Disclaimer: I own only the following: Charles

Chapter 6: Boast Busters

In the Books and Branches Library…

"Come on, Twilight. You can do it!" Spike was concentrating intently on something and facing Twilight Sparkle, who was preparing to cast a spell of sorts. They were in the upper-story room, where their beds were.

"Okay.", said the unicorn. "Here goes." She squeezed her eyes shut and fired up her horn; as its glow built up, the radiance also started to emerge around Spike's nose and chin. In one quick pop, he has grown a bushy black mustache.

"Ha-ha! You did it!" Spike then turned to a checklist set up on an easel and ticked off an entry. "Growing magic. That's number twenty-five. Twenty-five different types of tricks, and counting." His 'mistress' allowed herself an embarrassed little smile and blush as her assistant looked himself over in a nearby mirror. "And I think this is the best trick so far. Hel-lo, Rarity!" As he stroked his mustache, his eyes then popped. "What's that? Aw, it's nothin', just my awesome mustache." He added a chuckle.

"Sorry, Romeo. As attractive and enticing as you look, it's just for practice and it's gotta go." One again, her horn glowed.

"Wait!" Unfortunately, hands over the facial hair did nothing to stop the magic from erasing the mustache. "Aw, rats."

Twilight laughed softly at that, then said, "Wait. Where's Charles?"

Charles was snoozing on his bed, which was foot to foot with Twilight's, lying on his belly. He was also drooling, which irked his waker to no end. "Cut off that earthquake!" the stallion said as he went back to sleap. Twilight decided to shake a bit rougher.

"Charles!", she called again, but the stallion refused to wake, although he did shake a bit. She turned to her assistant. "Spike?"

"Okay.", the baby dragon conceded as he procured a pin and then poked him in the croup. This got him wide awake as he jolted up from the bed with a start.

"Aaagh!" As Charles fell onto the bed again, he turned sheepishly to his charge. "Sorry again, Twilight." He let out a yawn.

"And I thought you'd be over it by now after being my bodyguard for a month.", his charge replied.

"Yeah, I really should try to go to sleep early next time. I think our trip to the Everfree Forest has left my body clock out of whack."

"But none of us had such problems."

"I bet the Elements had something to do with that." Charles got off the bed as Twilight proceeded to 'fix it up'. "In any case, I'll try to break out of my oversleeping habit. I have never, sleeping on the job."

Later that day…

The three of them were walking down a busy Ponyville street.

"Twenty-five, Twilight.", Spike was saying. "Twenty-five different kinds of tricks, and counting. I thought unicorns were only supposed to have a little magic that matches their special talents."

As they did that, Charles greeted each of the ponies whom they have bypassed. He greeted a pale amber pegasus pony with a mussed up pink-and-pale raspberry hair, rose eyes, and three tornadoes as a cutie mark by the name Dizzy Twister. He greeted a brown earth pony with medium gray hair, cyan eyes, and a grayish-olive hat, but couldn't remember his name at the moment and was also curious as to why he had no cutie mark.

"Hey there, Dizzy Twister.", he said to the pegasus, then turned to the earth pony. "Hey there." He also greeted Heartstrings (by the name Lyra) and Golden Harvest as they bypassed them as well. "True, for ponies whose talents are for things like cooking or singing or math.", Twilight replied to her assistant. "But what if a unicorn's special talent is magic?"

"Like you, Twilight. And you know a ton of magic."

Twilight gave a laugh. "Oh, Spike, stop. I'm sure there are lots of ponies right here in Ponyville that know just as much magic as me." She glanced at a pegasus pony who bypassed them. She had an arctic blue coat, baby blue eyes, dark teal hair, and a raining cloud cutie mark.

"Good day to you, Medley.", Charles greeted the pegasus, who raised a hoof in return of the greeting.

"Are you kiddin'?", Spike replied to his 'boss' as they and Charles slowed to a stop. "I don't think there's another unicorn in all of Equestria with your kind of ability, Twilight."

"I kinda have to agree with him on that. Of all the unicorn ponies I known, you're the only one who knows more magic than I do, Twilight. And I am rather diverse. So far, you're the only one who exceeds me in that. You can learn just about anything, while combat and other miscellaneous necessities that can help with it are all I can learn. Well, either that, or my previous charges never had the need to show off more than they needed to."

"Gangway!", a voice came. Charles noted whoever spoke didn't seem to be bright as the three turned to see two young young unicorn colts in full gallop.

