//------------------------------// // Second Movement: Part 11- Friendship's Ostinato // Story: Sonata de Equestria // by MyHobby //------------------------------// Friendship's Ostinato Dusty’s pulse throbbed in his ears as he glared at the wall. He had been burning a metaphorical hole in the wood for the past few hours, smoldering in Applejack’s fillyhood bed. Hate poured through his veins, hate for… Hate for what? What is it that I despise? Everything. I despise everything. But why? What has everything done to me? He looked at his worn and weary body, his eyes pausing as they crossed his swollen shoulder, his weak leg, and his matted fur. What hasn’t everything done to me? Maimed my body, stolen my pride, turned my friends against me… Even Fluttershy lies on the side of Twilight Sparkle! She’s betrayed me, just like all the others! Betrayed! He rolled out of bed and slumped to the floor, breathing hard. He looked to the door and sneered. It’s all Twilight Sparkle’s fault! It’s all Celestia’s fault! It’s all Fluttershy’s fault! I’m alone! Alone! Alone! He stood and took a step forwards. His weak leg collapsed and sent him tumbling. I’m so weak! I’m a weakling! I’m… His eyes lit up as a memory came to him. The Alicorn Amulet. With that I was powerful! More powerful than even Celestia! I need it. I need the amulet. A grin spread slowly across his face as he planned. I can go back to Canterlot and steal the amulet. But… but Sombra tried to kill me! I can’t just take it when he’s there. What— Pain shot through his head. He held a hoof to his temple, groaning at the surprising headache. He spent a moment trying to get his train of thought back on track. Sombra… Sombra… He was defeated before, wasn’t he? By… by the Elements of Harmony! That’s his weakness! If I can bring an Element of Harmony to Canterlot, he’ll have to do what I say! I have to get the Element. Element. Fluttershy. Fluttershy! “Fluttershy!” he cried out, presenting the best pain-filled scream he could manage. He lay on the floor in a heap, hiding his smile as he heard hoof steps trotting down the hallway. She opened the door and poked her head inside. “Dusty?” she whispered. “Are you hurt?” He whimpered and turned his head towards her. His mouth parted, but no words came out. She rushed to him and knelt beside him. She checked his injuries carefully, whispering words of comfort. “It’s okay, Dusty, we’ll get you fixed up. Can you tell me where it hurts?” He spoke quietly, the air barely passing by his lips. The Element of Kindness around her neck jingled lightly as she leaned forward. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” He spoke again, even quieter than before. She leaned her ear right beside his mouth. “Please try and speak, Dusty, I want to help y—” She was cut off by her own scream of pain and terror as he bit down hard on her ear. He yanked her head to the side and began to tug at the magical necklace she wore. Her hooves batted wildly, catching him across the head once or twice. He struggled to keep her pinned until he could remove the Element of Harmony. Just as he felt it unlatch, she let loose a primal scream. His heart skipped a beat as she twisted her four legs beneath him and pushed with all her might. With a powerful, desperation-fueled flap of her wings, she flipped the both of them into the air and tossed him to the side. The trinket wrapped around his hoof as he tumbled. He stood and faced the pegasus mare with a grin of triumph. His smile faded into an expression of surprise as his eyes met hers and the full force of The Stare hit him. She held her bleeding ear with a hoof as she glared at him, pain hiding behind her spellbinding gaze. His life flashed before him, all his pain and anguish summed up in one moment. He felt the joy of his friendship with Fluttershy, the heart break of his relationship with his mother, and the sheer horror of the Summer Sun Celebration. The last thing he saw before The Stare broke away was the sorrow and pity that he had seen in Celestia’s eyes when he struck her down. His breathing quickened as he took it all in. A tear fell down his cheek as he gaped at Fluttershy, who was shaking with fear. She was shaking in fear at him. His lip trembled as he lowered his eyes to the floor. He caught sight of the Element of Kindness and the purpose of his attack returned to the forefront. He sneered at Fluttershy as he backed out of the room. “You… Y-you can’t ch-change my mind that e-easil—” His backwards motion stopped with a bump, and he now found himself leaning against the chest of a towering red stallion. He looked up at the crimson chin of Big Macintosh and whimpered. Inside an