//------------------------------//
// Unbreak My Song 
// Story: On the Inside 
// by Rose Quill 
//------------------------------//

It was dark when I woke up. I looked over and looked at Pinkie, fast asleep and the blanket partially kicked off. I smiled and shifted to watch her sleep for a moment. I had always heard of people doing this, but until we had gotten together I had never understood it.

I caught a glint from the red stone in her engagement ring and smiled. I remember giving her that ring after a scavenger hunt that ended at the amphitheater that had served as the battleground where my sisters and I had been dealt a devastating loss. At the time, I had hated it and had spiraled so deep into depression that I had turned to cutting and other mild forms of self-harm to silence the gnawing hunger inside. it never lasted long and always left me feeling even worse about myself. I had been a self-perpetuating cycle of hate and anguish until Fluttershy had started bringing us care packages, encouraging Adagio to find the job she had and eventually Sonata making friends with the pink baker next to me.

But the ring had been a lot more than just grabbing one at a store.





I shook my head, the nausea of the portal slowly easing up.

"Aria?" a voice piped up. "What are you doing here?"

I turned to see Starlight lounging in a large couch, a book floating in her aura. I went to walk over and realized that instead of legs, I had the fins of my aquatic form. I sighed and slowly made my way over.

"Is Twilight here?" I asked, shrugging my bag around so I could set it on the floor. "I kind of need a favor."

"She's not here at the moment," Starlight said. "There's a princess summit in the Crystal Empire today. She and Sunset left last night."

I lowered my head, dejectedly. "Oh," I whispered. "I see."

She closed her book and sat up. "What did you need?" she asked. "Maybe one of us could help you."

I tilted my head in thought. That could work. I started to dig in my bag and drew out a small wooden box and set it on the table next to the couch, gently and reverently.

"I need someone to help me with something," I said, opening the box. "I need these put back together and set in a ring."

Starlight leaned forward. "What is it?"

I looked at the red stone shards inside, glimmering with their own inner light at my proximity.

"The pieces of my old Song," I whispered, my forehoof coming up to touch the blue stone at my neck.

"Your song?" Starlight said.

I nodded, gazing down at the broken rubicund stone.

"I collected the shards after the Battle of the Bands," I whispered. "I don't know what Adagio or Sonata did with their shards, but I always kept mine close. I wondered if they could be fixed, and maybe stop the pain that their loss caused."

"So why do you want them fixed now?" she asked, gazing at the shards.

"I want to give them to Pinkie," I said, snapping myself out of the trance I had fallen into looking at them. "When I ask her to marry me."

Starlight brightened up. "That's so awesome!" she cried. She tapped her chin for a second. "I think Rarity is here today instead of at one of her other boutiques. She probably knows a pony or two that could take care of that order."

I twisted and tapped my tail. "I'm not exactly made for a lot of land travel," I said. "And since I regained my Song, neither I or my sisters can fly like we could before. I don't know if it's because we just don't come here anymore or if we can't."

"Oh, I can take care of that," Starlight said. "I can cast a transmogrification spell if you want."

I smiled. "If you could, please," I said.


***


I sipped at the tea as Rarity and a crystal pony named Facet Polished worked on picking out shards to put into the ring. 

"Now, this won't be a perfect mend," Rarity said as they tried fitting various pieces against others. "The cracks will still show, but we can seal it so it won't fall apart."

"I have a couple of ring settings that we can use once the gem is repaired," Facet said, nudging a shard aside with her hoof and placed it back into the wooden box I kept them in. "So the tough part is finding the proper fit for the final shape."

"I really appreciate this, you guys," I said. "I know I can't pay you a lot for your services, but I can try to come up with some sort of arrangement..."

"I won't hear of it!" Rarity said firmly. "After what you and your sisters did to help us with Sorla and Chrysalis, I couldn't dare dream of asking for payment for this."

Facet shook her head. "You helped defend my homeland," she said, sliding a shard into place. "This is just my own way of repaying you for this. Consider it a wedding gift."

I smiled but refused to let the emotion I felt leak free. "Thank you again," I said.

"Now just enjoy your tea, darling," Rarity said as she lifted the various shards up and over to Facet's worktable. "This is one song that won't be silent again."





I reached over and set my finger against the stone and it began to glow softly at my touch. It glowed for two reasons, one at my direct touch or when Pinkie and I shared a particularly strong emotional moment. It had glowed for a few minutes at the wedding and most nights directly thereafter.

"I'm not sure what to call it when you daydream at night," Pinkie said, opening her eyes. "Then again, maybe you weren't dreaming."

I leaned down and kissed her gently. 

"Have I told you how glad I was when you said yes?" I asked when we parted.

"A few times," she smiled. "Sometimes with cake, sometimes with your lips, and sometimes with your hugs. Among other things."

I felt the blush but it was just the two of us here. No need to feel embarrassed about an innuendo or two.

"It may have been Pony Rarity that helped fix the shards," I said. "But you were the one that helped fix the song in my heart."

"And people think I'm the corny one," she said, giggling as she leaned in for another kiss.

"And lets keep it that way for now," I said, tangling some fingers in her curly hair.