The Princess and the Muse

by xedalpha

Chapter 5: A Trixie Situation

Chapter 5: A Trixie Situation

How long had it been?

How long had it been since she’d been strong enough to take to the skies?

Mimica wondered this as she cruised through the air, savouring the subtle pressures of the wind currents against her wings; the long forgotten chill of the air bristling over her form.

Flying in her glamour felt different to her true form. The wings had more mass; they didn’t beat as quickly and so needed more force with each downbeat to compensate.

But that didn’t matter, thought Mimica. She was flying again, and for the first time in she didn’t know how long, she felt alive once more.

Such wonderful, beautiful energy surged through every fabric of her being. And while it might have been a long time since she’d been strong enough to fly, the truth was Mimica had never been this strong before. Even back home when they would spoon –and at times even force- feed energy into her, they had never given her enough so that she even approached this level of power. She could feel the residue of the other magicks she had been feeding off in order to survive; the various spells and artefacts swirled about inside of her in the pool of the magic yielded by the Elements of Harmony.

Love and friendship had made her strong, but it hadn’t been taken; it hadn’t been torn away from another as a Changeling normally would to attain it. No, Mimica had gained this power through what had been quite a spontaneous act of self-sacrifice on her part.

Just how irked would her mother be if she found out about that?

Mimica couldn’t help but grin.

She momentarily let her attention drift to the warmth against her side. Alpha Spark was slightly larger in terms of overall size (excluding wingspan, of course) but he felt so light to her now. She felt good to be the one carrying him for once.

Mimica felt her grip tighten slightly. She would prove to him that she was capable of being the one to protect him now.

The pool of friendship energy in her swelled briefly at that thought.

She wrapped her other foreleg gently about him, embracing him to her as she returned her attention to the skies ahead.

-α-

The take-off and sudden acceleration had left me a little dazed to say the least. I was aware of the deep, rhythmic noise around me as Mimica’s wings displaced the air downwards in order to keep as aloft.

The ground sped by below, and I felt Mimi’s arms twitch as I shifted, “Are you okay?” came her voice. Its tone was calm and oddly quiet. I probably should’ve worried about being dropped also, but for some reason that fear was furthest from my mind when I remembered it was her holding me.

I shook my head to clear it slightly, “Am I okay? You’re the one who just took a direct hit from the Elements of Harmony. Are you okay?”

I felt her forelegs tighten slightly, “always worrying…” and even without looking I somehow knew that she was smiling.

“I’d say in this case my worry is more than warranted.”

“I’m okay, Spark. You don’t need to worry,” she responded, her tone still content.

“What, you’re trying to tell me that you’re just fine after being-“

“-I mean, I’m okay,” she cut in, “I’m okay now, Spark…”

I gave a mild start as I caught her meaning, “You mean you’re…”

I saw her nod, “The Elements; Princess Twilight, they healed me. Though I suspect that was not their intention.

She let out a quick, incredulous laugh, “I’m alive, Spark. I’ve never felt this amazing in my whole life.”

I was momentarily dumbstruck, “You’re…you mean…you’re going to be alright?”

She hugged me closer, “Yes…” and I felt her pointedly beat her wings once with force, “and you don’t need to worry any more, Spark. Nobody is going to hurt you again,” I suddenly felt her grip tighten almost painfully, “I’ll be protecting you…”

This was something new. I really hadn’t ever seen Mimica this way before. Always she had faced her possible fate with a selfless dignity that befitted her royal status, but never had I been given an opportunity to see what she was like when she wasn’t an underdog.

When I first found Mimi she had seemed so broken, and so I had to wonder: was this the real her? Had I just not been looking close enough to see how iron her will really was. Had I been so presumptuous as to think I was the brave one?

“Were you always this strong?” I found myself whispering.

“No…” she replied quietly a moment later, “I’m strong because you made me strong. Until I met you, I’d never had anything to care about, nor had anyone care about me, not really anyway. It was the friendship I felt from you that gave me the power to synchronise with the Elements of Harmony.

