“Look, I'm sorry, Eclipse. I didn't think they'd just toss us off and leave.” Eclipse and Spiral Flame found themselves stranded in the mountainous town of Cowhapachi. The previous day was spent riding in the stage coach only taking short breaks for water or use of a random bush by the two stallions whom pulled. Their arrival in Cowhapachi came naught too soon as the Fall sun had set and a bright, orange moon began to be pulled from the eastern horizon. As they had done the night before, Eclipse and Spiral took different rooms at a local inn. The next morning was when they would learn of their stranded situation.
“I do..don't underst...stand why you we..were upset with the stallions pul..pulling the coach.” Spiral had woke up feeling far more refreshed than she had in days. Coming down from the second floor of their inn. Spiral met with Eclipse and joined her for breakfast at a hide away cafe across the street. The stallions sat at an adjoining table. They spent their time asking Eclipse personal questions about her appearance, where she was headed, and what type of stallion she liked. Questions like this brought Spiral to a boil.
It seemed that Spiral was purposely ignored by the pair. Each time she tried to interject herself to talk to them, she was swiftly ignored and more pressing topics were brought up to the glowing eyed filly. When their questions steered towards Eclipse's cutie mark and their eyes were focused only on her flank, this was when Spiral felt a surge of jealousy corrupt her mind. It wasn't that Eclipse was stealing two handsome stallions' attention from Spiral. No, Spiral felt secure in how she looked from her sleek coat right down to her firm muscles. It was the fact that they were giving Eclipse attention and robbing Spiral of precious time with Eclipse that pushed her to the edge. Spiral accused the pair of fondling Eclipse with their eyes. An accusation they quickly denied throwing it back at her and the way she stared at the filly for hours on end during the trip.
The three's verbal bout brought the attention of locals who gathered to hear what ponies would make such a fuss. Spiral accused them of trying to sneak into Eclipse's room at night. They accused her of sniffing Eclipse's saddlebag. She hugged Eclipse while pointing out how caring and innocent she is. They pointed out where her hooves were trying to lower down to. That was the final straw and saw Spiral leaping at them for an attack. A quickly gathered cloud of dust hid the brawl from the public's eye. Ponies ran in all directions avoiding the randomly thrown table or chair as the dust cloud moved through the cafe's outdoor eating area. When it was all said and done, Spiral stood on her hind legs triumphantly over the two ponies.
Spiral held her forelegs high in the air pumping them for a bewildered crowd. When the stallions came to, they swore that Spiral and Eclipse would have to find their own way to Las Pegasus, took their coach, and left to return to Appleloosa. These events occurred only two hours ago.
“Well, they were being lecherous and perverted towards you! You may not have noticed it with how subtle they were!” Now, the pair were left wandering, with only their saddlebags, through the sparse landscape of what seemed to be randomly built houses and roads. A search was on to find a new method of transportation to Las Pegasus. It was still too far for them to travel on hoof. They would never be able to take the necessary water to last them. But, it seemed that word traveled fast even in a spread out town as Cowhapachi. No pony that was in the line of work would dare take Spiral.
“If you sa..say so. Miss Vin..Vinyl would oft..often tell me th..that I don't know wh..when a pony wo..would..” Eclipse paused to think about how Vinyl phrased it. Modern slang was still being learned from simple words to newer jargon that came from music. “Make a pa..pass at me.” Her hoof steps quicken to catch up besides Spiral. “I th..thought they were ju..just being nice.” Eclipse's smile shined brightly.
Spiral stumbled when she looked at Eclipse. Catching herself on three legs, she managed an awkward walk while holding a leg against her chest. She is too bucking cute! A tear fell from her eye as she held back the urge to pull Eclipse against her and squeeze her until she popped. “We..well..” Spiral began regaining some composure that she had temporarily lost. “What is done is done and can't be fixed. Maybe I can use the last of my bits to...” Her head twisted to her saddlebag. Her mouth held onto the flap of one side, tossing it up. She peered within then frantically switched sides to the other. “Well... Maybe I can tell them once we get to a bank in Las Pegasus I can pay them...” It was then she remembered. She spent nearly all of her bits paying off the cafe for the damages she caused. Spiral cursed herself stopping in place. “Look, Eclipse I'm sorry. I'll find a way to make it ri.. Eclipse?” The presence of the other pony was no longer felt. She looked around, back and forth desperately seeking her companion. A glimpse of her glowing tail fleeing into a large crowd of Cowhapachi residents crowding a small stage pulled her in that direction.
Eclipse had not meant to ignore Spiral and wander off. No, she had caught the glimpse of a pony on stage that pulled her away. Realizing what she had done, she turned her head enough to look at Spiral, raising a hoof for a wave. “Spi..Spiral. Over here.” When she found the amazonian amber pony besides her, Eclipse stared onstage while gradually working her way through the crowd.
“Behold! Trixie will perform magic unlike you had ever seen! Come one! Come all!” A powder blue pony with white hair stood on stage stepping back and forth. She kept one eye on the crowd, and the other on her hooves being careful to where each hoof step fell. Every few steps released small sparkles of sparklers and dim fireworks. The quality of her star struck cap, and bedazzled star hat instantly reminded Eclipse of somepony else. The pony's horn unusual for any unicorn to have. The pony, who called herself Trixie, gave a wave for a group of foals to arrive on stage. First, she drew a bit out from behind a foal's ear. Then, select card tricks were had revealing either the foal's card or finding the card in their mane. Finally, she withdrew several long balloons from beneath her cape, blew them to pull size, and formed various animals for the children. The applause after each trick was limited primarily coming from the children she was so focused on entertaining. “Now! For Trixie's next trick! Trixie requires a volunteer!”
“Rainbow Dash!”
The blue pony stiffened instantly. Such a familiar voice called out to in her direction. She was shaking when she looked out to the crowd. In the front row, dead center, the pony called Trixie saw who had called the name. “E..ECLIPSE!?” She shrieked aloud at the sight of the unusual alicorn. Instantly her cape shot up at either side of her body. Pure white wings fired up erect at her sides sending a plastic band that held them down firing into the crowd. A stray mare would be victim to the band crashing to the ground from the sheer force of its release. 'Trixie' was wide eyed ignoring the now silent crowd and focusing on Eclipse in the audience.
“Wing boner!” Much to the surprise of Spiral and 'Trixie' both, Eclipse pointed a hoof accusingly at the showmare.
“Wait... You know what that is!?” Spiral gasped glancing to her friend then to the showmare. When Eclipse spread her mismatched wings and took off to get on stage, Spiral followed behind like a faithful hound. “Eclipse! Don't just go up there it's obvious she's some sort of phony!” Protests were not heard drawing ire from Spiral towards this lame magician. “Aww Eclipse!”
