The Magic of Music Part 1
Caramel awoke with a fluster, panting wildly like a feral beast. Outside the rain lashed against his window in sheets. Today had been scheduled as a rainy day by the weather team. He'd been dreaming about his family, something that hadn't been unusual for him as of late. He lay back into his pillow, one hoof going for his chewing gum and the other already grasping his beloved Mister Jingles.
It had been almost two years since he had left home; A small village nestled within the High Mountains. He'd lived with his parents and younger brother. Life hadn't exactly been easy, but it had been good, simple. He had worked for the local Runeforger, an old changeling by the name of Vos. A strict fellow, but kind at heart.
He sighed, clasping Mr Jingles closer to his chest. The teddy bear was a scraggy old thing, really. The velveteen fur had become worn with age, and one of the eyes had been replaced with a black button. Still, it reminded him of his family, of gathering before the village bonfire for prayer, and downing shots of tak'vat with his friends during the celebration of the eclipse. It reminded him of home.
Leaving his life behind to join The Hive had been difficult for him, to say the least. Not having any parents to argue with or a brother to bicker with did a lot to make a changeling feel lonely. However, if joining The Hive had been difficult, then infiltrating Equestria had been nothing short of tartarus. Being lonely was one thing, but to be the only one of your species in the entirety of Ponyville? That was downright alienating. He had studied Equestrian culture for months on end, and had blended in well enough, but that didn't stop him from feeling out of place. The way everypony interacted with each other, the songs they sang and the books they wrote... It all seemed so different to him, even after all this time.
Another sigh, this one heavier than the last. Perhaps he was just being too pessimistic. Sure, he missed his home every now and then, but that didn't make a Ponyville a worse place to live by any means. On the contrary, in many ways it was superior to the High Mountains. The climate was warmer, the nature was lusher and there was an abundance of love to feed on. What's more, there was Applejack. Emphasis on the was.
He checked his alarm clock. Seven AM. Still a little bit early for his liking, but he was a light sleeper anyways. He rolled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom, immediately heading over to the sink and the mirror that hung above it. Twilight had done him the favour of replacing his broken fang with her magic, and to her credit she had done a fairly decent job. It left an aftertaste of magic in his mouth (which tasted like something between a cherry twizzler and a ground-up firecracker), but at least he wasn't running about with one less fang anymore. He drew his forked tongue across the replaced enamel before hopping into the shower.
Washing himself had always been a chore, as it was for most changelings. The holes in his legs made for some notoriously hard to reach places, and the membrane of his wings was extremely delicate and required great care and steady hooves to clean. It wasn't unusual for changelings to bathe together. One would clean the other's wings, and vice versa. Sadly, there were no other changelings in Ponyville, meaning he was stuck trying to wash one of the most sensitive parts of his body which also happened to be in one of the most awkward places ever (seriously, you try cleaning an incredibly delicate membrane located directly between your shoulder blades. It isn't easy).
Still, it begged the question why pegasi never chose bathing partners; those wings of theirs were in a similar position to a changeling's after all. He'd actually researched Equestrian bathing methods, and the only instances of bathing together turned out to be rather... suggestive.
Ponies were weird.
The doorbell rang as he stepped out of the shower. He cloaked himself in his disguise, wrapped a towel around himself and rushed to the door, still dripping wet. "Hello?" he called, reaching for the doorknob.
"Caramel? Would you be a darling and open the door, it is terribly rude to leave a lady standing out here in the rain."
He didn't even have to ask for her name. There was only one pony he knew who bore such a well-honed Canterlot accent.
"Miss Rarity?" he asked, swinging the door open. Rarity stood before him, dressed in what was perhaps the flashiest raincoat in the world and bright pink wellingtons. She had an umbrella gripped with her magic and was holding it above her head in her bright blue aura. A gust of wind howled through the doorway, and Rarity's teeth chattered. Jeez, how long had she been out in the rain for? She looked practically frozen!
Caramel stepped aside, allowing Rarity into his house. She stripped herself of her raincoat and wellingtons. He swore he heard a small sigh of relief when he closed the door behind her. Something told him that Rarity wasn't a big fan of wind and rain.
