Crystal Note - Where life leads us

by TalkingToMyself

Vacation - Part IV

Author's Note:

The lyrics from the songs Colors belong to Kira Willey.

The song Wonderwall belongs to Oasis and inspired this beautiful cover version from Samatha Harvey

The park near the lake was fully of happy families and playing foals. It was a wonderful sunny day, just as Haute Nuage had promised the last night, so everypony seemed to be outside and enjoy the nice weather.

Glass Slipper walked slowly along the path, carrying a bag with a record in her mouth. A few of the bits she’d gotten from Crystal Note had stayed with Melody Fusion for this one. Even if she didn’t have a record player at home, the filly had bought it anyway, if only to have something to remember the mare by.

She glanced upwards to the sky where Haute Nuage was flying a quick loop over the park to find the others. It was strange walking around all alone and Glass Slipper noticed several ponies staring at her. She blushed and tried to act like she didn’t care, but it made her nervous. For a moment, she wondered if Crystal Note felt like that when she visited towns outside the Crystal Empire. Then again, she also had seen crystal ponies stare at her because of her horn. It couldn’t be easy standing out all the time.

Before her thoughts would go down further that road, Haute Nuage dropped down next to her with a smile and pointed with her wing. They walked ahead into the centre of the park. At the side of a large meadow, a few slides and swings were set up and some fillies and colts played around them, including Cherry Tap, Wind Chaser and the twins. Bonne Voyage stood nearby and waved to them as they approached. A little further, Morning Breeze and her husband set up a big blanket for their picnic.

Glass Slipper smiled as she saw Crystal Note in the shadow of a nearby tree. The crystal unicorn had her guitar in her hooves and as she walked closer, she heard the soft strumming of a tune. The musician from the Crystal Empire had already gathered a small crowd around her and after listening to Melody Fusion, Glass Slipper wasn’t that surprised anymore. Even if Crystal Note declined to be famous, music was still her special talent and that alone would lure ponies towards her.

Haute Nuage grinned and nudged Glass Slipper with her wing as she pointed to their left. A few ponies had gathered and seemed rather excited to see Crystal Note, though nowhere close to what Melody Fusion had been. Still, one stallion had brought a camera to take a few pictures and when the song ended, one of them approached the crystal mare shyly. Glass Slipper couldn’t hear what they talked about, but Crystal Note smiled and scribbled something on a piece of paper the other pony had offered her. The stallion was thrilled and returned to his friends with cheers.

Crystal Note just giggled and made her way back to the others. Glass Slipper noticed a faint blush on her caretaker as well, apparently this left the musician rather flustered just as much.
They gathered around to enjoy some snacks and the twins talked so fast that Glass Slipper could barely understand a word. What she got though was that the boat trip had been amazing and that she had missed out a lot of fun.
“And what did you get from your window-shopping?”
Velvet pointed at the bag Glass Slipper had set aside. With flushed cheeks, the teenager pulled out the record she had bought.
The twins just stared and tilted their heads, one to the left and one to the right in perfect unison, which was cute enough to lure out a gentle wave of laughter from everypony
“What’s that?”
“It’s a music record, Sweetie Tooth. There’s a song recorded on it and with a player, you can listen to it anytime you want.”
Crystal Note explained to the filly, when she noticed the cover of the record. It was a very familiar design, a trio of music notes arranged to a triad, her cutie mark. She laughed softly and turned to a now beet red Glass Slipper
“I wasn’t aware you were a fan, dear. That’s quite a surprise.”

Glass Slipper was clearly flustered, so Haute Nuage took over explaining
“We went to the big store on main street, the ‘Music Empire’? And we ran into a mare called Melody Fusion, she was rather intense. Some of her fan-girling definitely rubbed off.”
Crystal Note tilted her head, still watching Glass Slipper
“Melody Fusion? That name rings a bell… I believe I met her at a concert once.”
“So it’s all true?”
Glass Slipper burst out at her caretaker, who could only look confused
“All of what, Glass Slipper?”
“The concerts, the fans, the records, everything Melody Fusion talked about.”
By now, everypony was watching her and Crystal Note sighed deeply
“There’s been all of that, Glass Slipper. But I’m afraid Melody Fusion made it sound more exciting than it really had been.”
“But it’s all true. You just played a song and ponies already gathered around you.”
Crystal Note giggled and nodded
“Well, yes. Why wouldn’t they? If they like the music, they’re welcome to stay and listen for a while.”

At that point, Velvet Heart chimed in
“Hey, that’s not fair! You play for everypony in the park but you never played your guitar for us before!”
“Really? Well, there’s only one way to make that right, isn’t it?”
Crystal Note winked and picked up her guitar with her magic. The four foals gathered around her on the soft grass. Haute Nuage was right behind them and next to her Glass Slipper.

