The Minstrel's Coda

Chapters

Prologue Part 2: The Recurring Dream
Chapter 1: Music at Dawn
Chapter 2: The Mailmare
Chapter 3: The Book
Chapter 4: Breakfast
Chapter 5: The Bard's Response
Chapter 6: The Dream Changes
Bonus Chapter: Train to Ponyville
Chapter 7: Stroll with Twilight
Prologue Part 1: The Heart of Ymir

Prologue Part 2: The Recurring Dream

The Minstrel's Coda

Prologue Part 2: The Recurring Dream

A lowly female figure paces back on forth on the desolate surface of the moon, staring back at the world above.

"I can't believe I'm here." The female says aloud to herself. "I've lost everything I ever had... and its all because of that pretentious prick. I'm a queen damn it! YOU HEAR ME! I'M QUEEN XELLIE! I AM BETTER THAN THIS!" The female shouted toward the world.

Suddenly a white glow overtook the female. "Wait a second... whats going on! What the! Why am I glowing?!" Queen Xellie shouted at the top of her lungs. "What is this?!" Slowly the glow became brighter and brighter. "What the... wait... what's that noise?!" Slowly and eerily the chords of the Song of Ragnarok could be heard originating from the glow itself. "Is that the song of Ragnarok?!" The Queen shouted.

Slowly the queen began to change from her human form, her legs and arms becoming stiff, her hands and feet retreating into her legs. Her body compressing down. "Ugh! AHHHHHHH" The queen shouted at the top of her lungs in pain. The glow getting brighter and brighter, and the song of Ragnarok getting louder until it was deafening.

The metamorphosis abruptly coming to an end as quickly as it had started, the glow dissipated and the song stopped. "Ugh... where... what... What am I?!" The queen shouted as heavily as she looked down at herself. "Oh dear Odin... I'm one of those pathetic ponies." The metamorphosis had changed the queen from a human, to a earth pony, a mare with a dark grey coat, dark purple mane with lighter purple streaks, red eyes and finally with a dagger drenched in blood for a cutie mark.

"Well glad to see I'm naked now! My clothes are useless to me since they no longer fit!" The queen yelled as the queen wiggled out of her former garments. As she maneuvered her way through her clothes, peeling them off in the process, she heard a mute thud.

"What was that?" She asked herself as she began to dig through her garments, moving layers of clothing away from the pile she had created taking them off. As she dug through the layers and moving them in the process, until she hit something with her front left hoof. "Ow what the fuck was that! It was hard as a rock! Wait... a second..." She began to pause as she slowly removed her hoof from the hard object, only to reveal a small black stone that was had 20 equal sides with bizarre writing on it. "My... my copy... I thought I hadn't brought with me to Morroc days ago. I usually left that on my ceremonial robes... Well what good does it do me here, granted it gave me immense speed and strength on top of my already natural abilities during the Wars of Emperium." She stated aloud to herself. "I doubt that this copy of the Heart of Ymir can do anything for me here."

But as she completely brought her hoof back to normal standing position, the black stone began to glow in a black aura, pulsating and rapidly increasing its pulse until it could not be distinguished that it was even pulsing. "What's it doing... I've never seen it do this before!" The queen began to shout then screamed heavily as the black aura overtook her and disappeared.

I suddenly awoke in my bed in a cold sweat and I quickly turned to my left to see Twilight laying beside me asleep. I sighed heavily, "Not this dream again... why do I keep having this night after night... why..." I commented to myself, seeing Twilight turn herself over to face me and slowly opened her eyes.

"Are... you ok?" Twilight mentioned with a heavy yawn.

"Uh... yeah.. I'm fine..." I quickly covered.

"Well... come back to bed." Twilight mentioned and signaled with her hoof.

"Alright... ok, bed." I brought myself back down and laid my head on my pillow.

"Good night Kini. See you in the morning." Twilight yawned and closed her eyes.

"Good night Twilight..." I mentioned. "I wonder why I'm dreaming this night after night..." I muttered to myself and closed my eyes.

End of Prologue Part 2.

Chapter 1: Music at Dawn

The Minstrel's Coda

Chapter 1: Music at Dawn

It feels like just yesterday where I freed my new friend Meadow Song from Discord's control, but that was understandable as it only happened but a few weeks ago, but I couldn't get the thought out of my mind over the fact that he was the Missing Bard from Midgard who was thought dead for centuries, but instead he appeared here just as I did, under almost the exact same circumstances. Just in the course of a few days, my friends, the Elements of Harmony and myself, changed the history of Midgard, unfortunately the brilliant discovery of misinformation would never return to my home world, but our discovery laid secret with us, here in Equestria.

However with this discovery and what resulted from Meadow Song's freeing, raised many alarms of this villain by the name of "Discord", who I have never personally confronted, but have heard many stories of his wickedness. Apparently his ability to directly control another pony's mind raised many concerns, that perhaps his prison was not entirely secure and especially that he still was a possible threat to Equestria even in his so called 'stasis.' Even though these threats were very real, the princesses have dispatched a small team of royal guards, whom of which are the most talented in resisting magical influences upon themselves, to guard the statue and keep the other ponies away. So hopefully based on the stories I had heard of, he stays imprisoned, and that the precautions being taken was enough.

But these thoughts of what recently transpired weren't the only things I had on my mind lately. Everyone dreams, I was no exception to this rule and I used to dream regularly prior to my arrival in Equestria. But ever since I became a pony I found it extremely odd, that I normally didn't dream or if I did dream, I didn't remember them, until my first encounter with Meadow Song. My first dream I had was regarding Queen Xellie being on the moon and her having one of those despised copies of the Heart of Ymir, but my dreams quickly shifted. Especially as the thoughts of Meadow Song clouded my mind, almost becoming obsessed with his past and the connection to the Missing Bard. I would have never solved the mystery of the Missing Bard, had it not been of my dreams reminding me of key moments in my past, almost handing me the solution on a silver platter.

As the mystery came to a close and Meadow Song was set free to redeem himself. My dreams shifted back to my first dream I had ever had, but as the nights pressed on, the dream slowly began to change, adding more detail every night, and becoming more vivid until the same images persisted and it finally became stagnant. Every single night, this dream had persisted, and each night, I awoke from it in a cold sweat and worried, as if I had just had a nightmare.

Tonight was no exception of what had persisted for these past few weeks. No matter what I did, I could not clear my mind of this dream that had started plaguing me in my sleep. Meditation, not eating right before bed, relaxing my tensions, or even just taking sporadic naps versus full on sleep, all ineffective, the dreams would always return even if it was in pieces. If I could not remove the dream from my mind, at least be able to calm my mind directly after such a traumatic ordeal with the one thing that would always help sooth any soul, music.

So I found self laying in bed next to Twilight as she slept soundly, softly sawing some logs in her rest. I leaned over on the bed lightly and kissed her forehead.

"Sleep well my love." I muttered lightly only to see her slowly squirm lightly and show a small grin, which interrupted her light snoring for but a moment and it returned shortly after. "You're so adorable." I muttered again to smile to her subconscious reaction.

I slowly maneuvered myself out of bed trying to avoid any major movement to keep from waking my Twilight. Bringing the cover off myself as I reached the edge of the bed. I brought myself carefully so that I sat up on the bed, bringing my hind legs out so my hooves touched the ground. Finally I brought my torso forward, bringing my front legs forward as well, and I leaned in slowly bringing my last set of hooves on the ground until I was on all fours.

I noticed my electric guitar leaning up against the bookcase that adorned the picture of Twilight and myself at the Day of the Musician Festival. I trotted over lightly to the bookcase, reached for my guitar with a firm grasp of my hoof and with one swift motion, swung it over onto my back with the help of the strap that Vinyl had given me weeks prior. "Thanks Vinyl, if it wasn't for you, I would never be able to lug this thing around." I muttered lightly to myself. as I began to head over to the door that lead to the outdoor balcony.

"I owe really do owe a lot to many ponies who have helped me, in more ways that they ever will know. Perhaps its time... I know I shouldn't keep secrets any longer. Especially with those who did so much for me and also had a role in saving Equestria even if indirectly." I said lightly to myself as I reached the door and opened it. Pondering what I had just stated, I came to the realization that almost every pony I had come in contact with had almost pivotal role in the defense of Equestria. Even the one by the name of Lyra Heartstrings, if not for her, even though her role was simple, I would have never wanted to run away from her and then to have stumbled into Sweet Apple Acres to meet Applejack for the first time. "I'll talk to Twilight about meeting with Mayor Mare and making an announcement and make it official, I'm tired of hiding, and I think they should all know."

As I made my way outside, and closing the door behind me, I felt the cool morning breeze through my mane, it almost felt intoxicating. I slowly sat down on the balcony and with a simple motion I brought my guitar forward so that it rested in my lap. Bringing my front hooves forward, and placing them appropriately on my guitar, my right hoof on the base, and the left hoof on the neck, I paused to look at the morning sky, still dark out, but seeing the suns glow slowly radiating from the mountings to the west. Causing a mixture of dark, and red to form a subtle dawn, but the sun had not risen yet.

I took a deep breath as began to witness the beginning of the Equestrian Dawn. Such a sight was always beautiful regardless of what world I had seen it on, each new sun rise was special and unique and never the same, but today's dawn was special, it marked to the day, the seven months that had pasted since I had arrived in Equestria. I slowly began to strum my guitar, forming chords of such a relaxing melody similar to the Rift.

"To all my friends, old and new. I must say, I thank all of you. From my old world, those to I have lost, and to those I kept at a great cost. You will always have a place in my soul, for aiding me and teaching me with your roles. To all my new friends here, to those far away and those close and near. You taught me to open my heart, and take the chance with a new start. You taught me to trust and to love once again, and taught me to let go of the pain. You have all shown me that no matter what you've done and what you've suffered. That you will be there for me." I sang lightly, as I strummed my melody, with light tears rolling down my face.

I sat my guitar down on the ground, and I began crying immensely, closing my eyes, placing my front hooves toward my face as if to hid my face from the world. "I have so much to thank everyone for... and I wish I could give more. I'm just glad that what I've done here... I will always have my friends, and that I will never be forgotten in their eyes. Because I will never forget... them." I said to myself still crying, I slowly brought my hooves away from my face and I felt a small amount of radiant heat hitting my face. As I opened my eyes slowly to see the sun rising over the western mountains, the red and yellow hues slowly breaking the night sky. To come to the sudden realization, this had been my first Equestrian dawn I had ever seen since I had arrived.

"It's so beautiful... A new day..." I muttered to myself with a small smile on my face after witnessing the dawn, only to suddenly have a sense of exhaustion over take me and I yawned heavily... "So tired... maybe... I can try to go back to bed maybe I can..." I slowly stated with my eyes closing. "Maybe just a few minutes..."

I felt my mind slowly go blank for a few moments, but shortly the images of the recurring dream had popped into my head. Specifically the dropping of the copy of the Heart of Ymir. I quickly jerked up from my current state and became fully awake, opening my eyes to see that the sun had risen completely with the morning sky filled with the most luxurious shade of blue, and bring out the clouds in the sky that had been hidden in the night sky. I slowly took a deep breath as I took in this wonderful sight, trying to distract myself from the small dream I had just had, but it was in vain.

"Ugh... why won't this dream stop... Why am I dreaming again all of a sudden these past few weeks after having months of nothing... I know my earlier dreams helped me figure out about Meadow Song... but... what is this one about... maybe I'm just paranoid... but what if I'm not... what if my dream is trying to tell me something..." I muttered to myself as my obsession began to take over, just as it had with Meadow Song.

End of Chapter 1.

Chapter 2: The Mailmare

The Minstrel's Coda

Chapter 2: The Mailmare

As I stared up into the morning sky, seeing the beautiful shades of light blue and feeling the sun's radiant heat pierce through the cool morning breeze, I sighed heavily. Knowing that even though I felt the thoughts of this recurring dream and wondering what it meant, began to over take me. I would't let that spoil my moment of just witnessing my first Equestrian Dawn.

"Get a grip over yourself Kiniro. It's just a dream and you're probably just paranoid. Paranoia does some crazy things to you after all..." I said aloud trying to reason with myself. "Yes, that's what it is. It's just paranoia, what else could it be? It's just a silly dream. Besides... maybe if I say this enough, maybe I'll end up believing it so I don't get so obsessed with it." I stated as I came to my conclusion to help aid myself and began to close my eyes in an attempt to relax my mind.

