Chapter 149: The Play
"Lights!" shouted out a voice.
Spotlights shined down from above the stage as several stagehands adjusted them.
"Music!"
A piano was rolled out as someone sat on the seat and began to play it. The gentle melody was heard as the director enjoyed it and snapped her fingers for the person to stop.
"So... remind me why we're here, Sparky?" asked Storm as he leaned back against a tree.
"We're putting on a special play for everyone in town," answered the princess as she had a clipboard in her hand. "We're telling a story that I believe everyone will enjoy."
"If you say so, princess," muttered the Jedi to himself as he smirked, seeing how excited Twilight was for this.
The rest of the day consisted of the royal engineers building the stage and the many sets and backdrops they would use. While it may have been a play, there would also be some magic at play that would make everyone in the audience see the story's events as if it was some motion picture. At least, that's how Twilight described it.
"Everything is ready, your highness," said one of the engineers to the girl.
"Thank you," said Twilight as the worker bowed respectfully before signaling his buddies to wrap it up. "Now it's time to start the auditions. Ms. Cheerilee."
The school teacher snapped his finger as the line of people gathered to try out for parts of the play began to file one by one on the stage. Twilight and a few others sat down as they began to check out and select who would get what for the part.
Hours passed, and nearly every part had been selected; now, all that remained was finding someone to play the lead role. Tons of people were auditioning, trying to get the part.
"Give me my love. And when he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all of the world will be in love with night."
A round of applause was heard as the person on stage walked off.
"Well, princess?" asked Ms. Cheerilee.
"Good... but... just... not what is needed for the role. The lead needs... something. Something to make them stand out." expressed Twilight as she put her hands on her head and took a deep breath. "Have everyone take a break."
Ms. Cheerilee gave a hand signal as everyone knew what that meant. People began to move about and talk. Twilight sighed as she got up and approached her partner, seated at the base of a tree.
"You've found your lead yet?" asked Storm as he looked at the sky while the girl did her thing.
"Sadly... no," said the princess as she sat down by her partner. She leaned against the boy. "We can't have the play without the main lead. Any ideas?"
"Give it up," smiled Storm.
"I hate you," responded Twilight before cracking a smile as both chuckled.
The princess leaned in and kissed the Jedi's cheek before wrapping her arms around him and leaning into his chest. The boy put one of his arms around the girl as he smiled. The teens sat in silence as they enjoyed each other's presence.
Twilight was soon back to doing the auditions as more peopled tried to impress the princess and others. Yet, despite some good performances, the princess was still unsure about most of them. The lead needed to be someone who people could believe was a hero, someone they wanted to cheer. Someone they wanted to see saves the day.
"That was the last audition, princess," said Ms. Cheerilee.
"And we still haven't found someone for the part," said Twilight as she leaned back in her chair.
"Well, you'll have to decide soon, your highness," said another person.
"Sparky, you done yet. I wanna run the obstacle course before I turn in," said Storm as he appeared on his horse, as the Jedi was looking to take the princess home.
Twilight saw her partner as she examined him. The girl saw her partner on his steed as the sunset behind him seemed to radiate off of him. The wind blew his unzipped hoodie as it added more to his presence. The princess then had a lightbulb go off in her head.
"That's it!"
"Great, so let's go," said Storm as he turned his horse around.
"Storm should be one."
"Wait, what?!" said the boy as he looked at his partner. "Oh, no. No, no, no. no!"
"Please," said Twilight as she approached her partner.
"I'm not doing this shit, Sparky!" exclaimed the boy as he hopped off his horse.
"Please... you're perfect for the role."
"What a coincidence," joked Storm with a glare.
"I'll command you if I have to," said the girl reminding her partner that she was her knight and, if given the order to do anything, had to comply.
"Sometimes I wonder why you chose me to be your personal knight," muttered the boy as he couldn't believe that Twilight was ordering him to do this stupid play.
The boy sighed and grumbled a bit more as he walked away. Twilight looked at her partner as she smiled.
"There's a reason why I chose you," muttered the girl to herself.
The boy got on the stage as he looked at the princess and the others seated. He sighed as he took a deep breath. The boy not knowing what to say.
"Destiny..." said Storm, taking a deep breath, "Destiny is... a gift. Some go their entire lives living an existence of quiet desperation, never learning the truth that what feels as though a burden pushing down upon our shoulders... is actually the sense of purpose that lifts us to greater heights. Never forget that fear is but the precursor to valor. That to strive and triumph in the face of fear is what it means to be a hero. Don't think. Become."
The princess and everyone else applauded as they seemed to love what was said by the Jedi heavily. Twilight had a loving smile on her face looking at her partner. Storm scoffed at how they seemed to like what he thought of on the spot. He saw Twilight approaching the stage as he bent down to look at her.
"Happy?" groaned the boy to his partner.
"Very," responded Twilight, kissing his cheek while wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him.
The next day came as everyone was arriving to do a dress rehearsal. Twilight was busy directing everyone, informing them of certain cues to pay attention to.
"Sparky?!" shouted the Jedi.
"Yes," said the princess as she saw her partner.
"What is this?"
"The script."
"No, this." said the boy as he pointed to the words on a page.
"Her eyes the glow worm lend thee,
The shooting stars attend thee;
And the elves also,
Whose little eyes glow
Like the sparks of fire, befriend thee..."
"What is this shit?" said the boy.
"It's the language of the play," stated the princess.
"I don't even know what half that means. Can't we just say the stuff we mean to say? Why do we gotta like sophisticated snobs?"
"It's tradition!" retorted the girl.
"Well, screw your tradition! Just reading that small amount is giving me headaches."
"You are so annoying," mumbled Twilight to her partner, the girl trying to not let the boy get in her head and on her mind. Like he always was for... different reasons. "Fine! We'll modernize it!"
The princess grumbled as she wondered why she always let the boy get what he wanted. She left to give the memo to all the other actors, as a few were happy they didn't have to speak that way. It added more to the princess' annoyance 'cause of the small smirk on her partner's face when she told him.
"God, why did I pick him to be my knight!" pouted the princess as she walked away with her clipboard.
"Love you," joked Storm as Twilight was even more annoyed.
"Let's get this dress rehearsal underway!" shouted Twilight to her partner as she sat down and held her pouting face.
"Aw, isn't she cute when she's pouting?" joked the boy before disappearing behind the curtain.
"Places, please!" said Cheerilee.
The stagehands began to change the backdrop of the background. Curtains were pulled apart as more stagehands moved props of boats into the center as waves moved about. Soon the magic used to make the play stand out like some motion picture began to take effect as a ripple effect occurred.
