With how hectic things had become, Zephyr realized in hindsight that it was probably for the best that he quit working at Sweet Apple Acres before everything happened. Production in the band was incredibly time consuming in order to keep everything going efficiently, with everypony keeping the rather punishing deadline for the concert in consideration.

It resulted in most of the band's time being spent in a basement suite enchanted with soundproof walls while attempting to match the timings of the previous songs as well as getting the new song up and running.

What this meant for Zephyr was quickly dealing with the wind currents, while making sure to avoid Rainbow Dash, then rushing to the suite to write. Being the lead singer, even a replacement, also meant writing new songs much to his dismay. After that, they all practiced the two preexisting songs before heading home, Zephyr occasionally picking up food for the house. This process repeated for the entire duration of the practice time.

Zephyr hadn't seen Applejack since he suddenly blacked out in the middle of the street. He didn't know exactly what happened, but the scenario made him scared of her on top of the resentment he used to have against her.

Zephyr no longer resented her, or her friends.

The other band members quickly found out what had happened on the day of the 'surprise party incident', much to Zephyr's initial dismay and eventual despair. They remained supportive of him in his singing and song writing endeavors, yet they kept talking about the situation, attempting to find answers.

Two days after joining

"Hey Zephyr?"

"Hm?" He looked up from the paper on the desk to see Electron Note approaching. Out of all the band members, her and Burst Mic were the only ones Zephyr really connected with. Strings was usually "business only" talk despite his friendly demeanor which was fitting for a Centerlot pony, Iron only said a few words occasionally, and Snare reminded Zephyr too much of Rainbow Dash to be comfortable around her.

"I've noticed how you still seem very out of it, even after Burst's pep-talk yesterday."

Zephyr couldn't help but yawn out of tiredness. "Sorry about that. Never realized how tiring all of this actually is. You guys, and bands in general, certainly have your work cut out for you."

That got a raised eyebrow from Electron before sighing. "While that might be true, I can tell that's not the real reason for your... condition. Hay, Snare can be tactless, yet even she can tell your behavior isn't purely due to nervousness." Zephyr give her a curious look as she pauses to consider how to best approach the subject. "Has it got something to do with your friends?"

Though he did his best not to show it, Zephyr's anger flared up briefly before he extinguished it, though some of it leaked through considering Electron took a small step back. "That isn't something I want to talk about right now. We have more important things to do"

"Zephyr... bottling it up isn't going to help you--"

He gave her an irritated look. "Just drop the subject, okay? Again, we've got bigger things to worry about than so called 'friendship' right now."

Electron gave a defeated sigh before wandering back to her equipment. Out of the corner of his eye, Zephyr noticed Iron staring at him rather intently but brushed it off and continued with the lyrics of the new song.

Five days after joining

"Zephyr... can we talk?"

He looks up to see Burst standing in front of the desk, giving him a worried look.

"Depends on the subject. Want the truth or do you want me to lie to you?" That was Zephyr's attempt at trying to be humorous, although it more than often fell flat on it's face.

This was one of those times as Burst shook his head. "The truth. I talked to Pinkie the other day about your recent behavior."

Zephyr groaned as he massaged his head. "My behavior isn't anything to write home about besides some bad puns."

"Even if it's dealing with what happened between you and your friends on your birthday?"

For the very first time since he met the mare, Zephyr resented Pinkie for being herself. "That... has nothing to--"

"Getting angry at your friends for trying to throw you a surprise birthday party?" That got a glare, yet he stood resolute. "You do realize they were trying to do something nice for you. Even if they went about it the wrong way."

"That's because they practically made me relive a part of my colthood I wish to forget. Foals always abandoned me even when they claimed to be my friends. Some of them even JOINING the bullying like bad-faith actors! It constantly haunted me, to the point I thought I was cursed and dropped out of high school!" Slamming his hooves on the desk in frustration, Zephyr added, "when I moved here and they actually became my friends, I thought nothing in the past would affect me anymore. Them doing what they did... it destroyed me!"

