Trixie smiled as the young crystal colts and fillies watched in fascination as her magic played out the adventure when Snips and Snails brought the Ursa minor to Ponyville after hearing her tail how she defeated one before Twilight Sparkle was able to put it to sleep and return it to the den. When the story finished, she dispelled the illusions and the young ones clapped as she took a bow. She knew there were some adult stallions and mares that didn’t like her being there, but for the most part Trixie had decided to travel to the Crystal Empire to do the one thing she excelled at, preforming.

“Thank you, thank you.” She smiled, for it was these moments that kept her traveling and seeking out new stories. “The Great and Powerful Trixie needs to disappear for a few minutes, but Trixie promises to be back soon.” She told them and received a chorus of disappointed groans. She had made it to the Crystal Empire well before it was evacuated and the guards had been told not to let anypony leave so she had been trapped with the crystal ponies. By the third day, she could tell the everypony were getting restless and a lot of the young ones were getting sacred. After finding an empty spot, she motioned to a filly to come over to watch her magic and before long, all the young ones were anticipating story time with Trixie. Using her magic, she created a cloud of smoke that she used to cover her escape.

Finishing her business, Trixie headed for the meager food line and since nopony knew how long they’d be attacked for, the rations were tight. Taking her ration, she started to wander in place for somewhere to sit.

“Ready for another guard shift?” A crystal guard asked his partner as they walked by.

“Yeah right. It’s even more boring than protecting these ponies.” The second one replied. “I swear, if Nightshade wasn’t in command, I’d-”
“You’d what?” First guard asked. “You know full well Decent would be in charge stuffing you in a body bag for questioning orders.” He finished and the second guard fell silent while Trixie watched the exchange quietly.

After handing her rations to a random colt, she casted an illusion spell on herself and followed after the two guards until they came to a random place and stopped. One of the guards traced a symbol on the wall before it slid open revealing a secret passageway. She managed to get through in time before the rock wall slid back into place.

There was a short winding path before it opened into a cavern that held the crystal heart and Trixie had to stifle a gasp as she saw the crystal heart. Nearly having a heart attack when the two guards turned, she stuck to the shadows until she remembered that she didn’t have to worry about being seen. Peeking out cautiously, she studied the crystal heart and all its beauty but the more she looked at it, the more convinced she became that something was wrong. Walking softly, she slunk around the guards and made her way behind the crystal heart and noticed that there was a very convincing illusion spell on it.

“You can drop the spell beautiful.” The guard said as two hooves found their way onto her shoulders from behind while Trixie’s eyes shot open and she looked to where the guards should have been, only to see they were now behind her. With little choice, she dropped the illusion spell.

“Perfect. I was hoping you’d follow.” The first guard said as he looked at Trixie’s cape and hat for the lack of anything else to look at.

“Trixie demands to know why there is an illusion spell around the crystal heart.” Trixie said looking between the two.

“Because it’s fake.” The second guard replied bluntly. “The real one is still sitting in the Crystal Empire.”

“But there’s a battle taking place.”

“Exactly.” First Guard confirmed. “If that gets destroyed, then it’s all over for them.”

“Why tell Trixie this?”

“There is a way to save the two princesses.”

Trixie blinked and was sure the guard miscalculated. “Um… Trixie knows only one princess here.”

“That’s because Princess Twilight showed up last night.”

“Twilight… Sparkle… is here?” Trixie asked, unsure how she was feeling at that moment about the news. “Trixie owes her life to Twilight. I need to help her.”

“Except you aren’t getting out of here.” Guard two told her. “If you run, you’ll find yourself at a dead end until the shift changes and all we need to do is shout that you’ve been trying to steal the crystal heart for yourself.”

Trixie sat on the floor. Sure she might have the young ones on her side, but there would be no way the adults would let her go that easily. “How can Trixie help?”

“Take the powers of the crystal heart right in front of you.” First guard answered. “It’ll give you enough power to help your princess so long as you do it before the shift changes.”

“How long does Trixie have?” She weighted the choices. After the alicorn amulet, she swore off of using any magical artifacts and instead rely on her own unique magic to make her way through the world but at the same time, she knew she wouldn’t be able to help Twilight Sparkle at all stuck in the cave and by the time the shift change, it could be too late.

“You have a little over a day.” First guard told her.

