As Celestia's sun rises over the town of Ponyville shining down on it's residents however, lately there's one place the light can't quite seem to reach anymore. You see dear reader, as of last month the two lovebirds we know as Lyra and Bon Bon; well they got into a heated argument in which in the finality of it Bon Bon decided that it would be best not to see each other anymore and to go their own separate ways.
Since then Lyra has completely shut herself away concealing herself in her home, locking the doors and closing her curtains tight separating herself from the outside world only leaving her home now and again for alcohol and snacks.
Lyra woke up coughing and spluttering on the filthy floor that was once her favourite living room carpet. Her head was pounding like a bassline from DJ Pon 3's last gig and the heavy smell of stale alcohol and food made her guts swill making her wretch, she tried to hurry to her hooves but tripped on the empty bottles causing her to vomit everywhere. Tears streamed down her face as she whimpered too weak to cry as the reality hit, looking around her broken home and the sorry state she was in laying in, seeing through her sobering eyes finally realising she was laying in her own filth.
Her heart ached for Bon Bon as she wallowed in misery, feeling incomplete without her, just then amidst the haze of her pounding head and her nausea wracked body a soft ray of light caught her sore bloodshot eyes. She followed it down from the slight break in her curtains landing atop of her harp making it sparkle and shine.
It brought memories back of how Bon Bon would sit behind her and hold onto her tight as she played their favourite song. The rhapsodies and symphonies which had filled their home and hearts with so much laughter and joy had now fell silent.
Just then she had a flash of inspiration, it was if an epiphany had unclouded her mind offering her a glimmer of hope amid the despair. With a newfound purpose she struggled to her hooves and staggered her way over to her discarded harp as her head swayed to and frow as she pulled up her pew.
The music which flowed from her bruised hooves possessed a raw aching beauty. It pulsed with her longing, her regret but most of all her unwavering determination. An idea began to take shape as she poured her soul into the melody, but she still couldn't mend her broken heart as she realised that her harp alone wasn't enough to express her deepest feelings for her lover, now an impossible task as she realised that needed more instruments.
Lyra lowered her head feeling disheartened as she looked down at her blooded hooves marred with the indentations from the strings. "Hmm they don't call them 'wire wounds' for nothing, do they?" She said softly to herself before looking across to the counter to a half full bottle of wine. Closing her eyes tight refusing the darkness to take her again, Lyra took a deep breath slowly standing up holding on tight to that last slither of hope like the bead of light gleaming down on her harp, she knew it was time to reach out to her friends for help, if she was going to finish this score...but first she needed to get cleaned up.
With a newfound surge of resolve, Lyra ventured outside into the midday sun which stung her eyes, she quickly put her shades on and hurried into town. As she got closer to the crowds she saw ponies stopping and whispering as they watched her trot through the town as she tried to hide from their judging gazes. Out of no where a voice squeaked out startling her a moment. She looked around to see a small white unicorn beaming a wide smile at her. "Hey Lyra! Me and my friends here were just about to stop by and see how you are! I'm so pleased you're getting out the house again!"
Lyra smiled politely trying not to wince at the unicorns ear piercing shrill reverberating through her sore hungover head. "Why thank you Sweetie Belle, that's very thoughtful of the three of you. I'm just on my way to see Octavia, I don't suppose you've seen her around on your travels have you?"
The three fillies put their hooves to their chins, straining hard as they thought. After a few moments Applebloom broke into a wide smile. "Sure thing Lyra! Ah saw her heading over the Cafe Hay to perform with her violin!" Lyra smiled. "Thank you girls and thank you again for thinking of visiting me...I think I'm going to be okay. The three of you take care now." She smiled as she headed in the direction of Cafe Hay.
By the end of the day Lyra had managed to gather all of her musical friends together under the roof of the Ponyville theatre to discuss her score piece and if it was actually doable.
Lyra looked at her friends sitting in the front row seats eagerly awaiting as she took to the stage readying herself to play her harp. once she called out. "Thank you so much for joining me here this evening on such short notice. I know I haven't been the best pony as of late but I have an idea and I can't do it without you guys. Thank you again."
She sat on her pew taking a slow deep breath before dancing her hooves over the harp strings as the theatre soon filled with the harmonic sound as she poured her heart and soul out with every tender note with the outpouring of her longing for Bon Bon as the passionate mare reached the crescendo.
The sweat was beaded on her brow and her heart was pounding through her chest as she sat back catching her breath
The theatre was silent as her friends were taken aback a few moments by her euphonious sound before they stood up applauding her.
Octavia stepped forward. "You just came up with that, this morning with a hangover? Well hay Lyra, that's a gift!"
Medley chimed in. "That was lovely dear. So Lyra, what do you need from us?"
Lyra wiped a small tear from her eye as she got her breath back. "Well, I'm looking for an E or G Major and maybe need string and wind instruments composing of four movements consisting of a fast movement in sonata-allegro, a slow second movement, a mid-tempo minuet and trio and a fast closing movement.
I feel as if it's missing something...maybe a violin or some synth...you know? Just to give it that 'umph!'"
There came some soft chuckles from her friends.
Vinyl Scratch piped up. "Lyra, I don't know what kinda 'umph!' you're looking for, but I can say on behalf of everypony here that you just touched our souls with those mad notes!" She applauded again.
Octavia rubbed her chin with her hoof a moment. "Hmm Lyra, can you go back and start at the open G again please? I have an idea." She smiled taking her violin from it's case before joining her friend on the stage.
Once on stage she gave a nod with a gentle smile to the harpist to begin.
Music filled the air once again the friends looked at each other with wide smiles as they began tapping to the beat. "This is what she meant by 'umph!' I get it now! come on guys you know what to do!" Beauty Brass cheered.
They grabbed their instruments quickly joining in with the mares on the stage. Lyra's heart fluttered to life. This was it! This was the sound she was searching for! She began to smile wide feeling new life surging through her once again as her friends began joining in with their unique musical talents.
After a few hours they were played out, the musical troupe had made all sorts of suggestions of changing rhythms and tempo's, instead of one instrument for one part they'd switch it with another and such like. They eventually sat panting on the stage.
"Okay everypony, that's a wrap for today!" Lyra said with a smile as she continued. "I can't thank you guys enough for doing this for me. I couldn't do this without you all."
They smiled giving their friend some shoulder pats and hugs.
Octavia hugged her tight. "That's what friends are for, we're always here for each other." She kissed her friend on the cheek. "But for now you've got us beat...so, we'll meet here tomorrow to go over it again? I'd like to tweak that E minor with my cello." She winked.
Lyra smiled kindly. "That sounds great everypony and be sure to get plenty rest, we're going to need it." She softly smiled. As they ventured back outside they breathed in deep the fresh night air into their lungs before heading their separate ways. Octavia stopped looking back over her shoulder. "Say Lyra! You wanna join me and Vinyl for a drink?" Octavia called out.
Lyra smiled politely. "Thanks guys, but this is my first day sober in over a month." She smiled turning to leave.
Octavia called back. "And it's your first day back in the real world with your friends who care a lot about you in over a month also...so c'mon!...err you still drink coffee right?"
Lyra scoffed smiling."Yeah I still drink coffee...just take it easy on me okay, I've been fighting the hangover from Tartarus all day." She laughed linking both her friends as they headed to Octavia's home.