Stage Fright

“Hurry! Get on stage! You’re next!” said the Director pony, shoving Twilight onto the stage. The stage floor was polished and the bright lights shining from above and off stage made it shine to the point of blinding. The bright lights Shined in her eyes causing her to cringe begun to make her sweat. Offstage looks and murmurs of the crowd began, and  were daunting to Twilight. She bit her lip and felt her legs shake as her whole body began to wobble. She started to walk to the center of the stage.

“Go on!” said the Director, again, trying to encourage her to go on. Twilight began to walk out to the center she stumbled out from behind the curtain then totted slowly to the center. She gulped and felt her stomach turn.

“U-uh… t-thi, t-t-this is…” Twilight said, struggling to find her courage. The crowd began to grow impatient with her and a few of the meaner ponies began to boo. Twilight felt the potential embarrassment and shame was already washing over her as she tried to speak. What if this is entertaining? Or worse! Something goes wrong because of me! I don't want the to look down on me. She took a few steps back then she heard a sound.

“Psst! Twilight!” Twilight turned her head over to the right, it was Trixie. Trixie was in a purple rectangular box on wheels in the center of the stage with her head sticking out the front and here blue feet out the back. The box was covered in multicolored stars, sprinkled all over the box. A crease ran down the middle separating the box in half.

“Come on! You can do this! We’ve practiced this for days!” Trixie said trying to reassure her friend. Twilight just stared frightened at Trixie, then slowly turned her attention back to the audience who was mumblings were growing louder. The bright light shown in her face blinding her again, causing her to squint, sweat droplets rolled down her cheeks and fell off her face hitting the floor. Trixie didn’t know what to do she looked at her friend then over to the Director who was looking nervous biting his hooves. Trixie looked back at Twilight, “Looks like I’ll have to do this myself…” Trixie muttered to herself, “Ahem! It is I! The Great and Powerful Trixie! And her friend, Twilight Sparkle!” she announced. The audience hushed and quieted down to hear Trixie. The bright lights moved over and shined over to Trixie. Twilight blinked and shook her head, knocking herself out of her trance. She looked over to Trixie and gave a smile. “But it isn’t about me this time” Trixie said I’ll let Twilight lead this demonstration of magic!” The bright light shifted over to Twilight, her eyes were blinded at first, readjusting to the light. Then after a moment, her eyes got used to the light, and kept her eyes slightly squinted. Sweat from the intensity of the light ran across her face.  Twilight realized she had to be brave for the show to be a success, and she needs to keep her wits.

“Hello, I’m Twilight Sparkle, and tonight we are going to show you an amazing feat of one of our favorite tricks!” Twilight said her voice getting firmer and her confidence returning.  Her fears of failure drifted away, and her mind grew calm once more.  “I am going to slice Trixie in half, leaving her perfectly intact!” the audience gasped and began to murmured again. “But not by any traditional means, so no saw here tonight. I feel that technique has  been exhausted. We decided to add more thrill to the worn act! Tonight, we will be using a guillotine!” she lifted her front hooves and pointed over above Trixie the curtain rose up and revealed a wide thick blade shimmering in the bright stage light above Trixie, “Neither of us have any control over the guillotine, it is automatically preset to fall in a certain amount of time, which I assure you, it’s soon.” Twilight started to gleam, her smile grew slowly as her eye shined as she watched the audience cheered. “Then after it slices her, I will separate the box and show you she is just fine!”

Trixie took a deep breath, “Psst, Twi”

Twilight gleamed for a moment, then turned to her friend, “Oh!” Twilight looked to stage left just over Trixie, Twilight nodded her head giving the que to the assistant ponies off stage, then they  jumped to their positions.  The short pony at the ropes one pushed the digital timer so that Twilight could see how much longer till the guillotine dropped. The bright red numbers were counting down, it was at 1 minute left. She looked back to Trixie,  who was Completely focus off the sharp blade dangling above her. She had complete faith in Twilight’s measurements and alignments. She had to, if Twilight was even the tiniest mistakes and the show would be a disaster, or worse.

Twilight looked back off stage to the clock, it read 24 seconds left. Twilight looked at Trixie and mouthed “21 seconds”. She stepped back and trotted over to Trixie. Trixie looked over and gave Twilight a warm smile, Twilight face gave in a smile also.

“Another few seconds and we’ll be the most famous ponies of our time. Given that this will shock them…” Trixie said.

“I’m sure this will shock them,  We are throwing a guillotine through you… Why am I here? I don’t really do anything.” Twilight said.

“Well, it would be awkward for me announcing to them when they can only see my head, wouldn’t it?” Trixie said holding back a chuckle.

“I guess your right.” Twilight said looking down.

The clocked was at 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Suddenly an air horn went off, off stage.  “Ahh!” Twilight screamed and jumped, falling behind Trixie’s box. Twilight reached out instinctively to grab the box, she grabbed it and turned it horizontally. The hook holding the blade up clicked, releasing the massive blade allowing it to fall down towards Trixie. All Trixie could do was stare into pure shock of what was flying towards her face.

Thwack!