Magic Duel, part 1

[no_vampires_plz]

The date of the Saddle Arabian ambassadors' arrival is fast approaching. Twilight thinks she has her magic routine all figured out, but she has yet to practice it with the other participants yet. Which is why she's visiting Fluttershy today.

"Don't be scared, little friends," Fluttershy reassures the dozen or so mice, bunnies, squirrels, raccoons, and beavers sitting in a half-circle in front of her. "Twilight is wonderful with magic." She turns to give Twilight a threatening look. "Anything happens to them, Twilight, so help me--"

"Aww, don't worry, Fluttershy," interjects Spike, gently pushing the pegasus back. "Twilight's magic has gotten a lot better since she accidentally crushed me and Applejack with a giant snowball."

Twilight cringes a little. You're not helping, Spike.

"Of course she's good with magic. Twilight's great with magic. I guess I just don't want my little friends to be scared--ohhh, look how scared they are!"

(That would be "not scared at all." They all look eager to get started, while Fluttershy is trembling and sweating through her pelt.)

Twilight lays a reassuring hoof on her friend's shoulder. "I promise, Fluttershy, nothing bad will happen to them."

"I know," Fluttershy squeaks through clenched teeth.

"" (Watch on YouTube)

"Your magic has really improved since we came to Ponyville, Twilight," remarks Spike. "Princess Celestia's gonna love it!"

"Thanks, Spike. I have to be at my best when she arrives with the delegates from Saddle Arabia. I can't believe she's trusting me with the entertainment!"

Before Spike can respond, he's interrupted by Rainbow Dash arriving in her usual manner: at lightning speed and crashing into someone. Specifically, Twilight.

"Twilight! Come quick! It's an emergency!"

Comments

[no_vampires_plz]

It's a near thing, but Twilight manages to 'grab' the cart and its contents out of the air and set them back down gently with no damage done.

She lets out a sigh of relief and wipes the sweat off her brow with a foreleg before turning back to Trixie...

[powered_by_red]

...who had quickly summoned up six piping-hot pies. Keeping the pressure on her, she chucks all of them at Twilight Sparkle.

[no_vampires_plz]

Oh crap oh crap oh crap what to do--aha!

Twilight concentrates a moment and teleports a parasprite from the borders of the Everfree Forest to a spot between herself and the pies. The little insect eagerly opens its mouth and swallows the oncoming pastries in one gulp.

...and then coughs up a duplicate of itself. Whoops. Twilight quickly teleports the two of them back to the forest before they can do any damage. Nopony wants a repeat of last time.

[powered_by_red]

Aww, what's the matter? Too scared of those piping-hot pies? Fine then! Have something a little colder! Trixie summons up a large pile of snow and drops it on Twilight. Maybe that'll cool you off!

[no_vampires_plz]

A quick heat spell melts the snow away, and Twilight shakes off the water.

Enough reaction; time to go on the offensive. Twilight fires a beam of magic square at Trixie's face.

[powered_by_red]

Trixie gets hit in the face with Twilight's blast of magic. ...It didn't seem to do anyth- A mustache grows on Trixie's snout.

[no_vampires_plz]

Everypony bursts into giggles, even Pinkie. Twilight allows herself a small smirk. Trick #25 just has so many practical uses, doesn't it?

[powered_by_red]

...How humiliating. Trixie is NOT happy. First off, she rectifies the problem by summoning a pair of shears and snipping off the offending hair off of her snout.




...Snipping. Snips. Snips and snails.

...Trixie just gained a wonderful idea that would surely crush Twilight Sparkle! "Snips, snails! Come forward!" she demanded.

[nponyc]

The two teenage unicorns prostrate themselves before her. "W-what is it, O Great and P-Powerful Trixie?" Snips stammers.

[powered_by_red]

Oh, she'll show them "what's it" alright! It'll be one of her best spells to show "what's it"! She fires off a blood-red beam of magic at the doltish duo, and...

[nponyc]

...and they're lifted into the air in a whirlwind of red light.

When they come down, Snips has been regressed into a wailing newborn foal, and Snails is an elderly stallion with a beard trailing on the ground.

[no_vampires_plz]

"An age spell?" Twilight boggles. "But... how could you do an age spell?? That's only for the highest level unicorns!"

[powered_by_red]

That doesn't sound like Twilight Sparkle doing anything to even try to outmatch Trixie, so the azure unicorn will just casually polish off her amulet a little bit before speaking up. "Well, Twilight? Give up?"

[no_vampires_plz]

...alright. She can do this. She hopes.

Twilight takes a deep breath and concentrates. Her horn glows a brilliant magenta and throws off sparks as she lifts Snips and Snails back up into the air.

"Come on, Twilight," Spike urges her. "You can do it!"

She's never attempted an age spell before, but she's read the theory behind it a thousand times over. Feel their timelines, past present and future, move to the spot that's required...

Her horn's aura falters once--twice--and Twilight can't keep up the energy any more. She collapses in a heap on the ground. So do Snips and Snails, completely unaffected by her efforts.

[powered_by_red]

And that was it. The duel ended with Trixie victorious.

"Trixie is the highest level unicorn!" She allows herself a laugh of triumph, completely reveling in the victory. As for the loser of the magic duel? "...And now, it's time for you to leave Ponyville..."

[powered_by_red]

"FOREVER!"

[nponyc]

"That's enough, Trixie!"

That would be Apple Jack, who, along with the rest of Twilight's friends, places herself between Trixie and Twilight.

"You've proved your point," agrees Rarity, "but you can't possibly expect Twilight to leave Ponyville!"

[powered_by_red]

...Really?

"You fools!" Trixie picks up the loser with her blood-red magic. "She's already gone!" Trixie carelessly chucks Twilight with enough force for her to land outside of Ponyville. Someone has to enforce the terms of the battle.

[no_vampires_plz]

"WAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaoof!"

Twilight lands flat on her belly on the dirt road that leads out of Ponyville, just beyond the town's city limits.

[powered_by_red]

...Trixie realizes Twilight might actually try to come back. Luckily, Trixie has a quick and easy solution! She summons up a giant jar big enough to encapsulate Ponyville and puts it on the ground. Now this town is hers and hers alone! No one will be able to leave or enter without her permission! It's the only way to enforce Twilight's punishment for daring to think that she stands a chance against The Highest Level Unicorn Trixie.

[no_vampires_plz]

Twilight looks mournfully back at her friends, who were rushing to check up on her but were forced to stop short as the barrier came down.

"It's okay, guys." Twilight places her forehoof against the bowl's surface. "I'll figure something out. Just... take care of each other. And keep an eye on Trixie--there's something strange about her."

With that, she turns and gallops off. There's no point sitting and moping in front of a giant glass bowl. She has to do something.

If only she had any idea what.