Great and Powerful Trixie in the Exordium under the Pyramids | MLP FIM

Beneath the snow-capped peaks that caress a clear sky, the majestic figure of a bird emerges amidst the dense clouds surrounding them. It is a colossal creature, with wings so vast they resemble the outstretched arms of a giant; when it beats them, it rends the clouds and scatters them in whirlwinds that disappear into the white horizon.

Despite its gigantic size, impossible for any other bird, the shapes of its talons and beak reveal its true identity. It is an eagle. It is Londrinel, silver-breasted, messenger of the giant eagles, returning from a mission.

Soaring over glaciers and snow-covered mountains, Londrinel continues his flight over a sea of clouds, a realm of whiteness and stillness. Flying straight ahead, he glimpses in the distance some bluish and purple rocky peaks that jut out like castles floating in the sky. It is then that Londrinel changes his flight; his wing beats become more measured as he ascends even higher above the clouds, marking his figure against a perfect blue sky.

Within minutes, Londrinel stops his ascent and dives toward the peaks that few mortals have ever reached. These unique rock formations are known as the Amethyst Range, home of the giant eagles and, of course, Londrinel himself.

Ignoring the gazes of his eagle brethren who watch from the colossal granite towers, Londrinel continues his descent towards the base of the largest tower, spreading his enormous wings to catch the air around him. He slows his fall until he finally lands on a vast rocky bay at the foot of the great tower.

Londrinel ends his flight and is greeted by other eagles like himself, maintaining a respectful distance and being watched by the sharp eyes of the guards. After a brief inspection, they open the way, and Londrinel continues on, hopping up the steps of the long spiral staircase that encircles the great granite tower.

In a hurry, Londrinel follows his route without flying. An unusual behavior for those powerful birds that rule the skies. Nevertheless, Londrinel does not feel ashamed of walking; on the contrary, with each step he takes, his respect for this place increases. This great tower is sacred to all eagles, a place that only one of them can reach by flying. It is this great eagle that Londrinel seeks to present himself to.

Finally, the steps of the staircase end, and a vast space opens before him. It is the peak of peaks, the highest summit in the entire Amethyst Range, the highest point on the continent. The ground is as white as snow, without any decorations or rocks serving as seats. Everything is perfectly flat, as if a sword had sliced through the rock itself. This is the celestial roof, the "white nest," the throne of the ruler of these peaks.

Before Londrinel's sharp gaze stands the king of the eagles. There is Thargodal. Barely noticing his imposing silhouette, Londrinel rushes toward his king and bows his head until his beak touches the ground, showing his respect to his ruler.

However, Thargodal, who had been gazing at the horizon, does not turn to look at him. Only a whistle, alien to the wind, whispers in response. Londrinel understands this signal and immediately reports on his mission. In a language incomprehensible to any creature other than an eagle, Londrinel informs his king of everything he has seen on his journey. He has flown over valleys and beaches, cities and towns, rivers and deserts. He has flown across the entire continent, yet has not found what his king asked him to find.

There is no trace of darkness in the land. Of course, there are individuals causing conflicts and unnamed creatures lurking in the unexplored forests, but none of these presences are unknown to the eagles; they see everything. Always vigilant, the eagles are the guardians of peace on the continent.

King Thargodal knows this, for it is his will. So, Londrinel wonders: Why did his king ask him for something like this? Thargodal, being the most exceptional among his kind, whose sight is so profound it can pierce clouds and rocks. It is even said that he can see the future. The king himself, from his white throne, should be able to see everything. But to Londrinel's doubts, there is no answer. His king remains silent.

Thargodal does not focus on his subject but on the distant horizon. A fear grows in his heart. Born from a recurring dream, a dark vision disturbs the monarch's peace. Thargodal, who has lived longer than any of his subjects, senses the approaching darkness, perceives the danger, but hidden in shadows, he cannot see the complete image of the threat.

Days pass, and the distant vision becomes more unsettling, clearer. Thargodal feels his time is running out. The noon of the longest day had arrived, and it was today. The image was almost complete. Yet, despite Thargodal's exhaustive vigilance, no sign of danger had manifested on the land. He feared the worst: that the impending disaster was inevitable.

Thargodal loved peace, loved the peace of his people more than anything. He was willing to do anything to protect them. However, he could not alarm his subjects without reason. Fear should not rule his people, but order. Thus, as Thargodal kept his back to Londrinel, these deliberations took place within him.

Suddenly, something unexpected happened. In response to the king's thoughts, a call echoed through the sky. It spread like lightning and was heard by all the eagles. It came from the distant surface and ascended to Thargodal's white throne. Londrinel heard it and raised his head, confused. King Thargodal also heard it and immediately fixed his gaze in the direction of the call's origin. The king's gaze pierced through clouds, mountains, and more material obstacles, wandering across the continent until it reached the distant land ruled by ponies. There, he observed the small creature making the call, saw what had happened, was happening, and could happen in that place. Then, Thargodal knew what he had to do next.

He spread his wings and let out a powerful cry from his throne. Londrinel was taken aback by this sudden change, but his astonishment did not last long. His king turned and looked at him sternly, without any trace of doubt, crowned by the dew of starlight and the brilliance of noon, Thargodal spoke to him.

