//------------------------------// // 3. Magical Introductions // Story: By My Own Beard! // by DwarvishPony //------------------------------// "Yer a princess." "That's the short version, yes." Twilight responded as she rushed about her study, collecting various items and stowing them in a saddlebag. "Yer a princess." "Well, I wasn't born one. I became one thanks to some... special circumstances." "Yer a princess..." Ovrik was having trouble fully processing the concept of alicorns. "But ye' used to be a unicorn until ye' got pegasus wings. And that makes ye' a princess." "Well, I'm not sure if the alicorn transformation is what made me a princess, or if being a princess is what made me an alicorn. Again, I'm a little fuzzy on details." Twilight Sparkle had spent the last half-hour trying to explain to a kneeling Ovrik that she shouldn't be venerated because of her title. The dwarf refused to stop kneeling in her presence, stating something along the lines of 'royalty needs to be shown respect'. "Please stand up Ovrik. The floor is made of crystal. It can't be good for your knee." "As ye' wish, yer highness." Ovrik stood, his knee giving a loud pop as he did so. Courtesy had dictated that he kneel to royalty when he was visiting their court. "Please, don't call me that." Twilight flushed slightly, feeling awkward at the sudden attention Ovrik was giving her. "I just want to be treated like everypony else. Me being a princess shouldn't change how you act around me." Twilight crammed one last book into her saddlebag and closed it (with some effort, as the saddlebag was filled beyond capacity). "I have to get going. I'm meeting Rarity at the train station. Spike!" "Yeah, Twilight?" Spike had a small bundle tied to a stick, ready to accompany his best friend. "I need you to stay here. Somepony has to keep an eye on things while Rarity and I are gone." "Did ye' need me to do anything, yer high- Twilight?" Ovrik piped in. "Oh, um... I guess just make friends with some of the ponies around town." Twilight levitated her saddlbag up and carefully placed it on, avoiding covering her wings. "And no hunting dragons." "Bah, ye' take the fun outta things." "I mean it. When I get back, I'll write Princess Celestia and see if she knows of anything about dwarves or where they come from." Twilight gave a list of supplies a triple check before stowing it in her saddlebag. "Okay! I'm off! Wish us luck!" "Bye! Good luck Twilight!" "Stone be with ye'." Twilight trotted out, the sound of the heavy doors to the castle marking that she had, indeed, departed. Ovrik and Spike blinked at each other for some moments, leaving an awkward silence hanging in the air. "So... Where did Twilight say she was goin'?" Ovrik broke the silence, rubbing the back of his head as he spoke. "The map sent Rarity and Twilight off to some village called Bridleton. They should be back in a few days." "A map sent them somewhere?" "Yeah, its kind of what Twilight and the gang do. The map tells them where friendship problems are and they go solve them." "Right... Well, what do we do while she's off savin' friendship?" "Well, we could always go meet some of the other ponies around town. I'm sure they'd love to meet you." Spike rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I'd leave your axe here though. Nopony has met a dwarf before, and weapons might make them nervous." "Aye. Yer probably right about that." Ovrik chuckled. "Don't seem like there's anythin' dangerous 'round here anyway." *** A crowd was beginning to gather outside of the town hall. Ponies in the crowd seemed to be having mixed reactions about what they had gathered for. Some bore curious smiles, while others scowled at an azure unicorn wearing a star-covered cape and pointed hat. The mare was addressing the crowd. "Behold! The Great and Powerful Trixie has arrived with a new show!" Puffs of violet smoke appeared behind Trixie as she waved her hooves dramatically in the air. "Trixie will show you feats that most ponies have never even dreamed of. Behold, as she makes her assistant vanish before your very eyes!" Beside Trixie was a very nervous looking colt wearing a peculiar hat with a spinning propeller on it. He looked like he wanted to flee the mare. Ovrik noted that the colt didn't have a butt tattoo like most of the ponies he had seen. "Oh great, Trixie's back in town. Last time she was here she took over the town and tried exiling Twilight." Spike grumbled from next to Ovrik. The dragon was hopping up and down though, trying to see exactly what was going on. "Up ye' go!" Ovrik hoisted Spike into the air and onto his shoulders. Spike yelled in protest as he left the ground, still leery about the dwarf. "Better, lad?" "Yeah, thanks!" On stage, Trixie was preparing her spell. "Hold still, Trixie doesn't want to lose you after she casts her spell." The colt broke out in a cold sweat. The spell built to a blinding crescendo before finishing, leaving Trixie alone on the stage. "Tada! Was there ever any doubt?" Trixie struck a dramatic pose to a mix of polite clapping and murmuring from the crowd. "Hey! Where are my legs?! I can't see me! Ohmygosh! I'm invisible!" The colt's voice could be heard over the crowd. "This is so cool! I