Pinkie Pie jumped at the sound of a knock at the door to Canterlot High School’s pottery lab. The afternoon sun slanted through the blinds and bestowed a warm, golden hue on the classroom. Before she rose from the circular table, Pinkie Pie placed a white cotton drop cloth loosely over the thick book that she was reading, concealing it from view and protecting it from accidental damage. Aria Blaze tightened her grip on an eighteen-inch long piece of metal that she held concealed in her lap. She looked at Pinkie expectantly with wary, violet eyes.
Pinkie Pie feigned an innocent error. “Oh, I’m so sorry! The door must have locked by itself. I’ll be right there!” she said brightly as she walked to the door.
Pinkie Pie grinned broadly when she peered through the door’s tall, rectangular window. Her body language immediately relaxed and she said ebulliently, “Sonata, get in here! We didn’t know it was you!”
Sonata Dusk cautiously stepped through the door and closed it behind her. “Hi, Pinkie. Hi, Aria. How are things going in here?”
Aria permitted herself a small smile. She placed the makeshift cudgel on the table and stood. “There are just a few more hours to go, Sonata. Soon, the firing will stop and we’ll just have to wait for the kiln to cool down.”
“Yeah, I overheard Sunset Shimmer saying something about how hot that thing gets on the inside. No wonder it takes so long to cool down!” Sonata kept glancing all over the room nervously and rapidly shifted the subject. “Discord is so silly! He makes me laugh, but sometimes he says and does things I just don’t understand.”
Aria Blaze patiently looked at Sonata Dusk for a long time, not saying a word. Sonata’s small talk trailed off under the violet-eyed scrutiny. She fidgeted with her spiked bracelets and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Pinkie Pie took a deep breath and was about to fill the silence, but after one glance at Aria, she gave a soft sigh and shut her mouth.
“Aria, could we talk about something? You know, just the two of us?” asked Sonata Dusk as she looked at the toes of her borrowed cowgirl boots.
Pinkie Pie saw the changes in Sonata’s body language and rushed to give her a side hug, filling the Siren’s face with curly pink hair. “Whatever it is, it’ll be fine, Sonata!”
“Could you give us some privacy, Pinkie? Sonata will help me if there’s a problem with the mold or if there are any unwelcome faces at the door,” said Aria Blaze, gesturing at the exit with her head. While her face remained neutral, her eyes frowned.
Pinkie Pie looked from Sonata to Aria and back again. They’re sure acting strange, she thought. Breaking the silence, she said aloud, “Sure thing! Can I get either one of you a bite to eat or a drink before the snack bar closes?”
“Another cup of coffee would be wonderful. Thank you,” Aria Blaze replied, stretching her purple-tinted arms above her head.
Sonata sheepishly replied, “I’m so sorry for getting so wrapped up in my own head that I forgot to be polite, Pinkie! I didn’t sleep well last night. Could you get me one of those fancy yummy drinks you gave me at Sugar Cube Corner?” Her enthusiasm returned as she licked her lips.
“They don’t do as good of a job here, but I’ll do my best! I’ll be back in a bit,” Pinkie replied. She stopped at the door and looked back with a serious look in her blue eyes. “Sonata, I hope you’re OK.”
The door clicked closed and Sonata Dusk wistfully peered through the door’s window. Pinkie Pie was ebulliently skipping down the empty hallway. She turned around to face Aria and said, “Everything has changed so much and nobody understands.” Sonata’s blue-tinted fingers tapped the center of her chest.
“What are you talking about, Sonata?” asked Aria.
Sonata started pacing. “Like you said this morning, I just don’t know what’s right and what’s wrong. You and Adagio used to be so happy when I broke couples apart because we could feast on the negative energy. Now, you tell me that all of that is wrong, even though it was the only thing I ever did well.”
“Wait a minute, Sonata. You’re getting ahead of yourself,” said Aria.
“You and Adagio think I’m stupid. That’s why you left me alone!” cried Sonata
“That’s not true!” Aria snapped. Taking the anger out of her voice, she continued earnestly. “Frankly, you can be a ditz and get on my nerves when you go off on one of your tangents. But, you have always seen this world and all it has to offer so much differently than Adagio and I ever did. And, I do owe you an apology for staying with Adagio after she attacked you. I was confused then. I’ll admit to you that I’m still terrified of what she is capable of, even more so now because I bet she’s as hurt and confused as we are. Fear and long loyalty caused me to stay with her then, but I’m here with you now.”
Sonata wiped away a tear. “I’m just so different. I always have been. I wanted to be tough like you and be a powerful Princess like Adagio.”
“I’m glad you’re different, Sonata! You were the only one with the courage to ask the question that I had been thinking about since my pendant shattered. You asked Adagio ‘Are we human now?’ You were the only one of us that had any sense of what the future could hold!” said Aria, gesturing emphatically with her right hand.
