Chapter 12 - Midnight's Melody
Dear Henry Hoof,
I am writing to you in reply of your letter. Everything here is fine, believe me. Gold is not really doing a good job in school, but what can I say? That filly still needs to focus more on classes than casting magic with his friends. Now that I have thought about it, I remember him planning to try and manipulate the snowy weather here with his friends. I'll be looking for him after I leave this letter in the post office.
As for the orphanage, it's doing quite well. You can't imagine the number of fillies in there. Such poor souls. But to see their warm smiles as you help them is...sorry, I'm not really the type of pony that goes all emotional.
Anyway, you should visit us here some time. I promise you, Manehattan has dramatically changed after the Windigo incident. Of course, there are still criminals running around, but it's nothing to worry about.
And also, BatMare is no more. So please stop teasing me in your letters. It's getting annoying, in all honesty.
Hope to see you soon.
Respectfully Yours,
Roselyn Hammer
P.S.
Attached with this letter is the mouthpiece you asked me to make. It will filter the water so you can breath underwater. If you don't mind me asking though, what is this for?
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1. Blind Attempt
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"Are you sure we're going in the right direction?"
Asked a fish-tailed blue sea pony as she swam a few meters above the sea's floor.
With her was a green alicorn pony, his front hooves wrapped around the sea pony's neck. With a metallic mouthpiece on his mouth, he is able to breathe under water for their travels.
Henry Hoof was already planning to write the third book, but he has no idea how to write a good description of the sea. He already wrote a few notes of how will Daring Do end up in the fictional land of Atlantis, but he needs to experience an underwater journey towards their destination.
He has read about a story of the great sea traveler Ferdinand Unicorlian. One of his sunken ships was believed to be carrying many relics that was supposed to be used to expand the religion to another land.
His plan is to make Daring Do ride a ship, which then sank by Atlantis' gate guardian creature. He's quite not sure if it's going to be a good book, but he'll do his best.
Pearl slowed her swim after they began to swim across a trench. The darkness beneath has given them the shivers. Not a lot of sea creatures swam above this trench, in Pearl's knowledge.
No seapony ever dared to swim down below to find out what was down there.
Henry has spotted a large number of sea turtles swimming in the distance.
Far beyond were large blue whales. Their cries echoed softly to his ears.
Now that he thought about it, he did read that whales can swim down the trench. If only he could talk to them to find out what's down below. He's sure it'll be something worth to be shared to the world by writing it in his book.
The vast blue ocean was spectacular. To Henry, it was as if he was on a flying pony in the blue sea up above. The turtles, the whales, the rays...they looked like they were swiftly flying than swimming.
"Henry..."
Pearl said with worry.
"...are you really certain we're heading on the right direction? The trench down below is scaring me..."
Henry could not answer her. If he would, then the mouthpiece might float off.
He only tightened his embrace and softly nuzzled the sea pony's nape.
"That's not helping..."
Yet she smiled.
"But...thanks."
A mountain-like land-form stood above the trench a distance in front of them. A few distance below the peak was a wooden ship, looking as if the mountain had stabbed it.
It was still too far away to see it properly. Even with Pearl's top speed, it would still take them a minute or two to reach it.
"Is that it?"
Pearl asked.
She felt the alicorn nod his head.
"I have seen ships before... But none looked like that..."
---
Midnight and Daybreak were seated on chairs, both were facing each other as they read a bundle of papers floating in front of them, levitated by their respective magic.
"Why are we here again?"
Complained Midnight, as he lowered his papers down to see his brother, still looking focused on reading the papers.
A week after winter began in Equestria, Daybreak and Midnight received a letter from Snow Flake if they could help them with their annual play.
The brothers arrived in Canterlot two hours ago.
"Just think of it as a change of pace."
Daybreak simply replied, not even landing a glance on his brother.
Midnight snorted. Both of them had to play the rolls of the two unicorns that play a very important role in the play.
The actors to play the roles fell ill however, and no one could take their place. That's when Snow Flake got the idea of asking Daybreak and Midnight.
"And the play is tomorrow!"
Midnight yelled, disregarding the number of busy ponies around the theater.
The ponies were practicing their piece, preparing the props, practicing the musics.
"Yes, and that is why you should concentrate, bro..."
Daybreak calmly said.
Despite the loud environment, both could hear the lovely voice of Snow Flake, practicing her song on a corner, with her vocal teacher, who was closing her eyes, listening to her voice.
Daybreak, despite that fact, could still focus on memorizing his lines.
Midnight annoyingly read his lines.
---
The large old sunken ship was...really old.
Henry let go of the sea pony, and slowly swam around the old ship, and over it, for him to have a good look.
Pearl was only following him. She too, was as curious to see the ship up close.
The ship was now covered with pale-blue sand. Henry swam over the deck, and tried to wipe the sand off, but after touching the sand, a weak crack echoed, making him stop his attempt of wiping the sand off.
Pearl was busy staring at a number of crabs on the deck, picking something on the sand with their claws, and eating whatever they pick up.
---
Midnight has been trying to memorize one sentence, and it's driving him insane. How the heck can he memorize a fourteen-word sentence if the place is full of all sort of noise?
He was about to stand up from frustration until his ears heard a soft tune. He looked around, and found the source.
On one corner, he could see a caramel-colored earth mare, stroking her violin, swaying with the tune she creates with closed eyes and warm smile. Her black silk-like mane and tail followed the rhythm of her body swaying with the tune.
