Once Upon a Dream

Trixie Lulamoon dropped to her haunches in the dirt and watched her life roll away. “Did Trixie really just do this?”

Amethyst Star walked up beside her, sipping on a soda. “Yep. It was trashy anyway.”

The wagon rolled off, the faded sign of her former profession swaying as her old home rocked its way to Ponyville. Ponyville, of all the dumps in Equestria! Trixie looked down at the coin bag before her and seriously considered throwing it all away.

“I’ll be taking that,” Amethyst declared, swiping the bag with her magic.

“Hey!” Trixie turned to follow after her. “That was Trixie’s wagon, so those are Trixie’s bits!”

“And Trixie’s bits are going to help pay for the debt she owes everypony,” Amethyst countered, tossing her empty can backwards so that it was impaled on Trixie’s horn. “The rest goes to the next month’s rent.”

Trixie magically shoved the can from her horn and glowered, but said nothing. The two made their way through the Hoofington streets, Amethyst casually observing the passing mares and Trixie kicking at the dirt in silent frustration. The sky shined a brilliant blue, a testament to the beauty of Celestia’s days. Skies like these annoyed Trixie to no end, especially when her mood was sour. At the moment her mood was very sour.

“Would ya hurry up?” Amethyst called. “I’ve got a date tonight, y’know.”

“You always have a date,” Trixie grumbled.

“Because I’m such a delightful catch!” Amethyst shook her flank playfully.

Trixie raised her head to strike a gallant pose. “Trixie finds your petty ‘dates’ pointless and revolting! If you are going to go romping around with ponies, can’t you at least stick to just one?”

“You’re just jealous ’cause nopony wants a loser like you,” Amethyst declared, not an ounce of sarcasm in her voice.

Trixie turned her head away self-consciously. “Trixie is not a loser.”

“Sure you’re not,” Amethyst replied, pausing to watch lecherously as an orange mare passed in front of her. “You only got shown up by a certain popular unicorn, saw your career ruined, slaved away at a rock farm, took over a wimpy little town, was defeated again by the same unicorn, had your reputation smeared forever, saw your career ruined again, and just sold your home and only means of financial income. No, you’re not a loser at all.”

Trixie sneered. “Thanks for being so comprehensive.”

“That’s what I’m here for, roomie.”

Trixie caught up to Amethyst just as she started moving again. “You can mock Trixie all you want, but Trixie knows she will rise again! This is only a temporary setback, Trixie promises you.”

Amethyst hardly seemed to be paying attention. “Sure, sure. A couple years mopping floors over at Delicious Cup should pay for that.”

Trixie came to an abrupt stop. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will not be reduced to mere janitorial labor!”

“Then I hope the Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t mind being the Penniless and Homeless Trixie,” Amethyst countered, “’cause that’s what you’ll be in about three weeks if ya can’t pay the rent.”

The former showmare sighed and followed after her housemate, head low and ears drooping. “With friends like you, Trixie doesn’t need enemies.”

They took a shortcut through a side alley and soon found themselves on a large street populated by big, fancy-looking houses. Trixie instantly raised her head and tried to appear confident and proper among the wealthier ponies of the area. A block later, they turned to a brick house just slightly smaller than those surrounding it.

“Don’t go anywhere this evening,” Amethyst warned as she unlocked the front door. “If things go well tonight – don’t they always? – I won’t be coming home till tomorrow.”

“Trixie has suggested many times that she be provided a key.” She closed the door behind her and went to slump down on a couch, her frayed cloak flopping over her face and knocking her tall hat to the floor. She didn’t bother correcting the wardrobe malfunction.

“Make sure you take out the trash and get the kitchen cleaned up when you’re done wallowing in self-pity.”

“Why must you always speak of Trixie’s problems like they are minor things?”

Amethyst ascended the stairs to her room. “It’s just a wagon.”

An azure hoof reached up to raise the cloak from Trixie’s eyes, but it was too late to glare. She let the cloak flop back over her face, puffing out an unhappy sigh. The seconds ticked by, the only sound being the running water of the upstairs shower. The old wagon kept appearing in her vision, big and comfy. Had somepony told her a year ago that she’d be selling it to make ends meet, she’d have laughed. Now it had happened, against all her hopes and wishes, and the only thing she could think of was how much she wanted it back.

But she couldn’t afford the maintenance, not anymore. That last broken wheel had done her in. She could still recall the first time she’d performed in that wagon. The crowds had been awed over her first flash of fireworks. Now ponies only went to her shows to laugh and sabotage her act. Even the easiest of crowds didn’t want to watch; the foals were too scared. She cursed that damned alicorn amulet every night since her defeat in Ponyville, and herself for abusing it.

“You’re not crying again, are you?” Amethyst asked as she came downstairs, her mane tied up in a towel. “I knew you sucked, but that’s sad.”

“Shut up.”

“Hey, come on.” Amethyst’s tone grew soft as she sat next to the couch and set a hoof on Trixie’s shoulder. “It’s not that bad. All you have to do is set your sights on a goal and go for it. You told me that, remember?”

Trixie sniffed and lifted her cape up just enough to eye her old friend. “Trixie is very wise,” she grumbled.

“Or,” Amethyst countered with a smile, “I just want you to get a life and pay me your rent on time.”

The depressed magician glowered. “It’s the wisdom one, I’m—”

“Gotcha!” Amethyst pressed a hoof against Trixie’s nose with a grin.

“—Trixie is sure!” She swatted Amethyst’s hoof away and shifted so she was facing the back of the couch.

Amethyst snorted. "You just lie there and mope, then. I have a date to prepare for.”

“Trixie does not mope,” she argued half-heartedly. “She just… needs her rest.”

For a long time she lay there, ignoring the sounds of her housemate wandering around. She kept thinking of her wagon… what used to be her wagon. The fact that it was gone was still hard to comprehend. How could this have happened? That moron Turnip Truck was going to ruin her baby, she just knew it! If she ever saw it again it would probably be covered in grease and useless crap, sitting wheel-less and forgotten in some junkyard. It had served her so well all these years; it deserved a better ending than that! It should have been part of some blazing magical finale, shining like the star it was!

Had once been.

Like she had once been.

She grimaced and rubbed fresh tears from her eyes. As she did, something small and light dropped onto her face, blinding her. “You’ll be needing this,” Amethyst told her.

Trixie sat up and shook the thing off her head to discover that it was a newspaper. She looked at where it had landed between her hooves and saw it opened to the classifieds section. “You’re joking.”

“You know me, always a hoot,” Amethyst answered, pulling off her towel and tossing it into Trixie’s face. “Find a job like the rest of us.”

Trixie jerked the towel off and violently threw it at her housemate. She missed by a wide margin. “Trixie is not like normal ponies!”

“Can’t argue with you there,” Amethyst agreed as she ran a brush through her mane, “but even Trixie needs to make ends meet.”

Trixie looked at the newspaper once more, a sinking feeling in her stomach as she considered the not-so-Great possibilities it would hold. She leaned down to read some of the articles, then inched away from the paper, wrinkling her nose at its contents. “Really, Ammy, Trixie is above such… such… mundane chores!”

“You could always go back to the rock farm,” her friend pointed out, not the tiniest hint of mockery in her voice.

“Never!” Trixie kicked the paper off the couch. “I refuse—”

“Gotcha!” Amethyst had cleared the room in an instant, her hoof pressed firmly against Trixie’s muzzle. “Twice in under an hour!”

Trixie shoved her away, but overestimated the force necessary and ended up spilling over the back of the couch. She lay face-first on the floor, hind legs sprawled over the cushions and cape falling softly atop her head. Amethyst could only laugh.

The humiliated pony lurched to her hooves, struggling to keep the tears out of her eyes as she snatched her hat and shoved it onto her head. “Trixie is going to bed. She hopes your date kicks you to the curb!”

Amethyst grinned and returned to her brush. “My date will be too busy looking at my fine flank to think about anything else.” She shook it at Trixie, who stomped upstairs, taking violent pleasure in kicking the door closed with a slam that shook the entire house.

She stood in the dark, shaking with self-loathing. Her hat began to rise off her head in a magenta glow, but after a few seconds the magic fizzled and it plopped back onto her head. Snarling, she jerked the thing off with both hooves and threw it. It hit a poster on the wall that bore her image before flopping to the floor pointlessly.

Was she so miserable she couldn’t even use her magic properly anymore? She absent-mindedly removed her cloak and let it hit the messy floor, which was covered in old fan mail, empty to-go containers and dirty dishes. She made her slow, unhappy way to the poster on the wall and sat before it, gazing at its faded colors. She gazed at her likeness, bedecked in what had been a new cape and hat, rearing back in a magnificent pose before fireworks and stars and…

…and the wagon.

She leaned forward until her horn pressed against the wall, her unbidden tears flowing.

Trixie awoke slowly. She had no interest in getting out of bed, so instead she snuggled up against the soft blankets and just lay there with a smile on her lips. Familiar smells filled her nostrils: rose tea, delicate herbs, fragrant oak, some nearby flowers. The smells brought her closer to awareness, and after a while she rolled over to stare up at the wooden ceiling. Her cloak dangled from a hook just low enough to tickle her nose, but she didn’t try to get rid of it. She would play its little game, as she did every morning, and resist the temptation as long as she could.

At last Trixie couldn’t take it anymore, so she sat up with a long yawn and gently batted the cloak aside. She cast around with droopy eyes, attempting to see past her untamed locks. Her foreleg reached towards the small stove on the wall nearby, but couldn’t quite touch it. She waved her hoof as if expecting her leg to stretch, but finally accepted that she would have to get out of bed to make her morning tea. She let her leg flop to her side and – thinking of her soft sheets – wondered if tea was really worth it.

Yes, it probably was. Trixie grudgingly stood, allowing the comforter to slip off of her with a gentle swish, and plopped herself down by the stove. She pushed a lock away from her face and used her magic to bring a small kettle over, before pressing the starter button. The stove clicked, but nothing happened. Frowning, she pressed the button again: click, nothing. Click, nothing. Click, nothing.

No matter, she could heat the kettle with her magic.

She glanced to one of the cabinets, which opened to reveal assorted ingredients. A thick vase levitated over to her and, as the lid slipped off, turned over the open kettle. Nothing came out. Trixie frowned and tilted the vase a little more; still nothing. Not wanting to make a mess, she brought the vase down to her chest and took a look inside.

A small flame danced within the vase, bright yellow and frail-looking. She stared at it for several long seconds, trying to understand how it could have gotten into her tea vase. Had all her tea leaves been burned?

“If you got rid of Trixie’s favorite tea you will be sorry,” she mumbled, shaking the vase a little. The flame flickered but made no attempt to answer. Having a flame inside wasn’t going to do her much good, so she decided to take the vase outside and try to get rid of it. She didn’t bother grabbing her hat and cloak.

Trixie gaped the moment her door opened, her sleepy eyes taking in an unfamiliar world. The ground was made of sand that was an extremely light shade of blue… almost white. She took a cautious step down the stairs, and when she did another of her locks drifted before her eyes. It matched the sand’s color perfectly. She pushed her hair aside and took her first step onto the sand. Her hoof sank deep into the soft ground. She could still stand, so she walked a few feet out from the wagon.

She turned in a circle, taking in her surroundings. The entire world was sand. The wagon was surrounded by a curious, curved black wall that made a circle some fifty feet in radius. Her eyes traced the wall upwards to find a high, circular opening that allowed light into her world.

What a strange place. She eyed that hole, wondering what lay beyond the walls before remembering the reason she’d come outside. She observed the vase that was still floating next to her and turned it upside down. A strangled cry escaped her lips as her entire world went dark.

“Hey! Trixie demands to know what is going on!” She turned the vase right-side-up, fully intending to set it on the ground, when her world gained light once more.

Blinking, she gazed up at the clear blue sky above. A thought came to her and she slowly tipped the vase over. As it rotated her world gradually grew darker. When it was upside down she could see absolutely nothing. She turned the vase right-side-up again and the light returned.

“How interesting…” She studied the vase for a moment, took another look inside. The tiny flame was still there. “What kind of magic is this?”

It dawned upon her at last. She looked at the walls towering high over her head, taking in their strange curved shape. On impulse, she shook the vase a little and let out a yelp as her entire world rocked, sending her onto her side in the pale sand. She jerked herself to her hooves and rubbed the gritty stuff from her face. The first signs of fear crept into her mind, but she wasn’t finished experimenting.

She turned to the still-floating vase and, as gently as she could, tapped at its side with a hoof. A resounding, dull thunk sounded through the world. She jerked her hoof away in alarm. “Oh no…”

Carefully, so very carefully, she set the vase down in the sand. She had one more test to try, though she was hesitant to do so. Her horn glowing, she warily lifted a small pinch of sand and, holding her breath, let it drop into the vase.

Dust covered her eyes as something dropped with a fwomph nearby. Coughing, she stood and turned in the direction of the sound and let out a gasp – her wagon looked as if it had just been hit by a sandstorm.

“Oh, Trixie is so sorry!” She ran as best she could in the shifting sand until she was able to see the top of the wagon. She concentrated and let her magic softly push the sand off, the tiniest of winds gently removing every inch of it from the wagon’s various crevices.

“There, that’s better,” she noted with a confident nod. “Don’t worry, Trixie won’t be trying that again.”

“Pardon me, but are you really speaking to that wagon?”

Trixie let out a surprised cry and tried to spin around, but her legs got caught in the thick sand and she ended up falling face-first. She came up sputtering and blushing wildly, shaking her head and sending sand flying. “Who dares sneak up on the Great and Powerful Trixie?!” At last her eyes stopped stinging and she was able to open them without blinking… and there she was. “You… you’re…”

Princess Luna stood, her form the very definition of regality. The tall, magnificent alicorn was watching her with a hoof over her lips, clearly trying not to laugh. “Perhaps I should refer to you as the Great and Clumsy Trixie,” she noted amid barely-contained giggles.

Trixie reared her head back, striking as proud a pose as she could manage and wishing she’d brought her cape and hat out. “Trixie takes offense to your mockery!”

At Trixie’s objection Luna sobered, her eyebrows rising as she studied the mere unicorn. “You must be quite brave to address me with such a vulgar tone. Correct me if I am wrong, but is it not customary to bow before your princess?”

Trixie sneered and made no attempt to bow. “Trixie demands to know if you are responsible for Trixie’s current predicament.”

Princess Luna took a step back, eyes flaring. “Such impropriety! I come here thinking you might require some help, and in return you accuse! Do you even know this is a dream?”

Trixie blinked and cast around at her tiny world. “A dream?” She caught Luna’s eye, coughed and regained her stately manner. “Of course! Trixie knew this all along.”

“Then I should presume Trixie does not need help?” Luna leaned forward with a raised eyebrow.

Trixie flicked a lock out of her face and took on a smug smile. “Why? Whatever reason might Trixie have to request your assistance?”

Luna stood tall once more and gestured with a flick of her head over Trixie’s shoulder. “Perhaps to rescue your precious wagon?”

“The wagon?” Trixie turned and let out a horrified cry at the sight of her wagon sinking into the sand. “No, I can’t lose it!”

“Gotcha!” To her complete shock, Amethyst Star burst from under the sand and tapped her on the nose with a hoof.

For a moment she stared at her old friend over the hoof pressed against her muzzle. Amethyst merely grinned back, ignoring the sand falling through her mane. “Ammy? What are you doing in Trixie’s dream?”

“Beats me.” Her friend fell with a playful squeal and landed on her back in the sand, squirming and laughing like a little filly.

Trixie stared at her friend in dumb silence, then she remembered the situation. She looked up to see that her wagon’s wheels had halfway sunk into the sand. “No!” She ran to it, latched herself to the shafts and began to pull. Her hooves sank deep into the sand, but the wagon wouldn’t budge.

“Trixie will not lose you again!” she cried, her horn glowing as she struggled to lift the wagon out of the sand. She focused as best she could and struggled against the its weight, but the tug on her harness made it clear she was failing. “Please, don’t let this happen!”

Luna paced to a spot a few feet ahead of her, watching the action with curiosity. “You should simply let it go. It is only a wagon.”

“It is not just a wagon!” Trixie snapped, sweat beading on her forehead. “It’s Trixie’s life!”

The princess tilted her head with a frown. “A wagon is your life?”

Something shifted. Trixie felt herself dragged backwards nearly a foot. She looked back to find the back of the wagon had tipped into the sand. “Yes!” She pushed her hooves against the soft soil, tears in her eyes as sand rose to her knees. “Everything revolves around it! I need it!”

Amethyst was there instantaneously, a hoof pressed against Trixie’s nose. “Gotcha again!”

“Ammy!” Trixie begged as her friend danced away with a silly grin. “Ammy, help me! Stop acting like you’re five and help me!”

“Why?” Amethyst asked, sitting in the sand and splashing it around with her hooves. “It’s just a dumb wagon. You need to get a life, Trixie.”

“Amethyst!” Trixie was jerked back by the wagon once more. The sand now touching her belly, she looked back and felt her heart stop at the sight of her half-buried home. Ignoring the fresh tears, she cast around for something that might help. Her eyes fell on the vase sitting innocuously where she’d left it. Horn glowing, she brought it forward and turned it upside down. The entire world going dark save for the soft glow of Luna’s mane.

Trixie shook the vase up and down, trying to dump its contents. “Come on, let me out! Come on!” She ground her teeth, the vase jerking violently in the dark, but all she got for her efforts was the feel of sand inching up her body. Furious, she tried shaking the thing in a different direction and was rewarded with sand leaping through the air and into her face.

She coughed up grit and realized she was deeper in the sand than before; she could feel it just touching the bottom of her mane along her neck. Worse, in the sudden shifting she’d lost her concentration, and thus the vase. She searched around frantically, but it was nowhere to be found.

“Hey, that was fun!” Amethyst laughed as her head poked up from the sand nearby. “Do it again!”

“Get out of my dream!” Trixie snarled. To her surprise, Amethyst glowed blue for an instant, then disappeared completely.

Dark sapphire hooves landed gently, just in front of Trixie’s face. She gazed up to see Princess Luna standing tall above her. “Impressive. I have not seen anypony take such control of her own dream in some time.”

Trixie glanced back at her wagon, which was almost completely buried… and about to take her with it! “Help me! Princess, please!”

But Luna shook her head. “You can do it yourself. If you are capable of removing your friend Amethyst, surely you can save the wagon.”

“I don’t know how I did that!” Trixie struggled against the sand, which was steadily creeping up her neck. “Princess, please! I’m sorry for my behavior! Please!”

Luna stood perfectly still, her harsh eyes staring down as Trixie sank lower and lower. The weight of the sand was making it hard to breathe. Tears welling in her eyes yet again, she gazed up at the princess in all her beauty and silently begged for help. She tilted her head back and fought to keep her face out of the ground while wordlessly mouthed her desperation.

At last the princess sighed and, lowering her head, spoke. “So be it.”

Her long sapphire horn glowed brightly, and Trixie’s entire world soon became an all-encompassing shade to match. She felt air rushing into her lungs. She was abruptly on her knees in the sand. She coughed and sucked up air greedily; for just a moment she relished the sheer joy of being alive.

Then she looked up to see the last of her wagon’s red roof disappear under the sand.

“No!” She forced her aching legs to move, churning forward to where her wagon had disappeared. She dug, sand flying wildly, but no matter how hard she tried she could make no headway. The sand just kept rolling back. After an unknown amount of time she finally gave up, sitting and sobbing in the middle of her tiny, barren world.

“I have seen many curious dreams in my time,” Luna admitted, “but I am not sure I have been in a dream where a pony took such stock in a mere wagon. Most ponies dream about threats to themselves, or somepony else. But a wagon?”

Trixie didn’t bother looking back at the princess. “I don’t care what you have to say.”

“Very well,” Luna countered. “I shall leave you to your silly dream.”

“It’s not silly!” Trixie snapped, jumping to her hooves and turning just in time to see the princess lift off. “What, you think Trixie’s dreams are ridiculous? And what do you dream of, huh?!”

The princess was halfway up the height of the wall when she came to an abrupt stop. She hovered in place, great wings flapping loudly in the still air as she gazed down at Trixie with eyes both surprised and thoughtful. “Nopony has asked me that in a long time.”

Trixie whispered a pleased “Gotcha.” She stepped forward, hoping the small motion would show her determination. “Well, Trixie is asking. What does the mighty Princess of the Night dream of?”

Luna stared at her for a quiet moment before she abruptly tucked her wings in. She landed heavily, sand flinging outwards from the impact as she locked Trixie with an icy glare. “You cannot know what I dream of.”

Trixie waited with mouth and eyes firmly closed until the sand settled, but upon opening her eyes she leaned back at the princess’ harsh expression. Even so, her curiosity had been piqued. “Why not? Do you think it too much for Trixie? Trixie can handle anypony’s dreams!”

“Except her own,” Luna noted.

Trixie sneered and stood to her full height, which wasn’t very helpful as Luna still towered over her. “Tell Trixie about your dreams! Show Trixie. Trixie can handle it.”

“You know not what you ask,” Luna answered. “A word of advice, from one who knows: do not ask questions you do not wish to know the answer to.”

In Trixie’s head that sounded almost like a challenge. She stomped her hoof, an ineffective motion against the soft sand. “Trixie demands to know!”

“No.” The word hadn’t been loud, but Luna’s firm tone made it clear she wasn’t going to budge. Her wings spreading wide once more, the princess rose into the sky with eyes still locked on Trixie’s. “Do not pursue such things, Trixie! The dangers are too great, and you would surely regret it.”

“No danger is too great for Trixie!” she cried, but Luna merely turned and ascended. “Come back! Trixie demands you show her! Trixie will not be ignored!”

But all her shouts were for naught – Luna was gone.

Author's Notes:

And here it is, my new Trix-fic! The primary inspiration of this story? Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Thus this story will be something of a Scott Pilgrim parody. I was going to try and make it funny, but humor just isn't my forte. So instead I'm taking concepts from the general Pilgrim formula and re-imagining them in a MLP format. And Trixie? She struck me as the perfect protagonist for such a story.

Will it be a love story? I haven't decided yet. Will there be fights? Heck and yes. Who will she be fighting? Not telling.

Yes, this has the alternate universe tag. Why it qualifies for that tag won't be apparent at first, but as time goes by we'll slowly see more and more input on exactly what makes this universe different. Nope, not saying anymore. Doing so means major spoilers!

I'll be working on this story and my No Heroes one at the same time, so don't expect rapidfire updates.

UPDATE: Chapter edited by the awesome Cerulean Voice as of 1/1/2014! The drive for perfection begins.

UPDATE 1/25/2014: Chapter updated again with further edits from Death the Kid.

Beginner Battle! Trixie vs. Luna?

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Trixie leaned forward with a hoof pressed against her cheek, wearily eating the salad set before her. In contrast, Amethyst was gobbling down a bowl of cereal across the table.

“Let’s see if I’ve got this story straight,” Amethyst offered between spoonfuls. “Princess Luna – the Princess Luna – came to visit you in your dream.”

“Yes.”

“You’re absolutely certain it was her and not part of your dream.”

“Trixie is not stupid, Amethyst.”

“And she challenged you?”

That made Trixie hesitate. “She didn’t in so many words… but Trixie recognizes a challenge when she hears one.”

Amethyst’s general lack of interest in the topic at hoof might have put others off, but Trixie knew better. After a few seconds, her old friend swallowed another mouthful of cereal. “Been looking for her every night since, I take it?”

Trixie sighed and pushed her half-eaten salad away. She eyed her hat that rested by the plate and lightly stroked its frayed tip. “Trixie has dreamed every night since, and for many of those nights she has sought to meet the princess again. She won’t come, Ammy.”

“Can’t blame her – your dreams are probably boring as buck.” Amethyst lifted the bowl to her mouth and sucked up the last of the milk, ignoring Trixie’s scowl.

Amethyst rubbed the white liquid from her lips before pointing at Trixie with a spoon. “Here’s the thing: you’re penniless. You’ve got just over two weeks before I boot your rump out of my house for freeloading... and your brilliant idea is to spend those two weeks in Canterlot chasing after a princess?”

Trixie turned back to her hat, toying with it for the distraction. “You make it sound as if Trixie is wasting time.”

“But that is it, isn’t it?”

Trixie frowned and set the hat firmly on her head. “Trixie didn’t think you’d understand. No matter, she will find Princess Luna and meet her challenge head on! Trixie’s fans would expect no less.”

“You don’t have fans anymore,” Amethyst pointed out as she made for the sink, her bowl floating just ahead of her. She considered the subject for a second, completely ignorant of Trixie’s death glare. “Alright, we’ll leave tomorrow.”

Trixie’s simmering anger evaporated. “What? You would join Trixie? Why?”

“Trixie has it backwards,” Amethyst countered. “You are the one joining me. I’ve got a shipment for a very important client due in the next three days, so I’m heading to Canterlot anyway.”

Trixie frowned as her bowl rose and went to join Amethyst’s in the sink. “Trixie does not want your assistance.”

Amethyst ignored her and focused on getting the dishes cleaned, but finally turned to her with a bored expression. “And how does Trixie intend to get to Canterlot? You’re broke, so you can’t afford a taxi. Need I remind you that you don’t own a wagon anymore? What were you planning to do, walk all that way?”

Trixie’s face went red as she glanced away once more. “I-if Trixie has to…”

“Come on, Trix, that’s pointless.” Amethyst dried her hooves with a towel. “It’ll take you a week! Besides, if you are gonna waste your time, might as well do it in style.”

Trixie sighed, still not looking at her friend. “I wanted to do this on my ow—”

“Gotcha!” Amethyst’s moist hoof was pressed firmly against Trixie’s nose. She pulled it away quickly, though Trixie’s frustrated expression clearly had no effect on her. “Come on, Trix. My treat.”

Trixie rubbed her muzzle for a moment before nodding reluctantly. “Very well, Trixie will accept your help. Trixie guesses she should be grateful.”

“Heck no,” Amethyst countered with a grin. “I just can’t wait to see you thrown out of the castle on your rump by the royal guards! That’ll be thanks enough.”

Trixie actually smiled at that one. “Your genuine concern touches Trixie’s heart,” she replied with a hoof over her chest.

Amethyst struck an innocent pose. “That’s me, always thinking of others first!”

Trixie stood atop a tall, grassy hill overlooking a deep crevasse. She gazed out at the bright landscape, the roar of water filling her ears as two great rivers fell into either side of the massive crack below. There were rolling fields to one side, a deep and pristine forest on the other. The sun shimmered directly above, yet the world was cool. Trixie’s mane blew gently round her face. It was truly a beautiful day.

She wasn’t paying any attention to it.

“Where are you…” she whispered, her eyes squinting under the shade of her hat. She scoured the landscape with intense focus, seeking out any sign that her quarry might be present. This was her sixth night since that chance encounter and still there was no sign of her, but she refused to give up.

“Luna!” She spun in a circle, eyes sweeping the skies. “Trixie demands you show yourself!”

She’d been there an hour, or at least an hour to her recollection. She knew well enough that time here would be different from that of the real world. But no matter how long it took, she refused to awaken until the princess arrived! Not that she actually knew some way to force herself to stay asleep.

After a few angry but boring minutes, Trixie dropped to her belly in the soft grass, her chin resting just at the crest of the hill. Her vision was obscured by a lock over her face, but she ignored it and kept watching the waterfalls below. She felt so silly, like some schoolfilly waiting impatiently for a date. Maybe Luna wasn’t paying attention. Maybe she didn’t care. Why should she? They’d only met once.

Trixie shook her head violently and rose to her hooves. Not care? Why wouldn’t the princess care? She was the Great and Powerful Trixie! She was not one to be ignored, even by a high and mighty pony princess!

She huffed at the momentary lapse of confidence. Was she offended at having been ignored? Yes, yes she was! Ponies did not ignore Trixie, Trixie ignored other ponies! It wasn’t that she was feeling unappreciated or… or unwanted! Her anger came from Luna’s issues, for Trixie had none.

Needing something to take her mind off things, she glared down at the water below and concentrated. She focused on the two waterfalls, her horn glowing with increasing brightness. After what seemed like minutes she finally saw something happen: the two waterfalls shifted their courses. Rather than flow downwards, the water began to rise up against gravity.

This was a dream Trixie was very familiar with. In it she was even stronger than she was in reality – in which she was already amazing, of course – and could manipulate anything she wanted. A dream of power; perhaps not original, but definitely something she could appreciate.

She gazed with satisfaction as the two waterfalls connected into a single stream. With the aerial bridge set the two rivers merged and, after a moment of conflicting currents, settled on a single direction. Soon the rivers were flowing as one, passing over the crevasse as if it wasn’t even there, and Trixie was pleased with her work.

“Trixie would like to see Luna top that.”

“As would I.”

Trixie let out a shout and jumped; the aura about her horn disappeared with an audible pop and the rivers crashed into the depths once more. Red-faced and furious, she jerked about to glare at the newcomer. “How dare you sneak up on Trixie like a common thief!”

Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Luna, for the princess looked nothing like she had before. Her coat and horn had become entirely black, and she donned azure armor. It was all rather intimidating, except that Luna was smiling quite pleasantly.

Trixie took a moment to collect herself. The pounding of her heart was from her alarm, not because the princess she’d been seeking for nearly a week had finally arrived! “Trixie wants—” Too weak! “—demands to know why you’ve come as Nightmare Moon!”

Luna approached the former showmare and began to circle Trixie, studying her. “So… you’re the one who has been scouring her dreams for Luna.”

So she had been watching! “The Great and Powerful Trixie takes offense to your insinuation that Trixie has been chasing after you.” She struck a gallant pose. “Obviously Trixie has caught the princess’ eye, else she wouldn’t be here.”

“Aren’t we the confident one?” Luna asked, the soft tip of her tail rising to caress Trixie’s chin.

Trixie swatted to be rid of it, but her hoof went through the glittery tail as if it were but shadow. She stared at the ethereal material, coughed self-consciously and regained her posture. “Trixie will not be fooled by your schemes! Trixie knows that Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna are one and the same.”

“Is that so?” Luna paced a few steps away before turning to face Trixie once more. “And what else does Trixie know about us?”

“I know—”

“Gotcha!”

“Amethyst!” Trixie took a step back, shoving the hoof from her nose and glaring at her friend who had somehow burst up from the ground. “Why do you keep showing up in Trixie’s dreams?”

Amethyst wore what had to be the silliest expression Trixie had ever seen. Her friend brushed the grass and soil from her head as she replied, “Dunno. It’s your dream, Trix.” A pair of bunny ears appeared atop her head as she bounced away.

Trixie glared at her friend’s dream-incarnation before jerking back to Luna, who had an amused smirk on her face. “Trixie did not come here to discuss history. You issued a challenge, and Trixie has accepted!”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “A challenge? And what kind of challenge did Luna offer?”

Trixie pawed at the ground. “Do not play dumb with Trixie. You said Trixie could not handle your dreams. She will prove you wrong!”

Luna observed her for several seconds, expression serious. For some time they exchanged glares. At last Luna’s lips drifted up to form a wicked smile. “Is that so? Tell me, oh Great and Powerful one, how you intend to handle Luna’s nightmares when you cannot even handle your own.”

“Trixie can handle anything you can dish out,” she snarled.

Luna’s smile didn’t fade as she glanced aside to look at Amethyst, who was bouncing back up the hill. Looking strangely giddy and chewing on a carrot, Amethyst came to a stop right before the princess. “Hey, it’s Nightmare Moon! Carrot?” She offered the vegetable to Luna with a welcoming grin.

Luna sniffed in a derogatory fashion and, horn glowing, fired a near-black beam of energy from her eyes. Amethyst didn’t have time to move or even scream before she became a speck of smoking dust in the grass, her carrot dropping innocuously.

“Ammy!”

Trixie started to move, before she could take a step she was lifted off the ground. She cast an alarmed look at Luna, who sneered and fired a black orb of energy. It struck Trixie in the chest and erupted. She flew through the air and hit the grass so hard she pushed up dirt.

Trixie struggled to her hooves, eyes rolling. She’d attacked her – Luna had actually attacked! She looked up to find the sky darkening with black clouds. A huge moon now dominated the horizon. She spotted Luna’s silhouette within that white sphere, wings open wide as she flew high into the sky. “What are you doing?!”

Luna paused just at the moon’s tip, hovering as she gazed upon Trixie with ominous eyes. “Nopony sees Luna without proving themselves to me first.” She dove right at Trixie, who managed to just barely dodge. The impact of Luna’s landing was so powerful it sent a shockwave that almost knocked Trixie off her hooves. Before she could recover, Trixie felt something grasp hold of her neck and jerk her down to smack hard against the earth, which had abruptly become lifeless and barren.

Luna – no, Nightmare Moon! – appeared over her, leaning low to look Trixie in the eyes. “This is the Great and Powerful Trixie? Such a joke. Did you truly think you were worthy of Luna’s faith? I’ve not even begun, and already you grovel before me.”

Trixie was not groveling. She couldn’t speak for the magical grip on her throat, but she was not groveling. She concentrated on the earth around them. A moment later a pillar of rock erupted diagonally from the ground, smashing right into Nightmare and sending her sprawling.

Her throat freed, Trixie coughed and sucked up air before rising to face her foe. “Trixie… Trixie knows this… this dream!” She took on an aggressive stance even as Nightmare recovered from the hit and disintegrated the stone column with a mere glance. “She can control it, for that is what this dream is about. You picked the wrong place to come after her!”

But Nightmare didn’t seem at all intimidated. Annoyed, but not intimidated. “It seems you might have a little skill after all.” Her eyes flashed white. “Let us see!”

Trixie reared back as lightning struck at her hooves. For just a moment she was both deaf and blind, but the expected attack did not come. She shook her head as a fierce wind kicked up to sending her hat flying and her cape billowing. At last her vision and hearing cleared, and when she looked Nightmare was gone.

“Over here, moon chaser!”

Trixie jerked about and let out a squeak; the great crevasse, forgotten in the heat of the moment, stretched out before her. At the center was an extra-thin pillar of wood, atop which there rested a wide circle of rock. Atop the rock was her wagon, Nightmare standing between it and the empty abyss below.

Nightmare glanced back at the wagon critically. “This? This is the most important thing to you right now? How ridiculous.”

Trixie snarled, her horn sparking. “That is Trixie’s baby and you will not call it ridiculous!”

Nightmare eyed her from above and pressed a hoof to her temple. “Are you really all there?”

Trixie let out a roar. “Stop insulting me! If you wanna fight, pony up and fight! Stop hiding behind words!”

“That’s more like it,” her opponent replied with a grin.

Something struck Trixie in the back, and suddenly she was falling. She gazed into the inky depths to find an endless sea of what appeared to be black claws grasping for her, but she wasn’t going to be beaten that easily. She glanced up at the wooden pillar and focused. A rope shimmered into existence, tied around the wood and stretched out to her. She gripped it in her teeth and held on as she swung over the grasping talons to smack against the column.

Trixie began to climb, hind hooves pressed firmly against the wood and front hooves pulling on the rope. She hadn’t gone very far when a flash of lightning blinded her yet again. She paused to let her vision clear, then glanced down to find the pillar beneath her blazing! She hardly had time to fret over that before a shadowy, glimmering mist enveloped her and pulled her from the pillar with a jerk. She let out a cry as she felt herself rising at a phenomenal speed… and then she was falling again. She whacked solid ground, her shoulder and hips aching from the impact.

Nightmare’s disembodied voice echoed in Trixie’s ears. “Handle your nightmare, Trixie. Deal with it, if you have any intention of dealing with Luna’s!”

“But you are Luna!” Trixie forced herself to her hooves. She spun around swiftly, but her enemy was nowhere to be found. “Luna, come out!” Silence was the only response.

She sat upon hard rock, realizing she was atop the great pillar. What did Luna mean, handle her nightmare? So she was hanging over a pit with creepy claws at the bottom. It was just a dream, nothing really scary there. She turned about to observe her wagon and couldn’t resist smiling at it. She always felt so happy to see it. It was like coming home…

There was a loud snap. The rock trembled beneath her hooves.

Then she remembered the fire below. “Oh, come on!” She ran to the edge and peered over. The flames crept higher, the wooden pillar completely engulfed by its heat. She took a few steps back and glanced at her wagon; now it made sense. “No fair…”

She sat and tried to think. She’d lost her wagon twice now, she had no intention of losing it again! But what was she supposed to do? No bridges, no roads. The fire was coming up pretty fast…

The massive rock shifted again, and Trixie braced against her wagon for support. The whole pillar would collapse at any minute! Panic swelling within her, she tapped a hoof against her head and fought for a solution. Water? No, somehow Luna had removed all the water. Her magic couldn’t make the wagon fly, it was too heavy. Maybe she could secure it somehow? How stupid, secure it to what?

The rock tilted abruptly. Smoke rose up as if to taunt her. The whole pillar was going to tip over if she didn’t think of something soon!

Wait, tip over?

Tip over!

She galloped to the edge of the rock and bounded through smoke into open air. She fought not to look down and concentrated on the magic. A strong wind rose to press at her back, stretching her distance. She braced for impact as she reached the land. The force of the hit sent her sprawling onto her stomach. No time to think about the pain, she had a job to do!

Jumping to her hooves, she turned back and stepped up to the edge of the crevasse. The entire pillar was ablaze and swaying precariously, her wagon rolling with the dangerous motions. Knowing she had little time, she gazed up at the black clouds Luna had left behind and struggled to recall a spell she’d been taught long ago.

Lightning cracked through the sky, signifying her success. Now, if only… She focused intently on a low spot of the pillar, fighting as hard as she could to get the lightning to travel that kind of distance. For a long time nothing happened. Curse Luna for making it look so easy!

No. She was Trixie, the Great and Powerful! If that pompous princess in her ugly warrior gear could do it then so could she!

Lightning crackled and hit the side of the canyon. Less force, more finesse! She tried again…

Another bolt sizzled through the air, striking the side of the pillar and sending blackened pieces of wood flying. The entire pillar leaned dangerously but remained in place. Praying her idea would work, she focused on delivering one more hit...

Another flash, another clean hit against the wood. The pillar swayed, wood splintered and the whole thing began to fall sideways. Trixie watched in fearful fascination. “Come on… come on… co—wooah, too close!”

She turned and fled as the pillar overshadowed her. She looked back to see the great rock falling, a massive weight that could crush her puny pony body into glue! She galloped as hard as she could, eyes closed and heart pounding.

The rock hit the soil with a massive crash, stone and dirt flying up and engulfing Trixie. For a moment, all she could do was let the earthen shockwave carry her along and pray she’d not made a foolish mistake. But then everything went quiet… and she realized that there was no pain. Either she’d been crushed and was dead or she’d come out of it unscathed. Daring to open one eye, she found herself covered in dirt and on her haunches amongst the churned-up soil. Breathing a sigh of relief and wiping the sweat from her forehead, Trixie turned to see what damage had been done.

The giant rock had embedded itself into the soil, leaning heavily towards her. And there was her wagon, dirty but safe at its edge.

“Yes!” She galloped to it, climbing over piles of rock without a care for the dirt, to wrap her hooves around one of the wheels. “I did it! I actually did it!”

“As much as it pains me to admit it, I’m impressed.”

Trixie turned to find Nightmare Moon standing just at the edge of the debris. “You! You could have killed me with that stupid test!”

Nightmare laughed tauntingly. “And you would have had it coming for going after Luna without understanding the danger!”

Trixie glared, horn glowing ominously. “Trixie will meet your challenge, Luna. She bested this ‘nightmare’ you tried to make for her. Now let Trixie face yours.”

Another laugh. “You pitiful, foolish foal! You still don’t understand. You might have handled yourself, but I still don’t see you succeeding in helping Luna.”

“Stop playing games,” Trixie hissed. “Trixie will be seeing your dreams one way or another! Trixie is on her way to Canterlot for you even as we speak.”

Nightmare went silent as she took this news in. “Such impertinence, to come without being summoned.”

“You’re one to talk,” Trixie countered with a snarl.

Nightmare grimaced and, great wings propelling her upwards, began to fade into the moon. “You are an arrogant little upstart, but you have our attention. Come to Canterlot, if that is your wish. I’ll enjoy watching you squirm!”

“Wait!” Trixie reared back with a furious shout. “Come back here! Trixie demands you show her—”

She blinked, heart pounding in her chest and breath coming in a deep rhythm. She stared up at the ceiling, confused beyond comprehension. A blanket had been laid over her and her body was gently swaying.

The carriage. She was awake.

She sat up and rubbed her face, noting that it was still dark outside. “Curse that Luna, waking Trixie up when she wasn’t ready…”

Something shifted on the other side of the carriage. Amethyst rolled over and leaned up a little to eye her with half-closed eyes. “Hmm… Trix? ’Nother Luna dream?”

“Yes,” she replied angrily. “The princess went and—”

“Just askin’,” Amethyst grumbled, rolling over once more and pulling her blanket tight over her shoulder. “Not int’rested.”

Trixie glared at her friend for a few seconds, but finally lay down and tried to get back to sleep. She wasn’t done with Luna, not by a long shot. She really hoped she might dream again before the night was over.

First Battle! Trixie vs. Rarity!

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Trixie had never been to Canterlot before, and she couldn’t help feeling anxious walking its immaculate, white-brick streets. Buildings of pearly stone towered all around her, their golden roofs shimmering in the sunlight. In the distance towered Canterlot Castle, rising over its lesser neighbors like a regal giant overseeing its subordinates.

The street was crowded with unicorns, who dominated the local population. Every now and again Trixie would spot a pegasus or Earth pony among them, but it was a rare sight. The immaculately dressed unicorns paid little heed to Trixie or Amethyst, which greatly annoyed Trixie. What was she, shredded cabbage? Clearly these uptight ponies didn’t have any idea who she was. If they did, they’d be gawking in wonder!

“Trixie should have come to Canterlot years ago,” she grumbled. “These ponies have been missing her amazing gifts. She should fix that.”

“Whatever you say, Trix.” Amethyst stepped out of the hotel with a large saddlebag hovering before her. Trixie gave her friend a sour look but allowed the heavy thing to be strapped to her back. “Be careful with this. It costs a fortune.”

Trixie took a moment to peek inside one of the saddle’s four bulging pouches. It was loaded to near-bursting with diamonds, sapphires, moonstones and other types of gems. She frowned and heaved a sigh. “Who in Equestria would want that many gemstones? Trixie considers it a waste of bits.”

“This waste of bits pays for my miners’ salaries and my living,” Amethyst countered. “They’re for my top client, who pays handsomely for the best. Now come on, I want to get this over with.”

Trixie followed after her with heavy steps, moving slowly from the weight on her back. She glowered at the unburdened Amethyst but made no attempt to complain. Amethyst had gotten her to Canterlot – it was time to make good on her side of the bargain. Trixie was no workhorse, but she wasn’t going to back out.

She eyed the castle in the distance with a pout. Her original intentions had been to see Luna upon arrival, but Amethyst had reminded her of their deal. Acknowledging that Amethyst's delivery was time-sensitive, she had waited – for a friend and for their deal – but what an agonizing wait it had been!

She slipped on the curb of the street and had to pause to regain her balance. “H-how far is this delivery of yours? Trixie does not feel comfortable carrying such a load.”

“However long it takes to get to the castle,” Amethyst replied.

“The castle?” Trixie glanced up at the towering structure once more, its golden roof glistening. “You did not tell Trixie the delivery was for the castle.”

Amethyst seemed determined to keep her eyes on their destination. “I thought you’d be happy.”

“Trixie would be... if she didn’t have to carry all these gems that kind of distance.”

“Oh, stop whining,” Amethyst ordered. “It’s not as far as it looks.”

Trixie went silent, determined to carry the hefty saddlebag without another complaint. She focused on the castle and tried to ignore the weight, her breath coming in strained huffs. She wished she could have carried the saddlebag with her magic, but it was far too heavy for continuous levitation. Still, she was able to use her magic to relieve some of the weight for a few minutes at a time, which helped immensely. If only Amethyst would lend her horn to the cause, but of course she didn’t.

She tried to distract herself with the sights. Trixie didn’t much care for the crowded city scene, even in a place as significant as Canterlot. The tall buildings with their medieval designs were interesting, but after a few blocks they all started to look the same. The posh unicorns didn’t interest her much; she’d seen plenty of their kind in places like Manehattan, and at least those ponies had been more social.

There was only one other means of distraction: Amethyst. Trixie eyed her friend, who’d been blatantly ignoring everything save for what was immediately ahead with a grim expression. “So,” Trixie tried, “this is your hometown, correct?”

“Don’t remind me.”

Trixie's eyebrows rose at the response: Amethyst’s tone had been so bitter she could almost taste it. “Trixie has known you for ten years, but you never informed Trixie that you did not like Canterlot.” She waited for some kind of explanation, but Amethyst remained silent. Trixie pouted and averted her gaze. “Trixie supposes she should not meddle in your affairs.”

“Trixie is very wise,” Amethyst grumbled, but after a moment added, “Canterlot is Hell to anypony who isn’t a unicorn.”

Trixie tilted her head. “Trixie observes that you are a unicorn.”

Her friend nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

Trixie glanced around, her eyes skimming past all the unicorns that surrounded them. At last she spotted a lone Earth pony near a shop window across the street. “There’s an Earth pony right there. She does not appear to Trixie to think she is in Hell.”

Amethyst made no attempt to look. “And what is the Earth pony doing?”

“Umm… Cleaning the street.”

“Slum bum.” Amethyst acted as if this answered everything.

“Trixie does not understand.”

“That Earth pony lives in the slums,” Amethyst answered, her face marred by a grimace.

“What slums?”

“The slums beneath Canterlot.” She glanced back at Trixie with sharp eyes. “If you’re not a unicorn, you probably live in the slums. You can only come up here during the day with a worker’s pass, and those can only be acquired from The Gentlepony. How could you not know this, Trixie? It’s common knowledge.”

Trixie blushed and glanced away. “Trixie has never been to Canterlot.”

“How about history class?”

“You know I never went to school.”

“Gotcha.” But Amethyst made no attempt to touch Trixie’s muzzle this time, and her tone was flat with disinterest. “You’re pathetic sometimes, you know that?”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie is many things,” Trixie growled, “but she is not pathetic.”

“How could you have not known about the slums?” Amethyst pressed.

Trixie thought for a moment, trying to find a new topic. She gritted her teeth in frustration. “Well… Trixie… Trixie desires to know why you hate Canterlot.” She winced; if she weren’t carrying such a heavy load she’d have facehoofed.

Amethyst came to an abrupt stop, Trixie nearly walking into her. Trixie stared at the back of her friend’s head for a few seconds, chewing her lip and fidgeting. Amethyst didn’t bother to look back at her. When she finally answered, her voice was cold as ice. “Trix, you’re my friend, and I like you. Do you remember way back when I told you I didn’t want to talk about home? That was a warning. This is a threat: don’t ever ask me about my time in Canterlot again. Ever.”

She walked on, leaving Trixie to stare in stunned silence.

The rest of the trip had been made in silence, Trixie’s mind flitting with possibilities. She wanted to ask Amethyst so many questions, but didn’t dare speak up. Amethyst had returned to the brooding manner she’d had ever since they’d arrived in the city. She glared straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge anything other than their destination.

When at last they reached the towering main gate of the castle, they were stopped by a pair of heavy-built guards in golden armor. One of them took a step forward, his eyes hard as he addressed Amethyst. “State your business.”

“Amethyst Star of Sparkler Mines.” Her tone was rigid with formality. “Here to make a delivery.”

The guard studied her, his expression softening at the name. He glanced back to Trixie, who met his gaze with a firm one of her own. “And this?”

“The Great and—”

Trixie’s eyes crossed when Amethyst, without even looking, reached a hoof back to press her jaw closed. “Trixie Lulamoon, my assistant.”

The guard’s eyes lit up. “Of course, we’ve been expecting you! You are to go straight to the throne room.”

Amethyst tilted her head at that, but said nothing as the guard turned to open the gate. Trixie followed her through, amazed at how easily they’d gained entry. They found themselves in a tall hallway, vast marble pillars stretching in a line ahead of them and tapestries hanging from banisters on the walls. At their hooves was a long, red carpet stretching the entire length of the hall. Important-looking unicorns dressed in white uniforms were all around, some talking in groups, others running as if on some important errand. There was nothing leisurely about them.

“Trixie expected them to at least search the saddlebag,” she noted, eyes roaming the vaulted ceiling with its massive but intricate mosaic depicting the defeat of Discord. She caught sight of Luna’s image, standing beside her sister and the overshadowed visage of the Unknown Princess as they all dueled with the spirit of chaos. Why did just seeing Luna's image fill Trixie with frustration?

“They always search,” Amethyst said, interrupting Trixie’s thoughts. “That they didn’t do it this time is… strange. They’ve never told me to go to the throne room, either.”

Trixie tried to maintain a proud posture, despite both her sudden anxiety and the weight on her back. She was beyond ready to have the unbearable weight removed. “Trixie is ready. She cannot wait to teach Princess Luna a lesson.”

“Princess Luna sleeps during the day,” her friend noted with a bored tone. “Bad timing, Trix.”

Trixie missed a step and nearly fell to the floor. Of all the things she might forget! “Sh-she’ll still see Trixie,” she declared, fighting to keep confidence in her voice. “Nopony ignores the Great and Powerful Trixie.”

“Does it still count as ignoring when she’s not even awake?” Amethyst lead Trixie up a massive flight of stairs, its entrance protected by two more stone-faced guards. It brought them to another large hall, though it was smaller than the one before. Ahead of them was a tall door flanked by no fewer than six guards.

That had to be the throne room. It abruptly dawned upon Trixie that she might be seconds from meeting the most powerful pony in all of Equestria. “Umm, Trixie assumes you've been here often?”

“Y... yes…” Amethyst sounded about as anxious as Trixie felt.

“So you’ve met Princess Celestia before?”

“No,” her friend whispered. “No, I haven’t.”

“Wonderful.” Trixie raised her head high. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is not worried, though! She can stand hoof-to-hoof with a princess if she must.”

“C-care to stand in front of m-me, then?”

Trixie bowed her head again, cheeks burning. “Umm… T-Trixie believes you are doing a fine job in the front.”

This wasn’t going at all like she’d planned. She wanted to meet Luna, not Celestia! Why had she not waited until nightfall? The Princess of the Moon was one thing, but her sister was another matter entirely. What was she supposed to say? Or do? Obviously she would tell the truth, but where would that lead her? Would Celestia even allow her to see Luna?

She shook herself with a snarl that made Amethyst glance back. What was she thinking? She was Trixie! She would meet with Luna, Celestia be damned! She had to meet Luna’s challenge, she simply had to.

They came to a stop before a desk beside the tall door, where a slender, pale-green unicorn was analyzing a stack of documents. Oblivious to their presence, the mare continued poring over the paperwork, occasionally brushing an offending strand of pink from her face. Amethyst finally tapped her hoof against the desk, earning a glance of contempt from the startled unicorn.

“Who are you?” she demanded while looking back down at the forms on the desk. “The princess is in a meeting, nothing scheduled for the next half-hour.”

Amethyst’s face hardened, her previous nervousness gone in an instant upon hearing the secretary’s indignant tone. “Amethyst Star of Sparkler Mines.”

The secretary glanced up at her with a disinterested scowl. Her eyes shifted to Trixie. “And you?”

Trixie opened her mouth, but paused to glance at Amethyst. Her friend had an eyebrow raised and a disapproving frown. “Trixie Lulamoon.” Amethyst smiled.

The secretary’s eyes widened just a tiny amount. “I see. One moment.”

She stood up and went to the door, her horn glowing. The door opened just enough to allow her through, then closed with hardly a sound. Trixie and Amethyst shared a frown and waited, both of them fidgeting. “Perhaps they really are expecting you, Trix,” Amethyst offered.

Trixie might have sat if she weren’t afraid of the saddlebag tipping her backwards. “O-of course! Trixie told you as much. You should listen to Trixie more often.”

Amethyst turned to her with a curious expression. “So what are you gonna say?”

“Umm… Trixie will think of something!”

Amethyst facehoofed. “This is gonna go well.”

Trixie tried to think of how she might introduce herself, but her mind was blank. She couldn’t face Princess Celestia without some sort of plan! She didn’t understand why Celestia was so much more intimidating than Luna. She suddenly wished she’d not been so quick to accept the Moon Princess’ challenge.

The door opened once more. “The princess will see you now.”

Trixie turned to the door, where the secretary was waiting with an anxious expression. She didn’t want to go… but when she glanced at Amethyst she was startled to find her friend pale-faced. “Ammy? Are you okay?”

Amethyst said nothing for a few seconds. She swallowed, took a long breath and lowered her head, ears tucking down. “Umm… can you go in ahead of me?”

That wasn’t anything like the Amethyst she knew. “What’s wrong?”

“P-please, just go. I’ll be r-right behind you, I s-swear…”

Trixie eyed her friend, uncertain of what to do. She forced her legs to move upon hearing the secretary’s cough. A glance back found Amethyst following just behind, though her hooves dragged and lips trembled. Trixie wanted to ask, but she didn’t dare; she had her own worries.

The throne room was in the shape of a great oval, with four marbled pillars standing in a square formation and rising to the domed ceiling. Dozens of statesponies stood facing forward in two organized groups, and the floor between the groups was covered in red carpet. At the other side of the room was the throne. It was tall and steepled, a massive sun emblem near the top and golden inlays throughout its design. A massive window was just behind it, revealing a beautiful view of the lands below the castle. And there, her multicolor mane flowing about her like a majestic cloak, was Celestia.

Trixie slowly followed the path made by the dignitaries, all of whom were now watching her with haughty airs. She wanted to glance back and make sure Amethyst was behind her, but didn’t dare take her eyes off the Sun Princess. The princess wasn’t alone: standing just beside her throne was a mottled-brown unicorn stallion in a black vest. He stared down at the newcomers with hard rosewood eyes. It appeared he’d been interrupted by their entrance. Between him and the thought of facing the princess Trixie had to fight herself to keep moving forward.

Trixie was at last standing apart from the statesponies. “Ah, so this is The Great and Powerful Trixie,” Celestia announced. “It is good to finally meet you.”

Trixie blinked and her jaw dropped. “You know of Trixie? …er, your Highness.”

Celestia nodded with a warm smile, the tiny movement a study in elegance. “Indeed I have. My dear sister has told me of you.”

Trixie blushed and glanced at her hooves. “Oh… Of course…”

“And who is this with you?”

Trixie glanced back to see Amethyst trembling just behind her. Her friend leaned sideways to peer past Trixie and tried to speak, but had to clear her throat before anything would come out. “A-Amethyst St-Star, owner of Sp-Sparkle M-M-Mines, your Majesty.”

Celestia raised a graceful hoof to her lips and eyed Amethyst. “Your father… he was Jewel Hoof, was he not?”

Amethyst let out a terrified squeak, her eyes going wide and pupils shrinking. “Umm… Well… Y-yes…”

Celestia nodded with a pleasant smile. “Your gems make an integral part of the royal fashion. Your father would be proud of your work, and I thank you.”

Amethyst bowed her head stiffly, her knees shaking so much that Trixie wondered how she was still standing. “Her M-M-Majesty is too k-kind.”

“Nonsense, you should be proud.” Celestia clapped her hooves and gestured to an attendant at the bottom of the stairs. “The royal tailor should be here momentarily for her delivery.” The attendant left the room at a trot.

The stallion next to her cast a frown at Celestia. “Princess, there are still urgent matters to discuss regarding—”

“Fine, such matters can wait,” Celestia told him, her tone kind. “I am entertaining guests now.”

“But I need to know—” His words died at her glance. There wasn’t anything menacing or impatient in her look; as far as Trixie could tell, it was an expression of polite interest. Fine clearly saw something else in those eyes. “Very well. I will return at a later time.”

Celestia nodded. “Thank you, Fine. My apologies.”

He bowed and turned to the door. His eyes locked with Trixie’s as he passed. For a frightening moment, Trixie had the impression he knew far more about her than she would like. The feeling died the instant he moved past her, quietly making his way for the exit.

“Sweet Mother of Luna,” a trembling Amethyst whispered, voice so low Trixie almost didn’t hear her. “That was Fine Crime...”

Trixie would have inquired further, but Celestia caught her attention. “So, I’ve been told you are seeking my sister.”

Trixie fought down the butterflies in her stomach. “Trixie has something important to discuss with her.”

Celestia leaned forward as if hoping to learn a dark secret. “Does it have anything to do with dreams?”

Trixie hesitated – just how much did the princess know? “Well… yes.”

“That’s delightful!” The princess leaned back with a grin and a small giggle. “It has been some time since the last pony came to address my sister’s dreams.”

Trixie’s jaw dropped. “You mean I am not the first to be challenged?”

“Challenged?” Celestia slightly tilted her head. “Is that how she lured you here? No, Trixie, you are not the first. Others have come before you and – I’m sorry to say – all have failed.”

Trixie stiffened, forcing herself to her full height. “Trixie does not fail!”

Celestia’s smile widened just a little as she considered this response. “Miss Lulamoon, tell me, what is your profession?”

Trixie’s pride nearly came crashing down and she almost lost her confident posture. Even so she managed to announce, “Trixie is a showpony – a magician of the greatest caliber!” No need to mention she was out of work at the present time.

“Is that so? How wonderful!” Celestia’s horn glowed, and Trixie felt her saddlebag abruptly rising off of her. She let out a sigh while flexing her shoulders and back, thrilled to have the thing gone. “So tell me, why are you carrying this when you could be levitating it ahead of you?”

Trixie’s ears drooped. Her mind fumbled for a response. “Trixie… umm… Trixie does not need to use her magic all the time. She is as strong in body as she is in magic.”

“Ah, of course.”

Celestia’s horn lost its glow and the saddlebag dropped onto Trixie’s back like a ton of bricks. She let out a gasp, but managed to keep her balance and her bluff both intact. Even so, the effort left her panting.

“I do apologize,” Celestia went on as if unaware of Trixie’s trouble, “but I have a curious streak in me. If my queries trouble you…?”

Trixie inhaled deeply, steadying herself. “Trixie can take it. Ask any question!”

Celestia grinned once more. “So open! You may be just right for Luna, all things considered. So… where did you train in magic, Miss Lulamoon?”

Trixie’s mind froze. She stared up at the princess with wide eyes, her lips moving quietly. She couldn’t answer that, not in front of all these ponies! “I… Umm… Well…”

“Gotcha.” Trixie glanced back. Her friend still cowered behind her, but Amethyst was somehow able to cast a very weak smile of encouragement. Trixie smiled back, glad for the assistance even if she didn’t feel any better.

She turned back to Celestia and considered the situation. Should she lie? No, she didn’t dare! But to tell the truth…

A side-door opened, catching the attention of all the ponies present. Trixie’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of the intruder. She wanted to say something, but for the moment she was still scrambling for a way around Celestia’s last question.

A fatigued-looking Princess Luna made her way to the throne. Her mane seemed unusually dim compared to what Trixie remembered. Perhaps because she was out in the day?

Luna seemed oblivious to Trixie’s presence as she cast her eyes upon the throne. “I am here, sister. Do tell me: what is so important that you must have my sleep interrupted hours before sundown?”

Celestia beamed down at Luna. “Dear Luna, good news! You have a visitor.” She gestured to Trixie.

Luna cast an unpleasant glance at Trixie. She looked up at Celestia again with little interest… then performed a double take as her comprehension dawned. “You?”

Trixie bristled at her expression and instantly took on an aggressive stance. “Yes, it is Trixie! She has come for you, Princess Luna!” There was a long, tense pause as the two locked gazes, Luna's slack jaw a stark contrast to Trixie's determination.

Celestia clapped her hooves together, the sound echoing through the silent room. “Clear the throne room! I believe this calls for a more personal touch.”

The statesponies immediately began to leave, though the slightly alarming scene held their interests. Neither Trixie nor Luna spoke; they merely watched one another as the others departed. Soon it was only them. Amethyst remained behind Trixie, but her previous fear had diminished now that she was getting the chance to find out the truth regarding her friend and the Moon Princess.

“Isn’t this wonderful, Luna?” Celestia asked as soon as the great doors closed. “At last, another pony has come to see you.”

Luna’s head drooped just a touch. “Sister, I really must protest. This is not what you think!”

“But it is,” Celestia countered pleasantly. “Trixie has come to learn about your dreams.”

Luna’s eyebrows rose a little as she cast her gaze upon Celestia. “My dreams?”

“Yes, that’s exactly it!” Trixie took a determined step forward. “Trixie also demands to know why you attacked her in her own dreams!”

Luna's shoulder sagged just a touch. “Attacked you?”

“Do not feign ignorance! You came into Trixie’s dream as Nightmare Moon and assaulted her!”

Celestia set a dainty hoof to her wry lips. “Such aggression..."

Luna's demeanor shifted. She studied Trixie with a deep frown, then cast judgmental eyes upon her sister. “So this is the way of it? Are we really doing this again, Celestia?”

The Sun Princess tilted her head with a small frown. “I thought you’d be happy, Luna.”

Luna turned her head away with a sneer. “You know better."

Trixie stomped a hoof with a snarl. “Stop ignoring Trixie! She came all the way—”

Bang!

“Where is she?!”

Trixie spun about in alarm. Standing at the door was a white unicorn mare, her body lowered and face steaming red. She was clothed in a soft blue dress covered in sparkling gems. “Nopony comes into Canterlot to steal my princess. Nopony!”

As the stranger marched in she was followed by a purple baby dragon in a black tuxedo. He glanced back and snapped his clawed fingers. Seconds later, a small army of lavishly-dressed ponies began pushing dozens of mannequins into the room, each in its own brilliantly designed dress.

“Trixie, meet Rarity, the royal clothier.” Celestia's voice was kind despite the perplexed frown on her face. “Miss Rarity, what has gotten into you?”

“Oh, don’t act so innocent, Princess!” Rarity walked right up to Trixie with a menacing glint in her eye. “You know exactly what is wrong! You—" she addressed Trixie now "—are you this Trixie I’ve been hearing about?”

Trixie took a step back and raised an eyebrow. “Err… yes?”

“Vile seductress!”

A small beam struck Trixie in the shoulder.

“Hey!” Trixie retreated a few steps and pressed a hoof against the burned spot. “What did Trixie ever do to you?”

“You can’t fool me.” Rarity came forward, turned about and bucked Trixie in the chest! The startled pony landed on her side with a grunt, the gems in her saddlebags scattering across the floor.

Rarity stood over her, seething through gritted teeth... but then Amethyst appeared at her side and tapped her shoulder. “Hey, Rarity.”

Rarity acknowledged her with a short glance, then turned her attention back to Trixie. “Oh, good evening, Amethyst. I’m a little busy at the moment.”

Amethyst pointed over Rarity’s shoulder at the gleaming gemstones. “Just thought you might like to know: that’s your order.”

“Huh?” Rarity’s anger faded as she took another look at Amethyst, then back at the gems. Her eyes flashed with renewed fury. “A harlot and a jewel thief, too! How dare you steal from my supplier!”

Amethyst started to nod, but paused and blinked. “Wait, that’s not what—”

“I’ll teach you a lesson!” Rarity’s horn glowed, and a moment later the gemstones began to rise off the ground.

Trixie had no idea why she was being attacked, but she knew what was coming. She scrambled to her hooves and fled as the tiny gems began to fly at her, impaling themselves in the red carpet as they zipped past.

“Watch it, Trixie could get hurt by those things!”

“You’re gonna scratch their finish,” Amethyst added with dull tone and critical frown.

The baby dragon rushed to Rarity’s side and pulled on her tail. “Rarity! You need those gems for the princess’ gala dress, remember?”

Rarity glanced at him and sighed. The gems dropped gently back to the floor as her horn dimmed. “Of course. You’re right, Spike. I apologize.”

Trixie gave an exasperated “Thank you!” She came to a stop, breathing heavily and turning to her opponent. “Now would you mind—”

“I’ll use the old standby!” Rarity’s horn glowed yet again.

Trixie prepared herself for another attack, but nothing happened. She relaxed and glanced around. As far as she could see, her opponent’s new magic was doing nothing. “Well,” she declared, tapping the frayed edge of her hat, “Trixie found that pointless.”

Then she saw the movement: one of the mannequins had begun to step down from its foundation. A purple glow appeared where the mannequin’s eyes should have been as it slowly paced its way towards Trixie. She glanced at Rarity, who wore a wicked smirk, then at Amethyst, who simply shrugged. She glanced towards the princesses; Celestia smiled, lazing cheek-in-hoof across her throne, while Luna stood alert, frowning ominously.

When Trixie turned back, the mannequin was standing right in front of her, its blank white face inches from her own. She stared at the glow that made up its eyes, but there was simply no expression there. After a second she sat and turned her head towards Rarity. “Umm… is Trixie supposed to be intimidated?”

Right at that moment the mannequin raised a fake hoof and bashed Trixie across the cheek. It hurt… but not much.

“This is pathetic!” She used her magic to lift the mannequin high in the air. It hovered for a few seconds before she brought it down to the floor, smashing it to pieces. “Is that all you have for Trixie?”

Then she noticed that she was surrounded by mannequins, all with glowing purple eyes. How did they get there so quickly?

“Don’t worry about quality.” Spike appeared with a smug grin between the legs of one of the fake ponies. “We've got quantity.”

“That’s right.” Trixie turned to face Rarity, now leering behind her. “No pony is allowed to be with my Luna!”

Trixie's mind blanked. “Wait, you’re fighting with Trixie over Princess Luna?” She cast a glance at Luna, who facehoofed.

Rarity blinked. “You… You mean you don’t know what this is about?”

Trixie rubbed her chin and thought for a moment. “Umm… Trixie admits to being confused.”

Her opponent glanced at Luna and gestured to Trixie. “Luna, really?”

Luna shot a grimace at Rarity. “I had no part in this. Also; it ended a long time ago, Rarity.”

Rarity’s eyes went wide. “Ended? Ended? I am still the best mare in Canterlot for you and I will prove it!” She turned her fierce eyes upon Trixie, all the mannequins coming to life once more.

One cracked a hoof against Trixie’s shoulder, another bucked her in the side. Neither were very effective. “Would you stop that?” She swung her hoof wide, the force of her attack more than enough knock off the flimsy head off the nearest doll.

Trixie was coming under attack from all sides, the fake ponies battering her with weak strikes. They couldn’t do much damage, but in such numbers she was actually having difficulty. They crowded her in. She tried to shove them back, but their total mass was too much to resist. She felt legs wrapping about her and trying to drag her down. Her hat fell off her head as she was shoved to her knees.

“Trixie demands you get off!” She concentrated and fired a few small lasers, causing some of the mannequins to erupt in a shower of plaster and thin wood, but there were simply too many of them. She soon found herself pressed down to her belly on the carpet. “Let Trixie go this instant!”

“Well that was easy.” Spike stepped up to her from beneath the many white legs and tapping her between the eyes playfully.

“But of course,” Rarity declared from beyond Trixie’s vision. “I am the greatest unicorn in Canterlot, after all.”

Trixie heard that tone and felt anger boiling within her. She began to concentrate, focusing all her strength into the magic. “How dare you. Trixie is the greatest unicorn in Equestria and she will prove it!”

“Oooh.” Spike waved his claws in mock fear and grinned. “Whatcha gonna do?”

She shot him a death glare, teeth grinding. “If Trixie can cart those… those worthless stones… halfway across Canterlot…“

Rarity let out a shout: “Worthless?”

“…then this should be… nothing!”

She released the spell with the last word, a vortex of wind suddenly churning around her. The mannequins went flying, Spike letting out a surprised shout as he joined them. After a few seconds the air above seemed to burst, sending the mannequins sailing in all directions. Some smashed into the walls and pillars and shattered, dresses ripping apart. Spike flew across the throne room and hit the main door upside down, his spikes impaling upon the wood and leaving him hanging helplessly.

Celestia tilted her head with a pleased smile. “Impressive."

Trixie stood up, snatched her hat from the floor and dusted it off before setting it atop her head with a haughty expression.

A whining disc of rapidly-rotating gemstones flew overhead, eliciting a rrrip before crashing against a nearby pillar. Trixie’s eyes went wide as the frayed top of her hat fell before her eyes. She stared at the piece of fabric on the floor, then pulled her hat off and gaped through the hole. “Trixie’s hat…”

“Serves you right for calling my precious gems worthless.” Rarity punctuated her words with a hmmph.

Trixie turned on her with a snarl. “How dare you! Trixie had this tailor-made. It is irreplaceable!”

“It was tacky,” Rarity corrected with nose held high. “Clearly designed by a rank amateur. A foal could have done better. Might as well use it as a Frisbee.”

Trixie let out a sinister growl, then cast a look around. The mannequins that hadn’t been smashed by her spell were getting up and coming for her again. She rubbed a hoof against the hat’s brim, an idea coming to mind. “Good idea.” The brim's edge began to glow magenta. Hoping she wasn’t about to look foolish, Trixie tossed the hat to the side.

It flew to the nearest mannequin and sliced through its plaster neck like hot knife through butter.

Trixie had an instant to recognize her success before generating a smaller version of her wind spell, steering the hat about the room. It went from mannequin to mannequin, slicing off legs, heads and sometimes going right through torsos. The mannequins dropped like flies until none were left. Trixie couldn't help grinning; the spell had worked perfectly and she’d only just made it up!

“Hiiiya!”

Trixie was sent sprawling to the floor by a well-placed buck from Rarity. The hat went wild and stuck into the side of Celestia’s throne with a thunk. The princess didn’t even blink.

Trixie was on her back, her opponent snarling right in her face. “You! First you try to steal my love, then you try to steal my gems, and now you ruin my dresses. You’re trying to sabotage me, aren’t you? I won’t forgive you!”

Trixie snarled right back. “Do not twist Trixie’s doings. It was you who attacked Trixie in the first place. Now get off!” She kicked out with her hind legs, simultaneously jerking Rarity's mane forward with her magic. The combination sent Rarity flipping, her back smacking against the carpeted floor.

Trixie stood and glared down at Rarity, whose eyes swirled from the impact, then marched towards Celestia and her throne. “Please excuse Trixie, princess.” She tugged on her hat. It stretched a bit but remained firmly in place. She glowered and tried to use her magic to pull it out, with similar results.

“Allow me,” Celestia offered, her long horn glowing golden.

The hat promptly popped out of the wood and floated up to Trixie, who took it with a blush. “Umm… thanks.”

There was an angry shout, and Trixie stepped aside just in time for Rarity to come flashing by with a powerful flying kick clearly meant for her head. Rarity’s anger turned to alarm as she ended up smashing into the window, the glass shattering as she sailed right through.

Thinking fast, Trixie darted to the window and concentrated. Rarity screamed in terror at the ground hundreds of feet below, but came to an abrupt stop as her glowing tail held her aloft.

Rarity twisted her body up to clutch at her tail. “Pull me back in, pull me back in!”

Trixie did so, slowly bringing the terrified pony back into the throne room and depositing her on the floor just as she was beginning to feel the strain of Rarity’s weight. She sighed in relief before asking: “Now will you please stop attacking Trixie? She is not trying to steal Luna from you!”

Rarity took a moment to recover, her breathing coming in gasps. After a few seconds she looked up at Trixie with wide eyes. “You… you saved my life.”

“Of course! Trixie is not a monster.” She glanced around and used her levitation spell to gather all the gems and deposit them at Rarity’s hooves. “Here, take the jewels. Trixie doesn’t want those, either.”

“I think we have a winner,” Celestia noted.

Trixie eyed Celestia, who nodded with a smile. She turned her head and saw that Luna was watching her with much more interest, though not of a nice variety; she had a hoof to her chin and eyes locked on Trixie in a studious, sharp manner.

Well, at least she finally had Luna’s attention. Trixie turned to Rarity, who was slowly climbing to her hooves with head bowed and ears tucked. “I... I guess a lady should know when to accept defeat,” Rarity said. “I apologize for my uncouth behavior.”

Trixie considered the defeated unicorn. “It’s alright. Trixie supposes she might have been angry too, if she thought another mare was stealing her love.”

“Alright!” Amethyst appeared beside Trixie to deliver a playful whack against her shoulder. “I’ll admit it, Trix, I’m impressed. I’d like to see that again sometime.”

“You’re not the only one,” Celestia said. Amethyst shrank away from her, tail tucked between her legs. Trixie couldn’t help wondering why she was so terrified.

“Umm, Miss Trixie?” She turned to find Rarity standing before her, a surprisingly large red gemstone floating at her side. “This is from the collection you were bringing me.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “The one you accused Trixie of stealing?”

Rarity blushed, her eyes shifting away. “Y-yes, that one. It’s a fire ruby, an exceptionally rare gem. I want you to have it, as a gift for saving my life.”

Trixie eyed the stone. It certainly was a beauty. Even so, she strongly considered turning it down. Then she thought of something and took the gem, letting it float before her. “Thank you. Pardon Trixie, please.”

She walked past Rarity to the main doors, aware of how all eyes were on her. She approached Spike, who was still struggling to free himself from the wood. He grimaced at her, but she only offered him her hoof. He studied it with suspicion, but finally accepted. She tugged and managed to pull him loose.

“Thanks,” he grumbled, standing and dusting himself off. His grumpy manner faded, though, when she lowered the fire ruby to hover before his face. He gazed at it with wide eyes as his jaw dropped.

“You may have this,” she announced haughtily. “Trixie has no need for it. Think of it as a peace offering.”

“Oh, how generous…” Rarity noted with awe in her voice.

Spike slowly reached up to grab the ruby. He studied it lovingly for a moment, then looked up at Trixie. “I can really have this?” She nodded, turning her head away in a dismissing gesture. “Th-thanks… Thanks a lot!”

“You’re welcome. Now—” she turned away and trotted back to the center of the room to face the two princesses, “—Trixie thinks it is time she attained what she came for. Trixie has surely earned the right by now.”

There was a long pause as Celestia and Luna studied her. Celestia was beaming down at Trixie as if she were a gift from Heaven. On the other hoof, Luna had her jaw set in a regal frown. After a while Celestia glanced down at her sister. “Luna?”

Luna observed Celestia, then looked back at Trixie. Her expression held no pleasure whatsoever. At last she sighed. “If that’s the way it’s going to be. Come.” She turned and walked to the side door from which she’d first entered the throne room.

Trixie grinned triumphantly; she would finally be able to face Luna’s challenge! She began to trot after her, but paused when she felt her hat lifted off her head. She glanced back to find Amethyst sitting nearby, holding the ruined accessory with a grin. She peered at Trixie through the gaping hole that had been made. “This doesn’t really suit you anymore, Trix.”

Trixie felt her pleasure drop, but she was too proud of her victory to let it bother her. “No, Trixie supposes it does not.” She gestured to the door. “Are you coming?”

“Oh, no.” Amethyst shook her head. “I think the invitation’s for you only. Besides, I have to talk to Rarity for a bit. Top client and all. Speaking of which, why the heck did you give the fire ruby away?”

Trixie frowned. “Is it not obvious? Trixie doesn’t need gems, Ammy, and she thought a bit of diplomacy was in order.”

Amethyst studied her before replying in a dull tone, “That gem was worth more than your wagon, Trix.”

Trixie stared in open-mouthed astonishment. “It… it was?”

Her friend nodded. “You could have bought it back easy.”

Trixie cast her eyes upon Spike, who was sitting and cradling the fire ruby as if it were a newborn baby. She stared at him for some time, but then whacked herself on the forehead. “No. No, I offered it and I will not take it back!”

“Double gotcha.” Amethyst tapped Trixie’s muzzle twice with a grin.

Trixie wrinkled her nose and rubbed it as if scratching an itch. She frowned at her friend and opened her mouth to speak—

“Come.”

She glanced back to find Princess Luna waiting impatiently by the exit. “Trixie must go,” she announced as she headed for the door.

“I’ll catch you later then,” Amethyst called. “Good luck!”

Author's Notes:

Can you say... FATALITY?

I have no idea what made me think of Kung Lao's hat attack, but there ya go. Creative or dumb? I'll leave that up to you.

Here we see the first real hints of what that 'alternate universe' tag is referring to. There are a lot of things that occurred or are mentioned in this chapter that will likely have people going "why the heck is that happening?" As this story moves along we'll gradually see more and more differences in the world, and of course we'll eventually find out why everything is so off.

I haven't planned the next chapter out so I could be mistaken, but there might not be a fight in it. We'll see.

Why is Rarity the 'first' fight when Trixie recently fought Nightmare Moon? Because that fight was just to test if she was worthy to get into the real fights, of course!

A Stranger in the Twilight

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Trixie followed behind Luna, excitement and terror mixing chaotically in her mind. At last she would get to face Luna’s dreams and meet her challenge! But what if she failed?

No, she was the Great and Powerful Trixie. She would never fail!

But what if she did? It could happen, right? Maybe she wasn’t ready for this.

Trixie was ready for anything!

But it would help to have an idea of what she was up against.

It didn’t matter, she could handle it!

Handle what?

Trixie paused to rub her forehead, cursing under her breath and trying to banish the competing voices from her mind. She resumed her walk, studying Luna in hopes for a distraction. She realized that this was the first time she’d met the princess outside her dreams, and somehow Luna didn’t seem so… intimidating.

She eyed Luna’s tail, which glittered like a starry night sky. It was such an appealing sight, so much nicer than Celestia’s garish multihued mane. She brought her eyes up to study the rest of Luna, though she couldn’t get a look at her face from the current angle. It was interesting that her main thought was of how pretty the princess was.

What a stupid observation! Trixie shook her head with self-directed disgust. She hadn’t come all this way just to ogle the royal hindquarters! It wasn’t as if she was interested in mares, anyway. Not that she really knew; Trixie had never paid any attention to romance. She’d had suitors – once upon a time before her career had collapsed – but she’d ignored them. Trixie had eyes only for Trixie.

Yet all that came with the uncomfortable situation of not knowing her own sexual orientation. Was that something that should bother her?

She whacked herself on the head a couple times. This distraction was too effective! She needed to talk to Luna, start trying to figure things out. “So what happens now?”

Luna didn’t bother to glance back. “Now? I’m going back to bed.”

Trixie stopped in her tracks, glancing out a nearby window at the sun that hadn’t quite reached its zenith. “Bed? But Trixie wants to face your dreams! Wait, do you need to be asleep for that? Will you have to teach Trixie your dream magic?”

A groan that could hardly be called stately rose from Luna's throat. “You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, do you? In case Trixie has forgotten, Luna is nocturnal. If you want to talk, we’ll do it tonight. I suggest you rest up. You’ll be needing your strength in the days to come.”

Trixie hurried to catch up, moving so that she could look at Luna’s face. The princess stalwartly refused to look back. “Trixie will do as you suggest if you promise to explain things.”

At last Luna looked at her, her lips forming a sneer. “Fine, here is all you need to know for now: by defeating Rarity, the first of my former courtiers, you have started down a path that you cannot turn back from. Whether I want you here or not – and I assure you I do not – you will now have to face the others.”

“Others?” Trixie tilted her head. “What others?”

“The other ponies who have attempted to court me. There are five more, and you will have to duel them.”

“What?” Once again Trixie stopped, gaping at Luna’s back as the princess continued without her. “Trixie never wanted to fight anypony! Trixie just wanted to meet your challenge and face your dreams. This is a mistake!”

“Too late for misgivings,” Luna replied, her tone haughty. “You should have investigated what you were getting into before coming here and fighting Rarity.”

Trixie caught back up again, panic filling her mind. “But… b-but Trixie was only defending herself! Trixie is not trying to court you, it never even crossed her mind.”

“I find that easy to believe,” Luna admitted with dry sarcasm. “What you wanted does not matter; you fought and you won. If you don’t go fight the others, sooner or later they will seek you out. It is only a matter of time.”

Trixie bowed her head and considered this. Five more ponies? She would actually have to duel five more? She was all for proving her superiority, but this was a bit much. “Y-you can call this off, can’t you? Trixie understands she was a bit hasty, but she just wanted to face your dream.”

Luna had a bemused glower on her face. “If that is really your desire, then you must face the other ponies in battle. Win and you get what you want. Frankly? I doubt you’ll survive past the third fight.”

That stung. Trixie ground her teeth and glared. “Trixie is not so weak as all that. Fine, if she has to face these ponies to prove herself, she will! Trixie will be expecting an apology when it is over.”

Luna paused before a tall set of double doors and gave Trixie a mocking smile, accompanied by a “Hmmph, of course.” She turned to the door, which Trixie now saw was engraved with Luna’s cutie mark. The doors opened quietly to the princess’ magic and she made her way inside with Trixie close behind.

Trixie had expected to find herself in Luna’s chambers, but instead another hallway greeted her. It was different from the rest of the castle; the marble had been tinted to a much darker shade, with long black curtains over the windows to keep the sunlight at bay. Clearly this was a wing wholly devoted to the Moon Princess.

Luna’s horn glowed dimly. “Mr. Stone,” she called, her voice carrying through the long hallway. Almost a minute later a pony appeared from one of the distant doors. He was a slightly chubby, white-coated stallion with a blond mane. As he approached, Trixie couldn’t help noting in surprise that he was an Earth pony.

“Yes, Luna?” Mr. Stone did not bother with a bow.

“This is Miss Trixie Lulamoon,” Luna informed him, her tone commanding. “She will be my guest for a short while. Please give her the room opposite my own and see to any accommodations she might require.”

Now Mr. Stone bowed. “Of course, Your Majesty. Will there be anything else?”

She walked past him with head held high. “Just one thing: I’m retiring to my chambers. This time I do not wish to be disturbed until nightfall, understood?”

“Understood.”

Trixie watched Luna leave with a solemn frown. She felt almost as if the princess had brushed her off... but she was going to be in a room in the castle. That was a perk, right? Even so, she didn’t feel comfortable about any of this.

“Alright, let’s go,” Mr. Stone ordered, though his tone was friendly. “A room across from Luna, eh? Guess that’ll make us neighbors.”

She watched as he turned to leave, not just a little perplexed. “You’re an Earth pony.”

He stopped and took a deep breath. When he looked over his shoulder at her, his friendly manner had been erased entirely. “Is that a problem?”

She reared back and waved her hooves. “Forgive Trixie, she meant no offense. It’s just that she heard non-unicorns were not welcome in Canterlot, so she is surprised.”

He sniffed, but his expression softened. “I guess I can’t blame you for that; it is unusual. Come on.” She followed him, feeling foolish for her tactless statement. He went on as they walked, “A lot of unicorns don’t like me being here. Celestia allows it as a favor to Luna and the unicorns in the castle won’t say anything, but make no mistake: they would use any opportunity they could to get rid of me.”

She studied him for a moment, but saw nothing special in his appearance. “Trixie wonders what role you play for the princess.”

“I’m Luna’s personal attendant,” he answered with pride. “Anything she wants, anything she needs! I am at her beck and call all day, all night.”

“That sounds like a most important role,” Trixie admitted, genuinely impressed. “How did an Earth pony land such a job?”

Mr. Stone paused before another tall door. “A little charm and a hell of a lot of luck. This is your room.”

Trixie glanced at the door, then turned to view the doors just opposite them. That was Luna’s room? She still wasn’t so comfortable about these arrangements. She felt as if sleeping so close to Luna might give ponies the wrong impression. What kind of impression she had no idea, but the thought lingered.

She turned to follow Mr. Stone into her room. “Do you know why Trixie must face Luna’s former lovers?”

He tripped and almost ended up on his face. He turned to her with wide eyes. “You mean you’re here to court the princess?”

She blushed, scratching the back of her head. “Er, no. That’s not why Trixie came at all, but somehow now she is expected to fight. All Trixie wanted was to face Luna’s dream and answer a challenge Luna had given.”

“I see. That’s unusual.” He sat at a round table near one of the covered windows and gestured for her to do the same. Once she was seated he explained, “I can’t tell you about Luna’s dream. I know it – intimately – but I’ve seen enough ponies go through this to know that she wouldn’t want me to share. If you want to find out, there’s only one way: fight. You’re here, so you must have fought Rarity already.”

She posed as best she could from her seat and shot him a smug grin. “Of course." Her grin dropped as she asked, "What happened between them?”

He waved a dismissive hoof. “There’s honestly not much to tell. Luna grew interested in Rarity a few years back, and they dated for a whopping three weeks. Luna decided that Rarity wasn’t right for her, though, and ended it. It crushed Rarity, who’s been desperate to prove herself ever since.

“Whether you like it or not, you have to fight,” he added. “Some of Luna’s exes are obsessed with winning her back. They won’t tolerate a new rival. Others are just pissed off because of what happened between them and will come after you just to get under her feathers. If you lose you’ll just end up joining their ranks. I’m sorry to say it, but you’re almost certain to.”

Trixie shot a steely glare at him. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” he answered quickly. “Just that some of these ponies are pretty powerful.”

She thrust back her head. “The Great and Powerful Trixie fears no pony!” Yet she dropped the pose quickly to look at him with worried eyes. “But this is all pointless. Trixie is not trying to seduce Luna, so why should Trixie be considered a rival?”

“Can’t help you there,” Mr. Stone admitted with a shrug. “All I can tell you is that you beat Rarity, so the others will be out for your blood. Some of them literally.”

Trixie sighed, resting her cheek on a hoof and sulking. “Luna was right, Trixie should be more cautious about the challenges she accepts.”

He yawned. “Sorry, but I’m a bit nocturnal myself. I need to get some sleep if I’m going to wake up in time to have the princess’ breakfast ready. You’re free to explore this wing of the castle; it’s only you, me and Luna here, so don’t worry about walking in on ponies.

"You can explore the rest of the castle too, if you’d like, but know that the nobles you’re likely to run into will be anything but civil, and you’ll find a lot of areas off limits. My advice would be to stick to the gardens. Most ponies don’t bother to go there. They’ve got a pretty cool statue of the Unknown Princess, if you’re interested.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow as he made his way for the door. “It’s only the three of us in the entire wing? Truly?”

“Yep,” he acknowledged. “I really am right next door. Feel free to knock if you need anything.”

“Trixie.”

She shifted and pulled the covers over her head.

“Trixie, wake up.”

She recognized the voice, but couldn’t place it. She didn’t care. It had taken her hours to fall asleep and she had no intention of getting up now.

“Trixie please, you have to get up.”

Somepony was pushing against her back. She grumbled in annoyance and tried to wave her visitor away. “Not r’dy yet…”

“Trixie, please…”

At last she turned on her back and tried to open her eyes. She scowled, wondering who would dare to interrupt her slumber. She was supposed to be resting as Luna recommended!

“Trixie?”

“Mm up…” she grumbled, rubbing her eyes. When she finally opened them her vision was blurred by something purple right in her face. She blinked a few times, trying to understand what she was seeing. She rubbed her eyes again and raised her head, her vision coming into focus… and found herself staring into a single violet eye.

“Twilight!” She jerked under the covers, sprawled sideways and crashed to the floor. She struggled to free herself, terror filling her mind.

“Trixie, please, keep it down.”

Trixie kicked at the covers, her heart thundering in her chest as she finally broke free. She cowered beside the bed with her head buried under her hooves. “Please, Twilight, leave me alone! I learned my lesson, you don’t need to humiliate me again!”

She remained that way for some time, entire body trembling. Not Twilight Sparkle, anypony but her! But as her heart rate slowed and the initial shock wore off, she realized that Twilight hadn't done anything.

There was a blatant misery in Twilight's quiet voice. "Am I that bad? Really?” She broke into a vicious coughing fit that sounded very painful.

Trixie refused to look at her tormentor across the bed, preferring to stay hidden and shivering on the other side. “That bad? It took me a month to get the smell out of my coat. I had nightmares! How could you ask that?”

Another long pause. It gave Trixie a moment to think, and she automatically saw some strange things about this situation. Twilight was supposed to be in Ponyville, that’s where she lived! Then again, she was Celestia’s prized student. Perhaps she was here to visit? But why would she come to Trixie’s room other than to toy with her again?

That last thought stirred horrible memories. “P-please,” she whispered with closed eyes. “Just leave me alone…”

“I can’t, Trixie,” Twilight whispered. “Please, you have to listen to me. You’re the only pony who can help me.”

