//------------------------------// // The Devil Went Down to Georgia[16] // Story: Stories in Stone, Capricorn's Curse // by TDR //------------------------------// Stories in Stone Capricorn's Curse By TDR The Devil Went Down to Georgia Octavia was nervous, she was on the verge of panic in fact. She fiddled with her cello strings again more out of nervous habit than need. This was her third cello. Her first had been stolen and her second had been destroyed in the War of the Gods by Claymore. This third one had been a gift. Jacob had tracked down the creator of her first cello, pulled him out of retirement and had him make one more. Octavia didn't know how he did it,and he wouldn't say. Strotivari had stopped making instruments long before Octavia was old enough to know who he was, but by the time she had recovered from her injuries enough to play again, Jacob had had this waiting for her. Jacob had named it for her. She thought the process was silly, but he had named his guitar as well and didn't think any instrument that was going to be well used should simply be an object. The way he treated and talked about his' 'Lady Macbeth' at first had made her uneasy, then a little jealous. She didn't understand the purpose of naming a instrument until he gave her this cello. The Marquis. This was s cello that was more a work of art than a instrument. It was willow backed with a prominent knot in the upper center, the top was a wide grain spruce marked with strong growth lines. The scroll was beech wood with willow ribs and it had a lovely dark orange finish. The name however, was fit for a diplomat or a noble and the cello had a temperament to match. She was unaware if it was because Jacob had named it, or if she was imagining things, but she always viewed the Marquis as a overly stern father figure who demanded respect. Or else. In her distraction she encountered one of the 'or elses' as she over tightened a string and the wire snapped. The gray mare cried out as the taut wire lashed across her arm leaving a large bleeding gash in her fore limb. The others converged and she waved them off as Twilight bandaged the wound. The Marquis could have taken her eye or done more damage. A wound like this was merely a warning from The Marquis. She forgot how long ago it was that she started seeing the cello as a individual rather than a thing, but it was easy to place a personality with the cello. It was a reason she always traveled with her cello. She had left The Marquis behind once and it had refused to play correctly for a week. “Lyra please give me a new wire from my case, he never liked the steel core any way.” Octavia requested. “ I thought you only used steel core on A and D?” Lyra commented. “I do, but I switch to all steel when traveling to prevent stretching issues. I'd prefer all cat gut, but that has been getting expensive lately.” “All you've got left in here is some synthetic.” Lyra muttered. “What kind?” “Looks like gold wrapped. That's gonna be a fairly focused tone.” Lyra concluded. “It's fine I'll swap out the other steel core. I don't like that all I've got is full synthetic,but it will have to do.” Octavia sighed. “Couldn't you simply take some of the strings from one of the cellos laying about here? Most are damaged but I'm sure there's a few that are still intact.” Twilight asked. “No. Cello strings are usually placed on days before a concert so that they can be stretched taut and set to properly fit. There are a few ways to prepare a number of strings before hoof just in case, but pulling something off another cello and trying to fit it to mine would be impossible. Even if it would work. he would never allow for something like that to remain on him.” Octavia commented. “Who wouldn't?” Trixie blinked. “Her cello.” Lyra stated. “Look don't think to hard on it. A lot of professional artists name their instruments and claim they have personalities.....” “I had no plans to do so. After all, my husband has a named sword that refuses to be wielded by more than a hoof full of individuals, as does Twilight.” Luna smirked as she pointed out this fact. Her ears flattened to her head as she looked into the air over Octavia with a frown. “How long will this take, because it seems Platinum has returned.” The group looks up as the specter floated back into the hall. The ghost mare had her own cello one that made some of the more squeamish members of the group wince. The cello was pale white, clearly bone, the top looked to be a rich oak stained so red it seemed ready to ooze blood.. The scroll was was matching oak with bone ribs and it had a deep purple haze around it. The strings were what made Octavia and Lyra wince. They looked to be catgut, though with how the rest of the cello looked they doubted it wasn't from something sentient. “Tavi... are you sure about this?” Lyra muttered as Octavia began restringing The Marquis. “Not in the slightest.” Octavia stated simply. “But this is something I need to do.” “I am sure we can find another way out of here with out you risking your life or soul or what ever the prize is...” Twilight added. Octavia sighed looking up at Platinum's ghost, then over at Lyra who frowned a little but nods. “I mean no offense when I say this Princess, but I did not challenge Platinum for your sakes. I have my own reason.” Octavia commented her ears flattening to her head as the whole building shook once again in a rapid fire succession. The whole group turns their head up as more dust fell from the ceiling and something collapsed on one of the upper floors. “I will assume Grogar is going to be busy for a time. While I am not going to stop you I do advice caution. If you need any assistance, my musical ability is limited, but I can play piano rather well even without a connection to the Hive Mind.” Luna offered. “Trixie has skill in percussion. Nothing fancy but she can keep a tempo.” Trixie offers. “You know my skill with anything with strings.”Lyra grinned. The group looked to Twilight who sighed and shrugged. “ I got nothing. I nearly broke every window in the house with a recorder when I was three and Pinkie Pie has thus far, thankfully, failed to teach me the accordion.” Twilight commented. “Tried to test how much air could be forced through it didn't you?” Trixie chuckled. “Yes...” Twilight growled.” How did you know?” “Trixie nearly ruptured her music teachers eardrums, she was not allowed to touch wind instruments again.” Trixie chuckled. Octavia smiled a little her mind running over everything that could be done with such a small group. The cello would still be forefront in this. She realized this would not just be a test of her own playing, but of her conductor skills as well. “Alright then. Given I challenged her, she has the first play, we have only a bit of time to prepare before that. I think I know a few pieces we can work with. Do not feel too much pressure as it will be my playing that is judged , not yours. “ Octavia stated looking up at the ghost, who glared down at her. ==================================================== [Manehatten, aboard the Storm