//------------------------------// // Second Lesson- Final Preparations // Story: The Magnificent Six // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// Second Lesson- Final Preparations "Applejack, help Nightshade put those sets up over there! Glory, have you and Bow Tie finished that mending on Cascade's costume yet? Surprise, I need those script revisions right now!" Trotting across the stage while levitating her clipboard, Twilight Shine was trying to make sure everything on her checklist was done, to ensure the play would run as smoothly as possible. As the teenage filly tried to keep every aspect of this play in order, she recalled how she had read Twilight Sparkle loved these kind of coordination jobs, reveling in checking on every little detail, and making every tiny piece fit. And it was also at this point that Twilight realized how much she hated it! Oh, she enjoyed making up lists and working out details for her fantasies and fictional hobbies, but when it came to real work? As boring as watching paint dry! So Twilight had to work her mind overtime in order to stay on task and keep her thoughts from wandering. "Twilight! The extras from the crowd scenes are complaining about not having any lines again!" Firefly called out, breaking away from an argument she was having with several earth ponies. "Tell them they should be grateful they are even in the play!" A frustrated Twilight snapped back. "We could always send to fort Rainbow Dash for some less complain-y extras!" "Excuse me, Miss Shine?" It was then, that four of the guild masters came trotting into the theater, their noses held almost as high as their over inflated egos. "But we came here to check on the preparations, and we had some issues we'd like to discuss..." "Yes?" The poor filly with the bloodshot eyes looked back at them, trying to force a smile. "How may I help you ladies?" "As Sugarberry has stated, we are having some problems with the production!" Bonnie Bonnets held up a dress she had taken off of the rack. "The hemline on this garment has been made far too low, giving the dress a too old fashioned feel!" "But... the play is set in the past." Twilight Shine protested. "Should the garments be made to feel..." "The amount of lighting you have on the sets doesn't show off the quality of their fine craftsmanship!" Night Glider ran a hoof over a piece of scenery. "Couldn't you move the sets and props farther forward on the stage, so they have better visibility to the audience?" "But, the actors need to move around on the stage..." She argued weakly. "And wouldn't you tone down the amount of lighting you use on the stage?" Up, Up, and away complained. "We are footing the bill for this whole production, and those bright lights are costly!" "But, she just complained about..." A bewildered Twilight tried to hold it together. "Seriously, how unprofessional!" Sugarberry snorted. "This is the candidate for the next harmony bearer of magic? She can't even run a stage production properly!" "But I'm trying..." The pink unicorn lowered her head wearily. "Some group of Harmony bearers this bunch has turned out to be!" Bonnie bonnets grumbled. "I bet you if she were here, Twilight Sparkle would've already had everything ready by now!" At that last jab, the overworked and hungry filly, with only three hours of sleep over the past two days, finally exploded. "I AM NOT TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" Twilight Shine roared angrily. "My friends and I are going out of our ways to work hard and put on a production for you! For FREE! But all you can do, in your high and mighty wisdom, is complain and whine about everything, every step of the way!" "My word!" Night Glider Scoffed. "That was certainly uncalled for, you ill-mannered ruffian! I do wish you would control yourself!" "You know what I wish?" Twilight Snorted in anger. "I wish... I wish you four would go jump in a lake!" Reacting to her anger, her horn began to glow. Suddenly, the four argumentative ponies vanished in a flash of light! "EEEK! What have I done?!?" The startled pink unicorn squeaked, looking around the stage area in a panic. "I really hope they're okay..." On the outskirts of town, a stallion out in a canoe on Bright Valley lake swore he heard a scream and four splashes. But looking around and seeing nothing, he merely shrugged, and returned to his rowing. ... "Hey, Firefly?" Nightshade trotted up to the Pegasus filly who was sending the extras offstage. "Could you hang on a sec? I wanna ask you something!" "Sure!" She replied, closing the door and trotting over to him. "What's up?" "Well, Surprise told me about how you had stood up for earth ponies after you had stormed out of here." Nightshade asked, shaking his mane. "I was just wondering... why?" "Why?" Firefly asked, surprised. "Whatdya mean 'why'?" "I mean, Pegasus and Bright Valley's earth ponies haven't exactly had the best history together... and our ancestors in the Pony Republic did terrible things to Pegasus and unicorns." Nightshade admitted guiltily. "Why would you respect a group of ponies who treated your kind so badly?" "Because I think hating any pony, for something as stupid as the kind of pony they are, is incredibly stupid!" Firefly snorted. "One of my own ancestors, the second Rainbow Dash, was an earth pony. And it'd be kinda strange to hate a part of myself, dontcha think?" "You're right, Firefly." Nightshade agreed, nodding. "Unicorns, Pegasus, Earth.... all kinds of ponies are still ponies!" "But of course, Darling!" Firefly giggled, throwing a feather boa around her neck. "I wouldn't have it any other way!" The two ponies laughed for several minutes, before Firefly finally spoke up. "So... you, Twilight and Bow Tie got most of the cast figured out yet?" "Yeah, Twi's playing the unicorn friend called Bangles, and Applejack is