Chapter 179: Manehattan Theater

"Why am I here again?" said Storm.

The Jedi Knight was currently in Manehattan as he was accompanying Coco. The royal family seamstress was doing a small errand run for the royal family as she was to pick up and check on some clothing orders that the royal family had reserved. The girl had taken the Jedi Knight with her for some protection, much to the disdain of Twilight as the princess had wanted her personal bodyguard all to herself for the activity she had planned.

"Because I trust you. And that you have your lightsaber to protect us," said Coco as she had a satchel slung across her body and a list in her hand.

"Well, hopefully, we won't be stuck like last time," said Storm as he recalled the pair's last trip to Manehattan and how they ended up having to stay the night and share a room and bed.

"Y-Yes, hopefully, that won't be the case," said Coco as she hid her face from the Jedi Knight, not wanting him to see her getting flustered about the fact she shared a bed with him.

As the girl was walking ahead of Storm, she began to recall a conversation she had with him and the others.

"What Fluer is trying to say, Storm is... uhm… are you okay with letting Twilight go?"

"Okay, let me set the record straight here. I treat Twilight as a grown woman. And the only thing I want is for her to be happy. That's not me saying it because I'm her partner. It's the promise I made when we became friends. As her friend, I want to make sure that she's happy. And if she feels a connection between her and someone else, she wants to pursue it. Then I can't stop her, and I would be so stupid if I tried to. Even if I weren't a Jedi, I would want what's best for my friend. There's nothing, like- It's not like I'm gonna slap the guy with an empty white glove and challenge him to a duel on Main Street. It's just not how it works."

The pair came to a street as the transports were stopped and crossed the street with other people. They were heading toward the shop when they heard something happening; the pair looked to their left a group of people stood outside what seemed to be a catina. It caught the teens' attention as the sound of the door opening was heard, and a person was thrown back and tumbled on the floor. They quickly got on their side and scurried back with their hand outward.

"No, no, no, no, no…" pleaded the person rapidly at two individuals who approached him.

One holding a staff courting with electricity; the other was the leader and scoffed at the person on the floor, begging for his life.

"Think you can pull a fast one on us, huh?!" said the person holding the electric weapon as he stalked his target. "Wait! It was all just a misunderstanding!" said the person, fearing for his life as he tried to reason with his clients.

The group of people all stood by and watched as they knew better than to get involved with business that wasn't there. Among the crowd were Storm and Coco; the boy held a look while the girl was like the others. The person holding the staff then placed it on the chest of the person they towered as he began to scream from being electrocuted.

"Come on, let's leave!" said Coco, knowing they didn't need to get involved. The girl tried to tug at Storm to move, but the Jedi didn't listen as he began to step forward. "Storm, no!"

"Hey!"

The person wielding the staff and the crowd heard the shout as they turned in the direction of the voice. Emerging from the crowd as they stepped back was Storm; the boy walked casually with a hand in his pocket, keeping his scowl as he stepped forward. He then sensed a presence as he turned around to find the person's partner standing behind him as he towered over the Jedi Knight.

"That. We cannot do," said the treasure hunter in charge. "He… sold us a priceless relic. The thing we've been searching for. Except, of course… it's fake!" The larger brute crushed the phony item that was sold to them for all to see; it made the crowd gasp. The person who handed them the object gasped before looking at his clients.

"I didn't know it was a fake. I thought it was the real deal. Honest." said the man as he got on his knees and begged for mercy.

"Oh. I believe you," said the brute. "But mistakes like these can not be tolerated!" He gave the signal to his partner as he jabbed his staff into the person and began to shock him.

"Enough!" shouted Storm as he stuck his hand out.

The Jedi used his Force powers as he moved the staff off the person and got the pair to look at him. The crowd gasped even more as they saw that the boy was a Jedi; he pulled out his lightsaber and turned it on. Coco was worried as this was the exact kind of confrontation she wanted to avoid. Storm wasn't backing down from the two as he twirled his lightsaber in his hand.

"Walk away," said Storm, offering them a chance to back down.

"A Jedi," chuckled the brute at seeing the boy's true identity. "Brother. Remind our friend here why his kind isn't welcomed on our planet."

The brute's partner took a step forward to confront Storm as everyone took some steps back. The Jedi looked at his foe, who turned up the voltage of his weapon as he twirled it in between both hands and caught it before taking a stance; the teen also stanced up as he prepared to fight. The warrior lunged at the Jedi, and Storm quickly used his lightsaber to deflect it away before doing an overhead strike as it was blocked. The teen was kicked as he rolled backward to his feet and quickly engaged in some tilt attacks as he collided weapons with the person. He pulled back and began to strike fast in an attempt to break the warrior's defense as he managed to make him stun him with his latest attack. That allowed Storm to grab the warrior's free hand and go under it before spinning through to make the person fall to the ground onto his back.

The warrior quickly rolled over and grabbed his weapon to strike at the Jedi Knight. Storm blocked as he took some steps back from the vicious assault his opponent was trying. The crowd, watching this, took some steps back as they looked to avoid getting involved. They came to a post; Storm quickly pushed back to allow him to backflip as he planted his feet on the post while still defending. The crowd gasped as they couldn't believe what they were seeing. Storm stood on the post as if it was right-side up while holding back the staff. The Jedi took a few steps back while still standing on the post before flipping over the warrior as he landed and twisted his upper body around to block an overhead strike. The boy stuck one of his legs out and shifted his body so that he could sweep his opponent off his feet; the warrior moved out of the way of Storm, trying to slash at the ground before getting to his knees and looking to block, but the Jedi Knight cut his staff in half at the center as he quickly delivered a flash knee strike to his chin to knock him down at the sound echoed for all to hear.

