35: Inverno in F Minor.
Even after feeling nauseous from her morning sickness, Cadence still made her way over towards Inverno’s room. Once she approached the door, she knocked on it, “Inverno? It’s time to get up.”
When no answer came, upon opening the door, she found the young colt asleep on his desk with scattered sheet music and a quill still dipped in the inkwell. And judging by the burned out candle, it seems that he was up quite late last night.
Smirking, Cadence shook her head as she went over to tap on his shoulder, “Inverno, wake up.”
The young unicorn limply moved his head, “Hm?” After blinking, he looked around to find what woke him up. “Cadence? What time is it?”
“It’s morning, have you been up all night? What have you been doing?”
Inverno looked down at his work; his memory came back piece by piece. “Oh… Remember how those ponies wanted more of that memorial music I’ve been writing?” The pink Alicorn nodded, “I’ve been slowly coming back to it, but now… I’m stuck.”
“Composer’s block?” she asked, the colt looked at her, with eyes as if to ask what she was talking about. “I mean are you in that state of mind where you just can’t figure out what you need to do next?”
“Um… Yeah. I mean, I think I’ve got the beginning, but I’m rewriting this bit where those Crystal ponies were suffering. But I can’t capture their pain or the load of work that they…” Inverno trailed off as he yawned. Wiping the sleep from his eyes, he turned to the Princess. “Did you ever tell me what Papa had made them do when he was king?”
“I’m not sure-”
“What did he make them do?” Inverno interrupted, “Since there are so many Crystal ponies in the Empire, I don’t think he would have all of them working in the Palace, right? Maybe, he had them do something else.”
“Well… You’re pretty much right on that. When we first arrived, we found most of the ponies in the crystal mines below. A place where there’s little to no light, always dark, stuffy, and difficult to navigate.” Cadence shook her head, “But anyway, I think we should go get some breakfast.”
As the Princess of Love started to leave, she noticed there was a lack of another pair of hooves. She turned around to find that Inverno hasn’t left his spot, he looked as if he was deep in thought.
“Aren’t you coming?” she asked.
“Cadence,” he said, getting out of his seat, “After breakfast, could somepony take me down to the mines?”
Reasonably, the Alicorn was rather shocked, as well as surprised at the request, “Why would you want to go down there for? The mines are not a place for colts such as you to be in.”
“Because I think it might give me some kind of inspiration for the memorial. Perhaps while I’m down there, maybe I could have someone who was there... to tell me what it was like so I could try to capture it and put it on paper. I want to compose for all of the ponies that died because of what Papa did. I want to see what tools they used, what they wore, what work they had to do, all of it and put it to music.”
Cadence put a hoof to her chin, “I guess you can, but only if you have somepony with you at all times. I don’t want you to get lost down there.”
“I promise.”
“Good,” she turned towards the hallway, “Now come on, pancakes with sour cream sounds good to me right now.”
“Um… okay?” Inverno said as he followed her out the door.
_*_
It could be easily mistaken as the setting of a nightmare. If it wasn’t for the lamps they were carrying, they would drown in the darkness. Each hoofstep they made echoed in the seemingly endless tunnels. Every so often, their lamps would cast a jagged shadow off of the crystals or the leftover mining tools that they would pass by.
“How much further you wanted to go?” their guild asked them, his voice echoing off the walls.
Shining turned to Inverno to hear what his answer was. “I think this will do,” he said as he put his saddlebag down.
The orange Crystal pony, along with the Prince stopped when Inverno was setting up. “I still don’t understand why anyone would come down here; everypony knows it’s not a happy place to be in.”
“I’m guessing having the right atmosphere to create or something like that,” Shining guessed.
“Could you tell me, uh, Butter Rolls was it?”
The Crystal pony nodded, “Could I tell you about what?”
“When you were here, in the mines. What did you do in here? What was it like?”
Butter Rolls, the baker was taken aback at the questions, considering who was asking them. “You really mean you don’t know?”
“Locked in a room for most of his life, remember?” Shining reminded him.
“Oh… right…” Rolls hesitated, “It’s not a pretty story.”
“I’m not looking for pretty,” Inverno commented, “I’m here to capture what happened here as best as I can onto paper. So,” the unicorn’s red glow took hold of a quill and inkwell. He dipped the quill into the ink, “Do you remember what it was like down here?”
The Crystal pony sighed, “I never thought I would come back to this place… Come to think of it… It’s much cooler now because I remembered it being very hot. Every Crystal pony wore shackles and chains that clinked every time we moved.”
