"Firework dispensers?"
"Just spread them out, Anon." Trixie instructs.
"Smoke machines?"
"Anywhere's good."
"Belly?"
"Unrubbed!" Starlight exclaims.
"Buzz. Killed."
You and Starlight are setting things up for the show tonight while Trixie's backstage, "getting into the magical zone". As you dig through the pile of show props, pyrotechnics and more, you feel something wooden near the bottom:
"A guitar?! I played this thing for years!"
You pick up the instrument and use your bushy tail as a seat. As you prepare to play, you find a....tiny issue.
"Uh, Starlight?"
"Not now, I have to organize these banners. Trixie has a fit without them!"
Go Go Gadget, Eyes!
"Fine." Star groans.
Starlight's horn lights up as the guitar shrinks to your size.
You pull a string with a low STRUM.
"Gawd, I miss that sound."
You sit in the middle of the stage, strap the guitar on and pick at a few strings until you tuned it just right.
There, you begin to play.
"Anon could you at least set up the-" was all Starlight could utter.
Something bright catches your eye. You look down to find the palms of your hands glowing light blue.
Woah! How am I...?
Suddenly, large shadows blocks the spotlight from you.
It's the banners.
You continue playing as you notice Trixie stepping out in her magician's outfit.
"So, how are the-"
Her jaw drops.
The banners glide in circles above your head like a flock of vultures. You play more passionately as they fold into the shape of hawks, à la origami style.
As the banners soar across the stage, the light glows brighter. There, various instruments join in and soon, you finish your sick lick with a final strum. All at once, a blue sonic wave bursts from the guitar and across the bleachers. An enormous transparent whale leaps out of the wave. It bellows and sprays light rays as it dissipates in the seats. The banners are snapped back towards their proper place and everything in your music mojo's grasp gracefully descends.
The sound of hooves clapping breaks the silence. You turn to your two clapping audience members, tears in their eyes.
"That was-" Starlight sniffles.
"Magical,"Trixie utters. "Er, but not powerful enough. However, the Great and Generous Trixie may have a spot open in the show."
You strike a cord, sending a wave hurling towards Trixie. It pushes her against the stage walls hard.
"Powerful 'nuff now?"
Trixie nods in fear.
"Eeyup."
"Enchanted guitar, nice."
The time has come.
The staff, the students and creatures of all ages have filled the seats. You didn't expect everyone to show up.
"Alright!" you bark. "Let's get out there and-"
You spot Trixie backs up behind the curtain.
"Woah, Trixie, what's wrong?"
"S-So many creatures..." she squeals.
You ain't pussing out on me now!
You grab her face and stare daggers at her.
"Trixie, what's the matter? I thought you had no problem with stage fright."
"I don't!" she whines. "But, I've never had a crowd this.......BIG!"
"Who are you?"
"I-I don't know if I can-"
"SILENCE!!!"
DOINK!
You flick her muzzle.
"Who...are...you?!"
"I-I'm...Trixie."
"Who's great?"
"I am."
"Who's powerful?!"
"I AM!"
That was a fast mood change! Maybe...
"And who's gonna give me rubs later?!"
"NOPONYYYYY!!!"
"Crap!"
Worth a try.
Starlight snickers in the background.
"You have opened Trixie's eyes, dear Anonymous!" Trixie says bravely. "The audience is the last thing I should fear, I live to 'WOW'! Let's do this!"
The relieved and reinvigorated Trixie adjusts her hat and cape before smoke bombing away.
"Cool, yet chokingly efficient." you cough.
"Meh, you get used to it after a while." Starlight shrugs.
"I'll- COUGH, take your word for it."
"That was a really nice thing you did with Trixie, Anon."
You waddle over and hug the unicorn's forehoof.
"Anything for my friends. Friends that I just met."
"Heh, it happens."
Suddenly, the stagelights go dark. A single spotlight shines center stage.
Trixie puts a black top hat on your head and once again punishes your lungs with a smoke bomb. She appears in the spotlight and gives out an overdramatic introduction.
As she continues, you get an idea.
An awful idea...
A wonderfully awful idea.
"Starlight, a little assistance?"
"For I, the Great and Powerful Trixie can perform feats of extraordinary magnitude!"
Trixie levitates her hat and reaches inside.
Nothing...
She reaches deeper.
Still nothing. Trixie pokes her head in.
"Anon, that's your cue!" she hisses.
STRUM!
Soon, hundreds upon hundreds of origami birds come flying through Trixie's hat, knocking her down. A few "oohs" and "ahs" can be heard in the crowd. All the birds perch on the spotlights, awaiting your command. You smugly hop into the audience's vision, guitar in paw.
"Hey, Trixie, what the flock happened?"
The crowd laughs out loud.
In the middle of the audience, you spot Spike, Twilight and the girls cheering you on.
Trixie rises, her mane is a frazzled mess.
Oh, crap! The mane!
But then, the unthinkable happens...
She laughs.
"Good one, Anon." she giggles.
You grab your stomach.
"Urgh, Trixie?" you moan. "I don't feel so fresh."
They don't know the true meaning of that phrase so I'm in the clear.
"I LOVE this bit." she whispers. "Don't worry, Anonymous! Let's see the problem!"
Judging by the uninterested expressions on the crowd's faces, this must be the oldest, most predictable trick in the book.
You decide to SPICE things up.
Sorry about this, Trixie.
CRACK!
"Eep!"
In a split second, you whip her muzzle with the handkerchief gag like a frog tongue.
"Well......found the problem." the magician giggles sheepishly. "Anon, what are you doing?""
"Improvising."
CRACK!
"Ow!"
You continue chasing and whipping her around the stage. The audience can't get enough of this act. Twilight, out of all the others, was having the time of her life, Pinkie was tame compared to her. Starlight, meanwhile, is busting a gut backstage.