Storm stood over his defeated foe as he let out heavy pants. Coco and the crowd looked at the Jedi as they began to whisper about the teen and his powers. A chuckle was heard as Storm looked at his opponent's partner and pointed his lightsaber at him.

"Impressive. Finish him."

Storm looked at his foe before looking at the one prone before his feet. The Jedi Knight looked about; he could see many of the people were also awaiting to see what he would do. The fear that the people of Equis had about him was showing; significant others held their loved ones close as if to protect them from the teen and his powers. The Jedi Knight was treated like an outsider as they were judging him; the boy looked over at Coco as the girl was worried about what her friend might do. In the end, Storm looked at the foe he bested before shutting his lightsaber off.

"Next time you pick a fight. You go through me," said Storm to the foe's partner.

"Ha. I look forward to it," chuckled the brute as he began to walk off along with his partner.

The Jedi watched his foes disappear before he turned and headed toward Coco; the girl saw her friend as he grabbed her by her shoulder and began to lead them away through the crowd as they allowed the teens to leave. The two foes that Storm encountered entered an alleyway before they began to glow and transform as they were revealed to be changelings.

"You weren't serious, right, brother?"

"Toughen up, Thorax. Now let's go!" said Pharynx as he gave his little brother some tough love before leaving to report to their mother.

After the little public display, Coco and Storm were seated outside a small cafe. Some of the people noticed the Jedi from earlier as word got out of his actions; they all cautiously steered clear of him as they feared what he could do. The boy wasn't invisible to the attention he was getting as he just sighed.

"You okay?" asked Coco as the waitress that brought them their food cautiously backed away from the boy, not wanting any trouble.

"I've been shot at. Imprisoned more times than I can count. Taken bumps and injuries. Fought on several planets and sectors. Faced power-hungry villains and Siths. I have been a servant to a slave queen, and I even lost one of my close friends when she decided to walk away from being a Jedi. And yet, despite all that… I only get this type of reaction and feeling when I'm here." said Storm as he grabbed his glass of water.

"Well… you can't blame us. We never had a Jedi exist on our planet in its entire history. You're the first one they've seen." said the girl. "We've only heard records of what you can do, and now… seeing you in action and the powers you have. It scares some of us."

"Mmm," Storm merely looked at his hand as he opened and closed his right hand. "The only reason why they don't judge you is because you work for Twilight's family."

"That's not true. I've… gotten to spend time with you and know you. That's why I love being around you. You're my friend." smiled Coco.

"If only everybody else could do that," stated the Jedi Knight.

Once the pair finished their lunch, they began to head over to the shop to fetch the royal family's orders. The shop owner got the supplies that the seamstress was sent to retrieve as she paid the woman and her assistants the proper amount from the royal family and a little extra from the family for a job well done. They were most grateful and showed their appreciation and loyalty by throwing in some extra fabric for Coco free of charge. Watching this go down was Storm as the boy took in how the shopowners worshipped Twilight and her family like the deities they were. As if not showing their love and support for the royal family would cause them to unleash damnation on them.

Once the transaction was made, they began to leave, with Storm serving as the pack mule carrying the stuff. It was evening when the pair arrived back at the estate; Storm struggled to follow Coco's directions to guide him due to how much he was carrying.

"A little to the left!" said the girl as Storm did that. "I meant my left!"

"I can't see shit, Coco!" shouted the boy for the girl saying to follow her left when he couldn't see. "Be more clear with your instructions."

"Alright, take two steps to my right!" said the girl as the Jedi did that before he bumped into a door.

Coco took that as his cue to open it and ushered Storm in as he somehow managed not to drop a bag while entering. The seamstress followed him in as they stood before the workroom of the girl.

"Alright, just set them down!" said Coco as Storm concentrated and used his mind to put all the bags from his arms into the ground without having to bend down.

"Finally," said Storm as he stretched his arms.

"Why couldn't you just carry the bags with your powers?" asked the girl as she removed her satchel and adjusted her mini skirt.

"'Cause I can't use them for personal use," responded Storm. "And I ain't gonna bend down all the way to drop the bags on the floor, not after all the time I spent carrying them."

"Fair enough," said Coco as she approached her work desk and adjusted her small hairpin when she noticed an envelope that was delivered to her while she was out.

In the background, Storm was rotating and stretching his back to relieve some tension as the girl opened it. A letter was addressed to her as she began to read it. Her eyes told the whole story of what she read.

"What's the matter, Coco?" asked Storm as he noticed how quiet the girl had become.

"Storm… I need your help."

"Uh, okay?" said the boy cautiously.

A few days later, a carriage was shown approaching the train station near the royal family's estate. Waiting was Storm as the Jedi tapped his foot with his arms crossed. Upon seeing the carriage, the driver got off and opened the door as out came the people inside.

"My, it's lovely to be back," said Rarity, taking in the sight of Equis once again

"Focus, Rares. We need to find… there he is," said Applejack as the farmer stepped out after her friend and spotted the Jedi standing by the train station.

"You know you're late, right!" shouted Storm as he'd been waiting longer than expected for the pair to arrive.

"Blame someone for wanting to stop and sightsee!" growled Aj as she glared at Rarity and instructed the driver to carry her luggage onboard the train.

"Alright, hurry your asses up! Coco's waiting for us!" said Storm as he got on board with the girls, and the train began to pull out of the station and head toward Manehattan.

During the train ride to Manehattan, the girls asked Storm why he had summoned them. He didn't know the full details as Coco had just told him that once he got both girls, he would meet her in Manehattan, and there she would tell them everything. The only thing that the girl said to the Jedi Knight was that it had to do with some kind of event that was near and dear to her heart. Seeing how special it was to the seamstress, Storm knew he couldn't say no to helping the girl. And so, he got in contact with both girls and arranged for Rarity to be picked up and taken to Equis. Soon their train began to approach their destination.

