Chapter 7: Opening Night

Note: In this universe Luna and Twilight are just unicorns and Celestia is just a pegasus since they're not princesses in this world. Just clearing that up for later chapters.

"Everypony thank you for your patience," Celestia began. "Now without further adieu, "Tributum Belli"." She flew off stage as the audience clapped. She walked backstage as the curtain went up. The ensemble walked on in linked chains.

"Slaves are we, to beings of stone," they sang.

"So far so good," Twilight whispered to her friends. They were in the front row watching the opera. "Hopefully they'll remember their lines."

"Look it is he! Oh can it be! It's Warriorheart!" the ensemble sang as Warriorheart (Shinning Armor) "fought" the Stone Warriors. "He's the one who goal is stop those foes. The one who truly knows, the threat they are. The one who journeys so far, to set us free! It is he!" Warriorheart "cut" their chains and motioned for them to leave. They fled and then the queen of Stone Warriors came on. she was being played by Chrysalis.

"Ah Warriorheart, at last we meet," she sang. "Tonight you will be our feast."

"Try if you can," he sang. "Here I stand. Come at me with blasts, but you shall no pass!" They then started blasting each other with their magic.

"Oh! This going so well!" Discord said quietly. He was in box 5 and he was in an all black outfit with a hood and cape to match. He did not want to take any chances of any pony seeing what he was. "It's just how I pictured it." He then looked into his bag. "Huh, looks like I'm going to need more popcorn."

"The queen has fled!" one of Warriorheart's men sang. "May there be joy in the land!"

"Not yet, my good friend," Warriorheart sang. "She has merely fled. She will come back to end, and destroy us."

"My friend, I have a plan," Maple Leaf (Trenderhoof) sang as he walked towards Warriorheart. "That will free our land. But first need, the approval of the king."

"When will you have the ensemble audition for Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie?" Luna asked. She was backstage and talking with her sister.

"During intermission," Celestia answered. "Since after the opera, ponies will be asking me a million questions about it and when the next one will be etc." Then bugles sounded from all around the stage.

"Oh, that's my cue!" Luna exclaimed. Celestia gave her a quick hug.

"Good luck," Celestia told her.

"Presenting his majesty King North and Queen Carolina," the announcer sang. Luna was Queen Carolina and Blueblood was King North. They walked on stage and sat in their throne chairs. King North yawned.

"What is the meaning of this?" the king sang. "Why do you insist that we met so late?"

"Patience, dear," the queen sang. "No need to hate. Noble Stallions, why are you here?"

"We have a plan to save you and our land," Maple Leaf sang. "A sneak attack on them and it shall work very well."

"May we fulfill this plan?" Warriorheart sang.

"No," the king stated. The music grew more intense.

"No?" the two questioned.

"No," the king repeated.

"Why dear?" the queen sang.

"Because there is no reason to fear," the king sang. "They will do us no harm."

"Have you not seen the damage?" Warriorheart sang. "Have you not seen the blood? Have you not seen the horror they've brought on this land?"

"This is not up for debate," the king sang. "Good night." He left and the queen sighed.

"Forgive him," the queen sang. "He has not slept well. But here's what I will do." She levitated a piece of paper to herself, wrote something on it and put a wax seal on it. She gave it to Warriorheart. "Here's the king's permission. Go." The two of them bowed before leaving. the curtain fell and intermission began.

"Fluttershy, it's your turn," Twilight told her. Fluttershy glupped before entering a small room where Celestia was. Fluttershy closed the door behind her and stood in front of Celestia.

"Um, so what do you want me to sing?" Fluttershy asked.

"Anything will do," Celestia responded. "Whenever you're ready." Fluttershy took in a deep breath, closed her eyes, and began to sing.

"Think of me. Think of me fondly when we've said goodbye. Remember me, once in a while, please promise me you'll try. Then you'll find, that once again you long, to take your heart back and be free. If you ever find a moment, spare a thought for me." She stopped singing.

Discord's jaw dropped, literally. He was on top of one of the wooden beams in the room. Even though he had heard her sing before, it seemed to enchant him even more. This made it totally worth not pranking the guests. When she had stopped, Discord turned to see Celestia's reaction. Discord snickered and almost burst out laughing at the sight. Her face!

Celestia was speechless and her jaw had dropped as well.

"Um, Miss Celestia, am I in?" Fluttershy asked. That snapped her back to reality.

