Trixie couldn't suppress a wince as the nurse pulled her tweezers free. The shard of wood had burst free from some rooftop when she had thrown bolts of force at the older pegasus stallion. He had taunted her and flown faster, staying well out of her reach. Working with expert hands, the nurse switched out tweezers for a needle, pouring liquid alcohol into the bloody wound before switching to stitching. The alcohol burned at the bloody scar, but Trixie had long since stopped caring, her attention was wandering across the voices around town. The stallion was still missing, but she had felt his shield drop. Something was still protecting him, hiding him from her. But she could feel the others, their joy and worries, their love and their fear. But if he had found a way to disappear from her vision, why didn’t he share his shield with the mares?

Redheart had never had so quiet and calm a patient under her hands. No sedative, yet she took the stitching in silence. Stepping away from the improvised surgery table, Lyra’s sudden presence at her side mopping sweat from her brow was a welcome relief. Peeling her stained gloves off, she stepped back in beside Trixie, exploring the injured mare’s bruised rib cage while avoiding the freshly sealed stitching. When Trixie shuddered once more under her fingers’ dance, Redheart felt compelled to offer her aid again. "Are you sure about not taking the sedative? I applaud your resilience, but you don’t have to act so tough. Every mare has a limit."

Turning her head only enough to focus upon the nurse, Trixie shook her head. "Trixie tried drinking and drugs in hopes of dulling the voices. All they do is make it impossible to separate herself from the endless din. Pain reminds Trixie she is her own mare. It lets Trixie remember she is alive, not part of a droning crowd."

Redheart saw something out of the corner of her eye, snapping her focus over to Lyra. Was it a momentary flare of compassion? Crossing her arms she tried to recall the hurried words Lyra had used to urge her here from behind her desk. “A mare with an uncontrollable talent, her mind flooded with voices. Mistakes had been made and now people were hurt and scared, but if someone was to take the first step in showing the others that she is nothing to be afraid of, then maybe it would open their hearts enough, so they could forgive her transgressions.” All of Lyra’s words tumbled back, yet looking at the mare who lay before her appeared the fragile one, not the terror who had invaded town as people had been whispering. Stepping over to her medical bag, Redheart pulled out her thin supply of antipsychotics and antidepressants, her hands flattened upon the tabletop, turning her attention back to Trixie. “If you won’t let me give you something for pain. Can I at least offer you something that might quiet the voices?”

Trixie left her head flat on the makeshift operating table, her eyes slipping closed while she lifted one hand out to the nurse. “Trixie can trust you, Nurse. Your voice is quiet, but strong. She can tell you mean no ill intent.”

Redheart’s eyes danced over the collection of medication she had on hand. “This is a crapshoot at best. Do I go broad and generic, hope to help her in the short term, but risk scaring her away with the side effects? I wish I had a tenth of Princess Cadence’s experience, or her skill with the mind. The body I can understand, but the mind? I may as well try to hold a moonbeam.” Finally, there was no choice left. Breaking open six of the packs, she placed the small assortment into the young mare’s hand. “Thank you for your trust, Trixie. I can only hope you’ll find some peace.”

Trixie palmed the medication, not bothering to inspect them. She had seen them all through the nurse's eyes. She already had a list of the intended effects, and the detailed side effects the nurse knew she was risking. One at a time, Trixie silently slipped one after another into her mouth, swallowing, keeping her breath low and even. At last, she spoke out, her hand slipping to stroke the nurse’s fingers. “We are so far from salvation, but Trixie can see your intent is good nonetheless. She will catch her breath, then Trixie needs to go see the stallion. So much violence, and Trixie is at the center of it all. She knows how many are waiting for you at the clinic, please try to forgive her for those there that are her fault.”

Redheart’s heart caught in her throat for a moment, and her eyes shot back to Lyra. The unicorn had understated the strength of Trixie’s talent. Wrapping both of her hands around the mare’s own, Redheart stepped in close, leaning down and whispering to the young mare’s ear. “Dusk is proud, but loves learning. Appeal to his need to know more.” Lightly placing a kiss on the girl’s cheek, she released her hands before standing up again, nodding to Lyra. “I am going to head back to the clinic now, unless you or Minuette need attention?” Lyra’s single nod was all she needed.

As Redheart turned to walk away, it was the sudden sound of Trixie’s voice lifting sent a chill of foreboding down her spine. “Lyra, please go with her. Take Minuette with you, the night grows cold and Trixie wants some quiet before she has to deal with the stallion and his mares.”

Lyra was shocked, stepping forward and taking up the hand that Redheart had only just let go of. Looking down on the mare that refused to look back up at her. “Trixie, I… Are you sure you are safe to be alone?”

Smiling despite herself, yet never bothering to open her eyes or shift her weight around, Trixie squeezed her hand in return. “Do not worry about it, Lyra. Trixie is never alone, even when she asks for silence.”

When the three mares had left, Trixie turned to lay on her back, a hand over her eyes while her breathing leveled out. The soft sound of claws dragging through the dirt floor pulled her attention back, focused upon the small dragoness who stood by her 'bed'. Wincing at the gap in her memory, Trixie gave Barb a quiet smile. "You too, noble dragon." As Barb reared back, surprised by Trixie’s words, the mare pressed on. "You have written enough. Go home to the stallion. Tell him Trixie is to come see him once she has had a few minutes of peace and quiet." For a moment Trixie’s voice trailed off, returning in a soft whisper. "And thank you for being so soft spoken. You are so much easier to be around than those noisy mares."

Barb lifted a hand stroking the silken hair of the mare once, smiling quietly. "I hope Dusk can help you, Trixie. I believe in you too." Turning away, Barb began a lonely walk home.

It was nearly five minutes later, the soft sound of scrabbling footsteps on the rooftop told Trixie they were finally making their move. “Good. They had taken up enough of Trixie’s night. She was never going to get the silence she wanted, but at least this could be dealt with without getting Lyra in the middle.” Laying still on her back while on the bloody operating table, Trixie waited, leaving the ajar train station door to her back. “Let him come, he might be the stallion’s blood, but he is overconfident in his stallions. He doesn’t understand, I just wish to be alone, to have five minutes of peace and to speak with his brother.”

Through the darkness, she felt the first of their minds turn to look her over, noting her only as an outline in the dark. They were glad the other mares had gone, they thought it left her without hostages. Two of the stallions, both Pegasi, crept in closer, their leader was smart enough, giving them the tools they needed to take her down... were she any normal unicorn.

“I’ve got five ponies on a special express. They are two hours from Ponyville. Another five pegasi are in flight, all ordered to intercept Shining Armor at their top speed. These are mostly raw recruits though, Princess. I don’t know if they can get him to take them seriously with or without the letter you wro-” Silken Flight’s voice dropped off, her attention turning to join Princess Celestia’s watching the northern sky. Standing high above Canterlot, the balcony of Princess Celestia’s lookout gave a view unsurpassed in all of Equestria, save Cloudsdale itself. She could see it now. It was distant, but the twin specks that had captivated Princess Celestia’s attention since the setting of the sun had grown close enough that Silken could pick them out as well. Not long now until their arrival, maybe five minutes? Ten at the most. If it wasn’t for the secret nature of their return, this day might have been one of celebration, two princesses returning home after so long and far a trip. Instead, they returned after dark, in secret instead of in pride.