The big city was bustling with activity as the three teens exited the train station. Applejack was now carrying Rarity's luggage as Storm had offered to carry it, but she didn't mind it.

"Oh, Manehattan, what you do to me!" said Rarity as she grabbed a streetlamp and leaned forward while holding onto it.

"Please don't start signing!" said Storm, as he didn't want the fashionista to break out into a musical number suddenly.

Applejack blinked several times as she saw several taxi transports zoom in front of her. The farmer gulped nervously and suddenly felt weak in the knees, making them wobble.

"Darling, what's the matter?" asked Rarity with concern as she waved a hand in front of Aj's face. The girl shook her head as she snapped out of it.

"What's wrong, Aj?" asked Storm.

"People move so fast here. Not at all like back home," said Applejack. She moved forward and accidentally pushed between two people. "Eyes peeled, ears open. Eyes peeled, ears open." The girl nervously told herself.

"It'll be fine, Aj," said the Jedi to the country gal as she gave him a small smile.

The person running the traffic then blew his whistle. Applejack tried to move forward but was quickly overwhelmed as several people bumped her about as they crossed the street in a hurry. Applejack then got bumped again as some people from the other side of the street arrived at her side. Applejack couldn't help but feel a little flustered over what had happened.

"Remember Applejack. You're in the big city now. No moseying. You've gotta walk with speed and confidence." said Rarity as she walked over to her. The person blew his whistle again and Rarity then walked across the street, easily adjusting her path so she didn't bump into anyone and made it to the other side.

"Yoo-hoo!" called the fashionista to her friends.

The country gal looked at the Jedi Knight before snorting and making her way across the street.

"Move it!" shouted a person rudely.

"Sorry 'bout that!" said Applejack as she moved out of the way and right into the path of another person.

"Ah, get outta my way!" shouted a woman.

"Sorry!" retorted Applejack as she moved again and right into the path of two more people.

"Watch it!" yelled the two people angrily.

"Hey-Oh, dear," Applejack said wearily as she rushed to the other side of the street and dove for the curve, and landed on her stomach. Rarity then noticed that Storm had just been watching the scene unfold and hadn't crossed himself.

"Storm, it's rude to keep a lady waiting," said the fashionista.

"Hold your horses, Rares. I'm coming!" said Storm, taking a moment to himself.

He bent down and jumped as he managed to bypass the entire traffic below him and landed perfectly on the other side in front of the girls. Rarity was impressed, while Applejack, still on her stomach, was a bit annoyed.

"Butter my biscuits," said the farmer as she stood and dusted herself off, "I can barely cross the street in this town. How am I supposed to-"

"GASP!" Rarity said loudly in horror, "There!" The girl pointed to a woman about to buy a green hat and seemed to like it, too, despite the fact it covered her eyes.

"Yes, I think this is the one," said the young woman as she went to give the man in charge of the hat stand.

"No!" screamed Rarity as she appeared, slapping the money out of the woman's hand.

"Excuse me?" remarked the woman, still wearing the green hat on her head.

"That hat clashes with your hair," Rarity explained as she removed the hat from the woman's head, "not to mention it's far too long and will undoubtedly obstruct your vision." She then began to search the stand for a new hat. "Oh, dear, none of these will do." She then turned Aj as she and Storm had finally caught up to her. "Oh, Applejack! What good timing!" Rarity opened her luggage and looked through the collection of hats she packed with a hum.

"Here," said the girl when she found a grape-colored hat inside her chest, "This will do splendidly." Rarity then put the hat on the woman's head and held a mirror so she could see herself with it on.

"Oh, it's lovely," said the woman, "How much would you like for it?"

"Oh, no-no, please, keep it," said Rarity, "I can always make another."

"Thank you!" said the woman and walked happily away.

"Seriously?!" said Applejack.

"What?" Rarity exclaimed, "We just saved that poor woman from committing a terrible crime of fashion." Applejack just gave the marshmallow girl a raised eyebrow and a blunt look. Storm also just had a blank look on his face.

"Well, she could've been meeting a friend who would've laughed at her new hat," Rarity explained, "still… a disaster was averted!"

"Averted?" protested the man who ran the hat stand as he sternly approached the three teens. "You just lost me a paying customer!"

"Oh, my!" Rarity exclaimed, "I-I-I-I'm s-so sorry. I never meant to-"

"Beat it!" yelled the man, shaking a fist at Rarity.

"Hey, back off, buddy!" yelled Storm as he pushed Rarity behind him and stared the man down.

"Don't mess with me, chump!" retorted the man angrily as he and Storm kept their stare down.

"Why don't you try me, bud? Feelin' froggy, then jump, homie, 'cause I say let's dance!" stated the Jedi Knight.

It seemed like a fight was about to break out when Rarity pulled Storm back and tried to do damage control.

"Uh, please accept my sincerest apologies for the misunderstanding," said Rarity, but the man was still giving the three teens a death glare shaking his fist at them, "and might I add, what a lovely establishment you have here!"

The fashionista just gave a nervous laugh as Applejack, smiling nervously, pushed the marshmallow girl away. Storm finally broke free of Rarity's grip and tried to go for the man, but Applejack grabbed his shirt and pulled him back so she could push him away from the man as well. Once the three teens were a safe distance away, the man finally returned to his stand as Storm was annoyed.

"What the hell, Aj?" snapped the Jedi Knight.

"Are y'all listening to yerself?" retorted the country gal, "Ain't you the one who says you can't let your emotions get the best of you?"

"I was standing up for you guys. That's different!" stated Storm.

"I get it, sugarcube. But don't lose your cool. Besides, remember why we're here."

"You're right, Applejack," said Rarity, "About Storm losing his cool and our purpose for being here."

