My Heart's Content

by Doctor Disco

7 - Dreams and Breakfast

“Where are we going this time, Mels?” Carol asks me.

“I hope we’re not asking llamas for directions,” Ben muttered and I glare hot daggers at him.

“That was once, Ben.” I shove him as we continue to pack the van.

“Once is enough, with how you actually thought he was telling us where to go when the herd turned to one direction,” Ben elaborated, putting a box marked ‘Sciency Stuff of Science!’ into back.

“Hey, now there’s no need to bash Melody about that,” Carol says and I grin gratefully at her. As I’m about to say my thanks, she adds, “It’s still better than that time she performed for those poor kids when she had a sore throat.”

I put a hand to my chest and wipe a fake tear away from my eye. “I could swear today was ‘Road Trip’ day, not ‘Roast Melody About All The Times She Messed Up’ day,” I mumble feeling betrayed. Ben and Carol laugh as they help me pack the last few things away into the van.

“It’s okay, Melody,” Carol began as she opened the door to shotgun, “We’ve only just begun.” She smiles sweetly and I groan in bemusement with a smirk of my own.

“I could do the same to both of you, but I’m far kinder than the both of you to do that,” I mumble aloud as we all get in.

“I’m sure you could, but that is why you won’t ever get the upper hand on us,” Ben says, starting the van.

“Too bad I’m the only real one with any brains here,” Carol calls out as we pull out of the driveway and Ben and I both look at Carol with fire in our eyes.

“Hey!” Ben and I call out at the same time, and we all have a good laugh.

As we drove to our destination, I began to sing some popular pop songs I had memorized, but was annoyed when Ben switched on the radio, playfully joking that I was a horrible singer. I huffed at that, and stuck my tongue out at him while Carol slapped his thigh, emitting a whine of pain from Ben. We both giggled at that, and soon enough we were all singing along to a particularly (well, relatively speaking) old song, “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga. Too bad Ben’s singing was as horrible as a screeching duck, but we all had a fun time all the same.

Soon enough, we find ourselves driving to the edge of a forest that I had marked on the map. After having done some research, I had isolated an area filled with some lore and potential odd occurrences. You see, even though I am a singer, I like to explore. I can’t help it. You must know, just enjoying the thrill of finding new things, especially in a world where everything seems to be known already.

“Wow… I can’t believe it…” Carol whispers as we finally hike to the edge of a cave system.

“I never thought we would’ve ever actually found it…” Ben mutters as we can feel the presence of something within the caves, a ever so slight glow emanating from within. I put my hand up to feel for my necklace and find that it seems to be pulsing now, heat emanating from it. I pull it out from my shirt and find that it’s glowing all the colours of the rainbow, pulsing at a steady beat. As I step into the cave, my charm begins to glow brighter and pulsate faster, which I take as a sign of good news.

“Told you so,” I tell Ben and he pokes me with his elbow. Laughing as I clutch my side in pain, we look at the fissure of glowing magic and watch it in awe...

“Melody, wake up.”

I thrust my head around, looking for that voice. It doesn’t sound like Carol or Ben, but it seems so familiar.

“D-Derpy?” I mutter as I watch my friends look at me with worry. I don’t want to leave them… Is this all just a dream?

“Melody!”

I snap awake.

“Hm!” I jolt as I sit up wide-eyed. In front of me sits Derpy, looking at me worriedly.

“Melody, are you okay?” the mare asks. I sit there for a moment, getting my brain to kickstart itself before shaking my head.

“I’m, uh, fine, Derpy. Thanks.”

“Well, I was worried for a second because you were crying in your sleep,” Derpy mutters and I put a hoof up to my face. Sure enough, my hoof feels wet contact, and I pull it back to see a damp hoof. I stare at if for a few seconds.

“So I… So I was…” I whisper. “I just had a dream… good memories…”

Sighing, I begin to wiggle out of the sleeping bag. “Thanks anyways for waking me up, Derpy,” I thank and she nods in reply. As I get to four hooves, I see I’m one of the only ponies awake. The only other ponies would be Derpy, Bon Bon, and Doctor Whooves.

“What about the others?” I say as Derpy walks into the kitchen.

“Let them sleep. I was just worried for you for a second there, and Bon Bon and the Doc are awake already.” Nodding my understanding, I take a glance at how the other ponies are before moving to the table..

Well, I wouldn’t expect anything less of Octavia. With her hooves placed across her barrel, she breaths in and out slowly and peacefully. Just like a true upper class person, or, uh, pony. Lyra… well, she’s snoring. I mean, I would’ve thought since Lyra and Octavia are both musical and stuff, they would be quite similar, but nope. Plus, While Octavia’s hooves are in a rested position, Lyra’s forelegs are sprawled out. Smiling to myself at their sight, I look at Vinyl and Minuette.

It looks like Vinyl Scratch never takes off her glasses, and they seem content where they are. Even her mane has stayed relatively the same, whereas I unfortunately have bedhead. With her hooves constantly tapping on her sleeping bag, I have a feeling she actually is awake already. If not, well, it must be a pretty upbeat dream. Minuette looks like she’s having a bad dream. Tossing and turning in her bag, she seems restless. Or maybe it’s how she sleeps, since Derpy didn’t seem concerned about her. Crooking a corner of my lip up at that, I proceed to the kitchen.