Sonata Dusk snorted, flipping her long blue ponytail. “That bravery did me no good. She beat the stuffing out of me!”
“But it did me plenty of good! You started the process to break me free of He Who Swims in Darkness. It did you plenty of good, too. Sunset Shimmer’s magic healed you and I know how happy you’ve been at the farm and at Rarity’s shop. Stop worrying about proving yourself!” said Aria, attempting to touch Sonata sympathetically on her shoulder.
Sonata drew back from the other girl’s touch and angrily said, “I’ll get her back for what she did to me! I’d never treat my subjects that way! I’d protect those that I love and punish those that deserve it.” She clenched her fists and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Oh, I think I finally see what this is all about. Did you ever tell Adagio you knew?” asked Aria, folding her hands and pointing at Sonata with both index fingers.
“Never!” replied Sonata vehemently. “Just like I know you never told Adagio about the doubts your mother had about serving the Queen.”
Aria shook her head. “Mother couldn’t believe that Queen Blinding Dazzle was willing to kill a score of mermares to make sure that one filly – you – would be offered to the Master as tribute. One of the last things she said to me before we boarded the chariot for the trip to the Trench Gate was ‘Aria, I don’t know what I would have done if Her Majesty had ordered the execution.’ I didn’t understand why that bothered her so much until I met Lady Luna in my dream.”
Sonata was an erratic jumble of emotions. She took Aria’s hands in her own. “Ari, we needed and still need to share secrets that are just ours! Adagio always knew everything and used it to do the worst things.”
Aria Blaze smiled at Sonata’s rare use of her filly nickname. She replied, “We have kept each other’s family secrets safe from Adagio for a long time now. I’ll never understand why you decided to tell that writer in Trottingham about how your mother and father secretly loved one another, though! I’m just glad that I was able to trust you with my mother’s doubts.”
The sunlight glinted off of some of the artwork, sending prismatic sparkles dancing among the room’s shadows. Sonata smiled back. “I’m so glad we had just us sometimes, and I’m glad you told me what my mama couldn’t about my daddy.” She embraced Aria and held her tightly for several moments.
“I wish that I could show you what changed everything for me, Sonata. I wish that you were there to see Sunset Shimmer being so brave in facing her past decisions and using her wisdom to do the right thing for all of us now,” said Aria, returning Sonata’s embrace. “I know now that He Who Swims in Darkness hides terrible things from all of us. Adagio probably doesn’t know everything, either. I just wish you had a better light to see through his shadows. One day, I’ll find a way to show you myself and then you’ll see clearly.”
Sonata set her jaw and gripped Aria by both shoulders. “Thank you for that. I have a wish, too. I wish that I could have seen my daddy one more time before becoming a Siren, but Adagio’s mama took that away from me. I need a song that’s mine alone.” She collapsed against Aria again.
Aria felt Sonata’s body trembling and her heart pounding. Underneath that fake farmgirl act, she’s like an undersea volcano about to erupt! thought Aria. She said aloud, “Is there anything else you want to tell me, Sonata?”
Sonata looked at Aria sadly. She stepped back, sniffed loudly to clear her nose and waited a long moment. Sonata finally replied, “I want to, I really do, but I can’t. You’ll see soon and it will be my crowning glory! Maybe you won’t have to do all this after all.” A sweep of a blue-tinted arm took in the entire pottery room.
Pinkie Pie’s muffled voice came through the door. She called, “Room service! Let me in!”
“Sonata, in many ways we’re closer than any sisters could be. I’ve been very tough on you and often cruel to you for centuries, but now, everything has changed. We can choose for ourselves, and we’re not controlled by our hunger. I’ll do all I can to help you see what Luna showed me and to help you learn what Sunset Shimmer is teaching me. Just don’t go somewhere I can’t follow or to a place where I can’t protect you,” said Aria. Her forehead was creased with concern.
Sonata Dusk reached for the door handle, where Pinkie Pie’s smiling face filled the window. “I know I’ll learn one day, and I’m glad you’ll be the one to show me, but I need to do this myself, Aria.”
“If you do love Big Macintosh, you may have to let him go,” warned Aria.
Sonata looked at the floor, closed her eyes and turned the handle. Pinkie Pie danced into the room, somehow carrying three large caffeinated drinks without spilling a drop, and cheerfully said, “I thought you’d never open the door! You can’t let your drinks get cold!”
“Thanks, Pinkie! You’re the best! But, this time, I need mine to go,” said Sonata, grabbing her cup and sliding out into the hallway.
“My new bestie isn’t sticking around to hang out?” asked Pinkie, her pink curls deflating a bit.
Aria relieved Pinkie Pie of her burden. She set both remaining cups on the table and gratefully said, “You’re a good friend, Pinkie. We just had a tough talk and I know she’ll need you later.”
