Falling Stars

by Ar0k

Chapter 05: Encore

"Seriously. You could have just asked nicely..."

Trot mumbled as he lay on an uncomfortably shaped mattress in Malt's salt bar. Both he and Trixie were sitting together in private, resting their wounds in the quietest part of the bar: the backroom. Boxes of salt and food lined the walls. Though at first glance it looked dark and musky, It actually felt pleasantly comfortable.

After the duel, the appaloosa citizens left and resumed their normal business around town, he and Trixie were escorted by the Princess and her friends to the Salt bar, until more appropriate accommodations could be found. He had a couple of ice bags sitting on his back, nursing some of the bruise marks acquired from his opponent an hour ago.

"How was I supposed to know you weren't a wanted criminal? The princess' language was so... vague! Not to mention foreboding..." Trixie recalled the letter she received, as delivered to her by Philomena.

To my faithful servant, Trixie.

You have been a great help to me as Ambassador to the frontier region. I can't thank you enough for your voluntary services to me and the people of the Frontier Lands these past few months. But today I must impose on you a mission of great importance, and perhaps even great danger.

I need for you to locate Trot Steamer, a Trail Blazer dubbed by the ponies of the west. I have enclosed a description, and what records we have of him here in Canterlot. He was last seen in Appaloosa, not too far from where you are now. Find him, and if necessary, subdue him. My sister and several of my friends will be arriving in Appaloosa to claim him tomorrow. I cannot say why.

I hereby grant you the authority to use any force necessary to deal with any obstacle you encounter in fulfilling this mission.

I wish you luck.

Princess Celestia.

P.S. I know I granted you authority, but please be gentle. For me. Please?

Trot burst out laughing, not caring if his ribcage ached.

"Yeah i think you failed that last bit."

Trixie ignored the laugh.

"The great and powerful Trixie, does what is necessary, and your friend Malt was less than cooperative... Even when I did ask simply." Trixie crossed her forehoof's and adjusted one of her own ice bags with her mouth. She was still recovering from overusing her magic and even simple telekinesis took a great deal of effort to accomplish. Trot was busy adjusting his own ice bags, to compensate for his laughter earlier. He must have bruised half his ribs trying to dodge so many of Trixie's attacks, Trixie couldn't help but feel impressed. The ponies of Appaloosa called him a Trail Blazer for a reason and her duel with him let her see only a faint glimpse as to why.

"You're not angry about all this are you? About, me tackling you and...knocking you unconscious...beating you at the duel."

"It was a respectable duel." She responded, her nose high in the air. "The great and powerful Trixie is gracious in defeat...most of the time. Besides…it was fun." That last part was barely audible, but it was enough to make Trot smile.

"Well the great and powerful Trixie isn't so bad after all." He paused before adding. "Friends?"

The atmosphere suddenly got very quiet and awkward. It was obvious Trixie wasn't expecting the offer.

"I will consider it."

Trot's smile didn't fade.

"Works for me."

The door to the back room opened. Gene and Gerret walked in, followed by the Princess. They positioned themselves on either side of the door and stood at attention. Princess Luna knelt down in front of them.

"How are you feeling? Better?"

Trot nodded politely. Trixie made a move as if to get up, but Luna stopped her with a raised hoof. She gave Gene a nod, who then reached into his gold armor, pulling out a white scroll tied in red ribbon. Trixie instantly recognized it as her letter from Princess Celestia.

"I have to apologize for my sister. I am sure she didn't intend for such misunderstandings to occur."

The letter floated down to Trixie who accepted it with outstretched fore hooves. As she did this, she watched Trot out of the corner of her eye. She felt a little uneasy being around him. There was something about him that just seemed…dangerous. Luna nearly jumped when he addressed her.

"Excuse me, your Highness. I accept your apology. But you still haven't told me why you wanted to find me in the first place." He tilted his head curiously. "Did you need my help with anything?"

The guards eyes narrowed suspiciously. They too were on edge. Especially after seeing the last part of the duel. No pony could move that fast. It looked almost unnatural.

Luna took a breath and smiled. "Yes. We do. We need a guide."

