Trixie and Maud: Heart of Stone

by TheCrimsonDM

Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen: Cold Front

Heart of Stone

Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen: Cold Front

Written by TheCrimsonDM

The town was just as loud and excited as it had been the night before, if not more so. Batponies were living it up, partying to their hearts content. A group of batponies were actually sailing over a large crowd, their bodies were painted in some kind of luminescent paint which made them leave glowing trails behind as they flew in patterns. The sight alone would have been impressive, even more so was the fact that they were making pictures in the night sky.

Pictures of Princess Luna, the moon, flowers and prancing ponies all lit up in the night sky. Even the Wonderbolts had never tried something so pretty. The closest thing that Trixie could relate it to, was one of her shows where she used illusion magic to tell a story to the crowd. Somehow this was even more powerful. Perhaps it was because these ponies worked together, flying in perfect harmony to create something so lovely, or perhaps it was because she never expected batponies to be pretty in the first place. Whatever it was, she enjoyed it.

“Princess Trixie,” Nightshade said.

Trixie turned to see the mare standing next to her, Trixie had been too distracted to even notice. With a small smile, Trixie said, “Can I help you?”

“Princess Luna has requested that you join her at her podium,” Nightshade said.

Trixie looked around. “I… don’t want to cause too much attention to myself.”

“Everypony already knows who you are, and half of them are speculating as to what,” Nightshade said. “Princess Luna has told me that it was urgent.”

Trixie let out a sigh. “Alright, take me to your leader.”

Nightshade raised an eyebrow, and Maud coughed.

“What, does nopony have a sense of humor?” Trixie asked.

Neither of them laughed at her, even Valiant was looking at her oddly. At the very least in Valiant’s case she could blame it on ignorance; the other two mares had no excuses. Trixie flicked her tail and stuck her nose up as she walked toward Princess Luna’s podium. “Fine, nopony laugh at my joke.”

The others followed her in silence; at least she thought they did. With all the noise going on around her, music, ponies cheering and talking, it was hard to tell. She walked around the majority of the crowd until she found herself standing before Luna’s podium. The black podium stood nearly ten feet tall, and although it had a ramp leading up it, she couldn’t imagine what it was like to be sitting here for the entire festival.

She walked up the ramp, making sure to stay close to Maud while she did. When she got to the top, Luna was there to greet her with a large smile and a few empty cushions. Trixie and Maud took a seat, Valiant crawled up onto Maud’s lap.

“Welcome Trixie, Maud… little one,” Luna said kindly.

“Her name is Valiant Heart, but we just call her Val,” Trixie said.

“I knew that,” Luna defended. “I was just... being… kind?”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “So what does the rightful princess want with us?”

Luna looked away, her face turning a light shade of pink. “You and I both know that the rightful ruler of Equestria is my dear sister. I do not deserve such praise, but the old ways are hard to change.”

“They seem to worship you here, and yet I strictly remember you having problems feeling accepted once you returned. How come you didn’t just come here?” Trixie asked.

“How did you… never mind. Yes, I did have problems for awhile. At first I was fearful that should I return to this place, my sister would think me trying to succeed her again. When I did finally return I discovered a new problem, they were still ready to war with my sister. Should I ever give the word, I have an army willing to do anything for me. They refuse to bow to my sister, so it is not like the E.U.P. this army is mine. It… it’s unsettling,” Luna said.

Trixie looked around. “You know they have really, really good hearing. Is it safe to talk so openly here?”

Luna gave a quiet laugh. “First, they do not mind if I am open with them. They actually seem to fawn over that kind of behavior. Second, this podium is enchanted so that unless I so choose, anypony who is not on it can’t hear us.”

Trixie let out a relieved sigh. “Good, because I was worried about talking too much. I don’t want to get into trouble with your subjects.”

“Unlike the other, sun loving Princesses, they have not decided on you yet. They do not have to be my subjects alone,” Luna said.

Trixie shot straight up, her relief all but gone. “What? I… But I don’t deserve… I’m just a pony.”

