The Master Mev

by kazamacat

Chapter 68 - The Show

[Author's Note: Song Lyrics Video]

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Rainbow Dash stood on a small hill and smiled as she watched the sun set at Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyville on Nightmare Night. Sweetie Belle stood to her right, Scootaloo to her left, and Apple Bloom to Scootaloo's left. The fillies were silent. Their hearts excitedly pounded within, but all of them wished to be professional. After all, two of the three were servants, and Apple Bloom had an important promise to keep. She wanted to help Team Awesome. The night would enlighten her pending decision to officially become a servant too.

The master mev smiled warmly at Sweetie Belle who looked up at her with a respectful and expectant gaze. "Alright you three. First up is Rhezenda. Remember, do not fly until I give the last bit of pegasus magic to all three of you at the end here."

"Yes Master," they replied together.

Rainbow Dash closed her eyes before revealing the red-on-yellow that allowed her Rhezenda to take on a new form. Sweetie Belle felt her own horn whisk away, and her feathered wings take shape. She fluttered them in place with quiet pleasure, at last allowing herself a smile up at her master.

The master happily nodded back in approval.

Scootaloo was next. While Rainbow Dash had free reign of the reserve this night, she still took the precaution of changing Scootaloo by using unicorn magic for growth instead of chaos magic. Then she granted Apple Bloom a pegasus form.

The three fillies gathered tightly together. They watched Rainbow unfurl her own feathered wings. She exhaled a mighty breath of red magic that entwined itself around them all before being absorbed into their wings.

Scootaloo wasted no time in trying the flight first, which was fine by her friends. She and Sweetie Belle soon began to guide Apple Bloom on a beginner level. The earth pony filly was actually going to hide these wings soon with an usher outfit so as not to attract too much attention away from Sweetie Belle during the show itself. Still, she had permission to use them when not in sight of the audience.

The three fillies flew away to meet with the other mevs readying themselves for the performance.

Rarity walked forward soon after. She and Rainbow Dash quickly returned to the main house and were allowed to borrow Applejack's bedroom for their flexchange.

Once that was done, Rarity whispered with a smile, "It even tastes better tonight."

Rainbow nodded in agreement. "It does, my lovely Mitria."

Rarity blushed. She smiled with happily closed eyes at a few brief strokes Rainbow gave her mane. They had a busy night ahead of them.

Decidedly ready, the two mevs went on to meet with the others.

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Elsewhere and later at Sweet Apple Acres, a large circular platform akin to a ring surrounded several bleachers. The setup stood in place of where the corn maze was usually found on Nightmare Night. The ring itself had seven spaced out poles, each pole linking to smaller long, curved platform to act as a stage for the mev on their given turn during the performance. Each curved platform had a curved wall to match for the backdrop of whatever their act would entail. Inside the ring, a little less than half inward, several of the bleachers faced one particular curved platform stage. Behind that platform were two large screens hovering to the right and left. Discord had figured their location to be the optimal distance for anyone who could not see the main spot easily enough.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo acted as ushers directing the audience to inform them it was extremely important that they not crowd and that they made sure to leave gaps between parties because of some of the magic that would be present during the show.

One such party was the Student Six. Yona shivered. "Yona still not sure about this."

"We won't force you," Sandbar said. "We just thought it would be fun and not as scary if we all came together."

"Right, and Master practiced with us in the gym last night for this exact reason," Silverstream reminded her.

"Let the fear settle with each scary part, if you find more than our little preview did, and it's all good," Smolder suggested for encouragement.

"I'll go with you if you really do want to leave," Sandbar offered.

Yona shook her head. "No. It okay. Yona want to see."

"That's the spirit," Ocellus said.

"Yeah, we'll all be fine," Gallus declared with confidence.

In another place, Spike sat with Thorax to his right and Ember to his left. Queen Novo and Princess Skystar sat behind them. Prince Rutherford sat to Thorax's right since they were the two leaders not yet visited by the master mev in their respective kingdoms.

Grampa Gruff declined the invitation so was not with them. Gilda seized the opportunity as her curiosity got the better of her, and she suspected Rainbow would include something interesting, maybe even flying maneuvers Gilda herself could appreciate. She sat next to Princess Skystar who was lively and reminded Gilda of Pinkie Pie. She was amused to find out that they were good friends.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna sat behind all of the representatives of the other kingdoms. Team Awesome had actually approached Luna to ask if she wished to say or do anything to start them off since the night honored her Nightmare Moon form. Luna declined the offer and informed them she would play that part for Ponyville later in accepting offered candy at her statue.