"We begin in an open sea..." said Twilight as the magic took over.
Waves crashed about as the water hitting the boats could be heard. A ship was spotted as they were cruising through the sea. In front of them was another ship compared to the one following them; it had vibrant sails to indicate the person it was under the command of was someone of power.
However, unbeknownst to them, someone was watching them. A goddess was looking down on the mortal world. She was someone who was bored out of her mind and figured it was time to have some fun.
"So, what do we have on the agenda today?" asked the goddess who was being played by a female. "Let's see. Political marriage; boring. War starting; nope. Hunger; too depressing. Ah, here's something. A noble prince delivering a special item... and what's this... a black heart chasing after him." said the goddess as she looked at a section of the globe to see the two ships from before.
"Now, this could be fun. Now the question is... which one of my pets to send after them?" snickered the goddess. She then twirled her hand and made a sea creature appear. She then held it over the globe before it disappeared into it.
Back with our two ships, the ship chasing after its target showed a person coming out of his cabin.
"Alright, crew. This is it. Our moment has finally come!" said the captain as it turned out to be Storm portraying the person he was playing. "I've received word that traveling aboard that ship is a highly prized treasure. The only downside is that it'll never reach Derdriu." The captain looked at his crew when he said that with a smirk.
The crew all laughed and cheered as they knew what would happen.
"Men, after today. We retire. So let's go out with one final score!" the captain rallied as his crew cried and rushed to their stations. "Terra!"
"Aye, Captain!" shouted out the second mate, which Applejack portrayed as she was at the helm.
Lily!" called out the captain to his dog, which Winnona was portraying as she ran to the handle and pulled it as the hidden blades in the front of the ship popped out, ready to board the other ship.
"Let's go out with a bang, gents!" shouted the captain.
The ships collided as the captain grabbed a rope and swung over to the ship; he did a flip while pulling out his two swords in mid-air. He then came down and began to fight several of the men as his comrades soon joined their leader and began to fight. Swords trading shots and fists were launched as the defenders were slowly overwhelmed. The captain headbutted a royal guard with a smirk as he saw several charging at him; he then did a backflip with him, stabbing his swords into the ship as he spun and used his legs to kick all the guards while rotating in the circle.
He kicked the last guard away as he flipped back and removed his weapons. Landing next to his second mate.
"So, what'd you think? That last move, gotta admit that was awesome," said the captain to Terra, who was holding a guard in a chokehold.
"Eh, I thought you overdid it. Just a little," mocked Terra.
"Overdid it?" scoffed the captain as his second mate nonchalantly punched the guard he held, and he fell unconscious before they walked.
A royal guard gave a cry as he was running from behind. Terra heard that as he turned and caught the blade with a single hand while smirking at the guard. The guard was shocked before he was swung over the thief and into the water, with Blitz still holding the sword.
"Oh, and you call me a showoff, huh?" smirked the captain to his second mate as he shrugged and tossed the sword to the floor.
The pair turned to see at the bridge of the ship a struggle was occurring. A few of his men were trying to overpower the one in command of the ship. The person in charge was the prince of Derdriu; however, the person was someone the captain knew, and it'd been so long since he last saw him.
"Hubert, oh no," said the captain, seeing his childhood friend from ten years ago. The person portraying the character was Shenran.
"Oh, shit. This just got interestin'," smiled Terra to his captain. "So... how long has it been?"
"Longer than expected," sighed the captain as he walked.
The prince was fending off the three men attempting to disarm him as he leaped over the guard before spinning and using his right leg to kick him in the head from both sides before kicking him away.
"After all this time, you still fight like when we were kids."
"Shez?" said Herbert as he heard the voice of his childhood friend.
That slight distraction allowed the men to jump him from behind as they tackled him to the floor as Shez was nearby, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. They soon hoisted the prince up and had him face their captain.
"Shez? What...? What are you doing here?" said Hubert as he flicked off the hands holding him to look directly at a friend he hadn't seen in a long time.
"Oh, you know? Just doing my thing?" said Shez with a smile as he unlocked the door by slicing off the handle and pulling it out to create a hole. "And what about?" smirked the captain.
"What happened to you? Where have you been all this time?" asked the prince.
"Hey, bud. Look, I'd love to sit and chat with you. You catch up, but I got a job to do. So, if you'll excuse me." Shez smiled as he pushed the door and began to whistle as he entered the ship's main cabin.
Hubert began to walk toward the door. The men were about to hold him back, but Blitz shook his head at them. The others were confused about why they should let the prince go, but the second mate knew that both friends needed time alone to discuss things.
In the cabin, Shez had made his way down the stairs as he saw the thing at the end of the room. The talisman illuminated, giving off a light as the captain whistled.
"Wow," said Shez.
"Shez, we need to talk," said Hubert as he appeared by his friend's side and put his hand on his shoulder.
"You know I've read about it, but seeing it up close and in person. Is even more astounding," said Shez as he removed the hand and walked to the talisman as if in a trance.
The thief approached the holding stand that held the artifact.
"The Talisman of Lecister," said Shez, looking at it.
"It's my job to make sure that it safety makes its way to Derdriu," stated Hubert as he stared down at his friend, looking at the artifact with interest.
"Aw, man. Well, this is tough, bud... for you. 'Cause, unfortunately, I'm gonna have to take it off your hands. Don't worry, I'll be doing you a solid." smiled Shez.
"You can't be serious! You vanish for nearly a decade. Then show up out of nowhere. And try to rob me. Me. Your best friend." exclaimed Hubert as he saw his friend circling the talisman.
"Hey, bud. I'm sorry. I didn't know you were the one guarding it. Believe me. Wish it was someone else, but..." said Shez.
"But it is me!"
"Herbert, look. We had fun. Secret handshake, our own hideout. We were kids. And it was fun. But... we're not kids anymore. We've grown." said Shez.
"We were friends! Please tell me that you're not gonna steal this from me?" asked Hubert as Shez was still thinking about taking the talisman. "Besides, what would you even do with it? The Talisman of Lecister keeps us all safe in the kingdom."
"Exactly. Think about how much money I could make off of it. What do you think the asking price would be to give it back?" joked Shez.
"Shez, I'm saying this again. A long time ago, you and I were friends. Brothers, even. And if that means anything to you, prove it to me now." said the prince, hoping his friend would see the light.
Shez took a moment to lull over the prince's words before responding.
"You're right. That was a long time ago," said Shez, seeming not fully to hear what his friend said. He began to reach for the artifact.