Upon closing my eyes, I began to see images of Meadow Song, and the letters that we had been exchanging with one another these past few weeks since he began his journey of redemption. I remembering the idle conversations we had, about him inquiring on how Midgard had changed, and how I asked on how Midgard was previously, that were strewn through various letters on top of many other topics we had discussed. Many of the letters were of friends getting to know each others, helping him get acclimatized to being a pony in full control of himself, what were the events back on how I ended up learning the song of Ragnarok and how I ended up defeating Satan Morroc. But one letter stood out to me, his most recent that he had sent me. He had asked me out of curiosity of my story of being a bard, then minstrel in Midgard, what had lead me to be the person, or pony I am today. His reasoning being primarily because he felt I had him at a disadvantage considering I knew some of his history, as he was a bard from Midgardian history, but he knew little of me.

I had recently sent him a letter in response two days ago, giving him the story of me in great detail. Several times I had to stop writing the letter, due to all the trauma and bad memories that had transpired that brought me to tears. I know I had let go most of my past, but even letting go of my past was a traumatic event in its own, as it was all I knew until recently. But I had to constantly remind myself, that because all I had endured, made me stronger and made me appreciate all that I had now. I even confided in him, telling him my biggest fear from Midgard, was after all I had done for my land, and my country. My biggest fear was being alone, being forgotten for who I was due all the loss I had suffered during my life, that no matter what I did, it was all for nothing and for the longest time, I was living in that fear... Until I came here to Equestria.

I opened my eyes slowly to avoid from blinding myself from the morning sun. I began to scan the horizon, wondering if today would be the day I received another letter in response from my friend. I gave myself a few moments to ponder the thought as I scanned the morning sky, trying to interpret the clouds as if they were messages for me to read, but I knew I was letting my imagination get the better of me.

"No use in just waiting around, my mail will get here when it gets here..." I said to myself in a somewhat depressing tone. "I just hoped today I'd get a response... but the day isn't over..."

I slowly pushed down on my electric guitar for leverage as I attempted to bring myself up on all four hooves. Once gathered enough strength, I pushed down with all my might with my front hooves and quickly positioned my hind hooves firmly on the ground. With my hind l hooves down, I brought down my front left hoof, and used the right to swing the guitar on to my back with the aid of Vinyl's trusty strap.

"Still can't thank her enough for that, maybe I'll pay her a visit later." I said aloud as I turned around to face the door. "Guess I better get on inside." I muttered to myself still knowing that Twilight and Spike would still be fast asleep at least for another hour. So any attempt to do anything eventful this morning would have to wait. I slowly closed my eyes, held my head down low and began to slowly trot to the door awaiting my boring fate until one of them awoke. As my I made my short journey to the door, I heard the ruffling of what sounded like feathers in the wind, followed by hooves tapping upon wood.

"Hello, Equestrian Postal Service!" I heard a female voice call out to me.

I stopped my journey to the door, opened my eyes and quickly turned my head to see a grey pegasus with a blond mane with saddle bags with a muffin embroidered on them, with her eyes closed.

"Ahem..." The pegasus cleared her throat. "No bad weather, or cravings of muffins shall stop the mail! For the mail stops and always flows! For it gets delivered on time with out a doubt by your Equestrian Postal Mailmare! Derpy 'Ditzy Doo' Hooves!" She stated and opened her eyes to reveal her walled stare. "Hey wait a second... you're that stallion who used to show up my door before and I'd given muffins to!"

"Derpy Hooves? So that's you're name!" I said in excitement finally discovering the name of the mysterious pegasus, that I had run into in the past when taking lessons from Octavia.

"Don't tell me you're going to make fun of it too..." Derpy said shamefully.

"No not at all! In fact I think its rather adorable if you ask me." I responded in kind, even though her name was a little bit akward. "So just for the record, cause I know that name is a little bit long, what can I call you for short?" I asked.

"Derpy Hooves, the ponies at the postal service game me the nickname of Ditzy Doo, a long time ago, due to my first botched delivery, for a while I used it as my real name instead because it sounded better than what my real name is, but recently considering these past few months, I have such a spotless record with the postal service. So I think I can use my real name with pride! Because Derpy Hooves is best mailmare!" She explained with immense excitement.

"Best mailmare?" I asked confused to the expression.

"Oh sorry... I meant to say 'is the best mailmare.' Its just when I get excited I forget somethings... But that's ok, it's in my charm about who I am." Derpy said as she posed and winked.

"I can see why!" I chuckled lightly and she laughed with me. "So whats with the little slogan of yours?"

"Oh yes, the Equestrian Postal Service demands that every mail carrier comes up with their own small slogan that best represents them, I know it sounds trivial, but I had a lot of fun with creating it. Just to make sure our customers know its us delivering their packages, and not one of those other mail services like, UPS or FEDEX" Derpy explained.

"Oh...?" I said slightly confused.

"You know United Pegasus Service or Formal Equestrian Delivery Express. Ugh... they are so lame." Derpy commented with the sound of disgust in her mouth.

"Oh I see... So what do you have for me today Derpy?" I asked.

"Oh yes! Right! The reason I'm here, sorry I almost forgot, I got excited explaining." Derpy commented as she dug her head into right saddle bag. "I think its in here... wait... wait a... hold on... almost got it... nope..." Derpy said as she pulled her head out of her bag with a muffin in her mouth. "Nope, muffin, that's for me." Derpy said with a smile and quickly devoured the breakfast treat in one bite and quickly dug her head into the other bag. "Ah! There they are! First thing's first!" Slowly Derpy pulled her head out of her saddlebag with a book in her mouth and she slowly set it down on the ground, revealing a musical note for cover art.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Its a book silly!" Derpy replied.

"What kind of book... and who is it from?" I responded slightly frustrated with her answer.

"Oh right! Let me see..." Derpy stated as she slowly brought her front right hoof to her snout and scratched her invisible beard. "Ah now I remember! Its a book sent on the behalf of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, on Equestrian Music History!"

"Oh wow... look's like Twilight wasn't just pulling my leg a few weeks ago..." I said as I slowly opened the book cover with my front right hoof to see an inscription. "To Kiniro, We hope you enjoy this freshly printed copy from the Canterlot Archives, we hope it helps you in your pursuit of knowledge in music. Signed Celestia and Luna." I read aloud.

"Wow a gift from the Princesses." Derpy commented with a smile.

"Wow I guess Twilight wasn't kidding that books take forever to get made here... no wonder she takes care of them... " I muttered under my breath. "What else is there for me?"

"Oh right. You got a letter from pony called Meadow Song. Why does that name sound familiar..." Derpy wondered as she passed the letter, that was rolled up and wrapped in a single red ribbon with the button of Equestrian Postal Service emblem, to me. "Maybe I've just just been out flying in the morning cold too long." Derpy muttered.

"It has been really cold these past few nights, Perhaps, you'd like to come in for some hot chocolate or some hot tea?" I offered as a gesture of thanks for the delivery.

"I appreciate it, but no thank you, I do have a busy day ahead of me. Maybe another time when the deliveries are a little less." Derpy stated as she slowly began to turn around, spread her wings open and positioned herself downward. "Oh also, my muffins, I almost forgot, you got another package."

"I do?" I asked.

"Yes, but unfortunately it was to much for me to carry on my morning route, considering I still have plenty of other small parcels and letters to deliver. If you want you can come pick it up at the post office later in the afternoon once I'm finished with my route, I'll hold it for you." Derpy reassured.

"So meet you at the post office later today?" I asked to reconfirm.

"Yup! After I finish with my route, I have to work the desk for a while, been doing it for a few extra bits here and there." Derpy commented.

I chuckled nervously, "I understand, we've all been there." Only to have Derpy nod her head lightly to agree. "Also who is the package from?" I asked.

"Its from Twilight's brother, Shining Armor." Derpy stated as she began to flap her wings and pushed herself off the balcony and began to hover lightly.

"I wonder what he sent me..." I pondered.

"Well come in later and find out!" Derpy smiled and stuck out her tongue at me as if to answer an obvious question. "Anyway! You have a good day... um... whatever your name was!"

"It's Kiniro, and it was a pleasure to talk with you Derpy." I responded. "I'll see you later at the post office."

"Alrighty now! You have a good rest of the day Kiniro! Nice meeting you officially for the first time!" Derpy commented as she took off in flight to continue her route.

"Hmm... I'm glad I finally got the chance to meet her, and actually talk to her instead of just awkwardly showing up at her doorstep by accident and be given muffins randomly." I said aloud to myself with a smile and waved her goodbye with my front right hoof. "Well... that's a start to an interesting day... I finally got my book from the princesses that Twilight had requested for me a while ago, I got to finally meet the mysterious grey mare, I got my a response from Meadow Song, and apparently I got a package from Shining Armor waiting for me at the Ponyville Post Office."

I lightly grabbed the letter by the button with my mouth and slowly released it on top of the book. Finally I brought my mouth down to slowly cusp the book with my teeth, carefully positioning myself to pick it up without dropping the rolled letter that sat freely on top and slowly closed my eyes trying to concentrate. Slowly I made my light journey to the door that would lead me back inside, only to realize I had shut it earlier. "Uh... crap... what I would do for hands right about now... I really need to become more aware of small things like this still..." I lightly laughed at my mistake.

Even though, I had been a pony for months... small trivial things still alluded me, even though I had gotten the grasp for most of the transition from being a human to being a pony. I just hope that my new friend Meadow Song was adjusting well, perhaps the letter he had sent me would provide some insight, and perhaps the response to my story he had asked for...

End of Chapter 2.

Chapter 3: The Book

The Minstrel's Coda

Chapter 3: The Book

Being a human, such trivial things were easily avoided or corrected due to being such a dexterous being, but being a pony, even though I was surprisingly dexterous for having hooves especially for playing guitar. There were somethings that required just a little bit more attention than normal. For example, the door that I had just been battling with for the past few moments, trying to get it to budge or open, but the nob would not turn.

"OH come on!" I said aloud to myself slightly muffled by the book that I still carried in my mouth. "Do I have to do this the hard way?" I stated as I slowly brought myself down, setting the book and scroll on the wood paneling of the balcony. "Alright door... round two!" I said with a slightly elevated voice, and I quickly grabbed the nob of the door with my teeth. "Ok step one..." I slightly muttered with spit being released. "Ok now... step two... turn!" I commented slightly muffled, followed by a slight turn of my head, hearing a click. "Oh... crap..."

The sudden realization hit me with the sound of the click of the door nob. I was now stuck outside. Now realizing my fate, I sighed heavily. I slowly jumped on my hind legs, and swung the guitar around off my back. Catching the guitar with my front hooves and I slowly sat it against the nearby railing of the balcony.

"Well I guess I'm going to be stuck out here for a while." I muttered to myself, plopping myself down against the door. I slowly eyed at the book and scroll that I had set on the floor. "Well... I guess I don't have much of anything else to do right now..."

I slowly reached my hoof out for the letter, and picked it up. Feeling the nervousness and tension, I slowly slowly pulled on the ribbon that was holding the letter wrapped up with my teeth. With one subtle tug, the button that held the Equestrian Postal Service Emblem on it fell the the ground, making a light ping as it hit the balcony floor, and the ribbon completely unlaced from the letter and in my teeth. I slowly spit out the ribbon, letting the gentle breeze take it in the wind. Seeing the ribbon float around ever so elegantly in the light wind, it circled around various times, and even circled around my head once before being carried off to its next destination of the wind's choosing.

Funny how something again so trivial in itself, could be so, entertaining and yet relaxing at the same time. "Ok... lets see what you've written to me Meadow Song..." I mentioned to myself, as I held the letter still rolled up but now unwrapped in my hand. Slowly I unrolled the letter, revealing the writings on the page. "My Dear Friend Kiniro, Where to begin..." I said aloud to myself but was quickly interrupted as the gentle morning breeze picked up and lifted the letter into the air. "Oh crap!" I shouted, "No come back!" I tried to chase after the letter as it began circling around me taunting me with its contents, waving and flailing my front hooves in the air trying to capture it, and even trying to bite it down with my mouth if it got close, but to no avail. The letter had come out of reach as it lifted into the air. "Well... there goes my response..." But as soon as I muttered the words, the wind quickly changed directions and brought it back down to the balcony floor.

"Yes!" I shouted. Happy that my letter had returned to me, but quickly my statement had become moot as the wind gusted lightly, shuffling the letter on the ground and it slid underneath the crack of the door of the balcony. "NO!" I shouted again... "Well... at least its not completely gone... at least its inside. Just my luck... Well at least I have my book... I guess." I said with a subtle yawn afterwards.

