Summer Songsby Seeking-SparksChaptersColors and ClayAn Unwelcome OfferAccidental AlicornColors and Clay“This isn’t working.” Melody Gold’s hooves were coated in slippery wet clay and she was trying desperately to control the spinning wheel in front of her. Somerset was sitting across from her, perfectly shaping a gorgeous and unfairly tall vase. Melody mused distantly that she really was quite pretty. “Brace your front legs against your back ones. It’ll help steady your hooves so you don't keep knocking the clay off the wheel.” Somer looked up and smiled slightly at the wilted mess of clay on the unicorn’s wheel. “You’ll get it.” Melody blew her bangs out of her eyes and flicked her tail. She had already been at the cottage for an hour and so far she only had a few discarded scraps of clay to show for it. If she kept going at this pace, she would spend the rest of her life with Somerset. At that thought, her hoof slipped and she ruined yet another piece of pottery. “Fuck!” Somer raised an eyebrow as she washed the clay off her hooves. “Better keep that mouth of yours clean while my clients are here.” Melody snarled at the clay and threw it into the scrap bin, grabbing another chunk and slamming it down onto the wheel. “Clients?” she asked as she wet her hooves and tapped the pedal with a back hoof. “I have a tattoo appointment in a few minutes.” “What are tattoos?” “Permanent marks made on the body using ink and a needle.” “Oh! Like the designs on your legs?” She looked over her shoulder and saw the ghost of a smile on Somer’s lips. “Exactly. Kirin don’t get cutiemarks so tattoos have long been part of how we express ourselves and decorate our bodies.” Somer started setting out her tattoo materials, including a scary looking assemblage of needles and ink. Melody felt her stomach clench and she turned back to the clay, trying not to think about how much that process must hurt. She listened as Somer and her client talked about the design, and she listened as the mare breathed deeply and whimpered through the inking. She risked one glance over her shoulder to see the needles held fast in Somer’s aqua magic as she carefully traced over the design on the mare’s ear. Melody let out a deep breath and turned back to the clay, her stomach twisting weirdly. She apparently wasn’t a fan of needles. By the afternoon, Melody had made one lumpy, uneven bowl and an entire mess of the clay studio. When she presented it to Somer, her cheeks were red and she avoided eye contact. But Somer just laughed and set the bowl on a nearby shelf, alongside a few exquisitely carved and decorated pieces. “What? Why would you keep it?” Somer looked at the bowl. “Your first finished piece is special. Can’t ever get rid of that.” She eyed the coral mare up and down and the edge of her lips quirked into a smile. “Besides. I know you’ll make more. You have an entire shop to replace, remember?” Melody grinned. “As you keep telling me.” Somer put on a record and they cleaned the shop, wiping down all the wheels and counters, leaving her cottage sparkling. As Melody walked home, she realized that she never told Twilight that her wings had disappeared. “Oh well.” The unicorn yawned as she stumbled through the front door. “I’ll tell her tomorrow.” Once again, she collapsed into bed. Sparks and River found her later that night, fast asleep and backwards on her bed. They laughed to themselves and tucked her in properly, each kissing her on the forehead. “I think working with Somerset is going to be good for her.” River whispered as they walked back to their room. “Yeah?” Sparks pulled back the covers on their bed. “She hasn’t made any friends since her last very special somepony.” River was brushing out her long blue-streaked mane when Sparks wrapped her in a hug from behind. The pegasus buried her muzzle in the soft fur at the back of her wife’s neck. “Can you blame her? He was a disaster. As most stallions are.” River chuckled. “I think you might be biased.” Sparks gasped in fake indignation. “Me?? Biased against stallions? Never.” They both laughed and climbed into bed, River tucking her wife into her hooves. “I’m proud of her though.” Sparks yawned and smiled, her eyes falling closed. “We did good with that one.” River kissed her ear and pulled her in tighter. “I love you babe.” “Love...too….” They drifted off to sleep together, cuddled up safe and warm. When Melody rose before dawn, they hardly stirred. oOo “Somer I swear you’re lying to me.” The kirin’s eyes flicked up from the bowl she was spinning on her wheel. She bit back a smile and used the tip of her hoof to carve a beautiful spiral up the sides of the bowl. “Oh? About what?” Melody’s eyebrows were pinched and she had her tongue stuck out the corner of her mouth. She was clumsily fighting with a wet lump of clay on her wheel. The clay was slightly off center, so it kept running into her hooves instead of spinning gracefully like Somer’s. “There is absolutely no way you do this without magic.” Somerset laughed, a rhythmic, infectious sound. Melody looked up and couldn't bite back the grin that spread over her lips. “No really! There is no way you do this all by hoof. I’ve been at this every morning for a week and all I've made is a mess.” Somer shrugged and gestured to the small collection of bowls next to her. “And yet I have done all these with you sitting right across from me.” Melody shook her head. “Nope. Definitely some crazy kirin magic. I have no idea what that curved horn of yours can do!” Raising an eyebrow, Somer just shook her head and floated over a small, misshapen bowl. “Here. Maybe glazing will be more your speed.” Melody took the bowl in her own magic, glowing gold this time. “You kept it?” “Your first piece is special. I fired it the other day.” Somer passed her a paintbrush and pointed to a shelf full of paint pots. “Just paint it however you like. I’ve got another load going in the kiln tonight.” Melody took the paintbrush from her and caught the small smile that played at the edges of the potter’s lips. She sat down with the glazes as Somer went back to the throwing wheel. There was a slab of white clay covered in little circles of color, with names underneath each one. Seeing a beautiful light blue called “Spring’s Folly”, she grabbed the labeled jar. She unscrewed the top and squinted. “Hey, none of these look right?” Somer’s soft voice floated in from across the room. “They look different after I fire them. That sample plate shows what they’ll look like when it’s done.” “Oh.” Melody eyed the thick paint dubiously but shrugged and dipped in her paint brush. She held the paintbrush in her sparkling magic as it changed colors to match the shade she currently had on her brush. Melody smiled and closed her eyes. Whenever her magic changed colors, she could feel the lightest surge of power through her body. It felt like electricity rushing through her nerves. Even after years studying with Twilight, she still loved that little rush every time her magic shifted. She swept long, curving strokes of color over the bowl, using the uneven shape to create rolling swirls of color that intertwined and ran smoothly alongside one another. Melody smiled as she worked, humming a soft tune and tapping her hoof. She began to nod her head, closing her eyes and humming heartily. Her voice started out quiet but quickly rose in volume as she pulled air deep into her lungs. “For I had believed what I was sold I did all the things that I was told But all that has changed, and now I'm bold 'Cause I know That I am just a pony I make mistakes from time to time But now I know the real me And put my heart out on the line!” Melody swished her tail and felt her magic switch again. She grinned as sparkling music notes began to drift up from her horn, swirling around her in a dazzling display of color. She spun in a circle and bounced her back legs to the beat. “And let the magic in my heart stay true Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa And let the magic in my heart stay true Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa Just like the magic inside of you And now I see those colors Right before my eyes I hear my voice so clearly And I know that it is right!” The translucent music notes swirled through the air, playing the background piano and orchestra music to the song, perfectly accompanying Melody’s voice. She put down the paintbrush, bracing her front hooves on the table. She hung her head, eyes closed tightly. She knew this song by heart and the next verse made memories play rapid fire through her head. All the times she had been bullied for her magic, or for her two moms, or all the comments about her “unnatural” origin. “They thought I was weak, but I am strong They sold me the world, but they were wrong And now that I'm back, I still belong” Melody lit up her horn, tendrils of sparkling color wrapping around the little cottage. She opened her eyes and tilted her head down, letting the magic fall over the wet glaze she had applied to the bowl. Her voice never faltered for a second. “Cause I know That I am just a pony I make mistakes from time to time But now I know the real me And put my heart out on the line And let the magic in my heart stay true Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa And let the magic in my heart stay true Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa Just like the magic inside of you Just like the magic inside of you…” As the last word faded away, the unicorn let the magic fade too. The music notes disappeared in showers of dissolving sparkles and the light sparked out of her horn. Melody closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the music fill her soul and lift some of the tension from her shoulders. “Wow.” Her eyes flying open, Melody whipped around to see Somerset staring at her, wide eyed and slack jawed. “Oh! Sorry! Gosh I forgot you were there. I’m so sorry sometimes I