My Little Mages: The Rogues' Entries

by Foxhelm

The Mage Attraction

It was midmorning and in an open area just to the north of town proper of Magiville, Applejack was directing her friends and many of the residents of Magiville that lived and worked the farmland of Sweet Apple Temple to construct an elevated stage. While everything creaked and squeaked, everything was coming together. Applejack whistled and everyone stopped and took a break. As the paladin smiled at the sight, Princess Twilight walked up to her, “Wow, Applejack!” she exclaimed very much amazed at work done, “Are you sure you've never managed a concert before?” she asked still very much impressed.

Applejack fought back a modest laugh as she rubbed the back of her head, “Well, it turns out doin' up a concert's ain’t that much different than settin' up a rodeo.” the paladin stated. “But we both know the real master mind’s Pinkie, thanks to her we got quite the lineup for…” The paladin trailed off as she didn’t recall what the event she was setting up was called. There were at least a dozen such events if not more since Twilight’s coronation.

“The Helping Hands Music Festival!” came the voice of Pinkie in sort of cross of a shout and a scream as the cotton candy-haired jester ran up to the princess and the pauper. Once she arrived she stopped and started to pant. However, she didn’t allow anyone to ask her anything before she spoke, “I have the most amazing news ever! It is gonna freak your frizz!” she announced. Everyone remained silent as they waited for Pinkie to continue. Pinkie collected herself and got serious, “It wasn't easy. In fact, it was terribly difficult. But I have managed to book the biggest pop star in all of Mystica as the main attraction of the Helping Hands Music Festival!” She declared with a pause. Applejack was about to ask who but stopped herself. The paladin concluded that she would only make a fool out of herself. Pinkie continued, “I have booked the one, the only, Countess Coloratura!” she announced. Everyone gave an ‘Ahhh…’ in utter awe of Pinkie’s accomplishment.

Well not everyone, Applejack had no idea who Pinkie was talking about, “Who’s Countess Coloratura?” the paladin asked. Everyone stopped and gasped as if the paladin had spoken blasphemy and turned to her with mouth open in stupidity.

After a solid second, Pinkie was first to speak with her right eye slightly closed unsure how to approach the subject, “How-how-how-how-how have you not heard of her?!” Pinkie asked, voicing the confusion she and all the others had.

The farmer shrugged her shoulders. “Ah don’t know of a countess, but Ah did know a gal named Coloratura when Ah was just a girl.” She couldn’t help but laugh with a slight snort at the absurdity of a notion she thought of, “Wouldn't it just be the funniest thing if that Coloratura and this Coloratura were the same Coloratura?” she asked she whipped a tear from the corner of her right eye and finished with a “Heh.”

Pinkie looked squarely at the paladin with her eyes squinted and a slight scowl forming, “Do you mean to tell me that you actually know Countess Coloratura?” she asked as if her friend could have saved her a few headaches.

Applejack took a step back, “Well, Ah don't think it's the same person,” the paladin pointed out, “My friend wasn't a countess, or at least she never professed to be.” Pinkie took out a piece of paper and some pens of different colored ink and in less than a second drew a yellow five-pointed star with (going from the upper left corner clockwise) a green, orange, red, blue, and purple eighth note. She then showed it to her friend. “Well, dip me batter and call me a fritter, that’s my friend Coloratura’s very aura mark!” Applejack confirmed Pinkie’s suspicions.

Pinkie then grabbed Applejack by her shoulders and lifted her into the air, “Do you have any idea the number of hoops I had to jump through to get her to perform at the festival?!” she asked her rhetorical question as she shook the paladin very much annoyed at all the work she had to do that could have been avoided if only, or so she thought. Applejack shook her head after Pinkie was done shaking her. “A whole lot of hoops!” she finished before she threw Applejack into their four closest friends. “That girl is very demanding!” Pinkie finished before she sat down and gave an exhausted huff.

After getting back to their feet, Rarity was the first to speak, electing to affirm Pinkie’s statement, “I completely understand.” she started. She then used her hand to brush back her hair before twisting her neck to give her air some air, “We artistes require certain necessities to do our best work.”

Applejack looked into the space right in front of her head as she shook it, “That doesn’t sound like Rara at all.” she stated.

“Rara?!” Everyone asked in utter bewilderment. Not only did Applejack know Countess Coloratura, but she also had a nickname for her.

Applejack could only shrug her shoulders at first, “Rara never really like the name her partners gave it, it was too long, sounded like they were trying too hard to be fancy and it had too many syllables yah can trip over, so I came up with Rara. She’s the first person to call me AJ.”

Rarity reached into one of the hidden pockets of her gown, “I sense a memory to share.” the enchantress said as she found the group’s memory gem. She handed it to Applejack.

