La Pomme De La Tromperie: The Second Bite

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Part One:

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>The crow of the cock cuts clear across the tranquil silence of night

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>The sound of insect life grows quiets as predators become active

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>The rays of the sun crest over the tree tops

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>Morning has once again graced Equestrian soil

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>And (You)...

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>Have already been up for two hours, now

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>Farm life does not wait for the day to begin before it needs tending to, of course

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>Equipment needs to be checked, set up, and readied for use

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>Chores need to be divvied up so that everypony knows what they're doing today

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>And crabby little sisters need to get ready to have one of their days off squandered doing chores instead of having fun

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>Your time on the farm is going to be a little limited today, unfortunately

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>Duty calls, and you must answer

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>As such, after making everypony is settled in for their chores (and failing to resist the urge to help just a little)

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>(You) find yourself back in your bedroom for a quick freshening up and inspection

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>Lets do the rundown

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>Coat? A vibrant orange, swiftly brushed to get any stray sticks and leaves out

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>Mane? Hastily reset into its' usual loose golden ponytail

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>Scarf and hat? Both accounted for, and you made sure to polish your sheriff's badge the night prior

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>Making eye contact with yourself in the mirror, you give a grim nod of approval

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>With one last glance at the blackboard across the room

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>The same message as always

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>'YOUR LIFE IS YOUR OWN'

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>(You), Abbondanza Apple (Anon to your friends, in a bid to save time)

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>Are ready for what is surely going to be a busy day

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>With a belly full of Granny Smith's finest apple porridge and satisfied with your appearance, it's time to head into town

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>Waving to your siblings and taking in their varied expressions

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>(Big Mac doesn't envy you in the slightest, being the introvert that he is, while you could probably put flour in Apple Bloom's mouth and get bread, the way she's grinding her chompers)

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>With a chuckle you head off into town

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>The path into Ponyville proper is nice and quiet

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>It's only when you get into the city that the noise of bleary eyes townsponies catches your ear

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>Fillies getting ready to make mischief on their day off

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>Older mares and stallions trudging to their jobs and the like

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>A few of those ponies struggle to meet your gaze, adopting some very sheepish expressions when you go out of your way to greet those ones in particular

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>It's a little mean, but you don't feel too bad about it

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>As your blackboard can attest, you've been trying to make this life yours

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>Skirting from the script when it fancies you

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>For example, when Twilight's invitation to the Grand Galloping Gala appeared

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>(Still conveniently within the confines of the Acres, as you had invited her that particular morning to take stock of all the books you had 'checked out' over the years for their safe return to the library)

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>You declined her offer to the other ticket, as you had the 'foresight' to know that Celestia wasn't a cheap bitch and the buffet at the party would be free

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>Without a profit incentive, you really couldn't see yourself enjoying a night of hob-nobbing with stuck up Canterlot socialites

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>That left Rainbow Dash in the perfect position to accept the ticket for herself

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>That was just fine, socializing with the Wonderbolts was one of the few actually valid motivations for attending the thing in the first place as far as (You) were concerned, so Rainbow was free to it

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>Sadly, while she didn't have to be paranoid about Twilight giving away 'her' ticket, that just meant Rainbow Dash had plenty of room in her schedule to gloat and strut and just make an all around nuisance of herself about her good fortune

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>Things pretty much snowballed from there and in the end you had to read the riot act to a literal rioting mob of ponies all trying to get in your purple friend's good graces to take that ticket for themselves

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>Which is the long story of why some ponies are having trouble meeting your gaze, even a week later from the event in question

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>In the meantime, you've managed to reach the open market in town

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>Already staffed by the usual merchants, you stride on up to a baker mare peddling her wares

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>Some nice, crispy, warm bread is just the way to get you nice and perked up, and after the exchange of bits, it's your reality

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>Enjoying a bit of a snack leaves you vulnerable enough to be ambushed by the local fashionista

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>"Really now, Abbondanza, darling. You're getting crumbs in your scarf."

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>Rarity comes into view at your side, her horn chiming with magic as she straightens out your scarf to evict the evidence of your snack

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"Much obliged, Miss Belle. Since we're adjusting each other's appearances, ah'm pretty sure I spy a stick in your mane still from yesterday."

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>The posh mare lets out a VERY undignified noise and sets about to magicking her own hair, mortified at the implication that she missed something so massive during her meticulous morning maintenance

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>"I can't believe I didn't see it! Thank you, darling. I suppose I'm still reeling from enduring such labors. I don't know how you and yours do it every day."

