Chapter I - Ruins

Act 1 — Ballad of the Dawn

Trixie gasped for air, only inhaling a mouthful of dust. She coughed and heaved as her ears rung and the world spun around her.

“... Out!” A muffled voice yelled to her side. “Get... The way!”

“... Castle!” Another one cried.

When Trixie’s vision cleared, she spotted a large silhouette through the smoke. Unable to move, she watched in horror as a crystalline structure fell toward her.

Suddenly, she was tossed sideways, disproportionate hooves carrying her. They met the ground, tumbling as the structure fell with a crash behind them, sending up a cloud of dust. She coughed through the dust, and when it cleared, she knew what had fallen. This was a segment of the West Wing of Twilight’s castle.

She looked to her side to see a draconic maw, with the long body of a snake, disproportionate limbs from different creatures, but they only pointed to one person. “... Discord?” she asked.

“Trixie, you’re bleeding,” he said, gesturing to his ears. “We need to find Fluttershy and get out of here!”

“What about the others?” she inquired.

“They’ll be fine,” Discord insisted. “But Fluttershy... She’s frail. What if she—”

“D-Discord...” A small voice came from the rubble. Discord looked toward its source in horror. Her normally yellow coat was made grey. Blood traced down from the crown of her head and her mouth, her cheeks wet with tears.

“Fluttershy!” He yelped, scrambling to his feet and scurrying to her. She was pinned between two broken bookshelves, below piles of rubble. “We’re going to get you out of here, okay hon?” He butted his shoulder against the fallen bookshelf on her, pushing it up. Fluttershy screamed in pain.

Trixie's eyes widened. Why wasn't he using his magic? "What are you doing? Discord!” she yelled. “Discord, you’re hurting her!”

Discord stopped, his eyes widening as he realized the huge splinter of wood threaded through her side, still attached to the shelf he was lifting. “Oh, no...”

Trixie looked above the bookshelf Fluttershy was under. Debris rolled toward the opening where she was pinned. If he’d moved the bookshelf any farther, she’d be crushed. If he let go, Fluttershy would face the same fate. The unicorn glanced at the draconequus, only to realize his wide-eyed expression. He was absolutely hopeless. Could she even rely on his magic?

Trixie lit her horn. “Discord, let me take it from here. You find some help!”

Discord’s eyes filled with terror. “But I can’t leave her!”

“You’re of more use than me right now,” Trixie said.

Discord glanced at Fluttershy, then back at Trixie. “Can you hold it?”

Trixie nodded. “Just leave it to me.” She closed her eyes, imagining she herself was in Discord’s place, bracing all the weight. She felt tension in her mind, the beginnings of a headache throbbing at the back of her skull. “I got it! Go, Discord!”

Discord glanced at Fluttershy once more. “I’ll be right back. Just hang on, hon.” He gently let go of the bookshelf, the weight of it all crashing down on Trixie’s mind as he left.

Trixie’s head was about to burst. How much rubble was there? It felt like a few thousand pounds were weighing down on her. She tensed, locking her knees as she struggled to keep the bookshelf where it was. That’s when she heard a cracking noise. Her eyes darted around, and realized the cracks in the walls surrounding Fluttershy. If they broke…

Trixie imagined a brace between the walls, keeping the cracks from forming any farther. She was no longer fighting the bookshelf alone, she was fighting the whole structure. Her head pounded in a pain she’d never before felt in her life, as if her own mind were splitting asunder. Her aura flickered, but she leaned further in, sweat covering her face. Where was Discord?

Trixie closed her eyes. The pain took the forefront of her mind. She felt dizzy all over again, and heat drained from her body. Her mouth and throat dried as she screamed in agony, just imagining in the darkness of her eyelids the tower staying in tact.

She didn’t know when it happened, how it happened or why, but the next thing she knew, she was on her flank, tension releasing from her mind. Gasping for breath, her eyes darted to the tower as the world spun once more, her heart sinking as she saw the tower split in two, creating a point where Fluttershy was at.

Or where she would be at. She was gone.

However, the world didn’t stop spinning. Darkness tunneled her vision, and she felt numb. The sensation of falling out pricked at her as she lost consciousness.

“... Victims,” a voice said from around her.

“Good heavens,” another voice said, female. “Who on earth would’ve done such a thing?”

“Hang on,” the other voice said. “Her eyes are opening.”

The room around her was painfully white. It was small and square, and relatively empty, with the mare and stallion looking at her from above. She blinked, her vision slowly clearing. The male had an impossibly square jaw, his mane super short, but not buzz cut. The female was skinnier than average, her cheekbones visible, but not horribly so. Her mane was in a messy bun, with a few hairs falling loose.

“Can you hear us?” The female asked.

Trixie nodded weakly.

A sigh of relief. “It doesn’t look like she’s deaf, but she did take some significant damage to her eardrums. She must’ve not been far away from the blast.”

A machine hummed to life, projecting a yellow image on the opposite wall. “How many dots do you see in this image.”

Trixie squinted. “One. Front and center.” She swallowed. Her voice was raspy, barely recognizable even to herself.

“Good,” the male said. “Now, follow this dot around the projection. Report any dizziness or visual distortions immediately.” The male used a hoof to slide levers on the projector, and the dot moved up, down, left and right, in wave patterns, zig-zags, and circles. “Anything?”

Trixie shook her head. “No.”

“Good,” the male said again.

“Okay,” the female began. “We’re going to tilt your bed a bit from side to side. Close your eyes and tell us which way it’s leaning.”

Trixie closed her eyes and nodded, and the tilting began. “Right. Left. Left. Right. Down. Up. Down. Up. Up.”

“You can open your eyes.”

She did so, her eyes adjusting once again to the light.

“So, Trixie, it looks like your coordination is just fine. Can you tell us the first test we did?”

Trixie opened her mouth, then stopped. She was tempted to say the dot test. “You tested my hearing,” she remembered.

She heard a small, “Hm,” from the female. “Okay. Do you remember what happened before we brought you here?”

Trixie knit her eyebrows, her memory hazy. “I... I was in the market... Shopping for... What was it... A book, a book on magic. Then the next thing I knew...” she gasped. “Fluttershy! Is Fluttershy okay?”

The doctors glanced at each other. “We had a Fluttershy just barely come out of intensive care,” the female answered, turning to face her. “Doctor, it seems like her memory and her coordination are in tact... She looks just fine, besides the massive ear pain she’s going to experience after getting unhooked.”

“We need to get her walking,” the male said. “If she can walk, then she is good to go.” He glanced at Trixie. “For right now, however, we need to let her rest up. We need to get her water so she can at least swallow.”

“Right away, Doctor,” the female said. She clicked open the plain door, and walked out of the room.

“It’s a miracle you still have your hearing, though,” the male remarked. “Typically, when patients suffer that extensive damage to the ear, they become permanently deaf.”

Trixie nodded, relief flooding in her chest. Although, there was one question that was pricking at her mind. “Doctor,” she said. “How many ponies were hurt?”

He knit his eyebrows. “From what I’ve heard? About ninety-seven. That was updated from eighty-four about ten minutes ago.”

Discord sat in the waiting room, staring down into his hands. How long has he been waiting? Three hours, perhaps. He clasped his claws harder, his mind heavy with the thought of Fluttershy’s condition. As soon as he’d called over the paramedics, he couldn’t even get near her. But he did see what happened. They ended up leaving the splinter inside of her while they carried her out. Fortunately, Trixie held on long enough before the tower crumbled apart where Fluttershy lay.

Discord stood, stretching out his legs and arms. He walked over to the mare at the counter, putting a claw on the desk. “So, it’s been a couple hours here. Has Fluttershy been moved to a room yet?”

The mare let out an irritated sigh, then assuming a glass smile. “Mr. Discord. You’ve been asking about her for the past four hours.”

“You didn’t answer my question, though,” Discord prodded.

Another sigh. “Yes, she’s been admitted into one of the rooms. But unless you’re immediate family, we cannot let you through.”

“C’mon...” he glanced at her nametag. “... Ms. Horizon. I’ve been living with her for three years. We’re practically family.”

The smile shattered, and a stern frown appeared on her face. “Immediate. Family. Only.”

He clenched his fist, shaking with anger for a second, then released. “Fine. I won’t bother you any longer.” He turned and walked to the elevator. He punched a key, calling on his memory. What was his name again? Ah, yes. With a snap of his fingers, he changed form. His claws and paws turned into hooves, tall and lanky. His overall appearance went skinnier, with a blond bun.

The elevator door opened, and he made a lap around the campus. He looked at doors and signs with a single eyebrow raised, wandering aimlessly.

“Excuse me, sir,” a feminine voice asked. He turned to a mare with a white doctor’s overcoat, and a wispy night-like mane. “Are you lost?”

“Ah, yes, I am,” Discord said. “I was going to visit Fluttershy? She’s my sister.”

She nodded. “Okay. If you go to the reception desk down this hallway, they can help you out there.” She gestured in front of them. “I’m sorry about what happened to her, though. She’s had some of the most serious injuries out of the bunch. It must be worrying.”

Discord nodded. “Yeah. Yeah it is. Thank you.”

He walked to the reception desk and walked through the steps he did hours ago, going back up the elevator back into the waiting room. He walked to the reception desk. “Hi, I was going to visit Fluttershy. I’m her brother.”

“Of course,” the receptionist answered. “What’s your name?”

“Zephyr. Zephyr Breeze.”

She wrote on a clipboard in front of her. “Okay, Zephyr, if you would sign here please.” She handed him the pen, pausing a second. “You guys have the same eyes.”

Discord dropped the pen. “What?”

She waved her hoof in dismissal. “Nothing. Just one jerk that was trying to visit Fluttershy. Anyways...” She pressed a button on the wall. “Head on in. Her room number is A11, down that hall and to the left.”

Discord nodded. “Thank you.”

He walked through the door, following her directions. He’d passed the hallway he was supposed to turn at, and he’d only realized that as soon as the doors started listing B’s. He turned around, turned down the hallway he needed to. He entered into A11, clicking the door shut behind him.

He assumed his regular form, his eyes fixed on Fluttershy. Small tubes went through her nostrils, and IV plugged into a foreleg. Her entire abdomen and part of her head was wrapped in heavy-duty bandage. The heart rate monitor beeped regularly and slowly.

A pang of anxiety filled his chest before calling out. He didn’t want to interrupt her while she was sleeping. But then again, it was only a matter of time before the nurses showed up, and he would be escorted out.

“F-Fluttershy?” he asked gently.

Fluttershy breathed in sharply, her eyes opening ever so slightly. “Discord...”

Discord smiled, tears stinging at his eyes. “Thank goodness you’re awake!”

She managed a small smile. “How did you get here? I thought only immediate family was allowed at this point.”

He shrugged. “I have my ways.”

She groaned. “Discord...”

“I know, it wasn’t a nice thing to do,” he conceded. “But I just had to see you.”

The smile returned. “This is so much like you.”

Discord clasped his claws, his eyes locked on his palms. “So, how are you feeling?”

Fluttershy narrowed her eyebrows. “I-I’m floating… exhausted… an ache in my side…” Her eyes opened slightly more. “But I think I’m doing okay.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. Just as long as she wasn’t in pain, he could rest easy. “Good,” he said. “I’m glad we were able to get you out of there, though. Trixie couldn’t hold the castle together for much longer.”

Fluttershy raised a weak eyebrow. “Trixie was with you?”

Discord reached up and rubbed the nape of his neck. “Well, yes and no. I heard the explosion and she was near ground zero. I’m surprised that she was even alive.”

Fluttershy gave Discord a gentle smile. “Thank you both. I wish there were some way to repay you.”

Discord waved a claw in dismissal. “Your recovery is well enough a payment.”

He had hardly noticed the heart rate monitor accelerate. But it roared in a flurry of beeps. Fluttershy’s face went slack as she started spasming.

“Fluttershy!” Discord yelped, running up to the bed. “Fluttershy!”

Three doctors burst into the room. “Sir,” one of them said. “You need to leave. Now.”

“But—”

The one doctor pushed rushed him out the door. “Now.” Before he knew it, he was back in the hallway, the door slamming shut in front of him.

Time slowed down. All he could do was watch through the window as the doctors attempted to stabilize Fluttershy. They unhooked the defibrillator, rubbed the two ends together, and pushed it into Fluttershy’s chest. Her body convulsed, and Discord’s stomach twisted.

Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned, and there stood Zephyr Breeze himself. He scowled. “Outside. Now.”

The two exited the two automatic doors. The smoky air made Discord snarl in disgust.

When Discord was a little away from the building, Zephyr turned. “What are you doing here?” The red light from the dreary sky made his face look hellish.

“I was visiting your sister,” Discord explained matter-of-factly, folding his arms. “I suppose that much would be obvious.”

Zephyr’s scowl deepened. “You have no right, " he growled.

“What?” Discord hissed.

“You have no right. No right to take my appearance to gain access to her. No right to even visit her after what happened.”

“I have every right!”

“You promised my family that you would protect her!” Zephyr’s eyes filled Discord’s vision, his muzzle only inches away from his. “You were away, and look what happened!”

“Oh, please,” Discord snapped. “You were never there for her. You were too concerned with yourself to give a damn for your own sister’s well being!” Their heads butted together.

“At least I didn’t almost kill her!” The fire in Zephyr’s eyes grew ever brighter and hotter.

“And what would I have done?” Discord snarled.

“Take her place!”

The words echoed off the walls of the campus. A thin sheet of silence fell around them, as if the world was holding its breath.

Discord backed away. “You don’t think that I wish that,” he said solemnly. “If it were up to me, then I would’ve gladly taken the hit for her. But it just wasn’t.” His heart plunged into his stomach, tears once again stinging at his eyes.

Zephyr fell silent. The intensity in his gaze broke. He bore holes in the ground with his stare. “Just go. Get out of my sight.”

Discord inhaled sharply. With a snap of his fingers, he vanished, leaving Zephyr to his own devices.

He appeared atop a hillside overlooking Ponyville, the square in utter ruin. He grit his teeth as a multitude of emotions erupted from his chest. The anger at Zephyr and what he had said was self-explanatory, but now that the rush of the attack was over and the truth finally setting in, a deep regret grappled his heart. He wished that he was there, but that wasn't it. It was the fact that he panicked. The fact that, when he saw Fluttershy in the wreckage injured like that, that he forgot his own power. In the end he only ended up injuring her more, instead of using his magic to get her out of there.

For the first time in what felt like ages, Discord sat on terra firma and pondered, the vacuum of depression settling in his gut. Why did he lose his composure? There wasn't any way he could've prevented the attack, but in his mind, he only made it worse.

“Are you sure you don’t remember anything?” Trixie asked, sitting on a sofa across from Rarity.

She shook her head. “Unfortunately so, darling. The doctors said that I most likely wouldn’t remember anything before the trauma.” She shifted in her seat. “As much as I’d like to.”

Trixie huffed out a sigh. “I’m just glad you’re safe,” she said, putting her hooves in her lap.

“Oh, I was extraordinarily lucky,” Rarity said. “Apparently, Twilight had cast a protective spell around us before the explosion could do much damage.” She shifted her gaze away from Trixie. “I wouldn’t doubt that. I just hope that she’s all right.”

Trixie nodded. Of course Twilight would’ve done that. She was the very definition of a do-gooder, and even if their relationship was on the rocks, she had a strong sense of morality and selflessness. If it had not been her prowess in magic, then it would be nothing short of a mindless rivalry. However, Trixie was determined to keep it up as long as possible.

But if only she had had her powers when she was helping Fluttershy. If only she could’ve helped further than what she did. Out of all Twilight’s friends, she’d been the most accepting. And she didn’t even know if she was alive at this point. Stupid...

Trixie shook her head. This wasn’t any time to boo-hoo about herself. There were more important things at stake.

She gasped in sudden realization. “What about Spike? Was he in the explosion, too?”

Rarity shook her head. “No, thank heavens. He was visiting the Apple farm—probably playing that silly game with Big Mac, let’s be brutally honest. But, Twilight or no Twilight, he wouldn’t have survived the blast.”

Trixie nodded. It was really weird to think that he was still a baby dragon. It’d been a couple years, and he hadn’t grown an inch between her rather unfortunate visits. Unfortunately, Spike took a lot after Twilight, and her relationship with him was less than affectionate. Which reminded her…

She frowned. “Rarity,” she begun, sitting forward in her seat. “I was wondering… why did you invite me over? Hardly anyone can stand me. Heck, even Starlight can only barely stand me.”

Rarity shrugged. “To be frank, darling, I nearly didn’t. But when I heard what you did to help Fluttershy… well, consider this as a thank you. For saving one of my best friends.”

Trixie nodded, a warm feeling in her chest. “Well, thank you, too.”

She nodded, breathing in sharply as she sat up. “Anyways, I’ll let you get some sleep. I extended the same invitation to Spike, so he may be coming later tonight.”

Trixie nodded, a sort of reluctance stiffening her body. Only the next best thing to Twilight herself. She gathered herself to her hooves, walking to Rarity. “Here, let me help you.” She gestured to Rarity’s rear leg, which was wrapped in a thick cast. “With that broken leg, you’re not going anywhere without help.” She offered her hoof to her.

Rarity hesitated, staring at her hoof almost in dismay. “Y-yes, of course.” Rarity took her hoof, hoisting herself back on her hooves. “Thank you ever so much, darling.”

Trixie managed a small smile. “You’re welcome.” She gestured to the stairs. “Consider it a thank you for a thank you.”

“Ah, I see,” Rarity chortled.

Trixie walked to her other side, slinging Rarity’s hoof over her shoulder. She gestured to the staircase. “Let’s get you to bed, all right?”

Rarity nodded. “All right. But, if you would, bring me by Sweetie Belle’s room, please? She doesn’t know I’m home yet.”

“Right.”

They ascended the flight of stairs, one hoof draped over Trixie’s back. It was an odd six-legged affair, but she made it work. They stopped by a room just barely past the stairs, and Rarity opened the door quietly. The room was dark, and Sweetie Belle laid in her bed, her pillow case wet with tears. Sweetie Belle flipped over, her eyes opening slowly. “Rarity?” she asked in a drowsy haze. Then her eyes opened wide. “Rarity!” She ran up to her sister, flinging her hooves around her. Rarity hugged back, kissing the crown of her head.

Sweetie Belle loosened her grip. “I’m so glad you’re okay!” Her eyes welled up in tears.

“Me too, darling.” She nuzzled her sister. “I love you so much!” They hugged once more, Trixie watching from the side. Tears stung at her eyes. It was a sweet and wonderful thing, witnessing the love that sisters had for each other. No shortcoming, not even a broken leg could get in the way of it.

Rarity broke the hug after a moment, stroking Sweetie’s mane. “I’m going to get some sleep, okay? You should, too.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. She caught Trixie’s gaze, frowning. “Wait...” she said. “What’s Trixie doing here?”

Rarity glanced at Trixie, and she gave an awkward smile. “She’s spending the night here. But there’s nothing to worry about, darling. She’s actually quite sweet when you get to know her.”

Sweetie creased an eyebrow. “... Okay,” she said with uncertainty. “Love you, Rarity!”

Rarity smiled once more. “I love you too, Sweetie. Now, get some sleep.”

Sweetie nodded. She yawned and climbed into her covers. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Rarity whispered. Trixie helped her out of Sweetie’s room, clicking the door shut behind them.

Trixie hoisted Rarity farther down the hallway, ignoring the burning in her legs. Upon Rarity’s instruction, she turned an immediate left. Inside her room, Trixie helped Rarity in her covers. She adjusted her pillows and covers to Rarity’s liking, even though she protested that she was fine.

“If Spike comes tonight,” Rarity said, “then there are blankets and pillows in the closet down there. He may know where they are, but if he doesn’t, would you be a dear and help him out?”

Trixie nodded. “I will.”

Rarity smiled. “Thank you, darling.”

Trixie returned the smile. “You’re welcome. Goodnight!”

“Goodnight!”

With that, Trixie clicked the door behind her, and descended the stairs. As if I need more to envy, she thought. Twilight’s friends were just too perfect. Meanwhile, the Great and Powerful Trixie… suddenly wasn’t so great anymore.

She shook her head, laughing to herself. Twilight was really getting to her. All the indoctrination of friendship and unconditional love from both her and Starlight was taking its toll. While the Great and Penitent Trixie was indeed getting her life back on track, she couldn’t help the irritation from boiling inside her chest that Twilight was inevitably winning.

Trixie laid out a blanket on the sofa, using the couch pillow for her head. One thing was for certain: Trixie would remain Trixie, no matter what happened. But as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out like a light.

What seemed like only a moment later, she woke up to the sound of the door closing. She squinted in the dark when suddenly the lights turned on, blinding her.

“... Trixie?” a young, tubbier voice asked. As her vision cleared, she saw Spike standing in front of her, visibly slouching. His eyes were red and fatigued. His spines were less perky than before.

“Hello, Spike,” Trixie said, sitting up.

“I’m guessing that Rarity invited you over, too?”

She nodded.

“Okay,” Spike said. Trixie got up and he raised a claw. “Wait, you don’t have to get up, I’ll—”

“It’s just fine, Spike,” Trixie said, opening the door to the closet. She picked out a pillow and blanket for Spike, using her magic to set them down on the love seat on the opposite side of the room. “So, how’s Twilight doing?”

Spike’s eyes fell to the floor. “I... I dunno. I mean, she isn’t hurt too bad, but from what I’ve heard, she might be in a coma.” His gaze could’ve bored holes into the ground. “Stupid... If I’d have been there, I probably would’ve seen something.”

“Spike.” Trixie didn’t notice how firm her voice was until she heard herself. “If you were there, you would’ve died. Don’t blame yourself over something you had no control over.”

“It still doesn’t change the fact that it happened.” Spike’s claws clenched into a fist. “What if... What if Twilight doesn’t wake up? What if the attacker is still at large, and hurts more ponies? I just...”

“Spike, listen to me,” Trixie blurted, irritation burning in her chest He was exactly like Twilight. “You can’t go around and wonder about the worst case scenario. Trust me, I was like that once. That kind of thinking instills a fear that can turn good ponies bad.” She sighed. “I know you’re worried about Twilight. I am too, about Starlight, about Fluttershy, about Applejack... But have a little bit of faith!”
Spike was silent, his body shaking. His fist unclenched. “Y-you’re right... I need to look on the positive side of things.”

Trixie nodded. “That’s the spirit, Spike.” She gestured to the love seat. “Now, the Great and…” She yawned. “...very tired Trixie got you a pillow and a blanket. You’ve had a long day, and you need to get some sleep.”

Spike nodded. “Right. Thanks, Trixie.”

“No problem.” Trixie used her magic to turn off the light. “Goodnight, Spike.”

“Goodnight.”

Sleep came slower that time. Trixie lay awake, her mind rushing. She’d never seen Spike that down before, and he was a generally happy person. She couldn’t imagine the Apples with Applejack, how concerned they must be, and the concerned families with their injured or lost loved ones. A sick feeling settled in her stomach. How could anypony do such a thing? To cause such horror and confusion and havoc... It would take a heart of hate to instill these things into this world.

Trixie couldn’t help the feeling of hate rise like a cold iron in her chest. That was her, but on a much bigger scale. She never had the intention of killing anypony, but she had terrorized ponies before. Each time the memory came up, it was like a stab in the heart. But this, this was just disgusting. She hated what this pony did. She hated this pony for what they did.

But above all, the icey feeling of fear settled in her stomach. What if she became like that? To what extent would the world have to push before she dove off the deep end? That’s what scared her the most.

Then she remembered what she told Spike; to have faith. If only I could follow my own advice, she thought as her eyes drooped into an uneasy sleep.

A knock on the door greeted the morning. Trixie’s eyes shot open, jolting up from the sofa. She started climbing off when Spike held a claw up.

“Don’t worry, Trixie, I got it,” he said, groggily walking to the door. He pulled it open, revealing an officer in a decorated blue uniform.

Spike hesitated. “How may I help you, officer?”

“We have word Trixie Lulamoon stayed the night here,” he said, his voice gruff, matching his stature.

Trixie stood, walking to the door. “I am she,” she said, a pang of anxiety in her chest. “The Great and Powerful herself.” She creased her eyebrows. She hated the police. She didn’t know if it was a leftover disgust from her criminal days, or if it just was a congenital dislike.

“We have a couple questions to ask you,” the officer said. He gestured behind him. “If you would step outside, please.”

Trixie could’ve scoffed. Like she had any other choice. “Yes, officer,” she mumbled, following him outside. The sky had cleared up a lot more from before, only a slight haze left over from the wreckage. From where the Carousel Boutique was, she could see the wreckage plainly; the shop, and Rarity’s home along with it, was only a few yards away from being part of it.

The officer turned, gesturing to his companion. “So, Ms. Lulamoon,” he began. “Where were yesterday afternoon?”

Trixie knit her eyebrows. “I was in the market,” she said. “Wait… you don’t think that the Just and Law-Abiding Trixie did this?”

The officer rolled his eyes. “Ms. Lulamoon, as I understand, you’ve been responsible for a terrorist attack before, with intent of establishing harmful rule over the residents of this place. It was only Twilight Sparkle that pardoned you of this crime, only recently.”

“And that was a mistake,” Trixie said, an ice cold feeling planting in her gut. “However, I had no intention of killing anypony. This attack was conducted specifically to do such a thing. The Great and Powerful Trixie is no murderer.”

The officer’s eyebrows soared ever higher. “Well. Does the ‘Great and Powerful Trixie’ have an alibi?”
Trixie shrugged. “Ask Donut Joe. I stopped by his shop on my market run.”

The officer gestured to his partner, and he jotted things down on a piece of paper. “Anypony else that may serve as an alibi?”

“Let’s see... Berry Punch, Grandpa Pear, I talked to Filthy Rich for a moment... But no one else I know by name.”

The partner jotted the names down as the officer continued, “And have you noticed anything suspicious around that time?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

The officer nodded. “Siren, you got all that?” he called out.

Siren nodded. “Every last detail, sir.”

“Good.” He turned to Trixie. “Thank you for the answers, Ms. Lulamoon. We will be in touch.”

“Joy,” she said in bitter sarcasm.

“It usually is,” the officer retorted. “Let’s head out Siren. We still have Discord to deal with.”

“If we can find him,” Siren completed. “Guy’s hard to track down.”

They walked away, leaving Trixie to her lonesome. She sighed in relief. Naturally, Discord was next. They were going to be asking any pony with a questionable background they could get their hooves on.

She sniffed. It was one thing when she remembered her past mistakes. It was another when somepony else ripped them open for her. It left her feeling raw, naked, and untrusted. Of course, when she thought about it, she wouldn’t have it any other way, but it stung nonetheless.

She looked toward the wreckage. Only part of the trunk remained on Twilight’s castle. Part of her ached to go see what remained. It was her home away from home, after all. She figured, however, that it would be blocked off by the police already. But she just had to check. After all, she didn’t need to be in the wreckage to see what survived, right? She walked back into the Carousel Boutique’s living quarters. She bade Spike and a groggy Rarity adieu, and headed toward the wreckage.

The market was in ruins, shards of crystal sticking out of the ground, shops knocked down at best, others disappeared plainly into dust. But the castle itself was a terror to behold. The wing that had almost crushed her still remained, but was taped off by the police as they shined their flashlights in hopes of finding anything that indicated a device that set off the explosion. But nearer to ground zero, most of the ground was covered in tiny crystalline shards and ash, the sun shining brilliantly off the surface. There was a huge shard, however, that she vaguely recognized had land masses; the remains of the Cutie Map from the throne room.

She couldn’t get close enough to the wreckage to investigate, as it was barred off by the police, too. However, her eye caught a book that was miraculously still in tact. It was out of reach, but was close enough that she could read the worn title: An Assessment of Legendary Creatures. Something I’d definitely see Twilight reading all night, she thought with a smile on her face.

She asked around about the wreckage, but from what she’d gathered, nothing was found about the attacker so far. All they knew is that there was an explosion, and it was unclear if it was caused by a device or if it was magically set off. Dissatisfied with the information, but knowing she couldn’t do anything about it, she headed back to the Carousel Boutique. But as she did so, she noticed a crowd of people headed the opposite direction toward the square.

However, a familiar face, cyan coat, and rainbow mane, flew around, door to door along with other pegasi. Trixie galloped to her. “Rainbow Dash!” she called out.

Rainbow Dash looked over to her, cocking her head. “Trixie? What’re you still doing in town? I thought that most of the affected residents were moved to the Apple farm.”

“I spent the night with Rarity,” Trixie explained. “But what’s happening? Why’s the whole town headed toward the square?”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t hear? Mayor Mare called for a town assembly on immediate business. Said it’s word from Canterlot.”

Trixie narrowed her eyebrows. Word from Canterlot? she thought. That was fast. “Any word on what it is?”

Rainbow shook her head. “No. That’s the reason why she called a town assembly, duh.” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings. “Anyways, I’d better knock on some more doors. It’s important that we get as many ponies as possible.” She gestured to the square. “You’d better be headed with the crowd, too.”

Trixie nodded. “Right.”

With that, Trixie headed toward the square. Whilst doing so, she carefully listened to the folk around her. There were many ponies just talking about their loved ones; how their son was doing, if father was going to come home by dinner that night, and the funeral service for an aunt.

“... Received an odd visitor,” a mare said. “She was an interesting individual. Very secretive and antisocial. Just said she was passing through.”

Trixie’s heart jumped. “Wait,” she said to the couple, and they stopped their conversation dead in their tracks. “This individual. Can you tell me more about her?”

The mare shook her head. “Secretive. Antisocial. She looked Canterlotian, but I couldn’t be too sure.”

Her heart sank. “Oh. Sorry about the interruption.”

The mare cocked her head. “You’re friends with Twilight Sparkle, aren’t you?”

Trixie shrugged. “More of a friend of a friend. I only really know her through Starlight, her former pupil.”

The mare nodded sympathetically. “Oh. She was caught up in the blast too. I can’t imagine how that feels, to have a friend that close to the epicenter. She was practically the target.”

Trixie nodded. She realized that she didn’t know how Starlight was, or even if she was still alive. A sick feeling settled in her stomach.

They arrived in the square, and Mayor Mare stood before the wreckage, a solemn look on her face. “If I may have everyone’s attention, please,” she projected, and the crowd fell to silence. “First, out of respect of the fallen and the injured, I would like to invite you in a moment of silence.” A thick blanket of silence covered the square, and Trixie could feel its heaviness on her shoulders.

“Thank you,” Mayor Mare said. “We’ve all lost something in this terrible incident. We have lost loved ones, our homes, and our sense of safety in this town. Because of this incident, aid from Canterlot is coming as soon as possible, starting as soon as tomorrow morning.” Mayor Mare’s expression turned dark. “However, because of the magnitude of this attack, all residents of each town with royalty—ours included, are on strict lockdown. Nopony is to be let in nor out until further notice.” Murmurs started in the crowd. “To insure compliance, Canterlotian troops are en route for arrival tomorrow to set a border. If anypony fails to comply, I’m afraid they will be marked as fugitives, and will be taken into custody when found.”

The crowd grew to an uproar.

“Is this what it’s come to?”

“What’re the two sisters thinking?”

“I knew they didn’t have our rights in mind!”

“My wife’s in Canterlot!”

“Enough!” the Mayor screamed over the crowd, and the uproar halted. “I know how this may seem, but rest assured that this will only be a brief period. The killer will be found, and when they are, they will be brought to justice.”

Trixie shuffled through the crowd as the uproar started once again. As much as she enjoyed political discourse, the anger in the crowd was too much to bear. She felt like she was losing her well-kept sanity bit by bit.

When she finally made it out of the crowd, Discord materialized in front of her. “I’ve got to say,” he started, “out of all the chaos I’ve wreaked, this is some of the most I’ve seen... And it was not even me!”

“Discord!” Trixie warned.

“What?” Discord said. “It’s true!”

“Have you no mind?” Trixie bit. “These ponies have lost almost everything. I’ve lost almost everything! How can you even talk about that?”

“I know,” Discord said solemnly. “I’ve lost somepony too.”

“But Fluttershy’s...” Trixie’s heart skipped a beat. “Fluttershy. Please tell me she’s still alive!”

Discord shrugged. “I don’t know. She became unstable and I was rudely escorted out.”

Trixie felt sicker than before. Were their attempts to save her all for nothing?

“But it’s for that reason why I’ve decided to leave.”

Trixie’s eyes widened. “What?”

Discord nodded solemnly. “I have to track down the thing who did this to Fluttershy.” He spat out the word. ”I can’t sit idly by as incompetent royal guards file away in every city while that thing’s still at large.”

She knit her eyebrows. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Oh, Trixie, expecting an ulterior motive in everything. I see how it is...” Discord turned away dramatically. “However, since you asked, it would be rather lonesome if I went alone. I figured that since you were one of the victims, you would have a bone to pick against this monster, too.”

She stared at the ground. “I can’t. I can’t betray Starlight’s trust like that. I can’t become a fugitive.”

“You can’t...” Discord said, “... Or you won’t?”

“Well!” Trixie started, but the words choked in her throat. “Well...”

Discord narrowed his eyebrows. “Think about it, Trixie. Come tomorrow morning, I’m afraid you won’t have another chance.” He shrugged, and with a snap of his fingers, he disappeared into thin air.

Trixie frowned, closing her eyes to think. If she became a fugitive again, she would betray her friends’ trust. There’s no doubt about that. However, she knew that if the Celestial guard took it into their own hooves, they would take much longer than Mayor Mare would have the townsponies to believe.

She swallowed a spark of desire. She wanted to find the one responsible. She wanted to bring them to justice, for what they did to her friends. However, things would be a lot safer if she just stayed.

She sighed. There was one thing that she was sure she needed to do. She made her way toward the hospital, uncertainty welling up in her heart.

Trixie was only barely able to see Starlight. It was only because the receptionist lady quit on the spot. Because her partner felt bad for her, Trixie was let through.

Starlight’s room was really no different from hers. It was the the same hue of white, same setup as hers.

Trixie’s heart sank when she saw Starlight herself. A thick brace hugged her neck, the crown of her head covered in a tight bandage. She was asleep.

“Starlight...” she whispered. She raised her voice a little. “Starlight.”

Her eyes wouldn’t open. All she heard was the sound of her breathing.

Trixie sighed. “What am I supposed to do...” She sat at a chair at her bedside. Starlight’s heart beat steadily, the beeps filling the room.

“I don’t know if you can hear me, Starlight,” Trixie begun. “But… I’m lost. Discord came up with this stupid plan... A plan to leave Ponyville and try to bring down the pony who did this to you. And he... He had the audacity to ask me, the Smart and Integrous Trixie to come with him. Is it really worth it to become a fugitive to do this?”

No reply. Starlight slept peacefully.

The more she looked at Starlight, the more anger she felt. It boiled up unexpectedly, on the verge of erupting. That thing did this to her. It destroyed Ponyville, almost killed Fluttershy, sent Twilight into a coma.

In the show-pony’s mind, she had met a definitive crossroads. Her options appeared plainly in her mind; either to stay and let others handle her problems, or to go and confront them herself. Behind each was an element of fear: was she strong enough to do this by herself, and if she were to stay, how long would it take for that monster to be captured? How long would she be quarantined in her own city?

Is it really worth it to become a fugitive? The question spiraled in her mind before coming to a screeching halt. This was her only opportunity to act... And she had to.

In just a moment, the show-pony entered on a new stage, a stage left untrodden. She gathered herself to her hooves, and walked to the door. “When you wake up, this nightmare will be over.” The words burned in her chest, searing like fire when they left her lips. “I promise.” With that, she clicked the door shut.

The night air was chilled with the autumn breeze. There was naught a sound in the streets, only Trixie’s hoofsteps as she clicked the door to the Carousel Boutique shut. She adjusted her saddlebags and snuck to the outskirts of town in the ink-black curtain of night.

Trixie was only hoofsteps away from being home free when a pegasus landed in front of her. Her cyan coat and rainbow mane gave everything away. “What are you doing?” Rainbow Dash shot, stepping toward her.

Trixie sighed. “Doing what needs to be done.” She tried stepping around her, but the pegasus jumped in front of her once more.

“No way!” she exclaimed, fanning her wings out. “You do realize that this isn’t any ordinary bad guy, right? He’ll kill you!”

“He almost killed my best friend!” she retorted, lighting her horn.

“They’re my friends, too!” Rainbow Dash took a low stance, ready to pounce. “The Celestial guard is on their way to lock him behind bars. Why are you so insistent on fighting somepony else’s fight?”

The words caught like stone in Trixie’s chest. “J-just move Rainbow Dash. I have to do this.”

The pegasus’ eyes narrowed. “Not a chance.”

The stone burned into a furious flame, and before she knew it, she had gathered a smoke bomb from her saddlebags, and threw it toward her. It exploded in a plume of smoke, and Trixie galloped past her.

She heard Rainbow Dash cough and wheeze behind her. “W-what’re you trying to prove?” Rainbow Dash called out to her, her voice raspy as she went into another coughing fit. “Answer me, Lulamoon! What’re you trying to prove!”

Trixie closed her eyes, blotting out the pegasus’ words as they faded into the distance. Tears stung her eyes as she galloped away from what she now considered her home.

She galloped until the village was just a line on the horizon. She weaved between the rolling hills before her strength left her, and she slowed to a halt. Unable to catch her breath, she collapsed against the side of a steep hill, each lungful of air tasting like copper.

Suddenly, a bright flash popped in front of her, and she knew who it was before even looking. “Discord,” she said between gasps of air.

“Trixie Lulamoon,” the draconequus said sleazily. “I just have to admit, I didn’t think you would tag along this time.” He snapped his talons, and he was wearing business attire, with a microphone in hand. “So, how does it feel to be a fugitive once again? Awesome? Boring? Like you completely betrayed the trust of your only friends?”

“Stop it!” Trixie snapped. “Just... Enough. Trixie has had enough of your shenanigans for one night.”

Discord put a hand on his chest, breathing in an audible gasp. “My, my! Is our ‘great and powerful’”—He did air quotes around these words—”magician feeling cocky tonight? Perhaps... Above poor Discord!”

The magician groaned. “As far as I can tell, this was your idea to begin with.” She gathered herself to her hooves. “What’s the next step?”

The draconequus narrowed his eyebrows. “Answer my question, why don’t you?” He extended his claws, a map of Equestria appearing out of thin air. “Anyways, our next stop is Canterlot. I have a connection there. If we have any chance to know where our little monster is, then she will definitely know.”

“Wait,” Trixie said, eyeing the map. “Canterlot? Another royal city? We’ll be caught in no time flat!”

“Not with that attitude, tsk, tsk, tsk,” Discord mused. He shook a talon. “There are many other ways to enter Canterlot, dear. You just have to trust me.”

The show-pony raised an eyebrow. “What… other ways do you suggest?”

The draconequus chuckled menacingly. He stood above Trixie, looking down at her with an insane look on his face. “Come now… Why spoil the fun?”

Chapter II - Connections

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Canterlot loomed above Trixie, and she gulped. The kingdom was always very intimidating to her, with its soaring towers and other huge structures. She felt like an insect comparatively.

The grate to the brick-walled tunnel fell open, Discord catching it with his magic before it fell. He carefully set it to the side. As he passed the tunnel, he held is nose. "That's ought to wake you up in the morning!" he exclaimed, turning a comical shade of green.

The magician narrowed her eyes, looking deep into the cavity's gullet. "The sewers, Discord?" she asked with distaste.

The draconequus shrugged. "Hey, it's effective. I didn't promise it'd be all that original... or smell like fresh flowers."

She rolled her eyes. A deep sense of foreboding twisted her gut. She'd been at low points before, but she hadn't been this low. "Did Trixie hear a volunteer?" she raised her eyebrows.

Discord batted his eyes, placing his claw on his chest. "Who, me?" he asked in a flirty voice. "Why, I have to insist, darling!"

"That was a horrible impression of Rarity," she deadpanned.

"You're a horrible impression of Rarity." The draconequus stepped into the sewer. "Isn't our show host coming?"

"Right behind you," Trixie mumbled, climbing the tunnel's lip. Even the sewer's exit was gargantuan.

"Do speak up dear," Discord said. "For someone who's familiar with the stage, your projection really stinks."

Trixie lit her horn to light up the thick darkness. The sewers were massive, the main line they were going through stretching farther up than she could see. The running water was almost black and rotten, with the overpowering smell of waste choking her. Her stomach twisted sourly.

The draconequus took a left. "This way," he said.

Trixie rolled her eyes. "Do you even know where you're going?" she growled.

"Hmph!" he huffed. "Have a little faith in me! How do you think I infiltrated the Castle of the Two Sisters a thousand years ago?"

She shrugged. "I dunno, magic, maybe?"

Discord put up a claw, but stopped, letting out a vocal fry. "That too, but I know my back ways."

The farther she went, the narrower the passages got, not as gargantuan as the main line, but still bigger than what she imagined they needed to be. Some yellow light passed through the pony-holes from above, lighting up little spots on the ground. She could catch little snippets of conversation above her.

“That drunkard scuffed my hardwood floors! How in the world am I…”

“I’m afraid my sister has had too much wine, officer. We’re headed right home…”

“Have you heard about the attack in Ponyville?”

Trixie stopped in her tracks. She backed up, looking up the pony-hole.

“Yes. Horrible that. And it was at Twilight’s castle too, correct?”

“That’s what I’ve heard.”

Trixie scowled. The voices were too calm. Too nonchalant.

“Why in Equestria hasn’t she hired a guard for that castle of hers? If she’d done that, the attacker couldn’t have…”

A claw grabbed at the nape of her neck. She jumped, her horn letting out a small spark. Discord gave her a stern look, pushing her forward. Reluctantly, she relented, trudging forward.

She must’ve been walking for a little under a half an hour when suddenly Discord stopped in his tracks. "Here," he said, pointing upwards. "This is our stop."

Trixie breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally. So, what's going to happen from here on out?"

He counted off on his claw. "One, don't get caught. Two, you're going to go in and talk to her."

She narrowed her eyes. "Wait a second. You're not coming with me?"

Discord shrugged. "As much as I'd love to, she and I are not... what's the word... oh yeah, friends."

She raised an eyebrow. "So you're afraid of going to talk to a mare that you're not friends with when we're clearly not friends?"

"I'm not afraid," he said, folding his arms. "I'm just reasonable. She’d be much more keen to share information with you than I."

She rolled her eyes, huffing out a puff of air. "Okay. I'm asking what she knows about the attacker. Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Make a good impression." Discord leaned against the wall of the sewers. "Smile. Show her your good side, and don’t mention me."

She sighed. “The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t model for anypony,” she grunted, whipping her flank into Discord’s side. She meant it to hurt, but Discord’s body deformed away from it, and she stumbled to the side. She huffed. “I will gain her respect through other means.”

Discord shrugged. “Just saying. She likes plump flanks like yours.”

She knit her eyebrows. "Wait, you mean she's—"

"No more questions," the draconequus interrupted, snapping his fingers. The magician felt lighter, and her hooves were inches off the ground. She fretted as if trying to bring the ground to her, but to no avail. "The only thing you need to know is that the inn she operates is going to be directly to your left. Ta-ta, now!"

"Discor–AAGH!" She shot through the air straight upward, heading straight for the metal lid of the pony-hole. She braced herself for impact... but none came. The lid moved on its own, and she landed on her hooves in the streets of Canterlot, the lid shutting behind her.

She turned about face. "Hey!" she yelled, lighting her horn. She imagined a giant claw prying the hole open, but it didn't budge. Her mind exploded in a headache, and she glared down the tiny holes. Suddenly, Discord's eye popped out of one of them. She yelped, rearing and backing away.

Another eye and his maw popped through the holes. "Already forgotten what you came here for, dear?" His talon popped out of another, pointing behind her.

She turned. The inn was unexpectedly meager. It wasn't decorated and high-class as the rest of the royal city. It's warm and almost cottage-like look stood out like a sore hoof against the elegant towers of the rest of the buildings. That's not to say it didn't look impressive; it still stood higher than the normal inn one would see in Ponyville. But its walls were an off-white plaster, the roof's fascia decorated with a rolling motif. The many windows were lit up against the darkness of the night, plain, but oddly pleasing to the eye.

"It came from over there!" a voice exclaimed far to her left, the clinking sound of armor and swift hoofbeats following in suit. Light grew off the sides of the gargantuan buildings, slowly but steadily.

"You'd better think of something fast," Discord mused, before all of his different appendages popped back into the sewers.

Her heart jumped. She cast her eyes about, looking for somewhere to hide. Inside the inn! she thought, galloping to the door. She yanked and pulled on the door, but it wouldn't budge. Anxiety hammering away at her chest, she thought of teleporting up to the roofs, but the structure of Canterlot was such that if she did, she would be level with another streetline, and she would be caught there. Not to mention that she was horrible at teleporting to begin with. The light at the end of the street grew ever brighter, the guard's sounds getting louder.

A cold breath caught in her chest. There was nowhere to run to. Her heart hammered in her chest. What was she going to do?

Slowly, she was washed away in a memory. She stood on a stage, unable to breathe as the auditorium of ponies stared expectantly at her. Tears had stung at her eyes, and she wanted for dear life to hide behind her cloak and hat. Suddenly, the act had seemed impossible and intimidating. Her knees shook under her.

"Trixie," a voice had whispered to the side for the third time. She looked, and her mom stood against the wall stage left. She remembered her warm smile, as if she was saying, "You can do this, my little moonlight."

Suddenly, the anxiety washed away. That was her stage, a window into what she was all about: tricks, magic, entertainment. But it was as if the crowd disappeared. She wasn't doing this for them, necessarily, but herself. She wanted to express what she had been practicing to no one but herself.

The memory melted away, and her heart stilled. This was her stage. No matter what happened, she was the star of the show: The Great and Powerful Trixie.

The guards galloped up to her, both female. Their armor glistened in the moonlight, their eyes fierce as the sun's rays. "Halt!" one commanded. "What are you doing out past curfew?"

For the first time, the show-pony smiled. "I was just getting a fresh breath of air," she said, forming into the character she desired: an overwhelmed Canterlotian mare. It was as if her thoughts had switched directions entirely, making new connections, melding into something entirely different from what she was.

"Do you know what time it is, ma'am?" the other guard asked.

"Yes," the show-pony groaned, feigning irritation. "It's time for me to catch a break. My husband works in the sewer system, you know, and upon being an absolute blah, he wants to snuggle with me with that infernal smell of his! I need to get a breath as he washes up so that I don't vomit all over the hotel room."

"Excuse me, ma'am," one of the guards said, her words choked. "You don't smell very much different."

She snapped. "How dare you! You would insult the Great and P..." She swallowed her words. "Perfectest mare that has stuck with her husband through thick and thin?"

"Ma'am, I didn't mean to --"

"Oh-ho-ho, you didn't mean to, but your thoughtfulness is very apparent." The show-pony scowled and glared at them. "Now, get out of my sight or I'll report you to your superiors."

One of the guards scowled back. "Let's leave this one alone. But if we see you one more time..."

The show-pony raised her eyebrows. "Superiors."

She snorted, turning about face and trotting away.

A door opened behind her. "Wow, you know how to play quite the witch, do you?"

She turned. Behind her was a mare with a greenish-blue coat, and a deep purple mane that was kept up in a bun. Her tail was wide and long with streaks of a lighter color. Her eyes, however, were just captivating. They were a dark blue when viewed from far away, but from where Trixie was at, she could see flecks of lighter silver.

"Y-yes," Trixie stammered. "But, oh my gosh, your eyes. They're..."

She chuckled. "Yes, I've been told that a lot. They're my namesake."

"Then what is your name?" She walked closer.

"Opal," she answered. "I'm the innkeeper here. And you are the 'Great and Powerful Trixie', I presume?"

The magician's eyes widened. "How did you know?"

She gave a sly smile and tapped her muzzle. "I have my connections. Also, trying to rule over Ponyville helps your notoriety."

Trixie winced. She must be the mare that Discord sent me to talk to, she figured. "Yeah, that's a path Trixie has left... far behind."

The smile grew. "Talking in third person, are we? Don't worry, you don't have to impress anypony. Let's just say that you already did with that display over there." She gestured inside the inn. "Come in."

Her jaw locked open, preparing a retort, but the words clung in her throat. She let out a small fry and closed it, her face burning. She didn't know if she liked Opal, or if she would regret the rest of the visit. Regardless, she followed her in suit.

The inside of the in was very homely. There was a fireplace at the far side of the room, rocks tracing the flue up through the ceiling and into the outside. Many oak chairs and tables stood empty as most of the tenants had went to bed, besides one pony that sat at the bar. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, again, not too fancy, but still pleasing to the eye. Her hooves struck damply on the hardwood floor, the sound surprisingly solid.

She followed Opal to the bar, where she lifted a gate, closing it behind her. "Just one second," she said, moving in front of the drunken stallion. "Another glass of Cedarsville, I assume?"

"You know the one," the stallion said in a slightly-slurred tenor. In Trixie’s mind, he was the epitome of depression; he was sulking, his coat dirty, his mane messy. She felt a pit in her stomach. Poor colt, she thought, walking past.

The innkeep walked behind the bar, popping off a cork of a green bottle. She titled it, a caramel-colored liquid sloshing in the glass. She slid it back to him. “That’s your third and last glass, mind you,” she said firmly. “But if you need anything else, I will be in my office.”

The colt nodded slowly. “Will do.”

The innkeep gave a warm smile. She capped and shelved the drink, and caught Trixie’s eye. She nodded toward the door and walked. Trixie followed suit, clicking the open door shut behind her.

On the surface, the office looked friendly enough. It was the same homely atmosphere as before, and the room smelled of a faint vanilla. A lone lamp that sat on her desk illuminated the room brightly enough to see the filing cabinets behind her and the bookshelf to the left side of the room.

A metallic spark met her eye from the depths of the bookshelf. From what she could see, it had a hook on the end. But upon closer inspection, she realized it was not a hook, but a lock, clamping a small chest shut.

Trixie gestured to it. “What’s that?”