“Help you?”

“Please, be quiet!”

Trixie had tears in her eyes. “Why would I help you? After what you did? I lost everything because of you. My reputation, my career, my way of life, and you want my help?”

Twilight coughed some more. It really did sound painful. When the spasm subsided Twilight spoke, her voice calm but full of regret. “Trixie, look at me.”

“I… I don’t want to.”

“Trixie, please.”

Trixie's entire body trembled. This was the unicorn who filled her dreams with humiliations! It had taken months to get over those nightmares, and every now and again she still awoke sweating and afraid. But even as Trixie lay there, hooves over her eyes and lips trembling, she knew she had to obey. After all this was Twilight Sparkle; who knew what fresh degradations awaited her should she refuse? So, with heart pounding and hooves shaking, she forced herself to stand.

It took several intense seconds for Trixie to force her eyes open. What she saw standing opposite the bed was a creature so wretched it knocked the air from her lungs.

Twilight… No, not Twilight. It couldn’t be the same pony. Trixie couldn’t resist gaping over the hideous features. The sealed eye, the twisted muzzle, the sickeningly flat leg. The shattered pony had so many scars it made Trixie wonder if she weren’t another pony dressed in a hideously-stitched suit made from Twilight’s skin. Each new feature forced Trixie’s stomach to churn a little more, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away.

Her gaze locked upon the wings, if they could be referred to as such. One was twisted back on itself, and the other…didn’t exist. It was little more than a scarred nub poking out of Twilight’s side, its tiny movements unsettling. Trixie had never heard of Twilight becoming an alicorn – something that surely would have called for national fanfare – but even now she could hardly take the title.

But nothing made Trixie’s stomach rebel more than Twilight’s forehead, where no horn remained. Instead, Twilight bore a shallow crater of a hole, hideous and scarred and standing out like the eye of a skull. The sight filled Trixie with a sickening horror that had her fighting down an urge to vomit.

All in all, Twilight looked as if she’d literally been beaten and tortured to within an inch of her life. Trixie could only stare in slack-jawed horror and wonder at what could possibly have done this. Twilight, face filled with despair, shifted under Trixie’s gaze and looked away in shame, her mangled and unkempt mane falling over her missing eye.

“T-Twilight, what in Equestria happened to you?”

The broken pony shook her head, still unable to meet Trixie’s gaze. “You wouldn’t believe me,” she whispered, scarred lips trembling.

Trixie leaned forward, setting her hooves to the bed for support. “D-does Celestia know—”

“No!” At last Twilight looked at her, her lone eye widening and pupil shrinking. “You can’t tell anypony I came here. The fate of Equestria depends on it, Trixie!”

Trixie walked around the bed to get a closer look, heart pounding in her chest at the hideous sight. Even if Twilight had humiliated her and ruined everything, nopony deserved… this. “But Twilight, you—”

Twilight set a cracked hoof to her lips, her expression the very definition of desperate. “Trixie, please. If they find out I came here tonight, they’ll hunt me down and kill me. They’ll probably kill you, too. Or exile you to Tartarus, like they did me. You have to believe me!”

Trixie stared at her old foe, her mind trying to grasp the situation. “I… I don’t understand.”

Twilight sniffed and chewed her ruined lip. “Don’t tell anypony. Promise me! You’re my last chance to make things right.”

Trixie didn’t know what she was supposed to accomplish by doing so, but she couldn’t ignore the horror in Twilight’s manner. “Alright… I promise.”

Suddenly Twilight broke down, wrapping her legs around the startled Trixie and sobbing quietly. For a few seconds Trixie could only stand there with wide eyes… but she finally returned the embrace and cradled Twilight with genuine concern. Who could have possibly done this? This wasn’t the same Twilight who had defeated her a year ago, it was impossible! Even if it was, Trixie could feel no hatred. How could she feel anything but pity for such a wretched soul?

“I’m so sorry,” Twilight whispered, her tears running down Trixie’s shoulder. “I just wanted to see it for myself, I was only there for a minute. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, but it’s all my fault! All this suffering because of me. I’m so, so sorry!”

Trixie was beyond confusion. Confusion implied something could potentially make sense, but there was no making sense of this. She struggled to find something to say, anything. “Twi… I mean… Um… W-what? What did you do?”

Twilight pulled away from Trixie, wiping her face as she turned away. She took a few seconds to recover her wits before answering. “It doesn’t matter. It’s been done and it can’t be fixed. I’ve spent two years trying to find a solution, and there isn’t one. All I can do is try to make things right for the future, but I can’t.” She broke into another horrible fit of coughing, pressing a hoof against her throat and hacking in a manner that was genuinely worrying.

Trixie grabbed a glass and went to get some water from the bathroom sink. She offered it to Twilight when she came out of her spasm. Twilight downed the glass in one long, eager chug. “Th-thank you.” She wiped some blood from her chin. “I haven’t had pure water in a long time.”

Trixie set the glass aside and sat before her old nemesis, head and ears drooped. “Twilight, Trixie apologizes, but she don’t know what to do. What do you want from me?”

Twilight was silent for several seconds. She brushed her mane from her eye so she could focus on Trixie properly. “I don’t have long. A few weeks, maybe a month. I’m getting worse every day, I can feel it. I can’t do what needs to be done, it’s not possible anymore.”

“But what did you do?” Trixie threw up her hooves in exasperation.

“You won’t believe me,” Twilight repeated. “Even so, you’re my last chance. You’re going to fight Luna’s corrupted ex-lovers, aren’t you?”

That made Trixie pause. “What do you mean, corrupted ex-lovers?”

“I can’t explain it properly.” Twilight's voice came out hoarse. She paused to set a hoof to her scarred chest and coughed a couple times. When she spoke again her voice was back to normal. “It’s all so very complicated and if I want to get out of the castle alive I’ll have to leave soon. Please, Trixie, just listen to me.”

She reached into a small pouch on her miserable-looking saddle and pulled out a worn piece of parchment. She set it on the bed and gestured for Trixie to take a closer look. “These are the cutie marks of the ponies you will have to fight.”

Trixie blinked, surprised to recognize two of them. She pointed to the purple star in the bottom-right corner. “Isn’t this your cutie mark?”

Twilight turned her face away, but not before Trixie noticed the shamed expression. “It used to be.”

Uncertain of her meaning, Trixie glanced towards Twilight’s flank… and tensed at the horrible sight. Twilight's flank had been mutilated, jagged cuts and bumps making a huge, sickening scar where a cutie mark should have been.

“Holy horseshoes, Twilight, what happened to you?”

A faint whimper came from the shattered pony's throat. “J-just listen.” Twilight pointed to each cutie mark one at a time. “Honesty, kindness, generosity, laughter, loyalty and magic. Remember which cutie mark goes to which Element. Remind their owners of who they could be. Do that and maybe they’ll give you the power you need to succeed.”

Trixie studied the cutie marks and thought on the words. She eyed the cutie mark of gemtones, recognizing it to be Rarity’s. So she was generosity? “Trixie just doesn't get it.”

“You will. As long as you win the fights, you will. And take this.” Twilight reached into another pouch and pulled out a golden key, dropping it on the bed.

Trixie studied the item. “Where does it lead to?”

“The Canterlot Spell Library.” Twilight's voice was growing weak again. “I-it works… I tried it…” She began coughing once more, but the fit didn’t last so long this time. “Use it, Trixie. Go into the library and learn what spells you can. But don’t get caught! It’s a restricted area and Celestia won’t tolerate your presence there.”

Trixie’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the key. The Canterlot Spell Library! Thousands of spells that she might learn at her discretion! It was like a dream come true.

She turned to Twilight, who was staring at the cutie marks with a despondent longing. “Twilight, why are you giving Trixie this? Why are you asking her to do this? What is Trixie even doing?”

“Luna is the key.” Her old, shattered nemesis didn't seem able to look away from the tattered paper. “If you remind them of what they are – what they could be – then you can save Luna. If you save Luna, you save Equestria.”

Trixie sat and rubbed her head with both hooves. “Why won’t you just explain it from the top?”

But Twilight shook her head. She turned away from the paper with a jerk, tears welling in her eyes. “I’ve learned my lesson, Trixie. I learned it the hard way – my body is testament to that fact. If you want to know the whole story, you have to find it for yourself. If I offer it, you won’t believe and Equestria will never change.”

She wrapped Trixie in another hug, sniffing into her mane. “I’m sorry, I know it doesn’t make any sense. It will, I promise. Just remember what I’ve told you. Remember and win! I know you, Trixie. You’ve got the drive to do this. Please win, please save Luna! Correct my horrible mistake so I can die in peace.”

Trixie leaned back to stare into Twilight’s single eye. “Die?”

Twilight stepped back and made her way to the door, her one bad leg causing an involuntary hobble. “I have to go. Remember, don’t tell anypony I came here, or they’ll kill you and the salvation of Equestria with you.”

Trixie watched her go, unable to take her eyes off that crushed, sliding leg. “B-but… Twilight…”

“Don’t look for me, Trixie. Whatever you do, don’t look for me. I’m done. Look to the future. Remember the Elements: honesty, kindness, generosity, laughter, loyalty, magic.” She pushed the door open with visible difficulty, then glanced in either direction of the hall. She fixed a final, weak smile on her old rival. “I know you can do this. Just… keep being the Great and Powerful Trixie. Finish what you started, and you really will be the greatest of all unicorns.”

Trixie just sat there, staring at the open door long after Twilight had gone. She tried to process everything that had just happened, but no matter how she approached it nothing made sense. What had happened to Twilight? Who could have possibly done all that, and why? She was the personal protégé of Princess Celestia, so why hadn’t her condition made national headlines?! Surely there would have been public outrage, especially among the nobles.

And what did she mean, save Luna? Save Luna from what? How?

She turned back to the bed and studied the parchment left behind for her. She observed each cutie mark, unconsciously reciting the connections in her head. Apples for honesty, butterflies for kindness, diamonds for generosity, balloons for laughter, a rainbow bolt for loyalty and a star for magic. Twilight’s terrible condition was compelling, and Trixie couldn’t just ignore the request... but what was she supposed to do with the information?

Her eyes fell on the key, which lay innocuously by the parchment. She lifted it with her magic and studied the head, which was in the shape of an alicorn. The Canterlot Spell Library, which only a select few were allowed to access. If she could get in, she’d have the chance to study and learn some of the most powerful spells in history! It sounded far too good to be true.

She closed her eyes. A vision of the mangled and ruined Twilight came to mind. No, there was nothing good about this. How could it be good? Trixie wanted to talk to somepony about what had just happened, but who? Twilight had been adamant not to speak to anypony. Though she hated her, Trixie couldn't ignore a plea from a pony in such obvious distress. But surely she could confide in somepony she trusted. Was there a pony she trusted with this?

She blinked, her mind going to a particular name. She thought back on the strange conversation and couldn’t help smiling, albeit only a little. She reached up to press a hoof against her muzzle.

That would have been a lot of ‘gotchas.’

Author's Notes:

We've moved well beyond anything 'Scott Pilgrim' with this chapter. Before anyone comes after me with pitchforks and torches, allow me to emphasize that this was never meant to be a parody. The story is mine, I'm just taking some concepts from Pilgrim as influence... and this chapter is completely me.

It's also the keystone of the entire operation, if you will. When I first conceived of this story it was going to be complete comedy/parody material. By the time I started writing I had abandoned that and went for something a little more serious. Then this scene came to mind and everything else fell into place. Once I had this chapter in my head I instantly knew everything I wanted to do with this story, and my excitement shifted into overdrive. Generally speaking, the scope of the has expanded a bit from my original intentions.

I failed to mention it before, but now we have two cameos of original characters from my other major story: Fine Crime and Nye Stone. Nye is probably going to get a number of appearances due to his job, but Fine's less clear. I might find more ways to sneak him in, depending upon whether I feel his role would have any real value to the story. The others may get cameos, too.

UPDATE 1/28/2014: Now edited with help from Cerulean Voice!

An Unsteady Beginning

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“I knew you were crazy, Trix, but this takes the cake.”

Trixie frowned at Amethyst from across the table, her breakfast cake completely untouched while her old friend wolfed down three servings of the stuff. After ascertaining that she was free to leave the castle and tour Canterlot, Trixie had gone first thing in the morning to find Amethyst at the hotel. Now they sat together at an outdoor café that boasted a magnificent view of the surrounding countryside. Trixie had just finished telling Amethyst all about her late-night encounter with Twilight, and her friend’s response was far from ideal.

“This is not a joke, Ammy.”

“Twilight Sparkle?” Amethyst stuffed another bite of cake into her mouth. “Fe thame Tviwight Phperkle who beath you?”

“Yes,” Trixie snarled, “that Twilight Sparkle.”

Amethyst swallowed her cake. “The same Twilight who stuffed your tail down your throat and rolled your butt out of town like a carriage wheel? The same Twilight who filled your wagon with pony manure to demonstrate how full of it you were? The same—”

“Yes!” Trixie slammed her hooves on the table so hard it shook, ignoring the disapproving glances of her fellow patrons. “That Twilight! Can we please stop talking about what she did and focus on what happened last night?”

Amethyst didn’t seem at all interested in Trixie’s anger. “You had a dream. Big deal.”

“It wasn’t a dream.” Trixie gestured to the key and parchment on the table. “If it was a dream, why would Trixie have these things which Twilight gave her?”

“Maybe they were already in your room and you didn’t notice,” Amethyst pointed out before taking another bite of cake. “Or mebbee Lunuh refth ith ash a hintsh abouf who yooll be fighfin.”

Trixie rested her cheek atop her hoof and glowered at her old friend. “Trixie wonders if you’ll ever develop table manners. It was too vivid to be a dream, Ammy, and if you’d seen her… I don’t think I could imagine that kind of—”

“Duffle goffa!” A piece of cake floated up to touch her nose, Amethyst grinning around her mouthful.

Trixie scowled and touched her muzzle, revealing bits of chocolate and oats. “Ammy, that’s gross!”

Amethyst swallowed her food and licked her lips with a wicked grin. “I could always lick it off for ya.”

“No thank you.” Trixie used magic to wipe a napkin across her face.

“Seems pretty simple to me,” Amethyst announced. “You still hate Twilight, right?”

“She terrifies me.”

“So the dream was all about her, the mare who humiliated you, coming to you for help. It’s just another way of you wishing to be better than her. Gotcha again, by the way.” Amethyst lifted her empty plate and began licking chocolate off it, earning her rude glances from nearby diners.

Trixie stared down at the key and parchment for some time. Maybe Amethyst was right. Maybe it had been a dream. If so, Trixie would have to mark it down as one of the strangest dreams she’d ever had. She hated Twilight for beating her, but had refused to let the defeat stay in her mind. Letting Twilight occupy her mind was like acknowledging an obsession.

Besides, even if she hated Twilight, she would never have wished such pain on her. She closed her eyes and saw an image of that hideous pit where a horn should have been. Trixie touched her own horn, quivering at the idea that it might not be there next time she checked. “She was such a horrible sight.”

“That, right there.” Amethyst set her 'clean' plate down. “That’s a big reason I say you had a dream. Think about it. Twilight Sparkle is Princess Celestia’s personal protégé. Her’s is a household name. Don’t you think if somepony beat her and ruined her in the way you described somepony would have said something? The papers would have been going nuts for weeks.”

Trixie had to admit, Amethyst’s point did sound logical. “Trixie just feels like it was so much more than a mere dream,” she confessed, casting a forlorn glance into the street.

Amethyst closed her eyes and sighed as she brought a hoof to her head. Opening them after a moment, she offered, “You know, you do have a room right next to the Princess of the Night.”

Trixie wildly shook her head, Twilight’s warning still fresh in her mind. “No! Trixie will speak to nopony of this dream.”

“You told me about it.”

“Because Trixie trusts you to keep quiet.”

Amethyst slapped a hoof over her heart, gushing with sarcasm. “I’m so touched!”

Trixie scowled. “I’m serious, Ammy.” She raised a hoof, blocking her friend’s attempt to touch her muzzle. “Tell nopony!”

Amethyst pouted and crossed her hooves. “Spoilsport.” But she cheered up quickly. “Alright, I’ll agree to keep my yap shut.”

Trixie studied her, feeling no small amount of worry; she knew that smile. “Trixie desires to know the condition.”

“Talk to Princess Luna.” Her friend nabbed Trixie’s cake from across the table. “Tell her you want me along for the next fight.”

Trixie recoiled with wide eyes. She was so surprised she forgot to note that Amethyst was eating her cake! “You… want to join Trixie? Really?”

Amethyst nodded, her chin covered in chocolate as she grinned. “I wanna see you fight some of these ponies.”

“If Trixie recalls correctly, don't you have a job?”

Amethyst swallowed the last mouthful of cake before answering. “I’ve got two weeks of vacation coming up. Might as well spend it watching you get your rump kicked.”

Trixie scowled and tossed a napkin in her friend’s face. “You just got off vacation.”

Amethyst used the napkin to clean herself of chocolate before leaning back with hooves behind her head. “Can I help it if my mining business earns me more money than I know what to do with? The girls can take care of things for a while, that’s what I pay them for. So will ya do it?”

Trixie considered the situation. Having Amethyst around wasn’t something she relished. The pony would only prove a distraction and her method of encouragement was hardly… 'encouraging.' On the other hoof, she wasn’t convinced that last night had been a dream and Twilight’s warning still had her on edge. Having Amethyst around was worth it, right?

“Alright, Ammy, Trixie will try.”

“Of course you will,” her friend declared, face smug. “Without my good cheer and emotional support, you’d probably break down before the first kick.” She ignored Trixie’s frown as she changed subjects. “So has Luna told you anything about who you’ll be fighting next?”

Trixie rested her cheek in her hoof once again, staring at her now-empty plate. “No. Trixie thinks Luna is avoiding her, or at least making her wait.”

“Makes sense,” Amethyst said, winking at their waiter as he began clearing away their plates. “If I were a princess I’d make everypony wait on me too. I’d make you wait double time.”

“Thanks,” Trixie answered with a huff.

“Speaking of waiting, I suggest you head back to the castle or something. I have other things to do besides spending all day with you.” Amethyst leaned forward to whisper, a wicked grin on her lips. “That waiter of ours is gonna be meeting me in the bathroom in the next five minutes to pick up his tip. I doubt you wanna wait around for that.”

Trixie frowned in disgust and stood up from the table, the key and paper floating into her pouch. “Trixie hopes he reports you for voyeurism.”

Amethyst waved a dismissive hoof. “Come now, Trix! Nopony can resist me.

“Besides, voyeurism isn’t a crime in Canterlot.”

It was an hour after sunset, and Trixie paced back and forth in her room. Mr. Stone – Nye, as he preferred to be called – was shuffling cards at the table by the window. “Come on, Trixie, play another game with me.”

She didn’t stop pacing. “Do you not have work to do somewhere?”

“Luna said to stick with you for a while,” he replied with a charming smile. “Stop pacing, you’ll wear a hole in the floor.”

“Why hasn’t she come?” Trixie's eyes went to the door for the hundredth time. “She can’t ignore Trixie forever.”

Nye shrugged. “She has to talk with Celestia. They have a meeting every day.”

“Trixie doesn’t believe it.” Trixie turned to him at last to properly show her skepticism. “Everypony knows that Luna is co-ruler in name only. What would Luna need to know?”

Nye stopped shuffling, a frown coming upon his lips. “Luna could rule Equestria if given the chance. She has her loyal followers.”

“Other than you?” Trixie took some delight in his glare.

“Don’t take your anger out on me,” he countered. “Luna will get here when she gets here.”

Trixie sneered and jerked her head away. “She’s avoiding Trixie.”

“She’s a busy pony.”

She turned away and resumed pacing, grumbling at the floor. For some time the two remained silent. She could feel his eyes upon her, and after a few minutes cast a glare his way. “What?”

He was leaning forward and studying her with curious eyes. “Why did you come after Luna?”

“Trixie has already told you why,” she snapped, going back to her pacing. “She challenged Trixie!”

“Yes, yes, I learned that last night. But why did you accept?” She paused, her train of thought lost at this new question. He pressed on before she could recover: “You don’t know Luna. If you’d ignored her like most ponies you’d have probably never seen her again. What made you think you had to come to Canterlot and meet her?”

It was such a direct question. She wanted to answer it. She opened her mouth, but the words were lost. Her anger faded to uncertainty as she thought. “It’s… Trixie… wanted to meet the challenge. It’s a matter of pride.”

His eyebrows rose. “Pride? Is that the only reason?”

She hesitated. “You imply Trixie's reason is poor?”

“It is a poor reason,” he told her, though his voice was quiet. “I don’t think you understand. The ponies you’ll be facing are vicious. They won’t be following any rules. Some of them will be out to spill your blood, and you’re doing this just for pride?”

“Trixie didn’t want to do this! Trixie only wanted to face Luna’s dreams for herself. It’s not Trixie’s fault it led to some pointless gladiatorial contest!”

“It’s not pointless!” Nye stood to glare daggers. “You can’t possibly understand what’s at stake. Luna doesn’t like this any more than you do. You think she wants you to fight?”

Trixie returned his glare with full force. “If she didn’t, Trixie wouldn’t be here.”

“Listen, you arrogant—”

“Enough.” Trixie and Nye turned sharply to the sound of Luna’s voice. The princess entered the room with flowing grace, head held high as she observed the two of them from over her muzzle. “Nye, would you grant me a moment alone with Miss Lulamoon?” Nye – face still flushed – bowed and made his way out without so much as a glance at Trixie.

“So,” Luna said once the door had closed, “pride, is it?”

“Yes.” Trixie stood firm before her, prepared to defend the statement.

Luna observed Trixie, her eyelids lowered studiously. “And what will you do?”

“Do?”

“Should you succeed,” Luna pressed. “What will you gain from defeating my former lovers?”

That, at least, was easy to answer. “Respect. Trixie will at last show everypony that she is as Great and Powerful as she claims!”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “Self-promotion? Is that all this is to you?”

Trixie threw up her hooves in frustration. “Nopony will tell Trixie why she has to fight these ponies! How can Trixie have any other motive when she doesn’t understand the point of these fights in the first place?”

Luna set a hoof to her chin, considering Trixie’s question. “You know, that may be the first truly good point you’ve made since we met.”

Trixie heaved a sigh. “Does that mean you’ll finally tell Trixie why I’m doing this instead of just facing your dreams?”

“No.” Luna ignored Trixie’s glare. “I cannot tell you anything about that, Trixie, not until I feel I can trust you. To be frank, you’ve given me no reason to.”

“Trixie hasn’t had a chance to try!"

“I suppose that is true,” Luna confessed. “Regardless, your evident flaws provide room for hesitation.”

“Flaws?” Trixie bared her teeth and let out a vicious snarl. “What flaws? Trixie has no flaws!”

“Is that so?” The mockery in Luna's voice was like a slap in the face. “You’re arrogant, impatient, and need I point out your tendency to blindly rush in? You have no respect for authority. Not once have you bothered to bow to me or my sister!”

“Bow?” Trixie turned her muzzle up at the princess’ words. “The Great and Powerful Trixie bows to nopony.”

Luna stared at Trixie for several seconds, her lips set in a small frown of disapproval. “That behavior may just get you killed. Perhaps it’s a good thing; you’ll be out of my hooves.”

“Nye says you don’t even want Trixie to fight.” Trixie shot her a scathing glance. “What’s the matter, is Trixie so lowly to you that she is beneath your attention?”

At that Luna’s expression changed. She leaned forward a little, appearing uncertain, yet critical. “My… attention?”

Trixie stomped her hoof. “Yes, your attention! You’ve been avoiding Trixie, you will tell her nothing of what is going on and you expect her to fight for you? Maybe you don’t trust Trixie, but Trixie doesn’t trust you! Why should Trixie fight for anypony other than Trixie under these conditions?” Luna gazed at her ponderously, and Trixie could only stand before her huffing in frustration. All this anger was starting to give her a headache.

“You’re right, it’s a touch unfair.” Luna's voice and expression abruptly turned soft. “ No, Trixie, I don’t want you to fight for me. I don’t want anypony to fight for me. I’m tired of it. It has done nothing but hurt whoever gets involved. It will inevitably hurt you, too. So no, I don’t want you to fight, but in the end it’s not my decision.”

Trixie paused, not certain she’d heard that right. “What do you mean, ‘not your decision?’ Whose decision is it?”

Luna glanced away. “If you win, you’ll find out. For now, let it suffice that you must fight regardless of how either of us feel about it. Even if I could tell them not to fight you, they would.”

Trixie slumped to her haunches, rubbing her forehead with both hooves. “Trixie's head hurts from all this…”

The princess let out a weary sigh. With a small step forward, she rested the tip of her horn to Trixie’s. Trixie glanced up in surprise at the touch. Her eyes crossed as she observed the point of contact. Before she could respond she felt a warm sensation all over her body. It felt… good. Like a cozy fire on a snowy winter night, but deeper. More personal. She basked in it, for it was a feeling she’d not had in a very, very long time.

Then it was gone, just like that. She sagged in disappointment, staring up at Luna and wishing she might get that feeling back, if only for a moment.

The pain was gone. Trixie blinked and felt at her head. It was completely gone! Luna had healed her?

“I know you feel I am hiding things,” Luna told her, and her tone of regret drew Trixie’s attention. “I know it’s all confusing. But try to understand: I cannot ask just anypony to help me. My dream – my very personal, important goal – is not something lightly approached. I must know you can handle it and would be willing to risk everything for it. If you falter you will end up just like the others. I’m trying to avoid that, Trixie.”

Trixie was shocked by this seemingly legitimate moment of tenderness on the princess’ part. She considered Luna’s words carefully, and for some reason they seemed important. After several seconds she looked up and spoke, choosing her words and tone carefully. “Trixie is going to fight them anyway. How is fighting them for Trixie better than fighting them for you?”

Luna smiled. “Because it won’t hurt so badly if you lose. Therefore you might not end up like them.”

Trixie thought on this answer for a little longer, trying to judge Luna’s honesty. “Trixie does not understand but she would like to think that the Princess of the Night is true in her intentions. Can you at least promise to tell Trixie a little more after the next fight?”

Luna’s smile broadened slightly. “I think I can do that. If you should win, that is.”

“Trixie will win,” she declared, reaching up to tap her hat in a confident motion. Her hoof touched open air and she glanced at it in surprise. After a few seconds she let it drop to the floor and pouted; she really missed that hat. “When is Trixie supposed to fight again, anyway?”

Luna's voice grew firm once more. “Tomorrow night, a couple hours prior to sundown. Nye will fetch you and together we will take my carriage to meet your opponent.”

Trixie looked up, hat forgotten. “Good. Trixie looks forward to it.”

“Oh,” Luna said as if she’d forgotten something, “and you will need to give Nye the information on your friend Amethyst so that he can bring her to your room before we depart.”

Trixie blinked. “Ammy? How did you know Trixie wanted to bring her along?”

Luna smirked as she turned for the door. “I have a – let’s call him a friend – who is keeping an eye on you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I must begin my duties as the guardian of dreams.”

“Wait,” Trixie called, “Trixie demands to know of this 'friend'! You're spying on her now?”

The door closed, leaving Trixie with a brief bout of paranoia.

The carriage landed in the grass of one of the castle’s many courtyards, a pair of burly-looking pegasi in golden armor guiding it. Luna sat on the dark, cushioned seats and gazed down upon Trixie, Amethyst and Nye with a regal bearing. “I am pleased with your early arrival,” she informed them, her authoritative tone nothing like the gentle voice Trixie had beheld the night before.

Amethyst hoof-pumped before heading for the carriage. “Oh yeah, riding in style with a princess! This is gonna be awesome.” She hopped into the carriage and leaned back with hooves behind her head. “What’s up?” she asked Luna with a pleased grin.

Luna leaned back from her. “Amethyst Star, I presume?”

“That’d be me,” she confirmed with a wave of her hoof. “Don’t mind Trixie, I’ll make sure she behaves.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “I see.” She turned her attention to Trixie. “Come, your second opponent awaits.”

Trixie glowered at her friend before heading for the carriage, but stopped when she realized she was alone. She glanced back to see that Nye remained behind with a melancholy expression. “You coming?”

“Not this time,” he replied. “I’ve got work to do here. You go on and try not to get yourself killed.”

Trixie frowned, not sure whether she approved of his form of encouragement. Then again, it was better than anything Amethyst would be offering. She turned back to the carriage and entered, poking Amethyst with her horn to make her shift closer to Luna. As soon as Trixie sat on the cushion Luna gave the order and the carriage rose into the sky.

Trixie braced herself against the sudden acceleration, wind whipping into her face. She gathered her cape to keep it from billowing in the air and glanced to her side. The castle was rapidly falling away; they were already beyond Canterlot and flying south. She sucked in a breath at the terrible height and shifted to press against Amethyst.

Amethyst chuckled even as she tensed against the rapid ascension. “If ya wanted to cuddle, ya coulda just said so.” Her smile might have fooled those with less experience, but Trixie could tell she was just as nervous.

A faint smile graced her lips, though her tone was as regal as ever. “I assume neither of you have flown before.”

“Only twice.” Amethyst tried to regain her earlier laid-back pose. “Long-distance client. Lots of fun. Can’t seem to get used to the takeoffs and landings, though.”

Trixie tried her best to relax, but the edge of the carriage seemed so dangerously close! “That’s two more flights than Trixie."

“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Amethyst teased, wrapping a leg around Trixie’s shoulder. “Ammy’s gotcha.”

Trixie glared and pressed a threatening hoof under Amethyst’s chin. “You should be more respectful of the princess,” she hissed, trying to speak over the wind but low enough that Luna couldn’t overhear. “Why are you acting so… you around Luna when you were so terrified of Celestia?”

Amethyst’s face went hard. She glared at Trixie for a few seconds, then slowly leaned close to her. “I’ll let that question pass ‘cause you don’t know any better. Celestia is in the same territory as my time in Canterlot: taboo and off limits. Don’t ask me again.” With that she leaned back and grinned as if the moment of friction had never occurred.

Trixie wasn’t scared of Amethyst at the moment, but she had enough respect for her friend to hold back. She wasn’t quite finished, though. “Even so, would you stop acting like a fool in front of Luna? Trixie is trying to maintain a good standing.”

Amethyst’s grin broadened and she raised her voice. “Hey, hey, I think somepony’s got a crush.”

Luna cast a one-eyed glance first at Amethyst, then at Trixie, her deadpan gaze a silent question. Trixie only facehoofed.

“What, nothing?” Amethyst asked with that ever-present grin. “Come on, I’m trying to set you up here.”

Trixie turned away to watch the clouds roll by. “Ammy… just shut up.”

“You’re no fun.” Amethyst pouted and looked to Luna. “So how long is this flight gonna be?”

Trixie thought Luna might not respond, but after a few seconds she did. “Not long. We should arrive within the hour.”

Amethyst’s lips rose in a fresh grin as she leaned over to nudge Trixie in the shoulder. The contact made Trixie press against the seat, her fear of falling off still very strong. “Hey, Trix? You know what that means?”

“Trixie is trying to keep safe, if you don’t mind!”

“It means we’re heading somewhere you’re pretty familiar with.”

Confused, Trixie glanced around, but saw nothing but clouds and rolling plains beneath them. She wasn’t certain what her friend was getting at. With only a time and direction, how could she possibly guess their destination? She thought for a few seconds, trying to draw a map in her mind of the land around Canterlot. South… What was south?

When she finally realized where they were going, her face went pale. “Oh no…”

Amethyst’s grin grew. “That’s riiiiight.” She wrapped a leg around Trixie’s shoulder again.

“Ponyville.” Trixie sagged and covered her face with her hooves. “Please tell me we’re not going to Ponyville!”

“Gotcha.”

Luna glanced at them with a raised eyebrow. “Yes, as a matter of fact we are. Why? Is there something wrong with Ponyville?”

“Oh, she has history there,” Amethyst replied as she knuckled Trixie’s head. Trixie shoved her off and shot a deadly glare.

“I see.” Luna studied Trixie with curious eyes. “What kind of history?”

“She—”

“No!” Trixie went to crack her hoof against Amethyst’s head, but Amethyst raised a leg and blocked the attack with a grin. “Trixie does not want that kind of information shared! Let it be enough that it was a horrible experience and Trixie does not want to think of it.”

Amethyst leaned towards Luna, hoof raised to her lips as if to conceal her words. “I’ll tell ya all about it later.”

“You will not!”

Amethyst merely laughed and relaxed in her seat again.

The rest of the trip went fairly smoothly. Aside from Amethyst’s occasional attempts to scare Trixie into thinking she would fall out of the carriage, it also went peacefully. Luna in particular was very quiet, her gaze far away as she thought on things Trixie couldn’t imagine. Amethyst actually fell asleep after a while, leaving Trixie alone to brood.

Ponyville. She’d promised herself that she would never go back there. Yet Trixie realized she had a golden opportunity to learn some things. Twilight Sparkle lived in Ponyville. If she saw Twilight, it would prove beyond a doubt that Amethyst was right and her terrible meeting from the other night had been little more than a vivid dream.

Then again, what if Twilight was the one she was supposed to fight? That concept sent shivers down Trixie’s spine; of all the ponies in Equestria...

Curiosity and terror fell upon Trixie when the chariot began its descent into the orange-streaked skies. Ponyville appeared below, the town much like she remembered; peaceful, quiet and calm. Her eye caught the town's library, its coal-black stonework having been quarried from the nearby caves of Tartarus. It looked so different from everything around it, a tower that stood out like a boulder in a flower garden. Just the sight of it made Trixie shudder.

But the carriage flew by, leaving the tower behind. Trixie let out a deep sigh of relief and leaned back in her seat. So she wouldn’t be facing Twilight today. Maybe she never would. Maybe Amethyst was right and the parchment had been in her room all along. Whatever the case, she was thrilled to think that Twilight wasn’t one of her immediate problems.

“Here we are.” Luna gestured to the area before the carriage. Trixie leaned forward to find them descending towards a clearing in an orchard. She could make out a tall house, a collection of bunkhouses in the distance and a huge red barn. As they flew lower, she came to realize that the orchard was filled with apple trees.

When the carriage landed, a small army of ponies were waiting to cheer their arrival. “Well, aren’t we popular?” Amethyst asked with a grin.

Two unicorns approached, one a grey stallion with a black mane and the other an olive-yellow mare with a white, purple-streaked mane. They bowed deep before Luna as she got out of the carriage. “Princess Luna,” the stallion announced, “we are so very pleased to meet you! I am Jet Set and this is my wife, Upper Crust.”

Trixie and Amethyst went to stand side-by-side behind Luna, casting curious glances at the ponies around them. Trixie was quick to note that they were Earth ponies, every last one. They certainly looked happy to see them, but Trixie felt something off about their smiles.

“I’ve not been here in some time,” Luna noted, her tone regal once more. “I look forward to seeing how the property has fared since ownership changed hooves.”

“And we’re certain you will be very, very pleased,” Upper Crust announced. She and her husband stood aside and gestured to the barn behind them, where bright light spilled from the open door. “You and yours are always welcome at Sweet Apple Acres.”

Second Battle! Trixie vs. Applejack!

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The unicorns led Luna along a hard dirt path towards the open barn. Trixie and Amethyst followed, walking side by side and eyeing the orchard. Apple trees surrounded them, but to Trixie they didn’t seem too healthy – many appeared on the verge of death, and others weren’t bearing any fruit. All in all, the orchard was in sad shape.

“You remember this place?” Amethyst asked with genuine curiosity.

Trixie was watching the Earth ponies out of the corner of her eye. “No, Trixie did not come to the orchard on her last two visits.” Why did she feel like everypony was watching her?

Up ahead, Jet Set and Upper Crust were enthusiastically talking to Luna, who didn’t even try to get a word in edgewise. Trixie attempted to listen in and was able to gather that they had been given the farmland as a royal gift after the previous owner’s death. She found that rather odd, but surely Luna had known what she was doing. Or perhaps it was Celestia who’d given them the land? Whatever the case, she hoped the current state of the orchard wasn’t a sign of the couple’s abilities as farmers.

“So,” a nearby stallion walking near Amethyst asked, “which one of ya’s Trixie?”

“Oh, you don’t want to talk to her.” Amethyst raised her head as she shot him a playful smile. “I’m far more interesting.”

“It’s you.” The mare just ahead of Trixie looked back at her with a smile that slightly unnerved Trixie. “Ah remember. We’ve been really lookin' forward ta seein' ya.”

“Umm… Trixie is flattered.” There was something very wrong with this situation, but for now it was only a feeling in Trixie's gut. Or maybe it was the sour look Amethyst was shooting her.

They reached the brightly lit barn. Inside, the floor had been cleaned and cleared to make room for a pair of tables covered in food. Already there were dozens of ponies there who cheered the arrival of the visitors. Well, that part seemed genuine at least.

Upper Crust turned to Luna, who had paused at the door to let Trixie and Amethyst catch up. “Your Majesty, we were so thrilled to hear of your coming! We prepared a humble feast in honor of this occasion.”

Jet Set stood close to his wife and grinned at their guests. “It’s not up to Canterlot standards, but we hope you’ll accept this as a gesture of our appreciation.”

“Of course. We thank you for your hospitality.” Luna's head arose once more to gaze upon all the ponies in the barn. “We thank you all!” There was a rousing cheer at her words.

Jet Set turned and clapped his hooves. A moment later there came an orange-coated mare with a blonde mane sporting a Stetson. Upon spotting her cutie mark, Trixie lost all interest in everything else.

Apples. Three apples.

“Miss Applejack, would you be so kind as to show Princess Luna and her friends to the head of the table?”

“Sure thing,” she replied, turning to the visitors. “Hello there, princess. Been a while.”

Luna’s face had been regal and imposing a moment ago, but now she was like ice. “Applejack.”

Applejack, a friendly smile on her face, turned and gestured to the table. “If y’all jus’ follow me, please!”

Amethyst let out a satisfied giggle. “Ooh boy, being friends with a princess sure has its perks. Look at those pies!”

Trixie paid her no attention, eyes locked on their guide’s cutie mark. Apples. Apples. What did apples represent again? Was this one of Luna’s lost lovers? Was this mare her next opponent? What did the damn apples stand for?

They all took their seats. Luna had the largest seat in the center of the table, while Trixie sat at her side and Amethyst at Trixie’s side. Jet Set and Upper Crust sat on Luna’s other side. Trixie watched intently as Applejack took a seat at the head of the table opposite theirs. Her fellow Earth ponies were whispering to her, but she barely said a word to any of them. She only smiled.

Jet Set was making some kind of speech. Trixie missed almost all of it, her mind trying to recall the parchment she’d received from Twilight. If that had been a dream then it was all pointless, but if it hadn’t then surely Applejack was her next opponent. She certainly seemed important; the other Earth ponies were treating her with clear respect.

Everything seemed off in this place. Why were the two owners unicorns when everypony else at the orchard was an Earth pony? Why did all the others keep shooting wicked smiles her way? None of them tried to talk to her, but the way they eyed her, the way they whispered while glancing her way, the secretive chuckles… Trixie shifted and tried to avoid the varied gazes.

“So,” she heard Amethyst ask the pony nearest her, “why is it all I see are Earth ponies?”

Trixie tried her best to appear focused on her apple salad, but her ears perked as she listened intently to the answer.

“Oh, we’re all family,” the stallion explained.

“All of you?” Amethyst asked, incredulous.

“Yep, we’re the Apple Family! We practically started the town of Ponyville. And we all work here on the plantation.”

Trixie gave the stallion what she hoped was a friendly smile. “Oh, Trixie understands! So you all live in Ponyville?”

His face went hard, but only for an instant. He recovered with a grin that was just a little too wide. “No, we live here on the farm. I’m sure you saw the bunkhouses when you landed.”

Yes, yes she had. The memory worried her almost as much as his smile did.

“So it’s a family-run business, then?” Amethyst took a big bite of apple pie.

The stallion froze – the mare next to him hurried to speak up. “It used to be. But we’re happy with the way things are, really!”

“Well as long as you’re happy,” Amethyst declared, her attention now turned wholly to her pie.

Trixie didn’t pursue the subject, even though she desperately wanted to. She refused to be rude – it might make the princess look bad. For the sake of her goal she wouldn’t do that. She cast a glance at Luna, who was listening to Upper Crust ramble on about the farm. Though she seemed to be listening intently and even asked a question every now and again, Trixie suspected Luna wasn’t at all interested. If only she could have the chance to talk about the situation…

She bowed her head in thought. She had the feeling she was looking at some complicated puzzle. All the ponies were family, but it wasn’t a family-run business. Upper Crust and Jet Set had been given the land, so that meant they weren’t family. What had they done to earn the land? What had the Apples done to deserve losing it? She mentally stumbled over this information for a long time, but nothing would come together. After a time she glanced up… and found herself looking right at Applejack.

Applejack was watching her, leaning forward with hooves touching in a thoughtful manner. Her ever-present smile wasn’t so kind anymore. There was something… wicked in it. The two stared at one another for some time, a strange intensity in the air. Trixie lost all sense of the rest of the world as she stared into those studious, expectant green eyes.

Applejack broke the contact and rose. She knocked the table with her hoof, gathering the attention of all the feasters. “Everypony, in honor of Princess Luna, Ah’d like ta make a toast.” She lifted a glass and cast a pleasant smile the princess’ way. Luna smiled back, but it was strained.

“The princess had the wisdom ta deliver ta us a new Lord an’ Lady.” Applejack nodded to a beaming Jet Set and Upper Crust. “So le’s make this toast also go ta them, fer their wonderful leadership an’ guidance in these tryin’ times. Truly we are blessed. We all had our doubts, but Ah am happy ta say that all our worries are long gone!”

A round of “Hear, hear!” erupted through the room as all the ponies raised their glasses. The two unicorns beside Luna held their heads high as they basked in the praise.

Amethyst raised her own glass enthusiastically. “Yeah, good going, you two!” She downed the entire drink in a single long swig. Trixie, sensing a curious tension in Luna, followed the princess' lead and didn’t touch hers.

“Oh,” Applejack added as if in afterthought, “let’s not forget Luna’s friends.” She waved a hoof at them, grinning. “Amethyst Star an’ Trixie Lulamoon, another fine pair of unicorns! Ah don’ know much about Miss Star, but Ah know she runs her own minin’ company. Jus’ goes ta show how unicorns really know their business, am Ah right?”

More cheers, and Amethyst basked in the attention. Trixie was paying attention, though, and the words just felt… wrong in her head.

“But we all know Trixie, don’ we y’all?” Applejack turned to cast a knowing smile at the other ponies. This time there were snickers and dark glances shared, and Trixie tensed at the sudden attention. “How could we forget? Twice she came ta visit us here in Ponyville.”

Oh no. Trixie stared in horror at the Earth pony, who was clearly relishing the attention she now had.

“Oh yes, Miss Lulamoon.” Applejack's tone seemed pleasant enough, yet Trixie could see the cruelty in her eyes. “Ya came here once in yer wagon, didn’ ya? Ah remember, ya claimed ta be the greatest unicorn in all of Equestria! Guess Twilight showed ya a thing er two when she summoned that Ursa Minor, huh?”

Trixie sank in her seat, face hot. They were all staring at her, grinning and laughing. Even Luna was watching, her expression solemn and intense.

“I remember that,” somepony called from the crowd. “The big bear tried to eat her and ended up spitting her back out!”

Laughter filled the barn; it was all Trixie could do not to dive under the table in humiliation.

“That was pretty funny,” Applejack agreed with a giggle. “But it wasn’ enough! She had ta come back fer seconds.”

“Miss Applejack, that is quite enough.” But Upper Crust's voice was drowned out by the laughter in the room.

“Y’all remember how Twilight filled her wagon with manure? That was great!”

“Applejack!” Jet Set’s voice was louder and more firm, but it didn’t help – they just kept laughing.

“An’ then she stuffed Trixie’s tail down her throat an’ sent her rollin’ across Ponyville like a wagon wheel!”

“Stop it…” Trixie covered her ears, but the laughter kept coming.

“An’ then she hung her by her cape on the school belltower! Kept her up there fer days! Ya’ll remember throwin’ rotten apples at her, right?”

“I am so sorry!” That was from Jet Set. “She’s usually not like this!”

“I know.” Luna’s voice was calm, but there was no concealing her anger.

Applejack was laughing raucously with her family. “Oh, yer a hoot, Trixie! Yer the perfect pony ta go datin’ the princess. Ah can see it, ya look wonderful together!”

Something snapped. Trixie thought it might have been her.

“Shut up!” A bolt of lightning flashed from her horn to strike her table, shattering it and sending food flying.

The barn went silent. She stood and glared venom at Applejack, whose happy manner had been replaced with solemn disapproval. Trixie’s breath came in short gasps, anger filling her to the core of her being. How dare she make a foal of Trixie!

She cast a sinister glance at Luna, who didn’t look at all pleased about having a bowl of custard resting on her head. Trixie pointed a hoof at Applejack. “Is she the reason Trixie came here?”

Luna knocked the bowl aside before nodding. “She is.”

Amethyst's ears perked. “Ah, lover two. Fight time?”

Trixie let out a vicious snarl. “Fight time!” She reared back and sent another lightning bolt streaking towards her target.

Applejack slammed a hoof against her table, which flipped up and took the magical blow in her place. It shattered in a fiery eruption, but when it fell apart the pony was standing in the same place, untouched and unconcerned. “Please, not in the barn. Let’s take it outside, huh?”

“Why you—” Trixie’s words were cut short as she suddenly felt herself lifted off the ground. She was being carried away by the other ponies! “Let Trixie go this instant! This fight is between—” She was tossed unceremoniously through the door, landing on her side in the dirt.

She winced in pain and started to stand, but as soon as she was on her hooves Applejack rammed her in the chest at full gallop. The force of the blow sent her sprawling once more.

“Ah was wonderin' when Ah’d get my turn,” Applejack announced, her voice wicked. “Ah’ve been really lookin forward ta this.”

Amethyst’s voice came from somewhere beyond Trixie’s vision: “Wow, she’s aggressive. I like.”

“Not helping!” Trixie struggled to her hooves, wincing at the pain in her chest. She glared daggers at Applejack as a circle of ponies began to form around them. “You’re still only an Earth pony. Trixie has magic! What are ya gonna do about that, you hick?”

Her horn began to glow, but just as she was about to launch the attack she felt a hoof strike her just above the cheek. Trixie saw stars as the blow impacted with all the force of a sledgehammer! She reeled and dropped to the dirt, her vision swimming. She looked up, barely able to make out the huge red stallion standing over her.

“Thanks, Big Mac,” Applejack called with satisfaction.

“H-hey!” Trixie shook her head, trying to clear her vision. “That’s not—”

“Helloooooooo stud!” Amethyst was there with alarming speed, rubbing up against Big Mac and batting her eyes with a mischievous grin. “You got a mare-friend, huh? I bet you and me would get along wonderfully.” She rubbed a hoof against his chest teasingly. “What say you and I head off into the orchard and see just how big you really are?”

Big Mac’s eyes went wide and his face went an even deeper shade of red than it already was. “Uuuuhh…”

Trixie slammed a hoof in the dirt as she picked herself up off the ground. “Ammy! We’re in the middle of something important!”

Amethyst cast an annoyed glance her way. “Alright, alright.” She set a hoof to Big Mac’s lips and grinned. “You, me, orchard. After the fight. Don’t keep me waiting.” She fled to a safe distance, leaving a slack-jawed Big Mac sitting in the dirt. A moment later a yellow filly approached and poked him in the leg, but he didn’t respond.

“Uh, Ah think we lost Big Mac, sis.”

Applejack facehoofed. “Of all the stupid—”

“Hah!” A glowing rope wrapped around Applejack’s legs. Trixie used her magic to give it a solid jerk, sending the pony to the ground with legs tied tight. “That’ll teach you to cheat against the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Something hard smacked against her shoulder. “Hey, who did that?!”

Then she realized that she was completely surrounded by Earth ponies, each and every one of them glaring at her. They were all carrying apples and it was pretty clear that they weren’t for eating. “What? B-but why are you all…?”

The filly reared back, her voice proud and angry at the same time. “Ya mess with one Apple, ya mess with ‘em all!”

Trixie covered her face as apples began to rain down on her. The ponies weren’t taking this lightly, and each hit stung worse than the one before. “Hey! You can’t… This is against the rules!”

“What rules?” Trixie turned in time for an orange hoof to bash her in the cheek. She took a step back and raised a leg to try blocking Applejack’s next strike, but an apple whacked her hard in the back of the head and threw off her focus; another hoof struck and made her stumble. “There are no rules,” Applejack declared, “except to win!”

Trixie felt herself being lifted to her back hooves, but before she could grasp what was happening she was hit hard in the gut. The air flew out of her lungs and she collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

“Come on!” Applejack circled Trixie with a sneer. “Aren’ ya supposed ta be a unicorn?” She stomped on Trixie. “Doesn’ that make ya better?” Another stomp. “Ah’m just a lowly Earth pony. Ah’m not good fer nothin!” Stomp. “Come on, put me in my place!”

Trixie concentrated through the pain and breathlessness and slammed a hoof to the ground. The soil shivered and shook, a small crack opening up. The shaking ground threw Applejack off-balance, forcing her to her knees. Trixie took the opportunity to buck her in the face with one leg.

Moving fast while still trying to catch her breath was difficult, but Trixie pulled it off. She was on Applejack’s back, her glowing horn pressed against her opponent’s neck. “That is enough! Trixie demands to know what she did to make you so angry!”

Applejack’s head turned so she could look up at Trixie with a single eye. “What did ya do? Nothin’.”

Trixie took a moment to catch her breath. “Trixie has never even met you before.”

“Yer with Luna,” Applejack declared. “That makes ya mah enemy.”

“But Trixie thought you were fighting for—” An apple whacked Trixie in the face. She jumped up to glare into the crowd. “Would you stop that?”

Applejack turned and struck Trixie in the chest with a front knee. Trixie’s horn fired off a small blue beam, but the blow knocked her aim off and it sizzled into the dirt. By the time she’d recovered, Applejack was on her back and delivering a surprisingly powerful two-legged kick.

Trixie flew and smashed into a tree. Before she could fall she felt herself being grabbed. Two stallions pulled her legs back behind the tree, pinning her. “Stop! Let Trixie go!”

Applejack stood, a wicked grin on her lips. “Time ta do some applebuckin'.”

Trixie knew what was coming, and her mind scrambled for a solution. Before her enemy could carry out the threat, dozens of apples were flying through the air, guided by Trixie’s magic to rain down on her enemies.

“You want to throw apples at Trixie? Trixie will throw them right back!”

Her captors tried frantically to avoid the barrage, giving Trixie the opportunity to jerk free. Applejack came at her, but this time Trixie was ready. Her opponent struck again and again, her hooves flying violently, but Trixie was able to bring her legs up to block the blows. In the back of her mind, she was amazed that she was keeping up with the frenzied attacks. Adrenaline and anger kept her reflexes quick, though, and Applejack couldn’t land a proper hit.

Unfortunately, Trixie was so focused on self-defense she’d forgotten to maintain her apple barrage; somepony came up from behind and grabbed her around the shoulders. Applejack capitalized on the situation, pummeling the surprised and defenseless Trixie with a string of powerful, furious blows.

But Trixie recovered through the pain and came up with a solution. She waited until just the right moment and lowered her head; the soft flat bottom of Applejack’s hoof was pierced by her horn. It hurt like hell, but it made the attacks stop. Applejack jerked back, but the soft tissue under her horseshoe was firmly stuck. She was so busy trying to free herself she didn’t notice the horn’s glow until it was too late.

It was Trixie’s simplest, signature spell: fireworks. They burst from her horn in a shower of sparks and flame. Normally they would be harmless… but when they were stuck inside Applejack’s hoof they burned like hot coals.

Applejack let out an agonized scream, fighting to free herself as more fireworks erupted inside her hoof. A half-dozen ponies rushed to her aid, trying to pull her away. Trixie ignored the pain of her horn being jerked around so much and concentrated on a new spell – a burst of energy that finally detached her from Applejack’s hoof. Applejack and the others were sent flying, leaving Trixie alone and safe, albeit with a terrible headache.

Silence. Everypony was staring at Trixie and Applejack. Luna – flanked by Amethyst, Jet Set and Upper Crust – was watching with a slack-jawed expression of astonishment. Trixie cast a glance at the princess, then approached her enemy.

Applejack was on the ground, clutching her blackened hoof with tears in her eyes. “This ain’ over. The fight’s not finished!”

Trixie paused over her, seething in frustration. “Why are you fighting Trixie? She thought you liked Luna.”

“Like her?” Applejack sneered. “Of course not! Why are you fightin' for her?”

“I don’t know!” Trixie's mind went blank for a moment. The truth in that statement hit her hard and she didn’t even know why. “Trixie… Trixie doesn’t know why.” She cast a breathless look at the princess. Was that anxiety on Luna’s face? “Trixie thought it was to meet her challenge, but that doesn’t seem so important anymore. Trixie is a little confused, to be honest.”

She turned back to Applejack, face firm once more. “But Trixie will finish what she started.” She pointed a hoof at her foe. “Your turn. The truth!”

For a few seconds Applejack stared up at her, brow furrowed in thought. Was it because of the sincerity in Trixie’s answer? Or perhaps she simply didn’t understand it. Whatever the case, Trixie’s response was clearly not something she’d anticipated.

Then Applejack’s face hardened. “The truth, huh? Ya want the truth? Fine, since we’re all bein’ so honest.” She rose to her hooves, a scowl on her face. “Ah love Luna. Ah always did! But then Nightmare Moon dumped me right after my Granny Smith died. When Ah needed her she wasn’ there. Worse, Ah was meant ta inherit the Apple Farm, but some royal decree's announced an’ Ah’m expected ta give up my land ta them!” She pointed her blackened hoof to Jet Set and Upper Crust, who both took a wary step back at the sudden attention they had received.

The hoof turned to Luna, whose face was solemn and poised. “Luna screwed my entire family. Now we’re expected ta work like indentured servants fer these two fancy-smancy idiots who don’ know an apple from a pile of dung! An’ since we’re all Earth ponies we have no standin' in Equestrian court o’law.” Her volume grew with each word. “So we have ta smile an’ pretend ta like it when the farm our family grew up from scratch with our bare hooves an’ the sweat an’ toil of three generations withers an’ dies under the blind eyes of a pair of Canterlot floozies!” The last words came out as a scream that even had Trixie backing away in alarm.

Applejack stood before Trixie, breath coming out in huffs and her face red with rage. It was Trixie’s turn to be stunned speechless – this was not anything at all like she’d expected. Her eyes went to Luna, whose face remained expressionless. Had she really done such a horrible thing to a pony she’d once considered a lover? It didn’t seem like the Luna she was coming to know… and yet Applejack’s honest fury left little room for doubt.

One thing didn’t add up. Trixie turned to Applejack. “Trixie thought you just said you loved Luna.”

“Ah do!” Applejack’s anger faded to sadness with surprising swiftness. She lowered her head, ears tucking down as she shook with emotion. “Ah still love her, an’ Ah want her back more than anythin’. Ah know it don’ make sense. An’ you!” The sneer was back just as quickly as it had gone. “Ya come waltzin' in here at her side an’ ya expect me ta jus’ accept it? Ah’m gonna hurt ya now. Ah’ll be doin ya a favor, ‘cause if Ah don’ hurt ya then sooner or later she will!”

Trixie shot a sneer of her own, gesturing to Applejack’s burnt hoof. “Trixie observes that you are already seriously injured. The fight is over!”

“Oh no,” Applejack countered with a shake of her head, “we’re not finished jus’ yet. Bring it out!”

Trixie heard something approaching from the darkness of the orchard. She turned to face whatever weapon the Apple Family had planned for her and gasped.

It was her wagon.

“My baby!” She ran to it, shoving ponies out of her way in her excitement. She pressed up against it as if it were the most precious thing in the world. “How? How did you get it?”

Somepony tripped her hind legs. She landed on her stomach beside one of the wagon’s wheels. Before she could even try to recover, she felt something sharp poking her back and keeping her in place. She glanced up and felt her blood run cold; it was that country hick she’d sold the wagon to in the first place! What was his name, Turnip Truck? The sharp something was a pitchfork, which he looked more than ready to use.

Applejack approached, limping on three legs but smiling darkly. “Distant cousin. Fourth er fifth, there’s so many of us it gets a bit jumbled sometimes.” She stopped just before Trixie’s face as a number of ponies formed a circle, many of them carrying torches to light the night. “Somepony tipped us off about this here wagon an’ how special it was ta ya. How lucky that ya went an’ sold it ta family!”

Trixie attempted to raise herself up, but the pitchfork kept her from moving. “What are you going to do?”

“Nothin’,” Applejack replied, “if ya agree right now ta surrender an’ leave Luna. Fer good!”

Trixie let out a frustrated shout. “Trixie isn’t even trying to court her!”

“Tha’s beside the point. Are ya gonna surrender er not?”

“Trixie does not surrender!”

The two shared a scowl, then Applejack’s eyes flared. “Are ya not hearin’ me? Look at what that royal witch did ta me an’ my family! She’s gonna use ya an’ crush ya. It’s what she does, it’s what she’s always done! Yer gonna keep resistin'? Fer her?”

Trixie’s eyes shifted to Luna, who was watching her with an intense focus. She thought on everything she’d been told. For just a moment she wondered if it was all true.

Then she realized that it was a moot point. Trixie turned her eyes back to Applejack with a feeling of determination. “Trixie was never in it for Luna. Trixie is in this for Trixie!”

Applejack’s jaw set. An eye twitched. She scowled down at the captive Trixie for several long seconds, considering this answer. Then she turned and walked to one of the ponies, taking the stallion’s torch in her mouth. She came back, eyes locked on the wagon.

Realization hit Trixie like a sledgehammer to the gut. “W-wait, what are you doing?” She squirmed, but the pitchfork pressed down on her back, just barely stabbing into her skin. Fear gripped her as she squirmed. “Stop! You have no idea how important it is!”

Applejack cast a dark look Trixie's way, smiled around the wood in her mouth... and tossed the torch inside the wagon.

“No!”

The other ponies began tossing their torches, ignoring Trixie’s shouts. She wanted to get up but didn’t dare move. She screamed and wept as her precious wagon went up in flames. She was so close she could feel the burning heat, so that even as she buried her head in the hooves she couldn’t escape the terrible reality of what she was losing.

Nopony spoke. There was a long, terrible period where the only sound was the crackling of flames and Trixie’s sobbing.

Applejack turned away. “Tha’s it, then. It’s over.”

Fury erupted within Trixie, completely replacing her misery. She looked up at Applejack and let out a vicious snarl. “No, Trixie has only just started!” Her horn glowed as she raised both hooves to slam them into the ground. It was the earthquake spell, made much stronger thanks to her rage. The entire orchard shook and the ponies all stumbled at the sudden motion of the Earth. Trixie’s guard shifted and slipped. It was all she needed; she shoved him off and cast her wind spell, pushing the wagon. It rolled away, Applejack leaping to avoid being run over.

Applejack raised her head form the dirt to glare venom at Trixie. “Why the buck won’ ya give up?”

“AJ!”

“The barn!”

“What?” Applejack sat up and turned, eyes going wide upon seeing what the others already had; the wagon – flames and all – was rolling right to the open barn. She let out a horrified shout and leapt to her hooves. “Somepony stop that wagon!”

Applejack started to run, but before she could take two steps Trixie’s magical rope appeared and caught her legs. She fell on her face with a cry and squirmed as Trixie dragged her back. Nopony came to help her, for they were too busy rushing to save the barn. With tears on her cheeks, Trixie walked forward and set a hoof to the back of Applejack’s head, not bothering to be gentle.

Applejack screamed. “Let me go! Please, not my barn! My family will be ruined!”

Trixie watched as the wagon rolled through the open doors of the barn and crashed into a wall, flames licking the hay and wood. Her horn glowed and the doors slammed shut. The ponies beat on it furiously. They screamed and cried and pried at the wood to no avail.

Trixie let out a vicious snarl. “You burn Trixie's wagon, Trixie burns your barn!”

Applejack’s face was wet with tears. “P-please! Those idiots wasted all our bits on parties an’ wine! We can’t afford ta build another barn! Don’ do this!”

Trixie was seething, but she was also seeing the terror in the Apple ponies. She watched them for several seconds, noting the intensifying smoke coming out of the barn’s gable windows. She thought about her pain, the terrible emptiness that blanketed her mind. Finally she knelt down to hiss in Applejack’s ear. “You surrender?”

“Yes! Ah’ll do anythin', jus’ don’ burn my barn!”

Trixie raised her head to concentrate and the doors flung open. Ponies poured into the building to fight the blaze. She stepped off of Applejack’s head and glared down at her, heart pounding in her chest. “This could have gone very differently, but Trixie will not stoop to your level.” The rope around Applejack’s legs faded away. “Remember what Trixie has done and do not dare tempt her to do this again.”

Applejack stood, her stance low and ears tucked. Cheeks moist with fresh tears and breathing heavy, she gave Trixie a wide-eyed look of both fear and amazement. Her lips moved without sound. After a few seconds she turned and limped as fast as she could to the barn.

Trixie sat and watched as the ponies fought the blazing wagon and tried to keep its flames from consuming the barn. She was victorious, but she felt numb. Unheeded tears fell down her cheeks as she stared at her once-glorious wagon. When an axle snapped and the whole thing collapsed, she had the terrible feeling that a knife was twisting in her heart.

Amethyst appeared at her side, but Trixie didn’t look to her. “So. You won.”

Trixie didn’t answer.

Luna also arrived next to her. “A hard victory. I am sorry about your wagon.”

Bitterness fueled Trixie’s words. “It’s not about the wagon,” she whispered. “It has nothing to do with the wagon.”

Luna looked down at her, but Trixie didn’t see the emotion on her face. “Then what is it about?”

She gazed at the flames, her old life crumbling in a miserable pile of wood and metal and dead dreams. She hardly noticed how the Apple ponies had contained the blaze and saved the barn. Only one torturous thought was going through her head:

It was all over.

She turned away from the blaze, head bowed. “You couldn’t understand. It’s gone. I… I can never go back.”

And she sobbed, her wails echoing among half-dead apple trees and rising up to a pale, quiet moon.

Author's Notes:

I had a lot of fun with this one. Coming up with a fight that would be a challenge for Trixie when Applejack had no magic was a real trick, but I think I pulled it off well enough. I sincerely hope everyone thinks this was worth the wait.

Surprisingly, I don't have much to say about this one. I guess because it was all about the fight?

For those not in the know: I did some research on hooves for another story sometime back. From what I understand the soft material of a horse's hoof (or any hoofed animal, for that matter) is a lot like a human's fingernail, and doesn't really feel pain too well. It's why blacksmiths can use metal nails to insert a horseshoe without the animal going nuts at the pain. I remembered this and it's what gave me the thought to use Trixie's horn to get AJ stuck. Pretty resourceful, huh? Well, I thought so.

UPDATE 1/29/2014: This chapter now updated with edits from Cerulean Voice!

A Dash of Complexity

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Trixie sat in the carriage, head bowed and a bitter frown on her lips. She was in a lot of pain. Her head was pounding, her legs cried out whenever she tried to move them and it felt as if there were daggers in her lungs. Yet she welcomed the hurt. It allowed her to focus her mind, to think beyond the gripping sadness and on to more pressing matters.

The carriage rocked. She glanced to see Amethyst climbing on next to her. Her friend sat and stared ahead, lips set in a tight frown and eyes hard. Trixie worked her sore jaw for a moment before speaking up.

“Trixie thought you were going to meet that stallion.”

Amethyst’s face twisted in a small battle of emotions, but ultimately a smile came to her lips. She tried to hide it with a hoof, but the amusement in her eyes betrayed her. “N-no, I think I’ll back out. After tonight I doubt he’s in the mood, especially for somepony associated with you. He really looked like he could buck, too, so thanks for raining on my parade, Trix.”

Trixie didn’t smile. She gazed forward over the pegasus drivers and into the darkness of the surrounding apple trees. “Where’s Luna?”

Amethyst glanced at her with a grin. “Healing Applejack. Better watch out, leaving those two alone together. You might lose your pretty princess.”

Trixie raised a hoof threateningly. “Trixie spent the past hour getting beaten and humiliated and just lost something very important to her. Now is not the time to tempt me.”

“Gotcha.”

Trixie stared at the hoof on her muzzle with crossed eyes. For a brief moment she thought she might lash out… but then her anger deflated and her body sagged. “What am I going to do now, Ammy?”

Amethyst’s hoof remained set on Trixie’s muzzle for a few seconds, but her smile had faded. For the first time in ages, she wore an expression of genuine concern for her friend. Slowly, she pulled her hoof away and sighed. “I don’t know, Trix. What do you want to do?”

Trixie stared at her hooves for several long seconds, trying to think of an answer. In the end she merely turned forward in the seat, questions and worries fighting for dominance in her mind.

Amethyst wrapped a hoof around Trixie’s shoulder. “Listen, I know I haven’t been the best of friends, but I want you to know something. Watching you fight tonight, seeing how you handled Applejack... I was wowed. You really are something else, Trix. When this whole thing started I thought you wouldn’t last past the first fight. Hell, I didn’t think there’d be a first fight.”

“Thanks for the confidence.” Trixie's attempt at sarcasm was ruined by the misery in her voice.

Amethyst ignored the comment. “But ya know what really impressed me? When you let Applejack go. You let her family save that barn. You spared them all, Trix. I don’t think I’d have been able to do that. I was humbled, and I think she felt the same way.”

Trixie wished she could say that her friend’s words made her feel better. She would have lied if she could. Instead she just felt empty. She leaned forward to rest her chin on the front of the carriage, a despondent sigh slipping through her lips.

Amethyst was silent for several seconds, but finally muttered a grumpy, “Well, I tried.”

Minutes passed in silence. Trixie wished they could leave already; her mind was running through so many sad thoughts that she just wanted to sleep and forget. That wouldn’t happen for a while, though, as she was growing more and more accustomed to Luna’s nocturnal habits. Still, if she could just talk to Luna about everything, figure it all out...

As if the thought were a summons, Luna appeared from the darkness. Trixie watched her, a sense of contempt growing from within. Luna wore a sad frown, her eyes faded in thought, but they cleared as she approached the carriage. Trixie moved aside to the center of the vehicle, letting the princess in next to her. At Luna’s command the drivers lifted off, bringing them high into the starry night sky.

Luna studied Trixie, who returned her attention with a scowl. The princess reached a hoof up to lift Trixie’s chin and examined her face. “Here,” she whispered, lowering her head so their horns touched.

Trixie was tempted to jerk away, but before she could act on the impulse she felt that familiar warming sensation. It eased her mental tension even as the pain in her body began to lessen. She smiled and worked her shoulders; she just felt so incredibly good at that moment. As if she could do anything.

The touch ended, taking with it the pleasurable heat. Trixie’s mood gradually deteriorated at its loss and she gazed up at Luna with sad eyes. “Thanks…”

Luna nodded serenely before turning to face forward, eyes lost in thought once more.

Trixie wanted to talk, to ask the questions that were swirling around her head. Yet somehow she felt the topic was meant to be private, and Amethyst was still there. So she sat back and tried to quiet her mind. She cast her eyes up to the heavens, where thousands of stars twinkled brightly.

It abruptly dawned upon her just how beautiful the night sky was. She’d never been able to see it at this height. The view was nothing short of spectacular. Her eyes traced some of the constellations, bouncing from star to star. How much nicer the starry sky was compared to the harsh sunlight. She abruptly wished she were on a grassy hill, snug under her old blanket and gazing in the lull before sleep.

The thought almost returned her to tears.

Trixie had spent much of the trip in a dull haze, having to be jostled into awareness by Amethyst once they’d landed in the Canterlot gardens. Amethyst remained in the carriage at first while Luna and Trixie stepped out, but the princess gestured for her to follow. “I had Nye arrange a suite for you in the castle’s Nocturnal Wing,” she explained. “Since you seem interested in following your friend’s progress, I see no reason to deny you the opportunity to watch.”

“Alright!”

Amethyst blinked, blushed and coughed self-consciously. “I mean, thank you, princess. I appreciate the thought.” Luna smiled at her enthusiasm. “I think I’ll go check my digs... er, suite out right now. I’m not used to staying up this late, anyway.”

Trixie watched her friend leave, noting how she was trying not to sprint. She’d have smiled if there weren’t important thoughts swimming through her mind once again.

She noted that Luna was starting to leave. “Princess, wait.”

Luna paused, her head turning to Trixie. There was clear worry in her eyes, but Trixie only felt anger. “You promised Trixie that you’d tell her things after the second fight. She has questions.”

Luna glanced away, her eyes closing as she sucked in a deep breath. “Yes… I did promise that.” She turned to face Trixie properly, though there was hesitancy in her eyes. “You may ask, but let me remind you that there are still certain things I will not explain.”

Trixie pursed her lips at that, but decided there was nothing for it but to ask. “What Applejack said about your relationship with her. How much of that was true?”

Luna paused, but her eyes remained locked with Trixie’s. “All of it.”

A direct answer wasn’t at all what Trixie had expected. Her hackles rose as she wondered about the potential consequences. “Why would you ruin a pony’s life in such a manner? Is that the kind of treatment Trixie can expect?”

Luna’s head drooped and her ears flattened. She averted her eyes to think on her answer. Finally she sat in the grass and gestured for Trixie to do the same. “Perhaps I should tell you about my relationship with Applejack.”

Trixie scrutinized Luna, but finally sat. “Trixie would appreciate that.”

Luna closed her eyes and paused to collect her thoughts. “I met Applejack two months after leaving Rarity. I had rescued her sister from a rather serious nightmare and she wanted to thank me personally. I… admit to having had an attraction to her.” She bowed her head. “After the posh and perfectionist manner of Rarity, Applejack seemed a refreshing change of pace. But four months later her grandmother died – I subsequently ended the relationship.”

Trixie waited for the story to continue, but Luna remained silent. “Wait, is that it?”

Luna nodded. “There’s nothing else to tell.”

“Do not lie to Trixie!” She jumped to her hooves and posed in challenge to Luna’s words. “Why did you break up with her? Why weren’t you there? Why did you give her land to those unicorns?”

Luna sighed and turned her head away. “Trixie, there was a time when I was… well, not a very good princess. I’m not proud of what I was, and I would do anything to change it. Many ponies were hurt because of my manner.”

Trixie scowled. “What about Rarity? Did you ruin things for her, too?”

Luna couldn’t meet her eye. “Rarity offered me everything she possibly could, and even some things she couldn’t. I took it all and gave her nothing in return.”

Trixie gaped. “Why are these ponies even fighting for you?”

Now Luna did meet her eye. The sorrow reflected in her expression caught Trixie off guard. “Because they have no choice. They are caught in a vortex of emotions, Trixie – and should you handle this situation incorrectly, you will be just as they are.”

Trixie turned away from the princess. “No wonder they consider Nightmare Moon evil. Trixie wants nothing more to do with this!”

“No.” Luna’s voice became firm. “I told you before; once you begin there is no going back. Even if you leave Canterlot, the remaining four ponies will seek you out.”

“Trixie does not care!” She shot the Princess a hateful scowl. “They can chase after me and I’ll fight, but Trixie refuses to do it for your sake.”

“That might even be for the better,” Luna admitted, “though I strongly urge you to remain at the castle. You can complete the fights properly and not have to be chased.”

“Assuming I even survive the fights.”

“I am sorry, but I did try to warn you.”

Trixie rubbed her head with both hooves. “Yes, Trixie supposes you did.” She turned back to Luna, her mind a torrent of emotions. Despair for what she’d lost; anger at Luna for her horrid history; annoyance at herself for getting caught up in all of it in the first place. “Trixie will stay, but she is not fighting for you.”

Luna nodded. “So be it. I know you must think me a terrible pony, but please understand that I never wanted you to get hurt.”

Trixie sat back to cross her legs and study the princess, brow furrowed. “Trixie wishes she could believe you.”

Luna flinched. She considered Trixie for a moment, opened her mouth to speak… then raised her head as if noticing a change in the air. Her eyes focused on something over Trixie’s shoulder, but when Trixie turned to take a look she saw nothing. “What are you—”

“I think you need to go for a walk,” Luna declared. “It will be good for you, perhaps clear your head.”

Trixie glowered. “Trixie would rather just go to her room.”

“No, Trixie.” Luna came forward to set both hooves on her shoulders. Her eyes locked with Trixie’s, full of some intense and unfathomable meaning. “You really should go for a walk in the garden. Visit the Statue of the Unknown Princess. It’s one of the more serene places in the area.”

Then she turned away and made for the castle. “I have work to do. I will see you tomorrow evening, if I can.”

“Wha—? Wait! Trixie has more questions!”

Luna didn’t stop. “You’ll have your answers, if you are patient. Trust me.”

She reared back to shout, “Trixie does not!” No matter; Luna was gone.

Trixie glared after her for several seconds. She was so aggravated, and the feeling was getting worse with every passing minute! Everywhere she turned there were secrets. Why would nopony be upfront about anything anymore?

She strongly considered ignoring Luna’s blatant hint and heading for her room in the castle. She was in no mood for any more games, especially after the hell she’d already been through this night. For a tender second she thought of her wagon, now just a pile of cinders being swept out as trash. Her chest went tight at the image… but she shook off the moment of weakness. It was gone along with her old life. She had to move forward. It was all she could do: keep moving and pray there would be a light at the end of this twisting, curving tunnel.

With a frustrated groan she turned and made her way deeper into the gardens. She had no idea where the Statue of the Unknown Princess was, but at the moment she didn’t care. As long as she was walking. As long as it felt as though she was doing something. Otherwise she’d mope, and she would not do that.

The gardens were surprisingly large. Surprisingly empty too. Weren’t there supposed to be animals here? The flora was beautiful, but she seemed to recall stories that the Royal Garden was also a veritable petting zoo. Why was it so quiet? What happened to the birds, the creatures? Yet the silence was comforting. After the noise and laughter of Sweet Apple Acres, peace and quiet was a welcome change of pace.

Perhaps Luna was right. Maybe she did need a good walk in the garden to clear her head.

She found the statue near a small pond. After hearing Nye talk about it, she was a little disappointed. It was carved entirely of marble and featured an alicorn princess staring to the North. At first the statue was very impressive… until Trixie caught sight of the face. Turned out there was no face – it had broken off. Judging by the wear on the stone, it had been like that for a very long time. It was almost creepy, the way the head ended just before the ears.

Trixie sat and stared up at the statue for a long time. Everypony knew the story of the princess who had appeared to help defeat Discord, only to disappear shortly after. No name, no existing descriptions. Not even a cutie mark. Seeing her with no face struck Trixie as rather insulting to a pony who’d done so much so quickly.

“Interesting sight, isn’t it?”

Trixie let out a yelp and nearly fell in her rushed turn. Standing right next to her was a mottled-brown unicorn with a black mane, wearing a black vest to match. He stared up at the statue’s face with solemn rosewood eyes, seeming not to notice Trixie’s wild reaction.

She recovered and struck a confident pose. “Where did you come from?”

He glanced at her with a superior, indifferent expression on his face. “Around. I’m always around.”

She raised an eyebrow, uncomfortable with both his answer and his manner. “Who are you?”

“Fine Crime.” After a couple seconds he glanced at her as if expecting some sort of response. When she failed to give one he asked, “You don’t know me, do you?”

“Why would Trixie know you?” But she realized that she’d seen him before even as the words left her mouth – he’d been talking to Celestia just before the fight with Rarity.

He turned to her, a slight smile on his lips. “Your friend Amethyst knew of me. Scared to death of me, too.”

“Pardon Trixie if she hurt your ego,” she countered with a dark undertone.

At that his smile became a mocking smirk. “I would think you know all about having an ego.”

Trixie’s eyes flared and her lips pulled back to show her teeth. “Trixie does not have an ego!”

“A speech impediment, then.”

She let out a brutal snarl and lunged forward, thrusting her horn so it was just barely touching his throat. “Tonight is the wrong night to piss me off!”

His smirk dropped instantly, though clearly not from fear. He stared at her with cold, judging eyes that hardly acknowledged her horn at his neck. “And to think, when first I saw you I thought you were a nopony. I was surprised when you beat Rarity, but this latest victory impresses me.”

She didn’t know why he knew so much, but she didn’t like it. She kept her horn leveled and glowing as she repeated, “Who are you?”

He maintained his dark gaze for several long seconds before answering. “I am Fine Crime, the Mane Archon. Celestia’s dark hoof.”

The glow of Trixie’s horn fizzled out with a tiny poof as her blood ran cold. She didn’t know his name, but she knew his job title. She stepped back from him, eyes darting about the gardens for dangers… but they were alone. Or at least she thought they were alone. “W-what do you want from Trixie?”

“Nothing, as far as you know.” He turned to look up at the statue’s broken face once more. “Just out for a casual stroll.”

She didn’t believe a word of it. The leader of the Dark Archons, right before her eyes! Either he was here to kill or… or what else? “T-Trixie has been through a l-lot tonight.” She had to fight to keep her voice as steady as possible. “She’s prepared to deal with you!”

He didn’t look at her, only kept his eyes on the statue. “Believe me, Trixie Lulamoon, I know exactly what you’ve been through tonight. Rest assured that I am not here to hurt you. I just wanted to say a few words.”

“Well you’ve said them,” she declared, adding in a hopeful voice, “so you’ll be on your way now, right?”

He seemed to grow a little tense. “It’s not that simple. Nothing ever is. I find myself in a terrible situation, but I believe you might provide a solution.”

She didn’t want anything to do with it! But she didn’t dare bolt. She wasn’t sure she’d make it out of the gardens alive if she did. “I d-don’t think I could help.”

He ignored her. “The Archons serve Celestia; I am bound by honor and magic, and can tell her no lies. And yet my personal loyalties lie only with Luna, with whom I have grown very close. So you see, I must find a way to properly divide my activities between them and push both agendas.”

Trixie stared at him for a moment, but he never looked her way. “Why are you telling this to Trixie?”

“To give you a little insight,” he replied, “and to make it clear that Luna has more allies than just that chubby caretaker next door to you.”

She hesitated, but thought she understood his meaning. “So… an ally of Luna is an ally of Trixie?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t call myself your ally.” His cryptic nature was really starting to get under her coat. “I’m just drawing the battle lines.”

She scratched her head. “Then you mean there is a political rivalry between the princesses?”

“They merely have agendas. Those agendas don’t always coincide with one another.” She wished he would stop staring at the damn statue! “My incredibly challenging task is to find a way to meet both agendas at once. To be frank, I’m not sure it’s possible.”

She sat and tried to think. She felt like there was a lot of information being given to her right now, but his strange delivery method made it impossible to decipher! “Well… what… are you wanting Trixie to do?”

At last he turned to her, a slight smile on his lips. “I wouldn’t dare ask Trixie to do anything.”

She let out a frustrated shout, throwing her hooves in the air. “Why won’t anypony speak to Trixie plainly? Is it too much to ask for a little directness?”

He raised an eyebrow and gestured to himself. “Excuse me. Archons. Espionage organization. We don’t do direct.”

“Well somepony needs to!” She rubbed her face with both hooves. “Trixie is sick and tired of having to figure things out.”

“I can’t help you there,” he told her, voice apologetic. “I’m literally incapable of telling you the things you’d like me to.” He studied her face. “There is one piece of information I can give you, direct and clear as a whistle: your third opponent will arrive the morning after tomorrow.”

Trixie blinked, caught off guard by this information. “Really? You mean he’s coming here?”

He nodded. “It takes time to get here, but Luna’s third fling is on the way to Canterlot right now. You will need to be ready.”

She considered this for a few seconds. Be ready how? “I don’t suppose you can give Trixie anymore information on this opponent?”

He set a hoof to her chest for emphasis. “Only this: make sure you know who you are fighting for. It’s the only way to really win.”

She glowered and knocked his hoof away. “Thanks, that’s really going to help Trixie.”

His expression became stern. “Don’t dismiss this. Even if you win the fight, it will be for nothing if you aren’t certain of yourself and what you are fighting for. Get it right, Trixie.”

She scowled. “Trixie will remember your words, for what good they probably won’t do her.”

At that he smiled, his expression becoming soft. “Don’t be so negative. You should relax, enjoy the scenery.” He nodded to the statue. “Take a look at this masterpiece, for instance. Truly it is a beauty.”

Trixie facehoofed. “Now you wish to discuss aesthetics with Trixie? She’s going to bed.”

“No, really.” He stepped past her. “Check her hooves. The rest of the statue is okay, but her hooves are marvelous! Go ahead, take a close look.”

She watched him as he cast a charming grin her way, then glanced at the statue. The hooves? What was so interesting about hooves?

She tried to look back at him, but was startled to find herself alone. How had he disappeared so quickly? She turned a full circle, but she was now the only pony in the vicinity. It made her feel nervous, and she was tempted to leave the garden immediately.

But she resisted that urge. For some reason she didn’t understand, she decided to follow Fine Crime’s advice. Maybe she was just being paranoid, but after all the cryptic messages Fine had left to her she couldn’t help thinking that the hooves line was meant to hint at something.

Feeling rather foolish, she inspected the hooves of the statue. Just as expected, they weren’t anything special to look at. Just stone in the shape of—

He eyes locked on something just barely peering from a crack under one of the hooves. It was hard to believe her hunch had been right, but she had to investigate; she used her magic to gently pull the object out. It was a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it and stared at the page for a few seconds.

Numbers on a table. Strange symbols? What appeared to be a mark of approval from some figure, probably the captain of the guard or somepony similar. What was this? She sat and studied it for a few more seconds, trying to grasp what it all meant. Something involving the Canterlot Spell Library…

A schedule. She gaped in amazement as the understanding finally hit her. She was holding the guard schedule for the wing that held the Spell Library. When shifts rotated, at what points the number of guards would be relaxed, patrol routes – everything she might need to sneak in!

Short of the key. She gazed in the direction that Fine had left. If he hadn’t left her one... did that mean he knew she already had a key of her own? But how could he have known? And why was he giving her this? He was giving it to her, wasn’t he? Surely the paper hadn’t just slipped into such a secure, hidden spot all on its own. Why not give it to her directly?

Then she remembered that Twilight had said Celestia wouldn’t want her in the library. Assuming that Twilight really had visited her and it hadn’t been a dream. Then there was Luna, who’d insisted she come to the statue.

So Fine was giving her the schedule at Luna’s behest, and against Celestia’s wishes. But didn’t he work for Celestia? And he’d said that he couldn’t possibly lie to the princess… so he’d hidden the schedule and never said anything about it. Just so that if she asked him he could honestly deny it?

What a convoluted arrangement. It suddenly dawned upon Trixie just how difficult Fine’s situation was. But more than that, it made her realize how complicated her own problems might be. If the mere act of giving her a piece of paper required such scheming, did that mean there were elaborate political wheels turning around her and her battles? Did somepony have something to gain from her actions?

She let out a groan and rubbed her head; this was giving her a migraine.

Why couldn’t anything be simple anymore?

Author's Notes:

There's nothing I love more than wheels within wheels.

I wanted Fine to have a slightly more significant role than I'd originally planned. He's still little more than a background character, but I have something planned for him and needed to have him show up a few times. That way when I do get to the intended scene it's not out of left field.

Am I hinting at intense complexities in the background plot? Maybe, maybe not. I think it's become pretty clear by now that this isn't just a story about Trixie getting into fights. On the other hand, the level of complexity might not be all that deep, and Fine's little scheme could be just a bit of bait to lure people into thinking more than they need to. Is there intense complexity, or isn't there?

Yeah, I love being devious, too.

UPDATE 2/1/2014: This chapter edited by Cerulean Voice!

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Armed with the schedule, Trixie found getting into the library incredibly easy. Knowing when to make her move was as simple as hiding in a corner and watching the patrols for half an hour. She’d dreaded the moment of trying the key, but it worked like a charm. Best of all, nopony could enter the library – legally – without making an appointment, and the schedule made it clear there were no appointments at all for that evening.

So there she stood in the middle of a towering library at least four stories tall, every inch of shelving space filled with scrolls and books. Trixie felt like a foal who’d just opened the best birthday present in the world! She turned a slow circle with a giddy smile. So much magical knowledge in a single location – much of it forbidden from the public!

The only things missing were magical artifacts and talismans, which were stored in an entirely different location. No matter, she could learn these new spells at her leisure. She wished she’d had more time; with a few months of study, she could become one of the most powerful ponies in Equestrian history! Alas, her time in Canterlot was limited, so she’d have to learn as much as she could for now.

But where to start? Her eyes roamed the sections. Elementals? Materialization? Transformation? Teleportation? Illusion? So many options, so little time!

The Conjuration spells caught her eye. She made her way to that set of shelves, studying the different scrolls and books for anything that might be interesting. Many of them were written in strange languages she didn’t know. She picked one legible book out at random and began to flip through the pages. Her eyes widened at the instructions and explanations and algorithms. This thing was a level of complexity she’d never imagined, all for a single spell!

She returned the book, suddenly very conscious of the fact she’d not had any formal education with magic. As a self-taught unicorn, how was she supposed to grasp such intricate material in the time she had? Schooled mages spent months learning moderate-level spells, and there was nothing 'moderate' about what she'd just seen.

She went through a few more books and scrolls. Many were of the complex variety that was simply beyond her comprehension, but she was glad to see that some weren’t so difficult. She roamed different sections of the library, gathering some of the simpler spells for consideration. It wasn’t until she reached the Teleportation section that a particular spell caught her attention.

Teleportation had many forms, this she knew from observation and personal study. She even had a spell of her own, which had been useful for wowing an audience with sudden stage appearances. But it was a novice-level spell: very short distances, high energy and requiring a strong understanding of the spot she was going to. This, on the other hoof, could let her clear entire towns with minimal effort!

More importantly, she’d seen Twilight Sparkle do it. Repeatedly. It was one of her signature spells, and Trixie had always longed to try it herself. It just seemed so… practical.

She brought the book to a table in a corner, carefully reading every page. It was more advanced than she was used to, but not as hard as she’d feared. It took nearly fifteen minutes to read through the entire spell guide, after which she decided to try teleporting across the library. She stood next to a bookshelf and focused her attention on the opposite wall.

She concentrated for some time, trying to recall everything the book had told her. Her horn glimmered as she struggled. That glimmer intensified into a bright glow. She could feel the magic running through her body and fought to keep it under control. She closed her eyes and focused, her horn beginning to spark wildly and smoke.

But nothing happened. Finally at her limit, Trixie let the magic fade and dropped to her haunches. She gasped for air and cast a forlorn, cross-eyed look at her horn. “Not a good start for Trixie.”

She didn’t stop trying. A dozen times she struggled with the spell and a dozen times she failed. By the time she’d given up her horn was stinging and she had a headache from overdosing on magic. Feeling like a failure, she sighed and closed the book, returning it to its place.

Trixie considered herself a talented mage, but she was a horrible study. She’d flunked out of school early because she just couldn’t grasp what the textbooks and instructors were telling her. Others might be able to cast the same magic, but they learned by observation, education and study. Trixie had developed every spell she’d ever known on her own.

She had the opportunity to examine magic in a spells library, and it was proving worthless!

Trixie sat at the table for a long time, quietly studying the key Twilight had given her. Her expression soured as she rubbed her aching head. What was she supposed to do now? Finish the fights on her own? But that was how she handled everything.

She refused to let this get her down! She had a veritable treasure trove of spellbooks at her hooves; even if she couldn’t learn from study, perhaps she could gain at least an inkling of their use. Maybe – if she studied and absorbed enough information – she could figure out the practical uses on her own at a later time. It was a long shot, but it was better than letting the opportunity go to waste.

So Trixie spent all of that evening and some of the night reading upon on every spell she could in the time she had. Teleportation, Conjuration, Elementals, she even found a spell for manipulating time! The evening lingered, but still she read on, determined to absorb as much as she could in the short time allotted.