“It's okay, Spi..Spiral.” Eclipse dropped from the quick flight down onto the stage. Her hoof pressed one of the raised planks causing a small air pipe to shoot out confetti. The alicorn came closer to 'Trixie' who had reverted her body into a shocked pose, reared back on her hind legs, and forelegs over her face and body. “It is you!” She exclaimed coming closer to the pony with erect wings and misshapen horn. “Bu...but weren't you different colors before? And why ca..call yourself Trixie?” Intrigue shown through glowing pools fixated on what 'Trixie' would do next.
“How.. How can you recognize me? Nopony has ever recognized me!” 'Trixie' blurted out falling back onto her flank. Hooves plastered down onto the wood of the stage, lifting her up a few inches off her back. She began moving her legs as a crab trying to escape an unknown being only to find the curtain blocking her escape.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was a glorious, bright sunny day. Color Copy loved days that started like this. A clear sky overhead showed that the weather ponies were in top form for Cowhapachi, ensuring that despite the coming chill of winter, at least today would be spectacular. Waking up to the birds chirping and her stomach growling, Color Copy felt that something good was going to happen. Good or bad, she did not know.
A tent served as her home during the travels that took her further from the major hubs of Equestria. Even then she tended to sleep in the very same tent but in approved campgrounds. Color crawled to the flap as she shrugged off her blankets with the aid of her wings spreading out slightly. Her mouth snapping teeth around the zipper pulling it upwards to bring in the chilled breeze. Tiny hoof steps were taken to bring her forth from the makeshift home. Copy's tent was staked down right behind an old stage the town used to use during festivals and events. It had long since been abandoned when Celestia gifted the town with a theater building attached to their community center.
The sun shinned on her perfect white coat giving her a certain radiant glow. Copy had her mane cut short weeks back. Decision was made to use extensions when she took on a new role. In times she found herself in trouble and had to ditch her act, having different cuts of hair made it all the easier to avoid an angry mob or love struck mare or stallion. Ah love. They never loved Copy, just the persona she adopted. Wings gave a quick twitch and flutter working out the time she spent sleeping on the hard ground. A nearby pond, for lack of a better word, had served as her bathing facilities, and a drinking fountain her beverage. After a short bath and mouth wash, Copy went now to the worn down stage.
Her arrival in Cowhapachi came on a lark. Traveling by airship from Canterlot to Las Pegasus under the guise of gray pony with blonde hair, she had been tossed overboard by an annoyed passenger. It hadn't been Copy's fault that her cart wheels, random somersaults, and jovial acts caused her to randomly fly into a massive, crew cut, white pegasus male with tiny wings. It wasn't her fault either that his shouting of 'Yeah' tumbled her into the crew trying to fix a rotor. When the rotor fully broke off, their anger and seeing her with wings prompted them to throw her overboard to let the desert below deal with her. She was never happier to have wings than that day. She hadn't removed her saddlebags or flank pack so her belongings were thankfully falling with her.
Arriving in Cowhapachi, finding the stage, and deciding on her next moniker to take. The few bits she had was spent at the general store on a dull, light blue paint, streamers, fireworks, and blue and yellow fabrics. It didn't take her long to prepare a make shift horn from paper, construct her cap and hat, then begin going on stage a the Great and Powerful Trixie.
After her makeshift bath, Copy returned to her tent to feast on some store dried oats. It would be back to the worn down stage for her. The stage wasn't much even in its hay day. Several buttons had been hastily constructed on the ground to activated small air pipes to fire off confetti and streamers or perhaps more. She refilled each and setup the sparkles to go off at the same time as each pipe. The curtain was tattered and torn but served its purpose of keeping the small backstage hidden. It was enough for her to be able to make for easy paint jobs without being seen. Floor boards creaked from weight, and lights had to be replaced with fireflies caught in an undignified manner. Soon an older pony, a mare, and her grandfoal approached her.
“Excuse me, miss?” The old pony asked with her voice shaking as much as her body. She stood with one hoof reaching back stroking and holding onto her hip. Copy could only give a smile when she turned away from her workings.
“Yes?” She replied dropping the long stick of the sparkler from her mouth into its designated holder. Copy's voice, her natural voice, a bit of a high tone.
“Will Miss Trixie be performing soon? I told my foal I'd bring her here for a balloon animal.”
Copy beamed at this. Ponies were making plans to come see her perform! Such a thing had her beaming brightly at the notice she was receiving. Yet, a dark feeling came after. Voices in her head began to taunt her reminding her that it wasn't Color Copy they wanted to see, but The Great and Powerful Trixie. Copy swallowed back the dread and misgivings of her self esteem to force herself to keep smiling. Her hoof moved brushing back over the edge of the stage. “Miss Trixie will be performing in about five minutes.
The foal began to dance around until she went straight in front of Copy. “Hey are you apart of the act? I hope not cause you look lame!” It took all her will power for Copy not to snap at the foal. Ever since months ago a foal had her go up a tree for a cat she never owned, only to meet with near demise at the paws of a panther than serial killer house cat, Copy did not care for children who actually spoke.
“No. I just setup the stage.” Copy scoffed turning around from the foal and grandmother. All four hooves clicked the ground, her wings gave a quick beat downwards lifting her upwards onto the stage. The curtain was brushed away with Eclipse using her wing as she could a leg to escape back behind. To her left were her articles of clothing she created from memory; a cape, wizards hat, and a paper horn with a strap. At Copy's right was a closed tin of paint with a used brush laying besides it. She hated having to paint herself but over the weeks gotten to the point she could do it in three minutes if it wasn't more than one color. That would leave two minutes to dress and put her 'game' face on. Once her coat was painted, her clothing put on, her wings tied down with straps then hidden, her voice adjusted to 'Trixie', and a wig to extend her hair, she was prepared to go out on stage! By now, even in the short time, the voices of other ponies who were gathering. Ah, her audience had arrived.
The show began as it did for the past five days. An lackluster explosion of color paper shot up when Copy sprang forth with her front hooves held high. “Behold! For it is the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Mostly foals applauded the minor efforts she gave. Her act began with light dancing with sparklers, being tied to her wrists and one in her mouth. The special buttons on the stage floor were hit in a certain order. After this, she began calling forth foals from the audience, ensuring each received a turn, to have some sort of trick with them involved. A coffee in that had been set in front of the stage since day one was slowly doing its job of collecting tips and donations. Everything was going fine until she heard a voice. Copy heard a familiar voice she thought she may never hear again, but what it said chilled her to the bone.