“You see? You were wrong, Spark. You never failed me; you kept your promise. So I just wanted to say something; something I’ve never gotten round to saying since you first took me in…“

“And what’s that?”

“Thank you for saving me. And thanks…for being my friend.”

I couldn’t help but smile, “I’m glad my princess is pleased…”

“She is, very much so...” I felt her look up again, “And I’d suggest you hold onto whatever lunch you may have eaten.”

I looked up to see that Mimica had done a very wide about-turn and was now closing rapidly on Ponyville.

“What are you doing?”

“The plan still stands, Spark: we go north.”

I nodded my understanding. Mimica had after all just openly attacked Princess Twilight and revealed herself as a Changeling. The heat would, to say the least, be very much on us now. We had to hide.

“But why are we heading back to Ponyville?”

“Just getting my bearings. Now hold on.”

My stomach lurched as Mimi curved into rapid descent, her speed increasing as we shot across the paths leading into town. I looked back as leaves were torn from a tree in her wake as we passed.

“Mimica, a slight word of caution perhaps?”

“Sorry, Alpha. No time for that.”

I would’ve raised further objections at the prospect of flying low at near supersonic speeds through a populated area, however my words only came out as abject cries of terror as Mimi angled herself sideways, cutting between the buildings. And while she might have lowered her speed significantly to do this, the manoeuver would still probably be classed as nothing short of suicidal by even the most veteran of flyers.

Mimica banked into an almost impossibly sharp right turn, the air current whipping up a line of market stalls and ponies as we passed by.

I opened my mouth and was about to shout an apology, but my attention suddenly became focused on what we were about to crash into from behind, “Mimi, watch out for the mail pony!” I cried as we came within inches of rear-ending the delivery Pegasus. Instead, Mimica was merely jolted as we clipped the unfortunate soul in passing.

There was a rush of air as we broke free and out over the railway station. Mimica immediately angled herself to fly parallel to the tracks northward.

I breathed a long, relieved sigh.

“Umm…” came a voice from somewhere behind me.

“What is it, Mimi?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Um, excuse me, sir?”

My brow furrowed and I shifted about in Mimi’s arms to look behind me.

My jaw dropped.

“Uhh, Mimica…?”

“What is it?”

“Problem…”

Mimi glanced back at her rear right leg. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

A Pegasus mail sack was coiled around her limb. Obviously it had gotten tangled up during Mimi’s flight over town. Now this alone wasn’t much of a problem.

The problem was the fact that the delivery Pegasus was still attached to it. I was frankly stunned that Mimica hadn’t noticed the weight difference.

“Ummm,” I said unsurely, “hello?” I offered, not quite sure what else to say.

“Good day, sir,” replied the grey mare with what I considered quite shockingly polite cheeriness, especially considering we’d almost knocked her out of the sky. I also couldn’t quite tell by her eyes if she was looking at me or at Mimica. I suspected that the answer may have been a little of both.

“Listen, I don’t mean to be a bother…” she began, and I found it odd that the pegasus didn’t seem to be upset or offended, just mildly confused by her current predicament, “…but I don’t suppose you’d mind letting me go, would you?” She asked, her wings and body having been tangled up by the leather strap, effectively binding her to the end of Mimica’s leg.

Mimi’s wings flicked outward, catching the wind and drawing her to a glide as we looked at each other. I shrugged my shoulders as best I could and reached over to help the mailmare free.

“I’m really sorry about this, sir,” said the blonde pegasus as I reached for her strap and worked to free her, “I really didn’t mean to run into you like that. I suppose I just wasn’t looking where I was going. I really need to work on that...”

I considered commenting that we were the ones who actually did the running into and felt a little guilty about making the Pegasus think she was at fault, especially as something told me she might have had a lot of problems with such things in the past. I finally decided on simply saying, “Don’t worry about it, could’ve happened to anypony,” as I freed her.

She slipped free and flicked her wings out, her grey feathers ruffling as she stretched, “Thank you kindly, sir.” She said cheerily, saluting once and pulling free a ziplock bag from her mail sack. She tossed something from within to me before happily flying off the way we’d come.

