The magical barrier that lay over Ponyville was impenetrable, as those within had found to their dismay. Trixie, the bearer of the Alicorn Amulet, was in total control of the town, and with no Twilight Sparkle in sight to thwart her plans, she was on top of the world right now. Ponies obeyed her every whim, she was getting everything she wanted and she had power to back it all up. Yes, things were all coming up Trixie right now, and so a triumphant smirk was more than due for the mare at the moment, complete with evil laugh. Snips and Snails, who were currently carrying her around, stressed and strained under the constant effort of it, but luckily for the two of them, they were given a reprieve from their duties when, all of a sudden, they found someone blocking their path. Naturally, this unexpected stop irked Ponyville's latest dictator to no end.

"Who dares to halt the great and powerful Trix...oh, it's you."

Yes, it was indeed Kevin, who was impatiently tapping his foot against the ground as he looked to his current evil overlord.

"Sorry to interrupt your oh-so-important lounging, Trixie, but there's a couple of things we need to talk about."

Trixie rolled her eyes.

"Ugh! Are the peasants complaining about not being given breaks again?"

Kevin shook his head.

"No, I wanted to talk about Twilight's friends."

Trixie frowned at him.

"Do not mention that mare's name in Trixie's presence!"

Her assistant didn't budge.

"Sorry, but I'm gonna. Because from where I'm standing, not only have you allowed your 'mortal enemy' to leave this place alive, but you still have her friends to deal with!"

Trixie waved him off.

"Pfft! The others are no threat to Trixie. And as for Twilight? That fool cannot enter Ponyville again! My barrier made sure of that!"

Kevin pointed to the barrier in question.

"Sure, she may not be able to get back in, but she's still out there! And out there, she can probably do a great deal to stop you!"

Trixie looked to him like that was the most ridiculous thing anybody had ever said to her.

"Ha! You really are a funny one, Kevin. Trixie did well to hire you."

Then, she frowned.

"But you give Sparkle too much credit. A single unicorn, no matter how talented she is..."

She grimaced at the thought of having called Twilight "talented", then got back to it.

"...can do nothing out there!"

Folding his arms, Kevin raised an eyebrow.

"A single unicorn? Maybe not. But have you forgotten the teensy-weensy little detail that she, oh, I dunno..."

His eyes widened as he finally led into his expected bellowing.

"...IS THE PERSONAL STUDENT OF ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL PONIES IN THE WORLD?!?! OR THAT SHE'S THE LITTLE SISTER OF ONE OF THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE?!?! OR THAT SHE HAS A BUNCH OF OTHER FRIENDS AND ALLIES SHE CAN CALL ON TO HELP HER FIGHT YOU?!?!"

Trixie blinked, opening her mouth to reply, only to be struck with the realisation that, sadly, her assistant had a point.

"Oh...yes...she can probably go and get help, can't she?"

Kevin slapped his forehead.

"Yeah, and a good deal of help too! I wouldn't be surprised if she has an entire army being recruited right now!"

Trixie pondered that, looking genuinely worried. But then her eyes flashed red briefly, and she looked down to the amulet still adorning her neck, and smirked.

"Ha! You worry too much, Kevin!"

Kevin glared at her angrily.

"No! I worry exactly the right amount!"

The unicorn ignored him as she continued.

"You forget that Trixie is, for the first time in her life, truly great and powerful! With the Alicorn Amulet, there is none who can stop her!"

The nearby human groaned.

"Uuuuuuuuugh! At most, that thing gives you the power of one alicorn, and need I remind you that Twilight has three alicorn friends she can call on out there! And don't forget the friends she has still here in Ponyville!"

Another frown from Trixie.

"Again with Twilight's friends? What can they do to Trixie?"

Kevin pointed straight to Ponyville.

"This place is basically an occupied territory right now, and I can guarantee you that some kind of resistance or plot is underway to get rid of you. You lounge there, lording over all the ponies, and you're completely ignoring the possibility that they'll be working against you!"

He looked back to her, utterly dismayed.

"I mean, what did you think would happen here?! That you'd march in, take over, exile one of its most beloved residents, and then they'd just accept it without trying something?"

Trixie paused for a moment.

"...Yes?"

Another flash of red, followed by a cackle.

"No matter their plans, I'll simply crush them! Just as I defeated Twilight, so too will I defeat her friends! And then their friends! And all the ponies who come after! No matter what they throw at Trixie, Trixie will win! Because Trixie is great! Trixie is powerful! Trixie...is Queen! Muahahahahahaha!"

Her assistant exhaled deeply.

"You're not even paying attention to me anymore, are you? You're just so puffed-up with evil magical whatever that I could just say anything right now and you'd ignore it."

Conjuring a hoof-file, Trixie began filing her hoof, speaking in a nonchalant way to him.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure whatever you just said was all very nice, human."

As any would in a scenario like this, Kevin just stared at his employer, then raised his hands and started rubbing his temples, a motion he'd probably done to himself many times before

"You know...they always say at the Agency...'don't work for the crazy ones'. Sure, the pay is good, and yeah you might get a laugh or two out of the absurdity of it all, but the ludicrousness of it all will just give you a headache."

He looked up to the sky.

"But did I listen? Nooooooooooo! I had to be the 'go-getter', the one who'd do what other assistants wouldn't!"

He slumped his shoulders and sighed.

"Trixie, if you're just gonna become more and more unhinged from all this dark magical corruption and stuff, I'd like to turn in my notice while I still can."

But Trixie was thoroughly uninterested by this point, and so simply looked away.

"Hmph! Fine! I'll send you out the same way I sent out those annoying critters earlier!"

Kevin blinked to that, turning to look over at the edge of the magical barrier, putting all the puzzle pieces together in his mind, before looking right back to Trixie.

"...Oh yeah, you're definitely not gonna last."

Next Chapter: If Sunset Shimmer had an assistant Estimated time remaining: 19 Minutes