“Rainbow Dash!”
Copy felt every bit of nerve she had gathered for the day to fly right away on the wings of her bravery. A pony stood out in the audience. A certain pony that Copy had met months ago, swore she would meet again in Manehatten, but had been dragged down the current of a river to another place. Every other pony shrunk from sight with all focus coming clearly on the pony who shouted, Eclipse. “ECLIPSE?!” Copy found herself shrieking the name. It was right then that everything spiraled out of control.
The strength of her imagination, returning the fantasies she once had involving Eclipse, brought forth the tremendous power of her wings firing them upwards in all their glory. The binds bounding them had managed to knock a mare clean off her hooves. Much to the astonishment of those in attendance, Eclipse gave little regard when pointing a hoof at Copy and announcing, “Wing Boner!”
A large, muscular mare had come up from behind Eclipse speaking things to Copy's prized filly that she could not make out. Ringing entered her ears, horror plastered on her face once Eclipse took flight to land on the stage in front of her. Copy would not be able to make out the departing ponies no longer wanting their foals to see what may come. Confetti exploding once Eclipse touched down, and the amber earth pony rushing up the steps of the stage, were lost to Copy. She reared back in a mixture of shock and tension rolling her forelegs back trying to appear larger but only managing to look ridiculous doing this in front of a filly shorter than she was. In an odd turn of events, the sweat that perspired from her body began to dissolve the paint on her coat leaving flakes of blue to shower an outline of her hooves on the stage.
“It's okay, Spi..Spiral.” Eclipse pushed forward coming within inches of Copy's terrified posture. “It is you! But... but weren't you different colors before? And why ca...call yourself Trixie?”
“How can you recognize me?! Nopony has ever recognized me!?” Color Copy had lost the Trixie voice just then reverting to her higher, squeakier sound. Clopping of her hooves, she dropped forward and began back peddling her hind legs to get some distance between Eclipse and herself. This had never occurred once since she found her special talent. Each time she changed her voice it was identical to the pony she mimicked. From panting her fur, to changing her hair, there hadn't been anypony who was able to tell her normal self from her change self. Eclipse changed all this in an instant.
“I do..don't understand. Wh..Why call yo..yourself something else?” An inquirer made once more jolted Copy to become rigid in stance.
The amber pony, no longer wanting to be forgotten, thrust herself forward coming up next to Eclipse. “She asked ya a question. Why don't you answer her, huh? Seems to me you told her something else and not don't want to admit the truth?” She tsked shaking her head. “Typical con pony if you ask me.”
Color Copy diverted to the massive mare. If she wasn't so frigid from this encounter she may have cast a glare, then backed away in hopes it didn't lead to a pummeling. Copy could never tell with the ones who looked to be on steroids. “I..I can explain. Really if you give me a chance I can explain.”
“Please.. th..then. I was worr..worried about you.” Back on her haunches Eclipse came to rest. Her fore hooves pressing down in front of her, striking another button letting loose a bit more confetti. Besides her the other mare came to sit, protective glances shot to Copy but more intent on watching the filly besides her.
“Yeah. Get on with it. We're waiting.” Color Copy took in the sight of Eclipse's escort. She was a large amber pony with chestnut mane and tail. Her cutie mark a flame tornado or something like it. The sheer size of her forced a hard gulp from Copy.
“Spiral Flame.” Eclipse spoke with a chastising tone. “Pl..please let her explain.” Having Eclipse speak to her in such a way brought ire from, who Copy just learned was named, Spiral. Hatred was the only emotion that sent invisible beams of fire right at the pegasus. Yes, Spiral blamed Copy for Eclipse reacting as she had.
“Um.. yeah I can explain..” Copy reached her hooves up brushing off her hat, fake horn, and wig in on quick swoop. Much of her fur was reverting back to the white it naturally was. Her cutie mark, a silhouette of a pony's head visible. Copy didn't want to look at big amber, so she kept on to watch the amused Eclipse. “My real name is Color Copy...”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Moments earlier on the southern end of town was a scene both similar and far different. An unusual caravan was station on a grassy clearing between the post office and a general store. It was three ponies in length and three ponies high. The side of it had rolled down displaying a large stage, twice the width and three times the height, of the caravan that produced it. Only magic only explain how it could be contained within such a small mobile home. A blue curtain hung down the middle, six brass trumpets set three per side. A banner hung over the top displaying a starry sky with a blue question mark like shape and a wand over the front. A red whirl plate, a blue planet with stars bouncing out the top, and what ponies could only imagine to be a rocket bounced back and forth at the very top in front of a red ceiling over the backstage.
Unlike Copy's performance, there were not many happy ponies watching. One by one they had been called on stage, bested in insulting manners, then left with their pride hurt. Who had injured them? “Now! Who next will dare to challenge the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Fireworks exploded sparkling light and fire behind the caravan. The very pony who was berating this crowd, was none other than the true Trixie. A pony who's ego could easily fill a parasprites belly leaving it no longer desiring to sedate its endless hunger. A steel blue pony who's mane and tail were white with sky blue streaks. A trade mark of her's consisted of a purple magician's hat, resting just in front of her unicorn horn, with blue and yellow stars and matching cape. Trixie's cutie mark was never hidden. The off crescent moon with a wand angled over the front forever to be seen by anypony who would look. Boasting could easily have been her special talent with the tales she told that barely mirrored the truth of events. “No matter the challenge there isn't a pony in existence who can match the most powerful Unicorn in Equestria!” If only the crowd could read her mind. Every time she said that line, the image of an lavender pony with pink and violet stripped midnight blue hair would appear taunting her. How it taunted Trixie, only she knew.
“Momma, I wanna go see the other Trixie. This one is mean.” A foal spoke to her guardian. This caught Trixie's attention with utmost haste.
Without delay, Trixie dismounted the stage to rush to the foal. Her hooves smacking the ground to get the foal and her mother's attention. “Another Trixie? There is only one Trixie and it is she!”
“Nu uh!” Trixie was met with defiance and a tongue stuck out at her. “The other Trixie makes balloon animals, does neat card tricks, and doesn't make ponies cry! You stink!”
The fire in Trixie's eyes could have set the Everfree on ablaze. Cheeks puffed out, and teeth began to grind holding back the urge to smack the little tart for such a rebellious act against Trixie. “Where is this other Trixie?” She spoke to the foal's mother with a demanding tone.
“Across town!” No hesitation to answer, and the mother took child away from the stage. She kept her voice low, whispering down to the foal. “Let's go see the good Trixie. Maybe she still has some balloons next. Want a cat this time?”
