Apple Bloom looked over the railing of the club house. “Ah’m ready up here!”

On the ground below, Sweetie Belle nodded and turned her head. Across the orchard, Scootaloo stood on her scooter. Sweetie Belle waved at her. “Go for it!”

Scootaloo dropped her head and lowered a hoof to kick against the ground. She began to move and fluttered her wings to pick up speed. Ahead of her, at the bottom of the tree their clubhouse was built in, a plank of wood leaned against a transporter box. Scootaloo came closer, aiming her scooter at the blank.

Sweetie Belle’s horn lit up green and the curtain of the box drew back in an aura of magic. “Now!”

On the balcony above, Apple Bloom lifted a small, tightly packed ball of blue powder and dropped it into the second transporter box in front of her.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle watched as the box on the ground flashed blue and the ball of powder was flung out of it to hit the ground. A cloud of smoke erupted into the air on its impact. A second later, Scootaloo hit the plank of wood and made the jump, emerging from the smoke in midair and going a few hooves further before she landed on the grass and skidded to a halt.

“That was awesome!” Scootaloo whooped and jumped off her scooter. She ran back into the dust cloud to examine the transporter box. “It worked! I built it right!”

“And mah smoke bombs went off just like Trixie said they would!” Apple Bloom ran down the ramp to the clubhouse to join them.

Sweetie Belle closed the curtain on the transporter box. “And did you see my magic? I just willed it to happen and it did it!” She rapidly closed and opened the curtain several more times. “I guess all those exercises Trixie told me to do are really working.”

“All her lessons are working.” Apple Bloom grinned. “She talks about all sorts of alchemy stuff when she’s making me mix smoke bombs. Ah think I could probably whip up some sleepin’ powder on my own with what she’s told me.”

Scootaloo held up her hooves. “I built a box.” She looked back at the transporter box. “Its got sapphires glued to the back. They do something magical.”

Apple Bloom tilted her head, quirking an eyebrow. “Ya know, you are a pegasus. Have ya ever tried doing something with weather control?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “You need clouds for that, and this low they tend to evaporate and fall apart. I’ve asked Rainbow Dash.” She looked back at the transporter box and sighed. “It’s cool you two have learned so much from this, but I’ve kind of been the third wheel.”

Sweetie Belle gaped. “That’s not true! You’ve been a huge help! You… uh… you convinced Trixie to come and help train us in the first place!”

Apple Bloom patted Scootaloo on the back. “We’re a team, remember? We’ll all help each other out, just like we always do. Ah’m sure if we think about it, we can come up with an awesome act that all of us can do.”

Scootaloo looked at her for a moment and slowly smiled. “Yeah… come on, we gotta find Trixie!” She looked back at the empty cart behind them. “Where is she, anyway?”

“Ah think she said she was talkin’ to Applejack about somethin’.” Apple Bloom galloped towards the barn, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle following. As they approached, they heard voices coming from the barn.

“Ah’m not saying it’s a problem, Trixie, but next time ya can at least ask first.”

“Trixie was taught it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.”

“Yeah, but it still ain’t polite.”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders walked into the barn and saw Applejack loading hay into a wagon as Trixie watched her. Sweetie Belle gently tapped Trixie on the hind hoof. “What’s going on?”

Trixie thrust a hoof at Applejack. “Trixie has been taking the apples from the trees around her cart since her arrival. Apparently this is a problem.”

Applejack looked at her evenly. “Ah don’t mind, we’ve got plenty this season. Ah’m just sayin’, would have been nice if ya asked.”

Apple Bloom walked up beside Trixie. “What did ya need them for? Some kind o’ fancy fruit-growin’ spell or something?”

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “No. I was hungry.”

“Oh.”

Trixie turned around to face the three. “So, my young apprentices. Trixie recalls she tasked you to read the provided textbooks on sleight-of-hoof tricks. Did you complete them as commanded?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “No. We agreed it was boring.”

Trixie huffed. “Very well. Do you have a better idea for today’s lesson?”

Sweetie Belle smiled. “We have a great idea. We wanna put on our own show!”

