Chapter 15: Concerts and Conspiracies
(M.C.'s Point of View)
These past few weeks have been quite boring. Although, Discord has been hanging out with Twilight's friends, but he didn't bother to ask Sparkles if she wanted in. That's just mean, and he knows it. When Twilight and I confronted it, he accidentally confessed to it. So, a pact was made. Whether it's something to do with the pack of friends, all must attend. Unless one or more members are under the weather. And Pinkie and I could have sworn that we were being spied on. I went to investigate, and nopony was there. But somepony was there, I could smell it. Starlight Glimmer was watching us again. What is that girl up to?
And just last week, Twilight and Fluttershy went to solve a friendship problem in the Smokey Mountains. Apparently, two families were fighting over a feud that they didn't know how it started. But apparently, the feud was started due to a disagreement. They promised to preserve the land for the animals that lived there. But they fought over what to make first. The crops or shelter. They kept sabotaging the others progress and they kept fighting for years. Basically, their families came in and continued the fight, and it was the animals that suffered. But Twilight and Fluttershy ended the feud, and the families did what their ancestors promised.
Now that they're back, we could all relax. Do you know how much we all needed some good relaxation. Ava and Mutt went to do their own thing together. But Twilight has told me that there's an event coming to Ponyville. An event known as the Helping Hooves Music Festival. And, wouldn't you know it, it was scheduled on Nyx's Birthday. That would be an interesting birthday for her.
I walked towards the stage where this time's most popular singer, Countess Coloratura was rehearsing her performance.
When she finished rehearsal, all of the ponies who were setting up the stage were applauding. Except for Applejack. She seemed stunned by the performance of the Countess. I walked over to her to see if she was okay.
"What's going on, Applejack?" I asked.
"Rarity was right!" she said. "Ah don't believe it!"
I was confused on that. Applejack told me that she and that Countess Coloratura were old foalhood friends during a summer camp.
We watched as Countess Coloratura's manager, Svengallop, walked up to her and said, "Oh, my shining star! Thanks to the sparkling costumes, dazzling choreography, and brilliant vocal effects that I designed, your performance was spectacular, Countess Coloratura!"
Luckily for Applejack, Rarity was standing next to her. Applejack said to her, "Correct me if I'm wrong here, but that feller isn't actually complimentin' Rara. He's complimentin' all the bells and whistles he's piled on to make her Countess Coloratura."
"Oh, no-no-no-no-no," Rarity said shaking her head, "you don't understand, Applejack. Creating all those elements is a lot of work, and Countess Coloratura's performance wouldn't exist without them."
"If you ask me, that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing," said Applejack.
"I agree with Applejack," I said. "Most famous singers shine bright when they are their true selves instead of who their manager wants them to be."
"And how do you know that?" Rarity asked me.
"I helped out a few singers back in my time figure out who they really are themselves," I said. "All of them I got them and they made it bigger and better than ever. And I can see that Coloratura is like those singers I helped."
Applejack smiled at what I said. We then walked up to the stage and we overheard Coloratura's conversation with Svengallop. "Oh, if we're all done here, I'd love to go back to my trailer and rest, Svengallop."
Then Pinkie Pie came up to them and said, "Actually, right now you're scheduled for your meet and greet with the schoolponies!"
"Ugh!" groaned Svengallop. So he was one of those managers. A manager that hates it when his star he's managing for is actually kindhearted and loves children. I hate those managers. "I can totally get you out of meeting with the schoolponies, Countess."
Applejack was a little upset that he suggested to Coloratura to try and get her out of that. But she smiled when she Coloratura said, "Absolutely not. My favorite part of any event is meeting with the schoolponies!"
Applejack and I walked up onto the stage. Applejack said to her, "The schoolponies'll be so happy to hear that, Rara!"
"Indeed," I said. "And, I got some info that one of the school fillies there, her birthday will be tomorrow, and you would be performing on her birthday."
"I would love to meet this filly," Coloratura said. "What's this filly's name?"
"Nyx," I said to her.
"Oh, that's right," said Applejack. "She would love to meet one of the best singers in all of Equestria. Even if I didn't know it. It's good to see ya again, Rara."
"It's a pleasure as well, AJ," she said. "And you must be Prince Michael Crayton."
"Cal me M.C.," I replied, shaking her hoof.
"Oooh, nice," she said. "It's basically your initials. Basically, other ponies would think of you as a DJ or a Master of Ceremonies."
I laughed and said, "Yes. Thank you for understanding that. Everyone at my home thought I was one of the two before I told them my nickname were the initials of my name."
Coloratura giggled at what I just said. But as she was, I could've sworn that Svengallop was giving me the stink eye. I can tell he was staring at me.
The fillies and colts were surprised to see Coloratura out in front of their school. They were excited to see her there.
She announced to them, "Ponyville schoolponies! As part of the Helping Hooves Music Festival, I'm holding a contest where some of you will get a chance to sing with me onstage at the concert tomorrow! Sound fun?" That made the school foals cheer happily. "Alright! Now who wants more hoofsies?" They all cheered again.
Applejack and I saw her giving some hugs to the young fillies. But then I heard something. Sounded like anger. I looked over to the outside of the school. Applejack turned her head and looked too. Outside, we saw Svengallop yelling at Pinkie Pie.
"But... I got everything you requested!" Pinkie said from far away.
"That was for Countess Coloratura!" said Svengallop. "This is for me! And what I want is premium oats!"
I didn't like how he was treating Pinkie Pie. So, I aimed my computer glove and started to record.
"Oh! Well, we have lots of tasty oats right here in Ponyville!" Pinkie Pie said holding out a plate of oats.