The shorter and chubbier of the two was bucktoothed, had a light blue-green coat, messy yellow-brown hair, and a pair of scissors as his cutie mark. The other, taller and thinner, had a yellow-tan coat, birdcatcher spots near his eyes, and equally unkempt light green hair that are slightly longer than his counterpart. His cutie mark was a snail. Both of them had beady black eyes and the shorter of the two sported thick brown eyebrows as well.

"Comin' through!", the taller colt added as they barreled past with enough speed to blow the two older unicorns' hair sideways while Spike found himself being bulldozed along on the shorter colt's head.

"Snips! Snails! What's going on?", he asked them. They answered by skidding to a stop, throwing him clear.

"What, haven't you heard?", the taller colt, Snails, said as Spike crashed somewhere. "There is a new unicorn in town!"

"Yeah!", agreed the shorter colt, Snips, as he bounced on his hooves as if he was high with sugar. "They say that she's got more magical powers than any other unicorn ever!"

As Snips spoke, Twilight and Charles approached the two colts as Spike did the same as he rubbed his head. "Oh, really?", the stallion asked.

"No way.", scoffed the baby dragon. "That honor goes to Twilight here." As he raised an arm to her, she smiled and blushed. "And I'd say Charles comes to a close second." He was earned a harsh look from the stallion.

"Where is this unicorn?"

"Oh, she's in the town square.", Snails answered. "Come on!" He then galloped off.

"Yeah! Come on!", Snips agreed as he followed with an excited yell as Twilight, Charles, and Spike raced after him a moment later.

Shortly…

There was a wagon trailer set up in front of the town square pavilion, presenting its side to the sizable crowd gathered before it. Charles could head a female voice ringing out over the scene, sounding very dramatic and over the top, as he, Twilight, Spike made their way to the front. Twilight's friends were at the front of the crowd.

"Come one, come all!", the voice said. "Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

During this line, the trailer reconfigured itself. One, the side wall flipped down to become a stage backed by a dark blue curtain, and two wings folded out to extend its length. Two, the ends swung out, exposing three brass horns mounted on each. Three, the roof popped up and several bits of overhead scenery extended over the stage: rocket, planet and stars, spiral, stars, and magic wand. Then, a blast of glittering blue smoke went off on the stage.

Once it cleared, a bright blue mare stood smiling at the crowd. Her hair was two lighter shades of blue, and she wore a blue-violet wizard's hat and cape covered with stars. The cape was secured by a jeweled brooch at her throat. Her eyes were a vivid shade of violet, and her cutie mark was a star-tipped wand spreading stardust, revealed when her cape blew backward. Trixie has just made her grand arrival, prompting awed murmurs from the crowd.

"Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!", she then said as she raised herself so that she stood on her hind legs. Fireworks then erupted from the stage, but Rarity seemed to be far from impressed.

"My, my, my.", she said. "What boasting."

"Come on.", Spike replied. "Nopony's as magical as Twi…" He then nearly had a fit upon realizing that he was speaking to the pony he wanted to impress with his mustache earlier. "Twi…Twi…oh!" He then blushed a bit, as he cleared his throat. "H-Hey, Rarity, I, uh…mustache!" he then ran off in a panic as his two companions took his place.

"There's nothing wrong with being talented, is there?", Twilight asked.

"Nothin' at all…", Applejack said as she eyed Trixie, who conjured up a bouquet of flowers. "'ceptin' when someone goes around showin' it off like a school-filly with fancy new ribbons!"

"Just because one has the ability to perform lots of magic does not make one better than the rest of us.", Rarity added.

"Don't let it go to your heads, girls.", Charles told them. "She's a showpony, a street performer, a traveling magician. It's in her job description to show off. I've seen her kind a few times. Besides, it's not like you have to watch her."

Unfortunately, as Twilight hunched down and let her ears droop sheepishly, his words fell on deaf ears as Rainbow Dash then spoke up.

"Especially when you got me around being better than the rest of us!", she said with a chuckle, then stopped herself as Applejack glared daggers at her. "Uh…I mean…yeah, uh, magic, schmagic! BOOOO!" She gave a sidelong glance at the still-disapproving farmpony.

"Well, well, well. It seems we have some ne-e-eigh-sayers in the audience.", remarked Trixie. "Who is so ignorant as to challenge the magical ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie? " There were assorted reactions of disgust, annoyance, confusion, and awe from everypony, the last of which came only from Snips and Snails. "Do they not know that they're in the presence of the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria?"

