Living Darkness

by vildtiger

Mind over Matter.

Notes: I have said it before but will do it again in case some of you are going to rage over I am not following the canon story of the show. I will change both mlp and tf2 canon story in order to make this story flow better. I will go in further details in the End Notes.

This happens an hour later after the last chapter.

enjoy.

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(Pyro's cave)

"I can set the big fishbowl on fire." Pyro suggests after have heard what has happened to the others. "My friends do not deserve being trapped with the mean pony."

"Yes, Protector will burn fishbowl." Rover nods in agreement along with the few other Diamond Dogs.

"... I think your flames might do more harm than good." Twilight declines with a weak smile, the dragoness pouts disappointed but fortunately does not argue. It does make Twilight's real reason coming here a tad easier. "But I would like to teach you how to send letters with your fire breath, you want to learn that?"

Pyro claps her claws excitedly. "Yes, yes! Please teach me!"

So Twilight teaches Pyro the trick and when sure this fire happy dragoness got it right and won't burn the paper but instead transfer it. Twilight writes the letter to Celestia about the problems she is currently dealing with and requests a good advice or perhaps a helping hoof as she cannot defeat Trixie on her own.
With the letter done, she gives it to Pyro and with a giggle, the dragoness transfers the letter. When the magical fire is gone. "Now we wait."

(human world)

Ignis had been about to destroy a fast approaching army of Soldier-bots but instead when something lands on his head, he, in his startle blows up the whole sector. Sure he got the robots, but the mercenaries were in that area as well."Sorry! My bad!" He calls out to the fortunately still alive humans.

"You are worse than Pyro and Soldier combined!!" Sniper shouts greatly irritated as he digs himself out from the rubble there used to be his sniping nest and grumbling moves out to find another perk to snipe from.

After have checked if his sentry can be salvaged, Engineer leaves the clearly dead machine, walking over to the chuckling in embarrassing fire user. "It at times like these I am glad Merrasmus put a protective spell on us." Otherwise, all Ignis explosion would've killed them a lot more. Well, at least the respawn is up again.

"Sorry, I thought another sticky bomb landed on my head." Ignis chuckles embarrassed.

Engineer joins him lightly, yeah, he knows the feeling being paranoid, dealing with the same thing when it comes to spies. And even though Ignis cannot die of old age, he can still get killed: it's just very hard thanks to Ignis rapid healing. Looking down, Engineer notices something there doesn't belong to this picture. "What's this?" He picks up a bit burned scroll and opens it.

'Dear princess Celestia.
I am so sorry to say this, but perhaps it is best you postpone the delegate visit at Ponyville. You see, a unicorn is causing a lot of trouble at the moment, she is using magic such as an age spell–something she could not do last time we met. I tried to defeat her in a magic duel but ended up failing and she exiled me from Ponyvile and in turn, separated me from all of my friends. Do you know what I can do to fix this?
Your faithful student Twilight Sparkle'

"Huh, so that place is real." Engineer muses, remembering from his dreams about a pony with that name. Weird they got a letter from that place. He hands it to Ignis. "Does this ring any bell to you?"
Ignis gasp surprised before he starts reading the letter intensely before he does some kind of spell on it.
"Well?" Engineer asks.

This is the best news he has gotten these last one thousand years, Merasmus did tell him that Celestia and Luna were still alive but never told that his little sunshine has decided to become a teacher in magic. It brings him such pride knowing that his oldest daughter has taken after their mother. Anyway, back to this misplaced letter. "I recognize this form of magic. It comes from a Drake; way more magical compared to other dragon species." Ignis explains the short man and is a bit surprised one of those wingless dragons still has his magic signature in their memory. He wasn't aware Drakes lived that long, he only thought they could be around those six hundred or so. He would very much like to write back on this letter, perhaps hear how it is going in his home world but first: destroy robots. "I would very much like return this letter to the Drake there send it, perhaps it's an old friend of mine." Ignis says.

"Alrighty then, could you also ask if that Drake happens to know our clones?" Engineer requests, since he did recognize that name from his dreams. Ignis nods and with a new wave of robots approaching they run out to meet them.
Both unaware that a certain unicorn would be very confused and disappointed she did not get any reply.

