//------------------------------//
// Chapter 04 
// Story: The Broken Toy 
// by DarkKnight_RUS 
//------------------------------//





When they returned to Vic's apartment, Lyra decided to try to have some more fun with technology. While Vic was busy making tea, Lyra dressed back in her tunic, let her mane down and settled comfortably on the couch in the living room.
 
"Visor, on," the unicorn said, recalling Vic's words about voice-controlled appliances, then added meekly, "please…"
 
"Select channel," inquired the system's artificial voice, startling the pony.
 
The unicorn bolted upward. It was strange to talk to thin air. It was just like magic.
 
"Uhm… some… something… fun?" Lyra replied.
 
A well-kept lawn resembling a schoolyard appeared on the screen. It looked even more so when a dark-haired boy came into view. He wore jeans, a cap and a T-shirt. As he walked, the camera followed him, and other kids flashed in the background.
 
The boy cried into an old-fashioned mic clutched in his hand. "This is Ash, and today we're reporting from the White City's own Gamma District School friendlies! Welcome to the ‘Pokémon Arena!’"
 
He stretched out his words ceremoniously. The spectators broke into resounding applause, and holograms flashed in the background, replacing the school stadium with the illusion of a huge arena.
 
The young show host continued, "Our first contestants are Thomas Groß and the steady audience favorite, Pikachu!"
 
The applause roared again, and the camera turned to a scrawny curly-haired boy dressed in a dazzling white shirt and a tie clipped with a lightning bolt pin. A small yellow creature with pointy ears was bouncing impatiently near him, squeaking furiously.
 
The frame switched back to the host again as he reached out his hand to the other side.  
 
"And their opponents—Harry Carpenter and Ekans, the two-time champions of Gamma District School!"
 
The view shifted to the other side of the arena. A black boy stood there, a wicked grin on his face. He was dressed in jeans and a hoodie, and held a snake. Barely restrained violence boiled beneath the snake's calm demeanor.
 
"Let's hear what the contestants have to say!" the host exclaimed. The camera panned to a close-up of the yellow creature's owner.
 
"Pikachu always wins!" the boy stated confidently. "That's what the show's taught me, and mine's never let me down!"
 
The picture shifted back to the host. He nodded and gestured to the serpent's owner, the camera following the motion.
 
"Ekans has already defeated Pikachu," he said. "Not this one, but others. Four of them. Piece of cake."
 
Lyra smiled. This was something familiar in an alien world. She loved sports, and not just from a spectator's seat. She had participated in the Running of the Leaves and a triathlon or two in Equestria, and was even somewhat skilled in the unicorn martial art, "The Path of Tranquility." Not that she thought of it as a sport; it was not an art of body control, but magical prowess. Alas, she could not pursue it anymore: her telekinesis was pretty weak in this world, hardly fit for combat. Lyra enveloped a cookie from the jar on the table in a magical glow and brought it to her mouth.
 
It was wildly exciting to watch the top-notch aerobatics of pegasi or the plain but immensely exhausting earth pony races. I wonder which kind of sport the kids with these funny creatures are going to compete in?
 
As if to reply to her thought, the music roared and the host exclaimed, "Let the battle begi-i-i-in!!!"
 
The camera zoomed in on the combatants.
 
Lyra could not believe her eyes. The almost seven feet long snake attacked the tiny yellow creature.
 
"Pikachu!" the squeaking furball cried time and again.
 
"Eka-a-a-an-s-s-s!" the snake hissed in reply.
 
At that, the fighters traded blows. Lyra would bet anything that the little furball was doomed. Worn out by the lashing tail blows, suffering from the bites, it could hardly evade the ceaseless attacks.
 
The camera switched to the faces of the young owners. Lyra saw their excitement and ardor but not even a hint of sympathy.
 
Finally, the serpent managed to coil around its little furry opponent. Pikachu was struggling desperately, trying to claw and bite its way out of the deadly grip, but all its attacks didn't even scratch Ekans' thick scales.
 
But when the serpent was about to deliver the final blow, the yellow creature suddenly lit up with a bright flash of unknown magic. The serpent's angry hiss turned into a painful shriek. With a clap of thunder, a blazing ball of lightning engulfed the tangled fighters.
 
When the flash subsided, it was the serpent who was vanquished. It lay on the ground convulsing, body twitching with residual discharges, eyes rolled into its head.
 
