Author's Note

Edit: After a lengthy 2-second discussion with myself. I've decided to just remove the censors off of the swear words. If need be, I'll change the rating.

(Thanks to flutterboot for making me do some research! I was getting tired of typing "[BEEP]" every time. Hope this flows easier!)

Old author's note (if you really care): I'm censoring some words, for obvious reasons (to fit the T rating).

I encourage criticism and comments (to make me a better writer, tell me what you liked, didn't like, etc.). Only if you feel like it, though.

Chapter 4: Friendship is Tragic, Part 1

"How's that sound?" she asked me.

I was testing out various locations in this clearing, telling her where it sounded the best, but was immediately growing tired of walking around. "The acoustics were the best here, by far."

"Not too loud or anything?"

"No. The location is perfect." I lied. I just wanted to get to the music. That was pretty much the only thing I liked right now.

"OK. Let's go once through the song."

Finally, the setup was looking to be longer than the rehearsal. She gave a short count-off and the music began. Slow, steady, smooth, beautiful, clean, accurate, in tune, balanced; it was incredible. Impressive; this was only a few days' work. It was going smoothly until this dumbass blue jay got all cocky and went off doing his own thing, abruptly ruining the flow with a screech, like fingernails on a chalkboard.

She caught on to it. "Oh my. Um, stop please, everyone, umm. Excuse me, sir? I mean, no offense, but your rhythm is just a teeny-tiny bit off."

I was going to let her fix this, but another opportunity is another opportunity. Let's just see if he really knows rhythm. "Wait, send that blue jay to me," I told her.

She looked a bit concerned, but I reassured her that nothing bad will happen. "We're just going to have a little talk about tempo. Continue rehearsal without him for now."

She gave me a nod, and slowly looked back toward the rest of the birds. I decided to talk to him behind a tree, in case I needed to get physical again. "Look, I don't know if you understand me, but don't do that again." I told him, directly addressing the issue, but added some positive feedback, "Your tone is great, but staying in time and keeping the tempo steady is much better." Being a musical person, this pleased me to finally offer some insightful advice.

He didn't look too disappointed. So, either I did my job and he took my advice, or he was acting stupid and not listening to me. Truthfully, I should have taken a page out of Whiplash and beat the time into him. Ah, what the hell. "Were you rushing or were you dragging?"

All throughout the discussion, I never noticed that the music wasn't playing. Both the blue jay and I looked out from behind the tree. Well, I should have seen this coming.

There she is. Twilight Sparkle. Talking to Fluttershy. And Fluttershy is… responding back. Huh. I expect Fluttershy to, shall we say, shy away from other ponies. Expected the unexpected, I guess. Well, better waste no time. Time to meet Twilight.

[bonk] Ow! Oh, yeah. There's a tree here. I stepped back to shake the stupidity out of me, when a log suddenly trips me up, sending me into a pit of mud. Not again with this crap.

"Um, what's going on back there?" Fluttershy asked, towards the tree I was originally behind.

If this is my first impression, kill me now. I pulled my face out of the mud. "Uh, nothing. Just talking to this blue jay about staying in time," I responded.

"But the blue jay is right here…" she said back. Oh, screw you, you off-tempo, good sounding passerine. I cursed under my breath. Thanks for making me look like an idiot.

"I'll be there in a minute," I tell them.

Too late. They're here.

I get up to see the two ponies looking at me. Kill. Me. Kill me. Kill-me-kill-me-kill-me. Why? My head immediately fell back down. Embarrassed, covered in mud, head to toe, er-hoof.

"What happened back here?" Twilight asked me.

I looked up, summoning whatever shred of dignity I had left, wiping the mud from my face, and said in the smoothest voice possible, "Let's just say that the blue jay and I both had issues with timing." Twilight looked at me straight-faced and Fluttershy giggled, the latter understanding the context of the situation. It could be worse, I thought, all six of them could have seen me. I still have a shred of dignity.