“Strange pony,” murmured Mimica, “What is it?” she asked, glancing at the object in my hoof.

“A muffin, “I sniffed at it, “Blueberry, freshly baked too.”

“Very strange…”

“Strange maybe,” I agreed, unable to resist taking a big bite out of the treat and taking a moment to savour the taste, “but there goes a pony who knows her muffins.”

It strangely didn’t occur to me to question what a mail pony was doing carrying around a ready supply of freshly baked muffins. I would later pin it down to simply being one of those great unsolvable mysteries of the universe.

“Either way,” I said, “I think we should try being a little more careful for now.”

“And by we, you mean me.” replied Mimica as she started flying again, “I’m sorry. I guess I got a little carried away with…well…carrying you away.”

She flew higher for safety before accelerating again, keeping the tracks below in view, “Don’t worry about it.” I said, “You’re doing great, Mimica. Want half my muffin?”

“I’m not partial to muffins, but thank you.”

“Don’t like muffins?” I asked, munching down the rest, “I wasn’t aware such a thing was possible. But I guess that’s something else new I’ve learned about you.”

“Tit for tat, Spark, “she said with light humour as she flew, “doesn’t that mean I get to learn something about you too?”

That gave me pause, and I went quiet for a while as I thought on it. “I had a talk with an earth pony during the night whilst you slept. I tried...just talking about everything that’s happened to me. It actually felt quite good. I take it we’ll be flying for a while?”

“It’ll take a few hours to catch up to the last train,” she replied, her words punctuated by a gentle double beat of her wings as the dawn off to our right grew brighter.

“Good. Then you just keep on flying, Princess, and let me tell you a story…”

-T-

Twilight and her friends slowly made their way back towards the centre of Ponyville. A glum note seemed to hang in the air around them. The only one who didn’t seem affected was Pinkie Pie, who was bouncing along and smiling as happily as always, seeming completely nonplussed by their current situation.

“So does anypony have any ideas?” asked Rainbow Dash as she flew slowly on alongside them, “I mean sure, I could catch up to her easy enough, what with me being me and all, but-“

“-But there’s no way you’d be able to handle that Changeling all by yourself, Rainbow, even with you being you.” Cut in Twilight.

“Actually, I was just going to say that I didn’t see what direction she flew off in, but I guess what you said might sort of…possibly… also be true,” admitted Rainbow Dash with the greatest of great reluctance.

“Well you’ve at least made one good point there, Rainbow,” said Twilight, “the first thing we need to do is figure out what direction Mimica and Alpha Spark have gone off in. I suppose I’d best report all this to Princess Celestia too. She’ll want to know what’s happened here today.”

Shining Armor nodded, “Good idea, Twily. I’m going to stick around for a while longer also. I wouldn’t feel comfortable just leaving you while all this is still going on.”

“And I know better than to try and talk you out of it, big brother.”

“If it’s not too much trouble,” came a small voice, “I might have an idea.”

Twilight looked up at the other Pegasus who was with them, “What is it, Fluttershy?”

“I think I might know how to find them,” she replied.

“Really, how?”

“We just…follow the trail.”

“What trail?” asked Twilight with a frown.

Fluttershy pointed a hoof up ahead and they all turned to see a half-demolished tree followed by a torn up fence and beyond that an intermittent path of destruction leading all the way into town, “I think they might have gone that way…”

“That’s definitely a possibility,” responded Twilight, who immediately switched into a gallop, dashing into town with the others following close behind. Needless to say, it wasn’t exactly difficult to follow the disgruntled murmurs of the injured ponies and trail of smashed property.

“Alright, everypony,” said Twilight as they stopped at the town square, “Split up, ask around and see if anypony needs help while you’re at it.”

They indicated their agreement and immediately broke off to render assistance and gather information.

-T-

It didn’t take long for the ponies to reassemble and have their suspicions confirmed.

“It’s the same story everywhere:” said Rainbow Dash, “a big white blur and the next thing everypony knows, the world gets flipped upside down.”

