//------------------------------//
// Chapter 28 
// Story: My Little Pony: the Harmony of Friendship 
// by Godzilla313 
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Chapter 28

It was decided that the festival would commence with the rising of the sun, and both Celestia and Luna felt honored to be asked to kick off the festivities by lowering the moon and raising the sun.  Luna was also happy a bit more because she knew there would be music well into the night and early morning, meaning her subjects would be able to enjoy the night she created for them.  They both were very surprised to see the concert space for viewing the entertainment packed already.  Nopony was going to miss this!  Yet, the princesses were surprised to see Purple Haze and the Expense on stage.  They were not expecting a set this early, but the bands were lined up and ready to go, so they rolled with it.  Pinkie Pie, in full Bardy regalia, came out and got on the mic.  She belted out, “Welcome one and all to Ponystock; is this a happening or what!”
When they went full throat, the sound was beyond belief.  Five hundred thousand ponies screamed full throat their approval, and it was something that even the princesses had never seen, or at least, quite in this way.  Pinkie then said, “So, we’re going to start this off right, as our beloved Princess Celestia and beloved Princess Luna bring in the day while making this official with the playing of the Equestrian National Anthem!”
Summer Sun Celebration had already past, but the way this was happening had that feel in its own unique way.  They princesses were beginning to feel the vibe and started to do their thing.  As Luna and Celestia began to slowly rise into the sky, Purple Haze ripped into his guitar as a couple of bards began to enhance the music with their spells.  It indeed was the Equestrian anthem, but it sure took on a psychedelic twist, shown so by the kaleidoscope of colors that swirled around the event as the moon went down and the sun went up.  The princesses let the magic flow in them, and they felt a rapturous move through every part of their being, doing their magic, but feeling as if they were standing behind themselves and watching themselves do it.  It was not an out-of-body experience, but it sure felt like it!  Haze finished the anthem right in sync with the moon just fully going down and the sun shown its brilliance over the ponies at the show.  This was followed by an even louder cheer from the massive crowd, and with that, the festival was underway.

Act after act came onstage, with a good half hour break in-between to let the crowd have a break from some of the music that was quite earsplitting at times, and to allow for the movement of ponies to either their camps or to the lake, which now was a massive natural spa for the time being.  The Apples fears of the orchard being ravaged were never realized, save for one or two here or there forgetting themselves and violating the promise.  Yet, they quickly apologized and paid for what they took, and all was forgiven.  Granny Smith was relieved that things were going far better than she had hoped, but she spent almost the whole time back at the house, this not really being her thing, and yet still hearing the music faintly even that far away.  By this point, the traffic jam that had started on the road there was now cleared, being that it was a horrible logistics situation Mayor Mare and Twilight were not quite prepared for, and was only resolved when the Canterlot Guard was able to get things flowing again.  The six, the CMC, and everypony involved were having a grand time, as the six were meeting many like themselves, and the CMC were getting to make new friends they never otherwise might have had the chance.  It was a great time for all…except for the twins!

The twins made their camp like anypony else, but instead of having others socialize and put their tents next to them like anypony else, they kept a respectable distance.  The acts that were there were normally hounded left and right by autograph seekers and the press, but they felt relieved when the Bardies were just talking to them like anypony else and treating them like old friends.  Yet, the twins moved around the camp to get to meet as many as they could, but as they went through the camp, ponies got quiet and turned a respectful, even reverent, gaze at the pair.  When they did try to talk to others, the ponies all acted awed and honored that they would even allow them to touch the hem of their garments.  This disturbed them no end!  From their perspective, though a bit more mature now and master bards—rather, THE master bards—they were still who they had always been.  However, all those around saw them as something quite different.  They wanted to hang out with a whole bunch of different pony folk, but those ponies treated them in a way they had never expected.  This made them feel real down, and they did not know what to do.