Cloud.] “By the stars why did I think that was good idea?” Sweetiebelle bemoaned, the lithe mare was draped over the rooms only couch, hogging the whole thing for herself. Granted no one else seemed to mind as it was well known to be one of her sisters infamous red couches that had simply appeared on the ship one day. Aside from Button, no one else would touch it, and he only would when Sweetie was there too. The crew room took up a big portion of the ship and acted as a common area for the twelve pony skeleton crew that ran this ship. The Storm Cloud had been refitted as a private vessel while the group was still in the ESO. At that point it had been used to carry both the band and other cargo for both the ESO and for Coco Pommel's companies. However Discord, showing a strange yet amazing prowess for contracts, had put a clause in that once Sweetiebelle's time with the ESO was up, the ship would be hers. A normal crew for the ship would be closer to fifty or sixty. Sweetiebelle and Button Mash had poured most of the bits they had into adjustments and repairs to the ship. Granted Sweetie put most of hers in making the airship flashier, while Button went the more practical route. Though there were several points on the ship's interior that bore logo's from various video games. Initially the five changelings with her were not going to contribute to the ship from their cut of the pay. Sweetiebelle had not even calculated for that any way. But upon finding out how much Sweetie and Button were doing to keep them in the air with a working ship the group of them donated a good portion of their pay as well. It was not as if they needed to eat and they had rooms on the ship. It was not as if any of them were used to fancy furnishings any way. The extra money helped out to make the Storm Cloud much more reliable and likely in the best shape it had been in since it had been repaired after it's crash. While it had been suspected the ship would never fly again properly, with the removal of the cannons, most of the armament and armor, the wooden frame was surprisingly easy to fix and reshape. It hadn't been cheap, but now they had their own airship that also doubled as a place to stay, transport, and with the banners and paint covering it, a mobile advertisement as well. Then there was the fact Button managed to rig up a sound system on the ship again as well as proper anchors and landing gear that the flight deck of the ship could be used as a stage if a concert was needed to be held in a field or in any of the Pegasi cloud cities. The interior was still sparse with many second hoof mismatched sets of furniture. The battered old red couch and a cable spindle coffee table were just the start of it. At the very least the plumbing worked now. Still no hot water, though that was where the next check was going. A Changeling sat on a ratty gray recliner nearby, his orange mane covering his face as he stretched out on the soft cushions. He was in his normal form which was easily seen to be a male. Ditty was fairly buff and his chitinous plates had a number of scars and marks on it from old wounds. He was not a new Changeling, he was one of the few that still lived that had been around since before Crystal became Chrysalis and the Changelings had been sealed in Tartarus, a time he refused to speak of. He was usually gruff and argumentative, though he was easily swayed by a pretty face or a sweet voice. Which was how he wound up here to begin with. The main reason he was still with the group however was currently draped across his lap, her wings buzzing faintly as she hummed to herself. Melody was a pink maned Changeling female. She was one of the victims of Changeling conversion after the attack on Canterlot. Some how unlike many of the others she had not become a drone. It was Ditty who had taken pity on her and tried to help her adjust to her new life. Since then she had stuck to him like glue. She was one of the few who could get the moody orange maned male to do something he didn't want to do. Now that they were free to do as they wished Melody had claimed Ditty as her colt friend despite the older Changelings complaints that she deserved some one better. Melody had a family, one that had accepted her back. They weren't thrilled about her choice of colt friend, but they were one of the more open minded families it seemed. Two more of the Changelings were on the floor playing cards on the wire spool. Sweetiebelle couldn't tell what the game was, but the green colored one seemed to be winning. Aria was a bit of an oddity. Mostly because she was the youngest one on the ship. She was also the only pure blood Changeling in the group. In fact she was only 17 having been born not long after the War of Gods. Sweetiebelle really wanted her to join despite the fact she was only eleven at the time the band formed. So following the proper channels to get her parents permission it was found out that her father was one of the Changelings that had vanished with Princess Luna and Princess Celestia not long after Tirek's attack. Her mother had been one of the ponies who had been taken in the attack on Canterlot. Her mother had never been more than a mindless drone and her father had taken advantage of that. Now her mother had been awoken and didn't even remember her time as a mindless drone, let alone she had born a daughter. Aria had opted to not bring it up and set out to go her own way so that her mother could try and fix her life as it had been. The poor mare had been Aria's age when she was taken and until her mind caught up with her body she still thought she was twelve. This said things about Aria's father that were best left unspoken. Luna had reluctantly agreed to let her go with Sweetiebelle though she did not seem happy that Aria did not care about what happened to her father or about being part of her mothers life. Given she was practically raised by others it made some sense however that she had no real connection to either. Her opponent in the card game was a Hippogryph Changeling, the only non pony in the group, though that was the form Shanty most often took on stage. She had a bright yellow mane and matching wings and played the most insterments out of all of them. She was made a Changeling not long after the hive escaped Tartarus before Princess Cadence's wedding. She had been a drone until after the attack on Tirek and was one of the first that Luna had freed. She had spent some time looking into her old life, though given how easily she accepted the job it was fairly obvious there wasn't much there for her to go back to. The others commented that she occasionally had angry thoughts whenever she spotted a Griffon with a dark coat around, though she kept the reasoning masked. Not like it would take a leap of logic to figure out she had a dark colored Griffon as an Ex now. “Well we did warn you that you would be hurting if you went too far... three encores and an autograph session, and lets not forget that what you and Button did after ward could be felt by every one even if we couldn't hear it. Going until