//------------------------------//
// The Play's The Thing 
// Story: Grey Little Pony 
// by Dusty Miller 
//------------------------------//

	Chapter Eight:  The Play’s the Thing


	
“The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places.


But those that will not break it kills.


It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.”


 — Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms.


Grey stood at his post as Luna walked out of the palace to stand behind him on the veranda. 
“Turn around pony; We are invited to the Ponyville Plays. Allow me to begin again, that was the royal ‘we’. I have been invited to the Ponyville Plays and I have accepted. I am taking you as my attendant.”
Grey’s ears drooped.
“What is it? You can’t hide anything from me.”
“I would rather not go back to Ponyville if that’s alright with you.”
“Were you exiled, did you steal, art thou a criminal? What is it? Confess.”
“No your highness it’s just that I quit my job in Ponyville without giving any notice and left. I was just the street sweeper.”
“I see. We leave in the afternoon.” 

Grey heard a scream come from over the Everfree forest. Not one he recognized or even heard before. A black chariot with four Royal Pegasi came over the forest. It circled the field and landed in front of the palace. No not Pegasi, Bat ponies! Grey had seen the Royal Guard Pegasi that pulled Celestia’s chariot. They never wasted a movement or a motion. They were still most of the time. Not bat ponies! They fought each other they laughed and snorted. They struggled against their chains. The one closest to Grey kept snapping at him and laughing,

“Hey ugly come here I want to talk to you.” Snap.
Luna exited the palace and the bat ponies were subdued. Grey opened the door of the chariot. Luna entered and made herself comfortable. 
“You take the position of the footman on the back. Hang on tight. If you fall you fall.”
The chariot jerked into the air. Grey hung on for all he was worth. He would only look forward not down. His first flight was terrifying. The earth dropped away with just the backboard under his back hooves. The bat ponies didn’t seem to be taking a direct rout. They would fly hard then let slack build in their chains and jerk the chariot forward. Luna didn’t seem to notice. Grey watched the chains for slack and braced himself for the next jolt. Ponyville valley appeared ahead. The chariot aimed for Main Street, came down in a straight line, landed and then rolled along Main Street leaving a cloud of dust. Grey stepped off the back and opened the door for Luna. He hoped nopony could see his shaking legs.  
Luna whispered to Grey as she passed him. “Fix your hair, follow me.”
Grey’s mane and tail were as wild as the wind. He managed it as best he could and followed behind Luna.
Luna met Mayor Mane who acted as her ambassador. Luna then greeted the heroes of Equestria. Then every shop owner, then every adult pony in town.
The bat ponies and the chariot had disappeared but only Grey seemed to notice.
A light supper had been prepared in the field next to the outdoor stage. Luna sat at the head table with the mayor and dignitaries flanking her. Grey stood at the end of the table watching everypony eat.
Mental note, eat before coming to one of these things.
Dessert and tea was served to the head table. While dishes were being cleared Luna signalled Grey over. 
“Eat a sandwich, don’t faint on me.”
Grey had seen all the plays before. All of Ponyville sat on logs in front of the stage. Luna sat on the nicest chair reserved exclusively for royalty. Mayor Mare sat next to her. Grey stood on Luna’s left. The plays seemed better organized than Grey remembered. Probably putting on an extra effort for the princess. 
When the plays were over, Luna and the mayor walked to the town hall.
“Stand guard here, I am going to have a meeting with Madam Mayor.”
Grey turned around and stood guard in front of the mayor’s office. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash approached with feathers in their mouths and evil smiles. Grey lowered his eyes and turned into a statue. They approached slowly and cautiously aiming their feathers for Grey’s nostrils. Just before they touched Grey inhaled and yelled “BOO!”
They fell back laughing.
“Sorry girls, I’m not that kind of guard pony.”
Rainbow Dash flew off. Pinkie said, “Good seeing you Grey. Are you staying for the after party?”
“Probably not. Pinkie?”
“What?”
“Never mind.”
“No, you were going to say something.”
“It was good seeing everypony today, even if you were the only one to say ‘hi’. Could you tell everypony that I’m sorry for the way I left.”
“You worry too much. Party more, dance more. Bye.”
The door behind Grey opened and Luna spoke through it.
“Would you come in here.”
Mayor Mare stood behind her desk. Luna stood to one side. She seemed larger in the small office. 
“Madam Mayor, it is my duty to inform you that this pony abandoned his post. He did not give fair notice or any notice that he was leaving. He left town unannounced and may have caused concern for those he left. 
She’s turning me in! Exposing me as the fraud I am!
Mayor Mare disliked controversy. It was a victory for her to get Luna to come to Ponyville and now it was all falling apart. 
She asked, “What was your post young pony?”
Grey answered, “I was the town street sweeper.”
Mayor Mare said slowly. “I’m sorry Your Highness I hate to contradict you I really do but to the best of my knowledge, we’ve never had a street sweeper.”
Luna grew in size, her armour appeared. Her mane and tale whipped like flames. She towered over Grey.
“If you have lied to me or tried to deceive me in the slightest way I will destroy you!”
Thunder rolled down the valley.
The day had started out so well for the Mayor. She had bragging rights over all town mayors in the area. And now her lovely town was going to end up a smoking crater because of some grey pony she had never seen before.
Grey’s heart broke. He felt as if he was back to being nothing in Ponyville, less than nothing in front of his princess and the mayor. Grey wanted to sink between the floor boards and disappear forever. He gazed at the floor took a deep breath, summoned the last of his courage and said,
“When I got my cutie mark somepony showed me where the street cleaning equipment was kept. I was told to light the street lamps and sweep at night. She gave me a few coins once in a while and then I never saw her again. I doubt I was ever on the town ledger. I was always too ashamed to ask for a wage. I can show you where my, where the broom is kept. It has my teeth marks on it. I’m sorry for the way I left. I couldn’t take it anymore. It still wasn’t proper. It doesn’t look like anypony missed me anyway. I’m so sorry.”
Mayor Mane said, “I didn’t know, I’m sorry. I thought the street lamps weren’t lit anymore because of our austerity measures. I’ve been getting the merchants to clean up after themselves more lately. This may explain the rash of potholes.”
The Mayor was about to apologies again when Luna interrupted. 
“Pony, outside now.”
When the door closed behind Grey Luna returned to her regular size. 
“Madam Mayor, I offer my most humble apologies for my guard pony’s rude behaviour. He is a new recruit and he is as they say green as grass. Rest assured that I will write Princess Celestia a letter telling her of the wonderful time I have had in Ponyville. Perhaps next year the two of us may attend your amazing plays. Until then, be well. Good night.”
When the door closed behind Luna, Mayor Mane fell back into her chair. What was that about?
Grey held the door of Luna’s chariot open. Luna walked down the steps of the town hall and into the chariot. Grey closed the door quietly.
“I’m sorry I bothered you. Meeting you was the highlight of my life. Goodb…”
 “You take the position of the footman on the back. Hang on tight. If you fall you fall.”
The flight back was slightly less stressful. The bat ponies seemed better behaved. They may have recognized Luna’s voice in the thunder.
 At the palace Grey held the door for Luna. 
“It’s going to rain tonight. You have permission to stay on the veranda if you like. Sleep tonight.”
The bat ponies and chariot blurred into smoke and dissipated. The doors of the palace opened for Luna and closed behind her. Grey stood on his rock. 
It wasn’t her fault she had to know. I was never as terrified as I was in the mayor’s office.
Grey relived every moment over and over in his head. His stomach was a tight knot. He tried to control his breathing. Saliva was building in his mouth faster than he could swallow it. He ran as fast as he could to edge of the Everfree forest and vomited then vomited again. He bit a mouthful of grass, chewed it and spit it out. Grey walked back to his post.
Never again! Never again will I be that scared. I am sick of it. I am sick to death of it. Always too scared. I let them push me around. Too scared to stand up for myself. Too scared to ask for what is rightfully mine. Too scared to ask a girl to dance. I fear failure so I never try. I’m always apologizing.  Luna is the only one who has had the slightest faith in me. I would die for her. If she tells me to put my head in a dragon’s mouth I’ll do it. If she tells me to walk into lava I’ll do it. I am dead to this world. That’s it! You can’t frighten or intimidate a dead thing. You can’t threaten me with death I’m already dead. Everything else seems so trivial now.
Grey shouted at the sky, “Hey bat ponies, come here I want to talk to you!”