Rarity gave a raspberry. "Just who does she think she is?" Spike then elbowed up between her and Twilight.

"Yeah.", agreed Spike. "Since we all know that Twilight here is—"

"Spike, shhh!" The purple unicorn then pushed him well away from the spectacle for a private chat and both kept their voices down.

"What? What's wrong?"

"You see the way they reacted to Trixie? I don't want anyone thinking I'm a showoff." Once again, the performer's fireworks went off, more energetically than before.

All of a sudden, Rainbow Dash then flew into the stage, fed up by Trixie's stunts. "So, Great and Powerful Trixie, what makes you think you're so awesome, anyway?", she asked.

Trixie answered by putting a hoof to her face with a disdainful laugh, then spoke with mounting fervor. "Why, only the Great and Powerful Trixie has magic strong enough to vanquish…the dreaded Ursa Major!"

Fireworks blasted from the horns at one end of the stage, decorating the sky with the outline of a huge bear whose forehead is marked with a starburst. Its head and tail moved in a way that Charles alluded it to a neon sign. There were gasps and murmurs all around.

"What?!", Snips gasped.

"No way!", Snails gasped.

"When all hope was lost, the ponies of Hoofington had no one to turn to.", Trixie continued her story as a figure of herself then approached the Ursa, wand at the ready. As she continues, it stood pat before the beast's swipes and cast a spell, causing it to fizzle out and disappear in a shower of sparks. "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!"

"Suh-weet!", cried out the two colts.

"That settles it!", added Snips.

As the magician stood proudly, Snails walked closer to the stage and gestured to her as he spoke. "Trixie truly is the most talented, most magical, most awesome unicorn in Ponyville!", he said.

Snips popped up next to him. "No! In all of Equestria!" At that time, Twilight and Spike had returned to the crowd.

"How do you know?", Spike objected. "You didn't see it! And besides, Twi—" He was cut off as his mouth was literally zipped shut by the unicorn he was about to mention.

"They're just children, Spike.", Charles told him. "They don't know any better."

Trixie gave out a laugh. "It's true, my enthusiastic little admirers. Trixie is most certainly the best in Ponyville!"

She was answered by dead silence from the crowd as crickets chirped. Even though it was still early in the day for them to do that.

"Just let her brag, everypony. Just let her brag." Although I think she's taking a step too far here.

"Don't believe the Great and Powerful Trixie? Well, then, I hereby challenge you Ponyvillians. Anything you can do, I can do better. Any takers? Anyone, hmm?" There was no answer from anypony. "Or is Trixie destined to be the greatest equine who has ever lived?"

Once again, she rose to her hind legs, and there came another fusillade of fireworks, the most elaborate so far, after which Spike unzipped his lip and threw himself at Twilight's hooves, sobbing.

"Please! She's unbearable! You gotta show her! You just gotta!"

"There's no way I'm gonna use my magic now, Spike.", he was answered. "Especially since—"

She was cut off by Trixie as she scanned the crowd. "Hmmm…how about…you?" She then pointed at Twilight, who swallowed hard.

After pointing at the purple unicorn, Trixie strode confidently toward the edge of the stage.

"Well, how about it, hmmm? Is there anything you can do that the Great and Powerful Trixie can't?", she dared.

"I, uh, I… "

"Well, little hayseed?"

Before an answer could be given, Applejack spoke up. "That's it! I can't stand for no more of this!"

"You show her, AJ!", Spike called out as the farmpony walked up on stage.

"Can your magical powers do this?" Applejack began her 'performance'. She twirled a lasso around herself at floor level with her tail. She hoisted the loop clear of the boards, then worked it forward and backward. There was a chorus of "oohs" from the crowd.

An expert flick of the blond tail then sent the lasso flying to snag an apple off a tree. The rope loosened on the return trip so that the fruit landed squarely in her mouth. After a quick chew and swallow, the crowd voiced its approval.

Applejack then turned to face Trixie. "Top that, missy!"

In response, the magician's hat began to glow in the same color as Trixie's eyes. "Oh, ye of little talent." Her hat was then lifted clear of her head, fully exposing her horn and mane, the latter of which curled slightly. "Watch and be amazed at the magic of Trixie!"

One end of the now-untied rope began to glow in the same aura as it sinuously off the stage, just like how snake charmers do it. It swayed back and forth before Applejack's face, catching her attention as the other end of the rope pulled a second apple from the tree. The first end then lashed toward Applejack's hooves and hogtied her, briefly lifting her upside down off the stage before dropping her on her back. Then, once she fell on the stage floor, the apple was stuffed whole into her mouth. The crowd laughed and cheered as the farmpony hobble-hopped away.