about five am, it's a wonder you got any sleep at all.” Another Changeling said. “If the ships rocking don't bother knocking.” Sweetiebelle grumbled glaring at the blue maned glasses wearing Carol. The oldest out of all of them, she had been around since before Chrysalis went mad and had spent time in Tartarus along with Ditty. She was also the second best singer in the group behind Sweetiebelle and had the best connection with the hive mind. She had a healthy fear of Princess Celestia but also seemed to know her personally from the one or two times they had met when they were working in the ESO. Celestia didn't seem to recognize her, though Carol never stayed in her normal form when within sight of Celestia. A bit of pressing only revealed that she knew Celestia before she ascended to godhood and that she was at least eight years the Sun Goddess senior. This led to debates about how long Changelings lived and there didn't seem to be an answer as the age changed with the altered species. None of them counted the time in Tartarus however as both Carol and Ditty agreed that time was weird there and no one seemed to age at all. “ You're just mad cause you're not the one snogging him.” Melody giggled getting a glare from Carol. “I could if I wanted to.” Carol sighed. “Uh huh. From what I recall when you tired he completely ignored all your best attempts. And then you got dragged off by your tail by Sweetiebelle there.” Shanty chuckled. “ I would have loved to hear what was said. You avoided Button and Belle like they were the plague for a month.” “I'm not telling.” Sweetiebelle grinned making Carol shudder softly as the only real pony in the room batted her eyelashes at the blue maned Changeling. Aria's ears perked up. “ Speaking of which it sounds like he's back.” Sweetiebelle lifted her head a little hearing the thud of the elevator reach the main deck. The Storm Cloud was moored over the docks as Manehatten was still in the process of building an airship berth. They had rented a rather cheap spot right next to some massive smelting plant. The smell took a little getting used to, though most of the noxious fumes were handled by specialty cloud filters, so while the location was smelly , it was safe. While they took care of anything harmful, they made everything smell like sulfur and hot metal. Given the ship was still in the air despite being moored they had a small platform that could be raised and lowered to the dock. The dock yard was fenced as well which kept most of the die hard fans at bay. Since none of them recognized Button, he could come and go as he pleased, so could the Changelings in other disguises, but most of them were stuffed as it was and rest was the name of the game. Button had gone out to get food as well as pick up a couple of spare fuses for the amps. While she was worried he would buy something frivolous as well, she doubted it would be much. The colt was better with money sometimes than she was. Unless he found an arcade any way. The group of them go silent looking at the cabin door as they heard voices from outside. Not just Button, but what sounded like another mare and a stallion as well. The Changelings glanced at each other as Sweetiebelle stared at the door. Had some one snuck on with Button?? The mares voice was muffled but there was a noticeable accent to it. “I know that voice.” Sweetiebelle muttered. The door to the cabin opened and Button stepped in with a few bags hanging off his sides. The gamer pony blinked noting every one staring at him and simply rolled his eyes before continuing on to the store room to put away the supplies. Behind him walked what Sweetiebelle initially thought was a moving wall. The brown and gray spotted unicorn stallion had a buzz cut mane and tail that looked to have been a charcoal gray. He wore a heavy apron and a flipped up welders mask on his head. A large tool bag covered his cutiemark, though it barely rattled as he moved. Behind him walked another large pony. She was a coffee colored mare spotted with freckles who was only a little smaller than the stallion before her, her red and lightish red striped mane was pulled back into a pony tail that draped over her shoulders. She had a bit of weight on her though it was easy to see the mass of muscle underneath the flab. Her tail was done up in sort of a half bun and her cutiemark was a apple sliced in half on a cutting board with a kitchen knife and several perfect apple slices on the board. “BABS!!” Sweetiebelle shouted, all but launching herself off the couch and tackling the much larger pony, some how knocking her off her hooves and sending them both tumbling back through the door. The two stallions and the Changelings looked back with a wince though there was shared laughter from outside the door. “Told ya ah knew Sweetiebelle Reignolds. “ Babs shouted at the grumbling stallion. “ Dats ten bits yah owe me Silver.” ===================================================== [Tamberlane] Octavia nodded “Alright I think we have the basics ready. Lyra can you....” Octavia winced as she was suddenly cut off by a cello note, the hall suddenly erupting into sound. They all looked up at the ghastly specter floating above them above them. Platinum glared down at them and smirked. “I shall start this show....” Octavia watched as blue fire flew from the ghosts hoof tips as she rosined up her bow, then she pulled the bow across the stings and it made an evil hiss, then another specter joined her in the air and they played at a fevered pitch. Luna blinked at the composition. It was fast with a beat kept by the secondary cellist who was tapping his wings to the wood of his instrument, adding percussion to his playing on top of the strings. Platinum was taking off with her playing and the sound was unlike anything Luna had ever heard before. The challenged one in a duel went first because it was they who set the pace for the duel. Be it classical, modern, or other wise, it was something the Challenger had to match or beat.. Luna glanced over to Octavia seeing the gray mares ears flat against her head as she stared at the playing specters. The expression on the cellists face was a mix of anger and frustration more than anything else. Luna really had no idea what was going on, but she had to stop herself from tapping along with the beat that was presented by the dead musicians.. Then as suddenly as it started the music cut off dead. The only sound the clack of wood as Lyra dropped the bow of the fiddle she had picked up. “Oh you unholy bitch.” Octavia snarled. “Umm did I miss something?” Twilight asked. “Yes..... She has turned my challenge into a test of improvisation and created a new composition on the spot. And she has brought the famous classical player Gasper Cantersando to be her back up to rub it in.” Octavia snarled.” She must have listened in on our planning and rather than go with something classic, or even knew age, she picked what would be our weakest style with the mishmash of talent we have, particularly since I am primarily a classical cellist.” “Well that is smart, Trixie guesses... so