Ponyville's Tiny Librarian

by CommanderX5

Ch6 - Boast Busters - Part 1

Two armoured guards watched over their ruler worryingly as she wriggled in her bed the entire night, and the time to raise the sun was rapidly approaching. To both guards’ surprise, Celestia jumped from her bed so far that her head struck against a wall while both guards flinched to the side reflexively.

“P-princess, are you alright?” one worried guard asked as Celestia slowly turned her head and opened her sleepy eyes. Her vision blurry. “Should I call a doctor?”

Before the guards could react, their spears were levitated in a golden aura and aimed at their necks as Celestia stood to her rear hooves. She towered over them, looking at their terrified expressions with narrowed eyes and growled. “Zombies, Soldiers or Survivors?”

Both guards started to sweat and panic as they shouted together, ”Soldiers! Soldiers!”

“This is amazing, Twilight!” Spike said in excitement as his adoptive mother just a moment ago levitated 1.4 ton weight. The little mare lay flat on the floor of her library as she recovered from the pressure fifty-six times her own weight, which was pinning her against it. Slowly but steadily, Twilight stood and held her head high with pride as she puffed her chest.

“Not bad,” Overwatch added as she looked down at the little unicorn. “I thought you reached your limits some time ago, and yet, you’re still breaking your own records. Guess it’s only a matter of time before you reach one and a half tons.”

Twilight looked up at her with a smile. “Thanks… though I think that after I used the Elements of Harmony, they enhanced my inner potential. It did give me the ability to train both pegasus and earth pony magic in myself after all.”

Overwatch shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. What matters is that you’re probably the most powerful unicorn in all of Equestria, and it doesn’t look like you will be reaching your limits any time soon.”

“Yeah, and it’s not just unicorn magic. Your earth pony and pegasus magic have grown as well. You’re lifting far more than a mare your size should ever lift, and I’m starting to agree with Overwatch that you’re essentially invincible,” Steel Blade said, looking pointedly away from his smirking partner. “Maybe someday, you can find a reliable way to make plants grow faster." He tried not to look at the most recent experiment in that regard, as well as the scattered powder of fire extinguisher residue still dusted over the charred remains of the poor daisy.

Twilight rubbed the back of her neck and looked to the side. “About that… I think I’ll give up on trying to hasten the growth of plants by casting spells. Each experiment had shown that plants are adapted to store and use earth pony magic as if it was a supreme fertilizer, which makes sense since said magic affect them slowly and gently. Unicorn magic is just too hasty and unstable for plants and trees to handle.”

She raised her head and added, “If my calculations are correct, I would need to guide my magic in tiny proportions for hours on one plant to acquire similar effect.” She placed forehooves on her sides and smiled warmly. “I’ll just keep working for Applejack and let my magic develop to affect plants on its own, the earth pony way.”

Spike rubbed his chin thoughtfully, analyzing what Twilight’s research taught him thus far. “Let’s summarize: Unicorn magic requires most knowledge and control while having instant effects.” Twilight glanced at Spike and nodded, listening with full attention. “Earth pony magic work on its own, affects everything slowly and can’t be controlled, while pegasus magic is in between, either improves their flight and agility on its own, or can affect weather instantly with enough knowledge and practice.”

“You sure learn fast, you’re making me proud, Spike.”

The young drake waved dismissively and blushed. “Geee, thanks.” He looked down at his caretaker and knelt before suggesting, “Maybe one day you can research dragon magic. You really have gotten me curious about it."

“Sure thing, I will add it to my long list of important research projects. I prefer to do it one step at a time,” Twilight said before glancing at her guards, only to notice Steel’s uncontrollable shaking and bitten lip. “Is something wrong, Steel Blade?”

The pegasus jumped between Twilight and Spike, his wings flapping in excitement. “Even without pegasus or earth pony magic, you have always been fast and strong, and now your limits are being pushed back. With your earth pony’s stamina, you can train physically far longer than before.” Steel Blade beamed as he grabbed and threw the tiny mare into the air before adding, “And when you give yourself wings with that spell of yours, the additional pegasus magic you now possess will let you rival actual pegasi. You can even fly as fast as me!” Steel Blade’s cheerful mood vanished as fast as it came, his ears drooped and a pout appeared on his face. Once again, he felt weak compared to the tiny pony he was supposed to protect, who now could beat him at his own game.

Twilight landed on the floor, not bothering to slow her fall as if feeling a little bit lighter. “Why thank you. I hoped that my hard work would pay off one day, and now I'm finding all kinds of exciting new discoveries because of it. I can hardly wait to see what will happen if I train even harder."

“Train even harder... Is this even possible?” Spike asked in confusion before smiling proudly. “Still, you’re amazing. You’re not only the most powerful unicorn in Equestria but also the most athletic one. Even your brother would be no match for you if you were normal sized.”

