Music in the Skies

Year 7 Day 124

We're running away.

Sky looked at the words, feeling them to be similar to her last entry. Was she forever cursed to write simple sentences in her journal? Surely not.

*******************

"Come on. It's your training day", Shining called from the door.

Sky nodded and waved him away as she put up her journal, not writing down anything. She followed him into the courtyard. The cobblestone glistened as she trotted to the guard, sword across her back.

"Around the city, boys!", Shining called.

The run was long. The day was cold. The sun was surprisingly up for the moment. It had risen and fallen 7 times already today. The group approached two mares fighting, looking like they were about to tackle each other. Shining and Sky came up to them and caught a piece of the conversation:

"You think you're so special just because you give free food to to the homeless?"

"I think I'm kind unlike you!"

"I need this food for my child!"

"You have a bag full of bits right there! Pay for it then!"

"I-I need this for something else."

Shining coughed into his hoof and both mares turned. Sky was still bandaged but stood strong beside his side.

"C-captain! I-I didn't expect you here", mare folding the bits said.

"What's going on?", Shining asked sternly.

"Captain Armor. This mare, a rival of mine in the grocery business, has taken food and refuses to pay for it."

"Is this true?", he asked the other mare.

The mare nodded,"But, I need this for my son and the money is for my ex-husband, it's part of our divorce agreement."

"I'm sure he'd understand since it is for your son."

The mare flinched and Sky saw in her heart a life of torture. Her ex-husband abused her and her son. The little filly was always sick. She started the business to get money and fought hard to keep it going, often loosing profits. Some ponies beat her and stole from her. Sky saw that she was in the rebels. They provided some money, but it is only as much as they could spare, not enough to live by. Images and memories flashed by of early childhood and Sky blinked and shook her head.

"What is it?", Shining inquired.

Sky didn't answer. She reached into a pocket of her training gear and removed a small bag of bits. She dropped it on the other mare's fruit stand. She nodded to the poor mare and she smiled with gratitude.

"I hope that settles it?",Sky asked.

"Y-yes... I-it does.", said the grocer.

"Then be on your way."

The grocer nodded and took her stand away. The sun was setting again as Sky approached the mare.

"I'm Sky Note ma'am. Lunar Princess in training and I'd like for you to meet us tomorrow at the edge of town, headed toward the rebel camp."

The mare looked stunned and the other guard were standing idly by, just out of ear-shot of Shining and Sky. Shining smiled to Sky and she winked.

"We've been trying to leave for a long time."

***************

Rough Edge sat outside his queen's rooms in silence. He felt the door vibrate as Queen Twilight stepped out. She locked eyes with him.

"Come, I need some help in here",she purred to him.

Rough Edge was known among the guard to have a huge crush on the Queen so this excited him. He got up and went inside.

Night fell.

Another guard passed by his queen's rooms and saw a carcass by the door. He ran forward and saw it was the husk of Rough Edge. It seemed to be only his pelt. It had no bones, eyes, any internal organs, just the pelt. The guard ran away.

*****************

Shining looked at the clothes on his bed. Black suit from his wedding. Rouge clothes, yes he had them, and a hooded cloak along with his cloak with the family crest on it. He put it all in a bag and sighed. He wrote a note to his "darling" sister, if only Rarity could see her now, telling her that he was gone and that he was officially leaving the family, Sparkle. Shining Armor Sparkle was no longer her brother and he wished never to see her again. He looked at his own words and at a picture of his parents, Twilight, him and Cadence all together, smiling and happy. It was right after Twilight became a princess. He could see the other 5 of the Elements of Harmony in the background too. He smiled at the picture and felt hot tears run down his face. Immortality, gifted by Twilight, sucked. Never did he think he would outlive his own wife.

*****************

Sky looked at her journal. Her latest entry stunned her by its plainness. She looked up as a bloodshot-eyed Shining came in. She put it in her bag on her bed and sighed.

"I know how you feel."

"No, you don't."

"You're right, I don't, but it was a good try."

Sky gave a halfhearted chuckle, it was more of a snort actually.

Shining got up and motioned for her to do so as well. She was dressed in Princess Lunae's old armor. Modified to her body. Shining remained in his Captain's armor. She slid on her pack that held the insignia of the Crescent moon and a music not over it. It seemed fitting and Sky wished it was her cutie mark. Still and forever seeming blank flank. Maybe she had bat pony in her. They don't usually get cutie marks. The two left the castle and headed out to the outskirts of town. As promised, the mare stood there. After closer inspection, Sky realized she looked a lot like Princess Lunae. Same misnight blue pelt, a black spotted cutie mark. Her mane was short and similar to Lunae's when she was younger, only the mare's was pure black. Her cutie mark held no stars nor a moon like Lunae's did. Sky and Shining looked at her. She blinked and smiled, even their eyes were the same.

