//------------------------------// // A Dry Run // Story: Springtime for Sombra // by GreyGuardPony //------------------------------// Rarity approached the door, absentmindedly biting her lip. She hesitated, her hoof hovering a few inches away from green painted wood. Somehow, anxiety was always on her mind when she talked to her father. She was wearing one of her more frilly dresses, perhaps almost as a challenge to her father’s desires for her to be more of a tomboy. Still, there was no real need to drag this out longer than it had to be. Giving the door three sharp knocks, she idly fiddled with her mane for a moment, making sure it was as proper as it could be. It didn’t take long for the door to swing open, the familiar form of Magnum ready with his warm, but somewhat strained smile. “Rarity!” He smiled, giving her a friendly nuzzle. “Glad that you could make it. How was the train ride?” “Oh, it was quite fine.” She smiled back. “I came with some of my friends and we talked on the way.” “Well, come in.” He nodded. Rarity followed Magnum into his hotel room. Much like the choice of the hotel itself, it was simply furnished and practical. He was still a farm pony at heart. “Did you want to get something to eat?” “Maybe tomorrow.” Rarity politely smiled. “Your telegram said that you had some kind of offer for me?” “I hope so at least.” Magnum frowned, rubbing at the back of his neck. “You’ve...uhh...really been making your fashion career work in Ponyville.” “Well enough I suppose.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Dad...did you ruin another suit?” “I did not! ...Though I will need a new one anyway.” “Why?” “Because.” He grinned. “I’ve been chosen to coach the Equestrian team in next year’s World Cup!” It took a moment for those words to sink into Rarity’s mind. The great hoofball tournament that took place every four years, like clockwork. And her father would be leading the Equestrian national team. In terms of his career as a professional hoofball coach, it was quite a feather in his metaphorical cap. “Oh!” Rarity exclaimed, throwing her forelegs around her father’s neck. “That’s wonderful! I’ll get started right away! Something dark blue I think, maybe with a stylish red cravat to help pull it all together.” “Well, there’s a tick more involved that just makin’ me look shiney.” He chuckled. “The team needs new uniforms. The last designs...well, let’s just say that they weren’t quite up to snuff. I want you to do the new ones.” Rarity gasped, her heart fluttering in her chest. Her designs, on a truly international stage? Admittedly, she’d have to go more practical than her usual designs. Hoofball players had to run and kick and do all other kinds of impressive acrobatics. Not what she was used to doing, really, but well within in her skills. She’d have to get a look at the old ones of course. Both the originals and the failed redesign. Then she’d be able to create something really impressive- Her father lightly tapping her horn brought her back to reality. “Oh! Sorry! Yes! I’d be more than happy to design the new team uniforms! I can get some supplies in the city, and perhaps even deliver a prototype before you head off to the next city.” “That’s my little Stri- Rarity.” Magnum chuckled. “But we only have a few days before we’re heading out to Las Pegasus. Think you can do it?” “Not a doubt in the world.” Rarity grinned. Her father was finally coming to her for fashion advice. He was finally accepting her life choices! “You know what dad? I would like to go get something to eat.” - - - - “So, here’s your copy of the script.” Flim nodded, pulling a thick stack of pages from his desk. “You can use the office if you want. I have some other business that I really do need to see to. Once you’re done, join the rest of the cast and crew. We just might turn this around!” “Sure thing.” Skitch nodded as she started to flip through the pages. “What about me?” Pinkie asked, still hopping from hoof to hoof. “Well, we don’t really have a set place for you. So…” He shrugged. “Do what feels natural?” “Right!” She beamed. “Snacks for everypony!” Without another word, she bounced right through the door, leaving a very confused and dizzy looking Flim on the floor. Skitch looked up from the script, unable to stop herself from chuckling. “You get used to that.” “If you say so kid.” Flim blinked, pulling himself back to his hooves. “I’ll be back later.” With that, he vanished out the sturdy oak door, leaving Skitch alone with the script. Humming to herself, she turned her attention back to the pages and began to read. The title, The Darkness of