"I can't believe its been weeks... since I've gotten... enough... sleep..." I again yawned but more heavily... "Why did the door....have to lock behind me..." I stated releasing an even more powerful yawn. "But I have to know what my... letter says." I stated reaching for the door with my hoof, yawning heavily, but feeling myself become limp. I came crashing on the floor, I felt the exhaustion set in quickly and I closed my eyes.

Feeling my mind go numb and my thoughts clear of everything I had just doing, my mind went dark for a brief moment. Slowly my mind filled with images of the Heart of Ymir and of Xellie on the moon. Specifically again the dropping of the Heart of Ymir copy, and the images of it pulsing darker and darker. Quickly I jerked up, realizing that I had that dream again.

"Not this again... seriously... enough is enough... what do you want from me!" I cried out in pain from the small nightmare, not expecting a response and sighed heavily knowing that my reaction was would be fruitless regardless. I knew the dream would return next time I dozed off again. "I just want it to end..."

Shaken by my dream, I had to do something to relax and clear my mind from it. Slowly I began to eye the book that the mailmare had just moments ago delivered to me, and the cover of the musical note, for some reason caught my attention. I stared down at the cover trying to decipher the note that was on the cover, but I found a strange obsession with it, as if I had known what it was all along.

The note was a circle with a cross in it, with the lines of the cross extending past the ring of the circle. Then it suddenly hit me, the mysterious note, it was a coda, a musical notation that signified a small cadence that was played at the end of a part of a song to usher in the new part of the piece or the end of the song completely. A musical note that was hardly used anymore by Midgardian standards, especially with the shift of musical traditions changing from grand bands, as they were called, to simpler times, stand alone musicians, bards, and minstrels, a time that called for the expression of the individual. I had known this because so very little new music was being produced in Midgard when I had left, and all I had to indulge myself was researching Midgardian music theory. Which was why after my exile, I found myself many a day and night in the Juno Grand Library.

I found myself pondering the reason why this note, of all different forms of musical notations, was the note chosen to best represent the music of Equestria? "Hmm." I said aloud, to have another sudden realization. "Octavia! She plays for an Orchestra! I've read of such things existing before in Midgard, but here in Equestria they are real! Maybe I can talk to her, maybe she will know why!" I shouted in excitement, considering knowing more about anything music related always made me eager and happy. I smiled heavily at the thought, only to hear a high pitched nose. "I... uh...what... seriously.. what the hell is that? Squee right?" Only to have my reaction change to a more serious outlook quickly as I asked myself aloud.

I continued to stare at the book for a moment, pondering more about why the coda was chosen to represent this book that laid in front of me. I picked myself off the ground and sat up right, lightly dusting myself off from being on the ground. "Ah much better. Now the book" I commented to myself as I reached out with my front right hoof, only to have a small burst of wind pick up, rustling off some of the leaves off the nearby branches of the library and smacked a few right in my face.

I reacted quickly by closing my eyes, and lightly screaming in the process. "Ugh! Ah!" I shouted, waving my front hooves drastically trying to combat the foliage that was assaulting me, trying to protect my face from the onslaught. Feeling the leaves smacking against my face lightly, I quickly brushed them off as quickly as they landed on me.

After a few brief moments, the wind died down enough for the leaves to stop their attack. I quickly lowered my guard, and opened my eyes to see that the assault had indeed stopped for the moment. "Oh thank Celestia... its ov..." I tried to state but was interrupted by one single leaf smacking me straight on my snout. "Oh for the love of..." I commented wiping the leaf off my face. "Is there anymore?!" I shouted at the sky, only to have the wind pick up lightly, but not enough to pick up the leaves that had been scattered by the recent gusts. "I was kidding! I was kidding!" I shouted quickly, and the coincidentally the wind died down again. "Oh good... finally..." I stated, quickly raising my guard expecting another single piece of foliage to ambush me, but after a few brief moments of ordinary silence, I lowered it once again.

I quickly turned over to the direction of the musical book that laid on the ground, only to see it had been opened by the recent gusts of wind. "Whats this?" I stated to myself, as I brought myself down to read the entry that had been imprinted on the pages.

"Page 174, Similar instruments with different musical properties, even though the same, like the lute compared to the mandolin, can produce varying results of music. Even if the same song was to be played in an identical manner, the ponies listening to the song, would have different reactions to both instruments, as of a due to the different tones and pitches that said instruments could achieve. It is has also been recorded that, ponies, specifically unicorns who have developed their magic to play instruments, their magic also reacts differently when playing a different but similar instrument compared to the one that said unicorn is versed in."

"That's... very interesting... just like how my I'm able to switch between the two variations of the Song of Ragnarok. The original, with its blue aura is very powerful but requires the entire song to be played so it can be discharged, and I can only play that one when the safety switch on my electric guitar is on, but when its off my aura turns dark green, and produces a weaker but a quicker responding discharge of energy when I produce a heavy strum on command." I said aloud to myself, allowing to better understand the analogy I was making.

"Hmm.. perhaps some more reading..." I said to myself, but was quickly interrupted by the quick opening of the door, that slammed into my side, only to have a sudden jolt of pain run through me. "OW!" I screamed in pain.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Kini. I heard something out here! It sounded like some crazy pony shouting." I heard a young male voice call out.

"Uh....ooh..." I stated in a daze. Shaking off my pain I quickly looked over to the door to see Spike standing in the doorway. "Spike!" I stated with a slightly frustrated tone.

"Sorry, I didn't think you were right behind the door. I'm so sorry!" Spike apologized.

"It's ok... I've learned my lesson... stay away from doors." I commented.

"Well... it's a shame Pinkie Pie wasn't here to warn you." Spike stated.

"What?" I responded.

"Her Pinkie Sense!"

"Her what?"

"Oh never mind... you'll just have to see it to beli... oh a book!" Spike stated as he looked down.

"Oh yeah. It just came in the mail." I explained.

"Oh good! I'm sure Twilight will be happy to see this one!" Spike stated quickly grabbed the book and rushed inside in a flash.

"Spike! Wait! That book isn't for Twilight!" I shouted as I chased after him heading into the bedroom where I saw Twilight laying in bed, but already awake.

"What's not for me?" Twilight stated.

"Oh... I um... I got a book from the Princesses just a few minutes ago. I got it in the mail." I responded.

"Oh that's good! Is it the copy of Equestrian Music Theory I requested for you a while ago?" Twilight asked.

"I believe it is, it had a small letter from them also." I commented.

"Good! Now take good care of it." Twilight explained.

"I promise I will." I responded.

"Whoa! WHOA!" I heard Spike shout out following a loud thud, followed by what sounded like fire burning. "Shoot..."

"Um... should we?" I asked.

"Probably!" Twilight retorted quickly as she quickly jumped out of bed and rushed downstairs.

"Hey wait!" I shouted as I quickly followed in tow behind Twilight.

As we both made it down stares, the sight in front of me was horrifying. My new book that I had just acquired only moments ago... was on the floor in cinders and all that remained was the cover. Spike was on the floor laying on his back just a few inches away from a small step ladder.

"Spike! What happened!?" I shouted with immense frustration.

"I... I..." Spike said nervously.

"Spike... calm down... no one will be mad." Twilight reassured, and she quickly looked over to me and signaled toward me to take a deep breath.

"Ok... Spike... what happened?" I asked more collectively.

"Well... I was trying to put his book away, it's what I always do when we get a new book in stock here. It's habit... and when I tried to put it away on the shelf here under M, I lost my footing on the ladder and fell, I caught the book as I fell, but when I hit the ground, I hiccuped lightly causing me to expel a small flame... which burnt the book. I'm sooo sorry, I didn't mean to! I just assumed it was Twilight's because she loves books, and I never would have taken you for the book type Kiniro! I'm so sorry!" Spike explained with his eyes beginning to water.

I took a deep breath, realizing it was all just a mistake and misunderstanding. "Its ok Spike. I forgive you."

"You... you do?" Spike commented fighting back his watering eyes.

"Of course I do Spike, I wouldn't take myself for much of a book reader either, how many times have you seen me reading a book lately?" I asked.

"Well other than that Daring Do book with Rainbow Dash, none. I figured you were in the same boat as her." Spike answered.

"Well I'm not that different from Rainbow Dash in that aspect, but I do love something much more than Daring Do." I explained. "Just like how Twi is with her magic, I have with my music."

"Oh I see." Spike responded.

"And that's why I love my little Kini, not only is he handsome and caring, he have the same outlook on the things we love!" Twilight commented as she pecked me on the check, as I blushed lightly.

"Hey! I thought you said it was because of my devilish good looks!" I responded while doing a slight pose.

"Well... uh... you're not that devilishly good looking" Twilight commented and stuck her tongue out at me.

"Oh... thanks..." I responded now ashamed of my ugliness.

"You're better than that, you have a great and quirky personality and you act so cute sometimes." Twilight attempted to console me.

"CUTE?!?" Spike shouted and began rolling on the floor as he laughed heavily.

I blushed heavily, now slightly ashamed yet enthused about the comment, but mostly ashamed due to Spike's reaction, him being one of the few other males I spent time with regularly. "Hey Spike, shouldn't you be feeling bad over my lost book?"

"Oh... right..." Spike quickly stopped rolling on the floor and sounded depressed. "Well... still better than being cute!" Spike shouted and began laughing again.

"Oh Spike quit it, you're cute too!" Twilight commented and laughed.

"See?!" I responded.

"I am not cute!" Spike retorted quickly.

"You both are, see?" Twilight stated. "Now who is hungry? I know I am."

"Yeah lets go get some breakfast!" Spike commented.

"Can't we have breakfast here? You know you make the best breakfast Spike." I responded.

"But I'm tired of making breakfast, I want to go out to breakfast for a change." Spike retorted.

"But what about my book Spike?" I quickly stated making a pouting face.

"Oh all right..." Spike begrudgingly agreed.

"Besides, like said I just said breakfast. I do have to run an errand later, if you two come along I can treat you both to some lunch! Your pick Spike!" I stated.

"I'd love to go, but I have some studying to work on, you two have a boys day out. " Twilight suggested.

"Hey that sound's like fun! Think we can go get some ice cream afterwards?" Spike suggested.

"Sure why not Spike, but we'll get it from the restaurant we go to if they serve it. So choose wisely!" I responded.

"Alrighty then! Ponyville Cafe!" Spike commented.

"Ok then, but first lets get something to eat for now, I'm hungry, besides it won't be for a couple hours." I reminded.

"Yeah yeah yeah, ice cream." Spike shrugged off the wait. "Also... I'm still sorry for the book."

"Don't worry about it Spike." I reassured.

"I could just put in a request for Princess Celestia if she can make us another copy, I'll just let her know we had an accident with it. It will be a while until we get another, but still better than not having one." Twilight stated.

"Very true, I can wait a few more weeks for it." I commented, only to hear my stomach rumble heavily. "So... uh breakfast?" I smiled heavily to hear that high pitched noise again, only to roll my eyes at the thought of the noise.

"Yeah, lets get some breakfast going Spike. We'll help you." Twilight offered.

"Yeah I'll help too." I agreed.

"To the kitchen!" Spike said excitedly, as he headed into the kitchen, with Twilight in tow.

"I'll be right back with you guys to help. I'm just going to go get my guitar from the balcony!" I stated as I rushed upstairs, running through the bedroom and out the balcony door. Quickly I grabbed my guitar that was leaning on the railing and swung it onto my back. As I turned around I saw the letter that Meadow Song had sent me laying on the ground in front of the door. "I'm going to read that in a bit, but food first!" I quickly picked it up gently with mouth and began my trot back down stairs. I slowly descended the stairs and upon reaching the bottom, I trotted over to a small table that had a wooden horse head adorning it as a center piece and set it down on the table. "Alright I'm back! Where do you need me?" I commented as I rushed into the kitchen.

Even with the time spent with the book of Equestrian Music Theory was very minimal, it already had an impact on me. It arose some vary interesting questions and ideas even from the short excerpt that I did get the chance to read. It reminded me of variations of Ragnarok that I could play now, just from having a different but fundamentally similar instrument. Yet the key of the variation was the safety switch that Vinyl built into the guitar. Now I wondered, were there any other of my songs that could be affected by this?

End of Chapter 3.

Chapter 4: Breakfast

The Minstrel's Coda

Chapter 4: Breakfast

No matter what the case was, no matter what ailed me, or what was bothering me, there was one thing that I could always turn to. That thing was food, good delicious, and succulent food. However there was always one problem, Equestrian food wasn't always as refined as what I was used to in Midgard, but ever since Spike started preparing some of his new dishes a few weeks ago, I was finally starting to warm up to them. Breakfast of becoming his new specialty, at least for my tastes anyway. Especially since he could prepare breakfast dishes that were almost uncannily similar to some of those from Midgard, and if it wasn't the exact same, it was pretty damn close that it reminded me of it.

