The sun rose on that fateful morning as it did on any other, although some noticed an unusual delay of a full twelve seconds between the lowering of the moon and sunrise. The air was alarmingly cool for July, and a notable absence of chirping birds or crickets combined to make this an already strange day.
Despite these slightly strange weather abnormalities, the small town of Ponyville was unusually lively for such an early hour, especially for a Saturday. Stallions frantically hammered away at a large wooden platform, and many other ponies performed various tasks in the same frantic fashion.
But really, who wouldn't be frantic when Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria herself, was visiting the small town for its yearly music festival?
"And you, that bench needs to be rotated three centimeters clockwise! Move the speakers closer to the stage! We only have seven more hours, so get it together!"
The faintly hysterical voice bellowing orders out into the crowd belonged to none other than Princess Twilight Sparkle. She had woken the entire town up at 5 AM on the dot every morning for the past week and a half preparing for the usually small and subdued festival. After all, how could she NOT wake them up at 5 AM every morning? How could they even think to sleep at a time like this!?
Twilight had lived by these words for the entire week. An entire week without sleep.
I can't let the princess down! She's counting on me to throw the best festival we've ever had!, she thought, the possibility of failure driving her forward at an increasingly frantic pace.
Had Twilight been in her right mind, she perhaps would have realized that Celestia would want nothing more than a peaceful visit to the normally quiet little town, and nothing less than elaborate and panicked response her visit had generated. But alas, Twilight was not, and she did not
A grey-coated mare approached the near-maniacal Princess, lugging her instrument's case behind her. "Twilight, where can I-" She was cut off before she even had the chance to ask where she could set the heavy object down and practice.
"AND YOU! GET THAT FRIED CHEESE STAND OUT OF ROYAL SIGHT!" Twilight screamed in a horrified tone.
Octavia sighed.
The festival was usually her favorite time of the year. She always made of point of clearing her entire schedule for this week every year to escape the snobbish atmosphere of Canterlot, and enjoy the quiet serenity of the small town, but this year Canterlot had followed her.
Octavia decided to excuse herself from the festival grounds and take a walk to clear her head. She quickly trotted away, glad to escape the temporary madness of the local Princess, but groaned internally when she realized she'd also have to lug her cello with her for now. Oh well, nothing to be done about it. It's not like I'd trust it with anypony else anyway...
A small walk quickly turned into a rather long hike. She had decided to find someplace secluded to practice her piece for the festival, but even after an hour of walking she could still hear the construction and yelling from the festival preparations.
She took notice of an especially inviting shady tree, and decided to take a small break, letting out a breath once she set the cello case down and rolled her shoulders to ease the tension in them.
Octavia sat down, and almost out of habit she opened the case, lifted out her instrument and began to play a small song on her cello.
Hmm hmm, hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmmmmm. Dah, dah dah dah dah dah daah She began to hum along to the tune, and soon she lost herself in the song.
Never
Never again
Forget
What you said to me then
The words so
Full of regret
And fear.
Never
Never again
Leave me
And don't pretend
It's what you wanted
Forever haunted
By
By the memories
Of what we never had
And what you never said
When you had the chance
Secluded alone
So far away
As the last notes faded away, she stopped and put down the cello, letting out a satisfied sigh.
Suddenly she was startled by the sound of clapping hooves.
"WHA?!" she blurted out, as she lost her balance and fell flat on her face.
She looked up to see a red stallion come running towards her, failing to conceal the amused smile on his face..
"How... how long were you listening?" asked the mare, who had planted her face back into the dirt in embarrassment.
"The entire time, I'm afraid," replied the stallion.
Octavia blushed heavily. It was one thing to play in front of a crowd, but it was another to be heard while you thought you were alone.
And he just HAD to be handsome, didn't he? she thought, cursing herself for the blunder.
"Why didn't you say anything? That's extremely rude!" she fumed.
