Resonance meandered absent mindedly along a low scaffold, trying to avoid her husband’s nonsensical (at least to her) rantings about wires and science. A call from up above got her attention, and she turned to see a young earth pony colt hanging from a rope of wires. He called down ‘it’s ready’ to the ponies on the floor before receiving a curt tail-yank from another pony on the scaffolding behind him, placing him on more solid footing. Enjoying the exchange, Resonance plopped herself down on the scaffolding content to watch the show on a backdrop of insane science and the distant town of Ponyville.
“Would you stop that, man? The last thing we need is you falling off this thing and getting yourself hurt.” Resonance could make out the voice of the earth pony mare as she scolded her coworker. He didn’t seem to take her seriously though.
“Comon Sunspot, I’m not gonna get hurt doin’ this. I’m a pro.” The colt gave his partner an overwhelmingly fake smile. She rolled her eyes and left him standing near the edge. Sunspot, that’s a nice name for somepony like that. She kinda does look like the sun, a big orange ball with puffs of red a yellow coming from… Wait big ball? She’s skinnier than I am! Resonance frowned, turning her attention to her own belly and contemplating going on a diet. I should ask Evvy. She’d tell me if I wasn’t looking my best. If I ask her anyway. Resonance was pulled from her thoughts by another call from above. She looked to see the colt once again hanging from the rope wires.
“I’m fine, Sunspot. I’m just trying to get a better look at the -” the colt turned around halfway through his sentence, so Resonance couldn’t make out the last few words. After a moment he spun around again, jerking awkwardly along the rope. All at once, his back hooves slid off the scaffolding as he desperately grabbed for the wires above him. Resonance leapt to her hooves, unsure what to do. Before she could think of anything, the orange mare launched herself toward the barely hanging colt. In one swift motion, she jumped from the edge and pushed him back towards the relative safety of the scaffolding. Resonance raced to the edge of her platform as the mare flew past.
“Evvy! Help!” She watched helplessly as the orange mare fell. Her eyes were closed, and she had the faintest smile on her face. Resonance froze. She had seen this before, on another pony. Below her the two moved closer and closer together, until one fell squarely into the other’s hooves. The fallen mare’s eyes shot open in shock, revealing midnight blue irises that instantly locked with Evanescence’s gilded pupils. When she regained control of her legs, Resonance ran down the scaffolding to see how the fallen mare was doing. When she arrived Evanescence was just setting the other mare down.
“Hey, thanks. That was certainly… interesting.” Sunspot rose to her rear hooves and used her front ones to wipe dust off her coat. Resonance galloped up to her, stopping just short of knocking her to the floor.
“What were you thinking lady!?” Resonance yelled quite loudly in Sunspot’s ear. “You… Both of you!” she continued to yell, gesturing wildly to both Sunspot and her sister. “I don’t care who it’s for, you can’t just go jumping off of stuff! How… I mean…” Resonance finally realized that both mares were staring blankly at her. She fell to her haunches. “How many ponies can there possibly be waiting to catch you?” Her voice trailed off and she hung her head low. Evanescence moved over to lay a hoof on her shoulder.
“What did she mean, both of us?” Sunspot asked, dipping her head to be in Evanescence’s view.
“I may have jumped out of a plane for her.” She got a confused look. “Uh, like a pegasus chariot but with no pegasus. Pretty cool stuff. I fly them.” Evanescence pivoted around, showing off her cutie mark to Sunspot. “I imagine it’s much the same as you jumping there to save your coltfriend.” She nodded toward the colt desperately climbing down the scaffolding – although he had slowed once he saw Sunspot safe on the ground.
“Coltfriend?” Sunspot chuckled. “I don’t even know his name.” Evanescence looked up to her, confused. “He was assigned to work under me for this project. Just started today.” Sunspot looked into Evanescence’s eyes, suddenly very serious. “So long as I am alive, nopony dies on my watch.” They spent a moment staring at one another, neither really sure what to say. Then Sunspot made a move. “He’s not really my type anyway. I’m more into somepony more… Feminine.” She stood tall, slowly trotting around Resonance and Evanescence. “Normally, I’d find somepony that I have something in common with, and see how things go from there. And apparently, if she’s to be believed,” Sunspot nodded toward Resonance, still sitting head hung low on the ground, “you and I have a few things in common.” She stopped next to Evanescence, throwing a hoof over her shoulder. “So how about it, lunch at my place tomorrow? I can meet you here around noon.” Sunspot smiled, waiting patiently for Evanescence to process the question.
“Bwuh?” A very eloquent first reply. “I… uh, yeah! Sure, meet you here.” With that, Sunspot smiled and began to trot off – clearly done working for the day no matter what the clock had to say.
Wait, did that mare just ask Evvy out? Resonance perked up, turning around to see the other mare leaving the room. She caught sight of her cutie mark – a large wing shading three ponies from the sun. She’s an Earth pony though, the wing must mean something else… She turned and saw her sister also watching Sunspot leave.
“What do you make of that flank?” The question made Evanescence choke, instantly sending her into a coughing fit. Resonance rolled her eyes and continued, “Ugh… I mean her cutie mark.” Evanescence blushed wildly, trying desperately to hide her face.
“I… uh… wasn’t exactly looking at that…”
Resonance sighed.
“It was a wing, shading three ponies from the sun. I guess… it’s because she’s called sunspot?” Resonance was admittedly grasping at straws. Evanescence smiled and giggled.
“She’s an angel.” Resonance sighed loudly, rolling her eyes. “No, no, hear me out. She said ‘nopony dies on my watch’, so she’s a protector. That’s an angel’s wing protecting those other ponies.”
Really? They don’t even know what angels are here, it’s all pegasus this and pegasus that, besides… Wait, did she just ask you out!? Resonance’s mind finally made it back to the original point, which surfaced somewhat explosively as she jumped to her hooves and grabbed her sister.
“Did she just ask you out!?” Resonance nodded giddily in reply. “And you said yes!?” Again Resonance nodded excitedly. Evanescence stepped back, slightly quieter. “Why?” Evanescence thought for a moment, then replied:
“Do you remember back about a year ago, when Sonority was trying to set me up with some of his military buddies?” Resonance nodded. “He told me about when you two met. He had literally just gotten the implant so he could hear, and you were playing in the lobby of the hospital. He told me that when he heard that music he felt like he just had to follow it, and when he saw you everything else in the world faded away.” She was staring at the distant town of Ponyville, speaking loudly so her sister behind her could hear. “She fell, a cool fireball from the heavens right into my hooves. The world got… Hazy. It’s just like what Sonority said – true love.”
“Did I hear my name?” Both mares jumped at the sound of Sonority’s voice behind them.
“Just wondering what’s taking you so long, hon.” Resonance said shakily, not wanting to reveal even the slightest detail of her sister’s newfound affection to the strictly enforced moral scrutiny of a Hearth’s Core pilot, and perhaps more importantly the natural mindset of her husband.
“It took a while to explain to Covenant how to get here. Not exactly on the map you know. It may take him a few days to get here, so until then we can have a bit of time off I suppose.” Sonority seemed oblivious to the previous exchange, or any of the harrowing events of the day. Resonance decided to step in and give her sister a chance.
“How about you and I go out, hon? It’s been a while since we’ve had a day off.” Resonance turned to her sister and winked. “I’m sure you can find something to do tomorrow, can’t you Evvy?” Resonance and Sonority began trotting merrily away, leaving Evanescence to herself.
“Yeah, I think I can find something to do.”