just…” She gestured helplessly to the air above her. “Get lost in it I guess.” She flushed a furious pink and ducked her head, avoiding eye contact with her new friend. But Somer just walked over and picked up the bowl. She held it in her aqua blue magic and turned it over carefully. The outside was painted in brilliant swirls of light blue, pale purple, and dark teal. There was the perfect black outline of a curled fire design painted at the center of the bowl, with tendrils of vines looping throughout the rest of the inside and up to the rim. Bits of sparkle were embedded in the paint, giving the pale, flat colors a shifting dimensionality that she had never seen before. Somer looked back at Melody, whose eyes were still downcast as she kicked awkwardly at the floor. “You have an incredible voice.” Melody finally looked up, her cheeks still burning. “Oh, uh, thanks. Guess I didn't get my cutiemark for nothing.” She chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her head with her hoof. Somer looked at her for a long while. “I guess not.” She held up the bowl, showing off the intricate black designs. “And this is gorgeous.” Melody blushed even harder. “I..uh...your tattoos are so cool. I thought they would be fun to paint.” Somer nodded and held up the bowl to show the sparkling pale outer colors. “And this?” Melody seriously looked like she was going to permanently change color. “The colors of your mane.” Now it was Somer’s turn to blush. Her cheeks flared red as she bit her lip and smiled slightly. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.” Melody finally relaxed a bit, a shy smile on her lips. “You’re welcome.” Somer cleared her throat and turned away from the blushing mare. “Let’s see how it looks after it’s fired.” Melody let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding as Somer reached down into the kiln to rearrange the pieces. She began to wash off all her brushes and reorganize the paint jars. “So, um, what was that song?” Somer’s voice cut through the silence as Melody tensed and fumbled with the paint containers. They clinked against one another and wobbled threateningly at the edge of the shelf. Melody surged forward and caught the jars in her magic, settling them back farther on the shelf “Oh! Shit. It’s called The Magic Inside. It’s an old favorite of my mom’s. By a friend of Applejack’s.” Somer lifted her head out of the kiln and smiled at Melody, making her heart flutter lightly in her chest. “You sang it beautifully.” Melody smiled. “Thank you.” Somer nodded, a note of finality to the conversation. She waved towards the kiln. “Well depending on how that comes, you may not have to bother with throwing again.” Melody’s eyes lit up and her horn sparked pink. “Really?!” The kirin laughed. “Yeah. That painting was exquisite. I’ll throw the pieces and you can glaze them.” “Perfect!” Melody lifted up the last of the paint jars in her pink magic and turned grinning back to Somer. The kirin was eyeing her horn. “What color is your magic?” Melody glanced up at her horn. “Oh. Well my magic changes color actually.” Somer raised an eyebrow. “Why?” The unicorn smiled lightly. “I have two moms and when they wanted to have me, Princess Twilight and her student Starlight Glimmer made them a spell, using magic and pieces of their hair to make me.” Blinking, Somer looked her up and down and squinted. “Oh. Are you Seeking Sparks and Running River’s daughter?” “Yeah! You remember them?” Somer laughed and reached under a cabinet to pull out a photo album. “Yeah! They were my counselors at Camp Friendship when I was a filly. I only went until I was about 6 but I remember the summer that they brought you with them. You were so little!” Melody felt herself blush for the hundredth time that afternoon as Somer flipped through pages and pulled out a picture from her last summer as a camper. She was in the front, large ears all sticking out and her wild mane not yet grown around her neck. She was laughing, eyes bright and sparkling a golden tangerine in the summer sun. She was surrounded by a group of campers, and behind them were Sparks and River. Sitting squarely on Sparks’ back was a tiny little Melody, wide smile and still in diapers. “Oh my Celestia….” Melody groaned good naturedly and hid her face. “I cannot believe you have that!” Somer grinned. “I was only six that summer, so I’m not much older than you. But I do remember how excited River and Sparks were to have you join in with the older foals at camp activities.” Melody just flushed harder and reached over to close the book. “Okay okay no more nostalgia for today.” They put the book away and Melody hesitated in the doorway. Somer tilted her head and looked at her curiously. “They uh - they remember you. My mom knew right away when I described you to her after the day in the market.” Somer smiled. “Which mom?” “Sparks.” “Yeah I really liked her as a filly. I always wanted to hear the story about how she and River started dating. But she always refused to tell us that one.” Melody smiled. “I know that story. Maybe I can tell you someday.” Somer threw her head back and laughed hard. “I’d love that!” Laughing along with her, Melody felt a warmth spread through her chest, but there was an anxious undercut. “You, uh, never cared that they were two mares?” She picked at a spot on her hoof, avoiding eye contact. Somer snorted. “Did I care that they were gay? Tartarus no. I knew I liked mares even back then. I never went back to camp really but I would visit on weekends and would see River when I helped out Fluttershy at the animal sanctuary. Even growing up I would see them walking around town together, unashamed of who they were. I really admired and looked up to them for that.”’ “Oh that’s awesome! I like mares too! No one else in school was ever like me!!” Melody grinned at the kirin, ecstatic to find another queer mare around her age. She had known some of the students from Twilight’s school to be interested in creatures of the same sex, but she had attended the ponyville school. And there she had been the only one all the way until she graduated. “That’s awful. I went to Twilight’s school cause that’s where my parents met. Though Starlight Glimmer was in charge by the time I went there. I knew a couple other queer creatures growing up.” Melody waggled her eyebrows and smirked. “Did you get to date any?” Somer went an adorable shade of dark pink. “I...went on a few dates. Nothing really since I left school.” Melody Gold grinned. “Good to know.” She winked at the kirin then straightened up in a fake salute. “See you in the morning, ma’am.” She winked again. Somerset blinked and stammered. “O-oh y-yes see you tomorrow.” Melody chuckled and closed the door behind her, heading towards Twilight’s castle. She had promised the princess they would work on magic today. Afterall, she had spent two weeks doing nothing but spending her days at the little art cottage at the edge of town. And they still had not figured out the spell that had given her natural pegasus-like wings. An Unwelcome Offer“I know, I know! I’m sorry!” Twilight huffed out a breath and glared at her. She was holding about a dozen scrolls up in her magic and Spike was stacking more on a pile next to her. “I am the ruler of all of Equestria, and I come back here to Ponyville to help you with your studies! And you blew me off for TWO WEEKS!!!” Melody winced. “Yeah. I’m sorry. That was awful of me.” Twilight sighed and shook her head, all the scrolls disappearing in puffs of magenta sparkles. “Melody, I have been tracking your magic since before you were born. You have been studying with me since you could talk. You gave yourself wings last week and you hardly seem to care!” Spike burped out another scroll and handed it silently to twilight. She opened it, her eyes scanning the first few lines. She sighed again, a heavy weight settling on her shoulders. “I have to go. And I can’t come back to Ponyville for a few days.” Her eyes swept over to Melody, who was hanging her head. “The wings went away within 24 hours, correct?” Melody nodded silently. Twilight hummed. “No spell I know of can create actual pegasus wings. So my research leads me to believe the spell you cast requires so much intricate magic that it simply cannot last any longer than that. So I want you to try and recast that spell. If you can recreate it, then hopefully we can study it, learn what it entails, and be able to have other unicorns cast it.” Melody looked up and quirked an eyebrow. “Are you telling me to get drunk?” Twilight rolled her eyes and stood up. “I do not condone research under the influence, but if you have to recreate the situations of the original casting, then so be it.” “Is that academic speak for just don’t tell you about it?” Melody grinned. Twilight begrudgingly smiled at her. “I will send you a scroll when I am free to meet with you again.” She and Spike disappeared in a flash of magenta magic, and Melody was left blinking lights out of her eyes. She stood and walked resolutely out of the castle, closing the large crystal doors behind her. Melody glanced back towards the Everfree forest and the cottage she knew stood at the edge. But she glanced up at the setting sun and sighed. Twilight must have started the sunset as soon as she got back to Canterlot. She would see Somer at dawn anyway. Melody stopped by the market to pick up a new jug of cider, then walked home. “Hey mom.” Running River was the one at the stove this time, though she seemed to be having a pep talk with an army of onions. Melody raised an eyebrow instinctively, but knew better than to question her mother’s cooking habits. “Listen up! I grew you! It is utterly unacceptable to make me cry! I am your mother!!!” Melody grinned as River turned towards her, huffing out an angry breath. Her eyes were red and watery. Her daughter ignited her horn, magic glowing her typical gold, and the tears vanished