"Well I don't usually ask trespassers for permission before I kick them off my farm," he said with a slight grin.
"I... oh dear," she said as she now looked around her. She was surrounded by hundreds of apple trees, but she never even noticed that she had entered the orchard.
"So, planning on standing up any time soon?" asked the stallion with an ever-growing smile.
Octavia shot to her feet, blushing uncontrollably.
"Ya know, we could use somepony like you for our act today!" said the stallion, trying to ease the nerves of the poor grey mare.
While Octavia's first instinct was to brush him off, something made her pause. His smile was genuine, and he didn't seem to know who she really was, so he couldn't be asking her just because of her fame.
And, she told herself, I should never turn down an opportunity to expand my musical repertoire.
"Alright, what is it that you propose?"
"Me and my friend Rarity are singing a duet at the opening ceremonies. We intended to sing without music like we normally do, but I think you could add a lot to our sound!" He was practically prancing in place.
The grey-coated mare blinked for a moment before replying. "Well I'm already playing a set at the festival, but why not?" she agreed with a smile. "My name is Octavia," she said.
"Big McIntosh," he replied.
"It's lovely to meet you, Big McIntosh," Octavia said as she packed up her instrument in its case.
"You too," Big Mac replied. His ears perked up when he heard Octavia's grunt as she lifted it.
"Ya need a hoof there?"
"No thanks, I'm used to it."
Octavia took a few steps, but it wasn't long before the red-coated stallion next to her took the handle and lifted her burden away.
"Wh-what are you doing?" She looked up at him, reaching to take it back.
"Just giving ya some help. Ya don't want to be all tuckered out before we get back, do ya?"
"No... I suppose not... But what about you?"
Big Mac just moved his head toward one of the carts piled high with apples. "I'm used to haulin' those all day. I can handle this."
"Oh... Well... just this once, alright? And you have to promise to be careful with it, understood?"
Big Mac nodded and gave her a small smirk as they stepped onto the road and began the trek back to the festival.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Do I really have to wear this silly thing?" asked a bemused Cranky Doodle Donkey as he fiddled with the bright red bowtie that had just been snugly tied around his neck.
"Oh, darling, you look magnificent!" said an extremely enthusiastic Rarity.
"How did I ever let you rope me into this anyway?" asked the increasingly annoyed Donkey.
"Oh, relax! You'll knock them dead out there tonight!" she reassured him.
"Hmpf, all I have to do is read the names on the paper, right?" he asked as he looked down at the various names scrawled on the wrinkled paper.
"Oh certainly not! It's your job to WOW the audience! They need to be enthralled by your presence!" Rarity was doing nothing to calm poor Doodle's nerves.
"Why did you pick me for this anyway? Pinkie Pie would make a much better presenter!" he insisted with a frown that could kill the happiest of smiles.
"Who do you think recommended you for the job?" Rarity asked with sly grin.
"Oh for the love of-" he began, but was cut off when someone entered the room.
"Oh Doodle, that bow tie looks wonderful on you!" Matilda exclaimed.
"You really think so?" asked Cranky with a rare smile big enough to obliterate even the most cranky of frowns.
"Oh dear, you are going to be magnificent tonight!" she assured him.
She turned to leave, giving Rarity a quick wink.
"I'd better go over my lines again!" Cranky said with excitement. Rarity took this opportunity to slip away for a moment.
"My goodness, this is going to be a splendid concert, or a terrifying disaster!" she said after making sure she was out of earshot from Cranky.
She remembered Twilight's words. "If this isn't PERFECT the entire KINGDOM could feel the aftermath!"
She rolled her eyes, but a few sleepless nights and a frazzled mane was a small price to make her friend happy.
Rarity took a moment to admire her surroundings. Her normally rustic and somewhat drab hometown had been transformed into a small piece of Canterlot, and it was all thanks to Rarity. Well Twilight helped a little, but in Rarity's mind this was HER festival. She'd been planning and designing for months.
