Lunaverse: Galaxy Rangers - The Forbidden Symphony

by Rixizu

Chapter 9

The Forbidden Symphony
Chapter 9
by Rixizu

Trixie poured herself a glass of juice before adding a few drops of Tabasco sauce and enjoying the mix of tastes on her lips. Every Gala she’d attended had been dull as dirt, but at least the princess provided excellent food and drink every year. Several other mares had requested her friend Snowflake to dance and he’d been too shy to refuse. Other stallions had asked her to dance too, but she refused. A social taboo to be sure, but she never liked dancing with ponies she didn’t know. She didn’t bother being socially acceptable. That ship had long since sailed. She just couldn’t find the energy to care anymore. Besides, she enjoyed screwing with the nobles.

“Well, I never!” Rarity threw her drink into Prince Blueblood’s face and stomped off. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen a mare do that, and it wouldn’t be the last. She herself had done it on multiple occasions. Trixie enjoyed the shocked expression on his face as wine dripped down his mane. Classic.

A chuckle drew her attention. It was deep and vaguely familiar. In a flash, she realized its identity and discovered ex-duke Greengrass standing beside her. Much to her surprise, his face was youthful.

“And they say the Grand Galloping Gala is dull?” Greengrass said. “Blueblood provides neverending amusement to these events. His attempts at court politics never cease to entertain.”

“True enough.” Unlike Greengrass, Blueblood’s attempts to manipulate the court were obvious and clumsy. He had once secretly tried passing a bill requiring her to marry him for some convoluted reasons she couldn’t remember. Something about Luna’s student needing to pass her genes with a distant relative of Luna’s or something. He hid it amongst other political flotsam hoping nopony would notice it. Luna shot it down faster than a lightning bolt. Trixie downed her drink and stared at Greengrass’s youthful face. Somehow, he’d reversed what happened to him. This wasn’t an illusion. She should have guessed he wouldn’t be so easy to get rid of.

“Okay, what do you want?” Trixie asked wearily. “I’m sure you didn’t come to chat.”

“No.” Greengrass’s voice became graver than she’d ever seen from the stallion. “There’s an empty balcony over there. Shall we talk? It seems quiet enough and free from prying ears.”

A trap? Nah, it wasn’t his style. He wouldn’t do anything so blatant and obvious. Besides, she detected a real tension in his stance which worried her, nothing scared Greengrass. She let him direct her to the balcony and Greengrass closed the doors behind him.

“What’s this about?” Trixie didn’t bother engaging in the small talk which Greengrass was so fond of.

Her blunt words didn’t bother Greengrass instead he became serious. Trixie became more worried. “Here.”

He hoofed over some papers with some scientific gobbledygook written on it. Trixie skimmed each paper. There meaning became clearer as she read them over. There appeared to be some new weapon called the Crimson Shade. Trixie recognized the figure described in the papers from Lyra’s description.

This thing attacked her friends several days ago. Only a Night Court noble had the resources to conduct such a large project, but who? Obviously, Greengrass wasn’t behind it. For one, he was a politician, not an arms dealer. He didn’t have the bits to develop something on this scale even at the height of his power. Archduke Fisher was the only other possibility, but he’d lost his title along with Greengrass.

Trixie calmed her mind gathering her thoughts. “Where did you get this? Is some foreign government behind this?”
Greengrass shook his head. “No, a local one.”

Trixie blinked and considered the possibilities. Was a noble embezzling funds or something for their benefit? How did they get past the careful eye of Princess Luna and her team of skilled accountants? They were cracking down harder on government spending after the scandal involving Viceroy Night Light. Her mind raced attempting to place the puzzle pieces together into a cohesive whole. Greengrass waited letting her work out the problem herself.

She considered Corona, but cast aside the idea. Sure the sun alicorn was faking being reformed, but she also didn’t have the bits for something this big. Besides, Corona liked using magic over technology. The level of tech was well beyond Corona’s understanding. No, Trixie’s gut told her this wasn’t Corona. She suspected the sun alicorn wanted to play nice for the time being. A strange thought struck her giving her pause. Wasn’t Luna acting strange lately? It was bizarre. Corona was acting like a princess, while Luna behaved like a loon.

It couldn’t be! Princess Luna wouldn’t create something like this. She had the Rangers. Why would she need some superweapon? Still, Luna’s strange behavior nagged at her mind. Had the stress done something? If Celestia could fall… No, impossible! She’d never met anypony saner than Princess Luna. Her turning evil was beyond impossible!
“Who is behind this?” Trixie’s words had steel.