Princess Celestia broke the silence, "I love that boy and I know he is worried about his brother and sister." But as she let her voice fall off, returning to speak up again, her tone ice cold. "Yet, he ignored my orders and has charged in without a moment's thought as to what his interference could cause. We only needed a few more hours, and now he has taken the cards out of my hands... and possibly Dusk’s.” For a moment she paused, letting the breeze blow through her thin white dress. “Is it wrong that I almost wish he might accidentally hit some hidden weakness she has? I am sure Dusk can do this, but I’d rather save him the grief of dealing with her growing madness…”

Silken Flight considered speaking up, but before any cogent reply could be drummed up, the powerful sound of wingbeats cascading through the night sky broke her train of thought. Luna and Cadence still wore their heavy winter gear: thick wool lined jackets, stained by the icy frost that had survived their long flight. Landing together, both mares pulled the heavy rubber-framed goggles away from their eyes, Luna stepping forward, her eyes steely, but her voice strong. “It’s like I told you, sister. The Wolf of The North has awakened, and we cannot enter his lands. Not yet. The wall is weakening though. Soon.”

Cadence stepped forward in turn, she had been searching, hunting for the missing fifth member of their meeting. Her eyes turned to Silken Flight, her voice parched from exhaustion, yet worry sung far stronger. “Whe… where is Shining Armor?”

Wincing, Silken Flight lifted her gaze, looking up at the towering Alicorn. “There was an incident in Ponyville. We-”

The youngest alicorn didn't stick around long enough to hear the rest of Silken's explanation. Despite her exhaustion, Cadence leaped back into the air and made a beeline for Ponyville. Though she was no expert flier, using her magic to aid in her flight would get her to her destination in no time.

Silken Flight turned, bolting to follow after the retreating glow of Princess Cadence, two steps from the edge of the balcony, Luna’s voice cut her short. “Stop, Silken Flight.” with so much speed built up, Silk needed to beat her wings to stop herself from launching off the end of the balcony. As she returned to the princess’ side, Luna drew a wing around the bat mare, affectionately stroking her jaw. “Cadence has proven herself to be a smart mare with many skills. If our sister is not rushing to stop the mare, we will trust the situation is one she can handle.”

Flight winced, but gave a nod, unable to suppress the spreading warmth of a dark blush at Princess Luna’s affection. “I understand Princess… I- it’s… It’s good to have you back, Princess Luna.”

Luna paused, her open palm cupping the smaller mare’s ribcage while holding her close. “Let us talk. We want to know everything…” Looking up to her sister, Luna offered a quiet smile. “We take it Dusk has his hands full with some kind of mess?”

Princess Celestia winced, shaking her head a little. “It’s bad, dear sister. I’m sorry, but things have gone poorly, and only gotten worse.” When Luna stopped her suggestive heavy petting to the young bat mare, Celestia dipped her head in her own shame. “I’ve made mistakes, or rushed to judgement, all while trying desperately to rescue you. One of those mistakes has returned: her name is Trixie.”

Dusk sat up, lifting his head from AJ’s chest, the sudden arrival of Lyra and Redheart pulled him from the dull droning sound of Applejack’s breathing. Stepping quickly over from his chair in the waiting room, Dusk gripped at the memory he was hunting for. “‘A solo act makes a strong duo, but how long can one sing without their brother's echo?’ Is that supposed to mean something? I’ve been going over it in my head for an hour or two, ever since Dash told me it.”

Lyra was shocked to see Dusk in the clinic when she walked in with Redheart. Seeing the stallion, she realized that she was so busy obsessing over Trixie, that she forgotten her primary reason for trying to capture the blue unicorn in the first place...to try to keep Dusk safe. She refocused as Dusk recalled the riddle that she gave Rainbow Dash... it was apparent that the mare had messed it up. "What? That's nothing like the message I told Rainbow Dash to tell you.”

Redheart knew Dusk well enough to know he hadn’t come here alone, her eyes hunting for the scar on his horn. The thin, black and gritty substance filling the scar drew her attention instantly, her eyes going wide. “Dusk? What happened to your horn? Why is the scar turning black?” Pushing past the tall unicorn mare, Redheart snatched up Dusk’s wrist, her fingers going for his pulse, while her eyes remained focused on the scar and the discolored growth.

Lyra let Redheart push past her, but hunted for what it must be that had brought this confusion between them. “No, Dusk. That wasn’t my message at all. The riddle was ‘A solo act can be stronger than any duo, but how long can one sing without another's echo?’ I… I didn’t think it could have been confused so easily.”

Allowing Redheart to poke and prod him, Dusk’s mind opened up to the proper riddle, throwing together the clues and focusing on Trixie’s place in the secret. “A solo act? She means me alone. Stronger than any duo? How is that possible. One voice is never louder than two working together. Skip it. How long can one sing without another’s echo? That part must be the key. Well, if two ponies were to sing the same song together in perfect harmony, one could catch their breath while the other continued the song, thus preventing anyone from noticing that the other had dropped off, but what meaning does-”

Lyra’s sudden grip on his shoulder pulled Dusk from his train of thought, refocusing him on her and Redheart’s continued inspection of his horn. Looking him square in the eyes, Dusk found Lyra’s voice extremely serious. “Dusk, you need to go to the trainyard. Trixie is there alone. She seems to be more comfortable, more reasonable when she is alone or in very small groups. Don’t think about the riddle, Dusk. Wait until you get into her company, you’ll see. She isn’t a bad mare, but you need to end this before anypony else gets hurt.”

Staring down the mare, Dusk gave a slow nod. “I promise, Lyra. If it is in my power, I’ll bring her back quietly.” Turning to face Nurse Redheart, Dusk offered her a grin. “Can I go now? Or do you need time for further inspections of my horn?”

Crossing her arms, Redheart shook her head. “Just… Keep things low key, Dusk. That hardened goo might have stopped the pain and headaches, but it’s not going to hold up to sudden stress. The medication was never meant to be used in this way, and I’d really rather avoid making you a research subject on that matter.”

Leaning in and giving her forehead a soft kiss, Dusk smiled warmly down to her. “As much as I am enjoying the unexpected side effect, I agree. Research can come after Ponyville’s out of danger.” Turning to AJ and Rarity as they stood by his side, Dusk put on a stern face. “I want to go alone. Lyra said small groups keep Beatrix… Trixie calm? What group is smaller than one?”

Rarity nearly leapt forward, anxious to stop Dusk, but Applejack’s strong hand on her shoulder stopped her, the taller mare’s voice calm. “Dusk may be right, sugar. But let’s have Dash on standby. She would be the best choice to rush in and snatch him away if something went wrong.”

Rarity winced at AJ’s words, but turned in her arms, looking back at Rainbow Dash, still laying across half the couch and taking up all the space with her lazy stance. By now of course, all her attention was clearly riveted on Dusk, Lyra and the other mares, no matter how casual she tried to appear. Rarity didn’t try to hide her worry, but gave a small nod. “Alright! Alright! You’ve made your point. But Dash, please, look out for him?”

Bounding from her place on the couch and stretching out her spine by extending her arms over her head and bending her torso backwards. “It would be my pleasure to be Dusk’s backup! Let’s go, Dusk!” Crossing over the room to Dusk’s side, Dash gave Rarity a toothy grin, poking herself in the chest. “Don’t worry, now that I know the layout of the warehouse, nopony will lay a hand on Dusk. I’m so fast, I’ll be in and out before you can say ‘Awesome!’”

Sudden realization dawned on Lyra, and she turned, half bolting out the door before stopping short, her voice excited yet panicked. “Wait, I forgot there is one more thing I can do for you. Before you go out, Dusk, meet me at the town square!”