Opal turned, looking to where she was pointing. Her posture visibly slouched. “That’s something that I wish I could forget,” she sighed. “Please don’t mention it again.” She took a seat behind her desk, gesturing to the one across her. “Have a seat.”

Trixie complied. She sat in the chair, which was cushier than it was at first sight.

Opal brought her hooves together, covering her lips. “So,” she started. “First thing’s first. What is a pony from Ponyville doing in a city under quarantine?”

Trixie felt a stirring feeling in her chest. She placed her hooves in her lap. “I’d like to find the attacker that hurt my friend.”

Opal’s eyes narrowed, her hooves lowering. “I assume that you’re talking about the castle bombing there, then?”

Trixie nodded.

“Hmm…” her eyes fell shut. “And I assume that Discord sent you here, didn’t he?”

Her heart stopped. She felt her body tense. “H-he told me not to mention you.”

“A wise decision,” Opal admitted, opening her hooves in a wide gesture. “But he underestimates me. He’s one of my only contacts in Ponyville, and considering that his girlfriend got caught up in all of it, it’s only natural for him to want to seek out and destroy the attacker.”

“What happened between you two?” Trixie asked.

Opal let her hooves down, letting out a small chortle. “Nothing happened. We've never had a good relationship with each other. He's just an ass.”

Trixie gave a shocked laugh at her vulgarity. “Yeah, I can definitely see where you're coming from.”

She raised her eyes to heaven. “Anypony who's anypony knows that,” she sighed.

Opal crossed her hooves out on the table in front of her. She gave Trixie a solemn look. “However, as for the attacker, I've no idea who the culprit is. But there have been reports of different ponies with mysterious black boxes, about the size of their hooves.” She traced a line around her hoof. “It’s a stretch, but if I were to assume, that’s the biggest lead I have.

Trixie’s heart sunk, her posture slouching. All this for nothing? “It’s really abstract,” she sighed.

“Pft,” she huffed. “Tell me about it.” She rested her head in her hooves. “But that’s all I have. We don’t even know how those ponies with the black boxes came to be. Just that they’re around.”

Trixie closed her eyes. Was her journey really over before it began? She felt her chest begin to burn. No, she thought, it can’t be.

She stood, sliding in the chair under the desk in front of her. “Well, we’ll just have to make due with what we have.”

Opal let out a small laugh. Her hooves clopped back down on the desk, one extended the farther than the other. “You remind me of my niece,” she reminisced. “She was always determined to get things done.” She sighed, pausing for a split second before reaching under her desk. “Tell you what.” She straightened back up with an envelope in her mouth, letting it down on the desk. “This is an enchanted envelope, the same that I share with Discord and all my other clients. Put a letter inside of it and it will appear here in my office.” She tapped the letter with the tip of her hoof, sliding it toward Trixie. “I will try my best from my end to help you out and keep you informed, just as long as you do the same.”

Trixie lit her horn, picking it up and hovering it in front of her eyes. It was a little heavier than she’d originally anticipated, and it was made of a thicker paper than normal. “I’ll keep you updated, then,” she resolved. “Thank you.”

Opal smiled, raising her hoof square with her head. “It’s my honor to serve,” she recited as if from memory. She put her hoof down. “Also, kindly tell Discord to go hoof himself.”

Trixie nodded devilishly. “Will do.”

The innkeep stood and walked to the doorway. She pushed it open as Trixie opened her saddlebag, putting the envelope in carefully. “Before you go, can I offer you a room or anything?” she asked, her tone much higher and affable than before. “Maybe a drink to calm your nerves?”

Trixie turned and waved a hoof in dismissal. “No thanks. I’ve got to go.” The corner of her mouth curled up in a smirk. “But maybe next time?”

The innkeep returned the smile. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Smiling, she turned to the exit. She took a deep breath as she turned the doorknob and opened the door. Back into the wild, she thought, closing the door behind her.

She held back a gasp. Three guards stood at the doorway. The same ponies as before. The show-pony adopted her Canterlotian persona once more. "I had thought I said I would report you to your superiors."

The third stepped up. She was about the same size as them, but wore her stature such that she dwarfed both of them. "I am one of their superiors." She gave a knowing grin as Trixie's eyes widened. She reached back to a sack suspended from her armor. "Now, I want to make this process as smooth as possible." In her hoof was a gnarly iron ring with a clear crystal embedded into it.

Trixie’s heart jumped. A suppressor. She shot her gaze back and forth, tempted with broiling fear to run. However, she knew without a doubt that she would be caught if she ever tried.

The superior placed the ring on Trixie’s horn, and all feeling retreated from it. “Good girl,” she taunted. “Typically former convicts try to run.” She turned to the guards. “Chain her up. It’s about time that Trixie Lulamoon was apprehended for her crimes.”

The guards nodded, procuring cuffs from their body armor. They surrounded Trixie, fastening them around her hooves. Afterward, they shoved her forward, and she followed them down the street. I'll figure something out... she thought. I hope.

The guards brought her farther up the side of the mountain, Canterlot Castle becoming plain in view. It towered above her, no longer in the friendly light, but she was certain this would become her tomb. Her criminal history was such that it would definitely be a factor in her jail time.

They entered into the castle, taking a right down a spiraling staircase below the first floor. The farther down they went, the more damp and clammy it got. Moss started growing in the plaster between rows of bricks. When they landed at the bottom of the staircase, the dungeon was dark, lit only by four torches at each corner of the room. There was one other pony, a stallion, that stared at the ground, eyelids drooping.

The guards brought her to stand in front of one cell, the one she was sure would be hers. "Name?" the superior asked.

"Trixie," she responded bitterly.

The guard raised her eyebrows. "Current residence?"

"Ponyville."

The superior nodded. "So, you left Ponyville against direct orders from the Two Princesses not to. Do you realize the weight of that situation?"

"I realize," she sighed.

The superior opened the door to the cell, ushering her in. "Private," she said to the pony on her right, shutting the cell door with a clang. "Go tell the Princess that we have one Trixie of Ponyville in our cells." She looked to the one on her left. "You, come with me. We need to find other riffraff that decided to stay out past curfew."

The other nodded, following her out as the first one she spoke to galloped up the staircase.

Trixie backed up against the damp wall, shivering. Things weren't looking auspicious. First she had no idea who the culprit was, and now she was trapped in the dungeon and couldn't ever know. She sat on her haunches, burying her head in her hooves. I probably deserve it, she thought, bringing her hind legs close to her. She was, after all, the one who had instigated rule over Ponyville, if not only for a brief moment.

"Could Twilight ever forgive me?" she remembered saying to Starlight in the castle kitchen a few days back. She could see it vividly; she was preparing dinner for both the Princess and her loyal dragon Spike. The counter lined the walls, and Starlight was kneading bread dough, a silly chef's hat on her head.

Her friend cocked an eyebrow, her hooves stopping in place. "Where did that come from?" she had asked, turning toward her.

The magician had cracked an egg and dropped its contents into a big yellow bowl. "I-I don't know. I mean, the Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't need approval of everypony she meets... but seeing you and Twilight together, well, you've grown so close... and..."

Starlight had nodded. "You want to have that type of relationship with her, too."

Trixie had huffed. “No, no, no. The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t need a friend out of Twilight Sparkle.” She’d sighed, resting her head on her hooves atop the counter top. “Just… her respect.”

Her friend had put a hoof on her shoulder, and Trixie looked at her, and was greeted with a smile. "Don't worry. You've only been here for a month or two. She'll warm up to you like she did for me. It wasn't quite smooth sailing for us either."

She couldn't have avoid smiling too. "You're sure?" She felt the tears well up in her eyes.

Her friend's smile had grown a little wider. "Positive." She’d pulled her into a hug, her heart warming and her fears quelling.

The memory broke as hoofsteps grew louder in the staircase to her left. She perked up, listening closely. No talking. This pony was alone.

A white-coated alicorn appeared from the doorway. Her mane was like the morning mist. "Trixie Lulamoon," she said, her voice calm and warm.

Trixie scrambled to her hooves, bowing before her. "Princess!" she yelped.

"You are relieved," the Princess said, and Trixie stood. "I have no doubt that you are here because of what happened in Ponyville."

She nodded. "Yes. I need to figure out who did this."

The alicorn nodded, her horn lighting, illuminating the cell with blinding light. "I understand, and I admire your determination. However, the Celestial Guard is on its way to figuring out who this pony is. You should not have left your village in defiance of my rules." The light faded, leaving the cell darker than it was. "Do you understand?"

Trixie’s heart shattered. After all of the stories she had heard about Princess Celestia, this is what she got? A warm princess turned cold? "... I understand," she said, tears stinging at her eyes.

"Good." Celestia turned to the staircase. "I will see you later, then." She ascended, her hoofsteps fading in the distance.

Trixie heaved out a sob, her chest turning to stone. She backed up against the wall, bringing her hooves in close as the tears flowed freely from her eyes. Why did I do this? she thought, her mind burning. Why did I have to fail?

"H-hey, miss...?" a voice came from across her. "Miss?"

The magician lifted her head, sniffing. The stallion stood, pointing to her head. "I hope I'm not bothering... but aren't unicorns supposed to have suppression rings around their horns?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "What?"

The stallion pointed again. "Your suppression ring. It's not there."

Trixie knit her eyebrows, lowering her head and feeling at her horn. She recognized the familiar buzz it had, and the ring was nowhere to be felt. She caught her breath in her chest. Princess Celestia, she thought, remembering the blinding light she’d cast. She must've broken it! She gathered herself to her hooves, lighting her horn. She imagined the street in front of the inn, a string connecting her and it together. She ignored the oncoming headache. "Teleportation spell, go!" she muttered under her breath, her horn sparking, surrounding her with a strange aura. She heard a big pop, and suddenly she was in front of the inn again, the cool night air surrounding her once more.

Dizziness suddenly overtook her, and she waddled to the side of a building, catching herself on it before she fell. She blinked, and she saw the night sky, and the cool night air brushing along her coat. She finally did it!

"This was an interesting place to pick." Princess Celestia appeared in front of Trixie, and she twitched to take a knee. "No need to bow this time," she reassured. "Once is quite enough."

Trixie stood up straight. "Thank you, Princess," she expressed, rubbing her front leg. "I thought you were going to leave me there.” She knit her eyebrows. “Why though?”

The alicorn nodded, walking up to her. "I suppose I owe you an explanation." She sat against the wall next to her, gesturing her to do the same, and she did. "When I heard about the attack, I was devastated. I knew that Twilight and her friends were gravely injured, especially Fluttershy." She gestured widely with her hooves. “But because of that, we made sure that guard was increased in both Ponyville and here, and we’re sending assistance to the Crystal Empire as well. However, we’re also facing fire from places like Manehattan and Vanhoover, and they want protection, too. We haven’t gotten any of them in the audience hall, but if enough of them call for materia importare, we’ll have no choice but to send our guard to those places, too.”

Trixie frowned. "So you’re guard will be spread thin.”

Celestia nodded. “You see my dilemma. At this point, I’ll have slim to no guard to investigate this attacker.” She turned to look at Trixie, her eyes deep with conflict. “That’s why I need ponies like you. Vigilante or not, I don’t care. I just need all the help I can get.”

The Princess stood. "Anyway, I must be off. There are more things I need to do before my day is up." She looked at Trixie and smiled. "But you have my blessing. Go find this criminal, and bring him to justice."

Trixie smiled. "Thank you, Princess." With that, the Princess vanished, and Discord appeared shortly after.

"Finally!" he said. He stretched, smelling the fresh air as if it was a bouquet of flowers. "I was wondering when you would finish up. What happened?"

The magician shrugged. "Oh, you know, only had a run in with the Celestial Guard, talked to Opal, got thrown into the dungeon, and was able to get out because of Celestia."

The draconequus folded his arms. "Oh. Well, that explains it." He narrowed his eyebrows. "Even though I don't think we're going to have that much luck again. They will be more aggressive, and besides, we won't have a Princess to bail us out next time."

Trixie's face went hot, anger bubbling up in her chest. "Wait a second, us? That was all me! I talked to your contact, got thrown into the stupid dungeon while you sat down there and twiddled your thumbs!" She butted her head into his. "You said you needed my help, but so far all you've done was leave all the dirty work to me! Even in the village with Fluttershy! Why on earth couldn't you have just used your magic there?"

Discord halted, his playful countenance gone in an instant. He scowled. "What would you have felt if you saw Starlight dying in front of you, like Fluttershy?" he asked, his words dripping poison.

Trixie hesitated. This wasn't the same Discord as a second ago. She cleared her throat. "Panic," she croaked, the mere thought of Starlight in Fluttershy's place making her heart freeze in anxiety.

Discord nodded slowly, his eyes aflame. "So you understand my situation. But remind me who came up with the idea of tracking down the attacker in the first place. Remind me who had a contact we could go to for more information. Remind me, dear Trixie, who led you through the sewers so that we could talk to her.” His eyes burned with fury. “I’m sorry the guard harassed you, that my stupidity caused you pain, but let me remind you who’s done all the dirty work so far.” He leaned in to Trixie’s ear, covering the other side of his mouth. “Let me give you a hint.” He leaned in closer. “IT’S ME!”

Trixie staggered to the side, her left ear ringing. She flicked at her ear with a hoof to no avail. “That reminds me,” she grunted through her teeth. “Go hoof yourself.”

Discord snarled. “Well, gladly.” He lifted a leg in a 4-position, brushing his inner thigh as if attempting a tree pose. “It would be a lot easier if I had more than one hoof.”

He huffed out a puff of air. “Anyways,” he said, floating in the air once more. “We’d better get moving. Walking is a lot better than listening to your incessant whining.”
Trixie sighed. “Where to now?” she groaned, dragging a hoof down her face.”
“I’ve an errand to run just outside of town,” Discord replied. “Fortunately, it’s with much... friendlier company.”

Author's Notes:

There's a little bit of a headcanon that I have for Equestria's legislative system, if you'd bear with me for a second.

The order of superiority goes a little something like this:
- The Royal Diarchy (AKA, The Two Sisters)
- Circle of Judges
- City-State (Local) Government
- Residents

Residents create petitions that, if two-thirds of the population support it, goes to the City-State Government.

The City-State Government reviews the petition, and determines whether it's in their jurisdiction.
- If it is, it takes two-thirds vote from them to pass a local law.
- If it isn't, it is sent up to the Circle of Judges.

The Circle of Judges reviews the petition for public Consensus. Each City-State gets one judge. If this passes two-thirds vote, then it is sent up to the Royal Diarchy.

The Royal Diarchy reviews the petition put forth by the Circle of Judges, and prepares the funding for the integration of the petition.
- The Royal Diarchy can issue laws themselves. They will pass through the Circle of Judges for legitimization.

However, there's a passthrough of all of this called materia importare. A petition is sent directly to the Two Sisters if a City-State is in need of A) Funding or B) Protection. The Two Sisters will determine if the materia importare is legitimate, and if it is, then support will be given when needed.

Chapter III - Friendlier Company

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“An errand, huh?” Trixie asked, following behind Discord. They were at the base of the mountain below Canterlot, still a sheer cliff all the way up. Just to their side were huge rolling hills. How the Earth Pony companies made it around and over those hills boggled Trixie’s mind.

“That took a while,” Discord remarked, a watch appearing on his wrist. He pivoted in the air, raising an eyebrow at her. “Why the sudden interest?”

“Well…” Trixie carefully hopped down a sudden drop. “It’s just, this doesn’t seem to be related to our main objective.”

He shrugged. “It isn’t.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Then why are we doing it? Couldn’t it wait?”

“It probably could,” Discord conceded, folding his arms. “However, if you recall, we don’t really have anywhere to go. Are you sure you’re not forgetting something?”

She sighed, sliding down a smooth rock face. “No leads. The Great and Powerful Trixie never forgets.”

“What did you have for breakfast this morning?”

Trixie bit her lip. “That doesn’t prove anything,” she blurted. “Opal and Celestia didn’t tell me anything more about these ponies… just that they exist and have mysterious black boxes.”

“And we don’t even know if they are the attackers. Is that correct?”

Trixie sped up her cadence, catching up to Discord. “Y-yes, that’s correct.”

“Pft,” Discord spat. “Then why worry? And who knows? Sometimes you find answers in the most unexpected places. Don’t you agree?”

Out of the side of the mountain, a cave appeared. It was low to the ground, puffs of moss covering the outer rim. Deep within was a dim light, flickering in the darkness.

“We’re here,” Discord announced, gesturing to the cave. He placed a claw on the stone, giving an open, sweeping gesture. “Ladies first.”

“Glad to see chivalry’s not dead,” Trixie mumbled to herself. She stared down into the cave. “Much better than the sewers.”

“That remains to be seen,” the draconequus said devilishly. “Oh, and mind the drop.”
Trixie glanced back at Discord. “The dro—”

He slapped her flank, and before she knew it, she was sliding forward, slick rock dropping downwards before her. She backed her forelegs up as best as she could. The light at the end of the cave grew ever brighter. Both her hooves and her rump went numb at the rickety surface of the rock.

The light illuminated a hole at her hooves, and the rock beneath them disappeared. She fell, spinning and flipping when water caught her. She spread her hooves out, gathering her bearings. She tried to ignore her mouthful of water when she spotted the light at the surface. She frantically paddled upward, her lungs burning from lack of air. When she thought she couldn’t bear it anymore, she broke the surface, gasping for air through the water in her mouth. She gagged, sputtering and coughing as she swam to the edge of the water. When her hooves hit land, she let herself dangle, coughing another fit.

Suddenly, a spearhead nearly nicked her in the nose. Then two. Then three. Trixie slowly raised her head in horror as she saw the three bearers. They all bore black and white striped coats, their manes short and bristly. On their faces appeared to be tribal markings, the foundation chalky white with red swirls on their cheeks.

Trixie caught a breath in her chest. Zebras?

With a pop, Discord appeared right in front of her, standing atop the spears, making the Zebras’ heads collectively pitch downward. “Ladies, ladies!” he exclaimed, and they froze in their tracks. “Please, she’s with me.”

There was a pause, and the draconequus picked up his feet and floated, the Zebras harnessing their spears shortly after. To Trixie’s surprise, they bowed, turning about face and marching off.

“That wasn't too bad, wasn't it?” Discord mused, planting his feet on the ground once more. “I mean, a free water slide! This place is full of thrills!”

Trixie’s face burned, her gut twisting in anger. She climbed onto land, shaking out her soaked coat. “Discord. Would you come a little closer, please?”

The draconequus shrugged. He stepped closer to her.

“Closer.”

He leaned down, his maw only inches from hers. “My, if you’re expecting a kiss, I'm afraid I'm spoken fo--”

Trixie lifted a hoof and let it fly. The back of it hit Discord square on the cheek, sending him sprawling to the earth.

Discord held his cheek in a combination of surprise, pain, and dismay. He propped himself up on his elbow. “What was that for?” he yelped.

Trixie stormed to him, standing over his draconic body. She brought her face close to his so that their muzzles almost touched. “Don't you ever touch me like that again!” she hissed.

Discord put his claws up as if surrendering, his expression nonchalant. “Okay, alright? I'm sorry.”
Trixie brought her face closer so that their noses were touching. Her face burned in furious fire as she lit her horn. But Discord was still unfazed. She grunted, stepping off of him. “Do whatever you need to do,” she growled. “Trixie will make you pay for this later.”

Discord frowned, disappearing and reappearing with a pop, this time upright. He turned. “Follow me,” he commanded in a low tone, gesturing in front of him.

And so Trixie followed. As she did, she found herself awestruck at the sheer enormousness of the cave itself. It seemed to be the size of two hoofball fields, maybe three. The roof of the cavern soared above them, it's rough body covered with spiky stalagmites.

Soon, she realized that she was walking on a wooden drawbridge, its ropes caked in dirt but otherwise well-kept. Curious, she strafed to the side, peering over the edge. Below them was a lake with an odd glow. Could it be enchanted? she thought, pulling away from the edge once more.

When they crossed the drawbridge, the tribe's village came into view. They were all wooden structures, built in ways that Trixie wasn’t familiar with. They were topped with layers upon layers of wood and straw. She could've sworn she saw to adults and a child on one roof, the child bouncing up and down. She grimaced each time his hooves hit the roof.

But when they caught her eye, they stopped dead and bowed, almost kissing the ground. Trixie looked about at both sides of the line of houses, and realized families coming out of their huts if not to see her. But Trixie realized that they were not groveling at her. Discord stood tall, walking royally as little children took excited peeks at him.

She knit her eyebrows. “Discord?” she asked. “What’s going on? Who are these zebras?”

“And to think that one has the audacity to call our lord by his name?” The voice came from the left, in front of a fork between buildings. The zebra was thin and sickly, the blacks on his coat faded. He had yellow markings above his eyes like the rays of the sun.

“Boona,” Discord said as the zebra bowed. “I see that this village is well.”

“Indeed,” he replied. He stood, his hooves shaking. “They’re my family as well as yours.” He peeked over his shoulder at Trixie, a look of disgust forming on his face. “What is this farda doing here with you? Don’t you see that she blasphemies?”

He waved a claw in dismissal. “It’s fine.” He stepped forward. “But I need to talk to you, if you have a moment.”

Boona bowed his head. “Anything for you, m'lord.” He straightened up, gesturing to the road behind him. “Come. Let us discuss.”

He took a step forward, but Trixie lit her horn and grabbed his arm. He was yanked backward. “Discord, what’s going on?” she demanded.

The draconequus gave her a grave expression. “My distant past.” He lifted the arm that was covered in Trixie’s aura. “If you would?”

She knit her eyebrows once more, letting her horn dissipate. The aura faded from Discord’s arm, and he wrung that same claw. “Thank you,” he mumbled, turning and trudging toward the fork in the road.

She stood in silence, the wheels in her head turning. His past? She thought. She didn’t figure that anything remained of his past. It had been a millennia since then. But now…? What was Discord not telling her? Who was Boona to him?

“Wow,” a tenor voice not unlike a creaking door sounded. “You definitely know how to make an appearance.”

Trixie turned. Behind her was another pony with an orange coat and blond mane. On his flank was a four-sided star, an anvil and hammer. His mane covered half on one blood orange eye.

“I guess,” she said, looking back toward the fork in the road. Discord was gone. She looked back at the colt. “Who are you?”

“Not very polite, are you?” He laughed to himself as Trixie gave him a scowl. “All the same. My name’s Spark. An apprentice blacksmith.”

He held out a hoof, and she hesitantly took it. “Trixie,” she responded, shaking it.

“So I figured.” He looked around. “Even when they come from outside, this whole village is one of troublemakers.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow, shifting her weight to one side. “What do you mean?”

Spark gestured around him, stopping at points. She followed his hoof and realized he was pointing to the zebras. “You saw them bowing before Discord, as if he were royalty or some sort of god.” He let his hoof down with a clop. “What does this tell you?”

She shrugged. “That they’re worshiping him.”

He rolled his eyes. “I thought unicorns were supposed to be booksmart,” he cracked wise to Trixie’s irritation. “But no, they’re Discordian. Have been a thousand years ago and will be to the grave.”

“And what is a teenager like you worshipping Discord too?” Trixie shot, glaring at him. Even though he was just a teenager, he was pressing the wrong buttons.

He placed a hoof on his chest. “I don’t worship him,” he said, raising his eyebrows. “Celestia knows that we don’t need to encourage him.” He set his hoof down once more, pacing the ground in front of her. “I just meandered my way here and was captured. I’m not allowed to leave or they will kill me.”

Her glare losing its fire, Trixie felt a pit in her stomach. She would’ve felt differently had it been someone older. But he was only a teenager. Also, what implications did his capture have on her? She shook her head. Discord will figure something out, she thought. We’re just running an errand after all.

As if losing interest in pacing, Spark kicked at the ground. “In turn, they give me materials to work with to keep me from trying to leave. I’m pretty much their arms supplier now.” He sighed, sending a cold spike of pity through Trixie’s heart. “I do manage to trade some trinkets every now and again, but only when trusted traders come in every month or so.”

Trixie knit her eyebrows. “Your parents must be worried sick.”

He shrugged. “They’re a bunch of drunkards, really. Spend too much money on ale to even take care of themselves.” His eyes locked firmly to the ground below him. “I’m lucky that I’m the only child. I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving any siblings behind.”

Spark straightened up, turning to face Trixie. “Well, enough boo-hooing about myself. I figure that the Zebras will be a little less than hospitable towards you. While you’re waiting for your friend Discord, why don’t you settle down at my place for a bit? I figure that he’s going to be a while. Boona really loves to talk.”

Reluctance stirred in Trixie’s gut. This colt was a brat, that much was sure. But then again, it would be far better than being on her own. She didn’t even know how long Spark must’ve been in seclusion in this tribe. The least she could do was spend some time with him.

“I guess,” Trixie mumbled.

Spark’s ears perked up a bit more, and for a split second his whole countenance changed. “Really?” Then, as if noticing the slip, the excitement dimmed from his eyes, and he cleared his throat. “I mean, I…” He let out a tiny snort, gesturing behind him. “Anyways, I’m just down this fork. Follow me.”

Trixie gave Spark a curious look. What was that all about? She shrugged it off.

Following his lead, Trixie headed down the right fork in the road, opposite what Discord took. She took a nervous glance down the other, hoping that she would see him. However, there was no sign of him as the first building swept the other street out of view.

It was a straight shot from there. Spark walked calmly down the street as Zebras turned their heads. Their eyes were sceptical slits when they landed on Trixie. She bowed her head a little, ears flopping down in a vain attempt to hide her face. She’d faced tough crowds before. Only this one had a prejudice in their eyes that she’d never seen before.

“Don’t mind them,” Spark chirped, taking a look back at her. He slowed his pace. “As you can imagine, they don’t take kindly to newcomers.”

“I know,” she said softly, accidentally bumping into Spark’s flank. “Sorry!”

Trixie caught a glance of a small smile. “Don’t worry. Hut’s just down here.”

He gestured to a staircase to the right. He approached it, stepping down smoothly to the bottom landing. However, as Trixie approached, her heart jumped into her throat. The wooden stairs were thin with very noticeable gaps giving a jagged window to the watery abyss below.

“C’mon, the stairs won’t bite,” Spark teased, probably noticing her widened eyes. “Thing’s been in tact for longer than I’ve been here.”

She took in a shaky breath, swallowing the lump in her throat. “Okay…” she mumbled to herself, putting a hoof out. Butterflies filled her stomach as her hoof fell, landing with a solid knock against the wooden stair. Relief flooding in her chest, she opened her eyes, not even remembering having closed them. She tentatively descended the stairs one step at a time before she reached the landing.

“Wo-o-ow,” Spark chortled. “Any longer and the wood would rot.”

Trixie growled. “Y’know, I’d be fine waiting for Discord on my own.”

He raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Do you even remember where you came?”

“It’s literally only two turns.”

The eyebrow flattened, and he bit his lip, crossing his front legs. “Well, I mean, I guess…”

Trixie sighed, squaring up to Spark. “You could drop the act. It’s not impressing anyone.”

He giggled nervously. “W-what act? I don’t even…” He rubbed the back of his neck, then he cleared his throat. “A-anyway. This—” His hoof flew in a grand gesture. “—is my humble abode.”

Trixie glanced the house over. It was like the other ones in make and detail. The only difference was the blackened walls. Curious, she scraped her hoof against it, and it came of clearly on its tip. Soot, perhaps?

Spark cleared his throat once more. “Anyway, head on in. I’ve got a bottle that I need to finish off, and I can’t do it alone.”

Warning bells sounded in her head. Even though she doubted that the teenager would do something nefarious, the whole environment was sketchy. She took a brief look around her. Even though the house was still close to others by a reasonable margin, it was farther away than the others were from each other. Not to mention the whole situation of a lone colt in stranger territory getting his hooves on the only other pony around, who just so happened to be her.

She took a deep breath and headed inside the hut. If the teenager tried anything, then she could just blast him away. Celestia knew that that was one of the only things she could do with her horn.

The interior was nothing special. A thin mattress stood on a box spring in the back corner, in the other a bucket, most likely for washing. To her immediate left, however, was a small blacksmith’s forge. The sheer amount of steel in that area made Trixie wonder how it hadn’t broken through the floor yet. A singular table stood a little ways from the opposite corner, with a greenish bottle perched atop it.

The door swung shut behind her, the only light coming from a single lantern hung on the wall. “Nice place, isn’t it?” Spark asked behind her, pride singing in his voice.

She kept her tail near as she slowly turned around. “Well, it’s not what I’m accustomed to,” she managed. The air smelt of spent fire and stale alcohol with a mix of chemicals. The mixture clung to the back of her throat, the tingling sensation making her want to gag.

“It may be much better,” Spark ventured, walking to the table. “If memory serves, you live in your own little shack. Is that correct?”

“Not recently,” Trixie answered, moving only two paces from the doorway. “In fact, the Great and Powerful Trixie has adopted a higher standard of living since then.”

The teenager whistled, pulling two glasses from a trunk by the table. “Really?” He set the glasses down on the table with a clack, then pulled open the cap of the bottle. “What town would so eagerly accept a unicorn such as you?”

Growling, Trixie glanced toward the doorway. Even if he wasn’t any real danger, his annoying demeanor was irritating enough that the tough looks from the zebras were better by comparison. She didn’t need to stay.

However, there was something about him that was off. Estranged from a zebra village, he must’ve adopted his facade to appear tough and independent. But the way his eyes lit up when Trixie agreed to visit him in his home reminded her of a childlike excitement, as if he was eagerly awaiting a situation like this.

Spark poured both the glasses, holding one out to Trixie. “Here,” he said, and for a second, his facade broke again. This gesture was more gentle.

Trixie managed a small smile, lighting her horn to take the glass. The cracks were showing, but if she could break him open and see who his true self was…

“Aren’t you a little too young to drink?” she asked. She held the glass out in front of her aways.

He shrugged. “The zebras don’t think much of it, so long as I’m content.” He took a big swig from his own glass, nearly emptying it. He let out a puff of air.

“Content, huh?” Trixie asked flatly. She placed the glass on a bench in the blacksmith shop.

The teenager knit his eyebrows. “Yeah. Content.” He stared down at his glass before putting it on the table.

She took a step forward. “Something tells me that you aren’t.”

Spark gave a mix between a hiccup and a laugh. “That’s… ridiculous.” He picked up his glass once more, taking one final swig until it was empty.

“Is it?” the show-pony asked. Her mind slipped into a calm state. This was her stage now. “I don’t know about you, but I’d be pretty disappointed if I had to move from a higher class living to this. Secluded by everyone around you.”

Spark froze, his eyes wide. “You don’t know anything.”

“You thought you could make your own independent living. Moving out on your own.” Trixie stepped forward. “But it’s proving to be more difficult than you thought. So you turn to drinking to cope with your own stress. You try to shrug it off, adopting this ‘tough’ facade to make it seem like you’re okay. But it’s not okay. You’re just a wreck.”

“You don’t know anything!” The teenager tossed himself onto Trixie, flipping her on her back with a slam. Their muzzles were only inches apart, and Trixie lit her horn. In the light, she could see the despair in his wide eyes, his breath heavy.

Glass shattered to Trixie’s side, and Spark jolted upright. He scrambled to his forge. “Nononono…” he mumbled frantically, pulling out a small wooden crate now stained with the greenish fluid of the beverage, shattered glass sprinkled across the top of it.

Trixie sat up as he pulled the lid open, revealing stained straw inside. In between it all were six small black boxes with intricate, vine-like patterns etched into the sides.

When he gave a sigh of relief, however, her breath froze in her chest. Black boxes. If these were what she thought they were…

“Spark,” Trixie breathed. “What are those?”

The teenager straightened up, one eyebrow raised. “Antiques,” he answered slowly. “Why?”

The air crackled behind them. Trixie scrambled to her hooves, backing up into the table as Discord snapped into existence. His eyes glew with dying coals of irritation, his posture somewhat slumped over. He looked around, his eyes narrowing. “Nice,” he said caustically, his voice lower than usual.

“Thank you,” Spark chirped, the sarcasm obviously flying gracefully over his head.

The draconequus raised an eyebrow, blinked, then turned his gaze to Trixie. “I can’t believe I’m actually saying this…” He rubbed one arm with his other claw. “... But I actually, legitimately need your help.”

“Discord,” Trixie addressed in as calm a voice as she could. She gestured back to the box that still lay wide open. “Black boxes.”

His eyes flicked over to the box, then up to Spark, his eyes widening a little. “We’ll talk later,” he growled. He turned back to Trixie. “But there’s no time for that now, I’m afraid.”

“No time?” Trixie echoed, her mind going through a twist. She stepped forward. “Discord, what’s going on?”

Discord raised his eyebrows, holding up a claw. “Would you like the long version or the short version?” he asked, counting off on his digits.

“The short version.”

“Well,” the draconequus started, holding one digit up. He bit his lip. “I think Boona is trying to kill me.”

Chapter IV - Mind Games

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Trixie felt that she should be more surprised at this revelation than she was.

“Great,” she said casually. “What else is new?”

Discord widened his eyes in a miffed expression. “Trixie, this is serious.”

“And you seriously think that you have no enemies?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Hang on,” Spark interjected, one hoof clumsily in the air. “W-what’s going on?”

“You’re not apart of this,” the draconequus snapped, extending one claw toward him. He glanced at Trixie. “We need to head outside.”

Glancing back at Spark, she mumbled, “Right.” She followed Discord out the door and up the stairs.

“So, what’s going on, Discord?” she asked, stopping in front of him. She raised an eyebrow.

The draconequus hesitated, his eyes drifting away from hers. He heaved a heavy sigh. “All right, fine. Let me tell you a story.” His legs lifted off the ground, assuming a semi-reclined position. He picked at his claws. “A long time ago, when I took the throne from the Two Princesses, I was intent on making things as comfortable as possible. While redecorating the castle was the first step, I soon found that it wasn’t enough. Nearby, there was a tribe of Zebras who were causing a dreadful amount of trouble. They had a penchant for religion, so I slipped into their minds and changed a few things.”

Trixie’s breath froze in her lungs. “You made them worship you?” She stepped back, aghast.

Discord nodded as if in slow motion. “Bingo,” he said, his voice falling flat like iron.

The unicorn stiffly squared back up to him, knitting her eyebrows. “But that doesn’t make any sense,” she breathed. She gestured back to the town. “Why would the chief want to kill you if you’re their god?”

Sitting up, the draconequus landed once again on the wooden cantilever. “That’s the question at hand,” he said, stroking his goatee. “I can only assume it’s because he thinks that I’m not the real Discord. Which is funny, because there’s only one of me.”

Trixie nodded slowly to herself, absorbing all of the information. She’d never figure that Discord, even unreformed, would go that far. She just couldn’t wrap her head around it.

She shook the thought out of her mind. That wasn’t important right now. What was important was how to right the situation at hoof. “What do you need me to do?” she asked submissively.

Discord flicked out one claw from his goatee. “I need you to put on a show. We need to gather all of the residents in one area. Once we do that, we can undo the spell.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow, stepping forward, letting one hoof dangle. “What about Boona?”

The draconequus sighed. “That's the tough part. You see, I went up to him to ask him to gather the town together so I can undo it. That's why he thinks I'm not the… genuine article, you could say.” He rolled his shoulders back. “With him convinced of that, it'll be much harder to pull this off before word spreads.”

“I can set things up pretty quickly,” she said. “I don't really need an extravagant set to pull off a couple tricks.” She sighed, kicking at the floor. “Even though that would be preferred.”

“I can help with that,” Spark’s voice pierced through the doorway. He stepped out a tad bit too fluidly.

Trixie squared up to him. “You don't have to,” she insisted, reluctance stirring in her gut. “I can do this myself.”

“Please,” he said in a voice close to a whimper. “I… I have to do it. I can't just sit here and watch.”

She cocked her head to the side. This wasn't the dickish pony that she had come to know. This was the face beneath the facade… the true, feeble teenager that Spark had been hiding all along.

“You heard her the first time,” Discord began, scowling. “We don't need--”

“I think…” Trixie interrupted. “I think I would benefit from an extra pair of hooves.”

The draconequus turned to her, his jaw dropped wide. “B-but you just said…”

The unicorn waved her hoof on dismissal. “He should be fine,” she explained. “Besides, he’s an accomplished blacksmith. I'm pretty sure we can put him to great use.”

The teenager perked up. “Thank you!” he beamed. He trotted right next to Trixie, swaying ever so slightly to the right.

Discord blinked, his blank expression between outright confusion and genuine shock. He closed his gaping maw while Trixie held back a snicker. “... A-anyway! I’d rather not be near when all Tartarus breaks loose. I’ll be over…” He looked over each of his shoulders before stabbing a single tallon toward the shack. “I’ll just stay in there. Tell me when you’re done, and I’ll start gathering the zebras around.”

Trixie nodded. Probably for the best, she thought. If word spreads too quickly, best he stays as far away as possible. She gestured Spark along, walking up to the street. She cast her eyes about, and oddly enough, the once populated streetside was vacant. She bit her lip. Word cannot have spread that fast.

“Spark,” she called.

“Yes, Trixie?”

“I need something to elevate me a little above the crowd,” she requested, raising her hoof until it was dangling in front of her chest. “A rock, a soapbox…” A stage. “Anything that will do the trick.”

Spark nodded emphatically. “Actually, we keep a soapbox near Boona’s house. He uses it for his sermons.”

“That’ll work.”

The teenager nodded once more, galloping toward the fork.

Exhaling a puff of air, Trixie lit her horn and undid her saddlebags. She was floating when the weight lifted off of her. She lay them out in front of her, undoing a latch, and rummaging through her belongings.

A couple smoke bombs, she listed mentally. Cloth, necessities—

She stopped when she came across a small wooden box. It was red oak and pretty weighty for its size. All of the corners were rounded except for the bottom that was covered with black felt. Engraved on it was a perfectly rounded heart with the cursive inscription of Momma below it.

Trixie’s heart fell when she saw it. How long had she been carrying it around for? Had it been that long? She lit her horn, twirling the box gently before her. After a moment’s hesitation, she opened it, revealing a silver necklace, an amethyst in the shape of a four-point star hanging at the front.

“Got it!” Spark’s voice proclaimed in the distance. Trixie jumped, hurriedly stuffing the necklace back into the box and into her saddlebag. Spark appeared around the far corner, the soapbox swaying to one side and the other on his back. Fighting her muscles clenching, she galloped toward him, lighting her horn just before the box toppled of his back. Feeling her mind strain, she levitated the box in front of her.

“This is a lot... heavier than Trixie anticipated,” the unicorn grunted. She turned walking a few steps toward the center of the street. She fought her own shakiness as she set the box down with a light clunk. She didn’t know that she was holding her breath until she let go of the box, letting out a puff of air.

“Nothing but the best for Boona,” he sighed caustically. He walked over to her, studying the box.

Trixie clenched her jaw so it didn’t fall open. For a tipsy teenager, Spark appeared to be doing quite well. How in the world did he even get the soapbox on his back? She thought in awe.

Spark circled the soapbox once more with a blank expression. As if suddenly realizing what he was doing, he blinked, leaning to one side. “Is there anything else that you need?” he asked, whatever eagerness he had had evaporating from his voice.

She frowned, stepping on the soapbox. The teenager’s head was up to her knee. Good, she thought. She lifted her head, scanning the area around her. The street was plenty wide, enough to fit quite a few zebras who wanted to look in. And with her on the soapbox, she wouldn’t be obscured in the crowd.

She nodded to herself. “There’s nothing else I can think of,” she admitted, stepping down from the soapbox. A jolt of pain shot up her leg and across her barrel, and she flinched. She carefully walked her hind legs down.

She saw Spark knitting his eyebrows. “Well,” he started, puffing his cheeks out. “What now?”

Trixie knit her eyebrows, stretching her foreleg out in front of her and leaning back. “We figure out the show, I guess.” Once the pain subsided, she squared right back up, the back of her foreleg buzzing.

Her eyebrows deepened to a scowl. There wasn’t much here. All she had was just the standard things; no big props to leave an impression. She could do the small things, but it just wasn’t her style. She bit her lip. Discord is counting on me, she remembered.

She inhaled deeply, slowly letting the breath out. She’d have to make an exception this time.

Without thinking, she pulled the cloth out of her saddlebag, careful not to disturb anything else inside. It was thin as paper, yet was a little longer than her. She flicked the cloth, twirling it around itself until it was rolled corner to corner. She gave it a quick tug at both ends, the cloth snapping taut in the middle.

She smiled to herself. Still good, she thought.

But as she was doing this, her mind wandered. Sometimes it ended up in blank places, but mostly, she became curious as to who Spark had been. She gulped. He’d admitted that his parents were a bunch of drunkards. He was no different. But would it be too sensitive a subject to ask? After all, she only knew him for a biggie of a couple hours.

“So Spark,” she said before she was aware of it.

The colt’s head jolted up, as if to a sudden awakening. “W-what is it?” he stammered, sniffing.

Trixie cursed at herself under her breath, anxiety jumping into her throat. She couldn’t go back now. “So… um…” You can do better than this, Trixie! she thought, struggling over both her anxiety and the awkwardness she created. She cleared her throat. “So… who were you? You know, before you came here.”

His expression turned grim. His eyes locked to the floor. “Well… I told you my parents were always drunk. But that wasn’t always the case. In fact, when I was little, they rarely ever touched alcohol.” He inhaled through his nose, stretching back, then exhaled through his mouth. His back slouched before long. “But, when I was about ten, things went down the crapper. I dunno exactly what happened, but I do remember a name: Aurora. That was when the fighting happened.

“Before long, my parents pretty much crippled themselves. They didn’t have enough money to support me, we were about to be evicted, they were filing divorce papers, but couldn’t afford the court fees. So the drinking continued, and the fights got more bitter. About a week before we were to be evicted, I ran away. I couldn’t be around them any longer if they were just going to destroy themselves.

“I remember that I had climbed to the bottom of Canterlot Peak when I’d tripped and fell down that hole.” He extended a hoof, pointing toward the weak shafts of light protruding from where Trixie had fallen. “They were suspicious of me, but rather than killing me on the spot, they jailed me. You see, the Princesses ordered the extermination of the Discordian faith a long time back, and they’ve been living here in secret for a little more than a thousand years. So if anyone got the secret out…”

Trixie nodded, a sick feeling settling in her stomach. That was a part of history that was just glossed over in school. No justification, no details, just that the Two Princesses had gotten rid of the Discordian faith. But to think that it was an all out extermination dumbfounded her.

“So I made a living here, when they had pretty easily convinced me to keep the secret. I have no idea why I came up with the tough facade, only that it put me at ease.” He shifted, puffing his cheeks out. “But I never expected someone to come around and break it down.”

Trixie nodded slowly. That explained why he was here. But he was avoiding the question. “But who were you?”

Spark shrugged. “Nobody, really. Just the common teenager going to trade school. Wasn’t much into the social scene… not like I am now, anyway.” He stretched out a hoof. “I just worked as an apprentice, improving myself until things were just unlivable with my family.” He sighed. “Sorry if it wasn’t as exciting as you thought.”

A tinge of frustration dropped in her chest. His know-it-all-ness didn’t change. “No—Spark. That wasn’t why I asked.”
The teenager sighed once more. “I think we should put together the show,” he said ultimately, his words falling like a thick iron door.

She gulped down her irritation. “Right,” she said flatly, and she went back to her bag, yanking things out one by one, her thoughts weaving together as she brainstormed the possible tricks she could do.

It had only felt like an hour before she had everything set. The show would be brief, barely scraping ten minutes before she ran out of materials to work with.

Anxiety welled up in Trixie’s chest. Even though she was exceptional at it, her gut churned at the thought of improvising. The one time in Canterlot was one of her off moments, but she despised it. That, and what she had planned gave her little comfort.

She bit her lip. It was do or die at this point… maybe literally.

“Okay,” she said finally. She nodded to Spark. “Let’s tell Discord.”

“You rang?” a disembodied voice announced, making Trixie jump. Discord’s body appeared between the two, hovering just above the ground.

She huffed, her heart thumping in her throat. “What was that for? We could’ve just come to you!”

Discord lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “I thought I’d spare you the walk. What sort of gentleman would I be to force a lady to come fetch me?”

“Well!” she began, her voice immediately dying in her throat. It was a small gesture, but thoughtful. “Whatever…” she mumbled finally, her cheeks burning.

The draconequus’ lips lifted in a small smirk. “Anyways, shall we begin?”

“I suppose.”

He smiled. “All right. I’ll round up the Zebras.” With a flick of the wrist and a snap, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

A newfound urgency shot through her body, and she stepped up on the soapbox, facing down the alley. Her eyes shot to her saddlebag, cursing at herself for almost forgetting. She lit her horn, and the long, star-strewn cape flicked in the wind before her. It was a little wrinkled, but it would have to do. She draped it over her back, doing up the collar around her neck, straightening it up.

Positions!

She squared herself up to the river of black and white heading toward her, whatever anxiety that was left over dissipating. Check.

Game face on!

The magician straightened her posture, her mind focused on the crowd. She was there to please, to entertain. She not only would hold the attention of the audience, she was the master of their minds. Check.

The crowds got closer, and in the back of her mind, she was impressed with Discord. He was doing his magic. Resolve steeled her heart. Show time!

“Come one, come all!” she proclaimed, shooting a hoof in a sweeping motion outward. “Witness the strange, the wild, the guiles of the Great and Powerful Trrrrrrixie!” She lit her horn, setting off smoke bombs to either side of the soapbox. A jolt of euphoria filled her body, and she reared jovially, relief flooding her body like nothing before.

It’s been a long time, she thought. Too long.

Pride pounded in her heart as the Zebra’s faces made a collective ‘o’, especially the excitement in the foals’ faces. She couldn’t help the wide smile on her face.

Waiting a second more, she lit her horn again, and pieces of cloth jumped forth from the smoke on either side of the soapbox, folding and rolling into snakes. They wrapped around the first wave of the crowd, encircling them and jumping over them. They did the same for the second, then the third before they did an about face, slithering as fast as bullets back toward Trixie, the cloth wrapping around her head, then up like a cone. Slowly, the cloth disappeared into a witch’s hat atop her head. She tilted the brim of the hat halfway over her eyes, a cunning smile on her lips as the first round of applause thundered in.

She took a quick glance toward the back of the crowd, and Discord appeared there. Good job! he mouthed, putting a thumb up. He then put one index claw up, disappearing soon after.

“Trixie would like to thank you all for coming out tonight,” she projected, suppressing a flinch when she realized that she didn’t know if it was day or night at that point. She banished the thought to the back of her mind, and continued. “Now, for Trixie’s next act, she will need a volunteer.”

Hooves speckled the rows of heads, but in about the third row, a small colt jumped up and down, waving his hooves frantically, squeaking words in a language she hardly understood. She laughed to herself. “Why not the enthusiastic colt over there?” she asked, pointing to him. A mare next to him who she guessed was his mother nudged him, mumbling something to him. His jaw fell open, and he pranced up to the side of the soapbox. The smaller, the better, she thought.

“Trixie will make this young colt disappear!” she announced, sliding over, and tapping the space beside her. The colt hopped up to the spot, giggling in excitement. “Now this would be easy for a unicorn such as I,” she continued, the lie flowing smoothly off her tongue. “So, in order to make this much challenging…”

She bent down, lighting her horn. A second later, a ring flew in front of her made out of what appeared to be glossy marble. “This ring will suppress Trixie’s magic,” she exaggerated, showing it around to the crowd. Bringing it back around, she then fitted it atop her horn, letting gravity shove it to the base. She focused on the saddlebag in front of her, stiffening and scrunching her face.

After a small effort, she relented. She undid her cape, flinging it off her back with a hoof. “Now, if Trixie uses her Cape of Wonder…” She draped the cape right in front of the colt’s nose. “... And give it a little flick…” She shoved the cape outward, concentrating hard. Keeping her face straight, she let the cape drop to the ground. She could still see the colt, but the crowd’s eyes went wide, their jaws falling agape. She ignored the colt’s furrowed brow as she stepped aside as far as she could go, gesturing to her side with an open hoof. She took a little curtsey as the crowd began to applaud.

“However,” she began again, stepping off the soapbox. She scooped her cape off the wooden floor with her hoof. “What sort of disappearing act would it be…” She flicked the cape in the wind with both hooves. “If the subject were not to reappear?” She threw the cape up into the air by the edges, soaring remarkably straight up. She relaxed her focus, and the colt reappeared, and the crowd once again gasped in unison, another round of applause coming. She curtseyed once more. The jovial colt hopped excitedly back to his mother.

“What is this?” A voice hissed from the back of the crowd. Boona barged into the crowd, breaking through the front. His roared with a furious fire. He turned back to the zebras, shooting a hoof outward. “You do know that you applaud for an enemy? One of the ones who took our Lord and enslaved him in stone?”

With a flash, Discord materialized beside Trixie. “They’re all here. It’ll take a moment for me to focus on all of them.”

Boona shot a look over his shoulder, flipping around. “And that thing isn’t our Lord!” he bit, jutting his hoof toward him. “He’s a terrorist, trying to strip us of our faith. Was it he who invited you all here? To partake in some pagan sorcery?”

Murmurs stirred in the crowd, and Trixie’s heart dropped in her stomach. This isn’t good, she thought, casting her eyes about, her hoof tucked against her chest. She needed to shut him up. But how?

She reached up to her hat, but froze. “That’s it!” she breathed, fishing her hoof under the brim and tossing it forward. When it squished against Boona’s side, Trixie focused, and the hat unweaved. The tendrils of fabric wrapped around his mouth and his legs, tying off with elegant knots. He gave a muffled scream as he teetered sideways, landing on his cheek with a smack.

She turned, and a sort of haze draped over her mind. “Discord!”

When he opened his yellow eyes, they were bloodshot and contracted. He snapped his claws together, the sound explosive. A pinkish haze settled over the zebras, and startled gasps sounded for a split second before being overtaken by absolute silence. Trixie squinted through the haze. As it cleared, the zebras shot their eyes this way and that. Confused mumbles filled the air as they focused on Discord and her.

