//------------------------------// // Chapter 21: Dream of Harmony // Story: Zaps Apple // by Electuroo //------------------------------// Zaps Apple Chapter 21: Dream of Harmony Big Macintosh “Ah beg ya pardon. But ah'm not yer son, Harmony Rose.” But she looked so alike to mah… No, Harmony Rose isn't her. I ‘ain’t goin’ to compare her with this unicorn from the past. As ah looked at this unicorn a thought came into mah head. “Yer were in the dream-scape with us. Weren’t ya?” Harmony Rose nodded. Ah knew it as soon as she’d called me by mah name when actin' as her son in the dream-scape of the Fall of Harmony. “Yes my dear child, I was. Finally I understand what I did back then...” “What do ya mean, ya finally understand?” “I do not remember what happened back then, Big Macintosh. When Vinyl entered the dream-scape I finally had a chance to remember and replay those events as if I was really there again.” Harmony Rose turned to Vinyl Scratch. “I am sorry for doing this without your permission.” “Nah it’s fine, I’d be in the same boat dude. So I’m cool with it.” Vinyl waved it off. “I wish I could remember.” Ah watched her turn towards the town. “I really wish I did. I only know my magic is limited and where I exist is not a pleasant place at all, trapped within a crystal. I do not know why I have been frozen in time or how I ended up inside it. I don't even know what happened to my own kingdom.” Harmony Rose turned to me. “Big Macintosh, I shouldn't have said son... I am wrong for doing so, I looked at you and I saw something in your eyes that spooked you.” Twilight stepped up to Harmony Rose. “Your horn? How damaged is it? I saw the cracks in the dream-scape...” “I do not know... I only know what you saw in the dream and that is all. I learned so much from this experience but so much is still missing. Vinyl has helped fill in what this century holds.” Harmony Rose turned to Vinyl Scratch as ah stood in silence and took in what she had said. “I’m so weak and so lonely... I wish I could just feel again, be there for my little colt...” Harmony Rose sat down in front of us. Tears fell down her face as she watched the four children play, the adults dodging them as they rushed around, playin' tag. “I don't even remember what I named my son. I try so hard to remember but I only know the name Scootaloo gave to him. I am a terrible mother...” “Yer not a terrible mother.” Ah walked up to her and gave her a firm hug, resting mah head gently against the top of hers. Ya did everything ya could. There was no time, no answer that was right, ya had to take what was around and do what you could. Yer were hurt and the magic within you was at the point of explodin'. Yer did what any mother would do, try to protect her children, and yer know what?” She raiseed her head and her sad, watery, eyes looked into mah own. “Wh-what...” “Yer did just that. Zaps is safe. He has us Apples to take care of him, he has friends, the princesses keep us safe. Remember why ya brought us here to this Dream of Harmony. Not for what’s hurtin' inside, Harmony Rose, but for what is here in this moment, in this dream. Perhaps in the waking world yer lost within some crystal but here yer free. Go to Zaps and be his mother one more time before ya rest, until the day we can brin' ya home.” Ah gazed at all the ponies around me, they seemed to be frozen in time. Mah words rang loud and clear to each one of them. Ah leaned down to her ear and whispered, “The reason ah feel very uncomfortable is because yer look almost exactly like mah mother... Even the voice.” Harmony Rose looked at me. The shock in her face showed it all, ah could see she had no idea of this connection, that it was as if ah was seein' a ghost but ah knew all too well, she wasn't mah ma. She was willin' to be part of the family though, to be with her son again. Ah couldn't keep that away from her. “I can't...” Harmony Rose broke from the embrace, starin' at me. “I don't know why or how we woke as we did. I know he is my son and what our kingdom was and now I know how it fell to the darkness. But I can barely cope with knowing I am over 1000 years in the future, I know I rest within the crystal Vinyl has but that is little consolation...” Vinyl chuckled. Surprised by the interruption, we all turned to her. “Hey, chill dude, you’re sweet and awesome. Right now, you are here. Didn't you call this place the Dream of Harmony? That’s what this is right, a dream? That’s all he will think it is. You talking to him would be just that. So be a family with the big guy here, with Applebloom and Zaps. Be a family.” “I...” “Just do it for me dude, you might have given me these funky spells but in the end you owe me more than you