They followed the path of destruction through to the train station, “They could’ve gone anywhere from here,” sighed Twilight as they stopped at the edge of the platform.

Applejack squinted her eyes up at something in the sky, “Maybe that mailmare knows somethin’.”

Rainbow Dash looked up, “Who, Ditzy?” she then sighed, “I suppose it couldn’t hurt to ask.”

Rainbow put a hoof to her mouth and whistled loudly. The grey mare above gave a start and looked about, glancing down, straight up, and then proceeding to check her mail bag.

Rainbow Dash groaned, “Down here, Derpy…”

Derpy looked down and flapped slowly towards them, “Hiya, Rainbow Dash.”

“Hi, Derpy,” Rainbow replied with a sigh, then frowned, “What are you doing out here anyways? This isn’t your route.”

“I know,” she replied, “my bag got caught on another Pegasus and I got pulled away.”

“Excuse me, ma’am?” interjected Shining Armor.

“Oh, hiya sir.” She replied brightly, “What can I do you for?”

“It’s just, this Pegasus, it wasn’t a mare who happened to be carrying another pony with her, was it?” he asked.

“It sure was.”

“You ran into them?” asked Rainbow, “Well what happened?”

“I gave them a muffin, of course.”

“Of course you did…”

“Can I have a muffin?” chirped Pinkie.

“You sure can!” replied Derpy with equal cheeriness, reaching into her sack for her muffin bag.

“Derpy…” said Rainbow tiredly as Pinkie gleefully snapped the chocolate chip treat out the air with her tongue and gobbled it down in one, “We need to know: Did you see which way they went?”

“Umm…” said Derpy, her eyes crossing slightly as she folded her hooves, “That-a-way.” She replied.

She was pointing in two separate directions.

Ditzy seemed to catch herself however and her eyes focused. She pointed a hoof due north up the tracks, “They were going that way.”

“You’re sure?” asked Rainbow dubiously.

“Have I ever let you down before?” she chimed.

Rainbow opened her mouth to speak, only for Derpy to cut in again, “Would you like a muffin, Rainbow Dash?”

The rainbow pony stood there for a second with her mouth open, only for her shoulders to sag in defeat, “Yes please…”

“Have a nice day, everypony,” said Derpy happily, dropping a muffin into Rainbow Dash’s reluctantly extended hoof before flying off back to town.

“So they’ve headed north…” said Shining Armor.

“They must be trying to get out of Equestria,” said Twilight.

“And we’ve got no way of catching up to them…” said Applejack glumly.

“Come on, everypony,” cut in Pinkie, “there’s no need to be gloomy! They’ll be right back.”

“And what makes you think that, Pinkie?” asked Twilight tiredly, sinking down onto her hindquarters.

“Simple: Because he said he would.”

“And you believed him?” asked Rarity, “Dear, he’s a criminal. I’m quite sure he was lying.”

“Nuh-uh,” said Pinkie emphatically, shaking her head, “I made sure of it.”

“Really?” asked Rarity, “And how did you do that?”

“That’s the genius thing,” she whispered almost conspiratorially, beckoning them to huddle closer. She raised a hoof to indicate hush, “I made him Pinkie-Promise to be at the party this morning. So, you see!” she said, her voice rising to a startling level, “There’s no possible way he can’t be there!”

The assembled ponies exchanged worried glances, most slowly backing away from the pink pony in time with each other, “Umm, Pinkie Pie,” said Shining Armor, “I’m pretty sure he was-“ he was cut off however as Twilight pressed a hoof to his mouth and shook her head warningly.

Suddenly, a strange look flashed over Twilight’s face as an idea occurred to her. Her eyes were drawn from Pinkie and then to a hand-driven rail cart currently sitting not far off.

The alicorn’s horn glowed as she lifted it up and set it down on the tracks.

“What?” asked Rainbow Dash, “You really think we’re going to catch up to them with that?”

“Maybe…” said Twilight, “I think I might have an idea,” she then approached Pinkie’s side, “Pinkie Pie?”