"Fine! Then let's just go find Coco!" stated the Jedi. He just wanted to get going and meet the girl, and they began heading to where they were supposed to meet her.

The sun was already setting once they found the hotel where Coco was. It was a tall building located in the heart of Bronclyn and just across the street from the public park. Coco was glad the trio arrived despite it being later than usual; they entered the room she was staying in and served a kettle of tea and a plate of mini jelly sandwiches on a table. The three Element Bearers took a seat on a sofa across the seamstress.

"I'm so glad you two could make it on such short notice," said Coco happily as she reclined slightly on a flat cushion.

"It's no trouble at all. You, my dear friend, are in need of help," said Rarity, sipping her tea as Applejack and Storm each grabbed a sandwich to eat.

"So, Coco. Are you gonna explain why you need our help?" stated the boy as he munched on his snack.

"Right. So the other day, you saw me open an envelope. It was about this." said the girl as she pulled out the letter and handed it to Rarity.

"Please help us restore our long lost but beloved tradition, the Midsummer Theater Revival," Rarity read aloud.

"Midsummer Theater Revival, what is it exactly?" asked Aj after she swallowed her sandwich.

"An outdoor play held at the community park," said Coco as she opened a book filled with pictures, "Many years ago, local theater troupes would perform, and people in the neighborhood would help make the costumes and design set pieces, prepare food to share during the performance." She showed them a picture of people watching someone perform at a small outdoor theater, then another picture of people making the costumes, and a third picture showed Coco herself as a small girl as she painted the backdrop. She then turned the page to show more of the people preparing some food. Rarity, Storm, and Applejack smiled as they looked at the photos.

"Seems like this event holds a special place in your heart, Coco."

"Well, I used to live here before I came into the royal family's services. Growing up, this was an event that I cherished with my folks."

"Y'all do look like you're enjoyin' each others' company," said Applejack, "Kinda reminds me of back home,"

"But the Midsummer Theater Revival does sound lovely, darling."

"It was," Coco replied until her smile turned into a sad frown, "until recently." The teens shared concerned looks.

"What happened?" asked Applejack.

Coco then pointed to a picture of her younger self and other kids and an elderly woman with apricot skin and two-toned blue hair. She was also wearing a purple sweater with a white feather boa, beaded necklace, and large red glasses over her face.

"Who's that?" asked the boy.

"That's Charity Kindheart," Coco explained as she turned the page to show that it was Charity Kindheart who had given her the floral fabric hairpin she was always wearing. "She was a well-known costume designer on Bridleway. She started the Midsummer Theater Revival as a way to share her passion for the theatre in the neighborhood. No matter how busy she was, she always made time for the Revival." Coco then closed the book and headed over to the balcony, by now, it was already nightfall, and she could see some stars twinkling above the cityscape.

"But when she moved away to be closer to her grandkids," Coco continued, "the neighborhood lost the special tradition she had started, and worse, the sense of community it fostered." It was then at the ground level as an elderly woman was crossing the street when a taxi person barely stopped in time to avoid running her over.

"Hey, I'm walking here!" she yelled angrily. The taxi driver and passenger just glared back at her before the driver took off behind the old woman. The teens shared worried looks with each other.

"So nobody else stepped up to take over for Charity?" asked Applejack.

"Well, that's why she reached out to me. She knew how much I loved it and felt like I was the right person to bring it back. So the past few days, I've been trying while I've waited for you all to get here. But I've just gotten a last-minute request to alter costumes for the cast of My Fair Lady, and I'm afraid I haven't made much progress. Oh… there's just so much to do to bring back the Midsummer Revival, and my flyers haven't attracted a single volunteer! Should I just accept that the Midsummer Theater Revival is now in the past? Is trying to restore the tradition a lost cause?"

"Say no more!" said Rarity as she walked up to Coco, "You finish up your work, and by this time tomorrow, you'll be up to your hair in people who want to lend a hand. Applejack, Storm, and I will make sure of it!"

"You will?" Coco replied with a large and hopeful smile on her face.

"You bet yer boots we will!" said Applejack.

"Oh, I don't wear boots," said Coco. "I find they chafe my calves when I walk." Rarity and Applejack just winced as the latter gave Coco a blunt look.

"It's just an expression," said Aj bluntly. Coco then gave the three teens a very embarrassed blush and smile.

"Never stop being cute, Coco," said Storm as he patted the girl's head for her little misunderstanding. "Don't worry. Aj's countryisms can catch anybody off guard if you're not used to hearing them." The girl just giggled to herself and felt better.

The next morning, Applejack, Rarity, and Storm were at a local newspaper stand as Rarity explained the situation to the local vendor.

"So you see," said Rarity as she and the others smiled. "The Method Actors are only available on this one day, and we need all the help we can get with preparation."

"Yeah, not a good time right now," said the vendor as a customer purchased a newspaper, "Heh. What am I saying? It's never a good time!"

The group later appeared, and Rarity explained the situation again to a popcorn vendor.

"Well?" Rarity asked as she finished her explanation and cleared her throat, "What do you think?"

"I've got my own problems," said the popcorn vendor rudely as he handed some popcorn to some other people standing in line. "You think I've got hours to dedicate to someone else?"

The group headed toward some park area as Rarity, once again, explained the situation to a man named Uptown Clover.

"Ah, yes," he replied, "Charity's Midsummer Theater Revival. Such wonderful memories."

"So you'll help us?" Applejack asked.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," Uptown Clover laughed, "I run a very important import/export business. I can't spare even a moment for such things!" He then reclined lazily on a floatation sofa as some ducks quacked nearby.

"Yeah, you look so busy," Storm remarked bluntly.

Despite their best efforts, by mid-day, they had come up empty-handed. Coco was very disappointed.