"Are you two chatterboxes done yet?" All eyes in the room focused on the top of a bookshelf where the griffon had made a makeshift nest out of pillows and ropes, which replaced the nest of books after Twilight’s angered outburst and her semi-long lecture. Gilda stretched out in one long motion from sharp talons to leonine hindquarters with a broad expanse of wings above, making the rest of the library occupants shift uncomfortably at the way she had silently remained concealed for this long. She looked down at the group and tapped one talon gently on a nearby book. "I'm waiting."

Twilight blushed before running and jumping towards her guest, reaching the top with two leaps. “Sorry, Gilda. I often get distracted during my monthly check up, and breaking all of my previous records got us very excited.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re the best, but can we go already?” Gilda pleaded in annoyance while Spike gave her a curious stare, still finding it odd that Twilight would hang out with such a big jerk, particularly after the outburst she displayed at the party.

“What’s got you so excited? What are you and Twilight going to do today anyway?” Spike asked suspiciously.

Gilda raised her talons and spoke with a relaxed voice. “Well, duh, there’s going to be a magic show where some loooooser named Twixee or whatever her name was will be performing. I just want to see how pathetically weak her magic is compared to my cool little buddy.” Gilda pointed at Twilight. “We can have some laughs while watching.”

“First of, her name is Trixie, not Twixee, and second, not every a unicorn needs to be powerful or know hundreds of spells,” Twilight responded. “Trixie is most likely a show-mare and her special talent is to entertain others. She may be powerful or weak, but I’m sure she knows many entertaining spells. It will be a lot of fun.”

Twilight trotted through Ponyville while passing huge wooden houses and ponies, next to her walked Spike while behind her were her two trusty guards, Steel Blade and Overwatch. Leading the way was none other than Gilda. Twilight looked around, noticing that many ponies were looking at them with even more confusion and curiosity than when she first arrived in Ponyville. A group containing a unicorn and pegasus Royal Guard, a baby dragon, a tiny unicorn battle mage and a griffon who acted like a jerk at yesterday’s party was not the most common sight.

Finally, the group arrived in front of a set-up stage since the ponies standing before it stepped aside at the very sight of Gilda’s sharp talons that she exposed threateningly. Twilight galloped closer and looked up at her friend’s proud eagle-like face. “You really shouldn’t be doing that, it’s very mean to scare other ponies.”

“Pfft, not my fault they are a bunch of chickens,” Gilda commented with a relaxed voice as she sat in front of the stage. Twilight wanted to complain about her mean behaviour again, but a familiar voice caught her attention.

“You got some nerve showing up here after yesterday’s party,” Rainbow Dash snapped as she walked towards Gilda. “Are you here to be a jerk to everypony again?”

“No, I’m here to enjoy the magic show with my little friend, say hello to her,” Gilda remarked calmly as she gave her former friend a devilish smile and pointed her at the ground. Dash’s eyes opened widely at who she saw.

“T-Twilight… what are you doing with Gilda?”

Twilight didn’t answer right away as she quickly climbed up on the griffon and sat on her head, now looking down at Dash, a cheerful smile on her face. “Spending time with her. After all, she is my friend, just like you and the rest of the team.”

“B-but… she was being jerk to everypony…”

“Because you set up tons of pranks for her and made her angry!” Twilight shouted back.

“No, I didn’t, they were for ev…”

“Save it, Dash. You always sent Gilda into a prank. I didn’t see you do it to any other pony.” Twilight frowned and crossed her forelegs. “I know, since I ended up as a victim of some of those pranks when I tried to ensure that my new friend wouldn’t get overwhelmed by them, but it seems that I failed in the end.”

“Yeah, she saw how unfairly you treated me. But no sweat, she helped me to prank you back, so let bygones be bygones,” Gilda said in a relaxed voice as she raised her talons as if asking for Dash to be her friend again. The pegasus turned it down and gave Twilight a betrayed glare for several seconds before turning around and frowning.

“F-f-fine!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she walked away, and Twilight could see her sitting together with the rest of her friends.

Twilight hung her head low; by sticking with one friend, she would end up hurting another. Her sad mood was interrupted by Gilda. “Thanks for sticking with me.”

Twilight sighed. “You’re welcome,” she said hesitantly, sadness still apparent in her voice.

“What's wrong?” Spike asked as he was now sitting on Gilda’s back before quickly looking at Rainbow Dash and the rest of Twilight’s friends, noticing various expressions on their faces as they murmured something to each other. Spike turned his head and glanced back at Twilight. “I see.”

