//------------------------------// // Chapter 6-5: Morning in G3 Ponyville shines! And I know for absolute certain! That everything is certainly... fine? // Story: Minty Image // by mintgreenconspiracy //------------------------------// Apple Bloom scuffed her hooves angrily. Why did Twilight have to add Cheerilee to Twilight time?! She asked herself, internally, her face going red. Things were going so well when it was just the three of them! Heck! Even little Rarity didn't throw things off that much (and she was kind a fun fourth crusader to add to the team), but Cheerilee... Did she even understand the first thing about magic? All she did was take up valuable Twilight time trying and failing, pitifully, to cast basic spells! And then she spent the rest of her time feeling sorry for herself. Apple Bloom screamed to herself, silently, finding a small rock to kick around. Maybe that'd be a good way to deal with her frustrations! She thought, starting to kick the rock arround. Yeah Twilight said, that she'd make it up to them by giving them an additional Twilight Time each week, so that she could give everypony more time (she promised that even though the time would be divided that everypony would have more time than before), but Apple Bloom wondered why it was even necessary in the first place. She meant, why couldn't Cheerilee get some somepony-else's time, and leave Twilight Time to the Crusaders, and Rarity. She asked herself, passing Fluttershy's cabin behind. Oh well! If Twilight wouldn't give her any time today for her potions, having opted instead, to look at Scootaloo's wings, and Cheerilee's magic training (well technically all three unicorns magic training, but that wasn't how Apple Bloom saw it at the moment.) Then she'd go and see the old shaman, herself, she decided, giving the rock a good kick, and sending it hurtling against the exhaust pipe of a nearby cart. The rock bounced off the red hatched roof of the pretty non-descript cart, before knocking off the sign that hung off the front from a pole (that kind of looked like a magic wand, and a star scape.) "Uh oh..." Apple Bloom said to herself, uncomfortably. "Ah guess the owner ain't gunna be to happy if'n I destroyed their sign." She said, trotting over to the foot of the cart to see how bad the damage was. The sign definitely looked heavily damaged, and, to make matters worse, it looks like it might have hurt the base of the cart on the way down. Apple Bloom gulped slightly. "Maybe ah cain fix it?" She asked herself, trying to grab the sign in her mouth -- only to have it snap in half. "Yeah... Ah ain't gunner be able ta fix it." She said, bowing her head in shame, maybe if she wasn't being so dang grumpy over having to share Twilight's time, then maybe she wouldn't have broken that poor pony's cart. "What aim ah going ta do now?" She asked, desperately -- her methods proving futile. "Well maybe Trix... I can help?" A voice said, from behind her. "Ah suppose, but ya promise not ta tell the owner that ah went an' messed up their sign, right?" She asked, apologetically -- her bow sagging along with her ears and smile. "Mum's the word. " The azure pony with the light blue mane said, making a zipping motion with their front hoof. "So what happened, little filly?" "Ahh shucks..." Apple Bloom said, apologetically. "Ah was just so angry 'bout something..." She said, partially dodging the question. "That ah decided to kick this rock... 'Cept that ah didn't see this here cart here." She said, scuffing her hooves. "An' I kinda wrecked it..." The unicorn smiled knowingly. "Sounds like jealousy." She said, with a smile, levitating the fragments of the sign up in her magenta colored magic. "A new pony came to town, and you're worried they're going to take your friends from you?" She asked, as her horn glowed a brighter and brighter red color, the sign beginning to fuse together. Apple Bloom nodded. "It's Cheerilee... Not mah teacher, but this other Cheerilee! She's so slow! Why'd she have ta go and ruin Twilight Time..." She said, cupping her hoof over her mouth -- that was a lot more than she wished to reveal. "Said too much." The unicorn said, with a wink, the sign finally restoring itself to it's original shape. Apple Bloom nodded nervously. "Yer not gunna tell anypony right?" She asked, nervously, dropping to her knees, and holding her hooves against the azure unicorn's cloak. The unicorn just smiled and nodded, and the sign was placed back in it's proper place, her magic aura returning to a magenta hue. "There much better!" The unicorn exclaimed, taking a second to make sure the sign looked it's best. "The great and ... I can't have this sign looking like a mess when I reach my destination, now can I?" She asked, wiping the sweat off her brow with a handkerchief she pulled from within the carriage. "Wait?" Apple Bloom asked, uneasily. "This carriage belongs to you?" She asked, starting to back off, uncomfortably. "Ah'm sorry!! Ah really ahm!! Ah -- " The unicorn simply held up her hoof. "There's