Crisis of Infinite Trixies

Chapters

Prologue
Contradictory Selves - Chapter 1
Contradictory Selves - Chapter 2
Contradictory Selves - Chapter 3
Contradictory Selves - Chapter 4
Contradictory Selves - Chapter 5
Contradictory Selves - Chapter 6
Contradictory Selves - Chapter 7
Contradictory Selves - Chapter 9
Contradictory Selves - Epilogue
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 1
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 2
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 3
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 4
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 5
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 6
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 7
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 8
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 9
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 10
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 11
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 12
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 13
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 14
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 15
Discordant Pasts - Chapter 16
Discordant Pasts - Epilogue
Contradictory Selves - Chapter 8

Prologue

“Damn you, Sparkle! Another!” Trixie raised her empty mug, demanding a refill. She cursed that mare’s name again for reducing somepony like Trixie to this pathetic state. Ponies once called her the Great and Terrible Pirate Queen of the Seas! Or Trixie liked to call herself that, anyway.

“Haven’t you had enough?” The barkeep replied, whipping a mug with a towel.

“Trixie will tell you when she’s had enough!” Trixie swung her mug. But she overshot, wincing as her drunken behind crashed from her barstool to the grubby floor below. “I’m fine. Don’t help me!”

But getting back to her seat proved too laborious a task, so Trixie made friends with the floor instead. “It’s fine. I’ll hang out here.”

“Just get her out of here. We have enough lowlife scalawags in here already.” The barkeep said, sighing. The roughest and lowest of the Middream Sea laughed as they tossed Captain Trixie through the bar doors into the cold street.

“Fine, see if Trixie will ever return to your establishment!” Trixie said, swaying on her hooves.

“I’m too good for everypony!” But, even drunk, Trixie knew this wasn’t true.

Thanks to Twilight Sparkle, the fleet captain of Princess Celestia’s mighty navy, and her annoying crew, Trixie had lost everything. When she’d learned that Trixie’s ship, the Starbeam, had entered the Middream, she’d pursued Trixie and her pirate crew with the full force of the law. It’d been a catastrophe, her entire pirate gang beaten and captured. Only brave Captain Trixie had escaped, sneaking away on a lifeboat as the situation deteriorated. No, she hadn’t abandoned her crew, as some claimed. It’d only been a strategic retreat. Besides her eye patch and a few bits, Trixie possessed nothing to her name.

But that didn’t matter. She’d rebuild and show that goody two horseshoes who was boss. How, she hadn’t a clue, but she’d do it! The Queen of the Seas didn’t know the meaning o the word surrender! For now, this cardboard box would make an excellent bed until morning. As momma always said, a new day, new possibilities!

As Trixie snuggled up with her cardboard box to sleep off her drunkenness, she yelped as the dark alley was suddenly filled with blinding light.

“What gives?” Had the law found her? Or was she too drunk to realize Celestia had already raised the sun? No, someone had definitely appeared in her alley.

“Who the heck are you?” Trixie lifted her eye patch to peer at the intruder.

“Trixie Lulamoon.” A metallic voice said, terror zipped down Trixie’s spine as she gazed up at the odd newcomer. Moonlight glinted off its silver, reflective surface, a behemoth of metal construction. Besides that observation, its spotlight blinded her to its features.

Collecting herself, Trixie stood tall and proud, sobriety returning in a rush. The Great and Terrible Pirate Queen of the Seas refused to be intimated! At least, she hoped the stranger would believe that. She’d forgotten her cutlass back on the Starbeam.

“Trixie Lulamoon of Universe 78111 has been found. She will be eliminated.” The metal monstrosity replied.

“What?” All bravado left Trixie. She fled towards the ally’s entrance, anything to distance herself from this assassin. What was this thing? Some creation sent by Twilight Sparkle to destroy her greatest rival?

Trixie’s horn lit up to summon an illusion to defend herself, but a mighty hand plucked her from the dirty alley. She flailed, anything to free herself. But it proved impossible, its grip iron.

“Please, release me! Trixie promises to be good! She’ll retire from piracy!” But the metal monster paid her impassioned pleas no attention, its hand lit up with green energy. Trixie screamed, but it died as her body dissolved to nothing. No evidence remained that Trixie Lulamoon had ever existed.

“Trixie Lulamoon of Universe 78111 has been eliminated. Mission complete. Returning to Axis.” The metal golem said, its voice devoid of any emotion. It displayed neither pride nor satisfaction that its mission was completed. “Only 27 Trixies remain.”

Contradictory Selves - Chapter 1

“Huh, that’s different,” Trixie said, blowing a hair from her eyes. She crossed her arms and peered at the poster closer. “What kind of school event is this?”

The sign read Canterlot Spring Time Jubilee. Everyone welcome. Bring your special someone for a night to remember. Was this a school dance? Or just some get-together? The brightly painted poster did little to clarify these points.

“No, thanks,” Trixie said, scoffing. It wasn’t like she had a special someone to bring along. While Trixie was the most eligible bachelorette in Canterlot High, few met her high standards. It wasn’t because few had shown interest in her. No, they were just blind to Trixie’s fabulous qualities.

“A Jubilee? Sounds fun!” A chipper voice said, too energetic for so early in the morning.

“It does, I hope.” A nervous but resigned voice said. She shivered. “But school events have a tendency to get scary.”

“Hey,” Trixie said, waving at Sunset Shimmer and her friends.

“Hey, Trixie! Weirdness does tend to happen whenever the school organizes something.” Sunset said with some self-depreciation. They each remembered what had happened during that big school dance many moons ago, along with other strange incidents, usually involving demon girls. “But I don’t see any reason this particular dance should go sideways.”

“Yeah, and if anything happens, we’ll be there to kick butt!” Rainbow Dash said, jabbing several times into the air.

While not entirely reassured, Trixie nodded her assent. Nervousness overcame her when a thought occurred to her. Trixie had a sudden idea who she’d like to ask. An unfamiliar bout of uneasiness washed over her, causing Trixie to sweat.

“Say, Sunset.” Trixie rubbed the back of her neck. “I was wondering if it might be cool if…”

“Yes?” Sunset asked, oblivious to Trixie’s question.

“If well…” Trixie cursed as the school bells chimed, summoning them to class. What terrible timing.

“I see you around, Trixie!” Sunset said, waving as she departed to class with her friends.

“Great job, Trixie! You blew it!” Trixie muttered as she slammed her head against a nearby locker.

“Um, Trixie.” A quiet voice said, making Trixie jerk in surprise. It was Fluttershy, she hadn’t noticed her earlier.

“Yeah?” Trixie raised an eyebrow, wondering why this girl was stammering at her. The shy girl paused, wanting to say something else. She shook her head, dropping the subject.

“Never mind. It doesn’t really matter.” Fluttershy said, using her hair as a shield between them. “Have a good time at class, Trixie!” Then she zipped away at astonishing speed.

What was that about? Well, whatever. The Jubilee was next weekend, giving Trixie plenty of opportunity to ask Sunset. Trixie rarely failed at anything, she doubted this would be any different.

“Yes! I will ask Sunset to the Jubilee, and we’ll have the best time of our lives!” Trixie declared to the heavens. She blushed as a teacher pointed at her, directing her to class. But before that, however, math.

“Funny seeing you here, Trixie,” Sunset said, holding a cup of punch. “Couldn’t get a date either?”

“Nope! Coming here with a date would be so lame!” Trixie replied, saddling over to the food table. Beyond cookies and punch, it had tiny sandwiches. Trixie greedily stole a generous portion of them. “I’m just here for the free grub!”

“Still, at least the others are having fun,” Sunset said, watching Twilight Sparkle dancing with Timber Spruce, the camp counselor from Camp Everfree.

Dancing was a generous description of what Twilight was doing. Trixie smirked as the boy did his best to not have his toes stepped on. Her other girlfriends faced various degrees of success. Rainbow Dash had somehow gotten herself roped into coming with Fluttershy’s less than pleasant brother, Zephyr Breeze, regretting every second of her choice. She looked about ready to throttle him. Applejack scared her date, Soarn’, half to death as she swung him around like he weighed nothing, underestimating her strength. Fluttershy, in particular, seemed super awkward with her date, Sandalwood, looking like she’d rather be elsewhere. It was kinda cute. Of everyone, Rarity was having the time of her life, enjoying her dance with that one cruise guy with the odd accent.

Trixie settled closer to Sunset, finally mustering the courage that’d failed her during the last week. “Still cool to see you.”

Sunset nodded in the affirmative, but otherwise didn’t reply. An awkward silence passed between them as Trixie struggled to come up with something cool to say to impress Sunset.

Get it together, Trix. You’re the Great and Powerful Trixie! Your resplendence can accomplish anything! “Sunset, would you be interested in maybe kinda going out on the dance floor and…” But fate conspired against her, retreating a step as Sunset’s friends rushed over for refreshments after a taxing dance.

“Now that hits the spot!” Pinkie said, downing the entire cup of punch in a single swig.

“Hooboy! That was fun!” Applejack said, dragging her disoriented date over to her with a single swing of her powerful arms. “Can’t wait to go for another song.” From her date’s haggard expression, he wasn’t looking forward to this.

“Yeah, it was fun, I suppose,” Fluttershy said, voice almost incurable. But she perked up as she spotted Trixie. “Um, hi, Trixie! Glad you could come!”

The refreshment table became its own jubilee as Sunset’s friends vied for her attention. Trixie sulked away, dejected as she failed again. Sometimes it seemed the universe conspired against her personally. Trixie leaned against a wall on the opposite side of the gym as Sunset chatted with her friends.

Next song, that’s when I ask her!

“Um, hi, Trixie.” A timid voice said, interrupting Trixie’s brooding.

“Yeah?” Trixie replied, somewhat annoyed. Didn’t the girl realize Trixie wasn’t interested in chatting?

“Just seeing how you’re doing!” Fluttershy said too quickly. “Just thought you needed a friend!”

“I suppose.”

“No, darn it! Why you’d say that? She’ll get the wrong impression!” The girl hissed the words so quietly that Trixie almost missed it.

While Trixie wasn’t sure what the girl meant, Fluttershy’s earnestness softened her heart. Trixie found she appreciated the company. “Thanks. This night hasn’t really gone how I wanted. There’s someone I wanted to ask to dance, but some stupid obstacles keep getting in the way.”

“Oh.” Fluttershy deflated, but soon regained her composure. “Then you’ll just need to keep trying! You never stop fighting for happiness!”

“Sure?” What was going on with Fluttershy?

“You try again, even if the entire world fights against you!” Fluttershy said, becoming more animated. “For your happiness, Trixie! I’ll do whatever it takes!”

Okay? But what about her happiness? It made Trixie somewhat guilty that Fluttershy fought so hard for her sake. They barely knew each other. Trixie gapped like a fish as Fluttershy suddenly pushed Trixie right in front of Sunset. Sweat gathered on Trixie’s brow as everyone stared at her as Fluttershy caused a scene.

“Uh, hi, Trixie,” Sunset said, confused but smiling her dazzling smile.

“Go on!” Fluttershy whispered, elbowing Trixie in her back.

“This is for her sake. Besides, Sunset’s a better choice, anyway.” The girl muttered to herself.

“Sunset, uh, hey!” Trixie fumed over her words before regaining her confidence. Didn’t she want to be a professional stage magician? These gapping bystanders shouldn’t mean squat to her. As they faded from her mind, Trixie’s confidence swelled. As the DJ, a white-skinned girl with neon hair, started the next song, it provided Trixie the perfect cue to ask the question. “Sunset Shimmer, would you like to share the next dance with…”

Because the universe apparently hated her, the roof exploded just before Trixie finished her question. People screamed as the chunks of the ceiling rained onto them, fleeing in every which direction. Everyone gasped as two giant robots descended through the hoof, pointing laser weapons at the crowd.

Their tremendous height menaced everyone in the gym, behemoths carved from gleaming silver metal. Squat, angular heads with a singular red visor, each surveying the crowd, paralyzing them with fear.

“What in tarnation?” Applejack said, dumbstruck for a moment, but she swiftly prepared for battle. For reasons Trixie didn’t quite understand, Sunset and her friends had magical powers they used to fight evil.

“I knew it,” Fluttershy said, sighing. The rest of her friends gathered together, ready for battle. But the robot monstrosities ignored them. Much to Trixie’s growing dread, fixing on her instead.

“Trixie Lulamoon of Universe 8888. You will be eliminated.” A mechanical voice said, booming.

A squeak of terror escaped Trixie’s lips. What the heck? Why was this happening to her? She joined the other students as they fled to safety. But a missile shot from the first robot’s arm, exploding and blocking the emergency exit before anyone escaped. It blew Trixie and the other teenagers off their feet, Trixie getting a painful tan as the emerging heat washed over her.

“Ugh.” Trixie groaned, trying to regain her senses. Her ears were ringing terribly. She shrieked as she found a robot towering over her, its visored eye gleaming the color of blood.

“Eliminate!” The monster said, pointing an arm at Trixie’s head.

“I’m going to die!” Trixie shrieked louder, as she rolled aside, just avoiding a beam of energy.

From what remained of the food table, it was good that Trixie avoided it. More beams shot in her direction, but the heroes of Canterlot High came to her rescue. Rarity jumped to Trixie’s rescue, blocking the robot’s beam attacks with her diamond shields. Applejack, with her remarkable super strength, decked a robot in the face. While it only caused a small dent, it knocked the creature over. The quick Rainbow Dash dashed around with unbelievable speed, keeping the robots distracted. Pinkie Pie blasted the robots with her exploding sprinkles, leaving black marks against their armored carapaces. Twilight flung tables at the machine creatures, keeping them off balance.

“Over here!” Sunset said, helping Fluttershy guide the students from the gym. Seeing her chance, Trixie rushed over to flee to freedom.

“You will not escape” Trixie screamed as a robot rushed her from behind, its jet sailing them from the ground. She struggled in its grip, heart pounding as they flew higher.

“Trixie!” Her friends rushed to her help, but it was too late, the robot flying through the exploded roof.

“Rainbow, pony up!” Sunset said, disappearing from sight as the robot flew into the horizon.

“Eliminating Trixie.” The mechanical monstrosity said with awful indifference to the terrible deed it planned to commit.

“Please, no!” Trixie struggled harder. “I’m too young to die!”

“Not so fast, fiend!”

“Huh?” Even the robot stopped, looking at the newcomer. Instead of Rainbow Dash, as Trixie had expected, it was something beyond bizarre.

“Captain Cosmos, to the rescue!”1 A purple shape zipped through the air, arm extended. It collided with the robot, jarring Trixie free from its grip. Relief turned to utter terror as Trixie plummeted to the hard street below.

“Fear not! I’ve got you!” Something shot from the rescuer’s arm, zipping her towards Trixie. With a powerful arm, it caught the falling girl.

“What the heck are you?” Not that Trixie wasn’t grateful, but a purple costumed horse had just rescued her! Flapping behind her in the wind was a cape, its tip covered with multicolored stars. Across her face was a mask of similar material. Even stranger, she shared Trixie’s marvelous voice!

“Call me, Captain Cosmos! Here to save the day!” The odd horse said. Trixie’s heart raced as they rushed towards the ground. But her small horse counterpart seemed unconcerned by the danger.

“Never fear, I got this!” Cosmos shot another grappling hook. It snagged on a nearby rooftop, holding them in the air. A moment later, however, the cord snapped. They both screamed as the hard pavement of the street broke their fall.

“Ouch.” Trixie rubbed her sore shoulder. “Nice landing, hero!”

“Seems I slightly miscalculated the cord’s strength. It couldn’t hold our combined weights.” Captain Cosmos gave a nervous laugh.

“Two Trixies have been discovered. Eliminating.” Their killer robot friend said, hovering above them.

“Do something!” Trixie shrieked, hiding behind the caped hero.

“Try it, fiend!” Captain Cosmos replied, all bravado. “You better flee before you get hurt!”

“Is that the best you’ve got?” What happened to her super heroics?

“Hey, I’m trying!” Captain Cosmos snipped back. “Give me a break!”

“Eliminate.” The robot raised its arm to fire. Trixie hugged her would-be rescuer, certain this was the end.

They shrieked as the robot’s head exploded, its cranium bouncing across the street in a fiery heap.

“That’s what I get for letting you handle this.” Another voice said again, shockingly familiar. But this one was imperial and haughty, like someone used to giving commands.

“I could have handled it alone, thank you,” Captain Cosmos said, hiding her relief.

“Clearly.” The newcomer said, sarcastically.

“Another me?” Trixie said, staring at her newest savior. The horse was similar to the hero Trixie, only she wore green battle armor. Adorned on her head was a golden helmet with two antlers curled upward. Hovering in a pink aura was a staff floating behind her.

“You’ve met my compatriot here. My name is Trixie Celestiamaden. Some call me the Goddess of Mischief.2”

Author's Note

1 From the Power Ponies
In this universe, Trixie is the mysterious and dashing hero called Captain Cosmos. While she doesn't have superpowers, she doesn't need them. With her genius intellect, Captain Cosmos invents devices to help her fight crime. While she can't match the intelligence of Masked Matter-Horn, Captain Cosmos isn't to be underestimated.

2 From Harmony's Warriors
In this universe, Trixie hails from the realm of Asgard. Ponies call her the Goddess of Mischief, a title well-earned. She is infamous for often callous tricks and pranks. Her adopted mother is Celestia Odinmaden, All-Mother and queen of Asgard, and her adopted sister is Rainbow Dash, Goddess of Thunder. While usually on good terms, Trixie's lying and scheming nature frequently puts her at odd with her sister and her fellow Asgardians. (Okay, so this Trixie is basically Loki from Marvel)

Contradictory Selves - Chapter 2

“From how you’re staring at me, you’ve obviously dumbstruck by my magnificence.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said. But Human Trixie hardly noticed, an irresistible question bubbling to her lips.

“Can I ride you?”

“What?” Trixie Celestia-whatever replied, baffled.

“Can I ride you? I love horses!” Human Trixie suppressed a girlish giggle. While a dumb and childish impulse, she couldn’t help herself. Horse Trixie was so adorable!

“You’re speaking to a literal goddess, and you ask to ride her?!” Trixie Celestia-whatever said somewhere between exasperation and outrage. “And I’m not a horse. I’m a pony!”

“That’s even cuter! Please!” And her coloring made her counterpart even more adorable. Who knew ponies came in pastel colors?

“No, it’s not happening! It’s beneath my dignity!” The Goddess of Mischief said, glaring.

“Um, guys.” Captain Cosmos said, trying to get her companions’ attention.

“You’re no fun,” Human Trixie said, pouting.

“Mortals. No respect at all! I don’t know why we even bothered rescuing you.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, scowling.

“Guys!” Captain Cosmos said, shouting.

“What?”

“Eliminate.” The robot they’d assumed destroyed rose from the ground. Much to their collective distress, a brand-new squat head melted into place, like it’d been forged from liquid mercury. Human Trixie shrieked in terror as it pointed its laser cannon at them.

“It matters not.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, bored. “It faces a goddess. She fears not one measly robot.” Her voice trailed off as the air rippled above them, reality ripped apart by some invisible hand. Four more metal monstrosities stepped through, each pointing a gun arm at their designated prey.

“Ah…. Run!” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, literally turning tail. Each Trixie fled for their lives, Human Trixie yelping as a beam singed her wonderful hair.

“You’re a goddess! Do something!” Human Trixie yelled at the supposedly divine version of her.

“Sometimes, the best method of dealing with a foe is to be elsewhere. But fear not, mortal, I’ll keep them distracted.” Trixie Celestia-whatever’s horn glowed a grayish magenta light, and hundreds of versions of their group appeared. Each fled in separate directions, sure to befuddle their pursuers.

But the robot monsters weren’t impressed with this trick. A beam shot from their helmets, washing a light over each duplicate. They fizzled out, like they’d never existed.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Trixie Celestia-whatever scowled. “If only they were living. I could use my Mind Stone against them.”

“Not surprising. It is a Trixie assassin, and illusions are our bread and butter.” Captain Cosmos said unhelpfully.

Was this it? Were they doomed?

“Hey, leave her alone!” A rainbow blur knocked the four metal monsters off course, zipping through their death beams.

“Sister?” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, surprised at the flying horse girl running interference. “Always the glory hound, eh?”

“And she’s not alone!” The wonderful, glorious Sunset Shimmer said, her friends running beside her.

With incredible brute strength, Applejack ripped a tree from its roots, hurling it at the robots. They flew off course to avoid it, putting them in perfect range for Pinkie’s sprinkle explosion barrage. Despite the abuse, they still lived, rising shakily from their impact craters.

“You’re not hurting anyone else!” With an outstretched hand, Twilight Sparkle grabbed them with a purple aura. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she stretched the robot monstrosities apart. They fought against the tug, but couldn’t match the girl’s raw telekinetic might. With a horrible rending of metal, they each tore to pieces.

“Phew. Glad that’s over with.” Twilight said, almost losing her footing. She’d used everything to destroy those monsters. “I’m beat!”

“Trixie, oh my gosh, are you okay?” Fluttershy said, rushing over. She doted over Human Trixie, searching for any possible injury.

“Fine,” Human Trixie said, more than relieved. “Thanks to my new friends here.”

“Impossible. Actual Equestrians.” Sunset said, mouth agape. “How is that possible? Shouldn’t you be human? How are you even here?!”

“Wowsers!” Pinkie Pie said. “It’s like I’m seeing triple! Except sorta, not really.”

“Never thought I’d see Equestrian ponies again.” Fluttershy said. “And they never stop being the cutest!”

“They just sorta showed up.” Human Trixie said. “Heck if I know what’s going on.”

“Call me, Captain Cosmos! The greatest hero in Equestria!” The superhero did a pose.

“Trixie, Goddess of Mischief, You did a great service, mortals.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, showing no thankfulness for the rescue. She turned her attention to Rainbow. “And sister, you did your usual thing, smash everything in sight. Good job.”

“Thanks?” Rainbow looked at her friends for some clarification, but they only shrugged in response.

“Alternate Trixies.” Sunset mused. “And those robots were after you, too. Why is that?”

“Yeah, they mentioned something about I’m the Trixie of Universe 8888,” Human Trixie said, thinking out loud. “But why me? I’m just a fabulous but ordinary teenage girl!”

“That, Captain Cosmos, doesn’t know.” The pony said. “They’ve been chasing us across the multiverse. They seem bent on the destruction of every Trixie everywhere across the cosmos.”

“Why would anyone want Trixie, of all people, dead?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“We must eliminate all Trixie. It is the will of Proto.” A robotic voice said. They all gasped as the supposedly destroyed robots reforged together, no less hurt than when the battle started. Trixie choked on bile as more robots rose from the destroyed roof of Canterlot High, flying in their direction.

“Oh, come on!” Rainbow Dash said despairingly. “We just beat those!”

“Can nothing destroy these stupid things?” Sunset threw up her arms, frustrated.

“Whoever this Proto is, he must be controlling them with technological magic beyond even my understanding. If we don’t deal with him, we’ll be running for the rest of eternity.” The Goddess of Mischief said, scowling.

“There’s only one chance, the ship!” Captain Cosmos said.

“Ship?” Human Trixie wondered.

“Just the idea. Join us mortals, or die here.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, already running,

“But.” Despite her terror, she couldn’t just leave Sunset and her friends to their doom. Indecision froze her limbs.

“Go!” Sunset said, ducking under a laser shot. “We’ll keep them distracted. They’ll leave once you’re gone!”

“But!” That was stupid logic. They had no guarantees the robot monstrosities wouldn’t slay them first before resuming the chase.

“You heard her, go!” The Goddess of Mischief said, waving at her to follow.

“I…” Human Trixie’s voice cracked, overwhelmed with sudden emotion. Tears stung her eyes as she fled with the other Trixies.

“Trixie! Stay safe, please!” Fluttershy’s anxiety turned to rage, directing her ire at the offending robots. “You jerks! You’re not hurting my friend!” Much to everyone’s astonishment, a proverbial zoo appeared to aid the shy girl. Lions, tigers, elephants, countless scores of birds, and even crocodiles, arrived for battle.

Where the heck did they come from? Human Trixie wondered, slightly alarmed. She yelped in fright as a laser beam zipped past. An elephant paid back this insult, crushing the offending robot under its massive feet.

“Okay, that was weird.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, both awed and frightened. “In any universe, that mare has a serious temper!” The battle began, the Trixie hunters were driven back by the sheer ferocity of her protectors.

“Just around this corner!” Captain Cosmos guided them into a parking lot of a local burger joint.

The ship that greeted Human Trixie as they approached, however, wasn’t what she’d expected. “What a heap of junk! This can fly through the multiverse?”

While a sci-fi marvel, the craft seemed to be on its last legs. Its metal surface was dull and scarred. Pieces of the machine seemed ready to fall off. The egg-shaped ship had four wings and barely stood taller than the diner. People gathered around, gapping at the UFO. Some taking pictures. Others claimed it as only part of some movie shooting.

“It’s been through a lot, okay?” Captain Cosmos said defensively. “I salvaged it after an alien invasion a couple years ago.”

“Okay,” Human Trixie said, unsure how else to respond.

Before Captain Cosmos could shoo curious people away from her ship, people scrambled in fright as beams shot from the sky. More stupid robots appeared from nowhere, each eager to vaporize their prey.

“Inside!” Captain Cosmos pushed a button on her wristband, and a door zipped open to invite them in.

All three Trixies jumped inside, landing in a heap. The door almost caught Human Trixie’s leg as it closed as she fought to free herself from the tangle. The ship’s hull rattled as the robots pounded their fists against it.

“Trixie, start the engines!” Captain Cosmos cried, her tone desperate.

“Got it.” Another familiar voice said. The world jerked as the ship suddenly took flight. Trixie rolled backward as it flew away, groaning as her spine collided with a seat.

“That sucked.” What a day.

“Here, let Trixie help you up.” A hoof extended to pull her human counterpart from the metal floor.

“Thanks.” Human Trixie rubbed her sore back before turning her attention to the person who’d helped her. It was another pony Trixie, only this one wore a magician’s cape and hat. Human Trixie had to admit, they looked pretty cool.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie.” The pony Trixie said, shaking her hand with a hoof.

“Uh, Trixie too!”

“Exiting the universe.” The Trixie in the cockpit said. Human Trixie flinched as her vision became fuzzy for a second, making her stumble onto the seat. After a couple pained breaths, it passed as her head cleared.

“Whew, out of the universe!” Captain Cosmos said, whipping her brow.

“We’re not in the universe anymore?” Human Trixie looked out a window and gapped. Outside was nothing, not even stars. It was completely devoid of substance, blacker than nothingness.

“That’s the void. It exists between each universe. It’s devoid of everything. Light, matter, and even time.” Captain Cosmos said. “Some call it hell.”

“So we’re nowhere,” Human Trixie replied.

“Exactly.”

“Cheery.” Human Trixie turned away from the window, unsettled. Instead, she explored her surroundings. It appeared to be a lounge of sorts, with comfortable-looking circular seats. Though they ill-matched some for a human, clearly designed for pony people. While messy, it was futuristic and sleek, with a scruffy, golden surface.

“What now?” Human Trixie asked, awestruck that she stood in a freaking spaceship.

“That’s a good question.” The Great and Powerful Trixie replied. “And we’re not sure.”

“We’ve been gathering any Trixies we can to save them from those robots.” Captain Cosmos said.

“Sure, but where do they come from?” Human Trixie asked, impatient.

“That’s what we’re trying to ascertain. But with our current company, I’m not optimistic.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said.

“What?” Captain Cosmos said, indigent.

“We risked our necks to save some girl that isn’t a trained warrior, doesn’t have magic, or possesses any other useful skills.” The Goddess of Mischief replied.

“What?” Human Trixie clenched a fist, eager to deck the pony for her superior attitude.

Before the argument could come to blows, an unfamiliar Trixie interposed herself before the quarreling Trixies. “No fighting. Our troubles are bad enough as it is.” It was the Trixie from the cockpit. Much to Trixie’s astonishment, this Trixie possessed wings.

“Whatever.” Trixie Celestia-whatever rolled her eyes.

“Hello, my name is Trixie Lulamoon, the Element of Humility.” The Trixie offered her counterpart a gracious bow.

“Okay.” Was that supposed to mean something?

“Yes, Princess of Humility.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said snidely. “A worthy title, I’m sure.”

“You’re a princess?” Trixie said, amazed.

“Of sorts. I have no kingdom to my name. But my people are everyone, I am a light to help others in need.” The Princess replied.

“Huh. Are these all the Trixies you’ve collected so far?” Human Trixie asked.

“There’s one more down in storage,” Princess said. “For obvious reasons, we keep her down there.”

“The Goddess demands she be informed about how the operation went.” A voice inside Trixie’s head said, its volume making Human Trixie flinch.

“Can’t you just take it from our mind?” Trixie Lulamoon said.

“Yes, but the Goddess is lonely and needs company!”

“What the heck was that?” Somehow, a voice had just spoken in Human Trixie’s mind. How was that possible?

“Let me show you.” In the cargo hold, they guided Trixie to a tube that dominated the room. Inside was a murky liquid with something swimming within. From the glimpses Human Trixie had caught, she was glad she couldn’t make out any further details.

“I am the Goddess of the Unity!” Beside the vat of the unspeakable thing, a shining version of her pony self sat, her expression alight with a confidence of someone who believed themselves all powerful. “Savior of the Wasteland and ponykind’s guide to its apotheosis.”

“What the heck are you?” Human Trixie said, alarmed.

“She was involved in a scientific accident in some horror-filled post-apocalyptic future.” Trixie Lulamoon replied. “It turned her into this goop monster.”

“Your tone offends the Goddess.” The voice said. The illusion Trixie mouth moved with the words, but no sound came out. “The Goddess has a very tragic backstory that deserves respect!”

“Some Goddess.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, her tone mocking. She skipped around the cargo hold before coming to a halt. “How about joining me for a dance? Despite some complications, the mission was a roaring success. Oh, right, you can’t! Imagine that, a divine being without legs!”

“The Goddess finds that very hurtful.” The voice said, tone meek. “She didn’t ask for this life!”

“Okay, at least we’ve gotten a lead.” Human Trixie said, changing the topic. “The robot’s master calls himself Proto. If we stop him, we’ll get our lives back!” And her lovey-dovey time with Sunset Shimmer.

“Proto, huh?” Humility scratched her chin. “I have an idea. If we track those robots back to their home base, it’s one step closer to stopping him!”

“Okay, but how? They’re super unkillable death robots! We can’t just ask to hitch a ride!” Human Trixie said, frustrated.

“We’ll need an expert.” Captain Cosmos stroked her chin. “A true genius in magical studies! If Proto is magically linked to them, we’ll use that bond to locate him.”

“Ugh.” The Great and Powerful Trixie groaned. “You’re not suggesting we beg for Sparkle’s help?”

“Agreed. From personal experience, that mare is a viper!” Humility said, showing genuine anger. It seemed odd on her usually serene features.

“She’s the one who doomed me to this hellish existence!” The Goddess spat.

“Not all Twilights are that bad.” Human Trixie rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. “But regardless, this crew can’t do it alone.”

Before anyone could respond, an alarm buzzed. Panic filled Humility’s expression, flying/leaping into the cockpit. With frantic energy, she pulled levers and pressed buttons.

Captain Cosmos answered Human Trixie’s unasked question. “Our senses have detected more robots. Not towards us, but heading for another universe. They’re after another Trixie!”

“Heading in that direction now.” Humility said, buckling up. “Buckle up and hang on!”

Everyone did as instructed. Human Trixie grimaced as she clipped on restraints designed for someone half her size, and a quadruped. “Let’s hope we get lucky and this Trixie possesses the expertise we need.”

“Now that’s optimistic.” The Goddess of Mischief said.

“Everypony, hang on. This might be a bumpy ride!” Humility said, the ship jittering as it returned to real-time. Human Trixie flinched as something snapped off the hull as the ship’s shaking rose to a fevered pitch. A wonderful, clear blue sky greeted them as she gazed out the window, the sun high in the sky. From its position, it seemed likely it was nearly noon.

“Not good,” Humility said from the cockpit. “I’ve lost complete control of the steering. We’re going in hot.”

“What?!” Human Trixie wasn’t the only one distressed by this news.

“Those robots must have damaged the ship worse than I suspected.” Humility tapped some buttons, to little obvious effect.

“Hold on, we’re about to make a crash landing!” Captain Cosmos said before the entire world tumbled as the ship flipped end over end until after a moment it impacted into something and came to a juddering halt.

“Ugh.” Human Trixie groaned, her skull spitting something fierce. Otherwise, her wonderfulness was in one piece. She took stock of her surroundings, finding nothing but splintered wood and glass from outside the window. It seemed they had crashed into a building, a house most likely.

“Is everyone okay?” Human Trixie asked.

“I’ve felt worse after an entire night of partying, but otherwise, I’m okay.” The Goddess of Mischief said, readjusting her helmet back into place.

“It knocked the Goddess about, but she’s otherwise okay.” A telepathic voice said.

But the others had suffered serious injuries. Humility dragged herself from the cockpit, a wing bent at an odd angle. The Great and Powerful Trixie was unconscious, bleeding from the scalp. Beyond some bruises, Captain Cosmos was otherwise fine.

“Let’s hope we can find medical attention.” Captain Cosmos said, limping over to the front hatch. She tried and failed to push it open.

“So much for our cool spaceship,” Human Trixie said, sighed. She helped with the door, adding her greater weight to the effort. “How do we escape if the robots attack?”

“One problem at a time.” Humility said, joining the effect. They scowled as Trixie Celestia-whatever hung back, doing nothing to help.

“What?” Trixie Celestia-whatever said innocently. “Isn’t it a mortal’s job to do all the hard work?” But the collective effort paid off, the door sliding free.

“Where are we?”Human Trixie asked, gazing around. They seemed to be in the remains of someone’s house, pony from its shorter proportions. While richly furnished, she couldn’t help but notice the bourbon bottles littering the floor.

“My house!” A familiar voice said. “My window! Bon sang! I just had it fixed too! Dear Luna, and now some weird bear creature has stumbled out of that metal egg thing,”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Human Trixie said, jumping out, her foot smacking against a bourbon bottle. “But my name is Trixie Lulamoon, and we’re here to help!”

The new Trixie only started, eyes boggling as more Trixies stumbled from the ship. Then she sighed, taking a deep swig from a floating half-filled Bourbon bottle. “Dear Luna, not more Trixies from another universe! What have I gotten into this time? My name is Trixie Lulamoon too, Ponyville’s representative of the Night Court and Element of Magic.”

Author's Note

1Canon version
The much beloved Great and Powerful Trixie.

2From the Mirror Universe from the IDW comics
Everything has a reflection. Light and Dark, Matter and Anti-matter, Good and Evil. In this topsy-turvy Equestria, the three alicorns who should be their beloved protector became its cruel oppressors instead. But every universe has its champions. Kind and brave Trixie Lulamoon became the Element of Humility. Together with Ditzy (Element of Wisdom), Chrysalis (Element of Love), and Flim and Flam (Element of Fairness) they fight with the kind and benevolent King Sombra to fight the threats that threaten the peace and happiness of their world.

3From Fallout Equestria

War comes to every nation, no matter how much they aim for peace, love, and friendship among all being. In this universe, Equestria was locked in a brutal war against the Zebra nation. Desperate to end the conflict, Equestria worked on many projects to finally gain victory. Trixie volunteered for one such experiment, led by Twilight Sparkle, head of the Ministry of Arcane Sciences. The aim of the experiment was to create an army of alicorns to fight against their Zebra enemy, to become Gods among ponies. The experiment when horribly awry, however, mutating Trixie into a malformed amalgamation of several ponies. With her newfound hivemind, she aims to unite all ponies as alicorns to save the Equestria from the horrors of the devastation caused by the Great War.

4From the Lunaverse

In a strange twist of fate, Princess Luna, the sole ruler of Equestria, choose an opinionated ragamuffin of filly as her student after seeing her perform a magic show at a birthday party. Trixie Lulamoon grew up with great dreams, hoping to become a prominent member of Luna's Night Court. On her duties to help Ponyville in its Longest Night festival, an evil from the past returns to hunt Equestria once again. Corona, the fallen sister of Princess Luna, had returned from her banishment on the sun, ready to force her iron will on Equestria once again. But together with her friends, Lyra Heartstrings, Ditzy Doo, Carrot Top, Raindrops, and Cheerilee, they banded together to stop her. In an odd twist of fate, they became the Element of Harmony and new protectors of their realm.

Contradictory Selves - Chapter 3

“They failed to kill another one?” A mechanized voice said as the figure lounged on their throne. “These Trixies are getting more resourceful than I expected.”

Behind his mask, Proto stared at the footage of the various alternate Trixies fleeing into a broken-down ship and escaping into the void. Around him, countless floating screens depicted innumerable universes. Proto watched in amusement as a pony/human monster hybrid of Trixie fled into a dead-end alleyway, her expression filled with terror. She raised her hands, begging for mercy, only to be vaporized by Proto’s masterful robots, sanitizing the cosmos of such filth.

“And so more Trixies drop like flies.” Proto clapped together his hooves. “Still, this resistance is troubling.” Not every Trixie was a third-rate wannabe magician. A few even possessed powers capable of threatening even his majesty. The group led by the Power Pony version of Trixie wasn’t the only Trixie mounting a defense against his spectacular robots. If left to continue, they’d become a dangerous threat.

“A change in strategy is in order,” Proto said, summoning a screen with a hoof tap. While his masterful robots were effective killers, a more specialized tool was required to stop Captain Cosmos and her merry band of rebel Trixies. It was a pity for them that Proto had technology powered by the multiverse.

“Ah, they’re in the universe where Trixie became the Element of Magic.” Proto snickered. What a joke title for someone like Trixie. Still, it gave Proto an idea, one sure to strike fear in this particular Trixie.

With a few more keystrokes, his masterpiece was complete. Light zipped around his throne room, each one constructed flesh from nothing. Head, limbs, organs, and everything else that constituted a pony forged together. In a matter of seconds, his newest creation was complete.

“What do you wish, my master?” His creation said, bowing,

“Go, eliminate Trixies, every one of them. Purge the cosmos of her filth.”

“It shall be none, my Lord.” A cruel, delighted smile grew on his creation’s muzzle. “I’ll enjoy snuffing the life from each one of them. The payback will be delicious.”

“And you’re supposed to me, huh?” Representative Trixie said, examining her human counterpart with a curious eye. Human Trixie’s hackles rose as the pony eyed her with borderline disgust. Representative Trixie frowned as more Trixies pulled themselves from their wrecked spaceship. “How many of you are there?”

“Six.” Captain Cosmos said, boldly exiting the ship, her cape flapping in the breeze. “And we’re here to help!”

“By destroying my house?!” Representative Trixie said, eye twitching. “You couldn’t just land outside? And you said six? Where’s the last one?”

“She’s fine in the cargo hold. Thank you.” The Goddess’s voice echoed through their minds. “And she’s not annoyed you didn’t even check up on her!”

“What the hay was that?!” Representative Trixie said, alarmed. Her head darted around, trying to locate the voice’s source.

“Sorry, Goddess. The crash distracted us.” Human Trixie said, flinching. The Goddess snorted, but otherwise accepted the apology. She reappeared as her shining illusionary self, startling their host for a second. “Anyway, she’s a long story. Heck, this whole business is a long story.”

After glaring at her unwanted guest for several long moments, Representative Trixie sighed and relented. “Okay, make yourselves comfortable. And with my friends off in that Carrot Convention in Hollow Shades, too. This better be good. This was my day off.”

The Great and Powerful Trixie played with a Bourbon bottle under her hoof and chuckled. “I see you’ve done little about your crippling alcoholism.”

“She sure knows how to party.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, using her magic to examine a half-full bottle of booze.

“I am not an alcoholic! I was enjoying a nice, quiet drink!” Representative Trixie said, glaring at her offending counterpart. Recognition flashed in her eyes. “Wait, are you the same Trixie from before?”

“You mean when your reckless use of teleportation magic nearly destroyed both our universes and created a murderous supervillain? Yes, it is I, The Great and Powerful Trixie!” Her cape whooshed dramatically behind her.

“Figures.” Representative Trixie said, rubbing her temple. “And there was plenty of blame to go around for the Antithesis Crisis, thank you. And don’t drink that! That’s my best stuff! Cheerilee got it for me for Hearth’s Warming!”

“Too late!” Trixie Celestia-whatever chugging the entire bottle with a single swig. “Burns the throat, just how I like it. I needed that!”

“I’d like some tea, if that’s okay with you?” Humility asked.

“In the kitchen, top right cupboard.” Representative Trixie did a double take as she noticed the pony exploring her kitchen had wings. Her mouth dropped, eyes widening to saucers.

Human Trixie rubbed her temple. “We’re on the run from invincible, unkillable robots. Is it such a good idea to start drinking?”

“Now’s the best time!” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, chugging another bottle. “Want some?”

“No, I’m underage!” Human Trixie said, aghast.

Trixie Celestia-whatever only shrugged in response, downing the bottle. “More for me.”

After sending another glare to her helmeted counterpart’s way, Representative Trixie registered Trixie’s words. “Wait, what’s this about unkillable robots?”

“Allow me!” Captain Cosmos said, taking a heroic pose. After introducing everyone, she gave an overdramatic version of the current events, complete with sound effects and hoof gestures, while Humility served everyone tea.

“So, you’re hoping to capture one of these death robots and use its magical signature to track it back to its home base somewhere in the wide cosmos?” Representative Trixie asked, summing up their plan.

“Can you help us, Representative Trixie?” Human Trixie asked, eyes alight with hope. If this Trixie was a princess’s student, she must have some extensive connections.

“Actually, I prefer to be called Dame Trixie.” The mare said with obvious pride. The Great and Powerful Trixie only rolled her eyes, and Human Trixie agreed with her. Buying some fraudulent title off the internet didn’t make you actually important.

“As for helping, maybe?” Representative Trixie rubbed her temple. “This is way beyond my expertise, like way beyond. I’m not sure who I’d ask for this. The Princess? Canterlot University? I’ll see what I can do.”

“There isn’t time for research! The robots will be here any minute!” Human Trixie said, paling, when she realized how much time they’d already wasted.

“Time isn’t a constant across universes. It flows differently in each world.” Captain Cosmos said. “The time dilation between our arrival should buy us some time.”

“Like?”

“Days, hopefully.” Captain Cosmos replied. “Then we get overrun by deadly robots without any chance of escape.”

“Wonderful.”

“It still gives up time to plan.” Captain Cosmos said, all confidence. “And I can repair the ship while you do your research.”

“Repair that?” Representative Trixie said, staring at the ruined ship.

“Not a problem.” Captain Cosmos waved a dismissive hoof. “I designed the thing.”

“You invented an extra-dimensional spaceship?” Representative Trixie asked, eyes wide.

“The Masked Matter-Horn isn’t the only genius superhero. They practically begged me to join the Power Ponies.” Though Human Trixie detected that Captain Cosmos was fibbing about the second part.

“It’s a plan, at least.” Humility said, dainty sipping her tea. “One of us should stay to help with the repairs.”

The Great and Powerful Trixie raised a hoof. “Trixie will help. She’s seen enough of this universe from her last visit.” This adventure sounded interesting. Human Trixie would need to ask about it later.

“Okay, I’ll contact Princess Luna.” Representative Trixie scribbled something on a note before throwing it into her hat. It disappeared in a flash of sparkles.

“The vice principal of my high school?” What kind of weird alternate universe had she found herself in?

“Not that bore.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, rolling her eyes. She took an even deeper swig of Bourbon, draining the bottle empty. “And she’s the princess of this country, really? Celestia’s Mane preserve me!”

“Luna, huh?” Humility said, frowning. “I suppose it can’t be helped. Clearly, your Luna made better life choices. My Luna’s reformed, but still.”

“Not the Nightmare Moon/Corona thing again.” Representative Trixie said, rubbing her temple. “In this universe, Celestia was the sister that turned rotten, okay. I’m clearing this with everypony, so there isn’t any more confusion.”

Humility absorbed this information in silence, muttering about how this universe was lucky. “In my universe, all three princesses went bad.”

This earned a strangled croak from Representative Trixie. “Even Cadenza?”

“She’s the worst of the bunch.” Humility replied. “I’ve never met anypony so sadistic and depraved.”

Representative Trixie’s face twisted in disgust, her imagination traveling to unpleasant places. “And I thought Corona was bad.”

Trixie Celestia-whatever, however, clapped her hooves in delight. “She’s a villain in this universe, eh? How delightful! Tell me, did she terrorize the entire planet? Tried to enslave its people?”

“Don’t look so happy about it. I lived through that nightmare, and that monster's still out there!” Representative Trixie snapped, but Trixie Celestia-whatever seemed even more delighted, demanding details. Human Trixie, however, had long given up trying to follow the conversation, helping her winged pony counterpart clean up tea.

“After All-Mother’s lectures over the centuries, it’s nice to see Mommy Dearest as the villain for once.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said. “And even worse than me, it sounds.”

“Anyway, I know somepony who might help us while we wait for the princess. It might take some hours until she arrives.” Representative Trixie paused as the goddess pony’s words sunk in, eyes widening. “Wait. M-Mother? Corona’s your mother?!”

“Okay. Let’s see here.” Pony Twilight Sparkle said, examining a bunch of sparking panels. After the crash, the ship’s engine suffered the worst damage, it’d require significant repair until their extra-dimensional craft could fly again. “I guess the mechanism seems simple enough. These compensators need changing, but otherwise, it shouldn’t be too difficult to fix.”

“Perfect.” Representative Trixie said. “The quicker this gets fixed, the sooner it gets out of my damn house! Honestly, the repair costs will be a nightmare! I only hope Luna will give me yet another government grant for house repairs.”

“Eh, so this often happens?” Trixie asked, curious.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Representative Trixie replied glumly. “At this point, I’ve already put several contractor’s foals through college!”

“Still, this technology is amazing!” Twilight said, squeaking in delight. “You said this is alien tech?”

“Yes! From the Zebra Empire in one of their many grabs to claim Earth for their own!” Captain Cosmos replied.

“Zebras?” Human Trixie said, eyebrow raised. First talking horses, and now zebras? And hadn’t she seen donkeys and cows walking around the town, too? Yet, when she saw ponies walking with their dogs, the canines seemed like ordinary animals. What an odd, confusing universe. When she’d entered the ponyverse during her first visit during the cruise incident, her transformation into an equine had her too dazed to appreciate the details. The more she learned about this magical pony world, the stranger it seemed.

“Zebra?!” The Goddess said in their mind, her illusionary self mimicking her shocked, outraged reaction.

“Please don’t do that!” Representative Trixie clutched at her skull, flinching.

“It’s complicated. The zebra once ruled a universe-spanning empire thousands of years ago. Our planet is one of the many they colonized. But when their empire collapsed, the zebra of our planet lost contact with the outer universe. This new Zebra Empire is only a collection of power-hungry zebra trying to reclaim their species’ former glory. Most aren’t bad, as my friend Zecora can attest.” Captain Cosmos replied.

“In my universe, those striped…” The Goddess paused, realizing she was on the cusp of saying something problematic. “Those guys started a war that turned the entire planet into a radiated wasteland!”

“The entire planet? How?” Representative Trixie said, eyes wide. “Some magic superweapon?”

“Yes, a Megaspell called a Balefire Bomb. It was so destructive, only ponies that lived in shelters deep underground survived.” The Goddess replied.

“H-How could it go that far?” Representative Trixie asked, her voice shaking. Twilight stared, stunned, trying to imagine the destructive might of such a magical force. “They just wiped out everything to win?”

The illusion Trixie hesitated. “Well, not exactly. It was a bloody conflict. We were both at war. But they started it! We only shot Megaspells back at those damned strippies to get them back for destroying us!” That last argument sounded a little weak considering the unimaginable destruction and death involved.

“So, it’s the Cold War, only it got out of control, and the bombs dropped?” She remembered her country wasn’t exactly innocent in that conflict, either. Each nation had harassed the other, keeping the tensions high and fingers on doomsday buttons. But it’d worked itself out, neither nation wanting destruction despite their mutual hatred. Still, it was crazy any war would escalate a conflict into total mutual destruction. What was the point of winning if you destroyed yourself?

“Okay, don’t provoke the Zebras enough that they’d shoot super death magic at us. Sounds simple enough.” Representative Trixie said, scratching them down on a notepad.

If the malformed-like creature could glare, her spite would burn a hole into the mare’s skull. “It isn’t that easy! Watch out. Your world’s likely on the path to calamity, too! I come from the future, and one you all likely share!” The illusion Trixie raised her hooves dramatically as she proclaimed this doom.

“Really?” The Great and Powerful Trixie’s eyes widened. From their understanding, her world wasn’t much different from the Goddess’s, at least until the war started. But she paused, considering. “Wait, in your world, Sparkle isn’t an alicorn. Never mind, we’re good. Our future’s beautiful, bright and full of friendship!”

“Which I still can’t believe. How did she get all the luck? And her own castle too?” Representative Trixie bitterly grumbled to herself about having a long conversation with Princess Luna about this, muttering she at least deserved her own castle.

“Um, that’s how the multiverse works,” Twilight said, piping up. “Free will prevents that. Each decision causes a rippling effect that alters the course of the future. It seems unlikely our universes will share a similar course. Besides, the Zebras are a nomadic, tribal people. They don’t have the technology to bomb anyone.”

“Nopony asked you, Sparkle!” The Goddess snipped back. “Beware, beware! Bleak futures await you all!” But everyone had lost interest in the conversation, switching to one more related to their current crisis.

“How long will the ship repairs take?” Human Trixie asked.

“With this mare’s help, about a day.” Captain Cosmos gave Twilight a playful punch on the shoulder.

“Shucks, thanks! You’re pretty cool yourself!” Twilight and the superhero started exchanging technical jargon in hush whispers.

“And, of course, the Great and Powerful Trixie will provide you with the most crucial backup!” The mare said, raising a hoof dramatically. “Trixie’s an expert at hoofing out tools and other gizmos.”

“Okay, we have a game plan. And Princess Luna should arrive any hour.” Representative Trixie flinched at the sound of glass breaking from somewhere outside the ship. “Oh for! Rainbow Dash, stop crashing into my house and breaking my windows!”

But no response came, annoying Representative Trixie further. Her temper flared to a boiling point when another window shattered, heedless of the pony’s complaints. “What the heck is happening up there?!”

Furious beyond words, the mare stomped up the stairs for some answers. But Representative Trixie gasped, her words icy with terror. “No, it can’t be.”

“What’s happening up there?” Twilight said, leading the group of Trixies as they left the ship to investigate.

“Trixie, what’s happening?” Twilight froze as she stepped from the ship, Trixie Celestia-whatever wincing as her nose bumped into the mare’s back.

“What gives?” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, annoyed.

“No, impossible. You’re dead!” Twilight said, turning white as a sheet. “You can’t be here!”

“Glad I finally got both of your attention.” An odd pony with a coat so blue it was almost purple said. On her flank was a lavender starburst set against a midnight-blue, crescent-shaped nebula. In her hoof, she held a stone, which she hurled at the nearest window. She smirked as the impact made a satisfying cracking sound. “I was worried I’d run out of windows.”

“Antithesis.” Representative Trixie said, her tone breathless.

“Hello, Trixie, Twilight.” Oddly, the blue/purple seemed like a strange cross between Twilight and Trixie. But her eyes shared neither mare’s kindness. Behind those mismatched orbs of violet were gleeful malice, the type of person who enjoyed causing suffering to others. “It really has been too long. And other Trixies, too? How delightful. It’ll make the slaughter even more fun!”

Author's Note

A familiar face returns to haunt this universe. Antithesis from Crisis on Two Equestrias. Don't worry, you don't need to read that story to understand what's going on.

Contradictory Selves - Chapter 4

“You can’t be. You’re dead!” Representative Trixie spluttered, unable to believe her eyes.

“No thanks to you. You murdered me!” The twisted pony trotted across the room, hoof extended outward. Representative Trixie winced as Antithesis knocked over everything in her path, sending ornaments, books, pictures, and other knickknacks crashing to the carpeted floor. “But thanks to Master Proto, I’ve been given new life and a new purpose. One you’ll find most fascinating! The genocide of all Trixies everywhere!”

“He restored you to life? How powerful is this Proto?” Genuine terror crept into Representative Trixie’s voice.

“And being dead, after getting murdered, it’s given me plenty of time to plan. I could just kill you, but that seems too easy, too kind. I want to make you suffer first!” Antithesis said, hate blazing her in mismatched eyes, lifting a hoof to smash the glass of a fallen picture of a beaming younger Representative Trixie with an older mare and stallion and a herd of other foals behind her.

The twisted pony paused, considering the other Trixies in the room, and waved a vague hoof. “And you others, I guess. But mostly these two murderers!”

“Eep!” Twilight leaped back, hiding behind the much larger human version of Trixie. “Not her again! I’ve had enough nightmares already!”

“Who the heck is she?” Human Trixie asked. “What the heck did you do?”

“An evil being created when the Element of Magic shattered. It created an anti-pony, a bundle of hate and rage that wants to destroy everything. I didn’t do anything! And we’re not murderers! It was self-defense. You attacked us first!”

“You shattered an Element of Harmony?!” Humility said, fuming. “How could you be so careless?!”

“Yeah, it was mostly this Trixie’s fault.” The Great and Powerful Trixie said, pointing at the house’s owner.

“No, it wasn’t! It just kinda happened!” Representative Trixie replied defensively.

“The Element of what?” Human Trixie said, lost again. Was it some magical gizmo of some kind?

“Whatever she is, she stands against us!” Captain Cosmos said, puffing out her costumed chest. “Fear not, Trixie, Twilight. We stand by your side!”

“Right.” Humility glared at Antithesis. “I can sense it in my bones. This pony is a walking antithesis of harmony, a perversion of life itself! She must be stopped!”

“I guess I’ll help too.” Trixie Celestia-whatever said, chugging down another bottle of bourbon. “She’s a loud pest getting in my way.”

“How scary!” Antithesis said, her voice full of mock fright. “Good thing I’ve brought some friends too!”

A roar sounded outside, the ground rumbling from the shocking force of their fury. Human Trixie gasped as she glanced towards the noise, an ice dagger stabbing into her heart. Outside was a crowd of ponies, each villager’s face wore an expression of pure murder. In their hooves were torches, rope, and pitchforks, a mob with pent-up fury. They were eager to unleash it on a poor, unsuspecting target.

“What?” Representative Trixie’s eyes widened as she recognized the faces in the mob, her expression filled with horror and confusion. “What have you done to them, Antithesis?”