Trot looked at Trixie and then back at the Princess. "All this for a tour?"

"Not a tour. An expedition. An expedition of great importance, and possibly great danger."

Trot thought for a moment before shrugging his shoulders.

"Fine then. Where too?"

"Listen I can understand why you wo…what did you say?"

"I said Ok. Where do you need to go? East? South? 30 degrees north by north west? My cutie mark is a compass like that found on a map. This is what I was born to do."

Luna opened her mouth and closed it a couple of times, trying to untangle her tongue at how easily he agreed. She finally managed to get her words straight.

"Actually, we don't know. The place were trying to go is…well… a legend. An Old Mare's tale if you will…"

Trot raised an eyebrow, intrigued at what sort of adventure the monarch would have in store for him.

"We need to go to the Land of Twisted Metal, or….at least…..west, far west beyond the frontier region. We're looking for something."

Just like that, his intrigue dissipated. Any form of excitement, or good feelings that came with today's events, vanished into thin air.

"A…and what makes you think I can take you there? If it's just an old mare's tale?"

"It's real." Luna said plainly. "Well at least the land is, i don't know about all those stories and legends, but the land itself is real. The unknown region's beyond the frontier lands has been called several names in the past, and "Land of Twisted Metal" was one of them. I could never understand why though. But perhaps you can tell me?

"Why would I be able to tell you?"

"Because our records show that you've been there before. Several frontier towns have testified to it."

Trot laughed slightly.

"All exaggerated stories I assure you." He said confidently. "Sorry to disappoint you princess but I've never been there."

Luna's heart sank. It would make sense. Ponies in the frontier region have been known to exaggerate the truth. Especially when it came to their heroes.

"Your lying."

All heads turned to Trixie, even the guards broke their stance of attention to look at the mare.

"What?" Trot asked blankly.

"You may have fooled me with an Alias, But I know a lie when I see one…No matter how good of a liar you are."

There was silence. Trot got up and moved towards the door. The guards immediately stepped in front of Princess Luna who took a step back more so because of her guards aggressive motion to defend her.

"Easy now." Trot said a little too cheerful for the tense atmosphere. "I just want to talk to Twilight Sparkle."

"You know her?" Luna asked, stepping forward as much as the guards would allow.

"Yup. Though i doubt she remembers me. It's been a decade and a half."

The guards still didn't budge.

"I promise I'll be back."

Still no movement.

Trot rolled his eyes.

"If you don't trust me. You can come with me. Keep me tied up for all I care. I just want to see an old friend. I'll be back. I promise. I ALWAYS keep my promises.

Both Gene and Garret looked at each other, then at the princess. Luna nodded. The guards parted allowing trot to pass. Garret gave Gene a look, before following him out of the room. Luna had qualms about letting him go, but at least it left her free to discuss a few matters with Trixie.
-----

Malt's bar was fairly crowded. The duel earlier in the morning had earned him a good number of patrons, at least for today. Malt, sat at the bar entertaining the pink mare known as Pinkie Pie. He remembered her from her ridiculous dance routine some months ago.

"Oooo what's this?" Pinkie pie asked looking at a small dish of white substance. At first glance she thought it was sugar.

"It's salt." Malt responded, cautiously pushing the white substance forward. The pink pony took one lick before recoiling in disgust. "YUCK! That doesn't taste like sugar at all!"

Malt raised an eyebrow. "Ah jus' said it was salt. It's not supposed to taste like sugar."

He was taken aback when Pinkie Pie went back for another lick.

"YUCK!" She declared again.

Malt observed the pink pony for a moment while stroking his mustache. "If Ya hate it so much, then why do ya keep lickin' it."

"It's just so…NEW!" She said excitedly, licking the plate yet again and wincing at the flavor.

"I've got to tell my friends about this!"

"Speaking ah which. Where are your friends? Ah haven't seen em around since the duel."

Pinkie Pie sat up and thought for a moment. "Well Rainbow Dash is most likely napping, Fluttershy and Rarity are getting us rooms at the Inn, Applejack left with her cousin and Twilight…is talking to that pony over there!" She said pointing her hoof over her shoulder. Malt followed Pinkie's hoof to see Trot talking to a lavender unicorn with a Royal Guard pony closely behind him. Malt felt his heart stop as he saw the look on Trot's face. He knew that look all too well.