what are we going to do?” Trixie asked. Octavia contemplated a moment before she suddenly grinned. The smile on the mare causing the ghost of Platinum to blink in confusion. “Trixie, Luna... I do not need your assistance with this. Lyra take a second cello and give me a base line. Anything will do simply make it constant.” Octavia ordered. “She seeks to undo me with a new song and a rapid rhythm? I think not.” Octavia sat down in one of the working stools left on the stage glancing to Lyra as the mint colored mare readies herself and gives a nod. Lyra begins a small plucking beat before Octavia starts to play something that sounds more like a dirge than anything else. The song seemed to be rather slow at first and the tempo oddly even. Luna did not recognize it either though the look on Platinum's face showed her surprise at this as well. Though soon the mares ears flatten as the performance goes on. The music had more of a classical feel to it than Platinum's piece, though the notes and playing were far different than most classical pieces. Octavia was draped lightly over her cello as she played , her eyes closed as she turned what had started as a high speed play session into something more akin to a classical rock hybrid. At least until she began laying into the song, the tempo speeding up rapidly the sound echoing across the entire hall keeping the living and dead in rapt attention as they stared at those playing. Lyra kept up a base tempo with her hooves, only occasionally adding in a mimicry of Octavia's playing with the old bow she had acquired. Octavia herself had gathered another bow in her mouth and occasionally drew it over the strings adding reverb to her own playing . The effect of it seeming like there were three or four of them playing instead of just the two. The song slowly trailed off to die leaving the music lingering a bit longer after it's end than Platinum's sudden cut off. Octavia opened her eyes and slowly rose from her stool as Platinum floated down to stage level even with the other cellist. Both she and Octavia waved off their partners meeting each others glare barely a pony length apart from one another. Just as suddenly the pair of them began to play again. The two of them were seemingly trying to out do one another with classical riffs that suddenly started getting faster and faster as the two played off each other and tried to out do one another. Suddenly Octavia drew one long note before Platinum suddenly switched to percussion on her cello. The ghost suddenly started a beat with her hooves against the cello and Octavia frowned launching into playing matching and adding to the beat that was being offered. The pair both seemed to carry on for a moment almost fighting with each other with their music. None of it was disjointed or even seemed off. Luna watched realizing Octavia was letting Platinum take the lead and she was playing off what the other mare was laying down, building off of it and adding to it as she went, turning what could have been a completely disjointed mess into a coherent tune. Platinum switched tempos and beats quite often during the song switching between percussion and playing only for Octavia to meet and match the playing. Both of them were going fervently, Octavia's normally perfect mane becoming unfurled as she worked the bow over the strings her glare never leaving Platinum's. The ghostly mare's hair started to rise and blow around her in a unseen wind. Both of their bow's where whirling over their instruments faster than the best sword work Luna had ever seen. As the music raised to a fevered pitch the pair looked at each other each developing a small smile before as suddenly as it started, the music stopped. The mares both took a step back from each other , both on their hind legs and cradling their cellos. Nothing was said, there was not so much as a peep in the entire chamber for a moment or two. Then Platinum nodded slightly, before she whirled around dramatically, the demonic cello fading to nothing as she turned to float off the stage, vanishing into nothing. The horde of ghosts around them started vanishing one after another soon after until no one was left in the theater but the living. It took a moment more before any noise returned, though Trixie was the first to speak up. “Impressive. You won.” Trixie stated. “Way to go Octavia.” Twilight chimes. “No... I didn't” Octavia smirked. “ What?” Twilight stammered. “ I was no way at the top of my game there. There were far too many factors against me. She heard that, and saw that I took everything she threw at me and gave it all back in spades. I didn't win, but I didn't lose either. Her playing was far superior. Though I think....... perhaps she accepted me as the one to keep her music alive.” “Yeah yeah, what ever, you won, where did you learn to play like that? I've never heard you play anything but classical!” Lyra shouted. “I was Vinyl's room mate for nearly fifteen years Lyra.“ Octavia smiled as she moved to put her cello back in it's case. “ Do you honestly think that mare didn't get me to participate in her little jam sessions? Now let us be away before Grogar returns. I doubt he would be as impressed by my playing.” ====================================================== [ Eight months ago. Crystal Empire.] “How is he?” “He seems fine physically your grace, he's just not there any more.” The pale brown Earth pony mare stated. Her lime green hair was pulled back into a bun and she had a pair of brass framed glasses sitting on the end of her nose. Queen Luna of the Changelings considers a moment looking at the door to the play room in the castle before she turned her attention back to Locust, the real Locust this time and not Chrysalis in a different body. The mare had reconnected with her family after Tirek's defeat, though they had rejected her and she had returned to the Crystal Empire only to find she had a job already as nanny to the Royal family. It was rather sad, but her husband had moved on and remarried and her foals were terrified of her. Perhaps in time they might not be scared, but for now Locust was doing her best to simply keep busy. “Do Cadence and Shining know?” Luna asked. “They do your grace, but the Empress and Emperor do not know what they can do about it . Which is likely why they called for you to speak with him. There are a number of others who are getting more than a little worried about his disconnect.” Locust commented. “He is still there. I can feel him, but he is blocking me as well. I cannot even tell his surface emotions.” Luna pondered. “ I will have a word with him. Is Glimmer in there?” “Yes your grace. Would you like me to have her leave?” Locust asked. “No I'll ask her myself. I can feel her concern for Shin. I would rather reassure her I'm not going to do anything but talk to him personally.” Luna stated moving forward to the door to the play room and pushing it open. Shin was no where to be found, then again neither was Glimmer. Luna sighed turning her gaze straight up to the chandelier far above her and the two foals sitting atop