For those who are curious, this is a redo of the original chapter. And to reiterate- I am STILL. NOT. Sure. About. this. So, here you go.
Diamond Tiara slipped through the door of her mansion, exerting every single ounce of energy she had into sneaking into her room, hopefully avoiding her father. This is it. She had been planning this for weeks. The secret concert she and Silver Spoon were dying to go to. This wasn't just any concert- it was the Ponyville Annual Avant-Garde Musical Festival, an absolute must-see for anyone who is interested in Avant-garde.
This is why they had to go: Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon weren't just interested in it, they were absolutely obsessed with it. They had impressive collections of CD's hidden in places they both agreed that no parents would ever check, were regular contributors to fan communities, and, ever since they became fans, they never missed a single concert they could get access to.
As to why they kept it a secret, and how they became fans of the show, was a result of a single event. It all started, when her father came home one day, with a big grin on his face. Well, big for a buisiness man, anyway. "Hello, Pumpkin!" he greeted. Before she had time to reply with a simple "Hello!", he continued to talk. "You heard of the upcoming new TV show, "You got talent", right?" Once again, before she got a chance to reply, he continued to talk once again. "Well, as the TV show's biggest sponsor, I have been officially asked to be one of the judges. And you know how I missed your birthday a few months ago?" Again, before she could say "It was last week", he began to blather on once more. "I managed to buy you and a friend of your choice exclusive backstage tickets!" Diamond Tiara's face began to stretch into a smile, as she mentally restrained herself from hopping around in joy.
One week later, she and Silver Spoon were perched in front-row seats, eagerly awaiting for the auditions to start.
"This is so exciting!" Silver Spoon squealed, clapping her hooves together in delight.
"I know! Imagine all the losers we will get to see embarrasing themselves. On TV, too, of all things!" Filthy Rich began to appear from behind a stage door, walking to the table where the judges sat. Tiara give him a little wave. He sheepishly waved back, then returning to his previously uninterested expression. "Daddy seems upset. I wonder why?"
Before the conversation over her father's wellbeing could stretch any further, the cameramen swarmed in to their respective stations, and like a bolt from the blue, a flamboyantly dressed pony appeared from the curtains, with every single camera focused on him. The show has started. "Hello, everypony. My name is Hoity Toity, and I will be your host." The entire audience was clapping. Though, that wasn't much, considering there were only two in the audience. This was because the audience wasn't brought in until the competiton had started for real.
Ignoring the petty applause, Hoity Toity continued talking. "Alright, let me go over the rules. First off, the auditions. This is to weed out the weeds, and to gather the cream of the crop.. Then, every night, the musicians and bands that did make it throueach musician or band will perform, and the audience voting for their favorites. The two least popular will be kicked out, until two remain. They will then battle it out for the grand prize, which was a recording deal, at Ponyville Records! Simple? I thought so. Now let's not delay! First contestant- Sapphire Shore!"
Sapphire Shore walked out from the curtains, making no attempt to be modest at all. She was wrapped in a sparkly, translucent fabric, and her face was smothered in make-up. Diamond Tiara and Silver swooned when they saw her. However, after she began singing, they instantly went from adoring her, to wanting to lock her into a coffin and fling said coffin into a ditch.
Hoity Toity winced as the pony attempted to sing. Apparently it was painful enough to the point that, when the song was over, Hoity Toity was holding back tears, hidden behind a weak smile. "T-thank you... Sapphire Shores." Diamond Tiara watched her as she walked proudly off the stage. A part of her wanted to boo and hiss, but that would embarras both her, and her daddy. Not to mention her Silver Spoon.
With each horrible performance, the two found it harder and harder to feign interest. At one point, Silver Spoon had fallen asleep, and was leaning into Diamond Tiara. Diamond Tiara was too bored to notice, and wasn't too far from doing the same thing. Eventually, Diamond Tiara did succumb into tiredness, and began to dose off, her head resting on Silver Spoon's. However, she was soon woken up by the sound of microphone feedback. Very loud feedback.
She sprang up in alarm, to see a very strange set of ponies setting up their instruments.
"Take your time, people. At this point, it doesn't matter." Hoity Toity droned. Like the rest of the two-filly audience, he stopped caring shortly after the first performance. Though, the judges seemed horrendously content. It was almost as if they enjoyed the bands before them.
Diamond Tiara examined the instruments they were using. An electric guitar, a set of drums, a synthesizer, a chello, and strangely enough, a live chicken. "Psst! Silver Spoon! Wake up! Look at these ponies!"
