As I had thought I might be, I was awakened early in the morning by Bon Bon knocking at the door. I got dressed and joined her and Lyra without a vocal word of complaint about how early it was, though my brain was prepared to grumble up a storm. Lyra, of course, was all smiles. Bon Bon was a little more subdued, but not in a bad way.
As we walked, my candy maker friend didn’t say anything, but let Lyra talk, loud enough for me to hear. However, from time to time, she would turn around to look at me. Her little smile whenever she did this told me things were all right again. Lyra’s bad jokes seemed to have brought her back into a better mood and removed her former sulleness. What else could I do but return her smile with one of my own?
Some time later, she suddenly said,
“Oh, Dave! I just remembered something!”
“Yes?”
“Hearts and Hooves Day is coming up fast. Would you mind helping out in the week leading up to it? There’s going to be a lot of ponies buying candy for their sweethearts.”
“Of course I wouldn’t mind, Bon Bon! You can count on me.”
“I know I can,” said Bon Bon, kindly.
“And hey,” piped up Lyra, “you’ve been doing really well at piano practice. Maybe you could play something romantic or cute for customers on Hearts and Hooves Day, as an accompaniment.”
Play a song for customers? Now there was an idea...
“Lyra, let’s not overstrain him,” said Bon Bon.
“No, no, I like her idea,” I said, honestly. “If I’m good enough by then, I’d be glad to do something like that.”
Bon Bon stared at me for a moment, then smiled.
“We’ll see, then,” she said.
From there, the walk progressed in relative silence. Lyra seemed to have run out of stuff to talk about, and was content just to walk beside Bon Bon, so close they were practically flank to flank. It warmed my heart to see what close friends they really were.
***
I whiled away the rest of the day by going through my note cards or practicing the piano some more. Now that I could more properly read the notes in sheet music, playing them became a lot easier. It felt exhilarating! I could almost picture the looks on my parents’ faces when I came home skilled at an instrument they’d never seen me practice.
Now, the question was, what could I play for Hearts and Hooves Day? Soft-heart that I was, I knew a fair amount of romantic or sentimental songs, mostly from movies. I ran through some of them in my head, trying to decide which would sound best on Hearts and Hooves Day, and whether or not they would even be recognizable. Pony society had thus far proven to possess their own versions of what was in human society, but I also had a feeling it could only go so far. I had to tread carefully. Then again, the sheet music for the songs themselves was a whole other question. Would it be possible to do it by ear, I wondered?
In the end, I decided I should leaf through sheet music at Ponyville’s music store, see if anything clicked. That seemed the sensible thing to do, at any rate, so I decided to stop by there sometime in the near future.
Monday, January 18
***
The front of the town hall was packed with ponies by the time I arrived the next evening, dressed in my Canterlot best with my notes in my pocket. A stage had been erected, with a lectern in the very center. The myriad of pastel coat colors was further complicated by the almost eye-watering amount of differently-colored winter apparel: jackets, coats, sweaters, scarves, earmuffs, and hats. It was like looking at a stationary kaleidoscope, one that was fogged by puffs of winter steam.
Mayor Mare was standing at the lectern, and when she saw me, cleared her throat, and spoke into the microphone set in front of her.
“Good evening, everypony,” said Mayor Mare. “I’ve called this meeting because of a special announcement one of our number wishes to make. It is an announcement, moreover, which comes from the princesses themselves.”
There was a good deal of excited muttering at this, and I felt a pang of nerves shoot through me.
“And so, without further ado, I present the stallion of the hour: human Dave!”
She stepped back, smiling, and I stepped forward. The crowd was applauding heartily for me, and I felt my heart swell. As I took my place, I looked about for recognizable faces. There were Pinkie, Twilight, and the others grouped together near the front, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sitting on their sisters’ backs, the Hooves family next to them, with Scootaloo on Sparkler’s back and Dinky on Derpy’s, Moonlight, Lyra, Bon Bon, Berry Punch, Vinyl Scratch, Zecora, Cheerilee, the Apple family, the Cakes, Screwball, Diamond Tiara with her father and some well-dressed mare who might be her mother, Silver Spoon, the other members of both bowling teams, and townsponies I mainly knew by sight. Just visible beside the Hooves family was Dolly Tribune, her notepad at the ready, and Papa Razzo, with his camera hanging from his neck. I could see several more camera ponies in the crowd, already clicking their cameras away, their flashes getting me right in the eyes.
Several ponies waved at me from the crowd. Pinkie’s forelegs waved so hard, she looked like she was trying to fly. I held up a hand to acknowledge their greetings, grinning weakly, then tugged at my collar distractedly. For such a cold night, it felt suddenly hot. I cleared my throat, and the silence became absolute.
The time had come at last.
“Hello, everypony,” I said, tentatively, into the microphone. “I’m glad you all could make it, especially on such a cold night. I promise not to keep you too long, otherwise we might have to start a bonfire.”
