Prologue: Just A Story

Ponyville - The Summer Wrap-Up Festival

“I hope you’re all ready for The Great and Powerful Trixie, and her traveling magic puppet show!”

Trixie was not a ventriloquist by any means, but she was well skilled in all manors of magical entertainment. The isolation of the open road rewarded her with many opportunities to rehearse and evolve her on-stage act, and after consulting with herself a great many times she eventually decided to add some puppetry to the mix. Variety was always important in order to keep the show from growing stale.

“Witness a tale of danger and valor! The day an Ursa Mi- Major!” she slipped, but managed to recover, continuing as if she had made no mistake at all. “Invaded your humble home of Ponyville!”

Trixie couldn’t prevent her eye twitch as she said the dreaded name. Her last two visits to the backwater town did not leave her with the most pleasant of memories. That, and she accepted the fact that she hadn’t left the best impression of herself either. She was quite thankful though that at least some, but not all, of the town's residents were willing to look past her prior endeavours of deceit and discord, assuming she kept up a positive appearance this time of course.

The Magician manipulated her hoof-made puppets, which were engulfed in the blazing magenta glow of her magic. They bounced around the stage like a dance, harmonious in their movements. The fillies and colts whose eyes were lingering upon her were entranced with wonder; there was even a large red earth pony and his foals sat amongst the relatively youthful crowd. All were sat enjoying her show. It was noticeble to Trixie however that some were obviously more in awe than others, specifically two unicorn colts Trixie ensured she didn’t make eye contact with, for reasons she did not feel like dwelling upon at that moment.

With a slight grunt, Trixie swung the wooden Ursa Major, though the prop was in actuality modelled after an Ursa Minor, into the brightly painted, hoof-crafted buildings and the occasional miniature Ponyville citizen she had went to so much trouble of recreating. Her hoof-stitched backdrop that displayed a nightly illustration of the Ponyville mountain range swayed in the occasional flutter of the late summer wind, basking in the shade of her purple tent that loomed behind and above her stage.

“It stomped and growled, tearing apart buildings! Homes! Even the most fortuitous of ponies fell down to its might!” Trixie boomed from the stage in as menacing a voice as she could muster, causing the children to recoil in fright. Trixie would admit to herself later that telling the story of the creature that had ruined her in the very town it had occurred probably wasn’t the best idea for an act, especially when she was letting herself become too engaged in her own story. She proceeded with the performance however, if somewhat reluctantly.

Trixie tightened her grip on the miniature pony figurines, focusing on one in particular. “But one brave pony stepped forward, willing to do all that she could in the face of such overwhelming odds, and that pony's name was-”, Trixie hesitated, glancing at the miniature purple mare she had spent many nights recreating to the finest detail, and then to a recently constructed model of herself, adorned in a tiny replica of her own hat and cape. So small, and so fragile.

“Her name was…”

She noticed immediately the minute changes in her youthful audiences expressions. She noticed how their wide eyed wonder shifted to confusion, and in the case of the big red stallion, contemplation. Trixie knew full well that she couldn't keep stalling for any longer, otherwise she would run the risk of losing their attention for good. Trixie forced herself to continue speaking, and just could not help but shout out her next words in a fury.

“Her name was… TRIXIE!”

'No it wasn't.'

Trixie threw the purple replica of the librarian aside in an instant and, without delay, she gripped the doll of herself firmly in her magic once more, holding it as high as she could for her young audience to see. The wondrous looks returned to their smiling faces in passionate joy, whereas Trixie could not hide a frown of disappointment; specifically disappointment in herself for caving to her selfish desires so easily.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie would not stand by as citizens were terrified by the monsters in the night! She stood firm against the dreaded Ursa Major!” Her grip on the models of the Ponyville citizens slackened, each hitting the ground with dull thuds as she focused all her magic on the Ursa, allowing its movements to become more animated, as if it was moving by instinct and not by the strings that held it.

Trixie focused on the story, refusing to pause, even though she wanted to. “She stared the monster down, even though she had lost her home to its rampage. She stood… alone."

With a small sigh, Trixie turned her gaze away from the audience, defying one of the most important pieces of performance advice she had ever learned, and instead directed her glare towards the toy Ursa, as if it was the very same one that had tormented her in her nightmares for so many moons.

“Trixie knew that she could've ran," she began sombrely, reminiscing on the actual event so long ago, replaying it over in her mind like a broken record. “Nopony would have known, nopony would have cared." Trixie's glare towards the taunting sky glazed over, her youth filled audience were hanging on every word she said. Taking a deep breath, Trixie allowed a false smile to adorn her face as she turned back to the crowd with a flick of her cape.

“But… she didn’t!” Trixie burst out enthusiastically, with as truthful a tone as she could muster, done to convince herself just as much as the audience. “Trixie used the incredible might of her magic to force the Ursa away!” she assured, knocking the wooden creature aside with her hoof to emphasise. Her teeth involuntarily grinding together as she did so. She snarled out her final words.

“And with that, The Great and Powerful Trixie saves the day!”

'Note to self, no more puppet shows.'

Her story was enough for the children however, who had marvelled in her manipulation of the puppets, if not in the story itself. The red stallion still looked confused however, but the applause of the children was enough for Trixie. She gave a low bow, feeling a shiver run along her back as she took in the small crowd's cheers.

She savoured every moment, as it was a better reaction than most of her performances received these days.

Trixie had however fully intended to tell the story as it had truly happened, if only play up her part a little bit more than it had occurred in reality; Trixie had after all attempted to fight the Ursa herself with her own assortment of spells, but unfortunately effort means nothing if you don’t succeed, that was the philosophy most ponies seemed to abide by these days.

"Now then." Trixie began, unceremoniously dumping her puppets aside, much to the amusement of the crowd even though it was done out of Trixie's own frustration and was not a part of the act. She grasped a sharp saw from her magic props kit at the side of her stage, deciding to move along with the performance, hoping to distract herself from what she considered to be a very poor opener to the show.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie needs a volunteer from the audience!”

“Is this your card?”

The lilac filly's excited nod assured Trixie that she had performed the trick correctly this time, it was far too likely to pick out the wrong card after throwing the deck into the air. Unfortunately for Trixie however, her crowd had dwindled significantly since the beginning of the performance, missing what she considered to be a very impressive trick. Most of the ponies that had been previously enjoying her had headed off to get early seats to the soon to begin summer wrap-up parade, in attendance by the Two Sisters no less.

After patting the filly on the head, Trixie sent her down off of the stage, where she returned to her laughing friends. With the finale coming up, Trixie began to prep her fireworks, her horn light obscured by her pointed hat. She closed her eyes in concentration; after all, the finale is the last thing her audience would remember, so it better be the best part of all the performance to leave the lasting impression that was so desired.

“It is unfortunate, but our time has now come to an end. But take pleasure! As you will always remember this as the day that you gazed upon The Great and… Powerful…”.

Trixie couldn’t bring herself to finish. The fillies and colts that had basked in her presence seconds ago had now turned away as if she wasn’t even there. Jumping and scrambling onto the backs of their parents, others huddling alongside them as they trotted nonchalantly away.

No applause. No cheering. Just momentary excitement, forgotten in an instant.

Trixie stared for several moments longer, before deflating with a tired and defeated sigh. She couldn’t say that she did not expect this kind of reaction. A one mare stand at your local summer wrap-up festival meant nothing to these ponies, only how long you could keep them entertained; how long you could distract them from all of the other ponies trying to grab their attention. Trixie could practically hear their thoughts. 'Oh your show's done, okay where to next?'

Trixie's teeth gnawed together in a fit of contained but welling anger. She had spent weeks prepping; signing paperwork that ensured her a place in the festival, purchasing and constructing her performance equipment, many sleepless nights traveling just to make sure that she would arrive on time.

And they didn’t even applaud.

Trixie shook in a spasm of rage. Her fallen stack of cards flew together in an impressive display of co-ordinated magic, reforming into a neat deck before being placed aside with the rest of her used props. She placed her pointed purple hat on a wooden stand at the edge of her stage, with her similarly stared cape soon following.

She hadn’t even had the chance to pass the hat around.

Trixie couldn’t take it. She pushed past the backdrop into her wagon, which was deliberately concealed beneath her looming tent. She sulked across the ruggedly carpeted floor, and sat down at her desk. Wrapping her forelegs around her head as she rested it on the table.

Her mane matted up against the mirror in front of her, the heat from the outside and her continued use of magic during her show left her with a dull ache in her horn. She peeked her eyes out from under her legs, staring at her reflection as her eyes shined off of the mirror, with Trixie refusing to believe was from the result of tears.

'You could’ve been Great and Powerful. You should’ve been Great and Powerful. Instead you’re just… a distraction for foals!'

Trixie rose so quickly that her chair almost toppled over, and wordlessly began to return her props to the inside of her caravan. Her preparations were swift; she unfastened and neatly folded her large purple tent into a locker placed on the back of her wagon, and folded her stage back up and bolted it shut to return her caravan to its proper shape, all before finally taking her place at the front end of her home. She was ready to begin another arduous journey into uncertainty.

Trixie refused to look back as her magic engulfed the wheels, turning them all simultaneously, prompting her wagon to roll away from the festival she had worked so hard to secure herself a place at. The local residents and attendees rushed out of the way as Trixie refused to slow down on the bumpy path away from the civilisation.

As Trixie neared the top of a nearby hill out of Ponyville, she spotted several fireworks go off, amateurishly she would admit, but it was enough to cause her to look back one last time. She saw the crowds, heard the noise, the laughter, and the music. She could even see Daring Do! Or at least a giant balloon version of her, floating along in the parade her audience had abandoned her so suddenly to witness.

Her gaze then fell upon a second balloon following on behind Daring Do, gracefully traveling its way through the air. Daring Do was a household name, but she couldn’t say that she had seen the figure that the other balloon was based on before; its mix of different shades of purple, its enormous hat, and the way it's blank but piercing eyes seemed to almost be staring right back at her was captivating to say the least.

“Who’s that supposed to be?” Trixie wondered, before ultimately deciding that she didn’t really care. Ponyville had been yet another entry in a long line of disappointments, and she just wanted to be on her way before nightfall. That, and she had decided to avoid the insistent purple mare who wished to speak with her, having sent her letter after letter upon discovering that she would be present at the festival. Apparently she was responsible for organising it.

The thought of her just urged Trixie to get moving get moving quicker. She ignited her horn and her cart rumbled away. The librarian, and the masked monstrosity behind her floating away into her thoughts, like the hot air they were both filled with.

Chapter 1: Days Gone By

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Fillydelphia Forest - 4 Months Later

The bumping of the wheels and the constant shifting of weight was almost unbearable. Trixie was forced to effectively drag her decrepit caravan through the undergrowth using a yoke, because try as she might her magical manipulation of the wheels just wasn’t getting the job done.

Her journey had taken her from Hollow Shades right through the Foal Mountain, which laid between her and her destination of Fillydelphia. It had been nothing short of hellish; the terrain was uneven, the weather was getting colder every day as winter neared ever closer, she had run short on supplies, and there wasn’t a soul to be found the entire length of the trip.

The latter had been the worst part.

Life on the road was lonely. Trixie had discovered and accepted that many years ago. Rather than let it get to her she decided to make the most of it, be her own mare without having to aspire to the expectations and values of others.

But inevitably it does get to her.

Trixie was made to be in front of others. That was literally what she was destined for, assuming she had interpreted her cutie mark correctly. Isolation could only be enjoyed for so long before it became torture.

Trixie was thankful however that her torture was now over. The cloudy but still very bright sun-lit sky became exposed from behind the canopy of thick branches that had shielded it. The rushing winds of winter hit her full force as she exposed herself as well, dragging her home all the way. She stopped short of a steep, but still very climbable grassy ridge, which fortunately for her shielded some of the unrelenting breeze. Trixie decided to unhook herself from the heavy cart in order to get a closer look, wanting to see just how much ground she had left to cover.

After mounting her home on its stands to prevent it rolling away, she turned towards the ridge and began to climb, carefully and firmly to prevent an accident. Upon reaching the top, Trixie gave a gleeful sigh, relieved she could say that her trek was over, at least for now.

Fillydelphia wasn’t exactly a marvel to behold like the Canterlot spire still visible in the distance; it was simply an average urban city not unlike Manehatten, though admittedly it had a degraded feel to it. She could practically see the smog in the air, a sight and smell she was familiar with, and even longed for to an extent. The water in the sea along the coastline appeared as grey on account of the reflections of the gloomy clouds, which had the added affect of making the tall skyscrapers that littered the city appear as if they were made of stone rather than glass. It may not have looked like, or even be anyplace special, but right now to Trixie it represented salvation, and for the time being; home.

'Assuming news of Ponyville hasn’t spread this far,' she thought grimly. A popular gossip column that had originated in Ponyville did not do her reputation any favours, which is why Trixie decreed to herself that if she ever came across the one called 'Gabby Gums' she would inflict unsavoury, and admittedly completely disproportionate punishment upon her.

But the line between disproportionate and deserved had blurred as of late.

Biting her lip in annoyance at her thoughts, Trixie proceeded to get a move on. She had errands to run and quite frankly wanted to get a good night’s sleep for once… or at least attempt to. It was just the little things she needed to acquire, which would involve venturing into the city itself. Food, water, scouting out a venue, and most important of all, finding out what had happened in the world since she had been isolated in the middle of nowhere.

They didn't exactly sell newspapers in mountain caves.

Trixie retreated into the interior of her trailer, concealed by the surrounding tree barks and undergrowth shrubbery. It would only get colder as the day went on so she donned one of her less conspicuous garments, a simple dark cloak with a hood, the very same one she wore when she had acquired the Alicorn Amulet.

Trixie shook at the memory which had contributed so much to her nightmares, not wanting the thoughts to pester her more than they already had. It wasn't due to her actions while wearing it, her regret for doing so, or even what other ponies thought of her because of it. It's the fact that while she had worn the Amulet.

She enjoyed it.

It was power, and it was hers.

It was also the reason why she could barely look herself in the mirror anymore, why she couldn't face the Princess's student that day at the festival, even though she had already forgiven her. Trixie had yet to forgive herself, and didn't know if she could.

Taking a deep breath, something she noticed she seemed to be doing a lot of these days, Trixie exited her home and sealed it tight with her magic. Just because she wished to be a better pony didn't mean she couldn't take precautions against those who didn't share in her perspectives.

Fillydelphia was undeniably a mess of a city, but not in the way Trixie expected. Colorful decorations of tinsel and false snow were being piled up in certain places, at first Trixie thought she might have missed Hearth's Warming Eve, a prime time for street performances. But upon looking further, she could see evidence of the recent removal of Nightmare Night decorations, signalling the end of the holiday in preparation for the next one, and creating quite the mess while doing so.

"Darn," she seethed out. Nightmare Night was always an excellent opportunity for a show, but she had evidently missed it whilst on the road from Hollow Shades. 'Hearth's Warming it will have to be,' Trixie begrudgingly decided. She was discouraged however upon realising she would have to ration a lot in the coming weeks, as she wouldn't have the finances to support herself effectivly. She also grew worried due to the fact that her potential to perform was a gamble also. 'That's assuming they don't run me out,' she thought fearfully. The risk of being recognised for her pardoned crimes was a constant one, the good word of the Element of Magic just wasn't enough for some ponies. Not that they weren't justified in their negative responses she reasoned.

Trixie trotted down the paved roads, her face held low so she could conceal it in the shadow of her hood. She wandered passed multiple couples huddled together and fillies and colts perched on their guardians backs, all excited for the coming celebrations of the holiday. Everypony was so absorbed in whatever they were doing that Trixie just waltzed through them without getting so much as a second glance, a necessity she accepted, but something that irked her also.

Trixie was made for the spotlight. She wished to be adored, to be marvelled at for her skills. Ever since she was stripped of everything she had been working her way back up once again. She had admittedly never been that successful, but she still used to have more than she ever did now.

'Past Trixie deserved it, Present Trixie just wants to get on with her life.'

Turning a corner, the magician approached a local food stand, noticing it to be located in an outdoor market, comprised of several run-down stands with different vendors all attempting to sell their wares. It certainly pleased Trixie, as a place like this was good for buying in bulk at a reasonable price, so without stalling, Trixie approached a pony for the first time in weeks, a forced smile etching itself out upon her muzzle as she tapped her hoof upon the wood of an apple stand.

"Excuse me, Sir?" she announced, her voice inviting. A burly golden stallion with a mint coloured mane turned to face Trixie from behind the table he was positioned a. His cutie mark displayed a dozen apples resting within a wooden bucket and he held a stoic but friendly look on his face, greeting Trixie with a welcoming smile. Trixie almost thought he looked familiar for a moment but couldn't place her hoof on it.

Noticing the stallion's patient look, Trixie realised that he was waiting for her to speak. "Oh! A dozen of your finest apples, please," she answered to his silent question of what she wanted. Instead of him responding to her however, she instead became momentarily startled by an orange-shaded mare bursting out from under the stall, bag of fruit in hand. Trixie was adamant that she wasn't there before.

"Well thank you kindly, Miss! First Apple family customer of the day!" The also minty-maned mare announced, though hers had a noticeable white streak running through it. She was seemingly vibrating with glee. The burly pony just rolled his eyes at the display, before turning around to unload more carts of produce.

Trixie reached for the bag. "Apple?" Trixie froze with fright. The Apples were one of the most tightly knit clans in Equestria, they would move mountains for each other, everypony knew that, and she was all too aware of the fact that they had residents in Ponyville. Trixie did nothing except stand in anticipation for the inevitable moment she was recognised and probably attacked.

"Darn right we're Apples! Speaking of which, here's yours!" the Apple mare gleefully replied, hurling the sack of apples at Trixie who instinctively caught it with her magic, a reflex she had developed from her knife throwing days.

The mare nodded to Trixie. "Y'all come back now," proclaimed the energetic mare, before retreating into the back of the stall to continue with whatever it was she was doing before. Her stallion companion simply nodded to Trixie also before continuing with his own work.

Trixie brow furrowed in confusion, and then finally in realisation. They hadn't recognised her, heck they were even being friendly to her! "Yes, er... thank you." Trixie for the first time in a long time gave a genuine smile before turning away, an orange hoof waving from beneath the stall as she went. She continued at a brisk pace past many other stalls, retrieving her bag of bits from beneath her cloak as she-

'You idiot, Trixie!' she screamed in her head. She hadn't paid for the apples, they had been so welcoming and she didn't even get her bits out for them! Trixie turned so fast it was a blur to anypony watching and sprinted back to the apple stand, the stoic stallion from before continuing with his work unassumingly.

"Uh excuse me, Ms. Apple?" Trixie began meekly, peering over the stand. An abundance of negative outcomes to the encounter rushing through her mind.

The youthful mare in question shot up again, the welcoming smile returning to her face. "Please, Ms. Apple is mah mother. Name's, Apple Leaves! This here's mah brother, Bushel." The stallion responded by once again nodding. Apple Leaves turned her attention back to Trixie, head tilted in questioning. "Som'thin' else y'all need? We got sum juicy Apple pies if you're lookin!"

The mare's enthusiasm did not quell Trixie's evolving unease, she decided to simply get this conversation over and done with as quickly as possible. She floated her bag of bits in front of Apple Leaves' face, a pleading look in her eyes. "I'm sorry, but I never paid for the apples, I was just... sorry," she finished dejectedly, accepting whatever was about to happen to her.

She didn't expect for the orange mare to gasp, in a tone Trixie easily identified as surprise mixed with... joy? She looked up to see the stallion, now identified as Bushel, giving Apple Leaves an unamused look, who returned it with a sheepish smile and an awkward laugh. Leaves turned back to Trixie looking as grateful as can be, much to Trixie's bemusement. "Thank you so much. I'm kinda new at this, don't really do a lot a selling. It's... not the first time ah forgot to pick up the money."

Her tone was enough to make Trixie forget her own apprehensions, scoffing in response. "Nonsense! I, as the customer, am just as responsible, if not more so," she proclaimed, if with a little too much pride.

Apple Leaves couldn't help but chuckle at the display, wordlessly deciding that she liked this mystery mare. "Tell ya what, how 'bout we forget about our mistakes and start over. Hey, I'm Apple Leaves, apple farmer." She held out a hoof in a mock greeting, which Trixie decided to return, bumping their hooves together. Her cutie mark was also visible now, a red apple with an abundance of leaves protruding from the bottom. Appropriate.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie, magical extraordinaire," she responded, a smirk quickly growing on her face, before it promptly dropped in terror once again. They may not have recognised her appearance, but her name might jog some buried memories.

"Trixie eh? Well, nice to meet ya, Trixie. Ain't seen you around before, you from Filly'?" Leaves asked with genuine curiosity, causing Trixie to non-visibly exhale at not being identified.

"No I'm... just passing through," Trixie replied, noticing that she sounded far more disappointed than she intended to.

Leaves clicked her lips in disappointment. "Darn shame, Fillys' great this time of year, a real hoot! Still, we all got places to go, friends to greet, and families to be-" Trixie involuntarily reared back, much to Leaves' initial confusion then horror, realising the implications of what she said. She fumbled out a response, "Oh I'm so sorry! I wasn't thinking. Ah, ah didn't mean to-"

"It's alright," Trixie calmly replied. Much too calmly for Leaves' taste. "No harm done."

Apple Leaves banged her head with her hoof. "Ah... Just don't think sometimes," she sombrely replied, her gaze failing to meet Trixie's. The illusionist's silence prompted Leaves to raise her head again however, fearing the worst. Instead she was met with a reassuring grin, one that seemed to say 'Don't we all?' It significantly improved her mood.

"How much for the apples?" Trixie said, remembering the reason she came back to the stand in the first place, and wishing to change the subject.

Leaves' giddiness seemed to return, eager to move away from the sensitive topic she had unwittingly brought up. "Right that will be uh... six bits!"

"Three bits," a deep voice announced.

Apple Leaves turned towards her brother, who had just spoken. Trixie just stared at the large earth pony in shock, a small smile adorning his otherwise stoic face. "Three bits, for a dozen apples?"

"Eeyup."

"But that's... ludicrous! Why do want me to pay less?" Trixie asked with genuine confusion, both at the price reduction, but also towards why she was complaining at all.

Bushel kept his warm grin, which Apple Leaves also adopted, apparently in understanding. "You could've taken advantage of mah sister's mistake, instead you came back to pay your dues. If there's one thing Apples value next to family, it's honesty, and you ma'am are an honest mare."

'I am?'

"You sure?" she asked, both to him, and unknowingly to herself.

"We won't take no for an answer."

Trixie couldn't believe it. Rewarded for a common curtesy? Why? She either came back to pay, or she was a thief. Why reward somepony for doing what should be done?

Whatever the reason Trixie didn't decide to question the pair further. She levitated the agreed upon three bits out of the sack that housed them, into the waiting hooves of Apple Leaves. "Much appreciated, Trixie. Hey how long you in Filly' for again?" replied the ever joy-filled mare, again to Trixie's initial confusion. After the transaction was complete, she had no reason to stay, and yet she didn't leave, almost like she wanted the conversation to continue.

"Well..." Trixie began but couldn't continue. Honestly she didn't know how long she would stay in Fillydelphia. 'For Hearth's Warming Eve at least but after that...'.

"You know what," the illusionist began, her showmareship taking over as she puffed out her chest. "I think I'll be around for the foreseeable future, Filly' does seem like a nice place this time of year."

"Yee-haw!" Leaves bucked the air, surprising Trixie yet again, she steadied herself before continuing, her grin never faltering. "That's good ta hear Trixie. You ever need anything, just head on down to the family farm, it's out of the city, just east of the mountain, ya can't miss it!"

Trixie had to chuckle, the green-maned mare's attitude was infectious. "Trixie may just take you up on that offer," she happily replied whilst turning away, lowering her hood as she did so, convinced she wouldn't need it for the duration of her trip.

"See ya around, Trixie! Ah mean it!" Leaves yelled as Trixie walked away, waving enthusiastically.

Her mood greatly improved, Trixie strutted through the market with purpose. Her hesitations replaced with anticipation at what the rest of the city would offer her.

"Quite an impressive haul today, Trixie."

The light had dropped significantly during Trixie's outing, Luna's moon was visible across the sea, with the sunset being concealed behind the mountain, leading to a purple glow throughout the sky, reflecting off the water in a serene beauty Trixie paused to appreciate.

She felt rejuvenated. Her trek through the bustling, but still warm city, and her encounters with its welcoming locals did wonders for her mood. After a certain point she had forgotten about her fears of being recognised, and waltzed through the streets adamant that nothing would ruin her day.

And as much as she thought she would jinx it. It was true. Nothing did spoil her day.

She had returned to her mobile home, with bags upon bags of food and basic supplies. Intending to gorge herself whilst getting up to date with the news of the land from the many newspapers she had purchased, acquired, and in one case taken out of the garbage; she had seen in be thrown away and would rather it didn't go to waste.

Undoing the sealing spell upon her wagon, Trixie swung the door open and skipped inside, hastily shutting it behind her in an attempt to combat the quickly chilling air. She placed her bags on her desk and the ruggedly carpeted floor, lighting a lantern with her magic after she did so in order to illuminate her unsightly yet humble home and provide a minor source of warmth.

She couldn't help but twirl and spin as she used her magic to unpack an apple and a jar of precious peanut butter from her baggage. She laid down on her thickly blanketed bed as the apple split into eight precise pieces before her, dangling in the air as the jar was unfastened. She scooped a piece of apple into the substance before plopping it into her mouth. The sensation was enough to make her groan.

She'd run out of peanut butter weeks ago. She savored every moment.

After every piece of the apple was gone, Trixie couldn't help but whimper as she returned the precious jar to its bag. As tempting as it was she knew she had to conserve the treat this time, lest she end up in another scenario where she runs out.

Getting comfortable on her bed, Trixie stretched out, hearing and feeling her back give a satisfying 'click'. She leaned against her pillow, levitating a newspaper over as she did. 'The Fillydelphia Times' it read. 'Too localised,' she thought. It would be useful later on but for now she needed something broader.

'Equestria Daily' was next, and it was just what she wanted. "What's been happening," she said as she leaned back in comfort, opening the paper to a random page.

'Launch of the Fancy Free.' 'Boring.'

'Prince Blueblood to marry?' 'No.'

'New Train developed for The Crystal Empire.' 'Seriously?'

Disgruntled, Trixie turned to the first page, surely that had to contain something interesting, and indeed it did. The words 'Shining Armor Promoted' adorned the paper. Along with a picture of the Prince himself, smiling with his wife by his side, his parents, and his sister. Stood with her cutie mark for all to see. Trixie snorted at the sight. She had been on the rock farm at the time of the royal wedding, and could remember the Pie family's concerns for their daughter on account of the changeling invasion all too well, only finding out later that said mare also resided in Ponyville; the pink one if she remembered corrected.

Trixie gave the story a look over, it had something to do with the re-emergence of the Crystal Empire; apparently the Princesses had agreed to have Shining Armor oversee all the royal guards in Equestria in addition to the Empire, as opposed to the singular guarding of Canterlot. "To better efficiency,” she read. There was also something about somepony called 'Juror', whoever the heck that was. It wasn't interesting enough for Trixie's taste so she gave one last look at the paper before preparing to throw it away in exchange for another.

"What's on her- ?" Trixie squinted at the purple unicorn displayed in the picture; something was different, she was sure of it. She was taller, her horn elongated, a tiara adorned her head, and there were things on her back that suspiciously resembled wings.

Trixie blinked, and then blinked again.

"She's an Alicorn!"

Trixie stared at the photo in shock, her jaw hanging wide. She was an alicorn, and the proof was right there in front of her. Trixie re-read the story more thoroughly, but it didn't offer anything relevant. The newly crowned Princess would be in attendance to the event displayed, but the article was about Shining Armor at its core.

Trixie re-read it again, and again. Slack jawed each time.

"She's an Alicorn."

She threw the paper aside, splattering it against the wood. Glaring at the wall before her, she seethed in a way she thought was behind her. Rising from the bed to the stack of newspapers she had collected from her trip into the city, she threw each one aside until she came across the one she was looking for.

"Ponyville Press" she read aloud. She had found it at the train station, discovered discarded on a seat as she was acquiring a timetable. It was suppose to be for a bit of light reading, but now it might prove instrumental in spreading light on her quickly gathering questions.

Skimming through each page, her eyes darting onto every word, every headline. 'It's her home town, there's got to-', her thoughts became blank as she found another picture, it was her again, surrounded by her five friends and a baby dragon in what she assumed to be the Ponyville library, it's wooden interior and columns of books were a dead giveaway. They were all smiling at the camera, the pink one was even hugging the rainbow maned one, and below them all lay the title:

'Equestria's Newest Princess to remain in Ponyville.'

Trixie couldn't stop her eyes from watering. The sight of her and the wings together was just too much to bear. Whatever terms they had parted under seemed meaningless now, like any chance, and any effort Trixie made meant nothing anymore. How could she compete? She was out of her league before, but she was nothing to her now.

It was petty and Trixie knew it, but she didn't care. It was just so agonising to look at.

Shakily exhaling, she focused on the words, their meanings, there implications, trying to get a sense of what all this meant. It didn't help much, but it did confirm one thing for Trixie.

'Day equals ruined.'

Word after word she read, but they provided no comfort, only serving to remind Trixie how utterly outclassed she was, and by extension, how pathetically insignificant. She didn't want revenge, she didn't want any harm to come to any pony whatsoever.

"I just need to matter."

Her mood destroyed, Trixie turned her gaze back to the paper, spotting a series of bright photos in the corner that peaked her interest. With nothing better to do, and no incentive to exert herself getting another paper, she simply read the section entitled 'Alicorn Trivia.'

'Did you know... Recent historical works retrieved from The Crystal Empire identify a 'Princess Amore' as being the true ruler of the Empire 1000 years ago?'

'Did you know... Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, better know as 'Princess Cadance', was born a Pegasus?'

'Did you know... In Ponyville, a mare dubbed 'The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well' emerged, becoming a hero to the town and is a rumoured to be an Alicorn?'

"Hey it's the balloon," Trixie exclaimed in recognition. Her eyes fell on the photo of the black and purple clothed mare, the same piercing eyes from before seeming to leap of off the paper. Intrigued, she decided to read on.

'Nopony knows who The Mare-Do-Well is or where she came from, but during her short stay in Ponyville she gathered the attention and the love of the masses for her selflessness and her death-defying acts of heroism. At a parade in her honor Mare-Do-Well disappeared, leaving a loving hole in Ponyville's collective consciousness. Many believe that Mare-Do-Well is still out there, ready to re-emerge and win the hearts of everypony once again.'

Trixie could feel the gears turning in her mind, a plan forming under the weight of her inadequacies, her fears and self-loathing. She looked at the photo of the masked mare again, and didn't even try to stop the smile that was growing on her face.

"The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well huh? Trixie can work with that!"

Chapter 2: The First Step

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In order to handle life on the road, a pony would need to meet certain requirements, mostly to avoid succumbing to the constant threat of insanity from the sheer isolation. Trixie possessed such qualities; one of which was the ability to keep oneself entertained and motivated seeing as nopony else would be there to do so for you.

"Trixie could kiss you, you ingenious little minx!"

Trixie had however found that monologuing and praising herself in private, especially if she felt she deserved it, did wonders for her mood. It was like talking with a best friend and having them agree with everything that you said. Except in this case, Trixie's best friend was her reflection in a mirror, of which she was willing to tolerate looking at for the moment, if only for this.

Trixie's mane flicked about as she pranced and posed. "It's such a simple, yet brilliant solution!" Trixie proclaimed, tapping her horn against her reflection before giving a seductive giggle. "But you already knew that didn't you? Trixie, you vibrantly astounding-".

Trixie blinked, before rearing back, startled by her actions. 'Getting a little creepy there, Succubus,' she thought in disgust at her actions. Trixie proceeded to turn away from her reflection, preventing her from observing her cheeks lighting up, like one of the many holiday lights ready to be placed up around the city.

She gazed down at the discarded newspaper she had been reading only moments ago, before going off on a tangent and making advances towards her reflection that is. Trixie grasped it from the rugged floor and held it firmly in her magic, taking another long look at the illustration of the masked hero dubbed Mare-Do-Well, and the accompanying words that sung her praise.

"This is how you get back on top, Trixie," she whispered. Dropping the paper, she began to pace, or at the very least, move around as much as she could in the cramped environment. Her head bobbing along as she continued to work out the delicacies of her recently thought of scheme.

Trixie didn't take any notice of the falling light outside, or how the glow of her still lit lantern seemed to intensify as the moon rose higher into the sky. She simply became lost in her thoughts, ignoring everything that was not of relevance. The sounds of the muffled clops of her hooves on the carpet, and the crashing of the waves against the shore far off in the distance were the only sounds she allowed to invade her thinking.

"Mare-Do-Well was loved by all," she summarised. Her voice was dull and stale as she continued to walk and turn in sequence. Her tone subconsciously reminded her of an odd grey mare she once knew, at a time before her aimless wandering across Equestria so many months ago.

"She hasn't been seen in months," she continued. Replaying her plan over in head, looking for a flaw or something that could convince her maybe this wasn't such a good idea. She would admit that there was a certain amount of idiocy that clouded the brilliance of it all.

"She is a suspected Alicorn," she pondered. Trixie realised that any suspicions could cause a hiccup in her progress. Ponies would draw into question the validity of Trixie's claims if the facts didn't add up. "It can be worked around," she ultimately concluded, as it wasn't a very pressing issue, though it could very well become one at a later moment in time.

At this moment in time she could not be more ecstatic, and could contain it no longer. Trixie ceased her pacing in the middle off her dimly lit home, her joyous smile returning to her face full force as she involuntarily reared up on her hind legs, her left foreleg flying out to her front, as if she was on a stage at the mercy of hundreds. She was grinning at nothing, and proclaimed her voice to her non-existence audience.

"It is settled then! The Great and Powerful Trixie shall become, The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well!"

Her outburst sent her into a fit of giddiness, falling back onto all fours, she flailed her hooves around like an excited filly, unable to contain a bubbling laugh. She paused her dance as she looked at her reflection again, as if it was another pony entirely, awaiting an explanation for her behaviour. Trixie obliged.

"They all love Mare-Do-Well. They made float balloons off her for ponies sake! So if I- if Trixie becomes Mare-Do-Well, they'll love me!" Trixie broke eye contact with her reflection. Twirling around as the shimmering moonlight cut through her curtains, it's light centering on her, blinding her to everything but her joy. Trixie's prancing ceased as the seemingly genius nature of her plan flashed through her mind. A vision of its potential outcome revealing itself to her.

Her, stood clothed in a gleaming purple and black costume, a mask adorning her face with her eyes seeming to glow. Stood on a glamorous stage, spotlights from nowhere shining lights onto her caped form, illuminating her like a beacon. In the sight of thousands, no, millions of ponies, all sat there chanting, "Mare-Do-Well! Mare-Do-Well!" Over and over again, voices echoing off the non-existent walls.

"Thank you! Thank you all!" The masked figure boomed from the stage, tipping her hat in humble appreciation. The polished floor reflected the mare's image back at her, prompting her to raise a booted hoof to her concealed face, as if in awe at her own appearance. She run it along the fabric, it was tough, but yet somehow elegant. Her eyes were barely visible under the mask's glowing lenses, expressing such joy that it was almost overwhelming her.

She turned back to her waiting crowd, the chanting continuing but practically inaudible next to the masked mare's own thoughts. She rose a hoof to her face again, and in that moment, made the decision that would change her fate for the better.

"Who wants to know who's under the mask?!" she roared, throwing her large purple hat aside when she was met with an outburst of cheering from the crowd. She grasped the black material in her magenta magic, her purple irises wide with tears under the mask's lenses. Everything. Everything had led to this moment. The moment she won them back.

The moment she mattered.

"Behold!"

She ripped the mask from her face, awaiting the gasps, the gradual increasing of applause and cheering, and the moment that they began their chanting again. But not for the Mare. For the Magician.

Instead the mask's removal was met with darkness, and utter silence. Devoid of all except for a single groan of unhappiness as a crack of light began to form across the mare's vision, unveiling an all too familiar environment.

"Aww come on!"

Trixie found herself lying on the shaggy floor of her caravan. Drool leaking from her mouth into her disheveled mane, sprawled out amongst the strands of carpet, resembling a splintered flower. She gave another deep groan of annoyance, disappointed her preciously pleasant dream had ended so abruptly and at its climax no less!

"Luna, why!" she announced to the heavens, though silently hoping the disgruntled exclamation didn't reach beyond her fragile roof, least she have to add a vengeful princess of darkness to her ever growing list of concerns.

With a final huff, she rose from the floor, her mane sticking out awkwardly, evidently due to the way she had fallen asleep on it. She retrieved a brush in the glow of her magic and began to groom herself, if only to get her mane under control. Once finished, she peeled back the curtains of her window, glancing at the somber sight outside.

The leafless trees appeared both ominous and beautiful as the light of the morning sky shone through them, unobscured by the clouds like they were yesterday at the time of Trixie's arrival. There was evidence of frost left unmelted in the still shadowed areas under looming tree trunks, telling Trixie that it was getting colder quicker than anticipated. She considered herself lucky that she found civilization before the snow began to fall. "Just what day is it anyway?" Trixie asked herself with tiredness. She had lost track of the dates whilst on the road through the mountain, all it took was one forgetful morning not marking it down and her entire calendar was ruined.

She retrieved one of her newspapers from the day before and glanced at the date, the ink seeming to glow as the light reached it through the curtains. "November 19th", she read. "That makes it the 20th today," she murmured as she corrected the calendar by her bed, disgruntled at having to continuously mark off boxes. "Which gives me... just over a month till Hearth's Warming Eve. Plenty of time for the grand reveal!"

Trixie wanted her dream to become reality, and what better time than the best time of the year? When dreams came true. A few appearances of a newly revived Mare-Do-Well would definitely stir up some attention, and as long as Trixie kept appearing at a steady pace, her growing superhero fans would simply salivate at the prospect of finding out who was under the mask.

Or at least, whoever was under the mask now.

'Details, details,' was her answer to the thought. 'Go out with a big hat and a cheap costume, save a few cats up trees. Keep them guessing. Soon enough they'll be tripping over each other just to catch a glimpse of you.' Trixie knew it would probably be a bit more complicated than that, but for the moment she just wanted to enjoy herself. The difficulties could be dealt with later for now she just had to get the basics of her plan organised.

Trixie gave a snort, subconsciously looking towards her reflection once again. "Once I've done all that I'll reveal- Trixie will reveal the reality!"

