Orchestra of Death

I walked into the building and looked around. “Hey, has anyone se-” I froze in place as I looked over at one of the tables. Sitting there in front of me, was Michael, Amy, and some girl I hadn’t met yet. I grinned internally as I took note at how he wouldn’t know what’s going on. Time to fuck with Michael in a way that explains everything... “Wow... Alex’s spell worked on the wrong target.”

Amy’s head then fell forward and splattered the cupcake. I couldn’t help but fall to the ground in uncontrollable laughter. OH GOD! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! “I need a freaking camera!”

The girl looked at me confused. “Wait... Who are you?”

I slowly calmed my laughs and steadied my aching sides. “Oh... that’s way too funny.” I stood and brushed off my pants. “Anyways, to answer your question. I’m James Hindenburg. Please, just call me James.”

The next thing I knew she warped in front of me in a flurry of leaves. The fuck?! “I’m Paige! Paige Beckett!”

I leaned back from the surprise “I swear I’ve seen that before...” I quickly brought my train of thought back to the present and gave a small smile. “Well. It’s nice to meet you Paige.” I looked over to Michael and grinned. “Sup, Michael.”

He waved. “Not much... I just had to deal with a girl that can turn into leaves and a vampire.” What.... How come he gets the cool stuff! And I didn't even get the reaction I wanted!!

“Darn, you get all the cool stuff. I just got my sister and a girl with pink hair.” I looked over at Amy and grinned. “Speaking of which...” I walked over and sat next to Amy. “Meet my sister.”

Michael nodded, “If only she was awake.”

Amy’s head suddenly shot up and looked around wide eyed. “I’M AWAKE!” She noticed we were all looking at her and glowed softly. “...That didn’t happen....”

I snickered at her embarrassment. “You wish.” She smacked me upside the head, “Ow.”

Paige grinned, “Welcome back to the world of the living.” She paused and blinked, “Oh... Wait.” LOLOLOLOL

Amy laughed tiredly as she looked at me. “Now I see why you can’t get mad at all those kids in Appleloosa. They’re too freaking adorable.”

Paige blinked, “Appleloosa? Strange name... Almost as bad as Dragonspyre.”

I nodded in confermation. “Yep, This place is littered by pony and apple puns.”’

Michael simply looked at me, “Hollow Shades. It’s a town.”

My eye twitched in barely contained rage. “I spend weeks here and only hear of stupidly names towns and such, while you find the one freaking town that has a normal name.”

He shrugged, “Not really found, just told to go by Death.” My head quickly slammed into the table. DEATH, I BLAME YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s not like you asked politely James.

I grumbled mentally as Death laughed in the back of my mind for a couple seconds before disconnecting.

I could hear Amy sigh. “He always makes a big deal about small stuff. Name’s Amy.”

“Michael... The girl’s Paige”

“Hello!”

There was a pause before Amy said, “Say... you like light tricks?”

I turned just enough so I could glower at her. “Don’t. I’m tired from the CMC. Please let me rest.” While the reason’s not exactly true....... I’m still tired.

Paige shrugged, “Not that much, they are cool but I have a pet that I play with.”

I rolled my head back to where it was and could hear Amy continue. “Well... didn’t expect to hear that.”

Paige gasped, “Oh god, I haven’t let him out yet!” I could hear her rummage through something followed by a thud. “Hey Max.”

I could feel something poke my head as Amy was doing something else. “Huh...”

Paige said something that sounded like owing me money.

I looked up at them as they stared at me. “Who owes me money?” Something poked me in the eye and I saw a green elephant poking me with a sword. “Oh... dang, no money. Just a mini elephant.” I rested my head back on the table. “It’s amazing how this place has made me immune to weird crap now...” So many crusades...... so little time.........

Amy blankly stared at me. “You caused just as much when you were alive.” Like you were so innocent.....

Paige looked at us, “I’ve met talking dogs, owls, crocodiles, salamanders, cats, rats, ghosts, undead ghouls, fish, lobsters, dragon people, unicorns, pigs, cows, goats, and dinosaurs. I beat you all in terms of strange.” Wow...... that’s quite a list.

I chuckled. “Guess I’ll just settle for third then. You and Alex got me beat.”

Paige looked at me, “I met Alex... for a minute. Speaking of which you said he can cast spells?”

“Yep.” I lifted my head off the table and popped it. “I know for a fact he can. No details.” I am not explaining that moment to anyone. EVER.

Amy grinned. “Aww, come on James! Don’t yo-” I slammed my hand across her mouth before any major details were revealed.

“No. Details.” EVER!

Michael looked between us in confusion, “Um...?”

