//------------------------------// // Part 12 - The After Party // Story: Lunar Eclipse: The Rock Opera // by CrowMagnon //------------------------------// Lunar Eclipse: The Rock-Opera by CrowMagnon "Sweet Celestia, it's huge," Rarity exclaimed, her mouth gaping open. From his perch atop her back, Spike mirrored his mother's expression. "Hey, that's exactly what I said on my honeymoon," Fluttershy said with a giggle. When Rarity looked at her with a scandalized look on her face, she stuck her tongue out and added, "About our room, silly! Will and I scored a gorgeous suite at the Shetlandton over in Neighagra Falls. It wasn't anywhere nearly as big as this one, though." "This one" was the penthouse at the top of the Orange Hotel. Two stories of class and luxury sat atop the building like a small mansion, surrounded by spacious balconies and an outdoor swimming pool. At the moment, everypony who had been involved with producing their musical, as well as every one of their friends and families who could be present, were crowding around the entrance. All except for Applejack, who led the way inside and called out, "No need to be shy, dears! My aunt and uncle own this hotel, so feel free to make yourselves at home." Nocturne shook her head as the crowd started to make their way inside and spread out to explore the opulent common room. "I'm pretty sure this place is bigger than my house," she replied before her daughter pushed past her to race toward the pool. "Hey! Scootaloo, don't run around! And take off your cape before you--!" She brought a hoof to her face when an audible splash was the only response she got. While Sweetie Belle squealed with delight and started urging her big sister and adopted nephew to get into the water with her, Apple Bloom soaked in the sight of the fancy furnishings and paintings adorning the wall before she turned to the two other earth pony fillies who had joined her and her friends after the show. "Wow, Tangerine, it sure is swell of yer folks ta let us stay here while we're in town!" Tangerine, a light orange filly with a verdant mane, smiled softly before replying in the crisp, precise accent common among Manehattan high society. "It is no trouble, cousin. Even if it were not the 'off-season', we are very happy to have you all here. It was entirely worth it for the chance to see your play." "Yeah, but if ya needed a couple of earth ponies fillies, ya could've called on us, ya know," Babs Seed teased in her much rougher voice while playfully elbowing Apple Bloom in the barrel. "But the bit with the bonnet was pretty funny." Apple Bloom snorted with laughter at the memory. "Yeah, and ya would've been willin' an' able ta make the commute all the way ta Ponyville fer the rehearsals? Sure. Besides, if'n Scootaloo an' Sweetie Belle hadn't called dibs on account o' Rarity an' Scootaloo's mom bein' in it, Ah probably would've had ta act alongside Diamond Tiara an' Silver Spoon!" All three cousins shuddered at the thought, Babs and Tangerine thinking about their recent visit to Ponyville and their subsequent encounters with the duo in question. Babs blurted out, "Well, I gotta wash that feelin' off. Last one in the pool's a rotten apple!" Tangerine eeped and protested, "We are not supposed to run beside the pool!" It didn't stop her from trying to catch up to her cousins, though, or laughing as she leaped into the water. ----- It wasn't long before everypony had found a place for themselves in the huge penthouse. Vinyl and Octavia were playing some light background music through the room's sound system while Fiddlesticks slowly danced along to it with her fiancee, Caramel. Conversations were held in small clusters with ponies periodically milling about, joining in or breaking off from these groups. The fillies and Spike were outside, happily splashing around in the pool. The others who were nearby all cheered along while Scootaloo and Babs, balancing themselves atop Nocturne and Applejack's backs, tried to shove each other into the water. They seemed evenly matched, but Babs eventually overextended herself. Scootaloo immediately took advantage, and as Babs splashed into the water, the triumphant pegasus reared up on her hind legs and crowed, "Woohoo! I am Scootaloo, queen of chicken-fighting! Bow before me!" She danced around on her mother's back a bit, before turning to see everypony outside of the pool facing her and kneeling. Though surprised at first, Scootaloo soon grinned and proudly posed. At least until she heard another pony ask, "Does that order extend to us as well, my queen?" Turning around to see the three princesses flying down to land on the balcony beside the pool, Scootaloo reflexively tried to bow, which sent her pitching face-first into the water herself. Luna immediately gasped and dove into the water, splashing everypony in the vicinity before rising up again with Scootaloo perched atop her head and clinging to the princess's horn. "Fear not, fair Nocturne! As your forebear Nyx would have, I return your child to you, safe and unharmed." Nocturne grinned and reached out with her wings to pull Scootaloo off of Luna's head. "Well, uh... thank you, Princess, but you didn't need to worry. Scootaloo's a good swimmer, and... um... couldn't you have just picked her up with your magic if you had to?" Luna cocked her head slightly. "Hmm... perhaps," she admitted before flapping her wings a few times in the water to create waves. "But you seemed to be enjoying yourselves so much in here, I hope you don't mind me joining you. Look! I am controlling the tides!" While the other ponies laughed and bobbed with the waves that the princess created, the elevator opened and allowed Shining Armor, along with a few other unicorn and earth