Carsapone Dreamingby AlgolChaptersA pony in the desertA Battle in the DarkNightmares in the WasteAdventurers and Ballroom DancesDemons and NightmaresThe Bard and the ThiefA pony in the desertYou look a bit young to be here. Sit down and let me tell you a story. I'll buy the drinks. It all starts in the badlands to the south. I vaguely remember what brought her to those barren wastes. She never told me direct like. Where love and harmony will desert you the they say. See for yourself if you want, south to the plains and over the hills. Monsters come from there you know, the nature types say they're fleeing. I've never been but I've heard the tales. I'm sure that you have too. They say the smell of death drifts from that gravel, that hard backed rock. She was unconcerned with that I think. A kind of strength or more like delusion she had. Yeah, delusion sounds like a fitting word for it. Her name was Trixie, you wouldn't forget that name if you met her. She'd mention that name only 20 times a minute so, yeah. You'd remember. Or the "Great and Powerful Trixie" as she preferred. She turned heads when she went into a room and it wasn't just the good looks. She had that sense of danger to her. She walked through those doors o'er there and I sensed the danger immediately. I always liked danger ya know. Used to get into some trouble myself before I settled in life. Buying drinks for foals so long they listen to my yarns. That's all I do now... Anyway, back to the desert. "This map is a fraud, a joke to swindle Trixie! How is she expected to read such a filthy piece of paper?" Brushing the greasy white mane away, glaring at the ground and marching on she bellowed out her rant. "A map older than Equestria, old in the days of Princess Platinum, worth more its weight in bits to any seeker of antiquities. Lies! A baldfaced and loathsome lie. He laughed at Trixie. They all wish to stop her quest! They all think her a fool!" She slumped down into dust inside a shadow cast about her hat. "It was all deception. Trixie was swindled by a common earth pony. There's supposed to be jungle here, not wasteland." Gazing upward to the tyrant sun, from frustration flowed her tears. Though not despair she'd likely tell ya. Paused for a just a moment and did say to none. "I'm lost." She was a danger to herself and others they told me. Never did find out the details but she was once a performer. With that certain flair, that sway she did deliberate, I can see that she could work a crowd. A treasure hunter now. I asked her why she gave up a life of entertainment and all she said "Trixie found her first magic artifact and. She learned the power of magic great and dark. The girls... forgave her. She's a humble Trixie now. But Trixie didn't." I didn't pry and let's not dwell on secrets. "I hate the wind. I hate the heat. Trixie hasn't bathed in a week. This was a fools journey." Crushed by the desert heat and burdened by saddlebags, she slumped into the gravel. A lone blue dot against the desert waste. Slowly at first she rose. A single hoof pushing down, she felt the crunch of gravel. Doggedly, deliberate, she marched deeper into nothing. Limping on, beset by evil winds and baking sun. Grit and dust grew thick into the air. The way she said it, I imagine bits of babbling softly to no one. "You're the greatest Trixie! The treasures of Carsapone are yours for the taking! A jungle empire, now rising from the desert! They looked in the wrong places for it but Trixie knows! Yes, Trixie knows that this is exactly where the lost city is! The Great and Powerful Trixie is the greatest unicorn, the greatest showpony, the greatest treasure hunter in all of Equestria. Nay all of history! A hero! She's a hero, the mare who stood against the tyranny of stars and broke us all of chains of fate! She'll find it! She'll PLUNDER it!" And it was when Celestia retired that she noticed. Silhouette against a hazy sky she saw a thin plateau. "You did it Trixie! You found the Tower of Arizapan from which the immortals looked upon the Lake Hali! It'll be simple for a mare such as myself to find the city from there!" From a faltered trot into a lazy gallop, a "tower" came into her view. Formed by crumbling crenelation were the sloping sides. Not from natural stone, that rare and twisted vegetation, but from ancient masonry did it grow. Exposed by wind and rain those were inner chambers and no natural caves. Bouldering with a setting sun, she radiated merry. A rival to Celestia she glowed so grand and unconcerned by rubbles fall with every step she took. The coming sleep of sol made her think for just a moment. "A mighty chill will soon set and then where will Trixie sleep! No, no, no, no. This won't do. This is intolerable for I." Upon the crags above dancing shades of living ink were seen, animated by the growing slumber of the sun. "Perhaps Celestia is to blame? Perhaps she has secrets of her own in Carsapone? Perhaps..." Crawling on the ledge she spied a refuge from the night. The