The succulent aroma of baked, tasty treats permeated the air as Trixie slowly made her way to the royal kitchens—unknowing of the smokey presence following her every move. She believed herself alone with her thoughts, which she so desperately needed after the fiasco with the seamstress and Fluttershy. I'll have to keep an eye on those two... Then again, I doubt the pegasus can break through the amulet's magic a second time. Right?
She shook her head, sighing. She didn't want to dwell on it any longer. The problem was fixed—the disobedient punished. It was time for her to move on to the next phase of her eagerly-awaited coronation: the food. The sugary scent deepened as she neared the kitchens. Her mouth watered, and all negative thoughts were pushed to the far corners of her mind. She couldn't deny her excitement to see what the chefs had prepared for her. As any good matriarch would do, however, she didn't give into her inner filly. With grace and dignity (and a dramatic wave of her mane), she stepped into the kitchens. Loudly, she announced, “Your beloved Queen Trixie hath arrived!”
All activity ceased as the crowded area responded to her introduction with a unified bow and an eccentric, “Welcome, Queen Trixie!”
Trixie soaked in the much-needed praise. Of course, she didn't allow herself to be blinded to the fact that there was one mare amongst the joyous crowd who was not happy about her arrival. Frowning, the unicorn tilted her nose upwards as she approached the orange earth pony standing near the stoves. Applejack appeared to ignore her; she was more focused on the pot of boiling water set in front of her muzzle.
The self-appointed Queen exhaled a haughty cough in an attempt to be noticed. Again, the farmer failed to pay her any attention. Trixie's eyes narrowed. “Is a pot really more important than your Queen?” she asked, her tone sharp.
Without missing a beat, Applejack grunted, “Eeyup,” as she wiped the sweat from her brow. She was bedraggled and drained, yet her fixation didn't waver. While it sure as hay wasn't the cozy kitchen back on the farm, it worked very much the same. No, sir, Trixie wouldn't find any satisfaction here! If there was anything Applejack learned through working each and every Cider Season since she was old enough to walk, it was that she could survive a good number of sweaty, exhausting days—all without sleep, to boot.
For the sake of her friends, she had to survive, even if it meant treating her ordeal like another busy period at Sweet Apple Acres.
Magic suddenly engulfed the pot as Trixie tossed it to the floor then. The kitchens' startled staff, Applejack included, scuttled away from the scalding water. Applejack had half a mind to reprimand the unicorn for the foalish act, but she clearly saw the fury in her eyes—flashing the same red as her precious amulet. She raised a brow at the sight, yet she didn't speak as she stepped away from Trixie's anger-fueled advance. “There is nopony, nor is there anything more important in this castle, in this entire kingdom, than I!” she bellowed. She knocked a few more pieces of cookware off the stove. “I am the Queen!”
“But you ain't my Queen!” snapped the earth pony in reply. The surrounding ponies gasped. She snorted, tilting the brim of her hat upwards. “You ain't a Queen a'tall, just a tantrum-throwin' filly with a big, shiny crown!” More gasps echoed around her and Trixie.
Trixie's eye twitched. Oh, how badly she yearned to throw the offensive mare out the window. No, no, no, that wouldn't suffice. She, once again, needed to make a statement. It was fortunate that she was a mare of many quick conclusions. On the counter in the corner, there set a tray of colorful, crystal berry delights. They weren't cupcakes, obviously. They were some other form of pastry, albeit ones she didn't recognize, but they looked absolutely delicious either way. She levitated the tray towards herself to take a closer look. “Are these fritters?” she asked.
Again, Applejack's eyebrow arched. “Yeah. Made 'em myself.”
The unicorn popped one into her mouth. As soon as she bit down, there was a savory explosion of flavor that took her by surprise. It was uncomfortably difficult to keep up her poker face. She quickly swallowed the treat, then she lowered the tray and feigned a second inspection. “These are delicious. Queen Trixie hopes that you made them for the coronation,” she said evenly.