“Come on, Twilight. It’ll be fine,” Overwatch said as the tiny unicorn looked at her while lying in defeat on her griffon friend’s head. “They may feel a bit betrayed, but they’re still your friends. C’mon, I’m sure the show will cheer you up.”

Twilight turned her head and looked at stage where several fireworks shot in the air while from the smoke, a blue unicorn in a mage’s hat and a cape emerged. “Watch in awe, as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!”

Twilight’s mood improved as she watched the show with growing enthusiasm, easily recognising illusion magic in action and even admiring the original use between illumination and illusion magic to draw in the air while Trixie told every pony about how she did vanquish an Ursa Major. It seems that everypony is really into it, Twilight thought as she saw two colts saying that Trixie was the greatest as if believing that the show mare was actually speaking the truth.

“Anything you can do, I can do better,” Trixie challenged in reply while Twilight could see her friends go onto the stage one by one. Gilda’s bored expression was replaced by laughter as Rainbow Dash and Applejack were defeated in their own games in the most humiliating way possible. In response, Rainbow Dash glared daggers back at Gilda, only for her facial expression to sadden when she saw Twilight sitting on her head.

Creating an illusion of a rainbow circling around Dash to hide the levitation aura that rolled her around, interesting, Twilight thought as she examined Trixie’s every move.

“What we need is another unicorn to challenge her,” Spike said as he glanced at Overwatch, who simply raised an eyebrow at him, and next at Twilight. “It’s your chance, Twilight, I know how you love a challenge.”

Twilight looked back at him and shook her head. “I pass, and besides, my friends seem to be far too quick judges of character. First Rainbow Dash doesn’t want to be Gilda’s friend any more, and now they bash on a professional performer for boasting when it is clearly her job to act like that,” she lectured and shook her head again. “I think they deserve whatever Trixie will put on them, and besides,” she pointed towards the cheering crowd, “everypony is having a lot of fun, I don’t want to ruin it.” She could feel the griffon nodding in agreement, hardly maintaining balance on her moving head.

“I agree, this Twixee pony is indeed professional and entertaining,” Gilda said as she smirked at Rainbow Dash, who got struck by a small lightning bolt in the flank. “I had a lot of fun.”

Twilight’s attention focused on Rarity who, despite Applejack’s and Rainbow Dash’s encouraging, refused to take a challenge. What surprised Twilight the most was that even Trixie failed to provoke her as Rarity just sat and resisted the urge to say a single word, though even from distance, she could see sweat falling from her face.

“Once again, The Great and Powerful Trixie has proven herself to be the most amazing unicorn in all of Equestria.” She turned around and returned to continue her magic show while adding, “Was there ever any doubt?”

Twilight’s clear vision over the performance was covered when Rainbow Dash flew towards her, looking at her with her forelegs held together, a pleading expression on her face. “Twilight, please. Show Trixie who is the boss, I beg you.”

The little mare blinked a few times in surprise before yelping and falling from Gilda’s head the moment she looked up at Dash.

Gilda spoke sarcastically, “What’s the matter, Dash? Afraid that your position of a number one show-off is endangered?” The pegasus frowned at her and once again looked at Twilight who climbed back on Gilda’s head.

“Please Twilight, despite your size, you have more power and talent than her,” Dash spoke with growing desperation.

Twilight looked back at her suspiciously. “By always boasting about your skills, you’re doing the same thing that Trixie is doing? So why all of the sudden she’s in the wrong and you’re in the right?”

Rainbow Dash wanted to answer but found it impossible. Noticing it, the little unicorn jumped from Gilda’s head and walked towards the stage. Not looking at her flying friend, she spoke, “Now please excuse me, but Trixie just asked for a volunteer, and I’m going to have some fun.”

“For next spell, Trixie needs a brave pony who’s not afraid of Trixie’s powerful magic as Trixie will make the pony disappear in this magical box. Any pony brave enough to…” Trixie failed to finish as Twilight jumped onto the stage and shouted, cutting her off.

“I am!”

Trixie looked around, failing to notice any pony as she frowned. “Trixie doesn’t have all day to waste waiting for a volunteer, get yourself on the stage this instant,” she said arrogantly.

“I’m on the stage!”

Trixie looked around, once again failing to notice any pony, but before she spoke, she could feel her face being forced to look down, only to notice a tiny unicorn staring up at her.

“Can I be your assistant, please?” Twilight pled as she gave her a puppy-eyed stare.

Trixie looked at the toy-sized unicorn dumbfounded before charging a spell, her horn surrounded in blue aura. “So another pony thinks she’s more powerful than The Great and Powerful Trixie? Trixie can recognize a levitated puppet or illusion spell when Trixie sees one,” she said before sending a wave of her magic into Twilight. Trixie’s eyes opened widely as the magic passed through her. “But that's impossible! You’re alive?!”

