//------------------------------//
// Part 3 
// Story: Silver Bells 
// by Kegisak 
//------------------------------//


Part 3


        They bolted down their pretzels, and Kelson herded the group inside. Sweetie could see immediately why something as innocuous as a pretzel would not be allowed inside. She doubted that anything less expensive than caviar and fine wine would be allowed inside. The interior of the theater was the very definition of opulence. The golden light from within had come from a long line of glittering chandeliers, reflected off of golden bannisters, gold trim, and gold detailing on every wall. The only things that were not gold were the carpets and the drapes, all of which were crimson. Even if it had not been warm from the crowd of ponies filing in, the colours alone would have made the theatre sweltering.
        More and more ponies filed in with every moment, and unlike the ponies in the square outside they were certainly not from every walk of life. Every last pony was garbed in the finest suits and most beautiful dresses, with glittering accessories and immaculately styled manes. Sweetie even saw a few famous faces, loitering about as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
        The auditorium was no less extravagant. Sweetie finally understood why Silver was so insistent that Sweetie had never seen anything like it. Every theatre that Sweetie had ever been in had only had a single floor of balcony seats, if they had even had that. The Maretropolitan, however, had a half dozen floors of balcony seats—Sweetie had turned around and counted. They were seated on the ground floor, right in the middle, and only a hoofful of rows back from the stage. The view would be incredible; even Sweetie knew it must have cost a fortune.
        Even the seats were more comfortable than Sweetie was used to. She wiggled as she sat down, curious as to just how low she could get. It seemed as though there was no end to it, and after a while she had to stop wiggling lest she be swallowed whole by the seat. She heard a giggle, and looked over to see Silver covering her mouth.
        Sweetie flushed and rubbed her cheeks. “These are... nice seats,” she said.
        Silver laughed. “Yeah,” she said. “I told you that you've never been anywhere like it before.”
        “You were definitely right about that,” Sweetie Belle admitted. “Is this what it's always like when you go to the theatre?”
        “Not always,” Silver said. “Mom and Daddy like to support other theatres around the city. So we go to a lot of smaller ones, most of the time.” She adjusted her glasses. “Though, I only have a few months of experience, really... they might have gone here more often when I didn't go with them.” She brushed a loose strand of mane out of her face. “Actually, speaking of, um... I always did go to the Hearth's Warming plays, and the pageants, but I've never... heard of this one before. Is it actually a Hearth's Warming play? It... didn’t sound like it, from what Daddy told me.”
        “Gabriel and the Night Visitors?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Uh-huh. It's not an Equestrian play, though. It's, um... I've heard some of the songs before.” She furrowed her brow, trying to remember what she had gleaned of the story from those songs, and what Pip had described to her of Hearth's Warming on the Eastern half of the Continent. “See, a pony brought Hearth's Warming from Equestria over east, and he taught it to the ponies there... and there were three ponies who were his... disciples, I guess?”
        She shrugged. “I don't remember exactly, but I think they all took him in, and he showed them how to be friends. Because they were from different tribes. After he taught them, they all traveled south... and in this play they go to Zohannon, trying to spread the word to to all the ponies there, and have to spend the night with a little Griffon boy and his mother in a little house there.”
        “So it's a historical thing?” Silver asked, raising an eyebrow. “I mean, that's cool and all, but a historical musical?”
        “There's lots of historical musicals,” Sweetie said. “I mean, sorta. There's lots of musicals about historical stuff, at least. But... I don't think it is?” She had a vague remembrance of stars so big and bright they filled windows, which couldn't be real. “I think it's more like... a story version of what sorta happened, so that ponies understand it better?”
        “Huh,” Silver said. She blinked, leaning back in her seat. “Sounds cool, I guess. I wonder what Zohannon is like.”
        “Hot,” Kelson commented wryly. “An' dry.”
        The lights began to dim, and the low murmur of the crowd slowly died down. “I guess we'll find out,” Sweetie Belle whispered.
        Silver Spoon grinned and put her hoof on the arm of her seat, frog facing upwards. Sweetie smiled back and took it.
        The lights went dark, save for the stage. The curtain began to rise, slowly at first, and a hushed awe fell over the crowd. On the stage was a lone griffon child, seated outside of a house by a mountain, playing a shepherd’s pipe.