Applejack removed her hat and held it to her barrel with a sigh. “Unfortunately, I did. I may not like a single bit of this whole thing, but I'm an Apple and we Apples take pride in our—” She was interrupted as Trixie dumped the contents of the tray on her. Stunned, and dripping with crystal berry jam, she stared at the other mare with wide eyes.
Trixie smugly returned her gaze. “Well, then, you are to make twenty—no, thirty—platters of these scrumptious fritters. A mere one or two will simply not do!” She flicked her tail as she turned her back to the farmer. “After all, with everypony in the kingdom invited, there will be quite a number of mouths to feed!”
Applejack's stupor simmered into a fiery, disbelieving concoction. “What?!” she yelled. “I can't have all that done by tomorrow night!”
“You'll just have to skip your breaks, then.” She looked over her shoulder. “You don't want to know what Queen Trixie will do to you if those fritters aren't finished by tomorrow.” With another flick of her tail, Trixie elegantly made her way to the exit. “Now, my loyal subjects, your beloved Queen bids you farewell!”
Applejack, feeling lost in the sea of blind adoration and gritting her teeth, seethed hot enough to steam the jam clinging to her fur.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Suggested Listening : Prologue to a Conquest
The last thing Rainbow Dash consciously felt was the blunt tip of her opponent's lance when it made impact with her armor. Well, not really. There was the sensation of flying afterwards as she was sent tumbling backwards through the air. Only, she couldn't actually fly. There was no opening her wings and straightening herself in mid-air, as was the norm, there was only a brief glimpse of the sky before she hit the ground.
She hated—no, she despised—being unable to feel the air against her wings. A pegasus devoid of his or her magic really couldn't call themselves a pegasus. Non-pegasi never worked in the weather factories, non-pegasi couldn't compete in aerial sports...
Non-pegasi didn't become Wonderbolts.
Growling, and fueled by rage, Rainbow Dash rose from the dirt and returned to her place in the jousting arena. The knight responsible for knocking her off her hooves was a silent-but-stern crystal mare. No names were exchanged between them prior to their match (and Rainbow preferred it that way), but it didn't take a brainiac to figure out her opponent was a skilled combatant. Even beneath the armor, the crystal pony's scars could be seen. She'd seen a lot of action.
Rainbow respected that, yet she too experienced plenty of combat. After staring down the likes of Nightmare Moon and Discord, she wasn't going to allow some brainwashed bozo beat her down. She was still awesome, and she proved it by facing the scarred knight for a second time.
Instead of being greeted by the excited cheers and applause of an enormous crowd, there were only the emotionless stares of the other participants. Vultures, all of them. Rainbow could see the eagerness in their eyes. They wanted nothing more than their chance to face her—to drive their lances into her already-battered form. Blowing a hot puff of air out her nose, she shifted her attention to her opponent—stretching the kinks out of her joints. The other knight, in the meantime, adjusted the lance strapped to her armor.
Rainbow Dash was confident enough to leave hers alone. It was fine. The other mare just got lucky last time. It wouldn't happen again and, the millisecond the deep, commanding sound of the flugelhorn vibrated through the air, Rainbow charged her marred opponent like a bat out of Tartarus. Futility didn't stop her from flapping her wings as she ran. The dust of the arena stirred in her wake; a sinister cloud gathered behind her.
The opposing knight saw the fire in her eyes, fire she didn't see before. It was surprisingly intimidating, to say the least, and she found herself slowing down. It was more than enough to guarantee her defeat, as the last thing she remembered was a ferocious battle cry—followed by a metallic clang as the pegasus' lance made contact with her armor. She was beaten...
… and Rainbow Dash puffed out her chest in triumph as her opponent fell. It was a short-lived feeling, as the lackluster applause of a single pony drew her attention away from the crowd. Trixie drew near, carried on a makeshift throne of crudely-carved crystal, thus smashing the exhilaration of her victory. “Congratulations on your victory, Rainbow Dash!” she exclaimed snidely. “That was quite the show, though Queen Trixie hopes that her knights haven't been too hard on you.”
Disengaging the lance from her side, Rainbow scowled. “If these guys are the best you've got, then you don't stand a chance against the Princesses!”
