Chapter 3:

"Magician's Never Reveal Their Secrets."

On her first morning in town, Trixie was awakened by an unusual event. Flower was trying to get her up. Not that Flower wasn't an "early bird", but she was usually quiet about it. The little dragon seemed to enjoy the alone time with her "father", and proved to be rather jealous of maintaining it. This morning though, Trixie's sleep addled brain tried to make sense of a white-gold blur that was attempting to shake her awake. It took a moment for her mind to clear enough to even understand that it was Flower on top of her. It took another moment for her to dismiss it, close her eyes, and roll over. And yet another moment for her to feel her left eye being pried open, only for the image to be dominated by a sky-blue sphere exuding fear and worry. Sleep evaporated. She was up immediately and inquiring of (almost interrogating) the dragon as to what was wrong. It was when Flower pointed a shaky wing toward the adjacent bedroom that Trixie registered the thrashing sound.

Thrashing was an understatement. Sanguine was up on his hooves, eye glazed open, slamming his scarred shoulder against the wall. He was mumbling incoherently, and that was made completely unintelligible every time the side of his head followed his body in the abuse. Trixie had never seen him like this before, and the despair in his eye only added to her growing panic. She was too frightened to approach him so she tried calling to him (Yelling, alright. Geez. Stop splitting hairs.), but he wouldn't respond.

After a fruitless effort Trixie had an idea. "Flower close your eyes and cover your ears." Trixie didn't even look back. She just put her head down, covered her ears, tightly shut her eyes, and waited one moment before using her magic. Envisioning a firecracker Trixie felt power running up the length of her horn, building pressure at the very tip. She didn't wait too long though, for fear of overpowering the spell. For a brief second as she released the power she felt minor vertigo, then she heard a muffled clap, and the darkness lightened for a heartbeat. She slowly opened her eyes and raised her head, letting the world back in. Sanguine stood there surprised and disoriented.

"What happened?" Sanguine asked.

Trixie carefully approached him, trying hard to ignore the gap where his right eye should have been without being rude. "You were having a nightmare." He stared at her, slightly wide-eyed before avoiding eye contact by diverting his attention to the new dent in the wall. Trixie sat beside him and joined him in his contemplation of the damage. She just then noticed the small splotches of blood around the location, but oddly wasn't surprised. "Do you want to talk about it?" She could feel him thinking.

He took a deep breath, "No". He then moved to the mirror. She watched as he examined his injuries. Trixie already knew that some of them would need stitches, especially the one around the base of his shattered horn. With minor bruising and small cuts on his shoulder and face, she wished she knew more about healing magic.

"Why not?" she continued. "You know I'm a good listener."

"Yes, you are," he replied. He moved to grab the sewing kit.

Quickly exasperated she shot back, "You have to tell somepony! Your just hurting yourself by keeping it all bottled up inside."

He stopped, but didn't turn around, "No, I do not." And that was it. No change in volume. No change in tone. No change in emotion. Yet she knew the conversation was done.

Trixie considered his choice of words as Sanguine retrieved the kit and returned to where she was in his room. He's not going to tell me about his dream. Why? Does he not trust me? Trixie shook her head. No, it's not a trust issue. He knows that I wouldn't tell anypony. Then why? Is he afraid, embarrassed? Has he already forgotten the dream? No, I can't imagine anything embarrassing him, and he would have said that he forgot. Then he must be frightened. Of what, though? Of how it would affect our friendship? Would it change how I think of him? And why did he not answer the second part of my outburst? Is he really trying to hurt himself?

The kit was laid at her hooves. Trixie looked up into Sanguine's silver eye and tried hard to hide her worry. "I am afraid I can not do this myself," he said by way of apology.

Trixie simply grasped the needle and thread with magic, and started to stitch him up. "Don't worry," she said. "You'll still have time for your morning prayers." His lips just twitched upward in the memory of a smile as he motioned to Flower that it was now safe to say "good morning".

When Flower reached him he placed his foreleg around her and said to Trixie, "I am always praying."

Fluttershy's morning had been routine. Her mind would sometimes wander to the events of last night, distracting her momentarily. What surprised her was how minor the distraction actually was. He would occasionally intrude into her thoughts, but without interrupting her activities. Her concern hadn't diminished, but it seemed to her that he was more than capable of taking care of himself. The animals hardly noticed the limited distraction. She greeted them, fed them, and checked on the nocturnal ones. Angle-Bunny hardly left her side almost worrying Fluttershy since he ate much too fast. She had to tell him to stay at home, though in order to do some shopping and visiting.

