https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a4aQazqNxdH4Ej2GfSd_h_3F5amHlGqDNzSiA8i1UnQ/edit?hl=en_US

“We’re moving.”

He flicked his mane as he said it.

“At this point I don’t care if you join us or leave us. You’ve proven your use.”

Iron Shod directed the words at Trixie. She didn’t reply, her only response being a small shrug. They shouldered their gear and began to walk along the river bank, putting the waterfall behind them. All of them but Twilight.

She was still crouched next to the body of Thick Skull, staring intently at the corpse. There was no emotion, just a growing coldness festering in her. The mare traced her hoof over the muzzle of Thick Skull; the blood staining her coat not bothering her in the slightest. He was still warm.

A flash of her horn, and the ground next to her started to shift. Pebbles were lifted from the ground and deposited feet away. Another load of earth, added to the pile. A pit started to form in the ravine floor; a grave.

Thick Skull was laid to rest. Twilight turned her attention to his blood brothers.

* * *

Contempt was all Trixie could feel as she watched the filly. She was so naive. This was not her realm. The ponies had stopped when they realized Twilight wasn’t following. In silence, they watched the unicorn pay her respect to the murdered stallions.

“We don’t have time for this.” Break grumbled.

Iron Shod gave him a harsh glare, and the pegasus backed down. Jutsu was utterly impassive, while the farmers shifted uncomfortably. Trixie was sitting on a rock some distance away, watching Twilight labor away with great interest.

The blue unicorn levitated a metal pamphlet from one of the many compartments in her suit. A small switch on the side was flicked, and the Personal Magic Assistant came to life. She browsed through numerous files until she came across what she was looking for.

A three-dimensional model rendered on the screen. The Armor of Boreas. She studied the file, then compared it to what Twilight was wearing. She was wearing the crown, but the rest of the armor was lashed to her back.

“Interesting.” she murmered.

“Hey, that looks like that armor Twilight has.”

Had Trixie not been in control of her abilities, Break’s neck would have been splayed open at the moment. Instead, she decided to remain impassive to the impudent pegasus. She turned off the PMA, sliding it back into one of the compartments.

“That some new, high-tech MoI gear?” he asked.

She snorted. “It could be.”

Having been hovering behind her, he decided to instead touch down beside her, sitting side by side on the rock. Trixie found the experience to be extremely unpleasant, but did nothing to betray her feelings.

“Don’t be coy. I used to work for the MoI as well; I know the signs of one who works for them.”

She took a deep breath, eyes closed. “Break, Male, Pegasus. Service Code 87793123S112. Surveillance, Remote Destruction. Received high marks from superiors for actions during Operation Thunderhead. Left active service for unknown reasons. Currently based out of Equestrian borderlands. Active mercenary. Status Green.”

Break’s jaw hung slack.

The mare continued “I know far more about you than you will ever know about me. I know what you’re trying to do. . No, I do not find you intriguing at all. And for the record, regarding your comments last night in the ravine, former agent Break: I am not as crazy in the sack as I am with my magic. So, may I wholeheartedly suggest that you fuck off.”

The pegasus walked back to the others, his tail between his legs. Iron Shod snickered and punched his leg.

Trixie turned her attention back to watching Twilight. In particular, her gaze was fixed on the black crown resting on her head. An impossibly black accessory that gave off a menacing aura just looking at it.

Determine if the armor and horn are a threat to her or the mission. Do not let her or the artifacts out of your sight. Ensure that either they are either returned or completely destroyed.

The voice echoed in Trixie’s head. She had been given a simple enough goal, but it was not easily achieved. Protect Twilight. Observe the effects of the two treasures. Her briefing had been vague. She had no idea what effects she was
supposed to be looking for.

A sigh escaped her lips as the mare finished burying the last of the bodies. Twilight simply stood still, observing her
handiwork. Trixie dismounted her rock and trotted over.

“Wash that blood off your hooves. It’ll give you a rash if you don’t.”

* * *

Dead leaves and pine needles crunched underneath as they rose in altitude towards the Sampan Pass. They had long since left the gorge, and were now back on their original southern heading towards the mountains. After making their way through the pass, they would head west along the base of the range until they reached Yearling Mountain. Coincidentally enough, Yearling City, their next rendezvous point, was nuzzled at the heel of said mountain.

