The Four Ponies of the Apocalypse Book One: Trixie

by Matthais Unidostres

Chapter 2: The Big Show

Chapter 2: The Big Show

“Magical duels have certainly not been rare in Equestria's past. Unicorns, pegacorns, and many other wielders of magic have done battle against each other while using spells. However, one of the most dangerous types of duels were the Magical Duels of Shadow, during which-.”

Twilight Sparkle stopped note taking from the book next to her and magically levitated her quill from the page she was writing on to dip it in her ink well, only to find it empty and dry.

“Spike, do we have anymore ink wells?” she called out.

The young dragon slid down the ladder he was using to put some books back and said, “Uh, no. I forgot to get more yesterday. Anyway, what's so interesting in that book anyway?”

“It's all about how ancient wizards and sorceresses battled each other. They sure took magic seriously!” Twilight said.

“Hm, okay. Well, I'm gonna get the ink,” Spike said, and his stomach suddenly growled, causing him to grin sheepishly.

Twilight laughed and said, “Well, bring the ink back here first, then get something to eat. This book's really interesting and I want to take as much notes as I can on it.”

Spike winked and zoomed out of the door.
* * *

Spike was walking past Rarity's house when it happened. He noticed a huge ruby on the ground. His eyes bulged out of his head, and he quickly snatched it and gobbled it up. Right after that, he noticed another gemstone, and ate that one too. He looked up, and he saw another one.

Spike was soon scarfing down gemstones as he was led right behind Rarity's house.

After swallowing one last emerald, Spike looked up to see. . .

FLASH!
* * *

Rarity looked up from the dress she was sewing in surprise.

“What on earth was that?” the white unicorn gasped.

Suddenly, there was a knock on her front door. Rarity opened it to see the pink earth pony Diamond Tiara.

“Oh, it's you,” Rarity said with a slightly annoyed look on her face, “Well Sweetie Bell isn't here for you to bully right now, so would you mind leaving my house.”

Diamond stuck her nose up into the air and said, “I came here to inform you of the big show in the center of Ponyville this afternoon. I have many other ponies to inform, so I shall take my leave now, thank you very much!”

As Diamond left, Rarity thought, “Big show? What big show?”
* * *

Twilight looked up from the book when she heard a knock at the door.

“Well, that was fast Spike!” she said,

However, the knocking continued.

“Oh! Er, come in!” Twilight said.

The door opened, revealing the gray haired and glasses wearing Silver Spoon.

“Where's Diamond Tiara? Is she too busy being a mean bully?” Twilight said with narrowed eyes.

Silver Spoon narrowed her eyes back at her and said, “The two of us are helping to spread the word about the big show in the center of town this afternoon.”

“What show?” Twilight asked.

“I can't tell you, we've sworn to secrecy, bye,” Silver said with a sly wink, and a twitch of her glasses that caused them to twinkle mischievously, and she took her leave, leaving Twilight looking very puzzled.
* * *

From a full and leafy apple tree in Sweet Apple Acres, two young pegasus spied on Big Macintosh and Applejack, who were in the next field.

“Er, what exactly are we doing, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy asked timidly.

Rainbow Dash smiled and said, “Sh, quiet, I just want to check out Big Mac.”

“WHAT?”

“Shhh! They'll hear us!” Rainbow Dash hissed, “Hold on, where are you going?”

Fluttershy carefully climbed down the tree and said, “I don't feel comfortable staring at ponies like this.”

“But Big Mac is just so. . .so. . .big and strong and easy going and handsome!” Rainbow Dash raved, her eyes rolling up as she hovered in the air.

“Rainbow Dash's got a crush!” two voices sang.

Rainbow Dash was so surprised that she fell out of the tree and onto the hard ground.

“Uhh. . .who's there?”

And out came Snips and Snails, not the best looking, or the smartest, ponies in Ponyville.

“What do you think you're doing? Sneaking up on ponies!” Rainbow Dash shouted.

“Isn't that what we were doing?” Fluttershy said.

Rainbows Dash moaned.

“Anyway,” Snips said, “Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon paid us to go around telling ponies about the big show in the center of Ponyville at noon. They didn't tell us what was gonna happen though.”

Rainbow Dash sighed, “Come on then, let's go.”

Meanwhile, Applejack placed another basket of apples into Big Mac's cart and said, “Heya bro. Uh, do ya ever get that ol' feeling that ya was being, ya know, watched?”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac replied lazily.

“Uh-huh!” came the hyper reply of something big and pink that shot out of the basket of apples that Applejack had just put down.

“Aahhh!” Applejack shouted, jumping back in fear, “Pinkie Pie! Do ya have to randomly pop up everywhere like that?”

Pinkie winked and said, “Okie Dokie Lokie! Anyway, did ya hear? Did ya? There's gonna be a big show in the center of town at noon! Everyone's talking about it! Whoops, gotta go!” Pinkie then shot back down into the basket of apples.

Applejack stared at the basket of apples for a moment, then she turned to Big Mac and said, “Well, we should be done with alla this by noon, then we can see what this is allabout.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac replied lazily.
* * *

Inside a certain tree house, something strange was going on.

