Third Movement - Part One - Crystal Prep
“Right, I’ve got the instruments all packed away backstage and I’ve signed us up. We’re the third school playing just after Crystal Prep,” explained Bluenote.
Medley nodded. “You know, I thought there’d be more entrants.” She looked around the hall. It was huge, but less than a quarter of the seats were filled. Most schools were larger than Ponyville but even given that she estimated that meant there must only be half a dozen entrants. Surely there were more schools in the local area.
“Yeah, I asked about that. A lot of schools dropped out, something about problems with instruments.” Bluenote shuffled uncomfortably.
Medley’s eyebrows shot up. “You don’t think the brothers got to all of them?”
“If they heard about the school grants they might have tried the same thing on all the schools.”
“Wouldn’t somepony have said something? Warned other schools?”
“Maybe, or maybe they were embarrassed about being tricked, of being as gullible as I was.” Her ears drooped.
“Look, it-it wasn’t like that,” muttered Medley tentatively patting Bluenote on the back, “they were very convincing.”
“Yeah, I suppose.” She brightened. “Less competitors means we’re more likely to win the money we need!”
“That sounds good,” said Cheerilee as she took a seat next to her friends after having settled the children in. “Unless they’ve changed the prizes amounts we only need to come in third or better to be able to cover what we owe you and turn a profit to buy more instruments.” She glanced around the hall. “Why are there so many guards here?” she asked.
Medley followed her gaze, she was right. Although they were keeping a somewhat low profile there were guards positioned near the door and in several boxes on the walls and even around the stage. Lines of stony faced white or grey coated stallions almost identical in their armour. She didn’t think she’d seen so many in one place since the Princess had visited Ponyville. “Why are there so many guards here?” she asked suspiciously, turning to Bluenote.
“Oh, right well a funny thing,” she giggled nervously. “You see it turns out the princess will be one of the judges this year, it was sort of a last minute thing. Octy only told me a few days ago. I meant to mention it but I guess it slipped my mind,” she babbled with a false smile plastered on her face.
Cheerilee turned pale, her eyes wide. “The princess is going to be here!” gasped Medley, “And you didn’t tell us!”
“Some of the kids were a bit nervous, I didn’t want to make things worse!”
“The Princess!” gasped Cheerilee, apparently not quite following the conversation.
Medley gritted her teeth. “Bluenote,” she growled, “You have to tell ponies things like this, don’t you think the foals will realise sooner or later! Like when the head of state comes trotting in!”
“I thought it would be too late for them to be too nervous by then!”
Medley glanced over at the children bouncing in their seats near her. They still seemed energised by the march to the theatre. “Maybe you’re right,” she admitted. “But you could have told me. You could have trusted me!”
“You’re right,” admitted Bluenote her ears lowered, “Sorry, I didn’t want to worry you.”
“Fine,” hissed Medley trying to get her temper under control. “We better get back stage, check out the acoustics, decide how to set things up.”
“Good plan, all the school staff get a bit of time to check out the stage before we start,” said Bluenote hopping off her seat.
“I’ll stay here,” said Cheerilee. “Maybe I’ll introduce the foals to the other schools? It’ll be nice for them to be able to chat and make friends,” she glanced over at some of the children already doing just that. “I just hope I don’t lose anypony,” she said, a worried look crossing her face.
“This looks pretty swish,” said Bluenote as she and Medley walked onto the stage. She shielded her eyes from the glare of the lights and looked out into the audience. Several other ponies, presumably their competitors, were likewise examining the space.
“It’s alright,” said Medley. “Now be quiet for a bit.” She spread her wings and flapped into the air for a moment before singing out a few notes and listening for the echoes. Then she moved to another point and repeated the process.
Knowing that Medley would be busy for a while and wouldn’t appreciate any help Bluenote quietly trotted back stage. To her surprise she heard her name being called. “Miss Bluenote!” She turned to see a pink coated pegasus filly, almost a mare really, swooping over towards her. Her long green and yellow mane clashed with the purple skirt, blazer and blue bow tie which made up the uniform of Crystal Prep. It took a few moments for Bluenote to recognise her.