Many ponies laughed, and I even heard Pinkie cry ‘Good one, Davie!’ Their good humor put me in more confident spirits. A warm feeling spread into my heart. Taking my notes out of my pocket, I took a deep breath and continued, gripping one side of the lectern.
“My friends, I stand before you as Councilstallion David, human representative of the Equestrian Foreign Relations Council-”
There was some excited chatter at this, from those who’d had no idea.
“-but also as your friend, Dave, living right here in Ponyville,” I went on, receiving quite a number of warm smiles from the crowd. “I have news of astronomical proportions to deliver to you. In the frozen north, near the borders of Yakyakistan, there was a crystal city. Once a mighty empire of breathtaking beauty, reduced to the despotic stronghold of a tyrant, and then whisked away for many years, the spell upon it has been broken at last! It is my duty, honor, and privilege to tell you that the Crystal Empire has returned!”
I paused, allowing this to sink in. Everypony looked at one another, murmuring in puzzlement. I hadn’t expected them to have heard anything about it yet, if Twi and the others were keeping it hush-hush.
“I can understand that most of you might be perplexed by this,” I went on. “The princesses themselves confessed to having limited knowledge of it. The reason why you won’t have heard of it-”
I paused again for dramatic effect.
“-is because it’s been missing from the face of the country for a millennium.”
There was a long, deep silence. All eyes were glued to me, nearly all of them wide in shock and wonder. Dolly was scribbling away at her notepad, alternating between looking at it and me, her mouth agape. Razzo’s camera was clicking away.
“That’s right,” I said, nodding grimly. “A thousand years off of the face of Equestria, all thanks to the evil designs of its previous ruler: King Sombra. His tyranny was finally brought to an end by Princesses Celestia and Luna-”
Some scattered applause followed this, and Rainbow Dash shouted ‘You go, Princesses!’
“-But as he was going down, he decided to take his kingdom with him, and both vanished without a trace.”
I paused to let this sink in before going on.
“Now, however, his curse has been lifted, and the Empire has returned, perfectly preserved, and its Crystal Pony subjects unharmed. Of course,” I added, darkly, “since the Empire came back, so did its old king.”
Several ponies gasped, and many looked apprehensive, except, naturally, Pinkie and friends.
“But there’s no reason to panic,” I said, quickly, holding up a placating hand. “Sombra isn’t a threat anymore. He was prevented from regaining control of the Empire thanks to several brave ponies.”
I cast a look down at Pinkie and the others, then moved on, the memory of what they’d told me upon their return fresh in my mind.
“Thanks to their efforts, Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor have secured it and prevented Sombra from entering its boundaries, at great risk, and are even now looking after it. Under their protective guidance, the Crystal Empire and its ponies are now safe, secure, and happy once more. I am also assured by trustworthy sources that the threat of King Sombra regaining his powers has been neutralized, and will never come to pass. The Crystal Ponies’ freedom from his tyranny resulted in that light show in the sky a few days ago. That was a demonstration of the Empire’s true power. In the words of Princess Celestia, it was to spread the hope, love, and happiness within it all across Equestria.”
I took a brief pause, another deep breath, then plunged on into my conclusion.
“The Empire itself will soon be open for visitors once again. I know you’ll be pleased with what it has to offer, and I know the citizens will all be happy to meet and know you. So, when you meet them, should you visit, they’ll more than likely say ‘welcome’. Well, I think it only appropriate to respond...’welcome back’.”
I stepped away, smiling around at them all, waiting for their reaction. There was silence at first. Then, slowly, gradually, building up volume and intensity like a jumbo jet revving up, every single pony broke into applause, their stomping hooves slightly muffled in the snow, but still audible. Loudest of all were the cheers coming from the seven heroes who had done their part to save the Empire in the first place. Indeed, Pinkie was stomping so hard that she might soon end up making a hole in the dirt. I looked over at the mayor. She was wearing a proud smile on her bespectacled face.
“Thank you very much for your time, everypony,” I said, leaning back toward the microphone. “I’m honored to have been given the chance to report this good news to such kind and understanding ponies.”
“Flatterer!” called Lyra, to some titters of laughter.
Mayor Mare approached the lectern now, and I stepped aside.
“Thank you, Dave,” she said. “That was quite a speech, I must say. Well, my fellow Ponyvillians, I can only say that I hope, as Dave said, we can extend the utmost courtesy and hospitality to our new, that is to say, old, neighbors, the Crystal Ponies. Thank you for your attention and attendance, everypony. This meeting is adjourned.”
She rapped her hoof on the lectern, like a judge with his gavel. The crowd began to disperse, talking excitedly about the news I had just delivered. I was just stepping down into the street when a bulky figure approached me, followed by a much skinnier one. It was Dolly and Razzo.