The unicorn's eyes narrowed. “Pardon me?”
“Oh, come on! How long do you think you'll keep this up before Princess Celestia and Princess Luna figure out that we didn't come back from the Crystal Empire? I mean, Twilight sent them a letter and everything!”
“What a ridiculous accusation. Queen Trixie fears not the Royal Sisters. She has no reason to fear them. These knights are responsible for my protection, is all.”
“Uh-huh. Protection from what, exactly?”
A frown plastered itself on Trixie's face as she ordered for the lowering of the throne with a wave of her hoof. The ponies—they were servants from the palace, no doubt—did as she commanded, and she stepped down to face Rainbow Dash muzzle-to-muzzle. “Well then, allow Trixie to explain it to you,” she said, her tone dangerously fluent. “My coronation is tomorrow night, you uneducated foal, and you and your pathetic friends have been fighting my supreme rule every step of the way!”
Rainbow's wings bristled. Oh, she had so many things to say about that but, unfortunately, Trixie wasn't done ranting. “You will not ruin this for me! Queen Trixie will show all of you how mighty and superior her reign will be! It will make Celestia's rule look like a mere wagon ride!”
Feathers flared, the pegasus' angrily spread her wings. “That's 'Princess' Celestia to you!” she growled. As though she were a cat, she bent down and pawed at the ground. “You're delusional if you think having a crown on your head for even a second would put you on her level!”
The red diamond flashed red, and Trixie stuck out her chest as she looked down upon the other mare. “Trixie will be Queen! Celestia will bow before her might!”
Reddened mist clouded Rainbow's vision. Wasn't it enough that Trixie used her freaky magic to not only brainwash the entire empire, kicked Twilight out into the unforgiving cold, and bullied them into doing what she wanted? The heat of fury sank into her cheeks, then her neck. Now, she has the gall to insult the Princesses?!
The entirety of her being felt like it was aflame and there was no forethought as she made an instinctual grab for her lance. She snatched it up in her teeth,and then, with a startling cry, she charged the unicorn. Time slowed to a crawl. The servant ponies reeled back in fear, the knights and guards moved to intercept, but Rainbow Dash was locked securely on her target. As accurate as her clouded consciousness deemed her to be, she soon discovered accuracy meant very little. She was in the possession of a simple lance; Trixie possessed magic.
Said lance stood not a chance against said magic. The weapon shattered into crystal fragments upon contact with the last-second shield conjured by the surprised unicorn. Jolts of pain wormed into Dash's teeth. “Ow,” she moaned, dropping the useless handle. She dropped to sit on her hind legs as she rubbed her jaw. “Stupid, stinking magic...”
In the meantime, Trixie remained appalled by what just transpired. “You... You attacked me,” she whispered. The glow of the Alicorn Amulet intensified and she dropped the shield. “How... How dare you attack your Queen?!” The enraged mare became encompassed in a bright red glow—a glow which lifted her into the air. “What right do you think you have to smite the Great and Powerful Queen Trixie?!”
Rainbow's mouth fell open. Okay, that thing in particular was cause for concern, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle! “You're not so tough!” she yelled. “Stop being all magical and weird and come back down here!”
A ripple of magic akin to lightning cracked across the surface of the empire's protective bubble. Gasps came from the surrounding onlookers as Trixie then emitted a small burst of light. “Queen Trixie will not allow the likes of you to trot all over her magnificent brilliance!” she bellowed. “You will learn this the hard way, whelp!” A toothy grin appeared on the unicorn's face as the air around her grew cold—her horn glowing all the while.
Rainbow's heart sank (but only a little, she convinced herself). The tyrant was whipping up a seriously powerful spell; she recalled many adventures shared with Twilight and Rarity helped her recognize the intense level of magic. Trixie was also levitating and glowing all evil-red, which was a big enough hint, but still... She was in deep trouble. At least, she was certain of it, until the unexpected happened. The unicorn's eyes fell upon her “loyal” subjects, and her smile fell in response. “Why... Why are all of you looking at me like that?” she demanded. “Should... Should your mighty Queen not punish her would-be assassin?”