“Show is over! Trixie will see to this imposter right now!” Magic energy blew out of her pushing the earth beneath her downwards causing a small crater to form. Front hooves stomped frustratingly against the ground while she flinched. “Nopony will upstage Trixie will her own name! Nopony!” Ponies directly near her stumbled and fell then charged to escape the rampaging blue unicorn. Whoever the other Trixie was, many thought, was not going to see the outside of a hospital room for sometime when Trixie was finished.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Like a scene out of a teenage coming of age drama, Color Copy began to pour her heart out to Eclipse after being caught. The three ponies had seated themselves at the center edge of the stage; Color Copy on the left, Eclipse in the middle, and Spiral Flame on the right. Color Copy had retreated from them for only a moment to bring back cups of water for all three. After, she sat on her flank with her hind legs dangling down. Wings had slumped back lazily hanging from her shoulder blades now noticeable even with the cape. Each chance she got, a glance was stolen to Eclipse. Fore hooves rested on bent knees. The slouch in her posture and the gloom of every sigh she let out a perfect indication of her mood. By now, the blue painted flaked off her upper half leaving Copy half blue and half white. “My real name is Color Copy. I'm from Cloudsdale. My name isn't Rainbow Dash, or Trixie, Or Derpy Hooves, or anything else.. It's just Color Copy.” Copy couldn't do it. She couldn't bring herself to glance at Eclipse after she began speaking. Shame coursed through her flushing her face paler if it could even reach a shade whiter than the white she was. “I can mimic anypony's voice I hear, and if given enough time I can even copy how they act. Um... My fur also doesn't hold color well. It can wear off in hours or at the most a day...” She had uncertainty where to continue on this, until she felt Eclipse set a hoof onto one of her own.
Besides her was Eclipse, sitting in a similar fashion with her hind legs over the edge of the stage. She wasn't slouching but sat straight up and turned at her waist to watch Color Copy. There was no sign of anger towards this confession. Everything about Eclipse's body language told of calm and understanding which only put Copy at further ease. Saddlebag remained resting just above her flank and the pepper spray long removed tucked into one of the bags. Her wings had twitched when she leaned over pressing a hoof against the pegasus to her left. “So you..you're name is Color Copy then? It's a ple..pleasure to meet you again, then.” A twinkle in the glow of her eyes followed by the tender kind smile had Copy's heart racing. Eclipse had no idea what kind of pressure a simple expression was doing to the poor pegasus. “Your abil..abil...” A moment was taken to concentrate, keep her stuttering down to finish her sentence, “Your ability sounds amazingly useful.”
On the right of Eclipse sat Spiral Flame. For a massive amber pony, she certainly did not care much for posture as Copy seemed to. She was bent forward with her fore knees against her hind knees, sitting just like the other two were, but her chin pressed again an upturned hoof. Any attention given was just to catch anything that maybe useful. She didn't care about the white pony nor did she care for the attention that Eclipse was giving her. When the filly at the center of the three touched hooves with Copy, thoughts of murder came to her.
The heat of Spiral's rage could be felt by Copy, but seemed to be unnoticed by Eclipse. Color Copy leaned forward just a little more, looking across Eclipse to the amazonian mare. A quiet gulp, nervous laugh, and she continued. “I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I just... I just have a problem being around others when I'm not somepony else. So I pretend to be other ponies and it calms me down...”
“In other words, you're just a wuss that can't be yourself. I get it.” Spiral finally spoke up, snorting in indignation. Neither her head nor her body turned, only her visions shifted towards the white and stained blue pony. “So now that you're caught you think you can play nice with Eclipse, right? Che.”
Chilled words cut straight into Copy's chest. Pain filled her mind causing gloom to flood her consciousness. If she could have slouched farther down, she would have let herself fall through the boards of the stage. “I.. I don't like to pretend but...”
“But nothing. You're just some pansy pegasus who can't even look at Eclipse in the eyes. Whatcha doing out this way anyway, huh? Ponies in these parts don't take kindly to liars, especially ones who try to fool innocent ponies like Eclipse.” Spiral continued to berate Copy, shifting her view to the opposite side of the stage from the other two.
“You don't understand, I...”
“I understand perfectly. Like I said, you only came forward cause you got caught. You would have probably continued lying to Eclipse if she...”
“Spiral stop!” The shout took both ponies by surprise. At once, Spiral and Copy turned their heads staring at a fuming Eclipse. The alicorn was on all four hooves, tears appearing while staring down her friend. “Col..Color Copy is in pain. She is..isn't a bad pony at all.” Eclipse choked back a quiet sob, something about the manner that Spiral had been talking set off a nerve in the filly. “She help...helped me when I had esc...” A deep breath to calm herself. She didn't want to tell of what occurred before, not yet at least to these two. “She hel..helped me get to Maneha..Manehat..Manehatten fighting off a giant sna..snake and..”
Copy wanted to stop her. There wasn't a thought that Eclipse could raise her voice much less stand up to a large pony like Spiral. If it was hurting Eclipse to defend her, she certainty didn't want the pony to be upset. She tightened her wings on her back, coming to stand up moving next to Eclipse. Though, before she could protest the filly defending her, Spiral had made a move to stand.
What Eclipse was doing felt so similar, yet her words were so different from Spitfire's. Something that Spiral did triggered emotions in Eclipse she wasn't even aware such a happy pony could have. First she shouted, then she stood up defending a pony who, by all account, lied to Eclipse up until now. What was it that she wasn't seeing that the filly did see? “Okay, okay. I crossed the line.” Spiral finally admitted turning a bit to look from the two. “Just tell me. She lied about who she is, why forgive her so easily? You're saying she helped you, but why does it make it alright?” Now, Spiral stood tall and waited for an answer, but did not receive the one she had anticipated.
“Be..because. I can te..tell that she want..wanted to help me. Ju..just like you d..do.”
Just like that, with the comparison of Copy to Spiral, the amber pony's entire defense and argument was shattered. Copy helped Eclipse because she wanted to help, not for any reward. According to Eclipse, this was the same reason Spiral was standing there right then. A hoof went, pulling her chestnut mane back from her face. Was Eclipse right about even her? Why did she choose to help the filly in the first place? “Fine. You win. Look... Color Copy was it? I'm sor...”
“STOP RIGHT THERE!” An extreme sound of a pony's voice shouted from the right side of the stage. “How dare you try and steal the Great and Powerful Trixie's name sake and dare to copy her talent with simply foal tricks!” Eclipse and Spiral expressed surprise to the pony who arrived. Copy only expressed horror. The pony who had screamed in their direction was non other than the same pony that Copy was imitating, the Great and Powerful Trixie. Blue and yellow star wizard hat and cape, steel blue coat, white and sky blue hair, and fury imbued violet eyes. Her head was hung downwards lined with her withers. At Trixie's horn, magic spun and encircled creating a circular vortex of energy.