Lyra watched in horror as the masters rushed up to their beaten, bloody pets.
 
What's going on? These poor creatures are in dire need of medical attention, stat! Lyra thought, panic rising inside her.
 
"Pika… Pika-chuu!" the furball squeaked, getting weaker by the second. "Pi…chu!"
 
As if not noticing its suffering, the master hugged his pet tightly, staining his white shirt. 
 
"I love you too, Pikachu!" he cried.
 
"…What are you're watching?" asked Vic, stepping into the room.
 
A grav tray hovered before him. Vic gestured to the coffee table, and the smart house system guided it there.
 
Victor cast a look at the visor screen and grimaced.
 
"Uhm, what nonsense. I mean, it's a kids show, you know."
 
"I don't understand. Who are these…" Lyra mumbled.
 
"These are pocket monsters. They are created for the sole purpose of fighting each other in tournaments to earn badges for their masters."
 
I wonder how absurd that sounded for her, Vic thought.
 
Lyra's huge eyes stared at him, uncomprehending and grief-stricken.
 
"But… but why?" the unicorn asked, her voice faltering, as a new fight was unfolding on the screen. "Suppose they are monsters, they're still living beings… why were they created? Look how they suffer! They're screaming in agony! What kind of entertainment is this, watching somebody writhe in pain?"
 
"Some people enjoy it," Vic grumbled in embarrassment, then hastily added, "I don't."
 
Lyra took the man's hand into her hooves and looked up at him plaintively. Her ears pinned back affectingly, the unicorn asked, "Does this boy not realize his pet is going to die?"
 
Vic tried to explain it. "Look, I don't know all the fine points, but here's the gist of it. These monsters, these… pokémons, are bred specifically for the arena. Did you see the orbs those kids were holding?"
 
Lyra nodded in response. A spark of curiosity shone through her eyes.
 
"Well, those things are called pokéballs, if I recall correctly. They work as pokémon control modules. Pokémons aren't actually conscious during the fight. At that time they are controlled by their owners. Trust me, Pikachu's going to be fine. It'll be healed in a few minutes after its young master carries it to the school medical block."
 
"Goodness gracious!" Lyra exclaimed. "And you let children do this? And for what? Badges? Trinkets?"
 
Vic shrugged and said, "Well, I told you this show was nonsensical." 
 
"This show isn't nonsensical! It's atrocious!"
 
"Visor, National Geographic," Vic commanded, and the picture of the chirping host was replaced with a majestic mountain landscape. "Unfortunately, there are too many… bad things happening in the world. I'll explain some before long. I just need to prepare. Until then, don't let it go to your head, okay?"
 
Lyra felt perplexed. She was dying of curiosity to see how many more puzzling facets humankind had yet to show. Her fear was slowly fading. Yes, this is savagery from a pony's standpoint. But, considering the human omnivority, it doesn't seem all that bad. After all, pegasi hold martial arts tournaments in Cloudsdale. Maybe this monster arena is also an integral part of human culture, Lyra thought.
 
Moreover, the unicorn desperately wanted to trust Vic, the first human she had met in this novel world.
 
Lyra forced a smile.
 
"All right. Although I still don't get it why you bother with me…"
 
Victor scratched Lyra behind her ears. The pony giggled shyly, her eyes half-closed in pleasure. Then, suddenly, she rose on her hind legs right on the couch and folded her front legs around the man.
 
Her soft muzzle touched his face.
 
Lyra gave Vic's cheek a friendly nuzzle and noticed him blush. Giggling again, she returned to the couch and said, "Thank you for all your effort. Now, how about some tea?"
 
Victor nodded and sat down beside her.
 
As the night slowly took the reins from the sun, the VR system remained unused for the first time in years.
 
***
 
That night, Victor was awakened by a rustling sound from the kitchen. He carefully left the bed and put on a bathrobe. His feet bare, he walked through the corridor making no sound.
 
He gingerly peeked through the doorway, and what he saw almost made him laugh out loud.
 
He and Lyra had decided that they would go to bed early and spend the next day exploring the city. After the incident at the opera, Victor wanted to show the unicorn something more decent, like the National Natural History Museum, the Geneva spaceport or the cyclopean Galaxy-Plaza entertainment complex.
 
The pony refused dinner, having stuffed herself full with sweets and pastries… Well, it seems that was her mistake.
 
Dressed in a tunic and soft socks, the unicorn stood by the fridge, a half-eaten cake froze in her telekinetic grasp. She stared at the parted door, eyes wide open.
 