"Ouch! Cut that- OUCH! This isn't funny!"
The laughter dies down as you swallow the remaining napkins.
"You're right, you're right.....THIS IS!"
You pull out the black top hat and reach into it. Trixie's hat practically SWALLOWS her head and pops out of your hat.
"Ta-da!"
Claps and cheers fill the air as you slyly grin at your annoyed partner.
"Hmm, looks like the tables have turned."
[Canned laugh track]
Trixie yanks her hat off and stares you down.
"Sheesh, Trixie, you need to calm down. I heard from a certain pink pony-"
"THAT'S ME!!!" a jumping pink dot in the audience yells out.
"Anyways, I heard that music's very relaxing. Here, let me give it a spin."
You pull out your guitar and play a lick. The perched paper pigeons swoop down and literally fly circles around her. As you continue playing along, the birds ascend in the sky, until they all form a pair of giant, majestic wings around Trixie.
Everyone, especially Trixie, was enthralled by your work. As the wings glide the merry magician across the stage, everything changed-
TWANG!
When a chord snapped.
The paper wings turn back into ordinary sheets and Trixie plummets, the anticipating crowd are at the edge of their seats. You spot her wizard's hat lying in the middle of the stage. Tossing your top hat to the side, you dive for it as Trixie lands inside and comes flying out the magician's hat, and safely into your paws.
Everyone is dead silent...
There, you hear a familiar, raspy voice in the distance.
"So.........AWESOME!!!"
A cacophony of applause breaks the silence. Ponies and yaks stomping, dragons, griffons and hippogriffs doing aerial somersaults. You felt like a total badass right now. You set a recovering Trixie down on her hooves and hop center stage. Suddenly, a voice can be heard chanting your name.
"Anon, Anon, Anon!"
Soon, everyone was chanting your name.
So this is what it feels like? Feels......nice.
You turn to see a shaken Trixie.
But I wouldn't be here without...
"Trixie, Trixie, Trixie!" you repeat as you lift the unicorn's hoof high.
The audience then shifts to chanting Trixie's name.
You see a smile wiggling it's way onto her face and a tear in her eye as she faces the crowd.
"T-This feels..." she utters.
"Nice?" you add.
"Yes......it does."
"I figured."
"We did it, Anon."
"It's not over yet!"
You pull out your player and a microphone and play the first thing on.
YES!!!
One of your personal favorites.
Once again, out of everyone in the crowd, Twilight and Spike are the ones most into it. No doubt they heard this too.
Anyways, it's time to show everyone what you can do. As you, Trixie and the audience get your groove on, you notice Starlight, horn glowing bright.
From the look of it, her eyes are squinting.
Almost like she's aiming...
Uh oh...
Without warning, a blinding turquoise beam engulfs you. As the beam disappears, everything suddenly feels drafty.
Scattered "oohs" and whistles can be heard and you notice a dancing Trixie's close to half your size. Your guitar seemed to have grown a bit too.
What sorcery is this?
Then you look down.
"I'm......I'm human again!" you cheer. "Aaaaand completely naked!"
Trixie sees you and jumps in surprise.
"A-Anon?" Trixie says, surprised. "Is that you?"
"Eeyup."
This might be the most embarrassing moment of your life. And yet...
Everyone's still cheering.
Sure, there were the occasional wolf whistles here and there, but it seems they're completely unfazed by your exposed anatomy.
Well, except for your obsessed aquamarine colored friend with the hand fetish in the audience. Her eyes were wide. It's strange, you see that mare in almost every crowd you face and you swear you would see two of her, almost like an animation error or something.
With the smallest slither of courage you have, you pick up the microphone. You decide to make something perfectly and delicately clear:
"I'm Anon, you've been a great audience and I'm not a bucking ape. Mwah, good night everybody!"
You drop the mic and dash backstage.
The crowd's uproarious cheers grow louder. As soon as you're inside, you bolt it for Trixie's disappearing box.
Moments later, you hear a group of hooves approach the box.
"Anon? Where'd you go?"
You poke your hand out of the box and snap loudly for their attention.
"What are ya doin' in there, sugarcube?" a familiar southern accent asks.
"Oh, no reason. I'm just NAKED, that's all." you state calmly.
"Hee, but we're always naked here, silly!" Pinkie giggles. "There's nothing to worry about, Nonny."
"It's incredibly awkward for humans!"
You should've known, to be honest. As little clothing these little pones wear, it's a no-brainer.
"No need to worry, Darling," a sophisticated voice states. "I've got your new outfits right here."
You've been waiting for that voice for so long.
You open a crack in the door and reach out. A white collared shirt jacket and a pair of black pants are levitated into your hand. After a few minutes of struggling in a tight box, you manage to equip your gear and walk out where your friends greet you.
"So, how was I?" you ask.
"AWESOME!!!" Rainbow squees. "Y-You know, for a human."
Grabbing your guitar, you strum one cord. Suddenly, all paper birds fly in and perch above, surrounding the pegasus. You prepare your hands, threatening to unleash months of intense papercuts.
"Don't underestimate him," Starlight informs. "He will cut you."
"And YOU!" you yell, stomping towards her. "How dare you take my rubs away?"
"Oh, come on! Stop being a baby, they can't be that good-"
You interrupt her with a scratch behind the ears.
"You were saying?"
"Please forgive me," she playfully begs with you. "Don't take my scratches away!"
"Don't 'please' me! No rubs for a week!"
"NOOOOOO!!!"
Everything goes silent before laughter fills the room.
"Wait, you're serious?" Star utters.
Chuckling at her remark, you rub Starlight's back as you and the others watch Trixie's encore together.
Friendship truly is magic.