Size Up Starlight

Tiny placeholder fireworks, which were very small and subtle flashes of multi-colored lights, fizzled around the beautifully crafted stage. The dark purple curtains glowed a slight pink, levitating towards the sides and revealed a mysterious figure. The blue-coated pony wore a strange purple wizard's hat that had turquoise and golden stars stitched onto it. She also wore a long cape that covered her body and rear legs, with similiar designs of stars and circles that matched her hat.

"Come one, come all, and witness another stunning performance by the great and powerful Trixie!" The figure stood on her hind legs, raising her front legs excitedly as another range of placeholder fireworks surrounded the stage again. The figure then held out a hoof, as if to tell the audience to be silent. There was dead silence as Trixie reached into her cape and brought out an adorable pink little teacup.

"Look closely, my wonderful audience, as the great and powerful Trixie performs a spell that has since been thought proven impossible by any form of unicorn magic... The never-seen-before Trixie Teacup Duplication trick! Watch as Trixie re-creates this tea-cup... OUT OF NOTHING!"

A single gasp from the audience was heard. Trixie raised her purple cape, showing that here indeed was no other hidden teacup on her. She then focused on the teacup, and began to roll it around in front of her with her hoof slowly. She made a sudden movement towards her cape that was hard to follow, and suddenly, with a pink flash of lighting, a pink teacup, identical to the first, appeared in her other hoof.

She showed the two teacups to the audience, and tapped them together to prove that they were indeed real and identical teacups. The sound of one pony clapping with their hooves was heard in the audience, causing Trixie to bow. "Thank you, thank you, you are a wonderful audience."

Starlight Glimmer enjoyed watching her friend's practice-run. She had been sitting in front of the performing stage, acting as Trixie's test audience. "That was great, Trixie. How did you manage to do that? I didn't think you perfected the teleportation spell by now."

Trixie grinned with a flick of her hoof. "A magician never reveals her secrets... but for you I'll make an exception. See, I didn't actually use teleportation, I used a transfiguration spell." Trixie held out her teacup once again. "When I held the teacup out, I also had some dust plastered on my other hoof. The audience can't see it, but it's just enough raw material for a transfiguration spell. I just wave my hooves around and cast the transfiguration spell, and bam, second, identical teacup in both hooves!"

Starlight clapped again, impressed with Trixie's practical thinking. "That's really smart actually. That means you can perform that trick pretty much anywhere, even out in the open where there wouldn't be any teacups to teleport."

Trixie pointed at Starlight, "exactly," Trixie continued, "it's a neat little trick I've been thinking about after I casted my first teleportation spell!"

"Ah yes," Starlight thought aloud, "your first teleportation spell, when you teleported the cutie map and I bottled up my anger..."

Trixie waved a hoof up towards Starlight's face. "Nuh uh uh, we're over that now Starlight. Besides, we aren't done here yet. We still have the grand finale..."

"Oh no..." Starlight whispered to herself. This is it. The lowest and silliest part of her life. First she enslaved a village. Then she mind-controlled her friends. Then she tried to turn herself and her childhood friend into fillies to play a petty board game. Now she's going to pretend to be an ursa minor. Where did things go so wrong?

Trixie began to explain. "Alright, Starlight, I'm going to cast a massive hologram and 'stick' each part onto your body. Stay still, okay?" Starlight nodded, and stood as still as possible, again towering over the stage and trees around her, forcing Trixie to really force her neck to face upwards. A pink glow blasted from Trixie's horn in a weak way towards Starlight's massive body, leaving behind a strange-looking blue texture that floated and wrapped itself around Starlight's figure. Starlight shivered slightly as she felt the hologram phase through her where the different parts connected. It felt very strange, almost ethereal and ghostly. Starlight's vision was tinted with a moving light-blue layer that surrounded her face. Suddenly, it blocked her vision entirely, and then dissipated back to it's transparent blue tint.

"And... d-... done!" Trixie gasped for breath after performing such a complicated spell. Starlight felt uneasy on her hooves. She turned around, and as if she was wearing it, the blue 3D hologram turned with her, covering her like a really thick disguise. Starlight could see everything outside with a blue tint. She wondered what she looked like, so she asked Trixie to bring a mirror.

After searching a little in her wagon, Trixie returned with a large mirror and pointed it up at Starlight. Starlight's jaw dropped, as what she saw was terrifying.

In the mirror she saw the face of a giant, sky-colored bear, with thick black eyebrows and deadly red eyes. Little white constellation markings floated around the bear's body, a true splitting image of a real ursa minor. The only difference Starlight found, was that the disguise seemed to end around her lips, revealing the inside of her actual mouth, with her harmless blunt teeth that could only belong to a herbivore. It was a smooth transition, the holographic disguise seemed to wrap itself quite realistically to her movement.

