Chapters View Online
Second Chances: Friendship is Music
Meeting the Band: Queen Chrysalis and Nightmare Moon
Second Chances: Friendship is Music
The day was meant to be perfect
The kind of day of which I’ve dreamed since I was small
But everything has broken down
My plans crumbling all around
And in the end it has all been for nought.
My voice echoed through the hollow cavern that served as my throne room. The stalactites glistened as the moisture reflected the light from the bioluminescent plantlife and some artificial light made from the lanterns that burned a light green fire.
All it reminded me was that I was all alone. After the botched attack on Canterlot, I expended far too much magic in the attempt to protect my subjects’ descent after we were blown away from Canterlot. Landing in a bog or swamp would have been bearable as the landing would have been somewhat soft. Instead we landed in the barren wastes of the Equestrian Badlands, miles away from any source of water which made our landing harder.
I was unable to protect all of my subjects as a few sustained life-threatening injuries. We had little option but to leave them for dead. I returned with a large number of my Changelings to the Hive but our power was diminishing far more rapidly than I could have anticipated. As a last resort I ordered my subjects to abandon the Hive and integrate into pony society in disguise. They obeyed without question as they should but they were as alone as I was and I felt their pain each day. The pain of not finding a powerful enough source of positive emotion fast enough to sustain themselves and it soon resulted in slow, painful deaths.
If I could have done things differently I would have ended that pink pony and her purple friend the first chance I got but in my current state, I doubt I could even manage to light a candle. I was withering away slowly with each passing day. If I didn’t find a source of emotion powerful enough for me to at least stand, I would be spending the remainder of my short life singing it away.
The only sound that accompanied me was the slow dripping of the water from the stalactites and my own echo. It was annoying at first but now each fallen drop signals each passing second as my death draws ever closer.
“I’m telling you it’s this way!” A new voice echoed through the caverns.
I rubbed my ears as I tried to listen. Am I going mad? Who would be here? How did they even find this place? Could it perhaps be one of my subjects? My answer to these questions never came as the voice laughed.
“How should I know? These caves all look the same to me. She should get an interior decorator sometime soon. These colours do not scream ‘regal’,” The voice said mockingly.
How dare this pony insult my caverns! These caves have sheltered my Hive for five of my family’s generations! My ancestors were proud and revered rulers… unlike myself. I felt a mixture of anger and shame at that thought. Even still, the history of these caverns dated back to the pre-Discordian era! I got up onto my hooves and almost keeled over as my body was racked with pain as it stubbornly obeyed.
“I still don’t get why you teleported us here,” A second voice deadpanned.
“Well, you’ll see,” The first voice said as they grew closer towards me.
Whatever they are, they knew of my Hive and managed to teleport here despite I have magic wards that prevent such access? Perhaps my current state has weakened the wards, allowing anything to teleport inside. I heard a singe set of hooves echoing through the halls, indicating one pony but I failed to hear a second set of steps to indicate the second assailant. I distinctly heard two voices and I would expire long before any of my senses failed me.
A brown Pegasus entered my Throne Room, looking around in won- disdain? He looked as if just being there disgusted him. It made my blood boil at his lack of appreciation for Changeling architecture and design. I winced slightly as a sharp shot of pain hit my abdomen, almost forcing me to fall over.
“Well, here she is and what a prime candidate she is,” the second voice said. Looking around I found the source: a floating Draconequus.
I had heard stories about them from my mother before she expired, leaving me to rule the Hive at the young age of two hundred and forty-three. They were a form of Chimera with astounding magical capabilities. He was staring at me with a grin. I could feel malice behind that grin while the Pegasus gave off a variety of mixed emotions as if he couldn’t decide what he was feeling.
“So, you two dare to come into my Hive unannounced?” I asked, trying to sound as threatening as possible as I masked my condition to the best of my abilities.
The Draconequus chuckled, “That we do Queeny! Or can I call you Chrissy?”
Ugh, in a few short words this creature was already giving me a migraine, “You shall address me by my proper title and name: Queen Chrysalis .”
I strained the last part to emphasise my status to these cretins but they seemed unfazed by my response. I kept my composure and remained steadfast atop my throne.
The Pegasus scoffed, “Queen of what exactly? If this is meant to be a hive, then where are all your workers? I would think a queen would have subordinates.”
The Draconequus scratched his chin as he stared at me, “Cressy, I don’t think she’s well.”
Wait, how does he know that? My skills of deception haven’t failed that badly, have they? No, impossible. He’s bluffing, I’m sure of it.
‘Cressy’ looked at his cohort with a raised eyebrow, “I would prefer you to call me properly if we are going to be standing in front of this ‘queen’ as she put it. And stop dancing on the ceiling, Discord.”
Wait… Discord? I… I know that name from somewhere, but where? I closed my eyes and tried to rummage through my memories while the pair of them bickered.
**** **** **** ****
I finally recalled a particular scene when I was masquerading as that insufferable pink Alicorn. That unicorn Shining Armor was leading me through a garden with an assortment of statues… with this Discord as one of them!
I remember staring at it with curiosity and I asked the white klutz who it was of.
“He was a tyrannical ruler many years ago,” The white unicorn explained, “This statue is actually him, sealed in stone. He escaped a while back but was sealed back in stone by the Elements of Harmony.”
**** **** **** ****
I opened my eyes and found Discord’s own eyes staring at me… a mere two inches away from my face. I jolted and pain wracked through my body once more, forcing me to collapse to the hard floor in agony.
Discord caught me in his arms, smiling maniacally, “You’re looking a little green, Chrissy.”
Even that Pegasus was eying me curiously. I didn’t want their pity, I didn’t need it. I managed to get out of Discord’s hold and stand on my own four hooves. I gave them both a look that would melt the snow encompassing the wastelands of the Frozen North.
Discord laughed, “You think you’re that menacing?”
“What’s up with her Discord?” The Pegasus asked, probably noting how easily I fell.
“She’s weak Note. All that power of looooove,” He clasped his claws on either side of his face and pulled it, making it stretch as he said the last part. “This is the result: no Hive, no Changelings.”
“What do any of you know?!” I shouted, slamming my hoof down on the cavern floor and creating a booming echo.
Discord appeared in front of me with Note next to him, both dressed in black suits and carrying a magnifying glass. The Pegasus looked shocked but then shrugged his shoulders as if this was an everyday occurrence. “I know a bit about you my dear. Celestia told me of a number of things in order to bring me up to speed on the current era. You were one of them.”
I scoffed, “Did she tell you of how easily I defeated her?”
Discord smirked, “She was very embarrassed as she told me that part but she did nonetheless.”
Note spoke up, “But that doesn’t explain how you knew where the Hive was.”
Discord rolled his eyes and they fell out of their sockets! I swear on my predecessors’ honour, they literally rolled across the ground while the body did nothing. The eyeballs stopped by Note’s hooves and stared at him.
“I used to be a tyrannical ruler of Equestria, remember?” He said matter-of-factly, “I had the area’s boarders under constant surveillance. Do you know how many times a coup d'État had been attempted while I was in the shower? It was annoying.”
“Still dodging the question Discord,” Note said as he folded his forehooves and scowled at the pair of eyes.
They seemed to completely ignore me as they began to argue like hatchlings. I facehoofed, the sound echoing slightly and the pair of bickering trespassers stopped to look in my direction.
“Now that you two have stopped acting like old mares… what are you doing here?” I asked, pushing past Discord’s body which was smoking a cigar as long as his arm and as thin as his one horn. Oddly though there was no smoke, only pink bubbles whenever he blew.
Note looked down at the eyeballs before flicking them up into the air with his wings and bucking them towards Discord, who caught them effortlessly and placed them into their sockets. I was certain my migraine was getting worse just by watching their antics.
“We came to recruit you,” Discord said as he walked past me.
“’We?’ Discord, you grabbed me and teleported on the spot! You couldn’t have been any less foalish,” Note retorted with a smirk on his face.
“True enough but I wanted to surprise you,” Discord responded cheerfully. Ugh, the intelligence in this room was spiralling downwards with each passing second.
“Colour me surprised,” I interjected as the two were about to fall into another argument and I would never get any answers out of them.
“Sorry. Allow me to introduce ourselves properly ,” Note said as he eyed Discord intently. “My name is Crescendo Noteworthington Streak. You may call me Crescendo or Note, whatever suits you. The bundle of random fun over there is Discord, living embodiment of Chaos itself and former tyrant of Equestria.”
He had some courtesy, I’ll give him that. I cleared my throat as I reciprocated his introduction, “I am Queen Chrysalis, fifth generation Queen of the Changelings. You still haven’t answered my query.”
Note rubbed the back of his head with his hoof, “Sorry, Discord and I were… sorry are starting a band. Sadly nopony in Canterlot wanted to join up and to help rectify the need for members Discord teleported us here.”
It made sense in my mind, “And what – pray tell – members are you looking for?”
Note turned to Discord who took that as his cue, “We need a drummer, another vocalist who can do really deep notes, a guitarist and a keyboardist.”
I looked at him incredulously, “Is that even a word?”
Discord proceeded to conjure up a dictionary and flip through it, “Yup, right here on page 98.”
He even showed me the entry to prove he wasn’t playing me for a fool. He still could have made the entry himself but given how much of a headache he was, it was probably best to not pursue the issue further. I gave him a curt nod and the dictionary vanished into the air it came from.
“What makes you think I would join you anyway?” I asked.
“There are a number of reasons,” Discord responded. “Boredom, passion for music, a form of income, a point to unleash deep personal problems, a way to keep you alive, an-”
“What was that last one?” I interjected. I’m sure my ears are working fine but… but that sounded like-
“A point to unleash deep personal problems?” Discord asked as a grin slowly spread across his face.
“Not that part you moron!” I shouted, “The part about staying alive.”
“Oh, that part. Haven’t you seen how ponies react to popular musicians?” Discord asked in a tone that suggested I should actually know the answer.
I shook my head, eliciting a groan from Note. He looked like somepony stole his sweetroll, “Seriously? Popular groups have fans and some get pretty obsessed without the aid of magic. I've heard stories of them breaking down doors just to catch a glimpse of their favourite musicians. Even if it is not truly love, their emotions might help you.”
He made a valid point but there was something I couldn’t understand, “Why me? You could have gone to any other city in the world, looking for talent. Why do you want a Changeling whom everypony hates and is searching for?”
Note looked up at Discord with pride in his voice as he responded, “Everypony deserves a second chance. A chance to set things right.”
“You really think that?” I asked. They couldn’t be serious, could they?
Discord shrugged his shoulders, “Celestia saw it fit to release me in hopes of getting me to turn over a new leaf. In the end, I now can walk amongst ponies without fear of being turned into a glorified lawn ornament for birds to do their business on.”
I turned to Note, “And what about you?”
“I first met Discord in the Archives. His first impression was enough to make me believe in him and we’ve been friends ever since,” He replied.
I sighed, “Fine… I’ll join your little group. I have two questions though before we depart: who else do you have in mind and where are we all going to be staying?”
Note took it upon himself to answer this question, “As for who next, Discord is covering it so I don’t know. As for the second question, we can set up in the library/observatory/whatever it is Celestia let me have since it has more than enough space.”
I nodded my head and turned to Discord who smiled at me, “Now comes the trickier part: getting the other two.”
Note nudged Discord and grabbed his attention, “Just two? Who do you have in mind?”
Discord looked slightly nervous, “Nightmare Moon and King Sombra.”
Note looked at Discord, his mouth hanging wide open in shock, “You want those two? In case you’ve forgotten: Nightmare Moon was torn from Luna’s body, she no longer exists! And King Sombra’s horn is all that remains of him and nopony knows where it even is!”
Discord laughed, “A minor inconvenience.”
I laughed… and it felt good, “’Minor’? I think I could get used to your optimism. Please, do inform us as to how you plan on bringing them back from the dead.”
Discord merely chuckled back, “I never reveal my secrets. Cressy, I’m going to have to do this part alone since we can’t have Chrissy wandering around Canterlot Palace and I need you to keep an eye on her.”