no need for that! See!" She said, pointing up at the sign. "No harm, no fowl!" She said, with a twinkle in her eye. "Thanks, ah guess." Apple Bloom replied. "But why ya goin' through the Everfree anyways?" The unicorn smiled. "How else was Trix... I... supposed to get from Dodge Junction to Vanhoover?" She asked, with a smile. "The railroad?" She asked the unicorn, who simply shook her head, and pointed at the cart. Apple Bloom nodded, she might have a point. "But weren't ya worried 'bout all the scary monsters, and that no pony that has ever entered has left, alive?" She asked, giving into the hype given the forest for a second. "Oh... The Great And Pow... I think that's not a problem!" She said, uprooting a tree in her magic, and putting it back into it's place -- upside down."Not for a top level mag... experienced traveller like the... myself, " she said, with a wink. "Ah still feel bad 'bout the sign though." Apple Bloom said, hanging her head. "Is there any way ah can make it up ta ya?" She asked, scuffing her hoof. "Well there is one way." The unicorn said, with a twinkle in her eye. "There might be one thing you can do for me?" "What is it?" Apple Bloom asked, nervously. "Well, " The unicorn said, tapping her hoof on her muzzle. "I have some tricks I want to try out for my show, and I was hoping somepony could give Trix... me an honest opinion of them?" She said, with a glimmer in her eyes. "Would you mind giving me an honest opinion of the tricks I'm planning for my show in Vanhoover?" "Ya like a magician or somethin'?" Apple Bloom asked, curiously, her fear beginning to subside. "Well... More like a show pony." She replied, pulling a deck of cards from the cart, as well as a funny necklace, with a plain golden symbol at the front. "What's that fur?" Apple Bloom asked, pointing to the necklace. "Well, you see, It's a... device that will allow Trix... me to find the perfect magic act!" She said, nonchalantly. "I bought it from a curio shop!" She said, pulling it near the earth pony filly, causing it to glow a pretty rainbow light. "Legend has it that when Trix... I find the perfect trick, then it will glow, and bathe the world with a beautiful glow." "Well, that does sound like fun." Apple Bloom said, with a smile. "Oh it will be..." The unicorn said, ominously. "It will be...." "Say again?" Apple Bloom said, checking her ears. Did she just heard what she thought she did?" "How about a trick? On me!" The unicorn said, her magic transforming from magenta, and back to red, as the aura wrapped itself around the cards. ********** "Ok Woodburn?" Applejack said, a clipboard stuck to her hoof (as if, by magic), and a pencil in her mouth. A long list of names went down the clipboard like "Holly", and "Filbert", all with checks by their name. "Fine." Stated the stallion of the family, with confidence, looking the tree up and down. A proud look on his face, as he started to move towards the next tree. "Woowee!" The orange apple exclaimed, herself feeling very proud. "The trees look like they're in great shape this year!" She said, hopping slightly. "Ah think we're gunna have a heck of a harvest this year!" She exclaimed, enthusiastically. "Ah can just feel it!" She said, with glee, a spring in her steps. "So who's left ta check?" She asked herself flipping through the clipboard. "Guess the eastern field, an' some of the trees in the northern field." Mac said, contemplatively. "So at the current rate we should be finished in no time!" Said the orange pony, rearing with enthusiasm. After a few seconds she turned back, a thought occurring to her. "So where'd ya think 'Bloom ran off ta?" She asked her brother, who simply shrugged his withers. "She was 'supposed ta come an' help us with the ins-pection. Ya don't 'suppose she was held late do ya?" Her brother shrugged his withers again, and quietly shook his head, slightly. "Probably nothin' ta -- " "Hey Applejack!" The young filly said, racing up to her sister. "Ah jus' say the most amazin' thing on mah way to Zecora's on mah way back from Twilight Time!" She said, bouncing up and down. "Ya jus' have ta see!" She said, trying to pull her big sister by the leg (holding the leg in her teeth.) "Hold yer horses Apple Bloom!" Applejack said, with surprise. "What's all the hootin' and hollerin' about?" She asked, trying to figure out what all the hubbub was about. "There's a magician in Ponyville, an' she's really, really good!" Apple Bloom said, with a level of enthusiasm that was normally reserved for Pinkie. "An' ah wanted ta go see her show, can ah? can ah? can ah?" "Magician huh?" Applejack said, tapping her muzzle. "Ah don't know! We have alota things ta do! An' the inspection?" Apple Bloom scuffed her feet. "But she's leavin' tonight! An we're gunna have all winter ta finish those inspections!" She said, with agitation. "Sorry 'Bloom." Applejack said sternly. "But we have too much ta do, an' there's no way that yer gunna convince me ta go!" She said, putting her hoof down, and taking an immobile position. "But