The paladin placed it on her forehead and from her eyes came the projection of a memory. It was of her about the same age as Apple Bloom with another Earthborn girl. The other girl had moderate opal eyes, and her hair was dark grayish indigo with dark indigo and moderate opal highlights. Both were dressed in one-piece swimsuits as they ran along a short wooden pier before jumping into a lake, with a lot of other children about the same age. As the scene panned around, it looked like it was at the very least a day camp for children. “Ooow Camp Friendship!” Rarity almost squealed, “My first actual fashion show was there.” she reminisced with a blissful sigh. Applejack cleared her throat. “Sorry, this is about you and …” Rarity trailed before she gasped and took the gem back from Applejack. The paladin bit her tongue, “Fluttery, Dashie, Pinkie, don’t you remember the girl that Applejack performed, ‘Mystica, the land I love’ with?” the enchantress asked, ending the projection.

Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Pinkie held their chins in thought for the better part of a second before their eyes widened in shock at the revolution. “That was Rara?” Pinkie and Rainbow all but shouted.

Fluttershy gave a more restrained, “Ow” at first before she spoke up, “I remember her now, she had the most beautiful voice, she discovered her aura mark while performing that song.” The druid added. This was followed by the Rainbow and Pinkie each giving an ‘oh’ of recalling. Fluttershy then to Applejack, “what happened to her?” she asked.

Applejack lowered her head and shook it, “We wrote for a bit but…” the paladin trialed off before giving a huff full of regret. “... we lost touch.” She then raised her head with a slight smile, “But Rara always did want to go to Manahattan to try and make it big.” She informed her friends with what she recalled from the exchanges. However, she had to commit. “But a demandin' diva, that just doesn’t sound like Rara at all.”

Pinkie however turned from her friends and gasped. “She's here!” she shouted. Everyone turned in the direction Pinkie was looking. Approaching them, they saw a small group of eight men dressed in torn leather trousers and open leather sleeveless vests with steel studs, carrying a bizarre litter, it looked like a bronze pyramid-like egg in the center with four carrying poles with two men at each carrying pole. When they got about ten meters away from the stage and the crowd of the crew gathered to construct the stage, the eight men stopped and the egg opened up and became a platform with a throne in the center. The back of the throne was slightly shorter than the thrones in The Castle of Friendship’s throne room with Rara’s Aura mark with a woman that seemed to be the same age as Applejack. She was dressed in leather much like the men, but her clothes were not torn and she wore no vest but a high collar purple jacket, on the back was Rara’s aura mark. Over the woman’s face was a thin black veil and her hair was dyed light gray with purple streaks.

All, save Applejack, were in transfixed awe as Rara strutted down the steps of her litter and towards the stage. The paladin was just flabbergasted. Shortly followed by not only the litter bearers but by a man that appeared to be in his late thirties and was dressed in an almost shining dark blue three-piece business suit. He had light brown eyes and his hair, once pink, had grayed. On his face was a set of glasses that only needed the bridge of the nose to balance. The man in the suit broke away, “Where is Miss Pie?” he asked as he looked around.

Pinkie then stretched and was right in front of the man in less than a second with a cart right behind her, “Right here, Mr. Svengali.” She then turned to the cart and began pointing to the items on it, “Here is the Rainbow Fall water in twenty glass containers, with straws.” She pointed to a collection of a score of glasses with the rainbow-colored water unique to Rainbow Falls. “Floral arrangements from the royal Chantalot gardens,” she then pointed to a collection of flowers. She then pointed to a platter of eclairs, “Chocolate éclairs made by the greatest harpy pastry baker in Mystica Gustave le Grand.” She then stepped around and pointed to an assortment of crystals, “A selection of crystals from the Crystal Empire.” She then pointed to two bowls of cherries, one with red cherries and the other with yellow. “And freshly picked cherries from Cherry Jubilee's farm separated red from yellow.” The recently identified Svengali blinked thrice as he tried to take it all in as he barely managed to keep his jaw from dropping. “Go ahead, ask me for a cup of Ork handmade Yakyakistan vanilla ice cream made from yak milk, I’d be back with a gallon before you finished the last syllable!” the typically cheerful jester seemed to dare with deadly seriousness.

Svengali shut his eyes, coughed, and cleared his throat. “Well, by some miracle, the requests have been reasonably met. So let us move on…” he trailed off as he saw Applejack approach Coloratura.

Rara was still looking at the stage before she heard a throat being cleared. She turned and saw, “AJ?” she asked as she looked at the paladin. “It's been ages. Nice tan.” she complimented or at least tried to.

