True Harmony

by Saturni_Rose

Part 6: Lost in the crowd.

Luna loped along on her lanky legs. The gently bobbing heads dipping with each thrum of the bass drumbeat became a simple enough course of obstacles to her. She pardoned and excused her way through, trying to keep one eye pinned on where she’d last seen the light spy on Hope.

“Would you mind keeping your head down?” gently asked another patron as she passed. “No offense, Luna, but you’re a bit on the tall side for some of us.”

“Terribly sorry.” she told them and sank her head beneath the surface of the crowd. Her way became difficult to navigate, but she tried to maintain a steady course. But while all her attention was on the surging waves of dancers and hoppers, her port side bow brushed against something. Her head once more rose above the brine. “So sorry, please excuse me.”

Pinkie Pie might have let her go on by. Accidents happen after all. But she realized that though the crowd bounced to the music around her, and she wasn’t moving. There was a recognition wrapped up in that stillness, one she reluctantly turned to face. “Oh, it’s no trouble at all, stranger.”

Though their voices were raised to be picked up over the cheers as Red tore away under each neck, her magical grip pinning and plucking at both sets of strings, it was as though they were alone in the world, soft as whispers. Luna tried to smile. Their last interaction had been a touch sour, and it wasn’t one she’d hoped to repeat. At least, not anytime soon. Pensive, she said: “Fancy meeting you here.”

“I guess we’re just little ponies in a small world.” Pinkie laughed nervously. She wished Rainbow hadn’t disappeared further into the crowd. Then again, it wasn’t fair to rely on her. This was her mess to clean up. It felt like cake fallen to the dusty ground; something sweet she’d clumsily dropped. And though the distraction had been nice, it wasn’t the proverbial broom and dustpan she needed.

They stood there silently for a miniature eternity, the music washing over them like they were pebbles in a stream. Once Luna felt sufficiently smoothed by the running water, she finally spoke up. “Well. See you around, I guess.”

“Wait.” Pinkie reached out, but stopped short of actually putting a hoof on her. Somehow, she felt she really ought to not touch her, that she didn’t deserve to touch her. Gripping her recoiling hoof at her heart, she said: “Please.”

Ducking down for her was as much a courtesy meant for any others unfortunate enough to get caught behind that towering awkward mare. But it also brought Luna to eye level with Pinkie. Those light blue eyes didn’t seem as hardened as last she saw them, so she stayed. “Yes?”

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry.” She put her hoof to the side of her head to help her think, trying to pin down every little thing on a nice, neat list in her mind she could recite for her. This did not work. “For everything, b-but this time specifically for earlier this week.”

“Well,” Luna said, dejected, “admittedly, I should l have respected your space. We aren’t really, erm, at a place right now where I think it’d be terribly appropriate for either to be touching the other.”

“Still, I shouldn’t have snapped at you. That was so unfair.” Pinkie shook her head. Her limp magenta locks swayed in a way that an onlooker not in on the conversation might assume was to the rhythm of Cherry’s drum solo. Those closer by, however, caught a few words and awkwardly tried to give them a little distance. Pinkie felt their motion around her and recalled the judgemental looks she’d gotten at the gala for having the gall to converse with one of her betters.

Luna could see their motions making Pinkie shut in on herself. So she made a silent offer, nodding toward the back of the pack where they wouldn’t block or disturb anyone. She awaited Pinkie’s approving nod before ushering her back the way she came, through the narrow pass of fans. Once they had room to breathe, she let her head rise and said: “Anyway, I suppose I know what it’s like to lash out. You seemed like you were… in a bad place.”

“Well, I’m in a better place now. And I can see from here I’ve been a real patoot.” Her shoulders slacked when Luna giggled at that. Getting a laugh out of her felt nice.

“Hoo,” sighed Luna as she brushed at the corner of her eye, “that’s certainly one way to put it, hehe.” Luna’s wings untightened where they sat across her sides. She hadn’t realized how tensed her feathers had been. “I’ve certainly been there, though.” She cleared her throat, feathers bristling briefly over the topic. “Of course, you already know all about that.”

Pinkie’s head drooped, and not to bob along to the rhythm. Her long magenta locks tumbled over her shoulder, hanging limply just above the floor. An itch picked at her upper foreleg, and she tried to scratch it, while attempting to ask: “How do you, like… deal with it?”