Koi and Jutsu walked side by side, their conversations barely audible, even in the still of the forest. The others, out of respect to the two ponies, did not attempt to eavesdrop, instead content with talking amongst each other. Except for Trixie, who had taken her usual position, a few hundred yards away either far behind or way ahead. Her teleporting was disorientating.

The orange stallion craned his head down. “You said last night that you are a duelist. I’ve never heard of any mare that matches your description in all of Umala.”

She looked up at him with contemplative eyes. “My dueling career never took off until after I had left my homeland.”

He nodded, seeming to understand.

“What about you? You seem quite knowledgeable for a mere farmer.”

Koi recoiled from the question. “I... I haven’t always lived in the village.”

Jutsu, meeting his stare, didn’t pursue. She had her suspicions, but kept them to herself. She changed the subject. “It has been some time since I’ve talked to a native Umalian. I’ve heard the stories, but I want to know; how are things really?”

“Getting worse by the day.”

She shifted her gaze to the lush floor. It was not the answer she was hoping for. “I suppose my return won’t be the one I was hoping for, in that case.”

Koi was silent for a moment. “How long ago did you leave?”

She did not reply. It had been a long time, evidently. Her eyes were focused ahead, hooves pounding away at the soft mossy dirt. Ahead of them in the line, the other farmers, Pan, Rise and Mane, were murmuring amongst themselves.

“Twenty-two days.” Pan remarked.

“Hm?” Mane grunted.

“Twenty-two days to return to the village.”

“And if we don’t make it back before then?” asked Rise, her eyebrows raised inquisitively.

“It’s only a rough approximation. The harvest is going to be delayed as long as possible, but they can’t wait that long.”

“Well, we reached Canterlot well before schedule. I’m sure we can return in good time.” the green pony remarked.

Pan still had doubts in his mind. They had already been traveling through the borderlands for five days, and by Iron Shod’s reckoning they were about halfway between Equestria and Umala. They had crossed this distance in a week previously, although that had been a straight shot without detours. Still, the hue-less pony could only sigh as he considered the odds. The farmers had been lucky; too lucky, really. It was only a matter of time before there was a setback. Until that happened, though, all he could do is wait with bated breath.

Sensing his apprehension, Rise nuzzled against him. Pan let out a reluctant sigh. Feeling awkward, Mane pretended to ignore the two lovers and stared straight ahead into nothingness. Chuckling, Rise nudged Mane’s side.

“Hey, don’t act so serious. I’m sure there’s a filly out there for you.”

He snorted and muttered under his breath. “There already was, and now she’s gone.”

Not quite catching is words, the white mare furrowed her brow. “Huh?”

Mane didn’t answer, but continued to resolutely stare deep into the thinning forest. The ground was noticeably sloping and the trees were starting to fade into heartier coniferous varieties. Mosses and lichens were replaced with igneous rock
fragments and fine dirt. With a flurry of dust, Break took off into the air, getting a lay of the land.

A familiar buzz emitted from the ponies earpieces. The fighters looked instinctively looked skywards.

“Five or so clicks to the beginnings of the pass. Wouldn’t recommend trying to cross them before nightfall, though. Looks like the terrain is going to get a lot trickier from here on.”

Mid-afternoon sunshine warmed their backs. Iron Shod voiced back his agreement. He tasked Break with finding a
suitable camp site.

Loosely piled earth crumbled under her feet as Twilight walked southwest along the northern face of the Sampan mountains. The pass was some five kilometers away. Boreas’ ethereal voice interrupted her thoughts.

Trixie is getting closer.

Hm?

Coming down towards us from the mountain side. No idea how she got all the way up there.

Twilight looked up the imposing slope. Sure enough, hundreds of feet above, a blue pony was making her way down.

Teleporting, I would assume. She wants to talk to us?

I wouldn’t know. The look on her face suggests she does, though.

How can you see her face from here? I can barely even see her body, let alone her features.

Just another enchantment. Eagle eyes, you know?

That makes sense.

You feeling okay, after that skirmish back at the falls? You’ve been pretty glum for a while.

‘Skirmish?’ I think you mean slaughter.

Fine. That thing that happened at that place. You can’t go around with this stuff weighing on you all the time. It’s not healthy.

Let me wallow.

You’re only hurting yourself.

So what, I should just forgo all my morals?

That’s not what I was saying...

Should I have left those bodies out to be picked clean by buzzards?!

No.

Then what can I do BUT feel sorry for myself?

There was a slight pause as Boreas did not respond.

