Blue Angel

by V-Pony

Inseptium Nova-Pt 3: Hammer-space and Musical Therapy

Notes: I recommend wearing a good set of headphones during this chapter if you wish to fully enjoy it :)
Oh...and remember those Theoretical Physics I talked about? They come into play again...

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September 12th, Night...

Jill practically cackled as she stood in the doorway of The Gilded Griffon; the bastard of a Pegasus Volare that had ruined their assignment of foal-napping the filly Scootaloo, embarrassed them in front of their Boss, and knocked out half the teeth in her head in the process was sitting right there in front of her, completely unaware of either her presence or her identity. She turned to her brother Ray, who looked reluctant, but certainly didn’t seem to be in the mood to hold her back either; he merely followed her gaze towards the wheelchair-bound blue Pegasus and then back to her and nodded his consent. The maddened mare grinned at his acquiescence and prepared herself to make the small amount of time that Volare had left an absolute living hell.

“What’s that they say, brother?” she growled evilly, indicating her face. “An eye for an eye?”

“And a tooth for a tooth,” Ray nodded grimly, showing his own repaired teeth in emphasis. As much as he respected Volare’s bravery, and as much as he knew that revenge was a dish best served cold and in a less public place…what were the odds of such a silver-plattered opportunity happening again?! Besides, if need be, they’d eliminate the witnesses as well…

But just as the duo took a step into the café, the watch on Ray’s wrist glowed a dull green, and burning pain coursed its way up his foreleg, through his shoulder, and into the base of his skull, causing him to hiss in pain and pull his sister back against his will. She stumbled backwards with a small shriek of protest, causing the porch door to slam shut and drawing the attention of the ponies inside.

“What the hay was that?” Vinyl Scratch lifted her gaze from the activated recording box and peered towards the now-empty door, where she could have sworn she’d seen two ponies standing there not a moment before. Volare tried to turn and look at the door, but the back of the wheelchair blocked his view.

“What was what?” But Lyra shook her head and chuckled.

“Oh, I know those two,” the green Unicorn replied as she got up and trotted towards the front door. “Couple of regulars; they’re kinda weird but they tip well.”

“Oh my, if Lyra thinks they’re a bit strange,” Octavia raised an eyebrow and spoke out of the corner of her mouth, drawing a snicker from Vinyl and Volare. “I can only imagine what her definition of truly bizarre might be.”

"Well, Lyra, you'll miss how I crashed my plane and got a new body from Twilight," Volare called out, causing the green Unicorn to pause.

"Oh, I knew that from what I overheard," she smiled sheepishly.

"Well, I certainly didn't!" Bon-Bon waved her spoon threateningly, causing the other three ponies at the table to chuckle. She turned to Volare with a curious look. "What's a plane and how did you crash it?"

"Oh, um, a plane is a machine humans use to fly, and I crashed it cuz I was chasing something..." he trailed off, trying to evoke the memory of exactly what it was. But everything was just too fuzzy to recall and he shrugged in frustration. "I dunno what it was, but I tried to follow it, the plane couldn't take it, and it crashed. But Rainbow Dash saved me at the last minute and brought me here."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Rainbow Dash saved you!?" Vinyl asked in surprise. "What the hay was she doing on Earth!?"

"Something about research for Twilight on humans," Lyra replied as she approached the front door. "Long story short, Volare's human body was too messed up and Twilight gave him a new one in the form of the Pegasus you now see before you, albeit with better hair," she chuckled at Volare's expression of mortification. "There, and now you're all caught up!"

"Crazy bucking times we live in," Bon-Bon shook her head incredulously.

.................

“Ray, what the buck is the matter with you?!” Jill hissed angrily as she picked herself up out of the flowerbed that skirted the wooden porch railing. Her brother had dragged her halfway around the building before letting her go and leaning against the raised porch, breathing hard and blinking rapidly.

“I-I dunno,” he groaned, rubbing his wrist where he could still feel the burn from the watch. “It was like something”-

Intervened, an irritated voice glowed from the watch. And with damn good reason. Just what were you two foals intending to do just now!?

"B-boss?" Jill cried, recoiling from Ray for a moment. "You heard all that?"

When am I never listening; do you take me for a fool as big as yourselves? You're on very thin ice, Jill! I suggest you and your brother do exactly what I say if you wish to keep your damn heads attached to the rest of your bodies! Ray and Jill looked back and forth at each other, both in shock that He'd heard everything. They nodded at each other before Ray spoke up.

"S-sorry, your lordship," he made an attempt to bow to his own hoof before a crackle of energy from the watch shot through him again.

Not yet you're not...now then, I've had certain suspicions about that Pegasus Volare ever since you met him two weeks ago. Those suspicions were only heightened after your little encounter out in the woods. I'd wish to confirm those for myself, so for now, do not bring harm to him.

"But Boss! He made us look like idiots and kept us from accomplishing our mission yesterday!" Jill protested. "We deserve our revenge!"

Jill, close your dribbling mouth and listen up, the voice growled darkly, sending a chill down the siblings' spines. I want you to go into that building and observe Volare; nothing more unless I give the word. Is that perfectly clear? The tone of his voice brooked not one iota of nonsense.

"Crystal, sir," Ray spoke for his sister, giving her a nudge.

"Y-yeah, absolutely," Jill replied, a drop of sweat dribbling down her face as she spoke.

Very good...may have some use for you two yet. If my suspicions of this Volare are correct, then your little failure to obtain the filly for leverage against...well, it doesn't really matter now, does it? The point is, it will seem insignificant compared to the bigger fish we'll have to fry! The voice contained an absolutely maliciously evil glee that not even Jill could come close to matching; she could practically envision its owner dancing in place as he spoke...and it was a far more terrifying image than one could imagine possible.

"And what if you're right, sir?" Ray spoke up. "What then?"

I'll give the word on that. But just be prepared for anything.

"And if you're wrong?" Jill ventured hesitantly. "I mean, if he's not what you suspect, your liege?"

...Kill everything that breathes in that room, because we'll have no more business here in this town. What did you say you'd do, Jill? Implode them? Ahahaha, I actually like that little idea; do that if I'm wrong. It'll be like my little 'well, you told me so' gift. How's that sound, my dear Jill?

"Heh-heh, sounds fair enough," Jill licked her lips in anticipation while Ray hardly suppressed a shudder before the front door of the restaurant swung open and Lyra stuck her head out into the evening.

"Hey, are you guys gonna come in?" she asked cheerfully, unaware of the glowing watch that Ray hid behind his back. "Plenty of good food in here!"

"Is it warmer in there?" Ray feigned a shiver against the night.

"Always," Lyra grinned, causing Ray to turn to Jill and wink.

"Well then, let's head on in, sis."

"Indeed," Jill nodded. "My throat's rather parched, Lyra. You got a cure for that in there too?" she asked as they trotted in, following the green Unicorn down the main aisle on a path that would take them right past Volare and the others.

"Eeyup," the lyrist nodded and lead them towards their usual corner booth. Seconds crawled by like hours as the distance between Jill and her hated foe closed with every hoofstep, and she could feel each nerve and muscle fiber in her body tensing to tear the guy apart; it was all she could do to keep trotting in a casual, straight line behind Lyra.

Stay your hoof, Jill, the watch glowed softly, causing Lyra to look back in mild confusion as they passed the wheelchair-bound Pegasus and stopped in the far corner of the restaurant.

"You guys say something?" she cocked her head curiously at the siblings. "It sounded kinda...growly."

"Huh-no, not me," Jill shook her head as they sat down on the bench seats. "Probably Ray's stomach aching for food, heh-heh." Ray rolled his eyes and swore he heard a noise not unlike the sound of a pony face-hoofing on the other end of the watch.

"Well, like I said, you guys came back to the right place," the green Unicorn smiled cheerfully. "Our special tonight is wild onion and potato soup paired with Trottingham Brown Ale. Or something stronger like you usually get?" she winked at Jill. But before the mage could agree, Ray stopped her with an outstretched hoof.

"No, no, the ale sounds fine," he gave his sister a short glare. "We'll get that and two bowls of that awesome-smelling soup over there." Ray dug into the bit bag and dropped four golden coins on the table that Lyra swiftly swept up and floated away.

"Coming right up!" she beamed and trotted away, leaving Jill to hoof Ray in the shoulder an irritation.

"What the buck, Ray?" she hissed. "I came here to get wasted, not eat dinner!"

"Yeah, well the Boss said to keep a level head, not make a scene, and observe this Volare guy," he nodded towards the blue Pegasus who was looking over the back of the chair at them. Ray shot him a quick smile before turning back to his sister. "And the more natural we look, the less suspicion we'll draw...and you getting all hooched-up and rowdy won't help. So for now, just enjoy the meal courtesy of the Great and Powerful Twit," he snickered as did his sister. They turned slightly in the booth to watch Volare as he returned to his story after Lyra served the two Unicorns and returned to her group.

"Heh, anyways, where was I?"

"We were at the part where you officially met Twilight and Rainbow Dash," Lyra nodded.

"Oh, that must have come as a shock, considering Pegasi and I'm assuming other ponies like us don't exist on Earth, correct?" Octavia hardly suppressed a small chuckle at Volare's reddened face.

"Yeah...that could have gone alot better," he rubbed the back of his head and laughed, reminiscing how he'd literally crawled across the Library floor in a panic, thinking Spike had chopped off and cooked his toes for breakfast. Over the course of the next few hours, he retold his tale in its entirety, from meeting the rest of the Mane 6, to attempting to fly for the first time, and the gory surgery that followed, prompting Octavia and Bon-Bon to push the rest of their bowls of soup away to prevent any further nausea. This only resulted in Lyra and Vinyl exchanging a shrug and devouring their food for them, seemingly unfazed by the nature of Volare's wing injury.

As he continued to speak of the aftermath of the surgery, the conversations with Twilight that followed, and then finally his experiences at Fluttershy's cottage, Jill lifted her nose from her third mug of ale and nudged Ray in the shoulder. "Hey Ray *hic* you gonna finish telling me why Pinkie Pie is the most dangerous Element Holder or what-*hic*?"

Ray swallowed a spoonful of the soup and looked his sister in the face. Her cheeks were mildly flushed, and despite The Boss' orders, she looked to be attempting to get at least somewhat hammered anyway. And judging by the way she was mowing through the ale, obviously bored with Volare's personal history, that might not be too long in coming. Maybe telling her this information might sober her up somewhat... He sighed and sat his bowl down before speaking in a voice hardly above a whisper, still keeping an eye on Volare and the others in case more important information came up...or one of them approached their table for some odd reason.

"Ok, this may take a little while to explain," Ray cleared his throat and leaned over the table towards his sister before continuing. "The other five Element Holders are dangerous because they exist just like us within certain bounds, namely physical, elemental, and magical. Those rules and limits have allowed the relative potential of the Element Holders to be calculated, hence their danger level; and this individually, mind you. Remember that together, they defeated foes far beyond us."

"Right, right, you already explained that-urrrp" Jill belched, drawing laughter from Vinyl Scratch.

"Good one, dude!" she called out with a cheeky grin. "But check this one out: URRRRRRRRP!! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

"Vinyl, that is revolting," Octavia slapped the table with a hoof in indignation. "A lady should cover her mouth before doing something like that, and certainly not with so much gusto!"

"A lady?" The DJ asked, the word practically foreign to her. "Pfffft, how long have you known me, Octy? I roll how I roll, and that's how I go!" She pumped a hoof and belched loudly again, causing Bon-Bon and Octavia to facehoof, while Volare and Lyra laughed uproariously. Even Jill and Ray snickered a bit before turning back to their own conversation.

"You were saying, Ray?" Jill tilted her head curiously, waving her hoof for her brother to continue. The alcohol was obviously going to her head, but she was still in control for the most part.

"Right, I was saying that we can actually measure their danger potential because they're bounded by rules. Now, what do you suppose the Element of Laughter is all about?"

"I dunno, joyful stuff?" Jill eyed the quickly-emptying mug of ale in front of her.

"Indeed, and joy can come about in the strangest and most random of ways. Therefore, one of the components of the Element of Laughter is randomness." He leaned further across the table with a serious expression. "And it's that very randomness that makes her dangerous."

"Uh....I don't get it."

"She's unpredictable," Ray said with finality. "And therefore it's very difficult to gauge her potential; it could be massive or it could be tiny. We just don't know, but I'm leaning towards massive, and I'll tell you why: One of the reasons she's unpredictable is because of her propensity to seemingly ignore the laws that govern the rest of us at will." At this revelation, ale spewed from Jill's nose back into her mug, and she coughed loudly as she tried to clear her head of the foam.

"Ach-ach-say what?!" She barely managed to contain her question, drawing a quick glance over from the others.

"She's good," Ray waved a hoof reassuringly before turning back to his sister. "Keep it down, Jill. But yes, it seems the laws and rules that bound us occasionally don't apply to Pinkie Pie. That and she has certain...unique traits that seem to stem from this ability to 'break the rules'."

"Like what?"

"Well, do you know of her Pinkie Sense? It's sort of an early warning system that allows her to detect danger near her or her friends, making it very difficult to get the drop on her, so a surprise attack wouldn't work because we hypothesize that she'd sniff it out before it even occurred."

