• Published 3rd Apr 2015
  • 4,473 Views, 243 Comments

Cutie Mark Crusader Magicians, Yay! - DrakeyC



Trixie gets three new apprentices in stage magic. Or, the Crusaders get a new victim in their search for their cutie marks.

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Chapter 5

Cutie Mark Crusader Magicians, Yay!

Chapter 5


“So I told him, if he was gonna ask me for triple-fudge vanilla-toffee cupcakes, and then complain when I assume he wants the strawberry filling, well he can just take his business to another bakery because that is not how this pony rolls!” Pinkie Pie crossed her hooves over the edge of the fence in front of her and nodded to punctuate the statement.

Applejack paused as she raised her hoof to buck the tree behind her and looked up at Pinkie. “What in the heck does that have to do with Trixie?”

Pinkie uncrossed her hooves. “Nothing. Why?”

“Because before you went off, we were talkin’ about Trixie. At least, Ah was.” Applejack bucked and a load of fresh apples fell into the bucket beside her. “She says she’s stayin’ in Ponyville for a while.”

“How come?”

“Says she’s gonna help those three fillies get their cutie marks.”

“Oh. Is she gonna buy a house, then?”

Applejack barked out a laugh. “Ah reckon she’ll be lookin’ into it in a month’s time. That girl really doesn’t know what she got herself into.”

Applejack moved under the harness connected to the apple buckets and stood up to lift and take them to the barn. Pinkie turned and followed her as she passed. “You think she might actually do it?”

“Pinkie, Ah give it a better chance o’ Discord becomin’ an alicorn princess than Trixie getting’ any of those three their cutie marks. They’ve been tryin’ for years now and it ain’t come to nothin’.”

Pinkie nodded. “Exactly. It’s gotta happen sooner or later, right? I mean, I’ve never heard of any full-grown pony without a cutie mark.”

Applejack set the buckets down inside the barn and turned back to Pinkie. “Sure, but what makes ya think Trixie’ll be the one to finally do it?”

“Gotta be somepony, right? Why not Trixie?”

“Eh, Ah guess.” Applejack’s eyes widened. “Imagine if she does pull it off! Trixie would have done what Twilight couldn’t. We’ll never hear the end of it!”

Pinkie scoffed and waved a hoof in the air. “Oh, come on Applejack! Maybe Trixie just wants to be nice and helpful for once!”

Applejack stared.

Pinkie shrugged. “Stranger things have happened.”

The two heard the creaking of wheels and walked to the entrance of the barn. Scootaloo walked onto the farm property pulling a small wagon behind her. Planks of wood and sheets of aluminum were piled on it.

“Scootaloo?” Applejack approached her. “What’s all this?”

Scootaloo stopped. “Trixie told me to go buy supplies, so I headed over to Mr. Lugnut’s store.” She reached for the list hanging from the stack and held it out to Applejack. “It cost every bit we had just get this much. We’re gonna have to ask Rarity for the rest of it and I don’t think we can afford it now.”

Applejack took the list and read it over, a frown crossing her face. “Scootaloo, do you even know what it is that Trixie is plannin’ on doin’ with these supplies?”

“No. But she said it’s for our magic lessons.”

Applejack handed the list back. “Hey, Ah get that Trixie ain’t all bad anymore, and she did bring you three home. But don’t y’all think it’s a bit much to go buying her all this magic stuff without knowin’ what she’s gonna use it for?”

Pinkie nodded. “She could be using it to build a doomsday weapon to make herself an alicorn princess so she can take over Equestria!”

“Pinkie, weren’t you just defendin’ Trixie?”

“Hey, we have to consider all our options.”

Scootaloo shook her head. “Trixie has been okay. She’s lost her patience with us and yelled at us a bit, but that was when we were blackmailing her.”

Applejack was about to continue when something caught her eye. She turned her head; Trixie, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom were walking through the gates on the far side of the farm. Sweetie Belle was pulling the cart as Trixie held up jars full of various items and said something to Apple Bloom. As she came closer, Trixie’s voice coming into hearing range.

