The Heart Of Avarus
Chapter 5
By Daniel Bennett
Twilight was nearly at the train, she made her way along it's side with her head hung low. Emotions dragged at her with a heavy weight, so much so that she could barely keep herself going. She couldn't do anything to prevent what happened to her home, to Ponyville. The young mare wasn't able to reform Trixie, to change her ways. Twilight had accomplished a great deal of things in her life so far, yet failure trumped success in her overly critical eyes.
And yet she wouldn't give up, not now, not ever.
Evacuees were still being transported to Camelot via the train. It was nearly at capacity and would soon leave to drop them off before returning for more. Skipping the lineup she walked towards a guard at one of the doors. He must have already been aware of what Princess Celestia had asked her to do because he didn't speak, he only nodded to her as she boarded. She tried to settle herself in one of the cars but it only amounted to her finding a place to sit, there was nothing comfortable about it. The rest of the car was filled with families or the tattered remains thereof.
The train soon departed and the town on fire faded from view. There were no words spoken, at most coughing, sniffeling or the cry of infants. Twilight half expected some younger pony to ask their parent about what was going on. But such a thing seemed to just be a cliche as the younger ponies seemed to know exactly what had happened. Resolve was something Twilight could use right now, to have to face Trixie like this made her chest ache. She couldn't imagine what it must have been like for Celestia to have to do the same to Luna.
Twilight made herself emotional, she looked around the compartment, not at the families that were intact but rather the ones that weren't. The young mare focused on all the destruction that Trixie had set in motion, all the tragedy she had created. This is what she focused on for the rest of the trip to Canterlot, steeling herself and strengthening her resolve for what she hoped things wouldn't come to.
A more rested Twilight stepped out of the train when it finally came to a hault. Without hesitation she headed towards her first destination, the palace. If Trixie had left via the train and ended up in Canterlot then Twilight needed to find out what she was up to. At first the streets were crowded but the closer she got to the palace the more deserted the streets became. As she neared the gates to the palace she saw a pony that made her blood boil. Trixie was there, talking to a single pony guarding the gate. He must not have been informed of Trixie's treachery but it didn't matter, Twilight would do everything in her power to make sure that her rival didn't escape.
She charged at the traitor at full gallop with her horn glowing. The silver haired mare turned her head with a smile that in a split second turned to horror and confusion. Sparks flew from Twilight's horn as Trixie was smashed into the metal gate she was standing next to. She cried out loud in pain as the pegasus guard looked on in horror yet stayed where he was upon seeing who the attacker was.
The charging mare kept the traitor pinned to the gate as she closed the distance. Seconds later Twilight's horn was pressing against Trixie's neck. Regardless of the distance between them, Twilight roared her hate to the pony she had trapped. "How could you Trixie! We showed you nothing but kindness and this is how you repay us?!" flames practically billowed from her eyes as she spoke.
"W-what are you... talking about? The Great and Powerful Trixie apologized for what... happened before..." rasped the silver haired traitor as she struggled to breathe. "Don't you DARE deny what you've done! We know what you did Trixie and you are going to start by admitting it before I do something i'll regret!" bellowed Twilight like a raging furnace.
"The Great and Powerful Trixie... promises you she hasn't done anything, she's... been summoned to meet with Princess Celestia." She grimmaced and choked as she tried to form the words. "Why should I believe anything you have to say? After everything you've done, all the hurt you've caused, maybe you just deserve to die." Sadness and conflict flickered in Twilight's face as she spoke, tears streamed down her face.
Suddenly they heard a voice "There is nothing you can say to redeem yourself. Ponyville is burning, ponies are missing and you are to blame." They turned to where the guard was standing only to find Princess Celestia herself. "Please... you have to believe The Great and Powerful Trixie had nothing to do with this! She would never..." spoke Trixie with all the strength she could muster. "Enough! We will have no more of your lies. Trixie, because of your unredeamable crimes I have no choice but to sentence you to death," commanded the princess.
More tears streamed down Twilight's face as she looked back at Trixie. "Why did it have to be like this... please tell me It doesnt have to be," cried Twilight at the outcome they had reached. "I'm sorry twilight but this is unforgivable, she's gone too far and must be stopped permanently. I don't blame you my dear but because you failed to change her it would be best if you were the one to do it," solemnly said the alicorn.
"I know I failed... and i'm sorry to both of you. I should have been able to do more but I failed. I won't let that happen again, I promise you that. Goodbye Trixie," as Twilight said her goodbye her horn glowed brighter and sparks began to fly out of it. Trixie screamed in horror as pain surged through her body. It didn't last long though as her body disintigrated into sparkles that rolled off her body and flew away into the sky.
Twilight's heart began to beat faster as unlikely as it seemed. She kept telling herself over and over that it had to be done. This cycle was broken by the last thing she would expect, laughter. The source came from Princess Celestia herself as she began to laugh harder and louder. Then her body shifted, it grew skinnier, started to change from white to black. Holes appeared in her body and wings changed to something closer to a fly's.