instant, the big stallion spun around and kicked out with his tree trunk-like hind legs, sending Dusty flying down the hallway and through the door. The wood splintered as his body came in contact with it. He was barely slowed in his flight, and he rolled down a snowy slope outside the cottage. When he stopped, he rose shakily to his hooves and ran away from the homestead. Big Mac rushed to Fluttershy’s side, his voice full of worry. “Fluttershy! You alright? Did he hurt you?” She nodded, tears pouring down her cheeks. He examined her chewed up ear with a gasp. “Stay put, I’ll get you some bandages.” He was nearly out of the room when Fluttershy gave a faint “Wait!” He turned to her; she was pawing at her neck in desperation. “He took… He took the Element!” He nodded, his mouth a grim line. He trotted to the door and looked out. He could just make out the fleeing shape of Dusty Shelves in the blowing snow. “Dusty!” he shouted, causing the weak stallion to jump with fright. The ex-librarian turned back, took one look at Big Mac, and ran as fast as he could in the other direction. Macintosh snorted and chased after him. Dusty heaved himself over the top of a hill, gasping for breath. His lungs burned in the cold air, and his limbs ached from the snow. He didn’t dare look back, for he could hear the thundering hooves of his pursuer gaining on his with alarming speed. He blinked as his eyes met the crest of the next hill, a rocky outcropping near the mountain. He let himself tumble down the hill, and then started climbing towards the rocks. A giant boulder met him as he ascended. He examined it to find it heavy, but not firmly planted in the hillside. Putting himself behind the rock, he pushed with all that was left of his might, rocking it back and forth as it loosened. He giggled to himself. He could hear Macintosh approach, no doubt following the tracks that Dusty had made. He rocked the boulder harder, easing it to and fro as it drew closer to breaking free. With one final push, he sent it tumbling towards Big Mac, causing a small avalanche of debris to follow it down. Macintosh gasped as his foot caught in the ruble that had begin to rain down. He looked up at the boulder that was easily three times his size bearing down on him. He shut his eyes tight, praying to Glory that it would be quick. He felt the wind get knocked out of him by a collision to his side, one that sent him flying through the air and out of the way of the boulder. He and the thing that hit him landed in a tangled heap, gasping for breath as the mighty stone rolled past. He looked down to see Fluttershy trembling at his side, her hooves wrapped around his torso. Her ear still bled from Dusty’s bite, the blood trickling down her face and into the snow. Her tears mingled with the blood as she looked up at Macintosh, relief washing over her features. Dusty ran down the slope, cackling as he did so. “I b-beat you! Ha, ha! Y-you stupid f-f-foal! You w-walked…” As he reached the valley, his eyes caught sight of the two ponies to the side. “Right into… M-my…” Big Macintosh sucked in a breath as an old axiom came to his remembrance, “What goes up must come down.” He looked at the trail that the boulder had left in the snow as it rolled through the valley and up the next hill. A rumbling sound filled his ears as he noticed that Dusty was standing in the middle of the trail, stock-still in his surprise. Big Macintosh’s realization hit Dusty Shelves at about thirty miles per hour. Macintosh covered Fluttershy’s head as the boulder met the tan earth pony with a crunch. Dusty disappeared in a cloud of thrown snow as the boulder passed, climbed up the hill a bit, and then rolled to settle atop his broken body. Bile rose in Big Mac’s throat at the sight, his back hair standing on end. He held Fluttershy tight as the wind blowed, chilling them to the bone. He gently raised her face to his, looking her in the eyes. “Let’s get back to the cottage,” he muttered. They stumbled through the blizzard, making their way back to the house. Big Mac paused to pick up the Element of Kindness, which had been thrown to the side by the boulder’s impact. He gripped it tight, keeping it safe until they had reached the warm indoors. He briefly tried to set the door back on its hinges, but gave it up as a lost cause. He found Fluttershy sitting at the table, silently staring at nothing. He placed the Element of Kindness beside her and stood there for a moment. Big Mac was quiet, like usual. A few seconds later, he left the kitchen and returned with bandages. Fluttershy began sobbing quietly as he bandaged her mangled ear. Big Mac was quiet, like usual. He packed up the first