“Yuh huh?” she asked, her large blue eyes blinking curiously.

Twilight rested a hoof over her shoulder, “Pinkie…I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news for you. Alpha Spark…he’s not going to be at your party.”

“Nuh-uh, he has to be. Pinkie Promise, Twilight, Pinkie Promise.”

“I know, Pinkie…” she replied, sighing dramatically, “but…he lied to you. He’s not coming back.”

Pinkie blinked once, and then twice more, “B-but he promised…”

“That’s right,” responded Twilight apologetically, “he did…”

“Have you lost your mind, Twi?” hissed Applejack warningly.

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing,” she whispered back before returning to Pinkie Pie, who seemed to be wavering on the spot with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“B-but that would mean…” stammered Pinkie, “Th-that would mean that he…he…broke,” that last word wasn’t so much spoken as it was snarled as Pinkie Pie’s entire frame seemed to begin trembling to the point of vibrating on the spot.

Everyone moved further back as the nails in the boards under their hooves were shook free.

“…his…promise,” squeaked Pinkie, still shaking, her teeth gritted together.

Twilight stepped forward and dropped her foreleg casually over Pinkie’s shoulder again and leaned into her ear, a sly smile on her features “The question is, Pinkie:” she began, “What are you going to do about it?”

And like a rubber band stretched beyond its limits, Pinkie Pie snapped.

The pink pony let out an ear-splitting shriek of pure rage and then somehow managed to grab hold of every pony about her and jump the distance to the waiting carriage.

Pinkie Pie exhaled a superheated breath and took hold of the handles, “Nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise…” she growled.

An instant later, the cart was transformed into a streak of pink light, complete with pink fire trails and what can only be described as a sonic Pinkieboom as it shot off up the track in pursuit of the fleeing Changeling, accompanied by a deafening scream of, “…NOPONY!!”

-α-

Mimica had been oddly quiet. Unlike Applejack she hadn’t interrupted with questions; hadn’t commented. She’d just held me against her as she flew and listened. The only sign she’d heard what I said was the way her forelegs would tighten almost unconsciously around me on occasion.

“I figured it was something like that…” she said quietly after a while, “But I already told you, Spark: You don’t have to worry. If you don’t want to go back to your parents or even back to Equestria again, then you won’t have to. And I promise I’ll protect you if anyone comes.”

I smiled grimly, “It looks like the tables really have turned. But yeah, that’s why I am how I am. How I’m so resentful; so…warped.”

I felt her body move as she shook her head, “You’re not warped, Spark. You’re kind and true to your nature, there’s nothing wrong with that. You don’t know what warped is.” She looked back ahead again, “You once said you thought I was ‘cute’, for a Changeling…”

I felt my cheeks heat slightly, “Y-yeah. I was-“

“-it made me feel good,” she cut in gently, and I could tell it took a lot for her to admit that much, “you don’t need to apologise.”

She let out a long breath, “but it also made me feel bad a little. You don’t understand, Spark. The things you mentioned back then: my undeveloped fangs; the fact my wings haven’t even started to shed like they should have. They’re all…side effects. The bottom line is: As far as Changelings go, I’m…deformed, so very badly…”

I scowled, loathing the way she talked about herself, “Don’t talk like that. And what do you mean: ‘side effect’, a side effect of what?”

The noise she made in reply sounded horribly like a sob, and it hurt that I couldn’t so much as reach up to touch her mane to console her.

I looked helplessly up at her and offered the only words I could, “I’m never going to leave you, Mimi. I’m not sure what happened, but I promise you’ll at least always have me…and I’m not sure if I should console you over that too…”

She choked a laugh and shook her head, “It’s alright,” she said, her tone becoming bright once more, “I know things will work out now, somehow.” I felt her tense her frame about me as she lowered her head downwards, “and there’s our target…”

I blinked and looked down and indeed, a little further down the tracks up ahead was a steam locomotive dragging along a line of carriages.

“You caught up to yesterday’s train already?” I asked, gaping slightly, “Mimi, that’s amazing.”

