It started on a busy morning in Ponyville. Parcel Post just finished his first commission, for Pinkie Pie, to make poster for Ponyville Day, she’d been made Master of Ceremonies this year and she decided to throw a village fete to celebrate the town’s rustic village-ness. Parcel went around posting the poster around the town, he came out of the Post Office and went on his way.
Time Turner passed in the Lorry, probably out for do some work outside of the village, possibly even in Huntersfield.
He passed Dotty Miller and Starry Eyes, the Pegasus showed Dotty the magazine with Mrs Waterbury’s latest story.
Then Cipher came walking up with a friendly “Morning.”, Dotty said her hellos and walked away, Cipher turned to Starry and gave him some letters “Is it alright if you take Waterbury’s letters too? It’ll save me sometime.”
“No, it’s fine.” Starry said taking the letters “Thank you Cipher.”, the two walked away from each other and Cipher stopped at a house to post some more letters, he heard hoof steps and looked up he smiled “Morning Windy.”
Windy Miller passed by with his cart of flour and eggs, he smiled as he past “Hello Cipher.”
Granny Smith stood in the Post Office paying for a parcel to be sent off “And ten first class stamps please Muffins.” She turned to look at the poster “Well I’ll be. A fete for Ponyville this year, we used to have them regular when I was a filly. Mind though it’s not like it was in the old days, oh no, brass bands with drums and trumpets, I hope they’ll be some sort of music.”
Muffins carefully looked at the weight of the Parcel and noted it down in the book “Oh, I’m sure. I heard Pinkie’s asked Octavia and Vinyl to sort it out, Twilight’s been encouraging her to try a bit of delegation.”
“My old uncle you know, he played,” she paused “land sakes what did he play? I know he made a darn good sound, it was big and booming. I wonder whatever happened to it?”
Muffins shrugged, put the parcel down on the counter and took out a book of stamps “That’ll be three bits Granny Smith.” She counted out the coins “Well, never mind. Now Muffins would you kindly ask Cipher to come to the farm afternoon.”
“I will.”
“That attic of ours, you know there all sorts of things up there. I’ve wanted to get it cleared out since we last rebuilt the barn.” She walked out of the Post Office as a streak of orange and blue carrying a guitar case flew passed and shouted, “Hello Granny Smith.”
“Morning Flash.” She called back and went on her way.
Flash spotted Cipher coming the High Street and landed “Hello Cipher.”
“Hello Flash.”, the Captain of the Everfree Guard held up the guitar case “Look at this.”, Cipher smiled but raised an eyebrow “I thought you didn’t have time to play that guitar.”
“Well right now with Shining staying and with the Reverend wanting to do some Castle duty I’ve now got some spare time, and Twilight been encouraging me to play.” And he flew off.
Cipher smiled and gave a sad sigh ‘It would be nice to play something. Something big and booming.' Changelings never got any spare time, and in Cipher’s old position he got even less, the thought of playing something made him hum down the High Street and into the Post Office, Riolu looked over from his seat on the cart, park by the Post Office window as usual and he smiled.
Cipher entered the Post Office and Muffins looked up with a smile “You’re sounding cheerful today.” She said. Cipher grinned “It’s the music in the air.”
“As it should be.” Said a voice as refined as Rarity’s and Cipher turned around.
In walked in an Earth Pony mare with a dark grey mane and tail, a light grey coat and light purple eyes, and she wore a pink bow-tie with a white collar. Her cutie mark, a violet treble clef. Beside her a Unicorn mare with a pale-yellow coat, and often mistaken for white, a two bridged eighth note cutie mark, a cobalt blue mane with brilliant cyan stripes. She wore a pair of purple lensed sunglasses and a pair of headphones.
The pair’s names in respective order, Octavia Melody and Vinyl Scratch, but most of Equestria knew Vinyl by her stage name “DJ Pon-3”. They live on the outskirts of town, though Vinyl also has an apartment in Manehatten above her own nightclub. The pair are in fact siblings, and not as some have guessed lovers.
Octavia continued as she walked in “Pinkie has told us we need music for a good fete.” She turned to her sister “Now then Vinyl, do you think your turntable can give us some jolly old tunes?”, Vinyl frowned and shook her head. Octavia tilted her head “Well, what about that old record player? I’m sure Doctor Time Turner can mend it, he has been keeping it going for the last few years.”, Vinyl smiled.
