Chapter 14
It was now two in the afternoon, and soon Midsummer’s Dream took to the stage. It was all as dark as it could be, and to this, Andante took center stage with her bass. She nodded over to Jack, who in turn nodded back and pressed down on the desired chord. Bright white lights with some smoke effect, (thanks of Vinyl Scratch,) silhouetted all of them on the stage. All of them were wearing the small microphones set on their ears, and Andante had her arms outstretched as she looked up. Vinyl put on the vocal effect she had requested and announced in an echo, “Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here together to get through this thing called, ‘Life.’”
She continued the opening of the song “Let’s Get Crazy,” and began to ramp up the song as they went. As is the nature of the song, before long, they were blasting the music of the song and putting the watching crowd into awe. When they finished, there was a brief pause as the audience was absorbing what had just happened. Then, the whole of the throng erupted into cheers and applause. The show was on!
They performed precisely as they had planned, either just playing, or doing dances to music they had prerecorded, or even intermixing dance while playing. One great example was when they did “Run, Run Away,” and upon reaching the bridge, began to do a Scottish Jig while playing. When they did, “When Doves Cry,” Jack played the whole thing on his keyboards except for Starlight playing lead guitar. The other three were dancing and singing as the other two were center stage behind them. The three alternated between dancing before them and then around them as all five were in vocal harmony. Inbetween all the numbers were some comedy skits and jokes which kept the audience in stitches. Soon, the first set was done, and they were getting their break. However, their entire set was observed by three scheming foes.
The Dazzlings had been in the crowd, watching the display, pondering what they saw. A handful of songs were of their style, but the rest they disliked. Those songs were just not their style, but they would have to stomach the diversity of Midsummer’s Dream until they had things all set up. After that, it would not matter. All those fools would be under their control, and they could do what they wanted. The world would fall, and then it would be onto Equestria, and then that world as well. They stayed near the stage to be there for the second set, grabbing a snack, when they heard a cheery voice from behind them say, “You know, why don’t you three just relax and have fun. Being meanies is just no fun, and you could do so much good for others.”
The three jumped and wheeled around to see Pinkie Pie standing there, a big grin on her face, who then said, “Look, I don’t know what you three are planning, but you can’t know it’s going to work. You know, being mean girls don’t just hurt others, it’s going to hurt you. Come on, and let’s be friends instead.”
The Dazzlings were dumbfounded. They were not sure if they had been discovered, or if their plan was known or not, or what they should do with this. Adagio then said, “How would you like a song?” and cued the others to strike up and try to pot a spell on her, but before they could get a note out, Pinkie pointed to the stage and said, “Ok look, the second set is going to start!”
The rest of the people around heard that and rushed to the audience area and swept past, engulfing Pinkie, and before the Dazzlings knew it, Pinkie was gone. They seethed through their teeth and Adagio knew they had to act that day. Adagio said, “Let’s go somewhere else. We’ve got to put some plans together and get things started. We don’t know what that ditz knows, but we can’t take a chance.”
With that, they left the area to figure out how to get things going, and fast.
The second set began, and it was more of the same, but things were getting more elaborate. They had Starlight lead some of the punk numbers, then did a full rendition of “Rock Lobster,” and then hit one of the highlights of their act. They went into, “I've Seen All Good People,” and had an incredible ballet pas-de-deux within the number from Andante and Cabaletta. When it went from the serene section of the song to the hard rock section, Jack held a long organ chord while they got their instruments and began to play. The audience ate it up and screamed for more. They finished the set with Jack leading in “Come Sail Away” looking like they intended to end their show with this. In the whole thing, Vinyl really let it all hang out with her lighting effects and proper working of the soundboard. It was quite the 70s and 80s review, and they thanked the audience and left the stage. Yet, as it is with such well-appreciated concerts, the audience was begging for more. Of course, this was anticipated, and Midsummer’s Dream came back out to do about five more numbers. Within those numbers was Jack doing a couple of his uncle’s number while Starlight did “Give A Little Bit.” They decided to finish the show with “Let There Be Rock,” and with this, Jack joined them from the keyboard with a hollow-body electric guitar and took off with the rest. The song itself had three guitar solos in it, and each player took the lead. However, in the last solo, Starlight took a section of it, seeing that the last solo was longer than the other two, and they were passing the lead between each other every few measures and then finished strong. As they played the last song, however, the human world Dazzlings began to siren out, as Jack and Starlight actually started to pony up. The other girls, watching the whole thing, expected to see that from the three and Starlight, but Jack was unexpected. “How is that happening?” asked Twilight, “I mean, does he have something going on over in the pony world?”