Applejack laughed softly, “Yeah, working in the field will do that.” Applejack tried to joke. “It’s been a while. So you go by ‘Countess’ now, Rara?” She asked. There was a small plea in her heart that all she was seeing was something more akin to one of Rarity’s more elaborate dresses than Twilight’s coronation.

Rara had her soft laugh. She beamed to her friend from under her veil, “You’re not gonna believe it, but it’s not just a stage title, I really am a countess.” Rara then paused for a second and spoke again before Applejack could voice a response. “Well technically I should be a duchess, but Duchess Coloratura just doesn’t have that…je ne sais quoi that Countess Coloratura has. Also one of my ancestors gave up a fair amount of the lands to the Church as an act of penance, which shrunk the holdings from a duchy to a county, and Princess Celestia did demote him from duke to count.”

Applejack smiled, “Well, maybe you’ll be able to move into that county.” she suggested to her friend.

Rara shook her head, “The current mayor has been doing such a good job. She doesn’t need me breathing down her back.”

Before Applejack could question her friend further, “Excuse me!” came the angry and defensive voice of Svengali. “But who are you?” he asked Applejack, squinting at her as she was some used chewing gum he saw on the ground just before he stepped on it.

Applejack was about to answer, but Rara placed her hand on the paladin’s shoulder, “This is my childhood friend, AJ!” Rara answered with a degree of cheer as she introduced Applejack to her agent. “We had so much fun back at Camp Friendship. She’s the one that came up with my first stage name, ‘Rara’!”

Svengali squinted as if to deride his client, however, he elected a different choice of words, “Oh, yes” he said as he raised his head in slight disgust, “how cute and... common.” he added with a pause between the word ‘and’ and ‘common’. He then shut his eyes and place his right hand on the center of his chest. “Of course, I was the one that started calling you ‘Countess’,” he said before opening his eyes and throwing his arms up and out, “and just look at how you've moved up in Mystica since then!” was his declaration. As he lowered his arms he looked squarely at Rara but something in his tone told Applejack was that it was the farm girl that he was talking to. “Why, you've got everything you've ever wanted! Especially the requests for your attendance at this event.” He said as he stepped to the side and pointed to the stand with the requests. Before Rara could say anything, “Now to uphold our end, to the rehearsal!” Svengali declared as he guided Rara to the stage.

Applejack sighed before she rejoined her friends, namely Rarity. She looked at the mobile cart that Pinkie put together with all of the requests, “Pinkie's right, Rarity,” the paladin acknowledged. “The Rara I knew didn't hide behind a veil, sippin' up imported water, and needin' her cherries separated.”

Rarity tried to smile supportively, “Oh, I do understand. Sometimes it's hard to see our friends change.” she tried to ease her friend’s sentiments. Applejack could only give Rarity a faint version of her usual bemused look. Rarity placed her right on the paladin’s shoulder. “Trust me. Once you see Countess Coloratura perform, you simply won't believe it!” she declared before they all turned to the stage.

Everyone watched as most of the stage lights turned off and then several turned on and off several times with the focus on the stairway that went zigzag down in the center from the back to the front. Rara started to strut down the stair as the music began to play and she started to sing, “Time for the spectacle
Time for the show
The lights are bright and the colors glow
I'm not just anybody
I think you know
The time is now, it's about to blow!” as Rara reach the end of the stairs, the major lights turned off and the pyrotechnics at the front went off.

Once the pyrotechnics ended, the main lights returned to show that at the wings of the stage were the men that carried her litter. They were background dancers and beyond their gyrations with the beat, did not contribute much to the performance. “Razzle dazzle
Glitz and glam
Turn it all up, it's a spectacle.” Then the stage was covered by a massive puff of smoke that cleared swiftly.

As the smoke cleared, the light show startup with as narrow beams of lights shot around the stage, “Razzle dazzle
Glitz and glam
Turn it all up, it's a spectacle
Give me more
Razzle dazzle
Glitter eyes, big surprise
Lights, cameras.”

Just then all the background dancers stopped dancing as they all kneeled and from gems word on the necks of each of the background dancers a beam was sent into Rara’s throat as she began to vocalize an ‘Ah’. The beams seemed to be part of a spell that was correcting her pitch. Once she was finished vocalizing, Rara continued to sing with the corrected pitch, “Razzle dazzle
Glitz and glam
Turn it all up, it's a spectacle
Hear the applause
Here to impress
Not just somebody, I am the Countess!” The lights on the stage all turn off and everyone, save one farmer, began to cheer at the performance.

