The Soft Parade
Chapter 1: Waiting for the Sun
It was 5 O’clock in the morning. Stars gleamed in the velvet sky twinkling their goodbyes as the moon slowly dropped down between two lush hills. A silhouette maneuvered throughout the various bushes and trees surrounding a prosperous town named Ponyville, heading for the centre of town. The shadow was that of a pony, seeming to be carrying nothing but the clothes on his back. A tiny dot of orange light sparkled a few centimeters forward of his mouth, revealing a small white roll and his green, square muzzle.
The pony stumbled in the dark trying to make his way towards Ponyville’s centre, however after a while of rummaging around he found himself between the foliage and two hard working ponies on a massive apple-tree farm. He jolted back behind a few trees, hoping he wasn’t seen. The high pony took a peek, risking being caught, only to see whose land he was lost upon. Two mares, one orange with a blond mane wearing an unusual western hat and the other cyan coloured with a rainbow mane, were packing many provisions into appropriately colour-coded bags. He waited until the perfect moment to sprint into town, but it failed to come anytime soon, so he sat there, watching.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack, the two ponies he was doomed to watch, performed some last-minute exercises and prepared their saddle bags. The other only ponies awake were the ones competing or the ones helping organise the big event. The big event was ‘The Soft Parade’ of course, an annual affair which had many ponies from around the land come and take part in a three thousand mile endurance race across desert, over snow and through forest.
An excited Rainbow Dash slouched against an apple tree, looking up at the moon and fiddling with her mane while Applejack packed various apple-based goods into bags. A sudden surge of adrenaline rushed through Rainbow Dash, causing her to stomp her hooves continuously. “Only three hours until we begin. I can’t wait!” She said ecstatically.
Applejack glanced at her with a sackful of apples in her mouth. “Bet yah nervous.” She replied spitting the sack out, revealing a cheeky smile.
“Me? Nervous? Not a chance! It’s going to be awesome! You and me baby travelling Equestria, beating all those suckers and taking home the prize. Easy as taking a cupcake from a colt.”
Applejack looked unconvinced and rolled her eyes. “ You better remember we ain’t in this t’ win it, it’s an honour jus’ t’ be takin’ part. Anyway ahm nervous. Three thousand miles from Ponyville to the sea, it’s one hefty trek an’ you say it don’t bother ya?”
Rainbow Dash stood tall with her chest pushed outwards and shouted “eeyup!”
They both laughed, happy for a moment of relaxation from the coming race. The past few weeks had been spent practicing: swimming, short sprints, long distance, obstacle courses, anything that would add a few extra pounds of muscle. They were not the only ponies in town attempting the journey. From Canterlot to Stalliongrad, Stalliongrad to Manehatten; Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth ponies ventured forth hoping to win the years hottest race.
Recent winners were from distant lands. The last few years’ winner was aptly named Haste whom reigned from a land far east, past Fillydelphia, where desert sands engulf any poor lost strangers and the sun wreaks more havoc than good. Haste decided he would sit this one out. After being the champion three years running he wished for another to become champion and was happy to give them a better chance.
Pinkie Pie threw quite the party inviting over fifty guests, each new to town, that lasted for two days and three nights. She called it a ‘Super-Sleepy-Slumber-Afternoon-Dinnertime-Over’. Mr and Mrs Cake had their hooves full cleaning up the disastrous mess afterwards, nearly throwing a fit over how long they were forbidden to even step into their workplace.
Every newcomer attended the celebration. Many of the local participants including Rainbow and Applejack did too. Only one cream coloured pony thought it a silly and childish thing to do prior to such an important, life changing occasion.
And that very stallion approached the rainbow and the farm pony as they waited anxiously. The green nosed pony leaned in closer, wondering if this was his chance to get away. He slowly and steadily ambled towards the two, clearly recently been training for the upcoming endurance race.
