Her ears flickered as she heard the playing ahead, the sounds of the lyre drifting above the soft breeze and the nighttime chorus of insects. The tall grass tickled at Blossomforth’s fur as she made her way towards the small clearing she knew where Lyra liked to play alone.
She tucked a strand of her mane behind an ear, her eyes red and dry. Dark bags hung under her eyes as she thought ahead of the confrontation that she knew was coming. Ever since that day near a week ago, when she blurted out her feelings for Thunderlane and admitted to what she had done, she had found that nearly everyone in Ponyville gave her disapproving glares or curt words. Even Bon Bon refused to give her more than a harsh dismissal.
Thinking back on the first few days, she angrily returned those looks and words. They didn’t know what it had been like to have been her. They didn’t know what it was like to be spurned by the stallion she loved. To be find out that she had been second fiddle to her socially inept friend Lyra Heartstrings!
Eventually though, those glares cut through the wall of stubbornness she had hidden behind. When even Bon Bon refused to look at her, she felt guilt begin to claw through her wall. She had remembered the night that she lay in bed, unable to sleep, when realization had struck her. All that she had done, she had done out of sheer jealousy. She had betrayed her friend when she was most vulnerable and reveled in it.
A tear gathered around her eye, and she was quick to flick it away. Tonight, she was going to apologize to her friend. Even if Lyra told her to leave and never come back, she was going to apologize anyway. The thought of another sleepless, guilt-ridden night caused a shudder to course through her spine.
She held her head up higher and picked up her pace through the tall grass. No matter what, she was going to try.
As she came upon the clearing, she paused to regard Lyra. The unicorn sat alone on her tree stump, eyes closed as she played a haunting song on her lyre. Blossomforth saw there was no one else around, not even the wild animals seemed to be intruding upon Lyra’s personal moment. When she looked at Lyra, Blossomforth felt that brief spark of jealousy, but it was quickly washed away by her determination. Taking in a slow breath, she stepped through the underbrush.
“L-Lyra?” she asked, her voice softer than she had wanted it to be.
The unicorn started as she was pulled out of her reverie. She turned to regard Blossomforth for a moment before turning away pointedly, picking up her song where she had left off.
A pang of grief struck Blossomforth at her friend’s dismissal, hitting her deeply within. Seeing her friend shun her like that hurt more than she thought it would. Yet she wouldn’t allow her resolution to slip, she just couldn’t.
“Lyra, can we please talk?”
The unicorn continued to play, not so much as turning towards her.
Blossomforth lowered her head, her eyes half lidding. “I… don’t blame you for being mad at me. What I did was wrong, Lyra, and I want to apologize for everything I’ve done.” She looked back up at her friend. “Will you please talk to me?”
The music continued unabated.
Blossomforth felt the first of the tears gather at the corners of her eyes. “So, you hate me too? Everypony hates me now, and I don’t blame them. I can’t blame them. Bon Bon refuses to talk to me, won’t even let me in her store. The weather team ignores me, especially Thunderlane. I can’t even walk through town without someone glaring at me. But I—” her breath caught for a moment, “—messed up. I messed up royally, Lyra. What I did was wrong, and I deserve what I get.”
Lyra’s ears flickered but she continued to play that haunting melody.
The song, coupled with her spilling all of her pent up emotions, caused her to slump to her haunches, unable to continue standing. “I hope that you and Thunderlane are happy with each other. I should have seen what I was doing, should have just been happy for you that you found someone. And I should never have tried to take away your happiness, never.”
Her gaze lifted to see the unicorn’s ears pin back, but that was the only change in her demeanor. “I realize now that I was jealous of you, and that jealousy has cost me everything. My self-respect, my friends, my co-workers and worst of all… my best friend in the world.” She sniffed and wiped at her nose. “For everything, Lyra, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I can only hope that one day you’ll forgive me. I-I never wanted to hurt you, I just…” she choked back a sob. “I just want us to be friends again. Please, don’t turn me away. You have every right to, but please, Lyra.”
When Lyra made no move, other than to continue playing, Blossomforth lowered her head, feeling a tightening in her gut as she realized that some bridges might never be mended. “I-I understand. I won’t bother you again.” She turned away, the sounds of the crunching grass under her hooves were a fitting example of how broken she felt inside. “You’ve always been my best friend, Lyra, and I’m sorry that I hurt you. I’ll-I’ll see you around.”
Just as she spread her wings to take off, she felt a tugging on her tail. She blinked in surprise to find it glowing with a yellow aura. It was then she realized the music had stopped playing.
“Blossomforth…”
She looked up to see Lyra looking at her, her eyes holding a sadness to them, but there was something else in those amber orbs.
Forgiveness.
“You… you really mean it, don’t you?” Lyra asked, looking at Blossomforth.
She landed back on her hooves and turned to face her, a spark of hope building. “I know I was wrong, Lyra, and how much I hurt you. When I realized what I’d done…” she shook her head, face contorted with guilt. “It’s been eating me up ever since.” She slumped to her haunches, her head bowed. “I’m s—”
That was as far as she got before she felt herself pulled into a fierce hug. She sat for a shocked second before she melted into the hug. All of those emotions poured through her, the bitterness, the regret, the shame, all of it flown as she felt her friend’s accepting embrace. As she felt that hug, all of her walls, all of her stubbornness fell apart. She didn’t try to dash away the tears that started to flow, no longer caring about her pride. Wrapping her forelegs around her friend, and burying her face into her shoulder, she let them flow.