Midnight came and went, and still she read.

The Nocturnal Wing was as dark as its namesake. Trixie trudged through the long hall towards her room, head pounding uncomfortably. She’d tried several spells that night and succeeded in not a single one. She was tired, her eyes hurt from too much reading, and all in all she was bitterly disappointed. She just wanted one thing: to get to her bed and sleep. Tomorrow morning her third opponent would arrive, and she at least wanted to be awake enough to deal with the situation.

Nye appeared just as she was approaching her door, coming out of Luna’s room with a pile of sheets on his back. Trixie observed him, mildly surprised. “You wash her sheets, too?”

The stallion offered a proud smile. “I’m her attendant! I do anything the princess needs.”

Trixie glanced about the empty hall. “But Trixie would expect that to be a job for the maids.”

“There are no maids in the Nocturnal Wing,” he replied as if this were an obvious and simple thing.

Trixie blinked, then glanced at the door to her own room. “Does this mean you also clean and care for Trixie’s room?”

“Yep.”

She blushed. “Trixie supposes she should thank you, then. She had no idea.”

“No need to thank me for doing my job.”

She watched him head down the hall, a curious thought coming to her mind. After a few seconds she hurried to catch up. “Can Trixie ask you a question?”

He shot her a charming smile. “Sure thing.”

She hesitated, hoping she was not entering uncomfortable territory. “You seem very… loyal to the princess. Trixie was wondering what she did to make you like her so.”

He turned his head to study her, expression curious. She was glad to see that he didn’t appear at all offended. “I guess there’s no reason not to share.” He turned to a door, which Trixie kindly opened for him with magic despite the sting it gave her overworked horn. “Thanks.”

The room was large and filled with wash basins, a large set of hangers standing on a balcony nearby. He dropped the sheets near one of the basins and prepared to pour water into it from a nearby fountain. “I don’t suppose you’ve heard of the Stone Family?”

“Trixie cannot say that she has,” she admitted, examining her surroundings.

He shot a sharp glance her way. “Really? All the buildings? With the Stone logo on them?”

“Oh.” Trixie blushed. “That Stone family.”

He nodded and began to work some knobs on the fountain’s side. “My father was Stickin Stone, master architect and engineer. Of course we lived in Manehattan, where it’s actually possible for Earth ponies to achieve some status.”

“You must have been very proud.”

“I was. I’m not an engineer; I was the family oddball who got cobbling. Can you believe it? Even so, I was proud of my lineage. But the Stone Family… well, it’s gone. I’m sure you read the news.”

Trixie blushed once more and scuffed the floor. “Trixie doesn’t really pay attention to the news.”

Steam began to rise from the fountain, and Nye carefully set the wash basin under the stream of water. “My father made an off comment about royalty. It wasn’t much, I don’t even remember what he said. Just some tiny criticism. Next thing I know, he’s getting arrested for mocking the government or some such.”

Trixie gaped. “You mean Princess Luna had your father arrested for a mere comment?”

Nye pulled the washbasin away, water sloshing around inside, before hitting her with a critical look. “No, not Luna. And before you ask, it wasn’t Celestia either. It was some idiot in the local Manehattan government who did the arresting; he somehow thought that my father’s negative criticism would have consequences for him and the entire city.”

“That’s ridiculous! Trixie cannot imagine either of the princesses being so upset over something so small.” Nye shrugged in response. “Then what happened to your father?”

Nye focused on his work. “Executed two days later. Mom too.”

Her jaw dropped. “You… You say that as if it were nothing!”

He poured some soap into the washbasin, still not looking at her. “It happened years ago. There’s nothing to be done about it. I moved on. Had to.” His words were blunt, but Trixie detected the small hint of sadness in his tone.

She bowed her head, suddenly wishing she’d never asked. But the story was begun, and she wanted to hear all of it. “Trixie is not sure she wants to know, but what happened next?”

Nye had set the sheets into the washbasin and appeared to be letting them soak. “There was still the question of what to do with me and my brother. We were still in school, but they locked us up too. The guy who did the arresting wanted us killed like our parents, but there was some outcry from his conspirators. I think they were going to throw us out on the streets. That would have been terrible, too; our family name was mud by that point, our futures set for unemployment and homelessness. Probably would have ended up dead in an alley.

“Then Luna showed up,” he declared with a grin. “She’d heard what was happening and came to investigate. I remember the first time I saw her. I was locked in a grungy cell. Suddenly there she was, standing in the open door. Most beautiful sight I’d ever seen.”

Trixie studied his beaming face. His eyes were faded, as if he were seeing the image all over again. “She rescued you.”

He nodded. “She dealt with the Manehattan official – to this day she won’t tell me exactly what happened – and then took me and my brother to Canterlot. We couldn’t go back to our old lives, and Earth ponies have no place in Canterlot society. Since my brother had the advantage of being an engineer like our old stallion, Luna convinced Celestia to send him to the Gates of Tartarus.”

Trixie’s eyes went wide. “You mean he’s the Gatekeeper? But Trixie thought that was Twilight Sparkle’s job.”

“It is. Jim’s the maintenance engineer. High pay, picks his own hours, keeps the gates in proper condition. You could call him Twilight’s assistant.

“As for me,” he continued, his voice quieting, “there was no way a mere cobbler was going to get ahead in life, not under my circumstances. Not in Canterlot. I’d have ended up in the slums, addicted to Poison Joke extract or something similar.”

He gave her a soft smile. “So you see, Trixie, Luna’s… well, she’s kinda like my mother now. She saved me from a life of poverty and misery, put a roof over my head, gave me something to do with my life. Whatever she does in the meantime – even the bad parts – I’m willing to put up with, because I owe her. I owe her everything.”

Trixie sat, her mind in turmoil. She stared at the churning water in the basin as he began to clean the sheets, feeling lost and confused. “That does not sound at all like the princess Trixie is coming to know.”

“I’m aware.” His attention was once again focused on his work.

She tilted her head at him. “Do you know why she does such terrible things?”

“Yes.”

She peered. “But you won’t tell Trixie.”

He shook his head. “Luna said she wouldn’t tell you anything until – if – you won the third fight. Sorry, but I have to keep my mouth shut.”

She took a moment to rub her still-aching head. “Trixie supposes she can understand your position. She just wishes everypony would stop with the secrets.”

“Then you’re in the wrong town. Canterlot practically breathes secrets. Have you met Fine yet?” He added the last line as if in afterthought.

Trixie’s ears perked up at the name. “You mean Fine Crime? We… talked.”

Nye hunched over the washbasin with a dark frown. “Consider yourself lucky. Most ponies he talks to end up dead before sunrise. When it comes to plotting and secrets, he’s a master.”

She studied Nye for a few thoughtful seconds. “Are you friends?”

He nearly dropped the sheets, his eyes going wide. “Are you kidding? Me? Friends with him?”

She leaned back at his outburst. “Trixie apologizes, she just thought you might be. He told Trixie he is loyal to Luna, and—”

“There’s no telling where Fine’s loyalty lies,” Nye interrupted with a sneer. “He claims to be Luna’s friend and goes out of his way to spend time with her, but he also swore an oath to Celestia! He’ll do anything she tells him, no matter what, because he’s magically bound to her.”

Trixie was surprised by his manner. “Are you suggesting that is a bad thing?” His mouth closed with an audible click of teeth. “Don’t stop now! Is there some conflict between Luna and Celestia behind the scenes?”

“I think I’ve said enough,” he grumbled. “Look, it’s a lot more complex than that. Besides, I don’t think it’s my place to talk about it.”

She scowled at him. “Wait until after the fight tomorrow, is Trixie correct?” He didn’t answer, instead focusing intently on the sheets in his hooves. She rubbed her head once more and turned away. “Trixie is going to bed. Enjoy your washing.”

She was almost at the door when he spoke up. “Trixie.” She glanced back to find him watching her with a frown. “I’m sorry if I seem a little defensive. Just remember, Luna isn’t enjoying this any more than you are.”

“Trixie will try to keep that in mind,” she growled before exiting the room.

A long yawn passed through her lips as she made for her bedroom. Nye’s story drifted through her head, and she tried to reconcile it with what she’d learned about Rarity and Applejack. How could somepony so cruel do something so generous? It made no sense at all. The princess had said that she’d once been a bad pony, but had changed recently. Yet Trixie was under the impression that Nye had been around for years.

So she’d once been a good pony? Did she become a bad pony, then become good again? Was that even possible?.

Goddess, did her head hurt.

She didn’t bother using magic, instead shoving the door open with her head and closing it behind her with a kick of her hind leg. She made straight for the bed, head hung low and mind rampant with questions.

“I wondered how long you’d keep me waiting.”

Trixie froze, her head jerking up at the familiar, sultry voice. There, lying on her bed in a leisurely pose, was Nightmare Moon.

Trixie’s eyes went wide. Momentarily wondering if she’d entered the wrong room, she looked around and recognized her surroundings. Yes, this was most certainly hers. She took a cautious step back. “W-what are you doing in Trixie’s room?”

The princess stretched with a disturbing moan, her back arching and her rump high in the air, before resting her chin on her crossed legs and smiling sweetly. “Waiting for you, of course.”

Panic crept upon Trixie. She fought to offer up a smile. “Well, Trixie is here. W-was there something you wanted from her?”

Nightmare climbed off the bed slowly, her eyes filled with wicked intent. “Don’t be so coy, Trixie. You are the one coming after me, remember?”

Now Trixie’s panic hit her full force. She took a few more steps back, heart leaping into her throat. “T-Trixie told you she’s not here to court you!”

The princess laughed and struck a proud pose. “Come now, enough with the games! We both know that there’s only one reason you’d be fighting for me.”

“L-Luna—”

“Don’t call me that!” Trixie flinched at the princess’s menacing glare. “I am Nightmare Moon and you will address me as such!”

“Fine!” Trixie waved her hooves as if to ward off a blow. “But Trixie is not here for that!”

Nightmare paused. A sultry, heavy-lidded gaze replaced her scowl as she approached Trixie. She began to circle the distraught unicorn at a slow pace, eyes roaming Trixie's body. “Are you certain? I thought you might like a little reward. After all you did win two fights, which we didn’t expect.”

Trixie fought to ignore the velvety touch of that starry tail as it caressed her cheek. “D-do you come on to all ch-challengers so strongly?”

The princess leaned in close, lifting Trixie’s chin with a hoof so that she could look her in the eye. Their faces were so close their muzzles almost touched, seduction filling Nightmare's eyes.

“Only the ones that catch our eye.”

Trixie practically threw herself out of the dark pony’s grasp. She pressed her back against the wall, gasping as she clutched her tightened chest. “P-princess, please! Trixie is not that kind of mare!”

Nightmare’s eyebrows rose as she studied Trixie, chin in hoof. “Really? That’s too bad; I thought you’d be particularly good in bed.”

Trixie could only sputter in response, her face burning.

The alicorn approached, that wickedly playful smile on her lips once more. “I suppose I can spare you this night,” she cooed as her mane petted Trixie’s cheek. “I was hoping to try you out, but perhaps I am being too forward. Perhaps you’d prefer Luna’s attention?”

She studied the stunned Trixie for several seconds, licking her lips in a hungry manner. “So why are you here, if not to bed the alluring Princess of the Night?”

Still pressed tightly against the wall and wishing she could bury herself within it to escape, Trixie fought for an answer. Her mind was so confused, and those beautiful eyes so eager… “I… I-I don’t know…”

Nightmare pursed her lips, emulating a kiss, then slowly rubbed her long, glowing horn up Trixie’s. It was a gentle, seductive touch that brought a chill to Trixie’s spine and stole the air from her lungs. “Figure it out soon,” she whispered, voice laced with honey.

The princess turned away and walked to the open window, playfully swaying her flanks. She glanced back over her shoulder with a smug smile. “I’ll let you go for tonight, but don’t make me wait too long, Trixie.” Her wings opened wide and she was gone.

Trixie stared at the window for several seconds with bated breath, dreading the thought that the alicorn might come back. At last she pried herself from the wall, dropping to her knees and letting out a shaky sigh. She breathed in short puffs as sweat dripped down her cheek.

She’d never imagined the princess would be so… so forward! She reached up to gently touch her horn. The memory of the caress took her breath away, her tail tucking instinctively between her legs.

The curtains swirled in the wind. Trixie leapt to her hooves in fright – or eagerness? – but she was alone.

Terror dominated her mind. What if Nightmare came back? Why did she feel like such an encounter was dangerous? What if this time she returned in the guise of Luna?

Very suddenly Trixie had no desire to sleep alone. She crept to her door and carefully pushed it open. A swift glance both ways down the hall revealed it to be blessedly empty. She moved slowly through the darkness to a nearby door and pushed it open as quietly as she could.

“Ammy?” She peered around the dark room, noting the familiar interior. She closed the door and slipped over to the bed, where she found her friend sleeping soundlessly. She shoved her gently. “Come on, Ammy, wake up.”

“Hmmwhasis?” Amethyst raised her head slightly, barely able to open her eyes. “That you, Trix...?”

Trixie dropped to her haunches, set her hooves to the side of the bed and gave Amethyst her most hopeful stare. “Let me sleep with you tonight. Please.”

Amethyst rubbed her eyes with an unpleasant frown, shifting so she was facing Trixie. “…not fillies anymore…”

“Please...” Trixie glanced at the window with her heart in her throat. “Trixie’s scared.”

“Of what?”

Trixie turned her anxious eyes to the door. “Nightmare Moon came after Trixie tonight.”

Amethyst emitted a long, sleepy sigh and snuggled up to her pillow. “Pissed her off already...?”

“She wasn’t after Trixie in that way.”

A small, amused smile came to Amethyst’s lips. “Wha’she do, try an’ screw ya?”

Trixie could only blush, the words stuck in her throat. Amethyst’s eyes flitted open, going wide at Trixie’s flushed face. “Wait, really?”

Trixie clapped her hooves together. “Please, Ammy! I don’t wanna be alone.”

Amethyst’s hoof came forward to press against Trixie’s muzzle. “You mean to tell me a princess tried to seduce you and you said no?” Amethyst was all smiles. “Forget sleeping together, I wanna trade rooms!”

Trixie shook her friend forcefully, terror governing her actions. “This isn’t funny, Ammy. You have to help me!”

Amethyst laid back down, shooting her friend a critical look. “Trix, you’ve got problems. How do you say no to that, seriously?”

“Ammy!”

“Alright, alright.” Amethyst pulled the sheets over her head. “But you get the couch.”

Trixie glanced at the couch, which was uncomfortably close to the window. She took a closer look at the bed, which was most certainly large enough for two – maybe even three – to sleep in comfortably. She wanted to argue… but after a few seconds decided to count her blessings. “Thanks, Ammy.”

“Yeah, sure.” Amethyst’s muffled voice rose up from under the covers. “Just let me sleep, huh?”

Trixie crept to the couch, warily eyeing the window as she lay down. She used her cape for a blanket, and for a moment was comforted by its familiar scent and soft feel. But the image of the princess gazing seductively down on her was seared on the back of her eyelids, and she kept having to sit up to check the windows.

She couldn’t be sure if she was feeling fear… or anticipation.

Third Battle! Trixie vs. Rainbow Dash!

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Upon waking from an unexpectedly good night’s sleep, Trixie had decided to try her hoof at some of the spells. She had devoted a few hours to two in particular that she felt would be useful.

Wasted hours. Not once had she cast either spell.

She’d come to realize that she was far too distracted about the coming battle. No matter what she did, she kept thinking on it. What would happen if she lost? What if she won? Who would she fight? Was there some dark, unhappy history attached to her next opponent, just like the others? In the end Trixie came to accept that she was unable to focus on much of anything except the fight, so she might as well go and wait for her next opponent.

So now Trixie stood in the shade of a wall within the castle’s courtyard entrance, eyes on the gate. She’d sat there for an entire hour, just waiting. Despite the elapsed time and lack of action, Trixie was far from bored. Her mind kept going over possibilities, spells, things she’d come to learn. More than once her mind wandered to Nightmare Moon, which always resulted in a blush and hurried attempt to think of something else.

Trixie spent a lot of time watching the passing elite ponies, wondering which of them might be her next opponent. She hardly noticed when Amethyst came out of the castle. She spotted Trixie and trotted up to her with a grin. “Hey there, lover girl. Have any saucy dreams last night? Do share.”

“Not funny, Ammy.” Trixie blushed, ignoring her friend's resultant giggle.

“Ooh, going all timid.” Amethyst added an extra chuckle and a nudge on the shoulder. “Come on, Luna visited you in your dreams, didn’t she?”

Trixie shot Amethyst a wide-eyed look, heart jumping to her throat. “Trixie did not even consider that she might try!”

“You mean she didn’t?” Her friend drooped. “How boring. I was looking forward to hearing a Great and Raunchy tale from the mouth of the Great and Lustful Trixie.”

Trixie covered Amethyst’s mouth with both hooves, looking frantically around the courtyard as her face burned. “Would you keep it down? Trixie has standards and would rather you not soil her good name.”

Amethyst pried the hooves from her lips and grinned. “Standards have no place in a situation where a princess is offering you a bedtime buck. Come on, Trix, she has to be good in bed. She’s not just a princess, she’s the Princess of the Night! If that doesn’t suggest bed skills, I don’t know what does.”

Her friend’s teasing was generating some unwholesome imagery in Trixie’s head. “Would you please stop talking about it? Trixie is not easy like you.”

“I’m not easy,” Amethyst corrected haughtily, then playfully added, “I have standards just like any mare: the mate’s gotta be hot, insinuate skill and not be looking for attachments.”

Trixie sat and facehoofed. “You’re hopeless.”

Amethyst raised an eyebrow and poked her in the chest. “No, you’re no fun. Stallions don’t like mares who don’t put out, y’know.”

“Trixie was never looking for a stallion.” Trixie swiftly raised a hoof as her friend’s eyes lit up. “Or a mare! Some ponies want something more fulfilling in their lives.”

Amethyst knocked Trixie’s hoof away. “You’re just jealous ’cause all the ponies – stallions and mares – want a piece of this.” She turned and shook her flank in Trixie’s face, her tail tickling the former showmare’s muzzle as it swung about. “You, on the other hoof, haven’t had a coltfriend since… have you ever?”

Trixie tried to ignore the thorn in her chest, glowering at Amethyst before jerking her head away. “Trixie could have a special somepony if she wanted. Trixie is simply married to her career.”

“What career?”

That hurt. Trixie slumped, not bothering to correct her old friend. After all, she was right; Trixie’s career was in ruins just like her wagon. She could never go back to that happy time of entertaining ponies, no matter how much she might wish to. Sometimes she wondered if she wasn’t involving herself in these fights just to give herself something to do other than face reality.

“Ah, there you are.” Trixie's face flushed once more at the sound of that voice. She turned to find Princess Luna landing in the grass a few feet away, her face solemn as she approached. “I wished to ensure you were outdoors. We will need to change locations soon.”

Trixie opened her mouth to reply, failing miserably as thoughts of the princess in her bed took center stage in her mind. A few sputters were all she could manage.

Luna brushed her sparkling mane away from her face and tilted her head. “Are you alright?”

The princess’ eyes were filled with concern. For an instant Trixie couldn’t help but find them very… pretty. The thought only made her blush more and lower her face. “I… I-I’m f-fine…”

“Gotcha!”

Trixie caught Amethyst’s leg in both hooves and shoved it aside forcefully, giving her friend a menacing glare. “Would you stop that?”

Amethyst grinned from ear to ear. “Nope.”

A fleeting smile graced Luna's face, although she held her serious expression. “Your next opponent shall arrive at any moment. Though she’s come a long way from the East Coast, I assure you she will want to begin immediately. We should relocate somewhere outside Canterlot.”

“Really?” Amethyst asked. “Why?”

Luna glanced at her, almost as if she were an afterthought, then turned her gaze to Trixie. “Her attacks are powerful, but more importantly, she is unconcerned with collateral damage. I would prefer the fight take place in a locale with minimal chance for civilian casualties.”

That made Trixie pause. She was about to fight somepony so threatening they wanted to move the fight elsewhere just to protect the city and its citizens? What kind of pony was she dealing with? Alarm pierced through her mind as Trixie struggled to recall all the spells she’d studied in the library the night before. Surely one of them might help her… if she could pull one off, which she knew was unlikely.

“I’m just glad the fight’s going down today,” Amethyst noted seriously.

Trixie glanced her way. “Why?”

Her friend winced before answering, her tone distracted. “I’ve gotta head down into the slums tomorrow. On business.”

“To the slums?” Luna peered at her. “Are you certain that is wise? Unicorns tend not to be welcome down there.”

Trixie had some doubts of her own. “And you would never do business with a pony who might not be able to pay.”

Now it was Amethyst’s turn to deliver an angry look. “It’s a private matter, alright? Drop it.”

“I could have some guards accompany you,” Luna ventured. “For your safety.”

Amethyst raised a critical eyebrow. “That’s… kind of you, princess, really. Having a few hunky stallions at my beck and call is an appealing image, but no thanks. It really is a private matter. I can handle myself down there, trust me.”

Trixie eyed her friend, wondering what kind of private business she might have in the slums of Canterlot. This was her hometown; family business, perhaps? She wanted to say more, but she recalled how defensive Amethyst was on the matter and knew better than to try. Still, perhaps if she could follow—

Her thoughts were interrupted by nearby voices ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘aah-ing’ at something. The trio glanced around and saw that everypony in the vicinity was gazing up in awe, so they followed suit.

A rainbow could be seem zooming through the sky. The streak possessed incredible speed and seemed to be gathering clouds.

An unusual sound – a moan of desire mixed with a cry of excitement – reached Trixie' ears. She blinked and glanced at Amethyst, surprised to see her friend staring up with wide eyes, a loose jaw and a big smile. “Ammy?”

“That’s… That’s…” Amethyst aimed her silly grin at Trixie, then turned to nudge Luna. At the princess’ glance she pointed at the rainbow. “I-is that who Trixie’s fighting?”

Luna frowned and looked up at the sky once more. “Yes, I’m afraid we didn’t get out in time.”

Amethyst made another eager moan, seeming almost intoxicated with pleasure. She jerked about and wrapped Trixie in a big hug, eyes like saucers. “Trix, if you’re my friend, if you care for me at all, you’ve got to hold off until I can get an autograph. Or… Or introduce us… Or something!”

“Trixie has no idea what you’re talking about.” Trixie tried and failed to push her friend away as she looked up once more. The rainbow was now flying in ever-tightening circles, creating a thick ceiling of clouds that grew darker with each swift revolution. “What is she doing?”

“Making a storm, it would seem,” Luna answered with a sigh. “The Canterlot weather team will not be pleased.”

“Who cares?” Amethyst turned to sit and stare up at the rainbow with hooves to her cheeks and eyes aglow. “Ooh Goddess, do you know how long I’ve dreamed of meeting her? I mean seriously, visions of that pony have given me more org—”

“Shut up, Ammy,” Trixie hissed with a blush.

Amethyst didn’t seem to hear her. She turned to Luna once more, falling on her belly and grasping at the princess’ legs. “You! You dated her or she wouldn’t be here. What’s she like, is she good in bed? Is she as awesome as they say?”

Luna shook her off with a scowl. “You can ask her, yourself: here she comes.”

The thunderhead completed, the rainbow came at them in a sharp dive. Amethyst let out a squeal of delight as the pegasus finally entered their view. She was a light blue color, and Trixie was curious to find that her mane bore a splash of colors not unlike her rainbow wake. She hit the ground on four hooves so hard that grass and dirt flew up wildly. She stood tall in the middle of the courtyard, proud and wearing a confident smirk.

Amethyst – eyes shining and face red – let out a erotic moan. “I want to have her adopted babies!”

“Fillies and gentlecolts,” the pegasus shouted with bravado, “Rainbow Dash has arrived!” She cast a wry, playful grin at the nearest pony and winked. “I’ll be doing autographs later.”

Trixie gaped as things finally clicked. This was her next opponent?! Rainbow Dash, Equestria’s greatest stunt pony? Who didn’t know of her? Although she found Amethyst’s fanfillying completely ridiculous, she still couldn’t believe she’d been set up to duel a national celebrity!

“Luna!” Rainbow rubbed her chest with an air of confidence, maintaining her arrogant attitude even while deftly avoiding Luna's glower. “I hear you’ve got some trash problems. You know, I’ve been thinking: after I deal with your pest I might be interested in taking you back.”

Luna raised a critical eyebrow, not appearing at all amused by this pretentious offer. “Still the same Rainbow, I see.”

Rainbow reared back and spread her legs wide in a gesture of welcome. She paced a small circle, waving and nodding to the group of elite ponies rapidly gathering to witness the moment. “Would my fans have me any other way? It pays to be extreme!”

Trixie couldn’t help staring; a long, deep scar – running from Rainbow's upper left chest to her right hind leg – proved impossible to ignore. Her fur covered some of it, but there was no hiding the terrible mark.

“She is sooo cool,” Amethyst whispered in a shaky voice, earning her an annoyed look from Trixie.

“So,” Rainbow asked as she completed the circle and dropped back to four hooves, “who’s this Trixie I’ve heard so little about?”

Trixie hesitated and glanced at Luna, but the princess did not meet her gaze. She swallowed the lump in her throat and took a step forward. “That w—”

Pow!

Trixie found herself on her side against the castle’s stone wall, chest aching horribly from the sudden blow. She looked up to see Rainbow eyeing her smugly from where she’d just been standing. “Well? What are ya gonna do?”

An unexpected tug on her mane drew Rainbow's attention. She shifted sideways as if expecting an attack, but all she found was Amethyst’s huge, sparkling eyes.

“B-big fan,” Amethyst stammered.

Rainbow gave her a self-satisfied smile. “Of course you are. I’m awesome.” She patted Amethyst’s head playfully – the fan swooned on the spot – before approaching Trixie with an ominous grin. “Come on, isn’t this supposed to be a fight?”

“Hold on,” Trixie shouted, jumping to her hooves. “Trixie wants—”

Trixie saw only a split-second blur as Rainbow slammed her back against the wall. “No rules!” She pulled a hoof back in preparation to strike.

Trixie had no time to think, just do, so she was as surprised as Rainbow looked when she instinctively cast a familiar spell and engulfed them both in smoke. The magic came instantly, surprising pegasus and unicorn alike as she disappeared and teleported near-instantly to a spot just beside the unconscious Amethyst. Glad she’d mastered that little trick ages ago for her show, Trixie let out a relieved sigh and turned to face her clearly aggressive opponent.

The smoke cleared – Rainbow was gone.

“Not a bad trick,” Rainbow announced. Trixie looked up, startled to find the pegasus hovering a few feet overhead. Her opponent waved a dismissive hoof with a calm, conceited smile. “For an amateur.”

Before Trixie could respond, Rainbow dove down and lifted her from behind with a leg under each shoulder. Trixie let out a shout as she was carried into the sky so quickly her stomach churned! Wind whipped her face as the two of them hit Rainbow’s thunderhead, reducing Trixie’s vision to pale grays.

Then Rainbow let go.

“H-hey!” Trixie jerked about in mid-air, body still rising in the moist atmosphere. “Wait! Trixie can’t fly!” Rainbow was nowhere to be seen. Terror filled her with the realization that the fight could be over already.

Just as her momentum began to ebb, a rainbow blur flashed by, disappearing into the clouds as quickly as it appeared. It was accompanied by a powerful blow that made Trixie twist wildly.

“You can’t fly,” Rainbow shouted, appearing once again and whacking Trixie from another angle.

“You can’t fight!” Another hit.

“No experience!” Whack.

“No style!” Smack.

“That just leaves magic!” Rainbow caught Trixie by a back hoof, swinging her in a circle and sending her flying blindly through the air.

“So let’s see it,” she pressed, appearing from another angle to toss Trixie by a front hoof. “Show me why you deserve to be with Luna!”

Trixie felt like a rag doll. Her entire body ached and by now she had no sense of spatial orientation, but she was by no means beat. She’d been paying attention, and she was focusing.

Although Rainbow had an erratic attack pattern, her rate of attack was regular and easy to read. She took a hit and prepared her timing, abruptly releasing a spell she was had recently grown accustomed to. Just as Rainbow emerged from the clouds to strike again, multiple bolts of lightning seared through the air around Trixie.

Rainbow didn’t have time to respond. She gave an agonized scream, dropping as an errant bolt struck her between the wings.

Firing so many bolts at once had been tricky. Trixie had sacrificed power for quantity; Rainbow would recover, and quickly. Mind working frantically, she conjured up another old and trusted spell – her magical rope – and swiftly used it to lasso the stunned, smoking pegasus. She tied it about herself as well, securing the two of them together.

Rainbow finally recovered, their moment of free-fall coming to a sharp stop as she straightened and tried to hover. Trixie fell a half-dozen feet lower before the rope tightened, making her opponent gasp in surprise and struggled to stay aloft.

Rainbow shook her head as if to clear it and tugged at the golden rope around her waist. “Okay, I’ll admit that was clever,” she said. “You wanna go for a ride?”

“A ride?” Trixie shoved her billowing cape from her face to give Rainbow a glare. “Trixie just wants down!”

Rainbow shrugged. “Same thing.” She was off, rocketing through the clouds and dragging a frightened Trixie along with her!

“W-whoa, slow down!” Trixie held onto the rope with both hooves, moisture and wind pressing against her face. Rainbow’s brilliant wake flowed just above her head, as if to lead the way. Within an instant they were out of the clouds. Trixie let out a horrified cry as she remembered just how high they really were.

She quickly recognized where they were headed, and braced herself as Rainbow barely missed one of Canterlot Castle’s pearly towers. Trixie zoomed past – shoulder grazing the stone – and breathed a sigh of relief… until Rainbow turned a wide circle and made for the tower again. “Don’t worry,” the pegasus called back with a grin, “I’m sure the impact will snap the rope and separate us!”

This time Rainbow flew a tight curve by the tower, clearly trying to get the angle just right. Gritting her teeth and bracing for impact, Trixie worked her magic one more time. She focused on the wind, pushing herself out of the way by a hair's breadth. “Trixie would much rather stay attached to you!”

“What?” Rainbow called back. “You wanted down, didn’t ya?” She looked over her shoulder and smirked. “So let me put you down!” She began to rocket into the sky yet again.

Trixie held on for dear life. “Trixie does not think this qualifies as a downward angle!”

Rainbow came to an abrupt stop, hovering in position and crossing her hooves. Trixie flew past her, getting another perfect look at that terrible scar. Rainbow smirked and said, “Yeah, yeah, hold your horseshoes. I’m working on it.” As Trixie floated up, Rainbow dove. She dove fast.

The ground rushed to meet them them as Trixie immediately realized what her opponent was planning. Knowing that in a matter of seconds she was going to be a blue smear on the pavement, she tried to find a solution. Her eyes searched frantically… and then she saw where Rainbow was aiming: the Royal Gardens.

Trixie focused, preparing her wind magic once more. She had to time this just right. If only her heart wasn’t beating a mile a minute! Rainbow was going to stop just before hitting land, so she had to do it right whe—

Now!

The rope disappeared with a snap, separating the two ponies. Rainbow, abruptly free of the extra weight, let out a surprised shout as she surged forward with unexpected speed. She had no time to recover and smashed right into the soil in an eruption of grass and dirt.

Trixie used her magic to generate as furious and fast a wind as she could manage, pushing herself sideways to the one place she knew she could land without serious harm: the Garden’s pool. She fought to position herself as straight as possible, but she was no diver. To her joyous relief she managed it, body stinging as she smashed into the water. She dropped several feet, slowing down swiftly but still striking her back painfully on the bottom.

She ignored the sting and swam up as swiftly as her legs could manage, taking a deep breath of air when she surfaced. For a few seconds she floated in the cool waters and allowed herself some time to calm down. She couldn’t believe she’d pulled that off!

“Well,” a familiar voice noted, “this is unexpected.”

Trixie blinked and sought out the source. She was surprised to see Princess Celestia watching her with a bemused expression from a nearby marble table. A trio of high-browed unicorns served their princess tea and salad.

Trixie blushed, pushing her wet mane from her face. “Umm… Trixie is sorry?”

“That’s quite alright,” Celestia assured her with a pleasant smile before taking a sip of tea.

“Dang, did that hurt!” Trixie turned around to see a wide earthen crater in the soil some fifteen feet away from the pond’s edge. A blue leg popped up, then another, and Rainbow slowly crawled out. She was caked in black dirt. Her colorful mane had gone wild and was partially covering her eyes, giving her the look of a worn out, dirty dog.

But then her head rose and her eyes locked on Trixie. The anger within those red irises made one thing clear: this fight was not even close to over. “You. Come here!”

Trixie wanted to swim to safety, but there was no time. With dirt erupting in her wake, Rainbow blasted forward and snatched Trixie from the pond and into the air. Trixie just barely had time to register Celestia’s amused smile before she was flying above the trees of the Garden.

She glared up at Rainbow. “Now what?”

“Let’s see you get out of this!” Rainbow abruptly stopped and released, sending Trixie sailing horizontally beyond the Gardens and over the city of Canterlot.

Trixie let out a horrified cry, knowing there were no safe landings this time, not unless she could slow down! Thinking quickly, she untied her cape from her shoulders. Folding the cape was hard in the wind, especially with the horrid knowledge that if she messed this up she’d not get a second chance. “Come on… come on…” The streets were looking awfully close…

“Got it!” The cape was folded down into a tiny square, and when she pulled it on opposite corners it billowed out to ten times its original size! One of her first tricks, and it didn’t even require any real magic. She held the corners above her head and the cape instantly billowed up and filled with air. The makeshift parachute did its job, slowing her descent to something a lot less lethal.

Trixie congratulated herself on a resourceful recovery, using her wind magic to steer herself towards the top of a particularly tall building. She knew Rainbow would be coming for her very soon, so as she floated she carefully wondered what to do against her. She couldn’t match Rainbow’s speed, and she could only fall so many times before she ran out of ways to save herself. She needed a solution, fast!

Her mind went through all the spells she was familiar with, struggling to pick one that might defeat this powerful opponent. Nothing came to mind, though, and she was running out of time. What could Rainbow possibly be weak against? Trixie was getting worried. She turned her focus to the spells she’d found in the library. She couldn’t cast them, but maybe in this time of need…

She landed atop the steepled roof, relieved to finally have her hooves back on something solid. She took a moment to refold her cape, and then thrust it sideways with a flourish; it billowed out to its regular size once more. She started to put it back on—

—and it was snatched out of her hooves, Rainbow blurring by at close range. Trixie nearly fell from the jerk. When she heard the ripping she let out a horrified shout. She spun in place and gaped in wide-eyed horror as Rainbow finished tearing the fabric to pieces. “There, that solves that,” the pegasus claimed with a grin, clapping her hooves as if to remove dust.

“Th… Th-that was the last thing I had,” Trixie whispered, watching the shreds of blue cloth flutter away in the wind. “It was important to me…”

“Not my problem,” Rainbow declared with a smirk and a shrug.

When she made that motion her scar became clear once again, and Trixie found herself focusing on it. She was the rainbow bolt, and the rainbow bolt was…loyalty. She didn’t know why it seemed so important all of a sudden, but Rainbow Dash was supposed to be loyalty.

“What?” Rainbow glanced down at her belly and the scar. “You looking at this?”

Trixie’s anger over the cape had already faded. She slowly raised a hoof to point at the mark on Rainbow, her mind piecing things together. “You…were betrayed.”

Rainbow’s eyes went wide, but quickly grew dark. “T-this has nothing to do with the fight!” She charged for Trixie, who dove to her belly just in time to avoid a blow.

Rainbow flashed overhead, and Trixie immediately turned to face her. “What did Luna do to you?!”

Her opponent came to an abrupt stop, hovering over the streets of Canterlot. For several seconds she said nothing, but finally she turned her head to glare through her unkempt mane. “Why should I tell you anything?”

“Because Trixie knows she’ll try to do something to me,” Trixie declared.

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow asked, turning to face her properly. “That doesn’t tell me why I should—”

“You wanted to help Luna once, didn’t you?!” Trixie demanded angrily. “You were once a loyal pony. What changed?”

Rainbow’s eyes flared. For a time she could only sputter meaninglessly. “L-loyal? Y-you think… Yeah, I was loyal! Loyal and dumb!” She flew forward and landed on the roof with a bang. “You wanna know how I got the scar, why I broke up with Luna?! Fine! You remember the Wonderbolts?”

Trixie hid her confusion. “Everypony knows of the Wonderbolts.”

“Not like me,” Rainbow declared with a sneer. “Me and my best friend, we were their biggest fans! We lived, breathed and ate Wonderbolts! When we were invited to join the Academy it was literally a dream come true!

“And then I met her.” She thrust a hoof towards the castle, where they could just see Princess Luna flying her way to them. “In my dreams. She found me, and she made me happy. She encouraged me, she helped me, she filled me to bursting – and I loved her for it! You probably know what that feels like, don’t ya?”

Trixie was taken aback by that. For just a second she tried to think about what Luna had given her – if anything – but before she could seriously consider it Rainbow went on. “Don’t get used to it. She’s building you up just to tear you down!”

Rainbow began to pace the rooftop, head low and eyes glazed over. Her lips were pulled back in a frightening sneer. “She started ignoring me. She stopped showing up. Suddenly I wasn’t worth it anymore. But I knew, I just knew that if I became a Wonderbolt she’d accept me again! The training and selection has always been brutal, but I was determined to make it. For her! I was so naïve.

“And then the tournament came,” Rainbow sat, shaking with emotion and tears in her eyes. “Whoever won first place became a Wonderbolt, automatically. It was like Hearth’s Warming Eve; I knew I could win! I could skip all the training and brutality and go straight to being a hero, and Luna would welcome me with open wings. I just forgot one tiny tidbit; my best friend wanted it, too!”

Rainbow turned to Trixie and reared back, tracing the scar along her belly. “Championship fight, winner takes all. My best friend, the pony I grew up with, who trained with me and dreamed with me, did this!” She dropped to her hooves and closed her eyes with a grin. “But I still won. I took her knife and I rammed it down her throat! I killed her, won the tournament, and then I was a Wonderbolt!” She reared back and opened her wings wide, legs raised as if to accept some great reward…

Then she slowly dropped back down, head bowed. When she went on her voice was quiet. “Two days later, the Wonderbolts were disbanded. It was all a big game, a joke put on for her amusement. You hearing me? I killed Lightning Dust for a joke!”

Rainbow raised her head, but the menace and hatred in her eyes was not aimed at Trixie. They were aimed beyond her, at the princess who had just landed on the other side of the building. “Luna played with me, fed on my desire for glory, for my need to be appreciated. And when it came down to choosing my loyalty to my friend or my dreams, I chose my dreams. No, Trixie, I wasn’t betrayed. I did the betraying!

“And you!” Rainbow leapt into the air, her attention suddenly upon a very calm Luna. “Where were you?! I killed the best friend I ever had, and I did it for you! You never showed up, you didn’t even attend the fight. Do you have any idea how crushed I was when I realized what I'd done? When you disbanded the Wonderbolts? Do you even care?!”

Luna shifted anxiously, a mask of deep regret on her face. “Rainbow… I—”

“Shut up!!!” Rainbow darted for the princess, tears in her eyes and a furious scream coming from her throat.

Trixie saw the attack and reacted, instantly and without thought. Her horn flashed its soft blue, her body became lighter than air and her entire form was encased in light. Almost immediately she was in front of Luna. She barely had an instant to register what happened when Rainbow struck, sending them both toppling over the side of the building.

Trixie gasped through her pain, realizing two things at once: first, that she’d just used the teleportation spell she’d been trying to learn all through the night, and second, that she was falling to her doom.

No, not to her doom; dark feathers obscured her vision. She glanced up at Luna in surprise, but the princess’ attention was focused upon Rainbow, who had rapidly recovered and was circling the skies. “This is about to get out of hoof very quickly,” she noted solemnly as she set Trixie down on the cobblestone street.

Rainbow dove, pausing to hover over them both. “You!” she screamed at Trixie. “Why did you get in my way?! She deserves what she’s gonna get! Were you not listening?!”

But Trixie shot Rainbow a scowl in return. “Oh yes, Trixie was listening. You betrayed your best friend, and you betrayed yourself!”

The response turned Rainbow’s fury to confusion. “Myself? What—”

“You killed your friend, and that’s horrible,” Trixie acknowledged. “Trixie agrees with you, what Luna did was deplorable. But look at you now. What are you, Rainbow? Nothing but an angry pony who feigns bravado to hide her guilt!”

Rainbow’s rage returned. “Feigns? I’m the most awesome pony in Equestria! I have an army of fans!”

“And you feed on their adulation because it’s the only thing keeping you going!” Trixie shook her head angrily. “When you killed your friend you killed yourself. You lost what made you you: your loyalty and your confidence. You’re pathetic, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow hovered back a little at this accusation. But that wasn’t anger on her face; it was fear. “Y-you... You don’t know anything…”

“I know you,” Trixie snarled. “I know you, because I could have been just like you. I’ve lost everything that was important to me, but I am not going to wallow in what I’ve lost!” She turned to place herself directly between Rainbow and Luna, wearing a hard stare. “I’m moving on. I’m fighting for myself. I’m staying loyal to myself! I’m protecting Luna, because somehow I believe I might find something better, something real. I lost important things, but I’m searching for something new to take its place. And it won’t be something fake like your fans’ flimsy adoration!”

There was a moment of silence so tense, so powerful Trixie thought the world might shatter from it. Rainbow just hovered there, gaping at her in stunned silence.

And then she snapped.

“You think you know me?!” She flew higher, malice dripping from her voice. “You think you can cast judgment on me?! I’ll show you. I’ll pound you so hard you’ll be begging for mercy, and when I’m done I’ll do it all over again! You’re dead, you arrogant little jerk!”

She charged, smashing into Trixie so hard it sent her flying through the streets. The enraged pegasus flew high and circled for another pass…

But Trixie already had a plan. More importantly, she had a spell in mind. “Is that all you’ve got?!” She jumped to her hooves, ignoring the pain. “Is that supposed to be Wonderbolt material?!”

Rainbow struck again – faster, stronger, more furious – and Trixie crashed through an alley and into the next street. She’d missed the spell, but she would land it. She had to! Climbing to her hooves, entire body aching, she looked up to see that rainbow wake trailing into the sky. “Come on, Trixie is getting bored! Applejack hit far harder than you ever could!”

Rainbow’s furious scream echoed through the city. Ponies were gathering close, eager to watch the spectacle. Trixie focused her magic, struggling to piece things together. What she’d read, how it all worked, what it was supposed to do…

She failed again; this time she heard the bone in one of her hind legs snap. She screamed and flew through the sky, smashing hard against a pearly wall. But she wasn’t finished. She had it, she knew she had it! Trembling, she forced herself to her shaking hooves and gazed up to see Rainbow once again circling. Panting hard, she sucked in a deep breath. “Even Rarity hits harder than you! It’s no wonder Luna decided you weren’t worth her time!”

Rainbow didn’t come down. She flew higher. And higher, and higher.

Then she dove.

“Everypony out!” Luna’s horrified voice pierced the sky as she hovered over a nearby building. “If you value your lives, everypony evacuate this block immediately!”

Ponies began to scatter, screaming in panic as they all recognized what was coming. Trixie saw it too, and she stood resolute and ready. She would do this. She could do this! There was no other way to defeat this enemy. She had to get it right, and she had to get it right now.

Force inversion, aural emanations…

“Trixie, flee!” It was Luna. “Trixie!”

Kinetic energy, instant deployment. If she could just see how it all worked...

“Don’t stop me, Luna!”

Perfect timing, intense focus…

Rainbow let out a furious scream, a cone of air beginning to form around her body.

A moment of clarity and Trixie had it.

The spell formed at the same instant that Rainbow broke the barrier. A pale, near-translucent circle appeared before Trixie. Rainbow struck, the rainboom started…and imploded.

A rainbow of light and power and energy appeared and was sucked into the shield almost instantly, only to erupt in a cacophony of color and sound. The full destructive blast was reversed and sent right into Rainbow, erupting with so much force that it smashed stones in the nearby buildings and shattered bricks in the street. Rainbow Dash was propelled away like a neon rocket, crashing into the structure at the end of the road.

The shield shimmered and faded. Horn smoking and mane wild, Trixie stood tall and stared firmly at the long valley of destruction running along the street. Then – letting out an exhausted sigh – she collapsed to her knees.

That was easily the single most powerful spell she’d ever used. She’d told herself she could do it, and she’d believed it, but now that the deed was done…she couldn’t believe she’d done it. Her entire body ached and her leg felt as though it were on fire. She was drained and worn, her head throbbed and her vision was unbalanced.

But she’d won.

The sound of flapping wings drew her attention to the pony who landed before her. Head aching from the effort, she slowly looked up to see Luna. The princess was gazing down at her, eyes wide and jaw loose. It was an expression of pure and genuine awe.

“Trixie… how could you have learned to do that so quickly?”

“It’s not a… a matter of learning,” she breathed. “It’s a matter of… of need.” She struggled to climb to her hooves, but ended up falling on her side.

“Rest,” Luna whispered, that tone of wonder still laced within her words. “You’ve done enough for now.”

“R-Rainbow,” Trixie whispered. “Will… W-will she be okay?”

She blacked out before she could hear the answer.

Re-Vision

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When Trixie awoke, she was lying in her bed in the Night Wing of Canterlot Castle. Her entire body ached horribly, and she let out a miserable groan.

“Ah,” a familiar voice whispered, “finally awake.”

She glanced to her side, where Nye was lying on a small sofa nearby. He grinned at her sleepily. “Wha…” She let out a long yawn. “What are you doing in Trixie’s room?”

“Nice to see you, too,” he whispered, clearly not offended. She started to sit up, but he pressed a hoof to her chest and easily pushed her back down. “Easy, you shouldn’t move around. The magic will fix things faster if you rest.”

“Magic?”

He tapped something she hadn’t noticed before, a small onyx medallion on a necklace around her neck. “Healing aid. Should have you up and running by tomorrow evening. Luna went and healed your leg herself, but it took a lot out of her to do so.”

Trixie blinked, noting how dark it was in the room. She glanced at the windows, but the thick black curtains covered all light. He noted her gaze and said, “It’s late in the afternoon. You were out for quite a while.”

She nodded wearily and tried to relax, despite the aching. “What happened to Rainbow Dash?”

He raised an eyebrow, mild surprise in his eyes. “You’re worried about her?” She nodded. “She’s in an intensive care unit in the city. Luna healed up the worst of her wounds, so she’ll live, but her recovery’s going to take a few weeks. That was an awesome counterforce spell, by the way.”

She gave him a questioning look. “You saw?”

Nye shook his head. “Luna told me about it. She said it was the kind of magic reserved for arch-mages or royalty. ‘Clearly above anything expected from a simple showpony,’ as she put it. You’ve really got her attention, now.”

Trixie huffed unpleasantly, turning her head away. “I was never trying to get her attention.”

“Well you’ve got it, anyway,” he assured her. “And not just her’s; by this time tomorrow you’ll be a household name from here to Manehattan for besting a celebrity like Rainbow.”

There was a time when that kind of news would have excited her. A jump start to a wonderful career, she might have said. Now? She just felt empty, and lost. She finally had a reason to fight… but what if winning these battles led her somewhere she didn’t want to go?

“Oh,” Nye noted after the pause went on for too long, “got something else for ya.” He climbed from his sofa and disappeared for a few seconds. When he came back he set something large on the side of her bed. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know… but after a while she turned to take a look.

It was a gift basket loaded with roses and beauty products. Her eyes went wide when she saw the brand name on the bottles. “That must have cost a fortune. Nye, why did you get this for Trixie?”

He chuckled and set the basket back onto the floor beside her bed. “Not me. This one’s a gift from Rarity.”

Now he really had her attention; she leaned up just enough to level him with a wide-eyed stare. “Rarity? Surely you’re jesting with Trixie.”

He shrugged with a relaxed smile. “Hey, I’m just the delivery colt. Don’t really get it, either. She left this afternoon to go on some trip, but said she wanted to ‘thank you for opening her eyes,’ or some such, before going.” He bent down and picked up a hoof-full of roses. “Want some?”

Her stomach growled, so she accepted them. She took a slow bite and her eyes nearly watered at the delightful sweetness of the petals; this was a level of delectable delicacy she’d never had. “Trixie cannot believe Rarity, of all ponies would do this, not after how Trixie defeated her.” She took one of the roses and offered it to him.

“You sure?”

She nodded. “For watching after Trixie while she sleeps, though she does not understand why you’re doing so.”

He accepted it, plucking off a single petal and nibbling on it with a smile. “Just doing my job,” he told her. “Luna’s worried about you, and I’m worried about both of you.”

Trixie frowned and looked up at the ceiling, quietly munching on another flower for several seconds. After hearing Rainbow’s story, and recalling Rarity’s and Applejacks… was Luna really worried? Or was she just setting her up for a spectacular fall, like she did them? She’d determined for herself that she would carry on with these fights, that she needed to. Yet the thought that something horrible might come out of it gnawed at her. “Where is the Princess? Sleeping in her room?”

Nye studied her, face expressionless for a few seconds. “Well,” he said, “she’s sleeping.” He leaned forward and gestured with his hoof. She had to sit up some to see what he was pointing at, and he helped her up to do so.

There, on the long couch in the center of the room, was Luna, sleeping peacefully with her head tucked against her hooves and facing the bed.

Trixie could only stare for nearly a minute, until Nye gently helped her lay back down. Why was her heart fluttering in her chest just then? “Wh… what is she doing sleeping in Trixie’s room?”

“I told you,” he responded gently, “you’ve really caught her attention. She was worried, that’s all.”

So Luna was interested. Trixie couldn’t resist thinking about last night, face blushing. Was she interested in that way? How could she not be, if Nightmare Moon was then surely she was, as well. After all, they were the same pony. Very suddenly all Trixie wanted to do was hide under her covers.

“At any rate, you need to rest,” Nye instructed patiently, once more returning to his sofa. “If you and Luna are gonna head out tomorrow evening you’ll want to at least be able to walk without being in pain.”

“H-head out?” Trixie didn’t like the sound of that, clutching the sheets up to her chin anxiously.

“Mm-hmm.” He rested his head on the cushions, clearly getting ready to sleep. “She promised to tell you the truth if you won the third fight. Well, the third fight’s come and gone, and you’re still undefeated.”

She gave him a startled look. “You mean… Trixie will finally hear the truth?”

He nodded against the cushions.

At last! She stared up at the ceiling, thinking about all the secrets she’d grown so frustrated with these past few days. It would be such a phenomenal relief to have some answers. In actuality she was worried – what if she didn’t like the truth? – but her relief outweighed it.

She lifted the amulet on her chest, studying it in the darkness. The polished black stone was in the shape of a crescent moon, with three stars cut into it at its thickest point. Luna was looking after her, keeping her healed up and ready for the fights to come. Should she be encouraged? Fearful? What if her next opponent was even more dangerous than Rainbow?

Rainbow Dash. Trixie shivered beneath the sheets; she couldn’t imagine the guilt that the former Wonderbolt must have. Killing her lifelong best friend? Even if she sometimes hated her, Trixie could never imagine doing that to Amethyst. The guilt would have killed her! How could a pony so proud be driven to such a barbaric act as that? Was that really Luna’s fault? If it was, could Trixie possibly forgive the misdeed?

“Are you asleep yet?” He shifted and made a grumbling sound. “I want you to do me a favor.”

He opened one eye to look at her, clearly annoyed. “Yeah?”

She set the medallion down carefully against her chest, enjoying its cool touch. “Tomorrow evening, after Trixie and Luna leave, I’d like this delivered to Rainbow Dash in the hospital. Tell her…” She paused to consider, wondering if what she was thinking was the right thing to say. Maybe, maybe not, but she would commit to it. Perhaps it would help.

“Tell her it’s a gift, from both Trixie and Luna.”

Trixie shifted anxiously as she and Luna waited for the ride to end. They were standing on a wide platform that had been magically rigged to a shaft that rose high within the castle. Luna had been very quiet that evening, and was clearly preparing herself for something. Exactly what, Trixie couldn’t be certain. All she knew was that she didn’t feel comfortable having to stay so close to the Princess, not after their little encounter with her as Nightmare Moon.

Physically speaking, she was feeling much better by now. Her bruises and cuts had all healed completely, and her once-broken leg was now just a little sore. Mentally, on the other hoof, she was a wreck. She’d spent a day and a half just resting, with Nye there almost constantly to make certain she didn’t try to get out of bed. That was a lot of time to think, and the things she’d considered worried her.

The lift began to slow. Trixie glanced up to see they were reaching a broad opening. When they did she had to cover her eyes for a moment as the setting sun shimmered in her face, bright and red. It took several seconds for her to grow accustomed to the light, and when she finally looked around she was startled to find them standing atop the highest of Canterlot Castle’s towers. She gazed at the city below, the height making her not just a little nervous.

She took a cautious step back and looked up at Luna anxiously. “Why did you want Trixie to come here?”

Luna, who was sitting in the center calmly, gave Trixie a soothing look, though she was not smiling. “It’s all part of my explanation.” She stood and walked closer to the edge, brushing her wing against Trixie to urge her along. “Come, I want you to see this.”

Trixie obliged, though being closer to the side of the tower made her heart flitter in her chest. “S-see what?”

Luna glanced at Trixie, as if to be certain she was paying attention, before casting her gaze upon the city below. “Look, Trixie. Look at Canterlot, Equestria’s greatest city. It is beautiful, is it not?”

Trixie did as she was told, gazing down at the city below. Tall, pearly spires, broad green parks, pristine white stone roads, all bedazzling in the red shade of twilight. Even from up here, it indeed seemed like a marvelous sight. “Trixie has to admit, it’s quite the scene.”

The Princess nodded solemnly. “Yes, it is. Magnificent. A tribute to a thousand years of progress. Celestia’s shining jewel, sitting atop the solid foundation that is Equestria. This is what you are expected to see. This is what you are expected to think.”

Trixie cast her gaze around curiously. She could recognize certain landmarks, like the great memorial minaret dedicated to those lost in the changeling war, or the massive artificial lake made in the shape of an alicorn in honor of the Unknown Princess. She also spotted the lone street that had been devastated by her and Rainbow’s duel, and couldn’t help feeling guilty; it was like looking at an ink blot blatantly spilled atop a priceless painting.

She glanced up at Luna, startled to see an expression of disgust on her pretty face. The Princess spoke again with harshness in her tone. “When ponies see this, they think that everything is right in the world. ‘We are safe, we are secure. Everything in Equestria is perfectly fine.’” She bowed her head with an ominous frown. “Nothing is fine in Equestria, Trixie.”

Trixie gazed at her, not comprehending. She looked to the city, sparkling wonderfully below, then back to the Princess. “Trixie does not understand what you are trying to say.”

Luna’s eyes shifted to her, simmering anger in her manner. “Well,” she answered, “perhaps this will help.”

The flapping of wings caught Trixie’s ears, and the sound of hooves upon stone. She turned to see who might be flying up to meet them… and her jaw dropped.

Nightmare Moon stood on the other side of the tower, smirking at her with a wink.

“You! I mean… y-you?” Trixie looked between the two Luna’s in alarm, chaos filling her mind. “How can there be two of you?”

Luna turned, catching Trixie in her wing to prevent her from backing up too close to the ledge even as she glared daggers at the dark-coated doppelganger. “Nightmare.”

“Hello, Luna,” Nightmare Moon called sweetly. She gave Trixie a wicked, playful grin. “Trixie.”

“W-what’s going on?” Trixie asked, locking her hooves to the floor as Luna pushed her forward. “Am I dreaming? Y-yes, I’m dreaming!”

Nightmare chuckled. “Did I not tell you she’d freak?”

“Calm yourself, Trixie,” Luna ordered, her tone regal and harsh. “This is not a dream. Do not question your senses. Princess Luna and Nightmare Moon are not one and the same.”

“Oh…” Nightmare gained a pained expression. “Don’t say that, Luna! After a thousand years together, I think of us as almost–” She considered her word choice, then grinned playfully. “–almost lovers.”

Trixie was in a state of shock, her mind struggling to make sense of what she was seeing and hearing. “T-this… This doesn’t’ make any sense! I… I mean… Trixie demands an explanation!”

Nightmare turned her smile upon her, eyes lighting up with eagerness. “I’d be happy to offer one.”

“No.” Luna’s voice was firm and dominating. “You’ve done what I wanted. Thank you, Nightmare; you may leave, now.”

But the dark-coated alicorn took a daring step forward, head low as she locked hungry eyes with Trixie’s. “I don’t know, Luna. I thought maybe we could take this opportunity to play with her. She’s bound to enjoy being caught between the two of us! Let’s have some fun…”

Trixie blushed and took a fearful step back, not liking the look in her eyes one bit.

Luna’s horn began to glow threateningly, her eyes peering at Nightmare in an expression of barely-controlled anger. “Leave us, Nightmare. Now.”

The doppelganger raised her head, turning her smile upon the princess. “Come now, Luna, that’s no way to act. You don’t want to end up like your sister, do you?” Luna stood, wings flaring open in a threatening gesture, and Nightmare’s smile faded. “So be it, but remember: you and I will be together again sooner than you know.”

She turned away and walked to the ledge, but paused to give Trixie one last playful look. “Oh, and Trixie? You will remember to leave your windows unlocked for me… won’t you?” Black wings opened, and she was gone, flying out over the city into the growing darkness.

Luna gave a relieved sigh, folding her wings and relaxing her magic. She paused as if to collect her thoughts, then turned her head to study Trixie… who was staring up at her with wide, wild eyes.

Seconds passed into minutes as they gazed at one another, Luna calm but sad, and Trixie astounded beyond words. But then she snapped out of it, and the words poured out of her mouth. “Trixie has just seen… I mean… You’re you, but that was also you, but not you? Everypony knows there’s just one you, but now there are two yous? But if that wasn’t you, then who are you? Wait, are you you, or not you? And if that wasn’t you, and you’re not you, and both of you are you… then that… that makes…”

She dropped to her belly and clutched her head, letting out a frustrated shout. “I have no idea what I just saw!”

She lay there for a while, her mind having gone blank from a question overload. She couldn’t even think, she was so confused.

“In control, now?” Luna asked patiently, not a hint of mockery or humor in her voice.

Trixie slowly sat up, but kept her head bowed forlornly. “I… Trixie guesses so…”

“Come.” Luna walked to the center of the lift and sat. Her head turned back expectantly to her companion. After a few seconds Trixie joined her, dragging her hooves and feeling indescribably tired. Luna’s horn flashed, and the lift began to lower into the tower.

“It is time you learned what is really happening in Equestria,” Luna told her, voice comforting. “It will seem like a lot to take in, and you may not believe a word of it. I only hope that, after seeing Nightmare Moon just now, you will recognize the truth in my words.”

Trixie gazed up at her. “Trixie is not certain anything can surprise her, now.”

Luna glanced at her in a manner of mild doubt. “We shall see.”

They went silent as the lift dropped swiftly through the floors. After a while of mindless meditation Trixie said, “Please tell Trixie that you intend to explain why there are two yous.”

The Princess nodded. “Everything I will be telling you leads to that, I assure you.”

The white surface of the walls suddenly disappeared, replaced by solid rock. Trixie noted the change, but didn’t comprehend its meaning at first. Slowly it dawned upon her they were descending below Canterlot Castle itself. Where, then, were they headed?

Rock gave way to something different, something shiny and reflective. She gazed at the wall that rapidly passed them by, watching as reflections of herself and Luna shook and warped against the surface. Crystals. It was all crystal!

The lift began to slow, then came to a jerky stop. The shaft, lit by glowing crystals set in the walls, seemed to lead nowhere. Luna turned right, and Trixie followed suit. She observed the wall curiously, watching while Luna’s horn glowed faintly. There was a deep rumbling noise, and suddenly the wall rose up into the ceiling.

Trixie could only stare, dumbfounded, as Luna walked through the hidden doorway into a very different world. The Princess paused at the entrance and glanced back at her with a raised eyebrow, and Trixie hurried to catch up.

The slums of Canterlot. They were in a wide but low tunnel, metal lean-tos and poorly-built structures lining the walls. As they entered the area there was more rumbling, and Trixie glanced back to see a massive boulder dropping over the lift entrance.

Ponies were all over the place. They were almost all pegasi and Earth ponies, though she noted a lone unicorn with a chipped horn sleeping atop some newspapers under an aluminum siding he’d set against the wall. Everywhere she looked there was trash, and a foul odor hit her nose. She spotted one mare sitting back against the wall, eyes glazed over and a leg missing. Her coat was black… but the stump of her leg was bloated and green. It made Trixie shiver.

She followed behind Luna, keeping close to her and feeling frightened. Those ponies who paid any attention watched them go by, heads slowly turning to follow their passing. Some looked sad, others furious. Many just stared, blankly, as if they didn’t understand what they were seeing.

“My Goddess,” Trixie whispered. “Why are these ponies like this?”

Luna lead her through a side tunnel, their hoofsteps echoing eerily in the strangely quiet space. “They have nowhere else to go,” she answered seriously, eyes set forward and hard. “You saw Canterlot from above.” They passed through a large opening. “Now see it from below.”

Trixie gaped at the sight. They were in a cavern, massive and tall, made entirely of crystal. The walls and ceiling shimmered beautifully… in stark contrast to the squalor below. It was a veritable city of its own, but instead of high-rises there were dilapidated houses, and instead of parks there were open spaces filled with moth-eaten blankets. She could see the populace milling about from their position several feet above; they all seemed so… tired.

“Wha… What is this place…?” She knew the answer, but somehow she felt the need to hear it confirmed.

“This?” Luna sat on the hard crystal surface, gazing out at the city below them. “This is Canterlot, Trixie. This is Equestria, in all its glory. The triumph of Celestia’s rule.”

Trixie took an uncertain step forward, eyes roaming the impoverished scene. “Trixie had heard that the slums were horrid, but she never imagined…”

“You think you’ve lost something important?” Luna asked. There was no criticism in her tone, but she caught Trixie’s attention anyway. “Gaze upon them, Trixie, and consider yourself blessed. These poor souls never had anything important to lose. They cling to their feeble existence because they don’t know anything else. Hopes, dreams, happiness; those are lost concepts down here.”

Trixie’s heart ached at the sight of them. How could she have ever felt that she was suffering when this was happening? “Why does nopony help them?” she asked.

“Because nopony wants to,” Luna replied solemnly. “I’ve been to several cities since my return from exile, and they all have a place for their undesirables. Manehattan used its sewers; Las Pegasus utilized a nearby desert canyon; New Horseleans kept them in the swamps. The unicorns don’t care, and the pegasi and Earth ponies who were lucky enough to be born in proper conditions fear doing anything to anger them or the government, and so they remain silent.” She shook her head, and for the first time that day an expression of true misery came upon the Princess’ face. “They are all like this, and I can do nothing to help them.”

Trixie gazed at her, recognizing the genuine sadness in Luna. “But… you’re the Princess of the Night. You’re royalty. You are the government! Why can’t you help them?”

Luna’s sadness gradually shifted to anger, and when she spoke her voice matched her menacing expression. “Celestia.”

Trixie was only more confused. “Celestia?”

Luna turned to her, but remained sitting. When she looked at Trixie her face was firm and commanding. “I am about to tell you a story, Trixie. It will fly in the face of all you know and believe, but I promise you that every word of it is true. You will then have to make a decision: believe, or don’t. Consider it carefully, because which one you choose will have a great impact on both our futures.

“Will you hear my story?”

Trixie remained silent. She stared at the Princess, and could see her the hope and worry in her eyes. She cast her gaze upon the ugly scene below, upon the lost and doomed ponies who lives in such terrible squalor and misery. How could a story possibly fix any of this? Then again, how could a story fix anything?

Yet, as Trixie looked up at Luna once more, she realized that she did want to hear it. If only to finally understand. “Trixie will listen.”

Luna sighed, a relieved sort of weariness coming over her, and nodded. She paused for several seconds, eye staring straight ahead and glazed as if she were collecting her thoughts. At last she spoke. “I assume you are aware of the story of Discord and the Unknown Princess?”

What did that have to do with anything? “Everypony knows that story,” Trixie answered.

“Everypony thinks they do,” Luna corrected softly. “Before Discord, my sister and I were… close. We shared a dream of an Equestria filled with harmony and friendship, but before we could achieve that dream, Discord had to be defeated. And so we traveled the lands until we discovered the Elements of Harmony, and-”

“-and killed Discord,” Trixie interrupted with a roll of her eyes. “Trixie would like to know why she is being told what everypony in Equestria… already…” Luna had locked her with a harsh glare, and she timidly closed her mouth.

“What you think you know,” Luna continued, with a touch of lecture in her tone, “is that it was our intention to kill him. It was not; the Elements of Harmony were meant to turn the Lord of Chaos to stone.”

“To stone?” Trixie considered this, not really understanding.

“Stone,” Luna acknowledged. “My sister and I took death very seriously, and we still harbored hopes that Discord could be reformed someday. But,” she looked away with a pained expression, “such was not to be. The Unknown Princess appeared, and ruined everything.”

Trixie tilted her head, recalling the broken-faced statue in the Canterlot Gardens. It was so… ambiguous. She asked the question that had likely been asked by millions of ponies over the course of history. “Who was she?”

Luna shook her head. “I do not know. She appeared at the very moment my sister and I used the Elements. Somehow, in that moment she… affected the spell, in ways I cannot fathom. The Elements were corrupted, for just a moment, and their purpose skewed. What was meant to petrify instead dealt Discord a lethal blow. By the time my sister and I realized what had happened, the Princess had vanished without a trace, never to be seen again.”

Trixie scratched her head in perplexity. “But… surely something came of her? Some clue? Trixe would imagine that you at least saw her before she vanished!”

“No.” Luna shook her head once more. “I was so startled, so busy trying to correct the Elements with my sister, that neither of us managed to get a look at her. Even if we had, that was twelve-hundred years ago, and the details of that day are… faded. All I know is that she was an alicorn, and she wore a crown.”

She leveled a solemn stare at Trixie. “But what is truly important is what Discord did in response.”

Trixie blinked. “But… Trixie thought Discord was dead?”

“Not yet,” Luna corrected. “He had a few minutes of life left in him, and he used those minutes to seed the ultimate revenge. He cast a terrible curse upon Celestia and me, a spell that ruptured our minds into chaos. When the spell was completed, we each possessed two minds within the same body, one decent, the other corrupt. Such was the birth of Nightmare Moon.”

“Trixie never heard anything about that!” She tried to piece this together with what she already knew, but it was simply impossible. “What you say… why would nopony know of it? Trixie finds the concept unlikely, at best.”

“Have patience,” Luna pressed, though there was a hint of worry in her eyes. “The story is far from complete.”

Trixie pursed her lips, wishing she could steer this conversation where she wanted, but relented with a ‘go on’ gesture.

Luna waited to make sure Trixie wouldn’t speak before continuing. “As you know, what came after was the ‘Dark Times,’ an age of anarchy and warring as the ponies of Equestria fought for control in the ashes of Discord’s reign. My sister and I could not lead them out of such misery, for we were too enthralled in our own mental battles. We were struggling for control of ourselves, driven to madness by the conflict with our darker halves. Discord, in his dying moments, had achieved total chaos. I imagine he’d have been proud.”

Trixie bowed her head to consider this information. “But… but history tells that you and Princess Celestia disappeared to meditate on your sins, a self-imposed punishment for Discord’s death. It is-“

“-a lie,” Luna interrupted. “A lie concocted to enhance my sister’s image.”

Trixie tried to understand, but it was so much to take in!

Luna went on before Trixie was ready. “For two centuries my sister and I lived alone, even from one another, and struggled with our new inner demons. In the end, Celestia discovered a spell that would separate the two minds into two separate bodies. Using this, she decided to confront her corrupted half. I understand that it was a terrible battle, but I was away, lost in my own mental prison, and did not witness it. In the end Celestia sealed her dark side in stone, the same punishment intended for Discord.”

Trixie tilted her head, confused once more. “But if the corrupted version Discord made was so evil, why not destroy it? I understand you and your sister have certain views regarding capital punishment, but if something is irredeemably corrupted…”

“I would agree,” Luna declare softly, “and, with hesitation, so would my sister. But Discord did not ‘create’ our corrupted halves, Trixie.” She leaned back to press her hooves over her heart demonstrably. “They exist in every pony, within our souls. Every pony in the world, every sentient being, has good and bad elements of their mind. All Discord did was separate those elements within us, and give the darker side of our personalities a sentience of its own.

“So you see,” she continued, dropping back to her sitting position with a sad frown, “if Celestia had killed her… her twin, shall we say? To kill her, she would have been destroying a part of herself. The mind cannot function properly without both sides, Trixie. That is the entire point behind what is happening around us, throughout the past thousand years.”

Trixie glanced at the derelict city below. “What do you mean?”

Luna followed her gaze, and there was anger in her eyes. “Without her darker half, Celestia’s mind was shattered. She united Equestria, true, and through her actions the nation new a golden age. But as the decades passed, her mind steadily crumbled. New laws, new decrees. Her new decisions and plans, brought on by increasing paranoia and madness, began the crumbling decay of Equestrian society to the state it is today, and it is only going to get worse.”

Trixie stared at the Princess, horrified at what she was hearing. “You are lying. Everypony, even Trixie, knows that Celestia is the guiding hoof of Equestria. The light of all that is good and wholesome. She would never be so monstrous as you claim!”

“But she is, Trixie,” Luna whispered, not meeting her gaze. “My sister is only half a pony, and her mental state has become untenable.”

“But Trixie met Celestia,” she declared angrily. “She appeared perfectly normal to Trixie!”

“Yes,” Luna agreed darkly, “she puts on a perfect public display, does she not? Yet I assure you, for every charming smile my sister offers, she is planning something dark and unwholesome. Equestria is a cesspool of sin and corruption, perfectly orchestrated. Heaven on the surface, hell below. Class warfare, rampant poverty, mass hunger, a society in a state of chaos… and those lucky few who live on the surface, ponies like you, only have a tiny piece of the whole picture.”

Trixie simply couldn’t believe her ears. “If all this is true, why did you not stop her a thousand years ago?! Why did you not stand up to her?”

Luna shot Trixie a withering glance, rage simmering in her eyes. “Why do you think I was exiled on the moon? I saw what she was doing, what she was becoming, and I tried to reason with her. I only tried to talk to her, and the banished me!” She turned away, head bowed in shame. “I saw what was happening to her, and I chose to be kind. I offered to help her. Had I but responded with force, I may have ended it all right then and there! But instead I hesitated, for she is my sister, and now our Equestrian dream is gone.”

Luna was crying. To Trixie’s shock, the Princess was actually crying! “It is not just these ponies that suffer,” she whispered. “Every pony who has ever lived since my exile has suffered in some way or another because of Celestia’s ever-worsening rule. A millennia of misery and pain. Can you even imagine it?”

No, no she couldn’t. It was all so improbable, she couldn’t even believe it. This was the so-called ‘truth’? “This is beyond Trixie’s ability to accept,” she admitted. “You are two ponies, now. If your story is to be believed, then why are you not insane, as well? How would Trixie know if you weren’t?”

Luna sniffled, rubbed her face, and turned back to Trixie. The expression on her face was pure misery, and it made Trixie feel guilty. “Yes,” the princess said, “I suppose the story must be finished.”

She took a deep, shaky breath, wiped the tears from her cheeks, and continued. “Celestia brought me back from my exile, because she knew I could do nothing to stop her. While I was trapped and busy coming to grips with my corrupted half, she was growing in strength, both magically and politically. She even devised the legend of Nightmare Moon – a title my dark counterpart took on with delight – to further cripple my standing amongst the populace. I cannot defeat her in any arena, Trixie, and she takes monstrous pleasure in seeing my misery.

“There is but one way my sister can be defeated,” Luna declared. “The Elements of Harmony.”

Trixie took a horrified step back. “What? But they were corrupted by the Unknown Princess! You wish to kill your own sister?!”

Luna calmly shook her head. “The casting of the spell was corrupted, but not the Elements themselves. If used again, they will serve their purpose, as they were meant to, and would not kill.

“But,” she went on, “the Elements will not work for me. My mind is fragmented, Trixie, and a fragmented mind could never wield them. So I sought out ponies who might be able to align with me against Celestia, ponies who could wield the Elements in my place.” She cast a solemn, powerful look at Trixie.

Her meaning was clear. “The ponies Trixie is fighting,” she said after a moment’s hesitation. “They are the ones you chose to bear the Elements, are they not?”

“Indeed,” Luna acknowledged. “They were meant to help me bring Equestria out of this dark age, and begin its healing. But…” She bowed her head in a showing of deep remorse. “Now, they are lost to me.”

“And for good reason,” Trixie declared angrily. “Look at what you did to them! They have every right to hate you, and-“

Luna set a hoof to her lips, eyes imploring. “Nightmare Moon. During our exile, she learned how to take over my mind, often without my knowledge. She did those things, Trixie, not me. She ruined what I thought was my last chance at salvation, because her greatest delight is my torment.”

She turned away to face the city below once more. “After the last of my so-called ‘Exes,’ the wooing of whom was all performed by my corrupted half, I could no longer tolerate sharing a body with that monster. But there was only one way to free my mind: Celestia. She alone knew the spell. I begged her to split us into two forms, as she had done centuries ago… and she did.

“I am free, Trixie,” she whispered, bowing her head once more. “I could think clearly for the first time since Discord’s death… and it came to me then, with horrible clarity, that there was nothing left. I couldn’t face my sister, I could not save Equestria.”

She nearly broke into tears again, but after a few seconds she managed to regain control. “That was three months ago. I have nothing left, Trixie, nothing but my ability to visit ponies in their dreams and at least try to help them, in what little way I can. Many don’t want my help, for all they can think of is that I am Nightmare Moon, scourge of Equestria. So now I just watch, and wait for the day when Celestia decides to merge Nightmare and myself back into a single body.”

For a long time, there was complete silence between them. Trixie faced the city, her mind slowly going over the long story. It was so… unbelievable. It did make a certain crazy sense, especially when set together with what she’d heard from Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. And yet… divided minds?

She had seen Nightmare and Luna together, so at the very least she knew that part to be true. But how was she to know that this story was the whole truth? What if Luna was just making all of this up to turn her against Celestia? And why her?

“What is Trixie expected to do?” she asked, unable to look the Princess in the eye.

Luna glanced at her, her voice hopeful. “Do you believe?”

Trixie bit her lip, hesitated. If it was real, then she had to do something, but how could it be real? All her life she’d heard the same stories. She simply couldn’t believe a conspiracy of such magnitude! “No. No, Trixie does not believe you.”

The Princess let out a long, forlorn sigh, head drooping once more. “Then it is over, no matter what happens now.

“I have failed.”

Of Amethyst and Twilight

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They sat upon that ledge before the slums of Canterlot, gazing down at the derelict and impoverished underground. Luna held an expression of deep regret and sorrow, her entire body slumped low. Trixie, on the other hoof, was thinking, and thinking hard.

Luna’s story made so much sense, but it was simply too much to take in at once. She couldn’t accept it as truth. In fact it seemed uniquely ridiculous, the kind of scheme a conspiracy theorist might devise. Trixie was certain that much of what she’d just heard was yet another set of lies. But if so, what was their purpose? Was Luna seeking allies against Celestia? Was she planning some kind of coup? And if so, would it be in Trixie’s best interest to inform Celestia? What if Celestia already knew?

But what if parts of the story were true? Though the idea was absurd, there was no denying what her eyes had seen, and she’d definitely seen Nightmare Moon and Luna as two separate ponies. What’s more, they were clearly at odds. If Luna was planning some sort of action against Celestia, and she was an enemy of Nightmare, did that make Nightmare an ally of Celestia?

That had to be the single most preposterous concept to have ever passed through Trixie’s mind. In her opinion, it was the first sign that the time had come to step back and stop thinking before she was driven mad by the potential possibilities.

Trixie glanced at the despondent Luna. Something needed to be said. Turning back to the slums, she asked, “So…what happens now?”

Luna let out a sigh before answering. “Nothing. The fights will continue, but they will serve no purpose. More misery, more madness. In the end we will both be wretched.”

Trixie’s brow furrowed as she thought on this answer. “Surely there must be some oth—ah!”

She had turned to face Luna, only to find a pony standing unnervingly close between the two of them. Trixie fell back at his abrupt presence. “Where the buck did you come from?!”

Fine Crime glanced at her, expression solemn. “Who knows?” He ignored her glower and turned to Luna. “I was hoping to borrow Trixie for a while.”

Not bothered at all by his sudden arrival, Luna studied him with a critical eye. “Is this something for Celestia?”

“No,” he responded, turning to Trixie with that same grim manner. “It’s something for you, Trixie.”

“What?” Her blood ran cold. “W-what do you want with Trixie?”

“I have something to show you,” he answered, nodding to the slums below. “Something out there.” He turned back to Luna. “With your permission, of course.”

Luna looked to the slums, a weary frown on her lips. “It no longer matter what happens,” she answered quietly. “If she will go with you, then let it be so.” She turned away from the sight, back to the tunnel leading to the lift. “I have my nightmare patrol I must attend to. Trixie?”

Trixie understood she was being given the decision, but in truth she trusted neither of them. At least she knew the princess wouldn’t stab her in the back when she wasn’t paying attention.

As if knowing her thoughts, Fine spoke up. “You have my word that no harm will befall you. If I intended to kill you, I’d be much more subtle about it.”

“Trixie does not find that comforting,” she remarked dully. Still, she felt she could believe him in this instance. She’d already had two run-ins with him before and was still alive. Then again, what if her luck was running out?

“Go with him, Trixie,” Luna instructed. “He would not ask for you if it weren’t important.”

At least they were united in the decision, whatever it might be. “Alright,” she agreed at last. She took a cautious step back and gave him a firm glare. “But you will remain where Trixie can see you.”

He shrugged. “Fair enough. I’ll speak with you later, Luna.” Luna did not answer, only made for the exit with head hung low.

“Well,” he said, turning and gesturing flamboyantly to the slums below, “shall we walk together?”

Trixie's horn glowed threateningly. “You first.”

His smile faded as he eyed her with a raised eyebrow. He turned and walked down the shallow slope. Trixie followed, her eyes locked on him in preparation. As they descended into the squalor below, he asked, “You’re really over-thinking things now, aren’t you?”

She scowled. “It is not Trixie’s fault everypony seems to want to kill her.”

He glanced back at her with a thoughtful expression. “For once, I agree.”

His response puzzled Trixie. “For once?”

He nodded as they entered the dirty streets, small houses and broken-down shacks all around them. “When a pony has the kind of attention you do, they’ve usually done something to warrant it. But you have merely stumbled into this situation. Whether that is a shame or a blessing, only you can tell. At any rate, it is good that you think so much on what is presented to you; it may just keep you alive longer.”

Trixie stepped on the smooth crystal pathway, careful to avoid the piles of trash and junk that littered the passage. The entire area seemed little more than a massive but sparse landfill, the homes and ponies just more junk added to the pile. Everywhere she looked, ponies were wasting away. Some were visibly ill, others were handicapped. More than once she thought she saw a body amongst the rubbish, anxiously hoping they were only homeless and sleeping.

The ponies who noted their passing had sunken, faded gazes. A few begged for food, ribs clearly visible against tight coats. She saw some ponies fighting down one street, turning her head away at what struck her as a brutal display. No ponies approached them. At the sight of Fine Crime they kept their distance. Some even fled, eyes filled with terror or despair.

“They don’t seem to like you,” she noted.

“They fear the established order,” he replied. “The Archons are the hidden symbol of royal power, and I am the only public figure of the organization. I represent everything they fear… and hate.”

Trixie stared at him, a sense of loathing coming over her. “So the government really did put them here.”

He paused, half turning to her with a critical eye. “Luna told you her story. You don’t believe it?”

He glowered. “Do not change the topic.”

“I’m not,” he replied, and gestured to the ponies all around them. “These ponies are a victim of the world we live in. It’s not a perfect system. It may even be a terrible one, but it’s what we've got. Some ponies choose to blame the government, others directly attribute their misery to their age-old rivals. Earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns; they all blame each other, and nothing is done in the meantime. Luna would have you believe Celestia is responsible.”

“Well, Trixie does not believe it,” she declared, taking on a confident pose. “Luna cannot simply rewrite a thousand years of established Equestrian history and expect Trixie to accept it so easily.”

He studied her for a few seconds. She fidgeted under his cold gaze. At last he turned away and resumed his walk, prompting her to follow after a sigh of relief.

“The key to understanding any of this,” he told her as he turned to an alley, “is to weed out the lies from the truth. It is… an acquired skill. If you were paying the right kind of attention, you should have recognized one thing that Luna’s story made clear, a fundamental truth.”

“And that is?” she asked, hesitating at the alley’s dark entrance.

He paused and gave her an expectant look, waiting until she at last followed. “That Luna is working against Celestia.”

“That much Trixie understood,” she admitted. “Why tell the story at all if she weren’t?” She peered at the back of his head. “Do you believe her story?”

They passed into another street, making their way deeper into the slums. “It does not matter what I think.”

Trixie pursed her lips. “Trixie would like to know, anyway.”

“What good would it do?” he asked, voice critical. “You cannot trust me, Trixie. I survive through deceit. Lies and trickery are second nature to me. Whether I said I believed or not, you have no way of ascertaining the truth of my words. When one plays for both teams, even his truths become deceptions.”

She had to admit, his words made a strange sort of sense. “If Trixie cannot trust you, then why do you bother to tell her anything at all?”

He gave her a solemn look from over his shoulder. “Because if you are going to survive in the battle between Celestia and Luna, you must learn to weave the webs and untangle the strands.”

She tilted her head at him, trying to make sense of his words. “So… you’re… trying to help Trixie survive?”

“Perhaps. Or perhaps I am merely helping you dig yourself a deeper hole. You have no way of knowing… or do you?”

She scowled. “Trixie does not understand, but that’s the whole point, is it not?”

He came to an abrupt stop and turned, surprising her with a pleasant smile. “Yes, that’s it exactly!” He walked up to her and sat. “The truth lies before you. In the crumbs of civilization, the subtle tones of what is said, the words that aren’t being used. If you can learn to find the clues, to see the patterns, to recognize what is hidden before your very eyes, then the truth becomes obvious.”

She stared, trying to grasp his meaning. It was like attempting to hold water. “Trixie has no idea what you mean.”

She tensed as he took her hooves in his. The touch made her want to jerk back, and she almost did. But his serious, concerned gaze held her in place. “I am trying to give you a lesson. You cannot rely on anypony to give you the truth, Trixie, not anymore. You have passed beyond the normal world you grew up in, into a world where secrets are within secrets, where one pony’s truth is another pony’s deception. If you want answers, stop relying on what others tell you and start looking for them on your own! There is only one truth, but it’s up to you to discover it.”

She stared at him, then at their touching hooves. The contact, surprisingly warm, made her blush. “W… Why are you telling Trixie this?”

He let her go and stepped back, his face now emotionless. “Just one more mystery. Perhaps I’m trying to lead you down a certain path. It could be because of Luna. Or maybe Celestia is guiding me.” He turned away from her to head further into the slums. “Or maybe I think that a pony who never intended to get caught up in all this deserves more than to be thrown to the wolves without some guidance.”

She watched him walk away, not sure whether to be thoroughly confused or very grateful. When he paused to look at her she winced and quickly followed. “If it is that last one,” she said, “then you have Trixie’s thanks. Even if she will probably never understand.”

“If it’s that last one,” he noted solemnly, “then you’re welcome.”

They walked on in silence for several minutes. Trixie devoted the time trying to unravel the words he’d given her, or apply them to Luna’s story. Above all she wanted to avoid thinking about the horrible living conditions that now surrounded her. Yet no matter how she wrapped her head around it, the only thing she could be certain of was that Luna and Celestia were clearly at odds. And Nightmare Moon, there was still her to consider.

“We’re here.”

She looked up to find that they were in a section of the slums made up of larger– but still run-down and shoddy – buildings. Most were two or three stories tall, resembling condominiums. They probably should have been condemned, but it was clear that ponies were still living in them, overcrowded and dirty.

But Fine wasn’t facing one of those buildings. His eye was on a single-story, wide structure that looked like it might have been an administrative building at one time. Ponies still lived there, but these appeared larger and menacing.

“Is Trixie... expected to go in there?” she asked, as she studied the burly, scarred stallions at the entrance.

He nodded grimly. “It appears a local gang has taken over. No matter, they will make way for us.” He approached, Trixie slowly following.

The two stallions, one a heavily scarred Earth pony and the other a pegasus with only one wing, spotted them. The pegasus moved as if to cut them off, but was stopped when his fellow guard set a hoof to his chest.

Fine paused before them, his eye going to the bigger Earth pony. The stallion shifted and cleared his throat before asking in a deep voice, “Whatcha want?”

Fine stood tall and peered at the guard with a glare so fierce the stallion’s face went pale. “You can take a break for about thirty seconds.”

The two guards cast wary looks at one another and elected to sidestep away from the door with averted eyes. Fine proceeded inside. Trixie hurried to follow, noting that the stallions wouldn’t meet her gaze.

“Such power must be nice.” Trixie trotted after Fine into a wide hallway.

“Power is nothing,” Fine growled. “Power is dirt. Conviction is what really matters.”

The air was filled with pale smoke, the unpleasant scent of Poison Joke extract making her cough. The hallway was filled with grim-looking ponies. At first they rose up in alarm at their arrival, but one look at Fine made them all huddle back and make room. Many watched them with pallid faces, as if they’d just seen their deaths.

But others were glaring daggers. Trixie felt like a target, and moved much closer to Fine. “This strikes Trixie as dangerous,” she whispered. “Why did you bring her here?”

He remained silent, ascending some stairs as a trio of teenagers scrambled out of his way. Trixie tried not to eye them and their animal-like manner.

He led her through another hallway, ponies carefully staying out of the way. They arrived at a closed door, a massive black Earth pony sitting before it. The mare spotted Fine and, unlike the others, did not react with surprise or terror or anger. She merely stood and walked away, as if realizing she needed to be somewhere else.

Fine stopped beside the door and turned to Trixie. “She’s in here.”

“She?” Trixie eyed the door, then Fine. He merely gestured to it. She hesitated, unsure of what to expect from the professional deceiver. But, as he’d said before, if he wanted to harm her he’d have done it already. The thought was enough to convince her to open the door.

She glanced through the opening. It appeared to be a plain, empty room. She gave him one last, critical look before stepping inside.

She noticed the crying almost immediately. The floorboards creaked under her hooves as she walked around the large, bare room. She glanced around… then spotted the desk. The gentle glow of a myriad of candles illuminated pictures and a large vase filled with roses.

There, sitting before the desk with her head bowed, was Amethyst.

Trixie could only gape. She was certain she’d never seen her friend cry before, and it was… disturbing. She approached slowly, coming up behind Amethyst and looked over her shoulder. The pictures were of a young couple, a red unicorn stallion and a purple pegasus mare. In some pictures they were doting over a newborn unicorn foal.

“...Ammy?”

Her friend’s back jerked straight. She slowly turned to face Trixie with wide, moist eyes. “T…T-Trixie?”

Trixie winced at those eyes. She glanced at the desk, then at her friend, her heart aching at the sight before her. “What is this?”

Amethyst rubbed her eyes, blushing wildly. “I… I told you it was private!” Misery and alarm shifted to anger, her brow furrowing and her eyes flaring. “I thought I made it clear! Why did you follow me?!”

Trixie stepped back from her anger. “Trixie did not follow you. She was led here by—”

“Shut up!” Amethyst shoved her away with a vicious snarl. “Nopony is supposed to know! They could kill me, Trixie!”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Fine was in the doorway, watching the scene with a grave frown.

Amethyst saw him, and when she did she screamed. “You! I wasn’t going to tell, I swear!” She fell back with wide eyes as he entered the room.

Trixie saw her friend’s reaction and moved between her and Fine. “It’s okay, Ammy, he’s with me!”