Applejack!" Apple Bloom cried, giving her sister the whole nine yards including the water works, and the dreaded squee. "No!" Applejack said, seemingly unimpressed. "Ain't gunna happen! Ain't no way ya gunna -- " ********** Applejack sighed, how did her sister manage to drag her into this one? She asked herself as she found herself being dragged along by the smaller filly as she cantered her way towards the makeshift stage. "Hey?" Applejack thought to herself. "Don't this look familiar?" She asked herself, as she strode up to the back of the crowd. "Ah cain't say ah've seen that before, cain ah?" She thought, to herself, squinting her eyes slightly to get a better look at it, and -- "Wow Trix... I was not expecting to put up a show today!" The magician exclaimed, in surprise, over the crowd. "Let alone to have so many ponies in attendance, and for that Trix... I am so very pleased!" She said, her hat glowing the same crimson red that her horn was. "Thank you!" She said, with a humble bow (Applejack smiled, always a good sign! She was definitely not going to be that blowhard show off that that magician from last year was... What was their name? The Great and Powerful Presto? Nah that wasn't it!) "Perhaps a small trick is in order!" She said, humbly, pulling a necklace out from behind the stage, and showing it to all the ponies in the front row, before slipping it back behind her. "I will be using this magical artifact to judge applause levels today! The brighter, the better!" She exclaimed, with a smile. "And if anypony thinks there's mind magic here then I would be more than happy to surrender it for testing." Everypony shook their heads, that was fine -- besides, maybe a little illusion might make this show better than the one last year... After a few seconds the magician smiled. "Could the great and pow... I request a volunteer please?" She shouted out, taking her time to survey the crowd. "You in the back!" She shouted, pointing at Time Turner. "Could you come forward please?" The earth pony pointed at himself, an expression of disbelief on his face. "Hey!" A voice shouted to Applejack from behind, a small amount of anger in their tone. "Dash?" She asked, whipping around to see the pegasus floating behind her with an agitated expression, her front legs crossed, and a large scowl on her face. "What are ya doin' here?" She asked, expecting the pegasus to asleep, or working on the weather. "Ain't ya 'supposed ta workin' on teh weather?" The pegasus groaned slightly. "I would, but that 'magician' -- " she said, raising her front hooves in air quotes when she said the word 'magician'. " -- here keeps moving the clouds over city hall, and it's setting our schedule pretty far off," she said, tightening the crossing of her front legs. "If she doesn't knock it off then I might actually have to work today!" She said, sticking her tongue out at the magician. "A pegasus performin' magic?" The apple asked, doing a double take. "No! A unicorn!" She shouted, shaking her hoof, with rage. "And --" "Ah unicorn that cain perform weather magic?" Applejack asked, sceptically, quirking an eyebrow. "Yeah, I know right?" Rainbow asked, nonchalantly. "Wouldn't believe it either it I wasn't having to put up with it!" She said, being interrupted by the pony on stage. "And I wish she'd stop! The weather is pegasus territory!... AND MORE IMPORTANTLY!!! BEING AWESOME IS MY TERRITORY!!!!" She shouted, hoping the magician would hear. The magician, however, didn't seem to notice, or care, about her neigh-saying. "And now he shall return in triplicate!" The magician shouted, as three Time turners appeared from the puff of smoke. "Great wickering stallions!" The first time turner shouted, turning to the other two. "This is not physically possible!" Shouted the second, turning to the magician. "How could you have possibly done this!?" He said, turning to the magician, as the third Time Turner shrugged, looking baffled, himself. "Why magic, little ponies. For you see The Great And Pow... It's a trick, and you know what they say about good magicians and their tricks." She said, holding a necklace up in front of her, which didn't glow in the slightest. "Is it just me, or does somethin' seem familiar about this one?" Applejack asked, turning to Rainbow Dash. "Yeah!" The pegasus admitted, turning to the apple. "Like I should be mad at her or something!" She said, her face flinching, in anger for a second. "Blue unicorn mare, loud announcing voice... You don't think it could be -- ?" Applejack shook her head. "Couldn't be! If it was she'd be shouting up and down about how great she'd be by now!" She whispered to the pegasus. "Please! May I choose three members of the audience to come forwards to see if they can figure Trix... My trick out!" She asked, looking over the crowd. A sea of hoofs flew up as all kinds of ponies from all throughout the crowd raised their hands to get in on the act. "Hmm..." The magician said, with a delighted smile. "So many to choose from... Whom should Trix... I