aid kit and placed it back in the cupboard. Fluttershy was no longer staring at nothing, but crying quietly into her hooves. He shuffled his feet, looking from her to the floor. He licked his lips as he tried to think of something, anything, to say. Big Mac was quiet, like usual, and he hated that. He walked around behind her and placed a hoof on her shoulder. “It’s alright,” he said, mirroring her earlier words. “It’ll be okay.” “It’s all my fault!” she choked out. He jumped in surprise and leaned closer. “Pardon?” he said as softly as he could manage. He tried to look at her face, but she hid herself in her wings. “It’s all my fault…” she gasped. “If I hadn’t told… If I hadn’t tried to help him, Dusty would still be alive!” Big Mac was quiet, but not like usual. His eyebrows lowered as a fire rose in his chest. He shook his head gently and whispered, “No.” She turned her head to look at him, her eyes wide with questions. He took the opportunity to take her face in his hooves, careful to avoid her injured ear. He held her eye contact for a long moment. “Fluttershy, if you hadn’t tried to help Dusty, then you wouldn’t have been you.” Fluttershy didn’t move, she just sat and breathed. Big Mac gave her a small smile and wiped a tear away. “And if you weren’t you, Fluttershy, I don’t like to think about what a sad place this world would be.” He lowered his hooves to the ground and sat beside her. “Dusty made his own choices, and none of it was your fault.” With him on the ground and her on the chair, they each sat at eye-level. He pushed the Element of Kindness towards her. “This is you,” he said. “It’s your greatest strength, and don’t let anypony tell you otherwise.” Fluttershy slid off of her chair and wrapped her hooves around Big Mac’s neck, eliciting a grunt of surprise from the stallion. She hugged him tight and whispered in his ear. “Thank you.” He returned the hug warmly. Fluttershy was quiet, as usual. Big Mac was quiet, as usual. He realized that it wasn’t always a bad thing. Spike followed the others through Manehatten, waddling along near the middle of the pack. He staggered under the weight of a suitcase, one of the few that had survived the windigo attack. They made their way carefully through the crowds of the always-busy city. The streets of Manhatten were always crowded with ponies going about their business, and the rebellion against Sombra hadn’t changed it in the slightest. What was different was the constant presence of soldiers patrolling the streets. They kept a constant vigil, carefully watching over those under their protection. A few guards from Canterlot recognized Spike and tossed his the occasional salute, which he returned with a smile. The building they arrived at was squashed directly between two others, as seemed to be the norm in upper Manehatten. Spike remembered the design from various film strips that took place in the big city. The building type was undoubtedly a favorite setting for filmmakers. Spike watched Applejack rap a hoof against the door. She smiled warmly as it opened to reveal the two earth ponies behind it. “Aunt an’ Uncle Orange! Howdy?” “Better, now that you’re here, Applejack!” Aunt Orange Marmalade answered. “Do come in, you and all your friends.” Uncle Mandarin Orange trotted outside. “I’ll gather up your luggage, ladi— Great Scott!” Mandarin Orange fell to his bottom at the astonishing sight of Steve Magnet. The river serpent slumped to the street with a smile. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll wait outside, my good fellow.” Orange Marmalade nodded her head. “I do suppose that’s for the best, dear. A pleasure to meet such a well-spoken… individual.” Spike gave Magnet a quick glance as he entered the house. Steve curled himself up outside, setting his head close to the window. The baby dragon’s brow furrowed in thought as a sigh escaped him. “You three can head upstairs, children,” Marmalade told the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Babs is waiting for you.” The three fillies cheered as they barreled up the stairs. In their excitement, they bumped a table on the way up, knocking over a small vase. Spike bent down to grab it, and bumped his head on the table on his way up. He rubbed his head ruefully as he adjusted the vase. Mandarin turned to the others when the kids had disappeared from sight. “So, they are billing you as the saviors of Equestria.” “Sounds like it.” Applejack muttered. “’Course, it ain’t like we haven’t done it afore, but we’re kinda…” She sighed as she took a seat. Rarity cocked an eyebrow. “Scattered to the four winds? Incapable of joining together? At an all-time low as far as the Elements