“A new spell. It’s a variation of an old classic!” The anti-pony replied. “I call it the “Hate It, Kill It” spell! It brings out the hatred in a pony and directs it at a certain somepony! No need to guess who. How does it feel knowing that, deep down, each pony in Ponyville secretly despises you?”

“I…” Representative Trixie’s voice cracked, hurt by this unexpected thrust.

“Shame your friends aren’t here.” Antithesis continued. “Then you’d see their true feelings about you, too!”

“There’s so many of them!” Human Trixie said, her voice tinged with panic. There must have been at least several hundred ponies surrounding Representative Trixie’s house! They’d never escape alive!

“I’ve instructed them to go after you, Trixie, specifically. But I’ve also to brutally tear apart anypony that gets in their way. Have fun!” After the fakest smile, Antithesis vanished in a burst of sudden light.

“Oh, pony...!” But Representative Trixie didn’t get a chance to finish, as dozens upon dozens of ponies smashed through what remained of her house windows, murder in their eyes.

“What now?” Trixie’s eyes widened in fright, backing away as the ponies advanced on the group of Trixies.

“I’ve been looking forward to this!” A yellow pony Trixie recognized as Applejack said, her smile gleaming with malice. “You’ve ruined everypony’s life since coming here. You move here from your fancy palace just to look down on us common folk, getting involved in business that ain’t a concern for you!”

“Applejack, stop, please! Antithesis has messed with your mind!” Representative Trixie said, her tone frantic and pleading.

“Wrong, Trixie! I’ve never felt so free!” Applejack said with a purr.

“Yeah, you don’t belong here, Trixie. You never did!” Another pony shouted in agreement.

“Please! Think! This isn’t you!” Tears pricked Representative Trixie’s eyes, which turned to tears of fear as the pony advanced, jumping her at once.

“I think you’ve got this!” The illusion Trixie said with a weak smile before vanishing.

The entire scene became pandemonium as dozens of ponies piled on top of them. The enraged mob punched, bit, and pummeled them. Trixie’s greater height worked to her advantage, but the ponies only reinforced their numbers, dragging her to the floor.

“Get off her!” Cried Captain Cosmos as she arrived to assist, a staff whirling in her hooves, knocking Ponyvillains unconscious. With such numbers against them, she didn’t hold back. A pony charged from behind, but a net shot from a hidden slot on her costume’s sleeve, trapping them.

“Thanks,” Human Trixie said, her voice shaky. Other than some bruises, she seemed alright. The other Trixies joined in the fight. Harmony took to the air, using her horn to blast ponies off her friends with bursts of magical energy. The Great and Powerful Trixie joined Twilight as they rushed to the back, trying to lure deranged ponies away from their allies. The mob attacked with clubs and pitchforks, but a gleaming magical shield protected the pair as they fled.

Much to Trixie’s surprise, the only one who seemed to be enjoying herself was Trixie Celestia-whatever. She danced around the battlefield, tapping ponies on the forehead with her staff. After a burst of green energy, the pony collapsed unconscious.

“Is that all you’ve got? I’m getting bored!” Trixie Celestia-whatever shouted, having the time of her life as she battled for her life. But she spoke too soon, yelping as a lasso stole her staff and yanked it away.

“We ain’t going to have any more of your voodoo magic, Trixie!!” Applejack said, breaking the staff in half with a carefully placed kick.

“Oh, bother!” Trixie Celestia-whatever said before, yelping as she vanished under a dogpile of ponies. This was insane. No matter how many ponies they fought off, dozens more replaced them seconds later. Antithesis had thrown them into a death trap they’d likely never escape.

“Stay back!” Human Trixie backed away as more crazed ponies approached, her other Trixie counterparts too preoccupied to assist. Her foot knocked against something, involuntarily glancing down to see what she’d bumped into. It was the top of Trixie Celestia-whatever’s broken staff. It had been an effective weapon against these brainwashed ponies, but she knew squat about magic.

If only someone could help us. Human Trixie thought and froze as a sudden idea struck her. Didn’t Representative Trixie brag about how her vice principal, now princess, had taught her everything she knew about magic? If she got this staff head to Princess Luna, it might fix everything.

Oh, it’s useless. I don’t know when the princess will arrive! But it didn’t matter, she needed to do something. With a plan that likely won’t work, Human Trixie scooped the staff head into her hands.

“What are you doing?” Representative Trixie said as she spotted Human Trixie fleeing towards a window. With a chair floating in her magical aura, she fought off the advancing mob.

“Doing what I can! I’m getting help! That princess of yours better show up and quick!” Human Trixie drove through the window, fighting past grasping ponies that were forcing their way into the building. Human Trixie yelped as pony teeth dug into her leg, but she used the other to jab her shoe into his face. After some struggling, Human Trixie freed herself and transformed her landing into a sprint.

Much to her dismay, dozens of ponies separated from the mob attacking Representative Trixie’s house to target her. Night had fallen over the pony hamlet. Glowing night lamps flickered as Trixie fled for her life.

“Luna, you better be out there or so help me!” Human Trixie screamed, running for her life. But her luck turned fouler still, as ponies literally jumped from their house’s windows to assault her. So crazed by bloodlust, the ponies cared little about what damage they caused themselves, as long as they tore the human to shreds. She winced as a pony landed badly as he leapt off a roof.

Driven by raw terror, Human Trixie pushed her legs to their limits, the quaint country town speeding past her. Despite her height advantage over her pursuers, it didn’t seem to matter. They gained on her with little difficulty, some jumping to tackle her. She screamed as a pony jumped from an open doorway, only missing them with a lucky jump in the air.

But her victory was short-lived as the fallen pony grabbed her leg midair, Trixie grunted in pain as her face implanted on the paved street. The murderous ponies quickly surrounded her, leaving no escape path.

“Leave me alone!” Human Trixie cried, decking the nearest pony with what remained of Trixie Celestia-whatever’s staff. She swung like a madwoman, anything to delay her horrible demise away a few seconds longer. Was this where the short, tragic life of Trixie Lulamoon ended? In a strange world not her own?

“A valiant land stand, eh?” A familiar, hateful voice said. The crowd parted for a familiar mismatched pony, who smiled with malevolent glee. She looked somewhat disappointed upon seeing the cowering human. “Oh, it’s the bear one. Pity, I was hoping it’d be my Trixie.”

“I’m not a damn bear! I’m human! And if you get any closer, I’ll bash your brains in!” Human Trixie snarled back at Antithesis’s smug expression.

“Poor little creature pulled into a battle beyond her understanding. Magicless, powerless, and useless to everypony around her. I almost pity you.” Antithesis broke into uproarious laughter. “Not really, but your situation is quite humorous.”

“I’ll show you powerless! Come over here, and I’ll show you!”

Antithesis seemed to consider the offer before snickering and shaking her head. “You’re not worth it. Crush her. I want to see Trixie Lulamoon’s face when she sees her bear counterpart’s lifeless body.”

“Damn it!” Tears pricked her eyelids, hurt beyond measure by her powerlessness. If only she had magic, like Sunset Shimmer and her friends, then she’d show this jerk! She backed away in fright as manic ponies approached, teeth gleaming.

“What’s going on here?” An imperial voice said, lightning crackling to punctuate her voice.

Framed by the starry night, dark shapes flew into view. Their profile was sinister, black shapes profiled by the darkness. Vampiric monster ponies with bat wings clad in ebony armor lowered to the ground. Their leader, however, dwarfed them all. With a coat blacker than the night, the regal, elegant mare stood tall and proud. Her mane fluttered from an invisible wind, an entire galaxy of stars in its depths.

“Oh, please, not her.” Antithesis groaned, sighing dramatically. “Here to ruin all the fun!”

“Fear not, my student. I will aid you in whatever disaster has befallen Equestria this time!” The black winged pony surveyed the situation, eyes narrowing as she spotted Antithesis. “And not too soon. I thought my student had vanquished your evil, Antithesis. But your return will be short-lived, that I promise you!”

“Thank goodness!” Human Trixie almost wept with joy, amazed at the majesty of her vice principal turned princess. Luna dropped to the ground, scattering the ponies around Trixie.

“Trixie, I…” Luna froze, eyes widening at what she’d assumed was her student. “What magic have you been playing with this time, my student? Did you not learn your lesson the first time when you turned Lyra Heartstrings into a bear creature?”

“I’m not a damn bear! Human!” Human Trixie’s face turned beat red. “And I’m not your student! It doesn’t matter! Deal with that thing!” She pointed at the mismatched pony.

“Yes, you are correct. My student spoke of alternate Trixies. You must be one of them. But she didn’t speak of this.” Luna gestured at the brainwashed ponies. “This must be your doing, Antithesis.”

“Yes, I’ve been a bad, rotten pony.” Antithesis said, delighting in the mayhem. “I’m surprised you’re challenging me after I humiliated you. But never mind, I don’t care about you. I’d rather see if your precious student is dead. Ponies, kill them. Later!” With a spark of magic, she disappeared.

“Protect the princess and the bear!” The guards said, taking a protective stand around Human Trixie and their charge.

“I’m not a bear! Human! I don’t even look like a bear!” Human Trixie said, fuming. She backed against the towering form of the pony princess, who almost stood as tall as a human adult, as the brainwashed ponies resumed their assault.

“What vile magic has Antithesis used to cloud your minds, my little ponies?” Luna’s horn shone with a cobalt blue light, wincing as she struggled to fight against the magic controlling her subjects. With beams of magical energy, she fought off the dozens of ponies that charged after them. Her vampire guards fought valiantly too, using their spears to knock aside the crazed ponies.

Despite their efforts, it wasn’t enough. Their efforts to not seriously hurt the Ponyvillains only hampered their effectiveness. Luna’s stun blasts barely seemed to stagger the brainwashed ponies, they rose almost as quickly as Luna blew them back. The princess howled as a pony bit her across the throat and got tossed through a nearby storefront for their trouble. Guards yelped in fright as they got overwhelmed.

“Curse that Antithesis. She will pay for this perversion.” Luna said, throwing away another pony. “She must know I don’t want to hurt my little ponies.”

“Wait.” Human Trixie thrust Trixie Celestia-whatever’s broken staff at the princess. “Use this. It has some kind of mind magic.”

“What is…” Luna’s eyes widened as her magical aura engulfed the gemmed staff. “Where did you get this? Its power is beyond anything I’ve ever seen!”

“It’s not mine. Just don’t worry about it! Fix everything first!” Human Trixie replied, screaming as a pony tugged on her hair with his teeth.

“Yes, its power might work.” Luna’s eyes glowed white, flowing into the air without her wings. “I see the parasitic magic infecting their minds, blinding them with raw hate. And it shall be banished!”

Everyone flew back as a burst of green energy blasted them away, knocking them to the ground. Human Trixie wincing in pain as she struggled to stand, but she seemed otherwise alright.

“What happened?” A pony said, blurry-eyed. Other ponies returned to their hooves, clutching their heads.

“It worked!” Human Trixie beamed, glad to be alive.

“With this gem, it was a simple matter,” Luna said, floating down to the street.

“I’m sorry, Princess. I…” A pony said, tears in her eyes. The other once-brainwashed ponies looked just as mortified by their actions.

“It wasn’t your fault, my little pony,” Luna replied with a sad smile, like a mother comforting a child after a terrible nightmare.

“We have to hurry. The other Trixies are in danger.” Human Trixie said, knowing this terrible dream wasn’t even close to finishing.

“Then we must go.” Princess Luna lowered to the ground, presenting her back to Trixie. “Ride on my back. It will be quicker if we go by air.”

“Okay.” While it was weird that she was about to ride a pony princess, with Antithesis still on the loose, Human Trixie dared not stay alone. After an awkward scrabble onto Luna’s back, Human Trixie whooped as they climbed high into the night sky, unable to help herself. It was quite a thrill flying high into the sky. Ponyville seemed like a lovingly detailed model town from this height.

Luna beamed, pleased and amused by the human’s exhilaration. Then her face turned serious, zooming through the air as they searched for her student. They both prayed they’d arrive in time to save her.

Contradictory Selves - Chapter 5

“Get away!” Dame Trixie Lulamoon, the student of Princess Luna, cried as she kicked at dozens of her neighbors. Each thirsted for her blood, chanting how much they despised her and wished her dead.

“You’re a useless drunkard!”

“You never take out the trash on the right day!”

She winced as a blow knocked a tooth out of a mare she’d often seen at the market. But the mare barely noticed, too busy trying to choke Representative Trixie with her cape. After some frantic grasping, she freed the garment and fled further into her house.

In the insanity of everything, she’d lost track of her counterparts. Despite the trouble they’d suddenly introduced into her life, Representative Trixie prayed they were safe. Except for the Trixie who called herself the Goddess of Mischief, she could rot for all she cared.

Panting, she slammed the door of her bedroom behind her, jolting as dozens of ponies slammed into it. They rocked against the door harder, but it held solid for the moment. Representative Trixie’s eyes widened as she noticed a free window the crazed Ponyvillians might use to break inside. With a grunt of effort, she used her telekinesis to lay her bed against the window, spilling her blanket and pillows across the carpeted floor. It cast the room into darkness, only a smidgen of light peeked past the makeshift barricade.

She paused as she realized something, unnerved by its lack of presence. Nopony was hammering against her door anymore. Whatever that meant, it couldn’t be good.

“I’m so screwed!” Representative Trixie hissed in utter despair, putting her hoof into her face. “They must be rushing for a battering ram!”

“Yeppers! Seems pretty bad!” A chirpy voice said, making Representative Trixie’s jump.

“Pinkie!” Representative Trixie said, backing away. Through the dim light, she could just glimpse the pink mare. While the confectionery maker’s face wore her trademark smile, it lacked happiness or warmth, making an icicle of fear stab through Representative Trixie’s spine.

“That’s me! Gee, Trixie! It seems you aren’t a very popular pony at the moment.” Pinkie said, her unnerving smile widening further. “But don’t worry, I’m here for you!”

“R-really?” Representative Trixie’s voice shook, her hooves trembling.

“Sure, that means we can have a private party all to ourselves! One where I torture you for days on end! Doesn’t that sound fun?”

“Please, don’t do this! This isn’t you, Pinkie!” With dozens of ponies out for her blood outside her door and the only other escape route blocked, Representative Trixie had no escape.

“No, I’ve always wanted to do this! I’ve always disliked how you often avoid my parties and brush off my invitations! It’s super rude. I can tell, deep down, you despise me and, worst still, my parties!”

Before she could resist, Representative Trixie gasped as a hoof slammed against her, knocking her own, and her head jolted against the ground. Her eyes widened as metal clasps snapped closed around her legs, trapping her against a wooden board. What the hay? Where did that come from? A torture rack hadn’t been in her room before! Try as she might, Representative Trixie couldn’t make her restraints budge, leaving her to Pinkie Pie’s heartless mercy.

“No, please!” Tears stained her eyes, wanting this horrible nightmare to end. And she was alone, knowing by instinct that neither her friends nor her mentor would arrive in time to save her skin.

“And now, time for your punishment for not liking my parties!” Pinkie said, eyes glowing red with malevolence.

“No!”

Something rubbed against her belly, twisting Representative Trixie’s face in discomfort. It wiggled against her harder, weakening Representative Trixie’s resolve to fight against it. Inevitably, the once proud student of Princess Luna cracked, succumbing to the torture.

“Hahaha, hahaha!” Her lungs hurt as the laughter escaped her mouth, her legs snapping against her restraints. “Please, stop it! I’m ticklish!”

“Coochie coo!” Pinkie said, waving the feather in her mouth harder.

“No more, please!” Representative Trixie said through fits of laughter.

“What are you doing?” A familiar voice said, slamming the door to Trixie’s room open. Representative Trixie was too busy laughing to notice her arch-nemesis entering the room.

“Like you said, torturing Trixie!” Pinkie said, beaming, not letting up on the tickle torture.

“No! You’re supposed to hurt her! Make her suffer!” Antithesis said, an eye twitching. “Don’t you want to cut her to pieces with a knife, slicing her up piece by piece? Then wear her cutie mark as a trophy, bathing in that hateable mare’s blood?”

“Nah, that’s mean! And that’s a terrible fashion faux pas.” Pinkie replied. “This is way more fitting!”

“Fitting?!” Frustrated beyond words, Antithesis put a hoof against her forehead. “Stupid mare! Why aren’t you more murderous? Don’t you hate this mare in the depths of your heart?!”

“Not really! Trixie’s more annoying than anything.”

“Ha! So much for your “Hate it, Kill it” spell!” Representative Trixie said, jumping on this opportunity to turn the tables on her enemy. “Pinkie’s too strong-willed to be corrupted by your magic!” Or something like that. Who knew what happened in Pinkie’s unique brain?

In response, the anti-pony glared at her smug captive. It was a minor victory, but Representative Trixie would take it! She grunted in pain as Antithesis jabbed a sudden punch in her ribs.

“Ouch,” Trixie said, hissing with pain.

“That’s better. I like it when that ugly muzzle of yours twists in pain!”

“One you share!” Representative Trixie shot back, not giving an inch. She refused to die a helpless victim.

“Fine. If Pinkie can’t torture you, then I will throw you to the mob to be torn apart!” Hate and malice glinted in Antithesis’s mismatched eyes. “And you can’t run away or use your illusions to hide.”

Her heart skipped a beat as Antithesis lifted Representative Trixie, torture rack and all in the air with her magic, lifting it to the waiting and hungry citizens of Ponyville. They laughed and mocked her as she approached, telling the Night Court Representative how much they despised her.

“You leave terrible tips!”

“You ignored me when I ask you out! You didn’t even let me down softly!!”

“You’ve brought nothing but trouble since you’ve gotten here! Made my Apple Trust a laughingstock,” Applejack cried, taking center stage. “You ruined my reputation, made me the most despised pony in Ponyville. And it wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t taught Carrot Top the wrong lesions. You corrupted her! Made her into just another troublemaker like yourself!”

“Lies” Representative Trixie snarled back, making her accuser flinch in shocked surprise. Representative Trixie could handle the insults and the hate, but nopony badmouthed her friends, ever. “She’s a better pony now, a stronger pony. You understand nothing! You only care about your ridiculous Apple Trust, never the ponies you crush underhoof! Carrot’s gained conference! Gotten tougher! When I first met her, she was a shy doormat, too scared to open her own carrot stand on the Longest Night for fear of making you angry, Applejack! Now she’s a trusted community leader, beloved for her honesty and generosity. I’m proud of what Carrot Top’s become. She’s become everything you’re not, Applejack, a true leader!”

“I…” Applejack staggered back, unsettled by Representative Trixie’s scathing rebuke.

“Tsk. Still have some fight, I see.” Antithesis said, annoyed.

“And you’re just an empty pony, Antithesis! Devoid of love or friendship. You’re nothing, you have nothing! A pony without a heart, only hate. How empty! How pointless! Killing me won’t make you happy. It’ll only make your life more pointless than it already is!”

“You!” Representative Trixie’s jaw stung as Antithesis slapped her hard enough to make her skull rattle. But Representative Trixie only smirked back, refusing to be cowed. This cornered animal refused to die so easily.

“I’m going to enjoy this!” Antithesis said, raising a hoof to hurt the target of her hatred further. But anti-pony never got the chance, as the Representative bedroom’s roof shattered to splinters.

“Fear not, Trixie! We are here to rescue you!” A familiar imperial voice said. Flying high above them was Princess Luna, with the human Trixie riding on her back. Floating in her aura was the Goddess of Mischief’s odd staff, still broken in half.

“Thank goodness!” Representative Trixie said, more than grateful. She was, however, a little annoyed about her house getting even further damaged. A certain royal princess would have to hoof the bill for sure.

“Argh! More annoying interruptions! Can’t a pony torture their most hated foe in peace!” Antithesis said, stomping a hoof like a foal denied a good Hearth’s Warming gift.

“Pony?” Princess Luna snorted. “You hardly qualify as one. You’re only a collection of twisted, negative energy brought to life when the Element of Magic got damaged.”

“I still deserve to live! I think, therefore, I am!” Antithesis glared at the alicorn hovering above her. “And I’ll burn down half of Equestria before I give up my life again!”

“All the more reason to eliminate you, Antithesis,” Luna said, her voice cold. “I won’t fall for your tricks like last time.”

“It’s a good thing I’ve brought friends.” The anti-pony said with a sly grin on her muzzle. “Everypony! Destroy this nuisance.”

Representative Trixie tensed as the corrupted Ponyvillians directed their insane ire at their princess. Luna, however, seemed unbothered by this threat. Did she have some clever trick ready?

“Uh oh. Itchy back-right hoof!” Pinkie said

“Fear not, my student.” Princess Luna said, levitating her broken staff high. Her eyes glowed white, blazing with power. “With this, I can save the citizens of Ponyville from Antithesis’s vile, corrupted magic.”

“Now I…” Before the Princess of the Night could finish, she recoiled as a whipped cream pie struck her in the face.

“Bullseye! My Pinkie Sense told me you were about to unleash cleaning magic from that doohickey!” Pinkie said, bouncing in delight.

The rabid Ponyvillians didn’t waste time swarming the princess. A lasso snatched around Luna’s neck, pulling her to the earth. Dozens of ponies leaped at her, Luna’s eyes widening in pain as they dragged her under them. The human Trixie yelped as she tumbled off her steed’s back, frantically fighting off any of the ponies that hadn’t already attacked the princess.

“I don’t want to hurt you, but to save my student, I must. Forgive me, my little ponies!” Ponies screamed as magic violently threw them aside. But Luna hardly noticed, her head searching around the room. “The staff. Where is it?”

“Over there!” Representative Trixie said, gesturing at a far corner where it’d fallen.

“Thank you.” But before Princess Luna could grab it, a pinkie figure blocked her path.

“Sorry, Princess, but I’m evil now! That means we need to fight! No hard feelings, okay?” Pinkie Pie said.

“Stand aside, young mare. I have no wish to harm you.” Luna said, confused by the party pony's odd behavior.

The baker and Ponyville’s resident party pony responded with a burst of fire from her party cannon. Surprised, Princess Luna cracked a nearby wall from the impact.

“You know, I’m starting to wonder if it’d be more prudent to live in an apartment.” Representative Trixie said dryly. She watched as the two titans engaged each other, neither giving an inch. Pinkie Pie was surprisingly nimble, just keeping ahead of Luna’s assault. Pies flew like crossbow bolts, peppering the princess and keeping her distracted.

“What fun!” Antithesis said, clapping her hooves together. “Poor Princess Luna, having to destroy the ponies she’d sworn to protect. And just to save the hide of her worthless student!”

“You’re a real jerk, you know that?” But the quip was reactive, Representative Trixie’s mind wandering to other topics, like how to retrieve the Goddess of Mischief's staff.

But the bonds Pinkie used to restrain her were tougher to break free than Representative Trixie had expected. She refused to surrender, using every trick to slip her legs free.

I knew I should have paid more attention to those escape artist lesions! Representative Trixie flinched as a randomly thrown pie struck her in the face, making a mess of her torture rack. And, she realized, her blinds!

Her horn glowing bright, she levitated the pie pieces to the chains binding her. While it made her a complete mess, the slimy custard made slipping through her restraints much easier. She gave an inward shout of triumph as she finally got a hoof free.

“What do you think you’re doing?” An irate Antithesis said, looming over her. Representative Trixie responded by decking the horrible, vile mare in the face. Not expecting this, Antithesis took the hard blow to the chin.

“That’s for punching me earlier!” Representative Trixie said as she worked to free her other legs. In seconds, she was free and ready to fight to save her mentor and friends.

And not too soon! Both Applejack and Pinkie Pie were ganging up on Princess Luna, the farmer pony using her rope to hogtie her while the baker stunned her with confetti explosions. It was a little surreal.

“Don’t worry, Princess! I’m coming!” Applejack yelped as a block of shattered wood smacked her on the back of her head. While Representative Trixie’s telekinesis was subpar, it could pack a punch when necessary.

“Ouch! Interfering busybody!” Applejack said, redirecting her ire at Representative Trixie.

“Don’t worry about me!” Princess Luna said, squatting at Pinkie. “Get the staff! It can fix this mess!”

“Okay.” She remembered its odd powers when the Goddess of Mischief had used it to defend herself, breaking Antithesis’s brainwashing with ease.

“You mean this?” Antithesis said, holding the Goddess of Mischief’s staff. Her eyes widened as her hoof touched the gem on the top. “I-incredible! With this, I could descend the entire world into bloody chaos! Nothing could stop me! I’d be the Goddess of Hate! The Goddess of Anti-Friendship!”

A sly smile crossed Antithesis’s muzzle as she eyed Princess Luna. Genuine fear flashed in her mentor’s eyes. “And how about I start with you, Princess? How about you tell your little student your true feelings?”

“No!” A beam shot from the broken staff’s gem, striking Luna in the forehead. She clutched at her head, eyes blazing the color of blood. “No! I must not! Must resist!” But it proved fruitless, the princess's expression twisting into a blind, euphoric hatred.

“No. I was wrong. This feels good! I’m finally free! Free to be myself!” A maniac, half-crazed laugh escaped Luna’s lips. An odd physical change overcame the princess, her fur turning crimson red. Even her mane had developed a red tint to it. “Free to spite this horrible nation that’s only caused me to suffer! It’s Equestria’s fault I lost my dear sister! It drove her to madness! And now it must be destroyed!”

“Oops! Might have overdone it a tad. That stone was tougher to control than I thought.” Antithesis sagged, her face becoming haggard. The anti-pony breathed hard, like she’d run three consecutive marathons. “Oh well! I love the new change, princess. It’s totally you! Have fun dealing with this, Trixie!”

However, before Antithesis could teleport away, an unseen Human Trixie smacked the mare across the head with a brick, dazing her.

“I’m taking that, thank you!” The biped said, ripping the staff from the anti-pony’s grasp.

“Hey! You can’t!” But Antithesis never finished her protest, taking another brick across the forehead, knocking her out cold.

That was one problem dealt with. The worst, however, was yet to come. The corrupted Luna took to the air, laughing all the while. “And now, Equestria shall burn!”

Contradictory Selves - Chapter 6

“Equestria shall be destroyed! So say I, Luna, the Bloody Mare!” Her mentor proclaimed, a righteous judge ordering an execution.

“This can’t be happening!” This was a nightmare. No way her mentor could fall like her sister, Corona. Representative Trixie dropped to the carpeted floor, her legs refusing to function. All the fight and gusto had drained away, leaving her dejected.

“Trixie, we need to run, now!” The human Trixie said, tugging at her leg. The unconscious Antithesis hung over her shoulder. In her right claw-thing, she carried the Goddess of Mischief’s broken staff with its impossible stone that caused this mess.

“I… okay.” On shaky legs, she allowed herself to be dragged away from her destroyed bedroom into the hallway. They walked over unconscious ponies, each dead to the world.

“What happened to them?” Representative Trixie asked.

“They passed out when Antithesis went unconscious.” The human Trixie gestured to the unconscious mare slung around her back. “I think it broke the spell.”

“That’s something, I suppose.” Finally, some good news.

“Other Trixies, are you okay?” A familiar caped hero said, dashing towards them. “All the brainwashed Ponyvillians are unconscious!”

“Yeah, we noticed.” Representative Trixie replied, her tone acid.

“What’s her problem?” Captain Cosmos said, taken aback. “And I see you’ve captured the villain Antithesis. Good work!”

“There’s no time to explain.” Human Trixie said. “Gather the other Trixies and bring them to Trixie’s living room! I’ll explain everything then.”

“Okay!” Captain Cosmos said, dashing off. They left the maddened princess who, for some particular reason, hadn’t followed.

A couple minutes later, every Trixie, minus one, had gathered in the ruined remains of her living room. Behind them stood Luna’s royal guard with Antithesis in tow, arrested with an anti-magic ring hooked on her horn. They watched in concern, uncertain of their position now that their boss had gone evil.

Trixie’s living room was in total disarray. Paintings and favorite photos sat shattered everywhere. Most of her furniture had gotten overturned, a few destroyed beyond repair. And this didn’t account for the broken spaceship still crashed in her house.

“Where’s the so-called goddess?” Representative Trixie asked, annoyed.

“She is here.” The Goddess replied in their heads as her illusionary self reappeared. While still smug in her supposed superiority, she seemed chastened that she’d been force to abandon them. “But I suppose you must be talking about the horned one.”

“Right when we need her too!” The human Trixie waved the mare’s broken staff in irritation.

“Forget her.” The Goddess replied. “You don’t need her when you have a real Goddess on your side. But please explain the situation. You captured Antithesis, correct? Isn’t everything fine now?”

“We’re still in deep trouble,” Human Trixie said, peeking out a window nervously. “Vice Principle Luna got corrupted by some spell cast by Antithesis using this strange staff. But now she’s just flying there, doing nothing.”

“You’d think Antithesis’s defeat would break the spell. And didn’t Princess Luna claim she wanted to destroy everything? So, why isn’t she?” The Great and Powerful Trixie asked, tapping her chin.

“No, she is doing something.” Humility said, peering through the curtains. “Her horn is glowing.”

“The Goddess doesn’t like the sound of that!”

“Me neither.” Representative Trixie tried racking her brain for any hint of what her corrupted mentor was planning but came up blank. “Whatever it is, we need to stop it, now.”

“But how?” The Great and Powerful Trixie asked. “You saw what happened to ponies controlled by Antithesis’s “Hate it, Kill it” spell. They’re beyond reason! And Princess Luna’s an alicorn! How can we stop that?!”

“Try the staff?” Humility grabbed the broken staff to examine it, only to drop a second later. “What the heck? What is this stone?”

“The horned Trixie called it a Mind Stone.” Human Trixie replied.

“It’s impossible. Just trying to examine it with my magic almost fried my brain.” Humility said, eyes wide.

“Can you control it, Humility? Antithesis could, if barely,” Human Trixie asked.

“I doubt it.” Humility shook her head. “Besides, I know almost nothing about mind magic. I might only make the situation worse! If only that Goddess of Mischief hadn’t disappeared!”

“Oh.” Representative Trixie deflated, dejected.

“Guys, you won’t believe this!” Twilight Sparkle said, rushing into the room.

“What is it?” Representative Trixie asked, alarmed by the expression on her fellow unicorn’s face. The other Trixies straightened to attention, curious.

“Guys, you won’t believe this! It might mean the end of everything!” Twilight’s breathing intensified, her words becoming more maniac. “We’re all doomed! Fire will reign on Equestria and doom us all!”

“Yes, we get! We’re doomed! How about saying something coherent already?” Representative Trixie said, annoyed. If this meant the end of the world, she wanted the straight facts already.

“Just breathe.” Humility said, her words kind and patient. “Take deep breaths. There’s no rush.”

“Okay. Okay.” Twilight said, regaining some calm. “It’s best I just show you.” She produced a telescope and thrust it into Representative Trixie’s hooves. “Look at the moon.”

“Okay?” Representative Trixie trotted over to a broken window and peered into the night sky with the telescope. As usual, Luna’s beauty was on full display as she surveyed the stars in their intricate patterns. She recognized several constellations as she searched for the moon. After finding her target, Representative Trixie’s brow furrowed.

“It seems normal to me.” With Luna corrupted by Antithesis’s twisted magic, she’d half expected the celestial satellite to be bleeding blood or something.

“Look again.” Twilight urged.

“It’s normal.” No, wait. Representative Trixie sensed something odd, but couldn’t place what. She grunted in frustration. The answer was on the tip of her tongue, but it continued to evade her. Then it clicked. “It looks larger.”

“Really? Let Trixie see.” The Great and Powerful Trixie extended a hoof, asking for the telescope. After retrieving the device, she peered through it at the glowing blue orb. “It looks bigger. Is it getting larger?”

“No, it’s getting closer!” Twilight Sparkle replied. “It’s already hundreds of miles closer to the planet than usual!”

“No, you don’t think…” Ice stabbed into Representative Trixie’s heart as the implication struck home. It explained why Luna wasn’t doing anything, the reason for her glowing horn becoming sickeningly clear. “The princess is planning to crash the moon into Equestria?”

“That’s exactly what she’s trying to do!” Twilight Sparkle replied, her tone grim.

“No!” The Trixies in the room fretted in terror, muttering horrified curses.

“Is that what she’s planning? What a riot!” A familiar, cruel voice said. From her position tied up on the floor, Antithesis beamed.

“You realize you’ll die too!” Representative Trixie said, glaring at the mad fake pony.

“Yeah, but it solved my job for me! All these Trixies trapped with no escape!” Antithesis burst into uproarious laughter.

“I bet she has a way to escape!” Human Trixie said.

“Which I’ll never tell you!” Antithesis replied. “I suppose you could try torturing me, if you have the guts. And hey, you might even coerce me into freeing Luna’s mind. But you’d really have to hurt me to convince me to do that, likely hurt me almost to death.”

“Trixie, I know the situation is dire, but the princess would never approve of torture, no matter the bitter circumstances. You must rise to be better than her!” Night Trap, the royal guard captain, said.

“I wasn’t planning to! What do you take me for?!” Representative Trixie said, offended. No, she won’t sink to that sick monster’s level. She’d solve this problem the right way.

“Coward.” Antithesis said, snorting in derision.

“If that’s the case, what now?” The Goddess asked, her illusionary self verging on total panic. “The Goddess has no interest in becoming a flaming pancake!”

“We’ll need to stop her, maybe permanently.” Humility said, her voice hardening.

“What?!” Representative Trixie said, eyes going wide. “You can’t be serious!”

“It might be unavoidable.” Humanity said, taking no pleasure in this observation. “Either we somehow break the curse on Luna’s mind, or we take her down, whatever the cost.”

Representative Trixie paced across the room, troubled. This was Princess Luna they were talking about! Her power alone dwarfed them all a thousand times over! She cursed. If only her friends were still in town, they could use the Elements of Harmony to purify her.

“Trixie isn’t exactly optimistic about our chances in a straight-up fight,” The Great and Powerful Trixie said. “None of us are fighters.”

“How long until doomsday?” Representative Trixie asked, turning to their resident egghead.

“By my calculations, the moon is approaching the earth at roughly 55,000 miles per hour. With the distance between the moon and the planet 238,900 miles, it’ll take 4.3 hours.” Twilight replied.

“Dear Luna.” Representative Trixie had no other words. The entire room went silent. Several of the royal guards broke down into broken sobs.

“That’s only if we fail!” Captain Cosmos said, standing on Representative Trixie’s coffee table. “We, as the heroes of the multiverse, must not fail, whatever the cost!”

“Please don’t stand on my furniture.” Representative Trixie replied dryly. “And what do you suggest? We have the Mind Stone, but it’s too dangerous to use. Heck, it might make Princess Luna worse!”

“Can I see this Mind Stone? Is it what Antithesis used to corrupt the princess?” Twilight asked.

“Knock yourself out.” Human Trixie said, letting Twilight levitate the staff from her claw-thing.

“Let’s see. I can analyze it with a spell.” Twilight’s horn glowed brighter. For several seconds, nothing happened. Then a gasp escaped the mare’s lips, dropping the staff onto the carpeted floor. “Impossible. Where did Trixie Celestiamaden find this staff?!”

“Beats me.” The Great and Powerful Trixie said, shrugging. “A place called Asgard? That’s where she said she’s from.”

“Asgard? Like from the Yak legends?” Twilight said, incredulous. “Never mind about that. That gem isn’t magical. It’s beyond anything I’ve seen in this world!” Her words were frantic, unable to control her fear/excitement. “If you possessed more gems like that. You’d become unstoppable!”

“Vice Principal Luna said the same thing.” Human Trixie mused. “I’m a little worried that the Goddess of Mischief possessed such a dangerous item.”

“Princess Luna.” Representative Trixie corrected. “Focus, Twilight. You’re the only one with mind magic. Can you fix Princess Luna?”

“Like I said, it isn’t magical!” Twilight began pacing around the room. “It’s more like telepathy? Or manipulating some kind of universal subconscious? It’s beyond my understanding. But can it save the princess? I can’t tell you. I fear even trying to use it.”

“Oh.” Representative Trixie deflated, fearing this might mean they’d need to resort to a nastier solution.

“Seems it’s my time to shine.” The Goddess said her telepathic words smug. “The Goddess is a master of telepathy, capable of communicating over several thousand miles with ease!”

“Really?” Twilight said, eyes wide.

“As usual, Sparkle, you underestimate my capabilities. In my universe, I was the center of a vast hive mind connected to hundreds of alicorns. With my mental might, it should be simple enough for me to use the Mind Stone to stop Princess Luna and save the planet.”

“Perfect!” Finally, some good news. Representative Trixie paused, the full extent of the Goddess’s words sinking in. “Wait, what? What’s this about a hive mind of alicorns?”

“That isn’t important right now!” The telepathic voice replied, hastily changing the subject. “Just put the Mind Stone in my tank and leave everything to me.”

“It’s worth trying, but be careful. The Mind Stone’s power is vaster than you can possibly imagine.” Twilight rubbed her chin, deep in thought. “You’ll likely need my help. Antithesis’s original spell is based on the “Want it, Need it” spell, right? I know that spell. Together, we might break through the curse.”

“Never!” The Goddess spat, making Twilight flinch back. “Not with the likes of you, Sparkle. You vile, ugly mare! It’s your fault I’m like this!”

Twilight’s eyes widened in shock, lost for words.

“You might not be her, exactly. But you’re just as careless. You’re tampering with something you don’t understand, not caring about the consequences!” Was it Representative Trixie’s imagination, or was the Goddess sounding close to tears?

“Because of you, I suffered worse than anypony imaginable! You made me into this…” The Goddess’s words became quiet, almost inaudible. “Monster. A monster.”

“I’m sorry.” Twilight hung her head. “I don’t know what my counterpart did, but it sounds horrible. And I’m not much different. I’ve hurt ponies without realizing it, too. But I want to change, be better!”

“If you hate me, that’s fine. I understand. You have every reason to. But please, if we don’t stop the Bloody Mare, she’ll destroy everything I care about. You’re our only hope. If you want to hurt me for whatever the other Twilight did, fine. But please, let me save Equestria first!”

“Nice speech.” Antithesis rolled her eyes. “Like she’ll listen. Her hatred runs too deep for any forgiveness!”

“Okay.”

“What?” Antithesis’s eyes widened, shocked by the Goddess’s response.

“I’m not doing it for your sake, Sparkle. I’m doing this because I, Trixie Lulamoon, am tired of destruction. This place is beautiful and peaceful. It’s everything my world lost, possibly forever. I watched as my world was reduced to an irradiated wasteland, ruined beyond repair. But I, Trixie Lulamoon, the pony, refuse to allow it to happen again. I might have been powerless to save my world. But this time, Equestria will live!”

“You can’t be serious!” Antithesis gritted her teeth, furious. “You hate her! She’s everything you despise!”

“Ha! What the matter, Antithesis?” Representative Trixie said, tone mocking. “You can’t understand real ponies, can you? You only understand hatred. But ponies are different. We’re capable of love and forgiveness. Our worst nature doesn’t define us.”

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” Antithesis snapped back.

“Take her away.” Representative Trixie said, waving the guard to escort the prisoner to the nearest cell. “We’ll figure out what to do with her later. We have a world to save!”

“This isn’t over!” Antithesis said, squirming against the guards restraining her. “This isn’t over, Trixie Lulamoon, Twilight Sparkle!”

“What a sad pony.” Humility said. “Maybe one day your words might seep in. She’ll realize she can be more than a pony of hatred.”

“Wouldn’t that be a thing?” But Representative Trixie doubted Antithesis would ever have a change of heart. She pitied the mare. Antithesis defined herself by her hatred of Twilight and her. Could even friendship change someone like that?

Well, whatever. They had worse problems than Antithesis. Trapped in her cell, she’d stay out of their way while they continued with the business of saving the world.

“But there’s still one problem.” Representative Trixie said. “The Goddess, your telepathy is only short-ranged, right? How will we get close enough? I doubt she’d stay still and allow us to shoot magical beams at her.” And so their planning session began. Representative Trixie only hoped it’d be enough.

“You will regret this! You hear me!” Antithesis said, rattling her cell’s bars. How dare they humiliate the Element of Anti-friendship like this? Heads would roll for this insult!

She screamed obscenities, but no reply came. She was all alone. The Ponyville prison was empty of prisoners, and the royal guards and police officers were out clearing up the mess the “Hate it, Kill it” spell had caused. While some officers ponied the front desk, the police department was basically vacant.

“Trixie, you’ll pay for this!” But Antithesis’s hateful heart wasn’t in it, slumping to the cold, concrete floor.

“No, it can’t end this way.” Unfamiliar feelings made Antithesis’s hooves quake. Her breathing heightened its pace. Was this what ponies called fear? She didn’t doubt they’d execute her once they settled this matter. Why not? They’d already said she wasn’t a pony. They’d be no mortal quaternary in killing a nonpony like her.

I don’t want to die! Not again! Sobs escaped Antithesis’s lips as she struggled to control her fear. Despite her best efforts, her hatred of Trixie and Twilight couldn’t overrun the pure terror of her impending fate.

“Oh dear. How cruel of them to leave you high and dry.” A familiar voice said.

“You!” Antithesis head jerked up, directed at the newcomer. But it wasn’t the smug expression of Trixie Lulamoon she’d expected. No, it was the Trixie with the horned helmet.

“What do you want?” Antithesis whipped away her tears to glare at the hateful image of her enemy.

“Believe it or not, but I’m here to help you!” The horned Trixie replied.

“What?” This response caught Antithesis’s jaw to drop. “Why? I’m your enemy!”

“But an enemy can become an ally, and I believe we would gain much from joining forces.”

“Huh?”

“You see, I fight for the winning side. And Captain Cosmos and the others? Doomed from the beginning. I’ve seen the power Proto has at his disposal. He brought a terror like you into existence. Even if Princess Luna returns to her senses, how will we escape the hordes of killer robots? Everyone seems to have forgotten about them.”

“And you’d betray them that easily?” But a smile was already growing on Antithesis’s muzzle. And why won’t she save her own skin? You’d be a fool to join Trixie’s side, with the almighty, invisible Proto standing against you.

“I don’t owe those foals anything.” The Horned Trixie replied, her smile sly.

“Good. Let me out of here, and we’ll finish them off.” And Princess Luna would be their tool to do it. She’d eradicate them with her moon while they’d escape into Limbo before it happened, laughing all the while.

“And you’ll put in a good word for me with Proto?” The Horned Trixie said, extending a hoof.

“Deal.” They shook hoofs. Antithesis hid a smile. This foal was in for a nasty surprise once they returned to Limbo. She had no intention of protecting this Trixie from her master’s wrath. Proto had declared all Trixies detestable abominations, and Antithesis was more than eager to fulfill her master’s will. But for now, she’d work with this gullible foal to ruin Trixie’s efforts.

I will make you suffer for making me cry, Trixie. Watch as I shatter your hope and friendship to pieces!

Contradictory Selves - Chapter 7

“Okay. It seems like our best shot. And heck, what am I worried about? We’re Trixies. We can accomplish anything!” Representative Trixie hoped those bold words made it true. This entire plan was a gamble. They were facing Princess Luna, for Luna’s sake! They were walking into their almost certain doom!

“Perfect! I’ll get ready.” Captain Cosmos clapped her hooves together in delight, beyond confident their reckless plan would work. Despite herself, Representative Trixie took some comfort from the superhero’s relentless optimism.

After ironing out some minor details, the Trixies and Twilight separated to enact their parts of the plan. The royal guard would help evacuate Ponyville before the fight, just in case it got ugly. Representative Trixie glanced at the clock. A scant three hours remained until doomsday.

And where the heck was the self-proclaimed Goddess of Mischief? You’d think the arrogant blowhard would have shown up already? Was she injured? But wouldn’t the guard and Ponyville police have found her already?

“Why am I worried about this? The louse is probably just getting sloshed somewhere.” For reasons Representative Trixie couldn’t quite explain, the so-called Goddess’s demeanor rankled something deep inside her.

“Um, Trixie.” A pony said, disrupting Representative Trixie’s musings. “I know you’ve got Equestria to save, but I got something that I need to get off ma chest.” Standing in her half-demolished front door was an apologetic Applejack, hat over heart.

“What is it, Applejack?”

“I wanna apologize, Trixie. My memories are jumbled, but I said and did some mighty terrible things under that vile mare’s control. If we’re on the verge of destruction, I want to clear the air first.”

But Trixie only snorted, indignant. “Why are you apologizing to me?”

“Sorry?” The apple farmer blinked, surprised by this response.

“You should apologize to Carrot Top instead. She’s the one you insulted!” While evil magic had twisted her mind, those secret selfish words had originated from Applejack’s heart.

This earned a chuckle from the apple farmer. “You’re right, of course. If we survive this, it’ll be the first thing I’ll say to her when she returns to town. I gotta say, Trixie, you’re a good friend. You really care about that silly carrot farmer, don’t you?”

“Darn right I do!”

Applejack looked down. “I’m envious of you, Trixie. Hate to say it, but you’ve gotta good bunch of friends. And a good heart, better than mine. Just promise me you’ll fight hard and protect us all. We of Ponyville are counting on you!”

“I’ll do my best,” Representative Trixie said, touched by Applejack’s true feelings. This was the real Applejack, not the mare twisted and corrupted by Antithesis.

“And I’m sorry too!” Pinkie Pie said, bursting into the room, half-sobbing. “I did horrible things to you! And I called you annoying! Super mean and totally unforgivable!”

“I’m not holding any grudges over what happened, Pinkie.” Representative Trixie replied. “And I’m sorry, too. I haven’t been the most attentive to your parties.” And Pinkie wasn’t the worst once you got to know her.

“Annoying, eh?” Applejack said, amused that Representative Trixie had taken more offense from that than anything she’d said. “Just throw her a darn good party to make up for it.”

“I plan to!” Pinkie said, perking up. “We’ll need a Saved the World from Our Crazed, Brainwashed Princess party once this mess is settled. And you’ll attend, right, Trixie?”

“Sure thing.” Representative Trixie replied. Heck, she’d need one after this mess.

Darn it, and we still have those killer robots to worry about as well! Whatever, one problem at a time, Trixie.

“So, uh, this is what you like?” Twilight Sparkle said, trying her best to mask her horrified expression. The Goddess took no offense, used to these reactions to her cursed existence. She’d dropped all illusions, showing her true self. Even the alicorns in her hive mind avoided looking at her whenever possible.

“It’s neat!” Twilight said, trying too hard to stay positive. When she noticed something amongst the misshaped blob of the Goddess’s flesh, it piqued her curiosity. “Is that a wing?” she asked.

“That’s correct. You, the other Sparkle tried mutating me into an alicorn by infusing me with pegasus magic along with two other unicorns. The experiment failed in the worst ways.” The Goddess replied, not hiding her bitterness. The fall into that cursed vat of chemicals still haunted her nightmares.

“That’s odd. If she was trying to create an alicorn, she should’ve used a pony from each tribe.”

“Somehow, it missed her attention.” The Goddess replied dryly. Personally, she blamed her Twilight’s unicorn bias for that mistake.

“Huh,” Twilight said, curious despite herself. A spike of fear stabbed in the Goddess’s heart, worried she might have sent Twilight on the same path as her counterpart. Would this universe’s Trixie suffer the same fate as her?

No, stop it. Fate isn’t real! You can change the future! But doubts crept in unbidden, fearing this Equestria would suffer the same doom as hers.

“Are you okay?” Twilight asked, catching the Goddess’s sudden change in mood.

“No.” The Goddess said honestly. “I fear we’re wasting our time, that your Equestria’s beyond saving. After the horrors I’ve experienced in my universe, hope doesn’t come easy. I worked so hard to fix things in my world, tried using my alicorns to improve everypony’s life in the Wasteland, but I often fear I’ve only made things worse!” Separated from her hive mind and left with her own thoughts, it’d given her too much time to consider her failures, how the Wasteland hadn’t really improved.

“Some goddess I am.” Tears pricked her eyelids, misshapen and distorted as they were.

“I’m scared too.” Twilight looked down, ashamed at her own weakness. “This is too much. I’m not like Trixie. I’m not as brave as her. Once, I looked down on her. Considered her an ignorant foal who knew nothing about real magic. But I missed just what a terrific, daring mare she was. If anypony were to become the Element of Magic, it should be her.”

She continued. “When I learned about the other Twilight and how she became the Element of Magic, I assumed I’d been robbed. That I deserved it. But, no. I’m not the Element of Magic because I learned the wrong lessons. I was too selfish.”

“What a sad pair of failures we are. Can we even save Equestria?” The Goddess asked.

“We must, for everypony’s sake.”

“Yes.” For whatever reason, a warmth grew in the Goddess’s heart, burning brighter still as Twilight hugged her glass tube, ignoring the sight of the ugly, blighted mare within.

“Thanks.” The Goddess said from the deepest part of her heart.

Twilight whipped a tear from her eye. “Enough self-pity. We have a job to do, one we dare not fail!”

“Right!” They’d win this. They must. “Lower the Mind Stone into my tube. I’ll try connecting to it.”

“Be careful. Its power is incredible.” Twilight nodded, dropping a small yellow stone into her tank after opening the lid with her magic. The Goddess marveled such a small stone could cause such trouble.

“Holy!” When it came in contact with her skin, the world opened like an unfolding picture. It was beyond anything the Goddess had even imagined. Compared to her psychic presence before, it was like a blind person gaining sight.

Across the globe, she could sense the thoughts of a dragon lazying in her cave, rolling on a verifiable treasure trove. Somewhere else, she heard a business pony grumble to himself about a client being an hour late and how unprofessional it was. And beyond just thoughts, sensing even the fish swimming in the deepest part of the ocean.

“Are you okay?” Twilight asked, nervous.

“It’s a lot. You weren’t wrong about this stone being dangerous.” It was already causing her a terrible headache, the psychic input deafening in its intensity. “But I can handle it.”

“Okay. I’m ready to join minds.”

“Yes.” However, she won’t go as far as with her alicorn sisters, making Twilight only a guest in her hive mind.

“This is your hive mind?” Twilight thought, amazed. “It can hear your thoughts, too!”

Despite joining with the counterpart of her tormentor, the Goddess took comfort from their joining. “Yes, and your help is lessening the mind stone’s burden.”

“I’m sorry Trixie, I didn’t realize you were hurt that badly,” Twilight said, reading into the Goddess’s past. “What my counterpart did was wrong! How could she be so stupid?”

“Yeah.” The Goddess took some comfort in being called her real name again. It’d been too long.

“But you’ve done some stupid things, too. It’s remarkable how you can turn ponies into alicorns, but the process is wrong, flawed. They can only be unicorn mares for one, and they’re a dead end, unable to have foals. They aren’t the future, Trixie, no matter how powerful or immune to the radiation they are.”

“Yes, as everypony tells me.” The Goddess replied, voice wary. “I’m working to fix that problem, okay?”

“I won’t judge you. You were trying to make the best of a bad situation. I see the wasteland, dear Luna. It’s…” Twilight’s voice trailed off, breaking away from the Goddess’s past. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried that far.”

“It’s okay. Can I peer into your past? Not anything personal. I want to see Equestria in its former beauty again.”

“Sure, I’ve been everywhere on my travels.” Twilight snorted in wry amusement. “I suppose being a fugitive from the law wasn’t so bad in retrospect after all.”

Twilight shared her travels as she moved the Goddess from the ship. They needed to get into position for the plan. Tears stung the Goddess’s eyes as the Equestria’s majesty struck her. How she’d missed it, so green and full of life. She saw flowers again. How she missed those, too. The Goddess didn’t fight back her tears, overwhelmed, but in a good way.

It was a welcome distraction from their impending doom. If they were to die, the Goddess wanted her last memories to be happy. Odd company, but being alone would be worse.

“Do you think they can do it?” Twilight asked finally.

“They can.” The Goddess replied. “Together, we must.”

“Hmm.” Representative Trixie stared at her mentor, floating high in the air, wearing an expression that delighted in the coming destruction. Part of Representative Trixie worried that their plan wouldn’t restore the princess’s sanity, that this was the true Princess Luna.

While everypony sometimes desired to burn everything on an odd whim, it doesn’t mean they’d like it to happen. Still, it disturbed Representative Trixie that Princess Luna despised Equestria deep in her heart.

One problem at a time. First, Trixie’s motley group needed to defeat her. Representative Trixie noticed Humility giving her a hoof up from a hiding spot in a bush. Everypony was in position. It was go time.

Besides her sat the magic restraining ring they borrowed from the Ponyville police department. While the ring worked on Humility well enough, they weren’t sure it’d work on an alicorn with Princess Luna’s magical might. That whole plan hinged on wishful thinking.

That’s something they should add on the box, “Strong enough to stop a princess’s magic!” But enough jokes. Time for plan A.

“Princess!” Representative Trixie shouted at the top of her lungs, leaving her hiding spot. For a second, she feared her maddened mentor would ignore her, or worse. Much to Representative Trixie’s relief, Luna lowered to her student’s level.

“Trixie, perfect. It saves me the trouble of searching for you.” Her mentor said.

“Really?” Representative Trixie said, her legs wobbling in fear. It was frightening to have an alicorn’s full attention focused on you, reminding Representative Trixie that only her wits and tricks stood between her and certain destruction.

“It is time we leave this blighted country for another, Cavallia, I think. There, we can rebuild our lives. I’m sure Princess Cadenza would welcome us warmly as guests.”

“Huh?” Representative Trixie blinked. That wasn’t the response she’d expected.

“Fear not. Now that the moon is on its destructive course, I only need to apply the occasional magical push to keep it on course.”

“Hold on, you don’t want to kill me?” Antithesis “Hate it, Kill it” spell had driven the common citizens to murder, happy to cause lethal unhappiness to a certain Night Court representative.

“Of everypony in Equestria, Trixie Lulamoon, only you are worth saving.”

“I think everypony else in Equestria would disagree with that statement.”

“No, it’s true. You aren’t perfect, but you have a true, caring heart. You’re the only pony that’s made these last few decades bearable.”

“Really?” Trixie’s heart caught in her throat. Was this her mentor’s true feelings?

“Yes, I’ve grown tired of the Night Court and its machinations.” Despite being immortal, Trixie saw every year of her life in her mentor’s face. She seemed beyond ancient, each growing year becoming an even heavier burden. “I’d hope you’d breathe new life into it, but that was a foalish hope. It’s come too close to corrupting you, too. That’s why I’m purging the world of its filth and corruption, like cutting down a sickly, useless tree.”

“But at the cost of everypony? And what about my friends and their families? I could never abandon them, whatever the cost!”

Princess Luna, the Bloody Mare, shook her head regretfully. “It’s too late to search for them. I’m truly sorry about your friends. There are few noble ponies left in Equestria.”

“Okay, now that’s just horseapples. You can’t let the Night Court blind you to the good ponies out there!” Was Princess Luna the one who’d gotten corrupted, driven bitter and hopeless by her inability to fix the Night Court’s nobility?

