The Music That Destroyed the World

[Bardigan]

Herein is a log of the play that caused the second coming of Nightmare Moon, and a Celestia that is a thousand years out of her time!

------------------

Angel finds a place to sit where he can see and not be stepped on.

Octavia does hope she's not recognized by any of the classical music fans. She makes her way to her seat.

Derpy flaps by, having followed a crowd al the way from Ponyville. She hovers in the air over the attendees, eagerly awaiting the entertainment. For once, it's a Bardigan production that she won't be helping with!

It is time, and even the sky knows it. The moon is far too high for this early in the night, and the ground too bright. That pale light narrows and brightens, narrows and brightens, until the moon is visibly shining a floodlight down upon the stage. From this light descends Luna, wings spread, glittering in a haze of stars. She floats slowly down into the Royal Box, settling down on all four hoofs to stand in her most imperiously cold I Am A Serious Princess Watching Serious Things pose.

Octavia takes a seat next to Marble Memory.

Chance meanders around the crowd to Starfire.

Nettleglum is already oozing out of the shadows in the royal box to fluff her majesty's cushions and lay out a tray of cheesy things that quiver and make low mumbling sounds.

Hollyhock pulls off her hat and smooths her mane forward, watching Luna with big eyes.

Firefly glides in behind and to the right side of Luna, alighting silently at her station, folding her wings and sitting, ears perked.

Starfire wanders wtih Chance, looking for a nice spot to sit and enjoy the show.

Blue_Yonder settles in to watch from behind his wagon, full of cheese-covered popcorn, little sun-and-moon-patterned quiches, and other savory snacks.

Daring_Do is watching happily, humming to herself. Opera usually isn't her thing, but if it's BARDIGAN'S opera.

Sunbeam ooohsss! and ZIIIIIPs over to teh cheezy popcorn stand. "One large please."

Diamond_Dancer is next, struggling to fly with her new armor. She's not used to the weight, so instead of smashing into the ground, and accidently impaling everypony, she simply climbs in from the stairs, to set herself down next to Nettleglum and the princess. She looks rather proud of herself, tonight, for whatever reason...

Dapple sits quietly, ears perked.

Chance finds a place and offers Starfire her seat.

Scope has arrived.

Starfire noses Chance and takes the offered seat. "Why thank you."

Marble enjoys opera. Usually how he kills time in Canterlot during long worknights. -- Apple Bloom, though is looking for her sister. Loudly.

Pinkie_Pie has arrived.
<OOC> Luna pulls Pinkie out of her ear.

Rarity has arrived.

Emerald_Star has arrived.

Chance takes his own seat and clops his hooves on his knees, peering around. "Where's the snack pony?"

Sweetie_Belle has arrived.

Octavia leans in and chit-chats qietly with Marble. Discussing the technical details of the opera and the orchestra.

Applejack is backstage! Fully costumed now, she's hopping nervously from hoof to hoof. This is a bigger role than last time.

Blue_Yonder expertly wingflips a large bag of cheese-popcorn over to Sunbeam.

Rarity arrives with her little sister in tow. "This is going to be quite the spectacular preformance. Mister Bardigan is QUITE the playwrite, dear. I think you shall enjoy this!"

Starfire points a wing to Blue Yonder's cart. "He seems to have a whole array of treats."

Maplewing has arrived.

Twilight_Sparkle teleports straight into her box, with Spike a split second behind; the little dragon lands on Twilight's back in a seated position. Spike is wearing the top half of a tuxedo; the princess herself is clad in swirls of purple, pink, midnight blue, and gold, her mane done up high.

Blue_Yonder yeps. "I can't compete with Sugarcube Corner's sweets, but if it's popcorn or pretzels or somethin' you want..."

The sun has since departed for its nightily slumber, but the one who bid it good night is still within the waking world. Celestia enters through the main gallery - a trio of guards to each sides to help manage the crowd as she walks, greeting ponies as she walks. And, of course, one of her private personal guards, Scope, immediately to her side - wearing what seems to be an extraordinarily shiny new set of armor specially forged for tonight's event. "A pleasure," she greets a noble as she passes through. "Good to see you again." "Yes, I am looking forward to it as much as you." "I woudln't miss one of Mister Bardigan's plays for the role." She makes her way through the crowd before somehow finding her way up to the Royal Box, where she finds her place next to her sister. "Good evening, Luna. You really outdid yourself in preparation for tonight's event," she asides in almost a whisper.

Sweetie_Belle follows Rarity along, "This is going to be an awesome play right? You said it had Cutiemarks in it," she notes, "And dragons. And handsome princes. ANd cutiemarks, right?"

After a few moments looking through all the dressing rooms, Apple Bloom stumbles on her sister and waves. "Hey, sis. Yer sure y'all wanna do this?"

Angel passes by Rarity and Sweetie Belle, slipping a folded paper to Rarity when the little one wasn't looking, then goes back to his seat.

Applejack says "Yer darn toot... uh... Indeed, young one. We are VERY certain. It is an honor that cannot be denied."

Derpy has failed to find the main door, and as such has lifted one of the heavy curtains covering one of the windows, and is trying to peek in from outside. The curtain keeps flopping down and covering her face, and she keeps fighting her way out.

Spike slips off of Twilight's back and sneaks over to the concession stand, returning with a bucket of popcorn nearly as big as he is.

Marble points at the orchestra and says, "Weren't you up for a seat in the opera company at some point, Tavi?" -- Apple Bloom raises an eyebrow to her sister. "Break a leg."

Luna nods to Celestia, a small smile spoiling her otherwise I'm Regal [BUY SOME APPLES] It demeanor. "Can thee imagine - somepony dressed our Night's Errant in a gown? We fixed that." She turns her head to Twilight on the other side, and gives the tray of gooey wriggling things Nettleglum provided a nudge. "Ah, Princess Twilight Sparkle. It is good to see thee in thy place - with us. Have some rennet?"

Twilight_Sparkle gives Spike a look. "I hope you're planning on sharing that!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" cries Fluttershy's voice as she explodes out of her dressing room and into backstage, nearly stumbling over her own costume tail. "Um--I-I mean...I'm sorry I kept you waiting."

Rarity quietly peers at the slipped note, and narrows her eyes. Good....good. All going according to plan. "Yes, erm, Cutiemarks. And there may be a dragon or two. It shall be quite the show, though, I assure you, Sweetie. Quickly take your seat, darling, the show shall begin soon enough!

Starfire leans on Chance. "I've never seen an opera before."

Derpy smells Spike's popcorn through the crack in the window, and proceeds to bang against the window with renewed vigor, albeit no greater coordinaton than before.

Spike hugs the bucket, face briefly showing a draconic, hoard-y looking glare. Then he relaxes. "Uh, yeah, sure!"

Daring_Do flies up and lets Derpy in. "Hey cousin."

The stage so suddenly illuminated blares a loud noise, of silver trumpets and bugles, announcing to the crowd that the time is nigh and the curtain time has come. Bardigan, backstage, preps his crew and his actors, patting shoulders and giving last-minute advice - there will be no leg breaking tonight, is that clear?! And then, as suddenly as the noise came, quiet envelopes the theater. It's dead quiet and very dark... until a spotlight bursts to light and shines down on a single spot in front of the curtain. Bardigan steps out, dressed all in modern finery to contrast the classical timeline of the play itself. He holds up a hoof for attention, and opens his mouth to speak…

"Bright Time, Daytime, Sun and Sight Time, festers
Dark and bides its Fright Time. Sister Sun and Sister
Moon, both take their chance to break their fetters.
Story true I’ve come to tell you, and make
It known why help for all near came too late.
I pray you note that past is done, and look
To the future with the tragic lesson
That Princess two, stubborn never took. We actors now hope to fashionA time and tale that you may take away." Bardigan bows and returns behind the curtain.

<OOC> You say, "THE PLAY IS NOW BEGUN."

( A single spotlight, narrow in its scope, lights center stage. )

Into the spotlight and the silence walk two ponies, one subsumed by the figure of the other, joined as only family (and actors portraying family) normally can be: an old mare, golden amber, with hair whose orange-yellow curls seem to be laced and woven with green, gold and red, as if commanding the many faces of sunshine, dark and bright alike; and a small filly, blank-flanked, her coat creamy yellow and her hair amethyst, with a streak of lilac down her tail. Both are pegasi. Both are staring upward uneasily at the meager source of light.

Tweed-Patches has arrived.

The filly--Ponyville natives may know her as Alula--looks away from the sad column of light and nuzzles the older mare's wing briefly. "Nanny, I'm scared," she says. Though her voice is meek, it sounds piercingly through the theater.

The elder pegasus's voice is somewhat scratchy with age, but those scratches have not broken the keel of a personality used to containing fears and commanding them. Or at least, so the Canterlot actor Stringshine would have you believe. "Why's that, dear?"

"It's so dark," replies the cream-colored filly. And, apart from the spotlight on the middle of the stage, it is--the house light have gone down. It's a consuming darkness, almost a menace.
Now the old mare takes her turn nuzzling the child, with heartfelt affection into her shoulder. "Don't you worry your little head about that," she comforts, armed with a song!

The little filly, whom your program would tell you is called Morning Dew if it weren't too dark to read them, eeps and laughs a slight little laugh!

And the mare, whose character is Amber Rose, sings an eerie, melodic, yet slowly uplifting song...

"o/` I know it's kind of scary... when all the light is gone. You feel you must be wary... but listen to this song:

Have faith and you will bury... that fear, and you'll go on--Because, my dear, it's very..." And here the tune gains force and rhythm, supplemented by an orchestra... "...Most dark before the dawn! o/`"

Abruptly, all the lights come on full, bathing the stage in brilliance. A chorus of nobles and Solar Guards are revealed to either side of the tender pair, and the image of a sun is hoisted up in the middle!

