//------------------------------//
// Great and Powerful 
// Story: Macelon Forever 
// by Improved Flavor 
//------------------------------//

It sure was nice of the dirt Trixie's spell had teleported with them to make a nice, soft landing area for them. Too bad it only served to produce a truly spectacular dust cloud when the little group of three dog-piled onto it in a heap, falling from four feet up. At least Trixie's wagon didn't want in on the fun, content to land about three feet away from Spike's head.

Trixie, on the top, was the first to wake up, and set about rousing Spike by bringing a hoof down on his head. "You idiots! You messed up the spell! Not even I, The Great and Powerful Trixie, know where we've ended up!"

Spike, second from the top, was awoken from his dazed state by Trixie's magnificent hoof and he wasn't happy about it. "Ow! We didn't mean to screw up your stupid spell!"

And poor Pipsqueak was left crushed on the bottom. "If you two don't get off of me, I'm gonna die."

Spike shoved Trixie's Great and Powerful flank off of him and rolled off of Pip himself, helping his friend out of the dust-cast he had found himself encased in. Now that she could get a good look at them, Trixie rolled her eyes. "Pah, and now Trixie has to babysit a pair of kids? Wonderful, just wonderful!"

Pip, who had made a full recovery, took offense. "Hey! I'm fifteen."

Not that Trixie acknowledged it. "I suppose now, you want Trixie to help you find your way back home, is that right?" She said, pouring a torrent of dust out of her hat.

Spike and Pip shared a glance, apparently thinking the same thing. "Not really." Spike said, in a tone reminiscent of somepony being asked if they wanted a drink refill.

Trixie did a double take, incredulous. She even momentarily lost her carefully maintained composure. "What!? Are you two a couple of runaways or something? Should I be worried about being accused of kidnapping?"

"No!" Pip spoke up. "Kind of. We got chased out of town!" He said with an odd combination of indignation and twisted pride. After all, not many colts got to say they were run out of town. Even if he had to stretch the truth to say it.

Trixie glanced back and forth at the two boys that had hitched a ride with her. They didn't seem much like the public menace type. Now what could these idiots do to be kicked out of a backwater town like Ponyville? But still, a plan began to take form in her head. "And just why, Trixie wishes to know, did you get run out of town?"

Spike suppressed a growl. Now that the moment itself was over and he had time to think about it, it really made him mad. "Somepony... started a rumor, that I was eating ponies."

Trixie rubbed her chin, undeterred. "Do you?"

"Of course not!" Spike took a step forward, but Pip put a hoof on his side to calm him.

"Aha! Then Trixie knows what's going on. You don't want to return because you'll just be run off again, and your little friend here decided to stay on your side rather then Ponyville's, right?" Trixie's plan was all coming together now. She rubbed her hooves together, ready to drag them in.

Spike sighed. He really didn't want to talk about all this, he just wanted to take Pip and go find the nearest place they could both stay. "Yes, that's all correct, now can we just go-"

"Not so fast!" Trixie interrupted, sharply. "The fact still remains you messed up Trixie's spell. Therefore, to repay me for it, you and your friend are going to come work for me as my assistants." She had on that smug grin that Spike hated.

Spike couldn't help but laugh. "Ha! Like we're going to agree with that. Come on Pip-"

"Uh-uh!" Trixie interrupted once more, clicking her tongue. "I'm not done yet. Tell me Scale-Boy, where do you plan to go and what will you do there? Do you even have enough money to take care of the both of you for more than a day or two?"

Spike was silent. Of course he didn't, his money at the moment might be able to buy them food and lodging for two days at most. And that's assuming they found a place that wouldn't have a problem with a dragon and a guardian-less minor.

"That's what Trixie thought." She sat back on her haunches. "On the other hand, come with Trixie and do what I tell you to do, and you'll have a job that you'll get paid for. When you run away, Dragon, you need to find work once you get to your new home. And you are an underaged pony and a dragon that's been chased out of one town already. I am offering you just what you need on a silver platter." She was sure she had them right where she wanted. "I'll claim to be the guardian of your little friend there if it is needed. So what's it going to be, dragon? Come with Trixie and live, or go alone and die?"

Spike looked at Pip's worried face. He looked at Trixie's, triumph written all over it. Spike leaned down to Pip and whispered in his ear, "Pip... you know we could probably make it on our own..."

Pip shook his head. "I'm not sure I like the odds. Trixie can't be that bad can she?"

