They had worked hard staying up all night to get everything set just right, yet nothing they had done had prepared her for what Twilight was looking at backstage. The crowd there to watch the Battle of the Bands was ranging in the hundreds, if not thousands, and it was making her head spin. Sure they usually had large crowds at times, but nothing could hold a candle to this. She felt as if she was going to faint.
“Relax, it will be okay.” Sunset, or as she was known as with her illusion on, Melody said while nuzzling the illusioned form of Twilight, or what the ponies just on the other side of the curtain knew her as, Jem.
“It’ll be fun, so don’t let it get to you. Just ignore the crowd and let the music flow through you. Concentrate on the music and your enjoyment of doing it.” Vinyl said trying to encourage Jem as the mare was fighting to keep herself steady as the current group was just finishing off there set.
“No!” Jem gasped as she caught sight of a pony she wasn’t sure she wanted to see, her father. He wasn’t at the rehearsal, yet Twilight couldn’t help wondering just how disappointed he was in her. Shining Armor always got away with so much while she was always reprimanded when she failed to live up to expectations. She loved him of course, he was her father, but she had a feeling he took Shining Armor’s side over the treatment she received from her brother.
“What is it?” Melody asked with worry, looking over Jem’s shoulder searching the audience for what caused her distress as she knew it wasn’t simple jitters now.
“My father is in the audience.” Jem sighed, unsure if she could go out there now. The more she thought about him though, the more she remembered all the good times as well. And there were plenty of those, though they drastically lessened when she was made Celestia’s student. Yet something he always told Twilight always stuck with her and even ended up being turned into a song.
“Are you fighting with him to?” Vinyl asked making Jem snort.
“I’m not fighting with anyone, I just don’t want anything to do with them. I wasn’t good enough for them so as far as I’m concerned I’m better off without them.” Jem said bitterly, though she was forced to wipe at her eyes. “Look, I know we worked mainly on the one song, but do you two think we could change it?”
“I don’t know, I guess it wouldn’t hurt.” Melody said a little skeptically. After talking about it a few moments before they were called to the stage, they decided to do it with a little trepidation. Jem wanted to send out a message to her father as she decided that while she was unsure about him, she still loved him especially since he wasn’t one of the ones who shattered her heart.
“Hello everyone.” Jem said as the small group took the stage. She had to lick her lips several times as she looked out at the sea of ponies. “I admit that it’s a little scary standing up here in front of all of you, but I hope you enjoy the song we have to sing for you all. I know that the planners have something listed for us, but there is a special pony in the audience that I’d like to dedicate a different song to.”
Jem couldn’t help smiling at the collective aww’s from the audience as Melody and Vinyl began playing the music.
“Seasons come, seasons go, but you're always there in my heart.” Jem sang as memories of her past began filling her head. Memories of her first break from being Celestia’s personal student and apprentice and of her father comforting her. Telling her that no matter what he would always love her, telling her something she remembered even to this day. ‘Twily, no matter how many seasons come and go, you will always be in my heart.’
It was a sweet sentiment and managed to cheer her up at the time, as well as help her feel better on those lonely nights when she really started to miss her parents and BBBFF. It was such a shame that a bit of a rift formed between her and her parents since moving to Ponyville. It wasn’t that they had a huge fight or anything, but their correspondences seemed to become less and less.
“You're a part of me, as I am of you, I can't leave you behind.” Jem sang, noticing how enraptured the audience was in the song, more than one watery eye among them. Looking toward her father, Jem noticed him look very sad, yet a little happy at the same time as he appeared to lose himself in one thought or another.
Another memory came to her as she remembered her first Hearth’s Warming Day away from home. Two days later her parents came to see her and bring gifts, as well as words of love and encouragement. She could remember her mother and father both telling her, ‘We could never leave you behind or forget you, you are a part of us as we are a part of you. Never forget that my little Sparkle.’
”Always near, ever dear, you're always there in my heart. Always there in my heart!” Jem finished, the music dying down. At first she thought the crowd may not have really liked it, but then they burst into cheers and clopping of hooves applauding them. Jem wiped a few tears from her own eyes as the large screen above them lit up showing the votes that every pony entered on their hoof held voting terminals given to them as they entered. Looking up nervously, Jem saw that they had twice as many votes than any other group making Melody and Vinyl pile onto her in a group hug.