Thorax addressed Spike. "The changelings back home are eager for me to learn more about pony vampires and tell them about it when I get back. I actually don't know Rainbow Dash very well either. We were all quite surprised to find out we can't take her form anymore."

"This is not going to be that much of a tutorial on these types of vampires," Spike warned him. "It's more illusion than reality because their powers can only work the way do for this night, and we are having Discord help too."

"I'm kind of surprised. He always seems so...attention-grabby," Thorax remarked.

"I heard that," Discord materialized and hovered in front of them with obvious annoyance in his tone.

"Well, you are," Thorax said, unfazed and with a slight smile.

"I'll have you know that it's thanks to me that they can even do so much of the extra stuff," Discord reminded him sternly.

"You're just proving my point," Thorax teased him, still smiling.

"Shouldn't you be getting the lighting ready?" Spike suggested.

"Ugh. Fine." Discord rolled his eyes and materialized away.

"Can purple dragon at least say if these vampires are actually scary?" Prince Rutherford asked. "Yaks never seen a leviathan."

"I don't want to spoil the whole thing. Just remember this. One, don't panic. And two, when the Master Mev tells you to stay still, you better listen," Spike advised.

"Interesting," Rutherford said with a thoughtful nod.

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Spotlights lit up over the targeted circular platform for the audience's view, and a small cloud carrying a small pony hovered over. The platform itself lowered into an obscuring darkness. Sweetie Belle addressed the show attendees using the headset Discord created for her.

"Hi everyone. Many of you know me as a unicorn filly here in Ponyville by the name of Sweetie Belle. Tonight, I present to you something more. Tonight, I shall play my role as Rhezenda, the right hoof to the Master Mev. I am her link to you and your link to her. It is her wish that tonight I appear before you as a pegasus. There are a few points of our performance that might scare you a lot. The natural elements of the land we live on will affect you, and you will be near magic that is cast. We promise it is all in good fun and ask that you do your best to stay in place, especially when you hear thunder, and enjoy the show. We shall now truly begin."

The hovering cloud moved clear, and the initially targeted circular platform rose with Princess Cadance standing alone. She used her alicorn magic to hold a microphone. Fog surrounded her, leaving only her neck, head, and mic in view. Cadance began to sing. Some of the smoke cleared as Rainbow Dash stood from a prone position and began to circle her meal as a fanged pegasus. She sang her next turn with an evil smile as her eyes turned red. Back and forth they went until Cadance offered herself, and Rainbow Dash accepted, allowing her feathered wings to morph into bat-like flaps.

Cadance and Rainbow Dash Duet

Cadance:
Master, where are you?

Rainbow Dash:
I am here, my beautiful alicorn dear
How might I serve you?

Cadance:
Rumor has it you're a vampire
That does not drink blood
But instead eats magic

Rainbow Dash:
Indeed, you look rather tasty to me
Is such a thought one that you find tragic?

Cadance:
It cannot be so

Rainbow Dash (smirking):
Wouldn't you like to know?

Cadance:
I dare you to prove it to me and all
A challenge you cannot resist.

Rainbow Dash:
Ha, it certainly won't take much convincing
If that is what you insist

During the feed, the microphone Cadance magically held dropped with a notable thud on the platform. The audience gasped, pulled fully into the act.

The platform lowered and Sweetie Belle's cloud hovered over once more to begin the original first verse of the song, now slightly edited after Cadance volunteered to be in the show. She addressed the audience directly with a tiny bounce in her joints to entice them further.

Sweetie Belle Solo

Welcome all to this very special night
Did you know vampires live among us?
Does that give you a fright
After watching that bite?
Call them 'mevs' and stay without a fuss.
We'll tell you more
With a great big flash
Here are Blitz
And Master Rainbow Dash

The cloud with Sweetie Belle teleported away. Blitz herself raised her head upward in her mostly translucent form with Rainbow Dash standing on her head. The master mev used her power to make only that part solid enough to hold her steady and act as her platform. Rainbow looked at the audience with a hungry, evil smile.

They gasped, and as hoped, the sight instilled fear into them, much to her pleasure. She told them as much to start her first full solo verse of the song as Blitz herself swayed or bobbed her large head to the music. During the verse, Rainbow built up from a low growl into a forceful command of the audience to scream for her. For added emphasis, she and Blitz each made a mock bite closing in on them. It worked, and Rainbow's raucous laugh filled the air, basking in it for an extra line. As the verse readied to move onto introducing Starlight, Blitz faded and disappeared.

