//------------------------------// // Intermission // Story: To be Young Again // by Chatterjoy //------------------------------// A brown pony walked onto the stage; his cutie mark was just a microphone on his flank. The stallion trotted across stage, “Welcome fillies and gentlecolts to Chatterjoy’s Talk Show! You ask the questions and these four contestants; I will reveal shortly, will answer!” “Under curtain number one, give a warm welcome to, Princess Celestia!” The curtain rose up to reveal the Solar Princess who smiled warmly, and she calmly waved to her subjects in the audience. “Under curtain number two, the sister but not the lesser, Princess Luna!” The curtain rose up and revealed Princess Luna who had her tongue stuck out as she played her game boy; battle music leaked from the device. Princess Celestia lightly poked her sister in her side to get her attention. The action worked as the Lunar Princess jerked and looked up. She smiled nervously and slowly put away her game. “Under curtain three we have the master of trickery, not to be confused with Princess Celestia of course, the Goblin King Jareth!” As the curtain raised the ponies in the back ground booed and roared at him. The king sat not amused. “Give Princess Twilight back!” a mare yelled in the background. Others began to rise with the mare and yell profanities at the king. His anger building he screamed, “Oh hush! Your precious Princess Luna wished her away in the first place!” It did not calm the ponies in the audience at all and soon the goblins that sat on the opposite side began to get into verbal fights with them. The announcer saw it wise to continue. “Under curtain number four we have the cutest filly around, Princess Twilight Sparkle!” At the mention of the filly’s name the audience calmed down and began to admire the filly that was sucking her tail as the curtain rose. “Now we begin!” the announcer exclaimed pulling out note cards that held questions for the ones on stage. “Princess Celestia how do you know Jareth?” “At the first centennial high ruler’s meeting.” Jareth scoffed and crossed his arms and everyone looked at him, “If you mean by sneaking up on me and making the sound of a chicken, I believe yes, we did meet.” Twilight began to giggle at the tension in the room. “Why did you kidnap Princess Twilight?” A random pony in the audience yelled. The announcer was left baffled; in his hand an index card with the question he was about to ask. Jareth pouted and replied, “I already explained, it was because your precious Princess wished her gone!” The crowd of ponies just screamed and booed at the Goblin King some more. Twilight looked to Jareth to see his pouting face. She remembered Sara’s words and she willed a crystal ball to appear. A magic Jareth used, and she threw it into his face. It enticed a laugh from both sides of the audience, and Sara jumped up and waved her arms. “Yeah! That’s my filly!” The crowd looked at her strangely, and straightening her clothes she smiled and sat back down. Jareth was flabbergasted at Sara’s outburst, mostly because he did not realize she was there. Celestia looked at her student, “Twilight, where did you learn that trick?” “Spackle!” The audience made a sound at the adorable filly. Celestia merely smirked and sent a prideful look in Jareth’s direction. Jareth grumbled and crossed his arms. “How does it feel, Goblin King, to be beaten at your own game?” The announcer took back control before things got too heated, “Back to the questions on the index card, please.” “Goblin King, how are we all here if Princess Luna is doing the maze?” Jareth began to slightly laugh amusedly, “Ah, you simple minded ponies; I am the master of time, don’t you know?” Celestia face hoofed at the Goblin King’s arrogance, while Luna attempted to beat the level of her game. When she pulled out her device, no pony knew. “Princess Celestia, you are an avid cake lover, do you burn calories by raising the sun?” The room began to feel really hot as Celestia’s anger grew. Jareth had ducked under his table, while Princess Luna looked warily at her sister and saved her game. “One does not simply ask a mare about her weight,” her eyes moved to look at Jareth and her glare intensified. This had not been the first time she had been asked about her weight. “Still upset about that are we?” Jareth asked from beneath the table. He was no fool; he knew when the room got hot, usually by Celestia’s anger, it was best to duck underneath the nearest object. From Jareth’s close point of view he could see the Princess grit her teeth. He was not the only one who noticed, as Princess Luna began to slightly back away. “Tia!” Twilight exclaimed. Immediately Celestia began to calm down her flare, but her glare never dwindled on Jareth’s form. The announcer coughed and held out one last index card. “Princess Celestia, your sister and even student have come up with nicknames for the Goblin King, names like Spackle and Glitter Boy, so the audience is wondering; what is your nickname for the Goblin King?” Celestia grew an unbelievably large grin. Jareth had glitter poofed away, and Princess Luna looked warily at her sister. “I am so glad you asked that question.” “The answer is then?” “A wonderful answer of course.” “Get on with it sister!” A chime began to ring throughout the dome. “I believe that is all the time we have folks!” The announcer said. He quickly left the stage. “Sister, tell me!” “You heard the chime little sister and time is up.” Celestia teleported away leaving Twilight and Luna alone in the suddenly empty arena.