The new orders that came to him were clear and undeniable. "All eagles must gather immediately. Midnight is approaching..."

//--------

In the surroundings of Twilight's castle...

Sunburst trotted slowly along the path, with papers floating around him as he carefully reviewed the school budget plans for the new academic period.

"...if we reduce the number of school trips in the first quarter and focus on localized social works in a single city, we may be able to save enough funds to finance the expenses for repairs in the bio-garden. On the other hand, we could request a loan from the city council, but the interest rate is too high when it comes to repairs. If it were a completely new construction, we could get a payment plan for up to 10 years..."

There was no one accompanying Sunburst, so he found himself "conversing" alone, as was customary for those who knew him. However, his ability to read multiple documents without averting his gaze, while in motion, was astonishing.

The carefree unicorn continued his walk along the path. He was heading to meet Starlight, as he had a meeting with her in the afternoon. Although these meetings outside of school usually dealt with everyday matters, this time it would have to touch on "very serious academic matters," such as the "terrible fact" that the order of the annexes of the school budget for the next period did not match the index of the printed document, or the "puzzling case" that the funding proposals had much less detailed graphs than expected.

These findings had worried Sunburst, who constantly reviewed Starlight's work. If Twilight were here, she would surely firmly support that conviction. Although, considering how festive the day was, it might be deemed untimely...

"...perhaps I should ask Starlight to review the school budget again tomorrow. I don't think it's right like this..."

Sunburst stopped halfway through his musings. His ability to walk while reading alerted him to an obstacle ahead.

As he looked up, he found something "unexpected." A little further ahead was the castle, protected by the magical barrier in case of attack. Outside the barrier was Trixie's trailer and a gray-coated pegasus.

Puzzled by what might be happening, Sunburst quickened his pace.

"What's happening?" Sunburst asked as he approached the trailer.

The pegasus, who until that moment seemed to be happily humming some song, quickly turned around.

"Oh, Mr. Sunburst, what a pleasure to see you! Don't worry, everything is under control now. The last orchid-octopus in Ponyville has already been captured and completely isolated," replied Derpy Hooves with her familiar carefree tone and absent-minded gaze.

"An orchid-octopus? Here!" Sunburst responded, alarmed.

"Yes, right here!" replied Derpy proudly, showing the large jar directly in Sunburst's face.

Horror greeted him. A fierce orchid-octopus charged against the glass wall of the jar where it was imprisoned. Although it didn't break it, the impression of this act, being so close to Sunburst, made the unicorn let out a choked cry and fall backward, startled.

"No, no, calm down. You don't have to be afraid. Ponies are your friends. We're going to take you and the others to a new and wonderful home..." whispered Derpy to the imprisoned orchid-octopus. A moment later, she began to sway the jar in her arms and hum a lullaby.

Observing this unsettling scene, Sunburst got up from the ground still shivering down his spine. He was beginning to have an idea of what had happened, but... Why was Trixie's trailer parked there?

Before he could formulate a new question to the distracted pegasus, a strange noise caught his attention not far from him.

Just a few steps away was a strange blue lump also swaying. He hadn't noticed it before because he thought it was a garbage bag from how dirty it looked. But now that he had it closer, he began to notice that it had the shape of an animal... or rather that of a pony.

Perhaps drawn by the fascination of danger, Sunburst moved toward the mysterious lump. The closer he got, the more he began to sense that he was approaching something very dangerous.

"That can't be happening... That can't be happening... That can't be happening..." murmured the voice coming from the lump.

Sunburst froze upon recognizing the voice of the pony whispering. He didn't believe it could be her given her appearance, but his senses weren't deceiving him. Aware of the potential danger, he began to step back, trying not to draw attention.

But it wasn't soon enough. One of the pony's ears twitched, alerting her to Sunburst's presence.

A startled Sunburst watched as Trixie's head slowly turned towards him, with eyes so wide it hurt just to see them. Trixie immediately recognized Sunburst.

"SUNBURST!" Trixie yelled in a shriek before quickly rushing towards him. "Dear friend, how glad I am to see you here! Have I mentioned how much Starlight values you? I value you too. You're a very intelligent pony! And that's why I was wondering... Do you know how to destroy the castle's magical barrier?"

Sunburst didn't know what to respond. Trixie had approached him and asked him with a sweetened tone of voice and a flirtatious attitude. However, this contrasted with her downtrodden figure: with dark circles under her eyes, her mane in a mess, and a breath smelling of fermented cider emanating from her.

"Uhmm, Trixie, it's unexpected to have you here... but, uh..." Sunburst responded haltingly, trying to avert his gaze from Trixie. The unicorn had an unsettling ear-to-ear smile. "...I think it's simply impossible to break the barrier because..."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Trixie exploded furiously in a scream, making Sunburst jump back in shock. "DON'T TELL ME IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, I JUST SAW IT A WHILE AGO!"

"Saw it? Wait... you're saying you saw how the magical barrier was destroyed?" Sunburst asked, surprised.