Rainbow Dash Solo #1

Oh, how your fears fill me with delight
It certainly fits upon this Nightmare Night
Now outsiders
Now I command thee
Listen well
You better
You better
SCREAM FOR ME!
Such perfect glee
The magic of your fear right here is my dinner
Moving on to more fun things
Meet the first of my fledglings
Primeva Starlight Glimmer

A spotlight struck Starlight's stage, now positioned into the main view of the audience. In standard unicorn form, she sang to them with her head slightly hunched into her shoulders. Sweetie Belle flashed in and stood on the stage with Starlight, acting intimidated. Starlight continued and blew out a copy shadow of Sweetie Belle's pegasus form. The filly herself remained standing and looked on in amazement as the mock shadow playfully flew and darted around over her. Eventually, Sweetie Belle flew a little to play with the shadow. Starlight gestured at the one she wielded with pride. The spotlight on them intensified to drive home the next point about a contrast to light. As Starlight repeated her title to finish her solo, her bat wings immediately thrust out as she spoke. The audience took another moment to collectively gasp in awe.

Starlight Glimmer Solo

Lurking ready
Holding steady
Behold my shadows upon your gaze
From my mouth, this one obeys
Against the light, it does have starkness
For I, Primeva, am the Fledgling of Darkness

The spotlight where Starlight and Sweetie Belle still stood shut off completely, and Starlight's platform whirred methodically to the right, to give enough time for Rainbow Dash to provide a transition while a cold small wind passed against her, and the entire audience as well to introduce the next mev. The sky blue vampire chose to hover and dart about without a platform to stand on while she sang.

Rainbow Dash Solo #2

Such beautiful dark wings
Oh, I feel a chill of breeze that does pass on by
More upon us shall we meet
The second of my fledglings
Segunda Fluttershy

The next staged platform arrived, and the spotlight for it lit up to show Fluttershy standing with her wings flared. Sweetie Belle flashed onto the stage with her. Fluttershy smiled softly and blew out some wind to brush Sweetie back a little and then another strong gust to veer into the audience's direction. The winds continued harmlessly enough while not yet fading. Fluttershy sang her verse for the song with a gentle chill in her voice, fluttering and hovering to her preference as she did. She twirled up in her hover, and as she sang her specific title, just like Starlight before her, Fluttershy's feathered pegasus wings turned to bat-like flaps.

The audience smiled in understanding the expected pattern for the next four mevs. No doubt the master mev of the pack had something extra planned.

Fluttershy Solo

Here is my breath of gale pushing through
Ready yourselves, it will not harm you
The thrill I give is one I wish to charm you
Feel the blast whisked to a breeze
Now, how thinned
For I, Segunda, am the Fledgling of Wind

Again, the spotlight flicked off, and the shift into the next transition began with Rainbow remarking on the fledgling who just performed before introducing the next. With a playful air and friendly smile, she darted about in flight during such lines.

Rainbow Dash Solo #3

Such lovely blasts she brings
Rock on, rock on, we're gone
Henceforth to meet verily
The third of my fledglings
Mitria Rarity

Rarity, in standard unicorn form, had a proud pose of confident air at the ready with a smile. Like the two fledgling mevs before her, Sweetie Belle was flashed in to share the stage with her older sister. Like Starlight did, Rarity used her elemental gift to make a copy of the Rhezenda's filly form. It did not fly freely but instead morphed into still poses to copy Sweetie's own rehearsed stances, gradually shifting from plain rocks to beautiful multiple colored jewels. She ended with a proud bow, and vampire bat wings took shape at her sides.

Rarity Solo

It is not wind that I bring but solid rock
Designs I can move and then can lock
More than the dirt upon which you might stand
Deeper in fact may be something grand
Beauty beyond such untold worth
For I, Mitria, am the Fledgling of Earth

Spotlight off, stage whirring, Rainbow Dash swooped in for her animated gestures and transition from her number three to her number four.

Rainbow Dash Solo #4

Solid I say to these fine things
Heating up, we blaze on
To the next in the pack
The fourth of my fledglings
Here is Fyra Applejack

Applejack's platform arrived, and she stood with her head bowed, her right hoof clutching at her hat before she began. To change things up to how they were with Starlight and Rarity, this time Sweetie Belle was required to do some basic flight near and above the audience for a pony of flames to follow her. This one did not resemble her stature but instead Applejack herself. For extra flair, the orange mev had other smaller flames hovering a safe distance from their captivated audience and Sweetie Belle. When finishing the verse, a skeletal fire of her forming bat wings took shape before they solidified, and the flames extinguished themselves at her silent command.

