Harmonics

by ezra09

Cold Morning

The inhabitants of Canterlot stood in silence. Thousands upon thousands of ponies, and not a single voice rose up against the figure that stood on high, illuminated and magnified by a cloak of starlight.

“Obedient little children,” Nocturne said softly. “Nothing like we remember.”

“As you say, my queen. They have been pampered for far too long,” Rosalia said.

Nocturne spoke again, and this time her voice was magnified a thousand fold, echoing off the remains of Canterlot mountain on which she stood. “Ponies. We come before you today with glorious news. The true queen of this land has returned, and those who you called princesses have fallen.”

The silence was finally broken by a sudden outcry and wave of panicked voices far below. Nocturne gave them a moment, and then said simply, “Silence.”

The crowd of ponies fell silent.

“There is no need to fear. Change is an inevitable part of life, and an invaluable one. Without change, there can be no growth. For a thousand years, a necessary part of life has been denied you, but no longer. From this day, you will be allowed to live and to grow as was intended.

“And not just you. All the creatures of…” Nocturne paused and looked to Rosalia.

“Equestria.”

“All the creatures of Equestria will be free from the tyrannical rule that has subjugated them for so long.”

Another smattering of confused murmurs, smaller this time. Rosalia couldn’t make out the words themselves, but she could imagine. What other creatures? Gryphons? Donkeys? Zebras? There wasn’t any subjugation going on.

“Changelings from the South,” Nocturne continued. “Windigo’s from the North. Specters from the darkest corners in which the false princesses had driven them. The creatures of the Everfree that once roamed these lands. Under our rule, this land that is now called Equestria will be home to all who wish to live here."

Another smattering of panic. All of those things were evil, Rosalia imagined was the gist of their concern. Such arrogant creatures. If it were up to her... but no. It wasn't her place to judge, and of course her queen was more benevolent than she. She had known that Nocturne would want the best for everypony... everything, she corrected herself. No need to speak that way any longer.

Oh, but how she loathed them.

“That is all to be said for now," Nocturne concluded. "Now go. You have much to do.”

Nopony moved.

Nocturne frowned and spoke, this time at her normal volume. “Rosalia, they don’t seem to be moving. Do they not care to procure shelter before the night grows too long? Have ponies fallen so far as to have forgotten such a basic necessity?”

“I think they’re just confused, my queen. They are used to others throughout the years. Others that would imprison and subjugate them. They would believe you to be a conqueror, not a queen.”

“Then why do they stand so idly by? Why would they not take up arms against us?”

“They don’t know how,” Rosalia said.

Nocturne looked at the changeling for a long moment, and then let out a sigh that reverberated in her odd triple voice. “Let us hope they learn quickly. Extinction is such a tragic waste.”

*****

A hoof squished against Thistleroot’s face.

“Thisleroot. Wake up.” The hoof poked him again. He groggily brushed it away and opened an eye, coming face to face with a changeling no more than a foot away.

“Gah!” Thistleroot bolted upright, knocking Mimic to the floor. “Ai… oh. Oh yeah. Morning.”

“Good morning,” Mimic answered, brushing herself off. “Do you always talk in your sleep?”

“Did I?” Thistleroot asked.

Mimic nodded. "What's a ficus?"

“Plant. Hmph.” He paused. “What, were you just watching me then?”

Mimic rolled her eyes. “You too? Is it really that weird?”

“Well, yeah, it’s a little unsettling.” Thisleroot plopped back down and yawned. “It’s morning already? It feels like I just got to sleep.”

“Yeas.” Mimic looked up at the bright sun just over the horizon. “Do you know what it means?”

“That we should get moving, I guess.”

“That too, but uh...”

Thistleroot stood. “Hopefully Scootaloo will be in Ponyville. She can tell us what happened with that tablet thing she had and maybe we can figure out what happened from there.”

“Yes, but I think you’re missing something important.”

“What’s that?”

Mimic opened one eye wider in a skeptical look, one that Thistleroot could only imagine would look better with eyebrows. She then nodded up toward the sky.

“What? It’s… oh. Huh.”

It was morning. The sun was out and it was morning.

There was something off, though. The sun looked the same, but it lacked some kind of warmth, almost. Not physically, the temperature of the day was just as it had been the day before. But there was no hint of Celestia’s golden magic.

“Do you know what it means?” Mimic asked again.

“Not a clue,” Thistleroot said. “Maybe Scootaloo will know more. Shall we then?”

“Yes, but if you sing one more song, I will feed you to a manticore.”

