Glorious Song

Chapter Three: Beyond My Abilities

        I heard Celestia’s words, but didn’t know how to respond to them. What “great service” could I possibly help with? I’m a DJ. A loner. From what I’ve heard, friendship is a key component in stopping evil in Equestria. It’s not exactly something I capitalize on.

        “Princess, I don’t mean to be rude,” I began, “but I don’t think I’m the right pony for whatever you need help with. Maybe, you should ask Twilight and her friends instead.”

        “I am confident that you are the pony for the job,” she replied with the utmost certainty.

        “Well, I don’t think somepony like me is up for it.”

        “You haven’t even heard what it is I ask of you.” Celestia moved to her throne and sat on it. “Now, Luna, if you would be so kind.” She gestured towards her sister, who then nodded in response.

        Luna’s horn began to glow as the light vanished from the room. For a moment, the three of us stood in complete darkness. Celestia’s face was made visible by the light emanating from her own horn. “This darkness is Equestria’s fate if you do not heed my call,” she said. Her tone was grave.

        The bright, golden light of Celestia’s horn produced several small lights that dispersed around the room. Each took a different shape. Some I recognized, others I didn’t. Celestia’s eyes first fell upon one of a certain draconequus. This was becoming worse with each passing minute.

        “Do you know of Discord?” Celestia asked.

        “Yes, of course. I can’t think of anypony that doesn’t,” I replied as I examined the other images she had created. “Isn’t he being rehabilitated? Don’t tell me he’s causing trouble again.”

        “No, but something long forgotten has me concerned. It is something Discord once controlled. Something he once called home.” She looked to a second light, depicting what appeared to be some sort of castle, that I assumed would be rather large in person. “This structure is known as the Cathedral of Chaos. It is a fortress of sorts that, if need be, can become mobile.”

        “I don’t understand. If Discord isn’t using it, then what’s the problem?”

        “The problem is that it’s moving.”

        “Moving where?”

        “To Equestria. As it is now, it should be nearing the border, and will soon enter our lands.”

        “How? If Discord isn’t moving it, how could it possibly be coming to Equestria?”

        “Whether there is somepony else who may control it, we do not know. At this time, we have no choice but to assume that it is the result of ancient, chaotic magic stored in the Cathedral long ago by Discord. It is very possible that he placed some sort of spell so that, in the event he could not return to it, it would return to him.”

        “Why not just ask Discord to disable it?” I asked. Once I uttered that question, I realized how ridiculous it was.

        “We cannot yet trust that Discord will not use the Cathedral, given the chance.”

        Figured as much. “Then, how will you stop it?”

        Now, she turned to a third image. They were...necklaces? And a tiara? “What are those?” I asked.

        “To answer your first question, my sister and I cannot stop the Cathedral. As for the second, these are the Elements of Harmony.”

        Luna looked to me and said, “We once used the Elements to defeat Discord and seal him in stone, however, we can no longer wield them.”

        “I...I think I’ve heard about the Elements of Harmony,” I began, “from Twilight.”

        “Yes, Twilight and her friends are the current bearers of the Elements. They once used them against me, when I was Nightmare Moon. Then once more, to stop Discord.”

        “Then why not just ask Twilight to stop the Cathedral?”

        The light returned to the room, and the images vanished. Celestia stood up from her throne and spoke, “Because this is not a task for Twilight. It is a task for you. And your friends.”

        “What friends?” I asked. “You may not know this Celestia, but I didn’t exactly keep in touch with many ponies once I left Canterlot.”

        “Then, I suggest you get in touch.”

        “I don’t even know where anypony went or if they went anywhere at all!” This was all too much. I didn’t ask for this. I’d rather just return to my boring life in Manehattan.

        “Perhaps, you should begin in Ponyville, where you can speak to Twilight.”

        “I suppose that could work.” Wait. No, what am I saying. “But I haven’t even agreed to do this for you!”