Hubert grabbed Shez's hand and rolled his friend backward, grabbing the sword on his back. Shez rolled to his knees as he pulled out the sword in his sheath and looked at his friend. The prince twirled the blade with a sneaky smile on his face.
"Come on, Hubert. Don't try to play the hero now," smirked Shez as he stood up.
Shez walked and tapped his blade against his friend, to which the prince responded, and the two began to engage. Both trading attacks and blocking as they turned and met in the middle. Hubert held his sword upright while Shez held his upside down. The two had their faces close to each other as they smirked.
"If you want that talisman, you're gonna have to go through me," declared Hubert.
Before the fight could continue, a sound was heard, followed by some shouting. Soon the wall broke apart as a tentacle appeared; both men were flung to the floor. Shez slightly leaped over the tentacle as he moved out before retracting.
"What the...?" said both.
They got up and quickly rushed out to see what was happening. A Kraken appeared from the water as it was wreaking havoc on the prince's ship. The royal guards all rushed to fight the creature as it was using its tentacles to swat them away.
"Dear gods," sighed Hubert.
Shez's dog, Lily, was shown barking and running at a tentacle as she got a hold of it. The dog tried to pull it back and bite it, but its small size was easy enough for the Kraken to fling the small animal over its head as it flew. The dog whimpered, but thankfully, she was flung to Shez's ship as one of his men saw the captain's pet incoming and caught her before they fell hard.
"I got her, captain!" said the man.
"Well, bud. I hate to leave again after seeing each other for so long, but I need to go. Other commitments I need to attend." said Shez as he walked to the boat's edge and got on the railing.
"Wait a minute! You're telling me you're just gonna ditch me and let me handle this?" asked Hubert to his friend.
"Uh, yeah. It's not my problem," smiled Shez.
Hubert rolled his eyes as he couldn't believe his friend. He then ran to take care of the sea creature. Shez smiled as he was about to jump over to his ship, but one of the tentacles appeared and separated the ship. Shez had to catch himself from wobbling as he was unexpected by that. The tentacle that separated the ships moved upward as it caught the sails of the thief's ship, and they began to tumble down.
"Shez!" shouted Terra as all their men moved out of the way of the falling debris.
"You! My...! My ship, you son of a bitch!" yelled Shez at the Kraken for what he did.
Safe to say, now it was his problem.
Back with Hubert, he and his men were still dealing with the sea creature. The young prince avoided a tentacle as he leaped onto one and stabbed it with his sword before being knocked off by another tentacle. The tongue of the Kraken then shot out to grab the prince as he rolled out of the way.
"Heads up!" shouted Shez.
Hubert looked behind to see his friend ignite a barrel; he then jumped on a board to launch it into the air. The Kraken saw the barrel coming at it and instinctively shot its tongue out to grab it and yank it into its mouth.
"Now, what?" said Hubert as he was helped up by his friend.
"Now... take cover!" said Shez as he knew what would happen.
The reaction occurred as the barrel had reached the digestive system of the Kraken. The sea creature felt the bubbling in its stomach before it felt the pressure build-up, and a second later, it exploded the creature, leaving slime and its tentacles behind as it splattered about the ship, even dousing the two friends as they groaned in disgust. With the creature dead, the guards all gave a rallied cry of celebration.
"Well, glad you decided to stick around," said Hubert as he wiped some of the slime off him.
"Just like old times," smiled Shez to his friend.
The prince smiled as he put his hand on his friend. While facing him, he didn't realize that one of the tentacles was starting to slip back into the sea as both were in its path.
"Look out!" said Shez as he pushed his friend out of the way and was knocked by the falling tentacle overboard and into the sea.
The thief fell deeper into the sea as he slowly lost consciousness. Hubert was looking to go after his friend as he went for a dive but was held back by his guards. The last image on the water's surface showed air bubbles before they popped.
"Alright, cut!" shouted Twilight.
Back in reality, the princess had the actors all stop.
"Good work, everyone. Now let's set up the next scene, quickly!" instructed the princess as the stagehands rushed to move the props out of the way.
"How was that, Sparky?" asked Storm as he bent down to his partner and removed his hat.
"You're doing great. I knew picking you was the best choice," said Twilight.
"You're not trying to flirt with me, are you?" asked the boy with a raised eyebrow.
"Maybe. Maybe not," joked the girl with a smile.
"All set, princess!" called out a stagehand.
"Good luck," said Twilight to her partner. "Alright, places, everyone!" The girl returned to her seat as the magic began to work again.
The play's narrator then began to explain and set up for the following scene. After falling down for quite a while, Shez was saved by someone. And that someone was the goddess who had sent the Kraken. She scooped up the captain from drowning and introduced herself as Rhea. A goddess who loved nothing but trouble and mischief. And her latest attempt to have fun was ruined by the human. While Shez jokingly apologized to the goddess for doing that, she seemed to have other plans. A little bit flirty with the human, she proposed that he would steal the talisman and give it to her to make it up for her.
While any human would take her up on that offer, Shez had other plans. Mainly stealing the artifact for himself to get rich and retire in peace. However, the goddess using her ways, managed to strike a deal with the human; however, he made her promise that she'd keep her word. Since she mentioned that when a goddess does that, she's bound for all eternity to keep it. And so the deal was made; she informed the human that when he stole the artifact, he would follow the comet in the air as it would guide her lair.
The pact formed as the goddess casually pushed him back into the water as he swam up. However, Sitri smiled at not only how cute the human was but also gullible. Shez was then scooped up by Terra when he popped up and flung onto the now-repaired ship. His second mate asked what happened, and he explained, knowing his friend wouldn't believe him. And he was right; his second mate laughed it off. They soon turned their attention back forward as they saw Hubert's ship entering the city of Derdriu.
Everyone was waiting for the Talisman of Lecister to arrive. Many guards were posted as they got ahold of the case holding the artifact and delivered it to its post in a tower that was heavily guarded 24/7. It was now nighttime, and a party was held to honor the safely delivered talisman. And now the scene was set.
"For as long as I can remember, I've dreamed of this moment. The sacred treasure that's protected us for a thousand years is now in Derdriu," said Hubert's father, King Klaus.
"A toast!" shouted a man.
"To King Klaus!" responded a woman.
"Hear, hear!"
Everyone in the banquet hall lifted their cups.
"To the Talisman of Leicester!" proclaimed the King.
"And to you, King Klaus and Prince Hubert!" said a council judge.
Just as everyone lifted their cups for the toast, some guards made a noise as they ran. It caught the attention of everyone as they saw the many guards by the entrance; they were attempting to confront the person looking to walk in.