"Storm. Can't you use your Jedi mind trick or whatever power and convince these people to help?" said Applejack.

"It doesn't work like that, Aj. I can't use my powers in that regard," said Storm, as he couldn't violate his Jedi Code.

"This is a nightmare," said Coco sadly.

"Oh, not at all, darling," said Rarity as she picked up a hat. "It's quite lovely."

"I think she was talkin' about the Midsummer Theater Revival," said the country gal.

"I finished the alterations for My Fair Lady, but I've barely started on the costumers for the Revival, and the Method Troupes are coming to the park tomorrow for a costume fitting and rehearsal."

"Well, I could help you with the costumes," said Rarity.

"But what are we going to do about the rest?" Coco asked, "The park is in desperate need of repairs, and the sets still need to be built!" Coco bit her fingernails nervously.

"Can't you just ask Twilight and her family for help?" said Storm, figuring the princess and her parents would help Coco in a heartbeat after all she'd done for them in her years of service.

"I don't want to bother the princess or the Highness with something as small as this. Compared to the other massive events that I create attires for them to wear, this isn't worth me wasting their time." said the girl.

"But Coco…"

"Well, I know a thing or two about buildin' and fixin' things," said Applejack, "it's kinda, well, my thing."

"You see, dear?" said Rarity to Coco, "We went out looking for volunteers when all the help you need is right here."

"Uh-huh," said the farmer in agreement as she stood by Rarity's side. The girls looked at Storm as the boy just let out a sigh.

"I guess I'm good for whatever you need help with the most," answered Storm.

"Everything is going to be just fine!"

However, when they reached the area of the park where the festival was going to take place, the teens were immediately left stunned and overwhelmed. The park was a complete mess. Weeds were growing everywhere. The Outdoor Theatre was very run down and looked like it could collapse at any moment. The sitting benches were rusty and moldy. It looked like the area hadn't been touched in forever.

"Homina, homina, homina, homina, homina…" Storm muttered in shock.

"Perhaps I spoke too soon," said Rarity wearily.

"Oh, dear, you're right," said Coco, "Are you sure you can manage this just you and Storm?" The Jedi shook his head to snap out of his shock.

"Well, there's a lot to do, but Rarity's right," said Applejack, "We can handle this. You two go on and take care of the costumes. Storm, and I can handle this, right?"

"I don't know about that," commented the boy as Aj elbowed him with a glare. "I mean… sure," stated the Jedi uneasily.

"Yee-haw," said Applejack, "Storm and I will see you at the dress rehearsal." Rarity and Coco smiled and headed back to the hotel. The farm girl just gulped and winced nervously.

"Jedi," said Applejack timidly.

"Yeah?" answered Storm.

"I'm not even gonna try and be stubborn about this," said Applejack, "I don't think we can do this. I don't even know why I said we could. I'm gonna let everyone down, I just know it!" Applejack buried her face into her hands. Storm saw the girl's reaction as he approached her and grabbed her hands with his.

"Hey! All we can do is try, right?" said Storm, "Besides, ain't you an Apple? Meaning you don't give up without a fight?"

"Darn tootin' I am!" said Applejack feeling more confident after hearing Storm remind her of her family name.

"Ready…"

"... Yeah!" Aj shouted as she adjusted her hat.

"Now, let's get started!" said Storm confidently.

"You betcha! Yee-haw!" Applejack added as the pair got to work.

Applejack pushed a wheelbarrow in front of herself as she got to work pulling some weeds. Storm had his own wheelbarrow as he got to work. It was a good hour or so when they had both filled up their wheelbarrows with pulled-up weeds. Applejack went to wipe her brow when she noticed that they had barely cleared maybe a couple of square yards of weeds, and there was still alot of ground to cover that was covered in lots of weeds. Applejack just face-palmed herself as Storm groaned annoyingly.

A little later, Storm continued on the weeds as Applejack used a push-powered lawnmower to trim the grass. Storm took noticed that Applejack was moving so quickly that she didn't notice that a low tree branch had knocked off her stenson hat. Storm tried to continue using his hands to pull more weeds and approached the hat when he saw Applejack coming back. The Jedi Knight gasped when he saw that her hat was right in front of her path, and she wasn't stopping!

"Aj!" Storm called out, "STOP!"

The farm girl gave her a glare and was about to tell him to be quiet when…

WHIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Applejack drove the lawn mower right over her hat.

"I was trying to tell you about your hat," said the boy as Applejack picked up the now-damaged hat and looked at it sadly. "Don't worry, Aj. I'm sure Rarity can try and fix it," stated the teen gently. The country gal smiled, but she still felt sad that she had damaged her favorite hat.

Next, Applejack and Storm continued to try to clear out as many weeds as they could. Then Applejack found herself struggling to pull out a stubborn weed. Then the weed snapped, causing Applejack to roll backward into a statue that began to wobble dangerously and started falling right at her. With a WHOOSH, Storm quickly pulled her out of the way just in time as the statue crashed down on the ground. The statue was damaged from the impact, and while the Jedi had saved the country gal, her stenson hat had fallen off and was underneath the damaged statue. Applejack just looked more dejected. Storm looked at her sadly before he used his Force powers to lift the statue so he could salvage her hat and not damage it further.

"Sorry," said Storm sadly as he handed her the hat.

The girl looked at her hat as she nearly broke into tears at its worsening state. The boy would say something when the country gal hugged him and buried her face into his chest. Storm took a moment to listen to Aj, letting out some small tears before he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in tightly. The pair remained in their position as Storm allowed Aj to let her emotions out; the boy rubbed her back as he offered comfort for the girl.

"It's okay, Aj. It's okay," spoke Storm softly.

The sniffs soon faded as Applejack pulled back and wiped her eyes.

