eixirT lufrewoP dna taerG ehT
Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we might have bitten off more than we could chew. Situations where it probably would've been a good idea to have looked before you leaped. Today I learned this also applies to Koltonians as well as Equestrians. Let's rewind, shall we?
It was a pleasant sunny afternoon in Ponyville. I was on my way to visit the library. I pranced excitedly as I thought about seeing Twilight and Spike. And then, I saw them just walking down the street.
"Twenty-five Twilight, Twenty-five tricks, and counting. I thought Unicorns were supposed to only have a little bit of magic that matches their special talent." Spike said complimenting Twilight about something she had done.
"True, for ponies whose talents for things like singing, cooking, or math." Twilight conceded in her oh-so-wonderful modest way. "But what if a unicorn's special talent is magic?" Even though I didn't understand a word of context, I could see it in the way her eyes sparkled like two purple stars, the way her mane swirled like a majestic nebula. She truly was brains and beauty incarnate. My knees went weak as I stared at her.
"Like you, Twilight and you know a ton of...uh don't look now but I think something there might be something seriously wrong with Apple Comet."
"Huh?" Twilight looked at me. " Hey, Apple Comet are you feeling alright?" I probably looked like a lovesick foal but I didn't care. Just being with her was all the medicine I needed.
"Gangway! Coming thru!" I was suddenly knocked out of my lovesick stupor by a rear-end collision courtesy of my classmates' Snips and Snails.
"Oof!"
"Ugh!"
The three of us ended up tangled in a three-pony heap of legs and barrels.
"Oops sorry Apple Comet," Snails apologized in his dopey voice. "You really shouldn't be standing in the middle of the street like that."
"And you two should know to stop when you see somepony right in front of you," I groaned pushing one of his lanky orange legs out of my face.
"What's going on you guys?" Spike asked
"Wha? Haven't you heard?" Snails said in seeming disbelief. "There's a new unicorn in town."
"Yeah, they say she's got more magical powers than any unicorn anywhere!" Snails added before I stood up letting them both slide off my back like water on a duck. "Whoaa!"
"First of all, who's they? Second, where are they? And third, did either of you not see me standing here?"
Snails stood up and shyly kicked the ground with his hoof. "Well we found these flyers all over town," He explained pulling out one he had picked up and unfurling it.
COME ONE COME ALL WITNESS THE GREATEST MAGIC FEATS IN ALL OF EQUESTRIA! PERFORMED BY THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE LULAMOON!
Below the lettering was a silhouette of an azure blue unicorn wearing a purple wizard hat and cloak decorated with stars and moons.
"A magic show?" I asked them. "That's why you two blindsided me?"
Snips answered with, "Not just any magic show, but the greatest magic show in all of Equestria!"
"You're just parroting what the flier says," I said with dull uninterest.
"Besides, Twilight is the most magical unicorn in Ponyville." Spike boldly declared while Twilight simply rolled her eyes.
"Fine let's go see this magic show." She sighed with annoyance.
"Eh why not," I agreed. "Not like I have anything better to do today."
A small crowd had gathered in the town square in front of a yellow Vardo wagon with a red roof. The mood was electric with anticipation as the ponies waited anxiously to see what kind of show they were about to see.
"Wow this is quite a crowd," Twilight said
"Hey, Twilight!" A raspy voice called out from above. We looked up to see Rainbow Dash waving to us. "Come with me, we're all down in front." Suddenly the wagon's roof flew up, its side folded open releasing a stage ringed with a purple show curtain. The stage dimmed as several fancy props covered with fireworks popped up from behind the curtains.
"Mares and Gentlecolts," A mare's voice said. "Come one come all! Witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!"
An azure unicorn mare dressed exactly like the one on the flyer stepped out from behind the curtains. Her mane was a pale blue, like Twilight her eyes were violet, although they were slighter darker. A magician's wand with a blue five-pointed star set against a shimmering blue moon adorned her flanks.
"Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!" The stage erupted into a torrent of fireworks as trumpets played out a fanfare.
So Princess Celestia raising the sun every morning mostly on time, that's old hat now? So far my impression of the so-called Great and Powerful Trixie was lukewarm at best. And clearly, I was not the only one.
"My, my, my! What boasting!" Rarity declared.
"Come on, nopony's as powerful as Twi..." Spike began before getting distracted by Rarity. "Ahem, Oh hey Rarity, I uh-mustache." Smooth, Spike, smooth.