It’s funny how different some people are… some ponies are in their sleep.

Then again, it sometimes depends on what dreams a person or pony has. I mean, in my case…

“Good morning, Melody,” Doctor Whooves greets and I join Bon Bon and the Doctor at the table.

“You look troubled, Melody. Did you have a good night’s rest?” Bon Bon asks me. Just as I’m about to answer, a sizzle from the frying pan Derpy’s using makes me flinch, and I sigh.

“I… yeah, pretty good,” I reply. “How about you guys?”

“Splendid!” Doctor Whooves smiles.

“Normal as always,” Bon Bon responds.

“Are you sure you fillies don’t want some of what I’m making?” Derpy asks in our general direction.

“No, Derpy. As much as I like being here, I can get breakfast elsewhere. I don’t want you to feel obliged to serve us, however often we come over.”

Bon Bon points a hoof in Doctor Whooves’ direction and tilts her head. “What Doc said.”

Derpy looks thoughtfully at us for a moment before shrugging. “Then it’ll just be for me, Melody, and anypony else who wants any.” As I’m about object to Derpy, my stomach growls and I realize I really haven’t eaten anything since leaving the hospital. As much as I don’t want to eat, or let Derpy serve me, I need food. The bread of life and all that.

“I want some!” A slurred voice from the other room calls. After looking at each other with raised eyebrows, we hear something shatter and the sound of a screeching cat. For some reason, that combination of noises makes me feel like I’m in a cartoon or something. Weird.

We then see Lyra stumble groggily into the kitchen. As she falls face-first into the ground and lays there for a bit, her head pops up with half-lidded eyes. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Lyra!” Bon Bon scolds as she pulls Lyra up and into the empty seat beside her. “At least compose yourself, you're a musician of high class for Luna’s sake!”

“Mm. I heard something about food. Do you have anything sugary?” Lyra mutters, putting a foreleg around Bon Bon.

“Clearly, somepony didn’t get enough sleep last night,” Bon Bon says under her breath as she pulls wrapped treat from her mane. “This should wake you up right quick.”

Meanwhile, I can’t help but snicker behind a hoof at the events before me. Doctor Whooves isn’t faring much better. “Oh, Lyra, you’re so overdramatic,” Derpy murmurs as she lays some food on the table and we all get a good laugh. With a crunch of the candy, Lyra’s eyes shoot wide open and her coat visibly brightens.

“Whoa! That’s a kicker!” Lyra exclaims, throwing her hooves into the air.

“And the point is made,” Bon Bon concedes and she rolls her eyes. Just then, Octavia walks into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep out of one eye before appraising everypony. Standing there for a moment, she sighs.

“You know, some ponies are trying to sleep?” Octavia complains before joining the table. “Morning Melody, Bon Bon, Doctor…” Octavia fixed Lyra with a glare. “Lyra.”

“Eh heh heh,” Lyra laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head. “Sorry about that.”

“Minuette still asleep?” I ask Octavia.

“Oh no, she’s awake,” Octavia explains, “Woke up with all your ruckus, and she just doesn’t want to move until she has to. And Vinyl… Well, you can never really tell with her.”

“Thanks ‘Tavi,” another voice pops up and we all turn our heads to see Vinyl standing at the split between the kitchen and the living room. “I can always feel appreciated with you around.”

“Tavi?” I ask with mirth, glancing at Octavia to see her glaring at me.

“Yes, Melody. Note that I only allow Vinyl to call me that because I get to thrash her later.”

“Yeah, uh-huh. Sure,” Vinyl confirms before joining the table.

“Breakfast?” A voice called from within the living room. Derpy sighs as she set the last plate down and smiled at all the occupants of the table. Turning to the living room doorway, she called out.

“Yes, Minuette. If you want food, you have to join us at the table!”

After some ruffling could be heard and Derpy joined the table herself, they heard the tell-tale sound of hooves clopping on the floor. In no time at all, Minuette could be seen with a tired smile shuffling to one of the empty seats at the table.

“I can’t believe I’m so tired. Travel really takes a lot out of you,” Minuette yawns, stretching her hooves before half liddedly using her magic to take some food onto her plate. At this Everyone begin to fill their plates and Derpy coughed conspicuously.

“Okay, before we dig in, I just want to say it’s great having you girls and… uh,” she glances to Doctor Whooves, “Stallion, and that we should do this again sometime!”

“Oh, most definitely,” Octavia agrees and everypony else murmurs their accordance.

“Well, if that’s all, let’s eat!” Vinyl cheers before scarfing down a quarter of her plate in one bite.

“Vinyl! Manners!” Octavia chides, smacking Vinyl on the head and making Vinyl cough a little.

“Hey, what gives?!” Vinyl shouts, and everypony laughs at their antics. Chuckling lightly myself, I take a bite out of the meal Derpy had so graciously crafted for the whole group.

If… If friends are really this easy to make… If these ponies really want to be my friend and vice versa...

I think I’m going to like it here.

Comments

[Chrome Masquerade]

“Lyra!” Bon Bon scolds as she pulls Lyra up and into the empty seat beside her. “At least compose yourself, you're a musician of high class for Luna’s sake!”

Huh?
OH! i get it! Musician. Compose yourself. Clever.