//------------------------------// // Verse 14 // Story: The Nightmare Knights Become A Band // by SwordTune //------------------------------// “Just play this one back one more time,” Poppin Mix said from behind the recording equipment. The storage room in the back of the Castle of Friendship was becoming more and more like a dedicated studio. With some old clutter cleared out and sent to the many other closets in the castle, there was scant little that the band could need that they did not have. Svengallop protested to letting her take over the recording, a lot. After Luna told them that she worked with Rara, he looked as if he was going to pop a blood vessel. But, their song Goddess needed a little reworking. Which made sense, it was the first song of the album, the song that Luna had chosen perform in Canterlot. Compared to the other songs, the Nightmare Knights were the least experienced when they recorded this one. But Poppin wasn’t here to criticize. She heard and loved the rest of the album. In her own words, she knew the Knights could “pop it up” if they “locked it down” now that they had more experience and practice. “Every pony still got it?” Luna asked. Lightning tapped her drumsticks together. “Like you even have to ask. One, two, three-” She counted off the beat and they began. Grimmer Dreamer - Come, my children, I’ll guide you away To a world in the dark of the nightmare realm Hidden deep alone With memories stowed We can play in my Garden of Shadows - Master of your deepest fear, the queen by moonlight Guardian of the dreamers, she will end your woes The mistress of the night With your sleep in her endless sight When your wake is at its end - Goddess of the Nightmare Realm! Who will claim All the pain of the wicked? Spellbound to her lonely ground Only from daylight will she hide. - Grimmer Dreamer - A traitor to just one She was thrown by the sun In her fight, she was crippled and broken Creating a myth It was easy enough With your fear in control of the harness - Deceived by the fright She was crowned in the night As the queen of the wicked and unchosen - Master of your deepest fear, the queen by moonlight Guardian of the dreamers, she will end your woes The mistress of the night With your sleep in her endless sight When your wake is at its end - Goddess of the Nightmare Realm! Who will claim All the pain from the wicked? Spellbound to her lonely ground Only from daylight will she hide. - Rest now my children For soon we will away Go through the calm and quiet And to the lordess of the dream - Grimmer Dreamer Grimmer Dreamer - Goddess of the Nightmare Realm! Who will claim All the pain from the wicked? Spellbound to her lonely ground Only from daylight will she hide. The final chord hung in the air. Slowly, Poppin lifted the headphones off her head and set them down, nodding gently with a big grin on her face. “That one was it. I think we have an album on our hooves, every pony.” “I must say, this time around it did sound a lot better,” Svengallop admitted. “Better? That was great!” Starlight exclaimed. “Getting next semester planned out was a good idea. I wouldn’t want to miss this just because of a scheduling conflict.” “But, you can teleport,” Tempest said. “How are you late for anything?” Starlight shrugged. “When you can go anywhere instantly, you start forgetting to look at the time.” Poppin removed the crystal disk from the studio recorder and packed it in a thin cardboard box. She was a busy mare and had to make it to the next train, but promised to get the disk to a CD maker as soon as she got back to Manehattan. In the days since Luna had gone to the big city, she had asked Cadence if she could explain more about these new CD’s. The name was enough to start: disks made from special crystals mined in the Northern Wastes that could be altered with a simple spell. Then, like light bending as it passed through a lens, magic could be channelled through the disk to produce a different effect. Sometimes, the disks could be used as the lens of a projector, creating an image when subjected to magic. Other times, it could directly produce sound. But to amplify a sound on a speaker, or to play it through headphones, the magic that passed through a music disk needed to be converted into an electrical signal. It was much better than a tape, and it seemed to be revolutionizing every aspect of entertainment media. Major cinemas used crystal disks on their projectors, while CD’s and CD players were quickly filling the shelves of appliance stores. Which reminded Luna. If they were going to sell their CD, they needed a cover for the box. “That won’t be too hard,” Starlight said after Luna brought it up to the band. “I asked Photo Finish to come and take school photos. With class sizes expanding, we’ll need student IDs to keep track of every creature.” “She’s open to doing a photo shoot for