Truthseeker

by RB_

Origins: The Lyrist and the Candymaker

Memories, turned, twisted, jumbled together and came apart.

A filly was born in Canterlot.

A filly was born in Ponyville.

A filly received a present from her parents. A beautiful golden instrument—she hadn’t even known the name of it at first. It had been her grandmother’s. She mouthed its name to herself, so much like her own: “Ly-re.”

A filly helped her mother bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies. They were delicious, of course, but the filly would have preferred candy.

A filly applied to a school for gifted children, at the behest of her parents. She didn’t want to go; all she wanted to do was play her lyre. She’d gotten her cutie mark for it, after all.

A filly took the train to Canterlot, with her mother. It was an older train, not like the one they had now. It belched smoke and soot into the air like a dragon. It frightened her. She nearly cried when her mother dragged her on board.

A filly got her acceptance letter. Her parents were so proud—she knew because they said so. Over and over. They were going out for ice cream. One of their neighbors had gotten accepted, too. Twilight something-or-other. The filly had never really talked to her that much.

A filly followed her mother down the street. She had business, she said. Needed to talk to someone here, she said. But, they had stopped and gotten ice cream on the way, so that was nice.

Two fillies walked past each other in the street. Neither paid the other any attention.

A filly waked past the entrance to the castle. Two royal guards stood outside the gates. They smiled at her as she looked on in wonderment. Their armour was so shiny! And they looked so strong, and regal! They could beat up a big, nasty dragon no problem!

A filly went to school.

A filly went home.

Time passed.

A young mare quit school. She wanted to pursue her passions. Her parents were disappointed, but they understood. They loaned her some money; she promised to pay them back. “Once I get my big break,” she said to them. “Once I get my big break.”

A young mare left her home. She took the train to Canterlot. A one-way ticket. She’d brought everything she’d need on her back. She wasn’t coming home unless it was in bright, shining recruit armour.

A young mare rented out an apartment of her own. It was modest, and not in the best part of town. She could have gotten a better one, with the money she had, but she’d settled for this. No need to spend more than she’d need. She laid down in her new bed and buried her head in her pillow. She’d show them all tomorrow.

A young mare settled down in the barracks for the night. She’d impressed her superiors that day, she knew. The other recruits, too; she’d heard them whispering. She smiled as she buried her head in her pillow. She’d impress them even more tomorrow.

Time passed.

A young mare got her first gig. She’d been playing on the streets for months. Most of her bits had dried up, but she wasn’t worried about it anymore. It was finally happening, after all. Her big break. No more money troubles; after this, it would be a straight shot to stardom. She’d do nothing but practice for the next few weeks.

A young mare went on her third field operation. She wore the golden armour of the royal guard; she couldn’t help but admire how it shone in the light of the sun. She had been the fastest recruit to make guard in decades, and the fastest to make it to lieutenant in more. It looked good on her. Her fellows rode in the train beside her. There had been a disturbance in Trottingham. A dragon.

A young mare gave the performance of her lifetime. It wasn’t a big venue, nothing fancy, just a club that had needed some new entertainment. If the ponies liked her, they’d hire her on permanently. That was what the recruiter had said, anyway.

A young mare arrived to a battlefield. There were other soldiers there. It was their homes that were burning. Valiantly, the young mare and her fellows marched with them. She lead them into battle, a grin on her face.

A young mare finished her set. The ponies in the club clapped for her. She bowed, went backstage. The manager had been delighted, delighted! He told her he’d call her. Pride swelled in her chest. She’d done it. She’d finally done it. That night, she bought herself a proper meal for the first time in months.

A young mare was surrounded by flames. Her fellows were gone. The other soldiers were gone. Only she remained. The dragon’s shadow loomed over her, and suddenly she was a child again, a child in cardboard armour.

A young mare waited for the promised call. And waited. And waited. And waited…

A young mare made it back to basecamp. She’d saved some. She’d doomed more. Her superiors told her she’d done quite enough. That she was relieved of her post. She didn’t even argue.