"There's nothing wrong with talented, is there?" Twilight asked.
"Nothing at all, except when someone goes around showing it off like a school filly with fancy new ribbons," Applejack replied as Trixie conjured up a bouquet.
"Just because one has the ability to perform lots of magic does not make one better than the rest of us." Rarity said misinterpreting the context of the current situation more than she'd probably care to admit.
"Especially when you got me around being better than the rest of us." Rainbow Dash laughed missing the point by a mile. "Eh, I mean, yeah, uh, magic shmagic boo!" I was beginning to worry she'd hit her head on me harder than I thought.
This banter did not escape Trixie's ears. "Well, well, well, It seems we have some neighsayers in the audience." However, to be fair to her, she was just trying to entertain her audience. "Who is so ignorant to challenge the magical abilities of the Great and Powerful Trixie? Do they not know that they're in the presence of the most powerful unicorn in all of Equestria?"
Okay, I took back what I just thought about Trixie. She had just crossed the border into full-blown narcissist territory.
"Just who does she think is?" Rarity whispered to Twilight.
"Yeah," Spike said in agreement. "Since we all know that Twilight is..." Twilight shushed him before he could finish. "What, what's wrong?"
"You saw the way they reacted to Trixie." She whispered. "I don't want them to think that I'm a showoff."
"Though to be fair Twilight, you don't go on and on about your talent like a broken record," I said coming to her defense. And she didn't hide them from everyone outside her immediate family along with her alien heritage either.
"What did you say about Trixie?" Oh crap, Trixie was glaring at me, her right eye twitching with anger. The crowd was also looking at me, no doubt wondering what was going to happen next.
"Hey lay off him, he's just a kid." Rainbow Dash said coming to my defense. "What makes you think you're so awesome anyway oh Great and Powerful Trixie?"
Trixie smirked confidently. "Only the Great and Powerful Trixie had magic strong enough to vanquish the dreaded Ursa major!" I rose onto my hind legs, fell onto my back, and proceeded to laugh my flank off.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Was she serious? An Ursa Major? Defeated by her? What did she boast it to death or something?"
"What is so funny?" Trixie demanded the corner of her mouth twitching alongside her eye now. This only caused Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Spike to join in. Even Rarity let out a classy "haha,"
"So you don't believe Trixie do you?" The stage magician hissed menacingly. "Well, maybe you'll change your mind after hearing Trixie's story." Another salvo of bottle rockets shot into the air creating the image of a large blue bear with a star on its head. It looked less like an Ursa Major and more like a foal's drawing of an Ursa Major.
"When all hope was lost When it seemed the ponies of Hoofington had no one to turn to, The Great and Powerful Trixie stepped in, and with her awesome magic, vanquished the Ursa Major and sent it back to its cave deep within the Everfree Forest."
An explosion of Trixie waving her wand at the bear illustrated the story. The audience oohed and awed with excitement as the illuminated Trixie chased away the Ursa Major.
"Aww Sweet!" Snips and Snails cried out high hoofing each other. Trixie had them eating out of the frog of her hoof. Which when you think about it was much more hygienic than the other way around.
"That settles it!" Snips cheered.
"Trixie truly is the most talented, the most magical, the most awesome unicorn in Ponyville." Snails oafishly declared.
"No in all of Equestria!" Snips incorrectly corrected his lanky friend.
I, however, was not so impressed. "Can you do any tricks that don't involve fireworks?" I asked Trixie. "Cause that's starting to get kind of old." The Showmare's jaw dropped in disbelief. Her irises sank into the depths of her eyes as she tried to form a coherent response.
"Uh uh uh uh uh uh...
"Uh, are you okay?" I asked her. "All I asked was whether you knew any other tricks."
"Tricks, tricks? Why of course! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Trixie exclaimed suddenly snapping out of her stupor. "You better believe I've got plenty of tricks up my sleeve. In fact, why don't you come up and be Trixie's assistant?"
Suddenly I felt her aura envelop me in her magic. She lifted me out of the crowd and levitated me onto the stage. "Now if you would be so kind as to tell Trixie and her audience your name?"
"Umm...Apple Comet," I answered.
"Well, Apple Comet," She continued. "Tell the audience and Trixie what trick you would like to see Trixie perform."
'Well seeing you fly through the air like a comet, bend steel bars into the shape of animals, and make snow cones for everypony with just your breath were all certainly good options.' I thought with a laugh. 'But surely such parlor tricks were beneath the Great and Powerful Trixie.' I thought of every magic trick I could think of, which wasn't much considering I never had much interest in stage magic. "Can you make something appear out of thin air?" I asked.