"Once again, the Great and Powerful Trixie prevails.", the magician declared. Just then, Rainbow Dash flew right up to Trixie's face.

"There's no need to go strutting around and showing off like that!"

"Oh?"

"That's my job." Rainbow then went off into a speeding charge and set a windmill spinning at an insanely high speed as she grabbed one vane. The machine then pitched her skyward when she let go; punching neat holes through a long row of clouds. The self-assured aviator hovered briefly before the sun so that it silhouetted her form.

Her next move was a screaming dive that carried her through the holes she punched and down to the same windmill, a few droplets of moisture following her from the clouds. When she repeated the grab-release maneuver, the vanes flung her straight back to the stage, where she skidded to a stop and let the trailing droplets scatter off her back, resulting in a a small rainbow forming over her head.

"They don't call me 'Rainbow' and 'Dash' for nothing."

Once again, the crowd cheered from the display while Trixie seemed unperturbed. "When Trixie is through, the only thing they'll call you is 'loser'!"

Her horn then glowed as she shot a beam at the rainbow, making it wrap its creator up in a little tornado and carry her yelling into the sky. The cyclone veered madly in all directions before hitting the ground upside down and flying away.

Rainbow wound up lying on her face in the dirt, her eyes jittering and her body bent upward as if sprawled against an invisible wall. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Seems like anypony with a dash of good sense would think twice before tussling with the Great Trixie." On the end of this, she cast another spell as Rainbow got upright and fumbled her way to a now-untied Applejack and the crowd. A black cloud appeared overhead and zapped the pegasus in the rump with a lightning bolt. There was laughter from all from the resulting yelp.

"What we need is another unicorn to challenge her!", Spike said as he elbowed Twilight's leg. "Someone with some magic of their own?"

"Yeah!", Rainbow agreed as she moved towards Charles. "A unicorn to show this unicorn who's boss!"

"A real unicorn-to-unicorn tussle!", added Applejack as Spike eyed Twilight expectantly.

"Uh…", the purple unicorn uttered.

"I'm not about to upstage such a braggart.", her bodyguard whispered. "Won't be fair for a stallion to best a mare, now would it?"

Rarity then stepped up. "Enough. Enough, all of you. I take your hint, but Rarity is above such nonsense. Rainbow Dash and Applejack may behave like ruffians, but Rarity conducts herself with beauty and grace."

"Ooh, what's the matter?", Trixie taunted. "Afraid you'll get a hair out of place in that rat's nest you call a mane?"

Uh oh., Charles groaned as Rarity took the bait.

"Oh, it is on!" Now onstage and circling Trixie, the aspiring designer regained the bulk of her composure. "You may think you're tough with all of your so-called powers, but there is more to magic than your brutish ways. A unicorn needs to be more than just muscle." Her horn proceeded to glow as she 'pulled off' the curtain. "A unicorn needs to have style." The curtain then wrapped itself into a tight whirl around her body, and a flash clears it away to show the results. She now wore a blue gown trimmed in gold, complete with saddle, that left her forelegs bare, and her mane has been styled into a tall bouffant.

Over the crowd's "oohs", she continued, "A unicorn is not a unicorn without grace and beauty." Trixie just smirked and readied herself for another spell.

"Rarity won't let Trixie get the best of her!", Spike said in a lovestruck manner. "She's strong, she's beautiful…" There came a flash and his eyes widened in disbelief. "…she's…" His jaw then dropped, the crowd mirroring his sentiments in face and voice.

"QUICK!", Rarity panicked. "I NEED A MIRROR! GET ME A MIRROR! What did she do to my hair? I know she did something terrible to my hair!"

Twilight was trying not to laugh as she answered, "Nothing."

Rainbow Dash was doing the same. "It's fine."

Applejack was feeling unsettled. "It's gorgeous!"

Charles had his eye twitching. "It's beautiful!"

"It's green." Spike told the truth flat out and the rest gave him disapproving looks. "What?"

Rarity's mane was indeed green, and in two different shades at that. It was also a piled-up mess, with a twig and a few berries caught in it, as well as a couple of tails protruding from the uppermost reaches.

"No! Green hair! Not green hair!", Rarity lamented as she dashed through the crowd, shuddering. "Such an awful, awful color!"

As she sobbed and galloped away, she bypassed Golden Harvest, whose hair was now green instead of her usual orange.