“No!” The pavement cracked as Princess Luna stomped a hoof. “I know my subjects. They fed my sister’s ego and drove her into thinking she stood above everyone else. Their compliance allowed the Night Court to grow corrupt. And I know how they’ve treated you, my student. We saw today what they truly thought of you.”

“No!” But Representative Trixie saw her mentor’s twisted logic, hating how it might have some good points. Still, it didn’t excuse the wholesale destruction. Representative Trixie stood straighter, a stubborn tilt to the jaw. “This is wrong. You must know that! And I won’t leave. If I’m to die, it’ll be with my friends and country.”

“You’d save them after everypony spit on you?” The red tint to the princess’s fur intensified with her intense frustration.

“Even then.”

“Fine, then you’ve made your choice.” Princess Luna replied, her tone cold. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. If you wish to die, then I won’t stop you.”

“Fine.” So much for plan A. It’d been a foalish long shot, but Representative Trixie needed to try. With a wave of her hoof, she signaled to the others to start Plan B. “Now!”

“Cosmos Kick!” A familiar superhero threw a leaping kick into the Bloody Moon’s jaw. More startled than hurt, Luna whined in surprise.

Shouting a battle cry, Humility jumped from her hiding spot, magic blazing. Still stunned by Cosmos’s kick, Luna was unprepared for the stun blasts shot her way, each striking her in the exposed side. Human Trixie and the Great and Powerful Trixie appeared next, jumping to restrain the prone princess. Human Trixie pulled Luna’s legs into an uncomfortable position, using her superior height and weight to add much leverage to the move.

“I’m sorry!” Magical restraining ring in her magical aura, Representative Trixie rushed forward.

But Princess Luna recovered with remarkable swiftness, eyes glowing white as her rage unleashed on her unfortunate attackers. “Enough!”

With a burst of magical force, each Trixie flew clear of the princess. Representative Trixie grunted in pain as her head struck the gravel road, tearing skin.

“Ouch.” Representative Trixie touched her head, finding specks of blood on her hoof.

“I’m disappointed, my student.” The Bloody Mare said, looming over her. Representative Trixie’s heart caught in her throat. Her mentor was using the expression she only reserved when she really ticked off.

“A commendable effort.” Luna levitated the magical restraining ring, examining it with an eye. “But futile and foalish.” The ring cracked from the pressure of the alicorn’s magic before crumbling to dust.

“No.” Representative Trixie’s voice caught in her throat.

“I understand your motive, Trixie. But it was a foolish move. You fight the inevitable. Equestria’s doom was set when I set the moon’s course. But for this transaction, you will be severely punished, my student.”

“Oh…” But Representative Trixie didn’t get to finish her curse, blinded by a sudden burst of light.

“Sister, what have you done?!” A regal voice said, a disturbingly familiar one.

“Not her!” Why was she here? It’d only make the situation worse!

“You realize you’ve driven the moon on a collision course with Equestria? They call me insane, but this action is pure madness.” Corona, the Tyrant Sun’s eyes widened when she got a better look at her sister. “And you’ve changed. What’s happened to you, Lulu?”

“I’m doing what I should have done millennia ago, putting an end to this corrupt, vile country. You’re free to flee if you wish. I won’t stop you, sister.” The Bloody Moon said, though her stance told she was ready for a tussle.

“This is…” Corona, fallen sister of Luna, said, lost for words. “You must realize this will kill millions!”

“It must happen,” Luna simply replied.

“Then, I must stop you for Equestria’s sake. Forgive me, sister. I take little comfort in this.” And Corona charged, an ever-expanding fireball gathering around her horn.

Contradictory Selves - Chapter 9

“Trixie!” Representative Trixie said, rushing over to her fallen counterpart.

“It’s getting dark. Why is it getting dark?” Trixie Celestiamaden said, wheezing out her words. “Is anyone there? I can’t see.”

“I’m here.” Representative Trixie said, taking her hoof.

“Thank you.” Trixie Celestiamaden said, tears flowing.

“And you’re next.” Antithesis said, eyes alight with raw hatred.

“No. That’s far enough.” A familiar voice said.

“No! Impossible!” Antithesis stared in abject horror at the newly healed Luna, her coat returning to its usual hue.

“Phew. We did it.” Twilight said, wiping sweat from her brow. She collapsed, the strain of freeing the princess’s mind too much to bear.

“Yes, I am free and will restore everything to its proper place. Starting with you.” Luna said, glaring death at Antithesis. The anti-mare screamed in fright, fleeing for her life. But she was too slow, taking a burst of magical energy to the chest. She wheezed, her breathing labored from the shock of the painful blast. Representative Trixie winced, glad she wasn’t on the receiving end of the ‘stun bolt’.

The ground rumbled again, and Representative Trixie stared at the moon already piercing through the cloud cover. They had seconds to live.

“No! I will not allow my ponies to be destroyed!” Luna charged forward, her horn alight. Sweat gathered across her brow as she struggled to push the moon back, the planet’s gravity and the moon’s momentum fought in a deadly tandem against her. Much to Representative Trixie’s horror, her mentor was losing, getting pushed back as the moon continued its deadly descent. This was it.

“Don’t give up, sister! I have you!” Much to everypony’s shock, Corona joined Luna’s efforts, horn alight. “I won’t allow Equestria to be destroyed!”

“Sister?” Luna said, surprised.

“Are you surprised? Equestria is my home, too. It has always been my first love.”

“Sister.” Tears gathered around Luna’s eyelids, touched by the fallen princess’s nobility.

“No time for tears, Lula,” Corona replied, a wry grin on her muzzle. “First, we must fight back your celestial satellite before it crushes us all.”

The sky roared as the two princesses fought against doom. The pair stained with the effort, their heads veins bulging. Representative Trixie feared, at this rate, the alicorns would overchannel their magic. Was that even possible?

The moon refused to heed their efforts, making them fight for every inch. But the pair refused to budge. Much to everypony’s amazement, they pushed the moon back.

“Hold a little more, Celle. We have it!” With a grunt of effort, the moon began receding back into the sky. Both alicorns collapsed to the ground, spent, both magically and physically.

“Is it over?” Representative Trixie said, not daring to hope.

“It is, my student,” Luna replied. “The moon is returning to space. It will take some effort to get it back to its proper orbit, but Equestria is safe. Thanks to you, Trixie. Each one of you.”

“Well.” Representative Trixie found herself lost for words.

“Yeah, we make a pretty sweet team!” Captain Cosmos slapped her on the back.

“Is it over?” The Human Trixie said, appearing from behind a building.

“I commend you, Trixie, Trixies. I swear, Equestria won’t forget your efforts today!” Corona said, standing shakily to her hooves.

“Indeed. I will commission a memorial. And one for you as well, sister.” Luna said. “We don’t always get along, but you saved us all, Celle, with your timely intervention.”

“Maybe now ponies may realize I am not their enemy,” Corona replied.

“Then!” Luna straightened, her expression painfully hopeful.

“But not enough to abandon my ambitions. My rule will be the best for Equestria. It is time for the cycle to turn, and I return to my role as ruler.” Corona said, dashing their hopes.

“I see.” Luna sagged, disappointed.

“Our final confrontation will come soon, sister, Trixie. I look forward to seeing which side prevails. Remember this: destiny is decided through fire. Farewell.” With that, Corona disappeared in a flash.

“Dang it. She still has some magic left?” Representative Trixie said, annoyed but not surprised. She’d hoped to use the Mind Stone against her. Oh, well.

“You are still there, Trixie?” A pony said, coughing.

“I’m here.” Representative Trixie said, gripping the dying Trixie Celestiamaden’s hoof tight. Everypony gathered around, concern on their faces.

“Isn’t there anything we can do?” Humility asked, ears flattening.

“No, I can tell the wound is fatal,” Luna said, shaking her head.

“It’s getting dark. I don’t want to go.” Trixie Celestiamaden said, his hoof getting weaker. “Please, don’t forget me. Maybe even sculpt a statue in my honor. I saved Equestria, after all.”

Representative Trixie sniffed, holding back tears. “Anything.”

“It shall be done,” Luna said, her smile sad.

“Here.” Trixie Celestiamaden placed a small device into Representative Trixie’s hooves. “I took it from Antithesis. It should help you find him, Proto.”

“Was that why you betrayed us? To get this?” Representative Trixie asked.

Trixie Celestiamaden only responded with a weak smile. “Please, remember your promise. Don’t forget m…” All life left her, and everypony hung their head.

“Ha! And she won’t be the only one going to the grave!” A crazed voice said.

“Antithesis, just give up already.” Representative Trixie said, already preparing an illusion to protect herself and her friends.

“Ugh, doesn’t she realize when she’s beaten?” Human Trixie said, grunting in annoyance.

“Enough.” A flat voice said, startling everypony.

“No, it can’t be,” Antithesis said, eyes wide. “Master Proto?”

“You’ve done enough damage, my lackey.” From the mechanical tint of Proto’s voice, it was hard to identify anything about it. “I only intended to destroy Trixie and her ilk, not doom an entire world.”

Huh? Proto never approved of Antithesis’s actions?

“But it would have done the job, killed five birds with a single stone!” Antithesis argued back, her voice panicked.

“And you sought to betray me. Take my throne for yourself.”

“What, Master Proto? Never!” But everypony heard the lie behind her words, obvious as night.

“You’ll be punished to the worst degree for your betrayal.”

“No!” Antithesis said, entering a full-blown panic. She tried to flee on shaky hooves, but her body started glowing. It grew brighter and brighter, getting so intense that it hurt the eyes.

“No! Please! I don’t want to die again! I still have so much left to do!” But Antithesis’s pleas fell on deaf ears. Her body exploded like a burst balloon. Much to Representative Trixie’s shock and disgust, her body just fell to pieces, not leaving even a trace of blood. It was like she never existed.

“As you, Trixies. I apologize for my minion’s behavior. I didn’t intend for her actions to go that far. To destroy Equestria. It was too much to bear,” Proto said, confusing Representative Trixie. Proto was a godlike being. Why would he care what happened to Equestria?

“I will offer you a small respite in exchange.” Proto continued. “I will give you three days to escape. After that, I will show you no mercy. I have plenty of other terrors ready for you. Come after me if you dare!” The godlike being broke into smug, mocking laughter that vanished as it continued.

“Wait, why are you even after us, anyway?” Representative Trixie demanded. “What have us Trixies done to you?” But her words fell on deaf ears. She cursed hard in Prench.

“I see Proto won’t offer his secrets easily, but this respite is welcome,” Luna said. “Come. We have much to do.”

“Yeah, somepony needs to clean his mess!” Representative Trixie said, scowling. Whatever Proto was planning, she swore to stop it.

“Hey, how are you holding up?” Twilight asked as she entered the ship’s hold. The technology astonished her, she was amazed anything could sail on the cosmic seas.

“Good” Like before, The Goddess had dropped all illusions. They seemed silly after the intimate link they’d shared. She was fine with showing her true self with Twilight. “Since I can’t help repairing the ship nor cleaning up Ponyville, the hold seems the best place for me. I’d scare ponies otherwise.”

But this wasn’t quite true. Since sharing minds, Twilight understood the mare at an integrated level. The truth was, the Goddess feared meeting ordinary ponies. She knew they’d call her a monster, and she couldn’t bear that.

Twilight put a comforting hoof on the Goddess’s tank. “Mind if I stay to hang out?”

“What, and not help with the repairs?” The Goddess snorted in amusement. “I’d thought you’d be geeking out about the new technology.”

“That can wait. Besides, I’d rather hang around a friend. I don’t enjoy seeing my friends lonely.”

“Friends.” The word tasted odd on the Goddess’s psychic lips, unused for far too long. “Yeah, I suppose we are. Never thought I’d say that about you, Sparkle.”

“Me too.” She’d fought so hard and long against her Trixie that she’d lost track of what was really important. They sat in companionable silence, not needing to say anything. When you shared a psychic link with somepony, secrets were behind you.

“I wish I could stay.” The Goddess said, finally speaking. “Your world is pretty amazing and full of even more amazing ponies. But it isn’t meant to be. Besides, not like I could walk around and enjoy it.”

“Don’t say that. You’re always welcome, Trixie! You’re a hero despite how you appear!”

“Sparkle, please protect this world.” The Goddess said, not taking the compliment. “In my world, we messed up hard. But you have a chance. Please give it a better future.”

“I will.” The barren landscape of the Goddess’s world kept returning to her mind, and she suppressed a shudder. How can everything go so catastrophically wrong? But her friend was mistaken about one thing. “But yours isn’t doomed either. Things will get better. It just will take time. Your planet’s a mess, but it will heal.”

“You think?”

“Absolutely. But healing the Wasteland with force was a mistake. You arrogantly assumed you knew what was best for everypony. Because of that, many ponies got hurt. I’m not accusing you of anything, but I only hope you can learn from your mistakes. You can’t single-hoofedly fix everything.”

“You’re right, of course. I’m tired of fighting, anyway. I don’t know how I’ll face my sisters back home. They were counting on me to fix everything, and I gave them empty promises and emptier futures.”

“I still believe in you, always.”

“Yeah, why am I wallowing in despair? I’m the Great and Majestic Goddess! I save Equestria! A radiated wasteland and its bazillion problems shouldn’t be too hard!” She said, regaining her mojo.

“That’s the spirit!”

“Thank you again.”

“And thank you, Trixie. You’ve given me plenty to think about.” Sparkle released a slight chuckle. “Never thought I’d say that. I suppose my old mentor, Spell Nexus, was right. You can learn something from anyone. I just wish I'd taken that lesson to heart sooner.”

“What now? I’m still stuck here?” The Goddess said, somewhat self-deprecatingly.

“Hmm,” Twilight said, scratching her chin. She clopped her hooves together, getting the perfect idea. “Leave it to me!”

“I have to hoof it to Night Light’s daughter. She really is a clever mare.” Princess Luna said, watching as dozens of work ponies darted around the fallen spacecraft with eerie precision. Every hoof was where it needed to be. Representative Trixie watched as an earth pony with a hard hat walked around some fallen screws like he’d always known they’d be there.

“I guess.” The Goddess was giving Twilight and the engineers telepathic instructions. With this crazy efficiency level, Captain Cosmos promised they would repair the ship in days instead of a week or more.

“The College of Science and Astrophysics are almost jumping in their horseshoes. This level of technology is hundreds of years ahead of ours. They’re hopeful we’ll be able to reverse engineer it.”

“It’s not all bad, then.” It meant Ponyville hadn’t gotten totaled for nothing.

“Is something on your mind, my student? You’ve been oddly introspective lately. It’s most unlike you.”

“Funny princess,” Trixie said dryly. “It’s Trixie Celestiamaden. I’m unsure what to make of her.”

“What the others have told me, she was a vexatious one, prone to unpredictable behavior and complete narcissism.”

“I hated her when I first met her, on instinct. She reminded me too much of myself, the ugly parts. She’s me if I’d never met my friends.”

But Luna only smiled. “But she still fought to protect ponies in her own way. She had a noble heart deep down and proved it.”

“She was a Trixie in the end.” Still, why didn’t she tell them about her double-crossing plan? It would have avoided a lot of trouble. Trixie Celestiamaden might not have died. That was what frustrated her. Something about Trixie Celestiamaden’s death felt so pointless and needless. But I suppose all death is like that, painful, regardless.

“And I’m going to make it count. I’m taking Proto down.” Representative Trixie swore to herself. She wouldn’t stop until the job was done.

“That’s the spirit!” Luna said, brightening. “Indomitable. That’s the reason I made you my student, Trixie. I knew the Night Court could never break you.”

“Yeah, about that…” Representative Trixie’s voice trailed off, struggling to find words. “The things you said under Antithesis’s control, do you remember them?”

“Partly.” Luna released a long, pained breath. “And the rest I can easily guess at.”

“Do you want to destroy Equestria?” Representative Trixie winced at speaking such a blunt question, but it needed to be said.

This, however, only earned a smile from the princess. “Don’t we all? There are times it frustrates me, but I love it still. Somehow, Antithesis’s spell made me forget that. But it never made me forget my love for you, Trixie.”

“Really?” Representative Trixie flushed as her mentor nuzzled her cheek. It wasn’t something Luna had done since she was a foal.

“Of course, I love you, Trixie. You’ve always been a daughter to me. Thank you, Trixie. You saved me from doing something terrible I’d never forgive myself for.”

“I love you too, princess.” While somewhat embarrassing to say, it came deep from her heart. She paused, thinking. “And you said some choice words about the Night Court, too. Many well deserved.”

“Indeed. It reminds me I need to be harder on them. I never realized how much I resented them until now.” Luna sighed. “I’ve kept too much bottled within, and Antithesis used those grudges against me.”

“A lot of ugliness got shown today, but we can move past it, become stronger from it.” Representative Trixie turned her head towards Ponyville, watching as ponies and cows worked together to rebuild the damage caused by Antithesis. Nopony fought or complained. Instead, both species each worked together to rebuild and move on, hopefully learning much from this misadventure. Trixie certainly had. For one, Applejack wasn’t so bad a pony, deep down.

“They have.” Luna nodded in agreement. “And I’m proud of my little ponies. Antithesis might have represented our darkest side, but we’ve proven we can push past it.”

“Want to join a party, princess? Pinkie is throwing one doozy of a “Save Equestria from Ultimate Destruction” party.” Sure, Proto and his ultimate army of invincible robots were after their hides, but, darn it all, they deserved this after everything.

“Sounds delightful. It’ll surely be a party to remember for the millennium.” Luna said, laughing. It sounded good on the princess, genuine.

“I hope they pin the tail on the pony,” Luna said as they trotted over to Sugarcube Corner. “That game has always been my favorite.”

“All patched up!” Captain Cosmos said, pleased with herself, to the collected group of Trixies.

“Really, all finished?” The Great and Powerful Trixie said, beaming. She plopped her third breakfast muffin into her mouth. “Delightful! Now we can escape before those death machines swarm us.”

“It wasn’t easy, but we managed it,” Twilight said, bags under her eyes. She accepted the proffered mug of coffee gratefully. “And with a day to spare! We’ll miss some preliminary checks, but it should be ready to launch tonight.”

“Good.” Representative Trixie hadn’t slept well in days, either, fretting over their predicament.

“Any luck with using that wafer to track where Proto’s lair is?” The Great and Powerful Trixie asked.

Captain Cosmos rubbed the back of her neck. “Kinda of. The signal is definitely coming from Limbo, but Limbo’s very nature scrambles the source. Its technology is beyond me, sorry.”

“That’s not too bad,” Humility said, thinking. We’ll just find a universe with more advanced technology.

“Or find some Zebras!” Captain Cosmos said, excited. “Our ship comes from their technology! Of course, most of them have forgotten said technology, but it’s a start.”

“Zebras, huh?” The Goddess’s illusionary self didn’t seemed pleased, but didn’t press the issue. Considering her Equestria’s war with the race, such animosity wasn’t surprising.

They chatted about other plans, particularly upgrading their ship. Some weapon systems would be nice. They needed more ways to defend themselves. Many dangers lay ahead in their adventure through the wider multiverse.

“So, you’re about ready to take off, my student?” Luna asked.

“Yeah, we think it’s better to leave sooner than later.” Representative Trixie said, nodding. Other Trixies were in danger. They couldn’t afford to sit idle. Representative Trixie swore she’d save them all.

“I doubt Corona’s ready to cause trouble just yet, but I will remain watchful. Good luck,” Luna replied, inclining her head.

“I wish I could stay and say goodbye to my friends, but there isn’t time. Tell them I’ll be back, and I love them.”

“Enough of the sappy stuff. Can we get going already?” The Great and Powerful Trixie said, annoying Representative Trixie. Didn’t the mare realize they were having a moment?

“You realize we’re going into great danger, right?” Representative Trixie said, somewhat testily. “We already lost one Trixie already. No doubt it’s going to get worse, more dangerous.” She wasn’t in a hurry to rush into unknown dangers.

The Great and Powerful Trixie’s expression became more forlorn. “You’re right. Trixie Celestiamaden gave her life to make this trip possible. We won’t have gotten this far without her. Truly, she was the best of us!” Tears pricked at the mare’s eyelids.

“Right.” I don’t think I’d go that far.

“But she is right about one thing. The sooner we leave, the sooner we return home. My parents are probably freaking out once they realize I’ve disappeared. I hope they’re doing okay.” Human Trixie said, her mood souring.

“You do have a difficult quest ahead of you,” Luna said. “I wish you luck.”

“Right. And protect the Mind Stone.” After some arguing, they’d all agreed it’d be best if it was hidden from everypony. It was too dangerous, and they feared it falling into Proto’s grubby hooves. Representative Trixie’s throat tightened as the door closed, sealing her away from her previous life. It was quite possible she’d never see her Equestria again. But they had a mission to perform. She could grieve later.

“Everyone ready, strapped in?” Captain Cosmos said from the controls. Representative Trixie did as instructed, wrapping the seat belt around herself. The others had promised leaving the universe would be a rough ride.

“And here we go!”

Contradictory Selves - Epilogue

Darkness filled the Great and Powerful Trixie’s vision as she awoke. She blinked, confused about where she was. She stretched out a hoof, and it knocked against something wooden.

“What the hay?” She stretched out another hoof and struck another wooden surface. And then another. Panic struck as she realized the shape of her prison.

“Dear Celestia! Let me out! Please!” Her hooves slammed harder and harder against her wooden confinement, praying somepony would hear her. But only silence responded, silent as the grave.

“No! Let me out, please!” Tears welled in her eyes as the hopelessness of her situation set in.

This was it. She would die by being buried alive! Her hooves slammed against her coffin hard enough to hurt. But the Great and Powerful Trixie didn’t care, too scared to think straight. She punched the roof harder and harder, her heart soaring as a crack appeared. Renewed with hope, the Great and Powerful Trixie struck harder and harder, not caring about the splinters stabbing into her hooves. She spat as dirt rained on her face but kept pushing. More soil poured on her, and she increased her desperate pace. If she didn’t dig herself free, she’d die.

Like a worm, she dug through the dirt above her, lungs burning as they demanded air. Fear drove her forward, anything to see the wondrous light again. She prayed to Celestia she’d survive the next few moments. Already, her legs were tiring, burning from the strain of pushing herself out.

“Just a little further. I can make it!” It returned uncomfortable memories of when she’d fallen into Lake Ponytchartrain as a foal and almost drowned. She’d only survived because a passing stallion helped her. History was repeating to mock her, the surface, with its life-giving air, just out of reach. Only this time, nopony would arrive to save her. The total, absolute darkness suffocated her, sapping the hope from her soul.

“I must make it. Dear Celestia, I must!” Then light filled her vision, blinding her. She sucked in grateful gulps of glorious air, tasting better than anything she’d ever had. The stars were a beautiful, welcome sight, majestic as they sparkled above her.

“I’m free!” The Great and Powerful Trixie didn’t fight back her grateful tears.

“What the hey?” An old stallion holding a shovel said, dropping it when he spotted the newly risen pony.

“Uh, a little help, please.” Trixie said, her voice interlaced with desperate gasps for air. While she’d reached the surface, she was still stuck like a turnip.

“Zompony!” The grave keeper threw his hooves into the air, fleeing for his life.

“Oh, come on!” Annoyed, the Great and Powerful Trixie worked the last few hooves to free herself. She lay on the dirty ground, tired but happy she’d just survived almost certain death.

“Where am I?” She turned around, gazing up at her tombstone.

“Trixie Celestiamaden, a brave hero who gave her life to save Equestria and the world,” the Great and Powerful Trixie said as she read it. Everything clicked into place.

“You son of a!” The Great and Powerful Trixie punched the fake gravestone hard and winced in pain. It was solid stone. “When I get my hooves on you, Trixie Celestiamaden, I’m going to throttle you!” Another one of her stupid pranks, and she was its unfortunate sap. That meant she was posing as her with the others.

She put her hooves in her face. “I hate you so much, fake goddess!” With the others exploring the outer cosmos, how would she ever find them?

“Whatever. Bath first, then revenge!” The Great and Powerful Trixie stomped into Ponyville. In most other towns a dirt-covered pony making their way from the graveyard would cause panic, but the Ponyvillian’s were made of stronger stuff, only staring with a peeved expression and creating some distance. At least the town had somewhat returned to normal after Antithesis’s attack. An impressive amount of repairs had already been erected. Ponyville was a resilient town, she had to admit.

“Trixie?” Somepony said. They spoke familiarly, like they knew her. It must be one of Representative Trixie’s friends. Sure enough, a mint-colored unicorn was staring at her, worried. A gray-colored pegasus with wobbly eyes, a tough-looking yellow pegasus, a yellow earth pony with an orange mane, and a purple earth pony all looked at her with concern.

“What the hey happened to you?” The gray pegasus said, worried. “Are you okay?”

A memory flashed in the Great and Powerful Trixie’s head. She’d met these ponies before. These were the Elements of Harmony in Representative Trixie’s world. They’d briefly met the last time she was in this universe.

“And what happened to Ponyville?” Cheerilee said, gazing around. “It looks like a war zone!”

“Is this connected to the moon almost hitting the planet?” Raindrops asked. “We rushed here when we saw what was happening.”

“The carrot conference wasn’t that interesting, anyway. You were lucky to stay behind.” Lyra whispered conspiratorially. The earth pony snorted but otherwise didn’t respond.

“Guys, I’m not...” the Great and Powerful Trixie paused as a familiar midnight alicorn flew down to meet them.

“Elements, it is a pleasure to see you again. Much has happened in Ponyville in your absence. We have much to discuss,” Luna said.

“Princess? Why are you here?” Cheerilee asked.

“I’m here to supervise the cleanup. The riot and the moon’s close proximity caused considerable damage to the town,” the alicorn replied. The Elements’ eyes widened in shock at the mention of a riot. Luna paused, brows furrowing at the sight of the Great and Powerful Trixie. With the dirt and grime, she almost hadn’t recognized her.

“Trixie? What are you doing here? Why aren’t you traveling with the other Trixies? What happened? You look like death itself,” Luna said.

“Other Trixies?” Cheerilee said, furrowing her brow.

“That’s it. I’m not your Trixie! I’m the Trixie from the universe where Sparkle is the Element of Magic!” The words exploded from her mouth. The Elements became even more puzzled.

Luna, however, considered this before her eyes widened, realizing what had happened. “That devious little mare. To think anypony could fool me so easily. Her title of Goddess of Mischief is well-earned. No doubt this is one of her jokes.”

“Yeah, and it’s making me bust a gut,” the Great and Powerful Trixie said dryly. “I loved getting buried alive for a joke!”

“What’s going on here?” Ditzy asked, shifting uncomfortably on her hooves. “If you’re not our Trixie, where is she?”

“Yeah, where’s the real Trixie!?” Lyra said, getting into the Great and Powerful Trixie’s face.

“Calm yourselves, my little ponies. All will be explained in time. But first, we must get our guest somewhere comfortable with a delectable meal. She’s had a trying time,” Luna said. “Come, Trixie. My hotel room isn’t far.”

“A bath would be divine right now,” the Great and Powerful Trixie paused, brow furrowing as she spotted something strange. In the distance, a lone cloud was dark despite the entire sky being cleared. The weather ponies had likely delayed any weather to aid the town’s repair efforts. Was it her imagination, or was the cloud raining something brown?

“Is that chocolate?” Raindrops asked, puzzled.

“What are you?” Luna froze as she noticed the cloud, her expression turning tense and worried. “It can’t be.”

“What is it, princess?” Cheerilee asked.

“I feared this might happen,” Luna said, her voice grim. “The havoc caused by Antithesis was enough to finally free him.”

“Oh, ponyfeathers, you don’t mean him!” the Great and Powerful Trixie scowled, having bad memories of the first time he’d gotten free. He’d made her permanently invisible, unable to be touched or seen by anypony! And she didn’t buy this reformed nonsense either.

“I’m afraid so,” Luna replied. “Discord, the Lord of Chaos, is free!” Mocking laughter punctuated the princess’s proclamation of doom.

Trixie watched the floating eyes in amusement, laughing as they blinked sideways at her and tapping it with a raised claw. How unorthodox! How wonderful! Her otherworld counterpart stared at the growing, chaotic scene in growing dread, unable to believe her eyes. She came from a very boring, orthodox world, and her other other counterpart’s chaotic majesty was beyond anything her dull mind could handle.

While Discord’s wonderful chaos delighted her, she had a job to do. With a snap, she summoned a map made of cheese of the outer shell of reality. She spotted a very noticeable hole, the other Trixies’ inelegant way of piercing into the void. She showed her other counterparts, and they sighed in annoyance.

“So we’ve missed them,” Another Trixie said, her manner grim. She slunk into the shadow of a nearby tree, brooding to herself. She did that a lot.

“That’s a bummer,” A more cheerful Trixie said. “At least they’re safe. But what about this? We can’t just leave this mess!” She gestured to an upside-down bear riding a unicycle on a winding road through the air.

“How! We can’t stop this!” The scared Trixie said. Despite her terror, firm resolution blazed behind her eyes.

Trixie waved a dismissive paw. “I see the Elements of Harmony are in Ponyville. They’ll be fine.” Her eyes extended outward, seeing them argue with his world’s muckety muck princess, Luna. Alongside them stood a filthy hobo who’d joined the argument for whatever reason. How delightfully random.

“I thought this universe’s Trixie was the Element of Magic?” The serious Trixie said, frowning. “How will they stop that monster?”

Trixie took offense at the word monster. Her counterpart may take his chaos a bit too far, but it was all in good fun! She pounded a hoof in annoyance before beaming. “They’ll be fine. They could use that hobo as the new Element of Magic! She’s a unicorn.” And strangely familiar somehow. Oh, well. It wasn’t worth the effort worrying about.

“That’s not how the Elements of Harmony work,” The cheerful Trixie said, pointedly. And Trixie supposed she should know; she was the Element of Laughter.

“Whatever, the point’s the same,” Trixie replied. “We can’t afford to waste time stopping to solve every random problem we come across. We need to stop Proto, remember? The mutual threat to our very existence?”

“I remember.” The Element of Laughter replied, glum. She was taking leaving her Elemental friends from her world harder than expected. “And you’re right. Those other Trixies are in terrible danger!” She suppressed a shudder. “We can’t afford to waste time.”

“Yeah, the sooner we stop Proto, the sooner we can return this Element of Magic to her world!” The serious Trixie said, wearing her usual permascowl.

“Excellent! And we’re off!” While she’d love to hang around for the chaotic funhouse, they really needed to go. With a click of her talons, she summoned their ride, something far more elegant than their counterpart’s crude spacecraft.

Its engine roared as Trixie plopped into the driver’s seat. The smell of smoke and gasoline filled her nostrils, and she breathed it in happily. The three other Trixie sat on the wooden seat that sat elevated over the vehicle. They carefully navigated the random junk sitting back there before finding their seats.

“Who needs a DeLorean when you have this baby!” Trixie said, laughing as their ride chugged through the dirt road. Everypony yelped in startled surprise as it suddenly gained speed, going a cool 6 million miles per hour! Space and time-warped as they vanished from the universe, leaving for their next awesome adventure, care of Trixcord1, this story’s wonderful, beautiful heroine.

To be continued.

Author's Note

1 From Trixcord
Unlikely bedfellows make the most interesting companions, and prove more similar than one might expect. Trixie found this out the hard way when Discord hid inside her soul to slip away from Celestia's notice. It had the unexpected bonus(?) of an ineradicable fusion of their souls. By hey, Trixie is immortal now, so there are some perks! Try as they might, the fusion was impossible to break, and they inevitably pulled together into a single being, Trixcord. Is she good? Bad? Eh, depends on her mood.

Who are these new Trixie? Where are our heroines going next? What is Proto's next sinister scheme? Find out in Part 2 of Crisis of Infinite Trixies. Coming soon. It shouldn't be too far off. I've already made some pretty decent progress on it.

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 1

“Hey sweetheart, how’s it going?” Razzle Dazzle1 said.

A cheerful voice squeaked down the line, making her smile. “I thought you were amazing, mommy. You and GlimGlim make a perfect team. The way you made her so furious she almost exploded made me laugh and laugh!”

“I’m glad you like it.” Razzle smiled at her daughter’s nickname for her comedic partner, Starlight Glimmer. Honey Bee loved giving little nicknames to everyone. “I’ll tell Mythra that when I next see her.”

“Can I visit you on set again, Mommy?” Honey asked. “I’ve been begging Daddy to visit Manehattan to see you. We don’t see each other enough.”

“No, I suppose we don’t.” Razzle said, her voice cracking.

She picked up a nearby picture of her daughter, her, and her ex-husband during happier times. Back then, it seemed nothing would interrupt their perfect little life. But reality showed its ugly head, breaking apart their false dream world. It wasn’t anypony’s fault, as Razzle always reminded her daughter. Bass Note and her just weren’t a good match. It was a harsh reality that soon became apparent after two years of marriage. They’d hoped to stay together for their daughter’s sake, but the fighting became too much. Razzle didn’t want her daughter growing up in a broken household.

A smile crept on Razzle’s face. “I’ll speak with him about asking for some days off work. We’ll arrange something.” While three hundred miles separated them, her ex-husband had saved enough flier miles for that exact reason.

It broke Razzle Dazzle’s heart to be so distant from her daughter, but acting was her lifeblood. And her role as Trixie Lulamoon on Friendship is Magic was an excellent gig. It started as a bit part in Season One, an annoying obstacle to the show’s heroine, Twilight Sparkle. But Trixie proved popular with the fans, and she returned in later seasons as a semi regular cast member. Not that she hadn’t played other parts. She’d also played the sinister fan favorite Queen Chrysalis. With the show soon entering its final season, Razzle hoped to return to Neigh Orleans. Then nothing could separate her from her daughter, .she’d already gotten some offers to work on some local shows.

“Are you hungry?” Razzle said, smiling as she poured feed into her fish tank. A colorful menagerie of fish swam up for their meal, each bumping against the other as they eagerly devoured the tasty food flakes. Beyond her daughter, her fish collection was her greatest love in the entire world.

“Meow.” A calico mewed, rubbing against her leg, wanting attention, too.

“And you, of course. It’s hard to say who I love more.” Razzle said, picking up her cat, Ralph, and rubbing his belly. A knock on the door interrupted her playtime with her best friend.

“Now?” Razzle glanced over the digital clock sitting on her kitchen countertop and frowned. Who’d come at this late hour? She checked her phone but found no text announcing the interloper’s arrival. Was it her neighbor complaining about Ralph sneaking into his apartment again?

“Who is it?” She peeked through the peephole, grunting in annoyance when she saw nopony.

“Some prank, probably.” Razzle rolled her eyes and turned to leave. But froze as another knock sounded at her front door. Again, nopony appeared through the peephole.

“What do you want?” She ripped open her front door and glanced around. Since Friendship is Magic was proving an unexpectedly popular show, it’d given her a healthy paycheck to afford an ample apartment. Well, decent for Manehattan anyway. It should free her from this sort of harassment. But nopony greeted her as she glanced around.

“Whatever.” Somepony must be using their magic to pull this little prank. Hilarious. In annoyance, Razzle slammed her front door.

“Anyway, I better get to bed. We’re having an early shooting tomorrow.” And since Star Power, Twilight Sparkle’s actress, had long since graduated, her work hours were much more flexible, thank Celestia.

“What is it, Ralph?” Razzle paused, noticing her cat’s pensive expression. The fur along his spine raised high, and he hissed at a far corner.

Oh, ponyfeathers! Had somepony snuck into her apartment? Tense, she slunk over to her front door to escape, pretending not to notice.

“Ow!” A figure howled in pain as Ralph scratched at the invisible intruder. The cloak of invisibility dropped, and a familiar face greeted her.

“Hey! Hey! I’m a friend!” The mare wearing Razzle’s face2said, retreating a step as the cat advanced on her.

“Oh, for!” Some looney fan had gotten the bright idea to visit her. How did she even learn where Razzle lived? “What are you doing in my apartment? If you wanted an autograph, meet me at a convention, like a normal pony.” Though Friendship is Magic was a foal’s show, the age of the intruder didn’t surprise her. The show had attracted a surprising demographic of older ponies, particularly stallions.

“What?” The Trixie cosplayer replied, confused. “I apologize for intruding into your home uninvited, but I couldn’t afford to be seen! We’re in terrible danger!”

“Uh-huh.”

“That’s because... What are you doing?” The intruder asked, noticing Razzle reaching for her phone.

“Hello, 911, some weirdo has broken into my apartment. Yeah, that’s the right address. Thank you.”

“What is that device? Are you calling the police?” The Trixie cosplayer asked, alarmed. “Trixie, this might sound strange, but I’m you from another universe!”

“Uh-huh,” Razzle said, unconvinced. “That’s some impressive cosplay you have there, but I see you’re not exactly grasping reality here.”

“C-cosplay? Trixie, I’m—”

“Trixie?” Razzle tilted her head. “Trixie Lulamoon is a fictional character in a television show. My name is Razzle Dazzle. I play her. I’m not actually her.”

“What?” This confounded the poor Trixie cosplayer. “An actress? I suppose that makes sense in the infinite possibilities of the multiverse. But listen, I’m actually Trixie Lulamoon, from an alternate world where she’s a real person!”

In response, Razzle pulled up Friendship is Magic’s wiki on her phone. “See, all fictional, just a show.”

“We don’t have time for this. You’re in great danger.” The Trixie cosplayer yelped as Ralph scratched her again. “Ow! Not from me!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure the right people take care of you.” Clearly, this person required considerable psychiatric help, and she patted the poor, delusional pony on the hoof.

“You don’t understand!” The other mare growled in frustration as Razzle seemed unconvinced by this claim. “There isn’t time! We...” She paused as somepony tapped at the door.

“Is there a problem here, mam?” A police officer said as Razzle opened the door.

“No! This only complicates things!” The Trixie cosplayer said, throwing up her hooves.

“Everything is okay,” Razzle said, her tone soothing. “This stallion will give you the help you need. Sorry to bug you, officer, but this pony is under some odd misconceptions. She seems to think she’s a character in a show I work on.”

“Right, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic! Trixie Lulamoon!” The officer froze and coughed into his hood. “My niece is a huge fan.”

“No, I am Trixie! Listen! You’re all in terrible danger!” The delusional mare said.

“Oh, and you’re Razzle Dazzle! I love your character!” The officer produced a notepad. “An autograph! For my niece, of course!”

“Always happy to help a fan,” Razzle said, nonplussed, signing the pad with her usual flare.

“As for you, Trixie, please come with me. I’ll take you to where you can meet some new friends!” The officer talked to the cosplayer like she was a delicate foal.

“Is everything okay in there, Duty?” Another officer said, the first’s partner.

“I doubt this one will give us much trouble. Please come along with me, Trixie.” Duty said.

The delusional cosplayer opened her mouth to protest, only to stumble as the entire building shook. Only a quick grab of a nearby tabletop prevented Razzle from toppling over.

“Oh, ponyfeathers! They’re here!” The cosplayer said, her voice grim.

“What are you talking about?” Razzle gaped as a machine creature from a literal nightmare appeared, smashing through the floor. Given its enormous size, it had some difficulty navigating the apartment hallway.

“Run!” The Trixie cosplayer pulled at Razzle’s leg, dragged her down the hallway as they fled. The officers gaped before calling for backup on their radios. They opened fire on the metal monstrosity, but the bullets only bounced off its hard metal carapace.

Razzle yelped in terror as plaster exploded as a laser blast blew apart the spot they’d just occupied. What the hey was going on?

“Over here!” The cosplayer dragged Razzle into a stairwell. They climbed down it at top speed, taking three stairs at a time. Razzle was out of breath as they reached the bottom, gasping for air. Oddly, the cosplayer didn’t seem even winded.

“What’s happening?” Razzle asked through her gasping breaths. “Do you run from killer robots often?”

“We're unsure why, but those metallic monsters are on a mission to destroy every Trixie across all universes.” The other mare replied.

“What?” Razzle said, incredulous.

“It’s true. My organization is fighting to stop them. Though, you’re the first who isn’t technically a Trixie. For some odd reason, that doesn’t seem to matter to them.”

“You expect me to believe this?”

“Killer robots just attacked you. What more proof do you need?”

“Plenty!” They jumped as something smashed against the stairwell door.

“There isn’t time to argue. Quick, follow me. The dimensional corridor isn’t far. I can take you to safety.”

“But!” Razzle followed the cosplayer out a fire door into a grimy Manehattan alley. The wall behind them exploded as the robot smashed through it to pursue them. Onlookers gaped as an identical pair ran past them, followed by a flying metal monstrosity, before shrugging and going about their day. This was Manehattan, after all.

“Please tell me it isn’t far,” Razzle said, ducking a laser blast. She heaved, her lungs ready to explode.

“This way.” The cosplayer threw open the door of a small coffee shop. Ponies glared at them for the rude interruption, but the mare ignored this, pulling Razzle through a back exit into another alley.

“Here.” The cosplayer said, pointing at an empty brick wall. “The process is still new. Unfortunately, we don’t have a convenient magical item connected to your world.”

“That is a wall.” Why had she listened to this crazy pony, killer robot or not? She jumped as ponies screamed behind them as the robot smashed through the coffee shop’s front window.

“No time to explain.” The other mare roughly pushed her into the brick wall. Much to Razzle’s astonishment, the brick bent under her weight, like it was some gelatinous substance. Her mind whirled as she tumbled through nothing, not understanding what was happening to her. What felt like ten lifetimes passed in a blur before she landed hard on a tilted floor.

Razzle blinked, trying to regain her bearings. She sat in a spacious room with scientific equipment of unknown use. Ponies in smart-looking lab coats flittered about, chatting amongst themselves or attending computer consoles. A gateway towered above her, colorful wires attached to its base haphazardly. At first, she assumed it was a mirror, but its surface rippled like water, waving in response to some invisible wind.

“Trixie, are you okay?” A concerned-looking minotaur said, walking up to them. He looked vaguely familiar. Accompanying him, strangely enough, was a lion. Both eyed her with curiosity.

Behind her followed the cosplayer, who collapsed, gathering her breath. “Mission complete. I save the Trixie of P-014, technically. It’s complicated.”

“I’m eager to hear your report.” A stallion said, raising an eyebrow. “Hello, Trixie. I’m sure you’re confused. But you’re safe now. I am Mounty Max, director of A.R.M.O.R., Alternate Reality Monitoring and Operational Response.”

“I’m not Trixie,” Razzle replied, more confused than ever. Was it true? Had she somehow entered the world of her television show? It seemed too impossible to credit, even in some mad dream. It reminded her of that movie where a soap opera writer found himself in the very show he wrote for. What a nightmare. “My name is Razzle Dazzle. I play Trixie Lulamoon. I’m not actually her.”

“Huh?” Another pony, a pegasus, said, staring wide-eyed. “How is that possible?”

“Interesting.” Max said, stroking his chin. “It’s a pity we didn’t have a better opportunity to explore your universe first, but time was pressing. Proto’s damn good at tracking down Trixies. Well, Trixie-like people anyway. Come, let us get you some refreshments. We have much explaining to do.”

“You better! This is too much. I’m trapped in my own damn show!” This earned some raised eyebrows, but nopony commented on this.

“Now, you said show? What did you mean by that? Like a television show?” The Director asked as soon as they’d gotten comfortable on some plush couches. They offered tea or something stronger, but Razzle only accepted the tea. She was a notorious teetotaler.

This earned a raised eyebrow from Razzle. “You know what TV is? I thought Friendship is Magic takes place in a pre-industrialized Equestria.”

“We’ve received visitors from other worlds, a human named Skitch, for one, Though, she ended up in the body of a pony, long story.” Max replied. “She once mentioned a show called Friendship is Magic.”

“A human?” Razzle asked, perplexed.

“Some hairless biped apparently?” The alternate Trixie gave a vague shrug.

“Huh. So this Skitch also found herself in a fictional world?” Razzle said, somewhat relieved she wasn’t the only one to experience this insanity.

“No, we’re real.” The Director replied calmly. “But ours is a variation from the show you’re used to.”

“Okay.” Now Razzle was getting a major headache. “But that’s not what I’m interested in. I’m shooting in the morning! How are you going to stop these killer robots?!”

“It’s a work in progress. We still haven’t learned much about these robot attackers or their leader’s goal. Their leader is somepony who calls himself Proto.” Max steepled his hooves. “I’m afraid this won’t be a simple problem to solve. We still haven’t learned where these machine monsters are coming from.”

Razzle uttered a curse. This nonsense had derailed her life completely. Worse, who would take care of Ralph and her fish? Genuine panic set in when she realized something else. What if everyone assumed her dead or foalnapped? She couldn’t bear the thought of her daughter’s heart breaking because she’d up and vanished.

Everything jumped as the irate unicorn slammed a hoof on a table. “Fix it. I have a daughter that’s counting on me to return home!”

“We’re doing the best we can,” Trixie said, but Razzle cut her off.

“That isn’t good enough!”

“Yes, please be patient. We will solve this.” Max said, voice resolute. “We’ve even rescued other Trixies. Would you like to meet them?”

“I’m not Trixie.”

“Right, of course.” The Director replied. “But the offer still stands.”

“Fine.” Razzle rolled her eyes. She supposed it wouldn’t hurt to be civil. The Director led her down a corridor to some makeshift living quarters.

“You have a daughter?” Trixie asked as they progressed further into this odd facility.

“Honey Bee. She lives with her father in Neigh Orleans. Work keeps me away from her.” Damn it all, she should have insisted that Honey Bee live with her instead, even with her busy, erratic work schedule.

“Oh.” Trixie stayed silent for several long moments. “You appear to love her very much.”

“What mother doesn’t?”

Trixie wanted to add something else, but they’d finally arrived at their destination. Trixie knocked on the door and it opened to reveal another familiar face.

“Did they save another Trixie?” The new Trixie3 said, beaming and giving Razzle’s hoof an enthusiastic shake. “Pleased to meet you. The Great and Powerful Trixie, as you might suspect, visitor from another world. Here to vanquish the vile evil of Proto, who, rather rudely, forced Trixie to abandon her world to flee to safety!”

“In her universe, P-007, she became the Element of Laughter.” Mounty Max said proudly.

“It’s Razzle, actually. And isn’t Pinkie Pie the Element of Laughter?” While she didn’t have an encyclopedic memory of Friendship is Magic, she at least knew that basic fact. Pinkie Pie was her daughter’s favorite character.

“In Trixie’s universe, the Elements went to different ponies. Twilight’s still the Element of Magic, though. Long story, though one familiar to you, Trixie suspects, full of adventure, tragedy, romance, and friendship.”

“Okay,” Razzle said, unsure what to make of this odd version of her character.

Laughter paused and stared at the first Trixie. “She isn’t Trixie? Why is she here then?”

“They attacked her anyway. Looking like us is enough, apparently.” The first Trixie said. For simplicity, Razzle labeled her as Shade, for her rather gloomy disposition.

“Tragic, brutal! That Proto is such a bully. Trixie’s sorry that had to happen to you,” Laughter said.

“Thanks,” Razzle said, genuinely touched. Unlike the Trixie native to this universe, this one seemed more empathetic about her destroyed life.

“Who is this? Another rescued Trixie?” Another annoying familiar voice4 said. “You should have allowed me to come along. It was reckless to go alone. Who knows what might have happened?”

This Trixie was decidedly different from the others. She wore a permanent hard frown, depicting somepony used to a hard life. She wore the armor that Celestia’s royal guard used in the show but her set looked real, unlike the props she was used to. A tight ponytail hung across her shoulder, constricting her usually free-flowing, light blue mane.

“We’ve been over this,” Shade said. “We’re entering completely unknown worlds with unknown amount of dangers. We can’t afford for anypony to get separated. Besides, the task fits my particular skill set.”

“I’m a soldier, Trixie. I can take care of myself, thank you.” The angry Trixie said, scowling. “I’ve faced horrors you can’t even imagine.”

“What’s her story?” Razzle whispered to Laughter.

“In her universe, P-009, a tyrant called Sombra invaded Equestria with his army of brain-controlled crystal ponies. For some particular reason, Twilight never became the Element of Magic or even the princess’s student! It created all sorts of havoc!”

“Yes, and I served Equestria proud in that terrible war.” Guard Trixie said, continuing the story. “We defeated him, but not without a terrible cost. I stayed on to protect the princess after I left active duty. Equestria still has its enemies.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Sounds rough.” Crazy a world could exist like that from a foal’s show for fillies.

“Oh, we have a guest.” A tired-sounding mare said5, slinking out of her cabin. This Trixie seemed more haggard than the others, wearing a perpetual dead-eyed expression. A nasty, jagged scar ran across her left eye, almost hitting her cheek. Her tone was deadpan, showing little emotion.

“She’s the first Trixie we rescued.” Shade said. “We found her on an abandoned world, trapped there after her spaceship crashed.”

“Spaceship?” Razzle said, intrigued.

“An Imperial Dreadnaughts shot me down after they caught me smuggling contraband across their borders. I jumped to hyperspace, but my damaged drive drove me off course. I ended up crash-landing on an abandoned planet. It left me seriously hurt. That’s where I got this injury.” Razzle noticed this mare walked with a considerable limp. “If it wasn’t for my counterpart there, I’d still be stranded there. My ship was beyond repair.”

“Interesting.” Clearly, this mare came from a sci-fi setting, not unlike Pony Trek. Razzle noticed the mare wore a tool belt across her waist, with a laser gun predominately poking out from its holster.

“We call her Jade after her crashed ship.” Shade said.

“There’s one Trixie left, but she’s under strict lock and key. She’s far too dangerous and unpredictable.” Max said.

“Oh.” Razzle tensed, fearful of what that might mean. Some axe-crazy murderer? A Trixie driven mad by the Alicorn Amulet and dedicated herself to evil? It’d been a surprise when the show writers brought her back as a villain, her mind corrupted by an evil artifact in an effort to seek revenge against Twilight Sparkle. While self-absorbed and selfish, Trixie would never go that far, in Razzle’s humble opinion. But what did she know? She only gave the character life.

“And here we are.” The director of A.R.M.O.R. said, gesturing with a hoof.

“What the hey?” But the reality was beyond anything she’d ever expected. “What is she?”

The Trixie6 trapped by some magical force field was a mangle of different body parts, like a chimera stitched together from a dozen different creatures. She seemed awfully familiar.

“Discord?” There was no mistaking it. Somehow, this Trixie bore the features of that tricksy, chaos-loving troublemaker. The Trixie Discord stood stock-still, like she’s entered a deep sleep.

“Yes.” Max frowned. “We trapped her in this magical barrier. We couldn’t allow her to run free.”

“So, what is she?” Razzle poked at the sleeping Trixie Discord.

“Stop that!” Max snapped. “We aren’t sure. In their universe, P-012, Trixie, and the Lord of Chaos somehow got fused together. We’ve tried separating them, but their souls and magic had become too intertwined.”

Razzle frowned, displeased. “Is this okay, though? While Discord is quite the troublemaker, he can also be a force for good! In the show, he reformed into a good guy, kinda.”

Personally, she’d been delighted when Discord reformed. She’d been a fan of Discord’s actor, Artful Dodger, since forever, growing up watching his famous character Q on Pony Trek. While she wouldn’t consider herself a Trekkie, she’d loved watching the show with her father. With his character being mostly special effects Dodger had to put on a silly green suit each day and never complained, he was a class act.

“You can’t be serious.” Shade said, incredulous. “She almost brought Tartarus to Equestria! We still haven’t got out those chocolate stains.”

“As a laugh.”

“It doesn’t matter. We can’t count on her.” Shade said, refusing to budge.

“But we have a common enemy,” Razzle said, pushing back. She wondered how much this Trixie fusion would be like the original Discord.

“No, it’s still too dangerous.” Max said, his muzzle a hard line.

“True. Who knows what trouble she might cause?” Another said.

“Right.” Shade glanced around, puzzled. She stared at the frozen Trixie Discord, eyes squinting. She shook her head, dismissing whatever had been troubling her.

“You’re the only Trixies we’ve rescued so far.” Shade’s expression turned somewhat pained. “Some weren’t so lucky. But we’re safe here.”

“How?” Razzle asked.

“That’s the clever part,” Max said, proud of himself. “Thank Discord Trixie. Her chaotic magic has helped erect a powerful barrier around this facility. We both exist and don’t exist on this plane of reality. Think of it as Schrödinger’s box, our existence impossible to determine.”

“So, you’re using her as a battery?” Razzle said, somewhat horrified.

“Wait, you didn’t say anything about this earlier.” Laughter said, equally not pleased.

“It keeps Discord’s magic trapped and protects us,” Shade said, trying to hide her discomfort. “It’s not an ideal solution, but we need a safe base of operation.”

“You won’t be so apprehensive if you saw the havoc she caused. The mare was completely uncontrollable.” The smuggler said, her mouth a hard line, showing the most emotion Razzle had seen since coming here.

“And when she breaks free, won’t she be unhappy with us?” Razzle replied pointedly.

“Fear not, she won’t,” Max said confidently. “Now let me show you your quarters while we solve this Proto problem.”

“So I’m stuck here?” Razzle said unenthusiastically. “I’m supposed to drop my life and wait for you to fix this?”

“I’m sorry, but we’re doing our utmost so you can get home,” Max said with surprising sensibility. For a shady government type, he seemed like a decent pony.

Yet, unease washed over her as they led her away, fearing it might not be as simple as Max claimed. If Proto could attack Trixies across the cosmos, how safe were they?

“I hope you can protect us, Discord.” Razzle turned back at the frozen amalgamation of her character Trixie and Discord and blinked. Was it her imagination, or had the chaotic pony winked at her?

“I’m really getting a bad feeling now.” Yet, she still felt somewhat hopeful. Razzle would do everything in her power to destroy Proto. How dare he separate her from her Honey Bee! Galvanized, she trotted away with some pep in her step as she followed the others.

Author's Note

1. From the Actingverse
Razzle Dazzle isn't Trixie Lulamoon, but she does play her on TV. A prodigious character actor, Razzle hit it big when she took a bit part for a character called Trixie on the foal's show Friendship is Magic. Much to her surprise, the show became a huge hit, especially with an unlikely crowd of older ponies. Now in its seventh season, Razzle has landed a solid gig playing recurring character Trixie, a fan favorite. While glad for the steady work, Razzle wishes she had more time for her daughter, Honey Bee, who is living with her ex-husband, so her mother can focus on her acting career.