(An hour later, Zecora' hut)

"She did WHAT?!" Spy sneers in fury of what Twilight told this Trixie did to his son. Twilight flinches away while Zecora sits at her table with her specially made herb tea, calmly telling the upset changeling. "Calm yourself, all your cries does is ruin my good shells." Spy takes a deep breath and with his anger a bit more under control he asks Twilight. "Could this Trixie do this before?"

"No, only the most skilled unicorns should be able doing this!" Twilight cries and starts to pace back and forward. "Ugh... I don't know what to do. I feel like I've abandoned my friends. But I can't take her on horn-to-horn."

"There are other ways defeating your enemy Twilight Sparkle." Spy says, again back to his collected demeanor. He grabs a stick and after a bit playing around with it in his hoof, it disappears from sight, much to Twilight's surprise. He smirks reaches his hoof over to her mane and pulls out the stick there. "You simply have to play a little bit smart."

Zecora puts her teacup on the table and tells the unicorn so caught up in the power of pony magic that she does not see other ways. "We'll show you the way to make sure she won't stay."

Twilight accidentally hits the table, making the tea pour out but she is just too excited learning new magic. "When do we start?" Winching sheepishly from the stare the zebra sends her from ruining her tea. Zecora sights. "Let the three of us begin as it seems you will not let me finish my drink." and the two bearer of Guidance brings her to a small lake. At Zecora's request, Twilight uses her magic to walk on her surface and levitates three bubbles around her. Listing to Zecora's calming voice. "Ah, no noise, no sound, no din, no fuss must interfere with your focus. Unlearn what you have learned. Only then can victory be earned." But Twilight cannot concentrate properly, she keeps hearing Trixie's taunts and that makes her break the levitation spell, splashing into the water.

Both Spy and Zecora open their eyes, looking at the now neck deep in water unicorn, Spy shakes his head; like Zecora he clearly sees that her mind is not truly in the game. "You won't learn if you keep worrying about what you cannot do."

Sighting, Twilight leaves the water. "I'm sorry, Spy. I'm trying my best, but... I can't stop thinking about Trixie."

"Taunting the opponent is useful as it makes them think about the words and loses concentration." Spy says. He knows that fact a bit too well as he is using his words as much his knives when out fighting. "A strategy you have to learn to ignore. Don't let her words get to you." Zecora nods in agreement, giving her own advice "It is Trixie great satisfaction her words is causing you so much distraction."

Twilight can now truly see why Spy and Zecora have been chosen to carry the two Elements of Guidance. "I know, but... there was something different about her. It's like she's gone from high and mighty to mean and nasty." She explains the two.

Zecora points back to the lake. "Your thinking needs a readjust. Total concentration is a must." And Twilight returns back to her concentration training. Zecora eyes Spy, quietly wondering if Twilight can take their teachings to heart with how much she is distracted with the current situation, in fact, Spy too looks a bit distracted from the news of his son but he does have the advantages in having years of training as an infiltrator.

***

(Ponyville)

After two days of having dealt with Trixie ridicules commands and those who have tried to refuse her commands would be forced to do something embarrassed or be tormented until they would give in. Those who did not give in would end up like Soldier, still trapped in that box and become a sort of warning for everypony passing the town square.
The element bearers have managed to get away from Trixie and all snuck into Twilight's library in hope to find anything to stop this madness.

Miss Pauling has joined them, annoyed but also quite scared that Trixie's magic had forced her into a birdcage for not doing her job right and only got out when Engineer unlocked the cage after that mad pony left to roam her new 'kingdom'.
"How do we fight something like that?!" She exclaims, no longer able to hold it back. This whole world is utter madness, she would really like go back to just keeping a bunch of crazy mercenaries in check, sneak into Saxton Hale's secret weapon stash once and a while and kill a few people to keep Helen safe. That is nothing compared to a small month here!
And the said mercenaries take the situation rather calmly all things considered. Caressing her hurting head, she cannot help but remark dryly to Medic who has three books levitated before him. "You guys are taking this awfully calmly."