"Itf not what you are finkin!" she blurted out, "These… pokébones freaked me out! And besides, you should have knocked! You said it yourself!"
 
Lyra looked so touchingly cute with a piece of cake near her mouth that Vic couldn't help smiling.
 
"What?" she said after a few seconds, the cake finished and her nose stained with cream.
 
Victor glanced once again, and finally cracked.
 
"You have a real sweet tooth!" he let out. "You've got no idea how… cute you are!"
 
"Am not!" protested the pony, stomping her hoof. "And besides, pastries go straight to your flanks. And on top of that, it's just one itsy bitsy little cake!"
 
"You're welcome," Vic reassured her. "Don't worry, I bought it for you anyway."
 
"Really?"
 
"Yes really," he nodded. "And as for the fat flank, tomorrow we can go to a gym or a dancing class."
 
The unicorn chuckled, spraying the cake around.
 
A small drone carefully crept out from its burrow and started to clean the floor.
 
"Thank you." She smiled.
 
"Good night, Lyra," said Victor, about to leave.
 
"Vic…"
 
The man stopped mid-turn and gave the pony a puzzled look.
 
"You're so kind, taking care of me… thank you," she whispered. He could see her blush even through the unlit kitchen.
 
"Don't mention it," said Victor, his heart melting. "I'm just happy that you came into my life."
 
Having said that, he went back to bed. He heard the sound of the fridge door opening and some faint words along the lines of "just one more…."

* * *
 
Victor stretched, woken up by the morning sunshine. His heart was light.
 
I still can't get used to this feeling of serenity.
 
The crack of a whip came from the living room, followed by a muffled moan.
 
Victor sprang to his feet and dashed to the rescue in his pajamas.
 
Has someone broken into the apartment? Impossible, it's floor 200…ish… but why does it sound like something very wrong is happening?
 
"You are a bad, bad filly!" boomed a voice from the room, mixing with the sounds of whimpers and lashing blows.
 
Vic's heart skipped a beat. He threw the door open, ready to rip the one who dared lay their finger on Lyra apart with his own bare hands. She was so happy and carefree just yesterday!
 
Lyra was alone.
 
The holoscreen floated close to the ceiling. Victor glanced there and stifled a groan.
 
Lyra was a pity to behold. She cowered under the blanket she had pulled up to her eyes and whimpered as she watched the scene play out.
 
On the screen there was a yellow pegasus pony with a pink mane. She was a synthet, of course, but it had little meaning whatsoever. For Lyra it was a scene of utter horror, with a timid Fluttershy, two humans and lots of leather and steel instruments.
 
Each strike of the whip scourged the yellow coat and made Lyra shiver. She felt like it was her on the receiving end, in the hands of tormentors… her golden eyes, wide with terror, streamed tears down her muzzle.
 
"Visor, off!" Victor ordered, though he realized it was far too late. There was no going back now.
 
The screen blinked off and silence fell over the room. The only sound left was Lyra's quiet weeping.
 
Vic's heart sank. Drunk with happiness, he had absent-mindedly forgotten to turn the visor's parental control on. This was the reckoning.
 
He came up to the couch and whispered, "Lyra…"
 
Weeping grew into sobs. The pony curled into a ball with her back turned, and shuddered. The lack of answer was the worst of all.
 
Vic risked reaching out and touching the unicorn gently, but that blew her fuse.
 
"Don't touch me!" she screamed, jumping off the couch. "Keep your hands off me!"
 
Despair crept up his heart. He watched Lyra back away from him and didn't know what to do. What's going to happen now? Is it a behavioral program glitch? Or will Lyra refuse to associate with me? Or anyone at all?
 
"Lyra…" Vic repeated helplessly, but the pony's hysteria was in full swing.
 
"This is what you need me for, yeah?!" she cried, pointing to the visor screen. "For this?!"
 
Lyra didn't have any sleepwear on. She now stood shaking, trying to wrap herself in a blanket in fitful fruitless attempts. Telekinesis failed her: the stubborn cloth wouldn't do the right thing.
 
"No no no," the man tried to object and made another step forward, "this is not what—"
 
"Not what I'm thinking?!" the pony cut in and retreated yet another step, backing away to the door. "Don't touch! Stay away from me!"
 
"Lyra, please, listen…"
 
"I don't wanna hear it!"
 
