As the meal came to a close, all the diners filtered towards the door and outside where carriages awaited to take the entire group over to the Canterlot Royal Theater. The element bearers had been there before, of course, since they had performed in last year’s Hearth’s Warming pageant. They had done an excellent job, despite issues ranging from Fluttershy’s crippling stage fright to Twilight Sparkle’s grumbles under her breath about historical inaccuracies in the props and costuming. Princess Luna sat in the Royal Balcony with Princess Celestia, while the other guests filled in the seats down below. The theater was hardly packed; the additional balconies were empty tonight. When a concerned Luna had asked Queen Maricopa if the empty seats would be a problem, the queen had shaken her head. “We have performed for smaller crowds than the one expected for this,” she had said, “a small but very emotional crowd can sustain us better than a large one that is mostly indifferent to what is happening on stage.”
And so, the theater filled and anticipation built. All eyes were glued to the stage as the tall lanky stallion strode into the lights. “Fillies and gentlecolts, I am the great Spear Shaker, and I welcome all of you to our grand production of the Hearth’s Warming pageant. Please sit back and enjoy the show and remember,” he paused and winked an eye at the audience, “with Spear Shaker’s Players, things are not always as they appear to be.” The playwright took his bow and retreated into the wings as the curtain opened on a lone stallion clothed in a handsome dark blue suit. He began the traditional narration opening the show: “Long ago, before the peaceful rule of the Royal Pony Sisters, ponies did not live in harmony. The three tribes were torn apart… by hatred! During this frightful age, each of the three tribes: the earth ponies, the pegasi, and the unicorns, cared not for the others but only for their own welfare...”
The scene changed, and the narrator and his set piece moved off into an alcove. The main stage now showed an outdoor scene of a wild land adorned with fields of farm crops, peaks with precariously perched castles, and a cloud city. “The earth ponies farmed the land, raising the food that all three tribes needed to survive. The pegasi exacted a tribute in return for bringing adequate rainfall to the farmers’ fields. The unicorns demanded the same, in return for magically turning day into night.” Sure enough, the actors on stage wore the guises of the three tribes. Luna admired the stagecraft that began to make itself unobtrusively evident, as lights and props and scenery changed as the story progressed. When the snowstorm occurred, bits of false snow took flight and landed on the audience, to the pleasure of the fillies seated in the front row. During the confrontation scene with the council of the three tribes, Luna watched as the debate between the three leaders left the audience leaning forward in their seats.
During the individual scenes of the three leaders and their traveling companions, the unique set configurations meant that all three sets of actors could be on the stage at the same time, while lighting directed the audience’s focus from one pairing to another. The ponies in the crowd laughed at the buffoonery of Chancellor Puddinghead, bristled at the heavy-hoofedness of Commander Hurricane, and rolled their eyes with exasperated sighs at the arrogance of Princess Platinum. When all three set pieces combined as the leaders realized that they were, in fact, all attempting to claim the same new land, the effect was masterful. The scene shifted flawlessly to the cave, guided by the narrator’s smooth recitation of the familiar story.
Once in the cave, the effects became truly astounding. Luna watched with wide eyes as the ice appeared to grow and encase the furiously arguing leaders. Something she had really not expected was a pair of changelings, in their natural form but in the color of a glowing ice blue, flying above the conflicting ponies, only to be scattered by a fiery heart of friendship as the advisers’ love and tolerance came to a climax. By the time the curtain came down on the revived and chastened leaders and the their heroic companions, the audience was cheering. The curtain raised, and ten actors stepped onto the stage. There were the six stars, plus the two windigoes, and two other ponies who had appeared as various extra tribes. They were joined by the narrator and Spear Shaker. Then, one by one, each actor shifted from pony form into their natural changeling form, sized the same as for their costumes as they had been as ponies. One by one they went down the line. The narrator and Spear Shaker stood at the end. The former shifted in a ball of blue and green fire. Then Spear Shaker gave an enormous smile, with a mischievous wink, then he too dissolved in flames, to reveal… Queen Maricopa. Luna was startled into a laugh at the audience’s astonishment. Similar guffaws were coming from the next balcony over and from the ponies seated below.
Princess Luna stole a glance at the only other occupied box. Sure enough, there was the real Spear Shaker and beside him sat Quick Chance. The mare noticed Luna’s attention and gave the princess of the night a conspiratorial wink and nodded toward the stage. Luna returned her attention to the actors as they bowed as one, then stood up with mouths open. They appeared to be smiling. Luna felt the temperature of the room shift, just slightly, to a colder one, before returning to normal. The changelings closed their mouths and bowed again. After three curtain calls, the group waved as one, shifted back into pony form, and departed backstage. Beside Princess Luna, her sister sat back in her chair.
“Well, little sister, you were certainly right when you said this would be a night to remember. I, for one, shall not soon forget this rendition of the Hearth’s Warming play. I have never seen it done quite so well before.” Luna nodded in agreement. Evidently the crowd below had similar sentiments, as they all seemed reluctant to leave. One of the changelings stepped back out onto the stage. Luna could see that it was Queen Maricopa.