Shopping was harder that usual today. Everypony was all abuzz about the show that would happen later on in the evening, and it was all they would talk about. Most of the townsponies expressed genuine excitement over Trixie's return, some were unsure about it, and still others were openly negative in their opinions of her. As a result, there were more ponies at market today to visit and finish their errands early. Fluttershy once again found herself in the middle of a crowd.

All things considered she felt she did an admirable job of keeping her cool. Instead of being frozen to the spot, she found that she could shuffle from place to place. Literally. And shuffle she did. Fluttershy felt that she could have broken the speed shuffling record. Not that this helped the moods of the other customers in the different lines she needed to be in, but they were kind enough not to say anything. She was so focused on the task at hand that the loud slam beside herscared her. Fluttershy was frightened enough that she found herself cowering on the ground behind the pony after her in the queue.

"Why you moving so slow, Fluttershy?" said a familiar voice. Fluttershy opened her eyes and noticed two things. One was that the pony she had used for concealment had taken her now vacated spot in line. The second was that Rainbow Dash was the cause of her reaction.

"Oh. Hello Dash. I'm just a little nervous with all these ponies around." Honestly glad to see her sky-colored friend.

"Well, hurry up," Rainbow entreated. "We don't want to be late for the show."

"But, um, isn't it still well before lunch?"

"Well, yeah. But that doesn't mean that you should slow down. I actually got all my work done before lunch." Dash stated proudly.

Fluttershy resisted the urge to remind Dash that at "10 seconds flat" her work took up no time at all. Instead she just said, "Then maybe you could help me finish here? If you don't mind that is?"

Rainbow Dash though for a minute. "Nah. That would be boring." Fluttershy couldn't help the disappointed expression that crossed her face. "Besides, I want to see 'High Lor...', I mean, Sanguine set up the stage in the town square."

Sanguine, working on the stage? This caught Fluttershy's attention, and suddenly a need to see if he was okay entered her heart destroying her previous calm. Why a pony that injured would work that hard was beyond her. Without warning she was struggling with the very real need of her errands, and the felt, possibly illusory, need for his safety. She felt a nudge on her shoulder. Fluttershy looked up into the magenta eyes of her friend. It was as if she were trying to talk to Fluttershy but no words came out, just moving lips. She blinked a few times and sound flooded back in.

"Fluttershy? You're at the front of the line." Fluttershy turned to look forward and saw that she was at the stall she had been wanting to buy from.

Wide eyed she quickly stammered, "I-I-I'm s-s-so sorry. Um, could I have some lettuce, please." The vendor seemed to be straining to hear from Fluttershy's position below the counter. Fortunately he did hear and promptly filled her order.

Fluttershy proceeded to finish her business and purchased lunch from one of the stalls, because Sugar Cube Corner was likely to be crowded, when she noticed Trixie. It seemed that Trixie had a similar idea about lunch and had shown up attempting to get something to eat. This was the first time that Fluttershy had seen Trixie out of costume before, and she was almost unrecognizable. Trixie's white and light blue streaked mane and tail complimented her light blue coat perfectly. She stood with the same dignity that she always had, but it felt more natural, less of an act. Her violet eyes would have held their usual confidence were it not for the salespony inventing excuses not to serve her. Everypony was just ignoring the scene, while some eyed Trixie angrily. Trixie soon gave up and looked around at the other stalls, but to Fluttershy's surprise they all were deliberately ignoring her. Trixie then turned around and trotted away. She tried to maintain the same dignity that she had come with, but Fluttershy could see the hitch in her step. It looked like it was going to be harder to earn the other ponies trust than Trixie seemed to have hoped. Than even Fluttershy had hoped.

"Pffft. Serves her right for how she treated everypony last time," Dash remarked. Fluttershy looked at her and put all of the hurt and disappointment that she felt into her gaze. When they locked eyes Rainbow Dash at least had the decency to look ashamed. Fluttershy then went back to the vendor that she had purchased lunch from and bought additional meals. She then went and hovered her way toward Trixie. She could hear Rainbow Dash make some exclamation, probably of confusion, but Fluttershy wasn't paying attention.

When she had come up beside Trixie, Fluttershy had caught her by surprise. Her visage melting into relief, Trixie found her tongue. "Oh, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash." Trixie further composed herself while Fluttershy glanced to her left to find that Dash had followed her. "It's good to see you. Did you want something?"

"I was hoping you could join us for lunch." Fluttershy replied. Both Rainbow Dash and Trixie stopped in their tracks. "You don't mind, do you?"