“Excuse me?”

The three looked at each other, gave a joint nod, then Apple Bloom turned back to Trixie. “We really appreciate all the trainin’ you’ve given us, but we think it’s time to actually do something with it. We wanna put on our own magic show.”

Trixie looked away and rubbed her chin. “Well… you have learned a lot… and it’s good you have such enthusiasm about the idea…” She smiled. “Very well, my young apprentices. Let it be known that you shall shortly put on your first magic show!”

The three jumped and cheered as Trixie rounded them up and headed towards her wagon. She looked behind her to make sure they were following before she spoke again. “Trixie shall presume you have ideas for what such a performance would entail?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “We’ve put on other types of shows before. How hard can it be?”

“Hn. Trixie will ignore that insinuation.”

When the four reached Trixie’s cart, Trixie moved to the far side where the harness and straps for pulling it lay. She pulled down one of the wooden panels, revealing a lever inside a small compartment. “Voila!” Trixie clicked the lever and the side of the cart exploded outward. The three watched as the wall fell down, revealing it was actually a false wall on hinges. Legs came loose and extended to stop it from hitting the ground as it came down, forming a stage. Behind it, an awning on spring-loaded poles popped up over it and curtains pooled down at the back.

Sweetie Belle’s jaw dropped. “Did that always do that? Or did I miss it?”

Trixie smirked as she jumped on the stage. “Trixie is full of surprises, my young apprentices.” She walked to the front and stomped a hoof twice, causing a section of the stage to part into separate panels which lowered to become a set of stairs. “Mind the window hole. Keep it covered during the performance and it makes an effective trap door.”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders walked onto the stage and stepped around the square hole in the middle where the cart’s window lined up, the window awning now taut along the underside. Scootaloo looked over the stage, a wide grin on her face. “This is gonna be so cool.”

“I should hope so, my apprentice.” Trixie gestured her hooves to either side of the stage. “How long do you require to plan this show of yours?”

The three turned around and talked among themselves. Trixie waited, tapping a hoof on the stage. Eventually they turned back to her and Apple Bloom cleared her throat. “How about tomorrow night?”

“Marvelous. You have free access to Trixie’s supplies and textbooks, use them as you need.” Trixie smiled and walked past them to hop off the stage. “Trixie will be going into town for lunch.”

“W-wait!” Apple Bloom ran to the end of the stage. “You’re leavin’ us alone?”

Trixie stopped and looked back at her. “What? Trixie intends to be amazed and dazzled by your performance. That would hardly be workable if she watches you prepare for it, hm?” Trixie shook her head. “Don’t worry, if you need help, just come and find me. But I have full confidence that you’ll be able to handle yourselves.”

Trixie resumed walking. Alone on the stage, the Cutie Mark Crusaders looked between themselves. Sweetie Belle spoke first, grinning.

“Wanna get out the cannon again?”

Trixie walked down the main street of Ponyville, casting her eyes between the stalls of goods. After leaving the Cutie Mark Crusaders to work on their act yesterday, she’d woken up today and forced herself not to spy on them. They’ll be fine. I’ve taught them well, and it's good they want to take this sort of initiative. She had a thought and shuddered. I hope they don’t blow up my cart.

Trixie saw an alchemy stand and approached it. She saw a rack of vials with a silver powder and looked at the sign. She picked up a vial and held it up to eye level. “Are you sure this is authentic silver lining from Cloudsdale?”

The pegasus salespony on the other side of the alchemy booth smiled and nodded. “Sure is. I have a cousin in the weather factory who gets me the hook-up. It’s one hundred percent pure, too.”

Trixie put the vial back on the rack. “How much?”

“Well, between the quality of the goods and the difficulty in procuring them around these parts… ten bits for a vial.”

“Ten bits?” Trixie’s jaw dropped. “I’ve bought entire alchemy sets for less!”

“Ten bits. Take it or leave it.” The pegasus crossed his hooves.

