Far, far away, over the borders of Equestria, there isn’t just water.
No.
There’s land, but it’s desolate. No living soul has set foot there for a long, long time, and no plant, no tree, no weed dares to grow there.
But there is music. So there is life.
In one of the mountains in that desolate land, is a cave.
Water trickles down from the stalagtites, onto the stalagmites and further down, in small streams that go into the cave. Softly and faint, but it breaks the silence of the cave with its faint music.
The drops of water taste saltly, like tears.
Outside, the wind howled in the storm, but inside the howling was reduced to a faint whistling. And when you listen closely, you could hear a faint voice from the back of the cave, calling out to the wind. The voice was female, but higher than the usual pitch. But not annoying high, no, like small bells in the wind.
And how bubbly it used to sound, how melancholy it sounds now.
Singing with the tears of the cave, she called out to the wind to deliver a message to her beloved, hoping he would come to save her… she missed him. She missed him so much.
Oh, how I want to see
The moon and the stars again
Oh, how I long to feel
The heat of the sun again
Oh, surge of the wind, bring me
Back where I belong…
I will give you my memories
I will give you this song
She was captured in this cave. Her body vanished, her soul was stuck in the long, dark corridors of the cave. Lost in her heart, she wandered, longing for a light to see.
Oh, how I want to see
Happiness all around
I love to make you laugh
How I love that sound
How I love to make you smile…
A song far in the past.
Sung by faces, yet all the while
Seeing just one face in the crowd
The moment she saw him – she knew he was the one. That feeling became stronger when he pulled her closed – and then, the party they had thrown together… It was the best party she had ever thrown. And she couldn’t have done it without him.
He was her light.
And he always will be.
The ponies were all happy, and
They are all proud
Gather around, for we will stand
Tall – now say out loud!
The music became more and more happier, her voice gained some of its old bubbliness; she sung, a tune she cherished, a tune we all know.
Come on everypony, smile, smile, smile
Fill my heart up with sunshine, shunshine
All I really need’s a smile, smile, smile
From these happy friends of mi-hine!
Come on everypony, smile, smile, smile
Fill my heart up with sunshine, shunshine
All I really need’s a smile, smile, smile
From these happy friends of mi-hine!
Come on everypony, smile, smile, smile
Fill my heart up with sunshine, shunshine
All I really need’s a smile, smile, smile
From these happy friends of,,,
The voice trailed off, the music died down a bit.
Her friends. Oh, how she missed her friends.
Another drop trickled down from the ceiling, down to the stalagtite and with a clear tone into the water. The singing resumed.
But my friends, my friends
They aren’t here anymore…
Oh, how I miss them so.
If only I could see them once more…
She didn’t remember how it happened, that fateful day, that seemed so long ago. The day she got here - the day she woke up in the darkness. Without the day and night to hold on to, you lose track of time very easily.
No, she hasn’t heard of her friends in a very long time.
She was alone, all on her own, with only the wind and the water to keep her company.
She sighed. If only there was somepony around – even if it were a whisper, whe would be so happy. But she asked for it a thousand times, but she still hasn’t heard anything.
The wind blew louder, the water stirred. She was surprised – the wind had something to say. She listened, and heard a familiar singing…
In past times, a Ponyville shone…
She couldn’t hear everything – but it was enough for her to lift some of her loneliness.
No pony was sad, mirth wasn’t bad…
She didn’t recognize the tune, but she certainly recognized the voice. It was like a beacon in the desert, a light in the darkness…
Sleep well now, my love, wherever you are
And Dream of a Ponyville bright
Where no pony was sad, mirth wasn’t bad
Wherever you are, cast your bright light…
Whisps of accordion travelled with the beautiful singing. The sound of drops of water falling into the stream muddled with the singing – which made it less understandable, but even more melodious.
She began to sing back, sounding more and more confident with every line.
Oh, how I wish, I wish for a moment
A moment of happiness – a moment with you…
Yes, I will sleep, I’ll sleep now, my love
With dreams of hope, of hope coming true.
Somewhere far, in a Ponyville bright
I will be with your shining light
In this darkness, I will not survive
But our love will stay alive!
The voice went silent, the wind slowly died. The trickling of the water was now louder than ever, creating a true river of salt water.
She thought about her friends, about all the happy times they had shared, about all the mirth she had spread. She thought about her love…
Oh, how she wished for those past times to return.
But her vision was dark, she couldn’t feel a thing – but with his voice, however faint, however sad, a spark of hope had spread. A small spark, yes, but enough to feel something.
To feel joy.
So she floated through her memories, when something pulled her out of her train of thought. A small drop of water trickled over her soul, sending shivers down her…
Spine?
She put one of her hooves down – it splashed in the water. She felt the coldness envelope her hoof. She put another one down, another one… Her ear trembled, her tail shook, her ear flinched again…
“Left.”
She heard her voice echo through the cave where she was in.
Right ear. Tail. Right ear.
“Right.”
She turned right.
Left ear. Tail. Left ear again; she took a turn to the left.
She began to run, run as fast as she could She would trip over stalagmites, bump her head into stalagtites, slip over the wet stone – but nothing could stop her from running.
No, nothing could stop the flame of hope from burning now.
Her heart bounced in her chest, she felt more alive then ever. She laughed and ran even harder, paying close attention to what her precious body told her. The laugh echoed through the cave, ringing the stalagtites – playing a much happier song.
She might not be able to hear the music of the wind anymore, nor the music of the water.
She had learned a much more beautiful type of music.
The music of laughter.
Author's Note
Yep, I couldn't resist. A little lighter sequel.
I also got some ideas for another sequel, turning this into a trilogy... Unless you thoroughly despise the idea.