As he spoke, Inverno began to compose, “In a place like this, there was always noise. The picks and shovels rang loudly like bells as we were told to go deeper. I remember the crack of whips, the shouts of someone screaming for us to go faster while we moaned in exhaustion. Nopony could tell what time it was, nor did we ever cared. Let’s see, what else… I also remembered that it was very dim, nothing but a few candles here and there, but for the most part, we labored in the dark, digging downwards. We’ve stepped over gravel and sometimes on sharp rocks, but we always had to keep moving.
“In all honesty, I don’t think anyone had gotten out of the tunnels until Your Majesty and the Princesses arrived. I’ve always remembered that it was hard to sleep since you’re never given a bed, and the noise was always constant. Nopony could sleep to the music of misery that never ends.
“Sometimes, if we found some scrap of anything edible or even a puddle of water, we would fight over it like a pack of hungry rats. There was no idea of kindness, only survival by any way you can. I admit… some of us have done things in the name of desperation.”
Inverno meanwhile, listens intently to the things that Butter Roll could recall. He listened to his story echoing off the walls. In his mind’s eye, all the clues that he finds useful were gathered into a mental image. And that image turned into notes on the music sheets.
_*_
Weeks went by, and the colt’s composition grew. He carefully went back each night over mistakes on the organ, piano, and his voice until they were just as he wanted it. Key Signature helped as well with the composition, he helped to expand the sketches to include a string section, winds, brass, percussion, and even a choir.
Inverno asked the royal couple daily in taking him to where his father had harmed the Crystal ponies for the sake of inspiration. Sometimes, it would be in the mines or the torture chamber. Other times, he would ask them to be taken to his father’s room, or even his old home for the same reason.
Then, there are times where he would interview servants, guards, or he would ask one of the citizens to tell him their experience before and during Sombra’s rule. From there, he would scratch out a few bars of music to work off from.
Within a few months, Inverno got closer to completion. He had an idea in how to finish the massive memorial by composing a lullaby. But for the end, he wants this one to be unique, something that when performed, it would be both personal, and fulfilling to the great apology.
He set to work this lullaby in the place where he’s spent most of his short life in, whereby candlelight, Inverno experimented on his old organ and copying the sound onto paper.
“Inverno? Are you in here?” Professor Key’s voice was heard through the open doorway.
“Come in,” he told him, jotting a few more notes.
He heard his teacher’s hoofsteps from behind, “Writing in the dark again?”
“I’m almost finished anyway Professor,” Inverno put the quill back inside the inkwell before turning to him, “So what do you want?”
“Well, I’ve been looking around for you to tell you a couple of things.”
“And that being?”
“Firstly, I believe I’ve just finished arranging your last few pages. So, I was wondering if you have something else you wanted me to arrange.”
“Yeah, this last piece and I think I’m done writing out the memorial.”
“Really? You’re nearly done?”
Inverno nodded, he gestured over to the manuscript, “Want to hear it? I think I’m just about to finish.”
Key Signature looked over the colt’s shoulder and peaked at the freshly written music. “You had it written in Istallion? But why did you written this in Istallion when you’ve written the whole memorial in Equestrian?”
“Cadence suggested it,” the pail unicorn explained, “I went to her earlier about writing the final piece in that I wanted to make it like a lullaby, but I wasn’t sure what words to set it to. Well, she showed me this poem from one of her books. It was originally written in Istallion and has the Equestrian translation on the other page. And she picked this one because it pretty much fits in what I’ve been composing.”
“Oh,” the elder Earth pony nodded his head, “I see. And there’s something else I want to tell you. Inverno, since it looks like you don’t need me to teach you anything else, I want to ask you that after I arrange this, may I be excused to go back to Canterlot?”
Inverno turned sharply to him, “You mean you’re leaving!?”
“Not right now, but soon. I think I’ve taught you much about both music and history as it is. You have grown as a composer, and have absorbed my teachings in such a short amount of time. I’m still impressed by you, Inverno, as young as you may be; it has been a joy teaching you.”
“But… Why are you leaving?”
“I am a grandfather, remember? I still have a family that has been missing me. Both Cadence and Shining know this, they’ve already given their blessing for me to go back to Canterlot. Besides, thanks to you, I have a Granddaughter that wishes to have me back.” As he spoke, the Professor noted that Inverno tilted his head down with a frown on his face. He lifted his chin upward, “Please understand, I’m not doing this to you because I don’t want anything to do with you anymore. As a teacher, I believe you have learned everything that I could teach you to make you a better pony. Besides, you could have gone after those ponies that had beaten you, but I was impressed that you didn’t. I think you’re on your way to becoming a good stallion. And with any luck through your music, I think you might become a great one.”