“Lemon Zest!” she cried, a wide smile crossing her face. “You’ve grown! How are you?”
The filly landed just in front of the teacher and seemed to struggle to regain her composure. “I’m well, thanks. It’s been a long time.”
“Yeah, you were one of my favourite pupils back at the Prep. Are you still playing the sax? You could really make that thing sing!” said Bluenote with a happy smile.
Lemon looked aside. “No, I play the flute now.”
“Really! You used to love the sax.”
“Yes, I did but, but I wasn’t the best with it.” She frowned.
“Best, worst,” Bluenote waved a hoof back and forth, “Did you enjoy it?”
“I did but-”
“Lemon Zest,” came a sharp voice, causing the filly to jump. Medley turned to see a unicorn mare of about her age slinking down the corridor. Her coat was a dirty yellow and her huge puffy mane a burning orange. She was wearing a long slinky purple dress which didn’t really seem all that appropriate for a school contest. “You know that the headmistress has banned any fraternising with members of other schools.”
“Yes miss. Sorry miss,” muttered Lemon hunching down and tucking in her tail, all the excitement seeming to drain out of her.
“Now get back with the rest of the foals,” commanded the older mare gesturing towards the audience. Lemon rushed off like a whipped puppy, not even looking back.
“Look I’m sorry. I used to be her teacher,” explained Bluenote. “I just wanted to talk to her, I didn’t want to get her in any trouble.” The newcomer didn’t give any sign she’d heard what she had just said. Instead she slowly circled around her, apparently wanting to get a look at Bluenote from all sides.
“So you’re the one we replaced,” she said eventually, “You don’t look like anything special.”
“Replaced?” said Bluenote feeling uncomfortable. “You’re the new music teacher at Crystal Prep?”
“Me and my sisters. You really left the place a mess, it took forever to break... I mean get the class back into shape,” she gave a predatory grin. “Such poor material to work with.”
“Hey, those kids were really talented!” protested Bluenote. “They loved my lessons!”
“Maybe, but they needed someone to really discipline them. You let them run far too wild.” She reached out and ran a hoof down Bluenote’s face. “They’re much better now.”
“Ok, I think we should-” said Medley as she finally left the stage, “Oh, um, hi. Who are you?” she asked frowning.
The strange pony turned towards Medley and for a moment the light caught the red gem on her choker in such a way that it seemed to glow from within. “My name’s Adagio Dazzle sweetie,” she said huskily. Medley’s jaw dropped as the mare gave her a brain numbing wink. “One of the teachers of the school that’s going to crush your little Ponyville rabble.” She smiled sweetly before turning and starting to smoothly sway away.
“I really don’t like that mare!” muttered Bluenote.
“Urrr,” mumbled Medley, her gaze fixed on the retreating pony’s tail as it flicked from side to side, “Um, who was that mare?”
“One of my replacements at Crystal prep apparently. I can’t say I’ve heard of her. I would have thought that Abacus would have tried to hire someone famous.” She shrugged. “So how’s the stage?”
Medley finally tore her eyes away from Adagio’s rear as the mare turned a corner. “Hum, uh, oh right.” Her eyes flicked back to where the golden maned mare had stood a minute ago. “The stage, it’s good.” She shook herself. “I think I know where to put the instruments to get the best from them. Have you even decided what they’re going to play yet?”
Bluenote grimaced, she knew she’d forgotten something. “It’s over an hour until we’re on stage, I’m sure I’ll come up with something,” she said hurriedly, “we better get back to the seats.” She turned and began to trot off.
“What!” exclaimed Medley following her friend. “Bluenote!”
By the time the two of them made it back to the front of the stage the lights were starting to dim. The audience had filled out a little with late coming guests occupying some of the seating but the area was still only half full at best. Medley and Bluenote barely made it to their seats before they had to stand again to welcome Princess Cadence flanked by members of her guard as she made her way towards the judges’ seats in front of the stage. On the way she graciously nodded to the awe struck foals. Finally, she took her seat in front of the stage among the other judges, mostly mid-level nobility and the upper levels of the ministry of education.