The small crowd nervously shifted in place; some whispered amongst their peers. They were obviously afraid. Of her.
They're afraid of me...
As suddenly as it appeared, the maelstrom around Trixie evaporated. She slowly, but shakily, descended until her hooves finally touched the ground. Now that she was no longer suspended in the air, everypony—Rainbow Dash included—calmed. The matriarch's unease, however, didn't lessen. Panting, she ran a hoof through her mane as she took the time to gather her thoughts.
Silence reigned. Soon, however, a hesitant crystal pony crept closer to her. “Your Majesty?” she whispered. “Are you well?”
The unicorn's breath hitched. She couldn't bring herself to look at her servant. Not yet. No, no! Be strong! She closed her eyes, she rolled her shoulders. Pull yourself together! Be their Queen again! You are the Great and Powerful Queen Trixie! Exhaling, she held her head high as she turned to the questioning pony. “Your Queen is absolutely splendid!” she replied, albeit far too enthusiastically. “She simply needed to strike fear into this... enemy our of beloved empire.” She made a stiff gesture with her hoof in Dash's direction.
The pegasus was taken aback by how quickly she was surrounded. “What?!” she exclaimed. “I'm not the enemy, you morons!”
She was ignored, and Trixie returned to her spot upon the mobile throne. “Furthermore,” she continued, “Queen Trixie has decided that you shall be imprisoned for the remainder of the day, and tomorrow. Your behavior in the meantime will determine whether or not you'll be released in time to witness Trixie's rise to power.”
“Oh, come on! That's stupid!”
After a quick arch of her brow, Trixie conjured chains and shackles—promptly locking them in place around Rainbow's legs. “The Queen has spoken,” she said. “Guards, escort this troublemaker to the dungeons.”
Though restrained, Dash struggled against the trained bodies who proceeded to lead her away from the arena. “You're gonna get yours, Trixie!” she shouted, as loudly as her vocal chords would allow. “You hear me?! You're gonna get yours!”
The unicorn tore her gaze away—her hooves clinging to the throne as it was lifted. “Take your Queen back to the palace,” she ordered. “Do it quickly.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Trixie was borderline desperate for the concealing walls the palace provided. She couldn't—wouldn't—allow anypony to know what just transpired. Nopony would ever know she almost lost control of herself. An alarming sense of caution reigned over her as she raised her hoof to touch the Alicorn Amulet. Was the outburst of her own doing, or was her precious treasure the problem? Outrageous. It's just a mindless artifact. Straightening her back, she returned her attention to not falling off her seat. In the back of her subconscious, she continued to snuff out the doubts. I control its power, not the other way around.
Still, she looked over her shoulder. The exact spot where Rainbow Dash was standing remained fresh in her mind. As did the blackened smear the unicorn imagined as her fate. A cold chill crawled up her back. No... I'm a Queen, not a monster.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Pinkie Pie hummed cheerfully to herself as she bounced down the sparkling street. “Oh, let's see, let's see!” she exclaimed in a sing-song voice. She produced a scroll from her mane, which turned out to be a list when she unraveled it. Her eyes narrowed as she read it over. This was one serious party, yet her blue orbs sparkled thinking about it. It had to be the biggest party since Princess Cadence and Shining Armor's wedding! If she played her edible candy cards right, Queen Trixie's coronation would trump even that!
But, it doesn't deserve to be bigger than that, silly-filly...
The mare ceased mid-bounce. It felt as though something had gone horribly wrong inside her, which didn't make sense. If there was a better time for her to smile (which didn't seem possible), it was now! So, why did she feel so horrible? Her hooves touched the ground, as did the list once she dropped it from her grasp. The awful feeling was one she couldn't shake—literally and metaphorically. Although, the “literally” bit made her look like a crazy mare who was purposefully trying to shake her own mane out of existence.
“Um, Pinkie Pie?” a tiny voice whispered. “Are you okay?”