Trixie blinked at the slip up. It was instinct at this point to slip into third-pony whilst talking, yet she found herself reverting to first more often as of late, but Trixie couldn't put her hoof on it as to why. Discarding the query, Trixie laid down upon her bed. Her eyes faced the ceiling, but she instead saw the eventual outcome of her plan. Her standing on the stage, her hoof grasping the fabric, ready to yank it off.

"They'll love you, Trixie. They will-"

'Sniff sniff.'

"... Wash first. Then plan for comeback."

It was unfortunate for Trixie that she was unable to acquire a caravan with bathing facilities, which she considered to be way too far out of her very limited price range. Heck, the one she has had cost her a fortune, or at least a fortune to her, a moderate investment to others. Though things had certainly improved since the early days when she had taken to the road again, after the second incident in Ponyville.

Her caravan situation did make washing a pain however. In the odd instance when she was traveling she would find a cheap hotel, or a public swimming pool. But the further away from civilisation she got the less facilities there were, so she had to settle for bathing in the occasional river she came across. By now Trixie was used to it, she even found it preferable in some cases. Being able to relax and observe the beauty of the land in her serene lonesome was an always welcomed opportunity.

The thing is though. It wasn't winter in those cases.

"Stupid pegasi!"

Trixie just needed to vent her frustration, holding no ill intent towards any pegasus whatsoever. She had opted to jump into the flowing water of the river in one go, not wanting to prolong the inevitable. She had found it past a white picket fence near her camp, and decided it was as good a place as any for a wash. Her teeth chattered together as she scrubbed herself, desperately trying to generate some heat. "Did they really need to make it this cold?" she whined, before dunking her head underwater.

Trixie soon reemerged, her shivering intensifying. If it wasn't for the fact that she liked being clean, she wouldn't have gone through with this at all. Erupting out of the water, she forced her magic to wrap around herself like a warm blanket. A practical spell for drying oneself, but it wasn't fast enough for Trixie's taste. She sprinted back in the direction of her home, leapfrogging the fence as she went. Her camp was visible not to far away, and she was intent on returning to the relatively warm comfort of her bed.

She sped down as she neared however, when an unfamiliar sight accompanied the desired view of her home. She could make out the form of a pony through the cold morning mist. A neon-green mane with a stark white streak shined in the sunlight, along with an orange coat which faded in with the distorted trees in the background. The figure was knocking at Trixie's door, pausing, and then tapping again in sequence, patiently waiting for a response from within.

During Trixie's observation she had unknowingly sunk to the ground, lying on her chest to conceal herself from the green-maned stranger. 'Who the heck is that? What do they want?!' she frantically thought. Not taking notice of the coldness of the ground, instead focusing on the image of the intruding figure intensively, running the image through in her mind in an attempt to identify whoever it was.

'Green mane, with a white streak?' Trixie thought in a moment of recognition. Rising steadily from the ground, the pony at her door became visible to her again. Trixie took in the the familiar color of the stranger's coat, a mare's ecstatic face flashing through her mind for an instant. "Is that Apple... Leaves?" She had to pause to remember the mare from yesterday's name, the sound feeling unfamiliar as she said it out loud.

Condident in her recognition, Trixie grew befuddled. 'What the heck is she doing here?' she pondered, rearing her head up ever so slightly. 'How did she even know I-' her thoughts went blank as her pupils shrank, her expression turning to absolute horror. Trixie slammed herself back down to the cold grass, laying her head on the floor and closing her eyes, as if not being able to see the intruding Apple Leaves would somehow mean she couldn't see her.

Unfortunately for Trixie, Leaves could see her. Trixie's frantic attempt to hide had only drawn Apple Leaves' attention to her direction, and the farmer was currently staring bemused at the still soaking azure mare who was lying down cradling her head. Completely viewable in the open. A sly grin adored her face as she approached the cowering Trixie, her saddlebags bouncing in her stride. She stood before Trixie, who remained still and frozen in fear.

"Mornnning," Leaves said, drawing out the 'n'. Her announcement only made Trixie cradle her head tighter. Leaves tilted her ears in the direction of the almost incoherent mumbling that was originating from Trixie, which was barely audible to her. She grew increasingly concerned as the scenarios Trixie was describing grew increasingly bizarre and unsettling.

"Ah don't think legs can bend that far back, Trixie." Was her response to a particular gory mumble from the magician, who ceased her whimpering and simply cowered before the seemingly imposing form of Apple Leaves. Years of fear displayed on her face concealed under her forelegs.

'I knew I couldn't trust her, there's no way she couldn't know about Ponyville. She must have followed me back here so she can ransack my place while I watch, then burn it... and probably defecate on it. They're Apples, they always look out for each other!' Trixie retreated into her thoughts, as if they would protect from Apple Leaves' inevitable onslaught.

"Just do it..." Trixie whispered. There was no way she could take on an earth pony in a physical fight, and she was so close that Apple Leaves would be able to react to her horn lighting before she even had a chance to cast a spell off.

The Apple blinked. "Come again?" was Apple Leaves confused response, staring at the strange mare in utter confusion. She was beginning to feel very awkward, like she was suppose to understand what was going on with Trixie but could not grasp what.

Trixie for the first time peaked out from beneath her forelegs, expecting to be met with a look of pleasurable rage and contempt. She was quite surprised to be met with the look of complete bemusement. "You... you know what." She retreated into her forelegs again, prepping for the oncoming assault. "You're here to punish me for my crimes against your family."

Apple Leaves couldn't help but release a boisterous laugh as everything seemed to fit together for her, though she unknowingly demoralised Trixie further with her chuckle. "Ah kinda guessed that you were a bit dramatic, but punish you for crimes against the family? You staying on the farm ain't that big of a deal if you ain't causing no trouble, Trixie!"

Trixie fear seemed to be overcome immediately, and she shot to her hooves. Now she was the one staring at the other in confusion. "Staying on the farm? What farm?" she asked, leaning back baffled but in expectancy of an answer.

Apple Leaves proudly puffed out her chest, motioning to the surrounding frozen trees with her forelegs. Trixie's gaze followed the gesture. "Why mah farm of course! Or at least... the family farm. Ah don't really own it, but I do a lot of work on it!" she finished with some disappointment, though Trixie was still focusing on her words. Her expression grew ever calmer as she started to realise what Apple Leaves was implying.

'This must be her Apple Orchard! No wonder there's so my trees.' The fact Apple Leaves had yet to attack told Trixie that she should just play along, if she didn't know about Ponyville, which Trixie assumed she didn't, she would rather it stayed that way. At least for now. 'She must think my trespassing on her land is why I was afraid...'

Trixie just lied as convincingly as she could, which being a performer, was not too difficult a task. "Yeah, you caught me! I was just... afraid you wouldn't take too kindly to my trespassing on your land. I'll get moving as soon as-"

"Now that won't be necessary," interrupted Apple Leaves, a hoof held out to emphasise, causing Trixie's fear to resurface quickly. "You ain't the first traveller round these parts to set up camp. Heck the farm's so big most folks don't know where the borders end. Ponies are always passing through thinking it's the Filly' Forest!" The Apple announced, reassuring Trixie, whose fear diminished when it was revealed that Apple Leaves wasn't being devious.

The magician was honestly quite surprised. More often than not she would be chased off of the land she'd unwittingly stumbled upon by this point. Yet this time she was having a calm conversation about the mistake, with one of its owner no less! Who was apparently allowing Trixie to stay without argument. Convinced that there was a catch of some sort, Trixie began to pry. "Why let me stay? It doesn't exactly help your interests," she questioned, mustering a suspicious glare, which honestly wasn't all that intimidating.

A glare which Apple Leaves didn't seem to take any notice of, being quite happy to explain herself. "Just being a friendly neighbour is all, wouldn't really be proper to throw you out without a reason, specially since you ain't done nothin," she stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

That answer didn't seem to satisfy Trixie, who continued with her questions, not convicted that Apple Leaves wasn't up to something. "How'd you find me anyway? We only met the once and I didn't tell you where I was living."

Leaves snorted, the image of two fillies rushing through her mind like a bad headache. "Weren't me that found ya. The Twins were out late last night playing, past curfew Ah might add. Said they heard shouting and then came across a wagon parked up by the ridge. Ah came and took a look-see and lo and behold, there was you sprawled out on the floor. Came as a bit of a suprise ta me I'll admit."

Trixie assumed that the 'twins' Leaves was referring to were some extensions of her family. Trixie immediately grew concerned at the prospect that they had heard her rambling of her Mare-Do-Well scheme last night, worried that the plan for her comeback would be over before it even began. But seeing as how Apple Leaves had yet to say anything on that topic, she decided to avoid it entirely on the assumption that she did not actually know anything. If that was the case Trixie would rather it stayed that way, at least for the time being.

Trixie attempted to pull a grin, which she found difficult on account of her current supressed feelings. "Well, Trixie supposes that she should thank you for allowing her to sleep. And also the whole 'not throwing her off your land' part. That's good too," Trixie stated. Her primary fears overcome, but a little suspicious none the less.

Apple Leaves seemed to brighten up a little, her familiar gleeful attitude from yesterday returning, and she was quite amused by Trixie method of speech. "Well then, neighbour. As a welcome to Filly', the Apple family would like you ta have..." her speech became muffled as she slung her saddle bag from her side using her mouth, an everyday practice for an earth pony. The bag landed before Trixie, who could already detect a sweet scent from within, not understanding how she could have missed such a delicious smell until now.

Apple Leaves stuffed her hooves into the bags, having to look through it herself as she didn't remember what half of its contents were. "Now. We got you some Apple Pies, made by Apple Pie no less; mah sister. Couple galas, those are the red apples, not a lot a ponies know that. Some fritters. A pitcher of Cousin Mac's apple cider. Ah also personally got you some-"

"Why?"

Trixie's interruption of Apples Leaves' rambling prompted her to cease her rummaging through the bag. Upon turning her head up to meet Trixie's gaze, she did not anticipate the look of complete shock that adored her face at all. Leave's swiftly rose from her position, waiting for Trixie to continue, who just could not stop staring at the bag with contemplative eyes searching for an explanation.

Trixie didn't understand. She had known the pony in front of her for less than a day, and yet she had not thrown her from her property, she had even allowed her to stay. Not only that, she had brought her a bag of offerings, which even though Trixie knew she wanted, she could not accept. Was it stubbornness? Pride? In this instant Trixie knew that it was neither. It was simply a matter that Trixie couldn't accept because she did not consider herself worthy of the gesture.

The question on her mind was why Apple Leaves thought she was.

"You don't even know me," Trixie said, breaking the intentional silence. The wetness of coat was long forgotten, she didn't even flinch as a morning wind broke past, causing both mares manes to flutter and sway. Branches creaked together due to the lack of leaves upon them, and the crashing tidal waves in the distance were as audible as ever.

Apple Leaves took a long hard look at Trixie, pondering her words extensively before something seemed to become clear in her mind. Their encounter yesterday and Trixie's confusion now suddenly made a lot more sense to the mare. A small smile soon creeped onto her face, not an overly ecstatic one like the ones Trixie was familiar with, instead a subdued one that seemed ten-times warmer by comparison. "You ain't used to kindness are you, Trixie," Leaves stated simply but with certainly, awaiting Trixie's response.

"I- Just- Trixie- Well-" Leaves' response had sent Trixie into a state of stuttering, trying to form a retort that didn't sound like denial. She could not do it however, as everything she could think of sounded pathetic and forced. Trixie just didn't want to admit that Apple Leaves was probably right, and that the fault in this situation was Trixie's own ignorance of how to respond to it and not the Apple's own generosity.

"I know I don't know you at all, Trixie. But you don't need ta know a pony to want to do good, it's all just a matter of... doing it." Leaves hadn't intended to have a conversation such as this on her way over, but the almost pleading look on Trixie's face, in a desperate search for an answer just forced her to say something else. Though it was slightly aggravating that Trixie wouldn't just take the bag, she didn't voice these frustrations of course.

"But you really really don't know me. The real Trixie." She desperately reiterated. Trixie has lied to Apple Leaves' face only moments ago about Ponyville, and she was too cowardly to tell her the truth now. How could she accept her generosity being the mare that she was and because of the things that she had done?

Leaves couldn't contain her sigh, her expression downcast as Trixie continued to stare, still silently pleading. Apple Leaves' purple irises bore into Trixie's own. "I'm beginning to think a lot of ponies don't know the real Trixie."

With that, Leaves slung the bag from her shoulders completely, slipping it to the ground, the contents rattling from within. Trixie didn't pay attention, her expression blank as Leaves' words overcame her thoughts. She pondered them continuously.

'I don't think I even know who the real Trixie is anymore.'

The soft clopping of hooves on the grass broke Trixie from the clouding thoughts. Her eyes focused on the retreating Apple Leaves, walking in a strange side on stride, in order to remain facing Trixie's direction. She eventually spun to face Trixie completely, now walking backwards, the welcoming smile never leaving her face for a second. "Offer still stands though, Trixie. You're always welcome at the farm. Just... Whenever you're ready."

With that final word, Apple Leaves disappeared into the trees, becoming invisible between the winding trunks that almost matched her coat in hue. Trixie just stared, a sudden coldness overcoming her form. It wasn't due to her soaking coat. It was an emptiness. A longing, but not the usual kind Trixie felt. It wasn't for the riches, or for admiration. It was just to be in the presence of another pony like Apple Leaves, who didn't treat her with anything less than what she deserved.

Problem was that she had never been offered too much before. It was in Trixie's nature to take what she could and give nothing back, not have it handed to her on a silver platter. It wasn't because she didn't want to be pitied, or treated with compassion. It was that she felt they were meant for those who deserved it. Not those who longed for it.

And especially not for ponies like Trixie.

She stiffly veered her muzzle towards the discarded bag, the draft of the delicious contents from within reaching her nose. Knowing it would only go to waste otherwise, she grasped the bag in her magic, holding it firmly as she turned towards her home. Slowly, she paced over, numerous questions about the nature of the generous mare's kindness and her own deceitfulness distracting her to the world around her. She was back inside with the bag's contents deposited on her desk before she even knew it.

Her vision became cloudy at the sight of the apple gifts, all varying in color and attractiveness, and all present with unique warm smells. She grasped the jug of apple cider in her magic, shaking it slightly to get an estimate of how much of the drink there was. With little hesitation, she uncapped and took a gulp of it. The delicious taste was extravagant.

It was so good that Trixie had to force herself to stop, wanting to savor it as much as possible. Her amazement at the drink was only overshadowed by the fact that somepony had given it to her willingly.

'We can't all be good mares,' she thought dejectedly, assuming she wouldn't administer the same level of kindness to a stranger. She once again focused on the plethora of apple relented treats bestowed upon her, adding most of it to her other piles of groceries. Upon emptying her table, she came across one of her notebooks. She kept a few of them around to plan out her shows, or write down the occasional bout of insane rambling.

Seeing it there inspired her. The memories of her comeback plan flooded back as if a dam had been broken in her mind. She took a seat at the table, and grasped a quill and the bottle of cider in her magic. Opening the book to a random blank page, she began to scribble, doodle, and craft. She wrote everything and drew everything that seemed relevant to her idea; her costume sizes, what materials she possessed, the type of equipment she would need, what spells she should brush up on. All under the page heading that read 'Step one.'

She wrote it all down. The kindness of the stranger never leaving her heart.

Chapter 3: Now You See Me

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The caravan creaked as a particularly heavy bout of wind impacted its fragile wooden sides. The structure shook mildly, rattling the unorganised magic props that sat on their shelves, bags of edibles that lay on the ground, and the desk at which Trixie was continuing to scribble relentlessly.

She'd been at it for several hours, she was sure of it. Drawing and crossing out, over and over again. The once blank pages of her notebook were now adorned with multiple illustrations of the Mare-Do-Well costume, each varying slightly in design due to Trixie only including the materials she had possession of, or could otherwise acquire. The differences were minor but noticeable; variations in the cape's length, the size of the eye lenses, relatively small things that could go unnoticed. She knew that she couldn't deviate from the original costume seen in Ponyville too much, that's when the questions would start being asked.

But one aspect of the costumes remained consistent. Present on all the designs, but also being the one thing Trixie didn't have in her immediate possession.

"Where does one get that stupid hat?"

Trixie would have been the first to come to the defence of those who appreciated the use of elegant headwear, but even she had to admit that the sheer size of the fedora that accompanied that rest of the Mare's costume was ridiculous. 'How does she turn without it falling off? What if I need to go into a building? Or hell, lean forward?' Trixie dismissed the possibility of making one herself, she could stitch together the occasional backdrop and repaired a frayed cape, but she was far from being a clothes designer capable of making a hat. She wouldn't even know where to start.

The rest of the costume would be a cinch. She already possessed a spare cape she simply needed to dye, she refused to cannibalise her current one. She also had a mask from her escape artist act that could be utilised and similarly dyed to match the cape, seeing as how she didn't have the props necessary for that act anymore, she just needed to cut some eye holes in it. She had a spare skin-tight costume lying around for some reason, used during her more theatrical based and more dangerous performances, which would make up the rest of the costume. It was comfortable, durable and a decent protector against the elements.

The boots would be a problem however, they looked unique... and expensive. Trixie ultimately decided to simply wrap some dark cloth around her hooves to supplement, giving the illusion that the appearance was the same as the original, they would probably also allow for less restricting movement, which was a plus. The emblem of the stylised 'M' was the easiest task of all, she could be create an acceptable replica in less that an hour, it wasn't like it was going to be seen close up, at least not yet.

It was then just a matter of stitching it all together.

It seemed she would have to buy the hat however, or find a suitable replacement that didn't draw any suspicion. Trixie rejected the idea of using her regular pointed hat, and with the assistance of some illusion magic, make it appear like the fedora. She was undeniably skilled enough to do so, but maintaining a spell like that for an extended period of time was a good way to over-exert yourself.

Trixie rose from the seat and stretched her back out, not suppressing the pleasurable moan it prompted. Looking back down at the paper filled with the scribbles and pictures, her eyes focusing on a specific one that was larger than the rest. It was Mare-Do-Well again, only she was accompanied by a crowd, hooves raised in worshiping excitement. What Trixie focused on however was the Mysterious Mare herself. She was unmasked, and in the place of her expressionless concealment was Trixie's own face, filled with immeasurable joy.

Trixie retrieved her signature hat and cape from the stand that held them, levitating to her in her magic as her eyes never left the paper illustrating her dream.

"They'll love you Trixie. They will."

Turning away from the paper, Trixie strolled out of her home with purpose, her cape catching the wind and flowing behind her elegantly. She didn't even need to look back as she sealed her home behind her, her eyes instead focused on the bustling city before her.

The winding of the roads and the gradual increase of the building heights would have disorientated anypony not use to city life. Trixie found comfort in it however, there was a strange familiarity to the it all that made it seem unconventionally welcoming. Cities represented opportunity, and Trixie was ready to cease it.

First order of business was to secure a hat worthy of her purchase, the costume wasn't complete without it, which made it an necessity. No costume meant no plan, no plan meant no comeback.

Plus, anypony could go out and be a hero, it took effort to do it in style.

The more Trixie looked around however, the more likely became the scenario where she would have to go hatless. Every clothes store, boutique, and street vendor had absolutely nothing she could use; nothing practical or affordable at least. Every hat she found was either too small, not the right style, or completely out of her very limited price range.

It was discouraging to say the least. The sun's gradual journey through the sky went unnoticed by her, as did the slow thinning of the crowded city streets, with ponies finishing their business or completing their work before retreating from the streets to the comfort of their homes. While Trixie continued to wander, resisting the urge to go home herself.

The Magician took a rest on a bench, thankful to be off her hooves. The ponies of Fillydelphia just continued on their way undisturbed, simply sidestepping Trixie as she stretched her legs out. Her gaze turned upwards towards the sky where she spotted several pegasi towing thick clouds in formation, Trixie assumed they were preparing for the scheduled snowfalls soon to commence; the first of the winter. 'Makes sense,' she reasoned, Fillydelphia was a big place, it would take a while before the clouds were spread out enough to provide an even blanket of snowfall.

With a aggravated huff, Trixie launched herself from the bench back onto the pavement, resuming on her way down the busy streets, looking out for anywhere she could potentially make her desired purchase. Trixie had not been to Fillydelphia in a long time, before Ponyville and several destinations behind it. The city had changed greatly. Ponies seemed less attentive than ever, ignoring everything but their own business. It didn't weigh on her mind of course, she was after all no different from any of them in that regard.

She continued on her way, her head turning every so often in order to take in the surroundings. The Hearth's Warming decorations from the other day had been placed up in some areas, though there was still a long way to go before the city would appear festive. She momentary paused as she came across what appeared to be the charred remains of part of an apartment complex, with blanked bricks and debris still laying in the street. It seemed the flames had spread quite far through the building, surprising due to the effectiveness of the firefighting unicorns and pegasi in containing fires usually.

Taking no further notice, Trixie trudged on her way to a shopping mall visible at the end of the street, it's glass entrance contrasting with the dull grey skyscrapers that surrounded it. She dodged every passing pony as swiftly as she could, though the occasional shove did occur, which each parties grunting in apology before wordlessly continuing on their way towards whoever they were going.

The various food courts and extravagant stores were of no interest to Trixie, she needed somewhere that actually would be of use to her. Time trudged by at a disheartening pace, and Trixie's strolling around with no results was discouraging her more than ever. After more disappointment she was prepared to simply storm away in a fit of rage and find someplace else. That changed however when she caught sight of something on her left as she stomped about, her eyes widening in awe as she turned to discover what it was.

"No. Way."

There was no mistaking the enormous purple hat, the flaring silvery eyes, or the predominant 'M' emblem that sat on its chest. It was a Mare-Do-Well costume, a replica made for Nightmare Night no doubt. It was still displayed proudly at the storefront of a costume and theatrics shop, alongside other Nightmare Night decorations that had yet to be exchanged for ones more fitting of the season. Trixie couldn't believe her eyes. Mare-Do-Well was ingrained enough that ponies had been making costumes of her? This long after her appearance? In Fillydelphia?!

'That is so cool!'

The knowledge that Mare-Do-Well was utilised to the point and was remembered enough that there were products with her likeness was nothing short of thrilling, convincing Trixie beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was a good idea. All she had to do was unveil the 'return' of the beloved superhero, and the media would do the rest. Building anticipation for the eventual and inevitable reveal of the mysterious mare's true identity.

'They'll be making costumes of you then.' Trixie goaded herself. The costume novelty presented before her could prove very useful in the construction of her own, so swishing her cape behind her, she entered the shop with her head held high. Wasting no time, she levitated the cheap but prized costume off of its stand as she approached the counter, bag of bits in hoof and a grin full of glee.

Trixie had taken care to conceal her purchased costume from view as she returned home to the woods from the inner-city. It would be hard to explain the coincidence of Mare-Do-Well's re-emergence and her possession of the costume as not being related. Even though she did eventually plan to unmask herself anyway, the timing had to be on her terms, not anypony else's. The truth coming out too early would only result in further problems and complications for the showmare, nothing could be left to chance and Trixie had to ensure that she remained careful all the way to the end of the line.

The still blowing wind caused the trees to ruffle as she drew ever closer to her home, the knowledge that this was private land owned by the Apples reassuring her that everything was secure. She decided that she needed to find a way to pay the Apples back, perhaps a private show, or some labour to pay off the debt she owed. The Apples had been pleasant and agreeable so far so she was sure an accord could be met.

Pushing the door open with her magic, Trixie placed the bagged costume onto her bed, where the assortment of her other costume components sat. Shutting the door and drawing the blinds, Trixie retrieved the Nightmare Night dress-up and held it out in front of her with a spell, standing it up as if there was another pony wearing it already. She soaked it its appearance. How the large hat cast a shadow along its face, the way the cape hung on its back. It was quite a sight to behold.

"Step two," she proclaimed enthusiastically, shattering the eerie silence that had befell the caravan. All by her lonesome, there was no-pony else to observe her antics, so Trixie just did whatever and behaved however she wanted to, with zero risk of embarrassment. She threw the costume back onto the bed in an over exaggerated manor, her head unnecessarily following the direction of her magic. A scissors, needle, and thread flew over from a shelf near her desk and hovered above her, before she once again became transfixed on the bed that contained the plethora of clothing.

The Nightmare Night replica of the Mare-Do-Well costume was a good starting point in constructing her own. It's cheapness and fragility didn't make it very practical by itself, but by combining it with her other, more durable materials and equipment, it would hold itself together very well. After all, the 'official' Mare-Do-Well should look better than a holiday knockoff, and the personal touch would be more useful to Trixie anyway. She'd be more efficient with her own custom clothes rather than in a replicant she would have to break in... Which probably didn't fit her very well anyway.

Trixie took once last gaze at the cloth collection. The knockoff costume complete with a hat, her eye socket-less escape artist mask, the skintight suit, wrappings for her hooves, and her spare cape. Out of all this, she was going to make something beautiful.

She snipped with her scissors, sewed with her needle, and cast her dyeing spells, uncomfortably reminiscing on how she destroyed one of the element of harmony's manes as she did so. Trixie stayed focused on her work however, expertly stitching with a steady grip. Using herself as the model and building the costume around herself as she neared its completion.

Fixating the eye lenses of the knockoff mask to her more durable one, she pulled it down over face, her vision was barely obscured, but her eyes were invisible from the outside. She looked down at the modified purple fedora, it's fragile brim now reinforced to prevent it bending. She took it in her magic, floating it steadily onto her head. It weighed down gently on her concealed mane, with its brim dangling slightly in her view, a side-affect of its size.

Trixie was momentarily befuddled when she turned to her bed and realised there was nothing left to craft; discarded and shredded pieces of cloth and her tools were all that remained upon it. The befuddlement cleared when Trixie turned towards her mirror, ready to gaze upon the reflection she so abhorred.

The sight she was met with made her gasp.

She didn't meet eyes with the discredited Trixie Lulamoon. She instead basked in the presence of The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well. Her brilliant purple undersuit contrasted nicely with the charcoal cape and mask, separated by the extended collar and 'M' emblem. The brim of the hat shadowing her seemingly glowing eyes, her theatric light-weight cape dangling behind her lazily. She looked absolutely majestic.

Trixie was trembling behind the mask, overwhelmed by just how... perfect she looked. "That's you Trixie," she whispered, her wrapped hoof rising to touch the mirror in awe. She tilted her head to take in the rest of her body. Not a thread was out of place, nor an imperfect stitch noticeable. Her coat was completely concealed the same as her eyes, azure covered by purple and black.

'This image of perfection... and it's not even my idea.' To gaze upon the manifestation of Mare-Do-Well before her, Trixie couldn't help but feel for the real mare who wore the mask, who did the actual work, whoever she may be. In that moment, Trixie came to the realisation that she was effectively stealing the real Mare-Do-Well's accomplishments and making them her own, and that reminded her of the times before. The darker times.

She snarled at her reflection, unwilling to reflect upon her past any further. "I will earn this," she whispered in determination. Trixie was going to prove she was worthy of the recognition; of the admiration. She would be adored for her heroic feats, and she would be humble when doing so.

Becoming Mare-Do-Well was just a good way to get a head start on all that.

"If she really wanted the attention she could have told them all a long time ago," Trixie thought out loud, in an attempt to justify her course of action. She remained uneasy however. Turning back to the mirror, Trixie once again absorbed the image of the hero before her, the hero she was dressed as. The hero she would become.

"This is my chance. I deserve this!" She announced in an angered outburst, staring intently into the gleaming eyes of her reflection. Her dream from the night before, the vision of acceptance, overcoming her thoughts yet again. She pulled Apple Leaves' borrowed saddle-bags onto her back, no longer filled to the brim with welcoming treats, and hid them under her cape. Trixie then yanked the door open, the wind catching the loose material of her costume and making it flow smoothly behind her.

She walked out with determination in her eyes, ready to prove that she was fully capable of living up to all that she claimed to be.

As she ventured into the city, Trixie made sure to stay out of the sight of the still very crowded streets, sticking to the shadows of the back-alleyways as she journeyed from the outskirts to the city's interior. Twilight had passed now as the sun disappeared over the horizon, with the moon beginning its steady ascent from across the sea to the east; it was almost as if it was rising out of the water itself.

Trixie could not bare to stand by any longer. She had the costume ready, and she had her audience waiting in the streets. Now she just needed to put on a show.

The self-proclaimed Mare-Do-Well continued her descent into the city, the darkened backstreets shielding her from the unassuming ponies walking out in the open. Her costume did well to protect her against the quickly chilling air, though her hat ever so often shifted atop her head; which was distracting to say the least. She would need to fix that.

Trixie took a quick rest behind a nearby dumpster to gather her thoughts, and to once again adjust her hat. No-pony on the street was none the wiser. As she leaned her back against a alley wall, Trixie observed her breath visible against the air as she exhaled and caught her ragged breath. She hadn't actually fully decided what she intended to do now that she was all ready to go. Appear in the central square for a full display? Leap across the rooftops to be glimpsed at by a relative few?

'Great prep work, Trixie. You're in the middle of the city in this stupid costume, and you don't even have a concrete plan yet!' Her mental provoking was well deserved she felt. Everything just seemed so perfect up to this point that when she got there, she didn't know what to do next. This wasn't exactly a regular occurrence that Trixie could mentally prepare herself for.

'How does one become a superhero?'

What the heck was she supposed to do? She was a stage performer, not a costumed role model. She didn't know the first thing about being subtle. If something wasn't extravagant, it was boring, that's how Trixie designed her shows. How does one be subtle but also inspire the wonder and awe that Trixie urged for?

Trixie would have wished to ponder her thoughts further, but suddenly a shill scream echoed throughout the concrete jungle, high pitched, most definitely belonging to that of a filly. Trixie remained crouched behind the dumpster, startled by the noise. She waited for any other sound, but all that was heard was the hooves of the unassuming ponies still walking on the street. Her pause was overcome as instinct took over; she momentarily forgot about the costume, her scheme, and any and all doubts. She'd heard a scream, and it was close by. She needed to find who caused it and why.

How could she forgive herself if something happened that she could've prevented?

Trixie rose from her position and galloped through the winding alleyways to where she thought the noise had originated from. She was forced to leap over an overturned trash can, probably having fallen in the strong wind. Her cape blew behind her as the air rushed by due to her speed. Her breath smoked out against the air as she exhaled in slight exhaustion from the sprint.

She came to a stop around a corner, concealed by the shade of a fire escape dangling above. 'There.' Trixie thought as she gazed upon what she thought to be the source of the scream she'd heard. She could she a filly, as well as a colt, but neither seemed to be particularly distressed, in fact the colt was laughing at the filly whose face was glowing red in embarrassment. Trixie stood in anticipation for whatever would happen next, ready to jump in if need be.

"Wow! Could you have screamed any louder?"

"Shut up! It was a big rat!"

Trixie flung her head back with a groan, her heart still beating fast due to the running, but also due to her fear about how this situation could have been horrible one. Relieved that she did not have to witness a vulnerable filly in danger, Trixie brought her head forwards again, ready to turn and be on her way.

'Oh poo.'

Her intentions to leave were shattered when she locked eyes with the filly and colt, both staring at her with the most intense fear filled eyes Trixie had ever witnessed. They hadheard her groan. Both stood stone still, as if it would make them invisible to the creature in the shadows gaze; they hardly breathed as they continued to stare transfixed. Trixie was frozen also, her cape continuing to blow lazily in the slow wind, her eye lenses being the only thing that stood out clearly in the shadows.

Upon remembering that she was in fact wearing the Mare-Do-Well costume, Trixie puffed her chest out slowly, prompting her to raise her head high. 'This is it, idiot. Your first official appearance as Mare-Do-Well. These two are baring witness to history in the making, they'll be the connoisseurs of your image. What you say next will determine everything!'

Gulping in nervousness and anticipation, Trixie veered her head slightly to the side, giving the impression of a curious animal. She thought long and hard, contemplating what the first real words of the new Mare-Do-Well would be. After a few more moments of silence, Trixie had decided what she would say. She was ready. Ready to speak the first words of Equestria's newest hero.

"Hello. I'm-"

"RUN!"

Trixie almost fell over at the interruption. Both of the children turned and ran as fast as they could, screaming all the way. She pathetically tried to stop them. "No! Wait! Stop! I'm the... mysterious..." Trixie didn't finish, sighing in annoyance as the children turned the corner into the street, overcome with fright. She stomped her hooves, throwing a minor tantrum at having the first official appearance of her new persona end like... that.

'I didn't even do anything! They could have at least let me finish before running off!' Trixie thought in frustration, beginning to pace in a circle and grumble to herself. "Who leaves children unsupervised at this time of night..." was one of her murmurings. She continued to do this for several more moments, ignoring any and all of the distractions the city of Fillydelphia bestowed upon her.

"What the heck is that!?"

The outburst from behind her, originating from the well-lit city street, prompted Trixie to turn to whoever had interrupted her aggravated thoughts, ready to give them a piece of her mind. Her eyes widened beneath their lenses however when she came face to face with two unicorn police officers, one aqua, the other purple. Both had their horns lit, the glow from them acting as makeshift flashlights. The stallions stared bemused at the costumed mare they had found strutting around the alleyway, though Trixie's grumbles were too quiet for them to hear.

The masked mare in question had frozen again, not anticipating an encounter with the police, or heck, that maybe Mare-Do-Well's first outing would turn into the disaster that it currently was. This development definitely took precedent over her anger however.

Alternating her gaze between each uniformed officer, Trixie could not help but give an awkward laugh, which unfortunately for her, sounded much more sinister than light-hearted to the two officers. Her lips smacked together under her mask, attempting to come up with an excuse as to why she was in the alley two children had just run out of screaming. "Now, I know how this must loo-"

"Blah!"

The purple officer jumped in fright, not expecting the shadowed mare to speak so suddenly. The aqua stallion lit up his horn, causing blue and red lights to flash into the sky, with the stallion annoyingly shouting "Weee! Wooo!" over and over again in accompaniment. His purple companion started stammering incoherently, focusing his sight on the magic exerting officer. "Ride Along! Stop with the siren! Quickly, shoot a containment-"

When the officer turned back to Trixie, he was baffled to see that she had disappeared in a cloud of smoke. He began to frantically search the area, the officer called Ride Along still yelling and firing his horn into the air. The searching officer then heard rustling above, drawing his gaze to the nearby fire escape. He was startled to discover the darkly clothed mare climbing up the assortment of ladders and stairs, desperately trying to reach the top. He turned back to his unicorn partner, glare hardening. "On second thought, Ride Along. Make the siren bigger. We're going to need backup!"

Trixie heard the officer clear as day. 'No! No backup! Backup is bad.' She resumed her frantic attempts to climb, her ginormous hat making it exceptionally difficult in some areas. She sprinted up the stairs as the two officers from below exited the alley into the street, still watching her as they backed away. They were soon joined by a quickly growing crowd of civilians, staring up in wonder and curiosity at the retreating masked stranger.

As Trixie reached the roof, she huffed in exhaustion. Turning to look and see if she was being followed, she was surprised to instead be met with the gazes of a roaring crowd of ponies, pushing against each other in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the mare retreating in the distance. Trixie could've swore she saw the flash of a camera, no doubt somepony deciding to capture the event as it unfolded.

'Great first impression, idiot!' Trixie scolded herself as she peered down at the intrigued citizens. She spun in urgency, her cape catching the wind once again. She needed to leave the area before more cops arrived, least she want to be known by the media not as the hero of Fillydelphia, but a menace and scarer of foals.

"Not again!" she yelled into the night, refusing to let everything fall through on the first day of her plan's execution. Her eyes narrowed in determination, her sprinting quickened, and her breath steamed out of her masked nostrils as she continued her journey across the rooftops. Never halting in her daring escape.

"This is not over!" she growled in anger, sprinting down another fire escape that led her into another unoccupied darkened alley. She pulled the cape-covered saddlebags from her back, and as quickly as she could, started to undress herself, the coldness of the air making her yelp in unexpected surprise. She stuffed the costume into the bags with every part she tore off, the determination never leaving her eyes.

"Trixie. Will. Succeed," was last the thing she said as her costume was fully removed. She ran off into the night once again, like so many nights before. Abandoning the city as she began her return to the sanctity of the woods.

Chapter 4: Actions Speak Louder

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Trixie's eyes shot open in fright. Shivering beneath the blankets of her bed, her purple irises darted around the dark interior of her home, searching for any and all potential threats. Upon discovering that she was indeed alone, as always, Trixie released an exhale of relief. Allowing her body to relax into the comfort of the warm sheets of her bed once more. 'Great. The dreams are back, and here I thought I was over them.'

Trixie could not fully remember the contents of the nightmare she'd had; with dreams you rarely could. She did recall laughter however, lots of laughter. But not the pleasant kind. It was directed at her, and it was not joyous. It was antagonising. Mocking. They were laughing at her.

Her head banged against the wooden headboard of her bed as she leaned back against it, taking no notice of the minor pain it caused. After the disastrous reveal of Mare-Do-Well in the city the night before, Trixie had sprinted back to the woods as fast as physically possible. Dumping the saddlebags that contained her costume to the floor, and throwing herself onto the bed, effectively passing out the moment her head hit the pillow. Wishfully hoping for a positive dream to distract from her failure.

Wishful indeed.

Trixie could see the light peeking in from behind the curtains, indicating to her that it was probably the early morning. She laid in silence, hoping for her thoughts to take her away, perhaps to yet another dream, one to be desired. This would not come to pass however, she just sat with her eyes blankly focusing on the shadows within the room, watching as their positions changed as the sun gradually rose higher into the sky. Before she even knew it the hours had seemed to past her by in a blink of an eye.

Trixie just could not be bothered to do anything. She was far too comfortable within her bed, and the experience from the night before had been more than little discouraging to say the least. The beginning of Mare-Do-Well had certainly been rough, and honestly she was quite afraid that maybe she had been seen on the way back, or that somepony would make the link between the costume purchase and Trixie's involvement.

A police investigation was the absolute last thing Trixie needed in her life.

But nevertheless, Trixie knew that she had to get up and do... something practical. Her venture as Mare-Do-Well was far from over, and she knew that there was always the possibility that it could be salvaged. She just needed more time, let the events from last night blow other, and then appear again, giving the lasting impression that was needed to let her popularity flourish beyond her own influence.

The question was what she would do now. She was in no mood to put on a show, Mare-Do-Well was off limits until further notice, and she had no other errands to run. Trixie refused to lay back and do nothing all day, that was just not who she was. With an annoyance filled sigh, Trixie sprung up from the bed, twisting in the sheets as her hooves found their way to the shaggy carpet. Her tail swayed behind her as she simultaneously shook her mane, both having become disheveled during her rather restless sleep.