Medic eyes her once before turning his attention back to the books in search for any clue how to defeat that unicorn. "Actually, I find this sort of refreshing." He smiles and put down the books. "There's no real threat of death, only a battle of wits- it's quite exciting!" He grins of a refreshing change on how to fight a battle.

"I'm glad at least one of us is enjoying himself." Rainbow Dash remarks dryly down to the light grey unicorn, Medic chuckles and replies up to her. "I thought you liked a good challenge frauline Rainbow." She shrugs in return. "Sure, but I don't see any way to defeat Trixie."

Rarity sighs as she flips through the book pages she is holding with her magic. "I would agree with Rainbow Dash, this search really doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere." Looking over to her fellow Generosity bearer there remarks his own thoughts on this situation. "And I would like if we could even out this battle of wits Medic speaks about."

Pinkie mumbles something and apparently all Southern can understand the language of mumbling since Applejack clearly understands her. "I hear you, Pinkie. I don't know about you guys." Looking at the searching members. "But I can't find anything that describes the kind of magic Trixie's doing."

"Ugh, there must be something!" Spike groans, after all this is Twilight's library. "Twilight has every magic book there is!"

Flying up to one of the top shelf's Fluttershy picks a book and find a picture looking very much like the one Trixie has around her neck. She turns to her friends, saying awfully quietly. "I think I may have found something." but the others did not hear her.

Rarity makes a dramatic pose beside Engineer. "Yes, it's time for us to consider our futures in this new Trixie-led Ponyville."

"Let's keep trying just a bit longer." Engineer smiles weakly, Rarity sighs but must agree with him. "Then endure Trixi's tyranny, so we shall."

Fluttershy flies a bit forward but does fly back when that huge stallion turns to her. He scares her, so she flies upward, trying to show the others the book with the picture in. "Um, this sounds an awful lot like Trixie's magic–" but again the others didn't hear her quiet voice.

"She wants me to grow apples with no peels! Now, how the hay am I supposed to do that?" Applejack complains loudly.

Rolling his eyes that the shy pony cannot get her voice in, Heavy decides to lend his to her. "Little shy pony found something." Heavy says with his deep rumbling voice, one no one in this room can talk over.
Everyone in the room first turns to him, then up to the now very nervous Fluttershy.

"Well, what is it? Show us, darling." Rarity urges the yellow pegasus.

Slowly Fluttershy flies down and hands Spike the book there reads up for them. "It's called the Alicorn Amulet, and whoever wears it is blessed with magic equal to an alicorn, but it also corrupts the user in the progress."

"Hm, I do wonder what would happen is an already corrupt per- I mean pony takes it on then?" Medic ponders out loud, noticing that Miss Pauling is giving him a 'don't you dare' look. He smirks. "I am allowed to hypothesis." She rolls her eyes but let the subject drop.

Returning back to the book, Spike reads. "It says here you can't just force the Alicorn Amulet off, it has some sort of magical lock. Trixie's the only pony who can take it off!"

"Too bad I can't chop her bloody head off." Demo whispers to Sniper who snorts back in amusement before the griffin voices his thoughts on this new discovery. "Unless you remaining unicorns can match up with Trixie, then I suggest we get this information to Twilight."

"Aye" Demo nods, tapping his horn. "All I am good at with this is minor transfigure and adept levitation magic. No match for that mad pony."

"Oh, don't flatter me." Medic smirks, it does fade into a surprised stare when Rarity tells him. "Oh darling, you're only half-mad, nothing compared to that wretched Trixie." That comment did catch Medic a bit off guard, this is the first time someone has told him such things. It's touching, really. "Danke miss Rarity. Unfortunately, even with my higher magical level. I doubt even I can defeat Trixie."

Pushing aside the shock someone didn't think Medic mad, Miss Pauling asks the ponies and whatever Engie and Sniper are. "Alright, we need to get this to Twilight. So now the question: how?"

"Good question," Rarity muses "if any of us try to leave, Trixie's magical force field will tell her!"

"It at times like these I wish Spy was around..." Engineer grumbles. After all, that man can get past his sentry gun sensor. "He could get past it, somehow."