“…The key thing to remember is that this type of reaction isn’t linear to the ingredients used. Just because two spoons of each creates a little burst, doesn’t mean three will create a slightly bigger burst. More likely it’ll be twice as powerful, if not more. And don’t confuse your ingredients. Some may look the same to the untrained eye, but the…” Trixie stopped as she saw Applejack and lowered the jars into the cart. “Hello, Applejack,” she said stiffly.

“Trixie.” Applejack nodded her head and put the list in her hooves back on the wagon. Her expression lightened when her eyes moved over to Apple Bloom. “How goes it, girls?”

Apple Bloom grinned. “Trixie was telling me about how to make smoke bombs!”

Applejack looked at Trixie with narrowed eyes. Trixie looked back at her evenly. “Magicians often employ explosive powders as distractions. Theatricality and deception are powerful agents.”

“And y'all really think Ah'm gonna be lettin' mah little sister run around throwin' smoke bombs when she's supposed to be grounded?”

Apple Bloom flinched and backed up under Applejack's gaze. Trixie sniffed and raised her head. “Do not fear. Young Apple Bloom is too inexperienced to handle such materials, anyway. When she mixes them, she will have proper supervision to ensure safe and responsible usage.”

Pinkie clapped her hooves. “Cool! Who’s supervising her?”

Trixie’s smirk vanished. Before she could respond, Scootaloo walked up behind Applejack, drawing Trixie’s eyes to her. “I got as much as I could.” Scootaloo stopped and shrugged the harness for the wagon off her back.

Trixie examined the wagon's contents and lifted her list from it, noting which items had been checked off. “How much did this cost?”

“All of it.”

Trixie’s eyes bulged and she gave Scootaloo a shocked look. “All of it?”

“There was a lot to get!” Scootaloo protested. “Actually, it cost more than what we had, but I talked him down from fifty-five because we were a few bits short.”

Trixie frowned and rolled up the list. “I’ll have to find a way to work haggling into our lesson plan. But, very well. We shall have to procure the remaining materials another way.”

“Yeah, he said we might wanna try Carousel Boutique.”

“Carousel Boutique?” Trixie thought aloud. “Why does that sound familiar?”

Applejack cleared her throat to get Trixie’s attention. “It’s Rarity’s place.”

Trixie deflated. “Of course it is.” She looked at Sweetie Belle. “Trixie doesn’t suppose your sister might be feeling charitable towards her?”

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “She still has nightmares about the green hair thing.”

“Really? Your sister has nightmares about her hair color?”

“You don’t know Rarity very well.”

Trixie rolled her eyes. “Trixie is open to alternative suggestions.”

Scootaloo came up beside Trixie, and she, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle looked at each other. It was Apple Bloom who thought of it. “What if Rarity didn’t know who it was for?”

Sweeite Belle grinned. “Yeah, she might not like Trixie, but she doesn’t have to know it’s for Trixie!”

Standing a few hooves away, Applejack leaned to whisper to Pinkie Pie, “Should we tell ’em we can hear them?”

“Why ruin their fun?”

“Very well then, my apprentices.” Trixie smiled and thrust a hoof into the air. “Apple Bloom shall remain so that we might continue our alchemy lessons. The two of you, go forth and procure Trixie her needed sapphires, post-haste!” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stared at her blankly. Trixie groaned and slapped her forehead. “Do it fast.”

“You got it!” Scootaloo nodded and ran off, leaving Sweetie Belle to shrug off the wagon harness and run after her.

Trixie lifted the harness onto her back and regarded Apple Bloom. “I trust you can manage the cart of hardware?”

“Sure.” Apple Bloom trotted over to the wagon Scootaloo had brought to the farm and slipped on the harness. The two headed through the orchard to Trixie’s wagon on the far side of the property.

Applejack watched them go and shook her head. “Ah swear, Trixie’s gonna end up causin’ more chaos for Ponyville than she ever did with the Alicorn Amulet.” Applejack looked back at Pinkie. “Y’all really think she’s legit in wantin’ to help them?”

Pinkie shrugged. “Nopony is all bad. And Trixie seemed sorry about the Alicorn Amulet thing. Twilight came by Sugercube Corner yesterday and said the two of them had talked it out, so I guess Twilight is okay with what she’s doing.”

