Trickster Priest

by Fresnor

Chapter 19

“Right then, the day is finally here and all the invited guests are arriving. With all the problems getting in the way I was almost thinking that this whole event would be canceled. Now all that's left is to find that stallion and everything will be perfect.” Xellos looked out over Canterlot as he watched Twilight and her friends make their way towards the palace to meet up with the princesses. Floating around the city a bit he managed to locate the stallion he was looking for and he observed him while planning how to approach him.

Prince Blueblood walked through the streets with his head held high as he wandered through the city after being kicked out of the palace by his aunt. Occasionally he looked at the ticket to the exclusive concert that he was of course invited to and in fact was in the private box with his aunts. The fact that he had to share them with some other mares that they invited was the reason why they he had been kicked out as he had objected to their presence. He was so distracted by his thoughts that he didn't notice a mare walking right towards him with her head buried in a map until she collided with him.

Shaking his head he drew himself to his hooves once again before glaring at the mare that ran into him. “Watch where you are going, peasant. You almost dirtied my pristine coat.” The mare shook her head as she recovered from the collision before she let out a gasp and gathered up her thing, not having heard the insult from the prince. His eye started twitching at her until she eventually rose to her hooves before bowing towards him.

“Oh dear, I'm so sorry, sir. This is my first time in Canterlot and I'm a bit lost. This place is a lot bigger than the griffon and minotaur cities I've been to and in fact this is the first time I've been in Equestria. Can you maybe help me find my way, good sir?” Blueblood looked over the unicorn mare as he tried to grasp how she seemed to have not heard what he said moments ago. The red dress she was wearing reminded him of what he read was worn in the far east and fit well with her light lavender coat and violet mane. He was about to walk off and ignore her until her words actually hit him and he looked at her in interest.

“Wait, you've never been to Equestria before?” His voice had dropped the haughty tone that he usually put into it and felt himself grow excited as she nodded in response. “Madam, if you can tell me about your travels then I would be glad to show you to where you want to go.”

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“...and when the sun sets the light shines in such a way that the entire forest looks like a sea of flames. That cliff was one of the greatest challenges to get to the top of but the view made it all worth it.” Blueblood sighed as he listened to every word that the mare said as she described the various places that she had visited over the years. This was the situation that the princesses and bearers of harmony walked in on as they entered the private box of the Canterlot Concert Hall.

Prince Blueblood sighed in longing as the mare finished another tale of her travels before looking over at the door as it opened and he smiled at the princesses as they entered. “Oh Auntie, you've finally arrived. This fine mare was just regaling me on her travels around the world while waiting for you. How fortunate that I ran into her and escorted her here.”

The prince ignored the other six mares that entered with his aunts while the princesses each raised an eyebrow at the stallion. All eight of them looked over the mare and Twilight was about to say something before Rarity hushed her and pulled her over to the seats on the side furthest from the two before she started whispering to her. Princess Celestia took her own seat next to her nephew while emotionally looking over the mare. “This certainly is a surprise, nephew. Would you mind introducing us to your companion?”

He opened his mouth to reply but he only then realized that even after talking for the last few hours he had never thought to ask the mare her name. Looking over at her questioningly she raised a hoof to her mouth as she realized this as well. “Oh, I am so sorry. I was so caught up in reminiscing about my travels that I completely forgot to introduce myself. You may call me Seri, explorer of exotic places.”

As the mare bowed to the princesses, Applejack narrowed her eyes at her as she felt that something was off with the mare but she couldn't quite place why she felt that way. All conversation ceased at that moment as the early show events started to prepare everyone for the main event. They all settled in to watch the up and coming musicians that had been invited to perform before the showing of the works of the famous composer.

While the rest were paying attention to the show, Blueblood and the mare were whispering to each other too quietly for the others to hear. Of course they weren't the only ones as the others commented to each other on what they though of the various acts they watched. They didn't need to worry about ruining the experience for others in the concert hall as the private boxes were shielded in a way that sound didn't escape them while muffling the rest of the crowd. It even blocked the view of who was inside of them so as to provide them some privacy and reduce the stress on the performers for when the princesses decided to show.