of it. “You said no one ever looked up!” Shin hisses at Glimmer. “No one has before.....” Glimmer muttered. “ The last place any one looks is up. That is a common tactic, children. It is also a bit of a falisy as those whose predominate method of movement is flight always look up first for a clear escape if one is needed. And I was a Pegasus long before anything else.” Luna explained calmly. “Whats predominate?” Shin asked. “ It means main or the most used.” Luna explained. “Oh” Shin nodded. And Falisy?” Shin asked. “False belief.” Luna narrows her eyes as she noted Glimmer doing something while Shin was clearly trying to distract her. “Glimmer what ever you are doing keep in mind that your mother has yet to withdraw her permission from me after the last time I foal sat and I can tan your hide with no repercussion if you do something you are not supposed to.” “What?” Glimmer jerked nearly dropping a bag of something before scrambling to keep hold of it in her magic. “I can sense your anger and fear and I expect you are attempting to defend your brother with some sort of attack.” “You're not taking him!”Glimmer growled. “ Why would I take him?” Luna questioned a little confused at the foals logic.” I am here to speak with him and find out what is wrong. Not run him off to where ever you think I would take him. “ Luna stated. “ A likely story. He's a god and your just a queen you probably want to get rid of him to take over.” Glimmer snorted. Luna blinked at that her ears flattening a little as she wondered where the filly got that idea. Though the sheer absurdity of it forced her to smile , then start to laugh. Before long she had to sit down to prevent herself from falling over she was laughing so hard. Neither of the foals seemed amused. Mostly confused and Glimmer was angry. “It's not funny!”Glimmer shouted. “I'm sorry little one but it is quite funny. You have no idea how much Jer'rahd and I are waiting for Shin and Elusive to reach a proper age so we can give up the positions we have and retire. Jer'rahd has a calender marking down the days to Elusive's eighteenth birthday and I have one myself for Shin. While Jer'rahd is helping to train Elusive for the position I am simply letting you grow up as you like Shin. It is not as if you wouldn't be able to ask me questions through the hive mind, nor simply look back at the shared memories to find a proper way to govern any way. “Luna smirked. “ Now would you please come down here I am getting a crick in my neck.” Luna walked past them over to a pile of cushions at the edge of the play room, flopping down on them in a rather ungainly manner, still stifling a chuckle or two. Jer'rahd would love to hear about this later. Still the issue hadn't been addressed. She waited a time and neither of them seemed inclined to come down so she decided to speak. “Shin is there a particular reason you have closed yourself off to the Hive Mind?” Luna asked calmly There was a rustle at the top of the chandelier. Luna looked up again taking note that without the lights blinding her from right above her head she could see a number of cushions and boxes atop the swinging chandelier. Clearly the foals had built a fort up there for the long haul as it were. They probably had a few snacks and other things up there as well. No telling how many of Glimmer's prank toys as well. Cadence had warned her that Glimmer had been ordering from a magazine given to her by Pinkie Pie. Evidently when Pinkie and Discord foal sat last she and Glimmer had a rocky start though that had not lasted long. “I dun want to.” Shin muttered. “Care to explain why?” Luna asked. “He doesn't have to if he doesn't want to .” Glimmer shouted. Luna smirked a little. Glimmer was rather protective of her 'little' brother. Despite the fact Shin was older than her by almost two years. The little Changeling had opted to be as small and cute as he possibly could when he was in his normal; form. Something he rarely stayed in long unless he was upset. Right now he was in that form. “No he does not, but if I do not know why he has sealed himself away I cannot begin to help him.” Luna explained. “ I understand you are worried about him Glimmer, has he told you why he has closed off the Hive mind?” “........ no....” Glimmer admitted. “I see. Glimmer would you mind stepping outside with Locust. I expect she has been getting some ice cream ready.” “Bribery will get you no where!” Glimmer called out. Luna smirked. She truly was worried about her brother. With how argumentative the two often were one wouldn't think she had much compassion for the smaller foal, but her loyalty seemed unwavering when it was them against the adults. “I'm sure it wouldn't, but if Shin wouldn't tell you then perhaps he will tell me and simply doesn't want to worry you. I promise I shall not take him any where. But I do need to know. There are quite a number of Changelings who are worried about him and his silence. Sooner or later we will need to address this and I would rather it be sooner so that I can fix what ever is wrong before it becomes more serious.” Luna explains.” And next time I come I might have to bring Jer'rahd and Dawn with me.” Luna tries to hide her smile as she watched Glimmer flinch. The threat of chaos that was Dawn being brought to the otherwise orderly life of the pink pegicorn princess's place. Was bad enough, but Glimmer was still terrified of Jer'rahd for some unexplained reason. Unfortunately rather than leave her be Jer'rahd tried to make her less afraid of him, with mixed results, though usually disastrous ones. Luna didn't like having to threaten the filly, but there could be a real problem with Shin that she needed to find as soon as she could. The hive mind could be tuned out or turned off. In fact quite a number of Changelings had done just that once they learned how. The exception to this was the natural born Changelings. Few if any of them did more than tune the chatter out they were still always felt and always present in the hive mind. Even the ones that had turned the hive mind off Luna could still feel. With the exception of Shin. Being a Godling he actually had far more control and power over himself than even she as the Queen did. Granted she wasn't a natural born Changeling either, she could change forms nearly at will, but there was often a delay and she rarely got her form right on the first try if she was unfamiliar with it. Something natural borns had no issue with. There was a frenzied set of whispers up atop the chandaleer before there was a final sigh and Glimmer floated down off of the light. She fluffed her wings glaring at Luna with what likely was supposed to be a scowl, but looked more like a scrunched nose right before a sneeze. “You better not do anything or else.” Glimmer warned with a last look up at Shin before she trotted over to the door heading out slamming the thick wood door behind her. Luna sighed softly making a mental note to ask Cadence why her daughter seemed to have such a issue trusting adults. Though that was for later, now she had to get Shin to open up. “Shin