“Oh,” Muffins said piling the parcels and letter, she tapped Cipher’s shoulder “I nearly forgot, Granny Smith asked if you’d pop in at Sweet Apple Arches.”
Cipher nodded and took the pile with his magic “Right oh.” He walked out “I expected she’s got something for the fete.” He opened the back doors of the cart and put the parcels in “Bye all.” He called. And Octavia and Muffins called back their goodbyes and through the window he could see Vinyl wave. He hummed as his climb onto his seat, started the cart and rolled away, he stopped at junction, looked both ways and then turned right and out to the outskirts of Ponyville.
He made a couple of deliveries before arriving at Sweet Apple Arches. He parked in the yard and took the post out. Then both he and Riolu got down and went to the house he knocked and went in “Morning Granny Smith, you’ve got two letters today.”
In the kitchen, Granny Smith turned the oven off as Cipher walked in “Oh Cipher I’m glad you’ve come.” She walked up as Cipher put the letters on the table, she looked up to the ceiling “There’s somethings in the attic and they’ll be just right for the fete. You know some old hats, bonnets and the like, could you climb up and have a look?” She walked into the next room, a ladder sat in the middle of the room which went up to a hatch in the ceiling. “Applejack and Big Mac are too busy on the farm, and Apple Bloom’s down at the school, and my legs are too wobbly for that ladder. They’ll be there somewhere, but mind how you go.”
“Let’s have a look.” Cipher said put his hooves to the rungs. “Up we go.” He pushed the hatch open and observed the dark room. He climbed into it and looked about ‘I won’t able to see a thing. Now then, how did that illumination spell Twilight taught me go?’ He charged his horn and some light filled the room, just enough to see in front of him. ‘Where do I start?’
He stepped lightly as clutter appeared before his eyes ‘Oh dear, what a jumble, I could never live in a house messed up like this attic.’ A trunk appeared before him and he opened it. Full of hats and hatboxes, he looked over some and picked out a top hat. He placed it on his head with the brim above his horn and looked to a nearby mirror ‘Stylish,’ he chuckled ‘I like that.’ He shut the trunk and with his magic levitated it to the hatch.
Then he went exploring some more. ‘A chair, a coffeepot and kettle, boxes and tubs.’ He turned to an old chest ‘I say this looks promising.’ He opened it and pulled out a large brass instrument ‘It’s some sort of a, Oom-pah thing I think.’ He looked over it ‘It looks too dusty to blow.’ He took the chest with him as well and went back to the hatch.
He looked at his assortment of items ‘Now then, better get this lot down.’ He took them up in his magic and with his back to the rungs of the ladder slowly stepped down “Look out below!”, his hoof lost its place and he slid the last couple of feet.
He went into the kitchen and saw Granny Smith getting a pie out of the oven. He waited until she put it on the table before give the instrument as blast. Granny jumped and turned “Lands sake!” she took a couple of breaths before speaking again “Cipher you gave me such a fright.”
He frowned “I did. Sorry about that.”, he didn’t like scaring ponies, he thought the Changelings should be better than that.
Granny Smith smiled “I thought it was my old uncle for a minute, you know? Off the play in the Ponyville brass band.” She looked at the instrument “Now I remember it was the tuba he played. Tell you what? You’re welcome to it. Why don’t you learn to play it? We could have a new band in Ponyville, real live music for the fete.”
Cipher took the top hat off and looked at the tuba still in his magic “I might do that.” He put the mouthpiece. With his more solid lips he found making them vibrate as the air past a little hard, but he did manage to make some sounds, but nothing which could be called music.
Riolu sat on the chair chewing at his bone, but as the sound went through the kitchen he looked up.
Cipher turned to the door and started walking out “Seems the right sort of size for me. Big and booming, this would suit Big Mac too.”
“Big Mac’s a base singer not a musician.”, Cipher blinked “I wonder what my singing voice is like?” He shrugged and smiled “I know Fluttershy sings wonderful, it rings like bell so true it is hypnotising.”
Riolu barked and Cipher shook himself. Granny Smith chuckled. Cipher blushed and opened the door “Thanks Granny Smith, this is very kind of you.” He opened the door and left.
He hummed low, imagining himself playing while he carried both the tuba and the it came from he went to the back of the cart and put them next to the letters and parcels. He then climbed up to the driver’s seat and started the cart before rolling down the road.