Rainbow Dash flies into the middle of the room, shouting "I've got it! Trying to sneak past the force field would be impossible without help, but I know who's got the goods to get into those woods!" She flies down and lifts up Fluttershy, declaring her name.

"Whaat?!" Said pink haired pegasus cries and forgets for a moment she has wings, dropping to the floor. She pulls a book over her head as cover, shaking like a leaf.

Heavy frowns at this. "Little shy pony too scared for such things."

She fully agrees with him. "Yes! I'll crack under the pressure! I'll snap like a twig!" Fluttershy cries fearfully, hugging the book tightly. Rainbow Dash grasps her again, beaming. "Perfect! Fluttershy will sneak out of Ponyville and find Twilight." And again poor Fluttershy drops to the floor with her trying but cannot even utter an objection because she is so scared.

Miss Pauling face-hoof. "For goodness sake... she can't do it!" Pointing at the trembling in fear pony. "Just look at her, stealth missions require calm nerves and I am sorry to say it but you have none."

"I know...!" Fluttershy agrees in a quite but panicking voice.

Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes of this unicorn. "She's perfect, Fluttershy can make her animals friends get her out, it's easy!" She flies down to this deeply frowning unicorn. "Unless one of you can speak with animals and hide inside a log or whatever we find."

Miss Pauling raises a brow. "She can speak with animals?" Everyone in the room nod, well one more thing on the list of what she did not except in this place. Sighting Miss Pauling must admit. "I cannot speak with animals, but I think someone other than her is the better choice."

"I'll go." Sniper declares from his spot on the second floor, pointing at himself. "I'm the better choice over Fluttershy. Spook's not the only one able do stealth missions."
But he would still need certain critters help to get out. "Still need your ability talking with animals, though."

"You can help us with that, right lass?" Demo asks the trembling Fluttershy softly, making her look slowly up to him. She gives him a small nod, looking a little bit more sure about herself.

Smiling Rarity takes her hoof out, Pinkie swiftly joins her and puts her on top. Rainbow Dash, Spike, and Applejack soon join in. Demo then moves over and does the same with a chuckling Heavy close behind. Engineer exchanges look with Fluttershy and they too join in, Sniper leaps down from his spot and does the same, moving aside so Medic can join this team fist bump.
They do all jump when a light surrounds Rainbow's hoof which makes Sniper light up for a moment and when it fades, a silver necklace with a red gem in form of a scope is around his neck. Said rainbow haired pegasi cheers seeing that object around his neck. "Oh yeah! I knew there was something cool about you!" Sniper rolls his eyes but cannot stop grinning as well, more so when Miss Pauling looks the more confused about this new event.

"Alright! Leeet's do it, lass and laddies!!" Demo cheers, the others quickly follow through and turning into a laugh with Rarity's words. "I know just the design for a dangerous mission outfit!- one there should suit that necklace nicely." Followed by a dumbfounded Sniper. "We bloody hell don't have time for costume change lady!" She, of course, didn't listen.

The plan did almost end in catastrophe when Trixie suddenly came over and demanded Heavy to be the one pulling her wheel missing carat. "I will keep her away as long I can." Heavy says and walks over to get the gear put on him and drags the caret away. Thankfully it is not as hard as many would fear thanks to his normal human mixed up with the earth pony strength, so pulling this caret with Trixie cracking her whip over his head is more a nuisance than anything.

With Heavy keeping Trixie away, the others find several beavers, letting Fluttershy asks them for help and with Sniper hiding inside the log and having a levitation spell from Demo to ensure the beavers can carry him without awaking suspicious. Rainbow Dash flies over to sign Heavy that the plan is set. So when Trixie senses the set off the magic force field, Heavy does not need to slow her down and endure embarrassing punishments.

But apparently, it did not get fast enough for this crazy unicorn. "Hurry you big oaf!" She cracks her whip awfully close to his ear, Heavy shoots her a glare but she does not notice in her madness. "Somepony set off the magic force field, and Trixie intends to punish them!"