A young mare waited. Any day now, she would get the call. Any day now, and her life would turn around forever.

A young mare sat alone in her barracks for the last time. No, not entirely alone. A stallion approached her. Not a soldier. Not a civilian. He made her an offer. She would protect Equestria again. Not as a soldier, not as a civilian. As something more.

A young mare gave up waiting.

A young mare struck a deal.

Time passed.

A young mare saw little success. She played on the streets, hoping someone, anyone would listen.

A young mare saw many successes. She protected Equestria, even though none of the ponies who she saved would ever know her name. She kept fighting for them… and then tragedy struck once more.

Time passed.

A mare opened her eyes. She was hungry. She was always hungry. Sluggish, she trudged out of her dingy apartment and down to the Diner. The owner, Johnnycake, greeted her as he always did. She mustered up a fake smile and returned it. He asked her how the music was going. She told him it was going well. She lied.

A mare opened her eyes. Another day in Ponyville. Another day as just a candy maker. Another day to try to forget her failures. Part of her knew the bugbear hadn’t been her fault. The rest of her didn’t care. She sighed, and got to work.

A mare ran into an old friend. They’d met in school. They chatted for a time. The mare told her she was doing fine. Her friend saw right through it. She gave the mare a gift: a train ticket. The Summer Sun Celebration was coming up, she said. She’d bought a ticket to Ponyville, but something had come up and she couldn’t go, she said. Getting away from all this might do you some good, she said.

A mare made candy. She worked like a machine. The Summer Sun Celebration was coming up, she told herself. Need to make candy for the tourists, she told herself. It’ll take your mind off of things, she told herself.

A mare stepped off of the train and into Ponyville. It was an odd place, so very different to Canterlot. She breathed the air in. It was thicker than the city’s mountain air. Warmer. She smiled, a full, genuine one. Maybe her friend had been right.

A mare walked down the main road, carrying a box of her wares on her back. It was heavy. She didn’t mind the exercise. It had been a while. What she did mind was the size of the thing. It was just a little too big, and she had to keep stopping to make sure it didn’t fall.

Two mares walked past each other in the street.

One noticed the box the other was carrying. Saw it was just a little too big. Offered to help the other carry it.

The other declined. The first wouldn’t hear of it. She stepped over and slid her back under the package, shifting it over so she was supporting it too. They walked on.

Two mares introduced themselves.

Two mares were never apart for long again.

─────

A mare floated in the void. She knew where she was. It had taken her a little while to work it out, but she knew. It was right where she needed to be.

“Just a little further,” she whispered. “Just a little further…”

Before her, two doorways. One above her, vast, like the surface of the ocean, rippled and distorted as light and other things played on its surface. The other, below her, smaller, like the surface of a bucket. Calm. Clear. Dim.

The top was her destination, she knew. But not yet. Not until the time was right.

The bottom would also be her destination, she knew. But not yet. Not for a long time.

She kept her eyes locked to the doorway above. She needed to know when the time was right.

But that didn’t stop her from sneaking glances into the one below.

And so the truth was revealed.

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

As I suspected. "No more" just means "Error: File 'lyra.pon' not found." She's not gone, just not here. An important distinction.

You've got a fantastic setup for Clover's plans to come crashing down... but she definitely won't go down without a fight. Eagerly looking forward to more.

[TheStratovarian]

So the fun of finding what what she's seeing with the underlying world of lies, and all it takes to unravel the tapestry.

[ShadedTz]

Interesting...

[Ze1a7in]

8771770
yep.

[Maxes Altho]

8772847
No, the only natural thing Apporoth has no knowledge of.

[Maxes Altho]

Why the hell am I caught up?
How the hell is there not a next chapter?
WHEN IN THE FUCK DID I READ 95% OF THIS IN ONE SITTING?!?

[Maxes Altho]

8772859
Fuck...

[Ze1a7in]

8773086 The answer to all three of those questions is the same.

You were Seeking the Truth, and you have found it. Now we must all wait for it to be revealed to the populace.

[RB_]

8773086
8773097
Y'all have impeccable timing.