I Prefer Show Tunes

by Harmony Charmer

Chapter 2: No One Mourns the Audition... OK, That's A Lie

"And nopony in Equestria, not even dear Celes-- Scoots, will you stop with that wing flapping?!" Sweetie exclaimed, stopping her singing. "I'm trying to practice!"

"So am I!" Scootaloo protested. "I'm trying to get Rainbowed up for my audition!" She put on a fierce face and struck a pose. "Awesome!" She struck another pose. "20% cooler!" Yet another pose was struck. "Bogus!"

"Saying 'awesome' ain't gonna get ya the part, Scoots," Apple Bloom commented, a bit annoyed at her friends' antics. "Besides, Ah don't know if y'all remember or not, but we're kinda out in public, too..."

"Yeah," Button commented, a bit wary of the stares they were getting. "We kinda are."

They were all standing outside, in front of the stage where the auditions would be taking place. A lot of the ponies in school had signed up and were working on their lines together. Snips and Snails were arguing over who was who, mostly because they couldn't remember; Twist was fighting against her lisp, trying to hit a note without it holding her back, but failing to do so; Rumble and Pip were mirroring each other in perfect unison, hitting their lines perfectly, causing a stir with Snips and Snails; Cheerilee was overseeing everything, watching for conflict and making sure that everypony was present.

Sweetie felt a pinch of worry as she looked over at the group of fillies wearing Luna merchandise and costume accessories, each of them reciting their lines to each other.

"Besides, Sweets, you've been practicing all week." Button put a hoof on her shoulder. "Heck, I've been practicing with you. We could sing our songs in our sleep if we wanted!"

Sweetie sighed. "I know, but I'm worried. Luna is the lead, and I know lots of other fillies are auditioning, too..." She looked at the other fillies again. "I just don't know if I'll make it or not."

"Pfft, you'll be fine!" Button told her. "You're totally right for the part!"

A loud laugh broke through the air. "Yeah, right!"

Sweetie, knowing the high pitched laugh from anywhere, frowned as she turned to face her. "What do you want Diamond Tiara?" She narrowed her eyes. "Came to show off some stupid outfit of yours and hope that it'll get the part for you?"

"Yeah, you actually have to have talent to get the part!" Scootaloo snapped.

Diamond snickered. "Oh, I just find it a bit funny that someone as uncouth and uncultured as you could ever aspire to get the part of Princess Luna." She grinned in her usual sinister manner. Suddenly, she seemed wonderfully right to play the Nightmare. "You won't make it past the first measure, Squeaky Wheel! That 'voice' of yours would crack before you even could!"

Sweetie growled, and she took a step forward to give Diamond a piece of her mind, but was stopped by Button. He gave her a frown and shook his head as a warning before turning to Diamond. "Sweetie's got as much of a chance as you do, Diamond! So get off that pedestal and buzz off!"

Diamond didn't even flinch. "Pfft, whatever." She grinned at Sweetie. "Can't wait to see your audition, Sweetie! I'm sure it'll be... Wicked."

Sweetie Belle let out a feral growl, but was once again held back by her coltfriend. She huffed through her nose with a glare, then turned to Button. "Why'd you do that? She was being totally mean and nasty!"

"I didn't want you hitting her!" Button protested. "Seriously, I've been on the other side of those things and they hurt a lot! I mean, she may be mean, but I wouldn't wish that on her." He held up a hoof when Sweetie continued to glare at him. "Also, you would've gotten kicked out if you gave her a black eye."

Sweetie groaned and fell on her bottom as she crossed her forelegs. "But she's such a jerk!"

"Hey! You think I don't know that? She broke my Legend of Zelda game, tried to make me her lapdog, and she was a total butt to us at the wedding a couple weeks ago!"

Sweetie put her muzzle on her forelegs, which rested on her knees. "She's so lucky that the groom is still on his honeymoon... Otherwise, she'd get totally roasted.

"That, to be honest, would be a win," Scootaloo said.

