//------------------------------// // 8: Encounter of the Erlking in Bb Minor // Story: Inverno’s Opus in A Minor // by CrackedInkWell //------------------------------// The first thing that Inverno noticed as the Crystal Train slowed down that afternoon was the rolling hills and their forests. He noted that unlike Rainbow Falls, the mountains and hills of Sire’s Hollow weren’t sharp and jagged, but were smooth but had round bulges that surrounded a valley. The second thing he noticed was the station platform was smaller than the one in Rainbow Falls. The only thing there was a wooden platform and a small booth with windows on all sides. The final thing he noticed was the town itself. While not as big as the previous one, the architecture was significantly different. All the roofs were red and many of them were pointy, while all the mason work was made out of white stone. “I think it stands to reason that we should investigate where Schubit’s previous residence might be.” Professor Key suggested as he stepped onto the tiny platform. “I figured that if he’s here, he would go to where he used to live as he once lived in this town." “Otherwise we should still ask around, regardless of who is here.” Shining Armor said as he helped Inverno out. “This place doesn’t look like it gets a lot of tourists, so it might be easier to ask the locals to see if they’ve seen anypony new. And this time,” he patted the colt’s head, “we’re taking you along to actively help. But still, stay close to me, okay?” “Excuse me.” The three of them turned around as Maneler stepped out, along with a Crystal Guard following close by. “Do any of you happen to know where a flower shop might be?” The Prince shrugged. “I don’t really know this place too well. Just keep in mind, the town might be different from the one you remembered it. So, if I were you, I’d probably ask where one is. Oh, and Defense?” The Crystal Guard stood at attention. “Don’t let Maneler leave your sight. While he’s free to go do whatever he needs to do, make sure that we all leave together by the time we find our next guy.” Defense saluted. As he did so, the rest of the tiny regiment filed in a line as soon as they got off the train. Shining went up to them and said, “As for the rest of you, we should split up and ask the locals if they’ve seen anypony that’s out of place. If you think you’ve found anything worth noting, report it to me immediately. Just remember, the goal is not to spook him, but simply to retrieve our mystery pony. We do not want to cause alarm to the locals or the next composer that’s here. Dismissed.” With a unified salute, the Crystal Guards turned towards the dirt path into the town, marching towards it. “How soon do you think you might find… whoever it is?” Maneler inquired. “That depends,” Shining answered. “Perhaps half-an-hour, or maybe the whole day. For now, we just need to know who is here and where. But I think it should give you plenty of time for yourself.” “Thank you, Your Highness.” The deer nodded, “Now if you excuse me, I have a personal matter to deal with.” He then turned towards Sire’s Hollow itself and remarked to himself, “It’s funny how little this place has changed on the outside…” Shining, Key and Inverno began to make their way down the dirt road while taking notice of the construction of a stone wall in progress at the town’s borders. “Do you think he’s going to be okay?” Inverno asked. “Who? Maneler?” The Professor questioned. “I think he will be. It’s something that only he has to deal with. You don’t try to help someone who recently has experienced a tragedy on this level, it’s only something that Maneler has to work with.” “Why not?” “Inverno,” Shining began cautiously, “do you remember what you were like when you found out that your Papa wasn’t around anymore?” He did. The colt remembered the very day he learned from him and Cadence that Sombra was dead. He recalled the anger, as well as the extreme sadness that followed. Where he spent days alone in a bedroom crying for hours, that not even the happiest tunes he could think of helped dull the heartache to make it go away. How he didn’t want to speak or hear or see anyone, as he knew they couldn’t do anything. “But… Will he be okay?” Inverno asked. “Maneler is much stronger than he looks.” The Professor told him. “He has dwelt with death before, you must trust him that he will be alright.” The young unicorn only nodded. “For his sake, I hope so.” He said sighing. They quickly found that the only thing left of Schubit’s old home was a plaque in a park. While the Professor separated, he told Inverno and Shining that he was going to see if he could find any clues as to whoever was in Sire’s Hollow. In the meantime, both the Prince and Inverno should ask around to see if the locals spotted anyone out of the ordinary. Fortunately for them, there was a sighting of someone new in the town. From what reports they could gather, the stranger was a brown, pudgy