As they went, the CMC were playing some games with the other foals around, but those foals suddenly stopped and looked in awe as the twins passed.  This confused the CMC, as it was only Quill and Downy, and Apple Bloom then said, “Um…why are y’all stoppin’?”
“It’s…them…” was the response.
“Well, it’s the twins,” said Sweetie Belle, “They teach music at our school.”
The gasp the foals made practically sucked down three rows of tents nearby, and one colt said, “They’re your music teachers?  Far…out!”
A filly then added, “Oh, that must be, like, a trippy, spiritual experience!  Dude, I’d give my left hoof to be in that class!”
Scootaloo then said, “Um, they teach music, not magic.  Really, it’s no big deal.”
Another filly looked at them with a look on her face as if somepony had put something quite smelly under her nose as she said, “No big deal?  Dude, this blows my mind.  Like, it’s them…the two that started it all; the shift in the paradigm and a new age over all the world!  They’re going to usher in a new wave of consciousness and peace!”
“Riiiight!” said the CMC, not wanting to ruin their…moment…and went to the twins.  They skipped up all happy to see them.  Sweetie Belle said, “Hello, Mr. and Miss Feathers.”
“Peace, little ones,” said the pair, “But, really,” added Downy, “You two can use our first names outside class.”
However, the other foals had come closer and were muttering in amazement and admiration that these three fillies could call them by their first names!  Apple Bloom then whispered, “Um, they all been actin’ this goofy?”
The twins just nodded, and then Scootaloo then said, “And you two look real bummed out!”
“Nopony will talk to us,” said Quill, “Well outside of being polite and overly respectful.”
“Well, big sister said that the lake is a good place to go when you’re feeling down,” said Sweetie Bell, “I can take you down there.”
The twins just shrugged and went with Sweetie Bell.  Once they were gone, the remaining two were now surrounded by foals wanting to know every intimate detail, and that mean EVERY detail, as they were now getting a bit of that reverence being on such intimate terms with the twins whereas before they had just been every other foal there.  They did the best they could to answer some things, and then politely extract themselves as they went to find Twilight.  They helped with identity problems, but this one was a bit more than they could handle.

They arrived that the lake, and at that point, the mares that ran the spa were getting tips from those that had helped Rarity the night before, and then they saw the twins approach.  Quickly, they politely ended the conversation by saying, “And if you want to see this in action, here’s a good chance.”
They rushed up, quashing over the twins and doting over every aspect of them.  They were all anxious to service the twins, and the twins had no choice but to capitulate to what they wanted to do.  They did not want to refuse, considering they had no idea how they would react.  Yet, they felt bad that Sweetie Belle was sort of pushed to the side as all this was happening, and Downy, not liking this, gently said, “Ah, if you are going to help us, could you help our friend here?”
They all turned to Sweetie Belle, gasped, and then profusely apologized to the twins and Sweetie Belle for what they had done and quickly began to service her.  Thus, as they went, the twins were practically stripped of their things and immediately tended to, and with a bit more care than even the princesses had received.  Suffice it to say, this was not so much as treating them with the upmost respect as it was that those servicing the three were undergoing some kind of religious experience, for the lack of a better term.  Indeed, the twins began to understand what was going on, and deeply, it bothered them no end.  They were not being respected, they were being worshipped!  This had to stop, but how to do it without shattering the dreams and images of the beautiful future that these Bardies wanted to see come about through the new Bardic order.