“Of course I am alive. I’m just under the effect of a shrinking spell,” Twilight stated as the magician quickly nodded.

“Of course, Trixie knew that from the start. Trixie was just playing along,” she said before looking upon the crowd. “Now be amazed as Trixie will make this tiny pony disappear into another dimension.” She levitated Twilight into a magical box and closed it, too focused on keeping up appearances to show even the slightest hint of confusion.

As Twilight sat inside of the large box, she couldn’t see anything since Luna’s blessing only activated when the moon was up. Before she cast an illumination spell, she came to a realization that she couldn’t hear Trixie’s voice anymore, indicating that the box she was in was soundproof.

Thanks to her trained reflex, she jumped forward the moment she felt trembling under her hooves and started to hold onto the wall. Underneath her she could see a stage trap opening. That’s it? A stage trap? Boooring. She smirked and lit her horn. “I hope Trixie won’t mind if I make her performance a little bit more interesting.”

Noticing that the box was empty, Trixie closed it again and turned towards the crowd. “Now watch, as The Great and Powerful Trixie will summon our little volunteer back from the magical dimension of Trixie’s creation!”

With a burst from her horn, more fireworks shot into the air as she was about to open the magical box, only to feel something on her head as a small light flashed under her hat.

“Hello everypony,” Twilight said cheerfully as she lifted Trixie’s hat and waved to the crowd who cheered in return.

Trixie was about to grab the little volunteer who hid under her hat, but the moment she tried to catch her, she was no longer there.

“Over here,” Twilight said as she slid from under the cape.

“What are you doing?” Trixie whispered as the little volunteer sat on her shoulder.

“I’m helping you entertain the crowd, trust me on this,” Twilight responded as she slid back under the cape. The moment Trixie levitated it, the little mare was gone, only for the magical box to open as Twilight jumped out of it.

“Ta daaa!” She stood on her rear hooves, her forelegs spread in the air as the crowd cheered again. Twilight lit her horn and enhanced her voice. “Now everypony, prepare for even more entertainment, because I, The Little and Powerful Assistant Twilight, will show you fantastic arcanic arts that have never been seen by anypony!"

All of Twilight’s friends watched her in confusion as they didn’t know what to make of it, while Gilda, Spike and Twilight’s guards cheered for her. Meanwhile, Trixie walked towards the tiny unicorn and tried to catch her with a quick swing of her legs, but her target just made a backflip and was now standing on Trixie’s foreleg.

“Now The Little and Powerful Assistant Twilight will show you her amazing evasion skills.” She started to jump between Trixie’s forelegs, evading every attempt to catch her.

Trixie lit her horn and levitated Twilight with her magic, only for her to disappear and reappear on her head.

Wasting no time, Twilight jumped from Trixie’s head, avoiding being stomped on while teleporting whenever she was in the grasp of a levitation spell.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie has many ways she can stop you with,” Trixie stated arrogantly as she levitated the rope that was used against Applejack, and before Twilight could teleport herself from her magical grasp, she was tied tightly by the rope, feeling it pressing against her tiny body. Taking advantage of the distraction, Trixie levitated the little unicorn towards herself and poked her horn, stopping Twilight from casting a teleportation spell.

Twilight resisted the uncomfortable feeling caused by tightened rope as she gave the performer an encouraging smile. “The escaping from the ropes trick. Great idea, Trixie!”

Trixie frowned and tightened the rope around Twilight even harder.

“It is The Great, Big and Powerful Trixie to you,” she said arrogantly, though too distracted to notice that Twilight lit her horn. In a mere moment, Trixie’s rear hooves were tied up by the end of the rope she used against Twilight, and soon both mares were lying on the floor, tied up by the same rope.

While Trixie struggled to free herself, causing the crowd to laugh, Twilight enhanced her voice again and spoke, “Now watch in awe as The Great and Powerful Trixie and I, her Little and Powerful Assistant Twilight will free ourselves from these ropes and chains.”

“Chains? You don’t mean Trixie’s chains?” she asked from her uncomfortable position.

Twilight teleported herself free before levitating Trixie above the stage, hanging her upside down with the rope.

Much to Trixie’s confusion, the little unicorn jumped towards her foreleg before levitating over metal chains from Trixie’s equipment box, tying herself to her leg with them. All of Trixie’s legs were tied by chains a moment later, and to her horror, a few sharp objects had been levitated in a purple aura, placed directly under them.

Every pony in the crowd held a deep breath as Twilight damaged the rope that she and Trixie were hanging from. Teleporting being ruled out thanks to a small anti-teleportation rune she hastily placed on the chain.

Trixie gulped as the sharp objects were waiting on the stage while steel chains were making her escape impossible. Clearly the third worst day of her life.