pick?" She said, her hoof coming detached from her body, and planting itself on her muzzle, in a thinking position. "So who you think she's going to pick?" Asked Pinkie, loudly enough to be heard by the entire audience. "OOH! OOH! OOH! Pick me! Pick me!" She shouted to the magician, who seemed to be ignoring her. "Great horny toads!" Applejack shouted, practically jumping out of her skin. "When did ya'll show up?" She asked of the pink pony. "Oh silly!" Pinkie said, with a smile. "I've been here the whole time. "Wait... " She said, shushing the apple, and the cyan pegasus. "This is the best part! She's about to pick Minuette, Twinkleshine, and Lemon Hearts!" She said, as the magician pointed her hooves at three ponies (her disembodied hoof temporarily splitting in half) one in the back, one in the middle, and on one of the sides -- bringing forth a light blue unicorn mare with a dark blue and light grey mane and an hourglass cutie mark, a light cream unicorn with a pink mane and a triple star cutie mark, and a yellow unicorn with a cerulean mane and a triple heart cutie mark. "Ok!" The magician said, with a smile. "Please tell Trix... me, if you can figure out my trick!" She said, her disembodied hoof pointing at the trio of time turners, her other hoof holding her necklace aloft while all three of them passed by, the necklace glowing almost imperceptibly. The magician gave a smile. "Any luck?" She asked the three unicorns with a mischievous smile. The three of them shook their heads. "Well worry not!" She said, with a wink. "It wouldn't be a very good trick if it was understood anyway!" She said, waving her disembodied hoof over the three Time Turners, causing two to vanish in a puff of smoke. "I guess I have no more use for them!" She said, as her hoof suddenly reappeared in its proper place. "I suppose." Replied Lemon Hearts with a smile. "But I bet if Twilight were here then she could figure it out." A strange expression came over the magician's face, as nopony could tell if it was a mischievous gleaming, or an expression of rage appeared in her eyes. "Hmm..." Said the magician with a smile. "Then perhaps some of that skill has rubbed off on one of this Twilight's other friends." She said, pointing to the unicorn trio. "Is there any other friends of this Twilight Sparkle in the audience?" "Twilight Sparkle?" Mouthed Applejack to Rainbow Dash. "How'd she know her name?" "Probably 'cause she's a princess or something!" Exclaimed, Rainbow, unimpressed. "Doesn't matter." Rainbow Dash said, using her wings to prop herself up, her arms crossed. "'Cause there's no way you're going to catch me up there!" She said, with agitation. "Then ah'm going ta go up!" The smallest apple said, rushing to the stage -- eliciting a look of pure shock from the older apple. "Wait!" She shouted galloping as far as she could, before she was blocked by the crowd. "'Bloom come back here! Ya hear!" "Why greetings again." The magician said, with a smile to the young apple. "What brings you back Apple Bloom?" "Well ah was hopin' ta show your show ta my sister and friends." She said with a smile. "But..." She said, her smile dropping. "Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle don't seem to be here right now." She said, with a frown, her ears drooping. "Well worry not!" The magician said, with enthusiasm. "For the great and power... I shall show you another trick." She said, her hat glowing an even brighter color. "For behold! From the mists, The Great and ... I shall summon Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo!" She shouted, as Rainbow's prissy unicorn materialized right above Rainbow Dash, landing, hoof first on the startled pegasus, and the other two Crusaders materialized next to Apple Bloom on stage. "How did I get here?" Asked Scootaloo asked, in bewilderment, the scooter she was riding, suddenly nowhere to be found. "Scootaloo! Sweetie Belle!" The apple said, with enthusiasm. "Ah'm so glad ya could make it! Ah was worried ya wouldn't be able ta show!" She said, bouncing up and down, slightly -- her smile completely restored. "Actually..." Sweetie said, looking around anxiously. "I'm kind of glad." She said, her ears dropping. "Rarity wanted me to test another outfit of hers..." She said, quietly, her cheeks blushing slightly -- causing knowing grunts from the other two crusaders. "Well worry not as Trix... I shall perform another Trix... trick!" She announced, pulling back out a deck of cards, that she kept in the cart (the same deck Apple Bloom had seen earlier.) "Behold as..." She announced one of the nearby buildings shifted position, carried along by her magic. "I... move that building!" She announced to thunderous applause, her necklace glowing faintly as she held it next to the crusaders. "Oh dear?" Rarity asked herself, looking discombobulated, having suddenly, and without knowledge, left her shop (and her new outfit, that she was working on, nowhere to be found.) "Wherever am I?" She asked, as a groaning could be heard from somewhere. "And