Chapter Text
Symphony of Sorcery
The Orchestra Stand
In the beginning, chaos was at most abundant. Now all was replaced by complete… silence. Hordes of demons merging through the portal of their realm, attacking everyone and everything in sight. Creatures invading other musical realms, trying to steal the sheet music already found. Yet despite their numbers, their strength, and the highest chance of winning, the monsters stood no chance against Yen Sid’s magic.
Deems and Leopold were right to ask the sorcerer for help, to aid Twilight and the others’ during their most desperate hour. Yet once Chernabog’s minions emerged in the orchestra stand out of the blue, the musicians stood no chance against them. Amidst all the chaos, Yen Sid had no other choice but to stay and defend them. Though the battle was tough, the sorcerer eventually overcame the demons. Every beast was vanquished, as though they never appeared from the start.
All was silent in the stands now, every able bodied soul ever vigilant in case of any further surprises.
“Did we win?” A percussionist asked behind his instruments.
“Do not celebrate yet,” Yen Sid warned. “Danger strikes fast when you let your guard down too soon.”
The sorcerer looked around, making certain that the room was safe before closing his eyes. And then, he felt something… an approaching presence growing stronger by the second.
“Something’s coming,” The sorcerer declared.
To the shock and surprise of the entire stand, the portal of the green songbook opened. Yen Sid’s hands glowed with light, ready to strike whatever emerged. From inside the portal, a four-legged silhouette came to view, getting closer with every step. Fearing another demon, the musicians remained hidden behind their seats hoping the sorcerer can deal with this threat swiftly. But once a purple hoof came out, Yen Sid immediately lowered his hands, and the glow ceased.
One by one, Twilight Sparkle and her friends stepped from the portal. Every single musician, Deems and Leopold included, stared as though they saw ghosts.
Not the kind serving Chernabog, mind you.
For seconds, minutes even, all eyes watched the tiny equines with disbelief. Twilight Sparkle broke the ice the moment she revealed the remaining two sheets of music. The mouths of every human opened wider as Deems slowly approached the group. Standing before them, many things crossed the mind of the Master of Ceremonies while Twilight’s magic kept hold over the sheets.
“Do you realize you could’ve gotten yourselves killed?!”
The sudden reaction startled the Equestrians, who stood completely still as the man stepped closer.
“Did I not say it would be too dangerous for you?” Deems continued. “That you wouldn’t stand a chance of surviving? That you would never come back?”
With one final step, Deems knelt toward Twilight’s level. His eyes never leaving hers before he pulled her into a sudden embrace. This action surprised the little pony.
“I’ve never been so wrong in all my life,” Deems sighed.
All of a sudden, every human in the room clapped their hands. Applause and cheers echoed throughout the stands, as the small heroes stood smiling over such high praise. Eventually, Deems released his hold over the alicorn princess.
“You truly are special, all of you,” Deems declared.
“What you all did was nothing short of a miracle,” Leopold joined in.
“Forgive me for doubting you.”
“It’s fine,” Twilight replied. “Any of us would’ve doubted ourselves too.”
“Not me!” Rainbow spoke confidently.
“… Most of us,” Twilight rolled her eyes. “The truth is… we’re not really heroes… nor do we call ourselves warriors. We’re just ponies trying to protect our home, doing the right thing.”
“And yes, some have called out our bravery as being ‘stupid’ for thrusting ourselves in life-threatening situations,” Spike added. “But that’s just who we are. We may not always agree on how to handle a problem, but we only do these things because we care for others. To stand up for those in need of help, and because the only way to truly have friends is to be a friend.”
“But for heroes, look no further than Octavia and Mickey,” Twilight Sparkle addressed the musician and mouse. “We wouldn’t be here without them.”
The cellist smiled with a blush, massaging one leg. As for Mickey, he grew nervous upon facing the stare of his teacher. Removing the hat, Mickey handed it over to the sorcerer with a sheepish smile. Yen Sid grabbed his hat back, never taking his eyes away from his apprentice. Fearing his master was angry for taking his hat without permission again, Mickey lowered his head like a sad puppy. But to his surprise, what the master said next drew him off guard.
“Well done, my apprentice.”
“You’re… you’re not mad I took your hat again?” Mickey asked.
“Mickey Mouse, I’ve known you long enough to expect trouble and mischief wherever you go. I’m disappointed you disobeyed me again, after what happened in my workshop. But this time, you did so to save your friends. And for that, I am very proud of you.”
To which the mouse smiled, touched by his master’s words.
“You should’ve seen him!” Spike butted in. “He made an unstoppable army of brooms scare the living daylights out of those demons! And the way he zapped Chernabog in the face with that magic stuff! It was like, ‘PEW! WOOSH! BOOM!’”
The group watches the dragon motion with his claws, performing various sounds to demonstrate.
“Ah wouldn’t call them ‘unstoppable’ since he burned them to ashes,” Applejack said. “But it sure was a smart move!”
“Octavia even managed to ring the church bell to frighten them,” Rarity added.
“And don’t forget my Sonic Rainboom!” Rainbow bragged, addressing herself. “Made ol’ Cherny lean on his mountain for dear life!”
“That must’ve taken so much out of you,” Deems observed.
“It was mighty exhaustin’,” Applejack replied back. “And we’ve got them wounds to prove it.”
“What’s important is that you’ve made it back safe and sound, with the sheet music intact,” Yen Sid said. “Courage and luck are attributes that can make you succeed and even fail in the toughest situations. But to turn a mistake into an advantage is an impressive feat. A feat worthy of a sorcerer, Mickey.”
The mouse beamed with excitement, as the Equestrians smiled with pride for Mickey and their victory.
“I still can’t believe you’ve managed to get them all,” Deems said, clutching the music sheets.
“It was Chernabog’s doing,” Twilight explained. “He tried using them to instill fear and darkness to all existence. But he couldn’t get them once the sheet music returned to the previous realms they came from. Master Yen Sid, did you have anything to do with it?”
“I should’ve known he’d search for the other sheet music again,” The sorcerer responded. “Once Walt found them, I managed to cast a spell upon them so whenever one with bad intentions would take them, they’d go back to their respective realms. A temporary spell, risky at that, because that would’ve given Chernabog the chance at finding the sheets of his realm which I presumed he already did.”
“He only had one,” The alicorn princess pointed out. “We managed to find the other one from a group of traveling pilgrims.”
“Did you now?” Deems spoke up. “Well, now we have them back thanks to you… all of you.”
Suddenly, each of the sheet music in the Master of Ceremonies’ grip began to glow. One by one, they flew from his grasp and levitated high above the midst of the stand. Everybody watched as they slowly floated in a single circle, their magic filling the air with soft string music.
“I never thought I’d live to see this moment,” Leopold stared in awe.
“What’s happening?” Spike asked, confused.
“Joined together, the sheet music can either bring harmony or destruction,” Leopold explained. “It depends on what the finder desires and only works when they are together.”
“Good thing we’re the good guys, huh?” Pinkie said.
The two sheet music in Twilight’s grasp tried to pry themselves free. Fortunately, she immediately noticed and released them. As they flew to join the others, the green ones hovered toward the middle… but nothing happened.
“Nothin’s happenin’,” Applejack said.
“It needs a little help in conducting the music to unlock its full power,” Leopold added.
