The Card Trick

Borderline kicked the last tree effortlessly. All of the apples fell from their branches to the buckets he placed on the ground.

"You have improved a bit since you first started." A voice came from behind.

"I certainly feel a lot stronger than before."Borderline rubbed his hooves.

"Well, I called the guards over in Baltimare. You've completed your forty hours.

"Excellent," Borderline lifted the bucket onto the wagon, "No offense, but I am ready to head back out."

"Well, before ya do, you reckon you can pay Rarity a visit? There's somethin she wanted to let you know."

"Sure."

Borderline and Applejack pulled the last of their wagons to the barn. Borderline was pouring with sweat. Every few steps he took were halted from him taking a second to wipe his hoof across his eyes. The path he took with Applejack was entirely uphill. He couldn't help but think that she took this path in spite of him. He struggled to keep up with Applejack. She was able to walk uphill like there was nothing holding her back. Borderline said he felt stronger, but not that much. He felt worse when he looked over to the side, seeing Bic Mac pull his wagon at twice the speed he and Applejack were walking.

"You go Big Mac!" Applejack shouted.

It took minutes for Applejack and Borderline to meet up with Bic Mac at the barn. Bic Mac took the apple buckets from their carts as they approached the barn.

"We will take it from here, Borderline. You go see what Rarity wants to talk to you about."

"It was great working with you." Borderline extended a hoof to Applejack.

"It was fun." Applejack raised her hoof and met his.

With a nod from Big Mac, Borderline made his way to Rarity's shop. As usual, the trail was empty. However, Borderline usually walked to town at night. It was odd, to him at least, that it was also empty during the day. Borderline zoned out during his walk. He thought of where to head to next.

With the mayor of Baltimare banishing him, he would have to head West to Tall Tale. He could perform there for a few months until he had enough bits to make it to Las Pegasus. In "Borderline", his chances of performing for an actor or some celebrity. From there, he would have to head to "Borderline", where the largest library in Equestria is located. He figured that somepony there could help him find what he needs. However, since he--

"Borderline!"

Borderline woke from his fantasy. He was in a purple and yellow room. In front of him was a familiar white unicorn.

"Sorry, Rarity. I kind of dozed off." Borderline rubbed his hoof over his eyes.

"Quite all-right, darling. Happens to the best of us."

"What did you want to talk about?"

"I know you still have that crazy agenda of learning magic."

Borderline couldn't help but smile. "And?"

"Well, my friend Twilight lives in the library here. She lent me the key." She levitated a set of keys between Borderline and herself.

"Wow! um. Thank you so much!" Borderline reached for the set of keys.

Rarity levitated the keys out of reach. "Not so fast."

Borderline sighed. "Okay, I should have seen this coming. What do you want in return?"

Rarity smiled. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes, I am sure."Borderline couldn't help but start thinking of all the things she could say that would make him instantly regret his answer

"I would like for you to accompany me at the festival in this town in a few days."

"..."

"Well?"

"...I...uh"

"Oh, puullleeeeeaaaaassssssseeeeeeee?" Rarity's eyes began to water.

"Uh-but, I don't plan on staying in town for that long."

Rarity put a hoof to her chest and exaggeratedly sighed.

Borderline's eyes went from the keys to Rarity, then back to the keys.

"Okay. I'll go with you."

Rarity's expression went to the other end of the spectrum.

"Thank you Borderline! You're going to love the festival. The music, the guests, the people-" Rarity went off, describing everything she expected to see at the festival.

"Um, Rarity. The keys?"

"Oh, yes. Of course, I will have to accompany you there, since it is Twilight's house and all."

"I don't mind." Borderline turned and walked out the door. Rarity shortly caught up to him.

"So, where is the library?"

"Other end of town."

"Excellent."

Borderline and Rarity did not have a conversation on the way to the library, although there was plenty of talking. Rarity went on about the dresses ponies have ordered for the events happening in Canterlot and for the festival occuring in Canterlot. She's never had that amount of orders before, but the dresses were mostly simple designs.

"I will have to make you something for suitable for the occasion." Rarity eyed Borderline's coat.

"I think this is fine. You did make it yourself."

"Yes, yes, however, it is not enough for a formal dance."

"Rarity, I've seen a tan stallion wear nothing but a tie."

"I suppose. Ah, here we are." Rarity and Borderline stopped in front of a large tree.

Borderline took a moment. "A tree? That's new."

Rarity ignored his comment as she pushed the door open.

