THE TIES THAT BIND
PART THREE: EDUCATION
XI. History Lesson
Eleven years earlier …
"Concordia Invictrix Bellaluna Bluebonnet!" called out a stern gray unicorn mare standing at the head of a large classroom filled with young ponies.
"Present!" a small voice called out near the back of the room. As always, the owner of that voice cringed when she heard her awful and ridiculous name. It was not really even a pony name at all! What kind of pony had four names? Most were happy with just one, and if there were ponies out there that desired an extra syllable or two, then Concordia Invictrix Bellaluna Bluebonnet would have been happy to donate to their cause. It wasn't as if she was royalty or had some other legitimate reason for an excessively long name. In fact, she was nothing special at all, just an orphan from Canterlot with no family and no history to give meaning to all the syllables.
Nevertheless, she was stuck with the name, and worse, she was constantly reminded by her guardians at the Royal Foundlings Home of how she was discovered outside the Princess' palace here in Canterlot as a tiny foal one cold night in the first month of spring, shivering in a basket filled with old blankets, with a simple note beside her. "Her name is Concordia Invictrix Bellaluna Bluebonnet. She is very special," was all that was written on the slip of paper. Hardly special, the little azure unicorn filly thought, rolling her eyes. That's why she insisted that everypony call her by her nickname - it was much more fitting. She called out again, "Please, Professor Hazy, please just call me Trixie."
"Oh, yes dear, I must have forgotten," the gray mare replied. "That is much easier."
Unfortunately, Trixie knew, Professor Hazy would forget again tomorrow, and the day after that, and each day after as well. She sighed as the elderly Professor continued her roll call. There were worse things than dealing with a silly name, Trixie supposed. She could be trying to make her way out in Equestria by herself, with no friends or family, and no stable place to sleep or source of food. What would her life be like, she wondered, if she hadn't become a ward of the state and been provided with a free education? Orphans like her did not have true parents, but Trixie liked to think that in a way, her mother was Princess Celestia, who provided for the orphans' care and encouraged them all to achieve the best they could. Now that she was a student at PEGASUS, Trixie felt for the first time a sense of possibility that she could actually achieve something – that she could be somepony.
"Hey!" Trixie was nudged out of her daydreaming by a sharp hoof to the leg. "You're going to get in trouble again if you keep spacing out, Trix!" Trixie guiltily looked over at her friend Meadowfree, seated at the adjacent desk. She was a little unicorn filly, even smaller than Trixie, with a spring green coat and straw-colored mane and tail. Meadowfree's cutie mark was a beautiful blue songbird, bursting into song.
"Thanks!" Trixie mouthed, focusing on her teacher once again. Pony History was by far the most boring class at PEGASUS, but Trixie had already been given a demerit for being lost in her imagination when called on earlier this semester, and she couldn't afford another black mark. Even though it was notoriously difficult to actually be kicked out of the school, one more slip-up and the infractions would go on her permanent record. That, in turn, might disqualify Trixie from enrolling in the advanced magical studies section after this semester was over, and that would be a disaster. Trixie focused once again on the elderly gray mare at the head of the class.
Professor Hazy droned on and on about how Canterlot was built in ancient times by all the different types of ponies to serve as a fortress against the wild creatures and aggressive non-pony societies that scoured the land. That was even before Princess Celestia had come to live in Canterlot. That long ago, the Princess scarcely ever appeared to regular ponies, and she was more legend than everyday reality. The ponies didn't even celebrate the Summer Sun with the Princess. It was only after a long, dark night that seemed to never end that Princess Celestia came to live permanently with ponykind.
If Princess Celestia was once a legend that turned out to be true, Trixie found herself wondering whether other mythical creatures might be real too. She pictured herself fighting off the celestial bear that was said to be sleeping in the Everfree Forest until the day it would awaken and devour all of Equestria. Trixie smiled inwardly at the thought of herself saving the day. Maybe someday she would actually be good enough at magic to be able to pull off something like that, but until then, at least she had her imagination. She remembered how surprised she was when she finally got her cutie mark – a magic wand over a crescent of magical starlight. It was a funny mark, unique among all the ponies at PEGASUS, and some wondered openly what it meant. Certainly it signified magic, but no pony's special talent was just "magic." It had to be something more specific than that. Trixie wondered whether she would be a great magician like the members of Princess Celestia's council, or merely a showpony with a repertoire of cheap parlor tricks. Currently, she was not even the latter, though she practiced her abilities every day.
"Alright class, now that we are finishing up our segment on the history of ancient Equestria, it's time that I assigned each of you a project," Professor Hazy said. Trixie sat bolt upright at the sound of homework. "This will count as one third of your final grade in my class, so please work hard on it. I want you to work in pairs, and each of you will choose an event from Equestrian history and give a presentation to the class, using magic where appropriate to make history come alive. Good luck, my little ponies!" Professor Hazy finished her assignment just as the bell signaling the change of periods sounded.
Trixie and Meadowfree practically raced out into the central courtyard, around which the brilliant white and gold buildings of PEGASUS stood. "Did you hear that Meadow? We actually get to use magic in history class! About time!" Trixie exclaimed excitedly.
"I heard, but I'm not so sure I should be excited," Meadowfree replied. "I mean, I can barely levitate my pencil. You and I both know I'm only here because of my family ties to the school."
Trixie knew that Meadowfree's family had a long and illustrious connection to PEGASUS, and two of her uncles were professors there even now. Just last year, her oldest brother had graduated valedictorian, and her middle brother Nebula was considered a rising star in the class one year ahead of Meadow and Trixie. But Trixie knew her friend was a very clever and hard-working pony, which more than made up for any supposed lack of magical ability. Meadow just needed confidence.
"Don't you worry, Meadow. I'll figure out enough magic for the both of us. You know if there's one thing I can do, it's special effects!" Trixie stopped on the soft grass, concentrated for just a second, and caused miniature fireworks to erupt in the sky over Meadow and herself. A few ponies lounging on blankets nearby looked up and clapped their hooves appreciatively. Trixie smiled, and bowed appreciatively. Though she tried every kind of spell, it seemed that the only thing that came naturally so far were her sparkly pyrotechnics. Still, she had to believe she could do more. If she was meant to simply cast fireworks at parties then surely her cutie mark would be something more obvious.
"Thanks, Trix," Meadow replied with a game smile. "Yeah, we'll get through it. Might as well head over to the library and start looking for a topic."
XII. Checkout
The vast collection of the PEGASUS school library was second only to the Royal Library itself in all of Equestria, and since nopony was allowed to browse the stacks of the Royal Library without an invitation from Princess Celestia, Trixie and Meadowfree were left with the next best option. The two fillies walked into the central atrium of the library in order to get their bearings. Tall stacks of books branched off in every direction around them, and continued onto two more floors above them. Below, Trixie knew, were the catacomb-like archives.
"So, Trix, got any bright ideas about a topic?" Meadowfree asked.
"I don't know … it's all so boring. I mean, first there was Canterlot, and then the other cities and towns in Equestria appeared. Bleh! Where's the drama?" Trixie knew they probably could get a fine grade by presenting on something humdrum, like the establishment of diplomatic relations the griffons that roosted in the Whitespire Mountains in the far north, or the origins of the Ponylympic Games held twice each decade, but none of the topics she could think of was suited for the amazing, showstopping performance she envisioned for her presentation.
"We could talk about the buffalo conflict that happened a few years ago out on the Western frontier," Meadowfree volunteered. "That was almost dramatic."
"Oh sure," Trixie rolled her eyes. "Ponies were going to homestead on the buffalo land, and then they didn't. Wow, what a major historical development. What pathos!" Trixie waved a foreleg in a mock theatrical gesture, earning her a nonplussed glare from the head librarian. "Wake me up when somepony actually builds a town out there and we find out what the buffalo are really going to do about it."
"Well, what about researching what happened in Equestria before Canterlot?" Meadowfree suggested.
Trixie's expression lit up. "That's it! We don't learn about it in class, but Equestria was around a lot longer than even Canterlot. I bet those ponies lived in a time of action and drama, fighting off all sorts of monsters and overcoming all odds! Let's go find a book about it!"
The pair searched high and low in the history section, but every book seemed to start with the founding of Canterlot. If the time before was mentioned at all, the books merely referred to "prehistory." The head librarian gave them no more than a puzzled look when Trixie asked for help finding a book about those times. Hours later, Trixie and Meadowfree had gotten nowhere, and they found themselves frustrated and tried.
"Well, I guess that's a bust," Meadowfree glumly pronounced, returning the latest unhelpful book to its place on the shelf. Trixie couldn't believe there was nothing to read about prehistoric ponies. Certainly ponies had existed before Canterlot was founded and the different types of ponies began to build cities all over Equestria, but it was as if every trace of them had been expunged from academia and literature. It seemed impossible, but they really could find nothing.
"Wait!" Trixie exclaimed, an idea suddenly springing to her mind. "Your uncle, Professor Feldspar, teaches an Ancient Magic elective to advanced students in the senior class, doesn't he? Maybe he has a book about the ancient ponies that we can borrow! I bet he has all sorts of books and artifacts from ancient times that aren't in the school library."
"I don't know," Meadowfree warily replied. "Uncle Feldspar is a very busy pony."
