Darkness: The Haunting of Ponyville

by Drefsab

Interview Two: Sapphire Melody

Interview Two: Sapphire Melody
18th of Summer's Sun, 4E01

A few weeks after my meeting with Sweetie Belle, I was contacted by one of the names further down my list of potential interviews; one Sapphire Melody. Her last known address was listed as the southern end of Ponyville, which obviously gave me pause -- Hardly anypony lives in Ponyville anymore, and I was not so keen on heading to the center of it all just yet.

A few inquiries revealed that Mrs. Melody's home was no longer intact, and I was forced to give up on the lead. You can imagine my surprise when I received a letter a few weeks later, postmarked from the Baltimare Unity Hospital. Mrs. Melody wanted to speak with me in person, but was in no condition to be up and about. Feeling that it was my duty to meet with her as soon as possible, I took the first available pegasus taxi out to Baltimare, arriving late in the evening.

When I arrive I am greeted by a kind, older mare, an earth pony. The muted blues of her hospital gown can't begin to hide her still-vivid personality; for someone who is bed-ridden she is remarkably friendly and conversational. If it weren't for the wrinkles under her eyes and the streaks of grey in her otherwise light-blue mane, you would be forgiven for thinking of her as no older than most.

After a short conversation she asks me to take a seat beside her bed. I pull out my quill and paper, eager to hear what she has to say. She seems amused by my interest in putting her story to writing.

"I hear you've been looking for me, dearie. Oh, don't act so surprised! You're not the only one who knows important ponies. Consider me flattered!" (She laughs, sitting up straighter in her bed) "Not often I get visitors these days, especially somepony from Canterlot. Must be pretty important! What was it you're working on again?"

Sort of a gathering of accounts of the Ponyville incident. I'm hoping to give anyone who reads this a better insight into what happened, if you're willing to share your experiences.

"If I wasn't willing, I wouldn't have contacted you, now would I? I suppose you were probably a little surprised to learn that I'm laid up in a hospital bed. Trust me, if I could trot on outta here I'd do so right now. But that's just the way these things work sometimes, I'm afraid. Gotta make the best of it."

If you don't mind me being frank, Mrs. Melody, your name sounds familiar. I can't quite figure out why, though.

"Oh, please, just call me Sapphire, sweetie. Makes me feel young again! I'm surprised you even recognize my name, what with being as old as my grand-foals and all. I was pretty well-known back in my day, but that was long before you were born. I used to be a producer for quite a few performers, way back when. Owned my own recording studio. Still do! Or did, rather. Lost it when all of Ponyville went to hell in a handbasket, I'm afraid. Recovered a few things, mostly mementos and -- sorry, I'm getting off-topic, aren't I? You didn't come here to listen to me ramble on about when I was a young thing, you came to hear about my experience with, ah...what do they call it? The Great Darkening?"

The Great Darkness. At least, that's the most common term. And please, don't feel that you need to skip over when you were young. These are stories of ponies like yourself, after all.

"Well I appreciate the sentiment, dearie, but I'm afraid there's not really much else to say for that time in my life. I was decently well-known and successful -- even recorded the most beautiful piece of orchestral music your ears have ever heard -- but by no means was I a hot shot. My only real claim to fame is coming up with a way to sound-proof a room well enough for musicians to get a clear copy of their recording. Still used to this day, in fact!"

I actually interviewed an up-and-coming singer last month in Manehattan, a young mare named Sweetie Belle.

"Hmm...doesn't sound familiar. Sweetie Belle, Sweetie Belle..."

She's Rarity's younger sister.

"Oh! I certainly know Miss Rarity. Or used to, anyway. Been several years since I've talked to her. Such a nice young mare. So charming and gorgeous, too. Always had a knack for talent. I assume it runs in the family." (Sapphire Melody purses her lips, looking at me for a long moment before continuing) "I suppose you have a lot of questions for me. First and foremost is likely why I'm in this dang bed in the first place. Believe me, it wasn't by choice. I don't think I can fully explain it without starting from the top, though."

That's fine. The more I can learn about what happened, the better. But please, don't feel obligated to talk about anything that might upset you.