Dash and Trixie were both staring, and it was making Fluttershy worried. Then Trixie blinked and her eyes started darting around. "Ah, no I don't mind, but with the long lines for food I wouldn't want to delay your meal." Any other day Trixie's obvious evasion might have worked, but not today. Fluttershy flipped open her saddlebag displaying the contents.

"Lunch is on me," was all Fluttershy said.

Trixie was so thankful for Fluttershy's kindness that she couldn't stop, well, thanking her. (In a dignified way of course.) Trixie led her and Rainbow Dash, who didn't seem as eager to follow, to the town square where the stage was. They had to climb over the ropes that were keeping the early crowd away from the platform. In that moment Rainbow Dash exclaimed, "Where's the stage?" Trixie just kept going, already knowing the reason why they couldn't see it, till she felt herself pass through the barrier. To the others it would have looked like she had vanished, and sure enough she heard Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash gasp. She hid her laughter, but couldn't hide her smile.

She turned and stuck her head out of the barrier and playfully demanded, "Well? Aren't you providing lunch?" She then watched as they gathered themselves and tentatively moved toward the obstruction. When they hit it their faces went from uncertainty to shock. It was like pushing scissors through paper. Quick, easy, and accompanied by the unpleasant sensation that you were breaking something fragile. When they made it through they released the breath that Trixie knew they would be holding. Trixie then waved her hoof dramaticly as she asked, "What do you think?" Their awed expressions were answer enough.

The incomplete stage looked like the one she used before when she was first here, but this one was far more complex. The framework hid a number of different mechanical devices that would facilitate some of her tricks. Sanguine strained at the various pulleys and boards while Flower flew from joint to joint nailing in the various pieces. The familiar shape was materializing before her eyes. It was interesting watching him hoist some of the pieces in place with pulleys while others he just braced against his shoulder and pushed upright.

Trixie's guests were at first intrigued by the little dragon flying around, (Fluttershy looked gleefully excited.) then there gazes shifted down to Sanguine, who was without his cloak. He still wore his greaves and his relatively large eye patch over his right eye, but this would have been the first time they would have seen the latter. His mane and tail were still dark red, with their cut looking like circular blades advancing up to his head or down to the tip of his tail. When looking at the hair though you got the impression that you were watching a river of flowing red liquid. The fiery color of his fur on the entire right side of his body, from flank to nose, back to hooves, was broken up by painful-looking scars of different shapes and sizes. They saw the broken horn that was on his head. He had often described it as a hollow pentagram: two small sides jutting out from the base, with the final, very, very long sides stretching from there to meet in a sharp point. What remained showed that it was flat lengthwise with the serrated edges being parallel to the length of his body. Now less than half remained, with the break occurring at the back of the horn, and moving sharply upwards toward the front in a jagged point. The wings, too, were devastated. The bat-like wing on the right of his body was completely missing from the first joint, and the thin membrane of flesh that was left had jagged rents in it. The bones of its twin on the other side were mostly intact, with the exception of the "finger" farthest from his body which was missing its lower half. There was exceedingly little membrane on that wing though, making it useless. Trixie saw both of the Pegasi's wings twitch in sympathy.

In spite of the effort of work and assumed pain, they could hear him singing a strange, rhyme-less song.

"You have searched me, Lord, and You know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
You perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;
You are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue

You, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,

And you lay Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
Too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Where can I flee from Your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, You are there;
If I make my bed in the depths, You are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
If I settle on the far side of the sea,
Even there Your hand will guide me,
Your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me
And the light become night around me,'
Even the darkness will not be dark to You;
The night will shine like the day,
For darkness is as light to You..."*

Flower was humming along. Teaching her these songs while they worked strengthened their bond. They also seemed to lift his spirits and help him deal with the day. That was especially important after what had happened that morning.

Trixie called to them and they soon came over. Sanguine had grabbed his cloak but kept the hood down, while Flower rode on his head. Flower had a long neck, long snout, and wings instead of fore-claws, so she sat straight and tall (for her) on his cranium. This combined with the sparkle of her bone-white scales and shine of her golden underside and wings, made her look like an oversized crown. Fluttershy stared at her in awe.

Then, without any preamble, Fluttershy was hovering just inches from Flower and practically squealing questions (And giving Sanguine, who is such a gentlecolt, an embarrassing view.). He stopped so hard that he was almost sitting, and both Sanguine and Flower wore looks of supreme surprise, though his appearance was about to put Trixie in stitches because of the blush you could see even through his orange-red fur. Poor Flower, who was uncomfortable around strangers, began to slowly retreat down his neck. Then Trixie heard a whisper in her ear. "You so much as say the word 'dragon' and she goes into full blown panic mode. But if it's a baby dragon, then she has to hold it, and cuddle it, and know everything about it." A snicker escaped the voice.