Rarity turned to her friend after the song. The paladin was left speechless, but it wasn’t because she was impressed. Rarity had seen many different expressions of disappointment, many in her mirror and the farmer’s face wouldn’t hide it. Rarity gave a weak apologetic laugh, “Perhaps not my best choice of words.” Applejack only lowered her head and shook it.

As Rara stepped down from the stage, Svengali applauded the singer, “Oh, my shining star!” he declared as he closed the distance. He then placed his left hand on his chest and shut his eyes with a false modest smile, “Thanks to the sparkling costumes, dazzling choreography, and brilliant vocal effects that I designed, your performance was spectacular Countess Coloratura!” he added with a slight bow.

Rara gave a short laugh, “Thank you, Svengali!” she declared as she walked over to the cart and started to drink the Rainbow Falls water.

The paladin turned to her enchantress friend, “Correct mah if Ah'm wrong here, but that Sven-feller didn't actually compliment Rara. He was complimentin' all the bells and whistles he's piled on to make her ‘Countess Coloratura’.”

Rarity was about to counter, pointing out the interstices, and how each component that Svengali brought to the table made a Countess Coloratura performance what it is. However, one look from her oldest friend’s face summed all the farmer’s thoughts up and Rarity long ago had to recognize a lost battle well before it was fought. After a second of the gears in her mind turning in an attempt to find an explanation, “Perhaps a more modest approach would garner a wider and more acquiescible audience.” the enchantress elected as the middle ground.

After Coloratura finished the water she was drinking and she turned to Svengali, “Oh, if we're all done here, I'd love to go back to my trailer and rest, Svengali.” she said before she started to drink the next bottle. Applejack saw the left corner of Svengali’s mouth slightly rise and drop and could have easily been missed if one blinked.

Before anyone said anything, Pinkie, arrived with a clipboard. She turned the top paper, “Actually, right now you're scheduled for your meet and greet with the schoolchildren!” the planner informed Rara and Svengali as they were joined, silently, by the paladin.

Svengali took the clipboard and looked it over. He sighed before he returned it, almost shoving it into Pinkie’s chest. He turned to Rara, “We have traveled a long way to be here, and you just gave an impassioned rehearsal, perhaps postponing the meeting with the schoolchildren, Countess…” he began to counter, but trailed off as he finished saying ‘Countess’.

Coloratura put her drink down and glared at Svengali through her vale. She lifted her left hand and cut the air in front of her with her arm, “Absolutely not. That’s my favorite part of any event!” she declared.

Applejack then made her presence known as she placed her right hand on Rara’s right shoulder. “The kids’ll be so happy to hear that, Rara!” the paladin confirmed leading her old friend in the direction of the school-aged kids. Svengali just squinted with a small frown as he was left on the stage.

About an hour later, outside of the Magiville schoolhouse in the school’s playground, Coloratura was seated with the Magiville school-age children. “Magiville students! As part of the Helping Hands Music Festival, I'm holding a contest where some of you will get a chance to sing with me on stage at the concert tomorrow!” Coloratura announced to the children. “Sound fun?” she asked in addition to a ring in her voice. Her veil didn’t hide the massive beam that formed as all the children cheered at the prospect of singing with her (even Sweetie Belle). “Alright!” she declared.

Applejack watched the scene as Rara interacted with the schoolchildren a few meters away from the actual schoolyard. The paladin didn’t bother to fight the raising of both corners of her lip. “Now that's more like the Rara I remember.”

Applejack’s smile ended far too soon as she heard Pinkie’s voice saying “But…” with a slight trailing off. It was somewhat distant, a couple of dekameters away, and weak. Like the party, the planner was dealing with an irritable customer. Applejack turned and with swift strides witnessed Pinkie speaking with Svengali, “... I got everything you requested!” Pinkie said as Applejack arrived.

Svengali shook his head as he crossed his arms in front of him, “That was for Countess Coloratura!” he declared before he dropped his arm, “This is for me!” he added as he pointed to his chest with his right index finger. “And what I want is premium oats!” he ordered.

Pinkie smiled as she pulled out a platter with something that looked a lot like the wheat after it was removed from the stock, “Oh! Well, we have lots of tasty oats right here in Magiville!” she informed, as her eyes dilated in joy.

Svengali squinted at the offering of the wheat-like crop before he adjusted his glasses and returned his gaze to Pinkie, “I don’t want that chicken feed.” he said, his tone was saturated not with anger, but with disappointment. “I want the real stuff, Appleloosan oats,” he said plainly as he turned from Pinkie and looked at the area where the festival was going to be housed, Sweet Apple Temple’s farm grounds. “And as it appears that apples will be omnipresent in the festival, five hundred pre-peeled, pre-cored apples, and I want them in twenty-four hours,” he said and started to walk away.

