//------------------------------// // The Journey Begins // Story: Pinkie Pie, the Stage Magician // by MemeSurvivor //------------------------------// Pinkie Pie bounced across the ground towards Trixie’s new wagon, barely containing her giddiness. She had decided to return home to get some essentials, but she Pinkie Promised Trixie that she would return. She couldn’t help but smile when she imagined all the wonderful things she would do and learn. The way Trixie’s stories captivated ponies, and the way her magic made the whole world feel more special…she couldn’t explain it; it was just so awesome! Pinkie giggled to herself when she realized how much she sounded like Rainbow Dash. She finally saw Trixie’s wagon, located on the side of the road she was trotting down, and she waved. “Trixie!” she shouted gleefully. Trixie was sitting at a little table she had set up, reading a comic book decorated with a colorful front page. To Pinkie’s delight, despite the interruption, Trixie’s face lit up after Trixie saw her. “Pinkie! Trixie is all ready to hit the road. Well, first we must practice some…” Trixie was left stunned by the sight of the odd creature that had somehow procured a spot on her new companion’s mane. “Pinkie, there is…an alligator on you.” Pinkie traced Trixie’s line-of-sight to the toothless alligator currently biting her mane. “Oh, This is Gummy!” She took Gummy off her mane and held him out to Trixie, “He’s really friendly!” In response, Gummy slowly blinked at her. “See, he likes you!” Trixie shook the bizarre situation off. Perhaps the need to have strange pets runs through the family? “Yes, well, Trixie never said you could bring pets. However, she will make an exception for her favorite pink friend.” Trixie was feeling rather proud of herself in that moment; she had not hesitated at all when saying ‘friend.’ Just as well, the look of gratitude in Pinkie’s eyes made any potential downsides to the pet arrangement null in Trixie’s eyes. Pinkie looked as if she was restraining herself from hugging her friend with her pet in-hoof. “Thanks, Trixie! I was just going to send him home!” Confused, Trixie couldn’t help but ask, “And how is that exactly?” Pinkie began making slow, circular movements with her free hoof. “It’s a mystery…” Trixie simply raised a brow and Pinkie broke into giggles. “Actually, I have a friend who lives close by and she takes care of animals! I just wanted you to meet Gummy. He’s been really excited to meet you ever since I told him about you.” Trixie gave a sly look as she, in an amused tone, accosted the alligator for information. “Tell Trixie, little reptile, just what exactly has Pinkie said about her great and powerful friend?” To Trixie surprise and confusion, Pinkie covered Gummy’s mouth hurriedly. And though Trixie did not see it, Pinkie had cheeks that were spectacularly red in hue. “There’s no need to answer that, Gummy!” Pinkie said, moving away as if the slight distance would prevent further questioning. Pinkie was well aware that her magician friend likely didn’t have the ability to decode Gummy’s many blinks, but in that moment, she felt that she couldn’t take that chance. It was a panicked response that she was already beginning to regret. Trixie stared at the ground feeling somewhat awkward. Had she already done something wrong? That bizarre response wasn’t exactly what she was aiming for. Quite suddenly, Pinkie was suddenly standing right in front of her; Trixie restrained a squeak that nearly escaped her throat, unbidden. “Um, you like the Power Ponies too?” Pinkie asked, trying to cover up her own embarrassment. Trixie was glad to have attention drawn away from her little blunder. Moreover, the word elicited a sort of hesitant joy: she had never met a fellow fan of the series, but most ponies turned their nose up at them. “You like the Power Ponies? Aren’t they just the coolest?” Pinkie shook her head and stepped back, “Nope! My friend, Spike, loves them! He’s my friend’s assistant and he’s the best baby dragon you’ll ever meet!” Trixie’s jaw dropped; an occurrence all too common with her pink friend. She collected herself and came to the realization that Pinkie’s odd nature probably attracted all sorts of strange ponies…and dragons. Trixie’s mood dropped quite a bit when she realized her new friend didn’t share her affinity with the greatest comic books of all time. She felt a bit worried over Pinkie’s reaction to her pastime. She dreaded the that’s-for-kids argument for its lack of value. Pinkie wasn’t sure what happened. One second her newest friend was all