//------------------------------// // Lunaverse Chapter 4 // Story: A Tale of Two Trixies // by GreyGuardPony //------------------------------// Trixie grunted, slowly reaching for a ledge that precariously jutted from the mountainside, just above her head. Running her hoof along the edge of the protuberance she felt for any cracks or other instabilities that would send her tumbling back down the side of this very stupid mountain, in this stupid alternate universe, where nothing was the way it was supposed to be! Hefting herself up with another, more strained grunt, she winced as a gust of wind cut across her body, threatening to rip her from the mountainside. It whipped and tore at her mane and tail, blowing the former back into her own face and making both even more unkempt and messy than they already were from the effort of climbing. Climbing that she wouldn’t have been stuck doing, if she hadn’t been stupid enough to poke at a random magic item! The point was that Canterlot’s mountain wouldn’t be this hard to climb back home. ...Probably. Sighing, she peered up at the spires of the city that was and wasn’t familiar at the same time. The pictures of Canterlot back home all showed a city accented by gold, as was thematically appropriate for a city watched over by a solar monarch. What spires Trixie could make out from her position on the slope were mostly the same, but with silver accents in place of golden ones. And somewhere in there, was this alternate version of Bayou Runner. And she was going to find him. “Have to get there first though,” she muttered to herself, giving the steep grade the stink eye. “...I might have picked the wrong switchback to get off at.” Grumbling to herself once more, Trixie resumed her climb. - - - - “Hate...flying…” Cheerilee nodded sympathetically as she rubbed her friend’s back. Carrot Top’s hooves were wrapped tightly around the sturdy metal of one of the rubbish bins that lined Canterlot’s main train station, while she retched the contents of her stomach into it. In Cheerilee’s experience, letting Carrot Top work the sickness out of her system was really the best option. At least now with her hooves back on solid ground, she’d most likely recover quickly. For her part Princess Luna was apologetic offering up a warm smile. Though the effect was somewhat muted by the very non-descript unicorn form she was wearing as a disguise. “My apologies Carrot Top, but this truly was the fastest way to get ahead of the train.” “It’s okay...ugh...Princess...I understand.” Raindrops paced on the far left of the platform, wings twitching, tail swishing while Ditzy sat near her completely calm. Lyra was on the right hoofed side, getting ready to block Trixie’s access to that end of the platform. They had been waiting for a few hours so far, so Cheerilee looked up at the one of the large station clocks, frowning slightly. “The train should be here soon. Are we going to try and talk her down? Or just grab her?” “Endeavor to make her see reason,” Luna answered. “I shall intervene should she do anything rash.” Cheerilee nodded, her ears swiveling towards the tell-tale screech of train brakes grinding against the tracks. Giving Carrot Top one last pat on the back, she trotted over to take up her spot on the platform. As the train rolled into the station with a blast of steam and noise, she was already scanning the windows for any sight of Trixie. It was a smallish group that filed out of the cars, maybe half a dozen ponies in total all focused on their own problems and tasks for the day. But no sign of Trixie. Scanning the small crowd, Luna’s horn glowed softly a slight tingle of magic washing out across the chamber. “Well, I can say that she’s not hiding invisibly,” she said. “Excuse me,” Dtizy asked, turning to the group of commuters. “Did any of you see a blue coated unicorn with a silvery mane on the train?” A pink coated mare took a nervous step forward, nodding. “We did, actually. She got off at the switchback at the base of the mountain.” “Wait,” Lyra blinked, “is she...actually climbing the mountain? That...so is not our Trixie.” “It does seem that my student’s twin is quite,” Luna said, trotting forward while the confused passengers left. “Shall we say driven. I must assume she’s heading straight for her target.” “Should we go down the mountain and get her?” Cheerilee asked. “She could get hurt climbing.” “While that is true, this Trixie seems dead set on confronting Bayou Runner. If we swoop down upon her on the slopes, she might try to run which might result in the same end result. We must find Bayou Runner, and intercept her there.” Carrot Top managed to pull her head out of the rubbish bin. “...I know where his offices are. He gave me his card.” Lyra rubbed her chin with the back of her hoof. “If Trixie is climbing her way up, we have plenty of time to get there ahead of her and stake things out.” Luna nodded. “Agreed. Carrot Top, if you are feeling well enough could you tell me the address?” “Of course.” Carrot Top smiled, before her stomach churned again. - - - - It was going to take Trixie an hour to scrub the grime and sweat out of her coat from that climb. But