I look through the tracks idly, but I realize quickly that this is a bad idea. This system seems to have about any song I can think of, including songs I'm positive aren't usually on there. I try to think of a song in my head to dance to, any song. A vocaloid song comes to mind and I figure it's perfect. I search it up, and sure enough. I start the song and look over at Len.
"You ready?" I ask competitively.
"I was born ready." Len replies, I scoff.
"How long did that take you to come up with?" Kamui laughs, Len glares at him.
"Shut up," Len says, not exactly in a way to help his argument. The music starts and I watch the figures in the corner, but I eventually ignore the figures consciously. I'm sure some part of me is still paying attention though, because I'm still hitting all the notes. Eventually though, I grow a bit tired of this boring routine. I start to mix it up a little, and I feel Len doing the same. Slight adjustments or additional moves here and there. Unfortunately I do notice it affecting our score, but I don't care by now.
Me and Len move in synchronized harmony, our reflexes moving and molding to the others dance routine. Creating perfect synchronicity and a brilliant display of footwork and handwork. Both combined to make a dancing spectacle to compete with. As the song comes to a close we finish up in a grand finale. I roll down and Len flips over me, all the while continuing to dance. We lock arms and move our bodies in harmony, using each other as support for the others dancing. We spin away and finish up our dance and I can feel adrenaline still rushing through my veins.
"Wow. Well, we totally bombed the final part of the song... but, wow." Len says, probably feeling the same rush as me.
"It was nice, but I could do better. Of course, I'll need my lovely assistant." He turns, we all turn, to find nothing.
"Where'd Luka go?" Kaito asks.
"I dunno, she's never around when we're... doing things. It's almost like she despises fun," Kamui says, a little disgust in his voice. "How can someone hate fun!" He cries indignantly.
"I don't know... maybe she just wants to be alone?" I suggest, everyone just kinda nods in response.
"I guess we should respect her wishes. She seemed really frightened about that drum set, I don't know why. Even if she destroyed the set, discord wants her to have it for whatever reason. It's obvious he's not gonna just give up," Kamui scoffs. "Now, I still need a partner. Kaito, can you keep up?" Kamui smiles devilishly.
"I don't know, let's find out," Kaito answers.
"It's okay, you have no chance of beating us anyways," I say smugly, knowing full well that they could if they want to. They could go all out the whole time, we only finished strong.
"Big words coming from a little lady," Kamui says, patting me on the head, I look at him indignantly.
"The bigger they are, the harder they fall," Len retorts.
"Ooh, nice. Did you hear that from a fortune cookie?" Kamui snickers at his own joke, Len just scowls at him. I laugh too and Len gives me a look of utter betrayal, I reply with a shrug. The song starts up and I don't recognize it.
Kamui and Kaito share a look, then they look over at us. They start very different, but similar. Almost like opposites. Kamui would sweep low and Kaito would sweep high. Kamui flips one way and Kaito flips the other. Their footwork makes it like looking at a mirror, from the side. Their arms and legs move with reflexes well trained, despite the fact they have probably never had any actual training. The two move in a unique form of synchronicity, where the rhythmic motion of the opposites runs smoothly against the other. As opposed to mine and Lens complete synch, where we moved as though we were one.
The two pick up the pace and move towards their finale as the music goes on, I prepare myself for their big finish. The two slowly move closer, and then they lock arms together and use the others momentum to perform. They finish by leaning away from each other, while holding each other up. I take a while to process the entirety of their spectacular performance, but I start to slowly clap for them, they bow.
"And that, is how you put on a show." Kamui says with a wide grin.
"Sure it is. Whatever, you were okay," Len says.
"Oh really?" Kaito asks, unimpressed.
"We didn't have the full time, just let us show you what's up," Kaito and Kamui sit down, Len and I take the floor. Len picks our song and I wait to hear it, then it comes on. I recognize the tune.
"Oh, you two are so going down," I say, smiling wide and starting up our routine.
~
I stare blankly ahead of myself, the subtle tune coaxing me into its grips. I ignore it and just try and keep my attention focused on my thoughts. It's all I have to do, I left the others again. They started dancing and I felt the song getting stronger, I fled posthaste. I let out a sigh, this is going to be harder than I thought.
I keep running away from the one thing everypony knows as commonplace. If it's all common, I need to learn to cope better with the music. Coping can't include running away every time I find the music growing. I need to know how empowering it can get before I lose it, so I can reach that limit and escape as a failsafe. But that's all escaping will be, a failsafe. I sigh once more as I turn my thoughts to the accursed drum set, the one I destroyed.