It was at that moment that the most gorgeous pony Rarity had ever seen walked into view.
"Excuse me darling, but where on earth did you get that FABULOUS suit?" Rarity blurted out to the positively perfect passing pony.
The stallion nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise.
"Dear, are you alright?" she asked.
"Uh, yeah I'm good!" the odd pony nervously spit out before running to a nearby group of similarly dressed ponies.
Rarity, however, was not about to let such fabulousness slip from her grasp, and quickly gave chase.
"Excuse me!" she said with a smile as she approached the group.
Rarity nearly fainted at the sight of four handsome and FABULOUSLY dressed stallions.
"Can we help you?" asked one of them in an exceedingly annoyed tone.
Rarity was in awe. His voice was like spider silk weaving itself into a tight embrace around her. His glimmering blue eyes and sleek golden hair only added to the sheer radiance that this pony projected. Around his perfect form rested... could it be? It was! Pure draconian silver cashmere!
These ponies looked as though they descended from Celestia herself!
Rarity was so lost in the brilliance of the stallions, it took her a moment to noticed that they all looked exactly the same. From their hair to their gorgeous jawlines, these ponies were identical, seeming to be some sort of heavenly quadruplets created solely to radiate pure beauty and perfection.
The ponies grew impatient as these ridiculous thoughts flooded Rarity's mind.
"I.. uh I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just MUST know-"
The ponies immediately looked at each other and walked away, each one looking as nervous as the last.
"Well fine than, be that way!" Rarity yelled frustratedly at their rapidly retreating backs, before turning around with a huff.
She began to head back to the dressing rooms when a familiar voice called to her.
"Hey, Rarity!"
Looking to her left, Rarity saw a tall red stallion approaching.
"Oh, Big Mac, are you ready for our performance tonight?" she asked, completely forgetting the rude hunks that had just scorned her, for now at least.
"Yeah, about that," he said as he nodded his head in Octavia's direction.
"It's wonderful to meet you, Miss Rarity," said Octavia with a slight bow.
"Um, it's wonderful to meet you too..." Rarity replied, looking from the mare to Big Mac with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh I am dreadfully sorry! I am Octavia, Cellist for the 'Canterlot Silver Strings'. I ran into your friend Big Mac here and-"
"More like she broke into my farm," Big Mac interrupted with that same big smile he's had on all day.
Octavia gave him a glare that could have brought the great King Sombra to his knees.
"Anyway... He told me that you two plan to perform a duet, and you may have room for a little musical accompaniment?"
"That's not a bad idea, but we have always let our voices create the music, I don't think we need-"
"Octavia, play that same tune you played at the farm!"
Rarity frowned at Big Mac and clenched her teeth. How could he be so rude?
Octavia was reluctant, but Big Mac just seemed so excited that she found she couldn't say no. She sat and placed her cello just so, then played a few experimental notes to see if it was tuned to her liking. When she was ready, she paused for a moment before playing.
The white unicorn blinked in surprise as the music filled the dressing rooms with a relaxed and beautiful melody. Rarity was practically entranced by what she heard.
This is perfect! With her playing with us, I'll be able to show those snobby rude moronic delicious hunks of stallions that I'm MORE than good enough for them!
"Alright, alright, I see your point, Big Mac. She can accompany us," she said with a dreamy smile.
"OH COME ON!" complained Cranky, who had overheard the conversation. "I just finished memorizing my lines, and now I gotta learn another name?"
Rarity glared at him.
"Now now Cranky, let's not be rude!" she said more forcefully than she meant to.
"Bah grumble grumble!" as he returned to his dressing room.
"I've never heard anyone speak in grumbles before," Octavia whispered to Big Mac.
"Ya get used to it," he replied, and they shared a small chuckle.
"We only have another hour before show time! We had better get in a little practice!" ordered Rarity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With the chime of the town clock tower, the festival was officially under way!