Pinkie reached out and grabbed his left arm, “I know that I can complete any task the plot needs me to, but that’s just excessive!” she declared, tears forming in the corners of her eyes as if pleading for Svengali to at the least change his demands to something much more reasonable.

Svengali turned and with what appeared to be no effort freed himself from Pinkie’s hold. He closed his eyes and took a breath, “Ms. Pie, as per our contract I am entitled to two requests which you are to provide. Now failure to meet those demands is a violation of the contract that we signed. Failure to meet my two requests means that I will have to pull her ladyship out of this…” he paused as he took off his glasses and took out of one of his pockets a piece of cloth to clean them. “...charity show. Feel free to consult an attorney as you re-review the contract. Just remember, you are the one on the ticking clock.” Once he finished speaking, he finished cleaning his glasses and place them back on. “Good day, Ms. Pie.” he added before he left.

Pinkie’s knees started to go weak, but before she knew it she felt the sturdy arms and body of her closest Earthborn friend. Pinkie turned to face the farmer and buried her face into AJ’s shoulder, “Svengali just made all of these new demands and he said—” Pinkie tried to say but was stopped by Applejack.

“I heard, Pinkie.” Applejack said as she rubbed her friend’s back. “But don't you fret. I'll talk to Rara and fix things right up,” she said before they broke and Pinkie went to get the oats and apples Svenagli requested.

Applejack silently sighed as she went back to the schoolyard, where she was almost tackled by her little sister, as the younger farm girl was followed by Rara, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. “Did'ja see, sis?! Did'ja see?!” Apple Bloom asked her sister.

Before Applejack was able to answer, “Is this the little sister you wrote to me about, AJ?” Rara asked.

“Hold on, AJ.” Apple Bloom denied the chance to answer the question, “You wrote to Countess Coloratura about me?!”

Rara answered the question for her friend of old, “AJ said you were the best little sister ever, Apple Bloom!” this left all of the Cutie Mage Crusaders with their jaws hanging open and eyes wide.

Applejack shut Apple Bloom’s mouth, “Alright now, you'd best get along, little ones, you still have classes.” she reminded the trio and they left for the schoolhouse and their next class. Once the three were out of earshot. Applejack turned to Rara, she took a breath, she felt a pit in her gut, but this had to be done, Pinkie worked hard plenty to get Rara here. “Hey, Rara, mind if I talk to you about your manager?” she asked after a second of thought. Rara smiled and nodded. Applejack rubbed the back of her neck with her right hand, “Well, while you were meetin' with the school kids, he was demandin' all sorts of stuff from Pinkie Pie.” Applejack informed.

Rara smiled as she shook her head, “Svengali works very hard as my manager, AJ, so if he needs some things when we're on the road, I don't see anything wrong with that. He’s earned them after all.” the songstress pointed out.

Applejack wanted to counter, but she knew she couldn’t on that point. She didn’t agree with all the bells and whistles that seemed to define a Countess Coloratura performance, but an honest’s day work was an honest’s day work. After a little thought, “Well, do you see somethin' wrong with him tellin' Pinkie that if she doesn't get those things by tomorrow, he'd pull you from our charity festival?”

Rara’s veil didn’t hide the widening of her eyes, “What?” she asked not believing what she just heard. She dipped her head slightly and shook it at first, “But he knows how important this is to me, and leaving the festival would completely ruin my image!” as she finished she raised her head back up and looked squarely at Applejack refusing to trust such slander levied at her manager.

Applejack was not moved and continued to press her argument, “I'm afraid Svengali doesn't give a pickled pippin about your charity work.” she accused Svengali.

“That's not true!” Rara all but shouted back, defending her manager from such a found-less accusation, “Svengali has always supported me in all my interests. You're just saying those things because you're jealous!” she levied her own accusation at the paladin. Why else would one she was so close with once be so adamant about ending a relationship she knew little about?

Applejack felt a series of nerves being slashed. She felt many things, but jealousy was rarely among them. “Jealous of what?” she almost lashed back in a rhetorical question. “A gal who hides behind a veil so thick she can't see when someone's usin' her?” she asked as she mocked the lifting of Rara’s veil and let it flop back down. “No, I'm not jealous of that, Rara!” she tried to solidify her point.

Coloratura raised her head as if she was turning her nose up at Applejack and with a pose and proper voice, concerned to be expected of actual nobility, “I am not Rara! I am Countess Coloratura!” she declared, with shut eyes. This hick was beneath her, she always was and she always will be, no matter what bond they had as children. “And while we may have been friends when we were young, we have clearly gone in different directions!” As she spoke she opened her eyes slightly, but they seemed to burn as if what she saw before her was trash littered right in front of her.

