Outlaw Mares 2: For a Few Ponies More

by Digodragon

Chapter 7 – At War With Your Vices

It was a gloomy day filled with dark clouds that threatened to rain at a moment’s notice. Trixie loved the rain. The little filly always looked forward to feel the first water drops on her nose. Her mother’s friend Rico always played a happy tune on his guitar for Trixie when she practiced her levitation magic on the mud puddles.

However, today was very different. Rico played a very somber melody to the crowd that gathered here, and Trixie didn’t understand why.

“She has no father, no siblings,” whispered a voice in the crowd.

Trixie looked up at all the gypsies that surrounded the plain black tent here in the cemetery. They stood there quietly and spoke very little to each other. It was contrary to the positive, upbeat community that Trixie had been born into. She had never seen them all look so sad and passive like this.

This was also her first time to the cemetery. The strange carved stones felt ominous to her, as if there were ponies hidden behind them that watched her.

“There aren’t any children her age in the commune,” another voice said softly. “It’ll be hard for her to cope with this.”

Under the black tent, one of the elder gypsies gave a lyrical prayer to her mother, Jessenia. Trixie hadn’t seen her mom in a couple of days because the filly spent a surprise sleepover with her mother’s best friend, Ovelia. Her mother was here now and she slept in a cute little bed made from a shiny wooden box and nice white linens.

However, it was strange that her mother wore a beautiful purple dress while she slept. Trixie never remembered her mother sleeping in such a fine garment. Why were things so different today?

Trixie felt Ovelia’s tan-colored hoof on her shoulder and it was uncomfortably firm. Several stallions placed a lid on Jessenia’s box and then lowered her into a large hole. Rico began another sad melody and the other gypsies sung in tune. Trixie didn’t understand what was going on.

Was something wrong with her mother?

The stallions picked up shovels and began pushing dirt into the hole. The soil made a piercing thud in Trixie’s ears as it covered Jessenia’s box. The little filly suddenly became very scared. Why were they throwing dirt on her mom’s bed? Why were the songs so sad? What happened to her mother?

In a panic, Trixie broke free of Ovelia’s grip and rushed over to the hole.

“Wait!” Trixie shouted. “You’re burying mom! We have to wake her up first!”

Ovelia rushed forward to grab the little filly, but Trixie fought back. The young unicorn climbed into the hole and tried to scoop out the dirt on her mother’s box. Rico closed his eyes and continued to play as the crowd grew agitated. Several mares broke down in tears.

Ovelia reached in and yanked Trixie out of the hole. She held on to the filly tightly.

“I’m sorry Trixie,” Ovelia whispered. “Your mother won’t be waking up.”

Trixie kicked and flailed to break free, but Ovelia’s grip was solid. “No! Mom, wake up!” the filly cried out. “You can’t go, you have to come home! Mom!!”

The crowd resumed their tearful hymn as the stallions resumed their work. Trixie wailed in tears as her mother’s box disappeared under the soil poured over it. The commune continued to sing as Trixie's little heart broke. She didn't understand what was going on, and the confusion scared her more than anything had before in her short, innocent life.

The first drops of rain fell upon Trixie’s nose.

~ ~ ~

Trixie awoke with a soft gasp upon her breath. Salty tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked up from where she sat in the balloon basket. It was still dark out and the only sound she heard was the small motor that helped propel the balloon forward. It appeared that Trixie wasn’t asleep for very long.

She wiped the tears away from her eyes and then pulled out the locket that she had found back at the mansion. Trixie studied the old black-and-white photo in her hooves. There was no doubt in her mind that it was a picture of her mother, Jessenia. It had been so long since she looked upon those angelic eyes.

Trixie wondered who owned this locket. Was there a relative she didn’t know about?

Zeeps, Cheryl, and Daybreaker were so focused on the task of flying the balloon that only Ellie noticed Trixie was crying. The pegasus quietly slid down the basket and sat beside the unicorn. She nudged Trixie on the shoulder.