2 From the Skitchverse
Skitch was your average fan of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, but things took a weird turn when he suddenly found himself in a new life as a pony! The world seemed familiar from the show, but there were odd differences he hadn't counted on. This Trixie wasn't just a wandering stage magician, boasting her way across Equestria and claiming outrageous feats like besting an Ursa Major. No, instead, she had a troubled past. A crime lord named Bayou Runner had caused her mother's death, and she was out for revenge. Once she'd gotten her vengeance, however, Trixie wasn't satisfied. Instead, she decided to use her skills and cunning to fight other criminals so nopony would lose a parent like she had. Together with a band of three others, the criminal underworld learned to fear her name.

3. From the Manehattenverse
What's this? The Summer Sun Celebration is taking place in Manehatten this year? And Twilight Sparkle? Will you stop reading those dusty old books and make some friends? Trixie Lulamoon is a traveling stage magician, here in Manehatten to make it the most spectacular festival possible. Quick with her wits and a smile, she wants to bring laughter and joy to ponies everywhere.

4. From the Crystal War Timeline
Equestria is ravaged by war when the evil Sombra attacks with his army of brainwashed crystal ponies. Trixie, wanting to help, enlists. It was a tough, brutal war, but Celestia's forces of light triumphed. Burdened by duty, Trixie decides to enlisted on as a guard. With peace finally achieved, Trixie hopes for a boring, peaceful life as she protects the Princess with her life.

5. From Star Wars.
Trixie is a bounty hunter. Her life is hard and full of danger, but it pays the bills. She is a hunter at heart, and none escape her. When she's on your trail, she'll dog you to the ends of the galaxy if need be. She's not always the luckiest, however, and ended up crashing on a deserted planet until an extradimensional visitor saved her.

6. And of course Trixcord, the main heroine of this story!

This story is dedicated to the late GreyGuardPony. Thank you. Your advice really helped push me as a writer.

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 2

“Mommy, watch this!” Honey Bee jumped onto a stone wall dividing the park from the sidewalk, laughing as the earth pony filly balanced across it.

“Just be careful, dear.” While her motherly instinct warned against this, she allowed her daughter to play on the makeshift concrete beam a few hooves from the ground. Unlike a certain overprotective mare in her past, Razzle promised she’d not fret about every single detail.

Not that Razzle considered herself a great mother. Her work always kept her busy. But it was necessary. She had a precious little mouth to feed. It wasn’t like she didn’t facetime or visit her daughter every chance she got. Still, the distance made her heart ache.

But why was she fretting about that? Her daughter was here, and they were the perfect family. When Honey Bee reached the end of the wall, she jumped down and ran around in a circle, laughing all the while. It was like honey to Razzle’s ear. No matter how exhausted or overworked she felt, that laugh always rejuvenated her.

“Mommy, can we get some ice cream?” Honey suddenly asked.

“Now? But dinner’s an hour away. I promised to make salad.”

“Please!” Her daughter used her cutest, most pleading face. It was difficult to resist.

“How about this?” Razzle considered the problem like she was deciphering an incomprehensible math problem. “We buy some ice cream bars on the way home and have them after dinner?”

“Okay!” Her daughter said, pleased with the compromise. “Can I have a ponyback?”

“Alright.” While it wasn’t great for her back, Razzle would spoil her daughter in this regard. The weight bore heavily on her shaky backside. She wasn’t a spring chicken anymore and Honey was getting bigger every day but smiled as her daughter beamed.

“Huh?” A strange cloud cover appeared above from nowhere, threatening a heavy storm.

“Mommy?” Honey Bee hugged her tight, frightened.

“What’s this? Why are the weather ponies breaking their schedule?” Then metallic nightmares appeared from the sky. They were legion, bringers of death and destruction.

“Mommy!” Her daughter said, eyes dilating into complete panic.

“Honey, I…” But she didn’t get to finish, laser beams lancing down at them. Razzle ducked, just avoiding getting hit.

“Mommy!” Her daughter screamed, and Razzle gasped as she glanced down. The beams had torn deep fissures across the ground, and her daughter was tumbling into one.

“Honey!” Razzle jumped to grab her love, her lifeline. But their hooves just slipped past, and Honey Bee fell to her doom.

“No!” Razzle awoke with a start, tears staining her eyes, hooves grasping at the air. She shook her head, praying it’d only been a terrible dream. “Honey Bee is safe with her father in Neigh Orleans. Everything is okay.”

She blinked when she noticed her surroundings, uncertain of where she was. Then, the previous day’s events returned in a flash. Sighing, Razzle flopped onto her bed. “Why couldn’t yesterday be a dream, too?”

Grumpily, she headed to the bathroom and got ready for her day, whatever that meant. The warm water felt fantastic against her fur, but the underlying fear persisted.

“Morning, Razzle!” Laughter said with a wave as Razzle left her quarters. “How are you on this fine day!”

“Hi, uh, Trixie.” It was weird staring at someone who shared her face, much less an incarnation of a character she played.

“Rough night?” Laughter said, concerned.

“I’m coping,” Razzle said, knowing they shared the same boat.

“Well, Trixie’s here if you need to talk.” Laughter said, putting a comforting hoof on her counterpart’s shoulder.

Before Razzle could reply, an alarm sounded. She tensed, fearing what this might mean. Shade appeared from a far quarter. “You’re up, good. We have a situation.”

“I don’t see what they expect me to do about it,” Razzle grumbled.

“Let’s see what the commotion is.” Laughter gave her a sympathetic smile. “No doubt they’ll need us soon to solve this dire crisis!”

“Just as we feared, another world is under attack,” Max said, his tone worried, as they entered the main conference room. It was a buzz of activity as various tech ponies operated magical devices of indeterminate origin.

The rest of the Trixies piled into the room, including the strange trio Shade identified as her teammates. Iron Will, the minotaur, stood in a corner, arms crossed. His great height allowed him to peer over the crowd of ponies without difficulty. Kassa, the lion, lounged on a chair languidly, yawning like she’d just awoken from a deep nap. The final member of Shade’s team, the pegasus, Northern Light, sipped at a cup of coffee as he examined the display.

“Proto is gunning for another Trixie?” Razzle asked, peering at the floating diagram. It showed several bodies rotating around each other like a solar system. One of the spots glowed red, while the rest remained blank. Razzle tried to locate the source of the strange diagram, finding some odd metal device covered in ruins beneath it.

“Exactly. This is a diagram of the multiverse. It’s only a sliver, of course. This technology is pretty new.” Max replied. “It’s based on the Sextant of Worlds, an artifact we confiscated from an interdimensional criminal called the Collector.”

Jade’s expression turned thoughtful. “It’s impressive technology for a primitive, backwater world.”

This earned a scowl from Shade, but she ignored this comment. “Can we rush to her aid?”

“We can, but it’ll be close,” Max replied, his voice tense.

“Aren’t they already attacking?” Razzle asked, confused.

“Thank dimensional drift.” Shade said. “Time isn’t a constant across universes.”

“It’d been hard to keep your watch straight then. Today is yesterday, and next week is tonight!” Laughter said, but everypony was too busy to notice her joke.

“Sorry, but we’re sending you in hot. We don’t know what we’re sending you into,” Max said.

“I understand the risks. Estimated time until the robots arrive?” Shade asked, already throwing some supplies into a saddlebag.

“You’re going in alone?” Razzle asked.

“Two days and four hours,” Max said.

“With my team, of course, but otherwise alone. Only I have the proper training for such a dangerous mission.” She scowled as Laughter opened her mouth. “And no, you can’t come. I realize you’ve gone through some dangerous scraps in your world, but we’re facing the literal unknown here. I can’t risk you and the others so recklessly.”

“Typical, always taking on the world by herself.” Guard Trixie said wryly.

“No! I’m just wise enough to know not to involve amateurs.” Shade snapped back. “And I’m not going alone. Iron Will and Northern Lights are accompanying me. Sorry, Kassa, but we don’t know how common your species is in this universe. Best if to avoid drawing undue attention.

“Fine.” Kassa flicked her tail. “Allows me to catch on some much-needed beauty sleep.”

“Everyone else, protect the base and the other Trixies and Razzle,” Shade said.

“Still, two days?” Northern Lights complained. “It won’t be easy. We’re talking about an entire world here! What if this Trixie lives somewhere across the globe?”

“And Trixies travel.” Shade said, recognizing the difficulty. “We’ll manage. Can you pinpoint the robot’s attack vector?”

“Around about here.” A tech said, pointing at a spot on a conjured model of Equis. Razzle recognized it as Central Equestria.

Shade’s team geared up, taking supplies like rope and rations, perfect for a long trek in the wilderness. While she didn’t relish joining such a dangerous mission, she hated being left behind.

But I’m an actor; they clearly don’t need my help. Just as dispirited, Laughter offered a half-hearted wave as Shade’s team approached the portal device. Only Jade seemed unbothered by this development, allowing Shade to tackle all the danger.

Razzle peered at the portal device. To her astonishment, it seemed more like a fancy dress mirror than any high-tech device.

“Come back safe, okay,” Guard said in her usual gruff manner.

“We got this,” Iron Will said, flashing a smile. Razzle realized where she recognized it. Didn’t he do commercials in her world, usually for orange-based cleaning products, in a hearty and bombastic manner?

“Bye.” Northern Lights said.

“If we don’t return in four days.” Shade sighed, her expression going distant. “Don’t send in any extraction team. Assume the worst.”

“You know we’ll ignore that, right?” Laughter said, amused. “We, the Trixies of the great and wide Cosmos, won’t abandon you to your fate. We’ll rush in and save you from whatever dangerous device you’ve entangled yourself in!”

“I mean it.” Shade said, voice brooking no argument. “Anyway, see you soon.” After a wave, the trio vanished into the literal unknown.

“She sure takes her job seriously.” It was a far cry from the Trixie she played, a vain show-off too self-absorbed to notice much beyond herself. While she’d grown somewhat from this, the core remained.

“She’s had a harsh life,” Kassa said. “She’s fought the nobility’s corruption her entire life, fighting hard to bring some justice to the world.”

“Of course, the signs were obvious! Clearly, she suffered some traumatic event in her past that pushed her on a one-mare quest for justice and vengeance!” Laughter said.

“I see.” Though Razzle didn’t. What happened in her past to make this Trixie so different?

“She’ll be fine. She knows what she’s doing. They’ll save the new Trixie, and everything will be right as rain!” But these words soon proved false. Five days later, they still hadn’t gotten a peep from Shade and her team.

“Well?” Kassa asked, scraping the floor with a claw in a nervous gesture. “Still nothing?”

“We’ve sent out feelers, but they haven’t found any trace of Trixie or her team,” Max said, his mane frazzled. He’d slept little the last few days, his nerves fraying at the edges.

“Let’s start a retrieval mission, then.” The lion asked, hiding her worry behind stoic words. “I won’t abandon her.”

“It won’t be that simple,” Max replied. “It was folly to send in Trixie without better information. But the mare had to insist, didn’t she? Always needs to get her way.”

“Is there something dangerous about this world?” Laughter’s eyes widened. “Has it gone through an epic pony war that devastated the planet?”

“No.” Max began pacing. “There’s nothing about this world that should have caused Trixie difficulty. In fact, it’s hardly different from Razzle’s universe except for a few technological differences. There’s no reason she should have disappeared without a trace.”

“Technological?” Jade asked. “Are we talking about spacefaring here?”

“No, but they’re on the cusp of it,” Max replied. “A local newspaper mentioned a successful space flight test four months ago. It’s nothing Trixie and her team can’t handle, but I fear Proto’s hoof is involved in this somehow.”

The mention of their archenemy’s name sent a chill down Razzle’s spine. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve had my secret doubts about this operation from the start. Something didn’t smell right. We’ve reexamined the data and found some inconsistencies. We’ve found traces of a previous breach into this world. When, we can’t be certain. But each intrusion leaves a trace.”

“Really?” Razzle said, curious despite herself.

“Every universe has its own wavelength and frequency. Everyone from that world shares its unique signature.” Max explained. “We’ve been working on magical ways to detect it. While our detector’s still in its infancy, we’ve identified something in P-015 that doesn’t belong.”

“And there’s another oddity.” Max’s voice became more grim. “Proto’s forces are still lingering around the outer reaches of P-015. For whatever reason, they still haven’t attacked.”

Everyone exchanged glances. But Laughter remained resolute. “All the more reason to go. The best way to disarm a trap is dismantling it from within.”

“I like the way you think,” Kassa said, chuckling. “And you’re not stopping me from going. I’m not convinced Trixie is dead. She and the others are resourceful.”

“How about you guys?” Laughter said, already including herself in the mission.

“Count me in,” Guard said. “I’ll keep the group safe. I’m ready to smash some heads in.”

“Very well,” Jade said after some consideration. “Exploring an unknown universe sounds intriguing. I’m curious what Proto sent ahead to snare us.”

Razzle bit her lip, indiscretion racking her brain. While she’d boldly declared she’d stop Proto in his tracks, it was another thing to throw yourself into danger. Her courage wilted, she felt like she was losing her nerve.

“What’s up, Raz.” Laughter said, walking up to her. “Are you thinking of joining us?” Laughter asked with surprising perceptiveness.

“Part of me wishes to, but the more sensible part says no.” She’d never gone on dangerous adventures or fought in some war. Razzle was only an actress.

“I’m not surprised. You have a daughter to return to. Nopony would blame you for not coming along.”

“Thanks,” Razzle said, relieved that nopony was trying to pressure her into heroics. But something occurred to her. “Trixie. I’m a little curious. You’re very different from the Trixie I played. How did you become the Element of Laughter, anyway?”

“You mean instead of Pinkie Pie, like in this universe?” Laughter broke into a wide grin. “Dumb luck? Fate? Hard to say. I imagine Twilight Sparkle played a big part in it. When Nightmare Moon unveiled herself in all her terrible wickedness during the Summer Sun Celebration, Twilight was ready, nay eager to fight back. It impressed me she’d throw herself into that mess. I sensed a kindred spirit. I thought I might as well throw my lot in with her.”

“I see.” Razzle had vague memories of the pilot. Six unlikely mares had joined forces against a danger they couldn’t match. It sparked something inside her, a hope. Could their mismatched group of misfits do the same?

“Thanks. You’ve given me much to think about,” Razzle said.

“Anytime.” After another wide grin, Laughter departed.

“Nopony will blame you if you say no,” Guard said. “But in my experience, courage comes in all forms. When Sombra attacked my Equestria, not everypony could fight. Yet, many others still did their part to topple that tyrant. Ponies at home worked in factories to supply the frontline. They showed their courage, not through battle, but by aiding the war effort. Or accepted the hardship of rations until the crisis had ended. You’re not a coward for not wanting to throw yourself into danger.”

“True right!” Laughter kicked in the air, giving a hardy, boisterous laugh. “Just know we won’t think less of you, whatever you decide. And you, Jade?” She gave the scared mare an expectant look, eager for her encouraging words.

“I don’t care either way,” Jade said, nonplussed.

“Shame. We expected you to finish our roaring speech with one that would light a fire in everypony’s heart!” Laughter said.

“No,” Jade replied, stonewalling this exchange.

“Well, whatever. Give it some thought, Raz.” Laughter said, recovering from her disappointment. “There’s plenty of time until we leave.”

“Be careful out there,” Max said. Techs worked on various panels, adjusting them with strange stones and dials. It was a bizarre mismatch of technology and magic.

“We’ll get Trixie back,” Kassa said, smiling a cocksure grin. “Guarantee it.”

“We’re ready to conquer whatever they throw at us.” Guard smashed her hooves together.

“This will be easy.” Laughter said. “I toppled the great and terrible Nightmare Moon and an Ursa Minor! I’ll laugh at whatever Proto can throw at us!”

“Remember. Bail at the first sign of Proto’s robots. We still haven’t managed to damage even one yet,” Max said. “Just be careful.”

Before they could depart through the portal, Razzle coughed. “Sorry, but I have a request. Is there room for one more?”

“Oh, so you are coming,” Jade said, her tone flat. If she was excited about that development, she didn’t show it.

“Ha, I knew you’d turn about. You owe me four bits, Guard.” Laughter said.

“Here,” Guard grumbled, slipping over several bits to the mare.

“You were betting on me?” Was that earlier speech a lie to encourage her to come? Razzle ground her teeth.

“Only harmless fun,” Laughter said, somewhat shamefaced. “But hey, you’re coming along! Welcome to the team!”

“Is this wise? Unlike the rest of you, Razzle’s never faced danger.” Kassa said, giving the actress a skeptical glance.

“Too late now. And she’ll be fine! She’s a Trixie! Kinda.” Laughter said, pulling Razzle towards the portal with them.

Max sighed, but smiled. “Just be careful.”

“Let’s go before I remember how insane this is,” Razzle said, taking point and throwing herself into the portal before she lost her nerve. Light consumed her and disappeared to whatever dangers and fate awaited her.

“Don’t worry, honey. Momma’s going to sock Proto and get back to you,” she mumbled to herself.

Her trip through the dimensional portal wasn’t any more fun the second time, her insides churned like a washing machine. She emerged on a dirty street, trash littering the alley. The city’s stench filled Razzle’s nostrils, instinctually realizing where She was, even without Max’s briefing packet.

“Ah, Manehatten!” Laughter said, taking in the smoggy air as soon as she tumbled through the portal. “It’s the same! Whatever universe a pony finds herself in!”

“Ugh, it’s even worse than Canterlot,” Guard said, wrinkling her nose. “What are those speeding metal carts?” She pointed at the metal boxes spreading past them.

“Primate ground cars,” Jade said. “The pollution gives it away. I thought you said they were approaching spaceflight. They don’t even have speeders yet?”

“Like hovercars? Sorry, but they’re a long way off, I imagine.” When she was a foal, she imagined they’d have such vehicles long before she entered adulthood. But reality was cruel, and hovercars remained a distant dream in her world.

They passed countless ponies going about their business, each barely noticing their neighbor. But to Razzle, it was home, as she had little difficulty navigating the streets. In fact, she recognized basically everything. While some buildings and stores were different, this Manehatten seemed similar enough. Laughter entered the city like a fish in water, even pointing out landmarks she recognized. She guided them to Central Park, smiling as she spotted the street vendors.

“And the exact same shop run by the exact same pony, imagine that.” Laughter said, delighted. “I wonder if the carrot dogs are as good.”

“We don’t have time for sightseeing, Laughter,” Guard said, somewhat annoyed. Kassa stayed silent, picking up a newspaper she’d spotted in a nearby trash bin.

“True, but a search around this vast city won’t be as productive without some carrot dogs in our stomachs!” The mare replied.

“Is something the matter?” Razzle asked. Kassa had paused, reading the newspaper, her expression pensive.

“I think I have some idea what happened to Shade,” Kassa said. Before she could elaborate, Jade hushed them.

“Don’t look now, but we’re being followed,” Jade said, sending a chill down Razzle’s spine.

“Muggers?” Razzle whispered back.

“Dang, you’re right,” Guard said, pretending to stare at a nearby billboard. It gave her the perfect position to spot their pursuers from the corner of her eye.

“She’s right. I can smell them,” Kassa said. “You’re good. How many?”

“Five,” Jade replied.

“Well, shoot,” Guard replied. “Confront or lose them? They might have some connection to Shade’s disappearance. I vote to confront. Let’s smash some heads in.”

“Confront seconded.” Laughter whispered. “They’ll find the Great and Powerful Trixie’s not as easy prey as they suspect!”

“Confront.” A slight smile grew across Jade’s lips. It wasn’t a pleasant one. “If they’re so eager to fall into our laps, I say we oblige them.”

“I’m game,” Kassa said, cutting a deep furrow in the cement with an idle claw.

Outvoted, Razzle went along with her companions’ reckless plan. “Okay, just be careful.”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie already has dozens of illusions in place. She won’t be so easily flat-hoofed.”

“Over in that alley,” Guard said, gesturing with a quick eye glance. “It’s the perfect place to launch an ambush.”

Against her better judgment, Razzle followed the others into a dank graffiti and trash-filled alley that stank like a ripe hobo. Much to her dismay, it led to a dead end. The only escape route was a fire escape ten hooves above them with the ladder pulled up high.

It didn’t take long for their stalkers to slink behind them, chuckling to themselves. Much to Razzle’s dismay, there were eight of them. Each wore a three-piece suit with a wide-brim hat.

“Hello, gentlestallions. May we help you?” Laughter asked, all smiles. Her grin didn’t falter as their eight assailants each pulled some strange laser weapon from their jackets. A thickset stallion in a big suit stepped forward. He was enormous, weighing at least two hundred pounds of pure muscle.

“The boss would like a word with you, ladies.” The head thug said. “Come quietly, and there won’t be trouble.”

“And who, pray tell, is your boss?” Laughter asked, her smile and confidence remaining unperturbed. Each Trixie subtly moved into a better position. Jade placed a hoof on her own laser weapon, wound tight like a spring ready to release. But Razzle wasn’t as confident. These thugs seemed like trained professionals.

“You’ll find out soon enough.” The head thug replied. “You ain’t gonna try nothing, right? You won’t like what’ll happen if you cause trouble.”

Before Laughter could reply, a new voice interrupted their conversation. Much to Razzle’s confusion, it came from right above them.

“Is this a party? Am I invited? I even brought those party blower things!” A jovial voice said.

In unison, everypony stared up at the speaker. Much to Razzle’s astonishment, the masked pony clung to the alley wall like a gecko. They wore a red and blue spandex suit with spider webs spanning across the red portions of their suit. On the costume’s chest was a black spider. Two white orbs stared down at them, a smile hidden behind their mask.

“S-Spider-mare!” The head thug said, tensing as he gripped his laser tighter in his magical aura. “Get her!” The alley erupted in blazing scarlet light as the goons opened fire on the newcomer.

Author's Note

The coding of the universes is something GreyGuardPony created. In her words, "The P in it stands for "Pony", referring to it's largest group of sapients in it. Other dominant race universes have their own letters. H for humanoid, for example. The numbering refers to the order in which it was filed, with the Skitchverse itself being the 001."

Universes known so far by A.R.M.O.R.:
P-001 - Skitchverse
P-002 - Lunaverse
P-004 - Star Wars
P-007 - Manehattenverse
P-009 - Crystral War Timeline
P-012 - Trixicord
P-014 - Actorverse
P-015 - Spiderman/Marvel

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 3

“Not even a ‘how do you do’? How rude!” Spider-mare said, dancing through her attacker’s energy beams with a ballet dancer’s supreme grace. Razzle watched the display, spellbound. Even the usually stoic Jade seemed impressed.

Despite the thugs’ best efforts, every laser slipped past the acrobatic arachnid adventurer. Razzle noticed the mare had a horn peeking out, hard to notice amongst the red web pattern of her mask.

“Gah!” The head thug grunted as something white and sticky shot from Spider-mare’s hoof and stuck him against the wall. Despite his remarkable muscular strength, he couldn’t break himself free of the webbing. Another thug of similar bulk tried punching Spider-mare from behind, only for the superhero to disable him like a small foal after catching his blow. With little effect, the superhero dismantled the thugs’ defenses, and they were either webbed against a wall or knocked unconscious.

“Amazing. She made that look easy!” Guard said, eyes wide.

“No kidding.” This mare’s powers were beyond belief! As an insult to gravity, the superhero sat crouched horizontally against the wall above Razzle.

“Are you okay, Trixies?” Spider-mare said, her voice hesitating. Huh? This mare somehow knew Trixie? “And you too, Miss Lion?”

“Fine. Thanks.” Much to Razzle’s confusion, Laughter wore a deep frown on her muzzle. “We didn’t need your help. The Great and Powerful Trixie can assure you we had the situation well underhoof.”

“That’s gratitude for you,” Spider-mare replied. “And what’s your deal, anyway? You’re not a bunch of clones, are you? I hate clones.”

“Thanks for your help, Spider-mare.” Razzle sent the Element of Laughter a warning glare. What was her problem? The moment Spider-mare had entered the scene, she’d become instantly hostile. “About us? That’s a long story. A crazy story, honestly. But you know Trixie? This is perfect!”

“We’ve been looking for her. She’s in terrible danger.” Kassa hesitated, knowing how insane her next words might sound. “It’s well…”

“Trust me, I’m used to craziness. Heck, you’re talking to a mare with radioactive spider powers!” Spider-mare said. “I doubt there’s much you could tell me that’d surprise me.”

“Okay, these are Trixies from another reality. We’re tracking down your universe’s Trixie to bring her to safety. An evil villain called Proto is trying to destroy all Trixies across the multiverse!” Kassa said, getting to the long and short of their dilemma.

“That’s definitely a new one. And genocidal Trixie hater is after Trixie of all ponies?” Spider-mare spoke this last part reluctantly. “I suppose if they’re after her, I’ll have to help her.” No doubt, her version of Trixie was another pain in the neck.

“Another version of us came here to rescue her, but she disappeared,” Guard said. “Have you seen her, by any chance?”

“Actually, I suspect this pony is connected to my Trixie’s disappearance,” Kassa produced a newspaper, showing them the front page. It showed an overweight bald earth pony stallion in an immaculate white suit. The headline read, “Billionaire Philanthropist Bayou Runner Announces Charity Ball.”

“Bayou Runner?” Spider-mare said, confused. “What’s he got to do with anything?”

“Who?” Razzle asked. Should this name mean something?

But Kassa’s expression hardened. “It does to my Trixie. Bayou Runner killed her parents.”

This comment earned a startled gasp from the assorted Trixies. Even Jade seemed surprised. Razzle could hardly believe her ears. It filled some gaps about Shade she’d been wondering about.

“But wait, this isn’t her Bayou Runner,” Guard asked. “Why should she care?”

“I doubt she’d see it that way,” Kassa replied. “This isn’t her first encounter with an alternate Bayou Runner. Long story. She worked with that universe’s Elements to stop his criminal activities. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, cosmos wise.”

“Look, I understand completely, but my Bayou Runner isn’t like that!” Spider-mare said, indignant. “I’ve met him before. You’d never meet a more outstanding guy anywhere!”

“Yet, thugs working under some mysterious boss attacked us.” Jade plucked her laser gun from its holster and pointed it against the forehead of a thug webbed to the alley wall. “Who sent you? Bayou Runner?”

The thug tensed but stayed resolutely silent. With a stubborn tilt to his chin, he dared the other pony to fire. But something in Jade’s expression broke his resolve, and he cracked. “I work for the Boss. No clue who he is. That knowledge is unhealthy in my profession. He hired us to track a mare of your description. Much to my surprise, we found four of ya!”

“You’re holding out on me.” Jade pointed her weapon harder against the stallion’s cheek. Much to Razzle’s dismay, she actually looked ready to fire. “Who is your Boss?”

“No need for that,” Spider-mare said. “I’ve got a strong suspicion who sent them, the Kingpin.”

“Who’s that?” Kassa asked.

“Only the nastiest mob boss in Manehatten. He runs almost all the criminal activity in the city and beyond. Not a guy you wish to mess with. Who is he? Nopony knows. But I’ve tangled with his goons on numerous occasions.”

From the goon’s expression, the superhero’s guess had hit the mark. Well, dang it. Their situation had shifted from bad to worse in a heartbeat.

“Well, if the Kingpin’s after you, your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-mare is happy to help.” The superhero said. Much to Razzle’s confusion, she tensed as she noticed the watch on the trapped goon’s leg. “But I’m afraid I need to get going. I’ll keep in touch. It shouldn’t be too hard to spot several Trixies. Later!”

A web shot from the superhero’s leg and struck a nearby building. With astonishing speed, the mare launched into the air. With another web, she stuck to another building, using it to propel her across the Manehatten skyline. In a span of a couple breaths, the superhero vanished into the horizon, disappearing from sight.

“What was that about?” Kassa asked, annoyed at their ally’s sudden disappearance. “Doesn’t she realize the seriousness of the situation?”

“She seemed the unreliable sort. Did she have a doctor’s appointment or something?” Laughter sighed. “Whatever. I suppose we’ll see her again soon enough. At least we’ve gained some handy intel.”

“And plenty of leads to investigate,” Kassa said. “We better get some disguise, lest we draw more unwanted attention.”

She had a point. It was hard to ignore four identical mares and a talking lioness.

A burning question came to Razzle’s lips as they retreated from the cramped confines of the alleyway. “Why don’t you like Spider-mare, Laughter? It seems to me you two should get along like a house on fire.” They both had a flare for the dramatics and loved cracking dumb jokes during serious situations.

Laughter released a derisive snort. “Trixie doesn’t like ponies that wear masks. It means they have something to hide. It means they have secrets.”

“But she’s a superhero. Doesn’t that come with the territory?” Guard asked.

“A true hero shouldn’t be afraid of showing their face. They shouldn’t have to hide who they are.”

“But she saved our lives,” Razzle pointed out reasonably.

“We could have handled it.” Laughter replied, her demeanor haughty.

Razzle sighed, shaking her head at her friend’s stubborn unreasonableness. At least Spider-mare hadn’t taken offense at Laughter’s cold behavior. She was their only lifeline in this strange alternate universe. “Let’s find a hotel room. I fear we might be stuck here for a couple of days.” Thank Celestia Director Max had the foresight to provide them with plenty of bits.

“Good thinking,” Kassa said, nodding. “We’ll need a base of operation for our investigations.”

“Spider-mare knew this universe’s Trixie. I wonder what that means.” Razzle’s instincts told her it meant nothing good. The superhero’s reaction to the presence of multiple Trixies hadn’t been a positive one. Was this universe’s Trixie a costumed baddie?

“That’s what I intend to find out,” Kassa replied. They followed Razzle to a local hotel she knew about. She’d attended a Friendship is Magic convention here. Much to her relief, it existed in this universe, too. She had a feeling they’d spend many days there.

“More Trixies, how strange.” A figure lurking in the shadows of an upper catwalk said. And that hateable Spider-mare was friendly with them. Her scowl deepened like she’d tasted something rotten.

She tapped her chin, considering what this might mean. Somehow, the Kingpin was involved. His ponies had foolishly tried assaulting her, much to their misfortune. Whatever was happening, he was behind this mystery.

“Well, whatever.” She’d follow these Trixie impostors, learn what they knew, and then destroy them. There could be only one Trixie Lulamoon. With a leap that should be impossible for a normal pony, she jumped to another nearby building and stalked her prey.

“This isn’t a bad place,” Laughter said, flopping onto the bed, shedding her tan trench coat and wide-brim hat costume. Their room spanned a decent distance, with two queen beds and a comfortable-looking couch. They’d agreed to rent two hotel rooms, joined by a door. Razzle opted to use the first room as their meeting place.

Kassa curled up on the couch, already taking her preferred sleeping spot. While the others were out investigating, Razzle bought the hotel rooms and procured supplies. It’d be folly to continue their work on their investigations on an empty stomach.

Jade peered out the window. “This gives a good vantage point across the city.” They overlooked Central Park with a rather spectacular view.

“I’m glad we found someplace comfortable, but look at this,” Guard said as she entered, dropping a collection of newspapers on the room’s only table. She’d gone to the local library to inquire into their mysterious rescuer. Much to Razzle’s puzzlement, the internet still remained in its infancy in this universe. The goon had attacked them with laser weapons, but they only had rudimentary internet access?

Prominent on the papers, particularly from one venue called the Daily Bugle, were headlines declaring Spider-mare a menace in bold lettering.

“Hardly surprising,” Laughter said, pleased with herself.

“She certainly has a varied career.” Razzle noticed one headline stating that Spider-mare was wanted for murder, only for another to declare her innocent because somepony had used illusion technology to impersonate her. Somepony actually got framed for murder? Razzle thought that only happened in silly crime dramas. The Daily Bugle seemed quick to declare her guilty of anything, regardless of how far-fetched it sounded.

“I still say we can trust her,” Razzle’s gut told her the superhero was a friend, regardless of what Laughter and the Daily Bugle argued.

“Agreed,” Kassa added. “I’m good at reading people. She smells like a good pony to me.”

“I sensed nothing untoward about her either,” Jade said.

“But if this universe’s Trixie is Spider-mare’s enemy, I can’t be sure,” Guard grunted, annoyed with herself she hadn’t found more. “Her rogues’ gallery is huge, with a colorful variety of characters. Would you believe one’s a guy in a literal rhino suit?”

Guard also produced other articles about other superheroes, including a famed and beloved group called the Avengers. It was like they’d entered the pages of a literal comic book.

“Maybe that’s why Proto is holding off using his robot army,” Razzle said, considering. “He doesn’t want undue attention from all these heroes.”

“It’s possible. My research on Trixie Lulamoon wasn’t exactly conclusive, though.” Laughter said, switching the topic of conversation to her line of inquiry. “There are five Trixie Lulamoons in Manehatten. One of which I couldn’t even find a home address for.”

“This is Manehatten. We shouldn’t be surprised to find other ponies named Trixie.” Heck, Razzle knew four ponies who shared her name back home.

“It’s a start, at least. Allow me. I’ll track them down without much difficulty.” Apart from being a smuggler, Jade had claimed to possess some expertise in bounty hunting, too. Living on the fringes of society, the mare took whatever job was available, regardless of its tastelessness.

“As for this Kingpin, there are plenty of nasty rumors,” Kassa said from her reclined position. “He’s one nasty customer. Spider-mare wasn’t kidding about how far his greedy little tentacles stretched. Even invoking his name sends a spike of fear through the spine of even the more hardened criminal.” She suppressed a shudder. The gesture appeared odd on such a usually lackadaisical cat, heightening Razzle’s already fraying nerves. Considering how many corrupt baddies she’d gone after with Shade, this Kingpin wasn’t somepony to underestimate.

“And Shade’s got herself entangled with him,” Guard said, suppressing a scowl. “What about this Bayou Runner?”

“Clean as a kitten’s bottom.” Kassa narrowed her eyes. “Too clean, one might say. I’m not automatically saying he’s the Kingpin, but he warrants deeper investigation.”

“How about you, Jade?” Razzle asked. “Find anything on Shade and her team’s whereabouts?”

“I have,” Jade replied. “She was asking unwanted questions in places where that’d be considered unwise. A minotaur matching Iron Will’s description was last seen perusing Hell’s Kitchen.”

“Oh dear. That’s a dangerous part of the city,” Laughter said, worry creeping into her voice.

“Really?” This must be the old Hell’s Kitchen before the city’s gentrification efforts. Heck, didn’t Star Power live there?

“As for Northern Star, nothing yet,” Jade concluded.

“It’s something,” Razzle said, hoofing over bottled water and some pre-made sandwiches. Exhausted by their efforts, their crew feasted with relish. “What next? It’s getting late.” It was already 8 PM. Razzle didn’t relish prowling around at night in a more dangerous Manehatten.

A slight smile played across Kassa’s muzzle, showing her sharpened teeth. “Don’t worry about that. The night is when I thrive. Get some rest. We won’t be helping anyone running out recklessly. I’ll see about locating Iron Will. He’ll be the easiest to find.”

“I suppose.” Laughter said, obviously not eager to run around Manehatten’s darkened streets at night, either. “But there’s nothing for it. Best allow the pros to do their stuff.”

“It’s not ideal, but we’ll have to wait till tomorrow to continue,” Guard said, flopping on the nearest bed. “I only pray Shade and the others last that long, if they’re even alive still.”

“If you don’t mind, Kassa, I’ll join you.” A wicked smile grew across Jade’s muzzle. “I thrive in the darkness, too.”

“Thanks. I’d prefer not going on my lonesome, anyway.” Kassa paused, noticing the slight change in Jade’s expression. “Is something the matter, Jade?”

“I thought I heard something,” Jade said, peering through their door’s eyehole. Her eyes widened and leaped back as it suddenly exploded, chunks of wood flying everywhere. Razzle winced as pieces lodged into her back leg.

“Finally found you, Trixie Lulamoon.” An unfamiliar voice said. The pegasus wore a tight yellow and black suit with a quilt pattern running across the yellow parts. Electricity gathered around her hooves, blindingly bright. “You had me running all around the city. But now it’s over. Best surrender or else feel the wrath of the Shocker!”

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 4

Energy gathered around the Shocker’s hooves, particularly around the silver gauntlets around her hooves. She guarded the destroyed entrance, leaving them little way to escape. There was the side door to their other rented hotel room, but Razzle doubted they’d reach it before the costumed villain obliterated them.

Others watched the intruder with various levels of wariness. Only Laughter seemed unbothered by the Shocker’s presence.

“And who are you supposed to be? Another flunky of the Kingpin?” Laughter asked, her tone flippant.

“That’s right. He’s paying me good money to bring you in,” The Shocker replied. “Said nothing about you being alive, either. Best come quietly, or else you’ll receive the shock of your life!”

So the Kingpin was after them! Not that this info helped them. Razzle saw no way for them to escape with their hides intact. She doubted Spider-mare would come to their rescue a second time. They were on their own.

But their group didn’t seem ready to surrender, each rearing for a tussle. Guard tightened her grip on a nearby coffee table while Jade’s hooves inched towards her laser gun. Kassa extended her claws, pacing around their attacker like an eager predator. Laughter stayed where she stood, her expression thoughtful. Hopefully, the Element had some hidden plan at the ready. Razzle, for her part, hid behind a bed. It wasn’t like she'd be much help.

“Run!” Guard hurled the coffee table into Shocker’s face, hoping the distraction would knock the villain off balance so they might escape. It was a futile gesture. With a thrust of her power gauntlets, the coffee table exploded into wooden shards. Kassa used the distraction to pounce, claws extended to rend her opponent into bloody chunks. But a swift punch drove her through a nearby wall, Razzle coughing on drywall dust as the wall behind her blew to pieces.

“Kassa!” Razzle said, alarmed. As the dust cleared, a groggy lioness dragged herself from the hole her impact had created. While battered, she looked ready to continue their fight.

“Nice try, but my Vibro-Shock Gauntlets act as an almost impenetrable barrier. Even Spider-mare has difficulty navigating around them. Are you ready to surrender? I won’t ask twice. One blow from my gauntlets is enough to incapacitate anypony.”

Well, dang. This wasn’t looking good. If Spider-mare had trouble with this villain, what chance did they have? Despite Kassa’s skills as a hunter, a single blow had almost reduced her into bloody chunks. Various expressions crossed over Jade’s muzzle, weighing her options, not liking her chances against Shocker’s mighty gauntlets. If Jade’s shot missed, she’d get pummeled to dust in seconds. Guard stood on the sidelines, helpless, unsure how to proceed.

“Shocker, say something else.” Laughter said, taking everypony aback with her odd request.

“What’s the deal? You want me to repeat how you better surrender or else? Got something in your ears?” The Shocker said.

“I knew it. It is you.” Laughter said, her tone brightening. “You’re Blossomforth, aren’t you?”

“How?” This took the supervillain aback. She stared, dumbstruck.

“I thought I recognized your voice. But you, Blossomforth? A criminal?” Laughter asked.

Shocker paused, her expression troubled. Then she pulled back her mask to reveal a pinkish-gray mare with a cerise mane with emerald green stripes. “Might as well. Like my identity’s any secret. Have we met?”

“In my universe, you’re one of my best friends!” Laughter said, bursting with sudden energy. The reunion with an old friend had reignited something within her. “Oh, the tales I could tell. My Blossomforth once braved a chimera to protect her friends.”

“That right?” Much to Razzle’s surprise, the pegasus was taking this news about alternate universes in stride. “Brave filly.” Then the pair started chatting like old friends, Blossomforth laughing at Laughter’s quips. Everypony relaxed somewhat, glad for this sudden reprieve.

“How the heck did you end up working for slime like the Kingpin?” Laughter asked.

Blossomforth only shrugged. “The money’s good. Got the rent and car loan to pay next week somehow. My stupid landlord increased it without telling me.”

“And a shabby place, too? Trixie’s used to these Manehattan apartments. Rats have better living quarters.” Laughter offered a sympathetic shake of her head. “But is smashing ponies’ heads in the best use for your talents? In my universe, you’re a weather pony.”

“Be a weather pony? Like my parents?” Blossomforth rolled her eyes. “No, thanks. The pay sucks. I made some stupid decisions in my youth. I wanted adventure but got myself involved with the wrong crowd. You can guess the rest.” Shocker was a more decent pony than Razzle expected. She’d expected the supervillain to howl like a lunatic, delighting in the suffering she caused.

“And those, did you invent them?” Laughter asked, intrigued.

“Sure did,” Blossomforth said, puffing out her chest with pride. “I’m not just a pretty face! I’ve got an impressive bit of engineering know-how. And I realize what you’re thinking. Why didn’t I patent them and make millions? Do you realize how hard that is when you’ve had a criminal record since high school? It’d never work out. Besides, this life suits me. I rather enjoy breaking into banks and stealing all they got.”

“But really, it’s best you surrender and come with me,” Blossomforth said, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “The other guys the boss’ll send aren’t as nice. Some are just crazy.” She suppressed a shudder.

And the offer was tempting. Shocker was already bad news. But Razzle had another question first. “Did you capture another Trixie by chance? Along with a minotaur and pegasus?”

“Friends of yours?” Blossomforth asked before shrugging. “Sorry, but I’ve just started this job. Know nothing about your friends.” Kassa whipped her tail in agitation but kept quiet.

“Shoot,” Razzle said, dejected. “I suppose we have no choice.” Despite being a mercenary, this Blossomforth seemed an alright pony. With a nod, the others agreed. It might lead them to Shade and the others.

“Perfect! I like an easy paycheck!” Blossomforth said, returning her mask to her head. “Just don’t try anything. You’ll regret it, dig?”

The costumed villain led them to a parked nondescript van with blackened windows outside the hotel.

Kassa moved to join them, but Shocker extended a restrictive hoof. “Trixies only. If you’re smart, you’ll leave and forget this ever happened.”

“I’m not leaving them,” Kassa replied. She extended her claws, ready to fight despite the beating she’d gotten earlier.

“Your funeral?” Blossomforth said with a shrug.

Ponies watched with fearful eyes as the goons escorted them inside, but wisely decided not to intervene. They were quickly searched, and Jade had her laser weapon confiscated. The goon frisking the smuggler wanted to confiscate her utility belt, too. But Jade convinced them it contained only useless tools, and the thug let the matter drop. Hoofcuffs were clamped around their hooves, solid pieces of tempered steel.

“Huh, I’ve never ridden in these car things before,” Laughter said, playing on her seat. “Looks comfy. And stylish.”

“It smells,” Jade wrinkled her nose but otherwise kept her mouth shut. Like Guard, the smuggler kept quiet, keeping a watchful eye on their captors. Razzle recognized a few of the goons from the alley the previous afternoon. Their eyes were triumphant, promising terrible retribution for being foiled earlier.

Razzle was a collection of fraying nerves as they silently drove through Manehattan’s backstreets. After a dizzying amount of turns and backways, they parked in the parking lot of an abandoned warehouse.

“Ah, the abandoned warehouse, the beloved second home to ne’er-do-wells and villains everywhere.” Laughter said as they exited the vehicle.

“Shut up.” The head goon from the alley said, jabbing the Element hard with his laser gun. A red pegasus with a tweeting bird cutie mark exited the building to greet them, along with another pegasus with shades. Her cutie mark was the big dipper. If the arrival of four almost identical mares and a fearsome-looking lioness surprised the head goon, he didn’t show it, keeping the stoic professional.

“Is Tombstone here?” Shocker said. “I delivered the Trixies you asked for. Now I want my cut.”

“Sorry, but you’re gonna have to deal with me instead. Name’s Guided Path. Tombstone is sick with the flu.” The head flunky spoke with an exaggerated Manehattan accent, drawing a curious eyebrow from Laughter.

“Sorry to hear that,” Shocker said, ears drooping. “I wanted to share a drink with him later to celebrate a successful job. Oh, well. Maybe the Chameleon’s not doing anything.”

“I’ll tell him the next time I see him.” Guided Path replied. “The money will be deposited into the usual, untraceable foreign account.”

“Sure?” Shocker raised an eyebrow at this, but otherwise didn’t comment. “The Kingpin’s paying extra for four Trixies, right? The cat’s a hostage in case they do anything funny.”

“You’ll get your extra, plus a bonus.” The head goon smiled. “The Kingpin will be well pleased for your well-done delivery.”

“Sounds good.” Then, out of nowhere, Blossomforth shot two blasts of concussive force into Guided Path. The stallion grunted in pained surprise, smashing hard into a nearby wall. The pony collapsed, and Razzle gasped as Guided Path faded away to reveal a familiar blue unicorn. Beyond her recent injury, she was in rough shape, wearing a bandage over one eye.

“Trixie!” The guise masking the other pegasus dropped. Razzle recognized him as Northern Lights.

“Shade?” Razzle said in a gasp.

“Trixie!” Kassa struggled with the bonds, rubbing her fur raw as she tried forcing her cuffs open.

“How?” Shade said through gritted teeth, struggling to her hooves. The real Kingpin goons rushed over to apprehend the impostors.

“Ponies always seem to assume old Shocker is a dummy. That quilt face is nothing but a second-rate villain. But they forget I invented my Vibro-Shock Gauntlets. I pegged you as an impostor from the start,” Blossomforth replied, getting into a better position.

“See, I thought it was strange that you didn’t react to seeing four different Trixies. Not even a twitch,” Shocker continued. “You were expecting more Trixies, sure, but four? And the wire into a foreign account? Sorry, but Shocker only takes cash. If you worked for the Kingpin, you would have known that. You seemed far too eager to make me leave. But the real tell? Your accent. I’ve lived in Manehattan my entire life. I know what a real one sounds like. And yours? Trying way too hard.”

“Yeah, it was a painfully bad impression,” Laughter added, rubbing her brow. Razzle had noticed this discrepancy too, but she’d been too distracted by fear.

Shade scowled but didn’t seem ready to surrender yet, withdrawing a laser weapon from a hidden pocket on her cape. Along with Northern Light, they opened fire on the costumed supervillain. Razzle ducked as the warehouse became a shooting zone.

The entire scene was chaos as angry, red beams of light flashed over her. Razzle stayed close to the cold, hard concrete floor, not daring to move from that spot. Laughter darted everywhere, using her illusions to confuse Kingpin’s goons and Shocker with fake laser beams. Guard used her restrained hooves to smash the nearest goon, pounding him into the pavement. Jade was already free of her restraints, picking up a fallen laser gun and firing the weapon with remarkable precision.

The goons fell quickly enough, but Blossomforth wasn’t such easy prey, darting around the laser beams with impossible grace. Her gauntlets blasted Northern Lights across the room, then she used her gauntlets to deflect a shot from Jade aimed at her head. Despite being outgunned and outnumbered, Shocker wasn’t a foe they’d defeat easily. The nearest goon to Kassa got a terrible concussion as the lioness used her own chains as a blunt weapon.

“That’s all you’ve got? I’m getting bored!” Shocker mocked before incapacitating Jade with a well-placed Vibro-Shock punch. Could nothing stop this monster? Their numbers were dwindling by the second. Razzle winced as Guard was the next to face Shocker’s wrath. Razzle’s mind raced, wondering if there was anything she could do. She doubted Spider-mare would come to rescue them a second time.

“Okay, enough. You win!” Razzle said, raising her hooves. She couldn’t bear her friends getting hurt. Shade’s rescue plan had failed. The missing Trixie scowled but dropped her weapon and followed her lead. Laughter sighed and raised her hooves, too. Kassa sighed, throwing aside a pony she’d gotten in a painful-looking headlock.

“Smart,” Shocker said, fluttering her wings in excitement. “Five Trixies. The payday’s going to be sweet!”

“For the record, I’m not actually Trixie,” Razzle said.

“Close enough,” Shocker’s shoulders lifted in a shrug.

“I ordered you to stay in my home universe!” Shade said with an exasperated groan. “I told you it was too dangerous!”

Laughter only shrugged. “And you expected us to listen?”

“Yes!” Shade said, her teeth grinding at the Element’s flippant tone.

Before this ugly fight escalated, Kassa asked a more pertinent question, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Where’s Iron Will? Is he out somewhere, lying in wait?”

But that hope died with a firm shake of Shade’s head. “No, he got captured.”

“The big guy got caught? How?” Kassa said, taken aback.

“We snuck into Bayou Runner’s penthouse to gather information. That stallion is slippery, but we uncovered hints of his other, more illicit activities. Nothing concrete, but avenues worth exploring. But he was there, waiting for us. We underestimated him.” Shade’s expression turned distant. “Bayou Runner was beyond anything we’d ever expected. He took us all out without breaking a sweat.”

“What?” Kassa said, both amused and exasperated. “Did he sit on you?” Razzle couldn’t see it either. Shade and her crew seemed like competent fighters with experience fighting the underworld. How could one bloated, overweight stallion pose much of a threat to them? Jade seemed puzzled, too. Only Laughter took this seriously, her expression turning thoughtful.

“The Kingpin isn’t somebody to be trifled with!” Shade shot back, eyes blazing. Was he the one who’d given her those injuries?

“Woah, woah!” Shocker said, breaking into their conversation. “Let’s keep these musings about the Kingpin’s identity to ourselves! That’s a very unhealthy topic to muse on. Best to stay ignorant. I like keeping my head down. Thank you very much!”

“Really, because that’s a question that we find most interesting,” Somepony said, making everypony jump. Leaning against a wall was a familiar blue unicorn, anger gleaming in her eyes. “After all, the Kingpin was the pony who sent those armed ponies after us!” Razzle blinked. Huh? Where’d she come from? Had she snuck through the open window 6 hooves above her? How’d she pull that trick off? It amazed Razzle nopony had noticed her arrival.

“We?” Laughter said, amused. “I realize Trixies can be egotistical, but taking the royal we?”

“Get out of here, you idiot! She’s too dangerous. You can’t beat her alone!” Shade said. But the new Trixie refused to heed that warning. In fact, she seemed eager for a fight.

“Well, now! Isn’t this a treat!” Shocker said, clapping her hooves together in delight. “Six Trixies now! With the dough from this job, I’ll be reclining on a tropical beach in no time!”

With a clap of her gauntleted hooves, they sparked to life. The other Trixies backed away, knowing what these Vibro-Shock Gauntlets could do. The universe’s native Trixie, however, seemed unconcerned, eyeing the pegasus with a bored expression.

Irritated by this lack of a reaction, Shocker pounced. Her front hooves thrust forward, aiming to pulverize her prey into submission. With a remarkable athletic grace, the native Trixie leaped aside, the wall behind her blasting to tiny pieces of rubble.

“Lucky.” Shocker went on the offensive, the air cracking from her gauntlets’ power. Yet, the native Trixie danced around each blow with a ballerina’s grace.

“What the?” Shocker shook her head, baffled. “Such agility. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were…”

“That we’re that irritating Spider-mare?” Native Trixie said, anger creeping into her voice at the mention of the arachnid-themed superhero. “No, but we’re something very close.”

Razzle’s stomach turned as the native Trixie’s fur rippled, taking a life of its own. What the heck was happening? The black goo, or whatever it was, spread across her body, engulfing it. It masked her face, only for white, soulless orbs to open up, staring at them with malicious glee. A too-wide mouth opened to reveal an array of needle-sharp teeth, a slick red tongue slithering beneath it. Across her chest was a spider emblem, not unlike the one Spider-mare wore.

“Our name is not Trixie. Trixie died long ago.” The mare said, the mouth extending into a gruesome, unequine smile. “Call us Venom!”

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 5

“What the heck?” Razzle shook her head, trying to make sense of what had happened. “What are you?”

“We have been tracking you for some hours. But the chase has reached its conclusion.” The black, costumed Trixie said. “The Kingpin put a bounty on our head because you freaks escaped!”

“Um, sorry?” Shade asked, confused.

“When the Kingpin learned of our magnificence, he had us cloned, and you’re his failed attempts,” Venom replied. “Pitiful copies, too. It’ll be a mercy when we put you out of your misery.”

Oh, crap. Razzle tensed, realizing they were likely in even greater danger than they realized. This Venom Trixie seemed downright unhinged, an inequine monster.

“What, no!” Shade shot back. “We aren’t clones. We’re from a different universe and…”

“Nonsense. Is that the lie the Kingpin programmed into you?” Venom rolled her eyes. “Alternate Universes indeed!”

“And you’re telling me clones are more believable?” Shade said, losing her temper.

“Yes.”

“Well, we’re not.” Shade snapped back. “And we’re here to rescue you. Though, if you’re going to act like this, I’m starting to wonder if we should even bother!”

“Venom doesn’t need rescuing. How about we show you why?” In an incredible bound, Venom had Shade pinned to the concrete floor with a single hoof. Shade’s eyes widened as she struggled to free herself. But Venom’s grip was like iron, impossible to break through.

Shade recoiled as Venom’s grotesquely long tongue slid across her face, the supervillain’s breath making her recoil in disgust. “Even if you’re some alternate version of us, you’re all pitiful foals compared to us. And frankly, the cosmos doesn’t even need you.” Shade’s eyes widened as Venom’s hooves grew claws, raised high to gore her.

“Do something!” Razzle said to Shocker, breaking the pegasus free of her stupor. “I think the Kingpin will pay better if we aren’t all dead!”

“Right,” Shocker said, clamping her gauntlets together. Before Venom could land a killing blow, Shocker threw an impressive upper punch. The black clad pony seemed to sense the blow coming and twisted away at the last moment but was forced to release Shade.

“Sides, I recognize that black goop,” Shocker said, circling her opponent. “It matches that black costume Spider-mare wore a couple of months ago! I’m getting a good hunch why she got rid of it. I thought her sudden behavioral change was strange. She’d seemed unusually tetchy.”

Was that it? Was this black costume somehow messing with the native Trixie’s head? If they got it off her, would she return to normal?

“Don’t remind us,” Venom said, scowling. “That Spider-mare betrayed us! Tried to get rid of us! So we have a better host, more suited to our line of thinking!”

The goop around Venom’s head pulled back to reveal Trixie’s normal face. “Spider-mare owes a great deal after what she did to me! She ruined Trixie’s life, destroyed everything she’s ever worked towards! So we formed a partnership, having both been wronged by that hateable web crawler. And together, we’re Spider-mare’s superior, unstoppable! We’re going to crush you, just like how we’ll smash that annoying webhead!”

Shocker only sighed, rubbing her brow. “Of course, it’s for some vendetta. Manhattan’s getting nuttier and nuttier! Gives costumed entrepreneurs like myself a bad name! I’m going to enjoy this!”

“Bring it. Face the wrath of the terrible Venom!” The pair pounced, each vying for advantage.

While Shocker edged out the monstrous Trixie in sheer power, Venom was impossibly quick. Somehow, she predicted each of the gauntleted pegasus’s attacks, moving before Shocker even got the chance to attack. Razzle winced as a missed blow blew apart a good chunk of the floor, peppering her with small chunks of pavement. Jade didn’t hesitate, retrieving her laser gun from a fallen guard and opening fire on Venom.

Despite her back being turned, the corrupted Trixie leaped around the red beams with uncanny grace. “Annoying. I’ll deal with you later!” A white fluid shot from Venom’s wrist. Jade avoided it by a hair, the substance hitting a far wall instead. Shade took advantage to grab her own weapon but gasped in surprise as she found her hoof webbed to the ground. What the heck? She had Spider-mare’s webbing too?