Princess Celestia kept one eye on her nephew the entire time though as he was acting out of character for what she was used to with him. He had yet to say a single thing against the element bearers the entire time in spite of the glares sent his way, though he still ignored them. It was also odd for him to pay so much attention to a mare and actually talk with her without putting on his usual better than everypony attitude. She rolled her eyes when she noticed his hooves begin to wander along the mares flank and she dismissed her worries as his lecherous side came out. She said nothing since the mare didn't seem to be complaining though her opinion of her fell at the same time.

The mare giggled as Blueblood's hooves wandered but when it went further south it froze in place as it came into contact with something he wasn't expecting. She gave him a grin before winking at him. “Oh my, a bit forward aren't you?”

Celestia looked down at her nephew and her eyebrow rose up when she saw the look of shock and horror on his face. “Is something wrong, Prince Blueblood?”

At hearing her voice his eyes shrank to pinpricks before he fell backwards out of his seat and away from the mare. “Ohit'snothingAuntiebutIjustrememberedthatIneededtodosomethinginthepalacebye.”

The nine ponies watched in shock as Blueblood stormed out of the private box leaving most of them looking confused as to what just happened. When Rarity began laughing all eyes turned towards her looking for answers before she looked across the way to the other end of the box. “Oh, that was just perfect. I was afraid that you were about to back out with how you were acting before, but that was just perfect Xellos.”

“XELLOS!?” The others, with the exception of Twilight, all stared at what they had thought was a mare in shock, even the two princesses. When the other pony started chuckling his voice started changing from what they heard originally to the one the recognized from the monster they knew.

“Well Rarity I was considering it after talking with him for a while but a deal is a deal. It was sure interesting what he had to say about all the nags and gold-diggers that he'd had to put up with over the years.” Rarity winced at the last bit before glaring at him before he turned towards the princess.

“He also seemed real interested in the places I described to him. I'm surprised that he stays in Canterlot instead of actually traveling around himself.” Celestia just looks at him before she sighs and turns back to watch the stage.

“I have considered sending him away but with how he acts he would be liable to cause an international incident. When he starts acting like the prince he is supposed to be then, and only then, will he be allowed to have free reign to travel. His mother assures me that she is working on improving his image.” Her words were greeted with silence until it was broken by laughter, much to her surprise.

“Oh, this is rich. The mare that he can barely stand is supposed to be the one to improve him? The only reason he acts out is so that you'll kick him out of Canterlot so that he can get away from her since she won't let him leave.” Celestia didn't even think of this as a possibility as her nephew use to tell her everything when he was younger. Saying nothing she turned back towards the stage which finish the last act before starting up an intermission to allow ponies a short break and to get a snack.

“I'll have to think on this but I just have to ask, when have you been able to take the form of a pony and why haven't you done so before?” She turned her head in the opposite direction as Twilight groaned and slammed her head into the railing in front of her.

“That was partially my fault princess. When he agreed to talk with me so I could learn a bit about him he told me how his body wasn't his real one and how the one we knew was so he could blend in. Well he found he could turn into a pony but it would actually stand out even more because, well...” She waved a hoof back over to him as the dress he was wearing ruffled around a bit before his wings popped out of the hidden slits in it causing the jaws of the princesses to drop, as well as half her friends.

“Yes, he made mention of that when he requested that I make him that dress. I must say that I am surprised how well it turned out on him but he does have a unique figure.” They all examined him closely and they had to admit that she did have a point though it didn't explain why he decided to wear it. Celestia brought a hoof up to her face as he started posing for them all, which caused both Rainbow Dash and Luna to turn away.

“Well as much as I enjoy the attention, our food is about to arrive and I believe that the real show is about to begin.” The mares all jumped at the sound of knocking from the door to the box and Pinkie and Applejack went to wheel in the food and drinks that were delivered for them all as a small ditty started to play through the concert hall signaling the end of the intermission.