Silver Spoon, slowly awoke, seemingly displeased to be brought back to reality.
"What is it, Tiara?" She barked.
"Look!" Was all the pink pony said in reply, as the bizarre band began to play.
Throughout the entire time the band played that song, the two were enchanted. "This totally doesn't suck..." they both whispered to eachother in unison. It was a perfect, precise mix of sounds, topped off with a brilliant mix of vocals. Unfortunately, something horrible happened half way through. Filthy Rich motioned for Hoity Toity to come closer to him.
"I cannot take another moment of this. Cut the commercials. Now."
The campy pony suddenly took to the stage, interrupting the band as politely as possible. "I'm sorry, but we must cue the commercials. The judges will give you your scores after these messages." The band Groaned, as he said this. The cameras were turned off, and the crew left for lunch.
"What gives?" asked a white, blue maned unicorn. Filthy Rich rose from his chair, glaring at the group. "I'll tell you what's up. You're music is horrible. Not to mention, absolutely obscene. I can't believe I brought my children to see this abomination" he said, pointing to the only two members of the audience. "But, Mr. Rich, I'm not your daughter. I'm your daughter's best friend, remember?"
Filthy Rich began to blush, as the band stifled giggles and guffaws. "Whatever. The point is, you're wasting your time,with that horrible music. It's loud, crude, and immoral! And why the chicken? What's up with that?"
The Drummer, who happened to be a blue minotaur, defended the chicken. "You leave Tia alone!" he barked. Mr. Rich just put up his hooves defensively. "Fine. Whatever. Just, do the world a favor- drop out. No one will want to listen to that demonic, cryptic mish-mash anyway."
"You know what? Buck you. We don't have to take this from some tool who was headbanging to Sapphire Shore! Screw you, we're out." The white mare declared.
He gasped at this comment, if not for a second, before leaving the room silently, the other judges following suit shortly after.
"This totally sucks... C'mon, let's pack up our instruments."
Diamond Tiara wasn't about to let them leave just yet.
"Wait!" She leaped out of her seat, running frantically up to the stage, with Silver Spoon not far behind.
"What is it, kid? We gotta am-scray." The unicorn was in no mood for any more nonsense.
"Wait... Can I ask for an autograph?" she asked, taking off her namesake. The band looked at her with wide eyes. "Why? Won't your dad go balistic if we signed that thing?" asked the brown earth pony. "Look, I loved your performance, and I don't care what my dad said, I never heard something so beautiful in my entire life. You guys are brilliant." Tiara replied, full earnesty in her voice. "I'd be honored if you signed my tiara".
The white unicorn's expression was unreadable at first, but she then began to smile. "Izzat so? Well then..." She walked away, only to return with a CD, and a synthesizer. "Here ya go."
she smiled, handing the items to the filly. Diamond Tiara's face lit up. "R-really? You're giving me your synth? Why?"
"Well, despite your father condemning us to our faces, you still admitted you liked our music. I admire that. That's why I think you'll do great things with this synth." She smiled warmly in a way that made Diamond Tiara blush. "T-thanks..."
"Here, let us sign that for ya." she said, grabbing the Tiara, and signing it with a permanent marker, then passing them both around the room. When everypony signed the Tiara, she handed it back to Tiara. "T-thank you so much." she blushed.
"Don't mention it." She then turned to Silver Spoon "Do you want our autograph too?" She asked. Silver Spoon's cheeks turned a rosy red at this. "Could you sign my glasses?"
She sighed blissfully as she remembered that moment. It wasn't until she read her crown, and a bit of internet surfing, that she learned their names. The pianist and the chellist, who also served as the singers, were Vinyl Scratch and Octavia. The drummer was Iron Will, and the guitarist was Derpy Hooves. And together, they were known as The Other Wonderland. She later learned that their genre was classified as "Avant-garde". Curious and hopeful to find bands as eclectic and intelligent as them, did some more research on the matter, eventually finding an entire eco-system of musicians and bands, each one possessing a different sound.
It was truly the greatest day of her life, and she was certain Silver Spoon felt the same.
"A-hem".
Yeah, I know it bombs.
But you know what? I like this story. Anyhow, I gotta tell you all, when this thing is over (one more chapter), I will probably be away from here for a REALLY long time. Exams and all. And I should be studying japanese, when I am actually writing this nonsense.
So, yeah, second chapter up eventually. Also, as for Blind and Quiet? That SHOULD have been taken over by Meiyo by now. But... well, that hasn't happened. Therefore, I am probably going to continue on that. VERY. SLOWLY.