Funny thing was, when I was a human, I was at least able to prepare some of the most basic dishes of Midgard cuisine, granted they wouldn't taste the best to just about anyone, but you could survive off it. Considering most of my childhood I was in the care of another person, and most of my teenage through young adult years, I spent it traveling Midgard or serving in the Rune Midgardian Military, or with my guild, even I figured I should know how to cook by now. Yet there are just some talents out there, in both Midgard and Equestria that are still foreign to me no matter how much I try.

"Well this is the last time I try to cook ever again." I stated disappointingly.

"Um... its not that bad..." Twilight tried to console me.

"Really?" I asked removing my small sense of shame.

"Oh..." Spike interjected.

"Spike..." Twilight retorted.

"It's that bad..." Spike commented.

"Sigh... I'll never get cooking." I stated as I set down a burnt bowl of cold oatmeal on the counter.

"I don't know how you do it, but you and cold breakfast item's just don't mix." Spike stated.

"Spike!" Twilight responded quickly.

"I'm just saying!" Spike defending himself.

"But... but... I just put the oatmeal in the bowl and poured milk..." I stated. "And then... it went up in flames..."

"Well maybe you can help Spike cook then." Twilight suggested.

"Oh no. He's bad luck to breakfast foods all over." Spike retorted.

"Oh he can't be that bad." Twilight commented as she looked over at me and smiled for support.

"Yeah I can't have that much bad luck with everything you know." I added in and smiled back at Twilight.

"Oh all right. I'm going to make some Canterlot Toast this morning. I've already got the sugar and cinnamon. Think you can pass me a few eggs from that carton there on the counter?" Spike pointed toward the counter with his claw.

"Ok that I can do!" I eagerly answered as I trotted over the counter. "Ok... now... to... get this. How do I... AH! Got it."

"Ok so bring it over!" Spike demanded.

"Alright! I've got it!" I retorted quickly. I slowly brought my head over the counter and slowly opened my mouth to slowly and placed my teeth gently over the egg, pulling it out and over the egg carton. "Ee I ot it." I responded trying to speak mostly with my tongue trying to not place pressure with my teeth. I turned around slowly as possible to avoid putting pressure on the egg, but as I slowly turned began to turn my body, I brought my front right leg up and began to pivot and I heard a subtle crack. "Oh shit," I thought myself as I placed my leg down, only to hear multiple more fractures and egg fractured completely. I stood completely still with a face of disgust as the egg oozed into my mouth from its shell, tasting the bitter egg white and yolk.

"Pfft... Now is that how you carry an egg?" Spike commented restraining himself from laughing.

"Kini are you ok?" Twilight asked.

"Eww..." I stated with the egg and the shell in my mouth. slowly trotted over to the sink just a few feet away, being completely careful to not taste more of the raw egg in my mouth. I carefully spit out the contents of the my mouth, feeling the egg ooze out, followed by the several bits of eggshell. "Yuck." I stated with complete disgust of what had just happened, slowly pushing the handle of the kitchen sink so that the water would run from the faucet. Quickly I dunked my head hectically under the faucet, getting my mane wet in the process. Quickly I opened my mouth filling it with water for several moments, then swirling the water around, and finally spitting out the water. "Ah... much better." I stated, feeling the water drip from my face and mane.

"Ugh. You're such a mess." Twilight stated as she levitated a kitchen rag toward me and attempted to dry my face and mane off.

"Better than having the taste of raw egg in my mouth." I retorted with a smile.

"Who's a silly pony?" Twilight asked as she continued to wipe me down.

"Applejack!" Pinkie Pie stated as she burst in from the window.

"AH!" Spike, Twilight and myself screamed as we all jumped up in surprise.

"Pinkie! You know we have a door!" Twilight yelled as she dropped the rag she was wiping me down with.

"Oh I know, but you have to think outside the box sometimes. Unconventional entrances!" Pinkie Pie stated with immese excitement. "By the way... Kini, why are you so wet?"

"Raw egg." I stated simply and then shivered.

"Eww, why would you eat a raw egg?" Pinkie asked, as she pulled herself into the kitchen completely.

"I..." I tried to explain but was interrupted.

"He tried to bring me an egg to cook, but he broke it with his teeth." Spike explained

"Oh... why didn't you just pick it up with your hoof?" Pinkie Pie questioned as she walked over to the egg carton and picked up an egg from the carton with her front left hoof. "See easy!"

"Yeah... why didn't I think of that!" I responded as I walked next to her and attempted to pick another egg up with my front right hoof, but was unable to grasp the egg. "Ugh, why can't I do it?!" I said with a frustrated tone.

"What's wrong? Can't you pick it up?" Pinkie asked.

"I... I can't, ugh, ask me to play a guitar and I can perform miracles, but ask me to do something small and menial, and I can't. But yet I can do major things, like picking up my guitar with a single hoof, holding my strap, or even carrying thing with a single hoof at times, but when I think about it. I Feel like I can't. I was able to do these kind of things before when I was a human without a single forethought in my mind, but now I can't." I responded.

"Well than don't think about it." Pinkie Pie responded.

"Well then... how would I go about do...that." I interrupted myself as I noticed I had picked up the egg. "Well would you look at ... that." I stated as the egg fell from my hoof and cracked itself into many pieces on the floor.

"See that's... kinda how it's done." Pinkie commented.

"Great more mess for me to clean up and I haven't even started cleaning yet." Spike stated.

"So... Pinkie... what was so important that you needed to bust through my kitchen window instead of going through the front door." Twilight asked.

"Probably just Pinkie being Pinkie." Spike answered prematurely.

"Oh it's for both of you. I was just at Applejack's and she wanted to ask you and Kini for a favor. So I'm playing messenger!"

"So... what's the favor?" I asked.

"Oh right!" Pinkie stated. "She wanted to ask if you two could help with a small Zap Apple Harvest, especially with the lightning clouds coming in from last night. She knows it will be later today, but the earlier you get there the better."

"Oh good, maybe I can help by playing The Song of Lutie and buck some apple trees to help." I answered.

"And I can help with getting some of the Apple Family organized!" Twilight responded. "I know how much that will help especially if we want to get the most out of the Zap Apple harvest."

"Great! Good to know! I'm glad that Applejack and I could count on you both." Pinkie commented. "So what are you all making for breakfast?"

"Well I am going to try to make some Canterlot Toast. Kiniro was going to make some... well..." Spike paused and looked over at the counter and eyed the burnt cold oatmeal. "Well yeah, and Twilight was about to make some, what is it that you're making again?"

"Well I was going to make this new dish I've learned from researching called Crayapes?" Twilight stated having some trouble producing.

"You mean Crepes?" I chimed in as the word sounded familiar.

"Yeah. Is that how you pronounce it?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, but, how do you know about that dish? It's a dish where you use egg and flour to make a miniature egg wrap filled with fruit correct?" I answered with another question.

" Why yes...and I found it in a book I stumbled across. It was in a book called Recipes from the Equestrian Classical Era" Twilight answered.

"That's... extremely odd. In my world this dish was recently created in the City-State of Lighthalzen, and when I say recently I mean the past few decades." I responded.

"Hmm... interesting. Coincidence?" Twilight asked.

"Hmm maybe..." I retorted.

"You all are weird. It's just food." Spike commented.

"That all sounds yummy!" Pinkie stated as she bounced once lightly in excitement.

"You're more than welcome to stay for Breakfast if you want Pinkie." Twilight offered as she seemingly forgot about the oddity of the crepes.

"I would, but I have to get back to help Applejack get ready. I'm just out and about getting some help for her. I've already asked Rainbow Dash and a few others and they are already heading over. Plus she prepared a big breakfast for every pony who came early!" Pinkie responded.

"Could have saved me some time." Spike commented with a slight frustration.

"But Spike, no offense to Applejack, but you do make the best breakfast I've ever had." I commented to Spike.

"Aww...you're just saying that." Spike blushed lightly at his compliment.

"Well, I'm not just saying that. I mean it, you seriously rock at making breakfast. It's so good it reminds me of the old food back home." I added.

"That's good... right?" Spike questioned.

"From all the food's I've tasted in my travels in Midgard, you definitely remind me of the best of it. Breakfast wise anyway." I confirmed as trotted over to him slowly.

"That's very nice of you to say Kini." Twilight said with a smile. "Spike you really are the best breakfast Chef on top of being my number 1 assistant."

"Guys guys please, I can only take so much compliments in a day!" Spike stated blushing lightly holding his hands and pushed back, as if to physically push back the compliments.

"Oh hush now Spike, just take the compliment Spike, admit it, you're amazing. And from guy to guy, that means a lot." I stated slightly nudging him with my front right hoof.

"Anyway. I'll see you two at Applejack's in a little bit right?" Pinkie asked.

"Sure." Twilight responded.

"I'll be there. Just gotta finish breakfast and then we'll be on our way." I answered.

"Alright we'll I'll see you all soon. See you later Spike!" Pinkie stated as she bounced out the kitchen window.

"Laters Pinks!" Spike responded with a wave.

"You know I've known Pinkie for months now... but is she always like that?" I asked.

"Always." Twilight said with a giggle as she walked over to me.

"Sorry, I still haven't gotten used to her sometimes, she's so random and..." I tried to state but was interrupted.

"It's best we don't ask." Twilight stated as she placed her hoof over my snout to signal me to hush, then slowly lowered her hoof.

"Right... got it." I said with a nod.

"So are we going to make breakfast or what?" Spike said with light excitement.

"Yeah of course." I agreed.

"As long as I still get to make these crepes. I really want to try them out." Twilight retorted.

"Still wondering how we both know of this recipe from two different worlds." I stated.

"Hmm... that's a mystery isn't it..." Twilight agreed,

"But perhaps that's for another day." I stated as my stomach rumbled heavily and smiled heavily to cover my shame.

"Agreed, lets focus on making some food shall we?" Twilight commented.

"Yes! Lets make some food!" Spike stated as he opened into one of the cabinets under the counter. "But first! I have to get my..." Spike commented as he dug in the cabinet momentarily only to pull out what seemed to resemble a bunch of fabric rolled together in an odd shape. "My chef hat!" Spike said eagerly. "If I'm going to be a good breakfast chef! I'm going to need a good chef hat! Don't you think Twilight?"

"Of course." Twilight agreed with a smile.

"How... have you had that thing in there for a long time?" I asked.

"Well... I've always had it, but I never used it while cooking." Spike responded.

"Why not?" I questioned.

"Well... because well... sometimes I like to pretend I'm a much better cook than I am, and sometimes imagine I'm one of those chefs that attend the Metallic Chef competition in Los Pegasus every year I've heard about..." Spike said shamefully.

"Well I think you're amazing enough as a chef." I reassured.

"You really mean it?!" Spike jumped up from his shamefulness.

"Of course he does Spike. I'm sure also that maybe someday with a little practice and some confidence you could be in that competition." Twilight added in.

"I'm sure you'd do great Spike. I mean think of it, the first super star chef who is a dragon! You might be the first!" I complimented.

"Aww... I doubt it guys, but thanks for believing in me." Spike stated. "I just don't think I'm good enough for that kinda thing."

"Don't say that about yourself Spike! Tell you what Spike, how about next time that competition is held, we'll get some tickets and go together and we can scope out the competition and see what you're up against so when you want to compete." I suggested.

"You'd really do that for me?" Spike asked eagerly.

"Of course Spike, if that's what you like!" Twilight said with a smile.

"I know I'd love to go there... anything with food..." I said as I licked my lips from the idea.

"Oh you and food..." Twilight joked.

"Hey I love food!" I retorted, only to have Spike chuckle lightly.

"Hey can one of you get me the eggs so I can make this Canterlot Toast?" Spike asked.

"Sure! So why do you need eggs for Canterlot Toast Spike?" I questioned as I inched over to the egg carton.

"Well pretty much, you whip the eggs so they get all foamy, then dunk the bread in eggs, then pull them out and cover them in sugar and cinnamon, then lightly cook them over the stove." Spike explained.

"Ah I see, sounds really good actually." I commented.

"It is really good, Spike's only made them a few times recently, especially since the recipe is so new, but he does an excellent job at it." Twilight stated.

"Well I can't wait to taste them." I said as I reached out for the carton of eggs with my front right hoof, and picked them up lightly. "Alright I got the eggs." I stated only to have the carton fall from my hoof, land on the ground and hear multiple crack. "... Uh oh..."

I quickly looked at the ground to see that all the eggs but one still stood unbroken in the carton. With the yolks and whites oozing out from the collapsed shells of the destroyed eggs.

