Evil Empire

"Now, here is just another terrifying abomination carving itself out of the sewers of society with every passing day: You wouldn't think it too much of a request helping those in need without any further intentions for oneself. Not all of us are rich, you see. We're...dependent on a certain minimum of services that - in any healthy society - would be taken for granted. Yet, one by one, they try to make us pay. Greedily fill their pockets solely by providing the minimum standard of life customary for any first world country. And I can tell you this much: It hurts me - agonizes me - to the depths of my soul having to comply with an establishment of this ideology."

"Let me guess...You need cash for a bus ticket," Vinyl stated, as they exited the cafe, getting back onto the sidewalk.

A smug crossed Trixie's face. "I see," she replied. "We have an understanding."

Vinyl rolled her eyes, as she produced two green bills from her pocket. Actually, it had only been the change for her shake earlier, so it wouldn't hurt that much. At least, that was what she guessed. "You owe me one, though."

"We'll see," Trixie said, as she took the money with a simple nod.

The bus stop was located right next to the cafe, so it didn't take them longer than a few moments to reach it. To Vinyl's dismay, she now realized Trixie had to take the same line as her. The sight of Flash Sentry already waiting for a bus didn't exactly help. He was leaning on a nearby lamp post, mostly relaxed, though his eyes constantly wandered off in the distance, somehow.

Trixie apparently decided ignoring him, as she threw herself down on one of the seats available. She nervously looked around her backpack for a few seconds, then raised her eyes back up, drawing in several deep breaths.

"Sooo, any plans for your world domination thing?" Vinyl eventually asked, after another awkward silence, trying to pass some time.

Trixie snorted. "I've made up my mind," she replied. "I'll still take part in the showcase. And I'll win, no doubt about it. Finally, when they ask me to claim first place, I'll refuse, telling everyone how dumb they really are. It's something of a plan, if you ask me"

While Vinyl looked at her rather skeptical - though she did get used to the magician's nonsense, sadly - another voice now joined the conversation from behind her. "Like that'll happen," Flash exclaimed.

"Excuse me?" Trixie said, coming back at him. "Was that adressed to us?"

"No." Flash rolled his eyes in sarcasm. "We're the only people at the bus stop, standing - like - ten feet apart. Of course, I was talking to you!"

"Really? And did Trixie...uh...did I ever ask for your opinion?"

"Kinda. When you say you're gonna win, that's making it my business as well. This isn't about playing music, this is about winning! And I'm gonna get this thing, so stay outta my way."

"Strange...that...when...apples..." Trixie remained silent for a minute, vigorously staring at the ground in front of her. "Since when did you think so?"

"Like you don't know." Flash's voice steadily changed from an aggressive tone to some kind of sarcastic giggle. "Just now, in the cafe? When I heard those three hooded people chanting, it all became so clear to me."

"What...but Trixie did...you didn't...uh, 'scusi..."

Trixie quickly reached into her backpack, producing another full package of peanut butter crackers. Her hands slightly trembling, she tore it open, subsequently gulping down its entire containment in the course of seconds. It was all but an inviting sight.

"And that's how you plan on winning?" Flash asked, his tone clearly hostile now.

"No, wait, listen here," Trixie interrupted him. "You've fallen under their spell, you must fight back!"

"Spell? What spell?"

"The one the Nazis put on you, so you'll help them establish their new Reich."

Vinyl facepalmed, with Flash looking extremely bewildered, all of a sudden.

"Are you sure you're not hallucinating," he asked with a chuckle. "Wouldn't be the first time."

"I'm fine. Why would you think otherwise?" Trixie asked, one eyelid twitching, thereby covering the lower portion of her eyes, which - by now - consisted mainly of her gigantic pupils. "You however are not, young man," she proceeded. "Don't let their ideas get the better of you. Try to concentrate on the ideologic opposite...I don't know...Woodstock, acid...peace, love, happiness..."

Flash's expression changed to one rather repulsed by now. Even though Vinyl had started to wonder whoever had put a stick up his ass, she felt rather empathetic towards that reaction in particular. "Uh-huh," he said, hesitant. "Anyhow, we're gonna beat you to it, you'll see. My band's got a brand new song written down just now, that you won't stand a chance against."

"Well, as long as it's nothing critical or dangerous..." Vinyl tried to put in to settle the two rabid teenager's minds.

"It's...not exactly that," Flash replied. For some reason, he sounded a lot more friendly talking to Vinyl. Then again, she wasn't any competitor of his...if one could call it that. "You see, we've put down those kick-ass lyrics, mainly about all those politics and nuclear wa..."

"OH NEIN, YOU DON'T!"

In the blink of an eye, Trixie had jumped to her feet, throwing her bag to the floor. It would merely take another brief moment, before her fist shot forward, aiming right at the clueless guitarist.

Flash never saw it coming, of course. The blow hit him right below the chin, and sent his entire being flying clear across the sidewalk. It took another approximate ten feet, until he hit solid ground, again. Vinyl's eyes widened in shock.

"Are you insane? What in the hell was that?"

Ignoring her companion, Trixie raised both fists clenched into the air, looking at the sky above herself.

"I have become death," she chanted. "Destroyer of worlds."

Lowering her view back down to Vinyl, she added: "Admit it. You were getting tired of him just as well."

"Well...yeah...but...you can't just..."

"I could, I would, I did," Trixie answered, sticking out her tongue. "Deal with it."

Concluding the self-proclaimed magician abandoned by all her senses, Vinyl eventually walked over to Flash, who still wouldn't move a muscle. Bending down, she tried holding one ear as close to his face as possible, without feeling uncomfortable. "Seriously now?" she then concluded. "I think he's not breathing."

"He'll come around," Trixie answered with wide eyes, and a dumb giggle. "Unless you've got any other suggestions."

"Uh...not sure...CPR, maybe...?"

Trixie scratched her chin for a second. "That, or," she replied. "We'll make it look like an accident."

That night, Canterlot's central hospital was to be confronted with some of the most bizarre cases in it's history. At about five-thirty in the afternoon, they received six different calls, five of them concerned about the same victim. The remaining one seemingly revolved around a girl, who - due to her cross-eyed vision - had somehow managed to confuse her asthma medicine with a dose of raw sulfur, which she then inhaled. The doctors later found themselves forced to shorten her vocal chords, thus giving her a much deeper voice than anticipated.

However, the five remaining calls, all of which deployed in the course of ten minutes, talked about something far more bewildering: A teenage boy had - stripped to his underwear - been glued to the side of Canterlot's state prison, hanging upside down. Ironically, the materials used for his attachment were nothing but small bumper stickers, reading Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

Though initially stunned with the admittedly remarkable display, police had - after discovering a nearby suicide note - decided to close down investigations. It wasn't written in his handwriting, but word choices sounded convenient enough. On an unrelated note, a new doughnut store had opened up downtown that very afternoon.

It wasn't until about ten in the evening that Flash Sentry was placed under stable conditions. He had yet to regain his consciousness, however.

The concerned guests he had received in the meantime - mainly the Rainbooms, as well as his fellow band members, and parents - had left for home, after medical personnel safely got him out of any critical state. For now, Flash remained alone with another unconscious patient - a woman in her early thirties - in the bed next to him.

That - and the medic, who was now leaning above him, carefully observing the boy's features. He had a malicious grin plastered right across his face.

"Flash Sentry, huh," he said, mostly to himself. "Don't know much 'bout ya, but boy...hell of a scare you been givin' the guys out there." He pointed one of his thumbs out the window. "Come to mention it, I'm from Houndsville, Texas. My name's Buck," he added, the grin on his face windening. "...and I'm here to..."