"So just attack her head-on then," Jill declared with a small growl. "Keep her in sight and just beat her with brute force. I mean, she's not exactly Celestia herself. I'll bet one good fire-spell right on that curly mane of hers would send her packin', heh-heh."

"True...but you have to hit her with it first," Ray crossed his hooves and leaned back.

"Huh, whatcha mean? She can't dodge a spell or block one; she's just an Earth Pony, not a Pegasus or Unicorn."

"Very true. However, even though she's not a Unicorn or a Pegasus, she can still pull off acts of magic or speed that those two races couldn't ever dream of achieving. Multiple times, she's been observed literally popping out from behind objects smaller than herself, ingesting things larger than her stomach would be (and all in one go, mind you), as well as instances of pursuing friends and foes with a speed that belies her appearance," he took a swig of his drink and wiped his lips. "Thing is, nopony can truly explain it, nor do they actually see much of this happen."

"Huh, then how can they witness it?" Jill cocked her head in confusion; all this thinking combined with the ale was starting to give her a headache.

"I mean, they see the results of it, but as far as actually seeing how or where she pops out of is another story altogether. To the casual observer, it would seem like she reappears and disappears at will, something even a Unicorn can't do without at least a flash of magic to betray their exit or entry back into this plane of existence," he poked at his soup spoon for a moment, awaiting Jill's reaction.

"That's crazy," she shook her head in disbelief. "There's gotta be an explanation as to how she does these things, Ray. I mean, is she of this world?" Her question caused Ray to snicker for a moment before Jill kicked him rather painfully under the table.

"Ow-sorry, sis," he winced and calmed down. "Yes, she's 'of this world,' certainly more so than Volare over there," he nodded at the blue Pegasus, who was in the middle of speaking about meeting Scootaloo for the first time. "As for your question of if there's an explanation for her behavior and potential...well, beyond the usual 'it's just Pinkie being Pinkie' that you might get from the locals, there is one plausible theory that was contained within the manual the Boss gave us; mainly because it makes the most sense, I suppose."

"Well, don't keep me in suspense here, Ray," Jill hit the table with her mug. "Get on with it!"

"Thing is...for it to make sense, you have to kinda toss out alot of what you think is real and not real, Jill," Ray warned with a solemn expression; he wasn't joking on this.

"Try me."

"Ok, you asked for it," Ray wiped his brow and gathered his thoughts. "Remember how I mentioned that one of the two things you need to worry about her is the concept of hammer space?"

"Yeah, I think so," Jill nodded. "But you never really explained what that was, exactly."

"Basically, it refers to being able to pull an object, such a large hammer-hence the name, out of thin air or out from behind or within an object smaller than the object being produced."

"...What?"

Ray sighed and closed his eye for a moment. "Ok, say I take this mug," he held up the object in question. "And somehow hid it behind or under this spoon," he held the spoon between the mug and Jill. "Or I produced it from behind the spoon."

"Impossible," Jill declared. "That's not even slightly possible."

"Aha, because you're thinking in terms of what you believe to be real and not real. Now throw that concept out. How would you explain a large object being pulled from behind a smaller object like that?"

"I dunno...a rip in space or something?"

"..." Ray simply smiled.

"Wait, are you serious?" Jill gawked, but her brother merely nodded. "Dammit, I should have read that manual!"

"Indeed, you should have," Ray chided his sibling for a moment before continuing. "Hammerspace is just that: a rip in space that allows many objects to be stored within it like some sort of grab-bag, waiting to be pulled out within a moment's notice. Or in Pinkie's case, emerge out of things like a pile of sponges or apples, without anypony first seeing her enter said places."

"But that's...so damn random," Jill blinked.

"Now you're catching on," Ray nodded. "This then leads us into the only solid explanation anypony has come up with on how Pinkie utilizes this hammerspace. Brace yourself for this one, cuz it's a doozy."

"I...jeez, I hope I can take this," Jill gulped.

"Hope so too," the male replied grimly. "Alright...are you familiar with the concept of a pocket universe?"

"....Nope, nuh-uh, buck that noise!" Volare and Co. looked up again as the female Unicorn shouted and literally threw her soup spoon at her companion, the metal instrument thunking off his forehead and clattering to the floor before the male Unicorn magically grabbed her and shut her mouth as he realized they were being stared at again.

"Heh-heh, nothing to see here, folks," he waved his hoof dismissively, doing his best to grin his way out of this. Never should have let Jill drink anything here period...

"Weird indeed, Lyra," Octavia sipped her tea and nudged the green Unicorn in reference to her statement earlier.

"Meh, I kinda like'em," Lyra shrugged her off before turning to Volare. "Ok, so back to what you were saying about Scootaloo being kinda like your little sister," she smiled encouragingly as her friend returned to his tale.

"Jeez Jill, I said to brace yourself." Ray hissed and released his sister.

"Well excuse me," Jill snapped, downing the rest of her ale in a huff. "Not everyday you get your mind blown, ya know?"

"Oh, that's just the tip of the iceberg," her brother said sagely and chanced a peek through the window blinds adjacent to him; nope, no Royal Guards thundering up the street to investigate...good. "Now then, are you ready to continue?"

"Yeah, I guess," his sister sighed and sat the mug back down, suddenly not having much of an appetite for ale anymore; she was craving something alot stronger to get her through this particular brand of madness. To hell with these Elements-the whole lot of them can rot in Tartarus, she growled to herself.

"Ok, just try to stay calm and relax, Jill. Now then, as I said, are you familiar with that particular concept?"

"Yeah, I've read about it; something about a larger space contained within a much smaller space...hrm, that kinda makes it it's own brand of hammer space, huh?" Jill conceded, wincing at the headache she felt coming on again. Too much damn space! "But...you're not saying that's the secret of Pinkie Pie, are you? A pocket universe? Is that even possible? And how the hay would that work anyways?!"

"First question: yes, it might be the secret, and it might be mostly conjecture, but this is best theory we have and I don't think anypony else has had the cojones to ask her directly about it."

"And why's that?"

"Um...I'll be getting to that," Ray grimaced for a moment. "Second question: yes, the theory revolves around the concept of a pocket universe being the answer behind hammer space; and as said, she utilizes it quite frequently. Third question: is it even possible? Well, the evidence speaks for itself the more you think about it, so I'd say yes, it's a very plausible explanation. Fourth question: how does it work? Well, my dear sister, this is where the danger of Pinkie Pie lies."

"Her random and unpredictable behavior?" Jill queried with that same growing sense of morbid interest she'd felt about the other Element Holders...but for some reason, this interest also carried a sense of dread the others didn't...she wanted to know, and yet was afraid to hear the answer. Get a grip, Jill! This is frickin' Pinkie Pie we're talking about here, not some crazy, other-worldly demon, right? ...right?

"Precisely," Ray nodded. "In fact, we believe it to be the source and explanation for her unpredictability. For you see, we believe that she actually carries a pocket universe either within herself or on her person at all times, ready to use at any time she desires. For example: she might want to carry a literal giant hammer, half a house, a wagon, etc, all within this space."

"How can she carry something like that with her?" Jill's jaw dropped. "I mean, an entire universe able to hold things many times its own size...she can't possibly lift all that by herself! And that still doesn't explain why we can't see the damn thing!"

"Who's to say the pocket universe is massive and visible?" Ray ventured knowingly. "What if it were so small as to be barely noticeable?"

"Ok, let's say it is really frickin' small," Jill suspended her remaining disbelief for a moment. "The density of something like that would be ridiculous. She still shouldn't be able to carry it."

"Indeed, however, the majority of the universe is mostly empty space, so the density may not be as great as you think. Plus, because this thing doesn't seem to comply with known physics, because it's small it may only weigh small, instead of large, so to speak," Ray did his best to explain. "The point is, this pocket universe she carries with her is a powerful weapon of surprise."

"And random behavior...Ray, you know this is insane, right?" Jill hid her face behind her hooves, her headache pounding her cranium by now.

"What's that saying we heard Lyra and Volare use a while back: gotta think like a fox to catch a fox?" Ray grinned. "Gotta think like Pinkie to beat her....only problem is, that carries the possibility of going completely bonkers in order to do so..."

"Ok, enough of the damn specifics," Jill snapped, hitting the table with her forehead to stop the ache; needless to say, it didn't work very well. "Owww...just explain why that pocket thingy makes her so damn dangerous and let's leave this madness behind, alright?"

"Heh, sounds fair," Ray patted her hoof comfortingly. "I told you it wasn't for the faint of heart or mind, Jill. Anyways, the reason why it makes her so dangerous is because that pocket universe allows her flexibility beyond what most normal ponies like you and I would expect. In short: the ultimate surprise attack. We think that pocket universe might also be a wormhole of sorts, allowing her to transcend space and time in order to"-

"Ray I swear to Nightmare Moon," Jill snarled and looked up at him. "You're gonna make my brain explode. Why is she so damn dangerous already!?"

"Fine, I'll give you the dumbed-down version. Basically, we believe that rip in the laws of physics that the pocket universe creates also allows her cover great distances with ease as well as allowing her to literally pop out of thin air anywhere she wants."

"Huh, that would be pretty useful for a surprise attack," Jill nodded.

"Yeah, but that's not the worst part," Ray said grimly. "She has the ability to pop out of anywhere or anything."

"So? How's that bad in itself?"

"Ok, suppose she decides she doesn't like you and she gets it in her head to use this ability. Say she doesn't just want to surprise you by popping out behind you and whacking you with a hammer; no that's not good enough in this instance." Ray's face turned slightly ashen as he spoke. "So she decides to exit space right through your chest." Jill's eyes snapped wide at this implication, and she couldn't help but look down and make sure Pinkie wasn't about to burst, grinning and bloody, out through her ribcage.

"Jeez..."

"Or out of your skull," Ray suggested. "Or out of your back. Or even out of your"-

"OK, OK!" It was now Jill's turn to slam her brother's mouth shut with her magic, her mind on the verge of snapping. "Isn't it enough that now I'll never be able to walk past that bakery again without wondering if I'll suddenly fly to pieces...but now you gotta spell it out?!"

"Sorry, sorry," Ray shook his head and pushed her hooves off of him, wicking the sweat off his brow with the back of a foreleg. "It freaks me out too. Now you know why I said you don't wanna confront her without at least half an army backing you up. But there's good news, Jill."

"What in Tartarus could be good news about that?!" Jill hissed in a half-panic.

"As long as she remains calm and cheerful, the likelihood of her using her potential like that is fairly limited, as it is with the rest of the Element Holders," he explained. "It's a damn good thing the Elements don't allow malevolent creatures to wield their power, otherwise, we'd be in a whole lot more trouble."

"Yeah, no bucking kidding..." Jill said shakily as she glanced out the window towards Sugarcube Corner; the normally innocent and friendly looking building now seemed as foreboding as the Gates of Taratarus themselves. The lights were out inside of it, but she now swore she could see that blasted pink pony's gleeful blue eyes burning out of the upper-most window towards her...Holy hay, get a grip!

"...besides," Ray's voice trickled back into her mind. "The real thing you gotta worry about with Pinkie Pie is her Party Cannon anyways. It has the ability to-mmmppphh," but he was cut off by Jill jamming her hoof in his mouth. She was pretty sure her brain couldn't take anything else about that pink menace right not.

"Ray, just shut up, ok?" She turned her attention to Volare, and listened to him finally finish his story, ending with the misunderstanding between Twilight and Dash (though he left out the details of what happened between himself and Twilight, just as he'd promised).

"I just hope they can get that figured out," the Pegasus' features drooped in worry. "I'd hate to basically be the cause of their friendship breaking up." But before he could mope further, a cheerful foreleg grabbed him around the shoulder and squeezed him in a chummy fashion.

"Hey dude, no sweat," Vinyl assured him with a grin. "Friends get into scrums every now and then; Celestia knows Octy and I do all the time."

"Well, for the most part, it's justified," the grey cellist grumbled into her teacup.

"Even so, if the strength of the friendship is great enough, ain't nothing that can break up two pals forever," the DJ declared with a pump of her hoof. "So don't sweat it too much, dude. It's like Twilight said: you need to focus on getting better for now."

"Yeah, that's right!" Lyra nodded.

"Absolutely," Bon-Bon said. "That way, you can fix the roof here like you promised, right? Ow, Octy, what was that for!" she rubbed her head as Octavia dropped the large wooden spoon to the tabletop.

"Oh lay off of him, Bon-Bon," she leaned across the table and gave Volare a gentle pat on his good hoof. "He'll get well when he gets well, and there's really no rushing that," she said with an encouraging smile.

"Heh, thanks, guys," Volare smiled at the four mare surrounding him. "This is really helping more than you know. Heh, now we're all caught up..." The five ponies sat there in silence for a moment or two before Vinyl Scratch broke it again.

"Sooo, um..." The DJ looked up at Volare hopefully, twiddling her hooves and raising her shades in the process to reveal her almost pleading cerise eyes. Volare had a sneaking suspicion about what she was going to ask.

"What's up, Vinyl?" He smiled warmly.