"Well... there goes that idea for breakfast." Spike said slightly frustrated.

"So now what are we going to eat?" I asked.

"Well we can all go to Applejack's and see if they have anything for us there." Twilight suggested.

"Maybe... but didn't Pinkie say that Applejack only made enough for everypony who arrived early? Technically we wouldn't be early anymore by the time we arrive." I stated.

"Good point." Twilight agreed.

"So... we have one egg left." Spike commented as he looked at both of us. "Not enough to make those Crepes or Canterlot Toast."

"I am so sorry Spike. I didn't mean to..." I tried to apologize but was interrupted by Spike.

"Don't worry about it. So who gets the egg?" Spike asked.

"Let Twi have it, she deserves it, plus I know she will want to make one of her Crepes to test out the recipe." I suggested.

"Are you sure Kini?" Twilight asked.

"Sure." I stated as my stomach grumbled loudly. I smiled to downplay the loud noise.

"What about you Spike?" Twilight asked.

"Nah you have it. I'm actually not hungry. I'm saving myself for lunch and some of that ice cream." Spike commented.

"Ok Spike. And Kini, what will you eat?" Twilight asked.

"I'm sure there is something else here I can have that's filling enough." I stated very sure of myself.

"Well... we used all the eggs... on the floor, we are out of oatmeal... plus I've been meaning to run to the grocery store to get some more food..." Spike commented lightly.

"So... we don't have anymore food except for what we had for breakfast?" I asked.

"That's right, and Twi has the last egg." Spike answered.

"You sure you don't want it Kini?" Twilight asked again.

"I'm... sure..." I responded with my stomach grumbling. "Curse my chivalrous ways." I thought to myself.

"So... what will you eat Kiniro?" Spike asked.

"Yeah, what will you eat Kini?" Twilight chimed in as well.

"Um..." I hesitated. I knew I had to eat if I was going to go work at Applejack's in a bit, otherwise I get extremely fatigued relatively quickly. I turned my head quickly around the kitchen to see if there was anything left at all to eat that would fill me up enough to last me till my outing with Spike for lunch. "Uh..." I commented aloud still scouring the room, until there it stood directly on the counter right in front of me, and I stared at it for a few moments.

"You're not going to..." Spike trailed off.

I eyed the burnt bowl of cold oatmeal, the proud breakfast dish that I had attempted to prepare various times, and only to have it succumb to the same fate every time. Denying any sense of reality of how it's come to be by my hooves. But there it stood, mocking me, tormenting me, telling me in the most subtlest ways saying, "Eat me... I'm all you have." I swallowed my pride, knowing that I may not be able to look at this destroyed dish the same way ever again. Slowly I placed my two front hooves around the bowl.

"I think he is..." Twilight commented in the same fashion.

I slowly picked up the bowl and brought it up to my snout and sniffed it several times. Taking in a whiff of the smell of burnt oatmeal, almost causing me to gag. "Eat me." It called out to me. "You have no choice... I'm all you have..." I closed my eyes and opened my mouth quickly and tipped the bowl's contents into my mouth. Feeling the burnt chunks rolling over my tongue and into the back of my throat.

"By... Celestia..." Twilight commented in shock.

Before I knew it... it was over, I had polished off the bowl's contents. I licked my lips to get what remained of the slop around my mouth, and that's where it hit me... the burnt after taste. But it was done... I had the food and nutrients I needed to start the day.

"He... really... did." Spike stated also in shock from my actions.

"...Ew... and I thought the raw eggs... tasted bad... I'll be waiting... in the library... for you to finish up Twi..." I stated with a sour face and slowly trotted into the next room. "I'll be... checking my mail..."

Food was my comfort, it soothed me when I was in pain, it helped me through the toughest of times and my passion to eat of course. Ironically, the burnt oatmeal did just the opposite. It caused me that pain, and was the toughest thing I've had to do in my somewhat normal phase of life here in Equestria. But it did help me with one thing... it left me with the lasting impression of how horrible burnt food tastes. At least that would be on the forefront my mind for quite some time.

Chapter 5: The Bard's Response

The Minstrel's Coda

Chapter 5: The Bard's Response

I staggered out of the kitchen into the main library, pondering what fate the burnt oatmeal awaited me. Never again would I attempt something as foolish, but I needed to eat, especially with what task I volunteered for. There was no way I'd be up to strength to help Applejack and Pinkie if I hadn't eaten and waited out till my lunch outing with Spike.

"That is the last time I ever... make oatmeal ever. Or try to eat it for that matter." I stated to myself still having a sour face. "Yeeeuck." I muttered as I trotted over to the couch lightly as to not disturb the burnt oatmeal contents that now resided in my stomach. Slowly wiggling my guitar off my back, I set it down beside the couch to rest upright. I slowly turned to the small table that had a wooden horse head adorned on it, to see my letter from Meadow Song there, still slightly curled from being rolled earlier.

The message that I had been eagerly waiting. The reply from the Missing Bard of Midgard, the mysterious pony who nearly took my life and the life of three friends, the bard who I had saved from Discord's control, and the pony who now claimed he was indebted to me. The one I could call my new friend, and the one I could almost now call my closest friend.

We had been exchanging letters almost on a daily basis since he took his leave from Ponyville just a few weeks ago to repay his debt to Equestria. Even though we had not run into each other since that fateful day ,where Twilight and I brought Meadow Song back in control of himself, at Sweet Apple Acres. We had been in constant contact with one another, sharing stories of our past, our being, and how we felt being and adjusting in this land we called Equestria. Admittedly it made transitioning for me easier now that I had someone to talk to even though I had at least a few months on Meadow Song to adjust.

I felt the tension and nervousness as I looked toward the letter that laid on the table. Not because this was any ordinary letter from my dear friend. But because this was to be a reply to a story that he had requested of me. A story of who I was, telling him how I had suffered, how Midgard had become, my biggest fears of being alone, and how I was brought back from the darkness of loathing, hate and distrust, by the protectors of the inhabitants of this world, who I was able to call my friends, the Elements of Harmony. Even to how I became an honorary member to fight along side the guardians of Equestria. But how would he react, is what I wondered. Was this too overwhelming for my new friend? Would I end up pushing him away in the process of spilling my heart and soul to my friend? I sure hoped not, but the anxiousness was there as I stared at the letter.

But nothing would overcome this fear anytime soon, unless I either proved my fear to be right or wrong, by reading the contents of the letter that laid on the table. I slowly began to trot over to the table, still trying to avoid any sudden movements that would disturb the contents of my breakfast.

Upon reaching the table, grabbed the letter with my mouth, and to make my return trip to the couch where my guitar had laid. Feeling the immense dread from the letter that I now carried. It held the answer to what my new friend thought, of who I was, and why I was who I was. I pondered these thoughts until I reached the couch. Slowly I turned myself around and laid down on the couch. With a simple flick I opened the letter from its slightly rolled state and held it open with both front hooves.

I slowly began to read the contents of the letter aloud to myself to better process its information. "My Dear Friend Kiniro, Where to begin... I can not properly describe how it is I feel with your story. I feel a mixture of emotions toward it. One where I can not state over a letter by itself and in a single one. So I have decided that I will take a break from repaying my debt to Equestria, so that I may come see you my friend and tell you face to face. Do not be alarmed though, it is nothing but good news I assure you. I will take the next available train from Baltimare to Ponyville at the delivery of this letter. I have also been happy to state that I am adjusting quite well to being a pony. I believe traveling abroad these past few weeks and bringing smiles to other ponies' faces with my music has served me well. I hope you are doing well, and I can not wait to return to Ponyville to see you and the others. Signed Meadow Song."

I didn't know what it is he felt about the letter or story, but at least he told me not to be worried. Somehow I felt comfort in those words written on the page. As if I felt the emotion on the page. I looked down on the page closer to see small circular wrinkles in various parts of the page. It appeared to be where tears had fallen and altered the paper. I felt reassured that I had nothing to worry about.

"Thank you for coming Meadow Song." I said to myself. "I know that there is something you want to tell me directly, and I can wait until we cross paths again to know what it is."

"So you got another letter from Meadow Song?" Twilight commented as she walked in from the kitchen.

"You're done cooking already Twi?" I asked.

"Yeah I'm done for now, you can only make so many crepes with one egg. Actually you can only make one crepe per egg." Twilight responded.

"So... how did it come out?" I questioned.

"Well... it came out ok, but considering we were out of a lot of everything else we needed to make crepes. It was really just a floury omelet, but I can see where this recipe would shine if I had some syrup or fruit to put with it." Twilight explained.

"So it will be better next time around I'm hoping?" I questioned.

"Of course, I actually just sent Spike out to go run some errands while we go to Applejack's and help out." Twilight answered. "Do you think you'll hold up just fine?"

"I sure hope so... I just hope Applejack has something for us to snack on while we work..." I responded trailing off lightly.

"I'm sure she will. By the way, good job distracting me from the letter." Twilight joked and stuck her tongue out at me.

"Oh! I'm so sorry... I've just been concerned about getting something... well decent in my belly." I explained.

"Well you did choose to eat that burnt oatmeal." Twilight reminded.

"I know... probably not the wisest choice, but I've eaten worse." I reassured.

"So what did Meadow Song write?" Twilight asked.

"Well, he said he'd prefer tell me face to face, nothing bad he assured me, but he's going to be traveling into Ponyville from Baltimare from when he wrote the letter." I explained.

"Ah, so when did he write the letter?" Twilight asked.

"Um... I don't... know?" I answered.

"When did it arrive?"

"It arrived today with the Equestrian Musical Theory book with the Equestrian Postal Service. Derpy delivered it.

"Oh wow... the fact that everything arrived in one piece, that's a shock." Twilight commented. "Perhaps she's getting better at staying coordinated."

"Um...?" I muttered.

"Oh... its a long story, trust me. Just be glad Derpy is becoming a better mailmare." Twilight explained.

"I know she seems a bit quirky by her personality, but nothing seemed off really other than her eyes, but we kinda just expect that really." I answered.

"Well, at least its good news that she's becoming better. Perhaps she's been getting her act together, I know she was very clumsy and what not with her obsessions over muffins and what not. Maybe she's found a way to over come that."

"Well... she did snack on a muffin when she delivered the mail, but didn't seem to bother her much. I just think she's over excitable. At least it appeared that way to me, nothing wrong with that though."

"Hmm... in any case. We can assume since the letter arrived today. Most scrolls and letters that are postmarked with the Equestrian Mail Service usually get delivered within a day or two."

"Ok so?"

"Well you said Meadow Song is coming in via train from Baltimare right?"

"Right."

"Well, the train ride from Baltimare to Ponyville is roughly 16 hours, and consider what times trains run, and Baltimare is a big city." Twilight explained.

"Ok... so how does this..." I began to ask but was interrupted.

"I'm getting to that! Now if Meadow Song's letter was postmarked more than two days ago, he should have already arrived in Ponyville." Twilight commented as she walked over to me on the laying on the couch.

"So it must haven been sent out yesterday then!" I stated.

"Exactly!" Twilight agreed as she levitated the letter out from my hooves with her magic. "Ah, ha! Found it, there is the post mark, right on the opposite side of the page." Twilight commented as she flipped over the letter to show the postmark stamp with the date on it showing yesterday's date.

"So that mean's he's probably still on the train on the way here... right?" I asked.

"Exactly, so maybe we should be expecting him sometime today." Twilight confirmed.

"So... should we cancel with Applejack?" I questioned.

"No not at all, he shouldn't arrive until later today the the evening. So we are ok, so we can still help AJ and you and Spike can still have your outing."

"That's good!" I stated with a yawn. "Oh no... not this again..."

"What again?" Twilight asked.

"I'm just getting really tired all of a sudden."

"Well you haven't really been sleeping well, maybe you should go to bed.

"NO. I mean no. I'll be fine. I'll be fine once I get some rest later tonight." I said trying to cover my problem.

"Kini is something wrong?" Twilight said.

"No... everything is fine." I quickly retorted.

"If you won't tell me... I can find way's to make you talk." Twilight commented.

"Oh yeah?" I challenged her statement.

"Oh yeah, I can make you talk." Twilight commented as she turned around to expose her backside, and wiggled it lightly. Only to turn around, having her mane lightly whip around and wink seductively at me.

"Ugh... I hate when you use that against me..." I commented.

"So... are you going to tell me?" Twilight commented as she brought herself down on her front hooves.

"GAH fine! I'll talk... I hate when you do this to me... that isn't fair. I can't do that back to you." I said with slight frustration, but excited at the concept.