“As am I, but I serve my kingdom, as does any self respecting mare. Can you say that you do the same?”

Trixie got the sudden feeling she was being tested. “I wouldn’t know how. I do my best to keep my friends and family safe. I don’t think that counts though… look, I’m just a magician, I don’t know what I can do to help a kingdom?”

Luna was quiet.

“You inspire hope,” Maud said flatly. Luna and Trixie looked at her, and she continued. “I’ve seen what you do with your magic shows. The ponies that see them are inspired to go on and do more. It’s not a kingdom, but it has been an entire town. When they see a mare with your past go out of their way to make amends for their actions, it makes them hopeful that they too can do more.”

“S-she talks?” Luna said, shocked.

Trixie choose to ignore Luna’s comment about Maud. “Do they really think that way?”

Maud nodded.

For a moment Luna studied Maud wearily, but then she smiled. “That’s a good first step. We have considered what your role should be in our kingdom you know. Between Celestia and Twilight I have been practically pushed out of the way. Those two don’t think they need us, but they do. Despite how kind of a ruler Celestia is to her people, and how effective Twilight’s plans and strategies are, neither of them can handle the… darker aspects of ruling.”

“Is that where you come in?” Trixie asked.

“Yes, it is. I have been forced to take on a role that I never thought myself capable of in the past. For my sister, I would do anything. If that means making sure that the council doesn’t go outside their bounds, then so be it. I will keep my sister and her kingdom safe,” Luna said. “She does not know the lengths to which I have gone to keep her rule safe from harm, and I pray that she never does.”

“You’re a good sister,” Trixie said.

“No, it’s more than that, I must be a good princess. There is no pressure for you to think about what role you will play yet. I simply ask that you keep in mind that you are important, and that you have a role to play. That role is up to you,” Luna said.

Trixie lowered her head. “I just want to have a quiet life with my family. I don’t want any adventures, responsibility, or anything really. So long as I have Maud and Val, I am content with my life.”

“Do you think that you may be able to have both responsibility and peace?” Luna asked.

Silence followed, and Trixie looked up at the night sky. Dark clouds loomed on the horizon, steadily encroaching on the town. It seemed a metaphor for her life as a whole. “I don’t know… it just feels like that as soon as I get done surviving one turbulent storm another one is already on its way to wreck what little bit of peace I made for myself.”

For a moment Luna looked very thoughtful as she considered Trixie’s words. When she looked up at the dark clouds on the horizon her eyes narrowed. “I specifically ordered no snow storms for Hollow Shades. The environment here is very fragile, and the storm could ruin it.”

“Wait, is that why there is no snow around here?” Trixie asked.

Luna stood, and her eyes widened. “Nightshade, take a squad and scout out the cloud. Be very careful and do not, I repeat, do not engage in any combat.”

Nightshade nodded and flew away.

Trixie stood up. “What’s going on?”

Luna spread her wings wide, and nearly hit Trixie in the head with them. “We might be looking at an invasion force. Little do they realize who they are threatening. Me and my batponies are more than enough of a force to deal with them. Not to mention my secret weapon.”

Trixie quickly grabbed at Maud and lifted Valiant onto her back. She looked back at the snow clouds. “Do you think they are windigo?”

“Perhaps, it might also be someponies mistake. Trixie, are you capable of combat?” Luna asked.

“I am not leaving my family to go into battle,” Trixie said.

Luna gave her a sad look. “I would not dream of it, but we may not be able to watch your family for you. This time you may need to keep them safe without any aid.”

“What do you mean this ti-“ Trixie began to ask but was cut short as Luna took flight into the air.

She watched for a few moments and saw the light blue batpony join Luna. Trixie wished that she could have spoken to the mare. Luna and her guard spoke quietly for a moment, and then took off, flying toward a large building at the center of town. A dark painted manor stood valiantly beneath the night sky, it was possibly bigger than Twilight’s tree castle.

“I guess that Luna has her own castle,” Trixie said.

“That’s a mansion,” Maud corrected.