"Go faster with wheels." He remarks. She brushes his suggestion off with a completely paranoid and yet arrogant. "The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't trust wheels. Now pull faster!" and this time the whip hits him over the shoulder. For a second throwing Heavy back to the gulag where he watched his father getting whipped to death and he had to rescue his family by murdering every guard standing his way. It took a lot of willpower not to kick the carat, knowing that will just end up badly for him. Instead, he lets out a long groan and pulls the caret towards the spot.
As expected, Fluttershy beavers are slapping the barrier with their tails, demanding with all their chitter to get their log outside the barrier.
Trixie did of course not understand the critters in voice but even with her madden mind, she got the hint and with rolling eyes of annoyance, she lets the beavers out.

Standing in cover, the group is watching the log being dragged away, Applejack looks up to her fellow Element of Honesty there struggles to keep the levitation magic up from this increasingly long distance. "A little further Demo." She tells him.

"Heavy better hurry..." Demo groans, he can feel he is reaching his breaking point.
Getting Trixie away did get slower than getting her here as she has transfigured her wooden caret into a bigger one, now made out of gold and that one Heavy struggles with.

"Coast clear." Rainbow Dash says and Demo can finally dismiss his magic, the unicorn drops to the ground, groaning from magical exhausting. Fortunately Medic is there to ease a bit up his headache from the magical drain.

Outside the forcefield, the beavers help a black dressed and very annoyed Sniper out from the log. Correcting his suit and really feeling like a bloody spook, Sniper gives those still trapped inside a thumbs up before he turns to the three beavers. "Thanks for the help." He tells them, they chitter something in return he can only guess and the beavers leave with their log. Sniper trots towards the Everfree forest and fairly easy find Zecora's hut where not only Twilight is but Spy as well.
Said zebra serves him some tea which he drinks as he explains the three about their findings.

"I can't believe I didn't recognize the Alicorn Amulet!" Twilight exclaims, pacing back and forward inside the hut, stopping to asks both zebra and changeling. "But how am I supposed to beat that amulet? My magic's not good enough!"

"Too bad these are bloody useless." Sniper remarks, tapping on his new trinket there shows his own virtue of loyalty, it is nice knowing he was chosen for that element.

Spy chuckles lightly of both Sniper's remark and the quite stressed out unicorn. "There are other ways to defeat an enemy, brute force will only get you this far; isn't that right Sniper?" The griffin frowns lightly in his mild confusions what Spy means. When he gets it Sniper nods, telling Twilight. "Right, you will have to play smart with this one."
Like he and Sniper had to figure each other out in order to keep up with their game, Spy thinks almost fondly. Sniper here has been giving him some worthwhile matches, he admits that. Turning back to Twilight. "Use your wits Twilight, if the game does not suit you; change the rules."

Twilight has to ponder what the changeling meant and when she got it she gasps and exclaims joyfully. "Spy you're a genius!"

"I have my moment." Spy smirks, turning to Sniper's dry remark: "At least this time it doesn't involve you going on a killing spree in RED’s base.” The changeling smirks widen, he remembers that stealth mission and is very proud he managed to kill half of RED team and get the intel as well.

Twilight did not hear Sniper's remark, she is busier writing down her plan to her friends before running over to Pyro's cave, this time the scroll ends up at the right place.

***
(Two hours later)

Twilight and Zecora head over to the barrier. A small spell and the alarm goes off. Trixie arrives with a soon to collapse of exhausting Heavy, the mad mare gasps seeing Twilight but just can't stop herself from taunting the exiled unicorn. "What's the matter, Twilight Sparkle? Not enjoying your exile?" Thanks to her training, Twilight easily brushes it off, pointing out the fact that Trixie hasn't been playing fair. "I know about the Alicorn Amulet. I know you cheated."

"Cheated? Moi?" Trixie denies innocently.

Again Twilight does not let this bother her, she is confident of what is going to happen. "Yeah. And I thought you might wanna see what a real magical amulet looks like." She levitates out a gold amulet with a green gem with circle engravings into it, explaining the other unicorn. "Zecora gave it to me. It's from beyond the Everfree Forest, and it's way more powerful than your measly little Alicorn Amulet!" She points out confidently, at her side Zecora nods in agreement.