“Hey, you alright?” Ellie whispered.

“Yeah,” Trixie responded with a sad smile. “It was just a bad dream, something from long ago.”

“Well, I’m here for you if you need to let it out,” Ellie assured.

“Thanks,” Trixie said, “But I’ll be alright. I guess I was just really tired.”

Trixie pocketed the locket and then stood up. Cheryl and Zeeps steered the balloon while Daybreaker searched for Golden’s airship. The bison appeared stoic, but Trixie noticed his shaking grip on the balloon’s basket. Trixie was glad that she was able to count on them to help her stop the Horizon Walkers.

Trixie slid over to Daybreaker and looked out at the dark horizon that surrounded them. “Any sign of Golden’s airship?” Trixie asked the bison chief

“Down there,” Daybreaker said unmoving. “I believe that is them.”

Ahead of them on the ground was Golden’s red airship. It hovered just off the sand dunes and was anchored to a large rock outcropping. A small campfire on the desert sands illuminated the tiny dots that were unmistakably the ship’s crew. There was a small oasis just past the airship and several more tiny specks of light moved around the water’s edge.

“Let’s land quickly,” Trixie said. “Maybe we can sneak up on them and grab the bell first.”

“I hope Roc is down there,” Zeeps added eagerly. “I’d love to sink my teeth into his face for all the beatings he gave me.”

Cheryl gave the changeling a look of disgust. “Please tell me that’s a figure of speech, bug butt.”

“Maybe,” Zeeps said enigmatically.

Ellie cut the motor off. “Alright, reel in the sails and I’ll bleed the air out of the envelope,” she instructed. “I’ll deflate the bag entirely once we land so that they don’t see it over the dunes.”

The team worked together and landed their balloon a safe distance away from the Horizon Walkers. Under the cover of darkness they slowly made their way behind a collection of large boulders that overlooked Golden’s airship. No pony from the airship crew had noticed them yet so Trixie and her friends sat and observed what the Walkers were doing by the oasis.

Trixie took out the tin cups from under her purple cape while Ellie retrieved a small telescope from her own saddle-belt pouch. Trixie placed one tin cup against the rock and attempted to listen in on the ship’s crew, but the ground wasn’t solid enough to get a clear sound.

“I can only make out something about the crew waiting around,” Trixie whispered as she struggled to hear the airship crew’s conversation, “But at least it doesn’t sound like they know we’re here.”

“They may not have expected us to arrive by air,” Daybreaker said.

“Or they’re not even paying attention,” Ellie added from behind her little telescope. “It looks like they’re all drinking and playing cards.” The pegasus turned her view to the nearby oasis. She saw several lanterns set up around the shoreline. This illuminated the Horizon Walkers and allowed Ellie to pick them out.

“I definitely see Golden,” Ellie commented. “I’d recognize that red-maned witch anywhere. Debon is there too, but he’s talking to a few ponies I don’t recognize.”

Trixie held out a hoof to borrow the telescope. Ellie handed her device over and the azure unicorn gave the area a look for herself.

“Okay, the tall yellow stallion is Roc Tumbler,” Trixie explained. “He’s definitely a Horizon Walker. The little marbled pegasus is named Mosaic. She’s not a member, but she’s trying to muscle her way into their ranks.”

“Stupid idea to make friends with that lot,” Cheryl muttered. “What about that big clay monster we saw? Gung was it?”

“Well, since nothing is on fire or screaming,” Zeeps said, “Then Gung hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Then let us charge into battle,” Daybreaker stated firmly as he stood up.

Trixie grabbed the chief and pulled him back down. “Hold your mustard chief,” she warned. “Some of the crew may have weapons and magic. We still have the element of surprise, so let’s use that advantage to get closer before we engage them.”

“We’re still outnumbered, bunko,” Cheryl said. “Even if we get close, we still have to contend with about a dozen ponies or so, not counting the ring leaders. What we need is some firepower.”

