Canterlot was livelier than usual, and it was all thanks to the summer play put on there. This year, it was Hinny of the Hills, a favorite musical in Equestria. What made it even more special was that all of the alicorn princesses would be performing in it! This gave them a much-needed break from royal duties for a while, but they were still consulted on the tough matters. However, they enjoyed doing Hinny of the Hills as recreation time.
Everypony was surprised to hear that the musical was tailor-made for the princesses so they would help produce the show. Nevertheless, they were given important roles: Cadance was Mare-ia, Twilight Sparkle was Liesl, Luna was Baroness Ella Schayder, and Celestia was Mother Abbess. The princesses also got to hoof-pick the right actors for the play. To the surprise of nopony, Shining Armor was chosen as Captain Von Scrapp. Thankfully, Flurry Heart was old enough to be left with a foalsitter.
Ponies and creatures from across Equestria flocked to Canterlot to see the second stage production to star an alicorn princess. They were so excited to see all four alicorns performing for the first time. Luna, however, was very hesitant.
She peered out from behind the curtain and saw masses of attendees arriving and sitting in their seats. She turned to her sister and asked, “Sister, are you sure I should be a part of this musical? I’m not very comfortable performing on a stage.”
Celestia responded, “Everypony needs to get out of their shell once in a while.” She smiled, “And besides, we wouldn’t have much fun without you performing with us.”
Discord then floated up to them, “And what about yours truly? The show can’t possibly go on without me.”
Luna rolled her eyes while Celestia smiled, “Of course. Where would we be without our Max Gaitweiler?”
Discord chuckled, “Oh, Celestia, you’re just too kind.” He then deadpanned, “I mean that, really.”
Meanwhile, Twilight was helping Starlight Glimmer get her outfit on for the part of Louisa. Starlight asked nervously, “Are you sure I can do this, Twilight? This is my first time acting in a musical, especially one that’s garnered national attention.”
Twilight reassured her, “Don’t worry. I felt nervous when I was playing Mary Cloppins. But Cadance told me a little secret.”
“What?”
“She said that every pony needed to do his or her part in order to carry a production through. A musical like this doesn’t need to rest on your shoulders as long as everypony else helps you lift that weight.”
Starlight smiled, “And we both know somepony who needs helping lifting the weight on her shoulders.”
Twilight knew exactly who her pupil meant.
When Cadance emerged from her dressing room in Mare-ia’s signature outfit and with a bun in her mane, she spun around as she asked Shining Armor, “Well, what do you think?”
Her husband smiled, “I still think you look as beautiful as ever, no matter which costume you’re in.”
“You’re so sweet, Shiny.” She gave him a kiss. “But I’m worried about the performance tonight. Will I be able to do my part well enough?”
Shining Armor chuckled, “Cady, stop worrying! You’re getting to be as bad as Twilight. Like I told her before Mary Cloppins started, we all got your back on this one, okay?”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
In another dressing room, Fluttershy was helping Zephyr Breeze get his outfit on while he dramatized his lines.
The tall Pegasus recited, “Oh, Captain, my Captain. Oh, Captain, my Captain. Oh, Captain, my Captain!”
Fluttershy said, “Um, Zephyr? I don’t think that’s in the play.”
Zeph said, “Oh, lighten up, big sis! I’m preparing for my big debut in the acting world! Although it’s frankly a small part. You know, this theater gig has got me thinking.”
“Uh-oh. What is it this time?”
“Lights, camera, action! I should become an actor and work my way up, up, up! Of course, this means I’ll have to ditch mane therapy.”
Fluttershy glared at him, “Zephyr Breeze…”
Zeph nervously chuckled while holding his hooves up, “Just kidding, sis! Just kidding!”
Author's Note
I want to give credit to Godslittleprincess for coming up with the name Minostria.
Act 1, Scene 1
There was chatter in the air as several more ponies found their seats. When the orchestra began to play, the whispers of the audience had died down. A couple more ponies were getting into their seats as the overture played. After the music was done, the curtains pulled back to reveal a background of the Minostrian hills.
Cadance flew onstage and began to sing in delight, “The hills are alive…with the sound of music!” She landed on the stage as she sang, “With songs they have sung…for a thousand years…The hills fill my heart…with the sound of music…My heart wants to sing every song it hears…”
She weaved through the tree props as she sang, “My heart wants to beat…like the wings of the birds…that rise from the lake…to the trees…My heart wants to sigh…like a chime that flies…from a church on a breeze…” She ran along a fake brook while she sang, “To laugh like a brook…when it trips and falls…over stones on its way…To sing through the night…like a lark who is learning to pray…”
She went centerstage as she sang, “I…go to the hills…when my heart is lonely…I know I will hear…what I’ve heard before…” She flew as she sang, “My heart will be blessed…with the sound of music…And I’ll sing…once more…”
After she landed on the stage again, DJ Pon-3 played the sound effect for church bells. Cadance was about to run stage right until she turned back and said, “Oh!”