“Then what do I do?” I lamented. If it’s one thing I despise with all my being is being useless.
I laid here waiting to die but that is another matter, I had no options to help myself or my Changelings. Now I have a chance and they want me to sit out? Not on my life.
Note must have seen me glowering at them because his response seemed rather shaken, “W-well we could f-find out which instrument you will be best suited for. I-if you want.”
Really? I guess he has a point, even if it is a weak one, “Fine, let’s get going before I change my mind.”
Discord chuckled and snapped his fingers. I felt like my body was being torn apart from every direction to every other direction simultaneously. When the feeling ended I fell unceremoniously - and loudly - to the floor.
“Are you alright?” Note’s voice asked as I tried to ‘pull myself towards myself’ as the expression goes.
“I’ll live… maybe,” I responded as I shakily got to my hooves. “What exactly is this place?”
“It’s a library, observatory, apartment and anything else you basically need. It used to be the home of Celestia’s prized protégé,” Note responded as he flew over to the overly large window and drew the curtains.
“I’ll venture a guess and say this was Twilight Sparkle’s abode?” I asked with annoyance that I’m in the former home of that pest.
“Yeah, sorry. We can’t use my old apartment since my brothers could walk in on us at any second. They can be a rather strange bunch and this is coming from a pony that has the God of Chaos as one of his friends,” Note seemed rather embarrassed as he said this. He is a rather strange pony.
Discord decided to conjure up a bunch of instruments for Note and myself to try out. Drum set, a bass guitar, an electronic keyboard, a grand piano and two wooden guitars, all this made up a rather impressive set up for any musical group… outside classical circles anyway.
“I’ll be right back,” Discord said cheerfully as he literally popped, creating a shower of confetti as he vanished into thin air.
It may be important to note that the sun was already high in the air, bathing Equestria in its embrace. What made me feel slightly infuriated was that I was now residing in the abode of the pony that assisted in my race’s downfall.
Note cleared his throat but shrank as I glared at him, “W-where would you like to start?”
I took a gander at the musical assortment in front of us but I will admit I was at a loss of ‘where to start’ as he put it. I walked up to a guitar and strummed a chord, receiving a high pitched screech as a result. Never again.
“Ok, so string instruments are rather out. How about trying the drum kit instead?” He asked, trying to sound supportive.
A drum kit? A bunch of barrels with some membrane in the large openings somehow has the audacity to call itself an instrument. Then there were the thin metal discs on either side of the ‘kit’. I felt my dignity drop ever lower as I picked up a stick with a ball on the end with my magic.
“You use two of those to strike the membrane to produce a sound,” Note informed me as I grabbed another from the floor.
“This is pointless you know,” I complained as I struck at the membrane, tearing the membrane in an instant.
“Nothing is pointless if you have the drive to go through with it,” Note encouraged as he pointed another set of drums, “Discord made sure there were copies in case this happened.”
“Fine, leave me be. I wish to try this on my own,” I requested.
“Sure. Call me if you need anything,” Note proceeded to trot downstairs but I’m sure he could still hear me attempt to play the instrument again.
I tried for what seemed like hours and yet the hourglass in the centre of the room mocked me as the sand fell ever slower. I was growing frustrated and smashed the drum kit by piercing the membrane with the drum sticks. I gave a sigh as I proceeded to walk down the staircase to tell Note that I was not going through with this. As I walked, a small voice became slowly louder. Not offensive, it was rather pleasant as it sang.
-ot bow, I will not break I will shut the world away I will not fall, I will not fade I will take your breath away
F-!!
It was Crescendo, singing rather well but what grabbed my attention was the rhythm he was making with his forehooves. I was still a little distance away so hadn’t noticed my presence just yet. I sat down and just listened to him.
Watch the end through dying eyes Now the dark is taking over Show me where forever dies Take the fall and run to heaven
All is lost again, but I'm not giving in
I will not bow, I will not break I will shove the world away I will not fall, I will not fade I will take your breath away
And I'll survive, paranoid I have lost the will to change And I am not proud, cold blooded fake I will shove the world away
At this point I had finally noticed that there was a second set of hooves tapping in tandem and in perfect sync with his. I looked down and noticed it was my own hooves, matching him tap for tap. Changelings can mimic a pony’s actions almost perfectly but for me I felt something emanating from him.
Another misconception about Changelings is that we feed off love. While the statement is true, the fact is that we feed off any positive emotion, not just love. I could feel some form of passion coming from his singing and tapping. All artists exert this passion in every move they make and in every lyric they sing. It made me feel a little stronger.
I will not bow, I will not break I will shut the world away I will not fall, I will not fade I will take your breath away
And I'll survive, paranoid I have lost the will to change And I am not proud, cold blooded fate I will shut the world away
Fa-!!
He began to cough quite badly and he rubbed his throat as it seemed he had stopped the little song he was singing. I cleared my own throat, causing him to look at me fearfully.
“Sorry, d-did I disturb you?” He asked, most likely fearing I was about to attack him for interrupting me.
“Quite the opposite Mr. Note. I got frustrated and heard something so I came to investigate,” I responded, trying to smile as nicely as possible. Seeing as I had fangs, this was rather troublesome. “May I inquire what exactly you were singing?”
“‘I will not bow’. It’s not any of my songs, it’s sung by a group that I forget the name of,” He replied, shifting uncomfortably.
“You seem rather tense,” I remarked.
“Well, the Queen of the Changelings in my home? It’s a little frightening when I don’t have Discord to watch my back. Speaking of which I wo-?” We were interrupted as a barrage of knocks threatened to tear the doors off its hinges.
“I think I should disguise myself,” I said as I concentrated to change my form.
“I’ll stall and give you time to change,” he replied as the knocking became more intense, “I’m coming! Hold your humans!”
…What an odd expression.
**** **** **** ****
I will admit it was a bit of a shock when I returned to Canterlot as a ‘friend’ instead of an enemy and found how much the castle had changed in a thou- oh is that a bit? What luck. Where was I again? Oh, yes: helping to bring Note’s dreams into reality. What good’s a talent if you never use it?
“-iscord? Discord!” Whoops, almost forgot Luna was talking to me there.
Luna was sat on her throne which stood next to her sister’s. The throne room itself was mostly white with columns that did nothing to support the room. Why Luna was on the throne during the day instead of her sister was weird but she wouldn’t tell me if something was up. Never will.
“Sorry, what were you saying?” I asked, trying to sound innocent.
“You came in asking to see my sister. I just told you that she has been called away on a diplomatic errand in Zebrica. What is on your mind?” She asked, gazing at me as if she was trying to bore through me with them. She always did have nicer eyes than her sister… not as uptight as her as well. “Discord!”
“Whoops, sorry. Ok, were was I? Oh yes, I request access to the Canterlot Vault please.”
“And what business do you have in the Vault?” She raised one of her eyebrows, quite funny if you ask me.
“A promise I need to see through,” I responded a little less elegantly as I would’ve liked but I can't just get a redo. Oh well…
“A promise? Interesting, tell us more.” Is she being serious?
“Please?” I asked, giving her the best ‘puppy dog’ expression I could muster. Didn’t work.
“Discord, I can not have you just wandering around the Vault for a promise I know nothing about,” She replied, her expression stoic and with no visible sign of changing.
“It’s a deal I made with Crescendo,” Please for the love of Equestria, let her not try to pursue this.
“Fine, but I will have two guards escort you down there. Am I understood?” Luna replied, her face didn’t waver for a second. Has Celestia been giving her lessons?
“Thank you,” I bowed low to give my proper respects. I hate formalities.
The Vault was down in the caverns inside the mountain where Canterlot was built. This gave the vault a natural defence against raiders and other malicious creatures, like me. Why they thought a big rock would stop me is a question they’ll never answer.
Luna’s idea of ‘guards’ were two of her Night Guards: Winter Breeze and Night Shade. The two mares were a disorderly, rambunctious duo… and I loved them. They wore the typical purple armour that Luna seems to like so much but what was weird was the fact that they sported bat wings and their eyes were yellow with cat-like irises. Freaky.
We cracked jokes about Celestia’s cake habits as well as taking a stab at Celestia’s guards.
“What was that old timer’s name again?” Night Shade laughed, nearly tripping over her own four hooves.
“Which one?” Winter Breeze responded, draping her one hoof over Night Shade’s neck, “I think we drank too much before shift.”
“You did. I’m talking about the old coot from two weeks back,” Night Shade draped her own hoof over her friend’s neck and they began to sing something I couldn’t make out… I plugged my ears with two green and red polka dotted sheep… I only tolerate sober singing.
Our trip through the winding, dark and – to be quite frank – dank tunnels, we reached our destination: The Vault of Canterlot.
The door to the vault was made of obsidian which made it exceedingly heavy to move with brute strength. An intricate design of shooting stars and varying constellations along the side of the door made up Luna’s magical contribution to seal it. In the centre of the door was a large orange and yellow sun, Celestia’s contribution.
I chuckled a little to myself as I looked at the sun. On it was a picture of Celestia’s flank and the words: ‘Cake Colossus’ were written just under it, all done with a red felt tip marker. That was my contribution to ‘protecting it’.
I pulled the sheep out of my ears and placed them on the ground. I watched them run off out of sight, down one of the tunnels and never to be seen again… or until I made them reappear.
The two guards fell out of their stupors and stared at the door with wonder, “dude, that’s like… the biggest cellar door I’ve ever seen.”
Winter Breeze laughed at her friend’s comment, “they must have some really good booze in there. No wonder they’re always in such good moods.”
I chuckled as I snapped my fingers to undo the magical seals keeping the door sealed. At first nothing happened, I was about to complain and make a comment about Celestia changing the nonexistent code on me when I heard a small click.
The seals began to glow as the door started to screech as it began to slowly open. Luna’s glowed silver and died out, one by one while Celestia’s glowed yellow and soon it faded as well. As the noise ended, I peered into the most hallowed ground of… I just walked into the vault with two bewildered mares.
“Am I tripping or something?” Night Shade asked as she looked at a large statue depicting Celestia in her old regalia: her crown was overly gaudy as it had several amethysts and topazes set in it while the metal was made from platinum. Her chestplate covered half of her front while her shoes came up to reach her knees.
“It must be some heavy stuff if you’re seeing what I’m seeing,” Breeze replied, grinning like an idiot… no, I don’t grin like an idiot. I grin like a madpony, major difference.
You’d think that a thousand or so years would give this vault a plethora of items, rare, old to withstand the test of time itself… no. Tacky paintings, a ‘How to make stained glass windows’ guidebook – note to self, read it later –, a number of strangely shaped pottery, I mean really? Who’d want something that resembled a horse’s a- ooh, a Discordian Bit!
I haven’t seen these beauties since my imprisonment. An average bit made from silver and with an engraving of moi on both sides. I pocketed the bit and continued my search while the two mares kept thinking they were in a rave. Whatever that was.
And then I saw it, the pedestal containing the shattered remains of Nightmare Moon’s armour… placed in the centre of the room? It was so cliché I decided to move it against the wall and then pretended to discover it all over again.
The armour looked as if a filly had tried to piece together their mother’s vase after breaking it. The cracks were as easy to see as Celestia’s flank. I made the glass dome that sat atop the pedestal jump off and tap-dance past the Night Guards. I reached out and touched the armour with my lion’s paw.
The second I made contact I was overcome by a mixture of cold, hate, despair, agony, and a desire for vengeance as well as – strangely enough – fear. I removed my paw and the feelings vanished almost instantly. I began to wonder at that point if I was wrong about trying to bring Nightmare Moon back.
But then my mind was assaulted by an image of Crescendo’s sad face, soon followed by Fluttershy’s. Crescendo was sad because he couldn’t go and be truly happy for once in his life. Fluttershy looked disappointed that I let my only other friend down and tried to reassure me that I did all that I could…
Did all that I could…
No, I will do everything in my power to help my friends, even if I only have two. I cracked my knuckles as I got ready to pull off a spell that would leave Twilight Sparkle in the dust. I focused my power and… snapped my fingers.