        As the play carried on, Sweetie Belle found her mind drifting more and more away from it. The actors were wonderful, and the music was beautiful, but Sweetie simply couldn't bring herself to focus. Once more her mind was laden down with thoughts of Silver, and how disappointed she would be.
        Sweetie frowned in the darkness. No. No, Silver would not be disappointed. Sweetie would get her a gift, one way or another. She would stop Silver's disappointment from coming. But how?
        Music was no longer an option, but there were still others. Books were still available, even if they weren't as perfect as music. Sweetie had seen a bookstore as well, very close to the theatre, and with a door to the outside. It would be the work of a moment for Sweetie Belle to slip away from the group and run to the bookstore.
        There was still the trouble of exactly what to get Silver, however. Although Sweetie could easily justify it by saying she was helping Silver start her own collection, she still wanted to avoid any potential overlap with Silver's mother. That removed fantasy and mystery from the equation.
        Sweetie Belle leaned back in her seat and glanced over at Silver. The filly must have been really turning around on theatre after all. A broad, dreamy smile was plastered across her face, which was resting in her hooves. Her glasses had drifted so far down her nose it was a wonder she could see anything, although from the way her ears twitched it was possible she was more intent on listening.
        Perhaps a book on history, on Zohannon? Silver had seemed interested in it, after all, and it seemed like she would be only more interested after the show. On the other hoof, Silver would almost certainly know that Sweetie Belle had waited until the last minute. Unless...
        A slow smile crept across Sweetie Belle's face. Unless Silver Spoon thought Sweetie Belle had bought it with some other reason in mind. Wasn't Zohannon's history supposed to be fantastical? Full of unlikely heroes and terrible monsters and strange customs? Even if it was all true, it would seem like a fairy tale to a pony across the ocean.
        Sweetie Belle's grin widened. The idea settled in her mind just as she settled back into her seat, determined to enjoy the rest of the first half—and, after she had gotten Silver's gift during the intermission, the rest of the evening.
        Four griffon villagers—two Toms and two Queens—had come to the house at Gabriel's behest and were currently dancing for the three visiting stallions. Their dancing was light and graceful, full of spins and hops and twirls that were accentuated by the Griffons' wings, as well as by broad, colourful skirts. It certainly painted the image of something strange and foreign, but Sweetie was glad she had decided to return her attention at this moment, at least. Particularly because, as their dance came to a close, the curtain fell before them. The lights came back on, and all around them the low rumble of conversation erupted.
        Sweetie Belle blinked. “Huh?” she asked to nopony in particular.
        “It's the intermission,” Silver Spoon said, pushing up her glasses. She smirked. “I'm pretty sure you know what an intermission is.”
        Sweetie Belle stuck out her tongue. “Of course I do,” she said. “I'm just... surprised. Has it really been that long already?”
        “About an hour,” Sunlight said as he checked his stopwatch. “Decent enough time for an intermission, I think.”
        “Aye,” Kelson agreed, grunting his way out of his seat. “Not used to sittin' in one place for more'n a few minutes, these days. Need to stretch the ol' legs.”
        “I'm pretty sure I've seen you sitting in one place for quite a few hours, Kelson,” Silver commented wryly.
        Kelson coughed and straightened his coat. “Aye, well, it's a figure of speech, Wee Miss,” he replied gruffly.
        “Well, whatever it is,” Starling cut in, “I could stand to stretch my legs as well. And so, I think, could the ponies waiting for us to make way for them.
        With much apologizing, and only a small amount of blustering, the party shimmied its way out of the row and headed up the aisle for the lobby.
        “So what do you think of it?” Silver asked Sweetie. “Are you enjoying it so far?”
        “Yeah,” Sweetie Belle said, “I like it a lot.” It was only half a lie; Sweetie Belle may have completely failed to notice the majority of the show thus far, but she had heard enough of the songs before to know that she liked it. Unfortunately the vague platitude did not seem to be enough for Silver, who was smiling with a hint of expectation. “Um,” Sweetie Belle said, “The seats are really comfy! And the theatre is beautiful.”
        Silver Spoon's smile faded slightly. “And,” Sweetie Belle added quickly, “I really liked that dance at the end! It made me think of you, at little bit.”