Endure.

Easy enough for you. You’re immortal; you have nothing to lose. I have but one life to spend, and I’d prefer not to live the rest of it regretting my decisions.

You’ll have to let go at some point.

Then all I can do is hold on until that moment arrives.

* * *

Trixie’s news was not good: There was a massive windstorm moving in from the south. They’d be fine on the northern
side of the mountains, but the pass would be a deathtrap until the storm moved out of the way. Break had made them aware of a suitable campsite about three clicks away. The uniform decision was to head there and plan the next course of action from then. The ponies resumed their journey, but this time Trixie did not disappear into the forest. Instead, she positioned herself at the six o’clock of the group, keeping to herself.

She’s staring at me.

At you?

Yeah. It’s creeping me out a bit.

You sure she’s looking at you and not at me? Or something up ahead?

I am one hundred percent certain she is looking directly at me.

Should I do something about it?

Break said she was a Ministry of Intelligence agent, right?

That’s what he guessed, at least.

In that case I think it would be a good idea for you to put me away.

Why?

Just do it.

...alright, if you insist.

We’ll talk later, when you’re alone, if you want.

As always.

She levitated the crown off of her head and placed it on her back with the rest of the armor. Out of curiosity, Twilight stole a glance backwards. Trixie was floating a metal pad in front of her face, engrossed with whatever the device was showing her.

If you want to talk, nothing is stopping you from coming back here.

The voice caught her surprise. It was in her head. It wasn’t Boreas’ voice, which would have been impossible regardless. For a moment she wondered if it had somehow been Ceros, but that didn’t make any sense either.

She blinked then refocused her vision. Trixie was looking straight at her. Her eyes rolled and she made a nodding motion. The voice was Trixie’s. Twilight realized. Unsure of what she was doing, Twilight slowed her pace until the others had passed her and she was side-by-side with the fellow unicorn.

“How did you--” she started.

Telepathy spell.

Okay, that was obvious. “I didn’t think that was possible.”

Of course not. Telepathy spells were banned by the Trotsmare Declaration some untold hundreds of years ago.

“So how are you using them, then?”

Ministry of Intelligence secrets, my girl.

The others were starting to stare back at Twilight, wondering why she was talking to a seemingly unresponsive Trixie.

Would you like me to teach you so that those other foals would stop giving you weird looks?

With that, Trixie floated her PMA in front of Twilight. On display was the details to a spell; the telepathy spell, she assumed. Twilight looked at it inquisitively.

Ah, yes, you’ve probably never seen one of these before. Prototype technology courtesy of the Ministry. Think of it as a portable library.

She reverted to a whisper so the others wouldn’t think she’s crazy. “Isn’t this sort of spell illegal? And why aren’t you talking to me normally?”

My dear little filly, you may not have noticed, but we are no longer in Equestria. The same rules don’t apply. And to answer that second one, because I like watching you be humiliated.

On a wry note, Twilight realized she must have been referring to the events back in Ponyville. This was her meager attempt at revenge. The situation was too absurd to think much of it, though. With a shrug, she levitated the PMA out of Trixie’s grasp and held it in front of her, pouring over the spell in minutes.

The concept was a tad more difficult to understand than the process, but eventually it clicked. To sum up: direct manipulation of the targets brain waves. She realized with some trepidation that this same method could be used to inflict serious damage. It was no wonder the spells had been banned.

You won’t hurt me, in case you’re wondering. I have safeguards in place for protection.

With a gulp, Twilight’s horn flashed as she reached out to Trixie in the ether.

Hello?

Well done. Consider that your first lesson.

Lesson?

I’m sent to protect you, so I figure it’ll do you some good to learn some magic techniques that could end up saving your life.

I am more than capable of defending myself.

A sharp pain coursed through her body, starting from her horn and ending at her tail. An electric sensation, burning in
such a way that it made her squeak, again drawing the attention of the others.

I could have overloaded your nervous system and caused catastrophic organ failure right then and there if I wanted to. And that would be merciful compared to the other thousands of ways I could kill you in the blink of an eye. You can hold your own against as many Earth ponies and pegasi a fight may throw at you, but I can guarantee any unicorn worth their horn would toss you aside like a rag-doll. Believe me when I say, filly, that you need some lessons in Battle Magic 101.