She unenthusiastically proceeded to retrieve her bathing supplies in the glow of her magic, wanting to at least get one thing done today. As she concentrated her magic however, Trixie spotted Apple Leaves' forgotten saddlebag, discarded on the floor from the night before. Her costume was evidently still balled up inside of it, if the lumpy exterior was any indication.

The sight of the bag gave Trixie an idea, something that could spread some light into her dreary existence, and the bag itself provided the perfect excuse to initiate it. A grin grew on her face as she dropped her bathing essentials, and made her way to a chest at the foot of her bed. Rummaging through the assortment of knick-knacks and sentimental valuables, Trixie eventually found what she was looking for; a frayed and worn saddlebag of her own ownership, that evidently had not been used for quite a while.

She threw the damaged bag next to the Apple owned one, pulling the messily deposited superhero suit from it afterward. Trixie then neatly folded the costume and deposited it into the worn saddlebag, before placing it, and Apple Leaves' saddlebag onto her bed. Ready to be retrieved when she returned from her wash at a later time.

With a clear objective for the day, Trixie picked up her cleaning products and left for the river. Strutting through the cold air, excited about what the rest of the day would hold for her.

The wind flew briskly through Trixie's still damp mane, which was exposed from beneath her purple hat, as she made her way down the gravelly path. She basked in the warming sunlight that was unobscured by any nearby trees, today was far more welcoming to be out it than the preceding frozen days. Trixie's costume filled saddlebags bounced on her back atop of her cape, forcing her to shift their positions every so often to prevent them from sliding off entirely. Apple Leaves' saddlebag was perched on top of her own, ready to be returned to its owner.

That was Trixie's intention, and was also the reason why she was on the path to the Fillydelphian Apple families farmhouse. She wanted company for the day, and a chance to return the Apple family's kindness towards her. Returning the borrowed saddlebag provided her with an excuse to approach the Apples without coming across as needy. Trixie had also decided to bring her costume with her, mainly because she would rather not leave it unattended, but also in case she was presented with an opportunity where it might come in handy; however unlikely it may be.

With a spring in her step, Trixie continued on her way down the stone filled road. The giant Foal mountain to her left towered over the forest of apple trees, the snow at its peak shining like a beacon due to the blinding sunlight. Trixie considered the scenery to be very beautiful, and almost gasped when the Apples residence finally came into view after she scaled a minor hill in the path.

The farmhouse was like any other, plain and wooden, as was the nearby brown barn and accompanying silos. What Trixie found remarkable was the environment in its entirety. The trees were spread far and wide, barren of anything but wood due to the season. The mountain leaned overhead; like an almost ominous presence. In the centre of it all however sat a quaint and humble little green house; a warm feeling seemingly emanating from it, attracting Trixie more than ever before.

Not wanting to waste her time, and with the sun already beginning it's descent due to her delay in getting up that morning, Trixie steadily made her way towards the house, the smoke flowing from its chimney only adding to its welcoming serenity. The wind had dried her coat and mane by the time she had passed the picket fence that surrounded the land. The muddy ground was still frozen solid, making her hooves audible as she approached the golden-brown door to the house.

The wooden porch creaked under Trixie's weight as as stood before the front door of the two-story house, her hoof held awkwardly in the air as she thought about what she intended to say. Social interaction was surprisingly difficult for the otherwise extroverted performer. Deciding to just wing it and improvise, Trixie tapped on the door twice, before standing with her head held high and her hoof prepared to tip her hat to whoever greeted her.

She saw a familiar lime-shaded mane and orange coat approach through the door's window, both slightly blurred though the aging glass. Trixie closed her eyes, ready to surprise the Apple resident with a flamboyant and completely unnecessary introduction. She began as soon as the door began to creak open.

"Greetings Ms. Apple Leaves!" Trixie threw her head forwards with a bow, her hat flying down to her chest with a tug of her hoof. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has decided to accept your generous offer of companionship, and she would also like to... thank... oh."

As Trixie rose from her bow and perched her hat atop her head again, she was quite baffled to come face-to-face with a mare who was most definitely not the Apple mare she was most familiar with. They certainly looked alike however, sharing a similar shade of mane and coat. This mare's mane was noticeably more curly however, was a slightly lighter shade of orange and possessed vibrant golden eyes rather than Apples Leaves' lilac. The accompanying red-checkered neckerchief only differentiated them further.

She also did not look amused in the slightest. "Whatever your selling we ain't buying," she tiredly groaned, as if she was sick of repeating the phrase. She was ready to slam the door shut until Trixie dropped the act in order to frantically attempt to stop her.

"Wait wait wait! I'm not a salesmare. I'm a friend of... uh, more of an acquaintance of Apple Leaves." The fact that the new mare had yet to shut the door in Trixie's face convinced her to continue with her explanation, levitating the Apple's saddlebag off of her back as she spoke. "She... kinda left her saddlebag with me when she gave me your gifts. That was very generous of you by the way, thank you," the way the mare's hardened look softened slightly indicated to Trixie that she knew what she was talking about.

The mare took the bag from the magical grip, holding it out as she turned to face Trixie. "Ah take it you're that mare living on the outskirts?" Trixie's nod prompted the Apple to continue, an almost unnoticeable smile adoring her face. "Well, thank you kindly for returning the bag. Ah had mah doubts, Leaves can be a bit..." the neckerchief wearing mare hesitated, avoiding Trixie's gaze for a moment. Trixie decided to chime in.

"Forefront?"

"Trusting."

Trixie couldn't help but look away meekly. The mare in front of her was obviously more judgmental than the other Apples she had encountered thus far, and the hardened look in the mare's eyes made Trixie shrink away, afraid of annoying her anymore than she already unintentionally had. Trixie pushed past her doubts however, she had come by for a friendly visit after all and would not be deterred on account of a single pony's wary expression.

"I take it you're all related, if the coat and manes are any indication," Trixie began, hoping to get on the mare's good side.

The mare snorted. "Heh, signature Apple colors. We're all siblings, I'm the eldest. Name's Pie, Apple Pie," she nodded in greeting.

Trixie involuntary jumped at the mention of the name Pie. The name reminded her of the other family that had been so kind to her. Focusing back on the here and now, Trixie returned the informal greeting with a touch of flare. "Hello Ms. Pie, you probably already know that I am Trixie. It's a pleasure."

Trixie held a foreleg out in greeting, and almost yanked it back when Apple Pie's muddy hoof made contact. She persevered however, not wanting to come across as inconsiderate. Though she annoyingly wondered why Apple Pie couldn't have done the same for her.

The Apple mare roughly shook Trixie's hoof, maintaining a deliberately blank stare, as if she was analysing every aspect of Trixie's character. Trixie wondered if it was the result of overprotection of her sibling, or just a general dislike of Trixie as a whole. After all this time it was difficult to tell the difference anymore.

Pulling her hoof back, Apple Pie chucked the saddlebag inside the house, before turning back towards Trixie with dropping eyelids. "Ah take it Apple Leaves invited you over? Come on in. I'll go get her." With the door held open with Pie's hoof, Trixie swiftly made her way inside, with Apple Pie swinging the door shut behind her, cutting off the remnants of sunlight that shined upon the porch. She directed Trixie towards the living room, while she instead made her way upstairs to fetch her younger sister.

Trixie approached the centre of the cozy room, the fireplace spreading a warm glow throughout the area. She possessed a slight feeling of unease, the awkward conversation with Apple Pie only adding to her doubts. She pondered whether or not this was such a good idea, that the welcoming feeling was unwarranted. She was after all still a stranger to these ponies.

Trixie decided to distract herself, not enjoying the negative thoughts weighing on her mind. She turned to the mantelpiece above the fireplace, her wandering gaze falling on the several photos hanging above it. A large group photo sat on the left, featuring a plethora of ponies stood in front of a red barn. Next on the right was a smaller family photo, containing the three Fillydelphian Apples Trixie had already met, that being Apple Leaves, Apple Pie, the stallion Bushel, along with two filly twins, and an older but still quite youthful mare. Trixie picked up on what was missing almost immediately.

'No father.'

Five siblings and a mother, wholesome yet incomplete. As much as Trixie wished she could relate, she could not.

A thumping in the wood prompted Trixie to turn to where she had entered, her gaze breaking from a third photo of a stallion she didn't get a chance to look at. The two Apple sisters walked through the archway, with Apple Leaves giving out a mock laugh upon spotting the magician stood on the carpet. "Well ain't that a sight! Was wondering if you would show up, guess you ain't just some wandering crazy-mare after all!"

Trixie couldn't help but snort at the sisters. Stern and stoic versus loud and energetic. The two mares were seemingly polar opposites. But then again how would Trixie know? She barely knew the two.

"It wouldn't have been appropriate of me to stay on your land and not drop by to say hello. That, and you left your saddlebag." Trixie gestured to where the discarded bag sat on the floor with her head. "... Which I returned. The food was delicious," she said nonchalantly, but with obvious pleasure in her tone. She did not want to come across as being too uptight.

Apple Leaves strutted across the room and took a seat on a nearby couch, motioning for Trixie to sit on an accompanying armchair nearby. Apple Pie took the opportunity to leave for the kitchen, leaving the two mares alone. "So... how you doing?" Apple Leaves began lamely, looking at Trixie to carry the conversation.

Trixie just awkwardly tapped her forelegs on the chair rests, throwing her head back with a sigh as a reaction to the unfamiliarity of situation. She had no idea how to respond, other than with the blunt truth. "I'm fine. Look I have no idea what I'm doing here. I was bored, you and brother are kinda the only ponies I know... barely. I just thought... I have no idea what I thought," Trixie finished with a snort, waiting for the inevitable, baffled response.

She didn't expect the mild chuckling, but was more surprised that it sounded genuine. She turned back to Apple Leaves, who read Trixie's questioning expression like a book. "You're here because it was offered to ya. Ain't too confusing," Leaves spoke simply, as if the answer should be obvious to Trixie.

The Magician couldn't argue with that, the Apples had been welcoming, and she desired their company in response. If it was considered needy or unwarranted, Trixie didn't care. It just felt good. "I suppose. You already noticed I'm not entirely use to... this," she threw her hooves up in emphasis.

Apple Leaves laughed at the mare's antics. "Sometimes we just need a friend," Leaves replied bluntly, her head swinging slightly side-to-side. Trixie just looked at the mare in enlightenment, but with a noticeable amount of apprehension.

"Oh... since when were we friends?" she asked curiously, but playfully.

Apple Leaves suddenly leapt up from the seat, spring-boarding herself into the middle of the room, much to Trixie's apparent amusement. "I thought we became friends when you saved mah hide in the market. But how bout we make it official. I'll show you around Filly, then we can have a night on the town!"

"No," called a voice from the kitchen.

"Uh... an afternoon recreational drink?"

"Maybe."

"Fine. A drink... and mah sister comes with us."

"Agreed."

Apple Leaves gave a low groan after finishing with her sister's interruptions. Trixie just stared on in uneasiness, which didn't go unnoticed by her host. "Pie can be a bit... commanding. Ain't her fault, she's got a lot on her plate. She basically runs this place after Mom..." Leaves suddenly became very distant, an emotionless mask overcoming her features. Her eyes involuntarily shifting to the third photo of the stallion that rested on the mantelpiece. Trixie suddenly felt very intrusive.

"Um... sorry," Trixie said awkwardly, not entirely knowing how to approach the situation in a way that wouldn't cause it to deteriorate any further. She jumped when Apple Leaves spun around suddenly, nonchalantly walking over to a nearby desk, pretending to fiddle with the mail that lay upon it. Trixie just let her be.

"So uh... Ah take it your like a... magician or something?" Leaves spoke, attempting to sound focused.

'Or something,' Trixie thought with humour, the Mare-Do-Well costume still within her saddlebags reinforcing the thought. She almost forgot to answer the question, though thankfully Apple Leaves still seemed to be too distracted to notice Trixie's own unfocused attitude. She decided to play herself up a bit, thinking it might lighten the mood a tad. "Why of course! Trixie travels the land to awe and amaze! ... Though she's admittedly hit a bump or two recently," Trixie finished dismissively, waving her hoof in a circle in enthuses.

She gathered Apple Leaves attention however, suddenly interested in what Trixie was saying. "That why you're in Filly' then? Heck you shoulda said so! The Apples have a good working relationship with some 'premiere and respectable establishments' as they would say. Perhaps Ah can hook you up? Those fellas are always looking for new acts."

Trixie, despite her urge to fall to her knees and beg for the chance, shook her head frantically to indicate 'no'. She was already indebted to Apple Leaves and her family, she couldn't keep adding to the list, not without paying them back first. "Thank you. But you see... I've already got some plans," she smirked, and couldn't suppress a glance at her saddlebags.

"Oh why didn't you say so! Where you performing? It would be a good outing for the fillies, Ah also got some friends who'd-"

"What?" Trixie stiffened under the expecting gaze of her host, before realising she was waiting for an answer. Trixie fumbled out her words. "Oh! It's a... work in progress. A long way to go yet. Sorry," she awkwardly grinned to sell the excuse, extatic when Apple Leaves seemed to buy it. 'Nice save, dumb-dumb.'

"Shoot. Well, you be sure to tell us when you're ready. Can't hurt right?" Leaves asked hopefully.

Trixie wasn't going to disappoint. "Not at all," she replied. Rising from the seat, Trixie made her way to the window of the living room, once more gazing over the serene frozen farm. Her brow furrowed in confusion when a thought crossed her mind, specifically a thought about the location of the other apple farm residents. She had yet to see or meet most of them. "So... Where's your brother?" She asked out of the blue, expecting a quick answer.

The delay in reply prompted Trixie to turn towards her company, the sly grin adorning Leaves' face made Trixie do a double take. The sudden shifting of Apple Leaves' eyebrows only made Trixie more befuddled. "So... you interested in mah brother are ya?"

The accusation made Trixie gape, a desperate squeak of denial emanating from her. Once she'd collected herself, she was able to give a proper response. "Of course not! I was just wondering where he was, those fillies you mentioned yesterday too. I haven't seen any of them," was Trixie's frustrated reply. She elected not to ask about the whereabouts of the mother, because then Apple Leaves would most likely wonder why she hadn't asked about her father. Better to avoid the possibility entirely rather than run the risk.

Apple Leaves just laughed at Trixie's expression, not serious about her question from before in the slightest. "There at school, where else? Bushel's down the market with Ma; she was always the best salespony of us all," Leaves answered in a longing tone. Trixie picked up on the disappointment in her voice. Trixie was fairly certain that there was some unresolved drama occurring between Apple Leaves and the rest of her family, of what, Trixie could be sure, and she did not intend to inquire on the subject.

Trixie turned to look out at the farm again, the banging of cupboards from the kitchen reminding her of Apples Leaves' prior proposal. "I believe you said something about a drink?" Trixie asked, the prospect of alcohol sounding quite attractive all of a sudden. If only to relieve her of her lingering feelings of embarrassment brought on by yesterday's indiscretion in the alleyway.

Apple Leaves blinked in a moment of recognition, her too remembering what she had said earlier. "Yeah, almost forgot! Ah know a place or two around the city, be a great way for you to meet the locals," Apple Leaves spoke as she walked into the entrance hallway, the sound of rustling clothes soon following.

"I'm sure," was Trixie's response, shifting her saddlebag and cape to become more centralised on her back, both having become disorganised from her sitting down.

Apple Leaves returned wrapped in a dark and frayed cobalt jacket, obviously intended to combat the oncoming cold. "Let's go get you acquainted then!" She held a hoof out towards the door, with Trixie following the gesture's direction. They were both almost out off the house when an annoyance filled groan halted their progress.

"Leaves..." said the recently returned Apple Pie, who was stood with her shoulders slumped, looking disapprovingly at Apple Leaves, who attempted, but failed to don an innocent expression. Trixie had almost forgot about the other sister, and realised quickly realised that Apple Leaves was trying to leave without her. Trixie turned away from both of them, not wanting to intrude as it was none of her business. "You're forgetting something," Apple Pie said unamused.

Leaves just gave a heavy sigh, knowing she would never be able to give a good enough excuse to defuse the situation. She had been caught, plain and simple. "Alright, sorry. Can we just go?" She turned towards the door and made her way out, followed by Apple Pie, who locked the door behind her. Pie gave Trixie a glance before making her way to the front of the group, Apple Leaves following behind her in a slouch.

'Sunshine and rainbooms she is,' Trixie thought, before making her way next to the Apple sister she was more familiar with. "Lead the way."

The venture into the city was quiet, save for the occasional small talk between Apple Leaves and Trixie. The eldest Apple stayed at the front, frequently glancing back at her sister every so often. Despite her no-nonsense exterior, Trixie didn't find the new mare to be all that unpleasant. Perhaps a little too stern, but then again she did have a farm to run, and family life could be very stressful.

Not that Trixie would know.

It was later in the day than Trixie had initially realised. Sunset was fast approaching, but then again it was winter; the days were shorter and nights were longer, with the outgoing ponies dwindling each day as the air grew colder. Soon the snow would fall, and any chance of street performances would have to be ruled out entirely.

Trixie could not help but snort at her tardiness, she had been so sidetracked with her plans as Mare-Do-Well and her Apple family acquaintances that she had yet to put on an actual show. She would not be able to survive the winter if she didn't have a way to pay for it. 'You'll work it out, there's always opportunities in a town like this,' Trixie reassured herself. Her blank gaze going unnoticed by her now rambling companion.

Trixie was about to focus on actually listening to the rambling, but her glance became transfixed elsewhere, a sudden sense of déjà vu overcoming her. Apple Leaves followed her gaze, snorting at the sight once her eyes found it. "That place. It's the darndest thing. Fire came out of nowhere, was lucky nopony got hurt." Both mares paused to stare at the burnt exterior of what appeared to be a restaurant, a sickly yellowish tint mixing with the formerly pristine glass that now laid on the street, shattered from the heat. The interior was worst, filled with burnt wood and twisted-melted metal.

Continuing on their way again, Trixie pushed her questioning thoughts elsewhere. Fires were common, but it was quite the coincidence that there were two in the same city that had caused such damage so recently together. But then again, it's not like Trixie knew anything to make any judgements. She just focused back on her company's monologuing, who face suddenly became bright with recognition. Trixie turned in interest.

"So... You two read the news, about that masked mare?"

'Oh...' Trixie bit her lip. The debacle from last night was a news story? She hadn't prepared for this! Not wanting to appear suspicious, she shook her head calmly to indicate 'no'. Apple Leaves took that as a sign to explain, with Trixie all too eager to hear what was being said about her, or rather her alter-ego.

"Well, apparently some costumed stranger was chased off by the cops for something or other last night, didn't say what for though. There was a picture, but it was pretty terrible to be honest," Leaves finished with a shrug. Trixie decided not to ask any questions, as much as she wanted to. If it wasn't considered to be that big of a deal, she would not treat it as such. Plus, a sudden interest in an obscure subject might raise an eyebrow or two amongst her compatriots.

"Just what this town needs," Apple Pie chimed in disgruntlement.

The voice from their front startled the two mares, as Trixie didn't think that Apple Pie was able to hear them at the distance she was at. "I suppose it is quite peculiar," Trixie added, deciding that feigning ignorance was her best option for avoiding suspicion.

Apple Leaves' laugh was an unexpected response. "Trixie, this is Fillydelphia, peculiar is a slow day," she said, suddenly speeding up as the group approached a nearby building. A better look told Trixie that it was a tavern of some sort if she guessed correctly; it crafted wooden exterior contrasting with the concrete towers that surrounded it. Apple Leaves stood outside as Pie made her way in, apparently in search of a table. Trixie looked at the remaining mare with expectancy. "Here we are, a quiet local for the drowning of all one's sorrows."

"You're not a regular I hope?" Trixie joked, walking through, her face becoming illuminated from the candlelight that shone inside.

"Ain't got no sorrows to drown," was Apple Leaves' cheerful response, following Trixie in and shutting the door behind her.

'Doubt it,' Trixie thought to herself, not being stupid enough to voice it out loud. The duo spotted Apple Pie in a nearby booth, fiddling with a menu, trying to remain inconspicuous as her golden eyes occasionally flickered in Trixie's direction. That was starting to become annoying. Both mares took a took a seat on the brown chairs, the fabric worn with age. The rest of the establishment was mostly deserted, not that it was too surprising. The night was still young, and some ponies would rather remain in the comfort of their homes rather than venture out into a potentially chilly night.

Trixie was quite happy where she was.

A quick trip to the bar later, and the trio of mares were back in the booth, each in possession of their own preference of alcohol. Trixie had selected the cheapest wine she could, both out of necessity, but also a habit from her more rambunctious days. 'Ah, good times.'

The warm interior of the bar was mostly silent, save for a few quiet conversations here and there, the trio in the booth being no exception. "So... Ms. Oh Great and Powerful Trixie, what's your story?" Apple Leaves asked with curiosity, gulping her drink every so often. Apple Pie's ear twitched towards Trixie, apparently wondering what she would say also.

Trixie didn't exactly know where to begin, she could not think of anything that was worth saying, or anything that would want to be heard. "It may surprise you, but there's nothing that interesting to say. I've travelled the length of Equestria twice over, eventually the surprises stop and it all becomes routine," she said bluntly, taking a sip of her wine after she had finished.

Apple Leaves was noticeably dissatisfied with the answer. "The length of Equestria ain't a story worth hearing? Ah find that hard to believe," she questioned, Apple Pie nodding in agreement at her side.

Trixie was not particularly in the mood to argue, if they didn't like her answer they would just have to deal with it. "What's there is dull, and what followed is best left forgotten," she said, in a tone that identified it was a subject she didn't want to discuss further.

Apple Leaves just gave a shrug before taking another gulp of her beverage, Apple Pie however narrowed her eyes in response to the vagueness of the answer, her expression intentional concealed from Trixie by masking it with her hooves. Trixie's curiosity was peaked at the other two however, she had known a few of the Apple families relatives, but never this closely. "What about you two? I've met a few Apples, though never any from Fillydelphia."

Apple Pie rolled her eyes as her sister fidgeted beside her, her eagerness to answer the question evident. "Born and raised. Ma and Pa ran the farm, soon it'll be Pie here's officially once Ma gives the go ahead." Leave's chuckled as a thought came to mind. "You know though, Mom would probably hand it over quicker if you and that handsome fella who wears the, suits give her some grand-babies."

Apple Pie couldn't prevent her spit take, Leaves giving a knowing grin to Trixie as Pie recovered. "Leaves what did Ah tell you-"

"We both know you like him!" Her sister interrupted.

"It was one time!" Pie half-yelled, attracting the attention of other nearby attendants.

Trixie couldn't help but laugh at the bout of sibling conflict, she could tell by the look in both their faces that it was all in good fun... even if one was actually getting frustrated at the other. Finishing her wine, Trixie concluded that this was going to be a good night. "Another round!" she called.

"...Ah always wanted the farm, you know Ah always wanted the farm. I'd be good at doing those... accounting stuff, much better than you. You suck at it."

"Ah don't doubt it Leaves."

"You just hate me because I'm the youngest."

"You're not the youngest."

"Ah was! For a long time Ah was."

"I know sugarcube."

The back-and-forth banter between the slightly tipsy eldest Apple, and her absurdly drunk little sister was quite amusing to Trixie. She found it funny to watch as the mare's antics became more erratic as the night went on and more drinks were consumed. At one point she was laughing at everything that was said. Next she was joining every conversation every other pony in the now relatively full bar was having, with varying degrees of success. Now she was just sat back down in the booth, a look that could've been mistake for boredom on her face. Though both her companions knew better.

"You're no fun no more Pie, ya got old, like boring old," Leaves slurred. Pie continued to sit by her side with an heartfelt grin, the first genuine one Trixie could confirm to be real. She took no offence to her sister's drunken rant whatsoever. Trixie found it quite touching in a strange sort of way, there was a sincerity to the siblings' interactions, even though they were sometimes antagonistic, all ill thoughts were overshadowed by their love and support for each other.

Trixie and Pie both held a hoof out as the drunken mare rose from her seat, swaying to an almost dangerous degree. "Excuse me. Imma go puke," she nonchalantly said before running off to the nearest restroom. Apple Pie worryingly accompanied her, but returned to Trixie soon after to assure her that everything was fine whilst Leaves remained in the bathroom to cleanse her system.

Both mares shared a laugh at the situation. "I take it she doesn't do this too often?" Trixie asked, though the answer was apparent.

"Why do think I'm here?" Apple Pie responded, gesturing to herself. She was leaning against the booth, reluctant to sit down, every so often giving a glance towards the restroom door.

Trixie, equally worried, continued with the conversation. "I thought it because my illusive and captivating character intrigued you enough to join us?" Trixie playfully asked.

"Perhaps. But it's really because whether mah sister accepts it or not, she's not mature enough to be out alone," Pie responded sternly, as if it was an answer she'd had to give a great many times.

Trixie couldn't help but agree, but voiced a controversial point nevertheless, her tipsiness making her slightly more forefront with her thoughts. "She'll never learn if you don't let her," she spoke, but not in a tone that sounded condescending.

Apple Pie didn't seem to take offence. "She'll learn, but she don't need to do it alone," she answered, with Trixie responding with a nod in understanding and acceptance, much to Pie's approval.

Both mares waited in relative silence, the Apple still glancing at the door in sequence. She turned back to Trixie after a few moments, a sudden distant look in her eyes, catching Trixie's attention. "Mah sister is an extremely poor judge of character, quite dim too," she stated bluntly. Trixie listened intently, not feeling up to interrupting. Pie shook her hoof in dismissal, going over her words in her head. "Don't get me wrong, Ah love her more than anything. But Ah didn't come down here just ta have a friendly drink and exchange stories with you Trixie. There's something you gotta know if we're gonna get along."

Trixie sat bolt upright, the effects of the alcohol in her system seemingly forgotten. Apple Pie's look was intense. A glare focused entirely on Trixie, which she didn't shy away from in the slightest. "You hurt her, mah brother, mah sisters, or my mother. We're gonna have words," Pie sternly said, now awaiting Trixie's reaction.

Trixie, much to her own surprise, found Apple Pie's threat to be quite admirable. She was not threatening Trixie out of hate, but out of affection for her family, and Trixie couldn't fault her for that. "I assume the words would then be followed by a particularly violent beating?" Was Trixie's response. It wasn't arrogant, but instead a assured quizzical tone.

"Most definitely," Apple Pie said, maintaining her stern expression.

Trixie held her almost empty glass of wine high, much to Pie's initial confusion. "If it were to come to that, I'm sure I deserve it," she said, playful from her tipsiness.

Apple Pie wasn't finished yet however, having one final question. "Will it come to that?" she asked coldly.

"No," was Trixie firm response.

A crack of of a smile appeared upon Apple Pie's face, her glare diminishing as she backed away from Trixie, all animosity gone. "In that case-" she much more cheerfully began, but wasn't able to continue. Apple Leaves stumbled out of the restroom, and her sister was by her side the moment she was spotted. She was pale and wobbling and Trixie knew it was probably going to be a difficult morning for her. She could relate.

"Ah should be getting her home. Boy is she gonna regret this in the morning," Pie chuckled, her sister leaning on her for comfort. Trixie tipped her hat as Pie began to lead the way out the door, but not before turning back to Trixie, giving a small wave herself. "Pleasure making your acquaintance, Trixie. Tonight was... fun." Once Apple Pie turned again, she directed her stumbling sister through the door, who had begun to giggle at nothing once more.

"Pleasure was all mine," Trixie said to herself. She sat a few minutes in silence before downing the last of her drink. With a cough, she rose from the seat, pulling her saddlebags onto her back in the glow of her magic. Strutting towards the door, Trixie almost gasped when she was met with the frost filled air. 'Man, how long were we in here?' It was apparently long enough for the moon to be high in the sky, subconsciously reminding Trixie of the night before.

She dismissed the thought, not wanting to have the failure of Mare-Do-Well damper her otherwise good mood. The outing with the Apples had been nice; fun even. Social gatherings were a rarity for Trixie, she didn't have the time on the road for them, and to be frank, didn't usually have anypony else to enjoy them with. She could only sit in a bar by herself so many times before it became more depressing than enjoyed.

But tonight had not been one of those nights! It was one to be savoured. Trixie had a good time, and was optimistic about doing it again, with those she could apparently now call her friends. 'Haven't had any of those in a while.'

She started on her way down the deserted streets, in the direction of the apple orhard, but on a different route then what the two sisters had taken since she was heading for the edge of the woods and not the house. It must have been quite late, and seeing as she was nearing the outskirts of the city, it was no wonder nopony else was around. Trixie paid it no thought though. Instead she focused on her joy at the day's success, practically skipping down the road in a tipsy daze. Her worry at it's potential failure now seemed to be completely unwarranted, everything had gone as smoothly as can be. She lost herself in the serene silence of the street, convinced that nothing could ruin her night.

"Help me!"

"Shut up!"

A serene silence that was suddenly broken. Trixie froze on the pavement, her ears twitching in the direction of the terrified plea she had just heard. She could hear rustling coming from a nearby alleyway, almost completely concealed by the night-time shadows. She backed up against the brick wall next to the alley, the rustling and scrambling she heard from within increasing in volume. Grunting and crying also became audible, two distinct sounds with two different sources, a mare and a stallion. The stallion was the one pleading for help, whereas the mare sounded rather aggressive.

Trixie peeked around the corner ever so slowly, holding her mane back to prevent it from obstructing her sight or swaying into view. She saw them. There was a earth pony mare, standing over a pegasus stallion laying on the cobblestone ground. She was kicking him, again and again. The stallion would attempt to stand, only to be knocked back to the floor, his once clean suit dirtied by sweat, grime, and his own blood.

Trixie reared back in shock, the mare in the alley continuing her assault unassumingly. Trixie knew she had to do something, and began to creep away as silently as she could, intending to retreat back to the densely populated bar to report the crime and recieve aid.

She could not bring herself to move however when the stallion's yells of agony echoed throughout the street once more, freezing her in a state of fear and anger. Even if she ran it would take her minutes to reach the bar, and then even longer to return. By then the mare could be gone, and a far worse fate could befall the stallion.

Trixie growled at her own uselessness. She couldn't take an earth pony in a fight, she was not strong or skilled enough. She was too far away to get help, and nopony else was apparently coming to the poor stallion's aid. 'What the hell am I suppose to do!?'

Another agony filled scream from the stallion forced Trixie to turn, ready to barge her way into the alley to do anything and everything that she could, even if all she did was scare the mare off.

'Scare...'

Her frantic thoughts returned to the night before, when she had stood costumed in the darkened alleys of Fillydelphia's centre. She remembered the faces of those children, how they feared her, how they had ran at the mere sight of her.

It was in that instant that Trixie knew what she had to do. Pulling the saddlebags from her back as she ripped her hat and cape off.

"I'll give you what you want. Just stop," the stallion begged, snivelling into the ground as he clutched his side in pain.

The mare just growled at him, angered and annoyed by how this event had played out. "You shouldn't have been difficult," she growled, raising her hoof again, causing the stallion to recoil in fear. She slammed it into the ground by his muzzle, causing him to whimper. The mare gave a quick look at either end of the alley to make sure they were still alone, before once again glaring at her victim. "I'm going to ask you again. Give me-"

Clang.

The mare jumped at abrupt metallic noise that had echoed throughout the alley, she turned to search for its source. Her gaze fell downwards as a discarded metal food can rolled into her view. She made a move towards it when a shuffling sound behind her prompted her to spin, frantically searching for anything that could have caused the noise in the seemingly deserted environment. "Who's there?!" she angrily called out into the dark, her voice echoing off of the brick walls. She waited for a response that never came.

The paranoid mare was about to turn back to the stallion to resume her attack, until she noticed he was partially obscured, as were her own hooves, by what appeared to be a strange black mist that had not been present earlier. The stallion was now just as confused as his attacker, who looked towards the brightly lit street to her left, and then to her right, which she discovered was where the mist was emanating from. She backed away as the cloud of smoke grew, the outline on a pony becoming visible inside of it.

The mare continued to back away as the form within the smoke continued to grow. She let out a small shriek as a pair of white eyes suddenly appeared from within, staring at her with such intensity that she had to force herself to stay still to stop her panicked shaking. "Now look-" she began, attempting to sound intimidating. She could not continue as she was interrupted by a violent wind that flowed throughout the alleyway, shaking the windows and the garbage that laid in the street.

"Screw this!" The mare screamed as she decided she'd had enough. Running out of the alley with her tail between her legs, any ill intentions towards the stallion forgotten as she fled.

The stallion was thankful, though undoubtably just as afraid as his attacker towards the strange pony shrouded in the mist. He would have ran himself if he was able to, but calmed himself as the mist began to dissipate, the image of the pony within becoming clearer every second. Before long the smoke was gone completely. Revealing his unlikely saviour to him.

'Thank Celestia that worked!'

Trixie could not suppress her exhausted exhale as she canceled the illusion magic; winded from maintaining a spell of that scale for the amount of time that she did. Her costume of black and purple had been practically forced onto her, not wanting to delay in her rescue of the stallion more than she already did. The stallion in question was now staring at the masked Trixie in wonder at her shadowy appearance and sudden emergence. She approached him swiftly, the concern on her face hidden by the mask. "Are you okay, Sir?" she asked gently.

"You saved me," he meekly whispered, awe adorning his face. Trixie couldn't help but blush at his expression, thankful her mask only showed a blank stare.

"Yes, you're uh... welcome," she spoke again. She was about to assist the pony in getting to the street, and hopefully flag down some assistance from... somewhere. But she did not anticipate what he would do next.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" he said over and over again, suddenly on his hooves, madly shaking Trixie's hastily wrapped foreleg.

"It's was no problem, really!" she spoke in between his repeated thank yous, slightly unnerved by his sudden burst of ecstatic behaviour.

He scoffed at her. "No problem? You saved my life! That mare was trying to rob me and you... I'm so grateful," he sincerely finished, continuing to shake Trixie's hoof, but not nearly as erratically.

"It was... my pleasure," was Trixie's humble response. The stallion was half beaten, and yet he had forced himself to his hooves to thank her for performing a simple illusion spell. It made her worry about what would have happened if she had ran back to the bar instead. She probably would not have even gotten back to help yet.

Everything had worked out great. Better than great. The stallion was safe and the criminal was gone. If Trixie didn't have the suit with her... She did not even want to think about that possibility. She backed away as the stallion ceased his thankful gestures, she needed to leave before the cops showed up. Something told her they would misunderstand the situation if she was still there.

She turned back as the stallion called to her however. "Hey wait! You're that mare from the paper right? From yesterday night?"

Trixie would have groaned, but decided to humour the injured stallion. She nodded at his question, which prompted him to grin.

"Well... What do I call you?"

"I-" Trixie was at a loss. The reason she had worn the costume in the first place was to gather attention, fame, and glory. Yet the way the stallion's face was alight with immeasurable joy and relief made her forget all of that. Like it was all inconsequential. She saved him. Her. It wasn't a lie, and it wasn't a boast. It was real. For a reason Trixie couldn't put her hoof on, that made more proud of herself then she had felt in a long time, and it wasn't false bravado. It was genuine.

She could have ran away from the crime scene and saved herself from any potential danger, and no-pony would have known. Yet she didn't. She went to help even though she did not expect to receive anything in return, and she did it all because the stallion before her had needed her aid.

That was the pony other ponies would rally to see. That was the pony Trixie would aspire to be. A hero; a genuine hero.

"You can call me... Mare-Do-Well."

Chapter 5: Time To Shine

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Tonight was a big night for Shining Armor.

The Canterlot Castle ballroom was alight with festive joy. The chandeliers that hung from the ceiling twinkled like starlight, and the moon's glow that shined in through the large stained-glass windows only added to the large room's serenity. Seemingly hundreds of ponies of all ages and status were located within, all sat around dozens of adorned circular tables, chattering to each other and divulging in exquisite appetizers.

Most of the well dressed ponies were turned to face a table raised above the rest, visible to all within the room. At the elaborate rectangular table sat three of Equestria's princesses, all wearing regal attire that matched their coats. The recently coronated Princess Twilight elected to sit with her friends from Ponyville, down with the rest of the castle guests.

Joining the princesses were several of their trusted advisors, notable members of the Equestrian royal services, and the Captain of the Royal Guard himself; Shining Armor.

Though he wouldn't remain Captain for much longer.

Tonight he was getting promoted.

It had been quite a shock when Shining had been offered the new position, by Princess Celestia herself no less! He had been Captain for so long now, and accomplished so much as it that he couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive about taking on his new responsibilities.

He was still apprehensive now, at the party in his honour.

Princess Celestia had approached him completely out of the blue, on a random day's afternoon. Apparently talks had been going on behind his back for quite some time regarding his purpose within the Equestrian forces; his commanding of the royal guard and carrying out his duties as the Prince of the Crystal Empire with his wife causing a bit of confusion amongst his peers and the public. Celestia and her equals decided that a more fixed position was needed within the guard, for someone to command the forces of Equestria as a whole; from the borders of the Badlands to beyond the Crystal Mountains.

And Shining was the unanimously chosen candidate.

The elegantly purple and golden robed stallion was then distracted by his wife sat next to him, who had been caressing his hoof every so often, instinctively picking up on her husband's nervousness. He was Captain of the Royal Guard, the Prince of The Crystal Empire, and he would still curl up like a foal in embarrassment for what his in-laws were about to do next. He was just thankful that Cadance decided, with plenty of pestering on his part, to not give a speech expressing how great and powerful he was.

He was a solider, and did everything that was expected of him. It wasn't anything worth bragging about.

From his right he saw Princess Celestia regally rise from her golden throne at the centre of the table, any conversations between the guests below halting at her valued presence. Sharing a nod with her sister at her side, Celestia commenced with her speech. Shining could not contain a dreary sigh, not looking forward at all to being the centre of attention. Humbleness seemingly ran in the Sparkle family.

Casting a gaze over her waiting audience, Celestia began speaking her well rehearsed words. "It is my pleasure to welcome you all to Canterlot. I hope you've all had a pleasant evening so far... The chefs apparently spared no expense," she paused due to the bout of mild applause and chuckling that followed, the kitchen staff that stood around the edges of the room bowing humbly in response.

"You've all come from far and wide, each with plenty of exciting tales to tell. Fine dignitaries from the Crystal Empire. Our allies to the east. And friends closer to home, for once you're all not here on my behalf," she gave a look towards the Ponyville table, each member having a different reaction from the eyes of the crowd falling upon them, ranging from glee to embarrassment.

