The Summer Sun Celebration was well underway, with ponies attending from all over. The Princesses were greeting guests, Firebrand was playing a spectacular rock piece, and several ponies were dancing. Blaze was happy just writing as much as he could down in his notebook.
“This’ll make for a great story!” he thought, eagerly.
“Alright, all you couples out there!” called Firebrand over the noise. “This one’s for you, so grab your partner.”
He began to play a slower, almost waltz-like piece. Everywhere, ponies we're partnering up. Gregory turned to Storm Cloud and cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Would you, um, like to dance?” he asked.
Storm Cloud considered him for a second or two, then gave him a small smile.
“Sure.”
The two of them joined the mass of couples already dancing. Spike had found a more than willing partner in Applejack; Fluttershy was being swept along, giggling, by Discord, Master of Chaos, dressed eccentrically, but dapperly; Rarity and Fancy Pants, the most prominent member of Canterlot society, were looking positively awe-inspiring together; and Pinkie Pie and her fellow party pony, Cheese Sandwich, were surprising many with how seriously they were treating such a dance, far outside their usual natures.
At this moment, three pegasi walked into the party, very much out of breath.
“I-huff-told you to take-huff-a left turn back in Griffinstone!” whispered Spark, angrily.
"Sorry, I couldn't hear you. These wings are really loud,” Inferno whispered back.
“So, uh, which one is Celestia, guys?” Kindle asked, poking his head in between his siblings.
“I (italic)think(/italic) she's that tall white one over there,” said Spark, squinting through the crowd.
“How would you know?” asked Kindle.
“Just a hunch,” said Spark, shrugging.
“You know, guys,” whispered Inferno, a mischievous gleam in his eyes, “Mistress said to complete the mission, but she never said how long it had to take. Why don't we enjoy this party first, huh? Heheh.”
Spark frowned.
“I don't know…” she said, doubtfully.
“Pleeeeeeeeassse?” begged her two brothers, adding puppy-dog eyes just to increase the effect.
Spark sighed. “Ugh, fine, but I'd better not regret this…”
“Oh, look!” said Inferno, pointing. “The purple one’s about to say something.”
As Firebrand finished his piece, Twilight trotted up onto the stage.
“Good evening, everypony,” she said, beaming around at everyone. “I hope you are enjoying this year’s Summer Sun Celebration.”
This was met with wild, enthusiastic applause.
“I am pleased to announce that a new friend of mine will be singing for us tonight. So, without further ado, here she is, all the way from Canterlot: Chocolate Gem!”
“Woohoo!”
“You go, girl!”
“Go, Gem!”
The cheers and yells of Gem’s friends could be heard above all others. However, nopony was showing up on stage, and the tumult began to die down in puzzlement. Twilight, looking nervous, whispered to Brand,
“Where is she?”
“I have no idea,” he whispered back, then, out loud, he asked “Has anyone seen Chocolate Gem?”
Several ponies shook their heads. Her close friends were looking concerned.
“Wait!” said Rainbow Dash. “I think I saw her out in the gardens. I'll go check.”
She flew off. Twilight was left standing on stage, looking rather awkward in the midst of so much silence.
“Erm, well, while Rainbow Dash goes to find her, for now, uh…”
There was a flutter of wings, and Gregory alighted onto the stage, brim full of confidence.
“Allow me, Princess,” he said. “Fillies and gentlecolts, enjoy!”
He was soon, ahem, ‘gracing’ the audience with a rather loud, and very much off-key, rendition of ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’. Ponies and guests everywhere were wincing and covering their ears.
“Oh, (italic)this(/italic) is getting its own chapter,” Blaze muttered, teeth clenched.
The noise carried outside, loud enough for Rainbow Dash to hear. She cringed.
“I'd better find her fast,” she thought. “Nopony deserves to suffer through that…”
Suddenly, she spotted her. Gem was indeed out in the garden, singing softly to herself.
“(italic)Looking out a stained glass window…(/italic) Oh, I can't do this..."
“Really? Cuz you sound amazing to me.”
Gem looked up, surprised.
“Rainbow Dash! What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to get you,” said Rainbow, becoming slightly stern. “How could you leave everypony hanging like that?”
Gem bit her lip, looking anxious.
“I changed my mind,” she said. “I can't go up there. What if I’m terrible?”
“Hey, now,” said Rainbow, in a gentler tone, “what kind of talk is that? From what I’ve heard, you’re an amazing singer! Nopony’s gonna judge you badly if you’re not perfect. You’ll do just fine. Besides, it’s not like you’re gonna be by yourself. We’ll all be there for ya.”
Gem considered this for a moment. She thought of herself, up there on stage, in front of hundreds, thousands of ponies...and then she thought of her friends, her closest, dearest friends, standing amongst the crowd, cheering her on, smiling up at her...It made her feel warm inside.
