That night was pretty tense in the Golds mansion. Kind's warning frazzled the nerves of not only their guests, but their daughters as well. The joking ceased, the questions stopped, the talking itself nearly ended. The party was taken outside behind the Estate where they could see the sunset over the grassy golf course.
The sky was turning a beautiful orange and the sun was dipping beneath the clouds to make room for the moon. All the fillies lied on their backyard balcony, observing the spectacle from the comfort of beach chairs while drinking beverages fit for a king or queen. A little peace and quiet always did the trick away from the corner of fame.
But sometimes, too much quiet was unfitting. Mom and Dad knew something about her past and made it plain and clear earlier when they came back home. Now, the fun times were awkward.
Magenta groaned from the balcony they were on to watch the Sunset, attracting their eyes. "Excuse me," she apologized.
She turned around and made her way back into the estate. Magenta had to talk to her mother about what happened earlier. It ruined the atmosphere terribly. Uncool.
She found her and Max talking in the living room on the second floor drinking tea or something. The lights were dimmed and everything was pretty quiet. When Magenta entered, they ceased their discussion and looked her way.
"Mom, what was that earlier?" She asked. Goldhoof sighed and looked her daughter over. All those scars, missing wings...
...a catastrophic event tore them all apart. One almost literally... Twilight's voice rang in Goldhoof's head.
She sighed and set down her cup. "Oh, baby...I'm sorry if I embarrassed you or your friends and caused any discomfort."
"Mom, everything was going fine until you two came in with fire in your eyes that burned holes in their souls," Magenta blandly replied.
"Sweetheart, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were the primary reason you were—"
"La la la, don't wanna hear it!" Magenta interrupted.
Goldhoof and Max shared a look before focusing back on Magenta. Max sighed and asked, "Magenta, are you sure you don't want to know? It's very important that you do."
"Yep, don't tell me. Now I have to get ready for tomorrow's interview. Please don't make them uncomfortable, these are me and Bright's first real friends ever since we made it big. And you guys know how hard it is to even make any now. So please don't ruin this for us. And at least for Bright." Magenta turned and headed back to her room to set out her clothes for tomorrow.
Her parents watched her leave then looked at each other with the same thoughts. They knew Magenta and Bright can't really make friends because of who they are. But was it wise to make friends with the same girls who put Magenta in her unfortunate and permanent situation? They almost caused her to die.
"I'm watching them," Goldhoof whispered. "I know Maggy wants to be her own mare now and deal with these things on her own, but I'm her mother and I'm going to watch. I don't care what she says."
While Magenta was preparing, Celestia finally lowered the sun and Luna raised the moon and stars. The group stared up at them with an empty mind before Bright looked over at the five mares beside her, all looking up at the moon. They knew exactly what happened to Magenta. But Magenta herself didn't even want to know. Bright was very curious, but if she found out, she may look at her sister oddly and make her uncomfortable. So she decided to push it aside for now.
Bright stood up and stretched her wings with a loud yawn, attracting the attention of their guests. After smacking her lips, she smiled over and said, "Well! That's enough for me today! Can I show you to your rooms or do you want to stay up and...whatever?"
The five looked at each other and nodded in an unspoken agreement. Then Sweetie turned to Bright and made some signs. "We'll stay out here for a moment."
"Alright. Well, you know where Magenta's room is, so just go to her for help if you need it. I'm about to turn in. Tomorrow's going to be another day! Yay!!" Bright jumped up and did a little cheer before she turned and skipped into the mansion, leaving the five mares alone.
Once away, Applebloom sighed and turned back towards the moon. "I...was not expectin' any of this," she muttered with a shake of her head.
Sweetie nodded and made a sign Applebloom translated. "I was expecting more of a 'tell me everything that happened', anger and yelling, possibly glass projectiles, and a few more things."
"So..." Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon shared a worried look. "...we stay on the tips of our hooves until that does happen?"
"Apparently," Babs answered. "And I have to get her and Bright to make friends somehow in some unimaginable way. You can't exactly make normal friends if you're a celebrity."
"You can say that again," Silver responded before she turned to Applebloom and asked, "Any response from Gabby?"