"Oh, um, you know, nothin' much," she scratched the back of her head for a moment before speaking her mind. "Just wondering if...ya know...you got anymore awesome music in that noodle of yours," she nudged him lightly with her elbow, eliciting a chuckle from the Pegasus.

"I never would have guessed," he shook his head in mild disbelief. "You're a real character, you know that, Vinyl?"

"Eh, I try," she grinned. "So come on. What else ya got in there? I know what you played the other day wasn't nearly all the music you know!"

"Vinyl!" Octavia scolded her room mate. "The poor dear's just finished telling us his epic of a tale. Can't you at least give him a moment to recuperate? Besides, I feel almost like you're using him for your own personal success."

"It's fine, Octy," Volare insisted. "I'm only crippled in body, not mind," he laughed at the self-deprecating joke before Vinyl spoke up again.

"Hey, I got an idea," she beamed excitedly. "How's about I pay ya a cut of the tour earnings since you helped out, eh? And any sort of future music you give me will earn ya a similar cut. It's not a whole lot, but it'll help keep ya afloat until you can get a real job, anyways. How's that sound?"

"You know what...I could live with that," Volare nodded after a moment's consideration. It wasn't exactly copyright infringement...oh who was he kidding? Not like Bon Jovi was gonna sue him in Equestria, right?

"Sweet! Gimme just a sec!" The DJ grinned and galloped back into the kitchen, searching for something as Bon-Bon spoke up.

"Now wait just a sec here, Vinyl Scratch!" the cream-colored mare objected. "If you've got extra bits to share, why not help fix this place up, eh?"

"Couple of reasons," Vinyl said as she returned from the kitchen, hovering the familiar-looking speakerbox that Volare had played through a few weeks ago; apparently, the DJ had been bumping some beats while cooking the taters...or something like that. She sat the speaker on the table and began switching over wires and flicking switches from the audio recorder to the box as she spoke. "For one, you gotta give a little to get a little, Bon-Bon; you're a business mare, you know that, right?"

"Yes, I understand," the navy and pink maned Earth Pony frowned. "What's the second reason?"

"Well, the cut isn't very big, cuz the tour runs on kinda a tight budget...however, with Volare's Earth music, the margins might not be so tight anymore, and the cuts could get bigger. Besides," she finished hooking up the speaker and looked up with excitement in her eyes. "It'll be Volare's money to do with as he wishes since he's earned them well. If that involves using it to fix the place up, that's between you and him, not me." At this declaration, Bon-Bon looked to Volare hopefully.

"Would you help us, Volare?" she asked sincerely. But Lyra took the more direct route and leaped up into Volare's lap, grinning like a fool and causing Bon-Bon's jaw to nearly hit the floor.

"Yeah, dude! You wanna help us fix this place up, huh?" Her golden eyes were inches from his own, as was her smile, and Volare was a little concerned about what might happen if he refused. But he didn't have to find out as Bon-Bon collared her rambunctious friend and forcibly sat her back at the table, causing the Pegasus to burst out laughing.

"We'll see what happens, guys," he assured them with a smile. "I still gotta recover, but if I'm not really using the money anyways...I'll make sure it goes to good use."

"Woohoo!" Lyra whooped, and despite her friend's behavior, Bon-Bon gave a little sigh of relief herself. After a moment, Volare felt another nudge at his shoulder from the DJ's elbow.

"Sooo...hint hint," Vinyl grinned from ear to ear, holding out the earbuds in her hoof.

"Ok, ok, I'll play some music for ya," Volare shook his head and laughed again. Man, it felt good to laugh-it felt good to be alive! Not 24 hours ago, he was barely clinging to life, but now...now things were different As he accepted the ear buds from Vinyl, Volare had an idea cross his mind: I wonder if I could play some fandom music...oh wait a sec... "Hey Vinyl; question?"

"Yep, what's up?" the Unicorn looked up from adjusting the speaker to the LOW setting, not wanting to deafen all ponies at the table.

"This music gets recorded using your magic, right?"

"That's right. All your thoughts, including your mental images associated with the song, pass right through my horn and into this baby," she patted the black sphere she had clipped around her neck. "And everything gets recorded. Why?"

Damn...he couldn't imagine her reaction if she saw Rainbow Dash or something in his mind associated with a song from Earth where ponies weren't supposed to exist...this secret stuff sucked!
"Any reason for the mental images?"

"Oh, um, they really just enhance the whole experience and give the listener a better idea of the real-time state of mind of the music composer," The DJ explained. "I've actually got a new little gadget I'm workin' on that can project your mental images onto a screen in sync with the music, giving you a real-time view into the mind of the composer. Cool, huh? Wanna try it?" She'd already begun to dig in her saddle bags for the device before she'd finished speaking, and the DJ quickly brought out what looked to be a cylinder the size of a soda can covered in tiny adjustment dials and with a small metal tripod attached to it. In fact, it looked very much like a re-purposed, miniature telescope. She quickly set it up and pointed it at the nearest blank wall above the table before turning to grin at Volare. "I swear this won't mess your mind up...I think...wait why'd ya ask about the images again?"

"Oh, nothing really. Just wondering if those images will always accompany the music."

"Nah, only if I'm there to help 'translate' everything into the appropriate media," she air quoted with her hooves. "Otherwise, it's just audio if you did the recordings yourself. Why, got something to hide?" she grinned cheekily.

"Don't we all, Ms. Totally Didn't Burn the Roof Down?" he countered quickly, fighting to control the nervous sweat that threatened to pop out on his brow. To his surprise, it worked.

"Touche'," Vinyl chuckled and fiddled with the equipment one last time. "Heh, if you want to, I can actually get ya one of these speakers from my place later if ya wanna do your own personal recordings, especially if I'm on tour and I come back looking for new material."

"That...actually sounds really good," Volare replied with an enthused nod. "Thanks, Vinyl."

"No problem. But for now," the DJ turned the speaker on with her magic and turned back to the Pegasus. "It's time to see what else ya got; and let's focus just on rock this time! Lyra, Bon-Bon, you may wanna hang onto those benches. This could get pretty intense."

"I like intense!" Lyra crowed as Bon-Bon rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure you do," Octavia chuckled while Volare began to fit the earbuds into his ears before pausing for a moment.

"Hey, I've got an idea. How about, instead of last time when I just played alot of music all over the place, why don't I play you guys a little rock music from each decade back on Earth and explain the thoughts behind the songs themselves afterwards. I'll stick with the stuff I liked to play while flying in a plane for simplicity's sake."

"Oh, I see, sort of like a history lesson for us musicians," Octavia nodded in understanding. "I say let's do it!"

"Even better," Vinyl Scratch said.

"Yeah, heh, sorry Bon-Bon," Lyra patted her friend's hoof in mock comfort. "This might be kinda beyond you, since you're not a musical pony and all."

"Oh yes, I forgot, I'm simply the proprietor of this establishment allowing you to sit here and do this," Bon-Bon scowled. "Don't mind me."

"Oh, lighten up francis," the DJ chuckled. "Just relax; I think you'll like this too. Ready when you are, Volare!" she gave the Pegasus a nod and he popped the buds in his ears and focused his mind on the earliest piece of modern music he could think of...ah, there's a good one

"Jailhouse Rock", by Elvis Presley, released the year of 1957," Volare said, and the music began...

As the music trailed off and image of Elvis Presley dancing in prison garb faded, Volare opened his eyes to explain that he wasn't actually in prison but on a movie set; but to his absolute and utter surprise and hilarity, while Lyra, Octavia, and Vinyl seemed to have been bobbing their head to the beat and simply enjoying the music, Bon-Bon had turned a shade of crimson and was visibly fanning her face as she spoke.
"Oh my goodness, is that what humans look like?" she tried to slow her breathing but was finding she was having trouble doing so.

"Yep, that's them alright, Bon-Bon," Lyra smiled and nodded, a bit concerned at how strong a first reaction her friend had had to one, although to tell the truth, this was also Lyra's first look at a 'live' human beyond pictures in newspapers and such.

"Who in Equestria was that incredible, amazing hunk of a man dancing up there!?" Bon-Bon asked shamelessly, causing Volare's jaw to nearly topple off his face and onto the table in shock. Uh-oh...he might have just created a monster...

"Oh, um, that was Elvis Presley, known as the King of Rock N Roll back on Earth," Volare explained as Bon-Bon finally got control of herself but only after Lyra had the idea of slapping her in the face with a cold, wet dishtowel.

"Blech-ok, ok, I'm fine! Sheesh, sorry if a mare's got urges every now and then," Bon-Bon grumbled, thoroughly embarrassed.

"Well, would you believe you're not the first to react that way?" Volare chuckled and went on to explain that when Elvis first came onto the music scene in the 50's, he caused so many young women to throw themselves at his feet and dance lewdly (for the time), that many actually considered Elvis a danger to society because of his potential to cause riots among the younger people he played for.

"Wow...kinda like what happened at my shows," Vinyl mused. "Good thing I didn't play any Elvis music or else the whole country might be in trouble-heh-heh."

"Indeed," Volare laughed and refocused. "Music can be pretty powerful, from inciting riots, to raising spirits and morale. Here's a song from the next decade that kinda embodies a little of all of that, as well as one of the most creative uses of an electric guitar that I can recall:

"The Star Spangled Banner", by Jimi Hendrix, 1969..." he closed his eyes and played.

By the time that Volare opened his eyes, he knew that something was amiss, but he wasn't quite sure what until he inhaled and his nostrils caught the scene of burning straw. He looked up in shock to see that Lyra, in all her wisdom, had grabbed Bon-Bon's good floor broom and had proceeded to air-guitar on it until the very end, when she emulated Jimi Hendrix by setting the broom on fire and smashing it on the tabletop in a rock n roll frenzy of epic proportions. Jeez, maybe I should quit while I'm ahead, Volare thought as Bon-Bon finally wrestled the smoldering remains of the broom away from her co-worker and trotted it back to the kitchen with a heavy heart, as if an even closer friend than Lyra herself had just been violently murdered.

"Well, that was...interesting," Vinyl nodded, impressed with how Hendrix was able to manipulate his guitar and equipment just as she was able to manipulate and remix the very chords and notes of her own music to produce just the right sound. Octavia, on the other hand, was less than impressed, and had her hooves stuffed in her ears the entire time, eyes squeezed tightly.

"Is it over yet?" the cellist shouted with a wince before realizing that it was indeed over, and her cheeks flushed slightly as she cleared her throat. "Ahem, yes, well...forgive me, I just never imagined that a stringed instrument could be bastardized in such a fashion. I'd honestly almost prefer Vinyl's wubs over that cacophony of clashing chords and crescendos."

"Aww, come on, that was rad, Octy!" Vinyl playfully shoved her stuffy roommate's shoulder. "Holy hay, Volare, that guy was playing like he was totally out of his mind up there!"

"Heh-heh, he almost certainly was more than a little chemically altered," Volare chuckled, and explained that the song was played at a huge hippie festival called Woodstock that was used to protest the Vietnam War, a largely unpopular conflict that had been dragging on for years and killing many thousands of people. "Sorry to kill the atmosphere...but there's alot of conflict on Earth at some point or another, and there's usually one side that supports it, and one side that's against it...that's the truth of the matter and there's no hiding it. However, hopefully music like this can simply be enjoyed without the baggage of conflict attached to it. But until then, protest pieces like this will likely continue to be created." The mood in the room changed abruptly, with Vinyl calming down and looking down at the table, Lyra twiddling her hooves, Octavia taking pause in her tea-drinking, and even Bon-Bon growing silent for a moment in respect for those lost.

"Dang, sounds like a bad situation over on Earth," Ray muttered, to which Jill shook her head and snorted.

"Meh, sounds to me like whoever lives on Earth needs to get their heads on straight and figure things out, rather than protest with music and what-not."

"Anyways," Volare spoke up with a brighter tone. "I've got a similar piece of music in mind from the next decade that's alot more upbeat...in fact alot of the music created after the Vietnam War ended was much less edgy and reflected the relief felt at the end of the conflict. This particular piece has an almost classical nature to it in the beginning, one I think you'll like, Octy. In fact, it's considered by many to be the greatest electric guitar solo of all time," he declared with a wide grin.

"Hmm, is that so?" the grey mare queried, eager to move on from the previous conversation. She doubted she'd truly enjoy this rock music as much as her friends...but there was a first time for everything, right? "What's the song called?"

"Eruption', by Eddie Van Halen, 1978...

"...Oh...my...goodness," were the first words that reached Volare's ears as the music faded out. He turned to see who'd spoken, thinking it had been Lyra or Vinyl, but surprisingly, it was Octavia who'd actually stood up on the bench seat and had been staring intently at Eddie's fingers tapping all over the fretboard as he played his soul out. The grey mare turned her wide lavender eyes towards Volare and simply continued to stare to the point that Volare nearly asked if she was ok before she finally spoke again. "If I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes, I would have told you that was Unicorn-made and impossible to physically play...but there it was," she tapped the wall where the projection had been. "Volare, that was, dare I say it, a joy to listen to. That right there is now the new pinnacle of stringed instrumentation and talent in my opinion."

"Whoa, Octy," Vinyl Scratch chuckled in amazement. "I wouldn't have figured you for the rocking type at all, but I guess you finally found something you like, eh?"

