Almost as if she had cold water dumped on her, Celestia was released from her blackout. Stumbling around, she looked up and felt her blood run cold.
A massive blue ram had crashed through the roof and was blasting bright yellow magic at reckless abandon. His eyes were solid red, and his eyelids twitched sporadically. Ponies scrambled to get out of the way as his massive cloven hooves smashed the granite floor. The ceremonial guards were being beat back like insects; nopony else seemed interested in staying around to help.
There was nopony else to stop him. It would have to be Celestia.
With a powerful beat of her wings, she tore off her dress and flung herself into harm's way. Grogar saw her coming and took a massive step back, casually parrying the attack with his curled horns.
"I don't understand!" Celestia yelled. "I thought you were defeated by Gusty eons ago!"
Grogar let out a primal roar and made a move to attack the ponies below again. Celestia knocked him off balance with a shockwave blast, and the wall he fell upon crumbled into dust. Just as quickly as he was knocked down, Grogar got back up and shot Celestia. She raised a shield, but the force knocked her down. Challenging him appeared to be a bad idea.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders managed to push a table in the way to break her fall. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine-you foals really should get out of here." Celestia extended her wing to cover the fillies.
"As a matter of fact, we're here to help." Scootaloo pointed at the flattened doorway. Sandbar and his friends were galloping or flying in. "Where's Twilight?!"
"Coming!" Yona skidded to a stop. "Do we have a plan?"
Gallus had borrowed a guard's spear and clutched it tightly. "Yes. We need to get his eyes."
"Right, let's go!" The foals sped out from cover, leaving Celestia behind. With a groan, she flapped her wings and flew after them.
Sweetie Belle and Ocellus blasted him with magic, and he looked down at these little creatures with an almost amazed expression. It didn't register in his mind that such young and small younglings could even scratch him. With his attention now facing downwards, Sandbar and Yona defended Sweetie and Ocellus, launching pies and cake slices and other food upwards. They slowly backed up, drawing Grogar out into a more open space.
"This is worse than that summer we added a breakfast nook to our treehouse." Scootaloo groaned to Apple Bloom.
Gallus and Smolder rolled upside down and dove down at Grogar's head. The dragon blew a pillar of fire down, and the ram looked up just in time to have a spear dropped into his eye. He let out another roar, shaking his head around in pain. In that moment of confusion, the two managed to escape.
Celestia hovered, watching the scene unfold like a battle commander. With his last eye, Grogar eyed the group of youngsters, growling like a predator. There was no evidence of a higher intelligence in the body; it was like someone had hit the reset button and there was nothing left except the most basic survival instincts.
There wasn't much time to ponder the intricacies of life magic of an ancient dictator, as a high pitched wail sounded out down below.
"No, Flurry!" Cadence chased the little alicorn, trying to grab Flurry's tail. Celestia dove down to try and intercept the foal, but Grogar shot the little pony with his magic. The downwards motion of Grogar's head caught Celestia, and she was knocked down once more.
There was just enough time for her to remember that perhaps the stove was still on at home before her head hit the floor.
Schuberry had been hiding under the piano. Everything had been a blur; ponies were screaming and it sounded like a hurricane was tearing through the room. Andante was nowhere to be seen. The orchestra was nowhere to be seen. There was nowhere to run, and masses of ponies huddled behind overturned tables and rubble, scared like her.
The other students from the Wonderbolts show were here. She poked her head from below and looked up. They were fighting this giant, strange looking pony. Schuberry looked down at her hooves. There was nothing she could do to help.
Celestia was suddenly knocked to the ground with a sickening thud. There wasn't any movement. A collective gasp came from the crowd, and almost like someone had turned off a switch, silence fell over the room. The fighting continued.
Schuberry scrambled back onto the piano. Her only skill was playing the piano; perhaps she could help calm down the terrified ponies.
What song to play?
Sheet music was billowing around. There was no way she could play anything off that; there was nothing she could do. Schuberry groaned, trying to think. The beautiful black polish of the concert grand piano reflected her image, and the beautiful gold lettering almost glowed. 'Shetland and Sons' it said proudly. The memories flowed back. Teaching Luster Dawn, watching Hayseed practice for the play, and the cozy bakery...