“It’s not okay!” Amethyst was between the desk and the corner. She dropped to the floor and covered her eyes beneath trembling hooves. “How could you do this to me? He’s going to kill me!”

“Ammy, what is—” Trixie felt Fine’s hoof brush her chest as he approached the trembling pony.

“Amethyst,” he whispered, “you are not going to die.” She did not answer, or react in any way save for a miserable whimper. “Celestia would not have you killed for being born.”

“Yes she would!” Amethyst sobbed and attempted to squeeze herself even more tightly into the corner. “She’s evil, and so are you!”

Trixie stepped forward to look at her from over Fine’s shoulder. “Ammy! Why would you—”

“And you!” Amethyst pointed at her from the floor. “You betrayed me! Me! If I survive this night I don’t ever want to see you again!”

Trixie took a step back, leaving another hoof in suspension. “Ammy…”

Seconds passed in silence. Trixie could only gape at her friend, trying to grasp her extremely unusual behavior. Fine simply stared at her with his usual stoic frown, and Amethyst was caught between sobs and trying to keep away from him.

At last, Fine broke the silence. “Amethyst, I want you to tell Trixie why you are here.”

She shook her head violently. “No! I swore not to tell anypony. I’m alive because I don’t tell anypony!”

Fine’s voice was firm. “I am the Mane Archon of Equestria, and if I say you will not be harmed, then it will be so. Speak, Amethyst!”

“You’re lying!” she screamed. “How could I ever trust you, you monster?”

Trixie waved her hooves at them in denial. “Trixie does not need to hear it! Ammy, you don’t have to—”

Fine growled. “Shut up, Trixie.”

“No!” She stood and moved between him and Amethyst. “She is Trixie’s friend! Trixie will not stand by and let you bully her!”

He studied her, face calm and emotionless. Amethyst merely wept in her corner. “So be it,” he declared at last, “but neither of you will be leaving these slums until the truth comes out.” His horn glowed and black clouds began to form around him. When they dissipated he was gone.

Trixie let out a relieved sigh and turned to her friend, who was still trembling on the floor. She knelt down and nuzzled her. “Ammy, he’s gone. It’s okay.”

Amethyst raised her head to look around… and abruptly shoved Trixie away. “You! Why did you come here? I told you not to get involved with this!”

“Trixie is sorry,” Trixie replied, shrinking at her anger. “He brought her here, honest! Trixie did not know what he was planning.”

Amethyst sniffed and rubbed her nose. “I wish I could believe you.”

Trixie frowned, tilting her head at her. “Ammy, you know you can trust Trixie.”

“Can I?” She glared, eyes burning with fury. “You’re Luna’s new pet. If you’re in Luna’s lap then you’re bound to be in Celestia’s, too. How could I ever trust somepony who works for them?!”

Trixie reeled from her friend’s words, unable to comprehend this anger. “Trixie is not a… a pet! Why do you hate them so much? Trixie thought you liked Luna.”

“Like her? Like her?” Amethyst stood up, eyes venomous. “I stomached her for you, Trix. She’s not as scary as her sister, but she’s still royalty. You want to know why I hate them? Really?”

She turned and snatched one of the pictures from the desk, shoving it in Trixie’s face. “Here, take a good look! This is why I hate them!”

Trixie leaned back, the image far too close for her to see properly. It was that tiny family, looking so happy amongst a Canterlot skyline. She saw the familiar color of the young mother’s coat, the soft features of the stallion.

It came together. “Ammy… Are they your parents?”

Amethyst clutched the picture close to her chest, fresh tears welling in her eyes. “Papa was a good stallion! A wealthy pony loved by the Canterlot elite. He was Celestia’s personal jeweler! But then he fell in love with a pegasus and… and…”

Trixie tilted her head. “And?”

Amethyst gazed down at the photo, not bothering to wipe away the tears that fell on it. “You really lived a sheltered life, didn’t you, Trix? Interracial marriage is a crime in Canterlot!”

Trixie’s jaw dropped. “But… B-but that’s not true in other parts of Equestria. Why would it be true here?”

“Ask your precious princess!” Amethyst glared at her, holding the picture close as if Trixie might attempt to snatch it away. “They tried to hide their romance, but then they had a foal. That was the ultimate taboo! They came down here to escape and… and…” She bowed her head and fought to control herself. “M-my parents, Trix… C-Celestia killed my parents!”

This news struck Trixie like a hammer to the head. She dropped to her haunches and gaped, incapable of processing the very concept of what her friend had said. It took her several seconds to find her voice again. “That’s… Ammy, that’s not possible. Celestia? The symbol of all that is—”

Amethyst let out a frustrated scream that made Trixie jump in alarm. “She’s evil, Trixie! She gave the order, she sent the Archons after us! I know it was her, they were breaking her laws!”

Holy Horseshoes. “Ammy, you don’t know that. It… It could have been anypony. Look at this place, any one of these—”

But Amethyst stepped forward to glare at close range, hatred and fury mixing in her eyes to render Trixie speechless. “It happened here. In this very room. I watched them abuse my momma like a bucking street whore! They. Set. My. Father. On. Fire! I was barely old enough to walk, Trix, but I can still hear his screams. The Archons are evil. The royals are evil. And you—”

“Amethyst!”

“—you work for them now, so that makes you evil!” Amethyst shoved her aside and ran for the door. “Don’t ever show your face to me again! I’ll kill you, Trixie, I swear it!”

“Amethyst, wait!” Trixie gave chase, fear gripping her. “Please, don’t leave me!”

She followed the pony through the halls, down the stairs and out the front door. She had tears in her eyes, terrified by the knowledge that she could lose her only friend, the one pony who had always been there for her. “Amethyst, come back!”

She tripped and fell amongst a pile of trash, the hideous smell attacking her nostrils. When she pulled herself back up, her friend had disappeared amongst the pitiful masses. “Amethyst!”

She ran. She didn’t know what else to do. She followed streets, darted through alleyways, scoured the dirty heaps. She shoved ponies out of her way in her desperate search, praying she could find her friend. She couldn’t lose her, she just couldn’t!

She didn’t know how long she ran before her energy faded. At some point she went from full gallop to a determined jog, then at last to a slow, unhappy walk. She couldn’t believe what had just happened, what she’d just heard! It couldn’t be true. It was impossible. Amethyst’s parents… She could see the Archons being so cruel, but to pin the blame on Celestia? She closed her eyes and instantly saw an image of the young couple in the photo. Dear Goddess, her poor friend!

She would have given anything to find Amethyst right then, even her horn. She wasn’t the kindest or most supportive of friends, but she was all Trixie had. Ten years they’d been together. She couldn’t lose her, she just couldn’t!

With her mind completely occupied, Trixie failed to comprehend her direction or surroundings. When she looked up she found herself standing before a crystal wall. She glanced around, realizing she was at the edge of the cavern between two of the condominiums. She considered staying there to wallow in her own misery, but shook the thought off; she would never go back to being the pathetic pony she’d once been!

She turned around and blinked; Fine Crime was standing some ten feet away, watching her.

“You!” She marched up to him, horn sparking in response to her fury. “Why did you do that? My best and only friend hates me because of you!”

His stoic face didn’t shift. “I am sorry, Trixie. I did not think she’d react quite like that.”

She paused before him, huffing in anger. “Why did you do it? What could you have possibly hoped to gain?”

“I felt you needed to hear her story,” he declared.

For several seconds she stood before him, glaring with all the menace she could muster. Why wasn’t he showing any emotion? Did he even care that he’d ruined their friendship? But something else, something much more pressing, was on her mind. “Is it true? Did the Archons do that to her family?”

He answered without hesitation or remorse. “It’s true.”

She struck him in the jaw so hard he nearly fell over. “You bastard!” He was engulfed in her magic and lifted into the air. She slammed him against the wall once, then tossed him back into the alley. He hit the floor hard, trash and dust flying up at his impact.

She turned to face him, legs spread in an aggressive pose, hate and rage fueling her. He slowly got to his knees, but didn’t stand. “Get up. Fight back, you monster. I’m going to tear you to pieces for what you did!”

He didn’t look at her. He turned his head away from her and said nothing, leaving her to fume. Sheets of paper and bits of trash were sent floating away in the presence of her magical aura. Her mane rippled as if blown by some unfelt wind. She stomped towards him, the energy in her horn so intense it was causing thin electrical sparks to fly out and touch the walls and objects around her.

“Face me!” He ignored her. “Damn you, take responsibility for what you’ve done!” But he wouldn’t budge.

She ran out of energy. The aura fizzled out, the objects around her crashing to the ground. She huffed in exhaustion and dropped to her knees just behind him, tears welling in her eyes. “You… Y-you bastard. You were supposed to defend yourself… Why didn’t you give me something to hit?”

For several seconds they remained silent, Trixie sobbing on the floor and Fine stalwartly refusing to look. But then he spoke, and his voice was soft. “Even I have limitations, Trixie. I’m not proud of what happened. I gave out the order. So if you want to kill me for it, do so. I won’t resist.”

She rubbed her eyes free of tears and stared at the back of his head. “Why?” she asked, voice feeble. “Why did you do it?”

He hesitated. “I can’t tell you.”

She gritted her teeth. “Why? For buck’s sake, tell me!”

“I can’t!” He shot her an angry look, but it faded quickly as he bowed his head. “I can’t, Trixie. I just… I can’t.”

He stood slowly and turned to her. “I’m sorry about your friend. Really, I am. I had no idea she was going to react that way.”

He reached a hoof to her, but she slapped it away with a sneer. “Don’t pretend to be Trixie’s friend. As far as she’s concerned, you and all your minions can burn in Tartarus!”

He stared down at her with a frown, rubbing his hoof against his chest as if to be rid of an itch. “I suppose I’d have it coming. Come on, Trixie, we need to get you out of here. The locals aren’t friendly to unicorns.”

“Just leave Trixie alone!”

“I can’t,” he replied, hi voice soft. “I gave my word that you would be safe from harm while down here. I will not leave you alone to get backstabbed by some homeless, bitter pony out for revenge.”

She stood up slowly and sneered. “Trixie does not want your help.”

“You will have it, regardless.”

She jerked her head away, furious thoughts running through her mind. She wanted nothing to do with him and his Archons. If only she could lash out. If only she could fix what had happened! If only… If…

Her eyes had fallen upon something in the corner. A cardboard box had collapsed, something sticking out at the edge of it. Something… purple. That shape… It reminded her of something.

Her anger fading to worry, she slowly approached the box. Fine said nothing, watching her motion with that strangely neutral expression. Heart pounding, she carefully reached down to push against the box. It didn’t budge, so she used both hooves to pull. The cardboard ripped, revealing what was beneath, and Trixie could only gasp in horror.

Twilight Sparkle.

She gazed down at the broken alicorn, who was laying unconscious on her belly, mane set over her eyes. Those horrible scars, the missing wing, that crater where her horn should be… the sight left Trixie trembling, and for a moment she thought she might vomit. “Sweet Luna,” she breathed, "I had started to think she was a dream.”

Fine was beside her, staring down at the body with cold eyes. “So, it’s the imposter.”

Trixie gave him a slow, terrified look. “Im… Imposter?”

He nodded solemnly. “She arrived in Canterlot a few years back, claiming to be Celestia's pupil. We thought she might have been a changeling.”

Trixie dropped to her knees before Twilight. “Changelings are extinct,” she whispered.

“As far as we know.”

She ignored him, leaned forward to nuzzle the pony. Twilight didn’t respond.

“She’s gone, Trixie.”

She looked up at him with wide eyes. “Don’t say that!” She pushed Twilight, careful not to touch her crippled wing. “Come on, wake up! Talk to me.”

“Trixie.” Fine set a hoof to her shoulder. “It’s too late for her. She’s not the real Twilight, anyway. Twilight was never an alicorn.”

Whether it was Twilight or not, Trixie was horrified at the sight before her. This poor, broken creature bore the face of somepony who terrified her, but those scars, her broken and battered form… “What… What happened to make her like this?”

Fine stared at her for several seconds, then let out a tired sigh. “She came to Canterlot, claiming to be Twilight Sparkle. It was impossible, of course; I personally confirmed that the real Twilight was at the Gates of Tartarus, doing her job. Celestia lured this one in then broke her. The best we can assume is that she was a changeling, a survivor of one of the last lineages from the war six hundred years ago. Celestia had her dumped in Tartarus, which is probably where she got the rest of her wounds. I’d heard she had escaped, but she was no longer considered a threat, so we ignored her.”

Trixie shook her head, guilt and misery filling her. She came forward and felt at Twilight. She was so cold. She held the pony close, tears in her eyes. “Changeling or no, no pony deserves this.”

He knelt down beside her, studying Twilight with a solemn, experienced eye. “I guess her body finally gave out. With scars like these, she surely had something permanent done to her on the inside too. She must have been determined, to have carried on this long.”

Trixie noticed him and felt her anger return. She glared and rubbed tears from her eyes. “Go away. You disgrace her by being here!”

He raised an eyebrow. “She’s a changeling.”

Trixie rose up to give him her most sinister glare. “She was a living, breathing being! She had a heart, a soul! Get out of here, before I give you some scars of your own!”

He stared at her, his expression neutral once more. He observed her fury for a while, but at last nodded. “Very well. But remember, Trixie: I’m always watching. Always.”

“Go!”

Black smoke billowed, and he was gone.

She let out a long, bitter sigh and turned to the body at her hooves. Heart heavy, chest tight, she dropped down next to Twilight and brushed her mane from her eyes. She looked so… peaceful, even with that scar over her face. “I don’t know if you are a changeling or not,” she whispered, “but you didn’t deserve this. I’m gonna take care of you, okay? At least one pony in this bucked-up world will treat you with decency. I’m just so sorry it’s coming too late.”

Nopony bothered her as she carried the body out on her back. Indeed, they all avidly avoided her, as if she were carrying a contagion instead of a corpse. She found the nearby mining tunnels and followed them deep underground, until she found a place untouched by the detritus of modern Equestrian society. There she used her magic to carve out the crystal in a wall. It was slow going, and her head was sore from a magic overdose by the time it was deep enough to be satisfactory. She rested the body within, legs folded peacefully, mane and tail straightened as best Trixie could manage without a brush.

When she felt the body was as dignified as she could manage, she set to work sealing it within the wall by returning the pieces she’d removed. The process took hours, even after she’d figured out how to work the magic properly. By the time she was finished she was covered in sweat, horn smoking from over-exertion and head throbbing to the point that it was almost crippling. But the grave was completed; Twilight could just be seen within the crystalline surface, her scarred but peaceful form preserved within the solid, smooth wall.

Trixie had spent the entire time thinking long and hard on all that she’d learned. No matter what she’d been told, she simply could not accept anything anypony had told her as truth. She couldn’t trust Celestia or Luna. Fine was clearly an abomination regardless of what side he supported. Amethyst was gone from her life. Nye was in Luna’s pocket, and Nightmare Moon was… Nightmare Moon.

She had a suspicion that only one pony had ever been completely honest to her since this whole mess had started, and that pony was now entombed in crystal.

So Trixie made a decision; she wasn’t going to fight for any of them. They weren’t worth it. But this Twilight – a changeling, a real pony, who knew? – had suffered an unjust punishment for a crime that wasn’t even defined. Who was standing up for her? Who was defending her right to exist?

As she settled to the crystal floor and prepared to sleep, Trixie decided that it would be her.

A Time for Tea

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Trixie didn’t know how long she’d been in the caves. Long enough for her stomach to be screaming in protest, for sure. Despite her hunger, she didn’t want to return to the surface yet. She didn’t trust anypony up there, but it was clear she had to do something. Choose a side? Stay on her own? Fleeing was out of the question, for the rest of her opponents would come after her regardless. She had no intention of hiding from them.

She spent much of her time at the tomb of Twilight, thinking on what to do next and trying to recall every detail of the one conversation she'd had with her. If there was any direction she wanted to follow, it was Twilight's.

But she couldn’t last without food, so she returned to the slums a few times. Given the reputation of the place, she kept a close eye out for threats, yet nopony approached. Indeed, they all seemed afraid of her. She never let her guard down – she’d been hurt one time too many for that – but she was still relieved to realize that she was going to be left alone.

Finding some food, on the other hoof, was a trick unto itself. She had no bits, but that didn’t matter as the ponies in the slums preferred bartering. She was broke even by their standards. After much wandering she discovered the three streams that made up the water supply in the slums. One was little more than a cesspool, the other two were ‘claimed’ by local gangs. With no other option, she approached one, looking to see what she might do to gain some water – and food.

The ponies were rude, mean and grimy. They clearly had no intention of letting her pass. When she asked if there was some deal they could strike, one of the stallions made some advances that were far from welcome. Her sour mood, hunger and thirst put Trixie on a short fuse; she blasted him with a wind spell that sent him sailing to the other side of the lake.

The others let her in after that. Gave her some food, too.

Any other time, Trixie might have declined the free meal, even if it was just stale bread and some ageing, squishy pears. She was in no position to refuse, though, and when she left she took enough pears and water to last her a while. They even gave her the saddle of the stallion she’d sent packing to carry the load.

Though they did all this, they also warned her that her actions would catch the attention of The Gentlepony. She recalled Amethyst mentioning him once. She asked about him, but all they would explain was that he was the most powerful pony in the slums, ergo having his attention probably wasn’t in her best interest. She didn’t know if their warnings were valid, but she had decided to be cautious from then on.

She stayed in the caves near Twilight’s tomb for some time, pondering her future. Whenever she grew tired of that she’d head to the slums and simply watch the life of these poor, pathetic ponies. They were all hungry, surviving on the dregs of the society above them. She eventually discovered some tunnels leading to the surface, and learned from some of the less-mean ponies that soldiers would escort a convoy of food once a week for the ponies below. It was their only sustenance, and it clearly wasn’t enough for everypony.

Vicious gangs, rampant violence, constant hunger. Sickness, no authority, no law. It was a land of anarchy, the only semblance of order coming from the knowledge that they couldn’t go to the city above, and had no place to go outside of it. Trixie recalled Luna’s claim that there were places like this in every major city, and she felt inclined to believe it. The only question was: why?

When she slept, she always did it under the silent watch of Twilight. Sleeping with the others hardly seemed safe, especially after she’d witnessed a group of ponies gang up on a sleeping pegasus in one of those blanket fields. Even so, sleeping in the caves didn't feel safe, either; she just knew somepony would come for her in her sleep.

Maybe it was paranoia. Were the hoofsteps in the caves her imagination? What about the whispers? The occasional flash of color in the reflective crystals often made her think somepony was watching her from around corners. There was no telling who might have followed her into the dark caves, and she was always on alert. When sleep did come, it was fleeting. She kept awaking to faint noises.

Sometimes, while lying on the hard floor and trying to fall asleep, she would stare up into the unconscious face of Twilight…and wonder. What had she really wanted? What had she done to deserve such a fate? How could Trixie change things so nopony else shared her demise? What would Twilight have done about the slums, had she been able?

Why was she looking to Twilight for answers? Because she’d seemed so desperate? Because she couldn’t doubt the word of a pony in such distress? Twilight had died. What did that mean for Trixie, who suspected her only salvation may be to follow in Twilight’s hoofsteps? Maybe it wasn’t even Twilight. Maybe Fine’s changeling story was true. How was Trixie to know?

It was usually when delving deep into these questions that she would discover sleep.

Trixie awoke with a start, the now-familiar sound of hoofsteps in the darkness. She raised her head from the floor, eyes locking on the lone entry to Twilight’s tomb. Her ears perked as the hoofsteps grew louder. This time there was no question that they were real. Her eyes hardened as a yellow light began to appear around the corner, flickering and shaking like a flame. Slowly, trying to keep as quiet as she could, Trixie stood and prepared herself; if her visitor was a threat, she’d be ready. She leveled her glowing horn at the entrance, watching the corner with a sneer.

But then the pony rounded the corner, and in her surprise she released her magic. Nye Stone let out a yelp and jumped back behind the wall as a small blue laser zapped the crystal behind him and began to bounce wildly around the tunnels. It disappeared around the corner, and this time Nye’s cry was one of pain.

“Aww, come on!” He appeared from around the corner again, rubbing the burn mark on his neck. “What did ya have to go and do that for?”

Trixie recovered from her surprise quickly. She turned her upraised head away with a hmmph. “What do you expect? Trixie does not approve of ponies sneaking up on her. Besides,” she added with a glower as she lay back down, “spend a few hours down here and you’d be jumpy too.”

“I guess I can’t blame you for that,” he noted, but abruptly shook his head. “What am I doing? Come on, you gotta get back to the surface!”

“Is that why you’re here?” she demanded. “To fetch Trixie, as if she were Luna’s new pet?”

“I wouldn’t put it like that,” he grumbled as he sat a couple feet away. “Look, I’ve been searching all over the slums for you! Luna’s really worried.”

“Is she?” Trixie gave him an uppity look. “Trixie doubts it. If she were so worried, why would she send you instead of looking herself?”

“She is looking,” he insisted. “She’s scouring the city above for you as we speak!”

That made Trixie pause. “You mean she stayed up top while you searched down here? How does she expect you to stay safe?”

He gazed back seriously, studying her. “I am the personal attendant of Princess Luna, and they know who I am. More importantly, they know I’m protected by the Archons.” He paused to emphasize his next sentence. “A lot of ponies are in here because of the Archons. They wouldn’t dare touch anypony under their protection.”

Trixie considered this for several seconds, tapping a hoof to her chin. “Everypony saw Trixie being escorted around by Fine. That explains why they left her alone…”

Nye nodded. “Look, we need to get you up top before one of your enemies decides to come down here after you. We still haven’t located your next opponent, and she might just be coming. Luna will feel much better—”

“Trixie does not care!” She stood up to glare at him, and he leaned back in alarm. “Trixie does not trust her, Nye. For that matter, Trixie does not trust you! Why should Trixie go and be with a princess who only wants to use her to usurp the throne?”

At that last point Nye’s face grew firm. He came forward to lock eyes with hers at close range. “Do not insult Luna by suggesting her aims are so petty. She’s trying to save the world!”

“And you are her little yes-colt, aren’t you?” Trixie sneered and turned her head away once more. “Always accepting everything she speaks for truth. Perhaps she is just using you, Mr. Stone!”

He didn’t answer for some time. She peered at him and saw that he was visibly shaking. His lip twitched as he fought to control himself. “If I were any less of a stallion I’d be fighting you myself, right now.”

She smirked. “Trixie doubts you would stand a chance.”

“Beside the point,” he snarled. “You’ve been hiding down here for three days—”

“How many?”

“—and Luna is genuinely afraid for you. She wants you to succeed, Trixie. Almost every pony who’s ever tried to help her has ended up dead; those who didn’t have become your opponents.”

“Has Trixie really been down here three days?”

He shook her violently. “Pay attention! You have a chance, Trixie! Luna believes you might actually come out of these fights okay. It’s never happened before!”

She slapped his hooves away with a scowl. “Come out okay? What the buck makes you think Trixie is okay? I’ve lost everything!”

“But you’re alive!” he cried. “You’ve not succumbed to your darker instincts, to the corruption of Nightmare Moon. You’re still you, Trixie, and Luna wants you to stay that way! Just once she would like somepony to be associated with her and not be ruined by the experience.”

Trixie glared at him for several seconds, then turned away to stare up at Twilight within the crystal wall. What would she have done in this situation? “I’m not sure I’m the same pony I was, Nye. I don’t trust anypony anymore. How can I be expected to fight for somepony I can’t trust?”

“I thought you were fighting for yourself.” She considered for a few seconds before he asked, “Hey, is that the changeling who came by—”

When she turned her head to him he clamped his mouth shut, eyes going wide. She turned to face him properly, voice firm. “Trixie is fighting for those who couldn’t fight for themselves, for ponies who deserve better.” She considered him thoughtfully before concluding, “Take Trixie to the surface. She might not trust Luna, but she will not hide from the other ponies Luna has hurt.”

“You mean Nightmare Moon hurt,” he corrected, but turned to lead her anyway. As they rounded the corner he picked up his lamp in his teeth.

Nye led her out of the tunnels and through the slums. She noted that the residents were avoiding him in much the same way they’d avoided her. At the very least, she thought it supported her theory about having been protected by the Archons’ name all this time. She abruptly recalled his story, about how he might have ended up living down here if it hadn’t been for Luna.

Looking at the state of the place, she realized that he actually did owe the princess everything. Where would he have been today if she hadn’t taken him in? Sick? Homeless? Perhaps dead?

They reached one of the five lifts that went directly up to the city, the open entrance protected by a quartet of royal unicorn guards. Not for the first time Trixie wondered why the lifts even existed. The guards entered the lift with them and sealed the entrance before using their combined powers to raise it.

“Trixie wishes to apologize,” she said to Nye as he set his lamp down and worked his jaw. “Seeing you in the slums, she realizes how much you owe the princess. She should not have insulted your allegiance to her.”

“Eh, it’s okay,” he replied in a weary tone. “I’m sure you’ve been through hell, so I get your anger. I never hold grudges anyway.”

She eyed him. “Not even against Celestia?”

He glanced away with a grim frown. “It’s not her fault she’s a monster, but I guess I do hold just the tiniest of grudges against… er…” His words died as the lift came to a stop within a great gazebo in the middle of a quiet Canterlot street.

There, waiting for them to arrive with a pleasant smile, was Celestia. “Hello, Trixie. Mr. Stone.”

Nye instantly dropped into a deep bow. He managed to maintain a calm, polite expression, but his already white face went a few shades lighter at the sight of the princess. “Celestia! It is an honor, as always.”

Trixie eyed him, then raised a critical eyebrow at Celestia. “What are you doing here?”

The guards shifted and Nye shot her a lecturing look, but she only stared up at the princess expectantly. Celestia’s smile widened just a little at her manner. “I am pleased to see you’ve not lost your confidence. When I learned that my sister and her attendant were out looking for you, I thought I might investigate.”

Trixie shook her head. “You misunderstand Trixie.” She gestured to the ground between them. “What are you doing here? How did you know Trixie would be using this lift at this time?”

Celestia winked. “You forget, I have all the same eyes and ears as my sister.”

The Archons. Trixie recalled the sounds and phantom sightings in the caves. Had those really been ponies? Archons, keeping tabs on her for Celestia? Fine Crime had said he was always watching. Suddenly Trixie was very inclined to believe it.

“I do apologize, Princess.” Considering Nye’s loyalties, Trixie thought his voice commendably steady. “Your sister will be very eager to see Trixie. We should go in search for her immediately.”

But Celestia shook her head. “You may go, if you so desire, but I would like to talk with Trixie myself.” She stepped aside and gestured to her waiting chariot. “What say you, Trixie? Join me for lunch?”

Trixie hesitated. She knew there was nopony she could trust, but she had to acknowledge that she was more inclined to trust the Princess of the Sun. She’d been raised, like most ponies, to believe in Celestia as the one great good in Equestria, a view that was hard to break. Aside from that, her stomach was rumbling from three days without quality food.

She glanced at Nye, who watched her with a small, dour frown. Clearly he didn’t want her to go, but it was also clear that he had no say in the matter. She looked up at Celestia – a pony who used to inspire such awe as to render her dumbfounded – and still felt just a little comforted by her presence.

Besides, she’d heard Luna’s story. Perhaps Celestia had come to give her own account.

Her mind made up, Trixie gave a curt nod and walked to the carriage. She glanced back to witness Nye fleeing into the streets the moment Celestia’s back was turned, his face determined.

“Don’t mind him,” Celestia offered kindly as she walked beside Trixie. “He takes his role as Luna’s associate very seriously. I’m sure you noticed.” She gestured for Trixie to enter the carriage first.

As Celestia climbed in, Trixie spoke, “Trixie thanks you for this, Princess. She knows you probably have much more to worry about than her.”

The carriage rocked to a start, heading away from the Royal Castle. “On the contrary,” Celestia answered, “the events surrounding you have been pressing on my mind. I hope you don’t mind a short ride; the place we are going is my favorite, but it’s a bit out of the way.”

As if Trixie was going to debate with her over eating arrangements! “Trixie is certain your choice will be just fine. But why would the ruler of Equestria be worried about Trixie?”

Celestia’s eyebrows rose. “Do you think yourself so unimportant as to not warrant my attention?”

“Trixie is not a fool,” she countered with a frown. “Despite what everypony might think of her, she knows she’s not the center of everypony’s attention.”

Celestia set a hoof to her lips, carefully considering her companion. “Then why do you speak in such a… confident manner?”

Trixie eyed the princess for a few seconds. She knew what Celestia really meant, and was wondering if she should tell the truth. Finally, she answered with head raised, “Trixie is allowed to have a secret or two of her own.”

At that Celestia giggled. “Well played, my little pony. Well played, indeed.”

The carriage made its way through a residential neighborhood: many beautiful brick homes, lanes decorated with tall maple trees. Well-dressed unicorns bowed deeply at their passing. There was a time when Trixie might have enjoyed the attention, but now she could only think of the slums and look upon these ponies in disgust. Occasionally she would spot a pegasus or an Earth pony among the citizens, and the sight of them made her hackles rise. Did they not care that their brethren were hungry and miserable just a few hundred feet beneath their hooves?

Celestia’s head dipped low. “I suppose spending three days below has disturbed you.”

Trixie shot the princess a brief, critical look before returning to her harsh vigil. “After what she has seen, Trixie must wonder why the glorious representative of all that is good and wise in Equestria would permit such a situation.”

Celestia sighed and turned her head away. “I am not proud of the slums, Trixie. Being the ruler of Equestria does not make things easy to fix. I know Luna would have you believe that I am the cause of all these problems. Perhaps she is right. After all, even after a thousand years I have failed to bring my little ponies together. Some days I fear that the utopia my sister and I used to speak of will remain a mere dream.”

Trixie wanted to be moved by the princess’ show of regret and shame. She wanted to take Celestia at her word. Yet after so many disappointments, even doing that was difficult. “Luna has told Trixie her version of Equestria’s history. It was… gloomy.”

“She seeks to depose me.” It hardly seemed like a revelation; it felt more as if she were confirming for Trixie’s sake that she already knew.

Trixie pretended to focus the street ahead, but her attention was entirely on Celestia. “We have a long ways to go? Trixie wishes to hear the princess’ version of history. Just to compare.”

“I was hoping you’d ask,” Celestia admitted. “I suspected you’d like to know both sides of the story. I imagine you have little trust in what anypony tells you, so I will let you judge for yourself.”

Trixie was mildly surprised to hear that. No ‘this is the one and only truth’? No ‘Luna is a liar, just believe in me’? She thought it a nice change of pace, and it eased her mind a little. But only just. “What your sister told Trixie about Discord…?”

“True.”

The answer came quick and crisp, as if Celestia had been expecting the question all along. Trixie gaped up at her. “Really?”

Celestia nodded, expression hard. “The Unknown Princess did disrupt the Elements of Harmony to kill him, and he did curse us. On that day Nightmare Moon was born… as was my own alter ego. I did defeat my own, sealing her in stone.”

Trixie considered this, genuinely astounded to hear the story confirmed. “But why is that part of your lives not in the history books? Why keep it a secret?”

“There are several reasons,” Celestia replied. “For one, it is true that being apart from my other half is… painful.

“I say painful, but that’s honestly not the best word.” She took a moment to consider how to explain. “There’s no actual pain. It’s more of a… an emptiness. A strange discomfort that never leaves. It really drives me crazy at times – figuratively speaking, of course.”

She cracked a silly smile, but Trixie was not amused. The princess sagged at her failed attempt to lighten the mood. “Anyway, it is a matter of public perception. If the masses knew I were only half there – even if the missing parts of my mind were the bad parts – my political opponents could claim me as mentally unfit for my role.”

Trixie didn’t believe that at all. In fact she was almost offended by this excuse! “You are the monarch of this country! Do not try to convince Trixie that your rule is dependent upon the will of others. You have no peers.”

“A leader is nothing without her subjects,” Celestia corrected in a kind but lecturing manner. “I may hold absolute rule, but should the masses rise against me that power will be worthless. Leading a nation is a dangerous dance, my friend.”

Trixie gritted her teeth; she did not consider them friends! Still, the excuse could hold water… “You said there were other reasons?”

“There is one very important reason,” Celestia replied, her voice growing serious once more. “I must find a way to deal with my darker self. If I am to ever know peace, our bodies must be rejoined – as I intend to do to Luna before too long, to spare her my own suffering. Once rejoined, the ‘sentience’ that is the other half must be destroyed.”

“Why does the princess not just destroy the dark being while it is separated and vulnerable?” Trixie asked with a tilt of her head.

“No!” Celestia’s eyes widened and her pupils shrank. “If that were to happen, I would lose the other side of my being forever! The dark half of every pony’s mind is just as critical to her soul as the good. She must be rejoined with me and then destroyed, so that the other half of my being can return to its rightful place.” She sighed, sagging once more. “Yet after a thousand years, I have found no means by which I might complete the task. If I could but use the Elements again…”

Trixie’s ears perked at that. “The Elements?”

Celestia nodded. “The Elements could destroy the dark sentience, while leaving the rest of me whole. They are the perfect weapon for the task! Yet no pony has lived in a thousand years that could wield them.”

Trixie thought on this for several seconds, hardly noticing when the carriage came upon the great wall that surrounded the city. “But weren’t the Elements lost?”

“Yes, I am afraid so,” the princess acknowledged. “That is all the more reason to keep the truth secret. You see, I keep the statue of my other self hidden away. I want it safe, in hopes that I might find a way to reunite with the being trapped within. Keeping the story of our split minds a secret is all part of keeping ponies from seeking out the statue. I couldn’t bear to let something happen to it. Evil or not, she’s still me.”

The carriage was outside the city now, escorted by a team of a dozen golden-armored stallions as it made its way through an open field and toward the forest in the south. Trixie stared out at the trees and thought about Celestia’s story. She had to admit, she liked it better than Luna’s. A week ago she might have found the very idea behind it laughable, but now? She’d seen Nightmare Moon and Luna together. Was a statue of Celestia bearing her corrupt half really so far-fetched?

“Ah, we’re here.”

Trixie looked ahead to note a tall, two-storey building nestled within the trees by the roadway just within the forest. It was made of oak and had a very ‘naturey’ feel to it, with big flowerbeds and birds chittering on the roof. A deer-shaped sign by the road displayed Sweet & Elite Confectionary in pink cursive. Balloons floated above the windows and colorful flashing signs hovered in various places on the walls, all inviting customers in to indulge their sweet cravings. The place had quite a few patrons already inside, especially considering its distant location.

Trixie observed the restaurant with a skeptical air as the carriage rolled to a stop. “Trixie is confused. Are ponies expected to enjoy the natural beauty of the forest, or throw a party?”

Celestia chuckled as she lead her companion off the carriage and to the front door. “Yes, the site is a bit odd, but you get used to it. I must warn you, though: the owner is very… excitable.”

“Excitable?” Trixie pushed open the door. “In what—”

“Heeey!” Trixie nearly fell when a pink Earth pony practically flew into her face. “Welcome to Sweet & Elite, Princess Celestia’s personal favorite café. Oh, hi, princess!”

Celestia grinned as she nodded to the pony. “Good afternoon, Pinkie. Always a pleasure. Is my usual table open?”

“Always!” Pinkie seemed genuinely thrilled, bouncing in place at the arrival of the princess. “We’re always so happy to see you, I’m sure all the Pinkies will be ever more thrilly thrillerific than I am, and I’m really thrillerifical right now!” She paused in her bouncing and gestured politely to Trixie. “For two?”

“Indeed.” Celestia placed a gentle hoof on Trixie’s shoulder. “My friend has never been here, so do provide her with a menu.”

“Okey dokey lokey!”

As Pinkie grabbed a menu and lead them into the restaurant, Trixie whispered, “Is she always this energetic?”

Celestia giggled. “You haven’t seen anything, yet.”

They went through the door to the dining room, and did a double take; there were three more ponies who looked exactly like Pinkie! They bounced around the room, serving guests delicious-looking sweets, chattering playfully with patrons and generally having a good time.

“Wow,” Trixie noted as they followed Pinkie to some stairs, “quadruplets. Trixie is inclined to feel sorry for the mother.” Celestia grinned but said nothing.

It wasn’t until they started climbing the stairs that Trixie spotted the cutie mark. All the pink ponies had the same one: three balloons. Even Pinkie.

Trixie had spent much time reminiscing on everything Twilight had told her before, and of those things she recalled the cutie marks the best. Three balloons equated to laughter.

She paused at the top of the stairs, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. Eight more Pinkies were bouncing to and fro in the second-floor dining room, eagerly tending to their customers’ every need. Same look, same cutie mark. How could there possibly be so many?! If she remembered Twilight’s words – and her guess was right – then she’d have to fight one of these ponies.

...what if she had to fight all of them?

“Trixie?”

Trixie jumped in alarm at the princess’ call; she would much rather keep her name a secret! She rapidly moved to catch up, noticing how two of the closest Pinkies were suddenly watching her with wide eyes and mirthful grins.

They were led to a balcony on the second floor, providing them with a nice view of the forest. A lone table for two had been set up, and Celestia wasted no time settling herself in one of the fine, flower-decorated chairs. Trixie went to join her, but a pink hoof caught her shoulder.

“Say, are you really Trixie?”

She flinched, but there was nothing but curiosity in Pinkie’s wide-eyed, happy face. “Umm… y-yes?”

“Oh wow!” Pinkie began to bounce once more. “Another celebrity visitor! I heard how you beat Rainbow Dash, that sounds amazing! Were you frightened I’d have been frightened but then maybe not cause people say I don’t get frightened by scary things I get frightened by unscary things like zebras but you’re not a zebra so I’m not scared of you but you did beat Rainbow Dash and she’s like super-D-duper strong and that must mean you’re even more strongerific and ooh I bet—”

“Eh-hem.”

Pinkie literally screeched to a halt with her bouncing and gave Celestia a questioning look. The princess was all smiles, but raised an expectant eyebrow.

“Oh, right, sorry.” Pinkie blushed and stepped out of Trixie’s way. Trixie let out a relieved sigh before sitting opposite the princess.

“I’ll have your Tri-Smile Special,” Celestia told Pinkie, who set a menu before Trixie. “And a ‘Luna in the Stars’ to drink.”

“Oh, oh, that’s a good one!” Pinkie declared, jumping right in the princess’ face. “I’m gonna be so happy when I find out I’m making it! It’s all glittery and foamy and yummy and maybe I can have me make one for me! Gotta go put that in, but be right back for your order, Trixie!”

Trixie watched her leave with a strong sense of relief. “That has to be the single most energized pony Trixie has ever met.”

“Told you.” Celestia giggled. “I like her. She provides some pep in a rather grim world.”

A second later and another pink pony – well, Trixie assumed it wasn’t the same one – presented them two cups of steaming herbal tea. “Here ya go, princess! With a little extra lemon, just how you like it. Sorry, Trixie, I forgot to ask how you liked your tea.”

Trixie looked at the cup, then at the pony. “This might be rude of Trixie, and if so she apologizes… but how is she meant to tell you all apart if she doesn’t know all your names?”

“What do you mean?” The pony laughed and gestured to herself. “I’m Pinkie!” She turned to the windows and pointed to the others one at a time. “And she’s Pinkie, and she’s Pinkie, and she’s Pinkie!” She patted Trixie on the head with a grin. “Silly Trixie, we all know we’re Pinkie Pie. There is no way to tell us apart! Unless I’m Alpha, but last I checked I’m pretty sure I wasn’t. Gotta go, other customers waiting on more sweet, delicious goodness!”

For several seconds Trixie could only stare at their departing host – hosts? – then turned her gaze on Celestia.

“It’s a long story.” The princess sipped her tea with a smile. “Best to leave it alone for now.”

She was right – they had more pressing subjects at hoof. “Trixie would like to get back on topic. She suspects there is much more to speak of regarding Luna’s side of the story.”

Celestia set her hooves together in a thoughtful manner, staring at Trixie with what had to be the single most serious expression Trixie had yet seen on her face. Trixie shifted, wondering if she had said something wrong.

“Very well,” Celestia replied at last. “Ask any question you like, and I will answer to the best of my ability.”

Perhaps she should have been relieved. Instead, Trixie was guarded. The last princess who’d offered to tell her the whole truth had lost her trust. Even so, she might as well talk and see what came of it. “What is the real reason you banished Luna to the moon?”

Celestia closed her eyes and fidgeted. “Going straight for the heart, I see. So be it, I said I would answer, and I shall. But you’ll be disappointed. The truth is that the history books got something right.”

“So,” Trixie whispered with downcast eyes, “she really did try to overthrow you.” She grabbed her teacup and took a small sip, glad to have something other than water to drink for a change.

“What the public does not know,” the princess went on, “is the reason. Luna was being driven mad by Nightmare Moon. I am not sure how much of the attempt was her own or Nightmare’s, but they were clearly beyond working with. Sending my sister to the moon was the only way to keep from having to kill her in self-defense.”

Trixie considered this, then asked, “If that were the case, why did you let her return to Equestria?”

“Ah, that’s another thing the public does not know,” Celestia declared. “I returned Luna every one hundred years, to test her and gauge whether she’d recovered her mind. Every time she failed, and every time I sent her back.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “And now?”

Celestia bowed her head in contemplation. “Now… I am not certain. Luna appears more stable than ever before, but Nightmare Moon still plagues her. After what she did to those ponies you have been fighting, I thought perhaps she needed to be sent away, but then she begged me to separate her from Nightmare. I decided to honor that request, so that she might at least know a little peace.”

“But you intend to bring them back together.” Trixie stared at her steaming tea.

“Yes.” The princess nodded with a frown. “In a short time, she will begin to suffer as I have for the past thousand years. I cannot let that happen, Trixie.”

Trixie tilted her head, trying to make sense of this decision. “Trixie can only wonder which is worse: having two minds in one body driving you insane, or feeling a little uncomfortable.”

Trixie wilted, for as soon as she’d finished her sentence Celestia’s expression grew hard. Cursing herself under her breath, she rushed to add, “I’m sure they’re both fairly horrible, of course.”

Celestia stared down at her for several long seconds, and Trixie began to wonder if she shouldn’t be prepared for an extraterrestrial change in address. Yet just as the tension seemed too much to bear, Celestia abruptly smiled and reached a hoof over the table to touch Trixie’s muzzle.

“Gotcha.”

For a split second Trixie had an image of Amethyst sitting in Celestia’s place. It hurt so much, Trixie had to fight not to cry in front of the princess. She shook with the effort, closing her eyes and struggling not to knock the hoof away. Was she reminding her of Ammy on purpose, a subtle way of getting back at her for what she’d just said?

“Oh dear...” Celestia removed her hoof from Trixie’s face with a concerned expression. “I’m sorry, I thought you’d be amused.”

“D-don’t play dumb,” Trixie whispered, bowing her head and biting her lip. “T-Trixie knows Fine Crime told you all about it…”

Celestia tilted her head. “Told me about what?”

She was lying. She had to be.

“Here we go, princess!” Pinkie abruptly appeared from under the table, a large slice of three-layer cake in one hoof and a glittery, foaming drink in the other. “One of my very own super-speciiioooh my, what’s wrong?”

Trixie had been so surprised by the pony’s sudden appearance that she jumped up, knocking her chair down as she did and horn flashing dangerously. Huffing from anger and misery, she shot a menacing glare at Pinkie, who stared back in wide-eyed confusion.

But Trixie shook her head and quietly lifted the seat back up. “Trixie apologizes.” She returned to her seat and bowed her head. “She’s gotten a bit jumpy, lately.”

“Oh, that’s okay.” Pinkie set the cake and drink down before the princess. “You look like you’re having some troubles, but don’t worry. Everything will be sunshine and rainbows before you know it!”

“Trixie doubts that very much,” Trixie muttered, glancing away.

“Aww, come on.” Pinkie wrapped a hoof around Trixie shoulder and gestured as if to display the world. “It’s a bright, shiny day! You’re the Great and Powerful Trixie, you work with Princess Luna, and you’re having tea with Celestia! You’ve got lots to be happy about.”

Trixie shrugged Pinkie off and leaned against the table with a pout. “Do not try to act like you’re Trixie’s friend.”

“Aww, look at you, Miss Grumpy McGrumpypants. You know what you need?” Pinkie reared back with front legs crossed, head raised confidently.

“Some peace and quiet?”

“Nooo, this!” With that Pinkie abruptly pulled out a pair of Groucho glasses and set them on an unexpecting Celestia.

The princess blinked, felt at her face with a hoof, then began to chuckle.

Pinkie appeared on Celestia’s opposite side, rearing back to lean against the princess’ shoulder and holding a carrot to her mouth, her own Groucho glasses set to her face. She spoke in a more masculine voice, chewing on the carrot as if it were a stick of Poison Joke extract. “I never forget a face, but in your case I’ll be glad to make an exception.”

Celestia giggled, covering her lips and blushing wildly. Pinkie zipped to her other side and repeated the pose. “Marriage is a wonderful institution, but who wants to live in an institution?”

Trixie fought it, she really did, but the corners of her mouth twitched upwards.

Pinkie was leaning on her, now. “I must confess, I was born at a very early age.”

A now-giggling Trixie found herself wearing some glasses of her own, and Pinkie was on her other side. “Quote me as saying I misquoted.”

Celestia was laughing out loud by now, and Trixie was giggling uncontrollably as Pinkie stood up on the table and did a two-legged dance. “Marry me, and I swear I’ll never look at another horse!” She dropped down to put her face close to Trixie’s, her eyeballs stretching out so they nearly touched. “Who are you gonna believe, me or your own eyes?”

That last one did it: Trixie broke into laughter.

Pinkie giggled and removed her glasses. “See? I knew you still had some fun in there somewhere!” She jumped off the table, landing on front hooves and standing upside-down. “When life gets you down, just laugh!”

Celestia finally recovered from her own laughter and removed her glasses. “Feel better?”

Trixie was out of breath and feeling good for the first time in ages. “Yeah… Trixie owes you thanks, Pinkie!”

Pinkie cartwheeled back to a proper standing position, a proud smile on her lips. “That’s nice, but I’ll settle for your order.”

“Oh, right, the order.” She’d completely forgotten to check the menu. “Umm, give Trixie a moment longer?”

“Okey dokey lokey!” Pinkie waved a playful hoof and turned away.

Trixie removed her glasses, giggling at the sight of them and wondering what she’d looked like. “And to think, Trixie thought she might have to fight her.”

She barely noted Pinkie’s pause.

Team Battle! Trixie Needs Help!

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“Outta my way, Balloon Butt.” Trixie heard something hit the floor, and turned to discover that another Pinkie had arrived.

Yet this Pinkie wasn’t like the others. She was a little darker in color, her mane was straight and she possessed an expression of smoldering anger. She approached, walking by the Pinkie she’d clearly just knocked to the ground. That Pinkie was cowering on the floor, too afraid of the new one to do anything but stare and tremble.

“So,” Mean Pinkie muttered as she stopped by the table, “this is the Great and Powerful Trixie. I was just thinking about going out to find you.” She had the same voice, but there was nothing fun or pleasant about her tone.

Trixie lowered her head wearily. “This is what Trixie gets for opening her big, fat mouth. You want to fight her now, is that it?”

Pinkie scowled. “You’re not leaving ’til we do.”

Trixie gave her a sour look, but then realized something. She rose from her seat, turning to give Celestia an angry glare. “You brought Trixie here just to fight her, didn’t you?!” Celestia merely sipped her tea. “Why do you condone these fights? Trixie heard that you were the one who wanted them to go through.”

Celestia considered the question with a polite air, then turned to their host. “Pinkamina, would you give us but a few more minutes? You have my word: Trixie will be with you shortly.”

Pinkamina chewed her lip with a sour look, but finally nodded. She turned and went for the door, pausing to glare at the still-cowering Pinkie Pie. “Why are you still here? What do I pay you for?”

“B-b-but you don’t p-pay us…”

“Not the point!” Pinkamina stomped her hoof within an inch of the trembling Pinkie’s nose, making her wince. “Go downstairs and tell them we’re not accepting any more customers today!”

The wide-eyed Pinkie leapt to her hind hooves and saluted. “Yes ma’am, right away, ma’am!” She was gone in a blur that seemed to last a little too long to be natural. Pinkamina trotted into the building with a ‘hmmph’ and slammed the glass door behind her.

“What’s her problem?” Trixie demanded, momentarily forgetting the topic at hand.

“You need to fight her, Trixie.”

She turned to Celestia, who was watching her with a patient – but solemn – expression. Trixie sat back down and rubbed her forehead in both hooves. “Trixie is confused. Are you not the princess of all that is good? How can you let these fights continue?”

“I need you to understand the situation,” Celestia answered. “The ponies you have fought and will fight were all poisoned by Nightmare Moon’s influence. My poor sister had nothing to do with it, and she wants to make it right. I condone these fights – and yes, even encourage them – because if you succeed you may help them recover. If that happens, then Luna might know a little peace.”

Trixie considered this. “So you’re saying that Trixie is helping Luna by winning these fights. But what if Trixie fails? What if she proves no better than her predecessors?”

Celestia offered a smile so brilliant, so encouragingly warm she might as well have been the sun itself. “You won’t. You have an advantage none of them ever had: your exposure to Nightmare is very limited. I had a small hoof in that; I have gone to great lengths to severely restrict her movements. It is largely so the public won’t know she’s loose, but it also minimizes what harm she can do.

“Nightmare Moon cannot corrupt you,” she concluded. “You can fight with a clear mind, and that is far more than any of your opponents could say.”

Trixie sighed, her eyes set to her hooves. “Trixie’s mind is not so clear. She has lost everything, she has been hurt in ways other than mere bodily harm... and now she trusts nopony.”

“Not even me?”

Trixie wilted, but didn’t answer. She wasn’t about to lie to the princess.

Celestia’s shoulders sagged, her face a mask of shame. “It’s okay. You’ve been through a lot. Just remember: my sister is my very first concern.” She gestured to the windows with an apologetic frown. “You should probably go, now. Pinkamina is known for many things, but patience is not one of them.”

She hadn’t even a chance to eat. Trixie glowered at the cake set before the princess, but did as she was told and made her way for the door. “Trixie would feel much more comfortable about this if there was only one of them.”

“From a certain perspective,” Celestia offered, “there is.”

Trixie didn’t bother to think on those words. She entered the dining room to find Pinkamina sitting next to a doorway, watching with a dull grimace. “Well,” Trixie asked grumpily, “fight time?”

Pinkamina tilted her head, her mane drifting over one eye, then turned and walked to the nearby doorway. “Not yet. I’m not about to destroy my restaurant.”

Well, at least she seemed a little sensible. Trixie followed her, the two of them heading down a long hallway. Pinkamina opened a side door, and when Trixie entered she found herself in an office. Pinkamina walked to stand beside the big desk, which was clearly her own. “I can’t believe you beat Rainbow. I might hate you, but I’m still impressed.”

Trixie glanced around at the lightly-colored wood that made up the small room. “This place is a little tiny for a fight, is it not? Was there something important Trixie missed?”

“Everypony misses it,” Pinkie declared smartly. “All I really wanted was to get you set up for my plan.”

Trixie took up a defensive stance, suddenly alert. “And what plan of attack have you devised for Trixie?”

A big grin slowly came upon Pinamina’s face, one that didn’t match the malice in her eyes. “I think I’ll beat you down with your own words.” With that, she reached behind her back and pulled out…

Trixie’s mind shattered; she slumped to her haunches and stared, slack-jawed. “Are… Are those words?”

Sure enough, Pinkamina was holding up what appeared to be two sentences, as if she’d taken them up from a text. She held them up as if they were swords, examining her ‘weapons’ with a thoughtful smile. One read ’How many of you are there?’ and the other, ‘Performing a magic trick.’

“How are you even doing that?!” Trixie demanded. “The letters aren’t… even connected… to one another?”

“Oh, that’s nothing,” Pinkie declared with a grin. “Wait till you see this!” She slammed one of the sentences onto her desk, and a trap door opened… in front of Trixie.

Trixie stared at the hole a few feet before her hooves, then facehooved. “Trixie assumes she was meant to be standing over that?”

Pinkamina whacked the side of her own head with some letters. “Why didn’t I see that coming? Oh well, no matter. I’ll just move it.”

“Move it?” Trixie asked skeptically, but her eyes widened when Pinkamina stepped next to the hole, set one of her hind hooves to it and kicked. The hole slid across the floor, and Trixie was so startled she forgot to move. “What in—waah!”

Pinkamina brought the two sentences down like sledgehammers on Trixie’s shoulders, and they certainly felt solid enough! The hit sent her tumbling down the hole. Her body banged against what felt like metal walls for some time before she dropped out of the tunnel. She fell through open air for several seconds, then smacked hard ground on her stomach.

She groaned, slowly climbing to her hooves. She ignored the soreness and looked around to realize she was in a massive crystal cavern not unlike the one below Canterlot. It only made sense, for they couldn’t be that far from the slums. Was this where Pinkamina—

“Wow, that looked like it hurt.”

“Yeah, totally!”

“Are you okay?”

“She looks okay.”

“What’s she doing down here?”

Trixie’s chest tightened with horror as a dozen Pinkies came from all over to investigate the visitor. Suddenly she didn’t feel so certain of her chances…

“Hey, Pinkies!” Trixie looked up to see Pinkamina in the hole from which she’d fallen, looking down at them as if gazing through a window. “Time to have some fun!”

“Fun!” Trixie’s head rang as all the Pinkies shouted the word in unison and began to bounce wildly. The call had gone out, and soon dozens of Pinkies poured out of the tunnels, all bouncing and chattering. “Fun! Fun! Fun!”

“Holy Horseshoes…” Trixie spun about with wide eyes as the horde began to fill the room up in a sea of giddy pinkness. “___ ____ __ ___ ___ _______” She paused and felt at her throat with wide eyes, not at all certain what just happened.

“Far too many.” She turned around just in time to see Pinkamina appear in the crowd, thrusting a sentence at her. The question mark jammed into Trixie’s stomach, and with a powerful thrust Pinkamina sent her sprawling.

“Fun!”

A Pinkie appeared underneath and bounced, unwittingly ramming Trixie with her head. Trixie flew through the air with a grunt of pain. When she came back down she was caught on each leg by a quartet of Pinkies.

“Fun!”

They tossed her high into the air, but promptly forgot to catch her.

“Ow!” Trixie glared at the ponies all around her, incapable of determining which ones had dropped her. “Trixie is not having any fun at all!”

One of them let out a distressed cry. “No fun?”

“You gotta have fun,” another declared. “Alpha said we could!”

“Yeah,” a third added, “like this! Weeeeee!” She began to spin in place, her body moving in a blur that made Trixie stare.

“Oh, oh, that does look like fun! Let me try!”

“And me!”

“Me too!”

“I wanna have fun!”

Trixie took an alarmed step back as nearly a dozen Pinkies began spinning in unison, making a veritable Pinkie-tornado!

Pinkamina’s mocking voice came from behind: “You should have fun, too.” Trixie barely had time to register her intent before being pushed in, caught by some hooves and dragged into the maelstrom!

“No, noooo!” Trixie’s stomach churned as the crystal caverns and pink ponies swirled through her vision. “L-let Trixie go!” That was as far as she could get; she feared opening her mouth again would lead to serious consequences.

Amidst the giddy laughter the Pinkies finally released Trixie, sending her flying across the cavern.

“Fun!” She whacked into a Pinkie that bounced at the wrong time.

“Fun!” And another.

She flew through a tunnel and landed on her side, well away from the pink army. She rolled for a ways before stopping, and for several seconds she could only lie there with eyes spinning and stomach roiling. Knowing she didn’t have much time, she tried to stand, stumbled and collapsed to her side again. She could see in her swirling vision that Pinkamina was trying to make her way through all the Pinkies.

These reality-defying ponies were ridiculous! She needed a plan, and fast. Stumbling to her hooves, she moved to lean against the wall and instead ended up falling through a curtained opening.

She landed on her chin in a dim cavern. Her sight finally evening out, she sat up and gazed upon a truly unique sight: the cavern ahead, lit by great openings in the ceiling, was a veritable paradise! The ground changed from crystal to soil several feet ahead of her, and on that ground rose trees, flowers, grass, everything to suggest a perfectly natural forest.

Trixie shook her head violently, returning to the moment. Pinkamina was sure to come looking for her, and she couldn’t face all those Pinkies without some sort of strategy. Wobbling on unbalanced hooves, she made her way to the woods. She found a particularly large, fallen tree and dove behind it just as she heard hoofsteps echoing through the cavern.

“Come out, come out,” Pinkamina called. “We’re not done playing! You can’t already be bored.”

How was Trixie going to fight her? Maybe if she could zap Pinkamina good and hard, the rest of them wouldn’t attack? Chop off the head, as it was said. Trixie took a moment to lean sideways and peer through the trees branches, but Pinkamina didn’t seem to know where she was.

Trixie sat back, sucking in a relieved breath… then noticed she wasn’t alone. It was all she could do to keep from shouting at the sight of the yellow pegasus now sitting before her with an emotionless expression. “D-don’t sneak up on Trixie like that,” she hissed.

The pink-maned pony only stared, lips set in a frown. The way she was staring at Trixie made her feel very uncomfortable; it was a combination of bitterness and misery that almost made her feel as if she’d done something wrong. Trixie didn’t have time to think on her, though. “Listen, keep quiet, okay? Trixie needs to hide for a moment and think.”

The pegasus’ ears perked. “Did you say… Trixie?”

Trixie paused and took a much closer look at the stranger. “Umm… Yes?”

The pegasus sucked in a long breath, as if trying to control herself, then looked over Trixie’s shoulder and nodded.

“Whoa, wha—” Trixie felt herself lifted by the shoulders, and the next thing she knew she was facing a massive, one-eyed bear! The animal roared right in her face. Heart flying into her chest, she instinctively fired a small beam of energy that blackened its nose. The bear jerked back with a snarl and tossed Trixie away.

“Fluttershy!” Pinkamina was at the pegasus’ side in an instant. She grabbed Fluttershy’s cheeks and studied her face up close. “Are you okay? That meanie didn’t hurt you, did she?”

Fluttershy didn’t bother to answer. Instead, she slapped Pinkamina’s hooves away and turned to stare at Trixie with that same bitter expression.

Pinkamina dropped to a low stance, looking up at Fluttershy with hopeful eyes. “Come on, Fluttershy, smile for me?” No response.

Pinkamina wilted. “What if we hurt Trixie? Would that make you happy?”

Fluttershy’s eyes shifted down to her for a few seconds before locking once more on Trixie. At last she spoke, and though her voice was quiet, it was by no means gentle. “Maybe.”

Pinkamina bounced with a grin. “That’s good enough for me. Pinkies! Fluttershy’s hosting the fun!”

“Fun!” A freshly-recovered Trixie leaped back when a grinning Pinkie appeared from under a bush.

“Fun!” Two more appeared on either side of a nearby tree.

“Fun! Fun! Fun!” Pinkies began to pop up from a nearby pond, lily pads on their heads.

“Fun!” The horde burst through the cavern entry, literally falling over one another in their rush to get in.

“Oh, come on!” Trixie cried, then winced as something whacked her on the head. “Hey!” She looked up to find a swarm of birds swooping down to peck and claw at her. “What the hay?”

“Oh, look at the birdie!” A Pinkie jumped up and landed on Trixie’s back, dropping her to her stomach.

“Get off Trixie!”

“Fore!” She looked up in alarm to find one Pinkie swinging another like a golf club, whacking her on the head. The hit sent her flying out from under the Pinkie’s who’d been on top of her. Trixie’s body travelled a shallow arc through the air and she was momentarily blinded by stars and pain.

“Keep-away!” a Pinkie called in a sing-song voice, catching Trixie. She spun with her, using the momentum to send Trixie flying in another direction.

“Party cannon!”

“Party what?” Trixie looked up in mid-flight to find herself landing face-first inside a literal cannon! Working her mind frantically, she hastened to focus her magic. A flash of light later and she had teleported out just in time to hear the boom. She landed on her stomach on the opposite side of the pond and scrambled to her hooves.

“Paper cut.”

“Paper cut? What kind of attack is—” Trixie turned around to find herself facing a sneering Pinkamina. She swung one of her sentences up to smack Trixie in the chin and send her flying yet again!

Trixie found herself under assault by the birds, this time in mid-air. They clawed and pecked and tore at her until she let out a frustrated cry and cast a wind spell that sent the animals spiraling away uncontrollably.

“Fun!” A Pinkie appeared far below. “Fun!” Another Pinkie popped out of that Pinkie’s mane and stood on her head. “Fun!” And another for that one. “Fun!” And a fourth.

Trixie was still flying through the air, her flight sending her towards the very top of the Pinkie tower. She gave an alarmed cry when Pinkamina appeared from within the mane of the highest Pinkie with sentences at the ready. “Hey, this is fun.” Smirking, she struck Trixie in mid-flight with her wordy weapons, sending her up to smack against the cavern’s ceiling.

Trixie was in lots of pain, and realized she was getting her flank thoroughly trounced. The attacks were simply coming too fast! Desperate for some relief, she cast one of her most reliable spells – the magic rope – and quickly tied herself to a crystal stalactite.

Secured to the ceiling and safe from attack for the moment, Trixie took a deep breath and looked below. The army of Pinkies had completely filled the forest. Fluttershy and her bear stood quietly at the edge of the group and glared up at Trixie. Was she controlling the animals? Why was that pony attacking, too? It didn’t make any sense! She noted some birds coming for her once more and cast another wind spell, dispersing them easily.

Trixie exhaled deeply, glad for her temporary respite… but then her eyes snapped open when she heard a chuckle from above. She looked up in angry disbelief to spot Pinkamina… who appeared to be coming from behind her magic rope, except there clearly wasn’t enough rope for her to be hiding behind. It almost looked as if she had no bottom half at all.

“The fun’s down there, you dummy.” Pinkamina promptly produced a pair of scissors from out of nowhere.

Trixie barked a laugh. “You think Trixie’s the dummy? The rope’s magic. A mere pair of scissors won’t—”

Pinkamina cut the rope with one neat snip.

“—how the buck?”

Trixie twisted to see the mass of ponies below, mind frantic with total confusion. Grasping for some sort of common sense, she remarked to herself that at least the Pinkies would break her—

“Twitchy tail!”

The mass of ponies darted away, leaving Trixie but a second to scream a curse before smacking the ground.

She let out a long, low moan, her entire body sore. Slowly, she opened her eyes… to find a small white bunny with a disfigured ear staring down at her. Trixie slowly climbed to her aching hooves, noting how the rabbit glared up at her with its front paws crossed.

“Shoo.” She growled, turning her attention to the horde of Pink—“Ah!”

The bunny had leapt onto her and was crawling all over, biting, kicking and tugging at her coat. She swatted and tried to grab him, but he moved around so quickly she couldn’t get to him. She didn’t notice the bear approaching until it was too late, receiving a hard hit from its paw. She stumbled and fell, landing on top of the unprepared rabbit.

Fluttershy let out an angry cry. “Bearrington! Don’t hurt Angel at the same time!”

The bear, its expression apologetic, automatically lifted Trixie off the flattened, breathless bunny. Bearrington absentmindedly tossed her aside, its attention now wholly on the rabbit. She landed atop one of the Pinkies, grunting in pain as the two dropped to the floor.

“Pony-pile!” The Pinkies all bounced in to form a mound of ponies, nearly all of them ending up on top of Trixie. She would have gasped for air if her mouth weren’t full of tail.

Trixie was in trouble; she hadn’t even touched Pinkamina yet, but she was already worn out. She focused on the spell and, to her relief, was able to teleport out of from under the mountain of ponies. She had to find a way to hit Pinkamina, and quick!

She forced herself to her hooves. Panting heavily, she spun about in search of the Pinkie leader, but couldn’t see her. Where was the straight hair, the darker colors? Worry clouded her mind as the army of Pinkies surrounded her, bouncing and cheering and laughing. Trixie was starting to think she’d go mad from over-exposure to these monstrosities! She rolled her head back to cry out, “Where are you?!”

“Here!”

“And here!”

“Pinkie Pie, reporting for duty!”

Trixie sat, frustration and desperation mixing chaotically in her mind. Teeth grinding, she tried to blot out the noise and focus… on what? She had no idea what to do!

A pair of Pinkies abruptly grabbed her by the front legs and jerked her down. She was so lost in the chaos she had no idea how to respond.

“Sorry,” the Pinkie holding her left leg said with a grin.

“Alpha said to,” the one on her right declared.

Trixie was on the verge of surrender. What was she supposed to do against an army of reality-defying ponies? That incessant chatter and laughter wouldn’t stop. Everywhere she looked, she saw Pinkies. It was like some sort of twisted, horrible nightmare! She couldn’t face it alone, and seeing all of them reminded her that she really was so very alone. She didn’t struggle; as long as it all just ended, she was willing to accept a loss.

“Now you know how I always feel,” Pinkamina declared, appearing over Trixie with an ominous frown. “All I wanted was to make ponies happy, to make Luna happy. Was I losing my touch?”

She sat on top of Trixie, making sure to press firmly down on her stomach. “I tried everything to make her smile, and I couldn’t do it! So I thought if one Pinkie wasn’t enough, maybe many Pinkies could do it!” She cast a glower at the noisy, giddy ponies all around her. “That didn’t work out so well.”

Pinkamina pulled out the two sentences from her own mane. “Now look at me. Nopony likes me anymore. I became an outcast from the very ponies who used to love me!”

A Pinkie dared to hop over beside Pinkamina and pat her on the back. “Aww, cheer up, me! Turn that frown upside—”

Pinkamina shoved her aside and whacked her with a sentence so hard she went flying across the room. “And these things! Some ponies actually like them! They’re all me, so why doesn’t anypony like me?!”

She huffed for a few seconds, the Pinkies moving back fearfully at her anger. But then Pinkamina smiled and pointed with one of her sentences. “But then I met somepony just as miserable as I am.”

Trixie, too busy trying to breathe to speak, turned her head to follow her gesture. Fluttershy was sitting just within the circle of worried Pinkies, surrounded by her animals and birds. She was watching with that same cold, emotionless expression.

“Fluttershy suffered because of Luna, too. She’s so depressed! If I could just make her smile again… I’d do anything to make somepony smile again.” Pinkamina held the two sentences just over Trixie’s head, and suddenly those words appeared awfully sharp. With an uncertain smile, she declared, “Maybe if I hurt you, she’ll smile. She said she might. I have to find out!” Pinkamina raised the sentences over her head.

Trixie stared up at Pinkamina, mind jumbled with emotions. On one hoof, she didn’t want to die. On the other, she was just about willing to try it, if it meant escaping this pink hellhole.

“Smile.”

But then, who would fight for ponies like Twilight? Then there was Pinkie and Fluttershy, who’d been harmed by Luna just like the others. Didn’t they deserve some consideration?

“Smile!”

Killing Trixie wouldn’t grant them that! They needed something better… If only she could speak!

Tears in her eyes, Pinkamina let out one final, desperate cry – “Please, smile!” – and brought the sentences down.

The world erupted in blackish-blue energy and wind. Pinkamina paused mid-chop, her mane flying wildly as she tried to brace against the winds. Giggling and squealing with pleasure, the Pinkies were sucked within the great ball of energy that now surrounded her and Trixie, who could only stare in stunned silence at the sight.

Then the sphere burst with a concussive blast, sending Pinkamina, the Pinkies, and even Fluttershy and her animals flying.

Trixie, still on her back in the center of the forest, sucked in a deep breath of air. What in Equestria’s name…?

Then she saw the great hole above her, where the sun beamed light throughout the cave. Something was coming down. A pony…

An alicorn.

“Luna!”

The princess landed beside Trixie, hitting the ground so hard that soil and grass flew up upon impact. Her eyes shined white with anger, her lips pulled back into a snarl. “This has gone far enough!”

“You!” Pinkamina popped up from under a pile of Pinkies with wide eyes. “What are you doing here?”

Trixie rolled onto her belly and stared up at Luna in mild disbelief. “Luna?”

Luna glanced back at her. “Are you alright?” Trixie could only gape as understanding hit her: the princess was protecting her. Luna turned to face Pinkamina once more. “I won’t let you hurt her, Pinkie Pie!”

Pinkamina was struck dumb, jaw and shoulders going slack.

“What?” All eyes turned to Fluttershy, her soaked form hovering over the pond.. Her face was twisted in an expression of fury. “You’re going to fight for her? For her?”

“Yes.” Luna stood her ground, prepared to take on both aggressors. “I couldn’t protect either of you from this. I will not let Trixie fall, too! On my honor as a princess, I will ensure she sees this path to its best end!”

Trixie couldn’t believe her ears. She struggled to her haunches, trying to take in this sudden turn of events. Despite all her doubts and suspicions, hearing Luna say those words left her feeling… touched.

“But...” Pinkamina sagged, wide eyes downcast. “But… what about us?”

Luna’s focus faltered. “I…”

“She’s abandoned us.” Fluttershy’s voice was quiet, but filled with a venomous intensity that matched the feverish fire in her eyes. “She doesn’t care about us. She’d rather spend her time with her new toy.” She landed on the ground next to the pond, shaking water from her coat. “I’m tired of being stepped on! Pinkies, take care of Luna.”

All the Pinkies stared at one another anxiously. One dared to step up to Fluttershy. “Umm, but it’s the princess. We like her… don’t we?”

“No, we don’t,” Pinkamina growled. “Pinkies, Luna wants to have fun!”

“Fun!” The mass of Pinkies instantly converged on the princess, laughing and bouncing and grinning. Luna stepping back and fired a bolt of white energy that struck a Pinkie. The pony burst into pink light, which instantly swam off on its own through the air. She fired a few more shots, but was soon lost among the Pinkies.

“Luna!” Trixie jumped to her hooves, completely surrounded. “Get out of Trixie’s way, you foals!”

“Not you.” Trixie turned to find Fluttershy standing right next to her, expression livid. “I’ll make sure you never win Luna’s heart!”

Trixie noticed the bear coming upon her and just managed to dodge a claw. Birds swooped down on her, pecking and scratching, and she summoned another wave of wind to get rid of them. The distraction was enough to let the bear get its paws on her, though, and Trixie found herself lifted bodily into the air!

From her high position Trixie could see Luna. The princess was struggling to get rid of the army of Pinkies now crowding around her. She could see Pinkamina darting in at random moments, delivering hits against Luna with her two sentences. Even an alicorn couldn’t keep so many attackers at bay, and her vanquishing spell simply wasn’t capable of keeping up with them all.

Pain coursed through Trixie… but Luna had come to help her; she’d be damned if she let Luna suffer because of it! Seeing that spell in action gave her an idea, if only she could find an opportunity to devise the modifications.

The birds came at her again, and this time Trixie was ready. The bear was holding her up as if to sacrifice her to them, but she caught a nearby hawk in both hooves and shoved it down. The thing squirmed and cried in her grip, its legs clawing wildly against the bear’s unprotected face. It let out a roar and dropped Trixie, raising its arms to protect its lone eye.

Trixie cast her magic, magnifying the impact of her hooves hitting the ground, causing everypony in the room to stumble from the quake. She charged a second spell, her horn glowing brightly, and turned to deliver a mighty blast of energy point-blank against the kneeling bear’s chest. The animal flew across the cavern, smashing into a tree on the opposite side of the pond; it slumped down and made no attempt to get back up.

“Bearrington!” Fluttershy was on her. “How dare you? He’s my friend!”

Fluttershy was much stronger than she looked, but she was also clearly inexperienced; her hold amounted to little more than an expression of her anger. Trixie lowered her body and, with a simple tipping motion and a little magic, flipped her attacker over her shoulder. Fluttershy whacked the ground on her back, a tiny cry coming out of her lips from the impact.

“Luna! Can you hear—” Trixie’s head snapped backwards as Fluttershy delivered a sudden hit to her chin.

“You won’t stop me that easily!” Fluttershy was back on her hooves with surprising speed.

Trixie braced for an attack, but was caught off-guard when that accursed rabbit bounded onto her for a second time! As the rabbit kicked and bit, Fluttershy came forward to deliver a few more hits.

Trixie raised a hoof, blocking one of Fluttershy’s attacks, then turned and bit down. By sheer luck, she caught the bunny by his good ear. She ground her teeth into the flesh and swung her head to send it flying against Fluttershy’s face with a loud smack.

“Angel!” Fluttershy caught the bunny in her front hooves, alarmed at the blood coming from his ear. The animal was down for the count, looking dazed and clutching its wound.

The birds came back for yet another try. Trixie was tired of the accursed things! Spitting blood from her mouth, she reversed her spell so the wind blew down. The birds hit the ground hard. Most of them didn’t get up.

Fluttershy met Trixie’s gaze with piercing fury. She set Angel down slowly, her livid eyes locked on the out-of-breath Trixie. Trixie’s horn was already getting sore again. So many magic-induced headaches over the last few days couldn’t be good for her…

That was when Trixie realized what was wrong: Pinkamina and her clones had worn her out. She was still hurting, still weary from the long pounding. No wonder Fluttershy seemed so strong, Trixie was running out of strength! She had to resolve this soon. Luna was still struggling to handle the Pinkie horde, and she wouldn’t last forever.

Fluttershy lunged, and Trixie tried to fend her off with a laser blast. To her alarm, Fluttershy dodged and kept coming, smashing into her at full gallop. Trixie was able to keep from falling, though to absorb the impact required a lot of effort. She struggled to push her opponent back, the two of them locking hooves.

“Why are you so mad at Trixie?”

Fluttershy released a menacing snort. “Mad at you? I’m mad at everypony! You took my Luna, you hurt my friends! I might have let it happen before, but no more. I’m tired of being the world’s doormat!”

“Trixie didn’t take anything from you.” She struggled to push Fluttershy away. “And she hurt your friends in self-defense!”

Fluttershy abruptly stepped back. With nothing to brace against, Trixie stumbled forward with a cry, then gasped in pain as her opponent slammed a hoof into her gut. She collapsed to the floor, clutching at her stomach and wheezing.

“I’ve been holding my anger in for two years,” Fluttershy declared. “Two years of thinking I had done something wrong, of thinking I wasn’t good enough!” She kicked Trixie, effectively rolling her onto her back. “Now I know it was never my fault. It was all Nightmare Moon! Well if she’s going to be cruel to me, let me be cruel to her! She likes you now, so I’ll make her lose you!”

Fluttershy moved to stomp on Trixie’s face, but her hoof came to an abrupt stop when Trixie caught it with her magic. As Fluttershy struggled to bring her hoof down, Trixie ignored her growing headache and bought enough time to recover her breath. She then reached up and caught Fluttershy’s hoof in her own, jerking it down. Fluttershy dropped forward, Trixie taking the opportunity to create a small blue sphere of energy between them.

The energy erupted with such force that Fluttershy was sent flying high, crying out in pain. She started to open her wings, but Trixie hit her with a well-timed beam. As Fluttershy twisted in midair, Trixie fought for one more wind spell, crashing her opponent into a nearby tree. Fluttershy dropped to the ground on her belly, tried to stand and collapsed.

Her head pounding, horn smoking, Trixie stumbled her way to Fluttershy. She intended to hear her story, as she’d heard so many already… but paused.

Fluttershy was… crying. Not just a few tears, she was outright weeping.

Trixie stood over the defeated pegasus, not sure what to do. Fluttershy looked up at her, all anger and fury washed away in her clear misery. For a tender moment they stared at one another, neither saying anything. Then Fluttershy buried her head in her hooves and resumed her sobs.

There was a certain clarity in the sight before Trixie. This was enough. Whatever Nightmare Moon had done, Fluttershy had bore it terribly. Perhaps worse than any of the others had, for she didn’t seem at all equipped to handle such treatment. Seeing her like this… Even Trixie, who’d been through so much recently, felt her heart crack.

The fight wasn’t over; Trixie had one more thing to do. Though her head still ached terribly and her body yearned for rest, she turned away from Fluttershy and approached the Pinkies, who were still crowded around Luna. She could barely make out Luna’s sparkling mane over the pink horde and the occasional flash of her banishing spell.

“Get away from me!” Luna cried, frustration and pain in her voice. “Pinkamina, stop this!” She was in trouble, Trixie could tell.

Trixie sat close to the mass of Pinkies and focused her magic. Her head burned in retaliation, but she had to succeed. Just one more spell. It was a big one, but if it worked…

Take Luna’s spell, work out the trick of it…

Luna’s fretful cry reached her ears; “Trixie, where are you?”

Got that. Now take the fireworks, apply wind…

“Trixie, we need to get out of here!”

Concussive force. Expand upon Luna’s spell. How to divide it?

“You won’t get away, Luna!” That one was Pinkamina, lost somewhere among the crowd.

No, that wouldn’t work. Maybe a wave effect? Yes, mix it with the wind. Would that get in the way of the fireworks?

“Pinkie, this is madness!”

No, not if she used the fireworks first. If she could just avoid hitting Pinkamina. Perhaps an essence filter?

“That’s right, I’m mad! Ponies don’t like mad, do they?”

No, never mind. Goddess, was this complicated... Maybe an aura target?

“Pinkie, please, don't make me hurt you!”

Yes. Yes, that would do it! Just a few more touches to string it together…

“Hey!” One of the Pinkies broke from the crowd to sit before Trixie. “What are you doing?”

Trixie was sweating, her vision going white from the pain. She thought she might collapse. Even so, she managed the tiniest of smiles. “__________ _ _____ _____.” She raised her head and released the spell.

There was an audible burst of explosive magic. A circle of sparking light erupted from her horn, filling the forested cavern with a rainbow of colors. The Pinkies in the room all stopped to stare up at the brilliant eruption of light, joyful eyes as wide as saucers at the sight of it.

Then the second burst came, a ring of pure white light that swept low across the forested cavern. The distracted Pinkies had no chance. Each and every one of them erupted in a burst of pink, until a veritable stream of pink essences were flowing out of the cavern into the opening above, off to a destination unknown.

The colors faded, the light disappeared. Suddenly the cavern was empty, save for Luna and Pinkamina, who gaped at Trixie in a state of total disbelief.

She promptly collapsed.

“Trixie!” Luna ran to her, rolling her onto her back and studying her carefully. “Are you alright? Tell me you’re alright!”

“They’re gone,” Pinkamina whispered, looking around in quiet amazement. “Th-they’re all gone. Oh, thank all things sugary…”

Trixie was so worn out she couldn’t move, suspecting that another spell would knock her out. When she looked up she saw Luna, her face awash with genuine concern.

“Thank goodness,” Luna whispered, hugging Trixie close. “I thought you might have died from an overdose. Don’t scare me like that!”

“Apologize.”

“W-what?” Luna lowered Trixie back down, her face confused.

“T-to Fluttershy,” Trixie whispered. “Apologize.” She would have gestured, but she couldn’t manage it.

Luna smiled, looking both proud and on the verge of tears at the same time. “Of course… O-of course, you’re right. She deserves that much, doesn’t she?”

She went to Fluttershy, still crying by the tree. Trixie was able to shift her head in the grass just enough to see what was happening. She watched as Luna knelt down beside the miserable pegasus, taking a few seconds to think of what to say.

“Fluttershy?” Fluttershy looked up at Luna in alarm. “I wanted you to know… you were right. Everything that happened is my fault. I didn’t want it to be this way… I wanted you to be happy.”

Fluttershy wiped grass and tears from her face. “Then… Th-then why did you leave?”

“Because you deserved better,” Luna answered. “I knew I would hurt you, Fluttershy, and because I cared, I left. I thought you’d have been better off that way. Clearly, I was wrong. But there were things going on behind the scenes, things I couldn’t share, and if I stayed with you… Things would have gotten even worse. You must believe me, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy was visibly shaken by these words. “You mean… you left to protect me?”

“And it hurt so much to do so.” Luna’s eyes began to water. “You were important to me, Fluttershy, and I am sorry.” She reached down to hold Fluttershy’s cheeks and look her in the eyes. “I am so sorry. You deserve better than this. You can hate me, you have the right. If you never want to see me again, I’ll understand. But please remember that what I did, I did for you.”

She embraced Fluttershy, who stared over her shoulder blankly for several seconds. Then, gradually, Fluttershy smiled and returned the hug.

There was a quiet gasp, and Pinkamina walked cautiously up to them. As the two finally separated, she stood before Fluttershy and tentatively touched her cheek. “You… You smiled. Fluttershy, you’re smiling.”

Suddenly Luna caught her up, and Pinkamina stared with wide-eyes at her. “I’m sorry to you, too, Pinkie! I never meant to hurt you, either.”

Pinkamina pulled back to better look Luna in the face. “You mean it? Y-you actually like me?”

Luna gave her a big, happy smile. “I do. I really do, Pinkie!”

Pinkamina’s eyes grew wide as saucers. For a few seconds it looked as if she might burst into tears…but instead she burst with energy, her mane becoming miraculously poofy and her colors going several shades brighter. “She likes me! Luna likes me!”

Luna laughed as Pinkie burst from her legs to hug Fluttershy, who grinned at her friend’s exuberance. “And you like me too! Laughter, smiles, joy! Oh, I’m sooo happy!”

Luna grinned at the two, but then grew alarmed and turned back to Trixie. She was still watching, though she could feel sleep coming over her.

The princess approached swiftly, cradling her once more in her legs. “Trixie… You did wonderfully today. You saved them, and me as well.”

“Oh my...” Fluttershy approached with an expression of worry. “I’m so sorry! I really don’t know what came over me.”

Pinkie was at Fluttershy’s side. “I’m sorry, too,” she confessed with a frown. “I shouldn’t have taken it all out on you, and you even got rid of all the other ‘me’s.'”

Luna looked down on Trixie with a warm smile. “Rest, Trixie. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”

Trixie smiled up at her, slowly closing her eyes. She’d won. It had taken every last ounce of strength left in her, but she’d done it. She ignored the pain as best she could and allowed her body to relax. It was strange, how good it felt to be in Luna’s care. That seemed to be a recurring theme, lately. As her mind drifted off, she dimly recalled Twilight, that poor individual who’d come to her one lonely night before she truly understood anything. She recalled the words she’d been told, the words she’d been trying to recall for the past three days…

‘Luna is the key. If you save Luna, you save Equestria.’

She was ready to try.

Author's Notes:

This one took me almost a whole week. It was hard! I was constantly struggling to find different ways to use Pinkie's abilities without taking it too far, or breaking the fourth wall in unacceptable ways. I also had to try and give Pinkie and Fluttershy a fair amount of face-time between them, which was no small order. Pinkie still took most of the limelight, of course, but I think Fluttershy got enough attention for it to be okay.

Having Pinkie and Fluttershy fight at once was intended all along, and also always meant to be something of a surprise. In another nod to Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, I wanted to have at least one fight be Trixie fighting against two opponents. Scott fought against twins, so Trixie fought against Fluttershy and Pinkie.

To be honest, though, this was a fight I long fretted over. I don't worry about a lot of things, but this was something that I felt needed to be done right. All the other characters I tried to keep true to themselves. Doing this with these two, individually or together, was the big challenge. Pinkie's random and humorous nature is always challenging to me, as I'm not very inclined to randomness or humor in my writing. In turn, I consider Fluttershy a much deeper character than the others, and getting her personality just right for this fight was perhaps the biggest challenge; how to make it appropriate to her without necessarily having her go Flutterbitch or Flutterrage on Trixie? It was daunting.

Did I pull it off? You tell me.

...

No, seriously. I want opinions on this.

UPDATE 4/27/2014: Edits have been uploaded!

A Little Kindness

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Trixie groaned, her entire body throbbing in pain. She shifted under the sheets, fighting to keep the cold at bay. There was something nice and warm nearby, and she snuggled up to it. She wasn’t ready to wake just yet…

She drifted in and out of consciousness for a while, never really sure when she was awake. The pain helped a little. Gradually, unhappily, she grew more and more aware of her surroundings. She was in bed, so Luna must have brought her back to the Nocturnal Wing. What had happened to Pinkie and Fluttershy? How long had she been out? Why did her sheets feel like silk? Was her horn ever going to stop aching?

And just what was she pressing against?

She rubbed her eyes to get the sleepiness out. When she opened them at last, she found herself staring at something… blue. A very dark blue.

Luna. She was sleeping next to Princess Luna.

Now Trixie was wide awake. She gaped at the princess, who slept in blissful ignorance of the situation. Luna lay on her belly, nose tucked just under her pillow and a tiny smile on her lips. Her peaceful slumber was a stark contrast to the mind-numbing anxiety coursing through Trixie’s mind.

Slowly, quietly, she slipped away from the princess and off the bed. Eyes locked on Luna’s pretty face, she walked backwards from the bed until her rear pressed against the wall. She tried to focus her mind and think clearly, but it seemed impossible.

At last she managed to tear her eyes away. She was in a vast bedroom, lavishly decorated with black and extra-dark shades of blue. The moon decor, the great silk-covered bed, the sheer size… there was no questioning that this was Luna’s private chambers.

Why in the name of the Moon was she sleeping next to Princess Luna?

Breathing heavily, Trixie approached the bed once more. She stood by it and studied the princess, her face growing hot. With embarrassment? She recalled the warmth of being next to her and the sheer pleasure it have given her. She wanted to feel it again, but she wasn’t sure what to make of that thought. Even more troubling was the question of why Luna had brought her here. That had to be the truth of things, didn’t it? Why else would she find herself sharing a bed with the…

She shook her head forcefully, face burning even hotter; that particular line of questioning brought up some very improper imagery! She needed to cool down.

She turned and crept for the door. She opened it as slowly and quietly as she could muster, stepped out into the hallway and closed it once more. Satisfied that she’d escaped, she pressed her back against the door and slid to the floor.

She had no idea what was going on. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, ignoring the soft pain that still thrummed through her entire body. Her mind drifted to her most recent decisions.

Twilight. She had asked Trixie to do something important. She wanted her to ‘save’ Luna, whatever that really meant. She doubted it had anything to do with sharing the princess’ bed. Yet perhaps it meant winning these fights in her name and taking up her side of the royal conflict. What else could it mean? A month ago she would have taken the words at face value. Now she found herself questioning what seemed obvious.

She was supposed to save Luna, and that was what she intended to do. But what if the princess was growing… fond of her? Was that a bad thing? Did she want it to be a bad thing? Why did the thought make her feel so warm? They weren’t a couple – what had they ever done to attract one another? Luna was a beauty, no doubt, but what else was there?

“Oh, you’re awake.” Trixie glanced to her side and found Fluttershy standing just a few feet away. “Umm… Are you okay?”

Trixie groaned, rubbing her head tenderly. “Trixie did not expect to see you so soon after the fight. Why are you here?”

Fluttershy blushed and glanced away. “Umm… I’m sorry. I was helping Luna and Nye look after you. I mean, it’s the least I could do after how I tried to hurt you.”

Trixie blinked and took a closer look at her former opponent. She realized that Fluttershy's entire demeanor had changed. Where was the bitterness and anger from before? “You’re taking care of Trixie?” Fluttershy nodded. “But she thought you hated her.”

Fluttershy blushed once more, chewing her lip with her eyes downcast. “I… I did, and that was wrong of me. If you want to hate me, though, I’d understand.”

Trixie struggled to her hooves, wincing at the pain that came with the effort. “Trixie doesn’t hate you. She understands that you were a victim of Nightmare Moon even without hearing your story.” Her stomach rumbled so loudly that she thought it might wake Luna. “Good Goddess, Trixie feels as if she hasn’t eaten in days.”

Fluttershy gave her a bemused look. “Well, you have been asleep for nearly twenty-four hours.”

Trixie felt her jaw drop. “R-really? That means it really has been days! Trixie absolutely must get some nourishment.”

Fluttershy giggled and walked to the door opposite the hall, which Trixie recognized as her own. “Come on, then. There’s something in here that will cheer you up.”

Trixie dubiously raised an eyebrow, but followed. When she entered the large room she was surprised to find two big baskets full of bright, red apples. Her hunger was so strong that she immediately ran to one of them and devoured a couple in just a few big bites.