Applejack Solo

Shot out with the utmost care
Flames burning through me to the air
Setting them just right
Bringing warmth to our night
From my heart as a vampire
For I, Fyra, am the Fledgling of Fire

Rainbow Dash's next transition followed a similar pattern to the ones before it.

Rainbow Dash Solo #5

I enjoy that warmth of the burn she brings
Now we flow on to she
Who streams
Beneath the sky
I present to you
The fifth of my fledglings
Quintaza Pinkie Pie

Pinkie brought out Penny, and Sweetie Belle was flashed into stand with Penny on her side of the platform, the left part in the audience's line of sight. Penny turned into water. Pinkie whistled out more and the combined river streamed around the pegasus filly before making a path through the audience while not actually splashing anyone. The extra water disappeared. Penny swirled around in water form as Pinkie drank her back in. Pinkie herself then turned into her bat pony form.

Pinkie Pie and Penny Duet

Pinkie Pie:
Whistling forth
She's out
Behold another me
Her name, I'll tell you
It is Penny

Penny:
My title is Pentaza
To share with Quintaza
I sprung from a pool
And I got some powers that are cool
Watch what I can do
Watch as I course through

Pinkie Pie:
We're so happy since the night that we got her
For you see
It is thanks to Penny
That I, Quintaza, am the Fledgling of Water

Rainbow Dash flew in again for the last transition of one fledgling to another.

Rainbow Dash Solo #6

Those two leave me
Dripping with pleasure
Beyond which I could ever measure
Now we flash on to our next treasure
A shine upon which we will all soon marvel
The sixth of my fledglings
I give you Rexa Twilight Sparkle

The spotlight for Twilight focused on the alicorn mev's own body so that the rest of her platform was still obscured in darkness, allowing her to demonstrate the light elemental power around Sweetie Belle as the pegasus filly joined her. Eventually, the light's coalesced into an alicorn pony who's wings turned into bat-like flaps at the same time as its wielder.

Twilight Sparkle Solo

My open lips
Shooting bright beams
Enchanting visions that might seem
To make quite a sight
Behold my contrast to the night
For I, Rexa, am the Fledgling of Light

At that, six of the seven platforms lit up to reveal a fledgling mev in bat pony form. Smiling, they all lifted off. Flashes of their pony legs and bat wings swooped down over the audience, shooting out light gusts of wind in their wake. The audience did not scream or gasp, but they were most rapt, and at least a few of them ducked. When done, each fledgling had landed on a platform near the opposite of their origin.

The audience looked on in smiling, breathless wonder as at last the Master Mev herself stood on the main platform of their targeted view.

Rainbow Dash Solo #7

Darkness to Light
Darkness to Light
We share upon
This glorious Nightmare Night
Do I sense a decrease
In our dear viewers' fright?
But wait my friends
There's more
That I, Rainbow Dash,
Have in store

The platform disappeared completely while a spotlight remained on Rainbow Dash's hovering figure. Blitz materialized in her ghostly form with her head below where Rainbow sang.

Now you might be wondering
If I, the Master, am not a fledgling
Besides Blitz at my command
Just what is it that I can bring?

The master mev gestured toward her pet. The translucent serpent figure became a solid, tangible being to the increasing awe of the audience. Rainbow Dash kept singing because, as she promised, she had more.

Shocking I tell you
I promise I will miss
So long as you are still
I will have to hold you still
Brace yourselves

Thunder escaped from her lips, but the lightning that usually followed did not strike immediately. Rainbow wanted some more lines so that she could announce her powerful move in just the right way.

Right now
Here it is

She stood on Blitz's head and worked her way up into a loud, forceful proclamation of her elemental gift.

The thing that I can bring is
My FORMIDABLE LIGHTNING!

Thanks to Nightmare Night's special nature, fourteen lighting bolts, two with each of the rainbow colors and two white struck near portions of the audience. For any figure she sensed a certain level of heightened fear that could lead to them fleeing, Rainbow Dash cast a tiny snare that could not even be seen, just enough to hold them in place until they realized they were not in danger. She held true to her promise as a means to keep them safe. Many screamed nonetheless. Rainbow Dash cackled at them and let the snares go once she sensed enough calm.

