Band of Disharmony

by Circus

Starstruck

The rain seems to want to fall for eternity. Doll Stripe leans against the wall of what the sign creaking above his head indicates is a furniture shop. The delicate sound of a bell ringing distracts him from the dreary rainfall and he glances over to whoever has just opened the door of the shop.

It’s a young stallion, his coat an unsaturated blue like a night sky, perfectly styled dim purple mane falling just above his bright yellow eyes, parted only by the pony’s horn. The unicorn pauses upon stepping outside, as though just now realizing that a storm was going on. Doll Stripe listens to the frustrated growling noise the blue stallion makes as he steps into the rain and trots off, book floating behind him, encased in bright golden magic. Doll watches him as he attempts to make it through the attacking water.

He glances down at his suitcase. It’s got his only means of shelter hidden within, and that shelter is basically useless in weather like this. He’s going to have to find- Doll Stripe grimaces- somepony to help him. That night-colored unicorn seemed like a perfectly good candidate. Everypony else was barred up inside, but that stallion was still in sight, and Celestia knows how helpful most ponies are. Sometimes it’s like everypony is acting like they’re on a foal’s show, because they’re all so bright and generous.

Nevermind that, he has to go follow that blue unicorn. Doll Stripe grabs his suitcase and trots after the blue unicorn, flipping his waterlogged mane out of his eyes every so often as he goes. Ponyville almost doesn’t blend in with the stormy vibe. It’s brightly colored, covered in flowers and decor, and even through the dreary thunder, it manages to be like it’s own source of light.

He’s never really been a fan of Ponyville.

Doll Stripe ends up following the night-colored stallion out of Ponyville, picking up speed with him, but staying far enough behind that the other pony probably doesn’t even notice him. His hoof steps are covered up by thunder and pouring rain and the stallion ahead seems pretty focused on just getting home. Or, well, wherever he’s going.

The white and black stallion finally notices a large building in the distance, an old-looking observatory with one of those giant telescopes pointing at an angle at the sky. Unlike Ponyville, this observatory blends in perfectly with the storm. It’s dark and damp looking, like just looking at it will cause its weak floorboards to creak. Doll Stripe almost considers turning around despite being drawn to the overall unwelcoming feel of the building- honestly, how can a dark colored unicorn living all the way out on his own in an abandoned building be anything but a villain- but he continues following. He’s come this far, why go back now?

The blue stallion heads into the observatory and shuts the door behind him. Doll Stripe slows and whips his mane around again, blinking droplets from his colorless eyes. It was his last chance to turn around and bail, and this situation was clearly trying to push that option, but he steps up to the door and bangs his hoof against it instead. He’s pretty sure he hears a pegasus pony above the clouds making disappointed clicking noises at his actions.

The door whips open. Yellow eyes blaze curiously at Doll Stripe. The rain-soaked blue unicorn squints at him but doesn’t say anything.

So Doll Stripe goes first, “Um, hello.” He offers lamely, and when he’s greeted with observing quiet, he mumbles on, “I was hoping that-”

“Astrology doesn’t work on homeless people.”

“I- wait, huh?”

“Sorry, can’t do the horoscope or the tea thing for you, you don’t have a home, so it won’t work.”

Doll Stripe blinks in confusion, “I’m sorry?”

“You daft? Look, if you get some bits and come back, I’m sure I can find something in the stars about you. But you ain't got bits. I can see it in your costume.” The blue unicorn waves up and down, gesturing to Doll’s circus clothes, “You’re poorer than the state of this observatory.”

“I… didn’t want…” Doll Stripe furrows his brow, trying to catch up, “I didn’t come here for, um, astrology things.”

The blue stallion settles, a new sense of curiosity rolling over his features.

“I um. I’m homeless, like you said, but only recently. Twenty minutes ago recently.”

“Sure,” The night-colored unicorn rolls his eyes.

“And I was wondering if I could maybe take shelter here ‘till the rain stops.” Doll Stripe forces a smile, gauging the lack of change in the other stallion’s face. The quiet seems to drag for a moment or two.

“...Sure. Mind the telescope, though. I’m a very busy pony. I haven’t got time to deal with it if you screw with my stuff.” And just like that, the blue unicorn trots back into his home, leaving the door open for Doll Stripe to follow. And follow he does, a new sense of enthusiasm rising within him.