Her swaying body, her closed eyes, her warm smile, her soft tune...
It was as if the only thing he could see and hear was that mare a few meters from him.
He felt his heart was pounding out of the usual, his mouth hung open, his eyes widely open, but he noticed none of it.
Her violin, he could see the notes dancing around her swaying brown body.
It somehow made her shine. Shine. Shine.
"You okay, bro?"
Daybreak asked his brother as he slowly waved a hoof in front of his stunned face.
Convinced that his brother was gone, he turned his head to where his brother was facing, and saw Snow Flake reading her paper, a number of fillies listening to a unicorn mare, a brown mare playing her violin, and a pegasus colt practicing his acting.
There was nothing out of the usual.
Daybreak turned his attention back to his brother, only to see Midnight staring at him.
"You okay, bro?"
The dark-blue unicorn asked.
Daybreak blinked twice.
"What?"
Midnight brought a hoof on his brother's forehead.
Annoyed, Daybreak grabbed his brother's hoof with his own and removes it from his forehead.
He decided to dismiss whatever his brother was looking earlier and went back to memorizing his lines.
Midnight stood up.
"I'm going out."
And he started walking to the door.
"The place's too noisy..."
Daybreak didn't mind him. Midnight might need to clear his head or something.
---
With his horn providing some light, Henry and Pearl swam inside the large sunken ship with care. The pathways were gloomy. The floor was also full of sand, were a number of crabs, shells and starfishes rest on it. The decaying wooden walls were dangerously weak.
Pearl wanted to leave, but her curiosity got the better of her. She swam slowly, tailing the alicorn in front of her.
Soon however, they reached the part where the rock mountain's wall was visible inside the passage, and on the wall was a cave.
Henry shed some light inside the cave, to see what was inside, only to find that the cave was leading downward.
He turned to see the sea pony, who only nodded, signalling him that they should explore the cave.
Henry was not sure if they would but...
---
It was a good thing that a park was nearby the theater. Midnight used his magic to rid the snow blanket, and sat on the grass under a leafless tree.
Who needs the shade of the tree if the snowy sky is covering the sun anyway?
He has been sitting there for an hour now, where he was able to concentrate on memorizing his lines.
Although the park didn't provide the quiet atmosphere he seek, at least it was not as loud as it was inside the theater.
In the park, a number of fillies were building some snowponies, while some were playing with snowballs.
Adult ponies were also in the park: watching over their kids, dating, talking, ice-skating on the now-frozen small lake.
But despite this, Midnight could still not remove the image of that brown violinist in his head.
He has been shaking his head for a few more times now to dismiss the thought so he could go back to memorizing his lines, but as he continued, his mind drifts to that pony.
He flirts a lot of mares, yes. Even gets the chance to spend a night with some of them, but that was it. It was all for fun and pleasure, and nothing more. Easy to flirt, easy to get, and easy to forget, and the cycle goes on, if no interruptions from a certain young pegasus, however.
But that brown mare. He didn't know her, and heck, he didn't even flirted her, so why is he thinking about her a lot?
He grinned. Maybe his body wants her tonight.
Well, at least he has a goal today, and she's part of the play, so he can easily grab the opportunity to ask her out.
Satisfied, he went back to memorizing his lines.
...why is he participating in this stupid play, anyway?
Sure, he knows how to act. He and his brother used to act when they were stealing stuff from ponies, but that was a long time ago.
He's not even sure if he's up for acting, in front of the high-class ponies.
A snowball suddenly hit him on his head, covering both his eyes.
He dropped his papers as he shook his head angrily, sending the snow flying around.
Oh, whoever did that is go---
His sight landed on a brown mare, sitting on a bench a few meters in front of him.
Her eyes were still closed as she plays a quiet tune that couldn't reach his ears.
Unlike before, the mare was only moving her hooves as she plays her music, but the soft wind caught her mane, making the dark-blue unicorn stop breathing.
"This is your fault!"
Cried a unicorn filly at the other filly, who was looking really apologetic as he stared at the dazed Midnight.
"You froze his brain!"
"I-I...I didn't...I didn't mean it!"
The pegasus filly cried as he faced his friend.
He was apologizing to the unicorn a few times now, but both of them did not receive any reply whatsoever, and they feared the worse.
"Waaahhhh!!!"
The unicorn filly grabbed both his shoulders and shook him.
"Stop crying! We should go and ask for help!"
The pegasus filly slowly stopped crying, and nodded weakly.
But before the two could begin to run to ask for help, they felt a big hoof over their heads, and gently rubbing their head.
Midnight brought his two front hooves on the fillies' heads, and rubbing them slowly.
"You two froze my head earlier..."
He received two apologetic faces from the fillies.
"...but I'm alright now."
He smiled.
"Now run along before I-ah...uh...just go and play..."
He removed his hooves on the fillies, and they both nodded with a wide smile, and ran.
Midnight closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and stood up.
He opened his eyes, and lands his gaze on the violinist.
He grinned.
"Okay, time to do some magic."
He took a step forward, only to step on his papers.
"Oh yeah..."
He levitated the papers and puts them inside his saddlebag.
Okay, no more distractions.
He took another step, only to stop after he saw a gray earth filly jumping on the bench, and sat beside the brown earth pony, where she rests her head on the brown mare's hind legs.