        Silver's smile returned, and she laughed. “I don't think I can spin like that,” she said. “but I'll take that as a compliment. I really liked it too.” She adjusted her glasses. “I really liked that unicorn, too. I wonder if the actual pony had all those silver bells on his cloak. They're pretty, at least.”
        “Y-yeah,” Sweetie Belle said, laughing weakly. She really had been unfocused, if she hadn't noticed somepony who jingled when they walked. She pushed the thought down. It didn't matter; she would be able to focus on the final half, at least.
        They had arrived in the lobby. Sweetie Belle could see the bookstore from here. Fortunately, though, the door was hidden behind a pillar and statue. If she could slip away, she could easily get inside without anypony noticing. “Um,” she said, looking for the fastest route through the crowd, “I think I need to go...”
        “What?” Silver asked. Kelson coughed heavily.
        Sweetie Belle turned back to look at them. Kelson looked as close as he ever had to being furious. His expression did not concern Sweetie, however, as Silver Spoon looked heartbroken. Sweetie Belle's own heart clenched, and her guts turned to ice. Silver's expression struck Sweetie like a hammer to the chest and left her reeling. Or perhaps it was all in her mind. Regardless, Silver's hurt was very real, and Sweetie knew very well why. They were about to lose another chance to spend time together. “To...” Sweetie Belle said, “the bathroom. Um, where is it?”
        Silver sighed so heavily it was visible. Her entire body slacked. She pushed her glasses up her nose. “Don't say it like that,” she said. “You made it sound like you had to go home, or something.” she rubbed her neck. “Or maybe I'm just being silly.”
        Sweetie Belle shook her head. “No, you weren't,” she said. “I'm sorry.”
        Silver Spoon waved a hoof. “Don't apologize, it was definitely me being weird, at least. The bathroom is, um...” She adjusted her glasses and began to look around, before Kelson clapped a hoof on her back.
        “Why don't you let me show Wee Miss Sweetie the way?” he asked. “I'm in need of the gent's room meself; they're right close by one another. I can make sure she don't get lost on her way back either.”
        Kelson guided Sweetie Belle away from the group and led her through the crowd of ponies. He looked as though he had something to say, but Sweetie Belle spoke first. “I'm not gonna try to sneak away,” she said softly.
        Kelson seemed to consider this for a moment. “That's good,” he said. “On account of the best lie is one that happens to be a little bit true, an' I wouldn't of been able to keep track of you the whole time anyhow. Hope you'll forgive me thinkin' you had it in your eyes, though.”
        “It's... alright,” Sweetie said. She decided not to tell him that he had not been wrong.
        The restrooms were nearby, and no less opulent than the rest of the theatre. At any other time Sweetie Belle would have wondered why a pony would bother to make a bathroom fancy, given that it was needed for a decidedly practical and certainly non-fancy purpose. Today, however, Sweetie was too troubled by thoughts of Silver to worry about the question. She shimmied her way through the crowd of mares, found her way into a stall, locked the door, and thought.
        What was she going to do? She couldn't go out now. She couldn't go out to the bookstore after the show, either. They would be whisked away to dinner before Sweetie could blink. Even if Sweetie told them what had happened, there would simply be no time.
        Sweetie Belle sighed. The anxiety had cooled, hardening somehow. Her chest no longer felt like ice. Instead it felt as though it had been filled with stone. Or perhaps trapped in stone, with no way to escape the fate. In a strange sort of way, it was a relief. Sweetie recalled something she had heard once: The chance of death brings fear; the assurance brings calm.
        She waited in the stall for a few moments more, just long enough to seem as though she had not been lying. Then, after a quick check to make sure her mane was alright—if she wasn't going to give Silver anything else tonight, she could at least give her somepony nice to look at—and returned to Kelson outside. They returned to the group in a glum silence, in stark contrast to the chipper ponies around them. When Sweetie Belle and Kelson broke through the crowd, they found Silver talking animatedly with her parents.
        “...You really think it wouldn't bother them?” Silver was asking.
        “Of course not,” Starling replied, “We know a few of them through your sister already. And with all the work your father does I'm sure they'd be happy to.”
        “That'd be great!” Silver said. She spotted Sweetie through the crowd and hushed up, covering her mouth as she tried to fight down her smile. It didn't work. “Hi, Sweetie,” she said.