The first group to perform was the middle school from Hoofington. Bluenote knew the place fairly well, it wasn’t all that far from Ponyville and she’d taught a few of the foals who lived there. She made sure to cheer extra loud when they came on stage and the Ponyville foals around her followed suit stomping a greeting to their rivals. Around them the other schools gave similar, if a little more restrained, greetings. Apart from the students from Crystal Prep whose subdued members sat in near silence under Headmistress’s Cinch gaze.
Hoofington’s first performance was by a mid-sized group, about a dozen foals playing a classical number. Medley thought it was something by the Diamond Dog composer Wolfgang but she wasn’t entirely sure. It was a shame Octavia couldn’t have made the show, she’d have known for certain. The performance was good, there were a few mistakes here and there but the foals seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Once it was over the audience stomped their appreciation as the stage was quickly reset for the next act. This time it was a solo performance, maybe a little against the spirit of the contest but within the rules. The colt on the piano was certainly talented, his hooves dancing as they slid up and down the keyboard like lightning. Once he was finished the whole audience was silent in shock for a moment before the applause started. Even the princess herself took to her hooves to show her appreciation. The pianist, a wide smile plastered across his face, took a bow then another, then another until one of his teachers finally managed to get him off the stage. Bluenote looked nervously at Medley who was still apparently caught up in the music. If this was the standard of musician they were up against they might be in trouble. Still, she was sure the Ponyville kids would make a good accounting of themselves.
The final performance from the first group included the entire Hoofington class all packed onto the stage. They put on an orchestral production with the teacher acting as conductor. Once again the performance was very impressive, the kids had obviously practised long and hard on their work. It wasn’t perfect, Bluenote was sure Octavia would have come up with dozens of criticisms, but she wasn’t quite as picky.
Once the final applause had died down and the judges had conferred the stage was prepared for the next school. Bluenote glanced at the program to check. Yep, it was Crystal Prep’s turn.
The lights were turned down and slowly the audience went quiet. Then from out of the darkness there came a deep bass throb. Bluenote’s eyes widened in surprise, the music sounded like it would fit better to Vinyl’s music than the classical tunes Crystal prep had been known for back when she had worked there. Had Abacus allowed the new teachers more leeway than she’d been granted? The guitars were joined by a drum kit and a spotlight flashed into life on the centre of the stage. The outlines of three of the students could just be made out at the edge of the light, but they were not the highlight of the performance; the foals stood out of focus mechanically playing their parts. From the back of the stage three adult unicorn mares stepped forwards. Adagio was immediately recognisable as the middle mare. To her left stood a light pink coated pony with her purple and green mane in long pigtails which reached to the ground. On her right stood a shorter mare with a white coat, her blue and purple mane tied into a single long ponytail which stretched all the way down her back. All three wore tight flowing dresses in Crystal Prep’s colours. Out of the corner of her eye Bluenote noticed Medley moving forwards in her seat, eyes locked on the stage. She frowned, she really didn’t understand what her friend saw in what were presumably the new music teachers.
As one the three of them started to sing, filling the hall with a dazzling harmony: -
Aaaah! Aaa-ah-aaah! they cried
Welcome to the Show sang Adagio slowly
We’re here to let you know
Our time is now
Crystal will make you bow
Our skills are renowned
The rest we astound
You can’t turn away
Although you feel dismay Bluenote thought that Adagio gave a rather evil smile to the audience as she sang that line.
We will be adored the three mares cried rearing up and holding out their hooves.
Tell us that we are the best
We won’t be ignored
We will win our reward
Around their necks the ruby chokers they all wore seemed to glow in the light and Bluenote found herself seemingly drawn towards the act on stage. She could make out Medley sitting just next to her almost drooling at the sight of the mares swaying on the stage, but her friend seemed so far away she was almost insignificant compared to the performance on the stage. Near the front she could just about make out the Princess suddenly sitting up straighter. All three of the teachers on stage flinched, their harmony broken for a moment, and Bluenote found herself able to move again. What just happened?
Now you need us continued the trio, quickly recovering.
Come and heed us
Nothing can stop the prep!
