Shrinking Lavender

by Yinglung

Chapter 17

"Give way! Come on, give way!"

"Hey, what gives?"

"Sorry! Ouch... I'm sorry!"

I apologized to the shoved passers-by and gingerly trotted. Starlight and Spike walked ahead of me, and pushed the onlookers in their way aside. I had half a mind to remind them that I was not exactly a princess and they were not my security details, but it was hard to put a wet cloth on them when they were so enthusiastic.

I peeked forward in between fretful nods. It seemed that Snips and Snails already took advantage of their small statures and sneaked beneath other ponies to the front.

Finally, the tip of the town hall entered our sight. I then lifted the eager dragon with magic and put him on my back, as Starlight and I extended our necks above the crowd.

Between the crowd and the town hall was a flashy façade. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be the extension of a single caravan. A blue unicorn mare stood upon its wooden stage in a triumphant pose, her purple cape fluttering in the wind.

We three then took a good look of the unicorn mare and her set-up.

"Hm... Isn't that neat?" I praised. "Her caravan looks small, but it seems to hold every prop of hers. I can't imagine how she could fold and store all those wooden planks she built her stage with, and could still sleep and live in it."

I added with an impressed nod. "Maybe she's indeed very magical, and could just summon a portal to a pocket dimension at will!"

"You're giving her too much credit, Twi." Spike did not agree with my generous appraisal, however. "You don't need magic for that. You only need to know how to properly stack things up."

Starlight nodded. "I also don't sense any distinctly strong magical signature when I did a covert scan just now."

"You did?" I was surprised how discreet and efficient she did her magic.

Starlight shrugged. "It's nothing to boast about. Really powerful unicorns emit a widespread magical presence even when they're not casting any spells. If she's at least as powerful as you and me, it would not be too difficult to cast a spell to detect the distortion in background magic, given that she was not going the extra mile to suppress her presence. To put it simply, it's like how movement of massive objects physically distort space-time to cause gravitational waves, you can similarly split a small beam of magic, and observe their pattern of interfe-"

She suddenly blushed and scratched her cheek. "Sorry, Twilight. You must've known all these already. I didn't mean to talk down to you."

"Not at all. I am quite impressed by your magic skills as always. It's also always a delight to hear magic explained in such an easily accessible way. Spike would also love to know more about the magic we unicorns cast, wouldn't you Spike?"

Spike looked uncertainly to Starlight and me, but he flipped his palms up and shrugged. "Uh... Yeah, easily accessible."

Was it not? I thought in bemusement, but it was then when the blue mare tipped her magician's hat, and loudly proclaimed.

"Come one, come all! Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

I turned to look at Starlight, to which she shrugged. "Can't say I heard of her."

Trixie evidently basked in the audience's positive reaction, and continued with full grin. "Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!"

Spike immediately sneered. "What kind of self-respecting magical unicorn boast like that? If she's in Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, she would be kicked out long ago for her in- inso-"

"Insolence?" Starlight supplied.

Spike nodded emphatically. "Yep!"

"Spike, I think Starlight proved that not all magical unicorns are admitted to the School for Gifted Unicorns. Also, if Trixie's really gifted with amazing magical powers by the accident of birth, and she likes to show it off to everypony's face, then so be it."

"B- But, that, s- she's just so ear-gratingly annoying with her boasts!" Spike complained. "And why are we deferring to her already? We're not even sure if she's the real deal yet! Being able to shoot sparks out of tubas does not a magical unicorn make!"

I brightly beamed. "Whoa, isn't that a classic use of linguistic inversion!"

"Well, well, well, it seems we have a neighsayer in the audience."

My praise of the other Spike's spontaneous sophistication got interrupted, when the blue unicorn seemed to have caught wind of his loud complaint. The magician pony continued. "Who is so ignorant as to challenge the magical ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie? Do they not know that they're in the presence of the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria?"

She scanned the incredulous crowd, and then abruptly pointed towards the astonished dragon. "You, little dragon, Trixie hear your completely unfounded doubt, ye of little faith!"