"Well that's because you don't have my charm." Twilight commented lightly singing her words to mock me.

"Ok fine... I've been having a recurring nightmare." I stated as I stared toward Twilight.

"What kind of nightmare?" Twilight stated while continue shook her behind lightly

"It's a nightmare of my old rival Queen Xellie... she's on the moon, and she has a copy of the Heart of Ymir. Which is an illegitimate copy of this relic which is the catch all catalyst for magic. The copy is very dangerous and she has one. She then turns into a pony then disappears from the surface of the moon." I explained.

"Is that all? Worried over a little dream like that?" Twilight lightly backed herself up toward my position seated on the couch.

"Yeah... it just seems so real..." I commented worriedly.

"See was that so hard?" Twilight stated.

"Um..." I hesitated as I stared. "Yes..."

"I still think its very cute that you try to fight back." Twilight stated as she quickly brought herself up from her pose, turned back around to face me, walked over and kissed me on the mouth. For just a brief moment our mouths met and I ran my front right hoof through her mane.

"I love you Twilight." I muttered as I was able to pull myself for just a moment, with my worries of the dream beginning to melt away.

"I love you too Kiniro." She answered back as she slowly pulled away from the kiss only to gaze into my eyes. "I don't know what I'd ever do with out you."

"I don't know where I'd be if I would have never come to Equestria and have met you." I responded. "I would have never opened my heart if not for you."

"I'm glad I did that for you Kini, you opened my eyes to what love could possibly feel like." Twilight commented.

"Twi?" I asked.

"Yes Kini?" She answered.

"Promise me... that no matter what, you'll never forget me. Promise me that I'll always have a place in your heart. Because no matter what. You will always have a place in mine." I stated with tears starting to roll from my eyes and down my face.

A few moments passed with silence. Seeing the tears also roll from Twilight's eyes down her cheeks, attempting to talk, lightly choking up, but she finally got her composure to speak. "Kini... I will never forget you. I know you're worst fear is being alone, but I promise you. You will never be alone, I promise I will always be at your side if I can be."

"Thank you Twi... thank you." I commented as I put my front legs around her neck, holding her tight. I kissed her lightly on her forehead. "Thank you Twi... I will always love you Twilight Sparkle."

"I promise I will always love you Kiniro Tonada." Twilight responded back in kind. "You will never be alone. I promise you, I will never let you be alone, our friends will never let you be alone. Each and every single one of us, will be there for you, when ever you need us. But I will try my hardest to be there for you, when ever I can. Because I love you... I have loved I met you for the first time."

"I don't know what it was Twi... but even though I was afraid at first. But I knew I would have a connection with you when I first set eyes on you, even though it was weird at first, but I'm glad I became a pony. Just so I could be with you." I commented. "Being here with you, reminds me that my biggest fear will never come true. You gave me the chance to quell that fear."

"Kini... You've earned that, to never be forgotten. The whole of Equestria may not know what you've done to defend it, but our friends know, the princesses know... and most importantly you know. Equestria owes you that much to never forget you." Twilight explained as she kissed me heavily again with tears running down her face and then slowly pulled away. "Kini... I want to show you how much I will never forget you, how much you mean to me and how much I love you..." Twilight commented as she backed away from me and headed over toward the staircase, followed by a seductive signal from her front right hoof.

"I love you Twi..." I stated as I brought myself up and trotted over to her by the staircase.

So many thoughts were rushing through my head. The fact that I had a friend returning to tell me how he felt of my past, and I was reassured that it would be not be bad news. The fact that I was truly loved, the fact that I would always be in somepony's thoughts, no matter what happened, and finally that I had a place here in Equestria. That place was as the Honorary Element of Harmony, the Element of Justice, and in Twilight Sparkle's heart.

End of Chapter 5.

Chapter 6: The Dream Changes

The Minstrel's Coda

Chapter 6: The Dream Changes

Twilight new exactly what she could do to cheer me up, and she definitely knew how to extort an answer out of me. Sometimes she knew my weaknesses too well, but that was fine. Sometimes I didn't mind falling prey to them so long as it was for her.

"How about you get some rest now Kini. We don't have to head over to Applejack's for a little while longer. Perhaps now I've gotten your mind off that nightmare." Twilight stated as she brought herself up and out of bed.

"I'm sure you did." I laughed lightly with a sense of exhaustion.

"Now you get some rest. A good nap should do you well." Twilight said to me with a big smile.

"Yeah after all that... I think a little rest should be good." I responded still winded. "Don't you want to rest also?"

"Nah, I'll be ok. I have to go make some preparations for AJ's before we head out. So the bed is all yours. So go ahead and sprawl out." Twilight joked as she patted me on the head with her front right hoof.

"Alright... I'll see you in a bit." I said with a heavy yawn. "Twi... I love you."

"I love you too. I'll be downstairs if you need anything." Twilight commented as she headed toward the staircase.

"Ok... I'll be down... in a bit..." I stated with another heavy yawn, closing my eyes slowly, grasping the a nearby pillow so that I could hold it close.

Admittedly I was one of those ponies that felt the need to be holding something my sleep. I had yet to understand myself why I did this. I had come up with a few theories on why I did this. Maybe subconsciously I wanted to hold on to something as to not be alone, to feel like something was comforting me in my sleep, or perhaps it was just because I felt something pressing against me to make me feel like I was being held. I noticed that I only did this when I slept alone, because otherwise I'd be holding Twilight close when I slept. Or perhaps just the feeling of having something there was primarily why it was that I did such a thing, but then again they were all just theories I had. Menial, but it made sense of the trivial senseless.

Feeling myself get more and more comfortable in bed, I felt a bigger sense of exhaustion set in. I slowly tried to fight against the feeling, but it would be useless. Especially considering what had transpired just moments ago, naturally I would be tired. "She tricked me..." I stated as I yawned heavily, and followed up with a light chuckle. "I love you... Twi..." I felt my words slowly trail off and become slurred. My mind began to empty of its collective thoughts, the burnt oatmeal, the letter from Meadow Song, and the destroyed book, everything slowly began to evaporate in my mind until I had pure darkness, emptiness.

Slowly the picture began to form. Seeing my old Rival again, on the surface of the moon, seeing her drop the copy of the Heart of Ymir on the ground. Her metamorphosis into a pony, with her dark grey coat, her frightening red eyes, her dark purple mane with lighter streaks, but what frightened me the most, her cutie mark. Just like I had kept my talents from Midgard here in Equestria, so did she. Her talent was assassinations and killings back in Midgard, so why else would her cutie mark be a dagger drenched in blood. The copy pulsating a dark aura, until the two disappeared from the moon.

This is normally where the dream would have ended ,and where I would have awoken but this time it was different, it continued.

"Where am I?" The queen said to herself aloud, as she found herself laying on the dirt near some trees. "I'm... back in Equestria?"

She slowly proceeded to bring herself up from the ground to all four hooves, seeing the Heart of Ymir copy on the ground still in front of her. "I think I have you to thank for this. I'm glad I kept you with me by mistake." She stated as she brought her head up to survey her surroundings, only to see a rural village in the distance surrounded by what looked like an orchard of apple trees. "A nearby town... perhaps there I can get some answers, and I can start my hunt for that son of a bitch." She stated to herself.

She then proceed to attempt to pick up the small copy off the ground with her hoof and failing miserably. "Ugh... damn it how do I pick this thing up!" She shouted at herself. "Oh hell with it!"

She quickly brought head down low toward the copy, and attempted to pick it up with her mouth. "Well... I guess I have no choice." she stated to herself as she brought her teeth around the small relic and slowly clenched it and brought it back up. Suddenly the relic began pulsating heavily with its dark aura. "Oo hit" The queen mentioned to herself slightly distorted from the relic being in her teeth. The relic began pulsating quicker and quicker and began to shake violently, with its handler quaking in the process. The queen attempted to hold on to the relic for as long as possible, but the shaking was to much to bare as the relic was broke free from its grasp, and rolled back into the queens throat. "Uh... oh..." The queen muttered to herself.

With the relic now inside her, she began to pulsate in a dark aura just like the relic had, with her screaming at the top of her lungs in pain. Slowly she began to another metamorphosis but this time powered by the illegitimate copy of the Heart of Ymir. Slowly she relic fused with her, the writing that covered the stone slowly began to appear all over her body. Screaming out in pain she brought herself down to the ground twitching heavily. "My head! MY HEAD!" She yelled out in immense pain, bringing her front hooves to press down on her head as if to relieve the pressure of the headache. Slowly here hooves were being pushed back, as a small growth appeared on her forehead, and continually enlarging.

"What.... WHAT IS GOING ON!" The queen screamed again. "I feel like my head is going to explode!"

For several moments the queen laid in agony and pain on the ground, attempting to push back on the growth, screaming in pain as the growth on her head was winning the battle. After the battle had concluded, the growth with a sudden burst, had a dark aura cover it, pushing her hooves away from her forehead in the process. A loud explosion was heard and the sky had darkened for quick instance, knocking the queen unconscious. The growth on her forehead had turned into a unicorn's horn. The picture slowly fading to black.

Slowly another image began to appear in my head. There sat Meadow Song with his Acoustic Guitar on his back, with tears flowing down his face. He was sitting in front of a statue of what appeared to be pony, I could see his mouth moving, but unable to hear any words. He quickly turned his head and proceeded to dig into one of the saddle bags that he had been carrying. Revealing what looked like a small cardboard box with a piece of paper attached to it. Slowly he picked up the cardboard box with his mouth, and pulling it out of his bag. He then proceeded to trot over to the statue in front of him with tears flowing heavier. He stared at the statute as he brought his front left hoof to wipe the tears from his eyes and face. He closed his eyes, and lowered the package down in front of the statue. He then rose and opened his eyes to meet the eyes of the statue, as more tears began to roll down his face. He placed his front right hoof against the statue, and he proceeded to talk, but I could not hear the words. He finally brought his hoof down from the statue and slowly turned away from the statue and began to walk away unashamed from the tears rolling in from his eyes and down his face. I saw his mouth move one more time, still unable to make out the words, until a small phrase called out to me. "I promise..."

With those final words from Meadow Song, the image went black, and for a brief moment that's all I saw, pure darkness, emptiness that resembled the void that I had been placed in prior to my entrance to Equestria. With a sudden light brightening the darkness.

Suddenly I awoke, with a greater sense of dread and worry. I quickly surveyed the room as if I was expecting something or someone to be there. But it was empty, just myself alone, laying bed. "What a weird dream.... what does it mean?" I asked myself. "This seems to be the same, but a continuation of the old dream... and now a completely new one." At least there was a change in the dreams I had been having, at least I could rest easy now on that aspect.

I slowly brought myself up so that I sat up in bed, and feeling the rush of blood go to head that brought me completely awake. I noticed that I was still holding the pillow that I had cuddled to sleep with. I slowly squinted my eyes and proceeded to set the pillow down right beside me. I then proceeded to pull myself out of bed on to on all fours.

I saw the door to the bedroom that lead to the staircase had been left slightly open. "Perhaps Twi had left it open so she could hear me in case I needed anything." I muttered to myself making sense of the door that was left open. I trotted over to the door and pushed it open with my snout.

"Oh hey Kini." Twilight greeted me from the couch she laid on. "Did I help you sleep better?" Twilight stated with a wink.

"A lot, you have no idea. Thank you Twilight." I responded.

"Well it does help to relax and unwind don't you think?" Twilight said with a light giggle.

"Well... of course." I said blushing heavily.

"So did you have that recurring dream Kini?" Twilight asked me.

"Actually I did..."I answered but was interrupted.

"Boo... all that hard work for nothing!" Twilight sighed lightly followed by a light chuckle.

"We could try again if you want..." I suggested as I walked down the stairs.

"As much as I would like to we wouldn't have time, We have to get to AJ's in a bit." Twilight reminded.

"Alright... but here is the weird part..." I stated and began to trail off lightly so I could gather my thoughts. "The dream continued on... The queen returned to Equestria and she ingested the copy of the Heart of Ymir."

"That is... interesting... you're dream continued on from what you've normally been having."

"Yes... it did, and it got even more strange, she was originally an earth pony, but upon ingesting the copy, it transformed her into a Unicorn, and the writing that was on the relic covered every inch of her skin."

"There is no way a pony can turn into another type of pony." Twilight explained.

"But then again I turned into a human from a pony. So anything could be possible now." I reminded as I walked over to her on the couch.

Twilight sighed lightly. "Don't get me wrong Kini, I love you and I love the fact that you are here, but there so many explainable things that have happened since you arrived here in Equestria. To be honest its driving me up the wall trying to figure them out."

