Magic Freeze Tag

by Brass Polish

1 Invitation

Rarity had been trying to learn various spells from Twilight for a while, but it seemed impossible for her to do anything but move objects around, cast a torch light, and find jewels in the ground. One day, she really wanted to make an effort to learn something because Twilight was going to Canterlot on royal business in five days.

“I don’t see why that means you have to learn more spells,” Twilight said.

“When you leave, I will be the only Royal Taskforce unicorn left in town,” said Rarity, still trying to teleport five feet to her left. “I have to be prepared for an emergency.”

Rarity’s horn kept spitting out little globs of light which dropped to the ground like stones.

“Don’t tax yourself,” warned Twilight. “If you wear out your horn, you won’t be able to protect Ponyville at all.”

Rarity stopped attempting the spell and stared at the ground. “Will anypony notice if I wear my horn out?”

“Don’t forget, Rarity. You wield an element of harmony,” said Twilight. “And now that we know that each one can be used on its own, you can use your Element of Generosity to deal with a threat.”

“Hm. I suppose,” Rarity said. “Perhaps I should wear it the whole time you’re gone.”

“Well, if it’ll make you feel more comfortable,” Twilight shrugged.

All he same, Rarity still attempted the teleportation spell every day leading up to Twilight’s departure, and all day the day she left. Snips and Snails ran by and chuckled at her when a huge blob of blue light oozed out of her horn and landed with a blub on the ground in front of her.

“Those clowns,” she snorted as they ran out of sight. “I’d like to see them teleport… far away… and stay there.”

Rarity would have been practising this at home, but she didn’t want Sweetie Belle to see her struggling. It was a cold day and there were very few ponies outside, so Rarity had picked the park to practise teleportation. But she was never completely alone. All morning, she’d spot somepony watching her and it made her feel deeply embarrassed.

“Why couldn’t Princess Celestia come here instead of calling Twilight to Canterlot?” she moped.

When noon came, things were going the same way, accept none of the ponies who passed by Rarity seemed to notice her at all. Soon, it dawned on her that they were looking annoyed about something.

It wasn’t long before Rarity discovered what was upsetting the local ponies.

“Greetings, Rarity!”

Rarity was so surprised, the glob of light coming from her horn suddenly vanished.

“Trixie?!”

“Yes, the Great and Powerful Trrrrrixie has returned! And I have something amazing and incredible to show you!”

As Rarity was getting a headache from trying to magic herself to another location, she was happy to take an excuse to quit for a bit. However, unlike Twilight, she hadn’t quite forgiven Trixie for her last visit to Ponyville.

“You haven’t gotten hold of another evil necklace, have you?” she asked.

“Moi?”

“Don’t play innocent,” glowered Rarity. “For your information, Twilight is not here, so any problem you have…”

“Oh, the Great and Powerful Trixie knows Twilight is not here,” smiled Trixie. “She was the one who sent me to this town.”

“Twilight sent you here?!” Rarity exclaimed.

“That’s right,” said Trixie.

And she produced a dark blue cloud from her horn. Inside was a cartoon of herself and Twilight.

“I journeyed to Canterlot to demonstrate my latest and greatest achievement,” Trixie narrated as her drawing crossed from cloud right to center cloud. “And who should I meet but my old friend Twilight Sparkle?”

Rarity snorted a bit as Twilight’s drawing met up with Trixie’s.

“And when I told her what I had been cooking up since our last get-together…”

“Where she gave you a right showing up,” Rarity muttered.

“She knew I was really on to something,” Trixie went on. “And she couldn’t have been more excited when I asked her to help me test it.”

“But she was too busy with royal business, right?” asked Rarity.

“No,” replied Trixie. “She did not agree to help me test it because she had somepony in mind who might appreciate it even more.”

Rarity’s eyes widened. “Me?”

“Yes, you,” Trixie smiled. “Twilight tells me you were upset that you were having trouble learning to do spells that she can do.”

“Oh. She told you that?” Rarity asked, going red in the face.

“No need to be embarrassed, Rarity,” said Trixie. “For it is unicorns like you who inspired me to create Magic Freeze Tag!”

Trixie extinguished her cloud and the animated Trixie and Twilight vanished.

“Magic freeze tag?” repeated Rarity.

“Yes! Are you interested in a free trial?” asked Trixie, beaming at Rarity.

“Well, yes, I suppose I am,” Rarity answered.

“Excellent! Now let’s go find more unicorns to take part,” said Trixie.

“Oh, it’s a multi-player game, is it?” asked Rarity.

“It will be when it takes off,” Trixie smiled keenly.

If you thought Twilight’s friends were the only ones who’d been treated like dirt during Trixie’s last visit – oh, and Snips and Snails as well – then allow me to tell you that Trixie had made a point of roaming the streets humiliating the citizens with various spells. Twilight seemed to be the only pony who’d forgiven her for letting the Alicorn Amulet warp her mind. As she and Rarity walked around Ponyville in search of other unicorns to take part in Equestria’s first game of magic freeze tag, a lot of angry faces turned in their direction.