“But, for now, you and Sunset Shimmer need me to catch up on some light reading!” said Pinkie Pie enthusiastically. She took a long pull on her espresso drink and her hair returned to life. “So, where was I? Oh, yeah! The rise of the Dazzle Dynasty,” she intoned mysteriously, waving her hands playfully in front of her.
Suddenly, a loud beep echoed through the room. Both girls put their hands to their pockets and looked at one another. Aria chuckled self-consciously and pulled the cell phone she retrieved from the aquarium out of her pocket. She looked at the screen, and the blood drained from her face.
“What is it, Aria?” asked Pinkie Pie, craning her head around in an attempt to see the screen on the phone.
Aria Blaze, head swimming, unsteadily sat down at the pottery room’s large table. Her violet eyes momentarily widened as she read. Aria’s visage quickly composed itself into its usual wary scowl as she said, “The message is from Adagio Dazzle. She says she’s in trouble and needs my help.”
-----
“Um, Discord, is that really necessary?” asked Fluttershy from behind her pale green sunglasses that she was wearing to filter out the bright afternoon sunshine while she drove.
Discord’s muffled response was indecipherable, because his entire face was hidden behind a crash helmet. He was wearing an auto racing suit with a fierce-looking butterfly emblazoned on the chest. The Spirit of Chaos’ knuckles were white due to his tight grip on both passenger seat armrests.
“Come on, man! If you’re so ancient and powerful, why are you so freaked out by riding in a van?” groaned Rainbow Dash from the back of the vehicle.
Discord flipped the helmet’s visor up and said testily, “Rainbow Dash, I am accustomed to being responsible for my own transportation, thank you very much.” He turned his head back towards Fluttershy. “Are you sure that it’s too far to walk?” The wings of the butterfly on Discord’s suit began to flap.
“Oh, we could walk,” interjected Sunset Shimmer, who winked at Rainbow Dash. She leaned forward and added, “But you’d have to carry that heavy pack the whole way, Discord.”
Discord frowned at her and said, “Well played, Sunset Shimmer. If I don’t make it, please give Twilight Sparkle my regards and say some kind words over my grave. Press on, Fluttershy!” He flipped the visor back down and gripped the armrests even tighter than before.
The antique van rumbled along the two-lane road leading to Sweet Apple Acres. Fluttershy concentrated in the driver’s seat. Sunset Shimmer, Sonata Dusk and Apple Bloom sat on the bench. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo had secured themselves as well as they could in the back. They safeguarded the Equestrian backpack and the rest of the cargo. The young orphan, as usual, was hanging on Rainbow Dash’s every word and gesture.
Meanwhile in the front, Apple Bloom had taught Sonata Dusk the lyrics to several popular songs and the two of them engaged in loud duets as familiar tunes came on the radio. Apple Bloom was having trouble matching Sonata’s vocal range, which caused adorably annoying squeaks to issue forth from the younger girl. Still, Sunset Shimmer smiled at their playfulness and even joined in a little bit during the choruses. It wasn’t enough music or emotion to make her pony ears appear, but it helped her relax after a long, difficult day which had started well before dawn.
As the van turned onto the gravel two-track and passed beneath the “Sweet Apple Acres” arch, Sunset asked to nobody in particular, “How do you think Pinkie Pie and Aria Blaze are doing in the pottery room?”
Scootaloo piped up from the back, “Hmmm, I see only three possibilities. Pinkie’s been murdered, Aria has lost her mind or everything’s fine!”
Everyone erupted in laughter as Fluttershy parked next to the Apples’ pickup truck. Discord snapped his fingers and the butterfly-emblazoned auto racing suit disappeared, replaced by paisley overalls and a leather apron. The butterfly lapel pin clung stubbornly to a shoulder strap. Discord perched a set of welder’s goggles on his forehead. He stepped down from the passenger seat and saw Scootaloo struggling to lift his backpack from the rear of the van.
“For a teacher, you sure have a lot of stuff! What’s in here? Rocks?” complained Scootaloo.
Discord smirked, shouldered the backpack and brushed by the tomboy, momentarily imbuing her short, dark pink hair with every shade of the rainbow. He winked at Scootaloo and sarcastically answered, “Rocks, metal, books, a change of skivvies, my favorite toothbrush and a few presents for my new friends!”
“What did you get us?” asked Apple Bloom greedily as the others grabbed their bags and belongings. She attempted to force her way past Discord and rummage inside the pack.
“Haven’t your closed-mouth brother and your diligent sister taught you any patience? They’re not even wrapped yet!” cried Discord with false exasperation. He pinched the tips of the bow holding her hair back, and it grew into a tent-sized hat that engulfed the teenager and halted her snooping.
Applejack, who displayed a pleased grin, came outside to greet the crowd. She immediately started issuing orders, pointing at each girl in turn. “Alright, Apple Bloom, quit messing around with Mr. Discord and get washed up. In case you haven’t noticed, we have a bunch of mouths to feed and lots of heads that will need to rest later. You, me, Fluttershy and Scootaloo will cook and work on things inside. The rest of you have plenty of work outside between the chores and the forge.”
