Flowing Melodies

by FlashKenshin77

Season 1 Episode 2 - The Darkness Revealed! The Puzzle's Past

She slowly pushed the speaker forward, peeking over the side to make sure her target was blissfully asleep. She grinned and quietly hoofed back to grab another speaker to push to the other side of the couch.

Prism snorted, Vinyl pausing as she watched him turn over in his sleep, his ear twitching. She sighed softly and continued with her plan. Finally she went back to the turn table, pushing a few buttons and turned the volume the loudest it could go.

She closed her eyes, channeling magic into her horn and searched for a certain record. She squeed, finding it and putting underneath the needle. She grabbed her headphones, making sure they were snug over her ears before she started the record.

The entire room vibrated as the bass started, Prism instantly launching himself and latched onto the ceiling. His fur poofed up as he frantically looked for the reason he was jolted awake. He saw two speakers and a unicorn on the floor, laughing hysterically. He realized everything was upside down for a split second before gravity took hold and he crashed back down onto the couch. He laid there for a moment, clutching his chest as he tried to get his heart to work again.

She used her magic to turn off the music as she struggled to her hooves, leaning against the turntable as he glared at her, rolling off the couch.

“What the hay!? What did you do that for?” he asked, his ears still flat against his head.

Vinyl just took off her headphones and smiled at him. “Good morning, sunshine,” she said brightly.

Prism took a deep breath, and held a hoof against his head. “Why did you do that?”

Vinyl paused and tapped a hoof against her chin, pretending to think about it. “Well, you didn’t wake up the first few times I tried, and dumping water on somepony is so cliche. Thought I’d try a more entertaining alternative.”

He sighed heavily. “And what about your neighbors?”

“What about them?” she replied with a shrug. “I had this place soundproofed the day I moved in.”

“Oh, that’s reassuring,” he groaned as he fell back onto the couch, rubbing at a very powerful headache.

She chuckled softly as she rested her head on her hooves, then raised an eyebrow as she noticed the pendant still hung around his neck. “You wore that to bed?” she asked curiously

“Of course, why wouldn’t I?”

“All the mares I know at least take off their necklaces before going to bed.”

He rolled his eyes. “Yes, well, when you’re constantly on the move, you really don’t want to take off your valuables.”

“You never did tell me why it's so valuable,” she said.

“You never told me what was in that letter that Octavia gave you,” he countered.

The disapproving stare she gave him threatened to burn a hole clear through her mirrored glasses. “Always thought that a guest was supposed to be nice to the host.”

“Not when they’re being held against their will,” he muttered.

Her horn briefly illuminated as the front door opened. “If you wanna leave so badly be my guest, door’s right over there,” she said calmly.

They glowered at each other, the silence thick in the apartment. Finally, Prism sighed and looked at the floor. “I’m sorry… you’re right… thanks for letting me stay.”

She grinned, the door shutting. “Now that that’s settled, why don’t you make us some grub? I’m hungry.”

His jaw fell slightly. “But…”

“But?”

“I don’t know how to cook.”

“Sure you do! Everypony knows how to cook something!” She waved her hoof towards the kitchen and got up, yawning. “I’m sure you’ll find it. In the mean time, I’m gonna hop in the shower.” She turned and winked at him. “I better not catch you peeking…” She giggled as his face turned bright pink. “You're too easy, you know. It’s almost as if you’ve never had a mare friend,” she said, heading towards her room.

"Well..." He paused and turned. "To be honest... I've never-"

“I’ll be your mare friend,” she said as she wiggled her flank suggestively. “Just be careful the first time around, it's been awhile.”

His jaw dropped to the floor, his eyes wide and his face felt like it was on fire.

She glanced at him and almost walked into the door, trying not to laugh. “Lighten up dude, it was just a joke. Although, with that look, how could you not be a mare magnet?” A blue glow encased his jaw as it was gently shut. “Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to stare, its impolite.” She smiled, shutting the door behind her.

He stared at the door and gulped. This mare… I… I can’t understand her! He sighed, trying to calm his heart as he staggered to his hooves. Glad I’m not a pegasus... He looked around the kitchen, trying to find breakfast.

=

Vinyl walked out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her mane as she grabbed her sunglasses. She went to put them on and paused, staring at them before she looked up at the mirror. My eyes are pretty huh… She smiled and put the sunglasses on the towel and walked out, her nose picking up something. “Mmm… something smells good.” She said, walking to the kitchen.