Mimica didn’t respond verbally but I felt her squeeze me briefly tighter before narrowing her wings against her sides and beginning a swift descent towards the rear carriage.

Mimi dropped me gently atop the moving train a moment later and then touched down nearby.

We had done it.

Mimica flicked her wings out, the feathers bristling as she cooled down from her flight, “We can only hope this is an express train.”

I nodded and walked to the front of the carriage, “True, I really don’t want to be stopping at every single town and village from here to the Empire, wherever here is...”

I looked down at where the carriage we were on joined the previous one, “We’ll drop down here. If anypony is in this carriage it’ll look more than a tad suspicious if we enter from the rear of the train.”

“Good point,” replied Mimica.

Making sure the coast was clear as I went; I made my way precariously down and managed to get balance on the platform that joined the carriages together.

I looked cautiously about and signalled Mimica down. She then quickly proceeded to hover down the side of the carriage and climbed back on board from there. When I looked to her a second later, I noticed that she’d hidden her wings away behind her glamour once more.

Steadying myself with Mimica pressed up against the carriage behind us, I opened the sliding door to the rear compartment and entered in as calmly and nonchalant a way as possible.

-α-

I let out a relieved breath. The carriage appeared to be empty. I savoured the warmth given off by the magical torches used to illuminate the compartment before walking in.

I inclined my head for Mimica to follow and headed towards one of the padded seats.

“Do you mind?” came a brusque female voice that had me almost leaping out my hide. I turned about to sight a figure in a hooded robe who had been sat in the rear corner seat and hadn’t been visible up until now, “you’re letting all the heat out.” She continued, and I caught sight of a pair of rosy eyes peering out at me from under the hood.

I felt a sudden chill.

There was something disturbingly familiar about those eyes.

“Oh, sorry…” I said, snapping myself out of my revere and walking a few more quick steps inside to allow Mimica access, who promptly closed the door behind her.

The hooded pony shook her head and straightened the newspaper she had in her hooves before returning her attention to it.

I kept my eyes warily on the hooded pony as we passed her. Mimica sat down in one of the middle seats and seemed to orientate herself as to keep the mare in her field of vision as I lifted off my bag to store it under the seat.

However, thanks to the chest inside, the bag really didn’t want to go in, and I probably should’ve been a lot more careful as I gave it a none-too gentle shove. This caused the chest within to be displaced swiftly out the path of least resistance, i.e. the top, and then proceeded to bounce three times out across the carriage floor with a loud clatter.

I heard a grumble of irritation as the pony in the corner shoved her paper down and glared up at me as I scrambled back upright and hastily scooped up the chest in my hooves.

I smiled apologetically and she narrowed he eyes at me as I dragged my bag back up and worked to slip the chest back inside. I watched the mare’s gaze glide to the chest in my hooves. I saw her tilt her head almost curiously and a jolt of fear went through me as I noticed her frame stiffen slightly.

I shoved the chest unceremoniously back into concealment and took a few steps away. The mare now had her gaze affixed clearly on me and I watched as her hooves drifted towards the newspaper, briefly lifting it up to glance between it and me, as if double-checking something. I felt my fear transform into dread as I backed up toward Mimica.

“Mimi…” I whispered, and noticed she was glancing between me and the mare with a slight frown.

“What is it?” she asked quietly.

“I think we should probably consider leaving, preferably before-“

“-You…” came the voice of the mare, cutting me off, “It’s you…”

“Before we’re recognised…” I breathed with a sigh.

“I thought I knew your face from somewhere.”

“Listen, ma’am, I’m not sure who you think I am, b-but-“

“Don’t try and play innocent. The great and powerful Trixie never forgets a face.” The mare dropped the paper back to the seat and slid to her feet, “Well, it really has been quite some time, hasn’t it, Alpha Spark?”

My brow furrowed. I thought she’d recognised me from some article in the paper alone, but then I dwelled on that name for a second, “Wait a moment…Oh, you can’t be…”

The figure gripped her travelling cloak in one hoof and cast it aside in what I can only describe as a very overdramatic fashion, revealing a familiar unicorn whose face I hadn’t seen in so many years.

