//------------------------------// // Remembrance // Story: The Melody of the Heart // by Star Origin //------------------------------// Melody sat quietly next to Wishing Star with her eyes kept down to her shuffling hooves. She sometimes tore her gaze from her hooves to glance at the scenery as their train headed over to Canterlot at full speed. On a few occasions, she found herself distracted by her reflection, noting her dejected expression. She shifted in her seat and leaned against the wall, letting out a sigh. She was getting her wish. Everything she had wanted to know in the past few months, she was now getting. And yet, she couldn’t help but feel hollow inside. Why was she so sad about this? Why did it hurt just to be there? She pressed a hoof against her chest as her heart clenched. Breathing became so much harder. Melody’s ears perked up when she felt Wishing nuzzle her cheek, leaning against the disguised changeling and offering a warm smile. Melody returned the smile, but her tired eyes betrayed what little gratitude and happiness she tried to fake. Wishing frowned, extended a wing around Melody, and pulled her close. Melody didn’t even attempt to struggle against the mare, instead letting the warmth of her coat soothe her. She didn’t protest either when she felt the mare’s hoof stroking her mane, closing her eyes and drawing in a breath. “Wishing?” Melody inquired softly, her voice barely any louder than a whisper. She nuzzled against Wishing’s bosom and exhaled another sigh. The mare slid a hoof around Melody’s shoulder and pulled her even closer. “Hmm?” Melody closed her eyes. The words played in her head. What had Luna meant when she said that she was Wishing’s ward? What was a ward to begin with? She heaved a sigh and shifted again to lean on Wishing’s shoulder. Again, that familiar feeling washed over her. Wishing’s fur felt so comforting, and all she could do was enjoy the moment. “What’s a ward?” Melody asked in her squeaky, yet faint voice. Wishing fidgeted in her seat as she glanced back and forth between Melody and the saddlebags she had set down on the adjacent seat. For a while, Melody had been curious about what was in them, and the only glimpse she had of them was that it looked like a binder was kept in them. The bat pony mare sighed and hung her head. She reached into her bags and pulled out a binder. Melody blinked, not because she was surprised that her suspicions were correct, but because she was now genuinely curious about the content of this binder. She flipped it open, and Melody craned her neck to inspect its content, blinking when she saw a photo of the bat pony mare dressed in one of the most extravagant dresses she had ever seen in her life. And next to Wishing was none other than Astral Rain. He wore a nice suit, but it was hard to rival Wishing’s beauty in that setting. Melody immediately assumed it was a wedding because of the dress. She didn’t have time to inspect the image further before the mare flipped another page. Then another. There were so many pictures that seemed to be about Wishing and Astral’s wedding that Melody wasn’t sure what the purpose of going through those was. That made it weird, too. Melody didn’t know that much about weddings, but she would expect that somepony would be happy to relive those moments, even for a brief moment. And yet, Wishing’s slight frown and smile, coupled with that sad look in her eyes screamed the opposite. Plus, it reeked of an emotion Melody didn’t recognize. Melody kept following Wishing’s hoof until it stopped at a page and it trailed along the pictures. She heard Wishing take a deep breath. She blinked a few times and Melody wasn’t sure if the mare was going to cry or not. She clearly saw tears glistening in Wishing’s eyes, but the mare made no efforts to wipe them away. “You heard Luna and I after our dinner, didn’t you?” Melody nodded. Wishing didn’t even tear her eyes away from the photo album. She slid one of the photos out and presented it to Melody. She picked it up with her magic and levitated it over to her. She recognized Wishing and Astral instantly, but next to them was a couple she didn’t recognize. A mare with a white coat, obviously well-groomed, and a fuchsia mane that fell down her neck and against her shoulders. She wore the simplest of gowns. It was a very soft and pale pink that matched perfectly with her coat and mane, making her striking blue eyes even more evident. Her lovely and cheerful smile only added to her charm. Next to that mare was a bat pony stallion. Unlike Astral or Wishing, he didn’t have a darker coat. His was a pure white, just like the mare he was standing