Before Trixie could respond, she heard movement behind her. “Leave it. It’s sugar and dust dipped in silver paint.” Trixie turned to see Rainbow Dash flapping her wings to descend beside her. Rainbow kept her eyes on the pegasus at the booth. “Monty Swag. I thought they ran you out of Cloudsdale?”

Monty gulped and shrank back. “Dash! Look, this isn’t like that, right? That was a misunderstanding. Those pegasi knew their bits with me was an investment. It’s hardly my fault it didn’t pay out.”

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow glared and leaned over the booth. “Well, I’m about to invest my hooves in your flank.”

Monty raised an eyebrow. “What does that even mean?”

“It means get out of here!”

Monty grabbed the two shelves of alchemy vials on the booth and pulled them down in a flash. Seconds later, he ran down the road pulling a cart of ill-repute ingredients.

Trixie rolled her eyes. “I knew something was wrong with that. Authentic silver lining has a brighter lustre than that.” Rainbow looked back at her and Trixie locked eyes with her. “Hello, Rainbow Dash.”

“Hey.” Rainbow raised a hoof to wave. “No training with the squirts today?”

“They can take care of themselves.” Trixie noticed Rainbow Dash’s brow lift and amended, “mostly. They want to put on their own show, so I’ve left them to it. They were working hard yesterday and they tell me this evening they’ll be ready to take the stage.”

“Right. So you’re just out here shopping?”

“Pretty much. Those three have used up more supplies in a week than I’d use alone in a month.” Trixie peered closer at Rainbow and pursed her lip. “You’re being very friendly to Trixie. Why?”

Rainbow shrugged. “Why? Should I be a jerk?”

“Trixie would prefer you not, but given our history…”

“Meh. You patched things up with the rest of us, I’m not gonna be a stickler. Besides, I was a show-off, you just put me in my place.” Rainbow smirked and leaned in. “And then you got it sent back to ya.”

“Fair enough.”

Rainbow opened her mouth to say something else, then raised her head and looked past Trixie. “Ho boy.” Trixie turned and saw.

Scootaloo was riding her scooter down the street, pulling a cart with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle in it. The three were wearing red capes with a blue shield crest on the back, and the latter two were throwing flyers out from a stack in the cart.

As they came closer, Trixie could make out Apple Bloom’s voice. “Tonight, the Cutie Mark Crusaders debut their magic act at Sweet Apple Acres!”

“Come one, come all, and be in awe!” Sweetie Belle added, handing a flyer to a passerby.

The three approached Trixie and Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo dropped a hoof to the ground to stop them. She grinned, her wings fluttering eagerly. “Trixie, you’re gonna love what we’ve come up with!”

“Trixie should hope so.” She smiled and tilted her head up. “She has given you the benefit of her years of experience and wisdom. Do not disappoint her.”

“No problem!” Scootaloo turned to Rainbow. “We’ll see you there won’t we, Rainbow Dash?”

“Of course, kiddo.” Rainbow brushed a hoof over Scootaloo’s mane. “I wouldn’t miss it for the Wonderbolts.”

“Awesome!” Scootaloo turned back to the cart. “Come on, girls, let’s finish up the advertising and get back to practice!”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Oh, and by the way, Trixie, sorry about the spill.”

Trixie paled. “Spill?”

Apple Bloom scoffed. “We cleaned it up, don’t worry! Personally, Ah think that cloak looks better that color! Anyway, gotta go!”

The cart started up again and the three continuing down the street, tossing out flyers.

Trixie groaned and slapped her face. “Trixie is beginning to reconsider giving those three access to her magical supplies and then leaving them unsupervised all day.”

“Trust me, Trixie, you’d have better luck trying to stop a hurricane by yourself than keep those three out of trouble.”

It was shortly after sunset and a small crowd of ponies had gathered on the back areas of Sweet Apple Acres in front of the stage connected to Trixie’s cart. A pair of spotlights attached to nearby trees illuminated the stage. At the side of the cart, Trixie paced back and forth, her brow furrowed. She stopped and took a deep breath. Stay calm. It’s natural to be nervous for them. After all they haven’t done magic on-stage before. She shook her head. Not to mention what might happen at the end of the show… if they actually got their cutie marks...