at least now she was walking the streets of this alternate Canterlot. While she had gotten to see Bayou Runner’s address on that business card he left Carrot Top, she wasn’t familiar enough with the layout of the city to know where that was. So, when in doubt, find a local. That goal had lead her to wander the streets of shops and restaurants in the section of the city she had found herself in, looking for somepony who might be able to give her directions. And while she had been able to find an elderly stallion willing to do just that, she had found herself even more delayed by his wandering- often pointless- stories that he punctuated his directions with. As it turned out Bayou Runner’s offices were situated on the corner of an intersection between two broad avenues. The building’s design was simple but it displayed its wealth in subtle ways. Flower boxes containing vibrant specimens that Trixie didn’t recognize jutted out under window frames of dark wood, while dark marble had been set above the double entrance doors in a crescent moon shape. National pride, Trixie presumed. She observed it from a little bit back, in the shadow of an upscale chocolate shop across the way. Or at least, she tried. The carefully arranged towers and piles of confectioneries did look distractingly delicious and the smell was enough to remind Trixie that it had been quite a while since she had eaten last. Her stomach rumbled in protest at that thought, practically demanding to be sated after the journey up steep slopes and over jagged rocks. Trixie forced herself to ignore the pangs of hunger. Even if she didn’t have more important things to worry about, there was a distinct lack of local currency in her non-existent saddlebags. Instead, she focused her mind on the job at hoof. She’d bet those same non-existent bits of hers that this Bayou Runner kept two sets of books, if for no other reason than to keep track of who he swindled. Meticulous planning and record keeping was one of his talents, after all. It was one of the things that had helped her version stay crime lord of Neigh Orleans for as long as he had. Though in this case, they’d probably be more analysis on potential marks than altered financial records. When your whole game was using legal loopholes to get what you want, there wasn’t much point to skimming bits off the top. Not that I’d put that past him, Trixie thought, images of shoddily remodeled homes, more death trap that domicile danced through her head. “Hello Trixie.” Trixie blinked. Then she turned around to face the magenta colored earth pony that had somehow managed to sneak up on her. Cheerilee smiled and waved back, having just stepped out of the chocolate shop. “So! Are we going to do this the easy way, or the hard way?” she asked, in a tone far too chipper for Trixie’s liking. And if Cheerilee was here, that meant the others had to be here, hiding someplace nearby. And since those “others” included this universe’s Princess Luna, Trixie took the only option that made sense. She ran. Not that she made it far. A midnight blue magic aura plucked her from the ground before she had made it three paces. Trixie thrashed impotently against the grip of the magic, the ethereal aura stronger than any kind of net or binding. In the end, all that she managed to do was flip herself over, which left her with a fine view of Princess Luna and the rest of the Element Bearers filing out of the chocolate store. “You were hiding in a candy store? Really?” Trixie said, glowering at the five ponies and one alicorn with all the displeasure she could muster. “Of course,” Luna answered with a sagely nod. “It provided us a most excellent view of the streets and a rare opportunity to indulge a little bit while we waited.” Trixie pouted all the harder. “Was it a nice climb at least?” Ditzy asked, putting on a sympathetic smile. “Oh, yes, it was the greatest climb of Trixie’s life!” Luna ignored the outburst, trotting away from Bayou Runner’s, with Trixie bobbing along in tow. “Come along. We shall return to the castle and prepare to follow the threads of magic to this world our Trixie got dragged to.” “But what about Bayou Runner?” Trixie asked. “You can’t just leave him-” “I will be doing nothing of the sort. He will be investigated within the confines of Equestrian law and dealt with accordingly.” “You mean the way you’ve dealt with him so far?” A slight ruffle of Luna’s wings was the only outwards sign of distress as she trotted onward, though she did pick up the pace. “Look Trixie,” Raindrops said, glowering at her. “I know that you think this is important, but it’s our friend that’s in your world! We can’t just leave her there while you chase down a random pony!” “He’s not random! He was behind that attack on Ponyville!” “To be fair, he’s hardly alone on that,” Lyra said. “After Corona…,” she trailed off before giving a shrug. Trixie clenched her teeth. “I feel that none of you are taking this seriously.” “We just think that Princess Luna will be able to handle the situation,” Carrot Top said. “By the sun! Just give me a day!” Luna stopped. “A day?” She hadn’t entirely been expecting that to work, but plunged ahead