>Day The Wizard of Ponyville in Equestria.
>It is your thirtieth birthday.
>You’ve kept yourself pure for all these years.
>Hoping against hope that that your efforts wouldn’t be in vain.
>Could the stories be true?
>Have you gained magical powers?
>You look across your room at a bottle.
>No.
>Don’t set it on fire.
>Not inside.
>Instead you focus on a pencil on your desk.
>Surely you can move it with your mind.
>You take a deep breath.
>After a moment you exhale slowly.
>You can do this.
>Clear your mind.
>Your teeth clench.
>All of your focus goes into lifting the pencil.
>But nothing.
>It refuses to move.
>Still you continue.
>You can feel your eyes straining.
>Lift it up!
>An eye twitches.
>Try harder!
>You can feel sweat beading on your brow.
>Remember to breathe.
>Fuck.
>Nothing.
>Maybe it doesn’t happen overnight?
>You saw a movie about this.
>Or maybe it was a mini-series?
>The progression of magic.
>Levels of power.
>Of course you don’t have someone to teach you.
>What was it again?
>Wands, then words, then mind…?
>No, it was incantation first.
>Then hands.
>Finally thought.
>But you don’t know any magic words.
>Abracadabra.
>Hocus pocus.
>Alakazaam.
>Open sesame.
>...
>Oh shit.
>That last one could work.
>You turn toward your door.
>It’s made of solid oak.
>You raise your hands and motion as if you were opening the door.
>”Open sesame.”
>The door shakes slightly.
>You try concentrating more.
>”I said, open sesame.”
>The handle jiggles.
>”Open up!”
>The door cracks open.
>Now you truly are a wizard.
1/10
>
>
>”Hi, Anon.”
”Hello, Twilight.”
>”What brings you here?”
”I thought I’d poke around and find a good book.”
>She beams.
>”I can help you find what you’re looking for.”
>You frown at her.
>She just wants to spend some time with you.
”Alright, where do you keep your magic books?”
>”Magic books? You have to be authorized to use those.”
>Use them?
”No, I mean… where do you keep your books on magic?”
>”Oh you want history books. We’ve got plenty of those.”
>She turns quickly and starts moving toward a bookcase.
”Twilight, not histories, spellbooks. Where they teach you how to use magic.”
>She gives you a confused look.
>”Why would you want one of those?”
>You aren’t ready to tell her your secret.
”I’m just curious.”
>”Well… we do have those… but only unicorns are allowed to read them.”
>Time to turn on the charm.
”What’s the harm, Twilight?”
>You kneel down to her level and touch her shoulder.
>She looks away.
>”It’s forbidden, Anon… Besides, only unicorns can use magic.”
>What about that zebra?
“So, you can’t give me anything?”
>She thinks for a moment.
>”Well… I guess you could read, ‘Growing up.’ Any colt can read that.”
>She magics over a book with three fillies on the cover.
>You thumb through a few pages.
>It’s about getting your cutie mark.
>Hopefully it talks about using magic.
”Great. Thanks, Twilight.”
>”Going already? We have lots of other interesting books.”
”I’ve got a full schedule today. Maybe another time,” you lie.
>She frowns but nods slowly.
>You get up to leave.
>”You don’t need magic to impress me, Anon.”
“What was that?”
>”I like you just the way you are…”
>You want to tell her off.
>But now isn’t the time.
2/10
>
>
>What a worthless book.
>You toss it to the side.
>Looks like you’re going to have to visit that zebra.
>What would Lo Pan think of that?
>”Peasant Magic,” a voice says disdainfully.
>And you won’t stoop that low.
>Still, you need a teacher…
>If only you could find a green eyed pony to show you.
>Maybe if you can find King Sombra, he will teach you his ways.
>Dark crystal magic.
>Or maybe you can learn Black Chineighs spells.
>The most evil of all.
>You get up and walk to your door.
>A small pile of letters lay just inside.
>Bills again.
>You scoop them up and as you look through them you see a flyer.
>”The Great and Powerful Trixie’s Magic Show. Tonight Only.”
>Bingo.
>You pack your hiking gear.
>If she takes you as a student you will have to travel.