The reaction was instantaneous as the armour began to glow from red to green and then finally yellow. I didn’t question the colours as the shoes made contact with the floor, completely whole. The air felt positively electric but then again the small arcs of lightning most likely had something to do with it.
“Check this out!” I turned around and saw Winter Breeze looking at the scene before her with wide open eyes, “Night Shade, are you sure we ain’t trippin’?”
“Yeah, but now I’m not too sure,” Night Shade responded.
I looked again at the armour hovering in the air as some form of black goo began to leak out of the headpiece. It took on the form of blood veins as it travelled towards the chestpiece, repeating the process until it reached the shoes. It resembled a picture you find in medical journals that display all the major arteries and other blood veins. What was sickening was the fact that they pulsed to an invisible heartbeat.
This time a bone structure began to form, each bone made either a cracking or a popping noise as they appeared. I turned away at this point… there was only so much I could stomach. I heard the loud beating of a heart but kept looking away.
The next sound I heard was a thump and the clang of metal. I turned around and saw the Avatar of Darkness/Luna on a really bad day: Nightmare Moon. Those eyes were similar in shape to the Night Guards… speaking of which, where are they?
“W-where?” I heard a faint voice coming from Nightmare. It was kinda sweet.
“Canterlot Vault,” I replied, “thou hast been reborn to make reparations for thine transgressions upon Equestria.”
“W-what?” She asked. I couldn’t help myself, I fell over laughing. “N-no laughing. I-I… I can not stand it, my h-head hurts.”
“Think we should tell the Princess?” I heard Night Shade ask.
“It’s only a figment of your imagination,” I said to them, “that’s what you get for partying too late.”
Winter Breeze snickered, “I think you mean too early, we work at night remember? I don’t think anypony would believe us anyway. Come on Shade, I got Hoofington brand bourbon waiting for us at the guardhouse.”
Nightmare managed to get to her hooves as the pair flew out of the vault, “an odd bunch.”
I nodded, “I know right? Come on, I’m taking you somewhere special.”
She looked at me and for the first time I realised her eyes were glazed over. She smiled at me, “I’d like that.”
**** **** **** ****
Why did my brothers choose now to come and visit? Lightning Streak was the one trying to bring the door down with his hooves while Fire Streak tried to find another way in.
Fire Streak is a white Pegasus with an orange mane and tail that has a lighter shade running through it. His eyes are yellow but are usually hidden behind his flight goggles. Lightning Streak is light blue while his mane and tail are yellow with a lighter shade running through it. His eyes are dark green. Today they decided to not wear their uniforms but they were just as rambunctious as ever.
“‘Yo, bro!” Fire Streak charged at me and knocked me to the ground as he tackled me, “why didn’t you tell me you got yourself a swank new pad?”
‘Celestia kill me now,’ I thought as I closed the door behind me.
“Hey, what gives?” Lightning asked as he tried to see inside.
“The place is a bit of a mess and I was cataloguing the bookcase until you decided to break through the door,” I lied, keeping a stoic expression on my face. Please change quickly Chrysalis, knowing my brothers they won’t stay out here for long.
“So, neither was our place and you never complained,” Fire Streak pointed out.
I scowled at them, “mainly because I had no choice! You mistook my room for your own on a regular basis! Half the time I had finished a ten hour shift at the Archives, having a nap and then you come barging through as if it’s the Grand Galloping Gala again!”
Fire and Lightning looked at each other and lowered their heads, “Crescendo, we’re sorry you feel that way. You should’a told us, you know?”
I shook my head, “I love you two as my brothers. You’ve always been there for me so I didn’t raise a fuss at the time. I’m just a little stressed out right now.”
“Who is by the door, Note?” I heard an odd voice coming from inside as the door opened, revealing itself to be a lime green unicorn with straight, pale blue mane and tail. Her eyes were a darker shade of magenta, with a pair of round glasses. Her Cutie Mark was a yellow sun with a black eighth note
“Is tha-?” Fire started but sadly Lightning decided to finish for him.
“A marefriend ?!” The pair of them were shocked at the sight of Chrysalis.
“Greetings, my name is Summer Rhapsody. And you are?” ‘Summer’ asked. Her voice was soft and warm if that sounds possible. She winked at me, making my jaw drop to the floor.
“U-uh, Fire Streak ma’am. This here is my brother, Lightning,” Fire responded, just as dumbfounded as myself.
“A pleasure I’m sure,” She turned to me and gestured inside, “mind showing me how to play that melody again?”
“W-which one?” I stammered.
“That song you sang earlier, what beat were you playing?” She responded.
“What are we? Chopped alfalfa?” The Wonderbolts asked in unison.
“Amongst other things, maybe. Well, Note?” Chrysalis asked. I nodded my head, “well let’s get going then. And would you two please get going? I am not a fan of having several eyes watching me.”
My brothers nodded their heads in silence before taking off and muttering about my ‘marefriend’ as they went.
I walked in and closed the door, “Well, that was interesting.”
I turned around and found Chrysalis had changed back with a snide grin on her face, “indeed. Who exactly were those two morons?”
I frowned at her statement, “they are my brothers and while their behaviour is rather wild, I will not have you slandering them.”
“Understood. I was serious about playing though,” She replied, “what were you tapping earlier?”
“A drumbeat but with my hooves,” I replied.
“Mind helping me wit-” She was cut off as a resounding bang rang through the upstairs.
We charged up and saw Discord… standing next to Nightmare Moon! I was flabbergasted. She stood there looking around as if she didn’t know where she was… and that was when Discord smiled at me.
“Cressy, I’m home!” He shouted, spreading his arms wide, “what did I miss?”
Author's Note
I finally got round to doing the second chapter. I apologise for the wait.
Second Chances: Friendship is Music
Meeting the Band: King Sombra
Second Chances: Friendship is Music
“What do you mean you want to take some time off?” Post Script asked me as I reported for duty at the Royal Archives after the end of the weekend.
Post Script is a rather interesting Unicorn to say the least… but also the biggest hypocrite I’ve ever met. The navy blue Unicorn always told me to keep my mind focused on my job and yet I’ve noticed her reading Playmare on more than one occasion during shift. Not that I’d mention it, she is my boss after all.
“I mean exactly what I said, Post. I have some personal issues that need resolving and I need to go quite the distance so I’m requesting some time off,” I responded.
She was only objecting since she’d need to actually work for once. She wasn’t especially lazy but she hated having to exert herself… like I said, she was a hypocrite. Despite it all though, she was not the worst boss to work for. She was compassionate and understanding and despite her laziness, very willing to help out when it was needed.
She rolled her eyes at me and sighed, “Fine. I’ll let you go for one week Crescendo. We have some documents coming from Saddle Arabia that will need to be catalogued and filed so I expect you to be ready for a buck load of sorting.”
“Thank you Post,” I replied with a smile as I walked out of the Main Archives and flew towards my home.
I arrived at my door without encountering any problems. Nor did I see any sign of my brothers. I was so sure they were lying in wait for me so they could jump me and ask about Summer Rhapsody that I had to keep changing my route and fly rather erratically. If I told them the truth about her being Queen Chrysalis, they would either call me crazy or delusional.
I knocked on the door in a certain rhythm so that the two mares inside knew who it was at the door. Discord had vanished yet again to do something that would probably blow up in somepony’s face. The door opened slightly as the face of Summer Rhapsody greeted me.
“Well?” She asked as I entered my own home.
“I got the week off so we can make the trip,” I replied, “Where’s Nightmare?”
“Call me Eclipse,” A voice said from the top of the stairs.
Nightmare had been experimenting with using shadow magic to change her appearance. She apparently did the same thing when she first returned to shroud the world in darkness. The final result stood before me with a grin.
She was a dark purple Earth pony that almost looked black in the right light. Her mane had a single long bang that covered her right, teal eye. She went with a dark green coloured mane and a tail which was long enough to touch the ground. Her Cutie Mark was a representation of a lunar eclipse with a small speck of ‘light’ at the top right like a diamond on a ring. The strange thing was that her eyes were still a little glazed over for some unknown reason.
“Okay then, Eclipse,” I replied with a roll of my eyes, “Has Discord gotten back yet?”
Eclipse shook her head, “Afraid not yet. I wonder what he is up to.”
“Knowing Discord, it could be anything, literally,” I deadpanned, “Well I suppose we could meet by the station. I’ll just write him a note to tell him to get his backside there.”
Summer Rhapsody walked past me with a snide grin that I was beginning to associate with Chrysalis over the weekend, “I’ll write it.”
I went upstairs with Nightmare to collect a few instruments while Chrysalis wrote the note. Something about Nightmare’s eyes made me a little worried as well as her behaviour. She appeared to be unaware of her surroundings until she heard us speak or a sound was made. I mean, she almost walked into one of the pillars once.
I gathered it was best to leave her be as I made sure we were set, collected my saddlebags just in case they were needed and with a nod from Chrysalis with regards to the note, we made for Canterlot Train Station.
Luckily for us, seeing a stallion and two mares walking with a set of instruments in tow was not too odd an occurrence as Canterlot was known for some of the highest class of classical musicians. Sure other genres had arrived here but they didn’t seem to be as popular with the stuck-up nobility.
Most of the passersby didn’t even notice our presence as we made our way through the city. I did see the one noble pair that broke the stereotype everyday: Fancy Pants and Madame Fleur Dis Lee. Those two were the only nobles who would associate openly with ‘commoners.’ But they were too embroiled in a conversation with each other to spare us a glance.
We finally arrived at the train station as the next train to the Crystal Empire rolled in with a screech. Most ponies that commute in this fashion had gotten used to it but for the three of us, our ears fell flat on our heads as we winced from the noise.
“All aboard for the Crystal Empire!” I heard the conductor shout to nopony and everypony in particular.
“That’s our cue ladies,” I said to the duo beside me, “You get aboard and I’ll get the tickets.”
The two mares carried the instruments without any arguments onto the train as I walked up to the ticket booth. I took out a small bag of bits and handed it to the ticket master.
“Four tickets to the Crystal Empire,” I said cheerfully.
“Four tickets,” The monotonous mare replied as she handed me the tickets, “Enjoy the Crystal Empire.”
“Thank you,” I replied, trying to be as positive as possible as I put the tickets into my saddlebags. That mare seemed to be a black hole of happiness.
As I returned to the train, I found Eclipse and Summer alone in one of the back carriages with the instruments not too far away. They were still disguised so I wondered what they could have done that would have made everypony leave. It wasn’t until I walked through the rest of the train did I find out that it was not fully booked. There were many empty spaces for passengers in the forward carriages. I guess that Nightmare and Chrysalis decided to be as far back as possible to avoid drawing attention to themselves. Understandable really.
“Hiya Cressy!” I heard the oh so familiar voice of Discord as I returned.
The Draconequus decided to sit himself across Summer while Eclipse sat on the other side of the caboose. The train lurched to the side as it began to take all of us to the Crystal Empire. As the train happily chugged along the tracks I looked out the window and began to wonder what I could be thinking with regards to this band of villains. I was sure I was slowly losing my mind.
Sure Chrysalis was not a bad conversationalist and Nightmare was rather quiet yet friendly. I had already been friends with Mr Chaos so that part didn’t bother me. Sure his antics did have a tendency for wearing out rather quickly but he had semi-good intentions… most of the time.
But Sombra… he was a ruthless dictator. Chrysalis was warm to her Changelings or so she said and Nightmare only wanted ponies to perceive the night the same way they did the day: with love if you can believe it. I did not believe Sombra had any redeeming qualities.
While lost in my little thoughts I finally realised Eclipse was softly singing something. I seemed to have missed quite a bit of it but it was rather soothing and abated my worried state a little.
Some will say that this is not going to last long
I looked at her as she sang. She was gazing out the window, lost in the lyrics she was singing. I looked over to Discord and Chrysalis and found they were too engrossed in a heated conversation. I think it had something to do with the holes in her legs as Discord was poking his claw through a few of them, laughing his head off. Celestia save us if the conductor comes in right now.
