//------------------------------// // Dawn of the third day // Story: The Munificent and Magnanimous Crystal Empress, Trixie Lulamoon Midsummer // by Archmage Ansrit //------------------------------// A flash of blue. "Ow!" A mare covered her eyes eye with her healthy hoof. "It ran out? But I- oh, of course it ran out." A changeling scowled behind his bandages, then coughed - he really shouldn't have raised his voice. "Is anyone proficient with transformation? Other than us..." ***** Luna turned another page, rubbing her eyes. She had spent every possible minute reading about medical magic and crafting of artifacts, paying close attention whenever the words 'harmony', 'disharmony', and 'synchronization' appeared - or 'popped up', as Mouse had said in between book runs. Boy, her eyes were starting to sting, and she had to lower the moon soon. The words had yet to actually 'pop' and swim through her vision, but the long study sessions and the abrupt ending to that dream wasn't doing her any favors. Currently, she was reading about an affliction of her beloved pooka - the one that had spawned the myth of vampirism. Solar Resonant Interference. She made something resembling the ghost of a smile - the old name was... crude - and it warmed her heart that ponies had grown more supportive. Her smile became more genuine. And one (or more) of the possible treatments could help lead her to the still-unknown medics, and 'Lula' by extension. ***** "I'd do it myself, but..." The blue changeling gestured to himself. "Getting everypony out had a bit of a pricetag attached." "We don't know what to tell you; anyling good enough with transmutation to do it on somepony else wouldn't get caught, or risk what they already have to come here." Another changeling replied - although he had held the title of Captain, his merits laid elsewhere, in combat and organization, causing the purple changeling no small amount of distress. 'How am I supposed to protect them like this?' He sighed deep to himself, adjusting his visor over his naturaly-covered eyes (he'd like to commend the forethought of whoever took enough for everyone, as snow-blindness wasn't something a changelings' second eyelids could protect against). 'Any- err, anyone here with that kind of skill was part of the big link-up, and is too roughed-up to help precisely because they already helped out.' "I'd offer some of my medication..." A bat-pony they had helped began. "... but I don't think we've got the same needs." "No, it-it's fine, really." The white unicorn stammered. "It's just the light hurting my eyes- my eye." "What about the anemia?" The changeling tried sounding stern, but his raspy voice made the attempt fall flat. "The headaches, everything?" "I'll use an umbrella, and my old shades." She replied. "Bard, we're together now, aren't we? That's all we need." ***** The less fortunate had their malady cause bleeding gums, and would have trouble expressing their talents under sunlight. Hence the 'blood-drinking'. Luna huffed; how much damage could arise from an erroneous conclusion, itself born of a mispercetion... Library Mouse approached carefully, having just returned the books the princess said she wouldn't be needing. "Um..." She scuffed a hoof on the floor, avoiding making eye contact with the tired royal. "You-Your Highness. Perhaps I could be of more assistance if I were... privy- I mean, party to your search?" Luna mulled it over. She wanted to know what this 'Lula' had gone through, and what had been done to her... the first dream had a sense of urgency, and the second part of it left her with little doubt about the risk to the mare's life. "I am searching for a... talented group of mages." She replied after a few seconds, to avoid making the poor librarian worry about her offer - she'd been such help already. "I know not their names nor their location, so I will attempt to glean their identities through their works; I have been trying to find clues of a... theorical procedure I wish to inquire upon." "Huh?" Mouse tilted her head - it was cute, really. "These ponies must be something else for Your Highness to set to the task of finding them personally." Ponies...? Ponies! Luna smacked herself in the forehead with a hoof as she gasped in shock. How could she have overlooked this!? "Goodness gracious!" She whispered, unaware Library Mouse had shrunk into herself like a certain soft-spoken friend of hers. "I-I am not going to find much through this route, I'm afraid." And it's not like she could ask around, either in Equestria or in Tartarus, for medically-adept lilins, either - her dear sister had managed to become widely hated among all lilins, and the Wardens and Paladins had no love for her, either. She would need to contact the investigators, instead, and ask them to search for additional information. "I might need to inform my sister of my findings earlier than I had intended." Luna sighed, turning to the librarian with a tired smile. "I thank you for your assistance - it must have been difficult for th- for you to spend that much time seeing to all of my demands." "O-oh! N-It- it was no problem, Your Highness." She blushed as she ran a hoof over her forehead, keeping strands of mane out of her glasses. "I spend much of my time reading - I-I'm afraid it's gotten me into trouble sometimes." Luna was of the opinion that the Earth mare was cute when she pouted like that. "I just can't help it! I've read each book at least twice, but it's... reading is just..." Mouse scrunched her face in thought, and Luna almost let out a chuckle. "I don't think I can put it to words - I just like reading, even if I know all of the words already." Luna blinked. "Have you memorized the contents of the books?" She asked, and recieved an ebarrassed nod in reply. "It seems I shall further require your assistance - I shall take care of the procedures, and please..." "Ye-yes, Your Highness?" "If you desire to be formal, simply address me as 'Princess Luna'; we are friends, after all." She said with a smile, although it faltered slightly as Mouse turned cherry-red and fainted. "Hmm... I just hope I can find the involved before 'Lula' suffers any more." ***** "Your nose is bleeding!" "I was starting to feel lightheaded..." "Hold on, we're almost there!" "Huh, his fangs are short." "Because mine are." "You've held up this far, brother; we will have our reward, and you shall be there to enjoy it." ***** "Your Highness!" A pegasus pony guard (despite lacking his armor, since it had to be reforged) rushed up to Trixie, who was overseeing the refitting of guard equipment - it would not do to have Sombra's tainted sigils blemishing the equipment, and the armor used for the Fair was... inadequate. She had heard the thundering of his hooves upon the ground and his wings shaking up a storm, though, and through that, she understood the