“Surprised? We’re Spider-mare, but better!”

But Jade refused to be deterred, putting Venom on the defensive as Shocker resumed the offensive. She had uncanny aim, only the costumed Trixie’s incredible instincts keeping her from getting hit. As Shocker kept her distracted, a shot bypassed Venom’s defenses, she hissed as red angry light singed her gooey flesh.

“Thanks,” Shocker said, sending kinetic force into Venom’s chest.

“You’re the less insane of the two,” Jade said in her usual flat voice.

But Venom recovered quickly, sticking to a nearby wall like a lizard. “You’ve got us hopping mad now!”

“Woah!” Shocker grunted in surprise as webbing clung to her left back leg, sticking it in place. A flying kick hit like an oncoming freight train. The fight turned more intense as Venom clobbered Shocker with blow after blow. But the costumed pegasus got her own hits in, stunning the mare with a grazing blow.

“Are you okay?” Razzle said, struggling to free Shade’s hoof. With Venom otherwise occupied, she wouldn’t have a better chance. What was this stuff made from? It was harder than concrete!

“Allow me,” Kassa said, using her claws to slash her boss’s hoof free.

“Thanks,” Shade said, rubbing at her hooves. Behind them, the fight intensified, a nearby wall getting totally demolished.

“I was worried about you. I thought you might be dead!” The lioness said, her tone fretful.

“Barely. But we survived somehow.” Shade paused, then gazed down. “Thanks for coming to save me. I did kinda walk into a situation completely out of my depth.”

Kassa’s expression turned wry. “Heck yeah, you did! Taking on a mob boss by yourself? That’s reckless even for you!”

“Yeah, sorry,”

“Guys, maybe we can have their heartfelt reconciliation elsewhere!” Laughter said, giving the shaking roof a wary glance. “Before they literally bring down the house!”

Those words turned out prophetic as Shocker’s back struck a support beam hard, cracking it. It unleashed an unearthly squeal as it bent and twisted under the strain of holding the roof.

“Blossomforth!” Laughter cried, alarmed. While not Laughter’s friend from her world, Razzle doubted she wished for someone sharing a friend’s face to die.

“Can nothing stop her?” Shade asked, Watching as a single kick crumpled Shocker, rendering her senseless. Satisfied she’d defeated her foe, Venom turned her ire towards her doppelgangers, tongue lashing around. More laser blasts lanced out at her, but Venom danced around them.

“Pest,” Jade said, annoyed. Calculations ran behind her eyes, running across her options. Did she have something to help her get out of here? She reached for her tool pouch for some item.

Before that could happen, a portion of the roof finally collapsed. Venom froze, sensing the danger and leaping aside. She winced as she struck the ground hard, avoiding getting smashed like a bug by a hair. Razzle grimaced as steel beams clattered together, her ears ringing.

“Gah!” But, much to her amazement, the sound hurt Venom worse. Her gooey skin writhed like it was in pain.

“Sound hurts her!” Laughter said, leaping into action. She grabbed a piece of broken metal and smashed it hard against the steel beams. The others joined it, making the half-destroyed warehouse a symphony of discordant noise.

“You’re annoying us now!” While the sound still hurt, it was more irritating than painful. It wasn’t loud enough.

But that hadn’t been Laughter’s intention. The cacophony dampened whatever allowed Venom her preternatural sense of danger, allowing Shocker to sneak up on her. Too late, Venom missed her presence, howling in pain as she took two Vibro-Shock Gauntlets to the back.

“Ha! That’s what you get!” mumbled Shocker she collapsed into unconsciousness.

“You!” Venom howled in fury. She tensed as sirens blazed in the distance, emergency services coming to investigate the commotion. Her mouth filled with too many teeth scowled before widening into a sickening smile. “You got lucky imposters. Don’t think you’ve escaped us yet!” Before they could even blink, Venom webbed a nearby wall and crawled out, leaving them in the half-destroyed remains of the warehouse. And she could climb walls? Was Venom a dark parody of Spider-mare?

“We need to get out of here,” Jade said, holstering her laser weapon.

“Will Blossomforth be okay?” Guard asked.

“Trixie believe so. The authorities can handle it from here,” Laughter said after examining her friend.

“What a mess.” Razzle’s hoof almost tripped over a body, one Jade had shot. Much to her dismay and disgust, the stallion was dead. She hadn’t realized it at the time, but Jade had shot to kill. The other Trixies paled at a similar revelation.

Reading her expression, Jade only shook her head. “It was necessary. They were trying to kill us.”

“But..!” Laughter said, dismayed.

“It wasn’t necessary.” Shade said, hoof quavering with pent-up fury. “Didn’t your weapon have a stun setting?”

“The authorities will be here soon. We should flee before they arrive. I don’t want to explain this mess,” Jade said, ignoring her ally’s outrage.

What a hard mare. She’s completely unbothered that she’d just taken somepony’s life. What type of life did she lead in her world? Without protest, they left the warehouse cloaked in an illusion. Hopefully, the police would give Shocker the medical treatment she needed.

After some arguing, they rented rooms in a flea bitten hotel, this time with even more carefully designed disguises, changing their gender and tribe randomly. They entered the hotel as three unrelated groups, arriving at different hours. While not perfect, they would be less likely to be noticed by prying eyes.

Razzle released a yawn as everyone finally gathered together, the hour was well into the night. Northern Lights kept watch as they held the meeting. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be any more unwanted visitors.

“So, what happened exactly?” Kassa said, getting to the point. “What happened with Iron Will?”

“Yeah, you really thought it’d be a good idea to go against somepony who controls all the crime in Manehattan?” Laughter added, bemused.

“Yeah, that was a little foolish,” Kassa said, lounging on the bed she’d stolen. “This Kingpin seems like one nasty customer.”

“For the record, I’d like to point out that it wasn’t my idea.” Northern Lights added from the guard post. “I argued against it, but you know how the boss gets.”

Shade fumed, not liking Laughter’s sarcastic tone. “I was being careful, okay?! I didn’t do it on some whim! We just underestimated him.”

“And what’s with that lousy Manehatten impression?” Laughter said. “A foal could see through it! Next time, use a lighter touch. A spot of paint works better than a whole can. Ponies noticed the subtleties.”

“It was kinda terrible,” Kassa said, wincing.

Shade gritted her teeth, opening her mouth for a cutting retort, but Razzle waylaid her.

“We aren’t mad at you, Shade,” Razzle said, trying to play the peacemaker. For whatever reason, Laughter and Shade didn’t seem to get along very well. “We’re just trying to understand what happened.”

After sending Laughter another scathing glare, Shade settled down. “Might as well start from the beginning. It all started when I noticed Bayou Runner in the local paper. I saw through his lies from the start! His so-called innocent public persona was only a mask for something more sinister.”

When Laughter opened her mouth, Shade cut her off. “I knew because I know Bayou Runner! And it galled me to see my mother’s murder so beloved and celebrated, okay! I saw right through him to his black heart!”

“But what about rescuing this universe’s Trixie? I understand the thirst for vengeance, but what about your mission?” Jade asked.

Shade stomped a hoof in annoyance. “I did that too, okay? I know what I’m doing. After some digging, I tracked her to a local paper called the Daily Bugle.”

The somber Trixie’s mood improved somewhat, her expression turning whimsical. “I happened to run into Twilight Sparkle, of all ponies, during my visit. She works there as a photographer, believe it or not.”

“Really?” Razzle perked up, surprised by the coincidence. This caught everypony’s attention, particularly Jade, whose expression darkened. She tried whipping it away before anypony noticed.

Shade continued her story. “Anyway, much to my misfortune, Trixie got fired from her job months ago for a scandal involving Spider-mare. She wrote a piece that implicated her in a murder, but it turns out she’d fabricated evidence. When the truth came out, it ruined her career, and she vanished. Try as we might, we couldn’t find any trace of her.”

“It must have something to do with her grudge against Spider-mare!” It lowered Razzle’s already low opinion of the local Trixie, blaming the costumed hero for her mistake.

Shade nodded. “Can’t say I expected the black ink costume, though. What a crazy world this is!”

“Venom mentioned something about the costume having bonded with Spider-mare before her. We’ll have to ask her about that the next time we see her.” When Shade gave Laughter a questioning look, the Element clarified. “We’ve met before. Saved us from some Kingpin goons.”

“Oh, interesting,” Shade said. “You sure get around. We’ll see about finding her. She might help save Iron Will if she’s as good as the papers say.”

“What happened when you infiltrated Bayou Runner’s lair?” Kassa asked, her tail lashing behind her. “Did he really beat you alone? Surely he must have called some guards.”

“No. He did it alone,” Shade winced, shaking her head. “He was a monster, breaking us with contemptible ease. I’ve seen nothing like it.” Then she began her tale of their brief but devastating encounter.

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 6

“Thanks,” Shade said as Iron Will passed over a cup of coffee. With the hour so late, she needed something to add some pep to her step. She perched on a parallel building, watching security officers patrol the premises, the pegasus’s flashlight glimmering as she flew around the building.

They’d spent the last two days surveying the building complex, learning the layout of its security measures. The technology of this world was impressive. They had glass boxes that recorded your picture perched at various points across the building. She’d also overheard each window had an alarm that any outward activity triggered. This won’t be an easy building to break into. Still, Shade was determined. Her crew was wise enough to not argue with her.

With her binoculars, she spotted her target, Bayou Runner, speaking with a glamorous white unicorn, kissing the mare on the lips. This was the titan of industry’s wife, Fleur de Lis. In her world, the mare was a noble of considerable standing, an icon of beauty. It seemed, in this universe, she hadn’t strayed far from her social standing. After some chatting, Bayou Runner gallantly led her out the front door. Close behind them was their only son, Cinnamon Tea, a unicorn with a brown coat and reddish-orange mane. He joyfully jumped around his parents, laughing and chatting with them. Some minutes later, the family left in a limo for a social event that’d keep them busy for hours.

“Damn,” Northern Lights said, whistling. “Bayou Runner sure has fine taste in mares. Quite the catch.”

“Bayou Runner has a nice family. Are you sure he’s the villain you think he is?” Iron Will asked. “There isn’t any actual proof he’s done anything criminal.”

“No, I know him.” Shade snapped back. “Don’t let the cutesy scene fool you. He’s the same Bayou Runner we all know and hate.”

Her partners shared a glance but didn’t argue, and they went to work. Bayou Runner’s penthouse sat on the top floor of the building, one designed to cater to the Manehattan’s elite. Beneath it was an office complex of several dozen floors. Getting inside the building was easy enough, but the security on the upper floors was impressive. You needed to pass through a security checkpoint to get inside. But fooling them won’t be easy. They were on watch for any magical tricks.

But that challenge only spurred Shade forward, eager for the challenge. Her posture was calm as she passed through the richly appointed corridors, tasteful art decorating the wall. Her wig itched something fierce, but she fought back the urge to scratch it. Shade’s disguise was a theater actress of some acclaim, one that came and went at odd hours.

“Hello, Miss Cayenne,” the guard gave her a lazy wave. Much to the disguised Shade’s surprise, the guard barely paid her any attention. Instead of doing his job, he remained fixated on the metal box across from him. It was one of those strange television sets she’d seen around. On its screen, tiny figures tossed a ball around a triangle-shaped field.

“Big Yankee fan, Miss Cayenne?” the guard asked, ripping Shade from her reverie. While she’d seen these TV sets before, she’d never seen one up close. It was a mesmerizing piece of technology. Text on the screen said the game was being played in Fillydelphia. How could they possibly broadcast such a distance?

“Not really,” Shade said, recovering. “But I watch it sometimes.”

But the guard only grunted in annoyance. “The Yanks are getting slaughtered. Still, three innings left. There’s still a chance.” Shade saw the game was 12 to 23.

“Let’s hope so. Good day.” But the guard barely paid attention to her farewell, returning to his game. Shade shook her head, relieved but in some way annoyed this had been so easy.

“Any trouble?” Northern Lights asked as they slipped through the fire escape door, Iron Will following close behind. Unlike the window, it’d been trivial to disable the door alarm.

“None. Let’s hurry,” Trixie said, casting an illusion over her friends. To all observers, they were invisible.

Because of the late hour, the halls were almost empty. But they avoided the few ponies around just in case so they might see through Shade’s disguise. After some walking, they reached Bayou Runner’s penthouse. A sophisticated lock guarded its entrance, and it took some minutes to bypass it. Iron Will kept watch as Shade worked, but thankfully nopony harassed them. With a click, the lock opened, and they slipped inside.

Northern Lights whistled. “It’s good to be king.” The finery was exquisite. Even the carpet cost more than the crown paid her in a year. No pony was about. The servants were off on errands. They’d never have a more prime opportunity to do some mischief.

Bayou Runner’s office was the first place they searched. Books lined its walls, each well-used, much to Shade’s surprise. There were an impressive amount of subjects, ranging from psychology to sciences. A proud photo of Bayou Runner hung on the fireplace mantle, but pictures of his family sat everywhere.

“What a phony display. It must look nice to his guests.” Shade said, snorting.

“Just because he’s a bad guy, which we still haven't proved,” noted Iron Will, “doesn’t mean Bayou Runner doesn’t have things he cares about.”.

“I know Bayou Runner,” Shade said with a dismissive snort. “His wife? A trophy to impress the Manehattan elite. His son, a cute token to draw sympathy. Trust me, Bayou Runner only cares about himself.”

She fiddled with his mechanical box known as a computer, awkwardly tapping at its keys. A password guarded it. Shade trapped the keys in frustration, unable to figure it out. The others searched through his paperwork, looking for anything incriminating.

“Kingpin? Murder? Crime?” Shade tried everything she could think of. Much to her dismay, there wasn’t a convenient notepad with the password nearby. “Evil? Sociopath?”

“How about his mother’s name?” Iron Will asked as he flipped through some invoices.

“And that is?” Shade replied, annoyed.

“Rosebud,” Iron Will replied.

Much to Shade’s surprise, it worked. “How did you know that?”

Iron Will pointed at a portrait of an aged, earth pony mare with a white coat and brilliant scarlet mane. It was masterful work, the product of a master. Her dress, however, stood out among the finery. It was an old-fashioned floral dress, simple but functional for somepony that worked hard with their hooves. It seemed Bayou Runner had sprouted from more humble roots.

“Thanks,” Shade said, awkwardly moving the mouse. This computer business was tougher than it looked. She kept clicking out of everything. Still, it wasn’t all frustration. She found some interesting contacts in a note file. Some names seemed shady.

“Guided Path, eh?” Bayou Runner had sent him a message with some kind of computer mail. The contents seemed innocent enough, but she detected something sinister behind the words.

“Anything on your end?” Shade asked over her shoulder.

“We found a safe,” Iron Will said, pointing to an open wall safe. It contained stacks of bills and some files. “But nothing too interesting.”

Northern Lights tapped at the floor with his hoof. “Do you think he might have a secret safe somewhere?” He brightened as his hoof struck something hollow. “Bingo.”

“You’re a bold one, breaking into my office uninvited.” A deep voice said, causing everyone to jump. Standing in the doorway was a large figure, his pose imperial.

“Bayou Runner!” Shade said, scrambling away from the computer. “But you’re with your family at an opera!”

This Bayou Runner’s stature differed greatly from the one from her universe. Besides being bald and over two hundred pounds heavier, he carried himself differently. He radiated authority and power, a true behemoth of greed and capitalism. In his mind, Bayou Runner was untouchable.

“I was.” The businesspony said. “But when my ponies called me, telling me somepony was breaking into my penthouse. I had to meet who’d be bold enough to attempt such foalishness.” Shade tensed, eyeing the obese pony for any goons with weapons. Much to her surprise, Bayou Runner was alone.

“You’re not interested in money.” Bayou Runner gestured to the open safe and the ignored piles of bills. “Reporters, maybe? Spies for Oscorp?”

“No, we’re here for more righteous reasons,” Shade replied. Time for the bold approach. “We know who you are, Kingpin.”

“I don’t know what you mean. I’m just a simple businesspony, famous for my philanthropy. Are you implying I’m some sort of criminal?” Bayou raised a single eyebrow.

“Yes, I am!” Shade snapped. The words spilled out before she could stop them. “You killed my mother!”

But Bayou Runner seemed unperturbed by the accusation. Instead, he turned thoughtful. “I’ve caused the deaths of many mothers. But I don’t think you’re talking about me, are you, Trixie Lulamoon? You must be talking about another Bayou Runner.”

The sudden change in topic and casual admission to murder and another Bayou Runner surprised Shade, her mouth dropping agape. “What?”

“Proto warned me about you. He said you’d come around and cause trouble. It seems his prediction proved correct,” Bayou Runner said.

“Proto!” Shade straightened. The situation had suddenly turned worse than she’d thought.

“He even gave me a gizmo to help eliminate you. But I doubt it’d be necessary. I can easily destroy you myself,” Bayou Runner said.

“By yourself?” Shade almost laughed in incongruity. Did he have some weapon hidden somewhere on his massive person? She peered over Bayou Runner but found no guards rushing to the millionaire’s aid.

“What are you planning to do? Sit on us until your goons arrive?” Northern Lights asked, mouth extending in a smirk.

“You best surrender,” Iron Will said, crossing his massive, muscled arms. “We don’t want to hurt you.”

“How kind of you,” Bayou Runner pounced with a speed Shade never realized was possible for somepony of his bulk.

Iron Will threw himself before Bayou Runner’s charge, but a backhoof hurled him clear across the room. Shade couldn’t believe her eyes. Iron Will was a minotaur; it shouldn’t have been that easy. But Northern Lights was on top of his game, taking to the air in the spacious study.

“We can do this!” Shade said, regaining their bearings. His surprising strength and speed aside, they outnumbered their opponent. She jumped aloft, using her illusions to confuse Bayou Runner.

“Impressive,” Bayou Runner said as four pegasi flew around his head. “Shame that won’t be good enough against the Kingpin!”

“You’re all talk!” Each Northern Lights dove at Bayou Runner with a hoof, only to howl in pain as it connected. The real Northern Lights recoiled, his face twisting in agony. “Gah, it’s like punching a brick wall.”

Northern Lights gasped and howled as Bayou Runner plucked him from the air and hurled him into the ground. The polished wooden floor cracked on impact, crumpling the pegasus like a crushed bug.

“Lights!” Iron Will’s temper flared, steam rushing from his inflamed nostrils. His massive biceps grabbed Bayou Runner, hoping to grapple him into submission. Hoof met hand as they fought for superiority. But remarkably, the Kingpin resisted his efforts, the minotaur grunting in pain as he struggled against his foe.

“Impossible!” Sweat dripped down Iron Will’s forehead as he struggled and failed to contain Bayou Runner. It was like watching a toddler trying to restrain an adult.

“Only three percent of my body is fat,” Bayou Runner said, his mouth extending into a pleased smile. “Shall I show you what four hundred pounds of muscle can do?”

“No!” Iron Will’s face extended into a rictus of pain as the Kingpin pushed him to the ground. A headbutt dazed the minotaur. Bayou Runner lifted Iron Will off the ground, like he weighed nothing, and hurled him across the room. The Kingpin’s desk exploded into wood chunks as the minotaur’s body collided with it.

Ice flowed through Shade’s veins as the Kingpin directed his attention towards her. She shook her head, backing away in terror. How had things turned so badly, so quickly?

“You’re a unicorn. Do you have any fancy tricks, I wonder?” Bayou Runner asked. In response, Shade turned invisible.

“Just as I thought,” the Kingpin snorted in derision.

Invisible, Shade’s eyes glanced around for some way to turn their dire situation around. A hidden weapon somewhere? Her eyes caught sight of a display of fancy liquors. If she could blind him, it might help Iron Will win. Using a rather fancy illusionary trick, she created a duplicate of the bottle while taking the real one in hoof. Her movement was silent and swift as the wind.

“Playing hide and seek, are we?” Bayou Runner said, glancing around the room, searching for her. Her friends were recovering, and she hoped this would buy them time.

Shade slunk around the study like a cat, her hooffalls silent. Bayou Runner futilely searched for her, his eyes darting for any clue as to where his attacker might be hiding. She pounced like a cat when his back turned. With a clang, the bottle smashed to pieces over his head.

“There you are.” But the blow didn’t even cause the giant to flinch. Agony tore through her system as his hoof connected. Brandy dripped down Bayou Runner’s bald head as he lurked over her. She backed away in fright. Anything to escape from this towering behemoth.

“That stung a bit,” Bayou Runner said, plucking the broken bottle from the ground. “The ‘28, it cost quite a bit, but I’m sure I can make it worth the price!” He slashed forwards with the broken shards.

Blood dripped right where the blow struck, blinding her in her right eye. He didn’t stop there, however, taking pleasure as he picked her apart. Her ribs cracked as a hoof struck her sternum. Her breaths came out as a pained wheeze. She crawled around the ground, helpless to fight against the beating. Shade had been a foal to underestimate the Kingpin.

“Trixie!” Iron Will grabbed Bayou Runner from behind, holding him in place for a few moments.

“Iron Will,” Shade said weakly. Everything hurt, struggling to even raise her head.

“Lights, get her out of here!” Iron Will said, trying and failing to contain Bayou Runner.

“But!” The pegasus limped over, his features distressed.

“Don’t argue. I’ll be fine. I can handle this big boy.” Iron Will shot them a confident smile. “She needs medical attention. You’re the only ones who can escape. This place is likely crawling with his goons.”

“Dammit!” Northern Lights wanted to argue. But then the Kingpin broke free of their friend’s hold, leaving him with no choice.

“You can’t!” But Shade was already over his shoulder, dashing towards the window.

“Hang on. This won’t be elegant.” Glass shattered as he flew through the window into the open air. They dashed away at full speed, flying faster than anyone could follow. Tears stained her cheeks mixing with the blood as she spotted Iron Will engaging Bayou Runner, buying them the time they needed to escape. She swore she’d make this right somehow. She would reunite their team and stop that monster somehow.

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 7

“Unconventional way to call me,” Spider-mare said, gesturing a hoof at the spotlight with a spider insignia. The costumed hero sat in a crouched position on her position on the roof.

“It worked, didn’t it?” Razzle said with a slight shrug.

After examining the makeshift spotlight, the superhero shook her head. “It’ll never catch on. Besides, I’m not the type of superhero that comes when beckoned,” She surveyed her audience. “And I see you’ve collected more Trixies now. How many are you? Is there some special prize if you collect them all?”

Unamused, Laughter got into the superhero’s masked face. “Why didn’t you tell us our counterpart in this universe is an unhinged maniac? That’d be nice to know.”

“So you’ve met big, black, and friendly, I see,” Spider-mare only shrugged. “I wasn’t exactly sure how I’d explain to you about how my Trixie is a violent monster. It’s a tad awkward.”

“What is that black suit? Apparently, you once wore it?” Jade eyed the arachnid-themed superhero with a great deal of curiosity.

“Yep. It arrived from space after a test mission a couple of months ago. It found me one day and joined with me,” Spider-mare released a deep sigh. “It was great, at first. I became stronger than ever! It allowed me to shift into my costume whenever I liked. No need to awkwardly search for a place to change when danger reared its ugly head. I could even do some minor shapeshifting.”

“Remarkable,” Northern Lights said, scratching this testimony on a notepad. “But you noticed it came at a cost.”

“Yeah. It made me lose sight of myself. I became aggressive, more eager to hurt people. When I noticed what was happening, we had a nasty divorce,” Spider-mare replied.

“And it somehow found its way to Trixie?” Razzle asked.

“Yeah. We’ve never really been what you might call friendly. With the symbiote added to the mix, it’s made a deadly combination.”

“Symbiote?” Jade asked, curious. “Is it some type of parasitic organism?”

“Right. It forms a symbiotic bond with its host. They don’t just wear it, but share minds. This allows the symbiote to grant whatever its host desires. In my case, it augmented my already considerable abilities,” Spider-mare said.

“We’ve seen it in action. It’s terrifying.” Razzle suppressed a shudder. “But it has weaknesses. We’ve discovered loud sounds hurt it.”

Spider-mare nodded, pleased. “And it fears fire. Even knowing that, don’t underestimate it. Venom is a nasty customer.”

“We’ll stop her and avenge Blossomforth.” Laughter slammed her hooves together, still peeved about seeing her friend hurt, alternate universe version or not.

“But will she return to normal if we remove the costume?” Kassa asked. “This Trixie sounds like a real piece of work.”

“Well, yeah. She’s not the most likable pony. She painted me as a villain because it sells papers,” Spider-mare released a mournful sigh. “Not that her attitude’s a rarity.”

“While a total jerk, we can’t abandon her.” While Razzle disapproved of the local Trixie for a myriad of reasons, they couldn’t allow Proto to destroy her or allow the symbiote to continue to corrupt her. “Let’s hope she sees sense once she’s free of the costume’s influence.”

“Now that’s settled, we can focus on freeing Iron Will and smashing Bayou Runner’s face!” Shade said, one-track-minded as always. She gave Spider-mare a quick rundown of what had happened to her in the millionaire’s penthouse.

“And you’re sure Bayou Runner did this to you?” Spider-mare gestured to Shade’s considerable wounds, her words doubtful.

“Trust me. Bayou Runner is a natural-born killer!” Shade replied.

“And he’s the Kingpin? But I suppose I am speaking to a gaggle of alternate Trixies. Much nicer ones, too!” Spider-mare said. “I guess I’ll just have to see the truth for myself. I’ll see what I can do about rescuing your friend.”

“The problem is that he could be anywhere,” Northern Lights said. “We’ve done some considerable searching but came up empty. Manehatten’s a big place.”

“What makes you sure he’s even alive?” Jade said, asking the unwelcome question.

“The Kingpin knows you’re after him, right? It makes sense to keep your friend alive as leverage,” Spider-mare stroked her masked chin in thought. “Bayou Runner owns some of the world’s biggest scientific laboratories. Real innovative stuff.”

“So?” Shade asked.

“And Iron Will’s from another universe. He’d be the perfect test subject. Who knows what they might discover,” Spider-mare then excitedly broke into fringe dimensional theories several degrees higher than any of their understanding. The nerd rambling cutely reminded Razzle of the fictional Twilight Sparkle. Her actress, Star Power, herself wasn’t a slouch in science, either. She improvised much of Twilight’s geek dialogue to great success. “And if they map his dimensional wavelength, it might even be possible to travel to his universe. The possible scientific discoveries are endless!”

“You sure are smart for somepony who dresses around in outside underwear and fights purse snatchers,” Shade said, a forced grin on her face. “Your point?”

“Bayou Runner owns a huge stake in Alchemax. They are one of the world’s leading developers in new technology. They have a research lab close to here. My money’s on your friend being kept there.”

“And the device that Proto gave him! I bet he wants its secrets too!” Laughter said. The mere mention of the evil contraption brought a chill down Razzle’s back. Who knew what it might do?

“Thanks for the tip,” Spider-mare said, shooting a web at a nearby skyscraper.

But Laughter tore it down before the costumed superhero could rush off to danger. “Hold on. You’re not going alone!”

Behind her mask, Spider-mare looked annoyed. “You’re not suggesting you should come along. It’s much too dangerous. Look what happened to your friend.” She gestured at the still gravely injured Shade. “Besides, I work best alone.”

“We might not have your powers, but we’re no slouch in defending ourselves,” Jade said, stroking her laser weapon.

“You might need backup,” Guard said, a firm set to her jaw. “It’s dangerous to go alone.”

“While I appreciate the offer but trust me, it’s better this way.” With an impossible leap, the costumed hero reached the other end of the rooftop. A moment later, Spider-mare web slung away.

“That mare!” Laughter said, seething.

“What now?” Shade said, sighing. “That didn’t go so hot.”

“We go after her, obviously,” Laughter said, rolling her eyes. “Trixie’s never been one to do as ponies tell her.”

“Maybe Spider-mare is right. It might be too dangerous to involve ourselves.” And Razzle just realized going after Proto’s mysterious device might actually be a trap.

“No, we’re going,” Shade said, refusing to budge. “Iron Will is my teammate. We aren’t abandoning him. I won’t let Spider-mare do a job I’m supposed to do.” Northern Lights and Kassa both added their assent to this plan.

“Come on. We’ll only get in Spider-mare’s way!” But nopony seemed interested in listening to her. Razzle sighed as the others started making plans. Jade had already disappeared to find a phone book to find this lab Spider-mare had mentioned.

Ten minutes later, Jade returned with the location. Thankfully, it wasn’t far. They crammed into the cab, Razzle wincing as a hoof flew into her face.

“So, where are you headed?” The cab driver asked, nonplussed about almost a dozen ponies crammed into his cab.

“The Alchemax building,” Razzle said, past Jade’s head.

As they drove, the hour had become late into the night. They’d given Shade a day to recover. Besides, it seemed prudent to contact Spider-mare during the nighttime. Razzle hoped the lab would be empty by the time they arrived. They hadn’t a clue what kind of security Alchemax might have. Thanks to Spider-mare’s rushing off on her own, they didn’t have time for a real plan.

Razzle squirmed around to get more comfortable. “Say, Laughter, I’ve been meaning to ask, why don’t you like Spider-mare? Why hate masked heroes?”

The Element’s expression turned pained, taking a breath before speaking. “Trixie doesn’t like ponies who hide their face. She’s always appreciated honesty. But that isn’t only it.” She paused, collecting her thoughts before continuing. “Back on my world, my friends almost broke our friendship with a little stunt involving a mask.”

This caught Razzle’s attention. Everypony perked up to hear more. “What happened?”

“After Trixie performed an act of brave derring-do, they thought Trixie had developed too big a head when she went around bragging about it. They feared that my ego had gone out of control. It hadn’t. I bragged because, as a performer, my reputation means everything. If everypony thought me a hero, they’d eagerly see my shows. Twilight misconstrued my behavior and thought she needed to take action.”

Laughter grimaced. “So they invented Mare Do Well, a costumed vigilante and Manehatten’s greatest hero. They each posed as the hero, giving her amazing, impossible abilities. Was Mare Do Well an earth pony, unicorn? And now she has wings? Each of their heroics showed up and humiliated Trixie. Instead of humbling me, I grew outraged that this interloper would mess with Trixie’s life!”

“Oh,” Razzle said, speechless. She saw where this was going. For a proud pony like Laughter, it must have devastated her to learn the truth.

“So when Trixie learned Mare Do Well’s true identity, it hurt. Hurt real bad. One of the worst moments in my life. That my friends couldn’t just talk to Trixie like normal ponies. Instead, they humiliated her and made her feel like dirt.” A small tear slid down an eyelid. “I’ve forgiven them, but it still makes me angry thinking about it.”

“Terrible business what your friends did to you,” the cab driver, a spectacled, graying earth pony with a bushy mustache, said. “It warms the heart you forgave them. It couldn’t have been easy.”

“Thanks,” Laughter replied, pleased someone was getting her viewpoint.

“I don’t recall asking for your opinion,” Shade said, somewhat peeved by the cab driver butting into their emotional conversation.

“It’s Manehattan, Shade,” Razzle said, rolling her eyes. “Ponies here speak their minds.”

“So yes, Trixie doesn’t like ponies who hide behind masks. This unreliable, joking Spider-mare rubs her the wrong way. Trixie feels Spider-mare is hiding too much behind her mask,” Laughter continued.

“But I think you’re missing something.” The cab driver said. “You’re looking at the mask, but not the pony beneath.”

“And why does that matter?” Laughter said haughtily.

“You’re new to these parts, but I’ve followed Spider-mare’s career from the very beginning, and you know what I’ve seen? A mare who risks her life to protect somepony else. Not for glory or fame, but because it’s the right thing.”

“But.” Laughter floundered, unsure how to reply.

“Never said she’s been perfect. Spider-mare’s made plenty of mistakes, many spectacular. But no matter what hardships she experiences, she always rises again to do what’s right. But when you examine what she’s done to help Manehatten safe, you see a true hero behind the mask.”

Laughter remained silent as a building came into view. The entire facility was enormous, filling several city blocks. The building was modern, its surface polished to a sheen. A stylized green ‘A’ that looked like an arrow pointing up adorned its side.

“Thanks for the ride,” Laughter said, paying the cab driver. She paused before speaking. “You’ve given me much to think about.”

“No problem. I hope you girls find your way back to your home universes!” The cab driver said before driving off. “Excelsior!”

“He sure accepted the existence of the multiverse without issue.” Shade said, somewhat flummoxed.

“We’re in Manehattan,” Laughter and Razzle said in unison. It was just the culture of their city. In the Big Apple, anything could happen. Little phased them.

Shade muttered to herself, complaining that everypony in this city was nuts. “Whatever. We should hurry. Time is short.”

Razzle pricked up her ears, searching for any alarms or excited activity. She heard nothing but the dead silence of a building closed for the day. “It seems Spider-mare hadn’t caused a commotion yet. Does that mean that she’d already rescued Iron Will?”

“Doubtful,” Laughter said, rolling her eyes. “No way that mare could sneak in without causing a considerable commotion.”

“The security seems pretty good,” Jade said, eyeing the electronic locks. “Well, for a primitive pre-spacefaring planet, anyway. Shouldn’t be too difficult to slice.”

“You can hack too? You are a mare of many talents. Where would be the best point to break inside?” She decided the smuggler would have the best expertise in this situation.

Jade scrutinized the building. She opened her mouth to reply, but a screeching alarm blared from the building interrupted her. There was little doubt what he meant.

“The front door should work just fine. There isn’t time for a subtler approach.” Jade said.

“This is why I didn’t want her to go alone,” Laughter said, annoyed. “Whatever. Let’s bail her out of this. No doubt that she’s run into some nasty surprises.”

“No remember Jade, no killing.” Shade shot the smuggler a dirty look. “There should be no more needless bloodshed.”

But the mare only responded with a half-hearted shrug. “Fine.”

“I mean it.” Shade threw a threat into her voice. Razzle couldn’t blame her. They’d all been a little shocked how carelessly Jade dispatched lives. It disturbed Razzle how detached the mare seemed. She made a mental note to push the issue later. They still hadn’t learned much about her past.

With the entire facility in turmoil, nopony was paying a bunch of guards rushing into the building much attention. Shade’s illusionary work impressed Razzle. The problem was locating their superhero friend. Finding the labs wasn't difficult, but the section spanned multiple floors, and they had no idea where she might be in them.

“The security room?” Razzle suggested. “It has cameras all over the facility.”

“Good thinking,” Jade said, nodding. She pointed at a spot on the helpful map they’d found. “Right around here.”

“Good. I’m ready to bust some heads,” Guard said, stretching her neck and pounding her hooves together.

As they fled down the annoyingly similar corridors, a strange sight caught Laughter’s eye. She paused mid-run and stopped in her tracks.

“What is it?” Shade asked, worried. She glanced around, expecting trouble at any moment.

“Octavia?” Laughter said.

A strange sight greeted them in the employee lounge. They found a dark gray earth pony playing a cello. She wore an emerald green smock with a yellow hem that matched well with her purple eyes. Across her neck was a cute pink bow tie.

After playing eight notes, the mare gritted her teeth as the blaring alarm made her bow struck the wrong note. She glared at the hidden speakers. “I’m trying to play. Can somepony please silence that racket!” She turned to her unexpected audience and gave them an apologetic smile.

“Apologies. I’d give you a better show, but somepony had to ruin my concentration.” When she noticed Laughter’s familiar expression, she gave the disguised unicorn a quizzical look. “Have we met before?”

“No, sorry. You remind me of somepony I know,” Laughter said, lowering her head, so her illusionary cap disguised her eyes.

“You’re surprisingly calm considering the crisis,” Shade said with a raised eyebrow.

Octavia only shrugged and returned her bow to her instrument. “It isn’t my problem. They’re paying me for my research. The grunt work is for lowly, empty-headed brutes they use for security.”

“Research?” Shade said, surprised. “Not a cellist by trade then?”

“I’m a nuclear physicist.” the earth pony’s words were superior, quite pleased with herself. “Alchemax hired me for my expertise. They have some unknown artifact they want me to examine.” This caught their attention. So Proto’s device was here!

Octavia played a couple crisp notes. They were like a dream to Razzle’s ears. This mare was quite talented. “I play the cello to unwind. Though I have to admit any orchestra would die to have my talent in their number.”

“This mare sure’s full of herself,” Razzle thought.

“Stay here,” Shade said, turning to leave. “We’ll see whatever’s happening.”

“Wait,” Octavia said, using her bow to block their path. “Are we sure we haven’t met? There’s something about you.” She paused, her ears perking up like she was picking up a distant sound. Razzle frowned. She didn’t hear anything. “Something discordant. Like you don’t belong.”

“Whatever do you mean?” Razzle replied, plastering a dumb, hapless smile on her face.

“All of you don’t fit in the universe's symphony, a note played by the wrong instrument. You’re from another dimension, aren’t you?” Octavia’s nose wrinkled in distaste.

“What?” This proclamation caught everyone off-guard. They tried playing innocent, but it was too late.

“I thought I didn’t care about what caused this alarm, but now I’m getting interested. Something’s happening here that I don’t dare ignore.” Everyone gasped as the earth pony mare suddenly rose into the air. Metal tentacles sprouted from her dress, tearing it off to reveal four metal appendages attached to her back, each ending in a claw with wickedly sharp clamps. Octavia smiled, putting a pair of purple shades over her eyes.

“W-what?” Laughter said, taking a step back. “O-Octy?”

“Octavia is my name, but I’d rather my enemies call me by my other moniker. Call me Doctor Octopus!”

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 8

“The heck?!” Shade said, alarmed. She winced as drywall rained on her head when a tentacle pierced the wall behind her. Her illusionary disguises dropped, revealing the group of Trixies and their lioness and pegasus friends.

“The Kingpin mentioned that multiple versions of the same individual had invaded our universe. Can’t say I’m impressed. Still, why would some inter-universal lord care about destroying you? A fascinating conundrum.” Doctor Octopus broke into an unnerving grin, her tentacle clamps clapping together. “I must study you! I think a dissection is in order. And with so many test subjects, who’ll care if I mess up once or twice?”

“Okay, Octavia’s definitely a bad guy in this universe!” Laughter said. “Run! Split up!”

The Element didn’t need to speak twice, their group breaking in different directions. Guard took Shade and Northern Lights, while Razzle fled with Laughter, Kassa, and Jade. While not ideal, they had little choice. Hopefully, one of their group would find Spider-mare and Iron Will.

“No fair,” Doctor Octopus said in a childish whine. After hovering indecisively for a few heart beats, she chose Razzle’s group. Lucky her. The tentacled scientist’s speed was insane, catching up with them in seconds. Jade fired potshots as she ran, aiming with remarkable accuracy. But Doctor Octopus was too quick, dodging the red, angry bolts with a dancer's liquid grace.

“This isn’t working!” Kassa took a sudden turn, leaping at the scientist with animalistic fury, claws extended. But Doctor Octopus ducked, a claw catching the lioness in midair.

“You!” Kassa slashed at Doctor Octopus. But the earth pony only pulled back the irate lioness, creating some distance between her and the sharp feline claws. But this worked to their advantage, giving Jade a better avenue of attack with her laser gun. With one of her tentacles occupied, it made it harder for the earth pony to defend herself.

“Hey!” Doctor Octopus ducked a red bolt, a burn mark scorched in the wall behind her. Annoyed, she grappled onto the ceiling, a still-furious Kassa struggling still in her grip. A tentacle lashed down at Jade, but the smuggler leaped back.

“Annoying.” Doctor Octopus said as Jade continued to dodge her vicious assault. “Just like an irritating web crawler, I could mention,”

“What should we do?” Razzle’s heart raced as she watched as Jade fought for her life, unable to help.

“Um, well,” Laughter floundered. Unlike the others, they were useless against deadly supervillains. A light flashed in her fellow Trixie’s eyes, her grin turning mischievous. “Leave it to me. Keep her distracted.” Without another word, she fled down a corner.

“Great,” Razzle gulped, wondering how she’d gotten into this mess. She winced as Jade howled in pain when Doctor Octopus suddenly threw Kassa into her. They collapsed in a heap of tangled limbs. Dazed, the pair were helpless.

Now or never. Razzle stepped forward, all bravado. “Hey, you!”

“I’d almost forgotten you were here!” Octavia said, amused. “What tricks do you have, little unicorn?”

“Well, I’m just wondering why you’re working with the Kingpin! You’re a scientist! You should help fight world hunger instead!”

“First off, I’m a nuclear physicist. That’s not my field. Second, the Kingpin and I have an understanding. He provides me the funding I need for my research in exchange for my services. You object to using my talents for selfish motives. But I ask you this, when everypony thinks you’re a monster, why not turn to the Kingpin?”

Much to Razzle’s relief, it had taken little to get Octavia talking. Bad guys always loved the sound of their own voice. Kassa leaped out at the earth pony from nowhere, only to be caught in midair by a claw.

“Those fools at the institute, they mocked my research! Called it unsafe! Because they refused my work, I experimented on my own! And look what happened to me!” The scientist continued to rant, ignoring the squirming and slashing lioness in her tentacled grip. “Now they fear Doctor Octopus, and rightfully so. But that doesn’t get you grants. So, I searched for other means to fund my vital research. I tried bank robbing at first, but a certain annoying web crawler got in my way. So, now I’m working for the Kingpin. Can’t complain. He knows how to pay those in his employ.”

“Really? Does he offer good health insurance?” Out from the corner crawled a familiar red superhero clinging to the walls.

“Spider-mare! I should have known you’re the source of the commotion,” Doctor Octopus said, dropping Kassa like a bag of rocks as she turned to face the interloper. Her claws clamped together in excitement. “Now things are really getting interesting! I finally get to squash an annoying bug once and for all!”

“Tisk tisk, Octy,” Spider-mare replied. “Don’t you know that spiders aren’t technically insects? A pony with a big brain like yours doesn’t know something so obvious?”

This mocking only earned Doctor Octopus’s ire, and she pounced. Her tentacles lashed out at the superhero, but Spider-mare only dodged away, leaping from wall to wall.

“Stay still!” The earth pony advanced, her attention focused on her hated enemy. As the battle progressed, Razzle noticed Laughter in the distance, a confident smirk on her face. Was she planning something? She lifted a hoof to them, telling them to wait for the signal. What this meant, Razzle hadn’t a clue.

“Woah!” Spider-mare fell from her perch as one of Doctor Octopus’s tentacles shook the wall. It left the superhero helpless as her arch-nemesis moved in for the kill.

“You can’t believe how long I’ve waited for this, Spider-mare. You’re small and helpless compared to me!” Two of her tentacles stabbed forward, but Octavia gasped as the appendages flew right through her. “What? An illusion?”

“Now!” Laughter said. Kassa didn’t need to be told twice, pouncing on the distracted supervillain. Doctor Octopus howled as the lioness’s claws left bloody scrapes across her chest.

“You!” Doctor Octopus turned to re-engage her attacker but grunted as a red bolt crashed into her from behind. She stumbled on her tentacles, lashing out behind her at Jade. But Jade landed another shot as she leaped aside, delivering a third. After a fourth, the supervillain finally collapsed to the ground.

“She isn’t..?” Razzle said worriedly.

“No, she’s only stunned,” Jade said, pocketing her laser weapon. “Tough, though. Most ponies only need a single stun bolt to get knocked out.”

“Nice thinking with that fake Spider-mare,” Razzle said.

Laughter smirked. “I thought it’d keep her distracted. Octy was so annoyed about Spider-mare’s presence that she never considered she might not be real.”

“Let’s find the real Spider-mare,” Jade said. “This mess will soon attract some unwanted attention.”

“This way. I saw the security room earlier.” Laughter pointed down a left corridor.

“Hey, who are you?” A guard yelled at the sudden presence of several unknown ponies, but Jade stunned the three guards with a single shot.

“Okay. Let’s see,” Laughter said, scanning the collection of a dozen various screens. “Impressive. You can see everything from here!”

It wasn’t hard to find Guard and Shade. They were helping a limping Iron Will from a laboratory labeled 6-D. Northern Lights was blasting at a company of guards, giving her friends cover as they retreated. It pleased Razzle they’d rescued their friend, though they seemed to be in hot water. “Where was Spider-mare?”

“There!” Jade pointed at a bottom-right screen. They watched as the arachnid-themed superhero tangled with a shadowy figure. But they were moving so quickly, Razzle caught only a blur on the camera. They burst through a nearby wall, disappearing from sight.

“Oh, great. It must be another supervillain!” Laughter said, annoyed, before sighing. “But I suppose we must help her.”

“What about Shade and the others? They’re in even deeper hot water.” And they still needed to find whatever device the Kingpin had hired Doctor Octopus to examine. Razzle fretted, unsure what to do.

“I’ll help Shade’s group,” Jade said, already moving towards the door. “A few shots from behind and I’m sure they scattered.” A self-satisfied smile grew on Jade’s usually stoic face. “They won’t see it coming. You help Spider-mare and secure the target.” She vanished in a flash, running with remarkable quickness.

“She sure knows how to think on her hooves.” Razzle admired that about the mare.

“It’s a good enough plan. I don’t think Spider-mare is very far. I can pick up their fight from here,” Kassa said, ears twitching. Since she was a lioness, Razzle guessed she must have a cat’s sensitive hearing. They followed her down the corridors, only to cough on drywall dust as a nearby wall exploded.

“Impressive. You’ve improved since our last fight,” somebody said. “You will be a worthy challenge.”

“Glad I’ve gotten your approval,” a coughing Spider-mare said. She perked up when she noticed Razzle. “What are you doing here? I told you to stay behind!”

“Saving your flank!” Laughter replied, annoyed. Before she could continue her tirade, the pony that jumped into view stopped her cold.

The light gold pegasus was a sight to behold. She wore a skinned lion worn like a jacket. Its royal mane swung behind her like a cloak, making her as fearsome as the predator she wore. From Kassa’s horrified expression, it’d once been a real lion.

“Honey Do?” Laughter said, dumbfounded. And Razzle realized she recognized the mare, too. The fur-appointed hunter looked like the fictional Daring Do from Friendship is Magic. But this mare was a fearsome hunter of beasts, not a heroic archaeologist.

“That is my name, one of many I have worn over the decades. But I prefer to be called Kraven the Hunter!” Daring Do said.

Laughter put both hooves on her face. “Of course you do. Are all my friends evil in this universe?! I can’t imagine what kind of horrible monster a sweet pony like Twilight is in this accursed universe!”

“Let me guess, the Kingpin hired you to hunt us Trixies down,” Laughter said, her voice exhausted.

“No! I care little about some ponies from alternate worlds. I’m only here because I heard Spider-mare’s involvement. It seemed the ideal opportunity to track down and destroy this great prize. You won’t escape me this time, Spider-mare!” Kraven replied as she circled the superhero.

“Not before I tear your eyes out!” Kassa’s eyes blazed with a hatred that took Razzle's breath away, showing her jagged fangs. Razzle guessed the lioness really hated seeing her kin debased like that.

“Oh, this might be interesting,” Kraven said, perking up. “An intelligent version of your kind should prove the most exhilarating hunt!”

“Yes, when I make you into a bloody corpse!” Kassa launched herself with a ferocity Razzle had never seen before. She’d abandoned herself to the most primal rage. Her claws slashed, not caring if she ripped her opponent to bloody shreds.

“Watch out! Kraven isn’t somepony to take lightly!” But Spider-mare’s warning fell on deaf ears as the hunter dodged the lioness’ furious swipes with an amused grin on her face. Was this only a game to her?

“Not bad! But not enough to defeat Kraven the Hunter!” After ducking under a swipe aimed at her head, she delivered a punishing back kick that drove the wind out of Kassa’s sails. Not content with this, she shot a net from a concealed slot on her metal gauntlets. The trapped lioness fought against the metal net, but to no avail. A single punch was all the hunter needed to topple the mighty lioness.

“Incredible.” Kraven had beaten Kassa without even breaking a sweat. The pegasus gave the lioness a contemptuous snort before turning to more interesting prey.

“Don’t get in my way again. My only prey is the Spider.” the hunter said.

“Then how about I grant you your wish!” the web crawler knocked Kraven sprawling with a swinging flying kick. But this only excited her more.

“Good! You’re making this a worthy hunt!” Kraven said, recovering from the blow with remarkable quickness.

“Gah!” Spider-mare recoiled from a sudden punch to her jaw. She jerked in surprise and leaped aside almost before something shot from the hunter’s gauntlet. Tiny darts protruded from the wall where Spider-mare had just vacated.

The pair tussled, neither gaining the upper hoof. While Spider-mare was quicker, Kraven was relentless, taking each blow with surprising vigor. What was this pegasus made of?

With the pair occupied, Razzle rushed to Kassa’s side, helping Laughter to remove the net from her. The lioness roused but remained unsteady on her paws.

“I think we’ve done the best we can,” Razzle said, taking Kassa’s weight on her back. It encumbered her step, but she’d manage. While she hated leaving Spider-mare, they had little choice. Already, she heard a company of guards rushing in their direction.

“Yeah, it sucks leaving Proto’s device, but we have little choice.” Laughter said, reading her mind. “Who knows what other freaks are lurking around here?”

“A freak like me?” A familiar melodic voice said, sending a chill down Razzle’s spine. She looked up to see a displeased Doctor Octopus blocking their path. Her tentacles dug into the walls, cracking as she used them to stay aloft.

“Great. You’re here too?” Spider-mare said, somewhat exasperated.

“An interloper, how irritating,” Kraven stepped back, disappearing into the shadows.

“Come back!” Kassa snarled, swiping at the retreating hunter.

But her claws struck only shadow as the pegasus hunter disappeared. “We’ll meet again, Spider. I won’t allow another to interfere with the hunt.”

“Ah, the real Spider-mare. I can hear the melody of your heart,” Doctor Octopus said, giving her enemy a nod of acknowledgment. “I’m not happy about that trick you pulled on me, you insects. Distracting me like that. Once I finish with you, that irritating Spider-mare is next!”

“Oh dear, she seems mad,” Laughter said, backing up a step.

“Spider-mare, the others have rescued Iron Will! Best we skedaddle!” Razzle said.

“Got it!” Spider-mare shot two webs at Doctor Octopus’s tentacles, trapping them against the wall. While only a minor inconvenience, it’d buy them the precious seconds they’d need.

Without another word, Laughter and Kassa joined Razzle as they fled the scene. From what she remembered of the building’s layout, a fire exit wasn’t too far away.

“You aren’t going anywhere!” Drywall exploded as Doctor Octopus tore her tentacles free and hurried after them. Her eyes blazed underneath her sunglasses.

“Somepony’s in a bad mood!” Spider-mare ran with them with remarkable swiftness. To hold their pursuer off, she shot concentrated web balls. Doctor Octopus batted them aside and dodged away, but it slowed her precious seconds.

“The exit’s over here.” Razzle’s breath was ragged as she pushed her legs harder.

“There they are!” A pony in body armor cried from a cross corridor. He and his compatriots opened fire, Razzle ducking as angry red lines of laser light lashed at her. The dozen guards raced after them, shooting as they ran.

“Hey, do you mind? We’re trying to escape!” Spider-mare shot a web at the first guard’s hoof. Momentum did its work, the guards falling into a tangle of limbs as the leading guard tripped.

“Woah!” Spider-mare leaped back as a fire extinguisher flew past her head, bursting against the wall. Razzle coughed as exploding foam obscured her vision. She ducked as the extinguisher flew around in random directions as it leaked foam.

“Yikes!” Spider-mare lost her footing and tumbled to the floor.

“Got you now, you annoying arachnid!” Doctor Octopus screamed, pinning the superhero to the ground. Try as she might, the tentacles were impossible to break free from.

“Oh, ponyfeathers!” Razzle howled in pain as a tentacle struck her across the skull, dazing her. Kassa wasn’t any luckier, getting thrown into a wall.

“And now for you, prankster,” Octavia said, rising to meet Laughter face to face.

“Can’t you take a joke?” The Element gave a nervous laugh, edging away from the irate supervillain.

“No.” A tentacle lanced out at Laughter, ready to impale her like a spear.

“No!” Spider-mare said, shooting a web to catch the mare before. It stuck Laughter’s chest and reeled her in, but not before the mare got an ugly gash across her head. Spider-mare underestimated her pull, causing the Element to collide with the evil scientist.

“Oof.” Doctor Octopus blinked her eyes, dazed, as her head collided hard with a nearby wall.

“Now’s our chance! Run! Run! Run!” Razzle said.

“You don’t have to tell me twice!” Spider-mare said. They darted into freedom, the welcome cacophony of Manehatten greeting them. The superhero webbing up the fire escape door as another barrier against Doctor Octopus’s rampage. They all sighed in collective relief, getting their breath back.

“Well, that was fun! Should we go again?” The superhero quipped.

“I think you have other issues to worry about, Spider-mare.” A familiar voice said.

“Hey!” Laughter said in outrage and alarm.

“Kraven!” Spider-mare turned and gasped as Kraven the Hunter flew above them, Laughter caught in a metal net. The Element tried breaking free, but the links were too strong to break.

“We’ll meet again soon, Spider-mare!” The pegasus said, flying away. “After all, I have the perfect bait!”

“Kraven!” Spider-mare swung after her, but the hunter was too quick, and she disappeared behind some buildings.

“No, Laughter!” Razzle could only watch helplessly as the maniac hunter took her friend, and she was useless to help her.

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 9

“Ugh.” Laughter groaned, shaking her head to free the cobwebs. She blinked in confusion, unsure where she was. It was pitch black, and she shivered as she rose from the cold stone floor. Thick iron bars blocked her escape, not even rattling as she shook them. She was a caged animal.

“A cage?” she blinked in surprise. Then their attack on Alchemax Labs returned in a rush. That Kraven the Hunter had dosed her with something. That must mean she was the prisoner of the alternate version of her friend, Honey Do.

Beyond her prison, she saw nothing but a cold, damp basement. Rats scurried in the distance, and Laughter repressed a shudder of revulsion.

“Hey!” Laughter shook the cage harder, but its iron bars refused to budge. It didn’t stop her from screaming at the top of her lungs, though.

“Ah, I see my guest has awoken.” A familiar voice said, slinking into view from the shadows like the mighty cat of which she wore.

“Why is Trixie here?” Laughter said, glaring at her captor. She paused as she got a better view of the alternate version of her friend. “And why are you covered in spiders?”

Hundreds of arachnids crawled across the hunter’s body, many Laughter recognized as deadly enough to kill with a single bite. She shuttered, scooting away from the creatures.

“It’s nothing personal. You are here because I need bait to draw in the Spider. Fear not. I will release you once our battle has concluded.”

“Great.” Laughter grimaced as a spider crawled across Kraven’s eye, but the mighty hunter remained impassive.