“Ladies.” he announced, falsely bowing “I wish to tell you that it will be me who shall be claiming the prize for The Soft Parade, and that you may as well stop now before you hurt yourselves trying to even travel a hundred miles.”
Both mares sighed at the sound of his voice, knowing it had said far too much prior. “An’ what makes yah so sure you’ll beat us Ace?” Applejack said back spitefully.
“Why girls, and I say girls, how could you possibly imagine to beat such a perfectly built stallion like myself? Its an endurance race -and you use your legs Rainbow Dash- not one of your pathetic sprints.”
Rainbow Dash stood in shock, building a fiery fury in her heart and mind at this obnoxious mule who reckoned he owned Equestria and everything in it. She snorted loudly and stomped the soil with her front left hoof, signalling for a charge. Ace instantly realised her plan, winked at her, and sped off in a fast walk down toward Ponyville.
The hidden pony followed Ace cautiously still puffing on his joint, leaving behind the vast farm.
Applejack and Dash continued their preparations, though Applejack had not said the last of it. “Why that no good vermin, thinkin’ he’s best. Ain't heard nothin’ but cow dung outta his mouth since we were told ponyville’s hosting the race.” Ace faded into the towns dark streets, and Applejack continued “the day somepony sits him down an’ gives him a good talkin’ to is the day I marry said pony.”
Soon enough Rainbow calmed down and chuckled at herself for getting so pumped up. Turning to Applejack she smirked and said “well, now we’ve got a reason to come first!”
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Rainbow had stayed over at Applejack’s for the night. They were one of few teams competing. The majority of the ponies were working alone this year, giving no reason why. Twilight was thinking about competing, though the others quickly talked her out of it and lured her toward her books and duties.
The team of two were enjoying a nutritious, healthy and delicious breakfast of oats, apple juice, apple pie and apple fritters. They had talked and talked about how great this trip would be and tried to guess what the prize would be. Rainbow Dash hoped to impress the Wonderbolts with her long lasting speed, while Applejack hoped it would bring in more business if ponies knew about how well she did.
They had gone through many trays of treats, and just as Applejack was pulling out a fresh batch of fritters they jumped out of their skins. A new, unknown voice that even Pinkie probably couldn’t put a face to boomed from Ponyville square. A new voice at this time was to be expected as over a hundred ponies were camping or staying in Ponyville overnight, but none should be making this much commotion so early. The pony sounded troubled, yet kept a calm atmosphere about himself as he seemed to be reciting some sort of poem.
“At first flash of Eden, we race down to the sea. Standing there on Freedom's Shore. Waiting for the Sun” said a stallions voice “waiting... waiting... waiting... waiting! Waiting for you to.. come along!”
“What in the hay is that racket at this time in the morning?” Wondered Applejack, regaining her lost breath “it’s gonna wake up Applebloom an’ Granny Smith!”
“I dunno.” Rainbow Dash said back scratching her head. “Lets go find out. I think we’ve eaten enough for now. My wings could use a nice stretch.”
So the two set off toward Ponyville searching for the source of the noise. Whoever was speaking was doing so through the microphone, which was to be used to announce the event. Lights from nearly every house flickered on and moaning, messy-haired ponies gazed out of their windows looking for the annoyance.
Pinkie Pie stood swaying at the entrance of Sugarcube Corner with her eyes closed, almost dancing to the beat of the pony’s voice. The duo galloped up to her. Rainbow Dash waved her hoof in front of Pinkie’s shut eyes attempting to snap her back into reality.
“Pinkie?” Rainbow said tapping her head “anybody there?”
Applejack crept up beside her, positioned so her mouth was pushed against Pinkie’s ear, and yelled “PINKIE! You their Hun?!”
Pinkie’s eyes shot open. “Hey guys!” she said excitedly “wha’cha up to?”
“Huh? What were you up to Pinkie? You seemed pretty out of it!” Rainbow said back eyeing her carefully.
