//------------------------------// // 191. Sleepy is the Head that wears the Crown - Ending // Story: Blaze the Pony Tale // by Wolven5 //------------------------------// Midnight kept gazing back and forth from Luna and Twinken as the two smirked at each other across the table, as they had breakfast in one of the nicer dining rooms of the castle. “Okay, I’m missing something here. What’s up between you two?” Twinken gave another look to Luna before the two started to chuckle. “Nothing important, bro. We just had a nice talk earlier, that’s all.” Midnight wasn’t sure he bought that, but the two seemed happy and in high spirits, so he decided to drop it and focus on his cheese’d scrambled eggs and hay-bacon. “Alrighty-then. I recommend we eat up because it looks like we’ll be in for another busy day today. I’m gonna need my fellow royal and my assistant if we wanna make it through this until Celestia and Sombra show up.” “Indeed, there are still partitions to see to and when the nobility is ignored they tend to raise a fuss the we do not care for,” Luna nodded. Twinken smiled and nodded before finishing his toast and gulping down his glass of juice (he hoped Applejack never found out it was orange juice and not apple juice). An hour or so later, the trio entered into the throne room, where six familiar ponies were already waiting for them. Boli Coca, Gold Spade, and Gilded Bit all stood patiently by the throne (although Gold Spade looked a little irritated she had had to wait at all, more so that she was not first). Golden Glitter stood by his mother, looking as smug as ever, Silver Striker, impatient and clearly wanting to get the whole thing over with while his father Gilded Bit whipped his tail at his son’s flank to get him to stop fidgeting, and Piani Coca, looking parts frustrated and parts resigned, as though she wanted nothing more than to be absent from the room and particularly her father next to her. As Luna and Midnight started to head towards the thrones to begin the portioning, Twinken stopped and watched as the three foals turned to him. With their parents right next to them, Glitter and Striker held their tongues, but they still glared across the room, the discussion from yesterday still at the front of their minds. Piani glanced at him for a moment before turning her gaze away, not wanting to start anything, but not caring enough to initiate contact. Twinken ignored the gazes from the two colts, but he seemed a bit disheartened that Piani wouldn’t even look at him. He recalled the events of her dreams last night and he determined to do the right thing. He turned to see whether his brother needed him, but Midnight was already in conversation with Luna on how to proceed. However he did see Luna turn to him just slightly and give him a wink. It brought a confident smile to Twinken’s face, and the little unicorn moved towards Piani with purpose. Luna then cleared her throat and declared, “We shall be seeing you one at a time though your children may remain with you so long as they do not disrupt proceedings. Gold Spade, Gilded Bit, take your sons and wait outside.” “Boli Coca, you may step forward and state your business,” Midnight invited, ignoring the disgruntled look on Gold Spade while Gilded Bit was more resigned. As they left with their parents, Golden Glitters and Silver Striker threw Twinken some mocking looks, but to their confusion he simply smiled at them as though they’d waved and said hello. Now that it was just him, his daughter, the royal family before him, Boli stated, “Your Highnesses, I’m in kind of a jam right now. See, I’m drumming up a musical showcase with different kinds of music and musicians, like Frederick Horsehoepin and Sapphire Shores.” Twinken then noticed Piani roll her eyes at the choices her father had brought up and understood. Frederick Horsehoepin was a pianist who played classical music whereas Sapphire was known as the Pony of Pop. “My problem however is getting enough ponies to attend!” Boli went on. “My lineups of styled musicians might not work well together and some of the audience members might not like the different kinds of music! Not only that, the musicians themselves might not get along or be willing to work together onstage!” Midnight and Luna shared a look and started considering a solution to Boli’s problem. Twinken looked at Piani again, seeing her huff in irritation, and he knew she didn’t approve of her father’s decisions. Suddenly, Twinken recalled two residents in Ponyville, and it slowly began to dawn on him as he smiled! “Hey Mister Coca! Could I suggest something?” Midnight and Luna looked at Twinken while Boli looked a little hesitant. “Um… Well, Sir Twinken, is it?” Boli smiled nervously, unsure of how to respond without insulting the younger brother of an alicorn prince. “I’m… not sure-” “Mister Coca, I really do have an idea I think you might like,” Twinken assured, “I’m not trying to waste your time.” “Boli, my brother is smarter than you think,” Midnight said with a calm smile but there was something behind his eyes that dared Boli to ignore the colt. “If he really believes he has an idea that can help you, what’s the harm in hearing it?” “Well, okay!” Boli gulped before nodding to Twinken, “Go ahead, kiddo.” Twinken smiled appreciatively and started. “My big brother and I live in Ponyville, and I know two musicians there who you and your daughter might know: Octavia Melody and Vinyl Scratch!” “The famous cellist?!” Piani gasped. “DJ Pon-3?!” Boli’s eyes popped. “Personally, I’m more of a 33⅓-LP fan myself,” Midnight whispered to Luna who shushed him as Twinken went on. “Uh-huh! And believe it or not, Octavia and Vinyl are roommates, living in the same house! Sometimes they mix their musical styles together, which brings me to my point: Instead of having your different musicians perform their music separately, have them work together to create something new! If a classical cellist and a disc jockey can do it, why not other musicians?” “Huh…!” Boli considered what Twinken had just suggested and he did like the