Dusk turned to Dash while Lyra bolted away, the mare simply offered to share a shrug with him, clearly unsure what had dawned on the older unicorn. “Then let’s go, Dash. No reason to drag this out any further.”

The scene of Lyra’s fight with Trixie was where Dusk and Dash finally found the mare, scrambling on all fours and sorting blindly through the wreckage of the stage that had been Trixie’s performance area. Clearing his throat, Dusk approached, his voice soft but serious. “Lyra? What is it you’re hunting for? I’m sure we could help if you told us.”

Throwing aside another stack of boards, Lyra laughed in glee, scooping up a glittering silver ring. “I knew it! It’s still here!” In her joy, the mare eyed the silver horn ring for a moment, admiring the fine craftsmanship in the torches set up to light town hall. At last, she gave a sigh, turning to face the stallion. “Dusk, I gave Trixie a horn ring like this, but it’s unlocked. This one, this is one of the Tartarus grade rings I was supplied with to aid in capturing Trixie. I don’t even have the key for this one, so please... only use it if she refuses to come peacefully. I don’t know her well, but I can tell that she is tormented by everything she has done so far.”

Shocked, Dusk took a half step back, his eyes on the elegant engraving on the ring, so different from the crude cheap metal band that Gilda had violently thrust onto his horn. He almost balked, his voice soft, worried. “Lyra, I had a ring forced on my horn recently, by a griffon. It left a permanent scar that gives me blinding pain. If it-”

Cutting him off, the mare stepped in close, and forced the ring into his hands, her voice very serious. “If it wasn’t for the medication you were receiving from Nurse Redheart and Dr. Horse, you’d probably be bedridden at best, becoming permanently drunk to fend off the pain is the most common solution many choose. Tartarus is a jail, Dusk. But Princess Celestia is against torture of any kind. These rings are not like the cheap scrap Gilda used on you. I promise it won’t harm her horn, just suppress her magic.”

Dusk was torn, forced to swallow back revulsion at the memories of that painful silver band cutting into his horn and cutting off his magic. But the ruins of the stage around them brought him back, and the guilt in Dash’s eyes as he looked to her for an answer said it all. “I will take it Lyra. But…damn you for even suggesting it.” The mare gave no reply, simply tightening his hand around the ring and nodding once in silence, her own lip trembling.

Dusk’s walk to the trainyard was in silence, doing his best to ignore the sound of Rainbow Dash’s incessant questions. With his eyes kept level and his mind forced to remain blank. “She had a reason to tell me to avoid thinking about the solution. Whatever it is, it has something to do with Trixie.”

“Alright, Dusk. I guess this is where I split off.” Stopping short at Dash’s sudden change of tone to something far more serious than her previous casual chatter, Dusk looked over into Dash’s eyes. The mare continued, her hand gesturing around to indicate the buildings surrounding the train yard. “I’ll take to the air and scout out the yard, see if I can’t find a few good vantage points through the second story. They don’t got windows up there, see? Let’s them keep the place cooler in the summer months. Makes the place damn cold in the winter, but nobody but Derpy goes in there much for the winter months.”

Shocked at Dash’s swift shift from silly blathering to sudden seriousness, Dusk got another glimpse into the real reason why the mare had been given the chance to lead Ponyville’s weather team, her ability to access, and find solutions so quickly. “Thank you, Dash. If you had not been able to come, I know Applejack would have insisted in backing me up. And as tough as she is, I know she has not recovered fully from harvest.”

A half smirk formed on Dash’s lips, and the mare offered Dusk a shrug. “Natch. Fact is, I still half-expected her to follow us anyway. Expect a long lecture when you get home, one way or another. She’s the overly protective one. I’ve seen her damn near twist Mac’s ear off for doing all the normal things any healthy young stallion does.” When Dusk’s eyebrow arched, Dash snorted, shaking her head. “Save it. Mac’s got no herd, not that I couldn’t name a dozen mares around town who’d jump if he asked.”

Dusk flashed back to harvest work with Big Mac on the farm, and didn’t doubt Dash’s suggestion; the stallion probably did have his pick of the mares. But now wasn’t time for such thoughts. Pushing them aside, Dusk gave Dash one last nod before turning away, walking alone towards the open door of the train station. He made it halfway across before a sudden burst of energy formed, blowing through the silent night like a hammer cracking down on an anvil. The ringing echoes in Dusk’s mind brought back a sudden flare of pain, and tiny black flakes of powder crumbled free of the plug in his horn. Dusk knew something was going horribly wrong, right before his eyes.

As Dusk’s stride turned into a blind sprint, the second burst of power radiated out, blowing open the wall of the massive storage shed before him. The sight revealed spread a sudden cold chill rushing through his veins, while blind rage replaced the measured train of thought he had been forming. Beaten and bloody, Shining Armor and several other royal guards lay encased in a shield spell. The single mare standing over them shook with rage while a thin streak of blood ran from her nose, pooling upon her lip.

Without thought, Dusk struck. The burst of power shooting forth as a solid fist, focused to drive away the mare from his wounded brother. The tidal wave of energy slapped into the mare’s side and threw her across the warehouse, yet as the burst faded away, Trixie remained standing, encased in her own shield. The only sign of Dusk’s titanic effort was the imprint in the warehouses dirt floor, showing he had pushed her back only three feet. Sweating profusely at the sudden exertion, Dusk wiped his brow, more of that crumbling black powder from the degrading plug in his horn sticking to his hand.

Trixie lowered her shields, shocked and forced to take a step back. "The stallion! At last!" But even as her mind reeled in joy, the enraged look in his cold eyes sent a chill down her spine. Her eyes darted to the guards and she knew why. Speaking in as calm a tone as she could muster, Trixie took one step forward. "Dusk Shine, she didn't mean any of this! Your dragoness is fine! Trixie sent her to join you!" But even as she spoke, whispers began trickling in. His voice was still so muted, yet she now heard half-thoughts.

"Kill! (for my brother?) Defend! (My friends?) Defeat! (revenge?)." Trixie gripped her head and covered her ears, not wanting to hear any more, “Please... why can't... why won't you..." As her anger built in a frightening reflection of the noise flooding in and pounding her senses, forming an echo she strained to restrain, her willpower slipping with every passing second, until it broke. "JUST BE QUIET!?" Reflexively, almost unwittingly, she lashed out in return, screaming for the voices to be silent and blindly throwing out a burst of pure magical energy. Yet, Dusk’s response was instant, channeling the unfocused blow, throwing it into the wall at his side. Even as Trixie got a grip on the voices and pushed them down again, it was too late.

A rainbow streak, moving so quickly, Trixie could hardly process the fact it was a mare flying past her shot into the warehouse, snatching up two of the unicorn guards without pausing, before bolting out of sight. A single determined voice echoed from that blaze of speed. "Dusk can keep her distracted and protect himself. AJ might wanna skin me, but I gotta get these guys out safe."

The pressure was building, and Trixie found it harder and harder to hear herself over the growing uproar. Emotionally ravished by the outpouring minds that surrounded her, a whisper of logic floated before her. Latching onto that voice with every fragment of power she had, Trixie ripped at it, begging for its level rationalism to calm the roaring tide she was drowning in. Dusk’s voice was an even tone, echoing the same words in her head and ears. "Enough of this,Trixie. If you insist on a fight, let us move out of town, before any more innocents are harmed!" Something whispered in her head that wasn't carried on by his words, but his voice had faded again while he wiped a hand across the scarred line on his horn.