All eyes turned to the stage as a quadruped dragon that was about the size of Celestia, also wearing a black tuxedo, came out from behind the curtains. After tapping on a mic a couple time he cleared his throat before throwing is forelimbs out wide. “Welcome! One and all to what you have all been waiting for. In just moments we shall begin that which has never been seen before. For this very night is the first time in history that the entire collection of the works of Stumpy Rotisserie have been brought together in the same place many that couldn't even be played when they were written. Now let the show begin and prepare yourself for celebrated orchestral sensation celebrating the end of the Prench Gryphonic war!”

As the music played there were various reactions from the crowd. Twilight looked at her friends and shook her head as she saw that Rainbow Dash had fallen asleep without anyone noticing until her gaze settled on the princess. “Princess Celestia? This is the second time I've heard about this war but I've never seen any books on it, what happened?”

Celestia looked over at her student before she sighed and turned her attention back to the stage. “It happened centuries after I was forced to banish my sister and it was now one of my best moments. I still think back and wonder if all those senseless deaths could have been prevented if I just did something different.”

Xellos smirked as he thought back to the day that started the war and the event that caused it all. “Yes things could have gone much better that day. I mean the ponies of the country rising up and slaughtering every griffon they could catch and all their supporters in the name of freedom leading to a decade long war to break away from the Griffon Empire? And all because the rulers ordering the execution of a group of innocent protesters? To this day tensions between that country and all griffons are high and they barely allow Equestria to have diplomats there since Celly refused to assist them during the revolution.”

Twilight just stared in shock while Celestia was saddened as her memories of seeing and smelling all the bodies in the street in various states of dismemberment. Never before had she been so disappointed in her ponies as she had been that day and it had taken all of her control not to reduce the city to a giant crater. Their attention was drawn back to the stage as trapdoors on the sides of the stage opened up and two objects that they never expected to see rose up from below. “Celestia? Are those...?”

Twilight's question was answered as the cannons fired off during the songs finale, startling all the sleepers in the room awake. Rainbow Dash herself was plastered to the roof of the box looking around in shock while her friends laughed at her predicament. Xellos though had his eyes focused on the audience below as he chuckled at how many ponies had fallen asleep, especially a certain electric blue-maned one he had his eyes on.

“What the hay was that?!” The cyan pegasus looked towards the stage and her eyes widened in shock at what she saw. “Wait, are those cannons?! Who they hay uses cannons in a boring orchestra?!” She was met with shrugs from the others while Twilight was looking at the program for the concert.

“That's a good question, especially since everything about this song is impossible.” When her friends just looked at her in confusion she groaned before turning the flier around and pointing at it. “It's all right here. The day that this was written it was impossible for there to be cannons except that they hadn't even been invented yet even though it was written with them as part of it.”

They all looked back towards the stage in realization as the song reached its end and the announcer stepped out once again. “There have been some last minute delays for our next presentation which will be rectified shortly, but until then enjoy this little ditty by the artist.”

“Ah don't know why, but somethin' about this song just don't sit right with me.” The others nod while Luna frowns in concentration.

“We have to agree, something about this one is uncomfortably familiar.” While short, the song was enough time for them to prepare for the next segment as the dragon returned to the stage.

“Tonight we have a real treat for you all. Don't bother looking at your programs as we have kept this secret from you all until now. Many had thought that all of the works of Stumpy had been found but recently a new one had been discovered in the ruins of a town in a hidden valley.” Xellos opened his right eye before bringing a hoof to his face and shaking his head.

“Oh dear, this is not a good thing if it's what I think it is.” Celestia raises an eyebrow in his direction before he continues. “If it's the song I believe it is then we may have a problem. Music is a force of magic on it's own in this world and there are songs that have caused the death of entire towns and even cities. I think they may just have found one of them.” The princess' eyes widen in shock but it was too late as the orchestra began playing, freezing her in place.

{Note: Instrumental version was blocked but the lyrics shouldn't be there for this.}

By the time the song ended there wasn't a dry eye in the house though many didn't know why they were crying. In fact many of the ponies were near catatonic from hearing the song that the announcer was looking out at it in panic as he motioned for the next song to begin. The curtains quickly rose revealing the musicians and a trio of minotaur that walked to the front of the stage. As the music started up Xellos let out a sigh as he recognized it and shook his head. “Well this is a stroke of luck, this should easily counteract the effects of the last song.”