“Sweet Luna's garter belt why are you here?!” Color Copy's voice hit a pitch that may have broken glass if any was nearby. The pegasus felt her wings shirk against her back, muscles failing to move her legs to escape. “You're supposed to be.. Somewhere else!” Her lower, blue half began to flake off the paint once again. Panic appeared to be a great solvent for coloring to her coat.
“Wa..wait.” Eclipse attempted to interject shifting her body between Trixie and Copy. A flash of light signaled the failing of diplomacy, and Spiral reached her forelegs to pull Eclipse straight from the path of harm.
From Trixie's horn came a spiraling beam of energy. The stage beneath was torn asunder setting off any remaining fireworks and confetti cannons. With mere seconds to spare, Copy jumped to the left off the stage landing with her chin and chest crashing first. Her legs still refused to do much more movement than the jump. Pieces of wood and bits of cloth rained down when the magic dissipated. The tall wall that was the back of the stage fell crashing down across the open field below narrowly missing the tent Copy called her home.
Trixie set forth trotting across what remained of the demolished up stage while keeping Copy in her sights. She was breathing hard, glaring at the cowering pony attempting to flee, but barely making any movements. “Trixie will not let this stand. No pony will take Trixie's name and be more beloved than her!” A high whine sounded, magic swirled flowing inwards to the tip of Trixie's horn. Laughing chaotically, her head raised up casting one last look upon the pony. “You shall learn your lesson well! For I am the Great and Powerful Tri... Who are you? How dare you interrupt Trixie!”
Through the dust and smoke, Eclipse stepped out from what was left of the backside of the stage. There was something different about the air around her. Wings had spread out taking a defensive posture flapping against upwind of soot and dirt. Glow of her hair came off brighter, and gray magic flowed at her horn restoring the broken portion. “You wi..will not hu..hurt my friends...” The image of a brave stance was broken with the nervousness of her voice.
“What is this?” Trixie smirked narrowing her field of vision to the new challenger to set forth. “Another pony thinking she can best the Great and Powerful Trixie? Nice wings. Look fake.” Insult given, a bolt of magic electricity shot from Trixie's horn to her newest opposition.
Eclipse flinched. She had planned that it would turn out as it did a many times when Vinyl stood up for her. The bullies would see they were being shown up, back off, and run into the night. This time, it didn't work that way. Time seemed to slow down for Eclipse. She glanced at Copy, who pulled with her fore hooves clutching onto her hind legs trying to move them from their cemented spot. A groan from Spiral sent Eclipse's stare to her. The stunt pony had been buried beneath the planks and boards of the collapsing half ceiling. Time sped up. Eclipse lowered her horn taking the full brunt of the spell into the magic infused part. The bolt broke being sent in different harmless directions. Front hooves stomped the ground, Eclipse flinched as her own spell was sent in return to Trixie.
It happened faster than Trixie had hoped. Shock that her spell was so easily broken, stopped her concentration on the fight at hand. Eclipse's counter attack hit dead center on it. Warm feelings crackled through and across her body lifting her off the ground a hoof, raising the upper half of her body to the sky. Just as quickly, she was brought back down to all fours. Steam raised up from her body but other then that not a hair or piece of fur was out of place. Finding herself unharmed, Trixie began to laugh once more. “Is that all? Pathetic! No pony can match the power of Trixie!” Reeling back on her hind legs, kicking the air with her front, Trixie laughed at what she saw as a pathetic attempt to protect the imposter. The focus of her magic, her horn, was lowered again directed at Eclipse. But, when she tried to sent off another flurry of magic electricity. Lids fell closed but Trixie felt odd. Something wasn't right. She came to look up once more staring at the odd pony in front of her. Sparks and particles of magic fell down before Trixie's eyes, but no spell was cast. “What? What is this?” She exclaimed raising her head up. Once more, she pictured the spell and cast it at the other pony only to be met with fizzling sparks and vanishing particles of light.
At first sight that the danger had passed, Eclipse prepared herself to help her friends. Which she went to first was a predicament. The choice was made for her, when Trixie came rushing up touching face to face with Eclipse. “Um..What?”
“What did you do to Trixie?! She can't use her magic! And... And!” The showmare thrust a leg back pulling her came from her flank. There, she presented what should have been a brilliant cutie mark. Instead it was nothing but a watermark of its former self. Faded and discolored it looked more like a temporary tattoo then a true cutie mark. “Explain this to Trixie?! What did you do?!” Blue hooves pressed against Eclipse's shoulders. “Give Trixie back her magic!!”
“I... don..don't know how. When it hap..happened before I was to..told it ju..just came back.” At least, this was how Octavia made it sound when Eclipse had made their apartment go black. There was no eclipse in the sky nor drowning out of light. All she did was focus on protecting her friends and the spell came to focus. Wings lowered down, an act Trixie noticed after. The magic surrounding Eclipse's magic dissipated returning her horn to its broken state. “So.. Yo..you should be fi..fine soon.”
She wasn't sure what she was seeing now. Trixie had ignored the pony who had somehow bested her at first, but seeing that her wings were true and her horn broken gave her pause. Hooves released from Eclipse's shoulders placing them back down. If the pony spoke true and her magic would return in time, it would cease to do her good to continue to berate her. If Eclipse did it once she could surely to it twice. Contemplation was given glancing to Copy and Spiral.
Color Copy had long tried her movements to escape. Seeing Trixie's failure to harm Eclipse and her fading cutie mark gave her a chance to fly into the air landing behind the smaller gray filly. “Lis..listen if I knew you were in town I wouldn't have ever tried to do what I did...” Now that things had calmed, Copy wanted to try and stop any future outbreak of violence now instead of when it began again. Raising a hoof in preparation of apology, she found Trixie outright ignoring her. The showmare had instead focused on Eclipse. It was moments until Trixie reacted to Copy's words, glancing at the now completely white pony then back to Eclipse.
“Fine. Trixie will accept your apology on the condition that she,” A hoof pointed at Eclipse, “Comes to Trixie's caravan for a conversation. I wish to inquire about this pony and what she did to Trixie.”
