Inverno in F Minor

by CrackedInkWell

33: Vifilli’s Winter, Second Movement in F# Major.

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For the course of a week, a debate sprang up on the lips of the Crystal Ponies. From what had happened at the stadium, everything that they thought they knew about the pail unicorn was being challenged. Eyewitnesses were questioned, opinions were reexamined, and tales about Inverno were doubted.

The Crown had released an official statement about the incident, the state the colt was in, and how the Professor was given a last chance.

As for Twilight and Spike, on the night before they have to leave, the unicorn had already taught the colt a few more useful spells, as well as leaving him with a book: “Of Useful Spells, Musical Theory, and You.”

And on that night, alone in the Music Room, was where Cadence found Inverno playing the organ. He was playing off from his copied manuscripts, an anthem in which he was rewriting the lyrics. With his hooves at the keys and a levitated quill at the parchment, he scratched out the words that once glorified his father, and was busy re-imagining a new poem out of it.

“Inverno?” Cadence tried to get his attention as she walked in, “What are you doing?”

Of course, Inverno didn’t respond, he was still in his hypnotic state to notice. The Princess went up to the unicorn and tapped him on the shoulder. This time it worked, “Sorry for interrupting, but I think there’s somepony that I think you need to speak with.”

Inverno tilted his head, so the Princess of Love turned to the door, “You can come in now.” Out of the darkness of the hallway was a familiar little drake.

At the sight of the dragon entering, Inverno turned to the manuscripts. With his horn aglow, he picked all of them up and started marching out of the Music Room. However, Spike stood in the doorway, refusing to budge.

“Out of my way,” the colt told him, but he didn’t move.

“Look,” Spike said, folding his arms, “I know that we got off from a bad start. I know pretty well in how much you hate my guts, but before I and Twilight go back home tomorrow, could you at least talk to me for just a minute?”

“Why should I?” Inverno questioned, trying to get past the dragon that was blocking him.

“Because I want you to give me a proper chance to be your friend,” it was at this that the colt stopped to look at him.

“You’re confusing,” he commented, “First you killed Papa, then you saved me from those Crystal beasts, and now you want to be my friend?”

“Um… Yeah,” Spike nodded.

Inverno looked back over to Cadence in complete confusion, “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“That he’s extending the olive branch over to you?” the pail unicorn blinked. So she clarified, “I mean he wants to make peace with you. Just give him a chance to get to know him.”

The young unicorn looked between the Princess and the Dragon, grunting he said, “Fine.”

Spike smiled and extended his claw to him, “So… How about we try starting over? Hey, name’s Spike.”

Inverno stared at it for a moment before putting his hoof in his grasp.

“So…” the baby dragon tried to start up a conversation, “I’ve heard you’re good at the piano.”

“And?”

“Can I hear you play something?” Inverno eyed him with suspicion. But since Cadence was still in the room, he made his way over and sat on the bench. After lifting the lid with his magic, Inverno asked him what he wants to hear.

Spike shrugged, “I don’t know, anything I guess.”

Inverno thought for a moment when he put his hooves on the keys. The first thing that came to mind was something that he and the Professor had been practicing. Something that the colt had practiced by choice because of the title from Vifillie’s Four Seasons: “L'inverno.” Which, according to Professor Key, the translation of the word means, “Winter.”

And so, as Inverno started to play back from what he could remember from the Second Movement, he blinked a few times to find himself alone in his old home once again. As far as he saw it, he was composing to the last lit candle in his freezing apartment. Shivering with nothing but a blanket over his back, the colt, once again alone and confused, tried to compose something beautiful.

Inverno looked around the room in the lonely candlelight. There was frost from floor to ceiling as it sparkles and glistens in the flickering flame. He looked at the door; half hoping his father would soon arrive again. But all was still.

He then felt something on his shoulder; he turned but couldn’t see anypony there. “Inverno?” he heard Spike’s voice, “You okay?”

The pail unicorn stopped playing, after blinking a few times, his isolated prison melted away back into the Music Room. He also found the dragon right next to him, “Sorry, you’ve just weirded out for a second there,” he said.

Inverno shook his head, “Oh, I guess nopony told you about me seeing music, right?”

Spike blinked, “Seeing, music?”

“Yeah, apparently I’m the only one that could actually see music as it plays.”

“So… How does that work?” the baby dragon inquired as he took a seat next to the colt. “Do you just get hypnotized or hallucinate whenever there’s music around?”

Inverno shrugged, “I guess, but it all depends on the music itself. Sometimes I see myself, other times its somepony else in a different place.” The little unicorn paused as a question popped into his head, “Can you play anything?”

“Sorta, I know a little. It’s a bit of a hobby for me when it comes to the piano, although I don’t get much time to practice.”

“Why?”

“Well, because Twilight still needs me to assist her. That’s what I do actually; I’m her number one assistant. I help her organize, clean, cook, and at times be Twilight’s voice of reason.”

“So like a servant?”

Spike frowned, “I’m not quite sure that I would go as far to call myself that. Just assistant is fine.”

“What’s the difference?”

With a defeated sigh, Spike told him, “Nevermind.” He turned to the keys on the piano. “Hey, would you mind if I played a little something?” he asks, “I think I might be a bit rusty, but I still remember one little song.”

“From whom?”

“Beethooven. I think I can recall how to play it if you let me.”

This got Inverno’s attention, “You know something from Beethooven?”

“Yeah, so would you mind?”

With nothing but curiosity, the colt surrendered the keyboard over to the dragon.

“Now just give me a sec,” Spike told him as he blindly pressed a few keys to try to find the right notes. It took him about a minute to find the keys he was looking for.

At first, it started with two notes dancing before they gave way to the rest of the rising and falling melody.

“So what do you see?” Cadence asked the young unicorn.

“This is going to sound weird,” Inverno replied, “But I think there are crystal drops that are falling from the sky. Only, I’m not sure if they’re crystal at all. When they hit the ground, they don’t shatter but melt when they touch the floor. I see a street of grass made of silver. There’s a little mare ahead of me, and she’s moving around in a weird way.”

“Like dancing?” Spike wondered as he continued to play.

“I guess. She’s just moving around in the middle of the grassy street. It’s like she’s enjoying these crystal drops falling from the sky.”

“You mean rain?”

Inverno looked upward, “Is that what this is? What’s it made of?”

Spike sighed; this was going to be one interesting night.

Comments

[RadicalDishonesty]

“So like a servant?”

Spike frowned, “I’m not quite sure that I would go as far to call myself that. Just assistant is fine.”

“What’s the difference?”

Sometimes it can be hard to tell.

But, the big parts are not having the expectation of it being eternal, not having the expectation of never having Spike's needs met, and (compared to Sombra's "servants" for sure) respect from the assisted.

[SageBrony07]

Nice job getting the two to make up. I like how this chapter is turning out. Good luck with the next one. I can't wait to see what will happen to inverno when he meets more crystal ponies.

[Luckyfanisaac]

At first, it started with two notes dancing before they gave way to the rest of the rising and falling melody.

I regenise that one.

[HgSpartan]

Woo! Spike plays Fur Elise! My all time favorite piece to play!