//------------------------------// // Chapter 20: One Trick Pony // Story: MLP G5 Sunset: Tell Your Tale: Season 1 // by JesusG0987 //------------------------------// Chapter 20: OneTrick Pony Pink clouds with sparkles appeared as it cleared off to show Rufus who is a magician floating in front of a crowd of ponies. “Behold.The awesome power of The Great Hoofdini!” Rufus announced to the crowd, which is only three fillies, an Earth pony, Unicorn and Pegasus looking at their phones, while feeling bored with Sunset and Izzy there, with Izzy waving to the magician on her scooter while Sunset watched. “Oh, hey, Rufus!” Izzy greeted with a wave of her hoof with a smile. “See you are doing your magic tricks again.” Sunset added, while having a sense of deja vu from a certain Unicorn she knows, aka the Great and Powerful Trixie from the old days when she shows off her magic tricks, and she knows that even in the Human World and Equestria, there are some things about Trixie, or everything about her that would never change. Rufus continues his magic tricks. “Oh, that he floats in the air! Yes, as he levitates objects.” HE said as he floated around while lifting up a bunch of bushes and plants in a pot as he spoke to the ponies below. “How does he do it? It’s miraculous!” He announced as he gave the ponies below a smile. “Wow!” Izzy cheered with a smile awed at his tricks. “Great show.” Sunset commented, finding his tricks interatining when it comes to someponies way of tricks, and finding it more entertaining then when Trixie tried it, but the ending was always sad with the whole smokebomb thing. “He clearly uses his wires.” One of the fillies in the middle blankly is an Earthpony named Seashell said, clearly seeing through his fake magic tricks. “Ponies have like, real magic now.” The Pegusu filly on the left name Glory said blankly, pointing out that ponies have real magic now while they don’t take interest in fake magic anymore as the three fillies walk off. “Okay. That was just rude.” Sunset commented, not liking the fillies being rude, epescially to some fillies their age. Rufus dropped his allusions as it revealed he was using wires to float as he gave a down depression. “Ugh. Who am I kidding.” He said to himself as he lowered himself back to solid ground.  “Since real magic came back to Equestria, nopony is interested in my tricks.” He said, stating that since real magic came back to Equestria, nopony is interested in fake magic tricks anymore, while also stating that he used to do magic tricks before magic returned to Equestria when the ponies were divided. Izzy then came zooming right in front of him with Sunset behind her. “WHAT?! That can’t be true, Ruf…” She stops herself when she was about to say his real name before going to his magician name. “...I mane Hoofdini.” She said with a smile as she place a hoof as the three ponies give out flashbacks to when Rufus gave out his magic shows. Flashbacks. Rufus then took off his hand infront of two ponies, an earth pony stallion and a unicorn mare, and waved his hoof a bit as he took out an irritated bunniegasus out of his hat by the ears with his arms crossed. The two ponies give out an unamuse bore expression, clearly not impress. The Bunniegasus shakes around while to get free, once it did, the flew and gave off an irritated critter noise at Rufus for using him for his tricks as it flew away from him. Rufus gives a sheepish look to the two ponies infront of him. The next flashback is Rufus showing a trick to an Earth Pony Mare by picking a flower from behind her ear. The mare rolled her eyes a bit as she stomped her hooves, using her Earth Pony magic to summon a bunch of flower bushes to prove her point. Rufus just look on with a shock expression as the flower in his hoof died out. Rufus then was on stage as he gesutred to an apple on a crate as he then raised his hoof as it leviated off the crate and floated in the air. Rufus then looked behind him as he gave a shock expression again. What he sees is a unicorn mare leviating a whole house off the ground infront of the two Earth Pony couples. The Unicorn Mare then looks behind her as she sees Rufus behind her. “Oh! Just helping them move house.” She said to Rufus with a chuckle as she stated that the Earth Pony couple want their house somewhere else, and thanks to the levitation spell, it will be easy. “So where do you want it?” She asks the Earth Pony couple where she would put the house somewhere. End of Flashbacks. Rufus, Izzy