Ellie took back the telescope and studied the red airship intently. “Well, there's only one ladder up to the airship and none of the crew appear to be a pegasus. If we take the ship, we can use the cannons on the main deck."

"What is a cannon?" Daybreaker asked.

"It's a weapon that shoots a small metal ball with steam pressure," Ellie explained. "If we sneak onboard, we could scare off the crew with a few shots.”

Trixie smiled as she huddled her friends together. “Okay, let’s build on that idea. I’ll provide the illusion to get us close. Daybreaker, you cover us getting on board the airship. Ellie, you get the steam engines to full power. Cheryl and Zeeps, you two load the cannons. When Ellie gives you the okay, you fire them near the crew. Just be careful, we want to scare them off, not blow them up.”

“What about the Walkers at the oasis?” Cheryl asked.

“They’ll probably run into the temple when they figure out it’s us,” Trixie said confidently. “We’ll chase them down once the crew has been scattered.”

“You’ll have no hesitations from me,” Daybreaker added.

Trixie nodded as she held out a hoof in the middle of the huddle. Everyone else placed their own hoof over hers. They were united with the determination to stop the Horizon Walkers.

“As my sixth rule states,” Trixie said, “’Treat every performance as if it were your last show.’ So let’s give them one buck of a fierce fight. Good luck, Team Trixie.”

“I motion we change our team name later,” Zeeps commented.

“I’m all for that idea,” Cheryl added.

“How about we call ourselves The Changeling Five?” Zeeps asked. “You know, like hive, but with a number?”

Daybreaker let out a soft cough while everyone else remained in an awkward, silent stare at Zeeps. Cheryl gave the changeling a pat on the back.

“Team Trixie it is,” the chocolate earth pony said.

Trixie stood up and closed her eyes. She envisioned in her mind the gray overalls the airship crew wore. Several shimmering wisps of magic flowed out from her horn and slowly glided around her friends like snakes made of light. The wisps covered everyone and expanded into solid forms. They all now looked very similar to the airship crew, although the illusion left a slight glow that was noticeable in the darkness.

“Keep close and move fast,” Trixie whispered. “I can’t hold this one for long, and I doubt this’ll fool them for more than a glance.”

The team quickly trotted down the sand dunes toward the airship. The ship’s crew sat around a small campfire, sharing mugs of rum and playing cards. Surrounding them were barrels and crates containing food and drinks for their dinner.

The card playing ponies were quick to notice the extra members hustling to the rope ladder and that they were glowing with an unusual light.

“You lot! Stay right there!” the ship captain commanded.

Trixie pushed her friends to climb up the ladder. “Just go,” she whispered, “I’ll stall them.”

Daybreaker turned to Trixie expectantly as the captain and two other stallions approached. The azure unicorn could read the itch for combat on the bison’s face and she shook her head to indicate not to fight yet.

The captain ran up to Trixie. “I said halt!” he shouted at the ponies that climbed up the ladder. “I don’t recognize any of you! Get your tails down here immediately!”

“Now?” Daybreaker asked.

Trixie shrugged. “Sure, why not?” Trixie waved a fore-hoof and the illusion burst forth as a shower of sparks and colorful lights that stunned the captain.

Daybreaker charged and rammed the captain into the ground. The flanking stallions retaliated against the bison with several hard blows, but Daybreaker stood his ground. The remaining crew of the airship scrambled to their hooves and dashed over to fight the bison and the azure unicorn.

Trixie picked up her slingshot and levitated several bullets into the air. She began a slow walk towards the oncoming crew. “Let’s play leapfrog,” Trixie muttered with a grin.

The azure unicorn pulled back an iron bullet and fired it into the nearest stallion that rushed her. The metal orb hit the target square in the chest with a resounding crack and the stallion dropped to the ground in pain. Trixie pulled back another bullet and fired at her next target. The iron orb struck the stallion in the upper fore-leg with a painful snap and he too dropped to the sandy floor.