{Note: Yes they are dancing just like in the video and the extra sounds of the tamborine and whistle sounds are in as well.}

The effect was immediate as the audience slowly recovered, much to Celestia's relief, though as she listened to the song she brought a hoof up to her face while her sister looked a bit nervous. The others were looking at Xellos as they recovered who started to explain. “King Phil Strongarm, the first king of the Minotaur Lands, used this song to protect his city from Nightmare Moon with just the power of his flexing muscles when she tried to drop a meteor on it.”

Luna by this time had buried her head in her forelimbs in embarrassment while most of the mares were distracted by the minotaurs flexing on stage. “Ugh, we actually remember him when that happened. For a pacifist he was quite a fighter though we know not how he managed what he did.”

Celestia chuckled as she remembered her interactions with him. “He really was an interesting ruler to deal with once he united the scattered tribes of his homeland. His daughters though were quite amusing as well, what with the older one and her propensity to where... unique... leather outfits and the youngest's push for justice. I wonder what their descendents have been doing since their family gave up the throne two centuries ago.”

Xellos brought a hoof to his chin while looking at the stage. “Well the oldest never had children, and the middle child's descendent owns the place I brought you that cake from. As for the youngest, last I heard she runs a small mercenary company that usually takes on problematic bandit groups.”

Luna shudders as she is still focused on her memories of the King though her eyes still wander of the muscles of the trio on stage. “Remind us never to mess with her, especially if she is anything like her ancestor. Our head still hurts from the memory of being being driven through the earth from the top of a building.”

Most of the mares had been too distracted from the conversation from the act on stage as shown by Rainbow Dash's next words. “Wow, if more concerts had eye-candy like this I'd go to them more often.” She was met with a combination of nods and rolling eyes as the performers took a bow while the next act was being prepared. Rainbow Dash yawned as the music started playing at a pace that started to put her to sleep though Luna's eyes shot wide open as the actor on stage began singing.

“Wh-When was this song written Tia? We've never heard anything like it before.” Her sister gave a sad smile as she remembered the first time she had heard it. Before she went into it she poked Luna's nose with the tip of her wing.

“Grammar sister, I've told you before the “Royal We” hasn't been used in forever.” The princess of the night rolled her eyes but said nothing as she waited for an answer. “As for the song it was a year after you were banished that the song premiered in a new play. There were many that missed you when you were gone, especially in the border towns.”

Luna was lost in thought as she enjoyed the rest of the song. She regretted what she had done and it felt even worse after hearing that she had been so wrong all those years ago. She missed what the announcer said but was still pulled out of her funk when the next song began though one of the others was more shocked at what she heard.

“Whoa whoa whoa whoa! This Stumpy fellow made this song, too?” Her eyes were still wide as the operatic sequence began as she fell back into her seat. “I can't believe the one who wrote one of the most awesome songs for the One Winged Pegasus play also did such lame ones as well.”

Most of her friends rolled their eyes at her reaction though some of them had questions about the composer. “Well darling, while some of the songs are a bit... odd... I wouldn't say they are all that bad. It is strange that somepony would have such a variety though as most musicians focus on a single genre, especially all those years ago.”

Some of the others nodded while Twilight looked thoughtful as she looked at the program once again more closely. She knew that something was wrong with what she was reading but it took her a moment to see it as it was something hard to believe. “That's not the only thing wrong and I can't believe I missed it. All of the songs are written over a period of five hundred years.”

Celestia chuckled drawing the attention away from her student to herself. “That is part of the mystery of Stumpy Rotisserie. Nobody knows who or what they are or if it is even a single being. Even I have not met them though every invitation sent to them ends up being used though nopony can remember who arrived with it. Though I do have a few suspicions.”

She tossed a subtle wink towards the cross-dressing monster while the other mares were considering her words. Xellos chuckled silently as he kept his eyes on the stage and audience below, enjoying the reactions that he saw. He also kept one eye on the mares in the box with him as they were all here at his invitation and it would be rude to ignore them.