next to. He had his wing extended over the blue-eyed mare. His mane was a deep orange with a few lines of black streaking through it. It was done in a single braid that fell over his shoulder. And on top of all that, his golden eyes, paired with his toothy smile, gave him a charming look. But that raised questions in Melody’s mind. Why was Wishing showing her this? For that matter, it was just one picture of her wedding among many others. Why was it important to show her this one picture? Her eyes widened as she contemplated the possibility that those might be her parents. She looked at the image again, and she blinked. The mare’s blue eyes were just as striking as her brother’s. And those golden eyes the stallion had were just the same as hers. Were they really her parents? Melody brought a hoof to her chest. She didn’t know how to feel. What if they were her parents? She didn’t even remember their faces. Her breathing quickened. Pain shot through her heart and her ears fell flatly over her mane. She almost jumped upon feeling Wishing’s hoof on her shoulder, and she looked back at the mare with wide eyes. Wishing only offered a nod. Melody looked back at the picture and clutched it tightly to her chest. She knew what her parents looked like! She finally had gotten her answers, and yet, she only felt a growing sadness inside of her. Where joy should have otherwise been, she only felt a growing void. “They always had a busy schedule, and yet, they managed to make time to come to my wedding. I was so happy when I saw them in attendance,” Wishing recounted, the hint of a smile pursed on her lips. “You deserve answers, Melody, and I believe I can give you some. “Astral and I were asked to be guardians for your brother and you. We never made it official, though, so when your parents died, Star just ran off with you and disappeared from our radar without much interference. I don’t know why he did it, and I will likely never will, but I’m happy I can at least keep my promise to your parents.” Melody nodded and kept quiet at first. She tried to process this information. These claims gave rise to conflict within herself. Had Star really ran off with her when their parents died? Would she have had a better life with Wishing, Astral, and Raine? “What were their names?” Melody asked hesitatingly, shifting a bit in her seat and taking another look at the picture of those four ponies. The fact her father was a bat pony went over her head, and she just contemplated how happy her parents seemed way back then. Wishing and Astral also looked younger— not that they didn’t look young anymore—in the picture, so Melody assumed that it dated to at least a decade or so. “Lilac Strings,” Wishing said with a bittersweet tone to her voice, motioning to the white mare in the picture with her hoof, “and Starry Skies.” She tore her eyes away from the picture once she acknowledged her parents’ names and glanced at the window, looking at the frozen scenery outside. There was something peaceful about seeing the snow laden fields, mountains, and the occasional frozen lake. “Those are really nice names,” Melody hushed in a whisper, leaning into Wishing. Her lips quivered, and she barely held back the tears from her puffy eyes. ---- “It was a pleasure doing business with you!” Wishing called out, waving her hoof at the florist as she left the shop, Melody following behind her. Wishing insisted that they do this, and claimed that it would better help Melody get some form of closure. The filly couldn’t have agreed more with that statement. These past few months had been extremely rough on her. She absentmindedly grabbed the bouquet that Wishing was handing her and she held it close to her. She followed behind Wishing as she led them through the many streets of Canterlot. Melody had heard stories about the majesty of Canterlot, but stories alone couldn’t do it justice. Even in the Clover Plaza, which she vaguely remembered as being one of the two hearts of Canterlot’s lower city. Despite not being as prestigious as stories claimed the Platinum Plateau to be, she still sometimes gawked at the white-stone streets and the pristine conditions of the stones used for the various buildings, all having light hues that matched the white stones. “Wishing, do you have to be this hasty? Can’t we just enjoy the view?” Melody complained as she tried her best to follow Wishing’s swift gait, keeping the bouquet tucked neatly against her bosom. “Believe me, once you live in the Platinum Plateau, or anywhere near the palace grounds, you won’t look at the lower city the same way ever again. Mind you, Canterlot as a whole is lovely, but