Chapter Twenty : When all Lights go Out
Trixie burst into her chambers like a tornado tearing through an unsuspecting valley. The curtains swayed in the manner of windsocks, parchment regarding the masquerade ball flew in all directions. The unicorn didn't care, of course, for there was a cleaning staff for a reason. She trampled over the mess as she made her way to a window, where she was comforted by the cool touch of glass against her cheek. She heard her own heartbeat working in tandem with her splitting headache. Yet, against the window, both seemed to slow as she relaxed.
Through the crystal—momentarily and repeatedly becoming clouded with her every breath—she watched the slowing activity of the empire. The sun was setting, making way for the coming night. The crystal ponies were no doubt home-bound. Her guards, as scheduled, were on their way back to the palace to exchange shifts with their comrades. She contemplated how many of them wouldn't sleep, in earnest for the coronation.
Sleep would definitely elude her this night, though for another reason entirely.
Dragging her hooves, the magician paid a visit to the mirror. She was met with the image of a worn-down mare, who looked twenty years older than her age. She was unsure when the nightmares began. Not that she remembered them; the dreadful images she was forced to witness fled her mind as soon as she awakened. It was stress, no doubt. While she discovered running a whole empire was a tad more difficult than she first surmised, it was all a matter of falling into a rhythm. Such a thing would be easy once her coronation was over.
Now, there were no more party plans, confetti messes, food tastings, costume approvals—no more anything. If she had known beforehoof all of that would've run her ragged up and down the palace, she would've hired somepony else to do all the work. It was downhill from here, however. Tomorrow, all she had to do was slip into her outfit and wait. She hoped, of course, she'd sleep well enough to be able to enjoy the ball.
The Alicorn Amulet hummed. It was a tickling sensation against her neck. “Yes, little matriarch, it will be a celebration to remember,” it whispered.
Trixie felt herself smile, though her reflection showed it was little more than a smirk. “Tomorrow is going to be perfect,” she replied, her voice low. It would be so perfect, in fact, it would be written in history as the most perfect party anypony ever hosted. Yes, the crystal ponies will absolutely adore Trixie for it, and they will talk about it for years to come!
Little by little, she dragged herself to her bed. The feeling of the sparkly silk sheets almost lulled her to sleep right then and there. Her eyes closed, she felt her muscles finally lose their tension. A sudden disturbance in the Crystal Empire's shield ruined it all—jolting her awake as though she were drenched in ice water. Her heart drummed in her ears, for it wasn't just any disturbance. The placed enchantments revealed it was the intrusion she'd been dreading since her first day.
Her hooves hit the floor with a loud “clack!” as she leaped from the bed, and she magically threw the doors open as she dashed into the adjacent corridor.
The noise made Shining Armor jump. He barely recognized the blue blur that passed him. “Queen Trixie?” he called. “What's wrong, Your Highness?”
“Alert the Royal Guard!” she retorted sharply, her voice echoing off the translucent walls. “We have intruders!”
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Luna, sister, I question the integrity of this plan.”
Peering cautiously around a corner, Luna rolled her eyes. “We don't have the time for negotiations,” she replied.
Celestia frowned. “Yet, there was time to let a pony suffer through a few sleepless nights?”
“Desperate times call for desperate measures, dear Tia.” Despite Celestia's hesitation, Luna wasn't going to apologize for her choice of tactic. It wasn't like she was the one who planted the nightmares in Trixie's dreams. They were nightmares, Luna hoped, manifested from Trixie's suppressed guilt, but she was unsure. In her decision to play dirty, she refrained from visiting the magician's dreams altogether.
She wasn't sorry. The “Great and Powerful” Trixie was exhausted, and they needed to make their move.
Together, they crept through the empire's darkened streets like phantoms. They had only patrolling guards to worry about, albeit their patterns were easy to determine and avoid. Their goal was to get to the palace undetected, to get Cadance and the others out as quickly and quietly as possible. Then, they had to recover Twilight Sparkle, who remained somewhere in the Frozen North; she was hidden, but safe. Once they were all safe and sound, then would come the time to plan against Trixie.
Conversation was kept to a minimum as they closed in on the Crystal Palace. The haunting glow of the Crystal Heart could be seen hovering in its usual place at the base of the structure. Despite its eerie, fluctuating colors the sight of it moved the Royal Sisters. “I can't believe how long it's been,” whispered Celestia.