Princess Celestia stood at a large golden podium, and began the opening speech. Normally every pony in town would be listening, but a few had too much on their minds to listen.
"Okay, ponies, we're the first act! It's almost time!" Rarity said with nervouscitement.
"I now declare that the 60th annual Ponyville Music Festival has officially begun!" announced Princess Celestia, followed by thunderous applause.
"Cranky, that's your cue!" said Rarity with a nudge.
Cranky took the stage. He froze for a moment, taking in the large crowd. The Princess sat upon a large golden chair next to Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Next to them were a royal looking group of unfamiliar ponies. .
"Ladies and Gentlecolts! Princesses and nobles! I would like to announce our first act of the Festival! First up is the Beautiful and Radiant Rarity! I should also note that Rarity wrote some of these notes," Cranky said in the most excited voice he could muster, which was more like a grumble. He was greeted by laughter and applause at that last remark.
"Next up, the hard working and always dependable Big McIntosh!"
"THAT'S MAH BROTHER!" screamed Apple Bloom, only to have a blushing Applejack shush her with a hoof over her mouth.
"And last, but not least, the amazing and talented Octavia, coming all the way from Canterlot!"
The trio took their places on the stage, and Cranky walked off to the side.
Rarity and Big Mac took a deep breath, preparing to sing.
Octavia brought her bow to the strings of her cello.
It was at that moment that the world exploded around them.
It was sudden. Sudden and terrifying. Ponies lay motionless on the ground. Smoke was everywhere. Screams drowned out all other sounds.
"FOR THE SWARM!" screamed the handsome noble ponies in unison.
"N... no!" Rarity gasped, watching as the ponies began to change form.
"CHANGELINGS!" somepony screamed from the crowed.
"PROTECT THE PRINCESS!" screamed another.
The ponies on stage couldn't see anything. They wanted to help, but everything was happening so fast. Everything was falling apart in a heartbeat.
Twilight was as shocked as anyone else at the attack, but wasn't willing to let this be a lost opportunity to try the new emergency spell she had been working on ever since the final battle with Tirek... and save her friends of course!
Princess Celestia was handling the situation as you would come to expect from someone such as herself. Without a word she incinerated a changeling as it lunged at a nearby pony.
She was proud of that save. So proud that she let her guard slip ever so slightly.
"THE QUEEN WILLS IT!" yelled one of the changelings as it jumped at Celestia, piercing her front left leg with a jagged horn.
Celestia was completely capable of defending herself, but Twilight was too angry to let logic dictate her course of action.
"GET OFF OF HER, YOU INSECT!" she hollered at the Changeling.
She prepared her new spell, but another changeling took notice.
It's funny what a blow to the head will do, not only to your aim, but to the composition of a spell.
The fierce purple blast of magic went tearing through the air at amazing speed.
"LOOK OUT!" screamed Cranky as the blast of magic struck the stage.
Two minutes had passed since the attack begun. The smoke was cleared by Rainbow Dash and some other Pegasi. After the smoke was gone, it only took a moment for Celestia to deal with the changelings.
Twilight immediately looked at the stage, and froze in shock. She was unable to move, or even cry.
"No... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!" She said in a monotone.
All that was left was four black scorch marks.
"They're dead... I killed them... I'm so sorry!"
Tears finally began to stream from her eyes when she saw Applejack sobbing on the stage, but she was still frozen in place.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Octavia was the first to wake up. She was disoriented, but was finally able to stand after a couple of false starts.
"What in Equestria..." She looked at the ground. Sand. A lot of sand. And what was that sound? No, it couldn't be... it sounded like... the tides?
Big Mac awoke next with a groan, but eventually made his way over to her. She only saw out of the corner of her eye as she was too busy staring at the wide blue expanse before her.
"Is... is that the ocean?" asked Octavia, her mouth dropping open.
"Eyup," was all an equally stunned Big Mac could say.
