//------------------------------//
// Magic Duel, Part I 
// Story: A Superior Hero 
// by MetalJrock 
//------------------------------//

It was a rainy night. And in the middle of the storm was a lone blue unicorn. Anger and desire were seen in her eyes. She let out a quiet sigh as she faced the lone shack. "Is this where you wanted me to go?" she asked quietly.

The orb of darkness following her responded, 'Yes. The Alicorn Amulet should be kept in there. It might take a bit of... bargaining, but it should be easy to retrieve.'

Trixie smirked, "Excellent."

And so, with no trepidation, she raised her hood and stepped inside the dimly lit shop. Within it, there were antiques kept within a large glass case for the sake of keeping them safe. Standing on the other side of the glass was an older stallion. "Yes...?" he asked.

Trixie didn't say anything and chose to point at the strange artifact kept on a shelf behind the pony. The stallion turned around and saw what she was looking at. "I'm sorry, but that is not for sale. It's too dangerous for anypony to have."

Suddenly, a bag of bits was tossed onto the counter, with the pony lightly adjusting his glasses at the sight. A smile seen on his muzzle, "On second thought, I guess it wouldn't hurt if you got it."

Trixie used her magic to place the amulet on her neck, feeling and seeing a surge of red energy overtake her body. Satisfied, she stepped outside and cackled, her eyes glowing blood red. "Finally! I shall have my revenge on you, Twilight Sparkle!"





Otto stepped forth from his laboratory. A few days have passed since the conversation with the Royal Sisters. 'So far, all is quiet. A little too much for my liking. Perhaps, I shall investigate.' but the sound of loud crunching knocked Octavius out of his thoughts and directed him to where a certain dragon was eating.

"Are you thinking again, Otto?" Spike asked, getting the scientist's attention. "I think you might be becoming paranoid." he said, eating his bowl of gems.

Octavius cleared his throat, "Well, Spike. If you must know, being Spider-Man has brought out some awareness in my eyes. It is only right that I make sure everything hasn't changed. Better to be prepared than not at all, despite how my predecessor acted in some cases."

Spike shrugged, "If you say so. You want anything to eat? We got pancakes and waffles."

"Interesting. Perhaps I might have a pancake." Otto admitted, 'If only there was a supply of meat somewhere. Honestly, my diet had to be gravely altered in order to fit in this equine society. Perhaps it's for the best, better to not look like my old self.'

A moment passed and Spike came back with a plate with a pancake already on it, "Twi and I made these earlier." he explained, setting it on a table for Otto to eat. The genius looked down at the plate and began to much quietly.

"Speaking of, where is Sparkle?" asked Otto.

The dragon answered, "Not sure, but she's with the others. She wanted me to stay just in case you woke up. Luckily, the food's still warm from earlier."

Octavius swallowed the food, "Very well. Perhaps I shall take leave to my lab again. There is something that must be done for the moment." he decided.

"Come one, come all!" boomed a voice so loud that it caught the two's attention.

Spike and Otto turned their heads at the voice, "Uh... You heard that too, right?" the young drake asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. That was quite an annoying sound. As much as I don't want to know, we should see what the commotion is about." Octavius replied.

The dragon nodded, "Sure thing, Otto. Sould we bring the bag... just in case? Cause I think I recognize that voice, and I don't like the sound of it." he added.

"Clever thinking. It could be an... uninvited guest." Octavius answered, grabbing his bag and strapping it around his barrel, in it was his red and black costume.





'Of all the...' thought Otto, standing next to Spike. "Who is this infernal mare supposed to be? Her voice is starting to grate my ears. Egh."

"Ugh. Trixie. I thought we ran her out after what happened last time." Spike groaned to Octavius.

Standing in the center of the town was a blue unicorn, her eyes blood red, a strange object strapped to her neck by a small cape and hood. She had a megaphone in her hooves, her voice blaring across the town, prompting ponies to come and see what the source of the noise was, some annoyed at seeing the unicorn again.

In front of the crowd were the Elements of Harmony. Otto and Spike pushed themselves through to stand with their friends. They heard Rainbow speak. "You again? I thought you stopped!"

"Oh, Trixie won't stop. Never." Trixie boasted. "It has been a while, Rainbow Dash."

"Why are you here, Trixie?" Applejack asked, "I thought we ran yer flamk outta Ponyville after the Ursa Minor incident."

"Quiet!" said two colts. Snips continued, "Trixie is the bestest unicorn in all of Equestria! She has every right to be here!"

Otto stood on his hindlegs, "And she has fans? Annoying fans at that? I'm ready to gag."

Trixie raised a hoof, "If you must know... After Twilight ran me put of Ponyville, I become a laughing stock across Equestria! Nopony would take my tricks and shows seriously! I've been living in my wagon with no income, little food, nothing! And it's that unicorn's fault!" she pointed an accusing hoof at the lavender unicorn.

"Me?" Twilight questioned.

"Yes, you! Because of you one-upping me, I became a joke. But luckily, I trained my magic so that I could finally prove myself your superior once and for all." Trixie bragged.