Midnight took a step back, gasping silently.
"She... She has a child?"
'But she looks so young...!'
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2. Heart's Song
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Midnight quietly sat under the leafless tree in Canterlot's Western Park. Though he looked like he was reading pieces of paper levitated in front of him, his mind was focused on the brown mare, sitting on a bench and playing her violin a few meters in front of him.
He often times take a glance on the mare, before returning his gaze on his papers.
He knows that he should concentrate on memorizing his lines for the play tomorrow but...
...he just couldn't get into it.
Earlier, he was sure to ask the mare out, but after seeing that she has a child...
'So what if she has a kid? She still looks sexy anyway...'
He took another look at the mare.
Her brown coat caught a few falling snowflakes. Her silk-like black mane also caught a few snowflakes. Her closed eyes, her warm small smile... Her slowly moving hooves, stroking her violin with its bow.
A black middle-aged earth pony slowly walked towards the mare, and after reaching her, he coughed a bit, to clear his throat.
Hearing the cough, the mare stopped playing her violin, and opened her eyes; her grey eyes.
The filly rose her head and stared at the newcomer, while the brown mare didn't faced the newcomer.
"Let's go."
The black colt simply said, receiving the slow nods of the two ponies on the bench.
The black earth pony turned around, and started walking towards the exit of the park.
The filly jumped to the snow-covered ground, as the brown mare slowly and carefully puts her violin back on the case.
She wore the violin case like a saddlebag, and slowly and carefully brought her hooves on the ground.
As soon as she got on the ground, the gray filly lifted one of the brown mare's front hooves, and placed it on the filly's back.
The filly then slowly began to walk, following the black earth pony, who was already a few hooves ahead.
The brown mare followed, not removing her hoof on her child's back, to Midnight's surprise.
The dark-blue unicorn only looked at them as they slowly walk towards the black earth pony, who was already standing on the street, with an empty carriage.
'She... She's...blind...?'
Midnight could only watch them. He couldn't believe that a lovely mare such as her was not given the gift of sight. How cruel!
The black earth pony helped himself inside, looking rather annoyed at the two slow-moving mares.
The filly said something as soon as they reached the carriage, probably informing her mother that they'll be going inside a carriage.
Midnight felt disgusted. That black earth pony didn't even bother helping that brown mare to get inside!
What felt like an eternity, the mare finally got herself inside.
The black earth pony shouted something to the drivers, probably to signal them to move.
The brown mare, who was still standing, stumbled down on her side of the seat as the carriage began to move.
"...the hell!?"
Midnight cursed, turning to his other side to see the carriage.
He quickly returned his papers inside his saddlebag.
He is disgusted at how insensitive that black pony is.
He is even more disgusted that he himself only sat there, doing nothing but to stare!
But he's not going to do nothing this time.
He got up and ran after the carriage.
---
Henry and Pearl were swimming straight down for minutes now.
The semi-circular cave has a diameter of five and a half meters.
The walls of the cave hold nothing of interest whatsoever.
There was no life here.
Finally, they reached the very bottom of the cave.
The blue-gray floor held nothing but a meter-long broken piece of wood.
Pearl quickly picked it up and gave it to the alicorn.
It held nothing of interest...
They looked around until their gaze landed on a horizontal tunnel.
They looked at each other, and after a few seconds, both nodded and began to swam inside the tunnel.
---
"Hey Daybreak."
Snow Flake greeted the yellow unicorn as she reached him.
Her voice, still lovely, with a hint of tiredness.
Daybreak lowered the papers and smiled at her as he stood on his four hooves.
"Hi."
Both gave each other a small and quick kiss.
"So..."
Snow Flake began, blushing a bit.
"Thirty minutes before lunch. Where to?"
She smiled.
Daybreak smiled weakly.
"A-actually..."
He looked around.
"...this is my first time here in Canterlot, so..."
"Oh? Really!?"
Snow Flake gasped, blush faded.
"Well, there's a nice restaurant nearby, if you want to eat there..."
Daybreak nodded with a warm smile.
"That sounds good."
Snow Flake smiled, and then looked around.
"Say... Where's Midnight?"
'Oh yeah...'
Daybreak sighed.
"He went out... Not sure when he'll come back..."
Snow Flake looked at him with a worried look.
"Don't worry."
Daybreak smiled, patting her shoulder.
"He's not stupid to die out of hunger."
They shared a small chuckle before walking towards the exit.
"So..."
Daybreak asked.
"What's the name of the place...?"
---
Midnight stood a few hooves away from the carriage.
After seeing that the black earth pony has no intentions of helping the mare out of the carriage, he began to march towards them, anger clear in his face.
He didn't get the chance to reach them however, seeing that the brown mare finally got off of the carriage. She then lets her filly put her hoof on her back.
The black earth pony sighed from frustration as he got himself off of the carriage.
He payed the drivers, and followed the mares inside a restaurant.
Midnight began to walk and stopped in front of the restaurant.
He's not sure if he should go inside such a fancy place or not.
He tilted his head up to read the name of the establishment.
"Indigo Music Restaurant..."
He whispered to himself.
He walked towards the glass doors, where a white unicorn stallion wearing a black tux opened the door and bowed.
"Good day to you, dear sir."
Midnight nodded weakly, not bothering to face the pony.