“Trixie!”

Trixie turned and saw Twilight Sparkle approaching her. She swiftly adopted a more collected expression before replying. “Yes, Twilight Sparkle?”

“Sweetie Belle just poked her head out and said they’re starting in a minute. Don’t you want to come watch?”

Trixie smiled. “Yes, Trixie would. Lead the way.”

Twilight turned and walked into the crowd. Trixie followed her and found her sitting down with the rest of her friends near the front. Trixie sat at the end of the line and looked down it. “So, anypony nervous?”

Applejack shook her head. “Ah’m excited, mahself. Can’t wait to see what all this ruckus the last week has been for.”

Rarity nodded. “Quite right. Sweetie Belle is always so jovial when she comes home from her lessons. I’m eager to see why.”

Trixie sighed. “No pressure on me, then.”

Beside her, Twilight smiled. “Relax, Trixie. They’ll do fine.”

Suddenly, the spotlights on the stage went out, blanketing it in darkness. The murmurs of the crowd faded. Then…

“Welcome, citizens of Ponyville!” Sweetie Belle’s voice rang out over the area.

“Y’all are in for a heck of a show tonight!”

“Welcome, for the first time on-stage: the Cutie Mark Crusader Magicians!”

At Scootaloo’s declaration, a cloud of smoke erupted on the stage, roiling over the wood. From the cloud, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo leapt up one at a time and posed. They were wearing the same red capes from that afternoon.

The crowd applauded and cheered. Trixie eyed the stage as the smoke dissipated. Pressure-release smoke bomb to hide jumping up the trap door. Basic, but clever.

Apple Bloom swirled her cape around her. “Tonight, y’all are gonna see the most amazin’ magical show of yer lives! Scootaloo, bring me the prop box!”

Scootaloo ducked behind a curtain and came back with a familiar box, setting it in front of Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom looked inside and reached her hoof in. “Dang it, Sweetie Belle, you gotta organize this stuff better!”

“It was Scootaloo’s turn!” Sweetie Belle protested.

Apple Bloom began pulling out a variety of cheap magical props and other assorted miscellaneous goods, tossing them behind her until they began to pile up. The crowd laughed at the display, with Trixie sporting a smile of her own. Wonder where they hid all that stuff with the other transporter box.

“Here we go!” Apple Bloom finally pulled out a pair of shiny silver hoofcuffs.

Trixie raised an eyebrow. I don’t recall showing them how to use those… where did they even find those?

“Now, we shall hoofcuff Scootaloo to the wheels of a cart bound to leave for Appleloosa!” Apple Bloom announced. She approached Scootaloo and the other pony stepped back.

“Hang on. We didn’t talk about that. What’s the trick?” Scootaloo asked.

Sweetie Belle shook her head. “Oh, no trick. This is just revenge for not organizing things like you said you would.”

“Now hang on!”

The crowd laughed again.

Scootaloo pushed Apple Bloom’s hoof away and stepped forward on the stage. “She’s just jealous, because for the first trick tonight, you’ll see me… uh…” Scootaloo turned her head and whispered. Apple Bloom covered her mouth and whispered back and Scootaloo nodded. “Right. Now, watch as The Amazing Scooter Rocker performs a feat beyond imagination! Does anypony in the crowd have a bit?”

There was some shuffling, and a few hooves at the front of the crowd extended with bits. Scootaloo took the nearest one and stuffed it in her mane. “The Cutie Mark Crusaders thank you for your donation! Now, for our first trick…”

Scootaloo paused as another round of laughter rippled through the crowd.

Trixie smiled. They don’t know as much about the trade as they thought, but they’re covering it up with humor to stay entertaining. Works for professionals all the time.

“Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle gently pushed her aside. “Stand back! It’s time for a real showmare, the one and only Dazzler, to kick this off!” Sweetie Belle turned to the side and rose on her hind hooves, waving her hooves in the air. Her horn lit green and a coil of colored handkerchiefs tied together rose from the transporter box and swirled towards her.

