The Noponies pt VI: What Goes On

Waking up the next morning after moving into his old house in Hoofenstein, Hanz got to the task of preparing him and his partner for their big day at the ball. Pinkie was naturally excited since she loved parties, even if most of hers consisted of just her and a large assortment of inanimate objects.  It was easy to pick what to wear for him at least; he simply put on his best tuxedo with a red tie, and his Deputy Herr hat, which looked very similar to the hat that the leader of the United Soviet Stallions of Russia enjoyed to wear as well.

Since we had just arrived the other day, Pinkie didn’t have much to wear, so Hanz took her down to the dress shop and got her an elegant, long black dress with a large black bow to go in her mane, which she seemed to take a liking to nearly immediately. All dressed up, the dark duo were ready to go, knowing the day would be exciti-

"Hanzy, if you don’t hurry up with typing that story of yours, we are gonna be late to the ball!" Pinkie called out to me as I sat at my typewriter, typing out my recollections of my past.
"Oops, I’m sorry love! I'll just finish it later!" I said as I got up and walked with her to the door before stepping outside and saluting my guards, making our way to the Reichstag, where the grand ball was taking place. There was a big excitement in the air, because celebrations aren’t thrown very often here in Hoofenstein, because then productivity would go down.

When we arrived at the large capital building on Hoofenstompen Street, I was excited to see an old friend of mine from the secret police: a beautiful white mare with long, purple hair and diamonds as her cutie mark. "It’s good to finally see you again, Hanz! This place was so dreadfully boring lately." I chuckled a little and smiled "Yes, it’s good to be back, Rarity. Hopefully now that I’m back, I can help to liven up the place. Plus my new mare is great with parties, aren’t you, dear?" I asked as I looked over to Pinkie and she nodded with an evil grin "Ohhhh, yes.  I throw the best parties in all of Equestria! They are to die for." Her eye twitched and Rarity looked creeped out by her, but nodded politely "Well, go on in Hanz, your brother is looking for you, if I recall" Rarity said as she let us in.

As we looked around the ball room, Pinkie was amazed by how large it was. "Wow! It’s even bigger than Canterlot’s ball room!"
"Ah, yes.  But of course, that is because Brandinburg is a far greater city than Canterlot could ever hope to be" Said a voice behind us, and we turned to face the shutter-shade wearing pony, who I instantly recognized "Ohhh, it’s good to see you again, my Herr!" I said as I gave my brother a big hug “Yes, and it’s good to see you too Hanz.  But we really must be going to the balcony, the show is about to begin!" He exclaimed excitedly and we walked with him upstairs to the balcony "So brother, who did you book for the ball?" I asked
"Well, there is a rather famous chap around here named Dapper Masquerade.  As you can tell by his name, he is a show magician."
Pinkie giggled, the idea of a magician reminding her of Trixie, who her and Hanz had killed long ago. 

After taking our seats in the balcony, the lights began to dim as the magician walked up onto his stage "Good evening, everypony. My name is Dapper the Magnificent, and tonight I shall be showing you all some amazing feats of magic, that could only be done by myself!" The white haired, purpled-eyed unicorn said as he stepped into the spotlight, the average height unicorn wearing a dark blue magician’s robe that matched his cyan colored body well and a pointy straw hat along with a black highwayman’s mask. The crowd cheered and clapped their hooves together; apparently this pony was a local celebrity or something.

He then started off his show with a bang, literally. Using his magic, he made a few piñatas that were hung from the ceiling explode, showering candy on the audience who delightfully gobbled it up. He then kept the show going with many feats of magic skill that I never knew unicorns were capable of. True, I may be a unicorn myself, but I rarely use my magic, and because of that, I’m not very good at doing anything more demanding than moving objects.

Nearly an hour went by before he stepped back and looked around at the audience "Now, for my grand finale, I’m going to need a volunteer from you guys!  Who wants to be my volunteer?!" despite asking that question, something in me told me that he already had a certain pony picked out before the show even began, and I looked over at my brother Adolf who had a sly smirk, and I wondered why, until Dapper pointed his hoof at me and said "Ah, you will do nicely, my fair Deputy Herr!" and before I could react, he teleported me on stage from the balcony and I looked at him with astonishment, my body not accustomed to being teleported. "I- I suppose I'll go along with it, Mr. Magician." "Good! Then stand right there on the x!" He said, pointing to a painted x on the stage, which I moved to.

"Now everypony, watch in amazement as I make this unicorn disappear without even using my magic!" He said as the crowd watched closely, nothing happening for a few seconds to build tension, before Dapper stomped his hoof on the stage and I disappeared into a puff of white smoke, when it cleared, I found myself no longer even in the building, but instead, I was in the travelling magicians house on the outskirts of town, from what I could figure out.

Moments after I was transported back though, Pinkie was demanding that I be returned, because she didn’t like being alone, so I felt that strange sensation again as the world around me blurred and I was brought back to the Ball for everyone to see, amazed at this magic trick. "There you are, Mares and Gentlecolts! Surely I must be the greatest magician in all of Hoofenstein!" The crowd cheered and whistled, and as the magician stepped off the stage and went into his dressing room, I couldn’t help but follow him. I don’t know what it was, but I felt the urge to meet him alone.

"H-hello there, Mr. Dapper.  I’m Hanz, remember me?" I asked nervously and he smirked, looking at me behind him in his mirror. "Ah, but of course. We just finished a trick together. Is there something you want?" "W....well.... I’m a unicorn too, but I’m nowhere near as good at magic as you are. I was wondering if I could go back to your place after the ball, and you could tutor me?" I blushed a little, feeling humbled by admitting that I’m not the best.  "Sure, I believe I could teach you some of my tricks. Come to my place tomorrow around lunch time, and we can work out a payment plan later. Now go, have fun with your wife, Hanz." I shook my head "W-well, me and her aren’t married... not yet, at least." But I left anyways to go enjoy the ball with Pinkie and Adolf, having a wonderful time with them and so happy to be back in Hoofenstein. I even saw Rarity in amongst the happy ponies on the floor, talking to lots of colts "Heh, still searching for that one special colt, just like old times."

Then at the end of the night, I took Pinkie back home with me and gave her a kiss "Tonight was wonderful sweety, and that magician even told me he would tutor me tomorrow!" She smiled and hugged me so tight that I had to beg for air, so she loosened it up a little "Heehee, sorry Hanzy.  But I like it here so much in Hoofenstein, everyone is so much more bearable here, opposed to Ponyville." I smiled, glad that my lovely mare likes my fatherland, and I unlocked the door to our manor and walked upstairs, the both of us tired after a long and wonderful ball. We then laid down in our large bed and snuggled up to each other, quickly passing out.