and Sunset are then walking together after Rufus told the two ponies of his time as a magician, and that it went down hill. “See? All washed up.” Rufus sadly said as his time of being a magician is over. Izzy and Sunset give the earth pony a sympathetic look, feeling bad for him. “Wow. That’s sad. And I’ve seen sadder magicians in my time. But they just kept going even if a trick had failed.” Sunset commented, while remembering the times where Trixie tries to show off her magic tricks, it didn’t end well but she kept trying no matter what. “Come on, Rufus. You’re an Earth Pony. Why don’t you just use your growy-growy plant magic? It is so cool!” Izzy suggested, while having sparkles in her eyes about the thought of Earth Pony magic. “Whenever I try to grow plants, it takes forever when I forget to water them and they all die.” She added, while recalling that when she tries to grow plants, she doesn't take good care of them when the plants take forever to grow, but keeps forgetting to water them and once she adds too much, they die out. Sunset then spoke up from hearing that. “Izzy. We talk about this. You’re supposed to water the plants once a week and make sure they give enough sunlight.” She reminded her of the lessons on how to grow plants. “And not only that, you’re supposed to give them the right amount, too much would kill them. And it takes time for them to grow if they don’t get enough water and sunlight, that means be patient.” She finished, while having a few plant lessons from Sci-Twi back in Canterlot High when she was watering the plants before Equestrian Magic took control, and a few plant lessons Wallflower Blush gave to her after the plant girl redeemed herself. Izzy then gives a sheepish smile and chuckles, completely forgetting about those lessons. “Okay. Good point.” She said to Sunset before turning to Rufus. “But why not use your Earth Pony magic, Rufus?” She asks, getting back to the topic. “I don’t have any magic.” Rufus revealed with a sad look, telling them that he doesn't have Earth Pony magic. “All I got is my tricks. And now, they belong in the garbage dump.” He said as he lowered his head in depression. Sunset and Sunny looked at Rufus with sympathetic looks as they looked at each other before giving a comforting smile to Rufus. Izzy spoke up. “Lucky for you, my specialty is giving all kinds of things a second chance.” She told Rufus about her special thing. “And my specialty is helping ponies with their problems. Not just showing them how to use magic, but helping find their place that they are good at and helping them make their special place better if they are going down hill.” Sunset said, while stating that her specialty is not only to teach magic, but also help ponies find their special place and help them make their special place feel special again. The three ponies made it to Izzy’s scooter as said Unicorn opened up her compartment. “See? Garbage…” She said while taking out a bike steering piece she collected as she levitated out before twirling it around. “... Into a fabulous… uh?” She stops for a second before thinking of how she pictured the bike steering piece. “Bow tie!” She announced as she bent the bike steering piece into a bow tie. “Ta da!” She cheered as she placed the bended metal bow tie on Rufus, but then Rufus fell into the ground with a yelp. from the weight of the bow tie. “Little heavy.” Rufus pointed out with a little strain that the steering bike piece bow tie is a little heavy to lift. Sunset got it off him as she helped him up. “Sorry about that. But you get the point on what we are saying. We will help you find a way to make you feel happy” She promises him that he will feel happy again. Izzy then got in between their faces as their cheeks smoosh together. “Come on! We're gonna turn you into something new and awesome, too!” She cheered that they will make Rufus feel special again. “So, a wannabe sheriff, eh?” Hitch asks with a smirk, a little bit later, Sunset and Izzy fill Hitch in about Rufus' problem and think that being a wannabe sheriff would be good for him. “Well, it's an amazing job but very demanding.” He adives them, while opening his jail cage to show him around. “You have to be hyper-aware of your surroundings.” He said while looking around. But then the cage door closed, Rufus locked the cage with the key before he swallowed the whole keye chain with a gulp. Hitch, Sunset and Izzy give Rufus a shock look at what he just did. Hitch then spoke out. “Was that... Did