I felt my jaw drop, “Trixie…?” I breathed.

She smirked, “The Great and Powerful Trixie, to be perfectly accurate. But my, my, haven’t you grown…”

“What is she talking about, Spark? Who is she?”

I kept my eyes on the unicorn as I spoke, “An old friend from school. Haven’t seen her since-“

“-since you dropped out?” offered Trixie with a smirk, “And really, what kind of unicorn drops out of magical grade school? But then, I suppose you never really were up to Trixie’s magnificent standards…not that any other pony is either come to think of it.”

I glowered at her, “Let’s just say I had health problems…” and I steadied myself as Trixie began to slowly pace, “Your name’s popped up a few times in the papers though,” I commented, my eyes following her as she moved back and forth.

“Oh?” she asked, still smiling, “are you surprised that Trixie has reached such levels of fame? I was top of the class back in the day.”

“So you liked to continually remind me. And what I’ve read lately hasn’t exactly been flattering. The words ‘conpony’, ‘fraud’ and ‘massive collateral damage’ have been thrown around quite a bit.”

Trixie scoffed, flicking her mane aside with one hoof, “This, coming from you, Mister Thief? But I suppose when you consider how little potential you had back in the day, it’s not surprising that you’ve resorted to stealing magical artefacts in order to gain any real strength.”

I gritted my teeth. I was loathed to admit it, but Trixie was a prodigy in comparison to my meagre skill in the arts.

I remembered that she always did have aspirations well above her abilities, but even so, Trixie was still well within the definition of what could be deemed a very skilled magic user, whilst I, to say the least, was not.

“A shame, really. Trixie always did have a soft spot for you, you know…”

I glowered at her, “You mean I made you look better in comparison…”

“Same thing…” she said with a dismissive wave of her hoof. She then stopped and looked at me head on, “But the Chest of Parenses? Now isn’t that just a little above your weight class, Sparky?”

I shifted slightly. I wasn’t exactly surprised that a unicorn of her level could recognise a magical artefact of that fame by sight alone, especially if it had been mentioned in the news recently also.

“For your information,” I said, “I have every intention of sending both the chest and what it contains back to Equestria once we’re safe and out of danger.”

“So…” said Trixie, “You’ve brought along all those other items too? You know, it’s dangerous: having so much powerful magic gathered in one spot like that.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, momentarily cursing myself for letting that fact slip, “What is it you want, Trixie?”

“Alright. Trixie’s going to be honest with you. She doesn’t care about what stupid misdemeanours you might have committed, or where you’re going…”

“I’m sensing there’s a but coming up…”

She smirked, “But, she also knows it would be a crying shame if the guards at the next station were alerted to you being here.”

I just settled on glaring at her, waiting for her to proceed.

“How’s about this: Trixie will make a deal with you.”

“I’m listening…”

“Like Trixie said: such magic gathered in one place under the care of one with your…simple talents, is just asking for disaster. So here’s the deal: turn the chest over to Trixie, and she will make sure it, and the contents, get back to…where they deserve.”

“And what’s to guarantee you won’t get sticky hooves while carrying out this mission of utter selflessness?”

“Oh, Trixie is hurt you would even imply she is capable of such a thing. I am merely offering to help an old friend while also carrying out my duty as a law-abiding citizen of Equestria. Turn it over, Spark, and you have Trixie’s word that she’ll forget she ever saw you, or your friend.”

Something told me that turning over the chest to her was an extremely unwise thing to do.
I got the feeling either Trixie would refuse to keep her word about not telling the guards or help herself to the contents for personal gain. Most likely it would be a combination of both, and any missing items from the chest would probably just be blamed on yours truly.

“Why don’t we just come out and call this what it is, Trixie: extortion.”

She chuckled, “Extortion is such an ugly word. No, Trixie much prefers blackmail.”

“Well, thank you for the kind offer, Trixie, but I think I’ll be better off taking my chances.”