Trixie looked back down at the crowd of happy batponies, still enjoying their light show. She didn’t want to see any of them get hurt, but she had a family to take care of first. All Trixie could do was entrust that Luna would do her job and keep them safe.

It didn’t take long to get back to the library, and once there she stayed on the front porch watching the sky. From the front porch they had an unabridged view of the town. The batpony guards that had gone to check out the clouds had still not reappeared and even worse the clouds were nearly upon the town. The pounding in her chest only made her even more fearful of what lay in wait for them.

Minutes passed by slowly, and every second that she was left watching the clouds above made her worries grow. She regretted not bringing her father’s sword now. The Trickster Blade would have served her well in this situation, and if nothing else it would have set her soul at ease.

The clouds nearly eclipsed the sky now and snow began falling gently from the heavens. From what she could see, the batponies had stopped partying. Most of them looked confused, worried, or fearful. If what Luna had said was true, then these ponies may not have experienced snow before. It was sad to think that their first interaction with it, was coming from those dark looming clouds.

“Lulu, I’m worried,” Maud said flatly.

Trixie nodded. The door opened behind them and she listened as Bookworm and Deedee walked out to join them. Trixie gave a passing glance at the two. “I fear the windigo have come to Hollow Shades.”

“You don’t kn-“ Bookworm started.

She was cut off by a bright flash of Blue lightning, and a similar colored comet came striking down from the cloud. The thunderous sound that followed made Trixie’s teeth rattle and her ears hurt. Another bright flash, followed by another and another caused a deep and unsettling fear to set itself deep inside of her soul. The series of explosive sounds made everypony duck and cover their ears. The comets hit the earth, causing small tremors. By the time it was done Trixie had expected herself to be halfway deaf.

For the longest moment, all she could do was stare out over the town. Deep pits pockmarked the ground from where the lightning had struck, frost lined the edges of the pits. The only sound she could hear was that of Valiant crying into Maud’s mane. Other than that nopony said a thing.

A pit stood only a dozen yards away from the library, and Trixie could feel the cold energy coming off of it. A chill blew in the air, the kind of which Trixie hadn’t felt since she arrived. It suddenly dawned on her that this town had been unnaturally warm for this time of year.

A single hoof protruded from the top of the pit. It was made of frost-covered ice. A second later another hoof appeared followed by a head, and then a body. The icy creature climbed out of the pit, although unlike last time she had faced one of these beings, this one was actually pony sized. No bigger than a stallion. The red glow from inside its chest however had not changed in the slightest.

“T-that’s a windigo?” Bookworm asked over the sound of Valiant’s cries.

Trixie didn’t let her eyes leave the thing for a second. “It’s smaller than the others I’ve faced, but yes it is.”

Two more sets of hooves appeared from inside the crater. As they pulled themselves up, Trixie began to realize just how bad the situation here was. If each one of these craters held a few windigo in them, then that meant the town was about to swarmed with the icy constructs.

While still battling the rising fear in her heart, she strode forward to meet the creatures. She nearly stopped with the thing’s eyes flashed at her.

“Trixie…” the thing said in a tone as cold as ice. Though it had no mouth, Trixie heard her name as clear as day from the thing.

“What do you want?” Trixie asked in a low growl, hoping the windigo couldn’t sense her false bravado.

“Princesses…” the creature stated as it took a step forward. “Kill… princesses.”

As the thing approached her she felt a cold shiver run down the length of her spine. “Well, at least you’re being honest.”

The thing charged at her, and she didn’t waste a second in summoning forth the magic from her horn. A lightning bolt sailed forward and struck the beast dead center in its glowing chest. The thing exploded into shards of ice. She raised her shield spell and deflected the ice bits of ice that flew toward her. The red gem was nothing but shattered mess now.

The other two charged.

Bookworm’s horn lit up red and a spear of energy shot out. The spear hit the creature and melted half of its body before shattering its heart.

The last one got too close to Trixie. It raised up on its hind legs, and Trixie watched as its forelegs molded into sharp ice sickles and came down upon her!