* * *

Mane was watching to two mares with great intent. They had been utterly silent for the past hour, even since reaching the campsite. Rather than set up shelters, the two sat on a rock together, staring at nothing in particular. Every so often, one of their horns would spark with life. It was utterly bewildering to the stallion.

“Telepathy.”

He raised his head to the speaker, Iron Shod.

“Huh?”

“They’re speaking inside their heads with magic. I suppose you Umalians wouldn’t know about that, though, being entirely earth ponies.”

He turned back to look at the two unicorns. So they’re not crazy. With a internal smile, he noted that he had a perfect opportunity to charm the lavender mare while she was otherwise occupied. Her saddlebags were deposited against a boulder a few feet away...

* * *

Telepathy, safeguards, barriers and command magic. A good starting point.

So we’re done?

Recap, my dear. Try and sum up those four subjects as best you can.

Telepathy is direct mental communication. Command magic is a subfield of that, in which you communicate directions to allies, often assisted by a unicorn relay team. Telepathy can be used in an offensive context, often by taking control of a body or other forms of mental trickery.

Sounds about right. And what about safeguards and barriers?

Safeguards are enchantments used to protect against magic directed at the enchanted. The most common variety would be telepathic blocks to prevent mind control. The efficiency of the safeguard is dependant on the design of the spell and the amount of energy put into it. A unicorn that knows the design of the spell can exploit any weaknesses to shatter it. Alternatively, a sufficient application of energy will break any safeguard, but that is not a recommended method.

Good, good. Barriers?

Fields of energy arranged in such a way to deflect any physical attack. The size and strength of the barrier depends on the ability of the caster. They are difficult to maintain over time, but are practically indestructible so long as the barrier is maintained.

You know, that Thick Skull fellow back at the falls had one of the strongest barriers I’ve ever seen.

Don’t remind me.

Hmph. Well, for what it’s worth, he provided a good example of how to properly use a barrier in a combat scenario. Anyways, you’ve already demonstrated exemplary ability at telepathy, so give me a demonstration of a safeguard. Devise a guard that will prevent me from reading your thoughts, and I’ll see if I can break it.

Some time later, Twilight informed Trixie that she had done so.

“Obviously, I won’t be able to telepathically communicate with you unless you design the safeguard to allow certain ponies to do so. I wouldn’t recommend this, though, as it has a tendency to create faults in the spell weave. Anyways, I want you to think of any random thing, and I shall attempt to break your safeguard and read what that is.”

Twilight thought about the dying tree about fifty yards down the slope. Trixie closed her eyes in concentration.

With Trixie lapsing into silence, Twilight let her thoughts wander. She took a glance behind her. What she saw made a rock form in her gut: Mane was setting up her tent. There was an odd popping sensation in her skull as Trixie resumed her telepathy.

Well, for a beginner that was a pretty good safegua-- oh my, you really hate Mane, don’t you.

You weren’t supposed to read that.

Perhaps you should have been thinking about something else, then. Anyways, those Umalians are a funny bunch, aren’t they. Setting up tents for others without asking. I mean, it’s almost as if he likes you.

Uh...

Oh. Well, no matter. He won’t be successful in wooing you. I can and will personally guarantee that.

Trixie.

Right. I think that is good for now, as the sun has almost set. I’ll be testing you on this later.

Testing me?

On all the things I have taught you. Better be able to learn on your feet. Now, was there anything you wanted to talk about before we part ways?

Yes. Why are you here?

To protect you.

That isn’t all of it.

Think what you will. That’s all I’m going to tell you.

Fine. Well, what about Ponyville? What would a Ministry of Intelligence agent be doing showing a common carnival show in a backwoods town? That’s been bothering me ever since you showed up a few days ago.

An evaluation, dear Twilight.

Evaluation? Of what?

Of you.

…?

Certain leaders of the Ministry of Intelligence wanted a gauge of how your magic abilities were progressing. I was sent to... ah... incite you into showing off.

So that Ursa Minor was meant to pop up?

No. But it worked out in the end, and I got the information I needed. I could have taken care of it myself had it been necessary, but you seemed more than capable of handling it.

And yet you ran from danger.

I call it a stylish get-away. We’re done here, and I believe you need to go say thank you to Mane.

Trixie withdrew from the mental link. Fully alone with their thoughts once again, the two stared at each other wordlessly. The blue unicorn winked, and Twilight flattened her ears.Trixie plodded over to the others.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie shall be on her own for the night out of preference. Fear not, I am only temporarily leaving.”