"It's your claim that is unfounded!" Spike angrily jumped on my back and retorted. Ouch, he got a lil' bit heavier as well it seemed. "What exactly makes you so great like you have said?"

Trixie let out a series of haughty laughs, the cheesiness was palpable in the air. "Good question. That's because the Great and Powerful Trixie have vanquished the terrible Ursa Major with her brilliant magic!"

"No way!" Starlight gasped, as I silently gulped. Ursa Major was an ursine creature of immense magic. An adult Ursa could grow to a height of hundreds of ponies, and a casual stroll for an Ursa Major out of his or her natural range would spell absolute disaster to any size of pony settlement.

"When the poor, huddled mass in Hoofington have lost all hope, it was the Great and Powerful Trixie, who swept in with her great magic power, and banished the pitiful barbaric creature back to the cave where he belonged!"

I listened with some worry, and Starlight also shared my expression, albeit with a stronger hint of intrigue. If Trixie was this powerful, I thought, then we must tread very carefully, especially given her... propensity to be a hard-nosed boaster.

I was deep in my thought, when my gaze swept across the audience. I was surprised to find the rest of the girls gathering at the other side, with clear disgruntled looks. But before I could attempt any communication, a stray comment flew forth from somewhere in the crowd. "Did you have a picture of you defeating that Ursa? Or I am going to doubt what you said!"

Trixie's face briefly turned prune-like, but she quickly waved her hooves around. Soon enough, glittering blue light materialized out of thin air, and formed outlines of two figures - Trixie herself and an 'Ursa Major'.

With another flourish, the figures quickly came to life, and acted out the version of story Trixie described, earning another bouts of amazed gasps from the audience.

Trixie's triumphant grin gradually returned. And although that bit of illusion magic was not exactly proof of anything, it seemed to have somehow placated the pony who asked that question.

"That settles it!"

The voice of Snips came from the front. "Trixie truly is the most talented, the most magical, the most awesome unicorn in Ponyville!"

"No, in all of Equestria!" Snails corrected.

"It's true, my enthusiastic little admirers. Trixie is most certainly the best in Ponyville!" Trixie immediately gloated. "If you still have any sliver of needless doubt... Well then, I hereby challenge you, Ponyvillians. Anything you can do, I can do better. Any takers? Anyone? Hmm? Or is Trixie destined to be the greatest equine who has ever lived?!"

Among the murmurs in the crowd, I heard some strange gargling from my back. I turned and found an extremely distressed-looking Spike. When he noticed me, he immediately begged. "Oh my goodness, Twilight! She's so unbearable! That isn't even remotely close to being any kind of proof! How come she doesn't get pressed further?! Please set her straight!"

"B- But..."

"If not you, then who? If not now, then when?"

I spluttered in my inability to retort. Oh Celestia... I was so conflicted right now. The desire to be tactful with Trixie, the fear of appearing too conceited to the Ponyvillians, the need to keep everything in order, and the want to placate the other Spike...

Suddenly, Starlight patted her saddlebag and trotted forward. I immediately pulled at her and asked. "Wait, Starlight, what are you doing?"

She waved me down and quickly said. "I will go set things straight."

Spike and I looked at Starlight with some surprise, as she pointed her hoof to the girls on the other side. Rainbow, Applejack and Rarity looked particularly crossed. They must've not taken Trixie's boastful remarks well.

Starlight continued. "Look, your other friends seem so eager to challenge Trixie. I don't think it's safe for them to poke their heads in given what Trixie claims, as I doubt that these ponies really know how powerful an Ursa Major truly is. Even one percent of that kind of power could level the town."

Spike retorted with some stutter. "The point is moot! Sh- She's definitely a phony anyway! I've never seen a truly powerful unicorn boast-"

"I'd rather not take even the smallest chance." Starlight huffed.

I frowned in thought. Indeed, to let my other friends take any risk with a unicorn that might be even more powerful than us both was completely unacceptable, especially since they were not as combat-ready as me or Starlight.

"Alright?" She again stepped on the ground with some impatience. "I know you would be very upset if any of them is hurt, so I have to preempt them or any other onlookers. I just have the way to deal with her."