Having screamed that, the unicorn galloped through the open door, dropping the blanket. The clatter of her hooves ended in the bathroom. She slammed the door shut and locked herself inside.
 
Silence settled in, occasionally pierced by despaired sobs.
 
This is it. This is when she is going to glitch. How did she even manage to find this? What channel is it? Oh, for the love of… It's bloody "PonyPlay'X," she just searched for "pony play!" Freaking bastards! Damn. Blast it. This is all my fault. Victor's shock was slowly turning into numbness.
 
He slid down the wall next to the bathroom door. Every sob was like a nail piercing his heart. It would have been a piece of cake to forcefully open the door or override the lock by voice control, but he didn't even consider it. When the sobbing on the other side started to run dry, he decided to speak once again.
 
"Lyra, allow me to explain…."
 
After a long pause, she answered, "Vic. You're… not going to do such… things to me. Right?"
 
"Never," he assured her instantly, "not in a million years."
 
"Promise?"
 
"Promise."
 
The lock clicked. Vic got up and opened the door. Lyra was sitting on the floor, a small puddle of tears having formed on the bathroom tiles beside her.
 
The man knelt before the pony. He wished to hug her, but was afraid to destroy that narrow bridge of trust thrown across the gap between them.
 
"Tell me this wasn't for real," the pony asked quietly, even though she knew what his answer would be.
 
"Lyra," Victor replied, squeezing out every word, "now I'm going to acquaint you with the other side of our world… I intended to do it later, but it seems I have to now. Otherwise, you probably would not understand what happened.
 
"You see, the human nature is such that destruction is an integral part of civilization. What's more, most people don't really care about one another. They only care about themselves, about how to get their pockets full and their base needs sated. And they go to any length to pursue their ends, no matter the cost.
 
"Also, nowadays there are many creatures living side by side with humans. They are supposed to bring us love and affection, but some of them are victimized by some particularly bad people.
 
"Many of us try to stand up for them, but the world is still often cruel and unfair…."
 
They talked for quite a while.
 
"I didn't want to tell you this so soon, Lyra," repeated Vic, "but there was no choice left for me. Only the truth could repair the damage, so here it is. This is how human society works. I seem to have told you about bronies, whose ranks I've recently joined. You know, the people who like little ponies. Most of them are nice guys. Sometimes they act weird, but the magic of friendship has firmly settled in our hearts. And I implore you to give us a chance. We could visit a brony club tonight. You would meet both people and ponies. You can ask ponies in case you’ve lost faith in us. Deal?"
 
An uncertain smile grew on Lyra's tear-stained muzzle.
 
"Okay…" the pony said softly.
 
Victor let out a sigh of relief.
 
The pony sniffed and stretched out her front leg. The man smiled and bumped his fist against the outstretched hoof.
 
* * *
 
To distract Lyra from her gloomy thoughts, Victor piloted his flyer around the central district of the Spires. Lyra even smiled looking at the majestic buildings which propped up the sky like white needles, their polished facets glittering in the light of the morning sun. Peeking at her in the rear view screen, Vic mentally gave a sigh of relief.
 
Soon the flyer left the downtown area and headed for a quiet suburb close to the Northern hyperloop line. The number and length of the trains also impressed Lyra, but all of a sudden she forgot all the questions she was going to ask.
 
A huge cigar-shaped stratoliner floated across the sky, heading to the main airport. Its long shadow slowly crept over the city, covering whole blocks. Lyra could not take her eyes off the gargantuan machine even though she had already seen such things on visor.
 
"I couldn't imagine they are so… big," she said with a giggle. "Someone's definitely making up for something."
 
Victor gave an uncertain chuckle. It seemed like all the technological wonders made Lyra forget about the things she had seen recently. At least, he hoped so. He intentionally plotted a course past the main airport, the sea harbor, the industrial area, the power plants, the business district and the central park.
 
Judging by the gleam in her eyes, she'd left behind her fears, at least for the moment.
 
Their final destination, however, wasn't the great shining spires of the White City far above; it was the small, hologram-decorated building of the Solaire Club, barely visible from the air.
 
The club holograms had recently been updated. The new glowing signboard boasted a stylized image of a boat riding the waves. On the boat's deck stood figures of a man and a pony.
 