Starlight felt a slight fight-or-flight response build up in her body, as if she were staring into the face of a lion. She quickly dismissed her fears, because she knew it was herself, but the adrenaline that rushed through her body when she saw the hologram's face proved that the disguise was extremely effective.

"Wow, Trixie, this is... insane. My hairs are literally on their ends from looking at this." She looked towards Trixie, who was twitching and shivering at the same time.

"Y-Yes, Trixie has performed..." Trixie stuttered as she spoke, "very magnificently... and... and..." Trixie's legs began to wobble and shake as she stared at the mean, horrifying 'ursa minor' towering over her. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry Starlight, I can't stand looking at it! It's reminding me of when I was almost attacked by that horrifying thing!" Trixie's terrified legs gave way, causing her to fall to the ground in shock. "I can't help it, it's too scary! It's just too real!"

Trixie crawled up helplessly into a ball between Starlight's hooves. She covered her eyes, trying to overcome her irrational anxiety. Suddenly, she felt something warm and massive brush alongside her whole body and found herself being picked up gently. Opening her eyes, she saw a magical, dark blue wall pressing against her body. Trixie raised her head and saw that she was being hugged by the giant 'Ursa Minor'. Her feelings of terror subsided as she gave a sigh of relief, relaxing her arms to return the hug.

"Thanks, Starlight, I needed that." Trixie refused to let go of her friend, feeling much more confident now. "I don't know what got over me." Trixie rested rested her head against Starlight's chest comfortably. She then felt a familiar hoof pet her on her head in a very soft and timid fashion.

"It's alright, Trixie," Starlight reassured, "I guess your hologram worked a little... too well." She let out a little giggle, still petting Trixie's head. Trixie chuckled to herself, snuggling happily as she was surrounded by Starlight's arm and furred chest, which was expertly covered by the hologram to look like an ursa minor's.

They hugged for a while, getting much too comfortable to release each other. That is, until they heard another voice call out in the distance, which made Starlight's and Trixie's ears and tails stand on end.

"Starlight? Trixie? Are you around here?" called a little male dragon in the distance. Starlight knew that voice, almost dropping Trixie in her panic. Trixie was confused, scrambling around Starlight's raised arm to find her footing (or hoofing?).

"Who's that?!" Trixie whispered. Starlight began to sweat underneath the ursa-minor hologram. She quickly but gently placed Trixie onto the ground and rushed behind the everfree trees. She lied on the ground as flat as possible so that she could not be seen through the dense trees.

"It's Spike," Starlight hushed in alarm from behind the trees, "make sure he doesn't see me!" Starlight covered her eyes with her blue 'ursa minor paws', trying to breathe as lightly as possible. Trixie was startled, staring at where Starlight had just been sitting and then back to the stage, where she heard Spike the dragon approaching. She saw Spike peep his head around the corner, looking slightly worried. Trixie gulped and quickly put up a confident yet innocent facade.

Trixie arranged her wizard hat neatly on her head and spoke to the little dragon approaching her. "Greetings, little dragon," she welcomed, "have you arrived to take a sneak peek at Trixie's new upcoming performance?"

Spike didn't seem too interested, as he turned his head around looking for somepony else. "No offense Trixie, but no, not really. I'm looking for Starlight, she said she was going to hang out with you, but she hasn't come back yet. Have you seen her?"

Trixie huffed proudly in response, "Starlight is spending extended time with Trixie and is doing fine. At the moment she is helping the great and powerful Trixie find something for her performance, and she will eventually be back. Trixie will be more than happy to relay your message to her when she gets back." Trixie walked up right in front of Spike, preventing him from searching the area any further. "So, what would you like to tell Starlight?"

Spike looked up at Trixie, clearly uncomfortable with her invasion of his personal space. "I-err, just wanted to make sure that she's okay. She doesn't normally leave the castle this for this long without telling us..."

"Starlight," Trixie interrupted, "is doing just fine. Trixie would be offended on her friend's behalf if you thought she could not handle herself." She leaned her head closer still to Spike's face, almost booping his nose, "You don't think that, do you?"

Spike felt slightly intimidated, having to wipe off a sweat from his forehead. "N-No, Trixie. Definitely not saying that, nope. Absolutely not. I'm just looking out for a friend, that's all." His little eyes darted around, trying to find the nearest escape without looking too obvious. "If you see her, let her know that Twilight will be back tomorrow, and she might be worried if Starlight is gone for too long..."

Trixie raised her head, looking down at Spike. "Trixie will make sure to tell Starlight once she returns. Now please, leave the area, little dragon. No sneak peeks!" Trixie nudged Spike in the direction of Ponyville, being slightly rough with her pushing hooves.

"Alright, alright, I'm movin'!" Spike huffed under his breath, increasing his pace up to an uncomfortable jog to escape Trixie's constant nudging. He eventually was far enough from them to appear as a tiny speck in the distance, and eventually Trixie lost sight of Spike as he disappeared over one of the many little bridges surrounding Ponyville. She gave a long sigh of a relief and turned around to face the big dense wall of Everfree trees in front of her.

