Love and Music Theory

by Hilltopper2

Tonic Chord

Thorsday, October Fish, 2012, 2:06 pm EDT

Kay had bought a few things to make the trip more pleasant, which all have the vague scent of “PetsMart” to them. My parents were wearing seat belt harnesses that let them sit more comfortably. Various pillows were scattered about the back seat, and a Great Dane-scaled dog bed made the cargo bed more tolerable, even if my twisted horn kept poking the ceiling.

There was only so much interstate scenery I could tolerate, so I spoke up. “Kay? Do you have a wireless hotspot on your phone?”

“Huh?” She asked distractedly from the driver’s seat. “Oh, sure.” She almost unthinkingly lifted the phone from between the seats and ‘handed’ it back. I caught it in the grasp of my magic and brought it back through the bars of my safety cage. It was only the purest luck that I had a stylus instead of a pen or pencil to use my laptop with. A couple minutes of wrangling electronics, and I had my laptop connected to the internet.

Thankfully, all the updates were up to par so I could get right to the browsing. I popped over the my now-inaccurate Facebook page. And found a reply to one of my attempts at communicating with the Mane Six.

“So I hear you're Cadance! Or at least have her form. I have the body of the Pinkinator! And the scientific inquisitiveness of Bill Nye. So let's conduct an experiment shall we?

First, get yourself a comfy couch, make sure it's really comfy, and I mean comfy. Now make yourself a plate of plain old crackers. Don't matter the brand, just hard and crunchy and a lot of them. Also, music! Music is important. Very important, relaxing music for the Cadenza. Do all of this before reading any further.”

I absently noted the box of Triscuits my sister had bought before and tilted my head as the latest poppy . . . thing . . . played on the radio. ‘Enh. It’ll do.’ I returned to the message.

“I'm serious. Get your big fluffy tail to the kitchen and get yourself those noms. They must be bland.

Did you get the noms? Are you relaxed? Cause if you aren't the experiment's not going to work.”

“Yes, Pinkie,” I subvocalized and rolled my eyes. ‘Hey, you never know, she might be fourth-walling me as I’m reading this.’

“Now that you have noms and comfy resting, I need you to figure out telekinesis for me. Just, you know, anything. I'm no unicorn, though I met one yesterday, so I'm not sure what to tell you. But don't think with your horn is my guess. Think with tentacles of magic, grab a cracker and eat it. Do this again until you've got a rhythm, don't read any further.”

“I take this cracker, and eat it!” I try to joke, though it comes out flat, morose, and surprisingly like the Death Note character’s voice. I shake it off and return to reading, but leave the crackers alone.

“No I'm serious. Again. Don't read further. There's a reason for this, trust your Auntie Pinkie. She's got a lab coat and goggles so she's clearly a scientist.”

The burst of laughter startles me and my parents in the seat in front of me. Oddly enough, I felt lighter than I had since the church. “I’m okay, just someone responding to me on the internet,” I say to ease their fears.

“Have you got down nomming regularly? Good. Now I need you to answer one question, and I need you to answer it very, very, very, very calmly, because this is for science and your emotions going wild will ruin the results. Are you ready for this? Are you? Huh? Well then....

What color is your magic?”

Already knowing the answer, I worked up my response, trying the “tentacles of magic” to work the keys on the battered laptop.

“Thanks, I needed that. the presentation of the inquiry was just humorous enough.

My answer: Green.

Unfortunately, I don't need the experiment. As you may have seen or heard on the news, Discord spelled it out for me. In the middle of a group hug of 'primary demographic.'

Bless the little girl screaming 'changelings need love, too' as her mother dragged her away. Also, unless Discord was messing with us: Churches are safe, or at least old Catholic cathedrals are, anyway.

-- The Pathetic Leech,

Eljay-Chrysalis”

Still feeling a little stuffed, and not really feeling like unnecessarily making my sister’s phone bill atrocious, I decided to set my current status to ‘Changeling Queen in transit,’ shut down my laptop and take a nap.