Applebloom shook her head and answered, "Not yet. She's more than likely asleep. She goes to bed really early and wakes up really early. Like four in the morning. She'll more than likely bug me and Sweetie at three or something asking where we are. Gabby's not from Equestria so she has no idea what a Manehattan Unique is. Let alone a Magenta Streak. So we'll have to meet her in the morning and get her ready. Let's get to bed."
Applebloom stood up first before the others, then turned and led them back into the dimly lit hallway of the mansion. Remembering the way they came, they traversed around a corner past the long glass windows in the back and towards the high staircase that led to the third floor. Why they needed a third floor was beyond Diamond Tiara. Must be nice to spend this many bits on things you don't really need.
After reaching the third floor, they looked around to find their way to the bedrooms, which were on a very wide hallway. Similar to a lobby.
Babs muttered, "This is a really big mansion." Applebloom nodded in a definite agreement. Then pointed towards the white glow coming out from underneath a pair of wooden ornate doors. Scootaloo's bedroom.
"Looks like she's still up," she whispered, then made her way over to the door with the others behind her. They gathered by it then lightly knocked.
"Come in!" Magenta called. Sweetie Belle pushed it open and peeked inside. Magenta was behind her desk looking across it and over the entire room at the large display of the Z27 Mega, displaying graphs that they could read. She had a lamp trained on her desk, wearing her gold rimmed glasses. Magenta looked down at the door and smiled at the group. "Hey! Sorry about mom earlier, she's really defensive of her kids."
"It's cool," Diamond Tiara responded back. "Listen, tomorrow another past friend of yours that's been searching for you is coming and—"
"You want me to come meet them," Scootaloo finished. "Sure, I guess. What time? I can add it to my schedule." Schedule? The group of gals looked at each other with a strange eye. Scootaloo has a schedule? Magenta's chuckling from above brought them back to the subject.
"It looks like I didn't have a schedule when I was around, huh?" She asked while writing. "Well being me with a lot of interviews, studio time, picking up my sister from school, and having meetings with the label, I pretty much need one. Not to mention when I have online shows, which I have not missed even once. Can we meet with them early?"
Applebloom shrugged and answered, "She's an early bird anyway. Literally."
"Alright. because a lot of ponies get up early in Manehattan to get to their jobs, me included since I have an interview to get to at eleven. So I have to be ready."
"Umm...is five okay?" Applebloom asked.
Magenta nodded and answered, "That's actually perfect. I'll wake up at four and we can catch some breakfast then leave. Everypony in this neighborhood gets up early anyway."
"Great! So uhh...where's..."
Magenta raised a hoof and pointed towards the monitor without looking up from her notes. "The guest rooms are the doors on the side at the end of this hall. We have six I think, so you love birds can either snuggle together, or separate. Doesn't really matter."
"Alright. Good night, Scooter," Babs responded before they turned and made their way out.
Magenta stopped writing and looked at where they were at previously, now vacant. Smiling, she muttered, "Scooter...interesting name for me, Babs." Then went back to work. She had some estimating and planning to do.
Snores filled the mansion at around two. Well, on the third floor. Except for one. Babs could barely sleep. She was in a room by herself, hooves folded on her chest staring up at the ceiling underneath her blankets. Seeing Scootaloo was so... Surreal. They were expecting many reactions when they found her. Yet, she didn't even want to know who they really were, nor what happened. A lot of fireworks were going to pop in their faces in the future. Mainly the Purple and Orange one.
A creak made Babs' ear twitch. She immediately sat up and looked at her door, now slightly ajar. Didn't she close it before sleeping? Babs jumped out her bed and onto the solid wooden floors. Then timidly and quietly walked over. She opened it wider and peeked out, glancing into the long dark halls. The right seemed clear, and the left...
Magenta. She was slowly and calmly walking towards the double doors at the end of the hall. Looks like she couldn't sleep either. But where was she going, and why did she look so droopy? Sad? Scootaloo had her ears pressed against the side of her head and was more quiet than she's been since they spoke to her. Even if it was dark. It was strange seeing the loud musician quiet.
Magenta pulled down the handle of the door and pushed it open. Moonlight seeped out that brightened the hallway before she walked in and closed it back, blackening it once more. Something lied beyond that door.
Babs looked around for anyone else before she followed out herself towards the room that held light. The others were asleep, so it was just her and Magenta. She stopped at the door and peeked through the crack. She could see her behind it. Magenta was directly in the middle of the glossy tiled floors, staring up at the stars through the glass ceiling. She watched Magenta take in a deep breath and sigh. Then lift up her hooves and looked at her scars.