Trixie was so desperate for a moment of sanity and calm, she hardly realized that the words were tumbling from her lips. "Accepted, Dusk Shine! Meet Trixie by the cottage near the forest. The mare Fluttershy isn't home, so the edge of the Everfree Forest will be a perfect place!" As her mind caught up with her lips she realized what she had said, but feared the result of backing down, even for a moment. Instead she gave a snort of dismissal. Opening the mind of the unicorn guard captain, she stole the stallion’s knowledge of teleportation. Before the stallion could respond, she was gone.

Dusk was panting for breath as he tried to keep his balance against Rainbow Dash. The mare had been swooping in for another pass through the warehouse when Trixie had vanished. Now she caught his weight, her eyes wide. "Dusk! You saw how strong she is! How can you hope to challenge her in a brawl?"

Unable help himself, Dusk lingered in Dash’s grip, enjoying the mare’s supportive hold on his shoulders. The roaring pressure he felt pounding on his horn was different from the pain he had felt before, yet somehow... it was reassuring in a way he couldn’t phrase. It felt right. Forcing himself to stand up, Dusk took a grip of Dash’s arms and held her still, looking her square in the eyes. "Dash, listen to me. I don’t have time to say this twice, so get serious, fast!" Even while Dash started to form a defensive look, Dusk pushed on. "I figured out Lyra’s riddle. I can’t tell you or she will know, but trust me. You need to collect everypony in town and start moving them as far from here as possible. But only to the south or east. Away from the Everfree Forest, no matter what."

Dash fidgeted, torn between wanting to pry for more details while his firm tone tugged at her sense of duty. As she unfolded her wings and began to fly away, she looked back down at him, biting her lip. "And you?"

Dusk chuckled, winking playful up at her. "Give it an hour. By then, we will know if I was right or not."

Turning over, Dash flew to the last two guards standing watch with Shining Armor. The brothers leveled a look at one another, but after a moment of silence, Armor gave his men a nod. "You heard my brother. We help organize a complete retreat of Ponyville’s population. This mare knows the town far better than we do, and was put in charge by a representative of her majesty, so move it!" Bruised but resilient, Armor turned, heading for one part of town he knew needed the most help, the clinic.

Dusk had no more time to think. Any more delays and Trixie might grow suspicious. Hand wiping across his forehead again, he found more of that thin black powder collecting. The plug was breaking down, probably because it couldn't stand the stress of so much magic. "It doesn't matter, I can handle the headaches and Trixie at the same time... if I got the riddle right." After concentrating, Dusk remembered the teleportation spell. It was a strain, but he didn't have any time to spare. Pulling together his magic, he formed the pattern allowing the magic to follow its course and...

Trixie sat on the small wooden bridge over Fluttershy’s stream. The silence was astounding, as if she were all alone. Some animals were in the house, and a rabbit was standing guard at the door, but their voices were barely even whispers. So quiet, she could easily ignore them. It was just her, alone.

The sudden impact of Dusk’s arrival rebounded like a thunderclap, echoing through her mind. Startled, she flinched back, pulling up a shield spell, staggering back from the noise Dusk had brought with him.

Dusk’s head roared in a sudden burst of pressure. Just after the teleportation spell had started, his headache roared back to life. Blind to everything except the pain, Dusk clawed at his horn, at the plug of hardened resin that filled the gap. Blinded, he sensed Trixie’s presence only by the sudden formation of her magic just in front of him. Needing a second to catch up, Dusk first conjured a thin burst of light and smoke, blinding the air between them, and scrambled back on unsteady legs.

As he tripped and stumbled over a tree root, his fingernails finally found purchase and pulled free the plug, and with it, the pressure. As his vision slowly started to return, he could hear Trixie’s voice, a near perfect, panicked mimic for the thoughts in his head. "’Keep her busy, keep her off balance, keep the secret, suppress the pain.’ I can hear you now, Dusk! Why do you have to BE SO LOUD!"

He knew it! Now to focus, to keep her busy and to buy some time. Slipping behind the tree that had tripped him, Dusk shouted back. "Because, Trixie, I have to end today's insanity! And apparently, I'm the only reason you came here in the first place! So talk! Tell me everything!"

Trixie almost roared with laughter, making Dusk worry he had underestimated her. Twisting his words she spat them back. "’So talk?’ Your Princess did not wish to talk to Trixie! She wanted Trixie jailed for being too different. But not you, stallion! You’re different too, but she listens to you, she admires your work. Trixie has read her so many times before, but when Trixie failed her practical magic exam, they came for her! Like some criminal!"

Dusk could hear the mare's sobbing, but the power of her shield hadn’t wavered. He needed to keep his mind off the time, keep her busy. Before he realized it, his voice was calling back to the mare. "The practical exam? How could you have failed that, Trixie? Your magic is more than strong enough!"

"The isolation! Trixie never felt so alone before. For a moment, it was heaven. But, Trixie reached for the examiner’s magic and realized he was shielded from her. They were all behind a wall that didn't let her hear them, or draw on their magic. And when she fled?!! Her family threw her out, they refused to even hear her side. How could Trixie trust anypony when her father thought such vile things! And mother? Mother was in a panic that the neighbors might see Trixie. Not a care about her. Trixie was alone, she lost everything!" The mare’s hoarse sobbing began, and the shield spell wavered.

Dusk saw his opening and snatched it. Stepping out from around the tree, he held out a hand, offering Lyra’s ring. "Then end this, Trixie. Take the ring and come peacefully. I’m sure that together, we can answer any questions or concerns Princess Celestia has."

Trixie flinched back, attempting to pull her shield back together. Her eyes locked on the silver band. "You don't know that for sure! Trixie can see that. You just hope you can explain. You hope that your princess won't just lock Trixie up!" Her panic continued to build uncontrollably as she realized the magic was not responding to her call. "Dusk! How??"

Dusk smiled, his voice soft spoken to try to soothe the frantic mare. "A duet. Your magic is an echo of those around you, right? It's how you were able to copy Shining Armor’s shield spell so easily. That is how you teleported here when we never studied that in school. But you can't do it for long. It gets worn out, right?"

Sobbing openly again, the mare nodded at his words, her eyes wide with surprise. "You know it! But who- Lyra?!! But that mare was only wishing the best for Trixie! She pulled the ring off just so she could check..."

Dusk took one slow step forward, holding the ring out for the mare. "Please, Trixie. I will do everything in my power to make it safe for you."

The mare looked at the ring for a second, unable to suppress a rush of emotions. That same memory of Princess Celestia flooded back. Memories of Tartarus and the cell awaiting her. Turning, Trixie bolted towards Ponyville, screaming the one thing she knew for sure in her heart. "No, Never a prisoner!"

Alone, and watching the retreating mare's path for town he already started pacing her stride in his mind, knowing he had a few minutes. The sound of a joking voice called from the doorway of Fluttershy's cottage. "Do you ever have a quiet night, Dusk?"

Rubbing sweat from his brow, Dusk’s knuckles scraped across the open scar on his horn. Instead of pain, he was shocked to realize the surface was nearly smooth to the touch, save one thin line where the deepest part of the scar had been. Shocked, Dusk smiled back towards the bunny, shaking his head. “Angel, I do not think life has ever been this hectic.”

Trixie felt blind as she ran headlong back into Ponyville, there was nothing but silence surrounding her, save for Dusk’s level tone as he followed her into town. "Where has everypony gone?!! There must be somepony, left in town! Trixie just...Trixie just has to get away!"

Passing by an endless collection of houses she could no longer identify, a single set of footsteps followed her through the town. As her panic continued to rise, Trixie found herself standing before the shattered remains of the stage. Lyra sat on a broken log, her hands silently crossed over her knee. As Trixie froze in her tracks, Lyra gestured to the log beside her. "Wanna sit? You need to calm down and think things through, Trixie. Life can be good, you don't have to keep running."