The ponies were once again bewildered by the unicorn as she teleported and winked out of sight.

“I’m pretty sure she’s just been fuckin’ with us the entire time.” Break remarked, capturing all their thoughts perfectly.

The sun was starting to dip below the horizon. There would be no fire this night. Offering nothing other than a courteous nod to Mane, Twilight entered her shelter and pulled out one of her books.

Search and Destroy: Modern Warfare Strategy and Tactics by General Stoneshoe

It was starting to come together. The flow of battle. Unicorns would relay the orders to the rest of the soldiers, who would then execute with precision. The edge went to the force who had better communication; armaments and skill meant nothing if the enemy was able to coordinate a surround with frightening efficiency.

The next deciding factor was the magic. A single broken safeguard could potentially doom a fighting force. The unicorns were tasked with maintaining protection and harassing the enemy with offensive spells, as well as receiving and sending out instructions. Well disciplined unicorns could dominate a battle as easily as poorly trained ones would be slaughtered.

That was, of course, assuming the battle was a head-on clash. Warfare as of late had become swift and vicious. Large battlefields were unheard of, most conflicts resorting to minor skirmishes scattered across a region. Cunning and surprise had taken the crown from skill and armaments. General Stoneshoe described it as “exceedingly swift guerrilla tactics in an ever changing field.”

As Twilight flipped through her intel folder, that certainly seemed the case. Advanced explosives, such as the ones Break had strapped under his harness wings, were a relatively new development. Firearms, as lethal as they could be, were held back in development because only unicorns were capable of practically using them via their telekinesis, and even then there were better ways to use their magic. The variants that the Umalians possessed, the breech loaders, had the
advantage of being usable by all varieties of ponies, but they were ultimately unwieldy.

She skimmed through the various weapon readouts contained in the thick volume. Hoof-to-hoof weapons were still, by and large, the preferred arsenal by Umalians and Equestrians alike. Twilight hypothesized that it likely had to do with the current impracticality of firearms; they’d certainly come into vogue eventually.

Voices outside of the tent interrupted her thoughts. She poked a head out, and saw that Break, Iron Shod, Jutsu and Koi were sitting beside an electric lamp. The unicorn shuffled out to join their circle, silently listening in on the conversation.

“...I don’t want to be stuck here any longer than necessary. If that storm doesn’t clear out by noon tomorrow, were moving regardless of conditions.”

As Iron Shod said this, he nodded at Twilight, acknowledging her presence.

Break chimed in. “Gonna have to agree with you. The longer we wait here, the less time we have to get to the village.”

Koi shook his head. “It’s too risky. Treacherous terrain combined with strong winds? That’s asking for it.”

Jutsu nodded in agreement. The two stallions didn’t argue. Iron Shod turned to Break.

“Is there any other route to Yearling City?”

“If you want to spend the next three days hiking west around the mountains, then yes.”

Twilight closed her eyes and the conversation faded from her ears. She had nothing to contribute, nor any solutions to their predicament. Instead, she mentally reviewed what Trixie had taught her.

Safeguards. It would be wise to place on herself some while she was unoccupied. Which ones would she need? Telepathy blocking? Some sort of automatic barrier? She thought back to her practice earlier that evening; Trixie had said that her telepathy block wasn’t quite good enough. She had cracked it with little effort.

Recalling the spell, Twilight began to reform it. Minor tweaks here and there were made to the product until Twilight was satisfied with what she was visualizing in her head. With a spark of her horn, the safeguard went into place. There was no way to test it without another unicorn, unfortunately.

Automatic barriers. The idea was simple, but she had no idea what the spell would be like. Erect a shield whenever a projectile was moving at her within a certain range? She shook her head. It would be extremely difficult to maintain, not to mention the sheer exhaustion it could cause. This was a matter she would have to discuss with Trixie given the chance. Until then, she had to make do with knowing that her thoughts were her own.

“Well, let’s just try to see if we can make it tomorrow. If it’s too risky, we’ll turn back.”

* * *

Celestia’s sun was angled just perfectly so that it shined through a gap in the shelter’s lining and illuminated Twilight’s face. With a groan, she stirred and turned over. The dawn still held the world in its dark grasp. Taking a peek outside, Twilight noted that none of the others were up. Daintily, she stepped out into the brisk morning air.

“I see you’ve made a new safeguard.”