The building itself was ordinary, but now Victor could see that the club was designed to resemble Canterlot Castle. Holograms of plasterwork and waterfalls, which Vic hadn't noticed before, completed its fairytale atmosphere. Vic realized he had never entered the club from the front door yet. On the sides of a wide staircase stood statues of rearing alicorns, and the door was decorated with the flag of Equestria.
 
Lyra met his gaze and smiled shyly. She clearly felt better being in familiar surroundings.
 
Having descended from the Spires, Vic felt like he'd stepped a century into the past. The streets here were divided into a sidewalk and a roadway; wheeled transport was still very common outside White City. Garbage that hadn't made it to recycling was scattered here and there. The street lights, piercing through the enormous shadow of the White City, were dim… except for the advertising banners.
 
Victor had already warned his friends he would bring his pony that noon, so that they asked one of the Pinkies to throw a party. He decided not to mention the PonyPlay channel issue for now.
 
The main hall greeted them with dimmed lights and silence. Vague outlines could be seen in the darkness, and ominous shuffling surrounded them.
 
Lyra giggled, "This reminds me of that time in Ponyville, when we arranged a…"
 
"SURPRISE!!!" boomed a chorus of voices.
 
The lights turned on. The main hall was filled with people and ponies.
 
Under the "Welcome, Lyra!" banner, in the middle of the hall, bounced… no, not a Pinkie Pie, like Victor was expecting, though all four of the club's pink ponies were there too. The partymeister's crown rested on the head of a white pegasus with purple eyes and a blonde stack of unruly curls.
 
The blonde pegasus rushed to the newcomers and announced in a loud theatrical whisper, drawing them in with her hooves: "You are thinking 'why isn't a Pinkie organizing the party'! Well, I'll tell ya!
 
“Once there were so many Pinkies at the club, they ended up bickering which of them should entertain the others. Then a white pony named Surprise—that's me, nice to meet you—joined them, and thought it would be great to make partymeister a rotating position! So everyone can be a partymeister! Just in shifts. And today is Surprise's shift! And that's me! Nice to meet you too!"
 
Serge Troyanovsky, the chairman of the club, coughed politely to stop the rushing flow of the partymeister's speech and announced, "Let's welcome Victor Stewart, one of our newcomers, who was brave enough to take in Lyra Heartstrings!"
 
People and ponies in the hall burst into rapturous cheers, applause and stomping.
 
Lyra turned her head to Victor to ask what he meant by "brave enough," but Surprise flew up to the door, and handed each one a glass of punch to get them started.
 
"Help yourselves!" she commanded with a wide smile. "We are always glad to make new friends!"
 
When the greetings were finally over, the party began in earnest, thanks to four Pinkies and one Surprise whirling like a tornado. Victor always felt a little uncomfortable on such occasions; however, he was soon dragged from Lyra by his VR friends.
 
Vic hadn't been to the club for a while, except for some occasional virtual visits. He didn't want to admit it, but he still held a grudge against Pinkie Pie McGee for her prank. It wasn't that Vic had regrets about anything, no—but the carefree attitude, of how the pink pony played him, hurt the man. What if someone really fell in love with that mischievous lass from the Net? Pinkie would break someone's heart without ever noticing.
 
Sometimes the pink ponies' carelessness seemed to be just criminal. Especially McGee's. Other Pinkies did not indulge themselves in such thoughtless behavior. Her owner, Timothy McGee, a real piece of work on his own, did nothing about it, silently encouraging her pranks. However, it was considered to be in bad taste to refuse to come to the club in person with your new pony.
 
Vic looked around. He wanted to see Steven to finally thank him personally for the silver lining to the mediocrity of his existence.
 
"Glad you finally befriended a real pony," Zelda Miras said, approaching him with a springy step. She stopped next to him and looked at Lyra. Zelda's fingers touched a cloud-shaped medallion with a rainbow lightning bolt on her neck.
 
"Ah, hello, Zelda," Vic said. "I, ahem, guess my time had come, so to speak. Heh."
 
How does she manage to startle me every time? he thought. What a gal. So gusty. How can a person be so slender and muscular at the same time? She's more rainbowy and dashy than her pegasus.
 
"So you made up your mind at last?" she asked, throwing back an unruly strand of blue hair from her forehead.
 
Vic shrugged. Truth be told, he had no idea why he finally made that purchase after a whole month of doubt. Everyone came to this at their own time, though. Some preferred not to own a real pony at all, limiting themselves to MLP-related content.
 
"You know Lyras are glitchy, right? So what's your plan?" she asked.
 