At the table Twilight had just spilled her drink in shock, she let the contents spread across the table and spill into the floor, not taking her eyes off of the stallion standing in front of her.

T…Trot Steamer!?

Twilight exclaimed in the crowded bar. It took some convincing, but Trot finally got her to recognize him.

"Yup that's me." He said.

"But your coat was orange!…and your mane was…"

"Bright pink…Yeah I know…"

Twilight looked him up and down. He looked so different.

"What happened to you?"

"That's actually kind of related to what I'm about to ask you." He looked behind him. Garret was standing at the ready.

"But first i want to talk about you. How's everything been since 15 years ago?"

Twilight was taken aback by the question. How do you relate the last 15 years of your life to a pony you haven't seen in just as long? An even bigger question was, how could she allow herself to forget somepony like him? Twilight smiled and sat back down at the table, leaving the spilled drink to drip on the floor. She was ready to tell Trot everything. She owed him that.

----------

Outside, and behind the salt bar. Braeburn was backed against a corner with Applejack closing in on him quickly.

"Now now cuz…" He said sinking to his haunches "Ain't No need to punish violence with violence."

Applejack didn't intend to physically rough up her cousin, but his smart remarks weren't making it easy to restrain herself.

"Ah can't believe you gone and took advantage of the situation like that!"

"Hey now!" Braeburn replied trying to defend himself. "There wasn't no fee fer watching them duel! Ah jus went ahead and organized the darned thing."

"Without their permission!?" Applejack exclaimed pressing her forehead against her cousin's, all the while starring daggers at him. "I understand duels are part of yer culture here in the frontier. But Ah remember a certain 'relative' o mine saying they were bout honor and settling disputes in a way tha' wouldn't involve nopony else…"

Braeburn gulped. He did remember describing a duel to Applejack. He described it as the equivalent to the Iron Pony Competitions in the East. He was caught red hoofed, but he still tried to explain himself anyway.

"Nopony else was involved. They just watched! An besides many ponies round town were goin tah watch anyway, might as well there be someone tah set boundaries! The ring was my idea ya know."

Applejack sighed. This was as far as she wanted to get in scolding her cousin.

"Well yah did good on that. But that don't excuse you from takin the struggle of two ponies and profitin from it."

"I swear on my mother's grave that I didn't earn a single bit from it."

The Salt Bar got free advertisin! And auntie Pumpernickel is alive!"

Braeburn ignored her last sentence

"That there was Malt's Idea! Not mine!"

Applejack backed off of her cousin, finally giving him space to get up on all four hooves. Braeburn allowed her cousin to cool off for a moment before he asked the question everypony in town was burning to ask.

"I don't mean tah change the subject but, what are ya'll doin here? Ya show up unannounced accompanied by royalty and their lackeys..." Applejack's temper flared up once more.

"Garret and Gene are Royal Guards and I'll have you know that they are mah friends too! So Ah'd appreciate a little respect!"

Braeburn extended his hoof in front of his cousins face.

"Awright, awright Ah take it back. It's just that you know we don't like royalty as much out here, as ya'll do back in Ponyville. We emigrated out here fer a reason ya know."

Braeburn hated to bring Politics into their discussion but it couldn't be helped.

"Can ya tell me why you were looking fer him? Or is this some sort of secret mission?"

Applejack considered this for a moment. There was nothing in the princess' instructions that said this mission had to be secret. But she still wanted to exercise caution just in case.

"Ah can tell ya, but ya have to promise not to tell anypony…"

Braeburn nodded.

"And not to use duels as means tah profit off of anypony…" Again he nodded, but only after a little thought.

Applejack took a breath.

"Alright. Were on a mission to the land of Twisted Metal. We gotta find something that sorta... fell outta the sky. And I guess your pal Trot Steamer is the only pony who knows how to get there. We kinda..."

Braeburn stopped her suddenly.