Applejack saw the two reach the cart in the distance. “Yeah, but still. Somethin’ ain’t quite addin’ up about all this…”


Trixie floated the jars of ingredients onto the table in her wagon and shut the door behind Apple Bloom. “Now, where did I leave off?”

“You were talkin’ about confusing your ingredients.”

Trixie brightened. “Ah, yes.” She held up two jars of blue powder from the table. “Amateur alchemists make that error all the time. They mix the wrong ingredients because they look the same, and instead of a cloud of smoke, suddenly you’re creating a localized stormcloud.”

Apple Bloom giggled at the thought. “Have you ever done that?”

“Don't be absurd.” Trixie sniffed. “Trixie is beyond such foolish errors.”

“That many, huh?”

“Be quiet, and have a look a these.” Trixie put the jars on the table and stepped aside. “These are two common culprits in Trixie’s profession. Look closely and tell her the difference.”

Apple Bloom approached the jars and squinted, turning her head between them. The jars both had white powder in them. “Uh… the one on the right looks bigger. The one on the left is like sand, the right one is kinda more pebble-y.”

“Very good. And?”

“And the right one is kinda off-white, not really white.”

“Precisely.” Trixie tapped her hoof on the right jar with the larger granules. “Sulfur is often sold in small powders like this, sometimes diffused with magic to affect its properties. Such diffusion can dilute its color, causing the normally yellow sulfur to appear white, making it easy to confuse with another common ingredient: potassium nitrate.” She moved her hoof to the left jar of white powder.

“What happens if we mixed them up?” Apple Bloom asked.

“The smoke bomb would still work, but the sulfur would give it a bad odor and burn your eyes.” Trixie shuddered. “It’s a mistake Trixie has made before in her earlier days. She still isn’t allowed back in that theater.”

Apple Bloom stuck out her tongue. “Ugh. Right.”

Trixie shook her head and set the jars back. “It is because of the potential for such mistakes that an organized alchemy drawer is critical.” Trixie opened the trunk next to the table and pulled out the stacking drawers inside it to extend them to the sides. “If you truly intend to go into stage magic, procuring a steamer trunk is a worthwhile investment. They save a lot of space and make for easy organization.”

Apple Bloom peeked in the trunk and her eyes widened. Dozens of jars and boxes filled the slotted compartments in each shelf. Each one had a carefully printed label on it and most were reagents she’d never even heard of it.

“Zecora was gracious—there’s more than enough here to resupply and have enough left over for lessons.” Trixie unscrewed the lids and began pouring the contents of the full jars into the empty ones. “Presuming, of course, you take direction well?” Trixie gave Apple Bloom a knowing look. “You almost cleaned Trixie out once already.”

“Yeah, if ya tell me what to mix, Ah can do it,” Apple Bloom replied. Trixie nodded and turned back to her work. Apple Bloom rubbed her left hoof and turned away. “Ah know we weren’t very nice to ya when we first met, but we really are thankful you’re doin’ this for us, Trixie. Ah know it’s probably a big pain for ya to stick around Ponyville like this.”

Trixie lifted her nose into the air slightly. “How could Trixie refuse, when three impressionable young foals seek her out to learn the ways of the stage? You three made a wise choice in instructors, and Trixie chose to honor that choice.“

Apple Bloom nodded. “Well, ya sure do know a lot about alchemy. Ah mean, not that Twilight doesn't know a lot, too, but somethin' about how you teach it... Ah dunno, it just makes more sense comin' from you.“

Trixie smiled. “Once again, you flatter Trixie with a statement of the obvious. Alchemy was one of the first things Trixie studied as a foal. She and it have taken to each other well as she has grown.”

Apple Bloom tilted her head. “So when you were a foal doin’ alchemy, ya had to figure out how to use all these tools you’re talkin’ about? Didn’t you have magic?”

Trixie set down the jars she was sifting ingredients between and turned her head. “We’ll move on with the lesson now. Take a look at these.” Trixie floated three jars of colored powder from the trunk, colored violet, red, and light blue. “These are all crystallized lightning dust, very difficult to procure unless one knows a pegasus alchemist, which Trixie does. Why do you think the color is different?”