He scanned the place, and spots his target: the black earth pony was talking to a high-class earth pony with glasses, and the brown mare slowly went to a seat on a raised stage where ponies play music. She was being assisted by her child.
"Right this way, sir."
Said a pony wearing a tuxedo, gesturing to the unicorn to follow him to a table.
Midnight followed as a carriage stopped in front of the establishment.
Daybreak went out first, and gave a hoof to help his Snow Flake off of the carriage.
Midnight seated on a table near the corner of the establishment. The tux-wearing pony left him with a menu.
He took a quick look at the crazily overpriced food.
"May I have your order, sir?"
Asked a unicorn waiter.
He settled on the cheapest one on the menu.
"Yeah. Give me this Alevines del Heno-thing."
He said awkwardly as he placed the menu on the table.
'What the hey did I just ordered?'
The waiter calmly wrote his order on a notepad.
"And your drinks, sir?"
"Water. Not in the mood for any other at the moment..."
Midnight replied, a little fast and annoyed on his tone.
The waiter bowed and left him.
Daybreak and Snow Flake were seated on a table, near the other corner of the establishment.
They each gave their order, and soon, the waiter left them.
After sharing a stare and a smile, Daybreak let his eyes wander around the establishment.
A windowless restaurant, a bit spacious, and dimly lit. The tables on the center of the establishment only has chairs for two, where a number of them were filled by ponies of high-class.
On one table, if it was not occupied, Daybreak would have seen Midnight on the corner, and Midnight would have seen his brother.
A microphone echoed quietly as a black earth pony on stage grabbed it by his hoof.
"Hello everypony," he calmly greeted the seated customers of the restaurant, receiving their attention.
Midnight eyed him, like a falcon ready to dive down on a clueless mouse.
"I hope you all are enjoying your meals."
He smiled.
"I'd like to introduce to everypony," he turned to face the brown mare, already in position to play her violin.
"Miss Melody."
'Melody... So that's her name...'
Somehow, it made him smile a bit, but a sudden realization made him gasp silently.
'Wait... Miss? Miss!?'
The place echoed a soft round of applause.
Soon, the brown mare lifted her head up a bit, and started to play a soft tune with her violin as the black earth pony went down the stage.
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3. Broken String
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"Your order, sir."
A unicorn waiter arrived, slowly putting the dark-blue unicorn's order in front of him on the table.
He bowed before leaving him.
He didn't know how long it took for him to get what he ordered. His mind was locked on the brown mare on stage, playing a soft and melodious tune with her violin.
And just like the first time he saw her, she swayed her body as she stroked her bow on the strings of her violin.
Her black mane followed softly with the rhythm of her body.
His hypnotized state was broken after the delicious smell of food entered his nostrils and made his stomach growl a bit.
A pony seated nearby arched him an eyebrow, but Midnight payed him no mind, as he blankly stared at his food.
'Hayfries!? That Avalanche-thing is a small bowl of hayfries!? And for twenty-four Bits!?'
He wanted to shout all of those, but rather not cause a scene. He would not dare ruin the performance of that brown lovely...yet blind...mare.
He took a deep breath, and let out a heavy sigh.
He took the fork with his magic and started eating slowly, as he stared at the brown mare, still playing her violin.
'Damn... She sure looks sexy, but...she's blind...and she has a kid...yet she's a "miss"...? Does that mean she's single? Doesn't mean she's available... Sigh...'
Midnight has never met this kind of trouble before when flirting with mares.
'I spent with mares who have kids before... Why am I having trouble with this one?'
There was a small stain on the side of Snow Flake's mouth that she didn't notice.
Daybreak lifted a napkin with his magic, and softly wiped it off.
The white mare blushed and looked apologetic after the yellow colt showed him the stain.
Daybreak only replied with a warm smile. He cursed a bit that they're seated on opposite ends of the table.
He wanted to give her a small peck on her cheeks.
Midnight was once again brought back to reality after he heard the fork softly pounded on the bowl.
He already finished his food without even realizing it, and he's still hungry.
'It's like I've wasted twenty-four Bits for nothing...'
A waiter arrived, handing him his bill.
Midnight forced himself not to complain, and puts twenty-five Bits on the black tray.
The waiter bowed and left.
Midnight lifted his glass of water and drank.
---
Twenty minutes had passed.
Midnight finds it a bit surprising that he's allowed to stay inside a few more minutes even after he finished eating.
Plus, free water.
But in truth, he wanted to leave, yet here he is, and he has no solid reason why he's still inside.
Is it probably because of the brown mare?
What the hay? There are far so many mares here in Canterlot!
So why is he stuck in his seat, thinking of ways to talk to her?
He growled lowly, angry at himself.
Angry... Anger...
Why was he angry earlier anyway?
Why is he here anyway?
Is he here to bring some sense to that black stupid old earth pony?
Hell yes, but why? Why would he even bother?
She's nopony in his life anyway.
He never meddled with the lives of the mares he goes out with.
All he cared was a night of fun, and the next day, it was as if the mare never existed.
No mare has given him trouble. Not even those who played hard-to-get.
No mare has ever made him do something like this. None.
No mare... No mare...except her...and he doesn't like it.
But...he wants to do it. No. He needs to do it.
Why? He didn't bother answering.
The brown mare finished her music, receiving a lively round of applause.
Midnight even sent out an appreciative whistle. Nopony mind, though.
Her music was perfectly soothing.