"Oh come now, I'm not some fragile flower, despite what this wrinkled old skin might say otherwise! Where to start...well, it was just over a year now, I suppose. I was spending the night just flipping through old photo albums and listening to some music. It's not very often I look through those dusty old things...guess I was just feeling sentimental."(She points a hoof to a faded, framed image sitting on the stool beside her bed, the glass cracked across one side)"My sweet, old Cinnamon. Forty-six years we were married. He passed away a few years ago. He could be a stuffy old codger at times, but I loved him with all my heart. Whenever I felt lonely I'd look at that picture and hold him against my chest, and for a little while it felt like he was still right there."

I'm truly sorry for your loss. He sounds like a great stallion.

"One of the best. He took some warming-up to, but once you got to know him..." (Her voice trails off, but she continues a moment later) "For what it's worth, at least he wasn't around to see everything he loved get dashed on the rocks by that damn...whatever it was.

Like I said, I was rummaging through old photo albums one night, enjoying a nice cup of tea and some beautiful orchestral music -- Canterlot Symphonic, I believe. This was a few days after the first rumors of something strange happening were starting to circulate, but old Sapphire didn't believe any of that hooey. When you've been around as long as I have, you don't put much stock in silly stories!

I was just getting up to refill my cup when I started to hear this strange sound, like somepony knocking on my door. I took a look-see out the peep hole but didn't see anything, so I went back to what I was doing. Wouldn't ya know it, but that darn sound started up again a few minutes later! I thought it was some of the neighborhood colts just having a bit of fun at ol' Miss Melody's expense. I figured, shoot, if they're gonna take me for a fool I'm not even gonna bother! So I didn't. I just let 'em knock on my door a few more times and went about my business. Eventually the knocking stopped, thank goodness.

Of course, it wasn't some young colts playing a prank, but you probably figured that out by now. I had a nice, new cup of tea all ready to go, and as soon as I walked by the front door...well, it wasn't some light knock. These were loud, forceful hits. 'WHAM, WHAM, WHAM'! Scared me so much I dropped my dang cup. Shattered into a hundred pieces, it did. Well, I wasn't having any of that! I threw open that door to give the kids a good talking to, and...no one was there. Not a soul around. Spooked me something fierce, I can tell you that."

Did anything else happen that night?

Not a thing. Heh, probably a good thing it didn't, too. Nerves were on edge as is. Took me a good, long time to stop feeling jumpy. I guess I just sort of...ignored it after a while. In my mind I was still reasoning that it was the kids outside. You'll believe just about anything to make yourself feel better."

So what happened next?

"Things relaxed for a few days. I went to the market at some point and heard this orange-maned mare talking about 'bad omens' this and 'spirits' that and such. Didn't pay much attention to it, I was too busy picking up some much-needed groceries. It was a weekend, so I'd invited one of my old friends over -- Lemon Dream, was her name. She was an old hat in the music industry, just like yours truly. Once a month we'd meet up and mess around in the recording studio, just singing some of the songs we grew up with and enjoyed." (She smiles brightly) "Old Lemon, she was always such a better singer than I could have ever hoped to be! Guess there's a reason I was a producer and not a performer, eh? Heheh. Anywho, she dropped by round about mid-day. Just like we always did, we drank some tea and talked about the old days before heading into the studio. Always a kidder, she was. Loved to crank the volume up on my speaker when I wasn't looking!"

Did you still get musicians and performers recording from your home studio, Miss Melody?

"Didn't I say to just call me Sapphire? "

Sorry, force of habit.

"Well, at least you're a polite stallion. More than can be said for most. But to answer your question: Sort of. Mostly old friends, like Lemon. Sometimes a stallion or a mare that was passing through town would hear about me and drop by to say hello. I will admit that my equipment wasn't very modern -- none of that fancy electronic stuff, with their sliders and lights and gizmos. Still did all of my recording the old fashioned way. But I think there's something to be said for that stuff. It feels so...familiar. Probably just my nostalgia talking, I'm sure.

Mostly, though, the studio just sort of collected dust. When Lemon dropped by I'd dust the equipment off and we'd throw on a little forty-five record to record the two of us singing an old ditty. Or rather, she sang, and I sounded like a drowning cat! It was real lively that day; we ended up recording two songs in their entirety, and lots of us just being old and silly as we're wont to do. Had a wonderful time. When she headed back home I hopped into the studio and retrieved the record. I always listen to anything we record, just to have a laugh, before I file it away with all the others. Got a trunk full of the things, let me tell you. Or I did, I suppose. Ain't much left now.

