Oh Celestia. Oh Luna. Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh. That letter.
When I read it I couldn't breathe. Or think. Just swear in my head.
Great galloping griffins.
I got the part.
I sat against my wall. I tried to catch my breath. I knew I shouldn't be that excited, but for a second, I felt like a filly allowed to stay out late on a night with her friends.
that was what it must be like to win the lottery.
I reread it. Had the words changed? Nope. They were the same.
Dear Miss Glow,
We would like to thank you for sharing you talent. You have gotten the lead part in our first musical. We trust you will adhere to our expectations. We are aware this is your first major part, but have confidence in your ability.
Rehearsals begin three days from now, Monday, at three-o-clock, at the Sparkle.
Cast list enclosed.
Sincerely
Mr. Wells, Mr. Wells, Mr. Wells and Mr. Pool
After I read it the third time, my boggled brain cells kicked in.
"I actually- got the part!" I whispered in awe. "Oh Dipdye!" I still couldn't quite remember how to breathe. I definitely couldn't sleep, and rehearsals didn't start until Monday. I knew I had to talk to somepony, but didn't want to wake anypony. So I headed out into the city to take a walk until I got tired.
It was cold outside, colder than I expected, and the pegasi had started a little drizzle, but I didn't want to go upstairs to get a scarf. On the other hoof, I didn't want to lose my voice. So I bought a cheap one at the corner store, to celebrate my getting the part of Glimmerhorn, the lonely unicorn girl. The lead! I laughed out loud. A nearby stallion looked at me strangely.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm more than all right!" I Spun. "I just got cast in a dream role!" I grinned and danced away.
All of a sudden, a crash rang out through the neighborhood. A pony with giant metal legs was walking across Manehattan. My heart lept up my chest and into my throat. I tried to scream. The pony walked along on- Those were- stilts!
"Whoa there, pal!" a brilliant red figure dashed into the stilt pony, almost knocking him down.
"Who dares challenge the Stilltion?" The first pony roared, his voiced magnified, I supposed, with magic. Like the red one. I could now see a horn.
"Call me Daredevil, the Stallion-" The stallion whipped around the first on some sort of string "-Without fear! Now, hoof over the money you stole earlier, Stilty, and I'm sure the pony patrol would look more kindly..."
"I can fight any stallion!" The Stilltion exclaimed. He whacked at the red figure- Daredevil- with a stilt, and I couldn't watch. I hunched in a ball on the pavement. This was terrifying. The stallions had stopped broadcasting their voices. I had no idea what was going on. What a terrible way to celebrate.
The rain came harder. The pegasi must have been unaware of the battle raging in front of me.
'Come on, Stagelight.' I shook myself. 'Stop cowering. Let's go. Practice your acting skills by being brave.' I looked around. There was an alleyway nearby. I edged in. It was a dead end. I began to cautiously edge out, when the open end collapsed in on itself. I was trapped. Oh Celestia, no. Not here. It now. Not alone.
"HELP!" I screamed, not caring if I ripped my voice raw. Just wanting someone to save me.
••••••••••••
"That the best you have?" I dodged the Stilltion's blow. I was too fast for him. I could tell by his heartbeat which way he'd hit, the wind, the rain made it easier for me, outlining his form. But harder for him.
Then I heard a scream for help. A mare. From below. Only my sensitive ears could have picked it out. And recognized her.
"What the-" I muttered, then used one of my adversary's stilts to get to the ground and into the alley the voice came from.
"I've got you." Stagelight was light, easy to carry. I imagined Caring would fit into my arms this way... Stop it, Legal. "Don't worry." I put Stagelight, NOT Caring, down outside of the alley. "Run. Do you live near here?" I asked. She nodded. I felt her tremble.
"Th-thank you." She said quietly. She galloped away.
The Stilltion stepped on the ground where I had been standing a second before. I had jumped out of the way.
"Come on, Daredevil you call yourself? Hah! What a joke!" I heard the cruel smile in the Stilltion's voice.
"The stallion without FEAR!" I launched myself up at the Stilltion's face and covered his eyes.
"What..." His hooves taken up with stilts, he couldn't claw me off. I drove him to a stop. Around buildings, not through them. I didn't know what to do next. I cocked my ears. Anything around here I could use to tie him up...
Aha! On the way here, I'd swung through a construction site!
"Get off of me!" The pony said, still bucking his head. I gripped tighter around the sides of his head. "Ow!" He prances around, not caring who he stepped on. I carefully influenced his direction, slowly getting him to the construction site. I remembered some unused cables in a pile in the corner. Someone had picked them up while I passed...
There. A sudden wind showed me where they were. I dragged the Stilltion over to the cables.
He came free before I could.
"Nopony challenges the STILLTION!" He roared, swinging at me. I dodged again, but he was getting more vicious. Desperate.
"Get back, we'll hold him!" I heard a member of the Patrol shout. A pegasus flew at the stallion on the stilts. He was easily kicked away. I spiraled down. Then his team rushed the Stilltion. It didn't work.
I used the stilts as a ladder again, this time dragging heavy cables along with me, using my horn. Levitation- the basic for any unicorn. These pulled, though, and were heavy. I gritted my teeth and bore through. He was totally absorbed in the Patrol.
I was almost at the top when he looked down at me.
"What the-" and began to dance and try to shake me off. The Patrol flew back. They had no idea what to do.
The Stilltion kept trying to shake my hold. I stubbornly held on. I crawled one step up... I was about to make it...
When I fell. I was twisting madly through the air, falling to my death. There was no way I wouldn't get smashed at this height.
"You idiot." I muttered to myself. I snatched my modified cane out if it's holster and swing the hook up, catching myself barely in time. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. I swung myself back up, using momentum to kick the Stilltion in the face. Using the tune that have me, I neatly tied the cables around his huge steel legs, like a four-flower bouquet. I jumped off onto the half-built building in time for him to fall neatly on the ground, where the patrol gathered him up. One member flew up to my level.
"Thank you!" She exclaimed. "What can we do to-"
"Nothing." I said.
"Who are you?!" She asked.
"Daredevil, the Stallion without Fear." I said. "You'll hear from me again." I added as I swung away