Second Chances: Friendship is Music
Meeting the Band: Queen Chrysalis and Nightmare Moon
Author: Draconis187
The day was meant to be perfect
The kind of day of which I’ve dreamed since I was small
But everything has broken down
My plans crumbling all around
And in the end it has all been for nought.
My voice echoed through the hollow cavern that served as my throne room. The stalactites glistened as the moisture reflected the light from the bioluminescent plantlife and some artificial light made from the lanterns that burned a light green fire.
All it reminded me was that I was all alone. After the botched attack on Canterlot, I expended far too much magic in the attempt to protect my subjects’ descent after we were blown away from Canterlot. Landing in a bog or swamp would have been bearable as the landing would have been somewhat soft. Instead we landed in the barren wastes of the Equestrian Badlands, miles away from any source of water which made our landing harder.
I was unable to protect all of my subjects as a few sustained life-threatening injuries. We had little option but to leave them for dead. I returned with a large number of my Changelings to the Hive but our power was diminishing far more rapidly than I could have anticipated. As a last resort I ordered my subjects to abandon the Hive and integrate into pony society in disguise. They obeyed without question as they should but they were as alone as I was and I felt their pain each day. The pain of not finding a powerful enough source of positive emotion fast enough to sustain themselves and it soon resulted in slow, painful deaths.
If I could have done things differently I would have ended that pink pony and her purple friend the first chance I got but in my current state, I doubt I could even manage to light a candle. I was withering away slowly with each passing day. If I didn’t find a source of emotion powerful enough for me to at least stand, I would be spending the remainder of my short life singing it away.
The only sound that accompanied me was the slow dripping of the water from the stalactites and my own echo. It was annoying at first but now each fallen drop signals each passing second as my death draws ever closer.
“I’m telling you it’s this way!” A new voice echoed through the caverns.
I rubbed my ears as I tried to listen. Am I going mad? Who would be here? How did they even find this place? Could it perhaps be one of my subjects? My answer to these questions never came as the voice laughed.
“How should I know? These caves all look the same to me. She should get an interior decorator sometime soon. These colours do not scream ‘regal’,” The voice said mockingly.
How dare this pony insult my caverns! These caves have sheltered my Hive for five of my family’s generations! My ancestors were proud and revered rulers… unlike myself. I felt a mixture of anger and shame at that thought. Even still, the history of these caverns dated back to the pre-Discordian era! I got up onto my hooves and almost keeled over as my body was racked with pain as it stubbornly obeyed.
“I still don’t get why you teleported us here,” A second voice deadpanned.
“Well, you’ll see,” The first voice said as they grew closer towards me.
Whatever they are, they knew of my Hive and managed to teleport here despite I have magic wards that prevent such access? Perhaps my current state has weakened the wards, allowing anything to teleport inside. I heard a singe set of hooves echoing through the halls, indicating one pony but I failed to hear a second set of steps to indicate the second assailant. I distinctly heard two voices and I would expire long before any of my senses failed me.
A brown Pegasus entered my Throne Room, looking around in won- disdain? He looked as if just being there disgusted him. It made my blood boil at his lack of appreciation for Changeling architecture and design. I winced slightly as a sharp shot of pain hit my abdomen, almost forcing me to fall over.
“Well, here she is and what a prime candidate she is,” the second voice said. Looking around I found the source: a floating Draconequus.
I had heard stories about them from my mother before she expired, leaving me to rule the Hive at the young age of two hundred and forty-three. They were a form of Chimera with astounding magical capabilities. He was staring at me with a grin. I could feel malice behind that grin while the Pegasus gave off a variety of mixed emotions as if he couldn’t decide what he was feeling.
“So, you two dare to come into my Hive unannounced?” I asked, trying to sound as threatening as possible as I masked my condition to the best of my abilities.
The Draconequus chuckled, “That we do Queeny! Or can I call you Chrissy?”
Ugh, in a few short words this creature was already giving me a migraine, “You shall address me by my proper title and name: Queen Chrysalis.”
I strained the last part to emphasise my status to these cretins but they seemed unfazed by my response. I kept my composure and remained steadfast atop my throne.
The Pegasus scoffed, “Queen of what exactly? If this is meant to be a hive, then where are all your workers? I would think a queen would have subordinates.”
The Draconequus scratched his chin as he stared at me, “Cressy, I don’t think she’s well.”