To Trixie’s surprise, Discord stepped down from the soapbox, his head hung. “I…” he started, his voice crackling. He inhaled deeply. “I’m sorry for what I’ve done to you,” he finished, his back slumping even further. “You don’t have to forgive me for this. For anything that I’ve done.”

The crowd of zebras glanced toward one another, their mutters laced with fire.

“... Get out,” one said from the midst of them.

The crowd burst into an uproar, the wave of noise hitting Trixie like a tsunami. She took a step back. “Discord!” she yelled in horror as the crowd started to march toward him. But he didn’t move a muscle.

“Trixie!” a voice screamed behind her. She turned to see Spark, one hoof on the soapbox. “Vanhoover and the Crystal Empire! Those were the last places I sold the antiques!”

The unicorn knitted her eyebrows. “Vanhoover and the Crystal Empire,” she echoed. “Got it!” She turned back around, lighting her horn and concentrating. She jumped forward toward Discord, barely getting her saddlebag around her as she pictured the cave entrance. She wrapped her hooves around his neck when she accelerated rapidly. Her ears popped as they both tumbled down the crest of the hill.

At the end of it, they skidded to a halt. Trixie grimaced, the wind knocked out of her. She gathered herself to her hooves, only to notice that Discord was no longer moving. Her chest icy with horror, she crouched over him, his limp body between both her hooves. “Discord!” she exclaimed, her voice raspy. She nudged his cheek, and it limply rolled back into place.

“No, no, no!” she breathed, her heart racing in panic. Did she do this? Was it his magic? Was he hurt while she wasn’t looking? She brought the back of her hoof over his chest.

“My… my…” Discord’s voice weakly mused. “Didn’t know you cared so much, my little magician.”

Whatever breath Trixie had froze in her chest. Her cheeks burned as if she was on fire. She pursed her lips as she stepped off of him. “The Great and Powerful…” She rasped for another breath. “... Trixie was only worried about… losing her guide.”

The draconequus rolled his eyes. “If you say so,” he mumbled, sitting up.

The unicorn closed her eyes, focusing on getting her breath back. That pink mist… what exactly was it? Was it just a visual manifestation of his own magic? Or did he literally make a toxin that got rid of his former spell?

She knit her eyebrows. “Discord,” she began, her voice fuller than before. “Why did you turn them back?”

The draconequus hesitated. “Why do you ask?”

She shrugged. “It just… wasn’t you. As far as I know, you enjoy sowing at least some chaos. Why was this different?”

Discord brought his talon to his chin, his eyes closed. “... Have you ever wanted to change yourself for another person?”

Trixie hesitated. She hadn’t thought much about it. But now that she did… “Yes,” she answered.

“That’s why.” The draconequus shifted. “Ever since Fluttershy came into my life… she showed me a new way of looking at things. A way that was much more fulfilling than what I did in the past.”

He put his claw on his knee. “I still enjoy messing with ponies, yes. But… not in the way I did before. My past actions irk me, and this is one of the only things I could fix from then. I want to change who I am, to be worthy of Fluttershy.”

The unicorn knit her eyebrows. “You say that you want to change… but you just stood there as the crowd got closer. Something tells me that they weren’t going to give you roses. Why did you just stand there?”

Discord gave a low growl, flicking one tallon up. “One: I was exhausted.” Another tallon flipped up. “Two…” His voice faltered. “Just don’t patronize me. I do that enough to myself.”

Trixie sucked in her lips, a pang of guilt hitting against her chest. Although, she wondered what he was going to bring up as number two. But she had no time to dwell on it, as the draconequus cleared his throat, clapping his claw and talon on his thighs, standing. “Well, we’d better be moving. If they find a way out of the cave, they will be none too happy to see us.”

The unicorn nodded, straightening up and shaking the guilt out of her head. “Good thing the Clever and Insightful Trixie knows where to go next.”

“... Meaning that that colt told you where his last shipments went.”

“It was hard hearing his voice over the crowd, okay?” she defended. She cleared her throat. “We’re headed to Vanhoover next.”

“It takes almost twelve hours to go there by train,” Discord said. “Unless you can teleport us there.”

“I’ve… only been there once before honestly,” she managed, rubbing her hoof and bowing her head down. “And it’s a long time away. While Trixie is the Greatest and Powerfullest, and could definitely perform a teleportation spell under normal circumstances…”

“You can’t teleport us there.”

“It’s a rather simple way to put it.” She raised her eyebrow at the draconequus. “Unless you can take us there.”

“Unless you want to be torn into Great and Powerful Ribbons in spacetime, I’d suggest we not use my method.”

“How can yours be so different?” she shot at him.

“Draconequus magic functions on distortions in the fabric of reality.” Discord shrugged. “Normal ponies like you don’t fare particularly well when being thrust to a different dimension.”

She grunted. It was a long walk. It took them nearly three hours to walk from Ponyville to Canterlot, one hour by train. That meant it would take thirty-six hours of continuous walking at best to reach Vanhoover.

Then something clicked, but it wasn’t a good click. “Or…” she started. It was an insane idea. But if Celestia was doing everything she could on her end, perhaps they’d be lucky. She shot a grimace at Discord. “... we could take the train.”

Chapter V - A Way North

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This is crazy, Trixie thought, her anxiety-driven nausea burning up into her throat. She and Discord had hiked their way around Canterlot Peak to reach its train station. It had taken about a half an hour, but the whole time, she couldn’t keep her mind from racing. Obviously, there were going to be guards. To make matters worse, it had only been a few hours since her conversation with Celestia; she doubted she could’ve spread the memo that quickly, especially with all that’s been going on.

Nevertheless, she resolved to keep her spirit up. Perhaps Celestia managed to let the guards know that she was supposed to help. Perhaps there weren’t guards stationed there. And even in the worst case scenario, she may be able to slide by with her previous experience on stage. She gulped. I hope.

They turned a corner, following an unoccupied railroad under the mountain. Yellow lamps lit the tunnel walls, the light dancing around the vibrant red brick. It wasn’t long before the hollow clops of Trixie’s hoofsteps bounced from wall to wall. Startled by it, she slowed her pace, trying to mute the noise.

“... think that the Princess would’ve closed the gates here,” a meager voice groaned. Trixie stopped dead in her tracks, her breath cold against her chest as she held it. Of course there are guards, she chided to herself.

“We can’t do much about it,” sighed another voice, this one gruff. “If it isn’t ordered, we don’t do it.”

Trixie hugged the wall, taking slow, shaky steps until she saw it: the junction. The railroad forked here; the left side followed a steep grade up the mountain to Canterlot Station, while the other went straight through to the northeast. A little past the junction were the guards in question, and ahead of them was the train. She stepped back, motioning Discord to do the same. There appeared to only be two of them, but there would undoubtedly be more.

Racking her brain, only to draw blanks, she turned to the draconequus, who just lay reclined in midair. “I know that you’re exhausted,” she whispered. “But could you—”

Discord waved a talon in dismissal. “Childsplay,” he mumbled. He floated ahead of Trixie, brushing her side as he went by. After a moment, he snapped his fingers. In an instant, both guards slumped over, heavy snores following.

She didn’t notice that her jaw had dropped when he turned around. “Simple sleeping spell,” he explained, shrugging.

The unicorn shook her head out of her daze. “W-wait, how was that simple? You knocked them out instantly!”

“You just suppress hormones that dictate wakefulness,” he continued. “It can be a little fickle at times, but ponies tend to have the same criteria in order to fall asleep.”

“And if they don’t?”

“Then they don’t fall asleep or they die.”

“You can kill somepony doing this?”

“You can kill somepony by doing anything,” Discord groaned, tossing his head back. “Now, then, don’t we have a train to catch?”

Trixie struggled to swallow her irritation down. Even though it isn’t what she had in mind… she had to admit to herself that it was effective. She let out a sigh, walking toward the train.

The Friendship Express looked considerably less friendly in the tunnels. What used to be bright and vibrant colors were muted in the darkness, the yellow light distorting it even further. There were still the ever silly designs of the windows and the cars themselves, but the windows were streaked and the bottoms of the cars were blackened.

The unicorn walked to the third car to the engine, her breath becoming noticeably heavier than when they first began. Is the train really this long? She wondered to herself as she lit her horn and opened the door with a little more effort than she’d anticipated. She then cantered car to car, until she was finally in the front.

“Horsefeathers!” she exclaimed in realization, slapping her hoof against her forehead.

“What is it?” Discord asked, sliding next to her.

“How in the world are we going to control this thing?” she aksed miserably, dropping her hoof below her eyes. She saw a series of little buttons and a lever all on a dashboard in front of her. There was a knob that seemed like a steering mechanism, and a bigger button that seemed like an ‘on’ button.

To her surprise, Discord rubbed past her to the dashboard. He interlocked his fingers, cracked his knuckles, and pressed a button to his right. Immediately, the train hummed to life, the bright lights inside illuminating one by one in rapid succession behind her.

When the draconequus turned around, he was wearing a captain’s hat with an anchor emblazoned on the front, the top of it flat as a table. “Like this,” he said nonchalantly, leaning on the dashboard behind him.

Trixie was about to comment on the inappropriateness of the hat when a voice yelled behind them, “Hey! Step away from the train!” She flinched, sticking her head out the window. Three more guards replaced the comatose ones, and they spread out immediately.

She stuck out a little more, waving her hoof in the open air. “Hello? This is the Great and Powerful Trixie, who has been endorsed by Princess Celestia to—” She gasped, pushing herself back into the car as a ball of electricity passed her by.

“Didn’t get the memo,” the draconequus muttered, punching the lever forward. “Let’s get out of here!”

The train lurched into motion, accelerating slowly but surely. Fortunately, the three guards weren’t even close to boarding. When the train sped up, one yelled to the other, “Close the gate!” Not long after, a deafening clank filled the air around them. The train sped up, only to find iron bars inching down from the rock above.

Trixie’s breath felt like ice against her chest. “Discord, we need to go faster!”

“Unless we want to derail the train, we’re stuck at this speed!” Discord yelled back.

“Then what do we do?”

“You’re helpless!” he exclaimed, snapping his fingers. The iron bars came to a halt… for a second or two before they started moving again. Eyes wide, he snapped again and again, but the bars didn’t stop. “Dammit!” he cursed, snapping more. “I can’t keep it up!”

Before long the gate was halfway down. “Pull the brake!” the unicorn screeched.

“You think we can stop when we’re headed this fast?” Discord snapped between gritted teeth. “Not even I can stop the law of physics!”

The gate continued to descend, getting closer by the second. A sick feeling settled in Trixie’s stomach. Is this how I’m going to die? she thought, her blood turning cold. She closed her eyes, turning her head as the bars zoomed toward her…

… No impact came. Trixie opener her eyes, the morning sun blinding her. The first thing she saw was Discord, white-knuckling the throttle and the knob. “Did… did you see that?” he stammered, stiff as a board.

“What happened?” the unicorn asked.

“We hit the gate…” he started. “Then it turned into dust.”

“What?” Curious, she peered out the side window, the wind whipping her mane about wildly. Near the cave exit, Princess Celestia treaded the air, hovering only a few inches from the ground. She waved toward them, and before Trixie could respond, the Princess zoomed into the tunnel, the gate restoring behind her.

“Looks like Princess Celestia came in the knick of time,” Trixie sighed in relief. “But… how did she know?”

“Word... travels fast inside the Canterlot Guard,” Discord’s voice cracked, his shoulders going lax. “When I broke out of my stone prison the first time, Celestia knew within moments.” He took his paw off the throttle, rubbing his neck. “I guess it’s the same thing when I knocked out those guards.”

“How long will they be asleep, by the way?” the unicorn asked, her mind clicking in genuine curiosity.

The draconequus shrugged. “I have no idea. I’ve not been around long enough for them to wake up.”

Trixie tried to say “Hm,” but when she inhaled, she yawned. How long did she have this prickling sensation behind her eyes? She picked up a hoof and rubbed them. She hadn’t slept since the night of the attack, and she was definitely starting to feel it.

“Why don’t you get some sleep?” Discord suggested, catching the yawn from Trixie. “It’s going to be a little while before we arrive at Vanhoover.”

She puffed out her chest. “The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t…” She yawned once more. “... doesn’t need sleep.”

“You keep telling yourself that,” the draconequus said, glancing over his shoulder at her. “You’ll fall asleep where you stand.”

Trixie knit her eyebrows. “What about you? You unhypnotized a whole village last night.”

“I’ll be fine for right now,” Discord insisted, waving his paw in dismissal. “Besides, I’m the only one who knows how to drive a train. Pros of being able to reach into other ponies’ minds.” He turned to her, keeping his talon on the knob, making a shooing motion with his paw. “Now go. Get some sleep.”

The magician rolled her eyes, stepping backwards to turn around. “Only because you insist,” she sighed, turning her flank to him. “Goodnight.”

“Morning.”

“Semantics.” She opened the car doors to the open carriage, her eyes drooping. “Stupid locomotives,” she muttered to herself, fighting the accelerated onset of sleep.

She stopped at the third car. She unstrapped her saddlebag from her barrel, laying it at her side. She unlatched it, taking out the necklace once more. It was all she had left of her. She stared at the four-pointed star, a bittersweet symbol of her mother.

She climbed on the bench, tucking her hooves under her head as she lay. Within moments, she was whisked away into a deep, yet dreamless sleep.

When Trixie woke, the sun sat barely above the opposite horizon. She frowned drowsily. She could’ve sworn that the sun stayed up longer. She sighed. I hate autumn, she thought, sitting up. The necklace jingled, sliding off her chest. She gasped, lit her horn and caught it right before it hit the ground beside her.

“Good evening,” Discord’s voice said. He stood in the doorway, leaning on the casing.

She knit her eyebrows. “Aren’t you supposed to be driving the train?”

He jutted a claw back over his shoulder. “I am.”

Her eyes widened in realization. “Oh,” she mumbled.

Discord’s eyes fell to the necklace that was suspended at best an inch above the ground. “Pretty,” he said. “Though I didn’t think you to be a religious pony, Trixie.”

“I’m not,” she blurted, opening her saddlebag out of reflex. She hesitated. “It… was my mother’s.”

The draconequus eyebrows soared upward. “I simply cannot believe it! The Great and Powerful Trixie finally opens up!” He disappeared from the doorway, reappearing by her side. “Well, go on, tell your story!” He placed his head in his claws, a childlike grin appearing on her face.

“She’s dead.” Trixie deadpanned.

Discord’s expression went blank. He waited, as if expecting a punchline. “O… kay, didn’t expect it to go there. I-I’m sorry.”

The unicorn shrugged. “It was a while ago, honestly. Before I went to Celestia’s all-famous academy.”

“You went to the same place as Twilight, then?”

She nodded. “Well, yes. Had I stayed, I might’ve met her.” Her eyes fell to her lap, sighing. “But tuition was too much for me to handle. No matter what sort of job I tried out, it just wouldn’t suffice. So I dropped out.”

“And then the Great and Powerful Trixie was born, huh?” the draconequus asked.

“It was mostly because of my dad,” she admitted. “He left the religion and set out on his own. He’s a disgusting pony, anyway, only searching for money and sex.” She gave an empty laugh. “And I thought that I could be better. I just… ended up being the exact same and worse.”

The draconequus huffed a puff of air out as he stood. “Well, you can’t get as bad as me.” He walked to the window, and his face suddenly went slack. “Uh-oh.”

“What?” The unicorn flipped around, glancing outside the window and around the bend. Following close behind them was a gold-lined carriage filled with Canterlotian guards. They neared the caboose, prying the door open, jumping inside one by one. “That’s not good.”

“No, it isn’t,” the draconequus responded. “Detatch the cars!”

“On it!” Trixie responded. She hopped up from the bench, galloping to the opposite door, flinging it open. The chilly northern air burst in, penetrating through her coat as she stared at the joint, focusing. At that point, however, the chariot was empty, and it and the driver ascended farther into the air.

Cursing, she lit her horn, imagining a jack between the two plates of iron. Immediately, a headache broke into her mind, quickly reminding her of the castle. I was able to keep Fluttershy safe then, she thought through the pain. I can do this! She lifted with all her might, but the socket wasn’t lifting fast enough. Through reddening vision, she saw the doors in the other car burst open, the guards leaping into the car.

With one last desperate effort, Trixie yanked her head back, followed by a thick clang. She opened her eyes once more to see that she’d detached the car, and the remaining train was slowing down steadily. One inch became a foot, then two feet, then three. The guards halted at the doorway. Relief flooded into Trixie’s chest.

“Move!” a deep voice said amongst the crowd. The guards split in twain, revealing a massive unicorn stallion at the tail end. He reared, bucking into a dead-out sprint. Eyes widening, Trixie jumped out of the way when he easily cleared the now ten foot gap between cars. She had barely time to move as a spark of electricity whipped from his horn toward her, missing her by a hare. Heart pounding, she conjured a small shield as the next volt came, this time ricocheting perfectly off. It went through the open doors and soared into the control panel.

Not a even second later, the front car exploded, tossing the train off the rails. Trixie struggled to keep her footing as the train barrel rolled, tossing her onto her side. Her vision spun as she hit all walls inside the train until finally coming to a stop. Her vision blacked out as she fell once more into the back of the car. Everything else fell silent.

She woke a moment later, looking up at the front door of the train car. Her back ached as she tried to stand, but to no avail. Confused, she glanced out the window to her left. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized she was looking at a cliff face.

“Trixie!” Discord’s voice yelled above her. She looked up, and he stood in the door frame, both his claws holding himself in the doorway. “Are you all right?”

“No!” she screeched, standing up in her awkward nook. The train screeched and lurched downward, her heart leaping up to her throat. Electric tendrils of fear paralyzed her.

“Okay, don’t move!” his voice cracked. “I’ll lift you up!”

That was when out of her peripheral vision, she saw her saddlebags on the other side of the door. Mom’s necklace!

Discord must have caught her gaze. “Don’t! If you move anything down there, the whole train will come crashing down!”

Trixie’s heart rent in two. The last thing she could remember her mother by was in that bag. But he was right. Fighting the stinging in her eyes, she felt herself flying upward past the benches, the saddlebag disappearing behind them. When she reached the doorway, the train lurched one more time. With a whip of his head, Discord tossed Trixie in front of her, the cold, damp air penetrated her skin. The front car’s roof and walls were blasted off, the bases of the walls jutting out toward the back.

A second later, she felt herself accelerating backward, the grade of the car steepening. Heart racing, she galloped to the front. Land retreated away from her. She stomped her hooves and jumped, the remainder of the train falling to the ground below. When her hooves touched the ground, she landed awkwardly, and she rolled forward, her flank slapping on the rock.

Grimacing, she flipped onto her stomach, her mind racing. The rolling train had left trenches in its wake, the ground not too far off torn to shreds. She closed her eyes, filling her lungs as deeply as she could while her heart pounded in her chest.

“That was a close one,” Discord’s voice said to her side, a little too nonchalantly.

Trixie opened her eyes, nodding. Her heart slowed down considerably at this point, but along with that, her body ached, and she felt each fall. Something in her mind clicked. “What about that guard?”

The draconequus shrugged. “Probably at the bottom of the cliff.” He stared at the edge, and Trixie followed his gaze. “Shame, really. He got too ambitious.”

The unicorn’s gaze fixed on the cliff, a bout of unbelief clouding her mind. Did that really just happen? She instinctively checked her back for her saddlebags, but they were gone. The torn ground didn’t betray her thoughts either. Did somepony actually just… die because of her?

She shook the thought out of her head. It couldn’t have been their fault. After all, the guard was the one reckless enough to just fire tranquilizing beams in a moving train at a range. However, she couldn’t help but wonder that if she didn’t opt to come, that another guard’s life would be saved. But then again, the country was on the defensive just because of one pony, and they didn’t have enough resources to investigate.

She clapped her hoof on her forehead. Why on Earth did the Two Sisters think it was a good idea to understaff the military?

“... Trixie?”

She snapped out of her deep thoughts, the world coming into view again. “Y-yes?” she stammered, trying to collect her thoughts once more.

Discord sighed. “I had a good line that I was going to say, but now it’s hardly appropriate.” He snapped his claws, and Trixie’s saddlebag appeared out of thin air beside him. He shifted weight to the other side of his body. “Don’t ask me for anything ever aga—”

His sentence was cut short when out of a rush of euphoria, Trixie wrapped her hooves around the draconequus’ waist. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She repeated over and over again, hugging tighter than before. Slowly her inhibitions returned to her, and she let go of him, heat rising steadily to her cheeks. “T-take that as a token of Trixie’s gratitude,” she managed, sucking her lips in.

Discord stood frozen in place like a statue, his eyes wide. It took a moment until he finally looked at her. “Right. You're welcome.” A random glove appeared beside him, and she flinched as it slapped him upside his head. He spun around twice, coming to a sudden stop. “Okay,” he said, shaking his head. “What now?”

Trixie bit her lip, looking over the horizon. Were they even near Vanhoover? “We go back the way we came… and follow the tracks?”

The draconequus shrugged. “Might be our best option,” he mumbled. “We shouldn’t be too far from the city.”

Nodding, Trixie and Discord set off, the sun setting farther into the western horizon. She squinted. She could’ve sworn that even sunsets like this were brighter. The ground below them was no longer the spongy, rich soil she’d come to know, but rather rock hard and icy cold underneath the hoof. It wasn’t too long until the night took over, and the star-filled sky faded into view. She caught her breath in her chest at their beauty. How long had it been since she’d seen this full sky?

Trixie lit her horn, her joints aching in the freezing temperatures. It wasn’t a dry cold that bit at the skin, but rather a wet cold that permeated to the bone. She started shivering as the night continued, her mouth tasting like copper. It wasn’t long after that the cold had numbed her legs and ears.

But relief flooded her chest as city lights peered over the horizon. They picked up the pace, Trixie pumping her legs at a near gallop as the station came into view. But suddenly, a force pulled at her chest and she was yanked backwards toward Discord. “What’re you—”

Discord extended a talon in front of his lips, gesturing to silence her. He then pointed in front of him. The unicorn looked to where he was pointing. In front of them, three guards stood in a circle, engaging in idle chatter.

“... but what about the train crash earlier?” one asked, lifting a hoof.

“We lost one of our stallions,” another answered, shaking her head. “Fortunately, he took out two fugitives, though. Not exactly just, but it gets the job done.”

“But wasn’t one of them Discord?” the last recalled. “I doubt that he’d let himself die.”

“What? No, you really believe all that Skye says?” the first chortled. “Guy exaggerates everything to attract the ladies.”

“Which isn’t really attractive at all,” the second mumbled.

“... Trixie?” Discord whispered behind her.

“What is it?” she whispered back.

The draconequus gestured with a talon over his shoulder, away from the guards in front of them. A little ways from them was an exquisite cherry wood door, with a four-point star carved into it. Suddenly, her saddlebag felt heavy. They’re here too? she thought, her foreleg brushing its latch.

“You have that pendant,” he pointed out.

Trixie gulped down the lump in her throat. “I do,” she breathed. “But will they let me in, even after all this time?”

“Only one way to find out.” He gestured back to the guards. “Better than being caught.”

The magician exhaled, lighting her horn and retrieving her mother’s necklace. She carefully walked to the door, rolling her hooves as such to not make noise. At the top of the door was a window, the shades drawn. Her eyes barely even reached the pane.

Holding her breath, Trixie knocked on the door with three apprehensive taps. No response. Anxiety growing colder in her chest, she mustered the courage to knock louder, and the shades opened with a sudden clack, and she stifled a gasp. Two eyes narrowed from the open space. “Could you be…?”

She held the necklace up to the gatekeeper. “Does this answer your question?”

The pair of eyes widened, then rushed out of view. A couple clacks and knocks later, the door finally opened, revealing a sickly thin old mare, skin sagging beneath her eyes. “Welcome, Trixie Lulamoon, daughter of Priestess Stargazer.” She bowed her head. “Come along, now. We wouldn’t want you to get caught by the guard.”

Chapter VI - The Wayward Priestess

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“So, you remember her after all.”

Trixie walked down a descending staircase, torches speckling the walls on either side of her. She didn’t want to admit her shock. It’d been almost thirteen years since they saw her last. How on earth could they recognize her.

“Indeed,” the gatekeeper said, her old voice croaking. “She is one of the greatest we have.”

“Is?” Discord asked, floating closer to her. “You mean, she’s still alive?”

“Not in this world, unfortunately,” she answered. “Frontotemporal dementia, I believe. It’s so rare to see it in someone so young.”

“I was gone before it even started,” Trixie said before she’d thought about it, and she bit her tongue. Knowing that she couldn’t take back her words, she continued, “But I came back and she didn’t even know who I was, or who she was.”

“Trixie…” Discord said, his voice faltering. “So, where is she now?” he asked the gatekeeper.

“Nowhere, but everywhere at once,” the gatekeeper explained simply. “Teaching other souls the way of Mirenum, so they can have eternal rest.

“As I understand, you’ve been deified by the old residents of the Everfree,” she continued. “The Discordians as I understand. What did they believe?”

Trixie could see Discord tense, and she felt a pit in her stomach. “... They worshipped me, that I was what they called a ‘God Eater’. I was to bring about the end of the pony era in Equestria, and bring about freedom of the mind. Free from the rules of the universe.”

The gatekeeper nodded. “Tell me then, why have you captured the daughter of a revered priestess? Is it to pervert our religion like that of the Zebras, to bring more under your rule?”

“It’s not like that!” Trixie snapped. “We’re here to find the culprit behind the attacks in Ponyville.”

“What of the Discordians, Trixie Lulamoon?” the gatekeeper snapped. “You’ve teamed up with the wrong entity.”

“He undid what he’s done!” the unicorn argued. “The Zebras aren’t under his spell anymore. I was there.”

Trixie didn’t even notice that they’d reached the bottom landing, where another set of gargantuan doors stood in front of them, made out of a thick lumber that looked like oak. Lighting her horn, the gatekeeper undid a series of locks running down between its two halves, unlocking out of sequence and in different ways.

There was a loud click, and the gate naturally fell open, revealing a great hall behind it. By the looks of it, it was ancient; the rugged architecture mirrored that of what would be in the Castle of the Two Princesses. A lush red carpet ran up to a plain altar, countless pews lining the walls facing it. The structure of the room was funnelesque, with the ceiling above them appearing twice as tall as the ceiling on the opposite side of the room.

“Excuse me for asking,” Discord said, his voice echoing down the hall and back. “But why do both of the religions we’ve seen so far live underground?”

“The Celestial Purge,” the gatekeeper spat, the words laced with poison. “Of course you wouldn’t know about it, you never paid enough attention. Early into Celestia’s rule, she grew jealous of the religions, that they weren’t giving enough attention to her. So she knocked them out, one by one.”

Discord narrowed his eyes. “That… that can’t be true,” he stammered. “Celestia wouldn’t do that.”

“She did,” Trixie confirmed, her chest feeling heavy. “Before she was ever benevolent, she was the opposite.” She glanced at Discord. “I’m surprised you don’t remember. It was allegedly you that forced her change of heart.”

The gatekeeper gave a low chuckle. “I suppose being in stone for a millenium will do that to you,” she scoffed.

From a side hall, a figure robed in white entered the chapel. Trixie’s heart jumped, stirring in remembrance. It was the same clothing her mother wore when she did her priestess duties. The priest walked in front of them, flipping the robe of his head. From the looks of it, he was an earth pony, with a dark coat and greying mane. One eye was grey and dead, the other a deep blue.

The priest eyed the magician up and down, a stern, yet unbelieving look in his eyes. “Welcome, Trixie Lulamoon, daughter of Priestess Stargazer.” His eyes shot to the draconequus. “And Discord.”

“Actually, it’s Discord, son of—ow!”

The gatekeeper withdrew her hoof after smacking his suspended leg. “Do not blaspheme our Priest. You are on thin enough ice as is.” She turned her gaze to Trixie. “Both of you.”

“Now, now, Quicksilver,” the priest soothed, gesturing with a hoof. “No need to be brash.” He managed a smile, his whole demeanor changing. “Forgive her, she is pretty judging.”

She scoffed. “Maybe I’ll be less judgemental if you finally get someone else to be the gatekeeper. Making an old woman ascend and descend that blasted staircase…”

“You can rest, Quicksilver,” the priest said, his words laced with a breathy sigh. “I’ll be in charge of the gatekeeping for tonight.”

“Finally…” she mumbled as she left where the priest came.

The priest’s eyes followed her as she left the room, but quickly returned to them. “You two must be hungry. I will call for the cook, but we’re out of the good vintage. We can press it fresh for you if you’d like.”

Trixie didn’t know how dry her mouth was until the priest mentioned the wine. “Anything to drink would be wonderful,” she responded.

“Very well,” the priest said. “I will be sure the necessary preparations are made. Meanwhile, feel free to have a seat in the mess hall, and we’ll have that out for you shortly. Melondrop!”

A head popped up from one of the pews. It scampered to the center aisle, and the colt’s full body was in view. His hooves were much bigger than the rest of his body, and his breast pointed awkwardly outward. He cantered to the priest’s side. “What is it, Priest Galant?” he asked, his voice squeaking almost uncontrollably.

“Would you please show our guests to the mess hall?”

“Absolutely,” he responded. He looked between the two of them. “Follow me.”

They headed down the left side hall, torches lining the walls just like they did in the stairwell. Melondrop took a sharp right, and the tone of the underground church changed. Inside the next room, cavern walls surrounded them, and luminescent crystals poked through, giving the room a cool light. Beneath her hooves, Trixie saw the remaining crystal speckling the ground like stars. Four long benches ran perpendicular to them.

“This is the mess hall,” Melondrop announced, gesturing outward with his awkwardly proportioned hoof. “Go ahead and take a seat. I’ll be helping the cooks.”

“Thank you,” Discord mumbled, a wide grin spreading on the kid’s face before he quickly turned around and left.

“Cute kid,” Trixie remarked, sitting down at the bench nearest to her. “Reminds me of Snails, except less… y’know… Snails-y.”

The draconequus shrugged. “Never went through puberty,” he admitted, sitting down next to her. “But even so I feel for him.” He cracked his knuckles. “Now, time to make this place a little more like home…”

“I know what you’re going to do,” the unicorn sighed, and he froze right before snapping. “Please don’t do it. Trixie’s not in the mood.”

Discord slumped his shoulders. “Fine,” he sighed as well. He looked around at the room. “It looks like this is a natural cave,” he started, his reaching for conversation becoming all too apparent. “Maud’s really missing out.”

“Yeah, she’d easily spend hours upon hours here,” Trixie said, her words falling flat. “I wouldn’t want to hang around for that.” Her eyes fell to her hooves, a gross reluctance oozing in her gut. The underground church was just too much.

“... You okay?” the draconequus asked, pitching his head down to look in her eyes.

She puffed air out her nose in a half-laugh. “No. No, I’m not. This whole place just reminds me of her. This’d be her paradise.”

“Hmm…” Discord flipped his leg over the seat, facing her. “What was your mother like?” Silence. “I mean, I don’t want to dig up any bad memories…”

“She was one of the sweetest ponies you could’ve met,” Trixie said finally, lifting her head out and taking a deep breath. “A bit delusional, thinking that my biological dad would ever come back. But she managed to take care of me.”

“So your dad just dashed?” Discord asked.

She shook her head. “Not necessarily. Dad wanted to marry her, he really did, but the faith forbids priests and priestesses to marry.” She glanced over to him, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “It’s true. They devote their souls to Mirenum, and nothing comes in the way of it.”

“So they had you out of wedlock?”

Trixie nodded, then sighed. “Every May, when the priestesses are ‘ripe’, they are... bred by a pool of suitors, to try to get the best child out of them. This continues until another potential priestess is born, and then breeding ceases.

“My mom told me that dad wasn’t really into the sex at the time, believe it or not. He was just the right person, in the right place and at the right time. He apparently had the biggest crush on her, and instead of using that as an excuse to sex her right away, he just talked the whole night away, wanting to know her.

“So after that, she started meeting him in secret, and they fell in love. But the priests found out, and my father was disciplined, and cast out. It was about this time that she had me, her only child.”

Discord’s eyebrows deepened to a scowl. “That’s a load of bull,” he grunted.

Trixie nodded once more. “Yeah.” She fiddled with her hooves. “I wouldn’t doubt that’s the reason why she encouraged me to go to Canterlot at such a young age.” Her eyes fell to her lap. “I will never forgive them for what they did to her. Effectively forcing her to have sex with suitors, and taking my dad away from her, forcing her to raise me on her own.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t forgive them either.” The draconequus frowned, hesitating for a moment. “But they let you go?”

“Not without trying to persuade me to stay. They said that I’d never know Mirenum, that my soul would be tormented for the rest of my days… but I went anyway.” She clenched her hooves together. “And when I came back to visit mom…”

“... The dementia manifested itself,” Discord finished.

“I-it hurt to see her that way,” she managed, her eyes stinging with tears. “She w-was an entirely different pony, and couldn’t even remember me…” She stifled a sob. “She stopped eating and was… skin and bone… The last time I saw her… sh-she was nothing more than a breathing corpse!”

She couldn’t hold it back anymore. Ice penetrated through her as she sobbed, her face wet with tears. “I don’t… want to be here!”

She felt a heavy paw on her shoulder. “I’m sorry,” Discord’s voice cooed, as a claw caressed her.

“Dinner’s ready!” Melondrop’s pubescent voice proclaimed. “... Oh.”

As Trixie’s sobs subsided, she lifted her head, her head swimming in congestion. Discord had turned as well, and through her blurry vision, Melondrop had frozen in place.

The teenager walked forward. “I’m just going to put these right here.” He reached behind his back and laid two bowls out in front of them, then setting two wine glasses on the table. “E-enjoy.”

“Thanks, kid,” the draconequus uttered. Melondrop nodded once or twice more than he needed to, and he scurried out of the mess hall.

Exhaling a puff of air, he shifted and gave Trixie a light pat on the shoulder. “We’ll be out of here tomorrow morning. We just need a place to bunk for tonight.”

Trixie nodded, taking as deep a breath as she could possibly, and Discord slid a bowl to her. He eyed the contents. “Ooh, polenta,” he mumbled.

She studied the bowl’s contents. It was a yellowish grain that reminded her of malt, a sprinkle of what appeared to be kale on the top for garnish. She lit her horn and hoisted the spoon to eye level before taking a bite. It tasted of corn and butter. It was a basic, but pure taste. She downed a couple bites of the polenta with a sip of the wine, although unfermented was just straight grape juice.

She glanced at Discord, who surprisingly already vacuumed up half the bowl. “Discord,” she giggled, gesturing to the side of her mouth. “You got a little somethin’...”

Raising an eyebrow, the draconequus raised his paw, rubbing the side of his mouth. “Oh,” he mumbled, putting the side of a claw in his mouth.

While he’d finished his bowl in absolutely no time whatsoever, Trixie savored the taste for a bit longer, though not much. Once they finished, Melondrop returned, taking their dishes and, afterwards, showing them to their rooms. It was a lot farther down than she’d anticipated, the high ceilings now half the height, inches away from Discord’s scalp.

Melondrop knocked on a door to the left, waited for a second, then opened the door with a slight creak. “This will be your bedroom for tonight,” he stated. “Unfortunately, the only ones we have available are single beds.”

“We’ll make do,” Trixie said, nodding to him. “Thanks for you hospitality.”

The teenager bowed his head. “It’s my pleasure. Goodnight!”

The unicorn and the draconequus walked into the bedroom, shutting the door behind them. Sighing, she strapped off her saddlebags, the weight suddenly disappearing. She stretched, a sudden rush of relaxation flooding her body.

“Well,” Discord said, clapping his claws together. “I’ll go ahead and sleep in the air. You can take the bed.”

Trixie shrugged. “We can share the bed, if you want,” she said nonchalantly. “I’m no stranger of sleeping in the same bed with the opposite sex.” She hesitated, seeing the draconequus’ concerned look. “Platonically,” she added.

Discord’s cheeks reddened, and he crossed his legs. “... I am… well… big, y’know. I’d take up all the space on the bed.”

“Discord,” the unicorn said flatly. “Do you want to or not?”

The draconequus folded up, holding his chin and baring his teeth, the redness on his face growing ever wider. “Yyyyesss…?” he answered finally, his voice breathy in falsetto.

“Okay.” Trixie attempted a small smile. He’s thinking about it too much, she thought. She opened the covers gesturing to the opposite side. “You first.”

He pursed his lips, letting out a puff of air. She could see the wheels turning in his head as he went as far to the side of the bed as possible. “Ooookay,” he said, his body noticeably quivering. “You next.”

Resisting the urge to facehoof, she climbed into the bed with much more ease than Discord did. They were close together, but even so, there was a couple inches of safe space between them, hopefully big enough for Trixie to avoid being prodded.

She turned to the draconequus, who held the blanket near his face. “There, not that bad, right?”

“Y-yeah,” he responded, stiff as a board. “I-it’s just that, y-y’know… ponies d-don’t really sh-sh-share beds when they’re not really… i-into each other!”

The unicorn sighed. “The Great and Powerful Trixie trusts you enough to share a bed with her. Just as long as you don’t touch anywhere sensitive, you’re fine.” Then something clicked in her mind, and an evil smile appeared on her face. “Speaking of touching somewhere sensitive…”

She lit her horn, and Discord immediately shot up, grabbing at his crotch. He winced in pain. “What was that?”

Her evil smirk grew bigger. “A small urethral abrasion. Not big enough to draw blood, but it’s enough to sting for a little bit.” She flipped on her back, putting her hooves back behind her head. “Always works on the guys.”

“You’re not nice,” Discord groaned, shifting back down to the covers.

“That’s what you get for spanking me,” Trixie said simply. “Goodnight.”

The draconequus sighed, flipping away from her. “Goodnight.”

Trixie inhaled sharply, her eyes slowly opening to the dim lamplight to her side. The blanket dangled off her flank, leaving her upper body exposed. She looked down again and saw brown fur, displaced and wild from her sleeping there.

“I was wondering when our dear Trixie would wake up,” Discord’s voice teased, its low timbre vibrating deep inside her. She looked up at his face, which was bright red, but he seemed a lot calmer.

The unicorn rolled off of him, his warmth abruptly leaving her. Small regret echoed in her belly as she sat up. “H-how long was I… y’know…”

The draconequus gave a big shrug. “I don’t know. I woke up a couple minutes ago and, well, you were there.”

She smoothed down her coat with a hoof. A humid, male musk hung heavily in the air. “We need to get you a bath,” she commanded, crinkling her nose.

Discord frowned, scooting off the mattress. “You don’t exactly smell like roses yourself,” he retorted.

“Oh, I know,” Trixie responded. Even two days without showering, her coat reeked of her own odor, and trace amounts of the sewer still lingered. It was, altogether, just gross. She wished deep down that there was a bathhouse nearby.

She glanced at Discord. He raised his arms up and stretched, and the glance turned into a stare. There were a plethora of odd yet toned muscles on him, mismatching extremities besides. His hips were unbelievably square. Was his jawline always that solid?

She shook the thought out of her head. “Hey,” she said, her mind foggy. “You know what day it is?”

Discord frowned, lifting his eyes in thought. “It was the twentieth of September when we left… it’s the twenty-third. Or twenty-second. Why?”

She afforded herself a little sigh. She knew it. “I’m in heat,” she groaned.

His frown deeped, as some of the color drained from his face. “Oh. I-I mean, isn’t it a little late for you to start? It’s been a couple of months since the peak of the season.”

“A thousand years ago, maybe,” she granted. She squared up to him. “It’s a weird evolutionary thing. Ever since we started making settlements, heat sorta… expanded. It’s still really low in the winter, sure, but it still exists.”

The draconequus halted, arm behind his head, then slowly nodded. “So, you’re in heat. Just warning me to stay off your bad side?”

“Can’t really control my mood when my body’s craving sex,” she huffed. She took a deep breath. “Just… don’t touch me anywhere unless you have to, or you may just lose your dick.”

His eyes widening, he put both claws up. “Okay, okay,” he whimpered. “I like my body the way it is, thanks.”

Trixie smirked. “How’s the cut?”

“Burns like Tartarus, but I guess that was the point.”

She swung the door open, the hallway seeming much brighter than the night before. She stepped out, and just barely turned the corner when she crashed into Melondrop, staggering backwards as he fell flat on his flank. “Sorry!” she yelped, backing up into Discord and flinching. She stopped before she knocked him down as well.

“Y-you’re fine,” the teenager squeaked, scrambling to his awkwardly proportioned hooves. “I stopped by earlier, but you were snuggling and stuff. So I thought I’d come back later!”

Trixie’s heart stuttered, her cheeks baking in heat. “Th-that wasn’t what it looked like. The Chaste and Virtuous Trixie didn’t do anything!” She clamped her eyes shut, the corners of her mouth twitching as she pulled it into a tight line.

Squinting out of one eye, she saw Melondrop cock his head to the side. “I… wasn’t accusing you of anything.” He straightened up. “Besides, it isn’t like we prohibit sex in the living quarters. We’re not that strict.”

The unicorn relaxed a little, her cheeks still smoldering red. She could stand keeping that knowledge to herself, but someone else pointing it out put her on edge.

They followed Melondrop to the end of the hall, Trixie tagging a little farther behind than before. The path to the mess hall clicked as she walked through the halls again. As they neared it, the buzz of a hundred voices resonated off the walls, getting louder and louder until they eventually arrived. The mess hall was filled with a kaleidoscope of ponies, some griffons and a couple yaks. She winced as the beginnings of a headache exploded from behind her eye.

Melondrop gestured to a table, but the noise was so impermeable that she only saw his mouth move. Discord nodded beside her, taking the lead and she followed. They sat down, and almost immediately afterward, more ponies packed in on the table on either side of them. They smooshed together, her heart skipping a beat when her hoof landed somewhere soft on Discord. “Sorrysorrysorry!” she apologized profusely, her pulse pounding in her throat, anxiety stinging in her belly. She never thought that she’d feel this claustrophobic. Not even the branch she grew up in was this large.

Somehow, three sharp dings pierced through the noise, and the whole hall went silent. The air froze like thin glass. She turned to find Priest Galant far down the hall. How had she heard the wine glass he was holding.

“Brothers and sisters,” he projected. “We awake this morning with good news.” He gestured to his right on the long bench he sat at toward a mare who looked like she was glowing. “Priestess Cloudspinner has conceived!”

Gentle applause echoed in the hall, and Trixie frowned. She remembered the conception announcements, but it always left a bitter taste in her mouth. That was her business, not the priest’s.

Galant hoovered his hoof out in front of him, and the applause stopped as abruptly as it began. “Let us now bestow the blessings of Mirenum upon her and her child.”

The hall went silent again, and the natural light emanating from the crystals seemed to dim. The creatures around them bowed their heads and uttered,

“Caelum,

Benedictio sacerdos in mitto.

Benedictio infans in mitto.

Mirenum et pax, idem semper,

In sacerdos et infans mitto.

Semper et semper.”

Discord tapped on Trixie’s shoulder as they repeated the prayer. “What’re they saying?”

She sighed. On the one end, the prayer filled her with nostalgia, but on the other, reluctance oozed in her belly like a ball of slime. She closed her eyes and uttered a phrase that she never thought she’d say again.

“Heaven,

Send a blessing to the priestess.

Send a blessing to the foal.

Mirenum and peace, forever the same,

Send upon them,

Forever and ever.”

Discord nodded slowly. “So, Mirenum is a state of peace.”

Trixie nodded. “Apparently, it’s unachievable in this life. All they can do is strive for it, and it takes another thousand years in the afterlife for them to finally get it.”

“Jeez,” the draconequus said, taken aback. “Then, how could you teach it if you don’t know it?”

The unicorn flinched, her eyes falling to her lap. She remembered Quicksilver bringing that up when they arrived with her mom. “It’s all bull,” she muttered. “Just something to help them feel better after raping the priestesses.”

Discord’s face went pale. “What in Tartarus…”

After a third repetition, the prayer concluded, the mess hall returning to silence. “Thank you,” Galant uttered. “Onto other news, we have two new guests in our wake. Trixie Lulamoon, daughter of Priestess Stargazer, and Discord, son of Ruin.”

The priest’s voice perished under a sea of mumbling. The ponies who were once shoulder-to-shoulder with them backed away in shock.

“That Lulamoon?”

“With Discord, too?”

“Why on earth would Galant allow those two into our sanctuary?”

Another ding rang out among the murmuring, and the room fell silent once again. “Yes, I am fully aware of the controversial presence of both of these creatures. But after Celestia’s decree of quarantine, we could not have them fall into her clutches.”

“Although, it would be all the better for it!” an older voice rang out from the crowd. Quicksilver backed away from the table opposite theirs, and irritation kindled in Trixie’s chest. “Galant, you’ve gone soft. Had it not been for your decree to let in guests, especially those wearing the pendent, we wouldn’t have this husk of a mare in our presence!”

Trixie’s cheeks baked in fury. She jolted upward, but Discord’s talon held her down. “She isn’t worth it,” he growled, and she glanced at him in surprise. Why was he getting angry all of a sudden?

“We welcome all visitors to partake in our hospitality,” Galant responded, his voice oddly calm. “We want to spread the word of Mirenum. It’d be sin if we kept it to ourselves.”

“But what of the Purge?” Quicksilver snapped, jabbing a hoof at him. “There are likely many who wish to bring us down, and who better than a former priestess to report our activity to the Princess? We will all surely die if that is the case.”

“That was more than a thousand years ago,” Galant soothed. “Ever since then, there have been princesses in addition to Celestia that have spread the message of friendship and love. The climate then is much different than the one now.”

“And you would know?” she screamed. “My family was wiped out because of that monster!” She flung a hoof toward Trixie. “Haven’t you even considered that it was Celestia that triggered the illness in her mother? That she tempted her father who tried to rip her away from the faith, and seeded her with this bitch?”

“Enough!”

Trixie’s shrill voice echoed from wall to wall, her throat in shreds. She grit her teeth, standing up. “You want to know the truth about my mom?” she said, her voice gritty. “She was the one who encouraged me to leave the faith. She didn’t want me to live as a priestess, to be bred every year by random stallions, to have to raise a child on my own.”

She pointed to Quicksilver. “Do you think that’s Mirenum? Do you think that’s peace? To have to live knowing that your sexuality isn’t yours, that your body isn’t yours? To become a sex slave to the countless males just wanting to get some pussy?”

She fought against the stinging in her eyes. “I was lucky enough to have a mom to look out for me. To love me and take care of me, even through the trauma of what happened with her, the church and dad.” She sniffed. “If anybody’s responsible for her death, it’s all of you.

“You’re right, I will report you guys to the princesses,” Trixie confirmed. “Not because you’re a religion, but because you institutionalize rape. And all of you stallions are perpetrators!”

The unicorn looked toward Discord, whose jaw was dropped. She grabbed him by the arm. “C’mon, let’s go,” she commanded, yanking him to his feet.

“I’ll go with!” a soprano voice projected from the back. Cloudspinner stood, her fluffy white mane bobbing as she did. “I’m so glad somepony came to voice their opinion. I was beginning to think I was the only one.”

“Me too!” another priestess stood. “Screw this place. Really.”

All the priestesses on the back table stood, all uttering their agreeances. Then, a multitude of mares in the audience stood, as well as a few stallions. The entire mess hall bustled with concerned and angry voices.

Trixie nodded to herself. “All right,” she projected. “Let’s go!”

They walked through the halls, passerby stopping when they saw the crowd pass by. They ascended the stairs, and it seemed like time slowed to a crawl. Trixie looked backwards at the crowds that followed her. She was finally leaving the place behind, finally letting go of her past. She couldn’t help a smile from appearing on her face.

They finally reached the top, the door opening to a pinkish dawn. Trixie relished the fresh air on her face, and the beginnings of sunlight over the east horizon. The crowd fanned out to either side of her and Discord, watching the sunrise as the first beams of the sun penetrated over the horizon, lighting the city up in golden light.

Trixie opened her saddlebags, taking the necklace out. The four-pointed star seemed to absorb the sunlight, bouncing around the inside, making a rainbow of colors on the surface.

“For all my life,” she began, “I wasn’t able to even look at this thing.” Out of the corner of her eye, Discord turned to her. “At least, not without feeling horrible about what happened to her. Honestly, I’m glad that she’s free from this place. It’s a weird feeling, to be glad someone so close to you is dead. Even though she had to go so horribly.”

“Trixie…”

She turned and smiled at Discord, involuntary tears running down her face. “I know what I need to do. There should be a river around here, right?”

“A little north of here,” the draconequus confirmed. He raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

She smiled once more. “You’ll see.”

They took off toward the river, leaving the now applauding group of mares behind. The sun rose fully over the horizon when they reached the river. It continued out west, the sunlight skipping over the waves on the surface. Dewy grass wet their hooves as they traveled to the bank, only to stop short.

“My mom and I loved to visit the river in my hometown,” she continued. “We’d wade in it almost every morning. It was some of the clearest water you’d ever see. And the stones on the bottom would look like rainbows.”

Trixie held out the necklace in front of her, dangling over the water below. “I’ve held onto the past for far too long. Even though I love my mom dearly, I know she wouldn’t want me to do that.”

She unlit her horn, letting the necklace fall to the water below. It was whisked away by the current, heading downstream and out of sight. Relief flooded her body, and she fell to her haunches. Tears streamed down her face as she let out soft sobs. She felt Discord’s talon on her shoulders, and she let her head fall on his. She didn’t know how a bony shoulder could be so comfortable, but she felt herself melt into him, savoring the embrace.

“Y’know, Discord,” Trixie said, sitting up after a moment. “Remember how you asked me if I ever wanted to change myself for one person?”

“Yeah,” he answered.

“I wanna apply myself again,” she continued as Discord’s talon drifted off her shoulder. “I wanna be who my mom, Starlight… heck, even Twilight knew I can be.”

“Oh?” Discord asked, folding one leg over the other. “And who is that?”