Celestia held her head high once more, directing all attention back to her so she could continue. "We are instead gathered here tonight, in the halls of this ballroom, to celebrate a pony for his continued service to Equestria, and all its citizens."

Shining could not prevent himself from gulping down his expensive wine, even if he despised the taste. The eyes that followed him just prompted him to do something... anything but sit still. Cadance noticed his nervousness, squeezing his hoof tighter in response. The smile she gave him did wonders to relax him.

"He has made great strives to reconnect with the crystal ponies after their unjust banishment, his efforts having proven invaluable in making the Empire whole again and reintegrating its residents with the Equestria of today." Celestia speech was met with murmurs of approval, particularly amongst the crystal ponies present, forcing her to pause before they died down.

"You're all quite familiar with his military operations I'm sure. Transparency is a must, it keeps the tabloids happy." Laughter followed, though most of it was done out of expectancy rather than from finding the comment humorous. Celestia carried on regardless. "The umbrum that still lies beneath the snow, the changelings that still roam the land, and whatever unknown dangers reside within the Badlands. All have been contained or are monitored by the combined efforts of everypony here, and the stallion who made it all possible."

The applause that followed only made Shining look away. One could only listen to their accomplishments being read out so many times before it felt like showing off. Shining Armor did his duty and what was expected of him, and he felt privileged to be rewarded for it. But was a full-fledged party with him as the guest of honour really necessary? Making a spectacle of things was really just a desired formality rather than something which served a higher purpose. The quicker this was over with the quicker he could get to work.

Whatever 'work' now consisted of.

His thoughts were interrupted by Celestia launching her voice once more to conclude her speech, the crowd listening intently. "But as much as I would love to dally on about how spectacular a stallion, and dedicated of a guard Shining Armor is, I think we all know that already..."

A thunderous round of applause followed in agreement, and Shining, against his better judgement, gave a meek wave as a response, before once again making a grab for his wine. He didn't notice the devious smirk that adorned Celestia's face. "Or perhaps his wife would rather do it for me. Cadance?"

Shining choked on his drink, desperately turning to his wife with a pleading look. She just grinned in false innocence. This did not reassure him. "But you said-"

Cadance rose from her seat, mouthing "I lied" as she turned from Shining to face the crowd. The stallion just sunk back into his chair. If Celestia's speech hadn't killed him, Cadance's would finish him off. She would most certainly assure it.

"Thank you Princess Celestia," Cadance addressed her adopted aunt, before once again facing her subjects, sadistically enjoying her husband's growing unease. "Shining actually asked me to not give a speech tonight, under the assumption that I'd probably embarrass him. Even after all this years he's still just that little colt who couldn't even say hello the first time he met me."

Shining shrivelled into his seat at the crowds laughter, the memory of their first meeting at Canterlot Academy flashing in his sight. Cadance decided to let up a bit, realising she still had a speech to complete. "He's also the reason Canterlot is safer than ever before. Why the changelings that almost took our city are on the run! I've never seen him work harder than after the Canterlot invasion, on our honeymoon..."

"...in more ways than one I'll tell you that!"

The crowd roared with laughter, the loudest coming from Luna of all ponies. Celestia gasped at Shining's side, who found table to be a nice place to slam his head all of a sudden, rattling the cutlery that lay upon it. Cadance couldn't help herself, it was just the perfect set up. "Can you guess why he didn't want me to give a speech yet?" Cadance cheekily announced, the laughter continuing for several moments more.

Their honeymoon had been quite... exhausting. Shining had spend a majority of the time drawing up changeling defensive strategies, and Cadance had been more than a little shaken up from her experiences with the changeling Queen. It was definitely a passionate time for both of them.

"But in all seriousness..." Cadance began, ceasing the prior laughter completely. "Equestria is better off with Shining Armor at its defence, a fact all us princesses and advisors agree on." She turned towards Shining, the mischievous look in the eyes completely gone, in its place a look of utter pride. Shining sat bolt upright as he met his wife's loving gaze, returning it full force.

"Which is why we are gathered here tonight. To reward my beloved husband for his service, and also increase his workload ten-fold!" She half-heartedly joked, getting some of the ponies to chuckle, but more were focused on how the couple were staring into each others eyes.

Cadance was the one to break the gaze, much to Shining's disappointment. She still had a lot ground left to cover, and couldn't spend all her time admiring her husband in his ceremonial garments; as much as she wanted to. "Up until now, Shining Armor has been the Captain of the Royal Guard for Canterlot, and also carries out royal duties in Crystal Empire as its Prince," Cadance explained to the guests.

"We all felt it best that we erase any potential confusion or disruptions in communication by making Shining Armor the official liaison between the Crystal Empire, Canterlot, and any and all Royal Guard facilities across Equestria and beyond." Her voice was slightly duller now, having gotten to the point in her speech she had rehearsed word-for-word with little variation. "They'll obviously be a few kinks to work out, nopony's taken on a responsibility like this for over a thousand years, at the time of the Empire's disappearance." A few crystal ponies in the crowd nodded in agreement. "But if any pony is up to it, it's my husband."

Shining could not help it, he ducked his head again in embarrassment, but the smile that he wore was visible to the proud crowd from his raised position at the table. Cadance flared her wings slightly in excitement. "Fillies and Gentlecolts, it is my honour to relinquish Shining Armor's title of Captain, and bestow upon him the title of Marshal of the Equestrian Royal Forces!"

As proud as Shining was to hold the rank, even he had to admit his full title was a bit over the top. 'Prince Shining Armor. Marshal Shining Armor. Everypony's going to be so confused.' Even though he had his apprehensions, he couldn't express just how lucky and grateful he felt. Sure he would probably have a lot more work to do both in the Empire and Canterlot from now on, but he was chosen for the job.

And he did not intend to disappoint.

With a prompting hoof-pull from Cadance, he rose from his chair, his ceremonial cape fluttering slightly. He gaze stretched across the applauding crowd of ponies bellow him, many of whom he barely recognised. Some of the most frantic of applause and accompanying whooping was coming from his mother of all ponies, sat to his front alongside his father, startled by his wife's antics.

Ignoring the startling sight, Shining commenced with his own speech. "Thank you, thank you all. This is wonderful!" Shining couldn't help but feel proud of himself. He was certainly apprehensive, embarrassed, even finding the prospect of the future to be quite daunting, but that all came down to self doubt, or humbleness. He was just an average guy who became royalty. To stand where he was now was no new sight to him, but it was certainly one most would yearn for and more would fight for.

Shining didn't yearn for things, only taking what he earned.

"You know, when I was offered the position as Captain..." he began, silencing the crowd. He had the basics of a speech in his head, but he was always better at improvising. "...the very first thing I said was, absolutely! Followed by several hours of me pestering my then fiancé Cadance about how excited I was."

Start with a joke, that's how he was taught, then move into sincerity, which Shining found quite easy. "This time was quite similar," he continued, shifting slightly to his side to focus view on a lilac stallion who was sat to his left.

Still facing the crowd, Shining continued without interruption. "Although I was sure to ask a few more reasonable questions this time, such as who would replace me as Captain?" He turned further, allowing his audience to view the ceremonially armoured unicorn to his side, who sat with a thin smile as the gazes fell on him.

Shining gestured a hoof to the greying-maned guard, his cloak falling off his leg as it was raised. "And I think most of us will agree that Venal Juror, the stallion who seemingly appeared out of nowhere to some, having been positioned all over Equestria and beyond, will make a fine Captain. He has the record and experience and I have no doubts that he'll make the role his own." Shining then began to clap, prompting the rest of the guests to follow his example, the stallion named Venal nodding humbly to his admirers.

The crowd's expecting gaze soon returned to focus on Shining, who decided to give a few more words about himself. Though there was only so many times he could say how thankful and honoured he was were until it became redundant. "As for me... Heh, I suppose I'm just afraid of sounding pompous. Some are probably questioning what I'm actually going to be doing from now on, and I feel it's accurate to say that I'll be doing more the same... Except better. With more efficiently. More outposts on the borders, expeditions to the unchartered lands, as well as the occasional bake sale, which I'm sure Princess Celestia will be just ecstatic to hear!"

Following a shared laugh at Celestia's expense, who took a moment to tell Luna to remind her to outlaw student-led newspapers, Shining decided that there really was not that much more he could say. He would be giving plenty of speeches in the coming weeks, as well as having more opportunity to plan them beforehand. Any propositions he had as Marshal we're currently in their adolescence, it would take time before he would be able to reveal what the future would hold.

"But to be as bluntly honest as I can... It's my honour to hold this rank. I hope to do my family, my friends, my princesses, my predecessors, but most of all Equestria proud. Thank you, and enjoy the party!" Finishing with a bow of his head, Shining returned to his seat as the guests rose from theirs. Stomping their hooves in approval, joy and pride for the newly christened Marshal Shining Armor.

Dishes were served and thirsts were quenched, and within the hour the cultured atmosphere of the ballroom had made way for one of laughter and delinquency, courtesy of the resident party planner of Ponyville. The tables and chairs had been removed to allow access to a dance floor, with many of the intoxicated guests gradually making there way onto it as the night wore on and the music grew louder.

Shining and his wife had shared the first dance, but were now preoccupied with meeting with the guests, each feeling the need to congratulate Shining on his promotion. Shining persevered, it was easier than explaining to everypony he met that they didn't need to go to the trouble. He doubted he would have been able to stop most of them anyway; after all their entire reason for being in the castle in the first place was because of him.

"Shining Armor, congratulations are in order."

His next greeter caused him quite the startle. It was none other than Princess Luna, adorning an exaggerated grin, and accompanied by one of her royal advisers, who could not have looked more exhausted if he tried. It was common knowledge throughout the castle that Luna, purposefully or not, made life as difficult as possible for her staff, especially the ones she didn't like. Tonight obviously was not an exception.

Shining's reaction was immediate, instinctively slipping into a bow at Luna's presence. "Oh... Princess Luna! Sorry I was..." He couldn't continue with his apologetic explanation on account of Luna's outbreak of dry laughter, prompting Shining to raise his head in order to face her.

Luna titled her head to the side in an exaggerated expression of false annoyance. "No need for the pleasantries, Marshal. This is your night! Besides, you are still a Prince, you have no need to bow!" she boomed, drawing some bewildered gazes.

'Never will get use to that,' Shining thought as he rose from the floor, adjusting his golden cloak as he did, before returning to look at Luna with a smile. "I suppose I should be thanking you, Princess Luna, this was part your decision after all," he humbly expressed.

Luna involuntarily held her head high with pride. "The obvious choice, Marshal. There was no candidate more appropriate!" Shining looked away with a concealed grin, preparing to express his gratitude once again, but Luna wasn't finished it seemed. "Now I feel that you and your wife deserve some time to linger on your own terms, you'll be far too busy after tonight to do so. Go, I shall keep the peasantry occupied!"

She didn't have to tell Shining or Cadance twice, both taking the opportunity to walk away hoof in hoof, leaving Luna and her exasperated advisor behind, who took the time to reiterate to the Princess why referring to her subjects as 'the peasantry' wasn't proper to the times.

Luna was right of course. After tonight Shining would be busy breaking in his new role. Publicity tours, interviews, public speeches, school visits, all on top of the restructuring of the Royal Guard to make way for its new Captain and Marshal. It was certainly going to be exhausting couple of months.

As the night carried on further, Cadance left Shining at some point to converse with some friends and dignitaries she was familiar with. Shining similarly took to speaking with some guests, eventually finding his old academy friends amongst the crowd, who he had invited personally. The reunited group retreated to a table set up near one of the castle's balconies that overlooked the city, catching up with each other which included Shining telling them all about his new home at the Crystal Empire.

Their talking and drinking continued into the late hours of the night, with the party carrying on without interruption. Eventually the group of old friends collectively decided to leave the ballroom, with Shining intending to show off his and his wife's portrait and stained-glass window of their wedding to his companions, before heading out into the city to celebrate his last night of freedom.

"C-C-Captain Armor?"

Plans which would not come to pass however, as Shining and his friends where intercepted by one of his personal advisors before they had a chance to leave. Shining turned to address his long time assistant, identifying him immediately by his trademark stuttering. He didn't even notice that he had been addressed by the wrong rank. "Ah, Peddy! Just in time. The gents and I were about to go and be completely irresponsible, would you like to join us?" he asked with enthusiasm.

The aqua coated advisor identified as Peddy meekly shook his head in response, before straightening his neck upon realising his prior mistake in greeting. "Ah, s-sorry. It's M-M-Marshal now isn't it, " he stuttered out in apology.

Shining gave a low sigh, realising he would be correcting a lot of ponies in the coming weeks as they adapted to his new title. "If I must be," he said dejectedly. Taking in the appearance of his significantly shorter advisor, he noticed a brown envelope grasped firmly in one hoof, bearing the insignia of the Royal Guard; which only ever meant one thing. "I take it that envelope's work related?

Peddy nodded, holding the envelope out. "Yes, it's from C-C-Commissioner Book of the Filly-Fillydelphian Police Department," he explained.

Shining's posture straightened, any recreational thoughts leaving his mind. "There a problem?" he quizzically asked. It wasn't uncommon for local authorities to write to the Captain of the Guard for some reason or another. Some for minor complaints, others for matters of actual severity that required varying levels of investigation and response.

"Of sorts. He's r-requesting a Royal G-Guard presence. Something about a resent out-outbreak of fires, and a mysterious mare in a m-m-mask who's been spotted on several occasions over the past w-week." The trusted advisor explained, being one of the few authorised to read the Captain's mail.

Shining instinctively raised a hoof to grab the envelope to read it himself, but hesitated before reaching it. "Uh... not to be inconsiderate, but I don't really think this is my jurisdiction any more," he said with uncertainty. It was the job of the Captain to deal with issues such as this, which as of this night Shining no longer was. Even so, he was still reluctant to lower his hoof however.

His advisor was just as reluctant to lower the envelope. "With r-r-respect, Sir. Everywhere is your jurisdiction now," he goaded, waving the envelope slightly in emphasis. Shining resisted the urge to grab the paper, but silently questioned why he resisted also.

"B-B-But you're probably right..." Peddy began as he slowly backed up, much to Shining's initial confusion. "I'll hand this off to Captain Juror in the morning," he said as he turned to nonchalantly trot away.

Shining couldn't stop himself. "Wait, Peddy!" he called, rushing over and snatching envelope from the stallion's grip, who proceeded to look at him somewhat smugly due to Shining giving into the temptation.

"I'll... look into it," Shining stated simply. Sharing a quick goodbye with his friends before proceeding onto the balcony, his company walking away behind him. He took a seat at the edge, which held a breathtaking view of the city, and opened the envelope to examine its contents, his brow furrowing with every word he read.

"Absolutely not!"

"Not discussing it, Cadance."

After reading and re-reading the contents of the envelope several times over, Shining retreated to his and Cadance's suite within one of the castle's highest towers, and began to pack his bags immediately. He intended to leave in the morning and had many preparations to complete before he left, one of which was to inform his wife of his intentions to travel to Fillydelphia.

She took it about as well as could be expected.

"You were promoted four hours ago, the power couldn't have gone to your head that fast!" Cadance growled as she stomped around the room in anger, purposely avoiding Shining's pleading gaze, who had ceased writing a letter of response to the Fillydelphian police department in order to deal with his wife. So far to no success.

"I have to do a press tour of Equestria anyway, this way I kill two birds with one stone! If anything I have more responsibility to deal with this issue now then ever!" he argued. There was no doubt in his mind about any of this. Fillydelphia had a problem and the Royal Guard had been asked for help. He had already promised himself earlier that he wouldn't be a disappointment. He didn't intent to start now.

Cadance countered his points however, even though she knew there was some truth to them. "But it's almost Hearth's Warming!" she implored. "Why do you have to be the one to go? Send some guys from the academy they'll be happy to clean it up. Or better yet, give it to Juror! It is his job now after all!"

"It's my job too!"

Shining's outburst silenced Cadance, who stared at her husband in surprise of his tone. He didn't often raise his voice to her. Only when he felt passionate about something.

Shining rose from the desk he was sat at, with Cadance leaning against their large bed. He stared at her with pride and conviction in himself and his words. "I'm a Royal Guard, and now, I'm the commander in chief of all of them, everywhere. I'm not going to just hide behind a desk and give orders to the rest while I sit on my flank!" he finished in anger. Before releasing a heavy sigh and returning to his seat to continue with his letters. Leaving his wife stunned behind him.

Cadance temporarily paused her attempts to counter Shining's claims, starting to understand why he felt so strongly about this case. She still wanted to convince him otherwise however. "But Shining, that is your job now," she spoke in a softer tone as she approached Shining at the desk, no anger remaining within her.

Shining released his magical grip on his quill, slumping into his chair as he released another sigh. "My job is to protect the Princesses and Equestria, I can't- I won't do that from behind a desk," he stated firmly, the mere thought of the scenario angering him to no end.

Cadance drew closer, her husband's plight fully understood. "But you'll do it from the streets of Fillydelphia?" she asked, walking to his side so she could see Shining's concealed expression.

He looked weary.

"I can try," he said drearily, before once again continuing to scribble onto his papers. Momentarily pausing when Cadance proceeded to lean her head against his shoulder.

"You're hiding something, you know I know when you're hiding something," she said with certainty, drawing closer to Shining who was seemingly trying to ignore her. Cadance didn't like that. "Tell me, Shining Armor, or I'll get your sister to do it for me."

With a playful scoff, Shining ceased his writing, staring of into space as he felt his wife's mane with a hoof. "That mare in the mask. Mare-Do-Well," he began, recalling the witness descriptions and newspaper illustrations present within the envelope he had been given, which identified the masked mare who had been recently appearing all over Fillydelphia.

"Hmm?" murmured Cadance quizzically at his side.

"She shouldn't be allowed to do that," Shining stated with evident annoyance.

Recalling what her husband had told her about the mare in question from when he had explained the situation to her earlier, Cadance grew slightly confused, he had after all used the word 'hero' in his descriptions, and the Mare was apparently something of a folk tale of justice. Why would he have a problem with her? "Shouldn't do what? Help ponies?" she questioned.

Shining scoffed again, but not playfully. "You know what I mean," he said, as if the answer should be obvious to her.

"I really don't," Cadance replied, raising her head from his shoulder to stare at her husband in confusion.

This prompted him to explain, in an evidently angered tone, though not directed at Cadance. "The guards... the police. We're the ones who are meant to be protecting everypony. What does it say about us when there's some random mare out there doing it all on her own authority?" he spoke in disapproval.

Although Cadance agreed with Shining's point, she could not help but think that he was being a bit too forefront with his negative attitudes; jumping to a rather sudden conclusion to the ongoing situation. "Its not like she's hurting anyone," Cadance spoke with serenity, trying to cheer Shining up. "I think you're taking this a little personally."

Shining remained unconvinced however, arguing his point once more. "If ponies start taking the law into their own hooves... what's the point of me?" he asked, in a tone that to Cadance almost sounded like he was pleading for an answer. It just didn't sit right with Shining with what Mare-Do-Well was doing... whoever she may be. It was the responsibility of himself and those with the authority to stop those who were a threat. The line existed for a reason.

And Mare-Do-Well had crossed that line.

Pulling Shining from his seat, Cadance led him over to the bed, realising how late it was and just how tired they both were. Cadance decided to reassure him as much as she could. "You've done so much for Equestria, Shiny. One mare in a mask isn't going to change that," she cooed as they laid on the bed, magically pulling the covers over themselves.

'I guarantee she won't,' Shining thought with conviction. The Mare in the mask flashing through his thoughts, causing him momentarily ponder just who would be crazy enough to dress up like that. To break the boundaries like she did. 'She's already been spotted at several crime scenes. How long before she starts to make it worse? Or heck, becomes a perpetrator herself?'

Snuggling with his wife under the blankets, Shining took a deep breath as he magically dimmed the lights, subconsciously recalling the journey he planned to take in the morning. "I'm still going to Fillydelphia by way," he said in the dark, if only to reiterate the point to Cadance in the off chance it hadn't sunk in yet.

"Shiny..." Cadance groaned in their embrace, not in the mood to argue again.

"You know I made some good points," he pestered, in a skewed attempt to reassure her that this was the right course of action.

It appeared to work. "And you know that I worry," Cadance spoke, dismissively but with concern evident. 'Strange fires. Masked vigilante heroines. It's never a slow day for him.'

"I can handle myself," Shining chuckled as he grew more comfortable. Deciding to finish his letters in the morning, when he assembled his personal guard that would accompany him to Fillydelphia.

"I don't doubt that," replied Cadance. Who started to drift off, before her eyes sprung back open when one final demand crossed her mind. "This will not become a habit however," she stated, with Shining knowing he would have to obey.

He just nodded in agreement as he drifted of to a pleasant sleep. "If I do a good enough job, it won't need to be."

Chapter 6: Ready Or Not

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'Masked Mare Evades Police'

'Mare-Do-Well Saved My Life'

'Fillydelphia's Vigilante: Police Refuse To Comment'

'Mare-Do-Well Stops Break In: Public Voice Support'

'Commissioner on Mare-Do-Well: "She's putting herself at risk."'

'Fifth Fire This Month: Are They Connected?'

"Don't need you," Trixie said dismissively as she tore the unwanted newspaper clipping away, throwing it onto a quickly growing garbage pile filled with other discarded scraps of journalism, all of which didn't fit the criteria she so desired.

The recently awakened mare was sat on the carpeted floor of her caravan, illuminated by the light of the morning sun peeking in from behind the closed curtains. She was surrounded by dozens of cannibalised newspaper pages, all reporting on the antics of the recently revived Mare-Do-Well over the past week. She carefully cut clippings out of each paper that detailed her exploits, before delicately placing them into a folder to preserve them, throwing what paper was left into the trash. She didn't care what else was on them, she just wanted the stories about her.

Who cared for fires, or that the new Marshal was coming to town. She was living the high life. Ponies were talking about her, gossiping and predicting when she would turn up next. Excited and awed, just as she had hoped for.

It was everything she had worked for. Everything she had yearned for.

But that wasn't even the best part. It was that feeling that she got when ponies saw her in the act. That look of shock on their faces that would slowly morph into wonder at her image, and then to joy in realisation.

They felt joy at her presence, for the first time in a long time.

And that meant the world to Trixie.

Finishing up with the last scrap of newspaper, Trixie took a moment to look over her collection, running a hoof between the stack of clippings to estimate its thickness. It was only a few pages wide, and yet it still felt like a novel to the publicity starved magician. "A few more exploits, then it'll be time for the mask to come off," she thought aloud with glee, the fantasy of a crowd of fans chanting her name causing her to release an exhale of happiness.

That dark night in that alley had been something of an eye-opener for Trixie. The time she had saved that suited stallion from that loathsome mare. Trixie had realised that she could be more than a mare who simply got her fame from stealing another's accomplishments; she could make her own. Be the hero the public thought she was, not with deceit, but with genuine effort. Effort that Trixie was more than willing to give.

Effort that whether she admitted it or not was starting to be a strain upon her health. Her legs were sore and her horn ached constantly; mostly due to her use of magic and general exertion during her nightly endeavours as the costumed hero. It came as a surprise to Trixie just how tired she was becoming, having become remarkably durable for a unicorn from dragging a heavy cart around Equestria for most of her life.

She rested when she could and practised her magic when she could. She was tired now for sure, but eventually she would grow use to the pain.

Or at least she hoped she would.

With a groan, Trixie sprang up from the floor, arching her back into a stretch to combat any and all stiffness she felt. She then wandered over to her pile of groceries, grabbing a carrot from one of the bags. It was something of a habit of hers to nibble on something as she performed her daily stretches, having decided to start when her legs began to ache after her first few nights on the town as Fillydelphia's new guardian.

Bending her legs one after another, Trixie reflected on everything that had happened over the past week. It had gone by so fast it was almost like a blur. Her abysmal first outing. The alleyway encounter. The pickpocketer she chased into a dead end, forcing him to surrender his claims. And that break-in she had foiled, scaring the perpetrators away. It felt alien to know that she was the one at all of those events. That she had saved those ponies and prevented those thefts.

And she was barely getting started.

The longer she performed, the better she would get. It was just the natural progression of things. She would get stronger. Endure more. And not just her body, but her magic also. She had checked out an advanced spell book or two from the local library, and when she could she would brush up on her defensive and offensive spells, having neglected perfecting both types during her time at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, instead to focus on honing her love of illusion magic.

It would take time of course, fortunately she had all the time in the world.

There was one concern she had over all this however; the police. They had generally kept quiet about her and her activities, save for one comment by the Commissioner to a single reporter, which was seemingly spoken by accident. Trixie simply decided to avoid them entirely, she stayed out of their ways which would mean that they stayed out of hers. She did not need to make enemies amongst those who should be her allies.

Still, she didn't think she would be befriending any of them any time soon after the debacle that was her first appearance.

Dismissing any further thoughts on the subject, Trixie proceeded with her stretches and the rest of her morning routine; consisting of breakfast, washing, and grooming. Today was to be something of a rest day for her, having only just gotten her sleep cycle back on track after spending the last few nights gallivanting across the city. She would practise her spells of course, but she did not have any pressing issues to attend to that she could think of, or that she could remember.

Sitting at her mirror with a brush in hoof, Trixie was startled by a sudden knocking at her door. Quite odd she realised, since she didn't expect any visitors; considering only a certain few knew where she lived at all. Placing her brush down, Trixie approached her door and peeked through the window at its side, herself concealed behind the drawn curtains. She noticed the familiar orange coat and lime mane immediately, and almost pulled the door open then and there in order to greet her recently discovered new friend.

She resisted the urge however, her gaze falling towards the folder of clippings and newspaper trash that littered her floor. A sudden sense of dread overcoming her. 'Yes, that certainly doesn't look suspicious at all does it!' Trixie thought in alarm.

She squeaked as the door was tapped on again, noticeably harder and with evidently less patience than before. "Trixie, you in there?" asked a disgruntled Apple Leaves, shifting on her hooves outside on account of the chilling winter air.

Trixie almost didn't hear her, having began to frantically push down on the pile of garbage, hoping to squeeze it all into an unfairly small trash can. She couldn't let Apple Leaves see it. "Uh... Just a sec! Trixie isn't ready!" She blurted out as she threw a blanket over the trash can, concealing its bloating and incriminating contents.

Trixie kicked the folder under her bed as she approached the door, preparing to turn the key. She hesitated again before she could unlock it however, turning towards the mirror to gaze upon her perfect coat and cared for hair, she then decided with a groan to intentionally dishevel her styled mane; in order to provide her with a much desired excuse.

Turning the lock, she pulled the door open, revealing Apple Leaves shivering on her doorstep, clad in simple brown winter attire. The mare appeared annoyed, most likely at being kept waiting in the wind, but couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sight of Trixie, specifically at her ridiculously unsightly hairdo.

"What- What the heck it that?! You look you've been chewing on electric cables!" she said between laughs, motioning towards Trixie's mane.

Trixie was not amused, and could practically feel the heat rising in her checks. She stomped a hoof in annoyance. "Shut up! You interrupted Trixie's beauty sleep!" she whined, attempting to get her mane under control, but without the assistance of a brush it was a useless effort.

Leaves continued to laugh, but a sudden bout of wind caused her teeth to chatter whilst doing so. "Burr! Look I'll laugh at you later. Can Ah come in? I’m freezing mah flank off!" she pleadingly asked.

With a roll of her eyes Trixie stood aside, monitoring for her friend to come in. Who gladly accepted the offer. As she passed her by, Trixie noticed a large brown parcel Leaves was carrying on her back, which peaked her curiosity. She decided to greet the Apple first before asking about it however.

"Whoa! How can it get so cold! It's not even snowing yet and Ah can't feel mah hooves!" Leaves complained as she placed her hooves close to Trixie's stove, lit to provide extra warmth to the fragile caravan. She would have preferred a fireplace, but that was a luxury that Trixie presently couldn't afford.

"It's the coastline, there's nothing to break the wind. At least... Trixie thinks that's how it works. I'm a magician not a weather pony!" Trixie disgrunty replied, still fruitlessly attempting to fix her mane. Her eyes flickered in Leaves' direction every so often however, realising she had yet to actually say hello. "It is nice to see you however, Trixie doesn't often get visitors as you can probably imagine."

Apple Leaves responded with a mock curtsy, before taking a few more moments to warm herself. Her gaze started to wander around the room, having realised that aside from a peek or two through the windows, she had never actually been inside of Trixie's home. She took in the sight of the cramped spacing and hastily repaired and re-repaired furniture, all worn with time and use. It almost startled her to realise just how close to Trixie she was in the tiny area.

The magician, who was once again sat before her mirror, trying but failing to comb her mane flat, addressed her guest via her reflection, taking notice of how she was looking around the room in an almost pitiful way. "I know what you're probably thinking, but I happen to like having my bedroom, living room and kitchen all be the same thing. It makes for less walking," Trixie nonchalantly said. She would have preferred to have more admittedly, but the status of her home really didn't bother her all that much. It was all hers after all.

"You sure you don't want to stay with us in the house though? Or at least put this thing in the barn? Ah mean it's cozy for sure, but them walls ain't gonna keep the warmth in and the cold out once the snow falls," Leaves quizzically asked, respectful of Trixie's decision.

If she had been a stranger, Trixie would have just told Leaves that her wellbeing was none of her concern. But... They were friends. "It really is quite alright, Leaves. Me and this old thing have survived plenty of winters together without the assistance of mares as generous as yourself, thank you very much."

Leaves found it quite endearing how Trixie was able to sound both condescending and complimentary at the same time. It was just another thing about Trixie that made Leaves want to befriend her in the first place. "Well... If you insist," Leaves stated simply, taking another look around before her gaze fell back to Trixie's reflection, who was still attempting to comb her mane.

"Why'd you come by anyway? We agreed on tea and cakes every other day," Trixie stated, recalling the accord they had reached after their night out a week ago. After Leaves had sobered up of course. It was also at that point that Leaves had informed Trixie that her mother had forbade her from going out to socialise on days she was due to work in future, much to the Apple's dismay and Trixie's alike. It had been a fun night after all.

Leaves then grabbed the parcel perched on her back, placing it before Trixie at the desk she was sat at. "You've got mail," she answered, before giving Trixie a sly look. "May I ask why you put down the Apple farm as your address?" she asked, nudging Trixie's shoulder.

Trixie chuckled, grabbing the package in her magic, which she proceeded to unfold open. "Unfortunately 'the caravan between those two trees and the fence by that ridge,at that farm' didn't seem like a viable option," she stated in amusement, with Leaves staring over her shoulder in curiosity, hoping to get a glimpse at the boxes contents.

Cutting the tape along the seams, Trixie opened up the boxes top, a smile quickly adorning her face once she recognized what was housed inside. "Yes! That creep came through for me!" she proclaimed, before taking a sheet of paper out of the box and holding it up at Leaves face, who identified it as a flyer; specifically a flyer with Trixie plastered on the front, advertising one of her upcoming shows. Leave's attention was currently elsewhere however.

"What’s this about a creep?" she asked in befuddlement.

Trixie was all too eager to explain, laughing as she reminisced. During the past week she had decided to print a few flyers to advertise her shows over the holidays. Unfortunately, she had neither the resources nor the finances to print them herself, forcing her to seek out an alternate solution. While scouting out a printing press, hoping to barter the price down, a particularly rambunctious young stallion had taken a liking to her. Trixie was at first disgusted of course, but when the stallion revealed himself to be the editor, Trixie decided to take advantage as much as she could. A single date for a few flyers, that was the agreement. And who knew? Maybe he would turn out to be the one.

Probably not, but Trixie could dream.

"That's gotta be like... harassment or extortion or som'thin' isn't it?" Leaves asked when Trixie's story was finished with, having taken a seat on her bed during its course.

"Perhaps, but I have to admit he was quite fetching!" Trixie laughed, before turning back to the piles of flyers she had taken out of the box and stacked on her desk. After having finally restored her mane to its former glory of course. There had to be at least three hundred of them, all of which featured Trixie on their fronts, proclaimed her glory for all to see. 'I might just make it dinner and a show.' she sultry thought.

Mare-Do-Well was one part of her life now, with her performances being the other. She needed to put a few on to stay afloat. But ultimately the reason she performed her shows at all, even though she had hit so many bumps along the way, was because she actively enjoyed doing them. Entertaining was her art and magic was her life, nothing that had happened had changed that and nothing ever will.

Not even Mare-Do-Well.

Now that she had the flyers, Trixie knew that the rest day she had charted out could unfortunately not go ahead as planned. "Now, as much as I have enjoyed your stay here, Apple Leaves, I'm afraid it must come to an end!" Trixie boomed as she rose from her seat, her hat and cape flying over from their stands onto her form. "Now that my flyers have arrived, I need to place them up all over the city, and I'll need to start soon if I am to be ready in time for the performances."

With her cape wrapped snuggly around her, with the collar upturned to provide further protection against the cold, Trixie returned the flyers to the box with her magic. Placing it on top of her back with her saddlebags underneath; which her Mare-Do-Well costume was housed within. She then made her way over to the door, ready to leave with her Apple companion, who was also readying herself for the outdoors.

"Why don't ya put the flyers in the bag?"

Trixie's eyes bulged, though thankfully she was still facing away from Apple Leaves, whose question seemed innocent enough to her, but was utterly dismantling for Trixie. "Um... Well." Trixie's thoughts were frantic, she needed a reason why she couldn't use her bags for the flyers, but also a reason why she was using them at all.

"They're full..." she hesitantly began. "With my lunch?"

'Lunch which she didn't see you pack, for an outing you didn't know you were having!'

Deciding that her answer wasn't good enough, Trixie decided to talk some more before Apple Leaves had the chance to respond. Trixie just hoped the bluff would be enough. "It's a real shame though," she exaggeratedly explained. "I would have preferred some of those apple treats you brought me before, they were so good! Say..." she said, as if it was a thought that just came to mind. "I might just pop by the Apple stand later on, buy myself some. Maybe I'll even meet your Mom! If she's working of course?"

Trixie prayed that the change in subject would be enough to divert Apple Leaves' undivided attention, she hoped she could appeal to whatever remnant of an ego the Apple mare possessed. She held her breath in anticipation.

"Nah, Mom's at home today, me and Bushel got the stand! I would have offered to help you put up dem flyers otherwise."

And released that breath silently upon realising that the bluff worked. If there was one part of the whole 'secret identity' thing that Trixie despised; it was the lying. She was quite adept at lying, as it was essentially her profession, but to do it so often to those she cared for, knowing full well their entire perception of her would change the instant they knew the truth, was taking its toll on Trixie to say the least.

She pushed all thoughts regarding what would happen between her and her friends once her identity was revealed to the world as far as they could possibly go into the depths of her mind. It was just a topic she just didn't want to think about at the moment.

The mares walked out the door side by side, with Trixie taking a moment to cast her security magic upon her home before they left proper. Both then walked towards the direction of the city, exchanging small talk before they reluctantly parted ways for the day to pursue their own endeavours.

Train journeys, especially ones of such length, were so tedious that Shining could barely stand it sometimes. It was fine when he was traveling with his wife, family, or friends, but this time he was all by his lonesome, cooped up in a luxury train cart with nothing but his luggage, complimentary drinks, and mountains of paperwork that he needed to go over before he arrived at his destination of Fillydelphia.

But then again he wasn't entirely alone, but his personal detachment of royal guards obligated to accompany him were strangers to him at best. He was more than capable of handling himself, but the guard protection was a requirement he himself had insisted all royalty have; implemented after the changelings were able to replace Cadance during their wedding with such efficientcy that it was a miracle that Shining wasn't considered a laughing stock amongst the guard for that blunder.

Shining had to pause his reading at that thought, habitually rubbing his head, as if he could still feel Queen Chrysalis' dark magic infecting him. Imprisoning him in his own mind.

That was a nightmare he would rather forget.

With a sigh, he resumed his readings, the memories of those days fading away. He shifted atop of the cushion he was sat upon, it was so soft and fluffy that he almost slid off of it whenever the train rocked on its sides. The papers he was looming over covered a variety of topics, but all were concerned with what he would be doing during his time in Fillydelphia. A scheduled meeting with the Commissioner here, a press conference with the Mayor there. He'd even been asked to attend the Hearth's Warming lighting ceremony, which was brought forward the moment the city officials found out that he was on his way.

How could he say no?

His first order of business however would remain on why the Royal Guard was called upon in the first place. A series of suspiciously similar fires and an emerging vigilante. Both were considered problems, and both would be dealt with in due time.

"How far are we now do you reckon?"

"Dunno, I can see the mountain, so we gotta be getting close."

Shining could not prevent his ears from twitching in the direction of the two guards stationed outside the door at the end of the carriage. Both had been stood there for the entire duration of the trip, and were apparently so bored that they had started to converse, despite being disciplined against it. Not that Shining minded of course, it was a long and boring journey and he could let it slip just this once.

"Why are we going to Filly' anyway? Did he tell you?"

"Nah. It's his press tour I think, he's probably just getting started early."

Shining had not actually told any of the guards specifically why they were going yet; he had been in such a rush that morning to get moving that he opted to tell them all when they arrived at the city. They had left so early and with such abruptness that Shining could not even find an adviser to accompany him to handle his schedule. The guards got up when he told them to, the advisers needed to be informed in advance; union rules.

"I actually heard a different reason for why we're going."

Shining's ears turned towards the door once again as a third voice had now joined in on the conversation, which Shining recognized immediately as belonging to one of his Lieutenants. He ceased his readings in order to hear what was about to be said.

"I asked Peddy before we left, you know? Armor's old assistant?" Shining listened intently, his eye twitching slightly due to them mentioning him behind his back. The Lieutenant soon continued, his voice almost a whisper. "He said he got a letter from the police Commissioner, and that the Marshal's gone to deal with the problem personally."

Shining felt the need to step in, after all he intended to brief them all on the matter himself once they arrived, not have them be informed with second-hoof information. But the conversation continued before he could reach the door to stop them.

"No way! Why's he going? This has got to be something big right?" asked one of the guards at the door, noticeably excited.

The Lieutenant simply scoffed in disagreement. "Nope. It was just something about a few fires and a nopony vigilante. The Commissioner just wanted some guards to show up for public reassurance."

The other two guards were noticeably confused. "What? Why the heck are we going then? What about the press tour?"

The Lieutenant looked through the tinted windows of the carriage door, wanted to make sure that his superior wasn't listening in to what he would say next. Unfortunately for him, Shining had ducked behind the door, and the Lieutenant just assumed he was still at his desk reading his paperwork, on account of being barely able to see through the glass at all.

