Blue, part two: A shattered country

Rainbow felt weird, as if she was turned inside-out. Then, with an audible 'pop,' she reappeared in reality. The spell seemed to extend to the two changelings – who were now staring at the unfamiliar landscape. Before anyone could get a word in, Soarin let out a groan.

"Okay, I'm not really known for my rebellion against authority, but what the flying fuck, Princess?! What the hell was that?! If you had that much power, why didn't you do something? Why stand aside and wait for things to get even worse?!"

He turned to oppose the alicorn, who said nothing. Rainbow put one of her hooves on his shoulders.

"Calm down, Soarin! I'm sure there is an explanation!"

"If so, I'd really like to hear it."

He was narrowing his eyes as he spoke. Rainbow was watching him intently, to catch any sight of him trying to jump the Princess, when she heard Trixie whisper, "Why this place?"

Luna sighed.

"It is indeed a conundrum I find myself in. While the spell is powerful, it has its limits. This is a very specialised type of magic, devised by the Keeper of Old, Eternus. It targets those who view the caster as an enemy. Now, let us suppose I cast this during the changeling invasion, ignoring the fact that I was still recharging my power from having the Nightmare ripped from me. What do you think would have happened?"

Everypony went silent. Shining was the one to break it.

"I... I think half of Canterlot would've died, too."

Luna nodded grimly.

"Precisely. My exile took something most precious to me: the trust of my subjects. How could I protect those who wish to see me gone?"

"Okay, that's that," said Soarin, his voice softening a bit, "but that doesn't explain why you didn't use any of your power to find the one that's been throwing the country into chaos!"

Luna stomped, causing him to reel back.

"Have you not listened to me? Casting the Perfect Memory spell on Rarity would have revealed everything... but the killer was ready. I suppose I could have taken matters into my own hooves. So could my sister, too. What would we have achieved with that? I let her 'banish' me for the same reason – if Celestia of all ponies lose their credibility, the country would fall into further chaos. You have seen chaos." She sighed, turning her gaze downwards. "I am not all-knowing, I am not all-powerful... But I try. And try. I will continue to keep on trying even if the whole world despises me. I owe it to my people. To my sister. To myself."

She took a step back, and rubbed her face.

"I... I think I need a short break. Ten or so minutes will suffice."

The ponies nodded, and Luna lied down under an oak tree. Their group soon broke up into smaller groups; Vinyl and the changelings, Rainbow, Fancypants and Soarin, and finally, Shining, who was slowly walking towards Trixie. She paid no attention to him; instead, she focused on a tree indistinguishable from any other tree. No... Upon closer inspection, Shining could see the little differences. Colour, shape... the tree was just a bit different than the others... and it had a hole.

"Important place?" he asked. Trixie nodded.

"Sort of. Another glorious reminder of a stupid decision."

Shining waited politely, but she didn't continue. She looked up to him instead, and asked, "Do you have keepsakes from your parents or grandparents?"

Shining tapped his chin.

"I... don't think so. Despite going to the Crystal Empire so many times, I always had time to check up on my parents. At least once a month. There wasn't really a need for keepsakes... Also, my grandparents died before I was born, so nothing could really make me remember them."

Trixie's eyes looked distant.

"I once had a pendant. My mother gave it to me for one of my birthdays. I can't remember for my life which one, though. I had it on me when I ran away. Somehow, I thought it would be a good idea to hide it here, in this very tree. I put it in the hole, made sure it wasn't visible from ground level, and left. Years later, when I heard about my parents' suicide, I returned... but it was gone. Along with my home, my family, and my past."

Shining gently nuzzled her.

"I'm sorry."

Trixie shrugged.

"Don't be. It's an old story, and I am over it."

She watched as he slowly retreated to the laying form of the Princess.

"I have other things on my mind," she whispered.

Ten minutes became twenty, and twenty became fourty. They realised that time was pressing if they wanted to hide; sunlight was only a few hours away. Fortunately Trixie still remembered the unused back alleys and the hidden shortcuts of Trottingham; they succesfully infiltrated the town without drawing any attention.

Their trek ended before a vacant lot; it was fenced off, but didn't contain anything apart from weeds and a dried-out tree. Luna stared intently at a point on the pavement.

"Impressive," she murmured. "You can barely feel the enchantment."

Rainbow followed her gaze, and saw... something. The pattern on the ground was distorted in a line, the two sides differing subtly from each other.

"Here goes nothing," Trixie said, activating her magic. Instead of a big wave, small threads of pink extended from her horn, going in a straight line... and at the same time, seemingly enveloping something. The threads branched further and further, magic nearly tasteable in the air—

—Only to disappear a moment later, leaving only an afterimage. Rainbow opened her mouth to speak—

—Before her eyes nearly imploded while trying to follow the extending sides of the line that suddenly became a square. What remained was a manor nearly as large as the ruined castle in the Everfree; giving off an ancient vibe similar to the former, too. It wasn't menacing,it was more like... proud. Rainbow felt that the message the architect wanted to convey was 'I'm here. I will not be forced to move. Come, if you think otherwise.'