“I know, sister. If only circumstances were—” Luna caught movement out of the corner of her eye and she froze. Somepony just ducked behind a nearby house; she saw their fluffy tail as it happened. “Somepony's over there,” she hissed, pointing with her hoof. She didn't think they were spotted, but caution was key. Quietly, she led Celestia across the street. They heard voices as they closed in on the darkened home.
“Oh, oh! I just can't wait for tomorrow!” exclaimed a hushed voice. “I wish tomorrow were here already!”
“Patience, little filly,” replied a gruff counterpart. “Tomorrow is worth waiting for.”
The sisters looked at each other. In unison, as they came to the same conclusion, they whispered, “That's Pinkie Pie.”
Sure enough, they saw the pink pony as they both peered around the corner, but they couldn't see with whom she was having her conversation. “Do you think Queen Trixie will like the party?” she asked. Eagerness, ever so slightly, strained her voice.
“Of course! After all the hard work we put into it, how will she not like it?” A warm chuckle came from the obscurity. “The love of the crystal ponies and your friends are guaranteed, at least.”
Pinkie Pie began to bounce. “They will totally love it! They've been oh-so gloomy the past few days—” Upon those words, she ceased movement, and she took on a countenance of gloom. “They really, really, really, really, need this party...”
An orange-ish hoof emerged, seemingly from nothingness, to settle on her shoulder. “And they will love it, my friend. Hang in there. You'll see their smiles soon.”
Luna was tempted to intervene. Pinkie didn't appear to be in any form of imprisonment and, frankly, she felt the urge to go forth and comfort her. A quick glance at her sister's face told her Celestia felt the same. Yet, before either of them could move, an overly-dramatic gasp came from the party pony as she and her mysterious accomplice took off into the shadows without warning. The Royal Sisters were dumbfounded, until they were caught off guard by the thunder of countless approaching hooves.
They were surrounded before they even realized it. A combination of Crystal Empire and Canterlot Royal Guards formed a tightly-knit circle around them—their faces as stern as what was expected of them under normal circumstances. But, to Princess Celestia, this wasn't a normal circumstance. Each armor-clad pony had a lance pointed at them, as though they were a threat. “Guards,” she gently ordered, “lower your weapons. It is only my sister and I.”
Unfortunately, nopony budged, and a triumphant laugh came from above them. “Ah! So the esteemed Royal Sisters have finally arrived!” boomed an exuberant voice.
Luna and Celestia looked up, and saw Trixie—the very mare who now wielded the Alicorn Amulet—standing atop the house. “You!” snapped the Moon Princess. “How did you know we were here?”
Again, the magician laughed. “Queen Trixie is not stupid, Princess! In a fit of brilliance, she enchanted the shield to let me know if anypony dares to come or go!” She grinned wide. Her left ear twitched. “And you did come, just like she knew you would.”
“Enough of this,” retorted Celestia. “Beatrix Lulamoon, not only have you committed destruction of property and theft, but you've forced innocent ponies into servitude!”
Luna flared her wings. “The empire's throne isn't yours, and neither is the Alicorn Amulet! Surrender both. Don't make us take them from you.”
The Sun Princess ignored her sister's austerity—looking up at the unicorn with a soft plea. “Please, don't do this.” She shot Luna a brief glare. “We can solve this peacefully.”
Trixie ground her teeth, a redness creeping into her cheeks. “Peace?” she spat. “You saunter in here, intent on taking away everything I built, and you dare speak to me of peace?”
“But, you didn't build anyth—”
“Enough!” Her amulet glistened. “Leave my empire! Leave or face Queen Trixie's wrath!”
Without missing a beat, Luna leaped into the air—her muzzle inches from Trixie's. “You, little pony, are no queen,” she hissed. Well, true as that was, it wasn't wise to say aloud. The Princess of the Night immediately saw red as a blast of Trixie's tainted magic hurled her in the opposite direction. She heard Celestia shout her name as she careened through the air. Though she struggled to recover, it wasn't long before she straightened herself out and launched a counter attack.
In an exchange of blue and red magic, each mare tried again and again to inhibit the other, while Princess Celestia watched in disbelief. She possessed no doubts regarding Luna's strength, but the unicorn was giving her a run for her bits. She had, admittedly, forgotten the power of the Alicorn Amulet. Her sister needed aid, as much as she disapproved of battle, and as long as the guards remained still as statues she had no qualms flying to Luna's side—shielding her from another onslaught of dark magic with a steadfast bubble. “Luna, we need to coordinate our efforts,” she said.