from her face. “There. Protection should last about an hour.” River kissed her on the cheek. “I do love being an earth pony, but there is something to be said for magically fixing my disagreement with the onions.” She slid an envelope across the table. “Before I forget, the Canterlot Orchestra sent you another letter.” Melody rolled her eyes. “For Celestia’s sake, I sent them the song only last week! How could they already need a new one??” She tore open the envelope and read the first few lines. “Oh. They want me to headline their summer concerts.” River tossed her chopped onions into the pan, the sizzle filling the silence as Melody stared at the paper. River glanced over her shoulder, but let the quiet stretch. Melody closed her eyes and put down the letter, grimacing and setting her head in her hooves. “What would that entail?” River continued to saute the onions, facing away from her daughter. Melody silently thanked that it was River who was home and not Sparks. “They offered me a full time position as their soloist. Living in canterlot. Traveling with the orchestra and the choir.” “That makes sense. They did try to hire you as a choir member when you applied to be a songwriter for them.” Melody groaned and dropped her head to the table, a few black sparks sputtering out of her horn. “They said we could sing or play our written song for the audition! I didn’t want to bring my guitar all the way to Canterlot.” She winced at the memory. River hummed nonchalantly. “You used to love singing at camp for every talent show, campfire, or spare five minutes.” “It’s different! I know everypony here. Canterlot is so…” She waved a hoof, voice floundering. “Big.” She finished lamely. Chuckling, River threw some tomatoes and carrots into the pan. “Sweetheart your voice is the same no matter where the stage is.” The door swung open harshly and both mares turned towards the interruption. Sparks was standing in the door, blinking at them. “You two okay?” Melody groaned and turned her head back to the table. River served up three plates of vegetable stir fry, a slight smile on her lips. “The Canterlot Orchestra offered her a job as their soloist.” Sparks grinned and kissed them both on the cheek as she sat down at the table. “Aw sweetheart that is incredible!!! When do they want you to start??” River placed a hoof on her shoulder and whispered something in her ear. Sparks frowned and looked at her disheveled daughter. Her tone softened. “Honey, what’s going through your head?” The unicorn sat up and started poking at her plate with her fork. “I just wanted to be a songwriter.” Sparks opened her mouth but stopped when her wife placed a hoof quietly on hers. “Maybe you could go and test it out. Perform for a small event and see how you like it.” Melody looked at her mom, a soft smile and a concerned look on her face. Her eyes flicked over to Sparks, who had a glint in her eye. “What if you did an event here in Ponyville and sold Somerset’s pottery? Help repay what you broke in her shop.” Sparks had the ghost of a smirk but she quickly tried to hide it. Melody furrowed her brow, confused but interested. Her mom’s smirk wasn’t usually a sign of danger. “That’s not a bad idea. Maybe Fluttershy and I could do a pet adoption drive with some of the recovered animals from the sanctuary.” River smiled at the two of them. Melody bit her lip. “I’ll run it by Somer tomorrow morning." She watched as Sparks’ eyes flicked to look sideways at her wife. River didn’t meet her gaze, but a small smile spread across her lips as she continued to eat. Melody narrowed her eyes. “What are you two doing?” Seeking Sparks looked up, not missing a single beat. “Waiting for you to get to bed so we can have the couch to ourselves.” “Ew! Mom! Gross!” Melody shook her head, disgusted. “Oh my Celestia. For fuck’s sake, go! I’ll clean up dinner.” Sparks winked at her and snuck a hoof around River’s shoulders. “Much appreciated, spawn.” Melody rolled her eyes and groaned as her moms walked out of the kitchen. River paused at the door and looked back at her lovingly. “You don’t get a cutie mark for nothing you know. The Orchestra has been after you for years. Maybe it’s time to get on a bigger stage.” She caught the slump of her daughter’s shoulders. “But your mom and I will support you no matter what.” Melody looked back at her, smiling sadly. “Thanks mom.” River blew her a kiss and disappeared up the steps. The unicorn held the dishes in her black magic as she heard her mom laugh and the sound of someone falling into bed. She pulled a face and put on a record as she cleaned the kitchen. She looked out the window in front of the sink and watched as the stars twinkled in the dark sky. A breeze blew a few stray leaves around the town. Cloudsdale would be there soon to bring winter, and with it would come their rare visits from her grandparents. After the dishes were done and the countertops cleaned, Melody took the envelope up to her room and tucked it in the folder with her other employment information. It sat neatly in the drawers under her desk. The top of the desk was not so neat. Scattered sheets of music lay haphazardly across the surface, some smudged and wrinkled, others carelessly folded and creased. There were dozens of partial songs there, some lyrical for the choir, others instrumental for the orchestra and the band. There was one neat folder of stapled, official versions of the completed songs she sent to Canterlot. Melody looked ruefully at her cutie mark. A black songbird under 6 music notes in the colors of the rainbow. She had gotten it after one of her talent show performances at Camp Friendship. The first time she’d performed her own original song. She had performed at camp her entire life; it had just been a part of growing up the daughter of the camp directors. Melody sighed and closed the drawer, turning away from the job offer. Camp performances were one thing. But to stand up in front of hundreds, maybe thousands of ponies, and sing her songs? That was terrifying. Sighing, she fell heavily into bed and nuzzled herself deep into her pillow. “Fuck!” Melody groaned. She hadn’t tried to replicate the spell for Twilight. She would have to ask Somer if she could skip pottery work this weekend. There was no way she could get herself drunk and still be at the cottage at dawn. As the night stretched, the soft light of the moon washed over the room and Melody found her eyes closing heavily. She burrowed deeper into her pillow and blankets and tried to block out the thoughts of job offers and magic lessons. She smiled softly into the pillow; she would see Somer in the morning, and that was good enough. Once the house was quiet, Sparks and River carefully walked down the hall outside their daughter’s room and looked in quietly. “Do you think she bought it?” River rolled her eyes. “You’re not subtle.” “I had to say something fast!” “So you chose to say we wanted to have sex??” Sparks smirked. “Well she stopped asking about it didn’t she?” River rolled her eyes again. She did that a lot around her wife. “I don’t even think she knows that she likes Somer.” “She takes after you.” River shooed Sparks away from the room and closed the door. “Rude!” “You didn’t know we were on a date until I kissed you!!” “Irrelevant.” Sparks grinned as she turned back towards their room. “I think she will figure it out. Eventually she has to realize that there’s a reason she’s been talking our ears off about this mare for the last week.” The two mares walked softly back to their bed, shoulder to shoulder down the narrow hallway. Seeking Sparks worked a small brush through her wife’s long mane as River delicately undid the forest green braid in hers. They leaned in, their noses touching and small smiles spreading across both of their faces. It was a familiar routine by now, but not one that had lost its magic. As they climbed under the covers and settled in for the night, Sparks looked out the window at the clear night. “Dawn will be here soon.” She paused for a moment, considering. “You know, I don’t think Melody has even been this willing to get up early in her entire life.” “If only we’d known all those summers at camp that it just took a pretty mare to get her out of bed in the morning.” River mumbled from her pillow. “Apparently more effective than my buckets of cold water.” Sparks chuckled to herself and turned away from the window, finally laying down for the night. “Goodnight my love.” “Goodnight darling.” River and Sparks drifted off to sleep in the quiet night air, the last chills of fall breezing softly through their room. It would be winter soon, bringing cold weather fun at camp. They hosted weekend events after the lake froze over and the hills were covered in snow. Then the months would tick by and it would be summer again before they knew it. River’s last thought as she drifted to sleep was how strange it would be to have their daughter in Canterlot instead of at camp that summer. When they woke in the morning, Melody was gone and so were most of her music sheets. Accidental AlicornMelody Gold was standing in the castle library, watching as Twilight Sparkle gaped at her. She winced and huffed out a sigh. “Look. I don't know, okay? I really don’t.” “WHAT?? YOU- I- WHAT????????” Twilight stared at her, open mouthed and nearly hyperventilating. Melody flared out the coral wings at her side. “I don’t know! I woke up with them!!” Twilight shook her head and rubbed one side of her temples. “Oh my gosh okay what- i- how? No, when? Okay okay wait…” She grabbed a scroll and a quill and rubbed a hoof over her eyes. “Okay okay. Did you cast any spells last night?” Melody winced again. “Um. I….don’t know. I had...a lot of cider last night.” Twilight’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “You were DRUNK and then you woke up as an ALICORN?????” Melody cocked her head. “To be fair, I don’t think you can technically call