He went along and zig-zagged to his next stop. Doctor Time Turner.
The timekeeper looked over the cylinders and rods of the Lorry’s engine, he reached down into his toolbox “It looks like it needs a number eight spanner.” He looked to his side and smiled “Oh here’s Cipher.” He returned to the pistons “The lining look okay for the moment, I think I’ll need to replace them soon.”
Cipher took the tuba out and called out “What do you think of this Time?”, he gave a sharp and loud blast.
Time Turner jumped, held his ears and wailed “Stop!”, he eyes spun. He shook himself and looked at the tuba “I think it need a spot of something before it give me a headache.” He grabbed a nearby oilcan “Let’s try a drop of oil,” and he pumped some oil into the values and chuckled “this is good stuff.”
Cipher gave another sharp blast right into Time Turner’s face, his mane, while already spiked, stood up, and there also came the sound of clattering from the workshop.
The doctor brushed his mane down “It’s a bit overpowered Cipher.” He took hold of some scraps of material “Try some of these rags down its throttle.” And he stuffed them down the horn.
Cipher chuckled “Thanks Time. I’d better be on my way now.” And he put the tuba back in the cart. He got onto the seat and charged his horn, the cart whirred but then gave some unpleasant noises and jerked about “Oh dear. She won’t start Time.”
“No,” Time Turner said coming around “I can’t fix it right now.” He went under the front axle with his spanner and then came up hold a broken shard of crystal, he nodded “Your battery crystals gone. And ever since the Fire of Bridle City Port these are very hard to find. I’ll have to order some of these new sparkplug replacements.”
Cipher and Riolu climbed down and Cipher sighed “Oh dear Riolu. How in the wide world are why going to deliver all the post?”, Time Turner stood up “I know, you could take the Mail Coach out. I’ll give you a lift into town to pick it up.” He started walking “Young Riolu can keep me company. I think you’d better sit on the back with the brass contraption, I can’t risk getting a blast from it while I’m driving.”, the Earth Pony and Jakhowl climbed into the cab, he turned back and yelled “Our you with us Cipher?”
The Changeling flew onto the back with his tuba “Ready.” He called back. Time opened the regulator and off they went.
But Cipher just couldn’t resist having another toot on the tuba.
The entered the town and Time Turner stopped as Flash Sentry flew down a street. Not seeing him from behind Cipher gave a blast on the tuba and Flash both distracted and disorientated flew out of control and head first into a tree, he ended up as a heap on the ground.
Next, they passed Windy Miller. Cipher gave a toot and Windy jumped “Ouch! What was that?” He looked around and up into the sky “Sound like some-pony let go of a large balloon, what a noise.”
Time Turner turned into a street which Starlight Glimmer trotted up. Cipher next go sounded like a wailing creature from the Everfree Forest, like a Timberwolf howl. Starlight jumped to the side with cry of “HELP!”, then the Lorry passed and she scowled “Road hog!” she yelled.
Presently they came to the Mail Couch. Time Turner slowed the Lorry to a stop and climbed out “Here we are,” then as he helped Riolu out he muttered “and a good thing too Cipher. You and your blooming tuba.”
The two postal workers got aboard the coach, Cipher put the tuba and its chest on the roof behind the driver’s seat.
Time Turner returned to the Lorry “Ponies shouldn’t be allowed to make a noise like that.” He climbed into the can and mutter “A terrible racket.” He opened the regulator and the Lorry steamed away.
Cipher started the Mail Coach and doubled back to the Doctor’s workshop to get the post out of the cart.
After doing so they continued their rounds.
Cipher stopped outside the North-Eastern Windmill. Riolu climbed into the passenger compartment to stay somewhere quiet. Cipher meanwhile took the tuba and flew into the yard. He couldn’t see any-pony about and the sails didn’t spin so no Windy to speak with, so Cipher thought he would have one more try to get music from his tuba.
The sound frightened the chickens and they started to make a real noise and running around the yard as if they lost their head. Dotty came out the house shouting “What’s going on out here?” she approached Cipher who stopped “What was that terrible noise?”, Cipher frowned “Sorry Dotty, it was only me trying to make music.”, Dotty blinked and put a hoof to her temple “Music Cipher? It sounded more like a dragon snoring. I’ve never heard the likes of it.”