That's what it was. She was embarrassed or something about those scars all over her body. Time to be a friend.
Taking a deep breath, Babs pushed the door open and stepped in. An observatory. A room with walls and a ceiling created entirely out of glass. Magenta didn't even move when Babs walked in. Still eyeing her scars. Seeing Magenta Streak without her hood on made Babs smile. But seeing her sad made her frown. She didn't want to know what Bright looked like when she was sad.
Taking a deep breath, she called quietly, "...Magenta?"
Magenta jumped up and looked back at Babs in surprise. "Oh! Babs, didn't know you were awake!" She responded. Then glanced around for a moment. "Couldn't sleep?"
Babs shook her head and humorously answered, "My door was creepily pushed open by a mare walkin' around the halls."
Magenta blushed and stuttered, "J-Just checking on everypony."
"Nopony else's door was left open," Babs deadpanned.
"Okay fine, just checking on you then." Babs chuckled then walked over to stand beside Magenta and stare at the stars. Magenta followed her gaze and asked, "Like it? I come here whenever I can't sleep and just think about things."
"You and Bright do a lot of thinking," Babs commented.
"Yeah, we do. Mainly because it's what makes us more bits. Now who's Gabby?"
Babs looked her way and answered, "Gabby's a Griffin."
Magenta looked back and asked, "What's a Griffin?" Babs raised an eyebrow. Magenta didn't know what a Griffin was? "I probably learned what a Griffin was in the past. But since I never left Manehattan, I probably forgot."
"Well, a griffin is pretty much a... A large bird, let's just go with that."
Magenta chuckled and asked, "Couldn't remember either?"
Babs playfully nudged her and answered, "No, I just can't really describe her. You'll just have to wait and see, Scooter."
"Was that like a nickname in the past? Or is that just a name you're giving me?"
"Can I say both?"
"Don't see why not."
"Then it's both." The two laughed for a moment before they basked in silence. "So... Why were you sitting out here all sad?"
"You noticed that?" Magenta whispered without ripping her eyes away from the sky. Sighing, she answered, "Can I be honest?" She saw Babs nod in the corner of her eye. "Being a megastar is stressful. But being a megastar with a past that leaves you in...scars for all eyes to see for the rest of your life... I'm worried about tomorrow. I don't know what to say or do."
"Ah. Well... Remember your Megashow? When you finally revealed yourself to the world?"
"It was last night, I can't forget it," Magenta deadpanned.
"Well it was shock and awe at first. Stares. Then there was applause. Everyone cheered for your bravery. At least that's what the newspaper said. You ripped your pants off and exposed yourself in front of millions, pretty brave." Magenta smirked and rolled her eyes. "This time it's the same thing, just without you ripping off your pants. I mean seriously, you ripping off your pants..."
"You loved it when I ripped off my pants," Magenta muttered.
"Anyway, just smile and remember that Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Bright, myself, your parents, and soon Gabby will be cheering you on out there. Especially me, because you and I have talked much more than the others by now."
"Oh, go to sleep." She and Magenta shared another laugh before Magenta casually wrapped a hoof around her shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug. Then whispered, "Thank you, Babs."
Babs smiled and wrapped her own hooves around her in content. "You're welcome, Scooter." She pulled back and asked. "So...the stallions?"
"Well!" Magenta looked back to the sky and answered, "Since nopony knew what I looked like underneath the hood, it was difficult to snag a boyfriend. Most of the time I turn into a siren and sing them my way. Bright has her own technique that involves a lot of mane and tail flips. One time..."
Sleep was the best thing in Magenta Streak's world. And she really hated for it to be interrupted. Especially when that interruption is by a familiar poke and a push. Magenta opened her eyes and growled through her teeth, "Bright, what did I say about interrupting my sleep?"
"...It's Babs." Magenta quickly sat up and looked around. They were still in the observatory. Did they sleep in here? Babs probably just woke up too, based off her tired smile. She stretched and yawned, "It's four in the mornin'. Might wanna get ready. The others I think are already awake, based off of your sister's cheerin' I can hear."