“As for why I cover myself with spiders? Simple. To beat your prey, you must understand its every aspect. For years, the Spider has evaded and beaten me, vexed me at every corner. It made me realize I hadn’t done my due diligence as a hunter!”

“Okay, but does it need to involve literally covering yourself in spiders?!”

“It is necessary. The spider gives Spider-mare her power. Understand that source, and she’ll be powerless against me. But studying the spider isn’t enough, I must partake of its flesh! Understand the very nature of its being!” Without preamble, Kraven suddenly ripped the spiders from her body and pulled them into her mouth.

Laughter watched in fascinated revulsion as Kraven chewed the arachnids, their little tiny legs poking out of her mouth.

“Fear not for your safety, Trixie. You should be free soon. My clash with The Spider will happen soon enough. No doubt she’s already heading for my lair.” Kraven said, as if she hadn’t just chowed down on spiders.

But any snippy response caught in Laughter’s throat, too horrified to speak. I’m in the lair of a mad mare. Please, somepony, anypony, come and save me!

—

“Tsk.” Shade ground her hoof against the carpeted floor, furious with herself. Razzle sympathized with the mare, knowing how much their leader's failure was tearing herself apart inside. They’d rescued one, only to lose another of their number.

“Okay, Spider-mare.” The name sounded odd on Shade tongue, like she disapproved of it. Still, Shade won’t reject the masked unicorn help if it meant rescuing their friend. “Who is this Kraven the Hunter? What do you know about her?”

“Bits and pieces,” Spider-mare replied. For some bizarre reason, the superhero hung from the ceiling instead of speaking to them the right way up like a normal pony. “She emigrated from Loshad sixty years ago after the Soviets took over her country. Rich nobility doesn’t really jibe with communism. Using her vast fortune, she earned a reputation as a fierce hunter, bagging many furry, friendly animals as trophies. But that didn’t satisfy her, so she came after me, your friendly neighborhood Spider-mare.”

“Wait, sixty years?!” Shade stared, dumbstruck. “But Daring Do didn’t even look past thirty!”

“Beats me,” Spider-mare admitted. “Some Zebra voodoo magic or something. She’s definitely not a normal pegasus. She’s given me quite some tough tussles over my career. Never somepony you should underestimate.”

“I see.” Shade scowled, not liking the sound of this. “Where would she keep Laughter captive?”

“Kraven owns a castle on the outskirts of Manehatten. That’s my best bet.” Spider-mare replied.

“A castle?” Iron Will said, steam snorting from his nostrils. “People in this universe sure love their dramatics.” He gestured out a window. “And it looks ready for a storm, too. A perfect setup for an epic showdown.”

“And how do you own a castle in Manehatten?” Razzle thought, mystified. The type of money involved would be insane!

“Yeah, that is fortuitous,” Spider-mare said, wincing.

“Will there be other nasty surprises?” Shade asked. “No doubt Bayou Runner has hired other nasty supervillains to ambush you, Spider-mare.”

“No, Kraven wants to fight me alone. Which I’m going to do.” Spider-mare said, her voice brooking no argument.

“But!” Shade’s jaw tightened in stubbornness. “Laughter is my responsibility. I got her into this mess."

“I suppose it is their showdown.” Though, Razzle wasn’t happy about leaving Spider-mare to fight the supervillain alone, either. The other Trixie offered their own protests, wanting to join the fight, regardless of the danger.

“I’m not so sure.” Northern Lights said. “We might only get in their way. It’d be better to act as backup.”

“No, I say we join forces and claw that bastard’s throat out!” Kassa said, flexing her claws.

“Woah! Woah!” Spider-mare said. “Nopony killing anyone!”

“I don’t care. That mare’s a murderer and a sicko” The lioness didn’t seem ready to back down. “She’s getting hers.”

This surprised Razzle. She’d never seen the usually lazy, laid-back lioness this angry before. Kassa paced the room like a trapped animal, her teeth bared. Everypony kept their distance from their irate teammate, even the unflappable Jade.

“Kraven’s tasteless jacket must really offend Kassa’s sense of honor.” Shade said, after a moment of pondering. She’d clearly never seen his side of her teammate, either.

“Yeah, that’s why I need to go alone,” Spider-mare said, keeping a wary eye on Kassa from under her mask.

“Fine, you’re all useless, anyway!” Before anypony could stop her, Kassa had already torn open the window and leaped through it. Everypony rushed over to see if her teammate was okay. Their hotel room stood on the fourth floor. But Razzle sighed in relief when she caught a shaggy form already darting past a corner, scaring pedestrians as she passed them.

“She’s not usually like this.” Shade gave a weak smile.

Spider-mare put a hoof on her forehead before bounding through the open window. “I’ve got this handled. Don’t follow!” With a quick web on a distant building, the superhero was already slinging through the Manehatten skyline with astonishing speed. That’d all happened in a single eye blink.

“Darn it!” Shade vented her frustration, knowing she was helpless against that ancient and dangerous hunter. Razzle shared her feelings of uselessness. Unlike the other Trixies, she didn’t have battle skills or powerful magic. She was only an actress. Razzle sagged, depressed. Why was she even here?

“We’re not staying put, are we?” Iron Will said, crossing his muscular arms. “I just got free. I’m eager to bust some heads.”

“Yeah, boss, what’s the plan?” Northern Lights said. Everypony turned to her for guidance, waiting patiently for her opinion.

Shade rubbed her temple. “Rushing after Spider-mare didn’t work so hot last time. But we can’t stay put, either. Not with Bayou Runner after us.” On top of all that, the insane and monstrous Venom, was still out there as well.

Their leader came to a decision. “We’re on the backswing. It can’t stay like this. We can’t always depend on Spider-mare for help.”

“The boss has a plan.” Northern Lights brightened. Everypony in the room perked up their ears in interest as Shade spoke.

“The Kingpin’s too tough to take down easily. We’ll worry about him later.” Shade sounded discouraged, but still not ready to abandon her vengeance against the earth pony mobster. But Razzle wasn't so eager, fearing Bayou Runner's wealth, power, and influence too great to overcome. “Instead, we need to track down and defeat Venom.”

“But that’s crazy!” Razzle said, alarmed. “We can’t stop her!

“She’s dangerous, but not unbeatable. We have to save her from that thing hijacking her body. And I have a plan.” Shade said.

The stubborn tightness to Shade’s jaw told Razzle any arguing would be fruitless. Their leader was determined to continue on this path, despite its dangers. So Razzle surrendered, not bothering to argue.

And who knows, this might actually work. Once from her alien parasite, this Trixie might actually be nice and reasonable. Razzle hoped this, at least.

“May I get some help here?” Bayou Runner said as he fiddled with his tie. He frowned, having some difficulty pulling it off. Ties were difficult for earth pony hooves. Thankfully, his wife came to his rescue. A pink aura pulled at the right piece of fabric, and the red tie slipped off. While a key part of his professional image, he despised them, hating how they constricted this throat.

“Thanks.” He discarded the piece of fabric on his bed. “Do you think I should switch to a bow tie instead?” They weren’t in fashion, but if anyone could change that, it was Manehatten’s business and society king, Bayou Runner. Everypony followed his hooves.

His lovely Fleur gave the matter some serious consideration before shaking her head. “No, I don’t think it suits you, dear.”

“Figures.” Bayou Runner said, with a half-chuckle, resigned he was stuck with those wretched things.

“Regardless of what you wear, you’ll still be the most handsome stallion in Manehatten,” his wife said, kissing him full on the lips.

“Only Manehatten?” Bayou Runner half joked and kissed his wife back. He always appreciated Fleur’s feminine touches. She made anything she touched come alive.

“Sir.” His butler, Shipshape, said, getting his boss’s attention. “You have a call. It requires your urgent attention. It’s from a concerned employee.”

“Ah, I’ll take it in my office.” Bayou Runner knew what that code meant. It had to do with his less-than-reputable business dealings. “Excuse me, dear.”

“Have fun.” Fleur didn’t sound that interested, assuming the message was about some banal problem.

It was better that way. His beloved wife or young son didn’t need to know about his criminal activities. He knew she’d never approve if she learned he was the Kingpin. He still hadn’t decided if he’d bring Cinnamon Tea into the family business yet. His father had pulled him into his, and what a disaster that had been. His “dear” father was an incompetent without the talent for the finer points of business, and his bumbling had landed Bayou Runner five long years in prison. But that was a lifetime ago, that Bayou Runner long since dead. He was a reformed civil servant, and nopony was the wiser.

The phone quivered with Bayou Runner’s pent-up fury. He should have guessed those Trixies would get underhoof. While they had accomplished little beyond saving their minotaur ally, the Kingpin wouldn’t allow such an insult to stand.

“I’ll be right there.” Bayou Runner’s tone returned to neutral, keeping his temper under wraps. He’d kept it simmering until the proper moment. “Sorry, honey, but business calls.”

“Pity, I was hoping for a night with the two of us alone,” Fleur said, her tone saucy and suggestive.

“I shan’t be long.” Bayou Runner said, giving his lovely wife a kiss. “Keep the bed warm for me.”

As he stomped into Alchemax Labs, he found everything in total disarray. Ponies scrambled about like chickens with their heads cut off, rushing about with no plan to restore order. His head of security, Security Detail, gave a weak smile as his boss approached.

“Hello, sir.” A brown-coated unicorn stallion said. “The crisis is over. We’ve subdued the threat.”

“So, you say you’ve done an amiable job in the face of a sudden crisis?” Before the stallion could reply, a mighty hoof made the foal see stars.

“Please, I..!” But Security Detail pleas fell on deaf ears as Bayou Runner tore the unicorn stallion apart.

“This never should have happened. It’s your job to see that intruders don’t steal away precious test subjects.” The Kingpin unleashed his pent-up fury, reducing the head guard’s face into a bruised paste. He dropped the unconscious Security Detail on the ground, rounding on the other pony that failed him.

“And you. You allowed them to slip through your hooves.” The Kingpin said to the tentacled mare who stood on the sidelines. Seeing her boss’s fury, Doctor Octopus did her best to placate him.

“The building’s defenses aren’t my job. I’m a scientist!” Octavia said, sweating under Bayou Runner’s glare. “I just chanced upon them. I would have gotten them, if that irritating Spider-mare hadn’t intervened.”

The Kingpin already knew this, but he made the scientist sweat further before pulling away his fury. That arachnid-based superhero had a habit of ruining his plans. Besides, Doctor Octopus was too valuable to discard. Security Detail, on the other hoof? With a satisfying snap, Bayou Runner crushed his collarbone with a single stomp. Blood splashed on the legs of his suit. Pity, he rather liked this suit, but examples had to be made. The Kingpin tolerated neither incompetence nor failure.

“Dispose of this trash.” The Kingpin said, walking away. “Tell me at least the crown is secure.”

“It remains secure,” Octavia said, joining him.

“Excellent.” Still, this situation was coming dangerously close to unraveling. This resistance won’t be tolerated any longer. “I believe it’s about time to unveil Proto’s gift.”

“I look forward to it.” Doctor Octopus’s eyes blazed with excitement. “With the crown, nothing is beyond your grasp.”

“Indeed.” But power came at a cost, and Bayou Runner didn’t trust a gift given to him by a stranger. It might contain hidden dangers. While there weren’t any obvious ones, Bayou Runner wouldn’t take any unnecessary risks. Still, power had its time and now was it.

They walked through the more secure part of the facility, guards saluting as they approached. A retinal scan allowed him access to Doctor Octopus’s private lab. It mirrored the scientist’s meticulous tidiness, all operating under the mare’s invisible symphony. A gentle classical piece played from an antique record player. Doctor Octopus cooed in delight as it hit her delicate ears.

Steam poured from the sealed briefcase as the Kingpin’s hoofprint unlocked it. Inside was a silver crown, a simple, unassuming piece of polished metal. But appearances often deceived.

“And it responds to my thoughts?” He asked as he placed the device on his head. His body gave a slight jerk as a jolt traveled through his brain, and then the entire world opened up to him. Senses he never realized were there became alight as they became aware. It was like a deaf person suddenly gaining hearing as the Kingpin gently floated into the air.

“Yes. Quite marvelous, isn’t it?” Doctor Octopus said, beaming. “There’s no sensation like it when you’re given a taste of the power cosmic.”

“Incredible.” The Kingpin stared at the energy gathering in his hoof as it crackled with power. With a thrust, a table exploded into dust as he released the energy. He could get used to this. Combined with his intellect and physical strength, he’d be unstoppable. A cruel smile formed across his lips. “How about we hunt some annoying insects?”

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 10

“You could at least offer me a blanket,” Laughter said, curling up in the corner of her cage. It wasn’t actually that cold, but complaining was better than contemplating that she was a madmare’s captive. The twisted version of her friend Honey Do regaled her with stories of previous glories, each a hunt she considered a worthy endeavor. But Kravan’s fixation with hunting disturbed Laughter. It wasn’t just a pastime, but an obsession. Like how her Honey Do relished learning and uncovering the secrets of the past, Kravan relished proving her superiority as somepony who stalked and hunted. It made Laughter wonder what drove Kravan to this point, yet she was afraid to ask.

“It shouldn’t be long until the Spider arrives. You’ll earn your freedom, then.” Kravan said, crossing her front legs. They possessed an impressive amount of bulk, bulging with strength and power.

“Great,” Laughter said, holding back a sarcastic remark. While getting saved by the arachnid-based hero wasn’t ideal, it wasn’t like there were any better options. She doubted her other counterparts stood much of a chance against this twisted hunter.

“If Spider-mare doesn’t waste time telling dumb jokes,” Laughter thought. Still, if Spider-mare had prevailed before against this twisted version of her friend, then she could win again.

“Ah, she’s here,” Kravan said, reacting to a red light that had flashed on her metal gauntlet. “It begins.” Laughter recoiled in shock as the hunter stepped back and vanished into the shadows like smoke, leaving not a trace no matter how hard she searched.

Moments later, a red shape cautiously crawled into the basement from the doorway. As Laughter expected, the superhero kept low to the ceiling. Spider-mare peered around the dank, empty basement, watchful for any dangers.

When she spotted none, the hero dropped to the stone floor in a crouch. “My name is Spider-mare. I'm here to rescue you.”

“Then get me out of here. Hurry!” Laughter hissed back. “Watch out. Kravan is hiding somewhere around here.”

“No quip about how I’m too short to be a superhero?” Spider-mare joked as she examined the lock. Huh, what did that mean?

But before Laughter could ask for some clarification, the superhero leaped aside as metal claws slashed at her neck. With incredible nimbleness, Spider-mare leaped back to safety.

How did she do that? Laughter wondered. She hadn’t even seen Kravan move before it was too late.

“Excellent dodge,” Kravan said, giving her opponent an appreciative nod. She raised the curled claw attached to her gauntlet in a salute. Laughter noticed an oily coat on the weapon. Was it poisoned?

“Have to keep you entertained, don’t I?” Spider-mare replied. “Let Trixie go. This is between you and me.”

“I fully intend to. But first, I must deal with you!” Kravan pressed a button on her gauntlet.

“Woah!” Spider-mare leaped aside as blades shot from the floor, almost impaling her. As the hero recovered from the sudden attack, Kravan struck from behind with her trademark ruthless efficiency.

“Spider-mare!” Frustrated by her helplessness, Laughter threw her body against her prison’s bars, hoping to gain her freedom. But it was useless, the iron bars refused to budge.

The combatants stalked each other, neither committing to the first move. Kravan kept low to the ground, patient like the cat she wore. Spider-mare was like a tightly wound spring, ready to strike. They were a blur of movement as they pounced.

Laughter grimaced as Kravan got lucky, landing a scrape across Spider-mare’s left leg as the superhero dodged away from a sudden spike that shot from the floor. The hunter smiled in triumph as her prey wobbled on her hooves from the poison coursing through her veins. If Laughter didn’t do something, her would-be rescuer would die!

“Honey Do! You’ve won! You’re the better hunter. There’s no need for anypony to die!” Laughter pleaded.

“No,” Kravan replied, raising her clawed gauntlet to the prone Spider-mare’s throat. The superhero struggled to raise her head, but her eyes were pleading and fearful behind her mask. “Not until I’ve gotten my prize. Not until I’ve destroyed the Spider once and for all.”

“No!” Laughter’s heart beat painfully in her chest, horrified that she was about to watch somepony die.

“You!” Then a shape pounced from the shadows with liquid grace. Its enormous bulk knocked Kravan silly, slamming her hard against a stone wall. The hunter shook her head, dazed. She stared wide-eyed at the furious lioness stalking towards her.

“Kassa?” But her friend didn’t seem to hear Laughter’s words, her claws aiming to gore the hated hunter. Laughter wondered if she should be more afraid of the hunter or the cat.

“You again?” Kravan said, bemused, as she leaped aside. “Come again to play, have you? Very well, come at me, lioness.”

“Are you okay, Laughter?” A weak voice tore Laughter away from the drama. With surprising strength, Spider-mare’s hooves rent the lock into a heap of twisted metal.

“Fine, what about you?” Laughter said in concern, fearful that the poison was killing her rescuer.

“What, no complaints about how I’m not rescuing you fast enough?”

“I’m more worried about you.” While Laughter disliked the masked hero, she didn’t want to see Spider-mare hurt.

“Who, me? I’m fine.” Spider-mare waved a dismissive hoof as Laughter helped her stand. “Being half-dead is just another day for me.”

Despite herself, Laughter admired the gusto of this mare. She’d ignored her own pain to help save Laughter first. That was true heroism in her opinion. Maybe the elderly cab driver had a point about Spider-mare after all.

“But what about Kravan?” Her friend’s fight with the hunter wasn’t going well. Kassa snapped at Kravan with her jaws, but the hunter caught them with ease and pushed his attacker back despite the size and weight difference between the two. Could nothing stop this monster? Kassa howled in pain as Kravan tossed her aside like a rag doll, landing in a heap across the stone floor. Dear Celestia, she hadn’t even needed her traps to win.

Well, shoot. What now? It wasn’t like Laughter could haul Spider-mare outside this basement by herself with Kravan nipping at their heels. But Laughter wouldn’t abandon Kassa either, even if that was an option. This was it. They’d lost.

“Get Kassa out of here,” Spider-mare said, pushing herself free of Laughter’s grip. “Kravan is only interested in me. I’d hate to disappoint her.”

“What? You can’t be serious! You’ll die!”

“What can I say? I’m a superhero. Pointless and idiotic self-sacrifices are what we do,” Spider-mare said with a self-deprecating shrug.

“So the Spider isn’t finished yet? Good,” Kravan said, pleased. She stalked towards the hero as Spider-mare moved a safe distance away from Laughter.

Despite herself, Laughter moved to check up on Kassa. She had no intention of abandoning Spider-mare, but she still needed to check if her friend was okay. Much to her relief, the lioness was conscious.

“Damn,” Kassa uttered several colorful curses in a language Laughter had never heard before. “What a monster.”

“Gah!” Spider-mare howled in pain as a kick connected with her stomach. But the hero caught her opponent with surprising strength, hurling the hunter into the cage she’d used to hold Laughter. The impact crumpled it into a heap of twisted metal. Bruised, but eager to fight, Kravan leaped back to her hooves. Spider-mare continued to fight with impressive resolve, refusing to back down despite the odds against her. Laughter stomped a hoof, knowing she couldn’t allow this bravery to go in vain.

“Stay put,” Laughter whispered, using the universal sign to keep quiet. She summoned an illusion to make it seem like she’d taken Kassa and fled through the basement door. Kravan dimly noted this, but otherwise didn’t allow it to distract her from her fight with Spider-mare.

While Honey Do was a supreme hunter, Laughter also knew something about predators. Not all hunters were like jungle cats who stalk their prey through the forest. Others stayed put in a single spot, not moving an inch until a target entered their reach. Laughter crept low to the ground, her breathing low and measured. She waited.

It was agony watching the still-drugged Spider-mare get the stuffing kicked out of her, wincing as the hero got slashed across her mask, exposing bits of purple fur. But Laughter stayed still as a statue, knowing she’d only get a single shot. Kassa followed her friend’s lead, watching with bright, sharp eyes. As a cat, she also knew something about ambush.

While this might cause Kravan to turn on her and consider her prey, Laughter would take that chance if it meant saving Spider-mare’s life. Plenty of opportunities to strike Kravan from behind presented themselves, but Laughter stayed put. Kravan was a skilled hunter. She’d sense any careless attack. No, she’d strike when the right moment presented itself.

Laughter grimaced as Spider-mare took a nasty blow across the chin, then another slash from the hunter’s poisoned claws. The superhero finally succumbed to the drug, collapsing helplessly on the floor. Yet, Laughter kept her vigil. Honey Do had a weakness. She only needed to show it.

“You fought well, Spider,” Kravan said, her voice ragged. She heaved, exhausted by her tussle with the superhero. She raised her claw for the killing stroke. “A worthy hunt.”

“You’ve won, Kravan. Don’t do this,” Spider-mare said.

“I must. A hunter must claim her prize. Or else, what’s the point of this?” Kravan preened, quite pleased with herself. “Goodbye, Spider-mare.”

Now! As Kravan launched the killing blow, Laughter struck. The pain traveled down her hoof as she landed a strike on Kravan’s chin. The hunter’s head jerked back, but she seemed more amused than hurt. Dear Celestia, that hadn’t worked as she’d intended. Laughter gulped as the hunter stared down at her, towering, despite the minimal size difference between them.

“Brave, but a foolish move,” Kravan said. “Still, you struck well. I hadn’t even sensed you until you attacked. But you wasted your ambush on a futile move.”

“Or have I?” Laughter said. The hunter jerked in realization as she realized Laughter’s attack had only been a distraction.

Blood oozed from Kravan’s chest as a sudden claw slash left a deep gash across the hunter’s ribs. Kravan hissed in pain, leaping back as Kassa lunged at her.

“Now, that is impressive,” Kravan said, amused despite her horrible injury. She pressed her hooves against her slash wound to stanch the blood flow. “Your illusion allowed the cat to stalk me without even realizing it. You are a formidable hunting duo!”

“And that’s not all you’re going to get!” But Kassa faltered, her wounds taking their toll. She’d given everything she had left for that ambush.

“Brave, very brave,” Kravan gave the prone and helpless Spider-mare a mournful glance before returning her attention to them. “But now we must conclude our little hunt. Pity. It was enjoyable.”

“Kassa!” Laughter’s heart caught in her throat as Kravan lunged forward with her claw for a fatal blow. But Spider-mare wasn’t as injured or prone as Kravan had suspected.

“Oh no, you don’t!” A web caught the hunter’s back, jerking her back.

“Spider-mare!” Then Kravan realized her mistake. Laughter had seeded multiple illusions. She’d made Kravan think Spider-mare was out of commission, and the great hunter had fallen for it.

“Gah!” Kravan howled in pain as her back collided with a stone wall hard enough to crack it. She moaned before going still. Thankfully, Laughter saw her chest move with the rhythm of breathing.

“Are you okay, cat?” Spider-mare said, limping over to Kassa.

“I’ll live,” the lioness ignored the proffered hoof and limped over to the unconscious Kravan.

“Hold on!” Spider-mare said, her posture becoming wary. Despite her injuries, she’d fight to save her enemy’s life. “I won’t let you kill her.”

The superhero raised her hoof to web Kassa if she tried anything on the helpless Kravan, but she didn’t need to bother. Instead of slashing her claws into a vital area, the lioness pulled away the hunter’s jacket that bore the face of the lioness’s kin. With gentle care, she placed it on the stone floor and folded it.

“I would end her miserable existence if this was my home lands. But this country’s laws are different. I will content myself with her dishonorable defeat.” Kassa gestured to the fur jacket. “I will ensure this returns to the homeland for a proper farewell.”

“That’s good.” Spider-mare swayed on her hooves before collapsing. The poison had finally claimed her. Laughter fretted, fearing it might already be too late to save her.

“No, no! What should we do?” Laughter paced, feeling helpless.

“I have some experience with medicine. I will see what I can do.” Kassa took Spider-mare’s hoof and checked for a pulse. She nodded when she found one. “It’s weak but solid. I don’t think Kravan’s poison was meant to kill, only incapacitate.”

“That’s something, at least.”

“It makes sense. Kravan wanted an honorable battle and kill. A deadly poison would spoil that.” The lioness directed her attention to the unconscious Spider-mare. “Still, I’m impressed she fought as long as she did with such toxins in her system. She must have a remarkable constitution. Give her a few hours, and she’ll be okay.”

“That’s a relief. We better get out of here.” This whole place gave her the creeps. They left Kravan unceremoniously sprawled on the floor. After some discussion, they voted against calling the police. It’d only add an unneeded complication. Laughter wasn’t a citizen of this universe. It seemed unlikely they’d allow her to charge Kreven with foalnapping.

Laughter lowered herself and pulled the unconscious Spider-mare onto her back. “Upsy-daisy, I got you.” But as she lifted the superhero, her torn, ragged mask slipped off. In her shock, Laughter almost dropped her luggage.

“It can’t be.” But the evidence stared her directly in the eye. She knew this mare. It was somepony she knew very well, a pony she loved. Laughter suspected she might run into this mare in this strange universe, but this was beyond belief.

“Twilight?” Twilight Sparkle was Spider-mare?

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 11

“Okay, I’m in position, boss,” Northern Lights said from his walkie-talkie.

“Perfect. Don’t alarm her to your presence,” Shade replied.

Beside Shade, Razzle fretted. They all knew how dangerous this Trixie was. Her symbiote power were beyond anything they’d ever seen, even the more veteran Trixie used to combat and danger.

Spider-mare had explained how Venom had an exact duplicate of her powers, which included her spider-sense, a preternatural ability to detect danger. Since they didn’t know how sensitive the ability was, they weren’t taking any unnecessary risks. So far, the native Trixie seemed unaware somepony was trailing her.

“Keep with her,” Shade ordered.

While they weren’t confident about the ‘defeat the symbiote plan’ yet, they could at least learn where the native Trixie dwelled. Any intel was better than nothing.

“She’s entered a building,” Northern Lights said. “An apartment complex in a rather slummy area of the city. Dang, what a dump.” With quiet steps, their group followed Northern Light’s direction, doing their best to remain inconspicuous. His instructions lead their group to a row of shabby buildings, and they ducked into a nearby ally to observe it.

“What a dump.” Guard said with a snort. “She lives here?” The fourth building in the row Northern Lights indicated wasn’t a looker, it’s bricks shabby and worn out. It sat swat and tall against other almost identically grungy buildings.

“She did mention she lost her job because of that Spider-mare murder case scandal,” Guard said. “I wonder how she pays the bills now?”

“I doubt it’s anything legit.” Iron Will stroked her chin. “Her name is mud now in the journalist circle, I wager.” Jade, the last member of their team, listened with interest but remained quiet. Instead, she fiddled with her tool belt, an unconscious tic.

“A light just lit up on the third floor.” A pause and then Northern Lights continued. “I see her in a window. Oof!”

“Lights?” Tense seconds passed as when no reply came, but Shade released a breath as Northern Lights’ voice returned.

“Sorry, I slipped off my perch. Everything looks clear,” the pegasus said.

“Okay. Careful Lights, you aren’t usually this clumsy.” Shade said. “Come back. I’m going in alone.”

“No way. I’ll come with you,” Guard said automatically.

“One lone figure won’t draw as much attention.” Shade replied, resolute. “I’ll get a layout of the land. I’ll sneak inside if she leaves again.” With it still being midafternoon, that seemed a distinct possibility. While none of her allies sounded pleased, they agreed to hide in the background as backup.

Invisibility cloaking her approach, Shade entered the apartment complex. The place looked run down, even by Manehatten standards. Though the windows, Razzle saw sickly, peeling wallpaper in the halls. A rat scurried by, dashing into the nearest hole in the building.

“Charming place,” Northern Light’s commented as he returned to the alley his friends had been hiding in.

They waited in silence as Shade commenced her infiltration. Some ponies entered and left the building, but none were their target.

Minutes later, Shade confirmed that the native Trixie, who they code-named Black, wasn’t in her apartment. “I’m going inside. Watch for any trouble.”

Black had left already? Where did she go? They continued to wait until an angry voice broke the silence.

“You’re late on your rent again,” the stallion said, his gruff voice full of menace.

“You’ll get it by the end of the week,” Then Black came into view. She’d been trying to sneak out unnoticed until her landlord had caught her. An overweight unicorn stallion with a bald spot stood on the pavement outside the building, wearing a peeved expression.

“No, I want my money by sunset.” The stallion eyed the mare with contempt. “You think you can cheat me? Four months you’ve been late. I’ve had it.”

“Times have been tough.” Black forced a smile.

“Cry me a river. In Manehatten, money talks. Don’t have any, you’re nothing. Go live in a dumpster if you want somewhere free.”

Despite being an unhinged maniac, Razzle sympathized with the mare. Life in Manehatten wasn’t easy, many not as lucky as she’d been. Even on her decent actor’s salary, her apartment wasn’t even close to luxurious. Still, she’d made the cramped quarters she’d been stuck with home.

“I said I’d get your money by the end of the week,” Black said with forced patience.

“Boys, throw her stuff into the streets.” The stallion yelled to somepony unseen.

“Wait, you can’t do that!”

“This isn’t a threat. I’m getting my money, or else.”

“You!” The native Trixie gritted her teeth. “No, we can’t just kill him.”

“Sorry?” The stallion said, taken aback.

“I’m not talking to you,” Black snapped, but then a cruel smile extended across her lips. “But we won’t mind that idea. We don’t particularly like this stallion very much. We don’t like how he stares at our flank.”

“Um, Boss. You better get here quick. There might be trouble.” Northern Lights said, his tone anxious.

“Roger.” Shade said though her walkie-talkie.

“Right.” The stallion backed away, unnerved by his tenant’s unusual behavior. But he regained his confidence. “You know what? I’m kicking you out right now. I’ve never liked you, anyway. Boys.”

Four burly stallions emerged from a nearby doorway, each carrying a heavy-looking weapon. Backed with these tough-looking ponies, the landlord regained his confidence. He smirked as his goons gathered around him.

“You can’t just do this,” Native Trixie said, coolly eying the goons.

“Can’t I?” The landlord laughed. “It wasn’t like our little arrangement was even legal. You're living in this dump to hide from the law. What? You plan to sue me?”

“No, we’ll do much worse.”

“Like what, little filly?” The biggest of the goons said, walking forward. He tapped his heavy-looking wrench against a hoof.

“Oh, ponyfeathers. This could turn bad,” Razzle said, alarmed. A fight seemed inevitable.

“Must we help these guys?” Guard seemed reluctant to come to Black’s aid, not that Razzle blamed her.

“Boss?” Northern Lights added, an unspoken question in his voice.

“We can’t stand by and do nothing.” Shade said through her walkie-talkie. Though she didn’t sound comfortable siding with these slimy jerks, either. Still, Venom was unpredictable. That creature was like a wild animal, hungry and unpredictable.

“You’re making a big mistake,” Black eyed her assailants as they surrounded her, blocking her path of escape. Yet, they kept a healthy distance, sensing something amiss.

Detecting their hesitation, the sleazy landlord broke into a tirade. “I’m paying you boys. Get to work!”

“Sorry, filly, but you heard the boss. Get going, or else there will be trouble,” the largest goon placed a threatening hoof on Black’s shoulder.

“Get your hooves off us,” Black snarled.

The goon blinked as he suddenly found himself sprawled across the creaky wooden floor. He moaned and struggled to his hooves. “Get her.”

“Your funeral.” Black grinned as the goons charged her at once. Her body rippled as the symbiote suddenly came to life. The goons froze like frightened rabbits as they suddenly faced a towering black behemoth.

“That emblem? Spider-mare?” A goon said, realizing he might have picked the wrong fight.

What seemed like a formidable fighting squad descended into chaos as the beastly alien creature decimated them. They tried to fight back, but Venom dodged them with liquid grace. Bones cracked as hoof met limb. None of Venom’s attackers could even touch her. Soon, the goons were a groaning mess of limbs and pain, but thankfully, nopony seemed that badly injured.

“What were you saying about kicking us out?” Venom said, stalking toward her landlord.

“Please, Spider-mare, don’t hurt me!” the landlord said, backing away.

“We are not Spider-mare,” Venom said, testily. “We are Venom!”

“Okay, I understand. I’ll let you pay at the end of the week.” Sweat trickled down the landlord’s bald head. “Heck, the end of the month is fine with me!”

“Good.” Venom’s fanged mouth spread back to reveal Black’s face. “Never bother us again.”

“Right!” The landlord fled in fright, almost tripping over his hooves as he ran. Razzle released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Things might have gotten ugly, but Black had restrained her more dangerous side.

“Did you like the show?” Black said to the world at large. From her position behind a corner of a nearby alley, Razzle grimaced. But they should have guessed it wouldn’t be so easy to fool the supervillain.

“Well?” Razzle asked into her walkie-talkie.

“Stay there, I’m coming out.” Their leader replied. “Stay hidden, just in case. I’m not risking anypony else.”

With a sigh, Shade revealed herself, appearing from behind an open doorway. She faced the towering supervillain with a resolute expression on her face, showing she wouldn’t be scared easily.

“You really thought you could fool us?” Venom said, smug.

“I suppose not.” Shade grimaced. “Still, I’m glad you left those jerks alive.”

“What? What do you take us for? We aren’t wanton killers!” Venom said, outraged. “We’ve never wanted to hurt anypony!”

“But!”

“You’re clones. You don’t count.” Venom said, reading Shade’s question.

“No, we aren’t! We’re from another universe, like I said earlier!” Shade snapped. “And what about Spider-mare? She told us what you did! You framed her for murder and blamed her for the job you lost because of your mistake! You printed lies to make her appear guilty!”

“That’s not what happened!” Venom snapped back. “We were lied to! Somepony gave us information we thought was reliable!”

“Really?” Shade said, surprised.

“Yes, they tried to use us to ruin Spider-mare’s reputation! We suspect the Kingpin, but we have no proof!”

Razzle blinked. Maybe they’d misread the situation somewhat. It made sense. The arachnid superhero was a serious thorn in Bayou Runners’ side, no doubt.

“Then he’s the real bad guy here, not Spider-mare!” Shade said.

“No! We still have a score to settle with that bug! She’ll get hers once we destroy the Kingpin!”

“Then, let us help you! The Kingpin killed my mother. I have a score to settle with him, too.”

This caught the parasitic costumed villain off guard, and she considered Shade’s words. It wasn’t hard to detect the genuine venom in Shade’s tone towards their mutual foe. She’d spoken from the heart.

“Your hatred runs deep for the Kingpin.” This observation earned a smile from Venom. “Our mutual hate will work to our benefit. Very well, an alliance it is.”

“Are you sure about this, boss?” Northern Lights asked, his voice wary as he spoke into his walkie-talkie.

“Positive.” The sudden turn of events had reignited their leader’s burning desire to defeat Bayou Runner, much to Razzle’s discomfort. The Kingpin wasn’t an easy foe. Razzle still feared Shade was still underestimating him. With some reluctance, everypony come out into the open.

“You’re sure this is a good idea? I doubt Laughter will be too pleased about this.” Guard lowered her voice. “And Spider-mare.”

“Yeah, this seems like an ill-advised move,” Iron Will’s deep, resonant voice said.

“Yeah, once we have Laughter back, we should return home.” Razzle said. “I suppose Black doesn’t have to some with us if she doesn’t want to.” And with so many heroes around, the native Trixie should be safe enough from Proto, at least for now.

“Well, it’s not up to you!” Shade snapped back. With visible effort, she reined in her temper.

“Think about it. If we help Venom defeat Bayou Runner, she’ll be more likely to help us defeat Proto later on,” Shade said in her most reasonable tone.

“Bayou Runner?” Venom said, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, he plays the role of generous philanthropist and upright millionaire, but it’s a smokescreen to his real activities as the Kingpin.” Shade replied.

“We’ve had our own suspicion, but it’s nice to hear them confirmed!” Venom said, her monstrous face retracting to reveal her real one. It looked equal parts excited and intrigued. “Come into our apartment. We’d rather not discuss this in the open!”

Shade nodded and beckoned the others inside. While not thrilled at the prospect of following Venom into her lair, they followed. Razzle dutifully ignored the sound of scurrying cockroaches as Black slipped her key inside the lock.

Black’s apartment wasn’t as bad as its wallpaper-peeling corridor, thank Celestia. The native Trixie had worked hard to make the shabby interior somewhat homey. She had an impressive collection of decorative furniture and plates on display, with a few decent paintings scattered across the walls.

The messiest part of the one-room apartment was its owner’s desk, crammed with newspapers and notes written in a crawling script. Attached to the wall was a dartboard with Spider-mare’s picture pasted across it. Black absently grabbed a dart with her magic and flung it at the dartboard. The missile hit the bullseye, hitting the superhero right between the eyes.

“Now that we know for certain that Bayou Runner is the reason for our troubles, we have an idea to crush him between our hooves!” Black said.

“We’re not going to outright attack him,” Shade said, putting the kibosh on such a suggestion. “We need to be smarter. The Kingpin has supervillains at his beck and call.” They’d seen firsthand how dangerous they could be.

“But—”

“Never underestimate the Kingpin!” Shade said. “He’s not a pony to be trifled with. To beat him, we need to fight smarter.”

“She’s not wrong,” Jade said. “Bayou Runner will be ready for us after the attack on the lab.” Razzle’s mind went to the crown they’d failed to secure. They still hadn’t a clue what it did.

This caught Black’s attention, who bristled with excitement. “You have more metal than we thought. We’re starting to like you more and more. But we must do something.”

“I’m not saying we shouldn’t.” Shade closed her eyes, considering their quandary. Her eyes ran across the documents on the desk. “I see you’ve already gathered an impressive amount of articles about Bayou Runner’s business dealings. Maybe we can find a clue.”

“Actually, I have a suggestion,” Northern Lights said. He’d been scanning through articles as they’d been talking. He showed them a Daily Bugle newspaper dated two weeks ago.

“Crooked Path is being released because of lack of evidence?” Shade said, reading the paper out loud. “There’ve been hints it was because of his contacts with the mythical Kingpin. Somepony many have claimed doesn’t even exist.”

“This guy seems pretty high on Kingpin’s food chain. He might have some information we can use,” Northern Lights said.

“The police couldn’t get him to talk. What makes you think we can?” Guard asked.

“Leave it to us,” Black said, her grin turning predatory. Razzle suppressed a shudder, not wanting to know what that meant.

“I have some skills with extracting information. Leave it to me,” Jade said, referring to her past as a bounty hunter. That sounded like a better plan.

“Yeah, between us, we can get him to talk,” Iron Will said, cracking his knuckles. Guard wasn't comfortable with this plan but didn’t argue.

“It’s our best chance. This Crooked Path is likely our link to destroying Bayou Runner.” The glee in Shade’s voice made Razzle distinctly uncomfortable.

“What about Laughter and Spider-mare?” Razzle asked.

“We’ll clue them in soon enough.” Though, Shade sounded somewhat guilty for not consulting Laughter and Spider-mare about this sudden change in plans. Still, she won’t abandon her chance to tear down his empire like a house of playing cards. Razzle only prayed it’d be that easy.

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 12

A moan escaped Twilight’s lips, her head throbbing something fierce. How the hay did she keep getting into these situations? Her eyes blinked as she struggled to consciousness. Somepony spoke, but their words sounded muffled.

“Twilight, are you okay?” The voice asked again.

“I think so.” Twilight blinked in confusion, unsure where she was. A dank stench filled her nostrils as she noticed her surroundings. An abandoned factory? Then everything returned in a flash. She gasped, leaping to her hooves. Much to her dismay, she was missing her mask! Spider-mare was unmasked! After a quick glance around the room, she found her half-torn mask on a table. With a quick webbing, Twilight had it in her hooves and returned it to her face.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Spider-mare glared daggers at the pony and lioness in the room.

“Hey, it slipped off!” Trixie said, hooves up. “If Trixie had known, she would have been more careful!”

“How considerate.” It sounded odd coming from Trixie’s lips, but then Twilight remembered this wasn’t her Trixie. This Trixie came from some bizarre alternate universe. That took some getting used to. It was hard to separate the murderous Trixie who’d bonded with the symbiote and this Trixie her friends called Laughter. It was an unusual nickname, considering she didn’t seem very jovial. For whatever reason, the mare disliked Spider-mare in particular.

Laughter eyed Spider-mare with surprising tenderness, her voice full of concern. “Are you okay, Spider-mare? Have you recovered from Honey Do’s poison?”

Beyond a massive headache and some bruises, she felt otherwise fine. “I’ll live. Where are we?”

“An abandoned factory by the docks. Kassa found it. There’s a surprising amount of those. Business must be pretty tough in this version of Manehatten,” Laughter replied, humor entering her voice. “We fled here instead of the hotel because we ran into a group of the Kingpin’s goons. We didn’t want to lead them back to our friends.”

“They sure are relentless hunters.” The lioness said. “We’re hiding out here until you recover. I wanted to report to our friends, but Laughter refused to abandon your side. I didn’t dare leave the pair of you alone.”

That news surprised Twilight. Didn’t Laughter hate her? “What happened to Kraven?” She asked, worry entering her voice. The lioness possessed a rather homicidal hatred of the hunter, and Twilight feared the worst.

Thankfully, Laughter put her worries at ease. “Don’t worry. We left her alive.”

Kassa released a derisive snort. “It’s better than she deserves, but I’d rather avoid murder charges while visiting your universe.”

Twilight sighed in relief. Kraven, though a total maniac, didn’t deserve death.

“Trixie just hopes we don’t run into any more of these supervillain types. Trixie doesn’t want to meet any more evil versions of her friends,” Laughter said.

“What do you mean by that?” Spider-mare said, her curiosity piqued.

“In Trixie’s universe, Honey Do and Octavia aren’t murderous monsters, but good friends. We’ve had so many adventures together. We’ve even saved Equestria once or twice! You were there too, of course, Spider-mare. You’re the leader of our merry band of misfits!”

“Still a hero, eh?” Though, her being a leader of anypony surprised her. Twilight was more of a loner.

“Trixie’s sorry about how she’s treated you. It was uncalled-for.” Laughter said, surprising Twilight. Almost no one ever apologized to her.

“You’re welcome.” Twilight hedged, the words sounding odd on her lips. What was going on?

“Trixie was being stupid. She let her hatred of masks blind her to the pony beneath. It should have been obvious to Trixie that Spider-mare was her best friend!”

“Sure.” This sudden turnaround was odd, but welcome.

“Trixie’s curious about you. How’d you become a hero?” Laughter asked, staring at Twilight with intensity.

Spider-mare became more somber and looked away. “It’s not a good story. I messed up and somepony I cared about got killed. I’ve been trying to make up for that mistake ever since. Because I was a selfish jerk, her Uncle Spark Plug got murdered. He died because I didn’t care about stopping a passing crook, even when a security guard asked me to. I thought it wasn’t my problem.” Twilight’s voice cracked. “That same crook killed my uncle in a failed carjacking.” It was one of her hardest lessons. With great power came great responsibility.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Much to Twilight’s surprise, Laughter pulled her into a tight hug. “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known.”

“Yeah, but…” Twilight’s voice choked up, hugging the mare that shared the face of one of her worst enemies. “Thanks. I… thanks.” It was nice to unload all this. Usually, the only pony she talked to about her problems was Ralph the gargoyle.

“What a terrible burden,” Kassa said. “But you’re a brave pony. Most people try to hide away from their past sins.”

“Huh, I suppose that’s true.” And Spider-mare sensed no accusation from the pair in the room, only sympathy. Dang, why wasn’t her Trixie like this? Of all the rotten Sparkle luck to be stuck with the wrong Trixie. “But really, Octavia’s a good guy?”

“Indeed, she’s the spirit of kindness, always willing to give a helping hoof!” Laughter said. Okay, now that sounded hard to credit. Few ponies were as selfish as Doctor Octavia, but Laughter continued to sing her version’s praises.

“I’d like to meet your friends someday,” Spider-mare said. They sounded like a refreshing change from the murderous supervillains she was used to.

Laughter’s mood soured. “If we can stop Proto. He’s hellbent on destroying all Trixies.”

“That’s his plan?” Twilight said, mystified. So his goals went beyond destroying Laughter and her friends? Why would somepony bother genociding one person across the entire multiverse? What? Did a Trixie cut him off in traffic one day, and he swore eternal vengeance? It seemed so petty.

“I can attest to this,” Kassa said. “He sent an endless army of invincible robots against my Trixie. But the boss is slippery. She hid in a pocket universe she’d prepared for just such an emergency. After the Collector incident, she’s been more alert about interdimensional criminals.”

“Trixies sure get into their share of multiversal adventures,” Laughter said ruefully. “Trixie has met another version of myself once before. She came from this bizarre universe where Celestia turned evil, and Luna became the sole protector of Equestria.”

“Really?” Kassa said, baffled. Spider-mare hadn’t a clue what this meant, but it sounded serious. The lioness peered out the window she’d been sitting across to keep watch. Her expression of seriousness turned to puzzlement. “Huh?”

“What is it?” Laughter asked, her body wound tight for any trouble. While Spider-mare’s spider-sense hadn’t flared yet, she stood straight, watchful for danger.

“Someone’s approaching.” But the lioness’s posture relaxed as a familiar face came into view. It was Iron Will, the minotaur. He wore a trench coat to disguise his unique visage.

“Good, you got my message,” the lioness said, returning to a lounging position.

“Message?” Twilight asked, curious.

“Just a coded message sent with a delivered pizza. With an extra tip, the delivery pony didn’t even question adding a coded slip of paper to his delivery.”

“Thanks for that. We were getting a little hungry. Still, we were worried when you didn’t come back,” Iron Will said.

“Yeah, we ran into the Kingpin’s goons, but we’re otherwise fine,” Kassa replied.

“Spider-mare got real hurt, so we needed a nice hiding spot,” Laughter said, adding more details to the story.

“She looks roughed up. Did you defeat Kraven, at least?” The minotaur asked.

“She’s dealt with,” Kassa replied, giving nothing away. “What has your group been up to?”

“Well…” Iron Will’s voice trailed off.

“Iron Will, what happened?” Kassa asked, her voice going firm. It wasn’t difficult to tell the minotaur was hiding something. Twilight straightened, her instincts screaming that it wasn’t anything good.

“Fine.” Iron Will grumbled about his rotten luck in pulling the short straw. “Good news. We got Venom to join our side!”

“Huh?” Twilight blinked at this news. “You got the murderous, vengeful, parasite-infected pony to listen to reason?”

“And better news!” Iron Will continued like Twilight hadn’t spoken. “Shade has the perfect plan to help bring down Bayou Runner!”

“What?” Laughter said, incredulous. “After the beating she got? And the almost-failed rescue attempt? Wouldn’t it be smarter to keep our distance from him?”

“Of course,” Kassa said, rubbing her temple with a paw. “She hasn’t let go of her little quest for vengeance, has she? I can understand her desire for revenge against her kin’s killer. Believe me. But this seems unwise. The Kingpin’s position of wealth and power makes him a difficult opponent to topple. She’s talking about a mission that will probably take years. And this isn’t her quest. She’s already long avenged her mother. This isn’t her Bayou Runner.”

“You know the boss. She’s stubborn that way,” Iron Will replied.

“But if this universe’s Trixie has joined our side, we should return to A.R.M.O.R headquarters. Mounty Max is likely worried about us! We should spoil Proto’s fun by not allowing the Kingpin to use whatever surprise he left for him,” Laughter said bluntly, and Spider-mare agreed. Playing into your enemy’s hoof wasn’t the greatest plan. She should know, she’d done it enough.

“She argues the artifact is too dangerous in the Kingpin’s hooves,” Iron Will replied.

But Laughter only rolled her eyes. “She has an answer for everything, doesn’t she? Fine. And let Trixie guess. The last bit of bad news is that we’re working with Venom to defeat the Kingpin?”

“Good guess, you’re right.” Though, Iron Will didn’t seem too keen on this plan.

“You can’t be serious,” Spider-mare said, floored. That was like bathing yourself in gasoline and running into a burning building.

“This just gets better and better.” Laughter rubbed her forehead with a hoof.

“This sounds like a terrible plan!” Twilight feared nothing would dissuade the headstrong Shade from this action. Why were all Trixies so stubborn? “And you expect me to play buddy-buddy with Venom, too? Fat chance of that happening. If you haven’t noticed, she hates my spidery guts!”

“We’ll have to work around that. Venom doesn’t exactly know we’re friends with you,” Iron Will replied.

“Fine.” Twilight already felt her throbbing headache worsening. “What’s Shade’s plan to expose the Kingpin?”

“Glad you asked!” As Iron Will explained the plan, Twilight became even less eager. But she’d play her part as back up, keeping everypony safe while staying out of Venom’s sight. It sounded easy! What’s the worst that could happen? RIght?

“I see him.” Shade said, perking up as a pink earth pony stallion with a brass-colored mane exited the police station. Another stallion with a fancy suit exited with him, his attire clashing with his shabbier client. Shade had no doubt the fancy lawyer was the Kingpin’s toady. After sharing some words and a hoof shake, the pair parted paths. After calling a taxi, Crooked Path slipped inside.

“I’m following.” A gruff voice said, making Twilight wince. With Venom involved, this could only end badly. All hell would break loose if her Trixie learned about her arch-nemesis’s involvement. But Spider-mare would weather that storm if it meant taking down the Kingpin.

“What a dump,” Twilight commented as they approached a rundown warehouse in the outer district of Manehatten. For whatever reason, Crooked Path had taken them to another abandoned warehouse. Seriously, were they like catnip to bad guys or something?

“Uh, why’s this the first place he’s going after his release? Is he doing a shooting today or something?” A wary Razzle asked over the radio. Twilight rather liked the actress. She seemed to be the only Trixie without some ridiculous chip on her shoulder.

But Shade only dismissed his concern. “Makes it easier for us to nab him. Better yet, we might catch him in some criminal activity!”

Spider-mare, however, wasn’t so convinced. She’d also sensed something amiss and crept closer, getting caught by Venom be damned.

“I’ll sneak around back to see if anyone’s at home,” Kassa said.

“I’ll join her.” Northern Lights said. “She’ll need backup.”

“Good thinking.” While Shade was eager to catch her prey, she didn’t plan on being sloppy. “Keep in touch.”

Moments passed in tense silence as they waited for Kassa’s team’s report. Crooked Path slipped out a keychain and opened the door to the chained fence surrounding the building. After a surreptitious glance around, he slipped inside. The entire building was like a ghost town, not even a scurrying rat bring the dreary place some color. Minutes passed, but Kassa remained silent on the walkie-talkie.

“Get ready. I’m about to go in,” Shade said, worried about her friends.

“Good, We were getting bored! We’re coming too!” Spider-mare watched as Venom web-slung onto the roof. The other Trixies nodded their agreement and joined Shade at the fence’s door. With a bolt cutter, they broke the lock and slipped inside.

“It’s been fun watching, but it’s time for some action.” Spider-mare thought, not needing her spider-sense to sense trouble was brewing. With a quick web swing, she clung onto the warehouse’s south side wall. As Twilight crept along it, her spider-sense buzzed for real. She leaped away, the spot she’d been occupying erupting in bits of broken concrete.

“Excellent reflexes, as always, Spider-mare.” A familiar voice said, rising on her tentacled legs. “I’ll enjoy this dance.”

“Doc Ock!” Spider-mare cursed. This was a trap! Somehow, the Kingpin had caught wind of their plan!

Well, Spider-mare, real mess you’ve gotten into this time. With Doc Ock distracting her, the Trixies were on their own. She just hoped they could hold out until she arrived.

“Okay, he’s entering a side door.” Shade said, creeping her head up to peer through the muddled, dirty window. Razzle peered over her, eyes peeled for any trouble.

The building they surveyed was your typical rundown warehouse, dilapidated from years of disuse. Graffiti lined its walls, and the windows were long since broken. The building had once housed paper products until the company went under. An eerie silence permeated the place, like the living didn’t belong here.

“Roger. Be careful. Something about this doesn’t smell right,” Laughter said from beside them. They huddle inside some thin, skeletal brushes, hidden in Laughter’s cloak of invisibility. It amazed Razzle she could hide so many people at once.

“She’s right,” Jade said, breaking her usual stoic silence. “Something’s wrong.” And that clinched it. The bounty hunter had amazing sharp instincts with a real nose for danger. Razzle cursed, hating they were about to face trouble again.

Already, their adventure to this universe had proven far more perilous than Razzle had ever expected. But she swore she’d stick by her friends and see this through. Still, if anything happened to her… No, Razzle refused to entertain such a thought. She was going to return to her daughter. They were going to defeat Proto and go home!

“Just one step at a time, Razzle.” She thought. Still, how would the Kingpin know they’d trail this particular pony? Something wasn’t right here. Was this a trap somehow?

“Iron Will, Jade, cover me. Guard, Razzle, Laughter? Stay in reserve and back us up if anything goes wrong.” Shade whispered, slipping out from behind the bush, cloaked in her own veil of invisibility.

“Not sure what you expect me to do, but okay,” Razzle replied, her tone dry.

Minutes passed as they waited for Shade to infiltrate the building. Laughter argued to go, but their leader had argued her myriad of special skills would make her the better choice. Razzle guessed it was because their leader hated putting anypony in danger and would rather take the full brunt of the risks first. It was an admirable but annoying habit.

Iron Will and Jade followed their leader’s instructions, taking hiding spots behind whatever cover was available. The bounty hunter leaped into a tree with surprising ease, while the minotaur hid behind a stone sign that once marked the place as Warehouse 4. Minutes passed as they waited for the signal.

“We have trouble. He’s here!” Shade said as Razzle’s walkie-talkie crackled to life. “The mission has been compromised! I-I can’t seem to contact Kassa!” Shade said, her voice becoming more frantic. “You!” The device crackled before going dead.

“Shade! Can you hear me? What happened?” But Razzle’s pleas met nothing but silence.

“I’m going in!” Laughter said, mouth tight with determination. “Let’s go!” Her teammates nodded, rushing out of the bushes. Iron Will joined them, eager to join the fight. Jade stayed hidden in her hiding spot, laser gun at the ready.

Laughter reached for the warehouse’s side door, but she yelped in pain and surprise when the door exploded into wooden shards. Wooden slivers flew into Razzle’s face. Thankfully, she pulled up a leg in time, only getting a few scraps on her cheeks. Behind her, Iron Will groaned, blood oozing from where he’d stuck the concrete street hard.

“Well now, it seems we have uninvited guests.” Bayou Runner said with fake civility as he exited the broke doorway.

“The Kingpin!” Laughter coughed up dust, her body bruised and battered from the hard impact of the explosion.