playing a pony named Angel." Nightshade showed her the call sheet. "Bow Tie is playing advisor Taffy, while Butter Pop has been cast as minister Crumpet." "And I'm doing one of Luna's royal guard, while you're doing the villain." Firefly finished, looking at the sheet. "But who's playing the lead role- the heroine, Cascade?" "Well, we didn't want to spoil it, but..." Nightshade looked around, making sure no other pony was listening. "...we cast Posey for the lead role, we think she's best for the part." "Are you sure about that?" Firefly asked, uncertain. "I mean, I know she's really pretty and all, but isn't she a bit too shy for a leading role?" "We think it'll be really good for her!" Nightshade told her. "Besides, she really needs to come out of her shell a little bit!" As the two were talking, Posey came through the backstage door and Trotted up to Bow Tie. "Um... excuse me, Bow?" She greeted the blue mare softly. "I hope I'm not bothering you..." "Oh! Posey, Hi!" she smiled, hugging her old friend. "So good to see you here! What's up?" "Well, I just wanted to tell you..." Posey whispered to her timidly. "Mom just told me that and she and Peachy will be delivering the flowers tomorrow before the performance." "Well thank you, Posey. I knew you and your family would come through." Bow Tie grinned. "You'll have to arrange them before our final rehearsal!" "Okay, that'll be easy!" Posey then glanced over at the call sheet on the wall. "By the way, you still haven't told me what part I'm playing, and it's only a day away." "Well, you should be able to handle whatever we throw at you." Bow Tie replied nervously. "You did read over all the parts, after all." "Hey, Posey!" Firefly came trotting up, after seeing the filly backstage. "Congrats on landing the part of Cascade. You'll make a great leading lady!" "Uh ohhh...." Bow Tie put her hoof to her face, as Posey's eyes went wide. "WHAT?!? YOU CAST ME AS THE LEAD!?!" The yellow filly shrieked, breaking into a run for the door. She would have made it, too... if Bow Tie, Firefly, and Nightshade hadn't been a bit faster. "Nice going, Firefly!" Bow Tie grumbled as they tried to hold the panicking filly down. "Hey! How was I supposed to know you hadn't told her?" The pink Pegasus snorted back. "NOOOOO! I CAN'T PERFORM ON STAGE IN FRONT OF ALL THOSE PONIES!" She tried to reach for the door. "SOMEBODY HELP MEEEEEEEEEE!" ... "Hey Applejack, help me get this table set up!" Butter Pop called out to the orange pony while wheeling the cart with the napkins and silverware over. "Hang on a sec, let me get these apples sliced!" She used her teeth to hold the knife, cutting the apples into neat, even sections. It was the next day, and the two ponies were setting up the theatre's banquet room for the reception after the play. Table after table was arranged with the finest silverware and best china in the city, while the most delicious and tastiest dishes waited back in the kitchen. "I must say, AJ, you sure know your way around a kitchen!" Butter Pop chuckled as they got the table set up. "I never have to make food like this for the concession stand!" "That explains why you're such a well-rounded pony, Butter!" Applejack snorted, setting the plates and napkins. "All that junk food in your diet goes straight to your flank!" "Oh yeah? Well with all those apples you pack away, I'm surprised your head hasn't turned red and grown a stem!" The other pony snorted back. The filly and the mare stared at each other for several minutes before they both burst out into laughter. "That was great, AJ!" Butter Pop whinnied with a smirk. "You're almost as funny as Surprise!" "Well, I prefer the more ornery kind of humor, ya know!" AJ replied. "Sarcasm's always been one of my better qualities!" "I wish I could be as funny as you two!" Butter Pop sighed. "Whenever I try to perform on my own stage, the only thing other ponies laugh at is my performance!" "Different Ponies have different talents, Butter!" AJ advised her. "Some mares are just better behind the curtain, than in front of it!" "I guess you're right, AJ! C'mon, let's go back and check on those apple pies of yours!" Butter Pop giggled as the two trotted into the kitchen. "They should be ready to come out of the oven by now!" As the two vanished through the door, three figures emerged from the shadows, making their way over towards the tables, they began setting their plans into motion. "Hurry it up ladies!" Kingsley directed the other two. "Get those traps set up before those two come back in here!" "Boy, when they sit down, they'll get a real shock outta this!" Creamsickle chuckled, hooking up a series of wires to each of the chairs. "Yeah! And when we set em' loose, these things will really bug them!" Spunky sneered, setting a box of Parasprites under the table. "Remember girls, these little tricks are just a distraction!" the lioness chuckled. "They're only the set up for the main event!" She turned back towards the trio's accomplices. "And we wouldn't have been able to do it without your help!" "Seeing this play fail-" Munchy started. "-will be of mutual benefit to both parties!" Yum Yum finished. "We are grateful to you for granting us access to this place!" Creamsickle told them. "You've ensured we're gonna screw this whole party up!" "When the play fails-" Yum Yum started. "-the Princess will lose face!" Munchy finished. "And the guilds can seize political power!" They both replied simultaneously. "Then let's make sure they get an evening they'll never forget!" Spunky finished as the five accomplices galloped out of the room. The two ponies soon trotted back in, and Applejack cocked her head suspiciously. "Did you hear something, Butter Pop?" The filly asked her curiously, as they began setting the trays down. "Nah, must've been your imagination!" The mare replied with a giggle.