Suddenly, Twilight had an idea.
“Does anypony have a…”
But before Twilight could finish, a certain pink pony excitedly reached out her hoof revealing before the princess a…
“… baton?” Twilight concluded, confused.
But without further questions, the book admirer used her magic to take the baton from Pinkie, the pink pony herself responding with a wink. Standing beneath the floating sheet music, Twilight readied herself and motioned the baton causing the sheets to glow brighter.
A beautiful piano joined the strings, the power of the sheet music filled the entire stand with floating musical scales of light and peaceful music. Octavia herself eyed the spectacle with eyes of wonder, as a certain little mouse stood next to her.
“Wow!” Mickey commented. “The melody from those sheets are joining together to create a powerful music!”
“It’s like they’re playing in harmony,” Octavia replied.
As the two green sheets glowed brighter, they began to take a different color: black for one, white for the other. The musical scales entered the songbooks, dispelling Chernabog’s darkness threatening the realms. The entire assembly was amazed, moved by this magical performance as Twilight kept waving the baton with her magic. Once the songbooks were safe, another series of musical scales gathered beneath the floating sheets. With a flash of bright light, nearly blinding everyone in the room, the scales came together and appeared to form something new. Once the brightness dimmed enough for all arms to lower, before their very eyes a new sheet music, colored in a darker shade of blue with shimmering sparkles, appeared before them.
(Stop music)
Eventually, the music stopped, Twilight’s conducting seized, lowering the baton to the ground, as she lifted up her hooves to grasp the new sheet music. She studied it as all the others made their slow descent to the surface.
“Simply magical,” Octavia said teary eyed.
“Absolutely… ‘wow’!” Vinyl agreed, deeply moved.
“I wonder what this sheet music is,” Spike said.
As Twilight examined the magic paper, Deems and Leopold joined her.
“This is a symphony we originally planned to perform, but decided to leave out,” Deems explained. “A shame because this is one of the most gorgeous piece of music ever written… especially on the piano.”
Octavia joined as well, reading the title:
Clair de Lune from ‘Suite Bergamasque’ by Claude Debussy
“Claude Debussy is a musical genius,” She complimented, examining the notes.
“He certainly was,” Deems agreed. “You can say he was musical poet who knew how to capture the emotions of true musical lovers. Imagine if the whole universe learned of his legacy and symphonies, everything could be more… peaceful.”
Suddenly, the gorgeous cellist felt a spark of inspiration.
“May we take this sheet music to perform at the concert instead?” Octavia offered. “I’m sure many ponies would love to hear this.”
With a grateful smile, the Master of Ceremonies picked up the other sheet music and handed them to Yen Sid. One look toward one another, and they seemed to share the same idea. The sorcerer conjured the magic from the sheet music to create copies and gave them back to the ponies.
“Please, take these with you as a sign of gratitude for what you’ve done for us,” Deems instructed. “So you may share the music from our world to yours.”
To suggest that Twilight and friends were speechless of this offer was quite an understatement.
“Are you sure you want us to present your music to Equestria?” She asked.
"Music of any kind doesn’t just belong to one world, but to anyone who truly loves it,” Leopold explained. “Music brings people together, no matter how different. It connects us and touches our hearts in unexpected ways. Like the air we breathe, we can’t live without it.”
Leopold’s wisdom stunned the ponies, the dragon, cricket, and mouse included.
“I never thought it that way before,” Twilight scratched her chin with a hoof. “A valuable lesson we can all learn.”
“Ah agree,” Applejack added. “There’s some truth in that there philosophy.”
“Oh my, we’ve never presented music from another world to Equestria before,” Fluttershy spoke uncertainly, yet excitedly.
“It would be magnificent to let them experience something new,” Octavia smiled awkwardly. “Though I don’t think I’ve gained enough inspiration to write new music, especially for the concert.”
“Or perhaps you have gained much more than you realize, little one,” Leopold implied.
Everypony smiled in understanding, even if they weren’t certain as to what he meant. Just then, a sound from above had everyone looking up in awe. A blue portal appeared in the ceiling, blasting a light toward the middle of the stand.
“I believe that’s your ride back home?” Deems asked, knowing the answer.
“Back to Equestria,” Twilight replied, eyeing the portal.
“I’m so glad to be going back home,” Vinyl sighed. “Yet despite everything, it bums me out to leave this place.”
“Me too,” Octavia agreed. “This place has grown on me.”
Deems and Leopold approached, to offer their goodbyes.
“We can’t thank you enough for everything,” Deems smiled. “You truly are a special group of individuals.”
“I hope you’ll visit us again,” Leopold said.
“You guys rock!” A random musician called out.
The randomness from the orchestra stand caused Deems and a select few to chuckle wholeheartedly. Yen Sid, remaining composed as ever, merely tipped his head in respect for the adventurous travelers.
“This is only the beginning, little ones,” Yen Sid joined in. “A greater journey lies before you in the worlds within the book. Beware of the dark forces, they will stop at nothing to hinder your progress to usher in a wave of gloom and doom. But no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless, you must promise you must never shed a hint of doubt. The book came to you for a purpose, with secrets even I do not know about."
The Equestrians listened carefully.
“Yet I also believe… if the book knows that you were meant to uncover its deepest answers, that you, Twilight Sparkle, can find it. You… and those who stand beside you.”
Twilight Sparkle gazed back toward her friends, to the determined expressions along their faces. Despite her fears and uncertainty about the future, she hadn’t forgotten what her friends told her throughout this adventure. While the little pony had no clue of the eventual outcome, her friends seemed hopeful. For they’ve been through so much since the day she met them, since the night they ventured into the Everfree Forest to put a stop to Nightmare Moon. But this journey was bigger, more intense than anything they’ve faced before.
The excitement and fright gave her goosebumps, yet she smiled knowing she wasn’t alone. Perhaps there is a chance that everything will turn out just fine.
“I can feel the struggle through your emotions, Twilight,” The sorcerer spoke. “You’re excited yet afraid of what you may see, what may happen and what will be. The future has always remained mysterious and uncertain for all living things. Yet the light of hope can always be found, even in the deepest darkness. I have faith that some day you will find that light.”
Soon the little bookworm felt calmer hearing Yen Sid’s words. Then Rainbow Dash flew next to her side, wrapping an arm around her friend.
“And we’ll be there with you to make sure we find it together,” Dash declared, booping Twilight’s nose.
“You can always count on us whenever ya feel trapped,” Applejack assured.
“And if you ever feel negative or paranoid, we’ll always have another inspiring speech prepared just for you,” Pinkie assured. “Unless you’d prefer we use a time spell to go back 55 seconds later to tell your past self to quit worrying all the time. What do you prefer, Twilight?”
Twilight, of course, merely covered her face with her wing to hide the embarrassment of hearing Pinkie’s mention of time travel. Mickey chuckled with glee seeing Twilight surrounded by such good friends, almost reminding him of his own friends back home.
“I see big adventures coming our way,” Jiminy spoke. And I’ll keep track of everything in my journal.”
“Sounds awesome!” Rainbow smirked.
One nod of approval and a wave of his hand, Yen Sid summoned a puff of magical smoke in front of him. As the smoke cleared, the baby dinosaurs and egg the heroes recently rescued stood before the Equestrians. And recognizing their saviors, the creatures raced toward their embrace.
