The Crystal Fair was coming.
As an important annual festival, Princess Cadence, the ruler of the Crystal Empire, had been paying attention to it all the time. And this year, Cadence wanted to make something special.
She called Twilight and her friends for help. Now in the Crystal castle, everypony was busy with the preparations, and Twilight was checking the list.
“…Good weather--Rainbow Dash, check. Snacks--Pinkie Pie, check…” said Twilight as she was marking the list paper.
“I can’t believe you and your friends will come to help, especially you are running a school. I know Headmare isn’t an easy job,” said Shining Armor, “Just like a mother taking care dozens of children. So, thank you so much Twily.”
Twilight turned to her brother, smiling. “Don’t worry, the school is on holiday, so we’re happy to help. And I haven’t visited Flurry Heart for many years, she must be missing her best aunt!”
“She is taking a nap with Cadence in the next room, you’d better not to disturb them.” Shining looked at the closed door behind him.
Twilight sighed. Since she came to the Crystal Empire, she was busy with the festival preparations and had no time to visit her dear niece. Tomorrow was the Crystal Fair, they needed to hurry.
“Hoofiwork-- Rarity, check.” Then she paused, “Magic show--Trixie!?” Her eyes widened in shock. “Why Trixie is invited?”
“It’s Cadence’s idea,” answered Shining, “The Crystal Fair has been held for many years, but she complained that it always looks the same, so she wanted something new this time.”
“She really loved magic shows since she had watched Trixie’s performance in ponyville, and she will come with Flurry tomorrow,” Shining continued. “By the way, I’m also looking forward to that.”
Trixie gave a magic performance to Cadence, no problem. But when it came to Flurry Heart, fireworks, smoke balls, Manticore… they’re too terrifying to a little child! And she believed Trixie would not play the same trick in front of the same audience.
Actually, last time, before the Trixie gave the show in ponyville, Twilight had checked all her magic props, just to make sure it would not scare Flurry Heart.
And she had to do the same thing this time.
Magic show--Trixie, not check.
“So,” asked Twilight, “Did she tell you what she was going to do on the show tomorrow?”
“No, she kept it secret. Magicians always keep secrets.”
Twilight began worried. “Then, where is she? I need to talk to her.”
“Maybe she is still on her way, she said…”
It’s not too late, thought Twilight.
“…she would be here tonight. What’s the matter…?”
*Flash*
Without any further explanation, Twilight teleported and disappeared, leaving her confused brother alone in the hall.
“Well, that’s weird.”
Somewhere in the ponyville, Trixie and her assistant Starlight were packing the wagon, boxes of fireworks, smoke balls were surrounding the car.
But no Manticore in the cage.
“It’s a great and powerful honor to be invited by the Princess of Love. I almost can predict that the great and powerful Trixie will become famous from all of the Equestria soon!” Trixie reared up on her hind legs and waved her purple cloak, eyes closing, as if thousands of audiences under the stage were cheering for her.
“You mean you will quit your job in the School of Friendship?” asked Starlight as she floated the boxes into the wagon.
Trixie paused and dispelled all her fantasy. Her best friend had decided to manage the school in the future. If she gave up the counselor, she would leave Starlight. But the great and powerful Trixie refused to said no. Instead, she said, “The great and powerful Trixie can handle dual identity. In the day time, I will be the great and powerful counselor. And in the night time, I will be the great and powerful magician.”
Behind her, Starlight smirked slightly, she knew Trixie was boasting, but she didn’t mind, that’s Trixie. But if Trixie really got famous this time, Starlight had to be great and powerful assistant at night.
*Flash*
As they put the last box of smoke balls into the wagon, Twilight teleported and stood in front of them, panting.
“Whoa!” Starlight surprised.
“I can’t believe the Princess of Friendship will escort us to Crystal Empire, you make me feel great and powerful flattered.” Trixie raised her head proudly.
“I’m here to check your props!” Twilight stared at Trixie as pointing to the wagon. “No firework, no smoke ball, no Manticore!”
Oh, again…
“Seriously? Same requirement? I think the alicorn filly has grown up already.” Trixie rolled her eyes and face hoofed.
“So, our preparations are all in vain, right?” asked Starlight.