"And this is why you don't use the front doors, gents," joked Shez to his men.
"What is he doing here?" said King Klaus as he saw the young man.
"Well, we don't have to worry about him attempting to steal anything," joked Hubert to his father as he patted him on the back and walked toward his friend with a smile.
"Oh, sure. Because everyone here is gathered here so that he can have an easier time!" responded the King with a look.
"Guards, stand down," said Hubert as he smiled when he saw his friend and gave a quick bro hug. "So, what's the deal? You disappear for almost a decade, and now I'm seeing you twice in one day. Are you trying to spoil me?"
"I mean, you are royalty," smiled Shez to his friend as Hubert had his hand on his back and guided him in.
"Or are you just here for the free food and drink?" joked the prince.
"That too. Speaking of which," said Shez before addressing his men, "You heard him, guys. Dinner and drinks on the prince. So go wild." The men nodded before he whispered something to them. "Get to work."
The men knew that their captain meant for them to scout the area and steal the artifact. They all began to take a step forward when the guards stopped them.
"Weapons?" demanded the guard.
Blitz smiled before he pulled out two daggers aimed at the guards as they jumped back. He smiled before placing them on the table next to them. A few others dropped their weapons as well. The last one began to take out a crossbow, daggers, swords, spears, knives, small explosive bombs, etc... It would be a while.
With the two young men, Hubert was leading Shez as the thief snatched a glass from a nearby servant's tray and took a sip of cider.
"I have someone I want you to meet. You remember about this girl I kept mentioning?" asked Hubert.
"Almost every time you can get," joked Shez, taking another sip.
"Well, here she is. Shez, I'd like to introduce you to my fiance, Lady Lysithea. She's an Ambassador from Brigid." said Hubert as he introduced the young woman to his friend.
The woman, played by Rarity, turned around to see her fiance and his friend. Upon first glance, Shez let out a gasp as he saw the beauty of the woman. He'd seen plenty of women during his travels on the seas, but something about her made her stand out. He'd give credit to his friend; he was one lucky man to have her.
"So, this is the infamous Shez that I've heard you talk about," said the young woman as she looked at the young man with interest.
"Already that popular, huh? News does travel fast around here," responded Shez.
"As you can see, dear. Shez hee tends to enjoy life by leaping head first into danger," smiled Hubert as he stood beside his fiance and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"And he doesn't seem to shut up about you," stated Shez.
"So, let me get this straight. First, attempt to rob Hubert here..."
"To be fair, I didn't know it was him," interjected Shez as Lysithea spoke.
"Then, you save his life..."
"I only helped him because that Kraken ruined my ship. I take great pride in that. She's like my love." said the young man again, lifting his drink to his mouth.
"Which begs the question: What are you? A hero? Or a thief?" asked the young woman.
At that moment, Shez stopped his movement. He had the cup up to his lips, ready to take a drink, but... he didn't. If anything, he lowered it down. The words spoken by the Ambassador had an effect on him. A look on his face told the whole story.
"Shez wanted to allow me to thank... him," said Hubert as he and Lysthiea looked up and saw that he was gone.
Over at the banquet table, Lily was getting her chow on. The dog was on the table, mowing everything in her path as she walked along the table. She entered a tall pudding cake and came out with some sweet treats. She jumped and let out a burp before walking by some of Shez's men.
"Thanks, y'all, kindly. Living eight months at sea with nothing but eggs and pickles can drive you insane at times," said one of Shez's men, who was being played by Rainbow.
The man had so much food stuffed in between his clothing as he attempted to bring it all back for the rest of the men to have something different other than their usual stuff. He then saw his captain as he stepped back and informed him.
"Oh, there you are, captain. This is the easiest job to pull. Only a few guards." whispered the man to his leader.
"Forget it, Blitz. Let's leave," stated Shez with a downed look and walked between him and Terra.
"That's just it? I thought we were supposed to steal the artifact," said Terra as even he was stunned by their captain's sudden change of plans.
Both men turned in the direction that he came from as they saw Hubert with Lysithea. They soon began to turn and followed their captain. They were passing by their other friend, who was still putting down all the weapons he had on him. He had pulled out his last blade when they walked by.
"Pack it up, Duke," stated Terra as they walked out.
"What? I-I... I just put the..." the man groaned as he had just finished getting rid of all his weapons and was now forced to take it all. He grabbed all the weapons on the table and went after his comrades, hauling them all.
As they were leaving, on one of the roofs was Sitri. The goddess saw Shez and his men leave as she felt he wouldn't do the job.
"Aw, well. It was worth a shot. At least now, I get to have all the fun." smiled the goddess before disappearing into a mist.
Hubert and Lysithea made it to a balcony and saw the night sky and all its glory. The stars were out and about the shiny blue sky, and the tower just a far distance in front of them housed the artifact.
"It's beautiful," sighed the young woman.
"It is. My father spent years preparing it for the Talisman. There are guards on every level, and if you look up to the... Ah..." chuckled Hubert as he looked at his fiance, who had a smile on her face, "You were talking about the night, weren't you?"
"Actually, I was referring to the sea. I've always dreamed of sailing on it. Seeing what's out there beyond the Twelve Kingdoms. Discovering the world. I'm sure you've seen things from your times at sea." said Lysithea.
"That I can't deny," chuckled Hubert before sitting on a bench with the young woman as he grabbed and held her hand, "Lysithea... Our marriage was arranged many years ago. It's always been expected of us. But politics is not a reason to get married. I don't want you to do this because it's your duty. I'm asking you for myself now. Lysithea, will you marry me?"
"Hubert, I..." said the young woman with a smile.
"There you two are," said Hubert's father as he appeared. "There seems to be a little debate among the delegates. And I could use some help."
"Of course, your Majesty," responded Lysithea as she wrapped her arm around the one the King offered. She looked at Hubert briefly and gave him a look that translated that they would talk later. The prince smiled as he followed behind them.
At the same time, Sitri made her move. A mist was shown moving up the tower in a spiral as it entered through a window. The goddess was in a mirage-like state as she began to head up the tower. She passed by the many security stationed as she phased through the door to the keep. The talisman was in the middle of the room as a single guard moved around the room. She then moved to a torch and put it out as the sound was heard.
The guard approached the torch to see it out before looking at the talisman. The goddess was behind a pillar as she transformed her appearance into that of Shez. She stepped out of the shadow and into the light as the guard turned and saw the thief. He charged at him as the disguised goddess blocked his sword with her own and towered over the guard. She then threw a punch as the guard collapsed to the floor. Sitri got rid of her disguise as she chuckled.