Dusk’s footsteps halted behind her, his voice was quiet, calm. "Lyra’s right, Trixie. It doesn't have to be this way."

Her heart in her throat, Trixie slowly turned around, looking into Dusk's calm watching eyes. As she panted for breath, he had hardly broken a sweat following her back into town. The damned horn ring was in his hand, gleaming in the moonlight. Shaking, she slowly lifted her hand, reaching out for the ring-

Dash stood on top of the roof of the caboose, her fingers twitching as she shifted her grip across the pole of her lance. The suggestion to load the injured dozen into a spare train car and have a few dozen of the spare earth ponies pull them down the tracks had been a brief brilliant insight. Now Dash was worried, things had gotten so quiet. And they only had a ten, maybe twenty minutes lead on whatever it was Dusk feared. From behind her, the sound of a stallion clearing his throat caught her attention, but even as Shining Armor spoke up, she refused to pull her gaze from the slowly retreating town. "You're worried about him. You shouldn't be, Dusk is smart as hell, he would never walk into a situation without two backup plans and half a dozen escape plans. It was always his biggest weakness, really, he needs to learn to follow an impulse or gut feeling every once and a while. I think I failed him as an older brother in that regard."

Dash winced at Armor’s words, tightening her grip and grinding her thumbs across the metal at the base of the lance head. "I'm the total opposite of your brother, Armor. Every bone in my body is screaming for me to fly in and rescue him. Or attack her, or something. Anything. Anything but standing here watching the empty streets of Ponyville fade into the distance."

Armor placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, his voice soft. "I know. Everything in me screamed to act. I did. It's the first time I've ever directly disobeyed Princess Celestia, and now I feel nothing but a fool for acting so rashly. If it hadn't been for my attack on Trixie, Dusk might have ended this all without a fight. That is why we wait. Why you have to stand watch while he ends this."

Looking back at the stallion for the first time, Dash finally admitted to something. "You might not be as much of an egghead as your brother, but you're just as good at making me feel like a fool."

Scratching her finger tip up across the lance's head, she discovered a tiny detail she had missed before. Engraved just below the widest part of the lance head were the words: "Dear Sister, let this lance protect you when I can not."

Even as Armor laughed at her words, they both felt something massive and unmeasurably powerful soar high over their heads. His eyes shooting wide open, Armor’s whole position altered, his tone now stiff and serious. "Dash. Go. Fly. Now!" When she turned to stare up at him, he grabbed her shoulders shaking her once, sharply. "I know what I said about thinking harder. But you felt that. That was Cadence... Please, you have to go! Warn her before she makes the same mistake as I did!"

Realizing the deep and fearful undertones in the stallion’s words, Dash gave a firm nod, pulling from his grip and launching into flight. "Armor is right. The last thing we need is a Princess getting into this fight."

- then a sudden shadow shot overhead, casting a momentary shade upon the moon. Furiously bolting towards the three unicorns in town square, the immeasurable power of the approaching figure was matched only by its speed.

Turning sharply in place, Trixie’s hand snapped back, and looked back to Dusk, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and rage. “Dusk!! You promised a chance, you promised Trixie! Now the Princess comes to collect Trixie personally! Why can’t you keep to your word?!!”

Dusk was shocked, he couldn’t believe the powerful magic streaming off the approaching goddess. He had never seen Princess Celestia use so much magic so publicly, she was normally so willing to trust him to handle problems. Had things really gone so far? Turning back to face the once more panicking Trixie, Dusk tried to smooth things over. “Trixie, calm down. We can talk to the Princess now. We can end all of this so much faster now. Please, trust me. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, but her arrival will make it many times easier for us to end it all quickly.”

Trixie pivoted in place, her eyes wild with fear. Locking onto Lyra, Trixie bolted across the short distance to Lyra’s side, drawing up the older mare’s hands and looking into her eyes. Her voice hardly above a whisper, Trixie refused to look back at Dusk’s attempt to soothe the situation. “You offered Trixie a final solution. Trixie thinks now is the time to take it. Will you forgive her?”

Lyra’s eyes shot wide open, and she started shaking her head, trying to pull her fingers from Trixie’s grip, while her other hand cupped the terrorized mare’s chin. Yet, just as her fingers lifted Trixie’s jaw, the blazing trail of power suddenly halted at the edge of Ponyville, intercepted by a much smaller flyer. Lyra’s voice was trying to force a calming tone, but before she could finish, it was all over. “Dear Celestia, no Trixie, please! We can have this all over so quic-”

Trixie could still just remember the pattern for teleportation, Dusk’s mind and Armor’s had both held that secret. Yet, she was cut off from both for magic to power it. Even her desperate plan to grip Lyra’s hands to try and draw power from her magic directly turned out to be yet another failure. But when Celestia stopped at the edge of town, Trixie finally found her open mind to power her magic. Stretching out, she connected with the princess, and blindly, she channeled the magic, teleporting herself away into the depths of the Everfree Forest.

As Trixie faded away from sight, Dusk fell to his knees, collapsing until his face rested flat upon the ground. Panting for breath, Dusk balled his hand into a fist, and started punching the ground, only realizing he was shouting when Lyra’s hand cupped his shoulder. “NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! Celestia damn it, Trixie! We were so close. We were so, damn, close.”

Squeezing Dusk’s shoulder, Lyra shook her head, her voice still worried, but she had a single hope left. “Dusk, if she puts on the ring I gave her, we still have a chance. It’s an unlocked magic binding ring, but if you’ve got enough strength left, we can try looking for where her teleportation spell ends. Maybe you could even follow her path. You’d be alone, and she is probably somewhere deep in the Everfree Forest, but it would give us one last chance…”

Dusk looked up, realizing only just now, that Lyra had removed the ring from her horn, and was offering him both her hands to help him stand up again. Shaking his head, Dusk looked back down into the dirt. “I, I have no more answers for her, Lyra. When Princess Celestia decided to come here and end this-”

From behind Dusk, a very different voice spoke out. Unexpected, it made the stallion twist around to look over his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Dusk. Rainbow Dash came to stop me, but I… I guess I was already too close to town. It’s all my fault.” Cadence stood at the edge of the town hall, with Dash at her side. Both mare’s were panting for breath, and as Dusk’s brain kicked back into motion, he realized Cadence was wearing some heavy winter flight gear.

Dusk forced himself to stand, taking Lyra’s hands and turning to look up to Cadence. For a moment, his mind hunted for some solution, some answer. His voice was soft, and he shook his head. “No Cadence, I think… I think you might be able to help! You can still sense a pony by their emotions, right? Well, Trixie was very emotionally devastated when she thought you were Princess Celestia. If you can find her, I have enough magic left to teleport a good distance. Maybe… Maybe I can catch up with her. Even if she is deep inside the Everfree Forest.”

This time, it was Dash’s turn to interrupt, rushing to Dusk’s side, her lance still clutched in her straining fingers. Her eyes wide, she stepped between Dusk and Cadence. “Are you nuts?! Don't you remember the last time we went into the Everfree Forest?! It took all six of us to safely get through to the Castle of the Two Sisters! You can’t go there alone!”

Shaking his head, Dusk slipped his hand over Dash’s own on the pole of her lance, squeezing her hand tightly. “Then… Just like before. Can you give me an hour? You’ve got good eyes, surely you can hunt me down, even in the Everfree Forest.”