The inside of the observatory is much better than its exterior. It’s decorated in the colors of the night. Thin purple sheers cover the windows and star fairy lights string across the ceiling. They seem to be on, but Doll Stripe can barely tell since the main light overpowers them. The walls are a deep, inviting blue. The ceiling is covered by some sort of curtain, but Doll Stripe can’t really tell what it is.

He kicks the door shut behind him and sets his suitcase down, eyes flicking around curiously. The blue stallion looks over his shoulder at Doll Stripe and a grin spreads across his face from ear to ear, “You like my decor? I’ve spent my whole life gathering all this stuff- hey, wanna see something cool?”

Doll Stripe tilts his head, his matted black mane drafting back in front of his eyes, “Sure,” he responds cautiously. “Cool” could mean anything, after all. The unicorn rears up excitedly and darts up a staircase winding the oval room’s wall. He pauses at a platform halfway up the stairs and stomps his hoof onto an obnoxious-looking blue button. Suddenly, the curtains covering the ceiling begin to part, revealing a glorious mural of a galaxy, illuminated with star-like LEDs. The main light faded away and the galaxy above them shone brilliantly, matched only by the unicorn’s ecstatic grinning.

The white stallion has no idea what to say. He lowers his rump to the ground and stares up at the mural. Enthusiastic hoofsteps pull him out of his admiring stupor and he watches the other pony bounce down the stairs like a foal with their favorite candy. When the blue stallion arrives back at Doll Stripe’s side, Doll Stripe blinks at him slowly and murmurs, “What’s your name?”

“Star Comet, nice to meet you. What’s yours?”

“Doll Stripe. Nice name. Matches your cutie mark.” He points a hoof at the stallion’s cutie mark, three stars arranged like a comet going towards his stomach.

“My parents were lucky, I suppose. You, though…” Star Comet pokes one of the two black dots on Doll’s face, “You’re not really doll-like… and the only stripes you have are on your socks.”

“How unlucky for my parents.”

Star Comet chuckles. He turns and hops onto his sofa, “So. You want a horoscope? What’s your zodiac? Time of birth?” He curls his purple tail around his hooves and Doll Stripe climbs into the loveseat parallel to his couch.

“Didn’t you say astrology doesn’t work on homeless people?” The earth pony twitches an ear.

“No,” Star Comet denies, “I never even implied that. But um, anyway, you seem like a… what, an air sign? Water? Earth? Fire?”

“Isn’t… isn’t that all of them?”

“No.” The unicorn’s horn glimmers as he uses magic to make a cup of coffee behind them, “So what’s your sign?”

Doll Stripe shrugs.

Star Comet’s ears perk up excitedly, “So you know nothing about your astrology?”

“It, um, never came up. Wait, are you an astrologer or an astronomer?”

“I’m both, actually. Astrology makes a fair bit of bits and it’s fun, but astronomy is real and-” He stops abruptly and clears his throat, “but astronomy is just as fun, I mean. Astrology is real.”

Doll Stripe gazes at him humorlessly, “It sounded like you said it wasn’t.”

Star Comet laughs and shakes his head, floating his finished cup of coffee over to his mouth and taking a sip, “So what moon were you born?”

“October, I think.”

“Day?”

“13th,” Doll Stripe answers, glancing back up at the shimmering galaxy above them.

“Libra, then. That means you’re an air sign.”

“None of this means anything to me,” Doll Stripe grimaces, “How does the month I was born define me at all?”

Star Comet takes a sip of his coffee, “Do you know your time of birth? Birth place?”

“Um, not exactly. I was born a little outside of the Crystal Kingdom.”

“Hm? Why not in it? They have a hospital, don’t they?” He sets his cup down on a coffee table between them. It’s stacked with books.

“Yes, but it was an emergency delivery and they were already travelling away from the kingdom. My mother was a circus performer.”

“You were born in a circus?”

“And raised in a circus,” Doll Stripe nods. The blue pony looks him over.

“That explains why you look like that,” Star Comet hums. He takes another sip of his coffee. Thunder rolls in the background.

The white stallion raises a brow, “Was that an insult, or?”

“Of course not,” the unicorn snips, “You have to admit that you don’t look normal. You’re dressed like a circus performer. Were your dot things on your cheeks dyed on?”

Doll Stripe lifts a hoof to his face and presses one of his black dots, “No, actually. I was born with them. None of how I look is dyed, although I do have a little bit of makeup on.”

“Huh? How has it not run off with all the rain?”