"Too easy," said the goddess as she approached the artifact. "And now... let the chaos ensue."
She took the talisman from its case, and darkness forces shot out. The entire kingdom shook as people ran about. Screaming for their lives as pieces of the building fell around from the sudden vibration.
"What's going on?" shouted Lysithea to Hubert.
"The talisman!" shouted the prince.
The two ran to the balcony they had been on moments ago as they looked out. They saw the tower as it was overrun by dark mist before it shot upward into the sky; the entire city was blanketed and shrouded in a veil of darkness. Soon everything went black.
In reality, the curtains closed as Twilight instructed everybody to get ready for the next scene. Seconds later, the curtain pulled back open as the magic resumed, and the narrator explained what happened in between.
After the incident, Shez was arrested and thrown in the dungeon for stealing the book. The thief was confused until he saw Hubert in the cell with him as he had been waiting for his friend. The prince confronted his friend about stealing the artifact, to which Shez playfully rejected it, saying he didn't steal it. The prince gave the report that the guard who was knocked out said that it was him who had appeared. That confused Shez until he put the pieces together and realized that Sitri had framed him for the crime she committed.
The thief explained to his friend that the goddess possessed the talisman. However, the council was already planning Shez's trial as they were convinced he was the one. And they were as when he stood before the judges, they asked Shez to return the talisman, to which he said he didn't have it. And so the decision was made to have him executed. They began to drag him away until Hubert showed up and enacted the right of substitution. He said that he would take his friend's place in return for Shez to get back the talisman from Sitri.
The thief was confused about why his friend was doing this, but the prince believed his friend was telling him the truth. And now, he was giving him a chance to prove himself. The council was worried as they warned the prince that if they let Shez go and he didn't return, then he would die in his place. Hubert accepted the consequences, as a part of him believed that the friend he once knew was still in there and would come through. And so the deal was set, ten days for Shez to go to Sitri's lair to recover the talisman, or the prince would die.
The scene showed Shez on his ship as they were sailing in the water. Rainbow's character, Blitz, lit a torch and began to swing down from the main mast with it in his hand. He swung by, lit up all the other lanterns, and passed by Applejack's character, Terra, who held the lantern for his friend to light up. He then looked at their captain as he gazed out to sea.
"So... how do we get there?" asked Terra to his leader.
"What are you talking about? We're not going to retrieve the talisman. We're going somewhere better." stated Shez.
"Better?" questioned the second mate with a raised eyebrow.
The captain put down a map showing an island. The words on it read: HORSELULU.
"Horselulu."
"Horselulu? This time of year?" asked Terra with his arms crossed and raised eyebrow.
"Yup. Think of the beaches," declared Shez.
"Sure... if you like getting bitten by insects," responded Terra, slapping his hand against his neck to emphasize his point.
"Okay, well, think of the sun," smiled the captain.
"It's monsoon season, Cap," said Terra.
"Gees, you got a response for everything I say," stated Shez, annoyed his right-hand man was giving him a hard time.
"He's your friend!" stated Terra, seeing that Shez wouldn't save Hubert's life after he put it on the line to set him free.
"What are you, my mother? He'll be fine."
"How can you be sure?"
"Come on, you and I know the King would not let them execute his son."
"So we run away?"
"We're not running away. I told you we would do one final score, and that's it. We already did that. There's no reason for us to do this. It's not my fault that Hubert wanted to play the hero and risk his life for me. Now set a course for Horselulu!" stated Shez as Terra groaned and went to the wheel.
Meanwhile, the captain stepped forward to address the rest of his crew.
"Guys, ready for some fun in the sun!" shouted Shez as the men cheered for their captain.
They began to talk among themselves as they were looking forward to it. Shez looked at Terra to see his reaction to the rest of the men's excitement. The second mate merely shook his head and continued to steer their ship. The captain then began to head to his cabin.
"Why does he always gotta guilt trip me?" complained Shez about Terra as he headed to his cabin's door.
He pushed it slowly when he heard a voice from the other side. He saw someone in his cabin as he recognized the voice. It was none other than Hubert's fiance Lysithea as she had snuck aboard the thief's ship. The council had given her a special mission: to make sure that Shez retrieved the book or, if he died, to bring back his body. At the moment, the young woman was roaming about his cabin, looking at his possession. The thief didn't like that the woman was looking through his belongings, especially 'cause she broke something. It took all of Shez's control to not barge in and strangle her for damaging all the stuff he'd stolen over the years.
The captain took a deep breath as he calmed himself. He silently entered the room as the young woman bent over and picked up something.
"Wonder where he got this. Probably a brothel," said the young woman, holding a bra.
"Good guess, but try again," responded Shez as he appeared beside the young woman with his head leaning in.
The young woman heard his voice and turned around while taking some steps to face the captain.
"Why the hell are you here?" demanded the captain.
"I'm here to ensure that you get the artifact, or if you die, I bring your body back. Either or."
"Really?" laughed the captain. "And how exactly were you planning to do that, huh? You got any backup?"
"Well... no," responded the young woman.
"You know where we're going?" asked Shez.
"No," confessed Lysthiea.
"Can you even read a map?" asked the captain.
"Yes," answered the young woman confidently.
"Well, good. I can dump your ass in a rowboat, and you find your way home. We're heading to Horselulu, nothing but sunshine and chillin' on the beach." said Shez as he fell on his bed with his hands behind his back and tipped his hat forward to cover his eyes.
"The beach?" questioned Lysthiea with a curious smile.
"Oh, yeah," responded the captain.
"Figures."
"What?" said Shez, lifting his small hat from his eyes.
"Shez, you're not as complicated as you think you are. All someone has to do is imagine the most gutless course of action, and you're bound to take it."
"Hey, this isn't my fault! I didn't ask for him to stick his neck out for me. He chose to put his life on the line." declared Shez.
"And yet, you're gonna let him suffer for your actions. No wonder you spent ten years running away from all your problems."
The captain merely shifted to his side as he didn't want to hear the young woman's words.
"You know, I'd feel the same way as you do. Knowing that I let my best friend die because I wanted to save my own skin," said Lysithea to the young man's ear.
"I'm not responsible!" groaned Shez as he got up and confronted the female.
"Look, clearly, I can't appeal to your honor. But I have other ways of convincing you."
"Really? Uh, just how do you expect to do that?" said Shez, a bit flustered at how the woman looked at him.
"By speaking your language," said Lysithea with a hint of seductiveness.