Her...Melody...is perfect.
---
After a few minutes of swimming, the sea pony and the alicorn pony found themselves in a dead-end.
However, something in the tunnel made their swim worth their while.
A treasure chest was lying on the cave floor, near the dead-end wall.
It is dusty, old-looking, and rusty.
It was chained and locked, but even those were rusty, and a small effortless pull unlocked the lock.
Pearl excitedly removed the chains and opened the chest, to Henry's amusement.
Inside, the ponies' eyes went wide in disbelief.
---
As the black earth pony was once again on stage, saying a few thanks, the brown mare was guided by her gray earth filly towards the backstage.
The high-class earth pony with glasses walked on stage, and both ponies shook each other's hooves.
Both then bowed to the audience, and went to the backstage.
Scanning the place, nopony seems to be focusing on the stage now.
He took another deep breath, exhaled, and slowly went to the stage, and towards the door of the backstage.
"Daybreak..."
Snow Flake said, staring at the stage, confused.
"Isn't that Midnight?"
Daybreak, confused, turned over his shoulder, and he saw the dark-blue unicorn pony who just went backstage.
"What's that idiot doing?"
He angrily stood up.
"I'll be back."
Daybreak went towards the stage after receiving Snow Flake's doubtful nod.
"That was a lovely performance, Miss Melody."
Midnight heard a voice behind the curtains.
He lowered himself, poked a hoof under the curtain, and lifted it up a bit, enough for him to see the earth ponies.
"You never disappoint me when it comes to your violin."
The glass-wearing earth pony smiled genuinely.
He took something from his tuxedo, and gave the black earth pony a piece of rectangle paper; a cheque.
"I look forward for your next performance, Miss Melody. Tomorrow, was it?"
The brown earth mare smiled warmly, nodding her head.
"Yes."
Midnight's heart pounded hard for a few seconds.
Even her voice sounded lovely, even lovelier than Snow Flake, or any other mare he met in his life.
"It would be an honor to have you there."
The glass-wearing pony smiled.
"I wouldn't dare miss it. Now, please excuse me."
The pony then bowed at them before turning away, walking to another door, probably the kitchen, for Midnight heard a series of chopping sound when the door was opened.
The black earth pony smiled wickedly, slipping the cheque inside his saddlebag.
"Nice work."
And he took out a pouch from his saddlebag, and gave it to the filly.
Judging from the looks of the pouch, and how easy the filly took it, it must have only a few amounts of Bits inside.
Strangely however, it sparked a fire inside the dark-blue unicorn.
And seeing the depressed look on the filly as she stared at the contents of the pouch bag, the fire turned into a wildfire.
Daybreak got through the door, and arched an eyebrow after he saw his brother, sneaking under the curtains.
"Now hold on a minute!"
Midnight suddenly shouted, startling the earth ponies as he quickly got up on his hooves.
Daybreak gasped in surprise.
'Idiot! What are you doing!?'
And now, it was his turn to sneak under the curtain after Midnight angrily marched towards the black earth pony.
"Just who the f*ck do you think you are, taking this lovely mare's hard-earned Bits, huh!?"
He glared as he stopped a few hooves in front of the startled black earth pony.
The earth pony however, quickly returned to his high-class state.
"It is none of your business."
He countered a glare.
"And if I were you, I'd leave before I'll call the authorities."
Midnight smiled. He's used to that.
He used his magic to take the cheque and the pouch bag at the same time.
He took a look at the cheque first before the black angry earth pony took it back with his hooves.
"Stealing is an unforgivable act, son."
The black earth pony warned him as he returned the cheque inside his saddlebag.
"Fifty Bits..."
Midnight calmly said as he levitated the Bits from the pouch bag.
"This mare here earned Fifty Bits, and all she's receiving is...fifteen Bits!?"
He scrowled.
After hearing this, the brown mare's ears dropped, lowering her head in sadness.
The gray filly slowly rubbed her head on her mother's front hoof.
The black earth pony doesn't seem to be affected by this.
"Your point, son?"
Midnight returned the Bits inside the pouch bag, and levitated it towards the filly.
"You said it yourself... Stealing is an unforgivable act."
He angrily stared at the earth pony.
"I asked; what is your poi---"
A sudden realization struck the black earth pony, making him take a step back.
"Y-you're...! You're a wielder of the elements!"
Both mares gasped.
Midnight arched an eyebrow, but quickly flashed a smile.
He, nor any others, no longer wield the elements anymore, but he might use this for his advantage.
"Oh, so you recognized me?"
He grinned.
"Yes, I do hold an element, a pathetic one, in fact: kindness."
Midnight took a threatening step forward.
"Now then, if you don't want me to go all elemental on you, I suggest you show kindness to this mare here."
He extends a hoof, pointing at the brown mare.
"I-ah...Y-yes...! Of course!"
The black earth pony responded, shakingly terrified.
He took another pouch bag, counted the Bits inside, and gave them to the filly.
He then turned to the angry unicorn with a weak smile.
"T-there... Sixty Bits... That's k-kind enough, right?"
"Yeah..."
Midnight hissed.
"Now leave."
The black earth pony bowed panicky, and quickly walked towards the curtains, only to stumble down the floor after he accidentally walked over a yellow sneaking unicorn.
Midnight and the gray filly looked at the event.
"D-Daybreak!?"
Midnight gasped.