you just swallow the key?” He asks Rufus, only to give a sheepish smile in response. “Why would you do that?!” Hitch asks in shock why would Rufus do that. “Sorry.” Rufus apologies while giving a smile. “I'm an escape artiste. Swallowing keys is what we do.” He pointed out another trick he does on his magic shows. Hitch was not amused by this as he gives Rufus a glare, clearly seeing that him being a wannabe sheriff wouldn’t cut it, and the fact that they are trapped in the cage with no key while Sunset facehoof herself. Izzy looked between them while giving a sheepish smile. “Cards, anyone?” She asks them while giving a nervous smile, seeing this is going well that quickly. Rufus took out his decks of cards as it flew around the cage. Sunset shook her head to this as she looked at Hitch. “Hitch. Tell me you have a spare key on your desk?” She asks hopefully if Hitch has backup keys in his desk. “Yes. A sheriff has many backups just in case he loses one.” Hitch answered, while saying he has plenty of keys to spare in case he loses one or two of them. “But how are you going to…?” He was cut off when Sunset used her magic to teleport out of the cage and infront of the desk, while giving Hitch a smirk that saids ‘Did you forget’ from her facial expression. Hitch realizes that Sunset can just teleport out to get the spare as he chuckled sheepishly. “Oh. Right.” He sheepishly said, completely forgetting that Sunset knows teleportation. Sunset then searches through the desk until she opens a drew, that reveals many back-up keys in it. “Wow, Hitch. You really stock up on these keys.” She said while she picked one out and came over to the cage. “Well, I like to be prepared for anything.” Hitch said with a proud smile as Sunset unlocked the cages as the three ponies walked out. Hitch gives Rufus a look as he continues. “Clearly he’s not cut out for a wanna be sheriff. Sorry guys.” He apologized to the three ponies since Rufus wasn’t cut out for this job.  The three ponies nodded her head in agreement as they walked out, Hitch told them that Rufus can keep those keys since, well, doesn’t want them back if they come out the other end. After that little mishap, they made their way to Zephyr Heights where they told Queen Have about Rufus and wanted to do something for his talents. Izzy explained the whole thing, which makes Queen Haven yawn from Izzy’s long explanation. “And Hoofdini will do the best job ever of guarding the crown jewels.” Izzy explained to Queen Haven. Rufus clears his throat as he comes close to Queen Haven “What crown jewels?” He asks as he works his magic tricks to poof Queen Haven’s crown and necklace away, which cause her to yelp in shock as she frantically looks for them. “Where did they go? How did he do it?” He acted along with his act. Queen Haven didn't like it as she is mad right now. “Thief! Guards!” She yelled out as Thunder and Zoom came by. Rufus poof next to Izzy and Sunset as Sunset facehoof again while Izzy begans to panic. “Uh... Okay! Gotta go!” Izzy panicly cried out as she grabbed Rufus and zip away as Sunset stood still. “Queen Haven. I get you are fond of your things but have you ever faced a magician before?” Sunset asks, since Queen Haven showed that she never knew or seen about musicians before. Queen Haven calmed down as she thought for a moment before answering to Sunset. “Well, no. I haven’t.” She admittedly said to her. Sunset sighs as she comes up to her as she speaks. “He’s just a magician. Not a thief, Haven. And about your crown jewels…” She said as she got behind her throne and revealed her crown and necklace from behind the throne. “Didn’t you realize that was just an act and trick to a magician? He just took your jewels off and put them behind your throne. He was just making a trick, even though he’s not supposed to while finding a new hobby, but you really need to learn more about magicians before jumping the horseshoe.” She told Queen Haven about her habit of jumping to conclusions without thinking, like on their first adventure when she put Izzy and Sunny in the luxury dungeon. Queen Haven saw her jewels and thought of what Sunset said while having a reminder of when she first met Izzy and Sunny as she chuckled sheepishly. “Oh. I guess I got protective with my things. Sorry about that, Sunset.” She apologizes as she puts her necklace and crown back on. Sunset sighs as she walks off. “That's okay. Now me and Izzy gotta find the next hoppy for Rufus. Catch you around, your majesty.” She