There weren’t many ponies outside now. The weather patrol was turning up the wind to blow the fallen autumn leaves out of town. When Trixie and Rarity were just considering going to some unicorns’ homes to ask for volunteers, Vinyl Scratch, Lyra and Minuette suddenly jumped out from behind the fountain. They looked like they were going to attack.

“Oh, hold it, girls!” called Minuette. “Rarity’s here. She’ll deal with her.”

“Mess her up, Rarity!” shouted Vinyl Scratch.

“What?!” Rarity exclaimed. “What are you talking about?! Do you all know about magic freeze tag?”

“Magic freeze what?” asked Lyra.

“Rarity, keep it down!” urged Trixie. “I haven’t patented this game yet.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” said Vinyl Scratch. “You two are playing a game together?”

“Yes, but we need more players,” replied Rarity.

“Would you three lucky unicorns care to join in?” Trixie asked with a bright, excited smile. “The first game is free.”

Vinyl, Lyra and Minuette looked from the eager Trixie to Rarity, who was wearing her Element of Generosity.

“What do you say, girls?” Minuette asked the other two.

Lyra leaned over to Minuette as whispered. “If Rarity’s playing, Trixie won’t give us any trouble.”

“Yeah,” hissed Vinyl. “And if she does, she’ll probably go to prison this time.”

The three of them smirked and told Trixie that they would play her game. Trixie was not even slightly put off by their sneers. Rarity however found them odd.

A bunch of yellow leaves buffeted Rarity’s face.

“Could we play this game indoors by any chance?” she sputtered.

“Of course we’ll be playing indoors,” said Trixie. “I don’t want anypony stealing my idea. Can we use your place?”

“Yes, alright,” answered Rarity as the last of the leaves blew off her.

This made Vinyl Scratch, Lyra and Minuette feel better. They didn’t think they’d be able to contain themselves if Trixie had asked one of them to host the game.

“You have a sister, right?” asked Trixie.

“Yes. Can Sweetie Belle play as well?” Rarity asked.

“Um, has she learned any magic yet?”

“No, she hasn’t,” answered Rarity.

“Then I’m afraid she won’t be able to play,” Trixie told her. “This game can only be played by unicorns who can use their magic.”

“Wait a second,” said Rarity. “I thought you said this game was for unicorns who can’t learn magic.”

“No, no, I said it’s meant for unicorns who can only use one kind of magic,” replied Trixie. “Like you. You can only find gemstones.”

“What are your abilities?” she asked the other three.

“I can make things louder,” said Vinyl Scratch.

“I can change my voice,” said Lyra.

“I can measure time in my head,” said Minuette.

“And does it bother you?” asked Trixie. “Not being able to learn more spells?”

Lyra was about to say that Trixie was being insensitive, but Rarity spoke before she could.

“That’s exactly how I’ve been feeling since Twilight’s coronation.”

“Glad I could come and cheer you up,” Trixie smiled, putting her hoof on Rarity’s shoulder.

“Apple polisher,” muttered Vinyl.

Sweetie Belle wasn’t quite as uncomfortable as Vinyl, Lyra and Minuette were when she saw Trixie enter her house with Rarity.

“Is this some kind of royal meeting?” asked Sweetie Belle. “Do you need refreshments? I could be your waitress.”

“Um, no thank you Sweetie,” said Rarity hastily.

She knew that Sweetie Belle and food preparation did not mix.

“That’s that loser Trixie isn’t it?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Sweetie Belle, mind your manners!” said Rarity sternly.

“Yeah, like Trixie did when she took over Ponyville,” muttered Minuette.

“I assure you the Great and Powerful Trrrrrixie is no loser,” said Trixie. “No loser could come up with this game.”

Trixie’s horn lit up and she magiced a large scroll out of thin air. It had an overhead view of a labyrinth painted on it.

“Behold! The game area for magic freeze tag!”

Vinyl Scratch took her shades off and stared at the map. “How in the name of surround sound are we supposed to play on that?!”

“Observe,” replied Trixie.

Now she made a camera and five black blindfolds appear. She took one blindfold and gave the rest to the other players.

“You don’t have a scarlet one, do you?” asked Rarity.

“No, I don’t,” Trixie answered. “But…”

Her horn lit up and one pop later, Rarity’s blindfold was deep red.

“Anypony else want a different colour?” Trixie asked the others.

No one else made a request.

“Suit yourself,” said Trixie after nopony answered her. “Now you will notice that there are two straps on these blindfolds. What you have to do is put one around your heads and the other around your horns.”

“What for?” asked Minuette, keeping her blindfold suspended in front of her.

“It will absorb your magic. That way, you won’t really cast a spell when you’re wearing them.”

“But if we’re not casting spells, then what makes this game of freeze tag magic?” demanded Lyra.