While she had been pretty neutral over most of the songs, when the latest one started up Applejack's eyes lit up. “Well now this is more like it. Sure it ain't something that would be easy ta dance ta but it does remind me of home.” The others didn't say anything but they had to agree it seemed to fit the farm mare in a way.

When the next song started they were all forced to back away from Pinkie as any free objects within her reach suddenly started flying through the air as she started to juggle them. Pies and sandwiches and drinks flew above their heads as she somehow managed to be on both sides of the room as she passed the food from herself to herself. She somehow even managed to keep it all paced along with the music even when the tone changed. When it finally ended everything landed back on the food cart where she had grabbed it from with no a single bit spilled. Looking at each other the rest of the mares decided to ignore what had just happened and continue on with the next act.

They were all a bit confused as the next performance only had eight figures on stage but they all were using the same instrument. The group included a variety of performers, everything from mares and stallions to gryphons and minotaurs, yet each of them was bearing a cello as the each took a seat on opposites sides of the stage in groups of four. Xellos watched as the unicorn he had his eye on from earlier waved at the dark-maned gray mare on stage, trying to get her attention.

When the music started they were all shocked at the sounds that were produced by the instruments and even from his angle he could see that the mare below had her jaw nearly to the floor. “How can those all be the same instrument? I don't think I've ever heard such a variety of sounds from the same tool before, not that I really listened to much music. What kind of pony would it take to be able to imagine how to do stuff like this?”

“That is why this composer is so widely renowned. He has influenced so many over the years to explore what can be done with music instead of only going with what is safe. Of course that does not mean that every idea has worked out as the garbage band period did not last long, though it did later inspire the use of wineglasses.” Luna glances over at her sister with a raised eyebrow as she levitates a drink over from the food cart.

“Sister, you never cared much for the arts before our banishment. You always said it was a waste of time that was better spent following more worthy pursuits.” Celestia looked away from her sister in embarrassment, but before she could defend herself Xellos started to chuckle.

“Oh you have no idea some of the things old Sunbutt got up to even when you were around.” Celestia didn't even try to glare at him for the nickname as she was instead giving him a pleading look to try and quiet him. “Or should I say Ms. Sunny Shores, or Whinny Shines, or even Steppen Mires.”

Celestia could only bury her head in her hooves at each name. Her student looked dumbfounded at her teacher's reaction, as she had never seen her in such a state before, but one of the names suddenly hit her in a way that actually had her glaring. “Wait. You were Steppen Mires?! The one that wrote those horrid books that followed me through my entire life?!”

Her friends tried to calm her down, especially Rarity who rubbed her shoulder as she did so. “There, there, dear. It can't be that bad to have such a popular novel brought up every once and a while over the years. Of course I have read better love stories in cookbooks than the one in that travesty.” Twilight just glared at her friend while her teacher whimpered and tried to crawl under her chair at the embarrassment at being outed like that. Luna wasn't sure if she should berate Xellos for what he was doing to her sister or cheer at seeing her stoic demeanor broken for once.

When the announcer returned to the stage after the latest song ended the princess sighed in relief as the attention was pulled from her. “I hope you have had a wonderful night as we now come into our last show of today. I would like to thank everyone at the Baltimare Universal Musicians Society for there assistance in gathering everything you have heard tonight as without them this would not have been possible. They have a real treat for you as this next piece has never been played before and it has been released only this past year even. So without further ado let the performers please take the stage.”

The cellist that Xellos had been watching smirked as she stepped off the stage and went over to nudge her dumbfounded friend who was still staring at where she was in utter shock. At the contact she shook her head and made some motions to her friend before she made her way up to the stage much to her friends confusion who took the vacated seat. The shades-wearing mare joined the gathering group as instruments were brought out for each of them as she picked out the violin and rose to her hind legs while looking at the others as they all waited for the signal to begin.

It was the gray mare's turn to be surprised as her friend played up on stage with an instrument she wasn't expecting. Reactions from the audience was also mixed as many of the nobles present were unsure of the music while many of the musicians were excited for something new. The mares with the monster watched as well and just enjoyed the song as it played.