unicorn that could barely see. The cashier from a small antique shop said that the stallion came into the shop and tried on a pair of old bifocals that surprisingly worked enough for him to see. Those said glasses were bought on behalf of an acquaintance name Firelight. After some time, Inverno and Shining walked up to the house to knock on the door. “Just a minute.” A voice called out from behind the front door. Moments later and a few jiggles from the doorknob, the door opened to a purple unicorn stallion. “Yes? Can I help… you…?” His words trailed off, blinking. “Are you Mr. Firelight?” Inverno asked. “Y-Yes?” He answered, giving an uncomfortable look as he saw the colt’s eyes before quickly turning to the Prince. “Are you-” “Call me Shining Armor.” He held up a hoof to him in which he shook. “I know this is unexpected for you.” “Well, that’s an understatement.” Firelight chuckled nervously. “I honestly didn’t expect to see a Prince on my doorstep. So, uh… Do you want to come in or…?” “Actually, we were hoping you could help us.” “In what way?” “Has anypony new came in recently?” Inverno asked. “A pudgy looking unicorn that probably needs glasses?” “What? You mean Schubit?” Both Shining and Inverno’s ears perked up. “You mean you’ve seen him?” The colt asked. “Before I answer,” Firelight lifted a hoof. “What’s going on? Is he in trouble?” “Well…” Shining rubbed the back of his neck. “Long story short, my son here had cast a forbidden spell, and we’re trying to see if it can be reversed. Your new friend is one of them. He’s not in trouble per-say, we’re just trying to collect him so he’s kept out of harm’s way.” “Oh… Well, the one I know is said to be a descendent of Franz Schubit, and that he’s trying to get his life back together. Of course, I’ve helped him out with getting some glasses, a hotel room, and even a morning job at the bookstore.” "Well that's great, but do you know where he is now?" “I’ve noticed he tends to go on long nature walks at noon, so he might be on one of the nearby hiking trails. The last time I saw him, he was heading southward." “Thank you, sir.” Shining shook the unicorn’s hoof. “That’s all we needed to know. Your help is appreciated.” Inverno too offered up his hoof, but instead, Firelight retreated back into his home and closed the door. After they left the house, the colt looked up to his adopted parent, “Do you think he doesn’t like me?” “What makes you say that?” “He seems kind of… uncomfortable when I was talking to him. If anything, I noticed he didn’t look at me in the eye much. Did I do something wrong?” “No, it’s not really your fault.” "So how come that pony didn't want to be around me?" "I... don't think it's just you, it's just..." "It's just what?" Shining took a deep breath, "Well... Don't take this the wrong way, but maybe it's because that not everypony has red eyes." “Oh…” Inverno’s ears folded back. “It’s because they remind ponies of Papa, isn’t it?” Shining stopped. After a sigh, he rubbed his son’s head. “Kid, I’m not going to lie, there will be ponies out there that will be unnerved by you. Not many ponies have the kind of eyes you do and not everyone is used to seeing them. But I know it’s unfair, especially to you. Really you don't deserve this. But the sad truth is, there will be ponies that will judge you on your appearance without getting to know you. It’s times like that you must be patient with them, and don’t get yourself down for being different.” “But it’s still frustrating.” “I know. But the mature thing is to not lash out at those that offended or hurt you. There’s an old saying that the definition of being mature is to know what should be restrained. If anything… That’s the definition of being an adult, not to suppress what you feel, but to know when to keep it under control without hurting anyone. I think you’re already on your way to becoming one, even if you don’t see it.” Inverno nuzzled him. “Thanks, dad. So, what do we do now?” Shining tells him that the next step is to find out which nature path that Schubit might have gone on to see if they could find him. Minutes later, the Crystal Guard reports the latest sighting of him was from the bookstore owner who said that he was planning a walk on the Southern trail. Confirming what Firelight had told them. By the time Shining had gathered the Crystal Guard, the Professor came to them with a newspaper. “On the way back,” the Professor said as he lifted the newspaper, “look at what I’ve found in the news.” “What is it?” Shining asked as he took the paper into his aura. Inverno looked up as he saw a picture of a street that has ice and snow while police ponies hoofcuff two-legged mice creatures in uniform. The headline read: Applewood Street Experiences Blizzard. Mice Soldiers Taken in by Police. “Mice soldiers?” Shining asked the Professor in confusion. “I think that they might be the same ones from the Nutcracker ballet. If that is true, then it may stand to reason that Tchaicoltsky