“Oh yeah, just something my Mom taught…” Prism trailed off, turning around and saw Vinyl in a towel and no sunglasses. His voice seemed to die as he could feel his cheeks burning again.

“What? You're acting like you’ve never seen a mare out of the shower.” She rolled her eyes, sitting down at the table and rested her head in her hooves. “So what did your mom teach you?”

He opened his mouth a few times before violently shaking his head and picked up the pan. “It’s just some hash browns and haycakes.” He walked over, putting some on her plate as well as his own. He sat the pan down on the counter and made his way back to the table. “Um… thanks for trusting me not to burn down the kitchen.”

She shrugged. “No worries, not like there’s anything valuable here.”

He paused, the fork inches away from his mouth. “That’s right…” He hesitated and put the fork back on his plate. “If I may be so rude to ask…”

“Yes?”

“You seem so trusting; letting me, a relative stranger, spend the night, letting me shower, cook…” He floundered for a moment, the right words slipping from his grasp. “N-not that I’m complaining, it’s just hard for me to believe that somepony in Canterlot would do such a thing for a street pony.”

She finished her bite, leaning back slightly and taking her sunglasses off and staring at them. “When your a starting dj, you really don’t have much of anything. All your bits go into promoting your name. You lose your house, friends, family, all because you're trying to make yourself big. But… maybe you have one friend that lets you crash at their place, mooch off them for a bit, till you’re able to make some income.” She looked up at him. “So I may be a bit trusting, so what? Not like I have anything to lose, everything in here can be replaced. No, if anypony needs a place to crash, especially one related to Tavi, has a place with me. Even if they fight against it.” She grabbed another bite. “Besides, I bet its better than sleeping in a tree.”

He was silent, swirling his food on the plate. “I see…”

“I got a question for you.”

“Wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t answer.”

“Is it true that you murdered somepony?”

He blinked and sighed, dropping the fork. “Straight to the point…”

She shrugged, a bottle of Appledaniels floating over to her and she took a swig. “In my kind of work, its better not to mince words.”

He stared at the bottle before turning his gaze to her eyes. “And what if I was a murderer?”

She tapped the top of the bottle against her chin. “Haven’t said if you are or not.”

He stared at his food for a moment before he sighed. “...I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” She asked skeptically.

He nodded. “Are there times where you have no memory of anything? Just… black splotches where you don’t know what you were doing?”

“Of course but that’s only if I drink too much.”

“I don’t drink… and the interesting part, it only started once I put together this.” He said, holding his pendant in a hoof.

“Really now? What do you think it is? Some magical device that turns off your brain?”

“Honestly… I don’t know. Ever since I put it together, I get the feeling as if…” He chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “It’s stupid, you wouldn’t believe me anyway.”

“Try me.”

He looked at her skeptically before he rolled his eyes. “I feel as if there’s somepony always watching, waiting for me to fall asleep or lower my guard…”

“And they’d do what? Go on a murderous rampage? Steal from poor, innocent ponies?”

“See? I don’t even know why I said anything.” He said, getting up.

“You gotta admit, that’s a pretty big stretch.”

“Exactly, which is why I said feeling...”

“Well Mr. Feelings, you’ve done quite a lot to prove that you’re crazy, not a murderer.”

“I’d rather be crazy than a murderer.” He said, walking into the living room.

She watched him leave, staring into her drink before she sighed and finished the bottle. She pushed away from the chair and followed. “Hey Prism…” She said, pausing as she tried to find the right words. The pony in question looked up from the couch. “Have you ever taken that thing to get checked?”

“Checked?”

“You know, if it had a curse… or some magical, voodoo thing.”

“I did once…”

She sat down next to him. “And?”

He sheepishly grinned. “I… don’t remember. I asked a pony to give it a look, then there was a flash. Next thing I remember is I’m back at my camp in the Everfree.”

She slowly blinked and sighed, shaking her head as she undid the towel holding her mane. It poofed back to its normal shape as she tossed the towel towards her bedroom. “Guess if we want this mystery solved, I’ll have to take you to a friend.” She said, hopping off the couch.

“Bu-wha… wait a minute.” He stuttered.

“What?”

“Can we trust this friend of yours? I still am…”

“Oh right… huh…” She tapped a hoof against her chin, thinking. “Well, even so, we can just make up something. Which means I’ll have to disguise you from the guards.” She grinned, walking into her room.

He stared after her. “Wait a second, disguise? Do you really think that’d work?”