why do I feel like I have fallen on something?" "Mmmmmet mmmmm mmouuta here!" Somepony groaned from somewhere, causing Rarity to look around in all directions. "Say again?" The prissy unicorn asked, with a puzzled expression. "Could you please speak louder dearie?" She asked, hoping the pony would speak up. "Mmmmmet mmmmm mmouuta here!" The voice reiterated, louder this time. "I can't understand you dearie?" Rarity asked, looking around. Was he just hearing things? Could somepony be playing a trick on her? "You know it's not nice to play childish pranks on some pony!" She announced, looking completely unamused. "Get me outta here!" The pegasus shouted, throwing Rarity off with a fair amount of force. Rarity grunted, sounding disgraced and disrespected. "You could have asked dear." She said calmly. "And I most certainly would have complied," she said, waving her mane gracefully, from side to side. Rainbow Dash simply gave a grunt, her eyes rolling in frustration. "So I have a question." Rarity asked, looking uncomfortable. "Why are our sisters, and Scootaloo up there with that braggart Trixie?" Rarity asked, alternating between bewilderment and dismay. "Should we go up there and -- " "Trixie?" Asked Rainbow Dash, and Applejack to each other, their faces growing pale. "Maybe ah should go an' check on 'em." Applejack said, cantering towards the front -- pushing against the crowd, attempting to separate them, so she could pass through. Trixie gave a smile, seeing the older apple come forward. "And behold the cards reappear from beyond." She said, as the deck of cards that she caused to vanish earlier, suddenly reappeared -- on fire, and smelling of brimstone. The crowd broke into applause as everypony motioned to join the magician yet again. The magician shook her head. "Trix... I am sorry, but I couldn't possibly -- " She started saying, being unable, at the end to speak over the crowd. "ONE MORE TRICK!!! ONE MORE TRICK!!!" The crowd started chanting, their sound level rising as the magician began to leave stage. "I can't possibly." The magician said, with a smile. "I have held the weather team long enough." She said, with a smirk as Applejack cantered into view. "And besides, I run low on magic... So I must bid you ado!" She said, taking a bow, and removing her hat. "For how can I possibly put a show worthy of all of you ponies like this?" She said, her magic turning from red, and back to pink. "ONE MORE TRICK!! ONE MORE -- " The crowd announced more loudly, unwilling to take no for an answer! "Hold it right there, ya sidewinder!" Applejack shouted,, in a huff. "What'cha up ta!" She shouted, looking at the unicorn cross eyed. "Ya ain't tryin' nothin' are ya?" She asked, looking up and down the unicorn for signs of treachery (and keeping one of her eyes on her rope, in case the unicorn got ideas again!) "Why heavens no..." The magician replied. "Trixie simply wishes to regale her audience with her vast magical acumen." She said, sounding like herself again. "Uh huh..." The apple said, half in a mind to show her a thing or three (and probably forgetting about the last time she tried to outshine the show pony.) "An' ya ain't gunna wrap anypony up with their own rope, and stuff an' apple in their mouths are ya?" Trixie shook her head. "Why heavens no!" She replied, nonchalantly. "And Trixie won't be trying that ursa story again, thank you!" She said, continuing to walk off. "It's spent!" "Uh huh..." She said, noticing the necklace that the unicorn was holding up towards her with her pink magic. "An' what's the jewelry for?" She asked, suspiciously. "Why it's an applause-o-meter." The unicorn replied, with a shrug. "But Trixie seems incapable of activating it." She said, turning her back on the earth pony. "Maybe it's 'cause yer a fraud!" The apple replied angrily. "An the thingy knows it too!" She said, walking in front of the unicorn. "Ah'm sure that ah cain act-ivate that there -- " "And maybe you or your two friends think you can activate what Trixie could not!?" Trixie asked again, tooting her own horn as loudly as she could. Applejack growled silently. Cog sarn it! That unicorn was practically asking for it! Well.. Maybe she could try her trick again? Maybe this time Trixie wouldn't interfere. "Maybe ah cain!" Applejack shouted, leaping to the stage, rope in hoof -- ready to show her trick. "Assumin' ya don't sab-eo-tage meh again!" She shouted, glaring right in the unicorn's eyes. Trixie gave a hurt expression. "Trixie promises that she shall do nothing of the sort." She said, holding her necklace near Applejack. "Now show Trixie what you can do!" She said, with a smile. "And if you can activate the applause-o-meter, then Trixie shall apologize to this whole crowd, and quit magic in shame." She said, making one last verbal jab. "Okeh!" The apple replied. "But keep yer eyes an this one, 'cause it's gunner be quick!" She said, trying one end of a large lasso to her tail, and rotating it, first around her legs, and then lifting it over her head. The unicorn