might be in Applewood.” After folding the newspaper up, he told the professor: “Hang on to that. For now, we need to receive Schubit.” Schubit stared at the blank piece of paper at his hoof. At this time of day, his mind would have come up with something – anything to jot down a new melody. But as he sat underneath a towering oak, his creativity was distracted by memories. With a frustrated sigh, he tossed the crumpled-up paper on the grass, watching the wind making it tumble. “Oh Prose, I wish you were here.” He grumbled as his thoughts towards the last time he saw him. He remembered that winter of 815, when the country had become paranoid of revolution, even with the fall of Neighpoleon. Even in the city of Whienna, he recalled seeing more armored guards in the streets than ever before. It was a time when large gatherings were suppressed, and censorship reigned over the city. But even in this oppressive atmosphere, Schubit recalled how his small group of friends try to make the most of it. “You know that this won’t last forever.” The memory he called was a few weeks before Hearths Warming at the house of Meter Prose. He recalled the Pegasus with a mane that seemed to be spun from gold, a coat of charcoal black, and never seen outside of a dinner jacket. “One of these days, all of this will pass over. We’ll go back with our lives and then thank Celestia that we can at least think again.” Schubit recalled the handsome face of Prose, as he saw his reflection from the window, holding a glass of wine in his hoof. “I hope so,” he said to him, “things are already looking grim enough that I wonder if it’s wiser to leave the country for someplace else?” “Like where? Equestria?” “Why not?” The composer stood up, walking away from the window. “The last thing I wanted to do is to be in trouble in a place as strict as this.” “And leave me behind?” Prose went up to him, messing up his curly mane with a wing. “What would us poets do without you, Little Mushroom? You’re the only one that’s reliable enough to take commissions. Even old Beethooven isn’t nearly as steadfast as you are.” “Stop.” While he pushed away from the wing, he looked up at him with a smirk. “Commission or not, I’d do it for my friends anyway. Sure, the money is helpful, but not always necessary.” “Besides,” Prose said, kissing his cheek, “You know I like having you around. You’re the only one I know that can do any of my poems justice.” Schubit blushed. “I’ve only done two so far.” “But I’m serious. You have a rare gift. And I’m just the one to get you rightfully into the spotlight. But even if you didn’t compose, it would still break my heart if you left. I never met anyone like you, Little Mushroom.” He held up his glass. “To a revolution in music, with our local composers paving the way.” Schubit recalled picking up a glass of wine as well. “And to you, the next immortal poet.” But before either could drink their toasts, there were three, sharp knocks on the front door. What happened next happened so quickly, and so shocking was the unexpected entrance of these guards, that Schubit barely had time to process what was happening. Before he realized what had happened, guards raided into the house, ceasing Prose while another guard pushed Schubit aside. “Meter Prose,” he heard one of them say, “You're under arrest.” “What?!” His friend struggled as they put chains around him. “What for?!” “For revolutionary activities and writing to spread treasonous propaganda.” He then turned to a few other guards. “Search for evidence upstairs.” While they went through the house, ransacking the bedrooms upstairs. Schubit tried to get up but a hoof pinned him down. “Don’t interfere with an arrest.” The guard on top of him warned. “Or we’ll have to arrest you too. This would be easy if you cooperate.” Schubit laid on the floor paralyzed in dreading fear. A few minutes later, the other guards returned with papers before dragging out Prose into the night. Before he left, the composer heard him say before the sound of something hard kicking him say: “Neighpolean would have been proud.” The sound of heavy hoofsteps snapped Schubit back into reality. With his ears perking and sitting straight up, he scanned the forest to see where it was coming from. There down the dirt trail between the spaces of the trees, he caught the glimmering glimpses of armor. With every collective step they took, the composer felt an increasing dread that was coming towards him. The first ones to approach him was a colt with cat-like eyes, a white unicorn in armor, and an old earth pony. The unicorn stopped, waving a hoof to both of them as if to tell them to stay put before he approached him. “Are you Schubit?” He immediately got up. “Who are you? What do you want?” “I’m Shining Armor, and the ponies behind me are the Crystal Guard. We want you to come peacefully with us.” Shining could see the unicorn’s face being drained of his color. “W-Why?” “Everything will be explained.” He