Luna is just opening her mouth to tell Celestia and Twilight something that will spoil the carefully cultivated mood, when the lights go up. She is left blinking, and closes her mouth slowly, settling down again to watch.

Berry_Punch has just arrived, and of course she takes the seat next to yours. "Psst," she whispers, trying to get your attention. "What's happened so far?"

Angel just looks up to Berry, munching on his popcorn.

( Astute viewers who remembered to bring their opera glasses might see a little white face peek out just before cue, but once the music hits and the stage lights go on in full, the white dais in center stage is taken by equally-white hooves as Celestia, Princess of the Day, takes her place. She spreads her wings wide, wider than any pegasus could, and takes in a deep breath: )

Daring_Do glances at Berry... "uhm... Lots of singing. I think that filly likes that colt, but that colt likes that filly. And there's a lot of dancing around." she says, drawing on her limited knowledge of what the hay's going on."

...but she holds off for a bit, just basking in the light.

( :is lucky to have such informative neighbors! "Ahh," she says knowingly, stealing a piece of popcorn from Angel's bucket and leaning back in her seat. )

Now the noble chorus's tenor section leads off with beautiful, harmonious tones: "o/` Good morning sunshine, good morning sky! o/`"

They're joined quickly by the sopranos, ethereal in their excitement: "o/` Good morning mountains, good morning butterflies! o/`"

The full chorus moves slightly closer together and sings as one, though in their distinct registers: "o/` Now it's dawn; the day is broken! Clouds are gently swirled. Time to rise and time to sing: Good Morning, World! o/`" Now that's a fabulous cadence!

Tweed-Patches leans back on his cushion, smiling to himself as he hums along, beating time with his hoof, bumping his neighbor now and again in his earnestness.

( Meanwhile, the two females who began the production have ambled wonderingly to one side, and where before they watched only the darkness, now they gaze at the rising sun and at its master, unmistakably Her Royal Highness Celestia. "Oh my pony," exclaims the filly, "is that... Princess Celestia?!" )

The players awake here are Tweed-Patches, Sweetie_Belle, Rarity, Pinkie_Pie, Derpy, Angel, Sunbeam, Starfire, Firefly, Luna, Applejack, and Bardigan.

The grandmother, or 'nanny', replies with her own sense of wonder: "It is indeed!" And then she sings her own solo to the new melody:

"o/` This is our princess-she is our sun! She brings the daylight, each day to everyone! o/`"
Firefly refills her drink and has to grin at the song.

Quailing a little, the filly replies in tune: "o/` She's so big and she's so scary! Her mane is bright and curled! o/`"

But Amber Rose replies soothing, ending with another nuzzle: "o/` Don't you fret, she loves us all. o/`"

And the chorus again announces jubilantly, along with grandmother and granddaughter: "o/` Good Morning, World! o/`"

Luna gives an eye roll. Her head doesn't actually move, but then it's a theatrical gesture meant solely for the princesses on either side of her.

Firefly is doing her best not to snicker, tis hard to sip one's drink while snickering after all.

( Now the Sun has risen fully above the horizon, behind Celestia, just as it should be. She steps down from the dais again, this time descending its front steps to meet her beloved little ponies. )

Twilight_Sparkle is startled by Luna's expression, and just barely suppresses a giggle.

Celestia actually lets loose a tiny, basically inaudible little giggle before he shuts her mouth closed and suppresses.

Pinkie_Pie is not on stage, as such, but only because she's above it! She... she seems to be playing the role of the sun, dangling from a rope and wearing a large circle of yellow cardboard. She beams at everyone. She's very good at beaming. This may be her true role in life.

( The chorus line bows deeply as she passes, getting down on their foreknees. Celestia stops in front of Morning Dew and Ambew Rose. "Good morning, ponies! o/~ Good morning, friends. It's good to see you. The night is at an end!" )

Angel grins.

Sunbeam giggles and chimes to Tweed. "~~ Pink sun in morning, Equestria takes warning ~~"
As if they'd practiced this felicitous meeting, the elderly mare and filly reply in song to their princess, backed up by the entire chorus: "o/` For the day, we love our princess with her coat of pearl!" Little Morning Dew doesn't look nearly so afraid anymore.

Celestia lifts up her front hooves and applauds politely upon the entrance of the sun.

( And Celestia puts her hoof on the little sun-emblem she wears across her chest, answering in kind. o/~ It's my task, and it's my joy--good morning, world! )

Pinkie_Pie beams at Celestia. Maybe she can get this as a full time gig.

Berry_Punch claps too! "Now that's a vintage Pinkie role," she remarks accidentally out loud.

Tweed-Patches grins back to Sunbeam, opening his mouth to respond, but some pony sitting on the other side jabs an elbow into his ribs and goes 'shhhh!' This works pretty well, and he looks properly chagrined.

In a slightly lower counterpoint, everyone (including the princess on stage) sings together: "o/` Now it's dawn and day has broken; clouds are gently swirled! o/`"

The cute little filly spreads her wings. "o/` Good morning, light! o/`" she sings, beaming at Pinkie Pie.

Her mature companion echoes, slightly lower: "o/` Good morning, life! o/`"

Right on pace, the tenors chime in: "o/` Goodbye to darkness! o/`"

And the sopranos add: "o/` Farewell, strife! o/`"

Twilight_Sparkle levitates mouthfuls of popcorn from Spike's bucket to her mouth.

And in conclusion of a fine overture, everypony sings radiantly: "o/` Good morning, ev-er-y-thing! Good Morning, World!! o/`" Those with wings have them raised in exaltation, and those without content themselves with being perfectly composed and lifting their heads on high.

Now the chorus begins to file out, followed by the solar guard.

Firefly perks an ear and grins, sipping her drink.

Derpy has knocked herself silly trying to get in the window, and has gone around to try and sneak in backstage.

Luna eyes Twilight and Spike's popcorn. Her tail ripples. It always ripples, which is why it's perfect cover for it slapping Celestia's flank so Luna can get Lighthouse Horn's attention and make eye pointy gestures at the popcorn.

And followed by the Princess herself, with her head high and giving one fond look back at Amber and Dew.

The elderly mare with streaks in her hair walks out, reinvigorated and stately.

And little Morning Dew hops happily alongside her granny! Now the stage is bare.

( When the stage is empty, a single glockenspiel's soft chiming heralds the entrance of the other Princess as Luna steps out from behind a column and looks around to where all the others had left. Nopony is looking, as far as she knows, and the expression on her face is one of deepest hurt. )

Hollyhock chews her bottom lip, her brow furrowed as she watches, turning her hat slowly 'round and round in her hooves, her eyes darting up to the royal box every now and again, trying not to just stare.

( Luna sings, the same tune as the others, but slow and mournful: "o/` Goodbye to darkness? / Farewell to strife? o/`" )
"o/` That's how they see me? / Their fear cuts like a knife. o/`"
( Onstage, Luna takes a few steps forward and looks up at the sun. "o/` For the day, they love *their* Princess / At me, hate is hurled? / What have I done to earn this? o/` )

Berry_Punch psssts. "I bet it rhymes with 'world'!"

Up in the Royal Box, Luna goes very still, popcorn forgotten - which is a royal miracle.

The princess of the night starts to walk off again, and hangs her head. Quietly, but carryingly, she finishes, "o/` Good morning, world. o/`", and then exits.

Spike is also staring, rapt now. This part seems to be affecting him.

Angel pffts, points to Spike and grins, bunny giggling.

Berry_Punch follows Angel's eyes and giggles a little, too. She's got a soft spot for dragons with soft spots.

Twilight_Sparkle scoots a little closer to her dragon friend.

Sunbeam looks at Tweed. "Awww...that is so sad....without night time, there are no stars to watch."

The curtains draw closed for a moment. The orchestra is quiet but for a few string insstruments whose lowering, softening tones suggest nightfall. When the curtains open again, the scene has changed: now there is on one side oo the stage a castle tower and balcony, while on the other side there is a few buildings in a pony village. One is clearly marked 'St. Tabitha's Orphanage'.

Back stage, Bardigan sits quietly upon his director's chair, hooves steepled as he watches the curtain, beyond which are the actors, filing in and out, furiously changing clothes and furniture. It's controlled madness. As Luna slips back offstage, he raises a hoof. "Cue lights," he murmurs, and stands up, unable to contain his own anxious excitement. His hoof clops, and then crunches. He looks down to see something woody and tangled at his hooves. It's a root. "... What?" he mutters, thinking it a discarded prop, but then another call distracts him, and he turns away. The play goes on.

Derpy, meanwhile, has managed to jimmy the rear lock after distracting the usher out there with an incomprehensible question about salmonfish and pinwheels. But now she finds herself backstage and unable to locate the way forward!

Angel slips off and slips backstage, keeping out of the way, looking for Fluttershy, then scoots towards wardrobe, having brought her a glass of water for her nerves.

A few small lights suggests a sparkling night sky, under which the Princess of the Moon steps out onto the balcony. It is hours later, but she is still distraught. Not for the first time she looks up at her sky and asks it, "Do they all feel this way?" Then she stares down at the town far below. "My little ponies, do none of thee care for the nighttime?"

Now the lovable pair, Morning Dew and Amber Rose, come hurrying across the stage, their normal lives in some sense resumed and a curfew to keep.

Dusk enters, with Mirage walking along next to him.