She used her magic to grab her wimple and then ran stage right. The curtains closed and reopened again to the courtyard in the Abbey. Mares playing nuns walked by while Latin singing could be heard. As Princess Celestia walked side-by-side with Fleur-de-Lis and Sassy Saddles, Rarity ran up to them.
Rarity said, “Reverend Mother.”
Celestia nodded, “Sister Bernice.”
“I simply cannot find her.”
“Mare-ia?”
Rarity nodded and said, “She’s missing from the Abbey again.”
Fleur-de-Lis said, “Perhaps we should have put a cowbell around her neck.”
Sassy Saddles suggested, “Have you tried the barn? You know how much she adores the animals.”
Rarity said, “I have looked everywhere, in all of the usual places.”
Celestia said, “Sister Bernice, considering that it’s Mare-ia, I suggest you look in someplace unusual.”
Rarity bowed her head in respect and went stage left.
Fleur-de-Lis said to Celestia, “Well, Reverend Mother, I hope this new infraction ends whatever doubts you may still have about Mare-ia’s future here.”
Celestia countered, “I always try to keep faith in my doubts, Sister Berthe.”
Sassy said, “After all, the wool of a black sheep is just as warm.”
Fleur said, “We are not talking about sheep, black or white, Sister Margaretta. Of all the candidates for the novitiate, I would say Mare-ia is the least likely –“
Celestia put her hoof up and said, “Children, Children!” She then said to three more ponies playing nuns, “We were speculating about the qualifications of some of our postulants. The Mistress of Novices and the Mistress of Postulants were trying to help me by expressing opposite points of view. Tell me, Sister Catherine, what do you think of Mare-ia?”
Lemon Hearts said, “She’s a wonderful mare, some of the time.”
“Sister Agatha?”
Twinkleshine said, “It’s very easy to like Mare-ia, except when it’s difficult.”
Celestia asked Minuette, “And you, Sister Sophia?”
The blue unicorn responded, “I love her very dearly, but she always seems to be in trouble, doesn’t she?”
Fleur smirked, “Exactly what I say.” She began to sing, “She climbs a tree and scrapes her knee…Her dress has got a tear…”
Minuette sang, “She waltzes on her way to Mass…and whistles on the stair…”
“And underneath her wimple…she has curlers in her hair…”
Lemon Hearts sang, “I’ve even heard her singing…in the abbey…”
Twinkleshine sang, “She’s always late for chapel…”
Minuette sang, “But her penitence is real…”
Fleur sang, “She’s always late for everything…”
Lemon Hearts sang with a smile, “Except for every meal…”
Fleur sang, “I hate to have to say it…but I very firmly feel…”
She sang with the three other unicorns, “Mare-ia’s not an asset to the Abbey…”
Sassy Saddles sang, “I’d like to say a word in her behalf…”
Celestia nodded, “Then say it, Sister Margaretta.”
“Mare-ia…makes me laugh…” When Sassy chuckled, the three unicorns giggled with her.
Celestia then sang, “How do you solve a problem like Mare-ia? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?”
Sassy sang, “How do you find a word that means Mare-ia?”
Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts sang, “A flibbertigibbet…”
Minuette sang, “A will-o’-the-wisp…”
Fleur sang, “A clown…”
Celestia sang, “Many a thing you know you’d like to tell her…Many a thing she ought to understand…”
Fleur sang, “But how do you make her stay…and listen to all you say?”
“How do you keep a wave upon the sand?”
Sassy sang, “Oh, how do you solve a problem like Mare-ia?”
Celestia sang, “How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?”
Minuette then came up to the group and sang, “When I’m with her, I’m confused…out of focus, and bemused…and I never know exactly where I am…”
As the blue unicorn vocalized, Twinkleshine sang, “Unpredictable as weather…”
Lemon Hearts sang, “She’s as flighty as a feather…”
Sassy sang, “She’s a darling…”
Fleur sang, “She’s a demon…”
“She’s a lamb…”
Minuette sang, “She’d out-pester any pest…Drive a hornet from its nest…”
Twinkleshine sang, “She can throw a whirling dervish out of whirl…”
Sassy sang, “She is gentle, she is wild…”
Lemon Hearts sang, “She’s a riddle, she’s a child…”
Fleur sang, “She’s a headache…”
Sassy sang, “She’s an angel…”
Celestia sang, “She’s a girl…”
All of them sang, “How do you solve a problem like Mare-ia? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? How do you find a word that means Mare-ia?”
Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts sang, “A flibbertigibbet…”
Minuette and Sassy sang, “A will-o’-the-wisp…”
Fleur sang, “A clown…”
All of them sang, “Many a thing you know you’d like to tell her…Many a thing she ought to understand…”
Celestia sang, “But how do you make her stay…”
Fleur sang, “And listen to all you say?”
Sassy sang, “How do you keep a wave upon the sand?”
All of them sang once more, “Oh, how do you solve a problem like Mare-ia?”
Just then, the sound effect for a door slamming was played and Cadance rushed onstage from stage right towards the group. She stopped in shock when she saw Celestia. She stood there for a moment before pretending to blush and sheepishly walk backwards.
After she exited stage left, all of them finished, “How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?”
The curtains closed for a few moments and then parted to reveal Celestia sitting in an office. Cadance, now in her nun attire, walked through the door on stage right and timidly walked in.
Celestia set down the papers she was holding and said, “Come here, my child.” Cadance walked up to Celestia and bowed down before her. The white alicorn then said, “Now, sit down.”
Cadance said as she sat down, “Oh. Oh, Reverend Mother, I’m so sorry. I just couldn’t help myself. The gates were open, and the hills were beckoning, and before I –“
Celestia interrupted, “I haven’t summoned you here for apologies.”
The pink alicorn pleaded, “Oh, please, Mother, do let me ask for forgiveness.”
“If it would make you feel better.”
“Yes. Well, you see, the sky was so blue today, and everything was so green and fragrant. I just had to be a part of it. And the bird kept leading me higher and higher, as though it wanted me to go right through the clouds with it.”
Celestia asked in concern, “But suppose darkness had come and you were lost?”
“Oh, Mother, I could never be lost up there. That’s my mountain. I was brought up on it. It was the mountain that led me to you.”
“Oh?”
“When I was a filly, I would come down the mountain and climb a tree and look over into your garden. I’d see the sisters at work, and I’d hear them sing on their way to vespers…” Cadance then lowered her voice in shame, “…which brings me to another transgression, Reverend Mother. I was singing out there today without permission.”
“Mare-ia, it is only here in the abbey that we have rules about postulants singing.”
“I can’t seem to stop singing wherever I am. And what’s worse, I can’t seem to stop saying things – everything and anything I think and feel.”
“Some people would call that honesty.”
“But it’s terrible, Reverend Mother. You know how Sister Berthe always makes me kiss the floor after we’ve had a disagreement? Lately, I’ve taken to kissing the floor when I see her coming just to save time.”
There was a pause before Celestia said, “Mare-ia, when you saw us over the abbey wall and longed to be one of us, that didn’t necessarily mean that you were prepared for the way we live here, did it?”
“No, Mother, but I pray, and I try, and I am learning. I really am.”
“What is the most important lesson you have learned here, my child?”
“To find out what is the right thing for me and to do it wholeheartedly.”
Celestia said as she stood up and walked over to Cadance, “Mare-ia…it seems to me that the right thing for you would be to leave us.”
Cadance gasped, “Leave you?”
“Only for a while, Mare-ia.”
Cadance stood up and pleaded, “Oh, no, please! Don’t do that! Don’t send me away! This is where I belong! It’s my home, my family! It’s my life.”
“But are you truly ready for it?”
“Yes, I am.”
When Cadance looked like she was reconsidering her words, Celestia suggested, “Perhaps if you go out into the world for a time, knowing what we expect of you, you will have a chance to find out if you could expect it of yourself.”
“I know what you expect, Mother, and I can do it! I promise I can!”
“Mare-ia…”
Cadance sighed, “Yes, Mother…” She sat down again as she said, “If it’s the right thing.”
Celestia went to her desk and said, “There is a family near Saddlesburg that needs a governess until autumn.”
“Autumn?”
“To take care of seven children.”
Cadance exclaimed, “Seven children!”
“Do you like children, Mare-ia?”
“Well, yes, but seven?”
Celestia said as she began writing, “I will tell Captain von Scrapp to expect you tomorrow.”
“Uh, Captain?”
“A retired officer of the Equestrian Navy, a fine colt and a brave one. His wife died several years ago, leaving him alone with the children. I understand he’s had a most difficult time managing to keep a governess there.”
“Uh, why difficult, Reverend Mother?”
“I think you’ll find out in good time.”
The curtains then closed on the scene.