Embers Fall

by CrimsonWave

22 - Open Your Eyes

"I think we nailed the desert aesthetic down well for a first-timer with these." remarked Wave Rider, after having finished one of the sentries thay had planned to build.

"They've really got a foreboding look to them." replied Train Spot. "Much like everything else here that isn't coated in lighting just because."

"At least our description of this place as being half Enraged Equine, half electronic music festival aesthetic was accurate." noted Wave Rider, as he flew to the top of one of their towers to look around.

"I hope Obscurus didn't have issues figuring out how to navigate this the playa, since it's basically a gigantic clock. I told her we were around the rim at 4:00, as in this part of Duskgem is laid out in spokes towards the center where the blazicorn is through a series of lanes that are similar in layout and positioning to the face of a standard, 12-hour clock. Not that we'd be there at 4:00 p.m., since it's actually about 9:15 right now." he continued.

"Oh, there she comes!" observed Train Spot, as they noticed Obscurus slowly trotting up towards them, levitating a flashlight under her head for dramatic effect.

"Well, I think it's about time that you found us." Wave Rider announced. "See Train, I can do the pun stuff too." They shrugged.

"So, how were your first hours at the Gathering of Embers?" asked Train Spot.

"They were full of inside jokes I don't understand ... except for a few, maybe." elaborated Obscurus. "But I did get sidetracked at this little nightclub thing that had an awesome smoothie stand, and this equally awesome griffon spinning some Mareami bass I haven't heard in years!"

"How was yours?" she asked.

"Well, we put up two of the sentry towers that are totally not going to be doing anything special next Saturday, except maybe a special little light show I programmed." noted Wave Rider.

"Don't worry, we got help assembling them. Providing labor for others is just as much of a gift as everything else that is classified as one." added Train Spot.

"Apparently..." Obscurus interjected. "I must say that your truck sounds pretty good too, besides the fact that the mid-range sounds a bit weak and that there's a bit too much bass."

"My music sounds better like this!" replied Train Spot. "Gimme all the bass! ALL OF IT!"

"Actually, on second thought, maybe this a bit too much low-end..." acknowledged Train Spot, who hopped into the trailer to fiddle with the sliders a bit. "It's a little hard to judge when the speakers are outside but the equalizer panel is inside... just give me a moment."

"While we're here, where's Eight Track?" asked Wave Rider.

"Back at our campsite." Obscurus explained. "He's got a 1:40 a.m. set tonight at a camp called Infinite Heart, and he wanted to get his 'preparations' out of the way beforehand so he could have time to explore before the show."

"Infinite Heart? That sounds familiar..." Wave Rider wondered.

"Yeah, I think you said that it was a long-running fixture at the Gathering, always getting bigger every year." added Obscurus. "One of Infinite Heart's headliners this year is actually a friend of his from back in Mareami. When she heard that Eight Track was going this year, she just had to pass a referral over to their scouts to squeeze him in."

"Speaking of headliners, I don't think I told you about who I'm going to be doing a B2B with on Friday at the Break 'O Dawn!" Wave Rider excitedly teased.

"A what?" wondered Obscurus. "You know I don't understand much of your EDM lingo."

"Back-to-back set. Two DJs at once. You've done those with Eight Track before, much like I've increasingly done with Train." clarified Wave Rider.

"Oh, I didn't know there was an actual shorthand for those." acknowledged Obscurus. "By the way, Train Spot, this sounds better!"

"Thanks!" yelled Train Spot from inside the truck.

"Yeah." continued Wave Rider. "But it's who I'm doing this with that is the real surprise."

"Let me guess, Train Spot." Obscurus sarcastically responded.

"No no no, it's not one of us. Though actually Train Spot's gonna be in it too, I forgot to add." noted Wave Rider. "But the is someone rather well-known within my preferred genres, He was downright flattered when he discovered me and learned that he was my biggest influence."

"I would have randomly guessed Diablo next if not for that." acknowledged Obscurus.

"Didn't you say you were doing a performance alongside her on Friday too?" asked Wave Rider.

"Yes, I guess I am doing one of those bee set things with her on Friday." confirmed Obscurus. "We found that our styles actually mesh well with each other."

"It's nice that you two are compatible!" blurted Train Spot, who had just popped up behind them.

"I thought your name was Train Spot, not Delivery Mare." remarked Obscurus.

Train took a moment to parse her joke, and shrugged.

"Musically, yes. Romantically, undefined." Obscurus clarified. "My only contact with her so far has been through various chat apps, and all of our discussions have been about the Gathering and related activities."

Obscurus took Wave Rider and Train Spot into the trailer, as she was hesitant to discuss personal matters in front of the ponies that the Electro Express's sick beats had attracted.

"Me and Eight Track are committed to each other. When his wife died, his family moved to Seaddle so that they could be closer to their grandparents and relatives. Eight Track viewed me as the next-closest thing he had to someone who truly cared..." she continued, starting to tear up. "Clausula would not have existed in its current form if I had not made the decision to move with him. It wasn't just about the talent pool in Seaddle."

"So hold on, are you two married or anything like that?" asked Train Spot.

Obscurus re-gained her composure. "Actually, no. We're just very very close friends. We have our own houses and stuff, and like I said, Eight Track has children." she clarified.

"Speaking of Eight Track; tomorrow, we need to deliver the materials for the House of Pancakes camp to my location so we can start building it up." briefed Obscurus.

"Where do you want us to drop it off, Obscurus?" asked Wave Rider.

"My site is near the 7 o'clock spoke." she confirmed. "I can guide you to it."

"Duly noted." said Train Spot.

"Anyway, we've been working and driving all day. I think it's time for all of us to take things in." acknowledged Wave Rider. "...do you know where that smoothie nightclub place is?"

Author's Note:

Drafts are a good thing. For all we know, she could have said this...