the upper city is without compare!” Wishing exclaimed with a broad smile, stopping and trotting in motion, earning a roll of Melody’s eyes. The mare let out a chipper chuckle, and she beckoned to Melody. “You could wait for me! I don’t know how long I can numb this pain,” Melody called back, shooting a glance at her leg. She looked back at Wishing to see the mare stop her antics and tilt her head. Oh. Right. Wishing wasn’t aware of how changeling magic could be used. “What do you mean by that?” The dense, and tasty, tang of curiosity trailed its way to Melody, and she knew she’d unintentionally grabbed Wishing’s attention. Even she didn’t understand all of it completely, but she knew she could focus the emotions she kept in reserve to suppress pain. Finally, she cleared her mind of the unnecessary details, and answered, “It’s kind of complicated to explain. I mean, I don’t even fully get it myself, but my da—Rising said that I could use emotions I have in reserve to eliminate pain for a given amount of time. It leaves me drained of my magic, though.” Wishing nodded all the way through that explanation, and she arched an eyebrow, smirking as she playfully skidded next to Melody and prodded her injured leg. “So, if I do that”—she giggled and poked her leg a few number of times—“you don’t feel anything?” Melody groaned and rolled her eyes, swatting Wishing’s hoof away. The mare skedaddled to higher ground and poked her tongue out. Melody hung her head and sighed. “I don’t, although you are expending my reserves of magic. Aren’t you a bit too chipper for the reason of this trip?” “Not at all! In fact, you’ll thank me later!” Melody blinked and stared. While Wishing resumed her trotting up the small slope that led to what Melody suspected was Upper Canterlot, she tried tasting the mare’s emotions, despite the growing distance, and she could only find mischief coming off of her. Melody’s mouth dropped, and she frowned. Was Wishing purposely leading her senses off, or something? Melody shook her head and pushed those thoughts aside, picking up the pace far behind Wishing. “Wishing!” she whined, her voice carrying her echo along the slope and she heard Wishing’s chuckling laughter in response. “Wait up!” ---- Despite the beauty and majesty that she had been promised in Upper Canterlot, the chipper mood that she and Wishing shared quickly died down. Not even the beautiful gardens or bright pearl white stones used for the houses there managed to properly revive their earlier mood. Despite that, it was still a welcome sight, and Melody smiled faintly. Not that it really mattered. Melody followed Wishing through the gates of a graveyard. Melody quickly noted that Wishing expertly made her way through the cemetery. She also noticed that some headstones were black while some others were gray. What did that mean? What was the difference between the two colors? The question swirled in Melody’s mind, and she frowned. She looked up at Wishing to ask her about it, but she opted against it. She thought it might just ruin the moment. Melody folded her ears against her mane, idly looking around her as she followed Wishing, amazed at how large the graveyard was. She didn’t even know what to expect anymore. Where had the chipper mood that Wishing had had just an hour ago gone to? Hadn’t she been told that she would be grateful for the mare’s uplifting mood? Had that been a false promise to cheer her up? Melody contemplated tasting Wishing’s emotions, but she opted against that too. She was far too scared of what she would find. Lost in thoughts, Melody completely failed to notice that Wishing had stopped and she ended up colliding with her flank. She wrinkled her nose and took a few steps back to see Wishing sitting down in front of two black headstones. Melody directed her attention at those headstones and blinked. She ended up sitting next to Wishing, pain surging in her chest as she read the engravings. Here lies Lilac Strings Loving mother and wife A faithful and compassionate friend May her soul find peace eternal Here lies Starry Skies Dedicated husband and father Confidant without compare May his soul find peace eternal Melody gasped quietly. She was in front of them. Although not alive, she had finally managed to find her parents. Even if they had been buried or cremated, she had a chance to find closure at last. Her legs trembled, and she firmly pressed the bouquet on her chest. What was she going to say? How would she even say her final goodbyes to her birth parents? She jumped a little when she felt something sharp pressed against her back. She looked over to Wishing to see her looking at her