Chapter 3

A Year Later

"Have you heard about the new opera?" Twilight asked.

"No, what's it called?" Fluttershy asked.

"Tributum Belli, tribute of war," Twilight told her. They were walking in the aisle and heading for the front rows. "It's about stallion who fights for honor and the glory of its country at least that's what Aunt Celestia told me."

"Do you know who wrote it?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight shook her head.

"Aunt Celestia told me it was written by an anonyms writer," Twilight said.

"Why wouldn't someone want to write their name on their work?" Fluttershy asked.

"Aunt Celestia said that it was so that they wouldn't let the praise turn them into someone else," Twilight responded. "Aunt Luna rolled her at that and muttered something about lying." Fluttershy opened her mouth to speak but then Twilight said, "Oh, this looks like a good spot." They took two seats in the middle front row.

"Um, Twilight," Fluttershy started.

"Yes, what is it?" Twilight asked.

"Well, you see, I've been…"

"Places everyone!" Celestia called. They could hear the hustle behind stage. Celestia then took her seat beside her niece. "Also quick reminders. Don't correct each others' lines that is MY job. Ensemble, remember to move as a group. Chrysalis, remember FAKE blast Shinning Armor and not actually blast him. Also to remember project Stone Warriors. The ponies in the very back need to be able to hear you."

"Can you believe that we'll be up there next year?" Twilight told her.

"No, but I can't wait, it'll be fun," Fluttershy said.

"And I don't think Pinkie can wait either," Twilight responded. Fluttershy giggled.

"All too true," Fluttershy said.

"Begin!" Celestia called. The ensemble came on and they were wearing chains on their hooves and wore rag dresses. They were drooping and walking slowly.

"Slaves are we, to beings of stone, not to be free and shall moan," they sang. "Please someone save us from them and bring us safely home."

He had to admit they were doing a good job of putting his opera on stage so far. They had come a long way since the last time he had here. Their rehearsals were going smoothly as of right now. He especially liked the view from his box.

"I'll have to thank Lulu for loaning me this box," Discord said to himself. "Maybe she'll let me keep it if I ask nicely enough."

"Cut!" Celestia yelled. Everyone on stage froze. "Chrysalis, we've talked about this. You're only suppose to fake blast Shinning Armor not actually blast him."

"Oops," Chrysalis said unsympathetically. "Sorry."

"No you're not," Shinning Armor responded as he got off the floor. "You loved it."

"Now, now, no fighting," Celestia ordered. Fluttershy's eyes had wandered and were traveling all over the opera house. It was then that she saw something sticking out from a box. It was a goat leg!

Discord was laughing at the look on that was on Shinning Armor's face when Chrysalis had hit him. It was priceless! Though he was laughing, no one heard him. He had put a spell on him where if he tried to speak in a volume louder than a whisper, it would be muted. Thankfully he had otherwise he would be discovered.

Then he realized that his goat leg was sticking out over the edge of the box. He stopped laughing and quickly readjusted himself and put both his legs on the ground. He was once again completely covered in shadow again. He sighed.

"Hopefully no one saw that," Discord whispered.

"Fluttershy saw it but couldn't believe it. How did a goat get in here? Then she saw the leg get pulled back into the box. She looked back at Twilight.

"Twilight, did you see that?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight turned back to her friend.

"See what?" Twilight asked.

"Nothing. Never mind," Fluttershy said. Twilight had never believed her about the shadow. Why would she believe her about the goat leg in a viewing box?

Discord walked into Luna's room and closed the door. He went to the long mirror that was next to the dresser, which was on the right side of the room. He picked up the mirror and exposed a secret passageway to the caverns underneath the opera house. He placed the mirror besides it and went inside. He then put the mirror back where it belonged and headed towards his home.

"Luna, do you know of any way a goat could have come in here?" Fluttershy asked.

"No, why do you ask?" Luna responded.

"Because I thought I saw a goat leg earlier in one of the boxes," Fluttershy told her. "I know it sounds crazy but that's what I saw. And I've been seeing a non-pony like shadow around here for quite some time." Luna put her hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder.

"Fluttershy, if it was up to me, I would tell you the truth about it," Luna said. "But, sadly, it's up to my sister whether or not you know since this is her opera house."

"So there is a creature here that's not a pony?" Fluttershy questioned.

"Yes, there is," Luna answered. "But that's all I can tell you right now." She took her hoof off Fluttershy's shoulder and started walking off.

"Luna, is he the one who wrote this opera?" Fluttershy asked. Luna stopped and sighed before answering.

"Yes he did," Luna said. "And it's a very sad one too."

"Really?" Fluttershy responded. "How does it end?"

"Warrior Heart is betrayed by his friend, Maple Leaf, and handed over to the Stone Warriors," Luna answers. "Then they offer him as a sacrifice to their war goddess, Bella, and he dies. Then his country enacts their revenge and wipes out the Stone Warriors."

"That's…sad," Fluttershy responded.

"It is," Luna said. "But I won't expect less from a sad creature."