Daybreak brought a hoof on his head, rubbing it slightly as he rose up.
"Hey bro..."
He weakly smiled.
----------
4. Melody of the Heart
----------
Midnight was slowly walking on the street. His head was held up high, and his eyes on the path in front of him, but his mind was elsewhere.
Daybreak and Snow Flake walked behind the dark-blue unicorn, both looking worried at Midnight.
"You shouldn't have done that..."
The brown mare's voice echoed inside Midnight's head as he remembered what happened.
"You shouldn't have troubled yourself..."
"What do you mean?"
Midnight asked, disregarding the fact that Daybreak is with them.
"I couldn't just let him get away with the money you earned!"
It's difficult to properly earn Bits, and somepony taking advantage of somepony else's disabilities is...in truth...Midnight doesn't care about other ponies, but...
The brown mare shook her head.
"I'm sorry..."
She lifted her hoof, and trying to find her filly.
"...'Tavie...?"
The small filly grabbed her mother's hoof, and lets it land on her back.
"...Let's go..."
"What?"
Midnight gasped.
"Where are you going? Hey!"
"Bro?"
"Huh?"
Midnight turned over her shoulder.
"What's up?"
"Is something bothering you, Midnight?"
Snow Flake asked.
They haven't told her anything about what happened yet.
Midnight flashed a smile before returning his head.
"Of course. Why'd ya ask?"
"Well..."
Snow Flake blushed a bit. It's not like her to say things like these.
"A...We ran to quite a lot...of mares... Lovely ones, for your taste, but...you didn't seem to...flirt...any one of them..."
Daybreak chuckled.
Midnight might be a good faker about that he's okay, but he missed to master the perfectly obvious one.
The dark-blue unicorn scratched his nape awkwardly.
"Um... None of them qualify?"
"Bro..."
Daybreak said as the three of them stopped as they reached the entrance of the park.
"What's really the matter?"
Midnight only shook his head and walked on.
"Nothing. Don't worry. I'm perfectly...fine...!"
Snow Flake and Daybreak looked at each other.
"He's in love."
Daybreak smiled.
"We better leave him alone."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Snow Flake asked, concerned.
Daybreak nodded his head.
"I think it's something he should fix by himself."
He patted her shoulder.
"And if he needs help, he's stupid enough to ask me nonsense that's related to these kind of stuff."
---
"Mom?"
Asked the gray filly, looking worried at her mother, as they slowly walked through the snowy park.
She has never seen her mother so troubled before.
"What is it, 'Tavie?"
Asked the brown mare, her front hoof on her little filly's back, who was guiding her.
"Is something the matter?"
"Yes... You..."
"Oh..."
The filly then stopped after they reached an unoccupied bench.
She removed the snow on it and informs her mother to sit down.
She jumped on the bench and lied her head on her mother's hind leg.
"I am okay, sweetie."
The brown mare smiled warmly.
"I'm just...thinking."
"Why didn't you thanked him, mom?"
"Thanked him?"
"Yes. That unicorn... He helped us."
True, that was indeed true, however, the brown mare was saddened.
She flashed a weak smile.
"I'll thank him later..."
The young filly rose her head and stared at a pony who was slowly approaching them.
"Well... You can thank him now..."
"Oh?"
The brown mare gasped.
Midnight stopped a few hooves in front of the two female ponies.
"Listen..." he turned his head down, as if it would help.
"...I'm sorry."
"For what, my dear?"
The brown mare asked, a bit surprised.
Midnight stared at her with an arched eyebrow.
"For what I did earlier... I mean..."
He scratched his nape.
"...I tried to help you out. I think, I thought I was helping you out but, you looked as if you didn't need it... So... I'm...sorry..."
He's still not quite used to apologizing much, and when he does, he feels rather awkward about it, especially if he has no idea what he did wrong.
He sighed.
"Thank you."
The brown mare simply said.
"But, I should be the one to apologize..."
Midnight lifted his head to meet with the mare, and was startled a bit that their eyes locked at each other, until he remembered that she's...
She was simply holding a small yet warm smile.
"...I should have thanked you earlier."
"Eheheh..." Midnight laughed weakly.
"It's...it's no problem, really..."
'Damn it! Why am I feeling so stupid near her?'
They allowed a few moments of awkward silence, until the brown mare spoke.
"So, do you have a name?"
She asked with a smile; a smile that made the unicorn blush.
"Uh... Oh... Yeah uh... Midnight..."
He planted a hoof on his face, making the filly chuckle a bit.
"Midnight..." She echoed with a smile.
"It's a nice name."
'Nice...name?'
Of course, he heard those words from other mares before, but coming from her, it sounded so beautiful.
He smiled a bit.
"T-thanks... Melody's a nice name, too."
'Ugh... What happened to me...?'
"Would you care to join us?"
The brown mare asked, still holding her lovely smile.
"Um...thanks, but I already ate..."
'Wait! No! Why did I rejected her offer!? Stupid!!!'
He planted another hoof on his face.
Melody chuckled slightly.
"No no. You misunderstand."
She then patted the available space of the bench beside her.
'Oh, right... To sit, of course...'
"Uh..."
'It's a damn simple offer... Why is it so hard to accept!?'
"S-su-sure..."
He nervously sat beside her, giving himself a respectable distance from the mare.
Melody turned her head, to her guess, to where the stallion was.
"You're too far."