Spike thought back to the last time Trixie came to Ponyville. Corrupted by the Alicorn Amulet, she had conquered the city and driven Twilight out temporarily. Twilight had explained to him later that the wandering magician had been under the control of the amulet and had even come and given her a heartfelt apology soon after, but the Trixie in front of him was acting just like she always had. He trusted Twilight to tell the truth, but Trixie was worth being cautious about if she was put in any position of power, especially over him and Pip.

Spike shook his head. "I don't know Pip. She might be."

"Well... She's still telling the truth about work. And it's not like we couldn't just leave if we wanted, right?"

Spike paused. It was true, couldn't they just abandon her if they wanted or needed to? Still didn't make him happier about what he was going to say. "Fine, Trixie. We'll take your offer."

Trixie finally let the grin she had been holding back spread across her face in triumph. "Excellent... Then the first thing Trixie wishes for you to do is..."





"Knew this was going to happen. I just knew it." Spike said, adjusting the makeshift strap hitching him to Trixie's wagon. Trixie dismissed his complaint with a wave of her hoof, from the comfort of her wagon, of course.

"Less talking more pulling, dragon! Oh, that reminds me. We have not yet introduced ourselves. Of course, Trixie is certain you have heard of her, the traveling magician extraordinaire!" Trixie was leaning out of a window on the front of her wagon. Whether it was there as a standard on this model or Trixie had it put in so she could taunt anypony who happened to be pulling her was anypony's guess.

"My name's Spike. This is Pips-" he got cut off from telling Pip's full name by an elbow to the rib.

Trixie's eyebrows shot up. "Sp-Spike? You're that... you're Twilight's dragon?" She again lost all her haughty composure as Spike nodded. Without another word, Trixie ducked inside and slammed the window shut. Ah, peace.

And so for a while Spike and Pip were able to enjoy Trixie-less silence.





Stupid! Trixie sat on the floor leaned against her bed with her head in her hooves. That dragon had become unrecognizable- he was getting sharp and angular, his snout was growing out and he was so much taller. She had turned him into a basketball last time she had seen him, under the influence of that accursed amulet. She had felt much remorse for that, as with the others, once she had been tricked into taking it off. And now she was presented with a dilemma, she had already treated this dragon as she usually treated others, yet this was one of the individuals she had apologized to Twilight for mistreating. Was she supposed to treat him any differently? Did she have any kind of obligation because of her apology? She had only ever made up to Twilight, this dragon had every reason to hate her for her treatment of him and his friends but he barely seemed irritated. And she had pressed him and his friend into assisting her.

This was a new feeling for Trixie and she had no idea what was wrong with her.





"...The entire package of seeds. Scoots was in a lot of trouble!" Pip managed to finish his tale without breaking into laughter until the very end, joined by his scaly friend.

"Poor Scootaloo. What a tragic tale." Spike said in between giggles. "Hey, check it out Pip, a sign. Now we're getting somewhere."

They had been walking for some time now, hoping that going in one direction would lead them to civilization eventually. And now, thankfully, they had found a recently traveled path worn into the dirt, at the head of a fork in the road with a signpost set up to direct travelers. Pip read aloud, "Left, Talon Canyon. Right, Singer. Spike, what the heck's 'Singer'?"

Spike barely had time to shrug before Trixie's window slammed open, the Blue magician losing her composure yet another time. What was wrong with her today? "Singer!?" She shouted. "The city, Singer?" It had to be. The other sign lead to Talon Canyon. She knew exactly where they had turned up.

"Well, which way, boss?" Spike said, in a half growl.

"...Singer. Go to Singer." It wasn't like she had much choice. It had been seven in the evening when they teleported, but it was high noon right now. And if turned and went back, it would be sundown again before they reached the next settlement. As it was they might only have the time to make a performance and get a hotel. And she still had feeding a carnivore to worry about. If they didn't have a Griffon market in Singer she was going to scream.

Trixie pressed a hoof to her head. She was so off today... But she couldn't let it get to her. She already knew what tonight's show was going to be like and with this dragon working for her she stood a chance of putting a few butts in the seats, assuming he could follow orders.





Singer was not the city Spike was expecting. The name conjured images of a peaceful, quiet little town like Ponyville, someplace where Trixie could easily wow the residents and earn a few bits and some applause before they hit the road. Not this.