        “Hi,” Sweetie Belle replied, trying not to let her dour mood show through. “You look pretty excited. Did something happen?”
        “No,” Silver said. She had finally managed to get her face under control. “I'm just having a really good time tonight.”
        It was too late to convince Sweetie that that was the only thing that was on Silver Spoon's mind, but Sweetie could not bring herself to be suspicious. Instead, in spite of herself she smiled. “I'm glad,” she said. “I hope you didn't miss me, slipping away from you again.”
        Silver grinned and adjusted her glasses. “Maybe a little,” she admitted. “But you weren't gone for long, and it was obviously important, so I guess I can let it slide.” She hugged Sweetie. “You know. If I'm being gracious.”
        Sweetie Belle hugged back. The tension in her heart eased, though not by much. “Is this being gracious?” she asked.
        “Of course!” Silver replied. “You’re supposed to be on my foreleg all night!” She paused, and added, “Or at least, right by my side.”
        “Oh, well!” Sweetie said. “I can definitely promise you’ll have me for the rest of the evening.” She gave her warmest smile, but there was more than just a bit of sadness behind it. In spite of this—or perhaps because of it—she wrapped her hooves around Silver’s foreleg.
        An announcement buzzed for the beginning of the second part, and the theatre patrons returned to their seats. Sweetie Belle held tighter to Silver in the crowd, as if afraid to lose her. Silver Spoon held back just as tight. Even as the lights dimmed and the show began again they held on to one another.
        Sweetie Belle had no trouble giving her attention to the play, this time. The last of her worry had fled, and even her sadness seemed to dwindle in the presence of the beautiful music. She regretted that she had paid so little attention, and not merely because it meant she had missed Silver’s glee.
        It was a palpable force. Silver’s hoof seemed to grow warmer as the show went on, and her smile grew so broad and so bright that Sweetie could see it even in the dark. It was no wonder why: Between the beautiful music, the heartwarming story, and the evening out with Silver, even Sweetie was smiling by the time Gabriel flew off with the three stallions. The curtain fell, and the audience erupted with applause. Silver hopped to her hooves, applauding as hard as she could manage.
        The applause lasted for what felt like ages, long enough for the actors to come out for a bow no less than three times. When the clapping and cheering finally began to dwindle, Sweetie Belle could not help but laugh. “Wow,” she said to Silver, “I guess you really liked it, huh?”
        Silver grinned, adjusting her glasses and rubbing her cheeks to hide a blush. “It was a nice story,” she said. “And the music was… different, but still really pretty.”
        “It was,” Sweetie agreed. “I’m glad that you liked it.” She sighed and rubbed her down. “I’m sorry I haven’t made this the best evening…”
        Silver sat back down. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” She said, laughing. “I’m having a great evening. And besides, it’s not even over yet.”
        “I guess,” Sweetie Belle said. “There’s still dinner, right?”
        Silver grinned impishly. “That too,” she said. “But there’s one other thing, too.”
        Sweetie Belle blinked. “One other thing?” she asked. “What is it?”
        Silver simply grinned wider. “You’ll see,” she said. “You just have to wait a few minutes.”
        Sweetie Belle frowned, leaning back in her seat. “Well…” she said. “Okay, I guess?”
        The applause had completed died off, replaced by the rumble of conversation as the theatre-goers made their way out of the auditorium. Between Sweetie’s curiosity, and her still-lingering guilt, the procession seemed to take hours. Still, eventually all the ponies were gone, leaving only Sweetie Belle, Silver Spoon, and Silver’s parents. Sweetie Belle blinked and looked around.
        “Where’d Kelson go?” she asked.
        Her question was answered by Kelson himself, trotting out from stage left. “Kelson went to do summat he hasn’t done in years,” he said. “Hopin’ I’m not too outta practice.”
        “If you are,” Sunlight called up to him, “I can always attend more events to give you the experience.”
        “An’ now I’m hopin’ twice as hard,” Kelson commented wryly. “At any rate: To Mr. Silver Sunlight, and Misses Silver Starling, Silver Spoon, and Sweetie Belle, may I present the actors and actresses of the Manehattan Theatre Company!” He spoke boldly and flourished a hoof, and as he did the curtain rose once more, revealing the cast of the show, still in full costume.