Wait, how does he know that? My skills of deception haven’t failed that badly, have they? No, impossible. He’s bluffing, I’m sure of it.
‘Cressy’ looked at his cohort with a raised eyebrow, “I would prefer you to call me properly if we are going to be standing in front of this ‘queen’ as she put it. And stop dancing on the ceiling, Discord.”
Wait… Discord? I… I know that name from somewhere, but where? I closed my eyes and tried to rummage through my memories while the pair of them bickered.
**** **** **** ****
I finally recalled a particular scene when I was masquerading as that insufferable pink Alicorn. That unicorn Shining Armor was leading me through a garden with an assortment of statues… with this Discord as one of them!
I remember staring at it with curiosity and I asked the white klutz who it was of.
“He was a tyrannical ruler many years ago,” The white unicorn explained, “This statue is actually him, sealed in stone. He escaped a while back but was sealed back in stone by the Elements of Harmony.”
**** **** **** ****
I opened my eyes and found Discord’s own eyes staring at me… a mere two inches away from my face. I jolted and pain wracked through my body once more, forcing me to collapse to the hard floor in agony.
Discord caught me in his arms, smiling maniacally, “You’re looking a little green, Chrissy.”
Even that Pegasus was eying me curiously. I didn’t want their pity, I didn’t need it. I managed to get out of Discord’s hold and stand on my own four hooves. I gave them both a look that would melt the snow encompassing the wastelands of the Frozen North.
Discord laughed, “You think you’re that menacing?”
“What’s up with her Discord?” The Pegasus asked, probably noting how easily I fell.
“She’s weak Note. All that power of looooove,” He clasped his claws on either side of his face and pulled it, making it stretch as he said the last part. “This is the result: no Hive, no Changelings.”
“What do any of you know?!” I shouted, slamming my hoof down on the cavern floor and creating a booming echo.
Discord appeared in front of me with Note next to him, both dressed in black suits and carrying a magnifying glass. The Pegasus looked shocked but then shrugged his shoulders as if this was an everyday occurrence. “I know a bit about you my dear. Celestia told me of a number of things in order to bring me up to speed on the current era. You were one of them.”
I scoffed, “Did she tell you of how easily I defeated her?”
Discord smirked, “She was very embarrassed as she told me that part but she did nonetheless.”
Note spoke up, “But that doesn’t explain how you knew where the Hive was.”
Discord rolled his eyes and they fell out of their sockets! I swear on my predecessors’ honour, they literally rolled across the ground while the body did nothing. The eyeballs stopped by Note’s hooves and stared at him.
“I used to be a tyrannical ruler of Equestria, remember?” He said matter-of-factly, “I had the area’s boarders under constant surveillance. Do you know how many times a coup d'État had been attempted while I was in the shower? It was annoying.”
“Still dodging the question Discord,” Note said as he folded his forehooves and scowled at the pair of eyes.
They seemed to completely ignore me as they began to argue like hatchlings. I facehoofed, the sound echoing slightly and the pair of bickering trespassers stopped to look in my direction.
“Now that you two have stopped acting like old mares… what are you doing here?” I asked, pushing past Discord’s body which was smoking a cigar as long as his arm and as thin as his one horn. Oddly though there was no smoke, only pink bubbles whenever he blew.
Note looked down at the eyeballs before flicking them up into the air with his wings and bucking them towards Discord, who caught them effortlessly and placed them into their sockets. I was certain my migraine was getting worse just by watching their antics.
“We came to recruit you,” Discord said as he walked past me.
“’We?’ Discord, you grabbed me and teleported on the spot! You couldn’t have been any less foalish,” Note retorted with a smirk on his face.
“True enough but I wanted to surprise you,” Discord responded cheerfully. Ugh, the intelligence in this room was spiralling downwards with each passing second.
“Colour me surprised,” I interjected as the two were about to fall into another argument and I would never get any answers out of them.
“Sorry. Allow me to introduce ourselves properly,” Note said as he eyed Discord intently. “My name is Crescendo Noteworthington Streak. You may call me Crescendo or Note, whatever suits you. The bundle of random fun over there is Discord, living embodiment of Chaos itself and former tyrant of Equestria.”
He had some courtesy, I’ll give him that. I cleared my throat as I reciprocated his introduction, “I am Queen Chrysalis, fifth generation Queen of the Changelings. You still haven’t answered my query.”