Instead of the usual muzzy and fitful doze I had come to expect from trying to sleep in a moving car, I found myself in what looked like a throne room based on the "bee levels" from the various Donkey Kong Country games. Half of it looked dark and forbidding, the other half was warm and inviting. I momentarily paused to realize I was back as the version of myself from yesterday, and Chrysalis sat on a twisted throne in the dark half.

"Mm, yes," she drawled languorously. "Welcome to my parlor; I hope you enjoy your visit."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure that the actual royal chamber at the hive looks nothing like this."

"Well, my side is almost right... But, that's the badlands for you." She smirked. "Why do you think I started the invasion?"

"Resource mismanagement followed by jealousy and a poor grasp of your diplomatic options." I stated baldly.

She harrumphed and stood from her throne. "Be that as it may..." She strode to the border between dark and light. "We do have some issues to discuss."

I sighed. "Yes, we do." I strode to the border myself, and when I was close enough, I latched onto her in a carapace cracking hug. "It's all right, Chrysalis. We'll figure out a way to keep ourself fed morally. And our little changelings, too."

She stiffened in the hug. "I-idiot! I meant being able to work our disguises."

“Mm, yes.” I drawled back at her. “Of course you did.” I blinked, momentarily disoriented from a small case of double vision.

The Queen’s grin widened fractionally. “Well, it seems you’ve already started picking up on the hive mind.” She crossed the demarcation between light and dark and the two throne rooms began to blend. He eyes flashed brightly for a moment before she nuzzled me. “Now to begin your lessons. First, we need to prime your pump . . . ”

The near familial hug I’d initiated was now like a lovers’ embrace, a metaphor Chrysalis seemed happy to strengthen as she began a trail of kisses down my face, beginning at my forehead. Each kiss lit a bit of warmth within me that grew in intensity with the next kiss, so that by the time she reached my mouth, the spot on my forehead was almost painfully hot.

:: Oh, my, yes! :: I exulted . . . to myself? :: Let’s try an old favorite again, Eljay. ::

The fire that had begun on my forehead consumed me, and a similar green fire surrounded Chrysalis. I found myself looking down a white muzzle at the lovely pink face of Cadance.

Chrysalis-as-Cadance danced back and gave me a long, considering glance. “Not bad, not bad at all. Now, grasp that fire and pull it around you like a blanket while thinking of somepony you’d like to be.”

“O-okay. . .” Shining Armor’s voice answered my call. I gathered what I could still feel of that fire and began to pull it around me . . .

“Don’t think of Princess Luna!” The Changeling Queen called, teasing.

“Wh-what?” I stammered, as the adorable tones of Season One Luna answered me.

“Mm-hm-hm!” Chrysalis throatily chuckled. “I see now why Mother pulled that on me as I was learning. It’s hilarious.”

“Verily,” I sulked. “‘Tis to laugh.”

“Don’t be such a whiny larva. It’s not behavior befitting a Queen.” The faux princess of love glided around me, Chrysalis’ ‘damn, I’m sexy’ walk subsumed under the smooth, regal gait we’d had as Cadance. “Hmm, yes. Quite a good job, if I do say so myself.”

“Thanks be unto thee, ever so much, Your Majesty,” I replied. :: Sarcasm, just one of the many services I offer. ::

“Oh, I’d noticed. It’s definitely one of the traits we’d shared before this whole fiasco.” Chrysalis nodded before reverting to her normal form.

“Well, ‘twould seem We have acquired some modicum of skill at metamorphosis. Fain would We have such at basic daily tasks...”

The Queen hooded her gaze at me. “Try somepony else or revert; I’d forgotten how much Luna’s archaic speech annoyed me. Just take that fire and blow it out like a candle, or squeeze it into a ball at the base of your horn. Rather, where your horn would be if you happen to change into a pegasus or earth pony.”

“Okay...” I did as instructed, but instead of returning to my bipedal self, I seemed to be looking Chrysalis in the eyes.

Her hooded gaze of annoyance shifted to sultry bedroom eyes. “Why, Eljay, I didn’t know you liked my form that much!”