Thankfully her shield was still up. Its blows rebounded off of her shield uselessly as it clawed in a desperate attempt to get to her. Each blow drained a bit of energy from her shield. Trixie knew two things at that moment, one she couldn’t let go of the shield to attack, or else it would get her. Two, her shield wasn’t going to hold out much longer.

Bookworm moved to the other side of last windigo and her horn flashed once. A red energy spear destroyed the creatures forelegs. A second blast destroyed its rear legs. It fell onto its side twitching.

Bookworm walked up to it and put a hoof on its side. She watched in silence for a moment as the legs began to regenerate. A sick grin grew over her lips. She put one last magic bolt into its chest and vaporized the gem inside.

Trixie stared at her companion for a moment, watching the mare’s eyes carefully. She could hardly believe that Bookworm would choose to waste time and energy in disabling it rather than outright killing the thing. Worst yet, Bookworm enjoyed it.

“What was that about?” Trixie demanded to know.

“I was curious as to how long it took to regenerate. About six seconds before regeneration starts,” She said, her tone was nearly flat. “That’s quite impressive, considering it can regenerate from nearly any wound.”

Trixie turned on her. “Why are you studying it now? These things must be all over town by now!”

“Yes, they are. So I need to know exactly what we are dealing with here in order to accurately make a plan to defeat them. Until then, what are you going to do about this, princess?” Bookworm asked, there was venom in her tone.

Trixie shook her head. “I’m taking my family and we are getting out of here.”

“What are you walking?” Bookworm asked. “The train isn’t coming until tomorrow and even then I doubt the White Wardens will allow them to enter this place while a battle is being raged.”

Trixie looked over the town, and her heart sunk. Batponies were running, flying, and a few were fighting to the best of their ability. Amidst the chaos, Trixie took stock of the enemy. A lot of small pony sized windigo were there, along with a few of the huge ones. In the sky there were even a few flying windigo. The flying ones looked a little more equine than the last time Trixie had seen them, almost like pegasi, the only difference being that they had no manes, or tails.

Bookworm put a hoof to her chin. “Is it possible that they are adapting to us? Trying to perfect their forms so that they may more easily fight us?”

Trixie trembled at the thought.

“This war is going to get messy, I doubt even the border wars with the changelings will come close to this,” Bookworm said.

“They’ll be stopped. We have Princess Twilight working on it already,” Trixie said.

“I admit that should she have been focused on the changelings during our skirmishes than Canterlot never would have been in danger. The difference is that the changelings wanted to keep all of us alive, the windigo don’t,” Bookworm said.

Still unable to turn her eyes away from the fighting, Trixie could only find herself asking, “Why?”

“Because they feed on feelings of hatred and anger, how better to rile up an entire county than by slaughtering the innocent and murdering their princesses. If they killed even one princess, I shudder at the thought of what they could do with so much anger,” Bookworm said. “Attacking a peaceful town such as this only demonstrates their focus.”

That made Trixie pissed. “Their attacking innocent ponies, just to make us mad!”

She watched as the batponies got together, and managed to destroy their enemy only for it to rise again and continue its assault. There were batponies using their high pitched voices to fight back, shattering the windigo’s body. Batponies whom had taken up weapons to fight, axes, swords, spears and hammers were all being used in an attempt to save their home. But as Trixie watched, it became increasingly clear to her that these ponies were not fighters, their love for Luna might have been strong but it didn’t make them into the soldiers they wanted to be. Slowly, the batponies were losing, all it took was one misstep in the battle and they would fall to windigo hooves.

“They’re losing,” Trixie said somberly.

“Yes they are, but we still have some hope left. Look there,” Bookworm said as she pointed to the sky.

Princess Luna was flying over the town, accompanying her were five other bat pony guards. The light blue one Trixie had recognized was there as well. They flew over the town, swooped in with spears, and struck down the windigo. Luna and her team knew what they were doing too, as they didn’t just destroy the outer shell, but actually took the time to crush the gems.