“Hi little guys!” Twilight spoke motherly. “How are you?”
The baby Diplodocus nuzzled against her chest, as her other friends tended to the other dinosaurs. Eventually, Twilight turned her attention to a certain little mouse.
“Guess this is it, Mickey,” Twilight declared. “Thanks for coming to save us.”
“I did what I had to do,” Mickey replied. “But it was swell getting to know each other. Perhaps someday, when you find your way back, I’ll introduce you all to my friends back home.”
“That we can look forward to,” Twilight smiled. “If ever you’re in Equestria, you’re welcome to stop by any time.”
“Thanks for watching over the baby dinosaurs for us, Mr. Yen Sid,” Fluttershy added, petting the baby stegosaurus. “I hope they weren’t too much trouble.”
“A pleasure,” Yen Sid replied. “Be sure to give my regards to Celestia and Luna.”
“We will,” Twilight assured.
Now more determined than ever, Twilight gazed toward the portal above her.
“I am ready,” Twilight said, before turning back to her friends. “I mean… we… are ready.”
The other Equestrians, happy to see their friend as her usual self again, prepared themselves to step into the light.
“The universe awaits,” Yen Sid spoke softly.
Within seconds, the Equestrians and baby dinosaurs stepped toward the portal as its magic lifted them high into the air.
“Godspeed to you, little ones!” Yen Sid called out. “And may your heart be your guiding key!”
Everyone in the room watched the little heroes enter the portal, waving their hands goodbye. Twilight turned toward the friends they made in the stand, not knowing if or when they’ll see them again. One final look toward Mickey, the mouse offering a thumbs up and his signature laugh, gave her all the warmth she needed as the Equestrian Heroes vanished into the closing portal.
(Stop music)
Following a period of swirling through space, it wasn’t long until the Equestrians once more found themselves in the library of Twilight’s castle. As the ponies and Spike adjusted themselves, the dinosaurs took a look toward their new surroundings.
“Hoo-wee! That was some adventure all right!” Applejack declared.
“Truly astonishing!” Rarity agreed.
“Yeah it was a cool adventure, despite the volcanoes…” Spike added. “…And the natural disasters…and all the scary demons…”
“I just can’t believe we made it out alive,” Fluttershy sighed with relief.
“If this was just the 1940s, just wait till we get to the 2000 version. Hope it doesn't take another seven years,” Pinkie foreshadowed before facing the camera with a wink.
The eyes of every pony, and Spike, looked toward the pink party as though she were talking crazy… again. Vinyl Scratch, however, decided to play along.
“Well, if and when that happens again, sign me and Tavi up again!” Vinyl smirked, facing Octavia. “If that’s cool with you.”
“A kind offer,” Octavia smiled. “But I think I’ve had enough danger for one day.”
“Ah come on, Tavi!” Vinyl wrapped an arm around her. “Sure, it was scary, life-threatening, and we’ll likely be having therapy over this experience for a couple months…”
“What’s your point?”
“My point is, and you must admit, that whole experience… was unforgettable! And I don’t regret any moment living it.”
“… It was kind of magical,” The cellist admitted.
“And you did pretty well out there, darling,” Rarity added. “We owe you our lives, Octavia.”
“You were there for us when we truly needed you the most,” Twilight Sparkle said. “Even with our best magic and abilities, I had to admit the power Chernabog thrust upon us, and his minions, was almost overwhelming to overcome. But you Octavia, you didn’t need powerful magic or extraordinary flights to defeat such a monster. You followed your heart, did what you needed to do, and because of you we not only defeated him, but we saved another dimension from the darkness.”
Such kind words and heart-felt congratulations seemed to leave a mark upon Octavia. She had always been called up to perform the cello with her bandmates for all the big social events in Equestria, but very rarely had she been given high praise for her work. Not that she ever needed such validation, she was merely doing her job and nothing more. Yet in the span of what felt like hours, against all insurmountable odds, she was more than just some pony in the background playing an instrument. In that moment, she felt like a completely different pony.
“It’s funny when we think about it,” Octavia sighed, with a light smile. “Here I was coming to you looking for inspiration for the latest concert. But never once was Ithe pony who needed to feel inspired. To be thrust into a situation I’m normally not used to, only to discover more about myself I never thought possible. And even an experience I got to share with some very close friends."
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do something like this again, nor if I will ever truly be needed for such a calamity,” Octavia admitted. “But I will never forget what this experience has done for me, and I have you to thank for all that, Twilight Sparkle. You, and all your friends, for making me… inspired.”
They all smiled warmly before Pinkie Pie pulled every pony close to her and shouted:
“GROUP HUG!!!”
The ponies, dragon and cricket struggled against the party planner’s embrace, they swore they could not only hear but feel their bones breaking. Ultimately, they gave in and accepted the gesture despite the aches. Eventually, it dawned on Pinkie Pie, and she released her friends with a sheepish grin.
While her friends steadily recovered, Twilight Sparkle brought out the copied sheets.
“All right, everypony,” Twilight sighed. “Let’s make this a concert nopony will ever forget.”
But with one look toward her injured friends, however, and she realized there would be a slight delay.
“After a few weeks in the hospital…” Twilight smiled awkwardly.
For a few weeks, perhaps a month, Twilight and friends spent many days in the hospital. They informed the princesses of the situation; fortunately, they could count on the royal sisters to be understanding. And so, it was agreed that they would postpone the concert, at least until they fully recovered from such a harrowing experience.
After a period of preparation and a little practice, the night had finally arrived. Soon the Opera House was filled to the brim with ponies, from Ponyville to Canterlot. A gathering so huge even a few dignitaries graciously accepted the invitations. Among the crowd were the princesses themselves, both escorted by a pair of guards. For most high-society ponies, opera and classical music in general was common. But what they didn’t expect was a special treat prepared just for them.
Between a few drinks and the casual conversation, everypony was seated. The high-society ponies, the princesses especially, were seated along the balconies. Surprisingly, a certain draconequus was there, munching on popcorn while waiting for the event to proceed.
Behind the stage, Octavia Melody had no idea that so many ponies would be in attendance for this prestigious event. For the time being, her focus was generally on being as mentally prepared as possible. There she stood, dressed in a beautiful, shiny off-the-shoulder dark violet dress. Her front legs and hooves were sleeveless yet covered by large opera gloves. Her mane was done in a ponytail draped over her right shoulder; a round hair bead held it in a way that matched the dress and gloves. All courtesy of the fashionista of the group, Rarity.
“Feeling nervouscited, Octavia?”
The cellist turned her back just as Pinkie Pie, along with the remainer of the group, approached. They too were dressed in formal attire for what is certain to be a special night for Equestria.
“A bit of both,” Octavia confessed.
“I never realized there’d be so many ponies for this concert,” Fluttershy said. “I can’t imagine how hard it must be to perform in front of such an audience.”
“It’s a common thing, even for most professional performers,” Octavia replied. “You play a musical instrument as long as I have, the anxiety and nerves are an afterthought.”
“If you’re ready to go, I hope you’re not planning to play without this,” Pinkie said.
Confused, Octavia looked on as Pinkie and her friends presented her with a care package, simply wrapped in paper and a bow.
“What’s this?” Octavia asked confused.
“A present,” Applejack answered.