When they were done with the twins, indeed, they felt much better, but the reverence was still there, just as Twilight arrived with the other two of the CMC.  At this, those tending to the beauty needs of those that came immediately offered their services to Twilight, but she said, “Oh goodness!  You are so kind, but I’m still feeling good from last night!  Maybe later on.”
They smiled, bowed, and went their way.  The twins looked at her and Quill said, “How do you deal with that.”
“Hey, it was odd for me at first when I first was crowned,” said Twilight, “And what made matters worse was that leadership in a crisis was thrust on me both right after I was crowned, and then not days after that!  Princess Celestia and Princess Cadence have helped me greatly with that, though, and now I just realize it all comes with the crown.  I mean, now, that they are used to a princess of friendship, they still have great respect, but it’s mellowed out some now, and they’ve seen me as more approachable than at the first.  I’m used to it now.”
“But, we’ve always been open,” said Downy, “And we’re just as open now than before.”
Twilight pondered this a bit, and she then said, “Well, I admit, what they’re doing is a bit more than what I had to deal with.  Yet, once they get used to things, I think they’ll relax a bit more.”
“That’s not really it,” said Quill, “They’re acting like we’re the Dali Llama or something.”
“And he was such a nice llama to meet,” said Downy, “We still have the blanket he gave us made of his own wool.”
“But, we don’t want to be worshipped,” said Quill, “I fear they may see us as more than what we really are, and if we mess up, we’re going to disappoint them greatly.  We don’t want to do that.”
“Well, you could just try telling them that?” said Twilight, “And, considering you two are the marquee act on the second night, what a better time to tell them.”
They both shook their heads, as if to say, “Can it really be that easy?” and Downy said, “You make it sound so easy.”
“If you consider them friends,” said Twilight, “you can certainly be honest and open with them.  And if they think themselves your friends, I think they’ll understand.  But, you have to word it right.  Let’s face it: you two are the leaders of a great movement, or even a revolution if you would, and that’s whether or not you want that.  When you talk to them, keep that in mind.”
Apple Bloom jumped in and said, “They act like you’re the start of some new…how’d she say it…a pair ah dimes?”
Twilight laughed and said, “That’s ‘paradigm’.  That means a pattern of something, or an example of how things should be.  Truth be said, they’re sort of right.  I mean, we can’t think we’ll ever have a world where there will be no more fighting or war, but the example that you two can set might just help keep things like that as rare occurrences.”
“Well, all you need is love,” said Quill, “If anything brings harmony it’s that.”
Downy then started singing the song of the same name, and then she said, “Quill, hey, we can do that as our closing number!”
“The band is coming over later to go over the set,” said Quill, (mentioning the band that they now worked with in shows,) “We can teach them the song and we can do it!”
Feeling a bit better now, Downy then said, “I never thought of this as a friendship issue.”
“You want to make friends, you have to show yourself friendly,” answered Twilight, “But in this case, you have to let them know that they are allowed to be friendly back.  Yet, remember something else Princess Luna taught me: you are technically leaders, and in order to lead, you have to keep a respectable distance from them, save for the ones that are the closest to you.  If they get too overfamiliar with you, whatever you teach in the Bardic order may not be taken as seriously.”
“Eh, that’s kind of the problem the ancient bards had?” questioned Quill.
“Well, I don’t mean like that,” said Twilight, “But what I do mean is making sure that they do keep respect for the little leadership you may have over them, because if you lose it, if there is a loss of some kind of lynchpin in this whole movement, it all falls apart, and you two are that lynchpin.”
Twilight hugged it out with them to let them know she would give them some support, and they went back to the camp to prepare for that next night’s show while the CMC went back armed with a way to get the other foals to treat them as they had before they knew what they knew about them.  Because of their own special talent, they were able to help the other foals to put their view of them all in perspective, and they were able to have fun again.

The evening finished off, first, with a mark that not every entertainer was a bard.  Some of the acts there had a bit of angst, and if the Violent Mares indicated anything of the sort, it was them.  Nonetheless, they loved it, and it went on with a folksinger named Melody Soft Tear, who, though only had her guitar and a stool, managed to dominate the whole crowd.  Her humor and interesting voice kept you engulfed in what she was doing.  This was finished with a big hard rock finale by Princess.  To say they were colorful and entertaining was an understatement, and their lead singer, originally a citizen of Saddle Arabia but half Trottingham bred and raised in the finest schools Trottingham had to offer, made him look like a strong hoof racer, but also gave him ability to really put on some moves and make his voice powerful.  Eddie Mars was eccentric, but able to charm anypony he came across.  They rocked on until two in the morning, and they wrapped up day one.

On day two, a blessed event took place.  A young mare great with foal went into labor.  There was not enough time to get her to the hospital, but there were enough ponies there with medical credentials to help her foal and give birth to a bouncy, happy child.  By this point, the press had arrived, adding to the cameras also there to film the event for posterity, and were really grilling all four princesses about this, especially their apparent participation in the events, right down to their dressing like the Bardies.  Some were more pleasant, as in that, since many wanted to be counterculture, would this not mainstream the movement.  Celestia then said, “We have to try to reach out to all under our care, and if that includes taking part in their rituals and preaching the message of peace, then I am all for it.  Besides, it has been a splendid time, and peace has reigned here.  There have been no fights, no stealing, and no trouble.  There was even a new foal born this morning!  This has not brought pain, it helped usher in a new life.”
However, some were harsher, criticizing how this might belittle their crowns, and that it would demean them and the royal house.  Luna was sharper on this point, saying, “Would you prefer we sat in a stuffy castle, ignoring the populous, or that we did all to show that we are approachable and reachable so that any pony that needed them could get help.  Moreover, how dare you imply that anything be below us.  He who leads must first learn to be a good follower, and if they want to rule, they must first be servant of all.”
And the questioning went to varying degrees between these extremes, but they all went their way, satisfied they had heard what they came to hear.  What they did not realize was that there was press agents there from the Tripes, but undercover.  They did not yet know it, but this was going to come back and nip them in the hind quarters.