“So welcome you could join us! Now I can eliminate all the irritants to my operations in one fell swoop.” The Kingpin said. Razzle gasped. Struggling in Bayou Runner’s grip was a battered Shade. Amused by her efforts, he tossed her aside like a broken toy.

Their leader sputtered in pain, but her expression turned fierce. She refused to give up. “Kassa, Northern Lights, if you can hear me, attack now!”

“Asking for your friends? Never fear, they’re right here!” The Kingpin gestured. Razzle gasped as her pegasus friend entered the scene with an unconscious Kassa, a knife to her throat.

“Northern Lights, what are you doing?!” Shade demanded.

Impossible. This couldn’t be happening! Northern Lights, a traitor? Everypony gasped as the pegasus’s visage faded away, revealing an earth pony with a blank, white face. It contained no features, not even a nose, unsettling Razzle.

“Ponyfeathers! Of course! Northern Lights was the one who suggested tailing Crooked Path!” Shade said, voice full of self-condemnation. No wonder the enemy knew all their plans!

Everyone gasped in surprise as the Kingpin suddenly floated in the air, cracking energy sparking around him. Then Razzle noticed the crown sitting on his bald head.

“And now, none of you are leaving this warehouse alive.”

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 13

“What have you done with Northern Lights?” Shade demanded, her face a mask of pent-up fury.

“Taken care of, but fear not. He’ll soon join you!” Crackling energy shot from the Kingpin’s hooves, leaving a vaporized crater where Shade had been standing.

Terror spiked through Razzle’s heart, fearing the worst. He’d been such a fun-loving, jovial stallion, too. Like Laughter, he’d brought light to their often frightening adventure. She couldn’t bare the thought of him being gone.

Their leader’s confused, terrified expression earned a chuckle from her enemy. “This, my dear, is the power cosmic, the same power that fuels the world eater Galactus. Quite impressive, don’t you agree? And I haven’t even gotten started!”

“Now! Attack! Attack!” But Shade’s desperate order only earned a smirk from the Kingpin.

“Oh, I wouldn’t do that. Don’t you care about what happens to your friend?” The Kingpin asked. The white-faced doppelgänger pressed their knife into the unconscious Kassa’s throat, close enough to draw blood.

“Belay that.” Shade cursed, trembling with frustration. Razzle shook her head, helpless. The Kingpin had them right where he wanted them.

Their leader glared at the pony holding her friend hostage. “Who even are you, anyway?” Razzle couldn’t even tell the pony’s gender. This person seemed more like a living mannequin than a pony.

“This is the Chameleon,” the Kingpin said, answering for his henchpony. “An expert at disguise and sabotage. And her knife arm is getting awfully tired. It might slip if you don’t answer soon. Call your friends and surrender, or the lioness dies.”

“Sorry, guys. I messed up.” Shade ears drooped. “I underestimated him again. My desire for revenge blind me.”

“I imagine surrender is in order.” The Kingpin said. “We don’t want anypony hurt, do we?”

Razzle’s mind raced, wondering if they stood any chance of survive this. She couldn’t die here, not with Honey Bee home waiting for her! From the corner of her eye, Razzle noticed Jade hiding behind some straggly bushes, laser gun drawn. However, her position didn’t allow for a clear shot before the Chameleon could retaliate. Then a wild idea struck her. It might just work and reverse their fortunes.

“We aren’t finished yet!” a frantic Razzle said, using her magic to levitate a rock and hurl at the Chameleon’s forehead.

The white-faced mare instinctively ducked in surprise, eyes blazing murder in Razzle’s direction. This distraction offered the perfect opportunity for Jade’s shot. With unbelievable precision, a red streak struck the Chameleon right in the chest. She collapsed on her hostage, both unmoving.

“What?” Shade gaped, amazed anypony could make that shot.

Bile filled Razzle’s throat, realizing she’d just helped kill somepony. She stared at the Chameleon’s still form, begging for even the slightest intake of breath. But the body stayed motionless, still as the grave.

Jade continued her onslaught, ignoring how she’d caused the end of somepony’s life, aiming her weapon at the floating Kingpin. Much to her frustration, a pulsing barrier appeared around the overweight stallion.

“Impressive shot,” Bayou Runner said. “Your eyes betray a killer, a ruthless hunter of ponies. How about you leave this rabble and join me? I have a place in my organization for ponies of your skill.”

But Jade remained stone-faced, continuing her assault. Her laser bolts continued to bounce harmlessly from the Kingpin’s barrier. Guard joined her, hoping to overwhelm it. Much to Razzle’s dismay, this didn’t seem to be the case.

“No? Pity. Seems I’ll need to handle this myself!” The Kingpin said.

Razzle screamed as bolts of crackling energy flew past her head, but she didn’t have the luxury of a barrier protecting her. Shade joined her as they fled towards the warehouse door, dodging the incoming energy beams vaporizing everything in their path. It seemed wiser to seek some shelter. The warehouse might offer them better cover. Bayou Runner chased after them, ignoring the laser beams Guard and Jade shot his way.

In the confusion, Laughter rushed to Kassa’s aid. She slapped their friend awake, not being too gentle about it. The lioness groaned, slowly rousing from her slumber.

“Thank Celestia!” Laughter said, relieved, and helped the lioness limp away to safety. She pulled Kassa beyond a bush, offering them some cover.

The warehouse was musty and full of dust, unused for many years. Pieces of random machinery sat rusting and forgotten. Rows of shelves sat mostly empty, but a few had some boxes on them. Shade and Razzle ducked behind a shelf, partly obscuring them.

“Playing hide and seek are we?” The Kingpin’s voice said, amused. Through the self, Razzle saw him hoovering nearby, searching for them. “You must know you won’t escape, Trixie.”

“Rah!” Iron Will appeared from nowhere, hurling a piece of heavy steel barrel at the distracted Kingpin. The barrier rippled, but stayed firm.

“You have got to be kidding me!” Shade threw up her hooves in frustration. Razzle had to agree. Was this monster unstoppable? Their only shot was ripping off his crown. But their only problem was subduing Bayou Runner.

Twin beams shot from the Kingpin’s hooves, leaving a burning trail of destruction in their path. The shelf above them exploded, and they jumped away, almost getting crushed in the process. Laughter jumped to their aid, summoning illusionary Trixies to confuse their enemy as they fled. But he got lucky, Shade clutching at her wounded back leg that had gotten clipped in her wild, desperate leap to avoid the Kingpin’s incoming attack. She flinched, having trouble putting weight on her wounded leg. Razzle watched helplessly as Bayou Runner floated right in front of their wounded leader.

“Shade!” A frantic, frightened Laughter said.

“You’ve amused me long enough. But first, how about I eliminate the greatest irritant in your group?”

“Woah!” Spider-Mare swung across the factory parking lot, avoiding a barrage of thrown crates by a hair. As usual, Doc Ock wasn’t messing around.

“Quite a spectacular day, don’t you agree, Spider-mare?” Octavia spread her hooves wide. “The entire multiverse is opening up in front of us. Thanks to Proto’s technology, the stars seem like a tiny puddle compared to the vast ocean open to us!”

“Hey, uh, maybe we should focus on exploring local space first before the multiverse. Somepony’s putting the cart before the horse!”

“Small-minded, as usual, Spider-Mare!” Octavia said, voice full of disappointment. “To experience the endless symphony of the cosmos! It makes the blood sing!”

“Have fun, then, I guess.” While her former science camp mentor was a jerk, she admired Doc Ock’s gusto. Twilight, however, was less interested in seeing other universes. Knowing her Sparkle luck, she’d only run into alternative counterparts that were evil! Manehattan was a big enough playground for her, thank you very much.

Before Doc Ock could reply, Twilight a burst of purple, crackling energy caught her attention. It sizzled in the air, creating the smell of ozone in the air. What the heck? Wasn’t that the power cosmic? Was Galactus in there?

Wait, no. That wasn’t right. She doubted the warehouse could even fit the world devourer’s hat! Wait. “The Kingpin?”

“Impressive, right? Thanks to Proto, the Kingpin has gained the power of a god!” A feverish glint shined in Doc Ock’s eyes. “A beautiful melody, don’t you agree?”

“Well, shoot.” It explained why the big bad boss was here. Otherwise, she bet even walking inside the building would have winded the overweight pony.

“Then I can’t afford to play around.” While Doc Ock was one of her most deadly foes, Twilight couldn’t afford to waste time trying to defeat her. Octavia wasn’t stupid like the Rhino, prone to knocking herself out. Venom was another complication. Would she have the power to defeat Super Ultra Cosmic Kingpin?

“Gah!” Octavia howled in surprise as webbing caught in her visor, blinding her.

“Sorry, but I’m taking a rain check on our fight!” Spider-Mare said, web-slinging to the warehouse.

“Come back here!” an irate Doc Ock howled behind her, less than amused about the trick Spider-mare pulled. With scant time to spare, Spider-Mare landed on the warehouse’s roof and slipped her head past its edge to survey the situation.

“The Chameleon? Of course!” No wonder the Kingpin pulled this ambush on them. Her blood chilled as she noticed the Master of Disguise holding Kassa hostage, a knife to the lioness' throat, but that wasn’t her only problem. Bayou Runner stood floating like some bloated balloon, purple energy crackling around him. While Twilight had been skeptical, it seems the Kingpin’s true identity was Bayou Runner.

A million things happened simultaneously, Shade’s allies knocked out the Chameleon and rescued Kassa. From her vantage point, Twilight saw the Master of Disguise had a nasty blackened welt where Jade had shot her. Dang, the bounty hunter played for keeps! She only hoped the mare was still alive. Venom was still nowhere in sight, unpredictable as always. With the symbiote villain immune to her spider-sense, she could be anywhere.

“Come now. Don’t tell me that’s all you’ve got?” the Kingpin said, amused as both Jade and Guard shot laser beams at him to no effect. Shade and Razzle ducked inside the warehouse with the Kingpin giving chase.

“Spider-Mare!” Doc Ock howled, reminding Twilight she needed to hustle. She crawled across the warehouse’s side, scanning through a window until she spotted her prey. With the Kingpin’s back to her, Spider-Mare launched her attack.

“Well, this doesn’t seem fair. How about I change the odds!” Spider-Mare smashed through the window, launching a kick at the distracted Kingpin. The timing was perfect. Bayou Runner’s turned to search the source of the commotion, and her kick landed right in the Kingpin’s multiple chins.

“Gah!” But even her best kick deflected off the Kingpin’s barrier, crashing Spider-Mare onto the hard pavement.

“Spider-Mare! How good of you to make it.” The Kingpin said, all genial politeness. “I was looking forward to wringing your neck myself!”

“Woah!” Her spider-sense just saved her as an energy beam lanced in her direction. Even with her incredible spider agility, Twilight almost hadn’t dodged it.

“Get out of here! I’ll handle this!” Spider-Mare said, ducking as a nearby shelf exploded and almost toppled onto her.

“But!” Shade sent an evil glare at the Kingpin. With her hated enemy in sight, she wasn’t so quick to abandon the fight.

“Smart move. It’s fortunate I prepared for this possibility. Boys!” Following their boss’s words, about a dozen goons appeared, each with a nasty-looking weapon in their hooves.

“Oh, come on!” Where they’d come from? Were they lying in wait this entire time? Was nothing go right today? To punctuate the dire nature of their situation, an irate Doc Ock burst through the wall behind Spider-Mare.

“Just another one of those days.” Spider-Mare said, sighing. Given her luck, Galactus himself would smash through the roof next!

“Tsk. What a bother,” Venom thought as she crept her head out a window, watching as the Kingpin easily deflected every attack thrown against him. From the obese pony’s smirk, he was finding this most amusing.

“No, not yet,” she told her partner. Though she longed to engage, Black opted to stay back and assess the Kingpin’s capabilities. If other Trixies got in trouble, it was their fault for being so slow.

The prize soon became apparent. Perched upon Bayou Runner’s brow was a silver crown of plain metal. It was surprising such a simple object contained such awesome power. A spike of worry stabbed into Black’s heart. If Proto developed such a powerful artifact from a piece of ordinary metal, what other forces would he throw against her? Shade’s offer for help didn’t seem so silly.

But Black dismissed it out of hoof. As sincere as they sounded, Black knew the other Trixie had her own agenda. They hadn’t helped her out of the goodness of their hearts. They wanted her because of Venom’s power. Well, she’d use them too to destroy the Kingpin. After that? Who knew?

Venom’s eye twitched as a familiar, annoying web crawler burst onto the scene and fought the Kingpin. She should have anticipated Sparkle’s involvement. No matter. She would destroy both the Kingpin and Spider-Mare. Abandoning all pretense of stealth, Venom charged into the fray.

“I’m coming for you, Kingpin! You aren’t escaping this warehouse alive!” she howled, launching herself at the overweight blimp with a flying kick. Unable to summon a barrier in time, the surprised Kingpin stumbled in the air. Much to her disappointment, the blow startled her opponent more than hurt him. This Kingpin guy was tougher than she thought. It was like she’d kicked solid steel.

“There you are, finally glad you could make it,” the Kingpin said, all civility. “I hope you can make this more interesting.”

Instead of an energy beam, as Venom had expected, a meaty fist slammed into her with the force of an incoming freight team. Much to her shock, Venom realized she was dealing with a more dangerous foe than she’d realized. The crown wasn’t the source of his power. It’s only made this shark even more deadly.

“Seems the whole party’s here. This oughta be fun,” Spider-Mare shot a line of webbing to catch the Kingpin’s crown to disable his terrible power, but he dodged away. The web crawler ducked, just avoiding getting her head blasted off.

“Hey, Venom. I know we’ve had our differences, but we really oughta work together on this,” Sparkle said, ducking another beam. “We might not stand a chance otherwise!”

“I agree!” Venom said. The Kingpin was a formidable opponent, so some unpredictability might change the outcome. She had the perfect plan.

Since her symbiote masked her presence, Venom’s next move completely blindsided the annoying web crawler’s spider sense.

“Hey!” Sparkle said, shocked, as a stream of webbing stuck to her back.

“Let’s soften you up! Eat this spider-shaped wrecking ball!” She smirked in satisfaction as the annoying Sparkle struck against the Kingpin’s hardened, muscled body.

“Gah!” Sparkle howled in pain from the impact. The Kingpin only grunted, merely unbalanced by the blow.

“What the?” Spider-Mare said, somewhat baffled. She stared at the Kingpin, fear entering her eyes. She was learning just how dangerous the stallion was. “What are you made of, bricks?”

“I don’t need my barrier to protect me. Only ten percent of my body is fat. The rest is solid muscle. How about I show you how deadly I am, even without cosmic powers?” the Kingpin boasted, grabbing the prone Spider-Mare and lifting her high into the air. Between his hooves, he smothered the superhero with the force of his tremendous strength.

“What a monster!” Still, the stallion’s overwhelming physical strength impressed Venom. He didn’t need cosmic power to crush Sparkle like a bug.

“Hey, do something!” Shade said, pointing furiously.

“Why?” Venom picked at an ear with a hoof. She was rather enjoying Sparkle getting her just desserts.

“Because we need her to win!” Shade said, eye twitching. “If you haven’t noticed, we’re getting our butts kicked here!” In the background, Iron Will, Guard, and Jade struggled to fight off the Kingpin’s horde of minions. Razzle was hiding behind a crate, indecision wracking her features.

“Should we?” While both her minds agreed Sparkle deserved this butt-kicking, Shade had a point. What the heck. Besides, it’ll be fun to rub it into Sparkle’s stupid face that she needed our help to save her sorry skin.

The Kingpin grunted as he ducked under a flying kick. Venom used her webbing to grab an arm and tugged. Her muscles strained as she pulled against the crime lord’s forearm, bending it far enough for her nemesis to free herself.

“You saved me,” Spider-Mare said, breathless.

“Don’t get used to it. We still have a score to settle. But first, we must deal with this guy!” Venom said, giving the Kingpin a scathing glare.

“Oh, is that a grudge I detect?” the Kingpin said, amused.

“You ruined our lives with that bogus intel!” Venom said, fire almost spitting from her mouth.

Bayou Runner’s expression was empty for several seconds before realization struck. “You’re the reporter I gave false info to frame Spider-Mare.”

“That’s what happened?” Spider-Mare said, jerking in surprise.

“It wasn’t our idea, if that’s what you thought!” Venom snapped.

“You must forgive me. I have so many hooves in pies that details sometimes slip from my mind,” the Kingpin said in false apology.

“I should have figured you were behind it all,” Spider-Mare said, seething.

“You shouldn’t need to worry about it any longer,” the Kingpin replied. “It’s not like you’re escaping this warehouse alive.”

“Now I really want to kick this guy’s butt. Truce until this is over?” Spider-Mare asked.

Venom only rolled her eyes. “Fine. We find this acceptable.” Besides, they wanted to knock the smile off the Kingpin’s smug face. Venom and Spider-Mare would join forces to win, but just this once.

Meanwhile, the fight was going poorly on Shade’s team’s end. Angry laser fire cornered Jade and Iron, forcing them to take cover behind some rusted machinery, neither making any headway as the fight escalated. Shade clutched at a leg, face twisted in agony. Venom only shrugged. That was their problem. They’d work it out. She had worse fish to fry, just dodging twin energy beams from the Kingpin’s hooves. Both Spider heroes ducked and weaved as Bayou Runner played with them. Made worse was the tentacled earth pony Doctor Ock, who harassed Spider-Mare as she slipped around deadly beams.

“Come on, Doc! How about giving me a break?! I’m already tied up as I am!” Spider-Mare complained.

“That makes this even more fun, seeing you run around like a fox with its tail on fire!” Doc Ock cackled. And, of course, Venom did nothing to help Sparkle. Hey, it was her problem.

“How about this?” Venom grabbed a nearby shelf and hurled its heavy metal frame at the Kingpin’s back. Bayou Runner slapped it aside, crumpling it like aluminum foil. Venom slipped under the obese crime lord and shot a line of webbing at his crown. But the Kingpin only flew backwards, just avoiding the line.

“We can’t even get close.” Venom had hoped to slip past and pull off the Kingpin’s fake crown, but the criminal mastermind was too slippery, always keeping his bald head out of reach. “This is getting really annoying!”

Then a scream caught her attention. Venom froze, mouth agape. Even the Kingpin stopped, surprised by this sudden development.

“I’m tired of this,” Jade said, walking past a corpse she’d severed in half. It smoldered where the wound had gotten cauterized.

“Jade, what have you done?” Shade said mortified.

“I’m finishing this. Enough hiding what I am.” A cruel smile spread across Jade’s usual stoic face. In a hoof was a metal cylinder with a ring around it, its black metal gleaming in the weak light. Two angry red blades, humming with power, omitted from each side of the cylinder.

“And I’m taking that crown for myself.” Jade’s yellow eyes glinted with an unholy flame. “I will add its power to my own. Compared to the Dark Side of the Force, however, your power cosmic is a pitiful nothing.”

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 14

“Trixie, are you certain this place is safe?” Fuchsia Blush said, her voice barely rising above a whisper. The pegasus filly’s eyes darted around the thick canopy, jumping at every movement.

“We must,” Trixie said, using her magic to push through the thick foliage. Her words caught in her throat, but she straightened, all bravado. “Master Shimmer wouldn’t want us to give up. Not after everything.”

“Right! We might be the only Jedi remaining!” Fuchsia’s mood slackened, remembering the slaughter at the temple. Only Master Shimmer’s quick thinking had gotten them smuggled onto a freighter out of Coruscant.

“Only Jedi left.” What a comical statement. They were only Younglings with Fuchsia a year younger than her, too young to become even Padawans. But they needed to be brave, and somehow survive the hostile jungle they’d crashed into after traitorous clones shot down their ship. Thanks to the Force, only they’d survived the crash.

“We must survive at all costs.” Emotion stirred in Trixie’s belly, but she repressed it. “And our best bet is getting away from the ship. If the clones come to investigate, we’re in deep bantha poodoo!”

“Okay.” But they both know the odds of them surviving on an unknown, hostile planet weren’t good. They kept trudging forward anyway, letting the Force guide them. While they possessed limited Force knowledge, they could do that much.

After two hours of walking, they finally stopped at a stream. Their legs burned with exhaustion, and their stomachs rumbled. Worse still, Trixie’s throat burned with thirst.

“It’s running water, so it should be fine. I overheard Jedi Knight Mounty talking about it!” Fuchsia said.

“Not like we have much choice.” Trixie bent down and lapped at the cool running stream. While uncouth, the water tasted so nice that she didn’t complain. Around them, strange alien birds chirped their song, high and flutey.

“There’s fruit on that tree. Should we try it?” Fuchsia suggested, pointing at a tree with fern-like leaves. The fruit was small with a hard, fuzzy shell.

Trixie stretched out with the Force, asking if they were edible. But when no reply came, she assumed everything was fine. They were tart on Trixie’s tongue, and she gobbled it down with relish. Beyond some figs Master Shimmer had given them, she’d had nothing to eat for days. Getting some food in her belly helped ease some of her tension. After collecting more fruit, they continued forward.

While the Force pushed them further than two fillies could travel, they were not Masters. They collapsed in a heap in a cave they stumbled upon. Thankfully, it was empty. Unlike some Jedi, Trixie had no affinity with animals. Heck, they seemed to hate her for whatever reason.

The night cooled down, but the air remained humid, so they weren’t uncomfortable in their hiding place. Countless animal sounds screeched and howled outside their cave, predators out hunting now that the night had fallen. Fuchsia, however, didn’t seem too concerned. Out in nature, she seemed at ease. She hummed a ditty as she munched on some fruit for a late-night snack.

“How long until the Masters rescue us?” Fuchsia asked finally.

“What do you mean?”

“Some evil has brainwashed the clones somehow, but they couldn’t have gotten everyone! I’m sure Master Yoda and Chancellor Palpatine will figure out some way to stop whoever’s behind the clones’ betrayal.”

“I hope so,” Trixie replied, pulling a cover of leaves over herself for a blanket, their earth scent making her nostrils twitch. She wasn’t so convinced, but Fuchsia hadn’t seen the slaughter she had.

It haunted her dreams, reliving every terrible moment as clones broke into their classroom and shot everyone in sight, their great numbers overwhelming even the Jedi. Through the Force, she’d sensed every death and cry of pain. Master Shimmer had found Fuchsia hiding in a cleaning closet. She rushed the two Younglings to safety, killing every traitorous clone in her path.

Years passed, and everything came as Trixie had feared. While some clones had poked about, they never found the Jedi stowaways. Their waiting didn’t pay off, however. No one came to rescue them. Trixie feared they might be the last Jedi in the galaxy.

Paranoid about someone discovering any structure they made, they stuck to living in caves. The region had plenty of caves, though not all animals appreciated their intrusion. Still, they made the best of their situation, discovering the best food through trial and error. Trixie had only gotten horribly sick half a dozen times. Lost and alone, the two fillies became best friends, despite their obvious differences.

“Must you keep your grass beast in here?” Trixie referred to the green-leaved cat resting at the cave’s other end. It was a fearsome beast, almost the size of a well-built stallion. The creature’s bright, yellow eyes were keen and intelligent, raised her head with a curious tilt, before relaxing it on Fuchsia’s lap. It was humorous, considering the size difference.

“What? And abandon her to the wilds outside? Never!” Fuchsia replied with her usual pat answer when Trixie complained about the cat’s intrusion. “Don’t listen to her, Lala. We love having you here. Isn’t that right?” The cat gave a satisfied purr when her friend rubbed her behind the ears.

Trixie only shook her head, amused. Fuchsia had befriended many animals besides the vegetable cat. It seemed she’d made friends with almost every animal they’d come across, all except the razorbacks. The giant lizards were apex predators, deadly as they were ugly. They had a nasty attitude and seemed disinterested in Fuchsia’s attempts to befriend them, more interested in making her a snack. Not that this dissuaded her friend, of course.

“Are you going out hunting for more babo fruit today?” Trixie asked. “Since it’s the razorbacks’ mating season, I’d advise against it.” Last year, they’d learned the hard way just how dangerous those creatures were. They often laired in nearby caves, and Trixie had gotten too close. It’d left Trixie with a slight limp. Without real medical technology, it hadn’t healed right. It was a shame, the caves typically had interesting crystal formations deep underground.

“We’ll be fine. I know where they like to nest.” Her friend had grown from a shy filly into a bold adventurer. If the Order still existed, Fuchsia would be a fantastic Jedi Knight. “You should join us! We’ll need help carrying the water.”

“Fine,” Trixie said, relenting. She wasn’t actually afraid of running into any razorbacks, knowing her friend spoke the truth about knowing how to evade the deadly lizards. Despite her limited Force training, her animal gifts were amazing. If only Trixie were as impressive. Beyond lifting some rocks, she couldn’t do much.

Fuchsia hummed some tune she’d invented as they slipped through the forest. The density of the canopy didn’t hinder Trixie’s perfect sense of direction, leading them toward a nearby stream. Trixie listened, enjoying her friend’s lovely singing voice.

Through the Force, Trixie felt the beat of the jungle, alive but dangerous. She kept an eye out for poisonous creeper leaves. One careless touch paralyzed, leaving somepony an easy meal for the crawling terrors, a beetle-like insect that enjoyed the taste of fresh meat. The plant and insect had a symbiotic relationship, something Fuchsia found fascinating, while Trixie only found it creepy.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Fuchsia asked as they navigated around a fallen tree. Lala used her mouth to pull Fuchsia over, while Trixie climbed over it herself.

“What has?”

“Since we’ve arrived on this planet? Four years in a couple of days. I wonder how our friends are doing?”

“Our friends.” Dark flashes played in Trixie’s mind, seeing helpless Younglings shot down like dogs by those who should be their friends. A spike of anger sparked in Trixie’s heart.

Sensing this, Fuchsia turned to face her. “We don’t know if they’re all dead. They couldn’t have killed all the Jedi. We were spread far and wide across the Galaxy in our hundreds. Heck, I bet they’ve already rebuilt the Jedi Order. We’ll return to our training in no time!”

“Maybe.”

“Trust me. Like Master Flapjack says, the Light can never be extinguished. Darkness cannot diminish the Force’s connection to light.”

“Light, huh?” Trixie no longer believed in the Light Side, not after witnessing what she had. In her opinion, they’d die on this planet, forgotten forever by the greater Galaxy. Survival was their only duty.

Fuchsia threw her a worried expression but kept her opinions to herself as they continued their trek through the wilderness. They made excellent time. Trixie’s navigational skills coming in handy. While pathetic with nature and animals, she possessed an impressive talent for navigation and tracking.

Heck, she’d just gotten her cutie mark a couple of months ago—a star-shaped wand surrounded by a scattering of stars. It showed Trixie’s special talent. Navigating by the stars was her specialty. While Trixie wasn’t quite sure what the wand meant, she supposed it symbolized a guidepost or something. She’d be an amazing tracker if the Order still existed.

“Four years, huh?” It seemed like a lifetime ago when they’d landed on this accursed planet. To their dismay, it was uninhabited, making any communication with the outside world impossible. “Here’s to another four years, I suppose.”

“What’s that?” Fuchsia asked, pointing up.

Distracted by her dark thoughts, Trixie hadn’t noticed something flashing across the sky. Was that a ship? Lala growled, and Fuchsia patted her fur to calm her.

“This might mean rescue!” Fuchsia said, eyes alight with hope.

“Or danger.” Trixie scanned the future with the Force, but her limited training revealed little.

“We need to check it out. Where’d they land?” Fuchsia asked.

“Several clicks away.” Trixie cursed. With their tiny legs, it’d take days to arrive that far through the dense, dangerous forest.

“Or?” Fuchsia said, breaking into a wide grin as she sensed her friend’s thoughts.

“Must we?” Trixie asked warily.

“Please?” Fuchsia said, all pleading sweetness.

Trixie screamed as Lala bounded past a large tree, leaping high into the air. She held onto the grass beast’s fur for dear life, praying to the Force this would end soon. Fuchsia cackled with delight, whooping as they bounded from tree to tree.

“That was fun!” Fuchsia said as she dismounted. She gave Lala appreciative ear scratches, which earned a purr from her leafy friend.

“Right.” Trixie’s legs were shaky as she landed on the green foliage.

Fuchsia eyed her friend with concern, ears turned down. “Did that scare you? Sorry.”

“I’m fine.”

“Remember what Master Yoda always says: ‘There is no emotion; there is peace.’ You can’t allow your fear to control you.”

“Easier said than done.” Trixie really didn’t want a lecture. “It’s over here.”

With delicate care, they approached the landing point with caution. They’d both agreed to keep their presence hidden, just in case the visitors were hostile. They might be criminals or bounty hunters.

From the outset, it was clear the newcomers hadn’t crashed. Uniformed ponies were talking amongst themselves. They wore gray uniforms Trixie had never seen before. Was it a new Republic uniform? Hope rose in Trixie’s heart.

A strangled cry escaped Trixie’s lips as ponies in white plastoid armor entered the clearing. She darted back into the cover of the brush, heart beating kilometers a minute. “Clones!” They’d finally come to finish the job!

“It’s okay,” Fuchsia said, stroking Trixie’s hoof. “I won’t let them hurt you.” Her brow furrowed. “And I don’t think they’re clones.”

“What do you mean?”

Fuchsia peered through the brush again before nodding in satisfaction. “They aren’t clones. Their presence feels different in the Force. And there are some slight physical differences. One trooper is four millimeters taller.”

Trixie looked again, realizing her friend was right. While similar, these soldiers weren’t wearing clone armor. But what did this mean? Had the Republic become more militarized after the Clone Wars? Something didn’t feel right.

“We should check what they want before showing ourselves,” Trixie said, and Fuchsia nodded in agreement.

With their knowledge of the jungle, it was foals’ play to spy on the newcomers. Trixie hid behind a packing crate and eavesdropped on the soldiers.

“My life support systems must be broken. I’m sweating to death on this wretched rock!” Soldier one said, his voice augmented from his comm.

“Of all the backwater moons to build a base! We might be stuck stationed here for months!” Soldier two said. “Is there anything worthwhile on this rock?”

“Dunno. I haven’t heard anything. Like they’d tell us anything. It’s a pretty hush-hush mission.”

“Figures.” Soldier one kicked a rock in annoyance. They froze as they heard rustling in the bushes. “They said this moon was uninhabited, right?”

“I’ll look, cover me,” Soldier two said. “Careful.”

Tense moments passed as the pair crept forward, only to leap back in shock as a lizard the size of a filly skittered past them into another brush of trees. The pair of guards released some amused chuckles before returning to their post.

Trixie and Fuchsia spent the next few hours surveying the newcomers, making sure they remained unseen. Much of what they said confused Trixie. They argued about what they’d learned in a nearby cave.

“Empire? What does that mean? Did someone assassinate Chancellor Palpatine and take over the Republic?” Trixie wondered out loud.

“What makes you so sure he isn’t Emperor himself?” Fuchsia argued back. She lay against her grass beast, using it as a living pillow. “He’s already kept power for too long. Why not go the extra kilometer?”

It made a surprising amount of sense to Trixie. The Force nudged her in that direction. Had the Chancellor ordered the clones to attack the Jedi Order? The tension in the cave became palpable as they theorized.

“Why are they here, you think? Minerals?” But this answer didn’t satisfy either of them. The Force told her something bigger was happening here.

“I vote we don’t reveal ourselves and keep watching them,” Fuchsia said.

“Agreed,” Trixie said, nodding. But her smile turned mischievous. “Though a few things might go missing.” While the troopers’ rations weren’t appetizing, they were a nice change of pace from the usual jungle fare.

It continued like this for weeks. They spied on the ever-growing base while stealing minor supplies here and there. Not that the Stormtroopers, as they were called, made it easy. They patrolled their camp with diligence. A few died by poisonous viper weeds and grass beasts, but they soon wised up and grew more cautious.

It soon became clear the visitors were searching for crystals, the kind Fuchsia and Trixie had found deep within many caves. Many scientists came down to examine the various crystalline structures found deep below. Many razorbacks had died trying to protect their homes, killing many. But the troopers’ armor and blasters were too formidable, forcing the poor creatures to relocate elsewhere or face annihilation.

“Do you think they’re after kyber?” Fuchsia asked one morning, sipping at some root tea she’d boiled. The Force was strong on the moon, but Trixie sensed something greater in the cave system.

“It’s possible.” As a Youngling, she’d heard plenty of stories about the Force-empowered crystal. The old stories said the crystal chose its wielder, becoming the core component of the Jedi’s lightsaber. Trixie suppressed a shudder, sensing it meant nothing good.

“If they are, we have to stop it!” Fuchsia said, her eyes determined.

“Right.” While stupid and reckless, they were still Jedi. They wouldn’t allow this evil to happen. Trixie’s smile turned sly. “And I already have some ideas.”

“What do you mean it’s gone missing?” an irate Commander Daisy said. The pink unicorn was overweight, his large frame fully filling his uniform. His gray cap hid his blond mane. “That was an expensive piece of equipment!”

“I don’t know, sir,” the poor Stormtrooper said. “I packed it last night in its proper place, I promise!”

“Get him out of my sight,” the officer said, disgusted. Trixie noticed many of these Imperial officers had an inflated opinion of themselves.

And the sabotage continued. Constant complications disrupted the Imperial’s progress. Despite losing credits by the day, the Empire refused to leave. Trixie’s frustration grew by the day at the officers’ stubbornness.

Fuchsia frowned. “They must be under pretty strict taskmasters. I doubt they’re going to leave.”

“What now?” Trixie asked.

“We must destroy the reason they’re here.”

“I saw some thermal detonators in the armory.” But stealing them wouldn’t be easy. They stood behind serious security. Worse, someone would notice their absence. The Empire would learn with absolute certainty that someone was sabotaging their efforts. Couldn’t they relocate elsewhere on the moon? Trixie doubted this cave system was the moon’s only source of crystals.

But when Trixie expressed her doubts, Fuchsia only gave a confident grin. “It’s worth the risk. The Force is guiding us to do this.” Trixie couldn’t argue against that, and they started planning.

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 15

Trixie’s heart pounded as the stormtroopers stomped past the cleaning droid she’d ducked behind. But they passed her, oblivious to her presence. Like a shadow, she slunk deeper into the complex. Their schedule was tight. Everything must go perfectly for this plan to succeed. Trixie snuck in alone, best suited to this cloak and dagger stuff.

Through the office door, Trixie heard the commanding officer speaking to someone. They spoke beneath a respirator, their voice a booming baritone. Trixie’s heart seized in her throat, the speaker dark presence overwhelming even behind a thick durasteel door.

“Another delay?” The rasp of the pony’s breathing punctuated their booming voice. While there was some static, it did little to weaken this ponies overwhelming presence. “I expect results, Commander. I shouldn’t need to remind you of the importance of this project.”

Trixie poked her head inside. Her breath caught as the tall masked figure created in blue light from the holo projector on the commander’s desk. She slipped away as the figure turned in her direction.

“Oh course, Lord Vader.” The commander said, tension heightened in his voice. “We’ve suffered a few hitches, but everything is going as planned.”

Even though the flickering hologram, fear spiked through Trixie’s spine. Whoever this Lord Vader was, he was powerful in the dark side, a bottomless pit of darkness. Was he a Sith? What had happened to her Republic?

“Understand this. Solve these delays, Commander Daisy, or you will be replaced.” Lord Vader said.

“Yes, my lord!” Commander Daisy sagged as the dark shape in the holo projector vanished. If he’d said the wrong thing, he would have died. Trixie didn’t doubt this for a second.

Distracted by his near-death experience, the officer didn’t notice Trixie slinking inside his office. Her heart raced faster as she approached the desk that dominated the room. Trixie spotted the armory key sitting on the desk. With the Force, she floated it towards her. She froze as the officer turned, praying he wouldn’t notice the change. But the officer’s attention was on the datapad in his hooves, muttering to himself about figures. Trixie snatched the key from the air and slunk out of the office. Commander Daisy frowned as his door suddenly swished opened, but the intruder had already left.

“That should be enough.” Trixie stuffed another thermal detonator into her home woven bag, giving her a total of fifteen of the explosive devices. The heft of the bag weighed heavily against her filly shoulders, dragging her down. But a Jedi didn’t allow minor discomforts like that distract from her mission.

From her memory, she had ten minutes until the next patrol passed. Their sabotage efforts had the unintended side effect of putting the enemy on higher alert. But with the distraction Fuchsia had planned, she should be able to escape unnoticed.

“Thought so!” A familiar voice said, jerking Trixie from her musings. It was the commander, a blaster aimed at Trixie’s heart.

“I had a feeling somepony was responsible for the recent disturbances. I told them it was rebel scum, but they didn’t believe me! Told me it was impossible because this moon was uninhabited.” The commander’s eyes twitched, his smile a maniac grin. “But now I have the proof these delays were somepony else’s fault! Now they’ll have to listen to me!”

“Put the weapon down.” Trixie thrust her bag forward, putting it between her and the weapon. “I have fifteen thermal detonators. Shoot me and you might set them off!” Trixie wasn’t confident about this theory, but it seemed a worthy gamble. But the commander didn’t seem to hear her.

“Yes, Lord Vader will be most pleased to learn about your rebel cell!” The commander continued. “Clever plan, sending a foal to sneak around for their sabotage efforts. How many are in your cell, filly?”

“Cell?” Trixie blinked. What was this stallion ranting about?

“Don’t lie to me!” Spittle launched from the commander’s mouth. “I know this moon is crawling with rebel forces. Tell me where they are, and I won’t shoot you dead!”

“This guy’s completely lost it!” Trixie thought. What now? Should she play along? Stall until Fuchsia launched her diversion? But with the commander so unstable, she feared the stallion would just shoot.

“Trust the Force.” Trixie thought before straightening. She cleared her throat. “That’s right. My team has been watching your operation for months. We couldn’t allow the Empire to steal from this moon.”

“I knew it! You’re after the kyber crystals too!” The commander replied. “But you won’t have them! They’re my discovery! I’m the one who found the only genuine kyber source on the moon!”

So they were after the kyber! Fuchsia was right about them needing to destroy it. They couldn’t allow the Empire to get their greedy hooves on it. But the problem was extracting herself from this unstable stallion.

“Place the bag down!” The commander said, gesturing with his weapon. “I’ve already called reinforcements. There’s no escape. You were foalish to oppose the Empire’s might, rebel scum.”

“Okay, I’m putting it down slowly. Don’t shoot.” Trixie said, mimicking the action while her mind raced. Should she try influencing his mind with the Force? No, she didn’t have enough experience to attempt that trick. Besides, time was running out. Her best chance was the direct approach.

“That’s a good filly. Doing as you’re told for once.” The commander said, voice smug.

Trixie positioned herself, so the commander won’t notice the blaster sliding across the floor. She only had one shot at this. They both flinched as the alarms blared, red lights flashing above them. Trixie smirked as Stormtroopers yelped in panic as dozens of grass beasts stampeded into their camp. That was the signal.

“What the? Are the rebels attacking the base?” The commander asked. Trixie took her chance.

With lightning grace, Trixie pulled the blaster to her hoof with the Force and fired. While she’d never fired a blaster before, her aim was perfect. The commander gasped, staring at the black hole in his chest before collapsing dead.

“I did it.” Trixie’s heart raced. She’d never killed somepony before, and it brought black bile to her throat. But she cast away those distracting thoughts and rushed outside the armory with blaster and bag in tow. She’d dwell on what she’d done later. They needed to destroy those kyber crystals.

“I got them!” Trixie yelled as she approached the rendezvous point. She ducked as a blaster bolt flew past her check. “But we need to get going! They spotted me!” She fired wild shots back. They didn’t hit anything, but made the pursuing troopers scramble.

Unperturbed, Fuchsia nodded and gestured to Trixie to jump on Lala. It wasn’t like they hadn’t expected this possibility. With a grunt, Trixie pulled herself onto the grassy beast.

Like a speeder, the beast rode the two Jedi fillies away with incredible swiftness. The pack with explosives dangled behind her, thudding hard against Trixie’s back. But a Stormtrooper got lucky, the grass beast whimpered as a blaster bolt grazed her left leg. But even with her injury, she got them to their destination.

“Poor thing.” Fuchsia said as Lala limped to the cave entrance. The animal moaned and licked at her wounded leg. In the distance, they heard officers yelling out orders to pursue them.

“She can’t come with us.” Trixie said, her words urgent. Out in the open, they were vulnerable.

“Sorry, girl. But you need to flee!” Fuchsia said, nuzzling against her friend. “We’ll be okay.”

While the grass beast didn’t seem convinced, the sound of approaching soldiers told her Fuchsia was right. Fuchsia laughed as Lala licked her hair, giving her a goofy-looking curl before thudding away. Giving her pet a sorrowful glance, the filly padded away.

Together, the two Jedi fillies entered the cave system. Equipment the Empire used for tunneling and excavation filled the cave entrance, their surface slightly marred by the mold that seemed to infect anything not cleaned daily. Trixie smirked as she spotted the busted hover drive, her doing.

“Should we just chuck them in?” Fuchsia asked.

“No. We need to find the main source of kyber. I sense it’s deeper in.”

“Okay.” Together, they traversed deeper into the dark cave.

Crystals of rainbow colors guided their path, giving enough faint light to see. They didn’t dare use glowrods. It might give away their position. The path was maze-like, confusing even a skilled tracker like Trixie.

“Beautiful.” Fuchsia stared at the crystals in awe, beaming despite their dire situation.

Through echoes, Trixie heard Stormtroopers enter the cave. Despite herself, Fuchsia’s wide, awed grin earned a smile from Trixie. In her haste, she hadn’t noticed the cave’s natural beauty. She wished they’d explored it earlier.

The Force guided them onwards, Trixie was unsure how far they’d traveled. The cave system was extensive, taking them kilometers deeper into the moon. The Force’s presence was incredible, it’s presence a cascade of light and colors that dazzled the senses.

“This way, maybe?” Trixie gestured to a left opening angling up. While doubtful, Fuchsia trusted her friend’s judgment.

“Hold.” Trixie paused her friend with a hoof.

“I think they went this way.” A Stormtrooper said.

“Are you sure, TK-941? All these corridors look the same!” Another said. Their voice echoed across the cave, but Trixie sensed they stood above them somewhere. Trixie pulled her friend back when she spotted the opening above them, but their hunters had already spotted them.

“There they are!” Both troopers fired down at them.

Trixie uttered some unJedi words and dragged Fuchsia into the nearest path. It opened into a large clearing with a crystal bridge with a pit beneath them.

“Freeze or we’ll shoot!” Another trooper appeared from nowhere, his blaster directed at Trixie’s heart.

“Dang it.” Trixie used the Force to push himr over.

“Jedi?! Why you!” The trooper didn’t hesitate to shoot from his prone position. It missed, instead striking the crystal bridge beneath them. With a gasp, the fillies noticed the cracks spreading fast. Their tiny legs beat hard against the crystal bridge as they fled to safety, but the spider-like cracks spread too quickly. The other troopers continued shooting at them, worsening the damage.

“Got you!” Trixie squirmed as the trooper she’d pushed over grabbed her. She pulled out her stolen blaster, but the trooper kicked it over the edge.

“Let her go!” Fuchsia punched the trooper in the chest, but his armor made the filly’s blow useless. Trixie cursed. If only they had lightsabers like proper Jedi!

“Give up!” The trooper said. Trixie’s heart quickened as more troopers approached, surrounding them. They had no chance of escape.

But fortune changed as the ground jolted under them. The Stormtrooper holding Trixie cursed, running to safety, but his efforts were for naught. They screamed in terror as the bridge collapsed, tumbling them into the dark depths below.

“Ugh.” Trixie grunted, her entire body battered beyond belief. Even her aches had aches. Still, she lifted her head, wondering where they’d landed. Had Fuchsia even survived the fall?

But her fears relaxed as a familiar pink shape trotted over to her. While bruised, she seemed otherwise alright. “Are you okay, Trixie?”

“I’ll live.” With some effort, Trixie struggled to her hooves. The room they’d found themselves was a mess, broken crystal everywhere. It wasn’t hard to find the Stormtrooper who’d fallen with them. He, hadn’t been as fortunate as them, a crystal had crushed his plastoid helmet, and the head within it.

“Poor guy.” Fuchsia shook her head, saddened by the loss. While he’d tried to kill them, a life was a life. “Where are we?”

“Not sure.” But Trixie sensed something through the Force. It was strong here, and she sensed something else. It guided her limping steps as she stumbled forward.

“Trixie?” Fuchsia asked, following with curiosity.

The entrance led into a chamber so large the Jedi temple garden might fit into. It displayed the most stunning array of crystals yet, but they sang within the Force, their melody bringing tears to Trixie’s eyes.

“It’s wonderful.” Fuchsia said, breathless.

“And we have to destroy it.” Thankfully, the pack hadn’t gotten damaged in the fall, none of the thermal detonators ever dented. It seemed like blasphemy to destroy such a treasure.

They remained silent before Fuchsia shook her head. “I think they’re singing because they know their time has ended. Destruction, death? They, too, are part of the Force.”

“Yeah.” Yet something nagged at Trixie. She couldn’t leave just yet. It bugged her as she planted the explosives. The setup seemed simple enough, even for a filly.

“This will be a pretty big boom. Can we even escape in time?” Trixie asked. They couldn’t trigger it too late, or the Troopers might discover and disable them.

“We just have to trust the Force.” Fuchsia replied. Not an amazing answer, but Trixie didn’t have a better one.

“Fifteen minutes. That’s the best I can do.” Trixie said.

“We better hurry, then. Do you need me to help you?”

“No, I can manage.” But something stalled her steps before she triggered the detonators. A light caught her eye. Like in a trance, Trixie walked towards it.

“Trixie?” Fuchsia tilted her head in confusion.

There in a slab of ordinary crystal flashed the light. It begged to be freed. Without even thinking about it, Trixie grabbed the nearest crystal and smashed it against the wall. Harder and harder, she struck against it. Confused, but eager, Fuchsia helped with her own blows. While difficult for two fillies, they somehow managed it. The slab of crystal broke open like an egg and the light slipped out. It clicked against the floor before cracking in two. Curious, Trixie’s horn glowed, and a magenta glow levitated the two fragments to her.

“Those are some nice pieces of kyber! Did they call you, Trixie?” Fuchsia asked.

“I guess so.” It felt right to Trixie, like they belonged together. “I think these are my lightsaber crystals.” Though, where she’d learn to even make one was beyond her.

“Congratulations, Trixie!” Fuchsia said, giving her friend a massive hug. “You’re on your first step to become a Jedi Knight! Though, two is strange. Are you going to wield dual lightsabers, Trixie?”

“Maybe.” The Force threw her a warning, telling her their time was short. “We better get going.”

“TK-558! I heard something. I think those Jedi fillies are close!” A voice said.

“So much for fifteen minutes!” Trixie uttered an oath, changing the timer to three. “Hurry! Hurry!”

“There they are!” Blasters fire shot after them as they ducked into the nearest entrance. It was narrow enough to force an adult pony to crouch. They hoped it would stall the troopers enough for them to escape.

“Gah!” Fuchsia winced as a bolt struck her back leg as they crawled out the narrow passage. They leaped away from the hole before another stray bolt might hit them.

“Fuchsia!”

“What luck.” Fuchsia gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Right where Lala got hit too!”

“Hold on! I’m getting you out of here!” Trixie said, desperation entering her voice.

“Freeze!” A Stormtrooper said, emerging from a side tunnel, his blaster pointed at Trixie’s head.

“You.” The cave rumbling drowned whatever Trixie was about to say as their explosives set off in a chain reaction. The sound was deafening as the tunnel rumbled like mad. They’d never had a chance to escape. Trixie yelped in fright as a large piece of crystal collapsed above her, her legs frozen in fright. But Fuchsia used the Force to push her to safety. Everything went black as the cave collapsed on top of them.

Trixie groaned, blinking in confusion. Her head throbbed, wincing as she lifted it from the rock she’d been using as a pillow. She winced, and rubbed her left eye. Her hoof came away bloody, she had a nasty gash there.

“Hello?” Her raspy voice echoed as she cried out. It amazed Trixie she’d survived. She gasped, pulling a stolen glowstick from her pouch.

“Fuchsia!” Trixie rushed to her friend half covered with rubble. “Fuchsia!”

Her friend coughed, opening her eyes. From her expression, she seemed in terrible pain. “Trixie, are you okay? You’re hurt!”

“Me? What about you?” Trixie examined the rocks confining her friend, desperate to know if there was some way to remove her. With her injuries, it might not be safe

This earned a choking laugh from Fuchsia. “I’ve been better.”

“Fuchsia.” Tears gushed from Trixie’s eyes, one leaving a bloody stain. This couldn’t be real. This had to be a nightmare. With a weak hoof, Fuchsia stretched out a hoof and grabbed Trixie’s.

“Hey. It’ll be okay.” Fuchsia said, showing unbelievable courage. Despair filled Trixie’s heart when she realized the rock trapping her friend was solid stone. Even with the Force, she’d never lift it. A broken sob escaped Trixie’s lips, and Fuchsia only squeezed her hoof tighter.

“You can’t go! What will I do without you?”

“Hey. You’re brave and strong. You can manage it.” Despite her terrible pain, Fuchsia’s expression remained serene. “I believe in you, Trixie. The Force is strong in you. You have a great destiny ahead of you, I can feel it. Me? I’ve done what the Force asked. It’s time I join the others in the Force.”

“It’s not fair.” Trixie released a sob, her words muffled by her tears.

“No, it’s not.” Fuchsia said, her expression sad. “I don’t want to see you alone, Trixie. But! But! There are other Jedi out there. You are going to find them and fight together against the Empire.”

But Trixie stayed silent, not voicing her true opinion. Her friend was mistaken. No Jedi existed in the greater galaxy. When Fuchsia died, she’d be the last, all alone. Had this mission even accomplished anything? Or was it only two fillies’ foalish delusion? Trixie would die in the cave. Neither of them would escape.

A cough escaped Fuchsia’s lips, tears staining her eyelids. “Trixie, I love you. You’re the best friend a Jedi could ask for.”

“Yeah.” Trixie barely got the word out through her sobs. “I love you too.”

“Trixie.” Fuchsia’s voice got weaker. Trixie could feel her friend fading through the Force.

Fuchsia wanted to say more, but her strength failed her. Instead, she held Trixie’s hoof tight. They stayed that way until Fuchsia’s passed. But Trixie refused to let go, her tears falling with a broken dam.

She continued to hold her fallen friend’s hoof, even when the soldiers dug her out. She remained unresponsive as they rescued her, drained of any life. After treating Trixie’s wounds, they threw her into a locked room, but she barely noticed. She’d lost all hope. Trixie had lost any reason to fight.

Then he entered the room, his dark presence like an icy wind blowing through her soul. His breathing rasped as he stared down at her, a towering darkness. A heavy silence passed as he continued to study her. And Trixie didn’t protest. If this giant killed her, she wouldn't protest. She was a Jedi and refused to beg for her life.

“So you're the Jedi filly the Stormtroopers were making such a fuss about?” Vader said, pacing around her. “Your efforts were brave. I’ll give you that, but ultimately futile. The Empire will locate other sources of kyber. Your efforts only caused a minor delay at best.” But Trixie refused to respond, still as a statue.

Then a fist struck her face, hurling her across the room. Trixie’s back struck the other opposite wall, blinding her with pain. She glared daggers up at the towering darkness.

“Better.” The giant said. “I knew that’d get a response from you. You have fight left in you.”

“Torture me all you want,” Trixie spat back. “You’re getting nothing.”

“Such bravado from such a small filly. And hate too. I can sense how much you despise me.” Lord Vader said.

Trixie said nothing, gritting her teeth. She seethed, blackness gathering around her heart. If it wasn’t for this pony’s Empire, Fuchsia would still be alive.

“And your hate gives you strength. The Force is strong in you, little one.” Vader mulled this over. “How would you like to become stronger?”

“Huh?” Trixie blinked.

“Hate burns stronger within you, but I can make it burn even brighter. Through the Dark Side of the Force, you will become powerful, dangerous, unstoppable.”

“Are you offering to train me? Why?”

“The Jedi Order is finished, but they still hide around in holes like rats. I need someone to drive them out. I sense you’re well suited to this task.”

“Tsk. You want me to help you?” While the existence of other Jedi surprised her, Trixie kept her expression neutral.

“And why not? The alternative is destruction. Keep to your Jedi code and you will die. Side with the Empire and you will survive and grow powerful.”

Trixie mulled this over. Fuchsia wouldn’t approve of her doing this, but she was gone now and Trixie had little other choice. She couldn’t afford to die here. She needed to survive. Trixie swore she’d make this stallion and his Empire pay, whatever the cost. To do that, she needed power. If the Dark Side gave her this power, then so be it. It wasn’t like the Light Side had helped her.

But she still hesitated, her words caught in her throat. Could she go through with this? Vader watched her in silence, a silent sentinel of darkness. His power was unbelievable. Was this what ultimately destroyed the Jedi? The Force told her yes. Vader was a Sith, the ultimate enemy of the Jedi.

“Yes.” No, she had to survive, no matter what, for Fuchsia’s sake. Vader was wrong. Her friend hadn’t died for nothing. She would survive to destroy this pony. Trixie would destroy the Sith, whatever the cost.

“Good. You now belong to the Order of Inquisitors. Henceforth, you shall be known as the First Sister. Your old name is dust, forgotten.” Lord Vader dropped something in front of his newest agent. They were the kyber crystals she’d found in the cave. “I expect these belong to you. Yes, I can sense your connection to them. I will teach you how to build a lightsaber suited to your task. Come, I have a shuttle waiting for us. We will begin your training at once.”

“Understood, Lord Vader.” The First Sister said, standing. It amazed her how the Storm Troopers showed their former enemy such respect after trying to kill her. She supposed it was the power of her new position.

A green figure caught the First Sister’s eye, and she froze. In some bushes was Lala, Fuchsia’s grass beast. The animal whimpered at her sadly, guessing at their mutual friend’s fate.

“Is something the matter?” Lord Vader said, examining her.

“Nothing.” The First Sister walked to the parked shuttle, forcing Lala from her mind. That was her old life. She couldn’t afford to dawdle now.

“No hesitation.” The First Sister muttered to herself as her hooves entered the shuttle to her new life.

Author's Note

If you're wondering, this version of Trixie was based off this image. I just happened to come across it, and it got wheels turning around in my head.

Discordant Pasts - Chapter 16

“A magic laser sword?” Shade said, eyes boggling. “I knew Jade’s universe was more futuristic, but this…”

The device seemed like something out of a sci-fi series, sleek, elegant, and deadly. Razzle’s heart seized in her throat at the ease with which Jade slaughtered the Kingpin’s ponies. The bounty hunter didn’t value life at all.