“I’m not sure you’d believe me if I told you,” Greengrass replied, “I see you already entertained the idea, but dismissed it off hoof because the concept is too painful.”

Rage boiled in Trixie’s heart. “Are you telling me Princess Luna is behind this? That she’s gone bad?”

Greengrass gave her a solemn forlorn look. He also wasn’t happy with this theory. Somepony might think this out of character, but Trixie remembered when the stallion risked his life to defend Princess Luna from a crazed Night Light. The ex-Duke was fond of his monarch despite their many differences and confrontations over the years. Besides, she doubted he would claim something like this without good reason. Still! Still!

“Okay, you have papers, so what? You better have more proof than idle speculation.”

“Page 12,” Greengrass replied, “they created this weapon from Princess Luna’s blood.”

Trixie wasted no time and pulled out the page in question. The report detailed using Princess Luna’s DNA to create a new species made from shadow. Had Greengrass suggested Luna donated her own blood to the project? Her mind raced for other explanations. The princess was hard to hurt because of her earth pony magic. It would take a serious injury to make her bleed, far more than a paper cut. Trixie doubted she’d allow her blood to lie around for anypony to steal. There had to be a logical explanation. Luna couldn’t go bad! Never! Impossible!

“We have a super high-tech facility with some serious financing and Luna’s blood,” Trixie said restraining her panic and worry. Freaking out would help nopony, “strange, but not impossible. Somepony might have snuck into Luna’s room and stolen her blood while she slept.”

“True enough.” Greengrass nodded his head like he’s expected this. “I wasn’t expecting you to believe this theory so easily. You care about your teacher too much. Fine, I have another suggestion. One that will convince you.”

Trixie crossed her legs. “I’m game. What?”

“We break into your teacher room and find the proof ourselves,” Greengrass replied, “I promise you, we will discover damning evidence.”

Trixie wanted to refuse, but Greengrass’ serious expression forestalled her. She wanted so bad to disbelieve everything the stallion told her, but the possibility of Greengrass being correct stopped her. Luna had been acting so strangely lately. In her many years with the alicorn, she’d seen nothing like it.

“Fine, one condition,” Trixie said, “if we find nothing, you will turn yourself in for the illegal trespass into the princess’s room.”

“Deal,” Greengrass replied without hesitation.

Great. He has a real conviction too. I hate this so much. Please, please don’t be right. “Let’s go.”

Without another word, she climbed a nearby vine into a window above. As she expected, the corridor stood empty of guards. They were all too preoccupied with Gala to keep all the hallways patrolled. As a foal, she had explored the castle countless times. Trixie knew every inch of it, knowing exactly how to sneak around without detection even without her magic. She had loved exploring, and got in a heap of trouble whenever the guards caught her in an area meant to be off-limits. She turned around and saw that Greengrass had followed her and closed the window behind him. It impressed her what little noise he made during the climb. The ex-duke wasn’t a useless dunce.

“Lead the way.” Greengrass extended a hoof. Trixie doubted anypony would notice her disappearance. They didn’t the last ten times. Years ago she discovered a nice bar nearby with the best beer nuts she’d ever had and even better bourbon. She’d returned two hours later and even Princess Luna hadn’t realized Trixie’s vanishing act.

Trixie snorted and crept through the castle. Each step forward filled her with dread, heading her towards a truth she wanted false. She couldn’t fight Princess Luna. How could she fight the pony who was like a second mother to her? The nobles hated and mocked her since she arrived in this castle. The only pony that believed in her was Luna. Some days, she wanted to give up and accept that the other ponies were right about her being a failure, but Luna’s love made her fight on and not give up. Trixie couldn’t imagine her life without the princess. She wouldn’t even be a third the pony she is today.

Please be wrong. Please…

---

Lyra watched the party-goers out of one eye as she played on the stage. She found it fascinating watching the partygoer’s mill about. She snorted in amusement as Rarity threw a drink into a prissy blond stallion’s face. Trixie’s date, Snowflake, was popular once they got over his loud voice and massive size. Trixie was nowhere in sight, and Lyra figured the Red Ranger had ditched him. They would have words when she saw the mare again. Even if Trixie didn’t take the Gala seriously, ditching her date to bar hop was unforgivable!

Still, no sign of her teacher Octavia and this worried her. Had something happened to her? Her eyes widened when she considered the possibilities. Had there been an accident? Was she dying in a hospital? Had somepony foalnapped her to get at Lyra? Did the Night Court ever cease with their dirty schemes and tricks?