The sun was setting, and there was a break for meal time for the techs running the show.  In that time, the stage was being set for the twins to take the stage as the keynote act of the day.  Certainly, there was going to be another day, and many wondered why the twins didn’t take the last night.  However, as they saw it, they did not want this to be about them, but about something much greater and more important.  Downy, however, was now reacting like David Crosby had the night his group was about to play at Woodstock.  He was right; there comes a point where your brain just stops trying to comprehend numbers.  She indeed started to go, “1…2…3….4…5…  Maaaaanyyyyy.”
She started getting faint, and she sat down and had some water, starting to feel overwhelmed about the whole thing.  The twins needed to get this right without alienating the ones they were trying to reach.  Finally, the call came to come out, and the audience roared their approval, the din lasting a good five minutes before they could play one note.  It was going to be an interesting time.

By this point, the twins had two albums out, and both were still in the top 15, making their way up and down over time, but never leaving that level.  They, as stated before, had also included a band in all this, knowing there was only so long it could just be the two of them, and if they wanted to grow as artists, they had to incorporate these things.  They opened by having a drum corps come out to aid the first number: The Obvious Foal.  This was followed by “Come the Day,” and then, “The Colt in the Bubble.”
They had also added many original songs in the repertoire at this stage, a bit more pop, but still clinging to their pop roots.  As they played, they began to feel more relaxed and started to banter with the crowd, tell a few jokes, tales of touring, and so forth.  Near the end of the set, Downy figured this would be a good chance to get their message out. Since she seemed to have the peaceful demeanor, the twins decided to have her speak.  She cleared her throat and said, “So, has this been a happening, or what?”
Over 500,000 ponies, a handful of griffons, and a few other sentient species, (and even one dragon besides Spike that came to groove out, having dug the message of the bards and wanting to learn a better way than being mean and greedy, and definitely insuring that NOPONY was going to mess with things,) let it be known that they approved of all the proceedings.  She continued and said, “You know, it’s been, like, so groovy how this has all gone down, ya know, and how this has truly been a microcosm of how this world can be if we want it bad enough.”
Once again, they all thundered their approval, not stopping again for another three minutes, to where someone shouted after it quieted, “We love you two,” to which she answered, “And we love all of you.”
Once again, the crowd thundered for a couple of minutes, and Downy continued, “I tell you, just trotting among the camps and tents, seeing ponies of every stripe, and creatures of every kind, playing, singing, getting along, and spreading a message of the harmony of friendship.  It warms our hearts that the message of ‘Love and Tolerate’ we’ve been preaching has so been taken to heart.  It is so cool how you have embraced it, and I can only hope it grows all around the world.”
They cheered this, but she cut in and said, “Now, I do want to say, though, that…  Well, let me say this.  You all have read our record covers, and seen how we came up through the foster system, in a place where we were out of place.  Truly, we had humble beginnings, and never thought that there was anything all that important about us.”
They had left out the human world part, knowing that they may not have understood anything about it, and Downy continued, “Because of that, we’ve never really seen ourselves as anypony special, and feel like we’re not above you, but one with you.”
This was not taken negatively, knowing she meant that they felt in touch with them, but there was an uncertainty about where this was going.  She then said, “Really, you see us as leaders, and fate seems to want us in that role.  Let it be known that we will try to lead those of the Bardic order as best we can, and look forward to doing so.”
This relieved some there who was not sure what all this meant, as if to say, “Okay, so they aren’t leaving us or anything,” and they applauded this, but listened on, feeling there was more to be said.  Downy then said, “Yet, we have to admit that some of you really do not know just how we got started in all this.  We were naturals in the craft because we were born into the new Bardic order genetically connected to the ancients, and are happy also to have met a few others so blessed.  Yet, we also know that that has no bearing on some ponies out there becoming bards, so that’s cool.  However, I say all that to say that, though we have excelled beyond anypony else in the craft, know that we are still learning, just like you, and knowing that learning never stops, for, a little more than a year ago, none of this existed because we knew nothing of our past.  We have learned this only for that time, and that means that, unlike some have assumed, we are really just as new to this as some of you.”
Now THAT brought some confusion, but only to those that were Johnny-Come-Lately ponies in the order who thought that the twins had been at this all their lives.  They now wondered if they were backing the right ponies right now, but Downy then said, “But, because we knew some of you would be dependent on us being the example, we have done all we can to be the best at the craft as we can, and so you can be assured that you are in good hoofs.”
There was still applause, but not the enthusiastic cheers of earlier.  Downy was afraid they were not getting the message, so she continued, “I guess what I’m trying to say is that we do lead you.  We want you to come to us, talk to us, learn from us, but we don’t want you to be afraid of us, or that is, offending us to where we just might ostracize you or something.  We’re pretty laid back, and we make great allowance for shortcomings of others.  We think like this because, well, you may think we have it all together, but we really don’t.  We’ve come a long way, but we would always be quick to admit we have much to learn.  Yet, because of that, since we know we have our faults, we make allowance for yours, and because of that, we would never reject any of you unless you tried to harm us or others.  We consider you our friends.”
That put them back into a better mood now, and they began to cheer and applaud again, but now more out of a newfound respect for the twins, rather than just freaking out because their “great teachers” came to preach.  Downy finished by saying, “Also know this: we won’t live forever.  There is going to come a time where there will be a need for leadership among the bards, and among you of the Bardic order, some pony is going to step up and take over when we are no longer able to, and, who knows—he, she, or they may just surpass us in what we’ve been able to accomplish in such a short time.  That’s right: some of you have that potential, and we will also help guide you, and look for somepony to groom to take our place one day, because it is more than just about us, but about everything the Bardic order stood for, now stands for, and all we can accomplish for peace, love, and tolerance.  We will never eradicate all war and violence.  That is truly impossible.  But, perhaps we can keep it so rare that, when it happens, violence and war can be seen for the dark institutions they truly are and repulse us to where we either seek peaceful means of resolution, or do what we can to end conflict swiftly and with as little damage as possible.  We, as bards, have that chance to shape the world, so don’t ever forget that.”
The din now returned, as the twins were now inspiring them in a whole new way, and Downy led them into the finale by saying, “And, the engine for this is love, because, at the end of the day, that’s all you need!”
With that, they ripped into “All You Need is Love,” and hallway through, everypony and soul was singing the chorus with gusto, foreleg in foreleg, swaying back and forth, other bards adding their magic to the magic that the twins had been using to enhance the show.  Moreover, because peace and calming spells were being used by them, they were showing the full potential of the utility of the bards in ways that the current bards had yet to see, they still experimenting with their own personal limitations within the craft.  The rendition of that song was longer than the normal running time, and they were all in such a good mood, that, instead of ending the night, the twins decided to add “Let It Be” and “Hey Jude” to finish the night off right.  They left the stage, hoping they had done the right thing.