What we have in store
We will win for sure
We will come in first
All of you are the worst
With that the music came to a sudden end and the stage was pitched into darkness again. Around her the audience were stunned by the performance, then Medley started to stomp on the ground and the applause was quickly picked up by the rest of the hall.
“Whose side are you on?” hissed Bluenote.
“Hey, they were good,” mumbled Medley blushing. “Really captivating.”
“Yeah, maybe a little too much.” Would Abacus go as far as to use illegal magic to enhance the performance? With the Princess present? Even she wouldn’t risk that, would she? “This is supposed to be a competition for the foals, not their teachers.”
“They’re allowed to appear in one performance.”
“Yeah, appear, not dominate. Do you even know what the foals playing down there looked like?”
“Well, no,” admitted Medley sheepishly. “I was a bit distracted.”
“Yes you were. You don’t normally get distracted by tail.”
“Well it is a very nice tail,” said Medley sheepishly, her cheeks burning. “Very fluffy.”
As the two of them bickered the lights had flickered on again. This time they illuminated only a single pony. Lemon Zest sat composed on a seat in the centre of the stage. After a moment she raised a long gleaming flute to her lips and began to play, a look of concentration on her face. The notes flowed out into the crowd.
“Oh Lemon,” sighed Bluenote. “What have they done to you?”
“What do you mean,” whispered Medley. “She’s really good.”
“Yeah, she’s near perfect. But when she used to play the saxophone she was one of the most gifted improvisers I knew, she put so much of her soul into her performance. This is perfect, but it’s empty, she’s playing the notes but not feeling the music.”
Medley cocked her head to the side for a moment and closed her eyes. “Yeah, I guess you’re right, it’s almost too perfect, there’s no natural flow there.” Below them the last notes of the performance fell silent and the audience once again applauded. “Unfortunately the judges don’t seem to agree,” she pointed down at the ponies in question who were busy taking notes. “We’re going to be hard pressed to win.”
“Don’t be too sure. Passion will win out against perfection!” said Bluenote.
“Isn’t that one of Lyra’s lines?”
“Doesn’t make it less true,” said Bluenote with a shrug.
Once again the hall was silent as the stage was reset in the dark. After a short while the lights came on again to reveal the stage full with row after row of foals lined up like statues facing the audience. Their faces showed no expression as they clutched their instruments. All were clad in their uniforms blurring their identities. It’s as if lines of dummies were on the stage, thought Bluenote shivering a little. If she looked closely she could just about make out a few of the foals she had taught years ago. At some unseen signal the entire orchestra raised their instruments and began to play.
The precise tones of the music rolled over the audience. Bluenote didn’t recognise the tune, she suspected it had been composed for the contest. It seemed designed to be technically difficult to show the skills of the players. It was like a perfect, cold winter's day, beautiful in its own way, but lacking soul. She fixed her gaze on the musicians. Concentration was etched onto every face but there was something missing. Something that, in her opinion, if present would have converted good music to supreme music. There were no similes. Nopony seemed to be happy to be performing, all ears were drooped, many even seemed depressed. At the few slight errors made each musician would flinch as if they expected to be punished on the spot. Whatever had Abacus and those new teachers done to elicit such a reaction?
Once the performance was over the hall was once again filled with applause. On stage the Crystal Prep students stood in unison and took a bow. The three music teachers rushed onto the stage from the wings and smiling wide took their places in front of the orchestra, they were soon joined by Abacus who looked as frosty as always although there might have been the slightest hint of a triumphant smile on her face.
“That,” muttered Medley, “Is going to be hard to top.”
“No problem,” said Bluenote with assurance she didn’t entirely feel. “They might have skill but we’ve got passion.” She turned to the rest of the Ponyville group who were looking rather more nervous now that it was their turn to perform. “Come on kids, our turn, lets knock ‘em dead!”
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… it looks…
1 of the problems with Friendshipgames is that we did not get to know any of the Shadowcolts.
Crystalprep does not realize the Danger the Dazzlings pose, because they are really Sirens. Hopefully, they will not eat the students.
7507568
They can eat Cinch... no one will mind.
No... it kinda was like that. :p
And holy crap, the Sirens.