me an alicorn. These wings aren’t...natural. So it shouldn't count right?” “Uuuuuugh! Not the point. Okay while you were….drunk….did you cast any spells??” “I don’t think so. I was talking with my mom about what it’s like to fly? Last night was the anniversary of her injury. She and River always used to make a big night of it. Since I can drink this year, they let me join in.” Twilight was furiously taking notes. “So maybe you cast a spell in your sleep? By Celestia how is it that you’ve been studying with me your whole life and this has only come up now?!?!” “Um...maybe because I’ve never been drunk before?” Twilight eyed her over the top of her scroll. “Yeah I suppose that might do it.” She paused then tucked away the scroll. “Have you tried to fly?” “No.” Melody opened the wings, flapping them slowly. “I wasn’t entirely sure they would work.” “Okay well let’s get some measurements and te-” Before Twilight could finish speaking, Melody’s horn ignited a bright aquamarine, surrounding her wings in the same color. The two mares looked at each other in alarm. They both knew what that color meant: danger. Melody Gold had been conceived using a special spell that Twilight and Starlight had invented. Even before she was born her magic was next level strong. She had been able to levitate her mother even from in her belly. And since graduating school, Melody had taken to furthering her studies at Twilight’s castle. Her magic had never been one prescribed color. Not only did it change to reflect her moods, but it would also sometimes change depending on the type of spell being cast. Aquamarine had only ever shown up right before something went terribly and horribly wrong. Melody and Twilight had dubbed it the ‘Chaos Color’. Melody’s new wings began to buzz, moving so fast they were just a coral pink blur. Her hooves began to lift from the floor as she tried desperately to grab hold of the table. “Twilight!!!!” The princess rushed forward and tried to grab her student in her own magic, but she couldn’t get a grip. Melody floated for half a moment before she suddenly shot upwards. “AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!” The pink mare screamed as she hurtled uncontrollably towards the castle’s tall crystal ceiling. Twilight yelped and ignited her horn, concentrating with all her might. Just before hitting the ceiling, Melody disappeared in a poof of magenta sparkles. oOo Melody reappeared above Ponyville, eyes wide and hooves tucked nervously against her body. She risked a quick look down, the ground far below her. With a start, she felt her horn fizzle out, the last aquamarine sparkles falling past her eyes. “Uh oh.” And she plummeted down towards the town. “AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Somerset was showing a townspony her pottery when her large ears flicked back, catching the sound of a scream from somewhere above her. She raised an eyebrow and gestured to the mare to follow her. They walked out of the market stall and looked up. A coral pink pegasus was falling out of the sky, flailing helplessly. “Why doesn’t she just fly?” The mare asked. Somer didn't have a chance to answer as she suddenly noticed where the falling pony was going to land. “No! My shop!!” She ignited her horn, trying to catch the mare, but her magic simply bounced harmlessly off her. The pegasus crashed spectacularly right through the roof of Somer’s stall. There was a beat of silence before the mare popped up out of the wreckage, laughing. She worked herself free of the debris and bounced up, grinning. She turned towards Somer and drew up short as she found herself face to face with the half kirin. “You ruined my store.” Somer deadpanned. “Oohhhhh was that yours? Sorry about that.” Melody grimaced and turned back towards the broken planks of wood and shards of pottery. But her smile quickly returned and she whipped her head back around to Somer. “But I can fix it!” She ignited her horn, but Somer simply licked her hoof and pressed it to her horn. Melody blinked and looked back at her, something tightening in her stomach. No one had ever had the gall to extinguish her horn before. She flicked her eyes up to watch the magic fizzle out of her horn. “No. All of that pottery was hoof made. I will not have the quality and integrity of my shop...diminished by some alicorn magic spell.” She quirked an eyebrow at Melody’s wings. “Pottery made with magic doesn’t have the same structural integrity.” “Oh well I’m not actually an alicorn. See I actually woke up wi-” “You will come to my house tomorrow and you will work with me until you have replaced all the pottery you broke.” Somer cut her off, her voice still level, showing no trace of emotion. Melody gulped and nodded. “Yeah yeah yeah totally sure I can do that.” Somer rolled her eyes and turned back towards her ruined shop. “Great. Dawn. You can find my cottage at the edge of the Everfree Forest.” She kicked a board out of her way and sighed, the first indication of disappointment. Melody tilted her head and stepped towards the light tan pony. “Hey, I’m really sorry.” Somer hung her head slightly and angled her muzzle over her shoulder. “Just….dawn. I’ll see you then.” She ignited her horn and disappeared. Melody Gold blinked the lights out of her eyes and drooped her ears. “But...I didn’t even get your name.” Melody sighed and picked her way back to the castle, keeping her wings clamped steadfastly against her sides. “I’m living everypony’s dream,” she mused. “An alicorn. And yet all I want is for them to be gone” The pink mare shook her head and walked sheepishly into the castle. Twilight was standing there, pouring over a scroll. At the sound of hoofbeats, she whipped her head around to Melody. “Oh my Celestia!!! I tried to find you but had no idea when I teleported you to!!” Melody bit her lip and shrugged. “I crash landed in the market. I’m fine.” Twilight blinked a few times then shook her head. “Okay well I think I may have figured out a spell to get rid of the wings but it’s risky…” She looked sideways at Melody. “Uh… how attached are you to your tail?” “What?! No!” Melody groaned and dragged a hoof over her tired face. “Look, I’m just going to get some sleep okay? We can keep looking tomorrow.” Twilight nodded absently as she turned back towards the table and her giant mountain of scrolls. Melody let loose a long breath and started on her long walk home. oOo “Hey mom, I’m home.” Melody collapsed onto the couch, then leapt up with a shriek. “You okay?” Sparks stood in the doorway to the kitchen, a tray of cookies balanced on her back. “Yeah I just…” Melody ran a hoof over the new appendages on her back and winced. “Ah. Laid down the wrong way?” Sparks grinned and offered the cookies out to her daughter. “Yeah. Not used to the wings I guess.” “Doesn’t surprise me. You’ve only had them for a day.” Melody groaned and laid back down more gingerly, tucking the coral pink feathers tight against her sides. “Twilight had me try flying. It...uh...didn’t go well.” Sparks had wandered back into the kitchen and was standing at the sink, washing her cookie dough-covered bowls. “Is that so?” Melody crossed her front legs over her eyes. “I went crashing into this pottery stall in the market. Broke everything in there. The mare says I have to work for her until I replace it all.” “Oh? Who was it?” “She didn’t give me her name. Super strange looking though. She had this gorgeous blue and purple mane that went all the way around her head. And a curved, dark red horn.” The sound of the water stopped and Spark’s steps clicked on the kitchen floor. She stood at the end of the couch, smiling down at her daughter. “Did she have a cutiemark?” Melody scrunched up her face. “Now that you mention it, I don’t think so. Why?” Sparks’ smile widened. “Ah you met Somerset! She’s a few years older than you. One of our campers for a couple summers. She stopped coming not long after you were born.” “Why does she look like that?” “She’s half kirin. They’re a species from the Peaks of Peril. You could ask Twilight, or Fluttershy or Applejack more about them. I don’t know much else.” Melody wrinkled her nose. “Maybe tomorrow after I apparently learn how to make pottery at the nice convenient time of dawn.” Sparks laughed and held out a plate with a daisy and daffodil sandwich. “Well let’s get some dinner in you so you can get some sleep then.” The two sat in comfortable silence while they ate. Melody caught Sparks eyeing her wings every few minutes, always flicking her gaze away as soon as her daughter noticed. “Do you miss flying?” Seeking Sparks closed her eyes and sighed. It had been years since her accident. The night before had marked the anniversary in fact. “Sometimes. But if I hadn’t lost my flight then I would have never gone to camp, or met your mother, or had you. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.” Melody knew there was a certain conflict under her mom’s words that she would never understand. But she never doubted for a second that her moms loved her. Heck, they went so far as to have Twilight create an entirely new spell for them just so they could have her. Melody smiled ironically. That spell was the whole reason they were in this mess. “Well if I can ever figure out how to actually do this…” she ruffled her wings, “spell, then I’ll see if we can get you your flight back.” Sparks stiffened ever so slightly, but her daughter still noticed. “That’d….be great honey.” Melody wasn’t sure what that meant, but a deep yawn interrupted her chance to ask. Sparks took the opportunity to grab their plates and hasten to the kitchen. She busied herself with the dishes again and kept her gaze down on the sink. “Well goodnight then sweetheart. Your mom will be home late so don’t wait up.” Melody stared after her, confused, but too tired to argue. She wished her mom a good night and went up to her room, nearly collapsing into bed. When she woke up in the morning, the wings were gone.
