Moon Unit Zappa

by RarityEQM

The Path

The train had always marveled Bright Spark. The absolute cleanliness, the friendly, charming atmosphere, the respect. He loved that part the most, feeling eyes on him as ponies and fillies pulled themselves out of the way for official 'Canterlot Business.'

He and the other elites had taken to a small empty cabin in the very back of the train, where they were most likely not to be disturbed. That suited Bright Spark just fine. There was enough space for six of them, even if it was a little bit cramped and he couldn't sprawl out the way he might have liked. They wouldn't be there for long, of course, the train was already pulling out of the station and hurling them towards Appaloosa. Squeezed together as they were, there was enough space for Virga to pluck something from his saddle bag. He placed it on the table while Bright Spark tried to figure out when he had put on saddle bags. Had he always been wearing them and they just blended in with his flanks? Did he pick them up after getting on the train?

No. No, it didn't matter. Instead, Bright Spark focused on the object Virga had tossed onto the table. It was a collar and a pretty one at that. It was navy blue with little white half moons all along the ridges and a tiny buckle protruded from one end. Virga flashed Diamond Dancer a quiet smile.

"This is for you, Dia. It is a Harmonix Collar." He explained while the little filly peered over the collar before she scooped it into her hooves.

"Cool! I've always wanted a Harmonix Collar...I think...? What's a Harmonix Collar?" She asked. She'd already pulled off her necklace and put on the collar in its place. She attached the tiny glimmering jewel to it she wore habitually, and now she resembled a largish puppy of sorts. Virga nodded his head, reaching out to adjust the device around Diamond's neck.

"It is an enchanted piece of equipment. Do you see the crystals along the material? These crystals perfectly mimic the vibrations produced against them and immediately reproduces them from this crystal, here." He explained, producing a small dark blue crystal from his bag, that he held up for her to see. Her eyes widened and she gave a little 'oooooh' of understanding, even if it was obvious the explanation had done directly over her head. Dinky rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"It means if you talk while you're wearing the collar, it'll transmit what you're saying to this crystal here." She explained. Diamond nodded her head quietly, but Dinky could tell she was still trying to connect the dots.

"Soooo...why would I want this?" She asked. Bright Spark felt a tiny stab of annoyance at the brainless little filly. Who cared if she couldn't grasp why she would want direct communications. He could think of more vital questions to ask.

"More importantly, what's the plan? I mean, you guys have some sort of connection to Luna, right? Like, some map, or something that'll take us straight to her, then we bring her back?" He asked with a hopeful grin. He knew it wasn't going to be quite so easy, but he was really hoping that it would be. He still couldn't quite understand how this was the team Celestia would choose to send to rescue her sister.
What was his role to play? Why would Full Plate drag him into this? What was he supposed to do if things got heated? Were they all counting on him? An old guy, a scrawny pegasus, a couple of children, and a crazy mare? He felt a twinge of despair suddenly wash over him.

"Nothing like that. We'll simply have to search for her. I can imagine it won't take longer than an afternoon. There are only so many attractions one can visit before the experience grows somewhat repetitive. I think we should start at the River of Styx, and ask the Ferrymare if she's seen our dear princess." Nettleglum explained, not turning towards the group. She stared out the window, peering into the distance and froze as if something had suddenly caught her attention.

"Oh...six in, nine out," Nettleglum mumbled to herself. She frowned, looked quizzed, then nodded as if reconfirming her own cryptic statement. Bright Spark started to look to Full Plate across the table but instead turned directly towards Nettleglum. He'd chosen to sit directly next to her so that maybe she couldn't do that thing she liked to do where she was there one moment and then gone the next.
She was still next to him when he turned to ask her what she'd meant. Much to his utter horror. It was the smell. It was the scent of formaldehyde and decaying fungus mixed in a way so dreadfully putrid he thought he might throw up right there on the table. Was that perfume? Had she mixed perfume in an attempt to try and mask the scent? Celestia, why had he not smelled that before now?! How did the other Servants handle it? Was Full Plate not affected by this stench? He glanced out the window desperately. He could see Appaloosa out the window. Maybe he'd make it. Maybe...

"Bright Spark?" Nettleglum asked, looking at him curiously. He frowned. What was going on? He'd asked her something before his sinuses went into a full-fledged panic mode. What was it? Did it matter? It didn't matter. Appaloosa was getting closer...

"Just a silly vision. Souls. Dear. Souls." Nettleglum explained as if that made any sense either way. Still, he hastily nodded his head and forced a wide smile. He would not vomit on a Servant of Shadow. He would not. He forced his attention away from the scent, and towards Diamond Dancer and Dinky, who were looking over Diamond's new collar. Idly he wondered if Virga had some sort of cool gear for him to wear. Something that augmented his magic, perhaps? Maybe some forbidden spell that only elite super-agents were allowed to recite. He fell into that category, didn't he? After all, he was here, wasn't he?He wouldn't be on a mission with these supposed highly skilled elite super agents if he didn't have what it took. He had almost forgotten how excited he was to get away from the mare next to him.

Nettleglum... Something about not knowing where she was sent a chill down his spine, but when he glanced over at her, she was gone like she'd never been there in the first place. He sighed and tried to shake the growing apprehension he felt when around her. If she ever wanted to stab him in the back, she would have no problem sneaking up on him to do so. How had she managed to get out of the seat next to him without him even noticing?! Was that some special trick of the Servants? Were his senses so bad that he couldn't even-

"The ride is over. Shall we resume?" A voice whispered into his ear, forcing him to jump to his hooves. Standing in the aisle next to him was Nettleglum, looking bored as she waited for him to pull himself out of his seat and leave the train with them. Bright Spark frowned, opening his mouth to protest a number of things, shook his head, and in the end, he simply sighed and followed the creepy pony from the train to the platform where the rest of the Servants had already assembled. As he stepped off the train, he felt something pulling at him to turn and watch it slowly depart from the station.

The train glided away on the rails, getting smaller and smaller until it was just a dot in the distance. The last hope of escaping a trip to Tartarus had just left without him. Bright Spark swallowed quietly. The five other ponies with him were the only ponies he would be able to count on. Or, more accurately, he was the only pony the other five were going to be counting on. He was getting more and more convinced he was the smartest pony in the group, and it was beginning to make more and more sense why Full Plate dragged him into this mess. He was the only chance they had.

Comments

[Olden Bronie]

Bright Spark.....not quite sure about him yet. I'm enjoying the way you're telling the story from different perspectives.