think. Think of this as a repayment, if you want. Face it like a mare! Like a mother!” Vinyl put her hoof around Harmony Rose. “Now go!” She let go and pushed Harmony forwards. “And for you two princesses, don’t say a word about being her daughters.” “Under... Stood...” They said slowly and ah chuckled lightly at the irony of the great, omnipotent leaders of Equestria being put on the spot by a DJ. “Now it’s time for some awesome music! Bring down my station, Dream! It’s time to lay down the wubs.” We all looked up as two large speakers and a DJ station descended from the sky and landed in front of Vinyl Scratch. “Oh yeah! I love dreams that feel like this! They rock, just like me. LET’S ROCK THIS DREAM!” Vinyl paused and gazed at me. “Buuuuuut first...” Suddenly I felt myself wearing a headset. I looked down and saw my Pony Tones outfit. Rarity was standing next to me, along with Toe-Tapper and Torch Song were on a stage with lights shinin' on us and the bright day had turned to night. “Everypony of the Kingdom of Harmony!” Vinyl yelled out into her microphone. “I give you the awesome and most amazing... PONY TONES!!!!!” Harmony Rose, who was standing at the front joined the children, Zaps was on her back and ah saw the shock she felt at that, but she kept composed regardless. “Mother, what’s goin' on? What are the Pony Tones?” “We’re about to find out, my sweet little apple,” Harmony Rose replied. Ah gulped, seein' the princesses in the crowd, although nopony seemed to care much, as if they were completely unfased by the presence of royalty. “Ready, Pony Tones?” Rarity turned to me and the others. “We’re goin' to give them a performance they won't forget!” “Oh boy, this is going to be awesome!” Rainbow Dash said excitedly, hoverin' over Twilight and their friends, ah even saw mah sister and Granny standin' there. Spike was there too but he wasn't a dragon any more, he was a stallion. Then it hit me, ah looked round at Luna and Harmony Rose. They were both grinning wildly. This dream was not just bein’ shared by us, but by all our friends too, they’d expanded the dream sharin' to somethin' even ah couldn't comprehend. “Alright Vinyl, you got the music, right?” “And now introducing the fifth member of the Pony Tones, Fluttershy!” She ignored me, and instead announced the arrival of a surprisingly calm looking Fluttershy, who stepped up onto stage, lookin' at me. “Hey Flutters, you and Macy are the ace singers here, give them a show they will never forget!” Ah couldn’t help but stare as Fluttershy, who so recently had refused to sing even for her friends, confidently reassured her, “Oh don't worry, we will.” “Alright Pony Tones, on the count of three!” Vinyl turned to the mixture of Kingdom of Harmony and Ponyville Ponies, all gathered together in the centre of a town containing a mish-mash of buildin’s from Ponyville and the Kingdom’s little village. Ah’d never seen a dream like this. “Everypony ready!” Vinyl called out to the town. The crowd let out a unanimous cheer, reassuring me as we got ready to perform. “One!” The crowd yelled out. “Two!” They began pumpin' their hooves with a thunderous clop and ah started off the a doo-wop-style scatting. The Ponytones started to hum. They start harmonizin'. Flutter and I started to sing the introduction together into our microphones. Trot outside and see the sunshine, Something's in the air today, Sky is clear and you're feelin' so fine, Everything's gonna be a-okay. The rest of the Pony Tones joined in with me and Fluttershy. If you listen carefully, On every corner there's a rhythm playing, Then it happens suddenly, The music takes you over and you'll Find you've got the music, Got the music in you, Find you've got the music, Got the music in you. Flutter and ah sang the next line together with big smiles on our faces. We were enjoyin’ it just as much as the audience was. Seein’ Zaps singin’ too and wavin’ his head around to the music only made me smile even more. Everypony's sayin' you should learn to express your voice, But if talk doesn't seem like it's the answer, Singin’ together, we continued to pick up the pace and gave them a real show. Luckily you have a choice, When you find you've got the music, Got the music in you, Find you've got the music, Got the music in you, Got the music, got the music in you! We came to the final part of the song, singin' our hearts out. Ah knew this was only a dream but it felt so alive. Ah didn’t know what would happen when it finally ended, but for this moment all that mattered was sharing the music with mah friends and family. Everypony was so happy, ah wondered how many ponies could be sharin' this dream-scape. When you find you've got the music, Got the music