"Well, I never!", she cried out in offense.

"Well, Twilight, I guess it's up to you.", said Spike as Trixie blew a bit of dust off one hoof. "Come on. Show her what you're made of."

Twilight smiled nervously. "What do you mean? I'm nothing special."

"Yes, you are! You're better than her!"

"I'm not better than anyone!"

"Ha!", Trixie suddenly said as she approached the edge of her stage. "You think you're better than the Great and Powerful Trixie? You think you have more magical talent?" She was now close enough to glower over the boards at the frightened challenger and the defiant little dragon. "Well, come on. Show Trixie what you've got. Show us all."

The full weight of the crowd's gaze bore down on Twilight for a moment. "Who, me?" She was obviously trying to play it off. "I'm just your run-of-the-mill citizen of Ponyville. No powerful magic here. I, uh…I think I hear my laundry calling. Sorry, gotta go." She then suddenly galloped away from the scene, leaving a bunch of very confused ponies and one disappointed assistant.

"Twilight…?", Spike uttered as Trixie sucked in a disdainful gasp.

"Once again, the Great and Powerful Trixie has proven herself to be the most amazing unicorn in all of Equestria." Trixie then turned to walk off. "Was there ever any doubt?"

"As a matter of fact, there still is.", a voice came.

Trixie stopped turned her head to the other side of the stage…and saw Charles facing her. "Well, well, well." Trixie turned her body to completely face him. "Looks like somepony can't tell when she's out of her league."

"Well, after insulting some of my friends, I just feel like either teaching you your place or at least get my share of humiliation." His horn then proceeded to glow.

"Even after it's apparent that no mare can stand a chance against the Great and Powerful Trixie?"

"You think I was a mare?" Charles raised an eyebrow as Trixie paused in slight surprise. He now knew that he got her. "Just about everypony thinks I'm a girl at first sight when in truth I'm actually a guy.The real reason why I'm here however is because of your claim."

"Oh, and what might that be?"

"The claim that anything any of us can do, you can do better. Well, as far as I can tell, you only proved that true once with the rope trick. For those other times, you just twisted their tricks against them, hardly besting them if you ask me."

Trixie made a smug face. "What makes you think you can do better than those losers?"

"Well…" All of a sudden, Charles 'unsheathed' his "magic horn blade". "Let's see if you can best me in a duel."

"If you put it that way, looks like Trixie has no choice."

The duel had resulted in something awkward. Charles was finding himself in an embarrassing situation again and again. Currently, he lay on his back and was looking at Trixie upside-down. While the performance was admittedly interesting, it was taking too much of their time and they had to leave. Spike left as well, most likely to try and convince Twilight to challenge Trixie, which was highly unlikely.

"Had enough yet?", the stage magician asked in a haughty manner, slightly panting. She was answered by him swiftly getting up on his feet in one swift movement.

"How about that?", he challenged. "Can you do better?" He was answered with her turning her head towards something on the stage wall. He followed her gaze and saw an analog clock.

"Even the Great and Powerful Trixie has her limits. Four challenges in a row, especially when the last one is somepony as stubborn as yourself, can render even Trixie exhausted. Besides…" She then turned to the few ponies who were left watching. "It's apparent she has obviously wasted far too much time."

"I understand." Charles then turned to leave. "Perhaps we can continue our duel another time. And next time…" He then paused and turned back to Trixie. "I won't go as easy." This got him the reaction he expected; an attempt to conceal her shock. "See you around." With that, his horn glowed again and he teleported away. He reemerged somewhere behind the stage, where no one could see him. Okay. That didn't go as well as I hoped. In fact, I think I screwed up somewhere there. Guess it can't be helped. He then smacked himself in the face with his hoof.

Evening…

Charles walk threw town when all of a sudden, there was a rumble in the ground. This can't be good. It was then followed by a roar. This can't be good at all. I better investigate if it's a threat.

And with that, Charles galloped off to the source of the sound. On the way, a minute after bypassing Trixie's trailer, Snips and Snails were about to bypass him when he 'stopped' them short with his magic.

"What's the trouble, boys?", he asked.

"Can't talk now!", said Snips.

"Got a major problem!", said Snails.

"Yeah! Ursa Major, to be exact!"

"Wait, what?"