So together we are all lost on the moon
Well, I’d have to admit it was very catchy. All it needed was the instruments to bring it to life. Who knew the bringer of the Eternal Night had such a lovely voice? I sure as Tartarus didn’t and that made me feel a little ashamed for making said assumption.
“What is it?” Eclipse asked me, still looking out the window as the landscape was slowly losing its green hue as we got closer to the Frozen North.
“What was that you were singing?” I asked.
I was sure I saw her cheeks brighten but since her coat was rather dark, it was a little hard to see. She turned to me with those glazed eyes of hers. In truth it was actually starting to make me a little uncomfortable.
“You heard?” She asked, staring at me or through me.
“Just a bit of it really. It was quite nice,” I replied, hoping that she’d not try to kill me or something for eavesdropping on her vocalising.
“You honestly think it was any good?” She asked.
“Yeah, you sing quite well,” I said.
She didn’t reply and returned to looking outside the window once again. I sighed deeply, glad I wasn’t flayed alive for hearing her sing. Although she didn’t look angry or upset, she looked more surprised than anything else when I said I liked it. I wondered if I could get her to write the lyrics down.
A knock came from the door as it began to open. I shot a look at Chrysalis but as I did I found she had changed back to her Summer Rhapsody disguise. The source of the disturbance turned out to be the conductor checking for tickets.
“Tickets please,” She asked.
I pulled out the four tickets from my saddlebags and handed them to her. She punched them with some funny punch they always carry for tickets. She gave our group an odd look and looked at Discord… who wasn’t Discord.
He turned himself into a brown unicorn with a diploma Cutie Mark and brown mane and tail with greying streaks. He had a full face beard and moustache that went around his muzzle as if he just cut a hole in the spot where his mouth was. The conductor shook her head and left the caboose.
“So what’s up with that get-up?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Call me Q,” Discord laughed.
“Q?” I replied with a raised eyebrow, “Really?”
“Yup! Q for ‘Questionable Quotation’!” I facehoofed right there and then. I probably gave myself a black eye in the process, “Hey, I have an idea: why don’t we get to know each other a little better?”
Well that sounds like a lovely idea, if this were some Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Maybe Villains Anonymous? What did that make me? A villain-in-training, the mediator, the only sane creature in this band? I shuddered at the thought.
“Well, I doubt we need to tell each other our names,” Summer said as she rubbed her chin with her hoof, “We already know who and what we all are so I don’t really see the point.”
“I have to agree,” Eclipse said, not looking at us as usual, “I don’t have anything really important worth saying anyway.”
Q raised his hooves into the air, “Oh, please? Pretty please? Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease?!”
I doubt anything could look quite as sad as a grown stallion giving two mares the ‘puppy dog’ treatment. In his defence, he seemed to pull it off rather well but he’s like what? Over a thousand years old? Then again I doubt he ever actually acts his age.
Summer rolled her eyes and sighed, “Fine then. I sincerely doubt you would relent if we continued to decline anyway. Who shall start?”
Again Q jumped up and down as if he was on a sugar high from Tartarus, “Me! Me! Pick me!”
We all groaned as Q merely grinned at us, “Hi I’m Discord, the em-”
“We know who you are Discord,” Summer said with an annoyed tone.
“But it fits the theme!” Discord argued.
“But it makes no s-. Oh right, that’s somewhat your thing isn’t it?” Summer said sarcastically, making Eclipse chuckle a little.
“Yup!” Q replied happily.
Q carried on telling us about his time as a ruthless and fun dictator. I had to wonder how any dictator could be fun and still be called a dictator. Regardless he told us the worst thing about being an oversized lawn ornament was being unable to scratch an itch he had behind his ear for a millennia. I couldn’t help but laugh.
He told us of his life as a reformed villain as well. Most of which I already knew since it also encompassed the story of our meeting and eventual friendship.
“Right, who’s next?” Q, rubbing his hooves together with joy.
“I guess I’ll go,” Eclipse said, looking at Q.
“Yay!” Q replied with a broad grin.
“Let’s see. You all should know me from the old mare’s tale. I am – or was to be more accurate – Luna’s darker side that wanted to shroud the world in eternal darkness… I don’t even know if I’m even real despite I am sitting right here,” Eclipse said sadly, “And to compound on the small crisis of existence… I-I… I can’t see.”
“Well, that’s rather unfortunate,” Summer said as she looked at Eclipse, “I guess you use sound to know where we are?”
Eclipse nodded her head as she directed her attention to the disguised mare, “Yes, I use a form of echolocation to determine the distance, shape and direction of an object using sound waves from any source. Multiple sounds give me a clearer picture.”
I whistled, “That’s rather impressive.”
Eclipse turned to me this time, “I guess so. I’m mainly here because Discord brought me back. I’m not trying to bring eternal night mainly because I won’t be able to truly see it. It’s now a worthless pipe dream and since I have nothing else, I ended up with all of you.”
I kind of felt bad for Eclipse but I wondered if she would try to bring eternal night to Equestria if she could still see. Or maybe this second chance at life would have helped her to become a different mare even if she did see perfectly? Life is full of so many uncertainties.
Summer cleared her throat, directing our attention to her, “I believe it is now my turn.”
“I don’t mean to be rude Chrysalis but we are close to arriving at the train station. I can make out the spire of the palace from here indicating we are at least twenty miles out,” I said.
“Then I shall be brief,” Summer replied, “I was the Queen of the Changelings until the rather unfortunate mishap at the wedding caused a large shortage of love to sustain my subjects and myself. So I had them scatter themselves across Equestria in order to survive.
“It may not be an ideal plan but it was the only one I could think of at the time that would spare them the death I was facing until you two showed up. After that I guess I found another way to get love: through music. How this is possible I have yet to discover.”
“But you look a lot better than you did when we found you though,” I pointed out.
“That is because I can at least siphon the love in the air. It’s not much but it can keep me alive. Spring is known for having ‘love in the air’ as I believe the expression goes,” Summer responded.
“Well tha- oh we’ve arrived. That was rather fast,” I said as the train grinded to a very loud screeching halt. They should really overhaul the railway.
The Crystal Empire stood a short way away from the train station for reasons Tartarus wouldn’t know. The spire of the Crystal Palace could be seen for miles around as it loomed over the city. Ribbons of light comprised of a variety of colours came from the tip as it stretched across Equestria.
As we walked into the city with our instruments on our backs I saw the streets were filled with common tourists, hounding the citizens for as much info as possible. What I didn’t understand was the fact that the Empire had a library for Celestia’s sake! Also, how can they call one city an empire? We may as well dub Canterlot as Equestria just to show them how silly that are being.
But we weren’t here for me to rant about the Crystal Empire. We’re here to find the remains of their former sovereign tyrannical ruler and get him back to the plane of the living and recruit him. Q was chatting along about how he had heard of the empire when he was in power but left them alone mainly because he was having too much fun with Equestria at the time. In my opinion, they already had Sombra and I doubt Discord wanted any more enemies, especially one that apparently had a vicious mean streak. And I’m pretty sure I’m putting it mildly.
“Yoohoo!” I turned around to see the three companions I was with were looking at me rather strangely, “You a little lost there?”
I shook my head, “Sorry, I must have blanked out there. Any idea with regards to where we begin searching, Q?”
Q smirked at me with a grin that should not be possible on a pony’s face. I thought it was going to end up encompassing his entire face.
“Well… I have a small idea where to start but we had best wrap up for the trip,” Q replied, “Kinda nippy out there in the snow.”
“I do not care for the cold,” Summer pointed out, “Where do we get the appropriate garments for our venture?”
Q raised his hoof and made a snapping sound as if he were snapping his fingers. This is Discord… I will not ask a question I am better off not asking when it comes to him. In an instant we were all dressed in full body clothing. The oddest thing was that the instruments vanished.
We all looked as if we were one of those explorer groups, fully kitted with goggles, jackets, pants and snowshoes. At least I thought they were since they had spikes on the soles. My ‘kit’ was a few shades lighter than my coat colour while Eclipse’s was a pale blue. Q hadn’t forgotten about Summer, hers was a lime green of all colours while his own looked like a patchwork quilt which matched the colours of his true form.
“Right then, I guess we’re ready then,” I stated, looking around to see if anypony saw Q’s rather flashy display.
Luckily nopony was even looking in our direction as tourists paid us no mind, more focused on the sprawling city of lights brighter than Las Pegasus.
“Right. Lead the way… Q,” I said.
Q basically bounced up and down as he led us into the snowy landscape. Whenever the wind blew, it felt like it was threatening to turn into a blizzard at a moment’s notice. Summer and Q lit up their horns to light the way as the snow began to get thicker and darken the area, limiting our vision even more.
“Why is it getting so dark?!” I shouted as the snowfall finally turned into a full on blizzard. Good thing we had those goggles, I wouldn’t have been able to see my own hoof in front of my face
“The storm is getting worse, Discord!” Summer shouted, “We should head back!”
Q just laughed, “No need to worry everypony. It’s just a light breeze.”
“A light breeze?! The wind is trying to tear me apart for Celestia’s sake!” I shouted, “You alright there Eclipse?!”
Eclipse was tethered to me via a long rope while I was tethered to Summer and she was tethered to Q. I think I lost a coin toss somewhere along the line. Although I shouldn’t complain, she is blind after all and we couldn’t see through the storm any better than she could.
“I am fine!” Eclipse shouted back over the wind sheer.
“We shouldn’t be too far now!” Q shouted back at us as we continued our trek through the snowy landscape.
While the wind was threatening to tear my clothes and my coat from my body, I wondered why our embodiment of chaos didn’t just teleport us to wherever we had to go. I mean he is a powerful magical entity isn’t he?
We continued to trudge through the now shoulder high snow, Q jumped up in the air, shouting, “Eureka!”
Before any of us could say anything, Discord broke out of his disguise and flew off, carrying all of us along with him. The abrupt change in speed broke Eclipse’s concentration and her disguise failed as well. Chrysalis was not too far behind either but what worried me was the fact that their clothing didn’t change with them and seem a tad too small on their taller, more slender frames.
We soon crashed onto the floor of some cave after we travelled at a speed that would impress the Wonderbolts, my brothers included. We picked ourselves up off the group, except for Discord who was already standing. Nightmare and Chrysalis took off their – now tight – clothing and Chrysalis proceeded to burn them in a blast of green fire.
Just outside the cave, the wind and snow blew past as if to warn us about what waited for us out there should we decide to venture out again. Well, the cave did appear to be rather deep so I gathered we would have sufficient shelter for the time being.
The cave was nothing special to be honest, some stalagmites and stalactites dotted the cave in various formations as we followed Discord into its depths. Chrysalis was whispering to Nightmare, keeping her close as she followed between Discord and I.
“Discord, why are we in this cave?” I asked, “Also: are you out of your mind?!”
The cave echoed as my voice reverberated all around us. I sadly disturbed some bats which decided to give us a piece of their minds as they flew past us and into the raging blizzard outside. Good luck to them.
“Maaaaaybe,” Discord replied with his usual maniacal grin, “The reason we are here is because the king is here.”
Well, cold, dark and dank cave hidden by a blizzard that seemed as if it was made by the Windigoes from the Hearth’s Warming story seemed a little appropriate for a villain. Cliché maybe but appropriate nonetheless.
As we ventured further I noticed something rather odd about the cave. It was connected to a series of caverns but that didn’t worry me too badly since I had three powerful spellcasters with me. Albeit one was blind, one was random and could do more harm than good and the other was not at full strength but they were capable nonetheless.
What worried me were the opaque dark grey crystals that seemed to be jotting out of the cave in a random pattern and eventually I spoke up, “I guess we’re getting close then?”
Discord looked at me with a rare, serious look, “Take a wild guess, Note.”