“For you,” Pinkie added.
“Me?” Octavia raised her eyebrows.
“It’s our way to thank you properly for saving us,” Twilight explained. “We thought this would be the best way to do it.”
“Come on, open it while we’re young!” Rainbow Dash encouraged the cellist.
Without further questions, Octavia grabbed the present. The moment she unwrapped the paper, she gasped with surprise. A brand new cello was presented before her, colored white with a black fingerboard and tailpiece. She carefully picked up the cello, gazing upon the instrument speechlessly.
“It’s the best gift we can offer since your other one got trashed,” Vinyl spoke. “I pinched in a bit.”
“I-I don’t know what to say?” Octavia stammered, lost for words.
“Do you like it?” Fluttershy asked.
“I love it!” Octavia hugged the cello, tearfully. “Thank you… I will treasure it, always.”
“No need to thank us,” Jiminy spoke, atop Twilight’s head. “You deserve this.”
Octavia was just in the midst of embracing her friends, when suddenly…
All eyes went wide as a disturbance ruined the tender moment. The theater manager, a grey stallion with a white mane and tail, along with a handlebar moustache and tuxedo, approached from behind the curtain in a fit of panic.
“Sorry for interrupting, but we have a huge problem!”
“What is it, sir?” Twilight asked, concerned.
“It’s the musicians!” The manager explained. “I just received word that most of them are sick with the flu!”
Everypony gasped over the bad news.
“That’s awful!” Spike remarked.
“It gets worse!” He continued. “The conductor sent his cat!”
“… What do you mean he sent his cat?” Rainbow asked confused.
“He’s not coming!” The manager emphasized. “Take a look.”
He pushed a box in front of the group and once they opened the package, they were surprised to find an actual cat sitting inside… the little guy eyed the ponies with the biggest eyes they’ve ever seen.
“Are you sure that’s his cat?” Spike asked.
The manager merely nodded, while Fluttershy and Octavia pet the kitten, the cat purred and nuzzled its head against their hooves in response.
“This is just great!” Rainbow Dash complained. “A bunch of musicians get sick and the conductor’s a no-show! On the night of the concert of all days!”
“What’ll we do?” Rarity asked the manager. “We can’t just cancel the event; those ponies will be so disappointed. Isn't there anything we can do?"
“Unless you can find new musicians and a conductor, I’m afraid we have no options,” The manager sighed, defeated.
Soon, Twilight Sparkle and friends found themselves deep in thought. They knew they needed to determine a means of solving this last minute debacle. All concluding with the one question: How?
“M-Maybe we can join the orchestra?” Fluttershy proposed. “I played the flute for a few years.”
“Darling, are you sure?” Rarity asked Fluttershy. “What about your stage fright?”
“I’m still afraid of performing in front of crowds,” Fluttershy admitted. “But I’ll do anything to keep the show going… if you’ll join me.”
“Are you kidding?!” Pinkie leapt before the startled Pegasus. “I’m definitely all in! I can play most of the percussions!”
“What they hay, count me in as well!” Applejack declared.
“That’s very kind, but we still don’t have enough musicians,” The manager reminded. “We don’t even have a conductor.”
“What do you expect us to do?!” Rainbow snapped impatiently. “Pull them out of thin air?!”
Weighing all her options available, it was only then Twilight Sparkle received an unexpected inspiration from the most unlikely source. A few choice words from Rainbow Dash and soon a great, yet most unusual idea stirred in the princess’s head.
“Perhaps we can!” Twilight smiled.
“Huh?” Everypony faced her.
“Mr. Manager, can you keep the guests busy for a few hours?” Twilight asked. “Like say… two hours?”
“I’ll try,” The Manager answered uncertainly. “Why?”
“Rainbow Dash, I need you, Rarity and Spike to do whatever you can to help,” Twilight commanded.
“You can count on us!” Rainbow saluted.
“I asked ‘why’!” The Manager called out.
“Pinkie, you lead Fluttershy, Octavia and Applejack in practicing,” The lavender mare continued. “Gather any instruments we can use.”
“OKEY-DOKEY-LOKEY!” Pinkie nodded rapidly.
“Could somepony tell me where she’s going?!” The Manager called out.
“Who are you going to ask?” Applejack questioned Twilight Sparkle.
“I know exactly who to ask!” Twilight voiced determination. “I’ll be back as soon as possible. Trust me!”
With a glow of her horn, Twilight teleported away in seconds. Every pony else was left to do exactly as she asked.
“Well, if anyone needs me,” Jiminy broke the silence. “I’ll be at the lobby for a quick drink!”
The little cricket hopped away while the others separated to attend to their duties. All the while, the poor stage manager stood there completely confused.
“Right… keep the crowd busy… for two hours…” The manager told himself slowly. “What’s the worst that can happen?”
As a matter of fact, keeping an audience happy and engaged proved to be the toughest task for anypony. Yet despite everything happening at once, things seemed to go along smoothly… for the moment. In the past two hours, the manager did everything he could to keep the ponies entertained: Drink, food, good humor, anything to bide time or at least keep ponies from leaving their seats.
Within that time, the musicians took advantage of the extra hours to practice (At least those who offered to be part of the orchestra, of course). While Fluttershy warmed up on the flute, Pinkie Pie couldn’t help but throw a few jams on the percussions (But not without the casual restraint). Surprisingly, Applejack was possibly the most talented amongst all the musicians. Not only able to play the guitar or the banjo with ease, but surprisingly talented on a snake-charming flute. Yet the most unusual, which she played now, was the fiddle similarly as one of her family members (Fiddly Twang by name). But since a fiddle is used mostly for country and bluegrass music, she had no problem playing the violin.
Now and then, they had help from the musicians who fortunately weren’t sick. Amongst them were members of Octavia’s ensemble: The pianist Frederick Horseshoepin, Beauty Brass on the sousaphone and Parish Nandermane on the harp. Of course there was Octavia herself, with her brand new cello, which gave her a renewed sense of confidence shortly before the curtain opened.
Backstage, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Spike helped out as much as possible. While Rainbow and Spike inspected everything to ensure the safety of the orchestra. Rarity busily attended to the wardrobe, inspecting every outfit for any wrinkles, tears, or stains. Once applying the finishing touch for the prestigious opera singer, Lyrica Lilac, Rarity most admired her best work of the night… Octavia’s dress.
Soon, Spike joined the fashionista and looked toward the cellist. The dragon found himself admiring the unicorn, not just for her beauty and generosity, but the effort applied in the clothing she created through her own hooves. All of which the feelings Spike had for Rarity grew steadily by the seconds.
“You make such a beautiful dress, Rarity,” Spike spoke softly. “Octavia looks stunning!”
“Thank you, Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity replied. “After all she’s been through today, she deserves her big night. Never hurts to make a pony stylish for just the occasion.”
The more Rarity spoke, the more the dragon’s eyes gazed upon her. The light shining from above made her look as radiant as ever. Nervously twiddling his fingers, Spike pondered what more to say. From the day he turned into a giant greedy dragon a long time back, nearly destroying Ponyville in the process, he and the unicorn grew rather close… in a friendly manner of course. But despite being different species, or what ponies would say, Spike desired to be closer with the white mare. True, he confessed his crush to her, but otherwise they’ve had no further conversation about it since. Spike had so much to say to Rarity, how much she meant to him, how fond he grew of her, knowing full well he’d never get another chance.