"To be careful," the man said, frowning. He immediately recalled the incident from this morning.
 
Vic was saved from this unpleasant conversation by another brony, Shannon McStout, accompanied by Big Macintosh. The red stallion chewed on something and seemed to pay little attention to the environment. However, everyone had long been used to him doing so. They knew Mac was just shy and didn't usually talk first.
 
"Hi, Vic!" said Shannon and shook his hand, "Thanks for bringing Lyra to the club. Lyra Heartstrings Stewart, how cute!"
 
As far as Victor knew, it was very hard to distinguish twin synthets. The rule of thumb was to add their masters' last names to their full names during registration. Also, bronies did their best not to dress them in the same clothes. The pastel colored horses were aware of this, and swapped their clothes to prank their owners. Pinkie Pies especially loved such pranks, since they accepted the existence of their "other selves" easier than others.
 
The Mirror Pool was the perfect excuse for doubles. It was hard to question it, at least for those ponies whose behavioral program had the "EQ" index.
 
"You don't have to use my surname," Victor replied, "There's no other Lyra in the club, right?"
 
"I remember Cynthia had one," Zelda replied, "but she moved to West Side a long time ago, so that doesn't count. I heard her Lyra's program caught a glitch. Don't know what happened to her."
 
"Hey, just look how excited the guys are!" Shannon said, a smile on her face.
 
Victor rejoiced that the conversation had shifted from a slippery topic. Looking at where his friend pointed, he saw the flustered and blushing unicorn surrounded by the club members. They bombarded her with questions.
 
He overheard strands of conversation: "…like our world?", "would you want to have hands?", "…make a pass at you? Just say the word, and we'll…"
 
Rainbow Dash dove down from the ceiling, deftly landing on all fours. Judging by her T-shirt and a baseball cap with a university logo, she was definitely Zelda's friend. Besides, it was a rare case for a rainbow-colored pegasus to wear a skirt: usually all Rainbows preferred sportswear that didn't constrain movements.
 
Zelda smiled and ruffled the pony's already dishevelled mane. "Hey, grab some juice, Dee!"
 
Dash wriggled out from under the caressing palm and stuck out her tongue. No rainbow pegasus liked the "pony-mushy stuff," though they never got angry about it for real.
 
"Na-ah," she said. "Today Dash Troyanovsky called me out to a height contest. Tomorrow, in the country. Will you come to witness my awesomeness?"
 
"You bet!" Zelda said, giving her a brohoof.
 
They are madly similar, just like twins, Victor thought. Same gestures, striking resemblance in appearance. And their eyes have that gleam when they are together. 
 
Vic smiled. Less than half a year had passed since his following the advice of Steven Aguilar and watching the first episode of the show. It was an instant hook, just like with all those people. Grown-up people, often with families, most of them from White City. What was that special something each brony found in a centuries-old two-dimensional animation? Nobody would attempt to give a conclusive answer. Studies were conducted. Some tried to prove or disprove something… just like in the past.
 
Meanwhile, bronies just made friends—both with ponies and with each other. Oftentimes, this changed them beyond recognition.
 
Lyra Heartstrings felt a little shy. She was surrounded by people who seemed to tower above her in such a crowd. Some dropped to their knees to be on the same level with her. They overwhelmed her with questions or tried to introduce themselves. The request to scratch her behind the ears drove the unicorn to blush even more, but before things escalated further, Surprise squeezed into the circle with the "make way for the partymeister!" cry. She deftly slipped between the human legs and found herself next to Lyra.
 
"I'm snatching this little Lyra out of here, guys!" she declared, then switched to a loud whisper. "We need to talk… you know, mare stuff!"
 
The crowd chuckled, and it wasn't difficult for the pegasus to lead the unicorn aside to where ponies mingled with one another.
 
"Phew." Lyra exhaled and looked in Surprise's eyes. "Thanks. I was totally lost in there."
 
"Ah, don't get angry with them," the pegasus said, winking and shaking her hoof dismissively. Her voice and her movements gave Lyra the impression she was talking to a winged Pinkie Pie rolled in flour. "The guys here are nice and fun! They are just curious and all too cheesy-huggsy when they see a new pony!"
 
Lyra couldn't even begin to imagine what could possibly unsettle the pink sweet tooth and her pegasus counterpart.
 