Apple Bloom frowned at Diamond from afar as she grouped together with Silver Spoon, both sharing a snide giggle and their ridiculous butt bump of snootiness and exclusion. "Y'know, if Ah had known that she was going to try out, Ah probably would've gotten somethin' prepared." She held up a hoof. "Probably! That doesn't mean Ah'm about to do some tap dancing and do a little song for y'all... Ah still ain't over that Cutie Pox incident." She shrugged. "Eh, it's fine. Ah'll be fine workin' behind the scenes."

Scootaloo cheered. "Heck yeah! That'll be awesome!" She pulled Apple Bloom into a hug, smushing the farm pony against her chest and stuffing her wings into her face. "Cutie Mark Crusaders: Bridleway cast and crew!"

Apple Bloom spat out the feathers that snuck into her mouth, then rolled her eyes as her ears flattened against her head. "Yippee."

Sweetie ignored Apple Bloom and Scootaloo (who were now arguing over Apple Bloom's spit being on Scootaloo's feathers) to focus on Button. "Are you sure you can do this? We have to do our auditions separately, and we haven't done them without each other yet..."

Button nodded. "I'll be fine! Seriously, I swear." He held up a hoof and crossed it over his heart, then put it over his eye. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"

Somewhere in Equestria, a pair of pink ears pricked up, almost as if it were on instinct. A head arose from it's pillow, revealing a head of magenta hair that was unaffected by it's presence on the pillow. Blue eyes flickered left to right repeatedly, then narrowed suspiciously.

"Hmm..." Pinkie murmured. "I feel like somepony made a Pinkie Promise... Though, I can't be sure who..."

"Pinks, go back to bed," said the pony on the other side of the bed. A sparkle of red magical aura overtook the covers and put them back over Pinkie's form, then lazily fluffed the pillows where Pinkie's head had been. "Seriously, it's our honeymoon."

Pinkie paused, looked left to right with wariness once more, then slowly pulled the covers over herself while peering over them. "Forever..."

"Bed. Now."

Pinkie plopped against the pillows. "Okie dokie lokie!"

Button paused for a brief moment. "I feel like that's going to have serious repercussions in the further future..."

"What?" Sweetie asked.

Button waved a hoof. "Nothing. Listen, you're gonna do great out there! You'll beat Diamond no problem!"

Sweetie smiled. "Thanks, Button."

"Alright, little ponies!" Cheerilee called out. "Time for the auditions! Starting up, we have Rumble!"

Scootaloo turned to the rest of her friends. "I didn't think he was gonna try out for anything. I wonder what he's gonna end up with...?"

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom exchanged knowing looks with one another, then rolled their eyes. They were both aware of the odd friendship that Rumble and Scootaloo had together, especially since they both became close after they found out about Applejack and Thunderlane dating. Apparently, Rumble had a couple concerns about Thunderlane keeping it a secret and Scootaloo had been there for him during it. What had happened, however, was something they had yet to know.

As Rumble acted out a scene, then began singing out clearly and nicely, he ended the song with a solid note. The crowd applauded, amazed at his voice.

"Whoa... Didn't know he could sing..." Scootaloo blushed lightly, prompting a sigh from Button and giggles from Sweetie and AB.

As Cheerilee called out more names, Sweetie began to ponder what she was capable of doing in her performance. She knew that since she was doing a solo cut, she wasn't going to be able to depend on another voice to help her out with her performance. Then, she also had to hit that crazy high note at the end, after it had been prefaced by several other high notes. She frowned. Why had she chosen such a hard song?

'Because I'm silly, that's why,' she mused, annoyed at herself. 'Plus, to shove it in Diamond's face when I hit that note.' She looked down worryingly. 'If I hit that note...'

"Sweetie, she's about to call out another name," Button said, nudging her. He paused when he saw her worried expression. "You OK?'

"Y-Yeah..." She replied, knowing she didn't sound sure.