Svengallop knocked the plate out of Pinkie's hoof and said, " I would not feed those to a chicken! I want top-of-the-line Appleloosan oats! Next, it appears that we are surrounded by apple trees. Bring me five hundred pre-peeled, pre-cored apples, and I want those things in twenty-four hours!"
That made Pinkie Pie gasp. She then said, "But that's impossible!"
Svengallop got into Pinkie's face and asked, "Do you want me to pull Countess Coloratura from your little podunk charity show?! Because I will!"
Applejack walked up to Pinkie Pie and I stayed behind. I'd though that Pinkie needed to be comforted by a good friend of hers. I then walked off.
Well, when Applejack told Coloratura about Svengallop's awful behavior, Coloratura thought that Applejack was lying, even though Applejack is the most honest pony in Equestria. But, luckily, with our brains, we had a plan.
We had Coloratura in on our plan, and I also told her that Applejack never lies about something so serious. She actually never lies period. Although, she has lied when she was corrupted by Discord that one time. And she also lied because she didn't want her grandma's feelings getting hurt. But, she hasn't lied since then.
Coloratura was getting into position while Rarity was using her magic to hang up the stage lights and Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were putting up the curtains. She then called out, "Svengallop? Svengallop! Where are you, Svengallop?"
Svengallop came up to her quickly and said, "Here I am! Did you need something?"
Coloratura was nervous about what she was about to say, but she had to say it. "Yes, I was... considering... m-maybe cancelling the contest with the schoolponies...?"
"Countess, this is wonderful!" said Svengallop, cutting her off. "I've been waiting forever for you to cancel that pointless schoolpony contest."
"You... have?" Coloratura asked.
"You do it at every charity event, and it does absolutely nothing to promote the Countess Coloratura image that I built!" said Svengallop in a snobbish tone. "Consider it cancelled. Pinkie Pie!"
Then Pinkie Pie, with her mane and tail ruffled, rushed over to them and said, when she was out of breath, "Yes, Svengallop, sir!" She then coughed.
"We are making some adjustments to the show," Svengallop said. "Follow me!" Pinkie Pie followed.
Coloratura nodded towards Applejack. Then Applejack looked over at me on Twilight's back. Applejack nodded at us, and then Twilight and I got into position. We saw Svengallop talking to Pinkie in threatening words. I held out my glove and set it to video record, and started recording.
"Cancel the contest for the fillies and schedule me a spa treatment. Now that I don't have to oversee a rehearsal with those brats, I have time for the works! You know the drill! Deliver, or the diva ditches your dippy charity!"
I stopped recording and said, "That punk's going down."
"Indeed," said Twilight. "I'm surprised you were raised to talk like that. Oh, wait, your parents died when you were seven."
"Quit rubbing salt in the wound," I told her.
"Sorry," she said. We then headed back to the ground.
We saw Svengallop walking up to Coloratura and said, "Okay, Countess Coloratura, all taken care of!"
That was my cue. I then held out my right hand and showed a huge holographic screen with a video of what Svengallop just said to Pinkie.
"You know the drill! Deliver, or the diva ditches your dippy charity!"
"Busted!" I said.
"So that's how you've been managing things?" Coloratura asked in an angry tone.
"Yeah, so? What's the problem?" Svengallop asked, not caring.
"The problem is, is you've been using my name to intimidate ponies to get what you want!" Coloratura shouted.
"But I work incredibly hard for you! I deserve everything I get!" Svengallop said. "And I also want what's best for you. Especially cancelling that contest for schoolponies even if one of them is pure evil!"
"What?" she asked, confused.
"I believe I can answer that," said M.C. walking up to them. "Svengallop had been unwillingly a member of a certain cult. The Children of Nightmare. He blames Nyx for being cursed, even though she was the one who removed it from you and all the other Children of Nightmare."
"So, you don't want Countess Coloratura wanting contests for schoolponies because of Nyx? My daughter?!" Twilight said angrily. "She's not evil!"
"She is evil!" Svengallop shouted. "She indirectly added me to her cult. Three years, and four months ago."
"Nyx didn't even have a form back then," said Twilight. "Plus, you're being angry for no reason. If you are wanting to hurt my daughter for releasing you from that curse, then you are the one who is evil."
"And you're going to jail," I told him, pounding my left fist into my right hand.
"Fine!" said Svengallop. "But without me, Countess Coloratura won't make it as much as she did without my help."
"You're right," I told him. "She'll be better. I've seen a lot of singers be successful by being themselves, and not what their bad manager wants them to be. So, you lose period." I then grabbed him by his scruff and tail, held him straight up, and walked off. I then looked towards Coloratura and said, "Don't worry about what your manager said. Just be you."
She smiled and my words of wisdom, and I continued taking Svengallop to jail.
Luckily, I returned to Ponyville just in time for the concert to start. I stood right next to Twilight, Spike, Nyx and Joshua. And just in time, too.
All of the ponies who had a unicorn horn had their horns glowing, and when she finished her song, everypony cheered. Then Coloratura called out, "Thank you, everypony! When I arrived at the Helping Hooves Music Festival, I had forgotten who I really was! But then an old friend reminded me what real friendship is about, and she told me that if I was true to myself, I couldn't go wrong! So I have a very special surprise for her." She then looked towards crowd and said, "Would the Cutie Mark Crusaders come up here?"
Then Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Nyx, Joshua and Dinky all came up onto the stage. It turns out that Coloratura had a special surprise for Applejack herself. She and the Crusaders were singing the song that she sung during their old summer camp days.
This might have been the best concert that Ponyville has ever gotten.