go?” Pinkie Pie clicked her tongue. “We disobeyed the first rule of adventuring.” “What’s that?” Applejack asked. “‘Don’t split the party,’” Pinkie intoned. Applejack removed her hat and set it beside her. She squinted at Pinkie and shook her head. “I don’t even… Never mind.” Marmalade brought each pony a cup of tea, and gave Spike a glass of milk. He sipped from his glass slowly, savoring the taste. He counted it an improvement on a week’s worth of stale water. He watched as Marmalade asked Magnet what he wanted, but the serpent waved her off with thanks. Spike let out a low groan. He thought that he had said it under his breath, but Rarity gently prodded him with a hoof. “Is everything alright, Spike?” she asked. He opened his mouth dumbly, unable to come up with a response. Instead, he allowed his attention to be turned to Mandarin Orange when the stallion spoke up. “Do you have a way to remedy your… ‘party’ issues?” He lit his pipe with a flick of his hoof, sending small puffs of smoke through the air. Applejack coughed as one such puff approached her. “Ahem. Manehatten’s our meet-up spot, everypony knows about that. At least, I hope everypony knows that… We just gotta wait until they get here, then we can do somehtin’ about our tyrant problems.” “Fair enough,” Marmalade said. “You are free to stay here as long as you need.” She walked over to Applejack and hugged her tight. “It is good to see you again, Applejack.” Applejack returned the embrace with a smile. “Good to see you guys, too. Been too long.” Orange Marmalade showed them to the guest room, where Zecora, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity would be sharing a space. Spike volunteered to sleep on the couch. As the night grew dark, the baby dragon sidled up to the window and knocked. Steve brought his eye up to the window as it was opened. “Heya,” Spike said. “Good evening, young Master Spike,” Magnet murmured. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” Spike twiddled his thumbs. “What’s it like living by yourself in the Everfree?” Steve Magnet drew back in mild surprise. “I say, what an odd question. Is there any particular reason you wish to know?” “Curious,” Spike replied. He sat back in silence as Steve pondered. “Well,” the serpent said, “I’m not truly alone. I keep up with the latest fashion trends, I do have a few friends that I visit every so often, the Everfree is never really empty…” “But you don’t live with anyone around,” Spike interrupted. “Why?” Steve paused, looking the drake over very carefully. “You’re a clever sort, Spike. I give to you the truth; don’t squander it with endless moping.” Spike nodded even as his heart sank. The truth was going to hurt, he knew. Better to learn now than to be surprised later. “This world is not built for people like us, Spike.” Steve Magnet drooped. “I moved away from civilization simply because I did not wish anypony any harm. It got to the point where everything felt like it was made of cardboard, as if I couldn’t so much as sneeze without causing massive property damage.” He looked away, his eyes distant. “I still return to Fillydelphia occasionally, but only to relive old memories, not to make new ones. I’m a novelty, but I’m a liability.” He turned back to Spike with heaviness. “Such is the way of the Wyrm.” “‘Such is the way of the Wyrm,’” Spike repeated. “I guess that’s what I needed to hear. Thanks.” “Remember what I said,” Steve Magnet murmured. “Don’t waste your life moping about what you can’t change. Embrace it, and let it make you stronger.” Spike nodded and bid Steve good night. He closed the window quietly, not letting it make a sound. He listened carefully to see if he had woken anypony, then turned away satisfied. His heart nearly leapt out of his chest when Rarity seemed to materialize out of the shadows. “Sorry to startle you, Spikey,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I was passing though and…” They stood in silence, neither saying a word. Spike rocked on his heels while Rarity pursed her lips. She took in a deep breath and walked closer to him. “Would you like to talk about it?” she asked. “What’s to talk about?” he grumbled. He nearly kicked himself for using such a grumpy tone with Rarity. “I mean, really? It’s not gonna change anything.” “Perhaps, perhaps not.” She placed a hoof on his shoulder and led him to the couch. “It can certainly help you think about it, maybe even see things in a new light?” She sat beside him, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight. “So, you seem to have concerns about growing up. Am I correct?” “Yeah.” Spike shifted. “I’m not looking forward to it too much, if you know what