//------------------------------//
// One Month Later 
// Story: When Music is Silenced 
// by Summer Knight 
//------------------------------//

	“You're certain that you're okay with being used as bait?” Nectar frowned at Thunder.
“I told you, I'm not afraid of that thing.” Thunder, his broken bones now fully healed, adjusted his microphone stand to bring it down to the proper height. He tapped on the mic, which sent a loud pulse of sound through the speakers.
“I want to reassure you that you will be perfectly safe. Your 'bandmates' are all royal guards, and the audience consists of guards mixed with the local police force.”
Thunder rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know. You've explained this five times.”
“I just want you to know that—”
“I get it!” Alright, maybe he was a little bit on edge. After the attack on the Manehattan Bash and similar events at Nightmarefest—for obvious reasons, My Metal Pony had been forced to break their engagement to play that event—and the Winter War in Detrot, it seemed that Cacophony was keeping its promise to create an Equestria without music. There had even been rumors of ponies disappearing just for singing while going about their daily business, as ponies tended to do.
Thunder leaned in toward the mic. “Check. Check. Cheeeeeeeck.” The sound system sent his growl clearly throughout the open field where they were setting up the ambush. He then turned his attention back to the unicorn.
“I volunteered for this, Nectar. You don't have to keep trying to convince me.”
“I know. Thank you.” Nectar looked up at a cloud just above and behind the stage. Nova Wing, their swiftest flier, stood at attention there, ready to fly down and pull Thunder away at the first sign of danger.
Behind Thunder Growl, three more ponies were setting up their instruments. An earth pony had an electric guitar slung across his chest and a pick strapped to his hoof. Thunder just couldn't imagine that it would be as fast or precise as a unicorn's telekinesis. Then again, this wasn't a real show. They didn't need perfection.
On the subject of telekinesis, a white unicorn held two drumsticks in a light green magical field and was running a sound check of his own. Thunder blinked and looked away. The color of the magic was a bit too much like Wing Beat's coat. Why did that one have to be the drummer?
A second unicorn was tuning his bass. At least this one was brown, not blue like Bass Groove. He strummed a few more notes, played a couple of scales, then nodded to Thunder that he was ready. It wasn't long before the other two followed suit.
Thunder turned to look at Nectar, who was just getting a report from somepony stationed in the “audience.” She turned and trotted back to the stage.
“Dawn Storm says everypony is in position and ear plugs are in. Commence operation.”
Thunder cocked his head questioningly.
“That means you can start,” the guitarist explained.
“Oh.” Thunder turned to the microphone. “Fillies and gentlecolts,” he roared, “welcome to the ambush. Now let's catch us a monster!” He locked eyes with the drummer and nodded once, signaling him to begin.
“Everypony ready?” The white unicorn knocked his drumsticks together to set the tempo. “One, two, three, four!”
Sound exploded off of the stage and out over the crowd. They were no My Metal Pony, but Thunder had to admit that the guards weren't half-bad. They had been training for a month in the strictest secrecy and security, working on talents that they had previously employed only as a hobby.
The song's intro rose to a crescendo, and Thunder began to do what he did best.

“I'm not a fan of puppeteers,
but I've a nagging fear
someone else is pulling at the strings.”
        
The guards hadn't wanted to waste time learning a proper My Metal Pony set, so they were making do with covers of songs that everypony knew. Thunder had swallowed his pride and agreed. This one seemed especially appropriate.

“Something terrible is going down
through the entire town,
wreaking anarchy and all it brings!
I can't sit idly,
no I can't move at all.
I curse the name,
the one behind it aaaaaall!”

The heavy guitar and drums sounded surprisingly good in a song that had been created as electronica, something closer to what DJ Pon-3 might pump through those huge-flank speakers of hers. Thunder's voice rose from a deep growl to a scream of fury.

“DISCORD! I'm howlin' at the moon,
and sleepin' in the middle of a summer afternoon.”

Thunder had always found singing therapeutic. Even though he was shouting at the wrong being, he felt a bit of his tension ease as he vented his feelings.

“DISCORD! Whatever did we do
to make you take our world awaaaaaaaaaaaaay?!”

During the break in singing, Thunder became aware that there was a commotion running through the crowd. Shadows were flitting where there should not be any, patches of blackness streaking over the white snow and refusing to coalesce into definite shapes. Thunder grinned fiercely. Come on, you foal of a nag.
        