the Crystal Empire, spoke to the subject matter. It started off simple enough, opening up in the Crystal Empire at the height of its power, into which the cast of characters soon entered. A pre-alicorn Princess Cadance was easy enough to recognize, as was a dark gray unicorn that was obviously King Sombra. What was a little more odd was the presence of Sombra’s wife and two sons. “Huh…” Skitch blinked, thinking back to the angry, hissing, only five line speaking pony from the show she watched. “Some mare actually had sex with that? Willingly?” She shook her head. “Unbelievable.” But as she read onwards, her lips twitched into a frown, which then deepened into a scowl. The further she got into this work, the more....Game of Thrones-y it was starting to read, with some less than pleasant characterizations. CADANCE Do you not understand, dear Sombra? The Crystal Throne must be held by somepony who is ready and willing to do what is needed to protect us from the griffin barbarians! There must be somepony ready and willing to destroy those feathered monsters! (CADANCE slowly circles SOMBRA, the latter recoiling in horror.) SOMBRA Cadance? You can not be serious! What you speak of is nothing less than the deepest darkest treason! Skitch rubbed the bridge of her snout and sighed. “All the subtlety of a Michael Bay film. Who wrote this crap?” Eager to find out the answer to that question, she flipped back to the cover, examining the name, only for her right eyebrow to rise so high, it threatened to vanish into her mane. Obsidian Noctem Quill. The writer was named Obsidian Noctem Quill. Skitch did not pretend to be an expert on pony naming conventions. Heck, at the moment, she was named after the sound effect of a pencil on paper. She had also gone to college though. And a name like...Obsidian Noctem Quill sounded less like a writer and more like a bad college goth band. “Hey,” She snarked, jumping back to the last page with a roll of her eyes. “We’re Obsidian Noctem Quill, and this is our new single ‘Feelings’.” The joke didn’t make her feel any better though. In fact, the script was beginning to make her feel...uncomfortable. There was a growing tone in the words that was becoming disgustingly familiar, winding between the sentences like some kind of serpent. For as she reached the climax of the story, the pages proposed...no, downright accused Princess Cadance of actually being behind the disappearance of the Crystal Empire. CADANCE Goodbye my prince. (CADANCE cackles as SOMBRA slams his hooves off the shimmering energy barrier, anguish on his face.) SOMBRA You’re mad! Mad! Mad I say! You can not sacrifice a whole nation to become an alicorn- Skitch’s head hit the desk with a groan. “This fucking script. What did I do in a past life to be stuck working on the Equestrian equivalent of a Holocaust denial piece!” Okay, maybe that was a little harsh. It was more “Historical Revisionism: The Musical, more redirecting blame, rather than claiming that the event had never happened. But that was still pretty beyond the pale, accusing Princess Cadance of being responsible for the disappearance of the Crystal Empire. When she finally reached the end of the play, she glanced up at the clock on the wall. It had taken her an hour and a half to work her way through the whole of the...very interesting creation. “No wonder they’re they’re going out of business if this is what they’re producing.” She sighed, slowly rubbing her temples. “Stupid mouth running ahead of my brain.” Flicking the script closed, she decided to head for the back stage and see just who she’d be working with. If there was going to be a chance to pull this off, they’d all have to be working in synch. She couldn’t keep the nervous twitches out of her tail as the worked her way backstage though. The situation was beginning to escalate out of control, and while she was quite sure that Riche wouldn't actually be able to force her to leave Equestria, he could probably up the harassment campaign…. Banishing those thoughts with a shake of her head, she pushed her way through the stage curtain. Ponyville was, for now at least, her home. She wasn’t going to be driven away again. She wasn’t going to be...alone. She could hear the rumble of conversation before she could see anyone. Trotting past the few dressing rooms, she came into a large open space that was half set construction room and half cast and crew meeting room. Said cast and crew were currently engaged in a flurry of conversation. Looking over the crowd of ponies, none of them seemed familiar to her Brony senses, though a few stood out. A pegasus