"Like it...I loved it!" The cellist declared, shocking everypony at the table. "The execution of the cadences, the triad chords, and the procession from A Flat all the way up into E flat was absolutely flawless, and the rate of speed at which that human accomplished it...just...my, allow me a minute to compose myself," she fell back into the seat in a mild daze for a few more moments before her eyes cleared and she sat back up. "Ah, what happened?!"

"You um...kinda freaked out over the music, Octy," Vinyl patted her on the back. "But, that's a heck of a piece to freak out to. And once again, you were right: a stringed instrument totally blew my mind...and yours too, apparently."

"Ahem, yes, well-er," the grey mare stammered and blushed slightly before standing up and heading to the kitchen for a stronger brew of tea, leaving her friends in stitches of amused laughter. Vinyl Scratch patted the wall where the images had been played and spoke up.

"Dude...that guy, Eddie, was it?"

"Yep."

"Ok, I've seen that look before at my shows, and that guy's mind was definitely blasted, man," she laughed uproariously.

"I really dunno how he could have done it without being like that, to be honest," the Pegasus conceded. "Seems alot of music from that era involved something like that at one point or another. But hey, that's the history of rock n roll."

Octavia soon returned with a new kettle of hot tea and poured herself a new cup before nodding to Volare. "Alright, everything's fine now. You may continue, Volare."

"Heh, if you say so," the Pegasus shook his head in amazement of the reactions the music was getting. "Ok, time to move onto the 1980's, and I think I'll play a song a little less crazy and mind-blowing than the last two, but no less fun, in my opinion."

"Oh boy, what is it this time?" Bon-Bon asked, a little intimidated by what might come popping out of his mind next.

"A song that is literally about the joys of rock n roll and how it can affect your mind and body and inspire you to crazy stuff, just as it's been doing this whole time with you guys:

"Can't Stop Rockin'", by ZZ Top, 1985...

"Well, I suppose that pretty sums things up, Volare," Vinyl stated with a grin, her normally messy blue mane even messier than usual from head-banging like crazy. "The song's right: rock just makes you do crazy stuff."

"Indeed it does," Octavia agreed, her own mane a bit of a mess, though certainly not from head-banging (a lady would never do such a thing...all the time...). She smoothed out the loose hair and took a demure sip of her tea, pretending like she hadn't just completely lost herself to the rhythm of the music just now. Lyra, on the other hoof, was grinning from ear to ear, and had very succeeded in pulling Bon-Bon out onto the floor to dance like a fool as she'd been doing.

"That was a rush!" The green Unicorn declared as she sat back down. "Why didn't you get out there with me, Bon-Bon?"

"Because that's just...ugh, too embarrassing to do," she crossed her hooves defiantly, though even she had to admit she had to really restrain herself from dancing to that song...or maybe not so much dancing as just moving!

"Just certain songs you can't help but not groove to, Bon-Bon," Volare said encouragingly. "Totally not judging if you do."

"Hmph, maybe later," the cream colored mare settled further into her seat.

"Heh, maybe you should play some Elvis again; that outta get her flank moving," Vinyl snickered behind her hoof, causing Bon-Bon to blush terribly and shoot the DJ a withering glare before Lyra clapped her hoof around her and laughed until the Earth Pony couldn't help but smile herself, though she stopped short of full-blown laughter.

"Ok, ok, sorry...maybe I liked it a little-the latest song, not Elvis, I mean...oh buck it," Bon-Bon tossed her hooves up in the air in defeat before turning to Volare. "Alright, might as well not fight it anymore. What else have you got in store for us, Volare?"

"Hrm, well, now we're into the 1990's, not exactly my favorite time period for rock music; I'm honestly pretty partial to the 80's," the Pegasus tapped his chin for a moment in thought before brightening. "However, there was one band in the 90's I took a liking to, though their greatest work was truly in the decade previous. Here's a good song from them in the 90's anyways, though. I warn ya, it's not exactly a get up and dance song so much as it's a 'holy crap, what an epic musical experience' song:

"Fear of the Dark, by Iron Maiden, 1993..."

"Ooh, this sounds good," Jill cackled softly as the music began to play...

"...Dude," was all the noise that came from the table in front of Volare as the chanting of the crowd and the voice of Bruce Dickinson faded away into a silence that so completely filled the Gilded Griffon that one could practically hear the elevated heart rates of all ponies present, including Ray and Jill far off in the corner. Even they felt the power of that song, but for different reasons, and they shuddered to think more strongly on them. The watch on Ray's wrist glowed dully, indicating that whoever was on the other end of the connection was absolutely listening...and possibly enjoying what it was hearing.

Vinyl Scratch lifted her shades off her face and wiped off the sweat that had accumulated at the top of the lenses before breathing that single word again: "Dude...that crowd was off the chain..."

"I know," Volare nodded sagely. "Iron Maiden's a pretty powerful band; their fans are pretty crazy too."

"Well, yeah, that and the subject of the song...now I really feel like walking home tonight," Bon-Bon shuddered slightly. Apparently, these ponies didn't care much for songs about one of the most ancient and ingrained phobias of diurnal creatures: Nyctophobia, the fear of the dark.

"Silly filly, you can just stay here with me," Lyra declared, seeking to break the rather somber mood by throwing a hoof around her friend's shoulder and grinning. "We can camp out in the kitchen, and roast marshmallows on the stove, oh and sing campfire songs!"

"But we don't have a campfire in the kitchen," Bon-Bon protested in mild confusion.

"What about the broom," Octavia glanced back at the burnt cleaning instrument in question. "It's halfway there already anyway."

"NO!! Not my poor broom!" Bon-Bon cried in horror, drawing a mirthful laugh from everypony at the table. And just like that, the joyous mood had returned.

"Got anything a bit less grim left in there?" Vinyl tapped Volare's noggin, causing him to brush her off and chuckle.

"Getting a little pushy there, eh Vinyl?" he shoved her playfully, nearly falling out of the wheelchair in the process before righting himself with a sheepish grin and gathering his thoughts. "Hrm...ah, I got one. We're into the 2000's decade now, and this one is about standing up for what you believe in, never giving up, and making your own destiny instead of simply going with the flow; something I think everypony here can take to heart," he nodded at each of the four mares in turn before focusing on the music:

"Knights of Cydonia", by Muse, 2006...

Yet again, Ray and Jill found themselves drumming on the table at their booth against their will, feeling the music getting into their bones the longer they sat there and listened. It almost made them forget about their current job...almost...
Octavia stood up again on the bench and placed her forehooves on the arms of Volare's chair, and stared intently at him in a most un-ladylike fashion for a few long moments; nopony knew exactly what she was about to do. Even Lyra looked worried, and she'd done this to Volare just about everytime she'd been around him, although granted her reasons were all research-based.

"Uh...Octy? Can I help you?" Volare inched away from the grey mare's gaze before she smiled and spoke.

"That...was absolutely amazing," she turned to Vinyl. "Did you hear all the detail given to that song? From the notes that were sung, to the trumpets and guitars, even down to the rhythm that imitates a pony's galloping stride. If I might be so bold, dear Vinyl, that may be the greatest rock song I've ever heard!"

"Heh, I thought you said that about "Eruption"," Volare chuckled.

"No, that was different," the cellist turned back to him and got down off the chair, much to his relief. "That was an instrumental, but this...this "Knights of Cydonia"...this was truly a complete and epic song worthy of being played even within Canterlot itself!" Octavia beamed and sat back down. "I do say, that I may be beginning to enjoy this rock n roll much more than I ever thought possible. What's next?"

"Ha-ha, this is sweet!" Vinyl Scratch pumped a hoof and grinned. "Volare, we're turning Octy to our side!~" she waved her hooves at her room-mate and made an oooohhhh noise with her mouth, eliciting a smack from Octavia that sent her toppling off the bench and onto the floor, giggling like a madpony, causing Bon-Bon to facehoof.

"Well, I suppose it could be worse; Vinyl doesn't have any drink in her...yet," she muttered.

"Oh, I can fix that!" Lyra declared and started for the cellar but was stopped as Bon-Bon grabbed her tail and yanked her back to the table.

"Ooooh no; we don't need any further help here, Lyra Hearstrings!"

"Aww...but Vinyl's funny as buck when she's drunk," the Unicorn scrunched up her nose in such a way as to make Volare undecided in if he wanted to hug her for being adorable or simply chuckle heartily like the rest. He settled for the latter, and after a few minutes of mirth, the four mares returned to their seats, staring intently at Volare and waiting patiently for the next song.

"Heh, well, we're kinda coming to the end here," Volare smiled sheepishly. "It's only 2012 back on Earth, so there's really only one more decade we can cover as far as music is concerned...hrm, but which to pick?"

"How about a song about flying?" Lyra suggested. "You haven't done one of those yet and you were a pilot...and now you're a Pegasus. You can't fly right now, but-ouch!" She rubbed her horn where Bon-Bon had tweaked it. "What was that for, huh?"

"For insensitively reminding our friend of his condition, Lyra," the Earth Pony chided. "Perhaps that's why he's avoided the subject, because it bothers him. Did you ever think about that?"

"Um, actually Bon-Bon," Volare interrupted. "Rememeber what I said earlier: don't worry about there being any untouchable subject with me in regards to my condition; I'm aware of it and I've accepted that I'm stuck for now. Might as well not fight it and waste my time, eh? Now, in regards to not having played a song about flight yet...huh, guess I just never thought to." He scratched his tattered mane, searching his memory for a recent song about flight before settling on a good one and smiling.

"I take it you know a good finale to this rock n roll history lesson?" Octavia inquired.

"Yep, and it tells a story on its own," Volare nodded. "This song tells the tale of the largest air battle in Earth's military history: the Battle of Britain; specifically it speaks of the foreign fighter pilots who came to aid the country of Britain in her darkest hour, when she was quite literally standing alone against the greatest enemy the modern world had ever faced at that time." Volare settled his thoughts on the song, closed his eyes, and allowed the lyrics to tell their story...

"Aces in Exile", by Sabaton, 2010...

"Wow..." Bon-Bon breathed as the images and music faded.

"That was awesome!" Lyra declared. "Makes me wish I was a Pegasus and could do that sorta crazy stuff!"

"Same here, though I'll take being a Unicorn and being able to spin my discs over everything else," Viny grinned and turned to Volare, who had taken the earbuds out and was airing out his ear canals with a shake of his head. "Heh, sorry we kinda dragged this on for a while, dude."

"Nah, it was fun, just like last time," the Pegasus insisted. "Besides, you guys also got educated on a little of the musical history on Earth. Heh, never done anything quite like that before."

"Well, I think you did a real bang-up job," Bon-Bon said as she stretched her neck and looked up at the clock: 10:00 PM. She then noticed Octavia, the mare who'd surprised them all by practically begging for more music, was sitting rather silently and chewing her lower lip thoughtfully. "Bit for your thoughts, Octy?"

"Huh, oh, it's nothing," the cellist waved a hoof dismissively before Vinyl gave her a wary look.

"Oh really? There's obviously something on your mind, Octy, so just out with it, dude. What's up?"

"What's bugging ya, Octy?" Volare chimed in, and the grey mare looked up at him for a moment before sighing and speaking.

"Well, it's just...I've always adhered to playing music of a more refined nature, but here I am listening to, and loving, this rock n roll, something that very nearly flies in the face of what I've learned as a cellist. I mean, I can appreciate it just as any musician would appreciate other forms of music, but...well, I know this is going to sound foolish, but...you've got me a little worried, Volare."

"Huh? Worried about what?" the Pegasus cocked his head.

"Well, about the state of music on Earth...I noticed that the majority of the music you've played for us now and in the past has been rock," Octavia explained with a furrowed brow, not quite raising her gaze from the tabletop as she spoke. "I mean, yes, you did play that one piece...Ride of the Valkyries I believe, but beyond that, it's all been rock or rock-derived." She finally raised her gaze to meet his. "I suppose my question is: is there no real room for classically styled music on Earth anymore?"

"Oh, Octy," Volare chuckled in relief despite himself; he'd thought it was something really bad. "I can't have possibly listened to every piece of music on Earth. I'm simply playing what I can recall from my memory that I believe it wholesome compared to some of the trash clogging up the music industry back there. Now, classical music is still very much alive on Earth, so don't worry too terribly badly about that."

"Oh, good," the cellist gave a small and sat back on the bench. "I was afraid it had gone extinct or something."

"Nah...although I will admit that it's not even close to being mainstream music anymore; in fact it's more of a niche business than anything now," he replied with a small frown. "Which is kinda unfortunate; I mean, I never really listened to much of it-please don't hurt me!-but it is the root of alot of modern music."

"I heard bits and pieces of it in that song Aces in Exile," Octavia pointed out with a nod towards the recording sphere that Vinyl was in the process of making a minor adjustment to. In truth, the Unicorn was appreciating the little break, as those songs had begun to wear on her just a little bit as well. "So at least it's not completely gone," the grey mare surmised. "Are there any new uses for it besides additions to other songs?"

