Ki-Adi immediately rushed to his daughter as the curtains closed.

"Comedia! Are you alright?" Ki-Adi helped Comedia up, the young mare snorting as she shook the initial dizziness from her head.

Comedia managed to get out a small neigh.

"Hey, Comedia made a sound." Omega said. "Crescenda didn't get her voice!"

Comedia tried to say something else, but all that came out was a whinny. That was when she was confused. Then, Emeraldi tried to say something, but all that came out from her mouth was whinnies too!

"What the heck?" Gabby said.

Comedia tried again, but only ended up whinnying louder; same went for Emeraldi. Everyone was confused; Crescenda had just taken the Evermare Sisters' voices, but why could they still whinny and neigh?

Comedia whinnied at Remix.

"Yes, I can still understand you." Remix said.

"Crescenda's power probably affects horses differently," said Carousella. "And if that's the case, then she just took Comedia and Emeraldi's ability to talk!"

"Do you feel any pain or anything strange anywhere, dear?" Ki-Adi asked Comedia.

Comedia just shook her head.

"Emeraldi?"

Emeraldi also shook her head.

"If Emeraldi and Comedia can't talk, they won't be much help." Anakin said.

"Not necessarily." Indira said.

"She's right," said Myra. "You guys can still understand us, right?"

The Evermare sisters both nodded.

"And clearly, other horses can understand them." Round n' Round added. "If they just stick with one of us who can still speak, they should be fine."

"If that's the case," Ki-Adi said. "Ladies, pick a horse to assist and translate for you."

Emeraldi chose to go alongside Indira since it was her suggestion, and Comedia... she went with Remix, with whom she began nuzzling with, the two snorting affectionately, which horses usually only did when...

"Comedia?" Lamenta said. "Remix?"

Both Comedia and Remix looked a little embarrassed by this.

Ki-Adi and anyone else who saw this also looked shocked.

"Comedia... is Remix...?"

Comedia nodded and snorted. Ki-Adi didn't need to understand horse to know what she was saying.

"We hoped you wouldn't find out this way." Remix said.

"How long has this been going on?" Ki-Adi asked.

"Since shortly after the Mare-Lody incident."

"Why was this-?"

"For the moment, maybe we should all worry less about their love life and more about the fact that Crescenda is out there?" Padme said, more as a statement than a question.

Everyone gathered around and went over the plan: they knew Crescenda hypnotized her victims before she stole voices through music, and the stolen voices were kept in her magic shell. Their best bet: cover their ears and create a sneak attack to grab the shell and break it to restore everyone's voices.

"What can I do to help?" Carmine, or rather Count Crescendo, signed.

"You'll be playing an important role in this." Mariposa explained. "The first thing we have to do is distract Crescenda long enough to evacuate everyone here."

"Comedia, did you bring any pranks with you?" Garrett asked.

Comedia picked up her prank satchel with her mouth and nodded.

"Good. Zipp, how fast can you fly?"

"Enough to make a dragon dizzy." Zipp said.

"You and Kara will distract Crescenda," said Mariposa. "Carousella and Crescent, you'll ride with Anakin and Obi-Wan and be in charge of evacuations."

"What can I do, Auntie?" Mona asked.

"Stay here with Uncle Garrett and be ready to spring if we need backup. Goldie, you and Gabby help Remix with the sound. Wrecker, we'll need you backstage as well."

"And Crosshair," said Garrett. "Wait for my signal to fire."

Crosshair nodded silently.

Crescenda swam through the air and laughed as she saw people running for their lives.

"Run all you want, my pretties." Crescenda said in one of the stolen voices. Phoebe of the Red Hot T's to be exact. "There's no escaping me."

Suddenly, something maroon, and something else with bright golden wings swooped in very quickly.

"Leave them alone, Crescenda!" Kara said. "You've stolen more than enough voices."

"I believe that is for me to decide." Crescenda smirked

Crescenda started to take out her flute, only for Zipp to swoop at her again with a whinny. Zipp quickly grabbed the flute with her mouth and started a tug of war with the siren while two of the Evermares helped Anakin and Obi-Wan evacuate as many people as they could down below.

"Single file, everyone!" Carousella motioned with her wing as people were running out.

"Don't push!" Obi-Wan said. "Women and children first!"

Meanwhile, backstage, everyone began hooking up as many instruments and sound systems as they could, as well as putting on headsets to prevent Crescenda from hypnotizing them, but at the same time enable them to hear each other over the comms.

"If Crescenda wants a musical battle, that's what we're gonna give her." Remix said. "Alright, everybody. Get your music ready to be loud and passionate."

Carmine got to casting a spell Garrett had him study recently, which was placed on all the microphones.

"Alright, everyone. Your microphones are all enchanted. When you sing into them, they'll amplify your voices to mimic the effect of a sonar wave or siren song." Garrett explained. "The amount of power depends on the pitch and dynamic of the song you sing."

"What's dynamic again?" Caleb asked, raising his hand.

"That's the volume of the music." Harmony said. "Pitch is how high or low music sounds. Like how a shriek is a high pitch, or like how someone with a deep voice may sing in a lower pitch."

