Harmonia

Key-Tap sat through Crypto’s funeral in a dazed, silent state. She had donned a dark blue dress for it, not having the money or the will to buy decent funeral attire. She remembered that ponies had gotten up at the church podium to speak, but she didn’t listen to what they said. She remembered a dozen ponies telling her that they were sorry, that their hearts went out to her, and they all sounded the same. Admittedly, there wasn’t a whole lot to say. Crypto had been so young that nopony had gotten the chance to known him.

They kept calling it an accident.

They were back at the apartment now, though Key didn’t remember going back. It was a small place covered with drab, grey wallpaper, with only a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom, and a suddenly empty nursery. She was sitting before the television as it broadcast something that she wasn’t paying attention to. The scene kept replaying itself in her head, the image of the Keeper of Joy suddenly appearing where her son had been, and then disappearing, leaving behind nothing but the gore-soaked ruins of a foal’s pram.

Key felt Firewall walk up and take a seat on the couch beside her. Slowly, she turned to look at him. Like her, he hadn’t bothered to change out of his funeral attire, that being a cheap black coat and a black tie. His eyes were red from tears, and he was looking at her with a flat, emotionless face. Wordlessly, he put one of his forelegs around her shoulders and brought her in for a hug. She laid her head on his chest without really acknowledging the embrace, staring ahead at nothing.

After a moment, the reality of the situation hit her like a bus. Tears welled in her eyes and a choked sob escaped her mouth. She wrapped her forehooves around him and buried her head in his chest, weeping and wailing without a care for how loud she was being.

Firewall, for his part, simply held her as tight as he could, murmuring quietly, “I’ve got you.” He didn’t tell her that it was okay, or that it was going to be alright, because they both knew that it wasn’t. Nothing was okay and it might never be okay again.

She didn’t know how long it took for the crying to stop. She felt a hiccup escape her throat, followed by a whimper, tears continuing to flow free down her face. She heard somepony speaking on the television. She looked up at it, and she felt something catch in her throat.

It was a news reel, the star-shaped Channel 5 logo on the bottom right, with the cameras focused on an orange mare with a white, curly mane, who stood speaking before a crowd of microphones. Behind her was the blue and pink form of Bubblegum, an awkward, yet solemn look on her face. The wall behind them displayed an outline of three tied-together party balloons – the symbol of House Joy.

“Gods, let-” Firewall muttered, his horn glowing as he telekinetically reached for the remote. “I’ll just…”

“No.” Key said quickly. Then, more evenly, she added, “Leave it on.”

He hesitated, then released his grip. The thin metal instrument fell softly upon the sofa as Key looked at the screen intently.

“…Rest assured, House Joy is reeling over this tragic accident as much as anypony else is.” The mare was saying to the camera. “Our hearts are going out towards Crypto’s family, who are undoubtably going through a horribly traumatic experience, and we wish them all the best. I’d like to invite Bubblegum, Keeper of Joy, to the podium now. I believe she has something she’d like to say.”

The mare stepped aside to allow Bubblegum to walk up to the microphone. She seemed to struggle for words for a moment, then she said, “I, uh… I’d like to say that I’m sorry – and I know that I wronged them, I do…” She looked away from the cameras, a miserable expression on her face. “…But I know that won’t mean much the ponies I hurt this week.”

Key-Tap stared at the screen silently.

“I had received word that a, uh… a member of the Cult of Khaos had broken out.” Bubblegum continued, facing the camera now. “I was trying to find him quickly, so I was just… popping around the city, trying to find him… and… I just…” She teared up. “I had no idea that he was there, and-!” She cut herself off and looked away, her hoof going to her mouth.

Key stared at her.

“…I just wish I could express how horrible I feel!” Bubblegum cried, returning to the cameras with tears in her eyes. “I don’t know how it happened, or-! And… and, look, I don’t want anyone pestering that family with questions, alright?” She said emphatically, almost accusingly. “They’re going through enough right now because of me. I… I don’t want them to have to re-live it.”

She stepped back, her head bowed in shame. The spokesmare took the podium again, saying, “Miss Bubblegum will not be taking any questions today. I, however, will speak on behalf…”

“…She’s lying.” Key-Tap said in shock.

“…What?” Firewall asked after a moment.

Key-Tap pushed herself off of Firewall. “I- I brought this up. In an ask panel, like two years ago!” She exclaimed. “I asked her how she knew not to tele- not to- and she told me that she knew if her destination was occupied by someone or- or something- she’s-!” Key stammered, staring at the screen in despair and disbelief. “Why is she…?”

The news switched back to the studio, moving onto some other story. Key just stared at the screen, her thoughts flying around in circles.

“…Um…” Firewall spoke up. “At the funeral… I don’t know if you remember, but… there was somepony from House Joy there. He said that he needed to talk to you.”

“What?” Key turned to her coltfriend in bewilderment. “Why do they…?”