        Sweetie Belle blinked. For a few long moment she was unsure of just what she was seeing. “A… private show?” She asked, leaning over to Silver.
        Silver chuckled and adjusted her glasses. “Not quite,” she said. “While you were gone before, I talked to Mom and Daddy about talking to the actors… I know that you like theatre so much, I thought you might like to actually meet them! And since Daddy does so much for the theatre, and he and Mom come here so often anyways, they were more than happy to meet us.” She adjusted her glasses once again, adding, “And Kelson thinks you and me being here together made them agree even faster.”
        “Quite so!” One of the actors called out to them. He was one of the three stallion, a unicorn whose character had been named Melclopor. He gesticulated wildly as he spoke, causing the silver bells that lined his cloak to jingle. “A young actress attending our show? Always a pleasure! Not to mentioned an exceptional opportunity to help grow the next generation of proud theatre folk!” He dropped off the stage and trotted up to Sweetie Belle, bowing deeply before her.
        “Holding Heel, Dramatic Baritone,” he introduced himself. “Pleasure to meet you.”
        “Emphasis on dramatic,” Commented another actor; the griffon who had played Gabriel. This close, it became clear that the actor was, in fact, a small and boyish actress. She drifted over and offered a claw to Sweetie and Silver. “Galene,” she said. “He’s right, though, it’s great to meet you both. How did you like the show?”
        “It was great!” Silver Spoon said, taking Galene’s claw-shake. “It’s been… a long time since I’ve been to a play like this.”
        “I imagine so,” Holding said. “I’ve seen your mother and father in the audience on more than one occasion, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.” He smiled and turned to Sweetie, adding, “Nor you, young miss. A new member of the family?”
        Sweetie Belle was still starstruck. “U-um,” she said. She had never spoken to a real, professional actor before. “N-no,” she said. “Not yet. Or, um, I mean…” She blushed furiously. “I’m Silver’s marefriend…”
        Galene laughed. “And a forward thinking one, apparently.” She took up Sweetie Belle’s hoof and shook it warmly. “You’ll fit right in, in theatre.”
        Sweetie blushed even harder. Silver Spoon grinned, wrapping a hoof around her shoulders. “Happy Hearth’s Warming,” she said.
        “Wow,” Sweetie said. “I… I don’t know what to say.” She certainly had ideas, but she somehow doubted expressing a crushing wave of guilt was an appropriate response. Even if she had gotten Silver something it could never have compared to this.
        Silver’s smile softened. Obviously Sweetie’s guilt was showing, because Silver stroked her mane and said, “you don’t have to say anything,” she said. “Except maybe hello to the other actors and actresses. If you want to.”
        “I do,” Sweetie said. “But I…” She sighed and hung her head low. She no longer had the energy to feel properly guilty or anxious. Really, there was no use putting it off any longer. At least if she did it now, she might be able to make it up to Silver over dinner. “Silvy, I’m so sorry, but I didn’t get you anything for Hearth’s Warming.”
        Silver blinked, and laughed. “You what?” she asked.
        “I just didn’t know what to get you,” Sweetie said, shaking her head. “I tried, I really did, but your list was so small, and I thought your parents could get you anything so I had no idea what to get you, and… when I left with Kelson, we didn’t go to the carriage. We went into the mall, to a record store. I wanted to get you a gift there—a musical I knew you’d like, because I know you’re trying to get into them—but they didn’t have it! And then, during the intermission, I wanted to run to the bookstore and get you something, but…” She waved her hooves vaguely, and shrugged. “You were so sad when I left for the mall, I didn’t want to do that to you again. I wanted tonight to be the best it could be… I’m sorry I’m ruining it.”
        Sweetie Belle sighed again, and looked up at Silver. Then she blinked. Rather than looking upset, or sad, or even angry, Silver Spoon looked… amused. In fact, she covered her mouth to stifle a chuckle.
        “I’m sorry,” she said. “You feel bad, I shouldn’t be laughing at you—but you shouldn’t be feeling bad! What makes you think you didn’t get me something for Hearth’s Warming?”
        “Wh-um,” Sweetie Belle said, suddenly unsure of exactly how to feel. “Be… because I didn’t. I don’t… have a gift to give you.”