“Oh my…!” Fluttershy hovered to her side. “You really shouldn’t eat so quickly, it’s not good for you. Especially when you’ve gone so long without eating.”

Trixie swallowed a big bite and sighed with pleasure. “Maybe it’s because Trixie is so starved, but she could swear these are the best apples she’s ever tasted!”

Fluttershy smiled even as she reached a hoof down to stop Trixie from eating a fourth apple. “I’m sure Miss Applejack would be pleased to hear it, but you really should slow down.”

Trixie’s hunger disappeared instantly as she stared up at the hovering pegasus. “Wait, did you say Applejack?”

Fluttershy flew back a little and cringed. “Y-yes? I know you had to fight her and all, but she’s really not a bad pony. And she did deliver these herself…”

Trixie rubbed her aching head once more before taking a good look at the apples. “Why would she gift these apples to Trixie?”

Fluttershy landed as she answered. “She told me it was in thanks, for ‘helping her see the truth’. She looked a bit worn out, the poor thing. After all that happened…”

Trixie turned to her, her curiosity piqued. “Did something happen to Applejack?”

“You didn’t know?” Fluttershy tilted her head. “She was forced to leave her farm in Ponyville. Something about being disrespectful.”

Trixie choked on her fifth apple. “You mean she got fired?”

Fluttershy winced. “B-but I’m sure she doesn’t blame you for it! She did bring you these apples, which were her severance pay.”

“Her severance pay was in apples?” Trixie looked at the apple in her hoof and considered throwing it away. It just seemed wrong to eat them, now. Her hunger won just enough of the battle to let her finish it, but she refused to eat another. “Trixie must find a way to give them back. Where did she go?”

“She went to see Rainbow Dash with Rarity.” Fluttershy swiftly flew in front of Trixie as she made for the door. “You can’t leave yet!”

Trixie glowered. “Why not?” She started to move around.

“L-Luna said you needed to stay rested.” Fluttershy moved to block Trixie’s path once more. “She says that if you’re to be ready for the next fight, you have to recover and stay off the magic for a while.”

Trixie wasn’t about to argue the magic part; she’d been using so much so often that her magic-induced headaches were coming faster and lasting longer. Everypony knew repeated overdoses were bad for one’s health, after all.

She still wanted to see Applejack, but Trixie realized that Fluttershy had opened up a door to a new topic, and she was really interested in it. Glancing away with a blush, she asked, “You would not happen to know why… why Luna had Trixie in her bed?”

Fluttershy’s face flushed an intense red as she glanced away. “Umm… She w-wanted you with her, so you’d be s-safe. I didn’t know you were sharing her b-bed.”

“Safe?” Trixie tilted her head towards the door. “From wha—” She paused; Luna must have been protecting her from Nightmare Moon.

“Oh.” Part of her was pleased with this revelation. Luna was taking steps for her, and it meant a lot. Even before all this mess began, ponies had never looked out for Trixie’s interests. To think that the princess was doing so was… touching.

She glanced at Fluttershy and abruptly felt very foolish. What was she doing, asking Luna’s former lover a question like that? “Umm… Sorry. Trixie didn’t mean to be—” She paused to think of the proper word, but couldn’t find one. “She really lacked tact, didn’t she?”

“It’s okay,” Fluttershy told her, though there was no disguising the sadness in her voice. “Luna and I… We aren’t an item anymore, after all.”

Trixie sat and studied her. “If you don’t mind her asking, Trixie would like to know what happened between you two. Considering how furious you seemed before, she finds your current manner confusing.” Fluttershy winced as if the question physically hurt, prompting Trixie to quickly add, “Y-you don’t have to answer, if you don’t want.”

Fluttershy considered the question, avoiding Trixie’s gaze. She kept her sad eyes on the door, as if she expected Luna to walk in and start explaining things. That didn’t happen, of course. “No… I think you should know. Luna said you already heard the stories of the other ponies, so why not mine?”

She walked to the window, pulling on the cord that opened the curtains. Bright sunlight filled the room, making Trixie wince against the glare. She walked a little closer to get a better look outside and realized it had to be well past noon. Her eyes fell on Fluttershy, who was gazing down towards the gardens solemnly.

“I lived in Ponyville for some time, and I’m really good with animals. You may or may not know it, but the Canterlot Gardens used to be filled with creatures. When the last keeper of the animals died, Princess Celestia sought me out. I was thrilled to take over, for I’d always wanted to see the Royal Gardens. She even let me bring Bearrington along.”

She closed her eyes and smiled at the happy memory. “It was like a dream come true. I was doing what I loved, and the princess was very generous. The number of transfers was a bit troublesome, though; the animals were on a ‘recycle system’, and few were around for more than a year before they were sent back to be in the wild.”

Trixie wondered what relevance any of this had with Fluttershy meeting Princess Luna. She kept her mouth shut, though; it wasn’t as if she was in a hurry.

Fluttershy pressed on. “And then Luna returned from her exile. I admit, she scared me at first, but I could clearly see she was hurting. Her misery was as obvious as the full moon in a cloudless sky. So I was kind. I may have been the first pony to ever show her such kindness.”

Trixie eyed her, thoughts churning through her brain. “You were the first of her lovers, weren’t you?”

Fluttershy nodded, keeping her gaze on the gardens. “For a time, I actually believed her frequent visits to the garden were due to a love of animals. Turned out she was just looking for me… For my kindness. Things developed very slowly for us, but the months seemed so quick. Before I knew it, I was—” She paused, turning her head away from the window with a blush. “Well… You know.”

Trixie didn’t have to catch where Fluttershy was glancing to get the picture. She felt her own cheeks burning. How must it have felt to suddenly learn that somepony else was sharing Luna’s bed? Then again, Luna’d had several lovers, so Trixie was by no means the first. The subject still felt… touchy.

“S-so,” Trixie pressed, “what happened?”

Fluttershy sighed. “To be honest? I have no idea. It was as if she’d become an entirely different pony. She became distant, rude, sometimes even mean. And when she wasn’t like that, then she was worried. Sometimes she even seemed afraid for me. It was as though she couldn’t decide how to treat me. Was I her lover? Was I trash? I couldn’t make any sense of it, but it hurt.

“One night, she broke it off altogether.” Fluttershy returned her gaze to the gardens, a lost look in her eyes. “I was… I think she broke something inside me that night. I had pinned so many hopes on her, and she had responded so wonderfully. And it was over just like that? I felt betrayed.”

Nightmare Moon. Trixie wondered if Fluttershy was even aware of the divergent personalities. Judging by how she was telling her story, it was unlikely. Should she say anything about it? Would Luna be mad if she did?

“What Luna did was painful,” Fluttershy confessed, “but what happened afterwards was… infinitely worse.”

“Worse?” Trixie gave her a quizzical look. “What else did she do?”

“I don’t know that she did it,” Fluttershy replied in a whisper. “In fact, I’m certain it wasn’t Luna. I woke up one morning to do my usual duties, and… and…” She bowed her head and shuddered. “My friends. All my poor animals. They’d been slaughtered.”

Trixie gaped. “W-what?”

“The birds, the tigers, the bunnies – somepony had come into the gardens and brutalized them all.” She blinked rapidly as her face began to redden. “Th-those that weren’t dead were going to be scarred for life, even Bearrington and Angel, who had come with me from Ponyville. I tried to find Luna to get some help, but couldn’t. When I needed her, she was gone.

“So I left.” She turned away from the window and pulled the cord once more, closing the curtains against the brightness beyond. “I took Angel, Bearrington and all the other animals I could save, and I smuggled them all out of Canterlot. I couldn’t rely on Luna anymore, and there was no telling if what did all that might come back. Of course, by taking the animals with me I was technically stealing from the crown, so I was marked as a fugitive.”

“So you went into hiding,” Trixie concluded, a small pang in her heart for the mare.

Fluttershy shuddered once more. “It was a terrible time. I had nowhere to go, so I went into the wild. The animals tried to help me, but they were having trouble getting by themselves, after all that had been done to them. I was always hungry, always dirty. I was miserable… and I blamed Luna. I felt as though everything was her fault – as if her dumping me had started it all. I knew it wasn’t really her fault, but I was so upset that I didn’t care.

“Even after Pinkie found me and gave me a place to stay, I was always unhappy, always bitter.” She looked away from Trixie in shame. “It was wrong of me to blame Luna for everything. I knew it even as I did it. When I learned that she was with you, I just… I’m so sorry to say it, but I wanted to see you hurt. I felt like you were taking the happiness that I used to have, happiness that should have been mine. That was wrong of me, too. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you like I did, and I am so very sorry.”

Trixie was mildly surprised at this complete change in demeanor, but she was more preoccupied with her sadness over this story. “It’s okay,” she muttered. “You were a victim, just like the rest of them. But if you were so mad, Trixie has to wonder why you were so quick to forgive.”

Fluttershy fidgeted and chewed her lip. “I haven’t really forgiven her. But to hear Luna finally acknowledge what had happened, to hear her confess to such guilt… I don’t understand it, myself. It just made me happy to know that she understood, and was trying to make amends. We’ve spoken a lot since the fight, and we’ve come so far in a matter of hours. It was like she was the old Luna again – the one who used to visit me in the Gardens every night.”

“Huh.” Trixie considered her former opponent for several seconds, trying to make sense of her answer. “I think I’d be a lot harder to appease. What about Pinkie?”

“Pinkie?”

“Yeah.” Trixie eyed danced about the room in a fruitless search. “If you’re here, what happened to her?”

Fluttershy averted her eyes. “Umm… She’s… What did she call it? On disaster control? You and Luna pretty much wiped out her entire work force, so now she’s rushing to find some way to keep her business open.”

Trixie cringed. “Right. Trixie supposes she should apologize for that when she gets the chance.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much.” Fluttershy gained a light smile. “She’s more happy than I’ve ever seen her. Almost as if she were a completely different pony.”

Trixie relaxed at that news; it seemed that she’d actually done something right for once. Yet she was still a little worried. “What’s next for you?”

Fluttershy gave her a questioning look. “What do you mean?”

Trixie waved a hoof at her. “Did you not tell Trixie that you were named a fugitive?”

“Oh, right.” Fluttershy gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m under Luna’s protection at the moment. As long as I stay in the Nocturnal Wing or with Nye, I’ll be fine.”

“Well that’s good, at least,” Trixie acknowledged. “But then what? Where will you go? What will you do?”

“I’m not sure.” Fluttershy’s entire body sagged as she averted her gaze. “Luna said she would try to have the arrest warrant lifted, but could make no promises. If she can, then I may go back to Ponyville. I was happy there, after all. Otherwise?” She sighed and chewed her lip. “I… don’t know.”

Trixie considered this, picturing Fluttershy on the run once more. Then she looked at herself and couldn’t help chuckling. “Well, if you do end up on the run, maybe Trixie can go with you.”

“Go with me?” Fluttershy gave her a questioning look, head tilted just slightly.

“Trixie is an experienced drifter,” she admitted with just a touch of sadness. “No matter how this little adventure ends, she bets she’ll be on the road again. Maybe two drifters are better than one.”

Her new friend promptly perked up with an appreciative smile. “Maybe that would be nice. Thank you, Trixie.”

Trixie waved a dismissive hoof. “Don’t get too excited. There’s a good chance that Trixie will be dead before this is over. You ponies play rough.”

Fluttershy frowned and glanced away once again. “I must admit, I didn’t really think you’d survive Pinkie and me.”

Trixie chuckled once more, rubbing the back of her head. “Yeah. Trixie had her doubts, too.”

Fluttershy sat at the table near the window. She fidgeted and averted her eyes, ears low as she gazed at her hooves. Trixie turned to examine the apples, giving the pony time to get whatever she was trying to say out. She couldn’t help wondering how she was going to deliver all these apples back to Applejack. Surely the pony would be needing them, to eat and to sell. Why give them all to Trixie?

“Um…” Fluttershy’s timid voice reached Trixie’s ears. She glanced back at Fluttershy, who in turn glanced away with a blush. “Well, I'd like to ask… I mean, if you don’t mind… How did you get together with Luna?”

Trixie stared at her, a complex wave of emotions running through her mind.

Fluttershy ducked a little and cringed. “I-if you don’t wanna talk about it… I mean, it was a personal question. I shouldn’t have butted in on your privacy, and… Umm…”

“No, no. It’s okay,” Trixie replied, bowing her head in thought. “It’s just… Trixie is not sure how to answer that question anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

Trixie sat and let out a deep sigh. “Trixie never intended to get involved in these fights. Somehow it just… happened. And now every pony whom she duels thinks Trixie is another of the princess’ lovers.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “You mean you’re not?”

Trixie gazed at her bewildered face for several seconds, trying to think on the question. At last she bowed her head. “I… I’m not sure.”

Fluttershy appeared no less confused. “How can you not be sure? I don’t understand.”

“What qualifies as a lover?” Trixie asked, rubbing her still-aching head. “Does it specifically mean a pony with whom one has sex?” Fluttershy went red and let out a squeak.

Trixie went on, hardly noticing. “Is it a pair of ponies who spend a lot of time together? Does it imply trust? At what point does a pony go from being acquaintances to friends? When does friendship evolve to love? Can a pony go from mistrust directly to love?”

Fluttershy, recovering from her moment of embarrassment, gave Trixie a curious look. “You make it sound so very complicated.”

“Isn’t it?” Trixie turned away to stare at her bed. She tried to imagine herself and the princess sharing it, as they were in Luna's room before. “When this all began, I was angry at Luna for dragging me into it. When she supported me via healing, I thought maybe I could accept my role, but then I learned just how far her wrongdoings went. I didn’t trust her anymore. I might have even hated her.

“Yet the one pony I do trust told me that I need to help Luna. I felt a moral obligation, so I kept on. I didn’t feel any less alone, but at least I had a goal. But then… then Luna rushed to my rescue while I was fighting you and Pinkie. If she hadn’t shown up and distracted all the Pinkie clones, I may have died. I most certainly would have lost.”

She turned back to Fluttershy, mind full of uncertainty. “Princess Luna came to my aid. Now I wake up in her bed, and she’s right next to me. What does that mean? Does she care about me? Is she just toying with me, like she did all of you?

Trixie exhaled and stared at her hooves. “You tell me, Fluttershy – what am I? Am I just another pony caught up in a web of deceit? Or am I… a lover? Have I reached that status, even if I don’t know it?”

Fluttershy gazed at her, appearing at a complete loss. Neither of them said a word for some time. At last, she spoke. “Do you… do you actually care for the princess?”

“I don’t know!” Trixie threw up her hooves. “If you had asked yesterday, Trixie would have said no in an instant! But after what she did…” She stared at her hooves, as if they might hold all the answers to her questions. “When Trixie woke up next to her, it felt… comfortable. Nopony’s ever gone to such lengths for her before. It feels good to be cared for.”

She dropped to her belly and buried her head in her legs. “A couple days ago, Trixie thought she had settled her mind, but now I’m more of a mess than ever before! Listen to me, I even keep bucking up my lines…”

She lay there for a long time, mind muddled with thoughts and questions. What was she to Luna? Why did Twilight want her to fight for the princess? If she won all the fights, would that lead to her and Luna being something more? Did she want that to happen? Why did all of this matter to her all of a sudden? Just three days ago she hated the princess!

Why couldn’t anything make sense anymore?

She emerged from her mental stupor at a soft touch upon her mane. She tensed… and then realized that somepony was rubbing her shoulders. And… humming.

She gradually raised her head, her mane over her eyes, and looked up to see Fluttershy sitting next to her. “Wh-what are you doing?”

“Trying to be comforting,” Fluttershy told her in a soft voice. “Has nopony done this for you before?”

Trixie could only drop her head, resting her chin atop her legs.

“I see…” Fluttershy didn’t stop. “I learned something long ago: this world is mean. Equestria, it’s not a nice place. Maybe there was a time when it was, but if so those days are long gone. We all need to give a little kindness every now and then, because the world won’t offer it to us at all.

“I forgot that lesson,” she confessed, patiently stroking Trixie’s mane. “I forgot it when I left Canterlot, and I was in a state of misery all that time. Yesterday, when Luna came to apologize, I finally remembered. It was like that little something I’d lost had come back again.”

Trixie said nothing, yet her thoughts were far less troubled. Somehow – and she couldn’t comprehend why – she was actually enjoying Fluttershy’s soothing touch. So this was what it was like to be comforted, huh?

“You told me I was a victim,” Fluttershy continued. “You’re a victim, too. We’re all victims of Equestria. I should thank you; if you’d not shown up in Luna’s life, I might have remained in the dark forever. So let me repay you with a little comfort and kindness.”

Why did Trixie feel so happy? This strange, unfamiliar touch made her relax. It was so nice… “Umm… Th-thanks…”

“Don’t mention it,” Fluttershy whispered. “Something tells me it’s long overdue.”

Author's Notes:

Weekends are nice. You can get so much writing done in them. It took me nearly a week to write 5,000 words and finish No Heroes, but I just finished this chapter in under 24 hours. So yeah, I like weekends.

This chapter was intended to serve two purposes. First, it establishes the situation for Fluttershy. Have I ever mentioned that she's my favorite of the Mane 6? Second, to highlight the 'shipping' mystery of this story. When I started writing TvE, I intended it to be a Lunatrix story, but that got lost amongst all the deception and trickery and fighting. Will it evolve into one, anyway? I honestly don't know... but that's the whole point of this chapter.

There's a hidden third purpose, too.

I finished No Heroes just yesterday, to my great pleasure. That means I'll be able to finally start on a new major story! But first, I need to come up with a good Nightmare Night-themed LunaXFancy Pants story for Random Romance. This'll be.. interesting.

UPDATE 4/28/2014: Edits have been uploaded!

The Decision

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Trixie had to regain her strength and hold back on her magic for a while. For this reason, she did exactly what she was supposed to do and stayed in her room. Sometimes she’d go for a walk in the Royal Gardens, and once she even snuck back into the Royal Spell Library, though she only read some of the books for the sake of getting ideas. Aside from that, most of her time was spent reading in her room.

Staying put for so long was indescribably frustrating, but at least she had some reprieve. Fluttershy and Nye frequently visited. She was even visited by Pinkie Pie once, who was so much like her clones that Trixie wondered if she wasn’t one.

Pinkie had delivered a massive cake, a gift for helping her "remember how to bring smiles to ponies’ faces." It was a pretty good cake. Trixie thought it might have been better if it hadn’t literally exploded in her face, but she didn’t mind. Pinkie was amusing and, despite everything, Trixie quickly grew fond of her insanity.

Not all the news from Pinkie was good. She couldn’t find the replacement workforce needed for her restaurant, and said she’d be downgrading to a smaller one. Her old place was simply too far from Canterlot to attract workers. Trixie tried to apologize, but Pinkie would have none of it. She was so thrilled to be the only Pinkie Pie left in Equestria that she didn’t mind.

Well, not the only Pinkie Pie; she revealed that a half-dozen of the clones had actually survived the fight, and had fled in all directions! Where they had gone and what they would do was a complete mystery, but the original Pinkie wasn’t worried.

On the fourth day after the fight, Pinkie left Canterlot. Fluttershy, having helped Trixie for the first few days, bid her adieu and joined Pinkie, though where they were going was never made clear. Trixie was left with nopony but Nye to entertain her. It wasn’t that bad. She was actually growing to like him, trust issues aside.

But what Trixie really wanted was to see Luna. She had to speak with her, and address the situation. There was still one more fight left, but for once that wasn’t the biggest thing on her mind. For reasons she couldn’t explain, she was actually frightened by the prospect of re-entering Luna’s chambers, and the princess never came by to visit.

Trixie pressed Nye repeatedly for news on what was happening. Even if Luna was avoiding her, Trixie thought she should at least see her in the halls at night! But Nye could offer no help. He claimed to have no idea what Luna was really up to, though he knew she had been pulled into some kind of serious ‘negotiation’ with Celestia. Whatever that entailed, it was obvious that Luna was working hard on something behind closed doors.

Trixie didn’t like it. Not one bit.

When she awoke on the fifth night, she felt far better than she had been. The headaches had stopped the night before, and her soreness had finally gone away. When Nye brought her breakfast – or perhaps dinner? She was never really sure which – she’d experimented with using magic to eat, relieved to find that she earned no headaches for the attempt. She’d never realized just how dependent she’d been on magic until it was gone.

“I’ve got some good news for you.” Nye sipped on a frothy cappuccino. “Luna finished whatever she was up to.”

Trixie felt her breath catch in her throat while she fought to keep her excitement concealed. “So, Trixie may yet get to see a tiny sparkle of her mane today?”

“More than that,” he answered, flipping the page of his book. “She said this morning that she planned on seeing you tonight. To ‘discuss things.’”

Now that was good news. Trixie didn’t know why it was good news, but it felt good. She pretended to focus on her food as she quietly pondered her emotions and her talk with Fluttershy. It still weighed heavily on her mind, though she simply couldn’t imagine why. The only thing she knew for certain was that she had to stick by the princess. Twilight had told her so.

And that was what mattered… right?

“You know, she’s awake,” Nye pointed out without looking up from his book. “If ya wanted to go see her in her room—”

“Shut up and read your book,” Trixie ordered, pursing her lips at him.

He gained a tilted smile that made her bristle. “I don’t know what’s wrong with you. Most ponies would leap at the chance.”

She glowered at him as she swallowed the last remnants of her soup. “A chance for what?”

At last he looked at her, that smug grin on his face yet again. “Why, to spend the bedtime hours with a princess, of course.”

Trixie sputtered, glaring daggers. “It’s not like that!”

“If you say so,” Nye replied in a wry fashion, turning back to his book. “You’re already a step ahead of most ponies; you actually slept in her bed. You better take the next step while you can.”

She sneered at him, but rather than try to deny anything once more, she noticed an opportunity. “Did you tease the others like this?”

He paused, eyes lifting over the book to stare at her. It wasn’t an intense stare, but it still made her feel anxious. At last he lowered the book. “You’re only the second pony to get in her bed, so no.”

That made her blink. “What? But… is Trixie not fighting Luna’s ex-lovers? Wouldn’t that mean…?”

Nye blushed and shifted in his seat. “Well, not really. I mean, it’s true that she dated them, and sometimes things got a little heated. So in that sense, yes, they were her lovers. But Fluttershy was the only one who went… umm… ‘all the way.’ At least I think she did. It’s not like I know what goes on in Luna’s chambers after hours.”

So Luna was not as ‘easy’ as Trixie had been led to believe. That made her feel strangely pleased with herself, though it also made her feel guilty in regards to Fluttershy.

Nye wasn’t quite finished with the conversation. “Look, the point is you should seriously consider… well, trying. To be with her, I mean.”

She rolled her eyes. “So you’re also Luna’s matchmaker? Trixie should apologize; she had no idea you were a pony of so many talents.”

He offered a soft smile. “Please don’t make light of it. It’s never been like this before.”

“What do you mean?” Trixie asked, suddenly interested.

“I mean…” Nye paused to consider his words. “I mean… I guess it’s because there’s no Nightmare Moon. You’re succeeding, which is a whole new thing for us. Luna likes your chances and she must like you, too. She hates what Nightmare does, but she would never really try to stop her, because the consequences could be terrible.”

He set his book aside, eyes downcast in careful thought. “Yet she interrupted that fight. She’s never actually become involved like that, and I’m pretty sure whatever she’s been doing behind closed doors with Celestia is for you.”

Trixie tilted her head. “For m… for Trixie?”

He nodded, still not looking at her. “If I had to take a guess, I think she’s negotiating for you. Trying to protect you.”

Now she was completely confused. “What in Equestria would she need to protect Trixie from?”

“Well it is Celestia,” Nye replied as if this were all the explanation he needed. Seeing her skepticism, he leaned forward and beckoned to her. “You do believe Luna’s story now, don’t you?”

“No.” Trixie didn’t need to think on it. “Of course Trixie doesn’t!”

He sagged just a little. “Then why are you still fighting for her?”

Trixie hesitated, considering her answer. What was she to say now that the question was out there? She couldn’t tell the whole truth, but… “Because somepony… somepony special said Trixie should.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Like who?”

She lifted her head away in a posh manner. “You do not need to know that. She was important to Trixie. That should be enough.”

“Hmm…” Nye considered this, staring down at his book with unseeing eyes. After a time he offered Trixie a curious glance. “So… are ya gonna go see Luna, or not?”

She fidgeted in her seat and glanced at the door. He said the princess wanted to talk to her, but she was so strangely nervous. She knew why, but she didn’t understand why. The hesitation bothered her; she wanted to talk to Luna, didn’t she? So why wait? It wasn’t as if the princess was waiting to ambush her or anything.

“Trixie supposes…” she muttered, slowly climbing out of her chair. “In a way, the princess has summoned her… yes?” She glanced at Nye, who rolled his eyes with a wry smile and nodded. “Then she must go. Thanks for the soup, Nye.”

She started for the door, but paused when she noticed him staring at her. “What?”

He shook himself as if coming out of a trance. “Oh, sorry. It’s just… you’re welcome.” She raised an eyebrow at him, but he merely went back to his book. Deciding to let the subject go, she headed for the door.

Getting into the hall was easy. Getting into Luna’ chambers? Not so easy. Trixie found herself sitting before the double doors, staring at them with head low and her heart in her throat. Why was she so scared? What was it about this simple thing that made her want to flee back to her room and dive under her bed?

She glanced down the hall to her left. It was completely empty. She glanced to her right, and discovered the same. A massive hallway, dark and quiet. All to Luna and Nye. It felt so lonesome in this massive place. How horribly alone they must feel. Having her around at least gave them somepony to talk to.

A thought came to her mind, and upon its arrival Trixie didn’t feel so scared anymore. She raised her head to stare at the door for several seconds, her mind grinding through the possibilities the idea brought forth, and she felt sad. Sad for Luna. For Nye, too, but more for Luna. The thought gave her whatever she needed to get that door open.

She peered through the opening. Luna’s chambers were eerily lit by a series of small blue flames that seemed to just float in midair. How curious; she’d not seem them before. Then again, she’d fled the room so quickly that she’d not had time to notice anything.

She jerked her eyes from the flames to look about the room. She spotted Luna sitting before her massive, black wooden desk. The princess was reading a thick book, elbows on the desk and cheeks resting in her hooves. She appeared outright miserable, as though she were reading the saddest story ever written.

Her eyes drifted up when Trixie gently closed the door. At the sight of her, Luna raised her head. Her glassy yet wide eyes suggested that she’d not expected Trixie to arrive at all.

Trixie flinched under that gaze. “N… N-Nye said you wanted to speak to m… to Trixie?”

“I thought I was going to have to go out looking for you,” Luna admitted, a weak smile on her lips. “After the ways things have been, lately…”

Trixie sat, feeling a little sad herself. “If it makes you feel any better, Trixie is confused about many things at the moment. She has… I have questions.”

“Good,” Luna whispered, stepping away from her desk and making for some seats by the windows. She lay on a large sofa – her majestic body taking up all the space on it – and gestured for Trixie to take a seat in one of the other chairs. As Trixie approached, she said, “I thought you would like to know that your next fight will be in four days.”

“That long?” Trixie asked, carefully climbing onto a night-blue chair that was surprisingly soft. “Why such a wait?”

“I had to bargain for it.” Luna glanced away. “I wanted to give you more time to recover.”

Trixie gave her a questioning look. “Bargain with who?”

Luna sucked in a deep breath, as if the confession deeply troubled her. “Nightmare Moon.”

Trixie stared. “You… I’m not expected to fight with her, am I?”

Thankfully, Luna shook her head. “But she is responsible for the state that your opponents are all in. If I didn’t make a deal, she’d have found a way to corrupt you as well. I couldn’t let that happen.”

She was hearing the words, but they weren’t connecting to Trixie’s brain. “What did you have to give up?”

The princess’ eyes shifted away from her, and when she spoke her voice was very quiet. “Don’t you worry about that. The only thing that matters is that you’re safe from her.”

Trixie found herself gaping. What in the name of the Goddess could Luna have possibly sacrificed? For her? “Luna… why? You helped me fight the Pinkies and Fluttershy, and now this? I… I don’t understand.”

“Because I want you safe,” Luna replied, bowing her head. “I just want you to be safe.”

“Don’t say that!” Trixie jumped out of her chair and ran to stare Luna in the eye. She didn’t know what she was feeling, but it was strong and urgent and had her on the verge of tears. “Don’t say that,” she repeated, hearing her voice crack. “Ponies don’t help Trixie. Nopony wants to look after Trixie. Trixie is on her own! I am alone!”

She bowed her head, not bothering to brush away the tears, not understanding the powerful emotions running through her. “I’m supposed to be alone. I-I’ve always been alone…”

To hear Princess Luna claim to care was unbearable. Ponies didn’t care for Trixie. She’d learned that a long time ago. To hear Luna say it… It was a lie. It had to be a lie. “Don’t tell me that... I don’t want to hear it…”

Luna set a hoof under chin, making her look up. The princess’ soft face was so close, and she seemed so sad. “I can’t promise to always be able to help you, Trixie, but do not think that I don’t care.”

“But why?” She jerked back, as if Luna’s hoof was made of burning coals. “What possible reason could you have to care about me? This is just another trick to get my hopes up and see them crushed. I know it is; I don’t have good things happen to me, and when they do they always lead to disappointment and misery! You’re setting me up for another crash and burn, but Trixie is not falling for it!”

That was it. That was why she had been so scared. She couldn’t stand the thought of the princess actually liking her, to any degree. If something so impossibly good could happen to her, how horrible would the fall be? She wouldn’t be able to take it! And the fall would come. She’d been through the cycle enough times to understand her personal curse.

Trixie fell to the floor and buried her head in her hooves, sobs echoing around the huge room. She didn’t bother trying to control it, to stop it or quiet down. She just wept, because she knew what was happening, and she knew there could be no stopping it, no matter how badly she might want to.

She wasn’t sure how long she lay there, but when she came back to her senses she found Luna sitting on the floor before her, staring down at her with worry in her eyes. Trixie sniffed and rubbed her face with a leg. “What’s the matter? Never seen a pony as pathetic as me losing it?”

But Luna didn’t mock her. “You really have always been alone, haven’t you?”

Trixie bowed her head once more. “I’ve had only one pony in my entire life who cared about me.” She sighed and shook her head. “I don’t even have her anymore. When this is all over, I’m going to be traveling the roads again, doing odd jobs for bits, sleeping in alleys. I have nothing.”

Luna’s tone was laced with tenderness. “I am sorry. I wish I could help you, but I’ve used all my bargaining chips on what I’ve already gained for you and the others.”

Trixie looked up at her in surprise. “The others?”

She looked away and nodded. “I also made deals with Celestia. I’m trying to right my wrongs. They all deserve a little something.”

“But that wasn’t you,” Trixie countered, shocked at this revelation. “It was all Nightmare Moon! Why should you pay for her actions?”

“Nightmare Moon is still me, Trixie,” Luna announced regally. “She might be of a different mind, but she was born from me. Someday – if I’m lucky – we will be merged, and I will be whole again. She is part of my being, and so her actions are my responsibility.”

Trixie tried to think of things from Luna’s perspective. But when it came right down to it... “I just don’t understand.”

“You don’t have to understand,” Luna whispered, lowering her head to touch Trixie’s gently. “Just accept my gift. You’ve been fighting so hard. You deserve it.”

“No, I don’t,” Trixie whispered, and she meant it. “I’m Trixie. I don’t deserve anything.”

“Stop it!” Luna surprised Trixie by wrapping her in a tight hug. “Stop saying that! Don’t belittle yourself, don’t put yourself down! You deserve more than what I can afford!”

“Why are you like this?” Trixie demanded, though she didn’t try to escape the hold. “Trixie does not even believe your story. You don’t even know why she’s fighting for you!”

“None of that matters,” Luna whispered. “You’ve already done so much. I can’t promise you that I’ll be around for much longer, but I do care. I don’t want you to feel alone anymore.”

That was it. That last line made it clear, so clear that for several seconds Trixie was rendered numb. It was just like her thoughts at the door, only so much more vivid.

“You’re alone, too.”

Luna released her and leaned back, eyes wide. “W-what?”

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Trixie stared up at her, a strange pain in her heart… but also a certain curious familiarity. “That’s why you want to help me. You’ve always been alone, just like me.”

“I…” Luna’s eyes shifted back and forth. “I have… I have Nye…”

“You were trapped on the moon for a millennium,” Trixie pressed in a soft but focused voice. “All of Equestria fears you. You live in this massive wing of the castle, all by yourself with a little servant, because nopony here wants anything to do with you. Your own sister ostracized you.” She set a hoof to her own heart. “You think we’re kindred spirits, don’t you?”

Luna stared at her for several long seconds, appearing hurt and lost at the same time. “I…” She turned away. “I don’t want you to remain alone.”

“But what about you?” Trixie stood, expression filled with worry. “Don’t you deserve to be happy? Why should you waste everything on me? It’s not a sacrifice you have to make!”

“It’s a sacrifice I can make,” the princess whispered. “I am an immortal alicorn princess. I will have to face these punishments, eventually. There will always be a tomorrow for me, Trixie. You need your happiness right now, while you can still attain it.”

“No!”

Luna leaned back, clearly surprised by Trixie’s firm refusal. The smaller pony was abruptly confident, determined…and angry. She looked up at Luna proudly. “I refuse to have any happiness at your expense. It’s not right – Trixie will not accept it! If Nightmare wants to corrupt Trixie, I dare her to come and try!”

“Don’t say that,” Luna retorted, eyes widening. “The others—”

“I am the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Trixie stomped her hoof, the sound echoing throughout the room. “I am not so fragile that I would defy my own dreams! For the first time in my life, I have a task that is worth the pain. I want to save you, Luna, and I’ll do it or die trying!”

Luna’s eyes became saucers, her breath catching in her throat. “Wha… What did you just say…?”

Indeed, what had she just said? Trixie thought back on it and, upon realizing her own words, couldn’t help blushing. But she’d begun, and she was not about to stop.

“I don’t know what it means,” she confessed with a sneer. “Defeating Nightmare? Celestia? Simply getting you out of this hellish situation? I haven’t a clue. But somepony in need begged me to help, and I swore before her tomb that I would do so. For her, for Equestria, for myself. Yes, and for you.”

The princess could only stare with her lips slightly parted. Trixie held her gaze, feeling confident. At last, Luna spoke. “Trixie… You mean that?”

“Do not doubt me,” Trixie replied in a voice both soft and focused. “Why so surprised? I’m sure all the others said something similar.”

“But none of them really understood the situation like you,” Luna replied hesitantly. “They didn’t know what they were getting into.”

“Neither do I,” Trixie confessed, “but that’s not going to stop me.”

Luna shook her head, worry and anxiety plain on her face. “You’re taking this too far. You don’t have to—”

Trixie threw up her hooves in exasperation. “For buck’s sake, would you stop trying to argue with me and just be happy? Goddess, you’d think I was pulling your teeth out!”

Luna leaned forward. “I’m worried about you!”

“You let Trixie worry about Trixie,” Trixie countered with force. “I don’t know why you care about me so much. I’m arrogant, I have no future, no money, no family. You’re a bucking princess! I shouldn’t be more than dirt to you!”

Luna abruptly embraced her, effectively shutting her up via embarrassment. “This bit of dirt has done more for me than anypony has in a thousand years. You fought for me, even when you didn’t understand why. The fact that you’re winning isn’t as important as the fact that you’re here, right now, trying to help me. After all the doubt, the questions, the trauma... you’re still here.”

She jerked away, leaving Trixie with a sense of sadness as her warmth faded. “I-I’m sorry,” Luna whispered, rubbing her moist eyes. “I-I shouldn’t be like this in front of you…”

Now Trixie was confused again. Seeing Luna on the verge of tears made her feel so… despondent. Useless, even. It was such a strange reaction, one she wished she could make sense of.

“Trixie would like to think you’d be used to this, after going through six ex-lovers already.” She set her gaze upon Luna’s sparkling mane, letting her eyes wander along the tiny stars within. She wanted to ask. She needed to ask.

“What am I, Luna?” The princess turned to her with tears barely contained. “What are we? Am I a tool? A stepping stone to your victory? Your champion? Your friend? A… another lover?”

Luna sniffed as she thought about the question. When she spoke, it was with an almost fearful reluctance.

“What do you want to be?”

That wasn’t the response she’d expected, or wanted. The decision was not supposed to be in Trixie’s hooves. Luna was the princess; she was the authority, she was the decision maker. Trixie didn’t want to have to make the choice. It was frightening. What if she made the wrong decision? What if it all came crashing down? It was going to, wasn’t it?

She wanted Luna to choose. That way, when things started going bad, she wouldn’t have to blame herself. It was wrong, and she knew it. But she was Trixie, and she was selfish. She knew what she wanted. She thought she knew what Luna was going for. What if she was wrong? She didn’t trust Luna, so how could she consider it?

It would backfire. It would go wrong. The crash would be so hard it might kill her. It was bad, it was improper, it was too fast. It couldn’t work, never, not a chance, not in a million years!

Yet for all her self-directed reprimands and determined arguments, Trixie found her trembling hoof moving forward. Slowly, with her heart in her throat, she touched Luna’s hoof. With tears in her eyes, she leaned to press the side of her head against the princess’ shoulder.

“But I’m scared.”

A wing wrapped about her, engulfing her in warmth. “I’m scared, too, Trixie.

“I’m terrified.”

Dancing on Daggers

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Trixie stared at herself in the mirror. Her mane was wild, a couple of random locks hovering over her wide eyes. She hardly recognized herself anymore. She was thinner, but she felt… pretty. Trixie had never felt pretty before. She tilted her head, observing the shape of her face, the way her eye color contrasted against her coat. She grinned, taking note of how her teeth were sparkling white. She’d always had good teeth, even though she didn’t go out of her way to take care of them. Pure luck, probably.

No… She didn’t look bad at all.

She jerked away from the mirror and sat on the bathroom floor, covering her face with shaking hooves. What was she doing? Merely a week ago she’d looked upon Luna with suspicion and fear; now she’d been in her bed two ni—days in a row!

Trixie had thought it before and she was thinking it again; nothing made sense anymore. She didn’t trust Luna – she didn’t even believe her story – yet she was one of Luna’s lovers? How did that even work? How could she have possibly fallen into this position?! True, they were both lonely. True, they found comfort in… She was not going to finish that thought!

She leaned her head back against the wall, gazing at the ceiling with unseeing eyes. Her mind was in chaos, which seemed to be a recurring theme lately. She closed her eyes and tried not to think of anything, though when she did her vision was filled with sparkling stars around a dark, pretty face. The sight made her relax, bringing a smile to her lips.

Trixie forced her eyes open, terror ripping through her mind. By the Goddess, was there no reprieve? This was not what she’d had in mind when she’d decided to save Luna!

She wrapped her forehooves about her hind legs and set her chin to her knees, pulling herself into a ball. The decision had been hers. This was her own doing, not Luna’s. She’d been given the choice. She could have avoided this. Why hadn’t she avoided it?

It wouldn’t last. Trixie knew it wouldn’t. Luna had all but admitted to it. How long did they have? Weeks? Days? What if the princess ended up rejoining with Nightmare Moon? What if she ran out of time and Celestia sent her back to the moon? What would become of Trixie?

So much confusion...

She didn’t want it to end, but she also wished it had never begun. Yet she felt so happy when she was with Luna! She’d never been so happy. How could she be so happy when she didn’t trust the princess? Maybe she did and just didn’t realize it? Did that even make sense?

“Trixie?”

She was jolted from her thoughts, a small gasp escaping her lips at the sight of Luna in the doorway. The princess was watching with a concerned frown and soft eyes. She didn’t speak and Trixie offered no explanation. She merely tucked her face down between her forelegs and fought the urge to cry.

She felt the princess at her side, holding her close. She heard Luna’s soft whisper: “You’re going to be okay, Trixie. I promise.

“You’re going to be okay.”

Trixie finished her plate slowly, savoring the delectable meal Nye had whipped up for them. She did her best to ignore the smug looks he’d been giving her while serving the food; she had enough on her mind to worry about to deal with his ‘I told you so’ attitude.

She and Luna relaxed at a table on the balcony of one of the Nocturnal Wing’s tallest towers. There was no moon out this night, but the starscape was nothing short of spectacular. The two of them had spent all night under the stars, simply enjoying one another’s company. No dream patrol for Luna, not tonight. In fact, she’d taken several nights off, just so that she could enjoy this time with Trixie.

This evening, however, a certain sadness lingered in the air. Luna, sitting close to Trixie on their sofa, was leaning back and gazing at the skies with a soft smile. Her mane drifted from the caress of a wind Trixie could not feel. Sometimes, when Trixie caught it at just the right time, that mane seemed to be an extension of the starscape, as if the whole sky had become a part of the Princess of the Night.

But in Luna’s eyes, the happy shine of their new romance was clouded. Trixie knew what was on her mind. Or at least, she thought she did. Though they had danced around the topic before, it couldn’t be avoided forever. All Trixie really wanted was to stay close to the Princess and say nothing, but that wasn’t an option. So, even though it hurt, she turned to lean against the table, eyes downcast, and spoke.

“About earlier.” She felt Luna shift, knew those pretty eyes were studying her. Trixie sucked in a deep, calming breath that somehow didn’t help at all. “How long do we have?”

She waited for several tender, agonizing seconds, yet no answer came. When she finally dared to look up, she found Luna gazing at the table with a deep frown. “Luna?”

The princess would not look at her. When at last she spoke, her voice was a gentle whisper. “Not long.”

Trixie turned to her, heart beating a little faster. “How long is ‘not long?’”

Luna glanced at her with brow furrowed and eyes moist. It was only a brief glimpse, but it was enough to make her sorrow painfully obvious. “As part of my deals with Celestia and Nightmare, I will be rejoined with my other half.”

Trixie felt her breath slip away. “W-when?”

Luna sighed and turned away. “During your next fight.”

Trixie stood on the sofa, gaping. “That soon? But… but what about this? What about us?”

“Our relationship cannot survive Nightmare Moon,” Luna declared. “It will be… over.”

Trixie’s breath caught in her throat as her chest tightened. The sensation hit her so hard she had to devote a few minutes just to catch her breath. She couldn’t let this happen. Somehow, some way, she needed to make sure! “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

“I’m afraid it does,” Luna replied. Her voice was as calm as the starry night above, though her inability to face Trixie was more than enough to make her own sadness clear. “All the others were corrupted by her. You will be too. I cannot let that happen, Trixie.”

Trixie let out a frustrated shout. “Trixie will not succumb to her!” She stared at Luna’s back, grinding her teeth in frustration, but the princess refused to face her. So she took the next step: she came forward and wrapped her legs about her precious, precious princess. She rested her chin on Luna’s shoulder and whispered into her ear. “I said I would save you. I made a solemn promise. I want to save you.”

Luna let out a deep sigh, raising a hoof to pet Trixie’s mane. “Nopony can do that, Trixie.”

“It’s not your decision,” Trixie hissed, tightening her hold. “You may be a Princess, but you don’t get to decide what Trixie will or will not do! If Trixie wants to stand at your side afterwards, that is what she’ll do.”

Another long sigh. “I have heard that before, Trixie.”

“It will be different this time,” Trixie declared. “You’ll see. I won’t leave you!”

“This coming from the pony who was almost in tears on my bathroom floor?”

Trixie sucked in a sharp breath, her mind going numb. Slowly, she released Luna and stepped back. Her lips pulled back in a vicious sneer as she glared daggers. “Look at me.”

Luna didn’t move.

“Look at me!”

No response.

Trixie let out a furious snarl. “Fine, if you won’t look then you’ll just have to listen! Yes, I’m scared. I’m bucking terrified! Good things do not happen to Trixie, Luna, and you’re the best thing that has ever happened!”

Luna shifted at that, the motion encouraging Trixie to press on. “Why did you let it happen if it was all going to end badly? Why did you risk it, Luna? You could have kept me at bay, you could have made the decision. But no, you made me choose and I decided to be with you! Yes, it may result in me going on another fall. I’m willing to risk it, Luna, because this is the only happiness I have left. If you didn’t want to take the risk, you shouldn’t have left the bucking door open!”

She huffed for several seconds, waiting for some kind of response. Still, Luna said nothing. Trixie pursed her lips at the princess’ stubbornness.

“The day after tomorrow, I fight Twilight.”

Luna’s head rose.

“That’s right, I know exactly who it will be! She has to be the most horrifying pony in Equestria. I have had so many nightmares about her, and the thought of facing her sends shivers down my spine.

“But I am willing to do it!” She held her head high, determination filling her. “I want to face my fear of Twilight Sparkle! All these fights have shown me what I’m capable of and what’s really at stake. This will be my third time dueling that witch, and I don’t know if I can win. It doesn’t matter. If I can't at least try, I lose the right to call myself the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

She waved a hoof at Luna, a fresh sneer upon her face. “And you. Look at you; you don’t even have the nerve to face me!” Luna jerked about, eyes flaring and a grimace on her lips. The image might have made Trixie smirk if she weren’t so upset. “Trixie won’t admit defeat before the fight’s even started, Luna. She expects her lover to be no different!”

Luna shifted so she was facing Trixie properly, cheeks red and lips pulled back into her own snarl. “You dare speak to your princess in such a manner? Have you forgotten your place? You—”

“Shut. Up.”

Luna leaned back, eyes wide and face contorted in a mix of shock and anger. “You… Y-you dare…”

Trixie thrust herself forward and wrapped her princess in a tight hug. “Fight for me, Luna! I’m fighting for you. Please, return the favor. If this doesn’t work, it won’t be because of Nightmare Moon. It will be because you’ve already given up!”

A tense silence filled the air. Trixie didn’t know what else to say, so she just held on and prayed she was getting through. Luna would understand, she had to. Otherwise, what was the point of any of this?

“I…” Luna’s voice was so soft, filled with uncertainty. “I haven’t… given up…”

“Haven’t you?” Trixie held on tight. She didn’t want to let go. It was important she didn’t let go. “How am I supposed to fight for you when I don’t even have your support?”

Slowly, as if it were the hardest task in the world, Luna returned the hug. “You do have my support. I want you to win.”

“Then stop acting like we’re doomed!” Trixie leaned back to look Luna in the eyes, surprised to find herself trembling. “We need something to look forward to!”

Luna let out a long sigh, her entire body slack as she stared back at Trixie with a deep frown. “It is hard. I understand what you mean, Trixie. It’s just… after so long… I don’t have much hope left in me.”

Trixie lowered her head. She felt so…useless. How was she supposed to save the princess if Luna herself was so despondent? “I… I don’t know what to do. I want you to be happy.”

Luna nuzzled her, inciting a small shiver of delight through Trixie’s body. “You have made me happy,” Luna whispered. “For a short time, I earned a little solace. But how can it last, Trixie? You don’t believe my account of Equestria’s history. As long as you don’t, you will never do what is truly necessary. Unless somepony does, this happiness will be the mere flicker of a star amongst the vast cosmos of my existence.”

“I’m sorry I don’t believe!” Trixie cried. “What do you want me to do, lie? It’s not my fault my world got turned upside down, or that I don’t trust anypony!”

Luna held her lover’s head in her hooves, Trixie staring up at her with fresh tears on her face. The princess had soft eyes mixing loss and love in a mesmerizing combination. “Oh, Trixie, my little star… I am so sorry this all had to happen to you. When this is over, I will do everything I can to make your life better. Even when you’re gone.”

Trixie lowered her eyes, pain and affection mixing chaotically within her. “You can’t help. If we part ways, then you can’t help me. I’ll be alone. I… I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

Luna embraced her once again, planting a small kiss on her cheek. “I know. Believe me, Trixie, I know. But I said you’d be okay, and I meant it. I will keep Nightmare away from you, no matter the cost. You can turn your life around.”

Trixie sniffed and returned the embrace. “Without you?”

Luna wouldn’t answer.

The trek back to the main hall of the Nocturnal Wing seemed to take forever. Neither Trixie nor Luna spoke, both lost in their own miserable thoughts. Trixie kept eyeing the princess, feeling a sense of guilt that she couldn’t understand. She wanted to say something but nothing seemed appropriate. The silence lingered, interrupted only by the steady echo of their hoofsteps in the grand hall.

Luna abruptly paused. Trixie raised her head and saw Luna peering into the darkness. She followed suit, quickly spotting what Luna had: a lone mare, sitting before Luna’s door and speaking with Nye. Trixie tried to shoot Luna a questioning look, but Luna was too focused on the newcomer, her brow furrowed and a frown on her lips.

Trixie followed as Luna approached, nervousness and curiosity combining within her. Nye was standing before Luna’s door, apparently guarding it against the newcomer.

“—care why you’re here, Luna’s chambers are off-limits!”

“Don’t be so defensive,” the mare told him with a sweet smile. She had a soft grey coat, complimented by a mane of a much darker shade. Her mulberry eyes really stood out to Trixie, for they seemed to shine in the darkness. “You act as if I were going to bust down the door.”

“I am not letting you in,” Nye declared with force, looking as though he was ready to defend that statement.

Luna lifted her head in a commanding gesture. “Octavia.”

The mare turned her bright eyes to the princess, a smile coming upon her lips. “Ah, Luna! There you are. A pleasure, as always.”

Luna’s reply was crisp and sharp. “I thought you were posted in Nildea.”

Octavia winced. “Have I come at a bad time?”

Luna considered the question – and the visitor – with a haughty air. “My relationship with your husband is… tense at the moment.”

“Of course.” Octavia nodded. “Under the circumstances, I suppose that would only be natural. It is a shame; I had hoped we might have tea together.”

Luna heaved a sigh and relaxed. “I would like that, actually. I am sorry, Miss Fine. Things have been difficult lately.” She turned to Nye, who was watching Octavia as if expecting her to do something dangerous. “Thank you, Nye. I appreciate your diligence but I think I can take it from here.”

He eyed Luna with a skeptical frown, but bowed. “If you need me, just call,” he said as he left the door. He greeted Trixie with a polite nod before departing down the hall.

“He means well,” Luna said with a smile as they watched him go. “But as you know, he never liked the Archons.” She turned her attention back to Octavia. “I’m sorry but I must ask again: why have you returned to Equestria?”

Octavia shot her an innocent smile. “Oh, your sister’s recalling the Order of Shadows.”

Luna’s eyes went wide in spite of Octavia’s casual tone. “Which ones?”

“All of us.”

The princess’ jaw dropped. For a few seconds she merely stared in shocked silence. She worked her lips, though it took time to get a sound out of them. “Do… do you know why?”

Octavia shook her head. “Celestia is waiting for the rest of us to arrive before she will speak on the matter. Sorry.”

Luna licked her lips, her eyes shifting to Trixie, who couldn’t help shuffling under that gaze. She wished she knew what this ‘Order of Shadows’ was so she could properly understand the princess’ reaction. Trixie lowered her head just slightly. “Umm… Are you okay?”

Luna shook herself as if to come out of a trance, but the worry remained in her eyes. “Y-yes. I am sorry, but I must speak to my sister. We’ll talk later.” She turned and walked away, heading for the exit without another word. Trixie watched her go with a heavy heart, quietly wondering why seeing the princess leave made her feel so lonely.

“I’m sorry,” Octavia said, casting a frown Trixie’s way. “I interrupted something, didn’t I?”

Trixie bowed her head. “Not really…”

A moment of unpleasant silence filled the hallway, during which Trixie devoted the time to wondering about Luna’s behavior. Why did this news bother her so much? What was it about this ‘Order of Shadows’ that required her to go talk to Celestia?

“So you’re Trixie?” Octavia asked, interrupting Trixie’s thoughts.

Trixie eyed her warily. “Yes…”

Octavia beamed and gave a polite nod. “I am so pleased to meet you! My husband heaped a lot of praise upon your head in his letters. He seems to think you’ve got a solid chance.”

Trixie tilted her head, examining this new acquaintance with a critical eye. “Does Trixie know your husband?”

“But of course,” Octavia responded. “He’s Fine Crime.”

Trixie sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes nearly popping out of her head. “Fine Crime? Y-you mean that monster is married?”

Octavia laughed, which was far from anything Trixie expected. “Even monsters need companionship! Why don’t we discuss my husband’s sinister reputation over some tea?” She gestured to Trixie’s room. “I was hoping to catch up with the princess, but I wouldn’t say ‘no’ to chatting with the potential savior of Equestria.”

Savior of Equestria? What had Fine been telling her? Trixie didn’t feel at all like talking to anypony at that time, for her harsh moment with Luna still weighed heavily on her mind. In truth, she just wanted to be alone. Besides, if this really was Fine’s wife…

Trixie turned away from Octavia and stepped up to her room. “Tell Fine that Trixie has no intention of forgiving him, nor does he need to send others to speak for him.”

“Why would Fine seek your forgiveness?”

Trixie rounded on her, eyes flaring and horn sparking. “Why? How dare you ask Trixie such a question! She lost her one and only friend because of that bastard. He had her parents brutally murdered, and now she thinks Trixie is evil and corrupt just like him!”

She seethed, her muzzle pressed against Octavia’s. Octavia was pressed against Luna’s door, pushed into place by Trixie’s fury. Despite this, she remained serenely calm, her face betraying no emotion.

“My husband is not evil.”

Trixie stepped back, visibly shaking with the effort to not zap the mare across the hall. She worked her lips around clenched teeth, finally finding the will to jerk back. “Trixie wouldn’t expect his wife to stand against him.”

“I wouldn’t expect a showpony to understand a stallion like Fine,” Octavia shot back. Though she maintained her calm expression, there was a touch of heat in her voice. “He’s done horrible things, I cannot deny. But he’s done good things, too.”

Trixie let out a huff and turned back to her room, magically opening the door. “There is no good deed that stallion could manage that would make him less of a villain.”

The door slammed shut, Octavia abruptly standing in the way. Her pretty, patient veneer cracked, a firm frown on her lips. Her bright mulberry eyes were as piercing as swords. “I will not stand by and let you insult my husband like that. You have no idea the kind of balance he has to maintain, the constant effort! He stands on the front lines of the royal conflict, struggling to keep Equestria from descending any further than it already has. My husband is more a hero than you’ll ever be, you stuck up, two-bit has-been.”

Trixie bristled, a vicious snarl coming from her throat. “He has done nothing to qualify for such a title!”

“He rescued me from a life of hell,” Octavia fired back, taking a threatening step forward. “You think you know what brutal is? You should have seen what they did to my family back in Nildea – no, my entire town! He literally picked me up out of the ashes and breathed life into my abused, withered soul. Every pony in the Order of Shadows owes him not only for their survival, but for their happiness. He gave us a reason to exist! The others are not as patient as I, so you watch your tongue lest one of them decides to rip it out.”

Trixie found herself momentarily stunned. The fierceness of Octavia’s words, the menace in her eyes, even the quiet fury of her tone all made Trixie want to retreat. But she shook off the moment of weakness and returned the glare as best she could manage. “You expect Trixie to believe you? She has no reason to trust anything you say.”

Octavia raised her head in a proud display, but the anger in her eyes was already fading. “I see he was at least able to instill in you a lack of trust.”

Trixie turned her head away with a sneer. “He has that effect on ponies.”

“But he never taught you how to weed out the truth from the lies.”

The words hit Trixie with such a complex wave of emotions that she found herself laughing, even as she fought to hold back tears. She dropped to her haunches and bowed her head. “What truth? So far as Trixie can tell, even truths are lies.”

“When one plays for both teams, even his truths become deceptions.”

Trixie blinked, then slowly turned to cast a questioning frown over her shoulder. Maintaining her haughty demeanor, Octavia added, “That’s one of Fine’s favorite lines. It suits him. Perhaps it suits you, too.”

“What?” Trixie rubbed her face to stop the tears that had nearly started and turned to face Octavia directly. “Trixie is not playing both sides…”

Octavia raised a critical eyebrow. “You are with Luna, are you not?” Trixie blushed, but nodded. “Yet you prefer to believe Celestia’s side of the story.”

“That isn’t the same thing,” Trixie corrected, though she had to struggle to instill confidence in her tone.

“You can’t help Luna and take Celestia’s side,” Octavia countered, her voice having finally regained its earlier calmness. “You believe that everything you hear is a lie, so even your truths have become lies.”

Trixie threw up her hooves with a shout. “But how is Trixie supposed to pick out the truth?”

At that, the corners of Octavia’s lips rose slightly. She closed her eyes, bowed her head and set a hoof to her heart. “‘Power fades. Truth is fickle. Conviction is golden.’ Another of my husband’s favorite lines.”

Trixie thought on the words, recalling the last time she was with Fine. Come to think of it… “He told Trixie something similar.”

“And what did you learn from it?” Octavia asked, leaning forward in expectation.

Trixie stared blankly, the meaning entirely lost upon her. “She… well…”

Octavia closed her eyes and sighed. She leaned back to sit before speaking with a patient tone. “Perhaps I should redirect. Do you love Luna?”

Trixie let out a gasp as the air left her. She bowed her head and realized she was shaking. “D-don’t ask me that…”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t know!” She shot Octavia a wide-eyed look. Her spurt of energy rapidly dissipated into misery, and she ended up bowing her head once more. “I… I just don’t know…”

Octavia heaved another sigh before flashing a pearly grin. “I’ve been there before.”

Trixie jerked back in alarm, finding herself caught up in a hug. “W-what…?”

“You’re lost and confused,” Octavia whispered into her ear. “I know what it’s like, so I can forgive your words against my husband. You won’t believe me when I say it, but he means well.”

Trixie shoved her off in disgust, turning away to glare at some shadows in the corner.

Still, Octavia was not offended. She continued in her soft, comforting tone. “He was trying to teach you something, and so am I. It does not matter if Celestia holds the power of the throne. It doesn’t matter if Luna’s story is true or not. All that really matters is your conviction. So long as you are loyal to Luna, that is all you need. Her story becomes fact, the power becomes yours. And what is more loyal than love?”

But Trixie had no way of knowing if what she was feeling was love. She was a lover – the past two nights had made that unquestionably clear – but love? What if it was just a fling? A passing infatuation, a momentary clutching at the happiness that sometimes flitted through her life? And if it was love, surely that alone wouldn’t make her believe in Luna’s tale, or give her the strength to defeat the scariest pony in Equestria. That simply didn’t make sense!

“You’re thinking too much.”

“As opposed to what?” Trixie didn’t dare face Octavia, lest she reveal her anxiety. “Your husband encourages thinking about everything!”

“He is one for analysis,” Octavia acknowledged in an amused tone. “But this time, I think he’d agree. You need to focus less on the details and just go for it!”

At last, Trixie turned about to observe her with a raised eyebrow. “Are you sure Fine did not send you here to give Trixie this pep talk?”

Octavia rolled her eyes with a crooked smile. “He may have. He’s very good at indirect interference, my husband.”

Trixie glowered. “If it’s indirect then why do you bother? Aren’t the Archons in Celestia’s camp? Doesn’t that make Trixie your enemy, should she side with Luna?”

Octavia’s smile dropped to a stern frown. “The Archons are loyal to Fine Crime and to Equestria. Our relationship with the princess is not by choice. And,” she added with emphasis, “if that relationship could be severed, we would consider the pony responsible a friend.”

Trixie stared, eyes wide as she took in those words. “You’re far more direct than your husband.”

“I have an advantage over him,” Octavia admitted.

“I don’t have to dance on daggers with every waking moment.”

Author's Notes:

Good Goddess, it feels like forever since I last posted a chapter for this story! True, it was only a week and a half, which is far faster than most writers out there. But for me that's slow, and I hate slow. This would have been up yesterday if I hadn't been forced to take a 3-hour detour on my way home...

On to the positive. Octavia is yet another of the No Heroes main characters! I was very pleased when I thought up a role for her, and this is not the last we'll see of her before the end. For the record, this is a very different Octavia from the No Heroes variant (who, for example, is not in a serious relationship with Fine, though they are fairly close). It was interesting, putting her in an entirely new light.

I forgot to mention that Lightning Dust was another of the No Heroes characters, but she won't be making any appearances. She is dead, after all. Too bad... Anyway, there's just one more No Heroes cameo to go. Well, two, now that I think on it.

I was really wrestling with how to handle the LunaTrix relationship. I wanted it to grow into a romance, but after all that happened it was really difficult to put them together in that way. But then it dawned upon me that, with Trixie's emotions on such a wild train ride already, it might not be so farfetched if she found herself going to Luna for a little comfort... or more. So long as Trixie herself is as confounded by this as some of my readers might be, it's not such a bad idea. It's one more push, one extra bit of motivation, another cog in the machine.

After all, love doesn't always make sense.

UPDATE 5/23/2014: Edits have been uploaded!

Fifth Battle! Trixie vs. Twilight!

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Wind whipped through Trixie’s mane as the carriage soared through the orange sky. The world below was nothing short of magnificent, but she hardly noticed. She was too busy pressing in close to Luna, trying to savor her presence for as long as possible. The princess had a wing wrapped about her lover, gloomy eyes set to the horizon.

Trixie ignored Nye, who sat beside her with his head averted. He kept shifting in place, visibly discomforted by his proximity to the dour pair. Up ahead Celestia’s carriage skirted the clouds, the sunlight shimmering against its golden décor. Trixie hoped that she was only coming to watch her prized student in action.

Trixie didn’t want the fight to come; it didn’t even have anything to do with Twilight! She knew what was possible, and Nye had all but confirmed that he thought it would happen. Luna refused to speak on the subject – indeed, she hadn’t said much at all in the past two days. She had stuck by Trixie the entire time, clinging to her in a way that was loving… but also worrisome. And the morning before…

There was no doubt Luna had wanted it to be a morning to remember.

With recent events in mind, the oncoming fight was far more scary than it might have been. Trixie didn’t want anything to do with it. If it were an option, she’d have taken Luna and fled Equestria! Yet deep in her heart she knew it would have been the wrong decision. She also knew Luna would never have agreed to do it.

So here they were, flying beyond Ponyville and into the wastes, where the land was dry and rocky. The carriage took an abrupt dip as the gold-armored pegasi began the descent. Trixie clutched at Luna, her chest tight and breathing slow. Soon the clouds parted, revealing their destination.

The Gates of Tartarus. They stood out clearly against the rocky, hilled landscape, a pair of thick-looking black doors pressed firmly in the side of an outcropping. Hidden behind the massive stone structure was the tunnel leading to the Eternal Prison.

The Gates were flanked by a pair of immense towers. The southern tower, with its great spire top, housed the working residence of the Gatekeeper and her assistant, while the northern tower was flat-topped and wide, housing the gate controls. The two towers were connected by a lone path that crossed along the front of the gate about two-thirds up its total height, forming a long, hazardous-looking ledge. Aside from the Ponyville library, which had been built from the same materials, the Gates had to be the most imposing structure Trixie had ever seen. Of course, past experiences had left her biased towards the library…

Trixie let out an involuntary whimper and pressed a little more tightly against her princess. The thought of what might happen had her heart somersaulting as the carriages descended.

“It will be okay,” Luna whispered, though her voice wasn’t at all comforting.

The carriages landed atop the northern tower, having more than enough space to do so. Trixie followed Luna as they stepped onto the near-black stones, trying to maintain a confident pose even though she felt like dirt. She watched Celestia step out of her carriage, lips set in a solemn frown as she nodded regally to Luna.

The Princess of the Night bowed her head and took a shaky breath, then turned to Trixie. “It’s up to you, now.”

Trixie glanced at Celestia, who was making her way to some stairs to give them privacy. She turned her gaze back up to Luna, her heart breaking. “You don’t know what will happen,” she tried, though her words lacked strength.

Luna nuzzled her. “You’re right, I don’t. But I have a good idea.”

“You don’t have to go.” Trixie hated how her voice sounded. “You didn’t have to make those deals…”

Luna embraced her, planting a kiss on her lover’s cheek. “Whatever happens today, know that you have made me happy. I will be watching you from afar. Always.”

She released and stepped away, a smile on her lips but tears in her eyes. Trixie realized she was crying too. She tried to hold the words back, but they came out anyway. “D-don’t go.”

Luna’s smile only broadened. She sniffed, rubbed her face and turned away. “I love you, Trixie.”

Trixie’s hooves felt like rocks, her throat like sandpaper. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound would come out. All she could do was watch with tears streaming unheeded down her cheeks as the princess walked to the stairs. Luna never looked back, never paused. The last Trixie saw of her was that shimmering tail as she disappeared below.

Trixie sat and cried. Her princess was gone, perhaps forever. All the effort, all the trouble and harshness, and this was her reward? Luna would be ‘watching?’ What kind of reward was that? She cursed between her hiccups, wishing she could think of something to do about this. There had to be...

Something wrapped about her, holding on tightly. She blinked, turning her head as she fought to see through tears. It was Nye. He offered no words of comfort, no sage advice. He just held her, and she leaned against him and wept.

It took some time to get over her emotions. When she did, she found herself still pressed against him, and slowly pulled back. Neither shame nor discomfort arose in her, only appreciation of his understanding. He offered her no smile, but he did set a hoof to her shoulder.

Trixie rubbed her eyes free of tears and fought down her last hiccup. “Where’s Twilight?”

He studied her for a few seconds, no emotion evident on his steady face. “Are you sure? You don’t want… time?”

Trixie gritted her teeth. “The only way Trixie is getting through this is if she defeats Twilight. Let’s end it.”

He continued to study her for some time, but finally nodded and gestured to the stairs. “Alright, follow me.”

They descended the tower, its black walls lit by the same bright crystals that lined the slums of Canterlot. Seeing them made Trixie feel ill; she did not want to think of the slums, not now.

They dropped a few flights, passing large doors that appeared to be made of bronze. Nye paused at several, glancing inside the dark rooms but never finding what he was after. Trixie hardly paid any attention; her mind was still stuck on trying to keep Luna’s pretty face in her mind’s eye.

Nye paused at one of the bronze doors, smiling as he looked inside. He stepped back and gestured for Trixie to enter. Despite her sorrow, she scoured the room in anticipation.

…no Twilight.

What she did see was gears. Heavy giants, all connected in a mass working of mechanics on a staggering scale. The room wasn’t all that big, but the machinery was worked into the walls, ceiling and floor, suggesting a much larger mechanism beyond.

It was then she saw the pegasus. He was hovering on white wings near a high gear twice his size, studying its edges with his hooves. Trixie frowned; he was the only pony in the room. She glanced at Nye, who offered her a small smile before turning to the pegasus.

“Hey, bro.”

The pegasus’ head rose, as if he didn’t recognize the sound of another pony’s voice. He studied the gear for a moment longer, head tilted as if the words had come from it. His green eyes searched through his silver, violet-streaked mane, finally falling upon the two visitors. He brushed his short mane out of his face and tilted his head once again. “Nye…?”

“Yeah, Nye.” Nye rolled his eyes. “What, you been stuck here so long ya forgot your twin brother?”

Twin brother? Trixie looked to Nye, then to the pegasus and realized that they did look somewhat alike… though his brother didn’t have any of the weight Nye possessed. He looked… sturdier. As he dropped to land before them, she also noticed that he wasn’t just lacking Nye’s extra pounds. He was downright rugged; Trixie had never been one to eye stallions, but she couldn’t deny he was a fine specimen. She never would have imagined a pony with those muscles could be Nye’s twin!

“How long has it been?” the brother asked with a calm smile.

“’Bout a year and a half,” Nye declared. He came forward and gave his twin a tight hug, which his brother returned awkwardly. “It’s great to see ya, Jim.”

“You, too,” Jim replied, blushing at what Trixie suspected was an unusual level of physical contact for him. As they separated, he shot Trixie a curious look. “And who’s this? Don’t tell me you finally found a mare-friend.”

Trixie opened her mouth to fire a retort, but Nye waved a dismissive hoof and spoke before she could. “Nah, you know I’m married to my job, like you.” He stood aside and gestured to Trixie with a flourish. “May I introduce Trixie Lulamoon.”

“Ah.” Jim’s eyes lit up. “So this is the ‘Trixie’ Twilight’s been so flustered over.”

Trixie hesitated, not sure how to take that. “A pleasure…?”

“I’m sure you’ve gathered it by now,” Nye told Trixie with a hoof on his brother’s shoulder, “but this is my twin brother, Jimmy Stone. He’s Twilight’s assistant here at the Gates.”

Trixie eyed the twins critically, turning her attention on Jimmy. “Her assistant. So are you… close to Trixie’s arch nemesis?”

Jimmy pursed his lips and carefully considered the question. “Close. I wouldn’t say close. We work well together, but Twilight’s more like a boss than a friend.”

Despite the sadness still deep within her, Trixie smiled at the brothers. “In that case, Trixie likes him already.”

Jimmy rubbed the back of his head with a crooked smile— “Uh, thanks?” —then turned to Nye. “So what are you two doing all the way out here?”

Nye facefaulted. “You didn’t know? Trixie’s here to fight Twilight.”

Jimmy’s eyes went wide. “Is that today?”

Trixie glowered. “Suddenly Trixie doesn’t feel so notable.”

“Cut him some slack,” Nye told her. “He doesn’t get out much. Too busy keeping his muzzle in the gear grease.”

“Sometimes literally,” Jimmy added with a smile.

Trixie glanced about at the gears and gloomy atmosphere. “Trixie supposes she can accept that. She doubts living out here is conducive to keeping track of time and events.”

“Not really,” Jimmy admitted, eyeing the room with a frown and slack shoulders. “Unlike my boss – who spends half her time in Ponyville – this is where I stay all day, every day.” He noted Trixie’s alarmed expression. “Keeping this place in perfect condition requires a lot of attention. Goddess help Equestria if the gates were to open unintentionally. You know what’s down there?”

An image of the other Twilight encased in her crystalline tomb flashed through Trixie’s mind. She shivered. “I know their work.”

The images that went through her mind drove her to fresh anger. Twilight Sparkle… Suddenly the thought of that pony sitting cushy in her tower had Trixie grinding her teeth. “Where is she?”

The brothers shared hesitant looks. “Probably studying in the South Tower,” Jimmy replied.

Trixie turned and left the room, her mind focused on her task as she descended the stairs. Twilight was the keeper of the Gates of Tartarus. She had the authority to open or close the Gates for others. She had to know the other Twilight was down there.

Why had she let the other Twilight leave? Trixie was suddenly recognizing a part of the mystery that had never occurred to her before; the living Twilight knew something about the other one’s escape. She had to. Trixie wanted answers, though she knew Twilight probably wouldn’t just offer them up.

Trixie had to win.

That thought struck her as she came to a jerking stop at the bottom of the stairs, a large pair of double doors before her. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breathing slow and deep.

She was scared. Despite knowing she had to win, despite everything that was at stake, she was still scared. This wasn’t going to be a frail Twilight, ravaged by the brutality of Tartarus. This was the Twilight who’d twice humiliated her, who’d once haunted her nightmares, whom she swore to never confront again.

“Trixie?” It was Nye’s voice, just behind her.

“A moment,” she answered. Or tried to; it came out as a hoarse whisper. She cleared her throat, raised her head high and tried again. “A moment. That’s all… Just a moment.”

She closed her eyes and sucked in a long, deep breath. She gave herself time, let her heartbeat slow to normal speeds. She could do this. For herself. For Luna. For Equestria. For Twilight in her tomb beneath Canterlot. She could do this. She repeated the phrase in her mind again and again, a short mantra to grant courage.

She could do this.

The doors glowed magenta and opened. Standing tall, stepping proudly, Trixie stepped out from beneath the tower and onto the wide walkway of the Gates, making her way to the southern tower.

She could do this.

She spotted Twilight already crossing the center of the Gate, and her legs began to wobble. She struggled to keep going, even as her heart resumed its frantic beating and her mind screamed for her to turn and flee.

She could do this.

“Trixie.”

She glanced back to find Nye and Jim watching. Nye studied her with shifting eyes.

“Good luck.”

She swallowed and nodded before turning to face her latest and most terrifying opponent. She had to force her legs to move, but move they did. It took time for them to draw close to one another, each step bringing Trixie a little closer to panic. Good Goddess, was she really going to try?

But she could do this.

Twilight spoke as soon as she was close enough to not have to shout: “Hello again, Trixie.” She grinned maliciously, her eyes shining with eagerness. Shining… red? But Twilight didn’t have…

Trixie came to a stop, eyes widening at the sight of the monstrous thing around Twilight’s neck. “Th-that’s… Twilight…”

Twilight maintained her grin as she sat, bouncing the Alicorn Amulet against a hoof playfully. “Looks good on me, don’t you think?”

She couldn't do this.

If Trixie thought she was afraid before, she knew she was now. “H-have… have you forgotten what that thing did to me?!”

“Of course not,” Twilight responded, rolling her eyes. “But that was you. You’re an amateur.”

Trixie’s mind erupted with conflicting emotions, chief among them her offense at Twilight’s words and fear of what she may be capable of. She could only stand there, lips working soundlessly as she tried to avoid lashing out… or fleeing. “You… y-you… you have to get rid of it. You said so yourself, it’s too dangerous…”

Twilight stood with a smirk. “Why Trixie, I do believe you’re scared of me.”

She was. Trixie was terrified. Despite everything, this one unicorn rendered her incapable of even thinking straight. She needed to get it together! This fight was about to start and she was already looking like a foal! With a violent shake of her head, Trixie set herself in an aggressive pose. “Trixie beat the others, she can beat you!”

But then she found herself encased in a red glow and floating a few inches off the ground. Twilight smirked. “Of course you can.”

Trixie struggled for a moment to free herself, only to shout when she was sent flying through he air! She smacked the stones on her back, pain jolting through her body. She looked up with a gasp, fear creeping into her mind as Twilight approached at a leisurely pace. Trixie thought frantically for an effective attack, but what could she use? Twilight had the Alicorn Amulet! Surely any of her normal attacks would be useless against—

“Hey!” Trixie found herself hanging upside down, held aloft by her glowing tail. She shot Twilight a terrified look. “Put me down!”

“Okay.”

Trixie dropped to the ground face-first. She sat up, rubbing her head and fuming at her own uselessness.

Twilight set a hoof to her chin, eyebrows rising as she scrutinized her opponent. “What happened to you? This is the Trixie that beat Rainbow Dash and Applejack? You’re nothing like the rude showpony I had to pound into submission the last two times.”

Trixie stood and glared, her horn glowing threateningly. “I’m better than the Trixie you used to know!”

“Really?” Twilight’s smile was skeptical as her horn glowed. Trixie let out a cry as a massive red claw appeared beneath her. It caught her around the midsection before she could escape and pulled her down, her jaw bouncing on the hard stone and legs splayed. “I’m not seeing it.”

The claw began to squeeze, leaving Trixie gasping for breath. She attempted to push against the ground, but the claw was too strong. She tried to call out, but couldn’t form any words. Just as she began to look for a magical solution, the claw threw her into the gate wall. She smashed against it and dropped to the floor, stunned.

“This is sad.” Twilight trotted slowly towards her quarry. “Here I was expecting you to be a torrent of revenge-filled fury, yet all I’m getting is a wannabe with all the bravery of a newborn filly. Why are you even here?”

Trixie wobbled to her hooves, trembling just a little. Damn it, she was being so worthless! What happened to all her bravado, her determination? Why was she so scared to act against Twilight? She needed to do something!

Seeking to buy time, she asked, “Why are you?”

Twilight’s expression grew dark. A light flashed and Trixie felt heat beneath her. An invisible force struck from below, knocking her into the air once more.

Twilight watched with a grim frown. “Oh, no.” Another flash of light, and Trixie was hit again to go flying over Twilight’s head.

“I did my research.”

Another hit.

“That’s the moment you win, when your enemy talks.”

And another.

“I don’t have to tell you anything.”

Whack, whack.

“No time for special tricks.”

Whack.

“No time to devise spells.”

Whack.

“No getting into my head.”

Whack, whack, whack.

“Not even Luna to save you.”

The last hit sent Trixie face-first into the ground.

“I’m the final round, Trixie.” Twilight stood over her with a tense frown. “You’re not getting past me.”

Trixie’s body throbbed with pain. A low moan escaped her lips as she raised her head and noted blood on the black stonework. She looked up at Twilight and felt a quiet fury growing within her.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Finally ready to fight?”

Trixie pressed her hooves against the ground and concentrated on a new spell. It didn’t take much to implement. She pushed up and dove forward, horn bursting with energy. An instant later she was covered in a magical cone and darting at her opponent, a living weapon.

Twilight sneered and sidestepped; Trixie flew by harmlessly.

Trixie landed on all four hooves, horn fizzling as the spell wore out. She turned and was hit in the chest by a beam that knocked her off her hooves.

Twilight’s red eyes flashed as she approached. “Good Goddess, what is this? Even when you actually fight, you can’t do anything! I should just kill you and be done with it.” She sneered at Trixie’s alarmed expression. “What, you didn’t know? This fight’s to the death.”

“What?” Trixie stood and stepped back. “No. Twilight was a monster, but she’d never condone that! That’s the Amulet speaking.”

“Maybe it is,” Twilight hissed as a crimson spike resembling ice began to form over her shoulder. “Irrelevant.”

The ice flew at Trixie, who just managed to dodge. “Twilight, stop!”

“Why did you even come?” Twilight snapped. “What was the point? To be with Luna? Do you even have a reason?” Three more ice spikes were forming, their crystalline surfaces shimmering in the fading sunlight.

Trixie dodged two of the shots, but caught the third one with her magic. She quickly flipped the ice so the sharp point was facing Twilight and sent it flying. It shattered before it even came close to her. Trixie began backing up; Twilight followed at a leisurely pace. Though she was retreating, Trixie’s fear began to subside. Replacing it was a heat in her mind, like a coal just beginning to ignite. With that spark Trixie felt something else, something very new: determination.

“Trixie is tired of being afraid of you,” she snarled. She rubbed the blood from her lip before firing a beam at Twilight.

The beam struck a near-invisible shield. Twilight kept coming. “You have good reason to be afraid.”

“Trixie will best you!” Her beam kept firing, and she focused on creating a pair of magenta discs. The discs spun like blades while they flew at Twilight, but bounced away when they struck her shield. “If it takes her a thousand tries, she will do it!”

Twilight paused, sneered, and lowered her head so her horn just touched the edge of her shield. A single jolt of energy was fired, which danced along Trixie’s beam like electricity on a wire. When it connected to Trixie’s horn she let out an agonized scream, her entire body burning and convulsing. The shock lasted for only a couple seconds, but when it was over Trixie was on the ground, panting and in tears.

“You know, I used to have dreams too.” Twilight came forward to stand over Trixie yet again. “I used to dream of fixing this world, of making it better. But now I know that dreams just lead to pain. You don’t have the power to fight me, Trixie, yet you keep coming for more.” Her horn flashed and a long, thin red sword materialized before her. “I’m going to do you a favor and end your dream. You’ll thank me later.”

Power. That’s what Twilight was thinking, was it? Trixie glared up at her, mind flashing back to the past few weeks: facing Luna for the first time, her fight with Rarity, losing her wagon to Applejack, learning Rainbow’s bloody history, being abandoned by Amethyst, facing the combined anger of Pinkie and Fluttershy.

Entombing the other Twilight.

She’d come so far, and this was where she was supposed to meet her end?

Twilight had been staring right back, a deep but thoughtful frown on her lips, that sword poised to strike. “You don’t even know why you’re here, do you?”

No. No, she hadn’t known. But now Trixie thought of another face. Two faces. Suddenly, she remembered what they had said. She’d dismissed it. But now, faced with death, she thought she finally understood. And more importantly… she knew Twilight did not.

So she looked Twilight right in the eye and asked, “Do you know why you’re here?”

Twilight sneered and raised her sword high. “I told you, I’m not talking!”

The weapon fell, but Trixie formed something of her own; a shield. The two connected with a flash of crimson and magenta sparks.

Trixie stood, pushing the shield up as Twilight struggled to force her sword through. They glared daggers through one another’s shimmering, smoky weapons. “I know why I’m here. Can you say the same?”

A magenta sword formed at Trixie’s side and slashed. Twilight leapt away, just barely dodging the attack. “What? Did you finally figure it out? Too late for that.”

“Is it?” Trixie’s sword swung through the air threateningly. “All you have is your power. Power is nothing.”

Twilight tensed, lips peeling back into a vicious sneer. She came forward, a second sword forming, but her weapons were blocked by Trixie’s sword and shield. “Power decides everything!”

“Power is dirt!” Trixie thrust against her opponent; once again Twilight found herself pushed back. “I don’t need power. I thought I did, but I was wrong. I do have a reason to be here, Twilight!”

“You’re here to best me,” Twilight snapped, two more blades appearing around her. “You came here for revenge!”

Trixie formed a second sword and shield, meeting Twilight’s lunge yet again. “I came here to help Equestria. I came here to fight for the ponies who couldn’t. I came here for Luna!”

Their weapons danced in the air, a cacophony of sparks and flashes illuminating their strikes. “Don’t pretend to be so noble,” Twilight hissed. “I know you, Trixie! You’re as arrogant and self-obsessed as they come!”

“And what about you?” Trixie shot back, ignoring the sparks that rained down on her head. “Little Miss Perfect, Miss Prized Pupil! You think you’re better than everypony else, don’t you?”

“I am better than everypony else!” Twilight’s red eyes flashed. “Celestia chose me, she made me her protégé, she gifted me with the Alicorn Amulet! What do you have?”

“I have conviction!” Their weapons locked in tandem with their eyes. “I don’t have any excuses, not anymore. I know what I’m fighting for!”

“And what would that be?” Twilight fired a mocking sneer. “Don’t tell me; you love Luna?”

The anger and emotion surged within Trixie. “I. Love. Luna. There! I said it!” Her horn emitted a blast of concussive energy.

Twilight was knocked back, but she quickly slid to a stop and faced Trixie’s anger. “Is that supposed to intimidate me?!”

Trixie didn’t need to say anything else. She just came forward, weapons ready. Twilight met her, forming new blades. Soon they were dancing about the Gates. They weren’t just using weapons or spells, now. Trixie fired beams of energy; Twilight created pillars of fire; Trixie put up an ice wall; Twilight smashed through with a bolt of lightning; Trixie caught and reflected the bolt back. Spell after spell after spell, the two worked a constant barrage even as their weapons clashed and sparked. Twilight was empowered by the Alicorn Amulet and an anger of no known source, but Trixie had her determination, her fierce focus and even the heat of revenge.

At long last, she understood. There were questions, there were confusions and things that didn’t make sense, but none of it mattered. The lesson which Fine Crime and Octavia had been trying to teach her had finally been learned. The why and how of her relationship with Luna didn’t need to be questioned. She just needed to believe in it, to focus on it! No more confusion, no more soul-searching.

Just let it be, and draw strength from it. Trixie understood. Power is nothing; conviction is everything. Why had it taken so long to grasp the obvious nature of it?

So she fought, and she wasn’t afraid anymore. More than that; she felt good, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She loved Luna, she fought for the entombed Twilight, she believed in herself. She no longer questioned. She just believed.

They were both sweating from exertion, their horns smoking from the rapid firing of spells. “Damn you,” Twilight cried as a fireball barely missed her, “what happened?!”

Trixie made no attempt to answer; all her energies were concentrated on the fight.

Twilight snarled through gritted teeth and raised a solid stone wall between them. Trixie fired a massive ball of energy that drifted towards it and erupted, the blast so strong it shattered the wall. Trixie braced for a counter… but Twilight wasn’t there.

“Enough!” A flash of light, and Twilight was behind her. Trixie jerked about but wasn’t fast enough to block the wave of energy that erupted in her face at point-blank range. She was thrown back, recovered and landed only to be instantly hit by another blast as a beam struck at her hooves.

Trixie saw the weapons coming and summoned her own to block. An instant later she was smacked by another blast as Twilight teleported right next to her. She didn’t get far before she was caught by the tail and slammed against the wall of the Gate. She was pulled back; Twilight tried to slam her again but she recovered and hit the wall as if it were ground, landing on all fours. She shot out her magical rope and caught Twilight by the neck, jerking her close with it.

Twilight countered, a ball of energy appearing between them and erupting.

Trixie flew high into the air, stunned by the pain. The world was spinning wildly, and then she hit hard ground. She tried to stand, but her legs wobbled and she fell back down. She abruptly realized that she was nearing her physical limit, and let out a quiet curse. Mentally, she was ready to fight! But her body just couldn’t keep going. She had been coming with spells off the top of her head half the time, and the magic was taking its toll.

She had no idea how Twilight was faring, but armed with the Alicorn Amulet... She was powerful without it, so there was no way she was in as much trouble as Trixie. What was she going to do now?

A crimson flash of light signaled Twilight’s close presence. Seeing her made Trixie realize that she’d been knocked onto the top of the northern Tower. Twilight seethed, her red eyes burning. She stomped towards Trixie and kicked her. “You got a lot better, I’ll give you that. But would you please die now?”

Trixie struggled to stand on shaking hooves, locking Twilight with her fiercest glare. “Trixie is not done.”

Twilight snarled and shot a beam that exploded under Trixie’s hooves. “You’re done.” Trixie flew a short distance before rolling to a stop.

But Trixie’s gift for sudden solutions made itself known once more. It was a long shot, but if it worked… She stood and faced Twilight, working her magic once more. “Trixie… Trixie is not going to lose!”

Twilight gave a frustrated scream and fired an orb of energy. It darted at Trixie but then spread and faded as it hit a shield. Twilight, undeterred, began a barrage of lasers, fireballs, explosions: everything she could throw at Trixie.

Trixie’s horn was aching again, her legs wobbled, but she fought to maintain the shield. She had to hold it, for as long as possible!

Twilight screamed. “Die. Die! Die! For buck’s sake, die!”

Trixie let the barrage come, relying on Twilight’s magical fury. She breathed it in, she gathered it up, she stored it. Her heart pounded and her vision blurred from the extreme toll the spell was having on her. It was so dangerous, yet so remarkably simple... Still she risked it. As she stared into Twilight’s eyes and saw her menace, her viciousness, her murderous intent, she knew this was her only chance.

At last, when she felt her body could take no more, she reared back and stomped, channeling all the magic she could through her legs and into the ground.

The resulting earthquake toppled them both. Trixie collapsed onto her side and made no attempt to fight the violent shaking. Her eyes were locked on Twilight, who struggled to keep from rolling as their world vibrated. A massive crack split through the tower, and chunks of stone dropped between the gap.

And then it stopped.

Twilight remained sitting, eyes wide as she looked around at the damage done. After several long seconds, she scowled and stood. She turned to Trixie, who made no attempt to stand. “Well, that was pointless.”

Did it work? How would Trixie know? She watched as Twilight approached, horn smoking but beginning to glow. “It was clever of you to try and use my magic against me, but couldn’t you have found a more… aimed spell for it?”

Trixie sighed and let her head drop to the ground. She could have stood, but if her spell had failed... “That might have killed you.”

“So?” Twilight aimed her horn at the prostrate Trixie. “Wouldn’t have stopped me.”

“I don’t want to kill you, Twilight,” Trixie muttered, not bothering to look at her opponent. “I just want to beat you... and save you from the Amulet.”

Twilight sniffed. “You shouldn’t be so caring.” Just as she was about to fire the finishing spell, however, a great grinding noise filled the air. They both looked up, ears perking at the sound. “What in Equestria?”

Trixie grinned. “Maybe it worked, after all.”

“Twilight!”

Jimmy’s voice could barely be heard from the level below. Twilight ran to the edge of the tower to look down at the gate, then let out a horrified gasp. “The Gates… your earthquake must have damaged the mechanisms!”

Trixie rolled to her belly and started to stand. “So they’re opening.”

Anger gone, Twilight turned to her with wide eyes. “You mean you were trying to open the them?”

Trixie smiled. “Something like that.”

Twilight ran up to violently shake her. “Are you crazy? Do you have any idea what’s in there?! They could—”

A deafening roar drowned out her words.

Author's Notes:

That's right, dealing with Twilight's gonna go through two chapters. I do love a cliffhanger.