"Does that change the fact you blew them off because you refused to see their good intentions?" That got a shocked look as Burst sighed. "You accentuated all of the negatives during their attempt to make you happy and never bother seeing the positives of their final result. Weren't you supposed to believe in the fact that they would never try to consciously hurt you?"

"That's because I had--"

Burst quickly shook his head with a flat look. "We'll talk more about that later, there's also the matter with Electron."

"Did something happen to her?"

"No, but she was a bit depressed after she tried talking to you a while back. She talked to you because she was worried about you, Zephyr. To her, you were in a downward spiral of emotion, yet you blew her off like she had invaded your privacy.

"If we are to make this up coming concert to be a success, we need to be in top form as a team and as friends. Communication is vital for for any relationship to work, yet if you keep shutting us out it's going to fall apart." Burst looked at Zephyr with a bit of pleading in his eyes. "We need you to be honest with us, Zephyr. Not only do you keep driving us away, you're hurting yourself by bottling your feelings."

"I... I didn't mean to..."

Looking at the clock and realizing it was a bit late with all the other band members gone, Burst shook his head. " Again, we'll talk later. In the meantime, you should think about what's happened thus far with a different perspective. Try to imagine it from the perspective of, say, a fly on the wall." With that, he leaves Zephyr with very conflicted thoughts.

True to Burst's word, he kept talking to Zephyr about all the problems still festering in the mind. Electron often accompanied Burst after Zephyr apologized profoundly to her for his behavior and even Snare had pitched in her two bits occasionally.

All it served to do was turn Zephyr's resentment into a bottomless pit of regret. Even after he realized just how horrible his mistake was, they kept trying to reassure me that everything would be fine by simply talking it out with them about it.

Despite their encouragement, Zephyr still couldn't bring himself to do it. I was the one who refused to accept their gesture. I was the one who never gave them a chance after the fact... after everything they've done for me. Everything I've done for them was rendered pointless. They didn't lose ME as a friend. I lost THEM. Let the punishment fit the crime I suppose.

But... if this truly was what was going on all those years... is this... the answer I was hoping for?

He even started avoiding Pinkie Pie again because of how unworthy he felt of the ever-positive mare. The only good thing to come out of the whole scenario was the final version of the new song the band was going to play as the concert's closing act, lyrics and melodies alike. They say an artist's greatest work comes through their suffering. I could only hope that's even remotely true for me.

With the new song written and the other two songs thoroughly practiced, the last four days was spent on the newest song.

Getting on the train to Manehatten the day before the concert was probably the closest Zephyr had come to a complete mental breakdown. He knew that most ponies would be heading there the day before in order to be there when it first starts. This meant running a high chance of running into his former friends both boarding and exiting the train since they somehow got a high-class train cart all to themselves.

"Geeze, dude, are you going to sit in that corner for the entire trip?" Snare decided to check and make sure Zephyr was still there. He had taken to shivering in the corner after a brief glance at Rainbow Dash's tail in the boarding crowd.

While Zephyr was beginning to recover a bit emotionally, he knew he'll never be rid of his overwhelming guilt, even in spite of what everypony else was telling him. "Just... let me know when we're there. I'd rather not risk anything."

"No can do, boss. Burst wanted to see you in his compartment for one second." Snare chuckled at a thought before adding, "no offense but you're still too green under the collar to be my boss. I guess if you 'cornered' me about it, I'd relent." She decided to try her hoof at bad puns, hoping it would help at least a bit.

"Hah... point taken." Feeling better thanks to Snare's attempt, Zephyr got up to see Burst in his room. Electron was already there with Iron and Strings.

"Glad to see you haven't completely lost your nerve, Zephyr. We were just discussing what we were going to do for the rest of today after unpacking."

Zephyr thought for a moment before facehooving over something he had almost forgotten about. "I just remembered that I need to visit my mom first and foremost. I got a letter from her two days ago and she wanted to see me before the concert. I was just wondering... do you guys mind coming with me? I-I mean... If you... um... want to."