Spike and I shared a concerned glance. To my surprise, it was Spike who sighed and said with audible worry. "... Be careful, okay?"

Starlight widened her eyes briefly, but she then replied. "O- Of course I will. I'm just doing this for my own curiosity a- and Twilight anyway. She cares about her friends, and I don't want her to be upset."

I smiled helplessly. At least Starlight did not flip out at Spike's extended branch of olive. This coupled with their double acts earlier, I now felt more optimistic about eventually getting them to like each other.

************

As Trixie was scanning the audience for challengers, Starlight drew in a breath and charged her horn. Soon enough, cyan light particles converged in front of her and formed a funnel. A classic volume enhancement spell materializing as a magical megaphone.

"I accept your challenge."

Starlight's amplified voice boomed through the crowd, with the expected effects of triggering gasps and a wave of head turns. Trixie's grin dissipated, and she immediately turned with narrowed eyes. "... Who are you exactly?"

"I'm Starlight Glimmer, a student of magic. I traveled from my home in the Griffish Isles to this town." Starlight's lips curled with interest. "If you're as powerful as you claim, then this should be interesting."

Trixie promptly dismissed. "No 'student of magic' in the whole Equestria could compare to the amazing talent of the Great and Powerful Trixie! Say, little hayseed, what do you want to challenge Trixie with? No matter what you do, the Great and Powerful Trixie will do better than you!"

Starlight let out a sigh, and theatrically raised a hoof. Already the gasping crowds were parting and clearing out a way for her to the magician. Oh wow, she was out-dramatizing Trixie. The blue unicorn herself was visibly fuming.

The light purple mare then trotted to the front of the unamused magician, and grinned. "We don't need to play around with foal's stuff. Let's duel with pure unicorn magic, maneo-a-maneo."

I took in a big breath at the impending fight, and apparently so did Trixie. Spike, however, looked a bit unsure and asked me. "Is she really up to the task?"

Hoo, boy. "Starlight and I never really dueled with each other. But it's safe to say that there's a very real chance that I would lose."

"Really?"

"Yes. Starlight's self-taught, and her learning was mostly geared towards spells of a combative nature. I've also competed with her in a teleportation race, and she seemed to have got at least a similar level of magical potential as me."

He put out his tongue. "Whelp, I thought she was just some grumpy weirdo unicorn that you brought back for research. You know, kinda like Moon Dancer? I don't know she's that talented."

I was about to point out that it was impolite to say something like that about our acquaintances, before some loud whirling noises drew our attention back to the front again.

"Hmm? What are you doing?" Trixie asked with surprise.

The bright glow on Starlight's horn did not dim a bit, and she remained in full combat alertness. The pure ball of energy above her head only got more and more intense, spewing tendrils of lightning and spinning like a ravenous tornado. "What are you talking about? We're dueling with unicorn magic, right? I hear that you're the strongest unicorn in the whole Equestria, so here I am preparing my attacking spell to the best I can!"

Her front hooves swept outwards across the ground under the heavy magical pressure, kicking up a bout of dust. She continued, getting more and more roused with each word. "So come on! Give me your best and show me what you got, ye Great and Powerful! Raise me your strongest shield, and see if my unstoppable force can move your unmovable object!"

Trixie's expression was inscrutable. She jumped down from her stage with a flourish, and then positioned herself opposite Starlight from a distance. "... Bah! Don't think that wimpy speech and pitiful bit of light show can intimidate the Great and Powerful Trixie! I'll just take your so-called attack... over here!"

Starlight looked taken aback at Trixie's rebuke. Trixie seemed to imply that she could easily dispel Starlight's attack. Now Starlight was definitely not going to hold back.

Starlight let out an impatient huff and barked. "Fine! If you want to take my attack head-on, so be it! It might just staple you into the ground, so don't say I didn't warn you!"

The light-purple unicorn swung her head and dipped. The swirling mass of magic momentarily quieted down, and quickly reshaped itself into an arrow with a haunting blue glow.

... Sagitta Meteororum, I recognized. Super-concentrated magical blast with a pointed emission and profound residue shock. It was nothing too fancy, but it was a very good choice of an offensive spell given the number of onlookers here. However, the strength of this spell was still quite devastating on its own. I did hope Starlight had a plan B if Trixie was not the powerful unicorn that she claimed.