"Oh, come on Meadow. He's your uncle! I'm sure he'd be happy to help. Let's go!" Trixie cajoled. She left Meadowfree with no choice but to follow as she bounded out of the library and toward the tall Spire of Magic on the other side of campus. In that mighty tower, reaching hundreds of lengths into the sky above Canterlot, all of the magic classes were held, and all of the magic professors kept their offices.
Only certain students at PEGASUS were permitted to study magic as a discipline, because for most unicorns their talent lay in a defined area, and they had only to master a little bit of magic related to that skill. That mastery came so naturally to most unicorns that they didn't need extra study. The majority of students graduated with degrees in history, mathematics, architecture, music, or some discipline outside the focused study of magic itself. Those few who did study magic, learning new spells and stretching the limits of what unicorns could do, were often considered the best and brightest. Even they had special talents that limited their abilities to a particular field, but through creativity and natural affinity for magic, these unicorns could expand the limitations of their particular talents to new and powerful spells. For example, Trixie had heard of one unicorn whose talent was making music, and who had expanded upon that skill to create new magic related to voice amplification and who was even experimenting with creating magical devices to record and replay sounds. Trixie dearly wanted to be accepted into the advanced magic program, so that she could at least have a chance of living up to her cutie mark.
The Spire of Magic was not far from the library, and the fillies arrived at its entryway quickly. "Where to?" asked Trixie as she and Meadowfree ttrotted through the open arched doorway and into the tower. Meadowfree motioned toward the stairs.
"Uncle Feldspar's office is on the sixth floor of the tower," Meadowfree said. The staircase was a seemingly neverending spiral of marble steps, ascending through the fifty stories of the Spire. It was a mercy, thought Trixie, that their destination was only on the sixth floor. Nevertheless, she was out of breath when they arrived. Her excitement winning out over the need to breathe, Trixie launched herself down the circular hallway once they arrived at the sixth floor landing, and she found Professor Feldspar's office midway down the corridor. The light was off and the door was just slightly cracked open.
"Looks like nopony's here!" said Trixie.
"Too bad. I guess we'll just have to find another topic," Meadowfree said with a shrug.
"Are you kidding?" Trixie asked incredulously. "We just climbed six flights of stairs and we're not going to find what we need for this presentation in the school library. I just know your uncle has a book about the true ancient history of Equestria!" With that, the azure unicorn filly nudged the office door slightly further open and slipped inside. "You coming?" Trixie called. Meadowfree nervously glanced up and down the hallway, and seeing no one, slipped in after her friend.
"Just a little light …" Trixie murmured, and her horn began to radiate a soft glow. The lantern spell was another trick, like telekinesis, that practically any unicorn could master, and Trixie was no exception. The light was just enough for the ponies to navigate the spacious office without turning on the main lamp. Now, Trixie thought, they had to find the right book. As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she made out an enormous wooden writing desk, a wide backless couch, art and sculptures of famous unicorns scattered about the room, and finally, there was her target. "Aha!" Trixie exclaimed, and pointed to a floor-to-ceiling bookcase that covered the entire back wall of the office. It was filled from top to bottom with thick books and decorative curiosities. There were tiny statues, miniature busts, and bell jars containing preserved plants and insects.
"You start on the right and I'll start over here," Trixie said, walking over to the far left side of the bookcase. "Look for anything about ancient pony history." Meadowfree nodded.
Trixie began scanning the shelves, which were arranged alphabetically. Ancient Spells. Ancient Secrets of Exotic Magic. Antediluvian Potions. Anti-Inflammatory Magic Remedies for the Arthritic Pony. Really? Trixie thought. Then again, Professor Feldspar was no colt anymore. She rolled her eyes and skipped ahead to "H." History's Most Famous Spells. Horsefeathers, and other Magical Pony Parts, How to Succeed in Magic Without Really Trying … "Come on!" Trixie grumbled, gritting her teeth. How could a professor of Ancient Magic not have a book about Ancient History! Purely out of frustration, she swiped a hoof and knocked over a small figurine of a unicorn wearing knightly armor. To Trixie's surprise, the floor began to vibrate beneath her!
"W-w-hat'd y-y-you d-dooo?" Meadowfree accused, vibrating along with the floor.
"I d-diidn't d-doo a-n-n-y-y-thi-i-ng," Trixie replied with a shocked expression. Suddenly, the room began to spin around them. No, Trixie realized, they were rotating on a turntable built into the floor. She must have triggered a hidden mechanism when she knocked over the figurine! Now, finally, this was interesting! When the ponies stopped moving Trixie saw they were in a small stone chamber adorned with tapestries. Trixie could see that the hanging tapestries depicted ponies – fighting! She had never seen anything like it. On one a white unicorn shot a magical blast from his horn as other ponies were blown away like leaves in a windstorm. On another an orange unicorn held a hoof poised to trample what looked like a group of earth ponies drawn in miniature. Trixie could barely take in the strange scene. In the middle of the chamber on a stone pedestal was an enormous and obviously very old book, lying open to a page near the middle.
"Um, I really think we're not supposed to be back here," said Meadowfree.
"Nonsense. This is your uncle's office," Trixie replied. The chamber must be built into the Spire and hidden behind Professor Feldspar's office. "I don't know why he has a hidden room, but this is definitely where we're going to find something good for our presentation, I'm sure of it." She bounded over to look at the thick book on its pedestal and saw to her surprise that it was written in a language that she didn't recognize. It looked almost like the pictographic written pony language with which she was familiar, but with many characters she didn't recognize and words she had never seen before. She flipped the tome closed and coughed as a cloud of dust rose. On the red-bound cover was an embossed illustration of a single unicorn horn, and more of the strange writing underneath. "Time to try my translation spell!" Trixie said. Translation was an extremely complicated spell, probably the most difficult Trixie had taught herself, and one she hoped to list on her application to study the magic curriculum.
"You have a translation spell," Meadowfree asked with surprise in her voice.
"Well, I've only used it to translate from pony so far," Trixie admitted.
"Wow, Trixie, that's incredible. Translation has nothing to do with fireworks and explosions, so that means you must really have a talent for different kinds of magic!" Meadowfree said. "But seriously, I think we should just go. This place is giving me the creeps, and I don't want uncle Feldspar to catch us here. He can get really upset.
"Just one more second … there!" Trixie's horn glowed and the writing on the book's cover temporarily reformed into words she could understand:
The History of the Tragedy of Cornutopia
XIII. Read All About It
"Now this is the history book we've been looking for, Meadow!" Trixie exclaimed. "I have no idea what this is about, but all signs point to it being exactly what we're looking for. Big ancient book? Check. Weird language that could be ancient pony? Check. Mysterious and interesting title? Check."
"I still think we should leave it here," Meadowfree said with trepidation.
"Nah," Trixie replied. "We're going to take it back to my room and figure out what it's about, and then we're going to create the best history presentation ever seen by pony eyes!" She carefully levitated the old book into her school pack. "I'm sure your uncle won't mind if we borrow it. No harm, no foul!" She grabbed Meadowfree and pulled her over to the bookcase before the other unicorn could object any further, and then tipped the knight figurine upright. Just as before, the room rumbled and vibrated as the bookcase rotated back to its normal position and Trixie and Meadowfree were once again in Professor Feldspar's office. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go read it!"
Trixie trotted across the campus to the fillies' dormitory in the south tower with Meadowfree following behind. Some ponies at PEGASUS lived off campus with their parents, as the majority of students were from right here in Canterlot. Meadowfree's illustrious family lived in a villa not far from the palace itself, and she went home after school when she wasn't hanging out with Trixie. Those pony students who were away from home or craved independence could live in the dormitories. Trixie, of course, had no family anywhere, so dorm life was an easy choice and certainly beat staying back at the Foundling Home. Her scholarship and a stipend from the royal treasury allowed her the niceties of campus life - books, food, and supplies. The fillies soon entered Trixie's cramped room and Trixie, after closing and locking the door, set the dusty old book down on her writing desk.
"The Tragedy of Cornutopia!" she pronounced. "What do you think it could be, Meadow? Professor Hazy never mentioned anything like that."
"I don't know, Trix," replied Meadow hesitantly. "I still can't believe you took that book. Did you somehow not see that creepy room? What is my uncle doing even having a secret room like that? Did you see those weird tapestries? Why would ponies ever hurt other ponies?"
"Well, let's find out!" Trixie responded. She opened the book to the first page. One side was a drawing of a tall tower surrounded by walls, and the other was more of the strange writing that the ponies couldn't recognize. Trixie employed her translation spell again, and the text became clear. Trixie read aloud in her most stentorian reading voice.
Cornutopia is but ash, drifting in the wind and choking those who lived to witness its end. The pride of King Starflash is obliterated in smoke and flame, for he knew not what he unleashed in his rage. The unicorn race has dwindled to a scattered few, and even now we diminish and fade. Soon we likely shall be extinguished completely. I journeyed through the mountains with a few sick and weak survivors, living in caves until we came to the earth ponies living in the shadow of the high peak. Their earnest generosity has preserved us for a time. But I grow old and sick, and have not the heart to watch the light of magic fade away completely from this land. I record here the final chapter of the unicorns of Cornutopia. Learn from our folly, and should magic somehow survive, treat it is a gift to be used with care and love, never as a weapon to be wielded in anger. My name is Moonglow Sparkle, and I am the pony responsible for the fall of Cornutopia.