"Woah there cuz! You didn't just use "The Land of Twisted Metal" and Trot Steamer in the same paragraph now did you!?"

Applejack cocked an eyebrow. "So what if Ah did?"

The look on Braeburns face made Applejack nervous. It was a look of incredible dread.

"No, no, no, no, no, no! Ya can't do that Applejack! Ya can't even mention that place round him!"

"Why not? He got a complex or sumthin?"

"Ya'll could say that! This is bad cuz!"

Braeburn was restless. How long did he have until the princess, or anypony for that matter mentioned anything about the mission to him.

------

"You're going to love me!" Twilight cried out, mimicking the face of Fluttershy at the gallery. Both trot and Twilight were laughing. Garret only sat and watched in silence. Twilight had told Trot what studying underneath the Princess was like. And then she began to tell the story of how she met her friends, defeating nightmare moon, and most of the escapades of the past year culminating with Fluttershy's outburst and the disaster at the gala.

"You certainly have been busy haven't you?"

Twilight nodded. She wanted to ask how he was doing. She hadn't seen him in 15 years, the last time he saw her was in the royal train yard as an apprentice to his father Boy Steamer. She used to come there everyday one summer, until…

"Say Twilight, do you remember the last time we met? On the royal train platform? You were trying to sneak into the train car."

Twilight's eyes grew wide.

"Yes." She replied nervously.

"How about all the mean things I did to prevent you from getting on that train?"

Twilight's ears flopped. She looked away before pawing the ground sadly

"Yes…"

"and the fact that you succeeded boarding the train anyway as it started it's journey to Stalliongrad?

This time Twilight didn't respond, but chose to avoid Trot Steamers gaze at all costs.

"Do you remember how I stopped the train?…"

Twilight nodded. All of the memories were flooding back to her.
"You jammed the pistons with your tool box…and then took the blame and didn't tell the operators that Princess Celestia's number one student broke important safety and security regulations."

Trot nodded sadly.

"You could have been expelled from the magic academy."

Twilight tried her best to look Trot in the face, but finding that she couldn't, turned her attention back to her spilled drink. She remembered now, that stage of her young life. She became fascinated with trains as she read them in the books. She stopped by the train yard every day for one summer and always begged a young Trot Steamer to let her board one. The result of her escapades caused Trot to be fired by his own Dad and sent away from Canterlot.

She remembered why she forgot him now. It wasn't something she was proud of.

"Look. I'm really sorry…If it weren't for me.. you…"

Trot silenced her with a knock on the table.

"I accept it Twilight." He said warmly. "I accepted it fifteen years ago…but right now I am asking you to remember why I did such things to you. Why I constantly tried to turn you away with harsh words. I remember that I made you cry…and I know now there were probably better ways to turn you away…but I was a little colt myself at the time."

"I am asking you if you understand that I said and did such terrible things to you for your own good!"

Twilight nodded.

"I need to hear you say it."

"Yes. I understand Trot. I'm sorry."

Trot sighed in relief. "Good."

Garret watched the exchange. Where was he going with this conversation?

Trot stood up slowly, stretching his sore muscles and craning his neck.

"Since you understand that…I know you'll understand what I am about to do next."

Garret could not react fast enough. Trot disappeared from his vision as the whole room spun. He heard a solid thunk before his vision turned black.

-----

"So you want me to join you?" Trixie asked, trying to hide the pleasure in her voice.

"If it's not too much to ask." Luna said laying down in front of her, while Gene stood by the door. "I don't know what we might encounter out there. We could always use a unicorn with your talent to help out. My sister has told me great things about your potential. Trixie's mouth twitched into a grin trying desperately not to feel elated by the honor.

"As a servant to her royal Highness Princess Celestia, I am obliged to say ye.…"

Her sentence was cut off by a loud crash in the main room. Gene readied himself and took guard positions in front of Luna and Trixie. The door swung open. revealing Trot standing there smiling.

"I'm back. As promised."

"TROT!" Trixie cried out in surprise. "What in the HAY was that noise?"