There was one song she memorized, locked away in her mind; the Rose Ballad. Schuberry allowed a small smile, thinking back to her first performance in front of Celestia.
These were the same notes, the same sound she made all those months ago, but nothing was the same. She wasn't playing tentatively, unsure if her strange variation would be accepted; she wasn't playing for an audience unsure of her talents, expecting her to randomly slap the notes with reckless abandon as a foal with no understanding of the wonderful machine in her control.
Taking a look, she could see the ponies visibly calm down. That was good; the music was working.
Schuberry closed her eyes as she reached the part in the song that repeated the same bar several times. This time, she added a more obvious tone shift. The music flowed gently, almost like a breeze over wide plains. She leaned back a little as the music became desperate, faster and faster.
Schuberry could have sworn Celestia cried at the next part. There were slight butterflies in her stomach as she neared, but as Schuberry played the notes, a violin joined in, clear, loud, yet obviously playing as the accompaniment. The filly opened her eyes and found herself staring at a beautiful mare with a light coat and a rich mane.
"What's your name?" Schuberry asked. "You never told me."
"Ah, just call me Breeze." The unicorn kept playing, never overtaking Schuberry. "You know, I used to fight that guy all the time. His name is Grogar."
"Grogar, from the stories?" Schuberry asked.
"Well, those stories have some basis in truth." Breeze chuckled. "When I-I mean when he was defeated, I wasn't sure if he'd ever come back. Guess we know now." When the piano reached a lull, she added a few fast notes, but then quickly retreated when the piano became more exciting again.
For Schuberry, who spent most of her piano playing trying to correct for a violin, this was a completely new experience. For once, she was leading! But her excitement was short lived; she remembered Celestia lying in a heap on the floor. "Will mom be okay?"
"She's had worse. She's my daughter, actually." Breeze chuckled. "Remember when I said I wasn't sure if Grogar would ever come back? Well, Celestia and Luna developed the principles of Friendship to combat Grogar's power hungry and imperialistic ambitions. Apparently, it's application was a lot wider than I first thought."
"Oh..." Schuberry blinked. She was still too young to grasp the weight of what Breeze was saying. "Hey, doesn't that make you my grandma?"
"Sorry?"
"Celestia is mom, and you're mom's mom." The little filly flapped her wings excitedly.
"Schuberry...you're not related to me. Celestia isn't your real mom." Breeze sighed.
"But she loves me! She gives me good food, she bought me a piano like Dad, and she enjoys my music!" Schuberry insisted. "Isn't that what a mother is, someone who takes care of you?"
"Not in the...biological sense, no. I'm sure if you ask, and you should, Celestia will adopt you." Breeze slowly explained. "Your real mother has had some trouble in the past, and she doesn't want to see you. But it's because she loves you very much."
"Is Andante my real dad then?!" Schuberry desperately asked.
"No, and unlike Celestia, he has no love for you." Breeze sadly admitted. "Schuberry, he only loves you for your talent. He's not good for you."
"But if I don't stay with him, I can't learn music..." Schuberry looked down.
"What song are we playing right now, Schuberry?" Breeze smiled. "The first half is molded by your father's crude hoof, but the second is your own creation, and it's truly beautiful. I have been awoken by it, and I have also followed you to hear it once more. I never thought I would have the chance to play with you, but I'm happy and honored that I can."
"Your playing is very interesting." Schuberry commented. "I've never seen anypony play the violin like this."
Breeze's playing faded, lifted her bow from the strings. "Schuberry, you're a wonderful filly, and you'll grow up to become a beautiful, wonderful mare. I just wish I could watch you grow." The music once again became faster and faster. Breeze began to glow, and then, she burst into a million rose petals. The light was blinding, yet Schuberry seemed glued to the piano. She kept playing, and the light blew over Celestia's body, then entered it.
When Celestia came to, Luna was standing over her with a concerned look on her face. "Ugh...what's going on? What are you doing here?"
"Can you stand up?" Luna steadied her sister. "I finished Honey Paradise's diary."