“I don’t know, he just said that it was just a formality, or… something.” He said quietly, looking away. “I told him that today wasn’t good, and… well, he’ll be coming by tomorrow. At around eleven.”

Key-Tap looked at him for a moment, then she turned back to the television. “…Okay.”

The next day found Key and Firewall sitting at the plastic fold-out table they had instead of a dining table, watching uncertainly as the House Joy stallion unpacked his things. He was an old unicorn with a grey coat, a black mane, and a serious, neutral expression on his face. He was nothing at all like the colourful, bombastic spokesponies of House Joy that Key had grown up seeing. He looked like he hadn’t been joyful in fifty years.

Silently, the stallion placed a thick stack of paper on the table, bound within a large, neon-pink folder with House Joy’s symbol upon it, worsening the visual dissonance.

“Before we begin, I would like to extend my sympathies towards you.” The stallion told her in an old and weathered voice. “I understand that this has been a traumatic experience for both of you, and House Joy has no wish to… exacerbate the situation. Indeed, we want to make the next steps as painless as we can.”

Key and Firewall continued to look at him silently, still not sure what was going on.

“To this end, the House is willing to give the two of you a sum of forty-thousand gold pieces.” He told them.

It took the young lovers a moment to process this. When they did, their eyes widened, and they shared a glance at each other. Wondering if she had misheard, Key leant forward and asked, “Forty…?”

“Thousand, yes. It won’t bring your son back,” He admitted, briefly looking away. “But it’s the least we can do. To claim it, I just need Miss Key-Tap to sign this.” His horn glowed briefly, and the pink binder pushed itself towards Key.

Firewall frowned, asking, “Don’t I need to sign anything?”

“Miss Key-Tap was the only one who was witness to the accident. Only she needs to sign.” A small ink-pen with a mouth grip levitated towards her. “You can use my pen, if you wish.”

An uncomfortably heavy weight settled in Key’s gut. Slowly, she looked down and opened up the binder, reading the document within.

She scanned the first few pages, trying to read through the dense legalese.

She read through the next couple of pages.

Then she flipped the document back to the first page.

Key looked back up at the lawyer. “…This is a non-disclosure agreement.”

“It’s a confidentiality agreement, actually.” The lawyer replied.

Key stared at the page of neatly typed text before her, slowly reading the list of clauses and statements, trying to get a grip on what she was reading. She didn’t need to read too far before she got the gist of it. The only way that they could get that money was if Key promised not to tell anyone what she had seen.

Look, I don’t want anyone pestering that family with questions, alright?

“…You’re paying us… to keep me quiet.” Key-Tap said slowly.

“The agreement is written to keep both parties safe.” The lawyer said in his croaky, monotone voice. “This way, neither you nor House Joy will be affected-”

“You’re paying us to keep me quiet!” Key-Tap repeated, more forcefully this time. There were tears in her eyes again, but they weren’t tears of grief this time.

She glared up at the lawyer, who was looking away from her. He seemed to think for a moment before speaking. “It’s a mutually beneficial agreement, Miss Key-Tap. We’ve made it so that you don’t have to worry about having to… relive your experience. I understand if parts of the contract aren’t agreeable with you...”

Key couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Furiously, she leant forward and shouted, “This isn’t what House Joy stands for! You’re supposed to represent happiness, and community, and shit! Why the fuck are you trying to stop me from telling people what Bubblegum did?”

“Key…” Firewall said worriedly, but Key paid him no heed.

“I watched my five-month-old baby explode!” Key-Tap snarled, standing with her forehooves on the table. Tears of rage were pouring down her face now. “She teleported into him, and she knew he was there! You ponies keep calling it an accident-!”

“And I sympathise with you.” The lawyer told her, his voice remaining neutral and flat. “We know what you’re going through, and we-”

“Oh, yeah? Then say that you’re sorry!” Key challenged. “Ponies have been saying that to us all week, but I haven’t heard a single pony from House Joy say to my face that they’re actually sorry! You don’t give a shit about any of this!”

“Key!” Firewall cried, sounding alarmed now.

“Go on! Tell me that you’re sorry!” Key demanded angrily. “Tell me that you care!”

The lawyer remained silent and still, not saying a word. But the cold look in his eyes told Key everything that she needed to know.

“…Get the fuck out of my house, I’m not signing anything.” Key snapped, sitting back down and gesturing furiously towards the door. “I’m not letting you get away with this, I’m going to fight this as hard as I fucking can.”

“Do you have a lawyer?” The older stallion asked dryly.

That single statement pulled the reins on her anger, stopping her in her tracks and leaving her paralysed.

Calmly, almost completely unperturbed by Key’s outburst, the stallion began the pack up his things. He pulled the binder back, putting it into the bag by his side. Then, he telekinetically pulled out a small business card from the bag and slid it towards the couple. It had a number and a name on it.

“For when you change your mind.” He said simply.

And with that, he stood up and left.