"Oh my gosh, Meadow! This is good!" Trixie said, pausing her narration of the book.
"I wonder why I've never heard about Cornutopia before?" Meadow asked. "There must be a reason they don't teach this in school. I wonder when this was written?"
"Probably because it's so awesome," responded Trixie. She kept reading.
I was a priestess of the sun and moon, and King Starflash's closest advisor. It was I who taught him new and terrible magic that should never have been used. He truly was a mighty pony. When he led his band from the forests against old Cornutopia, the soldiers lay down their arms and threw open the gates at the mere sight of his fury. He toppled the statues of the old kings and raised himself as the divine ruler of the unicorns. Soon, Starflash assembled an army to crush the other unicorn citadels, and he brought those who survived back as thralls of Cornutopia. In this way, it became the mightiest city in the world, and the only unicorn city. I confess I ultimately did nothing to stop him, for I loved Starflash. His beauty, power, and charisma were unrivaled. I was blind to his dark ambitions.
But even he could not bring the whole world under his hoof. He cared nothing for the wild pegasi who lived in the clouds – to him they were as wild animals and not even ponies. The earth ponies were only convenient victims from time to time, when supplies were needed by the roving royal army. The only desire in Starflash's heart was dominion over all the unicorns. But bands of outlaws and brigands led by powerful mages, not so different from Starflash in his youth, hid in the forests and opposed his rule, waylaying his caravans and carrying out daring raids against the fortified city. Starflash raged at this mocking of his authority, for his mighty magic did not grant him power over these outlaw princes and their bands.
He came to me and demanded that I give him enough power to bring all the unicorns to heel, and like an utter foal, I set about doing as he asked. I abandoned the values of my priesthood and set about this dark task, for I understood more about magic than even Starflash. I could feel its source, seeping into this world from somewhere beyond our perceived reality, and I knew that the path to power untold was to rend the seams between the natural world and the realm of magic just beyond.
There were entities living in the source of magic – I could hear them whispering, and I could feel their shame and censure at my actions, but still I continued. I would have done anything for Starflash. I used all the technology and magical knowledge of our day to build a prismatic coil that could draw in and focus magic, and I placed it atop the grandest spire of Starflash's royal citadel. It could siphon and absorb all the magic of the unicorns of Cornutopia to enable Starflash to slash through into the wellspring of magic in the realm beyond this one, and tap its power.
The outlaw princes learned of the King's plan, and they gathered together a great host outside the gates, prepared to batter down the magical walls and storm the city. There were so many that not even the royal army could stop them. Heedless of the consequences, I took Starflash to the focusing chamber of the prismatic coil in this dire hour, and eagerly he touched his horn against the machine and set its terrible work in motion. At this point he craved only destruction and domination, though I remained blind to his madness.
I felt pain that cannot be described as the machine disrupted my connection to magic in order to bind my power, and that of every other unicorn in Cornutopia, to Starflash. I am told that those skilled in magic felt the pain that much more acutely, and it was worse than any torment ever devised by ponies. Through the open ceiling of the chamber I could see a magical tear open in the sky as the world was rent asunder, and raw magic coursed like rainbow lightning into the prismatic coil.
Of course, Starflash could not contain so much power, and his coat began to glow and course with the same rainbow energy that flowed into the machine. I heard a sound like the universe cracking in two and saw a brilliant burning light radiate out from Starflash's body and out into Cornutopia and beyond, and then I saw no more. I floated in a null space, sensing nothing, for time beyond age, and then before me I saw two pony-like figures of indescribable beauty. One shone with all the colors of light, and the other was as perfect as the night. I recognized my goddesses and I wept for what I had done, though no remorse or penance could undo my act. I saw only sadness on their perfect visages.
When I awoke I was somehow unharmed and unburnt, though Cornutopia was gone and turned to ash. There were no signs of the thousands of unicorns that had been within and without its walls, and no sign of my King. Despite the tragedy, I felt that I had somehow been given a sense of purpose, perhaps I had been touched by the goddesses. I walked, and on my journey met a few weary and starving unicorns who had survived the calamity. I knew that if our race somehow was to continue, my legacy would be to prevent this tragedy from happening again. With what is left of my life, I would help all the different kinds of ponies to live as one, in harmony.
Trixie finished. She flipped through the rest of the book, but she could already tell nothing could top the blockbuster opening chapter. They had their project right here. "Ok, Meadow," Trixie began, "this is officially the best history project ever!"
XIV. Flair for the Dramatic
"I'm telling you, it's A+ material, Meadow. A+!" exclaimed Trixie. "No namby-pamby story of the first Running of the Leaves for these unicorns! We'll have battles, and evil sorcery, and outlaws! And then we can show how King Starflash blew up Cornutopia – ka-blooie!" Trixie created a miniature fireball that whirled over their heads, shooting sparks into the corners of her dorm room. "Can you imagine the look on all those pony faces when I do my light-and-sound grand finale magical calamity spectacular? Hehe, I'll just have to work up a few new tricks!"
"I don't know Trixie, I'm trying not to imagine the look on my uncle Feldspar's face when he finds out we took his book. Even if we put the book back it'll be pretty obvious we took it – it's not like Professor Hazy is teaching us about this."
"Oh, c'mon, Meadow. We'll just say we found out about Cornutopia in the library. Do you really think anypony would go through the library to make sure none of this information is anywhere in there? Don't be such a worrier. Even better, this is the perfect showcase for my special effects magic!" Trixie said. In any case, she was sure they would be able to explain away any issue with Meadowfree's uncle. The pursuit of an amazing presentation could not be hindered on account of such a minor risk.
"Ugh. Fine," Meadowfree said at last. "So, what should we do?"
"We'll act. You'll play this Moonglow Sparkle, of course, and act out a retelling of the fall of Cornutopia. I mean, it's so easy! It's right here in the book. I'll provide a dramatic voiceover, projections, pyrotechnics, and special effects! We'll have them eating out of our hooves, Meadow!" Trixie skipped in a tight circle around the confines of her dorm room. Trixie may not have been ready for the upper-level magic classes yet, but she could surely put on a show with the spells she did have! She could create fireworks and glowing animations in the air, and even tiny clouds with lightning.
"Something keeps telling me this is a bad idea, Trix," Meadow said. "You read the story: ponies living apart, unicorns treating the pegasus ponies and earth ponies badly, using magic to hurt, and trying to steal magic from other ponies! This is all the stuff that Equestria stands against. What if Princess Celestia finds out we're telling everypony about this?"
"The Princess would never be opposed to her loyal subjects seeking knowledge!" Trixie countered. "Besides, you know nopony would ever listen to this story and then go and believe that unicorns should rule Equestria, or want to hurt anypony! That's the whole point! That we should never act like that again. You'd have to be a madmare to think that Starflash was onto a good idea! I mean, he blew himself and his whole city to smithereens!"
"I guess so," Meadowfree said, frowning.
"If it makes you feel better, I'll run a disclaimer," Trixie replied, and magically cast a scrolling line of text into the air above them: Don't try anything you see here in Equestria. This presentation is for educational purposes only.
"I suppose that would make me feel a little better," Meadowfree replied. Trixie knew she had won over her friend. Meadowfree went on, "so now that we've got our source material, can we pretty please return that book before my uncle finds out?"
"Yes, alright. Let's go," Trixie replied. She stowed the book away again and the pair made their way out of the dorms and back over to the tower where Professor Feldspar kept his office. The ponies were huffing and puffing a bit as they climbed the six flights of stairs for the second time, but were happy to see that Professor Feldspar's office was still dark and vacant. Trixie felt the first bit of nerves since she and Meadowfree had appropriated the book as they entered the office. Maybe she imagined it, but it looked as if some of the papers on Professor Feldspar's desk had been shuffled around. Had he been back?
"Thank Celestia!" said Meadowfree. "Let's put that book back and get out of here."
"Okay, okay!" Trixie didn't share her concern with Meadowfree, and instead risked a little more light from her horn again as the pair walked over to the bookcase that had granted them passage into the secret chamber before. Trixie toppled the little unicorn figurine as she had done before, and again the room began to rotate. To Trixie's great surprise, however, instead of emerging in the hidden room, this time she felt the unmistakable sensation of a magic spell coursing all over her body.
"Oh no!" Trixie heard Meadowfree call out. "It's a trap!" Trixie had only experienced teleportation by the side of an instructor at the school, and it was not a spell most unicorns could master. She could recognize the tingling sensation, though, and she knew the bookcase had been enchanted with a teleportation spell, probably to catch whoever tried to enter the hidden room next. Where they would end up was anypony's guess, but Trixie was not eager to find out.
Instead of arriving in the hidden stone chamber, when the spell dissipated Trixie saw that she and Meadowfree were inside an enormous underground cavern, lit by hundreds of burning torches. The walls were at least a hundred lengths apart, and Trixie could not even see the cavern ceiling above them. There were other ponies in the cavern too, several dozen at least. In the dim torchlight Trixie could only see that the ponies were wearing thick dark hooded cloaks.
More immediate, however, was the fact that Trixie and Meadowfree were in the center of a small platform surrounded by metal bars. Trixie could see that there was no escape, unless she could summon her own teleportation spell. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to cast such a spell, or even whether she was capable of doing so. They were caught. Ignoring their compromised situation, Trixie looked around the cavern.