can't wait to show my mom!" Meanwhile Trixie had levitated out a small white bag from behind the curtain of her makeshift stage. "Trixie apologizes, but this part is much easier when she can see you." The bag turned over above where the colt had been standing, emptying the flour held within. The colt came back into view with a coughing fit, now coated in a fine layer of white powder. Trixie's horn glowed again, letting out another blinding flash. This time, there seemed to be no change to the colt, who was still coughing. Trixie floated a bucket from behind the curtain this time and, without warning, dumped the water it held over the colt. The white powder was washed away, leaving the colt soaked, but completely visible and otherwise unharmed. "Trixie will now offer herself up to the audiences requests. Tell Trixie of a trick you want to see and she shall perform it!" The mare lifted a leg into the air and struck a regal pose with her head tilted back slightly. The crowd began calling out various spells and tricks for the performer, who in turn performed them with surprising ease no matter what the trick was. There was oohing and awing as the mare created fireballs that flew high into the sky before exploding into various shapes (usually those portraying Trixie or something related to her), levitated herself above the crowd to perform acrobatic stunts, and even pulling an angry looking white rabbit from her hat before poofing him away again. "Any last requests before Trixie ends the show? The Great and Powerful Trixie never backs down from a challenge!" Trixie asked the audience, panting slightly from the exertion of her performance. "I got one!" Ovrik raised a hand in the air, pulling the attention of the entire crowd to him. Most of the ponies began conversing in hushed whispers at the sight of the strange creature that had been watching from the back of the crowd. "Can ye' make me fly?" "Are you sure about this Ovrik? Trixie's nowhere near as strong at magic as Twilight." Spike looked down at Ovrik. "I'm sure Twilight could do it when she gets back if you really want." "I always wanted to try flyin' as a lad. And Twilight ain't gonna be back fer a while. I don' feel like waitin'." Ovrik chuckled and set the dragon down. The crowd parted to let the dwarf through, unsure of how to treat the newcomer. "The Great and Powerful Trixie already perfored that trick, but I suppose if you want to experience it for yourself then you can't be blamed." The mare's horn began glowing again, enveloping Ovrik in a light magenta glow. "Hehe. It tickles." Trixie focused all her attention on her spell, silently worrying that she might not be able to perform this spell. The creature who wanted to fly was much heavier than she. Still, after much exertion, she was able to slowly lift the bipedal thing into the air. It gave a laugh of delight as it hovered above the stage. Hesitantly, Trixie spun the thing in place one time, trying to figure out the best way to keep control of it without dropping it. A second layer of overglow enveloped Trixie's horn as she carefully floated Ovrik around the stage. He let out a child-like laugh as he moved about. The crowd watched on in awe as Ovrik was floated about. Something about seeing something other than a pony float about enraptured them. Even Spike seemed to be enjoying the spectacle. Trixie gave the bipedal thing one last twirl in the air and decided to set him down. Her horn, however, decided that setting down the creature was too much effort and chose that precise moment to drop it. Ovrik hit the wooden stage with a crash, breaking through the flooring. "Ow." Ovrik stood up slowly, the world struggling to realign itself. No wait, that was his vision. "Good thing I landed on me head. Sturdiest part o' a dwarf." He climbed out of the hole in the stage to a mixture of laughter and applause. The residents of Ponyville apparently thought that this was part of the show. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to drop you! Are you okay?" Trixie was panicking, thoughts of lawsuits and prison flooding her mind. "I had worse. Where'd you get a twin from?" "I-I..." Trixie struggled to regain her composure for a fraction of a second. She turned to the crowd. "The Great and Powerful Trixie would like to thank her lovely assistant for all his cooperation. Everypony stamp your hooves for the Talented and Forgiving..." She turned her head to the dwarf, who was still struggling to remember where he was or how to stand up properly. "Ovrik!" Spike called from the crowd. "The Talented and Forgiving Ovrik!" Clouds of smoke erupted from behind Ovrik and Trixie, the latter of which was trying desperately to keep the crowd from realizing her mistake. The crowd was eating up the ruse though, stamping their hooves and cheering. Ovrik waved with a goofy grin as Trixie stood on her hindlegs and put a leg around Ovrik's shoulders. She whispered from the side of her mouth, "Trixie will give you half her profits tonight if you promise not to make this a big deal." Ovrik wrapped an arm around the mare's shoulders with a laugh. His inner dwarven child was much to thrilled about living out a childhood fantasy to worry about trivial things like concussions.