The Melody of Melancholy

It was noon by the time Rarity awoke, downstairs she could hear her sister moaning about something. The smell of burnt pancakes crept into her nostrils to which she had to crack a smile. She glanced over at the clock on her wall and clapped her hooves to her face. "Twelve o'clock already? Oh dear, I'm going to be terribly late for Fluttershy's picnic! Alright, think Rarity, it's autumn, it's sunny... Ah yes, orange is in!"

Rarity jumped out of bed and hurriedly dove into her closet to search for this years fall dress. After loudly muttering to herself and spilling a large pile of clothes onto the floor, she finally found it. "Ah hah! I knew I had it! Now where's my hat..." She thought to herself for a second, "In... THIS bag!"

Sure enough, a large and very fancy hat was sitting on top of all the supplies for making more dresses. It was a very carefully thatched straw hat, the type you often see being worn at the beach or a park. A bright blue bow was wrapped around it. Rarity hastily pulled on the dress and made sure her mane wasn't obscured by the hat. She headed downstairs to see exactly how much mess her sister had made.

The kitchen looked like it had been hit by a batter-filled bomb, pancake mix was splattered over the cupboards, the stove and even parts of the roof. Standing in the middle of this kitchen catastrophe, a singed Sweetie Belle gave Rarity a sheepish smile. In her hooves she held a plate stacked high with multiple layers of fluffy, golden pancakes. Rarity stood there stunned, certain from the smell and the mess that they would've been tiny burnt discs. "Sorry about the mess but I didn't want to wake you. Pancake?" She asked, holding out the plate.

"I'm afraid I can't stay for long, I promised Fluttershy I'd be at her autumn picnic by eleven and I'm already an hour late. But I will take one of these delicious looking pancakes." Rarity grabbed the one at the top of the stack and bit into it. "Absolutely delicious!"

Sweetie Belle's smile faded and her eyes went dull. "You can have them all, if you'd like. You deserve it."

"Alright, but don't you want to have one too?" Rarity asked, her eyebrow raised.

"No. They're all yours. I already ate."

"Fair enough. Well, I'll be back later, ok? Have fun with the Crusaders, won't you?" Rarity headed out the kitchen door, eager to make her appearance no matter how fashionably late.

Sweetie Belle shook her head, her smile returning like it had never left her face. She looked at the stack of pancakes in front of her. She gave a shrug, figuring Rarity must've made them earlier. Without a second thought she dug in, enjoying the sweet taste of pancake batter and maple syrup.

Rarity on the other hoof had a determined look, hoping that her friends could forgive her for sleeping in. Through all of Ponyville she galloped, heading towards Fluttershy's cottage at the edge of the Everfree Forest. Even further beyond that was a beautiful green field where her friends sat, eagerly awaiting Rarity's appearance. The smell of wet grass and daisies filled the air around them.

Pinkie was of course the first to notice the familiar white figure of Rarity heading towards them. With her usually loud and overly cheerful hello echoing out towards her. Rarity waved back with a smile, nothing ever seemed to escape that one she thought to herself. Twilight sat beside her, looking rather haggard and irritable. As Rarity approached, she flew up to her and grabbed her shoulders.

"You're late! Why are you late? I thought maybe you forgot or even worse you'd become tardy!" Twilight stepped back a few paces. "Ok, maybe I overreacted just a teensy bit. Guess old habits die hard, huh?"

"Twilight, darling? Take a breath, all I did was sleep in. I did spend all day yesterday traipsing around Canterlot after all." Rarity placed her hoof over Twilight's. "Princesses shouldn't get so worried, you've got enough work to do."

Rainbow Dash and Applejack were busy playing a very aggressive game of catch, trying to make the other drop the ball first. Fluttershy watched eagerly, nibbling on a hay-filled sandwich. They stopped what they were doing when Twilight called them over, nudging Rarity with her shoulder. Rarity gave her an annoyed look and turned back to her friends.

"Sorry I'm late girls, I kind of slept in. Woke up with the clock pointed at twelve and rushed right over."

Rainbow Dash nodded towards her hat, "Yet somehow you still manage to dress up. Me? I'm straight out the door like a rocket!"

"Ah don't think any of us doubts that, Dash. You're not exactly one to slow down." Applejack said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Everypony else ignored this exchange and told Rarity that it's no big deal how late she is, so long as she shows up. Rarity took her place on the edge of the large blanket covering the damp grass. It was your typical woolen blanket with white and red chequered squares covering every inch, the only difference is that it looked homemade. Keeping it firmly in place was a large picnic basket with a white bunny snoozing away on it. The smell of warm bread and cheeses wafted through the slightly uncovered lid. It was certainly a picturesque little picnic.

Fluttershy carefully lifted her pet, Angel, off the basket and placed him beside her. She put a hoof inside and pulled out several cucumber sandwiches. "I know you love your cucumber sandwiches, Rarity. So I had to make some after I found a bunch of fresh cucumbers growing in my little vegetable garden. There's probably a tomato or two in one of them too."

Rarity took a few and placed them beside her. "Thank you, darling. I knew there was a reason I love your picnics."

Fluttershy shyly nodded, returning to nibbling her sandwich. Everything seemed so peaceful and simple, like nothing could possibly put a damper on this week. If only it could remain that way. Rarity talked about her shopping spree and all the cute new outfits she had bought, and the weird shopkeeper she had met in that dusty little store. Everypony was mesmerized by the locket as they stared into its dark onyx. Rarity failed to notice the way it seemed to draw them all in, like a miniature black hole.

Rarity tried to join the game of catch they had started earlier but was too afraid to get her clothes dirty. She instead settled for a round of checkers with Twilight, who never really fancied herself the sporty kind. After being bested five times in a row, Rarity conceded in defeat. Trying to beat Twilight in any game of strategy was like trying to stitch gold, nigh impossible.