“Yeeeeah.” Trixie answered casually, but in no sorrow. She turned to Starlight and adjusted her peaked hat. “But it’s not a problem for the great and powerful Trixie! The show will go on.”
Trixie kicked back her wagon, and walked toward Twilight. “I understand you really care about your niece. So as your promise, I won’t take my wagon this time. But instead, you have to help me prepare the props for me, deal?”
That’s what Twilight expected. If she helped Trixie to prepare the show, she can make sure everything is safe for Flurry Heart. And if Trixie asked anything dangerous, she could reject it.
Twilight nodded, “So, what can I do for you?”
“Nothing special, I think you must have these things,” said Trixie, “A stack of flash cards, some pieces of paper, a pen and a cushion, that’s all.”
They're very ordinary things, but very took Twilight by surprise, she did have plenty of them.
*Flash* *Flash*
Twilight teleported away got back with all what Trixie need in a second. Cards and paper rained down from her above.
“Good,” Trixie floated up all the things in to her saddlebags, “And we need two train tickets to Crystal Empire, since I’m not going to bring my wagon. You won’t us be late, right?” She blinked.
“Fair enough.” Twilight floated out some bits from her saddlebags, which was enough for the them.
“Well, see you later at…”
*Flash*
Before Trixie finished her sentence, Twilight teleported away again, and didn’t come back this time.
Starlight came over, looking at Trixie’s saddlebags confusedly, “Are you sure about that?”
“As a great and powerful assistance, you should one hundred percent trust your great and powerful Trixie. And the Princess of Love will like it.”
Magic show—Trixie, check.
The next morning.
All the citizens crowded in the streets to celebrate the festival, making the Crystal Empire be full of joy.
For thousands of years, it’s the first time for the Crystal Empire citizens to hear about the magic show, so they all gather in front of the stage, expecting.
Princess Cadence and her family were siting in the front row, waiting for the show.
Surprisingly, Starlight was just beside Twilight instead of being behind the stage curtain. And it’s Trixie’s plan.
“Ladies and gentlecolts, let’s give a round of applause to the great and powerful Trrrrrixie!” Trixie said as she walked out from the behind the stage curtain simply, no firework, no smoke ball.
But she still got the warm applause.
It’s her first time to see so many audiences come to her show, she had never felt so proud ever before.
“Thank you! Thank you everypony!” Trixie reared up on her hind legs and waved her purple cloak. Soon, the applause calmed down.
“Today, the great and powerful Trixie is going to give you an interactive magic show.” She scanned the audience, “So, I need a spectator to-”
“Me! Me!” a familiar voice interrupted her as a pink hoof was waving in the air.
Everypony looked toward the sound source.
It’s Princess Cadence!
Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle all gazed at her in surprised.
Flurry Heart looked at her mum in confused.
Trixie was going to pick a spectator randomly. Starlight was not included of course; she had her job. That’s little unexpected., but it still could go with her plan.
But it also made the show more interesting.
Princess Cadence was the first one who raised her hoof, and no pony else followed, Trixie had no reason to refuse her.
“It’s Princess Cadence!” Her astonished expression turned back smiling. As a great and powerful magician, she couldn’t let the audiences to see her nervousness.
Trixie came toward to Princess Cadence and helped her get on the stage.
“It’s my honor to have you as my spectator in this great and powerful show, Princess Cadence.” said Trixie as she led the princess to center stage, and there was a cushion.
“Just feel free to call me Cadence, I’m here for fun.”
“OK. Now here we go, Cadence,” said Trixie as she floated a deck of cards, “Here I have a deck of cards, each with a single word related to daily life,” she spread the cards and showed to Cadence one by one, “Like ‘sleep’, ‘talk,’ ‘drink’ and so on, each one is different.”
The cards may too small for audiences under the stage to see, so Trixie gave out the cards to them to take a closer look.
Twilight got a card that written a word “read”. She checked it carefully, it’s the card she gave Trixie yesterday, no mark on the back, and no spell enhanced either. She knew Trixie didn’t learn any special magic spell.
“Play!” said Flurry in a lovely voice. The baby alicorn had learned how to speak and read.
