows away from them, but I didn’t see her father. I thought I saw Rainbow’s father, but I did not know him well enough to be sure. I felt the panic taking my mind when I noticed the absence of Scootaloo. What if something bad had happened to her? Rainbow Dash would be so devastated! I would have to remember to ask the guards about her. Before I could realize, Trixie's body was being taken from the gallows, lifeless. Everything was over. The crowd had been released to move on with their lives and the prisoners were taken back to their cells. Only me, my main allies and the soldiers who received medals of highest honor for their services stayed behind. The banquet was just for us. I wasn’t hungry, but the others seemed not to care about the death that occurred recently. I put some food on my plate and the best smile I had on my face. Some of the soldiers came to see me, they thought it was an honor to have served the Princess of Equestria and I did my best to not disappoint them. But the one thing that continued to resonate in my mind was a simple sentence that summarizes everything that happened on this day: Trixie Lulamoon is dead. She is dead. She will never see the sun or the moon rise up again. And tomorrow morning I would have to make a speech at her funeral, and then prepare myself for the next sentence. The colorful tables and chairs seemed to mock me. The red tablecloth and chairs seemed to want to imitate the blood of Trixie. The decorations in shades of pink, yellow and blue seemed to want to emulate Pinkie’s animation, but they failed miserably. Nobody should be laughing after seeing one death. Nobody should be able to eat after seeing a life go away. For a moment I agreed with Trixie, we weren’t any better than Celestia. As soon as possible, I made up an excuse and went to my room. I spent hours lying in my bed, unable to sleep. Trixie was dead because of me. I condemned her to die and I had yet to come up with a speech for her funeral. I could not help but cry. In my years of war, I did not have to enter combat many times and I never killed anyone. The greatest thing I did was hurt them enough that they could no longer attack us. I wanted to improve Equestria and prevent deaths, not cause more. I cried myself to sleep. But the images of Trixie, lifeless, being taken from the gallows haunted me all night. I could hear her crying, her despair. And I woke up in tears. I barely slept and I couldn’t sleep any longer. After everything was ready, I went to Trixie’s funeral. I asked them to arrange the best possible funeral and to find out what her favorite colors and flowers were.I wanted them to incorporate everything they find out about Trixie in the funeral. When I got there, everything was beautiful. There weren’t many people. The only living relative of Trixie was her father, who was crying desperately when looking at his dead daughter. The guests consisted of a few of her friends and some soldiers who had surrendered. A cage large enough for an alicorn was near the coffin. Celestia had been authorized to attend the funeral, as long as she was stuck in the cage and surrounded by guards. Apparently she and Trixie became very close, as if Celestia wanted to replace me with the now dead blue unicorn. I felt a hint of jealousy at this thought. I shouldn’t feel jealous of the two. Trixie was dead and I hated Celestia. There was no reason for jealousy. Of course I missed a relationship like the one I had with Celestia, but she ruined everything with her thirst for power and now I could only feel hate for her. Nothing more. Nothing. I didn’t want to get close to the coffin and see Trixie’s face. Did the makeup artist manage to leave her with a beautiful look? I knew Rarity volunteered to make her dress. Trixie should be beautiful, anypony who wore Rarity’s clothes became wonderful. A few tears slipped from my eyes. I miss Rarity so much! I miss all my friends so much! And Trixie’s death was my fault. My fault! I forced myself to get close to the coffin and look at her face. The black coffin was fully open, exhibiting a body with a sad expression. Trixie looked so sad in that coffin, I couldn’t help but sob amidst my tears. She was really wonderful, the makeup artist had done a perfect job, I couldn’t see the marks that the gallows had left on her neck. The dress Rarity made was dark blue, with Trixie’s cutie mark in white, it matched perfectly with Trixie’s beauty. The lining of the coffin was almost the same color of the unicorn’s fur and white lilies decorated the coffin as much as the rest of the funeral. Who would have thought that Trixie’s favorite flowers were white lilies? I caught one of the lilies of the decoration with my magic and put it in her mane. That got everyone's attention. Or maybe my sobs had done this before? Well, that didn’t matter anymore, I had to speak my discourse. I calmed myself and stopped my tears. “Trixie Lulamoon was known as The Great and Powerful Trixie and I can’t deny it, she was truly great and powerful.” I had to take a break to not cry again. “She was great and powerful when she left everything to fight for a cause. This cause might not be the right one, but it's always admirable when someone has the courage to do this. “She was also great and powerful when she agreed to go through ten years of fight, pain and suffering to defend this cause. And she was more than great and powerful when she accepted death to not let her cause die.” I was interrupted by the endless sobs coming from Trixie’s father. I wanted to hug him and apologize for everything, but I knew I, as the Princess of Equestria, shouldn’t do this. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is an example of courage to be followed. And I hope that this courage lives forever in the hearts of everypony who knew her.” I had to make another pause, but this time I allowed a few tears to roll down my face. “Trixie, you will be buried today with the biggest title that I could give you. You will be buried today as the bearer of the Element of Courage and you will be an inspiration to everypony who hear your story.” I stepped away from the coffin, giving time for others to talk about Trixie too. Without noticing, I ended up standing next to Celestia. I didn’t look at her, I didn’t want her to notice how much I suffered with it. I didn’t want her to have hopes that I would feel so sorry for her too. “At least you still have a heart, Twilight,” said Celestia. She actually dared to talk to me. I held my tears before answering her. “Don’t you dare to talk to me. She's dead because of you.” I kept my voice low, but I let all the anger I felt clear in my voice. I left before she could answer anything. I heard a range of sobs and I refused to believe that they came from Celestia. It was easier to accept the death of Trixie, and the future judgment of Celestia, if I thought of my old mentor as a monster. I didn’t stay to see the end of the funeral. I preferred to recover from all that happened. I still had to go through another judgment and perhaps a hanging before the end of the day.