It’s that super-duper pony on the speakers! I like what he’s saying! It’s almost a song, but it nearly sends you asleep.” They thought Pinkie was beginning to calm down however she gasped, and stars twinkled in her eyes. “Are you off to see him!?” They both nodded. “I’ll come with you! I wanna meet him too!”
The square was only around the corner. A stage twice the size of that of ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’ was situated in the centre of it. Banners of all colours fluttered in the early morning breeze over every street in Ponyville and the starting line tape held firm, not wavering an inch.
There on stage they found a dark blue pony happily shouting at the microphone with his grey-blue eyes nearly closed. He had a long, messy, black mane which began to curl at the sides and wore a black, striped shirt. Part of his left ear was missing too. Most unusual was his Cutie Mark, which was a very dark purple door with pinkish glass frames. He also had a green bit of coat covering and surrounding his mouth, which no longer held the drug, and bold green hooves emerged from his soft feathers.
“Excuse me!” Applejack yelled at the zoned out pony, receiving no reply. “Ah said ‘scuse me!”
“Whoa? Oh hi little lady.” said the blue stallion, still closing his eyes every few words and speaking into the microphone.
“Get down here! What in Granny Smith’s name are yah doin’ this early in the morning? Waking everypony up? I should be buckin’ you outta town fer disturbin’ the peace.”
The stallion jumped down from the platform and faced Applejack. He was roughly the same height, though had no where near the same amount of muscle.
“I’m here for The Soft Parade, same reason you’re here and your friends are.” The unknown pony said back, shaking hair from his eyes.
“Oooh! Mr! What are you talking about on the speakers?” Pinkie interrupted “because I came out of Sugarcube Corner when you woke me up and went outside to see what was going on but when I actually listened to what you were saying I nearly fell asleep until Dashie and Applejack came and snapped me out of it so I wondered if you put a spell or curse on me.”she paused for a heavy inhale, then finished with “so did you?”
“No my pink friend, I have nothing to perform spells or curses with. Perhaps you are truly open minded and free, understanding the simplest things to a great extent. I sound like quite a buffoon though saying that. ‘Mojo the Philosopher’, maybe one day you never know.”
Applejack facehoofed. “Thank yah for yer hopes ‘n’ dreams but you still ain’t explained why yah though it was a fine idea to wake everypony up. What were yah singin’?” she tapped his chest with the last word.
“Was I singing?” The blue pony gently lifted Applejacks orange leg off himself and continued “I didn’t mean to sing but I was talking about the race. Like you i’m tak-”
Suddenly an incredibly loud scream bellowed from around the corner. “WHO IN LUNA’S GRACE WOKE ME UP?!” screamed a female pony.
“Uh oh” said Rainbow Dash, her ears dropping “it’s Rarity. Hey Applejack, race ya to Twi’s place.”
Without another word Pinkie, Rainbow and Applejack sped off away from the approaching furious unicorn, leaving the stallion confused.
“Rarity?” he said, bemused.
“Come on! Last one there is a rotten cupcake!” Pinkie shouted back in a childish manner. He quickly followed.
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“Looks like I woke most of the town eh?” The new pony said noticing the many lit homes.
The sun still had not risen and it was nearing 6am. Only two hours until the race began. Once at Twilight’s Tree-house they knocked hard and many times on her door. She appeared lazily with bed hair and a toothbrush hanging from her mouth.
“Applejack? Rainbow Dash?” she spat the foam into a cup floating beside her “what are you girls doing here so early? Shouldn't you be preparing?”
“Could you let us in egghead?” Rainbow Dash joked, receiving a snarl.
She let her guests enter, not seeing the new acquittance hidden behind the group. The smell of sweet mahogany from the surrounding wood filled their lungs. It was a welcome scent.
Once everybody was in Twilight sluggishly turned around. “What can I do you for? Need advice? Tips? Help?” she asked yawning.