“I can’t be sure,” answered Sunset, “But, the only thing I can think is that, because he was with us, I guess Equestrian magic has to have rubbed off on him.”
She sighed and groaned a bit, lost in thought, and then she said, “There is so much here in magic I have yet to understand.”
Midsummer’s Dream came to the others, all abuzz about how things had happened and what had happened to them. They were all atwitter, back and forth about what they liked about each other’s performances and what the liked about how things were going on. Then Sunset said, “Ok, isn’t some guest going to play tonight?”
They all nodded and agreed, and they all pondered to ask if anyone knew who it would be. Applejack then said, “Well, ah guess we’ll find out. Ah mean, it ain’t like the answer’s gonna just walk up and tap me on the shoulder.”
This was just as someone tapped her on the shoulder, oblivious to the crowd that was now growing around them. She wheeled around to hear, “Seems like that’s what’s happening to me, AJ.”
“RA-RA!” she exclaimed, catching her in a hug, “You’re the surprise!”
“Aren’t I always?” Coloratura answered in mock arrogance, to which the two laughed like two friends. Everyone else was now shocked to see these two talking like old friends. Their friends were now amazed as Rarity said, all excited, “You two know each other?”
“We met at summer camp some years ago,” answered Coloratura before AJ could, “We’ve known each other for some time. I mean, we’ve written a few times, but…”
However, Rarity cut in and said, “AJ, you never told us?”
“Well, it’s like she said,” said AJ, sheepishly, “We’ve only written a few times, and I didn’t think mentionin’ it was really all that.”
“Really?” queried Coloratura, “Why not?”
“Well, ah figured with y’all bein’ famous n’all, you’d wanna be left alone,” answered AJ, “Ah mean, if ah told everyone, they’d all pester me with infermation, an’ then they’d pester you.”
“Well, I guess that makes sense,” said Coloratura, “But, please, write more often. I do miss you.”
They hugged again, and Coloratura said, “Well, I have to get ready for the show. You WILL be there, right?”
“Ah wouldn’t miss it fer the world,” said an all happy AJ, “Come on, y’all; let’s go now and get a good spot!”
With that, they all went there ways and got ready for the day’s climax.
Indeed, Coloratura did not disappoint. She put together a concert that lasted most of the night, with all her hits and a few new ones, the highlight being her remake of “Groove Is in the Heart.” However, as it got to the section where the rap part was, before the artist that was supposed to do it could start, Pinkie came out of nowhere and started to do it herself. Typically, this would have brought out the security to toss her off. However, the security, having seen her on stage before, they thought her part of the thing and let it go. She finished off by telling Ra-Ra to sing about the groove and pointed at her, and then disappeared as she was wont to do. The girls watching were shocked and caught off guard, worried that Pinkie was going to get in trouble, but before they could worry about that, Pinkie was with them, dancing and singing with the rest of the audience. Starlight said, “How does she do that?”
The others just said, “It’s Pinkie Pie. Don’t question it!” and they all laughed heartily.
Later that night, everyone went their ways, spent, but anxious to go to bed, knowing that they would have one more day of the festival to perform, and AJ promised Ra-Ra that they would hang out at some point the next day. Yet, despite all that, Sunset was anxious to talk to Starlight after what she had seen that day. Once back at Sunset’s place, Sunset said, “So, how’s it going with Jack?”
Starlight began to smile, and her mind drifted a bit, and Sunset said, “I thought so. You know, I saw you two kissing from the stage.”
“Wait, you saw that?” said Starlight, coming to herself.
“I thought you two weren’t going there,” wondered Sunset, “I thought it would be too sticky.”
Suddenly, Starlight began to flood with some emotions, not sure what to say, and then sputtered, “Well, I wasn’t thinking. I mean, I got caught up in the emotion, and…”
Sunset sighed and said, “Come on, let’s face it. You’ve liked him for a bit now, haven’t you.”