“Rarity—” Spike began.
(Stop music)
But before Spike could say more, a lavender flash behind the curtain exploded. All eyes turned and their ears perked up at the unexpected noise.
“I’m back!” Twilight announced, appearing behind the curtain.
And all her friends raced eagerly toward her, wanting to know who she brought along.
“Did you find who you were looking for?” Spike asked.
“Yep!” Twilight smiled.
“Well, who is it?” Rainbow asked.
Without haste, the booklover turned around and shouted:
“You can come out and pick your seat, guys!”
Suddenly, a large assembly of ponies, stallions and mares alike, all dressed in formal attire, appeared from behind the curtain to join their fellow musicians. As they greeted the Equestrians, Twilight’s friends watched in confusion.
“Who are those ponies?” Pinkie asked.
“Why Pinkie, don’t you recognize them?” Twilight remarked. “It’s about half the Philadelphia Orchestra, of course.”
All heads turned toward the group, then back to Twilight… but it didn’t take long to realize exactly what she meant.
“The human musicians?!” Rainbow asked dumbfounded.
“You’ve brought them all here?” Applejack smiled.
“After we found the sheet music, they were happy to perform with us in Equestria,” Twilight explained. “Being a human in a pony body, however, is a different matter.”
“That bad?” Fluttershy asked.
“As difficult as when I had to adapt to my human body,” Twilight replied back. “Still, two hours teaching them to adapt were worth it. Here’s hoping everything turns out fine.”
“Ah hope so too,” Applejack agreed. “We practiced as much as we could.”
“But who’s conducting the music?” Spike asked.
“Don’t worry, he’s preparing himself backstage,” Twilight told him. “Best tell the manager we’re ready.”
“On it!” Spike saluted, racing ahead.
“Well girls, this is it!” Twilight declared. “The moment of truth…”
“I hope the audience enjoys it,” Fluttershy said.
“I don’t see a reason why not,” Pinkie replied. “Unless the instruments break… and we have no choice but to play no matter how bad they sound. Or worse, the audience could riot like Deems once said.”
The girls shuddered over the thought, hoping such an outcome would never happen. But at this stage of their preparation, all they could now is cross their hooves… and pray.
Minutes later…
Everything for this concert was nearly ready. The audience in their seats were more than ready for the show to finally begin. Behind the curtain, the orchestra took a deep breath as they prepared to play a royal-like opening.
(Music from beginning to 2:52)
At the helm was Spike the Dragon, temporarily conducting the music just before the real replacement would appear. Elsewhere, Twilight Sparkle was getting dressed in a gorgeous sparkling dress. She could hear the sounds of the instruments, imagining how the audience was drawn to the harmony. Close by, the manager mentally prepped himself, hoping for everything to work smoothly. Before long, just as Twilight was ready, she appeared beside Rarity, who observed everything backstage.
“I’m ready,” The unicorn/alicorn spoke.
“Oh Twilight, you look absolutely stunning!” The white mare complimented.
“Thank you,” Twilight thanked Rarity. “How’s everything going?”
Fine, for the moment,” Rarity answered, eyeing Spike. “I must admit Spike’s doing pretty good with the orchestra; I almost forget he’s not our conductor.
“Speaking of, is he ready?”
“I am.”
Turning around to the voice behind them, Twilight Sparkle smiled as the real conductor made his presence felt. Rarity gasped, with a mix of realization and recognition, and smiled at the sight of a familiar face.
Meanwhile, Jiminy Cricket sat casually in what was considered the ‘best seat in the house’. Undeniably, the cricket was able to enjoy the show without worrying about looking over anybody sitting in front of him. Not like any pony could, considering Jiminy could see nearly the entire stage.
“Boy, what an opening!” The cricket complimented. “I have a good feeling this will be a terrific concert, don’t you agree?”
Of course, what one may call a seat, it just so happened that Jiminy wasn’t just sitting in a box reserved specifically for him… but in fact, he sat atop the head of Princess Celestia herself.
“I’m quite excited myself,” Celestia smiled.
“Thanks again for permitting me to join you and your sister, Your Majesty,” Jiminy tipped his hat.
“You’re very welcome,” The princess of the sun looked up. “Any friend of Twilight’s is a friend of mine. But please, while it’s just us, call me ‘Celestia’.”
Jiminy nodded in understanding, as he turned his attention back toward the orchestra. By now, the opening music slowly reached its end. Soon as the manager appeared on stage, Spike motioned the orchestra to stop. As the audience’s applause slowed, the manager positioned himself to speak behind the microphone.
"Ladies and gentlecolts!” The Manager announced. “With sincere apologies for the two hour wait, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Canterlot Opera House for what is to be a concert unlike any you’ve ever seen and heard. A concert hat will take you… out of this world!
“And now, without further ado, here’s your host: Princess… Twilight… Sparkle!”
The audience applauded loudly as the princess herself appeared on stage, graciously accepting the microphone from the manager’s grip.
“Thank you!” Twilight held her hoof up. “Good evening, ladies and gentlecolts, it’s a pleasure to see many different ponies here. Tonight will show that music really brings ponies together… ponies with taste, that is.”
And the few ponies in the audience couldn’t help but laugh over the princess’s little joke.
“Tonight, we present to you a very special concert!” Twilight continued. “A concert featuring classical music from a whole other world!”
The announcement had ponies amidst the audience whispering amongst each other, news unlike any they have ever heard before.
“A concert that tells the story of the latest adventure my friends and I have been part of!” Twilight hyped the crowd. “One where we visited amazing places, made new friends and nearly lost our lives. All in search of magical sheet music with incredible power! But what’s an adventure without excitement? And so, it’s my pleasant duty to welcome you here, on behalf of our new friends: Deems Taylor, Leopold Stokowski, Mickey Mouse, Master Yen Sid, and the artists and musicians whose combined talents went on to create this new form of entertainment. I’d like to honor and thank them all by bestowing the same name for tonight’s concert: Fantasia!”
Soon, the audience’s intrigue increased and a few in the front leaned in to listen closely.
“What you will see are the designs, pictures, and stories that music inspired through the minds and imagination of a group of talented artists. In other words, not only interpretations of trained musicians, which I think is all very good, but the images of the places you’ll see were created by the power of music straight from those very sheets.
“Tonight’s Fantasia program will feature three kinds of music. First, there’s the kind that tells a definite story. Then there’s the kind that, although it has no specific plot, paints a series of more-or-less definite pictures. And third and lastly, music that exists… simply for its own sake.”
Explaining the opening number, Twilight knew it was time to introduce every pony to the guest of honor.
“What better way to perform these masterpieces than the magic of friendship,” Twilight spoke on. “Please give a warm applause for our Canterlot Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra, along with our guest conductor of the evening: Leopold Stokowski!”
The human conductor, now in the form of a pony, appeared from behind the curtains and made his way toward Spike. The ponies in the orchestra couldn’t help but stare at the strange new pony, while Twilight’s friends were happy beyond surprise.
“Leopold!” Pinkie shouted excitedly.
“Leopold?” Fluttershy smiled.
“Leopold…” Applejack said, as he passed by.
“Leopold!” Octavia spoke in surprise, readjusting her bow tie.