Note rubbed the back of his head with his hoof, “Sorry, Discord and I were… sorry are starting a band. Sadly nopony in Canterlot wanted to join up and to help rectify the need for members Discord teleported us here.”
It made sense in my mind, “And what – pray tell – members are you looking for?”
Note turned to Discord who took that as his cue, “We need a drummer, another vocalist who can do really deep notes, a guitarist and a keyboardist.”
I looked at him incredulously, “Is that even a word?”
Discord proceeded to conjure up a dictionary and flip through it, “Yup, right here on page 98.”
He even showed me the entry to prove he wasn’t playing me for a fool. He still could have made the entry himself but given how much of a headache he was, it was probably best to not pursue the issue further. I gave him a curt nod and the dictionary vanished into the air it came from.
“What makes you think I would join you anyway?” I asked.
“There are a number of reasons,” Discord responded. “Boredom, passion for music, a form of income, a point to unleash deep personal problems, a way to keep you alive, an-”
“What was that last one?” I interjected. I’m sure my ears are working fine but… but that sounded like-
“A point to unleash deep personal problems?” Discord asked as a grin slowly spread across his face.
“Not that part you moron!” I shouted, “The part about staying alive.”
“Oh, that part. Haven’t you seen how ponies react to popular musicians?” Discord asked in a tone that suggested I should actually know the answer.
I shook my head, eliciting a groan from Note. He looked like somepony stole his sweetroll, “Seriously? Popular groups have fans and some get pretty obsessed without the aid of magic. I've heard stories of them breaking down doors just to catch a glimpse of their favourite musicians. Even if it is not truly love, their emotions might help you.”
He made a valid point but there was something I couldn’t understand, “Why me? You could have gone to any other city in the world, looking for talent. Why do you want a Changeling whom everypony hates and is searching for?”
Note looked up at Discord with pride in his voice as he responded, “Everypony deserves a second chance. A chance to set things right.”
“You really think that?” I asked. They couldn’t be serious, could they?
Discord shrugged his shoulders, “Celestia saw it fit to release me in hopes of getting me to turn over a new leaf. In the end, I now can walk amongst ponies without fear of being turned into a glorified lawn ornament for birds to do their business on.”
I turned to Note, “And what about you?”
“I first met Discord in the Archives. His first impression was enough to make me believe in him and we’ve been friends ever since,” He replied.
I sighed, “Fine… I’ll join your little group. I have two questions though before we depart: who else do you have in mind and where are we all going to be staying?”
Note took it upon himself to answer this question, “As for who next, Discord is covering it so I don’t know. As for the second question, we can set up in the library/observatory/whatever it is Celestia let me have since it has more than enough space.”
I nodded my head and turned to Discord who smiled at me, “Now comes the trickier part: getting the other two.”
Note nudged Discord and grabbed his attention, “Just two? Who do you have in mind?”
Discord looked slightly nervous, “Nightmare Moon and King Sombra.”
Note looked at Discord, his mouth hanging wide open in shock, “You want those two? In case you’ve forgotten: Nightmare Moon was torn from Luna’s body, she no longer exists! And King Sombra’s horn is all that remains of him and nopony knows where it even is!”
Discord laughed, “A minor inconvenience.”
I laughed… and it felt good, “’Minor’? I think I could get used to your optimism. Please, do inform us as to how you plan on bringing them back from the dead.”
Discord merely chuckled back, “I never reveal my secrets. Cressy, I’m going to have to do this part alone since we can’t have Chrissy wandering around Canterlot Palace and I need you to keep an eye on her.”
“Then what do I do?” I lamented. If it’s one thing I despise with all my being is being useless.
I laid here waiting to die but that is another matter, I had no options to help myself or my Changelings. Now I have a chance and they want me to sit out? Not on my life.
Note must have seen me glowering at them because his response seemed rather shaken, “W-well we could f-find out which instrument you will be best suited for. I-if you want.”
Really? I guess he has a point, even if it is a weak one, “Fine, let’s get going before I change my mind.”
Discord chuckled and snapped his fingers. I felt like my body was being torn apart from every direction to every other direction simultaneously. When the feeling ended I fell unceremoniously - and loudly - to the floor.
“Are you alright?” Note’s voice asked as I tried to ‘pull myself towards myself’ as the expression goes.