“A magician that brings smiles to everypony’s faces,” she answered. “And a pony that can bring a brighter dawn.”

She glanced at the draconequus, and saw a rare, pure smile from him. “You got this, Trixie,” he said, giving a thumbs-up.

She let out a small laugh, her heart finally at ease. “Thank you, Discord.”

Opal,

I know this is the first time I’ve written you, and I’m sorry about the wait.

But we’re one step closer to finding the culprit. We know that there were two recent orders for black boxes, coming from a the blacksmith that made them. One is in Vanhoover, where we’re at now, and the other is up in the Crystal Empire. Things have been perilous as of late, though, because of the royal guard. But I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, won’t be deterred. Not anymore.

Sincerely,

Trixie Lulamoon

“This is what she wrote me,” Opal said, tapping the bar in front of her. “It seems like she’s making good progress.”

Princess Celestia nodded. “I can’t believe that they found this out in only three day’s time.” She took a sip out of her mug. “It’s a little… odd.”

“Odd, how?” Opal asked, wiping down a bowl with her hooves.

She shook her head. “Nothing. Just me overthinking things.” She downed the rest of her mug and stood. “Anyways, duty calls. But before I go, I have a favor to ask of you.”

Opal shrugged, putting down the bowl with a small clack. “What do you need?”

She sighed. “The path that they’re on will eventually lead to the terrorist. If Trixie is in any trouble, I need you to go in the princess’s stead.” She gestured to the paper. “I trust that the envelope has a tracking spell?”

The innkeeper nodded. “Yes. I do that with all of my affiliates.”

“Good.” Celestia walked toward the door, opening it with magic. She turned her head to glance at her. “I trust that you’ll do your best.”

Opal nodded. “Of course.”

The princess nodded. “Goodnight,” she said, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Chapter VII - The City on the Coast

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“We’ll stick out like a sore hoof if you keep that form, Discord,” Trixie hissed at him, ducking behind what seemed to be a trashed fruit stand. The stand itself was in splinters, the cloth overhead tattered. Why it was on the outskirts of a relative metropolis boggled her mind.

Discord hung near a tree, his snake-like body leaning against it. He picked under his claws. “Maybe I’ll just go in as is, snap my fingers, and they’ll not remember what they had for breakfast.”

The unicorn sighed. “Discord, please. I understand that going in undercover isn’t your thing. But if they catch us, Celestia’s not going to be here to save our hides.”

He flicked away a small mound of dirt from his claws. “Didn’t she say that she would tell the guard not to apprehend us?” He brought his paw in front of his face, turning it and inspecting it from every angle. “It isn’t like she doesn’t have the means; she can teleport letters to each outpost if she so desires.”

“I don’t want to risk it,” she snapped, a cold anxiety settling in her chest. “Even the guards near Canterlot didn’t get the memo. And that was in the same night of my arrest. So, please, Discord! I don’t want to go in alone.”

At that, Discord’s ears perked up. He turned to her, a sly smile stretching across his face. “Oh? Do my ears deceive me! The Great and Powerful Trixie needs poor old Discord? I’m flattered, really!” He snapped his fingers, his former body turning into mist. In its place stood a brown-coated unicorn stallion with lighter-colored stockings. His mane was black, a little longer than it was normally and combed backward. His eyes lacked their yellow tint, but his irises were still bright red. He smirked. “Well, if you insist!”

Trixie let out a long grunt. Hoof hovering and shaking in front of her face, she resisted the urge to facehoof, but the temptation proved to much as she did so with a nice, thick clop. She stood. “C’mon, let’s go,” she sighed, gesturing him to come along.

He giddily trotted up to her side, almost like a schoolchild. She cocked her head to the side. He was more… upbeat than normal. Was he actually sincere when he said that? she thought curiously.

“So, why aren’t you conjuring up a mist screen or something of the like?” Discord asked as they neared an alley. “You’re a fugitive too, after all.”

She laughed nervously, a lump forming in her throat. She crossed one leg over the other. “T-the Great and Powerful Trixie does indeed know how to… how to conjure up a mist screen.” She attempted a smile, but ultimately felt it grow too wide. “B-but, she hasn’t performed in Vanhoover quite as much as Canterlot and Ponyville and Manehattan.” She walked again, forcing herself to relax her stride. “So, I’m pretty sure that I’ll be fine.” She laughed, cutting herself off with a wheezy gasp. Please let me be fine.

The next thing she laid eyes on was a paper tacked up on the wall of the alley, a tad bit bigger than letter paper. She recognized the art as one of the promotional pictures she’d put out for her shows, one with her in full costume, eyes half-lidded, sparks flying from her horn. Except, instead of advertising a show, the caption below was a bounty for fifty thousand bits.

She gulped. She was very not fine.

“Well, that puts a damper on things,” Discord muttered, cantering toward the wanted poster. He eyed it closely. “So, what about that mist screen, O’ Great and Powerful?”

She flashed an immediately wide and awkward smile at the draconequus. “Yes, yes, of course! P-prepare to be amazed!” She lit her horn, closing her eyes and concentrating. She felt the air cool down all around her, her coat getting wetter by the second.

“Yes, I’m amazed, at how bad your acting is until it’s absolutely necessary,” he said flatly. “And you literally just pulled a cloud down from the sky.”

Feeling the sting of defeat, Trixie let her horn dissipate. The cloud drifted backwards and upwards, leaving her coat uncomfortably damp. She kicked at the ground. “Trixie… has yet to learn such tricks.

“Hey!” a voice burst from the opposite side of the alleyway. Two guards burst from the corner, and Trixie scampered behind Discord, hiding behind his hind legs. It wasn’t much, but that was the best she could think of.

“Were you the ones who pulled down the cloud earlier?” A tenor voice demanded.

“Yes,” Discord confirmed after a moment of silence. “I was helping my girlfriend practice magic earlier.”

Heat jumped into Trixie’s cheeks. “Girlf—”

“Don’t worry, honey,” he soothed, the heat turning into a furious flame. “I’ll handle these gentlecolts here.” He turned his head back to the officers. “I’m sorry, she’s terribly shy.”

“D-don’t worry about it,” a baritone voice said, presumably his partner. “Look, it’s not allowed to tamper with the weather system. We have pegasi that control that, after all.” Beat. “We’ll let you off with a warning this time. Just don’t do it again.”

One of the officers walked forward, and Trixie grabbed Discord’s tail to put it in front of her face. She only saw his hooves when he stopped. “Good luck with practicing magic,” he said, with a kind-hearted tenor. “I know what it feels like to be a late bloomer in that department.” He sighed. “Don’t worry though, you’ll soon get the hang of it!”

“River,” the baritone called out. “We need to get going. Boss’ll kill us if we’re not on post.”

“Right, I just got ahead of myself. You can go on ahead, I’ll catch up to you later.”

“Don’t take too long.” His hoofsteps decrescendoed as he walked out of the alleyway.

“Now,” River said, “Trixie Lulamoon, was it?”

Trixie’s heart froze. He got too close. She opened her mouth, to deny it, change the subject, anything!... but the words clung in her throat.

“I see.” River turned around, looking back at her. “Now, I’m a merciful stallion, so I’ll only tell you this once: go back home.”

The unicorn blinked. His tone went from warm and kind hearted to cold and slimy. Shivers tingled down her spine.

His eyes fell on Discord. “But I’m actually impressed with that charade you were doing. A job well done!” He scanned him over. “A tornado cutie mark, huh? That’s uncommon. Though I am sensing an intense magical aura around you.” His eyes narrowed. “Whoever you are, I will extend the same offer to you: go back home, and I won’t have to throw you in the clink. Are we understood?”

“Yes,” the draconequus-turned-pony grunted, his voice muffled through grit teeth.

He gave a slight smile that could’ve been warm, but was perverse and corrupt. “I’m glad that we’ve come to an agreement.” He walked to the end of the alleyway, waving his hoof at them. “Well, goodbye. I do hope we won’t have to see each other again.”

They stood in silence until his tail was around the corner. “Sweet Celestia,” Discord sighed, “he was sharp.” He rubbed the nape of his neck with a hoof. “You can come out now. Unless you like the view back there.”

The blush returned in full force, and she jumped out from behind him. “T-the Chaste and Virtuous Trixie is no peeping tom!” she exclaimed, sweat tracing down the back of her ear. Was it that hot? And why were her back legs so stiff?

“Says the mare in heat.”

“Do you want another urethral abrasion?”

“Still stings from last time, so no.” He sighed once more. “But we shouldn’t let that guard get the better of us. We just need to lay low for right now, get you some clothes so people don’t recognize you.” He glanced at her with a questioning raised eyebrow. “How much money do you have on you right now?”

She closed her eyes. “Somewhere in the neighborhood of three hundred. I could definitely grab a shirt with this, but not anything fancier than that.”

“Something that’d cover your flank…” He stroked his chin with a hoof, frowning. “Perhaps a onesie is the way to go?”

“I can’t think of any casual onesies,” Trixie blurted. “Unless you want to get me lingerie or a swimsuit. In addition to pads.”

“I’ll pretend you didn’t say that last part,” he mumbled, and the unicorn rolled her eyes. “T-shirt it is, then. A beanie may also help.”

“Just don’t call me Starlight,” Trixie sighed, a gross feeling entering in her chest. She really, really didn’t want to have to wear a beanie. The only hat that she could stand was her witch’s hat, but she mostly wore that out of a combination of nostalgia and devotion to her costume. However, it would help conceal her identity further.

“Well, I can’t quite call you Trixie, can I?” Discord’s body shimmered, his whole build changing to an even more masculine version of himself, minus the socks and his previous cutie mark. His coat also went a shade lighter.

Trixie’s heart skipped a beat, her whole body screaming with want. She brought her tail near. “Y-you’re just teasing Trixie, aren’t you?” she stammered, struggling against her hormone-filled mind.

The draconequus-turned-hunk shrugged. “Well, if I am to be a pony for a while, I might as well be sexy.” He gestured to her saddlebags. “Toss me your coin purse.”

She nodded in agreement, finding it much easier to control her senses if she never made eye contact with him. She unlatched her saddlebags, and slowly put out her coin purse. A yellowish aura caught it—a sort of faux-pony-magic, she presumed—and he put it in his own saddlebags that popped out of the ether. “I’ll be back,” he said, his voice a bit lower than usual. “You lie low for right now. Feel free to cut off the dick of any stallion that approaches you.”

“Will do,” Trixie groaned, irritation baking in her heart as Discord galloped down to the end of the alleyway, taking a left. She sat on her haunches. She despised not being able to do anything, and she’d rather not have the thought of disembodied cocks in her brain at that moment.

So ducking behind an abandoned recliner, she rummaged through her saddlebags and tinkered with what she had there. She only had four smoke bomb casings left at her disposal, and even fewer of the canisters to hold them. She started with the canisters, but she quickly fell into a zen state, her hooves moving automatically as her mind wandered.

Starlight, she thought, threading the two halves of the casings together, twisting them until they clicked. Every time her name popped into her head, she constantly reassured herself that she was going to be okay. However, there was still a doubt in the back of her mind, cold but sharp nonetheless, that she might not make it through. The doctors said at the time that she suffered immense internal trauma from falling from a great height. She was hanging onto life by a string.

She fought the stinging in her eyes. She wished from the bottom of her heart that she’d be able to see her awake again. To feel her embrace again. Even to endure her long-winded nerdy talks about magic that she could never understand. She just wanted her.

It took her a moment to realise her cheeks were wet with tears. She shook the thought out of her head in an attempt to keep her composure, but she found that it only half-worked. She switched focus to a third bomb, but this time took spare pepper spray and tampered with the spraying mechanism. She reversed it and aimed it at her hoof, letting go of the button. She stopped as soon as she felt the powdery substance hit her hoof. Great! she thought, but immediately thought better of it when the substance lodged in the back of her throat. She coughed and wheezed, her lungs and throat burning like sin. She quickly put the canister inside the bomb casing before her eyes started stinging and watering like crazy.

“I’m back!” Discord announced, bags hovering before him in midair. He placed them in front of her. She checked through the bags as he continued, “Got you a pretty long shirt that should cover you all the way, a pair of sunglasses to hide your eyes and a beanie. All for less than a hundred bits, too!”

Trixie lit her horn and unraveled the shirt in front of her. It was the typical tourist fare; the white t-shirt and rainbow-colored beanie both had derivatives of “I Heart Vanhoover,” except the highly polarized purplish sunglasses were definitely DJ-Pon3 paraphernalia.

“This is a little tacky,” she mumbled. She was hoping that she wouldn’t stand out at all, but this… fashion sense, if she could even call it that, would definitely turn some heads.

“Hey, for a guy that doesn’t wear clothes that often, I think I did quite well!” he defended, folding his arms in front of his fluffy chest.

The unicorn sighed, sliding on the baggy t-shirt that flowed down to her back knees and the beanie that felt itchy. She put on the DJ-Pon3 glasses, and the world fell nine shades darker. Is this what she sees all the time? she asked herself.

“See?” he pointed out, gesturing at her with his palms facing upward. “Not that bad, right?”

“Heaven forbid Trixie sees herself in a mirror…” she groaned, putting a hoof in front of her muzzle, the thought making her gag. “But do you really think this’ll work?”

Discord tilted his head to either side. “Hmm… about sixty-four percent sure.”

“What’s with the random percentage?”

“Wasn’t quite a seventy,” he explained simply, frowning. “By the way, we might not want to be calling you ‘Trixie’ out in the open. That goes for you, too.”

She let her hoof fall to her chin, nodding. “I was thinking the same thing. What should we call me?”

“Definitely not anyone related to you,” the draconequus pointed out, literally with one claw. “I was thinking something like Starfire, or something that matched your mystical motif.”

“Sounds like something out of a comic book,” Trixie said bluntly. She rubbed her chin. “I’ve heard from a drunkard at a bar that I looked cold as ice though…”

“Glad he didn’t drink you,” he quipped.

She chortled. “That’s exactly what he said, actually. So, maybe Snowfall? Icy Breeze? Frost River…”

“For the sake of getting a move on,” Discord interrupted, “How about we just do Breeze? Could be short for Icy Breeze, just without all of the… edge.”

She puffed out a burst of air. “Fine,” she relented. “Breeze it is.” She turned to face Discord. “So, how’re we going to do this? I mean, we got lucky and stumbled upon Spark last time. I doubt we’re gonna have that luck this time.”

“We could start out by going to the postal service building,” the draconequus suggested, lighting his horn. A map appeared before him, ripped and torn with age. “If this is still accurate, the building should be somewhere around here.” He tapped the location with his hoof. It was toward the southwest of the plaza.

“And we’re diagonal from it right here, correct?” Trixie tapped the far corner of the city map, closest to the river, about northeast of the town.

“Yep.” Discord’s horn grew brighter as the map disappeared once more into the ether. “We just need to weave in and out between road and alley so we can reach our destination.”

“Wouldn’t that look suspicious though?” the unicorn wondered aloud, adjusting her beanie. “Also, who knows what sketchy business happens in the valley further in?”

“Yes, and I’ll handle it,” he answered all at once. “We don’t want to waste any time, especially when it comes to saving the nation from a terrorist.”

Trixie sighed. “Okay. I’m counting on you.”

With that, she followed Discord out onto the street, and immediately caught her breath. She was expecting another metropolitan city like Manehattan, where the city skyline was dirty with old brick structures and square skyscrapers that seemed to surround the inner city.

But this wasn’t the case here. The city looked clean comparatively, white yet rounded skyscrapers dotting the city as a whole. Where there wasn’t any plant life in Manehattan, there was in Vanhoover, actual grass growing on the parking strips and medians. The air, although tinted with humidity and the saltiness of the ocean, smelled and felt much cleaner.

They made their way between road and alley for the majority of the day, the city much bigger than what she had anticipated. As they cut through, passerby regarded them with lifted eyebrows. If it weren’t for her horn, Trixie would’ve pulled her beanie down over her eyes, so at least she couldn’t see their skeptical looks.

However, when they passed through one out of hundreds of streets, a familiar voice hummed by. The owner wasn’t walking, however; but she was bouncing, all four of her hooves clopping loudly against the pavement.

Trixie raised her head, and immediately wished she hadn’t. The pink pony stopped dead in her tracks, her puffy mane jiggling up and down one last time before her mouth opened wide with a huge gasp. “Tri—!”

By that time, the unicorn galloped over to Pinkie Pie, shoving a hoof in her mouth before she could finish the word. She breathed a sigh of relief as her heartbeat slowly went down to manageable levels. Pinkie gave a questioning grunt, and hoof still in her mouth, Trixie pushed her into the next alleyway, making sure they were both out of sight.

Trixie finally took her hoof back, rubbing strings of saliva off onto the concrete below her. Pinkie made a gagging noise, letting her tongue out into the air. “Wowsie! When was the last time you washed your hooves?”

The unicorn gave one last tentative swipe of her hooves against the ground. “That doesn’t matter. What’re you doing here?”

“Well, I was asked to organize a birthday party for one of my cousins! She’s such a cutie, only yay high, and—”

She gave a big gasp as Discord walked into the alleyway. “And you brought your boyfriend along with you, too? Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve thrown together a Happy Lovie-Dovie Party for you!”

“Pinkie—” the draconequus started.

“Oh! You even told him about dear old me? Aw!” She gathered Trixie into a suffocating deathgrip of a hug. “You’re the bestest friend ever!”

“Pinkie,” he said once more, Trixie barely hearing him over her heart thumping in her ears. He pulled down on his face like a zipper, his true draconic head popping into existence. “It’s me.”

The pink ball of energy went completely silent. She let Trixie go in a snap, and she fell back on her hooves, gasping for air. She then walked over to Discord, lifted a hoof, and slapped him across the face. The sudden attack sent him sprawling onto his flank. “Cheating meaniepants!” she exclaimed.

“Pinkie,” the unicorn breathed, and the party pony’s death glare turned to her, her irises on fire. “Please. We’re not in a relationship.”

Pinkie’s eyes widened, her eyebrows soaring upward. “Then why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

Trixie lidded her eyes in a deadpan expression. Good ol’ Pinkie, she thought. Then she let out a sigh. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

The party pony cocked an eyebrow upward. “Well, of course I’m okay! Why wouldn’t I be?”

The unicorn knit her eyebrows. “Because… of the attack on Ponyville?”

Pinkie’s eyes met with hers for a split second, but then they tore away in a relatively carefree manner. Trixie frowned. Did she just ignore me? she thought.

The mare then put her hoof to her nose. “Pew-wee! You guys smell! Here!” A sensitive jolt went up Trixie’s body as she pushed on her flank, her hooves skidding uncomfortably on the pavement, making her shudder. Her other hoof landed on Discord’s chest. “Let’s go to the bathhouse just across the street! I was just headed there anyway!”

And so the pushing continued across the street to a domed building across from them. Pinkie slammed the door behind them, and galloped up to the register. Her hooves soared at the speed of light as she quickly spat out, “Threeponiesprivatebathextrashampooandconditionerokaybye!” She let out the bits on the table from a purse that came from who-knows-where, zoomed back to Trixie and Discord, and shoved them into the shower rooms, slamming the door behind them. In a whip of her hoof, Trixie’s saddlebags flew off, and Pinkie pushed them once more into two nearby shower stalls.

The unicorn blinked the shock away from her eyes. “... What just happened?” she asked dumbfoundedly as Pinkie closed the door behind her, two bottles and a bar of soap sliding underneath the door.

“I’m not quite sure either,” Discord responded, his voice quivering.

“Shower please!” Pinkie exclaimed from another stall. Three squeaks echoed across the walls and tile, the abrupt pitter-patter of water following suit. Trixie shrugged to herself turning the hoof-shaped dial in front of her. The water was cold when it first hit her, but immediately became a Goldilocks temperature that sent jolts of pleasure up her spine. She suppressed a moan behind a hoof.

The draconequus was less reserved. He let out an almost sexual moan, and Trixie swore she heard him shivering. “Oh… yeah, that’s the ticket.”

“Don’t have too much fun in there, Discord,” she joked. “They have to clean the stalls afterward, you know?”

“I’m flattered that you fantasize of me,” he deflected, his tone bleeding with wit. “But I’m afraid you’ll be making a much bigger mess than I am.”

“Oh! Trixie, you’re in heat?” Pinkie asked sympathetically.

“Yeah,” the unicorn sighed. “Fortunately the cramping hasn’t started yet, but I don’t think it’ll be long.”

“Poor girl,” she empathized. “I have products back at my place if you need them.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I came prepared,” she expressed. “I knew it would happen soon, anyway.”

Discord’s stall fell incredibly silent as she picked up the bar of soap with her light-colored aura. She lathered the soap up and spread it across her body, the suds on her body turning dark. She frowned at the disgusting muck and scrubbed even harder.

Altogether, it took fifteen to twenty minutes of scrubbing and shampooing when the water underneath her began to run clear. Her skin felt a bit raw as she rinsed off her coat. When she unlatched the door and walked out of the stall, her reflection greeted her with a cleaner coat than she’d ever managed in her whole life. Her mane hung damp and heavy around her face and neck. She bit her lip as she cut off her thoughts at, Trixie looks sexy.

She glanced toward Discord’s stall. It was the only one left with the water still running. “Discord,” she called. “Are you about ready?”

“Yeah,” the draconequus grunted. “I’ll be just a second, though.”

“Okay,” she responded, blinking the water dripping in her eyes. Suppressing a grunt, she shook off the water from her head down, beads of it flying in all directions. She frowned when she realized her coat poofed up because of it.

It was then that Discord’s stall door opened, assuming his draconic form once again. Inside the doorway, he snapped his fingers, and a pinkish towel materialized in his paw. He snapped it taut behind his back and rubbed the dripping water out of his coat. As he did so, his eyes wandered across the room. “I was wondering what all that noise was,” He gestured to the beads of water running down the wall.

Trixie shrugged, then nodded toward the entrance to the bath. “Shall we go, then?”

“What about the pink one?”

“I’m pretty sure that she finished long before us,” she figured.

The draconequus nodded. “Okay. Then we shall go.”

After sending his towel into non-existence, they walked to the hallway and turned the corner. The bath room opened up before them, about the size of a school classroom. An elaborate chandelier with crystalyne dangles hung above the bath itself, covering the walls in a kaleidoscope of color while lighting the bath below.

Pinkie turned toward them, the bottom of her muzzle wet from blowing bubbles before they entered the room. “Finally!” she exclaimed. “I was wondering how long you guy’s’d be!”

Trixie let out a small laugh, remembering the oddity of their last exchange. “Yeah… we’re clean, at least.”

The earth pony let loose a wide smile that was almost too wide, even for her. She gently splashed the water right next to her with a hoof. “Well, come on in! The water’s fine!”

The magician nodded, nearing the edge and plopping into the water a comfortable distance away from her. Discord did the same, but much farther, plopping his mismatched claws on his lap in a loose cup.

Trixie’s eyes fell upon Pinkie, a pit forming in her stomach. Something was off with her, and it nagged her to the core. Her normal antics that were always light and springy felt heavy and downtrodden. It also didn’t help that she completely dismissed her comment about the attack on Ponyville. Could she be in denial? she asked herself.

She pursed her lips. She had to think of something to ease the tension in the air. “So, you mentioned that you were here throwing a party for a relative?” she finally asked Pinkie.

The pink pony nodded with faux excitement. “Yeah! She’s turned four, and she was happy as a clam! Well, as happy as a four-year-old pony-clam in suuuuper-fresh water. She really wants to be a surgeon when she grows up, so we got her an anatomy booklet and a game of Oponation! She loved both of them.”

Trixie couldn’t help but smile. “That’s awesome!” she exclaimed.

“Yeah, right?” Pinkie beamed at her. “That kid is going places. She’ll really make a difference in the world! A world that… really needs it.” She broke her gaze, staring at her reflection in the water.

The unicorn turned to her, sympathy pulling at her to say something. Anything. “Pinkie…”

It was then that hammering hoof-falls filled the corridor behind them, and a split second afterward, armored soldiers galloped out of the hallway and into the bath room. They surrounded the bath area, the unicorns of the party lighting their horns.

Trixie’s heart hammered in her chest, a queasy anxiety filling her stomach. Were we caught? she thought frantically, resisting the urge in her legs to run. How were we caught?

A final stallion appeared from the hallway, walking behind the rest of the armed guard. Her eyes widened as she realized it was the stallion from before—River. “Well now,” he said in his irritatingly calm voice. “Isn’t this quite the find? You just couldn’t resist yourself, could you, Trixie…” His eyes wandered to the draconequus. “... And Discord. My lucky day.”

“Lieutenant River!” another voice cried from the hallway, this time female. She galloped to him, letter in mouth, sealed with the royal crest. “You might want to read this.”

River’s eyebrows creased. “From royalty?” He lit his horn, unraveling the parchment before him. His eyes scanned over the page, before rolling it up again a moment later. “Drat,” he cursed. “It looks like you two are exempt from the travel ban. Something about ‘Select heroes’. It includes Twilight and company as well…” He shrugged. “Anyways, I guess we’ll have to deal with one arrest instead of three this time.”

Trixie furrowed her eyebrows. “One?” she asked.

The lieutenant nodded. His eyes shot past her, to the pink pony beside her. “Pinkamena Dianne Pie. You’re under arrest for the purchase of weapons of terror.”

Pinkie’s eyes widened, her jaw dropping. “... What?” Her voice shook from shock.

“I admit that you almost had us fooled.” River lit his horn and pulled an intricate, black box from a pocket in his uniform. “After all, the mechanism in here is quite subtle. No gunpowder, magnesium, or even arczite. It seems like it was stored, volatile magic. Don’t worry, though, the bomb has been diffused.” He shot a glare at Pinkie. “Does this look familiar to you?”

“N-no!” she stammered. She shot a glance at both Trixie and Discord, her chest pumping up and down rapidly. “Guys… what’s going on?”

Pinkie’s terror ripped the unicorn out of her stupor. She turned, slamming her hoof on the tile on the lip of the bath. “This has to be a mistake! There’s no way that Pinkie would’ve ordered something like that.”

“No way, huh? It was addressed to her, after all” River pulled a note from his bag, folding it out before him. “Pinkamena Dianne Pie is a known sufferer of bipolar disorder. On top of this, when in duress, she undergoes what can only be described as psychotic episodes. Her behavior can be quite unpredictable during these episodes.”

“That’s a load of bull!” Discord spat, standing up. The guards lit their horns in a more intense light. “She was up here celebrating a relative’s birthday party! Why would she be under duress?”

“Maybe the stress of the party got to her?”

“She organizes parties all the time!”

“... Is this… my punishment?” Pinkie’s quivering voice made the whole room go silent. She held her hind legs near her chest. “For not being there… for my friends?”

“Ah, that’s right.” River put the paper away. “You’re close friends to Twilight and company, yes? What happened to them was terrible… I heard that one of them died. That’d be enough to cause a psychotic episode, don’t you think?”

Trixie’s heart plunged into her stomach. “One of them… died?”

He nodded. “Or so the rumors say. Since there hasn’t been any mail transferred since the attack three days ago, that’s all we have to go off of.”

“W-who?” the draconequus stuttered, his voice quiet. “Who’s died?”

“There isn’t any substantial evidence to support this mind you,” River said. “But, rumor has it that it’s Fluttershy. She was the most injured out of all of them, after all. It only stands to reason that she’s passed. It’d take a miracle to bring her back.”

Discord went silent and still.

“No…” Trixie whispered. That can’t be!

“But I fear that we’re wasting time.” River nodded toward Pinkie. “Guards, cuff her.”

The earth pony’s terrified expression turned to her. “Trixie! Discord!”

“Pinkie!” Trixie stood. “This can’t be legal! What if she was sent a bomb by the terrorist?”

“Then we’d have to put her somewhere safe anyway,” River responded. “But we have probable cause on her.”

She stomped her hoof. “‘Probable cause,’ my ass! You’re just using her mental illness against her!”

“No! No!” Pinkie screeched as the guards grabbed a hold of her. She flailed, hitting one of the guards square in the jaw. A guard on the side brandished a small, rectangular device and thrusted it into her side. She spasmed, flecks of saliva flying from her mouth before she hit the ground, unconscious.

“Pinkie!” Trixie screamed, holding a hoof over her mouth as they flipped her over on the tile, cuffing her lifeless hooves together. She fought a sudden rush of tears as they draped her over two of the guard’s backs and carried her away. She resisted every temptation to intervene, as much as she’d like to. Her frantic screams echoed in her ears as she sobbed into her hoof, unable to keep the tears back anymore.

Trixie bucked the side of the public bath house, the impulse sending pain up to her neck. “Dammit!” she screamed. “This has got to be a joke!”

“Calm down, Trixie,” Discord soothed, once again in his pony form. “There’s nothing we can do at this point.”

“There’s got to be!” The unicorn lit her horn and unlatched her saddlebag. She brought out the enchanted envelope and a pen.

“What’re you doing?” the draconequus asked.

“I’m writing Opal!” She uncapped the pen. “She has connections! She’ll—”

“Trixie!” He walked in front of her, laying a hoof on her shoulder. “Look at me.”

The unicorn only just realized how hard her heart was pumping. How twisted her stomach felt, now being weighed down with guilt. Reluctance filled her chest.

“Look at me.”

She took a deep breath before looking into his eyes. What she didn’t realize was that they were glazed over, sympathetic.

“Put the letter down.”

“But—”

“We can write Opal about this later,” he said. “But you need to calm down first.”

She huffed out air through her snout. “What’s the use? Aren’t you mad, too?”

Discord nodded. “Of course I am. But we’re not in a position to act rashly. So please. Calm down.”

Her eyes locked to the ground. She slowly let the papers down, reluctance scattering the farther down they went. She had finally put them back into her saddlebags when her eyes started stinging once again. Unable to keep the tears back once more, her chest heaved in sobs.

“Here,” the draconequus whispered. “Come here.” He pulled Trixie into a gentle embrace, the heat of his chest spreading to the ice-cold feeling in hers. She lay her head on his back, nuzzling the base of his neck as her tears flowed freely into his coat.

“I can’t believe…” she started, sniffing through her congestion. “That I’m the one breaking down in tears… when I didn’t even get the worst of it back there.”

“Who says that you’re the only one… crying?” His broken voice rumbled through her chest.

She let out a small laugh, draping a hoof across his back, returning the embrace. It was odd then, that the comforter was now the one that needed to be comforted. But she disregarded the thought.

“Yeah,” the return letter from Opal read. “There’s definitely something wrong with her arrest.”

“So is there anything you can do on your end?” Trixie wrote back.

“There isn’t much. I can try appealing to the Princesses; they’re one of my contacts. However, they’re on a strict travel ban. They’re essentially holed up in their castle. I’ll do what I can.”

“Thank you so much.”

“No problem. So you know where two of the bombs are. The one that detonated in Ponyville, and the one that was diffused in Vanhoover. Didn’t you say that there was a final one in the Crystal Empire?”

“Yes. That’s where we’re headed next.”

“Hmm… remember that you’re going to be walking across half the continent. It may have only taken about a day for you to do that on the Friendship Express, but on hoof, you’re looking at a much longer journey.”

“I know… it’s not going to be pleasant.”

“Well, grab as many provisions as you can and warm clothing. It may not be winter, but it still gets frigid in the fall. Just follow the train tracks while you can, they’ll take you straight there.”

“Will do. Thanks again, Opal.”

“No problem. Please stay safe.”

Chapter VIII - The Frozen North

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"We're almost there!" Discord yelled over the howling wind. "Come on!"

Trixie huddled into her jacket, her knees shaking with every step in deep snow. She could barely see in front of her through the blizzard, and even Discord disappeared behind its thick sheets. The world spun around her again, and she stumbled. "Discord..."

The draconequus trudged forward, his breath heavy. "Almost!"

The magician's sight turned fuzzy, and she found herself in a dreamlike haze. Whatever feeling was left in her legs was gone. Her breath seemed to resonate inside her own head until it gradually went silent. Her vision tunneled in, the last thing she saw being the white snow below her.

Trixie woke, the wooden ceiling greeting her. She sat up, realizing she was in a log cabin. The room was spacious enough, with multiple beds lining the walls, with a single aisle down the middle. The sheets on the beds where all white and clean, the color standing out from the wooden background. A few torches lined the ceiling on chandeliers, clear cups protecting the feeble flame.

"What the..." she mumbled, looking about. She was alone, none of the beds occupied. She shifted, and a spell of dizziness hit her, making her fall back onto the bed. She groaned groggily when the door to her left closed.

"Oh, thank goodness!" a voice boomed to her left. Trixie's eyes shot to the source: a yak. He had bushy yellow fur, his eyes hidden behind tufts of fur. Broad and colorful horns stretched from each side of his head. "How are you feeling?"

The magician tried to blink the artifacts from her eyes. "Not very well." She brought her blanket closer to her chin, casting her eyes about. "Where's Discord?"

The yak raised an eyebrow, one of his eyes becoming vaguely visible. He crossed his front legs. “He's staying in one of our other guest buildings."

Trixie sighed for relief. She didn't want to see Discord, not right now.

"He carried you here, you know."

She shot a look at the yak. "Huh?"

"It's true." He walked forward, his hooves landing hollowly on the wooden floor. "He came to this trading outpost, with you in his arms. He looked deathly concerned about you." He cast his eyes to the floor. "You were frozen like ice, hypothermic. Any longer out there and you would've died."

The show-pony's eyes fell. "Oh..." She felt a pang of guilt against her chest. All of this time, she was being mean to Discord, and she had felt justified. However, he never gave up on her. He had every right to leave her out in the cold, but he still brought her to safety. Her annoyance at him immediately dissipated, and she knew what she had to do. "Could you bring him here, please?"

The yak nodded. "Definitely." He walked to the door, opening it before hesitating. "Do you need anything? Like water or...?"

She gulped, her throat dry. "Water would be great, thank you."

He nodded again. "Okay. See you in a moment." He closed the door behind him.

Trixie stared at the ceiling, overcome with thought. Discord could be intolerable at some points. He could be selfish, annoying, and too prideful. However, she knew in the back of her mind one single truth: they had more in common than she had originally thought. And that bothered her. He was those things, but worse. It was like she was looking at her old self again, an ugly image she wanted to desperately avoid.

You shouldn't hate just because you were off to a rocky start, Twilight had once said. That's what a I've learned while being around you. Trixie sighed. Was that what she was doing? Was she really angry at Discord, or angry at herself for being relatively unsuccessful?

That was when Discord walked into the room. He shivered off the cold. "Well, well, guess who's awake?" he said, smiling.

"Took a little bit," the show-pony mumbled halfheartedly. "But, Trixie is okay." Her eyes fell to the floor, tensing her legs. "Discord, I'm really sorry."

The draconequus cocked his head. "What for?"

Trixie let out a deep breath. "I didn't even give you a chance when we first set out. I was honestly annoyed.” She wrapped the sheets around her hoof, her heart pounding in her chest. “I didn't want to befriend you because, well, you remind me of me way back when, and I'm trying to get better. Just seeing that displayed right in front of me angered me..."

Discord nodded slowly. "Yeah, I’ve been trying to get rid of that part of me, too. I’m sorry I set you off like that.” He glanced up at Trixie. “So what you're saying is that you'll give me a second chance?"

The magician nodded back. "Yeah... that's what I'm saying. And also, thank you for carrying me here."

The draconequus smiled. "Hey, what are friends for?"

The rest of the day was spent to help Trixie recover. By the afternoon she was able to move around confidently on her own, and by the evening, she was spry and energetic, not feeling the least bit tired.

Due to the newfound restlessness in her legs, she put on her coat and headed outside. The sun was low on the horizon, the wintry breeze blowing at her face. She took a sigh of relief when she saw the clear skies.

The trading outpost was small, only three buildings big. One was the lodge, which she spent most of her time recovering in, the other, the dining hall, and the last was a storage area to keep trading materials safe from the harsh weather. They all aligned in an L-shape pattern, the long edge facing east. In the middle was a fire pit that was dug out recently by Boggs, the yak, to cook on. His food was unfortunately bland, but edible nonetheless.

From what Trixie could gather, Boggs was a nice yak, but still quite the enigma. Nothing about family, nothing about where he came from; he was just a solitary trader. His recent load was due to the Crystal Empire in the next two days. When she asked about helping him, he notified her that it was a small load, that it wouldn't take much to carry across the rest of the way.

After she got some fresh air, she retired to the lodge, even though exhaustion had yet to wash over her. She had gotten a bite to eat from the dining area before, so when the trader offered her some more of his soup, she kindly declined. Discord took a bowl gracefully, eating at the side of his bed.

"That was a little rude," the draconequus said, putting a spoonful of soup in his mouth. He slurped up a stray noodle. "I can tell the guy worked pretty hard."

The show-pony shrugged. "Soup just isn't my thing." She brought the covers up to her chin in a vain attempt to trick her body into tiredness. "But you seem to like it, Discord."

"Heavens, no," he said lowly, as if Boggs could hear him. "The noodles are stale, the broth is chunky..." He sighed. "But, it's better than nothing." His eyebrows knit together, seeming to look through the bowl.

The unicorn cocked her head to the side. “What’s wrong?”

Discord’s eyes widened, snapping out of his daze. He shook his head slightly. “Nothing!” he blurted, putting the bowl to the side. “Just… did you feel anything odd around Boggs?”

She frowned. “No. Why do you ask?”

The draconequus copied the expression. “I don’t know.” He sighed. “Must just be my imagination.”

Confusion stirred in her mind, but she shrugged it off. Silence flooded into the room afterward, amplifying her thoughts to eleven. Here Discord was, travelling through the cold of the Frozen North, eating cruddy food, but why? He wouldn’t have put up with these types of things normally. Unless... "You would go to the ends of the Earth for her, would you?"

Discord looked up from his clasped claws. "For whom?" he said.

She smiled smugly. "Fluttershy. Like last time, you didn't really care for anypony else that was in danger, but as soon as you heard that she was, you practically led the pack."

The draconequus face flushed a bright red. "Well, I..." His voice trailed off to a fry.

Trixie smirked devilishly. "Ah, I see… you did the thing with her!"

One of Discord’s eyebrows soared upward. "What thing?"

"You know... the thing?" She thrust her pelvis off her mattress, and the color in Discord’s cheeks somehow got redder. "With you two spending that much time together, you gotta figure!"

"W-wh-why do you say such things?" Discord yelped, hiding his face behind his paw.

"Just an observation," the show-pony defended with a sigh. "If you're too shy to share, you must know that I have had sex with a couple stallions, myself.” She giggled. "One time I called it 'Making Their Wands Disappear,' and that just drove him cra—"

"Enough!" the draconequus exclaimed, waving both claws frantically. "Too much information!" The silence came back with a vengeance, filling the room with a sheet of awkwardness.

Trixie gave a dramatic sigh, plopping down once again to her bed. She couldn’t deny somewhat of a curiosity of his sex life, but mostly she was just teasing; anyone who was anyone knew that they were getting it on. It was just worth it to see him squirm and scramble a little.

Discord grunted through the thick silence. "I... I may have done it... once..." he mumbled through his claws.

"Now we're talking!" The show-pony hopped to the side of her bed, her hooves clopping on the hardwood floor. "How did it happen?"

"Nuh-uh-uh," he said, gaining some of his sass back. "That's all I'm telling you! You only asked me if I had sex with her, not the fine details."

"I'm not talking about during, Discord," the magician clarified, although she was curious how it would work. "I mean, how did you get there? Like, were you out helping her picking flowers? Spring cleaning...?"

The draconequus huffed. “I-it happened one night. We were in the kitchen making brownies.”

"Uh-huh."

"... I was mixing batter. Some of it managed to fall… d-down there”

“Uh-huh…?" Trixie smiled slyly. She knew where this was going.

"Well, Fluttershy noticed, and she blushed. She looked at it, and back at me. She asked if I needed help with it. And…

A pause. "Don't stop there, what happened?"

"Well... I was a stuttering mess. Her eyes were lidded, and she was really close… and she… well, ate it off of me.”

Trixie found herself smiling, heat rising to her cheeks. ”Did she get any cream with that batter?”

"No!” he blurted. “It just felt really good, it continued for a little bit, and well…” It took her a moment to realize how stiff Discord was. His hands were shoved between his clamped legs, his tail pinched between his feet.

Sensing that she was probing a bit too far, she relented, “... You did the thing.”

“We did the thing.” The unicorn could see his jaw tense. “D-do you ponies commonly talk about these things?”

“Not to strangers, no,” Trixie replied. “But Starlight and I would talk about our sexual experiences every now and again.”

“Celestia, is nothing sacred between you two?”

Trixie inhaled to reply, but hesitated. “Not really, no.”

The draconequus grumbled. “Anyways, since I embarrassed myself talking about… that, it’s your turn to embarrass the crap out of yourself! You also tell me about your first time.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Wait, Discord? The embodiment of chaos hasn’t had sex before?”

“Oh, shush,” Discord retorted, his body releasing from its prior tension. “I was a bit too busy making things a little more homely for myself up until now. After all, the embodiment of chaos isn’t the embodiment of erotics.”

“I guess not,” Trixie replied, but she wasn’t sure if she believed that. After all, sex was more of an eventuality than a probability… right? “Anyways, you wanted to know about my first time?”

“Yes.”

She smirked. “You’re actually committed, huh?” She let out a chortle. “Well, his name was Sergeant Neighbelline.”

The draconequus spat out a fit of laughter. "W-who names their child Neighbelline?"

"Be nice!" The magician wished she'd sounded more stern, but she couldn’t keep back her laughter either. "Anyways, so what he lacked in a masculine name, he made up in his humor and appearance. Nice pecs, toned legs, a neatly kept mane… he was a feast to the eyes. We had a couple drinks, we got protection and..."

… The conversation went farther down the gutter. Even though she went into excruciating detail, Discord stayed engaged, much to her surprise. Comments were split between laughter at what the Sergeant said, and Discord taking note of what he could possibly do if Fluttershy were ever up to it again.

But throughout the duration, there was a different type of feeling here than there was talking to Starlight about all of this. It was probably the fact that Starlight was still a virgin, but she still talked about the naughty stuff. In fact, she got much dirtier than Discord ever did.

Even then, Trixie couldn't put a hoof on what exactly made this so much different. Perhaps the interaction between different sexes was the key here. After all, Discord was a much different pony than Starlight in more ways than one, and seeing the male insight was kind of interesting to her; it was a perspective that she previously didn’t know. Nonetheless, whatever tension between the two dissipated, and by the end of it, she’d all but forgotten what things she didn’t like about Discord. Instead, she learned that he was a bit of a sweetheart—nevermind the hint of narcissism—kind, and clever. Not to mention that they both had a penchant for juvenile humor.

It was at the end of it that the magician wiped the tears from her eyes, her tummy aching from laughing too hard, that she finally felt a little tired.

Discord floated slightly above his mattress, picking at his claws. His eyebrows knit in thought. "I really hope Fluttershy's okay," he said sincerely.

Trixie stared at the ceiling, and for a split second, she felt something that she only ever felt with two people: her late mother and Starlight. It wasn’t something that she could put an accurate label on, but it was endearing, adoring, and precious.

She felt a small smile appear on her face. "She will be."

He looked over at her, his claws clasped on his stomach. "How do you know for sure?" he asked, his tone filled with longing.

She shrugged. "I just... know. There's something about her, that I know she won’t go silently into that good night. She will be fine." She glanced at the draconequus. "But we can’t afford to keep thinking about the worst case scenario with her, even if the rumors say it has happened. Same goes with any of our friends.”

Discord unfolded his hands, opening his palms upward. "How should I think, then?"

The show-pony closed her eyes. "Well, I just imagine Starlight's smiling face when I return home. She's out of the hospital, and the castle is rebuilt. She reads up on actual magic when I work on my next trick. Spike and Twilight check in on us every once in a while, the daily mail comes in..." She opened them once more. "I just try to imagine that, after this, everything's back to normal. That everyone I care about is safe. That’s what keeps me going."

The draconequus grunted in acknowledgement, staring up at the ceiling. "If one thing’s for sure, you're much more optimistic than I am." He inhaled sharply through the nose, pulling the sheets over his shoulder. "Goodnight."

The magician did the same. "Goodnight," she echoed.

Even though she was tired, no matter how much sleep called, she couldn't answer. She found it hard to believe that Discord thought her to be an optimist. Although she did those things, it was hard. Every other time she pictured that scene she'd described, she'd remember the hospital room, Starlight unconscious, and the unsurety about her ever waking up. She'd remember Ponyville in ruin, the countless ponies injured and the many lives lost.

She clamped her eyes shut, fending off the sting of tears. It’ll be fine, she thought, it’ll be fine…

And thus came the silent resolve, that she would see this through. She would do everything in her power to prevent a horrid future.

The door crashed open against the wooden wall, startling both Trixie and Discord awake. Boggs stood at the door, projecting his voice, "Good morning! We set off to the Crystal Empire!" As simple as that, he was back out again, slamming the door shut, the sound of falling icicles following shortly afterward.

The draconequus rubbed his head, flipping his legs over the edge of the bed. "Did he make this sort of entrance yesterday morning?"

The magician pulled the sheets up to her chin, relishing their warmth. "No. Must be because we're behind on schedule."

He stretched, contorting his body in ways that she couldn't possibly have imagined. He finally straightened out, offering his claw. "Here," he said. "Up and at 'em."

She accepted, and he started pulling... and pulling, and pulling. Her hoof kept stretching like putty, starting to fall all over the floor. He had a mock-serious look on his face. "Look, I'm trying, I’m trying!" he snickered, but when he noticed her pout, he let go, and her hoof sucked back to its original size like a slinky.

Trixie helped herself onto her hooves, yawning. "So, same thing as Canterlot?" she asked. She shook, her fur regaining its normal puffiness.

The draconequus grunted. "Unfortunately. Until we hit big, we have to keep trying."

The magician nodded back, remembering what Celestia had said. If you were actively being hunted down, where would you go? It was true that the Crystal Empire was the closest option, but it was too easy. She would've figured that they would have to go to the Eastern Continents before they saw anything.

They gathered up their saddlebags and coats and went outside, where Boggs was waiting for them. He had a carriage covered with a sheet, all for corners strapped down to the sides. "You guys ready to go?" he asked, but not as jovially as he was before.

Shrugging it off, the show-pony nodded. "Ready whenever you are."

Boggs nodded back. "Okay. Let's go!"

They set off into the cold, the sky thankfully clear, but the winds blowing harder than they were during the blizzard. They pushed against the wind for hours at a time, until suddenly the wind came to a whispering halt. They walked in silence for a stretch of time, a strange feeling prodding at Trixie. She pulled Discord back.

"What is it?" he asked.

The magician put a hoof over her lips. "Don't you think it's a little odd? That Boggs hasn't told us where he's from, or why he's a lone trader? I thought yaks traveled in herds."

The draconequus nodded. "They typically do." He knit his eyebrows. "But he said himself it was a small load. Would it make sense to deploy more yaks to cover such a small thing?"

Trixie glanced at the carriage, the tarp covering most of the load. It was definitely flat, but some irregularities in the surface denoted that there were a few more things in there. She nodded slowly. "I guess not, but what if he is attacked? Yaks are strong sure, but it doesn’t take much for one to be overwhelmed."

Discord grunted. "It is odd, I'll tell you that."

Only a couple hours passed before the Crystal Empire peaked over the horizon. The spire of the Castle was the first to appear, the mountain range obscuring the rest of the city. The snow thinned to only a couple inches, the area noticeably warmer. They went through the mountain pass about an hour later, and it took another two to finally make it to the city.

The magician caught her breath in her chest. The Crystal Empire was gigantic; four Ponyvilles could easily fit into its grand radius. The castle towered over crystal houses of a pink and bluish-green color. Twelve main roads passed through a star-shaped center road intersecting all of them.

"Never been to the Crystal Empire before?" Boggs asked, already a few steps ahead of them.

She shook her head. "It's magnificent!"

Discord stopped next to her for a second. "Well, the Empire isn't going to move toward us!" He gestured to the grand city. "Shall we?"

They walked to the city, over and around rolling hills. The city grew around them, and Trixie couldn't help but gawk at the scenery. It was exotic, the way that the sun refracted off the crystalline surfaces causing a rainbow of color to erupt inside the crystal.

"I'm afraid this is where we part ways," Boggs said, nodding to them. "Goodbye." He walked off.

"Wait, Boggs!" The magician called after the yak, but he didn't stop. He disappeared into the crowd.

"Trixie..." Discord bent over, picking up something. "Look…”

She turned around only to see a black box between his talons. “Discord!”

The black box glowed, its sides cracking as light escaped. He yelped, snapping his fingers as the box exploded outward, light flashing in front of them. Trixie flinched, but the explosion was contained in an orb of fire, the air around it starting to shimmer. A vein bulged from Discord's temple as he sent the orb upward before the blast was finally released. The shockwave hit them, bursting windows open, and making their ears pop. Shrapnel from the blast fell down like ash.

"Where's Boggs?" The draconequus asked, his voice barely audible past the ringing in Trixie’s ears and the muted cries in the crowd around them.

The magician gestured to the street running perpendicular to them. "He went over there. Come on!" She galloped over the broken glass in the streets, her head pounding with each hoof fall. She turned to the left sharply, crowds stopped in the middle of the road in shock. She weaved through the crowds, casting her eyes about. One would think a yak would stand out from all of these ponies, she thought.

That was when she found him. The yak had undone his yolk, and was walking speedily away. She pushed her breath out of her lungs, the air tasting like copper, and she pumped her legs faster. The yak looked backward, eyes widening as she gained on him. He galloped away, but he was much slower. Trixie imagined a lasso pulling on his hind legs, but her concentration suddenly broke, sending her mind in spirals. She blinked. No!

Her vision tunneled, all her body turning numb as she closed in on Boggs once more. She jumped to tackle him. Time seemed to slow as his tail slid between her hooves, flicking upward. For a brief second, the air around him shimmered and she flew backward, her back hitting the pavement, knocking the air out of her. She rolled like a barrel on the street before eventually sliding to a stop. She blinked, glancing back to where he was, but Boggs was nowhere to be seen.

