Out of My Element: Corruption

Chapter 2: Finding the Pieces

Trixie sat in the upper floor of the Prancing Pony Saloon in Dodge Junction. Her room was one of the smaller ones set aside for the saloons showmares. She could see her face reflected in the vanity mirror and it showed the disgust in her heart. She was an Illusionist, she was The Great and Powerful Trixie and if it wasn't for the difference in pay she would be back on a rock farm. At least on the farm it wasn't humiliating. She set her brush down and let her silver-blue hair fall. She looked past her reflection to the wardrobe behind her and the costumes it held.

Dancing in costume on the stage, singing those songs. Why wear the costumes at all, ponies normally wore nothing. Why did she suddenly become an over sexualized object of perverted desire by wearing a few layers of cloth. In her eyes she was just prostituting her body for their eyes and it made little sense but paid well. As she got lost in the reflection and the memories of her shows. One particularly annoying light orange unicorn with a box for a cutie mark stood out, he had never missed one of her shows. He was creepy and a little frightening. It wasn't true fear more a dread of being trapped alone with him in a dark ally.

She was brought back to the present by a loud thump from the room next door. This brought a snarl to her face. The room belonged to two sisters Mandy and Belle. One was a pegasus and the other a unicorn, both were tall and lightly built reminiscent of the Canterlot model Fleur Dis Lee. Every time she saw them Trixie felt disturbed. She was never out of shape but being compared to them didn't help with her image issues.

This was all Twilight's fault, she thought. Then quickly followed it with, No, that's not it. It is Trixie's fault as much as Twilight's. Still despite her knowledge of how she acted, her pride would still occasionally strike. After her last trip to Ponyville and the incident with the Alicorn Amulet her life had become a mess. She knew somewhere inside her that if she went back to Ponyville that she could get help but what remained of her pride wouldn't allow her to take that option.

Another thump from next door followed by a loud scream and silence. Trixie couldn't tell if that scream had been one of pleasure or pain. It could have been either with the side business that the two next door ran. She slowly stood up and walked softly over to the wall listening. She told herself she wasn't interested in the acts of debauchery going on in the room but she needed to know if the two were in trouble.

As she neared the wall she heard a final extremely loud thump. In a loud voice she cautiously asked, "Mandy, Belle are you two alright?"

There was no answer so she backed away from the wall eying the door. If the two were in trouble had she just given herself away? Whatever had attacked them could easily come through that door. Trixie was no weakling she knew that but whatever had caused them to scream could take on a unicorn and a pegasus. On the other hand she could just be playing mind games with herself, they could be busy with other things.

She turned slowly back to the vanity pausing once to ensure that her door was locked. She then sat back down in front of the mirror and began brushing her hair again. As time passed and the cathartic strokes of the brush washed the tension from her mind she began to sing. It was not one of the crude song from her routine but one her mother had taught her as a little filly.

She dropped the brush a let out a little squeak of surprise when she heard applause and a voice from behind. She turned around quickly starting to demand, "Who would intrude on the..." She stopped speaking when her eyes fell on the creature made of mismatched parts. She had never seen Discord before but she knew him by sight. He had made the front page of every paper after breaking free of his prison and almost destroying Equestria. "...on Trixie," she stammered as her body began to rebel against her mind. What was this villain doing here, she wondered as she looked for an exit. Her body shivered as she felt his eyes walk over her and she said a silent thank you that unlike the saloon crowed his eyes left her feeling clean.

"I must say you have a very beautiful voice Trixie," said Discord with a half toothy smile. "I do wonder why a mare of such talent as you is here of all places."

Trixie blinked he was not at all what she expected of an Equestrian super villain, contrary to her expectations he was quite charming. When she finally was able to push answer out past the fear induced shakes she said, "Trixie, I mean, it pays well."

"Ah but you don't enjoy it do you?" he asked resting his chin in his gryphon claw.