The younger alicorn nodded. It was foolish of her, in her moment of weakness, to begin the fight alone and so hastily. “She won't surrender to us,” she said.
“We can't force her to take off the amulet.”
“We can't let her continue her forced reign, either.”
“Please, sister, this isn't like the first time.” She sighed. “Let me try to talk some sense into her.”
Luna turned her head away for a moment's contemplation. She didn't realize how much of a mistake it was until she suddenly found herself wrapped in arcane chains. Celestia shared the same fate soon after. They shouldn't have remained still, for Trixie didn't hesitate to take advantage of the brief ceasefire. Her laughter could be heard once again as she levitated the pair closer to her. “Foals!” she guffawed. “Did the Great and Powerful Queen Trixie not warn you of her wrath?” A manic grin attached itself to her face. She then looked upon the circle of guards below. “Lock these two in the dungeons,” she shouted, lowering the Royal Sisters to the ground.
The Moon Princess sneered. “Are we to be your prisoners as well, then?”
“You got it! Although, you should consider yourselves fortunate. You'll be present for the biggest event this empire's ever seen!” She twirled a hoof. “Well, you won't see much of anything from the dungeons, but Trixie's made her point.” That being said, she made the all-important mental note to not only enchant the cells, but to rid the sisters' of their powerful magic. She didn't know if it was possible to take away alicorn magic, but she had to try. Nopony was allowed to come between her and her crown, not even the Princesses of the Sun and the Moon.
Groaning, she encased herself in a crimson bubble and she flew after the guards. Though she desired to return to her bed, there was a little more work to do. Perhaps then, with her greatest threats behind bars, she would finally be able to rest.
All the while, a disheartened shadow watched helplessly as the Princesses were led back to the palace. “Stars help us,” Sombra breathed. His altered form wound through the streets—his intent to follow. The news was not going to make Twilight happy.
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All the better for when Twilight arrives to give that pretentious, full-of-herself twit Trixie her long-overdue beat-down and comeuppance.
And I cannot wait for that to happen!
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Trixie, I know you's drunk on power and shit, but you should have 'nough common sense to know you's just 'bout doomed the 'tire planet 'ight there with that plan of yours.
7290614 Same here!
7290637
Well put.
7290651
Wow, that was the single most pathetic thing i've seen in this story yet. Hopefully this will force twilight twilight to pull her head out of her ass and realize that the princesses are; A) not all powerful, and B) not coming to save her. Here's hoping she get's her shit together and kills this stupid bitch first chance she gets.
Ok....where are all the power that managed to fought the power of the entirety of Equestria combined?
This is the most pathetic thing that I have seen!
And canonically a failure? shit, dude. that is not the character's fault, that is the writer's. This is an OOC moment.
7290698 Why, thank 'ya kindly.
7290698 Except for all the missing letters.
Grammar is your friend.
7290637
On that train of thought, the next chapter's going to be a fun one to write.
7290967 I can already sense the tension and panic in it...
7291041
Coming up, "Mistakes Were Made."
7290845 I'll have you know that I purposely did that.
7290967 plz tell me its twilights big entrance and plz tell me she is going to kick Trixie's ass seven ways to Sunday
7291045 Yep! *pulls out popcorn* Shit's gonna get real soon... Hey Discord, wanna join the party?
7291054
Soon, my friend, soon...
7291056
I'm sure he would LOVE this whole situation. Unfortunately, he's still a decoration at the Canterlot Royal Gardens.
That was awesome. Thanks for to he update.
It's a known fact that divine intervention is counterproductive and a hindrance more than anything else.
Am I the only one that feels even a little sympathy for Trixie here? True, things have gotten out of hand and she needs to be stopped but there's no need to pound her into the ground let alone kill her.
7290796 You're very welcome.
7290845 I think that that was done on purpose.
7291049 What she said.
7291718 More than likely.
And allow me a rebuttal to your last comment:
Gee, ya think?!
Okay,
1: She usurped Shining and Cadance's rightful rule of the Crystal Empire
2: she named herself queen, basically enslaved the Crystal Ponies and the rest of the Mane 5 after
3: kicking Twilight out into the snow and cold to basically freeze to death, and
4: used the Alicorn Amulet to defeat and imprison Celestia and Luna (which I'm pretty sure is an act of treason against the rulers of Equestria).
So yeah, from MY point of views, she deserves all of that and MORE!