Vinyl, who was in the audience somewhere close to the stage, nudged a random pony next to her.
"Hey, I know that guy!" She said.
But the most stunned of them all was Spike, who stammered once the conductor stood before him.
“L-L-L-Leopold.”
The little dragon took a few steps back, allowing Leopold to stand in place before the orchestra. Then, Spike offered his baton to Stokowski, which the conductor took with his mouth… before snapping it in two with impressive jaw strength. All the while, Spike made his way back to the curtains, to watch alongside Rarity and Twilight. Leopold stood on his hindlegs, raising his hooves wide, turned left-and-right, before moving them to signal the orchestra to play.
From the very first notes, the audience paid full attention to this string of classical music, as images appeared on screen, conjured up by Twilight Sparkle’s memories. From the dramatic and powerful ‘Toccata and Fugue’ to the magical ‘Nutcracker Suite’, followed by the mysterious tunes of ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ and the primitive beats of the ‘Rite of Spring’, the audience was truly taken out of this world. Little did they know that they hadn’t seen ‘anything’ yet.
“Before we start our intermission, we have one special number previously unadded in the original program,” Twilight announced. “Claire de Lune, which means ‘moonlight’ is the most well-known part from Suite Bergamasque, a piano suite written by French composer Claude Debussy. In his life, he was a master in the art of impressionism and an inspiration to many. The music’s soft and dreamy tone would mostly remind you of a beautiful night, with the moon illuminating the landscape, but also brings other things to mind: Serenity, loneliness, even romance.
“Unfortunately… we have no images to go along with it. So instead, we invite you all to visualize with your own imagination. Ladies and gentlecolts, it is with great pride that I present to you… Claire de Lune that might have been!”
On cue, Leopold readied the orchestra with a rise of his hooves. From the opening gesture, the flutes began with a calm, soothing tone.
The music itself was truly entrancing, captivating its audience with emotion. From the opening notes onward, the tune unleashed a mixture of positive emotions from the crowd and the orchestra itself. Even Twilight herself closed her eyes, listening in happiness. Rarity put her foreleg upon Spike’s shoulder, draping it over them. The warmth of her embrace, so comforting to Spike that he scooted himself closer to her until their bodies made contact. The dragon sunk deeply into her, whilst Rarity smiled over the comforting warmth of his body and scales.
Amongst the crowd, many ponies began to visualize the music through the power of their imagination. But none more powerful than one specific figure… Princess Luna.
In her mind, the Princess of the Night envisioned herself standing alone in the midst of a forest, the only illumination stemming from the pale light of a full moon. Strolling around, she breathed in the beautiful scenery, finding herself swept away by the soothing tranquility of nature. No sooner did she unfold her wings and soon she soared high into the evening sky. The night breeze brushed over her, her mane racing with the wind, cool yet comforting, her coat shimmered under the bright light of the moon. The princess herself was literally swept away by the rhythm of the music, as she soared above the many trees and the glittering lakes below.
Soon, she descended towards one of the lakes that had a waterfall. Slowly she trotted towards the water’s edge, taking one step into the lake, followed by a few more until Luna was deep enough to swim toward the falls. The moon’s reflection along the water made everything look beautiful. Close enough to the waterfall, she decided to take a relaxing shower. The water cascaded down her willowy equine frame; droplets dripped down every portion of her royal figure while her eyes were closed.
The moment she finished, the princess swum back to shore and shook herself dry like a dog. Inspecting herself along the water’s reflection, she admired her beauty. While her sister Celestia was the one who gained the most attention, it didn’t mean Luna wasn’t loved. Her days as Nightmare Moon were over; no more of a need to strike fear upon the hearts of ponies. But instead, it was about love and appreciation for her subjects. As she admired herself, another reflection appeared along the water, another presence. Looking closely, she saw stallion features, complete with a mohawk-like mane and a coat as black as the night.
Luna turned her head, and there stood a mysterious dream-like stallion. The kind that one could only imagine in a pony’s wildest fantasies… if Luna had any to speak of. Not a word was spoken between them, the Princess of the Night and the midnight stranger stood staring each other down. Wary yet curious, Luna could sense that this newcomer posed no threat. In fact, there was interest within his eyes, yet not in a creepy fashion. Staring long enough, a smile appeared on the mare’s face, her eyes half-lidded. The princess walked closer, to brush herself against him and walk past before turning her head with a look that said, ‘Follow me’. The stallion obeyed as the two traversed deep into the woods, until it turned into a playful chase. They ran about, laughing for a while, until they found themselves in a beautiful meadow and laid themselves down along the soft grass watching the starry sky hanging over them. All of a sudden, the stallion turned toward the princess, her hair splayed out on the ground, and she turned toward him. The stallion found himself mesmerized by her blueish green eyes, as though he had never seen them before.
After a while, they were walking side by side, climbing a small hill. They sat upon their haunches at the very top, leaning lovingly toward each other, staring toward the huge moon above. Luna could not explain such a feeling she hadn’t felt before, and yet somehow, it felt… familiar… in a way she couldn’t explain it…
(Stop music)
As the music ended, the Princess of the Night opened her eyes, smiling as the audience applauded over such an amazing performance.
“Thank you!” Twilight spoke through the microphone. “And now we have a 15-minute intermission.”
As the intermission took place, much positive reception was spoken over the concert as every pony prepared for the second half. Not a single pony was disappointed in the slightest; in fact, they were enchanted by the concert’s overall selection. From Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral Symphony’, with its beautiful landscape and magical creatures, to the comical yet perfectly timed rhythm of the often tragic ‘Dance of the Hours’. Many in attendance were struck with fear by the terrifying ‘Night on Bald Mountain’ until happiness swept over them from Lyrica Lilac’s rendition of the divine and hopeful ‘Ave Maria’.
Eventually the concert came to an end with the entire theater erupting with applause. Many ponies rose from their seats, singing sweet praises over such an amazing show. One motion from Leopold himself and the entire orchestra stood up, bowing before the public. As ponies and various guests clapped louder, Twilight Sparkle approached until the booklover stood at centerstage with a smile. Together, the princess and the conductor gave another bow and a huge wave of applause followed. Coincidentally, the loudest came from Discord, who wore a foamed finger glove and cap, whistling on his fingers to cheer for Fluttershy (To the chagrin of the ponies closest to him).
Before they went home, ponies were sharing one last drink in the lobby. The perfect moment they had to truly share their opinions about the show itself.
“I say, that was the most marvelous concert I’ve ever seen!” Fancy Pants complimented. “Truly out of this world.”
“And that conductor, such flair!” Fleur de Lis added. “How he managed to lead a whole orchestra without a baton and put such force in music is astonishing! How come I’ve never heard of this Leopold Stokowski before?”
“Good question, my dear,” Fancy Pants wondered. “He can’t possibly be a Canterlot or Ponyville pony with a name like that.”
“I thought that Claire de Lune part was so romantic!” Swan Song sighed dreamily.
“I agree!” Golden Gavel concurred. “Though I’m partly fond of the Dance of the Hours and the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. The enchanted brooms and dancing animals were an exquisite touch.”
“I enjoyed the Pastoral Symphony the most,” Silver Frames added. “Like walking into a living picture.”