There was another roar and it caught him off guard such that he 'let go' of the two colts, who bolted straight for Trixie's trailer. He then looked ahead to see something emerging from the Everfree Forest. From what little he could discern, there seemed to be a gargantuan bear creature with red eyes (and orange sclera), a starburst on its head, and a twinkling blue body. For a moment, he could swear it was translucent. Then, he realized what it was.

Aw, hay no! It's an Ursa—

Charles run from the Ursa and followed Snips and Snails. He saw them pounding frantically on the door of Trixie's wagon, the top half of which was half open.

"Trixie! Come out! Trixie!", yeled Snails.

"Trixie, help! You gotta help us!", yelled Snips.

Just as Charles arrived, the stage magician finally appeared, putting her head out through the open top half and looking very cross. She wasn't wearing her hat and cape. "Trixie thought she said the Great and Powerful Trixie did not want to be disturbed!"

Snips began to laugh nervously. "W-We…we have a...a tiny problem."

"Actually, it's a big one.", corrected Snails.

"What is so important that you cannot wait until morning to disturb Trixie?!"

"One word.", said Charles. "Ursa."

There was a bellow that followed a heart-stopping instant later. The Ursa emerged from the woods, approaching fast. Down on all fours, it stood as tall as the Ponyville houses. It made another hearty roar, which was enough to make Trixie fling the bottom half of the door open, knocking away the two grinning idiots, and send her off in a screaming panic. Once Snips and Snails got up, they did likewise. Charles followed as well just before one mighty paw stomped the trailer into kindling wood.

Charles was 'cornered' alongside the colts and Trixie.

"Great and Powerful Trixie!", called out Snips. "You've got to vanquish the Ursa!"

"Yeah, vanquish so we can watch!", agreed Snails.

The two adult unicorns got a good look at the the menacing ursine visage, saliva dripping from its jaws. "It took a lot of trouble to get that thing here!"

Needless to say, Trixie was shocked. "Wait! You brought this here? Are you out of your little pony minds?!"

"But…you're the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

"Yeah, remember?", reminded Snails. "You defeated an Ursa Major!"

"You still believe in that stuff?!", yelled Charles. He then turned to Trixie. "You should run! My duel with you showed only a fraction of my powers. I can handle this."

"Stand back!", the stage magician declared. "Let Trixie show you all what she can do."

"…Okay, sure."

Trixie was surprised with the easy answer. "Wait, what?"

"You said you'd handle it. I'm letting you. Go for it." With that, Charles stepped back in between Snips and Snails.

Trixie's first move was to levitate a piece of rope from a nearby vase. She then wrapped it around part of the Ursa's body, then voiced a relieved sigh and smiled thinly. "Piece of cake."

"Oh, really?", snarked Charles as it turned out that she has only bound two of the digits on one forepaw. The Ursa snapped them loose without trouble, causing her two fans to lose some of their ardor.

"Aw, come on, Trixie!", complained Snips.

"Stop goofin' around and vanquish it, eh?", added Snails.

Trixie shuddered, gave another gulp, then had another go at it. This time, her magic called up a storm cloud that cracked out lightning—but only over the Ursa's tail. It had no effect.

"Well, that was a dud.", said Snails.

"Yeah!", agreed Snips as he then gave a raspberry. "Come on! Where's all the cool explosions and smoke and stuff like earlier, you know?"

"I think it's obvious that the 'cool explosions' were just props.", put in Charles. "And I'm sure they would actually be really useful right about now." Lightning struck the beast squarely on the rump, leaving a charred patch of fur and doing very little to improve its disposition. "Too bad the trailer's crushed thanks to you two!" The Ursa then opened its slavering jaws wide toward the four unicorns.

"Uh-oh.", gulped Trixie. As the Ursa bellowed in rage, she, Snails, and Snips bailed out, galloping through its legs.

"Looks like it's up to me." Charles then fired up his horn for a spell. "Get over here!"

The Ursa raised a paw and swiped at the stallion, who 'flash-stepped' back, then use his Magic Horn Blade.

The Ursa raised its forepaws, and swiped to grab Charles. He didn't Teleport out just in time. The Ursa then hurled Him skyward.

Elsewhere, Twilight Sparkle, with Spike on her back, met them coming the other way; after she has galloped through them, she hit the brakes and shifted direction. A moment later, she found Snips, Snails, and Trixie. Before she could ask any of them, she saw Charles falling right for them.

"CHARLES!", she and Spike cried out. A second later, He got up "I'm Okay"

"Whew, What's going on here?"

"We brought an Ursa to town!", Snips answered for him with a laugh.

Twilight turned to face the colt. "You what?!"