"Thanks, sugarcube," said the country gal as she regained her composure. "Now, let's get back to work!"

Storm agreed as he gathered all the bags of weeds and grass clippings and left to deliver them to a compost bin. However, despite his speed, Storm took a long time to return and was still gone as Applejack found herself feeling exhausted. She went to sit down on a nearby dirty and moldy bench, but then it collapsed underneath her. The country gal was now feeling very depressed. She whimpered, wishing Storm would come back that very moment and give her a hug.

Once she had recovered, she got to work trying to give the theater a new coat of paint. She ws also looking rather dirty and had spots of paint on herself. It was then Storm arrived.

"Where in tarnation have ya been?!" snapped Applejack, "I could really use your help right now!" Storm gave the farm girl a glare.

"It's not my fault I had to go all the way to the Manehattan harbor to find a stupid compost bin," said the Jedi Knight.

Applejack sighed as she tried not to let her stress and anger take over and be taken out on the boy.

"I'm sorry. But we're fallin' behind schedule, and I need yer help scopin' the theater for the repairs!"

"Alright, then. I'll get to work on those renovation blueprints so I can start the repairs."

"That's all I ask," said Applejack as she got back to painting, and Storm started quickly zipping about and sketching the theater for some repair blueprints. It was then Rarity and Coco arrived with a rolling clothing rack that had the completed costumes on it.

"I know it looks bad, but we've movin' as fas as we can," said the farm girl as she then accidentally stepped into the can of paint and tried to shake the can off her leg. Storm stepped over to Applejack and pulled the can off himself as he started scanning his newly made blueprints and took notes on the materials he would need.

"Don't worry, we've still got plenty of time," said Rarity, "Everything's going to be-"

"Um, excuse me?" said a male voice. It was then the teens noticed two men and two women standing nearby. Their leader was a man named On Stage.

"Who are you guys?" asked Storm as he wiped his hands with a cloth.

"We're the Method Actors!" said On Stage.

"Oh, shit!" said both Applejack and Storm as they looked at each other since the group was earlier than expected.

"Is this where the Midsummer Theater Revival is supposed to be, perchance?" On Stage asked as he lowered his sunglasses.

"Assuming there's still going to be a Revival. We're here for the dress rehearsal?" said the woman named Raspberry Beret, standing next to him wearing a grape juice-colored sweater and a beret on her head.
"Oh, yes!" said Coco as she walked over to the clothing rack, "We've just put the finishing touches on the costumes."

"At least those look professional," said a man named Late Show to another woman named Stardom.

"We'll do a dry run of the play first," Raspberry Beret told the royal seamstress, "and then the fitting." She then headed to the stage as Storm and Applejack gasped.

"Wait!" shouted both teens.

"We haven't gotten a chance to-" warned Aj.

It was then Raspberry stepped onto the stage, and suddenly the entire structure began to wobble. Applejack pushed her out of the way just as the entire stage collapsed. The Jedi helped both of them to their feet.

"... reinforce the stage yet," Applejack finished wearily. Storm groaned as he just crumpled up his blue prints, knowing he wouldn't need them anymore.

Later that day, Coco was just observing the wreckage from her balcony window. With the whole stage collapsing, the Method Actors had decided just to rehearse elsewhere, and that included the dress rehearsal. But nothing was near ready for the Revival.

"I just wanted to live up to Charity's example," Coco sighed, "to bring my neighborhood together again. But the park is still a mess. We haven't even thought about what refreshments to serve during the performance, and even if we had them, we didn't have a stage for the Method Actors to perform on! It's hopeless… just hopeless!" Applejack, Rarity, and Storm just shared glum looks with each other.

"So much for being helpful…" Storm said sadly but also in a hushed tone.

"I don't understand," said Rarity in the same tone. "Why must this be, Applejack?" Why? Why? WH-" Rarity was starting to cry dramatically while leaning against the country gal but was cut off when she shoved her hand over the fashionista's mouth to silence her whining.

"Now, hold on there," said Applejack. "I'm not suggestin' we pack up and go home."

"Then what are you suggesting?" said Rarity in a muffled tone before removing Aj's hand from her mouth, "Then what are you suggesting?"

"Yeah, because I'm fresh out of ideas," said Storm.

"I'm suggestin' we stop worrin' about what we can't do and start doin' what we can," Applejack suggested as they all walked up to a rather depressed Coco, "I think I've got a plan. It won't be anythin' big or fancy, but it'll be somethin'. And somethin's gotta be better than nothin' right?"

"I suppose so," said Coco in a half-hearted tone.

"That's the spirit!" said Applejack, but then shared a worried look when she saw how depressed Coco looked, "Sorta…" Rarity and Storm exchanged worried looks with each other.

By the time the sun was setting in the sky, Applejack and Storm had managed to quickly put together a small and simple stage for the Method Actors. The Jedi wiped his forehead as he wore a toolbelt and placed the wrench in one of the holders as he wiped his hands with a cloth. He and Applejack then took a step back to look at all the hard work they'd done as it met their standards.

"Not bad," said Storm as he whipped the cloth onto his shoulder and placed his hands on his waist.

"Alright, y'all, it's ready!" said Applejack to Coco and Rarity, who were sitting on the sidewalk. Coco was rather impressed at the simple stage when On Stage peaked out of the curtain.

"Should we go ahead and start?" asked the man, to which the Jedi Knight gave a thumbs up as he and Aj went to sit alongside their friends on the ground.

The curtain then opened as On Stage stood before a drawn prop desk. It was then Raspberry Beret appeared on stage dressed in her costume.

"Excuse me," said Raspberry Beret, "I'm Charity Kindheart. I'm here about the open design position. I brought some samples of my work. I'm sorry I'm late. I had the hardest time finding my way here." As Raspberry Beret continued, a woman was walking down the street when they noticed the play and decided to sit down and watch.