Magenta turned towards the doors and listened closely. Sure enough, she could make out Bright's cheerful voice. "Wakey, wakey, get up already! Stop snuggling, and get ready, jeez! You two are inseparable! Silver Spoon's up! YAY!! Where's Magenta and Babs?"
Babs turned to Magenta and asked, "Should we hide?"
Magenta chuckled and shook her head. "She'll sniff us out. Let's just get ready for—" Bright zipped right through the observatory doors and up to Magenta, shocking her so much, she fell on her back. Bright stared into her purple eyes with eyes full of excitement.
"Up and at 'em, sis! We have a pony to see and an interview to get to!" She grabbed Magenta and pulled her back onto her hooves.
After getting that shock out of her mind, Magenta quickly made her way out behind her hyperactive sister to get ready. After fifteen minutes, she met the group downstairs wearing her signature lipstick, mascara, and eyeshadow. Along with perfume and for some odd reason glitter in her hair. Applebloom also smelled a hint of perfume when she walked past. Just like Magenta told them yesterday, she had switched instruments. There was an electric blue Electric Guitar strapped around her body on her back on top of a purple transparent dress. Nothing too much because you could still see her scars.
Bright rushed to the doors and pulled them open. It was still dark out, but there was a visible blue on the horizon. Bright turned around and stated, "I have never been out in the dark before if it wasn't at a concert."
"I have," Magenta responded before she trotted down the steps with the others behind her. Bright closed the door and eagerly followed along.
"I bet," she responded. "All those birthday parties in the past and raves."
The group began their trek towards the gates of the fence, listening to the muted sounds of the neighborhood. Even though the mansion was at the end of the street, there were still some homes directly in front of them. This mansion had to be the pinnacle of Manehattan Unique. Magenta pressed a button on the back of the gates like Bright did yesterday and popped them open. Then pulled them all the way out and lead them all out into the neighborhood. Then pulled them closed once more.
Just like Magenta said, it was a little busy. Rich ponies stayed busy it seemed and never stopped working. Unlike the lower class of Equestria. While they moved, the visitors stayed close behind Magenta and Bright. Their neighbors eyed them carefully. Narrow eyes behind gold-rimmed glasses like Magenta had when she's doing office work.
"Don't worry." Bright Snow said. "As long as you stick with us you're safe. They won't try to throw you out or anything."
The visitors nodded, but that didn't appease them until they finally arrived at the gate. The guard on the inside of it, pressed something inside of his shed and opened it up, letting them out into the quietness of East Manehattan. The streets were barren, the many Manehattanites present yesterday evening having gone home to rest and prepare for the next day which was today. Manehattan Unique was technically connected to the city. So the second they stepped out of the neighborhood was the same second they walked into the granduer.
Magenta looked around and asked, "So... Where's your Griffin friend?"
Bright looked over and asked, "What's a Griffin?"
"I think it's a large bird."
Applebloom smirked and shook her head. Babs told her that. Definitely Babs. She answered, "Gabby sent me a letter at around three this morning and said she was meeting us in Manehattan Park."
"That's nearby," Bright informed them. "Walk a half mile, then turn left and continue. It should take us twenty minutes at our current speed—"
"Without interruptions," Magenta interrupted. "Anypony hungry? We can get you breakfast without a problem." The group muttered their agreements. "Alright, well I'll have my sister make a quick stop. For one she can get it far faster than I can, and two she's not the main star of the interview today."
Bright sighed and nodded happily. "And I am glad about that," she announced. Then ran forward and took off into the air, leaving them with Scootaloo.
While they watched her fly off, Magenta kept walking, not even paying attention. "Come on, we're burning peace here." The others looked back and scrambled to keep up with her. Babs wondered if Scootaloo was always such a fast walker. She had walked maybe thirty feet within a few seconds. Sighing, she followed along.
Magenta looked over her shoulder and added, "Bright can spot us from the air and easily land without scaring you too much. And have a full bag of food on her back at the same time."
"Aren't you a Pegasus?" Diamond Tiara asked.
Magenta shrugged and answered, "I'm a Flightless Pegasus. A Pegasus without wings. So I guess you can call me a Pegasus. All Pegasi are Pegasi because they have wings. The only thing I can do is manipulate the weather apparently. You know where I always wanted to go?" Sweetie Belle popped in front of her and made a hoof sign.