Sonata was a blue blur entering the house. Her ponytail streamed behind her. “I need to change and get to work in the barn!” she shouted happily.
“I’ve never seen someone so excited about manure before,” said Rainbow Dash, shrugging her shoulders. She strolled through the door and asked, “Are my coveralls still in the mud room, AJ?”
Applejack nodded, “Eeyup!” She turned to Sunset Shimmer, pointed a finger towards the distant Honeycrisp trees and said, “The smithy is about two hundred yards that way and the forge is inside. You’ll find a path next to the livestock barn. Follow it until you reach a brick building in a big clearing. I already turned on the kerosene heater but don’t fire the forge until Big Mac or I are there to help you after dinner. I like you too much to see you barbecued.”
“Thanks, Applejack,” said Sunset Shimmer. She playfully tugged at the brim of the farmgirl’s hat and set one of her bags inside a nearby wheelbarrow. “We may be out there for a while, so send someone or call my cell when dinner’s ready. Was there anything else?”
“Yeah, I have two things. First, the smithy is a special place for us, and I’d appreciate your keeping it tidy. You’ll understand soon enough. Second, I had lunch with Rarity. She had a message for you.” Applejack straightened her posture, twirled a blonde lock of hair around her finger and affected a nearly-perfect imitation of the mercurial fashion designer. “The gown you wore on Tuesday night will be fixed by tomorrow.”
“Was that all?” asked Sunset as the disappointment spread across her face.
Applejack smiled and touched Sunset Shimmer’s cheek. In her normal twang, she said, “Rarity wanted me to tell you ‘good luck at the forge.’ We had a long talk and I think it helped.”
Sunset Shimmer threw her arms around Applejack and hugged her tightly. “Thank you so much! That’s great news, and you’re a wonderful friend. But now, I need to get to work. Discord, what are you doing over there?”
The Spirit of Chaos was attempting to have a conversation with a dairy cow. “What do you mean, she pinches too hard? That’s utterly impossible!” The cow mooed loudly and stomped its hooves.
Sunset Shimmer placed her jewelry-making kit on top of her other bags. She nudged the tall man with her full wheelbarrow. “Come on, Discord! We need to take inventory!”
“Fine, Mabel, I’ll take it up with the management.” Discord waved farewell to the cow, adjusted his leather blacksmith’s apron and shifted the weight of his backpack. Gesturing with the branch from Twilight’s former home he said, “Show me where to go, Sunset! Oh, and don’t let me step in any animal droppings. You have no idea how long it took me to find these boots.”
The two Equestrians walked along the path, surrounded by apple trees in full bloom. Despite last night’s thunderstorm, only a few petals were scattered in the grass and on the earth and most continued to cling to the trees. Sunset Shimmer thought, The apple blossoms are as stubborn as the family that cares for them.
The transformed draconequus’ head moved to and fro. He stroked his beard, assessed the orchard, and then stopped short, forcing Sunset Shimmer and the wheelbarrow she was pushing to unceremoniously collide with him and his backpack.
“I forgot to tell you something!” cried Discord, twirling the branch from the Golden Oak Library.
Sunset Shimmer swatted away the tiny, purple, six-pointed stars that took flight from the wood. “What’s that?” she asked icily.
“Twilight was most insistent that you should write her once I arrived and you made sure that everything in here,” he patted the bulging backpack, “survived its little inter-dimensional jaunt. It must be important that I decided to remember that right now!” Discord winked at Sunset Shimmer and resumed his stroll.
Sunset Shimmer’s annoyance evaporated as the pair came over a small rise and a clearing spread out below them. The afternoon sun slanted across the blue sky, reflecting off the scintillating waters of a tiny brook. The apple trees and their fragrant blooms retreated, forming a rough circle fifty yards across. In the center of the circle, about twenty yards from the brook, stood a small but sturdy brick building with a tall chimney reaching up to the sky.
“That’s a smithy? It looks more like a cottage!” said Sunset Shimmer with an astonished gasp.
They went inside and found a well-cared for building that seemed nearly frozen in time. Devoid of dust, it seemed as if the occupant had merely stepped out for a moment. Two-thirds of the one-room floor plan was dominated by the forge and workbenches along the walls. Pegs above the workbenches held a wide assortment of metalworking tools. Though some were slightly rusty, examples of completed work ranged from the functional to the sentimental. The kerosene heater that Applejack had mentioned glowed near the center of the building. It was obviously intended for use when the forge was not operating.