My scream was one of surprise, not fear so much. I couldn't wrap my head around it, even though I half expected it to. I guess it doesn't really matter, I just have to ignore it. It doesn't change much in means of instruments though. These sleeves can just create a digitized instrument out of what seems like magi-tech if I've ever seen it, If those scratch tables and mix pad the first time I blanked out are any indication.
I sigh and lie down, alone in my thoughts till I hear the door creak open. I look over and smile at the figure peeking in the doorway tentatively.
"Hello, Nyx. Come on in," I sit up as Nyx takes a step in. She's looking at me with wide eyes.
"I was gonna go talk to the others... but I got a little intimidated by them... they all looked like they were having fun, and I didn't want to bother them either. I noticed you weren't with them, so... I decided to come find you." Nyx says, somewhat proudly. I smile at her demeanor.
"Well, you found me," I laugh lightly, and Nyx smiles. But her smile falters and turns to a look of indecision.
"I remember seeing you, but you never really... socialized. You kinda hung by yourself quietly, no one else seemed to notice though. You never really looked sad, but you didn't exactly look happy," Nyx says.
"Well, you're a very perspective filly. But I'm fine." I tell her, she doesn't seem convinced.
"And here I find you lying alone, separated from the group again. And they don't seem to care enough to come find you, I'm not sure if they even noticed." Nyx presses.
"It's fine. I don't exactly want to be alone, I just couldn't... do what they were doing." I say.
"They were playing a game weren't they? Aren't you just supposed to have fun? You don't have to be good," Nyx tells me.
"But see, I would be good... and I can't stand doing that to myself." I say, Nyx gives me a sideways look.
"But shouldn't you play to your talents?" Nyx asks.
"I shouldn't be who people expect me to be me, I should be me. And currently, whoever did this, expects me to play on those talents." I explain.
"So... you have powers you didn't ask for, and people expect you to use them, but you know it isn't you?" Nyx clarifies, I nod. "I... think I can understand how you feel," I nod as she admits that. I'd imagine with who she is, but truth be told, I never read her story. I know near nothing about Nyx, and she knows nothing about me.
"So, Nyx, why don't you tell me a little about yourself. I can tell you a little about who I used to be as well." I say.
"Used to? I can't imagine being anyone other than myself," Nyx says a little sorrowfully. "It must be terrible, this position your in." Nyx sympathizes.
"Its just one of the hardships we have to face. I'm certain we'll get through this," I say assuredly, Nyx just nods.
"So then, Nyx. How are you doing in school?" I smile and lean back as Nyx cheers up and starts to tell me all about herself. I'm glad I never read about Nyx, it gives me this unfair advantage over the ponies I know. When I don't know about them, I can learn first hoof about them. That doesn't make me not want to read about her. I'm just glad I can have this chance to have Nyx tell me about herself, instead of invading her privacy.
~
I pant from the workout we've been getting, you wouldn't think dancing would tire you so quickly. Even when we found our stamina's are much higher, it still seemed like an extremely short amount of time. Looking at the actual time, we find this isn't the case. The time just seemed to mold together while we were dancing. We eventually turned to our own instruments and singing after a while, taking turns dancing and singing.
We're resting up when the door opens and we look over to see Luka and Nyx, the room goes quiet.
"Hey, Nyx was wondering if you'd like to hang," she says.
"Yes!" Comes the unanimous decision. Nyx smiles and looks up shyly, Luka gesturing towards us. Nyx moves forward and Luka turns to leave, I call out to her.
"Where are you going?" I ask her.
"I dunno, maybe I'll go see how Spikes doing," She shrugs.
"You don't want to stay? What about Nyx?" Kaito suggests.
"I just talked with Nyx. And you all seem to know a lot about her, I don't. I'll just feel out of the loop anyway. You guys have fun, though." She turns to Nyx. "And Nyx? Don't ever hesitate to talk, okay?" Nyx nods and Luka leaves.
"Is Luka always that reserved?" Nyx asks in concern.
"Pretty much yeah. She's usually happy just doing her own thing, alone." Kamui says.
"So, she wants to be alone?" Nyx asks.
"Usually, yeah." I tell her, Nyx looks kind of angry at this. Then she looks really sad and a little concerned, I look at her curiously before just shrugging it off. She looks happy now, it must have been nothing.
We settle down and Nyx begins to ask us question, which we gladly answer. We ask questions back, which Nyx is also happy to answer.