us?” Luna asked. “Open? That’s her main goal. I knew we’d need some cover art eventually, so I told her ahead of time that the Nightmare Knights needed pictures. The letter she wrote back had a picture of her equipment crew celebrating. They’re all excited to work with you.” “Well,” Luna blushed, “that’s very flattering. Ahem. When will arrive in Ponyville?” Starlight checked the clock on the far side of the studio. “Tomorrow, early. The photo shoot’s going to be in the morning instead of first period classes, so Photo Finish will have to set up before that.” “I’ll be guarding some dreams tonight,” Luna said. “I don’t think I’ll look my best first thing in the morning.” “Same,” Lightning Dust said. “I gotta get my beauty sleep if I’m going to work hard.” Svengallop made a face at her. “You get beauty sleep?” “Shut your mouth,” she pointed back at him. “You two really hate each other, huh?” Starlight commented, placing herself near the door if she had to make a hasty retreat. “Hate’s too strong a word,” Tempest weighed in. “You can’t really hate someone unless you know them well enough. No, those two just don’t get along.” Lightning Dust whipped her head around. “I get along just fine with others. Svengallop’s an ass, that’s all! And don’t talk about us like we’re not in the room.” “Not convinced,” Tempest said. Luna levitated the equipment back into their storage boxes while the three traded semantics over who was complaining more than the other. Starlight stepped aside, overpowered completely by the energy of the band. “It’s like they like being mad at each other,” she said as she helped sweep up the crumbs left behind by their sandwiches from lunch. Luna nodded. “I doubt team-building exercises will help. But I think they see each other’s value.” “How so?” “Take Tempest,” Luna pointed over her shoulder with her horn. “She clarified that they don’t hate each other. She doesn’t want those two being seen in the wrong way, even if the right way isn’t much better. Besides, how could she know they weren’t hateful unless she spent time with them?” “Good point,” Starlight conceded. “Still, I can’t believe this is happening. We’re a real band. We can go on tours, perform skits, get a setlist!” “A bit of Twilight rubbed off, didn’t it?” Luna smirked. Starlight laughed. “Haha, I guess a good list can be exciting now and then. Do you have any ideas for what our photos should look like?” Luna shrugged. “A few ideas. I’ll have to teleport around and see what better costumes we can get, though. Hopefully, I’ll have a look picked out before the photoshoot.” From all the stories she had heard, there was only one place where Luna could expect to find the perfect look for the Nightmare Knights. Ponyville’s Carousel Boutique was as talked about as the town itself. With other establishments in two of the biggest cities in Equestria, the reputation of the name alone was almost tangible. Of course, most ponies ignored the fact that Rarity was also an instructor at the School of Friendship. With school photos coming up tomorrow, the boutique was unsurprisingly overwhelmed with students. Though this year still mostly had ponies attending the school, more creatures from outside Equestria had begun to join. A kirin and a few changelings dashed around the front of the store, swapping outfits with each other to try on. Two yak students seemed to have a harder time finding suits that could fit them. Luna carefully shuffled her way through the boutique, trying to slip past wandering eyes, which wasn’t so hard since they seemed more concerned with their appearance than anything else. Finally, at the check-out teller, a familiar face came to Luna. “Oh hey Princess,” a frazzled Sweetie Belle said. Strands of her mane were loose in many places. “What brings you here?” “I could ask you the same,” Luna said. “Why aren’t you in class?” “Miss Cheerilee had to go out of town for a family emergency,” she answered as she levitated a set of clothes onto an empty rack. Though they were only suits and pants, the young unicorn seemed to struggle to hold so many fabrics in place. The less rigid the material, the more it tended to sway around, and the harder it became to levitate. Luna picked up the rest of the clothes and filled the racks for her. A few heads turned, and she thought for a moment that she had been noticed. But a group of young mares flocked only to the eye-catching glint of Rarity’s designs. “It seems busy today,” Luna announced her observation. Sweetie Belle nodded, not even hiding her exhaustion. “Since I don’t have class, I offered to help my sister get the students ready. She believes every creature should look their best in any picture.” “She must feel blessed to have you for a sister,” Luna said. “Well, I’m also a tutor at the School of Friendship, so I guess I would’ve helped anyway. But, is that why you’re here, did you want