( Backstage, Pinkie 'The Sun' Pie rolls over Derpy in her costume, bringing her along. )

The elderly mare sings, to a new (yet perhaps familiar) tune: "o/` Come now, my dear one: The sun's gone away. There's no more time for day's blessing. o/`"

Chance waves Dusk and Mirage over to himself and Starfire.

<OOC> Applejack notes... it is this tune. Familiar to most of you. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW5n3k2VgZE&feature=player_detailpage#t=55

Starfire waves to Dusk and Mirage as well, holding on to her own huge popcorm and pretzel buckets.

Dapple looks impressed at Luna's recitative.

As they leave, they pass by the building marked St. Tabitha's Orphange, into which a matron is shooing several foals of various levels of ruliness inside. The sound of laughter accompanies the dimming of day.

Celestia dabs gently at her eyes with a tissue.

Now the matron, tall and greenish yellow, picks up the mournful melody: "o/` Inside, my childen--to bed now, and stay! The dangers of darkness are pressing. o/`"

Dusk and Mirage make their way to where the performance is.. well, being performed. He looks around and actually manages to spot their friends, Chance and Starfire, as they helpfully wave them over. He leans into Mirage and points them out, and two make their way over, being as quiet as can to not interrupt the started show.

Firefly perks her ears and leans forward a bit now, sipping her drink.

The building and yard is rotated so as to reveal a portion of its interior. There, some of the children have been herded into a modestly appointed bed, large enough for them all.

Hollyhock leans forward in his seat, his eyes wide as he listens to the aria. He lifts a hoof, biting the tip. He swallows, and looks quickly to the pony who elbowed him earlier, mouthing, 'Poor Luna!' before pulling a spotty hanky from his top pocket, dabbing his eyes. The other pony stares, sullen.

Derpy squeals plaintively in the distant background.

One of the three foals, named Spirit by the program, stage-murmurs: "Guys? Guys--I don't want to be asleep." It's said as if the idea is the most novel in the world.

Another foal, brighter of coat, replies. "Me neither. Every day's the same, but every night is different!"

Luna frowns faintly, although it's less cold than her official detached stare. She watches the performance like it's a curious bug. Bardigan has certainly achieved one goal already: Princess Luna is definitely not bored.

This causes the foals as a group to nod and murmur in agreement.

Mirage is careful not to spill her popcorn as she follows Dusk to their seats by Starfire and Chance.

The dark filly Spirit voices her opinion again: "I love the stars and the quiet."

Tweed-Patches in the back, does seem to be asleep, or maybe just dozing. He's nudged, and he comes awake with a little start.

The colt Candlelight replies in kind: "I wish we could stay up forever." And the foals in bed jostle each other, murmuring in further, inaudible discussion.

( Alicorns are wondrous creatures with strange powers, and it seems this includes a sort of clairaudience. From up on the castle balcony, Luna has somehow heard the foals. "Hark! There *are* yet those who would choose to be mine! They crave refuge in the night." She glances over her shoulder, as though somehow condemning her sister when she says, "And lo, there are few enough others who care for them." )

( The Luna onstage faces the town again, spreads her wings (through the efforts of the unicorns working special effects backstage), and rears up! "Very well! Thy wish shall be granted! Come! Come to me!" )

Berry_Punch remarks in not quite a whisper: "Yeah, Celestia! What's that about?

*Orphanages.* Pah!" And kicks back, accidentally jostling the mane of the pony in front of her.
In a page-pose to you, Derpy and Fluttershy, Applejack will spoof what little the foals have to do in the song itself, unless Derpy wants to throw in a few gestures or whatever.

( Princess Luna kicks off from the balcony and soars towards the town, a distance that seems to be miles even though it is only a few dozen feet. The orchestra's haunting pizzicato strings accompany her song: "o/` Come, little children, I'll take thee away, / Into a land of enchantment / Come, little children, the time's come to play / Here in my garden of sha-a-dows o/`" )

Hollyhock gives a little squeak, starting a little, dropping her kerchief as Berry jostles her mane. She turns around and looks over her shoulder, eyes squinted.

Firefly sips her drink, she absolutely loves this song.

Diamond_Dancer listens with her little perked ears, craning her neck to see as much as she can. This show is so far her most favoritest ever.

( With all the grace of a born Princess, Luna touches down in the town and calls out to the young ones: "o/` Follow, sweet children; I'll show thee the way / Through all the pain and the sorrows / Weep not poor children, for life is this way / Murdering beauty and pa-a-assions... o/`" )

( As the song goes on and its moody tempo beats in the night like a frustrated heart, a strange aura, a penetrating energy seeps through the air. One can almost smell it. It wafts over the audience, chilling and thrilling all at once. It may be the song, or Applejack's performance... but there is an eerie tingle to it that suggests some outside agency. )

Berry_Punch leans back and takes in a deep, deep breath through her nose.

Firefly sits back and takes a more alert stance, looking about.

Blue_Yonder shakes his wings out, feeling a weird sensation in his feathers. That's ... odd.

Starfire ooohhsss.....nosing Chance. "Such things they can do in theaters now."

The foals, curious about the sounds outside, climb out of bed... but are quickly picked up by the Princess' magic. Cradling them gently, her touch softer than a cloud, she brings them closer and smiles at them. Maybe there is hope yet. "o/` Hush now, dear children, it must be this way / To weary of life and deceptions / Rest now my children, for soon we'll away / Into the calm and the quiet o/`"

Diamond_Dancer seems absolutely entranced by the song, eyes glazing over slightly while she stares, ears perked, picking up every scrap of sound that ripples through the air...

Scope, who was otherwise distracted by the fabric of the nearby wall blinks at both the song and the "sensation" turns his eyes towards the stage with ears flicking forward, head tilting just a little.


Spike shivers slightly and looks around, suddenly alertly curious.

Tweed-Patches leans further forward in his seat, ears perked, staring at the filly on stage. He consults his playbill briefly to get her name, then resumes staring.

Sunbeam peers at Tweed. "So, who is it?" whispering curiously. "I didn't get a cast list."

Luna lets out an audible sigh - well, audible to the Royal Box. Pulling her head back so that she can address both Twilight and Celestia, she murmurs, "We remember those feelings, the need for night to be solace from the day." She does not sound lost in distant memories, either, and her aquamarine eyes remain fixed on the stage, so fixed that they glow in the reflected spotlights.

Dapple shivers, his horn tingling strangely. The aria, it must be. So hauntingly compelling...

Hollyhock ruffles her wings, glancing back up at the royal box, swallowing, chewing her lip, watching Luna.

The Princess beats her wings and slowly lifts off, orbited by the young ponies as an unseen chorus chants the eerie melody. Fog, or perhaps clouds, fill the stage, obscuring everything except the ponies and the night sky. Finally she flies, swooping around the stage as she sings, "o/` Come, little children, I'll take thee away / Into a land of enchantment / Come, little children, the time's come to play / Here in my garden of sha-a-dows... o/`" One by one, lifted by the magic, the foals swoop offstage through the clouds as their Princess sings to them... then as she starts to fly out, the song ends. The stage is suddenly pitch black, and the curtains swing shut.
One of the little foals, a little yellow earth filly, lifts her forelegs in sheer reverence as she's removed from the ground and her home.

Dapple applauds!

Berry_Punch leans forward and pssts to Sunbeam. "That's Applejack! Can you believe it?"
In a page-pose to you, Derpy and Fluttershy, Applejack takes a deep breath. She's stil up, so she'll pose the scene change. And the next one. Yeesh.

Tweed-Patches leans to answer Sunbeam, but pauses, seeing the curtains close. He sits up a little more in his seat, then starts clapping his hooves together, "I say! What a way to close the first act! Eh? Whot?" He nudges Sunbeam with his elbow.

Twilight_Sparkle takes her turn to be rapt; she angles her head so she can dart her eyes rapidly back and forth from the stage to Princess Luna's expressions. To know Luna the way she does makes the old legend of Nightmare Moon seem strange, sometimes...she leans in, and whispers to Luna, "without the night, there wouldn't be any use for twilight."

As the moody hearbeat of the song thuds on and on to its termination, fading like the Princess into the night, Bardigan gestures wildly for ponies to get themselves in place. He can see Luna and Celestia from here - the actors, mind, being Applejack and Fluttershy - and ushers them along. They seem strangely distracted, not even acknowledging him... angry, even. There's a strange energy in the air back there, something that makes him sneeze and tuck his wings in close for how itchy they are. "Get the props ready! No, move that over -there.-" Crunch. At Bardigan's hooves is another root, crystalline blue and reaching. It hasn't broken, but shattered like glass under his hoof. Bardigan follows it readily this time, huffing as he throws open a door to a storage closet. "And can *somepony* tell me... where..." Crystal roots have covered the entire room, grasping outwards. Bardigan recoils and slams the door, too shocked to say anything.

Dusk smiles as he sits with Mirage and his friends. He certainly loves this song and story too. He grins, overhearing Berry. He had said he figured Nightmare Moon was really AJ all along. He rubs shoulders with Mirage and has a little popcorn, watching the show closely.

( This time when the curtains open, the scene is an unfamiliar room. There are several small beds here, spartan but comfortable. Not much else can be seen in the dimness. A banner reading 'THREE MOONS LATER - EVE OF THE SUMMER SUN' in ornate gold lettering is lifted by magic and floats up and away into the flies. When it leaves, Luna swoops in, this time wearing saddlebags. "Children! Attend. Thy Princess has returned!" )

Mirage smiles and leans her shoulder back to Dusk, sharing her popcorn with him. "Well, Nightmare Moon -was- honest," she whispers to Dusk.