Colors and Clay“This isn’t working.” Melody Gold’s hooves were coated in slippery wet clay and she was trying desperately to control the spinning wheel in front of her. Somerset was sitting across from her, perfectly shaping a gorgeous and unfairly tall vase. Melody mused distantly that she really was quite pretty. “Brace your front legs against your back ones. It’ll help steady your hooves so you don't keep knocking the clay off the wheel.” Somer looked up and smiled slightly at the wilted mess of clay on the unicorn’s wheel. “You’ll get it.” Melody blew her bangs out of her eyes and flicked her tail. She had already been at the cottage for an hour and so far she only had a few discarded scraps of clay to show for it. If she kept going at this pace, she would spend the rest of her life with Somerset. At that thought, her hoof slipped and she ruined yet another piece of pottery. “Fuck!” Somer raised an eyebrow as she washed the clay off her hooves. “Better keep that mouth of yours clean while my clients are here.” Melody snarled at the clay and threw it into the scrap bin, grabbing another chunk and slamming it down onto the wheel. “Clients?” she asked as she wet her hooves and tapped the pedal with a back hoof. “I have a tattoo appointment in a few minutes.” “What are tattoos?” “Permanent marks made on the body using ink and a needle.” “Oh! Like the designs on your legs?” She looked over her shoulder and saw the ghost of a smile on Somer’s lips. “Exactly. Kirin don’t get cutiemarks so tattoos have long been part of how we express ourselves and decorate our bodies.” Somer started setting out her tattoo materials, including a scary looking assemblage of needles and ink. Melody felt her stomach clench and she turned back to the clay, trying not to think about how much that process must hurt. She listened as Somer and her client talked about the design, and she listened as the mare breathed deeply and whimpered through the inking. She risked one glance over her shoulder to see the needles held fast in Somer’s aqua magic as she carefully traced over the design on the mare’s ear. Melody let out a deep breath and turned back to the clay, her stomach twisting weirdly. She apparently wasn’t a fan of needles. By the afternoon, Melody had made one lumpy, uneven bowl and an entire mess of the clay studio. When she presented it to Somer, her cheeks were red and she avoided eye contact. But Somer just laughed and set the bowl on a nearby shelf, alongside a few exquisitely carved and decorated pieces. “What? Why would you keep it?” Somer looked at the bowl. “Your first finished piece is special. Can’t ever get rid of that.” She eyed the coral mare up and down and the edge of her lips quirked into a smile. “Besides. I know you’ll make more. You have an entire shop to replace, remember?” Melody grinned. “As you keep telling me.” Somer put on a record and they cleaned the shop, wiping down all the wheels and counters, leaving her cottage sparkling. As Melody walked home, she realized that she never told Twilight that her wings had disappeared. “Oh well.” The unicorn yawned as she stumbled through the front door. “I’ll tell her tomorrow.” Once again, she collapsed into bed. Sparks and River found her later that night, fast asleep and backwards on her bed. They laughed to themselves and tucked her in properly, each kissing her on the forehead. “I think working with Somerset is going to be good for her.” River whispered as they walked back to their room. “Yeah?” Sparks pulled back the covers on their bed. “She hasn’t made any friends since her last very special somepony.” River was brushing out her long blue-streaked mane when Sparks wrapped her in a hug from behind. The pegasus buried her muzzle in the soft fur at the back of her wife’s neck. “Can you blame her? He was a disaster. As most stallions are.” River chuckled. “I think you might be biased.” Sparks gasped in fake indignation. “Me?? Biased against stallions? Never.” They both laughed and climbed into bed, River tucking her wife into her hooves. “I’m proud of her though.” Sparks yawned and smiled, her eyes falling closed. “We did good with that one.” River kissed her ear and pulled her in tighter. “I love you babe.” “Love...too….” They drifted off to sleep together, cuddled up safe and warm. When Melody rose before dawn, they hardly stirred. oOo “Somer I swear you’re lying to me.” The kirin’s eyes flicked up from the bowl she was spinning on her wheel. She bit back a smile and used the tip of her hoof to carve a beautiful spiral up the sides of the bowl. “Oh? About what?” Melody’s eyebrows were pinched and she had her tongue stuck out the corner of her mouth. She was clumsily fighting with a wet lump of clay on her wheel. The clay was slightly off center, so it kept running into her hooves instead of spinning gracefully like Somer’s. “There is absolutely no way you do this without magic.” Somerset laughed, a rhythmic, infectious sound. Melody looked up and couldn't bite back the grin that spread over her lips. “No really! There is no way you do this all by hoof. I’ve been at this every morning for a week and all I've made is a mess.” Somer shrugged and gestured to the small collection of bowls next to her. “And yet I have done all these with you sitting right across from me.” Melody shook her head. “Nope. Definitely some crazy kirin magic. I have no idea what that curved horn of yours can do!” Raising an eyebrow, Somer just shook her head and floated over a small, misshapen bowl. “Here. Maybe glazing will be more your speed.” Melody took the bowl in her own magic, glowing gold this time. “You kept it?” “Your first piece is special. I fired it the other day.” Somer passed her a paintbrush and pointed to a shelf full of paint pots. “Just paint it however you like. I’ve got another load going in the kiln tonight.” Melody took the paintbrush from her and caught the small smile that played at the edges of the potter’s lips. She sat down with the glazes as Somer went back to the throwing wheel. There was a slab of white clay covered in little circles of color, with names underneath each one. Seeing a beautiful light blue called “Spring’s Folly”, she grabbed the labeled jar. She unscrewed the top and squinted. “Hey, none of these look right?” Somer’s soft voice floated in from across the room. “They look different after I fire them. That sample plate shows what they’ll look like when it’s done.” “Oh.” Melody eyed the thick paint dubiously but shrugged and dipped in her paint brush. She held the paintbrush in her sparkling magic as it changed colors to match the shade she currently had on her brush. Melody smiled and closed her eyes. Whenever her magic changed colors, she could feel the lightest surge of power through her body. It felt like electricity rushing through her nerves. Even after years studying with Twilight, she still loved that little rush every time her magic shifted. She swept long, curving strokes of color over the bowl, using the uneven shape to create rolling swirls of color that intertwined and ran smoothly alongside one another. Melody smiled as she worked, humming a soft tune and tapping her hoof. She began to nod her head, closing her eyes and humming heartily. Her voice started out quiet but quickly rose in volume as she pulled air deep into her lungs. “For I had believed what I was sold I did all the things that I was told But all that has changed, and now I'm bold 'Cause I know That I am just a pony I make mistakes from time to time But now I know the real me And put my heart out on the line!” Melody swished her tail and felt her magic switch again. She grinned as sparkling music notes began to drift up from her horn, swirling around her in a dazzling display of color. She spun in a circle and bounced her back legs to the beat. “And let the magic in my heart stay true Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa And let the magic in my heart stay true Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa Just like the magic inside of you And now I see those colors Right before my eyes I hear my voice so clearly And I know that it is right!” The translucent music notes swirled through the air, playing the background piano and orchestra music to the song, perfectly accompanying Melody’s voice. She put down the paintbrush, bracing her front hooves on the table. She hung her head, eyes closed tightly. She knew this song by heart and the next verse made memories play rapid fire through her head. All the times she had been bullied for her magic, or for her two moms, or all the comments about her “unnatural” origin. “They thought I was weak, but I am strong They sold me the world, but they were wrong And now that I'm back, I still belong” Melody lit up her horn, tendrils of sparkling color wrapping around the little cottage. She opened her eyes and tilted her head down, letting the magic fall over the wet glaze she had applied to the bowl. Her voice never faltered for a second. “Cause I know That I am just a pony I make mistakes from time to time But now I know the real me And put my heart out on the line And let the magic in my heart stay true Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa And let the magic in my heart stay true Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa Just like the magic inside of you Just like the magic inside of you…” As the last word faded away, the unicorn let the magic fade too. The music notes disappeared in showers of dissolving sparkles and the light sparked out of her horn. Melody closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the music fill her soul and lift some of the tension from her shoulders. “Wow.” Her eyes flying open, Melody whipped around to see Somerset staring at her, wide eyed and slack jawed. “Oh! Sorry! Gosh I forgot you were there. I’m so sorry sometimes I just…” She gestured helplessly to the air above her. “Get lost in it I guess.” She flushed a furious pink and ducked her head, avoiding eye contact with her new friend. But Somer just walked over and picked up the bowl. She held it in her aqua blue magic and turned it over carefully. The outside was painted in brilliant swirls of light blue, pale purple, and dark teal. There was the perfect black outline of a curled fire design painted at the center of the bowl, with tendrils of vines looping throughout the rest of the inside and up to the rim. Bits of sparkle were embedded in the paint, giving the pale, flat colors a shifting dimensionality that she had never seen before. Somer looked back at Melody, whose eyes were still downcast as she kicked awkwardly at the floor. “You have an incredible voice.” Melody finally looked up, her cheeks still burning. “Oh, uh, thanks. Guess I didn't get my cutiemark for nothing.” She chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her head with her hoof. Somer looked at her for a long while. “I guess not.” She held up the bowl, showing off the intricate black designs. “And this is gorgeous.” Melody blushed even harder. “I..uh...your tattoos are so cool. I thought they would be fun to paint.” Somer nodded and held up the bowl to show the sparkling pale outer colors. “And this?” Melody seriously looked like she was going to permanently change color. “The colors of your mane.” Now it was Somer’s turn to blush. Her cheeks flared red as she bit her lip and smiled slightly. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.” Melody finally relaxed a bit, a shy smile on her lips. “You’re welcome.” Somer cleared her throat and turned away from the blushing mare. “Let’s see how it looks after it’s fired.” Melody let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding as Somer reached down into the kiln to rearrange the pieces. She began to wash off all her brushes and reorganize the paint jars. “So, um, what was that song?” Somer’s voice cut through the silence as Melody tensed and fumbled with the paint containers. They clinked against one another and wobbled threateningly at the edge of the shelf. Melody surged forward and caught the jars in her magic, settling them back farther on the shelf “Oh! Shit. It’s called The Magic Inside. It’s an old favorite of my mom’s. By a friend of Applejack’s.” Somer lifted her head out of the kiln and smiled at Melody, making her heart flutter lightly in her chest. “You sang it beautifully.” Melody smiled. “Thank you.” Somer nodded, a note of finality to the conversation. She waved towards the kiln. “Well depending on how that comes, you may not have to bother with throwing again.” Melody’s eyes lit up and her horn sparked pink. “Really?!” The kirin laughed. “Yeah. That painting was exquisite. I’ll throw the pieces and you can glaze them.” “Perfect!” Melody lifted up the last of the paint jars in her pink magic and turned grinning back to Somer. The kirin was eyeing her horn. “What color is your magic?” Melody glanced up at her horn. “Oh. Well my magic changes color actually.” Somer raised an eyebrow. “Why?” The unicorn smiled lightly. “I have two moms and when they wanted to have me, Princess Twilight and her student Starlight Glimmer made them a spell, using magic and pieces of their hair to make me.” Blinking, Somer looked her up and down and squinted. “Oh. Are you Seeking Sparks and Running River’s daughter?” “Yeah! You remember them?” Somer laughed and reached under a cabinet to pull out a photo album. “Yeah! They were my counselors at Camp Friendship when I was a filly. I only went until I was about 6 but I remember the summer that they brought you with them. You were so little!” Melody felt herself blush for the hundredth time that afternoon as Somer flipped through pages and pulled out a picture from her last summer as a camper. She was in the front, large ears all sticking out and her wild mane not yet grown around her neck. She was laughing, eyes bright and sparkling a golden tangerine in the summer sun. She was surrounded by a group of campers, and behind them were Sparks and River. Sitting squarely on Sparks’ back was a tiny little Melody, wide smile and still in diapers. “Oh my Celestia….” Melody groaned good naturedly and hid her face. “I cannot believe you have that!” Somer grinned. “I was only six that summer, so I’m not much older than you. But I do remember how excited River and Sparks were to have you join in with the older foals at camp activities.” Melody just flushed harder and reached over to close the book. “Okay okay no more nostalgia for today.” They put the book away and Melody hesitated in the doorway. Somer tilted her head and looked at her curiously. “They uh - they remember you. My mom knew right away when I described you to her after the day in the market.” Somer smiled. “Which mom?” “Sparks.” “Yeah I really liked her as a filly. I always wanted to hear the story about how she and River started dating. But she always refused to tell us that one.” Melody smiled. “I know that story. Maybe I can tell you someday.” Somer threw her head back and laughed hard. “I’d love that!” Laughing along with her, Melody felt a warmth spread through her chest, but there was an anxious undercut. “You, uh, never cared that they were two mares?” She picked at a spot on her hoof, avoiding eye contact. Somer snorted. “Did I care that they were gay? Tartarus no. I knew I liked mares even back then. I never went back to camp really but I would visit on weekends and would see River when I helped out Fluttershy at the animal sanctuary. Even growing up I would see them walking around town together, unashamed of who they were. I really admired and looked up to them for that.”’ “Oh that’s awesome! I like mares too! No one else in school was ever like me!!” Melody grinned at the kirin, ecstatic to find another queer mare around her age. She had known some of the students from Twilight’s school to be interested in creatures of the same sex, but she had attended the ponyville school. And there she had been the only one all the way until she graduated. “That’s awful. I went to Twilight’s school cause that’s where my parents met. Though Starlight Glimmer was in charge by the time I went there. I knew a couple other queer creatures growing up.” Melody waggled her eyebrows and smirked. “Did you get to date any?” Somer went an adorable shade of dark pink. “I...went on a few dates. Nothing really since I left school.” Melody Gold grinned. “Good to know.” She winked at the kirin then straightened up in a fake salute. “See you in the morning, ma’am.” She winked again. Somerset blinked and stammered. “O-oh y-yes see you tomorrow.” Melody chuckled and closed the door behind her, heading towards Twilight’s castle. She had promised the princess they would work on magic today. Afterall, she had spent two weeks doing nothing but spending her days at the little art cottage at the edge of town. And they still had not figured out the spell that had given her natural pegasus-like wings.
An Unwelcome Offer“I know, I know! I’m sorry!” Twilight huffed out a breath and glared at her. She was holding about a dozen scrolls up in her magic and Spike was stacking more on a pile next to her. “I am the ruler of all of Equestria, and I come back here to Ponyville to help you with your studies! And you blew me off for TWO WEEKS!!!” Melody winced. “Yeah. I’m sorry. That was awful of me.” Twilight sighed and shook her head, all the scrolls disappearing in puffs of magenta sparkles. “Melody, I have been tracking your magic since before you were born. You have been studying with me since you could talk. You gave yourself wings last week and you hardly seem to care!” Spike burped out another scroll and handed it silently to twilight. She opened it, her eyes scanning the first few lines. She sighed again, a heavy weight settling on her shoulders. “I have to go. And I can’t come back to Ponyville for a few days.” Her eyes swept over to Melody, who was hanging her head. “The wings went away within 24 hours, correct?” Melody nodded silently. Twilight hummed. “No spell I know of can create actual pegasus wings. So my research leads me to believe the spell you cast requires so much intricate magic that it simply cannot last any longer than that. So I want you to try and recast that spell. If you can recreate it, then hopefully we can study it, learn what it entails, and be able to have other unicorns cast it.” Melody looked up and quirked an eyebrow. “Are you telling me to get drunk?” Twilight rolled her eyes and stood up. “I do not condone research under the influence, but if you have to recreate the situations of the original casting, then so be it.” “Is that academic speak for just don’t tell you about it?” Melody grinned. Twilight begrudgingly smiled at her. “I will send you a scroll when I am free to meet with you again.” She and Spike disappeared in a flash of magenta magic, and Melody was left blinking lights out of her eyes. She stood and walked resolutely out of the castle, closing the large crystal doors behind her. Melody glanced back towards the Everfree forest and the cottage she knew stood at the edge. But she glanced up at the setting sun and sighed. Twilight must have started the sunset as soon as she got back to Canterlot. She would see Somer at dawn anyway. Melody stopped by the market to pick up a new jug of cider, then walked home. “Hey mom.” Running River was the one at the stove this time, though she seemed to be having a pep talk with an army of onions. Melody raised an eyebrow instinctively, but knew better than to question her mother’s cooking habits. “Listen up! I grew you! It is utterly unacceptable to make me cry! I am your mother!!!” Melody grinned as River turned towards her, huffing out an angry breath. Her eyes were red and watery. Her daughter ignited her horn, magic glowing her typical gold, and the tears vanished from her face. “There. Protection should