Society as We Know It

by Comma Typer

Abdo and the Magic Show

The noise of the crowd diminished as Trixie went up on the stage, becoming silent as they watched the mare, the unicorn, smile arrogantly yet nicely on towards the audience. The curtains were open and the stage was set. There was only one pony on the stage and that pony was Trixie.

It was nighttime—the sky was lit up with many stars and the moon. The lights of the buildings were far away, off into the distance.

And the ponies on the ground kept silent.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie has arrived!" Trixie declared. "It is only good that you be quiet, for that will only make the experience even better for you! So, are you ready to see magic tricks that have never ever been seen before by pony eyes?"

The crowd cheered, with a few ponies even shouting at her.

Trixie closed her eyes, still smiling. "Alright!"

Starlight Glimmer teleported on to the stage, smiling, too.

"My assistant, Starlight Glimmer, will help me entertain you and amaze you!"

And the crowd cheered.

"And now, for my first magic trick, I will ask for the help of a changeling!" She faced her right. "You can now get on to the stage, Abdo."

The changeling walked towards the stage, facing the audience with an awkward smile. Then, he stopped in front of Trixie.

"Now, Abdo," Trixie said, facing him, "are you ready to make these ponies happy?"

"Uh, yes?"

"I like your attitude!" Trixie yelled. She faced the audience. "This is Abdo, a changeling that I just met today here in Ponyville! I don't know much about the changeling, but he seems very nice and very helpful when it comes to magic tricks!"

The crowd cheered again.

Abdo kept smiling awkwardly at the audience.

"Now, who can guess about this magic trick that I have for you now?" Trixie asked, pacing the stage while still facing the audience.

The crowd was silent.

"Looks like the magic trick is not so simple!" Trixie said. "And, indeed, it isn't! For this magic trick is complex and it will make you amazed! The Great and Powerful Trixie is among the ponies, if indeed the Great and Powerful Trixie is not the only pony, who is capable of this great feat of magical capability! The Great and Powerful Trixie will not tell you any details beforehoof about it, however!" She faced Starlight. "Are you prepared, Starlight?"

Starlight nodded. "Definitely!"

She faced Abdo. "Are you prepared, Abdo?"

"Uh, I'm not really sure, but—"

"I'll take that as a positive response," Trixie interrupted.

Her hat glowed a pink glow. She magically removed her hat. Her horn was glowing a pink glow.

"You might think that I'll make Abdo disappear," Trixie said, pacing the stage. "That is too easy and too predictable. You might even say that it's unfair—I might've just teleported Abdo to some place in Ponyville. No—I won't do something so easy! Instead, what I have in mind is something better."

The changeling glowed a pink glow. Trixie then moved the changeling towards Starlight's side.

Starlight's horn glowed a blue glow.

"Ready?" Trixie said. "I don't think I need to know when you're ready."

"Uh, I think you should," Starlight said.

"Maybe I could do it."

"Well, let's not take any risks."

Trixie and Starlight looked at each other.

Starlight brought out a card from her bag. "So, what about we start by you picking a card?"

Trixie's horn stopped glowing and so did the changeling.

Starlight brought out more cards.

"I am not sure about it," Abdo said.

"Just choose one," Starlight said.

Abdo nervously chose a card.

"OK, you chose a card," Starlight said. She faced Trixie. "Trixie, card is now selected."

"Going on as practiced," Trixie said.

The crowd kept quiet as they watched.

"Now, Abdo has picked a card," Trixie said. "You might be wondering now, 'What is the Great and Powerful Trixie going to do with the card? Does the card even matter? Is it just all a distraction to distract us from the real magic trick at hoof?' Well, your questions do have answers, but they will be revealed only when they are supposed to be revealed."

Her horn glowed pink again.

The changeling glowed pink again.

Trixie brought the changeling into the air.

Then, Trixie zapped the changeling with a bolt of magic.

Abdo stopped glowing pink and fell down on to the stage.

The crowd gasped.

"Is he gonna be OK?" a pony yelled from the crowd.

"It is all part of the magic show," Trixie said. "Now, let's see what happened to Abdo." Trixie walked over to him. She helped the changeling get on his four hooves. "Actually, the card didn't matter," Trixie said.

"Then, what did you do?!" Abdo said, irritated.

"I just gave you the ability to fly without using your wings," Trixie said.

Abdo blinked. His mouth was wide open.

The crowd gasped.

Starlight smiled.

"Did you—what—how was that even—I don't know!" Abdo looked nervously at the audience, then at Starlight, then back at Trixie. "How did you do that?"

"Oh, I wouldn't tell you," Trixie said.

The changeling glowed blue as he flew into the air without flapping his wings. "I cannot believe that I'm actually doing this!" Abdo shouted. "I"m actually flying without using my wings! This is real magic!"

Trixie faced the crowd.

Starlight faced the crowd.

"How's that for a first magic trick?" Trixie asked. "Only the Great and Powerful Trixie can begin her magic shows with such a magic trick as that!"

The crowd cheered, with more ponies shouting at her than before with cheerful shouts. Some ponies even jumped, showing Trixie their avid smiles.

Abdo flew around while glowing blue, happy and laughing as he did so. "Trixie, this is great!" he shouted. Then, he landed on the stage. "I cannot believe that's actually possible!"

"Well, I have shown you that it is possible," Trixie said. "It will wear off soon, but not tonight."

Abdo smiled. "So, I can fly my way to the Changeling Kingdom and show my friends what you did to me?!"

Trixie nodded. "I will be more than happy to have more changelings see my magic shows."

Abdo hugged the unicorn. "Oh, thank you, Trixie!" He looked at Starlight who was smiling. "And, thank you, Starlight!"

"Oh, it was only just part of the magic show," Starlight said. "It isn't something to be boasting about."

Abdo flew off to Ponyville.

The crowd watched the changeling.

"Now, look at me!" Trixie yelled.

The crowd looked at her.

"That was only the first magic trick of the magic show," Trixie said. "If you think that that was great, wait until you see the rest of my magic tricks!"

The crowd cheered again.

"However, I shall take a break for now!" Trixie looked at Starlight. "We'll be taking your questions about the magic trick and about other things as well."

The crowd neared the stage as the ponies asked questions here and there.

"Everypony, please get into an orderly fashion," Trixie said.

The crowd became quiet.

"Now, I will choose one of you ponies at random and you will ask me the question," Trixie announced.

The crowd looked at her, looked at the unicorn.