Crystal Note smiled brightly at them and plucked a few notes on her guitar. She closed her eyes and strummed her hooves over the strings. The notes weaved together into a simple rhythm that formed her melody. The fillies exchanged excited glances and watched in awe as Crystal Note’s music seemed to grow out around them.

Glass Slipper looked around and grinned. It didn’t take long for other ponies to notice and approach Crystal Note. They stayed silent, except for some mumbling, and all of them were smiling. Crystal Note opened her eyes and smiled back at all of her audience. She welcomed them all with a nod of her head before she focused back on the twins
“I need your help with this one, okay girls? Here we go.”
Her melody changed and Velvet Heart smiled brightly as Crystal Note started to play one of her favourite songs. The crystal unicorn closed her eyes and around Glass Slipper, she heard many ponies gasping as the mare’s clear and beautiful voice sounded out

I am green today,
I chirp with joy, like a cricket’s song
I am grey today,
Gloomy and down, like a morning fog
I am orange today,
Loud and messy like new paint on a wall,

I am red today,
Up and high, like a playground ball,
I am black today,
Tall and strong, a great big bear
I am purple today,
Bright and happy like a butterfly in the air

At some point, Velvet Heart and Sweetie Tooth joined into the singing with their happy voices and even Glass Slipper found herself humming along

I am yellow today,
I shine my light out like the sun
I am white today,
Soft and quiet, like new snow,
I am blue today
Calm as glass and cool like the sea

I’m a rainbow today
All the colours of the world,
I’m a rainbow today
All the colours of the world,
I’m a rainbow today
All the colours of the world,
Are in me…

By the end, Glass Slipper noticed many more voices picking up the words of the song. Velvet Heart beamed happily when the song ended and around them, many ponies started applauding and stomping their hooves in appreciation. The fillies blinked and looked around but Crystal Note just opened her eyes with a smile.
Glass Slipper watched as the mare bowed deeply to her gathered audience, with a huge smile that the teenage filly had barely ever seen before. She could tell that Crystal Note had a blast while performing. Instead of shying away from all the attention, she seemed to enjoy herself.

Somepony called out for another song, followed by many others, including Haute Nuage and all the foals. Crystal Note beamed and picked up her instrument again.
With her eyes closed as usual, she strummed a few notes at first. Soon she had found what she was looking for and again weaved the notes into a melody. She tapped her hoof in a slow rhythm on the ground and a few ponies followed her example. Glass Slipper noticed a slight change going through the melody and watched as Crystal Note’s head bobbed along with the music. She watched and listened like everypony else as the musician from the Crystal Empire sung her song

Today is gonna be the day
That they gonna take it back to you
By now, you should have somehow,
Realized what you got to do
I don’t believe that anypony
Feels the way I do about you now

And all the roads that lead us there are winding
And all the lights that guide the way are blinding
There are many things that I would like to say to you
But I don’t know how

Because maybe~
You can be the one that saves me~
And after all~
You’re my wonderwall~

Glass Slipper smiled as Crystal Note sung with her powerful voice, loud enough to be heard all over and luring more ponies towards her. At some point, she stopped listening to the words and just enjoyed the flow of the music, how the voice and the strumming of the guitar blended in another. The music was beautiful and Glass Slipper felt a familiar tingle in her hooves. For the first time since her parent’s death, she felt like dancing again.

Next to her, Haute Nuage was already swaying along to the song and more than a few ponies hummed as Crystal Note sung her verse again. The musician gently brought her song to an end with a few final notes, and the ponies around her applauded louder than before.
Crystal Note opened her eyes and was about to bow again, but a single voice gushed out louder than all the ponies around her
“Oh! My! Gosh! I can’t believe it! You’re here! You’re really here!”

Haute Nuage and Glass Slipper grinned at each other as they recognized the voice from earlier and as they expected, a cream coated unicorn made her way until she stood directly in front of the crystal mare. All the ponies laughed as Melody Fusion squealed and bounced in excitement
“Oh! My! Gosh!”
Crystal Note smiled kindly at the unicorn mare
“I’m glad you enjoyed the song, Miss.”
“Enjoyed? I love it! Is this going to be a new single? Maybe for a new tour you’re planning?”
Crystal Note giggled and shook her head
“I’ve got nothing planed, Miss. Sorry to disappoint.”
Melody Fusion gasped and shook her head frantically
“Nononono! You could never disappoint me! I’m your fan since I’ve first heard you play and even if your last record has been a while, I’m still recommending your songs to everypony I meet! I’ve even opened a music store because your music is so inspiring!”
Crystal Note tilted her head and glanced to Glass Slipper who nodded. She winked and smiled
“You must be Melody Fusion, then. Glass Slipper told me about your store.”
“Oh! My! Gosh! Crystal Note actually knows my name!”