"Wait, didn't you need to use the ke--"

"SURPRISE!!"

Borderline took a step back. Balloons, confetti, and streamers were everywhere. Instead of seeing walls of books, he was met with what had to have been every pony in the city, and then some. They all stared at Borderline, expecting him to do or say something. A pink earth mare appeared in front of him.

"Howdy! Applejack told me that you were helping her on the apple farm, and she told me that it was your last day working, and since since I didn't get to meet you all week, I thought I could make up for it by throwing you a party to celebrate! I'm Pinkie Pie by the way. I'm the party planner in Ponyville!"

"Oh, um, a pleasure to meet you."

"Come on in!" Pinkie pulled Borderline by the hoof into the library.

"Pinkie, I was actually coming here to look for a book." Borderline looked around the cloud. He did not notice anypony there.

"Oh, you mean this one?" Pinkie held up a book, Artifacts Past Crystal Mountains.

"That could actual-how did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Nevermind, may I see the book?"

"What book?"

"What do you mean 'What book?' the one in your hoo-" Borderline looked back to her hooves, which were empty.

"Where is it?!"

"Where is what?"

"The book."

"There you go again about the book. Just enjoy the party!"

Borderline looked back to the crowd of people. He turned back to find Rarity, but she was not there.

"Pinkie, listen. I don't do too well in crowds." Borderline's breathing got heavier.

"What!? Well that's no good."

"Pinkie, please. Give me the book. I need it."

"Well, since you asked nicely. I gave it to Rarity."

"What!? When?!"

"A few seconds ago."

"Dammit!" Borderline's shout caused the loudest silence he has ever heard. It was deafening to him. He looked around the room, but the only face he really saw was Pinkie Pie's. "I'm so sorry." He quickly ran outside. Borderline looked around for the white unicorn. He ran as fast as he could to her shop. However, when he arrived, the shop doors were closed. He pounded on the door.

"Rarity!"

No Answer.

He punched the door three more times.

"Rarity!" He shouted as loud as he could.

"She will give you the book at the festival." A high pitched voice surprised Borderline. When he turned around, he saw a familiar pink earth mare.

"Pinkie, about back there. I'm so sorr-" Borderline was interrupted with a slap to the face.

"That was for saying such foul language in front of colts and fillies!"

"Okay, I deserved th-" Another slap.

"That was because slapping you is so much fun!"

"Are you done?"

Pinkie nodded her had rapidly.

"So, she will give me the book at the festival?"

"Yupp! Why do you need it anyway?"

"Long story."

"I have time." Pinkie extended her hoof, revealing three watches.

"Have those always been there?"

"Well ddduuuuuhhhhhh. I need to keep track of when my parties start!"

"Can you tell me more about the festival coming up then?"

"Of course! I am the one planning it!"

"Of....course...."

"Okilokidoki! It starts in three days---"

The door in front of  Borderline took its time to open. Borderline's hooves ached from a mix of the past weeks work, and standing in front of Rarity's door for what felt like an hour. The bright light from inside the building escaped through the door and shown on the unicorn standing in the frame like a spotlight.

"I thought you left town."

"I wouldn't miss a dance with you."

"So you found out what kind of festival it is?"

"I did my homework"

"Very impressive."

Rarity approached Borderline. He got a better look at it once she stepped outside. Her dress was different shades of purple with the familiar yellow trimming. She had white fabric escaping from under the dress. It certainly looked like it came from a few centuries ago. However, the dress had a modern twist of having gems sewn in patterns across the chest and neck.

Borderline also changed into something more formal. His black vest and coat was accompanied with a black top hat and tie. Although it was not to Rarity's standards, it was certainly an improvement.

"Shall we?" Borderline extended a hoof.

"We shall." Rarity took his hoof and followed him to Town Hall.

A crowd much larger than the one from the library was outside Town Hall. They all turned heads as Borderline and Rarity walked to the doors. The noise outside died down as conversations turned into whispers. Some whispered about Rarity being with him. Others about his departure from Pinkie's party. Rarity smiled to everypony as she walked by them, while Borderline focused on the set of doors. He would glance to the crowd every few seconds, but his eyes would quickly return to the door. His pace increased halfway to the door. The whispers got louder the closer he got to the door. He couldn't hear anything except the ponie's voice passing back and forth, but he could not make out what they were saying. He felt Rarity fall behind, and only slowed down so she could stay with him. Borderline started to sweat as he placed his hoof on the door.