Trixie was already trotting on the stone path when the novelty of the phenomenon wore off. They all marched inside, and when the last pony stepped inside the lot's border, Rainbow felt a tug in her stomach. She looked back, but nothing changed that she could discern.

The door had seen better days; the metalwork on the knob started to rust, and the wood was starting to look discoloured. Nevertheless, it opened without a sound.

The interior of the house was overwhelming. Nearly every surface was covered with wood, from the shoeracks to the walls. In stark contrast to the aforementioned door, everything seemed... perfect. Too perfect, in fact. Not a single speck of dust was to be found anywhere; the garderobe was stacked with clean and new-looking clothes, and there were candles, matches, and lamps placed conveniently everywhere.

"Uh, Trixie?" Rainbow shivered a little. "You sure that the place has been deserted?"

Trixie nodded.

"Yes. Locking charm was in place, illusion wasn't dispelled." She made a grandiose gesture. "Welcome to manor Lunamoon."

Rainbow still wasn't convinced.

"Yeah," she said, "I know you think nopony's been here, but look around! Hay, it's cleaner than my house, and that's cloud! It literally doesn't need cleaning!"

"There's a simple explanation for that," Trixie said. "We once had a maid, a unicorn, who was very talented in cleaning. One day, she went to my father, and told him she figured out a way to keep dust off surfaces. It turned out that she made a spell that would do just that. Indefinitely."

"So what did your father do?" Rainbow asked.

"Well, first he had her cast the spell everywhere in the house. Then he sacked all of our maids. Then he hired the maid as a private tutor in magic for me. With double the salary."

"That's... um..."

"Cold, but practical?" Trixie offered. Rainbow nodded half-heartedly.

The layout of the mansion wasn't too complicated. On the ground floor, servant quarters were on the left. Kitchen and dining room was on the right. A staircase lead from the entrance to the first floor, with a study facing the stairs. On the left, there were the bedrooms, and on the right, a grandiose living room. Trixie even showed them a half-hidden set of stairs, which led up to an observatory of sorts.

As the others were exploring the mansion, Trixie found herself in front of her father's study. Even after so many years, she hesitated to go in.

"It won't be better if you won't go in," a voice said from behind her. She spun around, and saw Rainbow and Shining.

"Maybe. I don't know. It would be like him to leave a message. Then again, why would he expect anypony to find the house?"

"Just go in," Rainbow nudged her. Trixie didn't budge.

"I'm afraid."

"Of what?" Shining asked. "I remember you pushing me to face my sorrow not that long ago. There's nothing in there that could make it worse."

"Oh, I have a few ideas," Trixie murmured. Nevertheless, she opened the door.

As soon as she set a hoof inside, Rainbow understood why Trixie disliked that place. While it wasn't cramped, the desk completely dominated the room. It was the type of desk that reminded Rainbow of her principal's, back in her high school days. The window was painted glass; it depicted a scene where Nightmare Moon and Celestia battled. By the looks of it, the artist viewed Celestia as some kind of monster; her features were much cruder than Nightmare Moon's, and her expression... well, let's just say Rainbow felt lunch could wait a little more.

Shining looked at the couches with a puzzled expression, while Trixie glanced around.

"This didn't change a bit," she said, kicking at the ground half-heartedly. "Seems like there are things that even death can't change."

She trotted over to the desk, brushing a hoof along it's side... then freezing when she noticed a letter primly placed on top of it. Only two words were written on the slightly yellow envelope.

To Beatrix

"So, what is—" said Rainbow, turning towards Trixie, "—that you're holding?"

"A letter," said Trixie hesitantly. "I... Should I?"

"It would be pointless not to, after coming this far," Shining pointed out. Trixie nodded nearly imperceptibly, and ripped the envelope open. She unfolded the letter, and began reading.

My dearest daughter Beatrix,

I cannot know for certain, but do hope that my letter finds you. By the time you are reading this... I suppose not only will you be alone, but resenting us for our choice.

I am sorry. You know that when I wrote this, I meant these words. You know me. And, at the same time, it seems that I do not know myself, or you.

You probably wonder about the reason. The reason we left you alone in the world. Certainly, the truth that what we worshipped was not the benefactor of our clan, but a monster twisting the will of the same was a revelation that nearly drove us to insanity. But the true horror came after the realisation: what our clan did from times of old was tarnishing our own name by aiding the cause of a revenant. A spectre of destruction.

Your mother died of a heart attack when she fully understood the consequences of all this. As I write this letter, her body lay upon the cold floor—for when I am finished, I shall join her soon. When I look back, the things I left you so far were unpleasant memories, and a tarnished name. I do realise that me leaving this world will probably cause pain to you again, but life has nothing left for me. My beliefs were shattered, my beloved wife has died, and most of all, in my hubris, I let you roam the world alone, thinking that you would return after you see how wrong you were.