>
>
>”The Great and Powerful Trixie has just as much right to do magic as anypony!”
>”Get out of here you fraud!”
>”Yeah!” A muscular pony yells.
>”All you do is crappy illusions!”
>”Nopony wants you here, Trixie.” Twilight says smugly.
>The blue maned pony grits her teeth.
>”Trixie doesn’t have to take this.”
>The pony turns around and starts pulling her cart.
>They didn’t even let her set up.
>You watch as the crowd disperses.
>Oh shit she saw you.
>You start walking in the opposite direction.
>A bright flash.
>Twilight appears in front of you.
>Maybe one day you can learn how to blink like her.
>"Hey, Anon."
"Hi, Twilight."
>"Nice backpack. Are you going camping?"
>She smiles.
"Uhhh... yeah. I thought I'd check out the show before heading out."
>Twilight shakes her head.
>"Still thinking about magic? Well you know I can show you everything you want."
>She waves a hoof and fireworks explode above you.
"That's a neat trick."
>"I can also make things... appear... and disappear..."
3/10
>She blushes.
>She couldn't be talking about...
>Fuck.
>Why do only the crazy ones like you?
"Twilight..."
>"Yes, I will..."
"Will what?"
>"Go on a date with you."
>She takes a step forward.
>You sigh.
"I'm running late, we can talk about this another time."
>You start walking away.
>You hear Twilight pout.
>"There never is another time..."
>
>
>It takes a few minutes to find the right path.
>You can see Trixie's cart in the distance.
>Tracking her is easy.
>You're far away enough that she doesn't notice you.
>
>
>About an hour later she stops.
>She pulls her cart off the road and enters through a small door.
>This is your chance.
>You start walking up.
>When you arrive at the door something stops you from knocking.
>You hear crying.
>Every now and then you hear a shout, but it’s muffled.
>You didn’t pack up your things for nothing.
>You knock.
>You hear shuffling.
>”The Great and Powerful Trixie is not seeing fans right now.”
”Trixie, I saw how you were treated back there,” you say through the door.
>”Those mouth breathers wouldn’t know magic if it smacked them in the face.”
”Are you really a magician?”
>”Trixie is not seeing fans right now,” she repeats.
”I’ve been looking for someone to teach me.”
>”Trixie has no need for students. Go away.”
”Listen, no one will teach me. Even Twilight re-“
>The door swings open.
>”Don’t ever say that name around Trixie!”
>She gives you a confused look.
>”What are you?”
”A human from another dimension. I was sent here to study under the most powerful pony. That’s why I came to you,” you lie.
4/10
>She squints at you.
>”You’re lying.”
“Just give me a chance.”
>She thinks it over for a moment.
>”Show Trixie what you know,” she says flatly.
>You motion her to exit the cart, and she humors you.
>You close the door behind her.
”Open sesame.”
>It opens slightly.
>”That’s it?”
”That’s it,” you concede.
>”Ha. Trixie has neither the time nor patience to train somepony as weak as you. Good day.”
>She enters the cart and slams the door.
>Fucking bitch.
>Still she didn’t say it was forbidden to train you.
”I’m going to stay until you give me a chance!”
>She doesn’t bother to yell anything back.
>
>
>The next day.
>You should have brought a tent.
>Luckily it didn’t rain, but now the sky is cloudy.
>A tarp won’t keep you dry forever.
>If things don’t work out you’ll go back home and get some serious gear together.
>The Crystal Kingdom probably isn’t too cold this time of year.
>”You’re still here?”
>You turn toward the voice slowly.
”Yeah.”
>She frowns at you.
>”If you’re going to stick around you’d better make yourself useful. Trixie needs more firewood.”
>She magics over an axe, and leaves you to your task.
>
>
>A few hours later you have gathered enough wood for a couple of days.
>”Good job, human. Trixie is pleased by your efforts.”
“My name is Anon. Anonymous F. Nohtfound.”
>”This is a normal name for humans?”
“Is Trixie a normal name for ponies?”
>”Hmmph.”
>She turns away from you.
>Her cape billows in the wind.
5/10
>”Trixie’s Amazing School for Gifted and Talented Ponies is not cheap. Trixie requires one hundred bits a day.”