With a sizzling sound of release, the arrow shot forth, howling through the air like a physical arrow does, only a thousand times louder. It was like the rage of the heavens raining upon some hapless mortal. Said mortal - Trixie - simply lowered herself, apparently digging in, but a number of onlookers already gasped with fright and began to back off hurriedly.

"Holy Guacamole! What in Equestria i- is that?!" Spike also cried out loud. Indeed, it was some terrifying spectacle, being a spell usually reserved for elite warmages of the distant past. It was nothing like the peaceful Equestrians were used to see, even in moving pictures.

Before I could open my mouth to answer - since talking was not a free action - the magical arrow already struck where Trixie stood.

My heart skipped a beat. I detected not the faintest sign of defensive magic from Trixie.

While such a powerful attack could not be fully dispelled by any but the strongest unicorns, some sort of elementary shield that every unicorn learnt in magic kindergarten could at least save life. But Trixie didn't seem to even cast one of those.

...

D- Did I just witness a ponyslaughter?!

With this burning question in mind, which I believed shared by most of the aghast onlookers, some of whom were already crying murder and running rampant, I teleported right before the hypocenter of the blast.

Before me was a thick cloud of white smoke, clinging to the ground like a blanket. I sneezed involuntarily, before someone on my back also made a gagging sound. "Ugh, Twi, give me a notice next time when you're trying to teleport. I- I almost puke my lunch out."

"I will try... But your stomach might be the least of our worries now."

Starlight quickly trotted towards the scene, and too got choked by the smoke after coming near. After taking a glance with a deep frown, she promptly cast another spell. A gust of fresh wind blew from above, and the opaque smoke passed into nothing.

There was a very deep hole where Trixie used to stand, roughly pony-sized. I covered my snout as the same acrid burnt smell attacked, but I still cautiously examined... But I couldn't find anything but smashed grasses and chipped rock. She couldn't be...?

I turned to Starlight, but she was suddenly nowhere to be found as well. Huh?

I looked around in complete confusion, and even Trixie's caravan in front of the town hall had also disappeared somehow. Plus the fact that most onlooking ponies had already fled in terror, the square was almost devoid of life all of a sudden. What the Tartarus? Did reality just give up on me?

After another couple bewildering seconds, a blinding magical light flashed before me. Starlight, Trixie and the caravan came back into existence at the same time, but in a very curious position.

Starlight was standing up on her hind legs, and holding Trixie with her front hooves. The magician herself was apparently uninjured, but appeared to have passed out, her signature hat lied tatters on the ground. The caravan was overturned, spilling all sort of strange gadgets on the ground.

"... What was that?" I asked with a baffled look.

Starlight smirked. "Ah, Twilight. I thought you of all ponies would catch what was wrong with the aftermath of my attack just now."

"Well, I don't. So tell me what exactly happened!"

"Easy there." Starlight wryly said, after she placed the magician on the side of the caravan, and put a binding spell on her. "The smoke was a giveaway."

"Why?" This time Spike asked from my back.

"Look, my meteor arrow might eject a bit of a dust from the ground, but that pungent cloud of smoke was not part of the deal. Combined with the fact that she didn't even bother extending a shield, I came the conclusion that she tried to escape."

"Did she?"

"Of course. This mare is a bit of an escape artist herself. She has incredibly quick hooves, because she somehow dodged my attack even with it magically locked at her. She also probably cast that smoke screen to disguise her location and distract us long enough, so that she could escape to her caravan covertly and ran away."

Spike blinked, and then grinned brightly towards me. "Hah! I told you so! That mare was a complete fraud! Otherwise why would she ran away from a magic duel like a chicken? She must've thought there's no way she could deal with the attack, and tried to make tracks while appearing brave!"

Starlight let out a muffled yet amused noise. "Huh. You're quite quick this time."

I, however, remained quite bemused. "But wha- how- ugh! Please give me the step-by-step rundown of the events that unfolded after you cast the attack!"