would you come down here and talk to me please?” Luna asked politely using the calm voice she usually spoke to her foals with.”I cannot start to help if I do not know what is wrong.” Luna blinked in surprise as a pudgy red parrot fluttered down from the chandelier and waddled over to her shifting from a hedge hog to a particularly large stink bug and finally what Luna recognized as a blue breezy with a gold mane and antenna. She had heard that Shin was very gifted at transformation, though to finally see it before her like that was surprising. She didn't often make it to the Crystal Empire to do more than deliver her own foals for foal sitting duty. Due to Glimmers fear of Jer'rahd meant it was more often than not Tia and Twilight who watched the Crystal foals. Glimmer didn't seem fearful of Elusive though. If Jer'rahd hadn't been so upset over Glimmer being afraid of him she might have thought that he was trying to avoid foal sitting duty. As such when ever Cadence and Shining wanted to do something and needed a foal sitter She and Jer'rahd usually wound up taking more work off Twilight and Celestia to do so. Though mostly it was Jer'rahd as a Guard Captain, As Queen of the Changelings she wasn't in a position to oversee any of the Equestrian Government any more other than to simply advise Twilight. Shin moved closer flopping down on a pillow before her not meeting the taller changeling's eyes. Luna considered shifting to her smaller Pegasus form , but she didn't want to startle him any. She looked down at the holes in her hoof instead. There were three on her left leg and four on her right her rear hooves were mismatched with the same number though it was three on her right instead. She hadn't understood that. She knew why she had the holes as it was a mass versus joint issue if she took a form that had claws or fingers, but not why she wasn't symmetrical. She glanced at the little foal as he shifted again, the emerald fire of his form change was very subdue as well. Where a normal Changeling went up like a burst of green flame, his was more like a tiny wave that rippled over his form almost faster than one could blink changing him from one thing to another. He had no holes in his limbs nor any in his wings, though Luna was informed he would develop those later in life once his shell hardened. His horn was also curved like Sombra's had been rather than jagged like his mothers and Luna's now. He was the foal of a Unicorn turned Changeling and a Half Dragon. There really was no telling what he might be able to do when he was older even before taking into account his godhood. “ I dun wanna be a changeling any more.” Shin stated suddenly causing Luna's ears to perk up in concern. “And why is that?” Luna asked calmly, hoping for him to open up more. He was barely seven and this was a rather shocking thing to have come up at such a young age. Granted it was also rather new for her, despite the number of foals she had cared for , none of them had wished they were something else, unless one counts the one time Berry wanted to keep being a spider after that one April Foals day. A Changeling could be anything and yet still be a Changeling. To not want to be one at all, particularly for one who has never been anything else was worrying. “They're afraid of me. I don't want any one to be afraid of me.” Shin muttered. “Who is?”Luna questioned. “Nearly every one...... I can feel them being scared, I can hear them talk. They're afraid I'll be like my real mom or dad. I've remembered what they did, what every one said about them. There's ones who want to get rid of me to prevent that from happening.” Shin continued. Outside Luna remained calm as she watched Shin and let him talk. For once she was glad that Shin had disconnected himself from the hive mind as it had taken her seconds to recall who and what had been discussed by the others. She was currently being very invasive and very loud in these individuals minds instructing them what 'was' and 'was not' appropriate in a hive mind that had a large number of Changeling foals attached to it. The proper term was Larva or Pupa, but she was too angry to care about the details at the moment. Luna made quite sure the offenders knew the next time they spoke threats or something inappropriate in front of foals, the results would not be pleasant in the slightest for them. It wasn't often that Luna forced any of the remaining Changelings to do anything since she had set out to awaken them all. That she was mentally coming down on some of them like a hurricane made the whole hive take notice. Even if she didn't remind those few of what they did, many others would. “Is that why you turned off the hive mind?” Luna asked calmly. Shin watched her clearly worried about the flash of anger he felt, though that emotion was rapidly cooling and it didn't seem directed at him. He nodded slightly.”After I went looking though memories and found out what they did and why every one was afraid of them.” Luna frowned reaching out and pulling the pink bunny into her fore hooves, the Changeling God was surprised to the point he lost his form and reverted to the normal black carapaced foal he was. Luna hugged him rather tightly to her realizing what he must have seen. All the death and destruction those two caused, all the suffering over the course of their lives.... “Did you recall all of it? Even the time of your mothers life when she was Crystal? When she ruled the Crystal Empire? The good she did then, the friends she made? Everyone only focuses on what evils your parents did, because that's all that they can remember. Changelings can remember more. We can access the hive mind and recall histories that many have completely forgotten or most forget existed all the way back to the race's creation by Starswirl. Your mother went bad yes, but she was not always that way, and she only went bad because she was tricked by some one far worse than she was.” “My Grandmother.” Shin muttered. Oh buck he did go all the way back, Luna thought. “You watched her history too..........” “And Grandpa Forgescale's.” Shin shuddered.”He was big, but nice until grandma turned on him too.” Shin added. Luna blinked before realizing that there had been no Changelings around during the Dragon Wars. Her own memories only added what she knew and saw and she had no contact with Forgescale until the end of the first war. “Then there was my half brother Silver Claw..... Every one in my family has gone bad........ Why wouldn't I?” Shin pouts.” Least if I wasn't a Changeling I couldn't do as much.” A number of things clicked for Luna at that and she realized that the foal was far smarter than he should be. With as deep as he delved into the hive mind she expected he was horrified by much of what had been seen. “Not every one Shin. You are related to Jer'rahd..... Distantly, but you are. You are also related to Bleu as well. “Two of the five beasts of the moon that helped nearly destroy Equestria a thousand years ago........” Shin stated dejectedly forcing Luna to roll her eyes. “Who also turned around and helped save Equss at least twice since. Your mother also founded the Crystal Empire and beat Tirek the first time. She was largely responsible for the end of the three tribes era of pony history, was a primary force for good in the Celestial Crisis. Your father took out a band of Dragon marauders who were attacking the Crystal Empire to be it's first Emperor when he married you mother. Forgescale was one of the six directly responsible for the end of the Celestial Crisis and it was through him that ponies had the best relationship with Dragons that they have had until recently. A development brought about by Spike and Bleu. Now then are we done with the history lesson? Because all you are pointing out to me is that you can learn from past mistakes and not make them yourself.” Luna looked down at the small Changeling in her forelegs. He was still being pouty. “You are worried about turning bad, I was told once that because I worried about that so much about turning bad it was less likely to happen. So far it's proven true since I was told that. It's still something I worry about though. I did a number of bad things in the past and I have been doing my best to even now atone for them, despite the fact everyone says they have forgiven me.” “I don't like any one not liking me. I didn't do anything wrong...” Luna sighed.” You and me both buggy.....” “You're buggier than me....” Shin fussed. “Yes, but that's what Dawn calls you and it fits, because everything seems to bug you..” Luna grinned a little poking at Shin's nose with a wing. “Any way you can't make every one like you . Some are simply going to not like you for no real reason. It's the way of things. We can't change that.” “I could give them some of my toys …..” “While very generous of you buggy I doubt it would work.” “But they are good toys...” “I'm sure they are but some creatures don't need a reason to dislike some one. And others might only pretend to dislike you so they can get your toys once they find out you give them away. Before long you won't have any left. While it is good to be generous, try not to give more of yourself than you can spare. Your Auntie Twilight has several stories of her friends who did just that.“ Luna stated before trying to steer everything back on topic.” You have the memories of thousands of years that you can access, you will have an entire race of Changelings that you can ask for help. You've got your parents Shining and Cadence to help you, you have your friends Talon , Rynthia, Dawn and Elusive, and then you have a very protective sister as well. Those who are fearful of what you will grow up to be because of who your parents were clearly cannot see how many care for you and want you to do well. Everything shapes you guides you along. You will make mistakes ,but you will have others around you to help you recover from them. No matter how big...” Luna trails off at the last and is silent for a few moments remembering her own mistakes. “You needn't shut yourself away if you need to I will always be in reach if you choose. It's fine if you want to remain disconnected from the hive mind for a while. I think it gets too much use as is. The shared memories are a tool however, one that you should use. Except to cheat on your studies. Don't do that.” Luna grinned as Shin huffed in annoyance.” Everything you learn will be added to these shared memories so the more knowledge you gather the better.” “I need to add more good memories.” Shin muttered. “There you are. I see you have a goal now. There will come a time when you are ready to deal things on your own, but that won't be for a long time. You have a good while before you need to worry about anything beyond the issues of being a seven year old. If somethings bothering you again though . Please let me know, you worried quite a few of us when you cut yourself off from the hive mind with no warning like that. At least let me know before you do something like that again so I can let them know you are still alright. “Okay........ “ “What's this? Trying to horn in on my territory now Luna?” A voice stated from the door. Luna and Shin both look up to see Cadence sauntering over to them a half smirk on her muzzle and a smaller pink pegicorn nestled between her wings. Luna rolls her eyes as Shin giggled. “No thank you Cadence. I already have a far too smart little striped puff ball, a little orange and gray whirlwind of trouble and a larger orange and gray whirl wind of trouble to deal with. As cute as he is I'm quite content just to visit.” “Well that's good to know. Did you figure out what was wrong?” Cadence asked a little quieter. “Hopefully.” Luna shrugged as Cadence lifted the little Changeling from out of her forelegs raising an eyebrow as Shin turned into a blue duck. “Well then. If I heard Glimmer correctly You promised ice cream.” Cadence smirked. “I suppose I did but I expected you had some here.” Luna admitted. “Nope so we have to go to 143 flavors. They have seven locations up here now with a eighth on the way.”Cadence chimes. “Cadence last time we went there you ate at least the entirety of twenty six of those flavors by yourself.” Luna grumbled getting to her hooves as Shin scrambles onto Cadence's back next to Glimmer. “I can help.” Shin stated. “ I have some bits. “Oh why thank you Shin...” Luna begins. “But not enough to cover as much as mommy would eat and you told me not to give everything.........” Shin continued with a grin getting a glare from Luna. “Why you little smart alec. You've been hanging out with Rynthia and Dawn too much, you're too cute to be this snarky.. Using my own words against me like that.” Luna pouted looking down at Shin perched on Cadence's back. “Fine.... but you get to explain to Auntie Tia why my food expenses were so high on this trip.” ==================================================== [Crystal Empire] “You could have woken me up Pippy. I would have told you I lent out the book.” Berry stated through a mouth full of toast with raspberry jam on it. Granted it was more jam than toast, but Pip wasn't going to say anything. “We tried.” Scootaloo stated with a roll of her eyes. “If Pip hadn't figured out to just reset your alarm clock we would have never gotten you up. Why do you think you woke up in the bath tub soaked in freezing cold water?” “Wouldn't be the first time.” Berry shrugged. “ At least it wasn't because I was on fire this time.” “What?” Pip blinked. “Don't ask. I'll just say there's a reason I have my own bed now and why Berry doesn't wear any perfume.” Beryl stated eating his own jam covered piece of toast, though his was more crushed gemstones than jam or toast. He was also wearing more of the jam than was actually going in his mouth. “So what's all this about any way. I expected a visit, but not until the end of your trip. Figured you two would finally be trying to get some alone time while Mom and Mr. Soarin weren't here.” Berry muttered licking her lips. “We tried... and once again we got caught up in something. Hence why we were after some one who might know about dream magic. “ Scootaloo muttered. “ We've