“You really think so?”
Key nodded, “Now then, you wanted to show me your lullaby?”
“Oh! Oh, right,” Inverno turned to the organ’s keys. Here, he cleared his throat and started to sing.
For the elder stallion, Inverno’s voice wasn’t anything he’d expected. To Professor Key, this was the first time that he was able to hear the colt’s singing voice. Over the soft sounds of the organ, Inverno sang the high notes with grace like a violin. The slow movement in his singing was smooth and unnaturally pure for a colt his age. Even in the Baroque style, with all of its trills, the Professor remembered something from his knowledge of musical history, and silently yet sadly realized what Inverno was.
The young unicorn stopped playing, “And that’s all I got so far,” he turned to his teacher, “So Professor, do you like it?”
Key Signature nodded, “Oh yes, that was lovely. Quite fitting for the ending I should think so.”
Inverno smiled, “Thanks, I should be done with this soon,” he said as he turned back to the organ, picking up the quill once more.
_*_
“So, how was the first day of rehearsals?” Shining asked, putting away his book that his little sister had given the colt back on the shelf.
“I don’t know,” Inverno admitted as he climbed on his bed. “They kinda did okay at first, but it’s still didn’t look right. I think they have some ways to go.”
“That’s what the rehearsals are for; they practice something until they get it right.”
“I know, but I just hope they do get it right on time though,” Inverno commented, “After all, didn’t Cadence say that she might have the baby due within a few months now?”
“Something like that,” the Prince shrugged as he headed for the door to turn off the light. “I’m still kinda nervous myself; I just hope that the foal will turn out well.”
“How come?”
Shining stopped, “Well, it’s nothing. It’s just I hope our foal will turn out healthy and all.”
“Oh…” Inverno trailed off in thought, “Hey Shining, can I ask you something?”
“Sure, what is it?”
Inverno looked at the Prince from across the room and asked, “Do you think that I might be… you know… kinda like your foal too?”
Shining paused to sink in what he was being asked, “W-What do ya mean?”
“Do you think of me as your guys’ kid too? I mean, I have been living with both of you guys for this long. And I think I’m starting to like the idea of Cadence being something like my… (What do you call them again?) Mom, I guess? And you’ve gotten nicer too. For you… I’m not sure if I would want to call you dad, but I think that you need some practice though.”
Prince Armor blinked, “You… You really think that I might be a dad?”
“Like I’ve said, I don’t think you’re quite there yet. But you’re trying, right?”
“Yeah,” Shining nodded, “I think I’ve come quite a ways.”
“But you still need to practice a bit more,” Inverno pointed out. “I know I won’t be able to see my Papa again, but I think with you, maybe you’ll become a better dad.”
Shining couldn’t help but smile, “Wow… thanks.”
“Yeah,” the colt slumped back into bed. Shining went over for the lights on the way out, after switching them off, he heard Inverno mutter, “Goodnight, Dad.”
The Prince looked over to the bed, his silhouette next to the kid as he was going to sleep. Shining registered what he’d heard, Dad. Inverno for the first time had called him Dad, without any hint of sarcasm or even joking.
“Goodnight Inverno,” and with that, Shining stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind him. He knew exactly what he and his wife were going to talk about before they went to sleep.
_*_
Inverno insisted that he should be the one conducting his Memorial Symphony. After watching the other conductor, observing how he beats time, the colt persuaded that he should be the one leading the music at its premiere.
So, when the night came where the Empire’s citizens gathered at the stadium, seeing the choir and an orchestra made up a wide range of instruments that included a piano, a harpsichord, and even an organ, the audience was curious in what they would be hearing that night.
Amongst the crowd, was a heavily pregnant Cadence with her husband. They sat down in their special seats and waited for Inverno to arrive while the orchestra was tuning.
“Where is he?” Shining wondered out loud, “Everyone’s ready.”
“Perhaps he’s running late,” Cadence supposed.
“How could he? He’s the one who insisted on conducting this thing, to begin with.”
“Maybe something was slowing him down,” she guessed, and it was answered when the sound of chains clanked as somepony entered the stadium. Cadence looked and covered her mouth as she gasped.
When Inverno entered, everypony in the stadium went silent as he was being escorted by two Crystal Guards, and wearing some eerily familiar chains around his neck and hooves. Everyone in that stadium immediately recognized the clanking chains and the heavy collar that Inverno was wearing. It was the very symbol of their slavery that Sombra’s colt was bearing.