I quickly waved him off. “Don’t worry about it. Just make note to never let him read his spellbook on a train. Ever.” It is for your own safety.

Paige grinned and pulled out a small book chained to her side, “Like this?”

I flinched slightly before grinning nervously at the book. “Yeah... just like that... but bigger.” Oh god please don’t be like Alex’s, PLEASE don’t!

She put it back and tilted her head, “What’s his last name?”

I tapped my chin and thought back to when Alex introduced himself. “I think it’s... Harris.” I got out of the seat and stretched, feeling my back pop in a couple places. “But that’s not really important right now. I got to go find my friend Megan. Later.”

Paige sighed but waved him off, “Seeya!”

I walked to the door and stopped for a moment. “Also...” A small ball of light flew off my finger and landed in front of her, forming into a mini Celestia. “A parting gift.” Without another word I left the building.

I could hear Amy as I left the building. “Show off.” I couldn’t help but wear a shit eating grin as I formed some wings and took off. That I am Amy.... That I am.....

I flew around and noticed Megan standing near the library. I swooped down and landed near her, causing my wings to dissipate quietly. “Hey Meg!”

She looked over to me and sighed in relief. “OH thank goodness. James have you seen Amy anywhere? I haven’t been able to find her after she left the Inn like her head was on fire.”

I grinned and pointed behind me. “She’s at Sugarcube corner.” I looked up and grinned as I pointed behind me. “If you need me, I’ll be there after a bit. Later!”

She looked at me in confusion until I took off down the road. I made a quick pass by some of the local shops and even passed by Sugarcube Corner as I ran at high speeds. A hairpin turn and a quick summoning of my wings later, I was headed as high as I could over one of the local fields. let’s see how fast I can go....

(Megan POV)

James basted down the road and was off faster than I could follow. “Wait!” In no time he was a speck in the distance. Oh...... I wanted to talk to him..... I looked up and sighed. At least I know where Amy is now.

I walked down the street and quickly arrived at the bakery. I stopped before entering when I heard someone say, “Morganthe made sure I didn’t kill him.” Who’s Morganthe?

I quickly walked in to see Amy staring at the wall behind two people. I ran up to her and looked at her in worry. “Amy, are you alright?” I waved a hand in front of her face, but Amy didn’t move. “Oh dear.”

“Hi!”

I jumped in panic and turned to see a young girl looking at me. “Oh... um, hello.”

She blinked before giving me a small smile, “Oh... Sorry. My name’s Paige. What’s your’s?”

I started fiddling with my braid and looked at the table nervously. “It’s Megan... It’s nice to meet you.”

“Same.” Paige tilted on her feet, “So... Whatcha doing?”

I looked at Amy for a moment. “I was looking for James. I can’t seem to find him anywhere after he ran out of the library.”

Paige grinned, “I can find him...” She closed her eyes and concentrated on something before a bunch of leaves formed into James, and crashed into a wall.

I winced as James fell to the ground and clutched his face. “MY NOSE! RIGHT IN THE FREAKING NOSE!!”

Paige paled, “Sorry! Um...” She waved her hand and a green aura surrounded his face, healing the damage.

James rubbed his nose and scrunched it a couple times before smiling. “Thank you, and you’re forgiven.” He looked over to me and smiled. “Oh, hey Meg! I was wondering where you were.”

I was about to check on him, when I saw something sticking out of his back. “Um... James?”

He looked over to me with that smile of his. “Yeah?”

I leaned around him and looked at his back. “Why do you have wings?”

He blinked a couple times before grinning. “Oh these?” He stood and spread the wings to their full span. “Just a trick I came up with a couple days ago. They work too.” The wings folded down onto his back and he grabbed a chair from a nearby table and sat in it backwards.

Paige looked at the wings before scrunching her face as white feathered wings popped out her back. I couldn’t help but stare at both sets as they seemed to gleam in the light. Oh my... They’re so... so... I couldn’t find the right word.

I heard a thump and saw that Michael fell over in shock and was knocked out in an instant. Oh dear......

James blinked a couple times before smiling. “Cool. I just got a flying buddy who isn’t a pegasus.”

Paige grinned, “Nice to know I’m not the only one.” She looked over and blinked, “Um... I think we broke him.”

I looked over at Michael as he laid on the ground. “Oh my...” I gently grabbed his arm and started to sit him upright in the chair. “I hope he’s okay...”

James smiled. “It’s not the first time I’ve seen something weird happen and make him pass out.”

Paige blinked in confusion, “Huh... Care to share?”

He shrugged. “Yeah... He started foaming at the mouth at the sight of some of the stuff that happened in Canterlot. It was rather amusing.”

Amy smiled. “I think I saw that...”