Cipher trudged back to the coach frowning ‘Dear me, there must be some I can practice without frightening every-pony. If this is how domesticated farm animals react, what would Fluttershy’s animal do? I’d better not practice there.’ He started the coach again and rolled away.
Half a mile up the round. Right at a fork in the road and straight on until he reached the field he’d usually have his midday tea. He stopped and both him and Riolu got down. “Looks silent enough here, no-pony about.” Cipher took out the basket with Riolu’s lunch. They climbed the hill and set it up.
Cipher then leaned against the tree with his face in the shade and shut his eyes and began to dream. As a dream, some parts didn’t quite fit reality.
He stood smart in special band uniform and his voice sang from above “Just imagine if I could… Really, really could, play the tuba.” He held up the instrument, blew into it and place prefect notes and the music truly started.
“We could have a get time making music… Like the old days with the village band… I would practice every day… So, I could join and a play… And I’d try to make a very lovely sound…
“I’m so lucky that I found this lovely tuba… Now I’ve got a chance to try me hand… With my practice, every day… I’d soon be proud to say… That I can make a really lovely, really proper sound…
“Putting up the music we must get to know the score… Think what we could play… Oh our music will be sure to have a beat… And the tuba it would make a sound… Sure to give a richer sound… No mistake would make the sound complete…
“It’s lucky that I found this lovely tuba… Now I’ve got a chance to try my hand… With my practice, every day… I’d soon be proud to say… That I can make a really lovely, really proper sound…” The music slowly to a finish with “I’ll to make a really lovely really proper sound…”
Cipher blinked awake and looked down and Riolu chewing on his bone “I must have dropped off, what a lovely dream.” He chuckled “Hands though, I think I’ve talking with Lyra too much.” He levitated the tuba “Now then, let’s have one more go at this tuba.”
Riolu covered his ears.
Nearby, Roseluck, a female Earth pony with a pale-yellow coat, like Vinyl Scratch, raspberry mane with light raspberry streaks, chartreuse green eyes, and a cutie mark of a rose, worked on the flowers in her garden. One of Doctor Time Turner’s oldest friends like Muffins, she worked the flower stall with Daisy and Lily Valley, and all three of them would fall to pieces at anything tragic involving flowers.
Cipher put the mouthpiece to his lips.
Roseluck held a pair of secateurs in her hoof and readied to cut a few leaves of the stems of some potted flowers. Then a loud noise blasted through. She jumped and cut through the stems, the heads with all the petals fell to the ground Rose gasped “My prize blooms!” tears came to her eyes and she looked around quickly “What was that…”
“Morning Roseluck,” said a voice, she turned around as Cipher came up her garden path “a parcel for you.”
“Did you hear that dreadful noise Cipher? What do you think it was?”
Cipher frowned “Uh, well,” he rubbed the back of his neck “I don’t know Roseluck, I’ll have to dash lots of tub, I mean letters today.” He quickly gave her the parcel and rushed off. Roseluck looked back down at her former prize winning flowers and uttered “The horror.”
Late in the evening Flash Sentry went out making enquiries he called back at the Castle. Twilight went to Canterlot to spend the day with her family, she did asked Flash the chance to come but he said he need to protect Ponyville, but after his crash earlier in the day he partly wished he did take the offer.
The only two ponies inside, Starlight and Reverend Farthing, and Starlight locked herself in the library to look for a quick reaction protection spell having almost been run over by Time Turner’s Lorry.
The Reverend swept the corridor floor outside the chapel. Flash walked up “Good evening Padre, I wondered if you could help me with my enquiries. It’s about these strange noises, there have been reports all over Ponyville. Some folks think it might be intruders from outer space. I got thrown off course by a loud noise and a strange vibration in the air.”
The young Reverend nodded “Yes Captain, this requires some thought. You know what the Holy Books say I suppose, Book of Exalts,” translated from the Ancient Unicorn word of Psalms meaning praises, through Pony Latin and to modern Equestrian “Number one-hundred ‘Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the world. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.’”
Then the sound came, Farthing flinched and wide-eyed “Dear heavens! What’s that?”
“That’s it Padre.” Flash said scowling and turning around “Dreadful I call it.” He started to walk to out “I’ll go and investigate. Stay here Padre and if I’m not back in five minutes…”
“Allow me to join you Captain Sentry.”
“No Padre.” Flash said as they existed the Castle doors “Your non-combatant, it could be something from the Everfree Forest.”