"NO, I JUST SAW IT, I WAS THE ONE WHO ORDERED IT, IT WAS MY ILLUSIONS THAT BROKE THE BARRIER! AND EVERYTHING WAS GOING FINE UNTIL THAT DEMONIC MANTICORE APPEARED AND RUINED EVERYTHING... I was so close to entering the castle..." Trixie's voice started to break, and tears began to stream from her eyes; it seemed like she was no longer speaking to him.

Sunburst didn't understand anything Trixie was saying. Seeking help, he looked at the other pony who was there.

"Hooo, hooo, I saw everything, the manticore started dancing with her, it was very funny!" Derpy laughed, stretching her wings.

Sunburst was now more confused than before.

"Uhhmm, Trixie, I'm really not sure what's going on here... maybe you should calm down a bit first and tell me..."

"CALM DOWN?! HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO CALM DOWN?" Trixie exploded. "STARLIGHT IS IN THERE ABOUT TO MAKE THE WORST DECISION OF HER LIFE BECAUSE OF ME, AND YOU ASK ME TO CALM DOWN!"

Sunburst, again confused, turned his gaze back to Derpy, but this time the pegasus just shrugged.

Noticing Sunburst's confusion, Trixie's expression suddenly turned more bitter.

"HOOO, I SEE, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, YOU THINK TRIXIE IS MAKING UP EVERYTHING SHE SAYS, RIGHT?" the unicorn continued, now with a rage-filled gaze. "SO THIS IS WHAT YOU REALLY THINK OF ME, SUNBURST, WELL! I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE CAN SAVE HER BEST FRIEND ON HER OWN!"

With fury, Trixie retreated to her trailer, while a loud crash was heard from inside, followed by objects flying through the air.

Sunburst, still shaken by Trixie's state, began to distance himself further from the trailer. For a moment, he thought about going back home, but he stopped. He couldn't leave things as they were, besides, he didn't know what could be happening inside the castle for Starlight not to have noticed what was going on outside.

"How long has the barrier been active?" Sunburst asked the pegasus who was playing with her jar, sitting next to the magical barrier.

"Ummm, I think it's been about 5 minutes..." Derpy responded, somewhat pensive.

"5 minutes?!"

"Or it could have been 50... I'm not really sure, it went off and then turned on again a little while ago, just after the manticore went on vacation and before Miss Trixie got so sad."

Sunburst didn't know how to respond to that last part. He definitely had to go in and find out what the heck was going on in there.

Determined, Sunburst pulled out a crystal from his cloak. The crystal flickered for a moment and magic enveloped his body; the hue of the magic was the same as the barrier protecting the castle.

Without problems, Sunburst passed through the barrier.

"Ho ho, Mr. Sunburst, may I accompany you? 'Bun-Bun' seems a bit dehydrated."

"Hee, 'Bun-Bun'?" Sunburst asked.

"Yes, 'Bun-Bun'!" exclaimed Derpy cheerfully, showing her jar again.

Inside the jar, 'Bun-Bun' (Royalinda the orchid-octopus) had stopped moving, curled up into a ball, and now looked like a dried-up flower.

"Oh, right... you're correct, we need to do something about her," Sunburst responded, distracted. He had too much on his mind and hadn't thought about being accompanied by Derpy. But if she was allowing him passage, shouldn't he do the same for Trixie, despite her condition?

Sunburst hesitated for a moment.

"Is everything alright, Mr. Sunburst?"

"Hee, it's nothing. Let's go!" Sunburst replied, enveloping Derpy in his magic as well. Together they passed through the barrier and headed towards the castle.

Already on the steps, Sunburst cast one last glance at Trixie's trailer. The commotion inside hadn't changed. Thus, without thinking any further, he opened the doors and entered Twilight's castle.

//----------------

"VICE HEADMASTER SUNBURST!" echoed a chorus of voices in unison.

Barely had Sunburst closed the castle doors when he was greeted by the Young Six, who quickly surrounded the vice headmaster. A mix of anxiety and relief could be seen in all their eyes.

"Guys! What are you doing here?" Sunburst exclaimed, surprised to see them.

"IT WASN'T OUR FAULT, VICE HEADMASTER SUNBURST! WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE GUARDING THE CASTLE! THE PRINCIPAL ASKED US TO! COUNSELOR TRIXIE IS CRAZY! THE SECURITY SYSTEM IS A MESS! DID YOU SEE THE T-SHIRT THE MANTICORE WAS WEARING?" The voices of the Young Six overlapped, making it difficult to understand what they were saying. Soon, Sunburst began to feel overwhelmed by all the commotion.

"GUYS!" Sunburst shouted, releasing the pressure on him.

Immediately, the Young Six stepped back and fell silent, except for Silverstream, who kept talking about the manticore's fashion. However, she also fell silent after Smolder caught her attention.

Instinctively, they all turned their eyes to Ocellus, who stepped forward.

"I speak on behalf of all of us when I say that we deeply regret everything that happened this morning. It really wasn't our intention for things to turn out this way," said Ocellus, her voice tired.

Sunburst was still lost, so he simply asked the obvious question.

"And what happened this morning, Ocellus?"

"Well... it's a somewhat complicated story..." Ocellus replied, hesitating. Behind her, her companions nodded with a similar expression to hers.

"Alright, if that's the case then..." Sunburst began to say, but was interrupted.

