Crisis of Infinite Trixies

“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.