offered him his hoof. “Just come along with us.” Schubit however, stepped backward. His expression becoming ever more fearful. “What do you want from me?” “We just want you to come with us. This would be easy if you cooperate.” Yet, the Prince could see the pudgy unicorn becoming hyperventilating as his breaths were becoming faster. “Sir, you need to calm down.” “N-No.” He shook his head. “No. I don’t want to.” “Sir.” “Leave me alone.” Schubit took several steps back. “Please, not again.” Shining lit his horn. “Sir, we don’t want to hurt you. I promise we’ll explain everything. Just calm-” “I won’t let you!” Three things happened at once. First was that the pudgy unicorn suddenly turned towards the other end of the trail in a full gallop. The second, was the sky itself became dark where the forest suddenly turned gloomy with a creepy fog. And the third was the distinct sound of a piano being played at maddening speed, but as Inverno quickly saw, it was of something very dark. “Oh, Goddesses…” The Professor paled as he too heard it. Shining flipped his son onto his back. “C’mon, we can’t let him get away! Hold on to my neck and don’t let go!” And with that, the Prince went into a gallop after him. “My Prince! Stop!” Professor Key shouted in desperation. But Shining ignored the warning and went after Schubit into the fog. “Dad…?” Inverno asked as he wrapped his forelegs around Shining. “What’s going on? I really don’t like this.” “We’re gonna get ‘em, don’t let go!” And with his son hugging his neck for dear life, Shining lit his horn as he eyed the pudgy unicorn ahead of him through the dark and foggy woods while the piano music still echoed. As Inverno held on, his eyes turned towards the forest, at the shadows of trees that they swiftly passed by. His heart stopped as there in the darkness he spotted a pair of glowing, red, catlike eyes. In the dim light, it had a thorny crown of sticks and bark. The colt let out a sharp gasp as he buried his face in fear. “Inverno, are you alright?” Shining asked as he leaped over a log. “Dad, he’s here! Papa is here! Wearing the crown and everything!” Shining took a brief moment to look around. “I don’t see anything, maybe this fog is playing tricks on you. This has to be an illusion, don’t pay attention to it.” As much as he tried to close his eyes, he heard a whisper in his ear of a low but familiar voice. One that he knew all of his life saying. “Come with me boy. Come play with me. My kingdom’s pleasures for you to see. Ripe are the flowers and wear golden robes. Take my hoof there and off we will go.” “Dad! Dad!” Inverno cried out as he tried to look at the source of the sound. “Didn’t you hear what Papa whispered just now?” “It must be the music,” Shining said as he turned a corner, “I think it’s playing on your fears. Don’t pay attention to it, just tell yourself it isn’t real.” Yet, even as Inverno opens his eyes, he saw Sombra’s shadow weaving effortlessly through the trees just nearby them. “You will reveal tonight if you come away,” he hears him saying, “I’ll summon my slaves for you to play, they’ll frolic and dance and play for thee. They’ll hush and whisper and sing you to sleep. Oh, they’ll hush and whisper and sing you to sleep.” Shining could feel his son’s heart pounding. “Dad! Dad! Don’t you see him trotting there?!” Even when Shining looked, he still couldn’t see anyone. “Inverno, stay calm, once we get him, this nightmare will end.” He said as he galloped faster, getting closer to Schubit. However, as frightened as Inverno was, he heard Sombra whispered in his ear. “I love thee your presence nourishes my soul. And if you’re unwilling, I’m forcing you to go!” He felt an icy, dead hoof grabbing him, thus he grabbed tighter around Shining’s neck. “Dad! Help me! Papa is hurting me! Dad help me I can't brea-” Suddenly, Inverno’s tight grip had loosened. The prince, in a state of panic, put a bubble shield around him before he could fall off his back. But still, he went into a full gallop as the music all-around came to a climactic point, yet he wasn’t able to catch up with him. They then came to the end of the trail where the town was in sight, but as it was so dark, their lights were on. Even the street lamps were lit. “Ha! Now we’ve got him cornered! We did it Inverno!” But when there was no response, "Inverno?" he slowed down to a halt, taking notice that the colt wasn’t moving. “Son?” He let the little unicorn out of the bubble, only to fall limp in his forelegs. Shining felt his heart stop in shock as he wasn’t moving or breathing. If anything, he felt cold to the touch. “Inverno!” Shining screamed as the piano music played out two final cords, lifting the darkness overhead. Schubit, completely out of breath, looked over to the source of the screaming. His eyes went wide. “Oh, Goddess!” He limped dragged himself over. “What… happened?” Before he could react, he felt something choking his neck and was flung to the ground. The next