She turned to Rainbow with a new gleam of confidence in her eyes.
“All right,” she said. “I’ll give it a try.”
“That’s the spirit!” said Rainbow, grinning. “Plus, I'm not sure how much longer everypony can take Gregory's performance.”
Gem giggled.
“I know what you mean. He’s an amazing dancer, but singing...not so much.”
Rainbow chuckled, and with that, the two ran back into the party.
“Found her!” called Rainbow.
Gem’s friends looked up, smiling at the sight of their friend. Twilight looked immensely relieved, and rather hastily pushed Gregory away from the mic.
“Thank you, Gregory, for your, um, interesting performance,” she said, “but now, the moment you've all been waiting for: Chocolate Gem!”
“Woohoo!” called Mint Leaf.
“Yes!” yelled Firebrand.
“You go, Gem!” shouted Blaze.
Chocolate Gem walked up on stage, stood before the mic, and took a deep breath.
“Ok, you can do this, Gem,” she muttered. “Just breathe."
After a few tense seconds, she began,
(italic)Looking out a stained glass window
Down below, the carts in the city go rushing by
I sit here alone and I wonder why
Friday night, everypony's grooving
I can feel the beat, but it’s soothing heading down
I search for the beat in this crazy town
Downtown, the fillies are going
Downtown, the fillies are growing(/italic)
“Hey, let's help her out!” shouted Sweetie Belle, suddenly.
“Yeah!” said Scootaloo and Apple Bloom in unison, and before anypony knew it, Chocolate Gem had received accompaniment by three very eager little fillies.
(italic)We're the kids in Equestria (oh-oh)
We're the kids in Equestria (oh-oh)
Everypony live for the music around(/italic)
The three beamed up at her, and she beamed back, a whole new energy lighting up her features. In the crowd, the elder sisters (and sister-figure) of those fillies could do nothing but smile with pride.
(italic)Bright lights, the music gets faster
Look, boy, don't check on your watch, not another glance
I'm not leaving now, honey, not a chance
Won't stop, so give me no problems
Much later, baby, you'll be saying nevermind
You know life is cruel, but our friends are kind
Come along to our new story
Everypony deserves some glory
We’re the kids in Equestria (oh-oh)
We’re the kids Equestria (oh-oh)
Everypony live for the music go round
(La la la la-la la-a
La la la la-la la) Sing!
(La la la la-la la-a
La la la la-la la)
Come closer, honey, that’s better
Don’t wanna let you go without a fight
Oh, don’t try to leave, you know that’s not right
Outside, a new day is dawning
Outside, the fillies are playing everywhere
I don't want to go baby
Baltimare to Fillydelphia
There's a new wave coming to greet ya
We’re the kids in Equestria (oh-oh)
We’re the kids Equestria (oh-oh)
Everypony live for the music go round
(La la la la-la la-a
La la la la-la la) Sing!
(La la la la-la la-a
La la la la-la la)
We're the kids
We're the kids
We're the kids in Equestria
We're the kids
We're the kids
We're the kids in Equestria
We're the kids
We're the kids
We're the kids in Equestria(/italic)
As Chocolate Gem finished her song, everypony cheered, but nopony came close to the volume and wildness of her friends. Tears sparkled in her eyes.
“Thank you,” she said, huskily. “Thank you, everypony.”
Firebrand ran up on stage at this point, and, taking her hoof in his, raised it high.
“Let's give it up once again for my friend, Chocolate Gem!”
The applause became even louder and wilder.
“Thank, Brand,” Gem said, tears still lingering in her eyes.
“For what?” asked Firebrand.
“For believing in me.”
Brand smiled.
“Anytime.”
The two hugged, and the cheers grow even louder, if that was even possible. Twilight stepped forward once again.
“Thank you so much for that spectacular performance, Gem,” she said. “And now, everypony, it’s time to watch Princess Celestia raise the sun!”
There was a great excited uproar as everypony rushed forward to get a better view. Meanwhile, three pegasi, two of whom had been blown away by Gem’s performance, while the third didn’t seem all that impressed, headed off towards Twilight's castle to figure out their next move.
Their mistress, meanwhile, was watching them through a magic mirror, her eyes fixed intently upon it.
“They never were good at turning down a party,” she sighed, “especially when free food is involved. Ah, well, I suppose I can let this slide.”
She took her eyes off her mirror to look over her bookshelf, and suddenly, she noticed a brown book that hadn't been there before. Not to her recollection, at any rate.
“Hmm? What's this?”
Taking it down, she started browsing through the pages. Suddenly, she stopped, something within apparently catching her notice. Her eyes narrowed.
“Well, now, this could change everything….”