I mean.” “You’re probably worrying yourself over nothing,” she offered. “You are still a baby dragon, after all.” “No, I’m not,” he stated. He could feel tears trying to force their way into his eyes, but he held back. “I’m a baby dragon now, but that’s not gonna last forever. I can feel myself growing, Rarity. I feel aches in my arms and legs every night. I’m bumping my head against everything. I grew into a fire-breathing monster to fight a bunch of Diamond Dogs.” He balled his claws into little fists as he talked. “I can’t hold my greed back forever, I know it. I’m gonna keep growing whether I like it or not. I’m gonna turn into a monster, and there’s nothing I can do about it!” Tears stung in his eyes and he turned to Rarity, a sad smile on his face. “So— So I’m gonna prepare myself for that now. I’m gonna be like Twilight and get all the facts, incorporate them into my daily life. I’m gonna be ready when… When…” Rarity ducked down, bringing her face close to his. He gulped, his tongue tied. “When… when I have to leave.” “Oh, Spike,” she sighed. “Whatever makes you think that you’ll ever have to leave?” “I-it’s like Steve Magnet said,” Spike choked. “Wh-when I’m grown up, I’ll be a liability. I-I’ll hurt people by accident. I’ll break things. I’ve seen what I’ll be like, Rarity! It’ll just be better if I leave before…” He looked down to study his toes, noting how much they seemed to have grown in just the last few days. He felt Rarity rest her hoof on his back. He knew the gesture was meant to be comforting, but his muscles tensed up all the same. “Before what, Spike?” she pressed gently. He turned his head to her soft voice and saw worry in her eyes. “B-before…” Spike’s voice cracked. “Before you send me away.” He heard her gasp and knew that it was coming: the denial. A severe frown crossed her face, the rallying of all her most noble arguments. He held up a claw. “Please don’t say you won’t, don’t lie just ’cause I’m a kid.” Rarity’s eyebrows shot up into her purple curls. “But—” “I know that there’ll be a day when Ponyville just won’t be able to hold me anymore.” Spike sniffled and flopped back. “I’ll be an outcast, you know it! I’ll have to become a recluse just so people won’t panic at the sight of me. Before anypony knows it, they’ll have forgotten about me, and I’ll just be another dragon prowling the Everfree! I’m gonna be”—he gave a sob, unable to hold the tears back any longer—“I’m gonna be alone!” “That’s enough!” Rarity said. She stomped a hoof on the floor, getting his immediate attention. “You’ll not be forgotten so easily, Spike! You are a hero, do you hear me? A hero! You are the nicest, kindest, most generous dragon I will ever have the pleasure of knowing! You are no more a danger to Ponyville than Fluttershy!” She prodded him in the stomach, towering over him in righteous fury. “You will never be abandoned, Spike! You have so many people who know and love you. Twilight Sparkle will never give you up; I’d stake my life on it! None of us would! You are as much our friend as we are yours. You’re practically an honorary member of the Elements!” She grasped his shoulders and sat him upright. “You might grow up, Spike. No, you will grow up, of course. There will be changes, but one thing will remain the same…” She squeezed him tight. The breath left him as much from the pressure as the surprise he felt. “You,” she said quietly. “You will always be Spike. Don’t ever change the best part about yourself.” Rarity kissed Spike on the cheek and walked off. He was left stunned. He touched his cheek with reverence, a small smile playing at his lips. He gave Steve’s window a final glance before lying down, preparing for a good night’s sleep. Silence covered the hills beside the Smoky Mountain. Snow fell heavily, yet softly upon the grave of Dusty Shelves. The giant boulder served as a tombstone, blatantly marking the location of his fall. In the distance, the light from the cottage blinked out as the ponies within fell asleep. With the darkness full, the whisper of a wind rolled across the landscape. It rose to a dull roar as the snow around Dusty’s tomb swirled. The fluff danced in the wind, carried on ethereal puppet strings. White shadows flowed around and around, examining, prying, dissecting. An unnatural moan tore through the air as the voices of the windigos called out. Another voice joined them, louder than the rest. It was a cry of agony and pain. A cry of terror and anger. A cry of vengeance and wrath. A cold shade slipped from under the rock, the pale face of the creature frozen in endless torment. The windigos flew on, their newest member having been fully integrated into the flock.