I felt like I shrank there under his gaze but then his expression flipped – literally, his head spun upside down – and laughed, “Jeez, Cressy lighten up! We shouldn’t be too far now.”
“Anypony know how we are going to get him to join?” Chrysalis asked.
I shrugged my shoulders, “I really don’t know to be honest. Appeal to his better nature?”
Discord frowned, “He didn’t have a ‘better nature’ back then. Or so I’d heard.”
I rolled my eyes, “Brilliant. He sounds like a right royal ray of sunshine and happiness.”
We all chuckled a little at my little statement as the cavern just seemed to carry on forever. I began to notice the crystals that dotted the cave walls, ceiling and floor were beginning to gain variety. Topaz coloured crystals, amethysts, emeralds, you name it and it was there. You’d be forgiven for mistaking these crystals for the actual gemstones. The quality was truly top notch. A jeweller would go mad with joy if they discovered this place.
We eventually found our way into a hollowed out cavern. I say hollowed out because there were no stalagmites nor were there any stalactites to be seen. There were also large holes around the place that looked like they were blasted out.
The walls were entirely encased in ice save for the hole marks where some rather bright crystals jutted out to help illuminate the area. I was so lost in my observation that I failed to see the others had stopped and I walked head first into Nightmare’s flank. I wished I could just die right then as my cheeks burned like fire.
Nightmare jumped and swung around, “What do you think you are doing?!”
“Sorry! I-I-I didn’t meant to bump into you!” I said, waving my hooves in front of me as if I was just caught committing a crime going: ‘this isn't what it looks like!’
My hoof waving was a rather moot gesture since Nightmare was admittedly blind but it was out of reflex. Discord and Chrysalis laughed heartily, both using each other to support themselves as they were close to falling on the ground.
Nightmare was not impressed, “Why are you laughing?!”
“I can see you blushing!” Discord replied as he wiped a tear from his eye, “You must like ponies touching you there! Naughty Nightmare!”
This caused another round of laughter from them and an even more embarrassing blush from me as I pulled the hood of my coat over my head to hide my shame. I couldn’t see what Nightmare was doing though but I would venture a guess to say that she was thinking of ways to either get back at Discord or torture him. Either way as long as it weren’t me she was planning to exact revenge on, I’m happy.
Discord and Chrysalis got over their joke at our expense although I have a sneaking suspicion Discord said what he did on purpose to spare me Nightmare’s rage since she seemed to have clean forgotten about my little ‘collision’ and focused her rage in Discord’s direction.
I finally managed to see what made the others stop as he looked back at us, a rake firmly held in his right hoof and leaning against his shoulder. A grey unicorn with red eyes and green where the whites should be. They even steamed some purple mist as he gazed at us with confusion.
King Sombra stood before us as he did in the pictures the Archives got after the Crystal Empire returned but there were a few differences. He wasn’t clad in any form of grey armour and there was no crown on his head. His horn still had that grey to red gradient look to it and he still had his sideburns, the patch of black that ran down to his nose and slicked back black mane.
I thought we were going to find his horn, not the whole pony! My mind raced as if it was on one of the Cloudsdale flight courses.
“Sommy!” Discord shouted happily.
Does Discord have a nickname for everypony ?! Does he sit down and think of nicknames to give ponies, even if he never met them or heard their names before? He came up with ‘Cressy’ in two seconds after I introduced myself.
Sombra just looked at us and didn’t move an inch. It was like he was petrified into a garden ornament. I could see the fangs he had but Chrysalis had fangs as well and I was already used to hers so I didn’t pay much attention to them.
He actually had a Cutie Mark if you could believe it: three crystals of red, blue and green standing next to each other in respective order. I thought it was going to be a spiral staircase in honour of all the stairs he had in his castle.
“Weeeeell, this is awkward,” Discord said as he broke the awkward silence, “I didn’t know we were interrupting something important, Sommy.”
Sombra looked at his rake and walked towards the wall to lean it against it. Why didn’t he levitate it there instead? I know some unicorns prefer to use their hooves unless magic is necessary but this seemed to be out of character for even him and I’ve never met him before.
“What do you want?” He finally spoke in a harsh, gruff voice.
“I am the Ghost of Hearth’s Warming Past!” Discord said cheerfully, “This is the Ghost of Hearth’s Warming Present and this is the Ghost of Hearth’s Warming Future… oh, and the last one is our pack mule.”
He pointed to Chrysalis, Nightmare and then to me in that order. The three of us facehoofed in unison. I swear the day he takes anything truly seriously, Tartarus will freeze over and whoever reigns there shall die of frostbite.
Sombra looked at us as we facehoofed and I believe he made the connection that Discord was pulling his leg, “I shall repeat: what do you want?”
“We came to ask for your cooperation in a joint venture,” Chrysalis said, cutting Discord off before he could reply.
Sombra snorted and looked away, “I am not some unemployed lackey for you to just come and hire. I have a crystal farm to tend to.”
Well it explained the rake that leant against the nearby wall. I heard that there were rock farms in Equestria so a crystal farm in the Crystal Empire didn’t seem to out of place for me. I saw a book pertaining to rock farming in the Archives a few times but never read it.
“We are not here to enlist you in such an endeavour,” Chrysalis said, I was sure she sounded rather offended, “We are here to ask for you assistance in forming a musical group.”
Sombra raised his left eyebrow at us, prompting Discord to snap his fingers. In an instant the three out of four villains were in their disguises, in front of their instruments. Q on bass, Summer on drums and finally Eclipse had an electric guitar as well. I just stood in front of a microphone on a stand. It was a wireless model to be exact.
Now, Q is pretty good on bass, Summer drummed better when she used her hooves instead of her magic but Eclipse on guitar? Well, she wasn’t really that brilliant but could keep a beat. She was actually far better using a piano, keyboard or a soundboard.
“We are -!” Discord stopped himself for a second and looked at us, “Who are we again?”
“Well, we never got that far,” I apologised to Sombra who just looked at us as if he was expecting something flashy like a Great and Powerful Trixie performance.
Nightmare accidentally strummed a bad chord and we winced in the sharp pain that soon followed with the sound it produced.
“Please tell me you haven’t been playing that guitar long,” Sombra said as he walked over to Eclipse and took the guitar off her.
Eclipse looked ashamed and this made Sombra pause slightly, “Do not get me wrong. I am sure you can find an instrument you are better at.”
“Well, she was only using it temporarily,” I replied, “We are looking for a guitarist. Interested?”
Sombra struck a few chords and soon pulled off a guitar riff that was as impressive as it was a shock to us.
“What?” Sombra said, “I had to entertain myself while I’m not tending my farm.”
“I have a question though,” I said, “Not that your playing is impressive. How are you alive? Last I heard you were destroyed.”
Sombra smirked at me, “The Crystal Heart shattered my body, save for my horn. Before I was destroyed, I poured everything I had into one last dark spell. All it needed was time to complete and in the months it took for my body to rebuild itself from the very land that had imprisoned me, I had nothing to do but look back at my life.
“You could say I had a form of epiphany at that point. I was weak and powerless once I could finally walk again. I still have no power but I can charge my body like a battery using the crystals I tend to. Sadly the charge was insufficient for a retake of my Empire so in the end I had to abandon it. Now I send off the crystals to the Empire and get paid in bits so I can eat. It’s not how I pictured spending my life but I am alive and that was a start.”
Well, that was one explanation I wasn’t expecting. Another villain just gave up on their plans for total domination? Albeit it was for the best since I doubt ponies want to deal with a villain trying to take over on a day-to-day basis.
“Soooo, you in or not?” Q asked as he snapped his hoof and everything was back to the very loose side of normal.
Sombra looked back at his rake and then to us with a snide grin, “In.”
Author's Note
Well, another update at long last. Sorry for making everypony wait so long!
Second Chances: Friendship is Music
Second Chances: Friendship is Music
It was bitterly cold outside Sombra’s cave and Discord figured it would be a great opportunity for us all to ‘bond’ as he called it until the Celestia-damned blizzard stopped. I swear he’s incorrigible sometimes. Scratch that, he’s incorrigible all the time.
Sombra was slightly helpful as he periodically went up to the entrance to check on the weather. The rest of the time it seemed like he didn’t really care. When he came back for the fifth time, he just sighed at us with a neutral expression.
“It’ll be at least another day,” He said and went off to tend to his farming duties without so much as waiting for a response from either of us.
Chrysalis was looking around Sombra’s caves, buzzing around rather noisily. She’s a Changeling – the queen no less – and you could hear her coming a mile away! Nightmare was caught in a very uncomfortable looking embrace with Discord as she turned her nose up to his latest attempt at comedy.
Nightmare groaned as Discord delivered a rather lacklustre punch-line but I ignored his plea for support as I decided to find Sombra’s crystals more interesting. It bathed the cavern in a rainbow of colours and – surprisingly – even the dark ones had a small lustre.
“It’s hard work,” I turned around and saw Sombra looking at me with a deadpan expression, “But it could have been worse.”
I nodded my head and surveyed the fields with him standing next to me. I was within hoof’s reach of an evil unicorn dictator and did… nothing but admire his work. The crystals were arranged in neat rows, each crystal had a few hoofsteps of space between them as if they were placed to the millimetre.
Sombra’s precision with his crystals was quite the shock to be honest. Who would have thought that the same pony that caused such pain and suffering across an entire empire could also create such a spectacle from the earth?
“We’re stuck with each other,” He said in that gruff voice of his.
I nodded, “Looks like it. Discord doesn’t want to teleport us all back to my place and I guess in a way I’m glad. His teleporting is…. not my preferred method of transportation. Getting thrown to my destination by a rampaging dragon sounds more appealing than Discord’s method.”
I was certain I saw him smirk, was he a sadist? Just peachy, no wonder he was a dictator. I guess sadism was a prerequisite for enrolling in Dictatorship 101 a thousand years ago. Shaking off Sombra’s creepy behaviour, he seemed rather solitary if I were to summarise him with a single word.
‘What was your first clue, Note?’ I berated myself since it was a pretty obvious observation that even Nightmare could see.
I wandered a bit around the cave. If we were to need a retreat to get away and practise our instruments in solitude, having a place like this would suit that need perfectly. The acoustics may be a slight issue but Discord could easily fix that with a snap of his claw or hoof if he decides to be Q again.
“Sombra,” I started to say.
“What?” He looked at me with a stoic expression that I usually saw on the guards’ faces.
“This place… is there somewhere empty we can all use to do our rehearsing and all our planning in? This place is quite remote enough so we can perform and such without worry of any of you being discovered.”
“West cave. That way,” He replied curtly, pointing to a gaping hole in the cavern. Gee Sombra, you have the most extensive vocabulary of anypony I’ve ever met. Kudos to you.
“Thanks,” I deadpanned.
I walked over to the ‘West Cave’ as Sombra had called it and looked around. It was spacious enough to allow us all to fit in comfort with the instruments and anything else we might need. The crystals in the ceiling and walls provided ample light for us all.
“The colours are easily changed,” I turned around on my hooves and saw Sombra a few inches from my face. How in Tartarus did he do that?! I leapt up into the air in shock, getting an odd look from him.
“Uh… thanks but I’m sure the current colours are fine. Really,” I replied nervously.
“Fine,” Sombra snorted and walked off.
Once I was sure he was out of earshot, I let out a deep, long sigh. I swear these villains will give me grey hairs… scratch that, I’ve already got them. Technically they are silver not grey but they are pretty close enough.
As I observed the room, I heard a faint buzzing slowly getting closer. I knew right away it was Chrysalis. I turned around as soon as I heard her hooves meet the ground. She gave the room I was in a small glance and gazed at me with curiosity.
“And why – pray tell – have you absconded into this dreary hole?” She asked with a neutral expression on her face. Do all these villains have poker faces?
“Well, we’re a group of five ponies… well technically three since you’re a Changeling and Discord is a Draconequus,” I replied, “Sombra’s crystal farm is so remote and well hidden, we could use it for band practise sessions as the terminology goes.”