Starlight slumped into a chair and said, “Yeah, I have. I do feel something for Jack.”
“And what is that?”
“I…I don’t know.”
“I thought you had someone—somepony—on the other side.”
“He’s a friend. I mean, he’s always been a good friend.”
“Is that all?”
“Um, I don’t know. I don’t think that’s come up yet. We’re kinda just trying to get to know each other again after all these years.”
“But, wouldn’t this get in the way of knowing that?”
“With Sunburst, I’m not sure.”
“But, you know this won’t last with Jack, right?”
Starlight now saw there silent. It was dawing on Starlight that she may have gotten into some, well, it was hard to say it was forbidden fruit, but it was something she was not sure was breaking some kind of rule of nature and something between their two universes. “Sweet Celestia, what have I done,” pondered Starlight, a few tears forming, but then she said, “But, I’ve never felt like this before. I’ve never had feelings like this for someone or somepony. This is new, and it’s an awesome feeling. Besides, isn’t this something like dealing with friendship? Isn’t that something I need to learn?”
“But, in this way?” asked Sunset, partly pleading with her to reason in the tone of her voice, “Starlight, this experience can have some lousy heartache to it, and that’s all I foresee here! You’re letting your emotions take over.”
Starlight felt like that cut a bit, but then she calmed and thought before she spoke, making sure it did not come out the wrong way, and she answered, “That is so strange. Usually, I don’t let that take over. I’m normally a rational one.”
Starlight rubbed her neck and then said, “But, I don’t think I’ve ever felt emotions like this.”
Sunset thought about it and then answered, “Well, that would explain things. Something like that that’s new can overwhelm,” but then she turned a bit lectionary and said, “But you need to get a hold of it, not just for you, but for him as well. If you care about him that much, then…”
Yet, Sunset stopped and said, “Look, I don’t own you, and I don’t run your life. You have to decide for yourself what’s best. But, I guess I’d say that you need to think hard about this and do the right thing, whatever that turns out to be.”
Sunset gave her a hug and said, “And whatever happens, remember that you have both friends here and on the other side. We will be there for you no matter what.”
Starlight smiled and hugged back, and she said, “Let me get some sleep. I think I’ll be more rational about it tomorrow.”
They both nodded and went to bed, and Sunset said to herself, “Let Jack go. It’s the best for both of you.”
Jack and the Earth Dazzlings were going back to their houses, but Andante got Jack alone and said, “So, I guess the whole not-getting-involved-with-bandmate thing goes out the window?”
“What do you mean?” asked Jack, who then said, “Oh, wait, you saw us, right?”
“I thought it was adorable,” she answered, “I didn’t’ want to interrupt. I know you wanted me there to stop things from going that route, but I realize that’s not really smart. You two truly needed to get this out in the open.”
“Okay,” said Jack, “Are you saying that we should make this a thing?”
“Are you sure?” asked Andante with a raised eyebrow, “Isn’t she going back to her home after this?”
He sighed and said, “Trust me, that’s already run through my mind. I had a chance to ponder that before we went on, asking myself what I was doing.”
“Do you know?” she asked.
“No, I don’t. I mean, let’s face it. She’s a great girl, and it’s not hard to see why I feel for her. I just wish it wasn’t this way.”
“You’ve really stepped in it, haven’t you?”
He rubbed his chin and said, “I sure have. Nuts, what have I done.”
Andante smiled and put an arm around his shoulder, saying, “You didn’t do anything odder than falling in love. You can’t really kick yourself. It’s the natural thing to do. But, you know, I think the best thing you could do is talk to her. If you don’t, it’s going to be rough when she goes.”
Jack groaned and said, “Yeah, I really did mess up.”
He looked down now, but Andante then said, “Hey, don’t freak out. Life happens. Just take it one day at a time, and we three will be there with you.”
He smiled and said, “What would this world be like without good friends?”
“A really dull place,” answered Andante, and she started to sing a hit song from the 70s called, “You Gotta Have Friends,” and the two were laughing as they did, knowing that, no matter what happened, he could get through it with his friends.
The Dazzlings were on their way home with their altered plans, and they were going to be up early the next day to implement it. Adagio was both a bit upset, but at the same time, she was grinning with a sinister grin, anxious to get this thing going. There was going to be a switch, a seduction, and then the world would be theirs.