She smiled.
"I-I'm happy here, thanks!"
He blushed.
'Oh, I just rejected an offer to cuddle her... Swell...'
"Well, if you are, then I won't force you."
The filly lied her head back on her mother's hind leg.
Melody gently brushed her filly's mane with a hoof.
"So uh..."
Midnight began, but the following words went stuck in his throat.
It was a sensitive topic... Might as well change it.
"...you play...nice."
"Thank you."
Silence...
"You uh...look nice..."
"Thank you."
Another set of silence.
---
Henry and Pearl finally decided to head back to the beach.
With them, they carried a golden cross from the treasure chest they found.
The treasure chest was full of worn-out and wet paper. The context were already unreadable, to Henry's disappointment.
"So, what are you going to do with that cross?"
Pearl asked.
---
'I can't go on like this...'
He took a deep breath, and exhaled.
Okay, he can do this.
"Uh---"
"Thank you..."
"Uh...for what? I haven't said anything yet..."
"...for your help earlier."
"Well of course!"
Midnight replied, a bit loud.
"I mean, that stupid pony shouldn't be stealing YOUR hard-earned money like that!"
He said with gestures of his front hooves to emphasize his point, not that she'll be able to see it though.
Melody simply smiled as she listened to him.
"Nopony, and I mean nopony should take advantage of you! Just because you can't see, doesn't give any pony the permit to do something like that!"
Midnight continued, allowing all of his anger to flow out of him.
"You are a great musician! You play the violin so well! You are a lovely mare! And you are as perfect as anypony else is!"
He didn't even notice the things he just said.
"And I will not let anypony take advantage of you like that stupid freakin' sli---"
"He's my father..."
She simply said, still smiling.
"---meyerablvhtlasrtlyhy-huh?"
Midnight's words scrambled in between his tongue after he heard what the mare just said.
He was beyond surprised.
"...and I know he takes a few Bits that I get from playing my violin..."
She continued, and though she was still smiling, there was a small hint of hurt in her tone.
"He's... He's your father!?"
Midnight angrily asked.
"And he did that to you!? No, wait... You allowed him to do that to you!?"
Melody simply nodded.
"I-I can't believe this..."
He shook his head.
"Why? What kind of father would do that to their child!?"
"The forgiving one..."
She simply replied.
"The forgivi-what?"
He was confused.
"I don't follow..."
Now though, Melody no longer holding her smile.
Sadness now reigned in her face, and Midnight was hurt to see her like that.
"Wait, no. I'm sorry."
Now that he was calm to think, he couldn't believe that he said all those things.
"...sorry... I really am."
Melody simply shook her head, smiling slightly.
"You have nothing to be sorry about, Midnight..."
She said, with a tone contrasting her sad face.
His heart pounded hard after hearing his own name from the mare's mouth.
It was the loveliest thing he has heard all day, and he wanted to hear it again.
"And I should thank you... Nopony has ever helped me the way you did..."
She lifted her head to face the thick and gloomy clouds of the heavens.
"I really thought that I will forever live in the darkness..."
She slowly shook her head.
"But... After you helped me earlier, you made me feel that...there's still a chance for me to live out of the darkness..."
'Too poetic... I don't follow...'
She then brought her gaze down to her filly.
"I thought there won't be a pony that will help me..."
She sighed a bit.
"I mean... Look at me..."
She turned to Midnight, and he was indeed looking at her.
"I'm just a simple pony. Might be a nopony. What's worse, I'm blind..."
"Now stop."
Midnight spat.
"I don't wanna hear you beating yourself up!"
He jumped off of the bench, and brought his front hooves on her shoulders.
"Listen, I don't know if you remember what I just said about you, but I don't care, 'cause I'm going to repeat them."
Melody has no idea what to feel right now.
The unicorn was holding her shoulder firmly, which is scaring her.
She doesn't want to experience the fear she experienced before.
"You are a perfect mare."
Midnight said, each word emphasized by the powerful beating of his heart.
"You are a great musician. You are a good violi-whatever you call the ponies that play the violin."
"Violinist."
The filly said.
"Yes, that."
Midnight accepted the correction.
"You are a great musician. You are a great violinist! You are a great mare."
He turned to the filly.
"She is a great mare, right?"
The filly smiled, nodding twice in agreement.
Midnight brought his hooves on the ground.
"See? Even this little kid kn---"
"Octavia."
The filly happily announced her name.
"Whatever. Point is, don't beat yourself up. Yes, you're blind, but so what? You do great in things others aren't. Things that either has anything to do with your cutie mark or not."
He took a glimpse on her cutie mark; a violin, obviously.
"Yes, ponies will be saying stuff about you, but don't you dare let their words push you down. Use them as encouragement, to prove that they're wrong! You have a kid, for Celestia's sake. Most parents couldn't even handle raising one, but you sure did a fine job at raising her."
He turned to the filly once again.
"Am I right, Octie?"
"I prefer, 'Tavie... But yes, my mom is the best mom!"
She cheerfully said.
"And also...uh..."
Midnight stopped himself after he saw Melody crying quietly.
"Oh, no, I didn't...oh, shoot..."
He levitated a handkerchief from his saddlebag as he took a step to reach the crying mare.
With his magic, he wiped her tears.
"I'm sorry..."
He whispered.
"I didn't mean to make you cry... Damn it... I'm so insensi---"
Melody grabbed him by the neck, pulled him closer and hugged him as she cried over his shoulder.
