"Come on Comet! You can do it!" Exclaimed Spike. Both of them were at the Golden Oak library.
"Okay, here it goes!" The unicorn flared up his horn and shot a beam in the direction of Spike's muzzle. Shortly after a pair of mustache grew under the drake's nostrils.
"Ha ha! Ya did it! Growing magic, that's number twenty-five. Twenty-five different types of tricks and counting. And I think this is the best trick so far."
He looked at himself in the mirror.
"Hello, Rarity. What's that? Aw, it's nothin', just my awesome mustache. "
Reptile giggled to himself.
"Sorry Romeo but this stache is only for practice. It's gotta go."
Comet fired another spell, this one got rid of Spike's pride.
Young dragon deflated slightly.
"Come on, let's go to the town's square, I'm sure something interesting is going to happen today." Comet said wanting Spike to stop thinking about his loss.
"I don't get it with you." Spike told Comet while they were strolling through the main square. "You've performed twenty five kinds of tricks already. Shouldn't unicorns have just a little bit of magic that is tied to their special talent?"
"Not necessarily." Replied the unicorn. "That's true for some unicorns but some of them can spend their whole life perfecting the arcane arts. Think of Starswirl or Fleeing Whisper, the Great Archmage of the west."
"So kinda like you."
"I'd need to have my head up my flank to think I'm anywhere near their level."
"I think you're selling yourself short there. The only other unicorn your age with similar skills that I can name is Twilight."
Comet smiled faintly. "I wonder how she's doing."
"What did she write to you?" Asked Spike without thinking.
His older brother didn't say anything back.
Spike looked at him.
"You did write to her, right?" Spike pressed him.
Comet sighed. "It's… complicated, Spike."
"What exactly? You pick up the pen, dip it in ink and describe what you've been through."
" I have trouble forming my thoughts. They've been wandering around for a while."
"Huh? Is that so? Can I help you in any way with that?"
"No, you wouldn't get it."
"Try me."
Comet chuckled. "Wow you really are relentless today, aren't you?"
"I just want to help you solve a problem."
"There is none."
"You're not acting like yourself. You two have been practically joined at the hip throughout your whole foalhood and now you don't know how to talk to her?"
"Can you just drop it please?" Comet asked, a little more aggression in his voice than he planned.
Spike raised his claws in defeat. "As you wish."
The unicorn wanted to apologize for his sudden outburst but before he could say anything a pair of colts almost run into him.
"Gangway! Coming through!
He recognized the pair as Snips and Snails. It probably wasn't the nicest thing to say but they struck him as not the brightest foals in the area.
The shorter of them Snips rammed into Spike, probably not out of spite but simply not noticing him.
"Augh! Snips! Snails! What's going on?" Exclaimed the young drake. As if by magic both of them stopped instantly in their tracks, which in turn sent the reptile forward.
"Well, haven't you heard?" Asked Snails. "There's a new unicorn in the town!"
"Yeah!" Snips chimed in, excited. "They say that she's got more magical powers than any other unicorn ever!"
"Really?" Comet asked intrigued."
"Heh, yeah right. That honor goes to the Comet Tail here." Said Spike sounding almost offended.
"Where is this new unicorn?" Asked the royal protege
"Ho, she's in the town square. Come on!" Snails encouraged them.
Luckily for them they didn't have to go very far.
In the middle of the aforementioned square Comet saw a huge crowd of ponies gathered in front of the wagon. Soon enough the carriage started transforming into a stage with curtains.
"Come one, come all! Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!" The announcement was followed by a gust of smoke from which emerged a mare.
She had light blue coat, white mane and dark violet eyes. Upon her shoulders and head rested pointy cap and a cape. Both of them decorated with a star pattern.
The audience oohed at the sight.
"Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!"
Fireworks and fanfare started playing to enhance the effect.
"My,my. What boasting." Said Rarity.
"Yeah! There's nopony more magical than Co-Co…" Spike's speech slurred out as he noticed Rarity was standing next to him.
"H-hi, Rarity, I-" He stoped for a second to touch mis muzzle. "Mustache!"
"There's nothing wrong with being talented, is there?" Comet asked uncertainly.
"Nothin' at all, except when someone goes around showin' it off like a school filly with fancy new ribbons." Replied Applejack.
"Just because one has the ability to perform lots of magic does not make one better than the rest of us." Added Rarity.
"Yeah and sometimes it just isn't cool to remind somepony that you're better at something than them." Said Soarin. "Take a look at me. I don't remind Thunderlane every time we see each other that he has not won once in a race against me."