The smile Luna wore had been a nervous one, and that question was enough to shake its foundation. She waited for her to meet her eyes once more, pondering what to say to that. “How, erm. How do you mean?”

“I feel so awful about what I did to you.” Pinkie admitted with a heavy heart. Her voice cracked, though her eyes stayed dry for the time being. Gripping at her chest, she said: “You always seemed so collected, though. H-how do you go about your day with this weight?”

A dry little laugh escaped Luna and she gave Pinkie a most incredulous look. “I’m sorry, did you miss the part where I got upset and threw a book across the room?” She shrugged, holding out a hoof to invite her to ponder. “Or the time I flew off to fight a bloody dragon to avoid seeing my sister too soon?” Making a show of looking around, Luna chuckled and added: “I would love to meet this level headed Luna you’re referring to.”

“Luna, how long are you going to keep beating yourself up over that darn book?” Frustrated, she reached up and gently pushed aside Luna’s hoof where she pantomimed shading her vision to search the distant horizon. Once she had her attention again, she begged her to consider: “What about the Luna that went back to comfort that rude magician girl? Or the Luna who didn’t resort to violence, no matter how mad Gilda made her? Or the Luna that’s really good with kids, or when she mediated between an angry dragon and a desperate mage, or, or…” Pinkie’s antsy tail swished, betraying her nerves. “What about the Luna that asked if I was okay, even after what I’d done?”

Luna opened her mouth to speak, but her teeth clicked back together. No words escaped her. Instead, she simply hummed a thoughtful “Hmm.”

“You’ve stumbled along the way, but you’re a good person. I just wish you could see that yourself.” Pinkie sighed, losing track of Luna’s eyes again. “And I wish I could be like you.”

“Then do it.” Luna’s words came so readily, she surprised even herself. “You’re already taking the first steps. I know all too well how heavily the shame can weigh upon your heart. But it’s a good sign that you feel remorse for regrettable actions; it means you’re past the low point—that you’re no longer the monster you became.”

Pinkie gawked up at her a moment. But she remained unconvinced. She scoffed and complained: “You make it sound so easy.”

“Regret is the easy part. Carrying that weight, saying that you were wrong; those are hard.” Luna wished she had a mirror right then. It almost felt like she might actually find that Luna which Pinkie had seen.

Mouth tight, Pinkie’s nostrils flared as she drew a hard breath. She was right; it wasn’t easy. “I was wrong,” Pinkie mewled, wincing, “it wasn’t my place to decide for you if you were ready to see your sister again. It was disrespectful of you as your own person and… I wish I could take all that back.”

“Well, you can’t exactly do that.” Luna reached up, tucking some loose locks behind her ear. Then, a great weight of hesitation waylaid her movements. In the end, that same hoof fell to Pinkie’s shoulder. “But I appreciate hearing you say that, and the sentiment besides.”

Pinkie clamped her eyes shut. First, she placed her hoof over Luna’s where it rested upon her shoulder. Then she leaned her head upon it and drew a long, steadying breath. “Will things ever go back to the way they were?”

“No.” There came a pause. “Things will always be different. Things are always changing. Maybe it shall be close to what it once was, but maybe it shan’t.” As the words left her, Luna’s own shoulders somehow felt so much lighter. Her world was very different now, but then so was she. And certainly, there were some changes she rather liked; some changes she’d made in her own life which made her feel all the more herself.

A breeze of air left Pinkie’s lungs as she breathed a little easier. “You’re right.” she said. “You’re right.”

None too far off, Luna spied that magenta server out of the corner of her eye, still managing his counter. He’d just finished pouring some punch and seemed to be gauging her and Pinkie’s interactions. After receiving a nod and wink of approval, Luna drew Pinkie the other way, continuing less confidently with: “Ahem, ah, anyway. Listen, I was pretty upset at the time. And, well, I won’t say I’m completely over it as such, but this is a good first step.”

“Yeah.” agreed Pinkie quietly. “I’m sorry I avoided having this conversation with you sooner. I…” Pinkie felt at the wrinkling pleather lapel of her jacket. She hadn’t felt particularly warm in here until now. “I hope you can forgive me someday.”