pony guards, to get out. "Hey, Twiley," he said when he saw his sister. "Sorry about that. One minute, Princess Celestia says she wants to stretch her wings, the next, the three of them are giggling like schoolfillies and flying off to sur... prise... you..." His speech grew sluggish and distracted as happened to look outside to see Princess Luna laughing and splashing around in the pool, her mane wet and glistening as she threw her head about in slow motion. Droplet of water flew from her, each one seemingly infused with the light of the stars in her mane to create a galaxy of light and beauty that spun dizzyingly as it radiated out from the beautiful mare at its center. Twilight waved her hoof in front of her big brother's face as he suddenly trailed off and started staring off into space. When the only response she got out of him was a line of drool dribbling out of the corner of his mouth, she snapped, "Darn it, Pinkamena, he's having a relapse! Rainbow Dash, please tell me you brought your herbs with you! I need something to snap him out of it, stat!" ----- The night went on, the princesses and their guards graciously welcomed into the party. As the children started to droop tiredly from the late hour, they were about to be put to bed when Fluttershy stepped up to the microphone on Vinyl's sound system, her false Celestia horn once again adorning her head. "Hey, everypony, I know things are getting late, but I've got a special present for all of you, especially the princesses." Off in the far corner of the room, where she and her friend Dewdrop had been spending most of the night, Spot Light was saying to Princess Cadenza, "... and if you liked what I did with the costumes, you should visit the Best Pony Boutique some time. You won't just get a new dress, there, either. I mean, anypony can throw some scraps of cloth together, but my special talent is accessorizing, so I can help you put together a full look to--" She stopped in mid-pitch when she heard and saw Fluttershy take the microphone. "Oh no. Is she doing what I think she's doing?" Without warning, Derpy suddenly stuck her head down in front of Spot Light's and asked, "I dunno, what do you think she's doing, Spotty?" Startled by the sudden appearance of the blond pegasus, who was hovering upside-down, Spot Light let out a startled whinny. "Derpy! Where the buck did you come from?" She then frowned and corrected, "And it's Spot Light!" Dewdrop asked, "Actually... that is a good question. Where did you come from, Derpy? I haven't seen you since the mix-up with Dash's griffon illusion." Derpy flipped right-side-up and landed beside the blond-maned unicorn. "I thought I saw Rainbow Dash walking around when she was supposed to be acting, so I followed her and..." Derpy gave a bashful grin as she admitted, "I... kinda got lost." "Oh, you're the pony who waved to us before the show started," Cadenza said with a smile, recognizing the cheerful, wall-eyed pegasus. Turning back to Spot Light, she asked, "So, what is it that you think Fluttershy is about to do, again?" The earth pony didn't need to respond, though, because Vinyl was grinning behind her DJ gear and put a record on the turntable while Fluttershy herself sent a beaming smile toward Celestia and Luna. "Here's a little something that I wrote... by which I mean Vinyl here did most of the work." "Darn straight!" "We didn't work it into the main play, but I really wanted to perform it for you, because... well... the only thing that determines whether a story is a sad one or a happy one is where you choose to end it. Vinyl, hit it! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Moving On ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Based on "Beards Going Nowhere" by The Protomen) When all your hopes begin to fade into the past When your dreams vanish from your view When you reach out for the friends who've gone And there's nothing that you can lean upon The darkness seems be laughing at you And there are so many who will need you The crown is a burden few can bear And no one can say if my choices were the right ones But in the darkness of the night My sister, I hope you hear my prayer Moving on Nevermore will I waste my life suffering Our ponies need me now I will not fail them and defile your memory Sister dear, my light Will be a beacon to guide you No matter how far away your spirit may be from here My love will never fade away as years pass us by Our ponies will come together and make this realm a haven And I will see it happen With my own very eyes I will dream of the days before us when we'll walk side by side You'll see, we'll make miracles come to life So open up your lovely eyes No matter happens now No matter how long it takes I will wait for you As you follow the path back to the waking world Just follow the voices of those who sing you awake Moving on Into a future unknown, but I know That you are not alone The path is paved with the love of ponies Each one an unbreakable stone Equestria will grow strong and beautiful So that wherever you roam All the ponies who are waiting for you Their dreams will light your way home! As Fluttershy belted out the lyrics, Pinkamena walked up to her, giving the pegasus a flat stare... and then sidled up next to Fluttershy in order to sing back-up for her friend. (We'll stand strong) We'll stand strong (We'll stand true) We'll stand true However long it takes, we'll wait for you (We'll stand strong) We'll stand strong (We'll stand true) We'll stand true However long it takes, we'll wait for you (We'll stand strong) We'll stand strong (We'll stand true) We'll stand true However long it takes, we'll wait for you (We'll stand strong) We'll stand strong (We'll stand true) Baby, we'll stand true! Grabbing the microphone from its stand with her wing, Fluttershy snatched it and clenched her eyes shut as she arched her back and practically shouted into it. Luna, it's time for me to do what only a princess can do! My little ponies need food and shelter and affordable health care! And fancy coffee shops on every street corner! And I'll make it happen. And cinema, which isn't a thing yet but holy buck, when you wake up you need to see 'Space Ponies' like fifty times, and go to the conventions where I'll be dressed as Princess Hay-a competing against three hundred pound stallions in the same outfit! But it's cool. It's all in good fun. And then after that we'll eat fudge sundaes while we look out at the city skyline under the stars, and you'll say 'I'm so proud of you, sister!' 