After lunch we spent the rest of the afternoon having fun and experiencing the many attractions Pony Island had to offer in my Equestria dreamscape. One of the high points of the day was Petina winning at one of the games of chance. Her prize was a giant plushie of Celestia that was almost as big as her.


We thought about having dinner there but then remembered we had a meal stipend at the hotel provided by Scratch. So as the sun set in west we retraced our route back to the Two Pines Hotel. As night slowly crept over the city Manehattan slowly came to life with its own glow. Although most of the city has not yet been set up for electricity most of it did have gaslight. So as the stars slowly began to flicker into view the city seemed to mirror of the sky above. As more and more lights sprang to life across it.


Manehattan is the largest city in the Equestria, and unlike Canterlot its nightlife was almost as vibrant as during the day. Many of the businesses stayed open far longer into the night than elsewhere in the kingdom. So as we stepped off the tram car and onto the sidewalks they were bustling with ponies. A short time later we stepped into the hotel lobby.


Dinner was good but nowhere as enjoyable as the meals we've had at the Verdant Fields in the Black Stallion Hotel in Canterlot. However there were several items on the menu that were exotic for the Canterlot area. One was the inclusion of seafood dishes; the other were dishes from the zebra lands and the griffin nations. So that evening I enjoyed of salmon cakes with mushroom sauce for dinner.


As we left restaurant our ears caught the sounds of a fanfare of trumpets, cheering, clopping of hooves, and much to our surprises we heard the sounds of fireworks going off. Following the sounds of festivities. Are travels ended at the entrance to a night club in the hotel. We stared at the showcard a smile spread across our faces:


Now performing.

The Great and Powerful Trixie!

Magician Extraordinaire!

Be amazed! Be spellbound!

See the wonder of the ages!


Stepping in we found the club fairly occupied but there were few tables up near the stage. Taking one of them we flagged down a waitress and placed our orders with the bar. With that accomplished we turned our attention the stage.
There under the stage gaslights was a light periwinkle blue unicorn with a light silver grey mane and tail. She was wearing a violet cape with a collar. A tall, pointed hat of similar violet material. Embroidered on both the hat and cape were stars in gold and silver threads.


Trixie's motion's and voice was flamboyant, brash, and melodramatic as she went about her routine. For their part the audience was amused but they didn't seem to be floored by her performance. That may have been because some had heard of Trixie's shenanigans in Ponyville, or it may have been because this was a jaded Manehattan crowd. Still the unicorn pressed on with her performance.


About three quarters of the way through her show Trixie paused and looked at the audience and called out.


"Now! For this next amazing trick the Great and Powerful Trixie requires the simple assistance of a pony from the audience! So! Who shall assist the Great and Powerful Trixie tonight!"


Trixie hadn't even finished her sentence and Petina was already waving one of her front legs in the air. The blue mare looked at the white unicorn and smirked. "Well the Great and Powerful Trixie seems to have herself a volunteer! Please step forward and prepare to be part of something that ponies will be talking about for years to come!"


Petina smiled at us and then stepped up on the stage. Petina, Carousel and I arrived in Ponyville after Trixie's visit, but we'd heard the stories from the residents about the mayhem she'd caused in the last year or so. Still Petina played it straight. As the white mare slowly stepped toward the performer I could see Trixie giving my roommate, lover, and muse a good looking over. For her part Petina just smiled sweetly as Trixie addressed her.


"Now my fair mare have no fear! Although you are about to experience the mind-blowing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie you'll be completely safe! For I have studied the most arcane of magical arts to refine my skills!"


Trixie's horn flares and two large chests levitate forward and sets them in down side by side near her and Petina. With that accomplished she addressed the audience.

"Now! Before your very eyes! The Great and Powerful Trixie will perform the impossible! I will now put this courageous mare in this chest here!" She tapped it with a front hoof. "And then magically transport her into this chest over here!" She gestured over to the second chest.


She looked out at the audience. "Now Trixie can hear what you're thinking. Why is this such a big deal? Trixie or this unicorn mare and she could just teleport her volunteer into the other chest. Or a pony hiding backstage could do it! Well that will be impossible my fellow ponies!"


Trixie addressed her temporary assistant. "However before we can any further Trixie must ask what is your name brave pony?"


Petina blinked her emerald green eyes at the performer. "Oh! My name is Petina." She said in an overly bubbly voice.


The stage magician levitated two rings into the air and floated them in front of Petina. "Well Petina have you ever seen." Trixie smirked. "Or worn an inhibitor rings before."


The white unicorn feigned surprise."Oh dear! This will be a new thing for me!"


Trixie took on a rather pompous tone of voice and pose. "Do not be afraid or worried. They're completely safe, but not only will you be wearing one but Trixie will as well!" She levitates the lid of one of chests up. "And the these chests are warded against other ponies teleporting the contents within."


Over next minute or so she demonstrated that the inhibitor rings actually worked by having Petina levitate a flower as she slid the ring on her horn and the flower tumbled to stage floor. Then Trixie demonstrated that her's worked as well for the audience. Then she took a key and addressed her volunteer. "Now just so the audience knows you will not physically remove the ring once you're in the chest I'm going to lock this ring to your horn. Don't worry Trixie will remove it as soon as the trick is over!"


Now Petina has at least a dozen inhibitor rings in her toy boxes back home, and I knew she'd packed several for the trip. Still she acted alarmed by this. "Oh dear! Well. Okay then if you say so."


Quickly Trixie locked the ring and then she had Petina step into the chest and hunkered down into it. Trixie then closed it and pushed bolt closed on the lid. Then the stage magician stepped between the chests and closed her eyes. Then she spoke.


"Now behold the wonder! The amazement! The magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!"


The she stomped her right front hoof 3 times on the floor. Then she threw open the lid of the other chest and Petina poked her head of it. The audience, including my table, stomped our hooves in approval. Trixie helped Petina out of the chest and removed the inhibitor ring from her horn. Then she looked at the audience then back to the white mare.


"Thank you brave mare for your assistance! Thank you!" Then she gave Petina a courtesy hug and escorted her off the stage. Walking back to the center of the stage Trixie paused for a moment and levitated a small piece of paper that was now stuck in the collar of her cape. She quickly glanced and then looked at our table where Petina had just returned to her seat. The white mare smiled back at the performer.


Trixie finished her show and there was a round of applause for her. Various ponies started to get up and leave. The stage magician finished stowing her props and then started sauntering over to our table. Petina rose from her seat and met Trixie halfway. The two mares talked to each other for a moment and then they started walking out of the club. Petina looked back at us and smiled.


To be continued.