Beside him, Derpy had tugged on his cloak, catching his attention.

"Mr. Sunburst, 'Bun-Bun' isn't feeling well," Derpy said, looking worriedly at the jar where Royalinda was. The orchid-octopus's condition had worsened, looking even more withered than before, almost resembling a dried-up nut.

"Ahh... I think it's best if we go somewhere else to talk about this in more detail. But first... Where's Starlight?" Sunburst asked the Young Six, now with a serious look.

"She's in a meeting with Chancellor Neighsay," Gallus immediately responded.

"Now?" Sunburst asked, puzzled.

"Her meeting started a few hours ago, it should be ending by now," Ocellus recalled.

"I don't remember Starlight having a meeting scheduled with Chancellor Neighsay for today..." Sunburst questioned, trying to remember.

"The principal said the meeting had come up recently. And that ABSOLUTELY NO ONE should bother her until it's over..." Smolder recalled aloud the words Starlight had told them that morning.

Sunburst, pensive, felt very puzzled. It wasn't common for Starlight to be so exclusive in her meetings, nor for them to be so long, except for a few exceptions... But what worried him the most was that what the Young Six were saying matched what Trixie had said a moment ago. Was she the reason for the meeting with the Chancellor? Why didn't Starlight send him a letter to inform him of the emergency?

Sunburst, more than ever, needed to know what had happened.

"Let's go to the conference room. And tell me everything without omitting a detail," Sunburst ordered, very serious.

//----------------

"Interesting..."

Trapped in her glass jar, Royalinda listened attentively to the heated discussion Sunburst was having with the Young Six. Many of the things being said were facts she already knew, events that had occurred that morning. However, there were details in the conversation that were unfamiliar and deeply intriguing to her.

Of course, Royalinda wasn't the only one puzzled by these developments...

"Ohhh..." murmured the pegasus with a absent-minded expression, holding the jar carefully. Her name was Derpy, and moments before, despite the others' complaints, she had given water and food. Royalinda didn't care about that; she considered the kindness of ponies her greatest flaw and the cause of their eventual downfall.

Nevertheless, she mentally noted the pegasus's name. That pony would suffer less than the others...

Royalinda hadn't abandoned her plans for absolute domination. Her main goal remained firm in her mind.

"Trixie..." Royalinda mentally murmured.

That was the name everyone in the meeting was mentioning. Many questions revolved around it, questions whose answers were obvious to the cunning Royalinda. However, there were other issues that she herself couldn't answer.

How was it possible that, despite everything that had happened that morning, the owner of the castle hadn't reacted at all? Furthermore, early in the morning, she had sensed suspicious activity in the castle. Could it be related to what was happening now with the ponies?

Royalinda pondered, intrigued by these mysteries. Furthermore, she thought about Starlight, the pony for whom Trixie was willing to do anything...

"Brrrr..." a murmuring whisper escaped from the jar held by Derpy. Royalinda's jealousy bubbled up like bursts of rage from her mouth.

Royalinda already knew it, but now she was more certain: if she wanted Trixie to suffer, Starlight would be the first on her list.

Crafting a new plan, Royalinda, from her jar, watched her next victim closely.

//----------------

Shortly after, in front of Twilight's castle...

"Glu, glu, glu... Ahhhhh," Trixie exhaled with relief after finishing drinking one of her mysterious red potions. Once again, the corrupting power of those potions filled her, restoring her and making her magic flow again.

Satisfied, the unicorn tossed the glass bottle aside and grabbed others from the enchanted chest that generated them.

"Two, three, or four will do... That should be enough, Trixie. This time everything will be different! Ha, ha, ha!" exclaimed Trixie, speaking to herself and laughing with a mix of enthusiasm and recklessness that would hardly bring peace to anyone who saw her.

That was precisely what the Young Six felt as they watched her from a balcony.

"Well? How did it go?" Smolder asked, joining them after flying from inside the castle.

"Ocellus tried to apologize to her, but the counselor responded in a not very friendly tone," Gallus replied, moving his claws to emphasize the sarcasm.

Indeed, that had happened, but saying just that was an understatement, given the harsh tone with which Trixie had responded to Ocellus's apologies. Now the changeling looked very serious, observing the counselor.

"Wow..." Smolder responded, scratching the back of her head. "So... What else do you think we should do?"

"Nothing, I guess we wait. Now that Vice Headmaster Sunburst is here, he'll take care of everything. Did you leave that monster in the freezer?" Gallus asked, changing the subject and adopting a more serious tone when referring to Royalinda.

"Yes, along with the headmistress's oat ice cream. I don't understand what the Vice Headmaster was thinking bringing that thing here."

"Dissect it, I hope. I wouldn't want to see another panic attack from Sandbar. Is he better?"

"Yes, Yona and Silverstream stayed to look after him in the infirmary. That and the Vice Headmaster went to..."

"Guys, what is that the counselor has?" Ocellus interrupted, pointing into the distance where Trixie was lifting her chest of potions and returning it to her trailer.

"The counselor's private collection of apple cider?" Gallus joked.

"It's no joke, Gallus. That chest looked very suspicious, and definitely what the counselor just drank wasn't cider," Ocellus said seriously. "It seemed to be a chest of... arcane potions."

