//------------------------------//
// The presentation. Pt 2. 
// Story: Andante - The path of the dreams 
// by CaioCoia 
//------------------------------//

As the night progressed over the ponies at the festival, the entertainment made by the orchestra was indeed something treated as spectacular for most ponies if not all the ponies could have enjoyed the last hour of pure music and now a good show over a screen.

Over the background, the ponies were still in cheerful mode, since the second presentation seemed to be even more Espectacular than before. Now since Bretton wood finished his part of being the conductor, he walked over to the orchestra and complimented everyone.

"Mane String, you did a great job on Tuba, thank you so much. Bow Wind, thank you for doing your best, it's fine you were struggling in the second part but the group managed to help you to play fine, thank you so much. Line Heart, you did great on the trumpet. Thank you so much. Guys, thank you so much for helping me out, every single of you managed to make all my work appreciated, and for that, you have my gratitude." By walking around he finally found the group he was looking for. "Minty Cookie, great job, you handle really fine." 

"Thank you, professor Wood. I actually had a lot of help."  The tiny filly smiled as she glanced at the trio of mares and the dragon chatting happily, which made the little filly more comfortable around the orchestra.

The conductor smiled at her, and giving a pat on her head, decided to turn his eyes to the group who was still happily chatting over what would be the next part of the show.

"Octavia, Lyra, it's good to have your help over Minty Cookie, your help was good enough to make her feel relaxed enough to play her part perfectly. Spike, your presence doesn't need any words, you know that without your help she could be struggling. You have my gratitude as always, and you seemed that you have stopped your training for a while, but I'm glad to see you still have the same experience as a kid, and that's great for me to see."  Breton Wood smiled in gratitude at his little pupil, someone who in ages made him question his abilities as a teacher and destroyed his self steam. But after years without him, made him realize that it was a tragedy to lose someone so talented as the little dragon.

"Don't worry professor Bret, the music never has left inside of me, so even if I stopped playing for a while, I will never forget the reason why I play music, it always makes me happy." Spike smiled, knowing well how much that meant to him. "To be honest I'm loving this festival so far."

Bretton Wood smiled at the little violinist, who seemed to receive a cheeky smile from the mint pony who rolled her eyes, and a giggle from the cellist who seemed to be enjoying quite a good time with him.

"Well, since my part was over, Ed will appear s."

"Right now." A voice interrupted Bretton Wood which made the group stare at him, and from the look on his face, something must have happened. "I have a problem." 

"What is it? Everything seemed just fine." Bretton Wood raised his eyebrows and Sharp Education gave a slight glare to him.

"The main violinist Feather Cord left the podium." The stallion gave what would be terrible news since professor Wood seemed to pale after hearing that. "From what the others said, his wife is giving birth right now. So he is going directly to the hospital."

After hearing that, the part of the orchestra couldn't help but cringe at such bad news. It was something nopony could control, and the stallion preferred to be there instead of watching his wife 100% time was commendable but still, the problem remains. The violinists remained in their own positions, trying to find courageous words to give to the professor.

"Do you want me to play it, Ed?" Bretton Wood asked as he finished his part of the festival, helping out his friend was something he always could do.

"Thanks, Bret, but you've always hated to play  BWV 1041." After hearing the name of the composition many of the orchestra cringed hard since most violinists hated that song, a soloist always thought it was a level 8 in difficulty scale the first 50 seconds of the song. Which made many violinists hate the song all that time.

"Dammit." Bretton Wood cursed, at all the songs, this one made him almost lose face while teaching his students on how to play it. It was treated as the Bach King's most difficult song. Almost everypony hates it.

"Oh BWV? I like that song. Do you want some help?" The dragon which once before made both his teachers loses their self steam and even started questioning their own abilities as violinists, asked if he could play the song that was the most difficult for them to play.

Bretton Wood and Sharp Education turned their heads into each other, and as if they were back in time, they could see a little chubby dragon, who was still having difficulties raising his own violin, asking if he could play his favorite song, which once made themselves to regret to ever wake up on that day. But after years of maturing themselves, they couldn't help but feel relieved and smile to see something that they never forgot how much they missed it.

"Spike, you have no idea how much I want you to be my soloist. Please, follow me." Sharp Education smiled as he instructed the little dragon to get out of his seat and go directly to the side of the orchestra.