“I’ll live… maybe,” I responded as I shakily got to my hooves. “What exactly is this place?”
“It’s a library, observatory, apartment and anything else you basically need. It used to be the home of Celestia’s prized protégé,” Note responded as he flew over to the overly large window and drew the curtains.
“I’ll venture a guess and say this was Twilight Sparkle’s abode?” I asked with annoyance that I’m in the former home of that pest.
“Yeah, sorry. We can’t use my old apartment since my brothers could walk in on us at any second. They can be a rather strange bunch and this is coming from a pony that has the God of Chaos as one of his friends,” Note seemed rather embarrassed as he said this. He is a rather strange pony.
Discord decided to conjure up a bunch of instruments for Note and myself to try out. Drum set, a bass guitar, an electronic keyboard, a grand piano and two wooden guitars, all this made up a rather impressive set up for any musical group… outside classical circles anyway.
“I’ll be right back,” Discord said cheerfully as he literally popped, creating a shower of confetti as he vanished into thin air.
It may be important to note that the sun was already high in the air, bathing Equestria in its embrace. What made me feel slightly infuriated was that I was now residing in the abode of the pony that assisted in my race’s downfall.
Note cleared his throat but shrank as I glared at him, “W-where would you like to start?”
I took a gander at the musical assortment in front of us but I will admit I was at a loss of ‘where to start’ as he put it. I walked up to a guitar and strummed a chord, receiving a high pitched screech as a result. Never again.
“Ok, so string instruments are rather out. How about trying the drum kit instead?” He asked, trying to sound supportive.
A drum kit? A bunch of barrels with some membrane in the large openings somehow has the audacity to call itself an instrument. Then there were the thin metal discs on either side of the ‘kit’. I felt my dignity drop ever lower as I picked up a stick with a ball on the end with my magic.
“You use two of those to strike the membrane to produce a sound,” Note informed me as I grabbed another from the floor.
“This is pointless you know,” I complained as I struck at the membrane, tearing the membrane in an instant.
“Nothing is pointless if you have the drive to go through with it,” Note encouraged as he pointed another set of drums, “Discord made sure there were copies in case this happened.”
“Fine, leave me be. I wish to try this on my own,” I requested.
“Sure. Call me if you need anything,” Note proceeded to trot downstairs but I’m sure he could still hear me attempt to play the instrument again.
I tried for what seemed like hours and yet the hourglass in the centre of the room mocked me as the sand fell ever slower. I was growing frustrated and smashed the drum kit by piercing the membrane with the drum sticks. I gave a sigh as I proceeded to walk down the staircase to tell Note that I was not going through with this. As I walked, a small voice became slowly louder. Not offensive, it was rather pleasant as it sang.
-ot bow, I will not break
I will shut the world away
I will not fall, I will not fade
I will take your breath away
F-!!
It was Crescendo, singing rather well but what grabbed my attention was the rhythm he was making with his forehooves. I was still a little distance away so hadn’t noticed my presence just yet. I sat down and just listened to him.
Watch the end through dying eyes
Now the dark is taking over
Show me where forever dies
Take the fall and run to heaven
All is lost again, but I'm not giving in
I will not bow, I will not break
I will shove the world away
I will not fall, I will not fade
I will take your breath away
And I'll survive, paranoid
I have lost the will to change
And I am not proud, cold blooded fake
I will shove the world away
At this point I had finally noticed that there was a second set of hooves tapping in tandem and in perfect sync with his. I looked down and noticed it was my own hooves, matching him tap for tap. Changelings can mimic a pony’s actions almost perfectly but for me I felt something emanating from him.
Another misconception about Changelings is that we feed off love. While the statement is true, the fact is that we feed off any positive emotion, not just love. I could feel some form of passion coming from his singing and tapping. All artists exert this passion in every move they make and in every lyric they sing. It made me feel a little stronger.
I will not bow, I will not break
I will shut the world away
I will not fall, I will not fade
I will take your breath away
And I'll survive, paranoid
I have lost the will to change
And I am not proud, cold blooded fate
I will shut the world away
Fa-!!
He began to cough quite badly and he rubbed his throat as it seemed he had stopped the little song he was singing. I cleared my own throat, causing him to look at me fearfully.
“Sorry, d-did I disturb you?” He asked, most likely fearing I was about to attack him for interrupting me.