Trixie turned to Rainbow Dash and replied in similary hushed tones, "She will have a hard time getting answers. Unfortunately little Flower is mute. She can sign with her wings though. But I think that Sanguine and Flower are both to shocked to care." Rainbow Dash started and took a step back grimacing. Trixie wondered why she reacted that way. Sanguine, having recovered, and Fluttershy were walking toward them while he was busy translating Flower's apprehensive wing movements.

When they all made it to Trixie and Rainbow Dash, (And after they got over the disconcerting sensation of being in a giant fish bowl, where they at least could see everypony else.) everypony settled in to eat. Though the conversation started off haltingly, Trixie noticed that everypony was growing more comfortable around each other. They ended up discussing the stage and were told that, since Sanguine would be with Trixie during the show, the devices aided in his own slight-of-hoof since he could no longer use magic. This of course led back to his scars, which he still refused to discuss except to say that although the horn was the more versatile and recent loss, he missed the freedom of flight more. Rainbow Dash, unexpectedly, didn't seem to respect Sanguine any less for his lack of flight. In fact, her respect seemed to have genuinely increased, and showed itself in an unusually formal way. Very formal in fact. She kept calling him "sir" and nodded every time her addressed her. It was a curiosity that Trixie didn't dwell upon though. The only bump in this otherwise smooth road was when Fluttershy noticed his bandages and that they needed to be changed. She had inured as to how he had hurt himself, causing Trixie and Flower to stiffen, but he remained unfazed and brushed it off as "Difficulty getting out of bed, nothing more". Trixie could practically see Fluttershy file it away in her mind.

The conversation also highlighted the differences between Sanguine and Fluttershy. Fluttershy's quietness seemed to stem from her timidity. Trixie noted that it must have helped her interact with her animals for the simple reason that Trixie knew those animals didn't like being startled any more than Fluttershy did. On the other hoof, Sanguine's was the result of his confidence. He didn't need to prove anything to anypony and it gave each syllable the weight of a command. Fluttershy seemed as if the slightest thing could blow her over or frighten her away. Whereas he looked as if a mountain could fall toward him and he wouldn't flinch. It was more likely that he would make the mountain move out of his way. But there was a gentleness and warmth about her that was usually absent in his cold rigidity and distance.

By the end of the lunch, Trixie felt closer to Fluttershy, and even Sanguine seemed more relaxed by her presence. As for Rainbow Dash, Trixie felt further away from her, while Rainbow Dash and Sanguine had found some common ground. As everypony said their good-days and returned to their tasks, (And to change the bandages. You thought I forgot, didn't you.) Trixie leaned over to him and with a smug look on her face said, "Fluttershy seems to like you."

Without deviating from his path all he said was, "Possibly."

Wanting to rib him further she continued, "And the way Rainbow Dash was treating you I was surprised she wasn't bowing and calling you your Majesty." At this Trixie burst out laughing.

"I noticed. I will have to ask Ms. Sparkle how she learned about me." With that he continued on while Trixie stopped dead.

"...Learned about me"? What does he mean by that?

Twilight was waaaay to tired to even consider going to the show that evening. She had gotten up extra early that morning and caught the earliest train to Canterlot that she could. After a much too short greeting to Princess Clelestia, Twilight had thrown herself into scouring the Royal Library for information about Veritas** Sanguine Dominus. She had found nothing. Not even the letter that was the source of her questions. Likely Princess Luna had taken it back. Twilight Sparkle knew that she would have to initiate a more exhaustive search, but that would take weeks and someone would notice that she was gone defeating the purpose of keeping this hunt a secret. She had even gone so far as to risk asking an amused Princess Celestia if she knew of any books from before Discords appearance. Of course she said no. Apparently the god of chaos had destroyed every last record in his twisted games. Twilight had just barely made it back to town in time for the show, trying to avoid making Sanguine suspicious. She sighed in tired frustration. True to the age old cliche, this was going to be a lot harder than she had originally thought.

Her friends quickly found her, and it was Rarity who first noticed her mildly disheveled appearance. From the way Rarity carried on though she must have thought Twilight was a disaster and so she endured Rarity's grooming. Her other friends though wanted to know what she had found out about Sanguine, and so she relayed the disappointing news. The others were quick to comfort her and encourage her to try again. Twilight halfheartedly agreed only because she was to sleepy to make any commitments right then.