But I was the one at fault. I cannot undo any of it, but I apologise. I apologise for all the times I forced on you my way of thinking, without listening to you. I apologise for criticising your choice of friends, and your dreams. I am sorry for sounding like I favoured your cousin over you.

I am sorry that I never told you that I loved you. I wish there was a time and a place to tell you this, but there isn't. I cannot make it up to you, but I can at least make your life easier. In the top drawer you will find my last will and testament, with four copies deposited in places noted within it.

The thought that you might never find this letter came to my mind. But I believe that you are smart, and find this letter. And should something befall you before you could do that... we will be waiting in whatever comes after.

Stay strong. Never compromise who you are. Make it so that you will be remembered for your own deeds, rather than our dirty name.

Farewell,

Aleister Lunamoon

To Rainbow and Shining, the only thing they could perceive was Trixie's back slightly trembling. Only when they stepped beside her could they see the tears. Shining took the letter from the responseless mare, and read it, with Rainbow struggling to see the words over his shoulder. When they looked up, Trixie was still staring at the floor.

"It's not fair," she suddenly spoke up. "He should have written a boasting letter about reuniting with the Nightmare in hell...Not this. Not this."

Her eye and muzzle were twitching slightly. Rainbow silently floated over her, and embraced her. After a moment's hesitation, Shining did so, too.

It felt like ages, but the trembling finally stopped. Trixie looked normal – if tired – and took a deep breath.

But no words came out. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but no words left her lips. Finally, she gestured to herself, then to the door.

"Now what?" Rainbow said as the sound of Trixie's hoofsteps died out. Shining neatly folded the letter, and put it in a drawer.

"Nothing," he said. "Let her have a moments rest."

"Then we'd better tell the others not to disturb her," said Rainbow with a sigh.

Vinyl peered inside the room. Nothing special could have been said about it, yet it was one of the most important places in the mansion.

It was Trixie's room.

Vinyl pondered how to approach her sullen compnion, but then shrugged, and stepped inside loudly.

"Hey, can I have your parents' room?" she said in a nonchalant tone. Trixie's head immediately popped up from her bedsheets.

"What," she said, more than asked.

"Well, at least you're up, dudette," Vinyl said with a grin. Trixie let her head drop back on to her pillow.

"What is it, Vinyl?" she said softly.

"Nothin' much. Thought I would check on you, I mean, you were gone, for at least two hours."

"Was I?" Trixie stared at the ceiling absent-mindedly. "But of course, what else would I do, but cause trouble for others? I'm sure Luna is eager to discuss a strategy, or two."

"Oh come on, it's not like that. We were worried about you. And I'm pretty sure she only came up with half a strategy."

"I don't know, Vinyl. All my life I've lived with the burden of being hated, but now, I have to live with somepony actually caring for me. It's worse. At least you don't have to be afraid of disappointing those who hate you."

Vinyl rolled her eyes.

"Well, you won't make things better by mopin' around, would you, dudette?"

"That depends," said Trixie, "is there anything I can screw up in a ten-mile radius?"

"I dunno about up, but there are three things I could list off the top of my head that need screwing. Although one might be taken already."

Trixie snorted half-heartedly, but gave a meaningful smile to Vinyl.

"Thanks. I mean, trying to cheer me up."

Vinyl stared for a long moment, but then plopped down on the end of the bed.

"Don't mention it. I don't like seeing ponies around me unhappy. Why do you think I became a musician?"

"Ungodly amount of bits, if fame hits in?" Trixie suggested. Vinyl laughed, then shook her head.

"Well, yeah, that's a bonus, but no. I was... like those dudes and dudettes, who accepted my proposition to do a joint performance. I mean, you couldn't tell if it would be popular, or a total bust. If they only cared about money, they surely wouldn't have agreed. But they did. And for a whole of ten minutes, I lived my dream. I was in the presence of the greatest, and they accepted me."

"Greatest? Sure, I remember you mentioning Octavia, but, um, the others weren't as famous, were they?"

Vinyl simply shrugged.

"To the common pony, maybe not. But take Lyra Heartstrings for example. She invented a new type of lacquer that preserved instruments better, and yet had no effect on their produced sounds. I heard she lived off it's royalties."

"Lacquer?" Trixie asked, shooting up an eyebrow.

"Dope? Enamel? Varnish?"

"Oh, varnish," Trixie nodded sagely. Vinyl grinned a little.

"I figured a nob like you would know the word dudette, but seems like I was wrong."

Trixie huffed with indignation.

"I'll let you know that I'm as amusical as it can be. I once broke a tuba by accident."

The giggle that followed completely destroyed the tension that the ex-showmare had. She took a deep breath.

"All right, all right, I get it. I'll be down in a few minutes, and we can talk about our situation."

"Actually, we were just going to have dinner. Buuuut, if you insist..."

"Ah, go away!" Trixie said, sticking out her tongue. As Vinyl left, a thought started to form in her mind. An idea about binding spells, and a way to uplift Vinyl's spirit, and fighting capabilities at the same time.

It was about time she did something for the others, too.