“Oh, but I insist.” He illuminated his horn “Two heads are better than one.” They started walking around the Castle “And besides I’ve gotten to know my way around the Castle grounds at night.”, as they moved they heard the noise again, Flash glanced at Farthing “Now Padre, we must go quietly, or we’ll never catch it.”
“Lord defend us.” Farthing prayed softly.
Flash stopped, the sound came from his left, the Reverend shone his magic over to a bunch of bushes with a gap in them, Flash stepped forward and the noise got louder “Careful Padre, we’re close.”
“Maybe, I should fetch help?”
“No time for that, and you volunteered for this Padre.”, Flash stopped as the Reverend’s magic caught up with him, he held his hoof up to stop Farthing “Look there’s a figure by that bush, I think we have our culprit.”
The noise got worse and the two covered their ears, Flash did it with his wings, then the Reverend looked again and blinked “Good heavens! It’s Cipher!”, Flash blinked and straight up with an angry scowl “Cipher!” He called.
The noise stopped and the familiar Changeling head looked around “Hello Reverend,” then he frowned “Hello Flash.”, the two came up and Flash asked, “What all this about Cipher?”
“Well, it’s my tuba.”
“Very commendable,” Farthing said, “he wants to make music.”, Flash turned away and muttered “Yeah but you didn’t fly head first into a tree, did you?”, Farthing ignored this and spoke to Cipher “I’ll have a word with Major Fields Cipher, he can teach you, he told me he played something similar in the Fifth Regiment of Hoof.”
The day of the fete arrive. Pinkie Pie coordinated the setting up.
Rainbow Dash and the other Pegasi put up the bunting and the banners. Cipher and Time Turner gave them a hoof. Indeed, every-pony helped.
Dauntless Doo came along to keep an eye on things. He soon ended up with his hooves full, primarily when Cipher gave him some of the bunting to hold as he walked to the Mail Coach.
He passed Windy Miller helping Spike with some of Rarity’s mannequins, Windy looked to the little dragon “Whatever are all these dummies for?”, Spike put another one down “There for the “Knock the Hat Off” stall.”, Windy muttered something about ask a silly question.
Cipher climbed up onto the driver’s seat of the coach and rolled away, as well as helping with the preparation for the fete, Cipher needed to do his rounds. He drove out of the town and around to the left at a fork in the road and onto the North-Eastern Windmill, some letters needed to be delivered there.
Dotty worked in the kitchen, making jam to sell at the fete. Cipher came in “Morning Dotty, I’ll put the letters here,” and the set them on the little spare space of the table not taking up by jam jars, he then turned around and left “bye.”
“Bye Cipher.” Dotty said as she placed a lid on another jar.
And in between his rounds and the preparations, Cipher squeezed time in at Kimblewick Hall for music lessons with the Major. Under his tutelage, he did indeed make music. “Ready now?” the Major said and tapped his hoof and readied his own instrument “A one, two, three.” They played along together, and Porter keep the beat going at the end the Major smiled at his music student and said, “Good fellow.”
The afternoon came and so did the time for the fete. Cipher collected the foals who attended school on the day, along with Miss Cheerilee, a real squash.
At the fete, every-pony started having fun with the games and bought all the bits and sundry. Princess Celestia and Luna arrived to complete the Royal Families presence, and of course some ponies knew what their presences meant as well.
Windy called out over the tinny music from the record player “Roll up! Three balls for one bit. Try you luck. Knock all the hats off and win a prize.”, a filly came up and Windy smiled “Come on Diamond Tiara have a go.”
“Very well Mr Miller.” The daughter of Filthy Rich said and threw them, and indeed, knocked the hats off “I won!” she shouted. Windy smiled “First prize and all.” He handed her a teddy bear, Diamond took it and looked, not disappointed, more indifferent “Oh, thanks.” She said.
Suddenly a crackling sounded above the music before the sound and the music stopped altogether.
Rarity looked over from the stall she browsed “Did you here that dreadful noise.”
At the table with the record player Octavia, Vinyl, Cipher and Doctor Time Turner looked worried. The doctor spoke “I think the old record player’s given up the ghost Vinyl.” He turned around and walked to one of the speakers “Let’s just check these leads.”, he turned the speaker and checked the wire “Looks alright.”