got reason to believe there's a living nightmare or something running around. We interviewed a few ponies and the ones that could recall their dreams all described the same gray Draconian alicorn looking figure. Too many to be a coincidence.” “Given how easy it is to find some one who's had trouble sleeping, and how willing ponies are to talk to a 'prince' about their troubles...” Pip grumbled. “ We only had to spend a few hours before we managed to get that much data.” “ Hmmm Dream magics not a very popular field of study. Too many variables, every time you go to sleep you usually need to rebuild everything anew. We had a instructor for it last year but with the low turn out for her class and the fact most were just using it as filler credit where they could take a nap the class was canceled and Professor Kelp went back home. She wasn't doing to good up here during the winter time any way. Wasn't that the cold bothered her, it was more that the rivers and school pool all froze over. The little tank she had couldn't have been comfortable to stay in for months at a time.” “Lovely so another dead end.”Pip sighed. “Seems it. I took her class but there wasn't anything she could have taught me that mom already hasn't. The dream realm is connected to the magic realm which is connected to the spirit realm. Basically the three of them are like sheets of paper. Separate, but if you press to hard with your pen the ink will bleed through into the next realm and there can be holes poked in it and the analogy kinda breaks down from there.” Berry lectured. “ Basically the place the dead go can be reached by the realm unicorns can tap into with certain spells and with the trifecta. They're called the Dream, Astral and Tartarus relm's accordingly. Granted those names are only a recent thing put forth by Princess Twilight Sparkle. She's the first and foremost expert in other realms. In a nut shell what ever is causing these dreams could be from any of the three realms. It could also be something that some one has had a reoccurring nightmare about over and over again that simply escaped. The dream realm is weird.” “Lets for now just assume what ever it is the latter. As that's the only thing we can effect. How do we deal with that?” Pip questioned. “Beats me. I'd say the first step would be to find the dreamer. Taking them out, or getting them therapy might stop the night mare or it might be fully free of them now and anything doe to the dreamer would be pointless. This is more a philosophy majors thing than mine. I practice theoretical science and magic with a primary focus on crystals. You want some one to tell you how many faucets a gem needs to amplify a meta magic limiter in order to block a unicorn spell of at least level three I can tell you that. It's seventeen by the way. But how to find and stop nightmares? Way out of my league.” “So mom didn't teach you anything different than what she showed me?” Pip asked. “I doubt it. I know how to block travelers out of my dreams and I can go lucid in them if I want to. But past that nada. Though that dream blocking has proven very useful for keeping Mom and Auntie Twilight from surprising me in my sleep.” “I expect so. Wouldn't want them to know about the colt who's picture is on your dresser.” Scootaloo stated off hoof. Berry paled and Pip looked confused for a moment before he narrowed his eyes at Scootaloo who simply smirked. Beryl simply looked amused. “I warned you some one would find out.” Beryl chuckled, his long tongue lapping most of the jam from his face. “Scootaloo I will say this once. If you tell Dad about that picture, I will personally find a way to make the short time you will have left of your life very very horrid.” Berry nearly growls. “Big talk. I've been threatened worse by ponies that I believed more.” Scootaloo grinned back at her. Berry's eyes narrow as she glared at the orange Pegasus.” What do you want?” “An explanation?” Pip asked. “Seriously do you need one brother? After how Mom treats Scootaloo and how Dad treated every pony even remotely interested in Orange?” “Point.” Pip shrugged. “So who is he?” “Don't you dare go big brother on him Pip..... I swear......” Berry started before Beryl spoke up. “His name's Trevor. He lives in New Canterlot and is a member of Princess Celestia school for gifted individuals.” Beryl commented. “TRAITOR!” Berry cried out. “Doesn't ring a bell.” Pip shrugged. “But I don't keep up with local academic news. Wouldn't take much to find records though.” “No need I gotcha covered Pippy. He's one of the top students in most of his classes. Hatched a Dragon egg, one of the old ones every pony thought was dead. Has a fairly high interest in magical theory. He's four years younger than Berry, but they worked together on a few projects before she came up here. He's still got a couple years of primary school left. The two of them still send letters though and lemmi tell you, for such a brainy pony Berry can get reaaaaal gushy in those letters.” “Oooh robbing the cradle...” Scootaloo chimed in, ducking quickly as Berry threw a slice of toast at her. “Total mommas colt though. Won't do anything with out her permission. He's freaking out almost every letter worried she might read it. Mothers a bit of a issue, very hovery. She tries not to be but does it any way. She;'s a nice enough mare though. She lives down in Ponyville. “ “How do you know all this? Berry didn't hatch you until graduation.”Pip asked. “Read her diary, she keeps all the letters in there too, cheap lock. For a sugar diamond I'll recite you some of the less clean parts.” Beryl stated. “BERYL!!” Berry screamed out, leaping over the table and tackling the dragonling. “Arrrgh!! Halp, Halp Guards!! I'm being killed.! Avenge me!!!” Beryl cries out as Berry tries to silence the squirming jam covered dragonling. Pip sighed looking over at Scootaloo. “What are you trying to do here?” “Simple Pip. If Berry asks for a research Guard for field studies while we are here given she's royalty of sorts, the highest ranked soldiers get picked for the duty. But first they will ask for volunteers. We volunteer, Berry stays here and we run off some where on our own for a few weeks.” Scootaloo explained. “Not bad. But we need to figure out this dream thing first. And you better apologize for digging through her dresser to find that photo, she will figure out she didn't leave it in the open.” Pip whispers. “Please, whats the worse she could do?” Scootaloo grinned. “ Besides you told me to look.” “For something to try and wake her, not blackmail dirt. Berry's smart, magically gifted and thought the April Foal's day incident Da pulled was the funniest thing ever done by anyone ever. “Pip stated flatly. “She's powerful enough that she sucker punched the real Tirek through half the castle and she also takes after Da a little too much in her mind set when things upset her. Not to mention she can get Da to do nearly anything she wants and do you really want both my parents on your case?” Scootaloo blinks considering that before paling a little.” Right, apology forthcoming....”