“Quite the opposite Mr. Note. I got frustrated and heard something so I came to investigate,” I responded, trying to smile as nicely as possible. Seeing as I had fangs, this was rather troublesome. “May I inquire what exactly you were singing?”
“‘I will not bow’. It’s not any of my songs, it’s sung by a group that I forget the name of,” He replied, shifting uncomfortably.
“You seem rather tense,” I remarked.
“Well, the Queen of the Changelings in my home? It’s a little frightening when I don’t have Discord to watch my back. Speaking of which I wo-?” We were interrupted as a barrage of knocks threatened to tear the doors off its hinges.
“I think I should disguise myself,” I said as I concentrated to change my form.
“I’ll stall and give you time to change,” he replied as the knocking became more intense, “I’m coming! Hold your humans!”
…What an odd expression.
**** **** **** ****
<Discord’s POV>
I will admit it was a bit of a shock when I returned to Canterlot as a ‘friend’ instead of an enemy and found how much the castle had changed in a thou- oh is that a bit? What luck. Where was I again? Oh, yes: helping to bring Note’s dreams into reality. What good’s a talent if you never use it?
“-iscord? Discord!” Whoops, almost forgot Luna was talking to me there.
Luna was sat on her throne which stood next to her sister’s. The throne room itself was mostly white with columns that did nothing to support the room. Why Luna was on the throne during the day instead of her sister was weird but she wouldn’t tell me if something was up. Never will.
“Sorry, what were you saying?” I asked, trying to sound innocent.
“You came in asking to see my sister. I just told you that she has been called away on a diplomatic errand in Zebrica. What is on your mind?” She asked, gazing at me as if she was trying to bore through me with them. She always did have nicer eyes than her sister… not as uptight as her as well. “Discord!”
“Whoops, sorry. Ok, were was I? Oh yes, I request access to the Canterlot Vault please.”
“And what business do you have in the Vault?” She raised one of her eyebrows, quite funny if you ask me.
“A promise I need to see through,” I responded a little less elegantly as I would’ve liked but I can't just get a redo. Oh well…
“A promise? Interesting, tell us more.” Is she being serious?
“Please?” I asked, giving her the best ‘puppy dog’ expression I could muster. Didn’t work.
“Discord, I can not have you just wandering around the Vault for a promise I know nothing about,” She replied, her expression stoic and with no visible sign of changing.
“It’s a deal I made with Crescendo,” Please for the love of Equestria, let her not try to pursue this.
“Fine, but I will have two guards escort you down there. Am I understood?” Luna replied, her face didn’t waver for a second. Has Celestia been giving her lessons?
“Thank you,” I bowed low to give my proper respects. I hate formalities.
The Vault was down in the caverns inside the mountain where Canterlot was built. This gave the vault a natural defence against raiders and other malicious creatures, like me. Why they thought a big rock would stop me is a question they’ll never answer.
Luna’s idea of ‘guards’ were two of her Night Guards: Winter Breeze and Night Shade. The two mares were a disorderly, rambunctious duo… and I loved them. They wore the typical purple armour that Luna seems to like so much but what was weird was the fact that they sported bat wings and their eyes were yellow with cat-like irises. Freaky.
We cracked jokes about Celestia’s cake habits as well as taking a stab at Celestia’s guards.
“What was that old timer’s name again?” Night Shade laughed, nearly tripping over her own four hooves.
“Which one?” Winter Breeze responded, draping her one hoof over Night Shade’s neck, “I think we drank too much before shift.”
“You did. I’m talking about the old coot from two weeks back,” Night Shade draped her own hoof over her friend’s neck and they began to sing something I couldn’t make out… I plugged my ears with two green and red polka dotted sheep… I only tolerate sober singing.
Our trip through the winding, dark and – to be quite frank – dank tunnels, we reached our destination: The Vault of Canterlot.
The door to the vault was made of obsidian which made it exceedingly heavy to move with brute strength. An intricate design of shooting stars and varying constellations along the side of the door made up Luna’s magical contribution to seal it. In the centre of the door was a large orange and yellow sun, Celestia’s contribution.
I chuckled a little to myself as I looked at the sun. On it was a picture of Celestia’s flank and the words: ‘Cake Colossus’ were written just under it, all done with a red felt tip marker. That was my contribution to ‘protecting it’.