Rarity managed a prim and proper bow despite her shivering, which he returned, albeit a little more clumsily than her. He knew of Rarity's inkling for etiquette, and knew that nothing pleased her more than a pony with manners (apart from an Iron Mare solo, that was).
"So I suppose you're here to help me out with my little problem?" he asked idly as Rarity hung her coat upon his coat hanger. She snapped her umbrella shut and leant it against a wall before answering.
"Right you are," she said, retreating back to his small living room and seating herself upon a sofa. She eyed his fireplace longingly. "Say, could you be a dear and light the fire, Oh, and if you could, a cup of tea would go down wonderfully!"
Caramel smiled to himself. Changelings could never stand the rain either. It would prevent their wings from working properly and muffle their powers to sense emotion. He cast a small pyromancy spell, and the hearth flickered to life, its loaming light creeping into the room. He took a seat next to Rarity after turning the kettle on, and allowed the heat of the fire to sink into his bones. Next to him, Rarity sighed blissfully.
"So, how did your time with Pinkie Pie go, hmm?" she ventured conversationally.
"I almost burned down Sugarcube Corner, told Applejack I was a spy and took a door to the face. Oh, and Big Macintosh hates my guts now."
"... Ah," she eyed him incredulously. "You almost burned down Sugarcube corner, you say?"
"With a pie."
"And how exactly did you-"
"Please," he said desperately. "Don't ask."
Rarity shook her head, dismissing the subject. "Okay... Well, you needn't worry about failure this time around," she proclaimed. "I happen to be a master of romance!"
The kettle flicked itself off, indicating that the water was boiled. "Is that so?" he asked as he head towards the kettle. It was blaringly obvious to anypony with eyes that Rarity was nothing less than an expert in the subject of fashion, but romance? He couldn't say he was all that surprised. With a face like hers, stallions would be clamouring over each other for a chance to woo the white unicorn.
"But of course, a true lady knows all of the ways into someponys heart!"
"Oh yeah?" he put a cup of tea on the small table between them. "And what would the way into Applejack's be?" he asked, genuinely curious. He knew Applejack better than anypony, but Equestrian romance was just so different from what he was used to. Of course he knew what she loved (her friends, her family, and apple fritters. Lots and lots of apple fritters), but for one of those loves to be some kind of key to her heart? That was just crazy.
"Through music, of course!"
And that was even crazier.
Music? Well, he knew from experience that Applejack loved a bit of country rock here and there (she also had a secret passion for rap, although she'd promised to gut him alive if he ever told anypony), but 'the way into her heart'? Seriously?
Rarity must have noticed the disbelief on his face, because she addressed him with a serious frown. "Doubt my methods, do we?"
"No, no, it's not that!" he stammered quickly. From what he'd heard from Applejack, Rarity had quite the temper on her, one that he should desperately try to avoid. "It's just that, well, it's very different from what I'm used to, is all."
"Oh?" Rarity's frown dissipated, and the veil of anger that had coated her voice disappeared. Now instead she sounded rather... curious? she shuffled closer to him and perked her ears up attentively. "And what are you used to, if you don't mind me asking?"
Caramel sat back, mulling over the question in silence. "Changelings aren't a very trusting race," he began, twiddling his hooves uncomfortably. "Our history isn't a pretty one, and it's shaped us into a very secretive folk. Because of this, changelings won't enter a relationship until they're sure they can trust their loved one. Trust, you see, is the foundation of love itself. Everything is built upon it, from friendships to marriages. Without trust, everything would fall apart." he paused to sample his tea. It was one of the few Equestrian beverages that he could actually enjoy- that was, unless it was bleached with sugar, in which case it was as vile as the rest of their drinks.
"So how does one earn another changeling's trust?" asked Rarity. To Caramel's delight she actually seemed genuinely interested.
"There's a lot of ways. You can pledge yourself to your loved one; swear by the gods to remain faithful to them, that kind of thing. Changelings don't support divorces, you see, so we have to make sure that we're trustworthy to our mates."
"That sounds like... An awful lot of commitment," mused Rarity. "I suppose you have marriages?"
Caramel shrugged. "We call them bindings, but it's more or less the same thing. The two changelings have rings engraved around the base of their horns as a sign of matrimony," he tapped the bottom of his horn. "Right here."