guard's urgency. "Speak." She ordered confidently, falling back to old memories; the guard saluted. "What is the emergency?" "A band of ponies and... pony-like creatures are approaching the city; they fly a white flag, and seem to be in need of medical assistance." He reported; his eyes quivering, but resisted darting away from the spot straight ahead. "I was selected to message you as I am the fastest sprinter." "Heavy Hammer, continue melting down the old armors; Sombra's magic is completely gone from the metal, I garantee so, so merely wait for Trixie to provide the schematics for the new equipment." Trixie wasted no time, drawing power from the air into her body, pouring it inversely from a regular spell and through her legs, making them stronger; another, making her whole body lighter. "Lead the way." Trixie ordered, making the stallion almost trip as he tried turning too fast and shocking him as she kept pace. He was without armor, so his surprise was understanable. He felt... reassured. Trixie possessed great skill and power, without a doubt. ***** Swarm could see that they had been noticed. They were in the middle of a field with zero cover, and most changelings (himself included) shrugged off their hoods, visors, and scarves. Those that forwent manes in favor of fins (mostly diggers and high-activity workers/soldiers without noble blood) extended them fully, since the change in climate had been quite sudden, turning their protection into an impromptu changeling cooker. A pony shot off to the distance - a very sparkly pegasus with fire-like hair - while the rest of the watch waited for... something. He gritted his teeth; they had some in bad shape, and he really didn't want trouble. He was sick of it. All of them were sick and tired of... everything. He- all of them were placing their hopes on the strange message. "The beacon of hope in the far north, ready for those that have done their part". It was the least vague of the messages, excluding that which the lilins had received - a window of opportunity to correct the injustice wrought upon them. In the time it had taken him to mope about his situation, they were halfway to the city porper and the pegasus came back with a blue- His head spun around from the sheer power of the incredibly-focused emotion aimed squarely at him. He was aware that the blue, sparkling unicorn with a cape and hat was looking straight at him ('Is my mane combed right? I hope my wings are still presentable under my coat'), her hair done in a ponytail ('Cute'), blushing and yet looking like she had seen a ghost. He was also aware that she snapped out of her trance-like state when her eyes fell upon - most likely - the wounded from the extraction teams, firing off orders with great authority that his ears couldn't process due to his brain having currently sent swimming through a sweet-scented haze of lilies and moonlight-touched glens... Somepony - or ling - else started directing the sparkling ponies that the mare commanded, making sure their charges were treated with care. They recognized his current state ('Such great friends!'), and he was sure some ponies had a look of realization on their faces ('Must be the ones paired with a changeling'). Both lamias began to shake off the lethargy, making some of the ponies helping them yelp as they suddenly became aware of their snake halves. Their leader - and it was clear the blue unicorn was the leader - barked something, and approached them herself; greetings, perhaps a question or two. He knew the answers - he was dazed, but his memory supplied what the senses were currently missing. A promise of temperate climates, a land of love, a place that would accept them. He knew, because that was what he had been promised himself, sans the 'meeting somepony special for the first time again' part. The unicorn stood in front of him, still blushing, coughing into her hoof. The flying wall of raw emotion that had slammed into him finished its run, allowing him to blink away the haze. It had taken a minute, a surprisingly-quick minute, between her arrival, and the carting off of the injured. ***** Swarm! How could it be possible?! She knew he would still be alive, of course, but why here?! She wasn't complaining, though. Ok! Ok. Everything was OK. Her ponies were taking care of the injured (so many faces! Bard, Hunter, Orchid, Frozen Rose!) O-K... Breathe. *Cough!* "Greetings!" She said with glee she was failing to contain. "The Great and Powerful Trixie bids you welcome to the Crystal Empire!" She swept her hoof behind her, turning as confetti was basted from nowhere, punctuating her words. "We shall take care of the injured first, then, allow Trixie to take care of everything." She said, returning to face Swarm! the pilgrims, speaking with an air of authority. "After all, as the Crystal Empress, it is Trixie's prerogative to accept new citizens - that you passed through the shield of the city is proof enough that you are not being magically-compelled to do so, nor are there any dangerous magics in your bodies." 'Sorry, Cadence, but you are not yet ready to accept them.' "Trixie needs to see you alone at some point, though." She whispered to the purple changeling in front of her. The feel of his magical signature... he might not be the Swarm she knew, lacking the experiences, but he definitely was the Swarm she fell in love with, having the same heart. ***** Celestia... He didn't hate - no, hate was such an ugly thing. UGH, no. He would give her Despair. He would give all of them Despair. It's what they deserved; the only thing they deserved. He was a child of Lilith - but not through Lilim, no. UGH. No, no, and a thousand times no. He had escaped her, escaped his prison. Another had tried; that centaur bastard. UGH, such an inelegant moron, stealing magic - gorging himself on it... and yet stealing the substance was beyond him! He was no conqueror; he was a balloon with delusions of Godhood. Lamia and Lilim were there for some reason, though, as if warned. Which meant that his beloved great-great-aunt was not there to watch his prison. His fiery prison. He didn't hate fire. Hate was ugly. He'd turn fire cold; once the princesses were out of the picture, he'd turn everything cold. He would make everything like him. He was ice. He was sorrow, and all would drown in it. It was what he understood. It was what they deserved. Everything is pointless, after all - save for those like him who understood Reality. Those like him that brought despair. They didn't deserve to feel happy - they didn't understand. They deserved to be frozen in despair, moving only when he gave them permission to move, doing only what he and those like him said - because he understood Reality and Beauty. He had yet to recover his strength, or find the right conduit or tool, but all in good time. Impatience was unseemly.