They didn’t have to worry.

They went back to their tent, and found a rotation of well-wishers and those with questions, but they were more intimate with the twins, though still respectful, some even just wanting to sing, share songs, new spells they came up with, and so forth, even meeting a few more new pure blood bards in the process who had been born in the interim of the twins being born and returning to Equestria, though not understanding their own origins until now.  In fact, they were not able to get to bed until about 3 in the morning because of this, but, because of the buzz they felt, they did not feel tired in the slightest, only feeling the heaviness of sleep once they had been left alone and went to lie down.

The twins slept through most of the morning, though the day’s acts continued, and the twins, after awaking and refreshing themselves, walked the camp and found more of a welcoming atmosphere than before, now feeling truly comfortable about the whole thing.  The festival finished the last day, and the next day came the breaking of camps, and the returning home of all involved, going back with the pictures, the memories, and the sense of being even more enlightened than ever before.  The Apples were now with the Princesses as they were striking the camp, and preparing to return to Canterlot and the Crystal Empire.  Yet, Granny Smith was worried about having to clean up after all these “whipper snappers,” but Rainbow Dash, now being released from her duties of the Wonderbolts for the concerts, came down and said, “Hey, you don’t need to worry about that.”
“What do you mean?” quizzed Granny Smith.
“I mean, looking down on this,” she answered, “I’ve never seen anything like it.  They break camp, and then take the time to tend to the ground they were on, trying to get it into as good a condition as could be expected, and doing a really good job of it!  You won’t have much work to do to get it the rest of the way.”
“What about all th’trash they made?” pushed Granny Smith, still not sure.
“Now THAT is something to behold!” said Dash, “In fact, it’s better to be seen from the air, but that tall hill over there will do the trick.”
Celestia, taking the hint, used her vast magic to teleport herself, the Mane Six, CMC, the twins, and the Apples, as well as Starlight Glimmer, to the top of the aforementioned hill.  They were stunned at the sight.  Where there had been five hundred thousand screaming fans but a day before, it was all empty, the stage even having been dismantled, and where that had been, everypony had built a pile of trash so that it could be easily hauled away by the sanitation workers, but they had shaped it into a gi-normus peace symbol.  Celestia then said, “May peace reign for thousands of years over this land,” and they stood, looking at the sight, hoping for just that thing, but wondered if that could ever truly be?