Singer loomed ahead, a huge, gray city of tall buildings of concrete, smooth paved roads and dark alleys. As they approached, ponies could be seen walking- not like they did in Ponyville, heads up and wearing friendly smiles, chatting back and forth with anypony they ran into. These ponies didn't spare a second glance for anypony. They wore no expression at all in most cases, only here being caught while they traveled from one place of business to the next. The working environment here was far different from Ponyville- It was a different kind of labor that was undertaken in a place like this. How it got to be called "Singer" was beyond Spike. And yet, he could already see how Trixie's performance could stand a chance in an environment like this...

The little wagon continued on it's way through the streets, with Trixie guiding after having obtained a map. They barely got much more then a second glance as the Trixie directed them to the square, which confused Spike. Wasn't he supposed to draw stares? These ponies look like they saw dragon-pulled wagons everyday! Even in the town square everypony just kept on their way.

Trixie hopped out of the wagon once they had positioned her out of the way where she could make preparations in peace. Both boys stood by, knowing they probably had another job to do still. It was a tense few moments as Trixie dug in a small chest for something, eventually coming up with two tall stacks of fliers, a photo of her and a few splashes of text describing how wonderful her show is, and a big blank spot at the bottom. Her horn glowed as they took them and a place and time appeared in the space on the flier Spike was holding.

"Now," Trixie began, "Take those and don't come back until they're gone. Hoof them out,, hang them on walls, do whatever you need to to get them seen. And do it quickly! It's only five hours to the show. I'll handle setting up here." Trixie sat looking proud of herself for a second, but when they didn't leave right away she got impatient. "Go!"





"I don't like this place, Pip."

"Me either, but why don't you like it?"

Spike smoothed down the edges of a flier he just pasted to the inside wall of an alleyway, just before they headed for the next one. "The ponies are just weird here. When I was pulling Trixie's wagon, none of them paid any mind. It was like dragons just pull wagons all the time, everyday. But when we were walking out here, I was getting dirty looks left and right. And now that we're hanging up the posters... They're back to paying no attention."

Pip glanced around. Across the street, they got a glance now and then, but nopony spared a second glance. It was just like Spike had said, they didn't mind. It was completely different from the reactions he expected... but not unwelcome, he guessed. It was better then getting run out again.

Pip opened his mouth but Spike held up a claw for quiet. "Sh, do you hear that?" As he indicated down the alley.

Pip listened. It did sound kind of like... voices. They crept down the alley, backs against the brick wall, standing just before a corner where they could hear clearly.

"You're a loooong way from your friends now, kid. I hope you've got the money on your own to pay for the fee." It was a gruff voice, and instantly told Spike just what was going on in this alley.

"I don't have any money with me... I don't carry it cause I know it'll just get stolen by ponies like you anyway!" The voice was wavering- afraid, but trying hard to present a strong face to it's owner's aggressor. Unfortunately, that wasn't working.

A different voice spoke up. "Yeah yeah, I'm sure. Listen, those who don't make their contribution get turned into examples, kid. Now decide, is your money or your life more important?" Spike and Pip had heard enough.

Pip rounded the corner faster then Spike and the dragon only got a second to see a pony get bucked against the wall, knocked out instantly on contact with concrete. Spike quickly took in the scene. Pip had kicked a unicorn against the wall, but his partner, an older looking Earth Pony, was still standing, a look of half panic in his eye as he aimed a crossbow at the more intimidating looking of the pair of would-be rescuers. And their victim? A Griffon of all things, the poor guy looked terrified, squished against a wall trying to make himself as small as he could, looking for a way out.

Spike carefully monitored his breathing for a second to control himself with a crossbow pointed at his head. The stallion steeled himself as well, willing fear out of his eyes. "I ain't afraid to kill, kid. It won't be my first time." The Earth Stallion threatened, aiming for the face. But he hesitated, not firing yet.

"Go on and shoot." Spike dared. The stallion took a step back. Spike inhaled and lunged, earning a shout of fear from the cornered mugger and an arrow flying at his face. Spike quickly puffed out a plume of green flame, engulfing the arrow just before it met it's target.

A searing blast of pain forced the armed mugger to the ground with a scream of pain and shock as his right front leg gave out, an arrow embedded deep in the back of his forearm. It was even still smoking a bit.

Spike suppressed a grimace at his work. He forced himself to grin and said "Get that to a hospital fast enough and it might not even get infected."