"All right. Let's go home now. Looks like you could use a bath," Fluttershy told me.

And there it went… I hang my head down, trying to shield this embarrassment.

"Zenith, please come out of your room," Fluttershy pleaded with me.

I wasn't about to embarrass myself again. "I don't anyone else to see my face," I told her.

"Come on," she told me, "it wasn't that bad."

"Really?" I ask sarcastically, "I think falling into the mud pit was the worst thing that could have happened."

"I think you're overreacting," she told me. Really, Fluttershy? You're basically the epitome of overreacting. She added onto the previous statement, wondering how I got myself into that mess. "By the way, how did that happen?"

"I really would rather not talk about it," I told her. I think with everything I just said, she should have gotten the message.

"Look, I'm sorry that all of this happened," she told me, "but you shouldn't seclude yourself away from everypony just for this." Honestly, I'm getting tired of this hypocrisy…

Humor her. I sighed, "All right, I guess you're right," I said as I opened the door. "It's just one stupid act of clumsiness that I'm sure won't be my last."

"That's a good way to think of it," she told me. "Now, why don't we go out and practice the music some more?"

I sighed. I didn't want to go out there again, but if she wants me to, and I can help her in the process, I can't really pass on this. "All right," I told her. Jokingly, I added, "Just watch every step I take once I get outside." She giggled as she headed towards the door.

...

Stop looking down at the ground.

...Huh?

Stand up straight.

I stopped this slouch I was in. Who was this? Wait a minute, Tormentor? Can you read my thoughts?

Right now, yes. Get the door for her.

What are you, my mom? I quickly ran to the door and with a clear voice, escorted her out: "After you."

"Oh, thank you," she said somewhat surprisingly; most likely due to the sudden display of etiquette that just occurred.

"I'll be there in a second," I told her as she walked outside.

"…OK," she said hesitantly.

I closed the door and asked the burning question: "What the hell was that, Tormentor?" I said out loud once I reached another room, out of earshot. "I thought you were supposed to make my time here harder."

Did I say that?

I thought about it for a second. "Explicitly, no."

Consider this gratuitous of me. The sole reason for your arrival is assisting you.

"OK, but what was that sudden display of manners you made me do?" I asked him.

These small favors, when done consistently, will repay her.

Huh. That was quite profound. One thing still confuses me though. 'The sole reason for your arrival is assisting you.' "Why did you bring me here?" Nothing. "Hello? Answer me!" Goddamn it, Tormentor! I shouldn't waste any more time trying to talk to him. I need to help Fluttershy in whatever ways I can.

...

'The sole reason for your arrival is assisting you.'

...

He's in my mind. He knows everything I've done. He's been in there since I arrived in the barn. Did he cloud me with confusion? That quiet, devious, persistent spirit.

"Let's go listen to some music," I told myself.

Pleasant. Uneventful. Unabashed. That's how this session went. The music was becoming extraordinary, dare I say perfect. Time to unleash it to the crowd. Cheering, screaming, the fans jumping around. Relax, it's a favor asked by Celestia for the Summer Sun Celebration. It's not a Daft Punk concert. Man, that would be hilarious if she asked some form of them to play there. I would totally go to something like that.

"Are you ready? We have to be there earlier to set up," she asked me, breaking me out of my imaginative daze.

"Oh," I started, somewhat startled, "Yes. I'm coming." I walked into the room and saw her carrying something strange.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Well, we need this so that the birds have somewhere to stand," she replied. Oh, right. Some form of bird-chairs.

Remind me to never use that term again.

"Allow me to carry it," I said to her. Another opportunity seized.

"Okay. Thank you," she said to me.

"No problem. That's why I'm here," I told her. But I'm not. Thanks to Tormentor's obscure phrasing, I have no idea why the hell I'm here. She gave me the metal tree and we began walking to Town Hall. This will be quite a night; well, morning. Technically both. The music, the catering, the lights, the guests. Wait a minute, aside from the former, the rest I hate. Why am I excited to go?