Dapple leans forward and watches raptly.

( Silence. Luna looks around, frowning slightly. "Children? I have somewhat for thee. Where art thou?" A flash of magic flickers on her horn-tip and a few candles light, bringing up the stage lights as well. Now we can see this is a surprisingly cheerful bedroom, a few little desks and other pieces of furniture scattered around; the stone walls are marred not with damp but with children's chalk drawings. But of the children themselves, there is still no sign. )

Dusk chuckles silently and nods back to Mirage, "Quite astute, my love." He smiles.

Berry_Punch deadpans, "They gone."

"They are gone, sister. I found a new home for each, all across Equestria."

( Out from the shadows steps the Sun Princess, her frame eclipsing a child's drawing of Luna and her night foals. )

( Princess Luna's jaw drops, aghast, as she wheels on her sister! "You... TOOK them!? My Children??" There is the faintest hint of a tear forming in the corner of one eye, but her shock and anger drives it away. )

Firefly peers over at Celestia with this 'you took her children?' look on her face

Hollyhock gives a soft gasp as Celestia reveals herself, and her wings open in surprise. She wrings her bandana in her hooves, leaning further forward, chewing the point of a hoof.

( But Celestia just straightens her neck, holding her head high to glare down as she chastises her sister. "They were never yours, Luna. Ponies cannot live in the dark!" )

The eerie tingle felt during the Children of the Night turns to a low hum in the ears of everypony in attendance. It's like a string section slowly building to earbreaking climax, but the orchestra itself is muted.

( Luna plants her hooves. Her legs and her voice tremble even as she roars at the top of her lungs! "HOW DARE YOU!!?" A coloring book and some crayons are picked up in the breeze and blown away. )

Derpy, backstage and pinned to a giant cardboard sun, finds herself with a coloring book in her face.

Dapple eyewidens and puts his hoof to his mouth.

Spike's jaw drops, the popcorn forgotten, his complicated feelings about family provoked by Luna's loss. He...seems to have gotten something in his eye. Yes.

Pinkie_Pie curls up under Derpy's wing backstage, eyes wide as she watches.

( And Celestia's mane is blown back, too, but she is unflappable in the face of her sister's tantrum. She spreads her wings like a bird scaring a predator away from its nest and shouts back, though not as loud. "How dare I? Luna, listen to yourself! You STOLE CHILDREN!" )

The actual Princess Luna reaches a hoof back, and bumps Firefly warningly. She didn't even have to look. "This did not happen." Her eyes are fixed on the stage, and her expression hardens into an ominous glower. "But it COULD have."

Dusk is, while sitting mostly still, glancing around curiously at the odd effect. Something.. unusual.

Twilight_Sparkle clasps her hooves to her mouth, inhaling sharply.

( The dark Princess takes a step back and closes her eyes for a moment, jaw set, trying to get ahold of herself. "I did not STEAL them, Celestia, they CHOSE-" but she is cut off. )

( "Children cannot CHOOSE, DEAR SISTER!" Celestia leans forward, presence towering over her sister in spite of the tiny difference in height. "They are too young to understand." )

Firefly feels the bump, blinking out of her confused state as Luna clarifies this was not a historical event, relaxing a bit. Well written, yes.

Derpy reaches out her hoof down toward Pinkie, pawing for a purple crayon.

Tweed-Patches leans back, looking aloof, leaning to tell his neighbors, sotto voce, "Frightfully well done, but I'm afraid it didn't happen like this. Quite different. Quite."

( Luna steps back again and looks around, at the drawings, at the beds, at the schoolbooks that will now forever remain unused. She sags a little as the fury drains out of her, replaced by an aching sorrow. in tones of pure disbelief and betrayal, she says in a voice barely more than a whisper, "You... took my Children... who loved the Night." )

Luna has drifted into a reverie of her own. Her voice is quiet, just loud enough for the Royal Box, but from her fixed expression it's the stage she's talking to. "It was like talking to the sun. She did what she would, never listening, and the less she listened, the more they loved her."

Sunbeam looks to Tweed and whispers, "Nicely staged, yes.."

Pinkie_Pie silently passes Derpy the crayon.

( The fury drains away from Celestia, too, but not to sorrow. Instead, her mane relaxes, and her face takes on the same placid expression it held when talking to the ponies as she raised the sun, as if she were talking to a stranger. "Enough!" She turns. "Come! We have work to do. The new Summer Sun Celebration is tomorrow, and all of Equestria will be watching!" Celestia walks away, graceful as ever, leaving Luna in the dark. )

The real Celestia's eyes are closed as well. Her sister's voice floats through her ears. "The sun had shone to bright - it blinded her from the truth. She was loved, yet she could not see it." Her voice is wisp-like, only barely loud enough to be heard in the royal box.

Spike sniffles.

Starfire looks to Chance and asks quietly, "Chance, why did Celestia only find them homes after someone took them all in? Why didn't she do that when they were left all lonely in the orphanage?"

Twilight_Sparkle gazes at the elder princesses a long time.

Berry_Punch sniffles too!

Scope's ear flicks at the whispers from the sisters (oh look a rhyme), brow lifting as he slowly turns his head to look upon both of them with a somewhat concerned gaze.

Hollyhock has both her hooves at her mouth now, blinking rapidly, trying to keep her tears from falling.

Dapple shakes his head, the corners of his eyes glistening.

Derpy diligently colors in the coloring book plastered to her face, trying to thus excise the emotions rising in her.

( Luna watches the glorious daylight Princess leave with eyes dull and distant, betrayal etched on every feature. She doesn't reply, only pulls a small sack out of her saddlebag and drops it unceremoniously; when it falls, a ball, a teddy bear, and a few other small toys roll out of it. The princess ignores them, and just hangs her head. The candles and the stage lights sflicker and snuff out, and in the darkness can be heard a single soft sob. Then the curtains once again swoop shut. )

Twilight_Sparkle turns her eyes to Spike. Into the little dragon's earfan, she murmurs, "see, I *told* you historical drama was cool."

Pinkie_Pie covers her eyes with her hooves. She can't watch.

Spike wipes his eyes with the back of his hand, and hugs Twilight's neck.

Twilight_Sparkle hugs Spike in close with a front leg.

This time when the curtains flick open, the stage is brightly lit indeed! This is the Sisters' shared throne room, the grand thrones of the Night and Day resplendent at rear center stage. Even the carpet and walls gleam in the bright sunlight shining through the windows. Outside, there are sounds... a crowd, perhaps, gathered for a spectacle.

( The strange hum is now audible to everypony, riveting them with attention to the play. Luna and Celestia's emotions, so plain on their faces, are writ large on the crowd. Most eyes are focused on stage because they *can't* look away. It is a soundless tune that holds them like a fishing line, keeping them in place. Something magical is at work here. )

Luna stares at the stage so hard her eyes are starting to change shape, widening, with the irises lengthening into ovals. But she doesn't react to any of the events. Her stare is the same during the argument, and when the lights go out, and she doesn't so much as flicker an eyelash at the sobbing in the dark. It's only Celestia's words that she responds to. "There was no love. There was fear. The ponies who loved the night were less than the feathers shed from our wings, and they were treated as diseased and mad."

Derpy can't watch either--there's a coloring book on her face! But she can listen, and she hears the sound of the bag dropping. "Was ball?" she whispers to Pinkie. "Was tooy?"

( Onstage, Luna appears, walking out from behind her throne. She stands there for a moment, listening. The crowd outside cheers suddenly, sounds of ecstasy and joy for something that is very much on the other side of a wall from the Princess. )

Celestia's eyes remain closed, her wings tucked to her sides. "The sun had shone too bright - it blinded me from the truth. She was hurt, yet I could not see it." Her voice gains a sad, ethereal quality.

"The show must go on," Bardigan hisses to a nearby stagehoof. "I feel sick," the poor pony replies. "Something weird is-" "I said the show goes on! Now get the props out for the next scene!" Bardigan snaps. He rushes to a nearby copy of the script and flips through it. "Where's Celestia and Luna? Where are the Princesses?" He blinks, shaking his head. Why did he say that? "I - I mean... Applejack and... Flutter..." He puts a hoof to his head. Behind him, crystal roots now carpet the floor.

"Yeah, somepony spiked the air," observes Berry Punch matter-of-factly to her neighbors. She breathes in deeply of the magical aura, not seeming to mind.

The Princess of the Night, alone in her throne room, has a flat, distant expression, but the hurt in her voice is evident as she softly starts to sing, again with the simple night sky accompaniment from the orchestral pit. "o/` The sunrise shone its spectacle. / The ponies shout with bliss. / Their sunlight - so *delectable* / What could compare to this? o/`"

Twilight_Sparkle's horn is aglow now. She'd been ignoring it like you might ignore a random ache, but it's quite a bit past that now, and she cradles Spike closer, wrapping her wings around him. "Spike," she murmurs. "We have to get backstage."

Dusk feels the magic as well as the sound that the other ponies are hearing now too. He glances over to his friends, seeing what their reactions are.

Starfire is eating her popcorn like nothing was amiss, watching the stage.

Spike looks up at Twilight, and whispers, "Something's happening, isn't it? The room feels weird."

( Fighting it every inch of the way but losing, losing fast, Luna's face twists into a mask of bitterness and... slowly... hate... "o/` Not nighttime, with the dark above. / Not moonlight held so dear... o/`" Her eyes narrow as she looks out a window. "o/` Dear ponies, if thou cannot love o/`" and slowly a dark, wicked grin spreads across her face, "o/` Then thou shalf learn... to... FEAR~ o/`" )

Twilight_Sparkle nods emphatically to Spike. "There's strange magic going on. We might not have much time!"