Myra got her guitar ready, tuned and loud. It wasn't everyday she got a chance to use her rock and roll skills to help save the day. Everyone got on their headsets and got ready to fight what would probably be the most musical battle they would ever face. Anakin soon returned and started getting fitted into one of Carmine/Count Crescendo's colorful outfits and getting fitted into a wig that would help create a decoy to fool Crescenda as part of their elaborate plan. Except, the wig felt really itchy on Anakin's head.

"Why can't I just use a hair changing spell?" Anakin whined, scratching his head again.

"Do you want to accidentally expose you-know-who?" Mariposa said.

"No."

"Then hold still so I can get this thing fitted properly."

Magenta, on the other hoof, was tutoring a few of the others in keeping on the beat while dancing.

"One more time, Petro." Magenta said, taking each step as she counted it out loud. "Two steps left, then back and forth, two steps left, front tap, cross, back."

"That's a lot to remember." Petro said.

"You should see the routines we had to do in cheerleading." Boba said. "It's not as easy as it looks."

While everyone else was working, however, Master Mundi couldn't stop playing the same, 'dun, dun, dun, dun!' tune over and over again on a keyboard. He couldn't stop thinking about how he'd just discovered who his adopted daughter's boyfriend was. It wasn't that he didn't like Remix; he had to give Comedia credit for knowing that he was a good stallion. But, it was the principle of the matter. Why wouldn't she tell him she was dating him? Still, he had his hesitations.

Remix was an undeniably talented singer and dancer; his deejaying skills were impossible to deny after seeing how he did at so many parties too. But it wasn't just that. Remix was called cool by many, and was rumored to be popular with the mares back in Equinaro. That probably shouldn't have been too surprising. Remix had a dashing smile, his sunglasses added a touch of mystery whenever he wore them, and when he wasn't wearing his glasses, something about his dark gray eyes just screamed charisma. But of all young mares he could've chosen as his girlfriend, why Comedia? Ki-Adi couldn't help wondering.

Comedia was cute; she definitely looked a lot different than you might expect in the typical princess pony appearance. And it was hard to deny that a lot of guys liked girls who made them laugh, but Comedia made pretty much everyone laugh. Comedia hadn't been his daughter a year yet, but that didn't stop Ki-Adi from being far from ready to see her grow up. Sadly, that was something he would have to get ready to deal with quickly, seeing as Comedia would be turning fifteen and starting high school in the fall, both things in which were a rite of passage in the life of children as they ventured from child to young adult.

"Why would she keep this secret from me?" Ki-Adi wondered out loud to himself, still playing the keyboard.

Ki-Adi was startled out of his train of thought when someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was Carmine, changed to his normal self while Anakin donned the superstar persona.

"Oh, Carmine. It's only you." sighed the Cerean.

"Something on your mind?" Carmine signed.

"What makes you think anything is on my mind?"

"Playing the same tune on a loop? That's something I've been told I do when I'm stressed about something."

"It's nothing. You wouldn't understand unless you found out your daughter had a secret boyfriend."

Ki-Adi just started to walk away. But, he bumped right into Constantine, the male doresho accidentally spreading his wings, as such tended to happen when a doresho was startled (and not wearing a cloak).

"Sorry, Mr. Morphina." Ki-Adi said.

"It's alright, Master Mundi." Constantine said. "You seem a little distracted."

"I am fine. I am simply dealing with an issue regarding my daughter keeping secrets from me."

"Ah. I see. You're not alone. Every parent goes through this at some point. I went through the same thing with my Gray."

"She became a villain who nearly destroyed us all." Ki-Adi pointed.

"I know. Probably not the best example. But, I don't think the same thing would happen to Comedia. I confess, I don't know either of you that well as of yet. But, I do know you might feel better if you just tell someone what's troubling you."

Ki-Adi was silent though. Constantine tried to think of a way he could get the Cerean to open up.

"You know, in my ancestor's native tribe, we have a saying. Negar el vuelo de una oruga cuando obtiene sus alas es negar el mundo de un ángel para desafiar el desafío del cambio."

"And that translates to...?"

"'To deny a caterpillar flight when she gets her wings denies the world of an angel to brave the challenge of change.' I couldn't help overhearing your daughter's secret being that she has had a boyfriend. This upsets you?"

"It is not that I dislike her boyfriend. Rather, it has become clearer that Comedia is growing up faster than I would like." Ki-Adi said. "There are days I wish I might have been matched with her when she was much younger."

However, Ki-Adi didn't know that Comedia was right behind a crate, listening in, having only heard that last sentence, which made her freeze as she'd been picking up some extra wires for her no longer secret boyfriend.

"She was a teenager when I adopted her, and I fear she is growing up too quickly. Had I gotten to raise her from when she was small, I might have been more accepting of her dating later. And teenagers are not always a picnic when it comes to raising them. I've heard tell that parents wish they could keep their children small forever, and then once they become teenagers, they just want them to grow up."

Comedia, however, felt like this meant her adoptive father was disappointed in her, just like her birth father had been from the moment she was born. Was she too old for her adoptive father? Did her age mean something was missing in her relationship with him? Was part of why he adopted her because she would grow up faster and he wouldn't have to deal with a moody teen or adolescence as long as parents with their biological children? Okay, maybe that last one was silly to think, but Comedia left before she could hear anything else.

