//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Pipsqueak - The Four Princesses // Story: Revelations BOOK 1: A Night To Remember - Pipsqueak // by VGI //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Pipsqueak The Four Princesses Blimey! This seat is...quite big. There's really more space than one pony could need. In fact, it’s kinda like a small cushioned cubicle that a pony could either sit or lie on with cushioned armrests on both sides. It’s not like the regular seats that the other ponies have in front of us going downward to the front of the stage, or the ones in the balconies above and behind us. Those seats you can only sit on. I look at Princess Luna who gestures for me to hop in. Yes, guv'nor! She climbs in next to me. Ho-boy! Princess Cadance is next to us to the left, while Princess Celestia is to our right, with Princess Twilight next to her. In front of and a little below us are the Ponies of Harmony. There are Royal Guards and Crystal Guards, as well as elite Night Guards standing in the aisle at regular intervals and in the private boxes several floors above us on both sides of the auditorium. Usher-ponies are assisting the regular and noble ponies to their seats. The show is about to begin. Oooh, the lights are dimming! Princess Luna is sitting up straight! I should sit up straight too...uh, why are all the ponies looking at us? Yeah, sit up straight, Pip! Just like how Mum and Ms. Cheerilee taught you. Everypony is looking at us...even the dignitaries...and the gryphons. I look to the left. Princess Cadance who is also sitting up straight, is smiling at me. “Relax, little one,” Princess Cadance tells me. I look up to Princess Luna, wondering what that means. Princess Luna looks at me with a...lordly but playful look. Oooh, she's about to do something cool! Just then, a voice that sounds like an announcer stallion booms gently, “Fillies and Gentlecolts, Gryphon friends, distinguished guests from near and far...Our Alicorn Princesses...Princess Celestia!” Princess Celestia, she always seems to be the most graceful of all the princesses. She even seems to glow under the dim light, and I can clearly see her smiling. How is she doing that? She looks so white and soft and tender, like a puff of cloud, and yet any pony can know by just looking at her that she is by far the most powerful one. Really, how does she do that? A soft spotlight gently fades in on Princess Celestia. Hooves...and claws...clop together as ponies and the guests turn to acknowledge the Princess of the Sun. “...Princess Luna!” My Princess. Her dark coat makes her mane and tail twinklier than the stars in the night sky. She may not glow like her older sister, but that's okay. Her glowy eyes and glowy smile make me “shiver me timbers”, like my first nightmare night with her scaring us. “Shiver me timbers?” I was dressed as a pirate back then, wasn't I? Hah! Good one! Sitting up beside her now, I can really gaze into her glowing eyes and glowing smile. Oooh, goosey bumps! A soft spotlight gently fades in on Princess Luna...and me since I am right there next to her. I could feel my eyes narrow. *GULP*. Ponies and gryphons are looking at us now! Normally I would be terrified of being the center of attention. But I am next to Princess Luna by her invitation. Thus I must – I must – be brave! Sit up straight Pip, like a prince! I could barely see Mum, but I can tell she looks proud of me. I put my chest out and sit even straighter. The clopping of hooves gets louder. Princess Luna's smile turns into a lordly but soft grin. “...Princess Cadance!” The Crystal Princess. Correct me if I'm wrong, but her complete name is...Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Did I get that right? The Princess of Love. Despite being the ruler of the Crystal Empire, she doesn't strike me as an Empress. Oh, look, that stallion over there, the one wearing the awesome-est Royal Guard armor. I bet that's the Prince, Shining Armor, Twilight's older brother. Boy, is he beaming at his wife. Oh! Did you see that! Princess Cadance just winked at him! Gee willikers...Hahaha! Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance can cast a powerful shield on their own. But together, their shield spell combined can protect an entire kingdom the size of an empire that can repel enemies from within the kingdom and toss them out of its borders! I learned that from school. Again, a soft spotlight gently fades in on the Crystal Princess. The clopping of hooves continues. “...and our newest, youngest ruler, Princess Twilight!” I can't see her very well from way over here...Princess Celestia is sitting up so straight that she's in the way. Oh bother! Oh well, Princess Twilight, I get to see her almost everyday anyway. She's always in Ponyville Golden Oak Library, and I can borrow books from her or her assistants Spike or Owlowiscious. A lot of ponies here might know that Princess Twilight has a dragon assistant. But do they know that she also has an owl assistant? I do! So there! The spotlights on the princesses fade out. It is quite dim again, except for Princess Celestia, who’s got a natural magical glow on her white coat on this occasion. The clopping of hooves, and clapping of claws, grow silent. And, as if right on cue, the horns of the Princesses start to glow. Then, a beam from their horns streak out to a single point in the middle of the domed ceiling! Golly! What is going on? I look at Princess Luna right next to me. She is focused. Her eyes are glowing. I look at Princess Cadance to my left; she too is focused, her eyes also glowing. I bet it’s the same with Princess Celestia and Twilight. I take a peek. Yep, they are also focused, eyes glowing. I look around, and everypony seems to be holding their breaths. Then, the ceiling opens and moonlight comes in. The Alicorn Princesses intensify their beams and the dome ceiling opens all the way, revealing in its place a dome ceiling of crystal glass. Everypony gasps in awe, “Ooooooh! Aaaaaah!” and clop their hooves together in amazement. What a way to start the show! The glowing of the Princesses' eyes and horns fades away. And now there is a faint moonlight shining on everypony in the audience. “Princess Luna?” I ask. She squints at me and looks at the Moon. She closes her eyes and when she opens them, its like light is smoking from them. So cool! Light starts to burst forth from her horn. She aims at the moon, and the light of her horn focuses into a bright white laser beam, phshooooom!!!! I bet everypony on this side of the world can see that beam of light streaking through the night sky all the way to the moon! I can see Princess Celestia looking quite proud of her younger sister. I am too. Guys, this is my favorite Princess. Even Princess Cadance and Twilight look proud of Luna. A few moments later, the moonlight gets brighter, lighting up the whole theater. This is something special! Like a once-in-a-lifetime thing, you know? And I get to experience it... ...Hmmm, I can't help but think that Ms. Cheerilee might make me write an essay about tonight and read it in front of the class. Better keep this...brochure-thing – I think it’s called a program – just in case. Speaking of Ms. Cheerilee, one of the words that she taught us was “atmosphere”, which can be synonymous to “ambiance.” What a beautiful ambiance this is, right? A show, by moonlight...beside my Princess.