The crew took cover behind the crates and barrels. Several stallions reached for their own slingshots and fired back at Trixie with steel balls. The azure unicorn ran for cover behind a large crate of apples. The incoming steel bullets ripped into Trixie’s hiding spot and splattered her with chunks of apples and seeds. A sharp splinter of wood cut into her ear.

Trixie targeted her levitation magic on the ground and scooped up a large pile of sand. She threw it in the general direction of the opposing stallions, catching one in the eyes. Trixie got up and fired off a jet of magical fireworks at the remaining ponies nearby. One stallion’s mane caught fire and he dropped his weapon to put himself out.

Chief Daybreaker broke through the two ponies fighting him and charged into the larger group that hid behind the crates of food. The stout bison smashed through the crates and crew like bowling pins.

Trixie jumped up and fired several bullets into the crowd that fled from the bison. Her shot whizzed over the backs of the fleeing crew. Several dove for cover behind a large tent. One was struck in the leg and tumbled into the sandy ground. Two stallions returned fire. Trixie ducked under the shots, but one bullet clipped her right shoulder.

A maroon-coated mare surprised Trixie from behind and slammed into the unicorn's back. Trixie staggered forward and dropped her iron bullets. She spun around and parried the mare’s punch with her cape. Trixie fired off a burst of fireworks into the mare's face and blinded the maroon pony with the bright flashes

As the assaulting mare stumbled back, she grabbed Trixie’s mane tightly.

“Ow, ow, ow!” Trixie yelled out. “Let go of the mane!” The unicorn yanked back on her hair, but the maroon pony held on tight and kicked Trixie hard in the left hip.

The azure unicorn fired off several bursts of fireworks randomly in an effort to break free. The magical pyrotechnics bounced off the hull of the airship and rained down upon the battlefield. Trixie took her slingshot and jabbed it at her opponent’s throat.

The maroon mare gagged and collapsed in a coughing fit as she let go. Trixie brushed back her mane with a fore-hoof, minus a few lost strands of hair. Her ear stung with the splinter still lodged in it. Trixie pulled out the splinter and then levitated the few bullets she could see on the ground. She raced over to help Daybreaker fight off the crew that surrounded him.

The bison chief shoved a scrawny stallion into the crate that was used for the earlier card game. Two burly stallions latched onto the chief’s horns. Daybreaker shook his head and threw one stallion off, but the other held on. More ponies closed in on Daybreaker.

The bison chief turned and rolled through the large campfire. The stallion on him jumped away to avoid getting burned. Now freed, Daybreaker kicked the burning logs at the other ponies around him. The fires collided with the airship crew and scattered them away in a panic.

Trixie caught up with Daybreaker and brushed the hot ashes off his burned coat. “Are you alright?” she asked him with concern.

“It is a pain I can ignore for now,” the chief responded. “We must reach the Horizon Walkers before they find that bell.”

Trixie pointed toward the oasis. “You run us there and I’ll cover you.”

Daybreaker nodded. Trixie jumped onto Daybreaker’s back and readied the last of her bullets. The two raced past the ship’s crew and over to the oasis.

Meanwhile, Ellie, Zeeps, and Cheryl reached the main deck of the airship. Zeeps pulled up the rope ladder to prevent the crew from following them. Cheryl smashed open the lock on the hatch that led below to the boiler room. Ellie trotted to the hatch stairs and descended below the deck without hesitation.

The remaining two mares pushed one of the cannons to the railing’s edge. Cheryl grabbed one of the heavy cannonballs from a crate while Zeeps aimed the cannon down at the crew below.

“Okay, so how does this thing work?” Zeeps asked as she looked at the nearby hoses that lay on the deck. The cannon’s breech had a threaded hole that could fit one of the hoses.

“Maybe we need to attach this doohickey into that thingamajig?”

“I have no idea,” Cheryl replied. “I reckon Ellie will come back and tell us what to do.” The earth pony shoved the metal ball into the cannon’s muzzle.

The ball rolled up the cannon’s muzzle a few inches, stopped, and then rolled right back out. Cheryl tried to grab it, but the cannonball slipped through her hooves and fell over the railing. The two mares watched the ball plummet and smash a keg of rum.