last about an hour.” River kissed her on the cheek. “I do love being an earth pony, but there is something to be said for magically fixing my disagreement with the onions.” She slid an envelope across the table. “Before I forget, the Canterlot Orchestra sent you another letter.” Melody rolled her eyes. “For Celestia’s sake, I sent them the song only last week! How could they already need a new one??” She tore open the envelope and read the first few lines. “Oh. They want me to headline their summer concerts.” River tossed her chopped onions into the pan, the sizzle filling the silence as Melody stared at the paper. River glanced over her shoulder, but let the quiet stretch. Melody closed her eyes and put down the letter, grimacing and setting her head in her hooves. “What would that entail?” River continued to saute the onions, facing away from her daughter. Melody silently thanked that it was River who was home and not Sparks. “They offered me a full time position as their soloist. Living in canterlot. Traveling with the orchestra and the choir.” “That makes sense. They did try to hire you as a choir member when you applied to be a songwriter for them.” Melody groaned and dropped her head to the table, a few black sparks sputtering out of her horn. “They said we could sing or play our written song for the audition! I didn’t want to bring my guitar all the way to Canterlot.” She winced at the memory. River hummed nonchalantly. “You used to love singing at camp for every talent show, campfire, or spare five minutes.” “It’s different! I know everypony here. Canterlot is so…” She waved a hoof, voice floundering. “Big.” She finished lamely. Chuckling, River threw some tomatoes and carrots into the pan. “Sweetheart your voice is the same no matter where the stage is.” The door swung open harshly and both mares turned towards the interruption. Sparks was standing in the door, blinking at them. “You two okay?” Melody groaned and turned her head back to the table. River served up three plates of vegetable stir fry, a slight smile on her lips. “The Canterlot Orchestra offered her a job as their soloist.” Sparks grinned and kissed them both on the cheek as she sat down at the table. “Aw sweetheart that is incredible!!! When do they want you to start??” River placed a hoof on her shoulder and whispered something in her ear. Sparks frowned and looked at her disheveled daughter. Her tone softened. “Honey, what’s going through your head?” The unicorn sat up and started poking at her plate with her fork. “I just wanted to be a songwriter.” Sparks opened her mouth but stopped when her wife placed a hoof quietly on hers. “Maybe you could go and test it out. Perform for a small event and see how you like it.” Melody looked at her mom, a soft smile and a concerned look on her face. Her eyes flicked over to Sparks, who had a glint in her eye. “What if you did an event here in Ponyville and sold Somerset’s pottery? Help repay what you broke in her shop.” Sparks had the ghost of a smirk but she quickly tried to hide it. Melody furrowed her brow, confused but interested. Her mom’s smirk wasn’t usually a sign of danger. “That’s not a bad idea. Maybe Fluttershy and I could do a pet adoption drive with some of the recovered animals from the sanctuary.” River smiled at the two of them. Melody bit her lip. “I’ll run it by Somer tomorrow morning." She watched as Sparks’ eyes flicked to look sideways at her wife. River didn’t meet her gaze, but a small smile spread across her lips as she continued to eat. Melody narrowed her eyes. “What are you two doing?” Seeking Sparks looked up, not missing a single beat. “Waiting for you to get to bed so we can have the couch to ourselves.” “Ew! Mom! Gross!” Melody shook her head, disgusted. “Oh my Celestia. For fuck’s sake, go! I’ll clean up dinner.” Sparks winked at her and snuck a hoof around River’s shoulders. “Much appreciated, spawn.” Melody rolled her eyes and groaned as her moms walked out of the kitchen. River paused at the door and looked back at her lovingly. “You don’t get a cutie mark for nothing you know. The Orchestra has been after you for years. Maybe it’s time to get on a bigger stage.” She caught the slump of her daughter’s shoulders. “But your mom and I will support you no matter what.” Melody looked back at her, smiling sadly. “Thanks mom.” River blew her a kiss and disappeared up the steps. The unicorn held the dishes in her black magic as she heard her mom laugh and the sound of someone falling into bed. She pulled a face and put on a record as she cleaned the kitchen. She looked out the window in front of the sink and watched as the stars twinkled in the dark sky. A breeze blew a few stray leaves around the town. Cloudsdale would be there soon to bring winter, and with it would come their rare visits from her grandparents. After the dishes were done and the countertops cleaned, Melody took the envelope up to her room and tucked it in the folder with her other employment information. It sat neatly in the drawers under her desk. The top of the desk was not so neat. Scattered sheets of music lay haphazardly across the surface, some smudged and wrinkled, others carelessly folded and creased. There were dozens of partial songs there, some lyrical for the choir, others instrumental for the orchestra and the band. There was one neat folder of stapled, official versions of the completed songs she sent to Canterlot. Melody looked ruefully at her cutie mark. A black songbird under 6 music notes in the colors of the rainbow. She had gotten it after one of her talent show performances at Camp Friendship. The first time she’d performed her own original song. She had performed at camp her entire life; it had just been a part of growing up the daughter of the camp directors. Melody sighed and closed the drawer, turning away from the job offer. Camp performances were one thing. But to stand up in front of hundreds, maybe thousands of ponies, and sing her songs? That was terrifying. Sighing, she fell heavily into bed and nuzzled herself deep into her pillow. “Fuck!” Melody groaned. She hadn’t tried to replicate the spell for Twilight. She would have to ask Somer if she could skip pottery work this weekend. There was no way she could get herself drunk and still be at the cottage at dawn. As the night stretched, the soft light of the moon washed over the room and Melody found her eyes closing heavily. She burrowed deeper into her pillow and blankets and tried to block out the thoughts of job offers and magic lessons. She smiled softly into the pillow; she would see Somer in the morning, and that was good enough. Once the house was quiet, Sparks and River carefully walked down the hall outside their daughter’s room and looked in quietly. “Do you think she bought it?” River rolled her eyes. “You’re not subtle.” “I had to say something fast!” “So you chose to say we wanted to have sex??” Sparks smirked. “Well she stopped asking about it didn’t she?” River rolled her eyes again. She did that a lot around her wife. “I don’t even think she knows that she likes Somer.” “She takes after you.” River shooed Sparks away from the room and closed the door. “Rude!” “You didn’t know we were on a date until I kissed you!!” “Irrelevant.” Sparks grinned as she turned back towards their room. “I think she will figure it out. Eventually she has to realize that there’s a reason she’s been talking our ears off about this mare for the last week.” The two mares walked softly back to their bed, shoulder to shoulder down the narrow hallway. Seeking Sparks worked a small brush through her wife’s long mane as River delicately undid the forest green braid in hers. They leaned in, their noses touching and small smiles spreading across both of their faces. It was a familiar routine by now, but not one that had lost its magic. As they climbed under the covers and settled in for the night, Sparks looked out the window at the clear night. “Dawn will be here soon.” She paused for a moment, considering. “You know, I don’t think Melody has even been this willing to get up early in her entire life.” “If only we’d known all those summers at camp that it just took a pretty mare to get her out of bed in the morning.” River mumbled from her pillow. “Apparently more effective than my buckets of cold water.” Sparks chuckled to herself and turned away from the window, finally laying down for the night. “Goodnight my love.” “Goodnight darling.” River and Sparks drifted off to sleep in the quiet night air, the last chills of fall breezing softly through their room. It would be winter soon, bringing cold weather fun at camp. They hosted weekend events after the lake froze over and the hills were covered in snow. Then the months would tick by and it would be summer again before they knew it. River’s last thought as she drifted to sleep was how strange it would be to have their daughter in Canterlot instead of at camp that summer. When they woke in the morning, Melody was gone and so were most of her music sheets.