"Where? Las Pegasus?" Applebloom translated.
Magenta shook her head and answered, "Cloudsdale. Out of all of my known years being here in Equestria, I have traveled mostly every city except Cloudsdale. Why? Because everypony thought I was an Earth Pony or something. So I couldn't actually walk on the clouds. So everypony up there can only view me online, in another city, or at Ponyville like recently."
They suddenly turned left down a street and walked faster. There were other ponies out and about here. They needed to stay out of sight. Sort of hard to do since you're the only pony with a guitar on your back. Luckily, they walked past without incident and stayed out of their fandom's eyes when they hit the main street where the park was.
Upon entry, Magenta sighed in nostalgia. She had actually done a performance here many years ago for a touring group of foals. She was going to talk about that later on today during the street interview, definitely.
Applebloom stepped forward and pointed towards a certain point. "There she is!" She announced. Magenta followed her hoof and saw the most weirdest sight. Just like Babs said, a large bird. She had a completely round head with a lot of feathers, paws for rear hooves and claws for front hooves. She had a pair of brown bags on her back that held something in them that were large enough to be bulky. She was standing on top of the bridge she and Bright would watch the water from, searching with outstretched wings.
That bridge served a different reason in Sweetie and Applebloom's past.
"GABBY!!" She looked their way and immediately smiled when Applebloom called her. "We found her!! And you'll never guess where!!" Gabby jumped off the ledge and onto the stone. Then ran straight for them.
"Scootaloo!! Oh my gosh!!" Scootaloo squeaked before the one known as Gabby tackled her into a giant hug, squeezing her tightly. "You're alive, you're alive!! Oh my gosh!!"
Magenta grunted and said, "Er...yeah. You're...a Griffin?"
Gabby pulled back and looked her over. Her smile turned into a look of confusion when she asked, "You...wear makeup?"
"Yeah. I can't exactly be a star without looking beautiful," Magenta responded. "And your name is..."
"Oh yeah! I was told you may have forgotten your memories years ago. I'm Gabrielle, one of your friends when you were in Ponyville. I'm so happy to see you alive, you have no idea!" She ran forward and engulfed Magenta into another hug.
Magenta coughed and stated, "I think I'm going to die if you continue hugging me." Gabby pulled back and looked her over again before Sweetie stepped in, making sign language that confused Gabby even more. What the hay happened over these last eight years?!
Applebloom translated for her. "Scootaloo had been in plain sight for many years. But we couldn't, nor could anypony else, recognize her. She is crazy on a piano and more."
Magenta turned to her and explained, "I'm a famous musician here in Equestria. Me and my sister, who does more dancing than actual music."
Gabby raised her eyebrow and asked, "Sister?"
"MAGGY!" They all looked up at the sky the second Bright landed in front of them with a bag full of food on her back. She smiled and turned to Magenta. "So I got breakfast, we have a long day, eat up!" She tilted her body and used her wing to drop the bag on the ground. Then leaned in and started tossing food out to the visitors with her mouth. They all ended up catching it in their hooves, including Magenta who merely did it with one. She was used to the way Bright worked by now.
With a smirk, Magenta motioned towards her with the food and thanked her. "Thanks, Bright. You have no idea what it's like when I try to walk into a casual restaurant. Even the employees go haywire."
"Puh, you have should have seen what happened when I walked in," Bright responded. "All , 'Oh my faust, it's Bright Snow! Can I get an autograph?!' It was ridiculous—oh hey!!" She ran right up to Gabby, nearly pushing her to the ground. "I'm Bright Snow. Magenta Streak's sister. You've probably heard of us?"
Gabby stared at her in surprise and slowly shook her head. Magenta and the others muffled their laughter at her facial expression. "I have absolutely no idea who you are."
"WHAT?!" Bright yelled then turned back to the others. Pointing at Gabby, she yelled, "How is this possible?! Everypony in Equestria knows who we are!!"
"Yeah, Bright," Magenta agreed. "That's every pony. She's a Griffin, not a pony. They don't even know what EDM is, let alone bits."
"Wait wait wait hold on!" Gabby yelled, getting everyone to be quiet. She jumped back on her paws and claws, pointed at Bright and asked, "You're...Scootaloo's Sister?"