Blue_Yonder glances around, wings still quivering like a scared moth. But he can't look away from the stage.

Scope slowly reaches a hoof across to Luna but stops mid-hoof as the mood and feeling changes, horn immediately firing up with an aura of gold as he straightens up. Eyes narrowing, he initiates a discreet scan of the theater, eventually closing his eyes completely as he concentrates.

Dapple ignores the warning tingles in his horn, his attention riveted on Luna's aria.

Tweed-Patches mumbles something about the acting being convincing, or starts to rather, but trails off halfway done, blinking a few times before lifting his opera glasses, watching the Luna on stage through them.

Sunbeam nods to Tweed. "They really went all out on the effects for the show, didn't they?"

Outside, onstage, thunder suddenly rumbles and the light outside flickers. Somehow there is an answering peal of thunder from outside the playhouse as well! The house lights flicker briefly, but none of the performers seme to notice. Instead, the band kicks into an energetic, dark song, with a style somewhere between swing and tango!

The Real Princess Luna's mouth twists, as Luna's bleak regality twists to resentment. She hisses aside at her sister, "Blind? They threw a party to celebrate the longest day and the shortest night. Thou rolled about in their preference like a pig in filth. There is none so blind as who refuses to see."

Twilight_Sparkle, with Spike on her back, leaps from the box, her wings spread wide! She lands on the stage, to gasps from the audience, and looks around, horn held high as a magical antenna.

Tweed-Patches nods absently to Sunbeam, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, almost mesmerized by the performance, "Quite. Quite." Then, "Likely broke their budget."

Sunbeam says "And look, they gave that one a very realistic little dragon....."

Diamond_Dancer's twitch and perk gently at the sounds and the smell invading the theater. "Whoa. Bardy can really put on a show!" She squeaks, and winces slightly. "Ahh, come on you'se guys, dis is all part of da play, you know? Bardy's jus really good!" She hisses

( Luna begins to pace the throne room, her venomous words directed at the simpering masses as she sings her fury at them! "o/` You fear ghosties and ghouls / Well too bad you're all fools / You made up your midnight scares / In your soft cotton beds / Dreams have danced in your heads / You've never had a REAL nightmare! o/`" )

Berry_Punch sits forth eagerly, sensing off-script about to occur!

Dapple gasps as Princess Twilight alights on the stage. This can't be part of the script!
The alarms in Scope's head go off and he's to his hooves, staring down at the stage and initiating a telepo-- Wait. The hiss from Luna towards his charge catches his ear and, acting almost on instinct, he moves himself inbetween the two alicorns.

The Real Princess Celestia's expression grows pained. It suddenly looks as though the weight of the world were on her back. Her normally regal pose begins to tremble. "I had refused to see - yet you were the one to suffer. I had erred - and you paid the price." Her voice fades.

( The Luna onstage swaggers toward the window, a spark being thrown up with every hoofstep, each of which matches the beat and underscores her anger! "o/` Well sit up and take note / I've got you all by the throat / Don't even bother striking a spark / It really matters not / Live or dead, you're caught! o/` and a savage grin tears at her face as she finishes the verse: "o/` Soon you'll be - afraid of the dark! o/`" )

Dusk sees not just Starfire, but many ponies seeming to almost totally ignoring the growing effect. As riveting and wonderful a performance, how can so few be reacting to it? Hmmm.. an effect of the magic itself? He isn't too surprise to see Twilight taking action, and watches, but ready to take steps as well.

Firefly doesn't reply to Diamond's comment, but just....stands there, her drink dripping into Diamond slowly, then more and more before the whole cup kaslooshes on the Errant's head.

Twilight_Sparkle gallops back and forth across the stage, her hindquarters facing the audience, as the action of the play continues. "Bardigan!" she calls out. "Bardigan, I need to talk to you!"

As if in a daze, Bardigan ignores quietly panicking ponies asking him what to do backstage. The crystal roots are aglow with a warm, yet frightening light. Bardigan hobbles towards one as it grows right in front of him, sprouting a blossom. Slowly, slowly, Bardigan reaches for it with a shaking hoof. The blossom blooms into an orange gem. "... Honest?" he wonders, but isn't sure where the word comes from. "I... I tried to be..."

Spike nudges Twilight's neck. "He'll be backstage!"

Mirage is watching the play, not taking her eyes off it for a moment. "Wonderful special effects, don't you think, love?" she asks Dusk without a glance to him.

Tweed-Patches waves a hoof at the stage, at Twilight, "I say! Down in front!" He wants to watch what's going to happen!

Mirage is watching the play, not taking her eyes off it for a moment. "Wonderful special effects, don't you think, love?" she asks Dusk without a glance to him.

Tweed-Patches waves a hoof at the stage, at Twilight, "I say! Down in front!" He wants to watch what's going to happen!

Twilight_Sparkle nods to Spike, and pushes past the curtain, disappearing from the audience's view! She stops there, suddenly. It's much quieter back here, from a sound standpoint, but magically it's like a deafening hum!

( Drawn by the noise and excusing herself from the crowd, Celestia enters the stage once again, drawing up short and going wide-eyed at little Luna. "Dear sister! What are you doing?!" )
Luna breathes hard, hard enough that her chest heaves visibly to any pony looking at her. "Thine was the least crime. Thou made thyself an unfeeling obstacle, but it was they who had to learn a lesson. Let them lose thee. The night loved them, and had always loved them. Without the sun, they could learn to love her back, or freeze." She's still staring down at the stage, and her eyes have gone wide as saucers, while her pupils shrank to black, reptilian slits.

Spike flicks his tongue, as if he could taste the strong magical field. As his eyes adjust to the darkness, he starts to see the crystal roots. "What *are* these things?" he hisses to Twilight.

Diamond_Dancer turns towards Firefly and peers at her flatly. "I -JUST- got dis armor." She sputters, the Squire's drink dripping all over her.

Twilight_Sparkle looks at the roots too, her eyes wide. "I don't know! But I have this weird feeling they're running the show!"

Backstage is a mess. Crystal roots are growing everywhere, randomly sprouting blossoms so fast you can see it. Ponies are either watching the curtain, frozen, or running back and forth without a clue what to do. Bardigan is curled around one of the roots, cradling one of the gems in his hooves. His back is to Twilight.

Firefly again does not reply to Diamond, her own eyes were clenched shut and her wings were partially open, shivering, her ears laid flat back.

Dapple's eyes narrow as the Princess vanishes backstage. He watches on-stage Luna's more-than-frightening performance, then casts his gaze toward the Royal Box. Something is very, very wrong.

Angel waves to Spike and Twilight. He was still backstage, and sitting on a crystal root, lightly tapping at it with a fork. Seems they were not very edible.

( Eyes wide now, fury oozing from every port, the Princess of the Night wheels on her sister and ORDERS her to stand down! "Not another step!" She locks eyes with Celestia and climbs the short staircase leading to a small balcony. "Did you really expect me to sit idly by while THEY all basked in your precious light!?" On the balcony, she turns and stares down at the Princess of the Day and roars! "There can be only ONE princess in Equestria, and that princess will be ME!" On the last words, her hooves slam down, shaking the room, shattering a piece of the balustrade, and even breaking a huge chunk out of the wall behind her! )

Oh no.. "Luna..", Scope swallows a rather hefty lump in his throat and finishes his reach this time, resting his hoof atop the blue-coated Princess of the Night, staring upwards at his occasional charge. "Come back.", he murmurs low in his throat, "...come back to the present."

Derpy, spontaneously, tells Pinkie Pie: "When Hearthswarming, and Dinky only eight. Boughted for her toy." She shivers, rustling the spokes of the cardboard sun they share. "Spent whoole paycheck. No other present! No other Hearthswarm meal. Only most best toy in ever seen world. For Dinky." She pauses to breath in noisily, in spurts. She sobs, then. "Dinky hates. Dinky broked! No more toy! ...No more Hearthswarming." She slowly peels the coloring book from her visage and faces the root where the orange gem has blossomed. "Was worst hurt in heart have ever remember."

Hollyhock gives a squeak as bits of the stage begin to fall, jumping in her seat. Her eyes are already wide, but then get even bigger, cringing slightly away from the scene on stage, lost to everything else around her.

Twilight_Sparkle turns to Angel. "Angel! Do you know what's happening here? Do you know where Bardigan is? Can you help me stop all this?"

Spike snaps a petal off one of the blooms and looks at it hesitantly, wondering if he should taste it. He's never heard of a gem being poisonous before, but if any were going to be, it'd be this one.

Bardigan is not far away, curled up as he is amidst the quickly growing roots. His ears flick upwards from the gem in his hooves, staring at the mass of crystal in front of him. If he heard Twilight calling for him he doesn't reply at all. "Oh," he whispers. "They skipped right to the climax."

( Through the shattered set wall, the stagecraft sun can be seen... but not for long. Luna lifts her hooves and hovers, and the lights begin to dim! "o/` Dearest sister, how nice / You dropped in for a trice / While your party's still in swing! / It doesn't matter, I guess / It's over now, more or less / Time to face the doom that I bring! o/`" The moon rises, slowly, inexorably blotting out the sun! The light becomes not only dimmer, but bluer, eldritch, edged somehow with colors that shouldn't be there... "o/` For your so selfish ways / Here's the price you pay / For your crimes so vile and stark / The wage of sin is death / And with your last breath / I'll make YOU afraid of the dark! o/`" )

Dusk looks concerned to Mirage and the others. Even now he is feeling the impinging force, sending a shudder thought him. "Yes, my love," he says gently back. "Be careful.." And he is no longer in his seat, unnoticed even if he had tried to be. The black stallion is discretely snooping about, tracking where the magic is coming from. It doesn't take much effort to run across the growing crystal vines though.