I sat down with a nice glass of wine and my well-worn victrola and listened to our songs, same as I have for a long time. I set about preparing myself some dinner as I listened, just letting the record play, but it started sounding...odd."

How so?

"Well...how do I put this..." (She scratches her head in thought) "You know how you get pops and such during playback? Those are to be expected. But for some reason this record didn't have any pops, like there were no imperfections in the record, which is absurd. Every record has imperfections. Instead of pops and hisses and what-have-you, there was this strange sound, like somepony trying to stifle a cough. Never heard such a thing in a recording before. It intrigued me more than anything. I started listening intently to try and figure out what it was. Thought it was background noise that had somehow managed to find its way into the recording room; it happens from time to time. So I shrugged it away and went to get the sleeve for it...and that's when I heard...heard something. Something that wasn't right. Out of curiosity I took the record back into the studio and plugged in my headphones so I could hear better. Celestia, how I wish I hadn't..."

At this point, Sapphire Melody reaches into a small suitcase beside her bed. She pulls out a small, black record in a white case. It's labeled "3E09, 12th of Hearth's Warming". She passes it to me.

"This is the record itself. Somepony found it among what used to be my home. I figure you can make more sense of it than I can. Besides, it's been hard enough keeping that damn thing around as is."

If you were so terrified of it, why did you keep it?

"Honestly? I wasn't going to. I was gonna shatter that thing into a thousand pieces. But...it's, ah...the very last recording I have with Lemon Dream. I've never been able to bring myself to listen to it since everything happened." (She pauses, inhaling deeply before continuing) "I called Lemon back over the next day and told her that I'd recorded something. Something she might want to hear. I don't know what made me think she would want to listen to it. Wish I would have never convinced her to do so...

I sat her down with my headphones and let her listen. She smiled and laughed as it played back our poorly-covered songs. And then...then she went white as a sheet. I could see her mouth trembling as she heard what I'd heard. I...oh, dear, I'm so sorry...it's very hard to speak of such things. I asked her what she thought it was, and she ripped the headphones off and immediately backed herself into a corner. The poor thing, she was so scared that tears were just streaming down her face. She wouldn't speak to me. I tried to give her a reassuring hug but she just...p-pushed me away...could you pass me a tissue, Mister Scroll? Oh, thank you, dear."

Are you alright, Sapphire?

"It was my fault. I let her listen to that damnable record and she looked at me like I was the worst pony in the world. She asked me if it was some kind of sick joke. I couldn't say anything; she already knew the answer. She said she was leaving 'right now'." (She laughs bitterly) "That's the last thing she ever said to me. She was out the door immediately after. I...I never saw her again, Mister Scroll. I have no idea what happened to her. I fear the worst, but...please, if you find her, tell her Sapphire is so, so sorry. Would you do that for me?"

Of course.

"You're a good stallion. Thank you."

As I pack my things away -- including the new record that I am, quite frankly, equal parts curious and terrified to have in my possession -- she sticks a hoof out toward me.

"Every fiber of my being wants me to destroy that record. Some things aren't meant to be kept around. The only reason I've given it to you is because I believe you can help others. Genuinely help them. I have hope for you, Mister Scroll. Even if I don't have much for myself." (She hesitates, nervously biting her lip) "I never did tell you why I'm in a hospital bed, did I? No? I, ah...I put myself here, you see. Few months ago I reached a low point in my life. I'd lost my home, my husband was long gone, my life-long friend was missing, and I felt like there was nothing left for me. So I acted like a Goddess-damned coward and swallowed a hoof-full of sleeping pills. Heh...couldn't even get that right. Poisoned myself something fierce, but life clung to me. I have no idea why. Maybe it just wasn't my time. Maybe I was meant to pass that record on to you before I go.

I am not a bad pony, Written Scroll. I have lived a good life with the stallion I loved. Raised four children and six grandchildren. But so long as I live, I will always feel like Lemon Dream is gone because of me. Always. I just hope she can forgive me."