“With time and effort, it’s certainly possible.” It hurt to say. Deep down, part of Luna wanted to say all was forgiven then and there. She resented what Pinkie had done, but she didn’t hate her for it. She couldn’t hate the mare who’d taught her how to be happy again. All the same, while talking again was nice, she knew she needed more. More than a good apology.

“Mm, maybe I can think of an okay step two?” Pinkie cast her gaze over the noisy scene with a sheepish grin, saying: “You probably came here for the same reason I did, after all.”

“What might that be?” Luna blinked down at her.

“Fun.” she said simply. Turning to go, she added: “I’ll let you get back to your friends so you can dance the night away.”

“Well, that is rather the issue.” She tapped her hooves together. This was almost as embarrassing to say as she’d felt on stage with so many gazers and gawkers alike. “This music has so much energy, a sort of… buzz. I haven’t the foggiest idea how exactly to dance along.”

Pinkie’s head slowly tilted up, her grin growing along the way. Narrowing her gaze from beyond the pompous ridge of her smug little nose, she said: “My, my, how the tables have turned. I seem to recall a certain alicorn mocking me for not knowing how to dance to a genre of music I didn’t prefer.”

“Alright, I suppose I deserve that.” said Luna, bemused. Her eyes rolled with a little chuckle, but softened readily once more. “I don’t guess you’d show me how, though? For old time’s sake?”

“Sure.” gladly agreed Pinkie. She held out one hoof. “I’m always up to help a friend.”

---

An hour had passed. A couple beads of sweat formed upon Luna’s brow, just as much from nerves as the pressing of her stamina. Try as she might to follow Pinkie’s movements, she simply felt awkward as a newborn fawn on spindly little legs by comparison.

Up on stage, Red and Onyx went quiet, and one drum’s head after the other knew pain anew. It was Cherry’s turn for a solo, and her hair undulated as she rolled along from drum to drum and then back again. Luna had no clue how to move a single part of her body, so stood there, near as dumbstruck as she was awestruck. A few hoots and chants sounded off to encourage the drummer to keep it going.

Baddle-ah bada bah-tu bah-tu kishhhhh!

Glancing back, Luna looked on in a most bizarre mixture of dismay and confusion. Pinkie was proving her assertion of this being more feeling than process. There were no steps. There was no structure. Her face contorted with effort as she moved her body to the rhythm, practically posing on the beat.

Cherry Bomb slammed her kit to close out her solo, and a loud snap punctuated the set. She wrenched the broken drumstick free with her teeth and tossed it to the cheering crowd, before seemingly attempting to drown her exhaustion with her water bottle. As the roar of the crowd settled to a rumble, her two bandmates took after her example and quenched their thirst. A little break was in order.

“Whew.” went Pinkie, following their lead to relax a moment. “So,” she asked, turning to Luna, “how was that? Feel like you’re getting it?”

“The only thing I’m feeling is regret for having two cups of punch one after the other.” abashedly admitted Luna. She peered around, trying to find reprieve.

“Over there, toward the corner.” pointed out Pinkie to help her out. She hesitated a moment, thinking to offer an escort, but thought better of it.

“Ah, thanks. Be right back, dear.” Luna scurried off, hesitating for only a moment’s regret in calling her “dear” again so soon. She scurried away before either of them could comment on it.

Upon entering, she saw a couple fillies in the corner by the sink, interacting in a way that made her blush. Cheeks rosy, she rushed to find a stall so as not to interlope. It wasn’t until she was done and made to wash her hooves that she realized how familiar the gray mare was. “Hope?”

Hope-Heart’s head whirled around, her black bob cut swaying like a churning sea at a storm’s climax. Her red eyes were wide, and only slightly redder than her cheeks. “Oh. Luna. Um, hi.”

In the corner, Ruby had the look of a young mare who would much, much, much rather be literally anywhere else right then and there. Her eyes swiveled back until they could view only ceiling. “Moon above, why?”

Luna’s eyes searched between them, and the pieces readily came together. “Oh,” she said, a churlish little smirk appearing, “oh, heheheh, oh my. I must say, I’m not surprised, but this certainly happened rather faster than I anticipated.”

“Please don’t tell my mom.” blurted Ruby, mortified. She sank to her knees and pleaded with clasped hooves.