Eclipse and Color Copy exchanged looks. It was the easiest way to deal with the situation, but they would need to pull Spiral out of the wreckage first. Copy went to begin taking down her tent and packing her saddlebags. With the stage collapsed she couldn't stay near it in fear she would be expected to take care of the damages. A pony as frightening as Trixie would simply blame her for instigating her. Eclipse levitated the large pieces of debris from Spiral until she was free to raise up on her own. After being told of where they were going next, and giving a disgruntled grunt, Spiral recovered the saddlebag that was flung from her when she dove for cover from Trixie's first spell. The four then departed for Trixie's caravan; Trixie and Eclipse in the front with Copy and Spiral hanging back far enough that the two before them could not hear their whispers.
“I know about you.” Spiral spoke low, keeping her stare forward on the road before them.
“What about me do you know?” Copy countered glancing upwards to the pony besides her. It was a bit of an odd sight. An alicorn and unicorn walking side by side with a pegasus and earth pony trailing behind.
“You like Eclipse. Well don't bother. She's mine.” The earth pony grinned proudly not letting a gaze come across Eclipse's flank.
“No she's not.” Speaking up a bit louder to assert some dominance.
“Yeah she is. Her and I are going to Las Pegasus. And you know what happens there.”
“Yes I do. She leaves you for her true love, me.” A challenge among words.
Spiral resisted the urge to twist and buck Copy in the side. It would not look well on her to strike the pony that Eclipse had defended just moments ago. She realized she needed something to best Copy, something that her and Eclipse did that would stop the pegasus cold. It hit her. True, it would not be the definition that Spiral would have liked it to be, but it did fit one of the definitions nicely. “Oh yeah? Well Eclipse and I slept together.”
Nothing about what Spiral said would be believed. Copy was firm in this thought. There was not a single doubt to her that Eclipse would do such a horrible, vile act with a pony that, Copy thought, would not be able to recognize the passion somepony like Eclipse needed. Not wanting to be upstaged by some half truth, it occurred to Copy that she, as well, did the same thing with Eclipse, if by only one definition. “Oh yeah? Eclipse slept with me to!” A slight, unknowing rise in her voice.
By now, the two mares were locked in a death stare. Neither were speaking, and neither would look away. Both had now crossed a line in their small competition that giving in would put them too far behind. In order to break the stale mate, Copy stick her tongue vibrating it in Spiral's face splattering her with saliva. Copy did not linger back with Spiral any longer. She took a quick galloping step forward to join Trixie and Eclipse, making sure to come along side them on Eclipse's other side rather than Trixie's.
Fuming, yes fuming was the best way to explain how Spiral took the words Copy said. On any normal day she would have snapped at the pegasus tail, tossed her to the ground, and strolled off with the mare or stallion she was in competition for. The problem that Spiral faced now was that this wasn't any normal day, and this wasn't any normal pony she was now forced into a competition for.
Trixie smirked to herself. Since they began the short walk, she observed the exchanges between Spiral and Copy. It was easy to read such simple ponies from their words to their body language. It seemed they both had something for the unusual one next to her, and now she wondered how she could use this to her advantage.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The inner workings of Trixie's cabin could only be explained with one word: Magic. For an object so small, the inside was spacious and spread out easily fitting all four ponies on a pile of pillows at its center. Saddlebags were piled up next to the rear exit inside. Pictures of Trixie lined the walls from glamour shots to photos of her performances. Thick velvet ropes of indigo hung against the left side wall, opposite of red velvet ropes that were used to release Trixie's stage. The stage another work of magic to conceal its massive proportions into the smaller four wheeled caravan. Cabinets for storage and a bed of soft massive pillows on the front end near a door that went out where a driver would normally sit. It had many comforts for a single pony to live.
Now, the four sat around the small circular table in the middle of the pillow pile. Trixie had since removed her hat and cape placing them on a rack by the rear exit. She had forced Copy to retrieve them glasses of water through a glare and idle threat of future violence if she did not obey her. Trixie was not quite yet over being shown up in such a way. Drinks, comfort, and the comfort of her home let Trixie begin to inquire to Eclipse. “Trixie must know. What are you?” Trixie's cutie mark had yet to return to its natural splendor, but this was far from Trixie's mind... for now.
Spiral had taken one side of Eclipse and Copy the other. Trixie had planned for this wanting to further fuel the tension that the two ponies had for the alicorn. Eclipse, ever still ignorant of such social acts, saw it as nothing more than three friends speaking to a forth. “I'm a po..pony.”
“No. You're something more than a pony. Trixie sees this.” The blue pony stomped a hoof onto the table. “We ponies come in three kinds; unicorns, pegasi, and earth. You are obviously an alicorn, an alicorn of unusual kind with wings like yours.”
At this point Spiral and Copy had looked to one another. It was something nopony had directly pointed out to Eclipse since her escape. Everypony seemed to beat around the bush or only make reference to the fact she could have been one of the god like beings. Neither of them knew what to say. They too wanted to know more about Eclipse, but wondered if this was the proper course to take for it.
“I... Don't kn..know. Momma never to..told me.” Eclipse confessed shaking her head.
Trixie leaned in over the table while setting her front hooves against the top. She peered studying Eclipse from her flank to her broken horn. Yes, the horn was taken into account but did not interest Trixie in the least. It was little more than an injury to Trixie, not something that would be of any association with Eclipse's wings. “Your 'Momma', is she like you are?”
“No. She's an earth pony. But daddy ma..made her go away...” Sadness trickled at the rims of Eclipse's eyes, forcing her self to look away lest the glowing tears come to view.
“Very well. If you do not know then Trixie suggests we find out. You stole Trixie's magic, if only for the moment as you claim, so Trixie proposes we discover how.”
“Ho..How would we do th..this?”
“Simple. There is a unicorn in Ponyville with a vast knowledge of magical things. Trixie proposes that we pay her a visit. Trixie will guide you there, though she must warn it is the trek. Where, pray tell, is your destination to begin with?”
“Ma..Manehatten... Well I ne..need to also get to Trottingham.” For a moment she glanced between her two friends. Copy had now taken intrigue to the hanging violet velvet rope but Spiral held a stare on Trixie waiting for her moment to speak up. “My fri..friends Octavia and Vinyl are wai..waiting for me I think..”
“Trixie knows of the train tracks being missing, so if you are going there it is either by walking to a train station beyond Las Pegasus or by airship. If Trixie is to accompany you, then Trixie proposes that you get your little friends to pay her way by airship. It is only fitting.” It began. Trixie was playing at something with her words. She shifted her eyes towards Spiral waiting for the earth pony to speak up, and she would
“Whoa whoa whoa.” Spiral leaned her head forward shaking it back and forth. She was seated on her flank, all four legs crossed with their direct opposite. “Sorry, but it's only Eclipse and I going anywhere and she wants to go to Manehatten so that's where I'm taking her.”