"Actually yes," Volare popped the earbuds back in. "Vinyl, fire up that speakerbox again," the Unicorn followed his request curiously. "Ok, here's one really big way I know of that classical music is still used: as backing tracks for movies. I'll play a few pieces from the only real composer I can think of off the top of my head: Hans Zimmer. In fact, this music has been used in some of the biggest movies of the past decade on Earth, so classical is far from kaput!"

"Up is Down", from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End...

"Discombobulate", from Sherlock Holmes...

“Those were all composed by one man?” Octavia inquired in amazement.

“As far as I know, yeah,” Volare confirmed. “He’s created the musical scores for loads of movies and is a modern day musical genius; or at least, I think so, as much awesome music as this guy creates. And as many directors that recruit his services for scoring movies, he’s probably up there in terms of premiere composers. Sorry if I don’t know much more on the guy,” he smiled sheepishly.

“It’s quite alright,” the cellist assured him with an understanding nod. “As you said, classical isn’t your strong suit, so there’re no worries in not having as in-depth knowledge regarding it."

“Thanks, Octy,” Volare said with a small sigh. “You know, it really is too bad that classical style just isn’t really recorded as stand-alone music anymore like other genres. I guess that’s just how things go…when it’s not worth the expense, no matter how great it is, in general, it won’t be attempted.”

“It limits creativity, yes,” Bon-Bon spoke up. “But that’s how business goes, unfortunately,” she frowned. “If it’s losing you money instead of making it, don’t do it.”

“Aww, that’s black and white and boring,” Vinyl pouted. “It’s no fun if you don’t take some risks and live a little!”

“But if it’s not helping, then it’s hurting, Vinyl,” the Earth Pony sat up, eager to flex her business muscles. Octavia simply sat there, a bit disheartened by the state of affairs while Lyra was torn between the two ideals. But Bon-Bon’s words had sparked an idea within Volare.

“Actually, there is one other major use for classical music on Earth,” he interrupted their little argument with a tap of his good hoof on the table. “And it also involves what you just talked about, Bon-Bon, in regards to not doing something unless it’ll help your overall business cause; or any cause at all for that matter.”

“I’m afraid I don’t quite follow,” Octavia admitted.

"Yes, explain," Bon-Bon asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, Bon-Bon here says that you shouldn't expend funds on something unless it helps you to make bits, right?"

"Mhm, that's a principle of business, honey," the mare nodded.

"So would you justify spending extra on something like classical music if it made you more money in the end, via promoting your material?"

"...I think I get it now," Octavia brightened considerably. "Are you saying there's something like that on Earth?"

"Absolutely, in fact there are companies dedicated to just that sort of work," Volare nodded. "Promotional advertisements for movies need something to grab the attention of the audience and make them say: 'wow, I wanna see that.' That can be done one of two ways: visually, or..." he put the earbuds back in and grinned. "...audibly...hold on tight..."

"Heart of Courage", by Two Steps from Hell...

"Conviction", by Groove Addicts...

"Return of the King", by X-Ray Dog...

"Dreamchasers", by Future World Music...

"...I...I..." Bon-Bon could only mumble, feeling for the tabletop with her hooves so she had something to lean on and not fall out of her seat. "I believe-I..."

"Stand corrected?" Octavia asked with a smug grin.

"Y-yeah, that...wow," the cream-colored mare looked down at her hooves to see that they were visibly shaking from the emotional overload the music had caused within her.

"*sniff-sniff*," Vinyl had lifted her shades and was wiping at her eyes. "That was beautiful, man...just beautiful," she smiled through her shameless tears. "I mean, I just...wow..."

"Well, I can tell you guys one thing," Lyra beamed. "I'd go see that movie if the advertisement was that kick-flank!" she pumped a hoof.

"Mhm, I believe that's the point," Volare couldn't help but continue to grin at his friends' reactions. Even though he didn't know a quarter note from a treble clef, he felt a camaraderie between them and himself formed by the music itself.

"You know what," Octavia spoke up again. "I think I understand why those companies dedicate themselves to this kinda of promotional artistry, or at the very least why they choose music like this rather than rock n roll; no offense, Volare."

"None taken," the pilot replied. "What's your theory, Octy?" The grey mare leaned back in her seat and crossed her hooves before speaking.

"Well, I believe classical music is chosen because it has the ability to stir emotions unlike any other form of music, due to its lack of lyrics moving the music along. It doesn’t limit one’s audience with language; it actually transcends the spoken word itself, until it’s just the music that matters, and nothing else," the cellist explained.

"And humans and ponies alike would remember that emotion and pin it to that product," Bon-Bon surmised, taken aback by the looks given to her by the others. "What? Gotta know this stuff to run a business, ya know."

"Well, I still like techno, dubstep, and rock n roll, thank you very much," Vinyl slapped her shades back down and grinned, all traces of emotion besides her usual bravado gone without a trace. "Classical's cool and all, but it just doesn't mix with rock," she declared with a half-hearted shrug.

"Oh, there you go again," Octavia rolled her eyes. "Just because your ineptitude limits your ability to mix music together doesn't mean it's the music's fault, you know."

"My inepti-what?" the DJ leaned over the table with a snort of sudden anger. "Don't use your fancy words to put me down, Octy, or I'll wake you up with my custom alarm clock; and I know how much you hate that," she smirked cheekily.

"Oh, Vinyl, you're impossible!" the cellist glared back; the air between the two musicians suddenly seemed charged with a dangerous energy that might explode at any moment. Lyra and Bon-Bon were taking bets on who'd win this time, and even Ray and Jill were leaning into the aisle and looking over, wondering exactly what might happen between the polar opposite ponies. However, Volare thought quickly and again tapped the table with his hoof to get their attention, but it was no use; neither mare was backing down or breaking their stare with each other.

"I ain't blinking first, Octy," the DJ said with a leering grin.

"Oh, you're probably blinking right now behind those shades, you cheater," Octavia shot back with a short growl. There was just no talking to those two when they were like this. With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, Volare did the only thing he could think of: he tossed the earbuds back in his ears, focused his thoughts, and played the first mixtures of electric guitar and classical music he could think of:

"...got your attention now?" the Pegasus chuckled as the two musicians miraculously stopped their arguing and sat there, spellbound by the seemingly miraculous mixture of techno, rock, and classical music combined with scenes of jets soaring across the cafe wall, missiles streaking through the sky, and explosions ripping through everything in between, while Ray and Jill sat in open-mouthed silence down the aisle at what they'd just seen. By this point in time, the two siblings were fairly convinced that they wanted nothing to do with Earth and the crazy people that lived there! However, the watch on Ray's wrist pulsed again, almost in approval, it seemed.

"Aww, I think you did," Lyra chuckled in a mixture of amusement and mild disappointment; her money had been on Octy this time.

"What the hay was that?!" Octavia and Vinyl both asked simultaneously causing all ponies present to burst into giggles for a moment.

"Aha-that...was music from a video game series called Ace Combat," Volare replied. "The majority of the music within it is a mixture of rock, techno, classical, and acoustic blended to match the missions you're sent on within it."

"A video game?" Octavia scratched her head. "What in the hoof is that?"

"Oh, um...think of it as a very interactive movie, where you the player have the ability to move the story along through your actions," the pilot tried his best to explain.

"Is that story real?" Lyra asked a bit hesitantly, a little shaken by the scenes of shredding metal and detonating jet fuel she'd just witnessed.

"Huh-oh, no, not those games," Volare chuckled and waved a hoof dismissively. "Some of the planes themselves are based on real ones, but the stories are purely fiction. It's just a flight simulator, not a history book."

"A flight simulator, eh?" Vinyl mused, occasionally wondered what it was like to fly, as had her earth-bound friends. "But why would you wanna mess with a simulator if you had an actual jet to hop in and fly?" Her naive question nearly caused Volare to snicker, but he quickly caught himself and explained that he couldn't always go up in a plane just willy-nilly; that there were alot of rules and regulations to follow. Plus, he hadn't always been old enough to fly, so he'd played these games in the meantime.

"When did you start flying?" Bon-Bon asked.

"Oh, hmm...well, my dad used to take me up in a little prop plane we had when I was about 10, but he never let me touch the controls; he was always real strict about that," he fondly recalled with a chuckle. "I started taking official lessons when I was 14, and I had my flight certifications when I was 16. I then joined the Navy when I was 18, and by the time I was 23, I'd flown my first missions."

"Whoa, how old are you now, dude?" Vinyl queried with a look of surprise. "We're all like 21 and 22 here, so you're already older than all of us. Well, BB is like 25, so she's grandma of the group."

"Hey!" the mare in question growled and swatted at Vinyl with her hoof.

"Whoa, watch it granny, or you might throw a hip out at your age," the DJ snickered as Bon-Bon simmered, grumbling to herself while the others barely concealed their own laughter behind their hooves.

"Anyways, right now I'm...hmm, well, the dates here are different than on Earth...what's today?"

"It's the 12th of September," Octavia announced.

"Huh, and I guess it'd be like the 11th or 12th of April back on Earth...well, either way, I missed my 24th birthday; it was on the 7th of April," he said with a tinge of disappointment before Lyra playfully nudged him.

"Oh boy, don't let Pinkie Pie find out, or she'll never let you hear the end of it till you let her throw you a party," Bon-Bon chuckled.

"Well, actually, she did mention something about throwing me a 'welcome to Ponyville' party the first day I was here...but then things kinda went haywire after that," the Pegasus glanced back at his crippled wing. "...very haywire."

"Yeah, no kidding," Vinyl muttered, the mood suddenly growing a little somber again before the cellist among them spoke up with a bright smile, hoping to change the subject yet again.

“Well, I don't know about all of you, but I'd give my left hoof to learn some of this music you’ve played this evening and present it to the Canterlot Symphony…” Octavia mused in excitement.

“Well, there’s no reason why he couldn’t help you too, Octy,” Vinyl grinned and nudged Volare. “How about it, buddy? You could just jump from my studio to hers in the same house if ya wanna have a recording day or something.”

“Heh, I don’t see why not,” the pilot shrugged and turned to the other two mares. “Well, Bon-Bon, I’ve already agreed to help you fix the place up. There anything you want me to help with while I’m at it, Lyra?”

“Oh, nothin’ much,” Lyra smiled slyly. “Just as much info on humans as you can give me.”

“Haha, I figured. Hey, you know what we could do?”

“Hrm, what?” the green Unicorn asked.

“Twilight and I already did a big study on humans. Maybe we three could team up for research purposes, or at the very least, exchange notes. I mean, you two are kinda in it for the same thing, right?” Volare proposed.

“Well, considering I didn’t even know that Twilight was researching them until you said something about it, I guess I could use the help,” she scratched her chin thoughtfully. “Heh, and knowing Twilight Sparkle, she’s probably gone into extreme detail in her notes…I’ll have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Soooo…?” Volare twirled a hoof and Lyra looked back at him, golden eyes bright and enthused.

“Sounds like a plan to me,” she smacked a hoof on the table decisively and hopped to her hooves. “When do we start?”

“Now hang on a moment," Bon-Bon protested, trying her best to be the voice of reason within the group. "Volare here still has a long way to go until he's fully recovered. Shouldn't that be his primary focus until then?" The three musicians twiddled their hooves a bit shamefully, looking everywhere but at Volare until the pilot chuckled softly.

"Heh-heh, it's ok Bon-Bon; they're just excited, that's all. Heck, I am too," he insisted before looking up at the clock: it was nearly midnight and the sight of the late hour involuntarily caused the Pegasus to issue a massive a yawn that he barely suppressed with his hoof. "Ah-haha, excuse me," his face flushed slightly. "Guess I'm a little bit more worn out than I thought."

"Indeed," Bon-Bon nodded a little smugly, her mare's intuition proving her correct once again. "It's late for everypony. Lyra, last call and then get him back to the hospital, please." Volare complied by hoofing the ear buds back to Vinyl who stored them back in her saddlebag, along with the speakerbox and the mini-projector.

"Righto," the Unicorn tossed up a salute, a little sad that they couldn't hang out a bit longer, but knowing that her friend was right all the same. Besides, she thought as she made her way down the aisle towards the siblings in the corner booth, there's plenty of time for that tomorrow!

"Boss, did you find what you were looking for?" Jill asked impatiently, hoping against hope that He hadn't and that she could finally take her revenge against that crazy Pegasus.

Well, things certainly were along the lines of what I expected, the watch glowed dully. But I need solid confirmation in order to-

"Crap, here she comes," Ray hissed, trying to hide the watch under the table. "Boss, whatcha want us to do, and hurry!"

Hold on a moment, Ray! the voice growled back, a hint of panic contained within it, as if its owner knew his little theory was moments away from being dashed to pieces. Jill, act natural!

"Got it!" Jill whispered and thunked her head down on the table amongst the ale mugs in a semblance of a drunken stupor, causing Ray to facehoof.

What happened!?

"Oh, she's acting naturally, Boss," Ray replied as Lyra drew near. "What about me? Do we off these guys yet or what?"

No, just...this whole thing has taken too long-ask her directly!

"Say what?"

Ask somepony there what they've been talking about, and depending on the answer, I'll either allow you to eliminate them or I'll give you a different order.

"Aye, sir," Ray whispered as the golden-eyed Unicorn reached their booth and tapped on the table in hopes of awaking Jill.