        “But, my student, you must. For the sake of Equestria.”

        “There is nothing I must do! You can’t expect me to just do whatever you ask of me, just because I used to be your student. That isn’t how this works!”

        Luna’s eyes grew somewhat sympathetic. “I implore you. Please, give it some thought. I understand that this is something rather big to ask of you, and you’re probably feeling overwhelmed. Could you, at least, think on it? Alone, if you would prefer.”

        Celestia approached me and softly lifted my chin with her hoof so that our eyes met. They showed kindness. As they always had. “I have more faith in you than you know. I have an idea. Stay here in the palace tonight, and give our request some more thought. In the morning, you can give us your answer. If you still choose not to help, I will not force you.”

        There was something about her tone that calmed me down. “That...sounds acceptable. Will you show me to my room?”

        “I’m afraid Luna and I have some business to attend to, but I will send for Princess Cadence. She can escort you. I believe she wishes to speak to you as well.”

        “Um ok then,” I said. “Should I wait for her here?”

        “That would be most appreciated.”

        As the two princesses exited the room, Celestia stopped and said, “Sleep well, my student. I know you’ll make the right choice.” Then, they were gone.

        You may know that, Celestia, but I don’t. How can they expect me to do this? I’m nopony special. I’m no Twilight Sparkle. I’ve known that for the longest time. I’m...I’m just a one trick pony, and that trick is playing music. Not making it. Just...playing it. Who am I kidding? Why did I even agree to stay?

        My wait on Cadence was much shorter than that of Celestia. The pink alicorn princess entered the throne room. She wasn’t smiling anymore. Did Celestia tell her about the Cathedral? Maybe, she could give me her take on all of this.

        “Cadence, may I ask you something?” I asked.

        “If it’s about the Cathedral, I already know what you want to ask, and I think you should do it,” she replied. “You underestimate yourself too much. You always have.”

        “That’s a little harsh, Cadence.”

        “It is, but it’s true. You know I only have your best interests at heart. You said it yourself, your life isn’t interesting. Your words, not mine. So, why not try? Why not be all that you can instead of hiding?”

        “I am not hiding.”

        “Oh really, Wubs? You aren’t hiding anything? We both know that isn’t true.”

        “Are you implying you don’t have secrets of your own, Cadence? Nothing you keep hidden, not even from Shining Armor?”

        “Are you implying that I would lie to my husband?”

        “Not lie. Keep secrets from.”

        “I would never! He and I are completely open with each other. Why would you even bring him up?”

        “I’ve heard that secrets are common among marriages. I suppose not all have them.”

        “Secrets are not what we are here to talk about. You were always excited by the idea of going on adventures. You would always say, “I’m going to be a brave prince, and protect Equestria, just like teacher.” Surely, you couldn’t have changed so much?”

        “You’d be surprised how much somepony can change when they detach themselves from everything they once held dear.”

        “Why would you ever want to do that? Do you truly wish to be alone? Don’t you ever miss the days when you and your friends would play superheroes in the royal garden? Don’t you ever miss the companionship?”

        “Of course I do, Cadence! But those times have long since passed, and I’ve drifted too far from them to turn back now! Face it. It’s too late.”

        Cadence looked upon me as Luna had earlier. I was letting my emotions run wild and they could all see the truth behind my facade. They could see the old me beginning to emerge. The problem was they wanted it back, but I didn’t. I’ve gone too far now.

        “It’s never too late. I know one pony who strayed for a thousand years. She still changed. She still cares. You can too. I know it. You just need to believe in yourself, as we all do,” Cadence said, as a tear began to form. I wasn’t the only one showing their emotions, and it was starting to hurt us both.

        “I’d like to go to my room now, Cadence. We can talk more there if you’d like.”

        Cadence raised a hoof to wipe away her tears before they could drop. “Yes, I’d like that very much.”