said before she teleported out of the palace to catch up to Izzy and Rufus. And then a little bit later, once they made it to Bridlewood, they went to ‘The Crystal Tea Room’ where Rufus tried out being a tea maker with Alphabittle next to him as Rufus shook the tea mixer. Rufus turned to Sunset and Izzy as the two ponies winked at him, seeing this would be an easy way for him. Onyx, and her bongo unicorn stallion friend next to her who is playing the bongos, are in front of Alphabittle. “Gimme a tea, Alpha-B. Peppermint B, pretty P.” She ordered in a cool jazz tone. Alphabittle nodded his head in that order as he turned to Rufus to make the order. “Comin' up!” Rufus called out as he brought out a cardboard tube and lifted up to reveal a teacup. “Ta-daaaa!” He cheered. Just before Onyx can get her tea, Rufus lifts a hoof to tell her to wait a minute as he summons another teacup. “Oh!” He said as he thought for a minute and summoned another teacher up as he chuckled. Onyx claps her hooves, but just before she can get her teacup, Rufus summons more tea cups all over his side of the table, that may be a dozen of them. “I ain't payin' for all these teas, if you please.” Onyx said, stating that she is not paying for all those cups as Alphabittle gives a glare at Rufus. “Uhhh…” Rufus groans from summoning much cups as Izzy and Sunset lower themselves down to avoid eye contact as Sunset bang her head on the wall, clearly that Rufus magician skills are getting in the way of things to find a new purpose. And then after apologizing to Alphabittle about the whole teacup summon thing, the three ponies went back to Maretime Bay as Rufus is depressed that his tricks didn’t fit in anywhere.  “Oh, this is hopeless.” Rufus groans in sadness. “My tricks'll never fit in anywhere. I might as well forget "Hoofdini" and just be plain old Rufus.” He said in sadness as he might as well throw away his tricks and just be his plain old self since his tricks didn’t get him anywhere. “Come on, Rufus. You can’t just give up. There’s gotta be something that fits you and your tricks.” Sunset said to him, not wanting him to give up his magician tricks since it was a part of him. “Yeah! We just haven't found the right thing to uni-cycle you into yet.” Izzy said, agreeing with Sunset as they just haven’t found the right place for him yet as they walk past the three fillies from earlier. “Ugh! Buffering?! We're missing Pipp's new livestream!” Seashell complains that their phones are loading and they can’t miss Pipp’s livestream. “You gotta hold your phone way higher than that!” Glory started as she flew up into the air to get a better signal as she flew into the sky. Rufus watches Glory fly off as he sighs. “No wonder my magic don't impress anypony. Everypony can do it!” He pointed his hoof to prove his point now that he realizes why his magic doesn't impress anypony since everypony can do it as Sunset and Izzy gives him a sympathetic look. Glory looked at her phone as she was high enough to get a connection as her signal bar went up to all five. “Yes! Full bars! Not gonna miss a whinny of Pipp's new livestream!” She cheered to herself as she watched her phone as Pipp’s livestream started. “Hey, Pippsqueaks!” Pipp greeted her followers. “Still haven't figured out my amazing, show-stopping entrance. Sad face.” She gives an act of sad face before going back to her happy face. “Hit me up with your suggestions in the comments.” She advises her followers to hit her with some ideas. “Ooh, I've got an idea!” Glory said, but just before she could make her comment, Philly, the construction Pegasus, came flying by as he moved Glory out of his way. “Hey! Watch it!” Philly yelled out as his push caused Glory to spin around. Glory gasps as the spin causes her to drop her phone. She flew down to catch it with grunts' efforts but she twirls around and loses control of her flight as she starts to scream as she is now falling. “Whoa! That pony! She's fallin'!” Rufus said in worried as Sunset and Izzy began to worry for that filly. Seashell and her unicorn friend came to them as they saw Glory falling from the sky. “Somepony! Do something!” Seashell cried out in worry as Glory continued to scream while falling from the sky. “I get her!” Sunset cried out as she was about to fly up to save her, but then she felt something hit her head as she felt a vase hit her head, which caused her to be knocked out. Up in the sky, a Pegasus was moving a cart of vases, but unknowingly dropped on as it