“I'm going with you two! I wont leave Eclipse alone again. I promised once to take her there and I'll do it this time.” Copy was leaned forward over the table flashing a smile to Eclipse. “This time I wont go jumping into the river with any giant squids.”
“Now hold on! I wont be taking along some wuss who runs off from a unicorn leaving somepony else to deal with her!” The counter came form the amber pony with a hoof slamming against the table top.
“And I wont leave her with somepony who proclaims she's theirs without any basis to it! She happens to like me too!” Copy leaned over the table, pressing face to face with the larger pony. They began to growl at each other not realizing that they may have just made their feelings known to Eclipse.
Trixie only smirked. The more these two let on the more that it gave her ammunition to use later. Eclipse, on the other hoof, simply sat and smiled. “You tw..two get along so well.” She announced clapping her hooves together.
“What?!” The two shouted in unison turning their aggression to Eclipse. Neither would believe that she would say something like that them.
“Of co..course. You two act alm..almost like Octavia and Vinyl.” Eclipse gasped placing a hoof delicately to her mouth. “Are you tw..two marefriends?” Trixie couldn't have planned a better way to silence the two ponies than when Eclipse had said this.
The warring ponies stared at Eclipse then right at each other. For the lives of them they could not figure out the connection between how they were acting, this Octavia and Vinyl, and the accusation they could be marefriends. Both of them, identical in actions, dropped back sitting again, turning away from facing the other, with their legs crossed.
“Well then, how many bits do you three have between you?” Trixie inquired leaning her body back against a large pile of pillows behind her.
“Now just wait, I never said either of you are coming with us. My bits pay for travel for Eclipse and I, nopony else!” Spiral was feeling a bit of anger at Trixie. She wasn't the pony that Trixie should be making demands to, it was that other pony that had caused the problems for her. Chestnut tail snapped back and forth behind her. “Domestic travel on airships go to and from Canterlot, Manehatten, Stalliongrad, and Las Pegasus. Not some backwater place called Ponyville.”
“I think I have twenty or thirty bits from donations.” Color Copy's reply was met with a dark look from Spiral.
“As I said before it is just Eclipse and...”
“I'd like for Copy to come with us.” Eclipse whispered. Her glowing eyes flashed with a doe's innocence. Spiral melted into a puddle of compliance no longer able to argue over one of the two ponies accompanying them. Copy beamed with new energy close to glowing with happiness. Trixie had to rethink her strategy.
“So, Spacial Frame...” Trixie began.
“Spiral Flame.” Harshness cut with her words giving a vicious look towards Trixie.
“Whatever, Trixie cares not. How do you plan to get to Las Pegasus? Surely you know that the coaches and carriages are gone from Cowhapachi. Only way to Las Pegasus is to have you two.. well three trot there with no overhead cover. It's fall, so the heat will not be a problem but what if you're forced to rest? Miles with nothing to use for shelter.”
Copy had long gotten lost again starting at the violet rope. Eclipse, unsure how to respond, waited for Spiral to speak on the subject. Being deep in thought with two ponies staring at you did not lead to quick thinking. Spiral never cracked under pressure for a show nor did she break when confronted. This felt different, especially with Eclipse sitting there. “So I guess you propose we take this caravan of yours, and you with it, to Las Pegasus? Fine. You can come with us to Las Pegasus, but I wont be spending one bit to get you or the airhead pegasus onto an airship.”
“Trixie is fine with that.” Trixie's head lowered to partially conceal her smirk. She'd have to change her plans once they got there. She had reasons other than what she had told these ponies for wanting to go to Ponyville. “You, Spiral, will be pulling us. You have the look of a pony who could pull four caravans with no worries.”
“What?! Why me? Get the white stick pony to do it!” The protest came just as Trixie predicted. Copy did not react to being brought into the conversation. No, the rope had all her attention.
“You are a guest using Trixie's caravan. Thus she will not be pulling before you even suggest such a thing. I doubt you would want sweet little Eclipse to do it, would you?” Leaning her back against a large pillow, Trixie grinned while she stared at the ceiling. These ponies were too easy to manipulate, especially when Eclipse was brought into it. “And I doubt the one who copied Trixie could pull us far before wearing down. That only leaves a pony with more muscle than beauty or intelligence.”
“Th..thank you for your hospit..hospit..hospitality and generosity, Miss Trixie.” Eclipse bowed her head forward while her front hooves came to rest on her bent, hind knees. “I am very grat..grateful for this.”
Spiral had grown tired of it. Tired of the vague and direct insults. Tired of feeling that she was being manipulated. Eclipse's words of thanks echoed through her ears. The filly truly had a heart of gold if she wasn't too trusting of ponies. She was trusting Color Copy after she lied, trusting Trixie with her half truths, and she trusted Spiral after she had planned to have her way with Eclipse. Spiral decided it was time to go on the offensive. “There's something you're not telling us. You seem persistent on going to Ponyville claiming you want to find out what Eclipse is. So what is it? Why offer all this? Wait... You got something, or somepony waiting for you in Ponyville and just want an easier way back huh? Smoochy smoochy?” Leering at Trixie, she continued. “Or maybe something more? So what's the stallion's name? Huh?”
“Trixie has no such pony! How dare you insinuate that Trixie would only aid for lustful means!” Trixie's outburst gave Spiral more fuel for the fire. “Trixie has nothing but pure motives to help Eclipse and Trixie wishes to learn more about this pony Trixie's self!”
As if on cue, and Copy finally reached her head up snatching her mouth around the end of the rope. She had been watching this dangling velvet since they had gotten into the caravan and were told of what the red ropes role were. Pegasus wings sprung out, flapping to give her leverage as she pulled on the length. Trixie would not notice this act until the rope pulled out triggering a mechanism. The wall opposite of the stage wall began to slid down. Each plank falling, collecting with the one below it until they stacked neatly at the bottom. A bright, wisteria purple light shinned down from a glowing orb above the wall. The scent of jasmine wafted through the air. Spiral, Copy, and Eclipse turned to see what was on the wall; pictures. Dozens of pictures of a single, lavender pony with pink and purple striped midnight blue hair, and a large purple star with five white stars surrounding it for a cutie mark. The images were of various voyeuristic scenes. The pony in the bathtub, laying in bed, reading a book, or talking with her friends. Trixie's eyes went wide, she went as stiff as stone unable to turn around to see that they had found her dark secret.
“Whoa-hoho!” Spiral became giddy with enthusiasm. She jumped to her hind legs, bouncing back and forth until she came behind Trixie. There, her hooves prodded and poked the blue pony in random places on her shoulders and sides. “The truth comes out, does it? You're going to Ponyville to continue to spy on some innocent bookworm, huh? Trixie's a pervert! The Sick and Deprived Voyeur! Hah!”