"Yeah like a better act!" Rainbow Dash hollered as Applejack pulled her back down. To everypony's surprise, Trixie didn't get angry or berate Rainbow for her outburst. Instead, a coy smile stretched across her face as turned back to me.
"Of course I can young colt." She said pointing up at the sky. "Observe a bright sunny day, not a cloud in the sky. Now watch as the Great and Powerful Trixie summons... She levitated a bucket of water off the stage and dumped it on Rainbow's head, drenching the pegasus from head to toe. ...a sudden downpour!"
The crowd certainly seemed to enjoy it. Hearty laughter filled the air as Rainbow Dash stumbled around blindly trying to get the bucket off her head.
"Hmph looks like you should've cleaned up your own act before heckling others," Trixie smirked holding her head up and puffing her chest out in triumph.
"Very funny," Rainbow's voice echoed off inside the bucket.
"Ah hate to say it Rainbow," Applejack said as she twisted the bucket around trying to loosen it. "But you probably should've kept your mouth shut." With a pop, the bucket flew off Rainbow's head revealing a soaked and angry pegasus.
"Oh, you are so dead." She hissed through her teeth. Sensing her friend was about to do something of questionable legality, Fluttershy grabbed her hoof and patted it gently.
"Now now calm down Dash, let it go. She's not worth it."
Rainbow Dash glared up at Trixie who was grinning smugly in triumph then back at Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus smiled softly at her. She took in a deep breath and said: "Your right Fluttershy, let's get out of here."
"Here here," Rarity agreed. "I've got better things to do than stand here listening to a blowhard."
"Took the words out of my mouth," Spike said with disgust. "Come on Twi let's go."
Pinkie Pie blew a raspberry and then turned to walk away.
"It appears The Great and Powerful Trixie is just too much for some members of her audience." Trixie boasted.
"Apple Comet are you coming or not?" Applejack asked me. I looked back at Trixie who was grinning ear to ear triumphantly.
"Oh please," She exclaimed dramatically. "Why would he want to go with you when he can stay here and bask in the greatness that is Trixie?"
'And you just blew your chance,' I thought to myself as my face turned to disgust. "Actually, I just remembered I have somewhere more important to be right now." I trotted offstage not looking at Trixie once as I did.
"Fine," She huffed. "Obviously it was foolish of Trixie to think an average colt could handle the daunting task of being her assistant."
"Yeah, why don't you go somewhere and be average eh?" Snails laughed obnoxiously.
"Yeah somewhere boring like the library!" Snips added.
"You know Snips," I said. "That's the first good idea the two of you have had all day."
"The nerve of that mare!" Rainbow Dash shouted as we walked away from Trixie's show. "Who does she think she is bragging to everypony about how great she supposedly is?"
"A kettle being called black by a pot?" Rarity suggested.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Rainbow flew up to Rarity's face.
"All I'm saying Rainbow is that while I share your distaste for Trixie's boastfulness, it did remind me of somepony I know." Rarity explained as she gently moved Rainbow back with her magic.
"Whoa hold on slow down! I am not like Trixie,"
"Maybe not," Rarity continued but you do have your moments from time to time."
"She has a point, Dash." Applejack concurred.
"Okay I admit it," Dash threw her hooves up in defeat. "Sometimes I brag about my accomplishments. I can't help that I'm so awesome!"
Meanwhile Twilight and Spike were having a much different conversation.
"I don't get it Twi," Spike said. "Why didn't you stand up to Trixie back there."
Twilight sighed, "I already told you, I'm not comfortable with the idea of showing off my magic in front of others."
"But why not?" Spike continued. "You were doing incredible with your magic this morning."
"Because there is a difference between practicing magic and showing off with it." I had to admit she had a point. Besides, Trixie wasn't worth it," On that, we could both agree.
"Be back before supper now, alright?"
"Alright," I said waving Applejack goodbye. Everypony else was either going home or back to their place of work. While I was finally going to get that time at the library with Twilight and Spike. The scent of varnished oak wood and musty old books hit my nose as I walked through the door. Books upon shelves upon walls of literature surrounded me. Even though I could speed-read through this entire library in a matter of minutes, I felt like I could stay here forever.
"Make yourself at home," Twilight said closing the front door behind her. "Just make sure to put everything back where you found it and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask Spike or me for help."