Blue_Yonder shakes his head to clear it once the stage starts to collapse. He floats airborne and starts a slow circle to get a better view of what's going on.

Angel shakes his head, he could not sense magic, so heard nothing amiss, just saw strange roots, which he points at, then turns and points over towards where he last saw Bardigan.

A tear appears at the real Celestia's eye. "It was my crime, they only ever emulated me. I tried to protect them from my own worst mistake. I failed." That single tear slides down her cheek and drops to the floor of the royal box.

Mirage gives a vacant little nod to Dusk as she watches only the performance.

Starfire is much the same as Mirage, just with popcorn.

The shadows thicken around the blue princess onstage, flickering madly through colors on the far side of darkness. Soon she cannot be seen, as the blacks and reds and worse fight for dominance. But she can be HEARD. A chuckle at first but soon her voice erupts in peals of maddened laughter, shrieking in the impossible darkness!

( Celestia whips her head around, mouth agape, as the light around her fades away. If she weren't shining with her own soft light, even the audience wouldn't be able to see her. She presses forward through the dark, which seems to push back and make her fight for every step. "Sister, I will not fight you! You must lower the moon! It is your DUTY!" )

Dapple watches with wide eyes, his attention once again wholly absorbed in the action on-stage. He doesn't even notice the crystal root his forehoof crushes as he leans forward.

Berry_Punch leans over and pokes Daring Do on the shoulder. "So, you ready to leap into action if anything crazy goes down?"

( Slowly the shadows dissipate. When the Princess becomes visible again, she has changed. Black of coat, sharp of tooth, armored in cerulean now and wrapped in darkness and hate, she is no longer the benevolent ruler. "Luna? I am... Nightmare Moon! I have but one royal duty now - to DESTROY YOU!" And with no further preamble, fires a searing blast of teal energy at her sister! )

Bardigan, sitting amidst a large coil of the roots that have nearly obscured him now, glances up and around at the blossoms, which dangle like snowflakes or bear heavy fruit in the form of colored gems. Red, blue, orange, purple, pink, lavender. He seems to know what's going on now, but he hasn't admitted it to himself yet. "This," he decides in a quiet voice, "is very, very bad."

Tweed-Patches gives a little cry of delight at the light show. He taps his forehooves politely together.

( Normally he'd be berated for even coming close to touching the Moon Princess so he recoils immediately and lifts a hoof to protect his face.. but the shouting never comes, which confuses the guard at first until he looks over his shoulder to see Celestia barely reacting to what's going on inside the Royal Box. Well.. his services apparently aren't required at this time so he just sits there inbetween the two in case something DOES happen. )

Twilight_Sparkle spies Bardigan, who isn't that far away, though somehow it feels much brighter and louder there! She gallops closer. "Bardigan! What in Equestria is going ON here? We have to stop this!"


Spike takes an experimental nibble of one of the gems, and makes a face like someone who's just eaten a whole bushel of lemons, pushing it away and grimacing. "It's so *bitter*."

( Celestia jumps to the right, taking wing over the floor as the magic sizzles past, leaving a scorchmark on her cheek. She holds out her hooves, replying, o/~ Sister, why do you rage? / What can I do to assuage / the hate that's gripped your heart? o/~ )

Derpy creeps forward and sits next to Bardigan. Without any words, she leans forward and places her head beside his, her forelegs folding around his body, her eyes closed.

The real Luna's lips curl apart, showing sharp, unponylike fangs. In perfect time with what was Applejack on stage, Luna scoffs, "Luna? I am... Nightmare Moon! I have but one royal duty now - to DESTROY YOU!" At least she doesn't blast anything. Her body is flickering with blue fire mottled with black, but she's only standing there. Not that she could move anyway. Crystal has started creeping up around her hooves.

Dusk follows the roots towards that seems to be the source, or at least more of them while being careful not to get caught up in them as he notices them moving and growing as well. These are some stage decorations. He hears talk, and picks up on Spike's and Twilight's familiar voices. He's sure she's already on it, and finds himself correct.. He doesn't even see Bardigan at first, having to take a second look. "Princess Sparkle! What is this about, do you know?"

Bardigan cradles the orange gem in his hooves like a foal. He turns to Twilight, and gone is the spark of creativity that used to be there. He can barely even work up relief at seeing the pony he loves. "I... haven't the slightest idea," he whispers, and his eyes widen at seeing Spike take a nibble of one. "Don't *touch* that!" he snaps. "This is... this is *them.*" He shows Twilight the gem. It feels frighteningly familiar to her. "It's you, and the Princesses. Don't you see yet?"
Nightmare Moon barks a bitter laugh at the white Princess. NOW is when she thinks to make amends? HA! "o/` Don't pretend that you care! / Stand and fight like a mare! / It's far too late to make a start! o/`" She fires again and again! Mercy? Didst THOU yet show mercy to me...?
The audience is in for a shock - the blasts of energy being thrown about are not special effects at all. Real heat and magical energy bleeds off of them. The magical *noise* that Twilight is hearing has reached a deafening screech.

Berry_Punch goes for it and just takes Angel's bucket of popcorn up into her lap. You only live once!

The real Celestia's eyes reopen, quivering with guilt and sadness. Her great wings suddenly sweep open, yet she doesn't move. "Sister, why do you rage? What can I do to assuage the hate that's gripped your heart?" she pleads.

Twilight_Sparkle blinks. The violet princess stares into the orange crystal. "I don't. Know. There's something..." She staggers, the magic noise rocketing through the alicorn's brain like someone screaming in her ear. She staggers left, then right. "Bardigan! This...has...to...STOP!" A magical shockwave goes out from her body, the air around her, and then the whole room, pulsating.

A strange sheen of crystal has gripped the real Celestia's hooves.

Stringshine flies from the backstage area in a panic, woven strands trailing from her mane, Alula clinging fast to her back. They flee for the upper exits.

Dapple gasps in horror, well aware that the energy being cast around on-stage is all too real. "Somepony has to stop..." He recoils at the magical shockwave resonating from backstage.

( Heedless of her echo above the stage, Celestia flits to and fro, soaring past Luna and avoiding bolt after bolt. She makes a close pass with golden shield around her body, horn aglow, but steadfastly refuses to return fire. o/~ This is terribly wrong! Why's your fury so strong? How could I have left such a mark? o/~ )

Spike squirms uncomfortably. Dragons have their own inherent magic, and the powerful magical aura of the room is affecting him in its own peculiar way -- filling his nose and mouth with a sharp metallic tang, like the air after a lightning strike. "Do you think they're feeding off the anger? It's...Luna was acting strange, before. The *real* Luna. I'm not sure this is actually just a play anymore."

( Stage-Celestia blinks and pauses for a moment as the shockwave passes over. "Um--" But then the glow returns to her eyes, brighter than ever. )

Blue_Yonder can't float fast enough to dodge, and one of the stray beams strikes a wing. He flaps awkwardly and lands with a *thud* in the audience area. Ow ow ow.

Twilight's blast of princess magic would knock aside anything less than another princess's power - but that is exactly what it hits. The blue and black aura flickering around the real Luna lowers, because it's raging around the Nightmare Moon on stage now, holding back Twilight's spell. That same rush sends the crystal crackling all the way up Luna's legs, not just encasing them, but transforming them.

Dusk is doing his best using his own magic to fight off the force of the growing magic around. It's not just a sound or tingle, but it's like a growing pressure.. as if going deep deep deep into a dark sea, taking more and more effort to push it off. He looks over to Twilight as she shouts, and her own magic wave forces through the space.

( Ok, well, something does indeed start happening. At the real Luna's semi-transformation he takes aim with his horn, weapons coming to bear with a torpedo arming at the very tip of his horn. Target locked, FIR-- .. wait. At Celestia's words he spins around to see that she, too, has acquired a new set of shoes which seem to emerge from the floor. ... Changing his payload, he targets the growing crystal and opens fire with his secondary weapon, the compressed beam lancing out from the tip of his horn and striking the formation. )

Nightmare Moon leaps forward, hooves outstretched, and for one brief, poignant moment it looks like she was going to hug her sister, but no. She was just making sure the daylight princess heard every word of this. "o/` You kept the love for your own! / No more shall we share the throne / Now you DIE, afraid of the dark! o/` ... at that moment, the shockwave passes over Nightmare Moon, just long enough for Applejack to blink and say, "F... flutters??" - then the roles, that have literally taken over, clamp down again, and she fires a huge blast that strikes Celestia - Fluttershy - dead center!

Diamond_Dancer is already shedding her armor. She knows full well what it does, and she has a feeling she doesn't want to be wearing it in a few minutes. She turns to stare at Princess Luna's shriek of denial, just as a blast from the stage catches the little filly in the face, sending her down and out of sight in the royal box. Of course, moments later Diamond reappears, waving her hooves in anger. "ALL YOU'SE HAD TA DO WAS PUT ON A SINGLE, SIMPLE PLAY. DATS ALL!! YOU HAD -ONE- JOB BARDIGAN!!!! HOW DID YOU'SE SCREW DIS UP!? DIS IS ALL YOU'SE DO FOR A LIVING "She rages.