Applejack felt her heart race and what could be her blood boil. However, she realized that she should not have hammered the point and her recent denial, while true, had not helped matters. Especially since Rara was not the one that she was angry at and lashing out at her would do even more harm than good. Yet Applejack would not let the Countess have the last word. After she exhaled through her nose, she shut her eyes and shook her head, “Yeah, Ah guess we have,” she said, and then with a bow that looked as mockingly as it felt, “Mi-lady.” she added before she raised herself back up and without flaw spun around and walked away.

---

The next day, in the kitchen of the Sweet Apple Temple living quarters, Applejack, Apple Bloom, Big Mac, and Granny Smith were helping Pinkie peel and core the apple Svengali ordered. Well, less so Applejack. The paladin was still vexed about Svengali and his actions, “It just ain't right!” she finally shouted as she threw onto the table the apple she was coring with the corer. “He's manipulatin' her, and she's just not seein' it!” she added bringing her hands down on the table.

Apple Bloom, Big Mac, and Granny Smith carried on as if nothing happened. It was only Pinkie that responded, first with a sigh and then spoke, “I know the story wants me to ask you to stop stewin', and do more peelin' but I move at the speed of the plot. So screw the time barrier, WARP TEN, SCOTTY!!!” Pinkie shouted in a blink of an eye all the remaining apples were peeled and cored and the only evidence of labor was a bead of sweat on Pinkie’s forehead. Apple Bloom, Big Mac, and Granny Smith’s eyes widen at the result and all three lowered their jaws as if to ask a question. “It’s me, don’t question it.” Pinkie stated and the three other Apples just shrugged and carried on.

Applejack sat back down, rested her left elbow on the table and her forehead in her left hand, “I’m sorry, Pinkie for letting myself get so worked up over Rara-” but before she could continue.

“Then go and fight for friendship, you stupid girl.” Granny cut her off, “If yah think that Svengala-whats-or-other is using her, then don’t just sit there like the apples we just cored and get that worm out.” the sage continued. “Dag nab it, AJ,” she muttered to herself as she walked away. Everyone else turned to face Applejack. The paladin silently got up and left.

About an hour later, Applejack arrived at the stage as Rara was directing several of the background dancers as they fine-tuned everything on the stage. Applejack knew that if she wanted Rara to see the truth, she would have to be the first to yield. Once Rara had finished, “Countess Coloratura!” Applejack called out.

Rara turned to see her old friend, “Wow, AJ, you said my real name.”

Applejack could feel the want to refute what she heard climb up her throat, not unlike a swig of bad cider. Yet she bit her lip and her tongue. She could not afford to reopen yesterday’s wounds, at least not yet. “I know you believe that Svengali would never do anything to tarnish the image you want to set for yourself. But since I have made that accusation, I have to be able to prove it.” Rara’s scowl was not hidden by the veil.

Rara took a breath before she answered, “And when you have failed to prove your accusation before I get on stage tonight, you will publically declare that you have falsely accused Svengali and you would publicly request his forgiveness and you will perform whatever action he deems to be sufficient for atonement.” the Countess declared her terms.

Applejack knew she wasn’t going to get a better offer, “As you wish, I just need you to do exactly what I say and my accusation will be proven or not.” Applejack accepted the terms.

Two hours later, Applejack and her friends were going over the stage and the props once more, “Svengali!” Rara called out, not unlike a noble summoning a footman.

Svengali didn’t need more than one call for a summons and arrived within seconds. “Yes, Countess. Do you need something?” he asked her as he got on the stage.

Rara shut her eyes and took her breath, she felt a tear in her spine. She wanted to tell him that this is a test, that he had been accused of effectively going behind her back. But she knew if she told him that, Applejack could, and rightly, claim she sabotaged everything. “I was considering canceling the school children contest.” She stated.

The smile was far from hidden on Svengali’s face. “Countess, this is wonderful!” he declared with gree. I've been waiting forever for you to cancel that pointless contest.” Rara remained silent and tried to remained unmoved as Svengali continued. “You do it at every charity event, and it does absolutely nothing to promote the Countess Coloratura image that we have built!” the glee in his voice was unmistakable. However, Svengali was able to drop his excitement and with a bow, “Consider it canceled.” he stated. Once he rose from his bow, “Pinkie Pie!” he called.

Pinkie arrived as if teleported, “Yes, Svengali, sir!” she said.