Her voice was angelic in the way she explained everything to me. And I had the rest of the afternoon to spend with her.
"Uh, are you okay?" Twilight asked me.
"Yeah, I'm good." My hooves were shaking and my knees felt weak but I didn't care. Her smile was like a ray of sunshine fueling my molecular structure.
"Um well okay then."
I decided to take a break from astronomy to study something a little different. My nose was in a copy of Monstrous Manual by Marey Hijinx.
"Ursa Major, the adult form of Ursa Minor very few photographs of this monstrous but elusive creature are known to exist. However oral and written accounts of those who have seen it describe it as a starry bear-like creature of unfathomable size with fangs and claws as long as twelve hoofs or more. Unfortunately, because so few who encounter this creature are ever seen again, these accounts cannot be completely verified." Well, at least it was some help. Marking my place, I closed the book and stood up.
"Hey, Spike?" The dragon looked down from the rolling ladder he was standing on. "Does the library have archives of newspapers?"
"Why do you ask?" He said.
The basement door opened revealing a spiral stairway leading down below the depths of the tree. With the flip of a switch, the room lit up revealing shelf after shelf of book spines labeled with the names of newspapers from all over Equestria.
"Here it is boys," Twilight said. "I know it's not as big as the royal archives in Canterlot but it's got newspapers from just about every city in Equestria. If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you looking for?"
"Any recent editions of the Hoofington Post," I said.
"How recent are we talking?" Twilight answered.
"Since the last Ursa Major attack," was my answer.
Several volumes later...
"Anything yet?" I asked. Twilight looked up from the book she was reading and shook her head.
"Nope," We had spent the last few hours searching through edition after edition with no sign of Trixie nor Ursa Major. I was concluding that either the Hoofington Post thought a giant star bear attack wasn't newsworthy or Trixie's story was a load of bupkis. "Look, Apple Comet, it's getting late. I think we can safely say Trixie's story is just that, a story."
"Yeah, I think you're right," I said in agreement. I looked outside through the door to see Spike walking back to the library. When he'd heard I was interested in fact-checking Trixie's story he said he was going out to see what Trixie was doing. Twilight hadn't been too keen on the idea and made him promise her he wouldn't spy on or bother the showmare.
"I'm back, man you would not believe what I saw. Trixie's got Snips and Snails worshiping the ground she trots on. Any luck on your end?"
"Nope, we looked over a hundred different editions of the Hoofington Post and found neither hide nor hair of Trixie's Ursa Major."
"Well, in that case, somepony better pick up that phone...
Twilight and I both looked at the young dragon confused.
...Because I called it!"
Twilight sighed, "Look I'm going to go lie down, Apple Comet you should help Spike clean up and then you need to get going." Her horn lit up in a flash of light as she teleported upstairs.
Spike and I gazed at the stacks of books strewn out across the table. It looked like I'd be taking the express route home for dinner tonight.
Stats
Page generated in 0.036 seconds
Total duration
1,028 users online
1,640,459 hits today, 2,167,270 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
The title is "backwords speak", which is most likely a nod to DC Comics' Zatanna.
Anyway, great spin on this chapter. Once again, I find the parallels between Comet's crush on Twilight to Spike's on Rarity to be pretty amusing. And, yeah, glad Applejack and Rarity had enough sense to NOT take Trixie's bait. Not to mention Twilight and Comet keeping Spike from giving Snips and Snails any ideas [of course, those two are probably dumb enough to do it anyway, even without Spike getting the chance to give them the idea] while digging through those newspaper articles.
Of course, if Comet thinks the Ursa Major is going to be rough, the adult about-to-go-to-sleep dragon is going to be even worse later on. I mean, yeah, he might be powerful enough to give an adult dragon a VERY good fight, but it would mean exposing his super-powers to Twilight and the others in order to save them. Of course, Luna might create a costume for him in order for him to operate in semi-public without exposing his identity to Applejack's friends, but it would still make it obvious to the Mane Six [with the exception of Applejack, who already knows] that there is an unusually powerful colt among them in Ponyville.
Anyway, excellent job on the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up in all the right places. And Happy Birthday to you, as well.
9815768
I got the nod as well. Personally I think Trixie would make a better analog for Constantine then the person who the title references but I could see it working. Plus I think both of them are snarky as heck.
As for the chapter I think it is just cute to see just how flustered Twilight is making poor Comet. I can't wait to see how this battle is going to go.
Also Happy Birthday to our author!
The reference is to Bizarro Superman.