"Last call guys-whoa, it usually takes alot more than that to knock her off her hooves," Lyra chuckled and gave Jill's shoulders a gentle shake as she piled up the soup bowls and mugs and hovered the stack off the table. "Come on, dearie-this is a restaurant, not a sleep station. If you wanna pass out in any store though, I suggest Quills and Sofas," she said with a wink. "Not to say I've done it alot, but it's certainly more comfy than this old booth"-

"Ahem, excuse me, Lyra," Ray tapped her shoulder with his hoof. "Sorry to cut you off, but do you mind telling me who that is and what you've all been talking about?" He gestured towards Volare. "We just couldn't help but overhear and see the little show he put on..."

"Oh hay, I guess there's no real harm in telling," Lyra chuckled. "That's Volare, he's from Earth, and the coolest thing is: he used to be a human until he crashed his jet and Twilight Sparkle made him a new body with her magic; well, I mean, cool that he used to be human, but not so cool that he almost died, but you know what I mean, right? Anyways, my passion is studying the humans and now I've got one for a friend; how sweet is that eh?" At her response, the watch under the table on Ray's other hoof glowed hotly, nearly making him wince. "Anyways, Bon-Bon says you guys have gotta clear out and head home for the night. Want me to call a cab-wagon?"

The watch continued to scorch Ray insistently, and he gave a short shake of his head. "No, no, we're good. Just gimme a minute here to get Jill up and we'll get outta your manes." As a last gesture, he plunked two more golden bits on the table as a tip, even though she likely wasn't about to need it...

"Heh, if you say so," Lyra scooped up the tip along with the dishes and turned for the kitchen. "Have a safe night, you two!"

"Oh, it's not us you've gotta worry about being safe," Jill snickered into the table as her vision followed the Unicorn right past the group again, her gaze riveting on Volare with an absolutely murderous glint in her eye. "What's the plan, Ray? Slice N Dice? Implode everything? Or just burn it all to cinders...ooh, how about all three at once-hee-hee!"

"Boss, what's the call?" the male Unicorn whispered under the table, preparing himself for just about anything. But the order that reached his ears nearly floored him, quite literally almost knocking him off the bench.

Ray...go to the bathroom.

"...Uh, come again sir?" Ray twiddled a hoof in his ear. "Did you say to"-

Yes, I absolutely did.

"But I don't have to go that badly, sir."

No, I don't need you to go, I just want to speak with you in there.

"You're in the bathroom, sir?" Ray snuck a peek towards the room in question, not savoring the thought of their employer having been within spitting distance the entire night. But the sound of a groan and a facehoof emanated from the watch before it burned bright green in anger.

Ray. Bathroom. Speak privately. Now!! the voice barked. Jill, you stay out here and so help me, if you raise your hoof against that Pegasus, I'll break it off myself and use it to connect your eye socket to your ear canal!!

"Y-yes sir," Jill nodded shakily, not about to argue with Him even if it turns out he wasn't practically right behind them the whole evening.

Good. Ray quickly stood up, stretched and yawned convincingly and spoke out loud to his sister.

"Stay right here," he indicated the booth. "I'm gonna hit the bathroom and then we'll head out of here, capisce?"

"Yeah, yeah, got it-urp," Jill replied. "Just hurry it up, ok?"

"Be back in a flash," her brother winked and headed for the bathroom. No sooner had he shut the door than the watch burned brightly again, filling the small enclosure with a brilliant green light that hurt forced Ray to squint against the glare. "Alright, I'm here. What're your orders, sir?"

Ray, listen very carefully to what I'm about to say, his Boss replied, more than a hint of...was it excitement in his voice?! You've served me well in the gathering of information, as has your sister, but now the game has changed. Ray felt a feeling of dread suddenly rise in his throat at the tone of that statement.

"Um...you're not...firing us, are you?" he gulped, but despite the hairs rising on the back of his neck at the sound of light chuckling rising from the watch, he relaxed an almost equal amount as he realized that neither he nor his sister's time on this planet was severely limited...yet.

Oh, no, no, no, not at all! What kind of reward would that be for your hard work, Ray? I'm fair, am I not?

"Y-yes sir."

Excellent. Yeah, he definitely seemed to be in a good mood.

"...Sir, orders?"

Oh, right, right, my apologies, Ray. Apologies?! Ok, he was either jerking his chain and intending to kill him anyway, or- As I've said, the game has changed, possibly for the better. And as much as your sister likely won't enjoy this, because the game has changed, so has the objective.

"And that is, sir?"

Volare will not die tonight. Nor will his friends.

"Wait, seriously?" Ray's jaw dropped in shock. "But why!? Volare at the very least deserves"-

Employment? You were going to say employment, were you not, Ray? The voice had suddenly gone cold and brooked no argument in the slightest.

"But sir, I...I don't understand," Ray shook his head in disbelief. Revenge was within their grasp and now their own Boss had to get in the way?!

Nor do I expect you to. But trust me, I have my reasons for letting him live, the greatest of which is because of where he came from and what he used to be...and more than likely still is, mentally.

"A human?" Ray asked, confused. "But what's so great about humans? They seem violent and stupid," Ray spat.

Violent yes...stupid, possibly. Misguided...absolutely, Ray could practically feel his Boss's face creasing in a grin as he spoke. It would make sense to say that misguided things crave guidance, would it not? The purposeless seeking purpose?

"Yeah, I guess," Ray nodded.

Not to mention that he may possess information that may help our cause, his Boss added.

"Well, why don't we just drag him back to your place and beat it outta him?" Ray suggested, rubbing the bitten notch still missing from his ear. "It'd make me feel better, that's for sure"-

YOU FOOL! the watch scorched Ray's wrist so badly that he crumpled to his knees in pain. THIS IS SO MUCH FURTHER BEYOND YOUR COMPREHENSION THAN YOU COULD POSSIBLY IMAGINE!! I'VE WAITED PATIENTLY FOR FAR TOO LONG TO ALLOW A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS TO BE BUCKED UP BY YOU AND YOUR SISTER'S PETTY DESIRES FOR REVENGE!!! ...that's another thing...if we beat the information out of him, we'll have no further use for him...but I have more intricate designs on him beyond mere wisdom and knowledge...

"Argh, what...that employment you were talking about?" Ray offered, trying to regain a little favor as he held his burning wrist gingerly.

Exactly. That determination and unwillingness to give up when his back was against the wall and he had no other options...imagine how great an ally that might be if we could make him see things our way...combine that with the predatory mind of a human contained within the body of a Pegasus whose body was created magically, rather than born...and begin to imagine the possibilities that lie beyond merely beating him to a pulp.

"So, you want him to work for you?" Ray rose to his hooves with a groan. "What good is that gonna do if he's stuck in a wheelchair? And what's the guarantee that he'll even consider being recruited?"

Aha, my dear Ray...that's where you and your sister come in, the voice practically dripped with an ecstatic anticipation, as if He'd been waiting a long time for something like this to come about.

"I don't understand, sir."

Offer him a deal of employment; he needs the money and the purpose. All he needs to do is come and meet me in person...as for how you and your sister come in: you two have been given the ability to sweeten the deal, especially in his case. And as you know, it's much, much easier to capture flies with honey than with vinegar.

"I, um..."

Oh for crying out-Ray...you and Jill offer him the deal. In immediate exchange, include the offer to heal him of all of his ailments, but only if he agrees to come and meet me afterwards. And DO NOT harm the others; you're still undercover, we don't need a scene being caused, and if you harm his friends, it will likely cause him to refuse the deal.

"Aha, now I get it," Ray nodded. "That's pretty slick, sir; I dunno how he'll be able to say no, especially since he seems to wanna get back in the air so badly. But what if we heal him and he suddenly has second thoughts?"

Oh, hrm, just include a minor paralysis variation on your spell as a precaution. Just tell him the healing process will immobilize him for a short time, and he'll never know the difference.

"And what if he recognizes Jill and I?"

He won't as long as you don't tell him your names...*sigh* if only you hadn't been so damn arrogant as to speak your names out loud back in the woods...

"Yeah, well, we weren't exactly intending to let him live at the time."

Hmm...an understandable limitation; you had no idea an Element would come to his aid like that...even so, be cautious and careful in your words, at least until you've used your spell on him...by that time, he'll be too tied up with everything to put up too much resistance, heh-heh-heh! ...and by the time you bring him to me, if he still continues to resist...I'll see to him myself.

"Haha, good one, Boss," Ray grinned, though inwardly he was still disappointed that he wouldn't get his revenge...oh well, maybe if the guy screwed up, the Boss'd let him and his sister have their way with him as a favor for all their hard work...Luna knew their Boss didn't tolerate screw-ups or double-crossers in the slightest!

........

"He wants us to what?!" Jill hissed in fury as Ray quickly explained the plan once he'd returned to the booth. "Is he bucking serious?!"

"Very...apparently, he's worth alot more to the Boss alive than dead, so we gotta do it this way."

"I don't...grr, of all the things in the fires of hell, this is the worst damn thing that could happen," Jill practically gnashed her teeth before Ray grabbed her hoof and squeezed it to calm her down.

"Jill, listen to me...if we get this done for the Boss...maybe he'll finally keep his end of the deal he made with us."

"Fat chance," Jill spat. "It hasn't happened yet, so I say he's never gonna buckin' do it!"

"Maybe this is the chance we need, though...if Volare's that important to him, maybe we can use him as leverage to make the Boss uphold his end." His face was creased with concern that their Boss was still listening, but He'd claimed He was turning in for the night and expected to see Ray and Jill bright and early the next morning with Volare in tow; plus the watch was completely cold and silent, so maybe he didn't hear...

"I guess," Jill chewed her lip for a moment, knowing this was really all for her, but...but maybe she was enjoying the gifts this guy had given her a little too much to give them up! However, one look at her brother's pleading face helped to tip the balance, and she finally nodded her consent. "Alright, alright...but only cuz you're giving me those damn puppy dog eyes," she shoved her brother roughly before smiling. "Thanks for thinking of me, bro."

"No problem, sis," Ray nodded and looked up at Volare before heaving a small sigh. "Well then...you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Jill replied, standing up from the booth and cracking her stiffened joints. "Let's do it." And with that declaration, the two siblings trotted right up to Volare and the group around him without hesitation.

"Just follow my lead, sis..."

"Oh hey, I almost forgot!" Lyra thunked herself in the head with a silly grin. "I picked up something from The Canterlot Library for ya while I was up there."

"What is it?" Volare cocked an eyebrow curiously.

"Heh, I'll run ya by my place before taking ya back to the hospital and give it to ya," she waggled her eyebrows suggestively, though nopony present could tell if she was fooling around or serious...or what!

"Lyra, I swear, if you jump on this poor stallion while he's stuck in this chair," Bon-Bon warned.

"Pffft, nah, I'd help him outta it first!" Her response drew a looks of horror from both Bon-Bon and Volare, raucous laughter from Vinyl, and an incredulous headshake from Octavia before the green Unicorn returned to the kitchen to finish cleaning up, with Bon-Bon following her closely in order to give her a piece of her mind on what she thought of her friend "jumping" on Volare...whatever that might entail! The blue Pegasus yawned and chuckled again before feeling a gentle tap on his shoulder. He turned around in the chair and beheld two Unicorns shorter than himself who looked like could be brother and sister.

"Can I help you guys?" Volare asked in a friendly fashion, completely unaware that the two ponies before him had been the same two creatures that had nearly killed him and Scootaloo the day before. "I don't think we've met. I'm Volare," he held out his good hoof, which Ray and Jill shook politely in turn.

"Pleased to meetcha," Ray smiled back. "And it's not you who can help us; it's us who can help you."

"We've been watching you tonight, and we heard your story," Jill spoke up.

"And what a sad story it was, sir," Ray held his hoof over his heart. "And so, my sister and I, being the traveling healers that we are, would like to offer you our assistance." At Ray's on-the-spot explanation, Jill shot her brother a one-eyed squint of disbelief before smiling up at Volare.

"Would you like our help, Volare?" she said as sweetly as she could, nearly gagging at the tone she was forcing herself to use. The Pegasus turned and glanced back at Octavia and Vinyl for advice, but the two musicians looked as confused as he was. Volare turned back and regarded the two rather warily, though he wasn't quite sure why...it was just the strangest feeling he'd suddenly had...

"I'll bet there's a catch, right?"

"Aha, he's a smart one, sis," Ray chuckled and patted Volare's chair. "A smart one indeed. Yes, there is a small condition you'll have to abide by...but trust me, compared to how we can help you, it's well worth the tiny trouble."

"Alright, what's the deal?" Volare crossed his hooves. "Whatcha offering?" Ray looked from the Pegasus, to his sister, and then back again before grinning and speaking.

"That what you desire the most...that which a Pegasus just isn't a Pegasus without," Ray paused to allow the implication to sink in and Volare's eyes to widen.

"Y-you mean you...you'd really?" he stammered slightly, getting a little choked up with emotion as he awaited the duo's answer with anticipation. Oh please, oh please, oh please-I know it's gotta be too good to be true, but oh please...just gimme a break just this once!

"We really do," Jill nodded and smiled toothily. "Out of the kindness of our hearts." Gag!