Once more you have screamed for me
Again, I am filled with such perfect glee

The master mev finally began what she told her fledglings she truly wished to do. She rode Blitz in the leviathan dread's solid form and laughed evilly. The entire ring holding the poles and platforms disintegrated to make for a wide open space where Blitz could slither freely in the air. She and the master mev were at a visible distance from the audience, some of whom were still reeling due to the Formidable Lightning.

A new rectangular stage took shape where the six fledglings gathered in their bat pony forms to sing to the audience as everyone watched the ride of the large serpent figure.

Fledglings Sextet

Behold our Nightmare Night
Behold our Nightmare Night
Hear from our words what will be said
We have a leviathan dread
The gracious pet of our master mev
Quite a sight she leaves in your head
Behold our Nightmare Night
Behold our Nightmare Night
Looking on you see
Pouring on that speed
Blitz obeys the master
Hence they move faster and faster
Hence they move faster and faster

Blitz turned around to target the bleachers where the audience sat.

The fledglings sang some more.

Here they come
Don't dare run
Here they come
Don't dare run
The end of the ride is near

The leviathan circled the entire group of outsiders before positioning her head where Rainbow Dash stood on it. They were above and to the left of the stage for the fledglings who still addressed the audience and then their master.

Whew, a relief that you're still here
In disbelief and despite your fear
Master, they have bravely stayed
As we planned, a panic not made

Rainbow looked at the fledglings with a proud, interested smile. Still perched on Blitz's head, she then happily addressed the audience to start her last solo portion of the song.

Rainbow Dash Solo #8

You did it, well done
I know I had fun
You may now toss aside your fears
If you please
Or keep them if you like
Either way I'm at ease

Rainbow Dash quickly lifted off from Blitz's head and danced with her next few lines before descending to join the middle of her pack, in the exact same order Rarity had created on the fliers.

Nearly finished are we
My fledglings and me
Here we go
Let's end the song
For this show

The entire pack together sang their thanks.

Team Awesome Septet

We had a grand time
With zeal and zest
Now if you like
It is time to rest
Many thanks to you we send
Our dear outsider friends
We hope that your wonder did blossom
From your local pack of mevs
Thanks again and signing off
We are Team Awesome

They all bowed together, and Blitz dismissed herself into the ground.

The audience clapped and stomped their hooves or claws in delight. They cheered. Some of them even whistled.

The bat pony mevs backed away behind a curtain of the stage, pleased to know their performance was a success.

Author's Note:

While I linked the lyrics video at the top of this chapter, here it is again in case you wanted to wait until after reading the chapter to check it out. It is supplemental for the song to help any interested readers get a good feel for how I wanted it to sound. Enjoy!

(Blog post of video with more info copied from the video description)

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Discord | Patreon

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New audiobook chapter!

The Master Mev: Chapter 11 - Completing the Pack (Audiobook Reading)

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Well, that's it. That's a wrap, everyone. Thanks for reading. I kid, I kid, but this chapter is a sort of apex, pique, culmination, important point in the story. It is also the longest of what is published, at long last dethroning Meeting Into Project Mercury for that title.

After writing the song, my creative energy was sapped, and it took a lot to work up the energy to continue and give the story an ending. It does have an ending, and I honestly think the the next 32 chapters are even good enough to publish, but I still want to try out some potentially really big changes before truly committing to what I have drafted. I have at least listed out what those big changes might be, even if I have not tried editing beyond that list.

Nonetheless, this story is now on hiatus. Hopefully it won't be more than a few months, like maybe a summer break for myself. I will keep you all posted through blog posts if I expect it to go longer. Since the audiobook project for the first arc just finished, I may set aside some time to ready a second project for that too. That would entail editing the text of some chapters (not much, just enough so that certain parts don't sound as awkward spoken aloud). We shall see.

I have some other story ideas floating around and am trying to learn SFM, so if you follow me instead of just read this story, you might hear from me on those things.

I hope you enjoyed the song and the show in this chapter. Until next time, whenever that may be, may awesomeness smile upon you.

Comments

[THERDSTORYWHISPERER]

Great chapter!

[kazamacat]

10837203
Thank you!

[THERDSTORYWHISPERER]

10837252
You’re welcome!

[KillerJacob04]

I Fucking Love This Great Chapter!

[kazamacat]

10837413
And such a comment brings a smile to my face, thank you very much!

[KillerJacob04]

10837516
Your Welcome

[kazamacat]

11032461
I plan to release it tomorrow though I won't be back to regular updates just yet after that.