She raised an eyebrow at me, “‘Band practise?’ As in, we play here in this oversized kaleidoscope?”
I nodded my head, “Like I said, this place is so far beyond where others would safely trek and that means you don’t have to keep up your illusions. You can play as you truly are.”
She placed her holed hoof to her chin in thought, “I see. This arrangement would be most beneficial then and may offer a great respite from pony society.”
“Yeah, pretty much what I thought,” I said.
“Whatcha talking about?” Discord winked into existence behind me, causing me to leap into the air… again.
I glared at the chaos god as he floated in the air, laughing his goatee off, “Why must you do this Discord?! Can’t you go around and be somewhat normal for at least a few minutes?”
Discord wiped a tear from his face, “You’re too rich, Cressy. What are you and our loving Changeling talking about?”
I facehoofed, I swear my life is dying slowly with those puns. A colt could come up with better puns than him. Chrysalis merely rolled her eyes, either not getting the pun or – more likely – not caring.
“If your desire to know what the topic of our discussion was about, then fine,” Chrysalis said, “We were discussing Sombra’s cave and its usefulness in serving as a band practise area. Not to mention its capacity to serve as a resting place should we desire a break from… ‘civilisation.’”
Discord nodded his head, “Oh right. Cause you aren’t too keen on being in the public eye aren’t you?”
“Discord, where is Nightmare?” I asked, “Please tell me you haven’t left her on her own.”
Discord grinned as he looked at me, “Okay, I won’t.”
“Discord!”
“She’s fine. Sombra’s is keeping her company,” Discord said with a roll of his eyes, which decided to roll off his face onto a pool table that materialised out of nowhere, “You should learn to lighten up. Live a little.”
I facehoofed, “I’ll live when you stop trying to scare me to death, Discord.”
“Developing feelings for dear Nightmare, Cressy?” Discord gave me one of those looks .
I shook my head vehemently in disagreement, “I just think that leaving her on her own is a bad idea. I know she’s not a helpless filly and would most likely react very badly if any of us were to treat that way but the fact remains we shouldn’t leave her on her own in a place she does not know the layout of.”
“I’m confident I can find my way around, Note.” I spun around, launching into the air in shock as Nightmare and Sombra entered the room. I swear I’m going to die of a heart-attack before long. Medical insurance companies would love these four.
“Why is everyone so intent on scaring me to death?” I lamented.
“Because it’s fun!” Discord replied.
I expected one of the villains, one of them to support my point of view for at least a minute but… no. They all laughed in their own way. Sombra gave a few short, deep chuckles that felt like a subwoofer. Chrysalis sniggered, Discord laughed maniacally as per usual and Nightmare giggled.
Am I the comic relief here? The pony they decide to harass whenever they feel like it? Do I not contribute here at all? Does my opinion even matter to them or is my mere existence simply nothing more than an outlet for their stress?
“Relax, Note. I’m just rustling your feathers,” Discord laughed, “That look on your face is always a gas!”
I facehoofed, this made the group chuckle again. I swear I’m nothing but a laughing stock to them. Then again, I’m the odd one out here. They’re all villains with powers that I never could even fathom. Even if most of them are somewhat depowered in some way, save for Discord but they were still something I never was a part of.
I landed on the ground while Discord did the backstroke above us, humming some tune. Ride of the Valkyries… seriously? I hoped to the Sun and Moon above that the room wouldn’t turn into some opera stage with me in a bustier and some weird dress… again. I still have nightmares about it.
“Since we are all here, maybe we should start thinking of a name for our band?” I suggested.
“I concur with your suggestion,” Chrysalis said. Does she have to use those kinds of words? Was a thesaurus shoved down her gullet when she was growing up?
Discord sighed and fell down as if he just turned gravity back on. He landed on a lime green cloud with puce spots and smiled at us. Nightmare looked at me as I groaned at Discord’s display of rejecting reality and substituting his own, his own very twisted reality to be exact.
With Sombra leaning against a deep red crystal that could pose as a Fire Ruby we started bouncing ideas around… and I regretted it within seconds.
“Uber dooper looper gang!”
“Crystals’ Revenge!”
“Eternal Darkness!”
“Hive Mind!”
I just laid down on the ground trying to force my hooves through my ears to kill my brain from the resulting migraine I was receiving. They argued like politicians at a treaty signing. If there was anything that could drive anypony to drink themselves into a coma… it was the scene that was unfolding before me.
I felt smaller than ever as they began to press their heads together, staring hard into one another’s eyes as if hoping they would spontaneously combust or two small holes would bore into their skulls and make them catch alight.
“Everypony QUIET!” I shouted, getting four death stares from them. I took a deep breath and pressed on, “Everypony is entitled to their opinion but we shouldn’t shout and argue over it. Let’s please try a better way around this?”
“I will when they accept my name for the group,” Nightmare stated, crossing her forehooves and letting out a small disgruntled noise that sounded scarily similar to a dying animal.
I facehoofed. Discord seemed to give up and was laid back in a recliner, smoking a pipe that made bubbles of varying shapes and sizes. He may get mad from time to time but he’s quick to change that expression around and he does it with a flair that simply says, ‘Buck reality.’
“I’ll just lay here and wait,” Discord said with a rare, serious tone. “I’ll pick up the pieces once you all finish trying to kill each other.”
“Look, we all need to find a compromise. A common ground if you will,” I said, trying to be the mediator in this debacle. I may as well be trying to move the sun with my hooves.
“Let’s all take a deep breath please,” I was surprised when they all complied, even Discord. “And slowly breathe out.”
Discord sounded like a deflating whoopee cushion but I paid him no mind as the – hopefully former – villains complied with my request. I had us all repeat it a few times, the hostility in the air dying slowly with each breath. I think I had avoided causing a disaster of unfathomable proportions.
“Apologies,” Chrysalis said, “I allowed myself to get consumed by my rage. It is inappropriate and unbecoming.”
Chrysalis… why in Equestria must she speak like that? It is so highly formal you’d think she was still a queen. I guess she is but she doesn’t have any subjects adoring her at the moment.
Discord scoffed, “No reason to worry yourself. We all acted like animals.”
I did a double-take at Discord. He was acting… mature for once. He even had a serious look on his face. It took a few minutes – as well as another round of disgruntled apologies – before we were all sat in a circle in the centre of the room with pens and paper. Discord is a walking, floating, cackling quartermaster of items.
We all wrote down our ideas and decided to vote on it like a democracy. How this was going to work was beyond me but only time – and I’m sure another bout of angry arguing coupled with death-stares – would tell. The cavern was filled with silence, save for our scribbling.
I wrote with the pen in my mouth, Discord laid back as his pen did all the writing for him, Chrysalis and Sombra held the pens in their magic auras. Nightmare on the other hoof was having a tougher time since she was blind.
I placed my pen on the ground and walked up to Nightmare. “Would you like some help?”
Nightmare looked at me with those eyes of hers and very slowly nodded. “Yes.”
I laid next to Nightmare. Not too close mind you but close enough as I picked up the pen in my mouth and wrote as she dictated. The others looked at me and smiled. Either they appreciate me helping her or they have something else in mind and I hoped it was not that .
I like Nightmare as a, well I guess you could call her my friend since I use it rather loosely with Discord and she was better in the sense that she was… well, easy to talk to.
After about half an hour or so we piled up our papers and Chrysalis picked them up to read them. She had the clearest voice and due to her royal background she was the best choice to dictate the ideas to us. We all listened as she spoke. I facehoofed at a few ideas, and at every one of Discord’s, as they ranged from ice-cream flavours to the most ludicrous, inane things known to ponykind.
We narrowed the names down to three and from them decided on one. Discord snapped his fingers to make the instruments appear from the aether once again. The aether… that mystical place Discord has set up a massive warehouse of useless and useful things where he simply took whatever he wanted whenever he felt like it.
Once we picked up our instruments – or at least when they did, all I had was a microphone – I noticed something written on them. It was the name we had decided on: Final Overture. The letters for ‘Final’ were chestnut brown on the left side and multicoloured on the right. The word ‘Overture’ was green on the left, dark blue in the centre and finally red on the right.
I smiled at Discord’s ‘subtle’ attempt of putting us all in the band name. It was a sort of reminder about who exactly the group is made of. Discord merely shrugged at me as I pointed to it on his guitar. I know Discord is more intelligent than most give him credit for. All Discord wants is to have fun, even if it comes at the expense of others.
“What should we try and practise playing first?” Nightmare asked as she pressed a few keys to find the centre.
Since Nightmare now lived life through sound and her other remaining senses she played a few keys to find where the centre of the keyboard was and then adjusted her position on the floor as well so her back was completely straight.
I tapped my chin with a hoof, “I’m not too sure… Give me a moment to think.”
I began running through a list of songs I knew off the top of my head as I looked at them. They all gave me rather blank expressions except for Nightmare and Discord. Discord smiled as usual and Nightmare was still in position, her head facing the keyboard.
“Hm… I think I got one,” I whispered to Discord and he simply nodded his head.
He snapped his fingers and a few pieces of paper appeared for Sombra and Chrysalis. Chords and lyrics were written on them as they took them in their magic. Discord flew over to Nightmare and educated her on what I was talking about.
After that we began practising, each in our own way. Sombra and I were merely saying the lyrics to get our timing right while he strummed the guitar as we went along. Chrysalis tapped the beat as she read and berated herself harshly every time she ever went off-key or mistimed a beat. She seemed to be taking this far more seriously than all of us combined.
Discord was helping Nightmare and had a genuinely serious expression as Nightmare played a few keys with Discord telling her which note to press, one by one. Sure there was no tempo but she seemed comfortable with it.
Chrysalis’ Point of View
Again I messed up a beat… I was doing it just as the sheet was saying and then I used the bass drum when I should have struck one of the cymbals. I felt like picking up the entire drum kit and throwing it against the wall, impaling it on the crystals that jutted out of the walls.
Note and Sombra seemed to be happy as Note corrected Sombra’s pronunciation a few times. I felt anger and frustration emanating from Sombra. It left a horrible taste on my tongue. I needed something to wash it out with.
I looked to Discord and Nightmare Moon. From them I could feel Nightmare appreciating the help the annoying cretin giving her. It wasn’t truly something I could use but it helped to get some of the taste out of my mouth so it helped me shift my focus back to my drums.
It took us three hours to become comfortable with our musical prowess. I’m sure those with an actual affinity for this avenue of life would have found confidence a long time ago. They all began to take up positions. Nightmare was on my right with Discord slightly in front of my position on my left. Note and Sombra stood in front of me, a few steps away.
“Alright, ready?” Note asked, looking at us all in turn.
Nightmare nodded her head as her hooves were close to the keyboard. Discord made a snide – only funny to him – comment while Sombra just used a single word to voice his own confidence. I simply chose to curtly nod my head.
“Ok. Count us down, Chrysalis,” Note said. I tapped the drumsticks together three times, signalling the start.
The first to start up was Nightmare on the musical contraption as it made sounds I never thought it could be capable of creating. I started up as well, drumming a very soft but monotonous beat until we just broke loose and slowed down again.
When this began I had nothing to say And I get lost in the nothingness inside of me
I wondered what direction this song was going with its lyrics. I knew it was too early to judge but still, it made my mind pause a little.
I was confused And I let it all out to find That I'm not the only person with these things in mind Inside of me But all that they can see the words revealed Is the only real thing that I've got left to feel Nothing to lose Just stuck, hollow and alone And the fault is my own, and the fault is my own
I wanna heal, I wanna feel what I thought was never real I wanna let go of the pain I've felt so long Erase all the pain till it's gone I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I'm close to something real I wanna find something I've wanted all along Somewhere I belong
That last line Sombra sang hit me a little closer to home than I would have cared to admit. Wasn’t that we were all doing? I was broken and alone, waiting to die. Nightmare has nothing to lose since she has nothing at all.