Out of nowhere, a loud dramatic sting played.

Dun, Dun, Duuuun!

Three little ponies stood with their backs to the “Fourth Wall”. A huge picture of a blue patch depicting a yellow pony on it's hind legs framed the scene. Each of the ponies had a blue bandana which had that very patch.

“Prepare for trouble!” said the young white unicorn with a pink mane.

“And make it triple!” said the yellow earth pony with a red mane.

Then dramatic rock music began to play.

“Questing! To find out who we are!” the unicorn said.

“Testing! Our talents everywhere!” the pony said.

“We'll have to figure out what to do next till our cutie marks are here!” said the orange pegasus with a dull pink mane.

“The even-tempered peacemaker, Sweetie Bell!” the unicorn said, turning around dramatically.

“Stubborn, brave, and aggressive, I'm Apple Bloom!” said the earth pony, whirling around fast.

“Stylish and daring, I'm Scootaloo!” the pegasus said as she twirled around expertly on her hind legs.

All three ponies stuck a hoof out, pointing dramatically upwards, and they all said in perfect unison, “Now! Gather yourselves under the name of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!”

“Hey, that was awesome!” Apple Bloom said.

“Well, I have to admit it went better than I thought it would,” Sweetie Bell said.

“That's right!” Scootaloo cheered, flapping her wings excitedly, “The Cutie Mark Crusaders have finally got a cool Motto! Yes!”

“Triple trouble? You got that right! That was the worst display I've ever seen!” a voice called out.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders turned to see Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara standing in the entrance.

“You guys looked like clowns! You should've done that at the talent show! Even more people would have laughed at that!” Silver Spoon remarked.

“Leave it to the Bare Flanks to make idiots of themselves!” Golden Tiara said.

“Hey! Don't insult our Motto, or our Theme Song!” Sweetie Bell said, then she hung her head crestfallenly and said sadly, “I made them up myself.”

“Figures, they both stink,” Golden Tiara shot back.

“GET OUT OF OUR CLUBHOUSE!” Apple Bloom screamed.

“Only if you come to the big show that's happening in the center of town at noon,” Silver Spoon said.

“We will, we will, just please, leave us alone!” Scootaloo said, almost begging.

“Gladly, we wouldn't want to be seen in this dump!” Golden Tiara said, and the two bullies left.

“I hope the show isn't their show,” Scootaloo said with a worried look.

“I hope it is! Then we could boo them!” Apple Bloom said.

“Wait, you want to us to get cutie marks for booing?” Sweetie Bell said in confusion.

“No, but booing them would be a lot of fun!” Apple Bloom replied with a sneaky smile.
* * *

It seemed as if everypony was at the center of town at noon, waiting to see what this big show was about.

In the crowd, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were having a whispered conversation.

“Are you sure we should've helped her? I mean, she is a jerk,” Silver Spoon whispered.

“She has a cutie mark, doesn't she?” Diamond Tiara replied, “Also, she's a lot like us. If she's better than someone else, she makes sure they now it! Like how we're better than those three Bare Flanks Bozos! And, she paid us handsomely! How else do you think we got the money to pay Snips and Snails, huh genius?”

“But what about that stuff she said about getting revenge on Twilight?” Silver Spoon asked nervously.

Diamond Tiara smirked and said, “Well, I'm all for it! In my opinion, she is better than Twilight's. Cause she's not a little miss goody-goody! So there!”

Meanwhile, Twilight and her friends were all gathered together near the front of the crowd.

“What do you think this is all about?” Rainbow Dash asked Rarity.

Rarity shook her head said, “I don't know, but I don't see any kind of performers around here, so maybe those two little bullies were just playing a prank on us all.”

Applejack snorted and said, “The whole dang town? I don't think so!”

“The weird part is that Snips and Snails said they were paid to tell people about the show. Why would Golden and Silver give up their allowances for a practical joke?” Rainbow Dash said.

“Are you okay Twilight? You're awfully quiet,” Fluttershy asked nervously.

Twilight looked around with shifty eyes, and then whispered, “I'm getting a feeling of Deja Vu.”

“Deja Who?” Pinkie asked.

“Deja Vu. It happens when you think you've already been in a certain situation already. You know, like history repeating itself,” Twilight explained.

“Well, is it good Deja Vu or bad Deja Vu?” Pinkie asked with a cocked head.

Before Twilight could answer, there was a huge rumbling sound. Everypony looked up to the sky to see it fill with threatening, dark, and stormy clouds. The sun was completely blotted out. Thunder and lighting raged in the sky. The ground itself seemed to shake.

And then, there was a voice:

“You foolish little ponies! You have no idea the power that is about to descend upon you like a mighty storm. A consuming force that will all bring you to your knees! You laughed, you poured scorn, you made me the butt of your jokes! But now, oh now, the joke is on you! I will have the last laugh! You will all bow your heads low and acknowledge the superiority of-.”

There was a burst of purplish smoke, and in the midst of the town appeared:

“The Great and Powerful Trixie!”