After the cards checking, Trixie took back all of them and put them together again. “Now Cadence, you’re going to pick up a card randomly.” said Trixie as she shuffled the deck. “But remember an important point is that once you pick up the card, only you can see it, neither me, nor the other audiences. Get it?”
Cadence nodded.
Twilight frowned as she whispered to Starlight. “Card tricks are for close-up magic, it doesn’t suit for the stage performance, I think. On the other hoof, card tricks are well known by most ponies, everyone knows what is going on next, even for the ponies in Crystal Empire, right?”
Or maybe Twilight’ demands were too harsh for the great and powerful Trixie?
But Starlight shook her head. “This’s a new one, you will see it.”
And Twilight caught a smirk on Starlight’ face.
They looked back to the stage. Trixie held the cards face down and spread the them again, letting her spectator to pick up one. Cadence pointed to one of the cards with her hoof.
“This one?” asked Trixie, “You can change your mind if you like.”
Cadence shook her head, insisting her choice.
“Ok, pick it up and take a look by yourself.” As Cadence floated up the card, Trixie turned around at once.
“Done?”
“Done.” Nothing special happened on Cadence’s expression when she looked at the card.
“Good, and you can keep it for a while, but don’t let others see it.” offered Trixie as she turned back. Cadence pressed the card on her chest with her hoof, sitting on the cushion.
Trixie took a step back and picked out a blank paper and a pen, now she was standing behind Cadence.
“Hmmm,” she tapped her pen on her chin as if she was thinking. Seconds later, she asked, “The word written on your card has a letter ‘E’, right?”
Twilight still doubted about the show, but she didn’t say a word.
“Right,” answered Cadence.
Trixie wrote a letter ‘E’ on her paper, and showed it to the audiences. The paper and the writing were big enough to see clearly even from the distance.
“And this word consists of three letters, right?” Trixie asked again.
“Right.”
Trixie wrote more two letters and showed to everypony except Cadence.
Oh, no.
Some slightly laughter came from the audiences.
The word Trixie wrote was “SEX”.
She raised up her hoof in front of her mouth at once, and pointed to Cadence, waving her hoof and shaking her head, meant: Don’t tell her.
Trixie was behind Cadence, so Cadence couldn’t see what Trixie wrote and her body language. But she frowned a little as she noticed the audiences had some strange reaction.
“Daddy, what’s that…”
“SHH——“Shining asked his daughter to be quiet.
This time, Twilight knew this was not the end of show, maybe it’s just the beginning.
Trixie cleared her throat, “Well, actually, I’m still not very sure my answer. So, I’m going to ask some questions about that-” she floated up the paper in the air behind Cadence “-in your daily life, may I?”
A smile was steaming on her face.
“Sure,” Cadence answered without hesitation.
Some gasp sound came from the audience. And Trixie raised her hoof again, mentioning everypony to keep silence.
Twilight and Shining looked at each other, full of hazed.
Why did Cadence simply say sure?
Twilight turned to Starlight, the latter just put the hoof on her shoulder. “Everything is fine, don’t worry.”
“Thanks. Now, listen to me carefully, and answer my questions honestly,” said Trixie, “Question one: How often do you do that?”
“Everyday,” Cadence answered.
Cadence had been married, she was a very beautiful mare, it’s normal for that, Twilight thought, but everyday, seriously?
“Ok. Question two: How many times a day?” Trixie continued.
“Usually three times a day, sometimes maybe four times or more.” Cadence answered calmly, as if everything was fine.
Another gasp sound let out from the audience, louder this time.
Twilight’s eyes wide opened astonishedly.
“Really?” she whispered to her brother, she could tell his skin under the white fur was blushing.
Shining didn’t say anything, totally frozen. His eyes didn’t dare look at her.
No wonder Shining always looked so tired since he had got married. Poor stallion.
And the great Princess of Love.
But why Cadence will answer such privacy questions? Maybe she’s just lying? She just wants to make the show funnier. When Twilight came to this idea, she felt relief.
“Well, that’s a little amazing,” Trixie commented, and Cadence smiled awkwardly. “Next question: “How long will it last each time?”
“At least half an hour.”
Wow~
Everypony was surprised about that.