Hope’s mood sank all the further. She turned the other way and crossed her hooves. Rolling her eyes, she groaned out: “Ugh, not the ‘don’t tell my parents’ routine again. Happens with every girl I’ve…”

They looked on to see if she felt like finishing that statement. She didn’t. So turning, Luna said: “Please let me wash my hooves of this. I didn’t mean to judge. And I hardly get along with your mother, so why would I tell her your secrets?”

“Heh, I know that feeling.” While Ruby may have intended to lighten the mood somewhat, she instead found herself between a red and blue set of concerned eyes.

“You should really talk to her.” Hope huffed, still a touch aloof in the other direction. “I mean, do you even want to be a knight like her?”

“I’ll admit, I have similar reservations.” Suds gone, Luna dried her hooves. “Today, these have been the highest spirits I’ve seen you in since I met you. It’s also the first time I’ve seen you without the armor.”

“I don’t wear the armor when getting into my bedroll.” complained Ruby.

Narrowing her eyes a touch, Luna solemnly said: “My dear, that’s not really the point. Especially since I try to give either of you some semblance of privacy.” In a far more bitter whisper, she added: “Not as how you invaded mine.”

“What was that?” Ruby’s ear flickered.

Rather than repeat that snide little comment, Luna leaned against the counter rather casually. She pointed at her and said: “What I mean is, you seem happier when you don’t need to wear it.”

“Like, what’s your special talent, anyhow?” asked Hope, leering back over. One could tell she was still a little disappointed things turned around so suddenly.

“Hold on.” bade Luna, shrugging at Hope. “You don’t even know that much about her?” One brow rose on high, a mighty peak of judgement.

“You don’t either, and you’ve known her longer.” pouted Hope, embarrassed. She turned back about to avoid eye contact with a “Hmph.”

“True as that may be, you’ve certainly gotten closer to her.” rebutted Luna. Her tone, though somewhat judgemental, was softened by an air of amusement.

“It’s juice.” interrupted Ruby, dejected. “My special talent is juice.”

Luna dropped it, returning her attention to Ruby. “Juice?” she asked aloud. “What, as in… squeezing fruits?”

Ruby put on a stiff upper lip, turning up her nose as she left the corner. “You’re just being dismissive because you haven’t tried my great recipe for raspberry tea.”

“Aw, c’mon, she didn’t mean it that way.” assured Hope, following her along.

“Y-yes, I’m so sorry if that came out rudely.” added Luna as she chased after them. Catching up didn’t take long, as Ruby hesitated by the door.

“Okay.” she mewled. “I guess I assumed you were because… mom can be pretty dismissive.”

Hope-Heart put her hoof over her shoulder, and when Ruby turned to look, she pulled in close until they were nearly nose to nose. “I for one would love to try your raspberry tea. Plus, juice bars and the like are all the rage these days. You could easily find work in that line, and I bet you’d be a lot happier.”

An idea struck Luna. “I might even know of a place right here in Ponyville that could make great use of your talent.”

The excitement of possibility crept ever so slightly into Ruby’s voice. “Really?” That light in her eyes faded almost immediately though. “Wait, no, I can’t. Mom would be disappointed.”

Teeth grinding, Hope-Heart wore a look of fury like neither of them had yet seen before. Nearly shouting, she asked: “Who cares what she thinks?”

“Hope?” recoiled Ruby, taken aback.

“What about what you want, Ruby?” Hope sighed and stepped back, letting go of her. Collecting herself, she continued. “Sorry about that, but just… you can’t, like, let your parents live their lives through you, especially if it makes you as miserable. And please, I’m not just saying this because I find you attractive, but, like… I’m kinda speaking from experience here, okay?”

“She’s right.” added Luna somberly. “We’re trying to look out for you, as friends.” Placing her hoof over her chest, she admitted: “I too know what it’s like to have a parent overly dictate what you can do with your life. It made me very unhappy then, and it’s clearly making you unhappy now.”

“But…” Ruby trembled ever so slightly. She choked up a tiny bit. “But how can I talk to her when she’s so… ugh!”

“We’ll be here for you.” assured Luna, smiling softly. “Never forget that your friends are here for you.”

Hope sidled up beside her, leaning one hoof on her shoulder. “I’ll help in any way I can too. I don’t know where things are going with us, but I want you to be happy.”