gave a bemused chuckle. Before snapping the large loop to a perpendicular angle to herself, and jumping through it a couple of times as it shrank, before finally throwing it up into the shy, and grabbing an apple from a nearby tree. The unicorn chuckled, she'd seen this before -- apparently the earth pony had no new tricks in her trictionary, and was straight old school --, but nevertheless, the crowd still ate it up. The necklace glowed slightly, but not as much as she thought it might -- maybe she was on the right track? "Top that missy!" Applejack said, with confidence, her head lifted, her eyes closed, and her legs crossed. "No need!" She said, with a bashful smile. "My job is to entertain the crowd, and you've done an excellent job of doing so." She said, starting to walk off again. "Not to mention showing your skill. There is no way that Trix... I can compete with your skills." She said with a humble smile. "Say what?" The apple said, baffled -- didn't something come next? "That's it? Yer just gunna walk off?" Why did this victory over the boastful unicorn feel so hollow? "Yup." The unicorn said, nonchalantly. "Trix... My work here is done, and the neck... applause-o-meter doesn't glow.." She said, bringing her necklace back. "So... Unless a unicorn wants to try their hand at something, then Trix.. I shall be off." She said, using her magic to begin to pack up her stage, bathing it in a bright red aura. "It's too bad there are no unicorns with style in this crowd." She said, throwing her voice next to Rarity, who wasn't about to bite. "Maybe somepony with real style and sophistication could make it light up..." She said, with a sigh, laying it on more thickly. "But all the ponies here appear to be hicks and bumpkins." She said, whispering right in Rarity's ear, causing the prissy unicorn to nash her teeth slightly -- bristling at the named she felt were being levied on her. Rarity grunted, angrily -- unsure she liked where the blue unicorn was going with this. "Oh no." She said, calmly, shaking her head. "I shall not fall for that one again!" She said, herself walking away, slowly. "There is no way you shall convince me to make a fool of myself before all these fine ponies again," she said, motioning over the crowd. "I suppose." Trixie said, herself walking off again. "Besides, with Suri out of town, there's no real fashion types here anyway." "Suri?" Rarity said, halting suddenly, her face showing a poorly hidden agitation. "As in Suri, Suri?" She asked, making sure her ears, and head, were clear. "Yup" Trixie replied calmly. "Whom else would Trixie speak of, but the lion of Manehattan! Suri -- " She started saying, but was unable to finish as Rarity interrupted her. "As in the one who tried to steal my line and pass it off as her own?" Rarity asked, sweat breaking on her forehead as she struggled to keep her cool, her lips puckered together in a very odd expression. Trixie shrugged -- maybe. "Well..." Rarity said, trotting quickly backwards, in an almost cartoonish fashion. "Maybe I can show you one thing." She said, her magic pulling the curtain off its pole. Wait? Did this seem familiar to her at all? A whirlwind of cloth covered the unicorn, obscuring the fashion metamorphosis that was occurring. "Oh well! A unicorn needs to have style!" Trixie said, with a smirk, as Rarity emerged from whirlwind of fabric she wrapped herself in -- a new outfit on her body, and fine new style for her mane. Rarity looked cross eyed. "... A unicorn's not a unicorn without grace and... beauty...?" She said, wondering if she should start cowering. Was this the part where she ended up having to shave her mane off again? "And isn't she beautiful crowd?" Trixie asked, the necklace hovering over the unicorn -- glowing about the same level as it did for Applejack. "Please give her a round of applause." -- still not it! "Why... Thank you?" Rarity asked slowly, in confusion, as she stumbling off. Wasn't this the part where something bad happened? And why did it feel like a let down? Wasn't she supposed to be happy about silencing the brute? "Ya ok Rarity?" Applejack asked, quietly -- some concern showing on her face. "I think so." Rarity replied, quietly. "But is it me or is Trixie not feeling like herself today?" She said eliciting a shrug from the apple. "Ah don't know." The apple said, cautiously. "Ya don't 'spose she's up ta something do ya?" She asked, wondering if she should be fighting or running. "I have no idea." Rarity replied, cautiously. "Though I think I shall keep this look for my date with lord Azorica tonight." She said, thinking about the noble stallion from house Ivy that she had managed to convince to take her on a second date that night, at the fanciest place in Canterlot (ok she was supposed to stay in Ponyville... But this was lord Azorica Ab Ivy -- was, probably, the most fashionable stallion in Equestria! Well... at least the most eligible and fashionable stallion, in Equestria, anyway!) "Does anypony else want to show off a skill?" Trixie