Apple Bloom leaned forward and looked between the jars. “Is it like the other stuff you showed me, where it’s been infused with magic and changed color?”

Trixie smiled. “A good guess. You’re close, but not quite right. It’s more to do with how far the lightning travels to strike the ground as it gets caught in the crystallization spell…”


Scootaloo pushed open the door to Carousel Boutique and trotted inside, Sweetie Belle behind her. The two stopped and looked around. “Hey, Rarity!” Scootaloo called.

“Just a moment!” The voice came from upstairs. Scootaloo moved to a drawer and pulled it open.

Sweetie Belle saw what she was doing and ran up to her. “Hey, what are you doing?”

“Where does Rarity keep her gemstones?” Scootaloo replied.

Sweetie Belle gasped. “We can’t just take them without asking!”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and pushed the drawer shut. “It’s easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission.”

“But I’ll be the one who’ll get in trouble for it instead of you! I'm already grounded!”

“So? If you're already being punished, then what's another week on top of it?”

The stairwell echoed with the sound of hoofsteps and the two turned. Rarity and Twilight descended the stairs. Rarity saw them and smiled. “Oh, it was you, Sweetie Belle! And, Scootaloo, what brings you two here?”

Sweetie Belle cleared her throat and stepped forward. “Rarity, I need a teeny, tiny favor from you.”

“But of course, Sweetie Belle.” Rarity put a hoof around her. “It's not asking to no longer be grounded, is it?”

“No.”

“Then I'd be delighted. What can your big sister do for you?”

“Well… I wanted to practice my magic, and I heard that sapphires are good for training. Can I borrow a few from you?” Sweetie Belle pursed her lip and widened her eyes.

Rarity smiled. “Aaaw, you’re working so hard to develop your magic, aren’t you?”

Sweetie Belle nodded, and her eyes grew wider. “I know I'm in trouble for running into the woods and treating Trixie like we did, but I'm really sorry about it, and I'm working so hard on my magic. It really would mean a lot to me if you could help.”

Rarity hugged her tight. “Oh, you poor darling. I can’t very well refuse you after that, can I?”

Watching the two, Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Gimme a break,” she mumbled under her breath. She cleared her throat and raised a hoof. “Great, sapphires, yay. Also, we need some of these.” She pulled the list out of her saddle bag and held it out.

Rarity turned her way and read the list. “Hm. Changeling silk is a luxury item I’m afraid, obviously quite hard to procure. What little I have I must hang on to. Silver shavings and sea serpent scales, on the other hand, I can help with. I have a contact in the area that gets me the latter at a bargain price.” Rarity walked up to a drawer and pulled it open. Dozens of small gems of different shapes and sizes filled it. “Twilight, I believe clarity doesn’t affect the magical properties of gems, does it?’

“No, it’s more based on the color and size of the gem than its quality.”

“Excellent.” Rarity popped a jeweler’s glass in her eye and began to examine the gems in the drawer. “I’ll find a few appropriate ones for you, Sweetie Belle, just give me a moment.”

Sweetie Belle grinned. “You’re the best sister ever!”

“I do my best.”

Scootaloo looked up at Twilight. “What are you doing here, Twilight?”

Twilight nodded at the drawer. “Rarity was looking for some help with a spell to make thread more resilient, so her dresses can last longer.”

Sweetie Belle perked up. “Hey, Twilight, how come you never told me about magic senses and spellcharging when we were training with you?”

Twilight looked surprised. “Well, spellcharging especially is pretty advanced, and magic sense is so fundamental I assumed you already knew about that. Most unicorns can develop their magic sense long before they get their cutie marks.”

“Hear hear,” Rarity said from the dresser. “Even before I got my cutie mark, magical sources lit up to me like gemstones.”

Twilight smiled. “It’s still good you know about those subjects, I’m glad you’re interested in learning more about magic. Where did you hear about them?”

“Trixie taught me about them,” Sweetie Belle replied.