Trot didn't respond. He walked casually up to Gene. Who spread his wings in a show of force. Trot's grin didn't fade. With dexterity and speed a pony could never be capable off, Trot tumbled forward and used the momentum of his roll to buck gene with both of his hind legs. Gene was stunned as he slammed against the wall. His breath barely left him before the Trail Blazer followed up his double buck, with a swift tackled at full force, sending both of them crashing through the wall in an explosion of splintering wood.

Gene lay on the ground outside immobile, a trickle of blood dripping from his mouth. Trot stood up immediately and came face to face with his friend Braeburn and a mare he assumed was one of Twilight's friends.

Braeburn stepped back, knowing the look on Trot's face full well. Trot eyed Applejack, another pony to be part of the "mission", she was still stunned by what had happened. He walked up to her unafraid and pressed his own forehead against hers. He wanted to make sure they understood he meant business.

"As long as I still have breath in my body, I will never allow anyone to be claimed by that horrible place…do you hear me?"

Applejack's head reacted on its own, nodding. With that Trot galloped at full speed towards the distant mountains.

"Gene!" Luna cried as she knelt next to him.

"Princess…are you hurt?" He asked, not fully aware he was saying it.

"He didn't hurt me! He hurt YOU!" She cried out. Her horn glowed as she tried to heal the serious injury with her magic.

Trixie limped outside to join Luna in treating the guard, shaking her head in disgust.

"Okay… now he's just showing off…."

Applejack realized her knees were trembling. She steeled herself immediately realizing the gravity of what had just happened. Her voice yelled out and she yelled in frustration.

"DAGNABIT! What the hay did he do that for!?" She was more angry at herself. For a brief moment she was scared of a colt. A COLT. She could forgive herself for fearing ghosts…or even Zecora…BUT A COLT? She turned to Braeburn who knew what was coming.

"You'd better explain this... right NOW!"

--------

Trot Galloped at full speed towards the mountains. He knew he could hide among the numerous caves there, and after that head east past Appaloosa and perhaps north to Stalliongrad. The thought made him frown in distaste. He hated the cold, but he would do whatever it took to make sure the path to the land of Twisted Metal died with him.

He thought of Twilight and how she must have felt seeing him take out that royal guard. But he had hoped their conversation would cause her to understand the necessity of his actions. Now that the threats were gone, namely the two guards...there would be nopony able to catch up to him, or much less stand up to him in a fight. Except for maybe the princess.

He jerked his head back trying to see if she was pursuing him, but instead of seeing the princess however, he saw a streak of rainbow barreling towards him.

"What the hay?!"

He increased his running speed. But the rainbow was gaining on him. He looked closely and realized it wasn't a rainbow, but a light blue pegasus pony with rainbow mane. When she got close enough, he heard her yell.

"YOU DO NOT HURT MY FRIENDS AND GET AWAY WITH IT BUDDY!"

Trot shuffled his feet in mid run and sharply changed direction.

"Oooo you're good…" She said out loud, but it was more a mocking statement than a compliment. Normally she would be impressed by such a maneuver, but after seeing what he did to Garret and Gene she didn't care WHAT he could do.

Trot darted towards the apple orchard. Maybe he could lose her in the trees.

He heard a loud BOOM and turned around to see a shockwave of rainbow color spreading in every direction. He barely had a chance to get out of the way as the light blue pegasus slammed into the ground in front of him. Rainbow Dash took off into the air unhurt.

"Who are you ponies!?" Trot grit his teeth and watched the blue pegusus circle him.

"YA LIKE THAT!?" She yelled. Visibly angry. "It's called a SONIC RAINBOOM chump! You ain't going NOWHERE!"

Trot relaxed himself…trying to think of a plan to lose her. He turned his attention to the apple orchard and took off at full speed.

"HEY!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, flying after him, but was unable to get to him in time, before he made it to the tree Line. Dash swore and pulled up over the trees, but they limited her vision from the air. Not being able to see the stallion from where she was, she had no choice but to fly low in between the trees. Her flying skill was excellent, but she still had to fly at a safe enough speed so as not to crash into any of them. She kept her eyes peeled for the grey stallion hoping she didn't lose him. At that exact thought Trot leaped out from a tree.

