Naturally, everypony knew that Vinyl Scratch had been working all night, setting up the scene in the centre of Ponyville and she had done a beautiful job of it. Both Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie had clearly approved the result of her masterfully set scene.
Now, notes from Octavia were heard, eerily, almost lonely, from somewhere, possibly behind the scene. It was hard to impossible to make out the exact location, considering the large crowd and the other noises.
On the scene, Applejack stands in fear, or if it was just a mockery and part of the play, it was impossible to make out. She had become as small, as from the episode of the poison joke, a memory still not sitting well with her, or the rest of the ponies she still did call her friends.
Behind her on the scene stands Flutter Guy, making an impersonation of Pinkie Pies Evil Dances she had performed at the same event, just after they had all trodded right into the field of blue flowers which Zecora had referred to as the poison joke in her usual singsong speech in rhymes and riddles. They had all failed to heed the warning.
Zecora's intent had been noble, but her person had stood in the way of the message at the time, in part due to the view the mares had had of her, just as her accent and vocabulary had garbled the intended message of the warning, making them stop exactly where she told them not to go. The voice of Flutter Guy was heard over the speakers Vinyl Scratch had put on both the right and the left of the scene. Her voice deep, rumbling, but initially sounding like the original joke? Yet here, lending a darkness to the joke behind it, not initially expected.
What one may fail to perceive is the message behind her act, since it came out in the manner of under her breath.
The mood of the ponies at large is that of a mass meeting, exhilaration over the message from a great leader they never knew they had, or yearned for. It was quite suggestive in nature, something they had never experienced, thus had no defences against.
On the ground, Pinkie Pie was moving around, pulling out her party cannon in supposed jest, just like you knew she did. Only now, she pushed the envelope, pushing it all the way up, leaving you finding your muzzle in the barrel of it. Then she just looked at you.
“Smile!” she hissed, a dark, never seen grin on her face, a hysterical look to her eyes, and the sinister grin from ear to ear.
There was little left to your imagination, but the unspoken threat. And thus, you tried your best, throwing a smile. This only built on the mood on the scene.
Overhead, Rainbow Dash had been working all night, still holding the weather in an iron grip. The clear blue sky, but with the one single dark cloud brewing something dark. Thunder was heard, and the lightning struck. Keeping the line between the scene and the audience clear.
There was a clear line of scorched earth, marking a no ponies land between the scene and the crowd, there were no iron fences needed, no guards required, and no pony was brave enough to move closer. Had there been an initial incident, you fear the body would have been left in place in order to instil the desired feet, or would the guard standing closest pull the poor pony out of site, what little was to remain of her?
Guards had been pulled from the royal castle of Canterlot, but who had commandeered them, is anypony's guess? Yet, there they are, standing firm, towering over the ponies of Ponyville, with grim faces, befitting the situation. Were they enjoying the show, or wishing themselves any place as far from here, as their wings could possibly take them?
On the top of the roof of Vinyl Scratch's Scene, Twilight Sparkle was standing, overlooking what was to be the best scare yet. Not even Nightmare Night was coming close? It is, how she had planned it in the first place. Planning is after all what she did best, only second to the creativity of her ample supply of magic.
Down in the middle, there were Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, wearing a black Gaby Gum vest with 'GG' clearly visible up front on the chest, slowly moving, hearing all, from any and all ponies they came close enough to overhear, yet missed or ignored by the majority of ponies, even if they had been associated to the group of friends? The ponies who had been the heroes, in countless events.
This may be the kernel of this particular apple, if you fail to notice the once organising the entire plot, from right before your very hooves, down to earth where the Apples were known to be.
Strangely, neither Princess Celestia nor Princess Luna was anywhere to be seen, during a spectacle like the one before everypony at hoof. Just as Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armour were just as absent. Were they unaware, ignorant, oblivious of the scene playing before the villagers, or had they silently condoned this without letting on, thus actively sending their best guards? Now the chill had started to bite.
There had been a chilly wind, starting from the slight breeze, just in order to counteract the heat of the gazing sun of Celestia. Keeping together was obviously encouraged from the one on high, where she managed this wind of control.
If Zecora had been around, what would she do, what would she be thinking, but her name had apparently escaped everypony at this very event, as if it had been smited from the memories of everypony?
Before it had all played out, there was a loud, roaring laughter heard from overhead, it was the pony none had seen, none had dared ask about, forgetting she could be behind it all. Twilight Sparkle had enjoyed her show royally, just as was appropriate, since it had all been her show.
All the ponies had been held captive by the performance, and did not dare to leave, until Twilight had signalled that they were free to go home, but by this time, Celestias sun had been replaced by Lunas threatening dark red moon.
Her friends, down at the ground, helping her out, in every which way they were good at, and every which way they were enjoying.