She just shook her head and glanced at the door, she might be able to make out of the room but there was nothing nearby that could stop him. "Of course Trixie does not enjoy prancing about for the enjoyment of others," she shot back in a short manner. Two heartbeats latter her eyes widened as she realized the tone she had used and how she sounded. She looked at Discord only to see him smiling and watching her, in response she smiled weakly as well. Her eyes were constantly searching for options and their movements quickened as Discord finally started to move towards her.

"Yes I think you will do fine for my needs," he said with a chuckle as he cornered Trixie. "I think you would be the perfect vessel for Applejack's excess pride."

Trixie let out a scream when he grabbed her by the throat. Her hooves pushed against nothing in their attempts to gain her freedom. As she struggled she felt Discords grip warm her skin. Part of her mind wondered, Applejack's pride, what is he talking about? Before her first thought cleared her mind it was over ridden by a second much louder almost raging thought, How dare he do this to the Great and Powerful Trixie. That part of her mind became louder overpowering her good sense and then she felt something. Something buried deep within her a trace of power that should have been lost.

A red haze floated across her vision and Trixie felt the power take hold. She formed the spell for a bolt of energy in her mind and fired it at the draconequus. She suddenly found herself falling to the floor of her room a wicked smile across her face as the thoughts of revenge against Twilight Sparkle returned. She began to laugh and shortly after began to cough. Her room was on fire, How dare he doge Trixie's blast, she thought. He will be added to our list for that, the princesses as well for letting that creature escape. She stood up and gathered the few possessions she owned before walking calmly from the burning building and out onto the streets.

By the time she was down the blaze had been noticed and the fire brigade was on its way but that was not important to her. What did garner her attention was the two lithe mares that had been her neighbors were on the street as well. She walked over to them and managed to stay unnoticed as she listened in on their conversation.

"I say we go to the south, we will be closer to home and there are towns that we could work at," said the light yellow unicorn with the long brown mane and tail. Her stage name had been Belle.

The other Mandy was a light pink pegasus with a blond mane and tail. The two could have been identical twins except for the color and breed differences. "No I think we should head for Appleloosa. I've never been around a buffalo and would like to meet one."

Appleloosa, the name stuck in Trixie's mind. How did Trixie know that name, she thought. Then it came to her, Appleloosa was home to a relative of one of Sparkle's friends. The hard working farm pony that would always help her friends and family. It felt good that her research of Sparkle and her friends was still useful. An idea formed in her mind and she walked forward towards the two mares, "Ladies Trixie heard you are thinking of heading towards Appleloosa. Trixie is headed that way herself and wouldn't mind you accompanying her."

The two sisters looked at one another then at Trixie. Eventually Belle spoke up, "We were thinking about that. Why do you want to go that way?"

"Trixie has some connections in Appleloosa. The Great and Powerful Trixie will use them to return to her rightful place as a unicorn without equal among the magically gifted."

"Right," replied Mandy her sarcasm as obvious as the fire light dancing across her face. "I have no problem going that way or with accompanying you."

"My only question is who your connections in Appleloosa and if they are cute or not?" added Belle. "No matter what if Mandy is going I will as well. So I guess the answer to the first question is yes. However we were planning on leaving on the train tonight."

"Trixie has no problems with that," answered Trixie with a fake smile. She kept that smile and continued to talk with the two mares but could feel eyes watching her. Occasionally she would look towards the sky but see nothing against the black of night. Other than the few searches of the sky and a few cautious glances at nearby wheels there was nothing that distracted her from the relatively boring conversation.

Above the city of Dodge Junction hovering in the air Discord frowned. They were headed to Appleloosa all three of them. It was odd as that was the last place he had been and dropped off one of the neurosis. He shrugged and flew onward while these four would cause trouble across the south west, eastern Equestria now needed some players. He snapped his fingers and found himself hovering in the sunlight.

Sunlight, he thought. That would only be the case if I was on the far side of the world.  His face fell as he realized what had happened, This is a bother. He looked around a found a delta formation of shapes flying towards him. When he looked closer he saw that it was a flight of gryphons heading in his direction. He smiled and thought, wonderful serendipity what would I do without you, then cleaned his face of any emotion. "Oh no," he announced while overacting he let his arms fall hanging loosely from his shoulders as the gryphons flew up encircling him.