Two ponies below jumped in fright and looked up at where the ball came from.

“Sorry!” Zeeps shouted with a wave. “Do either of you know how to work a doohickey?”

“Oh you’ll be sorry alright!” shouted a nearby mare’s voice.

Zeeps and Cheryl turned around and saw two ponies standing outside the captain’s room. One was a yellow female unicorn and the other an orange stallion earth pony. Both were recognized as the original wand thieves back on the train ride to San Anponio, Bonnie and Clem.

“Alright then,” Cheryl said to Clem. “I owe you one for my nose.”

“Better make it two,” Clem responded. “You got a big nose.”

“That’s it!!” Cheryl shouted.

The chocolate earth pony dove at Clem and socked him in the face. Clem swung back and whacked her in the side of the head. Cheryl spun around like a ballerina and kicked Clem square in the stomach. The orange stallion tumbled backwards onto the wooden deck.

Zeeps turned to Bonnie and felt confident that she could take on the scrawny yellow unicorn. The changeling bared her fangs with a toothy smile.

“I’m going to eat you for dinner,” Zeeps threatened.

Bonnie lowered her head and fired a yellow magical bolt of energy at Zeeps. The changeling dove out of the way and scrambled to hide behind the cannon as a second magical bolt struck the deck beside her. Bonnie laughed and closed in on the surprised changeling.

“You were saying something about being dinner?” the yellow unicorn chuckled.

“Why must my food keep defending itself?!” Zeeps cried.

“You’re on your own, bug butt!” Cheryl yelled back as she blocked Clem’s strong punch. The chocolate-colored mare performed three backflips that landed her next to a crate of cannonballs. She picked one up, spun around, and threw the heavy iron ball with her momentum.

Clem jumped to the side as the ball sailed by his head. The metal sphere smashed through the glass window that led into the captain’s room.

“Ha-ha,” Clem taunted, “Got yourself seven years bad luck!”

Cheryl raised an eyebrow. “That’s a mirror, you moron.”

“Nu-uh,” Clem happily retorted. “It was a window you just smashed.”

“You are one thick lunkhead,” Cheryl stated.

Below deck, Ellie located the boiler room. It was a large room with an iron plated floor, rubber hoses that crisscrossed between the walls like a spider's web, and a huge furnace that was the heart of the ship's power. The furnace flames were weak, so the green-maned pegasus grabbed a shovel and opened the coal tender wide. She scooped up the fuel and fed the furnace haphazardly. Coals spilled all over the floor as the pegasus continued to shovel more fuel into the furnace. The flames rose in intensity and the boiler pressure began to increase.

A butch voice yelled out from behind her.

“What’s going on here?” asked the ship’s burly, gray-coated engineer.

“Uh, the engine actually,” Ellie responded timidly.

The engineer picked up a wrench that hung off his dirty coverall and swung it at Ellie’s head. The pegasus ducked and jabbed the engineer in the gut with the shovel. The burly stallion gritted his teeth and threw his tool at the pegasus. The wrench struck Ellie in the chest. She dropped the shovel and cried out in pain. The pegasus scrambled away from the advancing engineer.

“Get your little hide over here, missy!” the engineer shouted. He picked up the shovel and turned it edge-wise to strike the pegasus over the head.

Ellie backed up against the coal tender. The engineer swung down, but the shovel chopped into a rubber hose instead of Ellie. Oil leaked out of the damaged hose and spilled on the floor. The stallion pulled the shovel back to break it free. Ellie grabbed the damaged hose and yanked on it with her entire weight. The rubber line ripped apart as the oil now squirted all over the engineer and the floor underneath him.

The engineer lost his footing on the slippery ground as Ellie continued to soak him in oil. She turned and kicked up at the stallion with her rear hooves. The engineer flailed backwards and slammed into the open furnace. His soaked coverall quickly ignited and the engineer yelled in a panic. The stallion dropped the shovel and rolled on the ground to put out the flames on his coverall.