anyway. “One day. That’s all I need. I’ll hoof deliver a confession to you.” A sharp hiss of breath escaped Luna’s lips, the princess grinding a hoof against the cobblestones of the street. Then, before anypony could react, her horn glowed and the world suddenly shifted. The wide open streets of Canterlot were gone, having been replaced by a smaller office setting. The red color of the walls and collection of homely trinkets would have almost been inviting if not for the deep frown and hard glare on the alicorn’s face. Dropping Trixie onto a cushion, Luna swooped around to the other side of the simple mahogany desk, glaring daggers all the while. “Would the rest of you please wait in the hall while I have a...conversation, with Trixie please.” Trixie hadn’t even realized that Luna had managed to drag the whole of the group along with her teleport. The element bearers, still reeling from the shock of the sudden teleportation, filed out of the office without complaint. Trixie almost wanted to demand that they stay to back her up in the argument that was sure to come, but she also knew better than to try. So, she locked eyes with a princess and prepared to do battle. “Is this some manner of game for you?” Luna asked. Her voice was even, but icey. So, this was already off to a great start. “Princess, I would never make something like this a game,” Trixie answered, focusing on one of the random twinkles in Luna’s mane, lest she lose her nerve. “Your actions could have fooled me. Climbing the Canterhorn on your own? Did you actually have a plan? Or were you just- to borrow the pegasus phrase- ‘winging it’?” It was more that than anything else, truth be told. Not that Trixie had any intention to let Luna know that. “I have a plan.” Luna didn’t seem convinced as she raised an eyebrow so high that it threatened to disappear into her mane. “Be that as it may, this isn’t your place to use it. Bayou Runner, whatever his possible crimes may be, is a citizen of Equestria and is entitled to a fair investigation and a fair trial. And whatever authority my alternate sibling gave you, it is not relevant here.” Not true. At least technically. While the official task she had been given was to help clean up Neigh Orleans by going after criminals that the guard couldn’t, there was an underlying order to help ponies in Equestria as a general rule. Trixie was quite sure her Celestia would consider that rule to apply to this Equestria as well. Though pointing that out to this Princess Luna probably wouldn’t help. Still, she wasn’t in the mood to roll over and give up yet. “With all due respect Princess what, exactly, are you going to investigate?” Trixie said, sitting a little higher and puffing out her chest in a challenge. “Most of what he’s doing is legal. The goats that he hired for this job could be miles away from Ponyville by now and I have to assume that- since he’s never been on your radar before- he’s hidden his other crimes very well.” Luna’s glare didn’t leave her face. “Any other points you’d like to address?” “My point is, that all of that could take months. Months that Bayou Runner will spend, continuing to run the same cons. I’m asking for one day to solve the problem!” Trixie slammed her hoof on the desk to emphasize her point. Then she sighed and slumped back. "Besides, Princess Celestia, my Princess Celestia...she'd be pretty disappointed if I didn't do anything to help an Equestria in need." “I will not have a citizen of Equestria put away through acts that are themselves illegal!” Luna snapped back, her desk shaking as her hoof impacted off the surface. “Trixie and her friends did not put so much effort into exposing the Night Court, only for us to turn around and use underhooved tactics against those ponies we dislike! What would your Celestia feel about stooping to that level?” Trixie clenched her jaw. Now her dander was raised. “Illegal acts? What in Equis are you talking about? Do you think so little of your student to tar me with that brush, or are law enforcement stings just not a thing in this universe?” The angry sneer Luna shot back across the desk could have probably peeled paint off the walls. “Even assuming that you had the ability to go after Bayou Runner,” she hissed, “there is still the matter of our Trixie trapped in your universe!” “She. Will. Be. Fine,” Trixie emphasized with a few more hoof taps against the desk. “My team wouldn’t let her be in danger and one day isn’t going to hurt her.” Luna seemed ready to shout for a moment but then she simply sighed and slumped in her seat. “Truly, you share my own student’s penchant for stubbornness when she’s latched onto an idea.” “I wouldn’t expect anything less from a fellow Trixie!” “...Assuming that I would allow this...what exactly would you need for a sting?” “Well, for starters?” Trixie smiled. “I’d need a disgraced noble.” - - - - Few ponies would suspect that a Duke of Equestria would be living in a small house on one of Canterlot’s lower rings, but that was where Greengrass found himself these days, reputation still effectively destroyed from the last Grand Galloping Gala. Admittedly, it was not how he had pictured his career