Dash was flustered by Dusk’s words, and felt herself blushing as his fingers gripped her hand. Shaking her head a little, Dash admitted her worry. “Dusk, I might be good, but I can’t take on the whole Everfree alone. Maybe if I went and collected my whole weather team, we could stand a chance to scout it out and find you, but Rarity and AJ would kill me if-”

Grinning, Dusk lightly punched Dash in the shoulder. “Fantastic! Then go, now! Collect your whole weather team. Collect every pegasus you can, and then come save me. But give me that hour to find Trixie, to give her this one last chance.”

Cadence stepped forward as Dash slowly peeled back, stretching out and flexing her wings. “Do it, Dash. I will come with you as well. I might not be able to keep up with you flying, but I can make up for it by helping you find Dusk faster.”

Relaxing a little at Cadence’s promise, Dash gave a small sigh and a little nod. “Alright, I'll get the weather team and give you some time. And Cadence, thanks for making sure Rarity and AJ don't skin me alive.”

Even as Dash took off, the princess turned back to Dusk, leveling her own glare. “You’d better promise me I won’t regret this, Dusk. I agree with Dash, sending you alone into the Everfree Forest makes me very nervous.”

Dusk smiled, cupping up Cadence’s strong hand in his own, smiling up to her. “I promise it’s worth the risk, Cadence. Trixie has been scared, alone, and running for longer than I could imagine. Any chance to bring her peace of mind is worth any risk to me.”

Laughing a little to herself, Cadence lifted her free hand to stroke a thumb across Dusk’s jawline, nodding warmly. “Alright, you win, Dusk. And you make me proud. She is just as panicked as you said, but I can sense her, nearly twenty kilometers to the north, just a little to the east. I think I can make a beacon, if you can reach your magic that far out. Follow it, and maybe you can find her.”

Leaning into the mare’s comforting touch, Dusk blushed, but gave her a soft nod. “Thank you, Cadence. I will try to make you proud.” Swallowing, Dusk stepped away from her, only to find Lyra shoving a small leather pouch into his hand. “Wha-?”

Offering the stallion a shrug, Lyra shook her head. “It’s a standard field agent first aid kit. It’s got some basic medicine, some rubbing alcohol, and a small pouch of Black Lotus.” When Cadence winced, Lyra shook her head. “It’s the Everfree Forest, Princess. We can’t have Dusk passing out from exhaustion, right?”

For a moment, Cadence looked ready to argue the point, but at last she relented, shaking her head. “Princess Luna convinced me to try some during our recent trip. I can understand just how strong it is. But Dusk, please! If you take it, come see me afterwards. The side effects of Lotus can break even the strongest pony. It’s too addictive, Dusk.”

Looking from one mare to the other, Dusk shook his head, slowly accepting the bag and strapping the pouch around his hips. “I’m not that tired yet, I promise, I’ll do everything I can to bring her back.” Reaching out, he could feel the glowing beacon of Cadence’s magic, deep inside the Everfree Forest. It was a stretch, but with that light to guide him, he could reach out, and just… barely… reach.

As Dusk faded from sight, Cadence turned to Lyra, her eyes dark and serious. “Alright. Report, and make it short. I want to find Shining and make sure he is okay before Dash tries to head into the Everfree without me. And when we get back to Canterlot, I’m going to have a word with Princess Luna and Silken Flight. How can they hand out something so addictive to every field agent? Do they want to burn you all out and end up with an army of addicts?”

Lyra shook her head, sitting back down on the shattered wood of the broken stage, looking up to the youngest princess. “I lied, princess. Silken Flight only gave me that single Lotus petal because she thought we might be able to use it to overwhelm Trixie. Or drug her. The hallucinations surely would have made it easier to capture her.”

Cadence sighed, shaking her head. “Alright. I give. It was a good idea. But Dusk will never forgive you for that lie.”

Lyra shrugged, shaking her head. “Let’s go find your stallion, princess, we can talk on the way. It’s been too long since we were in school together.”

Dusk knew he had missed his mark. It was too far to jump in a single burst. Leaning in against a tree, Dusk panted for breath, his hand already slipping into the pouch at his hip, hunting blindly inside for something to eat, something to drink. He needed something, anything. When had he eaten last? Despite the cold fall breeze, Dusk felt he was sweating so heavily. His fingers found something, something he didn’t want. The single petal was in a clear plastic pouch, sealed tight. For a moment, Dusk held it up to the moonlight, staring at the powerful drug. “Illegal, addictive, and highly hallucinogenic, and yet Princess Luna had approved its use?”

Shaking his head, Dusk thrust that hand back into the pouch. Turning slowly, he reached his mind out, finding that he wasn’t that far from Cadence’s beacon- wait… was it moving closer? Pushing free of the tree he had been resting against, Dusk started to walk, quietly, carefully, keeping the trees between himself and the powerful presence of magic he could sense. A few minutes later, Dusk felt water flowing against his boots. Parched, his lips demanded that he pause, dropping to his knees, Dusk cupped both hands beneath the slow flowing water of a tiny hidden spring. Gulping at the rich, pure and cold water, Dusk felt replenished, rejuvenated even. A handfull was thrown over his face, to wash away the dry sweat that had built up upon his brow.

Just as he started to stand up, the sudden cracking of a branch behind him pulled Dusk’s attention back over his shoulder. Looking back, Dusk felt the blood drain from his body. Towering nearly three stories over his head, the powerful, titanic blue bear, the infantile Ursa Minor, stood watching Dusk, growling from the depths of its throat.

Trixie heard the scream of powerful magic ripping through the forest nearby. Shocked by the riptide of so much magic in such an isolated part of the forest, she knew only one stallion who could have ever pulled so much magic together. “Dusk Shine…” She never even realized the words had slipped from her lips until she was running blindly towards the stallion’s magic. Her fingers ripping the ring from her horn, throwing it away into the bushes.

With the ring gone, she could feel everything. The stallion was in a panic, throwing everything he had to try scare of a… a... Her mind hunted for the words. Dusk’s mind was too panicked, she couldn’t pull together the thoughts to answer what it was that he was fighting. As she crashed through a line of trees, the sight before her made her heart still in her throat. Dusk was pinned against a steep rise and the beast itself. The magic of his attempt to drive off the giant beast had leveled the trees for twenty feet, leaving an artificial clearing. Trixie couldn’t even picture just how massive the beast that stood before her really was, it wasn’t a dragon, yet its presence was just as frightening. As the bear lifted its claw, Trixie’s hand was forced. Pulling from Dusk’s magic, she formed a heavy ball of energy and threw it square into the towering bear’s mouth, trying to blow the beast off balance.

With its face inches from Dusk’s chest, the bear suddenly reared back, roaring out in shock. Twisting his head around, Dusk realized he knew exactly who it was, and where his saviour had come from. Turning to face the mare, Dusk shook his head, his voice straining with exhaustion. “Just run, Trixie! We can’t take it. It’s an Ursa, just run before-”

“Hmph! If you think for a second that the Great and Powerful Trixie will cower from the likes of a mere cub, then you are more foolish than Trixie thought!!” Reaching out, Trixie watched the Ursa turn to face her, it’s paw swinging forward to slap her away. Prepared for this, Trixie wrapped herself in a shield, letting the behemoth’s blow be absorbed by the protective shell.