I was torn on how to write this fight. It's always fun to write an epic duel, but I learned long ago that there are literary pitfalls in that strategy. I couldn't be as detailed as the other battles, otherwise the fight would either go on for way too long or be cut prematurely short by the need to avoid length, thus disrupting the intended nature of it. Seeking a nice middle ground, I cut through a lot of detail and rapid-fired what would have been the most intense part of the whole fight. Because believe it or not, people actually get bored of reading a fight, even one that has the potential to be epic. Aside from that, detailing those parts would make it seem slower, and I really wanted to give a sense of the real speed at which the two were fighting.

UPDATE 5/24/2014: Edits have been uploaded!

New Challenger! Reddux the Tyrant

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The towers vibrated beneath the ponies’ hooves at the sound of the roar. Twilight ducked, fear in her eyes as if the deafening roar was aimed directly at her. Her lips trembled as they formed a name dreaded by many ponies throughout history.

“Reddux.”

Trixie made her way to the side of the tower and watched as the massive gates began to open outward. She could see Nye and Jimmy running towards the center where the two doors met, perhaps to get a better look. Okay, so this part of her plan worked. Now if she could just—

“Oh no, oh no, oh no!”

She turned back to find Twilight panicking. “Bad, bad, this is so bad! Reddux will kill me if he gets out! Not to mention the other things down there. I need… We—”

She needed something to jolt her into action, and Trixie was more than happy to deliver; she struck the mare on the cheek. “Get it together!”

Twilight’s attention snapped to her in an instant. She bared her teeth, her horn sparking dangerously. “Don’t tell me to get it together! This is your fault, and you will be held accountable. What were you thinking?”

Trixie raised her hooves in exasperation. “You were threatening to kill Trixie! She had to do something to distract you.”

Another roar blasted through the air, making them both cringe. “Well, congratulations,” Twilight snapped once the sound had faded. “You distracted me, and may have just sealed the fate of all of Equestria in the process! Why must you always jump into things without thinking?!”

Trixie winced; she had to admit, things weren’t going quite as planned. Using the earthquake had been a desperate gamble, for there had been no guarantee that it would open the gates. Yet open they had, just as she’d intended. Reddux was a problem, though; she’d expected many possible results, but not him!

Twilight tapped her chin, a frantic look in her wide eyes. “A plan, a plan… we need… Celestia! She’s here, if we can warn her—”

“Celestia?” Trixie shook her head, worry filling her. “That’s your plan? You’re the Gatekeeper, for bucks sake! Surely you know some way to close the thing.”

Twilight sneered. “Don’t presume to lecture me, Trixie. Closing the Gates manually takes time—” she cringed as another roar made the tower vibrate, “—which we do not have!”

“Does it take longer than it will to find Celestia and explain the situation?” Trixie asked. Calling Celestia into this was the last thing she needed! True, Reddux had to be stopped, and that meant closing the gates, but she needed Twilight to be the one to achieve that!

Then again, if Twilight couldn’t manage it by herself… No, she had the Alicorn Amulet. With that she surely could pull it off! “Look, Celestia has to already know. There’s no way she didn’t hear him!”

As if to emphasize Trixie’s meaning, another roar shook the tower beneath their hooves. It sounded a lot closer.

“Come on, aren’t you the Gatekeeper? Surely it’s faster for you to close the Gates than to go running to Celestia for help! You want to be impress her, don’t you? Stop thinking about it and—”

“Be quiet!” Twilight shot a violet beam that struck Trixie in the chest and knocked her to the ground. After all she’d been through already, it really hurt.

Trixie rolled onto her back and let out a groan, but stiffened as Twilight’s horn was abruptly pressed right between her eyes.

“I will not be lectured by the likes of you.” Twilight’s lips trembled with anger. Trixie couldn’t resist feeling a familiar fear at that vicious gaze. The roar of Reddux shook the tower yet again, and Twilight looked up with visible alarm.

Trixie sucked in a calming breath, praying the mare would listen to reason. “We’re wasting time.”

Twilight shot her a dirty look, but then cast her wary gaze towards the gates. Finally, she sneered and stepped back to let Trixie stand. “You’re responsible for this, so you’re going to help me.”

Trixie nodded, withering slightly under that gaze. “Of course.”

They turned towards the Gates in unison, just in time for Jimmy to fly up from below. He looked shaken, but in control of himself. “Twilight! What’s the plan?”

Twilight closed her eyes and thought for a few seconds, anxiously bouncing the Alicorn Amulet with one hoof. When she opened her eyes, they were focused and determined. “You, Nye and Trixie will manually close the gates. I’ll hold Reddux back.”

Jimmy nodded, lips set in a firm frown. “Got it. Keys.”

Twilight’s horn glowed. A pair of keys on a silver ring appeared in a puff of red smoke, which Jimmy snatched with his teeth. “They won’t know the controls. Educate them,” Twilight snapped. Yet another roar filled the air, making their legs shake. “And make it quick!”

“Come on!” Jimmy gestured to Trixie and flew down to the gates. She stepped up to the edge and glanced back just in time to see Twilight disappear in a flash of light. Praying she’d not made a foolish mistake with her earthquake, Trixie imitated Twilight’s spell and found herself standing on the gate’s ledge once more.

“Trixie!” Nye was in front of her in an instant, eyes wide and hooves on her shoulders. “What do we do, what do we do?”

“This way,” Jimmy called, flying over their heads and making for the center of the Gates.

While Nye followed his brother at a gallop, Trixie could only manage a trot; she was just too worn out for anything faster. The caught a flash out of the corner of her eye and looked to see Twilight standing in the barren, rocky landscape. The Gatekeeper stood resolute and ready before the slightly open gates, prepared to do her part.

Given the Gates’ massive size, it could barely be considered open; it was more like the great doors had merely shifted. Even so, there was now a span of at least twenty feet separating the two gates. Trixie paused at the edge, where she found a door leading inside the Gate itself.

Trixie entered the open doorway, finding herself in a thin but long room. To her left she saw an opening where the gate ended. She could see from the matching opening across the span that the room extended through both of the great doors when the Gates were closed. Right at the edge was a small opening, just large enough for a standing pony to fit through, and a door of solid iron that swung lazily on its hinges. A matching opening and door was on the other side. Perhaps that was how prisoners were forced in?

Her ears perked at the steady, thunderous noise in the distance. Trixie’s heart began to pound… but she was curious. She glanced along the corridor to her right and saw Jimmy and Nye discussing a set of large, complex-looking levers and wheels. They paid her no attention, so she took the opportunity to step up to the swinging iron door and catch it with a hoof. She paused, took a steadying breath and peered into Tartarus.

The great cavern stretched out before her, dark and empty. Part of her was disappointed, for it didn't look at all as terrible as she'd expected. The other part was amazed at the sheer scale of the cave, which towered far above and below her tiny hole. She silently wondered just how deep it went. Supposedly this place harbored some of the most corrupt villains in Equestrian history, but she could see none of that here.

That thunderous stomping caught her ears again. It grew louder, very quickly. She squinted, thinking she’d seen movement in the black. She saw it again. Something deep within, something big. She could just make out the shape in the dark, tall and bulky and—

A dragon.

Reddux the Tyrant.

“Damn, he catches on quick!”

Trixie jumped at the sudden voice by her side. She looked to see Jimmy hovering in the opening between the gates. She took just a second to catch her breath before asking, “What is Trixie to do?”

Jimmy turned to her. She couldn’t help being impressed with how he ignored the dragon’s latest roar, which reverberated through the cave and loosed a cloud of dust from the ceiling. “I already told Nye everything he needs to know about closing the Gates,” he replied. “The equipment’s old and heavy; I’m not sure he’s got the strength to use them all.” He gestured back down the hallway to where his brother was studying the control. “Help him move the harder ones. I’ll take care of the ones on the other side.”

He didn’t bother waiting for her confirmation. Instead, he turned, nodded to Twilight on the ground below and flew into the other gate’s corridor.

Trixie glanced about the exterior wall to see Twilight still standing before the Gates. Her stance was firm, and if there was any fear in her she was too far away for Trixie to tell. She grudgingly, silently acknowledged being impressed before turning back to the cave. Her eyes went wide.

“Whoa!”

Trixie had seen full-grown dragons a couple times in her travels, but this thing was a true monster! The dragons she’d seen would have barely been tall enough to reach her level on the gate, yet this thing’s backside spikes nearly touched the ceiling. Its scales were dull with age, and scars crisscrossed its massive shape. The most notable was a wide, ugly slash in its jaw that left part of the bone and teeth exposed. That sight made Trixie shiver; what could have done that to something so huge?

Reddux approached the gate with eyes sharp and teeth flashing as smoke rose from his lips and nostrils. She could hear him sucking in a long, deep breath, his claws crashing against the stone floor of the cave. Trixie ran into the corridor, looking back to see the intense flames of his breath fill the space between the open gates. Even from such a distance, the heat was intense!

She paused to watch as a violet shield appeared, pushing the flames back. An instant later the monster’s scaled head slammed against the shield and pushed. Reddux strained, he growled, he pressed with both claws, but Twilight’s spell held. Trixie had worried for a moment upon seeing the sheer size of Reddux, but her faith in the Alicorn Amulet’s strength was being justified.

“Trixie, come on!”

She whacked herself on the head; she was supposed to be helping Nye! She turned and ran as fast as her worn-out legs could carry her, finding him struggling to pull down a big lever. She caught it with her magic and fought to pull it. It resisted, but after several seconds they were able to get the thing to go down.

Nye took a second to recover, dropping to his knees and taking deep breaths. The sweat already beading on his brow made it clear he wasn’t accustomed to the amount of exercise this evening was demanding. But he was up quickly, moving to the next gadget.

“What next?” Trixie asked, eager to help.

“We have to get everything set,” he replied. His cheeks puffed out while he fought to pull another lever. With Trixie’s aid, it raised much easier than the last one. “One at a time, proper order, so that the gate locks will close correctly.”

Trixie stared at all the levers, switches and chains on the wall. “Why in the name of the moon does it need to be so complicated?”

Nye was moving swiftly, handling the instruments with surprising skill. “If it was easy, whoever’s inside might find a way to get through.”

She leaned back cautiously. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“I might be a dumb cobbler, but I come from an engineering family,” he replied with confidence, eyes not leaving his work. “I had to learn something growing up surrounded by eggheads.”

They worked together, Trixie using her magic to handle all the larger, heavier instruments. She kept glancing back down the corridor, where Twilight and Reddux were engaged in what appeared to be a fierce battle of wills. Every now and again the dragon would let out a fierce roar that shook the world and made Trixie and Nye cover their ears. Yet despite everything, Twilight was holding him back.

If Trixie knew the Alicorn Amulet as well as she thought, Twilight wouldn’t last much longer. A sense of urgency guided her actions, for she knew that time was against them.

The last part of the process was a tall wheel on the wall, but Nye hesitated.

“What’s wrong?” Trixie asked. “Turn it!”

“The wheel has to be turned at the same time on both sides.” Nye bit his lip as he looked towards the other gate. “Jimmy said we’d hear the other gate grinding closed.”

Trixie followed his gaze, but there was no way to see inside the other gate through the flames and magic. They had no time to waste! “Trixie will check on him,” she declared, running for the battle. A small fear crept through her mind; what if this big gamble was a mistake? What if she really had doomed Equestria with her little stunt?

No, she had to remain confident. She knew what Twilight could do, she knew the power of the Alicorn Amulet! All they had to do was close the Gates and everything would be fine. She focused her magic and teleported, quietly enduring the headache.

She found herself inside the other gate, the raging battle behind her. She quickly spotted Jimmy, who was struggling with something up in the ceiling. She hurried to him. “What are you doing? Trixie and Nye are finished!”

Relief washed over his face at the sight of her. “Oh, thank Luna. The bucking chain broke!” He gestured to a lump of rusty chain lying in a pile just beneath him. “Help me pull this thing!”

The chain he was trying to pull barely dangles out of the ceiling. She grasped it with her magic and gave it a jerk.

“Not so hard! You don’t want to break the rest of it!”

She sneered and focused her magic, gradually increasing the strength of the pull. At last, the chain began to lower. She realized through her pounding skull that she was sweating, but she kept calm and her magic measured. She was acutely aware of the dragon at the edge of her vision.

The chain came to an abrupt stop. She grimaced and tugged a little harder; it wouldn’t budge. “Damn it, come on!”

Jimmy flew closer to study the hole the chain was coming through. “Is it jammed?”

The entire gate shook as Reddux let out a monstrous roar. The chain abruptly came loose, followed by a cracking sound.

“That did it!” Jimmy immediately dropped to stand beside a wheel that matched the one in the other gate. “Alright, head back and help Nye! The wheel’s damn heavy.” Like before, he didn’t wait for any confirmation, instead grasping the wheel. His muscles bulged as he fought to turn the thing.

“Let Trixie get it…” she offered, her horn glowing.

“I’ve got it,” Jimmy declared through gritted teeth just before the wheel began to turn. “Help Nye!”

Trixie obeyed, running back to the other gate even as she mentally acknowledged his impressive physique. But as she approached the center, she noted that Reddux seemed to be winning his duel with Twilight. His head was a little farther through the gate, the magical barrier seemed to be fading. A victorious glint was in the dragon’s eye, teeth flashing as his lips curled back in a sinister grin.

Heart pounding and mind filled with a terrible dread at the consequences of defeat, Trixie teleported past the duel again and found Nye struggling with the wheel.

“Nye, it’s time!”

“I know, I know!” he cried as he fought to move the wheel. “For buck’s sake, help me!”

She aimed her horn for the wheel and focused her magic. It took several seconds but at last it began to turn, a pitched grinding accompanying its motion. Trixie could feel the gate moving beneath her hooves and intensified her concentration. She glanced back to see Twilight hitting Reddux with an extra-powerful blast, perhaps as a last-ditch effort to hold him back.

The dragon roared in fury, but couldn’t resist Twilight’s last push. The Gates were closing on him, grinding and methodical.

“We’ve got it,” Trixie cried. “We’ve got him!”

At last the Gates closed, a crash resounding through the corridor as they met. There was a series of crunching, grinding and clanging noises. The deed was done; the Gates of Tartarus had been sealed once more.

Nye all but collapsed in place, an intense sigh coming from his lips. “Oh, thank Luna that’s over!”

Trixie, horn throbbing and breath coming in gasps, made her way to the center of the Gates. The two corridors were one again. She met Jimmy at the iron doors, which still swung freely. “Are we safe?”

“Yeah, we’re safe,” he answered, rubbing his shoulders as if they ached. “I thought I’d maintained the equipment better than that, though.” He stepped in front of the iron doors, which now opened before a single hole in the wall. “You know he’s mad.”

Trixie stepped up to the doors and peered through. They opened to a steeply inclined passage, which appeared to be designed to keep ponies from climbing back up to the Gates. Trixie jumped when Reddux’s face appeared at the end of the passage, too big to fit inside. He glared up at them for a moment before unleashing a fiery blast, but it wouldn’t go past the opening at the bottom; evidently the passage had been magically sealed.

A flash of light appeared between Trixie and Jimmy. When it faded, Twilight stood between them. She sagged to her knees, sweat pouring down her face and horn sizzling red.

“Is… Is it done? Are the locks in place?” She sounded like she might faint.

“In place and holding just fine,” Jimmy told her, adding a pat on the back for good measure. “You were awesome, by the way.”

Twilight ignored the praise as she peered down the opening. “What about the magical seals?”

“Holding,” he replied.

Nye trudged up to them, sitting beside Trixie with head bowed. He was covered in sweat. “Please tell me there’s no more excitement for tonight.”

Twilight rubbed her forehead, eyes closed and face slack. “You’ll get no arguments from me,” she moaned.

Trixie stared down into that pit, her chest tightening as she found herself wondering what it would be like to be dropped into that hole. To fall through and know what was coming...

“I don’t know,” she muttered darkly, turning to Twilight. “I think I can handle just one more thing.”

And then she grabbed her old nemesis and pushed her through the doors.

Twilight screamed.

Jimmy let out a shout.

Nye only stared.

Twilight dropped, caught the steep floor and slid to a stop. She turned about, eyes wide with terror and horn glowing in preparation for a spell. Trixie slammed the magic-resistant iron doors in her rival’s horrified face before Twilight had a chance and dropped the thick locking beam into place.

“What are you doing?” Nye shouted.

“Are you insane?” Jimmy threw in.

The twins both reached for the door at once, but Trixie focused her magic and emitted a burst of energy that sent them both flying. They hit the ceiling and dropped to the floor. Neither got back up.

“Trixie!” Twilight’s voice was muffled through the doors. “Trixie, wait! Don’t do this!”

There was a small slot in one of the doors. Trixie dropped to her knees so that her face was level with it and opened the sliding panel; it was just large enough to let her peer through and see Twilight on the other side.

Twilight’s face appeared in the opening. “Trixie, please! He’ll kill me!” The Gates shook violently, as if to emphasize her words. “Trixie!”

“Give me the Alicorn Amulet.”

“What? No!” Twilight glanced back, and Trixie could see massive talons clawing up at her prisoner through the passage. “Trixie, open the doors!”

Trixie sneered. “The Amulet. Now!”

“I can’t!” Twilight pressed against the slot, screaming as the Gates rocked from another hit. “Celestia told me to wear it! I have to, Trixie!”

Trixie slammed the slot closed. She couldn't resist shuddering; though Twilight hadn’t even been touched by Reddux yet, her terror was hard to handle. But Trixie knew she had to do this, even if she didn’t want to. It was the only way to be certain.

Twilight’s shriek pierced through the door, prompting Trixie to quickly open the slot again. She saw that Twilight was okay and hardened her resolve. “The Amulet or your life, Twilight!”

“Okay, for buck’s sake!” With tears streaming down her cheeks, Twilight jerked the amulet from her neck and stuffed it through the slot. Trixie snatched it away as quickly as she could. “Now let me out, please!”

Trixie slammed the slot closed again and threw the amulet to the floor. She ignored Twilight’s horrible pleading and instead focused on stomping on that accursed piece of jewelry with all her remaining strength! She stomped and stomped, a furious rage filling her as the metal bent, twisted, began to break. This thing, this horrible, horrible thing! Nopony would ever be destroyed by it again!

She stomped until the glass shattered and the gemstone cracked, then focused an intense stream of magic into the thing. It glowed, vibrated… and erupted into a shower of crimson dust. The deed done, she turned back to the iron doors and listened to Twilight’s piercing screams. The Gates shook from Reddux’s furious strikes, and again, and again. Trixie could hear the dragon’s talons scraping against the metal as he tried to reach Twilight in the passage.

Trixie’s heart pounded in her chest. Twilight’s shrieks grew more desperate, and Trixie shook with fear and worry. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she imagined the other Twilight: the one who had stood no chance, who had literally gone through Hell. The anger produced from that imagery steadied Trixie’s mind just enough to let her carry this through to the end she truly sought.

At last Trixie could take the screams no more. She pulled the locking bar off the doors and jerked them open. She then dropped to her belly and caught Twilight’s hooves, pulling her back into the Gates. She slammed the doors closed immediately, breathing a deep sigh as she did.

Twilight was a sobbing heap against the wall, her weeping piercing to Trixie’s ears.

Trixie turned to the terrified pony, her fears gradually making way for her anger.

“How did it feel?”

Twilight tried to wipe her eyes as she looked up, but her tears wouldn’t stop flowing. “Wh… W-what…?”

“How did it feel?” Trixie repeated, eyes flashing dangerously. “To think you’re going to die? Trixie demands to know if you can accept what you did, now that you’ve experienced it.”

Twilight sobbed. “I… I d-don’t understand.”

“Of course you don’t,” Trixie hissed. “Now you know what she felt like.”

“S-she…?”

“She.” Trixie took a threatening step forward. “The other Twilight. The one you and Celestia locked up in Tartarus!”

“Her?” Twilight tried to sit up, legs shaking. “Y-you’re mad b-because of her? She was a ch-changeling!”

Trixie shoved Twilight back to the floor. “Trixie is not mad – she's furious! Furious because you left her in there to rot! Furious because you were willing to let a potentially innocent pony go through horrible tortures, and then dare to suggest that you want to improve Equestria!”

“There was nothing I could do!” Twilight cowered back against the wall from Trixie’s rage, eyes locked with those of her aggressor. “Celestia was the one who—”

“You are the Gatekeeper.” Trixie pressed her muzzle against Twilight’s. “You have the power to imprison or release. You could have freed her! You did free her, but not until after she’d been horribly mangled by the freaks that live down there!”

Twilight shivered, moist eyes wide. “H-how do you know all this?”

Trixie stood tall and glared at the prostrate unicorn. “Because Trixie met her right before she died. She was broken, desperate, a hideous mess of pony ruined by what you allowed to happen to her. It doesn’t matter if she was a changeling or not; nopony deserves what she went through!”

She leaned forward, lips curled back in a snarl. “And you. I hate you, but I at least thought you were better than that. So why, Twilight? Why did you let her go through that hell?”

Twilight leaned forward, her voice shaking. “Y-you don’t know what it’s like! Celestia’s demands on her prized student are intense. I can’t refuse her orders! She said to keep her locked up, so I did. I didn’t have a choice in the matter!”

Trixie sneered. “I thought you had more spirit than that. How the buck do you plan to be a leader and change the world if you won’t say ‘No’ in the face of a blatant wrong?”

“Celestia is never wrong!” Twilight shouted, but her voice cracked. She fell back against the wall, tears welling in her eyes again. “She’s the Princess of the Sun. She’s my… my idol… The princess wouldn’t do something like that without good reason…”

And then Trixie’s own words hit her. For the first time, she realized that she really did blame Celestia for this, at least partially. Twilight’s conviction… did it not make sense? Celestia, the symbol of all that was good and holy in the world…

Trixie remembered Luna’s story. Despite her earlier conviction, a conviction she was determined to maintain, there were still lingering doubts. Yet this sudden realization cast things in a whole new light. Had Fine Crime not said, very clearly, that it had been Celestia who’d sent the other Twilight to Tartarus? Who’d broken her?

Trixie’s image of Celestia had been dulled over the past few weeks… but now it was cracked – perhaps irreparably so.

She took a closer look at Twilight. Celestia’s pupil was splayed out against the wall as if she didn’t have the energy to sit properly, eyes closed and tears just beginning to dry on her cheeks. Her mane was disheveled, her breath coming in slow gasps. All in all, she looked like an emotional wreck.

Trixie couldn’t help wondering…

“What happened between you and Luna?” Twilight’s eyes opened just a crack. “You’re an ex-lover of hers, are you not?”

Twilight turned her head away with a grimace. “I told you, I’m not talking.”

Trixie’s anger flared. She took a couple steps forward and leveled her horn at Twilight, who pressed against the wall with wide eyes. “You’re spent. You used all your energy wielding the amulet against Reddux. Trixie is worn out too, but she knows she has more power left than you. Talk!”

Twilight tried to recover, countering Trixie’s words with a harsh look. “What makes you think I’m spent?”

Trixie came forward, pressing her horn right between her opponent’s eyes. “Trixie had the amulet for four months. She knows its workings. You couldn’t have had it for more than a week. Do not test Trixie’s patience!”

Twilight’s eyes went wide. “You planned it. That’s why you broke the Gates; you wanted me to waste all my energies trying to close it!”

“Surrender!” Trixie’s horn began to glow. “Give in, or so help me I’ll throw you back in with Reddux!”

“Okay!” Twilight reached up to push Trixie’s head away with feeble legs. “Okay… You win. Are you happy, now?”

Trixie stepped back with a scowl. “No. Trixie is not happy at all! And she won’t be until she’s figured things out.”

Twilight sagged back against the wall, turning her head away. “You just want to know my misery. It’s all about revenge.”

Trixie came forward to pressed her hooves against Twilight’s shoulders, looking her dead in the eye. “The more Trixie learns about Luna, the closer she feel to understanding her situation. Trix—”

She paused and bowed her head with a sigh, then raised it once more. “I’m close, Twilight. I know it, I can feel it. With every story, every victory, I get just a little closer to knowing what I’m supposed to do. Talk to me! Give me the next piece of the puzzle so I can save her!”

Twilight stared up at her through her mane, jaw slack. Trixie only stared right back, waiting for an answer.

A long silence passed between them, but finally Twilight spoke. “You really mean it, don’t you?”

Trixie sat back and bowed her head. “Talk to me… Please.”

Twilight studied Trixie for an uncomfortably long time, but finally let out a deep sigh. “Luna was… She was an opportunity.”

Trixie raised her head to stare at Twilight, but said nothing as her old rival continued. “After she returned from exile, I watched her. I learned of her goals, which struck me as lofty. Even if I didn’t believe her story, I thought that she might be helpful.

“By then I knew that I’d never be a princess under Celestia. I killed Cerberus on her order, and all I got was a pat on the back and a new assignment. There’s just no pleasing her. But Luna… If I could help her become co-ruler of Equestria, maybe set up a system of checks and balances, things would improve. So I campaigned for her, and promoted her at every opportunity.”

“I think I remember hearing about that,” Trixie admitted, but waved for Twilight to go on rather than press the topic.

“Luna caught on. She sought me out, we started working together.” Twilight leaned forward to wrap her front legs about her lower knees, setting her chin on her front legs with moist eyes. “I just didn’t expect to… to fall for her. I was even able to put up with Nightmare Moon, unlike the others. I caught on to her schemes and refused to let them get in the way.”

Trixie thought on this, finding herself impressed. “Then what happened to end it?”

Twilight buried her head in her legs. “Celestia found out. She accused Nightmare of trying to turn me against her. I denied it, of course, but Nightmare insisted I was falling into some sort of trap, and Celestia believed her. I don’t blame her; I’d have believed her had I been in that position.”

Trixie tilted her head. “Didn’t you fight it in some way?”

“I couldn’t,” Twilight whispered. “My position as Celestia’s protégé was in jeopardy. I was being forced to choose… Yet Luna chose for me. She cut ties to protect me… but Celestia still sent me here. This job is my punishment for dallying in things I shouldn’t.

“That’s why I agreed with the princess’ recommendation to use the Amulet,” Twilight concluded, looking up with moist eyes. “I had to win, Trixie! I had to redeem myself. I’ve been stuck doing this dead-end job for three years! I can’t do anything for Equestria like this… But if I beat you when every other pony couldn’t, maybe Celestia would forgive me!”

“Wait.” Trixie stood, eyes wide. “You mean Celestia wanted me to lose?”

Twilight nodded. “She said it was imperative. For Luna’s sake.”

“But… But that makes no sense!” Trixie tapped her head as if to kick her brain cells into gear. “Celestia told me these fights were important for Luna, that I was helping her.”

Twilight tilted her head, rubbing the last of the moisture from her cheeks. “Maybe by losing?”

“No!” Trixie paced the corridor, frustration filling her. “I’m fighting for Luna. Everything I’ve been doing is for Luna. Why would she want me to lose if my winning is… Damn it!” She reared back and let out a shout. “Just when everything was starting to make sense!”

Just then the door leading to the Gates’ outer ledge opened. Twilight and Trixie turned to find Celestia herself entering the corridor. Twilight leapt to her hooves and bowed deep, but Trixie only scowled. Celestia paused, glancing around the long room with a deep frown before spotting the two unicorns.

“Ah, there you are.” She approached, stepping over Nye as if he weren’t there. “What happened with the Gates?”

“P-princess!” Twilight’s voice wavered as she maintained the bow. “Forgive me, th-there was a problem with the Gates. B-but we fixed it, all of us! I promise, the rep-pairs will be done soon.”

“You should be applauding her,” Trixie decalred, locking hard eyes with Celestia. “Your protégé just went hoof-to-claw with Reddux to keep him inside.”

Celestia’s eyes widened just a little as she cast a wary look at the iron doors. “Is that so? Quite the feat, Twilight. And what about the duel?”

The duel? Trixie could only stare with a slack jaw; Twilight had just faced off against what was well-documented as the most dangerous dragon in Equestrian history, and Celestia wanted to know about the duel?

Twilight ducked as if expecting a blow. “I… I’m sorry, princess. I-l… I lost.”

Celestia’s eyelids lowered, her smile fading as her face became expressionless. “I see. And the amulet?”

Twilight’s head rose; by the look on her face it was clear she didn’t know of Trixie’s deed. She shot a questioning look at Trixie, who turned to Celestia with head held high.

“Trixie destroyed it.”

“What?” Twilight leapt up and shook Trixie. “Why would you do that?”

“That thing was an abomination!” Trixie shoved her rival away and turned to stand firm before a still-expressionless Celestia. “It was nothing but a danger. Trixie destroyed it, and the world will be better for it.”

“Perhaps,” Celestia admitted, “but that was not your decision to make.” Her eyes turned on Twilight, who cringed. “I am very disappointed in you, Twilight.”

“Disappointed?” Trixie stood between the two of them, glaring daggers. “How can you say that? Twilight did the best she could. She risked her life to face down Reddux! Even Trixie is praising her for this, and she hates Twilight! And what about Trixie, hmm? Did you not tell her that she was supposed to win, for Luna sake? What happened to that?”

“Trixie, that’s enough,” Twilight hissed.

Celestia’s cold expression didn’t waver. “You are right: your victory is in Luna’s best interest. But Twilight is my apprentice, my protégé. I expect her to succeed in everything she does, not just some things. Holding Reddux back does aid her position, but she still failed to defeat you. She even had the Alicorn Amulet to assist her, and yet she let it be destroyed. These failures cannot be overlooked.”

Trixie glanced back to find Twilight sitting with her head bowed, a look of abject misery on her face. Even if Trixie didn’t like her, this seemed just a little too cruel. “But… She—”

“You should go,” Celestia ordered, and her tone brooked no argument. “This is a matter between my student and myself. Go see Luna. She is on her way to the Southern Tower, and she will leave you if you are not fast enough.”

Luna. With all that was going on, Trixie had completely forgotten! Yet she still felt she should defend Twilight. She hesitated, looking first to the hard Celestia, then to the unhappy Twilight. If things had gone as planned, though, then Luna might be…

Though she hated doing it, Trixie left. She took only an extra second to hug Twilight and wish her luck before heading out the door and making for the Southern Tower. It dawned upon her that Luna was probably already inside, and she was eager to catch up. After all, she’d won. That meant they could be together, didn’t it? And now Trixie was ready to accept that fact…

There was a swelling sensation in Trixie’s chest, a growing excitement she’d not expected. She’d won. She’d completed all the fights! She could be with Luna, maybe help her with her own situation. This was exactly what she’d been fighting for, and it was finally done! No more battles, no more danger. Just her and Luna.

She was suddenly so excited that she simply couldn’t wait to climb all the stairs. So instead, even though it made her head throb, she cast the teleportation spell and ended up on top of the tower. She reeled from the magic overdose, but recovered quickly when she spotted the princess – Trixie’s princess! – entering her carriage.

“Luna!”

She ran. Her legs ached from the effort, but her heart was bursting with joy. “Luna, I did it! I beat Twilight, I actually won!” She slid to a stop beside the carriage, beaming as Luna turned to cast a regal look her way. “There aren’t any more fights! We can be together, and—”

“Oh, so you pulled it off?” Luna asked with head raised. No smile graced her lips. “I suppose I should congratulate you on a job well done.”

Trixie grinned and made to get in the carriage. “Isn’t it wonderful? Now I can—”

She blinked, caught off-guard by a dark blue wall that abruptly pushed her away from the carriage. “Hey! Luna, what gives?”

Luna had already turned away. “You completed your task, and I thank you for it. Your services are no longer required. You are free, Trixie.”

“Free?” Trixie gaped. “What are you talking about? Trixie was always free.”

“Free to leave me alone!” Luna turned on Trixie with a dark glint in her eyes.

“Leave you alone?” Trixie shook her head, trying to make sense of what she was hearing. “But… I thought… You and I, we’re lovers. Trixie wants to be with you.”

“The feeling is not mutual,” Luna announced. “Go on, leave. You’ve won the right to be free of me… for now. I cannot promise that I won’t haunt your dreams, though.” That last part came with a malicious grin.

The realization felt like an icy talon gripping Trixie’s heart. “No… You’re… You’re Nightmare Moon!”

Nightmare, in a perfect Luna guise. The princess brushed her sparkling mane aside with pomp. “Did she not tell you we were to be rejoined during the fight? Why do you think Celestia came along?”

“Shut up!” Trixie reared up to press her hooves against the barrier separating them. “Let me talk to Luna. I know she’s in there!”

“Oh, and of course she feels terrible.” Nightmare rolled her eyes. “But no, I think I rather like being in control. She doesn’t want to talk to you anyway.”

“Liar!” Trixie pounded at the barrier. “Luna, talk to me! Come on, fight her!”

“You never stood a chance,” Nightmare declared, not even dignifying Trixie with a direct look. “Go back to your magician’s act. Luna is mine. I have no intention of sharing her with anypony, especially not an impertinent upstart like you.”

“Shut up!” Trixie pressed her horn to the barrier and struggled to break through it with her magic, a tiny blue light sparking between them. “Luna! Luna, please, speak to me! You can’t just let it end!” She strained, ignoring the throbbing in her horn and the sweat on her brow. She would break through, she had to! “I came all this way, I worked so hard. Please, it can’t end like this!”

The barrier flashed, and Trixie’s body convulsed. She flew back and hit the ground rolling. She ended up on her side, unable to move for the pain and weariness. Her eyes caught the carriage, which began to move. “W… Wait…”

Nightmare waved mockingly. “Goodbye, Trixie. Thanks for solving my pest problem. I promise to take good care of Luna!”

“No… Please…” Trixie raised her head, but even that required an incredible amount of willpower. With tears in her eyes, she watched the carriage turn and make its way to Canterlot. “Luna…”

Trixie’s head dropped to the ground, her world going dark.

Author's Notes:

What's that? Twilight's the big final boss? Pfftt... Excuse me while I fall out of my chair laughing. Ha. Ha haha. The struggles aren't over yet! In all fairness, this probably could have been written as one big chapter with the previous one, but I liked the cliffhanger and wanted to keep Reddux and Twilight as separate events.

Who is Reddux the Tyrant? I'm considering writing a story – focused on Fine Crime – that will reveal all the details of just who the beast is. But that story is set in the No Heroes universe; who is he in this universe? That info might not be so far away, either. Fact is, I've already conceived of a prequel, which I can't go into any details about because it would spoil the rest of TvE, but I can say that Reddux will appear in it, and we may just learn a little bit about who he is. And a few other characters, too. I've also got a sequel planned, but again, no info until TvE is done. Just too much risk for spoilers.

UPDATE 5/25/2014: Edits have been uploaded!

Road Block

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“Trixie, we’re here.”

Trixie shifted, her sleep disturbed by somepony tapping her horn. She grumbled and covered her face with a leg.

“Come on, Trixie, you can’t sleep all day.”

On the contrary, sleeping all day was exactly what Trixie had grown accustomed to in the last few weeks. She struggled to open one eye, noting the concerned frown on Twilight’s face. “What time is it?” The sentence came out as a growl.

“A little after noon.”

Trixie rolled so that she was facing the wall of the carriage. “Trixie’s nocturnal now.”

“But we’re almost to Canterlot,” Twilight pointed out. “I thought you were eager to get there.”

Trixie shot her host a glower and sat up, a long yawn escaping her lips. “Trixie wants to get to Canterlot,” she confessed while rubbing her eyes, “but Trixie also got used to waking up just before dusk.”

Twilight returned to her seat, studying her travelling companion with an understanding smile. “Because of Luna?”

Trixie cringed at the mention of her… lover? She would keep thinking of her that way, damn what anypony else might say! “Trixie is sure you know what it’s like. You’re one of her ex-lovers, after all.”

Twilight didn’t answer, and a long silence passed between them. Trixie tried to shake her sleepiness away before slipping close to the window and lifting the curtain. She closed her eyes against the harsh glare of Celestia’s sun, but was finally able to make out the spires of Canterlot Castle in the near distance. The walls of the city were much closer, the carriage rocking its way towards one of the tall gates.

They’d been on the road for four days. Twilight had generously offered to take Trixie back to Canterlot, after Celestia and Luna both left her behind. The rivals – former rivals? – were well aware of what being left behind might imply for Trixie, but she refused to believe it. Even if Luna was under the influence of Nightmare Moon, Trixie wasn’t ready to give up.

For her part, Twilight was proving to be a far kinder pony than Trixie remembered. It left Trixie uncomfortable, but she accepted Twilight’s offer for a ride; the journey would have taken weeks on hoof. Besides, maybe by leaving the door open for Twilight they really could fix the divide between them.

That rift was particularly large in Trixie’s mind.

Trixie dropped into her seat, letting the curtain fall back as she stifled another yawn. She was so tired… “Perhaps Trixie should wait a bit before trying to meet the princess.”

Twilight had been watching her with fretful eyes. “What are you going to do when you see her?”

Trixie sagged, closing her eyes and seeing Luna’s pretty face in her mind’s eye. “Trixie has no idea. All she knows is that she can’t let things end like this.”

Twilight spoke with hesitancy. “You know… Nightmare’s already seriously hurt six other ponies, not including the ones who died from her machinations. Are you prepared?”

Trixie tried opening her eyes, but couldn’t manage it. “Prepared for what?”

It took Twilight several seconds to answer. “To… deal with the pain. In case she… well…”

“Rejects Trixie?”

When Twilight failed to answer, Trixie pursed her lips and laid back in the seat, head turned away from Twilight. “That will not happen. Trixie has the advantage of knowing a Luna without Nightmare Moon’s influence. Luna will come through.”

She hoped her voice sounded more confident than she felt. In reality, Trixie had no idea what was going to happen. She was afraid, for in that harrowing moment at the Gates of Tartarus Luna had seemed completely under Nightmare’s control. There hadn’t been even the slightest hint of Luna in that body. What if something had happened with the re-merging and Luna’s mind had been subjugated in some way? The thought had been giving Trixie nightmares.

And she wasn’t entirely convinced that the nightmares had been due to her own fears. What if Nightmare was tormenting her? Trixie wouldn’t put it past the abomination.

Twilight sighed as the carriage began to slow, indicating they were approaching the gates to Canterlot. “Don’t go falling asleep on me again, okay? It was hard enough waking you up the first time.”

Trixie waved a dismissive hoof, still not bothering to open her eyes. “It’s not Trixie’s fault she became nocturnal. Take it up with the princess.”

“You’ve had four days to straighten your days and nights,” Twilight countered, though her tone was only half serious.

Trixie ignored the statement, her mind wandering from her weariness. If she wasn’t careful, she might just fall asleep after all.

She could hear the curtains rustling, probably from Twilight looking out the window. A kind but deep voice came from outside. “Good afternoon, Miss Sparkle. We were not aware you were coming.”

“It was a last-minute decision,” Twilight replied, her tone pleasant. “Is there anything wrong?”

“We’re on the lookout for a fugitive, who we believe is trying to get into the castle. I am sorry, miss, but we need to check the carriage.”

Trixie’s eyes snapped open; a fugitive? An unpleasant suspicion came over her as she raised her head to peer at the window.

“Do you really think some crook is gonna try and sneak in on my carriage?” Twilight asked with a roll of her eyes.

“Actually, yes. In fact, we were told it was very likely.”

Twilight’s eyebrows rose. “Really?”

Trixie didn’t need to hear any more to know what was happening. She gestured to Twilight with a silencing motion, who took the hint.

“I understand you’re just trying to do your job,” Twilight noted to the guard, “but I really don’t think—”

“She’s here!”

Trixie jerked about to see another guard peering through the curtains right at her. “She’s in the carriage!”

“Oh no…” Twilight closed the curtain, as if afraid of what was out there. “You mean you’re the fugitive?”

“She’s holding the princess’ student hostage!” a voice outside cried. “Get everypony over here, now!”

“Hostage?” Twilight raised an eyebrow at Trixie.

Trixie rubbed her forehead, anger and frustration clouding her mind. “Great. So Celestia’s trying to keep me from her sister, is she?”

Twilight wilted. “I’m sorry, Trixie.”

“Trixie will not stand for this!” Trixie moved for the carriage door, but Twilight blocked her exit. “Out of Trixie’s way, Sparkle!”

“No!” Twilight shook her head forcefully. “Don’t give them the ammunition. If you hurt somepony, then you really will be a fugitive.”

Trixie threw up her hooves. “But Trixie must do something!”

“Trixie Lulamoon! The carriage is surrounded. There’s nowhere to go.”

“Just wait,” Twilight pleaded, pushing Trixie back into her seat. “There has to be a way to get out of this with nopony getting hurt.”

“Like submitting to them?” Trixie shot the curtains a grimace. “I will not let your teacher ruin the best thing Trixie has ever had!”

“Don’t try to fight,” the guard called once more. “Just release Miss Sparkle and let’s talk.”

“How did they ever come to believe that Trixie is holding you hostage?” Trixie went to the window, waving Twilight off as she peered through the curtains. Sure enough, the carriage was surrounded by Royal Guards. She cursed under her breath as she leaned back from the window. “If Celestia thinks this is enough to stop Trixie—”

Twilight leaned forward, one hoof rubbing her forehead and the other aimed Trixie’s way as if to hold her still. “You can’t fight them. Just give me time to think!”

“Trixie Lulamoon! You are wanted dead or alive by the Canterlot authorities! By the order of Princess Luna, you will release your hostage and give yourself up!”

Trixie heard nothing beyond the princess’ name. Her jaw had dropped, her shoulders slumped as she stared at the closed curtain. “D-did… Did he just say… by Luna’s order?”

“Oh, boy…” Twilight ducked with eyes locked on Trixie, as if she were expecting some violent reaction.

Trixie’s mind was locked upon what she’d just heard. Her stomach began to knot up. She raised her hooves to observe their shaking. “That’s not possible… L-Luna wouldn’t…”

Twilight inched away from Trixie as if she were dangerous. “Nightmare Moon would.”

Trixie’s head shook in a slow, hesitant motion. “But she wouldn’t allow it! Luna would… she’d stop her. I’m s-sure…”

Twilight’s eyes darted to the window, then to her distraught companion. “Like she stopped her from hurting the rest of us?”

Trixie stared at her with wide eyes. Oh Goddess… had she just fallen into the same horrid trap?

The guard’s voice grew aggressive. “There’s no getting out of this, Trixie!”

Trixie’ chin touched her chest, her entire body beginning to shake. “N-no… There really isn’t, is there?”

Twilight hesitated, but at last moved to embrace Trixie. It was… surprisingly warm. “I’m so sorry, Trixie. I tried to warn you.”

She had, hadn’t she? And Trixie had just gone charging in. She had thought that, if she’d just maintain her confidence and enthusiasm, things would work out. But this latest discovery was like the straw breaking her back. Trixie didn’t know what to say or think, much less do. Twilight was right – she should have seen this coming.

Did this mean that Luna was beyond salvation?

The guard outside continued his incessant shouting. “There’s no need to hurt Celestia’s protégé! Do you really want both princesses after your hide?”

“There’s no way you can see Luna now,” Twilight whispered.

Trixie felt the wind flee her lungs; somehow, hearing it made it feel all the more real. Her accursed eyes were tearing up! She didn’t want to cry. She thought she’d cried enough from this bucking roller coaster ride…

“You have to run away.” Twilight pulled back to look Trixie in the eye. “You learned my teleporting spell, so use it! Get away from Canterlot – away from Luna.”

“But… B-but…” Trixie rubbed the moisture from her eyes, desperately trying to find that confidence she’d lost. “L-Luna… I need to see her.”

“I’ll talk to her,” Twilight offered. “Let me act on your behalf. You don’t need to let them catch you, or fight them. Just run, Trixie.”

Trixie thrust her head back. “But how am I supposed to talk to Luna?!”

Twilight cringed at Trixie’s volume. She set her hooves to Trixie’s shoulders, speaking over the guard’s shouts. “If she wants to speak with you, she’ll see you in your dreams.”

“If she wants to speak to me?” Trixie shook her head. “Don’t talk about it like it might not happen!”

“Trixie pl—”

Twilight slumped, shooting a fretful look at the carriage door. A few moments of quiet passed between them, punctuated by the continued calls of the guard outside. Finally, Twilight looked at Trixie, her lips set in a small frown. “I’m sorry for this. I promise, I’ll do what I can.” Her horn began to glow.

“What are you—”

Trixie’s world became violet, a bright flash of light filling her eyes.

“—doing?” The light faded, and Trixie found herself sitting on a hill viewing Canterlot. She blinked, looking around with wide eyes. The top of the hill was covered by a small copse of tall, thin trees that shaded her from the sparkling sunlight. It took a few seconds for her to realize that Twilight had to have teleported her.

She jerked to her hooves, eyes scouring the city below. She finally spotted Twilight’s carriage, completely surrounded by guardponies. They were so far away that Trixie couldn’t tell what was happening, but she didn’t need to see to know that Twilight would be coming out and explaining that Trixie had escaped. Or something like that. Twilight was a smart pony, she surely had some cover story in mind.

Trixie dropped to the grass, her mane flopping over her moist eyes. How could this be happening? But then, did it not make sense? Using Rarity, betraying Applejack, ignoring Rainbow… The princess seemed to be an expert at raising ponies hopes, only to crush them mercilessly. Was Trixie really just another victim – a toy to be played with? The thought left daggers in her heart.

Trixie faced the ultimate question: what to do next? Should she press on and try to find a way to meet the princess? Should she give up and go home?

Home... What home?

That thought left Trixie with one terrible realization: she had nothing. No bits, no job, no princess. This little quest of hers had been everything, for it had helped her avoid the reality of her situation. Now she didn’t even have the hope of a future with Luna to look forward to.

Was it really that simple? Was it over, just like that?

She opened her eyes to survey the city below, mind blank as she tried to think of her next step. Nothing would come to her. But there had to be something. She couldn’t just… fall.

She spotted the pegasi flying about the city. Word was passing of her escape. Soon they would come out in search of her. If they caught her, she might at least get to see Luna again. But she knew that she might not live much longer than that. ‘Dead or alive,’ they’d said.

She couldn’t die, not yet. She needed to think of a way to see Luna that didn’t involve getting caught.

So she did the only thing that came to mind.

She fled.

“Trixie? Helloooo, anypony home?”

She blinked, a yawn escaping her lips. Trixie’s legs were still moving, one hoof after the other. Had she fallen asleep walking? The last thing she remembered was turning her back on Canterlot, unable to think beyond her misery and weariness. The sky was darkening, the sun not even visible anymore over the hilly horizon. Where was she?

“Oh, good,” a familiar voice said. “For a moment there, I thought something was really wrong.”

Trixie stumbled to a stop, shaking off the weariness and dropping to her haunches as if her legs could no longer support her weight. She glanced to her left, then to her right, but couldn’t identify the voice’s owner. Was she going crazy now?

“Up here.”

She looked up and was surprised to find Rainbow Dash, of all ponies, hovering a few feet above and ahead of her.

“You…? What are you doing here?”

Rainbow landed before her. Trixie noticed that she was still wearing that familiar Luna-themed necklace and turned her head away from it, a churning sensation in her gut.

“You okay?” Rainbow tilted her head. “You look like you’ll collapse at any second.”

Trixie promptly did so, head bouncing in the grass. She was so tired she didn’t even register the pain of what should have been a hard impact.

“Whoa!” Rainbow dropped next to her. “Hang in there, Trix. You’ll be okay.”

“No I won’t,” Trixie whispered, tears in her eyes. “There’s nothing about this situation that is okay. She’s throwing me away. Why does everypony throw me away?”

Rainbow cringed. “Hey… Don’t sweat it,” she offered, though she didn’t sound very confident. “That’s just what Luna does… y’know?”

Not the most tactful response. Without bothering to move her head, Trixie rolled her eyes up to stare at the pegasus. “What are you doing here?”

Rainbow smiled in her most comforting manner. “Twilight asked me to look for you, make sure you were okay.”

Twilight did? “Life is hell,” Trixie muttered. “I just lost everything. I’ve nowhere to live, no bits to my name... how is Trixie supposed to be okay?”

“Umm…” Rainbow glanced around as if looking for inspiration, her face distraught. “Well… You have… You have your fame?” She seemed to latch on to the idea. “Yeah, there’s fame. I mean, you did defeat all of Luna’s ex-lovers. Even me. Everypony knows who you are, Trix! Surely something good’s gotta come from that.”

Trixie closed her eyes. Fame. There was a time when she’d craved it. Now she wanted nothing to do with it. “I just want my princess back…”

Rainbow sighed and lowered her head to nuzzle Trixie. “I know, it’s tough. This won’t be any consolation to ya, but we’ve all gone through this. It hurts, but… you learn to cope.”

Was that what Trixie should do? Learn to cope? Rainbow was trying to be comforting, but her words didn’t help. After all, none of them had coped with this. If they had, Trixie wouldn’t have had to fight any of them.

Rainbow seemed determined to keep trying. “Come on, Trixie. It’s not so bad. Look at what you’ve achieved. Nopony was able to get to Celestia and Luna like you did. I mean heck, they went and put a warrant on your head! You must have really gotten to Nightmare if she—”

Trixie let out a huff. “You’re not very good at this, are you?”

Rainbow went silent – blessedly so. Too tired to bother moving, Trixie closed her eyes and tried not to think on everything that was happening. Maybe if she could just fall asleep again…

“Trixie, listen to me.”

Trixie groaned, but she listened.

“You were on the right track. You still can be.”

Trixie glanced up at Rainbow, who was watching her with a firm frown but eyes shining with confidence. “The right track?”

“Yeah.” Rainbow nodded. “Look at what you’ve done! You didn’t just beat us; you helped us see the light. Maybe you didn’t even mean to do it, I dunno. But the things you said when we fought, the way you stood by Luna… it reminded me of how I used to be. How I should be.”

She stood and gave Trixie a big smile. “I’m trying to be that pony again. The pony I was before Luna and Nightmare Moon. The one that would have stood by her best friend, rather than fight her. I think we’re all trying to regain that little something we lost.”

Trixie considered this, but through her misery she just couldn’t take any comfort in the words. She turned her head away as she asked, “And who’s going to fight me, and give me back what I lost?”

Rainbow tilted her head once more, thinking on this statement. “What did you lose?”

Her confidence. Her understanding and certainty. Her drive to go on, even. She couldn’t see the path. She’d been searching for it all this time, just trying to understand where she was supposed to go next. Yet all the road signs had been torn down, and she was lost. What was she fighting for? Herself? Luna? Celestia? Equestria? The other Twilight? She didn’t feel like any of it was worth fighting for, not anymore.

“My direction,” she whispered, closing her eyes and trying not to cry. “I’ve lost my direction.”

A long silence passed between them. Trixie wondered if Rainbow was about to give up. Would that be a bad thing? Perhaps, but Trixie wasn’t even sure she cared. All she knew was that she was hurting and she wanted it to stop.

She felt something tap her horn. She flinched and glanced up to find Rainbow dangling the amulet over her head. The pegasus slipped the necklace on Trixie, who eyed it with a certain… sadness. That amulet… Luna had given it to her once. Seeing it was an inescapable reminder of how she’d just been crushed, and she wasn’t sure she liked it.

“You gave me that a while back,” Rainbow noted, stepping away from Trixie with head and shoulders slumped. “It helped me heal up real quick. I don’t know if it works on broken hearts, but it’s worth a try, right? Listen, Twilight and the rest of us, we’re trying to figure something out, something that may help Equestria. Now I won’t push you, ’cause I know you’re hurting pretty bad right now… but, if you decide you wanna make a difference, you’re welcome to join us.” She turned aside, wings spreading wide. “We want you with us, Trix. Please, just think about it? You can find us at Twilight’s library in Ponyville, okay?”

Trixie didn’t answer, and after a moment of hesitancy Rainbow lifted off. Trixie watched her head back to Canterlot. So all Trixie's former enemies were joining forces, were they? How was she supposed to feel about that? Proud? Eager? She wasn’t sure, but she knew that what she was feeling now was not what they were hoping for.

She sat up and eyed the amulet around her neck. The onyx seemed to hold the depths of a night within its polished surface. A moon and stars… a sure reminder of Princess Luna. Part of Trixie wanted to treasure it. The other part of her wanted to throw it away.

But she couldn’t do that, so she clutched it close and thought some more on the princess she might never see again, save when she taunted her dreams.

She didn’t even bother to wonder where she would go next.

Author's Notes:

I considered writing this and the next chapter as a single unit, but decided to divide them up, if only to not have ages between updates. Maybe in the future I'll combine them into a single chapter.

One of the underlying themes of this story has been the ups and downs of being Trixie, how she keeps doing good only to crash afterwards. As it's been pointed out by some, we're definitely nearing the end. The big boost of finally, really being Luna's lover is a pretty big thing, so an exceptionally devastating fall was inevitable. But even if Trixie's suffering from a lack of confidence and faith, the wheels keep turning in the background. I don't think anyone out there doubts what's coming.

But before we get there, I have one more chapter of...well, of Trixie in the doldrums.

UPDATE 5/26/2014: Edits have been uploaded, and thank God! This one was in desperate need of work.

Ivory Tears

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The past two weeks had gone horribly, to say the least. Trixie hadn’t given up; despite her misery, she had tried again and again to find a way into Canterlot. She’d been so determined to see Luna… but she didn’t even manage to get to the castle. She made it into the city a couple times, but that was it. Every attempt ended in a terrifying flight from the region after she was caught and chased by the guards.

They were doing an impressive job of watching out for her. Trixie sometimes wondered if they didn’t have anything better to do with their time; wasn’t there some other fugitive they were supposed to be chasing? Sometimes it felt like the whole of Canterlot was baying for her blood. But Trixie didn’t stop trying, knowing that if she could see Luna – just speak to her – she might be able to fix everything.

Her initial determination didn’t last. Her repeated failures were bad enough, but Nightmare Moon was still tormenting her dreams. Never actually there, always hidden in the background. Mocking, but never responding to queries. Trixie no longer questioned the reality of her dreams; there was no doubt Nightmare really was there, laughing at her desperation. The dreams sapped her morale, weakened her resolve. Though she tried to use them to speak with Luna, she eventually gave up to spare herself the pain of hope.

Then news came out that Luna had left Canterlot entirely. Nopony knew where she was, and it was possible she’d be gone for a while. The information had sent chills down Trixie’s spine. Surely she hadn’t been sent back to the moon by Celestia? If that was the case, then everything Tixie worked for was gone.

The idea that Luna might not even be in Equestria anymore was the nail in the coffin of Trixie’s resolve. Hopeless and miserable, she’d left the city and begun the long, lonely trek. She considered taking Twilight and her friends up on the offer to join them in Ponyville, but could conjure no enthusiasm for the idea. What were they to do other than fight a losing battle against impossible odds? It was hopeless…

So there she was, sitting before a door in the rain. Her stomach rumbled, her eyelids drooped, but neither compared to the pain in her heart. The sight of this town, of this door, was like a slap in the face. She felt as if she was right back where she’d started.

No. This was worse. Worse, because this time she’d had real hope for her future. She’d been moving forward to something better, or so it had seemed, and now that path was lost. Probably forever.

Yet even as she lamented her position, she reminded herself that she’d no place else to go. No family, no money, no job. If she couldn’t get help here, then she was truly doomed. So, sucking down a long breath, she trudged off the street and up the steps. It took all her willpower to knock on the door.

She sat, body sagging and long mane covering her eyes. She felt so empty. Crossing that threshold… she wasn’t sure she wanted to do it. But what else was there?

It took several seconds for the door to open. Magenta hooves appeared at the doorstep where Trixie’s eyes were locked. She didn’t look up, she didn’t speak. She just waited, chest tight and heart heavy.

“So you finally showed up.” Amethyst’s voice was hard as rocks.

Trixie turned her head away and kept quiet.

“I take it Luna screwed you and then threw you away?”

Trixie winced. “I… I’m sorry, Ammy.”

“You’re sorry.” There was a profound lack of sympathy in Amethyst’s voice. “Yeah, I know you are. I am too.”

Trixie raised her head to view Amethyst from between soft blue bangs. Her old friend was studying her, lips set in a grim frown and eyelids lowered in scrutiny. She tried to speak, but couldn’t find the words, so she just let her head droop once more. Silence lingered in the air between them, every second making Trixie feel more and more foalish.

“Goodbye, Trix.”

Trixie’s head jerked upright, eyes going wide as Amethyst turned and began to close the door. “Wha—? Wait!” She moved forward, but was too late; the door slammed in her face. “Ammy! P-please, don’t abandon me! I’ve nowhere else to go!”

Amethyst’s dull voice floated past the door. “Go away, Trixie.”

“Amethyst!” Trixie reared back to press her hooves against the door, as if she might push it open. “You can’t just leave me like this! I’m sorry about what happened in the slums, I really am!”

“The slums?” The door jerked open, and Trixie let out a shout as she toppled forward. Amethyst caught her before she could hit the ground and shoved her, sending her falling down the stairs. Trixie landed in a puddle and found herself coated in mud.

Amethyst stood over her, legs spread wide in an aggressive pose. Her eyes burned into Trixie’s heart. “You think this is about the slums? I am not some Luna-be-damned charity!”

Trixie didn’t bother getting up. She was too shocked by her old friend’s outburst to try.

“Ch-charity?”

Amethyst stood tall, eyes flashing. “You never change, do ya, Trix? When you crashed with me the first few times, I was happy to oblige. But then it kept happening! You just wouldn’t straighten up and get a bucking life, would you? I’ve been foalsitting your wretched rump for ten years, and I’m sick of it!”

Trixie could only stare up at her in disbelief. “But… B-but I thought—”

“What is the matter with you?!” Amethyst’s words rolled over Trixie’s. “You get these ideas, try to milk these bucking dreams. Then it all comes crashing down, and next thing I know you’re right back here on my bucking doorstep! Get a real job, live a normal life, show some bucking responsibility! I thought maybe if I acted less like a friend you’d grow up, but clearly I overestimated you.”

“B-but…” Trixie manage to sit up, ignoring the mud on her coat and the water dripping off her mane as she stared up at the pony who had kept her aloft all these years. “But I th-thought we were friends. I-I need help, Ammy.”

“Don’t you always?” Amethyst spat the counter. “We were friends, Trixie. That’s why right now I’m gonna do what might be the best favor I ever have done for you: I’m turning my back. Maybe it’ll teach you to take charge of your own life, but I’m not holding my breath. Now get the buck off my lawn before I tell the cops there’s a fugitive in town.”

She turned for the door, and Trixie leapt to her hooves.

“Ammy!”

Amethyst paused, head tilting back to indicate she was listening.

“P-please… don’t do this…”

Amethyst made a disgusted sound and went inside, slamming the door. Trixie gaped through the rain at the sound of the turning lock.

An intense horror crept over her at the realization that she was truly alone. Her bastion – the one pony she could always rely on – wasn’t going to be there for her. She lowered her head as she began to hyperventilate, legs shaking and chest heaving. No… No, this couldn’t be happening.

“Amethyst!” She ran to the door, banging on it with both hooves. “Amethyst, please, don’t do this to me! I don’t know what to do, where to go! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! For everything! Please…”

She ran out of energy and fell against the door. Her cheek pressed into the mud her hooves had left on the wood, tears streaming down her already-moist cheeks. “Ammy, please…”

No answer came. Trixie lay on her belly and wept, but the door never opened. She was left with the heart-rending truth that, this time, she really was alone.

A day had passed since Amethyst had abandoned Trixie. The former showpony found herself lying under a cardboard box in an alley, watching the sun set over the Hoofington landscape. Her stomach growled, but she did her best to ignore it; she wasn’t reduced to thievery quite yet. At the rate she was going, though, it might just be inevitable.

She set her chin down atop her legs, fresh tears coming to her eyes. She didn’t want night to come. Night meant sleep, and sleep offered no salvation. Nightmare Moon hadn’t come last night, and her disappearance was like a knife to the heart. Trixie had thought she’d be happy to be rid of her, but if Nightmare Moon was gone… did that mean Luna was too?

Was she beneath their attention now?

Well, she had to acknowledge that she was pretty pathetic. Amethyst was right to reject her; she didn’t deserve to be cared for. So instead she was stuck here, sleeping in a cardboard box and not knowing what she was going to do with the rest of her life. Perhaps she should have stayed in the Canterlot slums. She could imagine herself being found in some abandoned alley, wasting away and heaving her last breath. She would go the way of Twilight: alone, wretched and not thought of save to have her lifeless body searched for valuables.

So ends the un-illustrious career of the Great and Powerful Trixie. What a joke. If anypony called her that now she’d probably buck them in the face. She was sick of calling herself that.

A chill breeze whistled through the alley. Trixie curled up within her box, shivering and dreading the coming of sleep.

“Ah, zere you are.”

Trixie’s ear flicked at the unfamiliar voice. She heard hoofsteps approaching, but didn’t turn to see who it was. Surely nopony with any interest in a wretched soul such as herself.

“Hello? You are still alive, yes?”

Trixie blinked; that was definitely aimed at her. She raised her head to look out of her tiny box, and was startled to find herself staring at a unicorn she’d never met before. She was tall, with a pale-pink coat and long pink mane. The mare had a perfect smile, her soft violet eyes watching Trixie beneath long lashes. Trixie might prefer the dark colors of Luna, but there was no denying that this had to be one of the single most beautiful ponies she’d ever laid eyes on.

Why would anypony who looked like that be wandering around the cold streets looking for her?

“Do… Do I know you?”

The unicorn’s smile broadened as she sat, her every motion about as graceful as those of Celestia. “No, I fear ve have not had ze pleasure of meeting. You are Trixie, are you not?”

Trixie stepped out of her box, uncomfortably aware of how dirty and unkempt she looked. She felt like a lowly peasant compared to the perfectly-groomed creature sitting before her. “Y-yes, I’m Trixie. Who are you?”

The unicorn set a hoof to her heart and bowed in a formal fashion that made Trixie anxious. “I am called Fleur de Lis. I am here to offer some advice. Some… direction.”

Something clicked in Trixie’s mind, and she lowered her head with a sigh. “Fine Crime. You’re an Archon, aren’t you?”

Fleur raised her head and flicked her mane. “An Archon? Vy, I am member of Order of Shadows! Ve are ze Archons.” But then she giggled, covering her lips with a dainty hoof. “Oh, please forgive. I am rather proud pony, and forget zat you do not know of us.”

Trixie glowered, the rumbling of her stomach limiting her interest in this conversation. “Why would Fine want anything to do with me? If he knows half as much as he’s supposed to, he’d know that Trixie has been cast out.” She cringed at her own words. “I’m of no use to him now.”

“Oh, but you are.” The beautiful pony giggled at Trixie’s frown. “You are confused! Fret not, my little pony, your time has not ended. You may still have part in ze coming events.”

‘My little pony?’ She really was proud, wasn’t she? But Trixie realized that she wasn’t one to criticize. Besides, she had more important issue on her mind. “Take a look.” She gestured to the alley surrounding them, then at the box she’d been about to sleep in. “Do I look like hero material to you? Trixie has enough problems just trying to find something to eat.”

At that Fleur smiled once more, her horn glowing. Some pink clouds poofed into existence between them and there, sitting innocuously on a small table, appeared a large salad. “Bon appétit!”

Trixie stared at the delicious-looking salad, but held back. She gestured to it as she asked, “Y-you’re feeding me? Why?”

Fleur’s head rose in a haughty pose. “Do you zink me so cold as to let pony starve? Ve have souls, zough ve are Archons. Unless you vish to reject my kindness?”

Trixie snatched the bowl up, holding it close. “No, no! I’ll take it, I’ll happily take it!” She blushed, realizing how she probably looked. A few weeks ago she’d have been more hesitant, but she had no room for pride at the moment. “Th-thanks…”

“Ze pleasure is mine,” Fleur replied, beaming. “I do hope you like it, it comes from finest restaurant in Hoovington. Please, do not mind me.”

Trixie glanced at the salad, then at her benefactor. She took a slow bite, and her eyes nearly watered at the delicious blend of ingredients. Fleur’s smile widened at what had to have been a heavenly expression on Trixie’s face.

Trixie had a few more bites, but even the delicious salad couldn’t distract her from the topic at hand. She shot Fleur a suspecting look. “So what do the Archons want this time?”

“Everyzing.” Fleur’s face became hard. “And very little. At Fine’s request, you are to go on small pilgrimage.”

Trixie slumped over the salad. “Another trip? Trixie has been traveling for the past week!” She paused, thought on her words, then whacked herself on the head; that was going to be a hard habit to break. “I just want to focus on getting my life back together.”

Fleur blinked, expression softening as she tilted her head. “I am not understanding. Do you not vish to see ze Princess Luna once more?”

“Don’t do that!” Trixie dropped the salad as she jumped to her hooves, tears suddenly in her eyes. “Don’t use her name to manipulate me!”

Fleur eyed the upturned salad bowl with a pout. “I am not manipulating. My vords are truth. If seeing ze princess is your vish, zis may be last chance.”

Trixie turned her head away, struggling to stop her tears. “W-what good will it do me? Luna doesn’t care. If she d-did…”

Fleur set a hoof to her chin as she studied Trixie. “Hmm… Have you given up hope?”

Trixie considered the question, bitterness and anger boiling inside her. Everything she’d tried had failed. Luna wouldn’t even talk to her in her dreams! What chance did she have?

But then… if there was even the slimmest chance…

She sighed and turned back to the beautiful Archon, sitting with head bowed. “Where is Trix- I, where am I supposed to go?”

Fleur’s smile returned in an instant. “Ze Castle of Royal Pony Sisters. You know of it?”

Trixie scowled. “I know of it. Isn’t it just a ruin, now?” Fleur nodded. “Where is it?”

“Ze Everfree Forest.”

“The Everfree Forest?” Trixie threw up her hooves in frustration. “That’s all the way to Ponyville! Besides, it’s huge. How am I supposed to find it?”

Something new poofed into existence, pink clouds fading quickly. It was a pack saddle. Fleur gestured to it with a smug smile. “A map is inside.”

Trixie hesitated, but pulled the saddle close and looked inside. Her eyes went wider and wider as she checked each bag; there was enough food and bits in the thing to last her a few weeks! She looked up at Fleur. “Is this all for me?”

Fleur nodded yet again. “You are to go to castle and locate ze alicorn statue. Zat is all.”

“Alicorn statue?” Trixie shook her head. “What good’s a statue gonna do me?”

Fleur shrugged. “I can say no more. You have your quest, my friend. I vish you luck.”

“Wait.” Fleur, having turned from Trixie, paused and cast a questioning look her way. “Can I ask a question or two?”

Fleur didn’t hesitate. “You may ask, but answers may not come. Please understand.”

Trixie chewed her lip, wondering if she wanted the answers at all. “Fine Crime… Does he really think I can save Luna?”

Again, no hesitation. “Fine believes you may hold ze key to saving Equestria, not just pretty princess.”

“Huh.” Trixie didn’t know whether to believe this or not, but it felt comforting all the same. Her next question was more of a curiosity. “Is Octavia really his wife?”

Fleur’s smile cracked, and Trixie thought she saw a twitch. “Y…yes. Excuse me; I have Archon business to attend to.”

Trixie had more questions, but she held her tongue; something about the look in Fleur’s eyes right before she turned away suggested that asking anything else was a bad idea.

Trixie spent some time going over the saddle’s contents, but it was only to find something to do. Her mind was turning her options over again and again, trying to form a decision. Should she go along with this idea? Head all the way to the Everfree Forest? What good would it do her? She felt like Fine was grasping for straws with this latest move.

But what else was she going to do with her time?

What a stupid question, she was supposed to be getting her life together!

This could be a fresh opportunity, though…

Idiot, this kind of thing was exactly why Amethyst was so mad.

But Trixie didn’t know how to put her life back together!

Galloping off on another half-baked adventure surely wasn’t a start.

Fine Crime thought there was a chance…

And she believed that bastard?

No. No she didn’t, and she wasn’t about to start. After all, look at all he had done. It was no wonder he was reviled by most of Equestria! She was tired of being manipulated by him, and this was just another example of his unwanted work. She didn’t want anything to do with it!

She turned away from the saddle, ready to give up on everything… until she felt an unfamiliar motion against her chest. She looked down to see Luna’s necklace, slipped sideways from her quick motion.

It rested over her heart.

Trixie’s anger faded as her chest tightened. Chewing her lip, hooves shaking, she lifted the necklace and stared at the onyx moon. It was so dark, dark like the night. Luna’s beautiful night… She clutched the necklace close to her chest and tried to keep her emotions in check. Now was not the time for crying, it was the time for action! She didn’t care if she was being manipulated by Fine.

If there was a chance she could save Luna – no matter how small it might be – she had to try.

Another week gone, and Trixie found herself in the Everfree Forest. It was a dark night, with thick clouds threatening rain. She walked slowly, horn casting a dim glow as she studied the map Fleur had given her. If she was reading it correctly she would be at the ruins soon.

The trip had been uneventful. Long, but uneventful. Trixie had spent much of it wondering if she weren’t on some foal’s errand. Not once had the Archons contacted her, and she’d been extra careful to avoid meeting other ponies on the road; the closer she was to Canterlot, the more wary she was of being recognized.

After all, she was a fugitive now.

She did stop by Ponyville, though. She had hoped to see Twilight and the others, if only to know what their plans were. Twilight hadn’t been home, however, and none of the others she’d fought were around either. So Trixie had moved on, heart heavy but mind focused.

The Everfree Forest was nothing like Trixie had imagined. All her life ponies had spoken of the woods in hushed whispers, as if it were the spookiest and most dangerous place in all of Equestria. As she found herself passing through it, though, she was strangely disappointed.

It was just a forest. It was almost boring, really.

She lowered the map to peer through the trees and let out a relieved sigh; there, just visible between the thick tree branches, was a stone tower. At long last, she’d reached it! She could only be grateful that Fleur’s map was proving accurate.

The Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. Supposedly it had once been the shared home of Celestia and Luna, though why it had been abandoned was a historical mystery. Trixie found that story silly, though; if it had been the home of the royal siblings, wouldn’t Celestia have said so? Then again, Trixie wasn’t sure she could trust anything Celestia might say, which probably extended to things she didn’t say.

Which also led to a new, curious question: if it was the ancient home of Celestia and Luna, why would she let the fact fade from history? It seemed like such a minor thing.

Trixie began her search immediately, wandering about the decrepit, crumbling halls and overgrown walkways. Doorways stood open for her, the wood that had once made up their doors long rotted away. Some paths were blocked by collapsed walls or thick foliage. There was no way to get into the only standing tower by hoof. She used her teleportation magic to get up there anyway, but found it empty. No alicorn statue there.

Her lack of findings wasn’t the only thing on her mind. Trixie had a curious suspicion, a worry that she wasn’t alone. Everywhere she went, it felt as if she’d just missed somepony. Sometimes she thought she heard voices, only to round a corner and find nothing. And all along she had the incessant, nagging feeling that she was being watched.

Could the castle be haunted? Trixie had seen enough strange things in the past few weeks that a few ghosts wouldn’t surprise her at all. Still, the thought that she wasn’t as alone as she seemed to be kept her agitated and cautious. As such, she conducted her search silently, afraid to make any sound.

But she was also growing frustrated. With every room observed, each arch passed through, she felt more and more foalish. She couldn’t find the alicorn statue. She wasn’t even sure why she needed to find it, or what she’d do when she did. Maybe Fine really had sent her on some pointless errand. Surely it wasn’t his idea of a joke; as far as she could tell, Fine didn’t really have a sense of humor.

So what was she doing here, really?

After walking past the same overgrown wall for the fourth time, Trixie let out a shout and kicked the stone. She was tired of all this searching! It seemed like all she ever did anymore was search. Searching for the truth, searching for companionship, searching for a purpose, just searching. And yet here she was, exploring a potentially haunted castle in the middle of what many considered the most dangerous forest in Equestria, guided along by nothing but the word of a group of ponies she didn’t even trust!

She sat before a thick tree that grew against the wall and whacked her head a couple times against its hard trunk. “What am I doing?!”

The pain of the impacts brought her to her senses, and she noted something she hadn’t before: an opening. She peered at the thick foliage before her, and realized that there was nothing on the other side. Her eyes lifted to the walls, noting the shape of the stone. Was there an arch in there? Yes…

The tree had grown over a doorway, its trunk and limbs pushing through the stone almost as if it had forced its way through.

She hesitated; why bother going through when she would just be disappointed? But that old Trixie stubbornness got the better of her. Besides, she didn’t have anything better to do. Grumbling to herself about how she would strangle Fine Crime at the first opportunity, she lowered her head and focused on the teleportation spell, her world going bright.

When the light faded she stood in a wide courtyard of moss-covered stone. She sat, keeping her head bowed. She knew there was no point in looking, but she also knew that when she looked she would feel disappointment. So, just to hold back of that feeling of regret, she waited.

After what seemed like an eternity, she looked up.

There it was in the center of the courtyard: the alicorn statue. She stood tall on four hooves, head lowered with a miserable frown. Her wings were half-opened, and she was adorned with stone regalia. She was curiously familiar, and Trixie – too stunned by the act of finally finding it – had to stare for nearly a minute before she recognized what she was seeing.

It was a statue of Celestia.

She approached, tilting her head to study the pristine white stone from a different angle. There was no doubt that was the princess. It seemed completely untouched by the elements. “So… This is what Fine sent Trixie to find?”

Trixie sat before the forlorn statue, frowning as she tried to piece things together. Yet no matter how hard she looked at it, it was just a statue. She bowed her head and sighed. “Now what am I supposed to do?”

She was met with silence. She glanced about at the courtyard, completely surrounded by walls and nature. Finally, she turned back to the statue. “I don’t suppose it matters. All this time, just to find a stupid hunk of rock…”

But then, maybe it wasn’t so bad. Here she sat, in this forgotten place, with an equally forgotten pony statue. Maybe Fine was trying to tell her to disappear.

Maybe she should.

“You don’t mind if I stick around for a while, do you?” Trixie walked up to the statue with head low. “If you were the real Celestia you’d probably throw me out by the tail. Pretty sure she never cared about me, either.”

She didn’t know why she was talking to a statue, but she kept on. She settled under the stone legs and curled up beneath its pale face, which seemed to be looking down at her. “You know, there was a time when I idolized you. I thought you were a wonderful leader. Had I but known...”

Nothing but silence. Trixie didn’t mind; she set her chin upon her hooves and closed her eyes. “I wanted to see Luna again. I should have known better. This whole world’s going to Tartarus, and there’s nothing anypony can do. Still, even if she was in the guise of Nightmare Moon… just one more time would have been nice. Do you think she’ll ever come back?”

She glanced up at the statue, not expecting any sort of response. Perhaps she was going mad…

Perhaps it didn’t matter.

“Why did I even bother with the fights?” she wondered, dropping her head once more. “Why did I ever accept Luna’s challenge? Then again, I guess it was Nightmare’s challenge, wasn’t it? No matter, I would have been a failure either way. I guess I can’t blame her – it’s not her fault she's messed up in the head. I just… just wish I’d have served some purpose for her.”

With that last thought, she settled down to sleep, prepared for another night of bad dreams and misery. Perhaps she’d stay here. Stay and wither away. Odds were nopony’d miss her. Then again, maybe she’d go down as a sad legend: The Great and Powerful Trixie, the first pony to win Luna’s challenge, who won and disappeared. It could be almost storybook, a tragedy of sorts. It felt so… appropriate.

She winced; something had tapped her muzzle. She rubbed it and felt moisture. Was it going to rain, now? This night just kept getting better…

Another tap of water landed on almost the exact same place. She blinked and raised her head to look out at the courtyard, but there was no rain. Curious. Was it just a lucky—

A pair of drops fell before her eyes, one rapidly after the other. Brow furrowing, she looked up and saw the statue’s face.

It wasn’t rain; it was tears. The Celestia statue was crying.

Trixie’s jaw dropped. She gazed up at the statue for several long seconds, watching as the tears formed tiny rivers down hard cheeks and dripped off the stone chin. A statue was actually crying. How in the name of the Goddess could… a statue… cry…

A thought came to Trixie’s mind. A wild, unlikely, ridiculous thought. But once it had weeded its way in, it was the only thing she could think about. She lowered her head, breath coming in slow gasps as her heart pounded. The theory formed, took shape, solidified. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense.

“They say Celestia went mad because she’d lost a part of her soul.” Trixie stood and walked from the statue. “For a thousand years, society has crumbled under her rule.”

She turned to face the courtyard’s silent inhabitant. “You’re her, aren’t you? The other Celestia.”

No answer. Just tears.

“Luna said you were defeated and put away. Celestia confirmed that. But the story’s flawed.”

Trixie felt weak, realizing that she at last understood it all. Not just the fights: everything. The slums, the Archons, Luna... a history of poverty and war and misery. “Everything began when the Unknown Princess accidentally killed Discord over a thousand years ago. That’s when the curse started.”

Celestia had found a way to separate herself from her corrupt half, and sought to seal that half away for good.

Trixie reared back and held the stone face in her hooves. She observed the sad frown, just one feature on a face of utter despair and loss. Her heart ached at the sight. This wasn’t the face of evil. Celestia had deceived them all. She’d been deceiving everypony for the last thousand years. She’d even deceived her own sister. At last, Trixie knew why Fine had sent her here.

“She didn’t seal her dark half away,” Trixie whispered, legs shaking as she pressed her forehead against that of the statue. “It was you. You lost, didn’t you?

“You’re the good half.”

Rematch! Trixie vs. Nightmare Moon

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“Trixie!”

Trixie had been so engrossed in her thoughts that she leapt up and found herself holding on to the statue’s throat for dear life. She looked up to find Rainbow Dash hovering just above her.

“Whoa, sorry! Didn’t mean ta scare ya.”

Trixie immediately released the statue and dropped to the ground, thinking quick as she struck a regal pose. “Trixie wasn’t scared! Just startled, that’s all.” She paused for a second before cracking a hoof against her own skull. “No, no, no. Stop talking like that!”

Rainbow floated a few feet back with a raised eyebrow. “Oookay.”

“Hey, you’re here!” Trixie flinched as a hoof was wrapped about her shoulder, Pinkie bursting up seemingly from nowhere with an impossibly wide grin. “Whadaya know?”

Trixie looked to Pinkie, then to Rainbow. “Y-yes… What are you doing here?”

“Just a sec.” Rainbow raised a hoof before she turned and flew towards the wall which Trixie had used to enter the courtyard. As she passed over it she called, “Hey guys, guess who’s here!”

A few seconds later Rainbow returned, carrying Applejack in her hooves. Fluttershy appeared as well, struggling to carry Rarity. As they landed in the courtyard, there was a flash of violet light. When it faded Twilight was among them.

“You’re all here?” Trixie sat as she tried to process this news. “Why? What are you all doing here?”

Pinkie bounced a circle around Trixie as she sang out, “We’re looking for the Elements of Harmony!”

“The… The Elements of…?”

Twilight approached, frowning with concern. “We spent the past few weeks doing research on how to take care of Nightmare Moon. From what we were able to dig up, only the Elements can defeat her.”

Applejack nodded as she adjusted her hat. “An’ accordin’ ta some book Twilight found, the Elements were last seen in this here castle.”

“Oh… okay…” Trixie rubbed the back of her head as she considered this information. They were here, looking for the Elements at the same time that she'd come. Just a coincidence? Perhaps… But Fine Crime was the one who’d sent her here, and she knew better than to trust coincidences when he was involved. “Did you find them?”

“We’re not sure,” Fluttershy replied, drooping a little.

“We found these.” Rarity used her magic to pull something large and round from her saddlebag. It was a white orb of solid stone.

“There’s five of them.” Rainbow pulled out one from her own bag. “But there’s supposed to be six of ’em…”

“We’ve practically turned this place upside down trying to find the sixth Element,” Twilight concluded with head hanging low. “But… so far…”

Trixie’s ears lowered as she took this news in. “I see.”

It came suddenly, a faint stirring of her memories. “I see.” She spun about to look up at the petrified Celestia. “I… I see!”

The Elements of Harmony. Why did it seem so obvious now? The Elements were meant to turn Discord to stone.

Perhaps they could work in reverse?

“Wow,” Twilight said from behind Trixie. “That’s a very accurate statue of Celestia.”

Trixie turned to observe them all, her mind racing. “You’re all here. Now. It’s just like she told me!”

Applejack and Rainbow shared raised eyebrows. “She?” Rainbow asked.

“Twilight!”

“Me?” Twilight set a hoof to her own chest and cocked her head.

“The other Twilight,” Trixie corrected. “The one who died. The one who came here from… from…” From where?

“Whoa, whoa.” Pinkie popped up between Trixie and Twilight to flash a peering eye on Trixie. “You mean that changeling Twilight?”

“She was right all along.” A wave of elation had Trixie grinning like a silly filly. “‘The power of the six Elements.’ ‘Remember the cutie marks.’ I remember!”

Fluttershy backed away with ears tucked. “Umm, Trixie? I don’t mean to be rude or anything, but… you’re sounding a little… odd.”

“Don’t you understand?” Trixie paused and forced herself to soften her tone. “No, of course you don’t. She didn’t talk to any of you.”

Twilight shot her friends an uncertain frown. “Trixie, what in Equestria are you talking about?”

Trixie studied them all for a few seconds, trying to think of how to explain in a few sentences what took her weeks to comprehend. She closed her eyes and tried to envision the old scroll the other Twilight had shown her. The cutie marks…

She pointed to Applejack. “Honesty.” Applejack’s eyes darted about for a moment, but then she smiled.

To Fluttershy. “Kindness.” Fluttershy hesitated, body low, but then offered a small smile of her own and stood tall.

Trixie pointed to Pinkie. “Laughter.” Pinkie was giggling uncontrollably.

Next was Rarity. “Generosity.” Rarity blushed before striking a regal pose.

Trixie pointed to Rainbow. “Loyalty.” Rainbow grinned and rubbed her scarred chest self-appreciatively.

At last Trixie turned to Twilight, who was watching with lips slightly parted and eyes anxious. “Magic.”

Twilight looked down at herself, then back at Trixie. “What?”

“You’re the Elements.” Trixie swung her leg wide to indicate the entire group. “Don’t you get it? The Elements of Harmony reside in you!”

Applejack scuffed the ground and lowered her hat over her eyes. “Ah dunno, Trixie. Aren’ the Elements supposed ta be… you know, things?”

“They’re the Elements of Harmony,” Trixie said. “They’ll respond to your friendship!”

“Friendship?” Pinkie’s smile dropped.

“We’ve been at one another’s throats for years,” Rarity pointed out. “This little team of ours is a fairly new thing.”

Fluttershy shrank back, her eyes going to the others in a fretful display. “It might be a little early to be calling it a ‘friendship.’”

“But you’re all here.” Trixie turned to Twilight and shook her. “You’re here, right now. The timing is perfect! You can use the Elements, I know you can!”

Twilight raised her hooves to stop the shaking. “But we don’t have the sixth—”

Trixie leaned close to emphasize her words. “You are the sixth Element. The Elements are more than a bunch of rocks! I know it’s hard to understand. It’s been arranged to be hard!”

“Yeah.” Pinkie reared back to shrug with a grin. “He did go out of his way to make it hard for us.”

“We thought you might be the one to use them,” Rainbow pointed out. “After all, you’re the one who helped us—”

“Me?” Trixie shook her head with force. “Absolutely not! I’m about as far away from harmony right now as any pony can be. But the six of you can do it, I know you can. The Elements need to be used right now.”

“Now?” Applejack asked as the six ponies shared questioning looks. “Why now? On what?”

Trixie turned about to look up at the statue. “On Celestia.”

There was a long silence as the others considered this. It was Rarity who finally spoke up. “Umm, on a statue?”

Trixie sighed and turned to them. “That’s not—”

She paused, eyes going wide as she noticed the dark blue fog that was at their collective hooves. “Oh, no…”

“Trixie? Wha—aah!” Twilight flew into the air as a blast of energy erupted beneath her hooves. Another, larger blast of blue energy erupted, sending the rest of the ponies sprawling.

Untouched, Trixie back-stepped from the sight with heart pounding and her anger rising as the fog coalesced. Within seconds it had taken on a very familiar shape.

Dark wings spread wide, wicked eyes opened, and Nightmare Moon stood where the others had been.

“Hello again, girls.” Her lips upturned in a wicked smile.

Trixie took on an aggressive pose. “What are you doing here, you witch?”

Nightmare set a hoof to her heart. “Now, Trixie, is that any way to treat the love of your life?”

Trixie’s horn flashed as she scuffed the ground. “You’re no love of mine.”

Nightmare set the same hoof to her cheek and pouted. “Oh, now you’ve gone and hurt Luna’s feelings. I guess I’ll have to teach you a lesson.”

Her pout turned to a menacing grin as a thin beam blasted from her horn, striking an unprepared Trixie in the chest. Trixie smacked against the statue and collapsed.

“Trixie!”

She looked up in time to see the others all gather before her, forming a united front between her and Nightmare.

Rainbow shook her hoof. “Leave her alone, Luna!”

“Yeah,” Pinkie added. “You mess with her, you mess with us!”

Fluttershy ducked low at the back of the pack. “W-we don’t want to hurt you...”

“Maybe you don’t,” Applejack grumbled, brow furrowed beneath her hat as she sneered.

Nightmare laughed. “Isn’t this adorable? All the ex-lovers, together in their hatred! Do you really think you can stand up to the Princess of the Night?”

Twilight’s horn flashed bright. “We’re willing to try.”

“Stop!” Trixie leapt to her hooves and pushed through so that she could stand before them. “You can’t fight her.”

Rarity’s eyes went wide. “What? Why?”

Rainbow pounded her hooves together. “She’s not worth it, Trixie.”

Twilight tried to push Trixie aside, eyes locked hard on Nightmare. “We’ve all felt the way you do. You have to get over it, Trixie!”

“No!” Trixie shoved Twilight back. “This isn’t the way!”

Nightmare laughed a little more. “Still protecting me, even now? I should be flattered by your loyalty, I suppose.”

Trixie ignored the princess and focused on her… her friends. “You have to figure out the Elements. You’re united — you’re working together! Use that to understand the Elements of Harmony.”

“We don’ have time fer that!” Applejack took a step forward, fierce eyes locked over Trixie’s shoulder. “She’s here, right now.”

“She’s mine!” There was such force in Trixie’s voice that they all took a cautious step back. “This is my responsibility. Let me face her while you figure out the Elements!”

Twilight’s jaw dropped. “Are you crazy?”

“I d-don’t think that’s a g-good idea,” Fluttershy added.

“Maybe not, but it’s what’s going to happen. Nightmare!” Trixie turned around just in time to take another hit to the chest. Strangely, this one didn’t hurt. Indeed, she didn’t even feel it. Trixie looked down at where the beam had struck but found no mark.

“What was tha… that…” She dropped to her knees, and inescapable weariness coming over her.

“Oh.”

“Trixie, hang in there!” Twilight caught her as she started to fall.

Nightmare Moon’s laughter echoed in Trixie ears.

“Don’t worry.” Trixie smiled up at her former tormentor even as her vision began to blur. “I’ll keep her busy. You figure out the Elements.”

Twilight chewed her lip, ears folded back as she cradled Trixie. “But… B-but we don’t know how.”

Trixie’s eyesight faded. “Just… Just be friends…”

Trixie’s eyes flashed open. She was lying on her side, the grit and bite of sand on her cheek. She shook herself and sat up, rubbing the dust from her body. Where was she?

She looked down at her hooves, which were sunk a few inches into the sand. It was a very strange, soft blue sand. She realized it matched her hair in color. She pulled a strand of her mane before her eyes as a test; sure enough, it blended in with the color of the sand almost perfectly.

She released her mane and spun slowly about to take in her surroundings. The world was encased in a smooth, curved black wall that made a circle some fifty feet in diameter. She gazed up to find a sky of grey, roiling clouds above her. She was trapped within what appeared to be a circular fort.

It all seemed so very familiar.

She sat in the sand to think and felt something heavy beneath one of her hind legs. Flinching, she stepped aside and looked down. At her hooves was a small, strangely familiar vase. She picked it up, considered it for a few seconds, then peered inside.

A tiny flame flickered within.

“You just don’t know when to give up, do you?”

Trixie jerked about, horn glowing in preparation. “Where are you?”