dark crevasse beyond was encircled by the polished stone. Timidly she went into void only seeing by the light of her horn. She knew the stories well, of monsters hiding in the dark. Many a time she'd spun those yarns. Stories meant to frighten foals but we are largish foals, are we not? Stopping still, turning off her glow, she listened to the sound of breath. Clink. Clink, clink. The lonely sound of water dripping. Clink. Clink. Clink against polished stone. Clinclonk the second time into a standing pool. Water! Trotting deeper down into the cave, guided by the sound through the maze. Cleanliness. Ratty now from dust and dirt her blue cloak had become. Ruined from grease and frizzing heat a mane once manicured so carefully. If I knew where a nice bath to get the road dust off her was, what she said when we first met. If I could join her, my reply. Didn't work. Anyway... I know she felt joy at the idea of being clean. Presentable more like. Not that I'd mind of course, seeing her dirty. Covered in sweat. Neither here nor there. A shallow grotto, glew with light but not reflecting. Hoarded light as if of fear an age would never come when day would deign to visit. Tossing back her saddlebags she trotted to the pool, a grin plastered on her muzzle. Trixie rolled about in water and cackled to nopony in particular. Reclining 'pon a polished stone she watched cerulean gems above. Clink. Clink against the stone. Cliclonk into water. Rivulets rolled down her snout and lazily she licked them. Cicklonk. Cliconk. A soft moan. A soft moan from from deeper in the cave. Snapping up she commanded at the dark beyond. "Who's there!" In shades of pain and pleasure, moan continued. Wet, shivering but uncertain she pushed on into the void. "Who is there? Reveal yourself or face the wrath of Trixie!" A hint of smooth black carapace. Pushing forward yet again, two figures were revealed in sick embrace. A red mare, the innocent frame and face of a foal. Covered in wrinkles a face obscured by greying mane. In familial embrace, locked with something monster. A shape that mocked all ponykind, twisted, monstrous and deformed. Trixies twitching eye perceived a subtle energy draining from the mare. Echoing about the stone was the sound of a child softly cooing. The monster turned a crooked face to gaze at Trixie. With a slightly buzzing tone. "Please dim your light for it disturbs me." Trixie jumped back with a startle; tripping for some way, she summoned a translucent barrier to her front. Out beyond the shield was only darkness. She strained her eyes to see what lay beyond the shield and waited nervously. Coalescing into words came the insect speech. "It was a stranger coming to interrupt us. They wish to steal my love from you." To calm her heavy breathing was a struggle, Trixie eyes darted back and forth to place the sound. Then a calmly screeching din was overheard. "I'm so hungry. I'm so hungry. Can we eat her mommy?" A Battle in the DarkShe was blinded to the source of the voices by the light of her own horn. "Kill her mommy! Crush her limbs and feed me the marrow!" in a low screeching. Searching desperate for the sound she was most relieved when ambling forth, her glow reflected from black carapace. "You can't hide behind your magic forever. I am sleepless and the other is hungry." "As if you could match the might of Trixie! I've defeated countless changelings, my magic is known far and wide!" Trixie threatened, her fear betrayed by twitchings of the eye. "I've never heard of you." Cliklunk. The sound of water followed by an interjection from the dark. "Kill her mommy! Kill her!" And in a circle round her, a childs mantra did begin. "A treat! A tasty treat! A tasty feast! A tasty treat from mommy dearest!" Carefully the unicorn backed away and took the shield with her into darkness. "Before you die, think of the ones you love. You'll never see them again. Don't you miss them? You're very far from home aren't you?" "A treat! A tast-" "Trixie. Trixie-I have friends! Great ones like Twilight and.. Trixie has friends! Shut up! You seek to confuse her!" Gazing upon the masklike face(A treat! A Treat!) she saw a glimmer of... pleasure perhaps? Into shadow it slid back(From mommy dearest!) and a chitter like laughter bellowed forth. Trixie walked timidly to the grotto. "A tasty treat, a tasty treat!" Nothing could be heard but her own hooves. Child's chant and buzzing wings reminded her of what the darkness held. The failing shield began to flash and thus galloped to the water. Sparkling sickly yellow now were the gems above. A pool devoid of light, its purity not inviting but disturbing. At the edges of the pool, standing fast by saddle bags she began to realize that the shield was near to fail. "Your time is up pony mage." Slinking through the pool, water swished through porous legs. The creature creeping calmly ever closer dared not touch the shrinking shield. Running circles bout the mage, an ancient foal screamed her chant with a smile larger