to help?” “Eh, maybe once I figure out an outfit.” Luna couldn’t help but look away. As excited as she was to help her sister, Sweetie Belle looked spent. Her dreams had told Luna more than enough over the years. Fashion was, at best, a passing interest for her. Luna scanned the boutique. “Actually, I was wondering where your sister is. I was thinking of asking her for some ideas. I want to get a costume together.” “A costume?” Sweetie Belle’s voice squeaked up an octave. “It’s not Nightmare Night… so are you going on a masquerade ball? Or are you in a play? Or are you becoming a secret agent?” “Wouldn’t I be unable to tell you if I was a secret agent?” Luna tilted her head. Sweetie Belle pouted her lips. “I know, but I figured since we knew each other…” “Alright, I’ll tell you,” Luna smiled. “Though I hope you won’t be disappointed, it’s hardly as exciting as being a secret agent. I simply started a band with a few friends, and I’m trying to find some outfits for our album cover.” “A band!” Sweetie Belle squeaked, and it was almost audible in the chattering choir of children shopping. “And you’re taking band photos? You know, Photo Finish is coming to the school tomorrow to take all the students’ pictures. I bet if you asked her, she’d take the pictures for you.” “Is that so?” Luna feigned ignorance. It was easier than coming up with a reason why she would know about Photo Finish. Thus far, Starlight had managed to keep her involvement relatively obscure. Luna intended to let that be the case until she was ready. Or until the secret could no longer be held. “But, I’m guessing you’ll need to pick out a look before you think about that,” Sweetie Belle said. “Rarity’s teaching a class right now up in her workshop. All the students are supposed to be here for a field trip about fashion and friendship, but she can’t fit every creature upstairs so they’re taking the lessons in turns.” “Ah, therein lies the rub,” Luna looked around again, understanding why so many students had decided to come shopping at the same time. “Well, I’m in a bit of a hurry, but teaching classes is critical. I suppose I can find some pony else-” “Excuse me,” a hippogriff student interjected their conversation to ask Sweetie Belle a question. “Was this dress made by Coco Pommel?” “Oh, not directly,” she answered, “but Rarity was inspired by her designs this season.” Luna watched the young filly direct the student to a rack of skirts and dresses that could fit both her body type as a hippogriff and her interests. “Whew,” Sweetie Belle felt relieved, “I don’t know if I can keep acting like I know what I’m doing. Rarity talked a lot about non-pony fashion, but I barely understand any of it. I mean, hippogriffs have pony-like bodies, can’t a dress just fit?” Luna tapped her hoof on her chin. “Perhaps their transformations must be taken into consideration. But alas, it’s a topic for another day. This Coco Pommel, I believe I’ve heard of her. She is a fashion designer as well, yes?” “Yep, Rarity says she’s one of the biggest names in Manehattan,” Sweetie Belle confirmed. “Hm, should’ve gotten on the train with Poppin,” Luna muttered to herself before saying goodbye to Sweetie Belle. “I’d love to stay, but I don’t want to trouble you or your sister. I think I can teleport to Manehattan and find this Coco Pommel.” “Okay, good luck with everything! I hope--no, Yona, please don’t stick horns through the hats!” According to every pony she asked in Bridleway, including Rara and Poppin, Coco Pommel worked from home in Bronclyn. In terms of boroughs, it was one of the least developed due to a lack of funding in public works. Yet, in Bronclyn, Coco Pommel had something of a local reputation. A notable hero of the Midsummer Theatre project, which revitalized the local park, she was not hard to find after asking a few ponies. It was a little disconcerting, the fact that she could ask around and Miss Pommel’s apartment could be given. But, Luna was all too aware that renown and privacy were often inversely related. It was early evening by the time she knocked on Miss Pommel’s door. Early for Luna’s liking, but she wondered if it was already too late for a working mare like her. It did not seem the case when she answered. “Oh my!” Coco stuttered back a step. “Well, you’re quite the surprise this evening, Luna.” “Apologies, I was not sure if you were open to visitors, but your neighbourhood has been very forthcoming about how I might find you. I would recommend installing a security system when you have the chance.” “Well, it is you,” she giggled. “I doubt they would’ve said anything to a total stranger. Bronclyn has grown into a pretty close-knit community again. Every pony knows who to trust around here.” “A good thing to have,” Luna said. “Would I be imposing if I asked to come in? I was hoping to ask about some costume designs.” Coco Pommel cheerfully