"Who? you mean Magenta?" Bright interpreted. She pointed to Magenta who was busy looking her Guitar over. Sweetie Belle was a little interested too. "Yeah, I'm her sister. We grew up together. I'm sixteen, she's nineteen. And she has a BIRTHDAY COMING UP, WHOOO!!" Bright wrapped a hoof around Magenta and shook her around a little.
Magenta gasped and shot an annoyed look to her sister. "Bright! You weren't supposed to tell anypony that!" She scolded.
"Sorry, couldn't help myself. By the way, you may wanna hurry up. I saw others already out and about. Let's make this quick."
The girls looked at each other then back at the two sisters. Babs muttered, "Uhh, Scooter? Your birthday is—"
"April thirteenth, yeah," Magenta interrupted with a smile. "Yeah, mom gave it to me on Bright's ninth birth—"
"MAGENTA STREAK!!" They stopped talking and turned towards a mare in a business outfit rushing over from behind Gabby. Then slid to a stop right beside Magenta. "Oh my gosh, Can I please have your autograph on my laptop bag? And a picture? Please?" She asked desperately.
"Er...sure," Magenta responded. The mare reached into her bag and pulled out a marker that Magenta took in her teeth. Along with a Z4. Then lifted up the bag itself. Magenta leaned in and quickly scribbled her name in cursive. Then slashed through it diagonally for a streak. The mare squealed and retrieved the marker when Magenta presented it back to her. Then quickly took the picture with her.
"Oh my faust, thank you so much! You have no idea how much I loved Wake Me Up! I can't wait to watch your interview on YouHoof when you and Bright tell your stories!!"
Magenta smiled and nodded. Then responded, "I'm glad you will. You're in for a heck of a tale."
"I can't wait! Eee! Thank you!" She turned around and quickly made her way to work.
Magenta turned back to the others and announced, "That's our cue to go. When we're spotted by one pony many more will follow. We'll never make it to YouHoof. Let's move, Bright. YouHoof awaits. You girls can watch on one of the televisions in the city, head home, eat breakfast, catch up, I don't know." Magenta turned and weaved back for the city with Bright. Leaving the others behind.
Gabby watched them leave, then asked, "What... Was that?"
Applebloom sighed and answered, "You'll just have to see for yourself. Come on, we have an interview to watch. And a few past to tell you."
The YouHoof headquarters were located deep inside of East Manehattan, right beside another corporate office. It was tall, glass, and had its logo at the very top in red and white.
Outside of its six-door entrance, a video crew outside its doors setting up for a walking street interview. A security rope had been placed around where the stars of the hour would be sitting at before they began the movement and security was already on-site setting up points of observation. The host, Blue Lily, had heard that they were already in the building. But she had yet to see them.
Fiddling with her microphone, she looked it over before clipping it to the collar of her light blue and silver dress that matched her coat, short silver mane, and tail perfectly. Now if only she could get something to match her yellow eyes she'd be amazing.
One of the technicians leaned over and whispered, "Three minutes." Then darted back to where they were before.
Blue Lily nodded then trotted over to take a seat in her own chair. "Okay, Blue," she whispered to herself. Then took a deep breath once more. "You got this, just a couple of millionaires, nothing more, nothing less."
A few blocks down in a fast food restaurant, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their friends were explaining to Gabby about who Magenta Streak was, what she does, who Bright Snow was, and what EDM was. Along with a concert, DJ-ing, and producing, and the riches they accumulated.
Gabby calmly sipped her drink and listened the whole time until Babs said "The end". Gabby removed the straw from her beak so she could speak. "So you're telling me that she flew through a pair of filters, ended up in Manehattan, and then became a super-musician years later with a sister who is the best dancer, and now lives in a mega-mansion in East Manehattan, the richest area in Equestria?"
The group of five looked at each other. Then turned back to Gabby. Sweetie nodded her head, giving her her answer. Gabby chuckled and said, "Stop bucking me around and tell me what's really going on."
"Gabby, we're tellin' the truth," Applebloom responded around a mouth full of hayfries. "This is her, you saw her yourself." Sweetie Belle poked her side, getting her attention. Then pointed at the television behind the counter. There was a YouHoof logo on the screen. "And it looks like she's about to start the interview."