stallion with an orange coat and short blue mane was sitting at a piano, idly plinking at the keys with one hoof. Skitch guessed that he was in charge of the music, judging by the large pair of music notes that was his cutie-mark. A pair of earth pony mares had the costumes under control. The first’s coat was a light pink, almost the color of an orchid flower. Her mane and tail were done up in ornate curls, not unlike Rarity’s, but held back with headband. Like Rarity’s it was also purple, but a paler shade. Her cutie-mark was three different colored buttons and a fancy light blue silk scarf was tied about her neck. Her assistant- at least Skitch assumed that the other one was an assistant by her submissive body language - sported a cream colored coat, and a two-tone blue mane that was done up in a sweeping pixie like cut. Her cutie-mark was a fancy hat, and she wore a purple collar with a red tie. A humanoid dog- obviously a Diamond Dog- was examining one of the sets. She was tall, towering a good foot above anyone else in the room. From Skitch’s point of view, it was as if someone had taken an Alaskan Malamute and made it bipedal. But she was decked out in a sturdy pair of work pants and a sturdy leather apron crammed with tools and she looked like she knew how to use them. A hoof full of ponies were obviously actor types, and were mostly chatting with each other, save for one. She had a sun yellow coat, and a long light green mane. A white shawl was draped around her neck, her eyes darting every which way with a frantic and nervous energy. But as Skitch drew closer, the conversations stopped, and the assembled crowd turned to look at her at once. She froze, suddenly feeling very self conscious from the forest of appraising stares and a few angry glares. “Uhh…. Hello.” She grinned. “I...umm...I’m not sure if you know who I am.” “We know who you are kid.” A marigold maned stallion nodded. “You’re the human. And our director.” “...Excuse me, what?” Skitch blinked, taking a shocked step back from the group. “I was hired to do special effects for this production.” “No.” The diamond dog growled, brandishing a hammer like a weapon. “I do the sets. You are the director.” Skitch’s mouth grew very dry as she looked at everyone, a sudden realization crashing down on her head. “Vey is mir.” She cursed. - - - - Rarity allowed herself a contented sigh, sinking in her seat slightly. Her father had found the most wonderful little corner bistro a few blocks from the hotel, near some of Manehatten’s newspapers. The onion and goat cheese tartlets had been exquisite. “That was quite pleasant daddy. Thank you.” “It was my pleasure.” He nodded. “I mean...we don’t get to talk all that often, what with my traveling and everything that you’re up to these days.” There was a slight hesitation in his words, a familiar barest of winces that rippled across his muzzle. Rarity clenched her own jaw as she lifted a cup of tea, taking a long sip to avoid spitting out a biting remark over the father’s still obvious- to her at any rate- uncomfortable feelings over the direction her life had taken. She quickly changed the subject. “So...the World Cup! That’s...really something! How did you get chosen?” “Well,” He shrugged. “I was on a long list of applicants and Princess Celestia chose me. That was about it.” “Oh.” Rarity frowned. So much for an involved conversation on that subject. “Well, I’m glad that you got the job...really. You’ve been working hard to get where you are.” “You have too. Your own shop, hero of the realm. I’m...proud. Really.” Despite his words, he looked away, staring out the window at the ponies that trotted past. Rarity frowned, ever so slightly, as she put her tea down. “Daddy. Do I still make you uncomfortable?” He winced. “Rarity. Please.” “I’m sorry daddy.” She sighed, tracing the tip of her hoof along the edge of the tea cup. “You helped pay for my transition! If you hated the idea of me becoming a mare-” “Technically, it was more your mother’s idea….” He trailed off, eyes going wide Rarity’s jaw dropped. Magnum groaned, rubbing his forehead, before sighing and shaking his head. “Look I want you to be happy.” He continued. “But...ahh hay, I’ll just come out and say it. It feels like you’ve completely turned your back on some of your old hobbies. When was the last time you looked at a hoof ball?” “I’ve been busy focusing on my craft! It’s not easy to make it in the fashion world. And I have friends, and regular hobbies. Just because my tastes have changed doesn’t make my somehow wrong!” “But you’re just…” He winced, rubbing the side of his snout. “So...girly. It’s