"Don't worry, the Great and Powerful Trixie'll vanquish it!", assured Snails.

They all turned to her, who was just a few paces away—and wishing she had never brought her show to Ponyville in the first place. She then hung her head sadly. "I can't.", she answered.

"What?!", the two colts gasped.

"I can't, I never have. No one can vanquish an Ursa Major. I just made the whole story up to make me look better."

"Made it up?!"

"She's a showpony.", said Charles. "That's part of her job!" He then turned to Trixie. "Although I'll have to say the Ursa Major tale was too tall a one to make. There are plenty more less dangerous but still amazing claims out there, you know."

Just then, the Ursa made its presence known, towering over a nearby house to perhaps twice its height, blocking out the moon. Twilight's eyes grew to saucer-size and she gritted her teeth to the breaking point; the forepaws of the beast came up and the roar was loud enough to shake all Equestria. There was panic from all the spectators, including Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity, the last's mane already restored to normal. Spike gave Twilight an elbow in the ribs and gestured toward the impending destruction.

"Like it or not, you're up.", Charles told his charge. "I was considering taking down the beast permanently, but…"

Twilight gave her two male companions an uncertain look, then closed her eyes and swallowed hard. When she opened them again, steely resolve has written itself across the purple irises. She took measured steps toward the Ursa and stops just in front of the massive chest, planting her hooves wide to brace herself. Her charge stood right beside her, ready to provide support.

Her eyes and jaw squeezed tight, Twilight summoned a wind that started to wave flags on roofs and boughs on trees. Suddenly, a melody could be heard coming from the direction of the cattail field just outside Ponyville. The Ursa was soothed by the sound and fell silent as its eyelids started to droop.

As it began to totter drowsily from side to side, Spike whispered as he gave a thumbs-up, "Nice use of number sixteen!"

He then looked around to see what his charge was doing and saw her 'lift' the water tower's tank, 'unscrew' the top, dump out the water, and float to an open barn. The tank body entered while the top continued past and he could swear he heard cows inside mooing in surprise. The body then emerged, brimming with milk, and the top aligned itself to fit back in place.

"That's new.", remarked Spike as the top then clanged back onto the tank body.

The Ursa, meanwhile, began to topple over in Trixie's direction—but with inches to spare, Twilight got it under her control and 'hauled' it back up. Rays have begun to shoot from her horn in all directions due to the strain. Apparently, focus was still an issue.

The now-placid Ursa hovered quietly just off the ground, then floated up several yards onto its back and received the improvised baby bottle. As the locals watched speechlessly, the colossal creature drifted slowly out of town and out of sight, presumably back to wherever it slumbered prior to Snips and Snails disturbing it.

After a third of a minute more, Twilight let her powers wind down and half-collapsed, gasping for breath. Just then, the sound of cheering brought them back upright; a crowd has gathered behind them.

"Unbelievable!", cried out one pony.

"That was amazing!", cried out Rainbow Dash.

"Heavens to Betsy!", commented Applejack. "We knew you had ability, but not that much!"

Twilight quivered in fear. "I'm sorry. Please, please don't hate me."

"Hate you?", gasped Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash.

"Why, whatever do you mean, darling?", the fashionista asked.

"And how did you even come up with that ridiculous conclusion, Twilight?!", Charles asked in a baffled manner.

"Well…I know how much you all hated Trixie's showing off with her magic tricks, and I just thought—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa.", Rainbow interrupted. "Magic's got nothing to do with it. Trixie's just a loudmouth."

"Most unpleasant.", added Rarity.

"All hat and no cattle.", finished Applejack.

"Showing off is just her career.", continued Charles. "And we certainly didn't do what we did just now simply to show off."

"So…you don't mind my magic tricks?", his charge asked.

"Your magic is a part of who you are, sugarcube, and we like who you are.", said the farmpony. "We're proud to have such a powerful talented unicorn as our friend."

"And after whuppin' that Ursa's hindquarters, we're even prouder.", supported the cyan pegasus.

Twilight gave a smile. "You are?"

"Uh-huh."

"Mmm-hmm."

"Mmm-hmm."

"Wow, Twilight!", gasped Spike. "How'd you know what to do with that Ursa Major?"

"That's what I was doing when you came looking for me. I was so intrigued by Trixie's bragging that I was compelled to do a little reading up on them."

"So it is possible to vanquish an Ursa Major all by yourself?"

"Actually, that wasn't an Ursa Major.", Twilight and Charles corrected "it was a baby, an Ursa Minor."