"GOTCHA!" He yelled as he pounced on his pursuer. Rainbow Dash hit the ground hard. She had no time to recover before rope was being tied around her wings.

"GET OFF OF ME!" Rainbow Dash struggled to get up, but the Trail Blazer was too strong.

"I don't know how fast you are on foot, but I'm not taking any chances!" He said tying a second rope on Dash's rear hooves. Satisfied with his work, he stepped back and prepared to resume his escape, but two apples flew directly at him and made contact with the side of his head. The force of impact caused him to stumble. He looked up at the source of the attack. It was Applejack.

Applejack snorted and pawed the ground, very angry.

"Get him AJ!" Rainbow Dash yelled, already struggling and biting the ropes to free herself.

Applejack didn't need to be told twice. She bucked the tree behind her and several apples fell, bucking all of them with precision. The fruit collided into Trot, who was not expecting the speed at which the apples flew. He winced in pain and dodged to the right behind a tree to avoid more apples.

"I'm not going to be able to take much more of this…" He said to himself. With that he darted further into the apple orchard.

"Come back ere ya varmint!" Applejack was hot in pursuit but not nearly as fast as the trail blazer.

Applejack knew she had to do something or else she was going to lose him. She had an idea as she spotted the left over rope from the duel.

Trot was at his limit. His muscles ached with exhaustion, and his new injuries didn't help him either. He felt a rush of wind as a rope lassoed around his neck. It tightened and he was yanked backwards, the rope cutting into his skin. He steadied himself to look at the orange pony behind him. The rope was tied to her tail

"Now ah suggest ya'll come peaceably. I don't want tah have to beat you into submission now."

Trot looked at her confused. Then he started laughing. The laughter brought a chill to Applejack's spine, but she dare not show him fear again.

"If that's the case then you're making a big mistake…"

"Excuse me?"

"…you're not getting anything but a fate worse than death in that place!"

Trot took a step forward. He almost looked desperate. Applejack didn't like this. Braeburn had told her he never was the same after coming back from Twisted Metal. Even more so than the change of his mane and coat. It felt like he was carrying a weight, a weight so heavy that nothing his two best friends did could lift.

"Have you ever killed anyone Applejack?"

Applejack was taken aback by the question, she also realized the oddity in his language. He had said Anyone…instead of Anypony. And how in the granny's old birches did he know her name? She swallowed hard but answered bravely.

"Can't say Ah have! "

"Good…" He bit the rope around his neck, but didn't try to cut through it with his teeth. He Yanked her forward at least a few feet before Applejack could react with her own tug. They were about equal in strength, but Trot soon found his strength waning. He was just too damn tired to fight anymore. In a last desperate attempt, he let go of the rope. Applejack, not expecting the sudden lack of tension fell back a few steps, giving Trot just enough momentum to close the distance and…

CRASH!

A bright blue blur knocked Trot off his feet, inches from tackling Applejack into the tree behind her. The wind from Rainbow Dash's tackle blew her hat clear off and into the distance. But Applejack had more important issues to deal with.

"A little help here AJ!"

Applejack jumped on the Trail Blazer, and held his head down.

The last thing Trot saw before he fell unconscious was applejack's face. They locked eyes for a moment, and Applejack heard him sing a tune that caused her skin to crawl.

"Twinkle, Twinkle, little star..."

Comments

[ObssesedNuker]

This is a neat story, although I'm not entirely sure about what the x-over is with...

[Ar0k]

923

I'm glad you like it! The Cross-Over comes later so don't worry, it will be revealed soon enough. I just have to make sure I can reveal it right. It's not something I've seen anyone try before, so it should be interesting.

ohh this is great so far , and i think i know what the crossover is going to be!!!

[Ar0k]

930

ORLY?

[ObssesedNuker]

924 Going by the description, I keep thinking Warhammer 40K and that remains a possibility but I guess we'll see.

Is this by any chance a Dead Space crossover? I kinda got the idea from (spoiler) when he sings twinkle twinkle little star.

[Lunar guard356]

Not sure but im thinking the twisted metal with that fucking clown guy who's name I can't remember.

[Darksymphony777]

2659025 his name is sweet tooth