“Aren’t they all the same thing?” Rainbow said back inquisitively.
“Just like coolness, awesomeness and radicalness?” They stared for a moment with straight faces, but neither could hold back their giggles at the silly situation.
“Jeez!” Pinkie said in an outburst “are we playing question-time or are we escaping Rarity?”
“Well to put it simply we just ran from the fashion queens wrath.” Rainbow Dash announced with a giggle.
“Yeah! Our new friend woke her up!” Pinkie interrupted revealing an otherwise interested pony .
“Friend?” Twilight looked around and found a messy maned pony who didn’t seem to be paying any attention. “Oh. Well hello, my names is Twilight Sparkle and welcome to Ponyville. I assume you're here for the race. Who might you be?”
The acquittance had left the others and began browsing the hundreds of books gathering dust in the tree’s walls.
“Ahem?” Applejack nudged him on the shoulder.
He jumped, then turned in embarrassment. “Oh sorry. What did you say?”
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Twilight went onto asking him various things about him, as you do. She learned his unusual name - Mr Mojo Risin, or Mojo for short. She also found out he was a poet of sorts that had travelled around the land all his life. Finally she asked about his odd cutie mark.
“Why is your Cutie Mark a door?” Twilight said inspecting his flank.
“Woah there don’t get too close” Mojo laughed to himself as he received a disgusted look. “I’m kidding Ms Sparkle. I’m not sure why it’s a door. Well I do know but you’ll all reckon I’m crazy or something like that.”
“Go on, I mean I’m sure we're all dying to find out” Rainbow sarcastically said, signalling at Twilight with her ‘all’.
Mojo grinned at Rainbow’s personality. “You know, I’ve noticed that when people are joking they're usually dead serious, and when they're serious, they're usually pretty funny” he responded.
All of a sudden Twilight’s eyes gleamed “You said you were a poet? Have you ever heard of Starswirl the Bearded?”
Mojo’s ears pricked upwards, his eyes went from their state of enlargement to much tinier, pea sized pupils “There are things known and there are things unknown and in between are the doors.”
A short giggle sounded from Pinkie. “You sure love to say weird stuff.” She scanned Mojo’s eyes wondering what he had done to change them so rapidly. “Hey how’d you get your eyes to do that?”
With a blink black covered the majority of his eyeballs once again. He answered Pinkie’s question with an unexpected “Got any beer?
“By Celestia you are crazy!” Twilight yelled, moving away from him to wake up Spike.
“I’m joking!” Mojo shouted after Twilight “I ain’t that crazy. Besides where’s your will to be weird?
“Will to be weird? Never heard of such a thing. Spike get me a book on willingness!” she paused, then blushed, remembering he was still asleep. “Oh yeah”
“Careful what you look for Twilight.” he said nearly cracking up.
Applejack let out a nervous and fake laugh, hoping distracting everyone’s thoughts.“Well haven’t you got places t’ be Mr Mojo?” she said almost pushing him out of the treehouse.
“No...” Mojo tilted his head in thought “well kinda. I guess I’ll see you on the track.”
Mojo left Twilight’s home in a casual walk, admiring the vast shelves of books planted all around the library. The sun still had not risen.The moon was but a silver taint in the west. Mojo sighed.
The rest looked at each other awkwardly without saying a word, taking in what they had just experienced from a single pony. Pinkie finally broke the silence. “Wanna go find Rarity?”
“Sure” they agreed.
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Following the muddy hoof marks of Mojo they left Twilight’s home and headed to the Boutique. Rarity’s screams ceased to be heard, meaning she must have returned home. No lady should be out alone in the dark so early. The majority of the town now filled the streets, preparing for work, or more likely, the race.
As they arrived they saw Rarity through one of the Boutique’s window tending to her bed hair, muttering angrily under her breath. She stopped brushing, looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. Purple light shone from her horn all of a sudden, blinding any view inside her home with a majestic white light. The others turned away and felt the light on their flanks. In a matter of seconds the light faded, and a beautiful white unicorn replaced the grey early morning slump.