Snare laughed as Electron and Strings shook their heads in amusement. That was when Snare cooed, "look at him being bashful!" She stopped laughing when she saw Iron's withering glare and laughed nervously. "Though... with your emotional roller coaster, I can't blame you."

Electron gave Zephyr a thoughtful look. "I don't mind. I just want to relax until the concert. Besides, I want to meet your mom which would most likely be a pleasant visit."

Burst looked at the other members for acceptance before looking at Zephyr again. "Seems we really are a passive band despite what we sing. Hope your mom will be fine having rival band members under her roof."

Zephyr thought more on it before shaking his head. "She should be okay with it. She WAS a freelance singer before her current band."

"Then that's the plan."

The hotel they were staying at was in close proximity to where the concert was being held, Times Circle. Normally it charges out the nose for decent rooms, but bands get in free of charge and VIP ticket holders can get in at a discount. Despite the price, most ponies tried to check in for the convenience of being among the first to get in when the 'gates' open.

Most of the suites supported six ponies and tend to be on the top floor, giving quite a view over the Circle and city. Unfortunately for Zephyr's heart, he heard the girls and fillies move into the next door room. At this point, it felt like Celestia was taunting him. Getting out of the hotel without seeing them was a stroke of luck, despite Snare constantly telling Zephyr to "pony up" and talk to them, but he kept declining.

Iron's stare didn't really help the situation for Zephyr.

It didn't take long to find Harpsong's residence considering her house's proximity to the Circle. It also didn't take long for her to respond after Zephyr knocked.

Her eyes lit up as she saw her colt. "Zephyr, your here!"

"Hi mom..." He give her a big hug, feeling pretty guilty over how harsh he was being in the last letter to her when he told her off.

"Who are your friends?" Harpsong looked at Zephyr's band mates curiously.

Burst stepped forward. "Your son is a temporary part of our band. I'm Burst Mic." he held out his hoof

Harpsong raised an eyebrow as she shook hooves with everypony else. "I've heard of a band that had gotten a temporary replacement. That's you foals, huh?" She shakes her head in amusement. "I'll get the details later. For now, why don't you come in? I was about to start making dinner."

Electron widened her eyes. "Oh no, we wouldn't want to impose!"

That got a laugh out of the mother. "I insist. It's the least I can do to thank you for taking in my son, even if he's only temporary." Zephyr blushed at her words, earning a chuckle from Snare and Strings.

Burst smiled. "Thank you for your kindness, Mrs. Earthwing."

She waves a hoof dismissively. "Call me Harpsong. And all of you are always welcome in my house."

"I should probably bring this up since you're here and all."

Everypony present looked up from their plates full of daisy steak with peas and mashed potatoes. Zephyr found it weird. Why she had this much daisy steak in stock, I'll never know. Moms seem to work in mysterious ways.

"What might that be?" Strings had already finished his meal.

"There have been some changes to how this concert is going to work and since all of you got here today, I feel I should give you the run-down. First and foremost, it's confirmed that there's a total of twelve bands playing this concert."

Electron put a hoof to her chin. "Explains why a lot of ponies kept stating this would be the biggest concert in a long time. Most concerts have three or four bands tops."

Harpsong nodded. "Exactly, and a normal concert wouldn't be able to handle everything. The authorities decided to split all the bands into three separate buildings, each with a few different genres set to play in said buildings." She gives the other band a smile. "Your band and mine got stuck in the same building. Hope you don't mind."

I don't know about the rest, but as long as the other two bands don't sing the only country music in the concert, my chances of seeing Applejack again is slim.

Snare waved her hoof dismissively. "I honestly think that's a better way of doing it. In the past, they organized concerts for specific genre's, but more than once, fans of one type of music had to sit through other types because the ponies behind the scenes were too lazy to split them up."

Strings nodded. "Plus this is also a way around the time limitation of one day to have everypony sing their songs."

"This brings me to the next change." Harpsong put her hooves on the table. "While the original plan of three songs per band is still there, they're making the last songs sung, all of the NEW songs, a part of a contest of sorts on the biggest stage."