"Next up, we have..." Cheerilee paused, then looked at the clipboard with more scrutiny than before. "Uh-oh."

Sweetie froze. 'Uh-oh?'

Cheerilee looked up from her clipboard awkwardly. "It would appear that two fillies are singing the same song for the same part."

Sweetie's breath hitched. 'Who could it be?'

Cheerilee frowned. "Uh, Sweetie Belle and Diamond Tiara? Could you both come here?"

Sweetie gasped and she turned to Diamond, who appeared to be just as shocked as she was. They exchanged glares before going to Cheerilee, then proceeded to send mean sideways looks to each other. When they stood in front of Cheerilee, both of them were steaming.

"Uh, girls, I know that since you both want the part, and that it's only fair of me to let you sing your songs..." Cheerilee shifted awkwardly under the hard gazes of the fillies. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to let you two sing together?"

"Absolutely not!" Diamond exclaimed, stamping a hoof. "I refuse to waste my time singing with her!"

"Diamond Tiara!" Cheerilee snapped. "Listen, I know you two aren't fond of one another, but I want this to be as fair as possible. So, if you two would please take turns with the song, then perhaps we can get on with the audition?"

Sweetie frowned. "But, how will we know when to start and when to end?"

Cheerilee sighed. "That's up to you two." She gestured towards the stage. "Go on ahead."

Sweetie and Diamond exchanged a mean glare towards one another before going up the stairs, and they didn't let it up even when they were on the stage together. Sweetie recalled a song from the musical about former Princess Platinum and Princess Luna's instant dislike of another, claiming to spend the rest of their lives loathing each other. Of course, they ended up friends in the end, but it didn't deter from the fact that Sweetie instantly understood how Luna must have felt: unadulterated loathing.

Diamond turned to the crowd. "For my audition, I will be singing my rendition of, 'The Night Will Last Forever.'" She sent Sweetie a sideways glance. "And Sweetie Belle, too, I guess."

Sweetie fumed silently. 'You're not gonna be like that when I knock you off the stage...' She wasn't sure if she meant figuratively or literally.

Diamond stepped forward, and then took a deep breath. She put a hoof on her chest, then closed her eyes in a vulnerable manner, her ears flattening against her head, almost as if she were afraid. Then, the words came spilling out of her.

Sweetie froze, unsure what to make of Diamond's voice. It was so clear and strong, Sweetie observed, and she could feel the emotion that she was letting out.

Sweetie, getting over her shock, jumped in. She stepped in front of Diamond, ensuring that the attention was on her.

Diamond, angry with Sweetie's interruption, leaped back into the song with vigor. She held her head up proudly, much like Sweetie had seen the Princesses do during royal visits. As she continued on with her song, she held out a hoof theatrically and grinned maliciously like the nightmare that visited their town all those years ago.

Sweetie leaned in a bit aggressively towards Diamond, then sang out a bit louder. She narrowed her eyes at Diamond, smiling in the same malevolence that Diamond showed.

Diamond mimicked Sweetie Belle, though this time, she bumped into her. She smirked as she sang, matching Sweetie's intensity and even going over it as she went. To appear vulnerable, she put a hoof over her heart and put on a look of painful remembrance, though Sweetie knew it was an act.

Sweetie bumped back into Diamond, then stepped forward as Diamond tried to recover from her fall. She put on the same look of defenselessness, though she held a more confident air about it and even sent Diamond a sideways glare to show she meant her words.

Diamond leaped back up, and this time, she shoved Sweetie back and took to where she once was. She resumed a powerful position and looked to the heavens with a proud grin on her face as she sang out.

Sweetie jumped back up and shoved into Diamond, though not enough to knock her over. She glared at her and put on a fierce stance, her eyes flaming with passion and rage.

Diamond joined in this time, not bothering to hit Sweetie Belle away or anything of the sort. They both sang in resonance, their eyes glaring into each other with fierce anger and competition.

Their noses were pressed together in anger, their eyes boring into the other's as their song reached their peak.