The remaining third of the smithy contained a small relaxation area. An old weathered couch faced an ancient television that still had aluminum foil wrapped around the twin prongs of an antenna. Next to the couch was a small coffee table, beneath which was a vintage aluminum cooler. Upon the table sat a pair of sports magazines from exactly ten years ago, an empty beer can and a framed photograph of the three Apple children sitting on the forge’s couch. In the picture, Big Macintosh was starting to shoot up to his present towering height, Applejack was early in her school years and Apple Bloom was just beyond being a toddler. The metal frame was obviously fashioned at the forge behind them.
Discord set down his load in the center of the floor and began to unpack. “This place feels strange to me, Sunset Shimmer, and I don’t like admitting that,” he said, carefully placing an ingot of silvery metal on the sturdy workbench.
“This must have been where Applejack’s dad came to relax, Discord. He’s been dead for ten years, but it looks like the Apples kept it exactly the same. Wow, I can’t imagine what that’s like for any of them,” she said, rubbing the corner of her right eye. “Could you hand me that book?”
The Spirit of Chaos handed Sunset’s journal to her. The sunburst briefly assumed a red-and-gold brilliance and spun slowly in place while the book was held in Discord’s hands. His skin turned a shade of lavender as he gave her a toothy, single-fanged grin.
“That’s right! You have to get through your checklist,” Discord said in a perfect imitation of Twilight Sparkle’s voice.
Sunset Shimmer shook her head in exasperation. While Discord continued unpacking, she set the book carefully on the rickety coffee table, uncapped her pen and wrote:
Dear Twilight,
After everything that’s happened today, I’m not surprised that Discord forgot to mention that he wanted me to write you as soon as he arrived. He made it here safely, and we managed to convince Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna to let him teach. You described him very accurately, as usual. He often makes me angry and sometimes makes me laugh. But – and don’t tell him this – he always makes me think and certainly knows what he’s talking about. He’s as off-balance as you and I were when we came through the portal, but he’s a lot better at hiding it.
I’m going to take a look at all that you sent me and see what I can craft from all the ingredients and spell components. Everything seems to have made it here safe and sound. Please thank everyone for pulling together to help. Your friends in Ponyville don’t even know me and still did all this work!
Sunset Shimmer, lost in thought, twirled a lock of hair around her left index finger. She bent back to the page and continued her letter:
I think I know now what you meant by sending me the picture of the six thrones in a circle at your castle after I told you about Rarity coming on to me. Choosing to be a leader is way more difficult than I thought it would be. How do you set such a good example all the time? But, I learned that my friends need me to be confident and steady right now. The stakes are too high to allow myself to become selfishly lovestruck. If I’m caught up in a tangle of my own emotions, I could neglect my friends or miss something important that puts us all in worse danger.
Some of these lessons in friendship are tough to learn, but I’ll have to wait until we stop Adagio and He Who Swims in Darkness before I can write you about anything simpler. It’s time to get to work.
Your faithful friend,
Sunset Shimmer
Discord chortled as he removed a long transparent container from the backpack that contained huge feathers. He chuckled as he chanted, “Sun, Moon, Heart and Stars, let me hum a few more bars…”
Just as she was about to close the book, Sunset Shimmer’s eyes locked upon the collection of snow-white feathers in the container. She re-opened the journal and added a postscript.
P. S. Twilight, if I fail, please tell Celestia about how much I’ve changed and how hard I tried. Thanks, SS.
A deep, surprisingly kind voice said, “You won’t fail, Sunset Shimmer.”
Sunset Shimmer shut the tome and sent the message to Twilight Sparkle. She turned to Discord, composed herself, and replied, “What makes you say that?”
In a flash of light, Discord transformed himself into his original suit of clothing. His crimson eyes twinkled in amusement as spread his arms wide and declared, “You have me!”
“That’s not what I needed to hear right now,” she replied, rolling her eyes in disapproval.
Discord sat down on the other end of the couch. He reached into his jacket and pulled out Sunset Shimmer’s large sketch pad. He turned past the drawings of Chainbreaker and the magical focus to a blank page.
He kicked the cooler beneath the table, which was still half-full of beer. He said soberly, “Like the man that used this forge as a refuge, I’m going to practice moderation and hold back my chaotic tendencies for the moment. We both prefer action, but this moment requires a lengthy exposition. Sunset Shimmer, what I’m about to tell you is very important and will provide you a window into matters you are only barely ready to recognize.”
“I’m as prepared as I’m ever going to be,” said Sunset Shimmer. She straightened her posture, folded her hands in her lap and listened attentively.
Discord sighed and leaned forward. “As powerful as the Equestrian alicorns are, there are forces and entities that make them puny by comparison. At that level of existence, one that I share with them in my own way, our decisions and actions have added weight and can transform who we are. For example, even before the most recent series of unfortunate events involving Tirek, I had largely suppressed my chaotic nature and cooperated with the Magic of Friendship. As a result, I have less raw Chaos at my disposal.” He touched his butterfly lapel pin, which crawled up Discord’s hand and rested on his wrist.