Cadence turned to her husband, “What is he doing?”
“You mean you didn’t know about this either?” Shining whispered back.
“Of course I didn’t know. What is he wearing those chains for?”
“Um, your Highnesses,” one of the nearby guards whispered, “If I recall it correctly, he asked to show up in those chains.”
“Do you know what the reason is?” Cadence asked.
“I think he said something about wanting to know fully what we’ve gone through. That he wanted to walk from the Palace to here in those chains.”
The Royal couple turned back to the pail unicorn, which looked like he had trouble walking to the conductor’s stand. Each step was labored, he even breathed heavily as he went up the small flight of stairs. Taking step after straining step upward; until he reached the spot that when he got to it, the guards unbounded the chains around his hooves, kept the collar on, and locked the colt to the brass railings on the stand.
After catching his breath, Inverno opened up the finished, printed score; this cued the orchestra to ready their instruments. But before he started, he looked over to the candle that was set beside the music stand, and with his horn, he lit it.
Inverno raised his arms, looked at the orchestra who sat or stood at attention. He looked up to the choir in which all eyes were on him.
And so, the son of Sombra moved his forelegs and started to compose before the Crystal ponies the world before, and during, the rule of the dark king.
While the music played, Inverno’s eyes widen and saw the Crystal Empire the way it was a thousand years ago. The melody of a carnival danced out as he saw the foals played, the adults laughed, as they all sang their identity.
Then, amongst the cheerful crowd that danced in freedom, the cellos and bassoons softly crept into the festival. Meanwhile, the past Crystal Princess also entered from the fanfare of brass, organ, and harpsichord, a march that was soaked in love.
Then, with one loud thump of a deep drum, the Princess was killed, and from the shadow of the corpse, arose a stallion that took the crown. And amongst the shock, he made them call him king.
Onto the next movement, where all around the stadium, ponies held up chimes alongside the audience. At Inverno’s signal, the chimes rang out, the echoes of pickaxes and shovels sang in the darkened space along with the pizzicato of the strings while the choir sang of hardships in the darkness. Wooden blocks sharply cracked the air, like the whips that once sliced their backs. The choir then became a duet between a tenor and an alto, both struggling to survive yet wished to see a light in the darkness.
Cadence heard the sound of sniffing; she looked to her right and saw a mare trying to whip the tears from her eyes as the singers hope that freedom would come soon. She even saw many bowed their heads down as if all of them were looking back to their darkest of times.
Then, the music shifted, the chimes died down as did the singing, for now, only screaming flutes, and moaning brass ruled as the crack of the blocks still carried the beating. Violins and violas from time to time shrieked as if they were being pulled apart. The dark theme from earlier came back, stronger than before, carried out the melody in the torture in its musical moment.
No one applauded when the Second Movement finished. Even Inverno gave a moment of silence before continuing onward. But lifting his hooves again, the soft organ began to play, while the piano played a few thoughtful, icy notes every few bars. It was as if the music in this movement was waiting for something, even the harp started falling asleep as it scaled downward. Throughout the Third Movement, there was no singing, rather, there was humming that counterpointed the organist.
This time, there was polite applause from the Crystal Ponies. “What do ya think that was supposed to be about?” Shining whispered.
“I envisioned it to be after Sombra took the city with him, to be frozen for a thousand years. Perhaps it was about them being frozen in time.”
“Oh, I think I get what he’s doing here. He’s apologizing by telling the Empire’s history through music.” The Prince nodded his head, “That’s… kinda clever.”
“Even I admit,” said one of their guards, who, up until this point remained silent throughout the performance. “It’s rather touching that he’s trying to reach out, or empathizing with us as best as possible.”
When the whispers died out, Inverno raised his forelegs for the final movement. It started by a solo piano that sounded as if it was waking up from its slumber. Soon, other instruments joined in the awakening. In Inverno’s eyes, the Empire, piece by piece returned. Oboes and violas showed the former slaves have noticed that the whips were still, and their chains were loose. They escaped their chains to return to the surface to find two ponies calling out. One that had the voice of a solo flute that appealed to them sweetly, while a clarinet searched in earnest.
Not too long, the trumpets, all six of them plus a xylophone, came to assist the citizens that they will rebuild their Empire once more. However, the dark theme from earlier, although quiet, still threatened to take this new peace down. So a solo trumpet and the xylophone went on a quest to find the very thing that would end Sombra’s reign once and for all.