Many of the hooded ponies were gathered around a wide circular stone platform in the center of the cavern, which was littered with strange devices and pieces of metal. Others stood on the platform, magically manipulating the devices for purposes Trixie dared not even guess. A smaller raised stone platform was located off to the side and above the main area, jutting out of the cave wall, with a narrow staircase leading up to it. Trixie could see one pony standing there alone, surveying the scene below.
Trixie looked at her friend and could see that Meadowfree looked absolutely petrified, and she wondered if that fear was mirrored on her own face. Suddenly, one of the hooded and cloaked ponies looked in their direction.
"Hey!" the hooded pony called out in a raspy mare's voice. "We caught a couple of intruders!" Before Trixie could say or do anything, a glow of magic emanated from under the ponies hood, and the bars surrounding Trixie and Meadowfree retracted into the stone floor.
"Run!" Trixie yelled as she sprang into motion. She had no idea in which direction lay freedom, but anywhere had to be better than behind cage bars. She leaped off the platform, but never even made it to the ground below. Ropes appeared, flying toward them under somepony's magical control, and Trixie and Meadowfree were trussed and lying immobile on their backs in what seemed like an instant. Several of the hooded ponies hurried over to where they lay, and Trixie cringed at their shrouded faces peering angrily down at her. She knew it was her fault that she and Meadow were in this mess, and all she wanted was to be back safe and sound at school. One of the ponies leaned over and threw back his hood. He was immediately recognizable, with his dark brown coat and rust-colored mane. Trixie and Meadowfree both gasped as Professor Feldspar peered down at them.
"Meadowfree!" Professor Feldspar called out. I "I set that spell to catch whoever it was who stole my book. I can't believe it was my own niece!" The professor turned to Trixiem an icy expression of rage on his face. Trixie felt any sense of relief due to seeing Feldspar's familiar face wash away as quickly as it had come. "You! You must have been behind this. You tricked my niece into breaking into my office, and stole my book!" Feldspar magically pulled the book out of Trixie's pack. "I knew it! How dare you touch this ancient text?"
"I'm s-sorry!" Trixie sputtered. "I just wanted to give a good history presentation, and I thought you might have books about the old times, before Canterlot."
"What?" Feldspar shouted. "You can't have actually read the book, in the original ancient unicorn? How dare you defile it with your ignorant eyes?" His muzzle was practically frothing with rage, but Trixie could also see something else, perhaps fear, crossing his visage. Feldspar glanced back, up to the raised platform where a tall pony wearing a crimson robe stared down at them. Trixie realized Feldspar must be afraid of the consequences of the leader finding out that she had read part of the precous book. "You will not even get the courtesy of a hearing, thief," Feldspar hissed. Trixie heard Meadowfree sobbing beside her. "Your days at PEGASUS are over." With that, Feldspar's horn glowed brightly and he, Trixie, and Meadowfree disappeared in the flash of a teleportation spell.
XV. Tricked Out
Two days later, Trixie lay silently on the stiff mattress in her room at the foundling home. Her eyes were dry only because she had no more tears left to cry. After the incident in the cavern she had been escorted off campus by the school's security ponies and been told not to return until her case was decided. Trixie had thought she might be subject to a demerit, or worse suspension, but early this morning she had received a letter from the dean of students, addressed to "Bluebonnet, C.I.B." It explained that her enrollment at the unicorn school had been terminated due to sufficient proof of Professor Feldstone's allegations of burglary of his office.
Shortly after the letter arrived, a delivery cart pulled up with the rest of her possessions from school. They were not much, and were mainly books and school supplies. Her one sentimental item, her Smartypants pony doll that had been sent to her at the foundling home anonymously, lay limply on top of the pile. She hadn't even had a chance to state her case to the academic council, or tell anypony what she had witnessed in the mysterious cave. Worse, Meadowfree hadn't tried to get in touch with her at all. Trixie literally had nopony to turn to. Her life, as she knew it and as she imagined it would be, was over. Without an education and a royally-stamped diploma, it would be impossible to get a job with the crown, even performing magical maintenance or working on the Canterlot weather team to change the seasons. And she didn't have the magical ability yet to get a job in the business world. She had idly entertained putting her talent for pyrotechnics to work in Fillywood for one of the motion picture studios, but they would never hire a pony expelled from PEGASUS. She didn't even have family to fall back on. It was all over.
In her mind Trixie kept returning to the cave and the hooded ponies. Why had Professor Feldspar set a trap for whoever returned the book? More importantly, what had the hooded ponies been doing in there? Aside from Meadowfree's uncle there had been about two dozen ponies. And who was their mysterious overseer in Crimson? And why did Professor Feldspar look so afraid when he discerned that Trixie had read the book about Cornutopia? She wondered if there could be some kind of a connection. Of course, whatever they were doing, and whatever secrets they might have been keeping, were safe now. Trixie had nopony to tell, and no credit to her name.
The door to Trixie's room, which had no lock, opened to reveal Petal, one of the matrons of the Foundling House. "Trixie child," the grandmotherly lilac-coated earth pony mare said, "I'm so sorry for you." Petal had always been the kindest administrator at the House. "You deserved a chance to prove your innocence," she said. "This was not justice done."
"It's over now, Petal," Trixie replied sadly. "I'm over. Everything is over."
"No, child. You are beginning again," Petal replied. "I want to tell you something. You know when you were found outside the palace …"
Trixie cut her off. "Yes yes, there was a note that said I am very special. Blah blah blah. Not so special now, am I?"
"Did you know there was more?" Petal asked. "There were also bits. Enough for a comfortable life for a few years, and instructions to create a trust in your name. We never told you, because we wanted you to learn independence, but your sixteenth birthday is in a couple of weeks, and the trust will vest."
"You mean, I'm not destitute?" Trixie asked, shocked out of her self-pity. "I have bits?"
"Not hardly destitute," Petal replied with a smile. "You'll be fine. But there was more. You never actually read the note or heard the whole message. I have it here." Petal pulled an old, rumpled slip of paper out of the satchel that hung at her side, set it down on Trixie's desk, and read. "Please care for this foal. Her name is Concordia Invictrix Bellaluna Bluebonnet. She is very special. I know that someday she will be a great and powerful magician. She is of the bloodline of the most powerful unicorns of old, and I can already feel how strong her connection with magic is. I love her very much, but I cannot give her the home or life she deserves, because she would not be safe from me. There are some bits here, to set up a trust for her for when she turns sixteen. Please take good care of her." Petal finished reading. "You know, Trixie, I never read the rest of this letter to you because I have no idea who your mother was, and I didn't want you to become fixated on being a great magician in case there was no truth to this. I should have had more faith. When your cutie mark – a wand and starlight crescent – appeared, I knew she had been right all along."
Trixie stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed at Petal, struggling to absorb all this new information. After nearly a full minute, a tiny smile slowly crept across her face. "Great and powerful," she repeated softly and determinedly.
PART FOUR: INFILTRATION
XVI. Stealth Mode
Two days before the Summer Sun Celebration …
Rarity and Twilight Sparkle, in their guises as Blueberry Cobbler and Dandelion, strolled briskly down the grand boulevard that served as the main artery into the heart of Canterlot. The morning sun was beginning to ascend higher in the sky, and cast warm rays over the gleaming city. Most ponies they passed nodded politely at them, but few said hello. Most were serious-looking unicorns on their way to some doubtlessly vital government job. Rarity appreciated their formality on one hoof, but on the other she appreciated the welcoming friendliness of Ponyville that she had grown up with.
"Not much farther to the school, and then to the Cantering Colt!" Twilight announced.
"Good," said Rarity. "I need to rest my poor hooves, and I could certainly use a cup of tea as well. I expect it will be your treat for dragging me along!" When Twilight Sparkle didn't reply, Rarity looked over at her friend. "It was just a joke," she said, noticing at the same time that the unicorn had fallen to her knees, and seemed to be groaning in pain. "Twilight!" Rarity shouted, disregarding her friend's assumed identity as Dandelion.
Suddenly, Rarity felt an awful, wrenching sensation in her mind, but it passed as quickly as she could shake her head. Twilight, meanwhile, lay gasping and shivering on the cobblestone street, tears spilling from her violet eyes. "Twilight!" Rarity shouted, trying to rouse her friend. "Twilight dear, are you alright?"
The wave of nausea that had passed over had left Rarity feeling queasy, though obviously she was not as badly off as Twilight. Whatever had caused the painful sensation also seemed to have disrupted Rarity's control over her magic. She could see colors shifting on Twilight's coat as her disguise spell faltered and then failed. With a glance at her own foreleg Rarity could see by the bright white coat that she too had reverted to her true identity. No matter – caring for Twilight was now her utmost concern.
A cacophony of noise drew Rarity's attention away for a moment as bells began to clang all over Canterlot. Hooves thundered and Rarity looked up to see several Royal unicorn guards in their golden armor stampeding past, as well as pegasus guards zooming overhead. She could tell they were all racing in the direction of the palace.
"Hello! You there, guardsmen, my friend needs your help!" Rarity called, but the guards ignored her calls.. Apparently whatever emergency called them to the palace was more urgent, and the guards just kept heedlessly galloping by. At this rate Twilight was far more likely to be trampled than helped by the guards. Rarity had to take matters into her own hooves. She spied an alleyway off the main street and used her teeth to drag Twilight by her tail to temporary safety.