"Wow, nachos and a good screen show, I never knew this could have been a great combination to watch an orchestra." Night Light used a napkin to clean his face covered in cheese as he enjoyed a good night watching what would have been a movie made with imagination, magic, and pure music made by the orchestra. "Well, it's a good thing we have a son who likes this stuff, this way we will have more events like that."

"Indeed honey, but you still must take care of your health, you are eating too much cheese, and I don't want to bring you to the doctor after you have a stomach ache again." Twilight Velvet as she was using a tissue to clean a few tears from her eyes without messing her makeup, she seemed so happy to see from far away, a little chubby purple dragon seemed to be so fine and happily talking with what would be a group of ponies, one who Twilight Velvet must have seen to know that minty unicorn using an instrument as the same way of her name. "Oh Nighty, Lyra is near to Spike." 

"Oh really? Wow, it's been a while since I saw her around, do you think her wife is her as well?" Night Light noticed that his son seemed to be so fine and he was having a good night already, he was just needing one thing to finish his night in the perfect way.

"Night Light." Twilight Velvet used her voice in a warning tone. The mere glance of the grey mare was enough to make the poor husband stop thinking of any further ideas. "No more candies. You need better control of your diet." 

Noticing that he couldn't win against his own wife into any sort of argument, the night blue stallion rolled his eyes and turned his back away.

"Damn you Doctor Manespring." Night Light remembered how much he was angry with his nutritionist since she told him that he was gaining weight and his blood pressure was going to the extreme after eating too many candies. "It was just a night of 40 donuts, 10 cakes, and 100 sugarcubes, it wouldn't be that bad."

Twilight, rolled her eyes, unconvinced that her husband was still unhappy about her being obligated to help him to follow his diet. Making him healthier. She wasn't a monster, she allows him to have a few biscuits and candy around, but the nights of craziness sugar drive? No more for him.

"Stop being a baby, Night, it seems that soon will be the start of the next presentation." Twilight Velvet finished reading her magazine, which she placed in her purse, while her husband couldn't help but pout.



The group started playing the violin with such precision as the crescendo of the harmonious song and speed made people understand how amazing the song was, maybe one of the most difficult songs ever played over the orchestra. Making everypony appreciate the skills and abilities of all the ponies of the orchestra where they passed most of their time improving their skills and their knowledge. 

Unicorns, earth ponies, and pegasus admired such quality songs over the event, knowing that everypony was doing their best. From the side of the orchestra, a little chubby dragon walked over the pedestal, which made the duo of ponies who seemed to recognize the little dragon has their mouth wide open in surprise. The purple dragon was actually not only following the speed of the violins, but it was actually leading the whole orchestra with his solo. It was so amazing that not just the duo of ponies, but all the ponies around the event couldn't help but have their eyes wide open on seeing the claws of the little dragon playing with such speed and precision as the song was made by himself. Ponies could protest by seeing that the claws were helping the dragon to create such cords and even questioning themselves if were cheating. But music is always about adaptability, doing music is what comes from the heart, so if he wanted to play with his claws, it was his way to play the song, and if the song was beautiful, then it wouldn't need a reason to question itself. A dragon who is using the whole potential of his claws to press the cords and created the vibrato in many ways, and using his bow in such precision and rhythm.

Both parents watched the little dragon leading the violinists and the cellist something that both parents could have sworn that they couldn't imagine would happen on the same day. It was something far too unbelievable. 

"Oh my goodness, it's Spike." Twilight Velvet watched her little dragon using the whole violin and controlling the speed as the background and followers violinists and cellists followed his own speed and steps, and even doing the crescendo of the sound, such harmony, such melody, was what made everypony watch the miracle of an era of the music born once again. A chubby little dragon with his own closed, the ponies could see that the dragon was playing the same way as he breathe until it finally came to the end of his part.

Seeing her baby dragon playing with such passion, and love, seemed to have unlocked her best feelings for her, now knowing how much her little baby always played as a kid and knowing how he could have been so incredible if was with them instead of leaving the Music class. Tears appeared on her face, and she used a tissue to clean the tears, Night Light was smiling proudly at his little boy who seemed to be in the command of the whole orchestra, even if the maestro was conducting the others, Spike was the star of the moment, he was playing with all his best of skills until the group created a huge harmonization before closing the opening.