Shez gulped when the woman was in front of him. She then presented a diamond; the young man saw it and took it. He then bit into it as it was real.
"Keep talking," responded the captain.
Lysithea then presented a bag and dumped all the contents into Shez's other hand. The captain saw the small amount of priceless jewels in his hand as he had a smile.
"I think this'll do... for now," smirked Shez as he looked at Lysithea as the smirk on her face disappeared when she heard that.
Soon the young man was dragging her by the arm roughly as he took her to her new quarters. The young woman was fighting back against him as she tried to struggle free, but he kept walking; all the while, his crew watched what was happening with looks of confusion.
"Don't worry, you're gonna love your new room," said Shez as he kicked down the door and tossed the girl forward as she fell to the floor. "Plus, you got an all-you-can buffet. Hope you like eggs, pickles, and... more eggs."
The young woman looked at the captain with a look, distraught and disgusted at how he was treating her. Soon a bark was heard as Shez's dog appeared by her owner's side.
"Oh, hey, Lily. Lysithea, I want to introduce you to your new roommate; well, more like you're her new roommate since this is her room. Anyways, hope you two get to know each other." said Shez as he petted his dog.
The dog raced forward and began to lick the woman's face as she tried to hold back the animal. She shoved it to the side and raced toward Shex, looking to get her hands on the young man before he shut the door in her face and locked it.
"How the hell did she even get on my ship?" muttered Shez as he kept eyeing a jewel.
He then stopped in his tracks as he saw his crew. They all had a jewel and were biting into them when they saw their captain. They quickly stood at attention with some fake yawning and stretching. The captain rolled his eyes as he walked past them.
"Gentlemen, new course. We're going to get the talisman back."
"What? What happened to fun in the sun?" asked some crew.
He soon made it to the ship's helm as Terra was at the wheel with a smile.
"Let's get one thing straight. I'm only in this for the money," stated Shez as he crossed his arms.
"Right," smirked Terra. "So, how do we get there?"
"See that comet there. That's our ticket. Follow that direction." said Shez as he pointed.
And so the ship set off in the direction of the comet. Along the way, they ran into many dangers. And on more than one occasion, Lysithea had proved to be a valuable person; she even saved the crew once they passed through siren territory. Eventually, she and Shez lightened up and became closer than expected. And when an incident happened where the captain had to rescue her, they couldn't take their eyes off each other.
It was now nighttime as the ship sailed on the water. Shez was at the helm as he was steering the ship. Lysithea was walking along the ship when she appeared off to the side. The young woman gave a few glances at her savior as neither couldn't help but try to look at the other.
"Shez? Thanks for coming to save me today," said the young woman as she leaned over the ship's side.
"Well, y... you're welcome," responded the captain.
"Tell me, do you enjoy this life?" asked the woman.
"It has its benefits. One thing I can't complain about is the freedom it provides. The wind in your face, the rush of adrenaline at times. But most importantly, the thing I like most is the many sights I've seen.
"Must be nice," responded Lysithea.
"And you?" asked Shez.
"Ever since I was a little girl, I've always been fascinated by the sea. How it looked, how it stretched for miles on end. But more importantly, how I wanted to see what's beyond the Twelve Kingdoms? But alas... I had other commitments in life."
"Like being Hubert's fiance," said Shez as Lysithea made a face when she heard the name of the prince she was supposed to marry.
Shez grabbed her hand as it shocked the young woman. Feeling their fingers touch as he guided her to the wheel. He positioned and adjusted her stance properly, allowing the girl a chance to live out a part of her dream. The smile on Lysithea's face was bright enough to light up the night sky as she felt the wind blowing against her.
"You know, I've traveled the seas more times than I can count. But it never gets dull. When we were young, me and Hubert also had dreams. We dreamed of joining the Royal Navy and sailing the seas to our heart's contents. But... well, that was when we were kids. We've grown up since then." Shez looked sorrowfully. "He's someone of royalty, and I'm... well, a thief. But... one thing we were, we were brothers."
"What happened?" asked Lysithea.
"One morning, a ship came into the harbor. I didn't know it then, but on that ship was his future."
"Which was?" asked the young woman.
"You..." said Shez as she gasped. "It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Hubert met you at the docks, and me... well, I high-tailed it out of there on the first ship and never looked back. Well... that is... until now."
Both young adults looked at each other. Each grabbed the other's hand as Lysithea was in Shez's arms; she placed a hand on him while gazing up at him. Before they could move closer, the sky shined. It caught their attention as they looked ahead. The comet they'd been following was shown as it started to fall from the sky and into the water before them. A pillar of light occurred as soon as a gateway appeared.
The crew exited from below the ship as they saw the bright light. They were fascinated by the gateway leading them to Sitri's lair. Shez and Lysithea joined them as they stood at the ship's edge, seeing the entrance.
"Guess we made it," said Blitz.
Shez made his way to a rowboat as the rest of the crew looked at him.
"Terra, if I don't make it, the ship is yours."
"Cap..." said the second mate as he and the rest of the crew were stunned to hear that. That their leader was already preparing that he might not come back.
"Gentlemen, it's been an honor."
The rest of the crew took a deep breath and sighed. They all gave a painful nod, knowing their leader had to do this. As Shez was about to lower himself into the water, another person got into his rowboat. The captain was surprised to see Lysithea getting into the boat.
"I'm coming with you. And don't try to change my mind," stated the young woman as she was determined to come with him.
"Well... when you put it like that," said Shez as he cut the line with his sword, and they dropped into the water. "Just don't get eaten or anything else."
The captain rowed them across the water as they headed toward the gateway. The rest of the crew watched them from the ship as they saw the two figures entering. The light engulfed them as the rowboat they were on floated back out a second later, but they weren't on it.
Shez groaned as he awoke. The young man was shown lying on some sand next to some ruins. Lying next to him was also Lysithea, as she also was unconscious. The captain then shook her as she started to stir. Soon she sat up as both looked around.
"Guess we made it," said the young man.
"Welcome!"
The two got up as Shez drew his swords. Expecting some danger, but his swords were then blown away. Soon a throne made of rubble appeared, and on it sat the goddess herself.
"Glad to see you made it. Honestly, I didn't think you were gonna come," smiled Sitri. "Anyways, make yourself at home. I just had the place decorated."
"Well... I'll give you this, whoever you had as your interior decorator really outdid themselves," smiled Shez as he looked at all the sand and ruins.
"Glad you liked it. I was going for a more 'everything's gonna go to shit' look rather than a simple chaotic makeover. Still needs some work, I'll admit."