/]*[\

A day later Luna and Grey stood in the great hall of the Everfree forest palace.
“This is called a form or a series. It is the Way of doing. Think of it as a dance. They are solo dances where you will spar with yourself as your enemy. This one is the oldest form. It will teach you the proper postures and use of breathing. The name of this form means three phases or three battles. Remember I said mind, body and spirit. Why are you so pensive today pony? You are not your usual eager to please self. Perhaps you are still irate with my treatment of you earlier in Ponyville?”
“No Your Highness, just the opposite. I am extremely grateful to you for allowing me to let go of that guilt. You were correct to turn me in. you had to know if I was loyal and honourable or not. I have made a life changing decision. You might ask me if I would die for you. My answer is I already have. I have let go of all my stupid fears including the fear of death. You said you would not look for me in battle. You have no need to. I have no intention of leaving the field of battle.”
“I do see a change in you pony. I see that you are not brooding. A famous general once said ‘the object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his’. What do you say to this? 
Grey flinched at the ‘B’ word.
“I say tell your general that I’m already dead and I don’t care what he says and I’m taking fifty of his bastards with me. With all due respect.”
 “Pony this is an advanced mind-set. I was not planning to give you the challenge to develop this in you for another two years. What you are experiencing is to be without the thought of fear. It is usually first learned in a static state. Today we will make it dynamic.”
Grey didn’t understand Luna’s answer, “There must be something to this. When I walk through the Everfree forest the predators look at me differently. Some of them actually move out of my way. I feel an energy in my lower belly. Have you given me magic or are you turning me into a unicorn so I can fight unicorns?”
“Oh pony you are so full of surprises today. No I did not give you magic nor am I turning you into a unicorn. I would never do that to you. What you feel is your spiritual focus. You have always had it. Every living entity has it. You have just become aware of yours. Remember the play about the secret assassin in black pyjamas who always shouted before she attacked? That is called a spirit shout which is an expression of that energy through breathing. Poor girl has no idea. As I said you are going to learn how to breathe. We are going to put together your no-mind with your focus and breathing, the Way of forms.” 
Grey’s heart soared.