"If you ask me, I think he's trying to prove something," he began quietly, his companions listening intently, and Shining silently seething behind the door. "I mean think about it. His sister becomes an alicorn, gets coronated, and now he suddenly gets promoted? I'd take every opportunity to be seen as a hero too if my baby sister was getting all the recognition and doing me favors like that."

'He did not just say that.'

"LIEUTENANT!"

Shining heard the scrambling behind the door and the frantic whispers of dread clear as day. He rose from his position and stood in the centre of the room, back facing the door as it creaked open and a set of hooves shakily made their way inside. The door was promptly closed once the figure had entered the room, with the stallions stationed behind it staying as silent as possible, both to hear what would happen and in an attempt to be forgotten about by their evidently unhappy superior.

"Err... Ye-Yes, Sir?" the Lieutenant fearfully began. The fact Shining was not looking at him was somehow even worse than if he had been.

Shining remained silent for several moments before taking a glance out the window, spotting the large snow-topped Foal Mountain drawing ever closer from the distance. "We'll soon be arriving in Fillydelphia, inform the troops to prepare for inspection," Shining stated in an eerily calm tone.

The Lieutenant grew considerably confused, but didn't question why he was not being reprimanded for what he had said at all. He just wanted to leave the room. "Yes, Sir. At once, Sir."

He started to back away, growing more relieved with every step, and was almost out the door when Shining turned back to him once more. "Oh, and Lieutenant?" Shining began, causing the guard to freeze in place. Shining just maintained his tranquil expression as the Lieutenant tried but failed to sport one of stoicism. "I'll also be sure to inform you all of the real reason we're going to Fillydelphia too. Is that clear?"

The Lieutenant gulped, all feelings of relief crumbling. "Understood, Sir," barked the guard. He then hastily made his way out of the room, the two guards positioned at the door following close behind. They could not help but chuckle at how their superior was effectively running with his tail between his legs, regretting everything he had thought and said about the new Marshal up to that moment.

Shining contained his fury, though he could not prevent a spasm in his neck as he roughly stacked the papers that lay upon his desk together. Guards spoke behind his back. Guards spoke behind everypony's back, regardless of status or rank, that was just the norm. But never before had he overheard a conversation that had irked him so... emotionally.

'Jealous of Twilight? A glory hound? That's what they think I am?!'

He growled, then composed himself. He was better than that. He wasn't that petty. 'Maybe he needs to be reminded just what he signed up for,' Shining thought in disgruntlement, stuffing the papers into his bags as he did. He was there to carry out his duty as a Royal Guard, it was not that hard of a concept to understand, and he was certainly not there to ensure his legacy as a solider.

With little delay, Shining sealed his suitcases, leaving them to be picked up by the trains staff when they disembarked at Fillydelphia's central station. He had an inspection to give and a briefing to undertake, as well as still needing to finishing writing up a risk assessment.

Though he sincerely doubted there would be much risk involved.

"Do do do do do tricks up my sleeves..." Trixie hummed to herself as she affixed yet another flyer to a street lamp, before she was once again on her way in search of another one. The streets were quiet today. Pleasant. Nothing much was happening in the city at the moment, except preparations for the winter events yet to come; then the streets would be packed, of that Trixie had no doubt.

Balancing the box of adverts on her back, Trixie trotted along down the pavement. She took in the sights, something she had been unable to do on account of her be occupied for most of the week, running errands and fighting crime.

'That sounds so weird. Arrogant little Trixie, defender of the innocent!' The thought was enough to make Trixie laugh out loud. Her claims of grandeur were slowly becoming reality, soon she would be able to enjoy success she had always craved, but also share it with those she had grown to care for and even those she had made peace with. 'We'll just have to wait and see...'

Finishing up with another street lamp, Trixie took a moment to check how many flyers she had left. The revelation made her gawk. "Only half done? Ugh!" She thought she had been making good time, but that didn't mean she couldn't be annoyed that she hadn't been going faster. At the rate she was going she probably wouldn't even be done by nightfall, and she had already been at this for hours. “Surely I can walk faster than this? I do it often enough!" she grumbled, slouching her neck forward to relieve the weighted feeling on her back.

'The idea behind advertising is to build anticipation before you perform, not after!' she thought in frustration, relishing the moments she had taken to rest. She didn't savour it for long though, and with a sigh, she continued on her way down the paved streets. The impact of her hooves seeming to echo throughout the surrounding maze of buildings. The sun was low and the air was cold, but despite her frustrations, Trixie still considered herself happy.

"What in the...?" Trixie stopped, squinting into the distance. She could see something, rising into the air, and it was a sight all too familiar. "Is that smoke?" she wondered aloud, even though the answer was obvious. A thick cloud of the blackness had suddenly sprouted from behind some small buildings further down the street, easily visible against the now orange sky. It was practically mesmerising to Trixie, who stared for several moments more before she began to hastily make her way towards its suspected source, the box bouncing on her back, threatening to fall off at her hurried pace.

The smoke only began to flow higher, and was likely visible across a large portion of the city. Trixie spotted several pegasi in her peripheral vision flying in the same direction as she was heading, with expressions that varied from franticism to curiosity. Others were flying away from the smoke, towards areas of the sky that held sources of rainclouds, most likely to try and quell what Trixie assumed was a fire; and a rather large one at that.

She could hear things now, as she drew ever closer. Screaming, yelling and crackling, the result of the flames unfaltering path of destruction. "Help! Somepony call the fireponies!"" was one of the frantic shouts Trixie heard as she reached the street corner, her jaw promptly dropping open as she was met with the sight she had almost eagerly ran towards.

It could not have been happening for long, as ponies were still running out of the doors and down the fire escapes. But the sheer magnitude of the flames and the extent that they covered the interior of the building of appartments was unsettling to say the least. The roof was a sea of red fire, and was spreading to the lower floors of the building quickly. Thankfully though the building was detached from the others around it, so hopefully it would be contained, and if the large crowd of ponies stood outside was any indication, it seemed as if the building was deserted, or was at least getting there as less and less were running out in panic.

At least Trixie prayed it was.

Shifting the weight on her back, she approached the crowd of coughing, soot covered building residents. Maneuvering her way around a taxi cart parked across the street from the building, it's driver noticeably fidgety. Not that Trixie could blame him, he was watching a building burn down after all.

Shuffling through the crowd, Trixie approached a stallion shouting orders to the pegasi in the sky, who were attempting to spot any stragglers still inside. The residents sat on the curb were watching in an almost tranquil fixation, while others were bawling into the coats of those nearby. All were motionless, watching their home burn and utterly helpless to stop it. Nopony, not even Trixie with her limited weather manipulation abilities would be able to quell the flames, hinder them maybe, but she had arrived too late to make much of a difference.

"Fireponies are on their way!” Trixie heard being yelled from behind her, not that she or anypony else had much of reaction. She approached the stallion continuing to bark orders into the sky, his coat noticeably darkened to the point Trixie couldn't even tell what his natural colour was.

Walking to the stallion’s side, Trixie could feel the heat on her face, if she was any closer her fur would likely be singed. "Is there anypony still inside?" she blurted out to the stallion, as she found herself undeniably concerned over the situation.

"That's what we’re trying to find out,” was the stallion's simple reply, not even turning his head to look at Trixie, instead opting to scan the windows of the building for any sign of movement. They both stood in relative silence, and Trixie found herself holding a hoof to her saddlebag’s clip.

“Somepony on the top floor!” shouted a pegasus from above, who then tried and failed to approach the building, the heat driving her back in an instant.

Down on the ground, Trixie heard the stallion curse at her side, and found herself instinctively grabbing her saddlebag tighter. The fact that nopony had made any sort of movement whatsoever was unnerving to Trixie to say the least, and upon whipping her head to the crowd behind her, she was only met with expressions of dread and fear; an expression she herself had also adopted.

"Aren't we going to try and do something?" she pleadingly asked to the stallion beside her, whose own face was shadowed with defeat. Before he could reply, the front door took that opportunity to collapse inwards, wood and ash showering into the street, forcing the crowd to draw back further.

The stallion’s expression only worsened. "No way we can! At this rate this building’s coming down in a few minutes tops! That ain't worth the risk!" was his frightened response, drawing back into the crowd himself, into the arms of a soot covered mare. Trixie remained alone at the front of the crowd, her eyes in pain from the heat and her staring. She grew contemplative, closing her eyes as she debated what to do, since at that very moment a pony was potentially burning to death above her.

She looked down to her hoof gripping her saddlebag, and then she walked off in the opposite direction of the burning building.

The pegasi had all but given up trying to approach the building’s top floor; the heat was too intense and the violent winds threw them off course whenever they drew near enough. The experience was maddening to one particular pegasus, who wondered aloud what was taking the fireponies so long to get there. "Where are those prissy little-"

"Look! It's Mare-Do-Well!"

The stallion's gaze fell to the pony who had shouted at his side, who was pointing to the crowd of ponies below, where a purple and black clothed unicorn was sprinting forwards, passed the stunned ponies and through the burning entrance of the building, which collapsed completely when more ponies approached to follow and help.

Up the stairs she went, never taking a moment to so much as pause for fear that the wood and concrete would collapse beneath her. Her suit provided her with minimal protection against the flames; her undersuit was fireproofed as required in order to perform her more dangerous performance acts. But she didn't consider the protection enough, and the flames were nipping at her cape and hooves, making Mare-Do-Well instantly consider the possibility that maybe this was not such a great idea.

Sprinting up and up, she watched as the numbers that indicated which floor she was on increased ever higher, soon it reached number twenty; the highest floor not including the roof, and also the floor somepony had apparently been seen on from the outside.

She ran into the hallway and found herself in a four-way intersection. "Hello!?" Mare-Do-Well cried, her voice reaching above the sounds of burning and breaking. She observed for any movement or anything that even resembled a pony, but could find nothing of the sort. At the same time she was attempting to form a plan of escape in her frantic filled head.

Escapes were Trixie’s specialty, but she usually had far more time to plan ahead. This time she was not so lucky. She ran through possibilities in her mind; she remembered a fire escape out the window to her left, the stairs behind her that was almost completely engulfed in flames, and a building at the end of the hallway to her rear that was shorter than the one she was currently in, a sufficient last resort.

Mare-Do-Well hoped she would not have to make the trip alone, and once again called out, and then again when she received no reply. The flames had grown even more intense now, and Trixie could swear that the floor below her was becoming softer, as if the very foundation of the building was collapsing in on itself. She covered her mouth on account of the smoke, thankful that her mask protected her eyes and breathing to an extent.

"Is there anypony here!?" She called out one final time, though it appear to be futile. Nopony answered and nopony came. Trixie was not about to burn to death on the off chance somepony was still alive anymore, since if she delayed any further in escaping the fire would claim her before it finally did the building.

As she turned to run, Mare-Do-Well heard something, a thumping on wood. One knock, two, and then on a third a violent crash resonated throughout the passage to her front. A door flew off of its hinges down the hallway from Trixie, the flames around her reacting furiously as air rushed into the now opened room. Trixie shielded her face, but her orange tinted vision never left the sight of the splintered doorframe

A black figure mutely emerged from it.

"Hey!" Mare-Do-Well immediately yelled, both in worry and triumph that the pony was still alive despite the desperate situation. She then had the opportunity to take in the pony's appearance, and the sight made her straighten up in an instant.

Whoever the pony was, they were almost completely covered in black and yellow attire, from head to knees; it was thick and matte, and appeared to provid ample protection from the heat and fire. On their face they wore a pair of goggles, making their eyes appear white against the reflection of the flames. What Trixie found of interest most of all however was their front two hooves; there was not a single hair upon them and they appeared to have been horribly scarred to the point that any and all pigmentation had been lost, leaving behind pale, ugly and warped remains.

Even with their expression concealed, Mare-Do-Well could tell from their posture alone that they was just as surprised as she was that they were laying eyes on each other. "Who are you?” Trixie spoke calmly and loudly, with as much authority as she could muster. She suspected this pony of ill intent the moment she had laid eyes on them; their apparent calmness to the chaos around them also did little to relieve Trixie of her concerns. She deepened her stance.

The figure lifted up a still burning piece of the door they had just kicked in, which was laying at their side, and flung it at Trixie the moment her posture had changed. They then wasted no time in bolting in the opposite direction down the hall, with Trixie in hot pursuit after dodging the hurling hunk of wood.

Leaping over the destroyed door, Mare-Do-Well ran as fast as she could, even though she had no idea what to do if she did in fact get a chance to lay her hooves on this pony, seeing as they clearly had no intention of giving Trixie the opportunity to do so. Any chance she had of doing it was lost however, as the black and yellow clad pony leaped through the window at the end of the hall, the glass having shattered long ago from the heat.

Trixie was sure that the pony had just leapt to their doom; there was nothing on this side of the building to break the pony’s fall except for the pavement. But upon reaching the window, Trixie had the displeasure of seeing the concealed pony flying away with similarly concealed wings sprouting from their back.

‘Now that’s just not fair…’ Trixie thought in defeat as the pony disappeared into the city's winding infrastructures, nopony around apparently deciding to pursue. With no time to think on the matter further, Trixie pivoted around and began to sprint back in the direction she had just came, no longer wishing to remain in the soon to certainly crumble building. She reached the intersection in the halls and ran in the direction of the fire escape, but screamed upon realising that the hall towards it was completely engulfed in the raging fire.

Turning to the stairs she had ran up earlier, Trixie screamed again upon leaning over the bannister and finding that the stairs had collapsed in its entirety some time ago. She regained her balance and returned to the relative safety of the hallway, growing in desperation every second as the fire grew ever stronger and the floor seemingly sunk below her even more.

Trixie cried as she turned towards her only option left; the one that held the most considerable risk also. She made her way down the only corridor not blocked by overwhelming heat and smoke, and soon saw the shorter building outside come into view. She flung her hooves at the window’s opening latch, and drew her hooves back immediately as unbearable pain overcame her. She screamed into the air as she held her hooves to her face, the wrappings on her hooves had been burned right through to her skin, stream was even flowing off of them.

She cursed her own idiocy, realising she had just grabbed the window’s scalding metal frame. Her horn lit up and the window opened in an instant; air rushed in and the flames grew higher. Mare-Do-Well ignored the pain as she returned her forelegs to the ground, and ran as fast as she could as the floor finally gave out beneath her. She flew through the window, stretching herself out as she fell several feet down and grunted when her body impacted with a hard gravely surface; the surface of the roof opposite the building on fire.

Trixie stood on shaky hooves, and watched as the roof of the complex collapsed inwards; right onto the floor she had just been on. Turning away, Trixie brought her forelegs to her face, and with a cry she ignited her magic, and her forelegs were engulfed in purple. The wrappings on her hooves started to unravel, and Trixie shrieked when she ripped them off of her burns, the heat having seared the two together.

Her rear legs buckled, and Trixie unceremoniously fell to the ground, sobbing and cradling her hooves against her chest. She was so occupied that she did not even notice the black and yellow covered figure watching from the sky above, their wings flapping lazily against the wind as they observed the Mare, and the burning building eventually crumble to the earth.

Chapter 7: On The Hunt

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”Before moving on to sports, we would once again like to remind the fine citizens of Fillydelphia, if at all possible, to avoid the residential area between Northwood East and Celestia Circle on account of a devastating fire breaking out, causing the complete collapse of a residential apartment block earlier this evening. At this time we don't have confirmation on whether or not there have been any casualties of this tragic occurrence, but there are a number of residents who are still unaccounted for, and the Police Commissioner has once again refused to make any comment-”

Trixie cringed at the voice on the radio and turned towards the nurse stationed in the room with her. “Could you turn that down please?” Trixie asked with hope and persistence.

The nurse obliged and turned down the volume dial with a roll of her hoof. “Was getting sick of hearing that stuff anyway,” the mare said simply, having heard the same story over and over again for many hours now; both from the radio and from her patients, who had been injured by said disaster and of which the azure mare she was currently attending to was involved in also, having suffered burns on her hooves from the fire and multiple minor injuries to her body after taking a nasty tumble.

Trixie gave a thankful smile, but recoiled as the nurse drew closer to her once again, a roll of gauze in one hoof and a vial of some type of liquid in the other. “This,” she said with a shake of the bottle. “This is to keep your burns clean and helps with the healing process. The gauze is pretty self explanatory, but it is my duty to remind you to keep off your hooves as best you can and to replace the bandages daily. We clear?” she explained in a firm tone.

Trixie gave a curt nod, not anticipating but still thankful for the nurse's no nonsense but explanatory voice. Trixie held her hooves out and leaned back into the chair she was sat in, having elected not to lay upon the nearby hospital bed on the off chance some other pony might require it more than she did.

After the local services had turned up to deal with what remained of the apartment fire, Trixie discretely removed her charred Mare-Do-Well get up and retreated from the rooftop she had found herself on. Rather than make a quick escape, Trixie instead elected to go to one of the newly arrived ambulances in hope that they would deal with her injured hooves. They asked no questions other than what was related to Trixie's health, automatically assuming that Trixie was one of the building’s residents who had simply been burned by the blaze; which for the moment was the absolute and only truth.

She, and a number of other injured ponies were swiftly taken to a nearby hospital; which was far more equipped to deal with the onslaught of incoming patients. Trixie had been waiting with her hooves under a pouring water faucet before a nurse was free to assist her. Some ponies required more aid than most others, and some would most likely never recover completely. Trixie was thankful that she was not one of them.

But nevertheless, the reality of that fact angered her to no end.

“Hold your hooves still, this is gonna sting,” the nurse said stoically, holding the liquid vial ready to pour onto Trixie’s waiting forelegs. Trixie bit her lip and closed her eyes, the concoction was a necessity unless she wished for her hooves to be forever branded with the visual reminders of her blunder. The vertical lines across her hooves were red and shiny, and Trixie did not want to have to look at them any longer than what was required for her to get this over and done with.

Trixie groaned as the liquid was applied; she was convinced that she could hear a sizzling sound, inaudible to everypony but herself. The sensation was painful, but far from unbearable, and Trixie just continued to moan and shake as she allowed the seething liquid to do its work.

The nurse nodded her head once she had finished. “And that's that. Burns weren't that bad so there shouldn't be any noticeable scarring, and your coat will grow back over it soon enough. You said you were wearing socks when you got burned right?” The nurse murmured as she placed the bottle aside.

“Uh huh,” Trixie confirmed without opening her eyes. She said that she had been wearing socks upon her hooves in order to explain the questions regarding the state of her injuries; specifically questions related to her ripping her costume off of the burns. Saying she had been wearing a tight fitting custom made superhero suit didn't seem like a viable answer, not if she valued getting out of this without any raised eyebrows.

The mare tutted. “Must have hurt when you pulled them off, you should've waited for the ambulances.”

Trixie scowled. “I panicked,” she muttered with aggravation, as she didn't appreciate having to make herself appear as weak to satisfy the nurse’s queries.

The nurse retrieved the gauze from where she had left it, and also did not appear to take notice of Trixie's harrowing tone. She simply proceeded with her assigned task. “Well, there's no major damage, but your hooves are gonna be extra sore for a while. Good thing you're a unicorn, hope you're well acquainted with your magic,” the nurse conversed as she began to wrap the material around Trixie’s forelegs.

“You have no idea,” Trixie replied as her hooves continued to be mummified.

The nurse was done within a few minutes, and communicated to Trixie that she was free to go after she once more stressed the importance of how best to take care of herself. She then excused herself from the room in order to attend to her other waiting patients, who were all present with similar injuries.

Trixie brought her forelegs to her face; both were tightly wrapped up in white bandages up to her knees, but their motions and ability to bend were in no way impaired in the slightest. Gingerly lowering her legs to the floor, Trixie winced as she felt the pressure on her hooves. She placed as much weight as she could onto her rear legs, but it only did her so much good. Trixie had no choice but to power through the pain if she intended to leave the hospital at all.

Floating her saddlebags contained with her hastily packed costume onto her back, Trixie turned towards the mirror that accompanied the white and sterile room and could not help but frown at the sight she was met with.

Her face was blackened with soot and ash, as was the rest of her usually pristine coat. Minor cuts and bruises littered her chest and legs from when she had jumped from building to building, but she had bluffed them off to the doctors and nurses as simply being the result of her falling as she tried to escape from the raging inferno, and they had left it at that. What she had not told the medical professionals however was that her entire body ached; standing was a chore, and it took all of her restraint to not reveal the ruse to the nurse as she had been treating her.

Now that she was gone, Trixie willingly let her guard down.

Crouching forwards with a groan, Trixie ran a hoof along her aching chest; certain she that had landed on it when she had crashed upon the roof. Her eyes shut themselves as she heaved and ragged exhale. The damage would take some time to repair, and Trixie was more than comfortable with keeping her head down and lying secluded in the woods for a few days to allow herself the time to recover to an extent she deemed applicable.

But as much as Trixie tried to ignore the incident that had caused her all this grief, so she could allow herself the time to mentally recuperate also. She could not. Her thoughts continued to drift back to the fire, towards the danger she had placed herself in, but more specifically towards that pony she had encountered; the pony who donned black and yellow and had the dismissive attitude towards the flames that they, if Trixie suspected corrected, were solely responsible for causing.

Fillydelphia had something of a fire problem; with multiple buildings over the past month having been set ablaze. Everything from restaurants to corner-shops to apartment blocks. There was a growing suspicion amongst the local populace that the fires were connected in some way, but the idea of it being the result of an unhinged arsonist was one of the few recurring theories. Trixie however found herself agreeing with the suggestion more and more; the pony she had encountered all but confirming her own suspicions on the subject to be the truth.

That pony scared her; and Trixie did not like that revelation one bit. Whoever it was, they did not even flinch when they had set their sights upon the masked Mare-Do-Well, they had simply ran and escaped with no hesitation, leaving behind the results of their actions in the form of a destroyed building and a crowd of injured and broken ponies.

Trixie however took solace in the fact that they had revealed themselves, which gave her somewhat of an advantage. She pieced together all that she could from what she had been briefly able to see. The pony was a pegasus, was quite large possibly meaning that they were a stallion, they possessed a black and yellow suit and headgear which consisted of goggles, which Trixie was quick to suspect were all fireproofed and utilized by the pony to protect against the flames and heat. It may not have been much to go on, but the mere existence of the pony alone was infomation enough to confirm that there was much more going on in Fillydelphia than Trixie had initially anticipated.

Turning towards the door to make her retreat, Trixie now wondered what she should do next, having no intention of pursuing this pony herself; their previous encounter making her more than a little unwilling. She pondered the possibility of presenting what she knew to the police; seeing as they were the ones most likely to do something about it. But her thoughts were clouded by just how she would go about doing that. How could she reveal the existence of the suspicious pony without giving herself away in the process? One possibility was claiming that she was a resident of the building and had caught a glimpse of the pony on her way out, but the fact that she obvious did not and had never actually lived there was too likely to be unearthed somewhere down the line.

Trixie snarled as she continued to ponder the possibilities as she exited the hospital, with her encounter with the pony in the flames continuing to weigh heavily upon her mind like a spectre, lingering amongst the back of her thoughts.

“Hello, Captain- Marshal!”

Shining Armor snorted as the receptionist spluttered and flaunted in apology for addressing the Prince incorrectly. Shining honestly wasn't bothered in the slightest, but felt like humoring the mare was the best option. “It's fine, thank you,” he said with a smile, though the receptionist was clearly still upset with herself, seeming to mutter something along the lines of ‘making the department look bad’ which Shining was quick to block out.

He had just arrived at the Fillydelphia Police Department and was on a tight schedule. It had long since passed dusk and Shining had been delayed in appearing quicker on account of being diverted around Celestia Circle by some sort of ongoing commotion. He turned to the receptionist while his detachment of royal guards made themselves comfortable in the department lobby; assured that their Prince was safe for the time being. Shining pulled a letter from his armour, and read out the name of the pony inscribed upon it, who he was here to meet. “I'm here to see Commissioner... By The Book?” Shining said with some uncertainty; the name written on the paper he held was somewhat difficult to make out.

The mare pressed a buzzer on her desk, and Shining watched as a figure stood up at a distance behind the mare, inside of a glass-walled office. Shining could make out the features of a spiked disheveled mane and somewhat smaller stature than the average stallion almost instantaneously. The stallion approached and the door to his office flew open with flick of his olive horn. Shining soaked in the appearance of the older unicorn; with a green coat, a formally crimson but now greying mane and a bushy moustache which almost completely covered his mouth.

The newly unveiled unicorn, who Shining identified as the Commissioner he seeked, cast his maroon eyes upon the young Prince; which proceeded to widen ever so slightly, unexpecting Shining sudden appearance within the department. He dipped his head as he drew close in greeting. “Evening, Marshal Armor. I'm Commissioner Blythe Book, at your service.”

Shining too nodded in welcoming, though he raised a question regarding the Commissioner's name. “I thought it was ‘By The’ Book? That's what I've got written down,” Shining stated factually, hoping to give off the strongest first impression he could accomplish.

Commissioner Book wrinkled his moustache at the question, recognition flashing in his eyes. “That's a running joke amongst the department. I put the ’l’ and the ‘y’ too close together on my application, made it look like ‘By’ and ‘the,’ nopony ever shut up about it since,” he grumbled with evident but contained annoyance.

Shining chuckled against his better judgement. “That has got to get old,” he joked, further building trust with his police contact.

“Twenty two years old to be exact,” Book stated with a stoic smile, before motioning for Shining to follow him into his office behind the reception desk, which Shining obliged in doing.

The Prince took in the sight of the relatively simple and mundane office; a wooden floor adorned the ground, the walls were a stale cream colour and the view out of the square windows was less than desirable, showing nothing more than dirty rooftops and a skyline thick with fog. The multiple group photos and commendations than hung upon the walls did however succeed in making the office feel more homely, as did the picture of a mare and filly that laid upon the officer's desk.

Book took a seat behind his ordered table, relaxing into his velvet chair while Shining sat down to his front. His expression was unreadable, and Shining allowed for him to start the conversation regarding the issues at hoof. “Now, pardon my bluntness, Marshal, but what exactly are you doing here?” was Book’s first question to his younger superior.

Leaning back slightly at the unexpectedness of the query, Shining explained as simply as he could his motivations. “You called for a royal guard presence, so he we are,” he said with bluntness.

Book allowed his eyes to droop in reply. “That I did, but you don't often get the Captain, or should I now say the Marshal responding personally to every request for public support. So what gives?” pried Book.

Shining ignored the lingering feelings of annoyance he felt towards the vigilante situation from clouding his thoughts. But if he was truly honest with himself, even he didn't know exactly why he had decided to take this case with the abruptness that he had. It was just something he felt he needed to do, and he didn't need his decision to be questioned like he was an inept colt. “I took a special interest in your case,” he said sharply.

Book stroked his chin. “Ponies take an interest for a reason,” he said, hoping to prompt a more informed response.

Shining gripped the armrests of his seats, already sick of having to explain why he had to do this over and over again. He was a royal guard, to do that he had to guard; and the only way he would be able to do that was if he dealt with the potential threats before they evolved beyond something that could be handled by himself. A guard who sat behind a desk in a fortified palace was a guard not doing his job right. “I just want to get this all resolved before it turns into something bigger,” he said in an exasperated tone, eager to move on to a conversation more of relevance to their current situation.

The Commissioner clearly wished for a more fulfilling answer, but it was not his place to question royalty, however much he wanted to in this case. He clicked his teeth and expressed his thanks. “Well either way, I'm grateful you sent yourself. Ponies have been getting a bit restless around here on account of everything that's been going on as of late. We're keeping a lid on it all as best we can; meaning no press, but the fires are happening more frequently and this Mare-Do-Well character is showing up more every day. We need some support is what I'm saying.”

Shining nodded in understanding. He had a fair idea of what he was in for; a series of fires that are thought to be connected in some way or another, and a mare dressing up in a costume to scare off the local population of criminals, for yet unknown reasons, but reasons Shining intended to find out.

The ageing Commissioner took the opportunity to speak while Shining collected his thoughts. “What do you know so far?” he asked with gruffness.

The Prince found himself snorting again. “Everything in the envelope I got.”

Book reached out with and gripped a file on his desk with his brown tinted magic; the colour matching his eyes. “Not that much then, I'll get you up to speed on both.” Clearing his throat, Book read from the file he had retrieved while Shining leaned forward in anticipation of what he would be told. “Mare-Do-Well first started appearing just over a week ago, she was first spotted by two of my officers around Central Square, but since then she's been showing up all over the city including at the fire that happened earlier today in Northwood.”

Shining felt his neck and ears veer up in response. “There's been another fire? And she was there?” he expressed with a gasp. Shining’s eyes darted to the floor as questions began to pile up in his thoughts. “Is there a correlation? Do you think they're related? The fires and Mare-Do-Well I mean.”

Shaking his head to indicate that there was not, at least as far as he knew, a connection between the two, Book continued with his explanation. “No connection beyond her showing up there today, as far as we know. The outbreak of fires started about a month and a bit back. Originally it was just small things; a carriage or a small house, but over time the fires have been getting bigger, and there's been more of them. Counting tonight, there's been three fires this week, fourteen in total that we can link together.”

Shining nodded in understanding. “And what exactly is it that links the fires?”

“Crap,” a new voice intruded.

Turning his neck towards the glass door he had previously entered through, Shining took in the appearance of a new stallion who had just revealed himself with his interruption of vulgarity. “Sorry I didn't knock, Blythe, but I got your witness statements from the Northwood fire,” the yellow unicorn said as he slouched over to the Commissioner’s desk, throwing a file onto it as if it held no value to him whatsoever. His shaggy brown mane whipped around beneath the old-timey fedora he wore as he turned towards the Prince, apparently only just realising that Shining was there to begin with.

He gasped in astonishment. “Whoa, Book! How'd you manage to get Shining Armor down here? But more importantly why didn't you tell me, what happened to the loop, huh compadre?” he had started off gushing, which quickly turned into apparent fury.

The Commissioner appeared to be used to the new stallion's behaviour, and introduced him for Shining’s sake. “Marshal, this is Detective Hard Case; heading up the Mare-Do-Well investigation,” said Book, which an accompanying head gesture between the two as he said their names.

Hard Case threw out a hoof for Shining to shake. “Nice to see ya, Captain- Uh, Marshal,” he stated, with noticeable embarrassment at his slip up.

Shining’s eye twitched. “It's fine,” he said swiftly, before remembering that this was a pony he most certainly needed to speak with, as he would probably have the most knowledge about the ongoing Mare-Do-Well situation. “I'd like to talk to you later if I could, and you can probably guess who about,” Shining said with a grimace.

The detective gave a boisterous laugh in response. “Outstanding! We’ll have Mare-Do-Well running scared with you on the case. The sooner the better I say, you are aware of what she's doing right?”

Shining shook his head to indicate he did not, and was quite intrigued by what the stallion would say, he didn't know much about the collateral damage that Mare-Do-Well was causing as was eager to learn more. The Commissioner decided to chime in before Case could speak his part. “Aside from the obvious ethical issues there are with a mare dressing up in a mask and potentially hurting herself and others, she's-”

“She's scaring the criminals away before we get a chance to respond! Which as you can imagine isn't exactly solving the problem of crime,” interrupted Case with a grunt to emphasise his point.

Shining turned to Book befuddled, who simply shrugged his shoulders in response to Case’s outburst. “She's not too popular around here,” he stated.

The other detective grumbled in affirmation. “You bet your ass she's not! You see what she did to Ride Along? Poor guy couldn't turn his siren off for hours. Heck, for all we know she could be in cahoots with these thieving idiots as some out sort of hired muscle or lookout or something.”

As suspicious at Shining was, he sincerely doubted that was the case.

Hard Case continued to ramble for several moments more, and the Commissioner was starting to become noticeable annoyed as the disgruntled detective started to call his courses of action into question. Shining decided to intervene before things spiralled out of control beyond reparation. “How about we do our jobs, that way we can solve both problems at the same time. No need for any confrontation.”

Both detectives calmed down and allowed for Shining to speak. Hard Case took the opportunity to pour himself some coffee at the side of the room, while Shining turned back to the lounging Blythe Book. “Now, you were saying there was a link between the fires. What is it?”

Book straightened up as he turned back to the file he had discarded earlier. “We can't be sure how many ponies are involved, but we can be sure of this. Forensics found trace amounts of the same chemicals at all the scenes; present at all known fires. We think our arsonist, for lack of a better term, is using an agricultural fertiliser, specifically a manure variant, as an accelerant to start their fires and keep them burning.”

“Wait wait wait,” Shining interrupted, baffled by what he was hearing. “They're using manure? Why manure?”

Hard Case was the one to answer, routinely sipping his coffee as he spoke. “According to the lab boys, manure, or crap, whichever term you prefer take your pick, contains chemicals great for setting and maintaining a fire; perfect plaything for any aspiring psycho. But more worryingly, it's also apparently a great ingredient for the lovely little art known as bomb-making.”

Shining grew cold at the revelation, he had anticipated his calling upon to be for an issue of severity; which was after all the only reason the guard would be called upon by local authorities in the first place, but he could not have predicted this turn of events, and grew slightly distressed at the scenarios that began to play out in his head, which he struggled to conceal from his company.

The Commissioner was quick to elaborate on Case's point however. “Now, we don't know for certain if we're witnessing a bomber in the making, but considering the frequency of their attacks, and the fact that they're becoming more efficient at making their fires burn longer and bigger, we can only assume that there improving their technique and upping their game. What for? We don't know yet. But I'd say it's better to just assume the worst and not the best; makes us less likely to be inefficient.”

Slouching into his chair, Shining willingly accepted the cup of coffee Hard Case had poured out for him without prompting. “I can tell why you not telling the press,” Shining said with an attempt at humour, with both detectives chuckling in an effort to diffuse the prolonged tenseness of the situation.

Shining asked the one thing he felt could ease his thoughts. "The manure, is there a way to trace it? Back to a source?"

The older stallion smiled genuinely for the first time since their meeting began. “That's where we're in luck. The bigger the fire means a bigger stockpile of fertiliser needed to keep it going, and the Northwood fire had a literal pile of the stuff left over for us. The main problem we've been having is that there's never been a sample ‘clean’ enough for us to match against other fertilisers that you can get in the city, but after tonight we should have a match down. Lab analysts are on it as we speak.”

“That great!” Shining said with a grin, before he began to contemplate the Commissioner’s words, which raised further questions. “How in Equestria are they able to do that?”

A shrug was his response from the Commissioner, with Hard Case deciding to explain instead; despite only being in charge of the Mare-Do-Well investigation he seemed to have equal knowledge of both. “Something to do with how they're made; different fertilisers use different chemicals or different amounts or something like that. All that matters is if they can match it to a brand here in Filly’. Then we'll have a supplier, and then we can narrow the search down from there.”

Armed with a plethora of new infomation, Shining rose to his hooves, eager to get to work and help in anyway he could. “I'll be in the lobby with my guard, Commissioner, we are yours to do with as you please," he said with a nod to the two detectives.

Book walked around his desk in order to shake the Marshal’s hoof personally. “Your help is much appreciated, Sir. Everything I know, you'll know. You want us to focus on something in particular, just tell us what. With you on board we should have this all closed up within the week.”

Shining nodded once more before exiting the room, heading over to the lobby full of guards so he could begin to infom them of their duties and get to work himself reviewing the evidence collected on both cases so far. He left the two detectives within the office in an awkward silence, at least until Hard Case decided to voice his own theories.

“I still think it's the dragons.”

“You always blame the dragons.”

"I don't get it though, why use the same stuff to start every fire? Why risk creating a pattern when they could just set the fires with anything?"

“Calling card? Using a method they know will work? Maybe it's just something they have on hoof. It makes for a good tinder and it is the middle of winter.”

Shining Armor and Hard Case had discussed theories relating to Mare-Do-Well for several hours now, and after coming up with nothing worthwhile, they dually decided that they both deserved a break. Shining had followed the roughish stallion up to the roof of the police department, and at the moment they were both leaning against the side of the building, gazing out across the skyline that the building occupated. The coast was visible in the distance, and the city bellow was alight with a bustling nightlife; with rainbow coloured lights shining into the air and reflecting off the dark sea of clouds that covered the sky.

“And what about Mare-Do-Well? Why'd you think she decided to do all this in the first place?” grumbled Hard Case behind the lit cigar that occupied his mouth.

“Who knows? Could be anything,” Shining stated with uncertainty, not comfortable with making any further assumptions on the subject.

Hard Case shifted his cigar to the other side of his mouth and blew a puff of dark smoke into the air. He had offered one to Shining who had politely declined in a instant; citing his health as a reason. The detective turned to his superior with a contemplative glare, having been wondering to himself for some time now just why the new Marshal; who was promoted just over a day ago, was in the middle of Fillydelphia all of a sudden.

“Marshal, mind if I ask an intrusive, potentially hard to answer for reasons of national security question?”

Shining turned his head stiffly to meet the unicorn’s eyes. “Shoot…” he said slowly and with suspicion.

Hard Case seemed to become slightly giddy. “Why are you here?”

Shining narrowed his eyes. “Well, I-”

“I mean what's Blythe not telling me? Yeah he's Commissioner now but he shouldn't be keeping secrets from me! I'm his best pal! We were partners! It's not about the fires or Mare-Do-Well is it? That's gotta be too low-key for you right? Something big's going on isn't it? Can you tell me? Tell me please, I said please.”

Shining veered back at the outbreak of rambling Hard Case had erupted into, and was unsure how to respond. Should he bluff his way out and sour the stallion’s expectations? Tell the 'official' truth and play it safe? Or…

Or should Shining reveal why he was actually there; the truth he had been trying to ignore but was nevertheless weighing down heavily on his conscience. He had only come to the realisation himself on the train ride over, after he had overheard his guard’s conversation, but it had only become an absolute certainty after the Commissioner had asked him the same question only a few hours ago. He had attempted to block the thoughts from his mind, but this conversation had just caused them to rocket back to the surface with unrelenting force.

“Can you keep a secret?” Shining found himself saying against his better judgement.

Hard Case grew giddy again. “Oh boy! It is something isn't it?”

“Not quite…” Shining chuckled. “It's just… Something I need to get off my chest,” he said unsurely, wondering if he was delving down the right course of action.

A prompting hoof-roll from Hard Case was as much motivation as Shining needed. The stallion was something of a loose-cannon, but from the hours they had been working together Shining was sure that he was able to keep a secret; it was after all effectively a part of his profession seeing as how he was a detective.