Gallus and Smolder looked at each other, confused.

"We don't understand much about those things, Ocellus. Are you saying the counselor is drinking something illegal?" Smolder asked, puzzled.

"Not illegal, arcane! Well, maybe it is something illegal, given the color of the potion... I really don't understand what the counselor is up to, but it's not good," Ocellus replied, turning her gaze back to the distant Trixie.

"That's not the only 'not good' thing she's done..." Gallus muttered, annoyed.

The light flickered over the castle, catching the attention of the Young Six, who couldn't help but look up. The magical barrier that had protected Twilight's castle until then was giving its last flashes, deactivated by Trixie's previous efforts and reactivated when the security system restarted. Now, the barrier had only minutes of operation left before it shut down for the last time.

Of course, this was what Ocellus had tried to tell Trixie a little while ago without any success.

The barrier continued to flicker for a few more seconds before stabilizing again.

Down below, outside the barrier, Trixie didn't notice at all that singular opportunity; she was too focused on rummaging through the boxes in her trailer.

"HAH, HERE IT IS!" exclaimed Trixie in a burst of euphoria.

From the balcony, the Young Six looked down. There was Trixie, who had just emerged from her trailer with an object difficult to describe. It resembled a large trombone; however, its rudimentary shape and the strange feathers adorning it made it seem more like a lost piece from a museum or an extravagant stuffed bird.

Trixie, with that unusual instrument around her neck, smiled, radiant with excitement. It was evident that she was determined to use it.

"NOW EVERYONE SHALL KNOW THE WRATH OF THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!" proclaimed the unicorn, raising her hooves defiantly towards the sky. She then played that unknown instrument.

"HUUUMMMMMMMM..."

A sound akin to a cow's moo echoed throughout the area. Long and drawn-out, the moo swept across the plain and could be heard all the way to Ponyville and beyond. It continued, silencing any other noise until it finally faded away, rising to the highest reaches of the sky.

The Young Six, overwhelmed by that sound, unconsciously covered their ears. They didn't know what to expect from Trixie's unpredictable actions. Expectantly, they waited for any sign of danger that might fall upon them. But...

Nothing happened.

"SOON THE GREAT EAGLES SHALL ARRIVE, AND YOU ALL WILL REGRET CROSSING MY PATH!" Trixie shouted to the Young Six, with her upper limbs outstretched towards the sky, fully convinced of the imminent arrival of those powerful birds.

After hearing that, Ocellus and the others looked at each other, puzzled, and searched the sky for any sign of the supposed eagles. But they found nothing except what seemed to be a flock of pigeons in the distance.

Several more minutes passed... and there were no eagles.

"ANY MOMENT NOW!" Trixie emphasized with a powerful voice, still maintaining her expectant stance. But at this point, only she believed in those words. The Young Six, on their part, no longer felt so concerned and just looked at Trixie with weariness.

So, five more minutes passed until...

Ocellus, relieved yet serious, finally decided to break the silence.

"Counselor Trixie, please, do not strain yourself anymore! Director Starlight surely finished her meeting and will meet with you shortly!"

Of course, Trixie didn't respond to Ocellus's message; she remained still and smiling, looking at the sky in anticipation of the extraordinary event. Stiff, she continued waiting under the midday sun.

"Perhaps the heat has gotten to her a bit..." Gallus murmured to Smolder, rotating his claw by his head in a mocking gesture, which made Smolder chuckle softly. Ocellus, however, remained firm, watching closely...

After a long wait and without any warning, Trixie tossed aside the large instrument she had played and, without saying anything, began to kick wildly at the air as if seeking to punish it. In another context, anyone would think that this unicorn was performing a vigorous dance, but it was quite the opposite: this was a display of pure frustration and anger accumulated throughout that fateful morning.

Trixie continued for a long while releasing her stress, and it didn't end there. After that spectacle, she threw herself to the ground and began to roll around on it, apparently in an effort to also punish the earth itself with her body.

Watching that pitiful scene from the balcony, Ocellus remained silent. Even Gallus and Smolder, who were laughing at first, also fell silent.

It wasn't funny, it was sad.

Amidst that deplorable spectacle, the magical barrier finally gave way and vanished definitively. However, at that point, it no longer mattered.

Ocellus sighed wearily.

"Well... we'd better go down and open the door for her... I hope that calms her down a bit."

Smolder and Gallus nodded wordlessly, feeling less than enthusiastic about that idea.

// -------------------------

Inside the castle, in the kitchen freezer, a glass jar placed next to a stack of oatmeal ice cream cans was empty.

Not far away, a trail of melted water ran across the floor until it reached the partially open door of the room.

// -------------------------

Lying by the side of the road leading to Twilight's castle, the Eagle Call Horn lay on the ground. This magical artifact was believed to have the power to summon eagles from the sky and put them under the control of whoever touched it.

Precisely with that goal in mind, it had been recently used, and the results of that attempt had led it to end up where it was now.

Not far from the Eagle Call Horn, Trixie lay on the ground, rolling in her own anger and misery, caused by all the misfortunes that had befallen her so far. She cursed the elements, cursed her luck, and even cursed her own magic. Truly great was the frustration she was feeling.