"Poor choice of wording, mare." Otto quipped.

Trixie growled, "And who are you?"

"Otto Octavius, a new resident of Ponyville. It appears that you were run out for a simple reason... You're rather irritating. No wonder Twilight and the others wanted to be rid of you. I just met you and you're already starting to get on my nerves." Octavius admitted.

Trixie gritted her teeth, "You dare mock Trixie?!"

"Yeah, Otto! Keep going!" Rainbow and Pinkie cheered on their scientist friend.

"Silence!" Trixie shouted, shooting a beam of red magic out of her horn, hitting the pegasus and earth pony. For Rainbow, she enlarged a wing, causing her to fly in various directions. For Pinkie, she literally zipped her mouth shut, making her unable to speak. Muffles were all that escaped the pink mare.

Otto raised a brow curiously, "Huh. You actually shut the pink one up. That's a feat in itself."

"Thank you. But it is time I declare my reasoning for being here. Trixie wishes to battle Twilight Sparkle and the new hero, Spider-Man." the blue unicorn said.

"Why Spider-Man?" Octavius asked. "He has done nothing to you, accursed unicorn."

Trixie put a hoof to herself, "If Trixie wishes to prove herself superior, then not only shall she beat the mare who embarassed her, but take out the local hero. If I win, they shall be exiled from Ponyville, and if they win somehow, then I will leave."

Otto thought, 'You will regret ever challenging me, Trixie... She is rather starting to sound like Mysterio. Perhaps her tricks are as pathetic as his. This will be no match for Spider-Man should that be the case.' he looked to his bag, looking for a spot to change and ran off, ready to become his alter-ego.

"When do you want to do this, Trixie? Your attitude is not welcome here." Twilight wondered. "I thought you would've lightened up after being humiliated, but I guess I was wrong in that regard."

Trixie growled, "Trixie won't lighten up until you have suffered like I have!" she yelled. "With my newfound power, Trixie will teach you a lesson in humility now!"

"Um... Is that really necessary?" Spike asked.

"Yes! It is!" Trixie gloated.

A voice echoed nearby, "Eh. A mare of your so-called talents must have better things to do than seek revenge."

Everypony looked up, the bystanders happy to see Spider-Man making a landing. "I've gotten word of your challenge from a friend. And I accept. Somebody has to teach you proper manners. But do you wish to elaborate on how you've heard of me?"

Chants clamoring for Spider-Man were heard around him and he honestly wished to silence them, but Trixie yelled. "SILENCE!" she cleared her throat. "I've heard of you, obviously. How could Trixie not learn of Ponyville's latest defender? Hearing of you obviously made me strive to become even better than last time."

Spider-Man stood on his hindlegs, "Alright. So, basically, you made a mistake. You think you can challenge me? You're not the first magic user I have dealt with after all. Compared to them, facing you shall be like a walk in a park."

"Otto? What are you doing?" Twilight asked.

"Provoking her, Sparkle." Spider-Man whispered back, leaping next to the unicorn. "If there is anything Parker has taught me, it's to annoy your enemies with constant quips. Unfortunately, I hadn't learned that until recently."

"Ha! All magic pales in comparison to what Trixie has learned." boasted the blue unicorn, narrowing her eyes and a smirk on her muzzle as she declared this.

Octavius muttered, "I seriously doubt that."

Trixie's horn began to glow red, having enough of Spider-Man's quips. Suddenly, she duplicated herself, appearing and surrounding her clones around Spider-Man and Twilight. The wall-crawler's Spider-Sense went off, pushing Twilight to the wide, dodging a powerful red beam. "How?" the Amulet wearer asked.

"Spider-Sense. A precognitive ability which you lack." Spider-Man boasted. "It seems you really haven't thought this duel of yours through yet?"

Twilight lit her horn, shooting a beam that evaporated the Trixie clones, revealing the original. "Just stop this, Trixie! It's pointless!" she pleaded.

"Not until I say so." the blue unicorn said, creating a shield to block Twilight's magic from hitting her.

Spider-Man sighed, "There's no use, Sparkle. It seems she's too caught up in her ego to change her mind." he murmured, 'Like I was not too long ago. But now's not the time to dwell on the past.'

Trixie watched as Spider-Man shot a line of webbing down, landing on the ground and rolling, tripping the blue unicorn as swiftly as possible. His Spider-Sense tingled and he swerved his body backwards, dodging a red beam that was intended to hit him. "Seriously? Did you not listen to me?"

"I'm already getting tired of this." muttered Trixie. "I don't care anymore for your words. It's time I used my magic seriously."

Twilight and Otto stood back to back as more Trixies began to morph into existence, "More clones? Don't you have any other tricks?" sighed Spider-Man.

"Ehough!" Trixie yelled. "Let's end this now!"

"Um, Otto. Do you know what you're doing?" Twilight whispered.

Spider-Man smirked under his mask, "Yes." he thought and mused, 'She's a simple unicorn wih a lot of attitude. This shouldn't be hard to handle.'