She jumped suddenly as Trixie had made the camera take a picture of her. The photograph was ejected and Rarity was surprised to see that the camera didn’t capture Lyra’s blindfold or the wall behind her. None of the others noticed. They were watching the camera as it took a photo of the rest of them in turn.

Soon, five photographs were being attached to the map. Trixie had placed each photo on a different area on the labyrinth.

“Now, once you put the blindfold on,” she said to the group, “your mind will be transported into the maze. The object of the game is to reach the middle first.”

She indicated the center of the map where a small scroll was painted on.

“If you encounter somepony on the way,” Trixie continued, “you can cast a freezing spell on them.”

“But we don’t know freezing spells,” Vinyl piped up.

“You will when you enter the game,” grinned Trixie.

Rarity beamed.

“They will last for ten seconds,” Trixie went on. “But if you do freeze somepony, you’ll be transported one row to your left.”

Rarity became as bouncy as Pinkie Pie after a pitcher of energy drink.

“Freezing and teleportation?! Those are the two spells I’ve wanted to learn the most!”

Vinyl, Lyra and Minuette eyed Trixie suspiciously.

“So you still haven’t done it yet?” chuckled Sweetie Belle.

“Oh, be quiet!”

“Now Sweetie Belle,” Trixie turned to the young unicorn, “we’ll need you to take our blindfolds off when we’re done playing.”

“What for?” asked Sweetie Belle.

“Once we put the blindfolds on, we won’t be able to move in real life,” Trixie said to all of them. “The players will need someone to get them out of the game.”

“How did you find this out?” asked Rarity.

Trixie’s face went pink a little.

“Um, my boss on the rock farm had to help me out last week,” she said.

“You’re still working at that rock farm?!” exclaimed Vinyl.

Rarity shot her a warning look and she stopped herself from laughing.

“Not for long!” Trixie didn’t look embarrassed anymore. Her eyes flashed with determination. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will be back on her hooves once this game takes off!”

Vinyl Scratch, Lyra and Minuette kept glancing at the Element of Generosity on Rarity’s neck. They felt uncomfortable, but they were sure that no harm could come to them if she had her element of harmony.

“Are we ready?!” Trixie called, placing her blindfold above her eyes.

Lyra took one last look at Rarity’s element, and then said “Game on!”

They all nodded.

“How long shall we play?” asked Trixie.

“An hour?” Rarity suggested.

That was longer than the others would have liked, but they didn’t want to argue.

“OK, I’ll let you all out in an hour,” Sweetie Belle said.

“Let the game begin!” announced Trixie, setting the map of the labyrinth on the floor.

The five players put their blindfolds on, second straps around their horns. Sweetie Belle chuckled at Vinyl Scratch, who had put her blindfold on over her shades. As soon as they each had their eyes covered, they stopped moving. Sweetie Belle could see that they were still breathing, but they were standing perfectly still. Then she heard shuffling from behind her. She looked at the map and saw that the photographs of the players were moving along their respective paths.

When Rarity next opened her eyes, she found herself in a dark hedge maze.

“Oh, my. It feels so real,” she said.

Then she covered her mouth remembering that she was supposed to be quiet. She looked around. Behind her was a dead end and the path ahead of her was so dark, she couldn’t see where it ended. She walked forward and after a minute, she found an opening to her left. She went that way and began to speed up. Then she stopped. She spotted someone. It was Trixie. For a moment, Rarity thought she didn’t stand a chance of freezing her before she got her. But Trixie didn’t cast any spells. She just walked aimlessly around. Rarity took a chance. She cast a spell. It felt like her own gem finding spell, but sure enough, she had stopped Trixie in her tracks. Then Rarity’s vision went blue for a second and she found herself in a different row.

“Outstanding!” she cried, and ran forward.

But then she stopped. She was still curious. Surely Trixie had spotted her. It couldn’t have been that dark. She could see Trixie quite clearly. She spotted an opening to her right. She remembered seeing an opening to Trixie’s left and went through it to see if she was there.

“Whoa!”

Rarity had nearly collided into Trixie. The freezing spell had worn off.

“How did it feel?” asked Trixie, eyes agleam.

“Quite spectacular,” Rarity answered. “Did you let me get you first on purpose?”

“Like I said, I want you and your friends to experience new magic,” Trixie smiled. “How can I do that if I go around zapping you all?”

Then she frowned.

“Oh. I shouldn’t have said that. Now you know I’m not even trying.”

“That’s right!” shouted Rarity with a fanatical smile.

She zapped Trixie again who froze on the spot, and then she found herself in the other row again.

“Oh, yes! This is gonna be fun!”

And she darted off.

“Don’t tell the others I’m going easy on you all!” she heard Trixie’s voice coming from the wall to her right.

“I won’t!” Rarity called back before taking a left turn.

Author's Note:

Inspired by several odd ways in which people I've known play laser tag.