Trixie grumbles and stirs awake, the sickness from the day prior seems to have faded but she is still fatigued. Opening her eyes to blinding darkness, she finds it rather odd; The Las Pegasus lights were always peeking through the motel window. As she thinks to reach for her bedside lamp a gruff old stallion's voice sounds in the dark.
"Apologies for meeting you like this, that little one with you is quite the guard, I had to make sure there was no light for her to manipulate." The voice sighs, "I was also quite rough with restraining her so extend my apologies." Trixie hears the stallion move closer and lights up her horn to illuminate the possible threat, yet the light doesn't extend past her bedside.
She throws her blanket up and gets on her hooves, the bed makes a sharp creak from her sudden action, but the lack of light causes her to hesitate about making another move. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is quite done having her slumber interrupted, whatever it is that you want, I suggest you begone until morning, Trixie will hear you then."
"Ah, I see the medicine did its job. As well I am glad to know you are willing to listen. However, this matter is of utmost secrecy and we must be quick as other parties are seeking to silence you."
"The Gr-" Trixie attempts the interject but the stallion continues regardless.
"I will say you at least owe me this, I'm sure you're aware that you were falling ill recently. These other parties already made an attempt at taking your life and my employer sent me along to apply the antidote."
"Hmph." Trixie huffs, still displeased that she was awoken in the middle of the night. "Trixie isn't tired at the moment, so she'll humor you."
"Good." The stallion takes an audible breath, "As I stated, your life is in danger. Yet these ponies who seek to neutralize you are cunning and no visible sign of ill-intent will ever come to light before it is too late. As it stands currently, on your own you will not last another month. My employer has therefore decided to offer you a means to protect yourself against your newly acquired foes. If-"
"Question." Trixie interrupts, "Whom exactly is seeking to slay Trixie, and why?"
"The who, is information I am not privy to. Although, as to why... There's a little known saying amongst the world of magic: 'There is no such thing as a curse.' It's meant to entertain that there is no magic where magic was not intended to be, as well there can be no magic from incantations and potions or the like. You, my good mare, have been advertising openly your ability to undo magics that disobey this idea. Thus, publicly displaying that these magics do in fact exist. Whomever seeks to be rid of you is one of many who do everything in their power to make sure ponies do not fall to panic should the world of the cursed come to light."
"Hold on." Trixie squints her eyes as she thinks over what's been said so far, "Why in Tartarus is killing Trixie their first solution!?"
With a quick chuckle the stallion says, "Well, it just so happens there is only two remedies to the problem of a pony who knows what you know... This also applies to the filly. You are either silenced, for good, by whatever means necessary, or you become a sworn member of our society." The stallion lets out an angry huff, "Unfortunately, ponies who've been spared in the past still had the gall to try and tell others of their experiences and we can only let those of exceptional ability into our fold."
Trixie raises her voice, "Then why has Trixie not been invited!?" Of course Trixie doesn't want to be a part of whatever cult the stallion is on about, but there's no way they couldn't know of Trixie's great and powerful talents. 'Adding me to any group would prove invaluable, yet they're try to nix me!' "... Wait, 'our society'? You're with those murderers!?" Trixie backs up to the wall and searches for a weapon, but it's still far too dark.
"Calm yourself, whilst I've soundproofed this room, I can't have you believing that I mean you any harm. The society that I speak of consists of many factions, and although we work towards the same goal, our methods are vastly different. Sadly, only a third of these factions would never harm a pony for results. I am a part of a faction who are few in number and I believe you to be an asset we cannot go on without."
'That's more like it.'
"You have, not only encountered, but extinguished the threat in a cursed item, daily, for three days." As he says this Trixie puffs out her chest and raises her chin, ready for more praise. "Although the threat of these items were minimal, you seem to have some sort of strange luck. You may not have realized it but you have an extensive history of nearly falling prey to curses that our society keeps close eyes on."
'Minimal!?' Trixie lowers her head and raises a brow, continuing to listen.
"Including one that you must remember, The Alicorn Amulet. You did not utilize its full potential and thus you were not completely taken by the dark spirit, but we intentionally placed it where no scholar who'd read about it would ever end up. We also left it in the hands of an extraordinarily greedy stallion... we'd promised to pay him for every pony he turned away from it, yet we didn't expect he'd forgo the long-term profit of being paid per deterred customer for the hefty sum you presented him that day...
"Now, without any further questions, will you join us? Not only will you be able to utilize that odd luck in your favor, but my employer will be sure to protect you, not only from the curses you will encounter, but from the factions who would rather you not be."
The answer was simple, having supposedly been saved from a terrible fate, and with entire factions of some strange society out to get her, Trixie would have to say yes. They know about The Alicorn Amulet, down to how she obtained it and with the strange power to cause the thick darkness that surrounds her, there's no escaping them if she says no.
"If you need The Great and Powerful Trixie so badly, why it would simply be far too cruel of me to refuse." Trixie answers.
The light snaps on and Trixie's ears ring, her eyes strain painfully to adjust as the ringing slowly dies down. A loud thud, followed by Lulu's groan draws Trixie's attention towards the front door which now swings shut. 'After all that he leaves?' Trixie notices that behind the door lies a black briefcase. She hops down and it hits her that she doesn't actually see Lulu in the room.
"Lulu?" Trixie looks around the room, but wastes no time approaching the briefcase. Trixie's hoof hits something soft on the way and she stops to look down. Nothing, at least, nothing to see but there's definitely something there as Trixie prods the invisible object it begins the chortle.
"Stop!" Lulu exclaims, the object Trixie couldn't identify lights up a bright white, taking Lulu's form and rolls away from Trixie's hoof. Popping up onto her hooves and stretching, Lulu grumbles, "That jerk stole my box and trapped me in... uh, something... but it was dark!" The filly flicks a frustrated hoof to her side and then begins to pace the room. "If I don't get enough light I could disappear!"
"You eat just like anypony else, I can't imagine you rely on photosynthesis as well." Trixie states, reaching the briefcase and flicking the locks open.
"If only it were that simple."
The briefcase flops open, revealing a large assortment of papers and a postmare's badge. A pamphlet among the papers catches Trixie's eye. Grabbing and unfolding it, she mutters some of its contents to herself. "In this suitcase you will find all the information you need to know about The Secret Society of Sinister Sorcery." Trixie stares at that name for a moment, "The first thing Trixie needs to do as a part of this deranged cult is petition for a name change."
"What deranged cult?" Lulu asks, causing Trixie to sigh before she turns to explain what just happened.