The ponies in the audience laughed some more and Melody Fusion, suddenly very self-aware, started to blush. Crystal Note just smiled kindly and slowly guided her towards the picnic blanket were Bonne Voyage and the others were still sitting. The ponies of the audience realized that there would be no more songs, so soon they scattered, even though many of them made the effort to thank Crystal Note for her performance.

After Crystal Note introduced Melody Fusion to everypony, the mare took her seat next to Glass Slipper and Haute Nuage, the only ones she already knew. Glass Slipper watched the unicorn mare who seemed baffled by the fact that Sweetie Tooth and Velvet Heart were crystal ponies as well
“Oh! My! Gosh! You two are simply adorable. I’ve never met a crystal pony before and now I keep running into them.”
The adults giggled, even more as Velvet Heart pouted that was called adorable. Melody Fusion barely could hide her surprise as the twins sat down left and right of Crystal Note and how familiar her idol acted around the fillies. As soon as she was asked about her store, she easily slipped back into excitement and rattled down details of what song sold best. She started talking about concerts she’d seen as well, but in the end except Crystal Note, nopony got even a chance to say something. While the adults just shrugged and let the unicorn have her moment, the foals quickly got bored and Wind Chaser asked if he could go to the playground again. His mother agreed and took him and his sister with her.

Sweetie Tooth and Velvet Heart threw their best pleading eyes at Crystal Note who just giggled and nodded
“Have fun girls, but please be careful.”
“Yes Crystal Note!”
They giggled and dashed after Cherry Tap towards the slides while Crystal Note watched with a fond smile.
Melody Fusion waited for them to be out of earshot before she let her curiosity boil over
“I swear I would have never imagined that you would take fillies with you on your travels. Are they maybe students of yours? Are you teaching them how to perform?”
Glass Slipper burst into a laughing fit at that which only confused Melody Fusion more, but Crystal Note simply shook her head
“None of that, Melody Fusion. This is just a small vacation trip, nothing more and nothing less. I wanted to show them more of Equestria and visit my friends here in Vanhoover.”

Melody Fusion grinned knowingly and leaned closer to whisper
“You can’t fool me, Miss Crystal Note. They look up to you and I can tell there’s some connection. Is it a secret?”
Crystal Note sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a moment. She sensed that Melody Fusion would not let it go, but the truth would cause some pain she hoped to avoid. When she opened her eyes again, she searched and held Glass Slipper's eyes with a gentle softness, even as she talked to the unicorn mare
“If you must know, Melody Fusion, the fillies recently lost their parents in a terrible accident. Ever since then, I've become a caretaker for the three of them.”
“What? You mean you adopted… wait, three?”
Melody Fusion’s head snapped to Glass Slipper who had closed her eyes as well, mostly to keep some tears at bay that threatened to leak out
“Oh. My. Gosh. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that… and here I am, butting right in and disturbing your vacation. Miss Crystal Note, I can’t apologize enough.”

Crystal Note ignored the mare for now and instead walked up to Glass Slipper. The teenage filly leaned into the offered hug, unashamed to accept comfort from her caretaker in such a moment. Melody Fusion watched silently for a moment but then turned away to give them at least some privacy.
Crystal Note held the filly until she felt Glass Slipper stir, allowing the filly to be the one to break the embrace. She released her charge with a gentle nuzzle
“Don’t worry about it, Melody Fusion. You couldn’t have known of this. Though I would appreciate if the matter would remain private for the time being. Not for my reputation, but for Glass Slipper, Sweetie Tooth and Velvet Heart.”
“Yes. Of course. I know I can be over the top sometimes, but I promise I won’t tell anypony.”
“Thank you, Melody Fusion.”

After a moment of awkward silence, the unicorn’s face lit up with a smile
“Crystal Note, if you’d be okay with it, I’d like to make up for my insensitive behaviour. There’s a small club near the lake with live music every night, usually some ponies who are doing their first steps in music business. There’s definitely a lot of hidden talents. If you allow, I’d like to invite you tonight. You and your friends, of course.”
Crystal Note was already about to decline, but Bonne Voyage nudged her gently
“Hey, when was the last time you’ve been to a club? Without performing, that is? Come on, don’t be like that.”
Haute Nuage grinned and flapped her wings in excitement
“Oh, we could ask Morning Breeze to come along. It’s been ages since we’ve been out together.”
Crystal Note didn’t look too convinced
“What about the fillies?”
Haute Nuage just grinned and wrapped her wing around Glass Slipper who blinked surprised
“Well, Glass Slipper is coming with us of course! And I’m sure brother dearest will take good care of the twins for a night.”
The stallion in question blushed and stuttered
“Well, um, I supposed I could…”
“Great! It’s settled then?”
“Sure is! Girls night out!”
Bonne Voyage and Haute Nuage grinned at Crystal Note who still hesitated. When she saw Glass Slipper's excited smile, the crystal mare ceded
“Oh, alright, why not?”
Melody Fusion practically exploded into a squeal.