I pulled the sheep out of my ears and placed them on the ground. I watched them run off out of sight, down one of the tunnels and never to be seen again… or until I made them reappear.
The two guards fell out of their stupors and stared at the door with wonder, “dude, that’s like… the biggest cellar door I’ve ever seen.”
Winter Breeze laughed at her friend’s comment, “they must have some really good booze in there. No wonder they’re always in such good moods.”
I chuckled as I snapped my fingers to undo the magical seals keeping the door sealed. At first nothing happened, I was about to complain and make a comment about Celestia changing the nonexistent code on me when I heard a small click.
The seals began to glow as the door started to screech as it began to slowly open. Luna’s glowed silver and died out, one by one while Celestia’s glowed yellow and soon it faded as well. As the noise ended, I peered into the most hallowed ground of… I just walked into the vault with two bewildered mares.
“Am I tripping or something?” Night Shade asked as she looked at a large statue depicting Celestia in her old regalia: her crown was overly gaudy as it had several amethysts and topazes set in it while the metal was made from platinum. Her chestplate covered half of her front while her shoes came up to reach her knees.
“It must be some heavy stuff if you’re seeing what I’m seeing,” Breeze replied, grinning like an idiot… no, I don’t grin like an idiot. I grin like a madpony, major difference.
You’d think that a thousand or so years would give this vault a plethora of items, rare, old to withstand the test of time itself… no. Tacky paintings, a ‘How to make stained glass windows’ guidebook – note to self, read it later –, a number of strangely shaped pottery, I mean really? Who’d want something that resembled a horse’s a- ooh, a Discordian Bit!
I haven’t seen these beauties since my imprisonment. An average bit made from silver and with an engraving of moi on both sides. I pocketed the bit and continued my search while the two mares kept thinking they were in a rave. Whatever that was.
And then I saw it, the pedestal containing the shattered remains of Nightmare Moon’s armour… placed in the centre of the room? It was so cliché I decided to move it against the wall and then pretended to discover it all over again.
The armour looked as if a filly had tried to piece together their mother’s vase after breaking it. The cracks were as easy to see as Celestia’s flank. I made the glass dome that sat atop the pedestal jump off and tap-dance past the Night Guards. I reached out and touched the armour with my lion’s paw.
The second I made contact I was overcome by a mixture of cold, hate, despair, agony, and a desire for vengeance as well as – strangely enough – fear. I removed my paw and the feelings vanished almost instantly. I began to wonder at that point if I was wrong about trying to bring Nightmare Moon back.
But then my mind was assaulted by an image of Crescendo’s sad face, soon followed by Fluttershy’s. Crescendo was sad because he couldn’t go and be truly happy for once in his life. Fluttershy looked disappointed that I let my only other friend down and tried to reassure me that I did all that I could…
Did all that I could…
No, I will do everything in my power to help my friends, even if I only have two. I cracked my knuckles as I got ready to pull off a spell that would leave Twilight Sparkle in the dust. I focused my power and… snapped my fingers.
The reaction was instantaneous as the armour began to glow from red to green and then finally yellow. I didn’t question the colours as the shoes made contact with the floor, completely whole. The air felt positively electric but then again the small arcs of lightning most likely had something to do with it.
“Check this out!” I turned around and saw Winter Breeze looking at the scene before her with wide open eyes, “Night Shade, are you sure we ain’t trippin’?”
“Yeah, but now I’m not too sure,” Night Shade responded.
I looked again at the armour hovering in the air as some form of black goo began to leak out of the headpiece. It took on the form of blood veins as it travelled towards the chestpiece, repeating the process until it reached the shoes. It resembled a picture you find in medical journals that display all the major arteries and other blood veins. What was sickening was the fact that they pulsed to an invisible heartbeat.
This time a bone structure began to form, each bone made either a cracking or a popping noise as they appeared. I turned away at this point… there was only so much I could stomach. I heard the loud beating of a heart but kept looking away.
The next sound I heard was a thump and the clang of metal. I turned around and saw the Avatar of Darkness/Luna on a really bad day: Nightmare Moon. Those eyes were similar in shape to the Night Guards… speaking of which, where are they?
“W-where?” I heard a faint voice coming from Nightmare. It was kinda sweet.
“Canterlot Vault,” I replied, “thou hast been reborn to make reparations for thine transgressions upon Equestria.”