“And it won’t brainwash Trixie will it?”

“It won’t. We promise.”

Trixie looked at the crystal heart, then to the guards. “One more thing Trixie doesn’t understand. Why are you giving her this option? Why not take this for yourself?”

“Because we want to do more than guard, but we don’t have the abilities like yours.”

Trixie stood up and stepped towards the fake crystal heart. “Here goes nothing.” She then touched it before power flooded though her. The cave instantly went dark as the light diminished before it crystalized Trixie. As the crystal shattered, she was covered in crystal armor, including her hat and cape while her horn was extended. With a flash of white light, Trixie was gone before the guards looked at each other and laughed.

“Are you planning to stare me to death or are we actually going to do something?” White Rose asked, a tad on the cocky side.

Soarin stared up at White Rose, who matched his stare. “No. I’m just trying to figure out the best way to take you down.” Soarin replied confidently before nudging Silver Lining with a wing. “Gather your squad. Back to back air combat because I don’t want to lose anypony today.”

“Yes sir!” Silver Lining saluted before flying off to meet up with the other Wonderbolts.

“Fleetfoot, let’s give her hell.”

“Aye, Soarin!” Fleetfoot said excitedly as she shot straight for White Rose with Soarin half a second behind her.

White Rose watched the two heading towards her before arching her back so Fleetfoot shot over her by inches and as Fleetfoot kept going straight, White Rose grabbed Fleetfoot’s rear hooves going along for the ride.

A Shadowbolt tackled Soarin making the two fight in mid-air instead of Soarin kicking White Rose’s flank. “Are you prepared to die?” The Shadowbolt asked.

“Not happening today.” Soarin replied punching the shadow mare before taking an uppercut that knocked his goggles off. As he reached for them, he managed to grab the goggles as the Shadowbolt grabbed his tail and started to drag him down. With flying going nowhere for him, he pulled his rear hoof back and bucked down managing to hit the wing joint on the fourth try causing the Shadowbolt to release his tail.
Circling around the Shadowbolt, Soarin swiped his hoof down catching the Shadowbolt’s goggle and managed to push them down around the Shadowbolt’s neck before spinning into a spiral with his wing catching the hidden seam with the wind pushing the mask up and over the Shadowbolt’s head. “Violet?” He asked and jerked his hoof away from upper cutting her.

Violet Dawn looked down before pushing the mask the rest of the way down revealing her amethyst coat before shaking her dull gold mane out. “Yes, Soarin, it’s me.”

“You really are a Shadowbolt?” Soarin asked, praying that it wasn’t true as the memory of the dead doctor found its way into his mind.
“Even myths have some degree of truth in them. Everything I told you is true.”

Soarin hovered in mid-air, reflecting on the conversations they had and discovered she had been right on one thing, he didn’t want to fight her. “What… what if you joined us?” He asked, thinking maybe he could find a peaceful way to settle this.

Violet Dawn shook her head sadly. “Being a Shadowbolt is my destiny. I was born into them and I’ll live by the code until the day I die.” As they were still close, she pulled her hoof back and let it fly before stopping it an inch from his face and rested it on his cheek instead. “Could you abandon your Wonderbolt family if I asked you to join us?”

Soarin tried hard not to flinch but couldn’t help it and subconsciously leaned into the touch as he thought about her question. “No, no I couldn’t.”

“Then you have my answer.” Violet Dawn muttered sadly, before smacking him hard across the cheek sending him reeling away from her a few times. “I’m sorry Soarin, I really wish we didn’t have to fight. Not after the wonderful times I spent with you.” She told him regretfully as she slid the mask over her face covering her sad eyes with the yellow tinted goggles right after. “Fight me for real, or you’ll die.”

Soarin rubbed his cheek where Violet Dawn’s hoof had struck him and sighed before slowly putting his goggles back on and adjusted them as he got into a defensive stance. “I don’t want to fight you, Violet.”

“Then you’ll meet your destiny!” Violet Dawn snarled as she shot towards him.

Author's Notes:

I don't own My Little Pony, Hasbro does.

The OC's and Shadowbolts OC's are mine though. With exception of Nightshade and Descent.
Except for Fainthoof. He belongs to Damien, a good friend of mine.

Also, the awesome artwork goes to Jesuka Jester (http://www.furaffinity.net/user/jesuka/)