There were some dark moments where it seemed that neither would succeed in their quest, but the song of the Crystal Heart was found when the harp player. The xylophone helped carried the heart to the Princess, in which, by one great crescendo, the dark theme of Sombra was no more.
Then, the choir began to sing a canon that celebrated their newly found freedom. The Royal couple could have sworn that some of the Crystal citizens in the stadium were humming along with them.
And just when they thought that was the end of that, Inverno did something unexpected. After the Freedom Cannon died down, the orchestra slowed down its tempo to a bittersweet tune. Then, while still having his back against the audience as he conducted, the colt began to sing.
“Lascia ch'io pianga,” The audience was confused at first; they were trying to identify who was singing. This pure voice that was gentle as the song of a lark, yet at the same time was discipline in singing out this melody of extreme emotion.
“Mia cruda sorte,” However, the only source that this voice was coming from was from the one who was conducting. Inverno was signing!
“E che sospiri” It was a voice in mourning, full of regret yet with such beauty in the style that he once sang to his father. Inverno sang it almost like a lullaby, yet, the aria had that hint of sadness that echoed in the stadium with the slow movement of the strings.
“La libertà.” But at the same time, the Crystal citizens were very surprised that the little colt could sing like an archangel. Some even wondered if Inverno was the one who really was singing and not some hidden mare that was doing this.
“Il duolo infranga queste ritorte, de' miei martiri, sol per pietà.”
As the song continued, Shining leaned over to his wife and whispered, “Why is he singing in Istallion?”
“He’s singing something that I’ve suggested. It came from that book we got from our honeymoon, that little book of poems.”
“Okay, but what is he saying?”
Cadence turned to Inverno and answered, “In Equestrian, he’s saying, ‘Let me weep my cruel fate, and sigh for liberty. May sorrow break these chains of my sufferings, for pity's sake.’”
Shining said nothing and listens to the rest of the song.
But as all music, Inverno’s aria came to an end, he lowered his hooves to grasp the brass railing that he’d been chained to, and closed his eyes for the response.
There were stomping of hooves that made it sound like a mountain crumbling, but when the colt turned his neck around, he found the audience applauding. And so, the guards that stood next to him finally unshackled his collar.
As Inverno bowed, he, at last, felt something that to him could only be described in one word.
Freedom.
_*_
There was a commotion in the Palace’s infirmary turned delivery room. Cadence moaning and screaming in pain while the doctors and nurses tried to instruct the Princess of Love with Shining being right next to her.
In the meantime, Inverno was upstairs being looked over by two guards, in which he’d learned they were named Offense and Defense.
“What’s it like?” Inverno asked them.
“Huh?” they both inquired.
“I mean, you two are brothers right?”
“Yeah,” they said in unison.
“So, what’s it like to be a brother? I never had a sibling before.”
“Oh, I see,” Defense nodded, “Well, it’s kinda hard to explain, I mean, I’ve known Offense all my life. So I’m not sure how to describe having a brother.”
“I admit, it is a difficult question to answer,” Offense admitted. “But I guess it’s like living with somepony that’s like a friend, except it’s not. Unlike friends, you can’t just fall away with a sibling so easily, even if you hate them, or find them annoying; they’re still part of your family.”
“Yeah,” Defense commented, “I guess it’s about learning how to get along with someone that’s older or younger than you. But from personal experience with Offense here...” he pointed to his brother, “...it’s something that takes a lifetime to learn. So don’t beat yourself up if you mess up. After all, both you and the baby are still learning.”
Inverno looked down to the direction of the stairs that descended downward. “How long do you think it takes for a foal to come out of another pony’s body?”
They shrugged, “I guess it depends,” Offense said, “I’m not a mare, so I don’t think I would know.”
“Same,” Defense said. The three of them heard hoofsteps that were coming up the stairs. As soon as Shining Armor’s horn was visible, the guards saluted.
“Inverno,” the Prince called out.
“Is she okay?” Inverno asked, “Is Mom alright?”
Shining smiled, “Do you want to see your little sister?”
Both of the guards looked at each other, “Sire,” Defense spoke first, “You mean that Princess Cadence gave birth to-”
“A healthy little filly?” Shining finished his sentence. “Uh-huh, but she also comes with a surprise.”
“Surprise?” the two guards and the colt asked.
“Come and see,” and with that, Inverno followed Prince Armor to the Infirmary, to find that besides a bed, there was a crew of whispering Doctors and a hoofful of the Palace staff.