"I see. Well, since we don't want to be a bother and waste your time, mind if we take the talisman and get out of your way?" asked Shez with a playful smile.
"Woah, there. What makes you think I have it?" asked Sitri with a playful smile.
"Well, I mean, you did try to frame me for a crime I didn't commit," answered the captain.
"You sure about that?" snickered the goddess.
"Uh, yeah," answered Shez.
The goddess merely held her smirk as she moved about. Something clicked inside the thief at that moment as he realized something.
"No... Hubert... you knew he would try to take my place."
"So, finally figured out my plan, huh?" chuckled Sitri as she traced down a column next to her as it began to crack.
"You figured that he risked his life for me. That I'd be free and I would run away. Which would lead..."
"Lead the citizens without their next king, and the whole world would crumble into chaos," finished Sitria as she stood before Shez as the column fell behind her and crumbled to emphasize her point. "God, you humans are the most predictable species ever to exist. Hubert couldn't help but try to prove the kid he once knew as a friend was still somewhere in your black heart. And look at you now. You proved him wrong. You betrayed him."
"I didn't betray him. I'm here, aren't I?" said Shez.
"Oh, but you did betray him. You took the one thing he loved in the entire world," said the goddess as she turned toward Lysithe as Shez gasped. "Look at her, Shez." The goddess bumped the young woman toward him as she fell into his arms. "He's not even dead, and you're already trying to steal his girl. Friends don't do that. Friends don't stab the other in the back."
Shez looked at Lysithea as they kept their eyes on each other. The thief saw that the goddess was right. Lysithea was Hubert's fiance, and here he was, falling in love with her. Attempting to take her all for himself.
"You don't want to admit it. But you're actually the villain in this story. Not me." snickered Sitri.
"You're wrong about him!" stated Lysithea.
"Please, he knows that I'm not!" responded the goddess before shoving the young woman out of the way to swirl around Shez. "You know that your best friend is about to die. Why? He put his neck on the line for you, and you failed him. Because you weren't there when he needed you the most."
"No!" retorted Shez with a defiant look.
"Sounds like someone is still resilient. Tell you what will cheer you up. Let's have a little competition. And if you win... I'll give you the talisman." said the goddess as she snapped her fingers.
The whole place began transforming as the two humans were on a cliff. In front of them at the edge was the talisman.
"There it is. Now before this little game starts, let me explain the rules. It's simple, really. All you have to do is answer one question that I ask."
"That all?" smirked Shez, feeling confident.
"I like a confident man. Answer one question, and you win."
Shez smiled but then had a thought.
"How do I know that you'll actually keep your word?" stated the captain.
"Aw, come on. After all this time, you still don't trust me? What do you take me for, some troublesome goddess?"
"Uh, yeah," smiled the human.
"Oh, Shez. You wound me," said Sitri as she had her hand over her heart as if to feel some pain. "Fine then... I'll give you my word as a deity that I'll give you the book if you win." An X-cross appeared where her heart was. "Happy?"
Shez looked at Lysithea as she gave him a nod for boosted confidence. The young man then took a step forward.
"Alright then, go ahead and ask your question," stated Shez.
"Alright. Now, we all know what happens if you get the artifact. You go back, save your friend, restore peace, sunshine and rainbows, hero saves the day, yadda yadda yadda, all boring stuff that's been done before. However... and this is things get interesting... if you don't beat me, you are left with a choice." said Sitri. "You can either go back and save your friend, knowing that you'll die, or you can run away with the woman of your dreams and live the rest of your life in peace."
Shez took in what the goddess was saying as the possibility of him failing and having this decision weighed on his mind.
"You're either the hero or the villain? Which one are you?" emphasized the goddess. "So... Shez, here's my question. If you fail to get the talisman, will you return to die?"
The goddess then disappeared.
Shez stood there as the final words by Sitri were all he could think about. Lysithea watched the young man from just a few meters as she thought about his answer. How ironic that when they first met at the party, she asked him the same question, if he was a hero or a thief. And now... here was the ultimate test. To see what role he played in this story.
Shez kept his thoughts in his head as he wrestled with them. Soon, he opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Before he spoke.
"I will return," said Shez with a confident smile.
Lysithea had a smile on her face when she heard him say that. Shez began to take a step forward as he approached the talisman. However, the cliff under him and Lysithea began to crumble.
"You lied!" said Sitri in a singing voice as she spoke into his ear.
The cliff broke apart as Shez and Lysthiea began to fall down. The thief put his arm up to grab the talisman but was just out of reach. As they fell, Sitri cackled evilly as she won their competition, and Shez had failed his friend. Both humans continued to fall and would crash onto a piece of land but hovered as they were gently placed down. They looked up as the gateway to Sitri's lair disappeared.
"And so... the captain who thought he was a hero proved he was nothing more than a thief."
That narration signaled the break in the play as everything went black, and in reality, the curtains closed.
When everything resumed, it showed Shez and Lysithea sitting on the sandbar while staring at the water. Soon the young man spoke up.
"I'm sorry, Lysithea. I proved Sitri right."
"No, you didn't. You answered her question truthfully!" responded the young woman.
"It wasn't the truth. It was me trying to pass myself off as someone I'm not," confessed Shez, as that was what he was thinking when he said that answer to the goddess.
"No, I don't believe it! Shez, I've been with you long enough to know who you are! Stop trying to pretend! Sitri tricked you with that question! Why should you, Hubert, or anybody have to die because of her actions!" yelled the young woman.
"Lysithea, please..."
"Listen to me, Shez. You need to run. Get as far away as you can. I'll go back and tell them..."
"No, Lysithea. I can't."
"I can't watch you die! I love you!" sobbed the young woman as she confessed her feelings toward him.
Shez gasped a bit, hearing that. A part of him was happy, but another part was dreaded as what Sitri said was right. He'd stolen his best friend's girl. He'd done something that no guy should ever do to their bro. Shez saw Lysithea sobbing and shedding some tears as he touched her cheek. He guided the young woman to look at her as he had a gentle smile; the captain then glanced a bit behind her as they saw his ship coming in their direction.
"Let me ask you this, Lysithea. Would you love a man who'd run away?"
The woman sobbed even more at what Shez was saying. The only thing she could do was embraced him tightly as she cried into his chest. The captain wrapped his arms around her and kept his gaze forward as his ship got closer.
Back in Dedriu, the sun was starting to set. It had been ten days since Shez had left, and he was not back. Everyone gathered around to watch the prince's execution. Hubert kept a defiant look ahead as he approached the chopping block and put his head down. The executioner brought the axe up and was about to swing it down before it broke apart. The axe head came down just inches in front of Hubert as he saw his reflection and how close it was to come down on him.