A group of the flying windigo made their way toward Luna’s team. As they engaged mid air, Trixie watched as the batponies fought valiantly. The light blue one was looking tired, and worn out, her movements were made slow by the injures she had. Luna ended up defending her wounded companion more than anything else.

For a moment Trixie wondered as to why she hadn’t seen Luna use magic yet. She was an alicorn princess, and it was night time, surely her powers were most strongest now than anytime else. If there was ever a chance for victory, it would have been then.

Luna’s horn lit up, and Trixie watched in surprised silence as a beam of white energy flew from the tip of her horn. The beam split up into multiple missiles, each one homing in on a different windigo. The second they struck, they exploded into a magnificent pale light, rivaled only by that of the moon.

With only shattered fragments of dead windigo falling down, Luna again began leading her team through the motions of aerial attacks. It wasn’t until a clawed paw swooped down from the cloud above that Luna turned her attention to the clouds above them. they had been caught by surprise as the paw bigger than the five of them combined swooped down in a slashing motion. In a desperate maneuver, Luna and the light blue pony managed to dodge the claw, the other four batponies were struck down in one fatal sweep.

Another batpony, one with dark fur, flew toward the claw and with spear held high, she attacked. The spear must have gone in because it got stuck, but Trixie couldn’t imagine that it did much in the way of damage, considering the pony was half the size of one of its claws. The paw jerked back, and flung the mare off effortlessly. Her limp body came flying toward the library.

Trixie reached out with her magic, and wrapped the mare in a kinetic cocoon. It was all she could think of to help. The mare’s decent slowed, but not by enough to stop her. A red aura grew over her own, and Trixie felt a powerful magic rubbing against hers. Bookworm’s horn was lit up like a hearth’s warming light. Together they managed to stop the mare from falling altogether and slowly laid her down on the front lawn.

Trixie trotted up to her and knelt down. She removed the mare’s helmet, and found a bruised and battered Nightshade looking up at her.

“What happened?” Trixie asked, fear threatening to seize her heart.

“The cloud… it’s… it’s not a cloud at all,” Nightshade said, her breathing was ragged.

Bookworm looked up at the cloud, along with Trixie. For a moment they stared at the swirling mass of snow cloud. Slowly Trixie began to make out shapes in the cloud, equine like figures of mist danced in circles over the town creating the storm. They were surrounding a huge shadow, whatever was attached to the rest of the icy paw was massive.

“Holy mother of Celestia,” Bookworm cursed. “What is that thing?”

“What are the misty things?” Trixie asked.

“The windigo… that’s their true form, Trixie. Windigo are winter elementals, they do not have a physical body, that’s why they need the gems, to create bodies of ice in which to fight us, it’s also why they don’t stop until after we destroy the gems,” Bookworm said. “Destroying the gems doesn’t kill them per say, but it frees them and if they are swift, they can make it back to the north before melting.”

Luna and her light blue companion flew toward them. It took only a few brief moments before they landed. The light blue bat pony stumbled forward and one of her knees buckled. Her helmet dropped to the ground, revealing locks of matted rainbow mane and a trail of crimson liquid running across her eye where a fresh cut stood.

“Rainbow Dash!” Trixie exclaimed.

“Yeah, it’s me,” She said. “What are you and Twi doing here?”

Bookworm snorted. “I am not Twilight Sparkle, my name is Bookworm.”

“Yeah, whatever, Twi,” Rainbow Dash said.

“We require your assistance, Princess Trixie,” Luna said.

“Look as much as I’d love to horse around here, we have a much bigger problem. Those windigo are hiding some kind of monster, and me and Luna have a plan just stupid enough to work,” Rainbow Dash said. She pushed herself up, threw her mane back out of her face with a toss of her head and grinned madly. “It’s going to be epic!”

Comments

[HeartfireFirebrand]

Luna and her light blue companion flew toward them. It took only a few brief moments before they landed. The light blue bat pony stumbled forward and one of her knees buckled. Her helmet dropped to the ground, revealing locks of matted rainbow mane and a trail of crimson liquid running across her eye where a fresh cut stood.

Knew it, I'm curious as to how she became a batpony.