“Good evening, Dolly,” I said, genially.
“Evening, Dave,” said Dolly. “That was a powerful bit of news you laid down: an entire empire, returned after 1,000 years! That’s front page news, my friend!”
Razzo nodded his agreement.
“Hope you don’t mind if I ask a few questions, for the Express,” Dolly said.
“By all means,” I said, graciously. “As we speak, most likely, my fellow delegates are delivering similar speeches to their hometowns.”
“Lovely!” said Dolly, flashing that gold-toothed smile of hers. “Would you mind if I asked about the council itself and its role during this event? You know, to give our readers a look into the goings-on of the royal court.”
This was exactly what Ironmane had told me about earlier.
“Sure,” I said. “I mean, I’m not sure how much I can say on it, but I can at least tell you about the other members and where they come from, and what was going on when news first reached us.”
“Lovely!” said Dolly again. “We’ll make this quick, then. Don’t want you freezing your rump off out here.”
I cracked a grin at this, then waited for Dolly to fire away, while the rest of Ponyville moved on back to their warm homes. I couldn’t help envying them at that moment.
***
“Well, that should be enough for a nice big article,” said Dolly, putting her notepad away at last. “Thanks a bunch, hun.”
“Glad to be of assistance,” I said. “I guess I’ll see you later, then, Dolly, Razzo.”
“‘Till next time!”
She flashed that gold-toothed smile once more, Razzo doffed his cap, and the two of them started wending their way back into Ponyville, in the direction of the Express’s office. It was a relief to finally be done. I was cold and tired, and was longing to get home to bed.
“Davie!”
Pinkie’s shrill cry nearly made me jump out of my skin. I whipped around to see her bouncing up to me in her snow cap and parka.
“Pinkie! What are you doing out here?”
“I was waiting for you to finish! I have an idea on what we can do for our special day!”
She looked like she’d been bursting to say this all day, and only now had had the chance to do so.
“Oh, really?” I asked, interested. “What is it?”
“You’ll have to wait and see,” said Pinkie, grinning. “I don’t wanna spoil the surprise.”
“I guess there’s sense in that,” I conceded. “Well, with this speech business out of the way, I’m free until Ironmane gives me a new assignment, so whatever day you want, just say the word, and I’ll be ready.”
Pinkie’s pupils widened in excitement, her grin becoming a toothy smile.
“I’ll keep that a surprise, too, then,” she said, craftily. “It could be tomorrow, it could be the day after, and it could be any time, but I’ll be there when you least expect me. That’s the Pinkie Pie way!”
“Of course it is,” I said, wearily, but unable to hold back a grin. “Well, good night, you crazy party pony.”
“Good night, you goofy, huggable human!”
She reared up and gave me a quick squeeze-hug (which I was glad for, as she was nice and warm), then bounced off down a lamplit street towards Sugarcube Corner. I watched her until she was out of sight, then turned and started making my own way home, already planning a hot cup of tea before settling down for the night. That would be the perfect end to a day like this.
I stopped, my heart giving an unpleasant bound. I could have sworn I had seen something out of the corner of my eye, something flying away from a rooftop, off into the night.
“Probably just an owl,” I muttered to myself, but all the same, I quickened my pace as I headed for home.
Tuesday, January 19
6638892 Prepare to be let down.
6642987 Spoilers!
6643093 Perhaps you're right. Sorry. I got carried away.
Hiderman, hiderman, does whatever someone hiding in the shadows does an all.
Needs more work?
Meh, theres a party tomorrow, do it afte that.
Well the speech went well, but that bit at the end was quite ominous.
That was one hell of a speech, and a good way to keep the anonymity of the Mane 6. Lookin' forward to the next chapter!
Another cute chapter, as usual.:D
Ooooh Foreshadowing
Well, I think we all know that that wasn't just an owl...
.....Unless the author broke the rules of conservation of detail.
.....Crap.
From a calm dawn to a foreboding twilight, you have delivered a good speech and a fantastic chapter, Blazewing.
The prospect of Hearts and Hooves Day, as well as Pinkie's day to be with her dear Davie, really adds excitement for future chapters. Really, both events sound like they'll be fun to read. We'll get there one chapter at a time, enjoying all that come before and after.
Though this chapter was short, I feel that's a good thing because this chapter was, as its title says, all about the speech we've been leading up to. I, for one, think Dave handled it very well. The tension he felt before stepping forward to speak was incredibly relatable; it was almost like I was back in my Public Speaking class in college. But like all speeches, once started, you just have to keep going. Dave's pauses were cleverly placed, allowing his audience to digest the information smoothly. His official title as "councilstallion" gave him a sense of authority and credibility, while him including his citizenship with Ponyville showed his connection with the audience, signifying that he understood his fellow ponies and is one of them. His quick hand gesture in mentioning Sombra's defeat was also wisely done, bringing all fears to a close.