“W-what?” She asked. I couldn’t help myself, I fell over laughing. “N-no laughing. I-I… I can not stand it, my h-head hurts.”
“Think we should tell the Princess?” I heard Night Shade ask.
“It’s only a figment of your imagination,” I said to them, “that’s what you get for partying too late.”
Winter Breeze snickered, “I think you mean too early, we work at night remember? I don’t think anypony would believe us anyway. Come on Shade, I got Hoofington brand bourbon waiting for us at the guardhouse.”
Nightmare managed to get to her hooves as the pair flew out of the vault, “an odd bunch.”
I nodded, “I know right? Come on, I’m taking you somewhere special.”
She looked at me and for the first time I realised her eyes were glazed over. She smiled at me, “I’d like that.”
**** **** **** ****
<Crescendo’s POV>
Why did my brothers choose now to come and visit? Lightning Streak was the one trying to bring the door down with his hooves while Fire Streak tried to find another way in.
Fire Streak is a white Pegasus with an orange mane and tail that has a lighter shade running through it. His eyes are yellow but are usually hidden behind his flight goggles. Lightning Streak is light blue while his mane and tail are yellow with a lighter shade running through it. His eyes are dark green. Today they decided to not wear their uniforms but they were just as rambunctious as ever.
“‘Yo, bro!” Fire Streak charged at me and knocked me to the ground as he tackled me, “why didn’t you tell me you got yourself a swank new pad?”
‘Celestia kill me now,’ I thought as I closed the door behind me.
“Hey, what gives?” Lightning asked as he tried to see inside.
“The place is a bit of a mess and I was cataloguing the bookcase until you decided to break through the door,” I lied, keeping a stoic expression on my face. Please change quickly Chrysalis, knowing my brothers they won’t stay out here for long.
“So, neither was our place and you never complained,” Fire Streak pointed out.
I scowled at them, “mainly because I had no choice! You mistook my room for your own on a regular basis! Half the time I had finished a ten hour shift at the Archives, having a nap and then you come barging through as if it’s the Grand Galloping Gala again!”
Fire and Lightning looked at each other and lowered their heads, “Crescendo, we’re sorry you feel that way. You should’a told us, you know?”
I shook my head, “I love you two as my brothers. You’ve always been there for me so I didn’t raise a fuss at the time. I’m just a little stressed out right now.”
“Who is by the door, Note?” I heard an odd voice coming from inside as the door opened, revealing itself to be a lime green unicorn with straight, pale blue mane and tail. Her eyes were a darker shade of magenta, with a pair of round glasses. Her Cutie Mark was a yellow sun with a black eighth note
“Is tha-?” Fire started but sadly Lightning decided to finish for him.
“A marefriend?!” The pair of them were shocked at the sight of Chrysalis.
“Greetings, my name is Summer Rhapsody. And you are?” ‘Summer’ asked. Her voice was soft and warm if that sounds possible. She winked at me, making my jaw drop to the floor.
“U-uh, Fire Streak ma’am. This here is my brother, Lightning,” Fire responded, just as dumbfounded as myself.
“A pleasure I’m sure,” She turned to me and gestured inside, “mind showing me how to play that melody again?”
“W-which one?” I stammered.
“That song you sang earlier, what beat were you playing?” She responded.
“What are we? Chopped alfalfa?” The Wonderbolts asked in unison.
“Amongst other things, maybe. Well, Note?” Chrysalis asked. I nodded my head, “well let’s get going then. And would you two please get going? I am not a fan of having several eyes watching me.”
My brothers nodded their heads in silence before taking off and muttering about my ‘marefriend’ as they went.
I walked in and closed the door, “Well, that was interesting.”
I turned around and found Chrysalis had changed back with a snide grin on her face, “indeed. Who exactly were those two morons?”
I frowned at her statement, “they are my brothers and while their behaviour is rather wild, I will not have you slandering them.”
“Understood. I was serious about playing though,” She replied, “what were you tapping earlier?”
“A drumbeat but with my hooves,” I replied.
“Mind helping me wit-” She was cut off as a resounding bang rang through the upstairs.
We charged up and saw Discord… standing next to Nightmare Moon! I was flabbergasted. She stood there looking around as if she didn’t know where she was… and that was when Discord smiled at me.
“Cressy, I’m home!” He shouted, spreading his arms wide, “what did I miss?”