than her face. Quivering (from cold humidity she'd say) Trixie's thought to turned to action. "Has mommy ever fed you before?" The pony asked cruelly. Stopping suddenly the filly said uncertainly. "Of course she feeds mommy! She takes care of me because I love her." "Or does she leave to find cave crickets and slime?" A simple reply. "Enough of this! Mommy loves you and you love mommy." The insect roared, its green eyes glowing. "Trixie procured something at a cheap price from the last town she graced. Do you enjoy apples? Big, red and delicious apples? Friends give them to each other!" Enraged the monster slammed itself against the shield howling as the cracks began to radiate. Trixie nudged the saddlebag, pushing a single apple to the foal. The filly positively drooled at the sight of food, clink, clink onto the rock, cliclunk into a pool. "Trixie can give you this apple. She's your friend, the greatest friend a young filly could have! Tell me, has this beast of a mother ever given you a gift? A terrible mother, Trixie thinks, to miss so many birthdays!" The monster growled and gnashed its clinking mandibles as it set upon the shield, each blow weaker than the last. Trixie strained and then relented letting the sheild explode into a million, billion, trillion particles. Deprived of hornlights reddish-purple glow, darkness then consumed the vision of them all. Posting at the edge of the pool, Trixie kicked the saddlebags leftward to the foal. She lit her horn to spie a filly eating apples oh so greedily. Back to darkness, listening intently to the sound of water being splashed about. The sound of a monster charging through the pool and with a single step leaping to the air. Trixie grabbed a nearish stone and by hornlight saw the changeling in mid air. Rolling back from impact, struggling to keep her grip upon the stone. The smooth carapace began to cut into her flesh when Trixie brought the boulder crashing down into the insects face. Dazed for but a moment, the monster pinned her to the floor and reared its head as if to plunge its filthy fangs. That's when the stone came hurtling down again. Again and again until green ooze dripped onto the ponies face and its pinning began to limp. The last thing that the monster was the gleam of Trixie's eyes turn from shock to fear, then to screams of rage and lastly laughter. Heaving the corpse off of her, she stood shaking with adrenaline. An accusation roared at her "You monster! You killed her! You tricked me!" before the ancient child fell down into tears. And in between the wailing was the clink. clink. Cliklunk sound of water dripping in a pool. Pausing without thought the acrid smell of slime shocked her into action The treasure hunter fled as quickly as she could, through twisting tunnels, winding caverns, finally was blinded by the light of evening starlight. Panting with exhaustion she continued on, scrambling over crumbling masonry to the top of the plateau. Gazing at Luna's painting her thought was void right then. Pacing bout the shrub filled top of the plateau she pontificated. "Trixie did nothing wrong. She just wanted to show friendship to that filly. Even Trixie knows that sometimes you need help even if you don't realize it. Or if it's hard to accept. Trixie just needs to go down there right now and ask forgiveness. That monster was hurting that mare. It was obvious." And then she squatted onto gravel to ponder. "I came out of which cave exactly?" When lost in contemplation, her thoughts were broken by the thing she noticed in the distance. The walls and towers of the city rising from cracked earth. Crude to those who've witnessed Canterlot but impressive from its age. Cyclopean walls both squat and tall contained a sprawling maze within of azure streets and rounded forms of dullen bronze. Standing tall above the maze were thin and twisted spires dotted with an amber glow of most antique enchantment. Trixie fell more than ran down the side of the tower. Treasure, greatness and fame were there before her. Visions of adoring crowds blinded her to the debt she owed. She slammed into the desert floor with a gallop and a storm of dust. Trixie came to regret leaving her bags and the poor filly behind. But we all make mistakes. Though my mistakes are more to do with orchards than adventure. Into barren waste she cantered to the object of her quest. She'd sleep when she got there. Nightmares in the WasteWith every step the city moved to the horizon whilst the moon on on high cloaked the land in pale reflection. Feeling death with every gust she pulled her cape against the wind. Oh it was freezing agony as she walked slow, pushed to and fro, by a wind that deafened more than roared. And twinkling in the light of stars were far yonder massive walls of Carsapone. Marching on three hooves, the fourth clutched her hat as she stared down at the warping of the soil. With ripples like water afore a buffalo raid every stone and pebble came to roil. Squatting down to scout the