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>Ah, another example of you doing things your own way, so conveniently teed up for you

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>Applebuck Season is almost complete already, though the start of it was almost as rough as you remember Applejack's being

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>You just couldn't deny Big Mac a chance to get started in his crossdressing journey

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>So when you managed to actually beat his haul for apples one morning (which you're still not convinced he didn't throw on purpose for the chance)

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>The dunderhead wore the damn girdle too tight as he trotted down the main thoroughfare of the town and injured his ribs

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>Faced with the daunting challenge of the entire Sweet Apple Acre's Orchard before you...

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>... You did the sensible thing and put up a notice on the community bulletin board in Town Hall that you were in need some farmhooves to help you out

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>The cost of hiring on a few ponies would hurt, sure, but you figured between you not having to pay the fines for building an illegal structure to fling Rainbow Dash into space, the insurance you'd have to pay out for poisoning a bunch of ponies, or the property damage from that bunny stampede eating everypony's gardens

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>It'd probably even out to about the same, with the benefit of you not making a complete fool of yourself

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>Imagine your surprise then the next morning when your notice was brought back to you not by a few actual farmers and some fools who thought they could handle the work

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>But a group of surprisingly miffed mares, headed by one you least expected

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>Rarity was evidently offended that you didn't ask a Librarian, Clothing Designer, Weather Pony, Forest Hermit, and Baker to help do some farm work (though admittedly Pinkie probably could be a real help, given her childhood)

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>When you explained as such, Rarity got even more riled up and seemed to take your trying to be courteous as a challenge

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>(Even after almost two decades growing up in this world you did not get mares at all)

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>Compared to everypony assembled, she... did better than Fluttershy, at any rate

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>Not quite powerful enough to strip entire trees of their fruit like Twilight, and definitely not powerful enough to kick them down like yourself

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>You recognized that she was trying her damndest, and when you praised her, it was like she was getting acknowledged by Sapphire Shores, the way she pranced home with the rest of the girls

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>That energy clearly didn't last all the way home though, going by the debris you caught in her mane

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>When she was satisfied with her preening (conveniently just as you were finishing your recap!), Rarity offered you a tender little smile

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>"I know you'll be preoccupied keeping the crowd calm Abbondanza, darling, but I do hope you'll find some time during the performance to spend time with all of us. It simply won't be the same!"

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>You simply gave the unicorn mare a noncommittal shrug

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"Ah can't make any promises, Miss Belle, but I'll certainly make an effort."

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>Past your friend, past the market, movement caught your eye

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>The crowd that normally would be overwhelming the market stalls had made its' way to just outside the City Hall

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>Amassing before a humble little wagon - the main body was a bold buttery yellow, while the red was made up of red shingles not unlike a dragon's scales

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"Ah believe we're getting close to the startin' time though, so ah best make my way over and coordinate. If ah don't see you until after, enjoy the show."

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>With a brief nuzzle you parted ways with the unicorn, following the throng of ponies

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>Forget night-obsessed despots, forget rioting townsponies

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>The greatest test of your abilities as a peacekeeper would come to pass today...

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>... For somepony truly Great and Powerful had finally arrived in this quiet little village

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Part Two:

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>The stage is set

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>The fireworks and glitter launchers have been filled (and crucially you didn't mix up which payload goes in which, you're never going to live through a repeat of that mishap in Withersburg if you can help it)

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>All that's left is to wow these peasants and sell some motherbuckin' merch

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>You've been sleeping on a pile of t-shirts you haven't been able to move as fast as you'd like

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>The last potential buyer you had said they'd 'smelled funny'

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>If anything all of the merchandise smelling like you ought to make them worth MORE!

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>(You), if you hadn't guessed, are the Great and Powerful Trixie

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>The finest Showmare in Equestria

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>The most powerful Unicorn of all time

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>And all around delight to be and be around

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>With a deep breath you cast off any niggling jitters that like to try and latch on to you before a show

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>Cast the booming voice cantrip on yourself, and announce yourself

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"COME ON, COME ALL! COME AND WITNESS THE AMAZING MAGIC OF THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!"

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>Your wagon busts open into its' stage configuration, the smoke machine goes off without a hitch, and there you are in a blast of sparkledust

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>Before you even lift your head to flash the audience your usual proud grin you can already hear the 'ohhs' and 'ahhs' that give you life

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>As always, the crowd's in the frog of your hoof before you've even done anything

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>Still, you need to keep them there

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>So it goes you fire off a few of your most beloved bangs and pops from your obscured horn while summoning some flowers and throwing them out to the crowd in a display of your generosity

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>(Please ignore that they'll dissipate within five minutes, even if ingested)

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>You're just on the verge of pulling a deck of cards out from the pocket hidden in your cape for a few tricks when you hear some of the mares in the front of the crowd gossiping incredibly loudly

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>The white Unicorn and rainbow-haired Pegasus in particular seem to have some bug up their plots about your wholly deserved confidence

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>To the point that ponies are actively listening to their conversation instead of paying attention to you!