"Oh? What do you think?" Celestia looked around.
"Very excellent read." Luna guided Celestia behind some rubble. "I thought mother defeated Grogar."
"Well, take a look." The older sister held up a wing to block little pebbles raining down. "Look, we really need to stop fighting."
"That's true." Luna agreed.
"We both love Schuberry very much." Celestia added.
"That is also true."
"Look, after this, we should try to help Schuberrry however we can. We're only in this mess cause we-well, we didn't behave mature enough." Celestia looked down, ashamed. "We have to make things right."
"We can start with Grogar!" Luna screeched, sidestepping a magic bolt from the mad ram. "What do we do?"
"Twilight and her friends have gone to fetch the Elements." Celestia closed her eyes. "Flurry is gone. Look." Cadence was bowed over, and she was still crying, even though her eyes were dry.
"I know. We'll have to add that to the growing 'worry later' list." Luna charged ahead and hit the ram with her magic. Grogar tried to retaliate but missed. Luna caught the bolt, preventing further destruction. Celestia joined and beat Grogar back again. Gallus' spear was still impaled in the ram's left eye.
"Luna, let's get his other eye!" Celestia dropped near the ground and picked up an abandoned spear. "Luna, take him that way!" She caught a glimpse of Gallus and Ocellus helping the last few ponies out of the room. With Grogar focusing on her younger sister, Celestia rolled over and dove down. She held out the spear with her magic and closed her eyes as she passed, trying to ignore the sickening squelch.
Grogar stumbled, falling down and flailing his limbs. Celestia scooped up Schuberry in the pullout, then landed outside. "Are you okay?"
"Mom, what's going on?" Schuberry asked. Her attention was drawn away for a moment when Twilight and her friends charged in. There was a bright flash of light as the Elements did their work.
"I don't know. But I'm glad you're okay." Celestia squeezed Schuberry tightly.
"Mom, I saw that pony. The nice one that only I can see." Schubery tugged the alicorn's wing. "She was beautiful and played the violin for accompaniment for me. And she said a lot of things, like you're not my mom, and my real mom loves me very much but can't see me, and uh, Andante doesn't love me. I don't know what she's saying, but think she's telling the truth..."
"Sshhh, Schuberry, it's alright..." Celestia patted her. "What did this pony look like?"
"She's pretty, she has a red and green mane, and a light green coat." Schuberry described. "And, uh, she said she was called Breeze."
"Breeze...Gusty?" Celestia whimpered slightly. "It can't be..."
"I thought I saw her at at the Nightmare Night concert." Luna rubbed her chin. "She was helping Schuberry play the piano with Ladon."
"I saw her at home one day, and she must've been playing the violin at that piano contest!" Celestia exclaimed. "Schuberry, where is she now?"
"She turned into a million petals, and the petals flew into you." Schuberry blinked innocently. "What's going on?"
Luna slowly sat down on the grass and leaned against Celestia. "Sister..."
Andante slowly pushed himself up. His body was covered in dust, and a rock pinned his leg. With a great effort, he pulled himself up and dusted his tattered tuxedo off. Checking to see that his collar was still inside his breast pocket, he tried to gallop off, but a whip caught his hind leg. "You!"
A.K. Yearling came strutting down from a pile of rubble. She said nothing, but a cold, furious expression was on her face. Without much ado, she slung his body over her back.
"Where are you taking me?!" Andante tried to escape, but her wings kept him in place. She walked him out into the dark garden, filled with tired, angry ponies. Several of them eyed their direction.
Twilight landed hard right next to them. "A.K. Yearling?"
The pegasus handed a sheet of paper, and Twilight took a short moment to skim over it. "Grogar's collar...collar slowly drained Andante's magic...used it to break free..." She read out loud.
Andante exploded. "What?! I haven't done anything, this mare is lying-" He reached for his collar, but as he focused his magic, nothing happened. It flopped out in a cartoonish way, bouncing a little.
"Andante, what's that?" Prince Blueblood came forward.
Celestia came forward. "It is a collar...it's Grogar's collar. How did he get it?"
Daring Do shrunk back a little.