"Twilight! Can you hear me?" Rarity waved a hoof in front of her friend's eyes, but Twilight Sparkle only looked blankly ahead, tears still rolling down her face. Suddenly, Rarity was struck with inspiration. She pulled her traveling bag off her side and spilled its contents out onto the ground, trying hard not to think about what sort of dirt might be touching her things. Rarity grabbed the bottle of her favorite eau de toilette off the ground and placed it by Twilight's muzzle. She stomped on the atomizer and sprayed pungent perfume directly in front of Twilight's face. Rarity could see her friend start to twitch, barely perceptible at first and then becoming more violent. She hoped she hadn't made a terrible mistake with the perfume.
"Ah-ah-choo!" Twilight sneezed, and focused her gaze on Rarity. "Wha – what's that smell? Is that perfume?"
"It's the latest fragrance from Manehattan," Rarity replied. "I assure you it's very chic right now. But more importantly, I'm so happy you're alright, Twilight! You were completely zoned out just now, staring off into space, and you looked to be in a lot of pain."
"Yes … a lot of pain," Twilight said in a low voice. "What happened? Where are we?" She paused. "Why are the palace alarm bells ringing?"
"What do you remember, dear?" Rarity asked. "I felt an awful burst of pain in my head, and then I lost control of my disguise spell. I saw that you had fallen to your knees and you looked dreadfully pained. Then the bells started ringing and the guards all began rushing by to get to the palace. You were nearly trampled!"
"I remember the pain, it wasn't like anything I've ever felt before" Twilight replied. "And if you felt it too and it disrupted your spell, it must have been magical in nature. But first, if there's an emergency at the palace it may involve the Princesses. We need to get over there right now!" She galloped out of the alleyway, and it was all Rarity could do to follow. They raced headlong through Canterlot, passing many other unicorn ponies who were resting against walls, merchants' stalls, carts, barrels or benches, clearly still dazed. Whatever had happened, it had apparently affected at least all the unicorns in Canterlot.
The gleaming spires of the Princesses' palace grew larger as Twilight and Rarity raced up to the main gate. As they drew near, a squadron of pegasus guards in shining golden armor spotted them and swooped down, landing with a thump directly in their path.
"Halt!" the foremost pegasus shouted, clearly the leader. "The palace is on lockdown and all gates are closed. You ponies turn around and return home. Do not approach the palace until further notice."
"What's happened?" Twilight asked. "Are the Princesses okay?"
"I said go home," the guard replied tersely. "Your questions will be answered publicly and in due course. There's no reason to be concerned at this time."
"Please, my name is Twilight Sparkle, and I'm Princess Celestia's personal apprentice. I need to see her," Twilight pleaded.
"Sure, and I'm Sapphire Shores, the Pony of Pop," replied the pegasus captain.
"Now go home before we have to lock you in the dungeon. And believe me, we will."
"Twilight, we'd best move along," Rarity said, placing a reassuring hoof on her friend's shoulder. "Let's go someplace where we can plan what to do next. It simply won't do to be thrown in the dungeon." Twilight, after glaring at the pegasi, blinked at Rarity's touch and seemed to calm down.
"Yes, I suppose we have no choice," Twilight replied, turning away from the gate. They began walking back they way they had come.
"So I suppose we'd best come up with a new plan of action," Rarity volunteered.
"We'll stick with the original plan," Twilight replied. "We'll go to PEGASUS and find Professor Morningstar, we'll figure out just what … oof!" A pony clad in a hooded black cloak – a mare judging by her small stature - galloped seemingly blindly into Twilight, sending them both sprawling. The unknown pony then jumped to her hooves and galloped away at breakneck speed. "What in the wide, wide world of Equestria was that about?" Twilight asked, standing and shaking off the dirt and dust of the street.
"Twilight, look!" Rarity pointed to Twilight's pack. A scroll was poking out where none had been before. "That pony must have put it there when she knocked you over!" Rarity pulled out the scroll and unrolled it.
Twilight read the short message aloud: "Twilight Sparkle, go home if you don't want to get hurt."
XVII. Lockdown
"Oh dear," uttered Rarity, a hoof flying to her mouth to cover her surprise. "I know you wanted this mission to be a secret, but It appears somepony in Canterlot already knows of our arrival. And that pony is not happy about it."
"Well. we don't know if this letter is from a friend or a foe yet, and besides, they're not going to stop me from investigating what's going on in Canterlot, or keep me from the Princess," Twilight stated determinedly. "I'm not leaving."
"Well," Rarity sighed, "then I'll be here by your side. So, to PEGASUS?"
"Yes," Twilight replied. We'll keep our appointment at the Cantering Colt and find out from Professor Morningstar about this crisis he's concerned about, and maybe we can determine if the pony who left me this note is connected. And now we have another mystery - finding out what caused that painful magical disturbance."
The two mares walked back the way they had come, toward the gates of PEGASUS. Rarity knew that in absolute terms, both the palace and the school were not far from the Great Gate leading into the city. Most of the rest of the capital city wrapped around the mountain behind and into the alpine vales below, allowing for green fields and meadows along with the mountain crags that embraced the royal palace. The alarm bells finally stopped ringing, but Rarity didn't know if that could be attributed to the emergency being over, or simply because all of the royal guards had had time to return to the palace by now. As they walked, though, it became apparent that some normalcy had returned to Canterlot. Though many ponies were gathered in small groups, perhaps to discuss the mysterious sensation they had felt, many others were going about the business as usual – walking, shopping, or patronizing the ubiquitous restaurants and cafes.
After a few more minutes walking, the Ponyville ponies arrived at the outer wall of the PEGASUS campus. The entire expansive grounds of the school were surrounded by a wall of white granite blocks, at least two pony lengths tall, through which numerous gates allowed for ingress and egress. The main gate, which Rarity and Twilight Sparkle now faced, consisted of golden spears intermingled with ornate finials. Two royal guards stood at either side of the gate, and Rarity was dismayed to see a sign posted on the wall stating that the school was locked down until further notice, with nopony allowed in or out. It also stated that those remaining on campus would be escorted out as soon as possible.
"Oh dear, now what?" asked Rarity. "We'll never convince those guards to let us through, and I still feel too woozy to try an illusion spell powerful enough to sneak through."
"I feel awful too," Twilight replied. "I'm afraid any spell I might try right now would backfire and turn us both into potted plants, and yes, I promise that can happen. But I have an idea!"
"Do tell," said Rarity, trusting that any idea of Twilight's was likely to be a good one.
"Well, though I was technically enrolled at PEGASUS, I had permission to do a lot of my work as independent study, which meant I worked directly with Princess Celestia. Because of this, I spent a lot of time going back and forth from the school to the palace. One day, Princess Celestia showed me a very old underground tunnel between the palace and PEGASUS, which must have gone in around the same time the school was built. Ponies forgot about it in time, but Princess Celestia was there at the beginning, and she never forgets anything. I don't think anypony knows about the passage except for me and the Princess."
"Well, dear, that's perfect except for one tiny detail," Rarity replied. "We can't exactly waltz into the palace right now either, in case you didn't notice."
"Aha! We can't waltz in the front," said Twilight, "but I think we may just be able to trot right in if we take a different approach. Thank Celestia that you're not afraid of heights."
"I hope that doesn't mean what I think it means," Rarity replied, as she fell in behind Twilight Sparkle. Back to the palace they trotted. Rarity loved visiting the palace, with its graceful arches, majestic golden domes, and brilliant towers piercing the sky. It's construction was as much magical as architectural, defying gravity by extending from the mountainside far into the open air thousands of lengths above the ground below. She had a feeling that whatever Twilight had in mind was going to require them to confront that dizzying altitude.
"Here's the plan," Twilight Sparkle began. "There's a narrow ledge that runs across the mountainside below the palace. There are access points through which we can enter the palace down there. It should be a piece of cake."
"And what if one of us should slip?" Rarity asked skeptically.
"I've thought of that," Twilight replied. "Remember the cloud walking spell I used when we visited the pegasus ponies in Cloudsdale? Well, there are thick clouds encircling the mountain below the palace. I can use the spell again here so if we fall off, we can just walk back to solid ground, safe and sound."
"Are you sure you feel up to it? You seemed quite shaken back there," Rarity said. She was doubtful that Twilight would be prepared so quickly to try a complex spell like cloud walking.
"I"m positive," Twilight replied. She lowered her head and her horn began to glow faintly with magic. "There, it's done. Now let's move."
Unsurprisingly, with almost every guard and sentry recalled to the palace interior, there was no one left to guard the narrow trail leading to the cliff below the palace, and the unicorns simply walked around the no trespassing sign posted at the trailhead. After the first hundred lengths, the trail reached the mountainside and became nothing more than a ledge overlooking a sheer drop, with the underside of the royal palace extending impossibly out into space overhead. To Rarity, the plan suddenly felt anything but safe. Ponies may be naturally surefooted, but there was barely enough space for her to plant her hooves on the rock ledge.
"I'll go first," Twilight Sparkle volunteered, and cautiously stepped on the ledge. Rarity followed, careful to focus on the path and not the drop on her left side. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew past and she hastily flattened herself against the mountainside. The fear of heights Rarity had been missing had finally found her, and she tried not to hyperventilate as she clung to the rocks.
