//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Forgotten Melodies // Story: Forward Unto Twilight // by MerryMelancholy //------------------------------// "Keep the memories that make you smile close to your heart. Use them as your light in the dark." Rainbow stood by the door leading out their home with a one strapped satchel at her side. It was stuffed to the brim with magical scrolls, many of them protruding out of the bag itself. "Well, I'll be heading out." Applejack who was now the one heading upstairs looked at Rainbow departing in amusement. "You carrying around a sack of magical scrolls really makes ya look like her ya know. Like Twilight..." her eyes closed halfway. "Remember when she first got to Ponyville? Remember all the things we did together? How many years ago was that?" She glanced up then, fondly. "The Grand Galloping Gala, her coronation, gee, wish we could just go back sometimes." She exhaled before slowly heading back up the stairs, "Sorry, don't mean ta get all sappy." Rainbow stood silently there by the door for a moment. "No, don't apologize." Applejack blinked and paused, before looking back at Rainbow curiously, saying nothing. Rainbow opened the door to their home, exposing the gentle bright light outside. "I wish that sometimes too." Applejack frowned at her then, then smiled. "Ya stay safe out there. I'll remain at home waiting for Midnight." Rainbow bared tired eyes as she nodded, shutting the door behind her as she left. "Alright..." Sugar Cube Corner, a bright pink and colorful establishment within the town of Golden Oaks. It was both a bakery and the prime location for any with a savage sweet-tooth. Standing behind the counter was a young mare with a bright mane containing two shades of pink. It was fastened into a ponytail as her coat itself was a bright yellow shade and she had hazel eyes and her cutie mark was a blue feathered ink quill. She was currently setting out a tray of freshly made muffins. "Ah, seems I've gotten another recipe down." Then the door to the establishment slammed open. "Kettle Cooooorn! Guess who's got biiiiits!" Standing there in the open doorway with a bright and cheery smile was Midnight. "Mistress of the Night! Midnight!" The pony revealed as Kettle Corn flinched, before glancing over at Midnight. "M-Midnight! Don't do that!" Midnight strode up to the front counter confidently, "I smelt the muffins down the street and you don't expect me to come barging in here? Who do ya think I am!?" She poofed atop the counter, tongue out in a prowling position as she eyed the muffins hungrily like some begging dog. She then went into a sudden leap! Kettle Corn caught the filly, "No, bad!" She spun and then finished, having placed Midnight on the ground on the opposing side of her before she glanced down at her skeptically. "You know it's money first Midnight. It's highly inappropriate to come in here and just take some muffins without my say so. I may have been given this establishment by your sisters, and am still practicing my recipes so one day I can open up my own shop in the mainland. But I'm still due the same sort of respect you'd show them. I am your elder afterall." She huffed. Midnight rolled her eyes in amusement, before giving her an exaggerated shoo. "Elders, Shmelders. Elders Shmelders! We're friends, isn't that even more important?" She poofed consecutively about three times, before reappearing atop the counter, trotting slowly with her head raised in confident stride. "And frieeeends, don't mind putting their other friends on the tab!" She poofed again only to land on Kettle Corn's back. Kettle Corn had trouble keeping up with her movements and sighed tiredly. "So much upbeat energy. You really do take after your older sisters you little daredevil." She trotted around the counter, still as Midnight clung to her back and then grabbed two of the freshly made muffins. She made her way to one of the tables before placing them there and glancing back at Midnight somewhat tiredly. "Well there ya go, go on now." Midnight gasped, eyes sparkling and wide as she placed both her forehooves on her cheeks. "Oh my goodness oh my goodness!" She poofed again, reappearing in a seat now as she began to drool. "This is wicked wicked! Awesome possum!" She glanced over at Kettle Corn, "Oh r-right! I'm a filly of my word." She dug in her mane before pulling out two gold bits, before sliding them towards Kettle Corn upon the table. She raised her head confidently. "Excuse my sudden richness, I've finally been recognized for my worth." She crossed her hooves. Kettle Corn smirked, "So which one of them finally gave you a small allowance bump?" Midnight