From the castle balcony, Ocellus, Gallus, and Smolder watched this scene with pity. They didn't need to ask what had happened; it was evident that another attempt by their guidance counselor to enter the Friendship Castle had failed.

A completely useless and unnecessary effort.

Preparing to descend and open the castle gates, Gallus spoke to his friends, "With an attitude like that, the wind will never be in that pony's favor," the young griffon pronounced, disapproving of Trixie's childish tantrum.

"I wouldn't be so sure. Look!" Smolder exclaimed in alarm, pointing to the sky.

As they lifted their gaze, Gallus and Ocellus witnessed something unheard of. What minutes ago seemed to be just a flock of pigeons flying on the horizon was now a breathtaking sight that darkened the sky. Arriving in waves, dozens of silhouettes of gigantic birds projected among the clouds like planes heading towards their target.

Soon, the silhouettes took on a new formation and began to circle the Friendship Castle from the sky in an unsettling spiral that grew with each moment.

Then, suddenly, a sharp battle cry pierced the air. Both those in the sky and those on the ground witnessing the spectacle were shaken by that call. Rabbits, birds, insects, all with eyes and ears, quickly took cover in their burrows or shelters. No one in their right mind would stay to witness the arrival of the terrible wrath that was descending from above.

One by one, the figures of the gigantic birds emerged from the clouds, descending in an unstoppable stream.

Gallus, who couldn't believe what his eyes were seeing, stammered, "Are they...?"

"The eagles are coming. The eagles are coming!" Smolder shouted in panic.

"But they're not ..." Ocellus tried to respond, but her companions immediately took her and led her inside the castle.

Outside, Trixie, who was not oblivious to what was happening around her, just sat and watched the fearful parade approaching her.

She had been scared at first, but it was only for a brief moment; now she was completely filled with all the joy and happiness that could fit in her. All the frustration and anger she had felt until recently were left behind.

Excited, she stood up fearlessly. For she knew the truth. She was the reason for the arrival of those powerful creatures. She had called them with her powerful amulet. Only she could respond to this turn of events with a triumphant smile.

"Yes! Yes! COME TO ME, MIGHTY GUARDIANS OF THE MOUNTAINS. BLESSED BE THE WIND THAT HAS BROUGHT YOU TO ME. COME AND BOW BEFORE YOUR MISTRESS, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!" with these words, Trixie neighed euphorically towards the sky, welcoming the gigantic eagles and blessing the wind she had cursed not long ago.

In response to that greeting, the first and largest of all the eagles descended directly before the pony who had summoned them. Like a house falling from the sky, the enormous figure of the bird stepped onto the ground with a thunderous noise that sent Trixie herself flying through the air.

But the latter didn't matter to her in the least. She was even more excited. Without wasting a second, Trixie ran towards the newcomer and gave a warm hug to the sturdy leg of the bird. She hugged it as if it were her own child. Yes, that's right, he was her son. The fruit of her talent and skill.

That's what the proud unicorn thought, convinced that she had in her hooves Thargodal, the king of the giant eagles of the amethyst ranges that surrounded Equestria to the east. The fame of the powerful eagle monarch was great, known from the northern land of the Yaks to the scorching deserts in the south.

Legends and songs were made in honor of Thargodal. Trixie had heard them all. About how the mighty eagle had fought against evil dragons and hunted terrible beasts that plagued the seas.

Trixie could only idolize that leg, wondering how envious the other ponies would be when they found out how close they had been to that living legend.

She almost felt tempted to kiss that majestic limb, but she didn't. She didn't want to offend him.

"Uhmm... wow, for being the most powerful of all the birds in Equestria, you have a lot of calluses on your feet... and your claws are also very neglected, you should visit a podiatrist. But don't worry, I like everything about you. When one is as powerful as you, you don't need to look beautiful to be special..." Trixie affectionately spoke, cuddling up against Thargodal's leg, paying no attention to the rest of the eagles that had already descended.

"...you know, I always wanted to meet you since I was a filly. All those stories about you, I think you're someone very special, who knows a lot about the world... uhmm, I don't want to sound weird, but... do you think I'm special too?" Trixie suddenly asked, raising her gaze, moved. There was an innocent light in her eyes begging for her idol's response. This was an honest question that came from the depths of her little pony heart.

"CLUCK! CLUCK! CLUCK! CLUCK! CLUCK! CLUCK! CLUCK!" was the unexpected and contradictory response she received.

With her mind blank, Trixie was paralyzed by that improper response. Immediately, she took several steps back and scanned her surroundings.

All the euphoria and passion she had felt faded as quickly as the distress she had experienced before the arrival of the great birds surrounding her. Worse yet, that same distress returned to fill her, accompanied by a growing sense of betrayal.

"You... you... YOU'RE NOT THARGODAL!" Trixie screamed, almost on the verge of tears, her heart broken by the deception.

She had been so naive.

Before her and around her were not the honorable and majestic eagles of the Amethyst Mountains.

Instead, she was facing a flock of black, fleshless birds, resembling vultures but with fierce and predatory looks.

