Revelations BOOK 1: A Night To Remember - Pipsqueak

by VGI

Chapter 6: Pipsqueak - Performances after the Intermission

Chapter 6: Pipsqueak

Performances after the Intermission

And here I am again, here with Princess Luna lying on our tummies in her royal seat, her wing over me.

What's the first show after the intermission? Looking at this program, the first performance is... “Discord's Defeat, Children of the Night” and “Discord's Defeat, Flight of the Orphans”...a two-in-one?

Discord's Defeat

Children of the Night

A grand performance by the Night Princess herself and Ms. Trixie Lulamoon, about a time after Discord was defeated.

A first-pony account of a time of disagreement between the two Regal Sisters involving the fate of some of the young foals of that time.

When Equestria was young, and Discord was defeated, the land was in ruins and many ponies lost much...far too much. The Princess of the Night, her heart went out to their subjects, particularly the foals who were now orphans. She wanted to make for them a special place, to give them a sense of hope, of wonderment, of entitlement, that they may feel good about what the future holds.

All she ever wanted was to get these children from the place of hopelessness that they are now in...but the Princess of the Sun, her older sister, forbade it.

The Night Princess disregarded her older sister, for her heart overpowered her. She could not abide what these children were now going through, and would go through, all their lives. And so she cast her spell and made the castle and the city fall asleep, including her sister...

Except for the orphans, whom she took to the moonlit sky, to that special place where they would hurt no more. Her love would be theirs.

She would just ask for forgiveness from her sister afterwards.

And true enough, her older sister woke up and sensed them in the night sky. In the end, the Sun Princess bade her younger sister to bring the foals back. For in her wisdom, she foresaw that they were essential to Equestria's future.

In the end, these orphans played their parts in making the nation great, each and every one of them. Regardless of how insignificant their parts were back then, it is now a matter of history how essential indeed they were...

...including The Night Princess who was always there for them, her Children of the Night.

Sung by Princess Luna, with music by the Royal Canterlot Symphony and

grand immersive magical illusions by Trixie Lulamoon.

Uh, what's going on?

“Princess Luna? Why is the spotlight on us again?”

“I'm going to sing, dear Pip.”

*GULP* She's going to sing...by my side? Talk about front row seat. Oh dear Cele...Cel...Luna, this is like a dream come true!

Oh....my.....My heart starts to race. She stands up and spreads her wings. On stage, to the right, stood Ms. Trixie. Says here that she'll be providing the magical illusion. The auditorium starts to change. It is covered in an illusion. This is some illusion; the minute details are amazing! Soon, the auditorium and the audience are hidden within the illusion. Seems like we will be watching this piece from within...like a movie, from within.

I'm now on a balcony, and I fade out along with the rest of the audience and the theater. Except for Princess Luna. She starts to sing with her eyes closed...and it is so captivating. I'm the closest pony to her, but it’s like I'm invisible, just like the rest of the audience and the theater. She opens her eyes and they are alight with bright white light. Then, she leaps off the balcony and flies off.

Mind you, I'm still on Princess Luna's chair here. So it was kind of disorienting seeing my Princess take a flying dive down that illusionary balcony right next to me.

This grand illusion is magnificent! Ms. Trixie is amazing! Just like Princess Twilight, she studied unicorn magic under Princess Celestia. She need not be arrogant, to be honest, which just serves to ruin her grandeur.

This part of the show, we only learned in school as legend. But now, I see it like real history, living history, as I sit here beside the Princess of the Night.

Afterwards, the illusion fades into colorful sparkling dust and settles beneath the crystal dome above us, and the audience and the theater are restored.

And I watch my Princess land gracefully right beside me.
What a beautiful performance.

I don't know about you, but this is something that I think I shall never ever forget, evah! My Princess of the Night can sing! And I was in her past! I saw how Equestria was like the time when Luna and Celestia defeated Discord. They were beautiful then, they're still beautiful now...

...In fact they haven't aged a day.

I guess it’s true then, what ponies say, that the Regal Sisters do not age. Wowzers. What do you think? Do you think they age?

The sparkling dust illusion fades into a moving hologram of Princess Luna and the foals flying through the night sky, over and under clouds. They seem to be heading to the moon. But, if I remember the story right...Soon after that night, Celestia ordered that they be brought back to live their lives in the young and fragile Equestria, helping to make it great.

The title is...

Discord's Defeat

Flight of the Orphans

Before their return to Equestria, by order of the Sun Princess, the foals and the Night Princess shared that first special night in the sky under the moon...

This is a piece about that special night that Luna and the foals shared together in the sky under the moon and the lives they lived, growing up, and helping to establish the kingdom.

Dedicated to the good efforts and intentions of The Night Princess when she guided a group of orphaned foals throughout their lives during the younger years of Equestria.

Performed by the Royal Canterlot Symphony and magical illusions by Trixie Lulamoon.

As the hologram played above us, we saw the foals grow. Some to be ordinary folk – bakers, farmers, garment makers, carpenters. Some to be ambassadors, soldiers, guards, town mayors. But as the hologram played on, we saw how their lives were indeed meaningful, regardless of whether they were plain ponies or ponies of great influence and authority.

Every pony and gryphon is transfixed on the moving hologram. The music is beautiful, and the illusionary hologram fades out into silence with the music.