“Is something the matter?” Beauty Brass asked from her sousaphone. It curled around her like a snake.

“I’m worried about Octavia,” Lyra replied, “it isn’t like her to disappear. Somepony might have foalnapped her!” She glared at the surrounding nobility. Any of them might be the culprit. Vicereine Puissance caught her eye. It must be her fault! Didn’t she once foalnap Dinky? Where was Twi’s brother? He needed to know about this.

“What are you talking about?” Beauty Brass blinked in obvious confusion. “She’s backstage.”

“Really? Why?” Lyra blushed for jumping to such wild conclusions. She’d hung around Trixie too much.

“Didn’t you know? She’s sick.” Beauty Brass replied. “It must be serious for Lyrica Lilac refused to allow her to play tonight.”

Lyra’s breath left her. Octavia was sick? Her past encounters with her teacher rushed through her mind. Hadn’t her teacher looked dire and weak lately? Worse, she’d barely eaten anything. How bad was her condition?

“Um…”

“Go on, I’ll cover you.” Beauty Brass said. “This next piece doesn’t need you, anyway. I’ll tell them you’re in the little filly’s room.”

“Thank you.” Lyra sat down her lyre and ran offstage.

She reached the dressing rooms moments later. Of the three dressing rooms, light poured from the second one. After taking a deep breath, Lyra knocked on the door. A grunt of acknowledgment came from inside and Lyra creaked open the door. She froze when she saw Octavia holding a handkerchief around her mouth soaked in blood, it felt like a dagger stabbing into her heart.

“What do you want?” Octavia asked annoyed.

“Octavia.” Why hadn’t she realized sooner? Octavia appeared deathlike barely holding on a thread. In her heart of hearts, she knew her teacher was dying.

“So, you’ve seen my secret shame.” Octavia turned away unable to bear looking at her old student.

“Are you… dying?” Lyra blurted and sniffled wiping away tears.

“What does it matter?” Octavia replied.

“It’s your life!” Lyra cried out in frustration. “There must be some treatment, right?”

“Well, there isn’t!” Octavia replied bitterness etched her in her voice. “The disease is incurable.”

Lyra’s heart broke. Her mentor was dying and she was powerless, helpless to do anything. Worse, Octavia had kept this bitter, horrible news to herself. Did her mentor mean to have Lyra learn of her death from the Canterlot Times obituaries?

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because it wasn’t your business,” Octavia replied.

“I’m your student.” Rage boiled over and Lyra had trouble controlling the volume of her voice. Why was her mentor always like this? Why couldn’t she understand ponies loved and cared about her? Was Octavia demanding to stay alone even on her deathbed?

“I can’t show weakness.” Octavia looked away unable to bear Lyra’s angry glare. “In this world, ponies will trample you if you show a hint of weakness. They’re like sharks sniffing out blood from a small cut. It’s the Night Court’s way. Why do you think I told you dating Bon-Bon was a mistake?”

“Horseapples!” Lyra shot back. “You’re just scared of getting close to ponies. That’s just a stupid excuse to hide your fear!”

“Think what you like.” Octavia glared her eyes flaring with heat. “I live the way I like! Dying alone suits me just fine. If you will excuse me, I have a symphony to perform!” She stomped outside taking her Cello with her.

“Fine, perform your stupid symphony! It will suck terribly!” Lyra yelled at her teacher’s retreating back.

“Idiot!” Lyra felt the temptation to kick away a nearby chair but resisted the urge. Lyra wasn’t a little filly and restrained her temper. She went back to the party trying her hardest to hide her tears.

“Have you been crying?” Bon-Bon asked in alarm as Lyra passed.

“My stupid teacher is being stupid, as usual,” Lyra replied.

“Did you have another fight?”

“She’s dying Bons, and she never told me!” Anger flared again. It felt like a betrayal. Why couldn’t Octavia understand how much Lyra cared about her?

“Oh, dear.” Bon-Bon wrapped Lyra into a hug who sobbed into her marefriend’s shoulder. Lyra collapsed and Bons stroked her head. An eternity seemed to pass, but Lyra didn’t care. She didn’t deserve a marefriend as wonderful as Bon-Bon.

“Lyra, are you okay?” Carrot Top asked in alarm. “What happened?”

“Lyra had a nasty fight with her old teacher Octavia,” Bon-Bon replied.

“What!” Carrot Top’s temper flared her eyes blazing. “What did she say?”