After a little pause, the speed of the violins became slower and together they played another song. Then Spike waiting for the moment got inside the song playing calmly, like a little serenade, something beautiful, simple, and with a good vibrato that made many ponies have goosebumps, on how wonderful the little dragon violinist played as he used his claws like it was playing with it, like a new kid playing with a toy. The little dragon was playing with vibratos. 

Octavia was one of the ponies who could feel that Spike was enjoying so much the song, since his vibratos were so clean and smooth, that it made her envy the skills of having claws to create vibratos so easily. And yet she could see how much the chubby dragon loves music since he was playing it like he was indeed touching the face and the arms of a beautiful mare, the muse of the song. A beautiful pony who usually most ponies have inside of their own minds. 

Spike was enjoying the way he was playing since it was his first time leading the whole orchestra. The night was a kid, and everypony will have a night they will never forget. So Spike, who's always loved Bach King's compositions, would never regret playing his songs, because it was what it drives him into the world of music, and he finally could show a bit of happiness, to follow his own dreams.

Then the slow pace is finally over with Spike finishing the song.

Until the next song Spike grinned and played at his full speed, which made the other violinists follow his pace, which made all the ponies surprised by his quick change of pace, and the cheerful mode around the orchestra once again could be heard by the all podium, the ponies around of the event couldn't help but smile from the quick speed and abilities of the chubby dragon who seemed to be having the time of his life, then the dragon was playing doubles, and triples, and when he did the quadruple, all the ponies couldn't help but have their mouth drop hard, never hearing such skill before. it was like bach king was there to teach the orchestra a lesson on how his song was played, a song never once listened to before. 

And like dancing strings, Spike was playing with vibratos, while he was spinning around, ignoring the stares of everypony around him, he was having the time of his life, something nopony ever thought to see before. Spike from a little dragon to the best violinist in the orchestra, a hidden gem during so many times under the sand, he finally emerged from a secluded dream, which now made everypony question, why, why he left himself to hide in the first place. Who could be the monster who hid such a gem inside of the sand, or tried to hide such good treasure? 

A little dragon who could so much create a name for himself in the world of music. 

Like a little prison made by himself, Spike played like all his feelings needing to vent, and by playing it he felt that nothing matters anymore, no problems, no discussions, no regrets, it was just him, the violin, the orchestra, and the song. It was something that he wanted to free himself, so his mind got free and his body started to move by himself like enjoying the song he was playing, the key to his own happiness, to play with his own heart.

Octavia, seeing the little dragon smiling as he spun around with his violin, couldn't help but felt her heartbeat increase. She was feeling the blush on her face appear as she smiled at the image of him alone playing just for her, and together with her cello, both played dramatically to a pause, until the other violins and together the duo played harder and harder. It was magical, an experience once never seen before. A little dragon who was leading the whole orchestra to a bach king song, and everypony was loving it. It was something nopony ever wanted to stop, but like all the good things, this song must as well. It was surprising that the little dragon after finishing the song. He smiled like all his problems faded away. 

Spike let out a good sigh, as he never enjoyed so much playing as he felt at that moment. Now, he looked at his former teacher Sharp Education who pointed out which song they will play next, just saying Paganini's God save the princesses, that he knew what he was going to do next.

Spike gave a slight glance on his back and looked at the little filly who was still nervous on the back, he smiled at her and gave a thumbs up, showing he got this. Then he pointed to his teeth, which made Minty Cookie giggle in her seat. Spike then glance at the group and smiled then. Until he heard Sharp Education use the attention of everypony by tapping his baton over the conduction pedestal, which made everyone get ready for the next song.



Saying Paganini is a mad stallion it's an understanding since most ponies never could play his crazy style, but after watching the presentation, they finally understood, Paganini is neither a pegasus, nor a unicorn, nor an alicorn he was a griffon in disguise of a pony, because the notes were supposed to be played by claws, because just now it made sense how such difficult notes could have been played. 

Spike was living proof of how a mad stallion created a song just for dragons and griffons to play because it would be impossible for earthponies to do a play like that... Until Spike started playing with his teeth.

After that skill, there was nothing more they could say... Paganini's play was not for anypony, just for the crazies ones. That was the epiphany of everypony that night.

A night which was almost at the end...