Ellie panicked as she grabbed the stallion's coverall by the sleeves. She ripped the top half off the stallion’s flaming clothes and quickly tossed them to the floor.

The oil soaked floor.

The boiler room lit up with a loud air-sucking roar. The engineer abandoned his post in fright from the fires. Ellie rushed out of the room behind the engineer. Hot flames licked at the pegasus' heels and burning ashes filled the air. She staggered out of the fiery room with a heavy coughing fit.

The engineer stumbled onto the main deck and cried out for Bonnie and Clem. “The ship’s on fire!!”

The fight stopped with the words ‘on fire’, but Zeeps took the opportunity to strike. She stood up from behind the cannon and fired a green magical beam at Bonnie. The yellow unicorn jerked her body to the side and avoided Zeeps’ dirty sneak attack. She fired her own beam back, but Zeeps ducked back down behind the cannon for safety. Clem swung at Cheryl in retaliation for Zeeps attacking Bonnie. The chocolate pony ducked the stallion's swing and struck back at his stomach

The ponies resumed their battle despite the engineer’s warning.

Ellie arrived on the main deck and saw that every pony was still fighting. “Cheryl!” the pegasus shouted.

“Yeah, the ship's on fire," Cheryl angrily interrupted. "We got that message already!" She rushed Clem and punched him in the gut. As the orange stallion faltered from the stunning blow, Cheryl did a pirouette and delivered a back kick to Clem’s chin. The stallion fell backwards and hit the deck hard.

Clem groaned, but didn’t get back up.

“Um, okay then,” Ellie replied nervously.

As the smoke from the fire below deck wafted out into the open, Ellie turned to the engineer. “Where’s the water pump?” she asked him. “I can help put out the fire.”

“Save yourselves!” the engineer shouted. He jumped over the railing and fell down to the sand dune below with a loud thud.

Zeeps and Bonnie stopped fighting to see if the engineer survived the fall.

"He runs pretty fast with just three legs," Bonnie commented.

Cheryl walked up behind Bonnie and put a hoof on her back. "And I reckon you think pretty fast, seeing as you're the only pony here to fight the three of us." The earth pony's smile made the yellow unicorn gulp with fear.

"Um, I'd like to surrender, if that's an option," Bonnie said meekly.

“Smart lass,” Cheryl said happily. "I'll spare you my hoof for now."

Zeeps looked towards the Oasis and saw both Trixie and Daybreaker running toward the Horizon Walkers. The changeling whistled to Ellie and Cheryl. “Hey, Trixie is going to fight the Walkers!” she shouted. “Can we help her out?”

Ellie looked at Cheryl. “Well, might as well try something!” the pegasus said firmly. “I’ll need all of you to pull up the airship’s anchor! I’ll see if I can get this thing moving!”

“But the ship is on fire!” Bonnie cried out.

“Then I’ll have to get it moving quickly,” Ellie countered.

~ ~ ~

The Horizon Walkers finished their survey of the oasis. Debon was convinced that this was the entrance to the burial site of Grogar’s next bell.

“Roc,” Debon asked politely, “If you would open us an entrance?”

Roc stood at the pond’s edge and concentrated his magical energy on the bed beneath the water. The sandy ground under the pond began to rise and displace the water away. As the pond’s contents rushed out of the oasis, several stone pillars were uncovered at the bottom. They were pony-made stones that surrounded an old stone slab. Each pillar had the carving of a spiral horn upon it.

Mosaic was impressed. “Do all Walkers gain amazing talents like this?”

“We certainly do,” Debon answered. “If you prove yourself worthy, you too will be blessed with a powerful ability in Equestria’s defense.”

Golden walked down the pond’s muddy bed and looked over the slab at the bottom. She raised a hoof over the stone and slammed it down upon the slab. Electrical sparks burst forth as the stone split in two. Roc walked down to Golden and with his own magic he pushed the two halves of stone apart.