This got Snare's attention. "What's the prize?"

"The top three bands get tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala." Snare deflated a little, she really didn't like fancy parties. "First place gets brand new music equipment of the best kind on TOP of a large sum of bits. Second place simply gets a lot of bits and... a boat."

This dumbfounded everypony present, with Zephyr speaking up. "A boat? Seriously? Who in Equestria is going to find use for a boat besides ponies living next the the oceans?"

Burst shakes his head. "You'd be surprised." That answer earned a facehoof.

"... Third place?" There's Iron. His deep voice can be startling if one isn't expecting it, yet it doesn't have an edge to it. Deep, yet soft is the only way Zephyr could describe it.

"Third place gets... even less bits and that's it. The other nine bands get restaurant gift cards as a consolation prize, with dead last getting a booby prize on top of it." Snare snickers and gets a look from Electron, much to Zephyr's confusion.

"Having a new song judged in a contest... talk about pressure, especially for Zephyr," Strings shot the green Pegasus a worried look.

Harpsong looks at Zephyr in surprise. "You wrote a song? I can't wait to hear it!" She giggles nervously. "Though now would probably be a bad time to mention Princess Luna will be there for the contest."

Zephyr huffed in response. "No, you'll mention it anyways. Still, that means we can kiss a top three position good-bye."

Burst shook his head. "Remember, Princess Luna has been away for... a thousand years? Still boggles my mind when I think about it."

Electron rolled her eyes. "That could go one of two ways: She's either hung onto what she liked from before she was banished or she is leaving herself blank to see which genre of today's music pleases her the most."

Snare put her hooves behind her head. "I don't see the issue. We play like we always do and let fate decide our... well fate."

"Your speech was so inspirational it's moved me to tears..." Came Zephyr's deadpan voice while sarcastically clapping his hooves. Everypony laughs as Snare gives him a death glare.

Burst clears his throat. "Thank you for the info, Harpsong. It's getting late, so we should head back to our room. Big day tomorrow after all."

With a smile and a nod, Harpsong saw everypony out the door. "See you back-stage tomorrow. May the best band win!"

"I'm going to be behind you guys so don't wait up," Zephyr whispered to Electron and Burst, who nod. he waited as the rest of the band files out before turning to his mother.

"What's troubling you, Dear?"

fresh guilt crashing over him, Zephyr sighed before hugging her again. "I'm sorry... for being harsh on you in my last letter. I was in emotional distress at the time."

"It's alright, Zephyr, I understand. Whatever happened must of been huge for it to have messed up your writing so much."

My writing then wasn't THAT bad!

"Of course, write like that again to your mother... and I will have to take drastic measures!"

The way she said it made Zephyr cover his head with wings in fear. This was the exact reason why I feared talking to the girls--

"Just kidding!"

Harpsong you magnificent troll mother you, I've heard your MUSIC...

I swear I've heard something similar to that before.

"Give me a heart attack why don't you?" Harpsong was still too busy laughing her flank off on the floor.

"I'm sorry but that was just perfect!" Her laughter died down as she got back up. "In all seriousness, you should probably catch up to your band mates."

"Right. Love you, mom!"

"Love you too, sweetie."

All that was left was for Zephyr to sneak back into the hotel and get rest for tomorrow's concert. While the waking hours were fine, when everypony in the band's room went to sleep, Zephyr could hear the girls talking a bit on occasion about him, causing him to draw his head under the covers in a vain attempt to block it all out.

All the hurtful things Rainbow and Applejack are saying... the snooty comments from Rarity... The silence from Twilight, Pinkie, and Fluttershy...

I deserve it.

Author's Note

Hopefully this has me back on track. I played this chapter by ear, as I've never been on 'emotional roller coasters' before, especially like this. Hopefully my attempt wasn't too cringe-worthy.

Once again, any typos, suggestions, or possible fixes are greatly appreciated.

... I really should be doing my homework instead of this.