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>The nerve!

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"Well, well, well. It's one town after another. Here we have another set of NEIGHSAYERS in my audience."

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>In a way you almost pitied it

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>Some ponies just couldn't comprehend somepony so much better than them existing and flaunting it

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>You'd set it right though

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"Lets see it then, who is so IGNORANT as to challenge the GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie? The most POWERFUL Unicorn in all of Equestria?"

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>To no real great surprise, the Pegasus darts out from the crowd (a hot-headed featherbrain? How out of character)

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>Getting in your face and calling your power into question

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>Resting a hoof dramatically on the gem clasp of your cloak, you quickly go through a mental rolodex of your best 'feats'

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>The time you bested the Dragon Lord in Manehatten? No, you're pretty sure you saw a hyperactive little whelp out in the crowd, the audience might take offense

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>Your personal one-on-one defeat of Discord, the God of Chaos, in Dodge Junction? You doubted anypony in this Podunk village even knew who that was

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>Ah, you know, the Everfree Forest IS concerningly close, you have just the tale

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>And so you expouse your favorite exploit of them all, your single-hoofed defeat of the dreaded, the mighty, the intimidating URSA MAJOR!

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>The crowd at hoof is, for the most part, amazed and in awe of your power, as they should be

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>But the Pegasus and Unicorn seem even more agitated, and that little dragon whelp is practically beside himself with outrage

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>It seems like it can't be helped

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"Very well. If words aren't enough for you, The Great and Powerful Trixie is feeling magnanimous enough to put her routine on hold. I challenge YOU, Ponyvillians. Anything you can do? I can do better. Name your game. Or are you all too afraid to contend with the GREATEST EQUINE WHO HAS EVER LIVED?"

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>The crowd is cowed and nopony seems eager to take up your challenge

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>You can tell the white Unicorn and rainbow Pegasus are just on the cusp of opening their mouths, and the whelp seems to be pleading with another purple Unicorn

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>You're on the verge of making the choice for them when a deep, masculine drawl wanders in to your ear from the right side

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>"Ah'll take that bet, Miss Great and Powerful."

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>As you glance over your vision is entirely overtaken by a mass of orange

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>A fairly massive stallion with a golden mane and tail, bearing a scarf, badge, and hat

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>You recognize him, though you don't recall the name

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>The local sheriff who grilled you thoroughly over your pyrotechnics display and safety precautions

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>And then made you TAKE safety precautions when he apparently found your answers lacking

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>How annoying, what a perfect opportunity to get him back for getting on your nerves

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"How brave, little hayseed! Well then, how shall the Great and Powerful Trixie humiliate this town's lawpony?"

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>Without missing a beat, the stallion produces a length of rope, breaking into an array of admittedly impressive tricks and jumps as he trots closer to you, never breaking eye contact and even having the temerity to speak clearly through the rope in his mouth

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>(How do Earth Ponies DO that?)

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>"Nothin' too fancy."

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>He says, while casually leaping through a hole in the lasso he made

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>"Just a few things ah picked up from my appearances in the local rodeos. Think you can keep up?"

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>Before long the stallion's routine has the audience's approval

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>Polite stomping of hooves, 'oohhs', and such

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>Those are supposed to be YOUR 'oohs'!

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>With a flare of your magic to take control of the sheriff's rope, stopping him in his place with a hypnotic display before snaring him in it, hogtying in place and even using your magic to stuff an apple from a nearby tree in his mouth

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>The crowd seems split between being impressed by your skill and outraged at the treatment of their sheriff

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>The Rainbow Pegasus and white Unicorn in particular look like they're on the verge of storming the stage, and they're not alone in that sentiment

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>Before you can even consider a retreat though, you hear the apple being spat out of the sheriff's mouth

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>"Real impressive ropework here, Miss Great and Powerful. Though if ah must say, if y'wanted to see me trussed up like this, all y'had to do was ask nicely."

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>The flirty banter throws you off your pace entirely

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>You can feel a bit of heat draw on your face as you glance back at the tied up stallion, who immediately flashes you a small grin

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>The display of you being tripped up seems to have let out a lot of tension in the air however

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>The audience laughs good-naturedly and stomps their hooves as the sheriff manages to upright himself, breaking the ropes and trotting off stage

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>From there the audience challenges go off well, and everypony, rather than get riled up, seems to have fun being bested

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>It's an odd experience, but given how close to protest the audience was there, you're almost grateful for it

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>All in all, it's a good show