"Alright, Starlight" Trixie called out, "that annoying little dragon is gone. You can come out now."

There was a gentle stir that grew louder as Starlight pulled herself up from the ground. Yards of trees and leaves were disturbed in her movement, rustling loudly and violently as she rose high above the trees. Starlight's holographic disguise was still activated, so she still appeared as a massive blue ursa minor with a calm expression.

She stepped slowly and carefully over the trees and onto the flat patch of grass where Trixie and her stage stood, carefully maneuvering herself to avoid hitting anything. She smiled down at Trixie, who was only slightly shaken from all the movement, but not stirred.

"Thanks for stepping in for me, Trixie," Starlight thanked as she lowered one of her giant hooves next to Trixie, "I thought my heart was going to stop for a second when he started walking towards the forest!"

Trixie grinned, feeling rather confident about herself. She jumped onto the holographic bear paw beside her, phasing through the fake claws and landing on Starlight's real hoof underneath. Starlight raised Trixie up to be in level with her face, high up into the air with only her hoof to support her.

"Trixie is just that amazing, Starlight," Trixie said boastfully, "She has a great way with words as well as magic!"

Starlight nuzzled Trixie's whole body with just the tip of her nose. "Yeah, there's no doubt about that..." Starlight blinked and felt a slight rush of wind around her. In a quick flash, the 'ursa minor' hologram vanished as neither of them was supplying the disguise with any magic for a while. Trixie found herself pressed gently against the bridge of Starlight's nose. She was glad to see her friend properly again, and Starlight was similarly glad to be rid of the ugly disguise.

"Well," Trixie said, "we shouldn't waste too much time on congratulations, we have an act to practice!" Trixie slid off Starlight's nose and back onto her lifted hoof once again, looking up at Starlight's gigantic adorable blue eyes. "Now, tell me, what's the best growl you can make? You’ll need to really act your part as an ursa minor if we want to pull this off!"

Starlight blinked blankly for a few seconds, dumbfounded with the question. She took a deep breath and let out the harshest sound she could make. "Uhm... Grr..?" It was adorably bad.

Trixie shook her head quickly, "No no no, it needs to be loud, and scary! You have to really shake the audience up, Starlight!"

Starlight's ears flopped down as she felt her confidence drain from her even further. "...Rawr?" she tried again. Her voice cracked from the tension, sounding like a confused cat more than anything.

Trixie face-hoofed, realizing that this was going to be an issue. "I can't have a meowing ursa minor! Hmm, where am I going to get some good sound effects on short notice...?" Trixie looked around curiously while rubbing her hoof. Her face lit up suddenly as an idea flew up her horn making her tingle gleefully. "Oh yes! I could use a big round noisemaker that sounds like an ursa and you can levitate it just beside your mouth, underneath the hologram. Then all you will need to do is blow into it!"

"That's... a really smart idea actually, Trixie," Starlight congratulated. She then looked upward thoughtfully, "You might be able to get a good 'monster' noise-maker from a carpentry store, or at a store that sells exotic musical instruments, but I'm not sure. I... can't really help you find one though."

Trixie depressed her lips together with a furrowed brow as her eyes slowly trekked all the way from Starlight's muzzle down to her tippy toe hooves. "Yes... Trixie is well aware of your situation, Starlight..." She then turned around with a change of expression, looking more lively and confident. "But Trixie will, again, venture forth into Ponyvile to find a monster noisemaker for her act!"

Trixie looked triumphantly towards Ponville, standing straight on her four blue hooves. Her heroic pose was quickly shaken by a sudden little rumble. Trixie looked back at Starlight, sighing. "And... find some more food fit for a giant friend, I guess."

Starlight blushed, covering her hungry tummy with her front hooves as she sat against the everfree trees behind her. "Yup... Good luck, Trixie! I'll be erm, behind these trees, to make sure nopony sees me."

Trixie nodded and turned around. Before she could begin jogging towards Ponyvile, she found herself held from all sides by two gentle giant hooves picking her up quickly. Trixie could barely let out a yelp before finding herself nuzzled softly against Starlight's cheek, to which Trixie returned the hug happily.

"Thanks so much Trixie," Starlight thanked while rubbing her cheek against Trixie's entire body, "I feel like we're really bonding over this experience as friends."

"Indeef-" Trixie tried to respond, her muzzle being completely covered and rubbed by the slight pink fur on Starlight's face. Starlight eventually realized this, and, still blushing gently as before, she slowly let Trixie gently onto the ground to let her leave.

"Farewell Starlight, Trixie will do her best, as always!" And with that, Trixie ran off towards Ponyville. Starlight smiled as she rested against the everfree trees, letting out a deep sigh as she thought deeply about how caring and well-intentioned Trixie really was on the inside, despite her rough boastful exterior. Most importantly, she was glad to have her as a friend.