Underneath them was a staircase heading down into a moist tunnel.

“It appears we have company,” Debon said as he glanced back at the camp.

“Gung?” Roc asked.

Debon shook his head. “No,” he said. “It is a much more frustrating opponent.”

Chief Daybreaker closed in on the Horizon Walkers with Trixie riding on his back. The unicorn had her slingshot out and armed for an attack. Behind the pair came Golden’s burning airship. The ship listed to the left and belched out large amounts of black smoke from inside the hull.

“My ship!” Golden cried out angrily. “Those outlaws set fire to my ship!”

Trixie let loose her remaining bullets in quick succession upon the Horizon Walkers. The iron spheres smashed against the stone pillars around the Walkers and created a gravel-like rain upon them.

Roc stomped on the muddy earth. The ground magically rose up as an immense wall to block the charging bison.

Daybreaker leaped over the wall, but snagged himself against the top edge. Trixie in turn jumped off the bison’s back and flew through the air with as much grace as could be expected from a wingless unicorn. She collided against Roc and a sickening crunch was heard from the stallion’s chest. The two ponies rolled through the muddy landscape.

Debon grabbed Golden and Mosaic. “We must hurry and find the bell!” he implored. He pulled the two mares with him down the steps and into the tomb.

Trixie stood up and shook some of the mud off her as Daybreaker tumbled down the other side of the wall. The azure unicorn looked around for Debon’s location.

“Seriously?” she said. “I perform a great feat of acrobatics and no one saw it?”

Roc sat up and clutched his chest. He felt a sharp pain from his cracked ribs, but the injury did not keep Roc down. He magically levitated pieces of the large stone slab and hurled the floating stones at Trixie. The azure unicorn rolled out of the stones’ path.

Trixie tried to reach the temple entrance, but Roc hurled more stones to stop her. The azure unicorn weaved and rolled away from the incoming debris. Daybreaker charged the yellow stallion from behind. Roc lifted the other half of the slab in Daybreaker’s way and the bison collided with the dense stone.

Roc lifted a third wave of stones, but halted as the airship descended upon the oasis.

The airship’s boiler exploded out of the port side of the hull. Torn wooded planks and hot metal fragments rained upon the ground. Ellie, Cheryl, and Bonnie tried to level out the diving ship, but the fires consumed much of the rigging that held the gasbag to the ship’s hull. The two components began to separate and the hull raked into the muddy ground.

“Get out of the way, you idiot!” Cheryl shouted to Trixie.

The unicorn hesitated. Debon was about to reach the bell and Golden Jubilee had the ability to teleport them out of the ruins even if the airship buried the entrance.

“Why isn’t she moving?” Ellie asked.

“Debon must already be in the temple,” Zeeps said, “So we have to get Trixie inside too!” The changeling ran to the ship’s bow and jumped off. She flapped her iridescent wings hard, but Zeeps’ injured wing cramped up. The changeling tumbled over the muddy oasis bed toward Trixie.

Roc threw several of his levitated stones at the changeling. Zeeps barreled through the rocks and grabbed Trixie around the waist. She continued to push the unicorn with her momentum over the muddy surface and down the stairs past Roc’s barrage of stones.

Daybreaker rolled down into the temple behind Zeeps as the airship skidded to a stop over the ruin’s entrance.

Roc angrily growled at the escaped ponies before he limped away from the ship’s burning hull. Ellie jumped off the airship and dove at Roc. The pegasus flattened the stallion to the ground and held him down. Cheryl and Bonnie carried an unconscious Clem down the rope ladder to join Ellie a safe distance away.

The airship’s gasbag broke free from the burning wreckage and floated farther downwind.

“Looks like you caught yourself a whopper there,” Cheryl complimented to Ellie.

Ellie looked down at the pinned unicorn. “I reckon you’re a Horizon Walker,” she said to Roc, “So don’t try any funny business with us.”

Cheryl picked up a large stone and clubbed Roc on the head. The stallion moaned and fell unconscious from the blow.

