• Published 11th Mar 2018
  • 491 Views, 17 Comments

A Night at the Opera - Bronyxy



Rarity and Fluttershy are sent on a friendship mission to Manehattan where they meet Pavatrotti, the greatest opera singer in Equestria and his manipulative manager. Can they help him as he worries about being able to perform at his comeback concert?

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1 The Summoning

The warming early morning sun glinted clinically off the highly polished rails and stands in the Carousel Boutique and a full-length mirror coincidentally positioned to catch the full force of the sunlight reflected its dazzling brilliance onto an unsuspecting wall. A white unicorn busied herself and hummed a cheerful little song as she made tiny adjustments to the dresses hanging off display mannequins in the shop front, so they could look just right even to her critical eye.

There was no doubting the success of her recent spring collection, and her boutiques in Ponyville and Canterlot had seen a constant stream of eager customers all trying to emulate the glamorous fashionista and style icon. She also knew that in faraway Canterlot, Sassy Saddles would be doing exactly the same thing right now, preparing the store for what was certain to be another busy day ahead.

She straightened up and took a step back, tilting her head on one side to admire the aesthetic presentation of the boutique’s centrepiece display. Finally satisfied that it worked perfectly from every angle, she progressed round to the other displays, taking great pride in every last detail. After all, she reasoned, anypony could do ‘fine’, but she was not prepared to accept anything less than fabulous.

With a sense of pride surging through her that every display met her exacting standards, she allowed herself to bask for a brief moment in her achievement and headed off to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea as her reward before opening for the day.

Her gentle prancing steps were interrupted halfway across the floor by a softly pulsing feeling coming from her flanks. This was a sensation she had experienced before, but still felt it necessary to check, and drew up next to one of the many mirrors to confirm what she suspected – her cutie mark was glowing! Not only was she not going to get her well-earned cup of tea, but she wasn’t going to get to open the boutique either.

“Of all the worst things that could happen” she whined to nopony in particular “This is the! Worst! Possible! Thing!"
She composed herself briefly and flung her head back theatrically, then continued the monologue to her dresses “It had better be somewhere spectacular is all I can say!”

She flounced to the door, took one last tragic look around her immaculately presented boutique and stared regretfully at the sign on the door that read “CLOSED” before raising her head high and trotting off towards the Castle of Friendship to see what the Cutie Map had in store.

Upon arriving at the Castle, she was greeted by a baby dragon who stood by the main entrance looking distinctly bashful. In his claws he held an exotically coloured hibiscus that he sheepishly offered as she approached. In a trice, she felt the gross injustice she had been served melt away as the besotted dragon smiled shyly, his cheeks turning a distinct shade of pink and he extended the flower to her.

“Oh, Spikey Wikey!” she exclaimed “Why, that’s positively beautiful!”
“I got it for you Rarity” stammered the dragon weakly “When I saw your cutie mark flashing above the Cutie Map.”
“Oh, you are just the sweetest thing” she gushed, taking the blue flower in her magic and securing it in her mane.
“There” she said with a triumphant flourish “What do you think?”
“Beautiful …” whispered Spike, spellbound.
“Why, thank you Spikey Wikey” she said, flashing him that smile that at least half of Ponyville would have died for and bent down to give him a tender kiss on his cheek.

“I think I could use a brave somepony or perhaps somedragon to escort me to the Throne Room. Seeing as you’ve been there already, would you be prepared to help me please?” she cooed coquettishly, batting her eyelids.
Spike blushed furiously to be on the receiving end of such focused flirting and found himself utterly tongue tied, able to do little more than utter her name as he clasped his two clawed hands together.
Taking this as a ‘yes’, Rarity levitated the lovestruck dragon and placed him on her back as she set off along the labyrinth of corridors to find the Throne Room.

She nudged the door open, still humming a cheerful tune and saw Twilight peering over the diorama, watching the familiar three diamond motif accompanied by three pink butterflies circling over a point on the map.
“Oh, hey Rarity!” she greeted with a wide smile “Looks like you two have got a friendship mission right up your street!"
The immaculate white pony trotted over, looking at her beaming friend quizzically, her interest piqued.
"I would so love to be going with you!” chattered Twilight excitedly “Have you seen where you’re going?”

Rarity drew up to the map and Spike craned past her neck to see too, noticing the destination just before Rarity reacted. He hung on as best he could, waiting for the inevitable response.
Manehattan!” she gasped, rearing up to press both forehooves to her cheeks as her eyes sparkled brightly. Spike was grateful he had the foresight to hang on.

“Darling! I simply can’t wait! So much better suited to me than some of those yucky places it’s sent us!”
“Actually Rarity, as I recall it's never sent you anywhere off the beaten track. It’s sent you to Manehattan before with Applejack to work with Coco Pommel and then to Canterlot with Pinkie Pie to help out Saffron Masala. In fact,” said Twilight, now in full lecture mode “It has sent you to the big cities more often than any of us.”

When she saw that her diligently researched resumé of her friend’s excursions hadn’t been rewarded with quite the rapturous response she had hoped for, she sprang her face into a wide, false smile.

“One cannot have too much Manehattan, darling” came the pithy response as Rarity flicked her mane and looked away lest her look betray the contempt of her friend’s comments.

“Hey Rarity” said Spike, anticipating a friendship problem starting inside the Castle of Friendship itself “Does that mean you can get to see your friend Coco Pommel again?”
“Why, yes it does” said Rarity, the tension in the room defuzing instantly “Oh, I simply cannot wait a moment more darling!”

Twilight shot Spike a grateful look that said ‘thank you’ all over it, with ribbons and tassels attached. Spike returned her look with one much more calculating that said ‘that’s going to cost you a bucket load of gems and comics’.

Just as peace broke out amongst the friends, they became aware that the owner of the other summoned cutie mark had entered the Throne Room.
“Oh, hello everypony. I do hope I haven’t missed anything, only Angel Bunny really wanted his tail fluffed today and I simply couldn’t leave without making him look his very best …”
“Hello Fluttershy!” interrupted Twilight, eager to move on from her near faux pas with Rarity.
“Oh my” said Fluttershy, visibly overwhelmed by Twilight’s enthusiasm “Where am I going?”
We are going to Manehattan darling!” gushed Rarity “Isn’t it simply divine?”
“I guess so” replied the primrose pegasus uncertainly.

“Come now darling, no time to waste. We should prepare an overnight bag just in case and be ready to catch the next train. See you at the station!” she trilled cheerfully.
With her enthusiasm bubbling over, Rarity bade her farewells and trotted off happily to pack ‘the barest essentials’ for her forthcoming trip. Spike looked after her as she left, staring at the doorway she had passed through long after she had gone.
“You still got it bad” commented Twilight, a tender smile crossing her face as she shook her head gently.

“Didn’t she look lovely with that flower in her mane?” sighed Spike.
“Yes, yes she did” said Twilight, turning to give the baby dragon a knowing smile.