Rarity shuddered. “Sweetie Belle, what have we discussed about mentioning that name?”

“Right, sorry. Uh… Miss T. told me about them. She said even if spellcharging can’t do much with magic as weak as mine, just trying it out can help me learn to conjure my magic better.”

Twilight nodded. “I see. I have to admit, magic just came naturally to me, even as a foal.” She glanced back at her flank. “I guess that’s one of the perks of being the Element of Magic’s bearer. I can’t really comment on what she said either way. But, spellcharging is a very safe form of magic, so if she says it can help you, it’s worth a shot.”

“Be careful on what she has you work on, though,” Rarity said. “There’s no telling what she might be using that charged up magic for.”

“Oh, I know what she’s using it for. We went to visit Zecora to get alchemy ingredients for Apple Bloom’s training, and Tri…” Sweetie Belle glanced at Rarity. “So, Miss T., had me practice spellcharging on some apricorn plants in Zecora’s garden as payment for the ingredients.”

Twilight nodded. “That’s perfectly safe, then. Apricorns are good conduits for magic, and there’s not any real risk of something going wrong practicing on them.”

“Yup.” Sweetie Belle smiled brightly at Twilight and then turned to her sister. “So, Rarity, how many do you think—” She stopped; Rarity had turned around and her eyes were narrowed. “Uh, Rarity?’

“Please allow me to make sure I understand this correctly.” As Rarity spoke, she slowly came closer. “You and Apple Bloom spent the morning with Trixie getting alchemy supplies from Zecora.”

“Um… yes?” Sweetie Belle backed away.

“And she had you practicing your magic.”

“Yeah…”

“And now you come to me asking for magically attuned gemstones for your magic training.”

Sweetie Belle gulped.

Rarity stopped and looked down at her. “Tell me, dear sister of mine… are these gemstones going to come into Trixie’s hooves?”

“Uh… um…” Sweetie Belle sweated under Rarity’s gaze. “N-no! They’re… that is…” Sweetie Belle grinned and grabbed Scootaloo, pulling her in front of her. “They’re going to Scootaloo!”

“Hey!” Scootaloo glared behind her.

“And will Scootaloo be giving them to Trixie?”

Scootaloo looked up at Rarity and shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just gonna do with ‘em whatever she tells me to do.”

Rarity huffed. “Sweetie Belle, if you wanted these sapphires because Trixie needed them, why didn’t you just say so?”

Sweetie Belle slumped. “Because I knew you’d say no.”

“And you’re correct.” Rarity turned her head and slammed the drawer shut with her magic. “After how she has behaved, Trixie is not a client I’m keen on servicing.”

“Rarity,” Twilight began, shaking her head, “Trixie is changed. She apologized for what she did, and now she’s trying to help these three.”

Rarity scoffed. “Apology? I received no such thing.”

“Maybe you didn’t, but I did. She’s sorry about what she did with the Alicorn Amulet; it took control of her and she wasn’t herself.”

Rarity looked between Twilight and Sweetie Belle. “Well… I don’t like it, but if Twilight vouches for her, then I shall give Trixie the benefit of the doubt. The gemstones I was putting aside are too poor quality for dresses, anyway.”

“Does that mean I can have them?” Sweetie Belle asked eagerly.

“Yes.” Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to cheer, but Rarity swung a hoof up in her face. “On one condition.”

Sweetie Belle pushed the hoof away. “Yes?”

Rarity tossed her head. “Trixie may have apologized for the Alicorn Amulet, but I recall no such apology for her original show where she humiliated us. There was no evil magic or mind control at play, she was simply an arrogant braggart. And even if she did apologize, it was never to me. If Trixie comes to my shop herself, and gives me a formal and sincere apology for what she did – to all of us, not just me – then I will give her the gems.”

Rarity lowered her head. “I expect her by tomorrow evening at the latest. Any questions?”

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at each other, and Scootaloo raised a hoof.

“What’s Plan B?”

Author's Note:

Last two chapters and possibly the next one slowed things down too much for my taste. Don't worry, this "Trixie talks to somepony and reconciles with them" formula has outstayed its welcome for me and won't be sticking around.