//------------------------------// // Chapter 14 — Tastes Like a Melody // Story: In Sheep's Clothing // by Kydois //------------------------------// Myiasis I heard there was some sort of… mishap with the Penumbra Guardhouse. We got the schedules, as requested, but Overwatch and her new tenant barged in on us. The agent successfully subdued her, confirming that Overwatch had not been replaced, and fled the scene without too much incident. The scuffle was reported by the tenant, and another of our infiltrators confirmed the presence of Princess Celestia at the guardhouse shortly after. I see. Keep to the plan for the other guardhouses, but be sure to exercise caution. We will have to wait for the heat to die down around the Penumbra Guardhouse, but time is of the essence. The other queens are quiet, but I am not willing to see how much longer that lasts. Understood, My Queen. Nymph “Uhh…” I stood beneath a bright street lamp, staring at the small establishment before me. “It’s a bar.” “How observant of you, Overwatch.” I shot a frown at the crystal hidden within my scarf. “You’re kidding, right?” “I most assuredly am not kidding. I do have a interest in this bar in particular—you may already sense it from here—but it is a regular bar, settled into a rather central location in the Lunar District, which means plenty of ponies will be coming through at nights. Since it is close to the guardhouse you work at, you can easily frequent this bar following shifts once you start working again.” “Crystal, am I even legal?” “You are a Royal Guard, are you not? I was under the impression that all guards working shifts in the street were of age.” “I’m twenty-on—” I coughed. “Fourteen. Fourteen. I don’t think I’m supposed to drink alcohol.” “I am sure there are non-alcoholic options.” I rolled my eyes. “Who goes to a bar to drink water?” “We are here because you are going to learn how to socialize, not drink. A silver tongue can get you into many places, not to mention allowing you to feed yourself should you lose a willing source like Lily. So, your first goal is to start a conversation with a stranger.” “Just any stranger?” My mouth twisted as if I had tasted something bad. “Perhaps I should ask Lily to make you try starting a conversation with everypony in there. Practice does make perfect, after all.” She sounded entirely too smug. “W-we can start with one,” I said with a hesitant chuckle. “But how do I know what to talk to them about? What if they’re not interested? What if I don’t know what to say? I’ve never been a social butterfly, even back at the hive! How am I supposed to be one here? What if they end up not liking me?” “It is a conversation, Overwatch, not advanced arcane studies. The worst that will happen, assuming you do not insult their ancestors by mistake, is that somepony thinks you a touch awkward. If you are too afraid to fail, even as marginally as a mildly bad impression, you will never progress.” I grumbled a bit, shifting from side to side uneasily. “I still feel like I’m just a kid pretending to be an adult.” “Well, there is plenty of social lubricant in there, should you feel your nerves getting the best of you.” I sighed. “Alright, fine, but tell me,” I turned to the bright, happy merpony beside me. “What’re you doing here?” “Taste the booze, o’ course!” Lily chirped helpfully. “Must be good if everypony sayin’ how much they need a drink!” “She is also a good pony to help start and continue conversations. Also, Karaoke Night.” I turned to look at the bar, and sure enough, a small chalkboard in the large window proudly proclaimed today to be, in stylized calligraphy and too many different colors, Karaoke Night. The bar itself seemed fairly well-kept, at least from what I could see. The inside seemed dim, but the tables inside were well-lit with hanging lamps, and all of the furniture appeared new and well-polished. Plants and paintings gave the bar some color. Some hanging greenery along the windows at the front formed a sort of curtain, enough to give the inside a sense of privacy, but not enough to separate it from the street. I took a deep breath and tentatively opened the door and slid in. I immediately caught a wave of warm love on my empathy sense, like stepping into a sauna, with a few small tastes of joy and cold nips of melancholy, and it was pretty easy to tell why Crystal had an “interest” in this bar. There were a few patrons here and there, but a lot of them were already in their friend groups laughing amongst themselves, primarily the large group of college-age ponies at the large tables in the center. The rest were off in some unoccupied corner and clearly wanted to be left alone. There was a heavy majority of stallions. My gut squirmed uneasily. Nopony seemed to notice my entrance, so I slid past them to the front counter. The unicorn bartender there seemed extremely out of place amongst the prevailing brown of the bar. She had the body of a model, young with long, well-defined legs and a lithe physique. Her light pink coat was well groomed, and her wavy purple mane hung in luscious curls at the ends. Her cutie mark was a bundle of blue hearts. She seemed to be the main source of the thick scent of love and compassion, and approaching her was like swimming through melted chocolate. It