"I just moved here, and I keep getting mixed up by the street names!" Raspberry Beret continued as she began to cry, "I had a map, but I dropped it in a puddle, which only made the street names harder to read!" Then another woman was walking by with a little boy. The boy noticed the performance.

"What is that?" asked the boy to his mother.

"I dunno, sugar," said the woman, "looks like some kinda play."

"Well, can we stay and watch it please? Please, can we, can we?" the small boy pleaded, even shaking his mother as he got in her face.

"Oh, alright," the woman conceded as she pushed her son away from her face, "I suppose we could stay for a minute."

Back on stage, Late Show came into the stage.

"Excuse me, but your next appointment is here," said Late Show.

"Alright. Send him in," On Stage replied before turning to Raspberry Beret, "I'm sorry, but based on these samples, I just don't think this is the place for you." Raspberry Beret gasped dramatically.

"Don't get me wrong," said On Stage, "These clothes are all exquisite and well-made, but more theatrical than avant-garde. Have you considered costume design? I have a contact on Bridleway! If you are interested, I can put you in touch with him… And scene."

The curtain closed. The teens all turned around to see that several people were not muttering and taking seats to watch the play. The teens exchanged smiles with each other as the curtain opened for the next act. The curtain opened to show Raspberry Beret pushed a prop cart as she approached Stardowm who was playing and elderly woman that was supposed to be feeding some birds.

"Charity, dear, is that you?" Stardom asked.

"Hello, Mrs. Pearblossom!" said Raspberry Beret, "I didn't see-oops!" She pretended to accidentally drop a garment on stage.

"Oh, let me help you, dear," said Stardom as she picked up the garment and handed it to Raspberry Beret, "Are these the costumes you've been working on?"

"Yes, I was supposed to be finished by now," said Raspberry Beret, "but there's just so much to do, and I still have a few last minute alterations to make before opening night! I'm sorry I couldn't get enough tickets for everyone in the neighborhood. I hope Mr. Pearblossom wasn't too disappointed. I know Trotter on the Roof is one of his favorites."

"Oh my dear girl, don't worry about that," said Stardom, "We're so proud of you. We shall be with you in spirit!"

"Thank you!" Raspberry Beret replied," You've all made me feel so welcomed here and have become like family to me! I just wish I could share this experience with you and the others!"

As the play continued, the crowd watching the show was continuing to grow as passerbys took notice and took a seat in the middle of the street.

"Eh, what's going on?" said a nearby man to a woman.

"It's the Midsummer Theater Revival," said the woman, "The Method Actors are performing!"

"The Revival," the man replied with a content sigh, "Mhm, yeah. My pop used to bring me." He put his had over his chest as she took a seat to watch the show.

By the time the sun was setting, the play was coming to an end. The street was now filled with a large crowd of people watching the play. On stage, Raspberry Beret was pretending to sew as Stardom was with her.

"So nice of you to put on this play for the neighborhood," said Stardom.

"I couldn't have done it without everybody's help!" said Raspberry Beret, "I know it's not Bridleway, but-"

"Oh, pish-tosh!" said Stardom, "It's perfect, dear!"

In the audience, a woman was eating some popcorn as she watched the play. A small girl ran about as she held onto a balloon. Then an elderly woman appeared looking for a place to watch the play. A young man scooted over so she could have a place to sit.

"Oh, you're such a dear, thank you," said the old lady. "This is so nice. Haven't seen the neighborhood this friendly since Charity moved away!"

Coco, who had heard that remark, blushed shyly to herself as Applejack and Rarity gave her some supportive smiles. Applejack and Storm exchanged a fist bump as the play ended and the crowd cheered and applauded. The four actors stood on stage and bowed for the audience.

"Thank you ladies and gentlemen," said On Stage, "Please give a warm welcome to the one who made this entire event possible - none other than the royal seamstress to the royal family, Coco Pommel!"

The girl gasped as she was surrounded by people cheering and applauding her. She then found herself lifted into the air and carried gently over to the stage. Once Coco was back on her feet, she turned to face the crowd.

"Thank you all so much for coming," Coco said to the crowd, "The Midsummer Theater Revival was always something that meant so much to me, and it seems it means quite a lot to all of you as well. I really can't take all the credit, though. My dear friends, Rarity, Applejack, and of course, Jedi Knight Storm helped me ever so much."

Storm's eyes widen after hearing Coco address him as a Jedi as he feared that was a mistake. While the girl got on stage to join her, Storm was thinking of disappearing to avoid them being scared of him, but to his surprise, the crowd didn't seem scared of him like the days prior. Instead, the crowd seem to have smiles as if they had accepted him. The girls gestured him to join them on stage as he got up and proceeded with Rarity and Applejack. Rarity was able to keep her composure while Applejack felt a little shy and just blushed and waved at the audience.

"Oh, darling, please. It was just a few costumes," said Rarity modestly.

"Aw, shucks, I just happen to be good with a hammer is all," said Applejack.

"And I… lended a hand like always," said Storm, not knowing what to truly say as the crowd just clapped and cheered.

"To be honest, we had much bigger plans to start. When those fell through, we decided to simplify. This here was the result."

"Oh, don't be so modest," said Rarity, "Coco, Storm, and I were lost."

"You bet your boots we were," said Coco, giving the farm girl a wink. Applejack just smiled and winked back.

Soon everybody was just chatting with each other and having a good time. Rarity, Applejack, and Storm were just watching all the friendly chatter when a man and woman approached the teens.

"We just wanted to say how much we enjoyed the Midsummer Theater Revival and how much it inspired us!" said the woman.

"Oh, yeah?" said Applejack.