Trixie laughs hearing that statement. "Nothing's more powerful than the Alicorn Amulet! And nopony's more powerful than the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

"Care to put your amulet where your mouth is?" Twilight asks her calmly. "How about another duel?"

Trixie snorts. "Why should I? I already beat you." But do reconsider when Twilight starts to leave with; "That's up to you! But I guess you'll never see the totally awesome magic from beyond the Everfree Forest." The opportunity for greater magic is too much for her, Trixie dismisses the barrier and teleports right before the leaving Twilight. "Okay, okay, you're on! A second duel."
Still smiling confidently Twilight nods.

***

(Town square)

The two unicorns, with only one of them having friends behind her walk to their chosen battleground. Trixie's magic makes the dark thundercloud above them strike out lightning, and while Twilight did not do such a thing, she still is very confident in her amulet. Did not put Trixie down one bit, after all; she can do magic nopony can. "Let's start with a simple age spell, shall we?" She asks and Twilight agrees.

"Perhaps turn this one back to normal?" Demo says with the not really surprisingly chipper Scout on his back, but of course, Trixie refuses to do them such a favor.

"Snips, Snails." Trixie calls and the two scared foal unicorns step forward, she turns them into even younger foals than that weird pegasus. Both now baby foals burst out crying. "An oldie, but a goodie." She brags and demands Twilight and her so-called more powerful amulet. "Now, let's see what your little charm can do!"

Twilight smirks. "No problem. Um, Applejack, Rarity? Could you help me, please?" She calls two of her friends, confused the two steps forward. Twilight shoots her magic at them, making a magical cloud surrounds them for a moment, when it fades, Applejack and Rarity are both left as foals.

Trixie who has barely paid attention flabbergasted gasps at the sight, she quickly brushes it off as if it's no big deal. "So you can do an age spell, big deal." But Twilight is not done, with another magic spell, her two friends are adults, another spell and only Rarity is a foal, standing like a queen on young adult Applejack, another spell and Rarity is back to normal but Applejack old, and then they are both back to normal with a quick spell from Twilight. Trixie does, however, brush that off, she might not be able to do it that quickly, but she can do age spells just fine. "Pff, you have to do better than that!"

"With pleasure." Twilight smirks and turns her magic on Rainbow Dash, at first her friend looks to be normal, then another pair of wings and a clone of her appears, much to Rainbow and Trixie's surprise.

Trixie is shocked, but with her amulet doing a quick shine of red, she turns her horn over to a random pony and does the same, that poor pony stares dumbfounded at their own clone who does the same.

Twilight's smile falters for a moment but is quickly back on again. "What about this? Can you turn a mare into a stallion?" and shoots a beam at Applejack, turning her into a stallion, she- now he smiles nervously at the sudden change before Twilight turns Applejack back to normal. Before Trixie can try though, Twilight takes the stage again. "Oh or what about turning a pegasus into a unicorn?" She releases Soldier from his box and with a flash of magic, the before confused pegasus Soldier now sits a dumbfounded unicorn Soldier.
Trixie drops her jaws, but Twilight is not done. "And best for last; with this amulet, I can turn a pony into other species." She shoots her magic at the startled Zecora and when the smoke clears, everyone takes the run for it as now there stand a growling Timberwolf in her place. Twilight quickly turns the zebra back but before Zecora can recover, another spell and a white griffin with black stripes sit in her place. Smirking Twilight thinks that should do it. "Well, Trixie looks like my amulet is more powerful than yours–" A levitation spell tears off her amulet. "Hey! Give it back!" Twilight cries annoyed, but too late. Trixie got the amulet now.

Laughing Trixie says to the scared crowd and Twilight. "With this amulet, I shall now rule all of Equestria!" She tears off the Alicorn Amulet, dismissing it's hold on her and she puts on the way more powerful amulet around her neck, with it on she declares to the town's ponies. "Witness, my subjects. Gaze upon an ever greater and 'powerful-er' Trixie!" One of the Rainbow's dives down and snatches the Alicorn Amulet from her, Trixie she scoffs at this for a moment but quickly brushes it off, after all; "I don't need that old Alicorn Amulet. I have this!" And shoots a beam of lightning at that Rainbow Dash, but instead of harming that blue pegasus, Rainbow instead convulse in laugher.