“Mercurial much, Chryssy?” I drawled back to her.

She barked a laugh and sat down on her haunches. “Shapeshifting will do that. Our instincts help us fill our roles, after all.” She sharpened her gaze and I had the distinct feeling of someone rummaging through my head.

I grimaced slightly and mentally reached for Chrysalis’ head. Turnabout was fair play, after all.

“What are you doing?” She frowned at me.

“You’re digging in my head... I thought I’d reciprocate.”

“Fine,” she snorted. “Just don’t whine at me if you don’t like what you find.”

I snorted my self and grabbed a ‘file’ that looked promising, before it exploded into a flurry of images that jolted me awake.

I got control of myself back in my sister’s Nitro with a mouth full of plush and stuffing. I spit it out and observed the fang marks in a heart-shaped pillow. “Apparently, to gorge on storge gives me nightmares. Good to know.”

I looked ahead towards the front of the SUV, and noticed that Mom and Dad were snuggled together on the back seat, and each of them also had a pillow in their mouths. It was incredibly adorable.

:: And potentially delicious. ::

I rolled my eyes. :: Yes, but we’re still quite full. :: I continued my survey of my surroundings, and my sister was playing some Mexican pop over the stereo, concentrating on her driving. I was about to ask where we were, until I saw the Basketball Hall of Fame pass by on the right.

We were now halfway to New York.

Comments

[Gamerlord99]

I love this fic

[TundraStanza]

"Resource mismanagement followed by jealousy and a poor grasp of your diplomatic options." I stated baldly.

Mmf
Pfft
Ba ha ha ha ha!
I'm sorry. I just imagined a guy with no hair saying that.
...
*cough* So... How have you been?

[Hilltopper2]

Stressed out about the last couple scenes not gelling. I was almost kicked out of group for how long it took.

[Red Bomber]

I think you're the first character that I've read other than Issac able to make it here.

[Hilltopper2]

2328939

Well, if I can make it there, I can make it ANYwhere!

[FrenziedGlint]

Keep it up!

[Divine Path]

It would appear Chrysalis has acclimated to the new her...good!
Though will luck be on their side still...?
Awaiting further releases.

[Perteks]

Hmm for first few chapters i wasn't convinced but now i need to say, damn interesting way you took

[Buckshot2825]

1st word: YAY
2nd word: Awesome
3rd -5th: I. CANT. WAIT
and ive lost motivation to continue that, its seems wierd .-.
ANYWAYS! Being me, i love all updates! please continue!
Or else i will find you
and when i do....
i will..... TICKLE YOU TO DEATH!!!!!!!
you have been warned....
Your Faithful Comedian
-Buck
FEATURED FTW
3-27-2013
1:52 EST

[Draconis187]

Update!
media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lslym5pVGl1r0z5mk.png
fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/105/3/1/time_for_ponies______by_shadowsythe22-d4w9zrh.jpg
Brilliant chapter. I look forward to the others.

[Themaskedferret]

*grins and applauds* Very nice update. glad to see you're so so much with this fic I'm excited to see how it'll play out.

[Firebirdbtops]

Somepony with a pillow for a cutie mark is probably wondering where their entire stock has gone to,

[Hilltopper2]

2361352

Thank you!

[Hilltopper2]

2400449

Humans? No I was referring to Swift's intelligent horses from Gulliver's travels.

And the Instant thing is being addressed later on.

[Hilltopper2]

2402304
Very astute, my good reader!

[Zervziel]

It has gotten better since that first page so I'll stick around. Not too mention I want to see how people use the "people spontaneously turning into characters from the show" plays out since I've played with that idea before. Though I didn't give the role of the Princesses to Faust or Strong and find it pretty annoying. There are other people that have worked hard on the show.
'

[Alondro]

Discord watches with amused delight, "Oh what a wondrous game this is! I can't wait to throw them the next curveball! Ha! It's only a matter of time before-" A tap on the shoulder interrupts him. His mismatches eyes widen, "I-I didn't feel anyone coming... I;m a god. No one can sneak up on me unless... oh.. ohhh.. that's not good.." He turns.. and beholds Lord Alondro, the Almighty Deux Ex Insert.