“And the beats in the Rite of Spring, intense I must say!” Fancy Pants noted. “It’s unlike any classical music I’ve ever heard.”
“That Night on Bald Mountain piece gave me chills,” A random pony spoke. “I’ll have nightmares about it for a while.”
Overall, the majority of the attendees thoroughly enjoyed the concert. And yet, there was sadly enough amidst the crowd with varying tastes and standards the most. The most vocal were Jet Set and his wife Upper Crust, balking the idea one would best describe as a ‘longhair musical’, that two hours and five minutes (Plus intermission) was too long for general enjoyment. It would only go to show that this concert couldn’t please ‘every’ pony. But despite some of the criticism, the concert proved to be a major success.
In light of the news of the overall concert’s receptions, the Equestrian Heroes had more than enough reason to celebrate behind the scenes.
"Well done, everypony!" Twilight congratulated everyone. "You've all given a truly amazing performance!"
“They’ll sure remember that one, all right,” Applejack agreed.
“Here, here!” Rarity concurred. “The most stunning classical concert I’ve ever seen, and I practically lived through those pieces.
“I… LOVED IT!!!”
All eyes turned as Rainbow Dash flew up in the air, performing a barrel roll as she chuckled with glee. But it didn’t take long for her to notice the eyes staring at her, as the Pegasus pony flapped down with a blush while trying to deny her enjoyment.
"Uh, I mean, it was a'ight."
Everypony merely giggled in response, knowing their friend so well.
“Nice percussion work, Pinkie!” Spike complimented the party planner. “You handled it pretty well despite your… wild personality.”
“And they say I have no sense of culture!” Pinkie replied with pride.
“And you did great yourself, Fluttershy!” Spike addressed the timid Pegasus.
“You really mean that?” She asked.
“Sure! For a pony with stage fright, that was actually brave.”
Moved by the dragon’s words, Fluttershy hugged the dragon who blushed in response. Octavia and Vinyl, the latter having left her seat to congratulate her friend, shared their own hug.
“That was amazing, Tavi! Who’s the mare?!”
“I am?” Octavia asked timidly.
“You bet you are!” The disc jockey smirked.
“Terrific singing, Lyrica!” Twilight congratulated the opera singer. “You really blew everypony’s mind.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Lyrica bowed with gratitude.
And then, the unicorn/alicorn faced Leopold and the orchestra members joining him.
“I can’t thank you enough for your assistance, Mr. Stokowski,” Twilight Sparkle smiled proudly. “If there’s anything we can do for you…”
“No need, Twilight,” Leopold interrupted politely. “The return of the sheet music and the honor to perform in another world are the greatest awards we can ask for. After tonight, nothing can top that.”
“Very humble of you, sir.”
A feminine voice caused everypony to turn around. Low and behold was Princess Celestia, along with Princess Luna and Jiminy Cricket (The latter holding onto the Sun Princess’s crown).
“Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!” The ponies spoke in unison.
“Don’t forget me!” The cricket waved.
“Howdy Jiminy!” Applejack greeted. “What’re you doin’ here?”
“We came to congratulate you all personally,” The Princess of the Night replied. “Especially the orchestra and their conductor.”
“Though it’s a first with somepony not from Equestria,” The Princess of the Day added.
As the two mares approached, all the musicians (knowing they were in the presence of royalty) bowed in respect. Leopold Stokowski himself gave a gentleman’s kiss to Celestia’s hoof.
“Your Majesties,” Leopold greeted.
“You’ve become quite the talk of the town, Mr. Stokowski,” Princess Celestia spoke. “The comments and praise from all our ponies have been nothing but positive.”
“You’ve given us the best classical music concert we’ve seen in such a long time,” Princess Luna continued.
“Thank you, Your Majesties,” Leopold bowed. “It’s a pleasure to perform for all of you. I’m proud of the entire orchestra for playing so perfectly; though my stubbornness can sometimes be troubling.”
“A conductor who leads an orchestra the way you do has my full respect,” Celestia replied.
“So… What will you do now?” Spike asked Leopold.
“Well… we shall see,” Leopold answered. “I can only conduct for the Philadelphia Orchestra for so long, but I still have a few good years ahead of me. As long as there are orchestras to attend to, maybe a few guest appearances, I always have music to look forward to. Who knows? Maybe I’ll form my own orchestra, a little idea I’ve had for a while, to inspire the youth with how impactful music itself can be.”
“That sounds amazing,” Twilight spoke with glee. “The ponies can learn so much from you.”
“I hope as much as they do from you and your friends, Twilight,” Leopold gave a small smile.
“You will come back to play for us again, won’t you Mr. Stokowski?” Luna asked.
“Well… I’ll consider it. For now, I’m needed elsewhere.”
“I shall return you to the book,” Twilight offered. “Will you send our regards to Deems, Yen Sid, and Mickey when you see them?”
“I certainly will.”
The eyes of the two princesses grew wide with surprise; from the moment a familiar name was spoken, it was as though a memory had ignited.
“Yen Sid?” Princess Celestia asked. “Did you say… You’ve met Yen Sid?”
“We sure did, Your Majesty,” Applejack answered.
“He asked us to send his regards to both of you,” Pinkie added.
“How is he?” Princess Luna asked.
“Well, for an old, long-bearded wizard guy so serious and mysterious, he’s a pretty cool guy,” Rainbow replied.
Of course, the cyan Pegasus couldn’t help but mimic Yen Sid’s facial expressions, adding a gesture with her hooves running up and down from her chin to her lower chest for emphasis. All fun and games, though a certain pony didn’t find it amusing.
“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight frowned.
“What?!” The Pegasus remarked. “I’m just being descriptive.”
Naturally, the Princesses did their best to hold their laughter. Though they couldn’t help but find the athlete pony’s blunt description hysterical.
“Quite accurate indeed,” Celestia replied, taking deep breaths. “But I believe there’s more to him than that… and his beard.”
“Princess Celestia, about Yen Sid,” Twilight spoke up. “There’s something I need to tell you—”
“All in good time, Twilight Sparkle,” The Princess assured, patting the young mare’s cheek. “It’s been such a long night, so we’d best get a good night’s sleep so we can rise bright and fresh by tomorrow.”
Accepting the piece of advice with a simple nod, Twilight Sparkle once more turned her attention toward Leopold.
“Well, I suppose this is goodbye… again,” Twilight declared.
“Indeed,” Leopold nodded in agreement. “Time for us to go home.”
The Princess of Friendship and the conductor shook hooves in respect, never turning their gaze away.
“Good luck, Twilight Sparkle,” He smiled warmly.
“Same to you, Leopold,” Twilight smiled back. “You’ll do great things!”
“Farewell… my friends.”
Leopold turned to the members of the orchestra, who stood smiling toward their newfound companions. Twilight’s horn soon glowed until the magic wrapped itself around the conductor and his musicians. After a few seconds, they soon proceed to vanish in a downpour of sparkle as Twilight looked on, smiling as the magic from her horn soon faded away.
The hour grew late, and by then the entire Opera House was spick and span after so much activity. All of the ponies had gone back to their homes, to sleep comfortably under this silent night. At the Canterlot castle, after an evening of splendid entertainment, the two rulers were getting ready to retire to their rooms. As the sisters strolled down the halls, thoughts surrounding what transpired that night soon dawned upon them.