Accidental AlicornMelody Gold was standing in the castle library, watching as Twilight Sparkle gaped at her. She winced and huffed out a sigh. “Look. I don't know, okay? I really don’t.” “WHAT?? YOU- I- WHAT????????” Twilight stared at her, open mouthed and nearly hyperventilating. Melody flared out the coral wings at her side. “I don’t know! I woke up with them!!” Twilight shook her head and rubbed one side of her temples. “Oh my gosh okay what- i- how? No, when? Okay okay wait…” She grabbed a scroll and a quill and rubbed a hoof over her eyes. “Okay okay. Did you cast any spells last night?” Melody winced again. “Um. I….don’t know. I had...a lot of cider last night.” Twilight’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “You were DRUNK and then you woke up as an ALICORN?????” Melody cocked her head. “To be fair, I don’t think you can technically call me an alicorn. These wings aren’t...natural. So it shouldn't count right?” “Uuuuuugh! Not the point. Okay while you were….drunk….did you cast any spells??” “I don’t think so. I was talking with my mom about what it’s like to fly? Last night was the anniversary of her injury. She and River always used to make a big night of it. Since I can drink this year, they let me join in.” Twilight was furiously taking notes. “So maybe you cast a spell in your sleep? By Celestia how is it that you’ve been studying with me your whole life and this has only come up now?!?!” “Um...maybe because I’ve never been drunk before?” Twilight eyed her over the top of her scroll. “Yeah I suppose that might do it.” She paused then tucked away the scroll. “Have you tried to fly?” “No.” Melody opened the wings, flapping them slowly. “I wasn’t entirely sure they would work.” “Okay well let’s get some measurements and te-” Before Twilight could finish speaking, Melody’s horn ignited a bright aquamarine, surrounding her wings in the same color. The two mares looked at each other in alarm. They both knew what that color meant: danger. Melody Gold had been conceived using a special spell that Twilight and Starlight had invented. Even before she was born her magic was next level strong. She had been able to levitate her mother even from in her belly. And since graduating school, Melody had taken to furthering her studies at Twilight’s castle. Her magic had never been one prescribed color. Not only did it change to reflect her moods, but it would also sometimes change depending on the type of spell being cast. Aquamarine had only ever shown up right before something went terribly and horribly wrong. Melody and Twilight had dubbed it the ‘Chaos Color’. Melody’s new wings began to buzz, moving so fast they were just a coral pink blur. Her hooves began to lift from the floor as she tried desperately to grab hold of the table. “Twilight!!!!” The princess rushed forward and tried to grab her student in her own magic, but she couldn’t get a grip. Melody floated for half a moment before she suddenly shot upwards. “AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!” The pink mare screamed as she hurtled uncontrollably towards the castle’s tall crystal ceiling. Twilight yelped and ignited her horn, concentrating with all her might. Just before hitting the ceiling, Melody disappeared in a poof of magenta sparkles. oOo Melody reappeared above Ponyville, eyes wide and hooves tucked nervously against her body. She risked a quick look down, the ground far below her. With a start, she felt her horn fizzle out, the last aquamarine sparkles falling past her eyes. “Uh oh.” And she plummeted down towards the town. “AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Somerset was showing a townspony her pottery when her large ears flicked back, catching the sound of a scream from somewhere above her. She raised an eyebrow and gestured to the mare to follow her. They walked out of the market stall and looked up. A coral pink pegasus was falling out of the sky, flailing helplessly. “Why doesn’t she just fly?” The mare asked. Somer didn't have a chance to answer as she suddenly noticed where the falling pony was going to land. “No! My shop!!” She ignited her horn, trying to catch the mare, but her magic simply bounced harmlessly off her. The pegasus crashed spectacularly right through the roof of Somer’s stall. There was a beat of silence before the mare popped up out of the wreckage, laughing. She worked herself free of the debris and bounced up, grinning. She turned towards Somer and drew up short as she found herself face to face with the half kirin. “You ruined my store.” Somer deadpanned. “Oohhhhh was that yours? Sorry about that.” Melody grimaced and turned back towards the broken planks of wood and shards of pottery. But her smile quickly returned and she whipped her head back around to Somer. “But I can fix it!” She ignited her horn, but Somer simply licked her hoof and pressed it to her horn. Melody blinked and looked back at her, something tightening in her stomach. No one had ever had the gall to extinguish her horn before. She flicked her eyes up to watch the magic fizzle out of her horn. “No. All of that pottery was hoof made. I will not have the quality and integrity of my shop...diminished by some alicorn magic spell.” She quirked an eyebrow at Melody’s wings. “Pottery made with magic doesn’t have the same structural integrity.” “Oh well I’m not actually an alicorn. See I actually woke up wi-” “You will come to my house tomorrow and you will work with me until you have replaced all the pottery you broke.” Somer cut her off, her voice still level, showing no trace of emotion. Melody gulped and nodded. “Yeah yeah yeah totally sure I can do that.” Somer rolled her eyes and turned back towards her ruined shop. “Great. Dawn. You can find my cottage at the edge of the Everfree Forest.” She kicked a board out of her way and sighed, the first indication of disappointment. Melody tilted her head and stepped towards the light tan pony. “Hey, I’m really sorry.” Somer hung her head slightly and angled her muzzle over her shoulder. “Just….dawn. I’ll see you then.” She ignited her horn and disappeared. Melody Gold blinked the lights out of her eyes and drooped her ears. “But...I didn’t even get your name.” Melody sighed and picked her way back to the castle, keeping her wings clamped steadfastly against her sides. “I’m living everypony’s dream,” she mused. “An alicorn. And yet all I want is for them to be gone” The pink mare shook her head and walked sheepishly into the castle. Twilight was standing there, pouring over a scroll. At the sound of hoofbeats, she whipped her head around to Melody. “Oh my Celestia!!! I tried to find you but had no idea when I teleported you to!!” Melody bit her lip and shrugged. “I crash landed in the market. I’m fine.” Twilight blinked a few times then shook her head. “Okay well I think I may have figured out a spell to get rid of the wings but it’s risky…” She looked sideways at Melody. “Uh… how attached are you to your tail?” “What?! No!” Melody groaned and dragged a hoof over her tired face. “Look, I’m just going to get some sleep okay? We can keep looking tomorrow.” Twilight nodded absently as she turned back towards the table and her giant mountain of scrolls. Melody let loose a long breath and started on her long walk home. oOo “Hey mom, I’m home.” Melody collapsed onto the couch, then leapt up with a shriek. “You okay?” Sparks stood in the doorway to the kitchen, a tray of cookies balanced on her back. “Yeah I just…” Melody ran a hoof over the new appendages on her back and winced. “Ah. Laid down the wrong way?” Sparks grinned and offered the cookies out to her daughter. “Yeah. Not used to the wings I guess.” “Doesn’t surprise me. You’ve only had them for a day.” Melody groaned and laid back down more gingerly, tucking the coral pink feathers tight against her sides. “Twilight had me try flying. It...uh...didn’t go well.” Sparks had wandered back into the kitchen and was standing at the sink, washing her cookie dough-covered bowls. “Is that so?” Melody crossed her front legs over her eyes. “I went crashing into this pottery stall in the market. Broke everything in there. The mare says I have to work for her until I replace it all.” “Oh? Who was it?” “She didn’t give me her name. Super strange looking though. She had this gorgeous blue and purple mane that went all the way around her head. And a curved, dark red horn.” The sound of the water stopped and Spark’s steps clicked on the kitchen floor. She stood at the end of the couch, smiling down at her daughter. “Did she have a cutiemark?” Melody scrunched up her face. “Now that you mention it, I don’t think so. Why?” Sparks’ smile widened. “Ah you met Somerset! She’s a few years older than you. One of our campers for a couple summers. She stopped coming not long after you were born.” “Why does she look like that?” “She’s half kirin. They’re a species from the Peaks of Peril. You could ask Twilight, or Fluttershy or Applejack more about them. I don’t know much else.” Melody wrinkled her nose. “Maybe tomorrow after I apparently learn how to make pottery at the nice convenient time of dawn.” Sparks laughed and held out a plate with a daisy and daffodil sandwich. “Well let’s get some dinner in you so you can get some sleep then.” The two sat in comfortable silence while they ate. Melody caught Sparks eyeing her wings every few minutes, always flicking her gaze away as soon as her daughter noticed. “Do you miss flying?” Seeking Sparks closed her eyes and sighed. It had been years since her accident. The night before had marked the anniversary in fact. “Sometimes. But if I hadn’t lost my flight then I would have never gone to camp, or met your mother, or had you. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.” Melody knew there was a certain conflict under her mom’s words that she would never understand. But she never doubted for a second that her moms loved her. Heck, they went so far as to have Twilight create an entirely new spell for them just so they could have her. Melody smiled ironically. That spell was the whole reason they were in this mess. “Well if I can ever figure out how to actually do this…” she ruffled her wings, “spell, then I’ll see if we can get you your flight back.” Sparks stiffened ever so slightly, but her daughter still noticed. “That’d….be great honey.” Melody wasn’t sure what that meant, but a deep yawn interrupted her chance to ask. Sparks took the opportunity to grab their plates and hasten to the kitchen. She busied herself with the dishes again and kept her gaze down on the sink. “Well goodnight then sweetheart. Your mom will be home late so don’t wait up.” Melody stared after her, confused, but too tired to argue. She wished her mom a good night and went up to her room, nearly collapsing into bed. When she woke up in the morning, the wings were gone.