“Of course it would, just have to hide your cutie mark and dye your coat, give you a manecut, maybe get rid of the scarf. I mean the guards are looking-”

“Oh no, absolutely not. I can’t get rid of my scarf.” He said defensively.

“Why is it so special?”

“Its… a memento… from somepony special, alright?”

“Chill your jets dude, I was just asking.” She said, digging through her closet. “Now, where is that dye?”

“Have you ever dyed somepony?”

“Nope! But there’s always time to learn!” she said, gleefully exclaiming as she found the dye. She read the instructions on the bottle and started to get that ready. It would turn his coat a tan brown. She shrugged, trying to find her scissors to cut his mane. She rummaged around some more, turning the apartment back into barely controlled chaos.

Finally she set everything up in the kitchen as he stared worriedly at the assembled products. “W-well… we could still, you know… sneak around like we were doing yesterday…”

She raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think that’d work in broad daylight? I’m sorry but I like being the center of attention.” She patted the chair next to her. “Take a seat, the faster you sit, the faster we can get this show on the road.

He gulped, hesitantly sitting on the seat. He went to undo his scarf but stopped, his hooves on the garment. “Y-you can’t look…” He nervously said.

She rolled her eyes. “Do you really want to have the mare cutting your mane close her eyes? I doubt it could be that bad…” She reassured, gently pulling at the scarf.

He quickly covered it with a hoof. “Just… cut around it.”

She blew her mane out her eyes. “Fine, whatever. Not like it won’t grow back.” She began, picking up the scissors with her magic. It was quiet as she snipped here and there. “So…”

“So?”

“What are you hiding under there? You’re even more defensive about that spot then your puzzle.”

He was quiet, closing his eyes as he fought against a painful memory. “I was… in an accident when I was little and got a horrible scar. Thought it would be best to cover it, so I don’t draw anymore attention.”

“I see…” She said, cutting the last part of his mane. She went mute for a minute, trying to make sure his mane was even. She gently pushed his head, up, getting closer to see better as she trimmed up his bangs. “Well it can’t be that bad. Everypony has scars, just not all are noticeable.”

“Trust me, it’d definitely draw your attention.”

She ignored his comment and snipped one final time, his mane trimmed short and spiky, similar to hers. “Well Mr. Ominous, your mane is finished. Let’s get in the shower and dye your coat.” She said, grabbing his hoof and dragging him into her room as he struggled to hide his blush and stammer out a retort. “Oh grow up, not like that. At least take me out first before trying to get me in the shower.” She smiled, pushing him inside and grabbed the dye. “Hmm…” She thought out loud as she began the painstakingly tedious task of dying his coat.

While she had him stuck, she grabbed her scissors and trimmed up his tail before getting back to work. As she continued, she lightly brushed his side with her chest, his face red as he stared at the wall. “What’s wrong? Never been this close to a mare?” she said, resting against him for a moment.

“O-of c-course I have…” He managed to mutter.

“Oh really? Then it seems this is normal for you…” She said, wrapping her hooves around his neck, soaking the dye in and breathed softly into his ear. “Is this how you get all the mares?” she whispered.

His legs wobbled as his face turned as bright as a tomato. “W-well… I… uh…” He squeaked, his body trying to get air.

She stayed like that for a moment before getting off him, not before brushing her lips against his cheek. “I’m going to have to teach you to relax…” She sighed. “So much work for a colt.” She laughed as she bent down to his legs.

Please… kill me… He begged for Celestia to intervene and put him out of his misery.

=

They walked close to each other, heading to a rundown jewelry shop as he continued to twitch, the dye itchy. “So how do you know this colt?” he asked, itching his leg.

“I worked for him for awhile, trying to get some bits together to get some grub.” She said, leading the way as she whacked his hoof. “Stop it.”

“I can’t help it, so itchy.” He said, forcing himself not to continue to itch.

“When we get back you can wash it off.”

“Thank Celestia…”

“And if you’re good, I’ll help.” She whispered.

He stood straight up, his legs locking as he walked stiffly for a moment. “You really like doing that, don’t you?”

She giggled. “What can I say? You’re so easy to rile up, I can’t help it.”

He sighed. “You’ll be the death of me…”

“Oh stop being so dramatic.”

“Coming from you…”

“Yes?” she asked, pushing the sunglasses higher on her nose.

“Nothing…”

She lightly pushed him and they continued in silence for a moment. “So how can a jeweler help me?” he asked.