If it’s true, Twilight would very appreciate her bother. But most part of her believed Cadence was lying. It’s just a show, just for fun.
She noticed her brother was burying his with hoof. If he had wings, he would use them.
“So impressive.” Trixie wanted to laugh this time, but she refrained and focused on the performance immediately. “The last question: Who do you usually do that with?”
“My lover Shining Armor…”
There’s no doubt about it, of course.
“…and…”
And?! Twilight shocked, so was her brother.
“…Flurry Heart.”
WHAT?!?
Hearing mum called her name, Flurry Heart cheered out. “Yeah! Mommy! Fun!”
The audiences were all dumbfounded, facing at each other, didn’t know what to said.
Even if Cadence was lying, she shouldn’t make jokes like that, it’s bound to cause a scandal!
Cadence stared at audiences in bewilderment. “What’s the matter? Did I say something wrong.?” She looked at them, wanting for an answer.
And the audiences also wanted an answer from their Princess.
The Princess of Love? Or the Princess of Sex?
Twilight suddenly recalled what her brother told her yesterday:
“She is taking a nap with Cadence in the next room, you’d better not to disturb them.”
Oh no!
Twilight almost passed out. She shook her brother. “Seriously? Do you know about that?”
Shining swallowed hard, simply shook his head. The blush was fade away, replacing by the pale, although he had the white fur. His pupils narrowed endlessly, shaking.
From her expression, it didn't look like she was joking. But if it’s true, why did she have to tell it to everyone, especially in front of her subjects?
The last time she saw Cadence being such strangely was…
Queen Chrysalis! She was back!
As Twilight was ready to shout out warn everyone about that, a hoof covered her mouth. It’s Starlight’s.
“Calm down, Twilight. It’s just a magic show effect,” Starlight whispered to her, “Princess Cadence is fine. Please believe your friends.”
Starlight was right, she needed to calm down. If Cadence was Chrysalis’ disguise, she could notice that. After all, they lived together in the castle last night.
And all the Trixie’s props were prepared by Twilight, and she knew Trixie didn’t master any dark magic spell, like mind controlling. So, Trixie was not the point.
Wait, Mind controlling spell! Twilight remembered Starlight casted Cogeria, Persuadere and Fiducia spell to her friends and did what she willing in her castle.
Starlight was behind all of this? But why she was in the audience instead of hiding behind the stage?
Actually, as Trixie’s expectation, Twilight must be crazy if she picked Cadence or Shining as a spectator coincidentally. This’s the reason why she asked Starlight to stay with Twilight.
“Perfect!” Trixie’s voice drew everypony’s attention back to her. “The great and powerful Trrrrrixie is sure her answer. So, now it’s time to reveal the truth.” She turned over her paper and floated it just beside Cadence. “Ok, Cadence. I’m going to count down three, then you and me show to the audiences what we have got, ready?”
Cadence nodded.
“Now, three… two… one!”
They turned over the writing at the same time.
“EAT” and “eat”.
What Trixie’s word was supposed to be “SEX” seconds before, when did she switch it?
“What?” All the audiences let out the same word at the same time in surprise.
Then the thunderous applause burst out.
Twilight and Shining faced to each other, blinking, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Three times a day, more than half an hour each time, this was perfectly normal.
“Thank you! Thank you enjoy the great and power magic show!”
Still, no firework, no smoke ball, just applause and cheer.
“Nice trick, Trixie.” Twilight couldn’t help clopping her hoofs too.
That night, The Crystal Fair was over happily. Twilight and her friends, including Trixie and Starlight had left the Crystal Empire.
“So, three times a day, half an hour each time, can you really do that?” Cadence asked her husband as she looked him into her eyes.
Shining bit his lip, eye sight dodging left and right. “Hmm…”
Before Shining answered her, she dragged him to the bedroom. “I’m curiosity about how long you can take.”
She opened the door, and saw the floor was covered by dozens of pieces of paper, each one with a scrawled word “SEX”.
“S-E-X.” Flurry turned back, her hoofs were full of ink.
“Mommy, what’s this word mean?”
Author's Note
Few years ago, I wathced this funny magic show in my real life, and I knew how it works.
