//------------------------------//
// 10 minutes! 
// Story: Backstage 
// by Scantrel 
//------------------------------//

A grey-colored earth pony poked her head in through the door to the dressing room and called out, "On set in ten minutes, ladies!" The four mares seated in the makeup chairs didn't even bother to acknowledge her, they knew the routine after three seasons. The quiet one just sat in the corner, keeping to herself.

"OW! Hey, watch it, that hurts!" Fluttershy groused as a stylist tried to run a brush through her mane to make it appear appropriately stylish. "I'm trying to read my lines here."

Rarity snickered from the next chair over, lifting a flask to take a hefty swig. "Oh shure...shomeone was out partying lash night and didn't read her script...again!" she said with a distinct slur.

"Buck off, Rarity." Fluttershy snorted. "At least I don't show up to filming drunk." Rarity didn't bother to respond, instead raising a foreleg with a "tell it to the hoof" gesture.

"I say, would you all mind keeping it down over there?" Pinkamena said in her thick Trottingham native accent. "However is an artiste such as moi supposed to channel her inner muse through such a din? Were you all raised in a barn or something?" 

"I heard that!" Applejack sneered. "Are you making fun of my character again?" 

"Nah, Miss Frou-Frou over there wouldn't waste the time on a background pony."  Fluttershy chided. 

"HEY!!" Applejack snorted. "I am NOT a background pony. I...I just don't get much love from the writers."

Rarity took another sip from the flask she had been holding and belched loudly before looking over at Applejack. "Told you that you should've gone ahead and shlept with the producer, but no...."

The door to the dressing room opened again and the assistant director ran in, looking quite in a panic. "Has anypony seen Twilight yet?"

"I think I saw her over in wardrobe before I came in, maybe she forgot part of her costume again." Rainbow Dash answered quietly. "Though I might be wrong..." She curled herself back onto the floor and fell silent, not wanting to start a row. The AD grumbled and dashed back out of the dressing room.

"Again?!?" Rarity facehoofed. "I schwear, she would forget her horn if it wasn't attached to her head."

Pinkamena stood up out of her chair and said witheringly, "If you cretins could possibly be professional for once, can we get ready and perform the scene please? I have an important call to make to my agent regarding the role of Lady McBeth at the Oxford Shakesmare Festival."

"Whatever, don't get your knickers in a bunch, Pinkie". Fluttershy emphasised the last word, knowing it would frustrate the classically trained performer.

Pinkamena's only reply was a dignified "Hmfph!" as she walked out of the dressing room.

"Good one, Fluffershy!" Rarity said and slapped her hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder. Fluttershy turned and glared at Rarity, not that Rarity noticed.

The door to the dressing room burst open, and Twilight ran in, plopping down in one of the unoccupied makeup chairs. "Sorry I'm late!" she apologized. "I thought we were supposed to get saddlebags for the first scene, but they said that's not until scene twelve." 

Rainbow Dash gave a shy smile. "It's ok, We still have..."

The assistant director poked his head in again, interrupting Rainbow Dash. "Five minutes! Oh, there's Twilight, Good!"

"I bucking hate him." Fluttershy mumbled under her breath. "They aren't paying me enough for this."

"Oh, I hate to bother everyone," Rainbow Dash said meekly, "but I saw we have a song in scene four. Do you think we might get a chance to do a practice round, or..." her voice trailed off as she saw the looks from all of the other ponies.

"We all have singing doubles, idiot." Fluttershy said, causing Rainbow Dash to cringe back a little. "You're the only one of us that sings."

Rainbow Dash blushed, humming softly, lost temporarily in the music that had started in her head.

The assistant director opened the door one more time, and called out, "Alright ladies, we need you all on set please!" 

Rarity half-stumbled, half-fell out of her chair, handing the flask to the makeup pony behind her. "Keep that shafe!" she implored and wobbled towards the door.

Fluttershy snapped off the towel that had been hanging around her neck to prevent the stage pancake from falling down to her coat and stomped off to the set. Applejack walked over to Rainbow Dash and helped her up, then the two ponies headed out of the dressing room.

The assistant director sighed and drooped his head as he saw that Twilight hadn't budged, playing with her makeup. "Twilight?" he implored. "It's time to do the show, we need you out here." 

Twilight brought herself back from whatever daydream she was having and replied, "Oh, right! Sorry!" She slid out of the chair and trotted out the door, the assistant director following close behind to make sure Twilight didn't get lost. "They aren't paying me enough for this." he bemoaned.





The director took a look around the set, checking the lighting, making sure the crew was all in place. "Ok, scene one, take 1, mark it." A stage pony lifted the clapperboard and clicked the top down firmly. "And...Action!" the Director called.

Twilight Sparkle walked in front the line of her friends, her face set in determination. "Girls, it's up to us to find out what's driving the Timberwolves out of the Everfree Forest towards Ponyville. Are we ready?"

Rainbow Dash spread her wings and zoomed up, hovering slightly above the rest of her friends and snapped a crisp salute. "Yeah, let's do this!" she said boisterously.

"Of course we are! " Rarity affirmed. "I just hope we don't get terribly dirty in that nasty forest!"

"Oh, do we have to go in there, Twilight?" Fluttershy squeaked. "It's so dark and...and...scary!" She ducked behind Rarity, trembling.

"This will be so much fun!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "And when we're done, we can have a big party, wheee!" She jumped up and fireworks went off around her before she landed back on the ground.

"I knew I could count all of on you!" Twilight said. "Let's go!"

The six ponies reared up, with Applejack waving her hat around and then they all dashed off, stage left.

"And...cut!" the director called. " Great work. OK, strike this one and set us up for the Everfree scene. Girls, take five."

As the other five actresses split apart, Applejack looked down and scuffed her hoof along the stage floor and mumbled "I am NOT a background pony!" as she trotted off the set.