“We did it!” Melody squealed as Jem looked toward her father who locked eyes with her a few moments before getting up and walking out. A part of her felt a little hurt that he left, but she reminded herself that he didn’t know her. She was actually curious as to why he was there to begin with.
“I still can’t believe we are getting a contract.” Vinyl said in awe as the trio stood outside the office of the owner of Twilight Records, waiting to be let in. They were given directions that the owner wanted to meet them in person before signing a contract. There was no name on the door though, the secretary letting them know that the office was actually just an empty one as the owner ran things from the office back in Canterlot. He had to be there for the Battle of the Bands though. “Thank you both for letting me be a part of this.”
“Your very welcome, thank you for joining us. We couldn’t have done it without you.” Jem said, smiling at the eager unicorn while knowing very well that Sunset had other thoughts on the matter. Still, Jem looked forward to the future as she was well on her way to proving that they could make it on their own without the Princess’s meddling in her life.
“He will see you now.” The secretary said coming out of the office, into the receptionist office where they were gathered.
“Thank you.” Jem said as the trio made their way into the room, Jem stopping in shock as she saw the pony sitting behind the desk.
“Congratulations you three, the performance you gave was outstanding.” Night Light said in greeting, gesturing to the cushions in front of the low desk. Melody and Vinyl took seats on them with Jem following much slower. “My name is Night Light, as I’m sure you know Miss Scratch as we’ve already met on several occasions. Please introduce me to your friends?”
“This is Sparkling Melody and Shimmering Jem. They’re actually the original group, but they let me join them. I’m kind of getting a little burned out just being a DJ. You know how I want to be a part of making the music.” Vinyl said, smiling at Night Light before finally realizing something. This was Twilight’s father!
“I’m sure your parents are very proud of you, Jem.” Night Light said giving a small smile to the pony who shook her head.
“I doubt that.” Jem sighed making Melody lean in and nuzzle her.
“Oh my, so you two are an item?” Night Light asked with a chuckle and gleam in his eye. It was something that bothered Jem as it was raising warning bells in her head.
“What! No! We aren’t like that!” Melody choked out, blushing brightly which confused Jem. Of course they were an item, they were friends and band mates. Why was that something to blush over?
“It’s okay, you don’t have to be so defensive about it.” Night Light said as he shifted some papers on the desk with his magic. “I do have to ask, is Jem your real name? Or just a stage name?”
“It’s my real name.” Jem squeaked out as she tried to avoid looking into the stallion’s eyes. She was beginning to think about just leaving, contract or no.
“Well, it is a beautiful name.” Night Light said gently, “You know, your song made me think about my daughter. She’s been missing for about seven months now, and I miss her deeply.”
“Do you really miss her?” Jem asked softly, looking up at him as he wiped at his eyes. Jem could feel her own eyes misting over.
“More than you can imagine. Her idiot brother broke her heart and her friends didn't help matters much. I have to say I’m not really happy with any of them right now, I expected better from my son. I truly hope it was all the spells forced on him by that bug that made him act that way like the investigators claimed.” Night Light grunted out, pushing the papers over the desk to the three.
“What if she didn’t want to be found? Would you keep her secret if she asked you to and let her just hide away from the rest?” Jem asked softly getting a smile from Night Light.
“As long as she was happy, I’d only tell her mother who would keep it a secret as well. She misses her baby girl so much. We both regret letting the Princess take her on as an apprentice since it caused a rift in our family. We believed we were doing the right thing for her at the time.”
“What if she didn’t want to be a royal mage anymore? Would you be disappointed then?” Jem sniffed as Vinyl and Melody each put their hooves on either of Jem’s shoulders.
“Sweetie, I don’t care what you do as long as you are safe and happy.” Night Light said shocking them. “I love you and miss you.”
“You know?” Jem asked letting her illusion fade away.
“I suspected it when you started singing and looked into my eyes. You can change the way you look, but I will always know those eyes.” Night Light sniffed wiping at his eyes, “A father always knows his baby girl, no matter how good she is at trying to hide.”
“Daddy!” Twilight sobbed launching herself over the desk and into his waiting hooves.