in you, Find you've got the music, Got the music in you, Got the music, got the music in you! The song finished and we received a thunderous clappin' of hooves from the crowd with cheers that echoed around. Some ponies were even throwin' flowers onto stage. “Now that is one musical number that is pure awesome! Now everypony enjoy the party!” Vinyl cried out. Ah stepped up to Harmony Rose. She smirked, pushin' a rose that had been thrown onto the stage into my mane. “I had no idea you could sing like that, Big Macintosh. That is one heck of a voice from such a mumble pony as yourself.” “Big brother, you was amazing! I really like everything about it!” Zaps jumpin' up and down on Harmony's back. “Mother, don't you think?” “Really something that I never expected.” “Ah’ll say. Ah’m not sure what’s goin' on, but ah feel great and it’s good to see ya again, ma.” Applejack said as she trotted up to us. “What’s up with the horn?” Harmony Rose chuckled. “Sweet child, I’ve always had this. Here, let me show you all something.” Harmony Rose put Zaps down and stepped back. She readied herself and charged up the magic in her horn. With a bright yellow glow it fired a beam of energy so high into the sky that we all had to look right back to see it explode into a dazzlin' spectrum of rainbow colour that burst outwards in a shockwave. “No way!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “You did a Rainboom!?” Harmony Rose looked up. “Well, really it’s just an explosion of harmonizing magic. It’s what I might call showing off but that wouldn’t be proper of me.” Harmony Rose smiled warmly at us as rainbow dust rained down onto her mane. Harmony Rose look around with a gentle smile. “I shall never forget this moment, Big Macintosh...” Ah looked at her directly. “Give my son what I never could. Give him a life.” Ah looked over at Zaps as the crusaders tried to catch the rainbow stardust with their hooves. All around the others were laughin', the princesses, Twilight, Vinyl... Everypony was enjoyin' this dream-scape moment. Ah turned to her and gave her a big hug. “Ah will... Mother...” Ah pulled away a little, lookin' right into her eyes with a massive warm smile and she return it; we hugged tightly. “Thank you Big Macintosh...” “Now It’s time to PARTY!” We broke apart' from the hug to see Pinkie Pie with a large party cannon firin' it as fireworks shot into the sky, to the delight of the everypony around. “Hey Big Mac, like the party? I just thought it up and wham! It was here! How cool is that!? I know what to do! A roller-coaster!” Pinkie Pie zipped off and both of us look at each other, confused Harmony Rose blinked. “What is a roller-coaster?” “This silly!” Ah jumped back in surprise, lookin' at the pink pony. “Not me silly! That!” Directly behind the small, pink pony had appeared a tall metal structure. “What do you think? Cool right?” “I’ll say! That looks like an awesome ride!” Rainbow Dash dropped in beside us. “Hey Harmony, come and let us give you the ride of a lifetime!” She pushed Harmony Rose towards it. Harmony Rose looked up at the track, with it’s turns and spins and drops. “I suppose I could, it looks rather strange, but fun too, I guess.” “Can we come?” The crusaders asked, after running up to us from their game. “Eeyup!” Ah replied and they cheered, runnin' towards the contraption. Ah followed the children to the ride. Pinkie Pie stood on her hind legs with a cane in one foreleg and restin' her other on the wall. She was wearin' some kind of pink and white striped top and a hat that reminded me of the outfit those darn Flim Flam brothers had worn. “Alrighty ponies! Here we are, the Pinkie Extreme! The roller-coaster of a dream! It’s fast! Twisty! You’ll go Up! Down! Sideways! Spinning! It’s going to be the ride of a dream life time!” Pinkie Pie promised the excited group that had gathered around. “Sister, can we ride this too?” Ah heard Luna ask Celestia. Ah blinked. Ah couldn’t believed mah ears, they were gonna ride this too? “Sure, a dream can be exciting for us too, can't it?” Celestia smiled. Zaps hadn’t heard them though, he was in front with Harmony Rose. Harmony Rose… Ah’d just called her mother and it felt wonderfully strange to do. Ah was thinking so hard about this that ah didn’t even notice Pinkie Pie pop up beside me. Even for Pinkie Pie she was wearing an unusually large grin on her face. “Let’s ride parter!” She giggled. “Erm... Eeyup?” Ah replied, not entirely confidently. Nevertheless ah got onto the ride with the other ponies, sittin' with Zaps, who looked completely unfazed by the prospect of what was about to happen. In the distance ah could hear the music Vinyl was playin'. Ah felt somethin' move and watched the