//------------------------------//
// 11. Show-Stopping 
// Story: Wanderlust 
// by DwarvishPony 
//------------------------------//

	Spike (after more morning chores for Warm and Tea) and Winona were back out on the town. Spike wanted to see a show today. Or maybe ride the High Flyer again. Or maybe he'd hit some of the carnival game places that seemed to be the only thing on the Las Pegasus Strip.

As Spike tried to decide what he wanted to do, Winona let out a sharp bark. Spike looked at the dog, wondering what caused the outburst (along with a few ponies around them). Winona was sitting next to a sign. An advertisement for a show, in fact.

"Come see the amazing show-stopping talent that could only be," Spike read aloud "the Great and Powerful Trixie." He gave Winona an incredulous look. "Seriously?"

Winona wagged her tail excitedly. 

"Fine." Spike sighed, fishing out some bits to buy tickets to the show. "But you own me."

Spike approached the ticket counter and lay his bits down. "Two tickets, please."

"I'm sorry, but we can't allow that... dog into the theatre." The ticket pony, a yellow mare with an attitude that made Spike's blood boil, practically sneered at Winona. Winona whimpered softly in response.

"But you've gotta! She's... my... service dog! She helps me with stuff because I need help with stuff." Spike lied. Badly.

"No pets. Rules are rules."

"But she's not a pet. She's my friend!" The argument was starting to draw attention from passers-by on the street. "You can't make me leave her outside!" There were whispers from the crowd. Many seemed to be in agreement for Spike.

Spike didn't miss a beat. "These guys won't let me see the show with my friend!" More murmurs. "What's wrong with a dog seeing a show with us? I'm not a pony and they're letting me see the show!" More murmurs. The ticket mare could practically feel the shift in the atmosphere of the crowd.

"I... fine! But if the dog makes one sound, you're out of the theatre, got it?" The mare rubbed a hoof against the bridge of her muzzle. 'I don't get paid enough for this.'


~~~


There was a small part of Spike that wanted to say he hated the show. But if he were being honest, Trixie was a fantastic showpony when she wasn't trying to humiliate the crowd or take over Ponyville. The special effects were amazing. Trixie performed tricks where she made a pony vanish, levitated a series of objects and herself over the crowd (a high-level spell that even took Twilight a long while to master), and a series of illusions that could only be described as jaw-dropping.

Winona remained perfectly silent during the show. Spike was impressed, though even if she had been barking the whole time nopony would have heard it over the cheers of the crowd.

"I hate to admit it, but Trixie's amazing!" Spike looked down at Winona as the crowd shuffled out. "We should see if we can go talk to her backstage!" Winona tilted her head to the side. "Don't be like that. Besides, I'm sure she's forgiven herself for the last visit to Ponyville. Twilight has."

Spike stood and found his way behind stage. Surprisingly, there was no bouncer or security to say he couldn't go backstage. Maybe this place was more lax about stuff like that? He stopped at Trixie's dressing room. He knew it was Trixie's because there was a gold star on the door with her name. Inside, Spike heard angry voices. Out of curiosity, he pressed an ear to the door...