Apple Bloom raised a hoof and held it in the air, then swept it down and bowed. “And now, we shall cut the rope!”

Hanging in the air, a thick rope tied around her midsection to hang her from the awning, Diamond Tiara’s eyes bulged. “W-what!?” She looked down; a bed of sharp steel spikes lay on the stage below her. “You’re gonna cut me down!?”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “Relax, we practiced this twice earlier.”

“Really?” Diamond Tiara looked her way. “I’ll be safe?”

Sweetie Belle held up her hooves. “Probably. We bungled it the first two times. But hey, third time’s the charm, right?”

Diamond Tiara shook her head and struggled in her bonds. “You stupid blank flanks, get me down from here right now!”

Sweetie Belle picked up a pair of scissors in her magic and moved them to the rope tied off next to her. “You’re the boss!”

“NO, NO THAT’S NOT WHAT I—”

The scissors closed and Diamond Tiara fell, screaming. She hit the bed of spikes and a blast of light went off. When it had faded, both Diamond Tiara and the spikes had vanished.

Apple Bloom looked over the stage, then at the crowd. “Hey, it worked: she’s gone!”

The crowd laughed and applauded widely. The three foals on the stage lined up and bowed, the applause growing louder.

Trixie grinned widely as she stomped her hooves with the rest. Good ol’ rubber and aluminum foil spike mat over the trap door. Works like a charm. I didn’t even tell ’em that one. They figured it out themselves.

“Thanks fer comin’ out!” Apple Bloom waved her hoof at the crowd. “Hope y’all had a good time!”

The three turned and ran behind the curtains and the crowd’s applause began to fade. They dispersed and Trixie turned her head. Twilight and her friends were talking among themselves. Trixie slipped away and climbed onto the stage. Behind the curtain, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had pulled Diamond Tiara up the small staircase that led under the stage.

Sweetie Belle brushed off Diamond’s mane. “You did great, you really seemed like you were scared!”

Diamond Tiara scowled. “I was scared! You didn’t tell me the spikes were fake!”

Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle. “Didn’t you tell her?”

“No. Didn’t you?”

“No.” The two shrugged, but Trixie saw the hints of a smile on Scootaloo’s face as she replied. “Hey, it worked out, and it was fun, right!”

Diamond Tiara grumbled under her breath and walked away. The Cutie Mark Crusaders noticed Trixie watching and rushed towards her. “Trixie!”

Apple Bloom grinned. “Did ya see mah smoke bombs! Ah used that ori-mah-calco stuff to keep it from going off, just like you said!”

Sweetie Belle jumped up and down. “And that’s the most magic I’ve ever used at once, and I’m not tired at all for it!”

Scootaloo looked at the transport box lying on the stage. “I have to admit, I never realized those things could do so much! I’m already thinking of other ways we could use it.”

Trixie smiled and nodded. “You three were marvelous. You do Trixie proud.”

The three looked at each other. Apple Bloom giggled. “Ah had so much fun tonight!”

“Mhm!”

“You said it.”

“So y’all know what that means…”

The three foals looked at their flanks in anticipation. Trixie sighed and lowered her head.

What seemed like minutes, but was in reality barely ten seconds, passed without any of them talking. Scootaloo’s face spell. “No cutie mark…”

“But…” Sweetie Belle blinked. “We worked so hard… and everypony loved it…”

“Yes, they did.” Trixie put a hoof over her. “Your cutie marks don’t matter. What matters is you worked hard, had fun, and put on a great show. And Trixie isn’t saying that just to humor you. She was quite impressed with all that you did.”

Apple Bloom’s eyes fell from her flank to the stage. “Yeah… but…”

“Come now, no sad faces like that.” Trixie smiled and reached out a hoof to nudge her head up. “It’s been a long night. Let’s pack it up and get you three to bed, hm?”

Trixie turned and approached the edge of the stage where Rarity and Applejack had stepped up.

Behind her, the Cutie Mark Crusaders watched her for a moment, then looked back at their flanks.

Author's Notes:

You waited long enough for this one; normal updates will resume every third Friday.