Author's Note

Chapter title came from Parkway Drive's song It's so Hard to Speak Without a Tongue. The story came from a 2016 movie called Boys in the Trees. It's basically like that with a heavy emphasis on depression and metal. The usual stuff.

To Speak in Tongues

October 26th, 2009. Rainbow trudged through the suburban neighborhood she'd lived in since birth. A light breeze echoed, rustling branches across the landscape. Dusk was starting to set in. The sky was mostly clear, clouds sparsely scattered between. She checked the watch under the sleeve of her jacket. The time read 5:30.

"Whole day went by so fast..."

The Pegasus strolled toward the park on the east side of town. She'd probably spend the rest of the day there until it got dark. She wasn't as active as she used to be, but she tried to maintain a relatively healthy routine. Working from home left few opportunities to get out during the day.

From a bench, Rainbow watched as the last families perused the area. Aside from the night shift, most were usually home after seven. It was a small town where everyone knew each other, though her years as a star athlete were little more than memories now. She was just normal, like everyone else, and that was okay.

"Rainbow? Rainbow Dash?"

The mare's ears perked up. The voice that spoke her name was unfamiliar. She couldn't recall the pitch from any point during her life. Looking aside, she was greeted by a stallion with green fur and glasses. His curly locks were a dark shade of brown. They were long enough to cover one eye, and partially cover the other.

"Sorry, uh...Do I know you...?"

"I doubt it. We never got the chance to talk at school. It's Noah - Noah Parker."

The name combined with his voice brought back memories of their yearbook. She recalled his picture from the class of 2002.

"I remember now! You were that nerdy kid! You graduated the same year as us, right!?"

"I used to watch during some of your games. Mind if I sit down?"

"Not at all. Could use the company, anyway."

Noah took the mare up on her offer. His presence brought back images of their glory days. It all seemed so long ago...

"Brings back memories doesn't it? I remember all the spots we used to hit up in town. Back then, I used to think things would never change. When they finally did...I realized how much I'd miss it..."

"Now you know why I never left."

"Are the others still here?"

"Naw. We all scattered after school ended. We don't really keep in touch much anymore. I still hear from Twilight on occasion - usually around this time of year. She got her PhD in Math this last summer."

"And the others?"

"Fluttershy's a vet now. Rarity's overseas last I knew. We all pretty much chose professions we were skilled at - everyone but me, that is."

"I thought it was weird I didn't see your name in the papers. What happened?"

"Lost interest. Went to a local community college on a scholarship. Partway through, my passion for sports just kind of...Went poof. I dated an aspiring Wonderbolt for a while, but we broke it off when things started to change. We split up on amicable terms, so I wasn't too upset about it."

"Man...I'm sorry. I know it's tough when you fall out of love with things and people that you used to."

"It's okay. I'm content with how things turned out. I moved on to working in the tech world and wrote a few books on the side."

"I know. I saw some of your comics where I live. I'm actually visiting for the holidays myself."

"How 'bout you? What are you up to these days?"

"Studied business in the metropolitan area for a while. Started a rock band with a few buddies from work there. Guess we play kind of a melo-death style from back in the day."

"Same here, except it's just me."

"You're recording by yourself? Impressive."

"I never released any of my stuff. Wanted it to be more personal, ya know?"

"Yeah. You seem a lot more mellow than the last time I saw you."

"I've been on my own the last couple years. Tried to move out as soon as I could so mom and dad could have their privacy."

"I know what you mean. Gotta be kind to the folks while they're still here."

"It's getting late. We should probably head back soon. Streets are dangerous at night."

"Yeah."

Noah got up, reaching into his pocket for a card with his number.

"I'll be in town until February. Maybe we could pick up coffee soon?"

Rainbow smiled. She accepted with a graceful composure unexpected by those she knew.

"Yeah. Just let me know when you're free."

Back home, Rainbow prepared dinner for the evening. While waiting, she looked over the card again. She'd always secretly had a thing for nerdy types, but was too embarrassed to admit it. In less than a decade, the world had changed so much. She knew in the future, face-to-face interaction would dwindle substantially. This small token of affection would be her ticket to something meaningful. He seemed like a nice enough guy.