Sympathetically nodding, Sunset Shimmer replied, “And, now in this world, like me, you can barely use the magic you’ve spent your whole life depending on.”
“Indeed, but remember that I’ve been at this since before any of the Princesses were born. Here’s my point: Leviathan, He Who Swims in Darkness or whatever you want to call him,” Discord waved his hands wildly, and his red eyes rattled crazily with them, “is terrible enough on his own. What worries me is the teacher I bumped into and what it means for all of us.”
Astonished, she cried, “Ms. Raven, the literature teacher? She’s formal, boring and is a tough grader. That’s not exactly the sort of thing that should make the Spirit of Chaos quake in his boots.”
As Discord concentrated, the sleeves and lower legs of his mismatched suit lost their colorful patterns and became flat black. “Sunset Shimmer, that’s only part of it. Your Ms. Raven is actually Shrieking Raven, a banshee who serves Vecna. Vecna, or what’s left of him, is a heavy hitter in the parts of existence dealing with death.”
“So, it’s Raven’s magic I felt back at the Sirens’ hideout,” said Sunset Shimmer, wrapping her arms around herself.
Discord nodded. “I’ve had dealings with Raven before. This was many centuries ago, when she was new to her undeath. Like us, her power is curtailed in this world. But, rest assured, she certainly has a plan that we won’t like. If Shrieking Raven’s magic returns, she can injure or kill with a scream and summon other undead creatures to do her will. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, your innate magic gives you certain physical gifts. I’m certain that Raven will not be the frail bookworm she pretends to be when push comes to shove,” he explained.
“So, what do we do with all of that?” Sunset Shimmer jerking a thumb back towards the magical treasure trove arrayed on the workbenches.
Discord smiled and let his dark hair assume the form of twin pigtails sticking out from the sides of his head. “I have two pieces of advice. First, give Aria Blaze the weapon she wants, but it must have particular strengths against those enslaved by death.” He turned the pages of the sketch pad and reached behind the couch. “This mace will do nicely. The head I leave to you, but the handle must be made from this.”
Sunset Shimmer reverently accepted the burned branch from the Golden Oak Library in both hands. “Why is this so important?” she asked.
Discord swept a hand, the gesture encompassing the entire farm around them, “Do you deny the protective magic surrounding us here at the Apple Family’s home? Twilight Sparkle’s ascension at her home in Ponyville was a thousand times more potent than anything that’s ever happened here. Though the tree lies in ruins, powerful magic remains imbued in the wood.”
Her fingers tingled as the gripped the branch, feeling the magical resonance in what would be an integral part of Chainbreaker. “And the second piece of advice?” asked Sunset Shimmer.
“Oh, ho! You’re not going to like this advice!” Discord chortled and continued. “As you craft the magic-focusing necklace, just follow your instincts and remember what you have learned. My senses are dulled because of this world, but I know it’s all right there,” Discord pointed at Sunset Shimmer’s heart.
She stood and said, “Is there anything else, Discord? If not, we should get to work. I’m glad that you told me all of this, but none of it makes me happy, if that makes sense.”
The Spirit of Chaos’ appearance exploded back into its normal form. He stood and walked towards the workbenches. He chuckled softly and replied, “If you hadn’t made sense, I’d probably have understood it even better! But, there is one last serious comment I must make before my horrifically dull exposition is complete and I teach you the virtues of alicorn feathers, star iron and diamond dust.”
Sunset Shimmer removed her jacket and set it carefully on the back of the battered couch. She met Discord’s serious crimson gaze and asked, “And that is?”
“I do believe in you, now more than ever. But, please do a good job. I don’t particularly want to face my journey into eternity from this particular starting point,” he intoned.
Sunset Shimmer smiled mischievously and asked, “Does the all-powerful Spirit of Chaos need a hug?”
“No. I’m not that far gone yet!” He snapped his fingers and transformed his clothing into that of a chef carrying a clipboard. “I thank you all the same, but let’s make a recipe instead!”
Sunset Shimmer tied her hair back, opened the artificer’s tome loaned to her from the Canterlot Arcane Forge and began issuing orders.
-----
The green-shirted farmhand gave a low whistle and said to his co-worker, “Wow, did you see that new girl in the livestock barn?”
“I sure did! There’s no way you could miss her. How in the heck is she working so fast? She had just started to stack the hay bales. I came over here to grab some more tools, and when I got back to the barn she had finished and was already moving on to the stalls,” said a second farmhand in a brown work jacket.
“She can’t weigh more than a hundred and fifteen pounds soaking wet,” said Green Shirt, shaking his head with disbelief.
Work Jacket grinned at his co-worker. “Now that’s a sight I might want to see.”
“Hey, you two, get back to work! That’s my guest and my sister’s friend you’re talking about, and I’d appreciate it if you showed her some respect. You wouldn’t talk about Applejack or Rainbow Dash that way,” boomed Big Macintosh as he strode across the concrete floor of the equipment barn. He pointed an accusing finger at the two employees.
