//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Our Principal Is A Belly Dancer // by mayorlight //------------------------------// Celestia watched as all of Canterlot High's students and faculty poured into the gymnasium. She was especially excited about the announcement she was going to make today. Oddly, she did not see Luna anywhere. Perhaps she was roaming the halls rounding up strays. After several minutes, everyone was present and accounted for except for the Rainbooms. Her sister was still nowhere to be found. Where were they? Hopefully, the girls were not dealing with yet another otherworldly arcane threat. Sometimes she wondered how many more such events CHS could survive. No sense in holding up the assembly. As she walked up to the podium, she felt a sudden draft across her waist. She looked down to find her shirt now untucked somehow. Why was it so short all of a sudden? It just barely reached the top of her pants. No matter. She cleared her throat and spoke into the microphone. "Good morning, students and Happy Tuesday. As you might have already heard..." Several students were giggling. Not only Snips and Snails (the usual suspects) but also Trixie, Lyra, Sweetie Drops - almost every other student in the audience began to chortle uncontrollably. Those who weren't hiding their mouths behind their hands wore looks of bewilderment. And they were all staring directly at her. Celestia felt that draft again. She glanced down to find the hem of her shirt even shorter than before, hanging just over her navel. Now it was not just her students gaping at her. The faculty members, Miss Cheerilee and Miss Harshwhinny in particular, stared in shock as the hem of her shirt continued to recede all the way up to her sternum. She shrieked as she pulled her blazer closed. Suddenly, her clothes began to unravel by the threads, leaving her clad only in her undergarments. She could neither run nor hide. There were several bright flashes of light as members of the audience began taking photos with their smartphones. She collapsed to her knees, the laughter of her students, colleagues and countless other unknown persons echoing in her ears. *** Celestia awoke to the buzz of her smartphone's morning alarm. Sitting up in bed, she found herself still clad in her pajamas. The dawn's light seeped into her room through the window blinds. After several moments, she remembered to breathe again. She silenced the alarm and ran her fingers through her long hair. What was that dream just now? Some kind of premonition? A warning? She closed her eyes and took a moment to recenter herself, thinking back to her conversation with Luna, Cadance and Chiffon Veil the night before... ~~~ "We can hold the recital in Canterlot High's gymnasium," said Celestia. "Our parking lot can accommodate both our class and attendees. And, there is a city transit stop just across the street. It would be perfect!" Chiffon Veil shifted her gaze to Luna and Cadance, both of whom looked unsure about Celestia's idea. "Celestia," Chiffon Veil said solemnly. "I am deeply moved that you would open up your school's facilities to our class. You do realize, however, that by doing this, you could risk drawing undue attention to yourselves. I couldn't possibly ask that of you." "We wouldn't be announcing that we ourselves are actually performing," Cadance said hesitantly. "Nobody would know unless they are actually there." "What if one of our students or faculty purchases a ticket?" Luna asked with unease. Celestia met her sister's eyes. "As Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor did?" Luna bit off what she was about to say. Celestia likewise held her tongue, hoping that her sister and Cadance would catch on to her train of thought. It was several moments before Luna spoke again. "Were it not for that day, Twilight would have never taken an interest in belly dance, nor would she have gotten her friends into it." She turned back to Chiffon Veil before adding "And we would have never offered the junior class." "And I would not have volunteered for the demo performance the day that Sugarcoat was here," said Cadance. "Precisely," said Celestia. "Look at what has come it - students from both of our schools, setting aside their longstanding rivalry to practice this beautiful art form together." "Not everyone may be as open-minded," cautioned Luna. "Of course," Celestia acknowledged. "But in the slim chance that someone from CHS does buy a ticket, we will do exactly as you and Cadance did." Luna and Cadance both smiled as they nodded in agreement. Celestia then turned back to their teacher, who had been quietly listening. "Would you be able to come by the school tomorrow afternoon?" ~~~ Celestia rose to her feet, walked into her bathroom and turned on the light. She looked into the mirror to find herself looking older than her years. Lining the counter were several bottles and vials of various skincare products - lotions, cleansers, moisturizers. Her "fountain of youth." She opened the faucet and splashed cold water onto her face, more to wash away the remnants of the dream than to clean her skin. She probably just had pre-performance jitters. If Chiffon Veil did decide to rent CHS's gymnasium, the most that would circulate would be an announcement of the new location via dance studio's social media. Non-school events were not even mentioned in the school bulletin board or calendar (on campus and online). No students or faculty would even be present on school grounds during the weekend. No sense making a mountain out of a molehill. Celestia walked back into her room and began her morning stretches. *** The school day at Canterlot High was uneventful. After classes had ended and most of their students had gone home, Celestia and Luna greeted Chiffon Veil in the main foyer. Out of her form-fitting Baladi dress and with her long hair gathered in a bun, their belly dance instructor was almost unrecognizable. She nevertheless radiated more of her usual youthful energy today. The three women proceeded directly to the gymnasium. The facility had long been the center of student life at CHS and had seen many a school dance and rally. Most recently, it had been the site of the Fall Formal, the Battle of the Bands, and most recently, the Friendship Games reception. Chiffon Veil surveyed the gym as they walked across the basketball court. "What do you think," asked Luna. "Would we need to extend the bleachers?" Chiffon Veil considered for a moment. "I don't think so. The show will feel much more personal if the audience is directly in front of the stage." "We certainly have enough folding chairs for that," said Celestia. "At the most, our expected attendance would take up only half of the gym floor." They walked up onto the stage, where Chiffon Veil knelt down and gently ran her hand over the vinyl flooring. Since most belly dancers performed barefoot, a smooth dance surface was a must. She then turned her attention to the speakers mounted on the walls overhead. "Can we test the sound system?" "We sure can!" Celestia walked over to the sound system control panel and connected her smartphone to the auxiliary input. An entrancing string and percussion melody filled the gym - a song Cadance introduced her to, which she had grown very fond of. She and Luna remained silent as Chiffon Veil walked about the stage, fully immersing herself in the music. After a minute or so, their dance instructor turned to them with her contagious smile. Celestia switched off the sound system. "I think this will do very nicely!" said Chiffon Veil. "Saturday after next was open," said Celestia, recalling the original date of the recital. Luna gazed up at the rafters. "We will need to figure out who would be working the lights and sound system." Indeed, thought Celestia. The Old Town Theater had employed its own stage crew for events. Since both she and Luna would be performing, they were going to need a few helping hands. Somebody they could trust. Just then, a familiar voice called out. "I thought I recognized that song!" The three women glanced over to the gym entrance to find Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer. "Hello, girls," said Chiffon Veil. "Your principal and vice principal were just showing me the gymnasium, and I've decided that this would be the perfect place for the adult class's quarterly recital." "That's wonderful news!" beamed Twilight. "I was worried that you'd have to postpone after what happened in Old Town." "Do you need some help with the event?" asked Sunset. "We can ask the others. I'm sure they'd be happy to help!" No doubt Sunset was referring to the remaining members of the Rainbooms. Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were also in Chiffon Veil's junior belly dance class with Twilight. Even though Sunset, along with Rainbow Dash and Applejack, were not in the class, they, along with the band's occasional collaborator DJ Pon-3, have been discreet about their friends' involvement, as well as Luna's and Celestia's. If anybody could be trusted to help with the recital, it was these girls. Celestia exchanged a smile with her sister. "Why don't we all go back to my office and we'll talk details."