sound of it. “Is there a chance I could get a sample of Octavia and Vinyl’s work in combining their kinds of music?” “I’d be happy to ask on your behalf when my brother and I go back to Ponyville,” Twinken volunteered. “I’d just need to get in contact with you afterwards.” “Wow… Twinken, I- I don’t know how to thank you!” Boli was at a loss for words but the gratitude in his smile was undeniable. “Actually, Mister Coca, if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk with Piani,” Twinken requested. “Huh?” Boli was confused when Midnight spoke up. “Boli, let’s you and I discuss Twinken’s suggestion a little further. I’m sure he can keep your daughter company so she’s not bored.” Midnight nodded at Twinken, who nodded back and approached Piani, who had been standing by the doors of the throne room. Twinken gestured Piani to follow him to the corner, unaware that Midnight had cast an eavesdropping spell and shushed Boli so they could listen. “Piani, I want you to know I’m not angry or anything about what happened during lunch yesterday,” Twinken assured, seeing Piani look away, feeling a little ashamed for not defending Twinken. “But listen, I know that Boli adopted you.” “How do you-” Piani looked at Twinken, surprised by what he knew but he continued. “I’ve been where you were,” Twinken went on, “and I know what it’s like to feel alone, how it felt like your own family didn’t want you, however much other ponies told you things might have been hard that they had to give you up. “But you should know just how lucky you are! Boli wanted to be a dad and out of all the little ponies he could have taken in, he chose you! Because there is something you both love and share that helps you come together in a way I’ve never know. Listen, I don’t really know what it’s like to have a mom or dad, but I know enough that even if they might embarrass you, they love you like nopony else. Whether you’re related by blood or not, because blood doesn’t matter next to a true and loving bond! Even if your dad doesn’t have the same taste in music as you do, I bet he’s proud of you and believes in you.” Twinken watched as the filly lowered her head, apparently stunned by his words. Behind him Boli and Midnight both looked over the scene, both shocked and proud. Finally Piani raised her head, her eyes a bit watery, but she smiled at Twinken and gave him a nod of her head before she turned her attention to her father. She started trotting over, then turning into a run, until she grabbed a hold of him in a powerful hug. Boli had to re-balance himself for a second, before he too grabbed her tightly. "I'm sorry I've been so snippy with you, Dad! We don't always share the same interests, and sometimes you can be a bit embarrassing, but at the end of the day none of that should matter. I love you. You gave me a home and showered me with love and made me family. I will never stop loving you for that!" Boli gently rubbed her back, some tears in his eyes that he wouldn't let shed. "I love you too, sweetheart. I know I can sometimes be a bit embarrassing and my musical interests are really different from yours, but none of that changes the fact that you are my daughter and I will always love you too." The two ponies continued to hug, letting feelings of pain and sadness wash away. Midnight trotted over to his smiling little brother and pulled him into a one-armed hug of his own. "Those were some pretty heartfelt words, Twinken, and Piani needed to hear them. The renewed love they are sharing right now, that's because of you. Be proud, Twinken, you did something wonderful, and those two will always remember it." Twinken's grin was enormous. Across the room, Luna looked on with a smile. Finally, Piani and Boli released from their embrace and turned to the three other ponies. "Thank you so much for your help with the concert, Your Majesties, and thank you. Sir Twinken for your incredible advice." Boli nodded to each of the royals in turn. Piani shyly stepped towards Twinken and surprised him with a hug. "Thank you, Twinken. I think I needed your advice, more than I knew. Thank you for everything." The young colt just smiled and nodded as the young filly retreated to her father's side. The two ponies gave one last nod before exiting the throne room together. After they had left, Luna turned to Midnight and Twinken. "While I am glad that Boli and Piani have been looked after, we now have the unpleasant task of dealing with the other nobles. Let us hope we can get through this quickly." The sobering thought made Midnight groan while Twinken patted his foreleg in sympathy. The sudden opening of the throne room doors disrupted the whole thing. Sombra and Celestia strutted into the room, looking happy and well rested. Sombra was wearing an open Haywaiian shirt with a flower necklace looped around his neck. Sunglasses sat on the bridge of his muzzle and his mane and tail wear now styled into dreadlocks. Beside him, Celestia was wearing a bright pink bikini, her plush backside covered by a hula skirt and loose white shirt. Her mane sat beneath a large floppy sun hat and floating about her head in her magic was bags of Haywaiian souvenirs. "My, what a wonderful vacation. I hope everything went well here while we were go..." Celestia started before she was abruptly cut off. "THEY"RE BACK, RUN FOR IT!" Luna shouted in the Royal Canterlot voice, sending the sun hat flying from Celestia's head. Twinken felt himself levitated off the ground and onto Midnight's back, as he and Luna dived out the window while the blue alicorn stallion yelled, "SO LONG, SUCKERS! HAHAHA!!" The two remaining royals were confused for a second not sure what to think. Suddenly the throne room doors opened, and Gold Spade, Gilded Bit, and their sons entered the room. Upon seeing Celestia and Sombra, they all gave a low bow. Doing so, revealed that they were no longer the only other partitioners, as a long line had formed behind them. The two royals looked back out the window at Luna and Midnight escaping into the city and each gave a sigh. "Faust Dammit..."