was, in a word, intoxicating, and I half-wondered whether she was really that beautiful or if I was simply looking at her through tinted lenses. Despite still feeling out of place, I immediately relaxed as I took a seat at the bar stool. Lily hopped up to the stool next to me with a cheerful, “Cor, pretty swell place here!” The bartender turned to us with a smile from where she was polishing a beer glass, and I felt extremely self-conscious. “Welcome! Haven’t seen your faces around here before,” she said, trotting over smoothly. “What’ll you have?” Lily shrugged. “Iunno, wha’cha got?” I cleared my throat. “Excuse her, she’s never had alcohol before and wants to try some. Maybe just whatever’s most popular?” She nodded. “Can’t go wrong with a pint,” she said as she drew a mug up with her magic and began filling it from the tap. “And you?” “O-oh, nothing for me. Never really been a big drinker,” I said with a weak smile, hoping I wasn’t being too unusual. The bartender raised her eyebrow, though before she could ask anything, my merpony friend butted back in. “Oh yeah!” Lily said, leaning forward eagerly. “Heard there was sumthin’ called karree-oo-kee?” The bartender nodded in comprehension. “Ahh, that answers what you’re here for. Yeah, they’re setting it up. It’s happening a bit later tonight,” she said, gesturing towards a small stage to the side, “so just sit back and enjoy the drink while you wait.” She turned to me, and I started to feel a bit woozy. “Are you here for the karaoke too? It’ll be fun!” I hastily brought my hooves up and shook them side to side. “N-no, I’m not. I’m just here to uhh… learn to socialize?” She giggled. “Well, you’re on the right track. Mingling is pretty easy, and there are plenty of stallions who’ll fall head over heels for a chance to talk to a cute mare.” I felt my face burning up. Was I drunk? Could I even get drunk without alcohol? “Err, thanks, I guess. What’s… what’s your name?” “Mmm… Tango. Ambrosia Tango,” she said, and I got a faint taste of something off during her initial pause. “And you?” “Overwatch,” I said, taking a glance at Lily taking a tentative sniff of the glass before her. “So uhh… small talk?” “Overwatch, you are killing me here.” Tango brought a hoof to her chin in thought, tilting her head back and forth. “Hmm, maybe we can start with… What do you do? Do you have a job? Anything to do with,” she tilted to the side and looked a bit past me, “What is that, a peach?” “Oh!” I said, looking back at my flank. “It’s an apricot, but no, nothing related. I work in the Guard.” “A Royal Guard? Oooh,” Tango said in understanding. “Surprising with your cutie mark, but lots of guards come through here after their shifts. They’re a very common sight since we’re close to the guardhouse and the castle. What about you? Here on break?” I waved off the notion. “Not like that. I’m off duty until next week,” I said, “And you? How long have you been working here?” “Not too long,” Tango said, leaning on the counter. “I’ve been jumping from job to job over the years, y’know, trying to keep myself occupied. I foalsit a lot on the side, but I’ve been thinking of trying to get a job in reporting.” I nodded, but I couldn’t help but get the feeling she was being a bit restrained in her emotions. Perhaps this pony was why Crystal was so interested in this place? Lily slammed her mug down on the counter and breathed out a loud, contented sigh, interrupting my thoughts. Tango grinned. “So, how was it?” “Got anythin’ with a bit more punch?” Lily said with a hiccup. “I’ve breeved enough water t’ want any more.” “Mm, some scotch then?” Tango levitated down a bottle and began pouring another glass. When she looked up and slid the new glass to Lily, she caught sight of something outside. “Oh, looks like they finally changed shifts.” I turned around quickly, somewhat surprised I hadn’t sensed the large group currently walking through the doors. Had my proximity to Ambrosia Tango really blocked out my senses to such a degree? “Hello everypony!” Tango called out as the group entered. “Karaoke’s starting soon, so buckle in and get your voices out!” I took a quick glance at most of the new arrivals, composed mostly of stallions, of course, but a couple faces did pop out. “Steelie!?” I gagged. “Overwatch?” He stared back in surprise and had stopped momentarily in the doorway before somepony much larger pushed past him. “Ees Overvatch!” “Oh no.” I shrank in my seat and squeaked as Vice barrelled up to me with a frightening grin on her face, pulled my head in, and gave me a noogie. I was dropped back into my chair, a few stray strands of my mane dislodged into my face, and Steel Blade took the other side of Vice, looking over at me. “I didn’t know you drank, Overwatch,” he said. My head swam, though I managed to right myself eventually. “I don’t.” “Sure I can’t interest you in something?” Tango said, pulling a multitude of empty glasses out. “Maybe some non-alcoholic cider? Fries?” I rolled my eyes. “Alright, just a little drink,” I said, a slight bit impressed at her telekinetic control as I turned to Steel Blade. “So what’re you guys doing here?” Vice seemed more boisterous than usual, flaring up into a pose with one hoof out and raised. “You see, Overvatch, I am here to sing! Da, vas very good back home.” “And