Applejack frowned at him. Soarin shrunk under her gaze. "Alright, maybe I've done that once or twice."
"Well, well, well." Trixie glared at them. "it seems we have some neighsayers in the audience. Who is so ignorant as to challenge the magical ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie? Do they not know that they're in the presence of the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria?"
Rarity blew a raspberry. "Just who does she think she is?"
"Yeah! Since we all know that Comet here-" Spike started saying but was interrupted by his brother putting a hoof on his shoulder.
"Alright there buddy, calm down." Comet said.
"What? What's wrong?" Spike asked, confused.
"It doesn't matter which one of us is better at magic. The point about showing off still stands true so it's meaningless to engage in contests." His older brother explained to him.
"So Great and Powerful, huh?" Soarin asked with a sneer. "Those are some impressive nicknames you got there. What did you do to earn them?"
"Heh, why, only the Great and Powerful Trixie has magic strong enough to vanquish the dreaded ursa major!" She replied. It was followed by another round of fireworks and fanfare.
The audience aahed again.
"No way!" Said Snails.
"When all hope was lost, the ponies of Hoofington had no one to turn to. But the Great and Powerful Trixie stepped in and, with her awesome magic, vanquished the ursa major and sent it back to its cave deep within the Everfree Forest!" Boasted Trixie.
Everyone beside their group started cheering, including the unicorn colts duo.
"Trixie truly is the most talented, the most magical, the most awesome unicorn in Ponyville." Exclaimed Snails.
"No, In all of Equestria!" Added Snips.
"How do you know it? You haven't seen it yourself." Spike said defensively
The magician smirked at their words. "If your group doesn't believe Trixie then I hereby challenge you all. Anything you can do, I can do better."
Nobody responded.
"Any takers? Anyone? Hmm? Or is Trixie destined to be the greatest equine who has ever lived?!"
Fireworks and fanfare started playing again.
"Please I beg of you, as your little brother, you gotta show her!" Spike cried to Comet. "You just gotta,she's unbearable!"
Trixie's eyes locked on Comet. "How about you?"
He looked around himself. "What? Me?"
"Yes you. Is there anything you can do that Trixie can't?"
The unicorn scratched the back of his head. "I can recite the first three chapters of Equestrian Arcane's Essentials. Though it's not much of a skill, is it?"
The blue unicorn looked at him weirdly.
"That's it! I can't stand for no more of this!" Applejack interrupted them and walked on stage.
"You show her AJ!" Spike encouraged her.
"Can your magical powers do this?" The orange mare asked and gave an impressive show of lasso work.
The audience cheered, enthralled.
"Top that missy!" Said Applejack proudly.
"Oh ye of little talent. Watch and be amazed at the magic of Trixie!"
She glowed her horn and one of the ropes started moving in a serpentine-like fashion. Soon enough the rope wrapped around Applejack' made her fall over.
Trixie smiled triumphantly.
"It's all fine and dandy, but you didn't exactly beat her in the lassoing, did you?" Asked Comet.
The magician stared daggers at him.
"What did you say?" She strained through her teeth.
"You've used your magic to move the rope, but the swinging abilities were nowhere as impressive.
She released the air angrily through her nostrils. "I see how it is…"
Comet thought to himself that it sounded weirdly ominous.
"What's your name?" The blue unicorn asked.
He got himself unwillingly into trouble again.
"I'm Comet Tail." He replied not knowing what to expect.
She smirked maliciously.
"Well then Comet Tail, you can feel privileged as the Great and Powerful Trixie is challenging you to a magic duel!"
Fanfare and fireworks played again. The audience cheered.
"Tomorrow precisely at noon you will be obliterated at this very town square."
"No way dude!" Said Snails.
"Congratulations!" Added Snips
Comet on the other hand didn't like the idea at all.
The sun was at it's highest point when the royal protege reached the town's square. It was filled with almost every inhabitant of Ponyville.
Including his six friends. The look on element bearers faces ranged from happiness to uncertainty.
"You've got it, partner!" Exclaimed Braeburn.
"Remember no matter the outcome, Celestia has chosen you as her protege not her." Said Time Turner. "This gotta count for something."
Comet took a deep breath. "You guys have my back?"
Thunderlane smiled. "Always."
Now he noticed his opponent standing on the other half of the square, grinning snidely.
"Aaaw! Would you look at that, you have someone to comfort you as you face your total annihilation."