"I used to think that to help my community I had to do something big. Heh-heh. And let's face it – in this day and age, who has the time for such a commitment? But here, you did something as simple as building a stage and putting on a play and, heh, look at how it's brought everyone together." said the man.

"I saw Coco's flyers for volunteers but didn't think anything I'd have time to do would be that useful. Now I wish I'd offered to help, even if it was just pulling a few weeds or planting a few flowers." said the woman as the teens smirked.

"Not sure if you noticed, but the park is far from bein' fixed up. I imagine if you look around, you'll find there's lots of little ways for you to get involved in changin' this place for the better," stated Applejack as she looked at the still existing wreckage of the park.

"And I will!" said the woman.

"And I don't think we'll be alone!" stated the man as he and the woman walked away.

"Look at this. These Manehattan people didn't think they had time to do something for their community! But by building that stage and making sure the play went on, we showed them that just by doing something small, you can make a big difference!"

"I guess so. Even a little effort can have a huge impact. All you gotta do is at least try."

"Well, I'll be!" said Applejack.

"Seems you have more in common with the city folk than you thought!" Rarity pointed out, causing Applejack to chuckle.

"So, Rarity, you all set to head back to Coruscant?" asked Storm.

"To be honest, darling. I think I'll stay for a bit. I told Padme that I was leaving for some business that I'm sure she won't mind my absence for a bit," said the fashionista. "Plus, I've been meaning to talk with Twilight about an important issue."

"What issue?" said Applejack.

"Well… my family is thinking of moving here."

"Seriously?" said Storm with a raised eyebrow as he was surprised to hear the girl's family wanted to move to Twilight's plant.

"Well, Sweetie Belle would be able to see Applebloom whenever she wanted. Plus, my parents always did want to retire somewhere nice and quiet."

"Well, you can't get much quieter than Equis. I think yer folks will like it here," said Applejack with a smile.

"Aren't you guys going to join the party?" said Coco as she approached her friends with music playing in the background.

"Oh, absolutely, my dear," said Rarity as she then got a panicked look on her face. "Just as soon as I stop that person in the shop over there from purchasing that dreadfully hideous scarf! Stop! You're making a terrible mistake!"

"Here we go again!" said Storm, rolling his eyes.

Applejack just sighed and smirked as she watched their friend run off. It had been a long and busy day. Despite the fact, the country gal agreed with what Rarity had told her. She was always going to be a country pony at heart.

The party went well into the night, as the sense of community was alive and strong. Applejack had her tools out as she was fixing something when Storm approached her and was holding something. The girl ceased her hammering as she spotted him.

"Here you go, Aj."

The boy handed the girl what he was holding as she took the lid off a box. The country gal looked inside and gasped at what she saw. Inside was a stenson hat, as it looked just like the destroyed one she was wearing. Storm took the hat from her head and tossed it into a nearby trashcan as she put it on.

"Why, sugarcube, you didn't have to do this!" said Aj, admiring the small gift the Jedi got for her.

"Heh, don't mention it," said Storm as he bent down to grab the hammer she was using and looked to finish fixing the boards she was working on. "Figured it was the least I could do."

The country gal enjoyed her new replacement hat as she looked at the bent-down boy. Storm had just finished hammering in the final nail and smiled at his handiwork when Aj secretly kissed his cheek. Storm made a rather confused expression before turning to look at the girl with a raised eyebrow.

"What the hell?" responded the Jedi Knight at the country gal's reactions, to which she playfully bumped his shoulder and walked away.

Storm just dismissed what happened as he stood up and looked to join the party. He took the toolbelt he wore off when Coco approached him.

"What do you want, Coco?" asked Storm as he wiped his hands with a cloth.

As he turned around, Storm was quickly embraced by the girl as she wrapped her arms around the Jedi. Coco pulled her head back to plant a small peck on the opposite cheek that Aj gave him before resting her head on his chest.

"Thanks for helping me," said the girl.

"Yeah, well… no problem," said Storm, slowly putting an arm around the royal seamstress.

As the Jedi held his friend, something crossed his mind as his eyes went stared off.

A vision occurred in the boy's mind as it showed two shadows standing across from each other. Soon the shadows cleared up, and it was revealed to be Storm and Twilight standing across from each other as they had their lightsabers out.

"Finish her, my vessel," said the voice that often spoke in Storm's head.

The Jedi Knight rushed at the princess as the two crossed swords. The pair traded attacks and movesets as they looked to defeat the other.

"Storm! This isn't you!" shouted Twilight as she deflected Storm's lightsaber to the side while at the same time rotating her body to deliver a spinning heel kick that caught the jaw of the boy as he stumbled back.

Storm growled as he rushed forward, grabbed Twilight's shirt, and leaped into the air before coming down with the girl and slamming her to the ground as it made a hole. The boy had the girl pinned as he held his elbow across her throat while the princess struggled to break free from his grip.

"Let me help you!" pleaded Twilight with a defiant look.

"I'm the hero of this story, Twilight! I don't get saved!" declared Storm as he made his lightsaber appear in his other hand and looked to bring it down as the vision ended.

Storm flinched as he clutched his head, now suffering a headache. Coco saw how the Jedi acted as he fell to his knees and held his head.

"Storm? Are you okay?" asked the girl as she bent down by his side.

At that moment, the headache he felt faded as the vision he seemed to have seen faded away.

"Y-Yeah, just… tired is all," said Storm as he suddenly felt exhausted.

Author's Note: A little take on the episode, "Made in Manehattan" as Aj, Rarity, and Storm help Coco to revive a community tradition that she used to enjoy back when she was little before coming into service of Twilight's family. Along with other things, one is that Rarity's family is thinking of moving to Twilight's planet; the second is seeing Thorax and Pharynx as it's clear they aren't done just yet, and of course the final somewhat vision that showed Storm and Twilight on opposite ends.