asked, standing up on the small portion of the stage that remained. A sea of hooves raised, but the one she really wanted to raise seemed to be leaving instead. Her face grew a grinchy smile, and her eyes twinkled. "Maybe you!" She said, pointing, with her hoof, at a white unicorn mare with a rather large horn, and a purple and light purple two color mane, and a heart and swirl cutie mark. "Me?" The unicorn asked, her green eyes glowing with a slight enthusiasm. "But I don't know what to do?" She said, with trepidation. "Worry not!" Trixie replied, confidently. "I'm sure that any trick you do would greatly please this audience!" The unicorn thought for a second, and spoke again, her voice chirping in enthusiasm. "Do you mind if I show you how to bake?" She asked to the magician, who nodded in consent. Was it just Applejack, or did Trixie keep looking over at Rainbow Dash? "Yes! Please show Trix... us your skill with baking!" Trixie said, turning to the unicorn. "Impress us all with your confectionary talents!" "Bake?" Groaned Rainbow Dash, in dismay, suddenly stopping halfway out of the crowd. "SHE'S GOING TO BAKE!?!?" She asked, at the top of her lungs, freezing in place. An angry call went up from the crowd. "Shhhhh!!!" "But won't we need some spices and other baking things?" Asked the unicorn innocently, noticing she had none on hoof. "Worry not!" Trixie said, as a bunch of stuff fell from the sky, including a foal's mini oven, a spoon, a few bowls, some spices, some sugar, and a bunch of flower. "Why thank you!" The unicorn replied, greatfully. "This should be everything I need!" She said, gratefully, a fair amount of enthusiasm in her voice. Rainbow Dash grunted angrily, her face contorting into a deep frown. "She's going to show us how to bake? That's her trick!?" Applejack shrugged. "Ah guess so!" She said, nonchalantly. "Course not everypony can show the kind of tricks that you do," she said, reminding her friend of the realities of things (though she worried that would reactivate the pegasus bluster, and Applejack really... really... really! Didn't want to get an earful of how awesome Rainbow was for five or six straight days!) "So first we're going to dump in the flower and the spices." The white unicorn said, dumping the dry team into the bowl -- feeling entirely in her element now. "Oh wow!" Trixie said, with a smile. "Fashinating!" "Oh I know!" The unicorn replied, feeling so alive. "Then we're going to add the wet stuff." She said, eagerly, pouring the wetworks in. "Then..." She said, pulling out a spoon (as Rainbow's mouth dropped.) "We're going to stir." She remarked stirring the mixture -- Rainbow Dash's head rotating along with the motion of the spoon, her expression getting more and more agitated. "Is this over yet?" Rainbow asked, covering her eyes with her front legs. "Then we're going to let it cool for a minute." The white unicorn responded, contemplating on the minutia of her recipe (she did, after all, give her friends a lecture on how it important it was to follow a recipe!) "Well... if I had a refriger-- " POOF -- a refrigerator materialized out of seemingly nowhere. "Thank you!" The white unicorn said, to the blue one. "That's exactly what I need." "Was there ever any doubt?" The blue one said, with a smirk. Rainbow groaned, starting to play with her eye lids. "This is SOOOO BOOORRRRINGG!!!" She groaned to herself, even louder. This might even be worse than the times Rarity made her help out with fashion!!! Why was she even still here? She could have left like five times already! "Ok!" The white unicorn said. "Now we stick it in the oven... Umm... If I can find enough space, that is..." She remarked, as her tray of cookies bumped against the oven door revealing itself as being 10 sizes too big to fit. Her face blushed as she just now noticed that the oven was a little too small. "Worry not!" Trixie said, gesturing with her hoof -- her face turned to Rainbow Dash. "Trix... I shall fix this for you!" She remarked, as the oven glowed a red aura, and began to grow twenty or thirty times it's normal size. "Thanks!" The unicorn said, gently. "Now I'll be able to fit all my cookies in the oven!" Trixie smiled, herself looking exuberant (or was she? Somepony might have sworn they could see a sneer creeping up her face.) "Ok now! This is fascination! Please show Trix... the crowd what happens next!" She said, dancing in anticipation. "Ok!" The unicorn replied. "Now we bake for twenty or thirty minutes, or until golden brown and -- " "Enough!!!" Shouted Rainbow Dash -- having finally had enough boredom --, flying up onto stage, at top speeds, and giving a flying wrestling kick to the oven -- sending it into the stratosphere (her black belt showing.) "This is the most boring! Most ridiculous trick, that I've ever had the general misfortune of watching!!!" Rainbow shouted, angrily. "And you should be ashamed of yourself!" She said, chastising Trixie. "After an awesome show like the one you just had, how could you do something to us like this?" She