These huge birds had gray and bulging breasts, where protruding fleshy warts of their necks stood out. Their reddish heads were strongly marked by deep blue eye bags and black eyebrows. Their long beaks, sharp as claws, had a sickly yellow color. They were beasts with a truly unhealthy and greedy appearance.

Then, Trixie discovered with horror all the dirt and dust that had stuck to her coat when she hugged the huge leg of the shameless bird in front of her. In a panic, she threw herself onto the green grass and began to roll in an attempt to rid herself of all that filth.

The huge bird emitted a mocking cackle.

After a while, Trixie stood up again. She wasn't cleaner, but her dismay was gone.

Now, she was furious.

"You, you overfed bird, who the heck are you?! Who are all of you?!" Trixie yelled angrily at the birds surrounding her, a mocking look was the response from the beast in front of her.

Then a voice reached her from behind.

"COUNSELOR TRIXIE, RUN! THEY'RE TURKEY-HAWKS! THAT'S FATHUNGRY!"

Trixie turned and paid attention to the castle doors. There stood Gallus, shouting at the top of his lungs while gesturing, alongside his companions, for her to enter.

"Fathungry?" Trixie replied to herself, confused.

Unfortunately, for the grand and powerful Trixie, that was true.

Trixie hadn't summoned Thargodal, lord of the winds and leader of the majestic giant eagles.

Trixie had summoned Fathungry, scourge of crops and ringleader of the infamous giant turkey-hawks.

The turkey-hawks were opportunistic and predatory birds with migratory habits between the north and south of that world, capable of crossing oceans in their long flights and always leaving behind a trail of devastation, similar to that of locusts. They were considered a living natural disaster for all farmers. Although their normal diet consisted of vegetables, they often preferred livelier food.

Yes, turkey-hawks fed on ponies, and unlike other predators, they didn't need an excuse to do so.

The terrible Fathungry watched the defenseless Trixie with the same amusement a farm bird would have when seeing a worm on the ground.

"What are you looking at?!" Trixie responded displeased to that gaze.

Then, Fathungry's enormous neck stretched out, and in a swift movement, it whipped like a whip, swiftly the giant bird's beak descended straight towards Trixie.

With a shriek, the unicorn could barely react, narrowly dodging the impact where Fathungry's peck landed; the ground splattered along with the grass, as if a meteor had just fallen right there.

Dismayed, Trixie watched as Fathungry's head, covered in dust and dirt, still regarded her with that greedy gaze.

Trixie had never heard of Fathungry, but she knew what kind of scoundrels the turkey-hawks were.

She wouldn't stand idly by.

So, surprising Fathungry, Trixie stood up, facing the bird. Her pride as a great sorceress and defender of Equestria compelled her to confront the beast.

Of course, this reckless and fanciful attitude was more a product of the effects of the red potion she had drunk moments ago...

"DARE YOU TO ATTACK THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE! YOU SHALL FEEL MY WRATH!" waving her hooves in the air, Trixie shot a beam of magic straight at Fathungry's head.

The giant bird didn't dodge the attack. It took it head-on, and immediately a large cloud of dust rose.

Sure that she had intimidated the leader of the turkey-hawks, Trixie waved her cape in a proud pose. However, she soon noticed something unusual.

The dust cloud that had risen with her attack didn't dissipate; in fact, it was starting to take on a more solid and threatening form. The wind pushed the remaining dust, and an unexpected figure was revealed.

It was huge, a tent-shaped construction had appeared where Fathungry's injured body should be. Surprised, Trixie stepped back and intrigued, watched closely what could be that. Calling it just a 'tent' was an understatement; looking closely at its gloomy appearance, one noticed that it had the same color as the dust; its walls were full of gray and blurred patterns that blended with its surroundings, it also had extensions that rose like spikes on its sides, giving it a menacing appearance; perhaps one should think they were feathers instead.

Suddenly, the tent shook from its base.

One of the walls of the supposed tent stretched to the sky and took the shape of a wing.

"But what...?" Trixie babbled.

The other wall of the tent stretched and also took the form of another wing.

Finally, Trixie began to understand what that was.

The front part of the tent began to contract as if a worm were about to break through infected skin.

Then, like an explosion, the grotesque head of Fathungry emerged from that false shape it had taken.

"CLO! CLO! CLO! CLO!" mocked the leader of the turkey-hawks.

Horror-stricken, Trixie backed away even more.

Fathungry, now standing, rose proud and unscathed from Trixie's previous attack. He had some loose feathers, but that didn't matter.

What mattered was that he now knew the strength of that pony. He had been cautious in his previous attack, too delicate... however. Now the fun was assured.

The terrible Fathungry stretched his neck again, with his eyes aimed at Trixie; the unicorn could feel the danger transmitted by that gaze on her skin.

In less than a blink, Fathungry's beak descended upon Trixie at an impossible speed to dodge. Trixie, guided by her survival instincts, involuntarily raised a magical barrier around herself.

A flash of light exploded.

Trixie's head was hit by a blinding pain; Fathungry's attack didn't break her defense, but the pressure she felt was akin to having a Yak on top of her.

After the impact, Trixie staggered for a moment, but fortunately, her magical barrier didn't give way.

Fathungry found this fortunate too. He wanted to play more.