"Stop it! That tickles!" Rainbow laughs.

Trixie blinks in disbelief. "That was supposed to make you writhe in agony! This amulet is defective!" She tries to reclaim the Alicorn Amulet from Rainbow Dash, but the pegasus is too fast for her. "Give mine back!"

"Sorry. This is going back into hiding where it belongs." Rainbow Dash says and flies over to the zebra Zecora who awaits with a box for the amulet.

Trixie stares dumbfounded at the zebra, for shouldn't she still be a griffin. Twilight is suddenly by her side, one hoof over her neck. "By the way, Trixie, the amulet around your neck? It's one of Zecora's doorstops." Twilight gives the green stone one hard tap and it falls off, breaking on impact to the ground. But if this amulet is fake then... " But... how did you do those spells?" Trixie demands from this revelation. "Nopony can do those spells!"

And Twilight whole heartily agrees. "You're right. Not even me. Zecora and Spy taught me so much about magic while I was in exile. They even taught me when not to use it."
The Apple family, all looking like Applejack with Rarity's younger sister right beside them appears behind a statue, joining the two mares. "My magic alone wasn't powerful enough to take on the Alicorn Amulet horn to horn, so I needed to use a different kind of magic." The unicorn Soldier correct his hair and with a quick spell gets the green paint off his brown pelt, the real Soldier jumps out from a bush after Medic has let him go with his magic. "The magic of friendship." The second Rainbow Dash takes off the wig, revealing pink hair, she lands beside the painted Sniper who smirking brushes off the fake colors.
"I also knew that the only pony who could get the amulet off your neck was you." Twilight explains the other and very confused unicorn.

Trixie is still confused though. "B-But what about you turning Zecora into a Timberwolf?"

Twilight grins, turning over to Sniper where a now blue pegasus hides in the crowd. "That's not magic, well not unicorn magic at least." Spy takes his real form, startling several ponies but the changeling has just too much fun watching the look on Trixie's face as Twilight explains. "Changeling magic is shape-shifting, so with my performance; he could've turned into anything." And Spy shows that by turning into a perfect copy of Trixie, giving the real one a very smug look before turning back into that blue and quite handsome looking pegasus.

The town's ponies cheer over this victory and awesome show. The split up pony hugs their clone and in a flash of their own magic is back to normal. In the mass of the cheering crowd, Trixie embarrassingly draws back and disappears from town with few noticing.

"That was fun!" Medic says from his spot with an almost mad grin on his face and tells Spy now with a better understanding. "I can see why you like disguise yourself all the time." Spy returns it with a smirk and both turn their gaze to Sniper there snorts as if annoyed. Medic rolls his eyes. "Oh don't be such a baby. You had fun too herr Sniper." And with a quick spell, the paint is off the griffin. Sniper mutters a small thanks but does not voice his thoughts about this show they did.

***

(Few days later)

While Demo and Medic did their levitation show for the Saddle Arabian Delegates, Twilight walks over to Spy, currently lying with a very cute looking Scout sleeping up against his chest. Eyeing the adorable sight for a moment, Twilight decides it's best telling him with what Celestia has told her about the spells still in effect from Trixie's rampage. "The princess told me she can fix most of the thing but..."

"Not Scout."

She nods sadly. "I'm sorry, he will be like that for a while." Quickly adding. "But don't worry, Princess Celestia said the effect would wear off in time. He will be back to normal before you know it." Blinking when the disguised changeling suddenly starts laughing "Spy?"

Still chuckling of how big irony this is. "I was never around in his life, never watched him grow up-" Eyeing the young child sleeping peacefully between his hooves, seeing once again the child there reminded him that life is worth living. "Now I get the chance: all thanks to a crazy unicorn there wanted to show off; perhaps I should thank her."

Ah, she now sees why he found this funny. "Maybe." But there is one thing there worries her a bit, Spy made it so clear that he did not want to reveal his relation to Scout. "But won't the others ask questions if they see Scout around you all the time?"