He looked up and saw Shez and his crew climbing up.
"Did I miss?" joked the young man as Hubert laughed.
"About an inch or two," responded the prince as he gave a quick bro hug to his friend. "So... did you get it?"
Shez sighed before shaking his head, "I'm sorry, bud. But... I did my best. Just wasn't good enough."
Hubert was shocked to hear that but, more importantly, to see that his friend returned even if he was empty-handed.
"You still came back, though?"
"How can I not? You saved my ass. That's what friends do. That's what brothers do. Now... it's my turn."
Shez then turned as he saw the executioner now with a sword. The thief began walking to the stand, looking at the sea one last before bending down and placing his neck on it. The guard lifted his sword as he prepared to do the job; Shez's crew, Lysithea, and Hubert all looked on as they dreaded what was about to happen. Before the sword could come down, some wind began to pick up.
Everybody saw what was happening. Storm clouds formed as the water from below rose in a cyclone. Soon Sitri stood before the humans in her large form, eyeing the small specks.
"You just had to go and play the hero, huh?!" shouted the goddess as she was enraged.
"Sitri? What are you doing here? Why are you here?" asked Shez, confused as to why the goddess was present.
"Don't get smart with me, Shez. You can fool everyone around you, but you can't fool a god. I see you for what you truly are. A liar! A selfish, unprincipled liar!"
"What?" said Shez.
The thief was still unsure of what the goddess was saying. Soon something clicked in his mind.
"What a minute? I didn't lie. I didn't lie!" said the young man, now seeing the bigger picture. "I actually told you the truth. That's why you're here. Cause this was part of the test. To see if I would actually keep my word."
The goddess growled as she hated hearing that.
"Yeah, baby! I didn't lie! Woo!" exclaimed Shez as he did a fist pump, knowing he had passed the test. "So, Sitri. Since I answered your question truthfully, time to give me my prize!"
"God, you're annoying," mumbled the goddess as she brought her hand down.
She opened it and in it was the talisman. Shez smiled as he grabbed it and looked at the goddess with a sly smile.
"Score one for humanity," said Shez.
"Don't get cocky, Shez. You're lucky that I have other things to do," said Sitri as she smiled and soon disappeared.
"What a sore loser," smiled the young man.
He looked over at his friend before lifting the talisman as the light sucked out of the kingdom returned. The sky became clear, the white clouds returned, the sea was blue again, and all the color that was once there came back. Hubert approached his friend and placed his hand on his shoulder. Soon Hubert's father approached the pair.
"King Klaus. So... how much are you paying?" asked Shez.
"Shez, I offer you the gratitude of everyone and the apology of a king."
"Heh. No, really. How much?"
"Shez," said the King with a smile.
"Alright, fine," groaned the captain, hoping to get some money. "But seriously!"
The King took the talisman from Shez as everyone began to head inside.
"Don't worry. We'll get your money sorted out. Besides, it'll give everyone a chance to hear what happened," said Hubert.
"Eh, nothing much."
"Really? Nothing happened? What, you don't want to party?" asked Hubert.
"No, it's just... there's a beach with my name on it," answered Shez.
"Will I see you again?" asked the prince.
"Yeah. Take care... brother," said Shez as he patted his friend's shoulder.
"I'll be seeing you... brother," said Hubert as his friend began to walk away.
Shez's crew also saw their captain leave as they began to follow. They all said quick goodbyes to Lysithea as she watched the men follow their leader. Soon she turned to enter the building as Hubert saw her and the look on her face.
Lysithea was back on the balcony where she and Hubert were the night the talisman was stolen. The young woman fixated on the view, but more importantly, the sea as a small ship was seen at the docks. At that moment, Hubert approached her and stood beside her.
"You know, I once stood here with someone. She was a woman like you. She looked at the ocean and wished she had set sail on it." said Hubert to his fiance.
"And what became of this woman?" asked Lysithea.
"Well, believe it or not. She got her chance. She got to experience what it had to offer. But... she found something more priceless. She fell in love." said the prince.
Lysithea gasped when she heard at.
"Hubert, I..."
"Lysithea, listen to me. I told you we shouldn't do things because it's our duty. We should be free to make that choice for ourselves. My responsibilities lie here in Derdriu. And yours... it's sailing on the next tide. Follow your heart. Go with him." said Hubert, as he was willing to let her go to not only live her dream but to be with his best friend.
"Oh, Hubert," sobbed Lysithea as she hugged him.
The young woman saw that the prince had a heart of gold. He was willing to give her up as he saw she loved Shez. And that he was allowing her a chance to live out a dream of hers. She knew that he would make a great ruler when the time came. And... she was grateful that he allowed her to do what she wanted.
"And so, with the talisman returned. Hubert fulfilled his responsibilities as heir. And Shez kept sailing the seas for quite a while before retiring. But he didn't do it alone, for he had his crew and the woman he loved by his side. And such was this tale of two friends who proved their friendship could stand the test of time."
The last narration was read out as the sound of applause was heard. The curtains opened up as all the actors stood in a straight line. They bowed as the crowd stood up and clapped to show their appreciation and love. Soon Twilight rushed out on stage and did a bow as the play's director. The curtains closed as everyone began to chat about how well they did.
"That was awesome!" expressed Rainbow as she enjoyed her role.
"Darn tootin'," said Aj as she put back on her signature hat and walked away.
"You were splendid, Storm. Truly an incredible performance, darling," said the fashionista as she removed her cloak.
The Jedi smiled as he saw Twilight approach him.
"So... how did I do?" asked the boy.
"Perfect," smiled the princess as she took the hat he was wearing and put it on.
The girl wrapped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her. Twilight leaned in and kissed his cheek before snuggling into his chest. The Jedi smiled as he placed his chin on top of her head and smiled. The applause was strong as it panned upward, showing the night sky with the moon shining bright.
Destiny is... a gift. Some go their entire lives living an existence of quiet desperation, never learning the truth that what feels as though a burden pushing down upon our shoulders... is actually the sense of purpose that lifts us to greater heights. Never forget that fear is but the precursor to valor. That to strive and triumph in the face of fear is what it means to be a hero. Don't think. Become.
Author's Note: A little laid back of an adventure for this one. A simple play that Twilight wanted to put on for everybody in the town. At least there are no bad actors or acting issues that she needs to deal with. As always, leave a review expressing your thoughts and comments. Next chapter, things will pick up on a side note.