“No, it’s fine.” Lyra grabbed her friend’s leg before Carrot attempted anything rash. “Let her be.”

Carrot Top wanted to argue but closed her mouth giving her friend a hug instead. “Your teacher’s an idiot.”

“Yeah.” It hurt being the Element of Loyalty sometimes. She was so loyal that it hurt ten times more when somepony betrayed her. Octavia entered the stage her head held high and proud. Ponies gathered eager to hear a master of her craft play the infamous Symphony for Moon and Sun. Celestia watched in eager anticipation. This was her first time experiencing the infamous piece dedicated to her millennia ago. Even Princess Luna looked excited despite her foul mode all night.

She will fail. A voice inside her said. You should show her up and play the real symphony. Was it a betrayal of her own? Maybe, but her mentor needed to learn a lesson. Then she’d see why Lyra was better with her herd of friends than Octavia ever was alone. Lyra took a sick satisfaction when her mentor proved incapable of playing the piece.

To her credit, her mentor played the piece well, but it missed a vital spark despite Octavia’s mastery of the musical arts. Even ponies without a musical gift noticed it missed something. The piece rebelled against Octavia for not playing it correctly. Lyra stood up without a word with her lyre in her aura. Her friends watched with puzzled confusion, but let her pass. She wiped away any signs she’d been crying and watched in silence as her mentor finished playing.

Ponies gave a polite clap after Octavia finished. The performance saddened Celestia and Princess Luna sighed once again disappointed. Her mentor bit her lip in frustration so hard it drew blood. She shuffled off the stage drained her mood dark and melancholy. Her hooves shook unable to hold her cello straight.

Everypony watched in puzzlement as Lyra approached the stage with her instrument in hoof. She gave a quick glare towards Octavia before continuing towards her destination. Her friends gave her an encouraging smile and wave. A slight smile tugged on her lips. She felt her body move on its own. It was like the symphony was guiding her steps eager for somepony to release it into the world. Nopony was sure what Lyra was doing wondering if there was another special performance nopony had told them about. Lyrica Lilac approached to ask what Lyra was doing and froze as Lyra began playing.

Everypony started at her absorbed by the music she was playing. It wasn’t well played as Octavia’s performance. Not every note was perfect and Lyra had trouble playing the complicated piece, but it didn’t matter. Lyra put her whole heart into the song. The song began with a sunrise and ponies rose to begin their day. The moon left the sky giving way to the sun in their eternal dance. Plants and flowers rose as the sun’s beams hit them and they eagerly soaked in the sun’s life-giving rays. Ponies played and worked. They built, they danced, they farmed, and they learned. Ponies enjoying all the life offered. However, like all things, it couldn’t last forever.

The sun reluctantly gave the moon back the sky knowing it was time to rest. Ponies enjoyed the night sky and its beauty. The moon shone with a shimmering blue light glowing like a bulb in the sky. Despite the beauty of the night, ponies were getting sleepy, exhausted by their play and work and laid their heads down on their beds falling into a deep sleep. They dreamed of wonders beyond anything they might experience in life and rested their bodies so they might begin again tomorrow. The moon watched over the little ponies protectively so nothing would disrupt their slumber. A full cycle had passed once again in the never-ending cycle known as life.

Lyra hadn’t played the piece perfectly, but it didn’t matter. Because life wasn’t perfect. Full of joys and pains. Births and deaths. Friends and enemies. Light and dark. Day and night. This wonderful contrast created the wonder known as life. A chaotic jumble that wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t need to be.

Moments passed as everypony absorbed what they’d just heard then everypony broke into applause. Lyra’s friends jumped on the stage eager to share in her joy and accomplishment. It was because of them she succeeded where everypony else had failed. They were her inspiration and her life. Together they made a whole far more powerful whole than any alone. She kissed Bons and laughed as her marefriend hugged her tightly nuzzling against her. A delighted Celestia clapped louder than everypony else in the room. Princess Luna yelled Brava ecstatic stomping her hooves with enthusiasm. In her many years, she’d thought the completion of the symphony impossible.

“No.” The voice startled Lyra. Broken and hollow equal parts of anger and disbelief. She turned to find Octavia slumped on the floor. Her cello fell off the stage and broke in two by the impact. Lyra disentangled herself from her friends and checked on her mentor.

“Are you okay Octy?” Lyra asked.

“No,” Octavia said again. She hadn’t heard a word Lyra had said.

“Octy!” Lyra cried out alarmed as her teacher crumpled to the stage floor.