hard to recognize you sometimes. It’s like you’ve...lost yourself.” Rarity clenched her teeth, pushing away from the table. “Daddy...I am sorry. But if you’re still obsessed with my lack of playing sports as somehow being indicative of me no longer being your child, then I am not sure what else I can do.” Without another word, she stomped out of the restaurant, leaving her father alone. She was fuming. Once again a meeting with her father had gone sideways, because he still wanted his little hoofball player and just… The flash of a camera bulb cut through her train of thought and she turned towards it with a raised eyebrow. She immediately did a double take for standing in front of one of the large newspaper skyscrapers, at a podium, was Skitch-Sketch. Reporters were crowding around her as she prepared to make some kind of announcement. “What on Equis?” Rushing across the street, she slid to a stop behind the wall of reporters. “Skitch!” She frantically waved a hoof, trying to get her attention. “What are you doing!” “My fellow Equestrians!” She began, grinning wide and ignoring Rarity. “I stand before you today a lost bit of driftwood upon the flotsam and jetsam of time. I endeavour to no longer stand apart from Equestria, but to be a part of it! And to that end, to show that I understand the history of this great planet and it’s peoples, I shall direct a musical about the fall of the Crystal Empire! That shall be unlike anything any pony has ever seen!” As a mummer rippled through the crowd, Rarity couldn’t believe what she was seeing. There was absolutely no way that pony was her friend. Skitch didn’t talk like that, she wouldn’t call such attention to herself. “Rarity!” Pinkie Pie was suddenly at Rarity’s side, a large pink box balanced on top of her head. “Why’s some pony pretending to be Skitchy?” “She’s talking about the musical.” Rarity frowned. “As my first production,” the false Skitch continued. “Does revolve around the Crystal Empire, I would like to invite Princess Cadance to the grand opening in a few days time. And I invite all of you to the grand opening as well! Come and see what the human turned pony has created!” The crowd immediately exploded into a flurry of questions, but “Skitch” simply turned around and walked into the building. The questions turned into curses and groans, the reporters breaking apart to return to their own newspapers and radio stations. Rarity blinked in confusion, while Pinkie Pie stood uncharacteristically still for a moment. Something was going horribly wrong. - - - - I am going to kick the asses of those two con ponies from one side of the damn island to the other. Skitch mentally raged. An annoyed twitch had started up in her right eye, while the marigold maned pony had slowly explained how Flim and Flam were hardly in danger of losing The Palace. Quite the contrary in fact. Perfect Pegasus Productions was a major player in the growing Las Pegasus film industry. “Okay...right.” She groaned, resisting the urge to beat her head against the wall. “If we’re all stuck together for now, how about everyone-” “Everypony.” Someone corrected. Skitch shot an icy glare that pony’s direction. “It means the same damn thing! And its shorter than saying everypony or everycreature, okay? Now, can everyone tell me who they are and what they do?” The marigold pony who spoke before went first, giving a quick nod. “I’m Marigold Button. Veteran of this little place we call Vaudeville. I’m stuck playing Sombra in this disaster.” He waved a hoof towards the green maned mare from before. “This is Spring Fields. She’ll have the role of Princess Cadance.” “Pleased to meet you both.” Skitch nodded, taking a step forward and extending her hoof in greeting. The reaction from Spring Fields was immediate, her eyes bugging out, hooves almost tripping over each other in a mad scramble backwards. “You won’t eat my brain!” She shrieked, hiding behind a few of the other actors. “I don’t care if you are the director!” “You’ll have to forgive her.” Marigold deadpanned. “She’s been reading far too many tabloids.” “Lemme guess.” Skitch deadpanned back. “All the ones that say I’m some kind of horrible monster in the skin of a pony here to destroy you all?” “I’m onto you!” She shouted. “Right. Quick survey then. Everyone who thinks I’m a monster, raise a hoof.” About a quarter of the crew and actors raised their hooves. “Oh yeah. This is going to be great!” “Moving on…” Marigold sighed, waving a hoof towards the pair at near the costumes. “Let me introduce you to our costume department. Suri Polomare and her assistant Coco Pommel.” The