Cipher looked at the other one and called over “This one seems okay Time.”
Back at the table Time Turner unscrewed the side of the player and pulled the workings out, he tutted “It’s your old valves Vinyl, they’ve gone pop.” He sighed and shook his head “And you can’t get this type now.”
Octavia and Vinyl looked at each other and synchronised, shrugged, Octavia looked back to the crowd “Then that’s the end of the music.”, Vinyl nodded.
Pinkie’s mane deflated.
Granny Smith spoke up “But we’ve always had music at a fete, ever since I was a filly and won the clogdancing competition.”
Time Turner grimaced “Well, this want play again that’s for sure. I don’t know what else we can do.”
Cipher trotted past smiling “Hold on, I’ve got an idea.” He walked up to Twilight “Um, Twilight, Spike can I have a word.”, soon the rest of the Royal Family and the Council of Friendship got in on the conversation and they all agreed. Rarity and Fluttershy went off together, and Cipher, Twilight, Spike and Flash went back to the Castle.
The came out handling a piano, which jangled a bit on the way back to town, and Flash carried his guitar. Spike chuckled “It’s a good thing I decided to learn how to play after the incident with the Yaks.”, Twilight nodded. Cipher chuckled and added “It’s a good job it’s on wheel too.”
Mrs Waterbury and Starry Eyes blinked as they passed by.
Pinkie and Applejack already put down chairs, and Vinyl set up music stand with sheets. The piano stopped and Spike readied his seat.
Flash started tuning his guitar.
Lyra with her harp in her magic sooner joined him, as did Octavia with her cello.
Rarity arrived with Big Mac and two other ponies, Toe-Tapper and Torch Song, and Fluttershy with a tambourine. Pinkie Pie rolled a drum in
Cipher got his chest down from the coach roof and looked down at the figure standing next him “Alright Major?”, the Major nodded and said, “Good fellow.”
Starlight walked up to Spike “Why don’t you give every-pony an A Spike?”, the dragon nodded and pressed his finger down on a key, letting every-pony tune their instruments to the same tone.
Two foals sat down with woodwind recorders.
Cipher sat down next to where Fluttershy stood and practiced his tuba.
A light blue coated and messy white maned Earth Pony mare, with a screw cutie mark sat down and took out a harmonica, quite good at it.
Close by Comet Tail blinked and turned to Nurse Redheart “I didn’t know little old Screwy played the harmonica.”, Redheart shrugged “Something the therapist suggested.”, Screwy, most of the time, acted sane enough to travel, but occasionally she would have fits of madness where she believed herself to be a dog, even making a great impersonation of one.
The Major waited for every-pony to stop readying themselves and pushed a soapbox in front of the band. He stepped onto it and reared up on his hind legs, and held out his stick like a conductor’s baton “All ready now?”
Octavia and Rarity spoke at the same time “Ready when you are Major.” The both looked at each other as the others laughed.
“By the right,” the Major said, “quickly march.”, Flash raised an eyebrow and Porter nudged him, the Major shook himself and cleared his throat “I mean, altogether now. A one, two, three.”, Pinkie banged the drum in time to the beat the Major put out.
The music started and every instrument played its part. The quintet of the Pony Tones added in their vocal talents, with Fluttershy also added in the tambourine.
The Royal Family watched and Twilight Velvet, Princess Twilight’s and Shining Amour’s mother smiled “It puts me in mind of the days when I was a filly. Isn’t it just grand?”, Night Light, her husband and the aforementioned royalties’ father nodded and then asked, “Care you dance dear?”, She smiled and the two started Waltzing.
Shining Armour put his hoof to his head. Then Flurry giggled and so he tickled her tummy.
Princess Twilight looked to Flash with a big smile. Her Captain glanced up and winked.
Cipher paused his tooting and listened to Fluttershy sing, she stopped and looked back, he smiled, she blushed and smiled and two went back to their respective parts of the harmony.
Celestia walked up to Twilight Sparkle “Do you want me to make the Decree when they finish this, or do you want them to play another song after? I’m really enjoying this.”, Luna nodded coming alongside “It was a good idea of young Prince Cipher to assemble this. That shows some good leadership skills, Thorax was right in appointing him.”
Twilight still smiled and looked about the crowd “I think we’ll let the Ponies of Ponyville decide if they want an encore.”, Celestia nodded “A wise decision my student.” And just stood back and listened.