glared at Kettle Corn then, "H-Hey! I just got a little older is all! They see I'm responsible!" Kettle Corn giggled, before taking the bits from atop the table and smirking. "Uhuh, if you say so Midnight." Midnight continued to glare at her before grumpily chowing down on one of the muffins. Kettle Corn reached her cash register, placing the two coins inside, then watching Midnight momentarily. She eyed her blank flank particularly too, then smiled. "You're so wet behind the ears Midnight." She giggled. Midnight with a full muzzle, "Wesh behind zhe earshuh?" She glanced up and rubbed at the back of her ears. Kettle Corn closed her eyes, "It means lacking experience. But you're more like that in an amusing way." She crossed her hooves, one over the other, eyeing her with half-closed eyes fondly. "You've never been to the mainland right? You've been hanging out here on Golden Oaks your whole life. It must feel pretty odd." Midnight's eyes saddened as she still had stuffed cheeks. She swallowed hard, before looking to Kettle Corn with undeniable jealous curiosity. "Jeez you too? Why do most ponies know about the mainland except me?" She sighed, and looked down at her remaining muffin upon the table. "It gets me so jealous it drives me crazy." Kettle Corn chuckled as she went into the motions of placing the rest of the muffins on trays within the display counter, "I won't lie to you, it is pretty strange. I thought those two would've taken you at least once by now, but I guess it doesn't really matter if life is good for you here." She closed her eyes and smiled, "But don't feel too bad. The mainland, which was once more commonly referred to as Equestria, is pretty dramatic these days. Though it's still wonderful in many ways, there's a lot of drama stirred up there. Golden Oaks is like its own little recluse world sometimes." She shrugged and smirked, "It's why I like to come out here from time to time." Midnight's brows furrowed as her eyes saddened and she looked down at her muffin. "I know, a lot of other ponies tell me the same things but... I-I'm getting older." She frowned as she felt as if a shadow cast over her then. "Sometimes it feels like my sisters are keeping me cooped up like some baby bird in a cage." Kettle Corn's eyes widened at Midnight, actually surprised for it was rare to see her look down. Midnight's saddened expression only seemed to become more intense. "We only get temporary visitors to Golden Oaks, so many of you come and go as you please. Yet here I stay... and I don't know why. Why does it feel like we are the only ones that live here? I'm happy but I guess I been thinking about it too a lot recently. My sisters adopted me when I was super duper young so I don't remember a whole lot but... there's a pony I really want to meet. I think she's in the mainland." For a brief second, remnants of sapphire flames sparked in front of the filly's eyes. "I, I have been beginning to think that m-maybe... she's... somepony special to me?" Kettle Corn felt a heavy tension in the air, which caused her to rise and eye Midnight worriedly. Midnight kept her eyes on her muffin, her mane started to sway some. "I wonder sometimes... if my sisters-" Kettle Corn suddenly made her way to the filly's side as she placed a hoof atop her mane. Midnight blinked a few times, as suddenly that tension in the air dissipated. She glanced up at Kettle Corn. Kettle Corn seemed nervous, and laughed nervously as well. "T-Theeeere she is, the Midnight I know." Midnight tilted her head to the right. "Midnight you know? Did I change or something?" Kettle Corn rubbed at the back of her neck, "N-No... it's just-, well." She had trouble putting it into words, eyeing the filly skeptically before smiling just in mere relief. "Well no matter, I'm overthinking. But, do eat your muffin Midnight, before it gets cold." She frowned worriedly, before taking the time to hug the filly. "Jeez, weirdo." Midnight flinched as she gave a confused look to Kettle Corn, "What the?" Her nose wrinkled. Meanwhile having made her way through the forests was Rainbow Dash. She preferred trotting over flying oddly, and it was uncertain how long she'd been trotting. Eventually, having been submerged in the shadows of the forest for a long while, she emerged into a bright and open space. She shaded her eyes from the sun before looking out in an inspecting manner, then smirking to herself in anticipation. "I really am amazing." The sight revealed a large obtuse obstacle course, complete with flashes of intense lightning, hail, and rain in certain sectors. It seemed that clouds here were bundled in an unnatural manner... just as she intended.