After wedging his way in, Inverno found his adopted mother, her mane in a mess, eyes tired yet had a small smile on her face. In her forehooves, wrapped in a white blanket was the tiniest pony that the young unicorn had ever seen.
“Who’s that?” Inverno asked.
“She’s my baby,” Cadence said, her voice hoarse. “My little baby, Flurry Heart.”
Inverno looked closer at the foal in the bundle, “She’s really tiny.”
Cadence’s smile grew, “I know.”
“Shining said something about a surprise,” he said, looking at the horn sticking out. “What’s so surprising about a unicorn?”
The Princess answered this as she moved some of the blankets to reveal an unusually large pair of pink wings.
“Oh…” Inverno exclaimed and was immediately shushed by the ponies around him. “Does this happen very often?”
She shook her head. “It’s been a very, very long time since a pony was born an Alicorn… I think. Do you want to touch her?"
The little composer cautiously lifted a hoof to rest on the tip of the infant’s nose. In which, Flurry opened her big eyes. “Why is it that she has a small body but have huge eyes?” he wondered out loud, moving his hoof to her cheek. “And why is she really soft?”
“Babies tend to be like that when they’re first born,” Shining explained.
Inverno moved his hoof where it was over the infant’s mouth, to which, Flurry opened hers and sucked the tip of his hoof. He tensed up as he felt his hoof being touched by something wet and slimy. “Geeahhauh! What is she doing?!” Inverno asked as he quickly took his hoof away to wipe off the saliva on the bedsheet.
Cadence couldn’t help but laugh. “I think she’s hungry.”
“Couldn’t she try to warn me a bit before she started to eat me?” the colt asked.
“Oh come on,” Shining commented, “She was just born today.”
As Inverno left the room, he came to a moment of enlightenment: Having a little sister, was going to be weird.
It's... It's done. It's finally done! Wow. I honestly didn't think this story would had taken this long, but, here we are.
So... I guess I have one last question for all of you, what did you think of it.
That is, if you don't mind.
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This doesn't match my usual taste in stories, but it was fine nonetheless.
Well done, CrackedInkWell! Admittedly, it's not what I would've done with this premise, but you've done really well with this!
The only issues I have with this would easily be fixed with some editing - but you have even admitted that the recent chapters are unedited, so that's completely understandable.
6231458 I've recently got an email from my editor yesterday that he said the he's been busy lately, but he found a window of opportunity to edit a couple more chapters. So it will be edited, it's just a matter of time.
6231472
I'm not overly concerned, to be honest. The story is still quite good!
What a glorious ending. Right after Inverno finishes the song, Skyla's born! Also, I want shenanigans with Inverno and Skyla.
I like how you used Handel's greatest and most beautiful yet moving Aria for the final piece of the Memorial that Inverno composed. it truly made this chapter very moving and yet both sad and happy at the same time. keep up the good work on the story and nice job on this chapter . :)
6231628 Thank you, in my honest opinion, I have two favorite arias from Handle, I chose this one because the translation of the lyrics fitted perfectly with Inverno's lullaby. And the video was no accident either, I've chosen this one in particular because I thought it was the closet thing to Inverno's castrato voice that we could get.
6231648
you were spot on, you should give this Aria a listen to to see if this would work for your story a bit.
https://youtu.be/d_fDgQ73F7k?list=FLrx5nYqqCQeligcr4G4j1Zg
more please?! this was adorable. i look forward to updates on this story. sad to see it's finished
6231612
6231698 Look, I won't make promises on this since I really want to move on to another story. However, perhaps, I may do one where it's just a series of snapshot of Inverno and Skyla. But for now, I wish to move on.
6231754 I understand. Either way, I'm looking forward to readin' your OTHER works.
6231754 it's ok. i understand.
6234154 Simple, the same reason why not a single note of Mozart's music was ever changed when they filmed one of my favorite films of all time, "Amadeus." In that when music is called for, suddenly, it becomes a third character to the story. If done right, classical music can be complex, emotional, and in the right circumstance, alive.
In fact, it's because of this learned secret I've learned from "Amadeus" that I became interested, and even obsessed with classical music to begin with.
There was a piece of dialog that I remember the most. It came from Salieri, who during the film was telling the story about him and Mozart to a priest several years after Mozart's death. A man who in the film described how he as a composer became increasingly jealous of Mozart's talent when he wrote music. This quote, described when he looked at Mozart's printed music for the first time.