"Funny. Do you have anypony to help you cope once I'm done with you?" Comet responded.
Trixie started gritting her teeth angrily. "Less talking, more spell casting!"
With that she flared her horn and summoned three creatures in a light pink flash. A lion, ram and a huge snake.
Ponies in the crowd started cheering.
"Wait, my dear admirers. That's not all!" Said Trixie.
There was another flash after which there was only one summoned creature, a chimera.
The beast roared loudly and spit out a streak of fire.
The ponies became even louder.
"Your move now, Mister know-it-all." She said
Comet analyzed her spells exactly. Her moves, the flashes of light. He looked for anything out of the ordinary
Finally it struck him.
He shoot out an glowing orb which flew into the direction of the chimera. The explosion of light upon the impact blinded everyone gathered.
When they opened their eyes, the creature vanished causing a mass confusion.
"I thought as much." Smirked Comet Tail.
The ponies started whispering among each other while Trixie's face contorted angrily.
"You didn't teleport and transmutate these animals. You've just mastered a spell that manipulates the way that light bends around a certain area." Comet explained loud enough for the crowd to hear. "A refraction spell, maybe?" He asked smugly.
His friends started cheering him on, except for Time Turner who seemed to have been occupied with writing something down in his notebook.
Trixie snorted. "Trixie is just getting started, watch this!"
A spell flashed again and this time the stage was filled with dozens of Trixie's.
Comet Tail already formed an idea in his head how this could have been accomplished.
"A simple cloning spell. Your time to shine, even foals know this one." Said Trixie with a hint of venom.
The royal protege flashed his horn… only to reveal two copies of himself.
"HAH! Pathetic. Only two? That's slightly above what a foal can do."
Comet shrugged his arms. "Maybe you're right, I've never been too good with this spell, however…"
He lifted a stone with his hoof and threw it at one of his copies. It hit it squarely on the back of its head earning a hiss. The clone looked at the Comet accusingly.
"You can interact with them, they are exemplary copies…" The yellow unicorn continued.
He picked up the stone and suddenly threw it at one of Trixie's clones. Before she could respond in any way the rock hit the copy making it disappear in a puff of smoke.
"Yours on the other hoof are advanced smoke manipulations. Kind of a shame, you can't really do anything with them. So much as a scratch and they disappear."
Trixie gave a him a look that could probably kill.
Without any warning a light exploded from her horn blinding temporarily everyone present.
When they opened their eyes they were no longer in Ponyville.
All around them was dense vegetation with exotic birds screeching.
A waterfall could've been seen in the background.
"Behold! The power of Great and Powerful Trixie has sent you to the vibrant jungle of Zebrabwe!"
Comet had to admit it was pretty impressive, but again he had an idea how she achieved this.
"Everypony! Can I have your attention?"
All of the crowd including Trixie looked at him.
"Look at the tip of my horn." He added.
Everyone did as they were told and were soon met with another explosion of light.
After opening their eyes again, they were back in Ponyville, their ears ringing.
"Before anyone freaks out, we haven't been teleported to Zebrabwe. What you've seen and heard was the effect of Sensory Mirage. A spell that controls the way your eyes see light and alter your hearing."
Trixie looked at him. Nothing but disdain in her eyes.
The mood among the ponies was different now. Instead of happily cheering they were whispering amongst each other. Some of them even started giving Trixie bad looks.
The magician took a deep breath. "Enjoy your victory while it lasts, bookworm, because the next time we meet the odds may not be in your favour.
With these words she flashed her horn for the last time, this time vanishing with her cart.
"Huh. So you can teleport after all." Comet noted to himself.
"That's what I'm talking about!" The unicorn turned his head to see a very enthusiastic Soarin.
"Wouldn't expect nothin' less from ya, partner!" Exclaimed Braeburn.
"Congratulations." Added Time Turner smiling.
"Thanks for the kind words but I wouldn't have been able to expose her scam if it weren't for your support." Replied Comet Tail. "And Twilight." He told himself mentally.
"You guys know what it calls for, right?" Asked Cheese Sandwich.
The rest of the mane six shook their heads.
"A scam prevention party of course!" Added the party planner cheerfully. "Let me just get in touch with Pinkie and the main square will become reinvigorated in no time."
And with that he was already gone.
The rest of the element bearers laughed it off and went towards the Sugar Cube Corner in hopes of finding him.
I have no idea how to save the spaces I made when downloading the file, if you have any idea give me a hint