“That was, without a doubt, the most magnificent concert I’ve ever seen,” Luna declared. “Don’t you agree, sister?”
“Quite magical indeed,” Celestia replied.
“I never realized Chernabog was truly real. I always thought he was a made up figure to frighten ponies to go to bed. I-I cannot imagine the horrors Twilight and her friends must’ve endured.”
“What matters is they’ve returned safe and sound,” Celestia answered gladly. “Thanks to Yen Sid’s student, everything would turn out just fine.”
“Still… our ponies meeting Yen Sid?” The Night Princess brought up. “How long has it been since we’ve last seen him?”
“Like a lifetime,” The Ruler of the Day reminisced. “I admit I haven’t been in contact with him for so long.”
“Then perhaps it’s time you did. But you must rest, Sister, while I battle the ponies’ nightmares. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are still some spurred from the final number.”
“Very well, Luna,” Celestia nodded. “Good night.”
“Sleep well, sister.”
The two alicorns soon went their separate ways to their respective rooms, ready to retire to their beds. But as she got ready, however, Princess Celestia kept thinking of what Luna said. Then Celestia remembered that Twilight Sparkle had something to tell her about Yen Sid. Did something happen? Was danger coming? A possible threat that could affect both worlds? Only one person knew for certain: A familiar face from an all-but-forgotten past.
The Sun Princess approached the wall tapestry of a shooting star hanging next to the fireplace. Pulling it aside, a hidden switch on the wall was revealed. Pushing the switch, the portion of the wall rotated. Once there was a tapestry but now replaced by a tall gold mirror. Celestia placed her hoof upon the glass, pondering everything. Luna, and by some extent Twilight Sparkle, were right: Princess Celestia needed to speak with Yen Sid… the first chance she had.
(Stop music)
The next morning, Ponyville streamed with life, abundant with great activity. All the ponies were performing their daily business, sharing a few sweet words to their fellow neighbors, and fillies and colts were playing side by side along the busy streets. All while Twilight Sparkle was writing her letter about her recent adventures from the comfort of her library.
The first time my friends and I entered the worlds within the Book of Disney, I was amazed and curious at the same time. So much beauty to behold, even musically. Our adventure with Deems Taylor, Leopold Stokowski, and Mickey Mouse taught me how influential music of various kinds, especially classical, can be.
It inspires us…”
In Ponyville, Octavia tried to compose some new music only to find herself in trouble. That is until Vinyl joined in to help her and Octavia did the same in return.
“It helps us visualize and create…”
At Carousel Boutique, Rarity presented her latest line of haute couture. All of which inspired by the musical realms she visited alongside her friends. In the public’s eye, her work was truly a thing of beauty.
“… Discover new things…”
In the comfort of her home, Rainbow Dash played some fitting (classical) music in an attempt at ballet. Though more open to things like reading and spa days, the athletic Pegasus wasn’t quite ready to reveal this new passion/hobby to all of Equestria. After all, she still has a reputation to keep.
“… Make the world a better place…”
In her animal sanctuary, Fluttershy looked after the recently recovered baby dinosaurs. Amongst these strangers in a strange land, there was the egg that finally hatched… and a baby Pteranodon was revealed to the world. The dinosaurs themselves grew used to their new home, while the resident animals grew comfortable around such ancient creatures.
Fluttershy still thought about Charlie and all the dinosaurs that sadly vanished due to unfortunate circumstances. And yet, as the Pegasus looked around, she knew they were not truly gone. For today, their descendants were everywhere. Soaring overhead across the skies: the birds.
“By listening, music brings unity amongst everypony and putting differences aside. I cannot imagine a world without music.
Music is life.”
Meanwhile, in the heart of the town, reviews were pouring in over last night’s concert. The ‘Foal Free Press’ saw a spike in sales as many ponies were reading last night’s events in the latest newspapers. The stars given by the critics varied, the lowest being around four and the majority being five in total. In short, the reception surrounding the concert has been nothing short of positive.
“I must be honest: Sometimes I feel scared when we visit new worlds, but this past adventure truly left me terrified about the future. My friends have been encouraging, of course. And yet I can’t shake the vision of what I’ve seen out of my head. I understand you’re very busy, but I hope you can make the time. I really need to talk to you about it.
Your faithful student and friend,
Twilight Sparkle.”
Her writing complete, Twilight handed the letter to Spike, who used his magic fire to mail it to the princess.
(Stop music)
“I hope she responds soon,” Twilight said.
“Don’t worry, it’s Princess Celestia,” Spike reassured her. “She always makes time for you.”
Looking around, it dawned upon Spike that there was one thing that needed to happen. With a sigh, he reached out and picked up a broom discarded to the side.
“Guess I better pick up where I left off,” The dragon declared.
“Don’t worry, I’ll help,” Twilight grabbed another broom.
Just as they were getting ready, an idea lit up in Spike’s mind.
“You know, it might sound crazy, but…”
“What?” Twilight asked curiously.
“Would it hurt if instead of cleaning the castle ourselves, we use magic to bring the cleaning tools to life?” Spike suggested. “It worked for Mickey.”
“Be serious, Spike,” Twilight remarked. “Have you forgotten how it ended?”
“Aw, come on, Twi! There’s nopony better at magic than you,” Spike replied. “You’re smart enough to think ahead and prevent a building from overflowing. Who knows how long it’ll take to clean this up?”
The unicorn/alicorn had to admit that her assistant/friend made a valid point of the circumstance. Eventually, she agreed to the plan… as silly as it sounded.
After a bit of light reading, Twilight eventually found the spell. With the magic emanating from her horn, she cast it upon a number of brooms and mops stirring them to life. Of course, she made certain that it wouldn’t end just the way in Mickey’s initial attempt.
(2:13 to 2:44)
“I want this entire castle to be sparkly clean,” Twilight instructed. “Can you do that?”
The cleaning tools picked up the buckets and proceeded accordingly. Soon they were sweeping across floors, dusting corners, and mopping the numerous spots within the library. All under the watchful eye of two good friends.
“And now we have the time to do other things,” Spike said. “And if things go south, we have the fail-safe spell.”
“When you explain it like that, it sounds like a great plan,” Twilight admitted. “I’ll give you this one, Spike.”
Suddenly, much to their surprise, the door swung open. All eyes turned as Starlight Glimmer burst into the library, gasping heavily.
“Twilight, you have to come!” Starlight called out. “Something’s happened to the map!”
“Why? What’s the matter with it?” Twilight asked.
“It has expanded,” The unicorn explained. “Come and see!”
Twilight and Spike raced after her as fast as they could. The brooms and mops continued their duty, making certain that every nook and cranny was as sparkly as a diamond. One broom came very close, grabbed the bucket, and thrust the water with a huge splash covering the view.
(10:49 to end music)
THE END
In the depths of his tower, Yen Sid sat at his work desk, pondering over everything that happened. His eyes turned toward the mirror, and he too pondered over contacting Princess Celestia. Soon the urge to sleep got the best of the old wizard. It had been a long day and he needed his rest.
He soon worked his way up the stairs to his bedroom. Unbeknownst to the sorcerer, a strange event was taking shape along his worktable. At the very center was a map of a land, resembling a theme park, a land home to characters who have been forgotten. And from the map came a strange explosion of light that lit the entire room, and then… darkness.