"On the page, it looked... nothing. The beginning simple, almost comic. Just a plus... Bassoons, basset horns, like a rusted squeeze-box. And then, suddenly, high above it... an oboe. A single note hanging there unwavering. Until, a clarinet took it over, sweeten it into a phrase of such delight. This was no compensation of a performing monkey. This was a music I've never heard. Filled with such longing; such unfulfillible longing. It seemed to me that I was hearing the voice of God."
6234197 In English, that word means "mouthful."
Great story. I enjoyed it. I hope maybe we will see a sequel were Inverno deals with his rage a bit more, as he becomes a musical success throughout equestria. Who knows, maybe even Sombra's ghost will return and cause even more havoc. Great story.
6313386 Why not? Besides, that ship plays a microscopic part compared to the rest of the story. Besides, the story isn't about those two, it's about the kid.
Sometimes it would be in the minds, or the torcher chamber.
I think you mean mines.
“Why is it that she has a small body but have huge eyes?” he wondered out loud, moving his hoof to her cheek. “And why is she really soft?”
Is this what Inverno is looking at?
img01.deviantart.net/a211/i/2013/072/e/a/princess_skyla__1_by_zutheskunk-d5agic7.png
Planning a continuation?
6590964 To be honest, as of late, my head is filled with several ideas to write after I get done with the Roman story I'm working on. Like the life and times of Inverno and Skyla, Twilight's daughter accidentally travels back in time before her mom started dating, and one that has to do with some of the students at Canterlot High.
6590961
6590989
Thx
Did you actually laugh?
6590995 Since I was waiting to see when you read the whole thing, I have to point out two things: 1, yes I did. That was actually cleaver (and I won't ask where you got that picture from). 2: So as a whole, what did you think of it? Was it any good?
6591004
1.)I just searched mlp Skyla
2.)Learned a lot on music and I liked that Inverno called Shinning and Cadance Mom and Dad. (Dad and Mom didn't sound right.)
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I'm honored. In a way, it's kinda what I intended it to be, a balance between an interesting read and something educational on Music's history in a new point of view.
6673884 No problem. Some people don't take it very well. I was once blocked for pointing out spelling and the like on a story! (Still a bit salty about it, but what can you do) I like the story so far!
great story, i hope the is going to have a sequel to this.
The musical chices and descriptions were lovely, if overbearing at times. The story was intriguing and unique. The final apology was marvelous. Using the music and descriptions from before I almost learned to "see" music. It was, of course, simply a vibrant image in my head; but I almost heard Inverno's masterpiece, so well written was the word.
well then this is probably one of the best storys iv ever read. i dont know if its my minde playing tricks on me but i think i saw vary little mistakes in there any were or it chuld be the fact iv spent the last 3 hours or so reading this
7034344 This story will be edited fully. It's just a matter of time.
7452112 The original video was long taken down so I had to find something else to replace it.
7471698 Thank you. I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the story.
A wonderful and thoroughly enjoyable read. However I did wish to learn about Inverno's mother and more about his (presumably) half-siblings, like why he was made to transcribe music in the first place and where Sombra came from and why he decided to condition a genius and such.
EDIT: I'd remove the sad tag since the drama tag suffices for the story's content with the help of the dark tag, but that's just my opinion since I try to describe a story with as few tags as possible.
7472612 I've just corrected those words you've pointed out. To be honest, I've been thinking of giving this story a squeal for some time now. One that follow the life and times of him and his new sister. The problem I'm facing is that I've already got too many stories that need to be completed as it is.
But I promise, when the time comes that I narrow down my list of incomplete stories, I will start to work on a squeal to this story. After all, I don't tend to make promises that I know I can't keep.
7472657 If it does pop up, I'll be sure to read it.
I will attempt to not spoil for readers who skim comments before reading the story.
I read this in a single go and it has sparked a number of feelings in me.
The growth of Inverno is well paced, and even after a year (pony gestation is anywhere from 10-12 months, assuming you kept to that timeline) he still has moments that he shows his innocence. He can show ponies the dark while using the light to do so, blending the two in equal measure.
His mistreatment by his father - and I care not what anyone else would call it, he was abused horrifically, and it's going to cause issues in his life, but hopefully, with how his situation ended up, he'll be able to confront it with a simple question and apology.
I was surprised at first to hear who Key Signature's granddaughter was and even more for why they parted angrily. When looked at in this light, it makes me rethink the undertones of the relevant chapter in my Valentine's Day story.
All in all, it was a well-rounded piece and I thank you for sharing it with us.