"Twilight!" Rarity shouted over the wind. "I don't think I can go much further!" The lavender unicorn couldn't turn around, but looked over her shoulder at Rarity.
"Just a little farther," Twilight called out reassuringly. "Just put one hoof in front of the other!"
"Really, how did you even find this way into the palace?" Rarity asked, moving tentatively once again and being careful not to disrupt her concentration. "I assume you've done this before."
"Oh, I've never been down here," Twilight replied.
"What?" Rarity screeched, coming to a halt and wondering how she was going to backtrack all the way back to the access trail without turning around.
"But I know there has to be a way in. I've studied and memorized maps and diagrams of the palace when I just a young filly and obsessed with the Princess and magic, and I distinctly remember a sluice gate located along the outer rim of the palace walls. It's got to be just ahead," Twilight Sparkle said.
"You've never …" Rarity suppressed her irritation lest her concentration slip, to be followed shortly thereafter by the rest of her. They continued forward while Rarity stewed. There would be time to yell at Twilight after they made it safely inside the palace.
"And here it is!" Twilight exclaimed, pointing to a small square opening in the rock, closed off by a steel plate cover. "The staff inside can raise this gate to let the used water from the baths and kitchens pour out and down the mountainside. From my research, they raise the gate on the hour every hour to prevent a backup."
"You're kidding, right? Tell me you're kidding," Rarity said, glaring at her friend. "You expect me, Rarity, to crawl up a sewer pipe?"
"No, no, this is just gray water. The sewer pipe is a hundred lengths further down. I considered that, since it's always open, but I decided we'd draw too much attention once we got inside. You know, because of the smell," replied Twilight.
"Ugh, I won't do it!" Rarity stated indignantly. She pointed down at the impenetrable cloud layer below them, obscuring the mountainside below. "I'll just jump right off this cliff. You did put the cloud walker spell on us for safety."
"About that," Twilight replied sheepishly. "I may or may not have been quite up to executing that spell after the incident earlier."
"Twilight Sparkle!" Rarity angrily exclaimed, not sure if her friend was pulling her leg but not willing to risk it. She pulled one front hoof off the rock face and gestured menacingly at her companion with the other.
"The sluice gate should be opening any time now," Twilight said, moving past the opening so that one pony now waited on either side of it. Seconds later, as if on cue, the metal cover lifted and water began to pour out. "Go!" yelled Twilight as she braced the cover open with her forelegs. Rarity had no choice but to clamber in through the opening with an expression of disgust as the flow of water receded, and she pulled Twilight in after her. The steel cover fell with a bang behind them.
Wherever they were now, Rarity noted, it was wet, pitch dark, and cold. She shuddered as she felt dirty water trickle past her hooves and all she wished for was a hot cleansing shower, to be followed by a soothing mineral bath, and then perhaps another shower.
After Twilight managed to produce a small amount of light from the tip of her horn, Rarity saw that the ponies were in a long, square rock tunnel with not even enough room to fully stand. Murky water stood in puddles throughout the tunnel.
"We should have at least thirty minutes to find our way out before this tunnel is full of water again," Twilight replied cheerily, obviously ignoring the consequences of failing to escape in time. "Unfortunately, I never saw a map of the water tunnels, so we'll just have to hope the way out is obvious."
Her friend's single minded devotion to the Princess had gotten them far, and had helped them defeat great foes before, but now Rarity couldn't shake the feeling that it was leading to some very questionable decision-making by Twilight Sparkle. "If my last moments are spent in a dark tunnel full of dirty dishwater, I'll never forgive you, Twilight Sparkle," Rarity grumbled, glaring at her friend in the dark.
XVIII. Flattery Will Get You Everywhere
As they trudged along, Rarity could feel herself becoming dirtier with every step. The dank mustiness of the tunnel didn't help either. Thankfully, the first branch of the tunnel they tried, which was picked only because it was large enough for them to move and sloped upward only gently, led to a wide basin in a cavernous stone room.
"This must be the laundry room at the lowest level of the palace," Twilight Sparkle whispered. "Lots of the staff wear uniforms and many of the courtiers have attire that needs to be washed."
Rarity nodded. She finally felt well enough, or possibly desperate enough, to try a refreshing spell. Her horn began to glow and with a "poof" the two unicorns' hair was dry and clean again, if not as carefully coiffed as Rarity would have liked.
"Looks like our magic might be back," Twilight observed.
"And not a moment too soon. We shall never speak of that tunnel again," Rarity declared. "Ever. Pinkie Pie swear."
"Got it," Twilight replied. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my … ow!" Rarity stifled a giggle as Twilight, as always, forgot to close her eye before jamming her hoof in it while pantomiming the oath. A little schadenfreude works wonders for improving the spirits, she thought to herself. Of course, Twilight was merely surprised and not actually hurt.
"So now where? I presume you know that way to your secret tunnel?" Rarity asked.
"Oh yes," Twilight replied. "It's in the Royal Library. It's quite a number of levels up from here, though, so we'll need to avoid the guards/"
"But how?" Rarity asked, "I might have been able to pull off a refreshing spell, but I'm not prepared to cast a full illusion yet." She then saw Twilight pointing a hoof at one of the bins of clothing in the laundry room and saw they were full of staff uniforms. Rarity just shook her head, at this point resigned to what was sure to be an unmitigated fashion disaster. "You'll owe me for this one, Twilight. Big time. In fact, I'm just adding this to your 'owe me' tab."
Moments later, two decidedly unfashionable-looking unicorn maintenance workers in overalls and brimmed caps walked casually through the corridors of the palace, dodging glances from the other staff and guards they passed. There were so many ponies at the palace at any given time that it would be no surprise to see a new pony, so Rarity could proceed casually. Twilight, however, had been a frequent visitor and sometimes live-in guest at the palace, and she kept the brim of her hat pulled low to conceal her face. So far, they hadn't had any problems. In fact, Rarity noted, traffic was light in the corridors, as if most of the palace guards, staff, and residents were gathered on the upper floors. Soon, they had reached the doors to the Royal Library.
"Locked! Oh no!" Twilight exclaimed.
Rarity thought quickly. As Twilight gasped and tried to hide her face, Rarity galloped down the hall to grab the hoof of a passing stallion guard. Even in this ridiculous outfit, she knew she was still quite the fetching mare, and knew how to get what she needed from the average stallion.
"Oh, sir, hello, my partner and I were hoping … oh my, what muscle definition! Your coat is positively rippling behind that shiny armor!" Rarity exclaimed.
"Oh, um, thank you ma'am," the guard replied. Rarity was thankful he was simple palace security and not one of the Princesses' personal bodyguards, who were bound to silence while on duty. "Can I help you?" he asked.
Rarity removed her cap and let her mane spill over her shoulders with a light toss of her head. She batted her long eyelashes. "Surely you pull weights," she said.
"Well," the guard began, puffing out his chest, "I've been known to hit the gym now and again."
"It certainly shows!" said Rarity. "Oh my!" She gingerly placed a hoof against the guard's shoulder. "I was just hoping you could assist my partner and I. You see, we've misplaced a key on our ring, and we need to get into the Royal Library to check the heating pipes. We've received concerns that steam is leaking and the humidity could damage the books. It's very urgent."
"I'm so sorry miss, but you must have heard the Princesses have fallen sick and being cared for by the magic council. Until the Princesses recover or someone figures out who is running Equestria in the meantime, my orders are to patrol the halls and make sure nopony enters any rooms that are off-limits, and the library is locked right now"
Rarity hid her shock well. "Of course I've heard. I'm just surprised such a strapping young stallion would be relegated to simple hoof patrol. Surely you deserve more! I'm sure that if you were the pony who saved the Princesses' library you'll receive that promotion – maybe even to the Princesses' bodyguard!"
"Do you really think so?" asked the guard, eyes wide.
"A handsome, strong pony like yourself was born to be a royal bodyguard!" Rarity declared. "You can even guard the library door while we go in and check the pipes. We'll only be a moment."
"I guess that would be okay," the guard replied, after apparently mulling it over for a second. He trotted over to the library door and right past Twilight Sparkle, who was still doing everything in her power to conceal her face while trying not to look like she was concealing anything. "By the way, my name's Brick," the guard said with a gesture toward his cutie mark: a brick and mason's trowel.
"And I am Rarity," the white unicorn said. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance," she added with a sultry emphasis. The cutie mark surely referred to the guard's mental acuity and not any particular talent in masonry, Rarity thought. Brick unlocked the door.
"You and your friend hurry up in there Miss Rarity. And when you come out, maybe we can talk about your plans for dinner tonight?" Brick said without a trace of subtlety.
"Oh, to be sure," Rarity replied, giving the guard's shoulder another appreciate hoof-tap. Twilight quickly scurried through the open library door into the darkened library and Rarity followed after without a glance at Brick. When they were through, Twilight immediately bolted the door behind them.
"It looks from the inside as well as the outside, so that Princess Celestia could have privacy in here," Twilight whispered in the dark. "And nice work with that guard!"
"If you've got it, flaunt it, I always say," Rarity whispered back. Twilight then trotted over and turned on the lights in the library, only to see a third pony staring at them in surprise.
"You!" Twilight Sparkle and Rarity exclaimed in unison.