Color Copy made no attempts to join in with Spiral's fun of poking a sleeping tiger. Instead, she wiggled herself over next to Eclipse glancing between Trixie and Spiral to make sure that she was was not to become a target herself. This would not turn out well, given the state of magic that Trixie used earlier, even if her magic was suspended when it did come back this would only give fuel to Trixie's vengeance.
And it would come back. “Trixie's a pervert!” Spiral announced once more poking at her cheek.
This was the final straw. Trixie had been quietly stewing since the barrage of taunts and insults began. Resting on her haunches with her front hooves pressed down in front of her. Trixie had tilted her head forward trying to hide the red of her cheeks and the hate in her eyes using her mane for cover. One would swear they could see steam blowing from her straightened ears. In an instant, a flash of light came from Trixie's cutie mark. It had restored to its full glory and with it, her horn gave off a brilliant glow. Spiral's body became wrapped in magic raising her from the caravan's floor. “YOU. WILL. NOT. MOCK. TRIXIE!” The showmare raised her forelegs to the heaven's launching the stunt pony straight through the ceiling to become a twinkle in the sky. Sinister glare was shot to Copy, but avoided giving such a look to Eclipse. It had not occurred to her that the filly could very well do what she did before. This time, however, even Eclipse believed that Spiral had it coming. Finding some calm, Trixie panted lowering herself to sit once more. The magic gradually faded as she puffed out, “Forgive Trixie. She could not take anymore of that nuisance.”
“I un..understand.” Yes, even Eclipse could see that Spiral had that coming. She shifted herself up coming to all fours. Her head looking up at the pony sized hole in the roof. “Sh..should we fix it be..before we leave?”
“No. Trixie will have the muscle headed fool do it as punishment for taunting her, but you,” Trixie let her words drift to Eclipse first then to Copy, “Use your bits and go get provisions for the trip. Water and food will be needed and Trixie requires the freshest chocolate. Chop chop!”
“Yes ma'am!” Copy sprang up, saluting with one hoof to her brow. The pegasus waited no time to escape from the caravan and the horrifying unicorn. Her wings parted from her back letting her take flight for the general store.
“Now, as you promised, Eclipse, my magic and cutie mark returned. Until our two unnecessary companions return, let us talk, hmm?” Trixie's horn glowed lifting the planks back up to cover her shrine to the unknown mare, stop the glow of light, and cease the smell of jasmine.
Spiral landed about a mile away and rushed back for a confrontation with Trixie. There was revenge on her mind that overshadowed the revenge she wanted to take on Copy for daring to say that Eclipse wasn't her's. But, Eclipse insisted that they needed to get along. Giving into Eclipse was easy, so under Trixie's instructions, the last of Spiral's bits she had on her went to repairing the ceiling.
Once the repairs were finished and Copy returned, Trixie used her magic to attach the reigns of the caravan around Spiral. They would be departing Cowhapachi three hours before the dawn. Copy's duty through the trip was to fly down and supply Spiral with water whenever she requested. For this she was to remain at the driver's station in the front. It should not have been difficult or tiring work but Spiral would not give Copy a moment reprieve to open the door from her spot to the inside of the caravan. If Spiral could not freely converse with Eclipse, than she would ensure that Copy would not either.
This left Eclipse and Trixie to themselves within the caravan. Much of the talk between the two was one sided. Trixie drilled questions into Eclipse inquiring at first about 'momma' and 'daddy' but meeting only a brick wall of resistance. Her questions turned to Eclipse's magic instead. Comparing knowledge of magic was a short trip. The number could cast was limited to the basic abilities of most unicorns. How she managed to subdue Trixie's cutie mark and magic was not something she could explain. For all accounts, Trixie was more powerful then Eclipse was. Yet there was something that Trixie could not place her hoof on about her.
“Eclipse. Trixie wishes to know what kind of alicorn you are? Why are you not with the royal family in Canterlot?”
The question felt too quick to Eclipse. It had taken weeks for her to open up to Octavia about such things and that was only when she was pressed with the fear of going to the capital. Her forelegs wrapped around her hind legs pulling them against her chest. She shook her head, refusing to speak on the subject or even speak a definitive 'no'. Lids fell closing away the visions of the caravan, of having the face the pressuring Trixie.
“Fine then.” Trixie was not one to simply give up but, seeing the manner that Eclipse drew into herself, refusing to even look upon her. “Wont even tell Trixie what kind of alicorn you are?”
Trixie would be met with a shake of Eclipse's head. Everything Trixie asked about Eclipse, her magic, or her past was met with a diligent no or failure to even give a bodily message of it. Trixie finally gave in, sighing and tossing her hooves into the air, finding that any personal inquiries would not be met. She fell back on something perhaps simpler, asking about Octavia and Vinyl. This, Eclipse began to give a mountain of information on the two and the things they did together. It seemed that Eclipse happily spoke of her two roommates, but would not budge on speaking on the occurrences before that.
Color Copy left the door behind her open. Though difficult, the two ponies outside the caravan could hear bits and pieces of information being spoken. Both of them had similar reasons for eavesdropping. What either of them knew of the filly they longed for could barely fill the introduction of a text book. To them, what they could overhear, Eclipse speaking of her time with Octavia and Vinyl gave them a new wealth of knowledge. It would suffice for now until they could get the chance, and courage, to try and ask her further about her past.
When night became too dark, and exhaustion did its part on Spiral. They came to the side of the road to sleep. Trixie would not let Copy and Spiral inside of the caravan but granted Eclipse the chance to sleep within it. The two mares insisted Eclipse do so, and they would simply share Copy's tent. When dawn came, the final hours of the trip were passed with silence until the sight of Las Pegasus brought Eclipse to the driver's area with Copy.
Even during the day light, and at a distance, Las Pegasus was a sight to behold. Large structures taking on unorthodox shapes from pyramids, to a small version of Manehatten, a pirate ship far larger than any that had been built, a circus that went on all year long, and a giant cupcake could be seen from the distance. Eclipse learned that the buildings resided along 'the Strip'. The center of Las Pegasus surrounded by thousands of smaller stores, casinos, and specialty entertainment establishments. It was the premier theme park city for foals to adults alike. A city of entertainment and sin welcoming all into its charming embrace.
Eclipse smiled at the sight. It was breath taking, perhaps more so than when she first saw Manehatten. She was finally at the place that could return her to Octavia and Vinyl. With three new friends accompanying her, at least Eclipse saw Trixie as a friend, they made their approach in the caravan into Las Pegasus city's limits.