“I'm fine with changing status quo,
but not in letting go,
now the world is being torn a—oof!”

The wind was knocked from Thunder's lungs as Nova Wing swooped into him and smoothly began ascending again.
"What the buck are you doing?” Thunder shouted.
"Getting you to safety, what's it look like?" Nova yelled back
"This wasn't part of the plan! I wasn't in danger yet!" 
Nova Wing stared back at him. “What do you mean?" It clicked a moment later. "You didn't think you were actually going to be fighting, did you?”
“Yes!" Thunder struggled in the pegasus's iron grip. Put me the buck down right bucking now!”
Nova shook his head. “Can't do that. Those are trained Canterlot guards and police back there, and you're a civilian. To put it bluntly, you'd be in the way.”
Even angry as he was, Thunder Growl had to admit the truth of that. Alicorns knew he hadn't made much of a showing the last time he'd directly confronted Cacophony. The fight went out of him and he sagged a bit in Nova's grip.
“My orders are to drop you off at the safe zone and return for you when the operation is complete,” Nova continued. “You've helped us more than you think,” he reassured the singer. “When we rescue everypony from Cacophony, it'll be because you brought it out of hiding.”
Thunder snorted and looked away. The only sound for the remainder of their brief flight was the roaring wind. No sooner had Nova set him down at the edge of the nearest village—the safe zone—than he was off and flying back toward the battle. Back toward where Thunder wanted to be.
He snorted again, his breath steaming in the winter air, and looked toward the safe zone. 
“Welcome to Ponyville!” a large, too-cheery sign proclaimed. 
That's a stupid name for a town. 
The sun was high overhead. Cacophony had taken the bait almost immediately, and the day was still young. As good a time as any to find the bar.

Something's gone wrong. It was over an hour later and Thunder was on his fifth drink, having had nothing else to do while he waited for Nova to come back. The only other pony in the bar, a wine-colored earth pony who had introduced herself as Berry Punch, clinked glasses with him again and took a deep drink. Thunder followed suit, hoping to settle his nerves.
“See, the thing about Manehattan is that everypony's too caught up in themselves.” After hearing that Thunder had played the Manehattan Bash, Berry had struck up a conversation about her brief time living there.
“Not as bad as Canterlot,” Thunder replied, only slurring a little bit. “The band and I had a game where we'd take a drink every time one of those ponies had their nose so high in the air that they tripped on their own hooves. We got pretty smashed.”
Berry laughed and took another sip. “I know what you mean, but Manehattan's just as bad. Jus' different. They aren't so snooty, but nopony's got any time for anypony but themselves. S'why I came back here. Ponies 'round here are way friendlier. Hey, bartender!” Berry hit the bar with a hoof. “Another round!”
“You are the bartender.”
“Oh, right!” Berry giggled. “Well, would you like another?”
“Please.”
“You oughta come around here more often!” Berry filled both of their glasses and brought them back over. “Where ya from?”
“Grew up in Detrot.” Thunder put another bit on the bar. At the rate he was going, it was a good thing that working with the Royal Guard paid better than any single show he'd ever played. “Haven't been back there in years though, 'cept for a couple shows.”
 “What about your family?” Berry asked.
 Thunder snorted. “Haven't seen them since way before I moved out of Detrot. They weren't much of a family." His gaze darkened as he remembered cold, hungry nights and yelling. Always yelling. He often wondered if that had something to do with his talent. 
Berry Punch caught his hoof gently with her own. 
“Easy there, fella. You alright?”
Thunder shook off the gloom. “Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry. That was a long time ago, anyway.”
"Sounds like a pretty rough time.” Berry's wide eyes shone with concern, and she hadn't let go of his hoof yet. "I know what it's like. My folks were great, but some of my friends..." she trailed off sadly.
What's with her? We just met. 
“I don't really want to talk about it.”
“That's okay, I understand. So, what do you wanna talk about?”
I want to talk about what's taking those royal guards so bucking long. Instead of answering, Thunder just raised his glass in a silent toast. Berry giggled and touched glasses with him, spilling a bit of cider onto the already-sticky bar. They both drank.