Realizing her simple solution, Dusk drew on his magic, slapping the Ursa upon its flank. The beast instantly roared in shock at being assaulted from behind. Spinning around, the bear attempted to knock him from his feet in another violent blow. This time however, Dusk copied Trixie’s idea, Shining Armor’s shield spell was so easy to cast, it would easily abso-

As Dusk’s spell crumpled, he flew across the clearing. Trixie felt the strain, and knew he had pushed his magic too far. Throwing another copy of the shield over the stallion, Trixie bolted to his side, while the Ursa turned slowly to watch where Dusk landed. Kneeling at the stallion’s side, she cupped his head, fingers stroking through his hair. “You damned fool! Trixie was gone! You didn’t have to follow her! Your obligation to her was over, but now you’ve gotten hurt because of your strange fixation! Why!?”

Smiling a little as he looked over her shoulder at the Ursa, Dusk pulled a small thin clear plastic envelope free. Pushing it into her hand, Dusk shook his head. “Because, Trixie, I could never leave a fellow pony behind, especially one of the few who ever understood what it was like to be so isolated... Trixie... I’m sorry. I just wanted to try and show you… that we could find an answer. Maybe, this is it.”

The stallion's mind was so quiet, so calm as he pushed the thin drug pouch into her hand, there was a weight to his thoughts. A deep sense of guilt. But she could tell he felt whatever the pouch was, might really be their only hope. Ripping the plastic apart, Trixie pushed the dried black petal between her lips, biting down and gasping in shock as a bolt of energy shot through her mind. It was just like when she touched the Princess, this sense that the magic she had access to had simply no bound. No limits. Nothing that restricted it or prevented her from doing anything! Anything at all. Casually, she pulled apart every thought in the stallion’s mind, hunting for the magic that healed. Finding so little, she gave a serene wave of her hand. The flow of power blasted back the Ursa forty feet, driving it back into a bald rise in the earth, and ten feet further. Cupping Dusk’s jaw, she poured forth the soft touch of what little healing spells he knew, flooding the stallion with it until she felt he could hold no more of the green glowing power.

She was laughing. When had she started laughing? And why couldn’t she stop? Trixie giggled with joy, lost in delight at the odd colors she could see flowing through her hands. Was it her own blood? Was she able to see inside herself? Such power from so tiny a plant!

“Can see you now!”

What was that? What had Trixie just heard? Something so distant, so soft and yet, it had called for her attention. Panicked, she twisted around, hunting for the source. A roar pulled her back into herself, and her eyes found the charging Ursa was only inches from trampling over her. Time was moving so slowly, the environs whisper-quiet, she felt the brush of its claws as they cut through the air beside her jaw. Rage roared in the depths of her heart. The Ursa had interrupted her! She would have no more of it. Why should she? It was no more a threat to her than a worm was to a god. Lifting both hands, she focused, placing them before the bear’s maw. Drawing a single drop of the bottomless well that had opened up to her, Trixie threw that power into the bear’s face, throwing it away until she could no longer sense the beast’s presence. Giggling again, Trixie slowly stood, her fingers stroking her jaw, the tingling sensation almost made her heart burst with joy. But then, she sensed something. Turning around, she looked to the sky and screamed.

Dusk could hardly believe what had happened. In seconds, Trixie went from crying to laughter, and then screaming in fear. She had seen something in the sky that had frightened her, and then blindly ran into the forest again. Sitting up slowly, Dusk started to rub his stiff neck with one hand, shocked at how well Trixie’s healing magic had managed to quell the pain from the Ursa Minor’s blow. Reaching his magic out, Dusk could not sense a hint of the infant's presence, and for a moment, he was worried what might have happened to the beast. “Princess Celestia says nopony, not even Starswirl himself, has ever beaten an Ursa. I suppose Trixie was not bragging. She really is the Great and Powerful-.”

A sudden impact threw apart the trees over Dusk’s head. Dash’s arrival wasn’t subtle, and twisting around, she inspected the ruins of Dusk’s newly formed clearing. Rushing to his side, she called up to the sky. “It’s clear! You can come down now, Cadence!”

Even as Dusk let Dash’s fingers begin inspecting the wet blood from the wounds that Trixie had already healed, a glance to the sky revealed she wasn’t alone. Twenty? Thirty pegasi formed a circle in the air above, while Princess Cadence flew down, landing at Dash’s side and rushing to Dusk, her voice waning with pain. “Dusk, you bloody fool! What did you do? Was that really an Ursa?!!”

As her fingers joined Dash’s in inspecting the bloody mess that was Dusk’s torn shirt and drenched ribcage, Dusk shook his head. “I think it was a Minor, Cadence. And Trixie drove it off… In fact, I think she just picked it up and threw it away. Ly-” Dusk had to stop, panting for breath at his own shock. “Lyra was right. That Black Lotus really did something to Trixie. I felt her combing through every memory, every lesson I’ve ever had. She found that time you taught me how to heal papercuts, and somehow made it work.”

Dash poured her water flask over Dusk’s chest, using the scraps of his shirt to wipe away the blood and water, shaking her head. “Dusk, if that spell was meant to heal papercuts, how in Tartarus did she fix broken ribs?”

Unable to offer more than a shrug, Dusk looked up to Cadence, his voice sad and tired. “If you two are done making your hands bloody, can we go home? Today had been forever… and we have lost Trixie again. I don’t think there is any chance of me convincing myself of trying to find her for a while,, let alone either of you.”

Cadence smiled gently, her blood coated fingers stroking through the stallion’s hair. “Alright, Dusk. You’re finally talking some sense. Dash, can your team handle carrying him?”

Dash snorted, standing up and shoving two fingers into her lips, whistling hard to call down a few of the gathered pegasi. “If they can’t, Princess, trust me, they’ll be flying laps for days for letting us down.”

Dusk must have passed out some time during the flight home. It must have been from the cold and how wet he felt. He could only remember Dash and Cadence talking the whole time and Cadence wrapping him in her winter jacket when they realized he was shivering from the cold.

It was Nurse Redheart’s soft touch to Dusk’s temple that brought him around. Dusk’s eyes were heavy, yet he could recognize his bedroom, and the feel of his silk sheets. “Wha- Why not the clinic?”

Nurse Redheart snorted, shaking her head. “Because we just got everypony settled back in after you made us flee town. And you aren’t hurt, a little frostbitten, but not hurt. Whatever it was Trixie used to heal you, it did wonders. From all the blood, I’d have sworn something eviscerated your damn-fool ass.”

From the doorway, Rarity’s voice called in a soft whisper. “If he isn’t hurt, why did you make me leave the room?”

Rolling her eyes, Redheart looked back over her shoulder at Rarity. “Because, I wanted to clean him up and make sure he was ok before you covered him with kisses and got in my way. You can come in now, so can AJ. I’m done here for tonight. But keep him warm and make sure he gets something good to eat for the next few days. It’s clear that he hasn’t been eating properly again.”

As Redheart stood up and slipped away from Dusk’s bed, Rarity bolted across the room, hopping up onto the massive bed, wrapping Dusk’s neck in her arms, and coated his face with soft kisses, just like the nurse had predicted. Laughing quietly to himself, Dusk let his arms slide around the tiny mare’s hips, hugging her tightly close, and resting his head against her shoulder. His voice was a whisper into her ear, lips dancing against her earlobe. “I’m sorry, Rarity. I know these last few weeks have been crazy. I just wanted to give Trixie every chance that I could.”

From the doorway, AJ laughed openly, stepping through and shaking her head. “From what I’ve heard, you sure gave her more than enough chances. I’m just glad you came back to us in one piece, Dusk. Now let’s try and keep you that way for a while, please sugarcube?”