"Are you all-right?" Rarity asked.

"Yea. Yea. Just. Umm. Nervous Energy." Borderline took in a deep breath, then forced a smile.

"Ready when you are, dear."

"Let's do it." Borderline pushed the door open.

The crowd outside Town Hall was nothing compared to the crowd that occupied the indoors. He could not see the floor in front of him. He heard the orchestra in the back of the massive foyer, but it was very faint over the conversations the ponies were having. The Town Hall's air was full of the scents from the dozens of food being brought from the make-shift kitchens every few minutes.

"Come on, there's simply somepony that you must meet!" Rarity pulled on Borderline's hoof.

"Okay. Just stop pulling on me." Borderline gave up his stance and followed Rarity to the second floor.

She led him to a back room. There were no other ponies this far back in the building. She looked back at Borderline and smiled at him every few steps. She led him into a back room. It was the only room in the hallway that had lights bleeding through the door. Rarity extended a hoof to the door. "After you," she said. Borderline excitedly opened the door, eager to find what was on the other side.

"Hello, Borderline." A rather important white mare stood in front of Borderline. Borderline pushed on the door with all of his weight, and the door was not fully shut. He found himself in the middle of the room. He could not feel his hooves. He was face to face with the one pony in Equestria that he did not want to get involved with.

"P-P-P..." Borderline couldn't say anything. He was petrified.

"You almost got it."

"Celestia..."

"The one and only" Celestia smiled

Borderline ran for the back door.

"Nuh-uh." A familiar blue mare slammed the door shut and blocked the way. Borderline turned his head to the side doors, but each was blocked by two guards. He looked around the walls, floor, and ceiling, looking for some way out. While looking around, he did not notice two of the guards from each side approach him. He left something on the back of his neck, something heavy. He collapsed to the ground, not able to support the weight of whatever held him down.

"How?" He asked.

"It was certainly a pain tracking you down. However, with the help of my faithful student, we managed to finally capture you." As Celestia said this, a purple unicorn appeared behind her, followed by Applejack and Pinkie Pie. Rarity came from behind him and joined them next to Celestia.

"I'll explain. You see, after the head guard from Baltimare reported your assault charges. Celestia thought that there was something odd with your name. After further investigation with the Equestrian Records, her hunch was correct. There was something rather odd about you. So, Celestia asked me for an idea to get to you.

I was with Twilight at the time, and I recalled runnin into a stallion matchin the description Celestia gave Twilight. I then contacted the guard, and requested that you come work at my ranch, where we can keep an eye on ya. Me and the guard came up with a list of fake locations and names, I reckoned that the first place a pony would pick would be a place he would at least hear of.

No hard feelings, pal, but I had to do what Celestia asked. She needed me to watch over you at night and, if you ran off, bring you in any means necessary. When Rarity brought you into the shop that night, she came up with the raining story. I then went to the cloud factory and borrowed a couple of storm clouds. Then watched you ever since from the sky.

Twilight came up with the idea of capturing you here. I made you an outfit that would make you easily spotted in a crowd. Also, I had to make sure that you stayed for this event.

Oh! Oh! I know this one! On your last day, Rarity said that you would needed to find a book. She asked me to get the book, make sure it was the one you needed, then give it to her. However, I had no way to totally knowing what book it was, so I decided to throw a party! When I held the book up to you and you told me that is what you needed, I gave it to Rarity to ensure that you stayed.

Borderline was fighting a losing battle as tears ran down his face, He planted his face on the floor. The story he heard echoed in his mind, Everything that he went through in the past week was fabricated to capture him.

"What was it?" He asked.

"What was what?" Celestia responded.

"What about my name was odd?" Borderline lifted his head from the floor.

"Well, legally, you should be dead."

The room fell silent. Celestia had not told any other pony why she wanted Borderline captured. Borderline's breathing was the only sound that was present in the room. Each pony looked at each other, not knowing how to respond to what Celestia said.

"Rarity."

Silence.

"Rarity." Borderline said again.

"Y-Yes?"

"May I have that book now?" Borderline couldn't help but laugh. Through the tears, he let out a laugh that shocked the others. Nopony could move. Only Celestia maintained her calm demeanor.

"Take him to the castle. I'll deal with him in due time."

The guards dragged Borderline out of the room through one of the side doors. Celestia, along with the others, left the room a few seconds later. Rarity stayed longer, though. She didn't leave until she couldn't hear that laugh anymore.