It'll be interesting to see what kind of article Dolly Tribune churns out of all this. Given her writing style, it's sure to be a good read (you know, now that she's not stretching the truth so much).
And, of course, there's that mysterious thing flying off into the night. . . . No detail to be had — just a blur, a shaky feeling in the stomach, and a suspenseful dread of what's to come. Blazewing . . . you are SO good at making us want more! I don't care how long I have to wait. You take all the time you need to make the next chapter excellent. Something tells me Dave's life in Equestria is about to get a bit more interesting . . . for lack of an accurate term.
Also, have fun choosing which piano song Dave might play. I can't think of any romantic songs off the top of my head, except for these two from Disney, and as such you might want to be careful with those, considering how sensitive Disney can be with copyright laws. You Got a Friend in Me doesn't exactly scream "smootch me", but it speaks of love and friendship, which is quite what My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is all about. There's also A Whole New World, which might be interesting to sing to a princess (which would be funny if Celestia, Luna, or Cadence blush from Dave's music, and it'll be even more so if they give him a kiss on the cheek at the end ). It would probably make Dolly's day to get a picture of that sweet moment (or would it be Razzo's since he'll be the one who takes the photo?).
One last thing concerning Dave learning how to play piano. For some reason, I can't help imagining Dave play the following songs: "Imagine" by John Lennon or "Let it Be" by the Beatles. Forgive me if this is funny, but I can't help thinking that Dave kind of looks like John Lennon . . . you know, with the glasses and the friendly attitude . . . yeah, I know it doesn't make much sense, but the songs sound great on the piano, assuming Dave would even be able to play them, that is.
Thanks for updating so quickly and, like I said, use all the time you need. Take it from someone who knows, good writing takes a creative, careful, and dedicated mind. What starts as a cluttered, rough draft is merely the starting point for what will soon be a finished, enticing read. Good luck and enjoy every moment of it.
May creativity take you by the hand and hoof,
~Mr. Page
Hearts and hooves returns! Also what's this surprise! Is their evil lurking in the shadows? Find out next time on Living in Equestria.
How about this old chestnut?
Interesting foreshadowing too. It can't be Tirek. A changeling perhaps? Or maybe that jackass Lightwing.
When I saw that my tracking stories had an update I thought it was this one that updated.
6647882 Dave doesn't like heights, which means he doesn't like looking up at things very high up
Well, that went pretty well, but now we got ourselves a foreboding mystery on our hands. Can't wait to find out...
C&C:
Soft-heart that I was, I knew a fair amount of romantic or sentimental songs, mostly from movies.
> Correction: ‘Soft-hearted’.
Hmm, maybe I've missed an important detail, it's been a while since i've reviewed old chapters. I can't help but feel concerned that Dave is still holding on to going home after so much has happened.
6647891 I get that sensation too. Lying on my back either outside or in a place with a very high ceiling makes me dizzy up so I end up having to close my eyes.
6642930
DAMMIT!... Unless that shape on the rooftop was Lightwing. THE BET CONTINUES!
Some time later, she suddenly said,
“Oh, Dave! I just remembered something!”
“Yes?”
“Hearts and Hooves Day is coming up fast. Would you mind helping out in the week leading up to it? There’s going to be a lot of ponies buying candy for their sweethearts.”
“Of course I wouldn’t mind, Bon Bon! You can count on me.”
I thought Lyra was the one talking.
Would it be possible to do it by ear, I wondered?
Worked for a certain magician.
dressed in my Canterlot best with my notes in my pocket.
Canterlot what?
Diamond Tiara with her father and some well-dressed mare who might be her mother,
I laughed at her introduction to her pony character on the episode she was introduced.
Some scattered applause followed this, and Rainbow Dash shouted ‘You go, Princesses!’
cache1.asset-cache.net/gc/170955999-portrait-of-man-pointing-to-his-tongue-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=0LeVushliPu9JKjmGIt%2fToMaxQ22e2loej0IKmTNTFlmnHd4SHqfB6sHPXcnOOWA
‘welcome’. Well, I think it only appropriate to respond...’welcome back’.”
I was kinda hoping for "I'll be back."
You know, to give our readers a look into the goings-on of the
royal courthigh council.To hell with the high council.
and only now had
hadthe chance to do so.I’ll keep that a surprise, too, then,” she said, craftily. “It could be tomorrow, it could be the day after, and it could be any time, but I’ll be there when you least expect me. That’s the Pinkie Pie way!”
stopped, my heart giving an unpleasant bound. I could have sworn I had seen something out of the corner of my eye, something flying away from a rooftop, off into the night.
“Probably just an owl,” I muttered to myself, but all the same, I quickened my pace as I headed for home.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Drkh0YLF8rI
"'Til
And a young dragon.
I believe this should be whiled.