"That was just a baby?", gasped Trixie, earning a few looks from the others.

"And it wasn't rampaging.", continued Twilight. "It was just cranky because someone woke it up."

Snips and Snails suddenly found themselves on the wrong end of several angry glares. "Awww…", they said.

"Well, if that was an Ursa Minor, then…", Spike asked in borderline panic …what's an Ursa Major like?"

Twilight thought about it for a second, then decided to say, "You don't want to know."

"Seriously, you don't.", Charles added with a twinge of fright.

"You look like you've seen one before."

"I have. Sometime before I became your bodyguard. I'll tell you all about it some other time if you want."

Just then, Trixie came over, her bravado surprisingly restored so quickly. "Hah! You may have vanquished an Ursa Minor, but you will never have the amazing show-stopping ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

"Your special talent is stage magic.", answered Charles. "Of course we won't be as good as you in making performances."

She didn't answer him as she conjured a burst of smoke to hide herself from view. When it cleared, she could be seen galloping out of town.

"Why, that little—" Rainbow Dash was about to take off, intending to pursue, but was stopped by Twilight.

"Just let her go.", the purple unicorn said. "Maybe someday she'll learn her lesson."

Charles gave a piercing glare at Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity and said "I'd like to have a word with you three about your conduct at her performance."

"Now, about you two.", Twilight said to the two colts.

Snips laughed nervously. "Uh, we're sorry that we woke up the Ursa Minor."

"We just wanted to see some awesome magic!", said Snails.

"Yeah! And the way you vanquished that Ursa Minor was awesome!" Twilight gave them a searching look and they prostrated themselves before her.

"We deserve whatever punishment you give us."

Twilight: looked to one side. "For starters—" She turned to the smashed remains of Trixie's trailer. "—you can clean up this mess." She then turned to Spike as they smiled slyly. "And…what do you think, Spike? Should I give them number twenty-five?"

"Ohhh, twenty-five! Yes—and I think I deserve it, too."

Snips and Snails didn't understand what "number twenty-five" was and gave a scared "Huh?" in confusion.

"…and Rarity, what you did to Trixie's curtain was destruction of property, regardless of who she was.", Charles was saying.

"I think you're right.", agreed Twilight as her horn flared brightly, giving the two scrubs a serious case of the jitters. Spike was now alongside them, and—being the only one who knows what's coming—he pushed his face as close to her as he can from where he stood. All three noses and chins glowed, and their mustaches appeared.

"Sweet!", the three boys cried out.

"I still don't think their punishment is enough, however.", Charles told his charge. "After all, for all we know, that was Trixie's home that got smashed thanks to them. Give them a stern beating for me, will you? I have a lecture to give." He turned to their three friends in the area, who looked at him with confusion. I wonder where Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were during all this? Not that they needed to be there.

The next day, in the library…

Twilight Sparkle was writing a letter. Every week, she was to submit a friendship report to Princess Celestia. It wasn't due 'til Tuesday, but it'll be sent on that day. Previously, she considered sending it once she has it, but her assistant advised her to only send one per week even in the event that she have more than one lesson learnt for the week. That way, should there be a week where she is unable to find a lesson to learn, she can still submit a letter. Currently, Charles was asleep in bed.

"Dear Princess Celestia, I have learned a very valuable lesson about friendship.", the letter went as follows. "I was so afraid of being thought of as a showoff that I was hiding a part of who I am. My friends helped me realize that it's okay to be proud of your talents, and there are times when it's appropriate to show them off—especially when you're standing up for your friends."

"So…", Spike (with the mustache on) came up from behind his 'boss' as she wrote the letter. "…you finally admit that you're the most talented unicorn in all of Ponyville?"

"Well…" Twilight gaave a smile. "…yeah. But it's nothing to brag about. And Charles did help too. So, uh, how did it go with Rarity?"

Spike goraned, fingering his facial hair. "She didn't go for the mustache.

Twilight waked over to him, "You know, Spike, that mustache has nothing to do with who you really are. Maybe you should just try being yourself."

"Or…maybe the mustache wasn't enough. Maybe if I had a mustache and a beard."

Twilight groaned. "Not this again!"

"Okay. Imagine me with a nice long Fu Manchu-type beard. Or maybe a goatee…oh, no, a soul patch!"

All the while, Charles didn't so much as stir from his slumber.

Next Chapter: Chapter 7: Dragonshy Estimated time remaining: 12 Hours, 4 Minutes