//------------------------------// // Gaylord // Story: Tenacious D - Elements of Destiny // by iamthemithras //------------------------------// Destiny. Long ago in the pre-classical era of Equestria, a wizard summoned a baron of hell from the depths of Tartarus. After a horrific battle, the demon was defeated but it was prophesied that one day it would return, and only the Elements of Destiny would defeat it once and for all. So it was destined. Destiny... What is it? What does it mean? Why does it sound so cool when a story starts with just that one word? A dictionary defines Destiny as the events that have to happen to someone or something in the future, in the context of time. For example, it is your Destiny to die. It just has to happen, it’s nobody’s fault. Sorry buddy, Dictionaries can be a dick. It’s in the name. The same dictionary defines Destiny as a force that influences what events actually happens to someone or something in the future, in the context of superstition, and many many story rpgs or something like that. For example, saying I believe it was Destiny that made you stumble upon this story, dear reader so you may gaze and ponder upon the eloquence of my writing. You may have noticed that that is also what you might think a pompous asshole would say or in more refined company a self-centered dick at best. Why they just call it fate instead of making Destiny mean two things is beyond reason some would argue, but surely we can both agree that Dictionaries are dicks. No? Well do your own thing then. Anyway this is a story of Destiny - or fate if you will. Let me set the stage for you. A neighborhood on the outskirts of Manehattan, nice enough for Manehattan standards. A family of four living in a nice white-painted house, a nicely mowed lawn with a driveway. They’re having oats and plums for dinner fresh from the supermarket, there’s half a plate of cheesecake in the fridge for dessert. It was a pretty nice dinner for an upper-middle class family and this is the kind they can afford everyday living in Gaylord, Manehattan, population 9000. Octavia Melody strikes you as a reserved pony, somepony who always pauses before saying something. Unless you get to know her that is, then you’d know she’s pretty friendly after all and easy to like. See, don’t be shy, she’s a pretty ordinary pony after all right? See the way she eats her dinner: Her face not too deep into the plate, chewing the oats with her mouth closed, avoiding eye-contact when not making conversation like some kind of creep, not making that mmm sound when you’re savoring the taste. She’s pretty ordinary. Understandably though, not all would be convinced yet. Let us see how the rest of the night played out, so we can see the ordinary…ness of the family. Her father started the usual small-talk “So how was today’s rehearsal, darling?” Octavia said to her father “It was nice. The band did fairly well” There was a slight pause before her mother said “Band?” then her mother shot her a look “I mean the group. T-The Chamber-Chamber Orchestra…” she then wolfed down more oats “More oats please!” she gave a nervous laugh while she motioned for a plate of more oats. Her brother handed it to her “Mmm oats… very delicious” A few seconds of awkward silence that feels ten times longer for her went by. Her mother still glaring at her like she stole her favorite pair of socks and threw it into an incinerator of a glue factory. It was unbearable. Finally she gave it up then went back to eating dinner. Her father turned to her brother “How about you Button, how was school?” “Eh, it was okay” “You know, funny thing at work. The new stallion submitted a design for the new building for the corporation I told you all about. It’s very… modern looking, you know? The edges are round like a… like a cylinder. Not like most building you know that has four sides but this one is like the Tower of Pisa you know?” “That’s wonderful, dear” His wife said “Yeah yeah… I thought it was great. It’s uh, the direction we’re going to nowadays I thought to myself… then I put on my glasses and I saw he drew a giant dick” “Brock! In front of Button?” “What? He’s a growing kid, I’m sure he hears it all the time” Button turned to them “Hear what? Sorry I wasn’t listening” “I’ll be in my room now for practice” Octavia stood up from the table and left the dining room “Didn’t she just play the entire day? So dedicated to her craft like her mum” “Dad! Did you know in Minecraft I finally defeated the Ender Dragon for the 6th time! That was really hard!” Now alone in her room, she took her phone and headset and listened to some music like an ordinary mare. By now we have established by all accounts that here is a perfectly ordinary mare, nothing extraordinary about her, just a mare that plays the cello that lives with her ordinary family: Her father that works at a firm, her mother who’s also a musician, her brother that plays Minecraft. Very typical. Very average. Oh but what’s this? Tucked away in secret, Octavia sorted out the songs in her phone by ‘most played’. There was the usual pieces from Bach, Vivaldi, and Beethoven but stopped at the tenth mark. She played it on her phone. It started with an orgasmic shred that involuntary made her headbang along with the drums, sweet Celestia it was that good. Watched their faces, saw the traces of the things they want to be, but only you can see That perfect voice, high and strong, feels like its talking straight to her. Telling a story – her story. She’s what everypony wants to see, a successful cello player part of an orchestra, what her mother wants to see, but here she takes comfort in solace. Only she knows It pulls at her soul. The Melody, the Truth, the Metal, the ROCK! This is what she is missing, this is what she is. Oh but the scandal! What everypony would think! Her? A METAL HEAD? That simply does not add up. Her mother would DISOWN her! Even though she’s old enough to move anyway but still, she’d throw her away! All her things - she’d be cast away on the street! Even though she earns enough to get by anyway. Who would want their parent to do that to them? The only thing more disastrous than that if the house suddenly