"Horsefeathers..." she breathed, her lungs paralyzed, her chest numbing. The tunnel in her vision slowly cleared as Discord appeared right in front of her.

"Trixie!" the draconequus exclaimed, kneeling next to her. "Are you all right?" He offered a claw to her.

She waved a hoof. "Just... need to... catch my breath..." She lay back on the ground, forcing herself to breathe. She hadn’t had the air knocked out of her like this before. It was like an elephant sat on her chest. "He isn't what... we think he is..."

He cocked his head. "Well, yes, he turned out to be a bomber."

"Not what I mean..." She propped herself up on an elbow, her lungs finally returning to normal. She watched as the ponies passed by her, looking confused and concerned. She broke their gazes. "W-we need to head up to the castle," she finally said. "I would imagine that Pri... Princess Cadence would want to know... what happened here. Let's not have them find... us first."

Discord nodded. "Can you stand now?" He offered his claw one more time.

She exhaled. "No tricks this time," she breathed, accepting his help. She pulled herself onto her hooves. "All right, let's go."

He floated slowly next to her as she limped, the pain spread thin throughout her body. It took a moment before she was able to walk semi-regularly, and deter the stares she'd gotten before.

All the citizens’ looks felt off, yet deadly familiar. She loved being the center of attention... but not in this way. She was supposed to be the entertainer, but she’d only seen stares like this once before. Their eyes were wide in fear, and they were frozen in place trying to make sense of what had happened. Undoubtedly, they thought that she was the enemy.

The castle loomed above them, the Crystal Heart getting ever closer. It spun freely on its pedestal as if nothing had happened. She studied it closely. She wasn't sure if she believed in the legend; that it concentrated the love of the ponies to keep it safe from the blustering winters of the Frozen North. Whatever it was, however, there was some magic at play. The heart could simply be enchanted to only spin on an invisible axis, only a false idol that was being credited for its protection.

She shook her head. I'm starting to sound like Twilight, she thought. Even in my own head. Even though it was only Twilight, whom she was only lukewarm with, her heart sank in longing. It was already over two weeks since they had started their adventure. Was Starlight awake? Had Fluttershy recovered from her injuries yet? Did Rarity or any of the other ponies remember anything before the explosion?

She let out a laugh. Longing. Only a little while ago, she would be cackling at the thought. Besides, the Great and Powerful Trixie hadn't needed anypony else to lean on. She was an infamous road performer. What else could she have possibly wanted?

The answer was staring in her face, though, and she had been too prideful to see it. When she'd made friends with Starlight, that gap had filled, if not all the way, then partially. Now she knew what it was like to have a friend that she could trust in and lean on. Because of this, she didn't envy her previous loneliness.

However, even after two weeks, the feeling that nothing had really changed irked her. She still was at a foal's level when it came to legitimate magic. She couldn't even stop Boggs for even a second before he had sent her flying. What chance did she have, if he was the bomber that day in Ponyville, to bring him into custody? She didn't possess the Elements of Harmony, nor was she Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, or Twilight. What chance…?

A cold feeling settled into her gut, one that she recognized instantly. Fear. The same fear that froze the citizens near ground zero in shock. Fear of what the future had in store. Fear that her journey would end prematurely, unsuccessfully, at the hooves of a coward.

"What brings you two here?" a guard asked. She snapped out of her thought-induced daze, and realized they were at the base of the castle, and the stairs leading within were just in sight..

"We're here on important business," Discord said, his normal swagger returning. He folded his arms. "It's about the explosion that happened near the entrance."

The guard nodded, shifting. "Word like this spreads like wildfire, draconequus," he acknowledged. "Believe me, they already know of the explosion. In fact, they had the best view in the house to see it." He rubbed his nose. "It wasn't necessarily silent, either."

“Tell me about it.” He scratched behind an ear. “My ears are still ringing.”

The guard narrowed his eyes. “But what reason do we have to trust you?” He eyed Trixie with a piercing gaze. “You two are both former enemies of Equestria, and have seemingly violated the travel ban there. Were it in my jurisdiction, I would arrest you two on the spot!”

"Please," Trixie pleaded, softer than she wanted. “We need to talk to Princess Cadence. We have a culprit, and do you think that we’d still be here if we were they?”

The guard held a steely glare. Behind those amber eyes was a hardened soldier. Trixie could tell that this wasn’t his first rodeo. But then his eyes closed, and he dipped his head in a sigh. "Fine." His hoof struck the ground, and he stepped aside. "Let them know inside the intent of your visit. And be sure to keep this one—" He gestured to Discord. "—out of trouble."

A flood of relief filled her chest, her head getting back to sorts. "Don't worry," she said, nudging the draconequus. "If he steps one cloven hoof out of place, the Great and Powerful Trixie will zap him." She managed a mischievous smirk.. That spell, at least, was one she knew she could do.

The guard mimicked the look, satisfied. "Go on in," he said, circling around Discord’s right, his eyes not leaving him. He only backed into place when they ascended the stairs into the castle.

The landing opened up to a grand hallway, taller than even what she'd seen in Twilight's Castle. She gawked at the crystalline structure, its pure white color glowing.

Another guard, female this time, walked to them. "Halt," she said. "What is your business here?"

"We seek an audience with the Princess," Trixie repeated. "If you must know, the guard posted out there wouldn't let us in without a detailed explanation."

Her eyes darted between her and Discord, her eyes narrowing. "Very well," she relented. "Her majesty is busy right now, so you'll have to wait your turn." She gestured to the door behind her, her armor clanking as she did so. "There is a waiting room right there. Please wait until you are officially addressed. Names?"

"Discord and Trixie," the draconequus said before the magician could.

She nodded, knitting her eyebrows. "I don’t know why I had to ask his name, but okay. I will let her know of your presence as soon as possible. Head on in."

The two walked into the waiting room, and while it was much smaller than the hallway, it still echoed the same motifs. There were already five or six other ponies waiting in there, so the two took a seat in silence.

"Zap me?" Discord finally said, an eyebrow cocked. He leaned on the arm of his chair.

Trixie crossed her legs. "I'll do it," she repeated in mock seriousness. "As you probably know, Trixie is a pony of her wo-ord~!" The last turned out a little more musical than she wanted it to be, but she rolled with it.

He rolled his eyes. "Well, 'Trixie' is sounding like she's feeling a little co—ow! What was that for?"

Her mouth formed a dramatic 'o'. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is no cow, how dare you!" She blew off her sizzling horn.

"That wasn't a zap," he said, rubbing his side. He leaned away from her. "That was a miniature explosion!"

She smiled smugly, leaning back into her seat. She needed to mess with him more often.

A few moments later, the same guard they talked to minutes ago walked into the room. "Your appointment has been moved up."

Discord sighed for relief. "Thank heavens!" he said. He stood up and stretched.

"I wouldn't say that's a good thing," she added. "Mostly, they're wondering why a former enemy of Equestria has showed up on their front doorstep. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't hear you out."

He mouthed the word, “Oh,” in realization.

The magician stepped forward, her hoof to her chest. "But we've got to try!" she persisted.

The guard shrugged. "Your funeral." She turned. "Come, let's get this over with."

The castle seemed to be mostly comprised of tall rooms and even taller flights of stairs. The first couple were fine; she hardly broke a sweat. But when it came to the third and fourth, the climbing bore down on her. She was gasping for breath on the top of the fifth, and could barely manage to climb atop the sixth.

However, the sixth flight was the final one, and the audience room doors stood gloriously at the center of the room. She wiped the sweat off her brow, her head swimming with exhaustion. "You couldn't afford to put the audience room at the bottom of all of these steps?" she asked, huffing.

The guard scoffed. "Imagine having to climb these every day.” She eyed the stairway behind her. “But it's also a deterrent for intruders. If they aren't in shape, they're caught in seconds."

"And if they are?"

"They'll... still be caught in seconds." She shrugged. "Anyway, I hear Sunburst's here in the castle too... so expect some loud noises in the floor below you."

She cursed under her breath. Sunburst. Did he even know what happened to Starlight and everypony else? He would be devastated.

"Anyways," the guard said, pointing to the door. "Head on in. I'll keep my timer on me. If you guys last more than two minutes, I'll eat my undershirt." She tapped the stopwatch suspended from her neck.

She took a deep breath. "Right. Let's go, Discord." They walked into the audience chamber, the room much shallower than what she was expecting. It wasn’t too unlike the one in Canterlot. The right side of the room was covered in stained glass, hearkening to the reawakening of the Crystal Empire, and what seemed to be Cadence’s and Shining Armor’s benevolent rule. A kaleidoscope of color dashed across the seemingly perfect tile. A velvet carpet rolled all the way up to the thrones, adorned with crystal-esque imagery. There sat both Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, both tense.

"You'd better explain yourself, fiend," Shining snarled, glaring at Discord. He stepped in front of his wife, taking a wide, defensive stance. "Why are you here?"

The draconequus put a claw on his chest. "My, my, is that how a captain and a prince greets his guests Discord and the Great and Powerful Trixie?”

Cadence squinted. "Wait a second..." she stepped out in front of her husband, his stance slacking in surprise. "You’re Trixie? The one from Twilight’s letters... are you she?"

The magician nodded, taking a bow. "Yes, this is she."

She managed a smile. "Anypony who's friends with Twilight is a friend of mine. Now Shining..."

The stallion raised both eyebrows. “B-but, not only have they committed crimes against Equestria, but they also broke the travel ban—”

“Which is outside of our jurisdiction,” Cadence interrupted with a warning tone. “And forget about the travel ban. I’ve received a letter from Celestia explaining the situation.”

“And you were going to tell me about this when?”

“I tried, but you were so focused on preparing to train our new recruits that you didn’t listen, so I gave up.” She sat back down on her throne. “Seriously, honey, you do need to learn to listen more.”

Shining Armor gave an unintelligible noise that sounded like a mix between an “eh” and a grunt. Finally, he relented and took his place by his wife, sitting on the edge of his seat.

Cadence smirked in victory. "Now, then," she continued. "What do you need to discuss with us?"

With Discord's help, Trixie explained the situation from the beginning. With every passing word, it seemed like a weight was disappearing off her shoulders. By the end of her recap, she felt like she was floating.

Cadence nodded. "I see... but what has this got to do with the incident in our city?" She cocked her head to the side, her eyes deep with intrigue.

"We believe that a yak by the name of Boggs is behind this attack," Discord answered, stepping forward. He stroked his goatee. "However, we don't know of this single person is behind the attack on Ponyville, or if he's a part of a terrorist group."

“Except,” Trixie continued, “I’m not quite sure if he’s actually a yak.”

Discord raised an eyebrow. “What?”

She closed her eyes in recollection, the scene playing out once again in front of her. “When I was chasing him down, I tried tackling him… but as I did, the air around him shimmered, almost as if…”

“... he had a mist screen,” the draconequus replied, nodding to himself. “Now that you mention it, neither of us have had any physical contact with him.”

“So we are dealing with a unicorn here,” Cadence noted. She held a hoof outward. “Did you happen to see through it at all? Even a glimpse?”

The new question stirring in her chest, Trixie tried to remember one last time. “... I don’t think so. Even though I was that close.”

“But Trixie,” Discord interjected. “When we were talking at the outpost, I mentioned how Boggs felt off. Can’t unicorns feel magic auras?”

The unicorn frowned. “Yes…”

Discord stroked his goatee with a claw, pursing his lips. “Then why was I the only one who felt that?”

“I probably wasn’t paying attention,” Trixie said, shifting her weight to the side. “After all, I wasn’t really expecting to feel something like that from him. It’s simple as that.”

"But it's the only explanation," she continued, stepping forward. "If it was a rebel changeling, why would it need a mist screen? Also, if it were partnered with Chrysalis, why on earth would it kill off its food source? Even Opal admitted that."

"Opal?" Shining asked, stroking his chin. "Isn't she that innkeeper in Canterlot?"

"The very same," Trixie confirmed. "But that's beside the point."

“True,” Shining conceded. "Locating Boggs will be an issue, however. Unless we can still pick up his magic signature, he’d be untrackable. As for her name... I think it's safe to assume that he’s using an alias."

"There should still be fragments of the bomb at ground zero," Discord said, stroking his goatee. "It might've been set off mechanically, but if it was set of magically..."

Shining's eyes brightened. "Then we can find the bomber."

"Bingo."

"In order to find his magic signature in the bomb, it's going to take a lot more than one fragment," Cadence warned. "It's going to take a couple days at least to do this."

Shining shrugged. "Honey, I don't see any other options. If it takes a little while, fine. At least we'll be able to track him down by the end of it."

She hesitated, but then nodded. "Okay. We'll search for the shrapnel. Meanwhile..." She glanced back and forth between Trixie and Discord. “Trixie, Discord, you have our blessing. We will keep you updated on what we find.”

Relief filled Trixie's chest. She could barely keep a smile from appearing on her face as she bowed. "Thank you, Princess." She looked over and was surprised Discord was doing the same.

Cadence nodded. "You are excused."

With a final bow, Trixie turned, walking toward the door. The meeting truly couldn't have went any better. As much of a heavy subject they were dealing with, Trixie once again felt like she was floating. They were finally close to figuring out who the bomber was, and if she was the same pony, they could finally bring her into custody.

Behind the door, the guard stood looking at her stopwatch, frowning. When she saw them, the crowd turned into a smirk. "Wow." She clapped the lid shut. "You were actually able to get a full word in with her. I'm impressed."

Trixie shrugged, walking over to her. "The worst part was getting through Shining Armor. But all in all, it went quite well."

They walked down the corridor, passing through the same stairwells they had entered through. Trixie breathed a sigh of relief as they descended them, not having to worry about the pains of climbing them again. Floors and landings passed as a familiar orange-coated pony with cream socks walked past them.

"Sunburst?"

Sunburst blinked, turning. "T-Trixie!" he exclaimed. He trotted over to them. His appearance was scraggly; his mane was a bird's nest, and his goatee even sagged like the exhausted bags under his eyes. "What're you doing here?" He glanced over her shoulder, pointing. "And isn't that Discord?"

"It's a long story," she dismissed, before he had a chance to answer. "So I assume you've just got done with foalsitting Flurry Heart?"

He shook his head, some of the fire returning to his eyes. "Nope. Only on my thirty. I'm here until seven." He cocked his head. "But why are you here of all places? Shouldn't you be back in Ponyville? There's a lot going on there."

"I said it was a long story."

"I've got time."

"You said you were on your thirty."

"... Not too much time."

Trixie sighed. She was really hoping to avoid this. What'd be Sunburst's reaction when he heard that Starlight was hurt? She didn't want to wrap anypony else into this mess that they've created. However, he seemed to already know the gist of what happened there. Would he be surprised at all? She swallowed the lump in her throat and recapped what happened.

"So you guys just up and went?" Sunburst asked. "Wouldn't that make you fugitives, though?"

Trixie cringed. "Not fugitives, per se... We were able to get in Princess Celestia's good graces... thank heavens."

He nodded and sighed. He swept the floor with a hoof. "I really hope Starlight will be okay... along with the rest of them."

She grunted in agreement. She'd already spent more than enough time worrying about them. "Well, I'll leave you to the rest of your break," she said definitively. "You look like you definitely need it." I definitely need one myself, she thought.

Surprisingly, it didn't take long to find an inn that didn't have painfully high rates. Granted, the inn in which they stayed wasn't exactly five-star, but beggars couldn't be choosers, she figured.

Their room was a small two bed, a little more cramped than what she was used to back in Ponyville, but it would suffice. Somehow, the light colored crystal that made up the walls was pleasant to the eye, and the beds were wonderfully cozy. It was as if her head suddenly grew heavy, and her eyes started to close.

"What about food?" Discord said, stretching his arms high above his head. He sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Trixie expectantly.

She resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. She was there to help him capture a miscreant, not to be his mother. "My bit purse has a little money in it. Get something inexpensive." She lit her horn, her purse falling with a sad clank in his paws.

Discord looked at the purse, moving his claw up and down, as if trying to measure it. He looked back and forth between the purse and Trixie. "What about you?"

"I'll get something later," she yawned. She flipped open her covers, slipping into them. She relished their warm embrace. "The Great and..." Another yawn. "Exhausted Trixie needs a nap."

Discord stared down at the purse again. "Okay." He stood up, snapping his claws, the purse disappearing into the nether. "You have a good sleep."

At least, that's what Trixie thought he said. Her mind was covered in a thick fog, and her head fell on her pillow.

"Your magic is like electricity," Starlight explained, a graduation cap on her head. The tassel bobbed up and down in weird, gravity-defying patterns as she paced in front of a huge chalkboard. Ew. Why did it have to be a chalkboard?

"Electricity?" Trixie asked, her hooves up on a desk that was much taller than her, but she managed to do it anyway. "What does magic have to do with something so... mundane?"

Starlight gave her a slight scowl. She walked to the exact center of the gargantuan chalkboard, lighting her horn to lift a stub of chalk. In a flash, a detailed diagram appeared. Trixie blinked. When did that happen?

"It's like this," she continued. "Imagine your mind as a battery. A big, pink, powerful battery." She used a meter stick to tap at a detailed drawing of the equine brain. "Your horn..." She tapped at a drawing of a horn. "... Is like an antenna, and serves as a focal point of the energy you store. It's why your horn always lights before a spell actually occurs."

The information went in one ear and out the other. Trixie was actually a little more interested in how she felt off balance; moving, but completely steady.

"But, like electricity, in order to go anywhere, it needs to have a line. You might recall that when you want to move an object, you imagine something that moves it. You might imagine a crane, a fishing hook, or a piston. All do exactly the same thing."

Trixie squinted. Now that she'd looked at Starlight closer, there was a red mark appearing on her chin. How did she not notice this before?

"However, our magic is limited to pushing and pulling objects. In order to change the physical properties about something, then, you have to know everything about it. Its molecular structure, the way those bonds connect, how far spaced they are... that's the reason why we have scrolls, mostly written in Old Ponish. They help us visualize and understand the objects that we wish to change."

She knit her eyebrows. When did that cast appear on her back leg? When did the bandage appear on her head?

"And even though the structure of magic can be broken down to simple pushes and pulls... you couldn't even save me from that crumbling castle, could you?"

Trixie's heart plummeted. "Starlight...?"

"Of course, it's too complicated to understand for you, isn't it? Perhaps it isn't just because you never pay attention to your friends' needs, or something else?" The hospital bed appeared in front of her, and Starlight’s body slowly twisted and contorted into the exact position she was in when Trixie visited her a couple weeks earlier.

She averted her gaze to the floor. An inky black fluid burst forth from the center of the room, flooding what once was tile to a pitch black void. "I... I was never good at magic."

Even though Starlight’s eyes were closed, her voice echoed around her. "Just face it, Trixie. You're nothing but a fake. A mare with delusions of grandeur, that thinks that she can save her little friends from the threat of this shapeshifter. Well, guess what?"

Trixie watched in horror as her friend, starting with the hospital bed, crumbled to dust.

“It’s too late to save anypony.”

She awoke, gasping in an icy cold breath. The light had disappeared from the room, save a lamp that stood between her and Discord's bed.

He lay reclined, floating above his bed rather than on it. He yawned. "Sounds like you had a wonderful dream."

Trixie scowled, a drop of sweat falling from her brow. "That wasn't you, was it?" Her throat felt like it was punctured by invisible pins, sending her into a cough.

Discord shook his head, flicking a piece of paper in his talon. It was of a thicker paper, like a photographic film. "Sorry, dear, I don't specialize in the world of dreams. You've got Princess Luna to thank for your nightmare."

She sat up, knitting her eyebrows. That wasn't how it worked, was it?

"Anyways, if you must know..." he snapped, and the photograph dissipated into thin air. He sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "I can't affect your psyche without knowing every single thing about you. It was easy with the six when I had the Elements of Harmony. They were embedded with their personalities. It was deliciously in-depth." He shrugged. "But since I haven't used my Touch, I can't quite manipulate you."

He sighed, a cold chill running down Trixie's spine at the last sentence. "Anyway, I got you something for dinner. You've been out for the better part of three hours, so I assumed it would be polite to get you something." He gestured to a small coffee table in the far corner of the room. It was a sandwich in a plastic bag.

She squinted. "How much did you spend?"

"Four bits, two for each sandwich."

She closed her eyes, doing the math in her head before shaking it out. Poor. She was dirt poor. She imagined a fishing line puncturing the plastic bag, reeling it in toward her. However, her horn fizzled and died in the process, and the sandwich bag fell on the floor. She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach.

Discord raised an eyebrow. "Trixie? Is everything all right?"

She waved a hoof in dismissal. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

Chapter IX - One Last Push

View Online

Trixie wandered aimlessly down the streets of the Crystal Empire. Each building that passed was just a shadow in her vision, carefully avoiding the commonfolk as she strolled past.

Something struck her hoof, pulling her out of her daze. She looked and it was a hoofball. It was too tiny to be something sports quality. She looked up and realized two crystal foals looking toward her expectantly, but too afraid to approach. She sighed, lighting her horn, and a brief aura surrounded the ball before it fizzled out entirely. Frustrated, she kicked the ball back to the foals, who caught it with a smooth reflex. They didn't take their gaze off of her, however, as she went past.

At least some ponies have talent, she thought.

And back into her own thoughts she went, automatically strolling through the crowd. However, her legs seemed to stiffen, and she slowed down, taking in shattered breaths. Hopeless. Absolutely hopeless.

She had said that same thing before, back only a few months ago. She had been practicing a new spell, one that she had to study painfully long for. Starlight had stood to her side as sweat trickled down her face. What parts did she need to push? What things did she need to change? A furious cloud of frustration built up in her mind, and had finally taken over, and she had lost focus, sending the object flying.

"Trixie, you were almost there," Starlight had said, managing a smile.

"No, I wasn't," she had hissed, her vision turning red. "I'm not good at magic; never will be. Why even waste your time?"

"Trixie!" Starlight had snapped, lying a hoof on her shoulder. She took a deep breath before continuing, "Stop that. I'm not wasting my time. You were closer than ever with that spell!"

"Close?" She had turned to Starlight, her anger boiling up. "Close doesn't mean anything! Close doesn't make a good show, close doesn't make a good accomplishment. History isn't written by those who are close!"

"Tr—"

"Don't! Even! You're always bringing me here just to humiliate myself, always showing that you are better! 'Look at me! I'm the tutor of Twilight Sparkle, without trying half a damn to earn it! I'm friends with all of her friends because of her wonderful generosity!' Well, I hope you're happy, Starlight!"

Trixie didn't remember storming out of the room, out of the castle and into the street that day. She didn't remember finding her old carriage, but she did remember crying bitter tears, each sob feeling like a stab in her stomach.

It hadn't taken long for her tears to dry and her anger to quell. So, it was back to business as usual. She had went to the market, and picked up a few things until...

"... out the way!"

"... castle!"

"Miss, are you all right?"

Trixie had collapsed at the side of the street, choked up in sobs. How could she say that to a friend?

"Miss...?"

She looked up, a stallion with a cream colored mane and brown coat standing in front of her. He offered a hoof to her, and she took it. "It's all right. There, there, now. Let's head inside, okay? There's a step up... there you go."

The stallion led her to a table in a small cafe. The table was made of red wood that matched the hue of the hardwood floor. A bar stood in front of her, and the stallion hurried behind it lifting a pot of coffee of the warmer. Right now, Trixie was out of tears; she she was just congested. Through her hazy eyesight, she saw the stallion set a mug of coffee before her. He smiled. "Would you like any cream or sugar?"

"Two of each…?" Trixie said slowly, cocking her head to one side. The stallion proceeded to reach into his apron, pulling out the packets of sugar and mini cups of cream to her pleasure.

He cracked open each one, pouring them swiftly, but expertly into the mug. "I haven't seen you around here before," he stated, pulling up a chair and scooting the mug of coffee toward her. "Where are you from?"

"Ponyville," she responded. She frowned at the nasality of her voice, lifting the coffee mug up to her lips and taking a sip. It was a pure blend, and even though she wasn't one for coffee herself, it was good enough.

The stallion frowned himself. "Ponyville? We haven't had too many visitors from there, save for the Princess and her friends, of course." He sighed, laying his hooves on his lap. "Though it is sad what happened to them. Princess Cadence and General Shining Armor must be very worried. They're in talks of tripling the guard around the border, especially considering the explosion in the residential district yesterday."

Trixie nodded, taking another sip of her coffee. These ponies here were much more deliberate, including their rulers. Not as quick and politically minded as Princess Celestia and Luna, but a lot more thoughtful.

"Except, it seems like the Celestial guard is on its way too," the stallion added. He leaned back in his chair, knitting his eyebrows. "Being almost family, it makes sense for the Two Sisters to do that. But what about their own city? They might have a larger guard, but they also have a lot more cities to cover. Before long, they'll spread themselves too thin." He let out a low laugh. "I'm sorry, I pick a mare from off the streets and I talk about politics."

Trixie waved a hoof in dismissal, letting down her half-empty coffee mug. "You're fine. I've been wondering about that myself."

The stallion managed a smile. "That's good," he said. He briefly checked the door, then returned his gaze to her. "So what brings you to the Crystal Empire? Family, friends...?"

"Let's just say friends," she blurted. Her stomach turned sour at the thought of once again explaining why she was actually there. But her gaze shifted downwards, and she put her hooves on her lap. "One friend in particular..." Her voice faded.

The stallion gave her a warm smile. He put a hoof on the table, leaning forward. "Don't worry," he said in a hushed voice. "You can tell me. If you’re comfortable with it, I mean."

She sighed, sulking in her chair. "I just... said things that I didn't mean to say. I was getting frustrated at myself... and I just took it out on her." She cursed under her breath as she once again felt the tears sting at the back of her eyes.

The stallion nodded, leaning back in his chair, the floorboards giving a small creak. "I get that. Heck, one time I was learning how to play piano. I got to the point of diminishing returns, and I was just frustrated all the time. I had a competition and everything..." He sighed. "But at the same time, I had all but separated myself from my friends and family, and it hurt a few of them in the process. Realizing that, I decided to take a break from piano and tried to come to amends with them. Not everyone was convinced of my efforts, but those precious few that were, they’re my best friends, even to this day.."

He managed the warm smile again. "But by the sound of it, you two are really close. Am I wrong?”

Trixie hesitated. There was no doubt that they once were. She shook her head.

The barista’s smile grew wider. “Then, you have nothing to worry about. Best friends always stick with each other through thick and thin.”

She nodded, taking another sip of the coffee. She was surprised that she hadn't found any grounds yet. "But how do I forgive myself... even if she forgives me?" She fidgeted with the mug between her hooves.

He grunted, sitting up and adjusting his apron. "Well, let's flip that question around real quick. If she forgives you, why shouldn't you forgive yourself?" He paused for a beat, then shrugged. "I learned a while back that there's no point of beating yourself over the head with something you did in the past, even if it seems no one forgives you for it. All you can do is offer your sincere apology, and move on.”

The door creaked open hitting a bell atop the frame. In walked a couple of mares, brushing shoulder to shoulder. They stopped in front of the bar, looking around confused.

"That's just me, at least," he finished, gathering himself to his hooves, once again adjusting his apron.

Trixie conjured her coin purse. "How much do I owe you?" she asked, pulling open the sack.

The stallion waved a hoof in dismissal. "Don’t worry, it's on the house."

She didn't notice the smile come to her face. "Thank you!"

He bowed his head. "It's my pleasure." He walked to the bar and greeted the other customers. It seemed as though he had extra pep to his stride, a genuine smile on his face as he talked to the obvious couple.

Trixie glanced at the two as one pointed up to the menu, chatting gaily with the other. For a second, she could've sworn she saw Starlight and herself in their place. Although they weren’t a couple, she couldn't help but see Starlight to the right, with a smug smile on her face as Trixie herself would say, "Yes! Trixie wants that one!"

She giggled to herself, resting her head on her hoof. All I can do… is give a sincere apology… and move on.

After a few moments resting at the cafe, she bid the owner farewell, and went out the door. The noon air greeted her graciously, and she walked down the street. She was glad to find out that she could finally breathe. However, she was not so glad when she figured out she had absolutely no idea where she was. She cursed under her breath. She cast her eyes about, realizing that there was nopony around, but she did catch a bookstore out of the corner of her eye. It was a meager shop as compared with the others she had seen, but that made it all the more inviting.

She walked inside the doorway, a bell ringing as she opened the door. The store was almost deadly quiet, rows upon rows of bookshelves running deep to the opposite wall. The air smelled of the very same smell as Twilight's libraries: a musty, yet welcoming wood-like smell.

Her eyes fell on the front desk, which faced perpendicular to her on the wall on her right. An older mare sat there, her eyes focused on a clamp that held a naked book, intricate bindings lining the spine. Only when Trixie walked forward did the mare look up. "Oh, pardon me," she said with a loose Appleloosan drawl. "My hearin’ ain't what it used to be." She wiped a stray hair that had fallen out of her bun away from her eyes. "How may Ah help you today?"

Trixie frowned to herself. Not the image she was expecting from a bookshop owner. "Uhm," she grunted, snapping out of a little daze. "I'm new here..."

"Mmhmm..." the old mare hummed, her buggy eyes looking into her soul.

"... and I took a walk, and ended up getting lost..." Her gaze fell behind the mare as she saw a familiar spine of a book.

"Mmhmm..."

"... and I was... wondering..." Trixie trailed off, gesturing to the book spine she saw. "Could I see the book right there?"

The old mare smiled slyly, turning toward the bookshelf behind her. "I thought y'all'd never ask." She backed onto her hind legs, using a knobby hoof to lift the book out from a veritable jungle of them. She held the book out to her. "So this ‘un strikes your fancy?"

Trixie walked forward, lighting her horn, imagining a fishing line attached to it. She dragged it toward her, realizing it was more heavy than she'd anticipated. The front cover read in plain font, An Assessment of Legendary Creatures. The same book she'd seen almost intact in the castle wreckage. The old mystery bit at her mind; why, out of all of the books that she'd seen destroyed in the explosion, did this one survive, including a part of the Cutie Map itself?

Her eyes widened in realization. If Twilight had cast a protective spell around everypony else... "How much is this?" she asked, holding the book out in front of her.

The old mare squinted. "Normally, I'd sell it for twenty-three, but it was almost as if the book was calling out for you."

Trixie raised an eyebrow. "... What...?"

The old mare chortled, her eyes deepening. "This ain’t mah first rodeo, young lady. What Ah know is that there is a certain magic that in each book here. Each of ‘em has its own identity. And each has its own conscience." She tapped a hoof to the side of her muzzle. "That's why we end up so spellbound to them in the first place."

Frozen in confusion, Trixie thought about how senile this old lady must be in order to think that inanimate objects had their own consciences. "O... kay...? So how much is it now?"

The old mare scowled, unimpressed. She leaned forward on the desk. "For yer doubtful soul, still twenty-three."

In a rather unexpected turn of events, she walked out with her purse much lighter, her saddlebag much heavier, and with directions back to the inn. Fortunately the old mare wasn't too offended as to not give her the directions back, but after hearing her little spiel, Trixie wanted nothing more than to distance herself away from her.

She undid the latch to her saddlebag, lighting her horn to carry out the heavy book. What on earth were Twilight and the others doing with this book? Obviously, Twilight had come up with the idea in the first place; why would anypony but her want to read a book so eloquently yet boringly titled An Assessment of Legendary Creatures? But what type of creatures was she so interested in that she had to bring her friends in to talk about them?

She frowned, flipping through the pages. Each twenty or so pages held a passage for another creature: druids, titans, manticores, sirens, draconequus—

Her heart jumped, stopping on the exact page heading. She took to the side of a building to make way for traffic. She eyed the opening paragraphs:

Since time immemorial, two powers rul’d the universe: what the Olde Books call “Light and Balance,” or, as we knowe it today, Harmony; and what the selfsame books call “Darkness and Despair,” what we knowe as Chaos. These two powers drove the creation of worlds, and the creation of worlds beckon’d the creation of the Species in the same pattern: the “Peaceful and Lawful Creatures of the day,” and the “Warring and Lawless Creatures of the night.”

We knowe now that these translations from the Olde Books are symbolic and metaphorical, and the lines between Harmony and Chaos have been breach’d by Creatures once considered Chaotic becoming Harmonic, and vyce versa. However, there is some truthe regarding the evolution of the Species being either Harmonic or Chaotic, split into two seperate Creatures: Alycornes, who spawn’d the likes of the common Equus that we see today, and Draconequus, who spawn’d the Drakes.

Because of Alycorne magicks, Alycornes are still being made today, and natural Alycorne birth has been all but snuff’d out. However, as for the likes of the Draconequus, there has not been true evidence for their existence since Dyscorde himself. But there have beene stories, save the majority that were consum’d by tyme, that if their words are correct, we maye be steps closer to dyscovering if they exist today.

Trixie knit her eyebrows, skimming through the next few paragraphs. There was a lot in regard to the origins of the books before it delved into the actual material. But when it did, one mysterious name stuck out to her: The Strait of Effervescence.

The name of this place is an archaic mysnomer. The way that the Sun hit the waters made it seeme that it was boiling. But this Strait is assum’d to be where the penultimate battle betweene the Alycornes and the Draconequus took place. Much has beene done to erase this battle from history, and the majority of the records burnt were accounts of the Draconic Battles. However, if the above sources are correct, this battle in particular was raged neare the Draconequus’ homelande. Therefore, it woulde stand to reason that the missing Draconequus tribes can be founde here.

Trixie racked her brain. She hadn’t heard much of the Strait of Effervescence before now, if at all. Where exactly was it? The Eastern Continents? Here in Equestria? She frowned. Could this have been what Twilight was looking for? If it was, then that would explain the inclusion of Fluttershy, given her connection with Discord, but why Applejack, Rarity and Starlight? Why weren’t Pinkie and Rainbow Dash included?

Before she knew it, two guards walked out the door, one of them pointing to her. They both approached in perfect sync. "Trixie Lulamoon," the one to her left said. "You've been summoned to the castle on immediate business."

Her heart jumped. Could this be the results from the tests? "What about Discord?" she asked.

"He was notified a few moments ago, and has teleported to the castle grounds. You'd best do the same."

Her heart then fell. "Okay," she said, focusing her energy in her horn, drawing a line between her current location and the one in the castle grounds. However, it was very hazy and dreamlike, and her concentration failed, her horn fizzling out. "Perhaps the Great and Powerful Trixie had better walk," she said downheartedly.

And by walk, she meant run. She followed the main street to the base of the castle, galloping as fast as her hooves could carry her. Her saddlebags bounced up and down painfully on her back. But she tried to ignore that, her burning lungs and the metallic taste in her mouth as she sped up considerably, the castle looming over her as she went.

She stopped only when required to by the guard, and when they figured that she wasn't a threat, they let her through, and she continued to run. Surprisingly, she kept it up until the third flight of stairs winded her entirely, and she slowed, gasping for air, her head pounding with her heartbeat. She sluggishly climbed the rest of the staircase, accelerating her pace to a trot when she reached the next landing.

Two more flights later, she ended up at the throne room, bursting through the doors. Shining Armor, who was standing around a table along with his wife and Discord, yelped as the doors slammed against the walls. Cadence glanced at him, stifling a laugh.

"Honey, please don't..." he groaned, his cheeks turning a notable shade of red.

Trixie walked up to Discord, the doors swinging shut behind her. His eyebrows creased in concern. "Where were you? You were gone when I woke up."

"Trixie just needed... to take a walk," she huffed, her heart still pounding. She put a hoof on her heaving chest. "But... I'm here, aren't I?"

He shrugged.

"Well, now since you're both here," Cadence began, "we can finally get this meeting started." She nudged Shining Armor affectionately but teasingly. "I will let my precious little schoolcolt have the honors this time."

Shining leaned away, flicking his head outward. "C'mon, no fair..." He cleared his throat, straightening his posture once more. "Anyway, so we analyzed the shrapnel from the bomb that was set of yesterday in the housing district. It turns out it was just a regular bomb. From what we could gather, it used a chemical reaction from two unstable molecules to explode.

"But, that was only at first glance. Upon further investigation, we managed to find a magic signature in some of the shrapnel. While some of it was Discord’s—” he nodded to the draconequus, “—thank you for the sample, by the way—there was another signature among the pieces." He lit his horn, light from the windows gathering toward it, making the room dim slightly. He projected an image onto the tabletop. With its detail, Trixie figured that it was a map of the Frozen North. A single dot lit up near a snaking line at the northern edge of the map: the Yakyaki-Crystarian border. "With this we were able to track down Boggs’ whereabouts."

Discord knit his eyebrows, and Trixie thought she heard a snap behind his back. "Why would he want to go to Yakyakistan? Wouldn't that cause more trouble than it's worth?"

"Well, it's the only place he has left to run. He's made an enemy of both our Kingdom and yours." Suddenly, Shining Armor's mane parted itself from his head, wrapping into a bipedal shape. It danced freely, its feet tap dancing elegantly on an invisible floor. "But it's clear he's running out of options. If we set out now, we can intercept him by nightfall."

Trixie scowled at Discord, and Cadence chuckled to herself as she watched the display. Shining cast his eyes about, raising an eyebrow as he looked up above his head. A particularly frightened look appeared on his face as Discord laughed gaily. But when he met Trixie's intense gaze, his laughing slowed. He pouted. "You're no fun," he muttered, snapping his fingers. Shining's mane returned to normal.

He sighed in frustration. "Did you get any of that, soldier?" he grunted, narrowing his eyes.

Discord nodded almost too enthusiastically. "Heard you loud and clear, Cap'n." He saluted him with mock seriousness, which elicited another sigh.

“Discord, Trixie,” Cadence addressed, nodding at both of them. “We have our best trained calvary at the ready, but because this has also become your problem, we would like to extend an invitation for you to accompany us.”

Trixie’s heart skipped a beat. “W-what?”

“I’m going,” the draconequus announced, slapping his palm on the table. His expression suddenly turned solemn. “I want to be sure that Boggs’ ass is in a prison cell or cold and dead.” Both his and Shining’s eyes met, flame in his eyes. “He might’ve killed Fluttershy. I’ll not forgive him for that.”

The prince/general locked his gaze for a few more seconds before slowly nodding. “We welcome your assistance. Just don’t lose control and we’ll be fine.”

“Then it’s settled.” Cadence glanced at Trixie, frowning. “Trixie, are you okay? You look pale.”

She gave a nervous laugh. The long and short of it was she wasn’t. Her gut was doing flips, and she could feel acid bubble up into her throat. She swallowed. The Great and Powerful Trixie… going to war? She could feel a cold sweat trickling down her temple. “I… just need time to think about it.”

She looked at Cadence, who attempted a sympathetic smile. “We didn’t expect either of you to answer immediately.” She raised an eyebrow at the draconequus. “I’m actually really surprised Discord answered so quickly.”

“But we don’t have all the time in the world,” Shining pressed. “Optimally, we would like to leave in an hour or two.”

Trixie inhaled sharply, shaking in her hooves. “Do… d-do you guys have a bathroom around here?”

Cadence’s mouth formed a straight line. .She gestured with a hoof. “Out the doors and to the right. Had it installed before morning sickness kicked in.”

The unicorn didn’t quite hear the last bit of her sentence as she was already out the door to that point. She entered in the door in a blind haste, not even locking the door behind her as she vomited into the toilet bowl. Her sinuses and her throat burned as she wretched again, wiping her nose of the mucousy concoction.

She sat on the cold tile, blowing her nose into the bath tissue available. She had not had a reaction as adverse as this since she had stage fright back in her home village. Just, it didn’t have the penalty of death if she failed.

She spat out another mouthful of sick, pondering into the almost spotless throne. She had been convinced before that she would see this through until the end. After all, she had assisted in taking out a Changeling Queen. But she suddenly remembered Fluttershy’s side impaled by a bookshelf, Starlight banged up and in a coma and the broken bones that Rarity had suffered. This wasn’t a fanciful quest dealing with friendship: this was the doing of a madman, a pony that was out for blood.

And she didn’t want to die.

There was a knock at the door. “Trixie?” Sunburst’s voice penetrated through the door. “I thought I saw you running past. Are you all right?”

She sniffed, instantly regretting it as another bonfire of acid lit in her sinuses. She coughed, her eyes watering. “Trixie is… not particularly in her best shape,” she rasped.

“You looked just fine when you came in,” he noted. “Did anything happen?”

Trixie knit her eyebrows. “You saw me come in?”

“W-well, yeah…” his voice cracked. “I was just wondering what all the commotion was, with the calvary suddenly being mobilized and everything, so I skirted past here to see if I could gather any info.”

She did her best to laugh. “I don’t think that’s part of your job description.”

“Well, neither is having your head nearly blown off by a baby alicorn,” he blurted. “Daily. But some things just come with the territory.”

“I guess so,” Trixie responded. She paused. Should she tell him what happened? Was it behind some sort of non-disclosure? She decided to take the safe route. “Hey, Sunburst… how far would you be willing to go for Starlight?”

She could hear his frown. “We talking literal distance or hypothetical?”

She shrugged. “Both, I guess.”

Sunburst grunted, going silent for a second. “Well, I’d walk the whole Earth for her. If she needed me there by her side, I wouldn’t hesitate.”

She scowled. Not the answer she was looking for. “What if it had you doing something dangerous or even fatal?” she specified, holding her head in a hoof.

Another hesitation. “The same,” he finally answered, his voice resolute. “I’d fight for my life for her. But isn’t that what you’re already doing?”

Her body froze. “What?”

“News passes quickly,” he said, somewhat matter-of-factly, but gentle. “I’ve heard that you were chasing down that bomber. Back then, you didn’t seem to care what the end result was.” He paused. “N-no offense, I mean.”

“It’s fine,” she said flatly. “But, that was in the heat of the moment. I wasn’t thinking.”

Another beat in the conversation. “Trixie, I don’t know what you’re thinking of doing. What you’ve done so far is admirable… but please don’t do anything rash. I know that Starlight wants to see your face when she wakes up as much as you want to see hers.”

She sighed, her heart sinking to her stomach. “I’ll try not to. But thanks.”

With that the conversation ended with Sunburst’s hoofsteps slowly decrescendoing to silence. She sighed once again, sitting before the toilet seat for a few more minutes before she figured it was safe to stand. Her knees were shaky, but it wasn’t anything that she couldn’t deal with. She cleaned up and exited, going back into the room that she was in previously.

At this point, the room was empty save from Cadence sitting the same chair she was in previously. Her eyes opened, and she lifted her face from her hooves when Trixie clicked the door shut. “Are you feeling any better?” she asked gently, like a mother to her own child.

“Not really,” she answered, her voice sounding absolutely miserable. “But give me a few minutes and I should be up and at ‘em.”

Cadence managed a small smile as Trixie took her seat once again. “I’m sorry for springing this so suddenly on you. I shouldn’t have been so hasty.”

“It’s fine,” the unicorn reassured, waving a hoof in dismissal. “The Great and Powerful Trixie would’ve probably had the same reaction in any other context.”

The princess shrugged. “Still though. I was extending an invitation for you to possibly throw away your life. It’s not something I should’ve taken so lightly.” She locked her eyes to the table, rolling the edge of her hoof around the dark wood. “To be honest, I’m scared too. Scared of what will happen to my husband and my people. We were able to avoid catastrophe thanks to your help, but what will happen if we don’t capture Boggs, you know? I’ve been up all night thinking about that possibility and so has Shining. But we have to do our best to protect our kingdom.”

Trixie bit her lip. “Would you blame me if I didn’t accept your offer?”

“Oh, not at all.” Cadence looked into her eyes, her gaze piercing to her soul. “You have done well enough at this point. Thanks to your efforts, we were able to track down Boggs. I wouldn’t force someone with that contribution into the Guard.”

The showpony nodded, staring down into her lap. She considered the possibility of staying back, and in her mind, it made the most sense. However…

“But something tells me that you’re conflicted nonetheless.” Cadence surmised.

Trixie scowled at herself. “Yeah. It’s exactly as Discord said. I want to see this pony safe behind bars. I want to see them in Tartarus. My friend may not be dead, but…” She felt tears well up in her eyes. Not now, she thought, not in front of the Princess! But no matter what she did, they came. “I couldn’t forgive myself if I stepped out now! We’re so close!”

She hiccuped through the sobs. This sucked. From crying because she was vomiting to breaking down like this yet again. Useless.

She didn’t expect it when a pair of wings wrapped around her, cradling her close to Cadence’s breast. Behind a wing, she stroked her mane, resting her chin gingerly on the crown of her head. “I know, Trixie. The journey must’ve been long for you, and I know what it’s like missing the end of something this important.”

For the next couple of seconds, the hug went uninterrupted. Trixie buried her face into Cadence’s chest; it no longer mattered that she was loyalty anymore. It reminded her of her mother’s embrace, one that she sorely missed. The overwhelming sense of love flowing from her thawed the icicles of fear and despair and made way for a comfort that she hadn’t felt in a long time.

When her tears subsided, Cadence pulled away to look her in the eyes. “You still have time to decide, Trixie. Give it a few minutes to let your remaining emotions to subside, then come back to me. You’re still welcome to our ranks, but we won’t judge nor blame you if you decide not to accept our invitation. Do you understand?”

Trixie nodded. Since the embrace, she could think a bit clearer; her mind wasn’t at war with itself any longer. She understood how Twilight must’ve felt during her developmental years, entering into her warm embrace after a hard day. In this way, she envied her.

“Good,” she said, letting her go. “Feel free to walk the castle grounds as you contemplate.”

Trixie stood in the courtyard, looking up at the sky and taking in the mild fall breeze. The storm that they’d faced before they came here had all but cleared out, and the sky was a clear, crisp blue.

She frowned. It hadn’t been more than ten minutes since she confided to Cadence, but her thoughts were refreshingly clear, clearer even than immediately after the embrace. Ever since, she looked at the situation from a whole new, different perspective.

This was how it boiled down in her mind: 1) she would stay and maybe even possibly head back to Ponyville. At this point, she was sure that Starlight would’ve regained consciousness. She could go home, get to sleep in her own bed and hang out with her as she stayed the course on her recovery. Or, 2) she would join Discord in the Calvary and finish up what was started. She’d thrown herself into danger multiple times before, on both sides of the good-evil spectrum. Starlight would still be there, and she’d be able to relish in possible victory with Discord after the fact. It’d be a hard road, but that was to be expected in any case.

But as much as she wanted to see Starlight awake again, as soon as possible, the first option made her feel… unfulfilled. Perhaps Starlight wasn’t awake yet, and the time that she could’ve spent with Discord and the guard would be wasted with a whole lot of nothing.

But in addition to the thrill of revenge, she couldn’t leave a show unfinished, without a proper finale. It may be life or death, but all the best tricks involve some risk.

Trixie ruffled through her saddlebags, procuring the envelope, and one last piece of paper she’d managed to pick up in the lodgings of the Mirenum church, unpacked a quill, dipped it in the remaining ink that she had, and wrote;

Opal,

I know it has been a while since my last letter, so please forgive my tardiness. Discord and I are now up in the Crystal Empire, and we finally have a lead on who our perpetrator is. He went under the alias of Boggs, and appeared to be a yak. The thing is, though, we’ve hit a snag: the bomb was set off with magic… Boggs’ magic. We’ve been assuming that he’s been using mist screens, which could mean that he could’ve also been the pony you mentioned earlier.

To be honest, we don’t know what we’re dealing with here. It could be just Boggs, but it could also be a whole organization. I hope with all my heart it’s the former and not the latter. After all, the attacks are oddly concentrated and low in volume.

… It’s going to be the first time that I’ve mentioned my feelings to someone other than Starlight but... I'm scared. I don’t doubt that his magic is on par with Twilight Sparkle. I might be wrong and he could be an easy catch, but I doubt it. A pony who has the ability to destroy her castle isn’t going to go down easily, I just know it.

I know that Discord and a some of the Crystal Guard is going to apprehend him, and Shining Armor has extended an invitation for me to go with. Even though I’m not confident in my abilities… I don’t think I’d forgive myself if I just sat back. I have to go. After everything Starlight and Fluttershy and everyone else has been through, it’s the least I can do.

But I’m not ignorant to the situation. I know that this letter might be the last one I write. I want to live so I can see Starlight wake up, and I will fight to my last breath to see that day. But at least death would carry relief of my past crimes.

But no matter the case, I want to ask you a favor. At the bombing site in Ponyville, there was a copy of An Assessment of Legendary Creatures mostly intact among the rubble, with a part of the Cutie Map. I’m thinking this was the book that Twilight was going off of when she was meeting with the others. So if you can contact her—or maybe Rarity, the owner of the Carousel Boutique, would be a better option, could you ask them what exactly was going on? I have my own suspicions, but I need to know for sure.

Sincerely, Trixie Lulamoon

With that, she bursted through the doors of the castle, running up the stairs one last time. She felt a new energy in her limbs, and a new endurance of heart. This is the Great and Powerful Trixie!

At a landing, both Cadence and Shining were walking together, and Trixie slid to a halt as to not run into them. Her breath heavy, she proclaimed, “I’ll go!”

The castle fell silent all around them, Shining wide-eyed, and Cadence absolutely beaming.

“Well.” The pure white unicorn blurted. “F-follow me then. I’ll take you to the calvary.”

Trixie glanced once more at Cadence, who gave a nod of approval. “Welcome to our ranks!” she said warmly.

She nodded, and all of a sudden, her enthusiasm turned into a burst of anxiety.

What the hell am I doing?

Chapter X - The Hunt for Boggs

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By the time it took them to go to the armaments, she’d already resigned to her fate. It was down all of the steps to a corridor that she hadn't noticed before. When she walked to it, a wall appeared opaque behind her. Knitting her eyebrows at the display of magic, she followed Shining Armor down to another flight of stairs.