"I'm guessing you somehow found out I'm a rebel. I just need to know something."

"Ask away", Shining said.

"Why did you leave?"

Sky coughed and the mare turned to her,"Well?"

Sky looked with her morning dawn eyes and answered in a firm voice,"Twilight nearly killed both of us."

The mare's eyes widened,"Sh-she did?!"

The two nodded. This began to draw attention and she nodded to the two of them,"Lets go."

She led them into the forest and down a path. All three lit their horns and headed down the small winding road.

"I'm Empty Night", the mare called back.

"Cool", Sky replied.

They came into a clearing filled with tents and ponies.

Empty Night turned to them,"This is the camp, it's become too dangerous to live in the city now."

A familiar mare walked towards Empty Night.

"Ma'am, their tent is ready", the mare said in a silky voice.

"Octavia!", shouted Sky and she went and hugged the mare.

Octavia laughed as Sky buried her face in her jacket, crying.

"Now why are you crying my little Bass Clef?", asked Octavia.

"I-I", sniffed Sky,"I missed you so much."

Octavia removed the little unicorn mare and smiled,"I missed you as well. I'm glad you finally found us."

As she said this, she glanced at Empty Night who was standing idly by with a small, almost invisible smile. Empty Night cleared her throat, smile gone and all business.

"I'll show you the area you'll be staying in."

Shining nodded and Sky motioned for Octavia to come too. They went through the camp and ponies looked at them as they passed, taking in the fact that not only was there two guard, one was dressed in the Princess' armor.

"There's the infirmary if you need to get there at some point", said Empty Night as they passed by a white tent with a red roof.

Shining looked as they passed and shuddered at the sight of the many ponies, broken and bloody, on the small cots. Sky continued to talk happily with Octavia about the current events of her work.

"Over there is the dining tent", spoke Empty Night, startling Shining from his thoughts. She motioned to a deep green tent with open, metallic-looking tent flaps that reflected the ground below them and the sky above.

Sky looked ahead and saw a wide tent at the end of the small trail that led them to the other various tents. It was a mettalic gold color. It was dark on the inside and on the tent flap was a crescent moon and shining sun, the symbol of the two sisters, balance. Beside it was a smaller tent, silver in color, but it was bigger than the regular tents. On it's flap was the symbol of Lunae, a crescent moon. Empty Night stopped in front of the gold tent. She showed the faintest hint of a smile and motioned for them to go inside. They all headed in and saw a surprisingly brightly lit interior.

"This", Empty Night said,"Is where you shall be sleeping. It is the tent dedicated to the sisters."

She choked up a little saying 'sisters'. It apparently hurt her.

'Maybe these rebels are really set against the Queen', thought Sky.

"I-i", stumbled Empty Night, still recovering,"sleep in the next tent over."

With that, she left. In a hurry too.

"Did I upset her?", asked Sky.

"No", replied Shining, leaving the room just as suddenly.

Sky sighed. She sat down on one of the two beds in the room. Ironically the one with the moon on it. Octavia sat down beside her and giggled.

"I know I ask this a lot to grown-ups, but why are you laughing?"

Octavia smiled,"Because you are young, and still growing and I appreciate what Shining's done."

"What has he done?"

"He cared for you."

"Oh..."

"He loves you like his own daughter."

"But he never had one..."

"Yes, but you never had a father either."

Sky looked down.

"Yeah, I know that didn't help..."

"Ya think?"

Octavia laughed. Sky smiled and hugged her.

"I missed you, Tavi."

"I missed you too, Bass Clef."

They sat like that for a while and Octavia slowly hummed a song. Sky began to cry but Octavia continued to hug her and hold her close. Eventually Sky stopped and Octavia let her go. Sky lied down and Octavia stood. It was night now and Shining wasn't back still.

"Where are you going?"

Octavia laughed,"To bed, sweetie, I'm tired."

"Oh, ok."

"Goodnight."

"'Night."

Sky looked up at the tent roof when Octavia left. It was a light shade of blue, like the sky. Sky didn't concentrate on it, though. She was thinking about her fight with the dragon...

***************

Sky stared up the the dragon. It's scales glistened with a yellowish hue. It turned its giant head and snarled. It's teeth had dried blood on them and it's eyes were thin and red. Sky felt something tug in her heart and she blinked. Suddenly she saw so much. Visions floated around the dragon. She stared into one and saw a pony die in a crunch between it's massive claws. Her heart soared with delight as she tasted it's blood on her tongue. She looked away and at another. She saw houses burning and laughed, her voice roaring. Ponies screamed underneath her and scrambled away. She shook her head and the dragon looked at her and felt her disgust. She ran forward but felt his heart shift. She saw his claws move away from his throat and she knew he was releasing his spirit to her. She bowed her head as she landed on the ground again. She felt the dragon's body fall behind her and she let herself drop.