Yeah about that. "I would need to ask a favor if I could take different shapes to be around him."

"It would be easier if you just told them." Twilight points out, once again feeling safe around this Changeling.

"It would but I just can't take the chance." Spy muses and although reluctant, he returns Scout to Twilight. He has exposed himself far too much already.

Twilight levitates the still sleeping colt onto her back, watching this bit strange changeling. Of someone seems to thrive on giving pieces of advice and be around ponies, he sure does a good job refusing to let anyone inside. "It's your choice." She sighs and leaves Spy with: "but I think you can trust them with this."
She heads over to Derpy who has agreed on taking care of Scout as long he is stuck in this young age. She is about to tell the pegasus that she might visit from time to time, thinking that is a good excuse for Spy to disguise himself as her so he can visit his son. But before she can, a Diamond Dog comes running over to them. She recognizes that as one of Pyro's and is curious why the dragoness has sent one of her doggy's to her.
"Protector wants pony have this." The Diamond Dog says and hands Twilight an envelope, blinking she takes the envelope with her magic, opens and reads the letter inside.

'Greetings Twilight Sparkle, I am Ignis; Soldier of the Solar family.
Do not worry if you do not recognizes the family.
My reason writing you is that it has come to my attention you tried to use a Drake to send a letter to Princess Celestia about a bit out of control unicorn but instead that particular letter came to me. I apologize I did not respond earlier but I have been busy keeping a threading army at bay with a few fellow soldiers of the species called human. I am hopeful you recognize that name since some of your own comrades should once have been that species, and this letter will reach you. The Drake who brought you this has my magical signature, so they should be able to send more letters if you wish.
Sincerely Ignis.'

Twilight had to read this letter twice, just to comprehend that Pyro has the magical signature of that unicorn the turned human sometimes mention. The humans stuck here better see this! "Thank you." She tells the Diamond Dog, blinking when it points out expectantly. "Protector said pony give Rover gems."
Oh right, guess he deserves one. Twilight brings this Diamond Dog to Rarity's home and gives it one of the gems from her chest. The Diamond Dog returns back to the cave very satisfied.
Twilight then, asks all the turned humans to gather at her home "I got this from Pyro." She tells them and lets Engineer read it.

Engineer did not recognize the name but; "Seems like this Ignis is fighting alongside our clones." He remarks.

"Let Heavy see." Heavy requests and Engineer shows him the letter, yes that is indeed their immortal comrade. "I know Ignis, he brought us here."

"How?" Twilight asks curious, such a transportation spell requires a lot of energy, she voices this to the turned humans and Heavy replies.

"Ignis say he is alicorn."

"WHAT?!" Twilight cannot help but scream in utter shock. "He is an alicorn?!" She thought Luna, Celestia, and Cadence are the only ones.

Engineer looks at the letter again, getting an idea. "I don't know much about this alicorn business. But I do see an opportunity with this. We now have a direct line of communication with our world; we can know what is going on and visa versa!"

"We can hear how our families are doing." Demo says happily they have gotten this unexpected but very welcome line of communication. Turning to the still flabbergasted Twilight. "What dragon did you use for this?"

"Pyro."

"Makes sense." Sniper muses from his spot, that guy did, after all, transport Pyro here, so she must've gotten this magical signature the letter speaks about. "We should respond."
The others nod in agreement.

"Alright." Twilight levitates a scroll and a quill, wondering for a moment before she begins writing.

Author's Note:

okay, bit lore of what world I am making in this fanfiction. Spike and Pyro is part of a species called the Drakes, they are wingless but have powerful magic in their fire breaths and are skilled diggers.
-Sea Dragons are the biggest, they are mostly herbivore and more friendly than most other dragon species but has an uncanny power over the water, so provoking one is a very bad idea.
-the dragons we have seen in Dragon Quest are the Sky Dragons, they are incredibly powerful, they have very little magic but has no need thanks to their brute strength.
-lastly, there is the Wyvern, they are the smallest of the dragon species but their venous fire and their fast adaptability sure make up for it.

this is how I will write the dragons in future chapters, so you bet I will change a lot when we will get to 'Gauntlet of Fire'