Twilight whipped around to her left, facing the voice. Trixie was sitting on a rock, as usual, watching the sun. She sat down next to her, keeping a respectable distance..

“I’m assuming you tried to crack it?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, and to little success.”

“So it worked?”

“It worked brilliantly.” Trixie said, beaming. “Not as if I would expect anything less from a unicorn as talented as you.”

Twilight found her cheeks reddening. “Oh. Thanks, I guess.”

For a moment, the two silently watched the fiery orb climb into the sky. It was both awkward and oddly relaxing. With a cough, Twilight continued.

“You work for the Ministry of Intelligence.”

“Maybe.” Trixie responded, playfully raising an eyebrow.

“What do you do for them?” Twilight asked.

“Wetworks.” she answered in monotone.

The filly raised an eyebrow, unfamiliar with the euphemism. “Wetworks?”

Trixie gave her a complacent look.

“I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

The blue unicorn sighed. “I’m really good at killing things.”

Twilight recoiled away for a few seconds. “So you’re saying that you’re--”

Trixie cut her off “--an assassin. Yes. Amongst other things. Cloak and dagger type operations. A bit of surveillance here and there. Understand?”

With a gulp, the lavender mare realized that Trixie was probably one of the many agents that acted directly under Princess Celestia’s command. She didn’t know whether to feel relieved that the Princess had taken the precaution of sending one of her best agents to assist her or to be terrified because the pony was a psychotic killer.

Suddenly, Trixie shifted the subject. “Anywhooo... you want Trixie to teach you a bit more magic before the others wake up?”

* * *

The pass was windy. Very, very windy. The Sampan Pass was just a massive gash through the width of the mountain range; massive cliffs soared on both sides of the ponies as they started their plunge into the rocky hills of the pass.

Thank you, Rarity, for your quality work. Twilight thought as she wrapped the coat tighter around herself. The hem of the garment was wildly flapping in the breeze, like her mane and tail. The others were not faring as well. With no insulation other than the skin on their flanks, the unclothed ponies staggered their way through the five kilometer natural highway. The mid-morning sun did little to warm them, as it was quickly being covered by an overcast sky.

Dust was rolling through the gorge at frightening speeds. In the distance, one could hear trees snapping as the storm bowled through them. At the very least, it wasn’t raining. Still, the gale was powerful enough that they were forced to lean into the wind at an unnaturally low angle. Breathing was difficult in the extreme conditions.

“WE NEED TO TURN BACK.” Break screamed out to Iron Shod. “I CAN’T SEE WITH THIS FUCKING DIRT IN MY EYES.”

Iron Shod, with his weight, rooted himself to the ground as he looked to his companions behind him. They all looked equally miserable in the biting wind. Even Jutsu, who had been stoic ever since first meeting her those many days ago, was wearing a haggard expression. They could barely force their limbs forward against the storm.

In silent agreement, the grey pony nodded and gestured back to the north they came from. They beat a hasty retreat to the safety of the north, having made it less than a quarter of the way through the pass. For now, waiting was the only option.

* * *

Trixie was perched on a rock, as usual. They had returned to the campsite from the night before, only to find a unicorn with the most self-satisfied grin they had ever seen.

“Not strong enough for the storm?” she taunted.

They all gave her dirty looks.

“Perhaps you will be pleased to learn that Trixie has found a suitable alternative to braving the pass.”

Iron Shod, not missing a beat, trotted up to her. “Tell us.”

Whispering, Trixie leaned in close to Iron Shod’s head. “You wait.”

The stallion snorted as the unicorn continued. “Bad timing on your part. This time of year is famous in this region for the windstorms. Cold air moving up from the Umalian sea towards the mountains. Quite foalish of you to even consider attempting to cross the pass in these conditions.”

The grey pony turned to the others. With a grunt, he repeated Trixie’s information. They’d be stuck here for another
day or two.

* * *

“Umala? No, never been there before. I mean, obviously it’s sitting just to the south, but there’s no reason to go, you know? Nothing there worth risking trying to cross the border for. Ain’t nothing there but jack shit.”

* * *

“The clans? Hell, I don’t know much. There was some Jade Lotus fella, and some Red Dragon fella, and they were some leaders during the peasant rebellion, what, two hundred years ago? After the take-over, those two were the most powerful ponies following the power vacuum. Their descendants been quarreling ever since then. Last I heard, the two had agreed to an armistice. Don’t know how long that will last.”