"In another life you'd be a chess master, Twilight, I swear! Of course I doubt you'd have become Princess of Strategy. At least I hope not. Then your castle would be some boring old rook or something."

"Oh please! The amount of times Spike beat me in that game he plays with Bic Mac would say otherwise." Twilight folded up the checkerboard and placed it in her saddlebag. "I promise next time I'll bring some cards or something so you'll have a better chance to win."

A large breeze blew out of nowhere, knocking Rainbow Dash off course and into a nearby tree. With a loud crash, she struck several branches and fell onto the ground, dazed. All of them stopped what they were doing and ran over, checking that she was alright. While Rarity held her hoof out to pull her up, she thought she could hear a voice whispering in her ear. You should have made them play catch your way, not theirs. What makes them more important then you?

Rarity looked at Pinkie Pie, thinking maybe it was her playing a prank. Deep down she knew that's something she'd never say, yet couldn't help but look for a reason. 'Perhaps it was just the wind...' she thought, or at least hoped. Luckily Rainbow Dash was tougher then she looked, getting away with a few minor scrapes and a single purple bruise. Fluttershy fretted over each one, to which Dash replied with a stoic. "I'm fine, really."

Everypony decided it was probably time to pack up and head on home, lest Rainbow Dash get blown into another tree. Rarity said her goodbyes and helped Fluttershy pack everything away in her picnic basket. "Is there anything else I can help with before I go?"

Fluttershy turned to her with that same dull expression and shook her head slowly. "Not at all, Rarity. I wouldn't want to burden one of my best friends."

"Well if that's all, then I'll see you later, darling. Oh and thank you for the wonderful picnic, despite it being cut short by that strong autumn wind. Sometimes I wish the pegasus could let up on the weather but, I know, autumn is important." Rarity handed Fluttershy one of many gifts she had bought for her friends. "Hope you like it."

Fluttershy took the gift and held it under her wing. "Thank you, now I must return home to my animals.

"Are you ok, Fluttershy? You sound a little, what's the word... monotone." She asked, worried about her friend.

"Nothing to worry about, I am simply a little tired."

Still slightly worried, Rarity turned to leave. She looked back to see Fluttershy shake her head and fly off towards her cottage. She thought her behavior a little odd but put it down to her being very tired. On her way home, Rarity trotted smack bang into a familiar pony she noticed spent a lot of time in Ponyville and at many gatherings where music was playing. Octavia, she remembered was her name.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't notice you there, I was busy thinking abou-" Rarity was cut short by the grey mare, who grabbed her locket and pulled her close

"Sorry to be so informal but... where'd you get this locket?" Octavia asked, her eyes narrowed. The musical note that denoted her cutiemark shimmered.

"Errr... from some rundown little shop near the Canterlot train station. The shopkeeper seemed very eager to part with it. Plus, when I saw it I just knew I had to buy it. May I ask why you're so interested?" Rarity asked, feeling a little scared.

Octavia turned away quickly, her purples eyes trying their hardest not to catch the fashionista's. "No reason really, curiosity and all that..." She put a hoof over the black gemstone and whispered into Rarity's ear, "Be careful what you ask, it can lead to dark things."

Octavia let her go, making sure the locket was still. "It's really pretty, I used to have one just like it."

"You-" Rarity began, but Octavia had already left. She looked around and felt a cold chill as her words rang through her mind. 'Whatever could she mean?' She wondered. She didn't have much time to stand there mulling it over, for another strong gust of wind blew through town. One of the food carts set up on the side of the road collapsed, spilling oranges every which way. The orange seller threw her hooves up and bent over to pick them up.

"Would you like some help?" Rarity felt her words come out like the lyrics to a song, as if she was about to burst into a musical number. She tried again to speak normally but still it sounded like music. The seller gave her an odd look and ran inside her house. The strange whisper crept inside her ear again, Let the melody inside, I assure you it's a wonderful gift.

"Who said that?" Rarity asked the empty street. But no reply came.

Something seemed wrong, barely three in the afternoon and no young fillies or colts were running around laughing or flying kites. The wind had been a little strong, but not enough to keep ponies inside. Rarity kept on her way, eager to head inside and start work on her Nightmare Night clothing line. A strange series of things was a great creative motivator, at least for somepony like Rarity. Nothing more of interest happened until she was sitting at her sewing machine.

She was absent-mindedly stitching away at a lace hemline when she began whistling a tune. At first it was just that, a tune. Eventually it escalated into a full song and that's when things took an unusual turn. As Rarity continued to sing, birds from all over Ponyville flocked to her window. With each rising crescendo and passing lyric they each dropped a single feather into her dress-making room. Almost like they were giving her gifts for her music. By the time the song ended, a pile of multicolored feathers filled up her desk.

Rarity watched as every bird turned to fly back into the trees, now seemingly disinterested in her. Something magical was clearly happening, yet Rarity was yet to understand why. Did some new talent come to her in the night? Did she walk through a field of poison joke? She looked down at the locket hanging around her neck and thought she saw a pupil staring out. Rarity undid the clasp, throwing it across the room out of fear.

She slowly trotted back over to it, whatever she had seen was gone. Certain she was just scaring herself silly she fastened it back around her neck and returned to her stitching. A much gentler breeze seeped through the closed window, sending the feathers dancing in the vague shape of a pony. You've seen what we can accomplish, dear Rarity. All you have to do is sing. Sing me a song, sing me lullabies and sonnets, operas and upbeat pop songs, simply sing and your wishes will come true.

The breeze died away and a chill spread through her shoulder, it was that same whisper creeping into her thoughts, Sing for your hearts desire...