I’m here to chaperone these drunkards,” Steel Blade said, as a few of the bar’s other employees began Karaoke Night on stage. “For when one of them inevitably over-drinks and I need to haul him back before he starts puking over the floor.” One of the other stallions he had entered with, waiting at one of the tables, called out to him. “It was one time!” Steelie simply chuckled and turned back to me. “So anyways, what’re you here for, if not to drink?” He paused a moment, looking back out to the karaoke crowd. “Oh, are you here with what’s-her-name, Lily?” I turned the other direction towards where I thought I had left Lily and found nothing but three empty glasses and a paper tray with exactly one fry still left in it. I whipped back around and easily located Lily’s distinctive color scheme of lime green and flaming red in the crowd, near the front of the small stage. My eye twitched. I should’ve at least sensed her going. “Wow, she’s fast,” I murmured. “But yes, in a fashion. I’m here to uhh…” I tapped my hooves together sheepishly, “learn how to socialize?” Steelie’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Really? Didn’t take you for a shy one, and I’ve known you for a while now.” “Errrrgh, well…” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I just… talk better with ponies I know. I’m still a little uneasy around ponies I don’t.” “Mm, passable.” “Ahh, so you haff been in bar, hitting on ponies, I see!” Vice said, leaning in conspiratorially. “Have you shown scar yet to sexy bartender?” I let out a sudden cough and gaped at her. “Vi! That was maybe a week ago! Probably less!” “Hey, vas impressive! Fighting off manticore und living to tell tale!” Tango raised an eyebrow. “A manticore?” “Yes!” Vice spread her hooves out wide. “Vas like train! Overvatch killed it and vas bleeding everyvhere! Ve carried her all the vay back to Ponyville! Go on, show her!” Tango turned back to me with an astonished expression, and I hesitantly drew back a little of my scarf to show the tops of the three claw marks. “Y-yeah,” I said. “It was a bit of a doozy. Still can’t believe I—” I stopped when the bar was filled with an upbeat jazzy pop tune, and the entire group turned to look at the stage. There was a crystal projector set up to display the lyrics onto a white screen, and Lily was right up at the front with one of the college mares, each clutching a small microphone. One of the earlier comments that Crystal made about Celestia’s interest in Lily came surging back. I remembered that Lily was in the habit of humming, but I didn’t actually know the full extent of her affinity for music, and if she turned out to be some sort of— The college mare began the first verse hesitantly, her voice the first in the relative quiet. Lily’s head was tilted downwards, and she was swaying back and forth on the spot, as if internalizing the beat. The other mare’s singing got a bit more sure as she got into the song, and Lily soon took her cue and began to sing, her voice strong and crystal clear. It took a moment, but she was halfway through her lines when I felt a surge building in my breast, as if willing my own breath to burst forth, and it didn’t seem that I was the only one affected. All around the bar, ponies were swaying with her, and their voices joined in, the chorus created from a hodge-podge of tonalities. The once muted emotions given off by the ponies seemed to slowly tune to the same wavelength, and rather than being drowned out by Tango’s sweet aura, the emotional burst of camaraderie overcame even that. I was finding it hard to keep my eyes open, and I barely kept my balance in my bar stool. Crystal was saying something I couldn’t understand, but even amidst the din, Lily’s voice came through clearly. The song changed, slowly and subtly, guided by her voice, until it seemed to harmonize all the disparate voices in her audience. The emotional impact only strengthened, and I pushed myself off the stool and away from the stage. I stumbled forward, giggling quietly as emotional energy pressed on me from everywhere. It was a minor miracle when I found the mares’ restroom and pushed in. The door closed behind me as I made my way to one of the stalls and shut myself inside. With some distance and a wall to separate me from the crowd, the throbbing in my head died down a little, and I had some semblance of my own thoughts. “Celestia was right to keep an eye on her. Are you alright?” I groaned and slumped back into the toilet seat. “As well as I can be. What happened?” “Lily was not entirely truthful about being a ‘Songweaver.’ There was certainly magic in there.” The door opened, and I felt a rush of concern fill the bathroom. “Overwatch? Are you alright?” The worried tones of Tango echoed slightly within the enclosed space. “I-I’m alright, just need a moment,” I said, leaning my head against the wall. “I think something I had for lunch caught up with me.” “Oh.” There was a pause, music filtering in from the background. “Well, I hope you get better. Your friend is really good, and her song is almost over! I’ve never seen so many ponies singing their hearts out!” The door closed again, and I breathed out a sigh of relief. “I hope Lily doesn’t decide on an encore.” “We will figure out what this means afterwards. Catch your breath for now.” I breathed in deep and held it for a moment. If nothing else, the outpouring of emotion had been… rather filling. My magical reserves that I had stupidly depleted in the afternoon were recharged and feeling better than ever, if only I could actually sense anything on my empathy sense over the hubbub Lily kicked up. If she could do that with any song with any crowd… Sweet Celestia, that would be terrifying. I shook my head clear. “Crystal, when you said you had an interest in this bar, did you mean the bartender?” “Not initially. I noticed this bar had a strong emotional signature while wandering aimlessly around with Lily, but the fact it was all coming from one pony is quite unusual.” “At least she’s a good source of love.” “Bright lights attract moths. I am certain you are not the only changeling in this city to think that. Be wary, and keep an eye on her.” The emotions on the other side of the wall seemed to die down a little, and I took the cue to reemerge into the main room. There was great applause as Lily handed her microphone off to the next pony and trotted happily back to the bar counter. Vice was conspicuously absent, and I caught her bright pink mane in the crowd around the stage. Steelie and Tango looked at me with concern as I made my way back and sat next to Lily. “I’m fine,” I said, a little unnerved at being the center of attention of even the two ponies besides me. “Just a bit of an upset stomach.” “You sure you alright, luv?” Lily said, leaning in. “Maybe was the eggs.” “Maybe,” I said, as the second song started up. “Could I have a little word with you, Lily? Outside?” The merpony looked at me quizzically with a tilt of her head, but complied, and we both stepped outside into the fresh summer nighttime air. I took another deep breath, the coolness clearing up my mind a little, before I turned to Lily. “Lily, you mentioned the Songweavers? Are… are you sure you aren’t one?” “Oh no, course not!” Lily said with an uneasy look on her face, like a foal who had accidentally left the stove burning for too long. “I was never really good enough to be a Songweaver. No mer has ever taken the title for a millenium.” “About when the last three Sirens came to Equestria.” Lily tapped her hooves together anxiously. “Err, maybe, luv? Ain’t all too big on ‘istory, meself. The elders taught me loads, but they weren’t keen on lettin’ me outta the temple fer too long. As the Songstress, I ‘ad some crackin’ good performances for the annual events, but that was about the only times I could leave. Beside m’ singin’, I never really ‘ad much else.” “So what about when we first met? Why did you decide to go to the surface?” “Well um… I jus’ thought that…” Lily trailed off awkwardly, waving a hoof about. “I always wanted to get out more. I thought that ‘avin’ an ‘eart Gem would, y’know…” “I think I get the picture, though I still refute the possibility that I am in any way a Heart Gem.” “That was pretty good singing though, back there,” I said. “Could you always do that for your public showings?” Lily shifted her weight back and forth, but she seemed to take kindly to the compliment and loosened up a bit. “A bit. It was easier for me than the other candidates, but I cahn’t match up to the old masters. They could get anymer singin’ in a ‘eartbeat, but I need a bit of time b’fore I get the same result. The elders could really hold their breaths when they didn’t want t’ sing.” She grumbled the last bit, crossing her forelegs and pouting. I rubbed at my head. “So you could get anypony singing with just a bit of time?” Lily shrugged. “Not necessarily. It’s easier when they want to sing. Or if they let themselves get caught in the beat without knowin’. I know m’self I’ve had m’ hooves tappin’ to a song that I never realized was there a couple times.” She suddenly leaned in, and her emotions changed rapidly to anticipation and excitement, like a tangy tap on the tip of my tongue. “So what did you think of m’ singin’? Cor, I’ve never been so excited to hear that the ‘eathen surface dwellers liked to sing too! We can come to later karaoke events too, right?” I hesitated, my mind going back to the sheer pressure I faced back inside and the dulling of my empathy sense, the sense of helplessness that I had so frequently faced during my time outside of the hive. I snorted, anger building within me. I ran away again. I hated feeling so helpless. I hated running. And if I felt that much emotion around me and all I could do was run away with my tail between my legs later on? “Of course,” I said, resolutely. “Today was pretty fun, and your singing was phenomenal! Plus, I think the bar would love to have you be a regular with performances like that. C’mon, let’s go back in.” Lily grabbed me up in a big hug, and I felt her joyous love flow in before she let me go and went back inside. I looked back inside and took another breath to steel myself. Though I was still scared, I was going to have to acclimate myself to that kind of environment, one way or another, lest it come back to bite me later on. One step at a time. “Are you certain about this?” I smirked, and my next words came naturally to my mouth. “What kind of changeling would I be if I ran away from love?” I pushed open the door, striding back into the bar’s warm embrace.