“Ugh, such ruthless behavior,” Bonnie commented.

“Nah, that’s just being prudent,” Cheryl said. She turned around and punched Bonnie between the eyes. The unicorn hit the ground in one bounce and laid there, out cold.

“Now that’s ruthless,” Cheryl muttered.

“So much for questioning them,” Ellie said plainly.

The two mares heard distant howls that sounded very deep and very… monstrous. The scattered airship crew fled to hide in the distant sand dunes. Ellie and Cheryl decided to trot back to their hot air balloon. Gung was coming and now the fight below was left in Trixie’s hooves.

Author's Note:

I used my own first funeral experience back when I was about 4-5 years old for the first section. I wasn't afraid, but I reckon it wouldn't have taken much to push me considering how confusing it was.

Comments

[Verdigris]

And now the fun begins.

Trixie: "Why does everything have to be underground?"
Zeeps: "Why does everypony have to be a grouch?"
Golden: "Why doesn't that mare just give up?"
Debon: "Why don't you just shut up?"

Reader: "Why don't you just give up? Trixie is made of awesome."

[Limedog]

And finally caught up.

The memory of Trixie at Jessenia's funeral kinda mirrors my own... except I managed to convince SSG Dewey to crash my father's funeral rather than just drive me home like he was told to do. Sure, my immediate relatives were somewhat upset at this happening, but they quickly realized that I was still well within my senses as the funeral proceeded. I even managed to get one last look at my father... but this time, in a wooden coffin, rather than being sick and needed the assistance of a nurse to feed himself from a tray of hospital food from the night prior.

I did end up having a surprise sleepover that night, though.

In any case, a wonderful chapter! And now I'm all caught up. Too bad I can't convince FIMFiction to continue sending me reminders in e-mail that my favorites are being updated further.

[adcoon]

It's no fun being sick, let me tell you Great chapter, though.

I don't remember having a funeral experience like that as a kid, but it sure must be distressing for someone so young

Rico played a very somber melody to the crowd that gathered here [comma] and Trixie didn’t understand why.

Rico closed his eyes and continued to play as the crowed [crowd] grew agitated

She nidged [nudged] Trixie on the shoulder.

Trixie fired off a burst of fireworks into the mare[']s face

“The food is defending herself [itself?] somehow!” Zeeps cried.

I'm thinking this might be Zeeps joking a bit, rather than actually being surprised? If not, it's a possibly little odd how she had no trouble fighting Trixie (in the guise of Daring Do) back in the city

She ripped the top half off the stallion’s flaming clothes off and quickly tossed them to the floor.

Underneath them was a staircase heading down in[to] a moist tunnel.

She collided on [with] Roc with a sickening crunch against the stallion’s chest.

[Silentecho]

it kinda reminds me of my step grandma's funeral. I didn't see her as a step since she was around since my mum was little. Anyways, i was 3 when she passed away and my aunt told me that when we were leaving i kept yelling at my parents that we forgot grandma back at the cemetery and we had to go back to get her....such sadness

[Digodragon]

2677126

My spellchecker thinks 'nidged' is a word.
Well that's different. **Adds correction to dictionary**

[Emperor]

Ah, I guess that explains what happened to Trixie's mother. Gee, I sure hope there isn't a "Trixie, I am your father!" twist in this story.

The Horizon Walkers are gonna have to have a heck of a turnaround to escape this one, considering they just lost an airship and one of their actual members, Roc, is in enemy hands. Furthermore, Roc is one of their archaeologist ponies, meaning they've just lost a key source of expertise for finding any more of Grogar's Bells or other relics in the future.

Roc's fighting Trixie's group reminds me of the one airship mechanic fighting Indiana Jones.

Trixie continues to be so so good. I just can't get enough of how insanely awesome she is. At this point, 'Trixie' is going to be a curse word among the Horizon Walkers.

*Debon doesn't watch where he's going, stubs his hoof on something
*Debon: "Ah, Trixie!"