plastic rest lower over mah head and tighten against mah body. With a sharp click it locked into place. Ah couldn’t go back now. With a sudden jolt the coaster slowly began to trundle up the steep slope. Ah looked right towards the sound of Vinyl’s music and could just make out the stage below me in the distance. Ah gulped. We were pretty high now. All of a sudden, the clickin' of the cart stopped and we reached the peak of the slope. Gradually we were tilted over the top and Ah felt the wind slap mah face as we shot down the other side. Ah heard a mix of screams as we hit the first loop. Ah just held on tight with mah front hooves to the harness, ah’d never been on such a thing before. Even in a dream it felt real, ah’d never understand this type of dream magic and didn't want to. The twist came afterwards, bending into another loop, the cork-screw was followed by a increase in height with a long turnin' bend. Eventually ah mustered the courage to open mah eyes. Ah looked over at Zaps and ah couldn’t believe it. He was enjoyin’ this. He was yellin' out with joy, so were the other children. Finally we slowed down and came to a straight, before it stopped though it twisted around and around about three times more, followed up by one more twist as we came back to the platform. Ah felt the harness click and release me, surprisingly though, ah didn’t feel terrible. Ah actually felt ok, even excited! “Wasn't that something Big Mac!?” Ah raised Zaps and my own harness bars. Rainbow Dash was hoverin’ over us. “Come on Big Mac, you got to say that was awesome!” “Eeyup.” I replied, not entirely truthfully. “I must say, that Roller-coaster certainly was something. Do these exist in the land of the waking as well?” Luna asked her sister. Zaps had run off with the girls again to play some games, ah smiled and turned to the princesses. “Indeed sister, there is one in Las Pegasus in fact, the city of lights, day or night it’s always full of activity.” Celestia replied warmly. “In fact, I think we should visit it someday, this roller-coaster, even for a dream, is most exciting.” “I agree, the fun will be doubled!” Luna rose on her hind legs yellin' out with joy. Harmony Rose didn't seem to keen though. “Are ya ok sugarcube?” Applejack came up to her. Harmony Rose put a hoof over her mouth. “N-no... The ride was...” She stared at Applejack. “Fun, but sickening... I’ve never been on something that fast and in control of your movement like that before. It was rather thrilling, but not entirely pleasant, my stomach feels all twisted and queasy.” Harmony Rose shook it off a little. “Is that what this thing is meant to do?” “Eeyup! Sugarcube, roller-coasters are all about the thrill, just ask Rainbow Dash about that.” Applejack pointed at the pegasus, who was busy doing a few flips in the air. “Think of it like way, it’s like experiencing being a pegasus, without needing wings.” “I will keep that in mind, dear Applejack.” Harmony Rose clopped hooves with mah sister and walked over to me. “With my real body locked in some crystal, the body in the dream is the closeted I can get to the real thing.” “Ah think ah get it.” Ah smiled and turned to see the rising sun peerin' over the horizon. Harmony Rose sighed. “I knew this would happen, bring so many ponies into a shared stated of dreams will end the Dream of Harmony sooner than expected.” Harmony Rose stepped up to Zaps. “Mother what is it?” “Zaps. I will always be in your heart and dreams, remember to be a good colt for your big brother and sister, Big Macintosh and Applejack. Remember to have fun and enjoy every moment with your friends. This dream may come to an end, but remember the fun you had tonight and just enjoy your life.” Ah watched her kiss him on the forehead with a soft smile, she hugged him and he returned it. “I will mother! You’re awesome, as always!” “Yes I am.” Harmony Rose laughed and ah took a look at Applejack and her friends, Vinyl and the princesses were all gathered together with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Even in a dream it was the perfect moment of harmonious bliss. Ah opened mah eyes. Ah was in mah room in the palace in Canterlot. Ah sat up. The four youngun' were still asleep, smiling in their sleep. They were dreamin' peacefully. Ah stepped up to the window ledge and looked out to the mornin' sun as it rose. On the balcony above me, Celestia was pulling it across the sky for the whole of Equestria to enjoy. For a brief moment she turned her eyes to me and smiled before turning back to the raisin’. “Everything's is gonna be a-okay.” Ah hummed with a warm smile, starin' out to the mornin' sky, lazily resting my forelegs against the window frame. It felt wonderful...