XIX. Reunion
"What are you doing here?" Twilight Sparkle asked the unexpected third pony. She was a striking unicorn mare, a few years older than Rarity and Twilight. Her coat was pure azure and her mane silver with a hint of blue, and as always she wore a star-spangled blue robe and tall pointed hat. Rarity recognized her instantly, and frowned. This was an unpleasant surprise.
"The Great and Powerful Trixie hardly needs to answer that question, especially since you clearly have no business here," the azure unicorn replied haughtily.
"How did you even get in?" Twilight asked.
"A truly great magician like myself never reveals her secrets!" Trixie exclaimed. She narrowed her gaze, clearly observing Twilight Sparkle and Rarity. Despite their maintenance worker garb, Rarity saw recognition flood Trixie's eyes. "You two! Trixie never forgets a face. You're that uppity magician from Ponyville and her prissy friend! Twilight Sparkle and …"
"Prissy?" hissed Rarity. "I am a lady. And my name is Rarity."
"The last time we met the Great and Powerful Trixie left you looking more like a head of broccoli, as I recall," Trixie replied. Indeed, after Trixie had issued a challenge to all of Ponyville, Rarity had stepped forward to demonstrate the futility of such combative gestures, and to show Trixie that a unicorn should aspire to grace, not crude combativeness. After Rarity had used her magic to instantly style her mane and to fashion a stylish dress from odds and ends from Trixie's stage, the unicorn magician had turned her lovely purple mane into a drab green, frazzled mess. Rarity had run off in embarrassment and was forced to spend an entire afternoon trying restorative spells until she finally managed to return her hair to its natural state of beauty.
At that, Rarity stamped her hooves and lowered her head as if to charge, and gave an unladylike snort. "And as I recall, the last time you were in Ponyville you were run out of town as a laughingstock, after my friend Twilight here showed you were a fraud," Rarity replied. Trixie's misadventure in Ponyville had come to an end after some youths had lured a monstrous bearlike ursa to town, after hearing Trixie falsely claim to have defeated one in Hoofington. Trixie was unable to manage the creature, of course, and only Twilight Sparkle's intervention had prevented massive destruction and mayhem in Ponyville. Trixie had run away to a chorus of jeers. The azure unicorn gritted her teeth and appeared ready to butt horns.
"Calm down everypony!" Twilight exclaimed, jumping between the two angry ponies. "Trixie, tell us what you're doing in the library and we'll tell you the same. Maybe we can work together."
"Fine! The Great and Power …"
"Ahem!" Twilight coughed. "And can you please drop the 'Great and Powerful' act. Look around. There's no stage."
"Ugh!" Trixie grumbled. "First, Trixie's identity is no act. And second, you can't possibly help me, and I'm sure I can't help either of you. I'm here because of a letter I received." The other ponies' eyes grew wide with surprise. "What?" Trixie asked.
"So are we!" Twilight Sparkle said. "I received a letter from my old professor at PEGASUS telling me that something bad was about to happen related to the Summer Sun Celebration and I needed to come to Canterlot to investigate."
"You've got to be joking," Trixie replied. "It figures that you went to PEGASUS, Little Miss Know-It-All. Well, Trixie too was a student at the school for a timel, but as it turns out my talents were far too great for that joke of an institution." Rarity scoffed at that last, but Trixie continued. "Just days ago I received a letter from a former school friend of mine. We haven't been in touch since I left PEGASUS, for reasons that are … complicated. But this letter had to do with something that happened back then, and it was urgent. So here I am."
"What are you doing in the Royal Library?" Twilight Sparkle asked.
"I don't have to tell you anything. No. That was quite enough about Trixie," the azure unicorn said. "Besides, you two are but schoolfillies compared to my abilities. You need not concern yourself with my business. Just go about – whatever it is you sneaked in here to do."
"Trixie, it sounds like we may have come here for the same reasons," said Twilight. "You must have felt the magical disturbance earlier." Rarity could see recognition in Trixie's eyes.
"Trixie felt it," she agreed, grimacing. "It may have affected every magic user in Canterlot to a degree."
Twilight Sparkle continued. "And I overheard a guard say the Princesses are not well and are being cared for by the magic council."
Trixie looked aghast. "The council! Then it's already too late."
"No, it's okay," said Twilight Sparkle. "The council is made up of the wisest and best magicians in Equestria. If anyone can take care of the Princesses, they can. My professor …"
"No!" Trixie interrupted. "You know nothing! That is why I am here!" she hissed. "There is a conspiracy, Twilight Sparkle. A conspiracy against the Princesses, against Equestria, and everypony who gallops or flies free. And your council is hock-deep in it."
"That's impossible!" Twilight Sparkle rejoined.
"Ha!" Trixie laughed harshly. "Impossible? Do you really want to know what the Great and Powerful Trixie is doing skulking about the Royal Library? I'll tell you, oh wise Twilight Sparkle. I needed to get access to Princess Celestia's personal writings, to learn more about a terrible part of Equestrian history that I feared would come back to haunt us all one day. This was made more urgent by the letter I received from my friend. Well, Twilight Sparkle, Trixie found what she was looking for, and you have confirmed my worst fears, now that I know the council has the Princesses."
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Twilight Sparkle said.
"Nor I," added Rarity. For one thing, she was not used to the braggart Trixie talking about anything but her own amazing abilities, but mainly she was struggling to even make sense of what the other unicorn had said.
"Of course you don't. Well then, you ponies are in for a show," Trixie exclaimed. "You may want to sit down for this," she added.
"We'll stand, thank you," said Rarity, giving Trixie the most baleful glare she could muster.
"Then stand, and watch and listen in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie tells a story that has been kept a secret by Princess Celestia for nine-thousand years! A story that should have been told long ago, and which, if those responsible are not stopped, is about to repeat itself this very Summer Sun Celebration day."
Rarity rolled her eyes and prepared to suffer Trixie's obnoxiousness yet again. "More lies and fabrications?" she asked.
Trixie replied with deadly earnestness. "Everything Trixie is about to tell you is true."
"Go ahead, Trixie," Twilight Sparkle encouraged.
Trixie's horn began to glow, and above her in the center of the library a cloud of inky smoke swirled, and from it figures began to take shape. Trixie spoke. "Nine thousand years ago, unicorns believed they were superior to all other ponies. They fought to determine who was the most powerful magician in the land, and in their hubris they very nearly destroyed each other completely." As she spoke, visions of conflict and war among ponies played out about their heads. Hordes of unicorns cast magic spells at each other, and cities rose and crumbled before their eyes. Rarity had to admit that Trixie was unrivalled in Equestria at casting projections. Even Rarity herself could not sustain so many figures and images at once, nor was her imagination vivid enough to relive a spectacle she had not even witnessed personally.
"I know this story," said Twilight Sparkle. "Princess Celestia told me about how the unicorns were nearly wiped out."
"She told you herself, did she?" Trixie asked skeptically.
"I am her personal protégé," Twilight Sparkle replied.
"Ha! Now who's boasting? It's nice to have the horseshoe on the other hoof for a change, so to speak." The unicorn magician chuckled. "I'm not surprised that a goody-four-shoes like yourself would be close to Her Majesty. Princess Celestia has always been foalishly naïve, just like you, and that's partially why Equestria is in crisis. Now let me continue."
Trixie went on, and projected an image of a mighty explosion obliterating a walled citadel. "During these ancient wars, a unicorn king built a device that could draw in and channel magic from other ponies and from a place of magic beyond the world that we can see, and planned to use it to become an all-powerful tyrant. But he lacked control over his power, and destroyed himself and all his subjects instead." The image shifted to show sickly refugees huddled together in a cave for warmth, and then being led to a small village by earth ponies. "One unicorn mage survived, and took a few survivors to safety. Together with the pegasus ponies, these ponies would eventually found Canterlot and the Equestria we know today."
"Okay, I've already heard this from the Princess," said Twilight.
"Good for you. You're very special," said Trixie, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Princess Celestia's pet here aside, this story is not known to the general pony public, but it was known to a few unicorns at PEGASUS, because years ago they took a closely protected book out of the Royal Library, a book which they subverted to dark purposes, a book of which one copy exists in all of Equestria, and which is always kept locked away in the Princesses' private reading room. Only the Princesses have a key, that is, only the Princesses and the unicorns of the magic council. And now Trixie will tell you a story you didn't know."
"Good. The history lesson is wearing old, and there is a guard starting to get fidgety just outside the door," Rarity stated.
"This is the story of the most amazing unicorn in all of Equestria," Trixie said in a low voice, seething with anger, "and how she's about to save all of pony-kind and get her long-awaited revenge at the same time."
XX. The Princesses and the Performer
Trixie spoke. "Before the unicorn war, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna lived not in Equestria, but in a place beyond perception, beyond time, beyond our reality – their home is a realm of pure magic. The Princesses may look like ponies here in Equestria, but their true nature is far different," Trixie paused, projecting an image of the two Equestrian Princesses coalescing into physical form from within a swirling multicolored cloud. "Even foals such as yourselves could not have thought these ancient creatures to be simple ponies like yourselves."