After dinner, Rainbow headed back to her room. She lived far away from any of her neighbors, so she could jam and record without complaint. She looked over her album collection. There were styles in every genre ranging from metalcore to black metal. In her younger years, she'd been obsessed with horror movies and the gothic vampire aesthetic. As she grew older, they fell by the wayside for something more true - more honest. She pulled a CD off the shelf, popping it into her computer's disc drive. At the time, Windows 7 was basically new. Rainbow let herself become lost in the melodies. Crawling toward her bed, she closed her eyes, and the world fell into darkness...

For the next couple days, Rainbow shopped around town, gathering what last-minute items she needed for Halloween. The children in town viewed her as the cool aunt who gave out the best treats. She always had a few candy bars on hoof when they traveled her way. Out of all the holidays, it was her personal favorite. On the morning of the 29th, she called Noah to schedule lunch. They met up at a local book store for coffee and confections. It reminded Rainbow of Pinkie's baking business. Out of all her former friends, they'd been the closest.

"This is a nice place. Wasn't here when I left, so I guess it's relatively new."

"Opened a few years ago around '06. It was fairly popular with emo kids for a while. That only lasted for the first year, though."

"Speaking of which, I noticed you grew your mane out a bit. Looked like you were going for a mix of metal and emo styles. Looks good."

"I'm a lot more of an open book than I used to be - no pun intended."

"I didn't say anything the other day because I didn't want to invade your personal space, but you seemed sad when we were talking. I had a few guesses why, but nothing concrete. Is everything okay?"

"It's just the post-teenage blues. Growing up sucks. I doubt anyone would dispute that."

"I know it's hard to open up when you're feeling down, especially with the medical system being the way it is, but if you ever feel like talking, you can always hit me up. I'm here if you need someone to talk to."

"I appreciate it, but I'm okay. I felt better just talking with you for a bit. Communication with another living entity took some of the weight off my shoulders."

"I'm glad. I know social interaction's hard to come by these days."

"We're heading into a tech-oriented future. I'm savoring what's left while I can."

"Best you can do, right?"

"Right."

"I'm off for a few days if you wanna hang out. I know there's not much to do, but..."

"Why don't you come back to my place? I know your family's probably smothering you while they can. It's a lot more relaxed where I am."

"I mean...If you're comfortable with it. I wouldn't wanna impose."

"It's no problem. Really. I insist."

"All right."

The pair finished their food, heading back to the Pegasus's abode. The walk was longer than Noah expected. He was surprised anyone lived so far out.

"This is the place."

"No wonder you've calmed down. It's peaceful here."

"It's far enough away from town to avoid disturbing the neighbors. It gets pretty loud during recording sessions."

"I can imagine."

Rainbow unlocked the door, showing her companion the structure within. The light was fairly dim, with only one window by the kitchen.

"It's pretty small, all things considered, but feel free to make yourself at home."

"It's a nice place. I can see why you'd stay here."

"Why don't you pick out a movie? I'll fix us some popcorn and soda."

"Sure. sounds good."

Rainbow pointed toward the drawer under the TV. Noah looked through her DVD collection while she prepared the snacks. Most of her catalog still consisted of horror, but it was more story-driven. The violence was kept to a minimum in favor of intriguing and creative narratives.

"I've got a few flavors. You want Coke, Pepsi, or Mountain Dew?"

"Coke sounds good."

Rainbow pulled everything together, tossing in a few packs of red vines for good measure. To Noah's surprise, she jumped over the couch, like a superhero swooping in to save the day. It was his first clue there was more to her than met the eye.

"Holy cow!"

"Surprised?"

"Well, yeah! I've never see anything like that before!"

"I kept up with my training after college. Thought I could help people if I stayed in shape. I've prevented my fair share of tragedies over the years."

"Whoa..."

Rainbow smiled again. She didn't like showing off as much these days, but for Noah, she made an exception.

"Well? You gonna start the movie?"

"Oh...Uh...Yeah..."

Noah turned back, his face still frozen in shock. For the next hour and a half, he couldn't get Rainbow out of his mind. Who was she? Where had she come from? Why did his heart skip a beat at a glimpse of her power...?

"Rainbow...Who are you...?"