Ruby could hold back no longer. She threw her hooves wide open and embraced the two of them. “Thanks, you two, so much. I-I feel like… I can do it, I can finally become my own mare.”

The door swung open, and the three of them craned their necks to see a young blond filly with piebald patterning. From where she stood, silent a moment, she looked on with a mild mixture of apprehension and bemusement. She made to let go of the door, saying: “Actually, I can hold it.”

Hope was the first to the door. Laughing nervously, she said: “Oh no, heh, we were uh, just leaving. C’mon, girls.”

Luna watched Ruby rush on through and excused herself to the stranger: “Beg your pardon.”

“Oh it’s all good.” She gave her a carefree wave of the hoof. “We’ve all been there, girl.” Luna, she gave special attention to. “Loving that pigment on your lips, by the by. Striking look like that really works for you.”

“Oh,” peeped Luna, skirting on by, “thank you.” To this stranger, she offered a timid smile, which faltered in flattered surprise from the wink she received in kind.

“Any time, gorgeous.” Her smile flashed wickedly in the low light, and like that she was gone.

At this point, Luna was as much flummoxed as she was flustered. Catching up to the others, she announced aloud to no one in particular: “Alright, I don’t get it. I’ve always been moderately confident in my looks, but this is ludicrous.”

“It’s because you’re tall.” Hope replied nonplussed without missing a beat. As Luna fumbled and stumbled for a response, she fished out a couple coins and passed them to Ruby. “Would you mind terribly getting us some punch?”

“Tall?” squawked Luna with arched brows as Ruby happily acquiesced off for drinks. Luna suddenly became extremely aware of her stature above Hope, how she practically looked over her. Reflexively, she lowered her head to level her gaze, adding: “What, pray tell, has my height to do with any of… all this?”

Hope grimaced with a great ponderance pronounced by the creasing of her brow. “I’m not sure why it happens, really. But trust me on this. In this, uh, ‘circle,’ let’s call it, tall girls get a special kind of attention.”

“She’s not wrong.” piped up a familiar voice.

“Ohhhhhh,” nervously mused Hope with a crooked attempt at a face-saving smile, “hey Pinkie. Funny, running into you, isn’t it, Luna?”

“Actually, I managed to bump into her earlier.” Luna tapped her hooves together, apparently finding something terribly interesting to look at in any other direction than facing either of them. “Rather literally.”

Glancing from one to the other, Hope watched them squirm away from eye contact as though it might petrify them where they loosely stood. “So, are you two, like… good now?”

“Well, I…” began Luna.

“Y’see, it…” attempted Pinkie.

“It’s just…”

“And she…”

Luna looked at Pinkie, a look upon her face betraying every knot in her stomach, so intricate and layered, they’d put an experienced sailor’s work to shame. And upon her face, Luna read similar uncertainty. Turning back to Hope, Luna said: “We’re taking it slow right now.”

“Yeah,” Pinkie agreed, “slower than molasses drips off a spoon.”

When Luna snickered at that, smiling down at her, and Pinkie smiled back, Hope-Heart arched a single brow. She didn’t press, though, feeling perhaps she wasn’t in any position to do so. “Well, it’s good you guys are talking again at least.”

“Look at the crowd!” Ruby shouted with glee, rushing in between them with the two cups Hope had requested. She gave one to her and downed the other. Wiping her lip off on her wrist, she said: “I think it’s time to mosh.”

Pinkie moved to grab Luna by the foreleg and take her off to have fun with her, but stopped shy of contact. Pushing that grabby hoof back behind her neck, she timidly asked: “Wanna come mosh with me?”

Gently, Luna pressed back on some locks of her powder blue hair that tumbled past her ear. Her smile was soft, unlike the music that ramped up. “Sure,” she said, abashed, “though you’ll have to show me how.”

“You coming, Hope?” waved Ruby as she made to follow after them.

“Actually, Ruby, could we hang back a moment and, like, ya know, talk for a moment?” Hope’s magic grasp suspended her punch so she could scratch at her shoulder. Things had been going well enough, she supposed, but this needed saying.

Ruby watched as Luna and Pinkie joined the excited crowd, and turned, moving closer to hear what Hope was saying. “Sure, what’s up?”