Paige sighed, “Great...”

Amy’s smile faltered a bit. “So... you said something after you told me about... what’s his name again?”

She frowned, “Malistaire.”

Amy shivered a little and started to seem nervous. “Yeah... him...”

Paige nodded, “Yeah... I said that Morganthe made sure he was kept alive.”

“Do you... do you think they’re... anywhere near here?”

She shrugged, “I don’t know about Malistaire, he could be anywhere. However Morganthe is wandering The Spiral, last I remember she was planning on rewriting the multiverse to her image.”

James frowned slightly. “That sounds... rather sadistic.”

She nodded, “Yeah... She’s called the Umbra Queen. She drowned an entire world because they declined giving her a spell. Cursed a kingdom because they wronged her, and destroyed a world for fun.”

I pressed my hand against my mouth to suppress a gasp. “That... that’s horrible.”

James seemed to tremble slightly. “That... is just wrong. She better pray she never meets me.” His wings seemed to get darker for a second before they became their original bright gold. What was that....

Paige looked at him, “Well don’t get your hopes up, she vowed to hunt me and bring my soul back from the grave so I could destroy Ravenwood.”

Amy put a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, just know that if she does show up, You aren’t alone.” She smiled and gave a thumbs up.

She smiled sadly, “I’ve fought powerful foes that should have killed me in seconds, traveled across the multiverse to worlds I could only dream of. And now I’m here doing the same thing all over again.”

James gave her a cocky grin. “I think you got one detail wrong there.”

“Oh?” She looked at him, confused again by his antics. “Care to explain?”

His grin grew as he grabbed both me and Amy by the shoulders and pulled us in. “You got us three to watch you’re back!”

Amy grinned. “No way that I would let a little girl fight someone like that on her own.”

I nodded to Paige with a small frown on my face. “What she has done is not right. So I’ll help as much as I can.”

James made a quick glance past Amy at Michael’s sleeping form. “Oh... and him too once he’s awake.”

She giggled a little and looked at us with sad eyes, “I’m glad that I chose this...”

James turned to me. “What are friends for? Besides, I’m getting tired of that Hamlet guy constantly bugging me.”

She tilted her head, “Hamlet?” I’m also curious.... I’ve heard James mumble to himself a couple times about someone... could this be him?

He started rubbing the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Some crazed jester that is absolutely insane... He keeps sending these ‘Void Terrors’ to destroy me every now and then. I have no idea why though.”

“Distraction. Malistaire did the same thing, he enlisted the help of a lot of evil creatures to keep me from learning his true intentions.”

James nodded. “I thought something was going on behind the scenes...” He closed his eyes for a moment before smiling. “I’ll deal with that later though. For now, we shall head out!”

I tilted my head in confusion. “Head out where?”

He grinned and ran outside, wings at the ready. “TO ADVENTURE!!”

Amy sighed and followed him. “I’ll be right back...”

Paige grinned, “Huh... He’s silly.”

I chuckled a bit as I watched Amy leave. “He is, isn’t he?”

Outside we heard something crash before Amy dragged James back in by his leg. His wings weren’t there anymore. “Caught him.”

James grumbled from the ground. “That was mean...”

Paige sighed, “Good job.”

James looked up at me for a moment. “Say... I just realized something.”

I looked at him. “What?”

He grinned. “You haven’t really met Dean yet.”

Paige raised a hand, “I did, he’s a bit sad right now. I am curious about Alex though.”

James got up off the floor and grinned. “I think he’s still at the library. Want to go?”

She shrugged, “Fine by me.”

He marched to the door. “THEN OFF WE GO!” he stopped mid stride at the doorway and looked back. “But before I forget. Light Puppets.” A ball of light shot out of his finger and split into a small army of soldiers. The minis ran up to Michael and started to carry him away like cartoon ants. One even pulled out a cute little trumpet. “Huh... The trumpet’s new.”

Paige sighed, “I can get us there quickly. Grab my shoulders.” We all grabbed onto her shoulders and James’ puppets grabbed onto his pant leg, still holding on to Michael.

She sighed and closed her eyes as the sensation of falling leaves rushed over my skin. I quickly shut my eyes and felt the leaves come and go. I kept them shut and heard Amy talk. “Wow... Impressive.”

I looked around and saw that we were actually in the library. “Woah... that felt... weird.”

She nodded, “That’s how I felt the first time.”

James was rubbing his eye. “I think one hit my eye...” He pulled one out of his eye and blinked at it a couple times. “Oh... well then.” He just shrugged and tossed the leaf into the wind. I looked at him and saw his eye was fine. That was.... one of the most interesting way’s I’ve ever gotten from point A to point B.