Disoriented, Trixie could barely see the second attack.

A claw hit Trixie's barrier head-on, sending her flying through the air. Fathungry, who had kicked her with his right paw, watched as Trixie, enclosed in her magic bubble, soared through the sky to the nearest hill.

"HAAAA HAAAAUUUUUU!" Trixie soared through the sky amidst a scream. Although powerful, Fathungry's second blow was much less damaging than the previous one, giving the unicorn time to recover. Still in the air, Trixie briefly thought about lowering the barrier and teleporting away from there. But when she lowered her head below her to see how close to the ground she was, her hopes of escape vanished.

A squadron of turkey-hawks awaited her.

Before she could think of anything else, a turkey-hawk leaped up, catching up with her mid-air.

Trixie groaned inside her barrier from the new impact. With a headbutt, the turkey-hawk sent her flying in a new direction towards the other hill.

On the other hill she was sent to, Trixie watched despairingly as another squadron of turkey-hawks awaited her.

Another wave of pain coursed through Trixie's head.

Then another... and another.

In the distance, Fathungry watched maliciously as Trixie was tortured, used as a football by his subordinates.

"CLO! CLO! CLO! CLO!" mocked the leader of the turkey-hawks again. All of this was very amusing to him.

A sudden rumble caught Fathungry's attention, making him turn his head immediately. Not far away, the group of turkey-hawks he had assigned to guard the castle doors seemed to have found something. He wasn't sure what it could be, but it was very likely that his subordinates had discovered more toys.

Fathungry let out another squawk, this time his mockery was accompanied by the voices of the other turkey-hawks.

Fathungry found all of this truly amusing.

That afternoon, the great clan of turkey-hawk raptors flew near the swamps of the Everfree Forest when they heard the call of the eagle-horn. It had been unexpected, and although they would normally avoid getting involved in situations involving eagles, their greatest rivals in the skies, they decided to answer the call. Fathungry, their leader, led that flight. He was somewhat tired of the monotony of the annual migration, and that unexpected call seemed to be the timely answer to the boredom that had been tormenting him.

Had he known that he would end up in front of the castle of a pony princess, he would have brought the rest of the flock to bring it down.

"Huuuuuuu Pur Pur," a deep lament pierced the meadow, interrupting Fathungry's fun. The leader of the turkey-hawks turned his gaze to where his subordinates were playing with Trixie.

The fun had come to an end.

Surrounded by the turkey-hawks, Trixie's body lay on the ground. Although she wasn't injured, she was almost unconscious. The stress of the continuous turkey-hawk attacks had drained her concentration and overwhelmed her resilience. Exhausted, she had dispelled her magical barrier and fallen prey to the large birds.

They could have eliminated her at that moment, but the turkey-hawks had received clear orders from Fathungry.

Trixie was their toy.

Caught in mid-fall by one of the turkey-hawks, Trixie was deposited on the ground. Not without first being stripped of all her clothes, which were now being chewed like gum by her captor.

Ignoring his subordinates and with the air typical of his species, Fathungry approached Trixie. Upon arrival, he examined her carefully with his gaze. It wasn't the look of someone concerned for their fellow being; far from it, it was the greedy gaze of a glutton evaluating a delicious meal, undecided whether to devour it in one bite or savor it piece by piece.

A morbid idea crossed Fathungry's mind. He had already decided what to do next.

Amidst a sepulchral silence, Fathungry's sharp beak descended towards Trixie, opening slowly in its descent, like the blades of scissors about to cut delicate paper.

But just as Fathungry's beak was about to reach Trixie's mane, it stopped.

"Pur, pur, pur," a shameful clucking began to be heard all around.

Annoyed, Fathungry raised his head and soon found the culprit.

One of his subordinates, the one who had stripped Trixie of her clothes, was chewing ecstatically on his loot.

Fathungry couldn't quite remember his name. Was it Drygut? That didn't matter. What mattered was that his subordinates shouldn't forget who was in charge. The great Fathungry commanded, and when Fathungry ate, NO ONE should interrupt him.

With a precise kick, Fathungry struck his subordinate's crop, punishing him for his insolence. The unfortunate turkey-hawk emitted a cry and fell to the ground fluttering pathetically, seeming not to even realize what had hit him.

Fathungry took a more arrogant stance and spread his wings, presenting himself to the others as a clear warning of what awaited those who dared defy him.

After strutting around before his subordinates, who kept bowing their heads and clucking servilely, Fathungry decided to return to Trixie to continue with his unfinished business.

However, he stopped halfway. Something else caught his attention.

Under his scaly feet, Trixie's cloak and hat lay scattered. The turkey-hawk that Fathungry had struck earlier had spat them out at that moment. But that wasn't what caught Fathungry's attention.

Bright red pearls were emerging from Trixie's clothes.

Intrigued, Fathungry lowered his head. Soon he discovered that they weren't red pearls, but magical items known as potions. Although artifacts like those had no value to his kind... something in the shimmer of those potions seemed to pique his curiosity.

Without much further thought, Fathungry pecked at one of the red potions and swallowed its contents.

In a blinding light of understanding, surrounded by his subjects, Fathungry's mind was engulfed in a whirlwind of indescribable emotion.