Luna and Celestia put their horns together, and for a moment, a radiant warmth fills the theater. How touching.

Just think, foals from more than a thousand years ago. Foals, just like me, that she never saw again after being banished to the moon...

Thinking of the first time I met Princess Luna, I feel wonderful that I was able to make her feel loved and welcome. I'm probably the first foal that she met after a thousand years of exile that was glad of her.

Gosh.

And I'm still glad now, my Princess. I'm still glad now, now more than evah.

*sigh!* Well, what's the next performance? Let's see...

Chronicles of First Contact

The Tale of the Pony Bard and the Gryphon Knight

There once was a Pony Bard, who was more of a fiddler. She traveled far and wide spreading music and joy to many a village far and wide.

There once was a Gryphon Knight, the son of a Gryphon noble. He and his family protected their realm with honor and valor. One day, a report came that hard-to-detect enemies would come to their king's capital through their realm. And in patrolling his realm's borders, the Gryphon Knight came across the Pony Fiddler dancing while playing her viola.

Thinking this strange creature an enemy distraction, he faced her in battle.

She tried to explain, but fell short of convincing this strange winged creature with a bird's head, a lion's body, and eagle's claws. Her skill as a violinist was more than just musical, however. She wielded her bow like a foil, an épée, and a saber (the three swords of fencing), all at once. With such a light stick with horse hair, she bested the mighty gryphon's claws, which frustrated and irritated the Gryphon Knight. He let out a mighty lion's roar, sending the Pony Fiddler tumbling a few meters away. She struggled to get up, while he hovered over her. She looked up at him and at last the Gryphon Knight saw the Fiddler for who she really was, a strange creature who really was just a bard.

He helped her up, and in that instant, they were surrounded by the real enemies who a moment ago weren’t there. The Gryphon Knight grabbed her and took off, flying as fast and high away as possible. He thought he was gaining a good distance between them and the enemy, until something zipped and thudded into his shoulder. He squawked in pain as the Pony Bard felt a deep growling in his gut. He looked over his shoulder. It was an arrow.

Though injured and carrying the Pony Bard, he made it over the walls of their realm.

A siege is about to begin.

With Lindsey Stringli as the Dancing Fiddler, and Peter A Cappollen as the Gryphon Knight. Music by the Royal Canterlot Symphony, with vocals by gryphon choir – The Voices.

That performance had great acting, didn’t it! I like this one for its fight acting. And it was acted out by a pony playing the violin and a gryphon who also sang! That gryphon was....what’s the word....“awe-inspiring.” Great fight acting, and great costumes, too! Their weapons were claws and a violin bow.

Fight acting? I think Ms. Cheerilee said it is called ‘stage combat’.

The third performance is...“Together In Vigilance – Till the End.” Some title, huh?

Ok, it is starting in silence, with moonlight shining above us through the crystal dome above. Very dramatic. That gryphon is standing up...Hmmmm, it’s the gryphon delegate who bowed to me before the start of the show. Looking at the program here, it states that...oh, apparently he’s the Gryphon Head of Military.

*GASP!* The leader of the Gryphon Knights bowed to me?!?!

He puts on his helm, stands up from his seat, on his hind legs! Like a real human! He's wearing his claw gauntlets, and they are absolutely glimmering! Glimmering gold in the moonlight! Then he sings.

Gryphons, real songbirds, they are.

Wow! This is unexpected.

Oh gosh they are singing as one.

Who knew that the royal guards, night guards, and crystal guards, and even Prince Shining Armor, could sing?

The guards are singing, not on the stage, but as they stand there at their posts, along the aisle and inside the private boxes, among the ponies and dignitaries!

No orchestra for the music. Just the guards and the Gryphon Knight leader.

Their voices are the music!

I think it’s called “A Capulco”...or is it “A Capella”? Here, take a look at the program.

Together In Vigilance – Till the End

A song by our defenders.

They are a brotherhood that watches over us.

A faithful fellowship, committed to our protection.

Though in preserving our borders from threats from without they may come across

fire and brimstone,

they shall stay true.

Though in preserving the integrity of our kingdoms from within they may come across

dark times and dark magics,

they shall stay true.

Though they fall into hopeless situations,

they shall stay true.

Till the End.

Sung a capella by Royal Guards, Night Guards, Crystal Guards, and the Gryphon Head of Military.

Then, just as it started in silence, it ends in silence. Wwwwoooooww...

Everypony is in awe.

No clopping of hooves or clapping of claws. I can see the guards smiling sternly but brightly.

It is an awkward moment that left everypony speechless. Just how the guards like it, it seems. After a few moments of silence, they all at the same time, in perfect sync, stand again in attention. Some ponies were startled with the clanking of armor as they did. And the Gryphon Knight leader casually takes off his gauntlets, removes his helmet, and sits down again like it was nothing, like it was no big deal.

OOoooh...these guys are coooool.

I look at Princess Celestia, and she looks proud, chest out, chin up. Heh! I guess Equestria isn't just a kingdom led by pretty alicorn princesses.

Somepony starts applauding, and almost instantly, everypony is.

Wow. Wonder if I could be a royal guard? Nah, I'd want to be a night guard instead!