“He’s not just a jeweler, he’s a mage too. Can enchant any jewel you bring him, for a price of course. I’m assuming he can also sense when there’s a spell or enchantment attached to an item as well. If he can’t find something on that puzzle, then no pony can.” She said as they stood outside a rather homey jewelry store. “Here’s the place, Sapphy’s Jewels.” She said, opening the door for him.

“Well that’s subtle…” He muttered, walking in first.

The sides of the store were lined with glass cases, showing all his wares. Necklaces and rings shone in the store light, the bulbs placed in such a way to bring out the inner shine of every item. An older unicorn sat behind the counter, slouched over as he snored softly. He had a dull silver mane, streaks of black in the middle. His fading sapphire coat was covered by a silky black tuxedo with a white undershirt. His cutie mark was hidden by the coattails.

“Hey Sapphy!” Vinyl yelled, smacking the counter.

The unicorn in question jumped, his eyes flying wide open as he quickly searched for the source of the noise. He smiled as his sapphire eyes fell upon Vinyl. “Vinny, good to see you…” He trailed off, noticing Prism. “And who is this lad? A new lay?”

Prism’s face turned red as Vinyl laughed. “No, just a friend.” She kicked the back of Prism’s hoof.

He coughed. “Uh.. yeah, name’s Cinnamon and I was wondering if you could help me.”

“Depends on what you need help with. If its mare problems, you’ve come to the wrong stallion.” He laughed.

“Uh… no. I was wondering if you could see if there’s any bad magic attached to this.” Prism said, grabbing his puzzle and taking off his neck, placing it on the counter.

The laughter instantly left Sapphire’s face as he glared at the puzzle. He reluctantly picked it up, keeping it as far away from himself as possible. He looked up at Prism. “And how did you acquire this?”

“I… uh… solved it?”

He shook his head and put the puzzle down. “Well congratulations, you brought upon yourself nothing but darkness.”

Prism and Vinyl looked at each other. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t you youngins read anymore?” When they continued to stare at him, he groaned. “In ancient lore, a pony would imbue certain spells to objects to make them containers. Given enough time and energy, one could potentially make something that could hold years worth of latent magical energy. This,” he tapped against the puzzle, “is very rare indeed. I’ve only heard about it in scriptures.”

“But what do you mean? I don’t understand.”

Sapphire grabbed a jewel from underneath the counter and held it up to the light. “A unicorn could slowly transfer magic into an item with certain enhancements to store energy, that could be summoned at their call. Imagine the same thing for the pendant. Now, what would happen, if say, somepony stored enough energy to destroy a town? A city? That’s what’s in the puzzle.”

Prism took a hesitant step back as Vinyl stared at the puzzle. “But how is that possible?”

“That, I don’t know. All I can tell you is what is written down.”

“Sure, why don’t we continue the history lesson, this puzzle is becoming more and more interesting.” Vinyl said.

“Well… the legend goes that before Celestia, even before Discord, there was a king of the unicorns, who held sway over their lands. Everything was peaceful, the unicorns living in peace with each other. Crime was pretty nonexistent and thousands were spent on the study of magic. Unicorn’s used their magic and helped the earth ponies with the land. No pony dared attacked either country, the unicorn’s magic far too strong. Until one day, there was a rebellion from a sect of the mages. How and why one started, nopony knows. All the surviving records state that to defeat the leader, the king had to seal his magic away.”

“In the puzzle?”

“Yes but due to the nature of the seal, his body couldn’t handle the energy and he died. That’s where records get even more scarce. Some accounts say that he accidentally tied his soul to the puzzle instead of magic. Others say he died from poison. Hay, some even say he killed himself to save the kingdom.” He paused and scratched his mane. “But of course, that’s all legend, could be lies for all we know.”

There was a tense moment of silence. “But… how did I get it?” Prism asked in a small voice.

“That, I really don’t know. Did you ever ask whomever gave it to you?”

“All he said was he found it in a pawn shop. Nothing more…” Prism closed his eyes, trying to think back.

“Is there any way of checking if there’s any spirit or magic still in there?” Vinyl asked.

“Of course, but you’d have to be a fool.” He grinned mischievously. “And I’m just that foolish to try.”

Author's Note:

Well then... I might make this story even shorter since it got such a warm greeting haha. But I guess that's my fault for making it OC based along with a crossover. Oh well, it still got a few chapters at least. As you can see in this chapter, I'm trying the 'proper' way to write, just to try and get better. Thanks to EquesTRON for helping me out! Hopefully I did it well enough...