smiles and the next, her new friend was all frowns. Thinking on her hooves, Pinkie latched onto the thing she just learned about her. “Can I read the comic too? I bet I’ll like it, and we can talk about it and stuff!” To Pinkie’s relief, Trixie’s eyes lit up and she gave a beautiful smile. It was more of an honest smile than the cocky smirks she usually wore. Pinkie noticed that her heart was beating faster, and she almost let her smile falter. She realized that she was trotting into dangerous territory. She had already made a mistake by acting the way she did in regards to her private conversations with Gummy. She was beginning to think that 2 weeks in close proximity was a bad idea. “You bet you can read it! Obviously, if Trixie likes it then it must be worth liking. Or, it has time travel. Trixie is great and powerful, but she is also a sucker for time travel stories.” Trixie began folding her table and she smirked. “Pinkie, today we begin your training. It’s time for you to learn magic, stage magic that is, from the master,” Trixie said gesturing to herself with her hoof. Pinkie began bouncing in place eagerly; her earlier woes completely forgotten. “Wow!” “Do not worry. In Trixie’s infinite wisdom, she has procured you your very own stage costume. You seemed to be about Trixie’s size.” The way Trixie had said this was overflowing with confidence as usual, but she was giving Pinkie a side-long glance to gauge her reaction. Luckily, Pinkie seemed all too happy with the idea. She ran into her wagon and ran out covered by Trixie’s cape. “Is it this one? How does it look?” Trixie narrowed her eyes. “That is Trixie’s cape. Your outfit is in the wagon still.” Pinkie lost her smile. “Aww. But it looks like the hat you used to wear. I really liked that hat…” Yet again, Trixie was surprised. No one ever paid a genuine compliment to her attire before. Well, aside from colts and fillies anyway…if Pinkie was half as good at surprising an audience as she was at surprising her, she would make quite the magician. “Trixie…supposes that you may wear her amazing cape for the time being.” Pinkie let out an excited cry and enveloped Trixie in a hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Trixie blushed lightly and pushed Pinkie away gently. “Yes, the Great and Magnanimous Trixie is an amazing friend.” In response to her proud nature, ponies typically got at least a little annoyed. Pinkie however, simply continued shining her brilliant smile. Trixie maneuvered her cape in a dramatic fashion. “Onwards! Today, Trixie teaches her expansive skills!” Trixie began to ready her stage for a faux performance while Pinkie talked to her about a variety of random topics. Trixie wiped her forehead as she finished preparing the stage. Pinkie continued her strange story about her unusual ‘power,’ and her friend whom decided to try to understand it. Trixie wasn’t sure whether to believe Pinkie’s purported accuracy of her ‘Pinkie Sense.’ But then again, Pinkie was a bundle of mysteries. Pinkie was always doing things that seemed to defy logic and reason. Trixie stood still, patiently waiting for the tale to conclude. “So, she was like ‘Sometimes you just have to choose to believe in them,’ and that was that!” Pinkie finished with a happy look. Trixie grimaced at the ending of Pinkie’s tale. “Pinkie, that’s an awful takeaway. Nopony chooses what to believe, and one should not believe in something when they can’t prove its falsehood.” Pinkie frowned and her mane lost some of its bounce. “You mean, I taught my friend a bad lesson?” Trixie gave Pinkie a reassuring tap on the shoulder. “Do not worry. Once you see your friend again, you can make things right. Trixie must say though, you have great potential in the art of spinning a yarn. Although, your delivery could use work.” Trixie nodded to herself, as if she was seeing the obvious wisdom in her own words. “Your imagination is spot-on: a hydra attacked you all.” She shook her head, amused. “So, what was it, really?” “It was a hydra!” Pinkie reaffirmed, having recovered her usual pep. Trixie nodded after a moment of pause. She had not known Pinkie for long, but she had a strange way of making the impossible seem all too possible; this made her the perfect pupil. Perhaps it was only natural that 2 ponies so excellent would be drawn together. She smiled in anticipation. “Very well, Pinkie. A mentor can be a vital aspect in a ponies progression. Today, I will teach you the basics of sleight of hoof. Misdirection is a stage magicians greatest tool!” End of Chapter The prologue is now over!