”A hundred bits? That’s too much.”
>”If you want to learn from the best, then you have to pay the fees.”
”Ten bits a day.”
>”No. Trixie will not accept that meagre offer.”
>Now what?
”What about an apprenticeship?”
>”I doubt you could handle the workload.”
>You clench a fist.
>Better change your tactics.
”I saw what happened back there. I don’t think you can even do real magic.”
>”Trixie has more power than you know.”
”So much power that people call you a fraud?”
>She glares at you.
>You hear thunder in the distance.
>Maybe you went too far.
>”Fine. Trixie will humor you for a few days, human.”
”Anon.”
>”Whatever.”
>
>
>It starts raining half an hour later.
>Because you don’t have a tent, and also because Trixie has tired of smelling a disgusting human, you convince her to bring her cart to your house.
>You had to pull it the entire way.
>Luckily you cleaned your house a few days ago.
>You live on the outskirts of town, so ponies probably won’t hassle your guest.
>”This is your house?”
”Yeah. Pretty sweet, huh?”
>”It’s small.”
”You have something better?”
>”Trixie has many houses. Each bigger and more amazing than the last.”
>Sure.
“Well, it’s all I have. Make yourself at home. I’m going to hop in the shower.”
>
>
>When you return you find her sleeping on your couch.
>Strange that she choose there instead of in her cart.
>You adjust her cape so it covers her.
6/10
>
>
>The next day.
>”There are many different styles and areas of study. Trixie primarily focuses on illusions.”
>She makes a double of herself.
>”You’re looking as radiant as ever, Trixie.”
>”Why thank you, Trixie,” she says to her double.
>She waves a hoof and it disappears.
>”Now what are you interested in learning?”
”I want to shoot fire, send lighting bolts, create voi-“
>”So you want arcane magic. Trixie happens to know a few things about that.”
>You follow her outside.
>”Now watch in awe as Trixie shows you her power.”
>She throws a block of wood in the air, then shoots flames from an outstretched hoof.
>The block explodes on contact.
“Cool.”
>”We’ll start with fire.”
>She flicks a hoof and a small flame hovers just over it.
>A hoof brushes it aside.
>”Always cast with your right hoof, and cancel with your left.”
”Why?”
>She looks at you like you are the dumbest man alive.
>”Because that’s how ponies learn magic. It's simple enough for even you to understand. Now, watch closely.”
>She repeats the motion, but does it very slowly.
>Trixie outstretches a hoof, makes a one quarter clockwise turn, then flicks her hoof out.
>Again a small flame appears.
>She cancels it and repeats the motion.
>”Imagine that you are holding fire as you make the turn.”
>Another small flame.
>”Now you try.”
>You outstretch your hand.
>She grabs your arm and moves it into place.
>”There.”
>You imitate her motion.
>Nothing.
>”You’re doing it wrong.”
”I’m trying.”
>You try a few more times before she stops you.
>”Build energy in your hand before making the turn.”
”How do I do that?”
>”Does Trixie have to explain everything?”
7/10
>She practically yanks your arm off and hits your palm.
>It feels warm.
>”There. Now hold out your hand, and try to hold the fire as long as possible.”
>She passes the flame to you.
>Holy shit you’re actually doing it.
“Ow, fuck.”
>You flick your hand out and the flame nearly engulfs your hand.
>Trixie quickly cancels it with her left hoof.
>She creates a trickle of cold water to sooth the burn.
>”That’s why you don’t play with fire, human.”
”Anon.”
>
>
>”Human, somepony is at your door.”
>You flick your wrist and create a small glow.
”Hey check it out, I finally got it.”
>”Human. Are you going to answer it?”
”I have a name.”
>You hear another knock.
>Again you create a spark.
>”Arrgggh… Fine I’ll get it.”
>You hear her descend the stairs.
>It took five days but you can finally do it.
>Trixie refused to teach you anything else until you could create flame on your own.
>”What are you doing here?”
>”The Great and Powerful Trixie can go wherever she pleases.”
>The door slams shut.
>”What did you do with Anon?!”
>You hear an explosion.
>Shit.
>”Where’s Anon?!” Twilight shouts.