The room was sprawling, but wasn't filled. Altogether, there seemed to be about a dozen troops, including that of Shining Armor himself. They all wore heavy metal plating, with body suits like tights underneath. They were chatting idly when two guards called Trixie over. They procured a suit of armor for her, too. It was made of a few plates that overlapped each other, the Crystal Heart emblazoned on the breastplate. They helped her put on one of the body suits. While they were tight, they were still pretty flexible, and as far as she recognized, there was no chafing to be concerned of. The suit of armor went on top, and was easily strapped over her body, with a few minor adjustments to fit her more curvy nature. They helped her with the helmet as well, and it slipped on like a glove. It scraped her horn as it came down, and she tried her best to quell her own concerns about the damaged velvet.

Overall, the suit of armor was heavy, but not as heavy as her own saddlebags with the book inside. She was glad to have the concentrated weight off her back.

When she turned, she saw Discord as well, who lacked a suit of armor. They managed to get a jumpsuit on him, but any suit of armor fit awkwardly on him due to his odd-bodied nature. When Discord caught her gaze, his mouth formed an 'o', and he floated over to her. "Wow..." he remarked. "Who knew you would look so good in armor?"

Trixie managed a single laugh. "Chatting up another lady when you have one at home waiting for you?" she asked, a smug smile appearing on her face.

He shrugged. "I'm not chatting you up. It's just classy." He folded his arms. "Frankly, you're not my type of mare anyway."

"Nor are you my type of stallion," she returned. She eyed the jumpsuit. "Speaking of, how's the suit?"

"Fine," he said. He grabbed at the fabric and pulled it down past his legs. "It's a little... tight downstairs, but nothing I can't get used to."

"Oh, I see that," Trixie said.

Discord snorted, putting a claw over his face. "Wow. Please, no ogling.”

"The Great and Powerful Trixie does not ogle!" she huffed.

"Yeah, well—" Discord began, when he was cut off by a loud banging on the floor. Trixie looked past him as he turned around, and Shining stood amongst them.

"Okay, ladies," he projected, "listen up!" The chatter in the room grew still, and all attention turned to him. "We may be few, but we have an important mission: to locate the threat Boggs at the Yakyakistani border. You are our choice soldiers. I expect you will not fail us."

He lit a map on the wall, a small pin drawing a line to the northwest. "We'll make a beeline toward the border. We had a pretty bad storm yesterday, so we'll be tracking through deep snow. While I was optimistic about our time table before, it looks like our ETA is going to be around tomorrow morning. Provided Boggs is still there, we'll split up into three groups. One to the east, one to the south, and one to the southeast. We'll back him up against the mountain if we don't capture him first."

The map grew dark, and his expression turned somber. "Our target is a highly skilled unicorn that is able to change his own appearance. Because of his power, he's extremely dangerous. Be careful, and don't take him on alone. Understood?"

The room erupted in ayes, and Shining smiled. "Good. We set out in five minutes. Get your final preparations ready, and we'll head out."

A scramble of clanking armor filled the room, along with idle chatter. Trixie shouldered her saddlebags, and they seemed heavier. This is it, she thought, adjusting her breastplate. That was the day that they would hopefully apprehend the unicorn menace. The ponies that had been hurt would finally be avenged. But a lead ball of doubt fell in her stomach. What if they failed?

Faster than she'd realized, they were deployed, and the Frozen North stretched out in front of them. Thankfully, they were greeted with a calm air, but the wet snow that had fallen prior built up considerably. Shining Armor lit his horn, bidding the other unicorns to do the same, heating up the air in front of him. Trixie frowned, lighting her horn to do the same. However, her horn fizzled out, her head starting to pound with her heartbeat.

“Having trouble?” somepony asked behind her. A mare trotted beside her. She was an inch or two taller than her and a tad bit thinner. Her coat was a brilliant magenta.

Trixie nodded, heat rising to her face.

She gave a kindhearted smile. “Don't worry. I struggled with magic as well when I was your age.” She gestured in front of her. “What do you think the air looks like when it's heated up?”

Trixie shrugged, striking the ground harder in frustration. “That's exactly what I'm trying to figure out. I know that the air particles go…” She gestured rapidly with a hoof while trying to think of the word. “Haywire when it's heated. I tried visualizing that…” She shook her head. “It just didn't work.”

The mare nodded in understanding. “I see.” She glanced at Trixie. “Tell me, what are you good at?”

“I'm a magician,” Trixie responded, which elicited a confused expression. “Like, for entertainment. ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie,’ that sort of thing.”

“Okay.” She nodded to herself. “You're thinking of the scientific way of heating the air. It's a good way for chemists to think about it.” She gave a sincere look. “But am I correct in assuming that you’re not a scientist?”

Trixie scoffed. “Not in the slightest.”

“So, now the question is, what would a stage-pony visualize what heat looks like?”

The last hit Trixie hard in the chest. She stopped in her tracks. All of that time, she had forgotten who she was. All of the weight that she had on her shoulders had taken the forefront of her mind.

She remembered back to Canterlot, when she had successfully performed the teleportation spell. The hope that she suddenly felt when she realized her bonds were broken. The exhilaration after she had finally done it. Instead of being crushed under her friends’ positions, it gave her the push to continue.

She closed her eyes. How would the Great and Powerful Trixie picture heat? She galloped to the mare’s side, lighting her horn. All traces of being somepony who she wasn’t had disappeared. She imagined a stage light appearing right in front of her, shining onto the snow. The snow in front of her melted, giving way to the brown earth underneath.

“You did it!” the mare whooped, lighting her horn again beside her.

Trixie’s heart raced, and she nearly tripped over her own hooves in her shock. “Wait… how…?”

“You said you knew what happens to the air particles when they’re heated,” the mare continued. “You have that understanding. You just needed to paint a picture in your own style.”

“For me, it was a stagelight,” Trixie noted, frowning.

The mare chortled, putting a hoof over her mouth. “They are really hot, aren't they?”

Trixie huffed, slouching. “Like you wouldn't believe.”

They both shared a laugh that died down quickly. Trixie unconsciously stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth, focusing on keeping her magic going. She felt an of odd burning in between her eyes that spread deeper into her head. She ignored the tingling pain as she recommitted, the snow melting faster than before.

“Don't overdo yourself,” the mare warned. “Here, I'll pick up for you. Just take a rest for a bit.”

Trixie nodded, letting her horn fizzle out. She fell behind the mare as she continued to melt away at the snow.

She frowned. “I haven't got your name,” she realized.

The mare glanced back at her, her horn fading. “Sorry?”

“I don't know your name,” she repeated.

“Oh!” she gasped, giving an embarrassed smile. “My name is Melody.”

Trixie bowed her head in a half nod. “Melody,” she committed to memory. “Nice to meet you. My name's Trixie.” She offered a hoof to her.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Melody reciprocated, taking it between both hooves with a solid shake.

“Trixie?” a deep male voice erupted. “The cowardly show pony that tried to rule over Ponyville?”

She turned her head. The voice belonged to a brawny stallion who must've been at least five inches taller than her. She noted the lack of wings and horn.

“That was years ago,” she muttered. “You'll be pleased to know that the Great and Powerful Trixie has since then been reformed.”

“Tigers can't change their stripes,” he mused, shrugging. “I can tell because of how narcissistic you still are.”

Before Trixie knew it, a gargantuan snowball catapulted into the stallion’s face. Her eyes widened. It wasn't her; it had come from the opposite direction.

Discord floated over to the stallion, tossing and tossing the same snowball into the air and catching it. “Why, that isn't the way you talk to a lady.” He dropped the snowball, snapped his claws together. The back half of the stallion’s armor crumpled, and he gave an uncharacteristic squeak. “Think twice before harassing my friends.”

The stallion nodded, his teeth gritted in pain and eyes wide in terror.

Trixie let out an unintentional laugh. “I think he's had quite enough punishment for now, Discord.”

He smiled, snapping his claws together one more time. There was a brief creak, and the stallion let out a sigh of relief. “But it's so fun watching him squeal,” he complained playfully.

Smirking, Trixie turned her gaze to the stallion, but by the time she did, he was long gone. “But thanks, Discord,” she sighed in relief. “Didn't think I'd get the end of it from him.”

The corners of Discord’s mouth turned upward. “You're welcome.”

The rest of the day passed with a low key atmosphere. Of course, this was ignoring the situation at hoof, but Trixie banished all thoughts of it from her mind to prolong the peace that she felt.

It turned out that Melody wasn't too much different from Trixie, barring the criminal background. She was also a student at the academy, and had also dropped out because of her trouble with magic. She experimented with many things, being down and out for upwards of four years trying to find a place to belong. She found the Crystal Guard when she moved to the Crystal Empire, and she had a family in it ever since.

The burly stallion wouldn't talk to her directly, but Melody filled her in on a few details. His name was Bell, the last name that he went by, and nopony knew the first. He was burly and intimidating at first glance, but was a softy when you hit the right chord with him. Rumor had it that he was abandoned by his family in his foalhood, and since then, he dedicated his life to making himself stronger. “He wants to be a father one day,” Melody added, nodding to him. “I can only imagine why.”

At some point, she was introduced to Terra. Out of all of the soldiers, she was the only one that was shorter than Trixie. But she was very nimble, moving at such a pace that everything seemed to blur around her. She had dedicated her life to joining the Crystal Guard. “She has a spirit that not even the disappearance of the Crystal Empire could snuff out,” Melody added. She walked in a manner as if she was making a perimeter around her. “Because of that… well, she’s possibly the most dangerous out of all of us.”

“But that doesn't mean that she's going to hurt any one of you,” Trixie defended. It was this type of prejudice that she was painfully familiar with.

Melody gave her a serious look. “I don't think you understand.” She gestured to Terra, who was practicing bucks about twenty feet in front of them. “We give her that space because we respect her. She requested that we not bother her.”

“But she does talk, right?”

“Not very much.” She drew a line across her lips as if zipping them closed. “But when she does, she comes to us. But she’s always quiet about him…” She shook her head. “I've said too much.”

“Who's him?” Trixie asked.

“I'm afraid that's something you'll have to see for yourself.” Melody closed her eyes. “That's something Terra promised to kill is over if we share.”

The rest of the trip was spent in relative silence. A howling wind broke it, and before long, sheets of white snow rammed into them in a relentless blizzard.

“Unicorns!” Shining bellowed, his voice nearly lost to the wind. He leaned into the gusts, his hooves sliding beneath him. “Put up a barrier!”

Trixie nodded to herself, aiming her horn at the blizzard in front of her. Heat filled it as the snow melted before her, a deep puddle of water forming underneath. She imagined a curtain in front of her, and the water soared in a thin sheet in front of her.

“Melody!” she called out. Her knees buckled. There must have been about fifty pounds of water in front of her. “Freeze it!”

Melody’s aura shot toward the curtain, dispersing across it as tendrils of ice shot out from the center, eventually freezing into a wall of ice. Trixie let her horn fizzle, and she fell onto her flank, gaping for breath.

Melody galloped to her side. “Are you all right?” she asked, offering a hoof to her.

Trixie took it, lifting herself onto her hooves. “Yeah. Thanks,” she managed between gasps for air. She put a hoof up to her breast, forcing her lungs to slow. Her heart thundered in her chest.

“You did great!” Melody exclaimed. She lay a hoof on Trixie's shoulder. “Using the snow to make an ice wall… very resourceful!”

“Thanks…” Trixie found herself leaning into her hoof a little. “Whew… I could use a rest.”

Melody nodded. She looked around. “It's getting dark. I'm guessing that we'll set up camp soon. Can you hold out for that long?”

Trixie nodded back. “Yeah.” She straightened up. “So, Melody…” She rubbed her foreleg with a hoof. “You never said anything about me being a former criminal.”

“Well, you said ‘former’, right?” Melody pointed out. “I'm not doing anypony any favors by focusing on the past.”

“But doesn't that change your opinion of me?” She hooked her leg in her hoof, grabbing tight. “I'm just confused as to how you can be so nice to me when I've done something so horrible.”

Melody gave her a solemn look. “Of everyone I've met, the ponies with the darkest pasts have the brightest countenances.” She looked toward the east, which was now enveloped in an inky shadow. “You know, ponies like you remind me of the sunrise. The pink sky, the birdsong… I lived on a prairie when I was younger, and I would always awaken to this ballad of the dawn. Always gradual, always welcoming.” She managed a smile. “I think that you encapsulate that pretty well, don’t you think?”

Trixie was left speechless. “I-I don’t know…” She closed her eyes, sorting out what to say. “But thank you.”

Melody nodded. “It's my pleasure. Now, let's clear out the snow from this area; we'll set up camp, at least, hopefully.”

Her predictions were right. The sky grew darker and darker, and the storm didn't let up. Muttering about his luck, Shining Armor reluctantly called for camp to be set up. By this point, ice had made a protective shell against the barreling storm, a low whistle coming from a tiny hole in the top of it. The ceiling altogether gave about twenty feet of clearance, giving plenty of breathing room.

After ensuring that the walls were secured, Trixie and the rest of the unicorns melted the snow with such heat that it vaporized in front of them. The earth ponies shoveled the snow to the corners of the dome, forming banks that tapered into its walls.

Once the frozen earth was deemed dry enough, they set up a huge tent that was about halfway to the ceiling. Upon stepping into it, Trixie realized that it wasn't as big as it seemed on the outside, but was still plenty of room for the thirteen of them.

They unloaded their gear from the convoy, laying out sleeping bags along the sides. What confused Trixie is that out of the thirteen, only eleven set up in there. Terra was notably absent from the group.

“Okay, cadets,” Shining Armor projected. “No intermingling with the opposite sex. Males on the left, females on the right. No pranks unless they're actually funny. No fighting. Yadayadayada, you know the drill.”

“Yessir,” Trixie chimed in unison with the others.

“Good. Melody, you're on first watch. Discord, despite your background, you're on second watch. Be sure not to break anything.”

A female soldier stepped up. “All due respect, sir, why are we entrusting a draconequus with our lives?”

“Granted.” He looked around the group. “Discord has been proven trustworthy by both the Princess and my sister Twilight Sparkle.” He paused, if only for a split second, a sigh escaping his lips. “We would be foolish if we were to ignore his power.”

She grunted a harsh, “Hmph,” and sighed. “No further questions, sir.”

Shining Armor paused for a split second. “Good. The rest of you, get some rest. We have a long day tomorrow.” He lit his horn, a map popping in front of him. “It seems as if Boggs hasn't made any progress. We should be able to execute the plan as is for the time being. I'll be keeping an eye on this throughout the night. I'll give you updates of anything happens. That is the end of my report.

“Sir,” Trixie and the rest of the troops chanted in unison, and started setting up as Melody walked out of the tent. Making up her mind, she trotted up behind her.

“Melody,” she called. “Where is Terra?”

“She's in her own separate tent just by ours,” Melody spat. “Approach it at your own caution.”

Trixie hesitated. Why was Melody acting like this all of a sudden? Before she could ask, Melody lit her horn, and the ground shook. A pillar burst from the earth in front of the tent, the ground diviting around it. Trixie stepped back, trying to keep her footing as the earth underneath her was pulled like a tablecloth from under her. The quaking subsided, and Trixie righted herself.

Do I really want to talk to Terra? She reconsidered, bringing a hoof to her chin. If Melody is so bitter to her, there must be a reason.

Trixie walked to the small tent. It was a three-pony, with ample room for a single person or two without being smooshed together like sardines. She frowned. Why would she stay in a tent like this when there was room enough in the tent that she could have her own corner. Something was off

Shrugging it off, she approached the tent, the flap velcroed shut. She cleared her throat quietly when she heard small whispers from inside. She snuck closer, and the whispering faded into gasps. She narrowed her eyebrows putting her ear up to the tent wall. What ensued were small wet smacks and groans aimed at nothing. They grew louder, their breaths getting faster and faster—

She was yanked backwards at the speed of light. When she stopped, she stumbled backwards, falling on her flank. She grimaced, the frozen earth like concrete underneath her.

“That's close enough, cadet.” Shining Armor’s voice was cold, hard as steel. He walked up to where she'd fallen, his eyebrows creased in a mix of concern and irritation.

Trixie felt the tingling heat in her cheeks. She tried rubbing it away. “Th-they weren't…”

Shining nodded slowly. “They are.”

She glanced back over at the tent. “But, why? Isn’t having something this intimate within the army illegal? Wouldn’t it be considered conflict of interest?”

“Yeah.”

The magician’s eyes widened. Why on earth was he acting so casual about this? “This could cost you your job!” she hissed. “Not to mention the media, they’d destroy you if they got a hold of this information!”

“I know,” he said. He hadn’t moved an inch. “This situation is more nuanced than you think.”

“And?”

Shining paused for a moment, then sighed. “I have a feeling you won't let it go until I tell you.”

“You bet your flank.”

Another sigh. “That stallion—Rusty, as we call him… he's a childhood friend. Had a family and everything. But almost out of the blue, his wife started turning abusive, hurting him and his kids.” He rubbed the nape of his neck. “He confides in Terra… I can't take that away from him.”

“Dear Celestia…” the magician mumbled to herself, both at the favoritism and Rusty’s situation.

“I know that's what it seems like,” Shining sighed, tilting his head downward. “I'm going to discharge both of them after this expedition, and I’m sending in my resignation from the guard.” He raised a questioning eyebrow at Trixie. “But wouldn't you do the same? Even if it did risk your political status, made you unpopular to your subordinates, and made your loyalty questionable to your other friends. Would you try to help them out?”

Trixie opened her mouth, yet no words came out. The image of Starlight appeared on her mind. She would do anything to be sure she was safe and happy. She knit her eyebrows. It was the same case with Shining.

But she couldn’t wrap her mind around it. Wouldn’t discharging the both of them before this expedition make more sense? Furthermore, he was in a position of power. There had to be a division between personal feelings and profession. There just had to.

“One thing that I learned through my life,” Shining continued, looking toward the icy wall, “is that nothing is just black and white. In between are many shades of grey, more than any of us could even count.” He closed his eyes, meeting Trixie's. “Maybe Boggs is the same. Behind what he's done, maybe he has a family, a kid like I do. Perhaps he was hired on to do this, and he's just trying to keep his children fed.”

“But what he's done is horrible, regardless, just like you,” she fumed. “Even if you’re resigning, why didn’t you mitigate this sooner? And, in the case of Boggs, how could a monster like him be anything like us?”

Shining let out a small laugh. “Simple. Why are you here?”

Trixie's mouth fell wide open. She felt a sweltering heat rise to her cheeks.

“I know the desire for revenge,” Shining said. “After Chrysalis made me her puppet, forced me to be disloyal to my wife… I was furious. Those were days that I could never take back. Actions that I can't reverse. In a blind rage I worked to track down the changelings. But I realized that while that obsession was going on, I was tearing my marriage apart.” His voice choked up, and he looked away, raising a hoof to his face. “The point is, don't let your quest here be one of revenge. The only reason why I haven't sent you back to Canterlot is because Princess Celestia believes in you, that you're doing this for the right reasons.” Shining gave her a solemn expression, and his eyes seemed deep with understanding. “Please don't prove us wrong.”

With that, Shining walked away, leaving Trixie to her own devices. The nerve. How could he chide her about the mote in her eye without considering the beam in his? She wasn’t the one not trying. She wasn’t the one betraying the trust of her comrades. She wasn’t the one who was trying to slimily slip away from her problems. How could he say that? Was there no authority figure that wasn’t involved in scandal? Was there no hero who wasn’t a villain at home?

She grit her teeth until her jaw ached. Most damning of all, it was working. Was she actually here for revenge? It was true that she felt an intense anger toward Boggs, but it couldn’t be the same obsession that Shining had with the changelings… could it?

It was then that all doubt left her mind. No. It wasn’t. She just wanted to see it through. There was no desire to slaughter Boggs, no desire to chase him down to the end of her days. She just wanted to rest easy knowing that the days of his tyranny were over.

Above all, she didn’t want scum like Shining Armor manipulating how she thought.

She trudged back to the tent, the frustration that she felt turning into fatigue. She climbed into her sleeping bag, and fell asleep in an instant.

She jolted awake, taking in a sharp breath. Discord stood above her, his claw on her shoulder. He gestured his head behind him. “C’mon,” he urged. “I need to talk to you.”

Trixie nodded, confusion stirring in her chest. She slowly lifted her sheets from above her, shivering as the cold met her once again. She followed Discord out of the tent, the icy dome refracting the moonlight in a shattering of color. She caught her breath in her chest.

“Melody, dear,” Discord called. “I do believe your shift is up.”

“Thank Celestia,” Melody groaned. To Trixie’s disbelief, she jumped. She lit her horn, a rope of energy wrapping around the pillar of earth. She wrapped around it, cutting rifling into it. She landed gracefully, trotting to a stop ahead of them. Her eyes were oddly bedroom-ish as she approached.

The draconequus chuckled. “No need to impress me, my dear,” he said slyly. “I’m quite spoken for, I’m afraid.”

“Worth the shot,” Melody shrugged. “Anyway, I’m going to hit the hay.” Her eyes caught Trixie’s. “Typically we don’t have two ponies do lookout at the same time. Especially when they’re of the opposite sex.”

Trixie could feel the coldness in her voice. “It’s not like that,” she confirmed. “Discord’s with Fluttershy, and he’s insanely faithful.”

She held her gaze for a split second. After a moment’s hesitation, she sighed, averting her gaze. “Don’t keep her up for too long. There’s a strong unicorn in her. We’re going to need her if we’re going to take Boggs down.” With that, she trotted to the tent.

Discord cracked his knuckles. “Anyway, I’m headed up.” He extended a claw to her, a kindhearted smile on his face. “Need a lift?”

She felt the corners of her lips curl up. “Yes,” she said, taking his claw. Soon afterward she felt weightless as she was lifted upwards. It was a gentle way up, much more pleasant than teleportation.

They landed atop the watchtower, the whole ice dome expanding out before them in a cool blue. The frozen earth below them glimmered in the scattered moonlight.

“When I was trying to take over Ponyville again, I had perverted your friends’ minds.” Discord sat, crossing his legs in front of him as he floated. “It was actually quite weird doing so.”

“Discord...”

“You see, in order to change somepony’s nature that much, you need to know them inside out. As a draconequus, my Touch allows me to see into the minds of anyone I choose. In doing so, I see their memories. I know their likes, their dislikes, their fears… but they were the purest ponies I did that to. It made them difficult to crack.”

Trixie narrowed her eyebrows. “Why are you telling me this?” she asked.

Discord inhaled sharply. “Well, because I used my Touch on Fluttershy, I know everything about her. I love every bit of her, don’t get me wrong, but I regret ever doing it. I just wish that I’d be able to forget it all. Not to mention, even though I did that to her, she forgave me, almost straight away. But as for the others, well… not so much.”

“How do you figure?” Trixie asked. She sat down as well, pulling her legs closer to her barrel.

“Just by their demeanor toward me. Sure, they may not be as suspicious of me as they were before, but there’s still a divide there.”

Trixie huffed out a puff of air. “I understand. I’m a little bit of an outcast from their group, too.” She chortled.

Discord loosened, raising an eyebrow at her. “What’s so funny?”

She took a breath. “N-nothing. Just that, within the space of a couple days, we went from joking about sex, to joining an army, to doing all this sentimental crap.”

He narrowed his eyebrows. “Yeah… how did that happen, exactly?”

They shared a small laugh, and for a second, the weight disappeared off of Trixie’s shoulders. She felt a warm tingling inside that she hadn’t felt with anyone else beside Starlight. It wasn’t anything unfamiliar, but she relished the moment.

“Anyways,” Discord said. “You need to rest up. Don’t want you to be sleep-deprived because of me.”

Trixie nodded, suppressing a cold sigh in her chest. She gathered herself to her hooves, nearing the edge of the watchtower. She could teleport to that patch of grass right next to the tent’s entrance.

“Discord?” she asked, looking behind her.

“Yes, dear?”

She bit her lip. “Thanks for opening up to me. It means a lot.”

Even though Trixie couldn’t see his face, she could hear the smile in his tone. “The same goes for you. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” She lit her horn, imagining a lasso pulling her closer to the earth. She zapped down, taking one last glance at the watchtower before entering the tent and pulling her covers back over her.

For once in the past few weeks, sleep came easy for her.

The morning broke over the horizon, covering the tundra in a pinkish blue. The rolling banks of powdery snow glistened in the distance. The dome had been melted down again, and Trixie was pleased to see that the storm had passed. However, a wall of snow two times her size formed in front of her. She could already feel the headache coming along as she imagined melting all of it.

Once they set up the tent, they gathered around the center of the frozen clearing. Everypony was in their armor, perked up, and ready to go. She sighed.

“Listen up, cadets,” Shining announced. “After watching the map almost all night, Boggs has still not moved position. Which means that he’s either got a lodging there, or he’s waiting for us. Be on your guard.

“From now on, we’ll be splitting into teams.” Shining lit his horn, a holographic map illuminating in front of him. He pointed to the moving arrows. “We’ll be splitting up into a south team, southeast team, and east team.” He gestured to Melody. “Melody, Discord, Rusty and I will make up the east team, and I will be the captain. Trixie, Terra, Rising Wing and Dawn, you’ll make the south team, and Terra will be the captain. Bell, Diamond, Rush and Daemon, you’ll make the southeastern team, and Rush will be the captain.” He steeled his gaze. “Disobey their orders and you’re disobeying mine. I expect all of you to work together, no matter what inhibitions you may have.” He paused, if only for a split second. “That is all for right now. Move out!”

“Sir!” Trixie chanted, the rest of the cadets doing likewise.

Her heart jumped into her throat. This was it. They were finally going to face Boggs. Anxiety stirred in her stomach.

Almost immediately, they were on the move, splitting up into their groups not long after. Shining had them station parallel to the mountain by about two hundred yards, while the southeast team made a beeline to the center. The east team followed the mountain front by the same measurement that they did.

Trixie and Dawn were at the front of the group, lighting their horns, the snow melting into the earth and vaporizing into the air. She withstood the slight tingling in her horn as she pressed forward.

“Is it really true?” Dawn asked, his baritone nearly lost to the sizzling snow. “That you were the one to nearly take Ponyville under your rule?”

Trixie sighed, closing her eyes as she heated up the snow in front of her. “The same,” she said with an effort. “You need an autograph or anything?”

He flinched. “S-sorry.” He paused for a time. “If it makes you feel any better, my dad was a mobster in Vanhoover. On the surface he was just a regular guy. You couldn’t have guessed what lay beneath.” He let out a small laugh. “Not even my mother knew, he was so secretive about it. That was until he was found dead with a hole in his chest about eight inches wide. My mother and sister and I were up here at the time, and when we heard the news, we decided to stay up here. The only time we went back was for his funeral.”

Regret twisted her gut. “I’m sorry,” she said, hanging her head. “That must’ve been horrible.”

“It was, believe me,” Dawn sighed. He cleared his throat. “But that was years ago. No need to mourn anymore.”

Trixie frowned. She picked up a hoof. “So, what brought you to the army, then?”

He let out another laugh. “The same stallion, I’m afraid. When I was younger and still in foal school, I was bullied like none other. It never really escalated until one time when the pudgy guy tried bucking my right in the chest. Thing was, he was so slow that even a turtle could move out of the way before the hit struck. So I get out of the way, and I take my hoof and shove it in his mouth. He lost a few teeth and his dignity that day, but I was expelled within the next couple of minutes.

“My mother wasn’t too pleased about the news, neither was my dad, but for different reasons. I remember a few minutes after I told him, he plopped my right on his knee in that great big recliner he would always doze off in. ‘Donny, m’boy,’ he had said, a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye. ‘You have a knack for magic like your mother, a left hook like your father, and the heart of a damned lion, that’s for sure.’ He laughed a jolly, deep laugh, but then gave me a serious eye. ‘That power that you have is going to be something that somepony needs someday, whether it’s your mother at the grocery store or the little guy being picked on at the park. Use it for good, y’hear?’”

Dawn shrugged. “Honestly, that was all I needed. I remembered his words, and decided that the Crystal Guard was the place for me. I’m just sticking up for the little guy, y’know?”

Trixie nodded slowly. Almost all of the ponies that she had met were oddly open, barring Terra. She didn't want to pry too much, but she always got more out of a conversation than she would've ever expected. It was almost like being in a support group in that sense, and she figured that when they woke up with the chance of dying almost every single day, it made sense.

They continued their long journey, the mountain range growing ever closer. She started at them in awe. She was too used to Ponyville, where she just had the lone peak of Canterlot, and everything else was green rolling hills. However, the snow-blanketed mountains and cliffs stood higher than Canterlot. The dark cliffs underneath clashed against the white snow. Because of this, it looked like it popped out of a painting.

“I would call this two hundred yards,” Terra announced. She pushed to the front of the group. “I need to take a piss, so if you need to stop and relieve yourself, do so now.”

Feeling her tingling full bladder, she followed Terra, clearing a way for her. All the while she was silent.

Trixie undid the back half of her armor, her flank meeting an unexpected biting cold. She huffed out a puff of air, lifting her tail and waiting to release. The freezing temperature didn't help.

“I've heard a little about you from the others,” Trixie started, lifting her chin. “It seems like you're quite the enigma.”

Water abruptly stopped running. “And I prefer to keep it that way,” she grunted in a rough alto.

Trixie bit her lip. She's a tough nut to crack, she thought. “H-how did somepony like you get into the Crystal Guard?”

She let out a strained laugh. “You must be deaf. I don't like talking about my past.”

“Only for Rusty’s ears, huh?” she blurted. She bit her tongue.

Terra gave her a steely glare. “What do you know?” she said coolly.

Trixie unconsciously scrunched her nuzzle. “N-nothing. The Humble and Innocent Trixie doesn't--”

The next thing she knew, she was in on the floor, her chest exploding in pain. Terra stood above her, almost muzzle-to-muzzle, her eyes like roaring fire. “What. Do. You. Know?”

Water started running, except it wasn't Terra’s. Trixie tried to keep her face from going lax as Terra stood stalwart and waiting. She let out a self-conscious laugh as the river kept flowing indefinitely, feeling her tail getting wetter and wetter.

Terra backed away, stomping her hoof on the ground. “You know what, I don't care!” She sat, violently putting on the back hair of her armor. “It's a waste of time, anyways.” She stomped away, leaving Trixie motionless.

After gathering to her senses, she stood and wrung out her wet tail. It was a little more than humiliating peeing herself, and she kept her head down for the next while. She couldn't meet Terra’s shadow, even.

“You seem a little off.” The pegasus Rising Wing landed next to her. She tucked her wings to her sides. “What happened to being hunky-dorey about all of this?”

“I wasn't,” Trixie mumbled, glancing at Rising. “Never was.”

Rising flipped her mane, a reddish color as compared to her night-like coat. “Well, you definitely stood from the crowd. No wonder why Melody flocked to you. She just thinks we're so… melancholy.”

Trixie grunted, lowering her head again, but not as low as before.

“Judging by the fact that you smell like piss, you tried talking to Terra, did you?”

Trixie gave a shallow nod. “It's that common?”

Rising threw her head back and chuckled. “Just be relieved that you didn't also crap yourself in the process!” She raised her eyebrows. “Wouldn't want you to tarnish that poor rep that you have.”

Trixie scowled. “What’s your deal?”

She returned the look. “My deal is that there are some things that are unforgivable. Almost ruining my home village is one of them.”

Trixie shifted her eyes, frowning. “I know that was wrong. I know I’ve made stupid mistakes in the past.”

“An understatement.”

“But I’m different now,” Trixie continued, putting a hoof on her chest. “If you don’t forgive me, that’s fine. At I least I know that I’m changed!”

The last came out louder than expected. Frustration boiled in her chest. She ground her teeth together. Red rims formed around her vision as she glared at Rising. Her eyes locked with hers, and it occurred to her that it might be a good idea to deck her.

“Enough, ladies!” Terra commanded in a biting tone. “We might be on each other’s shit list, but we’re still working together. I don’t give a rat’s ass about your feelings.” She shot a look between the both of them. “This is survival. We can’t afford such things to get in the way of that.”

“Says the one who never works with anyone!” Rising spread her wings. “You must’ve fucked a ton of stallions to get up this high. No wonder why you’re Shining Armor’s favorite! You must’ve been riding his dick all of thi—”

In a blink of an eye, Terra blasted forward. Her hoof flew into Rising’s face, and she went sprawling. Terra spun, landing a kick on her barrel, making a sickening crack. Rising rolled into the powdery snow, disappearing behind it.

Terra took a deep breath, becoming eerily calm. “That’s enough antagonizing for one day.” She shot a look at Dawn. “You’re a medic, right?”

Dawn’s eyes were wide, and he was as still as a plank of wood. But with those words, he loosened. “You’re damned lucky I am,” he responded. He galloped toward the mare, running the back of his hoof across her side. “She has a broken rib, likely two.”

She gestured toward the snow where Rising had disappeared into. “Take care of her, then.”

He bowed his head, rushing toward the bank of snow.

Trixie tried to suppress her awestruck expression, but to no avail. “She’s going to be okay, right?” she asked, her stomach clenching remembering the sound.

“She’s tough,” Terra breathed. She wiped her brow. “She’s been through a lot worse than a broken rib.”

She turned, her form becoming more lax. “You asked me why I joined the army. Let’s just say that I had high aspirations as a filly. Had good supporting parents. But everything was stacked up against me. So I trained, and trained, and trained. Yet, it still wasn’t enough.”

“So, is it true then?” Trixie asked. “That you joined illegitimately? Through…”

“That was only once,” Terra snapped. “Turns out, that sector commander was just waiting for me to become that desperate. To become his little bitch for an hour.” She bowed her head. “Thankfully, he was relieved of duty shortly after Shining figured out that he was using female soldiers’ sex against them. And I, being viewed as a victim, stayed. It didn’t sit well with anyone, so to compensate, Shining gave me this position. It was a poor decision on his part, but I wasn’t going to reject that kind of offer.”

Trixie frowned. “You were so adamant before about keeping your past a secret. Why tell me now?”

“Because I need something to distract me from wanting to outright kill Rising.” She paused, looking over her shoulder. “Of course, I’m not going to give this information for free. What have you heard?”

Trixie bit her lip, shifting her eyes away from Terra’s uncomfortable gaze. “You and Rusty were having sex in your tent. I thought you’d have been alone, so I wanted to try talking to you. But upon doing so, I heard you guys.”

Terra gave a little hmph, turning her head away from her once again. “Then you probably already know that both of us, after this mission, are going to be relieved of duty.”

Trixie raised her eyebrows, raising a hoof to her chest. “How did you figure that one out?”

“Shining has had our back for a while. He’d have known if you’d heard anything.” Terra bowed her head. “But no. After we’re relieved, and once all of the paperwork is done with his horrid wife, we’re going to move in together.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “Why not marriage?”

Terra laughed. “So naive,” she remarked. “After what a horrible wife his is, you think he’d be comfortable with remarrying?” She exhaled. “That’s out of the cards for at least the near future.”

She took a deep breath. “Anyways, I’m not feeling too violent anymore, and I’ve spoken far too much.” She looked over her shoulder once more, and for the first time ever, her eyes seemed gentle, insecure. “Do take care that you don’t tell anyone about this. I would rather go quietly.”

After a few minutes, Rising had regained consciousness, and they were on the move once more. This time, the trip was silent. Rising wasn’t too eager to share her history after her very brash opinion about Trixie herself, and frankly, she didn’t want to know it either.

After a while, the glistening snow thinned, its powdery top turning into sheets of ice. Trixie wiped sweat from her brow. “It’s warmer,” she noticed. “This can’t be right.”

“No,” Dawn agreed. “It can’t be. We’re much farther north than we used to be, and much higher in elevation. If anything, it should be colder.”

Trixie’s eyes widened. “Do you think it could be Boggs?”

Dawn grunted, nodding. “It has to be.”

“Tread lightly,” Terra ordered, her voice silent. “Tone down the heat. I don’t want there to be any steam from melting the snow. Rising, Dawn will cloak you as you scout ahead.”

“Rodger,” Rising responded. Dawn lit his horn, and she disappeared out of sight. Trixie could only feel the wind from her wings as she lifted off.

Terra shot her gaze about, crouched as if ready to pounce. “Approach slowly.”

Trixie nodded slowly, toning down the heat she was creating. The wall of snow may have been getting lower, but still the water from it ran behind her. She tried to minimize the splashes she was creating.

The snow around her got lower and lower, to the point that she could finally see over it. There was a clearing about half the size of their camp in front of her, but the frozen earth was much more thawed. She spotted a small stick that was entirely black with its own soot.

In the center of the clearing, she spotted the rest of the group, standing over something covered in fur, flat as a pancake.

Trixie glanced backward. “It's the others!” she called to Terra.

She went lax, but only a little bit. “Shining Armor,” she said. “What's going on here?”

Shining gestured his head toward the center of the circle, a grim expression in his face. “Take a look for yourself.”

Terra cocked her head to one side, stepping forward as the icy snow back crushed underneath her hooves. Trixie followed suit.

As she neared the circle, the smell of rot filled the air. She gagged, her eyes watering. Regardless she pressed forward. More of the thing came into view. It was like a hide rug that existed in foreign countries, but it was more than just hide. The color of the coat, and the shape of it all was reminiscent of a particular person.

Trixie gasped, putting a hoof over her mouth, her stomach twisting intensely. “Dear Celestia!” she breathed. “It's Boggs!”

“Was.” Shining nudged the house with a hoof. “It's almost as if the skin was shed.” He gestured to the ragged cuts across the hide.

“But a normal unicorn couldn’t have done this,” Melody posited. “Not even an alicorn could. They would die in the process.”

Trixie gaped. “Wh-what are we dealing with, here?”

Abruptly, a force pushed Trixie forward. She rolled on the frozen earth, blunt pain covering her body as she slowed to a halt. Her side felt raw as she struggled to stand. Everypony else was knocked backward, in the same state as her, or worse.

But where was Discord?

Trixie gasped as a dark mist ahead of her slowly dissipated. Little by little, two forms shone through the darkness. One was off the ground, arms clasping to his neck. The other was harder to make out. It was a biped, a claw-like arm clasped around the other’s neck.

A stray wind blew away the rest of the mist, and the two forms came into view. Discord was the one that was being strangled. But the other…

Trixie’s heart stopped. The other was a mess of mismatched body parts, lion, horse, eagle, buck, and dragon. She stood on two legs, taller than Trixie, and taller than Discord. Her green eyes seemed to glow ominously as she strangled him.

“Now, now,” the female draconequus said, cackling in a low alto. “What do we have here?” With a broad motion, she tossed Discord toward the rest of the group, nearly missing Trixie, but knocking a few soldiers off of the cliff behind them.

“Rusty!” Terra’s voice shrieked.

Trixie would’ve looked, but her gaze was stuck on the draconequus. That’s impossible! she thought. There’s only one draconequus… and that’s Discord! She blinked, almost expecting her to disappear. Almost expecting that she could see through a mist disguise. But she was flesh and blood, an actual draconequus.

A war cry sounded from her left. Terra galloped toward the draconequus.

“Terra!” Shining screamed. “Don’t engage! Terra!”

To Trixie’s dismay, Terra kept galloping. No! she thought, trying to light her horn, imagining a lasso around her to pull her back. But her focus broke, and Terra kept running. She jumped high in the air, to about the height of the draconequus head, spinning with a hind leg extended. But the draconequus disappeared, teleporting behind her and grabbing Terra mid-kick.

“Hmm…” the draconequus hummed. “You want to go out quietly, eh?”

Trixie’s chest went cold. She had the Touch.

“Well…” She grabbed hold of her remaining limbs as Terra struggled. “We can’t have that, can we?” Her arms flexed as she began to pull. Terra’s grunts turned to screams of absolute pain. Trixie saw her body stretch and stretch, hearing her bones crack and pop. She averted her eyes as the screams climaxed, and with a wet shlick, came to an abrupt stop.

She opened her eyes when the draconequus threw both halves of Terra behind her, a pool of red underneath her. “You know,” she said, too casually, “I would be inclined to let you all leave unscathed, as it’s only Discord I’m after. But this is just too much fun!” She narrowed her eyes as she looked straight at Trixie. “You can watch as I do this disappearing act, Trixie Lulamoon. Just so that you won’t bother to follow me again.”

Trixie’s eyes widened. “Y-you’re Boggs?”

The draconequus made a gagging motion. “Boggs is such a disgusting name. I can’t believe I chose it for myself. But when you have a yak prince called Rutherford… Shining Twinklestar just doesn’t cut it.”

“Who are you, then?”

She chuckled. “Oh, so this is social hour now?” Her gaze focused on another pony, and she heard shrieking. Trixie turned her head. She’d picked Melody up, and she was slowly approaching the draconequus.

“Melody!” Trixie screamed. She tried casting magic again, but to no avail.

The draconequus laid a gentle claw on Melody’s head, who was now frozen. “Ah, so your name is Melody, eh?” she mused. “Surely that name must come from somewhere.” The corners of her mouth raised in a demented smile. “Now sing.”

Melody struggled. “Wha… what…?”

The draconequus rolled her eyes. “Wow, you ponies are thickheaded!” She glared at Melody. “Sing!”

Melody let out a shriek of pain. Her mouth gaped open as if trying to inhale, but nothing came. She grunted, turning her head to Trixie. “Trixie, you need to run… Tri…” Her voice fried, and she tried to inhale again. Her eyes bulged and became bloodshot, and her face became visibly purple. Her back arched, her body spasming for one moment… then fell limp soon after.

Trixie’s eyes welled up in tears, her vision smudging. “Melody!” She cried out once more.

The draconequus threw her limp body to the side, frowning. “How disappointing. She must be tone-deaf of something.”

“Dawn, Trixie!” Shining yelled to her side. “You have to run, now!”

“So the attractive stallion’s name is Dawn, huh?” The draconequus snapped her talons, and when Dawn stood, he burst into flame. He screamed in pain, dropping to the earth once again. He rolled, writhing in pain when slowly but surely his movement all but stopped.

“Hmm…” The draconequus stroked her chin. “Perhaps that was too merciful to have him die that quickly.”

“Trixie!” Shining called to her. “You’re the only one left other than me. Run! Go now…”

But she couldn’t move. No matter what she tried, no matter how much she desperately wanted to run, she was petrified with fear.

“Shining Armor, is it?” the female draconequus asked with mock innocence. She floated toward him, and he lit his horn. But no matter the tough facade he was trying to conjure, his hooves were shaking beneath him.

The draconequus picked the commander up by the horn, staring him down. “Let’s see, now…” she mumbled to herself as he struggled, yelling in pain. “A prince, huh? A young child, too…” She grumbled to herself, her posture slightly slacking. With a decisive flick of the claw, Shining flew backward, landing on his back with a firm knock. He coughed out his air, wheezing. “Too boring,” she said, shrugging. “It may be more entertaining to see how this plays out.”

Her gaze turned to Discord. No! Trixie thought, lunging forward, but stopping immediately after when she saw one of his eyes open, looking straight at her. “Don't,” he mouthed.

“What have they done to you…” she breathed, walking over to him. Trixie lit her horn, preparing for attack. But the female draconequus slid herself under an arm, picking Discord up as he groaned. She unlit her horn. What was going on here?

Suddenly, a flash of light blazed past Trixie, scraping the creature's arm. She let out a surprised yelp as blood seeped down her talon. Shining stood, his horn fizzling. “What… do you plan… on doing?” he gasped.

The draconequus scowled. “Confidential,” she growled. Her mismatched horns glew, electricity snapping between them. Realizing what was about to happen, Trixie hopped in front of the commander, breaking free of her petrifying fear. She imagined a brick wall in front of her, the air shimmering around her as the protective barrier formed. A burst of energy shot toward them, breaking the barrier. She heard a sickening crack as she and Shining Armor were sent off the face of the cliff.

Chapter XI - Reunions

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Trixie’s eyes shot open, jolting upright. Her sudden gasp resonated off the cave walls around her.

“Thank Celestia you're awake,” a familiar voice said. Female. Alto.

The fire refracted off the icy cave walls. It snapped and crackled to her left. A chill swept across her face. Sweat.

Heart racing. Voice hoarse. “Where’s Discord?” Breathless. She scrambled to her hooves. Numb. Lightheaded.

“Don't worry about him.” Calm. “Right now you need to rest.”

Eyes closed. Visualization blurry. Foot of the mountain. Blood. Bodies. Blood. Blood.

“Trixie, stop!” Stern. Afraid.

Light. Fingers of electricity. Blasted backwards. Sudden stop. No air. Vision tunneled.

“What. What. What.” Broken record. Or echos? Not sure.

“Trixie, you're in shock.” Concerned. “Just… just come back to the fire with me.”

“Why couldn't…” Throat dry. Thirst. “Why couldn't I…”

“We'll talk about it later.” Pleasant. Relief. “When you're feeling better.”

Firm grip. Pulled up. She smiled. “Here, let's get you rested up.”

Trixie woke up once more. She swallowed, her throat sore and arid.

“There we go,” the voice from before soothed.

The unicorn blinked, the other pony coming into view. She had a greenish-blue coat, a deep purple mane tucked into a bun. But her eyes were unforgettable.

“Opal?” she gasped. “How did you get here? How did you find me?”

The innkeep giggled. “I’ll take one question at a time.” She sat up, resting her chin on her hoof. “First off, I was flown here by the royal guard. Princess Celestia lifted my travel ban once she heard that you found the culprit. A draconequus under the alias of Boggs, correct?”

Trixie nodded. “That’s all we know, really.”

“Hmm…” Her eyes returned to the fire in front of her. “Anyways, as for how I got here, we actually saw a bright explosion coming from where you were fighting. Saw a couple of bodies fall from a cliff. We stayed behind until everything seemed to cool down and then investigated. It turns out you were that body.”

Trixie creased her eyebrows, feeling like she was missing a chunk of her brain. “I don’t remember much of what happened. I just remember—”

Suddenly the image of the battle projected in her mind’s eye. Her head spun and her stomach turned. She was only able to turn her head to the side before she vomited, the acid stinging her mouth and nose.

“Oh, my poor dear,” she sympathized, procuring a rag from her side. She hooked it around her hoof and dabbed it on Trixie’s chin. She held it then up to her nose. “Here, blow.”

Trixie complied and blew her nose, the burning irritation spreading out, but subsiding a little. Opal folded the rag over and dabbed a little on her chest, then attended to the mess on the floor of the cave. Without a bother, she scooped the vast majority of it onto the rag, going to the mouth of the cave to throw it into the wind.

“Th-thank you,” the unicorn said through her shivers. Why had it gotten cold all of a sudden?

“No problem.” She approached Trixie and nuzzled under her foreleg. “Let’s get you closer to the fire, dear,” she said, and Trixie once again complied, staggering weakly toward the fire before once again falling to her flank. The proximity nipped at her muzzle a bit, but filled the rest of her body with warmth that she desperately needed.

“Where's Shining Armor?” Trixie asked, her voice raspy.

“He's okay, and so are a couple of the other Crystal Guard recruits. A pony by the name of Rusty and a Pegasus named Rising Wing got away with only a couple scratches. However, the others weren't so lucky.”

Opal sat down next to her, looking her in the eye. “So, let’s get the rest of the bad news out of the way. First, you’re very weak. We can’t get out of this cave soon, unless the Crystal Guard finds us out here. Second, be it from the fall you took, or by any other means, your horn is broken.”

The unicorn felt her mind stagger behind and screech to a halt. “What?”

The innkeep nodded sadly. “It’s the unfortunate truth. You woke up before in a panic, and tried to use magic. You were blasted backward while doing so. So I suggest not using magic for the time being.”

Opal’s voice felt like it was coming from a mile away. Her horn was broken? She remembered the blast that Boggs had conjured, and the explosive pain that came afterward. Could it have been then that it happened?

She felt a cold sweat drip down the side of her face. How in the world could she help her friends? She was defenseless! Just when she was getting the hang of her magic as well. It was all pointless.

“Where is Discord?” she managed, looking left and right.

The innkeep locked eyes with her, but broke away after a split second.

“Opal. Where’s Discord?”

She sighed. “Nowhere to be seen. We figure Boggs took him, to Celestia-knows-where.” She picked at the ground with her front hoof. “It was one of the only things that Shining Armor was able to tell us before being rushed back to the Crystal Empire. They only had room for one on that trip.”

Trixie’s heart fell to her stomach, her eyes stinging. She lost. She tried her hardest, and did everything she could. She traveled across half the continent, twice. Pinkie Pie was arrested. Hundreds of mares were now without a home. Not to mention that there hasn’t been any news on the well-being of any of her friends; just rumors of death. And now Discord was captured by Boggs, and her magic was taken away from her.

She broke out into sobs. “I never should’ve come here!” she exclaimed. “Everywhere I’ve been… there’s just been ruin. All because I tried to be a hero!”

She felt a hoof around her, pulling her close. Opal’s warmth spread through her body. “It’s all right…” she whispered. “It’s all right…”

Three days passed while waiting for the Crystal Guard. Most of the time spent in the cave was Opal nursing Trixie back to health. The first day was spent trying to get her to stand, the next to get her to walk. The pain that she experienced while essentially relearning how to move once again was unparalleled. She fell and fainted, tripped and scuffed herself up while trying to do the most basic things. Each time her irritation would burn like a bonfire, but slowly that fire suffocated. She had slowly realized what a privilege it was to walk, to stand, and to even cast magic. Things she had took for granted were now precious to her.

It was by the third day that she didn’t faint while walking short distances; a miracle in and of itself. Her body still ached and her knees still shook, but it was better than nothing.

She was outside the cave helping Opal gather firewood when a chariot appeared in the sky. Her excitement bubbled over as she waved and whooped, the innkeep following suit. The chariot landed in front of them, and inside was a white-coated mare with a deep blue mane, precariously styled. Rarity smiled at the two. “We have a chariot for two for the Crystal Empire.”

“Rarity!” Trixie gasped, rushing to hug her. She felt a quick hoof around her when the fashionista started gagging.

“Egads, Trixie!” she exclaimed, pulling away from the embrace. “You smell—” She bit her lip. “Very interesting.”

“I know,” the magician deadpanned. “Try living with it for a few weeks.”