"Celestia, can you explain what this collar does?" Twilight slowly circled Andante.
"From what I remember, it's a mind control device." Celestia explained. "It takes the user's magic and impresses it on others. The only creature that can use it without ill effects is Grogar himself." As she spoke, Andante felt like a lemon being squeezed. His legs became feeble, and his horn became crooked. "...As it is happening to Andante right now."
Turca stepped forward. "Seville and I have faint memories of writing a critique of a song that was not submitted to us."
"What song is that?" Luna asked.
"It was for the Wonderbolts." Seville shrugged. "I can't remember what it was called."
"Hey, is it Vivid Shining Sky?" Rainbow jumped in. "You know, we've been playing it at every show we've flown in. Nice job, kid." She tousled Schuberry's hair.
"On the subject of music." Sandbar thinned his eyes. "Haven't you been stealing Schuberry's music?" His friends shot glares at the frail unicorn.
"It was for her own good. You wouldn't understand!" Andante's cries became desperate. "She wished to learn from me! Tell them, Schuberry!"
"I have reason to suspect Andante also performed an illegal operation on Schuberry's mother." Celestia added on.
'Yes, and it involved a minor as a matter of fact.' A.K. scribbled.
"Several ponies are accusing you of some very serious charges, Andante." Twilight snarled. Her tone became softer. "Schuberry, please. We need to know, did Andante steal your music?"
Everycreature held their breath.
"Schuberrry won't say anything." Andante confidently growled. "I'm too important to her! Come home to me. We can pick up where we left off. We can be happy!"
"He only smiles at train wrecks." Luna whispered under her breath.
Schuberry seemed uncomfortable for a moment. "Andante has been stealing my music for years. I don't know if he stole that collar, but he said my friends made me stupid. I don't remember if he took my voice. And he makes me dress like a colt..." She pulled off her bowtie and threw it away, disgusted.
"What the-Schuberry, what are you saying? After all I've done for you-this is how you treat me?" Andante slowly pushed himself up onto his hooves. His legs trembled from the effort, but his furious expression almost had a phyiscal effect. "Schuberry, I am your father! You can't do this to me!"
"You're not my father." Schuberry defiantly stood her ground. "And I know now. You've been lying to me, and whoever."
A tired looking mare stepped forward. "He caused me to lose my job!"
"And the National Bank had a large withdrawal of bits under my name to you." Prince Blueblood marched up to the scene. "Guards, arrest him."
As the unicorn was taken away, Celestia had a good look at his expression. She had expected him to be gazing back, filled with disgust or resentment, but his expression had grown much softer. His eyes were wider than usual, and his jaw was slightly slack. Celestia had seen this expression before; she racked her brain trying to read it.
Andante was coming to the realization that he lost Schuberry. That was why the look was so strange-it wasn't one of snobbish superiority or petty frustration. While that expression quickly changed to discontempt, he knew as well as Celestia that Schuberry had accidentally spread her wings, and not even the most furious of storm or the biggest batacuda could stop her now. Luna didn't notice, and Celestia decided it wasn't the time to point it out.
The crowd slowly dispersed, now that the source of the excitement was gone. Schuberry looked around, unsure of what to do. "Miss...Celestia..."
"What is it, dear?" The great alicorn offered a ride on her back.
"Breeze said something about..'adopt'..." Schuberry rubbed the back of her head. "I don't know what that means."
"Well, if you want me to adopt you, it means I'll be your mom." Celestia explained patiently. "Well, in this case, you'd be adopting Luna and myself as your family. We'd just need your approval-" She was cut off by Schubery throwing herself into a tight hug. For the first time, there were tears streaming down the little pony's eyes.
"Oh dear, oh dear. I do hope this means yes." Luna joined in on the hug, and it seemed all would be right in the world.
Rainbow Dash looked over the scene. "Hey, Daring, are you ever going to tell her, well, everything?"
'Oh, oh yeah.' The author wrote. 'Someday, maybe when I'm retired, and I've seen enough of the world. Celestia's going to make a fine mare out of her.'
"She's an awesome composer already, though." Rainbow curled a wing around Daring's back, leading her away from the wrecked castle.