They both stood on their hind legs, hoping to stand over the other, but failing due to their matched height.

Then, as if they were one mind, they slammed their forehooves down together, and sang out their last, defining note.

The song ended, but the quarrel between the two fillies didn't. Their eyes continued to flare with indignation, and as the audience watched in silent awe of their singing, they both took a step back from each other.

"Nice job," Diamond commented, nodding in acknowledgement. "I almost thought you knew what singing was for a moment there."

Sweetie returned the nod. "Thanks. You did good, too. I could almost forget that annoying hoof waving you were doing like a over-dramatic thespian."

Diamond smirked. "See you at the cast listing."

Sweetie frowned as Diamond stalked off the stage, and sighed as she went off on the opposite side. 'I got an awful lot more competition than I thought...'

Sweetie tapped her hooves awkwardly as she looked towards the school doors, her eyes flickering from them to the ground. It had been a good couple of days since the auditions, and now that she was sitting outside for the cast list, she suddenly didn't feel so confident like in why she came.

"Ugh, what's taking her?" Diamond groaned. She stood on the opposite end of where Sweetie was sitting, and she looked more bored than concerned. "How long does this thing take?"

Sweetie, deciding not to engage her, rolled her eyes. She glanced towards Scootaloo, who was frantically flapping her wings in anticipation as she looked towards the doors with wide, anxious eyes. Apple Bloom remained indifferent and chewed on a piece of wheat she must have picked before coming with the group. Button was beside Sweetie, smiling in support, though obviously tense and awkward about it all.

"Maybe she's checking it again?" Silver Spoon added on, then flinched as Diamond glared at her.

Diamond rolled her eyes. "Well, maybe she's just making sure that Squeaky Wheel doesn't get the part. It'd be such a shame if Princess Luna was going to be played by such a commoner!"

Button stepped up, ready to say something back, but Sweetie held him back with a foreleg. "Just ignore her, Button. Besides, it's not like we both didn't do a good job."

"Yeah, what she-- Wait, huh?" Diamond blurted out. She didn't have time to question Sweetie's words as Cheerilee stepped out, prompting everypony around it to stand at attention collectively.

"I have the cast list!" Cheerilee stated, holding it up.

Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes in annoyance, then looked to Sweetie with a mean smirk. "Well, I guess it's safe to say that Princess Luna is obviously going to be played by--"

"Sweetie Belle!" Cheerilee called out. "Sweetie Belle will be the one playing the part of Princess Luna!"

Sweetie's jaw dropped along with Diamond's, and they both gawked at their teacher. "Huh?"

"This is an outrage!" Diamond called out, stamping a hoof. "I should be the one to play Luna, not her!"

Cheerilee frowned at her. "Diamond, you have a lead part, too. You'll be playing Princess Platinum!"

"What?" Diamond shouted, mortified. "I tried out to be Luna!"

"I know, but so did Sweetie Belle. Besides, you two were both too good to not give lead parts!" She turned to the rest of the ponies waiting for their parts. "And for the male lead, we have Rumble playing Clover the Clever!"

Button, who was smiling at the announcement of Sweetie's part, dropped his jaw. "Wait, what? But--"

"And, for the part of Rainbow Dash, we have Scootaloo!"

"Whoooooo!" Scootaloo cheered, rising over the ground with excitement as her wings flapped excessively. "I got the part!"

"Rumble got the part?" Button exclaimed, too shocked to notice anything else. "But, I worked so hard on that audition!"

"And for the part of Starswirl the Bearded, Clover's mentor, we have Button!"

"Noooooooooo!" Button cried, collapsing onto the ground. "This is a nightmare!"

Diamond growled angrily. "No..." She turned to Sweetie Belle with a glare that reminded her of Fluttershy's infamous stare, only more icy and frightening. "But it will be."

Sweetie cowered a bit, her ears flopping down on her head in fear. "Oh, dear Luna, please help me."