Surprise led Lyra to a group of club ponies. She was surrounded by familiar faces, but everypony introduced themselves anew. They all found their way to the human world the way Lyra did, but nopony cared who was a copy and who wasn't. Lyra felt she didn't care much either.
 
If an OBE bioengineer happened to be here, they would have a lot to say about emotional modulation and logical nodes of behavioral programs. Sadly there were none, so no one could come up with these nerdy matters, not even the two Twilight Sparkles that sat at a table and played some extremely convoluted logic game. The unicorns were so absorbed in the game they hardly ever found time to make their acquaintance with the new pony. It seemed that the Twilight in a blue and silver dress was winning over the Twilight in a yellow tunic.
 
"Surprise, is there a Bon-Bon in the club?" Lyra asked all of a sudden.
 
"Not now, no," the white pegasus replied, hovering two feet above the floor. "Stevie has one, but he took his herd to the sea, so she went with him. They'll return tomorrow."
 
"How do you mean 'his herd?'" asked the astounded Lyra. As far as she was concerned, a herd was an ancient type of polygamous family.
 
"Well, yeah, what else would you call lots of ponies living together?" Surprise giggled. "Steve is quite a pony collector."
 
In her mind, Lyra went back to what she had seen in the morning. One can collect stamps, pebbles maybe… but living ponies? Sentient beings? She couldn't wrap her head around it.
 
The pegasus noticed the change in Lyra's expression and poked her slightly in the side with a hoof.
 
"Lyra, you're looking at this the wrong way! Steve and his ponies are like Fluttershy and her little critters. He takes care of them, nurses them, and would never do them harm."
 
Lyra nodded, although she did not particularly believe it. She had already overheard a snatch of conversation on how Steve "might marry all his fillies eventually."
 
A soft electronic melody flowed from the DJ booth. Sure enough, having glanced there Lyra spotted Vinyl Scratch dressed in an outfit that seemed to be entirely made of golden sequins.
 
In fact, even familiar ponies seemed different when dressed. Funny how this attribute became a part of everyday life for everyone who found themselves in the human world. It even helped many ponies bearing identical looks to highlight their individuality.
 
Little by little, Victor left the partying crowd. He stood leaning against the carved column and silently observing Lyra. She made her acquaintance with so many ponies and people. How does she manage to be so open and friendly to everyone? How can she even remember all those names, while there are no unique cutie-marks to help her? You never were as good at this as she is, pal, and you probably never will, will you?
 
Meanwhile, the party rolled on. Somebody was dancing on the raised tile dance floor, saturating the background music with stomping and clatter. A sparkling disco ball spun under the high ceiling, and a few pegasi dashed around it. Others simply sat at their tables or at the bar, and enjoyed the abundance of snacks and drinks available in the menu.
 
The classic berry punch went down a treat with the clubbers. Its familiar taste brought back a lot of Lyra's fond memories of parties in now distant Equestria. There also was cider poured into huge tankards, just like it was at Sweet Apple Acres. The pony pouring it from a huge cask was, of course, Applejack in her signature stetson, now worn askew. She completed her daring look with jeans, a shirt with rolled back sleeves and a bandana around her heck.
 
Lyra was asked to join at almost every table, but after making some small talk she excused herself from the groups of merry party patrons and moved on. She couldn't shake off a feeling of uneasiness.
 
Ponies and people here looked happy and serene. They chatted merrily or played "pin the tail on the pony" or Twister, ignoring the anatomical differences. Some guy in a smart suit was busy playing chess with seemingly his own pony incarnation: the earth pony was of the same gray tint as the man's suit. Their similar hairstyles and the old-fashioned glasses on both noses further emphasized their likeness.
 
The last time Lyra saw Vic, he was talking to a tall blue-haired girl, but then he disappeared from her sight. Lyra was about to start searching for Victor in the crowd, but the partymeister came to the rescue once again. Surprise had just finished organizing another game of Twister which naturally ended in a dogpile and an uproar of laughter.
 
"Lyra!" Surprise darted at Lyra. "You have to play us something, stat!"
 
"What's the rush?" Lyra was clearly surprised. She hadn't even brought a musical instrument! For that matter, she didn't even know whether Vic had one.
 
"Because you should be the one in the spotlight at your party!" Surprise giggled and jumped into the air.
 
"But I—" She didn't have a chance to finish her phrase as the partymeister attracted everyone's attention in the simplest of ways.
 