Bardigan breathes in sharply as Twilight tries to cast her spell, the crystal roots around her react. They lurch out, exponentially growing in size so they nearly cover the stage - the audience can see them now. The shockwave holds in it the energy going through the air, and it threatens to sweep up and away everypony caught in it. Whatever's happening, it's not stopping. If anything, it's just happening faster. Bardigan's mane is ruffled, and he feels the emotions of the moment rushing over and through him. He bows his head in front of Twilight and sighs, holding up a fragment of the Element of Honesty as if to appease the magic-mad Princess. "I'm sorry," he whispers. "I just... don't know what went wrong."

A bright, searing gold light suddenly shines up from the real Celestia's horn - and then, almost as soon as it began, it disappears. Or rather, it moves - that bright golden shine suddenly radiates out from stage-Celestia instead. The same crystal gripping Luna suddenly shoots up the length of Celestia's legs, encasing her in crystal from hoof to horn.

Berry_Punch runs over through the chaos and magic to Blue Yonder. "That didn't look fun. You need anything?" She offers popcorn, which is pretty much all she has.

( Celestia screams, her golden yoke cracked and body blown back as she spirals to the ground, landing in a crumpled heap at the far end of the stage. She doesn't move. )

Derpy mouths the words alog with Bardigan as he says them, no sound coming from her mouth. She's still clinging to him even as he bows to Twilight, like an ill-stuffed parka.
Nightmare moon shrieks in laughter and triumph! She lifts off and flies around - the night shall be eternal!

Gilda has arrived.

Luna's own horn rages with black and purple, perfectly in synch with Nightmare Moon's blast. As the real princess's power fires from the stage princess, crystal roars up Luna's body - and by the time Nightmare Moon takes off, the original Celestia and Luna are just crystal statues in the Royal Box.

Tweed-Patches blinks, and blinks hard, his eyes focusing as he comes out of his daze, startled into wakefulness, as it were, by the firefight. He gives his head a shake, then hoofs himself upside the head, his reading glasses falling off, falling to the end of their tether. Useful things, teathers. Then he stares, but this stare is not one of stupefaction, but rather, wonder, "I say." He says at length, "How marvelously philosophical."

( Slowly, then, as her beloved sister dances on her grave, Celestia rolls over and pushes herself back to her feet. "Dear Siste, I am sorry..." She looks at the back of the throne room. "But you have given me no choice but to use--these!" And a panel opens in the stage floor, revealing the Elements of Harmony. The lift from their pedestal and orbit Celestia, glowing with her magic. )

Spike hunkers down close to Twilight's back. He's not sure exactly what's happening, but is sure that it's snowballing out of control.

( o/~ Luna, please! Your last chance! Stop this lunatic's dance! o/~ Celestia takes a step forward, advancing on Luna--but her hoof trembles. )

Dusk takes a moment as Twilight's blast passes, seeing it hasn't managed to stop things as she demanded. And that was some powerful magic indeed. He gets closer to the pastel purple princess, "Perhaps we need another plan of attack, Princess." He looks to see where the roots are coming from. Bardigan said it /was/ the princesses. Are they creating it?

His efforts are for naught as Celestia is completely covered in the crystal much like her sister, the guard stepping back in a panic as he goes back to torpedoes.. to no avail. That's when Scope tries slamming his shoulder in against the crystal in a futile attempt to shatter it, stepping back and taking aim to fire again only to discover he has no power. No aura, no telekenesiss, no weaponry. He's.. he's basically an earth pony now with a horn and he scrambles back, flopping onto his rump.

Nightmare Moon sees Celly climb to her hooves - this time with the Elements? Why... why is this so familiar now? Did this happen before? No matter! "o/` The time for talk has come and gone! / Close your traitorous eyes / Say your final goodbyes / There will never again be a dawn! o/`"

Twilight_Sparkle lifts her head, her eyes wide, her pupils tiny, in cartoony dramatic fashion. "No..." She gallops back toward the stage. "Not again! This can't happen again!" She stands, hooves spread wide, between the two 'actors' on the stage. "STOP!" she calls out, a blast of white energy shooting out from her horn and enveloping the stage for a few moments.

Tweed-Patches picks himself up off the ground, and takes a few steps backwards to where there's a clear spot. From somewhere he's pulled a piece of chalk, and holding it between his teeth he draws a circle on the ground. He's humming to himself as he works. Making the cardinal points, scribing in wards around the circumference. He's not sure if it'll keep out princess grade magic, but he's willing to try. This done, he --- sits down, and takes notes. There's bound to be a paper in this.

Sunbeam is busy hiding in the popcorn bin.

Blue_Yonder tilts his head to Berry and sniffs, then chuckles a bit in spite of the pain. "Welp. I'd recognize that recipe anywhere - 's my own. F'r now I'ma lay low an' try to avoid more beams, but you're welcome t' join me down here an' help me figure out what's goin' on."

( Princess Celestia lowers her head. In the light of the Elements and her own radiance, you can see dewy tears well up in her eyes. "Very well then. I'm so sorry, sister." The Elements spin faster and faster. Celestia spreads her wings wide, lifting off from Harmony's power alone. Her eyes glow white as the nimbus intensifies. "Forgive me--unnh!" The stage is rocked by Twilight's blast, sending Celestia tumbling--and the Elements scattering away! )

Starfire awws...."The sparkly things fell down...."

Diamond_Dancer sighs quietly, staring at the crystal statue now sitting next to her. "...Really? What did Princess Luna say ta do in dis situation...ummm...oh, right, find da pony dat would give me a generous pension on her behalf. ....Huh. Really didn't dink I'd live dis long. Whadda know. "She murmurs thoughtfully. "One da one hoof...I could see if I could shaddah da crystal statue and free da Princess...one da oddah hoof, dat'd probably be regicide...hmmm...Growing up is hard.

Suddenly Nightmare Moon lifts off and flies out over the audience, escaping the intended blast! She shakes her head as if to clear it, and then another grin spreads. And unhelathy turquoise glow seems to be backlighting her eyes now... "o/` This is what took place then / It will not happen again / Oh sister, I'm here to stay / And now I'm rather more wise / This may be a surprise / And THEY should be afraid of the DAY!o/`"

Berry_Punch grins, then half-frowns, then grins. "What recipe? The small of charred pegasus?" She looks down at the snack she's carrying. "Oh, the popcorn. Yeah, have some!" She ducks under the seat in time to avoid a stray blast of sun, or moon, or something. "Things're getting pretty good, huh? You still got your program?"

Bardigan huddles, guilt-ridden, backstage. He leans back against Derpy, and sighs when he hears the failed Harmony blast mingled with Twilight's anguished cry. Out of everything else, that is what drives a needle deepest into his heart. He shudders and curls up a little tighter.


Spike cringes at the blast, and squeezes Twilight's neck. "She was going to do it! Fluttershy was going to send Applejack to the moon! We have to stop her!" He pauses, suddenly aware of how ridiculous that sentence sounded.

Tweed-Patches makes a note at the bottom of his writing tablet: 'Has Bardigan doomed us all to eternal night? Possible resolutions?' He draws a line, then a series of question marks.

Helpless, powerless, Scope takes a couple steps away from the two statues that were once the princesses and flops onto his rump with head hanging low, staring at his forehooves as there's nothing he can do. When his eyes close a single tear slides free and traces down his cheek, voice a low whisper. "..I failed. I'm sorry, your highness." It's now, however, that his attention turns to the going-ons in the rest of the audience when he sees.. Nightmare Moon flying about.

Derpy is holding Bardigan with her body and her forelegs, but her eyes are fixated on a little pink gem, glowing warmly in the crown of a beautiful little root. Her eyes wander, exploring the gem's every facet.

Dusk watches Twilight decide to run back on stage, where things have gotten equally intense between the players. There's another shaking blast. This can't continue much more. Ponies are already at risk. He turns to Bardigan, "You know what these are. You said they're the Princesses. What do you mean?" His tone is firm and demanding, not letting the playright shirk away. Afterall he is responsible for this production. He better step up to it.

Bardigan doesn't answer Dusk at first. He shakes in Derpy's grip, and it turns into a mirthless chuckle, more just sharp breaths out of his nose than anything else. "I mean they're the Princesses. It's obvious, now, isn't it? Applejack and Fluttershy... something about these crystals... it's happening again. Did you hear Twilight interrupt the final act? She stopped Harmony dead in its tracks to keep her friends from hurting each other. Celestia would be proud." He continues laughing under his breath. "Celestia. Would be proud."

Luna would be proud, too! Why does Celestia get all the hypothetical attention? They're both equally frozen in crystal princesses!

Celestia is just a little bit shinier, thank you!

<OOC> Spike says, "Even encased in crystal, Luna can't escape her sister's shadow."
<OOC> Celestia says, "(Also, I'm closer to the light than her so my statue's shadow literally falls on her.)"
<OOC> Gilda moves Luna-statue so she is -literally- in Celestia-statue's shadow.
Tweed-Patches can recognize Celestia's statue. It's the one with the big bottom.
<OOC> Gilda says, "Or that!"
<OOC> Celestia crystal-hoofbumps Gilda!
<OOC> Spike says, "Griffins are about as helpful as cats."
<OOC> Gilda says, "Wrong."
<OOC> Gilda says, "We're HALF as helpful as cats."
<OOC> Celestia says, "Hey, it needed to be -just- right. Excellent work, Gilds."
<OOC> Luna has phenomenal cosmic power and absolutely no respect whatsoever.

( Shaking her head and reclaming the fallen Elements, Celestia's face twists into defiant anger. "Luna!" she calls out, taking to the air after her sister. "Do not do this, Luna! o/~ I see our night must come again / until a vict'ry is decided / History repeats, dear Luna / Why would you try to fight it? / Why did you have to be afraid...? o/~ And then she soars away, chasing after Nightmare Moon. )

Twilight_Sparkle spins in a circle, her nostrils flared uncertainly! Everything depends on you, Twilight Sparkle! Everything...ugh...I feel faint!