Nightmare’s voice filled the air, soft yet annoyed. “Why couldn’t you have just walked away like the rest of them? I promised Luna I’d leave you be, and I meant to keep that promise… for once. Keep this up, however, and I may have to go back on my word.”

Trixie turned a tight circle, still holding the vase. There was no sign of her enemy. She looked up at the cloudy sky. “Come out and fight me, Nightmare! Or are you too scared?”

A hiss of pure venom coated Nightmare’s words. “Be careful what you wish for, you arrogant upstart. Your pride may be the death of you.”

Trixie ignored the threat. Her eyes darted about, covering every inch of her surroundings. “This is a dream. In this place I can take on anything you throw at me!”

“Anything?”

Trixie jerked about, grimacing at the abrupt appearance of something she’d never expected: her wagon, sitting in the middle of the great circle of sand. Nightmare Moon was there, standing atop the roof and leering.

“You know, I still can’t believe that this is the single most important thing in your life.”

Her hackles rising, Trixie eyed the wagon for but a second before she returned her gaze to Nightmare. “My wagon? Is that the best you can do?”

Nightmare’s smile broadened. “Let’s see if you can save it this time.” She stomped a single hoof, and the wagon began to sink in the sand.

Ah, yes; now Trixie remembered this dream. Anger began to boil within her as she watched the wagon’s slow descent.

Nightmare lifted off, eye flashing with triumph. “I’ll let this distract you while I go handle your new ‘friends.’ Do have fun.”

A growl erupted from Trixie’s throat, so menacing it surprised even her. She reared back and fired a black ball of energy at the wagon, which erupted in an explosion of splinters and scraps of metal.

Nightmare was caught in the shockwave, flapping wildly to keep from flying into one of the walls. She stared down at the smoking crater that had once been Trixie’s wagon.

“Wha—?”

“Nopony ever understood,” Trixie hissed, pawing at the sand. “It was never about the wagon. What Trixie lost had nothing to do with something so obvious!”

Nightmare’s lips pulled back in a sneer. “Do not give me that. You fought like hell to rescue that wagon!”

“Not the wagon.” Trixie shook her head. “I was struggling to save that which the wagon represented: freedom!”

Nightmare’s sneer dropped, her eyelids lowering as she leaned forward. “Freedom? What freedom?”

“The freedom of choice. The freedom to be who I wanted to be, rather than who everypony expects! The freedom to chase after my own goals!”

Nightmare burst into laughter, ignoring Trixie’s snarl. “Freedom? How pathetic! There is no freedom in this world – Celestia has seen to that.”

“You’re wrong,” Trixie countered. “I’ve rediscovered what was taken from me. I found it in the moment I found Celestia’s statue. I understand, Nightmare!”

“You don’t understand a thing.” Nightmare’s wings flapped harder as she began to ascend. “You really think those pathetic fillies can learn to use the Elements of Harmony? They’ve been ripped apart by my manipulations, and by the world Celestia has nurtured. Nopony can use the Elements in today’s age. It’s a lost cause.”

The dark alicorn turned away from Trixie and made her way to the wall. “I’m going to leave you here now, and teach the rest of my ex-lovers what it means to fight against fate.”

Trixie reared back. “You’re not going anywhere!”

Nightmare laughed once more as she approached the top of the wall. “And you intend to stop me… how?”

Trixie bit back a curse. She looked around, mind working swiftly, then noticed the vase still in her hooves. Her eyes locked on the flame within as she remembered the original dream. She observed the vase’s curved shape, then shape of the walls.

Suddenly, things made a lot of sense.

“How about this?” She lowered her head so her horn was pointing inside the vase and fired off some magic.

She closed her eyes as an explosion of wind blasted sand in her face. There was no bite, only softness as she was knocked into a standing position by an all-encompassing warmth. Trixie opened her eyes to find herself engulfed in blue flame, but she wasn’t burning. Her mane whipped about in the cacophony of wild winds, her heart pounded at the intense heat that filled her to her core.

Through the raging sands Trixie saw a long crack descending down the walls of her dream prison. The crack grew, spread, spawned more. The walls shattered, stonework and masonry ascending into the dark sky! Trixie watched the pieces fade in the winds with wide eyes as the flames sank into her skin and instilled her with…

…passion.

Trixie felt good. She felt… amazing! She stood tall, a sense of pride and confidence filling her. She focused her magic, keeping the heat of the flame close.

After a few seconds, Nightmare appeared in the mess. She struggled to stay aloft in the raging winds and biting sands. “Wh-what did you do?!”

A continuous dark blue beam fired from the princess’ horn, but Trixie focused and fired her own light blue beam. The two connected in a flash of light, the energies surging between them.

Nightmare’s eyes widened. “How? How are you matching my power?”

Trixie dropped low, meeting her enemy glare for glare. “This mess started when I asked Luna to show me her dream. She did, and I paid for it, but I’m stronger as a result!”

Nightmare’s eyes grew sinister. She thrust her horn forward and focused; her beam began to push Trixie’s back.

Trixie gritted her teeth and pressed her magic even further, going well beyond her waking limits, and her beam began to resist that of her opponent.

The two struggled for dominance, their beams surging back and forth in a magnificent display of power. The force of the magic drove the already wild winds into a frenzy as Trixie ground her hooves into the sand and met Nightmare’s venomous glare with a confidence unknown to her.

Nightmare’s beam began to waver.

Finally, shouting furiously, the dark alicorn broke contact and dropped, Trixie’s beam slicing through the air above her. A trio of white balls flew from Nightmare's horn in wide arcs and struck the sand beneath Trixie, the resulting explosion sending her sprawling.

Trixie hit the sand on her side, but was on her hooves in an instant. She saw Nightmare pound the ground with such force that sand billowed into the air. The sand formed a thin vortex as it was caught in the intense winds.

“You wretched creature!” The dark princess screamed over the weather. “You would dare challenge me here? I am the master of nightmares, the evoker of terrors! I am going to rip you to shreds!” A black beam erupted from her horn.

Trixie sucked in a deep, calming breath and lowered her horn… and the beam came to a sluggish stop.

Nightmare’s jaw dropped as the beam reverted to black smoke and dissipated harmlessly in a gust of wind. “Y-you… How did you…?”

Trixie shot her a triumphant smirk. “I figured out the trick. Don’t you know? Luna told me about dreams. I never understood what her words meant, but I get it. I don’t have to understand – I just have to have faith. This is the world of dreams; if I believe I can do something, it will be done!”

Nightmare paced back a few steps with a fierce glare, her lips moving almost silently. “I-impossible… Inconceivable. I have been manipulating dreams for a millennium. Y-you can’t be that good so quickly!”

But Trixie knew all she needed to. She focused her magic, and the flames that surrounded her began to take shape upon her back. “Luna showed me her dream,” she declared, concentrating hard on the spell. “I fought for it. I paid for it. No more, Nightmare. Now, now I’m going to show you my dream!”

A flash of light erupted and the winds came to an abrupt stop. Nightmare Moon turned her head away and shielded her eyes against the glare that emanated from Trixie.

Seconds passed, and at last the light faded. Trixie shook, stretched, and felt something… move. She glanced back and grinned.

She had wings.

“I-impossible…”

“This is a dream.”

Trixie turned on Nightmare with head held high. “Anything is possible! I can be free if I want. I can have wings if I want!” Her head lowered and her eyes sharpened. “I can defeat you if I want.”

Nightmare’s face contorted in rage, her eyes turning white and wings spreading wide. “You? Defeat me? Buck Luna and buck Celestia! You’re arrogance ends here, Lulamoon!”

Another black beam zapped from the princess’ horn, but Trixie darted into the sky, barely dodging as sand erupted all about her. She rocketed into the sky, Nightmare’s howls hot on her tail as another beam just missed her. The winds kicked up once more; the sky began to roil like a dark sea; sand flew about the wild skies.

Despite the raging world around her, Trixie remained calm, focused and determined. She was more ready for this battle than she’d been for any of those that had come before. For the first time since this whole mess had begun, she knew without a shred of doubt what she was fighting for.

That gave her courage.

She heard Nightmare let out another vicious scream and took it as a cue; she spun about, her fresh wings grazing the cool clouds, and cast the spell. A blue, semi-transparent barrier appeared before her, easily deflecting Nightmare’s rapid stream of lasers. She focused, and a tall warhammer emerged, wrapped in a shining aura. Nightmare, barreling at Trixie in a fury, barely managed to roll aside and avoid the weapon as it swung in a wide arc.

Trixie lunged, but this time her hammer clashed against something solid: Nightmare had summoned a shield. A mere instant later a sword also formed; it thrust at Trixie and forced her to back away. Even as she did, she cast a new spell:

Bolts of lightning streaked across the sky. Nightmare dodged wildly – bolt after bolt barely missing her – until she cast a spell of her own that blasted the clouds themselves away. The two were now beneath a brilliant starscape, the full moon massive over their heads.

Nightmare let out a shout as she brandished her sword and shield at Trixie. “This makes no sense! Where did you learn to wield such magic so quickly?”

Trixie hovered, swinging her hammer with a fierce light in her eyes. “I remember how we first met. It was a dream in which I was far more powerful that I ever could be in reality. But now I understand that it wasn’t just that dream: here, I can be as powerful as I want.”

She rose up high into the sky, and when her wings spread before the pale moon a flash of prismatic blues made Nightmare wince and cover her eyes.

“I don’t care if you are the Princess of Nightmares. I am Trixie Lulamoon, and this is my moment!”

She darted towards her opponent in a blur of light and energy.

Nightmare recovered from the spell and was able to block the attack with both armaments. A shockwave of pale and dark blues radiated out from the impact. Nightmare glared across the weapons upon Trixie with white eyes and a snarl.

Trixie returned the glare, chest filled with pride and confidence. “I’ll show you my new dream! I will end you. I will stop Celestia. And if I achieve nothing else, I will save Luna!”

Nightmare shoved her back, the two separating in a night sky crackling with magical energy. She gritted her teeth and let out a lengthy growl. “Nopony can have her. Luna. Is. Mine!”

The battle resumed in earnest. Aural weapons clashed and whirled in a furious blur between the combatants. Nightmare fired spells with the speed and ferocity of an accomplished battlemage, but Trixie’s newfound conviction and her determined confidence let her keep up – if only barely. More than once she would dodge and only just avoid taking more than a small singeing or a light cut. Many times she would cast a counterspell an instant prior to being reduced to cinders, or frozen, or impaled, or any of a hundred other things. But she continued, and more than once was able to land her own minor blows against the feared Nightmare Moon. And with every successful blow she reaffirmed her conviction; she could win this!

Nightmare’s spells grew ever more intense. Beyond that: they were legitimately awe-inspiring. Stars literally fell from the sky, slicing at Trixie like the finest of blades. The moon would flash great beams of energy that incinerated huge swathes of the sandy desert below. She even summoned a great volcano, which spewed its magmatic innards high above their heads! Every new spell was more violent, more chaotic, more dangerous.

Yet Trixie wasn’t without her own dream-fueled powers. The cascading stars became her glittering cape; the moon’s luminescent beams were weaved into a shimmering mage’s hat; the ascending fireballs became a flaming circle of rotating fury! She caught each of Nightmare’s most potent spells and turned them into weapons of her own, every new idea and impossible feat inspiring her strength and fortitude. She could feel herself growing stronger, and she relished the sheer power of it!

The situation had steadily reversed; now it was Nightmare Moon struggling to defend herself. The white fury of her eyes faded to their usual blue, pupils small and darting about. Her sparkling mane dimmed as her magic faded. When an explosive ball of magma shattered her shield to stardust she at last abandoned the fight.

Trixie wouldn’t let her flee; a sparkling white rope flew out and wrapped about Nightmare’s wings. She pulled the rope taught and jerked her foe back to the fray. Sensing victory, Trixie cried out her triumph and swung her warhammer just as Nightmare Moon turned about with a furious scream and stabbed with her sword.

The blade pierced deep into Trixie’s shoulder, passing through and into her wing.

At the same moment, the warhammer smashed against Nightmare’s side with the audible crunch of cracking bone.

The two ponies dropped from the skies, each crying out in pain as they toppled. They hit the desert floor at almost at the same time, blue sand bursting up in the calm air. Trixie lay on her side, clutching at her wound and grinding her teeth. It hurt like hell… but not so badly as she would have imagined. She forced herself to look up, but couldn’t see beyond the crater her fall had made.

There was no time to waste, for Nightmare would be coming. She eyed the sparkling, dark blue sword embedded in her shoulder and focused her magic. With the initial shock of the hit fading, she was able to remind herself that this was a dream and, in reality, there was no sword. She could deaden the pain with but a thought, for dreams were remarkably insubstantial things.

A few seconds were all she needed to render the weapon to glittery dust, issuing a silent ‘thank you’ to Luna as she did so. She observed the wound; no blood. Of course not, this was only a dream. With a little focus she found she was able to close the wounds.

But if she could do that, then Nightmare could too. This in mind, she climbed to her hooves before the healing was completed and limped out of the crater, her hooves struggling against the soft sand. She braced for a surprise attack as she cleared the crater’s rim, but there was none; she was all alone. Not trusting the moment, her eyes darted about the cool, dark desert for any sign of her enemy.

There, a few dozen feet away, was the other crater.

She made her way to it, eyes roaming the skies for any signs of an ambush. Her starry cape billowed in the gentle breeze, all that remained of the stormy gusts that marked the beginning of the fight. She paused at the edge of the crater, where she braced herself for an attack which wouldn’t come. Heart pounding, prepared for anything, she lunged over the side.

She landed in the soft sand and could only stare; Nightmare Moon had not moved from the center of the crater. She clutched her side, face locked in a grimace and breath coming in a deep, shaky rhythm .

“What is the meaning of this?” Trixie summoned her hammer, which hovered in a strike-ready position just over her shoulder. “You don’t expect me to fall for this, do you?”

Nightmare shot her a venomous glare. “I thought you had all the answers. Come on, then!” She fired a thin beam, but to call it dangerous would be like calling a pebble a boulder.

Trixie knocked it away with a swing of her leg.

She stared at her hoof, eyes wide as she realized she’d not even been marked by the shot. She turned her gaze upon Nightmare, who struggled on shaking legs only to collapse with a pained cry and tears in her frustrated eyes. The dark princess’ horn was smoking.

“What’s going on?” Trixie leveled her warhammer at Nightmare. “Heal your wounds! Don’t try to trick me into thinking this fight is over.”

“You… Y-you arrogant, ignorant brat,” Nightmare hissed, lips pulled back in a sneer. “Stop acting as if you understand everything!”

She made another attempt to stand, but only ended up dropping to her side with a pained shout. Sucking in sharp breaths, she looked up at Trixie with eyes full of hatred. “What are you waiting for? Go on, attack me, kick me while I’m down! I’d do it to you in a heartbeat.”

That was when Trixie realized that her tormentor wasn’t faking her pain; she really was at the end of her abilities. But that didn’t make sense. Nothing here was real! Trixie eyed the crater they were in, then glanced at her glimmering cape and luminous hat. Her eyes went to the stars and moon, glistening majestically in the vast sky above. Why couldn’t Nightmare Moon heal her wounds? Why was she so limited?

Then it dawned upon her, and she gazed upon the broken alicorn with a tight frown. “I see… You’re not dreaming at all. You really are here, aren’t you?”

Nightmare lifted her head to smirk, despite a shiver of pain passing through her body. “W-what are you going to d-do now, hmm? Go ahead: kill me. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”

Trixie sneered and raised her warhammer.

“Yield.”

Nightmare chuckled, then winced and clutched at her side. “Oh n-no, I don’t think so. What are you going to do? Remember, Luna and I are one now. We share the same body. She feels everything I do.” She grinned up at Trixie. “How does it feel to know that you’re hurting your precious pony princess? Go on, strike me down if you can!”

Trixie’s body trembled with rage as the alicorn began to cackle amid ragged gasps. She knew Nightmare’s words to be truth. If she struck now… but then she considered the situation. She thought on Luna, on Nightmare, on everything she now understood to be true.

A thousand years alone on the moon, trapped with a twisted voice in her head. Knowing she could never win, gradually going mad from the misery and helplessness...

Trixie made her decision.

Nightmare’s laughter came to an abrupt stop as she saw the hammer swinging. She jerked back just in time to avoid taking a direct hit and gritted her teeth from the effort. Her eyes flew open in alarm and confusion.

“W-what are you doing? Did you not hear me? If I die, Luna dies with me!”

Trixie stepped forward, the head of her hammer aimed at the prostrate princess’ chest. Her eyes welled over and her chest felt tight. “I swore I would save Luna. There are only two ways to do that: either you leave her forever or I kill the both of you!”

Nightmare leaned forward with a snarl. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Trixie’s horn flashed, and Nightmare rose from the ground with a surprised shout. She was thrown through the air and smashed in a cloud of sand against the side of the crater.

As Nightmare rolled to the bottom, Trixie approached with warhammer at the ready.

“Luna has spent the past thousand years being tortured by you and Celestia. Any alternative has to be better than what you’ve put her through. If I can’t free her from you, I can at least give her peace in death!”

Nightmare tried to climb to her hooves but collapsed onto her back with an agonized shout. She crawled backwards from the approaching Trixie, eyes wide. “Y-you wouldn’t! You love her – you don’t want to lose her!”

Though tears streamed down Trixie’s cheeks, she refused to back down. “Even if it means losing her, I will save her.”

Nightmare’s jaw dropped; she raised her hooves to block the attack. Her eyes shined with understanding… and fear.

Trixie sobbed, her heart breaking even as she raised her warhammer over the defenseless alicorn. “Give up! Give me back my princess! Give her back, or so help me I’ll smash you both into stardust!”

Nightmare turned and fought to climb out of the crater, but was unable to drag her way through the loose sands. Her terrified scream pierced the night. “I can’t! Only Celestia knows the spell, I can’t free her!”

“Then you leave me no choice,” Trixie whispered. She choked down a sob as she readied to swing.

Nightmare jerked to Trixie, a wisp of blue cloud coming over her face. When it passed, her head was no longer the darkness of Nightmare Moon but the pretty, imploring softness of Luna.

“Trixie, don’t!”

Trixie swung, the hammer smashing into the wing of Nightmare’s good side and sending her flying once more. She landed screaming against the wall of the crater. When she finished rolling to the bottom, she had lost the disguise and was once again wholly Nightmare Moon.

“I will not be distracted!” Trixie cried as she rubbed the moisture from her eyes. “One way or another, Luna’s suffering ends tonight.”

Nightmare’s face twisted with horror. She clawed away from her aggressor, eyes wide and pupils shrunk to pin pricks in her panic. Her horn smoked as she fought for a new spell. Her wing hung limply at her side; blood dripped from her fresh wound.

“No, keep away! D-don’t come any closer… help me!”

Trixie raised her warhammer, lips trembling as she thought of what she was about to lose: her precious Princess of the Night, the one great good in her life, the pony who inspired her, who made her feel like life was worth living! But if Nightmare refused to cooperate…

She closed her eyes and prepared to swing. “I’m so sorry, Luna.”

There was a flash of light so bright that it pierced through her closed eyelids. She opened them just in time to see Nightmare’s body fading to smoke; she’d left the dream world with the last of her magic.

The warhammer hit the sand, forgotten. A shaky breath escaped Trixie’s lips as she collapsed to her knees.

“Oh, thank Goddess!” She buried her head in her hooves and sobbed, overcome with the emotion of what she’d almost done.

She had been prepared to do it, to lose everything to end Luna’s suffering. But the sheer pain of that sacrifice… Just the fact that she had nearly gone through with it was enough to render her an emotional wreck. So she lay there and wept, bleeding out all the pain and wretchedness in a prolonged, inescapable fit as she thanked anypony listening that she hadn’t been permitted to carry out the deed.

The recovery took precious time. Every time Trixie thought she might be done crying, she thought of Luna’s desperate face and had to struggle not to break down once more. Nightmare Moon couldn’t free Luna, but if the others had done their part…

What if they hadn’t? Nightmare Moon might escape. Worse, the other ponies might kill her! True, Trixie had been about to do the same thing, but…

If Luna’s misery was to be ended in such a manner, she wanted to be the one to do it. Maybe Trixie was being foolish, but her heart told her that she should bear that responsibility.

Yet it would be far better if the others could grasp the Elements of Harmony.

With that last thought, Trixie realized the inherent danger of her situation. She was asleep, and Nightmare Moon had returned to the waking world. She was wounded, her magic spent, and there were six ponies waiting for her with vendettas to be had. If Trixie didn’t wake up, and soon…

She stood on unsteady legs and brushed the moisture and sand from her face. Her eyes roamed the crater, even though she knew it was pointless. This was a dream, so the exit wouldn’t be obvious. Surely that kind of magic wasn’t limited to Luna and Nightmare Moon! She closed her eyes and focused, her horn glowing brightly. She had no idea what she was doing, but she had to try something. Anything!

She strained, grinding her teeth as her horn glowed brighter and brighter. She tried to think of dreams and how they worked, but the mechanics of it all was beyond her grasp. Still she felt around, prodding the ethereal layers that surrounded her. There had to be a hint, a guide, something. Figuring things out in a time of need was her specialty, and this was most certainly a needy time!

Her head began to ache. A small gasp escaped her lips as she let the magic fade. She rubbed her horn tenderly, mind frantic for some sort of solution. How in the name of all things pony did Luna learn to do it?

Trixie tried again, sending invisible magic tendrils that flowed and searched the unknown nooks and crannies of the dreamscape. After several uneventful minutes her horn began to ache once more and she paused. Her worry intensified as she gazed around at her empty surroundings..

“Oh please,” she whispered, dropping to her haunches. “Let Twilight and the others understand.”

She made a third attempt, and a fourth, each time struggling for longer. After the fifth failure she realized she was getting nowhere and nearly had another breakdown. Here she was in a dream world that gave her infinite magical capacity, and she was too ignorant to use it to wake up! She didn’t want to wait – she couldn’t. Who knew what might be happening to Nightmare while she lay unconscious in the dirt?

Trixie looked up at the brilliant moon. “Luna, if you can hear me, I really need your help right about now.”

There was no answer.

Not that she expected one.

She sighed and lowered her head. That one, simple act made her notice something she hadn’t before: the necklace. She was wearing Luna’s healing talisman. She blinked, lifting it up in both hooves to study its black surface. When did that get there?

She sighed, a small smile on her lips; this was a dream, wasn’t it? What was the point in asking?

She was still wearing the necklace in the real world, too. In fact, it hadn’t left her neck since Rainbow had returned it to her. It just felt so natural by now. She held it close, rubbing her cheek against the cool stone. She was growing more and more fond of it by the day. If only—

She paused to stare at the talisman, a crazy thought entering her mind. She knew that when ideas like that hit her, it was best to act on them. So, raising the stone high in her hoofs, she touched her horn to it and concentrated…

“Wait! Please, stop!”

Trixie’s eyes snapped open, the familiar and panicked voice of Nightmare echoing in her ears. She leapt to her hooves so quickly she nearly fell down all over again, her vision swimming.

She was back in the courtyard!

She spotted Nightmare, the princess’ eyes wide with terror as she struggled to crawl away in the moist grass. There was an intensity in the air, a magical aura so powerful it made Trixie’s horn vibrate. She turned to find herself blinded by a colorful light and had to cover her face against the painful glare. Yet even as she did, she thought she understood what might be happening.

She saw something pass by overhead… A rainbow.

“No!”

Trixie jerked about at the shriek, just in time to see Nightmare engulfed in a torrent of colors and magic.

“Stop, I want to live! Please! Celestia… Celestia!”

The scream was cut short as the energy erupted in a shower of colors and sparks, the shockwave knocking Trixie off her hooves. She hit the grass on her side, but wasted no time jumping back up. Her orientation was still off, though, and she stumbled sideways to her knees.

A long silence filled the cool air.

Then Applejack’s voice hit her ears. “W-wow… Did we really do that?”

Rainbow Dash’s voice was a little weak, but there was no hiding her excitement: “That was…awesome!”

“Trixie!”

Though her world was spinning, Trixie was somehow able to look at Twilight, who was lying on her belly and tilting just a little sideways. A smile covered her face, though, and she was now adorned with a brilliant gold crown.

“W-we did it, we figured out the Elements. You were right!”

“I… I knew you would,” Trixie answered, even as she thanked the divine Goddess that all her worst fears had passed. But she had a new one; what if the Elements didn’t work as predicted? With her vision finally stabilized, she climbed to her hooves and turned to scour the courtyard once again. She spotted a crater about a dozen feet from the Celestia statue and felt her heart stop.

“Luna!”

She ran as fast as she could, feeling strangely tired despite having been asleep for so long. She slid in the wet grass as she tried to stop and ended up falling face-first into the hole with a shout. She didn’t care about the mud and muck, though; her mind was focused on Luna.

She rolled until her back landed against something soft. Shaking grit from her face, she turned to find herself lying on top of Princess Luna.

Not Nightmare Moon. Luna.

The princess lay on her side, eyes closed. Trixie jumped to her hooves and grasped Luna’s face to study it up close.

“Luna? Please, tell me you’re okay…”

The alicorn let out a long, low moan. Her eyes flittered open, but only barely, and looked about as if unseeing. Then they locked on.

“T-Trixie…? Is… Is that really you…?”

Trixie felt tears coming to her eyes even as a grin formed on her lips. “Yes… Yes, it’s me. Oh, thank the moon!”

She wrapped the princess in a tight hug, only to leap back as Luna cried out in pain. “Sorry, I’m so sorry!” A quick glance at Luna’s side revealed that she still bore the wounds of the recent battle. “Oh. Luna, I am so sorry…”

Rendered properly awake by the moment of pain, Luna stared blankly at the crater wall just over Trixie’s shoulder. Her eyes widened, her body trembled. “I… She… Nightmare… She’s gone…” Slowly, as if the act were unfamiliar, she began to smile.

The princess buried her face in her hooves and wept.

“She’s gone! I’m free, thank all that is holy, I’m finally free!”

The air was filled with cheers. Trixie jumped and looked up to find the other six ponies leaping in joy. Fluttershy and Rainbow shared a hug, Applejack waved her hat. Pinkie showered them all with balloons! Rarity and Twilight were a bit more calm, smiling down at Trixie with tears in their eyes. Trixie smiled back, acknowledging their success with a nod before turning back to Luna.

The princess snatched Trixie up and began planting kisses on her face.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyou!”

For a moment Trixie was rendered to a state of giddy mindlessness, but she recovered quickly. She didn’t return the kisses. Instead, she pushed Luna back.

“L-Luna, I almost killed you! I… I…”

Luna set her hooves to Trixie’s cheeks, beaming through her tears. “And I love you all the more for it! You were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice, you beautiful, beautiful mare!”

More kisses, amid laughter from the other ponies. Trixie could only blush and take them… not that she wasn’t enjoying it.

Luna looked up at the others and her eyes went wide. “You… All of you!” She turned her head away from them, and the laughter died quickly. “After all I did to you, you’re all here. You… You must all hate me.”

Trixie’s momentary elation faded. She chewed her lip and looked up at Twilight and the others. But the six ponies were all smiling; not a trace of anger adorned a single face.

“Princess Luna.” Twilight paused to look at the others. When they nodded she turned back to the princess with a warm smile. “I speak for all of us when I say that we are at your service.”

They bowed as one. Trixie’s heart jumped to her throat. She turned to find Luna staring up at her ex-lovers with wide eyes and jaw dropped. Her throat worked, struggling to make a sound as fresh tears formed.

“All of y-you…” The princess’ head lowered as she fought to control herself. “Th-thank you. I swear on my life – on my soul – I will make it up to all of you.” Her eyes turned to Trixie as she took on a feeble smile. “Especially you, Trixie. None of this would have been possible without you.”

Trixie blushed, rubbing her legs together as she glanced away. “Eeh, I can’t take all the credit…”

“Oh, yes you can,” Rarity called down to them.

“Ya brought us together,” Applejack chimed in.

Rainbow rubbed the back of her head with a weak smile. “Without you we’d still be at one another’s throats.”

Pinkie bounced, grinning from ear to ear. “But now we’re all friends of the besties variety! Super spectacularific best friendsies!”

“You opened our eyes,” Fluttershy said.

“And told us exactly what we needed to hear to learn to use the Elements of Harmony,” Twilight concluded. They all posed and displayed the necklaces and crown they’d earned. “You truly are the Great and Powerful Trixie.”

Trixie groaned and waved her hooves at them, cheeks burning. “Please don’t call me that.”

Luna giggled and planted a peck on Trixie’s cheek. “And modest, too. You’re a hero to us all, so we’ll call you what we please, lover.”

Trixie thought she might melt. “S-stop it, already! L-let’s get out of this hole…”

Luna giggled once more, but nodded. “Yes, I do think it is time we started planning the next step, and it will be an arduous one.”

She turned and looked at the edge of the crater. It wasn’t that high, but still she frowned. “I… don’t think I can get out.”

Trixie noted the massive bruise on the princess’ side and how the wing on her other side continued to hang limp. Guilt tore through her, yet she chose to remain silent and instead stood close.

“Here, let me…” Luna obliged, wrapping a leg about Trixie’s shoulder. She whimpered at the pain of a mere few steps.

“Let me help, too.”

Rainbow Dash dropped into the hole to stand at Luna’s opposite side. Together she and Trixie managed – with great caution and a little help from Twilight’s magic – to deliver the wounded princess out of the crater. It was no small task, and Luna was in tears once more by the time they were done. She sat in the wet grass, sucking in sharp gasps and clutching her chest.

Trixie cringed, ears drooping as she watched. “I am so sorry, Luna…”

“D-don’t be,” she hissed. She somehow managed to force a smile. “You d-did what you had to.”

That didn’t make Trixie feel any better. She considered the situation for a moment, realizing that Luna would be of little help in her current state. If only…

Trixie whacked herself over the forehead and pulled the talisman from around her neck. How could she have forgotten? “Here, use this.”

Luna’s eyes lit up at the sight of the necklace. “You… You still have it…”

Trixie went crimson and held it close. “Of course I do. I thought it might be all I’d have left to remember you by. It’s… important to me.”

Luna offered a serene smile, lowering her head to accept the talisman.

Trixie looked down at it, thinking for just a moment that she would miss it. “I would like this back, okay?”

“Of course.”

Trixie grinned as the necklace floated into the air between them. It was just about to slip over Luna’s head…

The world erupted with light. The force of the glare was so great that Trixie fell back, covering her eyes. What in the name of Equestria…?

“No! Trixie!”

The terror in Luna’s voice stopped Trixie’s heart. Just as quickly as it had come, the light was gone, and when Trixie turned to look she found that it had taken Luna with it.

Trixie’s eyes glistened as the talisman dropped to the grass. Its impact seemed like the thunder of a storm.

Author's Notes:

Good Goddess, it seemed to take me an eternity to get this chapter written! I blame Thanksgiving, because I can.

I had a number of things worrying me about this chapter when I started. For one, getting the Mane Six to use the Elements was a big issue, and I wanted their learning how to be believable. The catch, though, was that I had to skip the actual learning of the magic, because they did so while Trixie was asleep and fighting Nightmare. I can only hope that what I did was enough...

But the battle with Nightmare Moon was the big thing for this chapter, of course. I wanted it to be a real magic brawl the likes of which Trixie had never been in before. I had planned all along for it to be set in the dream world – it just made sense to me, considering it's technically a rematch.

A few other points of note:

My decision to give Trixie a warhammer as her magical weapon was a fresh nod to the Scott Pilgrim series that originally inspired this story. Specifically, it references Ramona Flowers, who used a hammer as her own weapon (I remain convinced her weapon, and manner of procuring it, is a very direct reference to hammerspace of anime-fame.). Also, given her manner, it just felt like the right weapon for her, y'know?

Nightmare Moon's sword and shield was also very intentional, and is a reference to my other story, No Heroes, in which Luna used the same weapons. These weapons have long been traditional symbols of the knight, the great hero, the solid force of good. Since I personally hold Luna in such high regard, I felt they were appropriate to her. In the same sense, however, they are also appropriate to Nightmare Moon, for one must also consider the Dark Knight.

Also, for those who caught it, yes, Pinkie did break the fourth wall.

The Sun and Her Shadow

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“L-Luna?”

Trixie gazed, lips slightly parted, eyes blinking. Then the alarm and fear kicked in. “Luna!” She scoured the area, but there was no sign of the princess.

“Whoa.” Rainbow flew high, her gaze going to the sky. “What just happened?”

“I did.”

Trixie’s blood went cold. She heard the collective gasps and turned to find her friends bowed as a bright light illumianted the courtyard. Trixie’s gaze turned skyward and she bared her teeth as Celestia – encased in a brilliant gold aura – descended from the dark clouds.

Trixie wasn’t about to bow. “What did you do to her?!”

Celestia landed gracefully, but her face bore a tight frown. “I sent her to the moon. What did you expect?”

Trixie stomped her hoof and lowered to a threatening stance. “Bring her back!”

“No.” Celestia’s voice was as sharp as her eyes. “She is too dangerous. And you will watch your tongue before royalty.”

Trixie’s anger flared, but before she could say anything Twilight was up and running for Celestia.

“Princess, you didn’t have to do that. Luna – we’ve cured her!”

Trixie’s anger shifted to alarm. “Twilight, no!”

Twilight ignored Trixie. She slid to a halt before Celestia with a big grin. “We did it! You’re sister is final—”

A sharp crack filled the air as Twilight was struck by the back of Celestia’s hoof and sent flying. The princess’ lips pulled back into a grimace.

“You ignorant foal. You’ve ruined a thousand years of work! Did you actually believe I wanted Luna freed from her torment?”

The others gathered around Twilight, who slowly sat up and rubbed her bruised cheek. She stared at her teacher with disbelieving eyes.

“B-but… But I thought you’d be happy…”

“Happy?” Celestia leaned back, wings flapping and eyes going white. “Happy? You wretched pony, why did I ever think you’d make a good apprentice?”

A small gasp escaped Twilight’s lips as she gaped at her mentor with glassy eyes.

Seeing her new friend so hurt, Rainbow Dash flew to hover directly before the princess. “Hey, what’s the big idea? Do you know what we just went through to save your sister?”

Celestia’s eyes lost their white-hot anger as she looked up at the pegasus. “Rainbow. You had such promise. It’s a shame to see you meddling with a pony like Trixie. I am disappointed.”

“What are you talking about?” Rainbow waved at the princess. “We’re doing this for you!”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” Celestia countered softly. “After all the work put into you, you’re bothering to care for somepony else? After what you did to your best friend?”

The color drained from Rainbow’s face. She flew back slowly, her aggression fading. “W-what does that have to with anything?”

“It has everything to do with everything!” Celestia leveled a brooding stare at her. “After I went and changed the rules of the tournament. After I forced you into that violent position. After I played with Lightning Dust to make her want a fight to the death…

“You should be a veritable monster by now.”

Rainbow’s wings snapped closed and her eyes went wide in tandem. She fell to the grass in a sitting position and her lips quivered as she gaped. “You… Y-you did what…?”

“Why would you do something so mean?” Pinkie asked, coming to hold Rainbow in a tight hug.

“Why?”

Celestia laughed. It was the coldest laugh Trixie had ever heard. “Because it was fun! You would know all about fun, wouldn’t you Pinkamina? You were entertaining to watch, by the way. Such a shame Trixie got rid of your clones; your misery could have entertained me for decades.”

Pinkie glared up at the princess, but didn’t say anything.

Celestia turned to eye the other ponies present. Her smirk fell upon Rarity. “Oh, my personal tailor too. It’s a shame, Rarity – you really were the best. And the way you chased after my sister was simply adorable!”

Rarity’s cheeks flushed as she averted her eyes. “Be silent! My relationship with Luna has nothing to do with you.”

“Oh, but it does,” Celestia declared with a grin. “Why do you think Luna started ignoring you, hmm?”

Rarity hesitated, ears folding back as she cowered beneath the princess’ gaze. “I… Well…”

Celestia leaned forward, her wicked grin reflected in her eyes. “Because you have a little sister. It would be such a shame if Sweetie were to… disappear.”

Rarity’s jaw dropped. “Y-you wouldn’t!”

Celestia stood straight once more, brushing her mane aside with a wink. “Luna played along, so no, I didn’t.”

Trixie felt a rage filling her and took a daring step forward. “Is there anything you didn’t have your dirty hooves in?”

A blast of energy struck at her hooves, knocking her into a sitting position.

“Don’t interrupt,” Celestia ordered with eyebrows raised and lips pursed. “I’m trying to find some entertainment in this fiasco.”

“Hey!” Applejack jumped before Trixie to stare Celestia down. “Leave her alone!”

“Applejack!” Celestia’s eyes lit up. “You have no idea how pleased I am to see you. Tell me, how’s the farm? Jet Set and Upper Crust run it into the ground yet?”

Applejack only grimaced.

“Oh, that’s right, you don’t even live there anymore!”

Celestia laughed once again, leaning her head back as the sound echoed through the courtyard. “Fired from your own farm – isn’t it delightfully horrible? I knew awarding those foals the rights to the place would pay off in the long run!”

Applejack let out a vicious growl, but didn’t dare attack.

“Now, who am I missing?” Celestia turned to survey the other ponies once more. Her eyes locked on the pony cowering by Twilight. “Fluttershy.”

The fearful pegasus shook her head vehemently. “N-no…”

“Yes.”

Celestia peered at her, her expression relaxing. “Out of all the ponies here, I think your pain was the most… exquisite. I am sorry about all your pets, though,” she added with a smirk. “I was having a bad day – you know how it is.”

Fluttershy lowered her head and shook like a leaf, tears running down her cheeks.

Celestia’s voice lowered to a silken purr. She lowered her head with a sly smile. “But you know, I hear things. Rumor has it you gave my sister quite a bit of comfort. I might want to sample that. I could make the problems go away... if you were interested.”

Fluttershy backed away, body low and pupils shrinking. “K-keep away from m-me, you m-m-monster...”

Celestia laughed. “Ooh, that is such a wonderful expression!”

“Celestia?”

Twilight stood, her face twisted in a terrible mix of disbelief and horror. “I… I don’t understand...”

Celestia’s smile dropped, her eyes going hard as she studied her student. “I know, and that’s why you’ve failed as my protégé. After all the effort, all the torment I put you through. You were supposed to let the pain eat away at you. Did you think I made you do all those terrible things for no reason? I wanted you to hate. Instead you’re here, working together with these cretins, talking about harmony. You’re pathetic, Twilight.”

Twilight sat, her wide-eyed gaze dropping to the grass as tears spilled down her cheeks. “I… I believed in you. I th-thought the world of you…”

“Enough!”

Trixie was back on her hooves. She stood tall beside Applejack. “Why the buck are you even here? Why did you send Luna to the moon?!”

Celestia’s motion was gradual, a sharp, tight-lipped glare upon her face as she turned to address Trixie once more.

“You. You just won’t die. If you’re here, then you must understand that tormenting my sister was my greatest pleasure. But now you’ve gone and brought the two halves together and fixed her.”

Golden light flickered in sparks around her horn as her voice rose. “Knowing that Luna was suffering gave me such comfort. I’ve been carefully manipulating her for a millennium, and it was all going so beautifully until you came along. One ignorant, weak, miserable little unicorn bucked up everything!”

“And I’d do it again in an instant,” Trixie shouted. she matched the princess glare for glare. “I don’t care about your motivations – I want Luna back! Return her, or so help me—”

“You’ll what?” Celestia huffed, a haughty, frightening laugh escaping her lips. “Fight me? You wretched bug! She couldn’t even protect the statue from you, and you think I’m going to forgive her? She’ll rot on that hunk of rock for another millennium before I’ll even consider it.”

“So you did send her here!” Trixie’s horn shined as her blood boiled. “And you blame us for defending ourselves?”

Celestia stomped a hoof and a flash of light blinded Trixie, who reared back and shouted in frustration. “Damn you, stop playing games!”

“I have.”

Trixie’s vision cleared after a few seconds. She looked around to see that Celestia was gone. “No… You witch! Come back here! We’re not done!”

“Oh, yes we are.” Trixie looked up and felt her heart sink; Celestia hovered high overhead, the statue floating in a sphere of light beside her. “I’m done with you. All of you! You've become too much of a nuisance, and it's time you were squashed. As of this moment you are all enemies of Equestria, and if you are ever caught I will personally see each and every one of you mounted in my throne room!

“As for this—” she tapped the statue’s cheek with a wicked grin, “—she’s coming with me for safekeeping. Clearly I can’t trust anypony else with the responsibility. Goodbye, Trixie. I hope you’re as unhappy with the prize of your great quest as I am.”

Trixie let out a scream as the princess flew off, the statue trailing not far behind. “Get back here! Goddess damn you to Tartarus, when I get my hooves on you—”

A hoof touched her chest, and Trixie glared at Applejack. The Earth pony shook her head with a grim frown.

“It’s no use, Sugarcube. She’s gone.”

Trixie knocked the hoof away. “Don’t say that! I have to get her back – I can’t let it end here!”

Applejack rubbed her hoof with a glower. “I meant Celestia.”

Trixie grimaced as she realized her mistake, but was too angry to bother apologizing. She looked at the other ponies, however, and her anger began to fade. Celestia’s words had affected them all: Rainbow Dash still sat in the grass, eyes wide and pupils small as she rubbed her hooves against the scar on her chest; Pinkie had moved over to hold the openly weeping Fluttershy even while her own lip quivered; Rarity lay on her belly, head beneath her hooves and shaking like a leaf. Twilight… poor Twilight gaped up at the sky, tears streaming down her cheeks from misty eyes. About the only pony not in a state of terror or disbelief was Applejack, who’d traded those emotions for a quiet but visible fury.

Trixie sighed and lowered her head.

“This is a mess…”

“More than you know.”

Trixie’s ears shot skyward as she jerked around. Standing at the edge of the courtyard was one of the last ponies she wanted to see:

Fine Crime.

“What the buck are you doing here, you bastard?”

Fine set his lips into a tight frown as he studied Trixie. “Relaying a message.”

“Yer a little late fer that,” Applejack noted, scrutinizing him with a sneer.

Fine didn’t even acknowledge her; his eyes remained locked on Trixie. “What are you going to do now, oh lover of Luna?”

“Shut up!” Trixie’s horn flashed; she was more than prepared to take her anger out on him. “What the buck do you want? Get out of here before I turn you into a crater!”

Fine maintained his usual, calm composure. “Do you want to save Luna or not?”

Trixie swallowed her words, cringing as she considered what he’d just said. But given everything she knew about him, how was she to know if he was being honest about anything?

“Don’t believe ’im,” Applejack hissed in her ear. Trixie glanced at her and saw total vehemence in the pony’s glare.

“B-but he might be able to help.” Fluttershy appeared at Applejack’s side.

“He’s just gonna lie to us!” Rainbow Dash hovered overhead, pounding her hooves together and casting a sneer in Fine’s direction.

“I say we don’t even give him a chance to talk.” Rarity stepped up beside Trixie with horn flashing and a scowl on her lips.

“Wait!” Pinkie stood in their way, though she appeared hesitant. “We should take whatever chance we can get, right?”

“No.” Twilight – tears still streaking down her cheeks – stood beside Fluttershy. “I know that bastard – he’s literally owned by Celestia!”

Fine’s eyebrows lowered as he turned his head away. “So I’m guilty by association now, am I?”

Trixie glanced around at her friends, a battle raging within her. Even if their reactions to Fine were mixed – and in spite of Celestia's biting words – they'd moved quickly. They had all voiced their opinions, but none of them were acting on them. Why?

Fine raised an eyebrow. “Well, Trixie?”

So they were leaving it up to her. What was she supposed to be – their leader? She didn’t like the idea, but she weighed the risks anyway. She knew he wasn’t trustworthy, but at the same time…

She had to find a way to get Luna back. That meant defeating Celestia – a truly scary concept – and Fine was about the only pony in the world who might have an idea of how. But how could she trust a single word he said?

“Say what you’re here to say,” Trixie snapped. “Just remember that we have no reason to do anything you suggest.”

He nodded, expression as solemn and unreadable as she'd ever seen. “I’m not here to give you advice on what to do next. I’m not even here to manipulate your direction for once. I already know what you’re going to do.”

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow flew close to get in his face. “So why didn’t you try to stop us, huh?”

Fine eyed the pegasus with a haughty expression and sidestepped from her. “Why would I do that?”

Still struggling to piece together the puzzle, Trixie took a step forward to catch his attention. “Why did you guide me here? Did you know I was going to be here at the same time as them?”

He rolled his eyes with a sigh. “Of course I knew.”

“Then you know the truth? You know what’s really going on with Celestia, Luna. The statue?”

He nodded. “I pride myself on my analytical skills, Trixie. I gathered the truth and located the statue years ago.”

Rarity stepped forward, eyes simmering. “So what do you want?”

Applejack copied the motion… and the expression. “Yeah, who do ya really serve? What the buck are ya tryin’ ta do?”

An indignant sneer crept across Fine’s face as he glared. “I serve Equestria – no more, no less. And yes, Celestia knows I’m here. She knows what I’m going to tell you. She’s confident enough that she doesn’t care.”

His eyes turned on Trixie. “I hope you’ll be smart enough to take advantage of that.”

Trixie pawed the stones with a snarl. “You expect me to believe that you want us to defeat her?”

“I don’t expect you to believe a word I say,” he snapped. “But here’s some real news for you, something you’d best seriously consider: the Order of Shadows has come together in Canterlot. If you and your new friends do decide to go there, you’ll have to get through them.”

“You mean you,” Twilight corrected. “You are the head of the Order, are you not?”

Rainbow shifted her shoulders so they popped as she peered at Fine. “I knew it, you really are out to get us.”

But then Fine smiled. It was a wicked, crooked smile, one that left Trixie feeling… on edge. “You have no idea how long I’ve been looking forward to this. It’s been something of a dream of mine. We are going to fight, and then all my efforts will bear fruit.”

Trixie stepped forward lowered her heart with a dark glint in her eyes. “So why wait? Let’s get this over with now.”

“Oh, no.” Fine retreated just a little, yet maintained that smug smile. “These things must be done properly. I’ll see you in Canterlot, Trixie. I’ll see all of you, one way or another.”

“Wait!” Trixie raised a hoof towards him, but it was too late; he was gone in a cloud of black smoke.

Rainbow landed before Trixie with a snarl. “That bastard. We can’t let them get away with this!”

Most of the others voiced their agreement.

“They’re trying to goad us.” Twilight raised her hooves to catch their attention. “We can’t let them do that.”

“Then what do we do?” Fluttershy’s body dropped low to match her wispy voice. “I mean, we either go into hiding, leave the country or…or…”

Applejack adjusted her hat as if she were preparing for a fight. “Or take the fight ta Canterlot.”

“I never thought Celestia was behind all of it.” Rarity scowled as she spoke the name. “To think, all this time we were blaming Luna for our problems.”

“Yeah, and now she’s gone.” Pinkie set a hoof around Fluttershy’s shoulder, but it seemed more for herself than the pegasus. “We can’t even apologize.”

A growl rose from Rainbow’s throat. “I don’t know why we’re wasting time thinking on it. We should be marching up to that castle right now!”

Twilight shook her head. “But you heard Fine, they’re waiting for us. They’re expecting us to come.”

“Well whaddaya suggest?” Applejack swung a hoof as she retorted. “That we just hide and never do anythin’ about it?”

Fluttershy’s eyes grew hard. “I’m tired of hiding…”

“Pinkie.”

Everypony went silent. All eyes turned to Trixie, who locked the pink pony in a firm, determined gaze. “You still have that restaurant outside of Ponyville?”

Pinkie cocked her head with a frown, but nodded. “Yeah, for now.”

“Then I’m going in,” Trixie announced. “Luna is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I will fight for her.”

“I see.” Twilight rubbed her chin. “So you’ll sneak in through the slums. You can certainly avoid the town guards that way.”

Trixie nodded. “Fine Crime’s going to be expecting it. I’ve been around him enough by now to know that he’s got a plan for just about everything. Even so, it’s better than fighting my way through an entire city full of ponies.”

“But what about the ponies in the slums?” Rarity’s lip twisted in a disgusted sneer. “Aren’t they dangerous, too?”

“I have a reputation down there,” Trixie replied with confidence. “They won’t come after me. Besides, I might even be able to use them.”

Fluttershy shot Pinkie a questioning look. “Use them? How?”

Trixie turned away from them all, adopting a proud stance. “Don’t worry about that. I’m going. I’ll waste no time!”

“Wait!”

Twilight stood in front of her. “Don’t go, not yet. Come with us to Ponyville first.”

Trixie blinked. “What? Why?”

Applejack set a hoof to her shoulder. “If yer goin’, so are we.”

“We can take a day to prepare ourselves,” Rarity added.

Twilight nodded. “A plan of attack would be nice.”

“Fine might be expecting us to come charging in,” Rainbow Dash admitted.

“We don’t want to play into their hooves that easily,” Fluttershy pointed out.

“Yeah!” Pinkie bounced with a grin. “Besides, if we don’t go to Ponyville how can we give you your gift?”

“Pinkie!”

She dropped back at the combined shouts of the others, blushing and rubbing the back of her head. “Oh, hehe, oops. I wasn’t supposed to say that, was I?”

Trixie blinked again and turned her eyes on Twilight. “A gift? Really?”

Twilight sighed and shot Pinkie a lecturing look, but then nodded with a charming smile. “We all worked on it. You’ve already done so much for us and… well, let’s face it: the odds are against us. This may be the only chance we have to give it to you.”

Trixie gazed at her, then at the others. They all beamed upon her, somehow managing happy smiles despite the dire task before them. Why did her chest feel so… odd? She had the urge to embrace them – all of them – and had to fight not to give in to it. “I… Well, I guess we could go…”

They cheered and all crowded in for a group hug. At first the closeness made Trixie uncomfortable.

But then she realized she liked it.

The return to Ponyville took the rest of the night, the journey plagued by the constant reminder of their challenge: the moon. Trixie spent the whole trip fighting not to look up at the fresh silhouette of the infamous Mare in the Moon, the shadowy apparition that had returned just that night. Her anxiety was tiring, and by the time they arrived in the morning she was worn out.

Despite Celestia’s decree that they were all enemies of the state, nopony in town paid them any mind; clearly the news hadn’t hit Ponyville. They counted their blessings and made straight for Twilight’s library, the ominous tower standing tall and blatant amongst the smaller houses.

Trixie couldn’t help but hesitate; this place was the source of many a bad dream for her in the past. Twilight did her best to make her new friend feel welcome, but entering that structure was by no means easy.

“Spike!” Twilight called as they entered, and the baby dragon came running quick.

“Hey guys. Did you find anything?” He rubbed his claws together in a slow fashion. When he spotted Trixie his eyes went wide. “Whoa, Trixie! You finally came! I was really starting to wonder.”

Twilight waved a hoof at him as she trudged for the kitchens. “You’ve met my little brother, haven’t you?”

Trixie’s anxiety regarding the library faded at this information. “Brother?” She eyed Spike with a thoughtful frown. “I thought you were Rarity’s apprentice.”

“I am.” He struck a gallant pose and grinned Rarity’s way. Though she was clearly worn out, Rarity still took the time to give him a nuzzle and a warm smile. “I am here for whatever she needs. But Twilight hatched me. Raised me, too. So we're as good as siblings.”

“Really?” Trixie looked back towards the kitchen, but Twilight had disappeared. “I had no idea.”

“You’re here!”

Trixie jumped at the familiar voice, her eyes going to the nearby stairs. There was the last pony she’d ever expected to see.

“Nye!” She met him at the bottom of the stairs, but froze as he embraced her. “W-what are you doing here?”

“Celestia booted me from the castle,” he explained, sagging as he pulled back from the hug. “She said I was no longer of any use. I hadn’t heard from Luna in ages, so I came here hoping I might appeal to Twilight for some interference. Has she come back yet?”

Trixie felt her heart miss a beat. She chewed her lip and stepped back, shame filling her. “Nye… I’m sorry.”

He’d been looking about the library at the other ponies, but now his piercing gaze locked with hers. “What happened?”

Trixie bowed her head and let out a deep sigh; this was going to hurt. “We defeated Nightmare Moon—”

He grabbed her, eyes lighting up and a grin forming on his face. “Seriously? She’s gone?”

Trixie set a hoof to his lips. “Nye… Celestia sent Luna back to the moon.”

For a moment he only stared, not comprehending. Then his eyes widened.

“No...”

Trixie glanced back at the others, who were all watching with forlorn expressions. “I’m sorry, Nye.”

A strained, shaky breath trembled from his lips. He grabbed her with both hooves and shook her so hard she thought she could hear her brain rattling in her skull.

“Don’t tell me that! You were supposed to help her. She can’t be gone!” There was panic in his eyes, and Trixie had to fight to make him release her. “Why would Celestia do that? You’ve got to bring her back, you have to!”

“Nye, calm down,” Fluttershy urged, approaching to touch him on the shoulder.

He knocked her hoof away. “Don’t tell me to calm down! Luna is my entire life, and you want me to calm down? What am I supposed to do now, huh? What am I supposed to do?”

Fluttershy fell back at his anger, and Trixie forced herself between them. “That’s enough! We’re doing what we can, Nye.”

The stallion collapsed, his furious energy already giving way to despair. “Sh-she can’t be gone… My princess… P-please, don’t tell me she’s g-gone…”

Applejack and Rainbow were there, lifting him off the floor. “Come on, Sugarcube,” Applejack whispered into his ear, “You need to lie down.” Together the mares dragged him back up the stairs, his miserable mutterings trailing behind.

Trixie watched them go with a heavy heart; she’d not even thought about him all this time. How could she have forgotten Luna’s only real ally?

Twilight returned with a tray of steaming teacups, and the ponies all settled on couches in the center of the library to recoup. A few minutes later Rainbow and Applejack returned, dragging their hooves with their head bowed.

“He’ll be alright.” Applejack took a seat next to Rarity and grabbed a cup of tea.

“Well, I hope so,” Rainbow muttered, sitting by Pinkie.

“He showed up a few hours ago.” Spike climbed onto the sofa with Twilight. The two shared a tender hug before he continued, “I remembered him from the castle, so I let him stick around. I figured that any friend of Luna’s would be welcome.”

“You did good, Spike,” Twilight assured him.

“Indeed.” Rarity looked up at the ceiling with a forlorn frown. “The poor stallion. I knew he was close to her, but I wasn’t expecting such an extreme reaction.”

Several silent, uncomfortable minutes passed, unbroken save by the occasional sip of tea or self-conscious cough. They were all worn out; eyes darkened, bodies sagging, coats dirty. It was as if the energy had left them as a whole.

At last Trixie could take no more. “So now what?”

“We’ll stay here for the rest of the day, get some sleep,” Twilight said. “There wouldn’t be any benefit going to Canterlot now.”

“We’d best keep an eye out, though,” Pinkie noted. “Nothing travels faster than bad news, so you know the ponies here in Ponyville will hear about our problems soon enough.”

“She’s right, they may come looking for us.” Rainbow gestured to herself. “I’ll take first watch and trade with somepony in a few hours. Deal?” Nopony said anything, which was as clear a sign of agreement as any.

“So… where are we supposed to sleep?” Trixie glanced around at the couches.

“Wherever you can,” Twilight replied. “I’ve got three beds – though Nye’s taking one right now – and plenty of couches.”

“Twilight gets one bed, o’course,” Applejack declared. “It’s her place, after all.”

Rarity struck a regal pose. “Well, I guess we all know who gets the other bed.”

“Yep.” Pinkie grinned and, using her mane to hold her teacup, pointed both hooves. “Trixie!”

Rarity’s jaw dropped, but after a second’s thought she crossed her hooves and nodded with a pout.

“Me?” Trixie stifled a yawn. “Why do I get a bed?”

“Umm, duh.” Rainbow patted her on the shoulder. “Because you’re awesome.”

“I don’t feel very ‘awesome’,” she confessed, gazing into her half-empty teacup.

“You’re the hero of this story,” Pinkie announced as she poured tea down her throat, the cup still hanging from one of her curls.

Twilight nodded with a warm but weary smile. “Besides, we’ve already got your gift on your bed.”

“Already?” Trixie raised an eyebrow at her. “You’ve been planning this for some time?”

Twilight nodded. “Ever since I sent Rainbow out to find you. Of course the gifts weren’t ready then, but you get the idea.”

“You’re all being far too kind.” Despite her hesitation, she simply didn't have the energy to debate the matter. “If you really insist, I’ll take the bed.”

Rainbow leaned back on the couch with a smug grin. “We do.”

“It’s a small comfort, we know,” Applejack added with an apologetic tone.

Rarity was still pouting. “I don’t think so.”

Twilight set her empty teacup down and stood. “We should go ahead and get some sleep. We’ve got a big night ahead of us. Come on, Trixie, I’ll show you the place.”

Trixie set her cup down and followed, heart heavy and mind wandering. She eyed her old rival, not sure what to think of her anymore. She had a simple question, but it felt… private. So she let Twilight lead her up the stairs to the third floor, which was apparently where all three bedrooms were. One of the doors was closed, but Nye’s crying was still audible through the wood. That sound nearly broke Trixie’s heart all over again.

“There ya go,” Twilight said, waving to the doorway furthest from the stairs. “It’s no castle suite, but it’s comfy enough. Try to get some sleep, okay?”

Twilight turned to head to her room.

“Wait.”

She looked back at Trixie, weary but patient. “Yeah?”

Trixie paused, head bowed as she considered her words. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer to her question… Finally she leveled a sharp, scrutinizing gaze upon Twilight.

“Back when we first met… and that second time. I want to know why you were so mean to me.”

Twilight’s expression fell in an instant and she rapidly turned away. An anxious silence passed between them, punctuated by the sobs that still crept through Nye’s door. Trixie didn’t press the pony. She gave her time, for they both knew that Twilight’s answer was important.

It took a while, but at last Twilight was able to respond. Her voice came slow and quiet and she stood rigid.

“I was trying to be Celestia’s student. She was always pressing me to do things, things I hated. I was so sure they were for a good cause, that she was preparing me for something terrible. So I… I tried it out. I didn’t like doing it Trixie, and I’m sorry it was you who ended up on the receiving end.”

Trixie thought on this for a moment, a strange mixture of bitterness and sympathy swirling within her. “If you didn’t like doing it, why did you?”

Twilight turned to her with imploring eyes. “I thought Celestia was preparing me for something. I thought it was necessary! I thought… I mean…”

She dropped to her haunches and sagged. Trixie’s old enemy appeared on the verge of tears. “I’m s-so sorry, Trixie. You must hate me so much! And I deserve it…”

Trixie leaned back, the wave of emotions within her hard to fathom. What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to think? Twilight had been a source of nightmares! But to think that she’d been manipulated by Celestia into such wicked behavior…

Part of her still hated Twilight. Part of Trixie wanted to laugh at the misery she was witnessing, to wallow in it like a hot bubble bath. But then she thought of Luna – her precious princess, manipualted for a thousand years – and her hatred just couldn’t last. If Luna couldn’t stand up to Celestia’s control, what possible chance could a pony like Twilight have? With that realization, Trixie felt she could understand.

So she did the only thing she could think of; she stepped forward and embraced her old foe. Twilight shifted, tensed… but then returned the hug, gripping Trixie as if her life depended on it.

Trixie patted her back, a strange new sensation coming over her.

“I used to hate you. I used to think you were the most terrible, evil pony in Equestria. But y’know what? I’m tired of all this discord. Whaddaya say we give harmony a chance for once?”

Twilight leaned back, eyes wide and bright. “Y-you mean…?”

Trixie nodded, offering her most reassuring smile. “I forgive you, Twilight.”

Twilight shook, pursing her lips together in a visible effort to control herself. She couldn’t do it; she lowered her head and wept.

“Th-thank you. Thank you so m-much, Trixie!”

It took some time to get Twilight to calm down, but they at last parted ways and went to their individual bedrooms. Trixie couldn’t help feeling… good. It was like a terrible weight had been lifted off her shoulders. As she went to her bed, she found a large package sitting next to the pillow. It was covered in multicolored wrapping paper and complete with balloons. She couldn’t resist a chuckle; it was pretty clear who had been in charge of wrapping the gift.

She contemplated waiting to open it when they were all watching, but decided against it; they’d left it there for her, hadn’t they? Clearly they meant for her to open it on her own. So she did, pulling the wrapping paper off carefully with her magic. It was a simple box, and it took her no time to open it, despite the tape.

When she looked inside, her heart hit her throat. For a few seconds she couldn’t even breathe. Slowly, carefully, she used her magic to pull the item out.

It was a dark-blue hat, wide-brimmed and pointed. The stars that decorated it shimmered as if they were real and been plucked from the sky. The brim's edges glowed as if to suggest a deep reservoir of magic. Hoof shaking, Trixie reached forward and touched its soft, sturdy form. It felt like silk…

Her eyes tearing up, she slowly set the hat atop her head. It felt wonderful. She let herself breathe for a few seconds, trying to get over the sheer thrill of what her new friends were trying to do for her. Then she noted more blue, and a moment later she unfurled a dark cape.

But what a cape it was! The gold interior, the diamond buttons at the throat, the flared collar... and the starscape on the midnight-blue back that slowly shifted and sparkled before her eyes. It was warm to the touch, softer than anything she’d ever felt before. She tried it on, hooves trembling with the buttons. It fit her just right, and as the cloth covered her shoulders she was encased in a deep, comforting warmth. It was real warmth, like a flickering hearth pit during winter… but it was an emotional warmth, too.

She went to the bathroom to stare at herself. She looked so…she couldn’t put a word to it. She brushed her mane back from her eyes and simply stared, tears streaming down her cheeks. The light of the hat’s brim illuminated her face, showing an aspect of her she’d never recognized before.

She felt confident. Proud. Strong. She continued to stare at herself, and she liked what she saw. If only Luna could see her now.

For the first time in ages, she truly felt like the Great and Powerful Trixie.

Author's Notes:

UPDATE 6/7/2014: This chapter, and the preceding one, has been thoroughly edited!

It's early! Think of it as a Holiday gift...or something to that affect.

So many things to talk about with this chapter! To start: Celestia. I long thought on how to depict her when she finally unveiled her true nature. Go the quiet, deceptive way? Make it so that she actually believed she was the good guy? In the end I decided to just go with all-out evil; after all the subtlety and caution, this seemed like the best route. I figure that after spending all that time playing mum to her true intentions, it would probably feel good to just let it all out! And who cares if Trixie and the Mane 6 know? Who's the public gonna believe, enemies of the state or the Sun Princess? Besides, they ruined a "good" thing 1,000 years in the making; that's enough to piss any ruler off, evil or no.

Then there's the Twilight/Trixie relationship. I never felt like their issues had been properly resolved, so this is the first serious step towards that goal. I've got another coming in the next chapter, though it may be overshadowed as it's really going to be important to all of the Mane 6.

I've had some people note that they thought this was going to have some Twixie shipping. While I actually love that ship, let me just make it clear now: it's not happening in this story. A little late, I know, but I felt that, after a scene like this, it might just be necessary to say.

The Gentlepony

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Traveling to the outskirts of Canterlot should have taken them a couple nights, but of course word had spread by the time Trixie and the others left Ponyville. Though they had escaped the town without incident, it seemed Celestia was expecting some sort of assault; patrols passed overhead regularly and the group was forced to hide on multiple occasions. In the end it took them nearly twice the time to get to Pinkie’s restaurant, which they finally found shortly after sundown of the fourth night. The place still had a clean look to it, as if it hadn’t been empty at all for the past two weeks.

Pinkie brought them below the structure, where Fluttershy’s animal friends were still hiding in obscurity. The bats that roosted in the darker portions of the caverns knew the tunnels well, and Fluttershy was able to convince them to guide the ponies to the slums.

Everything seemed to be going well, though nopony could be referred to as happy. Rainbow and Applejack maintained continuous scowls; Fluttershy, Twilight and Pinkie were despondent; Rarity fretted constantly over the dirty conditions, albeit quietly.

Nye was with them, trudging along with head perpetually lowered. But there wasn’t sadness in his eyes – they were focused, sharp and ominous, and his lips were set in a tight frown. They were all sure to give him some space.

Trixie remained alert, her eyes instinctively darting to the shadows that bordered the light of the unicorns’ horns. She had one pony on her mind: Fine Crime. He had once told her that he was always watching. She didn’t know just how true that was, but she wasn’t about to take any chances. If the Archons were waiting then she wanted to see them first, if possible.

It seemed like they’d been traveling for hours. Without a sun or moon, there was no way of knowing. Regardless, they finally reached a part of the tunnels that Trixie recognized. She had the others wait and moved ahead, just to make sure her memory was correct, and was able to locate the slums. She kept hidden within the tunnels, staring down at the depressing sight before her. All those broken and miserable ponies, victims of a world a thousand years in the making. Trixie pitied them, and once again felt that familiar vehemence towards those who’d chosen to ignore them.

It was about time these poor souls made themselves known.

She returned to the others, mind working and eyes hard. They fell upon Fluttershy.

“Tell the bats we can take it from here. I know the way.”

Fluttershy nodded and waved at the animals roosting in the ceiling. “Thank you, friends! You can head back now.”

As the bats flew into the darkness, Trixie gestured for the others to follow and made her way through a different tunnel.

“Umm, Trixie?” Applejack caught up to look at her with a raised eyebrow. “If the slums are thataway, why are ya takin’ us this way?”

“Because we’re not going to the slums,” Trixie declared. She fixed her vision on the darkness before them.

Rainbow appeared overhead with an expression similar to Applejack’s. “We’re not? Then how are we supposed to get to the castle?”

Twilight was at Trixie's side opposite Applejack, studying Trixie with peering eyes. “What are you planning?”

Without pause, Trixie guided them through passages she was well-familiar with. “First of all, I’m not bringing all of us into the slums right now. We’d stand out like sore hooves. Second, Fine Crime almost certainly expects us to come up the elevators. I won’t be surprised if the castle is crawling with guards right now.”

“But there’s nothing we can do about that,” Fluttershy pointed out from behind. “Is there?”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

Trixie paused before a split in the path and turned to Nye, who sat and gave her a focused, heavy-lidded look. “Nye, you still have Luna’s protection, don’t you?” He nodded. “Good. I want you to find The Gentlepony. Bring him to her tomb.”

Nye’s anger faded quickly, his eyes going wide. “Whoa, whoa! Hold on – The Gentlepony? You want to talk to that guy? What for?”

Trixie leveled her most determined expression at him, jaw rigid. “Can you do it?”

He straightened and set his own jaw with a grim frown. “He’ll talk to me, you’ll see. Give me a few hours.”

Trixie waved her acceptance and he turned to walk down the tunnel that opened to their left.

“Alright, everypony,” she said, heading down the other tunnel. “This way.”

Pinkie caught up, eyes roaming the shimmering crystal hall. “Did you say we were going to a tomb?”

“I didn’t think there would be ponies buried down here.” Rarity was also eyeing the walls as though she expected to see bodies in them.

“There can’t be – the crystals are too solid for that,” Twilight declared, though there was doubt in her tone.

Trixie ignored their continued speculation, her mind set on her next objective. She guided them through the long passages, easily recalling her surroundings and knowing they were close. They turned that familiar corner to find the broken Twilight, still encased in her crystalline grave. Trixie’s eyes locked on the alicorn’s face as she approached, her mind going respectfully quiet.

“Whoa.” Rainbow flew close to the crystal wall, studying the body. “There was another Twilight? How come I never heard about this?”

“Oh, this must be that imposter,” Rarity noted in a haughty tone. She flushed and crnged at Trixie’s glare. “I mean, that’s what I heard.”

“That pony gave me the guidance I needed to get through these past few weeks.”

Trixie turned her harsh gaze on each mare to emphasize her seriousness. “She sacrificed her life. I only spoke to her once, but it was enough that I was able to get this far. By extension, none of you would be here if she hadn’t risked everything to see me. She deserves our respect.”

“And she has it.” Applejack removed her hat, having never taken her eyes off the body. Her eyes were wide and she lingered at the corner of the exit. The hoof holding her hat was trembling.

From behind her mane, Fluttershy cast a soft frown Trixie’s way. “W-what happened to her?”

When she heard the question, Trixie abruptly realized that Twilight – the still-living one – was nowhere to be seen. She sighed and went back through the tunnels, gesturing for the others to stay behind. She found Twilight hunched over in the darkness two corners down, shaking like a leaf.

“Twilight, you need to come.”

She shook her head vehemently, unable to meet Trixie’s gaze. “N-no… I’m partially responsible. I d-didn’t help her. I can’t go in there – it would be w-wrong.”

Trixie sat before her old rival and wondered how to handle this. On the one hoof, Twilight was right to feel guilty. On the other…

“What’s more disrespectful? You being in her presence, or ignoring the lessons she was trying to teach us?”

Twilight looked up through her mane, lips quivering. “T-teach us? What do you mean?”

Trixie offered as comforting a smile as she could manage. “I didn’t figure out the Elements on my own. Twilight told me what I needed to know. She came to me and entrusted me with the knowledge just before she died. We are here only because of her.”

Twilight turned away, eyes moist. “But I didn’t help her. I let her escape Tartarus, but if I went any farther than that Celestia would have had my head. So I… I just sent her on her way. If I had done the decent thing… s-she… she might have lived.”

A tear fell down Twilight’s cheek, and Trixie lowered her head in thought. She couldn’t imagine that kind of guilt. As a deep silence passed between them, she wondered about Twilight’s actions and the deceased Twilight’s fate. Yet she couldn’t be angry; she just felt sorrow. At last she stepped beside Twilight and wrapped a hoof around her shoulder.

“What you did was wrong.”

Twilight cringed, her brow furrowed. She seemed to be on the verge of a breakdown.

“The other Twilight is gone, true, so she can’t forgive you. You’ll have to learn to forgive yourself.”

“B-but… But h-how do I do that?”

Trixie shook her head and patted the despondent pony’s shoulder. “That’s up to you, I suppose. But I think if you went in there and paid your respects, and worked to help us finish what she began… it’s a start, isn’t it?”

Trixie waited patiently as Twilight thought on her internal conflict. There was no need to hurry, so she gave the pony all the time she needed.

Finally, Twilight stood. “It’s a start. I… I’ll try…”

They made their way back, Twilight’s hesitant movements determining their pace. She paused on several occasions, during which Trixie would wait and provide some comfort: an encouraging word, a pat on the back. Gradually they reached the tomb. The others rushed to them, voicing their support and helping Twilight the rest of the way.

They all paused before the enclosed form. Twilight moved close to gaze upon the shattered body of her doppelganger. She pressed a hoof to the crystal surface, her entire body quivering. “I… I wish I knew who she was, where she came from. I feel l-like… like I should have figured that out.”

Trixie approached and stood beside her friend before turning to the others. They watched in respectful silence, for which she was grateful.

“Everypony, I know most of you never knew who this other Twilight was, but she’s important to me. If we succeed, it will only be because of the few words she offered me. So just in case, if things go… poorly? Or even if we succeed, and I’m not around… Well, y’know…”

She bowed her head, trying to find the words. Why was it so hard to say? Why was she filled with so much emotion over this? She bit her lip and turned to look up at that poor, tortured body in the crystal in search of inspiration.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Rainbow’s words. “We get it, Trix.”

“Yeah,” Pinkie added. “She’s super important.”

“We’ll honor her, no matter what happens,” Fluttershy declared.

“I’ll personally upgrade this place,” Rarity announced. “An important pony needs an appropriate home.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” Applejack said. “We owe it to her, after all.”

Twilight set a hoof to Trixie’s shoulder, but when Trixie looked she was still gazing up at the entombed body. Tears cascaded down Twilight’s cheeks, and the sight almost made Trixie lose control of her own emotions.

Then, to Trixie’s surprise, Twilight turned and embraced her.

“We’ll honor her,” Twilight whispered through her tears.

“I p-promise, I will never forget this moment.”

Some hours later, Trixie awoke to find somepony pushing against her. She rolled over in her sleeping bag to find Rainbow Dash’s eyes filling her vision. She waved the pegasus away and sat up, rubbing her eyes. “My turn, already?”

Rainbow shook her head. “They’re coming.”

Trixie snapped awake. “How close are they?”

“Ten minutes?”

Trixie nodded and stood. “Perfect. Let’s wake the others. I think everypony will want to hear this.”

It didn’t take long for the others to get up, and soon they were all standing in a circle. “So what exactly are we doin’ with this guy?” Applejack asked.

Trixie’s voice was confident. “He’s going to help us get into the castle safely.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Help us? How?”

“Don’t worry,” Trixie replied with a smile. “I know almost exactly what I’m doing.”

Twilight gestured to the others. “So what do you want us to do?”

Trixie shook her head. “Nothing. Just be here with me. If he’s the kind of pony I think he is, then The Gentlepony will know who all of you are. It will provide some weight in my favor, if you know what I mean.”

Rainbow frowned. “So we’re what? Showpieces?”

“I don’t mind staying in the background,” Fluttershy noted from behind her mane.

“Are you sure I can’t throw a party, or something?” Pinkie dropped to a playful pose, tail swishing high in the air. “I hear he can be a real McGrumpypants.”

Applejack snorted in an effort to contain a laugh, and Rainbow Dash patted Pinkie on the head. “I think she’s got this.”

Pinkie reared back to shrug with a sigh. “Just thought I’d offer.”

“We’ll do as you ask,” Rarity agreed, “but do be cautious with this pony, won’t you?”

“Trixie?”

Twilight gestured, eyes shifting to the side. Trixie followed, and they paused in a dark corner of the tomb. Twilight spoke in a hushed whisper, “Are you sure you want to use The Gentlepony?”

Trixie nodded. “I may have only spent three days down here, but that was all it took to figure things out. We need the slum ponies, and he’s the key to earning their help.”

“I figured it was something like that.” Twilight rubbed her chin with a thoughtful frown. “Still, it’s The Gentlepony. I lived in Canterlot most of my life, and I can tell you that his name scares a lot of ponies up there. How do we know we can trust him?”

“We don’t,” Trixie admitted. “But we’ll never even get close to Celestia if the castle’s swarming with guards, which it mostly certainly will be. He’s her enemy, Twilight.”

Twilight shook her head. “The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend. They say he’s manipulative – a schemer. He might take advantage of us.”

Trixie sighed and rested a hoof over Twilight’s shoulder. “Twilight, where did you get all your information on this stallion?”

Twilight tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. “Well… It’s sort of common knowledge in Canterlot.”

“And who is usually the source of public perception?” Trixie pressed. “For all we know, every negative thing ever said about him was concocted to harm his image. Now I don’t trust him anymore than you do, but I’m not going to condemn him on hearsay.”

Their ears perked up to the sound of hoofsteps coming from the tunnels. Trixie leaned close and lowered her voice. “Let’s find out for ourselves what kind of stallion he is. Any other method is untrustworthy.”

Twilight chewed her lip, eyes locked and hard on the tunnel ahead. “Alright, Trixie, we’ll try it your way. Just don’t make me regret it.”

They returned to the others. Trixie turned to face the tunnel, mentally preparing herself for this meeting. The others stood to either side of her, stern but silent. The hoofsteps grew gradually louder, and at last Nye appeared. He paused, studying them as if to make sure they were all present, then turned and gestured.

“Trixie, The Gentlepony.”

A tall, white unicorn stepped out from behind the corner. His mane was a soft azure, nearly matching his hard eyes. He bore a rather fancy mustache, and his worn grey suit spoke of former nobility. The effect was punctuated by the monocle over his left eye. The most striking of The Gentlepony’s features, however, was the crack that traveled along the entire length of his horn.

A tense silence filled the tomb. The Gentlepony stared at each of the mares one at a time, his expression stern. Trixie felt she should let him have his first look, so she said nothing. Her patience was rewarded by the small smile that formed beneath that mustache. He turned his eyes to her.

“So, you’re the young unicorn I’ve been hearing so much about these past couple weeks.”

Trixie returned the smile, though she wasn’t at ease just yet. He had lost his hard manner and now seemed entirely relaxed, but there was a certain something in his eyes that made her uneasy. “I was about to say the same thing about you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I doubt you learned much, having only been in the slums for three days.”

“You might be surprised,” Trixie countered. “Thank you for agreeing to see us on such short notice.”

His smile grew wry as he tilted his head. “I was curious. It is not often one meets a fellow enemy of the state. I imagine the charges against you are trumped up – particularly the one about forcing Princess Luna back to the moon.”

A spark of anger ignited in Trixie, and she had to struggle to keep from snapping. “Is that what they’re saying about me now?”

“Oh, it’s widespread,” he acknowledged with a nod. “Frankly, I don’t care what you did to get on Celestia’s bad side. You did, and that is enough to at least earn my attention.”

Trixie glanced at Twilight, who returned the look with a taut frown. “An enemy of my enemy, is it?”

The Gentlepony raised a hoof. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, hmm? I am not so quick to judge.”

Trixie’s set a hoof to her chest. “Neither am I. Your reputation precedes you, Gentlepony, but I don’t base my opinions on reputation alone – not anymore.”

His smile became a smirk. “Yet reputations provide some foresight. I have heard of your exploits, how you were the first to defeat all of Princess Luna’s ex-lovers. I assumed it mere exaggeration, but I see they are all present and accounted for. Even Miss Sparkle, whom I was certain wouldn’t be here.”

He offered a polite nod to Twilight, who hesitantly returned the motion.

Trixie frowned and studied The Gentlepony. “Well, if your reputation is accurate, you are little more than a manipulative vagabond. Greedy, selfish, indulgent. Hardly worth my time. If I were to rely entirely on that we would not be speaking.”

The Gentlepony laughed. “Touché! I may find this trip worth my time after all. So tell me, what does the Great and Powerful Trixie want with a lowly unicorn from the slums?”

Trixie took a step forward. “Hardly low. You have the ears of the most powerful gangs. You can do in a short time what would take us months. We need your help, Gentlepony.”

“My reputation is indeed exaggerated.” Lips set in a posh frown, he paused to wipe his monocle with a surprisingly clean cloth. “You make me sound like some sort of Godpony in a crime drama. I am a mere barterer: no more, no less.”

“Do not mince words with me,” Trixie hissed. “You’ll not find me easily deterred! I know that you are the most powerful pony in the slums. I know that you were thrown down here by the Archons for your anti-government views and growing power amongst the nobility. You have no reason to love Celestia, and that is why you will help us.”

He peered at her, ever calm and patient. “Perhaps I do have the kind of power you suggest. Perhaps not. Why not tell me what you’re really after, Miss Lulamoon? Only then can we know if I can be of assistance to you.”

Trixie nodded. “We need a distraction. A big distraction, large enough to force the Royal Guard to come out in force from the castle. That is what I want you to provide.”

He leaned back, eyebrows rising. “I say, that sounds like a tall order! Pray tell, how do you intend for me to enact such a distraction?”

Trixie had been thinking on that for some time. “A riot. Have the slum ponies mob the tunnel through which the royal guards deliver food. Make them fight to keep your ponies down here.”

The Gentlepony’s expression grew stern. “That is a tall order, Miss Lulamoon. They are hardly my ponies. I can only coerce, not command. Besides, why would anypony risk his or her life on a fool’s errand?”

Trixie stomped her hoof with a snarl. “Ponies are starving. They are sick – dying! Many have done nothing to deserve being thrown down here, and even if they did they do not deserve this kind of treatment. If they can make enough noise, their presence would be ignored no longer. Have them do it for their own future!”

The Gentlepony shook his head with a sneer. “Absurd! You would have them launch an all-out assault on the surface? Those are royal guards up there.”

“There are hundreds of soldiers in the city and castle,” Trixie pressed. “You have thousands of ponies down here. A veritable army of unhappy ponies desperate for a change!”

He gestured to the tunnels behind him. “Have you seen the ponies that live down here? They are sick, malnourished, untrained and divided! You are asking thousands of feeble ponies to stand up to healthy, well-trained and well-equipped soldiers. Forget the numbers: it would be a slaughter. We cannot possibly win such a confrontation.”

“You don’t have to win,” Trixie declared. “You only have to distract, and get those soldiers out of the castle. That is the important thing.”

Confusion mixed with his anger. He considered her, eyelids low as he peered. “You would have them sacrifice their lives for a distraction? What are you planning to do?”

She glanced to her new friends on either side of her. They all shared firm expressions, each nodding in turn. They were all behind her, and that only redoubled her confidence. “We intend to face Celestia.”

The Gentlepony’s expression remained stern, but he seemed to have been shocked into silence. For several seconds he could only stare. At last he sucked in a deep breath.

“You are insane.”

She took another determined step towards him. “We can do it. We have a good chance of beating her, but first we need to be able to get to her.”

His lips moved soundlessly, his hard eyes locked with hers.

“Even if we could get the soldiers out of the castle,” he said at last, “there’s still the Archons to consider. Do you think they aren’t aware of this plan of yours? They will be prepared for you. They are prepared for everything. How do you propose to get past them?”

Trixie matched his harsh gaze. “I didn’t say it would be easy.”

He thought on this, rubbing his forehead while studying her and her friends. “I wasn’t lying when I called this a tall order. So tell me, Miss Lulamoon: what’s in it for me?”

Trixie opened her mouth, only to have Rainbow Dash abruptly appear over her head. “You mean besides finally getting rid of Celestia and being able to get out of here? What the buck more could ya want?”

Twilight let out a groan. “Rainbow... get back here.”

Trixie lifted a silencing hoof. “She raises a good point. What more could you want?”

The Gentlepony eyed Rainbow as if she were a weed in need of plucking before turning his attention back to Trixie.

“I would prefer some kind of reassurance. I’ll be frank, I see no reason to expect this plan of yours to succeed. Quite the opposite, in truth. So—” he removed his monocle and struck Trixie with a scowl, “—in the likely event that you will fail, what could I possibly expect to gain from this little act of rebellion?”

Trixie was stuck. She had nothing to offer that she thought would persuade him. She hesitated, scouring her mind for some sort of advantage.

She came up blank. Seeing no other option, she rolled the dice. “What would you suggest?”

“Hmm…”

He frowned in thought and rubbed his chin as he glanced at each of them, then at Nye. His eyes roamed the tomb, then returned to Trixie. There was a long pause, but his eyes kept shifting to the side.

Then he smiled and pointed.

“I’ll take her.”

Trixie blinked and turned to follow his gesture. He was pointing at Rarity, who was now sunk low.

“M-me? Whatever would you want me for?”

He raised his head in a gallant motion. “Your reputation precedes you, Lady Rarity! A pony of class and distinction, and all through her own efforts. It would be a privilege to have such a fine mare at my side.”

“Now wait just a minute!” Applejack stood before the fretful Rarity, eyes locked on The Gentlepony. “Ya can’t just decide ta take her! She’s not property ta be bartered.”

“I concur.” Twilight stepped up beside Trixie with horn flashing. “This is not a deal we could possibly agree to!”

“Yeah!” Pinkie appeared at Rarity’s side. “What kind of Gentlepony are you? More like a Gentlemeany!”

The Gentlepony sneered and rubbed his mustache. “What sort of vagabond do you take me for? I am merely a stallion with standards. You asked what I would accept. I want the Lady Rarity as part of my retinue.”

“And w-what will you do with her?” Fluttershy asked as she rubbed Rarity’s back.

“I am a businesspony,” he snapped. “She is a mare of some distinction. I could use a proper adviser. You may be surprised to hear it, but intellectual, educated and capable help is hard to come by down here.”

Trixie frowned, realizing that her hooves were tied. Not in that she had to accept the terms, but that she had no authority to do so. She turned to the red-cheeked Rarity. “It’s not my decision to make.”

Rarity, still on her knees, tilted her head at Trixie… but then seemed to understand Trixie’s meaning.

Twilight shot Trixie an appreciative look before kneeling beside their friend. “Don’t do it. You have no idea what he really intends to do with you.”

“Yeah.” Rainbow hovered close even as she peered at The Gentlepony. “He could just be a creep.”

“He’ll just have to ask for something else,” Fluttershy agreed.

Rarity looked to each of them, then eyed The Gentlepony. Her cheeks puffed as she blew out a calming breath.

“Thank you, girls. I think I know what to do.”

With that she stood, and the others gave her space. She walked ahead of them to stare The Gentlepony down, expression rigid. “You want me?”

He offered a charming grin and nodded.

“Fine.”

“Rari—!”

She raised a hoof to silence the others, eyes never leaving The Gentlepony’s. “I have some conditions of my own.”

His eyebrows raised and his smile broadened. “I would expect no less. Do tell.”

“If we fail to defeat Celestia, then I will stay with you,” Rarity announced. “But I cannot abandon my friends. I must go with them to the castle. It is the only way we can win.”

He turned his head to peer at her through his monocle. “That hardly seems like a fair exchange. You could die in there, and then what would I have?”

“You are supposed to be a businesspony,” she noted, tossing her mane with a tilt of her head. It was almost as if she were putting her haughtiness on display. “I would assume you understand the concepts of risk and reward. You cannot have one without the other.”

The Gentlepony paused to think on this. After about a second he broke into laughter, shaking his head with a grin. “I must say, you are going to make an excellent adviser! You are most certainly worth the risk. I accept.”

He turned to address Trixie. “But I must warn you that there are no guarantees. When I said I can only coerce the gangs, I meant it. My word holds weight, but they are still gangs, and a troublesome lot. If I cannot do as you ask, then consider the deal off.”

Trixie sighed in relief and nodded. “I think that is only fair. Thank you, Gentlepony.”

He nodded, then turned to Nye. “Mr. Stone, would you accompany me? I want to have somepony dependable at my side who can alert these ladies to my success as soon as possible.”

Nye was standing by the wall, well apart from the scene. He looked to The Gentlepony with a face as hard as stone. “You got it.”

The Gentlepony turned back to Rarity, his smile back just as quickly as it had gone. “Lady Rarity, I look forward to seeing you after this is over. In the off chance that you do succeed, I hope you will consider partnering with me in the world above. I can think of no finer pony to have as a proper business partner.”

Rarity considered him before offering a smug smile of her own. “I shall consider it, Gentlepony.”

“Please,” he replied as he turned away, “call me Fancy.”

“Ah can’t believe ya agreed ta that,” Applejack told her as soon as Fancy and Nye had gone.

“I really don’t think you should have,” Fluttershy added.

“There was really no other option.” Rarity held her head held high and brushed her mane in a playful manner. “Besides, can I help it if I am in high demand?” She giggled as the others facefaulted.

“I told you we should have thrown him a party,” Pinkie declared, “but nooo, don’t listen to Pinkie Pie! Maybe if we helped him be happier he’d have been easier to convince. You’d be surprised what a few balloons and some cake can do.”

Trixie went to set her forehooves on the unicorn’s shoulders. “Well I for one am very appreciative. Thank you, Rarity. I really had no idea what I was going to offer him.”

Rarity patted Trixie’s hat with a confident smile. “Think nothing of it, darling. This is far too important to bother with half-measures. Besides, we’re going to win! What do I have to worry about?”

“I wish I shared your confidence,” Twilight admitted, ears laid back.

“Oh, what nonsense!” Rarity wrapped a leg about Trixie’s shoulder and grinned. “We have the Elements of Harmony. We have the Great and Powerful Trixie! How could we possibly fail?”

“Yeah!” Rainbow flew a flip and hoof-pumped. “Get with the program, guys. We’re gonna win this, you can bet your last bit!” Trixie rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway.

Twilight giggled, but then turned her attention to Trixie. “So… a riot? That was your big idea?”

Trixie nodded. “Can you think of a better way to force the guards to abandon the castle?”

Twilight thought for a few seconds, head low. “Well… no.”

“What does it matter how we get rid of ‘em?” Applejack asked. “As long as the job’s done, right?”

“But… but ponies could be hurt,” Fluttershy noted. “Maybe even k-killed.”

“It’s a certainty,” Twilight acknowledged. “Are we willing to go that far?”

Trixie stepped back and gestured to the body entombed behind them.

“Many ponies have already paid that price. Most of them had no idea that their deaths were at the hooves of Celestia’s madness. Thousands upon thousands of ponies have been broken and destroyed by the effects of her rule. How many more are we going to let suffer without acting?”