“The magic of waterproof stage makeup,” Doll Stripe grins, rubbing at his eyes. A bit of mascara comes off and smears on his white hoof. He stares at it. Sadness washes over him again and he sighs, wiping the mascara onto his foreleg before setting his hoof back down on the loveseat.

Star Comet watches him, yellow eyes piercing through the blue cast of the room. He hums out, “You got kicked out of the circus then?”

“Huh?”

“Well, you said you were homeless as of twenty minutes ago, didn’t you? And you keep sighing and staring at things like you’re about to cry.” Star Comet sips his coffee. Doll Stripe lowers his ears.

“I made a… minor mistake. Circus ponies aren’t very forgiving.” He knows he’s lying through his teeth, but he isn’t really in the mood to go over all the ways he screwed up. The unicorn makes an acknowledging noise. Doll decides to change the subject. “So,” He starts, “Did you decorate all of this yourself?”

“Hm… oh, yeah, I did.” Star Comet waves dismissively.

“Even the mural on your ceiling?”

“Yep.”

“Do you have any other paintings?” Doll Stripe smiles encouragingly.

Star Comet coughs. He sets his empty coffee cup on a counter behind him. The unicorn glances around the room for a moment. “I sell them. So, um, no.” He answers abruptly and sends the earth pony a dull smile.

Doll Stripe’s ears perk back up in confusion, “All of them? Most painters I’ve come across have at least a few paintings that they value and keep to themselves. Wait- are you having income issues?”

The unicorn straightens up, “Yes.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, then.”

“It’s nothing to worry about,” Star Comet chuckles, “So how long do you want to stay with me?”

“Um… how long? Well, I was planning to just stay until the storm was done. Then I’ll go to the train station and start looking for a new circus to join. I’m planning to go to Canterlot first.”

“Oh, that’s cool! Um.” The unicorn thinks for a moment, “Do you mind if I go with you?”

“Why do you want to go with me?”

“Oh- um. Canterlot has a massive bookstore, and I could use some more books.”

Doll Stripe looks around at the bookshelves in the room. They’re so full, they’re overflowing. He glances back at Star Comet, “Have you read all these books? Maybe you should sell them.”

“No- um, well, a lot of these books have to stay for… referencing. Y’know, if I need to locate information quickly.”

“But what about Golden Oak Library? Y’know, the new one.”

“It’s too new. None of these books are there.”

Doll raises an eyebrow, “None of them?”

“Yep.” Star Comet glances away, “So can I go with you to Canterlot? I can pay for both of us if we go-”

“Didn’t you say you were having financial trouble?”

“I never said that,” Star shakes his head, “Just answer my question. Come on. Please?”

Doll Stripe sighs and offers a defeated smile, “You know what? Sure. We can go together.”

Star Comet rears up excitedly and jumps off his sofa, whipping his short, perfectly styled tail around like a puppy. “Great! Great. I better go upstairs and pack.” He gallops upstairs and Doll Stripe watches as he disappears to the second floor. Once the blue figure disappears, he chuckles to himself and looks up at one of the windows. The rain is still battering down outside.

He strolls around the room, listening to the quick hoofsteps coming down from the second floor. It’s a beautiful home. A twinkly object catches his eye and he follows the sparkle to an expensive-looking necklace. It had a gold pendant. Next to it sat a little picture of a mare, a purple mare wearing the amulet. Probably Star Comet’s mother.

Doll Stripe lowers his ears, a hoof step from above causing him to flinch. He could really use this amulet, if it truly was valuable. He could get a good amount of bits for it. The white stallion looks around the oval room. It wasn’t like Star Comet needed this, he had so many other things, and he had clearly been lying about being in financial trouble. It wasn’t like he’d even notice right away, since they’d be in Canterlot. But on the other hoof, it could be a family heirloom, and…

Doll Stripe chuckles to himself. Why does he care what some stranger feels? Sure, they were travelling together- but Star Comet meant nothing to Doll Stripe. He takes the amulet’s chain and trots over to his suitcase. He pops it open and stuffs it under his tent before quickly shutting the case again and sitting casually before it.

Eventually, Star Comet came back with three suitcases hovering behind him, engulfed in purple magic. “Suitcases ready! I’ll set them by the door and we can leave when the rain’s done. Do you want a sandwich while we wait?”

“Sure. Sounds good.” Doll Stripe steps closer to Star Comet, smiling. There was no reason not to, after all. What was a little unexpected gift between friends, after all? That’s all the amulet was.

An unexpected gift for Doll Stripe.