scene, a desert grown phantasmagoric stretched beyond the edge of sight. Fractaling yet not resolving were the patterns of the land. Drowned in bloody air, the stars above sent down their multihued and everchanging tint. Looming past horizon were the sanded walls of lost and dreaded Carsapone and like twisted hands its towers clawed at crimson stars. A sense of statuesque the shifting desert lent the city off afar. She closed her eyes and hummed a most exquisite tune. Something to help ignore the sound of lunar wails hidden on the wind. A rippleing with every step she felt. The atmosphere was thin in the waste she reflected. The hateful gaze of the nightmare in the moon bore down upon her. She felt it. Daring to look, she saw all around the beasts encloaked in night. She had difficulties describing them, not least of all the drinks I fed her. Their dimensions were evershifting but, and she emphasized this point; A cloudlike and smoky substance covered them which failed to obscure an biology. Which was not of this world. Galloping seemed to be the answer at the time. Flying about, the visions shimmered in and out of thought. Some ancient king, floated in peculiar ways, his rotted muzzle exposing wriggling teeth. The ground collapsed into yawning chasms of slimmering demons yet she never fell into that clutching slime. Bearing down as if to crush her, the starry firmament grew claustrophobic. She even saw an ursa major rising from the earth, ya know. The beast broke free its chains and sent the stars to fright. Floating in refracted air the fish were undisturbed and wreathed in joy of double suns. A winged Twilight apparated to consume the bear. Her run was broken as a unicorn writ large enough to blot the sky stared at her. One time in the height of summer I witnessed a mirage upon the plains. I know she understood how senses can deceive. Trixie swallowed her fear. "Do you really think such parlor tricks can frighten Trixie?" She started with a dazzle of blue and green. A bit of pyrotechnics here and there and she then walked through the unreal thing. "I'll make this appearance a bit more to my liking!" Flowers bloomed with every step. A radiance of joy spread from her magics to combat the fey which overtook the desert. Shimmering beyond was all types of strange and frightful sight. Enclosed within the bubble of illusion, she was safe. Stumbling on for hours, daring not to look at the phantasms; that was how she reached the walls of Carsapone. And once there she promptly fell to slumber. Now get out of here. Sweet Celestia, you're drunk as buck. You obviously can't keep up with what's going on anymore and this is a story you really need to hear. You're the bearer of the tale now, ya know. Alright, might as well get to the next part. I thought you could handle your cider. She was performing in Ponyville again. Though this time they loved her. All of them did. Even her friend Twilight was there to support her. "And this is one of the many crowns of the ancient Alicorn race which I plundered! The Great and Powerful Trixie went into the depths of Carsapone! She fought ghosts, changelings and defeated an ancient evil to gain the crown! The city was restored! And that's the story of how Trixie freed all of you from the tyranny of stars!" A blast of glitter wreathed her stage and settled on the verdant ponyville green. The crowd of gathered friends cheered for her. Every last one of them. Well except one. "You." "Yes. Me." The night replied to her. A black and purple princess then flew onto the stage. "Please Trixie. You have to stop this." They'd had this conversation many times. "NO! YOU SEEK TO STOP ME! YOU'VE LIED TO HER, OPPOSED TRIXIE AT EVERY TURN!" With a hint of concern Luna coolly said "Please Trixie. Come back to Canterlot. We won't judge you. You're not well." Shaken for a moment the mage said. "You.. YOU'LL IMPRISON ME! YOU KNOW WHAT TRIXIE DID IN PONYVILLE. TRIXIE WILL BE VICTORIOUS! SHE WILL BE A HERO! SHE'LL GO BACK TO PONYVILLE AND THEY'LL LOVE ME!" Sadness crept into Lunas voice then. "We first knew when you broke into the Royal Library. Stealing books on ancient magic. Then what you did in Ponyville. Celestia... She forgives you. But I never should have told you when I learned you sought out Carsapone. I've seen it written in the stars. It cannot be changed." Trixie sighed and looked off at the crowd now disappearing into dreamstuff. "Do you really think Trixie doesn't know what you told her? Do you think Trixie doesn't comprehend? Go ahead. Say it one more time. Maybe she has forgotten it. You do seem to think she's stupid!" Luna declared her hopeless rote. "I've seen it written in the stars. Don't you know? That you will die in Carsapone?" And here's where the tale gets fun in the telling. It's the part where that crazy mare woke up with a knife to her throat. Adventurers and Ballroom DancesSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Demons and NightmaresSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.The Bard and the ThiefSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