* * *

“Why we’re told not to trust Equestrians? Because you’re the ones that caused the whole mess. But we’re just farmers; as long as we have our crops, there’s nothing to complain about.”

* * *

I really don’t know much about the subject. Celestia has never made a habit of confessing her mistakes to me. The
only knowledge of Umala I could impart you with would be inconsequential history of the region from centuries ago. Sorry I can’t tell you anything.

Well, it was worth asking.

Happy to be of assistance; though, if I may ask, why do you ask?

I just want to know more about what I’m getting into.

Fair enough, but be careful. Don’t get to attached to it.

Get attached to it? What do you mean by ‘it’?

To the idea of saving the village.

You think we could fail?

No. Poor choice of words on my part. Just... you may find it easier to detach yourself from the situation.

So I should just give up?

I... nevermind. Forget what I said. Don’t lose yourself is all I’m saying. By the end of this, things will be different.

What ‘things’ will be different?

Everything.

* * *

Her tent set up once again, Twilight rubbed her eyes inside the shelter. Through her conversations with her
companions, she was trying to piece together a rough picture of what exactly Umala was.

Various papers from the intel folder were spread out before her. The image that was forming wasn’t pleasant. Impoverished, dangerous and repressive were all good words to describe the flailing nation. She looked at a map that detailed the current borders between the Red Dragon and Jade Lotus. The two were evenly matched in the amount of territory they controlled. No side seemed to hold any decisive geographic advantages; fertile agriculture lands, resource wealthy mines and access to international waters were possessed by both of the clans. That they had been struggling for so long didn’t surprise Twilight.

“Hi.”

Trixie’s voice startled her for the second time that day. She turned to face behind her. The blue pony had teleported inside, again using her strange method that seemed to neglect emitting sound or light.

“Uh... you need something? Or are you just trying to creep me out?”

“I saw you were trying to get a head around the situation. Want me to fill you in a bit?”

Part of Twilight wanted to ask how she had been watching her, but she didn’t voice that thought. Instead, the mare shrugged, accepting Trixie’s offer.

“Now...” Trixie sat down on the tent floor, close to Twilight. Too close, really. Twilight fought the urge to scoot away to the left a few inches. Given the unicorns strange way of reacting to everything, she decided it was best to be as inoffensive as possible.

“Two hundred years ago, you have the peasant uprising. All is going well, the emperor gets forced out of the country. Said emperor decides to go around asking his allies to help him out. Equestria, being both the closest and the most powerful, is naturally the first to be asked. I’m pretty sure you know all this.”

Twilight nodded.

“Okay, well then, skipping ahead a bit. Following the assassinations of numerous rebel leaders, there are only two left with any semblance of real power: Red Dragon and Jade Lotus. Initially, they’re good pals, and they know that working together is going to be mutually beneficial. At least, for the time being. Since we Equestrians had failed in completely cutting off the head of the rebellion, those two were able to successfully demonize our country. It proved a great rallying cry, and Umala was well onto its way to recovery.

“But, as these things go, both Red Dragon and Jade Lotus had been planning on eliminating the other at the opportune moment for the sake of power. The two, while perhaps insane, were not foolish. They knew that if they killed each other, Umala would fall into chaos. So they did what they considered to be the logical decision: divide the country in half, one side held by Red Dragon and the other by Jade Lotus. Both of the clans considered themselves ultimately Umalian, but from that time since it has essentially been a civil war between the two in the effort to decide who has the real power. The agriculturalists, like those farmers sitting outside, are pretty much always either too stupid or simply don’t care enough to understand what is happening in their own nation. As such, the war has been waged pretty much exclusively by clans ponies and mercenaries since the beginning.”

Trixie finished her impromptu lecture. Twilight sat in silence, staring intently at the map.

“So the only reason I’m on this trip is because the Jade Lotus clan cares more about conquering the Red Dragon clan than it does protecting its subjects? They’d rather go out killing mercenaries than put a halt to banditry?”

“Yep.”

Her face was utterly non-expressive. The ultimate solution to all of this was quite simple, but impossible without massive outside intervention. It would stop once when of the clans was victorious. Maybe.

Trixie cocked her head to look at Twilight. “And if I may add one more thing...”

“What?”

“Think fast.”

A sizable stone was suddenly flying towards Twilight at frightening speed. In panic, she buried her head in her forelegs. Inches away from impact, the stone stopped then harmlessly fell to the ground.