Trixe lowered her hooves, staring at them in solemn contemplation. She found herself thinking on her most recent battle.

“I nearly killed Luna to spare her anymore pain. I’m all in, because this is worth it.”

Nopony was willing to argue.

Hidden Boss! Trixie vs. Fine Crime

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For five days the mares lingered in the tomb, wondering if they’d called upon The Gentlepony for nothing. It was an almost unbearable wait. Trixie would head for the slums every now and again and watch from the shadows, but couldn’t tell if there was any change in the mood of the ponies down there. It was discouraging, and more than once she and the others discussed moving on the castle early. Every time, they dismissed the idea and agreed to wait one more day.

Then day six came, and pandemonium ensued.

Nye didn’t have to come for them to know that something was happening, for the noise echoed all the way through the tunnels. They rushed to the slums to find the place in an uproar as a veritable army of ponies surged into the tunnels that lead to the world above. Fires had broken out throughout the worn structures and tent yards and smoke coalesced among the stalactites above. Bodies littered the crystalline landscape, and even from their distance it was obvious that the rampaging ponies were not at all on a united front.

“Holy horseshoes.” Twilight raised trembling hooves to her lips, eyes wide with horror. “I… I didn’t expect this.”

“What have we done?” Rarity dropped to her haunches with tears in her eyes.

Trixie pursed her lips and let out a quiet curse; this was going much farther than she intended. Yet she also knew that it was getting the job done.

“Let’s go.”

“B-but what about this?” Fluttershy asked. “We aren’t going to just leave things like this... are we?”

Pinkie stood before Trixie and waved at the bodies littering the floor of the cavern. “Fluttershy’s right. We have to do something.”

“No.”

Rainbow flew high and gave them all a commanding glare. “This is what we’ve been waiting for. I know it’s ugly, but if we don’t go now we may not get another shot!”

“That’s right.” Trixie rushed to the edge of the tunnel and gesturing for the others to follow. “We have to get going while we still can.”

Her friends shared uncertain, guilty expressions, but then they began to move – all save Fluttershy.

“B-but… but… we can’t just…”

“Come on, sugarcube.” Applejack pushed the pegasus forward with her head. “We all need ta be there if this is gonna work.”

“We have to go, Fluttershy,” Trixie insisted as the others ran past. “If we don’t all this carnage will be in vain. The future is just going to be more of this if we don’t put an end to Celestia’s rule here and now!”

Fluttershy looked out at the ponies crowding the distant exit, at the acrid air and the flames. Tears welled in her eyes as she jerked her face away. She wouldn’t move for several seconds, visibly struggling with her emotions until she at last released a pent up scream.

“Alright!”

She lifted off and followed the others.

“What about Nye?” Applejack asked as she and Trixie rushed to catch up.

Trixie kept her eyes forward, mind set on her goal. “There’s no time. He’s a lot tougher than he looks. He’ll be okay.”

They rushed across the nearly-empty slums, avoiding the fires and bodies. Trixie lead the way, heading for the tunnel she knew would bring them to the elevator she and Luna had used before. Finding the elevator itself was a bit trickier, as it was hard to recognize amongst all the rock. But find it they did, and soon Trixie, Twilight and Rarity were combining their magic to raise the device.

The walls soon transitioned from crystal to stone. Rarity, eyes set with intense focus, leaned a little towards Trixie. “How far up should we go?”

“Celestia wouldn’t keep the statue in storage,” Twilight pointed out. “It’s far too precious.”

Fluttershy, leaning against Applejack with a pitiful frown and moist cheeks, turned her eyes to the ceiling. “What about the royal vaults?”

Trixie’s tail flicked in agitation. “Too obvious.”

Pinkie bounced a few times with a grin. “Oh, I know! The Royal Gardens!”

“Yeeah.” Rainbow hovered over them all, clearly intent on darting out of the elevator at a moment’s notice. “I don’t think so, Pinkie Pie.”

“The throne room.”

Everypony stared at Applejack, then shared wide-eyed looks.

“You know, that’s not a bad idea,” Twilight said.

“That’s where I’d put it if I were Celestia,” Trixie admitted as floors began to pass by them.

Twilight gave a slight nod, her attention still locked on her magic. “Then we know which floor to stop at.”

Rainbow lost just a little of her confident appearance. “Yeah, this is gonna be quicker than I thought. If they’re both in the throne room then we ca—hey!”

She whacked her head on the ceiling as the elevator jerked to a stop, the other ponies slipping to the floor with combined cries.

“W-what just happened?” Fluttershy asked as they began to stand. They were between floors, but had no indication that anything was wrong with the elevator.

“Horseapples.” Applejack slapped her hat back onto her head. “Did we get caught?”

“I can’t move it,” Twilight noted as her horn shimmered in the dark.

“Great, we’re trapped!” Rainbow flew circles around the elevator. “Anymore bright idea—ow!”

Her head whacked the ceiling again as the elevator began to descend. “What’s with this crazy thing?”

But the elevator only dropped one floor, and the doors were left wide open. They all exchanged uncertain looks as Pinkie asked the obvious question: “What floor is this?”

“I think we’re three floors off.” Twilight peered into the darkness. “Why don’t they have any lights on?”

Applejack dropped to a defensive stance. “Ah hate ta be the one ta state the obvious, but this is probably a trap.”

Trixie sneered, one name immediately coming to mind:

“Fine Crime.”

Another round of uncertain expressions were shared. “So… what now?” Fluttershy asked.

Twilight glanced at Trixie with a grimace. “If it is Fine, then we have no choice.”

“Right.” Trixie stepped off the elevator, horn glowing brightly to keep the dark at bay. “Everypony be careful. There’s no telling what that jerk has in store for us.”

The instant the last pony stepped off the elevator, the device dropped like a rock. They all turned about to watch in alarm as the thing fell, screeching loudly until a crash resounded from below. Then light flooded the area and they found themselves near the center of what appeared to be a ballroom.

“Ladies! So glad you could make it.”

They jerked around, posed and ready for a fight. There, standing in the center of the room, was Fine Crime. He wasn’t alone: six other ponies surrounded him.

“Fine!” Trixie stepped forward. “Stay out of our way. We don’t want to fight you or your Order of Shadows, but we will if we have to.” The others stepped up beside her, united in their determination.

Fine rolled his eyes. “See what I mean, guys? Always so direct. Please, at least let me introduce you to my friends.”

Rarity waved as if to usher them out of the way. “We don’t have time for you.”

“Such rude manners.” Fleur de Lis, the tallest of the ponies, was easy for Trixie to recall.

“We’re in a hurry.” Rainbow Dash pounded her hooves together as she glared. “Are ya gonna fight us or not?”

Fine’s eyes locked on the pegasus, and a wicked smile came across his lips. “Well then you can be first, since you’re so eager. Tell me, Rainbow, do you remember Gulfstream?”

To everypony’s surprise, a pegasus colt walked ahead of the others. He had a bright red coat with a mane only slightly darker in shade, and possessed a tornado for a cutie mark. The colt’s smirk held a distinct malice.

Trixie was perplexed – a mere foal was part of the Order? – but upon seeing the colt Rainbow fell out of the air. She hit the floor on her haunches, eyes wide and jaw dropped.

“G… G-Gulfie? Since when were you an Archon?”

Pinkie tapped Rainbow on the shoulder with a perplexed frown. “Wait, you know this little guy?”

Gulfstream leaned over to give Fine a pleading look. “Can I?”

Fine made a flamboyant gesture towards Rainbow. “Have fun.”

The colt flew in a blur, hitting Rainbow so hard she fell on her back and slid across the floor. She started to stand, a distinct horror in her eyes. “G-Gulfstream, what are you doing?! Lightning wouldn’t want—”

She was hit again, the impact sending her down the elevator shaft. Gulfstream followed in a red blur.

“Rainbow!”

“Not so fast!”

They all caught themselves and jerked about, ready for the next attack, but the others hadn’t moved. Fine grinned, his hoof outstretched. “One at a time, my friends. One at a time.”

“We gotta help Rainbow,” Applejack hissed in Trixie’s ear even as she glared daggers at their opponents.

“Let me.”

Pinkie turned and bounced for the elevator. “I’ll get there lickity split! You guys keep the—ah!”

“Surprise!” A white pegasus with a blonde mane appeared from the elevator shaft and slammed right into Pinkie.

The two landed apart from the others, Pinkie rolling and deftly coming back to her hooves. “Whoa, where did you come from?”

Fine gestured, ever smug. “Pinkie, meet Surprise. Surprise, Pinkie.”

Surprise offered a demented grin. “We are going to have so much fun!” Pinkie stepped back at the strange sight and gave her friends an uncertain look.

“Y-you leave her alone, you meanie!” Fluttershy rose and began to fly towards Pinkie. She was halfway there when something flew at her, just barely missing her face. She fell to the floor with a surprised shout. “Is that a boomerang?”

“It sure is.”

Fine turned and gestured to a brown pony with a dark brown mane who caught the boomerang with a smug grin. “Caballeron, I guess this means you want Fluttershy?”

Caballeron grinned and rubbed his hooves together. “Ooh yes, I most certainly do!”

“That boomerang looks like fun!” Pinkie announced even as she edged away from her opponent. “Why can’t he be my enemy?”

“I-I’d happily trade.” Fluttershy winced when Surprise turned to give her that strange grin. “Th-then again, m-maybe not…”

“Trixie.”

She turned to glare at Fine. “I believe you’ve met my wife, Octavia?” He gestured to the pony at his side, who raised her head in a regal pose.

“We’ve met,” Trixie growled. “What, you expect me to fight her, then?”

“No, no.” He waved dismissively. “I just wanted to be sure you’d met, that’s all. Hon?”

He tilted his head towards Octavia, who raised an eyebrow at him. “Take care of the hick for me, would ya?”

Applejack stomped a hoof. “Who’re ya’ll callin’ a hick?”

“Consider it done.” Octavia offered a pleasant smile and moved at a graceful pace towards her target, Applejack dropping to another defensive stance.

“Alright, that’s enough!” Trixie walked forward, Twilight and Rarity right behind her. “If we’re going to fight, let’s fight! We don’t need a role call.”

Fine sighed and rubbed his forehead. “You’re no fun at all. Fine, if you insist. Vinyl, deal with Rarity for me.”

A white coated, blue-maned unicorn in thick-looking purple sunglasses bounded forward to stand in Rarity’s way.

“I guess zat leaves me vith ze Princess’ vormer protégé.”

Fleur de Lis moving with a serene demeanor to intercept Twilight. “I hesitate to admit, but I am looking forward to zis.”

Trixie paused, glancing at Rarity and Twilight. The two had already veered off to face their individual opponents. She turned her sneer on Fine. “So you were speaking literally when you said we’d be fighting.”

“Indeed.” Fine lowered his head, horn sparking red and a grin on his lips. “I also meant it when I said I was eager to do so. Come, Trixie. Let us see if you’re half as good as I expect.”

She didn’t leave him waiting; she charged with horn at the ready. She knew she had to get away from the others so her magic wouldn’t interfere with their fights, so she went for close-quarters. Yet as she drew closer she noted that he remained perfectly still; no aggression, no fighting stance.

Something was wrong.

Trixie locked her hooves and slid across the floor, anticipating a trap. Even so, what happened was nothing like she’d expected.

Black clouds arose seemingly from nowhere. Her world became darkness in less than a second and a strange tingling sensation covered her body. She fired a beam from her horn in the spot she’d last seen Fine, but was pretty certain it was too late.

The smoke cleared, and Trixie found herself in a dark hallway. She spun a quick circle, but there was no sign of her friends.

“Damn it, Fine! Couldn’t you fight me directly?”

The instant the words left her mouth, something flashed by in the dark and hit her shoulder hard enough to make her spin. She righted herself, let out a shout and fired a laser. She never saw even a hint of the attacker. “Where have you brought me, Fine?”

His voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. “Do not fret – we are still in the castle. I changed venues, that’s all.”

She paced in the dark, glaring through empty doorways that seemed to lead only to shadow. “Why? Are you too scared to face me with my friends? I thought you braver than that!”

Something hit her in the rump. She jerked about with a cry and fired another shot, but hit nothing. She spotted a tail disappearing into a doorway, but by the time she reached it her opponent was gone.

Fine’s voice was lecturing. “Do not make the mistake of confusing strategy for cowardice.”

She turned around with light shining from her horn. The darkness seemed unnaturally oppressive, confining the light to a small area. “I always heard you were a friend of Luna’s. I guess those were all lies, too.”

His voice echoed through the hall. “Maybe, maybe not.”

A shadow passed by. Trixie spun, a beam of energy slicing across the hall and leaving a black mark on the walls. No Fine Crime.

Something hit her in the side so hard that she smashed into the wall. Grunting from the pain, she jerked about and let out a scream of frustration. There was no sign of him.

“Damn you, come out and face me!”

His chuckle was eerie, almost creepy. “Such a predictable pony. If you cannot best me, how in the name of Equestria do you expect to best Celestia?”

Trixie let out a vicious snarl. “Celestia won’t be hiding in shadows.” She struggled to broaden the radius of her light.

“Everything’s a trick.” Fine’s voice came in an ominous whisper. “Everything’s a scheme. This is just another example.”

Something sliced into Trixie’s leg. She let out a shout and fired a large ball of energy, which hit the wall and erupted in a shower of sparks that illuminated a large area. She was just able to make out Fine’s form slipping through a doorway, but knew better than to follow. She glanced at her leg and discovered a tiny cut just above the knee.

He was toying with her.

“You always did try to help.” She growled as she turned a tight circle and kept a close watch on the shadows. “You gave me the guards’ schedule for the library. You advised me in the slums, had your Archon pets watch over me while I was there. You even sent Fleur to guide me towards the Everfree Forest. Why do you keep helping me?”

“Maybe because it’s fun to watch you squirm.”

Instinct kicked in, and she jerked about and fired another beam.

Nothing.

A red laser flashed by her cheek, so close she could feel the heat. She turned to respond, but something struck her across the jaw before she could do anything. She fell sideways with a cry and hit the wall. She braced for the follow up hit that didn’t come, then rubbed the blood from her lips.

He was good. Scary good. How was she supposed to hit something she couldn’t see? Mind working slowly, she spoke to buy time. “You don’t do anything without a purpose. You’ve been guiding me for a reason, and I want to know why.”

She stood slowly, listening for his answer. None came. She perked her ears up, tilted her head. Had he gone?

“Defeat me.”

His whisper was so close it sent a shiver down her spine. “Then maybe I’ll tell you.”

She jerked her head to the left and saw nothing. Then she turned to the right and let out a shout; he was standing right there! She fired a shot from her horn on instinct, but he dodged with a deftness that astounded and delivered a quick, hard strike to her cheek. The blow forced her head sideways, and he had disappeared by the time she looked forward again.

She began to back away, worry creeping into her mind. This was not a situation she could win with force. She needed a strategy, some method of finding him. He could have killed her a dozen times over. Every hit was another occasion where he’d deigned to keep her alive. How long before he grew bored and stopped playing?

Keep talking. Maybe if she kept talking, he would stay interested.

“I don’t understand you. Who’s side are you on? What are you hoping to achieve? Did you even want me to succeed?”

“All valid questions. You really should be thinking more about the fight, though.”

Trixie heard something rolling. She turned to spot something small and dark blue coming to a stop by one of the doors. She let out a shout as it flashed, blinding her.

The hits came, several in rapid succession! She fired lasers and energy balls wildly, desperate to hit him, but the blows kept coming.

It was over as quickly as it had begun, and she merely stood and cringed at the soreness that covered her body. Her vision cleared and she glanced at herself to see numerous bruises and tiny cuts. She let out a pained, shaky breath as she realized that every one of those blows was a decision not to end her life.

Her eyes darted about, then locked on one of the darkened doors. She ran to it and peered inside. She could see nothing.

Something nicked her hind leg, but she didn’t glance back. Instead, she ran into the room and followed the wall. As soon as she was in a corner she turned about to face the center of the room.

Something hit her cheek from her right, but by the time her eyes fixed in that direction Fine was gone. Swallowing, Trixie concentrated on her magic and fired two balls of energy. They floated to a stop a short distance away and grew brighter, illuminating much more of the room. There was no way for him to approach without her spotting him.

“Hmmm…”

His voice whispered from the darkness. “Clever. I was wondering when you’d think of a solution.”

Trixie pressed herself into the corner, a hint of fear rising in the back of her mind. “Fine, please. I just want to rescue Luna. Is that so much to ask?”

Fine appeared at the edge of the light, head held high. The conflicting touch of shadow and light made his face seem ethereal. “Perhaps it is. I have known for some time that this fight was inevitable.”

Her ears twitched. “How long, exactly?”

He studied her, the shadows making his expression unreadable. “Since Rainbow Dash.”

He lowered his head and his horn shined red. He bared his teeth, a menacing grin that stood out in the dark. “You ponies of the light, with your petty concerns. All you are here for is Luna, and by extension, yourself. My goals are far larger than any one pony.”

Anger flared within Trixie. She took a daring step forward, her horn shimmering to match his. “Is that so? I am not so sure. You led me to the statue knowing I’d face Luna! And now you’re here, getting in my way. I do not know what your purpose is, but it’s starting to look more and more like you really are in Celestia’s pocket.”

He peered at her, his grin fading. “Such an obvious conclusion. You should know by now, Trixie: nothing the Archons ever do is obvious.”

He stepped back, disappearing amongst the shadows.

Trixie pressed her back against the corner once more, eyes darting about the darkness at the edge of her bright haven. “You cannot sneak up on me this time, Fine. Stop hiding and face me properly.”

The chuckle that passed through the dark made her hackles rise.

“You think it’s over, do you? For all their flaws, your new friends are good ponies, born in the shiny pleasantness of Celestia’s false light. I am a shadow pony, and your tricks won’t work so well on me. So come on. Show me a bit of that Trixie ingenuity I’ve heard so much about.

“Hit me.” His face appeared, grinning and eager. Trixie fired a shot, but the face was gone as soon as it had come.

“Hit me.” He appeared again, and she fired. Another miss.

“Hit me.” He jumped out a little closer, but was gone before her laser even left her horn.

“Hit me!” He was at the wall to her left! She hesitated, and he faded into shadow.

“Hit me!” He was above her! She fired a ball of energy that erupted against the ceiling, but he’d slipped off.

A tail flashed at the edge of the light.

Hoofsteps echoed in her ears.

That wicked grin appeared in the corner of her eye.

“Hit me! Hit me! Hit me!”

“Would you hold still?” Trixie reared back and fired a constant, thin laser that swept across the room in a wide arc, slicing into the walls.

Fine was in her face, so close their muzzles touched. “Hit me!”

She was struck in the shoulder so hard she fell to the floor. He was on her back before she could stand, lips hovering at her ear. She struggled to get out from under him, but he had her pinned. At last she stopped, a tense silence filling the air as they both paused to catch their breaths.

His breath was hot on her ear. “Well, this has been interesting. Sincerely. Yet if you can’t amuse me a bit more—” a black knife stabbed into the floor next to her cheek, making her wince, “—you’ll leave me no choice but to carry out Celestia’s command. What are you going to do, Trixie Lulamoon?”

She eyed the blade. She’d seen him carrying it before and she had little doubt he’d carry out his threat. Her horn began to glow as she fought to think of something.

“Fine, get the buck off me.”

“Not good enough.” The blade jerked from the floor, and she braced for the stab.

It didn’t come. She couldn’t fathom why, but it didn’t come.

Her mind snapped back into place, and she released the energy from her horn with a screech of fury! The magic expanded out, an explosion of power that flattened her against the floor and stifled her eardrums. She couldn’t hear Fine to know what happened to him, but he wasn’t on her back anymore. She lay for a moment, covering her muzzle and blowing air into her closed mouth. The pressure popped her ears and suddenly she could hear the fizzling of the spell’s residue.

She stood and turned to find a large hole in the wall behind her, light streaming in from a balcony beyond. She took a calming breath as she went to the hole.

Fine was in the room, lying on his back amongst piles of stone and plaster. His head was leaning back so that she couldn’t see it for his chest, but he raised a hoof and waved it with a dull “Ow.”

Trixie walkd towards him, a magenta sword and shield appearing at her sides. “I have had enough of you, Fine. Yield, before I have to take drastic measures.”

He didn’t move, though he emitted a small huff of a laugh. “You mean that wasn’t drastic to you?”

She stood over him and pointed her blade at his chest. “Enough! Do you give up or not?”

His chest heaved as he sucked in a deep breath.

“Ooh, Trixie, Trixie, Trixie.”

She braced as she realized he was preparing something. “Fine, I don’t have time for this!”

His head snapped up; wide and threatening eyes locked with hers, and in that moment the world seemed to grow dark. Black shapes like swirling fog appeared at the peripheral of Trixie’s vision, yet when she turned her head there was nothing there. A gale blew her mane about her face and sent her hat flying, and her ears were buffeted by an intense rumbling. She stepped back from him and shook her head.

“W-what the...?”

Fine rose up like a standing pendulum and landed on four hooves, a sneer on his lips. “You can’t win that easily. You think you’ve been hurt by this quest? You know nothing of pain! The Order was raised in the misery of Celestia’s gutters, baptized in the cesspools of the world’s wastes. We are shadow, the likes of which your precious Luna could scarcely fathom.”

Trixie pressed against the dark hurricane that came from nowhere and stared him down. “If that is true then why do you stand in my way? You speak of seeing the bigger picture, so how is it you cannot see that what I am trying to do will end your suffering?”

“End it?” His eyes flashed as swirling vortexes of smoke took form throughout the spacious room. “You think this will end it? This world is hell, and it will take centuries for it to improve! Ponies will continue to suffer, no matter what you might try. The pain won’t go away, Lulamoon!”

She tried casting a wind spell of her own, and was able to deaden the forces pressing in on her. It wasn’t a huge improvement, but it was enough to let her take her first step forward. She brandishing her magical weapons at him with a snarl.

“Maybe it won’t. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t save as many as we can!”

Fine sneered and came forward, a crimson katana appearing over his shoulder. Sparks swirled in the winds as Trixie’s shield blocked the attack.

“Where was honor when I was going mad with the Bloodmane? Where was the justice of your cause when I found my wife broken and beaten in her brother’s bed? Your good is a myth!”

They exchanged blows, weapons flashing in the darkness. The incessant winds dulled the clash of their blades, but the flashes shined as bright as lightning. “You are a product of Celestia’s brutal world,” Trixie declared over the noise and chaos. “Good doesn’t exist to you only because you haven’t been able to see it!”

His blade locked with hers and he loomed close with a menacing glare. “And you’re going to show it to me? You naïve foal.”

Her shield swung about, but he dodged and retreated. A second blade appeared over his other shoulder. The weapon swung wide and one of the black storms roiled its way towards Trixie.

“I am sorry if your life was hell!” Trixie raised her sword and stabbed it deep into the floor, a wave of energy striking the vortex. The funnel shattered into the gale, but as she was recovering Fine appeared high above her and dove with a sinister glint in his eye.

His weapons struck Trixie’s shield, sending sparks flying in a wild display. The impact knocked her back several feet. She slid to a stop and readied for his next attack, but he was gone. She looked about at the swirling clouds and the roiling fog at her hooves. She still couldn’t see out of the corners of her eyes.

Fine was nowhere to be seen.

His voice broke through the howling wind. “I am tired of this world, Trixie. I don’t want to see it anymore.”

Her eyes widened as she turned a circle. “W-what are you saying? Are you trying to see the world destroyed?”

“One way or another, it will be.”

“I won’t let you!”

She fired a beam of energy into one of the funnels. It flashed and erupted, bits of clouds catching in the winds and disappearing amongst the turmoil. “This world can be made better. We can improve it. There is still hope!”

“Have you murdered ponies in cold blood?” His voice was unusually quiet. “Have you taken a life, Trixie? I’ve taken hundreds with my hooves.”

She backed up, brushing her mane from her face as she struggled to peer through the chaos. “You really are a monster, aren’t you?”

“Yes. Yes, I am a monster. I was born to be a monster. But even monsters have dreams.”

Trixie snarled and fired two beams in rapid succession. A pair of funnels exploded on impact, but more arose to take their place. “Destroying the world? Some dream. Come out here and I’ll destroy you!”

A long, deep silence.

“Perfect.”

He was there, barreling from one of the funnels with weapons flashing! Trixie was barely able to raise her shield and block the attack. He’d vanished before the sparks faded.

“Not this again!”

Trixie fired a shot into a nearby funnel, but when it erupted there was no Fine Crime. “You won’t be able to beat me that way, Fine.”

He darted past! She reared back and barely avoided a slice from one of those deadly blades. She saw him disappear into a funnel and fired a shot after him. The funnel shattered, but he was nowhere to be seen.

“Damn you, stop playing around!”

A thought came to her, and she jerked about just in time to see him coming with katanas swinging! She raised her shield to block; this time the force of the blow was so powerful it shattered her protection. She fell on her back from the force, the sounds of his galloping in her ears.

She jumped to her hooves, sword at the ready. Where would he come from this time? She turned a circle, eyes set upon the vortexes that surrounded her. She breathed long gasps, sweat beaded on her brow. Her ears twitched and turned about in search of any sound – the slightest hint. Where next? Where, where, where?

By sheer luck, she turned her head just in time to see him come flying through a funnel to her right. She turned to face him, sword pulled back over her shoulder. No more playing: she would stop him here and now!

Their eyes locked.

His blades prepared to swing.

Trixie stabbed.

He could have blocked. He could have dodged. She knew he was good enough – he’d proven it time and time again. Yet as she watched in that moment of slow, otherworldly clarity, something changed. His face grew strained, his swords shook, his legs locked. There was a visible effort that she didn’t comprehend, and it was too late to think on it.

The world stopped. Fine stood, eyes wide, blades unswung. He had been in the process of passing by, and his head slowly turned to stare at Trixie. She returned the gaze in numb silence, her jaw loose and her breath stuck in her throat.

Her sword was in his side.

The funnels dissipated, the fog disappeared. The shades that blocked Trixie’s peripheral vision faded. The world was normal once more, illuminated only by the dusty light of the balcony. Fine’s blades dissolved like sand as he took a few lopsided steps away…

...and grinned.

“P-perfect.”

Fine collapsed to his side, Trixie’s blade sticking out like a pole.

Trixie fell on her haunches and covered her lips, hooves shaking in realization. “F-Fine… I didn’t think I’d actually…” She focused her magic and got rid of the weapon before rushing to his side.

He groaned and felt at his wound. He raised his hooves between their faces to reveal blood as black as night. “A good shot,” he noted through gritted teeth. “C-couldn’t have planned it better myself.”

“Be quiet!” She pressed her hooves against the wound, but the blood kept flowing. “We’ll fix this, Fine. I promise, we’ll fix this!”

He rested his head on the floor and offered a feeble smile. “Whatever happened to the whole ‘I’ll destroy you’ bit?”

“I didn’t mean it!” The blood wouldn’t stop flowing. What was she supposed to do? “I just wanted to stop you.”

He eyed her. “Don’t know much about pony anatomy, do ya? It’s fatal, Trixie.”

A tense fear hit her as she stepped back. She began to hyperventilate. “No. N-no, I wanted to avoid this. Why didn’t you dodge it? Why didn’t you block it?”

He chuckled through his grimace. “I think… think you have more important things to worry about.”

She grabbed his cheeks and pulled him towards her tearful eyes. “Why? I know you could have done it, so why didn’t you avoid the strike?”

He gazed at her, a frown slowly forming on his lips. “B-because it was the only way.”

She sat heavily, heart in her throat. “I… I don’t understand.”

“How many times must I say it?” His chin flopped to the floor. “I am bound to Celestia. If she tells me to kill, I must do it. The... the only way you were going to get to her was if you k-killed me, because otherwise I’d have killed you.”

It clicked.

“You want me to succeed.”

He nodded, then broke into a series of hacking coughs. The pool of dark blood collecting at his side continued to widen.

When the fit passed he wiped blood from his lips and wouldn’t meet her eyes. “This is the culmination of years of planning. Celestia’s world will be destroyed when you defeat her. My world will be destroyed when I die. So you s-see? I wasn’t lying.”

Trixie rubbed tears from her cheeks. Finally, after all this time, it all made perfect sense: the the cryptic clues, his conflicting behavior... “B-but… b-but what about Luna? What about your wife? Y-you didn’t have to do this.”

His lips shifted to a feeble smile. “Octavia knew the plan all along. We have long been prepared.” He cringed, rolled onto his back and raised his head. His horn glowed, though using the magic required a visible struggle.

“F-Fine...” Trixie set a hoof to his chest. “Stop. You shouldn’t do anything.”

He ignored her, and after a couple seconds his horn was shining bright red. With an audible crack like glass, the glow burst and faded. He let his head drop to the floor with a gasp.

“Th-there, it is done.”

“Done?” Trixie glanced about, but could see no change in her surroundings. “What did you do?”

“I inf—“

He began to hack. Trixie cringed and turned her head away, shame and horror mixing within her. She had done this… She’d never wanted to actually kill anypony...

At last his fit ended. He raised a trembling hoof to wipe the spittle and blood from his lips once more. “I-I informed the Order. They have their instructions – they know what to do.” He turned moist eyes to her. “Do you?”

She shook her head, fighting back a sniff. “I c-can’t just leave you here.”

He grinned, though his lips quivered at the effort. “Y-you mean after all you’ve done, you wanna s-stop now? Celestia is in the throne room. You have to face her T…T-Trixie.”

She shook her head with more force. “N-no. I won’t leave you to die alone!”

He considered her as he pressed a hoof against the wound in his side and cringing. “Th-the pain you’re feeling right now has been felt by every A-Archon, and a hundred times ov-ver by the Order. You had to f-feel it, Trixie, because if y-you can’t save Celestia…”

She leaned back and gazed, horror filling her. “We can save her. We can.”

He leaned up just a little, shaking from the effort and locking her with a hard expression. “If you can’t, then you must consider the alternative. One w-way or another, she must be st-stopped.” He fell back with a grunt, unable to support his own weight any longer.

Trixie covered her lips in alarm at his obvious pain. “For buck’s sake, stop moving! P-please, there has to be some way.”

He shook his head – a slow, feeble motion. “D-don’t worry about me, Trixie. Octavia is on her way, so I won’t be alone. G-go, do what you came here to do. Don’t make our hard work and sacrifices be for nothing.”

She could only sit with head bowed and tears running down her cheeks. To think he’d go so far for this. To think Trixie had thought she was sacrificing for the cause! What must it have been like to help her when he knew all along that she was going to kill him? First Twilight, and now Fine Crime. She was humbled by the sacrifices of ponies far better than herself.

She couldn’t let the opportunities they were providing her go to waste.

“I’ll win,” she whispered, sucking down her sob. “I promise, Fine. I’ll win.”

He forced a smile to his lips. “I know you will.”

She knelt down and nuzzled his cheek. “Thank you. For everything.”

He grinned and raised his head just slightly to look her in the eye.

“Go.”

She did. She left him there, her cheeks moist and mind set. Celestia was ahead; Trixie would do whatever was required to bring her down. For Luna. For Twilight. For Fine.

No more ponies would suffer for her.

Author's Notes:

Fine Crime was the very first OC I ever made for a MLP fanfiction, and as such he remains a prominent character in my mind for whatever story I consider writing. He was originally intended to be a potential item for Fluttershy, though that particular story will never be told as it's not at all up to my own standards. Too obvious, too simple, too unrealistic. There are hints of a potential relationship between them in No Heroes, but the situation is left intentionally unresolved for a future story that will – for better or worse – finalize their relationship.

I have always held firm to the view that subterfuge and espionage trumps all else. What good is strength when you can't hit your enemy? What good is speed when you have no idea what to aim for? Whenever I think of heroes, I always think of the assassins, and in longer stories I usually have at least one character who exemplifies these abilities. Some people think these tactics are underhanded and dishonorable. I think their argument is void, because the knives are already in their backs. The battle against Fine showcases what I view as the hardest kind of challenge, and in the end Trixie only won because he let her.

Now... on to The Order of Shadows. My biggest regret is that I couldn't really showcase each of them, revealing their abilities or backgrounds. Rest assured each pony in the group has a reason to be there, but if I went through all that trouble it would require far more chapters, plus some unrealistic maneuvering to ensure Trixie could be there to see every fight. No worries, though; I already have a solution in mind. Can you say "prequel"?

But just for clarity's sake: role call!

Gulfstream: An OC I created for a couple chapters of No Heroes Book II, Gulfstream is Lightning Dust's cousin, to whom she is very close. To avoid outright spoilers, I won't say what happened in that story. Those who are in the know might find his appearance...interesting. He's going to be very important in the planned Rainbow Dash sequel.

Surprise: She's generally well known, but for those who don't know Surprise was Lauren Faust's original intention for Pinkie Pie. Surprise was ultimately scrapped, mostly because Hasbro had lost the copyright to her some time ago, and thus Pinkie came to be. And really, who better to face Pinkie than her discarded doppelganger?

Caballeron: When I first wrote TvE, I had no idea who to put in this slot and settled for an unknown background pony. Then Season 4 came out and we met Dr. Caballeron. After reviewing this chapter, I came to realize that Caballeron was a perfect addition for the OoS. The results of his 'fight' with Fluttershy will be made clear in her planned sequel.

Octavia Melody: Do I really need to say anything? Seriously. Although I will point out that there's a reason she's pitted against Applejack, and it's rooted in No Heroes Book IV. Fine Crime and Octavia are close in that story, too, but their relationship is strictly a platonic friendship...so far.

Vinyl Scratch: Her reputation precedes her. It might seem obvious to some that if Octavia is part of the Order, Vinyl should be too, but in truth, this is the first time I've ever used Vinyl for a fanfiction. I've written at least two stories featuring Octavia (not counting the four No Heroes books) and never used Vinyl. The only reason she's here now is because I do really like her and I felt it was high time I at least gave her a cameo.

Fleur de Lis: Even though she's just a background pony, I love this character's design. I've been steadily developing some headcanon for her, and she's featured in three of my stories so far. I'm always happy to have her. Fleur and Fine are co-workers in No Heroes, so having them working together in this story was no big jump.

Oh, one more thing to bring up before I call it quits for today. Given what I've already said about how highly I value Fine Crime, as well as his eternally deceptive nature, I imagine there is going to be some speculation about whether or not he's really dead. Let me shut that door in your faces right now: he's gone. And when I kill somepony, I don't bring them back. I refuse to cheapen the impact of death (*cough*comicbooks*hack*).

Final Battle! Trixie vs. Equestria

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The castle was quiet. Too quiet. No servants going about their duties, no nobleponies milling about, not a single guard patrolling the halls. Trixie had seen the smoke from a window; the riots were still in full swing. How long had her fight against Fine Crime lasted? Where were her friends? How had they fared in their fights? If a single one of them had lost – or worse – then the entire plan would be for nothing.

But there was nothing Trixie could do. She had no idea how to find them and time was of the essence. There was little chance that she could defeat Celestia on her own, but she had to try. Besides, she now knew Fine’s real goal. He was a schemer; he had to have had some deep-rooted plan for this moment. He wouldn’t have sacrificed his life otherwise.

So she made her way through the quiet halls, mind set on her goal. Though her body ached from the wounds she’d received, she recognized all her injuries as minor. There was no doubt Fine had intentionally spared her anything serious; she hurt, but that was all. She was more than ready to face Celestia.

It took some time, but Trixie finally reached the massive main hallway. She walked out to the center and looked about, a strange sense of nostalgic guilt coming over her. The first time she’d stood here she had no idea what she was doing. How foolish she’d been, prancing about and calling herself ‘great’ and ‘powerful’. She was a different pony back then.

No, not just her; the entire world had been different. Now she saw it for its ugliness. Trixie had been just one more ignorant tool in Celestia’s grotesque global masterpiece. Amethyst had known, and she’d hidden herself away from the ugliness with her work and lifestyle. Twilight had sought a solution, and she paid dearly. Luna had struggled to fight back in whatever way she could, a losing battle that had sapped her spirit to the point of surrender. Fine Crime had pushed back against the tide in ways only he could, and even now the cogs of his methods were turning.

Now there was Trixie. Trixie against the world. Trixie against Equestria.

Trixie against Celestia.

She turned to face the vast double doors, the entry to the throne room. Her final opponent was waiting. How was she supposed to defeat the goddess of the sun? Trixie was not dissuaded by that thought; on the contrary, she felt angry, restless and empowered. She marched, gritting her teeth in preparation for what she knew would be the fight of her life.

For Amethyst, she would try.

For Fine Crime, she would not hesitate.

For Twilight, she would right the wrongs.

For Luna… she would survive.

She stood before the massive doors, taking slow and heavy breaths. She could do this. She could do this. Just open the door.

She remained at pause for some time, staring at the golden wood.

Damn it, open the door!

She stepped forward and pushed her way through.

The throne room was larger than Trixie recalled. The door closed quietly behind her as she glared at the room’s sole inhabitant.

Celestia sat alone on her throne, reclining with a bowl of grapes at her side. Upon seeing her visitor she stood and raised her hooves with a grin. “Trixie! Welcome, welcome! I knew you’d make it.”

Trixie couldn’t help but sneer. She moved forward slowly, ready for anything. “Where is the statue?”

Celestia set a dainty hoof to her lips. “Statue? To which would you be referring?”

Trixie paused to paw at the carpet and snort. “I didn’t come here to play games with you.”

The Princess of the Sun frowned as if hurt. She set her forehooves together in a contemplative fashion. “Come now, Miss Lulamoon, there’s no need for such anger. We’ll get to the statue in time, I promise. Please, relax. Have some grapes.”

The fruit bowl floated over to Trixie innocuously. She knocked it away, spilling the grapes across the floor.

Celestia leaned back with a pout. “You could have just said ‘no’. What if I wanted some?”

Trixie’s horn sparked as she let out a vicious snarl. “I won’t be your toy anymore. I have come to finish you, Celestia!”

“Finish me?” The princess shook her head. “Don’t you at least want to hear my offer? I promise you, it’s a good one.”

Trixie snorted once more, baring her teeth. “Nothing you can offer would ever entice me.”

Celestia’s hooves rose to her lips, her eyes taking on a wickedly playful glint. “Not even my sister?”

Trixie paused, her anger slipping. “What?”

“Gotcha.”

Celestia dropped from the throne to stand to her full height. Her voice was a soft, enticing coo. “I can make Luna subservient to you. She can be yours, Trixie. Forever. It wouldn’t be any different from how I bound Fine Crime to me. I’ll even make you my personal protégé! I do have an opening for that position, and I’ve come to realize that you would make a perfect apprentice.”

Trixie’s blood boiled. She would dare to make such an offer, given what Trixie already knew? “Buck you! Luna is not property to be parceled out like land! And I’ve seen the way you treat your apprentices. You won’t avoid this fight, Celestia!”

Celestia’s smile broadened. Her crown shined and hovered off of her head; it floated back to land on the cushioned throne. “I thought as much, but I had to offer. Fighting is such an unseemly thing, wouldn’t you agree?”

She paused to consider, studying Trixie with a playful smile. “Then again, I suppose you wouldn’t. After all, you’ve been doing nothing but fighting all this time. I really must thank you, by the way.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “For what?”

“For Fine Crime.” Celestia turned her head to the throne, and a moment later a new crown appeared from behind it. It was strangely familiar.

“He was always a bit too meddlesome,” she continued. “He had all the traits I needed in a Mane Archon, but his accursed good intentions made him… rebellious. Keeping him bound to me to ensure his loyalty was quite tedious, and he was still manipulating things in the shadows.”

The new crown landed on her head as she turned to face Trixie once more. “So thank you, Trixie. Thank you for ridding me of the burden.”

“You shouldn’t thank me yet,” Trixie hissed. She eyed the new crown and at last recognized it, her eyes going wide. “Wait… is that the Element of Magic? But doesn’t that belong to Twilight?”

Celestia leaned forward with a smirk. “Which one?”

Which one? Trixie didn’t understand at first, but comprehension gradually came upon her. She didn’t know why, but the concept filled her with a distinct dread. “Y-you mean that belonged to the other Twilight?”

“Indeed.” Celestia posed as if to show off her regalia. “The one you’re so attached to! Perhaps the two of you can share that tomb. You’d look adorable together.”

Trixie shook her head, trying to wrap her mind around this revelation. “But… But how can there be two Elements of Magic? Does that mean there are doubles of all the Elements out there?”

Celestia raised a hoof. “I can see you are confused. It is no surprise, considering it took even me a thousand years to figure things out. Since she’s no longer a threat, I may as well enlighten you.

“The Twilight you buried in those wretched slums is none other than the Unkown Princess.”

Trixie blinked, shifted, tried to make sense of this. “What?”

Then comprehension at last dawned, and her jaw dropped. She gazed with wide eyes at the princess as a sinking feeling invaded her gut.

Celestia giggled at Trixie’s expression. “Confusing, isn’t it? She wanted to see my sister and me defeating Discord, so she traveled back in time. But this—” she tapped the crown with a smirk, “—went with her, and it interfered with the magic of the Elements.”

Luna’s story came back to Trixie in a flash. She took a step back, eyes going wide. “So Luna was telling the truth after all. Discord’s death was a fluke!”

“And your Twilight is responsible!”

Celestia laughed, an oppressive sound that echoed in the empty throne room. “Isn’t it delightfully horrid? She returned to this miserable, corrupt world: a world made beautiful in my image through a thousand years of wretchedness! She was so unprepared she even came to me thinking I was still her old, good Celestia. That’s when I figured things out, and that’s when I broke her like a schoolfilly!”

Sweet Luna, no wonder Twilight had been desperate for a solution! But Trixie would not be distracted, and she would not be mislead. “None of this is her fault. You’re the one who turned Equestria into a cesspool!”

Celestia approached, head low and a devilish grin on her lips. “And I wouldn’t even exist if she hadn’t meddled in magics she should have known better than to play with! Discord never would have died, my sister and I would still be whole, the world would have been entirely different. This is all Twilight’s fault, and she paid for it with her very soul. Your icon is just as guilty as I am! You think you’re fighting for good – that you have all the answers – yet you didn’t even understand the wrongdoings of your own savior!”

“Shut up!”

Trixie fired a continuous beam at the princess, fury filling her being.

The beam struck a barrier before Celestia, who smirked. “So much anger. Hate me, Trixie. Hate me and learn.”

Celestia fired her own pale beam, which struck Trixie’s and matched it. Within seconds its power overwhelmed hers; Trixie was sent flying to smack against the closed doors behind her. Her legs spread wide as something invisible pinned her to the wood.

Celestia approached at a leisurely pace. “Did you really think you could duel me? I have faced countless foes far superior to you: King Sombra, Queen Chrysalis, that slut Cadance. What do you have?”

She reached up a hoof to pull Luna’s medallion from beneath Trixie’s cape. “Your faith? Your love? Such petty, worthless things.”

Rage filled Trixie as she gazed upon the pendant. She focused her magic, as much as she could muster. “Get your filthy hooves away from it!” A blast of energy exploded about her.

Celestia leapt back with wings outstretched as Trixie collapsed to the floor. She snatched up the pendant and clutched it to her chest before standing back up. “I am going to end you, Celestia!”

Celestia landed, her magnificent wings folding properly once more. “Is that so? Let’s see you try.” Her horn flashed, and before Trixie could think she found herself flying through the air to smack against a wall.

“I am the most powerful mage in Equestria.”

Trixie flew again, smashing into the opposite wall.

“I can do things you can’t even imagine.”

Trixie was jerked through the air, her back slamming into the ceiling.

“You’re power isn’t even a fraction what mine is.”

Trixie dropped to hover over the floor. Pale, yellow balls of light began to strike her, bouncing her around like a rag doll.

“So let’s see it, Trixie.”

She dropped, jaw bouncing on the hard stone floor.

“How do you intend to best me?”

Trixie’s body screamed in pain. She struggled to move, but her legs wouldn’t obey her commands. No, she couldn’t be defeated already! She fought down the tears as she looked up to see her opponent watching with patient, playful eyes.

What was she supposed to do now?

Celestia glanced about as if seeking some fresh opposition, then sighed and nodded. “I see. That is truly disappointing.” She turned away and walked towards her throne. “After all the hype, there was nothing special about you after all.”

Trixie’s head dropped tenderly to the floor. How was she supposed to fight like this? Celestia had just trounced her, and she’d not even touched the witch! Her eyes fell upon the amulet resting close by. Struggling to move, she dragged it close and held it tightly.

“Luna… If you can hear me, I really need some help…”

Celestia’s face appeared, startlingly close. “What’s this?” She used her magic to jerk the stone from Trixie’s hooves.

“G-give it back!” Trixie tried to stand, but couldn’t muster the strength to lift her own weight.

Celestia stood and studied the stone with a critical eye. “Hmm… I thought it just a trinket. Well, a healing talisman is as good as a trinket.” She let the stone drop haphazardly; Trixie snatched it back up as quick as her aching body would allow. “You’ll have to use something much more powerful than that. It's too bad you destroyed the Alicorn Amulet, isn’t it?”

Trixie ignored her words and focused on the stone. She could use it, even if it only helped her in a tiny way. She touched her horn to the cool onyx, closing her eyes as she worked the magic.

“Let me guess.” Celestia’s hoofsteps echoed in Trixie’s ears. “Another one of Trixie’s glorious last-minute ideas? It will take more than a touch of trickery to get you out of this one.”

Trixie tugged on the magics contained within the stone. It flowed through her horn and warmed her body. It was a small difference, but she felt stronger. At the very least she would be able to face her opponent properly, even if all it would amount to was her death.

Then a thought occurred to her: she was drawing magic out of the stone.

That meant magic had to be put there in the first place.

She stopped the magic as hope sparked in her mind and kissed the stone with tears in her eyes. “Thank you, Luna.”

It took great effort, but she at last managed to stand. She glared at Celestia, who turned to her from just before the throne.

The princess bore a bitter frown. “Oh, Goddess. Really, Trixie? You want to go through this again?”

“I said I would save Luna,” Trixie snarled, the talisman floating just over her head. “If that means I have to die trying, then so be it!”

Celestia rolled her eyes. “Well, you’re tenacious. I’ll give you that much.”

Trixie pawed the floor, though it hurt to perform even that small motion. “Are you going to fight me or keep talking?”

The princess sighed. “Fine, if that’s what you want.” She fired a beam at Trixie, the same one she’d used before. Trixie let out a shout and lifted the talisman, focusing all her strength on it. The beam hit the stone, engulfed it in pale light… but couldn’t push past it.

Celestia persisted with her attack, a grin coming to her lips as the stone absorbed her magic. “You are clever indeed, but that trinket could never hold all my power.” The beam intensified, and the stone vibrated violently.

Trixie sat, sweat pouring down her face as she fought to keep the stone intact. This would work, it had to. If it didn’t she was a good as dead! She gritted her teeth and pushed the talisman forward against Celestia’s beam.

“Come on… Come on…”

Celestia hardly seemed disturbed. “How long do you think you can keep this up?”

“As long as possible!” Trixie lowered her head as she glared, sparks and smoke beginning to rise from her horn. “I can do this. I can do this!”

Celestia giggled. “No, I don’t think you can.”

The beam only grew brighter. Trixie could feel the heat of it, like standing just a little too close to a flame. She knew she couldn’t resist for much longer. She began to focus on reworking the magic, even as she redoubled her efforts to keep the talisman from shattering. “Y-you are not going to win… I won’t let you win…”

Celestia faked a yawn. “I have heard that so many times.” She leaned forward, the beam growing even hotter, the brightness of it blinding. Trixie couldn’t hold it anymore; she reversed the spell and released.

The stone exploded, all the energy it had been absorbing unleashed in a single massive eruption that filled the whole room with light! Trixie was knocked off her hooves, smashing hard against the wall as her entire body burned. A second wave passed through her; she screamed in agony and squirmed against the intolerable heat.

The pressure faded and she collapsed to the floor. She curled up in a ball and wept, smoke rising from her body. Shaking, she tried to move and cringed. With no other option, she rubbed her face against the floor to free it of tears and looked herself over. One of her hind legs was bent at a disturbing angle and black marks covered her body.

But she was alive.

She looked for her opponent, but there was no sign of her among the smoking remains of the throne room. The throne itself was gone. Gone, too, was the massive window that had made the wall behind it. Celestia was nowhere to be seen. There was no way she’d been killed – if Trixie had survived, so would she – but she might at least have been seriously injured. Trixie rested her cheek tenderly on the floor and sighed her relief.

For now, it was over.

That moment of hope faded when a shadow came over her. She looked up to see Celestia hovering outside on majestic white wings. Terror filled Trixie as the princess touched down on smoldering stones with an expression as hard as rock.

“I must admit, that was impressive. Pointless, but impressive.”

Trixie tried to move and was rewarding with searing pain. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she realized her situation. “W-why? Why didn’t it hurt you?!”

Celestia walked towards her at a slow pace, every hoofstep delivering an ominous echo. “You pathetic creature. I’ve faced far worse spells than that. I told you: there is nothing you can offer that would pose a threat to me. It amazes me that you even bothered to try.”

Something unseen wrapped about Trixie’s throat and lifted her into the air. She gasped and tried to cry out, but her voice was cut off as the grip tightened. Too feeble to even lift her hooves to her throat, she squirmed in vain against the hold.

Celestia peered at her, lips locked in a taut frown. The frigid spark in her eye made Trixie’s blood run cold.

“I admire your spirit, Trixie. It reminds me of a certain other pony I once knew. Maybe I'll throw you into Tartarus as I did her. The two of you can share the same miserable, torturous fate.”

“P-please...” The princess blurred in Trixie’s vision as tears welled in her eyes. “I j-just wanted to save L-Luna…”

Celestia’s face betrayed no expression. “Then maybe I’ll send her down there with you. A gift, in return for all the frustration you provided me.”

Trixie struggled to free herself, but her body could barely move. Her mouth moved slowly, fighting to offer desperate pleas. Her heart pounded, her chest tightened as she hung limp and helpless. She had failed. All the effort, all the pain amounted to nothing, and now Luna was going to be forever tormented by this freak.

In the end, what good had Trixie done?

“Nothing else to say?” A long, horrid pause. “Then let it be done. I have more important things to—”

Light filled the room, blinding Trixie even with Celestia in the way. She couldn’t look away or lift her hooves, so she lowered her eyelids against the glare with a whimper.

Celestia, barely discernible in Trixie’s tear-blurred vision, turned to face this sudden interruption. “What in Equestri—you!”

A cacophonous explosion filled Trixie’s ears. She dropped to the floor with a pained grunt as Celestia cried out. She managed to rub her eyes and look up just in time for the light to begin fading. She found Celestia lying in a heap in a corner of the room, seemingly unconscious. Trixie could only gape; her eyes roamed the room for some explanation, and what she saw made her gasp.

Standing at the window – magnificent in her fury – was another Celestia.

Trixie’s jaw dropped, her mind went numb. What was she seeing?

The new Celestia walked forward, eyes locked on the other one. She paused to stare, but the other Celestia didn’t get up.

“Y-you…” Trixie struggled to stand, but couldn’t pull it off. “Y-you’re…”

The new Celestia turned to her, her fury melting into a warm smile. “It’s okay, Miss Lulamoon. I promise, everything will be okay.”

The warmth that came from her was like the heat of the sun, filling Trixie with an inescapable sense of pleasure. She didn’t know how or why, but there could be no question: the good Celestia had been freed. The others must have found the statue…

“Th-thank you. Th-thank the G-Goddess! I th-thought I was going to die.”

“In time.”

Trixie and the new Celestia both turned at the same time. The other Celestia was rising, a white ball of energy flying from her horn as she let out a furious shout. The new Celestia raised a shield, but it shattered on impact, and an instant later the old Celestia was on her with a screech.

Beams bounced about the walls; ethereal weapons clashed in a shower of sparks. The room was a cacophony of wind and light and heat! Her energy spent, Trixie could only crawl backwards as she watched the identical princesses duel in a humbling display. She wanted to help, but she screamed in pain at the simplest attempt at magic. She was useless!

“Your reign of terror is at an end,” the good Celestia cried, blocking assaults with a shield of pure light.

“I’ve barely even begun,” the other snarled. Her glowing white eyes smoked as she fired streams of lasers.

“Surrender, you vagabond!” The good Celestia spread her wings wide, a wave of light dissipating the beams like paper in a flame.

“You wretched foal!”

The corrupt Celestia flew forward before the other could respond and landed a strike to her opponent’s chest. Trixie watched in horror as the good Celestia fell back, face contorted in pain as she took another blow, and another. She tried to form a shield for defense, but her villainous clone shattered it with ease and sent her flying against the wall with a well-placed energy blast.

Trixie tried to stand once more and fell on her face. She looked up in horror as she realized that her momentary hope was being dashed yet again.

No, no, no! This was all wrong! How could things keep going so poorly?!

The corrupt Celestia stood tall, her wings ruffling in her frustration as she glared down at her latest foe. “You couldn’t even beat me when we were almost of even power. I’ve spent the past thousand years growing stronger than ever, while you were stuck as a lawn ornament!”

The good Celestia tried to rise, a massive laser firing from her horn. It struck a barrier and erupted in a harmless shower of sparks. The corrupt Celestia fired a shot of her own that smashed into her opponent, and the good Celestia could only cry out in agony.

A moment later the evil doppelganger was on top of her twin, pinning her down and glaring daggers at close range. “I’m going to turn you back to stone, and then I’m going to find the ponies that freed you and teach them the true meaning of hell. I rule Equestria, I am the better half, I am superior. You are nothing, and you will remain nothing for the rest of eternity!”

The good Celestia leaned up in defiance, lips pulled back in a snarl. “You forget: I still have one trick you can’t counter.”

“Do you?” The corrupt Celestia sneered. “Like what?”

The good Celestia smirked. “I originated the spell.”

She thrust her head forward to touch horns with her clone. Light erupted between them, and the corrupt Celestia let out a screech that chilled Trixie to her core.

“No! You can’t! Get away… Stop!”

Trixie covered her eyes against the blinding light as a roaring noise filled her ears...but then, just a suddenly as it had begun, the sound and light were gone. Seconds passed, or perhaps minutes. Her heart pounded in her chest and questions swam through her head.

At last Trixie lowered her hoof to find a single Celestia lying on her belly by the wall. Trixie tried to sit up, but could only manage to lean and stare. “P-princess…?”

Celestia’s eyes flitted open. She sat up and shook herself. She stared at Trixie as if not knowing who she was.

Then her eyes went wide with realization and she emitted a ear-splitting scream.

“No! Get out of my head!” She fell to her belly, clawing at her head and thrashing. “This is my body! Get out, get out, get out!”

“Now!”

Trixie jumped as the doors beside her smashed open.

“We’ve got you, Trix!” Rainbow landed with a bang between her and the raging Celestia.

“Spread out,” Applejack called as she and Rarity and Pinkie darted into the room. “Don’t give her any room ta dodge!”

Fluttershy came floating through, hooves on her lips as she gazed upon Celestia’s writhing form. “Oh my goodness, oh my goodness!”

“Don’t worry, Trixie,” Twilight called as she followed the others in. “We’ve got this under control!”

They were all here, as if it had been planned. Part of Trixie was thrilled. Another part of her was astounded; how could they have timed it so perfectly? She struggled to sit up, watching as they took places in a circle around Celestia. The princess was too busy fighting her mental war to stop them. Trixie glanced at each pony in bewilderment… then spotted something through the open doorway.

It was Fleur de Lis.

Fine Crime. The Order of Shadows.

It was planned.

“Everypony, get ready!” Twilight’s voice caught Trixie’s attention.

Celestia screamed, still clutching at her head and rolling on the floor. “You foals! You have no idea what you’re doing! I am Equestria! I am everything! This world wouldn’t last one day without—” She jumped up and let out an agonized screech, beams flying out of her horn in wild, random directions. “Get out of my head!”

That’s when Trixie saw it: the crown. She stared at it, then looked to Twilight’s.

They matched in every conceivable way.

“No… Wait!” Trixie waved a hoof at her old rival, but she could see it was too late: they were charging the spell. No, they couldn’t cast it now, not with the other Element of Magic so close. They were supposed to save Celestia, not kill her!

Thinking fast, Trixie fought for one last spell, screaming at the burning pain that radiated through her horn. Her golden rope appeared over her head and flew out, wrapping about Celestia’s Element. Before she could jerk it away, though, Celestia caught sight of it with wild, menacing eyes and snatched the rope with her hooves. The two locked eyes, and Trixie’s blood went cold.

Celestia screamed her fury. “For the last time, die!” She jerked the rope and sent Trixie flying with a magical pull.

Trixie flew over the princess, but even now she was aware of the spell that was about to strike Celestia. Her mind moving fast, the world moving slow, she reached out—

—and snatched the crown from Celestia’s head.

Then she flew out the window.

Trixie clutched the crown close as she fell. She looked up just in time to see a rainbow of colors erupt through the window, punctuated by a scream of rage. It was done. Celestia was saved – and with her, Equestria. Luna would be freed from her imprisonment and the world could begin its healing.

But that healing would have to come without Trixie.

She closed her teary eyes and prayed, knowing that she was about to die. She didn’t want to… but if Fine and Twilight could make that sacrifice, so could she. For Luna’s salvation, this was worth it.

If only she could have seen her pretty face one more time…

A powerful wind hit her and she tumbled through the sky. Her eyes went wide as the gale blew her about like a doll. It was not a natural wind, it couldn’t be. What was—?

Her world became blue as she hit liquid, her body stinging from the impact. She gasped and sucked down water. She scrambled at first, but her legs were too weak to fight, so she went still and let her body float to the surface.

She coughed up water as her head touched air. She fought to right herself, though it was extremely difficult under her condition. Something caught her by the mane and began to drag her through the water. She had a moment to look around and realized that, by some miracle, she’d landed in the pond of the Royal Gardens.

She felt her back touch solid ground and was soon being dragged onto the cool grass. Her savior released, and at last she was able to spot him as he walked by her. He was small, he was winged, and he was red.

Gulfstream.

The colt stared down at her with sharp eyes. “You alright? Didn’t drown or nothin’?”

Trixie tried to sit up, but her legs gave out and she dropped onto her back once again. She stared up at him with tears in her eyes. “Y-you… You saved my life.”

He glowered and waved a hoof. “Eeh, don’t get all sentimental about it.” He turned away, wings spreading.

“Wait!”

He paused and looked back with a sneer.

“F-Fine... Is he…?”

Gulfstream sucked in a deep breath as his eyes moistened. He jerked his head away from her and hesitated. It took him a few seconds to respond; when he did his voice was as cold as ice. “The only reason I saved you is because Uncle Fine would have wanted it. If we ever meet again, I swear I will make you pay for what you did.”

He flew away without another word.

Trixie stared up at the clouds, letting the moment of silence come over her. So Fine really was gone, and the others were simply acting on his plans. Such a devious pony. She closed her eyes and relaxed, whispering a silent thank you to a pony she’d once viewed with such revulsion.

The pain ebbed away. Her mind drifted to thoughts of Luna. Gradually, like the quiet of a long and terrible storm, sleep took her.

Of Dreams Old and New

View Online

Trixie’s waking was slow. Her body ached, and her leg wouldn’t move. Yet as she shifted in the darkness, she felt a curious and familiar thing: silk. It took a while for her to be awake enough to process this information. After some time and a little effort, she was finally able to open her eyes.

Dark silk sheets. A massive bed. A large room themed on the moon and stars.

Something was in the bed with her. She turned her head and gaped: a luscious sapphire coat, a sparkling cobalt mane. A head shifted, and she found herself gazing into heart-stopping cyan eyes.

Tears were streaming down Trixie’s cheeks before she could even register the emotions. Lips trembling, she reached a shaking hoof to touch Luna’s soft face.

“P-please… tell me this isn’t a dream. Tell me you’re really here.”

A wing folded over Trixie, and Luna wrapped her hooves about her with the most beautiful of smiles. “This isn’t a dream, and I’m really here.”

Trixie clutched her precious princess and buried her head in that blue chest. “You’re here. You’re really here! Oh, thank you!”

Luna nuzzled Trixie’s mane. “No, thank you. You are truly the most beautiful, wonderful mare in Equestria. You did it, Trixie. You actually did it.”

“I had to.” Trixie clutched at her precious princess as joy filled her soul. “I just had to.”

“Shhhh.” Luna kissed her lover on the forehead. “You’ve been through so much. Rest. Sleep. I promise I will be right here. No matter what happens, I will never leave you again. I swear it in the name of the Moon.”

Trixie snuggled tight against Luna, filled to bursting with a happiness she’d never known before.

When she next awoke, Trixie found herself surrounded by friends. Tinsel and balloons filled the room as they all cheered her waking. As promised, Luna was still at her side.

Trixie stared at them, and the happiness she felt at the sight was much more familiar than it once was. “You’re all here?” She eyed a balloon hovering just over Luna’s sleepy face. “Why all the party fare?”

Applejack rolled her eyes with a grin. “That would be Pinkie’s doin’, of course.”

“What?” Pinkie bounced in place. “Everypony’s celebrating! I thought we could have a quiet party, at least until you woke up. Then it could become a real pa—!”

Twilight pressed a hoof to Pinkie’s muzzle. “I think Trixie would rather have some peace and quiet. We can have a real party when she’s back on her hooves.”

“We all just wanted to make sure you were okay, dear.” Rarity set a hoof over her heart and breathed a relieved sigh. “It gave us a real fright when we saw you go flying out the window.”

“And when I found you by the pond, you just looked awful,” Fluttershy explained. “You really had us worried.”

“Nah, I knew she’d be fine.” Rainbow threw a smug grin to Trixie from over her bed. “You’re tough as nails! A little fall’s not gonna put you down.”

“It almost did.” Trixie blushed and rubbed the back of her head with a weak smile. “I really thought I was gonna die a few times.”

Twilight’s smile defied her haughty air and lecturing tone. “Well that’s what happens when you go off to fight a sun goddess on your own.”

“What happened?” Trixie’s eyes roamed to each of them. “Where did you go after Fine moved me away from you guys?”

“About what you might expect,” Rarity replied. “We fought the Order.”

“Y-yeah.” Rainbow averted her eyes with a blush. “They were a lot tougher than they looked.”

Applejack chuckled and cast a wry look up at Rainbow. “Some of us did better than others.”

Rainbow crossed her hooves and looked away with a huff. “He just caught me off guard, that’s all. I was not beaten by a foal!” Their laughter only made the red in her cheeks deepen.

“But then they just stopped fighting.” Fluttershy tilted her head with an uncertain frown. “It’s so confusing – they acted like they didn’t want to fight anymore.”

Applejack nodded. “It was real odd. Next thing we know, they’re leading us to the statue in the Gardens. Except that Octavia pony – she went off on her own.”

“Wait...” Trixie shot Pinkie a questioning look. “The statue was in the Royal Gardens? Seriously?”

Pinkie giggled. “See? Told ya.”

“We freed the other Celestia,” Twilight explained, “and she immediately flew off to the throne room. I guess you know the rest.”

“Not everything.” Trixie turned to Luna. “What happened to Celestia? Did I get the Element of Magic away in time?”

“You most certainly did.” Luna nuzzled Trixie’s cheek with a proud smile, the motion filling Trixie with a warm feeling. “Celestia is recovering, but she’s whole. The dark essence that ruled Equestria this past millennium is gone. You’re a hero, Trixie. My hero, might I add.”

Trixie blushed at the public display of affection. “W-well, I was pretty useless in the fight. They’re the ones who defeated Celestia.”

Rarity shook her head with a grin. “You’re too modest, darling. You really should stick to the confident Trixie, she’s much more becoming.”

“Ah guess.” Applejack nudged Rarity playfully. “So long as she doesn’t revert all the way back ta how she used ta be.”

Rainbow dropped to the floor and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I don’t think any of us were too fond of that Trixie. This one’s much better.”

Twilight shushed them with a raised eyebrow before turning her attention back to Trixie. “The point is, you kept Celestia busy while we went to the statue. You also got rid of the Element, letting us save her instead of killing her – an issue we knew nothing about until after the fact.”

Pinkie was bouncing again. “Not to mention nearly getting yourself killed while dueling a super amazing powerful sun goddess who got so freakishly mad she threw you out a window and nearly made you go kersplat!” She hit the floor on her belly for emphasis.

“Err, yeah.” Twilight giggled at the display. “That too.”

Trixie couldn’t resist a little laugh. “What about the Order of Shadows? What happened to them?”

Her friends all shared uncertain looks. Rainbow rubbed the back of her head and shrugged. “Well…”

It was Fluttershy who finally spoke up. “They’re gone.”

Rarity nodded, head low. “We haven’t seen mane or hoof of any of them since the fight.”

Luna sat up with a long yawn, catching everypony’s attention. “Do not let it bother you. It is in the Order’s nature to… how should I put it? Not exist? They are part of the Archons, after all.”

“But they helped us save Equestria.” Twilight frowned and set a contemplative hoof to her chin. “Though I have no idea why.”

The others nodded, Rarity adding, “Indeed, they should be recognized for what they did.”

Trixie thought on this for a few seconds. She tried to remember everything that she’d learned from Fine Crime in their last encounter – the thought of which left her with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. “I don’t think they’re doing it for recognition. Knowing what I now know, and with my recent experience with Fine Crime… I think in their eyes it’s a matter of responsibility.”

“Speakin' of Fine Crime,” Applejack said, “what happened between you two? One minute yer chargin’, then some smoke comes up an’ yer both gone.”

Trixie’s ears perked as she sat up to gape. “Y-you mean you don’t know?” They all offered blank stares. She looked to Luna, who shook her head. A deep pang hit Trixie in the chest; of all the things she’d done, that was perhaps the most painful.

“I… He…”

“Ah, who cares?” Rainbow flew high with a grin, catching their attention. “Nopony liked that guy, anyway. He’s probably celebrating with his Archon buddies, which is exactly what we should be doing!”

“Yeah!” Pinkie leapt up and tossed some balloons with a gleeful cry. “Let’s par—!” Her lips abruptly closed, covered in a purple aura.

Twilight giggled at the party pony’s pout and turned to the bed. “Trixie?”

Trixie smiled, though it was difficult. “I am happy you all came, really. I appreciate it far more than you know. But I’m not ready to celebrate, not yet. I’ve got some things to think about.” She reached out to touch Pinkie’s shoulder. “Sorry, Pinkie. I promise I’ll be on my hooves in no time. Then you can throw me as big a party as you want.”

Pinkie wiped the aura from her lips, flicking it off her hoof and into Twilight’s startled face. “In that case, it’s a deal! You better be ready, ’cause I’m gonna pull out all the stops for this one!”

Twilight shook her head to get rid of the aura that had been stuck to her muzzle, then grinned at Trixie. “We’ll all be there! C’mon, girls. Trixie probably would like a little time to rest.”

Trixie watched them leave, happiness swelling within her. To think those ponies had been her enemies not long ago. Now she couldn’t imagine where she’d be without them. Probably stuck in Tartarus, come to think of it.

A short time afterwards, a new visitor arrived: Nye. He went straight to Trixie’s side and embraced her. “You are astounding. I can’t thank you enough, Trix.”

Trixie chuckled. “You should thank the others, too. Equestria wouldn’t have been saved at all without them.”

Nye raised his head haughtily as he walked around to Luna’s side of the bed. “Buck Equestria! My princess is back, and that’s all I care about.” He nuzzled Luna, who returned the motion with a grin.

“But Equestria isn’t saved yet.” He stepped back, a frown forming on his lips. “The slum ponies are out of control, rioting and fighting amongst themselves. The Royal Guard’s got their hooves full keeping the situation contained, and other slums across Equestria are taking note. The nobles are terrified that there may be a full-scale, national revolt.”

Trixie’s ears drooped and she sank a little under her sheets. “Is it really that bad?”

Luna turned to touch horns with her. “Do not let this news trouble you, Trixie.”

“How can I not be troubled?” She sat up and pushed the princess away to look into her beautiful eyes. “I’m responsible for this. Ponies are suffering because of what we did to save you.”

Luna took on a regal air and shook her head. “Equestria is rife with corruption and discord. For this world to heal, great social changes will have to be made. These rebellions may be the seeds of a new Equestria, one built towards harmony and prosperity for all. Change must come, but it won’t be painless. Take it from one who measures time in centuries, Trixie: these are the inevitable signs of progress.”

Trixie didn’t feel comforted by those words, but she wanted to believe in them anyway. She scooted closer to Luna and tried to ignore the pain in her heart. “I guess…”

Nye coughed as he backed away with a red face. “W-well, I just wanted to thank you now that you’re awake, so I’ll just leave you two alone again! Thanks again, Trixie, and don’t let things get you down. Remember, you’re a hero!”

The door closed swiftly. Trixie raised her head to stare at it with a raised eyebrow. “What does he think we’re doing?”

Luna giggled and nibbled on Trixie’s ear, making the unicorn’s eyes widen and her cheeks burn. “We’ll get there. Just you wait, oh Savior of Princesses! The moment I don’t have to worry about that broken leg of yours…”

Trixie found herself sinking under the covers, mind numb and cheeks on fire. Luna could only laugh.

When Trixie next awoke, she found herself alone in the darkness. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, wondering where her princess had gone off to. Yet for once she wasn’t worried; her adventure was over. She knew Luna would be back in time. She eyed her leg, which was still set in a cast. She wanted to get up and walk around, but wasn't sure she should try.

She was suddenly aware of a presence. She glanced around, her heart skipping a beat; every time she felt that sensation, it always meant one thing. “F-Fine…?” She detected movement in the corner of her eye. She turned swiftly, hope rising in her.

The pony stepped into the light, regal and steady. At the sight of the familiar mare, Trixie wilted and scooted back. “Octavia…”

The Order pony nodded, her manner the definition of stern. “Hello, Trixie.”

A few mind-numbing seconds passed between them, Trixie fumbling in her mind for something to say. At last she leaned forward and blurted out, “I am so sorry! I didn’t want to, I-I wasn’t trying to—”

The Earth pony raised a silencing hoof, and Trixie clamped her jaw closed. She bowed her head and fought back tears, waiting for Octavia to say something. Anything.

Yet when Octavia spoke, there was no anger. “I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you.”

Trixie raised her head to gape. “Th-thank me?”

To her shock, the Archon smiled. “Yes, thank you. Without you none of this would have been possible.”

Trixie moved closer to the edge of the bed. “B-but… But I k-killed Fine! You’re his wife, you should be… I mean…”

Octavia shook her head, that pretty smile unchanged. “I knew his plan from the beginning. I accepted it long ago. To save Equestria, you had to end him. Celestia’s binding spell made that the only outcome. He was prepared to die, Trixie.”

Trixie gazed at the new widow, trying to process this reaction. She bowed her head once more, sorrow filling her. “I know he was, but that doesn’t change the fact. I thought you’d be… I don’t know. Furious. Or bitter. Maybe just sad. How can you be happy?”

“Don’t get me wrong.” Octavia lifted a hoof to stare as if it belonged to somepony else. “It hurts. It hurts a lot. You cannot comprehend how much he meant to me. The rest of the Order, too. He was like… like their patriarch.”

She set her hoof down and beamed at Trixie, eyes moist. “But this was his dream, Trixie. He devoted the past decade to this, searching as hard as he could for a way to save the princesses. If only you had known how excited he really was, how much hope he had in you. I wanted you to know that he wouldn’t want you to linger on what happened. I am proud of him for finally achieving his dream, and I am grateful to you for making it a reality.”

She bowed low, and Trixie’s jaw dropped. “From this day onward, should you ever need a favor you need only ask. If it is within my power, I will assist in whatever way I can. This is what I can offer for helping my husband.”

Trixie swallowed the lump in her throat and leaned back. Her ears lowered once more, and she felt the all-too-familiar burn of tears. “You… y-you don’t have to do that.”

Octavia raised her head and grinned, then turned to retrieve something from the darkness behind her. She flung her hoof out to toss Trixie’s hat. It landed softly next to her on the bed. “I think that belongs to you.”

Trixie picked it up, examining its pleasant design and the ever-glowing rim. She set it on her head with a sniff and tried to smile. “Th-thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” Octavia’s face grew serious. “One more thing, Trixie. Not all the ponies in the Order are as pleased with the outcome as I am. Some are… upset. Especially Gulfstream: Fine was like a father to him. I don’t think they’ll do anything, but you should take care not to give them a reason to.”

Trixie blinked, sobering quickly from her sadness. “But can’t you control them? You were Fine’s wife, so doesn’t that make you the head of the Order now?”

Octavia shook her head. “I am retiring from the Order. And the Archons. I promised Fine as much. Even if that weren’t the case, he named Fleur his heir a long time ago. She cared for him as much as I did, so I know she will honor his wishes, but she does not think highly of you. She’s not as forgiving as I am.”

Trixie sighed and bowed her head. “I understand. Thanks for the warning.”

“You’re welcome.”

Octavia turned away, but looked back to offer one last smile. “Do not worry, Trixie. Even if one or two members are upset, you have done the Archons a great service. They are always around, always watching. You’ve earned their respect… and if things go the way I believe they will, then you’ll soon have their protection, too.”

Trixie thought on this, but wasn’t certain she understood.

“What do you mea—” She looked up, but Octavia was gone.

Trixie gazed out the window, the morning sun just peering over the Canterlot cityscape. Smoke still rose from the feeder and vent tunnels throughout the city, suggesting that fires continued to burn in the slums. Were the riots ongoing, too? It had been two days since the final battle. How long could things keep up like this? She tried to take Luna’s words about the seeds of progress to heart, but it was difficult.

The door to Luna’s chambered opened, but Trixie didn’t look to see who it was. She merely sighed and kept up her vigilance at the window, wondering if she might find some way to make things right. Hoofsteps reached her ears as the visitor moved closer, and she raised her ears to indicate her awareness. The pony’s presence seemed large, so she knew it could only be Luna.

“Thinking on sacrifices made?”

Trixie’s eyes went wide: that wasn’t Luna. She turned about to find Princess Celestia sitting a few feet behind her. The princess’ head and ears were low, her eyes reflecting an unmistakable weariness. “There were a great many sacrifices, I know.”

“Princess.” Trixie bowed her head in respect. “I did not expect you to recover so quickly.”

“In body only, I assure you.” Celestia managed a weak smile. “That said, I am very pleased to finally, officially meet you, Trixie Lulamoon.”

Trixie paused, her ears lowering as she tilted her head. “But, you already—” She stopped herself, realizing the foolishness of what she had been close to saying.

Celestia nodded. “I remember everything she did, including your first time appearing in the throne room. However, the first time I met you was when you found me in the Everfree Forest, where I had been left in a state of wretchedness and loss for a millennia. She would visit me every fifty years or so, just to gloat.”

She leaned her head back to stare at the ceiling, though her eyes seemed to be gazing upon something else entirely. A tear fell down her pearly cheek. “You cannot comprehend the sheer joy I felt when you recognized me for what I really was. It was the first spark of hope I had felt since failing to defeat my corrupted half all those centuries ago.”

Trixie felt a strange sense of elation at those words, and offered a very warm smile. “I am happy to have been of service. I would do it all again if necessary.”

Celestia looked down at her and smiled, cheeks moist but eyes shining. “Miss Lulamoon, there are no words that may convey my gratitude. Equestria owes you its future. My sister and I owe you our very souls. Ask what you will of me, and it will be done.”

Trixie’s heart swelled with pride as Celestia bowed before her, tears beginning to form in her own eyes. “P-princess, please! That’s really not necessary.”

Celestia rose with a chuckle. “You friends said you had grown modest in your quest to save my sister. You need not be now. Come, surely there must be something I can do for you?”

Trixie considered, her eyes roaming the room for inspiration. What could she possibly ask for? Physical things were of no use to her. Fame and popularity were no longer factors in her happiness, and she had no intention of going back to the life she used to live. She turned to gaze out at the city below, her mind churning with possibilities.

Then she spotted the smoke. It reminded her of the slums… and then she thought of the tomb.

She turned to Celestia, heart heavy. “I would like Twilight… I mean, the one from the other time. I’d like a shrine built in her honor. I want everypony to know who she was and what she sacrificed for all of us. I can’t claim to know much, but I think the Equestria she knew was a happier one. Maybe this way the world can move a little faster to that place we all seek.”

Celestia stared with an awed expression, tears returning to her eyes. She abruptly looked away, a trembling hoof on her lips. “Y-yes… That is a good wish. After all she went through – after what my darker side put her through – she most certainly deserves the recognition. It will be done, Trixie, I promise. Yours is a request worthy of the Savior of Equestria.”

Trixie grinned, her chest light even as she sighed and averted her eyes. “Please don’t call me that.”

The princess giggled between her sniffs, a grin forming on her lips. “You are an inspiration, Trixie.” She turned her head to the doorway to call out, “Luna, it is time.”

Trixie’s ears perked up at the name... and the phrase. Time for what? After a couple seconds the doors opened once more and Luna entered in with a proud stride.

“You were waiting? What’s going on?”

“My sister and I have been discussing matters,” Luna explained with a grin. “We have formed a certain… agreement.”

The princesses beamed at Trixie, who stepped back against the window and felt her cheeks grow hot. “W-what kind of agreement?”

Celestia stood tall and beamed. “You have achieved great things for Equestria.”

“And for us, personally,” Luna added with pride.

“Our gratitude goes beyond mere favors,” Celestia pressed. “You have proven yourself in ways that humble us and all who have come to know you.”

Trixie wanted to melt into the floor: this was far too much praise for one pony! “Enough! I get it – you want to give me some reward. I think being with Luna is reward enough, though.”

Luna giggled and tilted her head. “Do you not have plans beyond that?”

Trixie considered this for a moment, tapping her chin. Plans? Her plans had changed so many times since this whole ‘quest’ had begun, and now she realized that she was entirely clueless. Now that her job was done, what else was she supposed to do with her life?

“I… I don’t know. I was so focused on saving you, I never really thought about what might come next.”

Celestia shared a wry smile with her sister. “Well, we have an idea you may just approve of.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow, not sure she liked the way that was said. “What idea might that be?”

Luna tilted her head and averted her eyes with a playful smile. “Oh, nothing all that special.” She leaned forward, head dropped to Trixie’s level and wicked glint in her eye. “You know, I remember when you fought Nightmare Moon in the dream world. Wings look rather… fetching on you.”

Trixie’s eyes went wide as comprehension dawned on her. She reared back to wave her hooves. “Whoa, whoa, hold on! Are you suggesting I become an… an ali… alic—”

“Actually,” Celestia interrupted with a giggle, “we were going to say princess. But yes, alicorn is also accurate.”

“I can’t!”

Trixie turned to gaze at the city below, alarm and fear mixing within her. “I don’t know a thing about ruling! All I’ve done all this time is fight. I’m not a leader. You want somepony else. W-what about Twilight? The one from the other world was an alicorn, wasn’t she? M-maybe this world’s Twilight was meant to be one, too.”

Celestia shook her head, that pleased grin still set on her lips. “You did more than just fight, Trixie.”

Luna stepped close and set a hoof to Trixie’s shoulder. “The Element Bearers would have never discovered their own gifts if you had not first revealed those gifts. You could not have done that if you did not already have the qualities within you.”

Trixie turned to her, mind frantic. “I was just doing what I had to. You don’t want me as a co-ruler, Luna, really! Don’t you remember? I’m arrogant and… and self-centered. I rush into things, and I don’t think anything through. S-surely there’s somepony more qualified! I didn’t even know what I was doing when I helped the others. I just did what came naturally!”

Celestia nodded, her face the epitome of pride. “Precisely. Compassion, integrity, confidence, tolerance, devotion, leadership. You displayed all the best qualities of ponykind without any guidance at all, because they are part of who you are. That, Trixie, is a sure sign of your worthiness.”

Trixie opened her mouth to object, but her words were stifled by Luna’s hoof. She looked to her lover with big eyes as the princess spoke, “Your flaws do not make you any less qualified. Look at my sister and me; we have been literally battling our own demons for a millennia, and could not come close to winning without the help of a mere showpony. Are we any more worthy to rule?”

Luna’s eyes were moist as she knelt down to nuzzle Trixie’s shoulder. “What you have done humbles us. Having you at our side would do us far more honor that you might feel you were receiving.”

Trixie accepted the motion, enjoying the now-familiar warmth it gave her, but then pushed Luna away to look her in the eyes. “B-but what if I mess up?” She turned to Celestia. “What if I do the wrong thing, or make the wrong decisions?”

Celestia gestured to herself and her sister. “That is why we are here with you. We will rule together, Trixie, and we will all guide one another through the future. Ask us for help, use our insight. I assure you, we will be seeking yours.”

Trixie sat, moving carefully with her cast, and blew out a long, calming breath. She tried to think as clearly and rationally as she could. She wasn’t certain she wanted this kind of responsibility, but if they were both so insistent…

“Do… Do you really think I have what it takes to be a princess?”

Celestia nodded. “There is not a shred of doubt in either of our minds.”

Luna sat and nudged Trixie’s shoulder to catch her attention. “We know it is a big decision, and it is entirely up to you. We will respect your choice either way.”

She leaned down to nuzzle Trixie and whispered directly into her ear. “But, if you want a little motivation, remember that alicorns are a very long-lived pony race. Becoming one yourself would give the two of us much more… time to ourselves.” She punctuated the sentence by blowing into Trixie’s ear, which made her body shiver and her face burn.

Trixie stepped back, shook herself and stared at Luna for several seconds. Her gaze went to Celestia, then back to Luna. Her mind went rampant with the ideas that had suddenly been thrust into her head.

“W-well… When you put it that way…”

The sisters laughed in unison.

The sun peered brightly through the clouds. Trixie glowered at it, having long grown accustomed to the cool shadows of the night. But if she was to do what she wanted, she had to come during the day, so she did her best to ignore the glare. She walked up the steps, adjusted her cape and hat and knocked on the door. She had to wait for some time, and knocked twice more before there was an answer.

Amethyst stood at the door, eyelids lowering at the sight of her former friend. “You again.”

Trixie didn’t hesitate or avert her eyes. She met that gaze firmly, ready for whatever might come. “Can we talk?”

Amethyst raised an eyebrow. “You tried that once already. Go mooch off somepony else.” She started to close the door, but it shined magenta and swung open against her will.

Trixie stepped well within the doorframe and locked Amethyst with a firm look. “Let me speak, Ammy. If you don’t like what I have to say then you’ll never have to face me again, but let me speak.”

Amethyst’s eyebrows rose in surprise and she took a step back. “You grew a backbone.”

“I’ll be growing something else this time next week.” Trixie entered the room and closed the door with her magic.

Her old friend let her head flop back on her shoulders and rolled her eyes. “Alright, Trix, what do ya want? Make it quick and don’t ask for any bits, ’cause I won’t give ’em.”

A wry grin came upon Trixie’s lips, a chuckle escaping her throat. “Here.”

Her horn shined and a large bag poofed into existence in the air between them. It floated over to Amethyst, who eyed it as if it might contain a bomb. “What’s this?”

It was Trixie’s turn to roll her eyes. “Just open it, Ammy.”

Amethyst glowered, but used her magic to take the bag and lower it carefully to the floor. She sat and pushed it open, and her eyes grew wide: it was filled to the brim with bits.

“Wha…? Where did you…?”

Trixie smirked. “That’s for all the rent that I never paid.”

Amethyst stared at her old friend, lips moving soundlessly and legs hanging limp at her sides. “Y-you… Trix… What did you do to… to…”

“And this—” Trixie embraced the dumbstruck pony, “—is for everything else.”

Amethyst said nothing for nearly a minute, stunned speechless. At last she regained some sense of control, pushing Trixie back to look at her directly. “I don’t understand.”

“Well I do.” Trixie offered a soft smile. “It took me a while, but I figured it out. All the bad things you said, the way you pushed me, even when you finally booted me from this place for good. You were right to be frustrated, Ammy; I was pretty pathetic.”

She stepped back and sat, basking in her old friend’s confusion. “But I figured it out. You were trying to make me move on in the only way you knew how. You really were a good friend, even when I was the worst. So thank you, Ammy. Thank you for tolerating me for so long. I won’t be needing it anymore.”

Amethyst gazed at her for some time. Trixie could almost see the cogs turning in her head. At last Amethyst leaned back to ask, “What in Equestria happened to you?”

Trixie grinned. “I met a princess and made some new friends. I got a life, just as you suggested. I took charge of my future, and soon I’ll be taking on more responsibility than you can imagine. You’ll hear about it soon, I promise.”

Amethyst considered her words, eyes darting about the room as if she were not sure what to look for. She sat and scratched the back of her head. “Trix… I’m not sure I can really believe this.”

“I know.” Trixie bowed her head in contemplation. “It’s all so different from what we’re used to. But you’ll see soon enough that I’m not chasing after dreams anymore. That’s all I really wanted to say.”

She turned away and made for the door. “Thank you for being there for me, Ammy. More importantly, thank you for not being there when I was at my most desperate. It was one of those things that really needed to happen.”

Amethyst tilted her head, lips fumbling about once more. “I... umm… You’re welcome?”

Trixie shot her one last wry grin. “Oh, and I have one more thing for you. You can thank me when you come to the castle.”

Amethyst sagged and let out a frustrated growl. “At some point you’re gonna start making sense. What the buck are you talki—”

The door opened and Amethyst’s words caught in her throat: there, leaning against the doorframe with a smug expression, was Rainbow Dash. “I hear there’s a big fan living here.”

Trixie walked out the door, grinning from ear to ear as a squeal of delight erupted from the house. The door closed as she left the steps and waved towards the street corner. A dark sapphire chariot rumbled towards her, and when it stopped Luna gave her a knowing wink.

“How did it go?”

“Wonderfully.” Trixie boarded and waved to the pegasus team. They lifted off into the skies above Hoofington. “Thanks for letting me borrow the chariot for this, Luna. It means a lot to me.”

“I know it does.” Luna nuzzled Trixie’s cheek playfully. “You will have to wait until after the transformation, but worry not; you will have a carriage of your own by your inauguration. You did invite her, yes?”

“I dropped a hint,” Trixie replied, taking a moment to lean against her lover. “We’ll see if she takes to it. I wonder if she’ll go back to being the Royal Jeweler?”

Luna shrugged, wrapping a wing about Trixie. “Time will tell, I suppose.”

“Time.” Trixie leaned back in the carriage and relaxed, snuggling close to her most precious princess. “That’s something we’ve got plenty of.”

The carriage disappeared amongst the clouds. To the ponies in the peaceful town below, it might have existed only in a dream.

Author's Notes:

If this were a movie... here's what would play over the credits.
Just imagine Luna singing this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24AeQ6HBclk

And that's it, we're done!

I always have mixed feelings about my endings. I never feel like they're...right. People tell me otherwise all the time, but it's rare that I write an ending that I consider completely satisfactory. In this instance, I question whether Luna's calm, gentle return was the best approach. I also ponder on whether I could have done anything else with Celestia's moment with Trixie. Even so, I think this is at least better than my usual conclusions.

There's a lot of room left over to expand the world of Trixie vs. Equestria, and as I was writing I intentionally seeded things that could lead to more stories. Before posting this final chapter I went to my user page and updated my "Future Stories" list with three new concepts, all set around expanding this universe (I would have put them up earlier, but spoilers). It may be a while before I get to any of them, as I have an original story to write and I need to focus on Lightning's Bolt, but in time.

This has been just as entertaining a story for me as it was for everyone else, and I'm rather proud of it (which is unusual for me). Once my editor and I approve of a final copy I'll resubmit it to EQD, because I think it's worth the attention.

Story Stats:
Final Word Count (pre-edit): 145,822
Chapters: 26
Total time: 5 months
Word average: 29,000 per month

A few shout-outs:
Mooncalf
RTStephens
Mercgilado
That_one_guy

Your continuous commenting and feedback has been very much appreciated. I wish there were more frequent (and helpful) commenters like you guys out there. So thanks! It's been a pleasure bantering with you.