        Silver Spoon wrapped her hooves around Sweetie’s shoulders and pulled her close. “Sweetie Belle,” she said softly, “You’re here. With me. Tonight. On the last night I’ll be able to see you for two weeks. You coming here tonight was your gift to me.”
        Sweetie blinked, though she leaned into Silver’s hooves. “What?” she asked.
        “All I wanted was one last chance to spend time with you before I had to leave over Hearth’s Warming,” Silver said. “I never know what to ask for for Hearth’s Warming—I never really want anything, that’s why my list was so small! But I knew for sure that I wanted to spend time with you this Hearth’s Warming. So I asked you to come with me. I’m not gonna lie, I thought you did buy something when you went to the carriage, but I’m not upset. I already got what I wanted this evening.” She laughed. “I kinda thought it was obvious!”
        “No!” Sweetie said. “It wasn’t obvious at all!” she frowned deeply, although she could not help but giggle. “When a normal pony invites somepony else to a show, they’re the one giving the gift. I still feel bad that I didn’t get you something on my own...”
        “Don’t,” Silver said. She stroked Sweetie’s face. “You’re all I wanted tonight. There’s nothing you could get me that would compare to the memories.”
        Sweetie Belle took Silver’s hoof in her own and smiled. “I guess,” she said. “But at least you would have had a keepsake.”
        “Ooookay,” Galene said, coughing gently from beside them. “This turned into a personal moment a ways back, so, uh, why don’t Heel and I get out of your manes until you’re ready?”
        “That sounds like a capital idea,” said Heel, who looked as though he had been desperately searching for a polite way out. He stood up sharply, causing his costume to jingle and rattle, and paused. “Actually,” he said. “If it’s a keepsake… Galene,” he said, pointing at the griffon, “don’t tell costuming.” With a small flourish his horn lit up, and one of the bells severed itself from his cloak with a snap. He took the bell, and handed it to Sweetie. “There you are,” he said. “A Silver Bell, and I shall leave you be.”
        Sweetie took the belle gingerly, as though afraid it would shatter in her hooves. It tinkled as it rolled along her frogs. She smiled, and held it out for Silver. “Here,” she said with a laugh. “A keepsake… Happy Hearth’s Warming, Silver.”
        Silver laughed and took the bell. She smiled softly at it, then at Sweetie, and pulled Sweetie in for a hug. “I love it!” she said. “And I love you. Thank you, Sweetie.”
Sweetie Belle hugged Silver back. The stone in her stomach, the aching in her chest, the knot between her shoulders—all of them evaporated in the warmth of Silver’s embrace. “I love you too,” she said.
They held one another for what felt like ages. Eternity. It was only for moments, but those moments were enough. Eventually Silver broke off the hug. She chuckled and adjusted her glasses. “I guess we should probably go and talk to some of the cast, huh? I’m sorry that you worried so much over me,” she laughed. “I guess I’ll just have to let you know the next time I decide to be weird like that.”
        “You should!” Sweetie replied. She giggled and leaned in to nuzzle Silver. “You definitely should. I think I like it when you’re weird.”
        There was a cough from above them, just loud enough to grab the fillies’ attention. They both looked up to see Galene, hovering above them with a sprig of Mistletoe. “Oh, gee,” she said. “Does anypony know where this mistletoe prop is supposed to go?”
“Probably the same place your acting talent went!” Holding Heel heckled.
Galene stuck out her tongue at him. “So right here, then?” she retorted.
Sweetie Belle giggled. “Yeah!” she called up to Galene. “Right there is just fine!” She turned down to look at Silver, who was blushing profusely.
“Am I getting one more Hearth’s Warming gift?” Silver asked, trying and failing to maintain her air of casual sarcasm. Sweetie Belle didn’t bother to answer. Instead, she kissed Silver.
It was like being struck by lightning. Warm, beautiful, happy, festive lightning that set every hair of Sweetie’s body standing on end. When their lips finally parted Sweetie had to catch herself—and Silver, who sagged in Sweetie’s forelegs like warm butter.
“Yeah,” Silver said dreamily.
        Sweetie Belle giggled. “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Silver,” she said.
        “Happy Hearth’s Warming, Sweetie,” Silver replied.