Work Jacket elbowed Green Shirt and whispered, “Well, we sure wouldn’t say anything about those two where the boss could hear it.”
Green Shirt returned the jab and pulled his colleague along. “Sorry, Mac. It won’t happen again. Come on, let’s get this done and go have a tall one at the Salt Lick.”
Big Macintosh fumed. Now that Rainbow Dash had taken a four-wheeler out to the edge of the orchard to plant some saplings, he was alone in the barn. Big Mac kicked a plastic bucket across the concrete in frustration. He hadn’t spoken to Cheerilee in a couple of days, and her text replies to him were strangely evasive. The young man was worried that he’d miss a rare springtime opportunity to spend a night out with his girlfriend that weekend.
“With Granny Smith in Appleoosa, I wouldn’t get any grief for coming in late, either. With all this extra help, maybe we could have even stayed downtown after a fancy dinner,” he said to himself.
“Big Mac! Are you in here?” called Apple Bloom. The apron she wore over her clothing was covered with flour and she was holding her cell phone.
He took a deep breath and slowly let it out before he responded. He said simply, “Eeyup.”
“Tomorrow, may I have permission to go spend the night in the clubhouse with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo? It would be a great way for us to finish off the week now that the weather’s getting warmer,” she said sweetly, clasping her hands behind her back.
Big Macintosh cocked his head and rubbed the five o’clock shadow on his chin. He said, “I don’t see why that’s a problem as long as the three of you stick together. Don’t do anything too crazy, because nobody can hear you out there.”
She stood on her tiptoes and gave Big Macintosh a peck on the cheek. “Thanks, big brother! This is going to be so much fun!” Apple Bloom jogged back to the house with her red bow bobbing up and down with each step.
Big Macintosh shook his head and wiped the sweat off of his forehead with a red handkerchief. He headed towards the livestock barn.
As he approached, he heard Sonata’s singing spilling out through the open door. Big Macintosh entered the barn and heard the lyrics clearly:
You're the apple of my eye
You're luscious and you're sweet
You're the apple of my eye
You're sweet enough to eat
Sonata Dusk was nearly dancing with the shovel she was using, scooping in time with the song’s beat. Just like the previous afternoon, she allowed her long blue hair to flow freely about her shoulders. Big Macintosh watched her clean the stall like a veteran farmhand. He realized that he was staring at the beautiful girl when she turned towards him with a beaming smile.
“Hi, Big Mac! Am I doing this right?” Sonata asked innocently and added a pronounced flip of her hair.
“You’re doing a great job, Sonata. It’s like you’ve been doing this your whole life! Not even Applejack moves this quickly out here,” he replied.
Sonata gave the young farmer a sweet smile. “Well, you need to keep working, too! The boss’ job is never done. I just want to finish because I can already smell that delicious dinner and I want to save some time to sing with you tonight.” She let her blue locks fall over one lilac-hued eye. Brushing it out of her face, she added shyly, “Well, that is, if you’d like to sing with me again.”
Big Macintosh hesitantly returned the smile and his cheeks turned a shade redder. He replied, “I’ll finish up with the hands and make sure my guitar is tuned for later.”
He walked briskly back towards the equipment barn. Sonata Dusk’s eyes followed him every step of the way. A crooked smile spread across her face and she resumed her singing.
-----
“Nothing. Don’t you dare call Adagio back yet,” said Pinkie Pie ominously. She had draped the cotton drop cloth over her head as a makeshift cowl.
Aria Blaze growled and asked, “Why not?”
“I’ve already said this twenty times, Aria. Again, my Pinkie Sense hasn’t told me it’s a good time for that yet!” she cried. Her blue eyes shone with certainty.
“You’re a baker, not an oracle, Pinkie,” groaned Aria.
From the depths of the white cotton hood, Pinkie Pie’s eyes went wide and she faked a deep voice. “You dare doubt me? The newcomer displays incredible insolence!”
“I think your hunger has finally broken your brain,” replied Aria, burying her face in her hands.
“Nah, that was from a Daring Do movie. The food should be here any moment now, but please don’t make fun of my Pinkie Sense, Aria. I have no idea how it works, but it’s always right!” Her right foot twitched uncontrollably. “And that tells me that dinner is served!”
She stood and walked to the door, opening it just as a young woman with gray skin and pin-straight purple hair raised her hand to knock. Her expressionless green eyes didn’t register any emotion, despite Pinkie’s unexpectedly perfect timing.
“Thanks for bringing us dinner, Maud!” Pinkie Pie grabbed the containers of food from her sister and set them as far away from the Aquastrian book as possible.
“It was no problem. I have to eat. You have to eat. She needs to eat,” said Maud Pie in a flat monotone.