started on fire. Suddenly her room started on fire. “What the deuce?!” She backed away from the door where the fire started happening. It suddenly rose high and there conjured a towering figure sitting on a throne adorned with skulls and spikes. It looks terrifyingly bad ass. “Holy ravioli” Octavia said without thinking “No. HOOOLY DIIVER!” Its beautifully pitched voice pierced the room, it sounded so magnificent it stunned her even more. “Who are you?!” “Dio” It suddenly sounded so magnanimous it calmed her almost instantly like its caressing her ears. Such perfection. “What...” “I am from the afterlife. I teach Satan how to sing in my spare time. I heard your cry brave Octavia, you long for the Rock” She made a shush sound “Pleasebequiet - How did – How did you know that?” “I follow the call of the Rock, and it led me to you. I’m here to help guide you towards your destiny” “…Wha. What about my destiny?” “Escape your mother’s clutches from this oppressive neighborhood On a journey you must go to find land beyond Canterlot” “To where the elements come in harmony Beyond the city that reach the clouds You will form a strong alliance, And Equestria’s strongest bond To find your fame and fortune, Through the castle you must waaalk! You will face your inner demons, Now go. Young. Mare. And. ROOOOOOCK!” Its voice etched itself to her soul, she can almost hear wonderful metal playing in her ears, then suddenly the figure disappeared in a ring of fire. It left as it came, the room was clean, no singes, no flames. It looked as if it never came at all. She heard knocking from her door. Her mother spoke outside of the room “Honey, is everything alright?” “Yes mum” Her mother opened the door to check up on her “What was that screaming we heard earlier?” “Oh, uh. It’s nothing. Just practicing” She blinked for a second, and then closed the door behind her. Octavia was alone again. “What in the name of Pachelbel was that?” Octavia stood up from her bed to gather her bearings. Should she follow the figure’s advice? Is this promise of fame and fortune have any substance? She thought to herself even more. She’s already successful enough, but mayhap pursuing this craft would make her happier? She carefully opened her closet. Her cello case was right there, clean, well kept. She took it aside to look at what’s behind it. A guitar case that you wouldn’t have seen behind the cello. She could hear “Also Sprach Zarathustra” playing in her mind as she carefully unclip the case to her acoustic guitar, the light reflecting from the wood finish calls to her. The drums beating at her very core, she can’t deny the metal any longer like she suddenly summoned an overwhelming resolve to rock hard. It was a strange feeling at best, self-depreciating at worst. “Land beyond Canterlot, huh” She looked up, gathering her thoughts “That doesn’t help at all. Canterlot is at the center of Equestria, everything is beyond Canterlot” “To find your fame and fortune, You must travel the Ghastly Goooorge! You will face your inner demons, Now go. Young. Mare. And. ROOOOOOCK!” The figure disappeared as it went. There wasn’t any singes or flames in the studio, as if the figure never appeared. DJ Pon-3 adjusted her glasses. It didn’t make any sense to her since she was already famous and bits aren’t a problem to her. One look at the studio though and it immediately hit her again. The loneliness creeps into her again, with all the cool parties she could DJ - at the end of the day no one shares her music as much as she does. “A strong alliance” When she arrived at her condo, she went straight to her bedroom. She motioned to her closet big enough to be a small room. She opened its doors; there were the usual clothes she keeps for appearances if she had to grace the red carpet. Behind them were shoe shelves were she also keeps some of her old stuff, one of these were her first turntable. She dusted it off; it’s an automatic direct-drive turntable - perfect for beginners. She got it as gift for her birthday. Her parents probably thought to give her that because playing with the guitar didn’t gave her her cutie mark. She put it back in place and opened a large drawer underneath the shelves. She pulled out a black guitar case with lightning decals at the side. She unclipped the locks and opened the case with her unicorn magic. Her strat guitar still looks as fresh as when she first got it many many years ago. Looking back, she never really cared much to practice with it. Maybe it’s time for a new chapter of her life. She went to the living room and looked at the beautiful lights of Las Pegasus from her high-rise condo. So many ponies living about in this time of night. “To find your fame and fortune, You must… stay here and wait for two maaares You might face your inner demons, Now stay. Young. Mare. And. ROOOOOOCK!” “ROOOOOOOOOCK!!!” Pinkie Pie screamed along with Dio ”ROOOOOOOCK!!!” “ROOOOOCK!!” Dio flashed the devil horns sign while he screamed at Pinkie “ROOOOOOCK!!” “ROOOOOOCK!!” Pinkie Pie showed him a rock while she screamed “ROOOOOOCK!!” Dio lifted his voice higher and flashed her two devil horns sign “RROOOOOOOOOOOOCK!” His voice is so pure it could make glass break dance “RRRhhaaaaaa…..” Pinkie’s face became red “Alright, I lost my voice haha! You got me Dio, you’re the golden voice” “See ya next time Pinkie” A ring of fire covered him and he vanished “Bye Dio!” She waved at the spot where he used to be “Wow. What an awesome guy, right gummy?” Gummy was deep in thought. ‘Awesome. Something that is awesome is by definition one that brings considerable awe. However, one that brings considerable awe is purely subjective. A bird flapping its wings is astonishing to a child that has never seen birds in flight while the average person finds it very ordinary, they do not find it ‘awesome’ any more than a plant growing is ‘awesome’. Therefore if you find something very underwhelming but everypony else finds awe-inspiring – does that make you an adult among children? There is a term they call diminishing return-’ “I guess I can wait for somepony to achieve their Destiny here in good ole Ponyville population 4000. Come on Gummy, let’s bake a cake!”