Rarity gave a nervous laugh. “I think I’ll leave that up to you, thank you very much.” She lit her horn, pulling up a tin canister. “Fortunately though, I’ve come prepared!” She sprayed a puff of mist on Trixie’s chest, under her forelegs, and on her belly. The perfume smelled strongly floral; anything more and she would’ve suffocated.

The magician coughed. “Th-thanks,” she croaked.

“No problem, darling!” Rarity glanced over at Opal. “Well, we’d better all get seated! We have plenty of things to discuss when we arrive!”

Opal shrugged, taking a seat next to Trixie, and within seconds, the chariot took off. She felt butterflies in her stomach as it grew heavy. Within the next minute, the cave that Opal and she had taken shelter in fit under her hoof, the snow around it reflecting the afternoon sun in a straight, unbroken streak. The Crystal Castle’s spires looked like twigs on the horizon. Have we really traveled that far? she thought.

“I’m very sorry to hear what happened to you, darling,” Rarity sympathized after a moment. She twiddled with her hooves. “It sounds absolutely terrifying.”

“I-it’s okay,” Trixie stammered, even though in her mind, things absolutely weren’t. “It’s none of you guys’ fault.” She resisted the returning memories before they came. “Anyways, is it just you up here, or are there any others?”

The dressmaker bit her lip. “I’m afraid I’m not aloud to say, darling. Royal decree.”

The magician furrowed her eyebrows. Royal decree? she thought. What could the Two Sisters be hiding?

The rest of the trip was spent in relative silence. Every now and again, Rarity attempted to bring up business in her shop, but the conversation points fell flat before long, and she’d since given up. She did, however, mention that the rebuilding of Ponyville was happening rapidly with the help of the Canterlot Guard. “It’s amazing how well versed they are in the trade,” Rarity mused, almost as if she was daydreaming. “They got the town square fixed up in no time at all!”

It took all of two hours before they passed over the first mountain range, the Crystal Empire spreading out below them. It was weird to see that they weren’t descending, but instead, the chariot carried itself to a large balcony toward the top of the castle. As they continued, the pegasi up front waved their wings majestically in front of them, catching the wind and slowing them down. Soon enough, they landed on the balcony itself, the pegasi ending their passage in a contained trot before eventually coming to a stop.

Once stopped, Opal opened the door to her side, stepping out onto the crystalline structure. Trixie followed suit, only to discover a pinkish dragon with rounded, green spines. Spike the dragon waved enthusiastically toward them, but slowed when his eyes fell upon the crown of Trixie’s head. “Oh…”

With that single word, the magician wished she had a hood to pull over her head. Resisting the urge to try to hide it, she managed through a strained laugh, “It’s fine, Spike.”

Obviously not convinced, the dragon snapped out of his stupor, and gestured to the doorway ahead of them. He cleared his throat. “We’re not headed to the Great Hall this time. Step through those doors however, you’ll need to keep everything that happens there a secret.”

“Trixie has heard about the whole Royal Decree business,” she said. She straightened her posture. “But who better but a magician to keep a secret?”

Spike pumped his fist across his chest. “That’s the spirit!” he exclaimed. “Now, go on ahead. There’s a lot ahead of you.”

Trixie nodded, walking over to the grand double doors of what seemed to be a bedroom. The rippled, stained glass made it hard to discern exactly what was going on but she could see a few blobs walking around inside. The unicorn took a deep breath as she finally opened the door outward.

The room was more exquisite than she could’ve imagined. It followed the theme of the whole castle with white crystalline structures and purple highlights that struck through it. The room itself was in a diamond shape, the king-sized bed nestled in the left corner. Of course, any chance of humble living was thrown out with the painstakingly crafted furnishings and lush velvet rugs, each complementing the theme of the castle itself.

But sitting on the edge of the bed, was the familiar lavender-coated alicorn that she loved to hate. Part of her was relieved that Twilight Sparkle was okay, while the other was annoyed by her very presence.

“Hello, Trixie,” the princess said, her voice weaker than she remembered. She held a hoof wrapped in a thick bandage in the other.

“Hi…?” The magician felt like a chunk of her brain had went missing. Was this it?

Twilight squinted. “You look confused.”

“I’m not confused!” she blurted, the exclamation much louder than she had anticipated. She cleared her throat. “Trixie was just lead to believe that there was a big secret that was being shared.”

The princess gave Trixie a deadpan expression. “There is. I am.”

The magician frowned. “What?”

Twilight exhaled a sigh. “To everypony else, I’m dead,” she said calmly.

“But not to Rarity. Or Spike.”

“Nor to any of my close friends.” Twilight rubbed her injured hoof, flinching. “It was dangerous to have my well-being announced. So the Princesses started the rumor that somepony from our company died. They didn’t say it was me until a few days ago.”

“Because you were attacked by Boggs,” Trixie pieced together.

Twilight hesitated, creasing her eyebrows, then nodded. “Yeah, that was her alias. Her real name is Envy.”

Trixie frowned, ever confused by Draconequus naming conventions, but also… “How in the world did you figure that out?” she asked.

“Shining Armor,” the princess said without hesitation. “While Envy was carrying him by the horn, he said his life flashed before him. Among the flashes was a name he hadn't heard before.”

“Envy,” she completed, and Twilight nodded. “Is he okay?” she asked after a moment’s hesitation.

Twilight nodded. “He’s recovering. The drop of the cliff broke a leg and a couple of ribs, but altogether, he's been doing okay.”

The unicorn raised a hoof to her mouth. “Okay. So, you’re dead, the company was decimated, all because of a Draconequus terrorist. Where does this put us?”

Twilight gave a weak grin. “Right on topic,” she said, amused. “But nowhere yet. Wherever Envy went, she didn’t leave a trace, and everyone involved in this is recovering. I thought you’d need a little more rest, considering your humble home for the past couple of days.”

Trixie opened her mouth to complain, but she stopped before she said anything. An actual bed did sound nice, after all. She proceeded thoughtfully, “But what about Bo—er, Envy? Do we know anything about her plan?”

The alicorn sighed, brushing the floor with a rear hoof. “No, unfortunately. But we’re in no condition to face her even if she strikes.” She nodded to Trixie’s now-broken horn. “I’ve heard from Fizzlepop that she was incapacitated for about two weeks after her horn broke. Said that whatever magic she could use at that point was weak. And whenever it wasn’t, it’d hurt her even more.”

“That doesn’t mean—!” A surge of pain jetted from her skull down her spine. She flinched, ducking her head down. That doesn’t mean I’m useless, was what she wanted to say, but the pain made her eat her words.

“Right now, rest,” Twilight insisted, standing with a slight limp, and lighting her horn. A stack of papers jumped up from an ornate nightstand at the foot of the bed. “There’s a guest room across the hall from here if you want to sleep. I’ve got some paperwork to do.”

Trixie managed a smirk through the pain. “Still gotta do princess stuff?”

“Kind of.” Twilight levitated a quill and an inkwell from the top of a chest of drawers, matching the crystal aesthetic almost perfectly. “I’m doing some of it for Princess Celestia. Forging signatures, all that jazz.” She levitated a paper in front of Trixie without looking. “This one is of particular interest.”

Before Trixie could read past “Request for the Release,” the purplish aura dissipated, and the paper tumbled to the floor. She locked eyes with Twilight, eyebrow cocked.

The princess chortled nervously, picking up the paper once again. She sorted it into the stack of papers she carried in front of her muzzle. “I-it’s a form for a pardon for Pinkie Pie.”

“Oh!” Trixie exclaimed, another surge of pain rattling her brain. She clenched her teeth. Would it even stop? “So we’ll have her back soon?”

“I hope so,” Twilight sighed.

As if passing to a dream itself, Discord awoke. No ground to support him, he felt himself tumble in free fall, the sudden weightlessness making his stomach sour. Looking wherever he may, however, no light greeted him. He blinked and felt something like a cloth round about his eyes. As he reached for his face, however, a jolt of pain surged about the crown of his head. Flinching, he continued, the pain only getting worse as his talon edged closer and closer.

“You can’t take it off,” an alto voice rumbled around him. Abandoning his hopeless quest to free himself from the shroud, he spun aimlessly as the sound bounced all around him. “Who are you?” he sneered.

The voice gave a mock-shocked gasp. “Must you forget your own kin so?” it whined.

Boggs, Discord thought. “My kin don’t kill for sport,” he retorted. “Now, mind telling me who you really are?”

A cold laugh echoed around him, but closer this time. “What’s the fun in telling you right away?” The voice focused piece by piece to his left, getting louder. “The only thing you need to know…” Her warm breath tingled his ear, making his hair stand on end. “... is that you have what I need.”

Preparing his claws, he turned to swipe at the noise, but not before two claws met at his temple. Like a flash of light, images of his memories played out in front of him in high speed, knocking him backward. He tried to hold his head in his claws only to be met by excruciating pain once more. He forced his arms to his sides. “What did you do?” he yelped in shock.

“Don’t you even recognize your own tricks?” Boggs’ voice asked. She hesitated. “Hmm, you and this Fluttershy did get pretty busy…”

Discord felt heat tingle in his cheeks, his chest burning in anger. “Glad you’re enjoying it,” he growled through his teeth. If it weren’t for the fact that Boggs’ voice was too far away, he would’ve tried swiping at her again. Recollecting himself, he snapped his fingers, but the feedback from casting a spell was absent. He snapped once more when two mismatched hands enveloped his.

“No use doing that, sweetheart,” Boggs taunted. In a quick motion, she bent his wrist back with a painful crack, her hoof planting squarely on his chest, knocking the air out of him as he soared backward, his back hitting a hard surface like concrete. He gasped for air as his lungs burned and his body was stunned.

In a shaky motion, Discord massaged his wrist. “So…” he wheezed. “You gonna… kill me… or what…?”

“Not yet,” she answered, clicking her tongue. “I need your mantle.”

By the time she found her temporary room, the sun began to set on the west horizon, the red sunlight spilling across the reflective tile. She didn't want to admit her own exhaustion, but in truth she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. She cursed under her breath when another pounding headache came. The world spun, and she caught herself on what she thought would be the wall. But she heard a soft click of the door opening and she fell into a pair of hooves.

“Trixie!” an alto voice yelped. “Are you all right?”

Her ears twitched, voice ringing familiar. She looked up and saw her best friend's pinkish coat and blue eyes. “Starlight!” she exclaimed, tears rushing to her eyes faster than ever before. Without realizing that she tackled her, they both fell to the floor in each other's hooves.

“Tr-Trixie wanted to be there when you woke up!” she managed, her voice overcome with sobs.

Starlight nuzzled into her neck, her face wet with tears. “I know.”

“I'm s-so sorry!”

Starlight wrapped her hooves tighter around her, pulling her closer. “It's okay, Trixie. It's okay.”

They lay in the doorway for what seemed to be ages, not an inch between them. But Trixie relished in the moment. After all, there was no room for pride here. She finally had her friend back; what more could she have ever wanted?

After a moment, Starlight grunted, “Hey, Trixie? As much as I love you, the tile's not doing any favors for my back.”

Trixie blinked as she pulled away. “Sorry,” she said, standing. When Starlight stood out from underneath her, she stretched in a cat like manner, arching her back downwards as a few light pops cracked from her joints.

“There,” her voice quivered with pleasure. “Much better.” She straightened up, looking back at Trixie, her eyes significantly less red than she anticipated. “Well, we're sharing a room, so come on in. I'd love to hear about your adventures.”

Chapter XII - Opportunities

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Starlight put a hoof to her mouth, her face pale. She shook with anxiety. “That’s who she was? An outright murderer?”

Trixie nodded, nausea permeating through her body as she recalled the events on the top of the cliff. “Yeah, I have trouble believing it myself,” she said. “But then, I have to remember that my horn is broken.”

Starlight’s eyes fell. She pinned her hooves between her legs. “I’m so sorry. The fact that magic was your livelyhood, I can’t imagine the pain you feel right now.”

Trixie flinched as another surge of pain shot down from the crown of her head. Honestly, she hadn’t thought about her career until right then, but it only served to stir up her nausea once more. How would she continue without the use of her horn? Sure, magic was still there, but as Opal had told her before, it was unfocused. How would she use that?

Starlight must’ve noticed her forlorn expression. “Sorry,” she sympathised. “I shouldn’t have brought it up, should I?”

Trixie waved a hoof in dismissal. “It’s okay. I need to face that reality sooner or later.”

Three sharp knocks echoed from the door behind her. Could it be Twilight with new information?

As she started to get up, Starlight stood, raising a hoof in front of her. “Don't worry, I’ll get it.” She walked to the door. When she opened it, a tall, toned mate with a dark coat stood in the doorway. One of her silver eyes was scarred, and looking up at the crown of her head, she could see the remains of a broken horn.

“Fizzlepop!” Starlight greeted, but her smile couldn't hide slight shock. “Hi! I thought you were on duty.”

She gave a strange but kindhearted smile. “Don't worry, technically I am.” Her eyes fell on Trixie, and immediately she felt the depth behind them. Without any words spoken between them, she felt an iron connection tugging at her. Relief flooded in her chest. Even though she knew about her beforehand, she was not alone in her affliction.

Fizzlepop's eyes pulled away from her and back to Starlight. “May I come in?”

Starlight nodded, her expression somewhat blank. “S-sure,” stammered, stepping aside.

Uttering a small thank you, Fizzlepop walked toward Trixie, her eyes soft. Her eyes flickered to a space on the bed beside her. “May I?”

“Y-yeah,” she responded, scooting over a little bit. As Fizzlepop sat, two conflicting feelings struck her. Instinctively, she was afraid. She knew who she was before, and it frightened her. However, that inexplicable bond that she felt before made her want to open up more to her, confide in her. She thought about something to say, but her tongue faltered each time.

It wasn't long before Fizzlepop looked at her with a serious expression. “You're not alone.”

Her eyes pierced Trixie down to the core, and all fear vanished. She could hardly help the tears from streaking down her cheeks. No one but Starlight had made her feel so welcome.

But she couldn't help but laugh at herself. “Sorry,” she said as the stupid combination of crying her eyeballs out and obnoxious giggling ensued. “I can't make it thirty minutes without crying, can't I?”

Fizzlepop smiled widely. “Yeah, I get it. I know how it’s like to lose such an important part of myself.” She gestured to her own broken horn. “But I realized that even something that appears to be broken can be used.

“Speaking of which,” Fizzlepop continued, standing up. “I was requested by Princess Twilight Sparkle to help retrain you in magic once you’re done recovering, if you wish.”

Trixie glanced at her, hope swelling in her chest. “Could it help me with my career?” she blurted.

Fizzlepop grimaced, and the bubble of hope popped. “It… depends. Your magic as it is now is unfocused. Don’t get me wrong, we’ll do our best to refocus it, but it won’t be the same as your old magic.”

Trixie bit her lip. Crap! she thought. Her trade required simple magic, sure, but it was precise; the eyes aren’t easily deceived. If she didn’t have that precision…

“Are there any prosthetics?” was the next thing that she asked. She knew she was grasping at straws, but maybe it would yield something.

Her heart once again plummeted as Flizzlepop’s grimace continued. “There are some, however, they are very experimental. The best ones are made custom, but short circuiting can injure some unicorns. Not to mention that they’re very pricey. I wouldn’t recommend that route if you value your life as it is still.”

“Is there anything else?” she said, raising her eyebrows. She should’ve expected every answer at this point. But she needed her career. It was the only thing she was good at, the only thing that kept her mind off of the world at large. Anxiety flared in her gut. She’d be nothing without it.

“Surgery and therapy,” Fizzlepop ventured. “But again, money is the issue, as well as months of monitoring and essentially giving your private life away.” She tilted her head sideways. “Am I correct to assume that you’re not a millionaire?”

Her mind still racing, she bent forward to her knees closing her eyes. She could ask Twilight for a favor… but that was unlikely to happen given their relationship. She could try fundraising, but her reputation as a dictator would spare her no mercy. Her stomach soured when she even considered selling her assets away, but even if she did, she knew that they wouldn’t sell for much. Not enough to cover medical expenses. And if she used them as capital for a loan, with the wages that she would get eventually, she’d be foreclosed in a matter of months.

Her mind finally slowed when she realized the reality of the situation. She wouldn’t be able to regain her previous abilities without substantial risk. She was stuck with her affliction, most likely for the rest of her life.

“I know what it’s like,” Fizzlepop reaffirmed. “The bargaining. The depression. Everything. I was ostracised by my former friends. I was treated like a monster, and I became one. It was only until recently that I actually accepted my fate, and use what I have for good.” Her piercing eyes surged deeper into Trixie’s soul, something that should’ve been impossible. “I don’t want you to repeat my mistakes. That’s why I’m here, to extend you this offer.”

Trixie clamped her eyes shut once more. Nothing else would work. As much as she would like it to, it just wouldn’t. If she wanted a shot at getting her career back, she had to train. She had to learn from the ground up once again. But was she ready for that type of commitment? It took her entire waking life to get to where she was at with practical effects and everything, but to relearn it was daunting to say the least.

But she also had time. Who was to say that when she was fully recovered that she wouldn’t have the drive or the energy? And maybe with this training, she would be greater and more powerful than she would’ve been if she’d kept her horn. There were too many possibilities to outright reject it.

Fizzlepop sighed. “I’ll give you a little time to—”

“I’ll do it,” Trixie blurted.

She must’ve said it louder than she wanted to, because Fizzlepop jumped backwards, her eyes wide and her hoof to her chest. “That… that was fast,” she mumbled. She cleared her throat, straightening up her stance, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. “But not too unexpected,” she said louder, adjusting her mane with a hoof. “All right. It’s decided. I’ll check in on you in a week. If by that time you’re ready to go, then we’ll start training.”

Trixie nodded. “Sounds good,” she wanted to say confindently, but it came out as a long yawn. She hadn’t realized her eyelids were heavy and tingling until that very moment. She peered over at a clock on the wall, right next to the darkened window. It was nearly one in the morning.

Starlight chortled. “Well, I guess it’s about that time, isn’t it?”

Fizzlepop nodded. “Agreed. Had I not had so much paperwork to do, I’d have been here sooner. Sorry for being here so late.”

Starlight waved a hoof in dismissal. “It’s okay,” both she and Trixie said simultaneously. They spared a moment to smile at each other. “But you should get some rest too, Fizzlepop. I know how exhausting paperwork is.”

“Indeed,” she responded. “Well, I’ll be off, then.” She gave one last look at Trixie. “If you have any questions, I’m down a floor from you, Guest Room 8. Don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Okay,” Trixie said. “Seriously, though, thank you.”

She was already at the door at that point, but she turned and nodded graceously. “Thank you. Goodnight.”

With that she was out the door, and exhaustion had all but taken Trixie over. She flopped back down onto her mattress, spread-eagle.

“Well that was nice of her,” Starlight remarked. “To think that she previously worked for the Storm King.”

Trixie chuckled drunkedly. “You know, you say that…”

“... But I was a bad guy too, I know,” Starlight completed, walking over to where Trixie could see her, smiling. “Anyways, tomorrow, if you’re feeling up to it, let’s do a girls’-day-out, just you and me.”

Trixie’s smile grew wider. “Of course…!” she yawned, Starlight turning into a pink blob. “It will… be a Great… and Specta… cu…”

And like that, sleep hit her like a bus.

Envy lurked in the shadows, the moonless night pleasantly dark. She slithered through the twisted trees, the smell of a nearby swamp filling her lungs with a musty smell. She resisted the urge to gag.

Where exactly was that cottage?

She flew upwards to only barely above the trees, scanning the horizon. Ponyville was easy to spot, what with the scaffolding surrounding the remains of a huge, tree-like castle making it effortless to see. But if Ponyville was over there…

She soared back down and through the trees, Discord’s memory playing vividly in her eyes. The stud visited her all the time… maybe too much. That wasn’t the Discord that she was told about. That wasn’t the Discord that she met once as a cub.

As the trees began to clear, she slowed her pace. Through the trees she could see a beautiful clearing… too beautiful. It wasn’t natural by any stretch of the imagination, but was upkept well.

She was close.

She slowed further, restricting her movement as she started seeing the little creatures. They were all relatively close together, despite the bear that was among them… Harry, was it? She frowned. Fluttershy went to painstaking lengths to be sure each of them had a name and had a place.

When the cottage came into view, she picked up her pace. There was one window lit on the south end. She wrapped herself around the sill, peering inside. The yellow pegasus was replacing her bandages, a red, used one in a bin near her. To capture her and hold her hostage would be too easy…

But she hesitated. This was Discord’s lover. As ruthless as she was, she just couldn’t find the heart to take her. The same memory that played as she picked Shining Armor up flashed before her eyes once again. One of her father.

She pondered. There were still other tactics she could try to take his mantle. But she couldn’t take it forcefully. It had to be willingly given. She didn’t want to leverage his love against him… not yet.

She burned the location of the cottage into memory. Discord was a tough nut to crack, and his memories being blurry wasn’t helping, but she was determined that she would eventually get his mantle. She needed it to correct the wrong that was pony civilization.

Soon, she reassured herself. Soon.

END OF ACT 1

Chapter XIII - Girls' Day Out

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“... Trixie.”

She felt a hoof on her back, shaking her back and forth. She mumbled incoherently, flipping her head the other way.

“Trixie.”

“Whaaaaaaaaattttt?” she groaned, frowning. She was awake. Darn it.

“Girls’-day-out today,” Starlight’s voice chided gently. She felt her body roll toward the divet where Starlight was sitting. The magician sighed, rolling out of her sheets and against Starlight’s back, belly-up.

“Can’t you just give me a Peaceful and Restful five minutes?” she yawned, opening her eyes in slits. Daylight flooded into the window, reflecting off the crystalline architecture, refracting into rainbow colors, right into her corneas. She blinked the blind spots away.

Starlight smiled devilishly. “Nah,” she said, lighting her horn. One of Trixie’s pillows flew out from under her and nailed her in the belly with a sharp plap. “Get up.”

Trixie groaned once more, concentrating to light her horn. But as soon as the crackles started forming, she thought better of it, taking the pillow in her teeth and flinging it at her back. “Only if you get your butt of my bed,” she grunted.

“Fine,” Starlight said, standing. “I call dibs on the shower though.”

Trixie sighed, sitting up. “Heeey, you weren’t traveling across the continent.”

“True, but I was in a hospital bed for about two weeks. Internal bleeding is a pain.”

“Oh, I imagine.” Trixie slid off her bed, arching her back in a deep stretch and yawning. “Fiiiinnneee, but be quick.”

Shortly after Starlight closed the bathroom door behind her, the defunct unicorn reached into her saddlebags, pulling out what remained of her adventures… which wasn’t much. If anything, she had less than what she started out with. She still had the smoke bombs that she’d made in Vanhoover, and An Assessment of Legendary Creatures was still in good condition, albeit it had sustained some water damage from her trek through the Frozen North to find Envy. However, she had to curb the expectation that her mother’s amulet would still be there, and that she still had any materials to work with.

Frowning, she picked up the thick book, stroking through the pages, surprised that only a couple of them were bound together considering the damage. The section on the draconequus was still in good condition; in fact, it probably had the least water damage of the bunch, only crinkling the edges of the paper. She read over it once again, once again finding the mention of the Strait of Effervescence.

She hummed to herself. There wasn’t any doubt now that there were more draconequus out there other than Discord. In fact, that fact gave new credence to the author’s claims. If they could find the lost colony, then he would be able to be with his own race again. She couldn’t imagine what a relief it would be for him.

But her expression soured. Surely with Envy kidnapping him, he’d have figured the same thing. He couldn’t have been too pleased that monster was his reintroduction to his old tribe.

A sudden shiver went down her spine. What if Envy wasn’t acting alone? What if, like a thousand years ago, the draconequus sent her out to terrorize the ponies? She shook her head. No, that couldn’t be right. The circumstances were a lot different than they were before. Also, why wait a thousand years and some change to attack? Surely they could’ve done it sooner, and with more units than just Envy herself.

Trixie’s ear twitched as she heard the door to the bathroom open. She looked over her shoulder as Starlight walked out, a towel wrapping around her mane and tail. “I’m done!” the unicorn announced, the smell of the wash’s floral fragrance laced among the water vapor that rolled out of the doorway.

“Right,” she blurted, the word coming out more enthusiastically than she expected. But honestly, why wouldn’t she be excited? This would be her first shower in a couple weeks, and she craved the feeling of being clean once again. Without a moment’s hesitation, she flew to the door of the bathroom, slamming it shut behind her.

Although as soon as she did that, she had to wipe an immediate sweat from her brow. She knew that Starlight liked hot showers, but this was like a sauna near the surface of the sun. She sucked it up though, and moved to the mirror. She grabbed the hoof towel and wiped off the fog.

It occurred to her then that this was the first time she had seen her broken horn. And it didn’t look good. The crack that traced down her horn was closer to the crown of her head than Fizzlepop’s was. It was deep, and it tapered off just above the crown of her head. Out of morbid curiosity and swallowing away the pit in her stomach, she tilted her head downwards to see the inside more clearly. It was kind of looking into a cross section of a jawbreaker, but a lot more subtle. Toward the center was crusted over with blood, while the outward layers had already started to heal, a thin layer of velvet starting to reach into the wound.

She immediately wished that she hadn’t inspected it at all. It only made her more aware of what was missing, and a new type of pain swelled at—and past—the wound itself. She frowned. Maybe this was the whole phantom pain thing that amputees feel.

She hopped into the shower, and was glad to feel the water still have a little bit of warmth after Starlight had all but emptied out the water heater. She adjusted it to be a good 80 degrees, and massaged the grime out of her coat with a copious amount of body wash. She didn’t even want to think of the icky, brown water that resulted. But as she showered, she felt pounds of dirt wash out of her coat. As she got cleaner and cleaner, she realized how much she missed having a clean, soft coat.

But when she reached for the face wash, she habitually lit her horn, casting what would be a telekinesis spell. Instead of lifting the bottle, a shotgun blast of electric sparks bounced off the sides of the room. She jumped in surprise, dodging the sparkes until the last one faded away in the cloudy water below her. She cursed under her breath. It was going to be a while before her old habits of using her horn died.

She continued her shower, more cautiously this time, going in for one final round of body wash before the shampoo and conditioner. After a couple minutes of deep cleaning, she stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her mane with relative ease. However, the towel she’d wrap around her tail was giving her an inordinate amount of teeth-grinding frustration. She tried multiple times to sit and wrap, even on going on her back, but to no avail. She’d have to have either Tempest or Applejack teach her how to wrap her tail… but she couldn’t even begin to imagine the embarrassment. She knew neither of them very well, and having them that close to her bum would undoubtedly result in months of torturous awkwardness.

Pursing her lips, she stuck her head out the door. “Starlight?” she called.

“Yes?”

She could feel the cursed heat of embarrassment swell in her cheeks. “C-could you please help Trixie with her tail towel, please?”

“Yeah, just a second,” the unicorn responded with no hesitation, and her request was literally only a second. She came with both of her used towels floating beside her, walking into the bathroom with her. She placed the towels on the hanger to her right. “Well, turn around,” Starlight said, circling her hoof in a counter-clockwise direction.

Her cheeks baked more as she obliged, her muscles beginning to tense. She forced herself to breathe, and try the best she could to relax. I trust Starlight, I trust Starlight, she repeated in her mind as she felt her tail being lifted, the towel sweeping under her dock.

“... and… there. That should stay.” Starlight tapped her flank. “You can turn back around now, Trixie.”

The defunct unicorn cackled, trying to play up her embarrassment. “W-what? Are you not entertained by the Great and Powerful patootie?”

Starlight chortled. “I’ve had my fill of your entertainment, thank you very much.” She slapped her flank and then flipped around. “Now, come on! As soon as your mane and tail dry, we’re headed out to eat!”

“Okay!” she grunted through gritted teeth. Did she really have to hit her that hard? Rubbing her precious hindquarters until they stung no more, she walked out of the bathroom, picking up An Assessment of Legendary Creatures once again. “So Starlight,” she started. “Do you know anything about the Strait of Effervescence?”

The unicorn nodded. “It’s just south of the Griffonlands,” she explained. “There’s a little cut out of the land there, and mountains surround it. The mountains actually were actually mined for Ocean Sapphire, but an accident over there caused the Dragonlands’ miners to leave their plunder. It’s part of the reason why the water shines like that. Some of the jewels rolled into the ocean, and since it’s shallower and clearer over there, they reflect the sunlight.

Trixie nodded, wondering herself what the spectacle would be like. “So they left the plunder? Could it have been due to the Draconic Wars?”

“Yeah,” Starlight shifted on the side of her bed. “The mining happened before the battle. After the battle, though, the Strait became sacred land. No one has dared go near it since.”

The magician raised an eyebrow, setting the book down once more. “Huh. So how long did you study to memorize these fun facts?”

The unicorn gave Trixie a deadpan expression. “I didn’t have to. I live in the same building as Twilight for heaven’s sake! She talked my ear off about these things even before she called everyone in to talk about it.”.

Starlight gasped. “Oh! Speaking of which Twilight managed to recover your wagon!”

“Huh?” Trixie said before she could stop herself. She resisted the urge to facepalm. Her wagon! How on earth did she forget about it? “Oh!” she blurted. “That’s awesome… but why Twilight?”

Starlight shrugged with a smug smile. “I dunno, maybe because it was the right thing to do?”

“Ha.” Trixie huffed, sensing the sarcasm in her voice. “I thought that the Princess of Friendship was above currying favors.”

“You give her too little credit,” Starlight chided, tapping her shoulder. “She isn’t trying to one-up you at every turn. At least, not anymore.”

Trixie grunted, “Well, still doesn’t make me like her any better.”

The unicorn rolled her eyes, before they locked onto the book. “Anyways, could I see that for a minute? There’s something that’s been bugging me.”

The magician shrugged. “Go right on ahead. The Great and Powerful Trixie has read all that she needs to from that book.”

“Thanks,” Starlight said, levitating the book toward her, and taking it to her bed. She lay down, fanning through the pages until she stopped at where Trixie thought she was looking for. Frowning, Trixie lay on her bed too, on her side. A few minutes passed until Starlight gave an exasperated sigh, closing the book with a dull thud.

“Anyways,” Starlight said. “I think your mane and tail are dry enough to take out of the towels now.” She undid the towel on her tail en route to the bathroom once more. “Let’s get the rest of the way ready, and we can head out.”

Trixie nodded, loosening the towel on her mane. She took it off and tossed it aside, reaching into her saddlebags. She fit her hoof around a hairbrush, taking out a portable mirror in the other. She brushed her hair on autopilot, a faint pout forming on her lips. What was there to do in the Crystal Empire? The only other times that she was there, she’d just be too tired to do anything too interesting; it was a long ride. But now that she wasn’t that exhausted, her interests were piqued.

Starlight stepped out of the bathroom, her complexion a bit more… glowy than Trixie remembered. She was beautiful, but it was a long time since she’d seen her this way. Perhaps she just took her looks for granted?

“So,” the unicorn started. “I’ve had a hard time deciding. After we grab some grub, should we go to the massage parlor before or after we go out and have fun?”

“Before!” Trixie blurted, her heart jumping.

Starlight cocked her head to the side. “You sure? We could also do it later to wind down and relax after today.”

Trixie laughed. “Starlight, darling, I have walked across the continent. A massage sounds wonderful.” She raised her eyebrows.

Starlight gave Trixie a sheepish smile. “I guess to the massage parlor it is then!”

It wasn't long at all before they were out of the castle and strolling the streets of the Crystal Empire. It may have been her excitement, but Trixie noticed that the atmosphere was a lot less tense. Even though it had only been a short while since she'd first arrived with Boggs, the atmosphere was bubbling with life as ponies went throughout their day with carefree smiles. Only a select few ponies looked her way, but the glances were brief and often aimed at the crown of her head. She'd give a sheepish smile before their gazes finally turned away.

But other than those select few, she was invisible. It may have been because of the citizens' busy schedules, or perhaps Trixie's appearance wasn't as odd as she figured it would be. But for once, it felt nice to not be at the center of attention. Normally she would've craved the curious eye, but after all she had been through, she found a moment's relaxation to be supremely enjoyable.

Not before grabbing a bite to eat, they headed across the way to the massage parlor. It was a little way out from the residential district, just barely touching the commercial district where there were mostly empty buildings, run down by time.

"You sure this is the right place?" Trixie asked tentatively, gesturing to the building. "It seems… sketchy."

Starlight nodded confidently. "Of course. I went out with Twilight one time while we were visiting. They really find a way to make you melt under their hooves."

Trixie frowned. "Okay…" she mumbled, giving a glance over the building once again. The paint on the brick was sunbleached and peeling. The sign was faded and nigh unreadable. She couldn't imagine a princess like Twilight coming to such a place like that looked this shabby, but if Starlight said so…

They walked in through the double doors, and the atmosphere immediately changed. The walls were painted a warm brown, adorned with rustic double candle sconces, giving a relaxed and homely atmosphere. The inside was clean and spacious, and somehow looked bigger than what it seemed from the outside.

A pink pony with grey eyes appeared at the counter in front of them. “Starlight Glimmer!” she welcomed in a kindhearted alto. “It’s been a while!”

“Sorry, Rose Quartz!” Starlight replied, rubbing her foreleg with a hoof. “Had a lot of work in Ponyville.”

“Ah.” Rose Quartz smiled as she nodded, raising a hoof to her chest. “Then shall we get you a comprehensive? It works wonders on hard workers like yourself.”

“Definitely,” Starlight moaned preemptively, her posture melting. “Two, actually,” she added, stepping aside and gesturing to Trixie.

Trixie was expecting Rose’s smile to disappear as soon as she saw her. But to her surprise, it only became bigger. “I don’t think that we’ve met before!” she exclaimed enthusiastically. “My name is Rose Quartz, and you are…?”

“T-Trixie,” the defunct unicorn stammered.

“Pleasure to meet you!” The masseuse stood up on her hind legs, extending both hooves out to take one of her’s. Trixie’s heart skipped a beat as she accepted the brief but confident hoof shake. When it was released, she took a small step back, mystified. Everyone that she’d met previously had some dirt on her, some inhibition. But Rose was absolutely oblivious to her, and what she did in the past. Trixie relaxed. It was… a nice change of pace.

But the warm smile turned into a thoughtful frown. “Hmm… the movement in right leg was a little stiff. Do you have any pain or soreness in that shoulder?”

Trixie paused. She moved her leg and indeed, there was a pang of pain. “Yes…?”

“And not the other?”

Frowning, Trixie moved the other. “Not necessarily.”

Rose Quartz nibbled at the tip of her hoof, which was polished in a transparent gloss. “That’s on your dominant side, so we’ll just have to pay special attention to that. But you’re in for a treat with comprehensive!” She let her hoof down, turning to the door behind her and opening it. “I’ll let my associate know,” she announced over her shoulder as she closed the door behind her.

Trixie leaned to her right, now a little too self-conscious. She glanced at Starlight, an eyebrow raised in nervous curiosity. “Comprehensive?”

Starlight nodded. “Yeah, you’re going to love it! They find muscles that you didn’t know needed to be worked on. You feel like you can run a marathon afterward.”

The magician frowned. “How could it be any different from a normal massage?”

“You’ll see!”

The masseuse cracked the door open, smiling at the both of them as she stuck her muzzle through the space between. “You girls can come on back.”

Lifting her lips in a knowing smile, Starlight led the way to the back room to the left of the counter. Trixie followed. Around the corner, the style of the room was the same, but five different hourglass-shaped beds lay a few feet apart from each other, holes around the midsection and head. The sheets hugging around them were a bright white, no sign of staining in sight. Starlight went to her bed and Trixie went to the one to the right of it, feeling the cushioning. The material was cool, forming into the shape of her hoof before slowly pulling back into form.

“Whenever you’re ready, feel free to lay down, face down first.”

The voice came from the other side of the bed. She looked similar to Rose Quartz, but her jaw was more hardened, and she was a tad bit larger. “My name is Strawberry Stream, Rose’s older sister. Nice to meet you.”

“Trixie,” the magician greeted, climbing into the bed. “Nice to meet you too.”

Strawberry Stream smiled, rolling over a cart from behind her. “I’m going to place a pad your shoulder for a couple of minutes. Are you allergic to menthol?”

“No,” Trixie answered, shaking her head.

Strawberry nodded, grabbing a pad stuck to a plastic handle in her mouth. She set it gently on Trixie’s shoulder, the smell of the menthol clearing out her nostrils as she tore off the handle, and the pad stuck to Trixie's coat. It was damp, but the menthol quickly cooled down the area around her shoulder. The cold feeling crawled up to her mid back down to her shoulder as the pad appeared to melt onto her, spreading the menthol gel further. She shivered as the temperature in the room seemed to drop.

But the pain in her shoulder was all but gone at this point, and a new relief washed over her. She'd been dealing with that since about the time she arrived at the Crystal Empire the first time. Since then, it had become white noise to her; it was barely noticeable. However, she was now beginning to be free from pain that she had accepted as normal, and it was deliciously sweet.

It only took a couple more minutes for the menthol pad to completely melt onto her. At that point, Strawberry wiped the excess with a cloth that was only just bigger than her hoof, and the area only got cooler.

But then Strawberry started the massage. Of course there was the starting pain, but when Trixie was truly relaxed, the masseuse worked her magic. She rubbed deep into her tissue, starting at mid-back, then going up to her shoulders. She let out a girthy moan as the masseuse dug deep into the joint, working out the knot that had built up there.

As the masseuse worked down toward her flank, things got more erogenous. Orgasmic tingles coursed up her spine as her hooves pushed into her flank, massaging inside and out. She bit her lip to try to keep quiet but to no avail. With every circular movement, she couldn't help but to squeal a bit. She could hear Starlight snicker each time, replying often with a subdued, "Shut uuuuuuupppp!"

But she was beginning to see why it was called 'comprehensive'. Strawberry hadn't missed a single muscle up to this point. She dug deep and shallow, up, down, left, and right. Besides the obvious no-zones, there wasn't a place below her chin, barring the back of her head and ears, that she hadn't been to. It was unorthodox, but it was pure bliss all the same.

When the massage was finally over, Trixie felt like she was given a new pair of legs. The joints moved fluidly as she walked around the room, laughing with giddiness. "You were right, Starlight! The Great and Powerful Trixie could run a marathon and an Iron Mare!"

Starlight and the masseuses chuckled in unison. "I'm glad you feel that way." From her unstrapped saddlebag, she procured a nylon coin pouch, handing the lot over to Strawberry. "Just be glad you're not footing the bill this time."

Trixie suppressed a shudder when she saw the size of the pouch. It could fit five hundred bits easily. That could get her a lifetime supply of candied cherries, repairs on her wagon, and have money to spare for a tour.

Most of the afternoon was spent at a nearby festival. From what Trixie gathered, it was semi-annual, celebrating the freedom from Sombra’s rule. And appropriately, the main edible there was rock candy in the shape of crystals. When she tried one out, she almost broke her teeth, the candy tasting of pure sugar. She prepared herself for the eventual heartburn it would give her.

After purchasing enough kites for the entire city of Ponyville, Starlight dragged her to most of the tossing games available. Trixie tried a couple tosses, nearly burning down the attraction when she forgot that her horn was defunct. She apologized to the stand runner for his singed eyebrows, but the guy was so shocked that his only response was a broken whimper. Needless to say, she sat out the rest of the games, nearly falling asleep as Starlight missed every single shot even with a horn. Her face reddening, she nearly threw down the rest of the rings she had one play, but instead curtly set them down on the counter before walking away, grunting in frustration.

Relieved to walk away from the bit-eating games, they decided to take to the next attraction: a small roller coaster, which apparently wasn’t there all year. When Starlight asked about the process, the fact came up that it was very easy to put up and take apart, just with a little bit of binding magic to keep it safe and together. Upon hearing this fact, her knees started shaking, but Trixie was so enchanted by the contraption that she dragged her friend with her. After waiting too long in line, they rode down sheer slopes, near sideways turns, and through one loop-dee-loop. Trixie held her hooves up in ecstatic glee, enjoying the wind and the gut-punching acceleration, while Starlight screamed at the top of her lungs in terror. Once they were done, Starlight couldn’t stand up straight, and they agreed to rest for a few minutes before they started again.

The next available bench they saw was unfortunately far away from the festival. They walked into the next district, the screams from the people riding the roller coaster fading into the distance. At that point, Starlight could walk reliably, but they were committed to find somewhere to sit.

That place was a shuttle stop abutting a cemetery. It was the most ordinary part of the empire that Trixie had seen; there was minimal crystals here. Instead, the cemetery behind them had beautiful green grass that rolled along small, rippling hills. Flowers and small trinkets adorned the base of the headstones, catching the wandering eye. It was gorgeous in a somber way, and the most reverent place she’d been in thus far. Not even the Mirenite church houses during service were this eerily peaceful.

But a little way off, a familiar pony caught the corner of her eye. Opal walked out from behind one of the headstones, reading over their content. She wore a dark dress, the color striding the line between deep navy blue and black. It shimmered in the sunlight when as she moved, but she finally stopped at one headstone. She sat down, bowing her head as she mumbled to herself.

Trixie’s heart sank, about to look away when their eyes met. She waved at her somberly, but then gestured to her to come. Her heart sank, kicking herself for staring at such a tender moment, but she stood, turning to Starlight. She started saying her name when she realized that her body was slumped against the back of the bench, mouth wide open as her head bent back onto the crest of the bench’s back. She frowned, taking her saddlebags, then walking toward the headstone where Opal sat.

“Hi,” Trixie said tentatively, trying not to be disrespectful.

“Hi,” Opal greeted in return. She gestured toward the headstone. “I’d like you to meet someone.”

Smiling awkwardly, Trixie sat next to Opal, reading over the headstone. It was a small one that barely stood from the ground, cursive lettering spelling out the name:

Here Lies Honeycomb

998-1002

“She was my niece,” Opal explained, her glassy eyes meeting Trixie’s. “The one that you remind me of.”

Trixie’s heart plummeted in her stomach. She remembered her saying something like that when they had first met… but she never imagined that it would bring up such a painful memory. She slouched her back, bowing her head. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know…”

“It isn’t your fault,” Opal reciprocated swiftly. She rested a hoof on the magician’s shoulder. “I’m just glad I could save you.”

A pang of ice hit her chest at the emphasis. “You don’t… blame yourself, do you?”

The inkeep’s hoof fell away from her shoulder, her face going slack, her eyes becoming shallow. “I…” Her body quaked as her confident facade shattered. She slammed the hoof down, not out of anger, but rather, it was the same as a rousing slap; she was clawing her way out of an abrupt damnation. She stood swiftly, turning away. “I have to go,” she blurted, galloping off in the other direction.

Trixie’s heart tore in two, nauseous guilt settling in her stomach. “Opal!” she called, but to no avail. She was gone.

Chapter XIV - Honeycomb

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“... Trixie?”

The defunct unicorn snapped out of her dead stare, her heart jolting. They were back in the castle, but everything seemed to lose its luster. Ice cold guilt pricked at her stomach, not enough to make her vomit, but enough for her limbs to refuse to move. Through a stroke of will, she brought her hind legs close to her chest, a shiver trickling down her spine. “Sorry, I just…”

Trixie could see Starlight raise a concerned eyebrow through the reddish outline of the room burned into her corneas. She walked toward her. “Trixie, you can’t let yourself be down like this. Sure, you said something wrong…” She placed a hoof on Trixie’s shoulder, a sudden gut feeling making her unconsciously move away from the friendly gesture. “... But Opal is strong. Forgiving, too. Just forgive yourself, okay?”

The magician paused, shifting in her seat. She remembered Opal’s face going slack, quickly leaving the mortuary afterward. Saying what she said was uncalled for. But then she also remembered the cafe, and what the barista told her. She straightened up, her nausea disappearing somewhat.

Three sharp knocks sounded at the door, strong and authoritative. Trixie turned and gathered herself to her hooves. Night had fallen maybe an hour before. Could it be Tempest again? She wondered.

But when she opened the door, her heart jumped in surprise when Opal stood on the other side, her expression somber.

“O-Opal!” Trixie stammered, taking a step back.

The innkeep gave a low chuckle, raising a hoof to her mouth. “Scared you?”

“No,” the magician blurted, “but…” She sweeped her hoof just above the carpet, her eyes tracing the motion. “... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”

Suddenly, Opal’s hoof gently pressed against Trixie’s lips. Her eyes shot up, and Opal gave her a small smile. “It’s okay, really! I probably should be the one who’s apologizing. You were correct and I ran away.” She pulled back her hoof, turning her head away bashfully. “I… owe you an explanation.”

“Are you sure?” Starlight asked, walking to Trixie’s side, her head cocked to the side. “You don’t have to.”

Opal gave a single laugh, but this time it was colder and bitter. She turned to face them. “I do. They may be painful memories, but Trixie helped me realize something.” Her gaze locked to Trixie’s, her blue eyes deep with determination. “I want to move on. And I think that this is a good first step.”

After a moment’s hesitation to digest what she had said, the magician nodded thoughtfully. The image of her mother appeared faintly in her mind. She still carried pain with her, but after throwing away the pendant, it stung less. “If this is what you think is best, then we will gladly listen.” She glanced toward Starlight, and she nodded too with a warm smile.

The innkeep’s somber expression turned lighter as her smile grew wider. “Thank you,” she said lowly, following the two inside the room. Trixie offered a seat next to her on her bed, and she obliged, the three sitting in a near huddle.

Opal took a deep breath, her eyes closed as she started, “The incident happened exactly six years ago, after my niece Honeycomb turned four.”

A stallion dressed in a white robe burst into the crowd, breathing heavily as he pushed the ponies enveloping him to and fro.

Opal gave chase, pumping her legs as fast as she could to keep in pursuit. "He's moving through the crowd!" she puffed into her earpiece. "I need someone to intercept him from the north!"

"Will do," a calm, masculine voice replied on the other end. "Steer him toward Buck's and Brandy's, that's where I'm at."

"Rodger!" she huffed, shuffling her way through the crowd to her left. She frowned. Two things that she absolutely despised: crowds and her armor. She could feel her sweat pooling in her boots already, and her joints ached where the metal plating smashed in frantic movement.

The stallion in the robes glanced over his shoulder, his eyes widening as Opal drew closer. He turned slightly to the right. Perfect.

Opal gave chase, going through the crowd faster. She was confident that they would get him, but she wasn't going to allow any chance for him to get away.

The robed stallion broke out of the crowd, but immediately skidded to a halt. "Shit, shit, shit!" he yelped as the guard tackled him to the ground with a slam. Above the two, the sign for Buck's and Brandy's gleamed in the sunset. Opal cackled to herself as she made her way to them.

The other guard peered up at her, the robed stallion belly-up. "Good job," he grunted, fastening a pair of cuffs around his hooves. He gestured to the bar with his head. "Been here often?"

"Not since I met Sunny, no," Opal panted, stretching out her hind leg. She forced herself to breathe deeply, her breath tasting of copper. "So, what is a Mirenite Priest doing here?"

"Probably looking for a suitor," the guard guessed, frowning at the stallion below him. "But not before attempting robbery. At a guarded bank no less."

Opal shrugged, disgust oozing into her gut. "That's what happens when you think with the wrong head," she said grimly, shaking her head.

"True." The guard stood as a caravan rushed into the scene, pulling off a sideways drift. Grunting to himself, the guard hoisted the priest onto his back. Opal thanked her lucky stars that she wasn't the one to carry the arrestee this time.

"But this is a nice way to end off your day, huh?" the guard breathed, pulling open the door to the caravan with his teeth. "The past few days've been boring."

Opal grimaced. "True. But nice? Not necessarily. Eventful? Yes."

After he shoveled the priest through the door, the guard shrugged, breathing heavily. "Still better than nothing." He tapped the caravan behind him. "But keep this up, and you'll be in for the promotion you're looking for."

Opal nodded emphatically. "Yep! It would definitely beat taking over my mom's inn." She added the last part with a grunt.

"You bet!" the guard managed, stepping into the caravan. "But I'll see you tomorrow then?"

She shook her head. "I've got the day off tomorrow. My niece and I are going to the festival."

"Oh!" the guard blurted, reaching for the door handle in a wide gesture. "Well, make sure to say hi to her for me, okay?"

"Will do!" Opal said, raising her hoof in a wave. "I'll see you later! Kick some ass for me!"

"It'll be my pleasure," the guard chuckled maniacally. "See ya!" As soon as the door closed, the caravan took off to the north, its sirens blaring into the distance.

Smiling, Opal turned away, following the main street south. The thrill of the chase and the weight of responsibility made her heart swell with pride. She could do this all her life.

But the penetrating thought of her mother made that smile slowly disappear from her lips. She was getting older and constantly tired from working at the family inn in Canterlot. She wanted so badly to retire, but her only other daughter, Opal's sister, was all the way on the east coast, living it up with her husband. Opal was stationed in the Crystal Empire, but that was only until the new country was able to form its own police. Meaning that the rest of the time, she'd be in Canterlot--the closest to her mother.

A bitter taste filled her mouth. Why couldn't her mother just find a third party to buy the inn from her? Why couldn't she just let Opal live her own life with her girlfriend and her dream job?

When she realized she started sulking, she straightened up, fearful that others might see her weakened state. It was a necessary facade to keep the citizens' morale up, and was the only other thing that she hated about her job in the Crystal Empire. It'll be over soon, she thought.

She yawned, exhaustion finally turning her bones to jelly as she neared her apartment. The sun had set behind the crystalline structure of the exterior, leaving a pinkish hue about the walls. She frowned for what seemed to be the thousandth time. It blended in a bit too well almost to the point that it was dull. She wished that there was a little more variety in the architecture of the Crystal Empire, but it would take a while until the citizenry would dare move out farther than they were currently.

She climbed the stairs up to her apartment, opening the door to a bright living room straight ahead. Two sofas made an ‘L’ surrounding a fireplace, the low fire casting dancing shadows on the opposite wall. It was there where she found her significant other. Sunny had a bright blonde coat with a ginger mane and tail. She smiled, a dark birthmark on her muzzle stretching with the action, and she stood, walking toward Opal. "Hey!" she greeted warmly, pecking her on the lips. "How was work?"