“You’re really cute, and back there, that was kinda nice, don’t get me wrong.” Her throat suddenly very dry, Hope sipped at her punch.

“But?” asked Ruby. Never had she felt like the brightest pegasus, but she wasn’t oblivious enough to not realize there would be a follow up to that statement; one she aimed to get to right away.

Astonishing even herself, Hope polished off her own cup as well. The nerves were worse than she realized. “Ah, ahem, it’s just that m-maybe we skipped a few steps, ya know.” She tapped her hooves tentatively together, eyes veering off with the slightest hint of shame. “It may have been a while since I was with somepony.”

Ruby had to cover up her mouth, barely able to stifle her snickering. “Oh, is that what that was about?”

Hope lurched forward, soundly giving her forehead a solid thunk, mortified. One eye obscured by that lingering hoof, her other peeked through her bangs. “Look, what I’m trying to say is… if you want, we can try again sometime. A-and take it slow, I mean.”

Red covered gray, and Ruby took that embarrassed hoof of Hope’s in between hers. “Don’t just blame yourself. I kinda fell a little head over heels too fast too. Especially after you complimented my hair.”

“That does tend to work pretty nicely.” The smile Hope-Heart wore was playful, but utterly full of itself. Yet all the same, it faltered into an abashed and sorry state. “You know, I even tried that on Luna when I first met her.”

“Oh my gosh,” sputtered Ruby, incredulous, “no.”

Solemn as she was sullen, Hope nodded meekly. “Afraid it’s true. Sometimes I feel as hopeless as my sister.” Seeing how that amused Ruby, Hope took her hoof back and groaned. “Anyway…”

“You’re right, sorry, back on topic. I guess I agree, that was maybe a bit much back there.” Ruby tapped her hooves together. She hesitated, pondering if she wanted to make this next move. Deciding it wouldn’t be too much for the time, Ruby leaned in and kissed her on the bridge of her nose. She could only reach despite their slight height disparity thanks to that sunken state of her posture, but she took it all the same. “But I’d really like the chance to get to know you.”

“Heh.” stuttered Hope-Heart, her name sake thudding in her chest. Though maybe that was the music ramping up. Beyond Ruby’s more squat statue, Hope could see the crowd finally writhing. “Oh, oh, it’s time for the mosh pit, wanna go?”

“Uh, sure?” Though Ruby was pretty sure she wasn’t going to enjoy thrashing around with strangers very much, she wanted a little more time alone with her, before she’d have go back with her mom and think about confronting her all over again. But Hope stopped short just ahead of her.

“I think something’s wrong.” Hope said, staring onward.

Ruby searched the scene ahead of them, seeing only the thrashing about she expected. Laughing, jeering ponies shoved each other back and forth, whooping with the anxiously high wails of the music. One all too excited blue pegasus hollered something before diving in. Ruby gulped, not really wanting any part of this. “W-what? What is it?”

---

Author's Note:

Me, updating my fic out of nowhere after like, a year.

Sorry, folks. Things have been kinda rough. And that's all I feel like saying on that. But I found some time (willpower, really) for more creative ventures. Lookit this miniature I painted.

Comments

[Red Bear]

Huzzah! We have another chapter. It's good to see things getting better between our favorite characters.

[BarelyCoherent]

The chapter's cool and all, but tell me more about the birdman

[Saturni_Rose]

10734277
I am so tired rn it took me five minutes to figure what "birdman" referred to. He's a "hawkman" model from the Dark Sword miniatures company. It's mostly pewter, which can be a chore to work with, but there's some real gems if you look hard enough. Just don't browse while at school or work, if you catch my drift.

[Griseus]

Welcome back. Only person you owe anything here is to yourself.

[Ali della Morte]

Great chapter

[Saturni_Rose]

10734571
I'm going to print this one comment out and lay it atop my pillow, and once my head follows thereafter I will sleep for an entire month straight, arising only once I sense the last petal has wilted and fallen away from the garden-plucked rose in my vase.

[DavisSentoV5]

I forgot this story existed to the point where I forgot what was going on.

[Savant Sentral]

Im not sure why this story doesn't have more buzz this is great.
Well written, fleshed out characters. Kinda OOC compared to the show but NOT OOC for the characters as they are in this story.
Loving it, XOXO