Midnight was stunned, no, petrified.
Yes, mares have embraced him, but there's something about this specific mare that made her special, and made him unable to return the embrace.
Snapping back to his senses, he nervously returned the hug, slightly rubbing her black silky mane.
The little filly gave her mother a hug as well.
Melody wasn't crying because of hurt, or pain.
No. She's crying because she has discovered a pony that doesn't see her as a liability.
She has found a pony that sees her as a mare.
As they broke the hug, so did the filly.
"Does this mean I can finally have a dad?"
Both ponies gasped, immediately turning to the filly.
"'Tavie!"
Both of their cheeks blushed, making the filly chuckle.
----------
5. Song of the Heart
----------
After my mom left the world, my dad has been really overprotective of me. That is why I don't know any other ponies, except for a few of my neighbors.
I was blind at birth. I never got the chance to see what colors are. What trees look like, what ponies look like...
But it didn't become a hindrance to feel happiness during my early years as a filly.
I have friends. We spent a lot of fun times in our home's front yard.
The front yard was the only place I was allowed to go, where my father could keep a watchful eye on me.
One day however, my dad had to leave to attend a business meeting. He made me promise not to go beyond the front yard.
That was seven years ago. And what was worse, I am blind, so I have no idea where my friends were taking me.
They told me that we were heading to the backyard of our house, so I was fine.
At first, I thought everything would be fine, until they tied my hooves and put something on my mouth so I couldn't scream.
And...that's where the worst of my nightmares happen.
My friends...raped me.
And because I am blind, I didn't know who did it...
As what you said... They took advantage of me...
Since then, I never talked to anypony anymore.
I have brought all my trust to my father, but I never told him about what happened.
He started to worry about me when I decided not to go out of the house to play with my friends.
I don't want to hear their voices...
One day however, I felt sick.
That day, my dad sent me to a hospital, where we found out that I was pregnant.
It would be an understatement if I tell you that he got angry at me.
Back home, he wanted to know the truth, and was willing to beat me to know everything.
I told him what happened, but it was a losing battle.
I don't know who did it, and even if we knew, those who did it were still minors, and they wouldn't be brought to justice.
I was too young to carry a baby, my father pointed, and wanted me to go through the process of abortion...
But I couldn't... It's like I agreed to kill an innocent pony.
He gave me an option: abortion and live with my father, or I'll have to live by myself and raise my baby by myself.
I love my father, but I would never thought that he would let me choose.
But...if I do live with him, the guilt would forever linger withing me...
So... I chose the latter.
Midnight quietly listened to Melody's story.
She said that if he wants to be with her, he needs to hear her life story.
They let the filly play with the other fillies in the park before she began.
"That's..."
Midnight sadly said.
"...that's..."
Melody shook her head.
"No need to say anything."
She took a deep breath, and sighed.
"Now you know..."
"Y-yeah..."
"So...what now?"
"What now?"
Midnight asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Well... In all honesty, Midnight..."
She slowly turned to Midnight.
"There have been a number of colts who flirted with me. But after learning about my story, I never heard about them again..."
"That's 'cause those guys were cowards."
Midnight said annoyingly.
"And I thought I was the insensitive one."
Melody was clueless.
"What now, you asked? Simple."
He took a deep breath, and exhaled.
"I said I like you, didn't I? And after hearing your story, I liked you more. Honest."
He's blushing but he didn't care. She couldn't see his face anyway. That doesn't count as taking advantage of her, right?
"I don't know why, but I like you. I wanna be with you. Heck, I need to be with you. And I swear, if anypony does take advantage of you, I'm going to bring hell at them; Celestia please help them."
Melody simply shook her head.
"You're...too kind, Midnight. But, you deserve somepony who's bett---"
"Nopony's as better as you!"
"B-bu---"
"And no 'buts' and other excuses."
He said in annoyance.
"I love you and nothing's going to change that!"
Melody blushed.
Did he mean it, or was it a slip of his tongue?
"You...love me...?"
"Wait, what?"
Midnight blushed further, after realizing the slip-up.
"No! No-nononononononononono! I meant to say that I like you!"
She smiled, blushing.
"I thought you said that there's nothing that will change that."
"Yes! Wait, no! I mean..."
He sighed.
"Sometimes, I hate myself..."
Melody chuckled as Midnight took a deep breath and sighed.
"Fine, you got me. Happy?"
The mare nodded.
"Yes."
"Now then... Can you play me a tune? My heart's acting crazy at the moment..."
Melody nodded and took her violin from the case.
She grabbed the bow, and positioned her hooves.
"What tune do you want me to play?"
"Anything."
"Anything?"
"Yeah."
And soon, she started playing a soothing-and-cheerful tune with her violin.
"You look lovely when you play the violin, by the way..."
Midnight said in awe, making the mare blush, and stroking the wrong key.
"S-sorry..."
"It's okay..."
She simply replied as she continued playing the tune.
"I'm making this up, anyway."
"Really? Sounds like you played it a hundred times!"
'Yes, I have indeed played this tune a hundred times. That was during the time I lived in darkness. Each day, I've always hoped to live out of the fear of my thoughts of other ponies. It was my heart that kept me going, my heart kept playing this tune, giving me hope each day, that one day, I could finally be able to live happily, and with a pony that will accept me.'