Another small, high-pitched voice accompanied it. “Yeah, do you have a headache or something?”
The party pony looked down, and she saw two fillies looking back with big, curious eyes. One possessed twinkling shades of blue and teal when it came to her coat and hair; the other was a gleaming variation of lilac hues. Their names were Glass Slipper and Plum Pearl. “Oh!” she giggled. “Hello, girls! What are you two up to?”
The little ponies glanced at each other. “Our parents are looking for stuff to wear to the coronation,” replied Plum.
Glass Slipper followed her lead. “We already have dresses, so they told us to play outside until they're done.”
“That's when we saw you floating!”
“And shaking.”
“And you dropped this!” The filly held the dirt-speckled list in the air.
Pinkie gently took the item. “Why, thank you!” She tossed it up in the air. She made no move to catch it, as it was absorbed back into the uncharted abyss of her bouncy curls when it landed on her head. Her mouth opened in an attempt to strike up cheerful conversation. But, upon looking at the fillies once more, the nagging feeling of dread reared its ugly head. “Say,” she began hesitantly, “are you looking forward to Queen Trixie's party tomorrow?”
A broad smile bloomed on Plum Pearl's face. “I can't wait!” she squealed. “My mama bought me a kitty mask!”
Her friend nodded—smiling just as wide. “Yeah, yeah! My mask looks like a crystal lamb!”
“It's going to be so much fun!”
Pinkie Pie's ears twitched, and then they dejectedly folded back. Something was wrong here. She felt it in her heart (and in her knees, but only the left ones). Their smiles... Her eyes narrowed as she leaned closer to the youngsters, much to their discomfort. Yet, they kept on smiling. It was wrong. Their smiles were all wrong! Like they were fake!
“Uh,” grumbled Glass Slipper. “What are you doing, Pinkie?”
The bubblegum-colored mare felt her eye twitch. Cautiously, she stepped backwards. She needed the space. Well, the fillies needed it more, but those smiles... Every instinct demanded her to run from them. Even so, her hooves remained firmly planted in place. For only a moment more. No, no, nope! Not doing this! Abort mission, abort mission! “Nothing's wrong!” she suddenly blurted in a fit of uncertain laughter. “I'm fine! Everything's fine! Have a nice day, see you two tomorrow!” Before questions could be asked, she bolted for the nearest alleyway.
Confused, the fillies gazed at each other. “She's a strange one,” said Plum.
Glass Slipper rolled her eyes. “No kidding. Let's get some lunch.”
“Sounds like a plan to me!”
Nonchalant about the pink mare's antics, the little ponies departed the area in search of food. Said pink mare, however, busied herself by pressing her face against the cool surface of a crystal house whilst she hyperventilated. Fake smiles?! Why do they have fake smiles?! She couldn't wrap her head around the concept. Even more disturbing was it wasn't the first set of not-smiles she was unfortunate enough to cross. Since she excused herself from the palace to gather supplies for the ball, she had time and space to get acquainted with everypony. And she did. That's when problems arose—problems she didn't realize were problems until just now.
Every pony she crossed paths with wore a fake smile! Nopony was really smiling!
“Agh!” she cried, standing on her hind legs. “Why aren't they smiling for real?!”
“I think I can answer that question, little filly.”
“Eep!” Pinkie flinched. In doing so, she lost her balance and fell onto her back as her eyes moved to the shadows. Someone stood there, watching her with bemused eyes. The darkness concealed his face, but she knew he was a stallion from the sound of his voice. “Who are you?” she asked.
There came a chuckle as he stepped forward. Pinkie's eyes widened upon seeing that his face remained concealed by a dark gray cowpony hat, while the rest of him was covered by a poncho of the same color. “Somepony looking to lend you a hoof,” he replied. Then, true to his word, he reached down and helped her back up. “And I'm somepony looking to tell you the reason behind all those nasty, falsified grins.”
Pinkie's eyes brightened. “Really? No foolin'?”
The stallion tilted his head to the side, showing her a real smile—one full of pearly whites. “First things first. I'd like you to tell me about this little party you're throwing...”