"Dizzy, Dizzy, Dizzy," the most powerful being in the omniverse sighs, shaking his head as if in disappointment. "You didn't think this through, not that I expected you to seeing as how you've already lost to a bunch of technicolor ponies twice." He grabs Discord's beard and hauls his head down to eye-level before leering, "When you rip a universe's door off its hinges, don't be surprised if some uninvited guests walk in..." He jerks Discords head around to a glaringly white crack, through which hundreds of figures and ships march, hover, and fly through, among them: Kurosaki Ichigo and most of the Bleach-verse heroes, Goku and the Z-squad, every single X-Man, Superman, Batman, several Gundam generations including Wing Zero and the G-Gundams, the space battleship Yamato with a fully charged Wave Motion Gun, the Star Ship Enterprises A, B, C, D, and E, The First Ones from "Babylon 5", the crew of the living spacecraft Moya from "Farscape" (with John Cricton having already re-constructed his wormhole weapon), Luke Skywalker, Yoda, The Millinium Falcon, The "Tenchi Universe" cast, Sailor Moon and the Planet Squad, Yoshimori and Tokine from "Kekkaishi"... and thousands upon thousands more!

Discord almost wets himself... then recovers. "Bah! As if you could possibly do anything to me! I have the power of chaos itself at my control! I can twist minds with a single flick of my talons! I am a GOD who-GLRRRRK!?" A huge green hand clenches around Discord's neck.

The Hulk grins at the once-more terrified Discord as he says in a disturbingly soft voice, "Puny god..."

Discord at last loses all bladder control.

[Hilltopper2]

2887179What did I just read?

[Alondro]

2887191 The highest level of god-moding achievable by any creature in the multiverse: Troll Godhood.

A true troll has no goals other than to troll those he wishes. Cosmic domination? BORING!! Screwing with the mind of a self-important, self-assured so-called 'spirit of chaos and disharmony'? Deeeee-liciously irresistable!

I can out-discord Discord.

(This is kinda like "The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny EXTREME"... Mr. Rogers still wins.)

[Hope]

2887222 you can out-chaos discord, but discord is a different thing than chaos. Though he enjoys chaos itself most of the time. Discord would rather provide a functional society in order to break each friendship or interpersonal bond one at a time, than truly destroy it.

[TundraStanza]

2962982, You do have an end goal for the primary stories, right?
I don't mean to point out the obvious, but when stories get dragged through so many chapters and the authors have no clear end in sight, they can quickly become boring and/or stale.
I really hope this group doesn't become just another example of that mistake.

[Hilltopper2]

2983110

There is an end planned. Further comment best asked of Hope in IRC or PMs.

[Braininthejar]

Any chance for new chapters of this?

[A friendly face]

Ah, so EVERYBODY does the pillow thing. Good to know.

[A friendly face]

2887222

You sound like buckets of fun!

[Alondro]

3538885 I am a cosmic sewage treatment plant of fun!

[Pinklestia]

Well, that went quite well.

[JustFin]

Just read the story and found it very interesting. I hope you will write more of it

[Kaffeina]

You really need to update

[Hilltopper2]

4165446

Many apologies. The story is cancelled. It required too much coordination of writers with vastly different writing speeds. I'm on the slow end.

[Kaffeina]

Then maybe you should notify the group have someone take it up for you.

[Hilltopper2]

4167132 I kinda did: I posted to the group forum.

[Kaffeina]

4167284 Hmmm. Ok I might be a part of the group but I'm not anyone important.

[Braininthejar]

My best story had 760 reads and 76/3 rating. You had this and you cancelled.

[Ariel Schnee]

4166053 Have you ever thought of writing it not as part of PonyEarth but a fic about waking up as Cadence/Chrysallis that has no connection to this group, writing speed wouldn't matter.

[sinewystatue382]

come on do more chapters

[sinewystatue382]

hay do more chapters I like this story