'I'm so proud of you.' Bringing it through the big finale, Fluttershy took a moment to catch her breath and opened her eyes. Somehow, as she had spent the time with her eyes closed gyrating and throwing her body around to the music, she had ended up in front of Celestia and Luna, who just stared at her blinking for a moment. Eventually, Princess Celestia grinned and told her, "Well, that was certainly... catchy. But I think it got away from you toward the end there. Just a tiny bit." Fluttershy giggled cutely as she tossed the mic back toward Vinyl, who caught it in her magic and returned it to its stand. "Yeah, it's a work in progress." Princess Luna leaned up to nuzzle her sister's cheek. "Well, it is true. I am nothing but proud of my sister for all that she has done during my absence. Though... is it true what she said about taking part in masquerades with overweight stallions?" Celestia leaned into the nuzzle and smiled serenely. "No comment." ----- Hours later, when even the hardiest of ponies felt the need to sleep, Pinkamena finished brushing her teeth and stepped out into the dimly lit hallway of the penthouse's second story, where most of the sleeping space was. As she turned toward the room where she was going to be sleeping, she saw nopony in the shadows. Staring straight ahead, she kept her voice low to keep from waking anypony as she said, "As I was walking up the stair, I saw someone who wasn't there." Out of the darkness, nopony replied, "He wasn't there again today. Oh how I wish he'd go away." Pinkamena nodded and approached the shadow. As she did so, it slowly took on shape and definition. It wasn't truly there, she knew, but as it took the form of a shadowy centaur, she decided to treat it as though it were, anyway. "I saw you earlier, but you didn't know the rhyme. Why were you skulking around the theater back then?" "... Hubris, mostly," the centaur admitted. "Having devised a means of getting close to your princesses undetected, it also served as an opportunity to test its limitations by interfering with your play. The end goal was always to complete the preparations for my public return, though. Thank you for doing your part in preventing it." Pinkamena cocked her head. "Preventing it? How? All you asked me to do was invite Shining Armor... Wait. Why was it so important that I ask Twilight's family to come to her birthday party?" The centaur chuckled tiredly and sat down on his haunches. "Well, aside from being rather fond of her... I knew that in your state of agitation, you would be more likely to 'do the eye thing' as your friends call it." Pinkamena sat down. "You manipulated me... made me do that to my friend's brother." "Yes. A necessary evil, I am afraid. I know that you cannot control it consciously, but because of your gaze, for a brief time he was able to see the true shape of this world. Even if he does not know it now, he prevented something truly terrible from coming to pass." Pinkamena stared at the shadow for a while longer before asking, "If that's true, then why are you talking to me now? If I stopped you from whatever it is you were planning to do, then the 'you' that knows that rhyme shouldn't exist." The centaur shook his head. "No. No, the greater scheme still continues. Nothing can prevent that completely, but by forcing me to abandon the original plan, the events to come are now in a state of flux. In the end, it will be up to you to determine whether I am real... or just your own mind playing a trick on you." With that, the shadow faded from Pinkamena's perception. ----- Elswhere, the centaur known as Mr. Trick stepped out of the shadows and into the room where he kept his most prized collections on display. Lining the walls were shelves upon shelves of items. To another creature, their contents would have appeared to be little more than random trinkets, but to him... well, they were still largely random trinkets. It was not for him to assign value to them, however, as each object on his shelves was of indescribable value, even if only to someone else. There were a few items in his collection which even Mr. Trick considered to be precious, though. One of them was glass bottle which glowed from within with an inner light. Mr. Trick growled furiously to himself as he approached the bottle, rubbing the spot on his face where Shining Armor had bucked him. "That insolent unicorn! I don't know how he saw through my veils, but he nearly ruined everything! If Princess Luna had fully seen me..." Mr. Trick took a deep breath and lowered his hand as the hoof-shaped bruises on his face faded to nothing. "Regardless, I will simply have to move to 'Plan B'. Celestia will give me what I need." He reached out to cradle the bottle in his hands, feeling warmth and happiness radiating from it. The smile which spread across his visage held none of those properties, however, being nothing but a sinister rictus. "And Pinkamena will be my instrument in getting it."