Comedia started to think. Was this because she struggled to use the Force because she started so late? Did her father simply think she wasn't ready to handle herself? Had earning a princess title, saving people from pesadilas by making them laugh, marking her spirit, winning first place in a big pageant, and saving him from a dangerous monster (granted, that was in a realm of dreams) not been proof enough that she was strong, confident, and smart enough to handle herself? She didn't have the voice to say what was on her mind with words, but she figured somehow she needed to prove to him she could handle herself.

Meanwhile, as the Jedi and doresho gypsy were still talking...

Ki-Adi told Constantine how he'd faced a great loss of a biological family of his own long ago. He even had a wife with whom he shared a special bond, and seven daughters he loved, only to lose all of them in what felt like a split second.

"I worry that too soon, she won't need me anymore." Ki-Adi said. "I know she's going to be a full grown mare someday, but if her relationship with Remix is what I imagine it might be, and if they end up getting married... where does that leave me?"

"Look, I get it. As hard work as being a father is, when you're a true father, you never want to retire from such a job. But, the fact that your children are going to be independent is inevitable. And it may not go as you hope either. Take it from me. When Bettina and I split, I was devastated. I thought we were destined to be together forever when we were very young, but then two of my daughters left on a quest for revenge. Only one daughter remained. And Mariposa proved to be my one true love in that moment. I swore to myself and Mariposa when I gained full custody of her that I would never let anything happen to her. Sadly, I had to nearly lose my life to ensure she would be safe, and I spent thirty years worrying about her, only to find she had to grow up too soon, being denied a proper childhood. I never got to see my Mariposa grow into a teenager, or into the beautiful woman she is now, I never got to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day, and I never got to see the day she gave birth to Goldie. And i was distraught to learn of how Mona was treated when she entered the world."

"And this is supposed to make me feel better, how?"

"My point is, Comedia will always need you, no matter how old she gets. She may not always need you to do provide for her, bathe her, or take her to school, but she will always need you in her life because she clearly loves you very much. And if she does get married, if her future husband is good to her, he won't have a problem with you in their lives, especially once they have children of their own, and you become a grandfather. I don't know the future, but I have a gut feeling you have a good chance of living to see the day Comedia gives you grandchildren who will also need you as their mother before them did."

Remix was just finishing putting together his equipment, when his girlfriend came over, looking distressed.

"What's the matter, babe?" Remix asked.

Comedia whinnied to Remix that she overheard her father saying something along the lines of uncertainty of how she was growing up or that maybe he adopted her too late.

"Hey, I'm sure he didn't mean it like that." Remix said, nuzzling Comedia. "You know parents."

Comedia gave him a look.

"Okay, not your biological parents, but you know, good parents. They never wanna see us grow up, no matter how old we get. I mean, my dad still tries to convince me and Magenta that bein' a royal guard would've been a better choice, but really because he wants to keep us close."

Comedia looked down for a moment. Remix did have a point; most parents she'd seen, they never wanted their kids to grow up. Her biological parents, they wanted her to grow up too fast if only to kick her out of the house when she was old enough to live on her own, whether she knew how to or not. Still, it occurred to her that her adoptive father required proof that her growing up wasn't a bad thing, and that just because she had a boyfriend didn't mean she wouldn't want her father around anymore. But how could she prove it?

There was no time to worry about that though; it was time to fight Crescenda!

Memoria and Esther both swooped in with their magical wands and started to blast Crescenda with magic, only for the latter to cast a new spell.

Crescenda vocalized a scary sounding tune, the conch around her neck unleashing a red glow as something terrifying began to happen.

A red glow began to surround Crescenda, and from within her, out came what looked like clones of her, all of them in red rather than blue.

"Uh oh!" Memoria said.

"Did you know she could do that?" Zipp said to Kara.

Kara looked scared too.

"Let's hope everyone had enough music lessons for this." She said.

However, that was not the only scary thing to occur, as a green and black butterfly flew into the area shortly after, and landed on the original Crescenda's shell.

"A smart spell, you have chosen, my pretty." Mariverde said. "Ten voices are truly better than one, but with the many you will face, you require a touch of fear to defeat your enemy."

"What power do you offer, Mistress?" Crescenda said.

"I hereby offer you the power to defeat your victims through their own deepest, darkest voices. Those that echo deep within their hearts and minds, you shall bring to life and weaponize through the voices you have stolen. But in return, you must bring me the crown jewels of Solaris. Do we have a deal?"

"We do." Crescenda smirked.

And soon, Crescenda changed red just like her clones, and the many sirens swam through the air very quickly, forcing the diversion team to call for backup quickly.

Next chapter will be the final part of the Crescenda Arc, and perhaps the most musical chapter I'll ever do.

Hope you're enjoying the story. Be sure to leave reviews, and be on the lookout for updates on my other stories. Working on finishing my currently unfinished Jedi Storytime stories, as well as the first chapter of the very first "Jedi Princess What If...?" story