ending, with Trixie Lulamoon having managed to get one over on him and the whole of the Night Court. Truth is a Scourge was quite the potently potable potion. While his other estates and lands remained firmly under his control, there was no real reason to flaunt what wealth he still had. So, now he worked on his garden and lived in the smallest of holdings. While it might not have been what he initially wanted from his life, he had made a certain peace with it. At least this way he didn’t really have to worry about dealing with the likes of Trixie. That mare would probably never fail to drive him up the wall. A knock on the door disturbed his mental wanderings and he slid off his low sitting couch, shoving the book he had been reading aside, to see who it was. After all, almost nopony knew that he lived here. He pulled open the door. “Greengrass,” Trixie smiled. It was a shark like smile, wide and hungry. He slammed the door closed. There was another knock- promptly ignored- as he stomped back to the couch. There wasn’t much of a question as to how Trixie had managed to find his home. Obviously her friend Raindrops had decided to tell Trixie where he lived. And undoubtedly that screeching harridan of a mare would now dedicate herself to ruining what peace he still had. He had just settled back down into a comfortable seat when a fresh round of hoof pounds, louder this time, echoed through the house. With a deep sigh, he got up again and nearly galloped to the door, angrily yanking it open with a curse on his lips. “Damn yo-” The curse died in his throat at the sight of Princess Luna Equestris, Sovereign of the Three Tribes, Mistress of the Star Beasts, staring down at him. Behind the princess was Trixie and the rest of Element Bearers. Greengrass blinked, dumbfounded for a good few moments before he remembered to throw himself into a bow, remembering that he was very much on the outs with Equestria’s ruler. “Princess? I...I’m surprised to see you here. I...how can I help you?” “May we come in?” Princess Luna asked, with a slight nod of her head. “We have something important to speak with you about.” “Yes. Of course.” Stepping aside, he could only watch in disbelief as the princess and the Element Bearers pushed their way into his living room. Princess Luna took a seat before the couch looking regal, but perhaps with perhaps the slightest undercurrent of agitation, in the way she shuffled her wings. Trixie looked smug- as always- as she settled down next to the princess. Trixie’s friends seemed much more mixed in mood. Raindrops and Lyra were annoyed, while Cheerilee seemed bemused by everything going on around her. Ditzy and Carrot Top were clearly nervous, their eyes flitting around the room like it was a Timberwolf den. There was clearly something going on between everypony present. “Greengrass. I have a question for you, and I wish you to answer it honestly,” Luna said. “Yes Princess,” he answered back, giving a slight nod. “What is the question?” “When you suffered your loss of support, what happened to your property? Do you still have your estates?” So, that was it. Trixie had somehow managed to talk Luna into taking whatever else she could get her hooves on from him. Would she ever be satisfied? Or would she insist on continuing her plans for revenge until he was a true pauper on the street? For a moment, he considered lying, but no doubt that would only make the situation worse. Besides, it wasn’t as if he had anything to lie about in this instance. “I still have some. Might I ask why?” he asked. Trixie seemed quite excited at that news. “Because, we need your help to do a sting on a corrupt construction company.” Not the answer that he had been expecting. Not at all. “And...you want one of my properties to do this?” “Exactly!” Trixie said. There was something odd going on here. For everything that he had done to Trixie and her friends, Greengrass found her oddly chipper attitude about the situation unnerving to say the least. There should have been some more hatred there. Or some amount of aggravation. Instead, Trixie just charged ahead with another question. “Any of them in Canterlot?” “One is,” Greengrass nodded. “It was the first I bought when I moved here to take up my duties with the Night Court.” Trixie’s smile grew even wider, nearly predatory in the way it seemed ready to swallow her face. Greengrass, for probably the first time ever when talking with this infuriating blue mare, was feeling very uncomfortable being in the same room as her. Wordlessly, he looked to Princess Luna for help. The princess looked back with a resigned stare. So, no help from there. “Very well...you may use my estate for whatever you need-” “Oh, we need you for more than that!” Trixie said, still looking at him like a griffon would a piece of meat. Now the previous uncomfortable sensations had grown and Greengrass was seriously considering the positives and negatives of jumping out the nearest window. “What...else do you want?” “You need to go and have a conversation with our corrupt builder.” - - - - Everypony needed construction work done. Everypony. From princess to pauper. This was an inherent