The gryphons flew up and encircled him showing razor claws and he shook his head. It's so sad they used to be such a calm and peaceful race a challenge to manipulate. Now they're aggressive and that aggression made control of them easy, he thought. I guess you change when you lose something that close to your core.

"What is it?" asked one of the Gryphons.

"Don't you read history or at least the news? It's Discord," shouted another.

"Discord, isn't that some statue or something the ponies made," a third added in.

The first one laughed and asked, "So this is a pony trick?"

A fourth one this one female from the sound of her voice shouted for silence and asked, "why have you come here?"

The first one ignored his orders and questioned, "Commander, you're not going to play along with this are you?"

She turned on him and shouted, "Private think carefully before you answer are questioning me?"

The subject for her wraith held his ground and responded, "The ponies know you were educated in their lands. Why else would they send this creature here of all places."

The commander shook with rage, "You think I am being used? I cut my ties to everyone, every friend I ever made there. They ignored my farewell, humiliated me, and laughed behind my back as I left. I have no love for them."

Discord smiled as he watched the display and an idea formed in his mind as he spoke, "I am not an ally of Equestria in fact once they learn of my actions today I suspect I will be imprisoned again. May I ask your name commander?"

The commander turned to look at the hovering draconequus, "Why should I tell you? From what I remember you are an element of chaos always trying to cause trouble."

"Now, now don't be like that. You know my name the least you could do for civilized conversation is inform me of yours," he answered turning up the charisma.

She grumbled and grudgingly said, "My name and title is Commander Gilda, and I am placing you under arrest."

"Well Commander Gilda what if I was able to give you power to take your revenge for that humiliation?" asked Discord while lifting one finger to his face in a thoughtful expression. "Think that would be enjoyable?"

Her piercing stare struck Discord as almost threatening as she spoke slowly, "First I don't need your help taking my revenge on the ponies that stole my best friend and second I said you are under arrest."

Discord snapped his fingers and appeared next to her one elbow resting on her head, "Well despite all that I'm not ready to be imprisoned. I would think it would be more interesting to watch you take your revenge so how about some extra rage courtesy of kindness?" He felt his elbow warm as he pushed a neurosis into the mind of the gryphon. He smiled still charismatic as he wave his free hand in front of her face and then disappeared.

"Commander?" asked the first gryphon.

"You were right," hissed Gilda. "They are trying to use my connections to them against me and for that I will prove them wrong." She was silent for a moment before continuing, "Return to base and pack for an extended mission, they all are going to pay for playing me."

"Yes ma'am," returned the gryphon flight and most of the flew away back to base.

"Commander, is taking a military unit into another country the best idea? I mean," started the first one but he stopped when she turned on him.

"Sergeant what is your name?" she asked.

"Graham, and I'm only a Private ma'am," he replied.

"You're a Sergeant now. You ask good questions and if you ask any more questions you'll get another promotion," the commander said with a wicked grin. “Just remember commanders lead from the front in the expeditionary force.” Gilda then turned and flew back the direction she had come leaving the bewildered Sargent behind.

Discord watched this from above spying over the edge of a cloud with stifled laughter. What luck was it for him to find one being that harbored a grudge against a specific pony and now one another that held a grudge against all of them. Pure serendipity the essence of positive chaos. He chuckled softly as the newly promoted and very confused gryphon slowly flew off following the commander. Discord then looked to the north west in the direction that he had to travel. Of course he could teleport to his next target but he might also end up further away, that would be a hassle and he was feeling a little slothful at the moment. The idea that Star Swirl had given him about the dragon in the Everfree was intriguing though.

He shifted to laying on his back and grabbed his tail twisting the end then tossing it over the side of the cloud. It spun rapidly unwinding and he relaxed as it pushed him leisurely out over the ocean and back towards Equestria.