“Rarity?” Twilight hesitantly entered the building dazed by magic seen.
“Twilight? How lovely to see you!” Turning around in all her grace she trotted over to the door.
“Guys.” Twilight gestured to the others to come in.
One by one Pinkie, Rainbow Dash and Applejack strolled in saying ‘hi’, though like Twilight were still dazed by the spell.
Rather than wait for each other to ask Applejack inquired “erm, Rarity when d’ya learn that fancy new spell o’ yours?”
“You saw that?” Rarity peered down as red covered her cheeks “I very recently learned it. Last night in fact. Every now and again books come in handy, don’t they Twilight?” A fairly old green book hovered in front of her, radiating with a violet tint.
“Well it makes you look better than usual.” Rainbow added while circling her in the air.
Pinkie Pie approached Rarity, eyeing her uncomfortably closely “Yeah you're shining!”
Rarity ducked away from Pinkie. “Oh girls stop, honestly. Thank you” she said in a joyous tone.
“Why are you up so early anyway?” Twilight said seeing the time “Isn’t seven your usual time for getting up?”
“Yes it is but some fool outside was shouting through the microphone about the sun! So I went out to try and find him and teach him a thing or two about what happens when you’re... lets say rude, but he was nowhere to be found.”
The four murmured quietly. Rarity tried to listen in however before she could get within listening range they broke away. She was on the verge of asking however blazing sunlight beamed through the windows into everypony’s eyes, growing brighter every second.
“Ah,” Rainbow Dash announced, sitting beside Applejack “soon we’ll be star- what?”
Like before a voice boomed from the square. And like before, it was Mojo. “Ah the sun! Hello, I love you! It holds its head so high, like a statue in the sky! When she moves my brain screams out this song! Hello! Hello! Hello! I love ma baby girl! Hello!”
“Oh dear” Twilight knew what was coming.
“I’ll be back in a second.” Rarity calmly assured, leaving the premises swiftly.
She galloped down the street full pelt, hunting for her loud prey. Her friends pursued her hoping to stop any violent event occurring in front of many infant eyes. Rarity was barely dodging ponies in the busy streets, they were the last things on her mind. Vengeance for an early wake up call was the first.
“WHERE IS HE?” Rarity exclaimed, rearing.
Over in the square Mojo had finished his second speech and made himself comfortable against the back wall of somepony’s house. Even though he woke the town and continued shouting no-one took notice of his disappearance. He was just another stranger here for a berserk race, about to light another joint. Familiar voices sounded to the left. He saw Twilight sprinting after a white unicorn whose nostrils flared with steam.
“Rarity wait!” Having no chance of catching up to Rarity, Twilight was trying her hardest to stop her with voice.
“Which one is it?” Rarity demanded, ignoring her friend “which mule was yelling over the speakers?
Mojo heard Rarity and carefully stepped towards her. He glanced at Twilight, who was shaking her head, pleading him not to. Mojo grinned and ignored her. “Mule? Harsh. You’re looking for me. Name’s Mojo.”
Instantly Rarity span round and tried to buck Mojo, but he knew she’d be ticked off so he managed to retreat a few steps.
“Hey, don’t do that.”
“You woke me up far too early!”
“Yeah, but for a good reason.” Mojo stood back making sure to place distance between them both. “The race is going to begin in two hours.
“That’s your excuse. Pardon me for acting up but WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU WAKE ME UP TWO HOURS EARLY?”
Mojo shushed her. “You're going to wake everypony up.” he said slyly.
“Oh now you're going to pay.”
“Vengeance is a bet with your mind. It could work out good or it could be disastrous. Be careful.” Mojo was trying his hardest not to burst out with laughter. He knew how to touch a nerve.
Twilight jumped in-between the two, hoping to break them up. “Rarity stop. You aren’t going to win an argument with him.”