A pony in the desertYou look a bit young to be here. Sit down and let me tell you a story. I'll buy the drinks. It all starts in the badlands to the south. I vaguely remember what brought her to those barren wastes. She never told me direct like. Where love and harmony will desert you the they say. See for yourself if you want, south to the plains and over the hills. Monsters come from there you know, the nature types say they're fleeing. I've never been but I've heard the tales. I'm sure that you have too. They say the smell of death drifts from that gravel, that hard backed rock. She was unconcerned with that I think. A kind of strength or more like delusion she had. Yeah, delusion sounds like a fitting word for it. Her name was Trixie, you wouldn't forget that name if you met her. She'd mention that name only 20 times a minute so, yeah. You'd remember. Or the "Great and Powerful Trixie" as she preferred. She turned heads when she went into a room and it wasn't just the good looks. She had that sense of danger to her. She walked through those doors o'er there and I sensed the danger immediately. I always liked danger ya know. Used to get into some trouble myself before I settled in life. Buying drinks for foals so long they listen to my yarns. That's all I do now... Anyway, back to the desert. "This map is a fraud, a joke to swindle Trixie! How is she expected to read such a filthy piece of paper?" Brushing the greasy white mane away, glaring at the ground and marching on she bellowed out her rant. "A map older than Equestria, old in the days of Princess Platinum, worth more its weight in bits to any seeker of antiquities. Lies! A baldfaced and loathsome lie. He laughed at Trixie. They all wish to stop her quest! They all think her a fool!" She slumped down into dust inside a shadow cast about her hat. "It was all deception. Trixie was swindled by a common earth pony. There's supposed to be jungle here, not wasteland." Gazing upward to the tyrant sun, from frustration flowed her tears. Though not despair she'd likely tell ya. Paused for a just a moment and did say to none. "I'm lost." She was a danger to herself and others they told me. Never did find out the details but she was once a performer. With that certain flair, that sway she did deliberate, I can see that she could work a crowd. A treasure hunter now. I asked her why she gave up a life of entertainment and all she said "Trixie found her first magic artifact and. She learned the power of magic great and dark. The girls... forgave her. She's a humble Trixie now. But Trixie didn't." I didn't pry and let's not dwell on secrets. "I hate the wind. I hate the heat. Trixie hasn't bathed in a week. This was a fools journey." Crushed by the desert heat and burdened by saddlebags, she slumped into the gravel. A lone blue dot against the desert waste. Slowly at first she rose. A single hoof pushing down, she felt the crunch of gravel. Doggedly, deliberate, she marched deeper into nothing. Limping on, beset by evil winds and baking sun. Grit and dust grew thick into the air. The way she said it, I imagine bits of babbling softly to no one. "You're the greatest Trixie! The treasures of Carsapone are yours for the taking! A jungle empire, now rising from the desert! They looked in the wrong places for it but Trixie knows! Yes, Trixie knows that this is exactly where the lost city is! The Great and Powerful Trixie is the greatest unicorn, the greatest showpony, the greatest treasure hunter in all of Equestria. Nay all of history! A hero! She's a hero, the mare who stood against the tyranny of stars and broke us all of chains of fate! She'll find it! She'll PLUNDER it!" And it was when Celestia retired that she noticed. Silhouette against a hazy sky she saw a thin plateau. "You did it Trixie! You found the Tower of Arizapan from which the immortals looked upon the Lake Hali! It'll be simple for a mare such as myself to find the city from there!" From a faltered trot into a lazy gallop, a "tower" came into her view. Formed by crumbling crenelation were the sloping sides. Not from natural stone, that rare and twisted vegetation, but from ancient masonry did it grow. Exposed by wind and rain those were inner chambers and no natural caves. Bouldering with a setting sun, she radiated merry. A rival to Celestia she glowed so grand and unconcerned by rubbles fall with every step she took. The coming sleep of sol made her think for just a moment. "A mighty chill will soon set and then where will Trixie sleep! No, no, no, no. This won't do. This is intolerable for I." Upon the crags above dancing shades of living ink were seen, animated by the growing slumber of the sun. "Perhaps Celestia is to blame? Perhaps she has secrets of her own in Carsapone? Perhaps..." Crawling on the ledge she spied a refuge from the night. The dark crevasse beyond was encircled by the polished stone. Timidly she went into