"Jazz, out!" The stallion shouted at his partner, who jumped up from faking unconsciousness and joined his partner in running for the chain fence at the end of the alley, phasing through it with the help of some of "Jazz's" magic.

"Shouldn't we go after them!?" Pip shouted, looking like he was raring to climb over that fence and give chase, but Spike stopped him.

"Nah, Pip. We aren't the police. They're gone, and that's what we wanted." He turned his attention to the Griffon. "You okay?"

"Yeah..." The griffon replied, barely above a whisper. He stood up shakily, and then grabbed Spike in a hug. "I am so glad to see you here! I was thinking there weren't any 'Diamonds' around..." The griffon continued.

"Uh... Diamonds?" Spike said, confused, hesitantly patting the griffon on the back, who pulled away immediately and stared at him. "What do you mean by Diamonds?"

The griffon blinked. "You're not from around here, are you?" Spike and Pip shook their heads. "Then you've gotta get out of here as fast as you can!" The outburst made them both back up a step. This just got weirder and weirder.

"Slow down! Why do I need to get out of here?" Spike said in a quieter voice, hoping to calm him down and get a straight answer out of him.

"Because now you've hurt a member of the mob... they're going to be after you now. Lizards and griffons aren't welcome in this city unless they're laborers or servants. If you actually live here, you've gotta pay protection money." The griffon's voice got higher and higher, and he started breathing faster as he continued getting worked up over his explanation.

Spike put his hands up and stopped him. "Okay, okay... first off, I'm not a 'lizard', I'm a dragon. And second off, you still didn't explain what a Diamond is."

The griffon blanched and stammered. "I, uh, I said too much. Gotta go!" And he backed up a step and flew away, rather then going back out the alley.

Pip and Spike were left in stunned silence at the events of the last five minutes. "Is that why nobody paid attention to you while you were working?" Pip asked Spike after about thirty seconds of trying to absorb it all.

Spike blinked. "It might be. Speaking of work... Trixie's show starts in three hours, we gotta get back to putting up those signs!"





"This is degrading."

"Quiet, Dragon-boy, when I'm working. Or do you just want to be fired?"

"No ma'am."

"Good boy."

Trixie sized up her front view and profile of Spike's head, adjusting one of the fake horns stuck to it just slightly. "There, finished. Well, my little dragon, you clean up nice. A lesser pony then Trixie would be terrified of your frightful visage."

Spike found that hard to believe. He had fake horns glued to his head, and wings stuck to his back. Made of leather, with wooden bones, Spike had just about laughed when Trixie got them out. The color didn't even match. But a whap on the nose shut him up long enough for her to stick them to his back, and her magic had turned them into a green and purple pair of wings he could even move by thought. He had to admit, a setup like this was impressive and seamless, but it struck him as unnecessary.

"Nopony will believe you're a dragon without wings and horns." Trixie had explained to him. "Trixie needs this to be impressive! So don't let them know you can speak, and follow my cues. Even the stupidest, scaly runt of a dragon could do this right."

And when you made it a choice between eating and not eating...

Pip pulled a rope that triggered Trixie's stage unfolding, and hit the switches to the fireworks display. From behind the curtains, Spike waited while Trixie broadcasted her introduction. He peeked through the curtain, hoping to get a glance at the audience.

He couldn't believe it, they were watching awestruck. Certainly Trixie couldn't be that entertaining... But Spike didn't have time to think on it any further, as Trixie clapped her hooves together to "summon her newly tamed dragon."

Spike pushed through the curtains on all fours with his nose and tried his best to look like an animal while Trixie boasted of having bested this beast in combat with her formidable magic and earned his loyalty through her strength.

"At least she didn't call me an 'it' like they did in Ponyville..." Spike thought, with more then a little bitterness.

The rest of the show went as Spike expected. He opened his mouth to demonstrate that Trixie could hold her head in his mouth without fear, he was loosed from "shackles" that hadn't been attached to anything to begin with, but stayed where he was rather then flee, and he even lit a cigar for a stallion in the front row after Trixie demanded it from him. All the while the crowed murmured, shouted in fright and applauded the performance. As the curtain fell on Spike and Trixie, it struck him just how easily entertained these ponies were... and how all of them had actually paid to see this.





"Seven hundred and thirty-six bits. Not bad at all, gentlecolts." Trixie said, a table set up beneath them and the money counted out into three shares. Hers just bigger then the others in such a way you'd have to count to know.

