Shadows in the dark

Chapter 15

"He's just as eager as the other stallions. He just wants to get in the action already."

Sombra laughed darkly. "Good, good. Have the unicorns transport them at noon. Remember: just outside of the town. We want to take them all by surprise like last time. By the way. Any word from our little spy?"

"Nothing of importance." Black Fire replied.

Sombra nodded and gestured with his hoof for him to be on his way. Black Fire bowed deeply before trotting out of the throne room with the scroll clenched in his sharp teeth. As soon as the doors slammed shut, Twilight slipped out of her throne and approached her king. Nuzzling his mane.

"I don't trust the Changeling Queen." she murmured.

"Hm? And why is that?"

Twilight pulled away from his mane and her eyes glowed green. "Let's just say we have a...history together."

Ponyvill

The train came to a screeching halt at the Dodge Junction Train Station. Sand and dust trailing behind it and briefly fogging up the platform before it cleared. The doors hissed open and ponies casually trotted out with their luggage. Rarity stepped off the train and stretched her back legs until they cracked.

"Ah!" Applejack jumped out of the train and breathed in the desert air. "Nothing like that fresh, country air!" the Earth Pony said with loud enthusiasm. Spreading her arms out to embrace the warm sunlight bathing the desert town.

"I'll say!" a voice behind them coughed. Trixie stepped out of the train coughing like a mad dog. "I'm not used to being in deserts!"

Rarity and Applejack exchanged annoyed expressions. Trixie had been a pain in the flank during the entire trip. It was a wonder as to why the blue unicorn even volunteered to become a spy for the Royal Guard. AJ merely rolled her eyes before turning to the blue unicorn. "You'll get use to it." she said.

"'You'll get use to it'." Trixie mimicked annoyingly before shooting the Earth Pony a glare. "I didn't go through three month of hellish training to spend another month in some damn, old western town!"

AJ suddenly shot the unicorn a dangerous glare. Lips curled back to reveal pure white teeth as she tightened her jaw. Nostrils flaring, she pressed her face to Trixie's. "What did you just say?" she snapped angrily.

"Oh, sweet Celestia of the damn Sun!" Rarity groaned before shoving herself in the middle and separating the two. "You're both acting like little fillies fighting over candy!"

"Hmph!" Trixie held her head high and marched past them like nobody's business. Only to accidentally trip and land face-first on the ground. It was enough to cause both Rarity and Applejack to snicker as the blue unicorn helped herself up. Cursing Celestia and Equestria while dusting herself.

"So why did Celestia send y'all to Dodge Junction in the first place?" Applejack asked as the trio made their way through the town. Rarity opened her mouth to reply, only to be cut off by Trixie.

"Something about working on our spy skills and stuff."

AJ frowned, but decided not to make a big deal out of it. "Thanks for coming with us to Dodge Junction, by the way." Rarity said.

"Not a problem!" AJ replied proudly. "I needed to get away from the farm anyways."

"How's Strongheart?"

"Doin' great, actually!" Applejack said happily. "Apple Bloom and her little friends even welcomed her to the Cutie Mark Crusaders!"

"Really? Even if she's not a pony?"