"The gift of flight is your again, along with a clean bill of health...if you agree to our terms," Ray declared, elated at the sight of the tears of joy that snuck out of Volare's eyes. Oh yeah, they had him! Things were lookin' up for everypony!

.......................

Sugarcube Corner Loft...

"Huh?!" Pinkie Pie sat upright in her bed, and looked down at her left foreleg. Did it just twitch?

"Ugh, what's up, Pinkie?" Scootaloo yawned and rolled over to regard the pink pastry chef staring intently at her hoof...but nothing else happened.

"Oh, um, nothing I guess," the Element of Laughter shook her head and smiled disarmingly. "Just a feeling I thought I had. Head on back to dreamland, Scoots," she chirped and laid back down, listening to the orange filly settle back into her own bed. Within minutes, her little snores filled the loft, lulling Pinkie closer to sleep herself. Darn Pinkie Sense...always waking me up at the weirdest times...wonder if it's broken or something...zzzzzz...

....................

"I-I..." Volare stuttered, his mind being bombarded by an avalanche of emotions, doubts, and hopes as he took in what these two seemingly random Unicorns had just told him. He looked back over at Octavia and Vinyl Scratch again with a tearful smile, wondering if they'd tried to shoot this deal down. But instead, both musicians were grinning their approval. "Guys, should I?"

"Dude, that's a stupid question!" Vinyl hoofed him in the shoulder. "I say hay yeah, do it!"

"Indeed," Octavia nodded with a chuckle of joy. "Somepony once said to grab opportunity with both hooves. Besides, what're the odds of this chance coming up again?" She looked over at the two patiently waiting Unicorns. "But I'm rather curious as to the terms of this deal."

"Oh, they're nothing too terribly special," Ray waved a hoof dismissively. "Just come and meet our employer afterwards, thank him yourself if you want. It's by his good graces that you're being offered this gift, you know."

"Who's your employer?" Vinyl asked, suddenly a little hesistant.

"It doesn't matter unless he agrees to come see him," Jill spoke up. "So what'll it be, Volare? Flight and good health? Or be wheelchair-bound for who knows how much longer?"

"Those are the only terms?" Volare asked warily.

"The only immediate ones, yes," Ray replied. "And I say immediate because he may even be able to offer you purpose in this world; you know, a job, money, acceptance, all that kinda thing. It pays well," he tapped the bag of bits on his hip with a grin.

"Very well," Jill nodded with an equally large smile. "And your friends could obviously use the money and help around here," she glanced around at the well-worn building. "No offense."

"Oh, none taken, but I don't work here," Octavia shrugged, eyeing the siblings carefully before addressing Volare. "It's up to you."

"Heh, I still say do it," Vinyl slapped the tabletop with a grin. The pilot looked back and forth between the two musicians whom he'd promised to help, and the two Unicorns who were offering him the chance of a lifetime and he paused and closed his eyes...he was at a crossroads in life he'd likely never be able to return to.

"Could I come back here and help my friends?" Was all that Volare asked. "I've kinda promised them my assistance."

"Oh, I don't see why not," Ray replied. "I mean, you'll have working wings and the sky'll be the limit for ya again, eh?" he nudged Volare with an elbow. "So what's it gonna be? I know it's late and you're tired, so I'm not gonna bug ya for too much longer-"

But Volare had already decided.
"I'll do it," he confirmed with a soft strike of his good hoof on the arm of the chair. "What do I do?"

"Excellent!" Ray grinned and stood on one side of the wheelchair, with Jill on the other. "You just sit right there. Oh, you two at the table...you may wanna stand back for this."

"No kidding," Jill snickered. "Cuz this is always wild!" Octavia and Vinyl obediently hopped over the bench and stood on the other side of it, staying within eyesight of their friend. "Ready?"

"Ready! Oh, and Volare...this may sting a little," Ray replied, and the two Unicorns began to focus their power. Within a few moments, the candles around them began to flicker as everypony felt a breeze being pulled from every corner of the room towards the duo as twin points of light began to shine from their horns. Their eyes suddenly flashed white-green as two rope-like strands, one green and one white, slithered out from their horns and began to revolve around Volare.

"This is it, dude!" the DJ grinned and pumped her hoof.

"Good luck, Volare!" the cellist smiled encouragingly.

"What the hay is going on out here?!" Bon-Bon cried as she peeked out the kitchen door to see the two Unicorns who'd been drinking all night in the corner were now casting some sort of spell on Volare. The glowing strands that surrounded him began to tighten up their revolutions, spinning faster and faster as they did so, throwing off a mixture of pale green and brilliant white light. Just as the two-part spell converged, Lyra exited the kitchen and shouted above the loud humming being generated by the magic whirling around the Pegasus.

"Ray, Jill, what the hay are you doing?!"

Ray and Jill?! Oh no....no, you gotta be kidding me, NO! Volare's mind screamed as he caught a glimpse of the sibling's faces: they were contorted into the same hungry grins that he recognized back on the riverbank yesterday. It was a trick...it was all a damn trick! "AAAAAGH!!!!" Volare shouted in agony as the spells tightened around him and began to contact his fur, sending burning pain flying back and forth along every inch of his body as the green and white strands sank into him.
This isn't a healing spell! Holy shit, they're killing me! Volare, dammit, you knew this was too good to be true...shit, this is it...you're gonna die right here...right now...

The Pegasus cried out in pain once again and toppled out of the wheelchair, thrashing on the ground and trying to get away from the constricting noise, burning sensation, and whirling lights that swam in and out of his mind, but it was no use. As the rest of the spell disappeared entirely inside himself, he felt his body stiffen up for a moment, having the sensation of snakes and worms writhing beneath the surface of his skin and fur, especially so around the base of his crippled wing and broken leg, before he lost all feeling to his muscles, and he collapsed onto the floorboards, finally laying still and quiet. The only sounds he made were his labored breathing and soft, aching groans as he attempted to lift his head and face his attackers...but it was all he could do to open his eyes and simply stare at their hooves; he couldn't move a muscle! WTF?!

"What in the burning hay did you do to my friend, guys?!" Lyra demanded again as she galloped forward and stood over Volare, reaching down to lift him from the floor before Ray swatted her hoof away.

"No, don't touch him! The healing spells are working within him right now and if you interrupt the process, the shock could kill him!" he explained with a nervous growl that sent Lyra stumbling backwards, torn between his warning and simply wanting to make sure her friend was alright. "Trust me, just give him a minute or two and he'll be back to normal in"-

BANG-BANG-CRASH-KABLAM! Everypony looked up in fear and alarm as a blast of blue and red sparks smashed the front door open, leaving it leaning drunkenly on its single remaining hinge as the sudden gust of outside wind extinguished the majority of the candles within the restaurant, shrouding a good portion of it in semi-darkness as the door-smasher slowly climbed the porch stairs. Ray and Jill looked fearfully at each other as the hoofsteps approached ominously.
Clip-clop...clip-clop...clip-clop.
The streetlamp outside illuminated the sudden silhouette of a pony as she stood in the doorway and surveyed the building's interior for a moment. Her normally well-brushed mane was full of sticks and leaves, her pointy hat had been irreversibly soiled, and her cape was in tatters, but there was no mistaking the light-blue mare they belonged to as she stepped inside, her dark violet eyes burning with an unholy fury.
"Ray...Jill..." her strained voice snarled, almost completely concealing the conceited tone it usually carried. "I know you thieving little bastards are in here...so come out, before I really get pissed off!"

The Great and Powerful Trixie had arrived!

-------------------------------------

Notes: Hmmmm...this probably won't end well oO

Also, Special Thanks to all those that suggested music genres and songs! :)

Also, also...I believe that the terror of Cupcakes ain't got nothin' on Pinkie bursting out of your chest like a friggin Alien! oO

>>>>All credit to songs and pictures goes to their respective artists!<<<<

Comments

[Anubis Nox]

Looks at time, Looks at word length, Realises has school and work tommorow. 1 Word can describe it all:

FUCK

[q97randomguy]

This is the longest chapter yet! Keep it up hopefully 20K+ chapters are inbound.
Edit: All these videos on one page killed my Kindle Fire 4 times.
This was a fun chapter, I really like your taste in music, and Ace Combat woot!

[asdfabaeradjargasdfasd]

Sweet. More physics.

About the physics, though.
It has been scientifically proven that there are tiny black holes everywhere, from our heads to the air we breathe. However, since they're so miniscule, they can't do anything. However, if Pinkie knows the exact location of these, and the white holes the connect to, AND she has the power to travel through them... Ray and Jill are screwed.

[asdfabaeradjargasdfasd]

Green text, eh?
The Boss uses green text?

Could it be Lyra? She does also have the spell for the human-verse...
*facepalm*
HOW COULD I NOT NOTICE???
CHRYSALIS IS WORKING WITH THE FLIM FLAM BROTHERS!!!!!!!!

[asdfabaeradjargasdfasd]

Damn...he couldn't imagine her reaction if she saw Rainbow Dash or something in his mind associated with a song from Earth where ponies weren't supposed to exist...this secret stuff sucked!

More fan-service, eh? I'm starting to like this...

[Cynical]

"Oh, hmm...well, my dad used to take me up in a little prop plane we had when I was about 10, but he ever let me touch the controls; he was always real strict about that," he recalled with a chuckle. "I started taking official lessons when I was 14, and I had my flight certifications when I was 16. I then joined the Navy when I was 18, and by the time I was 23, I'd flown my first missions."

'But he ever let me touch the controls'

If that was not a Typo, I call bad parenting.

[asdfabaeradjargasdfasd]

I've actually got a new little gadget I'm workin' on that can project your mental images onto a screen in sync with the music, giving you a real-time view into the mind of the composer. Cool, huh? Wanna try it?

EVEN FREAKING MORE! I LOVE YOU V-PONY!

[asdfabaeradjargasdfasd]

[asdfabaeradjargasdfasd]

Sorry.
Shameless advertising.

[OneAmongOthers]

Hmm long chapter sorry boring music filler (didn't read) figured they would try to somehow confuse Volare though I though it was to drive a wedge between the girls I was not to far off it seems. On to next chapter.

Seems like another Volare getting hurt cause he blindly walked into something AGAIN! Is this guy actually this BUCKING STUPID? Has his past experiences taught him NOTHING? Or does he just keep looking for the easy way out cause hes such an idiot? Or is it because he just doesn't care? What a TOOL I have to say.

These to ponies were TOTAL STRANGERS! and hes like free instant heal what the hell let's do it! Nevermind the fact he was told by a PRINCESS! that magic interlude was bad at this point but BUCK IT I'm stupid I'll do it anyways. I am really disliking this guy he is coming off pretty dumb how in the hell did he manage to get into the Air force let alone fly a multi million dollar airplane? What the hell man?

[Chiman1293]

Moar Please?

[Stormy Sunrise]

1205018
Gah that game is REALLY Old

[Commentator]

DUDE. Y U NO MICHEAL ANGELO BATIO. HE'S FASTER THAN THAT GUY!

[Assasin_Asha]

Hmmm... this is going to be perfect! Ray and Jill are compromised. Wait... not really, since Volare can't say a thing and only he knows...
Well, Trixie is a wildcard but Octy, Vinyl, Bon-Bon and Lyra might try to stop her. Can they succeed?
Vinyl has this nifty mind reader on her? Oooooohhh! Do I see Volare's mind being read in the nearest future? What with him being paralysed and stuff... Dunno, I certainly see the battle of epic proportions. Might be wrong though.dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/shrug_Twilight_future.png
And I feel sorry for Twilight. Endangering her very being to find the spell and it's no longer needed...
Oohhh, I can't wait for the next chapter... Next weekend or something, right?dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Vinyl_sad.png

Edit:
Wait... If (and that's a big if) Trixie defeats them, will she try and use this as a leverage on Volare? You know, with her plan to best Twi, she might go on with something like "Trixie saved your life, now help her get the title of the best magician in Equestria!". Though I imagine Volare being like: "Nah-ah, Twi is my friend, you will never be better than her! Besides, humans know no magic! Oh, and thanks for beating Ray and Jill, really!"
Who am I kidding? Trixie is not good enough to beat them... or is she?dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Trixie_lolface_2.png

And Pinkie going full Alien?dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Soarin_dayum.png dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Spitfire_dayum.png dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Octavia_O_O.png dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Discord.png
NO! JUST!! NO!!!

The Great and Powerful Trixie had arrived!

Not "has", perhaps?

[asdfabaeradjargasdfasd]

1205182
No it isn't.
It may have come out years ago, but I assure you, it is an amazing game.
Great story, great animation, great humor, everything you love about MLP.
Chapter 3 is coming out, and I'm stuck in a block of ice.
*squee*, and DAMMIT JAANIA!

[Commentator]

To reinforce my point:

[Archmagejay]

OH dat image brings back memories of cupcakes and rainbow factory... curse my mind for making me curious enough to read them
nice chapter

[Aziraphael]

damn......I was kinda hoping that this would be the moment when Ray and Jill finally ended up 6 feet under......oh well, I suppose I can wait for next chapter to see Trixie murder them .