And I've got nothing to say I can't believe I didn't fall right down on my face I was confused Looking everywhere only to find That it's not the way I had imagined it all in my mind So what am I What do I have but negativity 'Cause I can't justify the way, everyone is looking at me Nothing to lose Nothing to gain, hollow and alone And the fault is my own, and the fault is my own
Sombra repeated the chorus, moving his head a little as he strummed away. Note looked like he was attempting something similar to a dance, beating the floor in time with my bass drum.
I will never know myself until I do this on my own And I will never feel anything else, until my wounds are healed I will never be anything till I break away from me I will break away, I'll find myself today
Sombra held the last lyric a little, shouting it a bit. We kept playing though but I felt something coming from all of them: content, a small sense of happiness.
I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I'm somewhere I belong I wanna heal, I wanna feel like I'm somewhere I belong Somewhere I belong
We ended very abruptly. As the last note faded, echoing through the cavern, we all looked at each other. Nightmare tried to anyway but our breathing seemed to catch her attention, letting her find our faces.
“That was pretty good,” Note said, looking at us with a small, cheery smile.
Good? Nightmare skipped a few notes, I hit one of the cymbals too early and almost missed my cues. Sombra sounded quite off key, sounding like an animal in its death-throes. Note had missed a cue and had to speed up to catch up with the beat. Discord… he had been dancing around as he played, jumping about as if ants were in his fur.
“I fail to see what was ‘good’ about our performance,” I said as I walked around the drum set. “We were off-key, missed beats and notes. How can it be good?”
Note folded his forelegs, looking at me with a disapproving look. If I had my subjects he would be encased in amber and drained of every emotion until he was a lifeless husk. “We aren’t going to become instant stars, Chrysalis. An old idiom says ‘practise makes perfect’ and that is what we need to do here.”
I sighed. Fine, the Pegasus had a point. Why is it I haven’t just drained him and carried on with my life? Oh, right… finding a better source for love. Curse you cruel fate.
“So we’re just going to practise it until we get it right?” I inquired.
“That’s the only way we are ever going to get better,” Note replied.
And so we ended up going over the same song several times but I couldn’t deny we were finding it easier to keep pace with each other. Sombra still sounded like something you’d read about from a horror novel.
We must have done that song an additional ten times before we took a break. My hooves felt a little numb from the vibrations after striking the drums for almost an hour of constant playing.
It was once our break concluded that Note decided to shove a new sheet of music in front of me. I guess ‘shove’ is a tad overstating as it was more hoofed to me with a slightly pleading expression on his face.
Discord got rid of the keyboard/soundboard that Nightmare was using. The black Alicorn sat opposite Note, talking. At first I wondered what it was but it quickly dawned on me that they were practicing the lyrics at a slow pace.
I drummed my part, beating the drums in rhythm and increasing my tempo until I got to where I would need to be when we actually do the song. We practised for the better part of two hours, getting it all right until we finally started.
Nightmare Moon’s Point of View
I stood next to Note as we were about to begin. I had the hardest part of being in this group, I had to play everything by ear and – because of it – I had the tendency to miss my cue.
As they all started to play, save for Note and myself, I took a deep breath to calm myself and clear my head as I waited for my cue.
You say you feel so down, Every time I turn around You say you should've Been gone by now, You think that everything's wrong, Ask me how to carry on, We'll make it through Another day Just hold on
That last part was my cue as Note held the last note. I almost slipped up and choked but I managed to start singing alongside Note.
Cause life starts now,
I hate to see you fall down, I'll pick you up off the ground, I've watched the weight of Your world come down And now it's your chance To move on, change the way, you've lived for so long, Find the strength, you've had inside all along
Cause life starts now,
All this painTake this life and make it yours, Take your heart and let it love again, You will survive this somehow
I don’t know what it was about this song but… I felt good. I felt that maybe this could work. I knew we were going to butt heads but I feel that we can keep this group together. I just hope to Tartarus I’m not wrong.
Life starts now, You've done all the things That could kill you somehow And you're so far down
Life starts now, You've done all the things That could kill you somehow And you're so far down Life starts now
After we had finished another two sessions, singing the same song, I heard Discord snap his fingers and I felt several spikes of magic energy. I could only assume they took our instruments away.
Sombra went off to wherever he was sleeping but I had Discord take me to the entrance of the cave. I could hear the blizzard’s howl assault my ears, the cold chill trying to get through my coat. Sadly the moon was a lot colder than this. It was akin to a gentle breeze more than anything.
As the wind helped to paint the landscape in front of me, Discord’s humming actually calmed my mind instead of aggravating it. I think – and with the moon as my witness - this could actually work…
Author's Note
Apologies to all who read and favourited this fic. I took waaaay too long updating this and I apologise. Writer's block on this fic took me for the long haul. Any errors, grammar or otherwise, please do inform me.
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Second Chances: Friendship is Music
Meeting the Band: Crescendo Note and Discord
Second Chances: Friendship is Music
It appeared that the local weather team decided to put up a thunderstorm during the night. I didn’t care really since I’m safe in my Canterlot apartment but it would be nice to wake up under one’s own power rather than from a crash of thunder. I gave a few groans in disgust as I hobbled out of my plush bedding and onto the floor to begin my day.
My room was a light shade of beige with pictures of me with my brothers on the walls. I shared this apartment with them as well when they are on break from training or an air show. I had one picture on my bedside table of the three of us at a Wonderbolts air show in Trottingham. We were so young then, we didn’t even have our Cutie Marks. My bed was as normal as they come but designed for Pegasi so that we don’t get numb wings when we get up as some of us tend to sleep on our sides.
My mandatory cleaning routine included preening my wings as well as having a shower so I did both together. Being a Pegasus isn’t bad but when your name is Crescendo Noteworthington Streak, you tend to get a little ridicule and/or strange looks. Even my Cutie Mark is not usually associated with normal Pegasi: a pale blue bridged eighth note on a piece of plain parchment while most Pegasi have something weather based or aerial in some form. My brothers – Lightning Streak and Fire Streak – constantly teased me for it even when they became Wonderbolts. Our parents were so happy for them but when I found my talent for music instead of being like either my parents or them, they were less than thrilled.
It caused major arguments between me and my parents, particularly my mother. My brothers stood up for me though but in the end, I left the family home in Trottingham and moved to Canterlot just to get away from the constant bickering. I found work as an Archivist at the Canterlot Royal Archives, thanks - once again - to my brothers. They called in a few favours with the Wonderbolts who put in a good word for me with Princess Luna of all ponies. Special talent or not, I enjoyed being in the Archives’ musical section just to learn a bit more about the history and evolution of music. It was calming and kept a roof over my head.
I never spoke with my parents again since the day I left. I did send them a number of letters for a couple of weeks to tell them about what I was doing but they never sent one back. I gave up on them… I didn’t even attend my mother’s funeral. I became resentful of them despite my brothers’ constant nagging to get me to talk to my father. Even he became bitter, turned to drink since the funeral and there was no way I was talking to him while he was intoxicated. Despite this my brothers respected my decision and eventually dropped the subject.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts and get some of the water out of my mane as I exited the shower. I went to my mirror to ensure my mane was styled right… swept back and spiked. Pale silver with three streaks of yellow of decreasing shades while my coat was borderline chestnut brown. My tail was long enough to touch the floor but it was out of personal preference.
Instead of working in the Archives, I was asked to check the state of the old tower/library that Celestia’s personal student once lived in during her time at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns by Princess Celestia herself. And you do not turn down a request from her.
I got a raincoat on over my body and braved the weather that still raged outside. The wind’s howling made it nigh impossible to hear anything under a shout. The rain was so hard it might as well have been hail as it battered the bodies of those foolish or brave enough to go out in the weather. I was probably the former. I tried my best to ignore it as the tower was the only thing I worried about.
Getting up the staircases was a small battle in itself as the wind tied to get under me to pick me up and blow me away. As I opened the blue doors I almost tumbled inside from the wind as it tried to come in with me. I grunted as I pushed my shoulder against the door as hard as possible, wrestling the wind for control as I finally shut and locked it. I fell onto my haunches from the strenuous activity. I couldn’t remember the last time I had to exert myself so much.
I took my coat off and placed it onto a nearby rack. Lucky for me the windows on all the floors were closed, it would have been a pain if I had to fight with the wind again. I doubted my shoulder or the rest of me would be able to take that much strain. Digging in the inside pockets of my raincoat, I pulled out a checklist of things that needed to be done. It was simple: make sure the library’s stock of books was accounted for, the place was in good condition and that the previous tenant had not taken anything by accident or otherwise.
“Well, time to get to work,” I sighed to myself as the stacks of books seemed to mock me as I went around, checking the areas I was to be marking off on my little list.
I spent a rather good portion of the day flying up and down the levels in the tower, checking the living quarters first and leaving the books for last as they would be the most time-consuming. As I just finished checking the first level, there was a knock at the door.
I gave the door a suspicious look as I walked up to it, placing my ear against it, “Who is it?”
“Open up Crescendo,” Tartarus be damned. That sounded like Celestia’s voice! I fumbled the keys I was given as I tried to hastily open the door to see the white Alicorn smiling at me.
Princess Celestia, a name known throughout Equestria and its outlying neighbours. She is one of the two Princesses that ruled over Equestria with Luna being the other. She used to raise the moon every night for a thousand years until the return of her sister. In the past three years, Equestria has seen the return of Nightmare Moon – got defeated by six mares – then the escape of Discord – returned to stone and then reformed by the same six mares – there was also the invasion of the Changelings – they are now scattered and missing thanks to the rulers of the Crystal Empire – and finally there was the reappearance of the Crystal Empire as well as its insane king who we currently presume to be dead.
I bowed low to Celestia, avoiding eye contact, “What may I do for you Your Highness?”
My ears twitched as I heard somepony giggling. I looked up and saw it was the Princess in front of me who was the source, “No need to be so formal, Crescendo. I have come to simply check up on your progress thus far.”
I picked up my checklist as I began to read out what I had done so far, “Everything as far as the living quarters has been checked and everything is accounted for and in decent condition. Sure some of the consumables have to be replaced but that’s no real issue. Princess, pardon my plain speaking… but why am I checking this? Shouldn’t a guard or one of the castle’s maids suffice? I’m just an Archivist.”
“That is simple: I am moving in a new tenant here at the end of the day,” Celestia replied with a smile.
“It still doesn’t answer why it has to be me, your Majesty,” I commented rather uncertainly. Checking this whole place by the end of the day? This is madness.
Celestia looked outside the window, at the pouring rain and then back at me, “It is because you are the one moving in.”
I was at a loss for proper coherent sentences and could only manage: “M-me?”
Celestia continued to smile at me, “Yes, my sister has been telling me of your work in the Archives and I felt it was time your diligence got rewarded since the pay is not the most satisfactory in Equestria. I also heard that you share your current living quarters with your brothers as well.”
I was still flabbergasted, “B-but how will I even afford this? It must cost a small fortune.”
Celestia giggled again, “As long as you keep the place in an orderly fashion, you have no need to worry about paying for it. Please… treat this place with care. It holds great sentimental value to me.”
Her expression flipped entirely from happy and cheerful to serious and unyielding. I gulped as I responded, “Of-yes y-your Majesty.”
Her happy expression returned as she walked back to the door, “I am glad to hear that. Congratulations on your new home.”
I bowed again, “Thank you Princess.”
The only response I got was the opening of the door and a blast of near ice cold wind. We weren’t experiencing some garden variety thunderstorm… this was a near natural disaster! I peered out the window and saw an unfortunate Crystal Pony that must have been visiting Canterlot, trying to hold onto a tree for dear life. As I worried about what to do, she was wrapped in a yellow glow as an equally yellow dome walked up to her.
“Well, that explains why the Princess wasn’t wet,” I said to myself as Celestia helped the stallion. The pair walked off into the distance and I turned my attention to – apparently – my new home.
I looked at the first level and thought about where my bed would best be set up. Close to the balcony would be nice but the sun rises from that end and it would ruin my sleeping routine. I then considered putting it near the bathroom instead since I far to walk in the morning. I then turned my attention to the checklist before me and walked upstairs to begin to check the books.
