Simple Tricks are for Fillies

by Erina Tail Yellow

One Wrong Step

Chapter

4

Twilight turned onto the pathway that led toward the lecture hall. She increased her pace slightly but not into a full run; due to the fact she had started to panic. Will I have time to set up?! Twilight quickly pulled a pocket watch out of her pocket dimension which read 9 am Alright I still have an hour. She kept her pace the same even though she had more than enough to set up. As Twilight counted on her path the lecture hall she started to think of her presentation, but her mind to drift to other topics.

These topics for the most part were varied. Twilight briefly debated whether or not Rarity would interrogate her when she got home, but the thought was fleeting with a quick realized that the answer was undoubtedly yes. She thought about Trixie’s show that she would see later that night. I hope it’s not the exact same show as last night. She shrugged the thought off. If Trixie did Twilight would at least get a second chance to observe the tricks again. Maybe Trixie can show me more how she creates her fireworks after the show. Although, I would need to focus harder to keep unnecessary other things out of my simple smiles.

She was about to consider where that had come from when she looked up from the ground to see The Lecture Hall door. She pushed her hands into the door and aside from actually opening the door she sprained wrists. Pull not push. The Lecture Hall was normally empty at this hour, but today aside from her their was someone else. The person’s radiance was that of the sun itself. It was none other than her mentor, who had come from out of town to see her “Favorite Student” give a presentation to the rest of her class.

“Twilight Sparkle! How are you?!” Her mentor shouted loud enough for her voice to echo through the whole room. She ran over and pulled her student into a vice like grip.

“Prin-“ Twilight choked. “let go.” She managed to choke out.

“Oh!” She exclaimed dropping Twilight to the ground. Twilight landed on her knees and started coughing like a seventy-five year old smoker who just walked up a flight of stairs.

Twilight’s coughing fit was interrupted as a screamed pierced the silent room. Twilight looked for the source and saw the fleeting hair of a classmate from Arcane 108 “What was her problem? She’s usually so calm.” Twilight asked once she recovered.

“I don’t know but I should go see what caused such a problem. Goodbye for now.” With that Twilight was left to finish setting up her presentation.

I can’t screw this up. This presentation accounts for thirty percent of my grade. Twilight thought to herself while she was organizing slides in the projector. This thing is archaic. Why don’t they get one that hooks up to a computer? Twilight took a look at the computer on the desk next to her. Never mind that computer would probably explode just trying to process the programs required to run a projector. Twilight chuckled lightly at her own joke.

Time passed by quickly and in no time the lecture hall was filled to the brim with students that had showed up for her presentation. Twilight tried to psyche herself up before the presentation, but that only accomplished making her even more nervous rather than she was earlier. “Now Time Travel…” Twilight started into her presentation then flipped to the next slide, only to realize she hadn’t put the slide in the second slide and had instead left it in her pocket dimension. Twilight flicked her hand and absent mindedly grabbed the first thing she could reach in the pocket dimension.

Now students in the front row saw her mistake and laughed at it not trying to say anything to her as it would make for an interesting difference from normal class. People in the back saw it and tried to warn her, but weren’t heard. Discord stroked his beard and with a gleeful smirk he snapped his fingers and the item was now a slide.

Twilight levitated the slide over to the projector and inserted it. On the projection against appeared a scantily clad magician using a light grayish magenta aura to tease somewhere very very sensitive.

Twilight realized what was on screen and ripped it out of the projector and sent it back into the pocket dimension then pulled out the real slide and quickly placed it onto the projector but the damage was already done. Celestia stood up and gave Twilight a disapproving glance. “You’ll give your presentation on another day. For now I’d like you to know that you’ll be having a meeting with myself and the dean tomorrow morning. For now you should leave, you’ve done enough.” Celestia stated as she walked out of the room.

Twilight stood in shock for a moment before her mind kicked into gear. She quickly grabbed all her slides in her magic and in a flash was gone. A student in the back stood up her magenta hair shaking slightly “Can anyone explain what just happened?”