Twilight Sparkle and Rarity said nothing, waiting for Trixie to continue. "All of this was easy for the Great and Powerful Trixie to confirm, by studying Princess Celestia's personal recollections in the private reading room in the Royal Library. The writings reveal that the magic in this world is the result of magic slowly leaking since time immemorial through breaches between the Princesses' home realm and our own. Whether the breaches were caused by the Princesses, or whether they already existed and the Princesses merely used them to gaze upon ancient Equestria, the Great and Powerful Trixie does not know, and even Princess Celestia may not know for certain."
"Where is this going?" Rarity asked impatiently.
"Obviously Trixie is wasting her time on ponies of such willful ignorance," Trixie sneered.
"Please go on," Twilight requested.
"Trixie will not suffer further interruptions. After the unicorn king had used his doomsday weapon, a great tear was opened between this world and the magic realm, and it threatened the existence of both realms. The flood of magic would eventually distort and tear apart our world, similar to the disruption caused by the spirit Discord but far more destructive and entropic. In fact, the Princess suspected that Discord himself was formed from the chaotic magic pouring into Equestria, which took time to coalesce into a sentient spirit. Compounding the danger, the dimension of time with which we must contend, but which is unknown to Celestia's dimension, would infect and eventually destroy that realm."
"So what happened? Did Princess Celestia do something to save Equestria?" Twilight Sparkle asked eagerly.
"Correct," Trixie replied. "The two worlds had to remain essentially separated. Celestia and Luna, who had long observed the ponies of Equestria, made the choice to enter our world and assume physical bodies. In so doing, they were able to seal the tear between realms from the inside, and absorb the excess magic that had flooded into Equestria. But damage had been done." Trixie projected an image of the sun and moon frozen in place above a town of ponies who stared upward in confusion. "Too much excess magic had flowed into our world to be fully absorbed by the Princesses. The sun and moon no longer traversed the skies by themselves. Nature no longer operated in the absence of pony interference, save in isolated pockets like the Everfree Forest. The world had come to rely on magic. The Princesses were forced to take up the burden of moving the heavens and charged ponykind with maintaining the seasons, the weather, and the natural world. Terrified of a magical war breaking out again, Princess Celestia and her sister appointed themselves rulers, and removed all reference to the time that came before from our public history."
"I can't believe Princess Celestia would consciously hide this information," Twilight Sparkle said, defending her mentor.
"She didn't dare reveal this information, for fear that somepony would be inspired to follow the example of the ancient unicorn kind and rise up against their fellow ponies. But she made a terrible mistake, for Princess Celestia is a sentimental creature. She admits as much in her writings," said Trixie.
"What mistake?" asked Twilight Sparkle.
"When Princess Celestia first took physical form in Equestria, she appeared to a unicorn magician who represented the last hope of her race. Her name was Moonglow Sparkle, and she was the pony responsible for creating the unicorn king's weapon of destruction, though she repented her sins. Moonglow Sparkle recorded the history of her civilization, including the war, and the weapon. If she had been serious about erasing this history, the Princess should have destroyed every copy of Moonglow Sparkle's story, and never spoken of it, but instead she kept a copy preserved in her library to remind her of what had come before. Time being a foreign concept in her home realm, the Princesses both became fond of mementos. And then Princess Celestia trusted other ponies to enter her private sanctuary – her magic council. That's where yours truly enters the story." Trixie projected an image of two young fillies, one clearly a younger Trixie and the other with a light green coat, nosing through an door that was cracked open. "You see, eleven years ago, the Great and Powerful Trixie was but a foalish young filly, still believing she could learn to become successful and powerful at school. She sneaked into a professor's office to borrow a history book she needed for class, and found something nopony was supposed to see."
Rarity could not help but notice moisture welling in Trixie's eyes as she continued her story. This was obviously a painful memory. Trixie's projection changed to show the two fillies magically appearing in a torchlit cavern, and then being apprehended by strange hooded ponies.
"Today, the Great and Powerful Trixie could have vanquished the whole lot of rogues, but then she was a pathetic foal. Trixie did not know then what she saw, but she has had a lot of time to research and reflect. Somepony the Princess trusted had found the forbidden book, and just as Celestia feared, that pony decided to succeed in taking over Equestria where the unicorn king had failed. What Trixie saw was a cult of unicorn conspirators. One of them, Professor Feldspar, forced me out of PEGASUS. The Great and Powerful Trixie has spent the intervening years honing her magic, performing before crowds to develop the spells she needs for her revenge, and challenging all comers. Once nopony could stand against Trixie, she would be ready to take down the cult." Trixie sighed. "But I fear we may be too late. I now believe those mad ponies were recreating the weapon, the prismatic coil, that nearly destroyed Equestria. And now I fear they have completed it. The writings tell of a pain beyond description as the unicorns' magic was pulled into the machine. Trixie fears that what we felt today was merely a test run."
Rarity tried to take in all that Trixie had said, and noticed that Twilight Sparkle merely stood, staring stone-faced at Trixie.
"What's wrong, Twilight?" Rarity asked.
"Did Trixie not speak slowly enough for you?" Trixie asked mockingly.
"It … was me," Twlight Sparkle said at last. "This is all my fault."
Rarity gaped at her friend in shock.
"That's impossible," Trixie sneered. "These ponies were already building the machine eleven years ago, and you could not have even been at PEGASUS yet."
"No, you don't understand," Twilight Sparkle replied, her voice a disturbing monotone. "The machine never would have worked. It couldn't be controlled. It would be just like before. But I fixed it. I did it, I hurt the Princesses, and I may have destroyed Equestria." The lavender unicorn sank to her knees.
"Are you mad? What in Equestria are you talking about?" Trixie asked.
"And I know who took the book. I know who is behind all of this," Twilight Sparkle continued, ignoring Trixie.
"You do?" Rarity asked. "Who?" All of this was moving almost too fast for her tor process, but clearly Twilight had hit upon a personal connection to Trixie's story.
"It's my friend, Professor Morningstar. You see, he is Feldspar's brother, and the head of the magic council, closest to Princess Celestia."
"Well, that would make sense," Trixie remarked. "They are my poor friend Meadow's uncles."
"Oh Twilight, I'm so sorry!" Rarity exclaimed. This meant, she realized at once, that they had been led to Canterlot by the very pony who was behind the scheme against the Princesses. It had all been a ruse.
Twilight Sparkle continued to speak as if in a trance. "It happened seven years ago, when I was a student at PEGASUS. I was all alone, and to get through each day I became fixated on the idea that I was a special unicorn, more talented than any other pony. Morningstar somehow learned how I felt, because he continuously told me how special I was. At the time, I loved the attention. I felt special. We talked all about magic, and how I could became even more talented. One day, he asked me what would happen if a unicorn could access all the magic she wanted – unlimited magic. I told him, based on my own experience, that even if a unicorn could somehow forge a connection to tap into raw magical power, no pony could control such magic. Morningstar told me that he believed that if anypony could, it was me, and challenged me to imagine a solution."
"And of course, you jumped at the chance to suck up to authority," Trixie interjected, rolling her eyes.
"All I wanted was to impress my favorite professor, " said Twilight Sparkle. "So I poured myself into research. Even as a young pony I was already designing and building magical devices. I sketched out a device that could be worn like a circlet. It was in essence a lightning rod for magic. I have been building magical lightning rods since I was a filly, but before they had been designed to magically capture electricity, like the lightning rod I installed on the library in Ponyville. This device was an entirely new concept. If worn it could theoretically channel excessmagic harmlessly into the earth, and could also absorb and dissipate incoming spells. I never built a working model, but I gave the design to Professor Morningstar. By the time Princess Celestia helped me to abandon my misguided beliefs and be a better pony, it was too late. Morningstar had the design and he never mentioned anything about it again. I never thought he could want to hurt other ponies or the Princesses."
"Well, well, not such a goody-four-shoes after all," said Trixie.
"Twilight, I hate to mention this, but it was Morningstar who asked you to come to Canterlot in the first place." Rarity said.
"Yes, Rarity. It must have been a trick. And I've placed you in danger because of it. I'm so very very sorry," Twilight stated, her voice heavy and sad.
The palace guard, Brick, chose that moment to try to open the library door, only to find it locked from the inside. He began to pound on the door.
"Nice job, amateurs," said Trixie. "Behold in bewilderment as the Great and Powerful Trixie defeats an entire legion of the palace guard!" She took up a defensive position at the library door.
"Wait!" Rarity exclaimed. "There's no need for that. Twilight, we need your secret passage, now." Twilight Sparkle merely stared into space, still in shock over these latest revelations. "Twilight, dear, this is simply neither the time nor place for recriminations. The passage, please." Rarity placed two hooves on her friend's shoulders and gave a shake, finally breaking Twilight out of her daze.
"Right. Follow me," Twilight Sparkle called, galloping to the far end of the cavernous library, where she began pulling and tilting a series of books on the bookcase. "I have to move four books. I just need to remember the sequence. Wuthering Hooves, Horse Sense and Sensibility, Jane Mare … Got it. Now one more! S … s … here! Secret Passages of the Royal Palace."
Once all four books were tilted on their spines, the library began to rumble and an entire wall of shelves fell away into the floor, revealing a heavy wooden door. Twilight Sparkle magically opened it and the trio of unicorns hurried through. They could feel the rumble of the bookcase returning to its position and sealing the entrance one again.
When Brick finally burst through the library door, he found nothing but books inside. "Books. I hate books," he grumbled.