        Once we arrived at my room, Cadence and I sat on the bed and talked. We kept talking for hours, long after the sun had gone down. She and I talked about the old days, the new days, and the days to come. Cadence cared for me more than I ever knew. I suppose I was just too young to understand back then.

Shining is probably wondering what she’s doing, but I guess he knows where she is. This whole day...has been more than I could handle. More than I could comprehend. The Princesses seem to have quite a bit of confidence that I can do this, but I just don’t get it. How can I wield the Elements of Harmony when I haven’t the slightest clue where to find friends? New or old.

I continued to half-listen to Cadence as I pondered the whole dilemma. How could I bring myself to say no when everypony is expecting me to say yes? If I agree to undertake this quest, I’ll risk both my life and my sanity. But, if I reject Celestia’s offer, she’ll be disappointed in me. So will Cadence, Shining, Cannon, and Luna. Not to mention, the darkness Celestia mentioned. I don’t know if I can knowingly condemn Equestria. I also don’t know if I can condemn myself to the same fate by accepting. But, if what Celestia says is true, my outcome may be the same no matter which option I choose.

“And then Spike slid down the tower with the Crystal Heart. He’s grown to be quite the brave little dragon since you knew him when he was a baby,” Cadence said, as I zoned back into our conversation. “I bet King Sombra felt like a fool, losing to a little dragon like Spike.”

Her laugh and smile were charming. Shining Armor was a lucky stallion to be with my old foalsitter. “I bet he did. Even Spike is a hero of Equestria now. I’m a failure of a student, I guess.”

“No you aren’t! Will you quit being so negative? The old you would never talk like that. Besides, you aren’t the only student who never saved Equestria. If you were, Equestria would have more troubles than just the Cathedral,” Cadence reassured me.

“Sorry, I just...I’m having trouble readjusting. To you. To Celestia. To all of this.”

“Keep in mind that you will have far more you’ll have to face than just us. I imagine Twilight will have a thing or two to say to you as well.”

“Great. If Celestia isn’t going to lecture me, then Twilight surely will.”

“Twilight wants the best for you. You’re like a brother to her.”

“I doubt she made fun of Shining as much as she did me.”

“Oh, I’m sure that was all just in good fun.”

“Cadence, she still makes fun of me to this day. Sometimes, I’m not even sure if she likes me. But I keep telling myself that she does because, since I left Canterlot, she’s been the only pony I could still call a friend. The only one I could talk to.”

“You could’ve talked to me or Shining. Celestia too. She knows you better than any of us.”

“It just seemed like Twilight was my best bet. She was my best friend in Canterlot.”

“I see. Well, it’s late. I should get back to Shining Armor. You should sleep. You have a big decision to make in the morning. Sleep well, little one,” Cadence said, as she kissed my forehead. I don’t think she’ll ever think of me as more than a child until I prove it. I can’t blame her though. A child is exactly what I’ve been acting like.

Cadence left the room, and I was alone once more. I moved to the window and looked at the night sky. I never had the chance to see the stars back in Manehattan. The city lights always made them so hard to see. They were beautiful. The sparkling lights seemed to be everywhere, as if Luna herself were enveloping Equestria in her watchful gaze. It made me feel safe.

I must admit, it’s surprising that I was welcomed back so...graciously. I mean, of course you’d want to be hospitable to somepony if you need something from them, but I don’t think that’s the case here. Aside from Loose Cannon’s initial reaction to seeing me, everypony has been so kind to me. Maybe...things weren't so bad for me here. Then again, the treatment isn’t why I left.

I returned to my bed and climbed into it. As I stared at the ceiling, I couldn’t help but remember all of the things the Princesses said to me today. Another thought came to mind as well. Cannon knew that I would go to Ponyville. He must’ve known that Celestia would recommend going to speak with Twilight. Did he also know about the Cathedral of Chaos, or was it just coincidence? I can’t think of a reason why Cannon would need to know about this.