“Fillies and Gentlecolts, the actors will be available for a meet and greet in ten minutes in the lobby. Please feel free to get to know us out there!” She gave the audience a cocky grin before vanishing behind the curtain again.
As the ponies below begain to filter out toward the lobby, Celestia turned to her sister. “Shall we do likewise?”
“Go ahead,” Luna answered. “I shall meet you down there shortly. I would like to speak to some ponies first.”
Celestia nodded that she understood and left. Luna followed, then headed to the box seat where Spear Shaker and Quick Chance had been sitting. The stallion was not in evidence, but Quick Chance was just coming out as she was arriving. “How did you like it, Princess?” The mare inquired.
Luna answered “It was one of the most dynamic versions of this show I have ever seen. You were right about how the stagecraft added such a special touch. The windigoes were particularly impressive.”
Quick Chance smiled. “Ice Rose and Maelstrom have been looking forward to that role for months. It is so interesting that changelings can be so easily confused for windigoes with nothing more than a bit of ice and paint.”
Luna chuckled. “I must say, if Spear Shaker’s other performances are as impressive as this one, you all could do very well in Canterlot. Would you think me forward if I offered your troupe the opportunity to become a repertory company with a resident theater here in Canterlot?”
The mare looked astounded. “Well, princess, for me that is personally a dream come true, but would the audiences stay interested enough here? I mean this would mean they would be seeing the same group over and over again, but doing different things…” she paused, as the possibility dawned on her, “but wait! With our unique cast, they would not think they were seeing the same group doing the same thing!”
Luna nodded, a smile on her face. Quick Chance’s face went serious as she pondered the possibilities. “I would need to consult with Spear Shaker and the rest of the cast and crew, of course, but I think it would be good for all involved.”
Luna nodded her agreement. Her earlier conversation with Maricopa had told her the same thing. “Shall we go down to the lobby and see how my little ponies and your little changelings are getting along?” She asked.
“It would be my pleasure,” the stage manager answered.
In the lobby, the room was brimming with excitement. All over, changelings and ponies were socializing. The ponies remained in their formal wear, while the changelings remained in costume. The Cutie Mark Crusaders sat entranced as the changelings painted as windigoes regaled them with tales of their wide ranging travels. Luna had never before seen Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom sitting so still. Nearby, Rarity was discussing trade spells with the actress and costume mistress. Each of the element bearers was talking with a changeling actor, mostly with the one who had played the same part as they had done the year before. Spike and Eclipse were in deep conversation with the tall changeling who had played the narrator. Luna overheard something about voice projection and breathing exercises to improve one’s volume in outdoor settings.
Throughout the room, the air was filled with content chatter. Above it all, Queen Maricopa sat in regal repose, watching from a pegasus perch above. She had shed her guise as Spear Shaker (who was now discussing hoofball in one corner with Rarity's father). Princess Celestia sat beside her to likewise oversee the crowd. Both leaders appeared content. Princess Luna took her leave from Quick Chance, who ambled over to where the Cakes and the Apples were discussing food near the catered refreshment table. As she landed next to her sister, Queen Maricopa Elytra turned to greet the princess of the night.
“So, how did my little changelings do? I know how well I think they did, of course, and judging from the audience reaction it was a very successful premier.”
Luna and Celestia both assured the changeling queen that the show had been very impressive.
“Are your shows usually this… visually interesting?” Celestia inquired.
Maricopa shrugged. “It depends on the show. With this one, we felt that there was a need to be as over the top as possible when it came to effects. When it comes to Spear Shaker’s productions, they are not usually quite as over done. But yes, this is the same kind of shenanigans that we pull, especially for the big shows. Half the fun of acting in a show that has been done over and over again is to make the audience feel as though they were seeing if for the first time, even if they have seen the same show over and over again. Spear Shaker’s crew is masterful at that, and when we started working with them, it did not take long for us to all realize that we were more impressive together than if we were apart.”
“And… the feeding?” Luna asked cautiously. “Was that when it got a little cold in the auditorium?”
Maricopa shook her head. “That was the end of the feeding, actually. From the moment each of us stepped on stage, we fed as soon as we had the chance. Excess emotion has an energy all its own, and our feeding makes it heat up and move more. When we cut off the flow, the movement stops and that is the chill you felt. The audience tonight was good. Very good. I know I will not need to feed for a while, and I have been getting similar messages from the hive mind all evening.”
Luna told the changeling queen about the offer she had presented to Quick Chance. “I think it is a good possibility that the hive would not be unhappy to have a permanent residence. It will be up to Spear Shaker and the crew as well, of course. We are all used to moving around a lot. It would definitely be a change for us all.”
Luna nodded in understanding. All three monarchs watched the cacophony below as changelings and ponies continued to mingle. “Do you think this could happen everywhere?” Celestia asked quietly as the two species contined below. “I mean, all across Equestria, with little groups of changelings and pony towns?”
Luna turned to her sister. “I, for one, think so. There is a large changeling community in Trottingham, according to Cookie N Cream and Professor Buzz Words, and they are formally integrated into society there. There are numerous other changelings all over who live as ponies in their daily lives without a hive. I would like to see it happen more.”
“As would I.” Maricopa responded. “As would I.” The three leaders silently nodded in agreement and returned their attention to watching the integrated group below.