Svengali then started to walk away from Rara as he placed a hand on Pinkie’s shoulder. “We are making some adjustments to the show. Come with me.”After Svengali and Pinkie got off stage and went backstage, everyone stopped and followed. All remaining silent. Once Svegali thought he was far enough he stopped. He turned to face Pinkie as he took off his glasses and cleaned them. “There has been a change in plans,” he said before he put his glasses back on, “Cancel the contest for the kids and schedule me a spa treatment.” He ordered. He turned from Pinkie and looked up and cracked his neck, “Now that I don't have to oversee a rehearsal with those brats, I have time for the works!” he declared with a sigh of relief. He turned back to Pinkie, “You know the drill! Deliver on the contract, or the diva ditches your dippy charity!” he declared and started to leave. Unbeknownst to him, Princess Twilight Sparkle was recording the event with a recording gem. Once he was back on stage, “Okay, Countess Coloratura, all taken care of!” he said as he approached Rara with a grin that could not be hidden and his eyes closed. However he then heard his voice loader than he expected say, “You know the drill! Deliver on the contract, or the diva ditches your dippy charity!”

Svengali opened his eyes and turned to see his conversation with Pinkie projected to the backdrop of the stage from a bird’s eyes view. He followed the projection beam to a gem in the hands of Princess Twilight as the demigod hovered above. Before he could say anything, “I spoke out for you, I defended you, I even ordered that my friend would have to do anything you deem once her accusation was proven false because I knew you wouldn’t do anything that could reflect poorly on me.” Rara stated her tone matching her tone when she gave Applejack her term. “And you’ve been using my name to intimidate people, threatening charities that I would pull out because not everything is as you want it. Is this how you've been managing things?” it was all she could do to not spit in disgust.

Svengali waited a couple of seconds before he spoke, adjusting her glasses slightly. His face was almost expressionlist, “It is rather easy for venues to abuse an artists,” he spoke flatly and plainly. “and being a manager for one of the most indemand singers requires alot of work, planing, logisitis and so much more.” he added pointing out a few of the facts that seemed to be lost on Rara. “And that’s not address that according to our contract, if I need something to help make my job easier I am permitted to get it. Feel free to consult an attorney to review it.” he added as his lips couldn’t help themselves into forming a smug grin.

Rara pulled out of her purple jacket a copy of their contract. This caused Svengali’s grin to vanish and his eyes to widen. Rara then flipped through the pages, and stopped and point to a highlighted clause,“And it says right here, well parapharsed into legal jurgen, that your requests cannot be made in bad faith, and one example of such,” she stopped and flipped a few more pages, “is to mislead a representative of a venue of my intends.” she read another highligted clause before pointing to it. Svengali didn’t reach to take the contract for himself to read. He already knew it, “I would never cancel the contest with the school children. If you think that, then you never understood me.” Rara wanted to shout, but was calm as she threw back her veil. She looked squarely at Svengali. Her throat tightned for a second and then losened, “You’re fired, Svengali.” she said. Her tone was not at the level of Princess Celestia, but it rang with the wieght and authority of the arisocraty of yore.

Svegali huffed, “I’m the one that found you in the streets of Manahatten, I’m the one that discovered that you are a countess, I’m the one that made this all happen.” He said as he flung his arms wide open to all that was around them. “You were barely rubbing two bits together when I found you.” he added cutting at the core of his client. “What can you even do without me?” he asked.

Rara didn’t flinch, she didn’t react. She looked at him and in a tone that hinted to no spefic emotion, “That will not be your concern, Svengali.” she said. She then turned to her left and called out, “SECURITY!!!”

“That wouldn’t be necessary.” Svenagli said as he turned and started for the stairs off the stage, “You couldn’t make me stay in this backwater if you tied me to a tree, I am taking the next train out of here. Good luck without me, Countess Coloratura!” he shouted back as he headed back into town and the train station.

“I won’t need it!” Rara called back, refusing to let Svengali have the last word, “I have someone that truely understands me and will be there for me for all that lies ahead!” Svengali only increased his pace, with nothing that he can say. As Rara’s former manager left their sights, “I’ll be okay for the concert tonight!” she assurted. “The show must go on!”

---

Later that night, almost twenty minutes before the show was about to start, Rara was in most of the costume that Rarity had made for the show. The only thing missing was the headpiece. However, Rara was pacing back and forth in fear and regret, “Oh, my gosh, Rarity, Svengali's right! This is gonna be a disaster! I'm gonna be terrible!”

As Rara continued to pace back and forth in her panic, Rarity’s face was shifting red and her nostrils were flaring as the headpiece remained in her hands. Applejack placed her right hand on the fashionista's right shoulder, “Can you give us a minute, Rares?” Rarity placed the headpiece down and nodded before she left. Applejack didn’t miss the relieved smile that grew on her oldest friend’s lips as she left. Once Rarity was gone, Applejack forced Rara back into the make-up chair and sat down next to her, “Now, why's it gonna be so terrible?” she asked.