"Alright, alright!" Starlight snickered at my frustration. "After I attacked and cleared out the smoke, I knew her jig was up. Fortunately, in order to lock onto her better and prevent collateral damage, I had placed a beacon spell on her prior to my attack. So then I immediately teleported in front of her new location."

Starlight shrugged. "She was only too surprised to suddenly find a pony in front of her caravan, and in an attempt to swerve, she fell flat on her face and passed out. There you go."

"That sounds so... easy. She doesn't seem the type that passes out just like that." Spike asked.

"Hah, another good observation. Indeed, Sagitta Meteororum is not the fiercest of offensive spells in terms of raw power, yet it has high accuracy and more importantly, significant concussive after-effect. That was the reason why it was a favorite for warmages. Even though she dodged in time, she was likely disoriented by the shock wave, and it doesn't take much more to incapacitate her."

"Or in this case, let her own nerves do herself in?" Spike suggested.

"Exactly."

"Ah, I know it's weird to say this, but it's kind of a shame. I had expected some super epic battle between two magical unicorns... Twi rarely shows off her magic after the cactus incident."

"Eh..." I blanked, since I was half-torn between snorting in amusement and feeling embarrassed.

Starlight merely smirked. "I was also getting my hopes up for an opponent on a par with me, so I am naturally disappointed. But I am also relieved, because it seems that Twilight's still the most talented unicorn that I met."

I turned with some abashment. But then, Spike seemed to have thought of something and asked. "Now, you just said your attack was not the fiercest of spells that you could have cast, but it still looked so scary! So what would happen if it did hit her right in her face?"

Starlight immediately looked evasive, while I pouted. "It would've caused serious injuries at best, I'm afraid. Starlight wasn't kidding when she said it would 'staple her'."

I then turned to her with a questioning look. "Starlight, was that the 'way' you said you were going to deal with Trixie? Just smashing her head in?"

"I know that looks excessive-"

"It is excessive."

"B- But I just want to be on the side of caution! What if she really-"

"You said caution, but there are clearly other more prudent ways to deal with this, Starlight. Some sort of high-level reflection spell perhaps? I'd wager she could at least defend herself from whatever magic she herself dealt out. Then you can gauge and apply the appropriate level of non-lethal force to subdue her."

I continued with frustration. "Thank goodness she knew when and how to beat a hasty retreat, or else we might be facing a very messy situation right now."

Starlight lowered her head and said quietly. "I just kind of hoped that you'd be impressed with my magic..."

... She couldn't be resorting to blowing ponies up to 'impress' me, huh?

"Yes Starlight, your knowledge and control over this ancient spell is quite impressive. But just because something's there doesn't mean we should use it. I'd be far more impressed if you can show restraint and discretion once in a while."

Spike interjected. "Twi... let's not beat Miss Glimmer with a stick too much. You never know... Heh, maybe, just maybe: if Trixie had been really the 'Great and Powerful' pony that she claimed, then she might not even have a second chance to attack."

Starlight turned to Spike with visible astonishment, and then got somewhat flustered. I supposed she was a bit ashamed to have cast down on him ever since they met, only to have him defend her at time like this. I was also surprised to hear the other Spike speak up for her, seeing how he called her crazy and dangerous just a moment ago.

But ha, not to be boastful like Trixie, but I was a good lad at heart. Maybe he was feeling some empathy for somepony who also had to endure my - Twilight's - verbal beatdown, or maybe he was even beginning to understand Starlight's well-intentioned but sometimes impulsive ways?

Having thought so, I also couldn't stay too mad at Starlight.

... But wait, maybe this was a good chance to play bad cop, and get them like each other for a change? Oh my, wasn't I a genius!

I immediately made a stern face, ready to deliver some half-hearted smack. But my shrewd plan to mend fences was once again interrupted by an appalled yelp. "What in Equestria happened here?"

All three of us turned, and a grey-maned mare stormed out of the town hall with a flabbergasted look. "My Good Celestia! What happened to the town square?! Why is it a complete mess? W- What's wrong with those ponies on the ground?"