"Hey, folks!" Surprise shouted so loud that every single head turned in her direction, and the Twister players fell to the floor. Again. "Lyra is going to play right now! The lyre-a! No, not herself, the instrument of course, tee-hee!"
 
The audience burst into applause. Under the stare of nearly a hundred eyes Lyra blushed again, but amiably trotted to the stage, which was already crammed with Vinyl's equipment.
 
The white unicorn with an electric blue mane and signature glasses covering half of her face waved her front leg at Lyra.  In a white glow of magic a low, pony-sized stool levitated to her, a familiar instrument resting on it.
 
"The previous Lyra left it," Vinyl explained from behind her console, "so have fun. You start, and I'll add some effects. And don't be afraid, everypony's a friend here."
 
A wave of applause reverberated through the hall once again. Even the restless pegasi took seats wherever they could, and the club plunged into relative silence. Vinyl touched some keys on the console with her telekinesis, and suddenly all the lights focused on the mint-green unicorn. She shuddered nervously at the sight of all the stares looking back at her.
 
The shimmering copper-colored lyre rose into the air, shrouded in pale radiance.
 
Lyra closed her eyes and imagined invisible fingers touching the strings. Although she never had fingers, somehow she knew precisely what they felt like.
 
The strings produced the first quiet sound. A tranquil, soothing motif spread across Solaire. Vinyl touched something on the console once again, and an entire invisible orchestra began to play along with the simple sounds of strings. The melody spread across the hall like a cool wind in the midday heat. Noisy a minute ago, the club turned into an island of silence, washed by the sounds of an ancient motif which Lyra had learned back in Canterlot….
 
In the dim light, one could see the people and the ponies moving closer to each other. Even the restless Pinkies calmed down and sat on their haunches, smiling and squinting in pleasure. One of the Rainbow Dashes embraced the weeping Fluttershy as a skinny guy with a freckled face stroked her pink mane. The two Twilight Sparkles paused their game and stared at the scene in astonishment. It seemed that there hadn't been a live musical performance in the club for quite a while, not one that masterful at least.
 
The dance floor also changed its appearance. Blinking to the melody, the flooring now pleased the eye with rolling waves of blue, green and yellow. A guy asked a girl for a dance. Another one asked a mare. A slow dance began.
 
Then Lyra started to sing. Just the emotions she could no longer contain flowing freely, a serene harmony. Lyra sang and wasn't noticing anything except the strings and the music pouring from them.
 
That was what she needed so bad. What all the people in the club needed so bad.
 
Surprise would be proud.
 
When the melody ended, the audience did not recover right away. Soon, the applauding people and the stomping ponies showed how hungry everyone was for real, impassioned music.
 
"Lyra, you've got to keep the instrument," Vinyl said from behind her console, "no one can play it like you."
 
The green unicorn blushed and replied, "N-no, thanks, but… it does belong to Lyra Heartstrings, but not to me. I can't…."
 
Vinyl smiled and shook her head. She didn't seem to be offended.
 
"Princess Celestia!" Surprise yelled, darting down from the ceiling.
 
Lyra flinched and turned her head, almost dropping the instrument.
 
Indeed, from a service door walked Her. Celestia, the goddess of day and light, the elder princess, the solar mare, and so forth, and so forth…
 
A fanfare of trumpets boomed from the speakers, and all bowed before the Princess.
 
Lyra noted that people dropped to one knee and bowed their heads, while ponies fell on their front legs, and she hurried to follow suit.
 
Looking up, the unicorn was involuntarily lost in adoration of her ruler. The white dress embroidered in gold seemed a bit old-fashioned, but it didn't ruin the general impression. The dress matched the ivory princess splendidly, making Lyra assume that its maker was none other than Rarity. The gold of the regalia casting specks from the lights of the club made the alicorn shine in a rainbow of colors.
 
"Rise, friends," she said softly. "I heard wonderful music and decided to join the occasion."
 
People and ponies rose. The Princess did not cause any commotion: apparently, the presence of an august person was a matter of habit for everyone. Their reaction was unlike that of the Canterlot residents who strived to pay their respects at every opportunity.
 
"Your Highness! You're here!" Lyra exclaimed. Celestia gazed upon her subject.
 
"Calm down, my little pony." She smiled, and then turned to Victor. "I will talk to her, Vic. It's all right, don't worry."
 
Lyra grinned.
 
Princess Celestia is here. Everything is going to be all right. For sure. It just can't be otherwise.