With a sigh, Shining began to speak, in a looming tone of reluctantance. “I'm here because I need to stop the pony making the fires, and I'm here because I don't agree with what Mare-Do-Well is doing…” He paused, his posture slackening ever so slightly. “But I'm also here because I don't agree with myself.”

Hard Case knitted his eyebrows together, clearly not understanding what Shining was talking about in the slightest. Upon seeing the unicorn's befuddled expression, Shining decided to elaborate. “By that I mean I don't agree with what I've become, I don't agree with what I'm supposed to be doing as Marshal.” Shining braced himself against the building’s wall. “I don't agree with the idea that the best way I can serve Equestria is behind a desk commanding forces. I don't agree that I deserve to be the one who receives all the perks and protection. I can't be the best guard that I can be if all I'm doing is hiding in the Castle with my tail between my legs.” Exhaling, his breath visible against the air, Shining turned back to Hard Case, his face lit up with an orange glow due to the cigar.

“In short; it's not what I signed up for,” Shining finished with a minor shrug.

Blowing more smoke out of his mouth, Hard Case asked a question that had raised itself in his thoughts. “Ain't the whole point of you being Marshal so you can do all that though?” he asked in a fluctuating tone.

Shining rubbed his forelegs together; becoming fidgety on account of this conversation he had unwittingly initiated. “Well, I'm starting to think that maybe I'm not the right pony for the job,” he said, though it was obvious from his voice that he was unconvinced of the truth of his statement.

Hard Case shook his head side-to-side, ready to remind the partially younger-than-himself stallion of the responsibility that had been bestowed upon him by the rulers of the land. He halted himself however, and he and Shining turned their heads towards the edge of the roof off to their right; where a strange and persistent humming had started to originate from.

“What's tha-”

“Shh!”

Shining silenced the detective immediately, listening intently as the noise grew louder... and then even louder. He began to approach what he thought to be the source of the noise, which was coming from somewhere over the side of the building. Both stallions froze and were startled as the source of the humming revealed itself; an envelope floating up from below the side onto the roof, embraced in a light-purplish aura of magic.

Before Shining or Hard Case could react, the envelope dropped to the ground as it was released from the magical grip, Shining ran to the side immediately and peered over the edge to see if he could catch a glimpse at whoever it was that had cast the spell, but he had no such luck; the alleyway below was utterly devoid of life, and Shining could not see anywhere else where the user could have cast the magic, nowhere would have been in range to perform the spell.

Hard Case grabbed the fallen envelope in his own green magical aura, and held it away from him while Shining approached. “Shall I do the honours?” the detective asked with a weary smirk and a wink.

“Only if you're careful,” Shining replied, though his glare was transfixed on the envelope, which Hard Case swiftly began to cut open.

A piece of paper started to unfold out as Hard Case delicately cut along the seams of the envelope to both open it and preserve it for future study as evidence. Shining gasped the letter in his own magic and held it at a distance to ensure his own safety. Once he deemed it to be hazard free, Shining brought the letter close in order to read it as best he could.

Hello.

To whomever is reading this, I assume that you are in some way affiliated with the Fillydelphian Police, seeing as how it's their roof I left this letter on. I ask that you see to it that this letter makes it way to the relevant ponies concerned with the investigation of the Northwood apartment fire. I detail below somepony you should focus your efforts on in uprehending. I'd tell you what I know myself but I'm rather protective of my privacy.

I saw a pony inside the building. I assume it was a he, as he was far too large to have been a mare, and he was a pegasus; which was how he escaped from the fire I assumed he started in the first place. He was outfitted with some kind of fireproofed uniform, which as far as I can tell was coloured black along the torso with yellow strips along the legs. He wore a mask with goggles so I can't detail his face.

The most distinguishing feature however were his two front hooves; both were horrendously scarred, and if I had to guess I'd say he burned himself rather badly at some point in the past.

That's as much as I know, if I find out anything else expect to receive a similar envelope in the same place.

Until then…

M-D-W

Captain I've only just written this I can see you on the roof I have no idea what you're doing here but I assume you're her to catch the bad guy starting the fires and I hope you do because he's not very nice sorry grammar bad I'm rushing

Shining narrowed his eyes at the paper, took another glance over the side of the building, and immediately started to make his way downstairs in order to report this new development to the Commissioner, his companion Hard Case following on in a questioning pursuit.

Trixie was desperately thankful that the Marshal had not been able to spot her from her position flat up against the wall of the alleyway below, and galloped away home as fast as her injured hooves could carry her when she deemed the coast to be clear. That had been a big risk; but it was a risk Trixie knew she needed to take. The Marshal was more than capable of dealing with this unstable arsonist, and Trixie did not intend to get that close to the fire ever again if she had anything to say about it.

Chapter 8: Conflict Of Interests

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The excruciating ringing of the bells on his alarm clock rattled the slumbering Shining Armor from his sleep. He cracked an eye open towards the insistent dinging of the clock and forced it to stop with a crack of his horn. Groaning as he turned onto his back, Shining somewhat regretted his decision of temporary residence; the three-star hotel he found himself in, just down the street from the police precinct, left a lot to be desired to say the least. He held no doubt that the grand suite of the famed hotel Fillydelphia Oculus, where he was originally slated to stay, would have been a far more joyous place to rest his head for the night than his current whereabouts.

The decision had been sudden; Shining wanted to be within walking distance of the police station so that he could continue with his work at the earliest convenience. If he had chosen the far more prosperous hotel to stay the night he would either of had to settle with having less sleep so he could get ready on time, or turn up to the station late every day. Neither was a viable outcome. His guard hadn't been too keen on the idea though, and had elected, with Shining’s permission, to travel to the hotel to reside in comfort and then regroup with their leader in the morning.

Rolling out of his single bed, Shining shook as the freezing room temperature overcame him. The insulation was poor, his blankets were thin and the building as a whole was almost as cold as it was outside, with the cracked and splintered walls making barely any difference at all. The sheets he had nestled in had provided little relief, and without the warm embraces of his wife, Shining found the night to be much colder than most.

He withheld a longing sigh as an image of his wife’s smile flashed in his sight. Shining always missed Cadance when he had to venture out into the world for some reason or another. Despite the persistent rumours that the two had only become involved for political purposes, or held little in common with one another; Shining loved his wife more than anything, and he seemed to only come to love her more the further apart they were. He, and Candace too if he suspected correctly, had high hopes that one day they could expand their circle out a bit, maybe with a new addition or two.

With a big dumb smile on his face brought on by his thoughts, Shining commenced with his morning routine with enthusiasm. As much as he wished to think about Cadance for the time being; he had a job to do. He needed to head down to the station as soon as possible, the police analysts had assured him and the Commissioner that they would have an answer for them both regarding the forensic tests they had conducted on the fertiliser discovered at the fires, and also on the envelope from a certain vigilante Shining had come into possession of last night.

Trixie practically wailed as she turned over in her bed, veering back to her prior position immediately upon being met with an agonising pain within her chest.

Trixie steadied both herself from twitching and her heavy breathing, heaving as she forced herself to sit up into a straight position with her back leaning against the wall of her caravan. She had thought that she would have been over the worst of the trauma from the injuries she had received yesterday, but apparently time had only caused her pain to grow; at the moment her chest held a rather large bruise upon it, and even the air touching it caused Trixie to wince back with a squint.

She had come to the conclusion swiftly after yesterday's commotion that running into a burning building with no plan and no prior experience was quite possibly the dumbest thing she had ever done, and the list up to that point had been fairly extensive.

But nothing so far on that list had resulted in Trixie coming as close as she did last night to…

Trixie shook the thought away, unintentionally causing herself some minor pain yet again from her worsened scrapes and cuts. This was not working. Mare-Do-Well. It was stupid and insane with a rather miniscule expectation of success. Trixie refused to look at any of this with an uninformed and unreliable vision of optimism anymore. She could have been killed last night, if the floor of the burning building had given out even a second earlier than it did Trixie would not have been here to contemplate any of this.

It was irresponsible, reckless, moronic, idiotic and quite frankly the bravest thing she had ever willed herself to do.

It was also a naïve course of action that she should have considered much further than she had. This whole plan was to ensure that Trixie’s fame would be rekindled; her flame reignited so to speak. There were times perhaps where Trixie could see herself making a real difference; prompting a real change and superior methods of action, and she had saved a certain few Fillydelphian citizens who could attest to that fact. But Trixie was becoming impulsive; far too impulsive for her liking, and it had nearly cost her dearly.

This needed to stop. One week; she had been at this for one week and she was bedridden because of it. Mare-Do-Well needed time, planning and care to get it focused and back on point. Trixie needed to rethink all of this, rethink all she had committed herself to. Her superhero persona in its current form would, if left unchecked, only result in more harm than good if Trixie didn't alter some things quickly. There was no point to any of this if the only option presented before was inevitable failure.

The cape would need to be hung up for a few days; and depending on Trixie's decision. Perhaps for good.

“Morning Capt- Marshal. Sorry,” greeted Commissioner Book with an upwards nod and raise of his mug full of coffee.

Shining rolled his eyes as he slumped through the building’s doors in a still sleepy daze. “It's fine…” he dulled out with a sigh.

Commissioner Book slouched into his chair. Shining had been expecting to find his acquaintance within his office, instead he found Book upstairs within a large room filled with desks and a large number of the station’s staff located within; all set to work on their own individual assignments. The stale smell of cigarette smoke and varnished wood hung in the air as Shining sat besides Book on a wooden chair that had been placed out for him near an open space at the edge of the room, facing a large glass board bolted onto the wall.

“Sleep well?” Book asked with nonchalance, sipping his coffee once more.

“As well as can be expected,” replied Shining with a snort, lounging in his seat with a welcomed sense of relaxation.

The Commissioner checked his watch, and read the hour as being 9:00am. “Looks like you're just in time. Lab analysts should be up to report on their findings in a minute or two, if they have results, then we'll set out knocking on some doors and getting some info,” Book explained with a shake of his greying moustache.

“Let's just hope they have good news,” Shining said stoically, inwardly praying that the results would be in their favour. Reflecting on the two pieces of evidence they had collected, Shining suddenly turned to Book with a frown as a darkening thought came to mind. “That letter from Mare-Do-Well,” Shining said, catching Book’s attention.

“What about it?” Book asked inquisitively.

Shining’s frown contorted up and down. “You think she was telling the truth? About seeing the pony who's starting the fires?” he asked with a hint of denial in his tone. Shining had debated with himself whether or not he should believe what the letter had stated; that there was a stallion suspected to be responsible for all of this. He had been unwilling to come to a solid conclusion himself; seeing as it would mean having to abide by the words of a vigilante. His conflicted opinions prompted him to seek advice from the more experienced Commissioner on the matter.

Book had been battling similar internal thoughts. “Truthfully? I have no idea,” Book stated unsurely. “The thing with witness statements is that you can't take everything at face value, no matter how true it seems or how much it's supports your own arguments. Ponies lie, they forget, they exaggerate, and sometimes they just make things up for whatever reason. Maybe there was a stallion there, maybe he was the one who's been doing all this. The only thing we have to go on is Mare-Do-Well’s word, and quite frankly that's not enough. We get proof? Then it's an avenue worth pursuing.”

Hoofsteps were heard upon the stairs, and Shining and Book turned to find a lime earth pony mare in a white lab coat entering the room. Spotting her two superiors, the mare timidly began to approach, a clipboard held firmly in her hoof. Book turned back to the board in front of the pair as the mare stood before them. “For the moment, let's just focus on the fertiliser and whether or not it can be linked back to anywhere and anypony. That'll at least be something we know to be true,” Book finished with a wave of his hoof, while Shining nodded in agreement at his side. It may not have been the answer Shining was hoping for, but he was just glad to have an answer at all.

Shining looked behind the lab coat wearing mare; who was currently reading silently from her clipboard, and instead he focused on the glass display. It was adorned with fourteen pictures that showed the remains of various fire-damaged buildings, spread around in a circle with a picture of a pile of a brown gravelly substance in the centre of it all, linked to the other pictures by various lines drawn on with a pen. Shining assumed that the brown dirt-like stuff was a sample of the fertiliser collected as evidence, and the photos around it were the fires suspected to all be linked together.

The sight of the ruined homes, businesses and property, and the implications of their damage was enough to make Shining’s blood boil.

“Hi, Commissioner, Captain- Sorry, Marshal,” began the mare awkwardly, who averted her eyes upon seeing Shining face palm at her mistake. “My name is Brain Teaser, I'm the chief forensic examiner,” she said with a stiff curtsy. “I looked over both the envelope and letter you received, and the fertiliser collected at the Northwood fire. We examined them as best we could but I'm afraid we've got both good news and bad news.”

Both stallions threw their heads back with groans, as did the various detectives who had recently joined the briefing; as most were actively involved with the investigations it concerned. Shining turned to Brain Teaser with a scowl. “Bad news first,” he stated swiftly, wanting to get the worst of it out of the way first.

The mare nodded and shifted her glasses as she re-read her clipboard once more. Her buned purplish mane flicked about as her head shifted from her audience back to her papers repeatedly. “Bad news; the envelope and letter gave us nothing to go on regarding Mare-Do-Well’s identity. No prints, fibres, unique features; nothing. The only magical residue we could find on both belonged to you, Marshal, and Detective Case.”

From within the crowd, Hard Case cursed.

Wanting to lighten the mood as quickly as she could, Brain Teaser didn't waste any time in relaying the good news to her associates. “Good news though is that we were able to match the fertiliser we found with several brands available right here in the city; which includes local manufacturers and imports.” Teaser looked to her notes, while her audience came to adorn enlightened smiles at the news. “Closest matches by company are; Orange’s Produce, those are imports from Manehattan. Luck’s Organic, which is Filly’ based. Herald Co., also Filly’ based, and everyone's favourite Apple Family's Homebrand, also Filly’.”

Shining raised an eyebrow at the final entry on the list. Being acquainted with the Apple family as he was, he was somewhat surprised to find that they were among the listed potential suppliers, though he was certain they were just a probable match for the fertiliser and nothing more.

Commissioner Book stood up at Shining’s side once Teaser had finished with her exposition, with him deciding to take the initiative and get his officers back to work as quickly as possible. “Good work, Teaser. Alright, eyes on me,” Book paused and waited for the collected group to turn their attention upon him and finish with their own conversations. “This is the biggest break we've had all month, so we're going to get to work and find out which of these four are supplying our perp’s. That means interviews, examination, taking inventory and a lot of combing through files. It's gonna be long and it's gonna be hard, but we're going to get it done and we're going to do it by the book.”

Book rolled his eyes as a collective chuckle rung out, but rather than encourage it he just waited for silence to resume. “I'm going to assign teams within the hour; you are to write to or head down to local company offices and start asking questions until ponies start giving you answers. You know what you're looking for; unusual transactions, thefts, missing stock, even suspicious employees. Whoever is starting these fires is getting their fuel from one of these four companies, it's probable that they may also work for them.”

Shining was open to all suggestions and likely theories, but he hoped and pleaded that this would not the case in this instance, at least concerning the Apples. If it was... He didn't know how the Apples as a whole would take it.

“Now in regards to Mare-Do-Well,” Book began again, ceasing the muttering that had briefly began to commence amongst the curious and perky detectives. “It's a shame the letter didn't reveal anything, since I know how eager you all are to get her in a cell.” A unanimous cheer of affirmation was the only answer Book needed. “But, you all know how important it is that we do this right. Don't lose your heads and don't take chances. At the moment, however much some of you may disagree; Mare-Do-Well is not the major issue. These fires however are destroying property, they are claiming lives and they need to be stopped as do the ponies causing them. We will solve both in time, but ask yourself, who do we need off the streets more?”

A disgruntled, but ultimately agreeable murmur of response was Book’s reply, though evidently some of the collected ponies were more decisive than others. Shining himself knew where he stood on the matter; Mare-Do-Well was undoubtedly a problem that needed to be stopped, but as it stood, she was nothing more than an interference to the practices of the Fillydelphia police and city council. This arsonist? They needed to be caught, sooner rather than later.

Now came the issue of action. Shining had no intention of just sitting in the police department waiting for an answer from an up and coming detective; he was a pony who worked best on his hooves, and he knew that he would be much better use to the investigation if he was actively participating in it than if he was just sat on his flank waiting for somepony else to do it for him. Shining was here in the first place to get results, and results he would most certainly achieve.

Waiting until Book had finished briefing and dismissing his personnel, Shining approached him with a smile, not wanting to interrupt the now busy stallion any more than what was necessary. “Commissioner Book,” Shining said respectively, catching Book’s attention from his standing position.

“Yes, Marshal?” Book asked, with minor but evident impatience in his tone, wanting to commence with his own tasks.

Shining thought about what he would say; about what he should ask to do and whether or not he was even the best stallion to do it. He quickly reached a decision on the matter, and voiced it timidly. “With your permission, I'd like to go interview the local Apple family,” Shining asked professionally but with firmness.

Raising an eyebrow, Book responded curiously. “That would be a bit unorthodox. Mind if I ask why? Generally, having the Royal guard around is just a formality to keep the mayor happy.”

Ignoring the quip, Shining scratched his mane. “I was never much of a backseat-guard,” Shining said, before quickly moving on to his explanation. “I'm actually a close friend with one of the Apple family’s cousins. Might make it a bit easier for them to open up to me,” Shining stated slowly and with an air of uncertainty, unsure that Book would allow it.

The Commissioner was predictably suspicious at the request. “With respect, Marshal, I get your point, but you're not exactly a detective,” Book said knowingly.

Shining, despite his best efforts, was disrespected by the statement, however true it may have been. “And with respect to you, Commissioner, I feel like the Apple’s will respond better to a family friend than a prying detective.”

Both stallions stood tall and still. Both realised the truth in the others observations, but both also realised that the work needed to be done and somepony had to do it, and it may as well be the best pony suited for the task. Blythe Book, despite his hesitation, gave in to his Prince’s request. “It is an irregular thing to ask, Marshal, but this is an irregular case,” Book stated calmly, but with a steady frown. “Go, question the Apples, find out everything that you can about where the fertiliser came from and who they sell it to. The moment you suspect anything or anypony, send a letter.”

Relieved at the Commissioner deciding in his favour, Shining bowed, turned and started to trot away, heading in the direction of the stairs in order to meet his personal guard on the ground floor, wanting to be on their way at the earliest possible convenience and complete the job he had been assigned.

“And, Marshal?”

Hating with a foreleg frozen mid-step, Shining turned back towards the Commissioner who had barked out for his attention. He met eyes with the still frowning Book. “Don't let your feelings for the Apples soften your approach.”

Shining too frowned in response, once again not liking how he agreed with Book on his statement. “Of course, Commissioner,” was Shining’s final word before he was out the door, with the Commissioner returning to his office to start organising his forces. Shining kept his frown even as he left the station. Fillydelphia was proving to be far more taxing on his thoughts than he initially anticipated.

The inharmonious sounds of steps upon the gravelly path rung out and seemed to echo off of the barren trees that littered the frozen green environment. The company of royal guards marched along the earth in formation while Shining paced at their front. The group, composed of five stallions and four mares, trotted along swiftly and orderly, their breath clouding the air on account of an occasional exhale being released.

Shining looked up at the snow peaked Foal Moutain that leaned overhead; the jagged rocks upon its side growing ever smoother the further up they climbed to its peak. The sun today was effectively non existent; invisible behind a wall of clouds that shielded the sky, leaving Equestria shrouded in a dull grey and darkened mist.

Stumbling upon an uneven patch of earth, Shining turned his gaze back down the path, and after scaling a small upturned hill on their journey, Shining and his group watched as their destination forced itself into their view the higher they climbed.

If the day was brighter and the circumstances less severe Shining would have taken solace as he set sight upon the green-painted farmhouse, instead he only felt an overlying sense of dread; dread at what he would find upon asking his questions and upon receiving his answers. The Apples were spread far and wide and Shining had befriended many of them over the years, the most notable of course being the branch that resided in Ponyville. Shining knew the Apples to be decent and good, and there was no doubt in his mind that the same characteristics were inherent in their Fillydelphia relatives.

Or at least, Shining hoped that was the case.

With a crack of his neck, Shining continued on his way, the parade of guards marching at his rear. Upon passing the white picket fence that surround the farm, Shining halted his guards with a shout, who proceeded to stand still despite the onslaught of chilling frost and blistering wind. Shining's hooves clacked on the ground as he approached the house, the wooden porch creaking under the weight of his large size and heavy purple-adorned armour. He swiftly tapped upon the door several times, not wanting to delay in the slightest.

In his eagerness to leave, Shining had only been briefly able to review the FPD’s file on the resident Apple family; which had been retrieved from storage due to the recent development in the fires case. His main goal was to learn their address, but aside from that, he also gathered that the family consisted of seven; a mother, two daughters, a son, and a set of filly twins. The father had been listed as deceased. There was however nothing that immediately jumped out to Shining as being suspicious, aside from the odd misdemeanour or two and a reported burglary at some point in the past. Nothing suggested to Shining that the Apple’s involvement in all of this was anything less than inconsequential.

But admittedly, he had only looked briefly.

Peering through the hazy glass, Shining spotted the image of a pony approaching; the orangish coat and lime mane contrasting against the darker colours of the house's interior. The door opened inwards with a click, and Shining managed to hold a smile in an effort to appear more welcoming.

The neckerchief wearing Apple Pie was undeniably befuddled when she met eyes with the recently promoted Prince Shining Armor, and voiced her confusion in an unsteady welcome. “Captain Armor? The heck are you doing ‘ere?” Pie asked in a mix of inquiry and worry, clearly assuming the worst of the situation. It wasn't like she expected the Prince to show up for a social call after all.

Shining ignored his incorrect addressing as Captain, and instead bowed his head, his smile holding unfaltered. “Good morning, Ma’am. I'm sorry to disturb you so early but I'm currently working with Fillydelphian Police Department and I'm afraid your farm came up during an investigation I'm helping out with,” Shining motioned with a hoof as Pie started to recoil at his words. He quickly attempted to reassure her in response. “Now before we get ahead of ourselves, how about I just explain what's going on. I'll ask you some questions and in return I'll answer yours. Deal?”

Apple Pie’s nerves were hardly calmed by the ultimatum; it wasn't as if she could refuse the Prince’s offer even if she wanted to. She would still play the part of a good host however, despite her evident worry and reluctance. Pushing the door further open, she faced Shining with a forced blank expression. “You wanna come in? It'll have ta just be you though, house ain't big enough to fit all your boys and gals.”

Shining agreed, the house was indeed rather small and he felt that by obeying Apple Pie’s wish he would only succeed in further earning her trust. Dismissing his guards so they could walk about the farm at their leisure, Shining followed Apple Pie into her home, turned left and took a seat upon an armchair indicated to him by his host. He took in the site of the coffee table positioned to his front, pulled up against another chair, which was covered in a plethora of papers and notes.

Apple Pie took the seat opposite the Marshal, clearly still uncomfortable about the whole situation and started to pile the notes together in an effort to occupy herself. “You want tea or anything? Something stronger maybe?” Pie asked with her eyes downcast.

Shining laughed the offer off as casually as he could. “No, thank you. I'd rather just get out of your mane as fast as I can,” he replied with a gesturing hoof, still holding his smile strong.

Finishing with her papers, Pie looked to Shining in a slouch. “Okay, Sir. What's this all about? Don't lighten the blow just tell me how it is,” Pie said with a front of respect.

Shining bit his lip, pondering how he would relay the information in a way that wouldn't sound accusive. He subconsciously reflected upon the Commissioner’s words to him before he decided to speak. ‘Don't let your feelings for the Apples soften your approach.’

“Ms…” Shining paused upon realising he hadn't yet asked the mare her name.

“Pie, Apple Pie,” was the automatic reply.

“Ms. Pie, you produce and sell your own brand of agricultural fertiliser, don't you?”

“Apple’s Homebrand, yep.”

Shining was about to ask his further questions, but Apple Pie’s stunned interruption cut him off. Her tone was noticeably more upbeat than it was prior. “Wait! That's why you're here? ‘cause of our fertiliser?” Nodding in affirmation, Shining once again tried to ask his questions, only to be cut off once again, much to his growing irritation.

Apple Pie’s genuine smile halted his annoyance however. “Heck! Why didn't ya just say so from the get-go? Bout time the cops got back to us about that!” Pie exclaimed, with a renewed sense of relief.

Shining was suitably surprised by the mare’s outburst, having no reason to anticipate it and growing only confused by it. “Sorry, Ms. Pie?” Shining said in effort to retain some stability over the conversation. Apple Pie turned to him with a hardened grin, while Shining was eager to get to the bottom of all of this. “Do you mind explaining that part to me? About the cops getting back to you? I'm a little in the dark,” Shining said, attempting to sound credible.

Pie’s face scrunched up at Shining's confusion. “Wait, you don't know?” she asked with a glare.

“Know about what?” Shining replied dimly.

Rolling her eyes, Pie explained drearily, clearly having expected to receive a different kind of response. “I reported the theft of two crates of fertiliser about a month and a bit back, cops never did anything about it other than hassle ma mother with letters and asking for signatures. Then you come round asking about it and getting ma hopes up ‘cept you don't… Captain? You listening?”

Apple Pie’s eyes narrowed once more as she set sight on Shining, who was now scribbling relentlessly into a notebook previously housed within his armour. His horn alight as he held a quill firm. He looked up at Pie with a prompting hoof roll. “Sorry could you continue? I need to write this down,” he said, his eyes wide like a colt in a candy factory.

Her eyes only narrowed further at the request. “Ah ain't sayin one more thang until you tell me what in Equestria is goin’ on. Why you so interested in ma fertiliser all of a sudden?”

Realising that he would only be able to proceed if he had the Apple’s full cooperation, Shining closed his notebook and leaned forward, his stoic expression returning as he explained. “I guess you have a right to know seeing as how it concerns your business,” Shining said in understanding. “Ms. Pie, I hate to tell you this, but we have reason to believe that the fires that have been happening recently- You have heard about those right?”

“Course, been all over the papers.”

“Great. Those fires were all started using a fertiliser as fuel, and have been appearing, that we know of, for over the past month and a bit back, right around the time-”

“Right around the time some varmint ran off with two crates of our fertiliser,” Pie shakily finished, running a hoof through her curly mane.

Shining gave the mare some time to process, but was eager to continue, especially when the information he seeked was within arms length, he just needed to be a little more prompting. “We were able to match a sample of your brand to some of the fertiliser left over at one of the fires, and I decided to come along mainly because I'm sure Applejack would appreciate it if she ever found out.”

Pie laughed despite herself. “Heh, forgot you two were friends. Cousin sure as heck would be out for blood if she found out some jack was using her stolen stock to burn buildings,” Pie said as she leaned back and reminisced. The news was certainly unexpected, if slightly troubling. This whole situation was maddening. She had reported to the police that her farm had been burgled, and she had practically been laughed out of the station; two crates of manure based fertilizer apparently wasn't worth the time and effort in finding, and now she’s found out that whoever robbed her has most likely had a hoof in all these fires that have been going on.

Apple Pie was sure those cops won't be laughing when she told the Prince everything he wanted to know.

“Alright, Captain. Ask your- Wait ain't you Marshal or somethin now?” Pie asked with a dazed look. “Have Ah been calling you the wrong thing this whole time?”

Shining chuckled, once again ignoring the gesture, instead wanting to get back to the problem at hoof. “It's fine. Would you be willing to answer a few questions? Anything you say, even the smallest little thing, might be able to help us catch whoever it is that's doing all this.”

A swift nod of agreement was Pie’s response. “You betcha, whatever you want ta know. Shoot,” Pie said as she mentally braced herself.

Shining resumed with his notes, writing his questions down and pondering how to phrase them. “On the night of the theft- it was at night right?”

“Eeyup.”

Shining blinked, but resumed asking the question. “That night, did you see anything suspicious? Anypony lurking around who shouldn't have been there?”

Pie once again chuckled unexpectedly. “Ah take it you didn't read that report Ah filed, did ya? If ya had you would have known that Ah caught the miscreant in the act and chased him off the property. He was a fast son of gun; used his wings to push himself ahead of me. Strong too, seeing as how he was able to outpace me while dragging a cart full of two stolen crates. Ah lost him in the trees and Ah wasn't gonna risk following him; Ah was home babysitting mah filly sisters that night and there was no way in hell Ah was gonna leave them alone with an intruder on the farm.”

Shining copied down everything that was said, his quill scratching its way into his paper with every strike upon it. Once Apple Pie had finished, Shining immediately asked the next question on the list. “You didn't by any chance get a good look at him did you?” Shining asked with hopefulness.

Apple Pie grinned. “Idiot must have had a screw loose. It was dark, so Ah can't be to sure about his colour, but Ah tell ya, his hooves alone were noticeable enough, won't be a sight I'll be sure to forget.”

Shining, unconsciously filling in the blanks and connecting the dots, grew cold, already suspecting that he knew what the answer to his next question would be. “His hooves, what made them jump out to you?”

“Looked like they'd been burned to a crisp, real wrinkly and pale.”

Shining cursed under his breath, and scratched the words into his notebook with a growl. He could not be too sure of why he was angry; because it proved that the same stallion had been present at both incidents? Because it undermined his suspicions of Mare-Do-Well since it establishes that she had been telling the truth in her letter?

Because it proves that Mare-Do-Well was doing a better job so far at identifying this pony than the police tasked with doing it?

‘Ignore it. Ignore it. It's not important. This is important,’ Shining decreed to himself, taking a breath to relax his tensed muscles. Who cares? Who cares if Mare-Do-Well was right; that she had been telling the truth? Without that letter Shining wouldn't have been able to form this link in the chain.

If anything he should be thanking her.

“You have no idea how helpful this has been, Ms. Pie, thank you,” Shining praised, while Apple Pie visibly grew relaxed at his words. He still had questions left to ask however, one having just come to mind. “Would you mind heading down to the station for a bit? To talk to a sketch artist so we can get some idea of what this guy looks like? Plus there might be other questions the detectives might want to ask that I can't think of. Is that okay?” he asked with a smile to emphasise his request.

Apple Pie looked unsure, her previous doubts returning. “Ah don't know, I've gotta get these papers filled out and mom will be home soon and she might get worried and-”

Her rambling was cut off at Shining's insistent. “I know that it's a bit of a bother, but it would be a big help to us in finding this guy. I'm sure we can compensate you for any loss or-”

“No, no that's alright, Marshal,” Pie relented with a sigh. “I'll be happy to help. As long as you promise me that you catch this crook before he hurts anypony else!”

Shining neck straightened as he spoke with conviction. “With your help, Ma’am, I guarantee it.”

Apple Pie once again relaxed at his words, running her hooves along her face as she reflected upon this course of action. “Right, that's that then,” she said with a nod. “Anymore questions before we head out? Anything pressing?”

Shining couldn't think of anything of much importance, but spoke simply on the off chance he received any credible information. “Nothing big,” Shining said as he flipped through his notebook, settling on an incomplete page of notes. “Anything happened around here recently? Any strange ponies? Carriages? Any neighbors? They might have seen something. You never know what might be related or helpful.”

Pie leaned back with a contemplative expression, running a hoof along her chin as she reflected upon the previous month, reminiscing on anything that seemed to be out of the ordinary. “Nothin’ much has happened since the theft, things are often pretty quiet around here. There's a mare who's just started living out by the edge of our land though, odd gal but she seems alright, if a little on the quiet side.”

Shining continued to take notes automaticity in response. “This mare, she been here long? Maybe she saw something?”

Pie shook her head. “Couldn't have, only been living here about a week; she's a traveling magician or something.”

Shining’s cheeks twitched, his grip on the quill hardening. “You have a name for this mare?”

“Yep. Trixie, or The Great and Powerful Trixie if you want to be dramatic.”

Shining shook viscerally, and a furious scowl etched itself out along his mouth as he let lose a short but feral snarl. “Where did you say this… Trixie was living?”

The water bubbled within the pot and the excess steam produced flowed into the air and up the hastily created vent to the outside, floating out of her home like smoke from a chimney. Trixie could not help but sniff the mixture of vegetables that sat within the boiling water, the scent serenely wafting off her admittedly simple, but nevertheless desired lunch.

Carefully pouring the concoction into a bowl, Trixie shifted her way over to her desk and gingerly rested herself upon the chair presented. She used her magic to switch off her stove and to place the used pot to the side; ready to clean it off at the lake by her camp.

The day so far had been simple; simple and painless, just how Trixie wished it to be. She read her books, perused her notes and generally just enjoyed the break she had allowed for herself. Without a hint of the obtrusive Mare-Do-Well or her constrictive magic shows clouding her ever pleasant thoughts.

No. Instead Trixie used her time to think; to reflect upon her time and her journey so far across the land of Equestria. So much had happened in so little time. Her previous destination, Hollow Shades, was just a leap over the Foal Mountain overhead; sweetly nestled in the undergrowth of the perpetual forest, and Trixie must admit that being there was a far more pleasant experience than she had remembered it as being. The height of the mountains that surrounded the town resulted in it hardly ever receiving any sunlight; a fate only worsened in the winter when the days were shorter to begin with. This was made up for however in the town’s utilisation of the environment to provide for them where the sun could not. The trees would glow to provide light and warm; due to them being specifically enchanted to be that way, food was grown within mountain caves by a specialised farming method, and even the weather itself was a mystery to Trixie; as it was constructed in a way far unlike anything she had even seen before.

They were completely self-sufficient, without the need of Equestria or the Princesses to provide for them. Cut off, alone, but happy.

Trixie had found it easy to relate to.

Reliance on others was a feeble prospect of self-preservation. If you were unable to make it alone, you either had to force yourself to succeed or die trying. Giving up was not an option.

Trixie had found that out the hard way.

Being the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well may be reckless, stupid and shortsighted on Trixie's part, but she could not deny the reality, however much she wanted to. Being a hero; being seen the way she was, feeling the way she did when she put on that mask.

Doing that just made her feel good.

It made Trixie happy. Was it the rush? The thrill of adventure? The prospect of success? The inevitable conclusion of either love or failure? There were so many possibilities, so many things that Trixie did not yet understand.

And Trixie wouldn't figure any of it out if she gave up so easily.

She had made her decision. Mare-Do-Well may have been dumb, but it was her dumb idea. She would face the dumb consequences, and would revel in the dumb rewards. Some tinkering was still needed here and there, but the plan was solid, and Trixie refused to give up on said plan simply because of one crazed pony with a pyromaniacal personality.

There was always going to be challenges to be faced, it had just taken Trixie this long to realise it. This pony, whoever they were, needed to be stopped, by her or somepony else. The fact of the situation is that it ultimately doesn't matter who ends up stopping the pony, what only mattered is that they are stopped.

And Trixie could be that pony, because Trixie refused not to be. If somepony had to do it, it may as well be her.

Her bowl clanked upon her desk with a empty ding, and Trixie steadily rose from her seat. A few more hours of sleep would do her some good; Equestria’s guardian of harmony needed to recuperate and required her beauty sleep after all.

The thoughts of slumber were shattered however, as a drumming upon the door forced Trixie to turn her head towards it. Identifying the sound immediately as being different from the usually softer greeting of her friend Apple Leaves.

“Trixie Lulamoon? This is Marshal Shining Armor! We need to talk.”

Chapter 9: A Moral Stance

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The earth cracked under the force of his hooves; the hardened soil dusting and flaking away as it clung to his stomping legs with every step he took. His head never twitched in any other direction but forwards, his neck remaining locked straight and his head focused. The only other thing Shining Armor permitted himself to move, other than his legs, were his eyes; which darted from left to right to maximise his efforts in locating the decrepit caravan said to be positioned somewhere in the woodland area.

Apple Pie had been quite helpful in giving Shining directions, but the fragile trust that had grown between the two during their brief meeting together had become fractured from Shining’s rapidly deteriorating composure; severally dissuading Pie from escorting him to the location of the abode she had informed him of personally. Shining thanked her for giving him her time however, and Apple Pie had been escorted off to the police station in the city centre by a select group of his guards, where she could attempt to assist in the investigation into the ongoing arsons. He hoped that she could be of some use.

Twitching his brow, Shining dismissed his thoughts of the prior encounter; it was no longer relevant at the moment. Shining ran a foreleg along the picket fence as he trotted alongside it, his hoof thumping along the thick white wooden beams; the clanking sound disrupting the relative silence of flowing wind and cluttering hooves upon the dirt. Shining had been told to follow the fence along the perimeter of the farm and to be on the lookout for a ridge that overlooked the city; this would be where the faded golden carriage was supposedly located.

The four remaining guards flanking Shining’s rear looked to their Prince startled when a sound akin to a low growl seemed to emanate from him suddenly, his head etching back as he turned his gaze upwards. They all turned in the direction Shining had locked his sight on. The guards all assumed that Shining was simply annoyed at the sharp incline they had stumbled upon, which they would be forced to scale. Unknowingly to his company, Shining was instead focusing on the sight that laid beyond the ridge and a wall of dead trees; the alluring sight of grey smoke rising into the air.

Shining expression darkened at the image.

He was not happy.

To the momentary shock of his guard, the Marshal’s horn ignited with a spark, a furious rose glow flashing out prompted them all to avert their eyes and ears with a swivel of their necks. As their visions returned and the defending sound subsided, the guards turned back to the supposed location of their Prince, each gasped upon finding that nothing remained except for a patch of scorched earth and the residual hum of magic in the air. Before any of them could even begin to panic, a popping sound above gripped their gazes. They all looked upwards to the stone ledge above to see a smouldering Shining holding a hoof to his head, seemingly to ward off an onslaught of growing and grudging pain.

After a rough shaking of his head side to side, Shining locked his eyes forward again, and once more began to trot along wordlessly with a fragile stoic stare while his guards scrambled up the dirt and rock behind him in pursuit. Teleportation was not an easy spell and even after all these years of development and cultivation of his magic, Shining could still hear a ringing in his ears and a burning feeling running along his horn, nevertheless, it was the quickest method available to him and Shining was not going to delay a second longer than required.

Assured that his destination was in reach, Shining cut through the twisted trees and lounging branches, the brittle bushes and the shrouding mist. He could identify the lingering scent of steam in the air and momentarily paused to watch as it clouded above the barren treeline. He found the steam's source come into view from behind the obscuring passage of bark and trunks. The image of a concealed camp beckoned him to frown.

An aging, dirty, once a mesmerising golden but now a dreary yellowish shade of chestnut coloured wagon came into sight. It's crimson roof was darkened by shade and time, as was the chipped paint that lined the outer walls. It appeared to be rather cramped, as Shining was able to circle the property within several seconds. He was quite certain that this was what he seeked; the home of one Great and Powerful Trixie. It was rather mystifying to him how one mare was able survive for so long with so little.