pink one, Suri, waved a hoof at her. “Hey there. Soooo looking forward to working on a big Manehatten production!” She giggled. “Mkay?” “Glad to hear that.” “Finally.” Marigold nodded towards the Diamond Dog. “This is Glittering Quartz. She’s in charge of making the sets.” The diamond dog dipped her head Skitch’s way, but still with an angry glower on her face. “I do the sets. And the effects.” She growled. “Okay, okay, jeese.” Skitch winced. “Sorry that I intruded on your territory or whatever.” She waved a hoof at the bored looking pegasus. “Who are you?” “Flash Sentry.” He answered, the disdain clear in his voice and attitude. “I do the music.” “You’ll have to forgive everypony kid.” Marigold frowned. “Most of us are well aware of the career suicide that we’ve found ourselves stuck in.” “Speak for yourself.” Suri fired back. “So long as my outfits are totally fab, my career will be just fine.” “I’m overjoyed.” Marigold glared. “I don’t suppose that just up and leaving is an option at this point?” Skitch frowned. “I mean, it’s pretty obvious what’s going on here.” “Yeah kid.” Marigold sighed. “Our careers are being sacrificed to deal with you. And you can’t just walk away both from a noble, and the most powerful production company in Equestria. It would be as damaging to our reputations as doing a bad play. At least this way we can conceivably blame you and the writer.” “The writer.” Skitch frowned, her eyes sweeping the crowd again. “Where is this Obsidian Noctem Quill?” “He’s been here for the cold reads.” Spring Fields sniffed. “But he always wanders in whenever he wants. He’s as insane as you are.” “Oh.” Skitch grit her teeth. “Now I’m insane! Anymore slings you wanna throw at before we start working together?” “You’ll never eat my brain!” “You'd need to have one first!” A discordant chorus of notes rang out as Flash Sentry’s head hit the keys of his piano. “We are so doomed.” “Yeah, well, I’m not going down without a fight.” Skitch frowned. “All actors, grab your scripts and head for the stage for a dry run. Maybe we can turn this into a satire or something, I dunno.” The actors grumbled, clearly as displeased with the situation as she was, but shuffled towards the stage all the same. Skitch followed along, grumbling right along with them. Once Flim and Flam showed their faces in the building again, she’d give them what for. They had barely finished setting foot on stage when a familiar voice called out. “Skitch, darling!” Rarity and Pinkie dashed towards her, Pinkie somehow managing to balance a pink box of snacks on her mess of curls. “What’s wrong girls?” Skitch frowned. “You look like you saw something that I’m going to hate.” “We saw you!” Pinkie gasped, launching into a rapid fire tirade. “Another you was giving a press conference and she was like ‘I will do an amazing musical!’ and you invited Princess Cadance to come-” The crowd immediately descended into an uproar. “We have to do this travesty for a princess?” “Not just a princess! The very one we’re slandering!” “Stop it! We don’t know if she’s actually coming yet-” “Oh, shut up! Just because your career’s already dead-” “QUIET!” Skitch bellowed, slamming her forehooves against the stage floor to restore order. “Can we please actually run through this thing before we start falling into complete bedlam? Someone get the curtain up.” She growled, stalking her way to a seat in the front row. Plopping down in a random seat, Rarity and Pinkie joined her in their own as the curtain rose. With a sigh and sense of dread, Skitch cracked the script open to the first page. “Act one, scene one. Go!” - - - - One hour and thirty minutes later, the dry run was completed and Skitch had buried her face in her hooves. Rarity sat back in her seat, jaw dropped in horror and Pinkie Pie had her head cocked in confusion at what they had just finished seeing. “I never would have pictured Cadance mass imprisoning ponies.” Pinkie eventually spoke up. “Or trying to murder somepony.” Rarity added. “Historical revisionism, the musical.” Skitch practically snarled, pulling her hooves away from her face. “I don’t want to deal with this right now.” Waving a hoof at the stage, she continued, putting a bit more volume into her voice. “Okay everyone, we’re done for the day. We’ll pick this up tomorrow morning.” The cast and crew filed out of the building and the moment the last one left, Skitch slid out of her seat. “I’ll meet you two back at the hotel.” She frowned. “I...I need some time to think. Alone.” Before they had a chance to object, Skitch galloped out the doors and into the city. She needed a drink.