Rara looked around the room, trying to find something that wasn’t. “Because Svengali was in charge of everything! The lights, the visuals, the sound! Without Svengali, I have nothing!” she worked herself up and was about to get out of the chair.

Applejack softly placed both of her hands on Rara’s shoulders and eased the songstress back into the chair. “Now, now, don't go gettin' yourself into a tizzy there, Rara.” the paladin tried to calm her friend. With Rare back in the chair, the paladin gave a soft smile to her friend as she pulled back her left hand, “Svengali turned you into Countess Coloratura and acted like your friend so he could enjoy the perks that came with bein' with a star.” Applejack pointed out. Rara dipped her head and gave a silent sigh. Applejack continued, “But the real perk of friendship is gettin' to see your friend bein' true to their self. And Rara,” Applejack placed her free hand under Rara’s chin and raised her friend’s face, “when you're simply yourself, you're the brightest star I've ever seen shine.” The paladin said with the sound of comfort. “Besides, all that’s glitz and glam don’t mean a thing without someone to sing the song.” she finished. Rara smiled and nodded.

Fifteen minutes later, Princess Twilight hovered 30 centimeters above the stage as she touched her throat and caused her vocal cords to glow, “Good evening, everybody!” she said loud enough for all to hear and without a need to shout, “Welcome to the opening night of the Helping Hands Music Festival! Now it is my great honor to introduce you to our headlining act.” Twilight paused for a brief second before she announced, “Countess Coloratura!” and as she hovered off of the stage the crows cheered the arrival of Countess Coloratura.

The curtains parted and revealed Rara in a black shirt and shorts with a transparent skirt that went down to her ankles. Her hair was no longer dyed and was its original color and breaded to her right side and rested over her right should. She stood next to a grand piano with a microphone close to the center. She smiled as she took the microphone and spoke, “Good evening everyone. A lot of you might have noticed the absence of much of the…” she paused for a second, “Well, stuff that I’ve used in most of my shows. The reason is because I need to do something that’s totally different, and yer very familiar.” She pauses as she allowed members of the audience to express their confusion. After a second she spoke, “Once you hear this song, you’ll understand,” she placed the microphone back and took the seat. She took a silent breath and began to play. After twelve seconds she started to sing, “I'm here to show you who I am
Throw off the veil, it's finally time
There's more to me than glitz and glam, oh-whoa
And now I feel my stars align
For I had believed what I was sold
I did all the things that I was told
But all that has changed, and now I'm bold
'Cause I know
That I am just a magi
I make mistakes from time to time
But now I know the real me
And put my heart out on the line
And let the magic in my heart stay true
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa
And let the magic in my heart stay true
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa
Just like the magic inside of you
And now I see those colors
Right before my eyes
I hear my voice so clearly
And I know that it is right
They thought I was weak, but I am strong
They sold me the world, but they were wrong
And now that I'm back, I still belong
'Cause I know
That I am just a magi
I make mistakes from time to time
But now I know the real me
And put my heart out on the line
And let the magic in my heart stay true
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa
And let the magic in my heart stay true
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa
Just like the magic inside of you
Just like the magic inside of you…” As she sang her aura mark glowed and the sound of an entire orchestra was heard alongside her piano work and song and once she finished the crowd exploded in cheers. A smile grew on her lips. She was right, the show would go on. She took the microphone back and got off the piano bench before she turned to face the audience. She then spoke, “Thank you, everybody! When I arrived at the Helping Hands Music Festival, I had forgotten who I really was! But then an old friend reminded me what real friendship is about, and she told me that if I was true to myself, I couldn't go wrong! So I have a very special surprise for her. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, come on up!” and the CMC walked onto the stage.

“Actually, we don’t want to be here.” Sweetie Belle took the microphone and started.

“Yeah, we entered because we heard stories about your friendship with Applejack and we thought that she would like to be here for this number.” Scootaloo joined in.

“COME ON UP, SIS!” Apple Bloom completed with a shout as she held up her late mother’s guitar.

Applejack beamed as she got up on the stage and accepted the guitar from her sister as the CMC got off stage. “It’s been a while, Rara, you sure you remember the lyrics?” the paladin asked as she made sure her guitar was tuned.

Rara snickered, “Better than you remember the music, AJ.” The two laughed and Applejack started to play the guitar. Rara took a breath and started to sing the old camp sang, “Mystica, the land I love
A land of harmony
Our flag does wave from high above
For magikind to see
Mystica, a land of friends
Where magikind do roam
They say true friendship never ends
Mystica, my home.” Once Rara ended the song the crowd cheered as she and Applejack took a bow.