truth of the world. Bayou Runner had been stacking bits in towering piles based on that simple fact. Born in a squalid little flat in Neigh Orleans’ red light district, Runner had started out renting a slightly less squalid one and then slowly and surely working his way towards Canterlot. That was where the real money had been. Bayou Runner’s was both one of the many things that had come from that real money and proudly displayed others. Though now, as he looked at this month’s profit and loss statement, he realized that something had to change. For a long time, the Night Court’s malfeasance had been the perfect cover for his own. But now? ...Well, if Bayou Runner had even a shred of honesty in his body, those days were over. Everypony was walking on eggshells. Luna was watching. The whole property flipping game- especially with the way he got his property- just wasn’t looking viable anymore. Dropping his pencil back to the desk, Bayou Runner sighed and stared at a point on the ceiling. Time to plan the exit strategy, it was just the question of what to move onto. Legitimate construction was still an option. Always government contracts to angle for, after all. He had heard that the new province of Nulpar needed roads. Before those musings got much further, the doors to his office swung open and Muddy Waters poked his head in. “Hey boss? There’s somepony here that wants to speak with you. Some noble type. Says his name is Greengrass.” “Greengrass...Greengrass,” Bayou Runner muttered, wracking his brains for a face or cutie-mark to put to the name. It came soon enough though. Brown coat, reddish mane and a seemingly meteoric rise to the top that had come to a sudden stop. If Greengrass was coming to see him, then he was looking to either buy or sell and considering the nature of his sudden stop- supposedly insulting Princess Luna at the Grand Galloping Gala- the latter was more likely. Still, always a chance to make more bits. And if he was as desperate as he could be, then there was a chance to make money. Sitting a little straighter in his chair, Bayou Runner adjusted his gatsby cap and hurriedly waved a hoof. “Well, send the good Duke in then.” Muddy Waters nodded and pushed the door fully open, letting the noble sweep past him. Greengrass was nearly the perfect mirror of the various pictures of his that had appeared in the papers over the years. Nearly. There was a strain obviously weighing him down however. A slight hesitation in the steps he took, an equally slight droop of his head and ears. He was trying to hide it, but something was eating Greengrass. The earth pony mare at his side was unfamiliar though. With a light pink coat and a deeper red mane, she glared overtop a pair of black framed glasses, a clipboard carried in one hoof. Secretary, or warden? Bayou Runner wondered to himself, while putting on his warmest smile. “Duke Greengrass! Welcome to my humble little office. How can my organization be of help to you today?” “I’m interested in selling a property of mine. And I’m not a Duke...anymore.” He nodded towards his companion. “I hope you don’t mind my assistant Notary observing? She’s been helping me settle some of my affairs.” “Not at all. Not at all. Now, what might I be able to help you liquidate?” “Mister Greengrass has an estate,” the assistant began, pushing her glasses up her snout. “The first one he bought when starting his duties in the Night Court. As that is no longer possible….” “I wish to divorce myself of assets tied to painful memories,” Greengrass finished. “I know that you more specialize in construction, but Canterlot land is valuable. At the very least, I imagine you could flip it for a decent profit.” “Hmm. So, were you looking to sell direct or...?” “I’m having an auction. Tomorrow night.” That caught Bayou Runner’s attention. Not exactly the normal way he had ponies offer property, to be sure, even if he did include his usual means of...motivation. Yet, a private auction would be a way for a pony to get a good deal of funds directly into their own pockets and possibly side step the tax ponies, depending on how one played it. Perhaps Greengrass was getting ready to run for some reason? “So, you’re here to offer an invitation?” “Well...yes, basically.” Bayou Runner looked from ex-duke to his secretary and smiled. “I need to think about it, but if I decide to show up, I’ll be there tomorrow. Address?” Once Greengrass’ secretary scribbled it down he flashed another smile. “Thank ya kindly. Have a good day now!” As the pair left, pushing the double doors to his office open, Bayou Runner motioned to Muddy Waters and Storm Front. Storm casually kicked the doors closed after they entered before giving Bayou Runner a questioning eyebrow raise. “Follow them?” “Follow them,” Bayou Runner nodded, steepling his hooves. “I don’t know if Greengrass is trying to run game on me or not. But it wouldn’t exactly be outside his usual way of working. Find out what he’s up to but don’t hurt him. Even if he is trying to pull a fast one on us, I’d rather use him.” “Can do boss!” Muddy Waters said, popping his neck. “You don’t have anything to worry about from some washed up noble.”