"Trust me, there are sometimes that I wish that Midgard was as simple as this world here, but its not unfortunately," I explained.

"Well it is just a dream though right?" Twilight questioned with curious tone.

"Yeah... I guess so... I guess it's just a dream." I responded slightly distraught.

"Anyway we better get going. Especially if we still want to make it there early." Twilight suggested as she brought herself off the couch to stand beside me.

"Alright... lets go. Let me just get my guitar... I have a feeling I'll be playing the Song of Lutie to help the others gather their strength to get the harvest quick enough." I commented as I brought my guitar up and over. Placing my head through the strap so that it would lay comfortably on my back. "I'm ready. Let's go?" I stated as I brought myself back to Twilight's side.

Twilight quickly nodded her head lightly and nuzzled her head against my neck. "I love you so much. I'm glad I'm able to be with a stallion such as yourself... Let's go." She stated as she pulled herself away lightly to gaze into my eyes.

I gazed back into her beautiful and radiant purple eyes. "Yes... lets go... Thank you for being her for me Twi."

We proceeded to trot together to the front door. Twilight opening it with her magic. "Let me get the door you silly pony" She joked and stuck out her tongue at me. She then proceeded to trot outside out side.

I lagged behind for just a moment to see her walk in front of me. "Hey Twi... before we go... can I write a letter to Princess Luna with your help?" I asked stopping Twilight in her tracks. "It will be really quick. I promise."

"Sure... let me just... ah! There we go!" Twilight stated almost seemingly levitating a piece of parchment with her magic from almost thin air, but I didn't question it as Spike had also done something similar to this in the past. "Ready?" She asked as she brought the quill to the parchment, eagerly awaiting my thoughts.

"Yes." I stated, quickly gathering my thoughts." My Dear Friend Princess Luna, While I do not have a formal report on my magic here in Equestria today, but I do have two things to report on the Magic of Friendship. The first is on my new friend Meadow Song. As you are already aware he was the pony who had his mind controlled by Discord and we were able to bring him back in control of himself a few weeks ago, and I am aware that this is not the first letter about him since his rescue. What I did want to make you aware of, this pony and I have recently become closer friends as we have written to each other each day getting to know each other... I uh... I..." I began to lose my train of though. "Crap... I lost it... I'm sorry Twi."

"It's ok Kini, do you want me to keep this copy of it?" Twi asked as she lifted the quill off the parchment.

"No... its ok. I just don't think it sounded good enough for a report. I had something here... but I lost it quickly. I know it has to do with Meadow Song, and learning to sacrifice for the ponies you care for. But I just can't word it properly right now." I explained.

"Don't worry about it. I takes me a few attempts sometimes before I actually send out a letter or report to Princess Celestia. I'm sure you'll come up with something later." Twilight reassured as she crumbled up the the parchment and tossed it into a conveniently located garbage can nearby. She then proceed to return the quill from thin air from wince it originally appeared.

"I'm sure I will... but at least I have the idea down. Maybe I just need something good to eat to get my brain working on this again." I laughed lightly still feeling the contents of my stomach being a bit uneasy.

"I'm sure it will come back to you after you're outing with Spike. Now come on, we have to get to AJ's to help them out." Twilight stated as she proceeded to trot off towards Sweet Apple Acres.

She would do so much for me in heart beat, to help me overcome any fear, to be there if she needed me. Just like I had been there for her in the past. With time rolling by ever so quickly the past few months, I felt myself getting closer and closer to this unicorn, nothing seemed to be able to separate us. Our bond getting stronger and stronger by the day, hopefully one day... I hoped I could ask her a very important question, because there was no other pony I'd rather be with.

"Hey wait for me!" I shouted and chased after her

End of Chapter 6:

Bonus Chapter: Train to Ponyville

The Minstrel's Coda

Bonus Chapter: Train to Ponyville

A lone pony was slouched into his seat in an almost empty train car, grasping his acoustic guitar tightly and with saddle bags with a guitar embroidered on each bag sitting next to him in the empty seat. The pony staring out of the window to his right. Seeing the mountains and trees move by as the train chugged along. Staring at the beautiful sight that laid just outside the window, but was interrupted by another pony.

"Excuse me... might if I see your ticket?" Asked a female pony. "I need to check your ticket since we are getting close to Ponyville."

"Oh. Ticket. Give me a moment Ms. Attendant. I am so sorry the sight out there is just so beautiful... it reminds me of home." Responded the lone pony as he sat his guitar down, in the vacant seat next to him where his bags laid. He quickly dug into one of his bags, pulling out a ticket from it and passing it to the attendant. "There you go!"

"Thank you... Mr..." The attendant paused to look down at the ticket. "Meadow Song. Checks out." The attendant stated as she passed the ticket back to the lone pony. "So... Meadow Song where are you from originally that reminds you of such beautiful scenery."

"Hmm?" Meadow Song responded unaware of the question.

"What is it that reminds you of home, looking out there?" The attendant rephrased the question.

"Oh... just its beauty. It reminds me heavily of home." Meadow Song responded.

"So where are you from Meadow Song?" The attendant asked.

"From far away... from across the sea." Meadow Song fibbed.

"Wow. So you're a traveling pony?" The attendant questioned.

"Yes ma'am. It's such a big world out there... I feel like I just need to see it all." Meadow Song responded.

"Don't we all sometimes, its a big world out there, you never know what mysteries and journeys await you out there." The attendant commented.

"It is... just when you feel you've seen it all... you find out you've missed something..." Meadow Song stated as he stared out the window again.

"So why Ponyville?" The attendant asked.

"To be able to see good friend of mine." Meadow Song responded. "I've got something for him that took me a while to acquire, but I'm glad I got it for him."

"Ah a gift? Is it his birthday?"

"Something like that. It's not really new, but I'm sure he'd be glad to have this back."

"Oh I'm sure he will hon." The attendant responded. "I hope you don't mind me bugging you, the train is... pretty empty. Not many ponies to talk to, and everypony else is asleep from boredom."

"Not at all. In fact I like the company." Meadow Song said with a smile. "So how far out are we from Ponyville?"

"Oh... If I had to take a guess. Probably an hour or so away." The attendant answered. "So... how is like across the sea?"

"It's a wonderful place, very difficult to get to, but once you do... beautiful. Beautiful cities, many wonders natural and... pony made." Meadow song fibbed.

"So... what brings you to Equestria?" The attendant asked.

Meadow song pondered the thought of how to answer this question, especially since he had to cover his existence and his past. Naturally the answer came to him after a few moments. "Well by accident, I used to be apart of ship crew that would transport goods from port to port. I was the pony in charge of keeping the other's spirits up." Meadow Song stated tapping his guitar with his front left hoof.

"Ah... so you played guitar for the other sailor ponies you worked with?" The attendant asked.

"Yes ma'am. But one evening as we were returning to our home port, a huge storm brewed up. The ship was lost, we got to the lifeboats but my lifeboat was separated from the others during the storm. I was lost out at sea for what seemed like days, but by miracle I landed somewhere in Horseshoe Bay, just south of Baltimare. But out of it all... I was able to save one thing. My trusty guitar." Meadow Song explained as he looked down from the window to see his guitar.

"Wow... no kidding." The attendant commented. "So do you ever plan to go back?"

"Nah... I don't think I can to be honest. The storms over that sea lane are really bad and I doubt it will clear up anytime. You'd need to get somewhere in the number of a thousand or more pegasi to clear up that storm."

"That's unfortunate. In any case Mr. Meadow Song. It was a pleasure having a small talk with you." The attendant excused herself.

"The pleasure was all mine Ma'am. You're more than welcome to come talk to me anytime you like before we get to Ponyville." Meadow Song assured.

"I might just do that thank you! You enjoy the rest of your trip now Meadow Song."

"I will." Meadow Song responded to turn and face the attendant and smiled. She smiled back and continued her rounds down the train. Meadow Song sighed lightly now knowing that he didn't need to make up lies on the spot to cover up his existence in Equestria.

He proceeded to claim his guitar back from the vacant seat with his front left hoof, grasping it lightly and pulling it toward him to avoid the saddle bags. But his prudence was in vain, as the base of his guitar had slightly tapped the bag that had been ignored previously causing it to knock over and spill its contents on the seat. Suddenly out fell a small cardboard box and a letter that was wrapped up in a red ribbon. "I really should be careful more careful with this, since I'm sure Kiniro will be excited to get these back and read this letter. I really have to thank Shining Armor for all this..." Quickly Meadow Song recovered the contents and placed them back into the saddle bag. "I just can't wait to see that pony's face when he see's what both me and Shining Armor have recovered for him. I know it will definitely cheer him up when ever he's feeling down. It's the least I can do for him since he has done so much for me. Now just get to Ponyville..."

End of Bonus Chapter.

Chapter 7: Stroll with Twilight

The Minstrel's Coda

Chapter 7: Stroll with Twilight

"Hey Twilight. Hold up!" I shouted to Twilight as she was quite a way in front of me.

"No, how about you hurry up slowpoke!" Twilight said in a joking manner toward me.

"Ugh! Fine!" I shouted as I picked up the pace up to jogging speed to be able to catch up with her, panting heavily in the process.

"Wow you are really out of shape." Twilight joked as she turned her head back to look at me, while she continued her trot forward, and stuck her tongue out at me.

"Am not!" I panted back, hurrying my jog to a full out run just to be able to catch up with her. "I'm just... You've tired me out lately!"

"All I'm hearing are excuses." Twilight said in a singing voice, as she brought her head back forward.

"Oh yeah?" I responded as I finally caught up to her and kept pace at her side.

"Yep." Twilight answered as she closed her eyes in pride.

"OH fine... you know how to tire me out. I admit it... sometimes too well." I said shamefully as I looked toward her.

"Now that's more like it." Twilight commented with a smile. Her eyes opening and meeting mine.

There was something about this mare's eyes that I could get lost in just by looking at them. It could be the fact that she just had beautiful eyes and they were pleasing to look at, but to me staring into her eyes was much more. I felt that every time I had this happen, I felt like I was reading her soul. Down right to her every essence, and sensing that she was sincere and caring, and that I was always on her mind. Just like, even in the most dire situations, I always had her in my mind. Never a forethought, always a priority, and I knew I would always do my best to keep it that way.

However the longer I stared into her eyes. I felt an overbearing presence, as if the world was pressing down on me and as if it was ready to collapse. Slowly I remembered the dream of seeing Meadow Song crying in front of the statue due to the uneasiness. Feeling a sense of dread by the image that had just been placed in my head. Followed by the words that Twilight had told me weeks ago, "Maybe you're subconscious is trying to tell you something."

"Yes Kini?" Twilight asked, noticing that I was staring into her eyes both of us coming to a full stop.

"Oh... I'm sorry... I... just." I struggled to answer, pulling my eyes away from hers.

"Is something wrong?" Twilight responded.

"No. I just find your eyes extremely beautiful." I commented with a sense of worry set in, with light tears rolling down my face, feeling that this would be the last time I would say this phrase.

"Thank you Kini. This is why I love you." Twilight stated and smiled lightly. "Because you just know what to say that will make a mare happy."

"Hey Twi... Have you ever felt like... some day's might be your last?" I asked feeling the anxiousness follow the sense of worry, quickly raising my front right hoof to wipe the tears from my face.

"Why do you say that Kini?" Twilight questioned and noticed my uneasiness.

"I don't know... I just... I had a feeling just overtake me, I... I don't know. Maybe I'm... I really don't know." I struggled to answer again. Slowly looking at our surroundings seeing that we had just passed Derpy's cottage, standing in front of Sugar Cube Corner.

"Kini, if there is something wrong, you need to tell me. I'm here for you." Twilight reassured.

"I don't know how to explain it..." I stated, sighing heavily afterward. "I just felt an immense sense of dread, as I looked into your eyes. I had a feeling that it may be the last time get the chance to do this."

"Don't say that... I'm sure its nothing Kini." Twilight commented as she attempted to comfort me with her words.

"Well... I'm not so sure Twilight."

"What do you mean."

"Well you told me before, when I was trying to figure out the mystery involving Meadow Song, that sometimes your subconscious has a way of reaching out to you to tell you something. Especially when I told you the odd dreams I was having shortly after I ran into that pony." I explained.

"Yes I remember telling you that." Twilight commented.

"Well here is the odd thing Twilight, a lot of those dreams that I had, each and every single one, but two of them. My escape from my execution and the recurring dream I'm having now, which oddly enough was the first dream I had after meeting him, were the only dreams that had nothing to do with him. My dreams literally reached into my past, reminding me the stories of the bard who played the Song of Ragnarok prior to me."