7292219 she.
7292252 Okay, thanks.
I put it that way because I wasn't sure.
7292267 It's okay. I've a fair share of that questioning (not sure why, is it bc of the pic or something? Bc I'm pretty sure Skye is primarily a girl's name.)
7292242 All true and she deserves punishment as determined by a court of law. This could very well lead to a death sentence but that's for the law and justice to decide, not Twilight.
...I really like this story, but you could - no, should - have given Celestia and Luna a much better showing there. They don't have to win, but they don't have to be quite this pathetic either - it's jarring. Instead of 'oops, they sat still for a moment, pwned by chains they can't break!', you could have given them a longer battle where exhaustion became a factor, or Trixie placed crystal ponies in the crossfire and got the royal sisters to hesitate long enough for them to be subdued, etc.
Golly. It's been more than a MONTH since u updated? I just caught up and I REALLY want another chapter! Cmon man! Make another!
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE!
When you CAN of course.
Random peice of advice:
To kill a baby triceratops you must grab it's horns and lift up, showing its tiny little throat. Slit that throat and keep holding he baby upwards until they stop struggling. Then it's good eating!
~~~- ShayRayz
7409559
The next chapter to be done soon!
The reason it takes me so long to update is that, in addition to this story, I have an actual non-fandom-related novel in the works.
7410231
Oooooooooooooooh. Okay!
....I put too many o's. Oh darn.
Have fun with your novel thing! :D
Another random peice of advise:
To sneak up on someone go with socks. NO SHOES! Tip toes works best usually.
*Spoiler* well.... that was... pathetic... and very anti-climatic with the princesses vs. Trixie battle... probably could have done that scene a whole lot better though. especially when you consider that Trixie is now a criminal and enemy of the state. Princess Celestia and Luna would have considered the facts:
1). She went across the nation robbing people left and right for a dangerous artifact.
2). She stole the horns and wings of the elements, Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. two of the a member of the royal guard and/or a member of the Royal Family. This is an infringement of their personal embodiment and "self" taking away a part of what makes these ponies who they are. which is Illegal, especially in Utopias' like Equestria. That and this can be considered assault on royalty/royal guard and Treason!
3). She initiated a Coup D'état and usurped Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence's Rightful rule of the Crystal Empire. This is also Treason.
4). She utilized Magic to control the minds of the population and enslaved them. The use of mind control is highly illegal and on the magnitude she used, also Treason.
5). "this one can be argued because it was a duel and it was the bets" She banished Twilight Sparkle, the lead Element of Harmony and Agent of the Crown, in a middle of a blizzard recklessly. this can be seen as attempted murder, considering the fact she could have kicked her out on a train like a normal, and law-abiding sane person would. *Murder is illegal, and on an element and agent of the crown, Treason.*
With all of that to take into consideration, there are scarce, logical course of actions remain;
1: A tactical Search and Rescue of Key personnel and Strategic assets, such as the Elements of Harmony, the former Captain of the Royal Guard, and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.
2: A tactical precise strike to either subdue and Banish o/r Execution of Trixie belawhateverhernameis, A hostile threat on multiple and various accounts of assault, theft, treason etc... *An attempt of negotiations is not an option. Trixie at this point is to big of a threat and there are no negotiations with terrorist regardless. cause if one bad guy gets their way then a whole lot more will find the courage to come and get there piece.
With that said, I am sad and upset how puny and insignificant the roles of Princess Celestia and Luna are... Then again I'm just glad you update more often then i do! :'D.
And just like that my waning interest in the story vanishes. Random nobody picks up shiny rock and somehow become literally the strongest person in the world is a stupid plot line. If the alicorn amulet is this strong in the hands of a mundane unicorn how did LITERALLY ANY VILLAIN not get it in the past 800 years and just kill Celestia. The supposed strength of the artifact and its sentient corruptive influence and its completely unguarded nature completely breaks the suspension of disbelief. Trixie being able to beat Twilight is at least understandable because Twilight, for all her talent, is still young and inexperienced, but it letting a nobody beat TWO millennia old archmage demigoddesses simultaneously is absurd.
Well hey, losing against an empowered unicorn is way less humiliating than losing against bad weather.
Celestia's first-- I think?-- mistake was believing could convince Trixshe to take off the amulet. I'm not even sure she tried very hard. Oh well; Twibright has it covered.
8266519
To be fair they've got limits and and it's implied that they were doing that for hours.