---

A large crash was heard in the upper floor of Golden Oaks Library as Twilight appeared and immediately ran into a bookshelf. “I’m gonna need to clean that aren’t I?” A younger male voice called out from the lower floor.

“Yeah. Sorry Spike the presentation didn’t go anything like I expected.” She shuddered at the thought of how awful this morning had gone. The day can still be salvaged. “Oh actually I’ll re-organize this if you wouldn’t mind handling the front for a little longer.” She sighed; organizing would definitely calm her down.

About halfway through re-organizing the shelf she had knocked everything off of, her phone rang. There was a text message from an unknown number.

Hey. How’s it shakin’?

Twilight stared. Did she know this person?

Who is this? And how did you get my number?

A few minutes went by before a reply came through.

Oh! This is Trixie. While you and Rarity were talking, AJ gave me her number. When I realized I hadn’t asked for yours this morning I texted her and asked for it. She didn’t have yours but she did have Rarity’s. So I texted Rarity and she happened to have yours

Twilight threw a few more books on the shelf only half paying attention as she sent out another text. Why the hell does Applejack not have my number?! Twilight decided to ask something different, and not hurt her friend; even if it was indirectly.

Makes sense all though I’d imagine Rarity kept you going with some kind of fashion discussion for a little while.

Twilight threw the last book back on the shelf. “Hey! Spike I’ll take the front for while if you want a break.” She yelled downstairs.

A teenage boy with green hair emerged from the stairs on the other side of the room. He wore a purple jacket that was slightly too small but matched his outfit. “Hell yeah! I’d like a break. I’ve been working all morning.”

“Spike don’t cuss it doesn’t make you sound cool.” Twilight scolded him. She heard her phone go off again and pulled it out of her pocket.

Yo where do you work? I was wondering if I could pick you up after work and we could hang for a while before the show.

“Ahhh! Come on you do it!!” Spike argued. Twilight proceeded to ignore him and shot a text back to Trixie.

Yeah that sounds great. I work at Golden Oaks Library. It’s pretty close to my place actually.

That’s cool I’ll be there around 5. K?

Sure.

---

Much like usual the rest of the day passed slowly. A few people came in, although they were just regulars. Around five Spike walked to the front counter and said “ Twi I’m headin’ out for the night.”

“Leaving early huh. What for?” She asked skeptically.

“I’ve got a date!” Spike said confidently popped his jacket collar.

Everyone Twilight thought to herself. “With who?” She asked incredulously.

“Sweetie Belle.” Spike said curtly.

“Is it an actual date.” Twilight jabbed.

“Well no. She said that her and Silvy are going to the movies and she didn’t want me to feel alone.” Spike said dejectedly.

“Oh. It’s fine buddy.” Twilight patted him on the shoulder. “One day you’ll find someone.” She rubbed his head.

“Yeah… I guess.” Spike chuckled and headed for the door. “See ya’ later” With that he left Twilight alone once again.

A few moments later there was a knock on the door. “We’re still open.” Twilight answered back sounding more bored than she would usually be in a library.

Trixie stepped through the door. “Well I guess if you don’t want to see me then.”

“No I just was bored waiting for the past few minutes. Where do you want to go?” Twilight asked casually. “We can decide as I close up.”

“I don’t really know. We have until nine twenty, then I have to go and get ready for the show.” Trixie informed Twilight.

“ Do you play games?” Twilight asked absently whilst she ushered Trixie out the door and locked it behind her. “Cause if you do, we could head back to my place and play some games.”

“I mean I play some platformers on occasion like uhh… Trowel Warrior. Rip keyboard .”

“Yeah of course you have played it was critically acclaimed.” Twilight said unenthusiastically.

“So I guess we could play games.” Trixie said as they walked away.

Author's Note:

Yay, this chapter is finally finished and is the one that I believe myself to be most proud of. Special shout out goes to The Amazing Febnic16. You guys should show him some appreciation because he's been a fantastic help this chapter.

Now that this is up I'll be taking a short break from Simple Tricks to work on a short fluff piece about Sugar Belle and Night Glider.