void only seeing by the light of her horn. She knew the stories well, of monsters hiding in the dark. Many a time she'd spun those yarns. Stories meant to frighten foals but we are largish foals, are we not? Stopping still, turning off her glow, she listened to the sound of breath. Clink. Clink, clink. The lonely sound of water dripping. Clink. Clink. Clink against polished stone. Clinclonk the second time into a standing pool. Water! Trotting deeper down into the cave, guided by the sound through the maze. Cleanliness. Ratty now from dust and dirt her blue cloak had become. Ruined from grease and frizzing heat a mane once manicured so carefully. If I knew where a nice bath to get the road dust off her was, what she said when we first met. If I could join her, my reply. Didn't work. Anyway... I know she felt joy at the idea of being clean. Presentable more like. Not that I'd mind of course, seeing her dirty. Covered in sweat. Neither here nor there. A shallow grotto, glew with light but not reflecting. Hoarded light as if of fear an age would never come when day would deign to visit. Tossing back her saddlebags she trotted to the pool, a grin plastered on her muzzle. Trixie rolled about in water and cackled to nopony in particular. Reclining 'pon a polished stone she watched cerulean gems above. Clink. Clink against the stone. Cliclonk into water. Rivulets rolled down her snout and lazily she licked them. Cicklonk. Cliconk. A soft moan. A soft moan from from deeper in the cave. Snapping up she commanded at the dark beyond. "Who's there!" In shades of pain and pleasure, moan continued. Wet, shivering but uncertain she pushed on into the void. "Who is there? Reveal yourself or face the wrath of Trixie!" A hint of smooth black carapace. Pushing forward yet again, two figures were revealed in sick embrace. A red mare, the innocent frame and face of a foal. Covered in wrinkles a face obscured by greying mane. In familial embrace, locked with something monster. A shape that mocked all ponykind, twisted, monstrous and deformed. Trixies twitching eye perceived a subtle energy draining from the mare. Echoing about the stone was the sound of a child softly cooing. The monster turned a crooked face to gaze at Trixie. With a slightly buzzing tone. "Please dim your light for it disturbs me." Trixie jumped back with a startle; tripping for some way, she summoned a translucent barrier to her front. Out beyond the shield was only darkness. She strained her eyes to see what lay beyond the shield and waited nervously. Coalescing into words came the insect speech. "It was a stranger coming to interrupt us. They wish to steal my love from you." To calm her heavy breathing was a struggle, Trixie eyes darted back and forth to place the sound. Then a calmly screeching din was overheard. "I'm so hungry. I'm so hungry. Can we eat her mommy?"
A Battle in the DarkShe was blinded to the source of the voices by the light of her own horn. "Kill her mommy! Crush her limbs and feed me the marrow!" in a low screeching. Searching desperate for the sound she was most relieved when ambling forth, her glow reflected from black carapace. "You can't hide behind your magic forever. I am sleepless and the other is hungry." "As if you could match the might of Trixie! I've defeated countless changelings, my magic is known far and wide!" Trixie threatened, her fear betrayed by twitchings of the eye. "I've never heard of you." Cliklunk. The sound of water followed by an interjection from the dark. "Kill her mommy! Kill her!" And in a circle round her, a childs mantra did begin. "A treat! A tasty treat! A tasty feast! A tasty treat from mommy dearest!" Carefully the unicorn backed away and took the shield with her into darkness. "Before you die, think of the ones you love. You'll never see them again. Don't you miss them? You're very far from home aren't you?" "A treat! A tast-" "Trixie. Trixie-I have friends! Great ones like Twilight and.. Trixie has friends! Shut up! You seek to confuse her!" Gazing upon the masklike face(A treat! A Treat!) she saw a glimmer of... pleasure perhaps? Into shadow it slid back(From mommy dearest!) and a chitter like laughter bellowed forth. Trixie walked timidly to the grotto. "A tasty treat, a tasty treat!" Nothing could be heard but her own hooves. Child's chant and buzzing wings reminded her of what the darkness held. The failing shield began to flash and thus galloped to the water. Sparkling sickly yellow now were the gems above. A pool devoid of light, its purity not inviting but disturbing. At the edges of the pool, standing fast by saddle bags she began to realize that the shield was near to fail. "Your time is up pony mage." Slinking through the pool, water swished through porous legs. The creature creeping calmly ever closer dared not touch the shrinking shield. Running circles bout the mage, an ancient foal screamed her chant with a smile larger than her face. Quivering (from cold humidity she'd say) Trixie's thought to turned