But it's probably not gonna happen that way.....They're probably gonna manage to escape with Volare cuz, you know, what story would be complete without the hero getting kidnapped and blackmailed/imprisoned by the big bad guy? Aside from the ones that are actually good . I think I'm still just a bit upset that you're really strongly hinting that you're gonna try to make us feel bad for Ray and Jill; that they had no choice but to do all the things they've done. I can understand doing what you gotta do in order to protect what's important to you, but they've both crossed the line so many times that's not a valid excuse anymore. They've long since ceased being unwilling accomplices and gone into being full sadistic sociopaths. There is not a single thing that could have happened to them in their past that would make me feel even the tiniest, most minuscule, shred of pity for either one of them.

ok....ranting aside, good chapter is good. I loved all their reactions to the new music. Especially Bon Bon reacting to Elvis .

[AggroViking]

this is gonna be good

[Pilate]

So. Much. Filler. O_O 17k words and the story hardly goes anywhere; son, I am dissapoint. The Pinkie exposition worked well, and I feel like the space dedicated to youtube embeds would have been better used for your Trixie showdown.

I'm enjoying the story, but you have a lot of threads running wild here, and a lot of loose ends that need tying.. At this length I was expecting/hoping some of those would make real progress.

[Drauss]

I hate you and your cliffhangers

Great chapter, I look forward to seeing how this plays out

[Eve_brea]

am i the only one to realise they need to go the canterlot and use vinyl's stuff on that old guard? to see what he saw?
gotta love having useful stuff and not thinking to use it >.>

Also. With the exclamation of their names, and trixie arriving (i thought it was pinkie at first)
I think their plan is gonna be a little bucked up. They just healed up volare, and their boss ain't gonna get him.
besides, obviously their boss is after something sinister. I don't think volare would go for it. He was in the military, he's not stupid. he's not gonna just work for someone completely evil.. I can only think of what they were going to do to scoots ;o;

[BadLuck_Derpy]

'I recommend wearing a good set of headphones during this chapter if you wish to fully enjoy it' - Headphones? Seriously, HEADPHONES??? That music has to be played on the best set of audio equipment anywhere to be found! I bet my neighbours would hate me now for playing music at that volume if they weren't used to it already

[Eve_brea]

"Ray, Jill, what the hay are you doing?!"

Ray and Jill?! Oh no....no, you gotta be kidding me, NO!

Yeah.. the second volare can stand, their lives are pretty much forfeit.
Cuz.. he's a tenacious dude.. and ya know, friends with the elements of harmony.

[Applejack-fan]

Holy shit, saved by Trixie?????? Who would have thought it???????????????

[Beyond the Horizon]

Looks like their boss didn't know about the magical overload. . . and Trixie shows up to save the day! Who knew?

[Leecher]

While I dont really like the 'filler', I still enjoyed the hell out of the chapter!

Still makes me wonder why no one makes a series based on ponies reacting to internet videos, We had a series based on the mystery science theater reacting to fanfics and hell, we even had video parody of 'kids react to' and was them reacting to G1 Ponies, We NEED a 'ponies react to...' or whatever name someone would give it and I think you are the right person for it, You already pretty much made an chapter of them just reacting to music, Just got to give it a semi-plot to why they are reacting to videos .

Just a thought from a random idea, Great chapter as always!

[V-Pony]

1205062 Heh, sorry, I was just having a little fun with the music and what-not
As for Volare being stupid and trusting these guys...well, Lyra said they were regulars, so he probably assumed that they were ok. Plus they said they empathized with his story and wanted to help. They also kinda hustled him, saying that it was late and they didn't wanna "bother" him if he was too tired...they basically pulled the "once in a lifetime" sales pitch on him, and at this point, he was gonna take whatever he could get. Plus, Twilight said it might be safe to use magic on him now because his mind had settled and he hadn't had nightmares for days. So all things considered, I wouldn't say he was stupid, just a little desperate...plus they played with his emotions a bit. He IS only human after all
(and it wasn't the Air Force, it was the Navy...)
Anyways, fact is, Volare may have just made a huge mistake by being tricked by these guys...

1204799 Oops?

1204839 Eesh, hopefully not

1204910 Now you're getting it

1204917 Nope, the green text is kinda my way of symbolizing and emphasizing the green 'glow' of the speech from Ray's watch.

[r4rBrok]

Volare should show Octavia "devil went down to gorgia"

[V-Pony]

1204967 Oops, thanks for pointing that out *edits*

1205095 In time

1205198 Cuz Eddie is a classic, man

1205221 Heh, it's not a mind-reader per-se. It only works with music (for now), but I'm sure it could be tweaked. And it doesn't really READ anything, it merely translates thoughts into visual images. So, it's not like you could use it to force your way into someone's thoughts; it's gotta be voluntary.
As for a crazy fight...I think you'll like what I've got planned
And not "has", the story is written in past-tense

1205301 You're welcome

1205465 Heh, you'll see what happens soon...the next chapter is one I've had planned for some time.
And as for Ray and Jill and not having sympathy for them...don't judge a book by its cover, no matter how ugly it may be. You don't know the full story behind these two...remember what Ray said, about how a brother's love can drive them to do things they never thought possible? That goes both ways...good and evil...
And yeah, I figured Bon-Bon would live Elvis for some reason. I dunno why

1205509 Yes

1205517 Did you not see my blog post?

1205519 Sorry, I was just having a little fun and trying to show how these characters would all interact together by showing their differing opinions on life and music THROUGH the music, as I'm sure musicians would (I can just see Octy and Vinyl arguing day after day about how their own brand of music is better, that it could never mesh...but now they see differently). Plus, it was a way to introduce new tech, story details, and plot development, as well as show a good passage of time without timeskips.
Anyways, yes it may have gone on for a while, but I hope I moved the story along enough to make the next part of the plot make sense. (and this is almost definitely the last chapter like this, so thanks for bearing with me)

[Stormy Sunrise]

1205224
lol already played all their games some time ago, got boring for me

[V-Pony]

1205730 But what's a story without cliffhangers?
I think you'll really enjoy the next chapter

1205736 Vinyl's invention doesn't work that way; it's music-based, not 'get in there and read your thoughts' based. It merely translates the thoughts associated with the music into a visual medium beyond just tapping your fingers or feet.
Plus, as for that old guard (Sergeant Greymane), the correct spell to use would be the memory spell Twilight is attempting on herself, but because the investigation is on hiatus at the moment, there's not much they can do. Perhaps later though...
Yep, the Boss is after something alright...and if Volare doesn't see His way, like he said, he'd deal with the guy himself...

1205752 That works too

1205780 Yep, but he's stuck right now and at the mercy of Ray, Jill, and now Trixie, apparently

1205896 I know, right?
Then again, Trixie was ALSO looking for Volare...and now there he is, paralyzed and helpless right in front of her..."saved", you say?

1205961 He may or may not know about it....then again, his "employee" Jill is already pretty mentally unstable, so He might not even give a f**k
And Trixie isn't exactly saving the day...she just rage-killed that door and probably wants to throttle Ray and Jill...

1205962 Heh, maybe I'll have a sub-plot for it later in the story?

[V-Pony]

1205519 Also, as for threads running wild that need to be tied...that's coming sooner than you think
Remember: Trixie may have info on Ray and Jill they need for the investigation....plus they just got their cover blown...there will be answers! (I just hate giving them out all at once)

1206063 LOL, good one.
I'll consider that for later...though then again, there's already evidence of fiddle-playing ponies in the show (might have even been Octavia herself in that scarecrow uotfit during Nightmare Night...)
But I'll keep that one in mind all the same!

[GuyFace]

Ever have that moment where a character is being fucked up and you know nothing can be done so in an effort to appease your brain, you imagine a temporary self-insert out of desperation where you storm in, kick ass, and waltz out? That's happened to me 5 times in my whole life. You were the fifth. Dude, for that to happen, I have to be INVESTED AS FUCK into a story. I've been with this fic since day one... Literally. The only thing going through my mind was "Run, Forest! Run!" Then I was all, "....crawl, Forest.. craaaawww damnit." So with that said, you had BETTER make an ending where Volare kicks their asses.

On another note, I'm sad. Very sad. So very sad. Ever so very sad. Why? When you mentioned Hans Zimmer, you didn't play the "Epilogue" from Crysis 2! Then, you mentioned video games but DIDN'T PUT IN GAMEPLAY FROM CRYSIS 2! Or anything, for that matter. Half Life, Dead Island, Battlefield, anything would have been good. Oh well. I'm over it. But for the love of Celestia, introduce ponies to video games. Or, at least, let them watch it. Ones with good graphics. That is my only request. Now, I will cough *cough* and fake death, to make my only request seem more dramatic... *collapses* Goodbye, V-Pony... Remember me... bleh.

[Beyond the Horizon]

1206119 Yes, but by her actions shes saving the day! Even if she doesn't want to.

Their boss seems like a troll.

[TacoTown]

y no Ozzy?

and ow.

[OneAmongOthers]

Meh Navy,Air Force apples or oranges Still hes has a lot of responsibility place on him and desperate or not he made a stupid mistake with out even thinking about it. He was being self centered. Now its going to come back and bite him and you know what? He deserves every bit of it! Make a stupid mistake once okay its fine people make mistakes but what its the 3rd time now? GOOD hope you get burned and learn from it you dumbass.

[ISKV]

Half expected How to Train Your Dragon music to show up.

Really, it fits.

[Dancing Dead]

>update
"Lemme take a gander at this..." (3:21 PM EST)

>end chapter
gifsforum.com/images/gif/suicide/grand/barney-stinson-how-I-met-your-mother-suicide-eccbc87e4b5ce2fe28308fd9f2a7baf3-235.gif (4:28 PM EST)

I warned ya.

[Mursac]

[jplsnake252719952012]

1206135 aw dude you should have included this

[youtube=http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2-_g8NZr1tA]

i know it doesnt realy fit in with the rock but come on its awsome

[LtCWest]

I didnt thought that your music selection could get more epic, then you plugged in Ace Combat!
Man can't wait for the next chapter.
(Activates brainclock: T-8 days)

Until then: HELO THUNDER

[Triv_]

So much epic music, gah! musical overload!
Also can't wait to see what Trixie is gonna do to those two

[djthomp]

Congratulations on a fairly unique variation on Pinkie, usually you just see her randomness taken to eleven, but Pinkie Pie the alien chest-burster? Very nice.

Ahh, so the siblings do end up managing to get their pony forms recognized, I was wondering if that might happen.

And Trixie to the rescue, aww yeah!

[V-Pony]

1206170 Heh, thank you very much
As for video games and what not....he just played the first thing that came to his mind. I've actually got a funny sub-plot running around in my head where he DOES introduce them to video games or plays footage from his memories, but fate kinda intervened tonight...

1206232 LOL he kinda is

1206267 I would have included Shot in the Dark, but anything other than live recordings are blocked here in the States

1206281 You're right, he was putting himself first (although he did look to Octy and Vinyl for confirmation, as he believed that if Lyra and Bon-Bon knew those guys, surely they would.) I guess it just shows how desperate the human spirit can be when you're at the end of your rope-you'll grasp any opportunity that comes along without a second thought just to keep from falling.
Either way, he's gonna have to reap what he's sown...hopefully something good finally happens to the guy, though...

1206338 Heh, actually, Dream Chasers was used in the How To Train Your Dragon movie trailer

1206483 Hope ya liked it

1206582 Oh trust me, I can't have a story about a Navy pilot without having some cheesy Top Gun music in there somewhere

1206623 Perhaps it'll happen in ze future

1206650 Oh trust me, that's not the last of Ace Combat music you'll hear in this story; Volare was an Ace Combat JUNKIE even after he earned the right to fly real planes

1206743 You're welcome!
And yes, what's Trizie got up her sleeve...er, hat? Cape?

1206817 Oh, you may see a short one-shot from me based on this version of Pinkie fairly soon...and it'll make Cupcakes look like a walk in the park
And yep, their cover is blown...but only if Volare is given the chance to explain it. If they get outta there with him in time, he won't get the chance, but they're gonna have to get past an enraged Trixie first

[TacoTown]

1206918 could've done Bark at the Moon, or th' one that anyone who's heard of Ozzy knows.

[ISKV]

1206918

[Assasin_Asha]

1206064
Yeah, has... I dunno what came over me... it's so obvious now that you mention it... It would probably make more sense if Trixie herself said that... or not? Dang it, why can't I remember that...

[Dancing Dead]

1206918

assets.diylol.com/hfs/e1f/db8/0b4/resized/jfk-weed-meme-generator-trust-me-bro-this-shit-had-me-on-another-level-6d887f.jpg?1313959135.jpg

[Derpy_Dragon]

I must admit I started skipping songs once they started coming in groups, but I very much approve of Octavia's taste in music. If I have time, I may go back and listen to the rest of the songs i missed.

I do believe I figured out the the kidnapping plot to some extent. Well, a theory at any rate. The boss man wanted to use Scootaloo as leverage to get Rainbow Dash to do something for him, but now he thinks Volare would be a better choice for the job. Whatever it is, the boss seems to need a pegasus for the job.

I am also looking forward to seeing The Great and Powerful Trixie throw down. Keep up the good work.