>You run downstairs.
”I’m here. Everything’s fine.”
>Your door is in pieces.
>Trixie is dazed on the floor, but quickly picks herself up.
>”Oh… I thought the worse when I saw…” Twilight adds disgust to her voice. “Her.”
>”Trixie is not a monster.”
>Twilight sneers at your teacher.
“Trixie, can you do me a favor and hang out in the other room for now?”
>She opens her mouth to berate you, but then thinks better of it.
>”Fine.”
>You wait for her to leave before you address your new guest.
8/10
”Sorry about that. How can I help you?”
>”Your book is two days overdue.”
“My book? Oh, right. Sorry I thought I signed it out for two weeks, not one.”
>Now where did you put it?
>Better stall her.
>Your charm always seems to work with Twilight.
”You didn’t come out all this way just for that did you?” You smile.
>Twilight takes a deep breath.
>”Anon, this is the fourth time you’ve been tardy.”
>She moves toward you.
>”And every time that happens you make me visit you.”
>Another step.
>”All the other ponies return their books on time…”
>She's only a pace away now.
>”So that must mean that you want to see me…”
>She flies up and leans on you.
>”You don’t have to hide your feelings from me, Anon.”
>She pauses.
>Waiting for your response.
“Twilight, I –“
>Her lips stop you from speaking.
>Just a peck.
>She just stole your first kiss.
>And you liked it.
>Twilight gives you bedroom eyes.
>But you cant…
>You’ll lose your powers.
>You put a hand on her and take a step back.
”Twilight, I can’t be with you. I can’t be with anyone.”
>”Is it something I said? What did I do wrong?”
”You didn’t-“
>”Its… her… isn’t it?”
>Twilight’s eyes dart to the right.
>You turn your head to see Trixie peeking.
>She quickly hides again.
”Trixie? No.”
>”What does she have that I don’t?”
>Twilight pushes you.
>”She’s just a fake.”
>”Trixie is not a fake!”
>Your teacher jumps from the other room with her horn charged.
>”Anon belongs to me you floozy!”
>”Trixie would never date a creature as ugly as Anon.”
>She finally said your name.
>Even though it was an insult.
>Twilight charges her horn.
>You jump between them.
9/10
”Hold on, hold on. Let’s all just calm down.”
>A cool wind blows through the now empty doorway.
”There is nothing happening between Trixie and I. She is…”
>You can’t tell Twilight that you’re learning magic.
>It’s forbidden.
”Her cart broke down and now she is staying here for a few days.”
>Twilight narrows her eyes at you.
”It’s the truth,” you lie.
>Twilight sighs and lowers her magic.
>”I guess it’s the polite thing to do.”
>You see the book in the corner of your eye.
>You quickly pick it up and hand it to Twilight.
”Here. Sorry I was late again.”
>She magics the book from you and places it in her pouch.
>”I know you’ll come around, Anon.”
>She blinks back to her treebary.
>
>
”Trixie, please don’t leave.”
>”Trixie doesn’t want to be involved in your sick affairs, Anon.”
”I’m begging you.”
>”Trixie will leave a few spells for you to learn.”
”It’s the only way to stop her!”
>Trixie stops in her tracks.
>She doesn’t turn to face you.
>”Stop who?”
”Twilight has been getting more aggressive lately.”
>”Then you should sleep with that harlot. You two are perfect for each other.”
”No…”
>How can you explain something like this to a pony?
”Trixie. I’ll loose my powers if I sleep with anyone.”
>”Ha. That’s ridiculous,” she scoffs.
”I get my powers from being a virgin. I turned thirty a few days ago.”
>She turns to you slowly.
”You’ve never been with anypony?”
>Trixie gives you a confused look.
>You shake your head.
>Trixie laughs at you.
>”Good luck, Anon.”
”Trixie, this is your chance to hurt her. To hurt Twilight.”
>She raises an eyebrow.
“You saw how she acted. She practically threw herself at me.”
>You get on your knees.
”Please. Will the Great and Powerful Trixie help this poor human? Won’t you climb down from your throne?”
>Trixie frowns.
”Please.”
>She looks away.
>”Trixie will help.”
10/10