Princess Luna had just risen the moon and Twilight was beginning to wonder when the show would start when the murmuring of the spectators was silenced by a voice. Trixie's voice. "The Great and Powerful Trixie commands silence, not for my benefit, but for yours. For these stories, excavated from beneath the very sands of Time itself, carry great lessons for those who would listen. Some will lift your spirits and make you laugh at life. Others will make you fear should the outcome of these tales befall you. And still others will make you weep. Each of these stories are true, and are therefore solid, unalterable, and unyielding. They will mark you. They will mark each of you." Then the curtains parted.

The scene of Trixie standing in the middle of the stage, without floodlights, fog, or fanfare was something of a letdown, but then she started talking. Sometimes she would use light puppets, while at other times she would simply speak. Sanguine would come on to act out some parts, or perform some slight-of-hoof with sparklers or rockets or smoke, or they would just trade the telling of the story, bouncing off of each other with comments or go back and forth with the parts. True to her word they were funny, scary, or sad, and they all had the weight of truth no mater how outlandish they were. They told stories of friends, lovers, competitors, children, paupers and princes. Twilight truly regretted never hearing these stories before and she found herself already analyzing them for their meanings. Trixie was magnificent. The audience was enraptured. But it was the last story that Twilight was most in awe of.

Trixie adopted a low, thoughtful tone for the opening. "Long ago, when the Four were still in power, the representative of Chaos was born. His name was Discord. Like some avatars he was an imperfect analogy of his element. He could form coherent words when there is nothing coherent about Chaos. He could make elaborate plans when there is nothing elaborate or planned about Chaos. He possessed a strange and unusual form when Chaos has no form. He sought to challenge the Four but found he did not have the power to do so."

Then Trixie's voice became whispered and conspiratorial. "Instead he began to undermine their rule by turning their kingdoms against them, but this plan too failed him. The first city he swayed to his cause was a city of Alicorns and its' leader made the mistake of threatening his former king's children as well as declare his intent to secede from the king's rule. The king knew that he could not contend with Discord and this city both, so he petitioned the others of the Four, masters of their own kingdoms save one, and asked for their aid. Even the dragons offered their assistance in the subduing of this city. So Discord found himself alone with this city against the full might of the known world. Assembled against them were Tempests of Pegasi, Thunders of Dragons(1), Terrors of Alicorns(2), Scourges of Unicorns, and Quakes of Earth Ponies."

By the time she had listed off the groups of ponies and dragons her voice had risen in volume and pitch while figures of light began to dance in mock battle above her head accompanied by smoke and fireworks. "The battle was fierce, but lasted only one night under a red moon, its' outcome determined before the first order was given. Much blood was shed, and pain suffered when the light of dawn touched the horizon, but the worst of it surrounded the king of the Alicorns. So great was his wrath and brutal his prowess that friend and foe alike avoided him. Even the Dragons and his own guard would not approach him. This was his environment and the purest expression of his power. That night he earned the name 'The Nightmare of the Blood Moon,' and from the Duke's own throne pronounced his judgment."

Then Twilight heard the voice of Sanguine, loud and commanding. "Had you simply left our kingdom I would have left you be. Instead you join with the Enemy of Order and threaten my daughters. For this reason we, the Four, shall isolate you from the world and strike the very light of sun, moon, and stars from your sky. Until you prove your loyalty to me you will remain in this condition."

Trixie continued in a mournful tone. "And it was done. In an instant, light was taken from them and they became a by-word among their neighbors. Discord was banished for a time. And the Four returned to there kingdoms never to mention this amongst themselves again. The ponies remembered though and called that night by many names, 'The Only Battle,' 'The Last Union of the Four,' or 'The Fall of the Bright City.' No pony even thought of rebellion against these rulers again." With that Trixie left the stage and the curtains closed.

The abruptness of the ending startled Twilight and, it seemed to her, the rest of the crowd for there was only silence. There was no applause, only quiet murmuring. When everyone finally started to leave for there homes the night was filled with whispering. Even Dash, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinky Pie were excitedly chattering amongst themselves. Of her friends, Fluttershy alone seemed to be contemplating the tales, sitting, starring at the stage, lost in thought. Twilight left them that way, her mind to full to admit room to anyone's ideas but her own. Besides, the sooner she got them on paper, the sooner she could sleep.

*Psalms 139:1-12 Bible (NIV)

**Changed from DarkLight.

(1)Originally by Christopher Paolini. Inheritance Cycle: Inheritance.

(2)Modified from Paolini's Inheritance Cycle: Inheritance.