Now if you'll excuse me, I appear to have spilled some water on the inside of my glasses...and face...clumsy me...
It was good, and I found myself liking it a fair bit. Music is interwoven with the words to a degree that I have not seen before in any fic, and it shines even despite, or perhaps in spite of, the smaller errors interspersed throughout.
Very good job, mate.
(Trying to keep spoiler free for those who read comments.)
Wow.... I loved this story, I loved the music along with it and that last chapter really hit me deeply since I sing things in other languages with my choir. This was a lovely story, and I enjoyed it very much. +1 fave +1 like.
8195523 And I'm honored that I would have you to be the star.
8195548
it was a good read
9472216
You're welcome! And just so ya know, there's a sequel that's out and still working on.
I just finished this story, but I haven't read the sequel yet. I am not very experienced in literature or music, so I dont know how helpful my opinion will be.
Anyway, I have very mixed feelings about your story.
First of all, the idea of your story is lovely and great. A very morally ignorant colt that doesn't truly understand many evils. Seeing slavery and slave abuse as normal, even participated in it too. All while being innocent because he doesn't see this as a morally bad thing due to lack of understanding. The idea of teaching morals to this colt who is very ignorant of the world and culture around him really intrigues me. I was expecting you to use music as a sign of character growth.
For example, the very first piece he would play would be pleasant sounding but boring and plain because he doesn't have any experience with the real world.It would be like listening to emotionless music. Or alternatively, his first piece could be more about solitude and wanting to explore the world. However, as he learns more of the world around him, his piece would evolve with it. So, instead of him having an orchestra to learn from, he would experience the outside world more personally. Then he could play a piece like the Four Seasons to represent this.
When it came to Sombra's death and how Inverno would cope, I suspected that Inverno's new original works of art would focus around the memorial of Sombra. The memorial music would build more and more over the time he learns more of Sombra and his atrocities, eventually building a lullaby like song that also recognizes Inverno's love for Sombra and shows that Inverno recognizes how bad Sombra was. I think the Violin Sonanta in G Minor "Devil's Trill Sonata" would have been great for this.
This relates to my biggest gripe of this story. I felt as if your story was very rushed and the character development, along with all the character's personal issues suffered from this majorly. Now, you have some moments where I think you did very good, like how the Cyrstal Ponies made him out to be some type of boogeyman or how Inverno portrays his innocence, despite saying things that is morally wrong. For example, the way referred to Ponies as slaves.
Everything else though, I had a problem with. First, let's start with how Sombra's death was treated by Inverno. I personally feel as if the death of a close Father of an extremely lonely colt would hang over the child's head throughout the entire story. I really felt as if the death of Sombra had barely any effect on Inverno, it never seemed to affect. We rarely ever had an in-depth look of how Inverno feels throughout the story because this was primarily a 3rd p.o.v. story. I personally believe Inverno should have been the main narrator of the story that compares how he was taught to act by Sombra to how he is meant to act now.
For example, him having no manners. You have touched this, but haven't explored it. Inverno could be extremely rude without knowing, like ordering the servants around as if he owns them. Or throwing tantrums at Shining Armor for keeping him inside and acting as if he has authority over him.
The second thing is the prejudice of the Crystal Ponies. Now, I like mind how you touched this at the start. Using it as the primary reason for keeping him inside and using guards as a way to show this prejudice. But, later in the story, these petty little things kinda stop. Making the relevance and consequences of this prejudice kinda null. The servants should have treated him badly. Like, framing the colt for petty vandalism in the castle or purposefully worse ingredients in his food to make it taste bad for him. The guards should've always been sneering at him when alone and having that "cold stare" as you had before. It is petty but those little things added a lot to the world.
I am not really mention Shining though, I think you did fine with him. Same with Cadence, though I wish we had more interaction with Cadence to build a mother and son bond. Near the end, you had Inverno directly mention the idea of adoption to them and saying he liked it, which really took me for a spin because it was abrupt and it wasn't that long after Sombra's death. That part was just really abrupt and sudden.
The Professor was my favorite character throughout all this and I think your most well done. The only issue is the very sudden reveal of his conflict with Octavia and the very quick resolution of said conflict.
I wanna type more but I am afraid that this little essay of mine doesn't actually help or is not constructive. Hell, I dont even know if you'll read it, so I will just leave it at this.
I am going to read the sequel now.
CrackedInkWell, it's "Fur Elise", not "Fur Elies".
Bravo! Absolutely loved it! I wish there was a link to the full composition inverno made because after hearing the lullaby I’m entranced. Great job!