obliged, offering to set out a plate of cheese with some wine. Tonight was a small celebration of sorts, Coco had finished sketching out the designs for the next fashion season. “Already?” Luna’s jaw hung open. “I heard you had just finished your winter season.” “That’s the pace of fashion,” Coco said. “Everything’s getting faster now too. The different seasons in other places like Yakyakistan and the Dragon Lands means traditional seasons don’t really mean much. Yaks need a second winter fashion line when Equestria transitions into spring, for example.” “Then, I hope it’s not too much for you if I ask this,” Luna hesitated. As they shared stories over cheese and wine, Luna took her time explaining how the Nightmare Knights were about to launch their first album. The visible pain in Coco’s face, when she said that their first outfits were just black cloaks with facepaint, made it apparent that the band needed a unique appearance. But, it didn’t seem like an easy thing to ask for. New non-pony fashion was not the only concern for Coco. With more creatures in Equestria, there were more stores popping up on the streets of every major city. Supplying the demand was fine, but Equestria’s traditional designers were simply unprepared to meet the varied and numerous needs of the world. That left room for stores to fill up the market, taking and adopting ideas from other designers to produce similar, but also different enough, clothes for all kinds of creatures. “It’s not that we don’t want to make clothes for non-ponies,” Coco said while pouring her second glass of red wine. “But to meet all these new demands, it’s just too much. There’s a saying in the business: good, cheap, and fast, I can only do two.” Luna thought back to Rarity’s boutique. How many of those students could actually find something that fit them? Was the happiness of a dragon when she found the one dress to fit her the same as the comfort a pony felt, knowing she could have her pick of anything at a store? The apartment was cosy but stuffed. Coco Pommel had bolts of cloth for personal use stacked up around the living room, and a bookshelf of worn notebooks held on to her past ideas. Fluffy pillows made the workspace feel like a home, but there was a limit to the space as well. How much can she watch happen before she stepped in? Canterlot, the Crystal Empire, what had she done to make permanent change to the conflicts she witnessed? She wanted to change just as Equestria was changing, but was she moving along with it? Or were the Nightmare Knights merely an incidental occurrence? “Then allow me to remove one of those constraints,” Luna said. “Good and fast are enough. My savings are substantial, and I can be very generous with it.” Coco almost jumped back at the offer. “N-no! It’s not like that at all, I’m the kind of pony to charge high fees just because of the work. I’ll look at your request, of course, just give me a few days.” Luna cracked a smile. “Perhaps I should brush up on my communication. I wasn’t suggesting I simply pay you more. I am no longer a princess, but there are things I can still do. If I contracted you as the Nightmare Knight’s exclusive designer, I could purchase a workshop and warehouse here in Manehattan for you to expand your designs. You could even bring your own interns, if you have them.” “A warehouse?” Coco Pommel petrified her face with shock. The proposal came from nowhere and it was more than she could ever imagine having. A warehouse meant more storage for designs, it meant getting staff to handle the labour of storage and transport. “I-I appreciate it, Luna, but I’m not like Rarity,” she sputtered, “I don’t know if I can make such a huge change to my workstyle.” Luna shrugged. “I cannot force you to transition immediately. I only ask that you help me create an image for the Knights. Everything else is up to how you want to do it.” Coco Pommel fiddled a piece of cheese with a toothpick absent-mindedly. “Well, I have been thinking about getting a shipment of Yakyakistan fabrics. And underwater silk from Mount Aris. Oh! And discarded dragon scales!” “Naturally,” Luna said. “But, uh, before all that…” Coco refocused on a sheet of folded paper Luna produced from her small travelling pouch. It was a loose sketch of the Nightmare Knights, shackled behind chains as they posed together in front of a large, omnipresent moon. “I might make some recommendations,” Coco said, both amazed and bewildered to see what Luna envisioned her band to be like. “But, if you want to make fans love all the darkness of the night… I can’t think of a better theme than this.” Luna raised her head up with confidence. “We’re taking the photos tomorrow morning. Is that enough time?” “What?” Shock coursed through Coco’s nerves and she crumpled the corner of the paper reflexively. “Luna, of course that’s not enough time! What are you thinking?”