to action. "Has mommy ever fed you before?" The pony asked cruelly. Stopping suddenly the filly said uncertainly. "Of course she feeds mommy! She takes care of me because I love her." "Or does she leave to find cave crickets and slime?" A simple reply. "Enough of this! Mommy loves you and you love mommy." The insect roared, its green eyes glowing. "Trixie procured something at a cheap price from the last town she graced. Do you enjoy apples? Big, red and delicious apples? Friends give them to each other!" Enraged the monster slammed itself against the shield howling as the cracks began to radiate. Trixie nudged the saddlebag, pushing a single apple to the foal. The filly positively drooled at the sight of food, clink, clink onto the rock, cliclunk into a pool. "Trixie can give you this apple. She's your friend, the greatest friend a young filly could have! Tell me, has this beast of a mother ever given you a gift? A terrible mother, Trixie thinks, to miss so many birthdays!" The monster growled and gnashed its clinking mandibles as it set upon the shield, each blow weaker than the last. Trixie strained and then relented letting the sheild explode into a million, billion, trillion particles. Deprived of hornlights reddish-purple glow, darkness then consumed the vision of them all. Posting at the edge of the pool, Trixie kicked the saddlebags leftward to the foal. She lit her horn to spie a filly eating apples oh so greedily. Back to darkness, listening intently to the sound of water being splashed about. The sound of a monster charging through the pool and with a single step leaping to the air. Trixie grabbed a nearish stone and by hornlight saw the changeling in mid air. Rolling back from impact, struggling to keep her grip upon the stone. The smooth carapace began to cut into her flesh when Trixie brought the boulder crashing down into the insects face. Dazed for but a moment, the monster pinned her to the floor and reared its head as if to plunge its filthy fangs. That's when the stone came hurtling down again. Again and again until green ooze dripped onto the ponies face and its pinning began to limp. The last thing that the monster was the gleam of Trixie's eyes turn from shock to fear, then to screams of rage and lastly laughter. Heaving the corpse off of her, she stood shaking with adrenaline. An accusation roared at her "You monster! You killed her! You tricked me!" before the ancient child fell down into tears. And in between the wailing was the clink. clink. Cliklunk sound of water dripping in a pool. Pausing without thought the acrid smell of slime shocked her into action The treasure hunter fled as quickly as she could, through twisting tunnels, winding caverns, finally was blinded by the light of evening starlight. Panting with exhaustion she continued on, scrambling over crumbling masonry to the top of the plateau. Gazing at Luna's painting her thought was void right then. Pacing bout the shrub filled top of the plateau she pontificated. "Trixie did nothing wrong. She just wanted to show friendship to that filly. Even Trixie knows that sometimes you need help even if you don't realize it. Or if it's hard to accept. Trixie just needs to go down there right now and ask forgiveness. That monster was hurting that mare. It was obvious." And then she squatted onto gravel to ponder. "I came out of which cave exactly?" When lost in contemplation, her thoughts were broken by the thing she noticed in the distance. The walls and towers of the city rising from cracked earth. Crude to those who've witnessed Canterlot but impressive from its age. Cyclopean walls both squat and tall contained a sprawling maze within of azure streets and rounded forms of dullen bronze. Standing tall above the maze were thin and twisted spires dotted with an amber glow of most antique enchantment. Trixie fell more than ran down the side of the tower. Treasure, greatness and fame were there before her. Visions of adoring crowds blinded her to the debt she owed. She slammed into the desert floor with a gallop and a storm of dust. Trixie came to regret leaving her bags and the poor filly behind. But we all make mistakes. Though my mistakes are more to do with orchards than adventure. Into barren waste she cantered to the object of her quest. She'd sleep when she got there.