“We’re just waiting for the clay-baking thingy to cool down. It takes a while!” said Pinkie enthusiastically.
Aria’s mouth hung wide open while watching the sisters together. She thought, I’ve seen many strange things over my long life, but there is no possible way that Pinkie Pie and Maud Pie are both the natural children of Igneous Rock and Cloudy Quartz.
“Your friend seems very patient. She’s barely moved. Do you think she would play Camouflage?” asked Maud. A tiny upward inflection at the end of the sentence was the only indication that she was asking a question.
Pinkie Pie pushed her sister towards the door. “Maybe another time, Maud. Aria and I have a Very Important Job here! Tell Mom and Dad that I’m fine and will be sleeping at Applejack’s tonight. Boulder can sleep in my bed, all right?”
“He’ll love that, Pinkie. I’ll tell Mom and Dad. Good luck with your clay. It’s almost a rock, but not quite,” she replied as the door clicked shut once again.
The sun was setting outside, and the kiln had recently completed its firing phase. The fluorescent lights overhead provided the majority of the room’s illumination. Pinkie and Aria, to their credit, had politely chased off teachers, students and the maintenance staff with cheerful misdirection. With Maud’s departure, they were now the school’s only live occupants. The two girls unpacked their makeshift dinner and hungrily feasted on sub sandwiches, fruit and a generous helping of sweets.
“Mmmmm, I’ve been craving a good sandwich!” said Pinkie Pie. She took another huge bite of her absurdly large sub and followed it up with a blast of whipped cream.
Aria took a bite of her sandwich and approvingly raised her eyebrows. She said, “Pinkie, thanks for dinner. Between you and Fluttershy, I’ve eaten pretty well the past two nights. What have you learned from the books so far? I know I made you stop the running commentary because my head was about to explode.”
“You sound just like Rainbow Dash and Applejack! Their heads haven’t exploded and their brains are still inside their heads. I just love making them smile!” Pinkie Pie giggled, but stopped when she noticed Aria massaging her temples.
The pink-haired girl continued. “So, here’s what happened. You three ended up here in this world a thousand years ago. The book had a lot of wacked-out ideas about the ‘Disappearance of the Sirens.’ Anyway, your city went crazy like Detrot on Nightmare Night! The book said something about how the priestesses couldn’t reach their Master after you got exiled. After that, there were riots, massive destruction and a ton of fighting between the clans. There’s one thing I can’t figure out, though. How is it possible for something underwater to catch fire?”
“It’s complicated,” said Aria, folding her arms across her chest. “Keep going, please.”
“The Queen couldn’t stop the seapony slave rebellion. Some merstallion named Ageless Coral or something broke open the prison with a machine he made from scratch. He then led a humungous revolt against the palace,” said Pinkie Pie, pantomiming a battle between a cupcake and a pear.
In shock, Aria Blaze spit out her mouthful of coffee, which fortunately hit the floor instead of the food. Wiping up the mess with a paper towel, she asked, “Check that name again for me. Please.”
Pinkie wiped her hands carefully, returned to the table with the Aquastrian tome and slowly thumbed backwards. “Here it is! I’ll read out loud to you. ‘Coral Aegis, with the help of other merstallions from his caste, used the powerful mining engine he had invented to break through the wall of the slave prison. Hidden compartments in the engine provided the escapees with weapons and the makeshift legion marched on the Imperial Palace.’ I even found a picture!”
Aria trembled as she stood to look at the illustration. Staring back at her from the page was a statue of a handsome dark blue merstallion in the prime of his life. The silver accents on his fins matched his gray eyes. The coloring was different, but the half-smile on his lips was exactly the same as his twin sister. Aria’s knees weakened and she needed to brace herself on the table to keep from falling.
“Are you all right?” asked Pinkie, hurrying to the Siren’s side. The rush of air turned the book’s page.
“I’m fine. I’m just surprised, that’s all,” Aria said, sitting down at the table.
Aria looked at the next illustration and her mouth fell open. She gasped with astonishment and mumbled, “Just like the keepsake he made for his twin sister.”
Aria Blaze’s pupils dilated and her skin became chalk-white. Pinkie Pie caught her just as her violet eyes rolled back into her head and she tumbled to the floor.
The book had opened to a beautiful, two-paged illustration of an ancient undersea concert hall. The entire building resembled an open, golden clamshell. Mermares, seaponies and other denizens of Equus’ seas joined their musical talents together in harmony with voices and instruments. The caption read “Hall of Freedom, completed in 4 A.I.A. (After Imperial Aquastria).”
Dominating the back of the exquisitely constructed stage was an enormous symbol, a masterful work of art that was meticulously inlaid with gems and precious metals. The design consisted of a turquoise-colored eighth note with a jagged stem superimposed over a huge pink heart.
***
Song lyrics from Louis Armstrong and Velma Middleton’s duet “You’re the Apple of My Eye”, originally recorded in 1951.