Soon the show came to a close and the audience started to filter out of the concert hall. The eight mares in the box sat and talked about what they had watched as the crowds filtered out while making a final meal out of the food they had ordered earlier. “Ah was worried about what we were going ta see when Xellos gave us those tickets but I must say that it wasn't all that bad.” The others nodded at her comment and Rarity looks a bit thoughtful.

“It's just too bad that nopony seems to know who the composer is even after all this time. I wouldn't mind an autographed copy of a couple of those songs.” The other nodded and were about to prepare to leave when Xellos started to chuckle causing them to pause and look at him.

“Well if an autograph is all you want then I happen to have a few sets of signed copies of each of the songs... except for that one that shouldn't have been played again.” He pulls out from somewhere eight stacks of records in cases, each of them being signed. While Celestia smiled knowingly, the others were confused as he gave each of them a stack of records.

“Wait, how is it that you know who this guy is but nopony else does?” Rainbow Dash's question was just answered with a smirk as Xellos turned towards the purple unicorn.

“Tell me Twilight, do you know what an anagram is?” The unicorn just tilted her head at him at the question, not knowing where this was going.

“An anagram is a literary technique that involves rearranging the letters in a word or words to form other words. I don't see what that has to do with her question though.” Xellos just continues smiling as he writes out the letters of 'Stumpy Rotisserie' in the air in front of him with his horn. Once he was finished he waved a hoof through it causing the letters to rearrange to spell out 'Mysterious Priest' in its stead. After a moment of staring at it most of the mares just face-hoof as they remember how he sometimes introduces himself.

Princess Luna was a bit more shocked as she just stares between him and one of the records of the song she enjoyed. “You mean you wrote all of these?! Why?! How?!”

Xellos just looks at his hoof before waving it in front of him as his form melts away leaving his usual bipedal form in front of them while holding the dress draped over one of his arms. “You know as well as I how boring it can get after you live long enough so I decided to take up a hobby or two. The music was just so boring at the time and after a couple hundred years I was able to put a few things together. Of course without certain instruments it was a bit hard so it took a while to manipulate things so that they get invented.”

They all just stare at him as he says this and wonder just what he was thinking to go through all that effort for a simple hobby. Fluttershy, who had been quiet up until this point, slowly raised her hoof to ask a question. “Um, I'm sorry to be nosy, but how did you come up with all the different kinds of music? If you don't mind telling us I mean.”

Looking around at the curious mares he slowly brought his hand up in front of him before raising a finger. “That, my dear. Is a secret.” They all groaned at his answer as he disappeared from view leaving the mares to just shake their heads.

“We knew that it was too good to be true that he would behave the entire night. When he is not acting as if he knows everything he just has to try and make us paranoid.” Luna's words are met with a few nods as they slowly cleared out of the room and head up to the palace for the rest of the night.

Author's Note:

For those wondering about the dress he is wearing.

Well this chapter has been running around in my head since the first couple chapters though I may have lost bits of it. And really, if you were stuck in another world and had years on your hands then why wouldn't you recreate something from your own world. Probably would take ten times as long as the original composer to make it just right but why not?

Let me know if I messed anything up, especially those links.

Comments

[The Writer of Fate]

So, what was up with Xellos' wings?

[Balewood]

7069957
The fact that they exist at the same time as a horn (Alicorn)

[The Writer of Fate]

7070162 I must have missed that part, thanks.

[BrowBurd]

So im lead to assume blueballs got a hoof full of you know what?

[SeventhBrony]

So Vinyl knows violin? I can go with that.

[larslolxz]

The B.U.M.S.
Really? Ha.
Also, IIRC, high-ranking mazoku like Xellos can look like whatever they want - they just adopt one form so people can recognize them. Why would he have problems looking like a normal pony?

[SilentMech]

I am surprised you had Octavia surprised by Vinyl playing violin, what with it having been a few years since she practiced.

[Windy0]

What anime is that picture at the end from?

[Twilight_Shimmer]

The image of Xellos dress is broken.