***
The crowd behind YouHoof's security line that started at the door cheered as the host introduced herself in front of the doors to the building. "Hello, everypony! And thank you so much for joining us at this hour! Recently, YouHoof decided to interview the stars and largely viewed channel in YouHoof history." The image on the televisions switched to clips of Magenta Streak and Bright Snow doing live shows and concerts while she continued to speak. "They've made their channel, reached over five hundred million subscribers, and one of the stars just recently revealed herself in front of millions live, give it up for The Gold Sisters, Magenta Streak and Bright Snow!"
The front doors of the building opened to let the two out at the same time. Bright stepped out first and calmly waved at the big and loud crowd, followed by Magenta without her coat and hood. Everyone cheered even louder as she smiled and waved. After shaking a few hooves, the two calmly made their way over to the three chairs setup in front of the YouHoof sign. Blue Lily greeted them with a shake of their hooves, then gestured for them to climb up on the chairs and take a seat as the crowd continued cheering.
After a few seconds, they all simmered down and paid attention. Blue Lily huffed with a smile and greeted, "Bright Snow. Still in High School and already hosting shows and original recitals. Magenta Streak, who looks way different without her hood. How's it feel to be where you guys are now?"
Magenta and Bright sighed. Bright answered, "Eh, it's pretty good."
"Pretty good?" The host repeated. Then giggled and commented, "Surely you mean something better than 'Pretty good.'"
"Well we love doing shows and such," Magenta inputted. "We're ready for a break right now though with the music. I've been releasing one song every two weeks for the last few years. Time to relax for awhile. At least a week."
Bright pointed at herself and added, "Especially me. I do a lot of movement and need to catch up on school."
Blue Lily nodded and said, "I agree you girls have done a lot for the last few years. And I'm sure everypony all over Equestria knows by now. As well as who Magenta looks like without her hood!" The crowd cheered as the camera positioned on her face, adorned with makeup. Magenta blushed and waved at the camera at the same time the sunlight breached through the clouds and hit the glitter in her hair. "I must say, nopony was expecting what we saw underneath your suit. On YouHoof or in body." The cameras zoomed out to get a full display of Magenta's body. Even underneath the transparent purple dress the scars stuck out. "But we all agree I'm sure that it does not negate your beauty at all."
Magenta grinned and responded appreciatevly, "Thank you, I try to get past it with makeup."
"Well you look stunning. Now we usually see you with a Piano or something on your back, right?"
"Yes, a Synthesizer."
"Most of the ponies on myStable have probably posted about you replacing it with a Guitar by now. What's up with that?"
Magenta laughed and answered, "While most ponies know I can play piano, I actually play four instruments." Everyone around fawned in surprise.
Blue Lily leaned in and whispered, "Four instruments?"
Magenta grinned and nodded. "Yeah, Piano, Guitar, Drums, and Violin. I learned how to play Piano and Guitar when I was maybe sixteen and Drums and Violin when I was eighteen."
Bright wrapped a hoof around her neck and added, "When Magenta plays in the studio it makes your ears ring, it's so loud."
"I bet," Blue Ivy agreed. "Magenta's songs have gotten a lot louder and more wild. Now from what we've seen on YouHoof, you can also DJ."
"Yeah, Magenta and I actually learned at the same time. Whenever she's out handling business, I'm setting up the decks for our next live show."
Magenta added, "Bright's songs for shows are usually picked where she can dance. So a lot of simple stuff are used for that reason on our shows. Something I can sing to."
The crowd cheered again before they continued. "That's great. Your online shows, so says the rumor, actually give you a lot more attention then doing tours. Correct?"
Magenta and Bright spoke at the same time, nodding their heads all the while. "Oh yeah," Bright answered slowly. "Like when we first started performing it was for free, you know? Just like any other YouHoof star out there. Then Magenta's songs called Wake Me Up and the other one's views grew. So we quickly monetized it. After that, Magenta started doing online DJ sets. Our first one..." She turned to Magenta and asked, "How many was it again?"
"Like twenty thousand," Magenta answered.
"Twenty thousand bits the first time. But that was in Manehattan. When we expanded, things grew. Our tours make us a lot of money too, but our longest one which was about a month only got us both five million. Thanks to our online shows, within that same time frame, we both made eight million bits. Each."
The crowd fawned then clapped again while they waved.