"Are you excited?" she asked, literally at the perfect time, "this will be your first Summer Sun Celebration."

"You bet. I can't wait to see what you've got in store for this," I told her.

"Oh. Well, it will probably be the same as our last practice," she admitted.

I looked at her. "Musicians always play their best at a concert. Tonight, those ponies will be amazed."

"Thanks," she said.

Boosting her confidence is another way to help, right?

The place was packed. These ponies really respect their leaders.

"So much for coming in early," I told her. "Regardless, let's go set up."

"Okay."

She led and tried weaseling her way through the herd, but was constantly stopped by the crowd. She came back and told me something I wouldn't accept: "Let's come back when everything's organized."

Time to bust some ass. I cleared my throat and delivered the following message to these ignorant partygoers: "All right everybody, I need you to move! This pony was asked by the Princesses themselves for the music. Not allowing her to set up will delay the festivities. You wouldn't want that to happen now, would you?"

One pony stepped out. "Just who do you think you are? You aren't security."

Oh, shut the hell up. You're drunk. "Want to ask that again? To Fluttershy's personal bodyguard?" I retorted, anger in my eyes.

He didn't listen. "On whose authority?"

Pull a page out of your incident with Angel Bunny. Let's do this. I pick him up and pin him against the wall. "By the leaders of Canterlot themselves. And they told me specifically to throw ponies like you out of this celebration."

"What are you talking about?"

"Have you not listened to me at all?!" I yelled.

"What are you talking about: 'Princesses'?" he said.

"Princess Celestia and Luna, smartass," I said.

"Are you okay, sir?" another one asked from in the crowd, "There's only been one princess in Equestria. Have you been living under a rock?" another pony asked from the crowd.

I stopped for a moment. What? Aren't there two leaders? Princess Celestia and…

"Today will be one week before the Summer Sun Celebration."

"I was supposed to make and rehearse some music for yesterday…”

"Oh my. Um, stop please, everyone, umm. Excuse me, sir? I mean, no offense, but your rhythm is just a teeny-tiny bit off."

Twilight Sparkle. Talking to Fluttershy. And Fluttershy is… responding back.

Goddamn it! How did I not realize this sooner? I'm in the first season. I dropped him back onto the ground and headed towards the door. This is bad. Real bad, I thought. I need to stop this. But how? I headed towards the door.

"Wait!" A familiar voice called out. "Where are you going?"

"Fluttershy," I told her, "that pony just reminded me of something very important."

"But why do you have to leave?" she asked me.

I can't tell her why. "Don't worry. Just enjoy the night. It's important that I get to where I need to be."

"If it's that important, then I should come with you," she told me.

I took a second to remember what happens in the episode. Her and the manticore. She can't go. "No. It's imperative that you stay here," I told her. "And when that purple pony starts to ask questions, follow her."

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Listen to me. Stick with her and you'll be fine."

She stopped for a second. "…Okay. I trust you," she finally says, with a hint of regret.

"Thank you. But don't…" I started but was interrupted by something I didn't expect.

A hug.

"Please be safe," she told me, "I don't want to see you hurt again."

I reassured her. "I will. Trust me."

"Okay," she said softly, her eyes sad and full of worry. I stopped for a second. She really cares about the well-being of others. She's the only one who doesn't resort to violence. We're complete opposites.

I'm a terrible person. Er-pony, I mean.

I make my way to the door and that pony makes his voice heard again. "Hey, got any other 'orders' from these princesses?" he heckled.

In the real world, I would just ignore him, but I have something better.

"Yeah. They told me," I started, and leaned towards him, 'that you can go fuck yourself."

(thwack!) And a punch to the face to seal the deal.

Holy shit. I'm fucking awesome.

I looked at his other friends and asked them what any person who had just knocked out someone would. "Anyone else want some?" A staggering zero ponies are up to the challenge. "I thought so," I told them, as they take their friend back into the party. The door closes behind me. Let's do this.

Bring it on, Nightmare fucking Moon.