The sun was low on the horizon when Thunder finally stumbled out of the bar. Nova Wing had never come back for him, nor had any of the other guards. The citizens of Ponyville were blissfully unaware of the trap that had been laid only ten miles from their town and had no idea what might have happened.
Thunder made up his mind to go back and find out. Any fighting would be long over by now, so there would be nothing for him to get in the way of. He stumbled as he walked, ignoring the look that a passing unicorn shot him. She was a prissy little thing, with her mane and tail all curled. She probably gave those looks to everypony she met. Not worth his time.
By the time he had reached the center of town he was feeling exhausted, wrung-out, and decidedly sick. He yawned and felt his head nodding. He had to keep going. He had to get back to where they'd fought Cacophony! He had to see what had happened.
He found himself in the cool shade of a tree, which felt wonderful as his metabolism worked overtime to burn off the alcohol. It seemed like the heat radiating from him should be melting the snow underhoof. Without quite realizing what he was doing, Thunder curled up under the branches of the tree and dozed off.

“Excuse me, can I help you?”
Thunder made an incoherent noise and half-opened one eye. A purple unicorn stood over him with a puzzled look on her face. Her appearance was accompanied by a blinding headache, a dry mouth that tasted like poison and old apples, and a feeling of nausea. He noticed that it was now quite late at night, and the light dusting of snow around his body had all melted. Hours must have passed.
“Doubt it,” Thunder mumbled into the dirt.
“Well, it's just—" she scuffed a hoof uncomfortably— "um, this is my house.”
Huh? Thunder flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry. I thought it was a tree.”
“Well, it is a tree, but it's also my house.”
“Oh, buck, sorry about that.” Thunder got his hooves under him and stood up. “I'll just—” He staggered and clapped a hoof to his mouth as the world spun under him. When he was fairly sure that he wasn't about to puke—not just yet, anyway—he put his hoof back on the ground.
The unicorn wrinkled her nose as she caught a whiff of his breath. 
“Hold on a second.” She charged her horn with a spell and touched him gently on the forehead.
Thunder's eyes went wide as the horrible, sick feeling left him. He was less pleased that it took the remnants of his drunkenness with it, but it seemed like a more-than-fair trade. “Uh. Thanks.”
“Basic detoxification spell, effective against all minor poisons.” The unicorn's smug voice took on a decidedly disapproving tone. “Including alcohol.”
“Right. Well,” Thunder cleared his throat, “thanks again. I'd better go, I think I've made enough of an ass of myself today.”
“Excuse me?” A passing donkey in an awful toupee stopped to glower at him. Thunder facehoofed.
“I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it, Cranky,” the purple pony reassured him. The donkey continued on his way, grumbling under his breath.
“I don't think I've seen you around Ponyville before,” she continued once the donkey was gone. “I'm Twilight Sparkle. What's your name?”
“Thunder Growl. It's my first time here.” Thunder frowned in thought. “Twilight Sparkle? Why do I know that name?”
Twilight blushed. “Oh, um, do you? I mean, I'm Princess Celestia's pupil, and the bearer of the Element of Magic, maybe you heard something about that?” She pawed the dirt nervously.
“Bearer of the what-now?" Thunder's eyes lit up in realization. "Wait, are you the Twilight Sparkle who invented the cloudwalking spell?”
“Oh, that?” Twilight flushed an even deeper red. “It was nothing, really. I just couldn't stand to leave my friend with no one to cheer for her at the Young Fliers' Competition.” She crossed her forelegs and looked down at the ground. “I really wish everypony would stop making such a big deal of it.”
Thunder practically had to pick his jaw up off the ground. 
“It wasn't nothing," he nearly shouted, "you're the one who made Pegapalooza possible!”
Twilight looked away, still embarrassed. “Um, sorry, what's Pegapalooza?”
Thunder stared. Is she serious? “It's one of the biggest concerts in Equestria, and it's only happening because your cloudwalking spell made it possible for earth ponies and unicorns to go to Cloudsdale. You really didn't hear about it?”
“It does sound kind of familiar. Maybe Rainbow Dash said something about it. It seems like her kind of thing.”
"Wait." Thunder's voice took on a new intensity. "You know Rainbow Dash?”
“Of course," Twilight responded. "She's one of my best friends.”