<OOC> Luna says, "So, uh... the good news is, day and night are still being taken care of, although probably erratically. The bad news is, the regular rulers are a little lacking in sanity. ALL HAIL PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE, RULER OF EQUESTRIA."
<OOC> Dusk says, "( And then Twilight collapses. We're doom. )"
<OOC> Luna says, "Marble, EB, please prepare information packets for your new boss."

Nightmare Moon flaps out over the crowd and regards them carefully. There is no longer any sign that this was ever Applejack, or any kind of costume. This is well and truly Nightmare Moon, returned. But what's this? Nightwarden's armor? Foal sized? who... THERE. She alights in the royal box, next to Diamond Dancer... and thereby unwittingly next to Princess Luna. She folds her wings and regards Diamond. This. A foal who serves the Night. "o/` Hello, little one / I see thou yes shall serve the night / Hello, little one / Come aid me in this fight o/`"

Derpy suddenly snaps to life, her eyes aligning with a little pink gleam mirroring the pink gem before her. She seizes the root and tries to yank the Gem of Kindness from its firmament. Soon she has all four hooves on the roots and is straining with all her might.

Nightshade has arrived.

Firefly cracks an eye open, staggering a few steps, the intense uber migraine in her head making any sort of input, sight or sound, almost utter nonesense.

Blue_Yonder asides to Berry, "...I think this's th' part o' th' show when we do this." He wedges a wing beneath some of the rubble and popcorn and flings it upward toward Nightmare Moon.

Twilight_Sparkle has done everything she can. It seems not to be working! She looks around, a bit dumbfoundedly. She gives the audience a little hoof wave.

Diamond_Dancer Sits there quietly, staring at the crystal statures, trying to figure out what to do, first. Does she see if she can free the princesses? Does she check on her big brother? Does she see if she can talk to Nightmar- Princess Lun- Applejack? Wait, is AppleLunamoon actually Nightmare moon? Now she has a headache. "And like normal, I've got absolutely no idea whats goin' on. ...Par for da course, really. Hey, Scope? You'se got any ideas? I-" She stops when Nightmare Moon speaks to her and her eyes widen, and her ears pin to her head. "I...I'm..."She sputters unsure excatly how to react or whats going on. It could be the Princess in there? Maybe? She's technically, the last 'child of the night' Luna has taken under her wing, the song echoing in her head. She gives a sudden salute and narrows her eyes. "YES MA'AM" She barks.

Dusk hmmms.. Yes AJ and Fluttershy. But that doesn't help him learn what the crystals are. "Yes, she does wonderful things.." Dusk glances back towards the stage, the conflict still going on, and to the crystal vines. And then to Derpy, and goes over to help her pull it free, reaching out with his magic to try and release it.

When NMM comes close to the royal box Scope's sorrow switches to anger, nostrils flaring outward as even though he's magicless he can still do some damage physically. The "former-unicorn" guard breaks into a brief gallop and leaps up, lunging overtop of Diamond Dancer with hooves outstretched to attempt to tackle the new incarnation of the Nightmare while letting out an angry yell.

( It should be noted that as Nightmare Moon swoops terribly over the audience, some kind of irrepressible force pounds at the heads of all ponies that pass under her shadow. A compulsion. A sweet talking lie. Something that makes them want to listen to her voice - to obey. And there goes Diamond Dancer. Who will fall under the sway of the Moon next? Perhaps only a few, as Celestia is exerting the same kind of strange influence, encouraging ponies who get close to pick sides... and sing. )

Spike strokes Twilight's mane, soothingly, sensing that she's starting to panic. "Twi...you talked sense into her at Nightmare Night. Do you think she'd listen to you now?"

Arriving fashionably late, Prince Blueblood and his entourage open the door to the royal box. The Prince gazes at the twin Princess statues and then peers at the stage below. "Oh my!" Blueblood exclaims, visibly alarmed and shocked! "This isn't 'Hinny of the Hills'! We're in the WRONG theater!" With that, he turns and leaves with an annoyed flick of his perfectly groomed tail!

<OOC> You say, "I should add - for the public trial - that for the record, NONE OF THIS IS MY FAULT."

Berry_Punch joins Blue Yonder in flinging popcorn at Nightmare Moon. But then the wave of compulsion hits her. "Oh. Uh, hey, yeah. I dig the night. Nightlife's cool, and all that. You want me to serve the night and aid you in this fight and other stuff that rhymes? 'Cause I can do that." Seeing Scope attack Nightmare MOon, Berry switches to throwing popcorn at *him!*

( Celestia makes a sharp dive at Luna, hooves outstretched. Any meekness her 'performer' might have held is gone now, replaced by a fierce sense of duty. o/~ Sister! Leave the foal aside / No pony can embrace your night! / Don't drag innocents into your games / and take them with you down in flames! o/~ )

( Nightmare Moon cracks Scope a mighty blow, stopping his charge cold! Somehow the ersatz Princesses have become as powerful as the real ones, and tackling an alicorn is not widely considered a good idea! She smirks at him, then turns back to Diamond Dancer. "o/` Wonderful, young one / Come with me away / We shall not lose this battle / Follow now, young one / The Night bids thee stay / Off with your Princess returning o/`" With that, she spreads her wings and takes off, straight up! She blasts a hole in the playhouse roof and flits off into the night, leaving a trail of eldritch sensations and night terrors... )

Spike stares up at the hole in the roof, wide-eyed.

( Nightmare Moon's sudden exit dodges Celestia's attack... but only barely. It was a very near scrape, but she laid her influence thickly on little Diamond Dancer. )

Blue_Yonder gets back to his hooves, throwing-wing folded and the other smoldering. The magic's started to affect even the normally calm and level-headed merchant. "Th' Princess has a point, an' if there's any hope to see this through - " *inhale* o/~ I'll stake my claim in daylight an' I'll do whatever I can do o/~

Twilight_Sparkle is in charge, and knows it. She figured it out minutes ago, and has been summoning her courage since. She opens her mouth wide to address the assembled ponies...and nothing comes out.

Derpy sees Nightmare Moon blasting off again!! She panics, and then runs into the costuming room, digging through chests and wardrobes until she finds... yes! Her Derplestia outfit from The Night of Two Moons! She hurries dons it, makes a last adrenalin-fueld attempt at the root, forcibly ~breaks~ off the Gem of Kindness, and soars after after Nightmare Moon. "Will not rule the night! Will RUE the night! Is one 'l' less!!"

Firefly manges about two steps, wings flared, attempting to follow, but collapses forward instead, against the box railing. "...wait...."

Diamond_Dancer's desire to serve her princess and defend takes root, and she quickly bursts from her spot, moving to take flight along with Nightmare moon. Perhaps Luna is in there, somewhere. If she is, that means it's her duty to serve and obey. Giving one last fleeting look at the stage where Bardgian was, she begins to follow straight up. "I'm a pony of da night...pony of da darkness...pony of da stahs...Yes...You'se highness. "She sputters.

Spike decides what Twilight needs is everyone's attention. He sticks two fingers in his mouth and whistles loudly -- a trick he's only just learned, and is quite proud of.

Twilight_Sparkle stands as tall as she can

Dusk is surprised as looks like Derpy summons the strength to get it without his help afterall. Or maybe he loosened it. Yes, that sounds right.

( Celestia can't follow - Luna was always a better flier, and there's a pony in need now. She narrowly pulls out of her dive in time to make a wobbly landing beside Scope and lowers her head, tears returning. She touches her horn to her wounded Sun Guard and then takes off, following Luna's fading trail...and leaving the room in silence. )

Derpy did it with Dusk's help, yes. She totally noticed his pose!

Blue_Yonder slowly turns to look at Twilight. Now that Fluttersun and Applemoon have flown off, the hypnotic spell is starting to wear off and he's looking a bit sheepish.

Bardigan hasn't moved from his spot, not heeding the whistle, the call to action, the chaos enveloping the theater and soon most of Canterlot. He just sits there, surrounded by crystal, pondering where his life went so wrong. Or, more frighteningly, he's not thinking at all. A failure of this magnitude demands an equally catatonic resopnse.

Scope comes to an abrupt stop at first, and then is sent flying backwards from full force of the strike with his back slamming against one of the crystal statues which.. well, isn't damaged at all. Can't say the same for his armor, the nice new plating shattering from the impact as he shoulders and hindquarters go back further than normal and he crumples to the floor, going still. .. Then Flutterlestia lands beside him to perform her healing spell, eyes blinking open.

Angel watches Fluttershy take off. About time she got her chance to rock. Bet he gets nicer dinners NOW.

Bardigan sits miserably backstage among the crystal roots, not heeding the whistle, the call to action, the chaos enveloping the theater and soon most of Canterlot. He just sits there, surrounded by crystal, pondering where his life went so wrong. Or, more frighteningly, he's not thinking at all. A failure of this magnitude demands an equally catatonic response. He turns the orange gem - a piece of the Element of Honesty, who'd have thought he'd ever hold it? - over and over in his hooves. This play was supposed to be perfect. Nightmare Moon and Celestia are running rampant. Maybe the Sun and Moon will go crazy now, too. Maybe, just maybe, he doomed all of Equestria, and Twilight... /Oh, poor Twilight, please forgive me/... must find a way to fix his mess. That's three Princesses he's failed. He turns the gem in his hooves around and around. Around and around. "Come little children, I'll take thee away... into a land of enchantment... come little children, the time's come to play... here in my garden of sha-a-dow..."