"M- Mayor Mare..." I gulped. Now that Mayor Mare had barged in, I begun to take a better look at our surroundings. Even though the 'battle' between Starlight and Trixie only caused minimal damage, the panic caused by Starlight's frightening attack and Trixie's subsequent 'evaporation' seemed to have caused a stampede of sorts. Trampled saddlebags, hats and horseshoes scattered around us; decorations, shrubberies and lamps were ruined, and a number of townsponies even lied prostrate in the mess, seemingly injured, though apparently none of the other girls were among them... Some little consolation for all the devastation.

Facing Mayor Mare's inquisitive look, my mouth yapped like a fish out of water. So much for dealing with Trixie with finesse and preserving peace of the town.

Mayor Mare, smart and competent civil servant that she was, was already linking up the dots from observing us, Trixie and the battle scene. Her gaze quickly turned sharp and accusatory... By Celestia, this was going to be worse than the treehouse collapse, wasn't it?

Just as I explained and apologized profusely to the Mayor Mare for what happened, I noticed that Starlight and Spike was quietly chatting behind me. Did they think that I would be too busy talking with Mayor Mare and not hear them? Hmm hmm, wrong!

"Uh, thanks for speaking on my behalf... Spike."

"... Don't mention it. After all, you did bust that fraud Trixie, and boy was that satisfying!"

A chuckle was heard, but then Starlight said with clear disappointment in her voice. "... Glad you think so. Now if only Twilight would think so too..."

"I'm sure she thinks so too. She's just sometimes too stiff-necked-" Hey, I totally heard that! "-and convinced about what she thinks is right. Don't mind her words too much, Miss Glimmer."

"... Starlight."

"What?"

"You can just call me Starlight. It's just much less uptight."

After hearing no response from Spike, Starlight began to sound a bit nervous. "Don't take this the wrong way! I- I just don't want to be called 'Miss Glimmer' all day! It makes me feel so old!"

I snorted loudly mid-explanation, causing Mayor Mare to glare daggers at me some more. Oops.

I then gave an embarrassed glance to the scattering mayhem in the square. Some paramedics were already arriving at the scene to help the injured ponies up.

It was... bad, and it certainly could have gone better, without injuries and damage to properties. But at least Starlight and the other Spike were warming up to each other because of this mishap. Once we explained the matter fully to Mayor Mare, and helped clean up the mess, things should be on the up and up, right?

...

Wait. Hang on.

I seemed to have forgot something-

Oh, right.

Trixie.

Comments

[newhope0722]

Does this story have a Chinese version?

.. ( Use google translation for reading FIMfiction is a bitter thing)

[Yinglung]

7937502 [Below is a correspondence in Chinese about the Chinese version of Chapter 1, freshly translated on request!]

啊啦啊啦，您好啊中文讀者！

唉呀，我也知道吃生肉的痛苦，我看日文書時也是看得一面斜線。這故事就是沒有中文版本啊... 因為其實我沒有用中文寫過小馬同人 (掩面

嗯... 好吧，讓我試著把第一章翻成中文看看。

其實幾乎有兩三成翻不了要重寫www

[newhope0722]

7939280
阿阿.. 如果本來就沒有中文版本的話那就不用了XD
看英文還是可以的..
雖然吃生肉大約只能看懂八成吧
(偷懶用google翻譯..雖然google翻譯的很爛..不過還是比直接看英文來的快)

反正...原本沒中文的話就不用麻煩了@@..
先加到Read it later清單好了:P

[Yinglung]

7939287 唉呀, 我已經偷步翻譯了w 連結在這, 我放在了部落客裡面

[ferret]

Well you won, Starlight. And you've earned yourself the grand prize of being feared by all of Ponyville, having to repair the town square, and a pending lawsuit from nonspecific trauma inflicted on a certain bright blue unicorn. Perhaps after you've paid for it enough in sweat and tears, you'll learn that mistakes are the only thing keeping us from utter catastrophe.

[EverfreeSparkle]

Been a while since the last chapter it seems. Kind of disappointing; it was just getting good, too.

[hmaf43]

7995656
Not really, equestria is undeveloped mediavel shithole with incompetent where power make right most of time.