After Spike got off stage, Trixie accepted a few challenges from some ponies that bet they could best her, and signed autographs for a few foals. It was now well past sundown and it was getting kind of late. Trixie and Pip were inside of the tiny living quarters of Trixie's wagon, and Spike was sticking his head in through the window. Trixie slammed her hooves onto the table. Pip scooped the three portions into bags as Trixie glanced at the rising moon.

"Alright Dragon," She said, pausing for Spike's attention. "Hitch up, and take us to the hotel. Trixie shall guide you once more."





Trixie strolled into the lobby of her chosen hotel, glancing around, examining the design. Hm, yes. It would have to do. It's not, of course, as if any hotel could properly contain her majesty but we all must make sacrifices. So she approached the desk with her two young employees following behind her. Ringing the bell despite the stallion behind the desk already there, she wordlessly set a bag of their earnings on the counter. "Now, make that two rooms, please. One for me, and one for my assistants. And be quick, it's been a long day." Trixie rested her head on her hoof, offering a smile to him. Trixie could turn on the charm when Trixie pleased.

The eyes of the stallion working the desk looked over the two ponies, but shook his head. "Might wanna make that one room, lady. We don't serve scalies." He pointed at Spike and went to fetch a room key.

Spike had kind of expected it to happen, and wasn't too disappointed, to his credit. He turned and went back outside calmly.

Pip glanced back and forth at Trixie and Spike. He didn't like the idea of sleeping outside. But... he couldn't just let his friend go out there alone, could he? Trixie continued to look ahead, waiting for the stallion at the front desk to return with their key.

"Here it is, your room in number 106, and I'll be taking-" Trixie zipped the bag of money away from his hooves just as he went to grab it, waiting just long enough for him to see the glint of gold in the bag before snatching it away.

"I'm afraid not." Trixie said, with a dangerous tone to her voice. "I, Trrrixie, do not accept anypony treating my employees in this way." Replacing the bag in one of Pip's saddlebags, she pointed him out the door and marched out herself, not dignifying the establishment behind them another look.

Pip ran after her, stopping in the door to point an up-turned hoof at the clerk and ran back out.





Spike was just settling down. He had found a nice hill outside town, with a rock to rest his head on. He did his best to get comfortable, but rocks just weren't for him, he decided. Pushing it out of the way, he laid his head back on the ground and shut his eyes, listening to the insect song and hoping he'll get to sleep soon.

A quilt was laid across him. Opening his eyes, Trixie and Pip stood there, holding pillows and blankets.

Trixie spat out a pillow. "Don't get any ideas, Dragon. Trixie will have you know I am only out here as an expression of solidarity. I may not be the most humble pony you've met, but I do not stand for ponies mistreating my employees."

Pip was already setting up a campfire place. "Camping out again, just like three months ago! Sound fun Spike?"

Spike sat up and looked back and forth between his younger friend and his new boss. Today was a long day... but as far as days involving running away from your home country went, it was going pretty well.

Once they settled down, Spike and Pip were out like a light. Today had lasted 31 hours and it all caught up to them now.

Trixie's wagon, which she had pulled back herself, still had its light on.





Trixie couldn't go to bed just yet, even a exhausted as she was. The day had been much longer then normal, thanks to the teleport spell gone awry. But before she could rest, she had to complete her final task in the day. After double checking all the windows to make sure they were shut, she opened a drawer under her single bed, pulling out an unmarked, light blue book. There was a magical seal on it, and the book could only open if she willed it. She turned it to the next blank page and picked up her pen.


05/15/09

Today has been very long, and the entry will have to be brief. I was trying to teleport to Manechester, but a pair of kids stumbled upon me at the just the worst time and messed up the spell. It took me a while to find out where we ended up, but we are in Macelon. We ended up on the edge of the Southern Island, it seems, and traveled to the city of Singer. I hired both of the kids that interrupted me, making them help because they ruined my spell, and managed to put on a show shortly after arriving, which earned enough money to pay the bills for a short time. The kids are Pip, a pinto colored Earth Pony colt of fifteen years, and Spike, a young wingless dragon. He is, or was, Twilight Sparkle's assistant.

I am determined to try and keep these two assistants with me this time. It's been a long five years on the road without any companionship that lasted more then a few hours. I just wish that wasn't the same thing I said last time I hired somepony.

-The Great and Powerful Trixie