I sat on Sapphire Melody's record for several days. I didn't want to listen to it, but I knew I had to. I owed it to her, and the old friend she missed so dearly. For the sake of my research, and for the sake of Miss Melody, I did so. Below is a transcript of that recording, as best as I can decipher what was audible.

::Playback begins::
Sapphire:"Oh, don't be such a sour-puss, Lemon! What would your younger self say if she heard you now?"
Lemon: "She'd say I look like a wrinkled saddlebag, that's what! Not as much as you, though!"
*laughter from both*
Lemon: "Fine, fine. If you wanna sing 'Lonely River' I won't stop you. Never did care for that song much. Reminds me of that old crow from the Appleseed Club, you remember the one. Short mane, bad attitude? But that accent! Oh, I could have melted!"
Sapphire: "Knowing you, I'm surprised you didn't! He had quite a thing for you, especially in that show-mare outfit."
Lemon: "Hm. Too bad he turned out to be a thievin' criminal."
Sapphire: "Will you hurry up and put on the headphones already, you old hag? This record won't last forever!"
Lemon: "Always had a way with words, Sapphire."
*four loud taps on something like a music stand*
Sapphire: "Alright, whenever you're ready, Lemon."
*The next several minutes are the two of them conversing between takes, never managing to get past the second stanza without laughing about old memories. At roughly six and a half minutes in, a quiet, sharp sound is heard, like an exhale. It is decidedly more masculine than either of the mares*
Sapphire: "We have time for one more, if we hurry it up. How about...Moonless Night?"
Lemon: "Oooh, I always liked that one! That was Cinnamon's favorite, Celestia bless his memory."
Sapphire: "That it was, dearie. What do you say we sing it for him?"
The two mares flawlessly get through the entire song. During this time I notice a strange sound in the background, lasting several seconds before stopping. It repeats this pattern for nearly two minutes. I have enhanced the audio as much as possible. The result is bolded to separate it from their singing."
Both: "And when dreams may come, with hearts on high, we raise our voices--"
"Haaa...ssss..."
Both: "For my true wish, lies in your first kiss--"
"...haaave..."
Both: "Forever, and ever, in the warm summer's night--"
"Lem...." *short, laughter-like sound*
Sapphire: "Oh, goodness! I completely forgot about the tarts! Lemon, you old crone, you were supposed to remind me!"
Lemon: "Me? They're your tarts! Maybe you're going senile in your old age."
Sapphire: "If I'm senile, I'm taking you with me."
*inaudible whisper-like sounds* "Have...your name..."
Lemon: "Are you gonna stand there all day, or do I have to do everything for you?"
*static, hard to makeout*
"...yournamehaveyournamehaveyournameHAVEYOURNAMEHAVEYOURNAMEHAVE--"
Sapphire: "Keep your saddlebag on, I'm comin'! Just let me pop this record off right quick."
::Playback Ends::

In the following weeks I attempted to look up the last known whereabouts of Miss Dream, hoping both that I could get an interview from her, and that I could reunite her with her old friend. Unfortunately, it was not to be -- I received an officially-stamped envelope from the Hall of Records, stating that Miss Lemon Dream, seventy-two years old, of Whinnypeg, Equestria, was found deceased, locked in the master bedroom of her home. The apparent cause of death was starvation. Official records place her date of death as 4th of Last Snow, 3E09 -- one month after Sapphire Melody last saw her.

I have not been able to bring myself to deliver the news.

Comments

[celestia2]

oooh spooky chapter. keep up the good work!

[Razzashi]

Show me your true fear.

nice show MORE DAMNIT! PS. never highlight what someone types ever

[Drefsab]

2872446
I'm not sure what you mean by that. Do you mean bold? Because there is precedent for exactly this sort of writing style.

[Razzashi]

2874751 highlight this >brush your teeth!< is what i mean

[Drefsab]

2874879
Oh, I thought it was something to do with the story

[Olivine Ellva]

A message that was mysteriously encoded into a record, very interesting.

[Alondro]

Two chapters in and already I wish to find this demon and tear its etheral form to quark-gluon plasma then hurl it into the heart of a galactic central black hole.

I do not fear evil.

But I do hate it beyond a measure any words can describe.