"Oh, yes. Yes," Celestia answered. "You'll be in the ensemble with Twilight and Pinkie in the next show." Fluttershy grinned for ear to ear.

"Thank you!" she said before she ran off to find her friends. Celestia smiled.

"Discord, you can come down now," Celestia said. "I know you're up there." Discord muttered something under his breath before teleporting in front of her. He was still wearing his all black outfit and cape but at the moment his hood was down.

"How'd you know?" Discord asked.

"It was either this or pranking the audience and since I haven't heard any screaming..." she said. Discord snickered. "Discord. You KNOW how I feel about you pranking the audience."

"I know but it get SO BORING," Discord complained. "Besides, it's only small things." Celestia glared at him. "Okay, okay, I'll stop, sheesh. Such a stick in the mud." The clock bell rang.

"Intermission's over," Celestia said. "You'd better get back."

"Alright," he said grumpily. He then put his hood back on and started to stealthly make his way back to box 5.

"Warriorheart and Maple Leaf walked on stage.

"Just a little ways, then will destroy them all," Maple Leaf sang. "And send their lands ablaze."

"I will not fail," Warriorheart sang before putting on his war helmet. "Luck go with you, my friend." He then ran off into the "rocky land" which is the Stone Warrriors' territory. Maple Leaf gave a wicked smirk.

"I'm afraid that this is the end," Maple Leaf sang quietly. "Sorry. My friend." The lights went out.

"How's that cupcake?" Pinkie asked.

"Good," Fluttershy said. Twilight nodded in agreement. They were eating a cupcake that Pinkie had made and were in the kitchen instead of watching the second act.

"Though what's this stuff inside?" Twilight asked with a mouthful of cupcake.

"Icing," Pinkie answered. "And there's a candy piece in yours. Be sure to see what it is before you eat it." Twilight found her and pulled it out with her magic. It was a dark pink candy in the shape of Twilight's cutie mark.

"How..." Twilight started.

"It took several days and I meant to have it for you on your birthday but it took them longer to make it than they originally said it would," Pinkie said. "So happy late birthday! Do you like it?"

"I love it!" Twilight responded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Pinkie said. Twilight then took a bit of it.

"Strawberry?" Twilight asked. Pinkie nodded. "My favorite!"

"Oh goddess Bella accept our offering," the Stone Warriors' queen sang. The other Stone Warriors were humming in the background. Warriorheart was tied to a stake and there was wood circling around him. "We offer you this stallion in exchange for your provision. Receive our offering!" One of the Stone Warriors lit the wood on fire. The "fire" surrounded Warriorheart and he fell unconscious as the fire grew around him. Maple Leaf was stilling smiling wickedly and so was the Stone Warriors' queen. She then grabbed him with her magic and threw him into the burning fire and held him there.

"No, not me! No!" Maple Leaf screamed. The Stone Warriors laughed as the fire burned them both alive.

"Do you think it's over yet?" Fluttershy asked her friends.

"I don't think so," Twilight said.

"Yeah, if they were, it wouldn't be this quiet," Pinkie said. "The audience is ALWAYS loud after a performance."

"Agreed," Twilight said. "Anyway, I'm sure they'll be done soon."

"In the meantime, let's play a game," Pinkie suggested.

"What kind of game?" Fluttershy asked curiously.

"How about...Twenty Questions?" Twilight suggested. The two nodded in agreement. "I'll go first." There was silence. "Okay, I've got it."

"Is it sweet?" Pinkie asked. Twilight shook her head. "Is it pink?" Twilight shook her head. "Is it food?" Twilight nodded. "Is it yellow?"

"Um, sometimes," Twilight said.

"Is it cheese?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight shook her head.

"That's five," Twilight said.

"Is it salty?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight nodded.

"Well, sometimes," Twilight said.

"Is it popcorn?" Pinkie asked. Twilight. "Yeah! I got it! May I go next?"

"Very interesting opera, Celestia," Filthy Rich said. "Definatly an improvement in dramatics."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Celestia responded.

"Though I am curious as to where you found such a piece," he said. "Did you hire some pony to write this for you?"

"Actually he wrote it voluntarily," Celestia responded.

"Um, interesting," Filthy Rich said. "I'll be sure to come back and see it again." Unknown to either of them, Discord had been listening. He smirked.

"Glad you liked it Mr. Stiff-neck," Discord whispered. "See you in a few weeks."