As I began to drift off to sleep, I put my mind at ease in hopes of sleeping well for a change. I found myself dreaming of a place unlike anything I’d seen. It was dark and depressing. An eerie, green light bathed the room, originating from torches mounted on the walls. It looked like dragon fire. The floor and walls were made of stone, as was the ceiling. This is no dream. This is a nightmare.

“What is this place?” I asked, not expecting to hear an answer.

“This is the Cathedral of Chaos,” responded a voice behind me. I turned around to see that it was Luna. “I apologize for intruding on your dream, but I thought it might help if you had an idea of what the Cathedral was like.”

“It’s fine, and that would help, I suppose. But I don’t understand. How could I be dreaming of the Cathedral so vividly if I’ve never been there?”

“Because my sister and I have. Once. I am projecting the image into your dreams. I also wished to speak with you privately.”

“It seems everypony does. So, why did you and Celestia go to the Cathedral of Chaos? Did you battle Discord there?”

“No, we settled our score with Discord in Canterlot. We dared to step hoof in this wretched place in hopes of convincing Discord to cease his chaotic ways and join our side. I’m sure you can deduce the results of that endeavor.”

“Right. So, was the Cathedral in Equestria when you fought Discord?”

“Yes, but following the battle, it vanished. We tried to locate it so that we may cease its operation, but that was to no avail. Now that it has returned, the opportunity to put it out of commission has as well. Alas, my sister and I no longer control the Elements of Harmony.”

“Twilight does, which is why I suggested she handle this.”

“You can’t compare yourself to Twilight forever. Trust me, I know what it’s like to feel inferior and underappreciated. The more you force this feeling upon yourself, the more it will destroy you. Focus on your strengths. Not others’.”

“That’s just it. Twilight’s talent is magic. My cutie mark is a record. I spin records. What good is a disc jockey against a magical fortress of chaos?”

“An excellent question, but you do not yet see your full potential. There can be more than one thing you’re good at. Nopony is restricted to a single forte. My sister believes you can do great things. If she believes in you, I do as well.”

“That’s kind of you to say, but in the end, it’s I who needs to believe in me. Only then can I convince myself to even attempt any of this. All the kind sentiments and words of affirmation mean nothing if I can’t even have confidence in myself.”

“Hm...you are wiser than you appear.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

“Apologies. I meant no offense. Rather, I was simply stating that you possess more wisdom than you let others believe.”

“Oh. Well, thank you. The manager at my job always gave the impression that he believed me to be an idiot, good for nothing more than playing music for his customers.”

“Well, he is a fool.”

“That’s something we both can agree on.”

Luna, who I’ve known for not even a day, is treating me with more kindness and care than ponies in Manehattan that I’ve known for years. Do I really want to return there and continue living my life as nothing more than an underappreciated DJ, extorted for personal gain, and used by those who call me “friend”? That life. I’ve hated that life for five long years.

No. It’s time I step out of that hell I’ve called my job, my home, and my life. This opportunity could be just what I needed. Sure, it’ll probably be dangerous. Sure, I could die. But I’ve been living, dead to the world, for so long. This is my chance to repair what I destroyed so long ago.

“Is something wrong?” Luna asked, as she lowered her head to meet my eyes.

“I’ll do it,” I replied, staring into her eyes. My gaze, more serious than ever before.

“I’m sorry. I don’t understand,” she said with a smile.

“I’ll do what I must to protect Equestria.”

“We figured as much. I’ll return your dream to you now. We shall speak again at sunrise.”

With that, the Cathedral interior faded away, and I found myself in Canterlot. The bright, blue sky above me was a much preferred replacement to that dreary room in the Cathedral. The sun shone brilliantly onto the city, its light reflecting of the golden tops of the palace towers. I saw myself, playing in the park with other young fillies and colts. This was a dream. My dream, of returning to my old self. And with Celestia as my witness, I will see that it comes true.