Warm dusk stole through the twilight. Scarlet and gold flames flickered upward from a fire at Sweet Apple Acres, their light forming a cave in the encroaching dark of night. All the ponies were gathered around, along with Joseph, Blaggut, and Slipp.
"I'm glad I was able to finish my work in time to attend this concert," Rarity said to Blaggut. "All thanks to you."
Blaggut didn't respond. He was feeling guilty.
Princess Celestia had arrived on the five o'clock train, and now she was sitting next to Twilight Sparkle. "A penny for your thoughts, Twilight," she said.
Twilight looked around at the happy faces in the firelight, mares and colts alike, enjoying themselves hugely. "My thoughts, Princess? You can have them for free. I was wishing that Spike and Mariel were with us here to enjoy this evening."
"Aye, may the fates be kind to them wherever they are," agreed Joseph.
Celestia got up and addressed the crowd. "Good ponies all, it is my singular honor to open the concert singing competition. I have with me the prize for the winner. As you can see, it is an alicorn drinking vessel, hmm, chalice in fact, silver mounted, gold lined, with lots of gems studded around it. Now, who's going to be the first to get up and warble off a song?"
Pinkie Pie answered, "We've got two special guests with us today, so we'll let them go first. Blaggut and Slipp, everypony!"
"She shoulda said my name first- I'm the Captain!" Slipp muttered.
"All right. Go ahead," Celestia said.
Taking up searat performing stances, Blaggut and Slipp stood straddle legged with paws clenched above their heads, and began singing in hoarse, off key voices:
"Whoa, the Cap'n of the Rusty Chain,
Ain't feelin' much surprise,
'E's deader'n a duck on the ocean floor,
While the fish nibble out 'is eyes.
An' the crew of the Rusty Chain,
Ain't feelin' too much pain,
O y'can't wipe yer nose when yer 'ead's chopped off,
An' they'll never see their tails again…"
Some of the gentler ponies like Fluttershy closed their eyes and covered their ears as the song continued in the same bloodthirsty mode.
"O the boatswain's got a spear in 'is liver,
An' the mate's got a spear through 'is throat,
An' they're usin' the fat of an ole searat,
To set alight to the boat."
Distressed cries began issuing from the audience, and a dispute arose with Slipp and Blaggut as to the next line.
"Ho they've gone an' skinned the cook…"
Slipp cuffed Blaggut's ears soundly. "Pudding brains, that's not 'til the next verse. I knows the line, it goes like this…
"Oh they carved off the lookout's ears,
An' stuffed them up 'is nose…"
"Okay, I think that's enough," Twilight said as she pulled them both down.
"Sorry 'bout that, guys," said Pinkie Pie. "Fluttershy, why don't you sing that song about the robin an' the cuckoo?"
The night wore on as performers came and went. Singers, dancers, and those who liked to recite poetry. Blaggut had eaten his fill and quaffed enough Apple Family Cider to float a small boat. His head nodded fitfully, eyes closing as his chin dropped onto his chest.
Slipp sneaked off into Applejack's barn and grabbed a sack of corn. He dumped all the corn out onto the ground and crept back to the fire, carrying the empty sack. He tweaked Blaggut's nose, muttering, "Wake yerself up, dozy guts, we're going t'get the diamonds."
They detached themselves stealthily from the gathering, creeping off into the night. Nopony saw them leave. Blaggut cast frightened glances about him as he clung to Slipp's tail.
"Couldn't we go back an' sit by the fire, Cap'n? I don't like it out 'ere in the dark night, the black shadder might get us both!"
Slipp whirled on his unfortunate companion. "Bucket nose! I told yer never t'mention that agin. Cummere!"
"Eeeyoowcheeyee!"
"Stop squealin', you limpet 'eaded oaf!"
"I can't 'elp it, Cap'n. Yore bitin' me ear. Yeek!"
Back at the campfire, Twilight was startled to find Celestia's sister Princess Luna suddenly standing right next to her. "Luna! When did you get here?"
"She wasn't on the train with me," said Celestia.
"I've been trailing those two rats, Blaggut and Slipp, all week," said Luna. "Both of them think I am a black shadow that haunts them, and it keeps them out of mischief. But I was a bit slow tonight, and I've let them get away."
Twilight stood up decisively. "Okay, let's go find 'em!"
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Slipp and Blaggut were outside Rarity's house. "You sure that's where she lives?" Slipp asked.
"Yep," Blaggut said sadly.
Slipp immediately seized a rock and hurled it through the window, breaking it. He climbed in through the hole he'd made, and Blaggut followed him.
They found themselves in Rarity's dressmaking studio. On a rack in the middle of the room hung scads of diamond studded dresses. Slipp grinned from ear to ear. "You was right, mate. You ain't been right many times in yer life, but you was this time. We got the treasure!" He started ripping the diamonds right off the dresses and stuffing them into the sack. He saw that Blaggut was just standing there. "Come on, dogsbottom, help me pull off these diamonds, or I'll pull off your tail and shove it down your throat!"
Reluctantly Blaggut went to work, tearing the diamonds off. He felt terrible for destroying Rarity's hard work, but he didn't dare disobey his captain.
Suddenly the light switched on.
"BLAGGUT! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"
It was… Rarity!