“Hey, stop that!” Spider-mare said, rushing to the henchponies’ aid. She shot a web line to catch Jade’s sword arm, but the mare leaped away with surprising agility. Still, it offered the thugs time to flee.

“Get out of here!” Spider-mare shouted. Uncertain, the goons hesitated, looking between their boss and the red line of death that was Jade. One henchpony used the opportunity to fire at the seemingly distracted Jade. She received a deflected bolt to her neck for her troubles. Seeing the futility of fighting, the remaining four thugs fled for their lives.

The Kingpin gave a theatrical sigh. “It’s so hard to get good help. Still, I know a cold-hearted killer when I see one. Jade, is that what they called you? How about you leave these doomed foals and work for me? I have a place in my organization for somepony with your skills.”

“No,” was Jade’s cold, flat response. “I’ve had my fill of orders. I’m ready to make my own destiny at last. For almost a decade, I’ve been biding my time to gain the necessary power. With your crown, I will finally have my revenge, and no one will have the power to stop me. With the combined power of the Force and the power cosmic, I will be invincible.”

“Revenge?” Razzle wondered what story hid behind a cold, merciless pony like Jade.

“And she had us all fooled!” Shade scowled, clearly angry at herself for not recognizing the monster among their ranks. A blackness seemed to accompany Jade, a fathomless depth that threatened to swallow them all.

This response amused Bayou Runner. “A pony after my own heart. Come and get it, if you can!”

“Hey, he’s ours!” But Venom leaped at their former ally, tongue whipping around her. But Jade was quick, slipping through each wild punch with ease. It was like she sensed each attack before Venom even thought of them.

“What the heck?” Spider-mare said, amazed. “Does she have a spider-sense too? Hey!” She leaped away as Doctor Octopus attacked her from behind.

“Don’t forget about me, Spider-mare. We still haven’t finished our dance!” Octavia said.

“Um, any idea what we should do?” Razzle asked nervously as she crept up to the still-stunned Shade.

Iron Will snorted. “You can’t deny this situation has completely unraveled.” Guard and Laughter looked to her with equally pleading expressions.

“Gah!” Venom howled as Jade’s laser sword left a nasty, angry, red gash across an arm. A second slower, and Black would have lost a limb. The symbiote really didn’t like the laser sword, recoiling from its touch.

But Jade continued her advance, each move executed with deadly grace. Venom gasped as Jade extended a hoof, and the giant was knocked off her hooves.

“What the heck?” Shade said, stunned. “She didn’t even use her horn!”

“Trixie!” Spider-mare cried out in horror as Jade’s twin-bladed weapon pierced through the symbiote warrior’s side, the red blade emerging from her back. She abandoned her fight with Octavia and leaped to her native Trixie’s aid.

“That’s enough!” Balls of webbing blasted out at Jade. While quick, she wasn’t fast enough to dodge them all. She grunted in pain as one struck her chest, pushing her back.

“Trixie, hold on. We’ll get you help!” Spider-mare said, clutching the wounded Venom. The black symbiote rescinded, revealing Black, face twisted in pain.

“What are you doing, Spider-mare?” Black gasped. “You’re helping us? Aren’t we enemies?”

“Don’t talk, Trixie,” Spider-mare replied, her voice compassionate. The web crawler was a true hero. She cared about ponies, whoever they were. “Save your strength.”

Their leader, who’d been indecisive up to this point, came back to herself. Shade’s eyes hardened, becoming steely and determined. Jade had crossed a line she shouldn’t have passed. “Iron Will get Black to a hospital.” Razzle hoped they’d get the mare to medical help in time. From Black’s pale expression, the prognosis didn’t look hopeful. “Guard, watch their backs.” The pair nodded.

“That’ll have to do,” Spider-mare replied. With Jade, the Kingpin, and Doctor Octopus still active, abandoning the battlefield wasn’t an option. With utmost care, she placed Black over Iron Will’s shoulder.

“And us?” Laughter asked, gesturing at Razzle.

Shade’s voice hardened. “Help however we can. This had gone far enough.”

“Sure, but what can we do?” Razzle said, wondering why she’d been stuck helping here. She wasn’t a warrior! Still, somepony had to stop Jade’s bloody rampage.

“Oh, how bold of you!” Bayou Runner said, amused. “That’s with the assumption any of you are leaving alive! Whoa!” He floated backward, just avoiding Jade’s blade. Her weapon was a red streak as she advanced on their mutual enemy.

“Get out of here. You’re in the way,” With an extension of her hoof, Jade tossed Doctor Octopus aside, stunning her.

Surprised and grateful, Iron Will and Guard fled the scene. The injured Black was towed over the minotaur’s shoulder.

“Thank you,” Shade said, amazed at the sudden kindness. But Jade only snorted and continued her attack on the Kingpin. The crown was her real prize.

Shade’s eyes darted to Bayou Runner, her expression conflicted. Clearly, helping her long hated enemy left bile in her throat, but she couldn’t allow Jade to murder him, either, whatever his crimes. Spider-mare had a similar idea, jumping into the fray. Annoyed, Jade gestured with a hoof and hurling Spider-mare clear across the warehouse.

“Oof. Did anypony catch the license plate?” Spider-mare said, groaning. She’d hit the opposite wall with enough force to crack it.

“Such power,” the Bayou Runner mused. He floated well out of reach of Jade’s deadly blade. “But still no match for the Kingpin! How about this?” Energy crackled around his hooves, and destruction rained down on them. Each cosmic bolt pulverized whatever it touched.

Shade scrambled away to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. Her efforts, however, weren’t quick enough. Shade’s eyes widened in terror as one beam aimed right at her, but then a hoof pulled her away just in time. Laughter screamed in fright, leaping out the nearest broken window with an impressive somersault.

“Thanks,” Shade said, relieved Razzle had rescued her in the nick of time. They jumped behind some nearby crates, using them as cover.

The Kingpin’s assault had ruined most of the warehouse, leaving ruined crates and holes in its wake. Yet, Jade remained untouched, her expression thoughtful as she studied her quarry just out of reach. Much to everypony’s amazement, she lifted a hoof, and debris and broken metal storage crates lifted from the ruined floor. It hovered effortlessly around Jade before hurtling at incredible speed at Bayou Runner.

“Impossible! Even the most talented unicorn can’t lift that much!” Shade said, stunned. Even the talented Star Power from Razzle’s universe wasn’t that powerful. And yet, the bounty hunter had done it with only a gesture. What the hay was this Force?

The Kingpin summoned a barrier to block the incoming debris, its shrapnel threatening to rip him apart, but it’d only been a distraction. Jade hurled herself at the Kingpin, his barrier barely deflecting the energy blade. They engaged, the Kingpin swiping with cosmic-enhanced hooves while Jade ducked and weaved.

“What the heck?” Spider-Mare said, amazed. “How is somepony so fat, so nimble?!”

“Hey, don’t forget about me!” Doctor Octopus entered the fray, slashing at Jade with a tentacle. But Jade blocked it with the other side of her twin sword, slicing it clean off.

“What? But my tentacles are made from titanium steel!” Octavia paled, wincing as she just avoided getting impaled. She grimaced as Jade sliced off another tentacle, causing the scientist to topple over.

But Jade paid for her victory with a punch to the gut from the Kingpin’s hoof, sending her flying. She grimaced but held her blade firm.

“Unbelievable,” Octavia said, annoyed and outraged. “To think a simple plasma-based weapon sliced through my tentacles so easily. Sorry, Kingpin. But this is where we must part company. You’re paying me well, but not that much. Goodbye, Spider-Mare. I’ll kill you the next time we meet!” With her remaining two tentacles, she slithered through a broken window to freedom.

“And there she goes, leaving to save her own neck!” Spider-Mare said, amused. “Not that our odds are that great!”

“More useless help!” Bayou Runner bemoaned, but Doctor Octopus’ sudden departure didn’t surprise him. “Oh well. The Kingpin can handle you all alone!”

He summoned cracking energy around his hoof and engaged Jade. Unlike his minion, he didn’t seem so afraid for his life. Jade blocked the blow with her blade. Unlike Octavia’s tentacles, it deflected the blow instead of slicing off a limb. A sucker punch drove the bounty hunter back, her face twisting in pain. Yet Jade remained firm, both hooves on her weapon.

“Should we help?” Shade asked, wracked with indecision. While evenly matched, Bayou Runner was gaining the upper hoof. While Jade was agile and a deadly fighter, the battle had taken its toll.

“Gah!” Another blow drove Jade to the cold cement floor, and she gasped as hooves tightened around her throat in an iron death grip. Her weapon clattered to the ground, both blades vanishing as they fizzled away. With a kick, the Kingpin knocked the weapon away.

“Let’s see you use your Force when you can barely breathe!” Bayou Runner said, strangling the life out of Jade. The bounty hunter struggled, but Shade knew from bitter experience her efforts were futile. Her strangled gasps became weaker.

“No!” Spider-Mare leaped at the Kingpin in a flying kick. It jolted their enemy, but he remained standing. A barrier blocked a punch, but its sheer power drove the Kingpin back. Laughter, Shade, and Razzle joined in, using their magic to pull at the Kingpin’s iron grip. Sweat trickled down Razzle’s forehead as she pulled against an immovable object. Telekinesis was never her strong point. Somehow, they got Jade free, and the bounty hunter collapsed, gasping for air.

“Insects.” The Kingpin fired twin beams in the Trixies’ direction. They jumped away, just avoiding them.

“Leave them alone!” Spider-Mare punched against the Kingpin’s barrier again, not letting up.

“Pointless. With the power cosmic, I am unstoppable.” A cosmic-fueled punch drove Spider-Mare clear across the warehouse, but Laughter came to the rescue, catching the mare in her telekinesis. What would have been a very painful blow was softened to an annoying one as the superhero struck a nearby support beam.

“Thanks.” Spider-mare said.

But then Jade appeared from nowhere, recovering at a speed Razzle didn’t think was possible. The bounty hunter leaped onto the Kingpin’s back and pulled at the crown adorning his head. It refused to budge, but Jade only pulled harder. Bayou Runner swatted at her, but Jade ducked.

“Well?” Razzle asked Shade.

“Um.” It was either have Jade have the crown or the Kingpin, neither option seemed ideal. Shade sided against her mother’s killers. “Help Jade!”

Sparks exploded in front of the Kingpin’s eyes, making him howl in pain. Together, their lights and noises of their magic illusions distracted Bayou Runner enough to turn the tide of battle. With a cry of triumph, Jade yanked the crown free, and all the crackling energy around Bayou Runner vanished like smoke. Razzle hoped they hadn’t just made the biggest mistake of their life.

“You!” The Kingpin retaliated, but Jade leaped off, landing halfway across the room before the blow connected.

With a mocking salute, she jumped out of a broken window. In the same motion, she extended a hoof, and her weapon shot towards her, landing in her hoof mid-leap with a thud. In seconds, she’d vanished without a trace.

“Well, shoot,” Spider-Mare said, but she didn’t pursue.

“Quite a resourceful young mare,” the Kingpin said in admiration, chuckling to himself. “Well, never mind. I still have its data in my computer banks. And besides, I won’t need it to take care of you.”

“Oh really? What’s your plan now? Challenge us to a pie-eating tournament?” Spider-Mare joked.

“Hey, things are finally improving!” Laughter said, her tone jovial.

“Yeah, we can do this now,” Shade said, regaining her confidence. “You’re alone and unprotected. Your technology and Proto’s magic crown can’t help you now.”

But Razzle wasn’t so sure. Bayou Runner remained undaunted, ready to face this challenge with his bare hooves. He smirked and gestured with a hoof for them to attack.

“Gah!” Spider-Mare moved in for a quick punch, but the Kingpin only backhooved her, hitting with the force of an oncoming train. But she recovered quickly, using her webs to trap their foe in a makeshift cocoon. But Bayou Runner only broke through them like he'd been held with silly string, hooves open to grapple with his opponent.

“Let’s hear your jokes now, Spider-Mare.” The Kingpin grabbed the superhero in a bear hug, squeezing like a vice.

“He’s crushing me,” Spider-Mare said, her voice a pained gasp.

“What now?!” Razzle said, her voice frazzled.

“Leave her alone!” Laughter cried, charging at Bayou Runner with a piece of broken steel in her hoof like a club. It impacted the Kingpin’s shin, making him wince. Undeterred, she struck him harder.

“Laughter!” Razzle said, alarmed, as her friend’s efforts got her a punishing kick for her troubles. But the distraction allowed Spider-Mare to slip free.

“Come on, let’s get him!” Laughter said, wiping the blood from her lip.

Behind her mask, Razzle heard the smile behind Spider-Mare’s voice. “You’re a foal, Trixie, but my kind of foal.” It warmed Razzle’s heart, glad the two had become friends. Spider-man’s rescue from the crazed Kraven must have made her friend reassess her opinion of the webcrawler.

The Kingpin gasped as four different Spider-Mares charged at him at once. They moved in a confusing array of motions, just keeping out of the Kingpin’s reach.

“Wow.” Laughter’s skill with illusion was impressive, managing a feat even a master magician couldn’t pull off. Each Spider-Mare moved in a complex, elaborate fashion, distinct from the others. Razzle joined in the effort, though her illusions weren’t as impressive. Still, they confused their opponent.

“I’ve really been slacking off on my magic training,” Shade said, amazed. “Laughter’s the real deal.” She joined their efforts, distracting Bayou Runner with minor illusionary explosions.

“What the?” The Kingpin’s limbs flared, confused. He grunted as the real Spider-Mare landed a solid hit to his face.

“Ouch.” Spider-Mare waved her hoof. “He’s not kidding about his body being mostly muscle.” Yet she persisted, landing several more clean blows.

“Enough.” The Kingpin changed tactics, attacking the pony causing the confusing illusions. But Razzle was already ahead of him. Bayou Runner gasped in surprise as his punch at Laughter only hit empty air. Razzle smirked. While only an actress, she had her moments.

“Gah!” Another blow to the head sent Bayou Runner spinning, dazzled.

“I’ve had enough of you!” Spider-Mare said, landing one final, solid punch. Bayou Runner staggered back before finally collapsing, unconscious.

“Phew,” Spider-Mare said, panting. “That guy can take some serious punishment! Thanks for the help!”

“Sure thing!” Laughter exchanged a hoof bump with the arachnid-based superhero. Then sirens blared, heading in their direction.

“Oh sure, now they come!” Spider-Mare complained, using her webbing to trap the unconscious Bayou Runner.

“What a mess. How will we explain this to the police?” Razzle shook her head.

“I’d like to see Bayou explain this once the police arrest him.” Shade said, pleased. Though, her expression soured a minute later. “It would be damning, if he didn’t have an army of the best lawyers in the country!”

”It’s still a win.” Razzle said, putting a comforting off on her friend’s shoulder.

“You’re right. We showed the world he wasn’t invincible.” Shade replied, taking heart in this observation. “We created a crack in his armor.”

“I’m not sticking around,” Spider-Mare said. “Sorry, but this is where your friendly neighborhood Spider-Mare needs to depart. The police and I don’t exactly get along.”

“Yeah, Trixie doesn’t know if we should hang around either,” Laughter said, eyeing the flashing lights speeding in their direction. “And we have to chase after Jade! Who knows what damage she’ll do with that crown?”

“Dang it!” Shade uttered a curse. Their options weren’t good. With Kassa hurt, they couldn’t move her easily. And Northern Lights might be dead and there wasn’t time to verify his life signs. In their hooves were nothing but bad choices.

Everypony looked at Shade expectantly, even Spider-Mare. She came to a decision, as much as it pained her. “We chase after Jade. I just realized where she might have gone. She might have gone to the teleport spot back to my home universe and A.R.M.O.R.”

A palpable dread gathered in Razzle’s chest, fearing for Mounty and the others at A.R.M.O.R. Who knew what type of damage Jade might cause? And they didn’t know about Jade’s true nature yet.

“A.R.M.O.R.? What’s with these forced acronyms? And I thought S.H.I.E.L.D., A.I.M., and S.W.O.R.D. were bad,” Spider-Mare replied.

“Never mind about that!” Shade said impatiently. “Just get us out of here. We can return later, after the police have cleaned up this mess. The teleport spot isn’t far.”

“What about Guard and Iron Will?” Razzle asked.

“They’ll follow soon enough. They know the rendezvous point.” Their leader replied.

Glee and laughed escaped Razzle’s lips as she rode on Spider-Mare’s back. The air whipped through her mane like a windstorm. At this distance, the entirety of Manehatten’s rush and bustle were visible to her. It gave her a new appreciation of the city. She’d never seen it like this before. It was beautiful! Even with three mares clutching at her, the superhero swung through the air with little difficulty. Her strength continued to amaze Razzle.

“Not too fast!” Shade yelped as Spider-Mare took a sudden right turn that almost flung her off. Unlike Razzle, she wasn’t enjoying the ride whatsoever.

Shade hugged the ground as they landed. “I’m never doing that again!”

“Come on, it was fun!” Laughter said, rolling her eyes. Razzle only shrugged.

“Is this the place? Seems grimy even by Manehattan standards,” Spider-Mare said, glancing around.

They’d arrived at an old abandoned processing plant. Beyond rats, the place was silent. Shade furrowed her brow. Some A.R.M.O.R. agents should have come out to greet them. Her fear heightened when she saw the angry burn mark on the back door. Jade had been here. Together, they charged inside.

“No.” A pit dropped in Razzle’s stomach when she saw the stallion who’d gotten cut down. It looked like he hadn’t even had the chance to react before he’d been gutted.

“Sorry, but this is where we must part ways,” Shade said to Spider-Mare. “This is A.R.M.O.R. business. Besides, we need you here to look after Iron Will and the others.”

“If you’re sure,” Spider-Mare said, reluctantly nodding.

“Positive. Besides, I have a weapon back home capable of taking down that traitorous Trixie.” Shade replied, her tone darkening.

“A weapon?” Razzle asked, suddenly unnerved. They hadn’t been told about this.

“We weren’t foalish enough to believe all Trixies across the multiverse were benevolent. It’s a weapon that only targets ponies with our DNA.” Shade said.

“Still!” Razzle said, still not convinced. Laughter didn’t seem too keen on this plan either, but Shade’s mind was made up. After sending Shade a scathing glare, Laughter walked up to their new friend.

“Thanks for everything,” Laughter said, sharing a hug with Spider-Mare. The pair embraced like sisters.

“I’ll miss you. It was nice to have a friendlier Trixie around. Tell your Twilight I said hi, and then tell her she has a good friend,” Spider-Mare replied.

“It was nice meeting you,” Razzle said, giving the superhero a hearty hoofshake. “I can’t wait to tell my daughter all about you.” Honey Bee would freak when she learned her mother fought with an actual superhero.

“Yeah, thanks for everything. We sure caused you a great deal of grief,” Shade said.

“Nah, I’m used to it. Never a dull day in the life of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Mare!” Spider-Mare waved them goodbye as they entered the portal.

“Dear Celestia.” Shade could only stare at the destruction as they returned to her world. Bile gathered in Razzle’s throat, threatening to empty her stomach. Bodies were everywhere, a path of destruction carved through everything in Jade’s path. The bounty hunter had shown no mercy.

“Trixie!” A familiar voice said.

“Director!” Shade almost sobbed in relief.

“Jade’s gone nuts!” Mounty Max said, his tone frantic. “She came out of nowhere with some magic sword!” It seemed he’d survived by hiding behind some equipment.

“Yeah, Jade isn’t what she seems,” Shade’s voice hardened. “Where is she now?”

“Lab 1,” the Director replied. “Not sure why.”

Then Jade emerged, a metal box in her hoof. In an instant, Shade recognized it. “Sextant of Worlds!”

Razzle recognized the name. Wasn’t that the device the Collector had used to cause untold trouble across the multiverse? According to Mounty, that’s how A.R.M.O.R. learned about the Multiverse in the first place.

Its golden surface glinted in Jade’s hooves. With a cold glare, she eyed the newcomers. But then she dismissed them, walking over to the controls of the world teleporter. She eyed them, daring them to challenge her. Her gaze promised violence if they tried anything.

Shade seethed, but Razzle and Laughter held her back from doing anything reckless and stupid. Their leader watched in impotent fury as Jade completed her adjustments. There wasn’t any chance she’d fetch it in time before Jade finished her business.

“I’d advise you not to try following me,” Jade said before leaping into the portal. While in midair, she slashed at the portal device with her laser sword, rendering it beyond repair. There was a small smile as she disappeared, vanishing from their sight and world.

Discordant Pasts - Epilogue

“We can’t do this anymore, Bayou,” Fleur cried, tears in her eyes. “Am I supposed to forget everything? Do you know what rumors I’ve been hearing?”

“It’s all a mistake, dear,” Bayou Runner said, trying to calm his frantic wife. Inwardly, he cursed the Daily Bugle and Spider-Mare.

Somehow, the raggedy paper had gotten their hooves on pictures of him fighting Spider-Mare in that warehouse. Some photos showed him fighting alongside the infamous villain Doctor Octopus, making it seem like he was giving orders. Worse, a certain blue unicorn had leaked whatever she had on him to the press. While not anything concrete or provable, together with everything else, it painted a damnable picture. While Bayou Runner doubted he’d face serious charges, this debacle had damaged his near-spotless reputation. Some whispered he might be the infamous Kingpin.

“No, you have been lying to me.” His wife paused, trying to compose herself. “I’ve always suspected you had some secret side. Call it a mare’s intuition. But I ignored it. Told myself it didn’t matter. But that you might be a criminal? It’s too much, Bayou.”

“Please, I’m telling you, it’s all a mistake,” Bayou Runner pleaded.

But his wife only shook her head. “I can’t, not anymore. No more lies. Tell me to my face that you aren’t a criminal.”

But, somehow, Bayou Runner couldn’t look his Fleur in the eyes. Shame made his ears droop.

“That’s what I thought,” Fleur said, her voice hard. “I’m taking Cinnamon Tea, and we’re staying at Mother’s for a while.”

“Fleur,” Bayou Runner said, his voice pleading. “I love you, you know I do!” And he meant every word. His family was his life, his everything. He couldn’t live a breath without them.

“It’s best if we spend some time apart. After that, I don’t know,” Fleur replied. “Goodbye, Bayou.” With that, she left their bedroom to get their son. He didn’t stop her.

Tears threatened to burst, but he fought them back. He couldn’t bear showing any weakness, even alone. Damn that Spider-Mare. Damn that Trixie. Both would pay for this. He’d kill them with his bare hooves. He stiffened, sensing a presence. His mouth twisted in an ugly scowl. Whoever was bothering him would pay.

To Kingpin’s astonishment, a glowing blue orb faced him as he turned around. A face appeared within, covered with a mask. A mechanical voice spoke, the orb flashing blue as it spoke.

“Apologies for interrupting you, but we have much to discuss,” the orb said.

“Proto,” Bayou Runner uttered the name like a curse. Nopony saw the Kingpin when he was vulnerable and lived to tell the tale. But curiosity abated his fury. Not calming it, but stoking it. The time for retribution would come later.

“Have you come to admonish me for losing your toy?” the Kingpin asked, not hiding his sarcasm.

“Don’t worry about that. It was a minor trinket,” Proto replied. “A mere test for other projects.”

Bayou Runner fought back his irritation at being used as a guinea pig. He moved forward anyway, wanting to get to this unexpected meeting’s point. “What do you want?”

“I want to expand our partnership. I am seeking allies to destroy Trixie once and for all. Your intelligence and ruthlessness give you credit.”

“I see.” He didn’t, sensing some other hidden agenda at work. But he wouldn’t reject a possibly lucrative business opportunity. Besides, it offered another chance to destroy his universe’s meddlesome Trixie. And the technology he gained from Proto would help him squash the irritating Spider-Mare for good. All in all, it was an excellent opportunity that he wouldn’t waste.

A slight smile quirked the Kingpin’s lips. The first since the hateable Spider-Mare ruined his life. “Tell me more, partner.”

“Booby-trapped, as I suspected,” Jade said as the computer analyzed the crown, a light flashing red on the monitor. This had likely been the true trap all along. Proto wanted a Trixie to steal the crown and try to use it. The backlash of cosmic power would then leave that Trixie brain-dead.

“Clever trick. What now?” the zebra asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. She swiveled around in her captain’s chair playfully like a young filly.

While it possessed technology far beyond Jade’s understanding, the ship, the Ranger, had seen better days. Heck, she’d seen uglies less cobbled together. But it was functional, even if it wasn’t pretty. The Ranger flew through the void, the windows showing a void of nothingness that unnerved even a hardened explorer like Jade. Nothing existed outside the thin metal shell that protected them—time, space, or even the Force. It was hard to wrap your head around.

“No matter. The device might have other uses. It might serve as a potential power source for a weapon,” Jade replied.

“Possible, possible. I’ll look into it,” Mtwana said, her grin all teeth. “Jade, you’ve found the right place. I’ll make all your dreams come true, that I guarantee!”

Jade. The alias suited her. She’d rather not have people call her First Sister. That name had only been temporary, given by Lord Vader when she’d taken the role of the Empire’s hunter. Her birth name wouldn’t do either, that word that died when Fuchsia did. With the lack of anything better to call her, Jade would suffice.

She listened as Mtwana jabbered on about workable ideas on how they might harness the crown's cosmic power. Even without the Force, Jade sensed the zebra’s greed and blatant self-interest. Still, both would suit her purposes.

Their unexpected meeting had been the Dark Side’s will. While Jade explored the multiverse with the Sextant of Worlds, they’d crossed paths. Mtwana was an interdimensional scavenger, using her technology to harness advanced technology from various worlds for profit and power. Apparently, she was a freelancer who occasionally worked with other roaming zebras with bigger dreams. They hoped to restore an empire that had long since crumbled. None of that mattered to Jade.

“Good. There’s much to do. I leave the crown with you.” Jade was a hunter, not a scientist. It was best to let the professional handle this part. “I’ll work on probing Proto’s defenses. And I’ll see if I can procure one of his robots.”

“Sweet!” Mtwana said, beaming. “Won’t Proto be surprised when we turn his army against him! Then we’ll crack his defenses, kill him, and all his tech will be ours for the picking!”

Jade nodded, pleased. With that enemy gone, she could focus on her true goal—destroying Darth Vader and the Emperor. To them, she’d only been a convenient tool. It wasn’t hard to guess the Sith lords were hiding the deeper secrets of the Dark Side from her. But they wouldn’t be laughing when she used Proto’s overwhelming power against them. Then, she’d be the true master of the Dark Side. After that, who knew? This vision pleased her, but Jade would be patient.

“Drop me off at this universe, Mtwana. It’s being invaded by Proto’s forces,” Jade would show them the strength of a Dark Jedi.

“What a disaster!” Mounty said, fretting. They watched as the remaining staff attended to the bodies that Jade had left in her wake, twelve in total. It was gruesome work.

Razzle stared at the ground, horrifying somepony she knew was capable of such evil. But her agony was nothing compared to what Shade as suffering. Guilt was tearing her friend apart from the inside. She’d been the one to introduce Jade to A.R.M.O.R. In her mind, these dead ponies were her fault.

“She’s going to pay for this! Can we chase after her?” Laughter asked.

“No,” Mounty replied, his tone hopeless. “The damage is too severe. It might take months to fix.”

“What?!” Razzle said, her voice edging on panic.

This delay would be agony. She already feared the worst. What if Honey Bee thought her dead after her mysterious disappearance? She had other professional responsibilities too, but they paled in comparison to her daughter assuming she’d lost her mother forever. Since she’d separated with her ex-husband, she’d felt like a terrible mother for abandoning her daughter for her acting career. A few phone calls and weekly visits weren’t an adequate replacement for a real mother. Guilt ate away at Razzle’s heart.

“This is all experimental technology,” Mounty said. “And Jade damaged the power unit. It took months to find the proper crystal to power it. It won’t be easy to replace.”

“So we can’t follow?” Laughter said, sagging.

“Not any time soon,” Mounty said, his tone forlorn.

“No, we can!” Razzle said, her eyes alighting with an idea. It blossomed fully formed, brilliant in its simplicity. They needed her help. She’d fix everything.

“Um, what do you mean?” Shade said, suddenly getting a bad feeling as Razzle dashed off. In a flash, Shade seemed to realize her counterpart’s plan. Razzle’s legs seemed to move of their own according, heading into an area labeled off limits.

“Is she insane?!” Shade said, rushing after her. Mounty and Laughter chased after her, curious about what the fuss was about.

“No!” Shade paled as she saw Razzle playing with the controls that kept Trixcord contained.

“It’s our only chance!” Razzle said, tapping at the controls with frantic energy. “I’m not waiting months to see my daughter again. Heck, she might already think I’m dead after I disappeared!” Her knew she was being irrational and reckless, but Honey Bee needed her.

“I understand that,” Shade said, trying to be reasonable. “But we can’t trust her! She’s part Discord!”

Much to Shade’s relief, the controls turned red, denying Razzle access to turn off the field. But she turned pale as the actress used a different, more effective method to switch it off.

“I don’t care!” With a kick, Razzle smashed the controls. With a dull whine, the field around Trixcord collapsed. It was done. The die had been cast. Razzle only hoped she hadn’t made a terrible mistake.

“Finally! After ten thousand years, I’m free!” the mismatched Trixie said. “Okay, more like two months, but who’s counting?”

“What have you done?!” Shade said, horrified.

“You foal!” Mounty said, turning deathly pale.

“And there you are, my captors,” Trixcord said, turning her attention to the director of A.R.M.O.R. “It was rather rude of you to do that. Sure, I caused a little havoc. But that’s the spice of life!”

“Enough. You…” Mounty said, regaining his authority. But Trixcord snapped with her clawed fingers, and a banana flopped to the floor.

“Have fun as a fruit. This’ll teach you what it’s like to be locked up for no reason!” Trixcord said, pleased with herself. When she caught the scandalized looks she was getting, Trixcord only sighed. “It’s fine. It’ll wear off in a couple of days. Just make sure nobody eats him.”

Shade’s visage turned white as Trixcord turned her attention to her, wondering what horrible fate awaited her.

“No, what I have done?” Razzle thought, horrified. Why had she been so convinced that Tricord would save them? What had driven her to doing something so stupid? Even without the ability to travel into other dimensions, she would have been safe in A.R.M.O.R. headquarters. But Razzle realized that wouldn’t have been enough for her. Her daughter was worth more than any danger. Now she had to make things right!

“Wait, we need your help!” Razzle said, her tone pleading.

“Ah, some proper respect at last!” Trixcord said, pleased. “Ask. What do you wish of the Almighty and Wise Trixcord?”

“We need your help stopping Proto. He’s trying to kill all Trixies across the multiverse!” Razzle said. “We can’t fight him without you!”

“You can’t be serious!” Shade said, scandelized.

Much to Shade’s shock, Laughter joined Razzle in her pleas, playing to the distorted Trixie’s ego. “Yeah, only one as mighty as you can perform this task. We bask in your wisdom, Trixcord.”

Trixcord preened, pleased. A number of signs materialized around her, noting her as being Number 1, the greatest Trixie in existence and the like. “If you put it like that... Sure!”

“Hey, it’s a good idea,” Laughter said defensively when Shade glared at her.

“I don’t believe this.” Shade rubbed her aching temple. “In case you’ve forgotten, Trixcord is the embodiment of chaos! Her help might turn to harm on a literal bit!” She glared at Laughter and Razzle, but they only stared back, completely guiltless.

“I’m seeing my daughter again. I’ll make a deal with the literal devil if necessary!”

“Please don’t say stuff like that,” Shade replied in despair. She tensed as Trixcord turned in her direction.

“I hadn’t forgotten what you did, either.” For a moment a halo of fire played over the mis-shaped being and the shadows seemed to length. But then the twisted Trixie smiled and the effects were gone. “But holding grudges is boring! Forget about that, let’s get going! No doubt Proto has sent his countless, near invincible robots after us.”

“Oh shoot.” Without Trixcord powering the facility’s barrier, they were helpless against Proto’s attacks. Razzle had completely forgotten that little detail in her rush. She’d pushed their hoof into this path.

Still, what’s done was done. They couldn’t wait around for Proto to make his next move. Heck, he might have even found away around their barrier they were so relying on eventually.

“Fine. Let’s go,” Shade said begrudgingly. She picked up banana Mounty Max and placed it into a pouch. Guilt stabbed into Razzle’s heart, hoping he’d be okay until he returned to normal.

“Let the adventure begin!” Trixcord said, her voice echoing, arms extended wide, a sudden wind blowing her hair dramatically.

Author's Note

Crisis of Infinite Trixies will return. I've already written a couple of chapters of part 3. Hopefully, it won't take too long to release.

Next time in Crisis of Infinite Trixies:

Lunaverse Trixie finds herself trapped in a temporal prison, but gains unexpected allies who help her uncover hidden truths about Proto and his mysterious identity. However, she remains wary of a new, scarred version of herself with strange and unusual powers. Her motives seem less than pure hearted.

Contradictory Selves - Chapter 8

“What are they doing?” Their hated foes were planning something. Antithesis hated plans. Plans messed everything up. While all Trixies were complete nincompoops, the number of them meant those doofuses still might hit gold by total happenstance.

“The usual.” The Horned Trixie waved a vague hoof. “Gang up on the princess, disable her magic with a magic suppressor, then cleanse her mind with the Mind Stone. It might work.”

“If only I didn’t lose the Mind Stone.” At least those foals won’t have the power to wield it efficiently. Even so, the fact they owned such a dangerous item worried her. “Whatever. Sounds easy enough to stop. We’ll crush them to a pulp.”

“Pulp.” The Horned Trixie paused. “I could go for some oranges. I’m starving!”

“What? Why are you thinking about food? What about the mission?”

“Hey, they have an apple stand over in the market! Be back in a jiff.” Antithesis opened her mouth to protest, but her ally had already disappeared.

“What about watching the Trixies?” Antithesis said, annoyed. She watched as her ally returned with three bags of apples.

When the Traitor Trixie caught Antithesis’s reaction, she shrugged. “No one was ponying it, and I’m hungry.”

“Anyway, can you cast illusions like this universe’s Trixie?”

Her ally took a deep bite of an apple, juice dripping down her mouth. “You insult me. It’s kinda my specialty.”

“Perfect.” Antithesis rubbed her hooves together. “Then we can pose as allies and strike them when they least suspect.” And with them foolishly thinking she was still a prisoner and still a faithful ally, they’d never see it coming!

“Rudimentary, but it works, I suppose.” The Horned Trixie said, uninterested. Much to Antithesis’s surprise, she’d already gone through a bag of at least two dozen apples.

“You think it’s inadequate?” Antithesis asked, losing her patience.

“It’s dull, but it does the job.” Her ally said, opening the second bag of apples. “Are you sure you don’t want one? These Midgard apples are quite sublime.”

“Yes, I’m sure. If you have a better suggestion, I’m all ears!”

“I noticed there’s a herd of cows hanging outside a town. What if we caused them to stampede as Trixie and her fellows fought Luna? Think of the chaos that’d cause!”

Cows? She’d noticed them but thought little of them. Weren’t they just dumb animals or something? Still, the idea had merit.

“It would cause a lot of confusion and destruction.” Antithesis said, growing to the idea. She couldn’t wait to see Trixie’s face when she was suddenly faced with an angry stampede. And seeing the hated mare get trampled to death? All the sweeter. “Let’s do it!”

“Perfect.” Much to Antithesis’s astonishment, the Horned Trixie had already finished her third bag of apples. “I’m sure Proto will be proud! Proto be praised!”

“Yeah, Proto be praised.” Antithesis replied dryly. What? Did this mare think she worshiped her boss or something?

“To bathe in his majesty, I can’t wait! The reward will surely be beyond compare!”

“Sure.” Antithesis replied, agreeing with whatever this dumb mare was saying.

“No doubt he’s an alicorn that stands hundreds of hooves tall, a god beyond god!”

“I won’t go that far,” Antithesis replied, snorting. “He’s just some unicorn, from what I saw.”

“Really?” The Horned Trixie stared wide-eyed.

“Not that he isn’t powerful. His Empyrean Throne allows him to survey all creation.”

“No!” The Traitor Trixie glanced around, worried.

“We’re too small to worry about. Proto has other things to worry about in his Limbo Castle.” And what a castle it was, dwarfing Canterlot’s castle’s grandeur and majesty.

“Limbo. I’ve read legends about it. I’m surprised anything can live there. It’s a realm of flux, a cacophony of space-time. My kinda place!”

“I’m glad you like it.” Trying to navigate the place was maddening, its halls and corridors moving in a constant flux. Even the castle’s architecture had no consistency, hoping centuries in a blend of contrasting styles that didn’t even remotely match.

“But forget about Proto.” While his majesty was great, he didn’t know everything. A sly smile grew across Antithesis’s muzzle. She could use that against him, gain the throne for herself. Proto was no god, only a pony with advanced technology. That meant she could take him down. First, however, she had a mission to complete. “Let’s go. Time’s short.”

“Right after we get some dessert. I’m in the mood for some Midgard cupcakes! I saw a delightfully designed bakery near here.”

“How are you still hungry?!” Much to her disgust, Antithesis noticed her partner had already finished each bag of apples. Why was she thinking about wasting their time getting stupid cupcakes? “Fine, whatever. Meet you outside town in twenty minutes.”

Again, she questioned the wisdom of allying with this alternate Trixie. Did she not take anything seriously? Antithesis felt like she was herding a cat!

Whatever. The traitor’s help hastens Trixie’s destruction. Besides that, Trixie was already walking into her own destruction. Antithesis laughed, well pleased with herself. “Now let’s see how well my “Hate it, Kill it” spell works on bovines!”

Fire flitted around the street as Corona’s fireball blasted against Luna’s hastily summoned shield. Representative Trixie yelped as some embers landed on her coat. More embers landed on grass, causing some minor fires.

“Trixie Lulamoon, we must work together to subdue my sister,” Corona said, dodging a purple bolt from her sister’s horn.

“Are you kidding me? Why would I do that?” Trixie said, taking cover behind a bench.

“You heard my sister’s mad plan. We must put aside our differences to deal with this crisis.”

Representative Trixie uttered a curse but conceded the point. “Fine.” The word tasted like ash on her tongue, but they needed to be said.

“Don’t worry, we’re behind you!” Captain Cosmos said, popping up from behind a bush. Luna yelped in surprise as a grappling hook wrapped around her neck, choking her.

“What madness is this? Another Trixie?” Corona said, whining in shock. Her eyes widened to dinner plates as an alicorn version of Trixie appeared, shooting stun bolts into the Bloody Mare’s flank. Luna roared in fury, the rope constricting and bursting to pieces. The Great and Powerful Trixie joined the battle next, using her illusions to make it hard for Luna to shoot retaliatory bolts at Humility.

“And more Trixies. Have I entered a waking nightmare?” Corona said, gapping at the multitude of Trixies fighting her sister. Human Trixie stayed hidden behind a bush, throwing rocks as a nifty distraction. The Tyrant Sun raised an eyebrow at that Trixie’s appearance. “And a human version as well. Truly a curious adventure you’ve found yourself on, Trixie.”

“You know what a human is?” Representative Trixie said, surprised.

“Over the millennia, I have learned many secrets and have visited many worlds. But that’s a matter for later. We must defeat my sister. Our numbers should allow us victory.” Corona replied.

“I guess.” But it was quickly shown that Trixie had spoken too soon, as Humility was sent flying by a carefully timed magical burst from Luna. The Great and Powerful Trixie tried using her magic to hide from the charging Luna. But no illusion was clever enough to fool her. A smack to the face knocked her unconscious. Human Trixie fled as a magic bolt flew past her head.

“This is foalishness, my student! And you dare side with the tyrant over me?!” The Bloody Mare cried, seething, hurt by this perceived betrayal.

Representative Trixie yelped in fright as dozens of magical bolts shot in her direction, she took cover behind a nearby tree, but it burst to pieces. Representative Trixie winced as a splinter scraped across her cheek, but the obstacle had protected her from the worst of her mentor’s wrath.

“No!” Corona charged head first into her sister. Two alicorns engaged in a rather nasty game of hooficuffs. They fought with a ferocity only two sisters could have.

“Element of Humility, are you okay?” Representative Trixie said, crawling over to her alicorn counterpart and shook her.

“I’ll live.” Humility replied, moaning and holding her sore head. Representative Trixie helped drag Humility behind a building. Representative Trixie peeked over and saw the mess the two alicorns had caused in Ponyville Square.

While Luna fought like a demon, the Tyrant Sun had a clearer head, scoring some lucky hits. Corona howled as Luna bit her on the neck, and she retaliated with a blow to the nose. It left Luna bloody, sprawled across the cobbled street.

“Forgive me, sister. But I must banish you to the moon.” Genuine regret crossed over the Tyrant Sun’s muzzle. “Hopefully, whatever evil malady that inflicts you will pass when you return.” Her horn glowed with a radiant, golden light.

Should I stop her? Do I have the right? The Goddess and Twilight stood ready to use the Mind Stone to cleanse her mentor’s mind, but there wasn’t any guarantee it would work.

But then we’re stuck with Corona! Maybe use the Mind Stone against her instead? Representative Trixie closed her eyes, hating herself for this weakness. Sorry princess.

Before Corona could deliver the coup de grâce, everypony whined in surprise as the ground rumbled.

“What now?” Representative Trixie looked up. Her eyes widened as dozens of red-eyed cows and bulls charged into town, blind fury on each of their faces.

“What the hay?”

Riding on top of the lead cow was a familiar, mismatched pony. “Hey, Trixie, miss me?”

“You?” Representative Trixie’s eyes widened, realizing the herd was charging right at her. The bovines caused unbelievable destruction in their wake, stomping or smashing everything in their path. She watched as the Roseluck’s flower stand flattened underhoof, crushing her entire flower stock without care.

“What is this madness?” Corona said, flying high before she suffered a similar fate. Much to Representative Trixie’s horror, she saw her mentor fall under the countless hooves, unable to fly free in time. Much to her relief, however, when a sparking red mist flew free of the stampede, reforming back into her mentor.

“Oh…” Representative Trixie cursed, stuck alone and helpless against the charging, deadly bovines.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you!” A figure bounced from the sky and ripped her from the ground before she got crushed. Captain Cosmos lifted her and Humility high in the air, some strange coiled springs attached to her hooves.

“You have got to be kidding me! Just die already!” The trio of Trixies yelped in fright as Antithesis shot bolts of black energy in their direction. The edges of Representative Trixie’s mane sizzled as a stray bolt struck it. But Captain Cosmos was quick on the uptake, diving through a shop window and taking cover inside. Representative Trixie winced as glass scattered everywhere as the superhero destroyed the window, but thankfully nopony got cut to shreds.

“Don’t think you can escape! Cows this way!” Antithesis yelled.

Much to Representative Trixie’s horror, the stampede had pivoted in her direction.

“Fowl creature, are you behind my sister’s madness?” Corona said, her mane flaring with her anger. Antithesis yelped in fright as a barrage of fireballs exploded in her direction, realizing she might have enraged the wrong pony. The fire caused considerable collateral damage, but the Tyrant Sun didn’t care, having only eyes for the hated fake pony.

“I’m afraid I can’t allow you to harm my associate.” A voice said.

“What?” Corona whined in surprise as a hoof punched her in the face, staggering her with a shocking amount of power. To Representative Trixie’s shock, it was the Goddess of Mischief herself.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for many centuries! It delights me to see you so fallen, mother.” Trixie Celestiamaden said, beaming.

“Mother?” Corona replied, still reeling from the unexpected punch.

“You aren’t her, obviously, but close enough.” Trixie Celestiamaden said, struggling.

“What the heck are you doing?” Representative Trixie said, outraged by this sudden betrayal.

“Your cause was doomed, so I picked the winning side!” The traitorous Trixie said.

“You!” Representative Trixie seethed, almost too furious to notice the hundreds of deadly bovines charging in her direction. But Trixie Celestiamaden only ignored her, engaging Corona in a game of cat and mouse.

“I don’t know what you are, other Trixie, but I won’t allow you to stand in my way.” Corona unleashed a barrage of fireballs in the traitor’s direction. The so-called goddess burst into flames, but faded into mist moments later. Corona stared wide-eyed in amazement, shocked anypony could create an illusion capable of fooling an alicorn, reeling as Trixie Celestiamaden threw an apple into her face.

“Hold on.” Captain Cosmos grabbed Representative Trixie again, leaping high before the storefront suffered the same fate as the flower pony’s unfortunate stand. Humility mustered enough strength to fly away. Unfortunately, Luna was there to greet them in the air.

“I tire of this game, my student. I will ask one final time, forgo this foalishness, and flee with me to safety. You don’t need to die with the rest of Equestria.”

Punctuating the princess’s words was the moon hanging high above their head. It was impossibly large and round, close enough to touch. The ground rumbled, the force of having the moon so close to the planet causing a violent reaction. It wouldn’t be long until it crashed into the planet, destroying everything Representative Trixie loved.

“You know I can’t,” Representative Trixie said, landing on a nearby roof, safe from the charging bovines. She only hoped the others were safe. Humanity and Captain Cosmos joined her, ready to fight to the bitter end.

“Then I will make this quick.” The Bloody Mare said, her voice resigned. “It’s soon getting to a point where even I won’t be able to escape in time.”

The rumbling continued, making standing difficult. But Representative Trixie didn’t dare falter, not with Equestria on the line. She would save her mentor!

“Be ready, Twilight!” Representative Trixie said before charging. The other Trixies joined her, adding to the mess of Trixie and confusion. She separated into three Trixies, each attacking from a different direction.

“Such tricks won’t work, my student. I can see through your illusions.” Luna said, batting Representative Trixie across the head with a hoof.

Much to her shock, who she hit wasn’t her student. The subtle illusion faded, revealing a different pony posing as Representative Trixie. Humility took the blow like a champ, smiling through her pain. She jabbed her horn hard into Luna’s chest, drawing a speck of crimson. Humility spread her hidden wings out wide, unleashing every bit of magical might.

“Gah!” The Bloody Mare howled as dozens of stunning spells struck her at once, her body going rigid like a statue. Captain Cosmos leaped from another illusionary Trixie, using her grappling hook’s rope to tie the princess up in restraints tough enough that even an alicorn would be tough-pressed to free herself.

“Nice going.” Representative Trixie said, genuinely impressed.

“I’ve tied up worse.” Captain Cosmos replied.

“Finally.” Humility said, her body sagging, feeling the ill effects of using so much magic at once. She was at a real risk of overcharging her magic. “Let’s get her to the Goddess quick.”

“Never!” Antithesis said, blocking their path. Behind her, the cows continued to rampage, some even drawn by the anti-pony to join the conflict. “This is where you die, Trixie.”

“Foalish mare! Do you realize you fight me to your doom?” Corona said, still fighting off the Goddess of Mischief. Much to Trixie’s amazement, the mare’s illusions continued to confound the alicorn. No extra tricks are required.

“Quit now? When I’m having so much fun?” The so-called goddess replied, beaming. She suddenly turned in Antithesis’s direction. “Wait, you still haven’t finished them? What are you waiting for?”

“I’m getting to it!” Antithesis said, snarling back, teeth-baring in frustration. But this had been a mistake. The anti-pony howled in pain as a piece of cobblestone stuck into her temple. She wobbled from the strength of the blow. “You! I’m going to kill you!”

“Yes, I believe we’ve already established that.” Representative Trixie said wryly.

“I’m going to enjoy this,” Antithesis said, three cows gathering behind her. Their eyes glowed redder, eager to pound a certain Night Court representative to paste.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” Captain Cosmos said, taking a protective stance. Humility sat next to Luna, too drained to be of much help.

“Thanks.”

With a snort of hot breath, all three cows charged. Representative Trixie’s feared they’d trample her mentor and Humility if she didn’t do something. Antithesis stood back, amused by her enemy’s desperate attempt to save her mentor.

Gears in her head racing, Representative Trixie summoned an illusionary red cape to draw a cow’s attention. One reacted immediately, instinctually drawn by the provoking movement. It, unfortunately, had the other benefit of having the cow charge right at her. Representative Trixie fled for her life, pushing her legs past the breaking point.

Thankfully, Captain Cosmos lured the other pair into each other’s path. They slammed their heads together, staggering them both. Before they could recover, Captain Cosmos toppled them both with a sudden rushing charge into their barrel. That left Representative Trixie alone with her opponent.

But Representative Trixie was ready, using an illusion to trick the cow into colliding with a waiting lamppost, staggering her.

“You’re really annoying me, you know that,” Antithesis said, fuming. “Why can’t you die already, like a good little pony?”

“Because good never surrenders, villain.” Captain Cosmos replied.

“Please.” Antithesis rolled her eyes before shooting a black bolt into the superhero’s chest. The mare collapsed, grasping her heart in painful gasps. “This isn’t a fairy tale. Here, heroes die.”

“Captain Cosmos.” Representative Trixie said, gritting her teeth.

“You know what? I could summon more cows to help me. But nah, I’ll let them rampage around town. I’d fight you alone, mano a mano. Ripping you apart with my bare hooves sounds much for fun!” Antithesis said.

“Then bring it!” Representative Trixie said, all false bravado. They both knew the chances of an already exhausted Trixie versus this monster. The ground rumbled as the moon encroached even closer, marking their doom in dozens of minutes at most.

The pair circled each other, Representative Trixie wearily watching her opponent. Antithesis gloated, convinced she’d triumph with ease. As they stalked each other, Representative Trixie spotted Twilight Sparkle hiding behind a destroyed storefront, trying to sneak closer. Representative Trixie, of course, pretended not to notice, keeping her opponent’s attention only on her. The ground rumbled again, making it feel like the moon was tearing the entire planet apart.

“Look at you, the Great and Powerful Trixie, so tiny, small, and insignificant, crushed under my hooves like a bug!” Antithesis said, all confidence.

But Representative Trixie took the insult with a bored yawn. “And what about you? You’re part Trixie. Do you really think your master will tolerate that once everything’s finished?”

“No! I’m too powerful! Too important! He won’t dare!”

“Isn’t Proto akin to a god?” Trixie looked at her hoof, idly examining the dirt in her hoof’s frog. “You’re a disposable tool to him, little more.”

“You!” Blind to her rage, Antithesis leaped on Representative Trixie like a wild animal, saliva dripping from her foaming mouth.

It walked right into Representative Trixie’s trap, who gingerly stepped aside. Antithesis howled in pain as her skull collided with a lamppost hidden by Trixie’s illusion. As powerful as the anti-pony was, she wasn’t very observant, too ruled by emotion.

“I’m going to rip you limb from limb!” Blood dripped from Antithesis’s nose in ugly globules, firing blindly with her magic.

Okay, I got her hopping mad. Now what? Trixie hadn’t exactly planned further from this. Another fierce rumble, and Representative Trixie looked up. She gasped, the moon seeming almost close enough to touch with a hoof. The sky had turned a blood-red, the rumbling increasing by every second. Was this it? Had they finally reached doomsday?

“Dang it.” Antithesis said, swearing under her breath. “Seems I played too long. Oh well, I got my wish. I’ve killed you all. A job well done.”

“Is this where we leave?” Trixie Celestiamaden said, appearing from nowhere, startling them all.

“What happened to your fight with Corona?” Antithesis said after regaining some measure of calm.

“Back here, villain!” Corona’s wrathful voice boomed from across Ponyville, causing some house shingles to fall off. Impossible! She could maintain her illusions at that range?

“Busy.” Trixie Celestiamaden said, smugly.

“You won’t get away with this.” Representative Trixie moved to intervene, but a bolt from Antithesis’s horn drove her back.

“No, it seems like we will. Now, how about that escape route? I guess we have about four minutes until this town gets flattened.” Trixie Celestiamaden said.

“Great plan.” Antithesis swung her hoof, making alien, unfamiliar arcane symbols in the air. A small disc dropped from the sky, landing in her hoof. What was this? Some kinda high-tech wafer?

“Bye, Trixie. I wasn’t nice knowing you.” Before Antithesis could activate the device, a piece of limber stuck the anti-pony across the skull, staggering her. Much to everypony’s shock, it was from Trixie Celestiamaden.

“What are you doing?” Antithesis said, shocked and horrified by the sudden betrayal.

“Betraying you. I couldn’t have gotten this device without you! Thank you!” The Goddess of Mischief said, taking the wafer from the dirt and examining it. Antithesis raved and ranted at the betrayal, but a swift kick to the head knocked her unconscious.

“Whose side are you on?” Representative Trixie said, eying the other Trixie wearily.

“Mine of course, now there’s no point arguing about who betrayed who. We have minutes until total destruction.” After slipping the wafer into a hidden pocket, Trixie Celestiamaden picked up the restrained and struggling Luna like she was dealing with a troublesome foal. “We better get Aunt Luna to Twilight Sparkle and the Goddess before the heavens drop on us!”

“Fine.” Representative Trixie bit back an angry retort. There wasn’t time to argue. Still, she didn’t lessen her guard. The other Trixie was too unpredictable for her liking.

“Trixie.” The twin voices of the Goddess and Twilight said in unison. With her magic, the unicorn was lugging the tank from a hiding spot behind a house. “We’re glad you’re safe.”

Representative Trixie shivered, unnerved by the uncanny way the pair talked out loud and in her head. “Quick, time’s short!.”

“Right.” The joined pair said. Twilight gave traitorous Trixie a suspicious look. “Even with the mind stone, your mind is slippery, Trixie Celestiamaden. We are unsure you can be trusted.”

“I won’t have it any other way. I’d hate to become boring and predictable.” Trixie Celestiamaden said with a smug grin. “But I’m on your side. I’m not a fan of dying in particular.”

“We can discuss this later. Fix Luna!” Representative Trixie said, eyeing the even-closing Luna with palpable dread.

“Very well.” Twilight and the Goddess replied. “Place Luna here. Together, I’m confident we can purge Luna of Antithesis’s taint.”

The bindings were bending under Luna’s squirming and won’t hold her long. Representative Trixie feared they’d break any second. Twilight placed a hoof on the princess’s forehead after Representative Trixie gripped the alicorn’s head firm with her magic.

“Let our mind be your mind. Fear not! We are here to help.” Twilight and the Goddess said. Much to everypony’s relief, the princess calmed down, closing her eyes with a peaceful smile.

“No! Everypony will burn!”

“Look out!”

A black bolt streaked across the sky in Twilight’s direction. With her distracted from the mind meld, she was a sitting duck. Representative Trixie moved to intercede, but her movements seemed like molasses compared to the deadly, lightning-quick beam.

“Gah!” But somepony intervened, and it was nopony anypony had expected.

“I won’t let you doom this world.” Trixie Celestiamaden said, a sickening black scorch mark on her chest. It was like her flesh had aged and decayed to mush in seconds. After giving a brave smile, the Goddess of Mischief collapsed, her brave sacrifice saving everyone.