with a soft smile. The mare gave her a little push with her hoof and leaned forward, nuzzling Melody. “You should talk to them. I’m sure they’re listening, wherever they are,” Wishing whispered, her voice a quiet and soothing hum. Melody blinked, noticing the glistening tears in Wishing’s eyes. Her lips began trembling, and she took one trembling step after the other, the dread in her chest growing stronger. She felt like her limbs would let out and she would just crumble. After what felt like an eternity to her, Melody finally stopped in front of the tomb graves and sat in silence. She extended a hoof and touched the stone of her mother’s grave, taking a moment to get a feel of the engravings. She then did the same for her father’s grave. Tears began welling in her eyes, but she fought back against them. She took a deep breath, her mind quickly glossing over all the possible things she could say to her parents. Hesitation still gripping Melody, she opened her mouth and drew in another breath. She moved her hoof over to the foot of her mother’s headstone and wiped the snow from over it, dropping the bouquet over it abruptly as her magic failed her. That felt weird. It had been the first time she had had that happen to her in a while. “Hey, Mom, Dad… It’s me, Melody. Surprise! I’m all grown up now.” She already felt out of breath. Pressure formed around her throat, and she found every breath raspy and dry. “It feels weird to be here, standing in front of your graves…” Not a sound echoed around her except the sound of her voice. Snow had started falling again, and a few flakes gently fell on Melody’s coat. She didn’t even notice it. “So many things happened in these past few years, and I don’t even understand half of them. I mean, I didn’t even know that you t-two had been d-dead for a while until just a few m-months ago. “Star’s d-dead too,” she muttered quietly, her voice cracking and trembling all the while. Every breath burned her throat, and she felt like she was going to asphyxiate, but she toughed it up and tried to stand strong in front of Wishing. She wasn’t a crybaby anymore. She could handle those things now. So why? Why did it hurt so much? She never even got to meet her parents. “Well, he’s still a-alive, kinda. It’s complicated. “I’m a changeling now, a-although I doubt you know anything about them.” Melody let out a weak giggle, more as a way to mask her sobs than an attempt at laughing something off. She didn’t want Wishing to see her like this. Still nothing. Wishing kept entirely silent. She had not taken a single step or uttered a single word. Melody didn’t need to look back to know that. The wind and air only carried her own echo, and she had never heard the sound of Wishing’s hooves crunching the snow. Which obviously meant that Wishing was simply there to observe and spectate. Another giggle escaped Melody’s throat, and she brought a hoof to her eyes, cupping her tears and drying her eyes to the best of her ability, despite her shaking. With a strained sigh, she continued, “I even got a-adopted by complete strangers. I never knew that Wishing and Astral were my guardians until today. Can you believe th-that? “I guess what I want to say is that… I just…” Why couldn’t she bring herself to say it? The words were on her tongue, but every attempt to blurt them out ended in her just running out of breath. Tears welled in her eyes and she dipped her head, trying to dry her eyes once more when she felt hooves over her shoulders She froze and looked back to see that Wishing was sitting right behind her. She tried to wipe her tears, but Wishing shook her head and pulled her close, the mare’s own tears staining Melody’s mane. Now, it all made sense. Wishing had probably held Melody a lot when she was a foal, and her body most likely remembered that touch. “It’s okay, Melody. It’s okay to cry,” Wishing cooed in a soft and melancholic voice, stroking Melody’s mane. Her breath was warm, and it made Melody cling on to the mare’s fur. Her ears were still flat on her head, and her breathing became quiet. “They were your parents, and you’re saying your final goodbyes. Let it out.” Melody looked up at the mare, her lips starting to quiver once more. She frowned just before her expression twisted and sorrow gripped her mind. She grasped at Wishing’s shoulders and pressed her snout against Wishing’s chest. “I just wanted to meet them!” she cried, letting all of her pent up tears loose. They streaked hotly across her cheeks and on Wishing’s fur, and she gripped further onto the mare. In return, Wishing wrapped her wings around Melody and held her firmly, not uttering another sound.