“Well Twilight I must say I was straying away from exchanging words with this felon, and heading towards breaking his jaw.”
“You always get one newcomer who is too weird to even be near.” Rainbow Dash said approaching the group.
Mojo’s eyes widened in happiness. “Really? ‘Cause I like people who shake other people up and make them feel uncomfortable.”
“Yeh see, that’s why ah think we should jus’ leave him be an’ get ourselves ready. He’s nuttier than Big Macintosh after he gone through three barrels o’ cider apples.”
“Nice. Hang on, you said something about cider?”
Applejack shook her head with a mean glare. “None fer you.”
“Shame, I’m quite thirsty” he patted his lips with his tongue “Anyway are we done? Sorry about waking you... Rarity was it? I’ll be going now.”
Rarity, who was still trying to work out whether she owed Mojo a good kick down below was about to stop him in his tracks, but another pony joined in their small gathering before she had chance to.
“Hello again ladies, I see you’re still going to try, and fail miserably in the race. Good for you.”
Ace was back.
“Ace, go away ‘fore I do something we’ll both regret.” Applejack didn’t want to put up with this big-headed pony right before one of the most important races in her life.
“Go away? Ha! What’s wrong? Straining your eyes looking at such magnificence?” Ace posed showing off his muscular legs.
If there was one thing Mojo hated, it was jackasses like this. Showing up uninvited, unneeded. Lusting for attention. As they did before Mojo’s eyes shrunk, his ears fell back and his face hardened.
“Listen friend, I don’t like you. We don’t like you. From the way you act, I can’t see anyone liking you. You ever heard of the Ship of Fools?”
“The Ship of Fools? Where are you from you high, zoned out miscreant? Sort yourself out before you start insulting someone of my stature.”
“Ha. I reckon you must be from the Ship of Fools, ‘cause somebody who loves himself as much as you do does not have any place around here. You think you can easily start a fight against two mares, but your starting one with her friends and family too mate. And who's on your side? Nobody! Because you have no reasons for behaving in your manner and no family to help because you’ve grown up and left them forever to prove to them that you are the best ever and that you don’t need love or caring to succeed.”
“My fam-?”
“Be careful, most people love you for who you pretend to be. To keep their love, you keep pretending- performing. You get to love your pretence. It's true, we're locked in an image, an act. But you sir do not excel in love by pretending. You excel in hatred, and while hatred is a very underestimated emotion, it is not the way forward. Even if one day there are no laws, there are no rules, just grab your friend and love him. You’ll be right.”
Not one pony listening to this conversation had any other expression than that of being absolutely gobsmacked. Even Ace stood astonished. His face lit up so much he could be mistakenly harvested in a tomato patch. His only comeback was “Don't say anything else. It will be your biggest mistake if you even breathe again.”
“Ace, some of the worst mistakes in my life were haircuts. See you out there, and watch your back.”
Mojo left the bewildered group to think, with a spiteful look on his face. Only Rarity and Pinkie found the words they wanted.
“Wow! He sure told Ace!” Pinkie said bouncing happily.
Rarity looked at Twilight, flicked her eyes upwards and admitted “Well I must say his shirt is simply to die for.”
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Time passed by like the song of a morning bird. The race was to commence shortly. An orange tinge danced around the parted clouds in the horizon. Mojo was not able to leave the square for long as a new voice took up the stage.
Usually a high ranking public figure would be the one to start the competition, but since the race was so close to the home of Princess Celestia she asked if she could be the official. Without question she was permitted, and rumours of Luna showing up somewhere during the race for the first time started to spread.
“My dear subjects, if you are competing in the race please could you make your way down to the town square, where you can prepare for The Soft Parade. I will be waiting-”
The soft, gentle tone speaking cut and a familiar voice rose.
“Waiting for you to come along!
Waiting for you to hear my song!
Waiting for you to come along!”
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