As I got to the second level I noticed two things. One: the hourglass in the middle of the room had custard in it. Two: there was a stained glass window of Discord encompassing most of the wall-sized window. The Discord figure had his arms outstretched together, while his legs were in a walking position. It gave the impression he was doing a rather strange dance.
I shook my head as I ticked off Star Swirl’s 100 ways on how not blow yourself up whilst moving heavy objects , “Hi Discord.”
The figure gave a laugh and snapped his fingers, vanishing in an instant. Discord reappeared next to me with a grin as the window returned to its original state, “Hiya Cressy. Give ol’ Discord a hug will ya?”
I obliged the God of Chaos. This seems rather confusing so allow me to explain: Discord and I have been friends for an incredibly really short time, about a month to be honest. I found him browsing the Archives one day, searching for any post-Discordian history books. He was aiming to ‘catch up’ on the 1000 years of being somepony’s lawn ornament.
I simply obliged and pointed him in the right direction. He seemed rather shocked at the fact that I was not running from him or looking at him strangely. The truth was that I hadn’t known that much about him other than being a Draconequus, I had heard the news about him being reformed but I didn’t think I would ever meet him. I just treated him like any other pony.
Even after the Lord of Chaos explained his situation to me, I didn’t change my opinion of him. He was evil and cruel in the past and now he wants to change, couldn’t be simpler. His first impression convinced me before learning anything about him and ever since then he’s called me a friend… not that I complained. He was my only friend outside my brothers but I was never going to tell him that.
“So what brings you here?” I asked Discord.
“Well, I heard Celly was coming here but I saw her leaving and then I saw you,” He replied as he hovered upside down above me, “Then I thought I would drop by.”
I rolled my eyes at him, “Well, that’s nice thank you but I have a job to do.”
“Oh yes, let me not keep you from you oh so difficult assignment,” Discord replied sarcastically.
We looked at each other before laughing a little, “Sorry Discord but I have to finish by the end of the day. There is going to be a new tenant here.”
“Aw, Celly getting bored of Twilight being her precious student? It’s about time if you ask me,” Discord teased as he grabbed my list and made a copy of it, “Okay, since you are busy there with that bookcase, I’ll take this one.”
He conjured up a pair of reading glasses and laid back in the air whilst making the books come out towards him, ticking them off each time. Together we were made good progress as we finished in well under half the time it would have taken me on my own. I was exhausted though, having had to fly up and down the tall bookcase to find the books which were in the weirdest order conceivable. My wings ended up so sore that I had to use the ladder near the end. I gave the list once last check to make sure we didn’t miss something.
I collapsed on the bed on the lower level. My wings were going to ache for hours, “Thanks Discord, I guess it’s good to have friends sometimes.”
Discord just chuckled at me, “Especially when they are me.”
I laughed at his statement, “What do you mean? You didn’t lift a finger you lazy twit,” We continued to laugh as the storm was dying out, “How are things in Canterlot Castle?”
Discord’s smile faltered a little as he sat in the air next to me, “Celestia still doesn’t seem to trust me. It’s been what, four months? Luna accepted my reformation with a smile but Celestia still resents everything I once did like some common criminal.”
I managed to get up onto my rump as I gave him a concerned look, “Well, she’ll come around… eventually. We all know she is capable of forgiving. I say give her time and somepony will convince her otherwise or she will convince herself in the end.”
Sadly this didn’t seem to work as Discord’s mood continued to degrade before my eyes. I was beginning to worry a little but an idea struck me as I got onto the ground. Now my special talent is in music but mainly in writing and singing music. I began to bang on the hard floor with my hooves to an imaginary tune as I began to sing.
Tonight my head is spinning, I need something to pick me up. I've tried but nothing is working, I won't stop, I won't say I've had enough.
Tonight I start the fire, Tonight I break away.
Break, away from everybody Break, away from everything If you can't stand the way this place is, Take yourself to higher places.
At night I feel like a vampire It's not right, but I just can't give it up. I'll try to get myself higher Let's go. We're gonna light it out.
Tonight we start the fire, Tonight we break away.
Break, away from everybody Break, away from everything If you can't stand the way this place is, Take yourself to higher places.
If you can't stand the way this place is, Take yourself to higher places.
Break, away from everybody Break, away from everything If you can't stand the way this place is, Take yourself to higher places.
Woah... Higher places To higher places Woah... Higher Places Take yourself to higher places.
“That’s a little odd for you to be singing. I always pegged you as a Def Leppard fan,” Discord said with a smile, “Still, nice song though.”
I smiled, “I always sing something like this whenever I feel a little down in the dumps. It makes me feel better, you know?”
“So you thought it might do the same for me? That’s kind of you but, it’s not for me,” Discord replied, still trapped in his melancholy, “But thanks for trying though.”
Being friends with an almighty being – especially when he’s the embodiment of chaos and disharmony – is rather strenuous at times. Discord is a very hard character to read and that’s on a good day. If he were a book, he would be the one that rewrites itself every second just to annoy the reader. But you can predict certain things about him if you take the time to know him for who he is and not what. He has very few friends - if any - besides me and a mare called Fluttershy.
As I was thinking, Discord appeared just millimetres from my muzzle, causing me to shout and fall backwards. Now most ponies would get angry but to me, this was a regular thing he did and we just ended up laughing. Not like the first time he did it, I made him pay the hospital bill when that action made me fall down three flights of stairs. A cracked rib, a few were bruised and my wings were put in splints for a week. I didn’t hold it against him to be honest. He was being himself which – according to him – nopony would let him. But I digress.
“Sorry but you seemed out of it. Why don’t you pursue that singing? It is your talent isn't it?” Discord asked as he floated upside down above my head.
“I had to wake up to the ‘real world’ Discord. I needed a job and trying to start up a singing career as a Pegasus isn’t what I would call simple,” I responded with a heavy sigh, “My type of singing requires instruments to back it up not to mention I can’t hit the really low notes or the more rough parts. Then there is the fact that most of these Canterlot snobs wouldn’t ‘appreciate’ my particular musical taste.”
“Well, I've been learning to play the bass if you would like some help,” Discord offered, “Why don’t we form a band of our own then?”
“Who would want to listen to or even be in a band with us in it?” I asked.
“We can still try and if we fail, what have we lost?” Discord replied with a grin.
“Fine, but who would join us?” I inquired once more. Trying to argue with him is a lost case from the get-go. He is capable of twisting anything if he actually wants to.
“Well, I know of a club around here that might let us play or help us find some members,” He said, grabbing me by the hoof before snapping his claw.
Now being teleported by a unicorn or an Alicorn is apparently a fairly pleasant experience but being teleported by Discord feels more along the lines of having your atoms painfully ripped apart before being smashed back into place by a rabid monkey wielding a hammer. Other than that, it’s rather pleasant.
We were standing outside a club by the name of Breaking Dawn. Looking up, I saw a neon sign of an orange orb that was meant to represent the sun being blown to pieces by a variety of musical notes such as G-clefs, quavers and the like. Looking inside, it was your typical club: stage lights, DJ’s podium, bar area and a large dance floor.
What wasn’t typical was the fact that the place looked like something out of a science fiction movie: there were neon lights along the floor in strange patterns that screamed ‘crop circles’. The bar wasn’t made of wood, it was made from a metallic alloy that was durable and yet it wasn’t cold to the touch. Even that had lights built into it like traces inside of a circuit board, pulsing in a myriad of colours in rapid succession. And yet the floor was simple wood. It made no sense! Wait, now I know why Discord likes this club.
I saw a grayish teal unicorn with short, black mane walk across the empty club with a clipboard in front of him. He was wearing a black formal shirt with a white tie as well as a pair of black sunglasses that made it impossible to see his eyes. He had three white stars as a Cutie Mark. Discord snapped his fingers and the glasses physically leapt off the unicorn’s head, revealing his blue eyes. He turned around and smiled as he saw Discord.
“Sup Discord. What brings you here so early?” He asked.
“I’m here on a personal errand Neon,” He replied as he gestured to me, “This is my friend. Crescendo Note meet Neon Lights, Neon Lights meet Crescendo Note.”
Neon and I gave each other a hoofbump, “Nice to meet you Crescendo and welcome to my club. Now what can I do for you gents?”
Discord smiled, “We’re forming a band!”
“Really? That seems a bit out of character for you isn’t it?” Neon remarked, giving him a rather curious look, “After all you might actually have to work for once.”
“Well, I guess it’s more me than him,” I responded, “Discord is helping me out by playing bass.”
“Hm, I see. Well, I guess you need more members correct?” Neon asked, picking up his glasses as they rushed for the door.
“Yeah, we need somepony who can play guitar, the drums and also keyboard just in case. They don’t necessarily need to be played by one pony. It’s just what instruments we need. Oh and a pony that sing really deeply and rough,” I responded.
“Then let’s hold some auditions then shall we?” Neon smirked as he trotted off into the backstage area. His voice came out over the intercom system above us just a few minutes after he left, “Come back later tonight when the club begins to get customers and we’ll see what happens.”
And so we waited. Well, I hummed a small tune while Discord decided to ice skate on the ceiling. As Celestia’s sun finally went down and Luna’s moon rose, the club started to get busy. The bouncer showed up and stood by the front door. Iron Shot, he said his name was. A Royal Guard in the Solar Division, he came here on his days off since he needed a second job. Although I had never seen a maroon stallion in any of their ranks, that armour must be more than just show.
“Welcome to Breaking Dawn!” Neon shouted from the DJ’s podium, “Name’s Neon Lights, got it memorised? Now we have some special guests with us tonight, Discord the God of Chaos and Disharmony himself and his friend Crashing Note! Oops, sorry, I meant Crescendo Note! They are looking for anypony interested in forming a band, so if you have that musical itch that needs scratching, I suggest going to them!”
Well, that worked… for five seconds. I had one pony come up to me and asked what our particular branch of music was but left once she heard it wasn’t classical. Discord said that not one pony wanted to so much as look his way without fear or scorn so he didn’t get anypony. I felt bad for him and so I got him a drink from the bar: Berry Twister, a speciality of Berry Punch from Ponyville. How she got here in that inebriated state and is somehow able to mix the cocktail is beyond me but I wasn’t going to argue.
After Discord took a sip from the glass, steam shot out of his ears, accompanied by a high pitched whistle. I laughed so hard I fell off my seat. Everypony looked around, fearing Discord was about to do something as he walked up to me.
“Help me up,” I requested, earning a smile and an outstretched claw from Discord, “You have to admit: that was funny.”
Discord continued to grin, “It has quite the kick. You should try it.”
I shook my head vehemently, “If it makes you sound like a boiling kettle, I doubt it would go down too well with me. Especially if it’s one of Berry Punch’s specials.”
And so the rest of the evening just flew by as DJ-PON3 played some beats for the patrons. I refused the offer of joining some mares on the dance floor since Discord was sat all by himself. Nopony should be alone in a club, especially not my friends. Even if he is the only friend I have.
“Discord, it looks like we won’t get any like minded musicians here,” I noted, looking around at the club as the patrons descended into varying states of intoxication.
“Wait, what if we tried a different kind of pony?” He asked, looking as if the world’s greatest idea had just hit him.
“‘A different kind of pony’, what in Equestria do you mean?” I asked, thoroughly confused.
“Well, none of these ponies are going to help us because of my past, so how about those who share a similar past?” He responded, his grin growing wider.
I understood what he meant now, “So you want to create a band of antagonists?” Discord nodded, “That does not sound like a good idea.”
“Maybe but how will we know if we don’t try?” Discord replied, looking at me with one of those ‘let’s do it anyway’ looks.
I sighed heavily, knowing I won’t be able to convince him otherwise, “We’ll try it your way. Who’s first?”
Discord shouted joyfully and grabbed me by the hoof, “The only one still alive.”
In an instant, we were gone on our journey to create a band of musically inclined villains. Luna have mercy on my soul.
Author's Note
Song is 'Break' by Three Days Grace.