The ponies in Ponyville were staring at the television with mouths open in shock. Those from Ponyville but in Manehattan were no better.
"What...the...buck?" Applebloom muttered. They made that much in a month?!!
Blue Lily nodded and asked, "Well I'd say it was pretty much worth it, huh?"
Magenta nodded and answered, "Oh yeah. But eventually, we began getting too many bits. So we donate to shelters, hospitals....orphanages of course."
"Speaking of, you two ready to start your stories?" Magenta and Bright nodded and hopped out their seats with Blue Lily. Then began to direct her away from in front of YouHoof. Security escorted them along as they walked, cameras trained on their faces as they moved.
"Let's start with Bright Snow."
"Alright," Bright agreed. "When Magenta and I first met, I was eight years old in the hospital for shattered wings. The balcony on my family's apartment had broke, sending me and my parents to the ground from twenty stories up. I couldn't fly yet, no matter how much I wanted to. My wings were underdeveloped. I survived...but my parents didn't."
Those watching fawned in sadness. Even the Element Bearers watching in the castle in Ponyville.
"That's so sad," Fluttershy whispered.
"They kept me in the hospital for eight months while my wings healed. A lot of doctors. But when Magenta was rolled in it was pure chaos. All you hear blaring through the hospital is Code Purple, Code Purple!"
Magenta recalled her tale "Mom told me the story. I had washed up on a beach in Manehattan Park, bleeding. All cut up and gone. So much so that they had to cut off the water in the entire city because there was so much." Twilight and everyone else in Ponyville nodded. They figured that. "She said they put me on a stretcher and carried me into a chariot, and that I died on the beach, then again inside the chariot after they brought me back. Then again in the hospital. They said a major artery had been severed in three different places. So technically, a large vein carrying blood to my brain was leaking blood in three different places and that that may have been the cause to my Dissociative Amnesia and Dissociative Fugue. No blood was going anywhere. Everything had stopped."
While everypony was listening with slightly opened mouths, Magenta pointed towards the top floor of the hospital a few feet away. "The operation to save my life was downstairs, but they rolled me upstairs right after. Three days later, I wake up and meet Nurse Goldhoof, Doctor Sore Health, and finally...Bright. Meeting her was the most strangest."
"Go ahead! Tell us!" Blue Lilly stated. The crowd around them cheered them on. Applebloom and the others were also interested.
"Alright," Magenta chuckled. "Well I remember eating lunch or something in my bed, I'll never forget it. It's a treasured memory. Then I fall asleep. Next thing I know, I feel a hoof poking me, and a little voice asking..." Magenta cleared her throat and spoke in a filly's voice. "'Hey, are you awake?'"
Bright shrugged and said, "I snuck into her room. I love meeting new ponies."
"Yeah. She snuck in and asked if I was awake. Well we talked for a bit and became friends. After I learned she lost both of her parents, and nopony could find mine, we sort of depended on each other after that. Bright took care of me with my struggles to move, read, write, and learn, and in turn, I took care of bright by being her big sister. I'm older than her. She just hit a weird growth spurt."
They continued down the street and turned onto a busy mall of restaurants. "Now your music?" Blue Lily asked. "And your dancing?"
"My music," Magenta repeated. Then sighed. "My music... Oh boy. The first song I ever sang was Wake Me Up. Except without written lyrics. The story was that Doctor Sore Health had heard me humming and told our mother—Nurse Goldhoof—about it. She was changing out my bandages and told me what he said, and asked if I could sing for her sometime. Well Nurse Goldhoof was my first friend in there, so of course I said yes. Well around two days later, during my scheduled nap time, I told her I was ready to sing to her. She wanted me to nap first, but I was afraid I was going to forget my lyrics so I asked to do it then. She allowed me."
"When Magenta..." Bright started. "Sang Wake Me Up...everypony stopped what they were doing and listened. Even the little babies, the much younger ones. Parents, doctors, the whole unit was silent."
"A friend we knew named Fuchsia Winds—the manager for AJR—was actually in the hospital too for a stomach bug I think. She told me I sounded amazing. At that moment, I knew I wanted to be a singer like Songbird."
"After the hospital," Bright took over. "We were moved to an Orphanage called Quick Hooves. Where we met the others. And everything happened. After that, our lives grew. Be ready for the next part. Because it's going to blow your minds."