Thunder tried very hard not to fanfilly. “Do you think she'd be willing to do a Sonic Rainboom at one of our shows?" he asked, somewhat too eagerly. "We could get her in for free, since she'd technically be part of the crew.” It was something My Metal Pony had been talking about for a while, though they'd never thought of it as anything more than a pipe dream.
“Um,” Twilight squeaked, “I can ask her. Who is 'we?'”
“My band! My Metal Pony...” Thunder trailed off and sat down hard. “Well, I guess there is no 'we.'” The ambush failed. It must have. That's why Nova never came back. "It's just me now." He punched the ground with a hoof.
Twilight took half a step toward him, her eyes suddenly full of worry. “Hey, Thunder, are you okay? Did something happen?”
Thunder shook his head. “I don't want to talk about it.” What was with the mares in this town with their big, watery eyes, wanting to know all of his problems? “Listen, I have to go. Thanks for the detox, and if you could introduce me to Rainbow Dash someday that would be awesome. Maybe I'll see you around.” Not like I have anywhere else to go, if what I think happened actually happened.
“Okay, sure.” Twilight still looked concerned. “If you ever need anything you can stop by. Except another detoxification spell,” she amended, “next time I might just let you learn your lesson.”
Thunder snorted. Filly, he thought, that wasn't the first hangover I've had, and it sure won't be the last. 
“Right," he said instead. "See ya.” 
Thunder stood up and walked away. The town was dark and mostly asleep by now, so he didn't encounter anypony else. A light dusting of snow crunched under his hooves, and he suddenly became aware that he was rather cold. Ponies were fairly resistant to cold, but his leather vest and forelegbands didn't do a whole lot to keep his body heat in.
He got as far as the edge of town before realizing that it was already dark, the place where they'd set the ambush was quite a distance away on hoof, and he wasn't even sure which direction it was in. Between the embarrassment, the awkwardness, and the need to be doing something, he really hadn't thought this through. Stymied, he sat down again and stared out helplessly at the night. 
He found himself shivering with the cold. Of course it was just the cold. Buck! Buck it! Buck everything! He punched the ground over and over in impotent rage, until the sound of a light hooffall behind him made him turn around.
“Are you ready to talk now?” It was that same purple unicorn from before.
“Twilight!” Thunder turned to glare at her. “Did you follow me?” he demanded.
“Ponies don't get as drunk as you were unless something's really bothering them. It's self-destructive behavior. I just had to make sure you weren't about to go and hurt yourself again.”
“Very nice. Did you read that in a textbook?” Thunder sneered.
“Directionless anger. Another sign of repressed trauma.”
“You're not my bucking psychiatrist, you nag!”
Neither Thunder's language nor the fury behind it seemed to daunt Twilight. “No, I'm not. But I could be your friend," she offered gently.
“I don't want to be your bucking friend!” Thunder shouted.
“Is yelling at me making you feel better?” Twilight asked as she walked slowly toward him. She moved cautiously, the way one might approach a wounded animal. “What about the drinking? Whatever's wrong, it didn't help, did it?”
Thunder snorted angrily and stomped a forehoof. He didn't usually hit fillies, but this one might be the exception. “You want to help? Fine. Tell me how to get my friends back from Cacophony! Oh, wait, the royal guards couldn't even beat that monster. It's totally indestructible, and I'll never see them again. So, just what the buck do you think you can do for me?”
Twilight had kept walking toward Thunder as he ranted. Now she threw her forelegs around his neck and pulled him into a warm, comforting hug. Thunder was shocked into silence.
“I'm so sorry about your friends, Thunder,” she murmured. “I've never heard of a monster called Cacophony, but I'll ask Princess Celestia if she knows anything.”
Thunder's trembling slowed. It was because she was warm, that was all. He'd been cold. To Thunder's own surprise he found himself gratefully returning Twilight's hug.
 “Come back to town with me, okay?” Thunder hadn't protested yet, so Twilight didn't let go. “You can stay at the library for tonight. I'll do some research, and in the morning I'll write to the princess.”
“I... sure, okay.” What had happened to all of his anger? It was still there, buried deep along with pain and grief, but he was calmer. He felt more peaceful now than he had under Nectar's calming spell, more peaceful than he'd felt since Cacophony had first appeared. Besides which, he thought—since his brain was demanding a more logical reason to follow this pushy mare—he had nowhere else to go. “Thanks. Again.”