So little; which that one, stupid, selfish, bully of a mare did not deserve.

Standing by the side of the caravan where the door was located, Shining didn't even notice the sounds of his guards flocking to his sides. He simply glared transfixed at the reddish hue of the wooden door and listened, blocking out the ambient sounds of nature and breathing. A muffled noise of hooves upon a carpeted floor met his ears, and Shining practically leapt up the unfolded steps of the cart in response, hammering upon the wood as he made himself known to the mare he sought within.

“Trixie Lulamoon?” Shining shouted at the door, recalled the mare's full name from memory. “This is Marshal Shining Armor!” he continued with authority, before his tone turned low and harrowing. “We need to talk,” he seethed, standing tranquilly but with a guise of evident and ever growing contempt.

The sounds of the steps behind the door halted, and Shining was prepared to yell and slam his hooves into the wood once more, however undignified it would make him appear to be. He didn't care. This was something he had to do, and he refused to elaborate to his guard as to why; he didn't have the time and they wouldn't understand.

They would not understand the fury Shining felt towards this mare for what she did to his sister.

Within the feeble comfort of the dreary wagon, Trixie shivered behind the door, leaning right up against it so she would not be seen by the intrusive and intruding ponies through the windows. The drawback to this strategy however was that she could hear the rumpled drawing of Shining Armor’s breath behind her passed the wall; she was sure she could feel it creeping through the wood, a cooling breeze washing over the back of her neck.

A sharp intake of his breath was Trixie's only warning to the rampant banging on her door that followed.

“Lulamoon!” shouted the feral guard once more, jerkily leaning towards the windows in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the mare he was sure was inside. “Open the door!” he yelled in a prolonged outburst. His guards at this point where rather unsettled, having no idea what they were doing here other than because they had to follow their Prince. Each grew more and more on edge the more it became apparent that Shining was quickly descending into fury over the situation. None dared to question him.

Trixie shut her eyes as she attempted to conjure up some solution, while she also frantically tried to find a reason why Shining Armor was here in the first place. Another bang upon the wood made it impossible to think, furthermore, Shining decided to holler out to his captive audience again. “I've got all day and all night, Lulamoon! You know full well you aren't getting out of this until you get out here!”

Trixie couldn't help herself, but Shining’s insistent and infernal knocking forced her to speak up against her better judgement. He was not going to intimidate her into submission. “Trixie would be much more inclined to talk if you would cease attacking her door!” she found herself shouting, reverting to her audacious method of speech to relieve the internal tension she felt.

Shining shook as the mare’s voice rang out, momentarily dazed by its unexpected occurrence. He forced himself from yelling in response, instead focusing his voice to be cautioned but still provoking. “I'll stop knocking once you open up!”

Trixie rolled her eyes in exasperation at the juvenile request. “How very mature of you, and here I though the royal guard were known for their stoicism!” Trixie irked. If this stallion was going to mess with her, she would gladly return the favour.

Scoffing at the remark, Shining grimaced at the mare invisible behind the door. “I would be, if I was here because of the royal guard!” He scraped a hoof witheringly along the door. “I'm here because of what you've done, Lulamoon!”

Trixie held a hoof to her head, the continued yelling giving her a migraine. “And what have I done now, Mister Armor?” Trixie scoffed, intentionally trying to vex the angry guard further by intentionally addressing him incorrectly, even though she would gain little from it. Antagonising the stallion to compromise his dominance was one of the few options available to her, since he was clearly not going to be civil.

Shining rested his hooves on the top of the steps, with his hind legs upon residing upon the earth. His next word sent a chill down Trixie's back. “Ponyville!” Shining growled, which was all he needed to say.

Having been so caught up in her work as Mare-Do-Well of late, Trixie had completely neglected all memories of Ponyville and its populace. Much to her initial joy, but now to her abundant fear. She had known full well that Shining Armor was in Fillydelphia, and had initially feared that Mare-Do-Well had something to do with it; though she no longer suspected that to be the case. For reasons she couldn't ponder at that moment, the fact that Shining, the brother of that Princess, might hold some sore feelings towards her because of the prior incidents in Ponyville had never crossed her mind up to that point. Much to her chagrin now.

Trixie felt fear again, and would have gladly preferred it if Shining was here instead because he had found out she was Mare-Do-Well. That was something she could at least deny, whereas this wouldn't be a confrontation she would win so easily.

The occurring silence caused Shining to grow impatient and he raised his hoof once again to hammer upon the door, hoping to reaffirm his control over the situation. He froze it in the air when a clicking noise resounded from the doors handle, and Shining couldn't conceal his confusion as the door swung open and a caped azure mare stood before him triumphantly; her eyes narrowed and her head held high.

“Trixie has nothing to say to you about Ponyville, Mister Armor,” Trixie said with dismissal and her eyes closed, as if the mere sight of the guards surrounding her was a bore. Her confident front may have been a ruse, but Trixie would never bend over so easily, least of all to a pony antagonising her. If she showed weakness, Armor would most certain try to capitalize on it.

Shining gave a steady breath as Trixie stood in expectancy of his retort. Truthfully, he did not know how this encounter would proceed, but being face-to-face with the mare he'd heard so detestably much about was worth the snark and provocation he was met with in return. “I bet you have plenty to say about it, from what I hear you have a tendency to run your mouth," Shining 'greeted' in a grating tone.

‘Now that was rude,’ Trixie thought with aggravation, though she hid it well. “Trixie supposes you've heard a lot of things, funnily enough though, from what she's heard ponies tend to be bias towards your sister and her friends when recalling the stories,” Trixie blinked as Shining's stance deepened, he obviously did not appreciate the quip. “I take it you're not here for an autograph?” she begrudgingly asked.

The stunted silenced Trixie was met with confirmed that Shining had no intention of humoring her. She affirmatively decided that pointless aggravation would ultimately get her nothing, so she simply decided to get this over and done with as quickly as she could.

It wasn't as if the royal family could hurt her any worse than they already had.

Trixie’s confident expression left her and she instead adorned her genuine guise of evolving anger and unease, to which Shining rose an eyebrow to. “What is it that you want, Armor? Trixie wants you gone, sooner rather than later.” The chilling winter air went unnoticed by the glaring pair, neither willing to show any weakness in their posture; standing looming and proud.

Shining continued to lean on the steps. Even though Trixie was stood above him, the were roughly at eye-level due to Shining’s natural height and Trixie's smaller stature. “I want you to explain yourself for what you did,” Shining expressed with an eerie calmness.

Trixie leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. “Trixie has explained herself, and her explanation was more than enough for your sister to pardon her,” Trixie rebutted, building up her defences. “I have the documentation if you are unconvinced,” she added with a smirk.

That was a fact Shining could not refute. Despite his insistence to Twilight Sparkle to not request Princess Celestia to pardon the mare who had dwelled in forbidden magic, enslaved her friends and banished her from her home; Twilight had refused to listen to reason. When Shining had first heard about the so-called ‘magic duel’ that had occurred in Ponyville, he had his forces prepared within the hour to hunt the mare responsible for it down. Twilight had halted those efforts however, willing to give an apparent repenting Trixie Lulamoon her forgiveness for what she had done to her, even if she still held some reluctance.

Based on what Shining was seeing now, Trixie was anything but repentant.

“Twilight may have forgiven you, and you may have a sheet of paper to prove it...” Shining’s frown deepened. “But I'm not my sister, and I'm not going anywhere until I hear what you have to say for yourself.”

Trixie grinded her teeth together. As much as she hated to admit it, Shining Armor was the one in control here. This wasn't a simple heckler or another obtrusive nopony. This was the Prince, and there was no way out of this for Trixie unless she just played along. He had the official authority and the positive status to do whatever he wanted.

A flake of whiteness suddenly drifted onto Trixie's muzzle; it was cold, dissolving away almost the moment it touched her due to her natural body heat. Looking up, Trixie found that the flake was one of many. It was snowing. It was about time for it too. The unexpected downpour of fickle ice crystals was enough to make the confrontational pair pause for a brief moment to appreciate the gesture of weather, both standing cold but hubristic.

As Trixie felt her mane weigh down as it was gradually covered by the frozen flakes, she looked to the stallion contemplatively. Trixie did not wish to grow colder, but detested both options presented to her that she could think of. One option left her in a freezing discomfort, the other made her vulnerable to further confrontation. She knew which one she unfortunately preferred. “Armor, if it is so important for you to pester me like this, could we perhaps do it inside? I'd rather listen to your lark in comfort.” Trixie said with a sneer.

Shining was unwilling. He didn't want to be any closer to this mare than he needed to be, but he needed to get this over with and if that meant he needed to enter her home, so be it. Before he could lift himself up the steps however, Trixie pointed a hoof to his chest.

“Will I need to remain vigilant when my back is turned?” Trixie asked in a resenting tone.

“I could ask the same thing of you,” Shining loathed in reply.

Her hoof held steady, unfaltering under Shining’s glare. Trixie took note of how Shining's guard had gripped their weapons tighter once her hoof had been raised, whereas Armor had shown virtually no reaction other than annoyance at remaining in the cold. It made Trixie uncomfortable just how unanxious the stallion appeared to be, and she regretted this course of action of inviting him inside her home almost immediately.

After several tense seconds, Trixie returned her hoof to the floor and returned inside without a second glance at Shining, who trotted up the steps with one hoof in front of the other. He took a few moments to absorb the image of the converted carriage’s interior, wincing at the sight of the disheveled carpet, aging furniture and shelves, the tearing curtains and the hastily stitched together bed where Trixie had sat herself upon. Deeming the area safe, if unwelcomed, Shining gracefully shut the door, his guards proceeding to circle the camp; ready to jump in a moments notice.

Her eyes locked on Shining, Trixie gestured towards the seat by her desk; it being the only other place to sit in her home. Shining looked to it, back to Trixie, and walked towards it cautiously before sitting with a sigh. To Trixie’s surprise, Shining looked apologetically to the floor where he had tracking in some snow.

Leaning back with a huff, Trixie decided to speak, noticeably more civilised than she had been prior. “I take it you would not care for some tea?”

“No, thank you.”

“Something stronger perhaps? I've stocked up on bourbon.”

“Not while I'm on duty.”

Trixie clicked her lips, her gracious hosting was apparently not very welcomed, although considering Shining Armor obviously did not like her very much; Trixie didn't know what else to expect.

This was not good. Trixie had all but suppressed her feelings towards her past by now, and then this stallion just comes along to dig it all back up. The mere thought of Ponyville just reminded Trixie of everything she wished to forget; all those sleepless nights, the clanging noise of a pickaxe upon rock, those abhorrent thoughts that still haunted her to this day, Maud… Her precious Maud.

“What. Do. You. Want,” Trixie seethed out through gritted teeth, her thoughts turning dark as a plethora of forgotten faces flashed in her sight.

Shining blinked at the sudden tone of aggravation; not to say that he didn't expect it by this point. He obliged in answering; the quicker he said something, the quicker he got a response and the quicker he was out of here to pursue matters of actual worth.

“I want you to tell me why you did what you did,” Shining said with a level voice, deep and glowering. “I want to know if Twilight was right to forgive you,” he continued, his voice rising ever so slightly. “I want to know that my friends and family are safe from you,” he finished with a growl.

Trixie was irritated by his accusative and pompous words, hurling some of her own back in response. “Oh! I get it now,” Trixie exclaimed with a false laugh. “You think big bad Trixie has a sinister plot us her sleeve right? You think I'm secretly scheming revenge against baby sister,” Trixie cooed mockingly in a sickly exaggerated voice.

Shining etched his neck higher at Trixie antagonising. “I never said anything like that!” He gnawed out. “But considering your track record I wouldn't put it past you!”

Trixie gasped, insulted at the implication. So be it then, he insults her, she insults him. All's fair. “You think I don't have better things to do with my time? You think your sister is that important to me, King Chrysalis?” she practically shouted with scorn.

Shining leapt up from his seat, his nostrils flaring while Trixie veered back ever so slightly. Shining looked ready to pounce, and Trixie, of course, could not allow for that to happen for her sake. “You'd best calm down, your Grace,” Trixie snidely remarked, though with evident tenseness in her tone. “You think you'll hold your new position for very long if it gets out that you attacked a lone mare in her own home?” she deprecated.

Shining had to practically force himself from doing something he would regret, however much this mare deserved it. With noticeable reluctance, he begrudgingly sat himself back down with a heavy groan, aware that Trixie was right in what she said. If the press didn't get him, his guards outside would.

Drawing a shaky breath, Trixie decided to keep further insults to a minimum; if she kept riling Armor up eventually he would ignore the consequences, it would be only natural of him. She was injured enough as it was. Despite her internal protest to cease however, Trixie felt a threat was needed if her dominance was to be recognised. “You'd best tread lightly, Armor. I only have to scream and the story would write itself.”

Shining ruffled his mane while averting eye-contact, somewhat disgusted with his outburst. “My guards would side with me over you, then who would write the story?” he jested, intending to show that Trixie failed in rattling him.

Trixie knew he was right. The guards would side with Armor in an instant and he could say whatever he wanted. It angered Trixie to know that Shining held the advantages, at least in that area. She needed him gone, and the only way that would happen would be if she obliged in answering him, however much she wished to resist. “I have a better idea, how about we get back on track? Trixie tells you why she did what she did, and you and your sister get out of her life forever. Agreed?”

“I'd want nothing more,” Shining murmured viscerally.

“Nor would I,” Trixie scolded in reply.

Shifting about atop her bed, Trixie rung her hooves together as she thought about where she would begin. Was telling the whole story necessary? Some parts were worth omitting more than others. That, and it was quite possible that Shining knew the whole story already, so reiterating it all again would be rather redundant.

After consideration, Trixie picked what she considered to be of most importance. The genesis of her pain and the inception of her hate. “You're aware of the Ursa Minor?” Trixie began hollowly, growing numb as she reminisced. Shining nodded in affirmation that he did in fact know about that part.

Trixie didn't know if that was reassuring.

The next question was of equal importance, seeing as it would inform Trixie of just how much Shining thought the blame laid with her. She took a gulp of breath before continuing, finding this to be much harder than she had anticipated.

“Who were you told brought it into town?”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

Shining was undeniably baffled by the query, after all, he was the one who was supposed to be asking the questions. As far as he knew, something happened in Ponyville involving a wild Ursa Minor, and Trixie had apparently had some influence over the situation. From there Trixie seemingly went into exile, only resurfacing about a year later with an incomprehensible power boost thanks to an enchanted amulet and a vengeful scheme as a result of a year of festering rage.

He did not know where she was going with this, but Shining elected to answer if only to satisfy his own curiosity. “Twilight said you convinced two colts that you could defeat an Ursa, so they went off to find one so you could prove it,” he stated factually and monotone, they weren't his words after all.

Trixie’s hardened frown twitched at his answer. She had been expecting it, but that didn't make it any less of an annoyance to hear aloud. ’Those two stupid colts.’

“Who do you blame?” Trixie suddenly blurted out, unable to control herself from asking.

Shining leaned back, once again not anticipating for Trixie to ask questions. If he was entirely honest he didn't fully understand what Trixie was asking about, as if there was some context to all this that he had not yet been informed of. 'Blame her? Blame her for what?'

Trixie picked up on his confusion swiftly, and clarified herself for Shining’s sake. “Who do you blame for the Ursa going to Ponyville? Me, or the colts?” she stated drearily, her mane hauntingly swaying as she flicked her head up towards Shining.

The soldier blinked several times as he pondered his answer. He wanted to make it with the most clarity, not just decide immediately based on his admitted bias against this mare. Yet, the more he thought about it...

“It doesn't matter,” Shining preemptively proclaimed, slightly unwilling to come to a conclusion so suddenly, despite his evident bravado.

Trixie was far from satisfied with his proclamation, and voiced herself accordingly. He would not maneuver his way out of this, not after everything he had subjegated Trixie to thus far. “It matters to me,” she whispered sternly, hoping to prompt a non-inept response.

Shining gave a low groan, but realised that Trixie was not going to drop this subject. He supposed it was a fair point though, he had after all asked for the full story. Thinking it over one last time, he decided on his answer, which he knew full well Trixie would not be delighted to hear.

“Going off what Twilight said, I'd blame you.”

To Shining’s surprise, Trixie gave a dismissive snort in reply, as if she had heard the same response a thousand times. “Of course you would,” she drolly exclaimed while leaning further back on her bed, unconsciously fiddling with the bandages on her hooves as she absorbed her guest’s answer.

She found herself speaking soon after, unable to contain herself. “You know what sucks most about being branded a liar, Captain Armor?” Trixie murmured out, unintentionally addressing Shining wrong yet again. She found herself peering around to avoid looking Shining in the eye; at the tattered carpet, decrepit walls and twisted shelves of the destitute dump she so lovingly thought of as home.

“Even when you tell the truth, even when you plead to be believed, you never are, because everypony just assumes you're lying,” Trixie continued to spout, her words forming on impulse. “Your sister and her friends made me a liar,” she continued with a twinge of contempt. “Their stupidly worded stories and gossip columns ruined me. They ruined my reputation with petty fabrications and insensitive… Idiocy.”

Grabbing his chair, Shining resisted the urge to form a retort considering the way this mare was speaking ill of his friends. He didn't however, he wanted information—clarity, and he wouldn't get that if Trixie's rant devolved into a full on argument with him. He did want her to move the story on however, and swiftly asked about the other detail to the tale that was lingering on his thoughts. “And what about the Alicorn Amulet?” he precariously voiced to the deterring Trixie.

If Shining didn't know any better, he'd say that Trixie looked… Remorseful. “I blamed your sister, so I swore revenge,” she stated simply through her downcast expression.

Shining furrowed his brow again, not satisfied by the excuse in the slightest. He halted any judgemental words he had for her however, as Trixie continued to wearily speak. “It was never meant to be more than a single duel. I- Trixie- was just going to prove she was better than her, that she wasn't a liar. I was going to beat her just to prove that I could beat her, that I was the-. But that amulet….”

Trixie shook violently. One of her wrapped hooves shakily rose to her chest and she rubbed a patch of fur that laid at her neck. Shining almost swore that the little patch was slightly darker than the rest of Trixie's coat. “Suddenly it was no longer about Twilight Sparkle. It was about power, about being the best—number one.”

Trembling once more, Trixie held herself tighter and looked up to Shining, her frantic thoughts and lingering pain displayed vividly for him to gaze upon. “I could feel it, taking over, making me do things- think things.”

Shining veered away from Trixie’s stare, when the faintest hint of a smile etched itself out across her muzzle. “It was still there after it was taken off. It's still there now, just quieter.”

It made him feel uncomfortable. Trixie was speaking of this so casually that it unnerved Shining to no end. “Where's the amulet now?” he warningly asked. Something of such power and darkness should not be out there to be found in the world.

“Who cares?” Was Trixie's immediate response, spoken without hesitation. Her manic reflection on the amulet was so easy to be misinterpreted. Truthfully, she was glad to be rid of the thing, she smiled once again once she recalled that she was still free of its clutches.

The things it made her think… Those thoughts that still lingered despite the fact she suppressed them as much as she could.

Dark magic did things to a pony, and it had done things to Trixie that nopony else would ever be aware of. Not if she could help it.

“Do you still blame my sister for what happened?” Shining asked out of the blue, eager to move away from the prior topic of conversation. He was beginning to get a sense of everything that had transpired, but he wasn't out of the woods yet. Finding that Trixie appeared to ignore him, he asked his question again with growing impatience.

“Do you still blame my sister?”

“Yes.”

Trixie didn't even look up, but her tone was firm and absolute. Even after all the time that had past and the things she had done to make up for her mistakes, Trixie still blamed and at least disliked Twilight Sparkle.

Hate was not out of the realm of possibility.

Shining's disgusted response was immediate. “But she forgave you!” he growled passionately, almost in disbelief that Trixie was so stubborn as to still hold contempt for the pony who had given her a second chance.

“And I was- I still am sorry,” Trixie gruffly retorted before her disposition grew meek, and the flashes of a thousand faces shot through her sight once more. “But nothing that happens will take back the worst year of my life. I have to carry myself everywhere I go, if I have to shift some of the weight—the guilt, onto somepony else, so be it, I'm not strong enough to do it alone, however much I think I can.”

’So much for not appearing weak.'

Her facade crumbled before Shining’s eyes, and it was in that moment he came to a realisation, one which shattered his own expectations into dust. What was he doing? Why was he doing this? This is just a stupid mare who had a petty feud with his sister, she wasn't important enough for him to have disrupted his own business to pursue.

Despite these thoughts of pointlessness however, Shining just couldn't let it go, not yet.

“I don't know,” Shining unsurely began.

“Know what?” Trixie inquisitively replied.

“I still don't know if I trust you or not.”

A loud scoff met his twitching ears, and Shining peered up to see Trixie recoil with a snarl and a scowl. “I don't care if you do! Quite frankly, Armor, you could hate me for all its worth,” Trixie snarled, anger overlapping her unearthed feelings of guilt and sorrow.

She'd had it with this stallion and his contempt; his despicable bias and his insistent antagonising. “What was even the point of all this? What were you trying to accomplish? Were you hoping that I was some dastardly evil monster longing for vengeance? Some fantasy villain to justify you hating me? Did you want to prove Twilight Sparkle wrong? Arrest me to put your mind at ease?”

“Or is it just big brother thinks widdle Twily can't fight her own battles.”

The air grew cold yet again, and both ponies resumed their prior hatred of each other. Trixie was sick of Shining’s presence, and Shining was tired of Trixie's attitude. “You're a sad, lonely little mare, Trixie Lulamoon,” Shining seethed aggressively, etching ever so slightly out of his seat.

He couldn't help but smirk as he thought up a new way to aggravate her. “You're right though.” Trixie’s glare faulted, and Shining was quick to capitalise on the opportunity. “I wanted you to be that… Villain in my head. I wish you were that monster. But you're just a mare.”

“Just a mare, and nothing else.”

Trixie trembled at the provocative tone and insulting statement. She understood fully what Shining was trying to do. Just a mare—as in pointless, useless, inconsequential, insignificant. Unlike him, unlike her.

“Rather just a sad, lonely mare than a irrelevant servant!” Trixie rebutted, unwilling to let Shining claim the final word.

Shining laughed it off, not wanted Trixie to gain the advantage. “Is that what I am now?” he sarcastically pestered.

“You'd better believe it!” Trixie goaded as she shot to her hooves, Shining dismissively shaking his head in response, still attempting to appear unaffected.

Trixie did not let up, and voiced her opinion of Shining passionately. “You're just a figurehead, something to stand beside your wife when she's giving her speeches. Somepony who will scramble on his knees to Celestia when she whistles. Somepony everypony knows will do as he's told when he's told. A pony who literally no one will miss because instead of contributing to the betterment of Equestria he's spending his time in a dump like Fillydelphia, looking for a mare he's never met just to make himself feel more important!”

“That so‽”

“Yeah!”

The two were in each other's faces in an instant, with Shining looming over Trixie in height and Trixie spreading herself out to appear larger by comparison. They were mere inches from each other and could practically see the scorching contempt lingering in the other’s eyes as they both glared viscerally. Neither would give the opportunity for the other to be at an advantage if things escalated beyond simple words.

“You remember earlier when you said everyone thought you were a liar?” Shining snarled through his teeth, his foreboding anger for this mare which had been festering for several months now clearly displayed in his raged expression. Trixie returned the glare with mask of her own—one which showed her utter disgust and intolerance she held for this stallion, and by extension his family and friends.

Shining grinned savagely, convinced his next words would shake Trixie to her core. “That wasn't Twilight’s fault.”

Her eyelid twitched. “What?” Trixie grunted out.

Shining suddenly felt as if the colossal height he held over Trixie just grew ever larger. “In fact Twilight made sure to point out that you tried to fight the Ursa, that when you said you were sorry she thought you were being genuine, even though she still had her doubts about you,” he continued to relay. Shining would never admit, not even to himself, that he enjoyed the sight of Trixie shrinking under his words.

“Ponies only think you are a liar because you are a liar, Lulamoon.”

Trixie arched her back, but Shining showed no intention of letting up. Trixie just stood there and braved herself to take it all, however much her composure was slipping. “You're unpleasant, selfish, narcissistic, self-absorbed. It's not something anypony other than yourself is responsible for. The only reason nobody has ever believed you—why nopony wants to believe you, is because nopony cares.”

The sound of the slap resonated throughout the wagon. Trixie had been unable to contain her erupting feelings of rage any longer. Due to the strike's unexpectedness, Shining had not been ready for the blow and his head snapped to his side after Trixie's left hoof made contact with his right cheek. They both stood dazed, Trixie with her hoof held frozen across her body, and Shining with a mildly shocked expression adorning his sideways face.

Trixie did not remain silent for long, and she let the, in her eyes abhorrent, stallion know exactly how she felt. “The only reason you're still relevant to anypony, Armor, is not because of anything you are responsible for,” seethed Trixie tranquilly as she threw Shining's words right back in his face. Her voice was hardly more than a whisper. “You're just a colt playing soldier, thinking he's all that stands between the dark and salvation. Rather self-absorbed of you, wouldn't you say? I've got news for you, Chrysalis. You wouldn't last a day out there without your dotting assistants and pampered guards. The real Equestria would eat you and your sister alive.”

Shining had no retort, not because he couldn't, but because he didn't want to. He'd had enough of this, enough of Trixie Lulamoon.

Trixie felt similarly. She wanted Armor gone, now. “Was this visit worth your time errand boy?”

“No,” was Shining's blunt response.

No further words were exchanged as each pony cautiously backed away from the other, Trixie towards her bed and Shining towards the door. He engulfed the handle in the rose colour of his magic, causing it to open slowly due to his careful touch. Outside, despite the snowfall only having started to occur recently, had quickly become a landscape of white, lighting up the earth in the purest way imaginable.

Shining was too busy holding a hoof to his throbbing cheek to notice.

As he walked down the steps, Shining felt his hooves cool as they sunk into the snow, his crunching steps alerting his now lounging guards to his reappearance, who all quickly sprung back into formation for fear of reprimand. Shining was still too distracted to care and halted himself at the base of the stairs while Trixie began to shut her door and seal herself off from the world once again.

“Just so you know, I was never here to find you, it was just a coincidence,” Shining impulsively announced to the diminishing form of Trixie. He didn't know exactly why he told her this. To get the last word in? Because she had a right to know?

Because Shining wanted to prove that she wasn't right when she said he was only here to make himself feel important?

“Apple Pie mentioned you, said you were living off the land nearby. I wasn't exactly going to pass up the opportunity of… Meeting you,” Shining continued to say, in as proper and confident a tone as he could muster. He couldn't falter, not now, not in front of his guard and certainly not in front of Trixie.

To Shining's amazement, Trixie's look of utter loathe actually softened at the mention of Apple Pie’s name, and for the first time that day Shining heard what Trixie sounded like when she felt concerned. “Is she still at home?” Trixie suddenly asked formally and civilly, almost as if her prior antagonistic display was completely nonexistent.

Shining obliged in answering her, the desire for conflict completely drained from his system. This visit had accomplished nothing, and Shining felt nothing but an emptiness, not the fulfilment he had for so long been hoping for.

He turned his thoughts back to Ms. Pie’s whereabouts, he had no reason or right to lie to Trixie about that, as tempting as he felt the need. “No, we took her to the police station to help us with an investigation she's a witness in,” Shining informed with a stoic mask.

“How long ago?” Trixie immediately inquired.

“Why?” Shining responded perplexed, his lingering dower feelings returning minutely.

Trixie held herself high as she stepped out of her door, her purple magician's hat telekinetically perching itself atop her head as she strutted down her steps. To Shining great confusion, Trixie stood herself at what was supposedly the ‘front’ of her wagon and began to strap herself to it via the use of her hooves and magic. Shining would have asked about what she was doing, but he didn't feel like it was his place to query.

The Magician however delighted in one-upping Shining Armor one last time. “Because you were wrong, your Grace. Trixie is not alone.” Indifferent to whatever Shining would say in reply, Trixie magically lifted the stilts of her wagon and began to walk, her hooves crunching upon the snow covered dirt as she started to make her way in the direction of Fillydelphia. One of her friends was alone and outnumbered by the scum of decadence, and Trixie was nothing if not loyal to those who returned the gesture. She would be there for Pie the way her family had been there for her.

Shining contemplated the situation and Trixie's sudden leaving, swiftly resolving to go back in the direction he had come, intentionally to avoid following Trixie and to make his way down to the station himself. He'd had enough of her to satisfy a lifetime and had no urge to be around her any longer. He had detestably satisfied whatever conflict he'd sought with Trixie and now needed to get back onto the matters of importance he was here for in the first place.

He had an arsonist to stop and a vigilante to catch.

Author's Notes:

Now before you go hating on Shining just remember, he has literally no reason to like Trixie, to him Trixie is just a criminal who got away with a crime against his family. Could he have conducted himself better? Absolutely, and this will be addressed pretty soon.

For my benefit though, was Trixie too bratty? I feel like I've made her slightly too un-Trixie in the story thus far, so if I'm going to far one way or the other be surer to point it out and I'll correct it

Also, No Second Prances. Will it effect this story in any way? Probably not since chronologically that episode hasn't happened yet, heck Equestria Games hasn't happened yet. In the future though? The episode actually fits in quite well with what I've got planned down the line.

So yeah, we're ever so slightly closing in on the final arc now, any predictions? Possible Civil War influence? We'll see...

I'll tell you one thing though, next chapter will certainly begin with a bang.

Chapter 10: Made To Suffer

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Apple Pie could not quell her ever evolving unease. The unfamiliar environment she found herself trapped in felt hollowing and disconcerting; with the underlying sense of her being watched lingering in the air. The flickers of the shadows of strangers occasionally waltzing past the sealed metal door and reinforced window only served to unnerve her further, reminding her just how utterly alone she currently was.

Fillydelphia was a charming and welcoming city on top with a concealed underbelly of ghastly and vile actions and atrocities of self-fulfilment, and Apple Pie had the displeasure of witnessing this first hoof as she was escorted through the police station and past the chaos that lied within. Past the ponies sealed behind iron bars, disheartened detectives desperately trying to find a lead and the colourful crowd of citizens congregated in the lobby, all with claims ranging from petty to apocalyptic. It only served to make her miss home that much more.

Groaning onto the cold metal table she was sat at, Pie would have regretted this decision to assist the police if she didn't think it was the right thing to do. She had seen something a month ago, a pony with charred hooves stealing from her land, who was now going about his time by burning down burnings. The thought alone was enough to make Pie grunt, angered that somepony was using her product to perform such a thing. Rubbing a foreleg as she continued to wait anxiously, Pie looked towards the reflective one way glass in vain, hoping to prompt whoever was probably watching from the other side to come in so they could get this over with and she could be on her way. Pie had already given her description of the suspect to a friendly sketch artist, but she still had not been allowed to leave, for reasons she had not yet been informed of. Making her wait was just wasting everypony's precious time.

Pie would have gladly gone out to fetch somepony herself, but the iron door caging her in the interview room locked itself from the outside; apparently it was considered a more humane method of containment than simply chaining a prisoner to the table, as was previously the norm she had been informed.

Not that Pie had to worry about inhumane treatment, she was here of her own volition after all. She was not a prisoner and would therefore not be treated as such. Pie felt safe and Pie felt secure.

But no amount of presumed security was able to protect Apple Pie from the deafening boom that then sounded throughout the building, or relieve her of the fear brought on by the screaming that followed.

Hard Case gave a violent cough as the smoke he inhaled disagreed with him, his cigar almost dropping from his mouth as he contorted on his chair. The timely arrival of a rose tinted source of magic was the only thing preventing Case from falling on his head.

As the detective recovered, he turned to the source of the magic to express his gratitude, snorting out a laugh upon discovering the proud form of Shining Armor, who stood still and unreadably stoic. Hard Case puffed his cigar again, leaning back into his chair as Shining made his way to his front. “Well, fancy seeing you here!” Case proclaimed, far more boisterously than Shining was prepared for. “How's it feel running with the jocks? That Apple broad you found gave us everything! Stillframe’s just putting the finishing touches on his sketch as we speak, once we get a positive i.d. that flaming prick is gunna run out of breathing room real fast!” Case’s laugh resonated throughout the building, but he was silenced as quickly as he had begun upon seeing that Shining’s expression had not changed in the slightest.

Looking up to his Prince, Case dropped his bravado, inquisitive as to Shining’s wellbeing. “Hey, you alright? You look like Porky when there's no ice cream left. What's up?” Case asked as he placed his cigar to the side.

Shining did not look good, he didn't feel good either. “Nothing, I just… Had a run in with somebody I know,” he dulled out, intentionally avoiding any specific details. Shining's attempted blank expression was betrayed by his drooping eyebrows and slanted smile, the events of his prior encounter with Trixie in the forest still weighing heavily on his mind, even after he had made the trip back into the city.

Hard Case may have had a smart mouth, but even he knew when to keep it shut. The Prince’s business was his own, and he had no incentive to involve himself without permission. He focused back to the success of Shining’s investigation and towards Apple Pie still sat within the locked interview room, the recollection immediately causing Case to drop his cigar for real this time, burning his thigh as it landed upon his lap. Jolting up, Case retrieved the smoking treat and wiped himself off. “Ah crap, I completely forgot! Ms. Apple Pie’s in the interview room, we got some last minute questions for her but the Commissioner wanted you to be there, considering that it was you that found her in-”

Hard Case was knocked to the floor, disoriented by a sudden shockwave of sound and heat. The ceiling crumbled and splintered apart, trickling down upon the shocked and scared ponies within. Shining attempted to stand, but the ringing in his ears and the sudden bloom of orange light from above blinded and deafened him to the point he couldn't even move, falling to the floor as his legs buckled beneath him.

“Get outta the way! You can't park a wagon there, you idiot!”

“Trixie will park her wagon wherever she pleases! Just to spite you if need be!”

The evidently overweight taxi carriage driver grumbled incoherently at Trixie's reply and hastily adjusted himself to squeeze his way past her parked wagon, uncaring whether or not he caused any damage. He speedily, for somepony of his size at least, continue on his way, his pristine yellow carriage crunching as it rolled through the settling snow.

Trixie made a gesture to the stallion with her hoof as he gradually made his escape. “Yeah, you'd better waddle. You greasy, blubbery…” Trixie muttered as she finished mounting her cart on its stilts. Her journey down from the Apple farm had taken longer than expected, she hadn't accounted for the increased time it would take for her to drag her wagon all the way into the inner city, or for the steadily increasing amount of snow, which continued to lightly rain down upon the city even as twilight neared. Trixie just hoped that she wasn't too late and that Apple Pie was still here; she would have hated to have made this entire journey for nothing.

Trixie had been planning to move her cart into the city once the snow began to fall for some time now. The streets would offer better protection against the elements than barren trees and frozen grass. Apple Leave's had offered to let her stay in her family’s barn, which Trixie politely declined, not wanting to leech off of their kindness more than she already had, instead she would return the favour. Apple Pie was alone and Trixie was her friend, even if they weren't all that close, that was all the reason she needed for being here, if anything she was sure that Apple Leaves would appreciate the gesture.

Upturning her collar, Trixie walked down the street to the steps of the police station, her wagon positioned on the other side a little way down the road. The snow continued to trickle down, resting upon the brim of her hat. Trixie sulked as she placed a foot upon the steps, the lights from within as well as the evident and unique smell of cigarettes, ink and iron reaching her nostrils; a scent she was all too familiar with from her youth. Government buildings all tended to smell the same.

Trixie relented and her bandaged foreleg reached for the next step. Then it rung out; a disastrous boom and an echoing bang. Trixie was pushed back from the steps as a gush of wind shot out of the buildings interior. She looked up, just in time to see wood and brick rain down just as fiercely as the snow that accompanied it. Trixie ran back, avoiding the debris as best she could, but the dust still rained down and Trixie could feel it settle upon her ears. Her hat had been blown off and her cape was attempting to do the same.

Her gaze veered upwards to where the blast had originated; on one of the middle floors of the old blackened brick building. The windows facing the street had been blown right out of their frames, littering the road in shattered glass and burning wood. The dull greyness of the street and snow was illuminated in a sickly orange glow of flames, raging from within the police headquarters.

Ponies ran out of the building in droves; civilians, criminals and uniformed police. Trixie could see the shadows of ponies above, flailing about as they attempted to make sense of the confusion and fear overcoming them.

Trixie ran back down the street, scaled her caravan and stood upon the roof, her own personal terror towards the situation growing every moment ponies littered themselves into the road. Her eyes darted across the increasing crowd of evacuees. Her fear increasing every second she was unable to spot an orange coat or green mane. She searched until the initial individual stragglers made way to uncountable crowd of horror stricken victims.

Apple Pie was nowhere to be seen.

Trixie trembled. The fire was spreading; the blaze was growing. Every second another window shattered and another brick fell. And the bricks would not fall forever, sooner or later that building was coming down. That's what fires do. The futile efforts of the snow did nothing to quell the flames, which viciously countered any attempts any ponies made to dampen them out. That building was going to fall, and there were ponies still inside.

Her friend was still inside.

Trixie heaved, taking several ragged breaths as she felt something within her stirring. Something which caused her to leap off the roof of her wagon and force herself back inside. Her fears was still there, they had never left her, but her feelings of horror were inconsequential next to her rage, her unchecked rage at what was happening around her. Pie was in that building, and Pie had a family that loved her. Her thoughts of Pie and Leaves were all she could think of as she forced the charred purple mask onto her face.

Mare-Do-Well snarled as she sprinted through the crowd, up the steps and into the flames.

The ringing in his ears would not subside. Shining rolled onto his back, his vision glazed over and blurry from sweat and smoke. His head spun as he groggily made his way to his hooves, feeling as if he would vomit then and there. The heat made him do otherwise, and Shining found himself recoiling away from where he stood as the ceiling erupted in flames and rained debris down upon him.

Had he been unconscious? Perhaps not, there were still so many ponies left in the room, panicked and horrified by what was occurring around them. Most ran for the stairs, others took their chance with the windows; they were not too high up and the pegasi were more than capable of making their escape that way.

Shining however refused to follow then, not unless he was the last one out of the door.

Firmly on his hooves, Shining turned to where the rugged detective he had been talking to earlier was. Hard Case was out cold; a large gash across his forehead causing scarlet blood to leak into his mane. Shining assumed that Case had been hit by the falling bricks and wood from the floor above, he was directly under a large hole where the blast had originated from. The metal struts and the tiled ceiling was twisted into various shapes and broken forms, and the floor above was ablaze with fire and smoke.