Trixie let out a long, weary sigh, “Trixie was afraid it might come to that. But tell me, Sparky: what makes you think Trixie won’t just take it from you regardless?”

And as if to emphasise her point, several bits of Trixie’s luggage levitated into the air about her along with two of the unlit lamps as well as some furniture, “You know of my skill from when you were a colt, Alpha Spark, but Trixie is not a filly any more. Must she teach you her wrath before you do as you’re told?”

“Ever the bully…” I growled, “I guess some ponies never change. Tell me, Trixie, are as lonely today as you were back then? Do you still cry when you think nopony is looking?”

Her brow furrowed, clearly stung by the comment, “Silence!” she shrieked and hurled one of the lamps in my general direction. It missed by a mile…initially.

While it obviously wasn’t aimed directly at me, the bottom part of the lamp rebounded violently off one of the side walls, clipped the back of a seat and the last thing I heard before the lights went out was the sound of that lamp shattering off the side of my cranium.

-M-

“Spark!” cried Mimica as the stallion crumpled over like a puppet with its strings cut.

“I…I ah…” stammered Trixie, the objects about her dropping to the floor. She looked nervously about, an uncertain hoof raised up, “Is he…ah…” she began, leaning sideways to get a better look, “Th-that is…yes…umm…so you see: even the Great and Powerful Trixie has a dark side, and as you can see; it’s..ah…it’s not pretty, so…so you should…ah…” she trailed off lamely, really unable to keep the pretence going as Mimica crouched over Alpha Spark’s fallen form in silence, his head cradled in her forward hooves.

Trixie’s face fell, “Is he al-”

“-A dark…side?” cut in Mimica’s voice, low and quiet as she slowly, gently set Alpha Spark’s head down. She then stood slowly back up, her eyes still locked on the unconscious unicorn, “You call that…a ‘dark side?’”

Trixie took a step back, “I…I ah…”

Mimica slowly began to turn about to face the mare, her voice gaining a sharp edge to it, and if Trixie didn’t know any better, she could’ve sworn the temperature in the carriage was starting to plummet, “Why don’t I make you an offer, Trixie: How’s about we have a contest…of just which of us has the darker side here?”

Trixie gasped as the sudden gust caused by Mimica releasing her wings forced her back a step.

The unicorn mare opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a terrified squeak as the feathers on the supposed alicorn’s wings seemed to stiffen and then shatter like glass, revealing sharp, luminescent membranes beneath.

All about Mimica’s body, cracks began to show. Blinding, neon-green light shone out from within. The Changeling then let out a strained roar as her glamour exploded in a blaze of green flame about her, revealing the true form contained within.

Mimica rounded on Trixie with a patient calm that was at odds with the rage so obviously surging through her. Her blade-like horn was ablaze with magic as she readied to attack, “Well?” the Changeling demanded, her voice resonating with a powerful regal undercurrent, “Is this dark enough for you, Trixie?”

Trixie could only cower back further in response, and perhaps also take a second to consider that she might have just made a rather large tactical misjudgement…

-α-

End of Part 1...

Author's Note:

Started this tale with an awesome bit of art on the part of Mclaren-Spider, so I thought I'd bookend the first part of this story with another, both in celebration of finishing it and also in celebration of a great time at Buck last weekend, hope some of you were there and you had as much fun as I did. Oh, and on the whole Ditzy/Derpy thing. I'm going with the theory that Ditzy is her actual name and Derpy is just the nickname people close to her can use without it being offensive (just explaining as to avoid confusion there) Expect the next part to begin in a little while. Hope you've enjoyed this little tale thus far and you stick with me when the next part begins!

Comments

[Midnight Blues]

that's a nice looking train. wouldn't mind have those seats they'd also make nice beds.

[CtrlAltElite]

Loving this keep it up.

[Misty Page]

I love this story, its one of my favorites. please wright more. I've been waiting forever......Are you dead? I hope not because then id have to kill you for not living long enough to finish this work of art. Its a hidden gem that really must be continued.