flew by. “Sunset!” Izzy cried out as she checked on Sunset, seeing that she’s out cold but then went back to Glory still falling and screaming. “Look out!” Izzy cries out as she tries to use her magic to catch Glory to slow down her falling, but Glory is still falling as she continues to scream as Izzy’s magic dies down when she is grunting from straining her magic. “No use! She’s falling too fast! And Sunset is out cold to catch her!” She cried out as Glory is going too fast for Izzy’s magic to help and Sunset is out of the question since she’s out cold to do anything. Rufus then turned and saw three vines in on a building as he ran to them and picked one up. “If only these vines were longer!” He cried out that if the vines are longer, they could save Glory. But then his cutie mark began to glow and so did his hooves as the vine he touched spread to the other vines as the magic made the vines longer on top. Rufus gasps as he realizes he unlocked his Earth Pony magic. “Saddle-cadabra!” He called out as he used his magic on the vines. Before Glory was about to hit the ground hard, Rufus catch her before she hit the pavement while riding on the vines, he use the vines to help him move around and to catch Glory as he jumped and summons a bush as he landed on the ground as he place Glory down as she smiled at her savior and her phone landed on the bush safely. “Whoo-hoo! Me and Sunset knew it!” Izzy cheered to Rufus at what he just did. “You had Earth pony magic all along!” She said to him with sparkles in her eyes and knew that Rufus has Earth Pony magic all along inside him. Sunset groans as she comes too but rubs her sore head. “Ow. My head.” She groans in slight pain. “Sunset! You're alright!” Izzy called out as she pointed to Rufus. “Rufus has Earth Pony magic now and he saved this filly before she hit the ground!” She cheered. “Really? Wow! That’s great! You see, Rufus, you really do have magic inside you.” Sunset said as she congratulated Rufus on his accomplishment and for saving this kid. “Guess so! Just needed a good reason for it to start workin'!” Rufus said to them with a smile, as he finally found a way to bring out his Earth Pony magic and was glad the kid was okay. Seashell and Glory hug each other as Seashell is glad that her friend is okay. “Hoofdini! You saved Glory! You're not just a magician! You're a hero!” Seashell cheerfully said to Rufus, thanking him for saving Glory and that he is a hero to them, which caused Rufus to smile in tears at their words as it touched his heart with joy. Izzy and Sunset smiled at Rufus as Izzy wrapped a hoof around him “What did we say, huh?” She asks him with a smile. “Nothin' belongs on the garbage dump. Uni-cycle!” She cheered out. “She’s right. Nothing is ever trash, it can always be remade. And Rufus, you have found a new purpose for your Magician career and for you to show your tricks.” Sunset said, while having a sense that Trixie could learn a thing or two in the human world, but also how the Trixie of Equestria been improving on her tricks as well with the help of Starlight from what she heard from Twilight and how Starlight and Trixie became bestive friends. The three ponies then looked at Glory’s phone as it Pipp’s livestream is still going as Izzy pick it up and that’s when an idea pop into her head. “Aha! And for your next trick…” Izzy said to Rufus as she got an idea for his next trick. A little bit later, Pipp was still doing her livestream as she went up to view the camera. “Shout out to my friend Hoofdini for this new, big, show-stopping entrance! It's magiiiiic!” She sang the last part to her followers while pointing to Rufus who is next to the stage with vines around him. Rufus then use his magic to control the vines as he use them to use the stage controls as he flip a switch as they played the ‘Let Out Your Light’ instrumentals as the lights shine as the ponies around watches in amazement as the vines keep the show going as they pressed buttons and switch while playing the music. Rufus, Sunset and Izzy watch with smiles as Rufus turns to the two ponies. “What do you two think, Izzy and Sunset?” He asks them about his work. “I say you found a place for your magic tricks, Hoodini.” Sunset said with a smile while saying his magician name, glad that Rufus found a place for his magic tricks to be put into use. “And it’s ‘Mare-aculous’!” Izzy cheered with a wink as the three ponies smiled at each other of this outcome as Rufus finally found his place. End of Chapter 20.