Trixie leaned in close to the cowering filly’s ear. “Always expect danger. Always have that barrier spell ready to cast in an instant. That was your first test, and you failed.”

The blue unicorn disappeared into thin air, teleporting to an unseen destination; A will-o-the-wisp with a talent for inscrutability.

* * *

What do you think?

About Trixie?

Yes.

She creeps me out. There’s definitely more to why she’s here that she isn’t telling us.

Any idea what these secrets may be?

It... it may have to do with me.

Elaborate.

Well, the horn and I weren’t sent to you by Celestia.

So...

So if Trixie is one of Celestia’s goons, then maybe she’s here to make sure that the Princess’ treasures are returned safely? I’m not sure. But given the fact that she’s been staring at the crown pretty much any time she can, it wouldn’t surprise me.

That sounds reasonable. Do you think I should confront her about it?

No. At least, not yet. See if there’s anything else you can find out about her tomorrow.

The mare stretched out on her sleeping mat. A throbbing soreness throughout her body reminded her that rest was essential. Her mind blanked as the days new-found knowledge assimilated into the more secretive portions of her consciousness.

Boreas?

Yes?

How do you deal with fear?

Are you thinking about the battles ahead?

I’m thinking of what they will require. I know Iron Shod has been trying to push me in the necessary direction, but I don’t think I will do what is needed when the time comes.

You’re not ready to kill?

I don’t believe I’ll ever be.

I’ll be here when you need me. Even in the thick of battle, I’ll be watching over you. You’ll be fine, trust me.

I’m not sure I want to do fine. Doing fine would mean doing exactly what I’ve been having nightmares about.

You have a strong will for a filly as young as yourself. It will take more than a bit of blood to bring you down. Get some rest, Twilight; these thoughts are going to eat you alive.

The crown was surrounded by a purple glow as the unicorn deposited the exquisite headpiece by the rest of the suit.
Taking Boreas’ advice to heart, Twilight shut her eyes, keeping her mind focused on the present rather than the future.

* * *

Trixie teleported into the tent without a sound. She could feel the warmth emanating from Twilight a few feet away; the sleeping filly was completely unaware of the intruder. Casting a quick spell, Trixie’s eyes began to glow with unearthly light as they adjusted to see in the dark interior.

Sitting in the corner, she saw her prize. With practiced ease, she silently stalked over to the armor and horn, and then crouched down next to then. The unicorn began to probe Boreas’ home.

Carbon tubes, hm? Pretty advanced considering how old this thing is.

She turned her attention to the crown.

Adjustment enchantments, vision enchantments, hearing enchantments, telepathy enchantments, telepathy
safeguard... Interesting. You would only need these if somepony cast a--

If Trixie was shocked, she displayed no exterior sign of that.

...cast a soul transfer.

She put the crown on, not entirely sure what to expect.

Boreas, I presume?

No response.

Well, if you’re in there, do you mind telling me what you intend to do with our dear friend Twilight Sparkle?

The crown remained silent for a few moments, until a bass heavy voice ripped through her cranium.

Well met, Trixie.

A bit theatrical, are we?

Hmph. Perhaps just a bit. What do you want?

Answer my question first.

I'm providing assistance.

Indeed. That’s it? No hidden schemes? Not trying to exploit her for your own benefit?

You shouldn’t be the one asking that.

The way I see it, a legendary royal alicorn directly linked up with her brain is far more dangerous then an obsessive compulsive assassin like me.

Would you prefer it if Twilight didn’t have anyone to talk to?

What, does she confide her secrets to you? Her crushes? Her childhood memories?

She’s in a stressful situation and needs a pony that she can vent on. It’s as simple as that.

I’m sure it is.

I detect no sarcasm. Are you giving up?

Yes.

From what I’ve seen, that doesn’t seem like you.

From what I know about the history of the alicorn Royal Family, even trapped in a suit of armor you still possess more than enough telepathic power to shatter all of my safeguards and liquefy my eyeballs. I’d rather not tempt fate before my job is done.

You are wise beyond your years.

Perhaps. Just know this, Boreas: If I get so much of an inkling that something foul is afoot, I will personally pull apart this ugly suit of armor atom by atom, and you with it.

I’d like to see you try.

Removing the crown, Trixie laid it back exactly as she had found it. No trace of her ever being there. As she had a
habit of doing, the blue mare teleported into the surrounding wilderness, resuming her nightly solitude.