“Aww, come on. Most ponies tell me I have a wonderful singing voice,” Thisleroot said.

“I find that really hard to believe.” Mimic shook her head and started walking. Her shoulder ached, but not as bad as it had the day before.

“It’s the truth. You might be the first one ever to not appreciate my singing.”

Mimic looked back at him and he flashed her the widest, most sincere grin he could muster. “I find that really, really hard to believe.”

“That’s a shame. You know what they say: Don’t stop believing.”

*****

Scootaloo managed to fashion herself a cape and hood out of some apple printed fabric in one of the many storage boxes long forgotten in the clubhouse. It had likely been a tablecloth for one of the Apple family reunions or a similar even.

The garment looked ridiculous, but it covered her head and most of her body. Truth be told, ridiculous wouldn’t stand out that much in Ponyville. Even so, she moved quickly, staying to the back roads as often as possible.

The city wasn’t particularly busy. No news had come in from Canterlot, as far as she could tell, but the few extra hours of darkness had left the townsponies spooked.

It had taken the better part of the day to come up with her next move and then to find the cloth and make her disguise. By the time the Ponyville library came into view, it was bordering on late afternoon.

She tried the front door first and found it locked. Not surprising. Ever since Twilight had moved to Canterlot, the library had been cared for by a different librarian, whose name Scootaloo hadn’t gotten.

The librarian had her own place, and with the quiet worry of the town had apparently neglected her duties and not bothered to come in.

A stroke of luck, truth be told. Scootaloo circled around to the back, hiked up the cape, and fluttered to the top of the tree. She broke a window, unlatched it, and entered.

The library was the same as she remembered it. Large bookshelves stood against each wall, crammed with heavy bound tomes.

“Okay, great.” Scootaloo paused. “Where the hay do I even start?”

*****

Sweetie Belle breathed slowly, her horn glowing with a faint light.

Apple Bloom stood beside her, silently encouraging her. Another unicorn stood on Sweetie Belle’s other side, horn glowing as well.

“Don’t try to control it!” The older unicorn called to the assembled ponies. Al, if Sweetie Belle was remembering his name correctly. One of the princess’s old friends. “Let your magic join together. Help each other. Don’t push to hard.”

Sweetie Belle glanced to her right. Twenty unicorns in a row, each with a glowing horn. She could feel all the magic beginning to gather together toward the center, her own just one small part of a much bigger spell.

Al moved forward from their row and to the next, inspecting each unicorn. And then on to the next row. It took him a handful of minutes to examine and encourage each of the ten rows, though it felt like so much longer. During that time, Sweetie Belle could feel a pressure building behind her eyes. The start of a headache. She’d gotten one that morning as well, and it had taken hours to abate.

Finally, Al’s own horn glowed brighter than any of the others. Sweetie Belle felt a much stronger magic join the collective and begin to shape the spell.

The world seemed to tip out from under her. She felt far away from herself, and the sudden vertigo nearly made her sick. She heard one pony lose his dinner, but even though she knew he was a few feet away, the sound seemed to come from an unfathomable distance.

Two hundred unicorns, working together and directed by a crotchety old pony. Together they reached out further than Sweetie Belle could even begin to comprehend. She felt a massive weight against the spell, and her hooves trembled as though she were being physically pressed into the ground. The weight threatened to crush her. It was almost too much.

A comforting hoof came to rest on her shoulder. She took a deep breath and redoubled her efforts. The unicorn beside her dropped to the ground, breathing ragged as he clutched his head.

The sun slid toward the horizon, a bit more jerkily than usual. As it did, the moon rose to take its place.

Comments

[the other sans]

who’s name Scootaloo hadn’t gotten

1. Whose.

Now one has to wonder, how much longer until panic sets in for the rest of Equestria?

[GMZ_Casper]

Things isn't looking too good, but at least it look like it isn't quite hopeless yet. While I can understand where Nocturne is going with her idea that they need to become more self-reliance and able to stand up for themselves better, there is a saying about 'good intention' that would really fit very well here in this case, especially if it is mixed with delusional ideals.

Short C&Cs:
He groggily  brushed it away and opened an eye
> Remove the extra space after 'groggily'.
Don’t push to hard.
> Replace 'to' with 'too'.

[TheGreatEater]

Applebloom stood beside her, silently encouraging her.

Apple Bloom
_____________

[ezra09]

Still not dead, I promise! Next chapter will come out this week.

[TheGreatEater]

“I find that really hard to believe.” Mimic shook her head and started walking. He shoulder ached, but not as bad as it had the day before.

Her
__________

Applebloom >> Apple Bloom
______