"Ok so?" Twilight said curiously.

"So, what I'm trying to say is that, my dreams almost gave me the world's biggest suspicion that Meadow Song, was, and is Aldo. My dreams and subconscious pretty much handed the answer to me on a silver platter, and now that I'm having this expanded dream of the Queen returning, and now this new one..."

"Wait... what new one." Twilight interrupted.

"Well. I felt it wasn't important to mention, because it finally broke this cycle." I tried to explain.

"What's the new one? Why didn't you tell me?" Twilight demanded.

"I didn't think much of it... but as I looked into your eyes just a few moments ago. The dream's most unsettling image popped up in my head." I commented.

"What was it Kini?" Twilight asked.

"I dreamed of Meadow Song... He was in front of a statue of some pony I couldn't make out. But he was crying, as if he was extremely upset and sad. I felt the emotion come from the dream and it was an extreme feeling of despair. Seeing how he acted, completely distraught and broken. Not knowing why he was crying, but seeing his tears roll down his face and down his snout as well, made the feeling worse. Even now... just retelling the dream... I can feel it." I said, pausing momentarily to wipe the tears that had rolled down my face from the explanation. "He made subtle gestures, showing that he missed some pony, leaving a small gift behind at the statue..."

"So you think something bad is going to happen to Meadow Song?" Twilight asked.

"I don't know... but considering my past dreams and what they've showed me... now seeing the Queen return, and seeing Meadow Song crying. I can't help but just... ask myself... could they be warning me now?"

"Maybe they might."

"Don't you have a book on interpreting dreams Twilight?" I questioned.

"I do, but nothing on from the perspective that you're trying to figure out. I'm sorry Kini." Twilight explained.

"That's alright... I just keep trying to tell myself that I'm paranoid, because every time a dream like this pops into my head... it stays there and eats at me." I commented.

"How long has been this going on... with you're dreams?"

"Ever since I met Meadow Song, even when I met him and started dreaming about his origins, I became obsessed with figuring him out. Even now... with the recurring dream and this new one... I feel it slowly consuming me... I fear that just like before..." I tried to explain but was interrupted.

"That they might mean more than just a dream." Twilight finished my sentence.

"Exactly... I feel that there might be more to it than it just being a dream. But there is one last thing that make's it all just very worry some." I said with a chill run up my spine.

"What is it?"

"Ever since I arrived in Equestria and became a pony, I did not dream, and if I did, I never remembered them. The only time I started dreaming was when I met Meadow Song." I explained, shivering lightly.

"You can't be serious." Twilight responded quickly. "Every pony dreams, even I dream, every night, and I can vaguely remember what happened."

"Which is fine, back when I lived in Midgard, every night, I would dream also, but it was just upon me coming to Equestria and became a pony, it changed. Because even in the short time in Equestria that I was a human, I dreamed at least once, and that was of Satan Morroc coming to consume me directly. But ever since that it and becoming a pony, it went blank. So... its disturbing to me." I mentioned.

"This is unheard of. Do you really think that you didn't dream at all prior to meeting Meadow Song and being a pony? Only ponies who are crazy have been reported to have this." Twilight explained.

"So then obviously I must be crazy." I stated in a sarcastic but joking manner.

"I don't think you're crazy Kini." Twilight commented.

"So then, how can their be a connection between not having dreams and being crazy? Has there ever been a study about normal ponies who are just like you and... well I'm not a good example. But just normal ponies in general who have been reported to not dream or remember their dreams at all?" I retorted.

"I don't think so... but I don't think that anypony has ever thought of such a study."

"Maybe you should lead it then. Because trust me I'd love to know why I'm feeling this way, and why I've only been dreaming since the incident in Canterlot." I commented.

"Maybe I can look into it... perhaps suggest it to Princess Celestia and see where it goes from there... because I'm sure we'd need to have ponies to study and you can't just randomly ask someone off the street. Results won't be consistent or valid." Twilight stated.

"Twi..." I stated with a monotone voice.

"Yes Kini?" She responded quickly.

"I'm just afraid... that's all. Let's step back for a second and say that hypothetically it is proven that my dreams are telling me something, based off previous results. That could mean that these dreams I'm having now, could be foreshadowing things to come, or warning me of things to come. I don't completely understand why Meadow Song would be crying, even though I have an immense sense of dread, even just by muttering that dream aloud." I said as I shivered lightly. "But what is plain as day, is the fact that I've had a dream regarding the Xellie that started with a simple image. The dream slowly evolved, and expanded into what it is now. What if the dream is a literal representation of her returning... Could it be that she's here in Equestria now?"

"Kini I really don't know... but you shouldn't let you bother you this much. Dreams even though you can pull information from... I just can't see them being a warning of the future." Twilight contested.

"Twi, but this really is bothering me... Every time I dream this, or even think about it. I feel completely uneasy, even now. It's just too uncanny for the coincidences, not dreaming prior to meeting Meadow Song, the past dream references... there is just something going on here I can't explain." I tried to explain contesting her counter point.

"Ugh... I hate when some pony uses the explainable... Just like with Pinkie and her Pinkie sense. Perhaps you're right..." Twilight seceded.

"Pinkie sense? This is the second time I've actually heard this reference... but what is it?" I questioned.

"Trust me even I can't explain that one... But let's say you are right, and the dreams are warning you. What can you really do?" Twilight asked.

"I don't know... I can just stay observant and vigilant, but other than that... I don't know what I can really do." I responded.

"So don't let it bother you this much, the time will come if you believe you're dreams are warning you. But I believe in you Kini, I know you'll be ready if something does happen. You always have been." Twilight reassured and quickly pecked me on the cheek. "Now come on... we have to get to Sweet Apple Acres and go help AJ out." She mentioned slowly trying to comfort me.

"You're right... there is only so much I can do... I just hope that I am ready if something does happen... Hey... mind if I ask a favor?" I asked.

"What is that Kini?" Twilight answered back.

"Have I ever shown you where I made my entrance in Equestria?" I questioned.

"No... come to think of it you've never shown me."

"Come... follow me. It's near Applejack's." I stated as I picked back up walking, leading the way.

As we trotted along. I couldn't help constantly feeling that something major was coming my way. I felt the uneasiness still sitting with me. I knew that my dreams were trying to warn me of something to come. I knew that it could be of the Queen returning, and that she'd be after me. But the one dream I could not make any sense of, was the one of Meadow Song, but every time I thought about it. I had felt an over bearing sense of dread and despair, but why?

End of Chapter 7.

Prologue Part 1: The Heart of Ymir

The Minstrel's Coda

Prologue Part 1: The Heart of Ymir

"You know Lightning, I know we've had airships in operation for decades, but I've never had the chance to be on one." I commented with excitement as we stood on the deck of the airship.

"Well, do keep in mind that it was only recently that the Kafra Corp began selling the blue prints to allow licensed production to many of the nations of Midgard." Lightning Strike responded.

"So... you're telling me that Kafra had a monopoly in the skies?" I asked curiously.

"Well yes, but with that type of advantage in air travel brought many fears of possible arming of their fleet of airships, even though Kafra Corp is just a business, but with the stories of many corporations forming private armies and security firms in Swartzvald. People worried of a hostile take over of Kafra, and with that their fleet of airships could become a problem."

"Private armies? How come I never heard of this?" I responded.

"They operate clandestinely for their employer attempting to eliminate the competition by more... violent means literally letting the laissez faire case go to another extreme."

"Merchants..." I stated detracting tone. "So how many airships do we have in our service now Lightning?"

"Well as the most powerful nation in Midgard, we have currently 26 airships in service, about 8 dreadnought class, 12 frigate class, and 4 transport class. With another round of 4 dreadnoughts, 7 frigates and 3 transports currently in production at the Alberta Ship Yards. Once this is ambitious plan is completed, Rune Midgard will have the most impressive air flotilla the world has ever seen." Lightning Strike explained.

"You know with airships being in operation for so long, I've never found out what powers them." I wondered.

"Well most airships in operation use small scaled down copies of the Heart of Ymir." Lightning Strike commented.

"Wait... you mean... Are you shitting me? Copies? Don't these so called 'engineers' know what the hell they are getting themselves into?! Do they not know how unstable copies of that relic are? Why else have they been outlawed in most of the nations of Midgard!" I shouted.

"Well that hasn't stopped people from pressing more airships into production with the copies. However their is some benefit, the scaled down copies vs the illegal copies you are aware of, are much more stable, but still they have to be used to certain standards, otherwise they can break down and cause a chain reaction that could be very... dire." Lightning Strike explained. "To be fair also... most of the illegal copies are somewhat stable, but the problem is that they can not take the stresses compared to the scaled copies, which is why they are illegal now anyway. The scaled copies are the only legal copies produced today by the leading magicians in Midgard, but only for this purpose."

"I see... but they are still dangerous." I commented.

"Agreed, which is why Rune Midgard is leading the charge with a new technology." Lightning stated.

"Which would be?" I asked only to have Lightning Strike open his arms wide and upward.

"You're flying in it!" Lightning stated with excitement.

"Uh..."

"You're flying in Rune Midgard's leading innovation, a steam powered Dreadnought! The Arcadian!"

"Steam powered?" I asked.

"Yes! Steam powered, we have a boiler on board that burns any coal and any other carbon based material and heats water into steam. Which then the steam turns a giant fan blade called a turbine, and as the turbine spins it creates an electrical current, just like magical lightning. As opposed to using a Heart of Ymir copy as a power source. It's actually very cutting edge, they say that within a few more years, we can break our dependence on the copies."

"Now that type of technology I can support. We can finally get rid of all these copies and just let the original Heart of Ymir be the only catalyst for magic. We don't need another incident of another madman acquiring a copy threatening to destroy the world with it. Especially considering our understanding of the copies is so limited and their potential is almost unlimited... who knows what they can really do." I stated as I walked over to a side railing of the airship.

"You know... I can't say thank you enough Kiniro for doing this... not for the queen, but for me... for everyone one Midgard." Lightning Strike commented.

"Well... thanks. I guess. Shame that no matter what I do anyway, I'll never get my chance to redeem my name as long as that bitch is in power." I responded as I placed my arms over the railing of the wondrous airship.

"Well as I said before to you in Juno, my loyalties lay with our old King." Lightning responded as he looked toward me. Myself seeing the sincerity of his words based on his expression.

I sighed heavily. "You know... those were the days... before The Civil War, before the Wars of Emperium, and before the queen... I miss them." I said as a tear rolled down my cheek, quickly wiping it off my face.

"You know that peace will eventually come to Midgard." Lightning responded.

"Lightning Strike, you of all people... you're in the royal guard for fucks sake. You're Midgardian military, you'd be out of a job if peace came." I said trying to joke.

"Well... so would you, an old beaten warrior from days gone past." Lightning joked back in kind.

"Hey! I was never beaten, I just retired, then you have to stumble into my Library in Juno and pull me out of retirement. Couldn't have just let me be, could you?" I retorted.

"Now now, if I didn't need you're help, you know I would have never bothered you, as a friend I promised I'd keep you're whereabouts hidden from Rune Midgard."

"I still wish I knew why it had to be me..."

"The gods chose you Kiniro my friend. Why they chose you, no one will ever know, but this is you're purpose." Lightning Strike stated as he placed his hand on my right shoulder.

"Lightning... tell me... what's it like to not have a path set in front of you, to not have any purpose." I asked as I turned my head and looked out into the morning sky from my railing perch on the airship.

"Excuse me?" Lightning Strike responded unaware of the question. "Was that an insult or just..."

"No I didn't mean it like that..." I interrupted. "I mean not having to feel like a tool at someone else's disposal, not have to follow this set path of destruction..."

"Kiniro my friend, I've watched over you since the Civil War, we never have to follow a path we don't want to..." Lightning Strike tried to comfort me.

"Easy for you to say... I've lost everything Lightning Strike. My first love, my home, most of my friends except you... and my family has been gone for a long time. I even lost the man who treated me like his own son years ago."

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to bring back memories of Fayd's death... and I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when Xellie tried to execute you." Lightning apologized. "Had I known that she was going to..."

"Yeah I know... I know... I've heard it before... you would have put a stop to it..." I responded angrily with tears beginning to run down my face.

Lightning Strike sighed heavily, pulling his hand away from my shoulder. "I know you're hurt Kiniro... but I'm still here for you, no matter how much you try to push me away now. I made a promise to save you, even if from yourself, since I owe my life to you."

"Lightning... can we please stop talking about this... Can we please talk about something else." I responded wiping the tears from my face.

-End of Prologue Part 1.