There had been ponies on that floor.

Shining blocked the thought out and turned away, lunging for the fallen Hard Case. Lifting the wounded stallion onto his back, Shining sprinted to the stairs, the crowd of ponies from before having dwindled significantly. Shining ran down the ground floor hallway, which was not yet a sea of heat, and sprinting towards the entrance door ahead of the other ponies. The frost ridden exterior burned almost as much as the fire.

Fireponies were at the door helping ponies through the door and down the steps, some were inside the building searching for ponies, but most were situated on the streets, spraying water from hoses onto the alit side of the building or ferrying rainclouds to its roof.

The fire would not go out.

“Need some help here!” Shining shouted as he raced down the steps, a half dozen ponies responding to their frantic Prince. Two police medics hoisted Hard Case off of Shining’s back and one other began to attend to the Prince himself.

Shining shrugged her off and bolted right back into the building.

Some ponies tried to pursue, but all of them, including Shining’s guards, were deterred by the flames and smoke, barely being able to make it past the lobby before needing to turn back.

Shining knew this was a reckless action, but reckless didn't equal unnecessary. There were still ponies in this building and some were unable to leave by themselves; the infirm, the injured and the criminals, who were potentially still locked behind bars as the building fell apart around them.

“Everypony out!” Shining shouted through the smoke, hoping the remaining stragglers would hear him over the roar of the flames. He knew where he was going, leaping the receptionists desk and making his way into the security office; that's where the keys were kept.

Hastily searching the darkened environment, Shining grabbed one of the readily available master keys from the shelf that housed them, thankful he remembered spotting it when he toured the building the other day. Galloping to the station’s holding cells, Shining praying that this effort would not be in vain; even the vilest and most decadent of ponies didn't deserve a death as cruel as what would await them if Shining didn't succeed.

Kicking the doors open as he raced through the halls, Shining paid no notice to how the walls started to blacken and the ceiling started to bubble. The wind rushed through his dusty mane as he turned one last corner, heading directly for the cells.

Whatever idiot had forgotten to evacuate the prisoners was going to find themselves in a cell of their own once Shining was through with them. Six holding cells held about a dozen criminals each; some in fancy suits, some with so many tattoos you couldn't tell what they looked like underneath and some blindly stumbling about intoxicated. They all held one thing in common however; each cowered as the flames neared ever closer.

Shining set to work as fast as he could, taking care to stay away from the flaming hot metal of the bars. He gripped the key in his magic and one after the other the cell doors flew open, the ponies within scrambling out of the bars and barging past Shining the moment he released them. It was a thankless task, and Shining knew he had just released a plethora of criminals onto the streets of Fillydelphia, but that was a problem that could be dealt with later. No argument could convince him that letting these ponies burn was the right thing to do.

Shining felt woozy, the smoke was starting to get to him. He had only been in the flames for a few minutes at most yet he had already forgotten what fresh air smelt like. Not like this; this was thick, hot and suffocating. Shining needed to hurry, otherwise there would be more ponies than just him who would be leaving this building in body bags. There had to be more ponies still within; there always were, he wouldn't risk there not being any.

Running up the stairs, Shining fought back against the flames with his magic. He was resilient, but so was the inferno, fighting back against him as if it was alive. It chased him as he ran along the hallways, as he listening for anything other than creaking and crackling.

A figure raced into view and Shining froze where he stood.

The darkly clothed pony was peeking through a window, their purple cape violently fluttering amongst the winds of the flames. They were small, smaller than Shining at least. It was a mare; a mare clothed in purple and black, with a creased hat and a singed costume, frayed along the legs and cut along the torso. She stood with a raised back and her legs spread wide, as if she was stalking along the corridors in search of prey.

Instead she found the waiting Shining Armor, and her ready stance shifted to mirror his one of shock.

If it weren't for the raging fire and blinding air Shining would have taken all the time in the world to take in the exposed Mare-Do-Well’s image and plan for her eventual capture. But now was not the time for that; the situation was too dire and Mare-Do-Well was not the priority, if anything he needed to get her out of here fast before the walls came crashing down.

Mare-Do-Well stared in shock as Shining began his approach, a hoof held to his face to block the smoke from his eyes and mouth. Trixie did not have time for this; she did not have time to deal with this stallion once again. Apple Pie was still in the building and Trixie had not yet found her.

Trixie needed to find her.

“You need to leave!” Shining shouted over the noise. The hallway they were in was glowing and the ceiling above steaming from whatever resided on the floor above.

If Trixie heard Shining she didn't show it, not listening and not caring. “I don't have time for you, Armor! Go away!” Her hate for him was rising, she suppressed it as best she could but it was still there. The fact that he continued to approach her made her snarl with fury. She needed to find Pie. She needed to find her friend.

“You're going to get yourself killed!” Shining angrily yelled. Vigilante or not, he would not have Mare-Do-Well dying due to preventable circumstances.

Trixie shook. Every second she was here was another second Apple Pie was burning. She galloped out of the hall, towards another area she had not searched yet, finding herself in a wide open room full of overturned desks as she went. Trixie could not allow for that Marshal to stop her. He could not catch her, not now.

Shining popped into sight, magic leaking off him as Trixie ran into him.

He gripped her hoof, magic welling in his horn once more. Trixie gasped when she realised what he was doing. She recognised that spell, he was going to teleport her out of the building. He was going to kill Pie.

Trixie's forehead met Shining’s chest, and Shining fell back, wheezing as his legs buckled. Trixie leapt away, but Shining could not allow her to go. He didn't know why Mare-Do-Well was here, but she had just attacked him. If he needed to use force to get her out of here alive, so be it.

Shining's horn sparked to life, and Trixie found herself encased in a bubble of magic. She spun in the air as she attempted to free herself, and in her franticism she began to shoot off random spells in the hope that one would prove an ample distraction. A stray firework flew by Shining's head, which broke his concentration long enough for Trixie to smash her way out. Returning to the floor, Trixie manipulated the smoke to further cloud the burning room, blinding Shining to her whereabouts.

Shining was beyond impatient, he was furious. Mare-Do-Well was going to kill herself. Her dare daring and recklessness was going to get her killed. She shouldn't even be here! There might still be other ponies in the building that need saving!

Trixie winced as Shining's roar echoed amongst the flames. Her smokescreen was blasted away by a blinding light swirling around Shining’s horn, which he quickly focused into another spell, firing at Trixie in hope of knocking her unconscious; being civil was not an option anymore for either side, time was running out and if Shining needed to hurt Mare-Do-Well to save her, then unfortunately for her she had forced his hand.

Red spells shot out from Shining's side of the room in rapid succession, which Trixie ducked and dived to avoid. Her magical abilities were not up to par with Armor's in the slightest. She could perhaps bluff her way through this with fake enchantments and an illusion or two but Shining would see through those and work against them soon enough.

Even though she was injured, Trixie was remarkably durable for a unicorn. So she decided to press that advantage.

Her fedora was knocked from her head by a stray spell, which only made Trixie angrier. It hadn't been cheap.

Leaping over a table, Trixie charged at Shining, who backed away against his better judgement in stiffening confusion. Trixie spun as she neared and sprung her rear legs into Shining’s chest, who crashed against the wall he was pinned up against. The wall cracked due to the flames weakening it, but Shining remained steady against it. Trixie attempted to do the same again, springing her legs out a second time, but Shining was prepared, grabbing one of her legs and forcing Trixie to the ground.

Both grunted, with Trixie futility kicking at Shining with her free leg and Shining attempting to perform his teleportation spell yet again. The area was glowing by both the orange flames and Shining's sparkling horn, and Trixie responded by kicking more fiercely. As Shining prepared to cast he grit his teeth so hard he was sure they would shatter, he was shaking so much Trixie was almost able to struggled out of his hold.

His horn exploded in light… And both remained within the burning building.

Shining collapsed backward, Trixie pulling her hoof lose in the confusion. He looked to his horn, fear etching his way onto his face as he realised they were still stranded inside the disintegrating station. The spell had not worked. Perhaps he was too exhausted, or his lack of concentration had disrupted his casting?

Whatever the reason, Trixie was stood tall before him, mustering as much magic as she could to blow Shining right out of the building. Her costume was blackened beyond repair, and in the light Shining could see Trixie's twinkling eyes glowing beneath her mask. Displaying such monumental rage that Shining could only recoil further.

As Trixie screamed and threw her head back to let her magic explode, the floor gave way, and Trixie's raged scream turned into a frightened screech. She fell for countless seconds and only stopped screeching when she impacted the wooden floor on the ground floor below. Her vision blurred and Trixie felt a dampness on the back of her mask and a wetness soak through her mane, the ringing in her ears never ceasing for a second. Trixie was forced to look up to see a white figure with a blue mop of hair lean over the hole she had fallen through above, his expression unreadable on account of Trixie's blurred vision. He disappeared a second later, and Trixie could only whimper in response.

That was not Mare-Do-Well dismantled upon the ground, it wasn't even The Great and Powerful Trixie stalling for her inevitable moment of triumph. It was Trixie, and Trixie alone. A lone mare; a scared mare.

A mare who had made a terrible mistake and failed her friend.

As Trixie lay there, the sounds of crackling, burning, screaming and knocking overcame her. Perhaps she should try and stand up? The door should only be a few steps away now, maybe if she hurried nobody would know she was even here?

Or was Trixie destined to be found an unrecognisable charred sack of bones, forgotten beneath the dirt, remembered without a name.

“You're alright. You're alright. Mare-Do-Well?” It was a voice, a soothing and concerned male voice. She had heard it before, but in her dazed state she almost mistook it for a stranger. “Mare-Do-Well? Come on! GET UP!” Trixie was hoisted to her hooves, forced to lean against the soot covered white stallion as he dragged her through the halls. Trixie followed on uneasy legs, wobbling about as the sounds of the screams and knocking grew ever louder. It was confusing actually, one scream sounded closer than the rest, and the knocking…

Mare-Do-Well’s head swivelled down another hall, and she forced her saviour Shining to stop, who fought back as sternly as he could. “Come on! This buildings coming down! We need to get outta here!”

“No!” Defied Trixie. “NO!” She pulled against Armor, who held her back with all his strength.

“What's gotten into you?!” He shrieked in anger, practically feeling the ceiling melting above him.

Trixie continued to thrash, focusing only on the sounds of the knocks. “Need to save Pie!” She screamed, her mask ripping open due to an earlier tear in her jaw and the stress brought upon it by her yell.

Shining froze at Mare-Do-Well’s words. He remembered what Hard Case had told him; Apple Pie was in the building, in an interview room behind a locked door. A locked door down the hall Mare-Do-Well was fighting to run towards.

His grip slackened, and Trixie took the opportunity to stumble away as fast as she could. Her stumble straightened into a sprint, and before long Trixie heard the knocked clear as day, behind a metal door next to a yellowing window; where Apple Pie was stood frantically and fearfully banging against the reinforced glass.

Trixie had never been so scared, or relieved in her entire life. She was too afraid to even speak, and allowed her actions to speak for her. She sprung herself against the door and pulled as hard as she could. She pulled until she felt like her legs were going to rip themselves right out of their sockets. The metal was steaming, but Trixie didn't care, her suit in addition to her thick bandages offered more protection that she'd had before. Any pain was irrelevant however, the door needed to open.

Her futile efforts were replicated by Shining Armor as he layed his own hooves upon the door and pulled in unison with Trixie. The door would not budge. Whatever mechanism was in place to seal the room had betrayed them.

Shining could not allow it, and futility continued. He looked to Apple Pie, who was cowering against the glass as the far wall of the rooms interior began to blacken due to the flames behind it. The fire was getting in, but Shining wasn't.

Suddenly, Pie turned towards the glass, as did Shining when a dull thud echoed throughout the hall. There stood Mare-Do-Well, her magenta magic impacting against the glass and dispersing along its surface. Shining considered it to be just as futile as yanking on the stuck door. “That won't work! The glass is magic repellant!” Shining cursed their makers. All these systems were in place to contain criminals, now, they may cause the death of an innocent.

Mare-Do-Well paused, her shoulders rising and lowering as she huffed exhausted and raggedly in sequence. She spun on her hooves, and smashed her powerful rear legs against the glass, which vibrated in response.

Trixie didn't stop, blocking out the sounds, the heat and the pain. All she did was kick her legs until she lost count.

The glass vibrated again, but it was not Trixie's doing. She looked to her side, where Shining stood in the same position as herself. Springing his legs back and forth against the glass, sweat dripping from his brow as he magically reinforced his kicks.

Trixie, for lack of a better response, snorted.

The pair kicked and kicked and kicked. And once Apple Pie saw what they were doing she started to do the same. The trio kicked against the glass without pause; the only thing that mattered in that moment, in the whole of Equestria, was breaking that glass.

A crack formed, and then another. Soon there were three, then four. A chunk of glass fell from the wall. Several flakes soon followed.

Trixie and Shining roared together and their hooves impacted against the glass at the same time. The window popped out of its frame and shattered against the floor of the interview room.

Apple Pie did not wait a second longer to run, leaping through the window frame and down the hallway on bloodied hooves with tear streaked cheeks. Shining followed as quickly as he could, the flames nipping at his sides. He looked back to see if Mare-Do-Well was following.

She was at the opposite end of the hall, stumbling through a fire exit into the snow covered outdoors.

Shining had to will himself to stop, the flames… Were too great for him to brave again. He tumbled out the door and down the steps, collapsing against the coldness of the ground. He had never been more thankful for winter.

He still had time if he hurried, and Shining climbed to his hooves one final time. He pushed past the gathering crowd and needed to shout into the faces of those blocking him to let him through. His hooves crunched against the snow covered pavement as his raced down the alleyway next to the police station; sidestepping fallen and burning debris that obstructed his path. He neared the back of the building; the carriage parking area. Slipping around the corner, Shining hopeful facade crumbled the same as the police station’s interior.

Mare-Do-Well was gone.

Chapter 11: Now You Don't

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Trixie didn't know what was ash and what was snow.

Black and white flakes broke apart against the earth, adhering to her charred hooves and dragging cape. She trudged down one alley, and then another. She couldn't be seen. She could not allow herself to be seen.

The dreaded noises echoed off the barren brick walls. The crackling of the flames were still audible, no matter how far Trixie walked the sounds just didn't seem to stop. It wasn't just the flames though, the screaming was still there. The horrified and panicked screams and shouts of both ponies fortunate enough to escape into the streets and perhaps of those who hadn't.

The screams forced Trixie to run.

She was thankful her wagon was parked away from the commotion just down the road, secluded on the edge of the pavement, blanketed under a fresh sheet of frost. Trixie slipped straight through the door without a second glance. Despite her reluctance to be seen, she didn't care, it didn't matter.

It had never mattered.

Trixie leaned against the door, blocking out the noises down the street as best she could. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She couldn't breath, not with this burnt mask constricting her. Trixie harshly ripped it off and threw it away. But she still couldn't breath, this costume, her costume blackened by smoke and soot to the point the purple was almost invisible. It needed to come off. She couldn't wear it anymore.

Trixie grunted and screamed as she tore the costume from her body, making some of the noticeable rips and tears even worse. It was irrelevant, she needed to get it off. She needed to breath.

Each article was slammed against the wall, every piece of her prized construction was dismantled and thrown until Trixie stood bare.

She still felt constricted. She still couldn't breath.

Trixie held herself and leaned back up against the wall, sliding down it until she sat upon the carpet; her stupid, putrid, raggedy carpet. She sat and stared at the fallen Mare-Do-Well cowl and cape, laying right next to her hastily removed purple starred magician’s cape she had been clothed in earlier.

Neither one was hers to wear.

This was it, this was the end. That experience, that nightmare was too much. Trixie was resilient, she had proven it time and time again. But that fire… Shining Armor, Apple Pie and Trixie's own actions; her idiocy. She couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't do this anymore.

Trixie became conscious of her pain, her stinging mane making her shake. She held a hoof to the back of her head, wincing and whimpering as she did. It felt wet and smelled metallic, it was hot too, not burned by the fire but the feeling was the same. Trixie attempted to ignite her horn, but her magic was exhausted the same as her body. Crawling across the carpet like a foal, Trixie reached below her bed with her free foreleg, instinctively locating what she was searching for. Her hoof met something cool and made of glass, and if it were under different circumstances Trixie would have sighed in relief.

Instead she shut her eyes; her vision was still glowing red. She could still see the flames.

Pulling the bottle from under the bed, Trixie placed it at the back of her head, sighing for real as it soothed her aching pain. The coldness of the glass and liquid housed within was not enough however, and Trixie found herself twisting the cap off.

The Great and Powerful Trixie; The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well, wept, drunk and cradled herself between her discarded capes. And within time forced herself to do what she knew she always did best.

Trixie ran away.

“Marshal, please just tell me, are you hurt anywhere else? Anywhere I haven't already checked?”

Shining ignored the nurse, he didn't hear what they had said, he didn't even know if it was a male or a female, Shining just stared. Sat upon the curb, hoof deep in snow with a blanket around his soot covered shoulders, Shining simply sat and stared at the ash ridden ground. The fire was still glowing red behind him, the heat leaking onto his back.

Shining etched away.

All around him ponies were running; futilely attempting to quell the flames, tending to the injured, rendezvousing with their fallen colleagues and others simply fleeing, fleeing as fast as they could to anywhere else but here.

Shining felt sick.

Equestria may not have been the crowned utopia like it was known as in the stories told across the sea and in The Crystal Empire, but it was close, or at least Shining had thought it was. Tonight had been more than enough to shatter that image, where all the changelings, nightmares and discords had failed to before.

Those stories had just heros, obvious villains, happy endings and a better tomorrow. None of the stories ever told of the life's ruined and of the fears that lingered.

These ponies would never forget this.

It wasn't just a police station burning down behind him, a structure of mere stone and brick. It was a monument; a testament to Fillydelphia’s dedication to its citizens to never allow for crime to prevail beyond justice, to never let them down. It wasn't just a building, it was a promise.

A broken promise.

Shining already knew what the headlines tomorrow would be, the panic they would spread. This wasn't a failure, this was a catastrophe on a monumental level.

Ponies were still in the building.

His foreleg trembled, and from his fear rose his rage.

Shining could not allow for this to happen again.

On his hooves in an instant, Shining stood tall and he stood unyielding. No weakness could be allowed, least of all at a time like this. The ponies around him would be looking for guidance before long, if their Prince was just as paralysed by fear as the rest of them, what hope was there at all?

Shining was not afraid. He was not allowed to be afraid. Royal guards were not afraid.

His movements were swift. His legs carried him through the carnage until he approached a white medical tent that had been placed up a little way down the street. Once the fire had begun the combined efforts of the police, ambulance and firefighters had resulted in the entire area being cordoned off. It was disorganised and it was in disarray but for the moment it was functional, which was all Shining could ask for.

He entered the tent, where many injured ponies were lying to be protected from the snow. Shining looked on with sympathy, but he was here for another purpose. Commisioner Book was stationed near the opened rear of the tent, pointing a different pony in a different direction every few seconds, shouting orders with each and every gesture. One side of his body appeared blacker than the rest, his mane frizzy and his face dirty with sweat.

Shining laid a hood upon his shoulder, and Book took a second to breath before greeting Shining with a rough hug. “If you weren't the Prince I'd smack you for running back into that building!” Book exclaimed with evident relief. He ended the embrace and laid his hooves upon Shining's neck. “But you saved Case. I'll never be able to thank you enough.”

Shining looked on solemnly, Book’s smile was a small victory, but it was a hollow one. “The prisoners in lock-up as well, I had to let them out,” Shining winced as Book looked downcast.

“Unfortunately, most of them escaped in the confusion,” Book stated but held his head high before Shining could show any guilt. “But there ain't a pony who's going to look down on you for that! You're a hero, Marshal Armor! Few stallions are brave enough to do what you did today!”

‘One mare was though,’ Shining added on in his thoughts. “It was nothing, just my duty.” Shining drolly replied, he didn't feel like showing any joy was appropriate given the circumstances. There was one pony he wanted to know about though. “What about Ms. Apple Pie? Is she alright?”

Book nodded swiftly. “Shaken up and a little worse for wear, but she'll be okay thanks to you.”

“And Mare-Do-Well,” Shining added on instinct.

The Commissioner blinked, unexpecting Shining’s addition. “She was here?” Book asked, practically a whisper.

Shining sat upon his haunches and revelled in the comfort it brought him. “She was, and she saved Apple Pie.” Shining wrung his hooves together, but the distraction was not ample enough to drown out his thoughts of guilt at how he had been so judgemental. “I… Was wrong about her, we were all wrong about her.”

“She’s not a problem?” Book inquired gruffly and unsure.

Shining was adamant. He knew what he had seen, how she had run to those screams. “I'm sure,” was his final statement.

Mare-Do-Well was not the problem.

Book ruffled his moustache, but his expression failed to soften or harden in the slightest, as if other, darker thoughts were plaguing him. “Regardless, Mare-Do-Well and any ongoing cases are on hold indefinitely until we can get this situation sorted out. I'm diverting everypony to salvaging operations, once the fire’s out we need to start digging for-”

“What about the arsonist?”

Shining's interruption was perplexed, he sat with an arched neck while Book shook his own ‘no’ in reply. “Marshal, we have nothing to go on. The police station just burned down, my officers are scattered-”

“He just killed and crippled dozens of ponies and you're not going-!”

“What else is there to do?!” Book erupted in anger. “The department’s been set back years because of this fire! All our evidence, all the records, everything is gone! We have nothing on anypony! We've lost so much!” Book laid his hooves upon his head and his shook his skull as if he was in agony. “We don't even know who’s dead yet! So many ponies are missing, we can't protect Fillydelphia if we don't get organised. I can't mobilise a manhunt until we get our resources in check!”

Book brought his hooves down, one buckling slightly as it met the ground from injury or nerves, Shining couldn't be sure. That building had contained Book’s and so many others life's work, all gone in an instant. The Commissioner’s frown more than showed his barely contained rage. “The moment we establish ourselves I promise you, Marshal, we'll get this stallion and he will answer for what he did. But I can't just give up on everypony else to do that, I need to prove to Fillydelphia that the police can protect them. This arsonist is not the only criminal in this city, others are going to take advantage of this mess if we don't move swiftly.”

Throughout it all, Shining remained still and silent. He understood the Commissioner’s words, even agreed with him to an extend. But it did not sit well with him, not after what he had just witnessed. If nopony was looking for the arsonist, what had he to fear? What would stop him from doing all this once more or fleeing, never to be seen again? “I understand, Commissioner.” Was Shining’s simple reply before he turned to walk away, looking at the floor to avoid the lingering stares of those around him.

“Marshal.” Shining looked back as Book called out to him. “The moment we are ready, this guy is going to pay, but I need your help first to clean all this up.” Book’s voice softened, his frown steadying into something more unreadable. “The Mayor’s been in touch, he's holding a press conference tomorrow to address this… debacle and everything that's been going on with the fires and the arsons. He wants you to speak, saying what you're going to do stop this guy,” Book took a breath. “Any ideas on what you're going to say?”

Shining's answer was out of his mouth before he had a second longer to think about it. “Tell the Mayor I'm going to do whatever it takes.” With that, Shining walked away, leaving Commissioner Book to linger over his plans in solitude.

The air was crisp and dour. The fire was dwindling now, with embers searing against the snow. It was cool enough to approach now, and Shining Armor found himself situated at the steps to the department's entrance. He looked above, where the windows had been blown outwards from the interior by a significant blast of flame. Shining had been just below it at the time, and he found himself shaking due to how close he had come.

‘How did he manage it?’ Shining pondered as he stood by the steps. ‘How was he able to smuggle a bomb into the station completely undetected? Surely somepony saw something suspicious going on?'

Shining would have preferred to ponder these thoughts further, but an influx of worried firefighters pushing him back broke him from his thoughts. They were not going to take the risk against his safety they told him; where one bomb was, another was possible to follow.

As he was forced back from the steps, Shining turned with a huff. There was nothing more he could think to do tonight; he had no resources, the police were currently occupied, his guard was dispersed and the eyes of Fillydelphia were upon him at all angles. The morning would offer new possibilities, he could perhaps call for aid from Canterlot, and the Mayor’s press conference would definitely sway other figures to his side. He decided it was best to retire to his hotel and plan his speech, words were often just as influential as any blade or spell.

As Shining retreated however, his hoof came into contact with something different from the snow covered asphalt. It was made of cloth, blanketed in frost and stiffened by ice. Shining found himself levitating it high, the snow shaking off it as it rose. He could not help but raise his eyebrows as he realised what it was.

The purple hat embroidered with silver and golden stars was practically ingrained in Shining’s memory by this point. It's noteworthy pointed peak had been flattened into the earth, likely from the plethora of hooves that had stamped upon it. But when Shining straightened it out he found himself drawing short breaths. “It's Trixie's…” He said lowly, before his eyes began to widen.

Trixie had been here. Trixie was Apple Pie’s acquaintance.

Mare-Do-Well had been here. Mare-Do-Well had been searching for Apple Pie.

Shining’s breaths grew shorter as he started to remember. All the little details forming in his thoughts. A distinct magenta colour flashed in his sight. The colour of Trixie's magic. The colour of Mare-Do-Well’s magic.

And while the memories were muddled by confusion and his initial franticism. Shining remembered what he had seen, he had remembered what he had heard. He had seen an azure coat shielded under the torn purple and black garments. He had heard the anger in Mare-Do-Well’s voice that was all too familiar to him from earlier in the day.

Shining held the magician’s hat firm.

He was going to do whatever it took.

And he didn't think he was the only one.

The snow was soft, like a blanket; a fluffy white blanket. Trixie wondered if this was what it was like to sleep upon a cloud, she had never gotten the opportunity to do so before; cloud-walking spells were far beyond her current capabilities.

Trixie snorted as she held the bottle high and chugged down the last of the stinging liquid within. She had never been very good at magic, not real magic anyway. She had always aspired to be great and powerful, to be number one, to be the highest level unicorn.

And yet like everything Trixie had ever attempted, failure was all she was met with.

She never made it through Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns in its entirety. Always distracted. Always uninitiated. Illusions and parlour tricks didn't turn heads or inspire awe when you were surrounded by literal prodigies and legends. Trixie had just been another face in a featureless crowd, burdened by expectations of worth and legacy. By the time she was a teenager Trixie had struck out on her own. Braving the world in the only way she knew how. Magic. Magic and the arts she so adored.

She wanted to be great and powerful. The greatest and most powerful.

But the story of Trixie Lulamoon culminated in her laying on the curb next to a destitute wagon, drowning her sorrows and murmuring about memories long past.

Trixie, in all her experience of loathe and envy, had never felt more worthless.

She tried. She had always tried so hard. For so long she had tried to be the best she could possibly be, lately she had been trying harder than ever before, trying to overcome her shortcomings and bury the demons that had taken hold of her life.

Mare-Do-Well had been her chance, but Trixie now knew it was asinine to ever consider it as viable.

She was at her core a selfish, narcissistic, bragging, disillusioned and evil pony. Just as Shining Armor had said so. Just as everypony had always said so.

And Trixie now realised that Shining Armor was right. So right she could still hear his voice inside her head.

“Trixie? Are you awake?”

She turned onto her side, her head was swimming enough as it is. Trixie simply wanted to sleep, the voices in her head needed to learn their place. They needed to shut up for once.

Something started to tap her, prodding her continuously. Trixie was not in the mood for it, swiping her hoof at whatever it was as she continued to lay. “‘o away,” she slurred out. “Can't you see ‘m sleeping?”

The prodding ceased, but the distinct sound of crunching snow rung out and a shadow loomed over Trixie, who forced herself into a leaning position with her forelegs. She looked up at the intruder, and even in her tipsy state she could not prevent a wicked glare from overcoming her features. “You,” she seethed out, too angry to say or do anything else.

Shining Armor stood tall, but his looming form was not meant to intimidate. He looked to Trixie with concern and the one thing Trixie feared and despised above all else including herself; pity.

Trixie snarled.

Shining did not react, too tired for another confrontation. He looked to Trixie like she was a victim, his features setting in a perpetual frown. “Trixie, why are you out on the street like this? It's not… Healthy.”

Trixie pulled herself to her hooves, cape less, with a disheveled mane and reddened eyes from both her tears and her drink. Patches of her coat was matted with snow, with others blackened by soot, her neck and chin were darker than the rest of her body due to how her costume had been ripped in several places, exposing her to the embers. Overall, Trixie looked horrible, her eyes sunken by sleepless nights and her body shrunken by rampant hunger.

Shining took note, having ignored the signs before, and he only looked on with more pity.

“I know you're Mare-Do-Well,” Shining said softly.

Trixie’s expression didn't change in the slightest. She didn't care. “Are you here to arrest me then, Marshal?” She growled. “Here to lock me up? Get revenge? Prove to your sister you're worth her time?” Her eyes shone with tears. She threw her forelegs out. “We'll go ahead, your Grace! I'm right here! Take Trixie away!”

Trixie convulsed, collapsing to the street in sobs and wails. “Just take her away…” She mumbled over and over, meek and solitude. Trixie felt as cold as the snow, and thought it a fitting place to lay down to rest.

But a warmth overcame Trixie, a warmth she had not felt in a very long time. Soothing forelegs wrapped around her form, and for a moment Trixie felt afraid. She struggled slightly, unsure of what to do, but she couldn't sense any maliciousness or ill intent. It was just hooves, and they were holding Trixie.

Trixie held Shining in return.

Both ponies sat secluded in the street, ice crystals resting upon the two of them as they shared in the warm of each other. Shining did not know why he was prompted to do it, but it was all he could think of doing. Trixie had looked so cold, so alone, that all he could think of was to hold her steady.

Everypony needs a helping hoof once in awhile, even Trixie and even Shining. They had both seen things in that building, they both had to live with the experience. But neither needed to suffer it alone.

Trixie was not a menace, not a villain and certainly not the evil pony that Shining had initially hoped she was. She was worth his time, she was worth the world, and Shining would make sure she knew it.

“You still offering that bourbon?” Shining asked with a smile.

And with that, Trixie knew what it was like to laugh again.

The drink was hot, itchy on his throat, but the effect was soothing and Shining did not wish for anything else.

“How did you find me?” Trixie asked from her bed, laid upon it, her blanket half covering her to combat the chill of the air.

Shining leaned his back against the wooden wall, the carpet soft against his flank. “I found this,” Shining said as he pulled the purple hat from his armour, Trixie leaning back at its revelation. “Magic leaves traces, and your hat’s practically glowing with it. It wasn't too difficult to lock onto your signature after that, you were only a little way down the road.”

Trixie snorted. After bolting from the police station with her wagon in tow, she had quickly found herself too exhausted to pull her wagon any further. So she had simply collapsed into the street to wallow and sulk. Magic detection spells were only so useful, allowing you to follow a ‘trail’ so to speak of an individual’s own unique magical signature, but if Trixie had gotten any further than she had she doubted that Shining would have been able to pinpoint her so easily, that, and magic was fickle, signatures overlap and fade overtime, if not crime amongst unicorns would have been eradicated long ago.

Just because Trixie wasn't very good at magic didn't mean she wasn't knowledgeable of it.

“And why did you look for me?” Trixie asked as she took another swig of her opened and aging bottle. “Am I simply that alluring? Did you take a fancy to me?” Trixie drolled as she rolled onto her back, giddy in the head and shallow in thoughts.

Shining frowned. “Of course not,” he groaned, before his eyes glazed over again and Trixie returned to her prior lying position. “I was worried about you.”

Trixie did not believe him for a second, squinting a glare. “Of course you were, like you don't have more important things to worry about.” She held the bottle high again, relishing the taste as long as she was able. “What do you want, Shining Armor? You know who I am, you know everything you could possibly want to know about me. So I will ask you again, and try to tell the truth.” Trixie leaned forward and was practically shaking with aggravation. “Tell me what you want.”

Shining relented, he knew his purpose here and he would not bluff his way around the issue. “I need your help.” He began wearily. “The police have been hit hard by the station fire and the Commissioner's taken all detectives off their cases until he can get a grip on things. At the moment nopony is looking for the arsonist.”

Trixie’s neck twitched. “And what do you want Trixie to do about it.”

“I want you to help me stop him.”

“No.”

“I know it's unorthodox but-”

“No!” Trixie screamed, startling Shining from his seat. “I won't!” Trixie shouted again, crawling from her bed to the floor. “Trixie has had enough of this! Of fires and criminals and police and of you!” Trixie sat down, her forelegs pointing out as she expressed herself. “Trixie will not be a pawn any longer. She's… I'm done. It's over!”

Shining was frantic as he replied. “But you're Mare-Do-Well! We can't just let this guy get away with-”

“I'm nothing!” Trixie shakily exclaimed. “I'm not Mare-Do-Well, I was never Mare-Do-Well, it was just supposed to be an act! A power play, a publicity stunt. I was using Mare-Do-Well to win back my reputation! That's all it was, that's all it ever was. I was never her!”

Shining had no opportunity to retort, as Trixie continued to yell. “I'm not even The Great and Powerful Trixie! I'm not great or powerful, I don't have it- I never had it! All my life I thought I was, I thought I could be. But it was a lie, I'm a lie!” Her breaths was quick and short, her eyes leaking and her chest puffing out as she inhaled. “A lie… Just like all of them always said.”

Shining tried to smooth her, holding out his forelegs in concern. “That's not true!” He pleaded. “You're not a lie, you're better than you think you-”

“-are. Better than you think you are, I've heard it before, we've all heard it before. It's just another lie on top of all the other ones, to convince us that we're good enough, that we matter!” Trixie heaved, her voice breaking. “For a while it worked, for awhile I believed it. But I grew up, I lived and I saw but it took me this long to realise it. It was all pointless! Everything! My life, my career, Twilight Sparkle, Mare-Do-Well! It was all for nothing!”

“No it wasn't!” Shining barked as he stood up. “That is not true, that is not who you are!”

“Oh, and you know me so well don't you, Armor. The whole day you've known who I am.” She trembled out in a fury.

“I know this.” Shining spoke in a sudden hushed tone. “I know that I was wrong about you, about Mare-Do-Well, about everything! I know it, I saw it!”

Trixie gave a sharp sigh. “You saw a pretender. The real Trixie-”

“The real Trixie stood up for herself when her honor was questioned. The real Trixie ran into a burning building to save her friend. The real Trixie worked for over a year to get back on top and get back at the pony who she felt had wronged her. A pretender doesn't dress up as a hero then go on to do everything being a hero entails. They would fake it, they would lie!”

Trixie grew silent, and Shining pressed his advantage. “Did anything I just said sound like a lie to you, Trixie?” She looked away, shivering, but not from the cold. Shining debated whether he should approach her again. The situation was delicate, as was Trixie.

“I almost died.”

Shining said nothing, but Trixie was still looking away. She could not let him see her like this, she had exposed herself to him so much already. “When I fell, I thought I was done for. Then Apple Pie was almost- We were almost too late. The fire was growing, I needed to run. I always run, running is easy. Just… Leave everything behind, find some place else, start some place new. Nopony ever notices, they don't care enough to notice.”

“That's not true.” Shining spoke yet again, his voice continuing to assure. “Ponies care, and you care about them. I heard that you ran into another building on fire the other day to look for strangers, that you saved a random stallion being mugged in an alley. You care about ponies you don't even know, Trixie! And what about the Apples, you went through me to get to Pie! They care about you and you care about them.”

Trixie looked conflicted, her face taking several expressions at once as she attempted to rationalise Shining's argument. “That's not the point,” she shakily began. “They were nice to me, those ponies didn't do anything to deserve… To burn…” Trixie was unable to finish, her words failing to form in her throat. She sat with her neck falling forwards, her shoulders raising with a tremble.

She could still smell the smoke.

The sound of glass upon wood rung out as Shining placed his half-empty bottle down upon Trixie's desk. He walked to her, holding a hoof to her shoulder, a practice he had learned from his academy days. It had always been a soothing gesture. “I came to ask you to help me because I saw that you cared. I saw that you were willing to do whatever it took, regardless of the… Bureaucracy and how you would be affected.”

“But I'm not-”

“You are now.” Trixie felt something be placed into her hooves. She opened her eyes and looked down, the piercing eyes of Mare-Do-Well staring right back at her. “You are Mare-Do-Well. No mare dresses up in a costume and goes out of their way to help others at the risk of their own life just for attention. It wasn't a pretender, a fraud, a fake or whatever that fought me off and kicked in that window and saved those ponies. It was you. Trixie Lulamoon, The Great and Powerful, The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well. I need you're help. Will you help me?”

Trixie had never remained so still in all her life. The mask laid frozen, enclosed in her hooves. As the seconds passed, Shining grew weary. The night was taking its toll, he was running out of options, his allies were spread thin and of the ones available to him he wasn't sure who was willing to step up to stop the arsonist. He needed to be stopped, he could not go unpunished, he could not be allowed to do this again, not to anypony else.

Similar thoughts plagued Trixie, and her hoof gripped the mask tighter.

“I'm not sure what help I'll be,” she stated from the floor, still failing to meet Shining in the eye. “I'm not exactly trained for this.” She shifted about. “Any moral objections to vigilantism?”

Shining smirked, the tone of Trixie's question breaking away from her prior disposition. “I did once, but desperate times and all that.” Shining levitated the rest of the Mare-Do-Well costume high, the cape flapping from an invisible breeze. “I'd rather put my faith in somepony willing to do the right thing for whatever reason, then just wait it out and let the bad-guys get their way. Besides, who am I to punish the efforts of a concerned citizen helping out the law?”

The low noise of chuckling made Shining's ears stand on end. “When you put it that way…” Her legs bent, and Trixie rose higher, higher than she ever had before. Trixie was not a fake, she had never been a fake. Fakes didn't do the things she had done, fakes didn't care whether or not they changed for the better. Fakes did not push back against a world that fought against them, a fake would sit and watch as they were swallowed whole by it.

A fake and fraudulent Trixie would not have accepted Shining’s offer.

“I… Trixie supposes we'd better get to work, Marshal Armor," Trixie grinned, flicking her mane back.

Shining returned her smile. “If you insist, Mare-Do-Well.”

The Magician's Mantle

by DEI Caboose

Prologue: Just A Story

Chapter 1: Days Gone By

Chapter 2: The First Step

Chapter 3: Now You See Me

Chapter 4: Actions Speak Louder

Chapter 5: Time To Shine

Chapter 6: Ready Or Not

Chapter 7: On The Hunt

Chapter 8: Conflict Of Interests

Chapter 9: A Moral Stance

Chapter 10: Made To Suffer

Chapter 11: Now You Don't