"Exhausting, as always," Opal sighed, rolling a persistent ache out of her ankle. "I should go to the massage parlor here before I'm sent back."

Sunny nodded enthusiastically. "They're amazing, hon. You'd love it."

"Aunt Opal!" squeaked a filly's voice from over the sofa. Honeycomb sprinted around the corner, her golden mane flowing behind her as she tackled Opal in a hug, knocking her back.

"H-hey kiddo!" Opal chortled, smoothing back the filly's wispy mane. "Long time no see!"

Sunny smiled from ear to ear. "Your sister dropped her off about an hour ago."

Opal frowned. "Damn. I was hoping I wouldn't miss her."

She shrugged. "She told me to say hi for her though. Also, she said that your brother finally nailed a date for his wedding, in December."

Opal grimaced, inhaling through her teeth. "How close to the holiday is it?"

"First week."

The tension left Opal almost immediately. "I'll see what I can do. The District Marshall has been working me to the bone."

"I'm the flower filly!" Honeycomb trumpeted, bouncing up and down. "I can't wait to show off my tricks!"

“Oh?” Opal asked, intrigued. She bent down to her level. “What do you have in mind?”

“Well, I wanna take a fan, put it in the bottom of the… basket, and fwoosh!” She whipped her hoof up in a wide gesture, Opal quickly taking a step back in order to avoid being clocked by a four year old. “It’s gonna be so cool!”

Opal raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Yeah? And how are you going to turn it on?”

Honeycomb furrowed her brow in concentration. She brought a hoof up to her pursed lips. “Well, it’d have to be a hole-y basket. I can stick the button on the bottom, hold it down with tape… and then use the cup that you have your pencils in over the fan so that nothing gets in the way!”

Opal chuckled at the apparent unlikeliness of the plan, but then she thought about it more. If she were to use a small, battery-powered hoof fan that has the small button on the rear, and use tape to bind it down on a woven, tweed basket, that’d do it. She also remembered how shallow her pencil holder was, and the fact that it was made out of an aluminum mesh thin enough that air from a fan wouldn’t have a hard time blowing through. “That’s…” she started, taken aback from the ingenuity of the project, “... pretty smart, actually.”

Honeycomb smiled gleefully. “It’ll be like magic!” she giggled, jumping up and down once more. Then her eyes popped wide open, suddenly stopping, gasping as if she had an epiphany. “That’s it!” she proclaimed, rushing back behind the ‘L’ of the sofa.

Opal smiled so wide that her cheeks cramped. “How long has she been going at this?” she asked.

“Since this morning, apparently,” Sunny said, shifting her weight to her left side. “She probably has a full ream of paper outlining her schematics in crayon. They’re all pretty sound.”

“Are they…” Opal mumbled to herself, peeking over the sofa. Sunny wasn’t exaggerating; a pile of paper surrounded her niece in a teardrop shape around her. She sat at the narrow end, drawing methodically on the front of one of the papers, pausing to think, then continuing. And they weren’t meager sketches either. They were exceptionally detailed, pointing out which part of a contraption was what, how she was going about the assembly, even as far as color coding battery-powered components.

She couldn’t help but stare in awe. She always knew that Honeycomb was especially smart and diligent. She remembered multiple times where she demanded her or her sister to teach her stories word-by-word, not to memorize them, but to learn to read. But this was unprecedented, dumbfounding, but all at the same time, amazing to behold.

“Earth to Opal?” Sunny’s hoof waved in front of her face. “You all right, hon?”

“Yeah,” she responded, glancing over to her significant other. She lowered her voice. “But just look at what she’s doing!”

“Yep, I see it,” Sunny said, unfazed. “She’s a really smart kid.”

“Smarter than smart,” Opal added. Her eyebrows shot up. “How are you not freaking out about this?”

“Freaking out?” She turned to face Opal, chortling. “What is there to freak out about?”

Opal’s eyes widened, dumbfounded as she silently gestured to her niece doing the equivalent of highschool engineering.

“Well, I know!” Sunny retorted. She reached for Opal’s extended hoof and slowly put it down. “Trust me, I was surprised, and it’s really cool that your niece is the next Starswirl sans the horn, but she’s not doing anything wrong. Is she?”

“No, that isn’t what I mean—”

Sunny laid a hoof on Opal’s shoulder, cocking her head to the side. “I know. Just... take a couple breaths. Act interested, support her, but don’t treat her as if she’s plotting to open the gates of Tartarus. Understood, cadet?”

Opal’s eye twitched. “That’s captain to you.”

Her significant other smirked. “That’s better!” she exclaimed, patting her on the shoulder. “Now, come on. I made killer chef’s salad for you.”

It was only then that Opal’s stomach growled like an Ursa Major. “That sounds wonderful,” she chuckled, heat flowing up to her cheeks.

And with that, they ate. Sunny and Honeycomb engaged in playful banter about how to better rig a toy bugle to scare the daylights out of a local bully. Meanwhile, Opal was preoccupied, resisting the temptation to not hork down her dinner like a vacuum. Instead, she stabbed small parts of the salad and chewed them thoroughly, forcing herself to eat slower. She gave her initial input, but mostly, she listened, digesting and internalizing the detail that her niece and her girlfriend gave. Honeycomb lead the conversation heavily, suggesting the big changes, while Sunny suggested smaller adjustments to make the whole thing fit.

All the while, Opal couldn’t help but smile. Unlike Opal, Sunny actually had a degree in engineering, and it showed. Sunny leaned forward, her back still arched, but her eyes wide and full with intrigue. This type of engagement that she showed always made Opal’s heart flutter. It made her wonder how in the world they worked so well together, and how on earth she deserved her.

After the hearty conversation came to a close, the sun had set deeply into the western horizon, and Honeycomb began to yawn and rub her eyes. Sunny smiled with half lidded eyes, standing from the table. “Well, I think it’s time to put our little genius to bed,” she announced.

The filly yawned once more. “Buuuut… I needa… get done with…”

Opal smiled, walking over to her niece, brushing her mane back. “We can finish your project after we’re done tomorrow… okaaaayyy?” She tried to suppress the imminent yawn, but to no avail.

“Okay…” the filly responded, leaning into her aunt’s chest. Smiling, Opal walked her to the guest bedroom, and began tucking her in. But she was out like a light before she was even halfway done. Smiling and pecking her forehead, Opal shut off the light, closing the door behind her gently as to not wake her back up.

In the hallway, Sunny smiled a drunken, crooked smile. “I think I’m ready for bed, too. I couldn’t keep up with her energy.”

“Yup, sounds just about right.” Opal walked with her down the hall, brushing shoulder to shoulder with her. They opened the door to the master bedroom, greeted by a meager sight. Her other jumpsuits lay strewn across the floor, as well as a shoulder pad that had broken off her previous set of armor. The bed was poorly made, but neither of them really cared about that too much.

The only object of interest, however, was a white matte syringe with a wide neck, the opening covered with a cap. A sticker on the side was green.

“Shit,” Sunny whispered. “I forgot I took that out of the freezer.”

Opal frowned. “It looks like it’s thawed though,” she said, picking up the syringe. It was room temperature. “How long has it been out?”

Her girlfriend pursed her lips, walking up to her. “No more than three hours.”

“It should still be fine, then.” Opal concluded. “Did you still want to try tonight?”

Sunny chortled. “As long as you don’t fall asleep between my legs again.”

Opal smirked, setting down the syringe. “Come on, that was only once.”

“Oh really?” Sunny teased with half-lidded eyes. She cheated out away from Opal, bringing her whole, curvaceous body into view.. She stepped onto the mattress, exposing her belly. “Prove it.”

Heat rushed to Opal’s cheeks, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. “Gladly.”

Trixie’s face was bright red. She crossed her hind legs. “So, Trixie isn’t wrong in assuming... that syringe…”

“... was a sperm donation, yes,” Opal finished.

Starlight eyed Trixie, her posture open and relaxed. She turned to Opal. “So… how’d it go?”

Opal’s expression once again turned grim. She shoved her hooves between her hind legs, pointing her chin down. “... There’s a lot more to this story,” she dismissed. “But what I will tell you is that Sunny has PCOS. It made it extremely hard for her to conceive. So we were trying. A lot.”

She shook her head. “Anyways, the following morning was the festival. As her family were helping run it—they were hostile toward her because of her sexuality—Sunny didn’t go. And because of what happened there… I’m grateful that she didn’t.”

The next morning was almost too quick for Opal. She only had about thirty minutes before the next tram took off for the festival. Thirty minutes to shower, brush her teeth, kiss Sunny goodbye, and arrive early at the station. The sun had crested over the spire of the crystalline castle, but had not reached its apex yet. The bright morning blinded them as they walked to the station, the chill wind blowing through Opal’s mane.

Opal drew her navy blue scarf closer to her chest, fighting off a shiver as she and Honeycomb sat at a crowded bench. It’s only the first week in October, she thought, frowning. Why is it so cold? She cursed under her breath, wishing that she’d been a little more prepared.

That was when Opal noticed Honeycomb. She held herself in her hooves, shaking in shivers as her teeth began to chatter. Her orange scarf hung loosely around her neck, dipping between her clamped hind legs.

“Oh, sweetie,” Opal sympathised, scooping the child closer to her and embracing her into her chest, her little nose ice cold. Opal rested her head on top of her niece’s. “I’m sorry. Didn’t think it’d be this chilly!”

“I-it’s okay,” the four-year-old stammered through her shaking.

Opal pulled her a bit closer, praying her body heat would do the trick. Her niece's fur felt thin, much thinner than it should've been this time of year. She prayed that it was just growing late.

A moment later, the tram appeared around the corner, its pinkish exterior nearly blending into the buildings around it. As it drew nearer, Opal motioned Honeycomb to stand, and they walked toward the yellow tile as the tram slowly came to a halt. Its doors opened outward, and the two shuffled inside, the warm air embracing their bodies as they took a seat.

The tram jolted to a start, following the track counterclockwise around the empire. After both their shivers subsided, they peered out the window as rows of crystalline buildings breezed past them.

Opal spotted a mechanical clock on the wall. It was 9:50, and it would take roughly an hour and a half to get there. She hoped that it would heat up at least a little by the time they got there.

The minutes passed by slowly, the smoothe movement of the tram making Opal’s eyelids heavy. She inhaled sharply, trying to keep her eyes open. The last few weeks had taken a lot out of her. There was nary a day that she wouldn’t be sore to the bone after a day of work with her nearly twelve hour shifts. She would’ve gladly accepted sleep on the tram if she wasn’t constantly on edge. She couldn’t help but think that something was about to go wrong.

Then she felt her niece’s head plop onto her side. She turned to look at her, a warm feeling spreading in her chest as she felt a smile tug at her lips. Her niece’s jaw fell slightly open as she fell asleep on her, slouching into her toned figure. Smiling some more, she planted a kiss on top of her head, scooting ever so slightly closer to her. The edge her mind was put on was slowly put at ease, and for a moment, it seemed like nothing could go wrong.

In a blink, the tram arrived at their stop, a loud voice over the intercom announcing their location. Opal jolted up, shooting her eyes around. They fell on the clock, reading 10:25. She had accidentally fallen asleep.

She turned to Honeycomb, gently nudging her with a hoof to wake her up. As soon as she opened her eyes, she hopped to her hooves, grabbing at Opal’s as she tried to pull her up with all her might. Somewhat startled, she chortled as she stood up and exited the tram. The air that met them was slightly warmer, enough to stave off any shivers, but not enough to be too comfortable.

The grounds of the festival spanned in front of them, a normally empty lot now full with tents forming a maze to a mid-size rollercoaster in the back. Ponies and other creatures of many shapes and sizes dotted the alleys between them, some casual and some pampered up like a Canterlotian on a Sunday. But there was one constant; the excited, affable chatter of a crowd that only wanted a good time.

Honeycomb tugged at Opal’s hoof once more, bouncing up and down. “Let’s go!” she exclaimed, much to Opal’s amusement. She gave a laugh and a nod and they headed into the fray.

Her niece led the way, staying close enough to Opal to keep her at ease. They visited nearly every vendor, and Honeycomb studied their wares closely. They visited more jewelers than they could count, but after a moment of looking things over, they didn’t hold her niece’s interest. They bounced tent to tent when they ran across none other than a ring toss game. She spent longer at this tent than any other, analyzing and taking in not only the prizes but the rings. She pantomimed throwing one of them, only later to frown, readjust her stance and do it again.

Opal cocked an eyebrow. She knew Honeycomb was an aspiring engineer based off of what she’d seen, but she also knew that the ring toss was almost sheer, dumb luck. The background was a vibrant red, and the pegs were a deep blue, making them seem to sink into the wallpaper. The necks were curved in a way that could make the rings bounce off in odd directions. There wasn’t any way for a normal pony to succeed without putting a substantial amount of bits down.

But when Honeycomb found another stance and threw her empty hoof outward, she smiled and nodded, exuding confidence. Her interest piqued, Opal walked over. “I’ll pay for this game,” she offered to her niece. “But just this one.” She opened her bit bag, putting down three coins on the counter. It was more expensive than she would’ve payed otherwise… but the giddy smile Honeycomb gave her was worth the sacrifice.

Honeycomb pranced up to the tent’s counter, and the owner passed her three rings. “The game is simple,” the owner started. “Toss the ring and—”

“I know,” the filly interrupted. Her eyebrows knit and she squinted. She picked a ring up and placed it on an upturned hoof, assuming the same stance as last time. She exhaled, tossing the ring in front of her, and it fell short, clinking on the ground in front of her.

The owner smiled ever wider. “Don’t let that get you down champ! You got this!”

But the owner’s cheers didn’t faze her. She squared up a little differently, biting the corner of her lip. She raised her hoof a little higher, and tossed a little harder. This time it went behind the peg.

“One more try!” He gestured to the many stuffed animals hung on the wall. “You can have one of these fellas if you just—”

“Stop talking,” Opal interrupted. She didn’t notice before, but she was leaning forward into her hooves, her eyes focused solely on her niece. She could see the cogs turning in her head as she picked up the last ring. If her stance changed, it was now unnoticeable, but she was more focused than ever.

Then Honeycomb loosened her stance, and tossed the ring. It flew in a higher arc with a slower spin, flying evenly in the air. The ring hit the top of the throat of the peg, shooting it straight onto the peg with a satisfying click.

Opal’s jaw fell to the floor as her niece’s victory slowly sunk in. “Woo-hoo!” she cheered elatedly, her niece prancing in place from excitement. She barreled into Opal’s hooves for a big hug, her heart melting as her niece squealed into her breast.

Meanwhile, the owner had a bad case of lockjaw. He rubbed the nape of his neck. “Well, I’ll be…”

A sharp screech in the distance caught Opal’s attention. Her ear twitched as she shot a glance toward the source of the noise. It appeared to be in the direction of the roller coaster. She frowned, realizing her heart was pounding. It’s probably nothing, she thought, looking back toward her niece. She had already pranced up to the counter, and the owner handed her down a plush, brown teddy bear with beady eyes. Buttons dotted down a sewn-on shirt. With a smile bigger than the moon, she squeezed it close to her body.

Unable to keep back her own, Opal went to her niece’s side, ruffling her mane. “Nice job, Honeycomb,” she chortled. “You like your new friend?”

“I love him!” Honeycomb exclaimed, bouncing up and down with the teddy bear in her front hooves. She flipped it onto her back, bringing its stout arms around her neck. “Let’s keep going! I can’t wait to see what’s next—”

Crash! The noise boomed across the fairgrounds, resonating in Opal’s chest. Immediately alert, she looked toward the roller coaster. A track facing them had fallen to the earth, and coming immediately behind five cars descended a hill. The world slowed as the cars shot to the earth, bodies of ponies squishing down into the bed of the cars as they went topside, spreading out on the road before them. One car in particular was headed straight toward them.

In a split second, Opal galloped to her niece, picking her up into her hooves before she lost her balance, tackling her to the ground. The car roared beside them, specs of blood flying to the pavement as it rolled by. She gasped for breath, not daring to move for the next few seconds. Cars at the top of the roller coaster screeched to a stop before they suffered the same fate.

She peered at the cars as they came to a halt. It was a long shot that anyone survived, but if they did… “Honeycomb, I need you to stay here.” She looked down at her niece. “I need to go—”

To her horror, her hooves were in a pool of blood. Her breath caught in her chest as her eyes landed on Honeycomb’s body. Her head was against a sharp corner of another stand, blood streaming from a wound beside her ear.

“Honeycomb…!” she breathed, her heart freezing. She crawled over her niece, nudging her in the chest. “C’mon, Honeycomb! We need to get you out of here!” But she did not move. The only life in her body was a dilated eye staring half-closed at her.

For the first time since she could remember, her mind shut down, her body refusing to move. “No,” she uttered, the very sound of her voice echoing in her ears. Any other sound was tuned out. Her eyesight tunneled as her knees buckled, and she fell to her side. The world turned dark.

When the light returned to her eyes, she was on a stretcher, looking up to a cloth tent above her. Blinking, she sat up, her side aching in pain, the droning of a heart rate monitor fading into her focus. The tent was separated by black curtains, so high up that she could only see out the break between them at her rear hooves, covered in a thin sheet. The grass in the hallway was flattened with hoof tracks and wheel marks, dirty and darkened with mud and blood.

She looked down at her chest, a bandaged wrapped tightly around the lower part of her ribcage that made it only the slightest bit harder to breathe. The pain made it much more difficult. She frowned. She figured she had a broken rib, probably two when she…

She put a hoof to her mouth as acid burned up in her throat, about to be sick. The picturesque memory of her niece’s body pierced through her train of thought like an arrow. A surge of emotion sent her heart into a sprint.

Before she knew it, two doctors rushed in through the curtains. The heart rate monitor was flashing red as they came in. “Lie her down,” one of them commanded. A hoof then pressed down on her chest, forcing her down. Anger filled her chest. The next thing she knew she was back up again. Yelling. Screaming. A body blocked her way. It forced her back down on the stretcher. Her yells seemed distant. She was held down.

Then all at once, everything slowed down. Her heart beat weakly in her chest as her vision began to get fuzzy. A floating sensation lifted her off the stretcher, and the area around her seemed to zoom in and out and swim. The voices of the doctors were distant once again.

“Officer Opal… is quite… a fighter…”

“I know. Although I can’t imagine the shock. She was cradling the foal in her hooves. Has she been identified yet?”

“Yes. Her name... was Honeycomb. Her niece.”

Her day in the infirmary passed in a blur. She only retained a couple pieces of information: that she wasn’t to report back to duty for at least four weeks, and that she’d only need to stay in the infirmary until the muscle relaxants they administered to her wore off.

Her ear twitched as she heard mumbling in the hallway. Her eyes were fixed on the curtains as Sunny stepped through them. Her eyes were red and glassy. She managed a small smile.

As if she had any more tears to cry. She motioned Sunny over, tears filling her eyes as she came, and held her gently towards her breast, resting her chin atop her head. Opal’s sobs shook through her once more, her head pounding and her chest aching. Even though Sunny held her close, it didn’t take away the icy cold feeling in her stomach.

“I have trouble remembering the weeks that followed,” Opal admitted, wiping the tears from her eyes. She sniffed. “But I resigned from my job and took up my mother’s offer to take up the inn so she could retire.”

Trixie nodded solemnly. “What happened with Sunny?”

Opal winced, and Trixie’s heart fell in her stomach. She should not have asked that. “I… screwed that one up too, I’m afraid,” she answered regardless. “I was a depressed, bitter lump during those four weeks. Toward a week before I was to return to work, we fought and fought… and she left. That’s what drove me to resign, actually.” She opened her mouth to say something, but shook her head. “But that’s followed me for the past six years. Haunting my dreams. Distancing me from my family. Even doing my part at the inn slowly lost its savor.” She raised her eyes to Trixie. “That’s the reason why I wanted to come to you. You told me about your experience with letting your mother’s passing go. How did you do it?”

Trixie bit her lip. It wasn’t a question she could answer. “Part of it is natural healing,” she said slowly, the gears in her head churning slowly to find the right words to say. “Honestly, when I remember my mom, the pain’s still there… but it’s a lot less than what it used to be. I admit that throwing that necklace into the river helped a ton…” She hovered a hoof out in front of her. “So I guess if you find your necklace and throw it in the river, then that would be a good next step.” Her heart froze in her chest as the last sentence flew out of her mouth. She was not good at playing therapist, and honestly, it was the first time that someone came to her for advice of this caliber.

But relief flooded through her as Opal nodded. “Yeah,” she breathed, sniffing. “Yeah, I think I’ll do that.”

Suddenly, there was a hammering on the door, making the three jump. Only a second later, a Crystarian guard burst through, gasping. “Trixie, Starlight, Opal, your presence is required immediately!”

Starlight jumped to her hooves. “What’s going on?”

The guard gasped for breath. “Discord’s magic signature… it’s disappeared!”

Chapter XV - The Whereabouts of Discord

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Act 2 — Atonement

Trixie, Starlight and Opal burst through the doors of the audience chamber, the room darker than usual.

“Shut the door,” commanded a strong alto voice. Princess Celestia stood in front of them, her eyes darting frantically between them and the door. Without a second thought, Trixie nodded, resisting the urge to use her horn and pushing the double doors shut.

Trixie gasped for air, leaning up against the door. Since they heard the news, she the others had been sprinting full tilt toward the audience chamber, and she was winded. Her throat was raw from all the gasping and panting, and she gulped down a metallic taste in her mouth. The edge of her vision was pulsing as she looked around the room.

Twilight, Spike, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Fizzlepop all stood in a quarter circle around the Princess, each talking to the other in anxious voices, their faces matching in concern sans Twilight, who was the most concerned of the bunch. She was in nothing short of a panic, her breathing rapid as she came up with theory after theory about what could’ve possibly happened.

Trixie let out a short-lived sigh before gasping for air again. She leaned back on her own hooves as she slowly joined the circle along with Starlight and Opal, standing next to Fizzlepop.

“Are we missing anypony?” Princess Celestia asked, looking among the group.

“Fluttershy’s restin’ up,” Applejack started. “And Pinkie’s bein’ held in Vanhoover Prison.”

“But minus those two, we’re all here,” Spike concluded.

“Good,” Princess Celestia sighed. She sat on her haunches, her mane and tail flowing in a non-existent wind. “Then we can start.”

The whole room went silent.

“This morning, I received a distress call from Starswirl the Bearded,” Celestia began, her voice breaking out of its normally calm demeanor. “Not only has Discord disappeared, but the Discorded Realm has also disappeared!”

Confused mumbling filled the room. “But how’s that possible?” Twilight blurted, still short of breath. “You can’t just get rid of an entire dimension!”

“I don’t know Twilight,” Celestia responded, furrowing her eyebrows. “This phenomenon is the first of its kind.”

“Wait a second,” Trixie chimed, her head aching in confusion. “The Discorded Realm? Surely you don’t mean…”

Celestia nodded gravely. “Yes, it’s Discord’s home dimension.” She trotted toward a window in the audience chamber, her eyes seeming to pass right through the stained glass. “One that only he and Envy can access.”

“Speaking of,” Starlight started, hoof up to her chin in wonder. “Can we still track her magic signature? Because if Discord and the Discorded Realm are gone…”

“... Then it’s likely that she’s gone too,” Opal finished. “I don’t think that Envy would let Discord out of her sight for long.”

Princess Celestia turned back around, pursing her lips. “It’s good logic, but the last time we checked on Envy, she’d appeared near the Everfree forest, and disappeared shortly after.”

“Wait, the Everfree forest?” Rarity blurted, her eyes wide. “Why on earth would she go there?”

Celestia shrugged. “I haven’t a clue. My first thought was the Tree of Harmony, but it’s still in tact. By the same token, she wasn’t anywhere near the castle ruins.”

That was when Applejack’s face went slack. “Y’all, she nabbed Discord. Could she’ve…” She drew a line across her thick neck with a hoof.

The scene of Envy’s attack took the stage of Trixie’s mind. She had killed the ponies in such horrible and vicious ways. Her stomach soured when she imagined what the draconequus would do to Discord… but then she remembered when she slung Discord over her arm. What have they done to you…? she had said.

“No,” Trixie said, shaking her head and stepping forward. “No, the Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t think she’d do that.”

“Why wouldn’t she?” Rainbow Dash’s voice cracked, flinging her hooves forward as she hovered in the air. “She killed a majority of the squadron you were in!”

“Trixie doesn’t need to be reminded,” Trixie said, waving a hoof in dismissal. “But if Envy really wanted him dead, why take him to the Discorded Realm? Why not kill him on the cliffside?”

“Girls, remember that she’s after his mantle,” Twilight reminded sternly. “Unless she’s got it already, she has no reason to kill Discord whatsoever. And if she did, why would she destroy the Discorded Realm? It’s literally the safest place for her, as we don’t have a safe way to travel there.”

“But that’s beside the point,” Starlight entered, raising her eyebrows. “What was she doing in the Everfree forest?”

The door slammed open, and Spike rushed in holding his claws over his mouth, his scales deadly pale. “Twilight—” he managed when he belched out a huge cloud of flame, his arms going slack to his sides.

“Spike!” Twilight yelped, rushing to his side, but skidding to a halt as the smoke cleared from the huge plume of flame. It was faint, but tendrils of energy flowed from the dragon’s gullet, climbing up closer and closer to the ceiling. The tendrils formed an outline of a shape, sharpening further until an apparition of a being with mismatched body parts appeared in front of them.

“Discord?” Trixie gasped, pushing ahead of Twilight. The ghoulish form he took was frightening, but it couldn’t be mistaken: the draconequus floated before her, a sly smile on his lips.

“My, my,” he started, his transparent eyes flicking between all in attendance. “I didn’t expect this big of an audience.”

“Discord,” Twilight managed through a slack jaw. “What in the world is going on? Where are you?”

“Oh, my dear Twilight.” Discord clacked his tongue. “The question isn’t where I am, but when I am.”

Fizzlepop walked to Twilight’s side, a deadpan expression on her face. “You brought the whole dimension forward in time.”

“Bingo,” Discord said, snapping and pointing his fingers toward her.

“How?” It concerned Trixie that the word came from Princess Celestia, who knit her brow in apparent confusion. “Moving something that huge in spacetime should’ve killed you!”

“It nearly did.” The words came out as if they left a putrid taste on the tongue. “And if it weren’t for that damn blindfold Envy had me in, then I’d be able to bring it farther than thirteen days in the future.”

Trixie’s jaw dropped. Thirteen days? He was able to bring a whole dimension forward thirteen days in time?

“But I will warn you, when that thirteen days are up, I’ll have no strength. I need you guys to be here as soon as the dimension appears.”

“But we can’t!” Twilight exclaimed, stomping a hoof. “The only way that we’d be able to get there is through draconequus magic, and it so happens that if a pony is transported somewhere with draconequus magic—”

“—It will tear your body apart in spacetime,” Discord interrupted as if reciting from a book, bobbing his head side to side. “I know. But fortunately we have another alternative. Remember when I had my own little… musical number with you and I took you and sister dear to all of those places?”

Twilight’s face went slack, an expression would give Trixie much pride if it were in a different context. “You used pony magic then?”

“You’re not dead?” Discord asked in mock surprise.

Her jaw fell to the floor. “Wait… how…?”

Discord raised his ghostly eyebrows in an amused expression that screamed, really? “Hello?” He leaned forward and rapped his knuckles on the crown of Twilight’s head, but instead of contacting, it went right through her. “Ms. Sparkle? Dracon-equus. ‘Horse’ is literally a part of my name. Of course I can use your magic.”

Trixie remembered when Discord’s horns glew when he was turning the Discordian colony back to normal. Didn’t Envy do the same when she blasted both Shining Armor and her off the cliff? She grunted in frustration. “Then why did you refuse to teleport the Great and Powerful Trixie when you actually could have?”

Discord flapped a claw in dismissal. “I was testing you, you silly pony. You also needed the practice.”

Trixie deadpanned. “Typical.”

The apparition chuckled, before turning attention back to Twilight. “But it’s possible to use pony magic to get to the Discorded Realm. You just need to reverse-engineer it. But I’m gone, so…”

“... We need to find more draconequus,” Twilight concluded. She gave Discord a sympathetic look. “You knew?”

The draconequus tilted his head forward, looking her straight in the eye. “Hon, when you realize that there’s two of your kind, and that one is female, it’s not hard to imagine that there was someone who boned to make it happen.”

“We need to get to the Strait of Effervescence,” Trixie said, nodding at Twilight. “It’s our best bet at finding any other draconequus.”

A faint, ringing bell sounded in the room, and Discord checked his wrist. “Oh, look at the time! I’d best be going. Remember that you have thirteen days. Ta-ta!” Wiggling his fingers in a wave good-bye, the apparition sucked back down into Spike’s lungs. His eyes snapped open and he jolted upright, as if he had woken up from a nightmare.

“Wait, Discord!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. She zoomed at Spike, who gasped in surprise as the pegasus yanked open his jaw, gazing down his gullet.

Once again, the dragon’s arms went slack, and a haze of the ghouly tendrils floated at Spike’s teeth, saying in Discord’s voice, “You have reached the voicemail box of Discord Draconequus! To record a message, please don’t, because I may die. Goodbye.”

Spike jolted awake once more, rubbing his jaw with a claw as Rainbow Dash grunted in anger and flew away. “Wha… just happened?” he said groggily.

Next to rush up to him was Twilight, who checked his eyes, his snout, his mouth, and seizing him by his arms. “Are you okay, Spike?” she asked, looking him dead in the eye. When he mumbled an affirmative response, Twilight sighed in relief, resting her head on his chest. “You’re right, Trixie,” she said. “We need to get to the Strait of Effervescence as soon as we can.”

“You need as much help as possible, Twilight,” Celestia said, stepping to her side. “You’re missing two out of the six elements. We should try to find at least one more.”

“Princess Celestia is right, darling,” Rarity chimed in. She rested a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Fluttershy is still recovering, so Pinkie Pie is our best option.”

“I know, but we still haven’t sent out the request,” Twilight sighed, breathing deeply. She cast a pleading look between all those that surrounded her. “Can we really do all of this in thirteen days, though?”

“We’ll have to do the best we can,” Tempest said, lifting a hoof. “After all, Discord trusts that we will.”

Twilight took another deep breath, leaning off of Spike. She sat on her haunches, looking up toward Celestia. “How fast can we get to Vanhoover?”

“I’d have to send an advance,” Celestia said grimly, “unless we want the fact that Twilight’s alive to spread early.”

“How soon?” Twilight pressed.

“Three days at the latest.” Celestia cocked her head at Twilight’s insistence. “After three days, we will head there ourselves.”

“At most, a fourth of our time,” Trixie processed, her heart jumping into her throat. All of a sudden, thirteen days seemed a lot shorter. She turned to the dark-coated unicorn. “Tempest. I know that we agreed to start training in a few days, but—”

“We’ll meet in the courtyard as soon as possible,” she completed, nodding. She cast an expectant glance at Princess Celestia.

Their eyes met for only a second, but Celestia gave an affirmative grunt. “I’ll get to work immediately. Twilight, I’ll keep you posted. Be prepared to set out within three days. And Trixie?”

Trixie’s heart skipped a beat. She straightened her posture. “Yes, your highness?”

Celestia’s regal facade melted into a more motherly one. “Don’t work yourself too hard. You’re a very important asset to getting Discord back.”

A sudden weight collapsed on Trixie’s shoulders. She gulped. “I won’t,” she said finally.

The Princess of the Sun gave a small smile. “Good. We have nothing more to discuss, then.”

Nodding stiffly, Trixie turned from the princess and walked toward the double doors, her mind stirring in thought. What was that gaze that Princess Celestia gave her for? She barely knew her beside what she learned in Mirenum and school and yet... it felt like there was a connection there.

“Trixie!”

She stopped in the middle of the hallway leading from the throne room, turning around. Twilight galloped toward her, bowing her head as she gasped for breath. One eye winced as she looked up.

“Are you all right?” Trixie asked, concern biting at her. She was still recovering, and she’d just sprinted out the door to meet her.

The Princess of Friendship shook her head, rubbing a hoof against her temple. “No. Turns out that was a very bad idea.” She shook her head again, this time more rapidly. “But that’s beside the point. From now on, we’re going to be working closely together.”

A groan grew in her chest that she dared not release. “I don’t think that’s entirely necessary.”

Twilight sighed, her expression turning somber. “Look, I understand that we haven’t had the best relationship in the past…”

“A couple years in isolation does that to you.”

“And I apologize,” Twilight said frankly. “I really do. But you’re the one that knows the most about this situation out of all of us.”

Trixie cocked her head to the side, her mind stirring in irritation and confusion. “I don’t know about that. Out of the both of us, who figured out not only Envy’s name but what she was actually after from Discord?”

“You would’ve figured the last out if you read more of the book,” Twilight grumbled. “But Trixie, we need your help. I need your help.”

The defunct unicorn froze for a second. Then a fit of laughter erupted from her chest.

“Trixie?”

She wrapped a hoof around her chest. It was just too good! The Princess of Friendship was asking for her help. Lovely! Brilliant! “And what’s in it for you, Twilight Sparkle?” she managed, wiping a tear from her eye. “Your name and your likeness on yet another stained glass window in Canterlot Castle?”

“If you’d been in the throne room, you’d realize that you were in one of those stained glass windows,” Twilight groaned.

Trixie opened her mouth to say something but the words screeched to a halt in her throat. “I am?”

The purple alicorn nodded slowly, eyes wide open in an are-you-stupid expression.

A slight fire glew in her cheeks, and the magician crossed her hooves in front of her. “Well, isn’t that something…” she mumbled. But she found her dignity again and stood up straight. “But I’m not in it for the fame and glory.”

“You sure?” Twilight asked, one eyebrow soaring upward. “You do a lot of things for spectacle.”

Something snapped within her. “Not this!” Trixie blurted, stomping her hoof in a sudden outburst of anger. She jutted the other to her broken horn. “Do you think I would risk my life saving your brother if I were just doing this for an appearance on some stupid glass? Do you think I would go across the continent, nearly freeze to death in the Frozen North and suffer Discord’s antics just for recognition?” It was at this point that she realized she was crying. She remembered Starlight’s motionless body as she sat beside her bedside. She remembered the words that Rainbow Dash screamed at her the night she left, W-what’re you trying to prove? Answer me, Lulamoon! What’re you trying to prove!

But Twilight remained silent. She only stared at her stalwartly, waiting for the next sentence. Waiting for the next insult.

But it didn’t come. Trixie wiped the moisture from her eyes, her jaw twitching as she did so. “I wanted to make sure that something like this wouldn’t happen again. I wanted to be sure that my friends would be safe from Envy.” She let her hoof down, her very being shaking out of her control. “But it turns out that becoming the hero, becoming the powerful unicorn that always saves the day is harder than it seemed. I envied you, Twilight Sparkle. I wanted what you had, and I was punished for it.”

A silence came over the both of them, and Trixie sucked in broken breaths to try to gather herself together. The frustration and the anxiety of the situation exploded out of her, and her chest and cheeks were numb because of it. Red boiled in her vision as her eyes trained on the Princess of Friendship, who stood motionless.

Finally, she moved, placing a hoof on Trixie’s shoulder. “... I’m so sorry,” she uttered, a somber look in her eyes. “I shouldn’t have lashed out like that. It was uncalled for.” It surprised Trixie when tears appeared in her eyes. “And you’re right, it’s hard being the hero. As soon as you do, life starts taking away from you more than it gives.” That was when Twilight reached forward with a hoof, wiping the tears away from Trixie’s face. “But when the clouds clear, and the dust settles, you are given back more than you lost.”

Trixie breathed deeply, a warmth flooding into her chest. The look that Twilight gave her was so similar to Celestia’s. Like teacher, like student. But she let out a small laugh. “The clouds are pretty thick right now,” she admitted, sniffing.

The Princess of Friendship gave her an affectionate smile. “I know. But if we work together on this, and leave our ire at the doorstep, we’ll be able to make it through.”

That was when Trixie was pulled forward into an embrace. Her heart skipped a beat, heat flushing to her cheeks. There she was, being hugged by her very rival. Looking back at this, she might’ve scoffed at it, but at that moment, she hugged her back. For once, Twilight Sparkle had descended from her throne, and Trixie was lifted from her streetcar, and they were on equal ground.

Chapter XVI - Training

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The sun sat low on the horizon, bathing the apartment complex in a pink light. Rising Wing ascended the stairs, gritting her teeth as every bit of her body ached. Oh, how she would love to kick that draconequus’ teeth in!

She made it to the top landing when her ear flicked at a tiny noise. She stood alert, flipping around to the source. But nothing was there: only the wooden walkway that led to her solitary studio apartment. She swept a strand of her red mane behind her ear. She’d been on edge since she’d woken up in that damned hospital bed, nearly knocking out a nurse that was tending to her. Maybe the muscle relaxant that they gave her was a good choice from the doctors after all.

But now that she had recovered, her senses still hadn’t settled back in. She frowned. Typically she’d be over this at this point. But the acceleration of falling off the four story cliff still remained in her gut, and the wind still roared in her ears. She clopped her hoof against her face, dragging it down slowly. It’d be a little bit before she’d be on duty again.

She walked down to the third apartment before the north end, procuring a key from her saddlebags. Their plain burlap color clashed against her dark purple coat, but they were serviceable. She inserted the key into the door with her teeth, turning it with a hoof and opening the door. The apartment smelled odd, a somewhat musty smell diffusing in the air. She frowned. She hadn’t been away for too long, only a week and a half. Figuring that it wasn’t important, she shrugged. She’d contact the landlady tomorrow if anything like a leak appeared. They weren’t uncommon this time of year.

She walked into the dark depths, turning on the lights. She tossed the saddlebags onto her small sofa, stretching out her wings. How long had it been since she’d taken flight? She’d have to go for a fly soon… just not that night. Her body was aching too much, and her eyelids began to feel heavy. She just needed a good night’s rest.

A clop sounded behind her, and she flipped around once more, her wings flared out. In her doorway stood a stud of a stallion. His body was muscular, but his appearance was broody. It seemed like a thick shadow covered his front.

“Holy shit, man,” she sighed in relief, recognizing the stallion. She tucked her wings back to her sides. “You scared the hell out of me.”

No reply. He still stood there, silent. Upon closer inspection, his coat was globbed together up front, as if covered in tar. The lights hadn’t warmed up yet, so she couldn’t quite make it out. “Dude, you okay?” she asked, taking a step forward. “I know that losing her may have been hell, but—”

The stallion surged forward, and she tasted metal. Her eyes wide, pain erupted from the back of her throat, as the stallion’s hoof covered with a hilt of a dagger hovered in front of her still-open mouth.

“You talk too much,” he growled. Rising’s body fell limp, and the rest of her body up to her head lost all feeling. All she could see was the hulking figure above her and a puddle of blood—her blood—pooling around her. “But you’re right. It was hell losing her.”

The courtyard wasn’t too far from the castle proper. Although it meant climbing down a copious amount of stairs—a hell that Trixie had thought she’d grown adjusted to, but found herself winded when she stepped hoof upon the bottom landing—the beauty of it was something to behold. It, like the mortuary she’d visited before, was green and growing, trees reaching up toward the sky as the sun set behind the horizon. Lamplights turned on, covering the courtyard in a cool light.

She walked through the segmented yard, the stone tile glittering beneath her as the moon crested above the opposite horizon. An assortment of bright-colored flowers marked her way to where Fizzlepop stood in the middle. She raised an eyebrow at the magician. “You’re late.”

“Sorry,” Trixie managed, rubbing a hoof against her other leg. “I ran into a bit of a hiccup.”

“I see. And Twilight?”

“She’s fine,” the magician reported, shrugging. “We were just talking, that’s all.”

Fizzlepop closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose, exhaling with a sigh. “Okay.” Her eyes studied Trixie, and she felt a chill down her spine. Although it had been a few months since the pirate turned from her former ways, she was still intimidating. “How experienced are you with magic?” she asked.

“Honestly?” Trixie started, her eyes falling in shame. “Not much at all. I learned enough to get by, but not nearly enough to go on crazy adventures like this. But I have learned a little from Melody—”

Her gut suddenly twisted, and the color drained from her face. Melody. She couldn’t help but remember seeing her being strangled to death.

“You okay?” Fizzlepop asked, and Trixie swallowed down the bought of nausea that came over her.

“Not really,” she said frankly. “Just some memories I wish I could forget.”

Before she knew it, Fizzlepop was in front of her, laying a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. “I understand. Being with the Storm King has scarred me in similar ways.” She leaned down, her eyes now on the same level as Trixie’s, holding her in an intense gaze. “But I’m afraid that while we’re training here, you have to leave those memories at the door. Learning how to use magic in this way is dangerous. You cannot be distracted.”

A new anxiety flaring icily in her chest, Trixie nodded. When Fizzlepop let down her hoof, she closed her eyes and breathed. She imagined crumpling her other thoughts up like paper, and tossing them out the window. It wasn’t a new concept to her; she had done the same thing while preparing for her stage acts…

She was quick to throw out the empty longing feeling that was spreading in her gut. She wanted to take back to the stage, make ponies smile once again. The last time she had the opportunity was back in the Discordian village… about three weeks earlier. Ever since, she hadn’t been able to use those talents how she’d liked. Now…

“Okay,” Fizzlepop said, backing up. “I want you to start out by lighting your horn.”

Suddenly aware of her deep dive into her sorrow, she swallowed down the sick feeling that she’d given herself. Clearing her throat, she focused, imagining a stage light flickering on. Immediately after an unsteady glow filled the immediate area around her. She could hear the electricity snapping at the point where her horn had broken, and the smell not too unlike burnt hair wafted over her. Gagging, she lost focus, holding a hoof over her nose.

Fizzlepop grimaced, but kept her composure. “First time doing magic in a while?”

Rubbing the smell out of her nose, she gave a lopsided nod. “Kind of. I’ve lit my horn on accident a couple times, but Trixie has not had the pleasure of smelling it!”

The tall unicorn chuckled at her sarcasm. “Well, that’d be the velvet around your horn growing inside the breakage. It stinks like crazy, and may even cause you to bleed, but your body will learn not to grow there soon enough.”

The magician swallowed down the remains of her nausea. She raised an eyebrow to Fizzlepop. “How long did it take you?”

She tapped her chin with a hoof, thinking. “A couple days was all,” she reassured, providing at least a little relief. But she put the hoof down. “But light your horn again. This time don’t breathe through your nose. I don’t think that Cadence would approve of either of us yacking in her courtyard.”

Feeling a cool sweat trickle from behind her ear, Trixie nodded. She lit her horn once more, mindfully deciding to breathe through her mouth. She sustained the glow longer this time, but as she was breathing through her mouth, a subtle taste like burnt toast coated the inside of her mouth. Ignoring it, she kept it going.

“Good…” Fizzlepop mumbled thoughtfully. She crawled to either side of her, inspecting her carefully. Once again, Trixie could feel her piercing gaze through her very being, as if the very molecules that made up her body were being judged by the former pirate. “I’m noticing it’s taking you a little bit more effort to keep your horn lit,” she pointed out. She tapped a hind leg with the side of her hoof, but her leg barely moved. “No wonder. Don’t lock your knees. That’s a fine way to faint within the first five minutes.”

Trixie knit her eyebrows. “First five minutes?”

“Mm-hm,” Fizzlepop grunted. “I’m going to have you hold your lit horn as long as you can. If you’re to learn how to use your horn effectively, you need to have stamina.”

The magician adjusted her stance, unlocking her knees. She wiped sweat from her brow as her breath accelerated. “Is it supposed to be harder to light your horn when it’s broken?” she blurted in one breath. She didn’t remember ever having to use so much energy to do it.

“Marginally,” Fizzlepop answered, flicking an ear. “The law of physics is not on your side; you’re losing a lot more energy without a horn than with a horn.”

“What does physics… have to do with this?” Trixie breathed. She licked her lips, her tongue starting to stick to their dry surface.

The former pirate exhaled a sigh, starting to pace. “You know when you’re spinning in a chair and you pull your legs in?”

Trixie nodded stiffly. “How you start spinning faster?”

The defunct unicorn nodded. “Yes. The rifling in your horn does the same thing. It takes the initial magical energy and amplifies it tenfold. But when you don’t have most of your horn—”

Soaked with sweat, Trixie’s legs wobbled below her. She put out her horn when she collapsed, gasping for air with her chin against the stone tile. She felt like she ran five miles full tilt. Her heartbeat hammered in her head as she tried to get her breathing under control.

“I’ll let you rest for a little bit,” Fizzlepop said, frowning. She walked to the side of the path, grabbing two bottles of water out of a pair of dark-colored saddlebags. She placed one by Trixie’s head with a small click. Her heart jumping at the source of life, she scrambled to her haunches as quickly as her drained body would let her, and snatched up the bottle, taking three large gulps of it before she could stop herself. She whipped her head in a cough, setting the bottle down before she dropped it.

Fizzlepop sat on her haunches as well, opening up her own bottle and sipping at it. When she was done, the level of water inside the bottle didn’t seem to change at all. “I was much the same way when I started out,” she said. She used the same hoof to stroke the scar on her right eye. “When I... joined the Storm King, I would wear myself thin. In and out of battle. It came to the point that I was bedridden for nearly three weeks.” As she spoke, she traced a pattern in the soil next to her subconsciously, a sigil similar to the Storm King’s crest. But her eyes widened in realization, and she drew a large ‘X’ through it and stamped it with one hoof.

Trixie knit her eyebrows. “Do you… miss it?”

“Huh?” Fizzlepop gave her a curious expression, and for a mere second, she was just a normal pony. “Do you mean my previous life?”

The magician nodded.

The former pirate frowned. “Oh… Well, some of it, I guess. Being on the airship was pretty nice, and Grubber, even though he’s an absolute idiot, was the one who took care of me when I pushed myself too far.” She shook her head. “But other than that, not really. It’s been such a huge part of my life, though, that it’s really hard not to feel lost, y’know?”

Trixie put down her water bottle after another swig of its ambrosiac contents. “I get the feeling,” she said.

Suddenly, a scream sounded from beside them, making Trixie’s heart jump into her throat. Her eyes shot to the source of the noise when she saw a mare on the second floor of an apartment building a little way off. A dark red stain covered the floor under her. The door next to her was swung wide open, but at this distance she could only see the dark ceiling.

Without even thinking, Trixie galloped toward the scene, nearly tripping over her hooves that were previously shaking like jelly. But she caught her stride, Fizzlepop following suit, and not even a second later leading. They jumped up the stairs of the apartment complex to the second floor where they saw the mare, frozen in shock.

“What happened?” Fizzlepop shot, not even fazed by the run that had Trixie tasting copper once again. All the mare did, however, was point her hoof toward the puddle of crimson oozing from the bottom of the wide-open doorway, her face a sickly shade of green. That was when the dank smell of blood reached Trixie’s nostrils, and her stomach clenched.

The former pirate rounded the corner gingerly, and Trixie followed her exact hoofsteps. The body that she saw was mutilated beyond belief, almost beyond description, but as soon as she saw the mane color that wasn’t stained with blood…

“Sweet Celestia…” The magician covered her mouth as sickness overcame her body. “It’s Rising Wing.”

“You know them?” Fizzlepop asked, gesturing to the corpse.

Trixie nodded, backing away from the doorway before the smell of rot got to her. “She was a part of our squadron when we were tracking down Envy.” She didn’t particularly like the mare, but… she’d never deserved this.

Guards appeared behind them, pushing in front of Trixie. “Tempest!” one of them yelped. “Thank heavens. What on earth happened here?”

“It’s Fizzlepop,” she corrected adamantly, “but we’ve got a murder.”

The guard slipped past her, frowning at the scene. “Holy…” She shook her head, turning back to the former pirate and gesturing to both Trixie and the mare that was frozen outside the doorway. “Who are these two, anyway?”

“I don’t know about that one—” Fizzlepop gestured to the mare that stood lifeless by the doorway “—but the other is Trixie. I was commissioned by Princess Twilight to train her to use magic. We were both in the courtyard before we heard the scream.”

The guard eyed Trixie with a questioning gaze, and anxiety panged in her chest. “Y-yeah,” she managed. “She’s right.”

The guard frowned once more, turning away when Trixie realized that the former pirate had just given her an alibi. “We’ll need to study the scene of the crime before any further judgement. Private Cook, escort Trixie here off the premises. And Private Wash, question this mare right here.”

A stallion with an impossibly square chin stepped forward to Trixie, a frown plastered permanently on his face. “Come, Miss Trixie,” he commanded in a deep voice. Not wanting to confront the police, regardless of her ill feelings towards them, she followed his orders. The stallion led her down the stairs and then some fifteen feet away from the apartment complex. She checked back to the building only to catch Fizzlepop’s tail rounding the corner into the doorway.

“Do you need an escort home?” the stallion asked.

Knitting her eyebrows, she offered the officer a quick glance. “T-Trixie can head home herself, thank you.”

The officer raised a confused eyebrow as Trixie walked away. The ache in her joints from the exercise became ever-present as the castle loomed ever taller above her. Trixie shook the image of Rising’s body from her head, but it still burnt bright on the back of her eyelids. Yet another nightmare to add to her generous supply.

Ballad of the Dawn

by Takarashi282

Prologue - Countdown

Chapter I - Ruins

Act 1 — Ballad of the Dawn

Chapter II - Connections

Chapter III - Friendlier Company

Chapter IV - Mind Games

Chapter V - A Way North

Chapter VI - The Wayward Priestess

Chapter VII - The City on the Coast

Chapter VIII - The Frozen North

Chapter IX - One Last Push

Chapter X - The Hunt for Boggs

Chapter XI - Reunions

Chapter XII - Opportunities

Chapter XIII - Girls' Day Out

Chapter XIV - Honeycomb

Chapter XV - The Whereabouts of Discord

Act 2 — Atonement

Chapter XVI - Training