shouted, snorting slightly. "Very well." Replied Trixie, lifting her necklace. "Then please show the crowd a trick." She said, as the necklace began to glow a vibrant color. At that moment Rainbow forgot that she promised herself that she wouldn't show that blowhard any tricks! "Ok!" Replied Rainbow Dash, with confidence. "But you asked for it!" She shouted, starting her trick by taking off at a full speed, and flying straight into the blades or a windmill -- rotating along with the blades for quite a few cycles, as they rotated at hundreds of times their normal rotation rate. Before allowing the motion of the blades to cause her to be flung upwards, and through multiple clouds. As her momentum began to wear off, she posed in front of the sun for a second, for effect, before flinging herself back towards the earth, going straight downwards, and back through the clouds, causing her to be chased by a sea of tiny water droplets. she finally hit the blades of the windmill again, and once again rotated with the motion of the blades for several cycles, before being flung straight back towards to the stage -- coming to an abrupt stop, right next to Trixy -- the tiny droplets finally catching up enough to make contact, and forming into an impressive Rainbow. "Wow!" Trixie said, taking a close look at the necklace. "And that must be why they don't call you 'Rainbow' and 'Dash' for nothing!" She exclaimed, with a smile, breaking the pegasus' cocky expression. "Hey!" She shouted. "That's what I was going to say," she exclaimed, angry that Trixie was stealing her thunder, again! That'll show that blowhard!!! "And Trix... I apologize." The magician said, apologetically bowing her head. "But you simply must tell Trix... the crowd your secret!" She said, enthusiastically, getting good and close to the pegasus (the necklace was definitely glowing, no doubt.) "How are you so awesome today! It's like you are even more awesome then usual... if that's even possible!" She said, calmly to the pegasus, facing the crowd, and motioning her hoof over the pegasus. The pegasus scoffed. "No more than usual!" She said, crossing both sets of her legs in pride. "Have you been doing anything new to make yourself more awesome?" She asked the pegasus, undeterred. The pegasus shook her head. "Nope! Just being me!" She said, waving her hoof in a straight line. "No sweat!" "Well... " Trixie asked, inquisitively. "Have you had problems with all that awesomeness getting to your head, and giving you a thick head?" Trixie asked, prying deeper into the pegasus psyche, a determined look growing on Trixie's face. "Nope!" The pegasus said, shaking her head. "And I never, ever let anything get to my head!" The pegasus replied, puffing out her chest. "I am, after all, just that awesome!" "Are you feeling more treacherous than usual?" Trixie asked, with a confused expression -- was she wrong with her theories? But if so then why was it glowing so vibrently? "Nope! Couldn't be more loyal!" Dash replied, boastfully. "In fact maybe, when I'm done, I'll perform more acts of heroism!" Applejack gave her a sour grapes expression. "An' then Mare-do-well will show up again!" She cautioned. "Oh... Right!" Rainbow said, sheepishly -- reminding herself not to do that again. "Feeling larcenous?" Trixie asked, starting to sound anxious, sweat forming on her forehead. "What are you getting at?" Rainbow asked, suspiciously. "You trying to say something, Trixie?" She asked, starting to feel insulted. "litigious?" Trixie asked, starting to sound desperate. "I don't even know what that means?" Rainbow said, quirking an eyebrow -- Trixie trying one of those Twilight egg head things on her? "Licentious?" Trixie asked, in utter desperation. "What are you implying!!!" Rainbow asked. Ok! Trixie was definitely trying to say something, and Rainbow didn't understand, or like whatever it was! "You unusually interested in the stallions?" Trixie asked, in utter desperation, her theories melting before her head -- the word she wanted to use probably too big for the pegasus' vocabulary. "Hey! That's none of your business!" Rainbow scoffed, having half a mind to either buck the unicorn, or fly off in rage. How dare that fraud insinuating something about her and Lord West Wind! They were only dating! Nothing more! (Well at least until the 'I do's and then... well... She couldn't say...) "Rainbow Dash is shy around stallions!" Trixie said, with a straight face, having come to a stark realization about the, normally boastful pegasus, -- alas, not the realization she was hoping to find. "Shut up!" Shouted the mare, her face growing a bright red -- opting to fly off at high speeds, instead of breaking the unicorn's muzzle. Muttering something about how she wasn't fine, and that she had found Lord West Wind ok! "Hmm..." Trixie remarked to herself, with a smirk. "Maybe Trixie knows where to continue her search for the next bearer?" She said, to herself, looking at the necklace, which had just now stopped glowing from the pegasus' presence.