thing he knew, Schubit was looking up at Shining with pure rage in his eyes. “What did you do!?” he screamed at him. “Talk, you murderer!” “I-I-I don’t know!” He said trembling. “I don’t know what just happened! I was scared and-” “You took away my boy!” Shining yelled as his horn glowed brightly. “Please! I didn’t do it!” Schubit pleaded. “This never happened to me before, I swear! Please don’t hurt-” The two of them paused as they heard a deep gasp as they looked over, to see Inverno trying to get up. “D-Dad…” he said weakly. Upon instinct, Shining rushed over to embraced him in a hug. “Oh Goddesses, Inverno! I thought I’ve lost you.” “Dad… I saw-” His father shushed him. “It’s gonna be okay. I’m here now.” The sound of galloping, armored hooves caught his ear as the Crystal Guards and the Professor caught on to him. Turning to Schubit, casting a dark look at him he said, “Arrest him immediately!” “Please, I beg you.” Schubit pleaded. “It wasn’t me, I swear! I didn’t mean to.” But guards rushed over to put hoofcuffs on him to be carried off to the train. “My Prince,” Professor Key asked as soon as he got his breath back, “what happened?” Picking up Inverno, he said, “Now isn’t a good time, Professor. Go get Maneler, tell him we’re leaving.” “But what did he do?” Putting his adopted son on his back, he said to him, “He almost killed Inverno.” One frightened, chained up unicorn looked at a furious Prince with the Prince sitting beside him. In the dining car, Schubit’s hind hooves were hoofcuffed to the metal pole that upheld the table, as well as his forehooves that too were bound. Beside him were Crystal Guards standing at attention with spears and glaring looks. “I swear upon my own life that wasn’t intentional,” Schubit said. “I got so scared that suddenly everything went dark and the Erlking was playing loudly that I had no idea what was going on. I don’t know if it was some sort of magic or not, but I swear to Celestia that I didn’t mean it to happen.” “Are you sure about that?” Shining questioned, his forelegs still folded. “How many times do I have to repeat myself! I’m telling you the truth! I didn’t know that I could do that. It was an accident! If anything, I’m just as shocked as you are.” “But why did you run?” The prince leaned forward. “I meant it when I said that we’re not here to hurt you, but why did you suddenly just run off and then nearly scared my son to death?” Schubit buried his face in his hooves and sighed heavily. “For the same motivation, I had when I wrote The Erlking… After I saw, Meter Prose, someone I… cherished… a poet who helped me… I saw him being arrested by the police, while they raided his home.” There was an awkward moment in which Professor Key facehoofed. “Oh Celestia, I completely forgot,” Shining asked what he was talking about. “In 815, when Whienna was turned into a police state, Schubit developed a fear for ponies in uniform after witnessing a friend of his, Meter Prose being arrested. He never saw him again. Sweet Luna, I’ve completely forgotten all about it. And it is been said that he composed The Erlking shortly after the incident. It makes sense now.” “But I don’t understand why all of that happened to begin with,” Schubit said. “Why did the sky turn dark? Where did all the fog come from? And why was Inverno almost scared to death?” “I think…” The Professor mused over as he looked at the newspaper he got from the village. “I’m begging to see how this works.” “What?” Shining inquired. “This whole magic thing?” “It says in this article that witnesses in Applewood heard Tchaicoltsky’s music that was interrupted. But remember the other day with Maneler that mini-forest only disappeared after he let the music finish?” Shining nodded. “What if they have a type of magic that is triggered by an emotional response, that they involuntarily cast a spell? As long as they let them play it out, everything should restore back to normal.” “But if at any time someone made them stop the music mid-way,” Shining said, thinking aloud, “then that spell will still be there. So, if I had made Schubit stop playing his music while I was chasing him, then Inverno would have…” He trailed off, as he couldn’t bear expressing the dark thought of what could have been. The Prince lit his horn, and let the hoofcuffs become loose in which Schubit was able to slip out of. As he was rubbing his hooves, Shining pulled him by the collar where they were face to face. “I want you to listen to me, buddy.” The Prince growled. “I don’t care who you are or what you can do. I’m gonna let this slide just this once, but I warn you, if you try to pull that stunt again and Inverno ends up not breathing... Don’t expect mercy from me. If you try to kill my son, then I will hunt you into the night. Are we clear?” Gulping, Schubit nodded. After he let him go, Shining got up saying that he’s going to go check up on Inverno while the Professor excused himself. Schubit, however, was left alone, shaking.