Nightmares in the WasteWith every step the city moved to the horizon whilst the moon on on high cloaked the land in pale reflection. Feeling death with every gust she pulled her cape against the wind. Oh it was freezing agony as she walked slow, pushed to and fro, by a wind that deafened more than roared. And twinkling in the light of stars were far yonder massive walls of Carsapone. Marching on three hooves, the fourth clutched her hat as she stared down at the warping of the soil. With ripples like water afore a buffalo raid every stone and pebble came to roil. Squatting down to scout the scene, a desert grown phantasmagoric stretched beyond the edge of sight. Fractaling yet not resolving were the patterns of the land. Drowned in bloody air, the stars above sent down their multihued and everchanging tint. Looming past horizon were the sanded walls of lost and dreaded Carsapone and like twisted hands its towers clawed at crimson stars. A sense of statuesque the shifting desert lent the city off afar. She closed her eyes and hummed a most exquisite tune. Something to help ignore the sound of lunar wails hidden on the wind. A rippleing with every step she felt. The atmosphere was thin in the waste she reflected. The hateful gaze of the nightmare in the moon bore down upon her. She felt it. Daring to look, she saw all around the beasts encloaked in night. She had difficulties describing them, not least of all the drinks I fed her. Their dimensions were evershifting but, and she emphasized this point; A cloudlike and smoky substance covered them which failed to obscure an biology. Which was not of this world. Galloping seemed to be the answer at the time. Flying about, the visions shimmered in and out of thought. Some ancient king, floated in peculiar ways, his rotted muzzle exposing wriggling teeth. The ground collapsed into yawning chasms of slimmering demons yet she never fell into that clutching slime. Bearing down as if to crush her, the starry firmament grew claustrophobic. She even saw an ursa major rising from the earth, ya know. The beast broke free its chains and sent the stars to fright. Floating in refracted air the fish were undisturbed and wreathed in joy of double suns. A winged Twilight apparated to consume the bear. Her run was broken as a unicorn writ large enough to blot the sky stared at her. One time in the height of summer I witnessed a mirage upon the plains. I know she understood how senses can deceive. Trixie swallowed her fear. "Do you really think such parlor tricks can frighten Trixie?" She started with a dazzle of blue and green. A bit of pyrotechnics here and there and she then walked through the unreal thing. "I'll make this appearance a bit more to my liking!" Flowers bloomed with every step. A radiance of joy spread from her magics to combat the fey which overtook the desert. Shimmering beyond was all types of strange and frightful sight. Enclosed within the bubble of illusion, she was safe. Stumbling on for hours, daring not to look at the phantasms; that was how she reached the walls of Carsapone. And once there she promptly fell to slumber. Now get out of here. Sweet Celestia, you're drunk as buck. You obviously can't keep up with what's going on anymore and this is a story you really need to hear. You're the bearer of the tale now, ya know. Alright, might as well get to the next part. I thought you could handle your cider. She was performing in Ponyville again. Though this time they loved her. All of them did. Even her friend Twilight was there to support her. "And this is one of the many crowns of the ancient Alicorn race which I plundered! The Great and Powerful Trixie went into the depths of Carsapone! She fought ghosts, changelings and defeated an ancient evil to gain the crown! The city was restored! And that's the story of how Trixie freed all of you from the tyranny of stars!" A blast of glitter wreathed her stage and settled on the verdant ponyville green. The crowd of gathered friends cheered for her. Every last one of them. Well except one. "You." "Yes. Me." The night replied to her. A black and purple princess then flew onto the stage. "Please Trixie. You have to stop this." They'd had this conversation many times. "NO! YOU SEEK TO STOP ME! YOU'VE LIED TO HER, OPPOSED TRIXIE AT EVERY TURN!" With a hint of concern Luna coolly said "Please Trixie. Come back to Canterlot. We won't judge you. You're not well." Shaken for a moment the mage said. "You.. YOU'LL IMPRISON ME! YOU KNOW WHAT TRIXIE DID IN PONYVILLE. TRIXIE WILL BE VICTORIOUS! SHE WILL BE A HERO! SHE'LL GO BACK TO PONYVILLE AND THEY'LL LOVE ME!" Sadness crept into Lunas voice then. "We first knew when you broke into the Royal Library. Stealing books on ancient magic. Then what you did in Ponyville. Celestia... She forgives you. But I never should have told you when I learned you sought out Carsapone. I've seen it written in the stars. It cannot be changed." Trixie sighed and looked off at the crowd now disappearing into dreamstuff. "Do you really think Trixie doesn't know what you told her? Do you think Trixie doesn't comprehend? Go ahead. Say it one more time. Maybe she has forgotten it. You do seem to think she's stupid!" Luna declared her hopeless rote. "I've seen it written in the stars. Don't you know? That you will die in Carsapone?" And here's where the tale gets fun in the telling. It's the part where that crazy mare woke up with a knife to her throat.
Adventurers and Ballroom DancesSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Demons and NightmaresSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
The Bard and the ThiefSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