Looking up to Applejack, Dusk gave a soft nod. “Is Barb okay? I don’t remember much of the flight back, but-”

Rarity silenced the stallion with a gentle kiss, letting it linger, while her fingers stroked through his hair. “She is fine, Dusk. She came home and told us about Trixie. Just as we were starting to plan to come check up on her, Dash arrived calling for an evacuation of town. We kept her with us for most of the night, but she was so tired, I made her go to bed.”

Reassured by Rarity’s words, Dusk lifted a hand out to offer out one hand for Applejack. As the mare slipped in close and sat down on the other side of the bed, beside him, their fingers twined together, squeezing one another. Dusk gave Rarity’s cheek another soft kiss before turning, smiling up to the towering Applejack. “Then everypony I care for is safe. And that makes me happy. For that reason, I agree, AJ. Let’s hope things are finally quiet for a few days.”

Rarity smiled, her fingers stroking tenderly through the stallion’s hair, shifting until she lay down against the stallion’s side and curled into his chest. With her eyes half closed, she let herself ask the question that needed an answer. “Dusk… just what happened to Trixie? Princess Cadence and Dash didn’t really know much, just that you gave her the Black Lotus, and that she suddenly fled in fear? Cadence says she lost track of her hours ago. Said she just disappeared.”

Dusk shook his head, wrapping an arm around the small mare’s hips, kissing her softly on the cheek. “I’ve never taken Black Lotus, but from everything Princess Celestia taught me about drugs, it remains the most dangerous. It lets a unicorn pull magic from everything in the world around us. Every tree, every plant, every blade of grass. Every worm and every gnat. They all become a battery a unicorn can draw magic from. I can only speculate in that frame of mind, Princess Cadence’s arrival must have been like seeing the sun rise at midnight.”

Applejack gasped, shaking her head, her free hand joining the first and squeezing down on the stallion’s hand. “I can only imagine. I still can’t look at Fluttershy’s herb garden, just the sight of that small supply of Dawn Blossom she grows makes my mouth dry with need.”

Dusk gave a soft nod, guilt swelling up as he squeezed AJ’s hand in return. “I know AJ… I’m sorry things had to go that far, but my magic failed and Trixie was about to get mauled by the Ursa. I had to give her the Lotus, or we both were probably going to being that baby’s teething ring.

Rarity shook her head, shushing him down gently back into silence. “It’s ok, Dusk, it really is. You made the right choice, anything else might not have been enough. Though we will have to have words with Dash and Princess Cadence for letting you go into the Everfree Forest alone.”

Here Applejack laughed, releasing the stallion’s hand and shaking a finger in his face. “Rarity is right. You clearly have some very irrational tendencies. I’d say we oughta have some serious words with both those mares. Clearly, we can’t trust them to keep an eye on our foolish stallion.”

As all three relaxed a little, Dusk felt himself drifting off again. Shaking his head, he smiled up to both mares. “I’m sorry, I really am. I did not want to make you worry. Don’t take it out on them, please.”

The mares paused, looking into one another’s eyes, before giving a small nod. “Oh Dusk, you’re far too soft a target. I don’t care anymore, now that all the insanity is over, I’m just glad you are back and safe. Let’s leave it at that, okay?” Dusk gave a soft nod, and let himself slip off into sleep.

Gasping for breath, Trixie continued her headlong rush through the forest,snapping branches as she forced her way blindly between trees. Eventually she realized she was still sobbing, and forced herself to stop. "How far now? Is there any distance that might at last ensure some measure of freedom? Can't sense any hint of Dusk, or The Ursa... maybe Trixie is finally... alone?"

"Freedom"

Somewhere, something so infinitesimally small whispered to her. So tiny and weak, for a while she swore it was her imagination. She washed the dried on blood from her nose and chin with the slow-flowing water of a nearby stream.

"Freedom"

Trixie froze in place, water rushing through her clasped hands inches away from her parched lips. Jumping around, she pointed an accusing finger behind her, her voice unable to hide the quaking fear. "Trixie heard you that time! Come out, stalker, and reveal yourself to her!"

Silence prevailed for a time, and it began to dawn on Trixie that there was nopony around. Slowly, she took a few steps back into the depths of the stream, letting the chilly water soothe her aching calves.

"FREEDOM!!!"

The tiny voice whispered from an impossible distance away, but Trixie had a grip upon it now. For just a moment, she strained to follow that tiny whisper back to its source, yet as she felt her grip wane, she pulled back, focusing on the few details she could find. "You’re alone... somewhere impossible. The frozen north? Past the mountains and still farther. What do you want from Trixie?"

Silence followed, and for a while, Trixie began to second guess herself to question if she had imagined it all. Then, as soft as before, the voice returned.

"Freedom, and peace of mind."

“You’re really far too soft on him, sister. We’d have made him spend a few weeks in the mine if nothing else. Tartarus’ staff could use proof that even the Captain of the Royal Guard isn’t immune to the power of your command.”

Princess Celestia shook her head, stepping back from the open night sky, returning to the small chamber inside the towering outlook. While Luna followed her, Celestia poured the thin wispy black tea into two glasses, offering her sister a small shrug. “I know, I’m sorry sister. But for years now, Shining Armor has given everything I’ve ever asked of him, and never questioned me. I can’t be too rough on so young a stallion with such loyalty. Besides, you don’t know how much he hates public speeches, and even a simple ceremony like opening Ponyville’s new hospital will remind him of his place.”

Taking up the cup Celestia had poured for her, Luna sipped, and gave a quiet sigh. “Alright. And the interview? I understand why you want him to interview Gilda. But him? It’s been, what? Fifteen hundred years? Why now?”

Celestia drained her cup, and returned it to the platter on the table. “Because Armor needs to see, first hand, the real danger we are dealing with. That is the rest of Shining Armor’s punishment. For so many years, I’ve cared for the world without showing real danger to any of my people. Maybe if I let Armor see the demon we built Tartarus to contain, he will better understand why we need to handle things like the wolf with the greatest of care.”

Luna offered a shrug to her sister, putting her own cup down to join her sister’s. “And Dusk? I’ve been torn by every report Silk has given me. He did such a poor job of handling the whole Gilda situation. So many ponies were hurt because he took too soft a hand to deal with the situation. Yet that same soft hand is probably the only reason things with Trixie didn’t result in any deaths. I have other plans to test him again, but they all need time to set up.”

Celestia looked to the pile of paperwork upon her desk, slowly curling a lip up in a small smile. “There is one thing I might suggest. Two dragons, both younger adults, are moving dangerously close to our territory. It will still be some days, if not weeks, before we are sure they have chosen a new cave to settle in. But If I sent Cloudsdale to deal with the older dragon, it would make a good excuse to test the Elements of Harmony out on the younger. Might that provide worthwhile results?”

Luna winced, watching her sister closely now. “You have a point sister, but to risk the elements on a dragon? Are you sure they can handle something that old and powerful?”

Celestia gave a soft nod, grinning to her younger sister. “I think you underestimate them. I think they can do it, without using the elements at all.”

Author's Notes:

And with that, I bring Trixie's first appearance to an end. I hope you all like what I've done with the universe and with Trixie's place in the world.

A lot of these idea's are a HUGE part of why I started this series and were I plan to go with the story. I have to give Frankie a massive thank you, for helping me finalize parts of my ideas for Trixie and how to handle her powers.

Thank you to ShadowThunder for your great suggestions to help shape Trixie up into the fine tragic figure she has become.

And Thank you Flamerz, for being the helpful, silly, creative assistant!

See you all next time in Interlude 6: Captain of the Royal Guard

And as always, please try to avoid spoilers in the comments! Remember that you can use the spoiler tag.