“You’re still my friend, Blossomforth.” She felt Lyra rub her head against her own. “And I forgive you.”
Those words, it was like a great weight had been lifted from her back. “T-Thank you…” she said in a whisper of a voice.
-0-
The stage had been set, the lights had dimmed, and Lyra found herself standing behind the curtains. The crowd had hushed, and eagerly awaited for her to appear on stage. She took in a slow breath and let it out just as slowly as she recalled the days that had lead up to this. Her friends had gone before the organizers of the talent show and pleaded with them to give her a second chance at performing. While the organizers were understanding that what had happened during her act hadn’t been Lyra’s fault, they couldn’t let her retry for the competition, as the winner had already been announced. When Blossomforth had shown and pleaded her case, however, they had agreed to let Lyra play one more time—as the closing act to the contest.
A smile played across Lyra’s face as Thunderlane brought the news to her. He had been so excited and supportive of her that she had agreed to a second performance without a second thought. After their reconciliation, she and Thunderlane had rarely been apart. Lyra had found herself wanting to spend more and more time with the pegasus. His easy smile, the way he held his head confidently when he was with her, his playful banter with Rainbow Dash whenever she would lecture him about slacking on the job, all of it caused her smile to grow. Even the little things like the way his wing would drape over her withers as they walked, the warmth of his fur as they would cuddle, and the way his back leg would give a little kick when she nuzzled him behind the ear…
She shook her head to keep her thoughts from going down that road further, otherwise she wouldn’t be able to focus for her performance. That didn’t keep the warm blush from shining brightly on her face, however.
Taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, she gathered her lyre, the curtains rustled as she stepped out onto the stage. The stage lights shown down on her as she surveyed the applauding crowd. She saw Bon Bon sitting next to Caramel, the latter’s foreleg wrapped around her friend. Blossomforth sat next to them, her smile wide and her eyes showing both relief and joy. She gave quick fleeting smiles to her friends before her gaze settled on the stallion who sat front row and center. Thunderlane sat watching her with warm proud eyes, a slight smile on his muzzle.
As she looked into those eyes, she could see the love and affection in his amber orbs. She could see that he did truly love her and she returned that love with a look of her own. Knowing that he was there, front row and center just as he promised, sent another wave of warmth through her and she held her head up confidently as she spoke to the crowd.
"Good evening, everypony,” she said as she took her seat on the stool that had been set on the stage for her. “I hope everyone is having a good time this evening.”
A chorus of murmurs went up with their applause, a few even whistled at her.
A blush highlighted her cheeks at the cheers but held her head up higher. “I want to thank you all for giving me this chance to play for you again. I couldn’t have done it without my friends supporting me and being there for me when I was going through a rough time.”
She saw Blossomforth lower her head as a few turned glares her way, but when Bon Bon glared right back at them and wrapped a foreleg around her shoulders, Blossomforth gave a slight smile and sat back up. Blossomforth even turned a look at Thunderlane, but after a moment’s look he turned away from her.
Lyra plucked a few chords on her lyre, settling the crowd to silence before she addressed them again. “Most of all, I want to thank a certain someone.” Her eyes turned to Thunderlane as she saw his smile widen. “A stallion who had come into my life and showed me that there was more to me than clumsy hooves. He showed me that even a klutz like myself can find love when she least expects it.” She smiled a bit and settled on her stool more comfortably. “I’ve played many songs by famous composers before, but since meeting him, a new song has come to me. A song that came from my heart—because of him.”
She set her hoof to the strings of her lyre, her gaze falling to him. He gave a smile and slight nod, and she felt that warmth rush through her again. With that feeling firmly in her mind, she began to play the song of her heart.
The opening notes drifted around the spectators and all pairs of ears stood tall, and all pairs of eyes widened. Lyra caressed a slow, haunting melody out of her little instrument—carrying with it the feeling of one who had little hope, and was always lonely. It spoke of days alone, of longing of companionship, where everyday was full of uncertainty. Many members of the audience wiped at their eyes, their loved ones giving them understanding looks, or forelegs around their withers.
Then, the song picked up a hopeful tempo, picking up in pace and in higher notes. Tears dried as the audience members looked back to Lyra, a soft smile playing across her face. The feeling of a budding hope drifted through them, cutting through the mire of loneliness. A feeling of love, slowly budding, but always cautious that something could happen. The melody continued its pace, and many of the audience members scooted forward in their chairs.
A faint blush crept on to Lyra’s face as the song slowed for an instant, before it suddenly burst forward in to a fast paced, jubilant tempo. Like a dam overflowing, the love that had been budding now blossomed fully, seeming to brighten the very air itself. The sudden change had many of the audience stunned for a moment before happy smiles crossed their faces, and heads could be seen bobbing along throughout the crowd. The surge of positive emotions lifted the spirits of the entire hall, and many tears of sadness gave way to ones of happiness.
In the midst of it all, Lyra stood, her hooves still playing over the strings of her lyre. Swaying to the tempo of her song, she approached the edge of the stage, her eyes half lidded as she focused on Thunderlane. The stallion who had captured her heart, showed her kindness she had never expected to see, and allowed her heart soar.
She knelt by the edge of the stage, her eyes on his, as her song came to an end. The entire audience held a collected breath as she spoke softly to him, their eyes locked on each other.
"And that… is my Song of Thunder.”