Rarity scrunched her face in disgust, obviously disturbed that somepony would mutilate themselves in such a way. "Y-you mean, you cut yourselves?" she shivered at the thought. The majority of Equestrians would faint at the mere sight of blood, so Caramel couldn't say he was surprised when Rarity began to turn slightly green in the face.
"How about we change the subject?" he asked quickly. "Like 'how are we going to convince Applejack to love me again'?"
Thankfully, Rarity shook off her queasiness at the mention of 'love'. "Caramel, I'm happy to announce that you'll be going to the Canterlot Victory Ball!"
...
"The what now?"
Rarity proudly produced a pamphlet and offered it to Caramel. He took it from her hooves and began to read aloud.
"'Come one, come all, to the Canterlot Victory Ball! The music is fair and the drinks are a-plenty, alcoholic beverages for all above twenty. Come and have a dance, come and have some fun, for it was on this day that we... Felled the changeling scum?'"
His face dropped as he read the last line. "Uh, Rarity I-"
"Oh it'll be fantastic! I can see it now, the glitz, the glamour-"
"Miss Rar-"
"Oh and the music! I can see it now, you and Applejack swaying in each other's arms under magnificent moonlight," Rarity made a little *squee* of delight. "Oh it'll be like something straight out of a fairy-tale!"
'Complete with some knight lopping off a changeling's head.' he thought to himself.
"Miss Rarity, would you please listen?" thankfully the urgency in his voice was enough to stop her rambling and grab her attention. "Look... This is nice and all but I, uh, think it might be a bit out of my price range." he mentally high fived himself for coming up with a plausible excuse on such short notice.
"Don't you worry about that," said Rarity with a coy smile. "The Elements of Harmony are considered guests of honour, and each of us are allowed to take a plus one!" she scooched closer to Caramel "Just think about it, Canterlot is perhaps one of the most romantic places in all of Equestria. Can you think of any better place to charm your beloved?"
'Crap crap crap! Quick, think of something else, quick!'
"B-but I can't dance!" he exclaimed.
She shrugged it off. "It's hardly rocket science, dear, I'm sure you'll do fine." It was becoming increasingly obvious that Rarity had her mind set on this, much to Caramel's dismay. "Believe me, there's no better way to win a mare's heart than through a good slow-dance, this is simply perfect!"
No it wasn't. This was a bad idea. A terrible idea. A freakin' suicidal idea. Did Rarity really expect him to just waltz into the middle of Canterlot? For Chrysalis' sake he was a changeling! The fact that the party was situated in Equestria's biggest city was enough to dissuade him, let alone the matter of said party being dedicated to hating him. Rarity had to be joking, she simply had to!
One look at her face told him she wasn't.
"Rarity, I really don't want to do this."
"Come now, darling," she cooed. "It'll be fun!"
'If by 'fun' you mean 'absolutely bloody disastrous', then yes, it'll be barrels of fun!' Caramel had never doubted his abilities as a spy before, but now, his confidence was weaning. He'd been trained to infiltrate even the most heavily guarded of fortresses without ever leaving a trace, but that was before ponies were aware that changelings were a threat. Ever since the Canterlot wedding, the Royal Guard had taken precautions against his kind. The number of guards on duty had been doubled, citizens were asked to look out for any abnormal activity and to top it all off, any captured changeling would be facing some very serious charges (One of which included tickling via feather, a punishment reserved for only the most heinous of crimes).
Caramel gave a firm shake his head. "This won't work, Miss Rarity. I mean, Applejack doesn't want to be anywhere near me, let alone dance with me! Not to mention that she was seriously upset about the whole me being a spy thing." He snorted humourlessly. "Chances are she hates me as much as her brother does right about now."
Rarity raised an eyebrow. "Aren't we being a little overdramatic?"
He had to laugh. Coming from her, you could be certain that meant something. "Maybe so, but you can be sure as the sun that she won't want me there, Miss Rarity."
"Now, now," soothed Rarity "Applejack doesn't hate you, in fact Applejack doesn't hate anyone! It simply isn't in her nature. She just..." Rarity paused for a moment, searching for the right words. "Severely dislikes you."
Now it was Caramel's turn to raise a brow. "And that's a good thing?"
"But of course! Have you ever read a romance novel? All good relationships need a bit of anger here and there, keeps things spicy, you see."
Caramel snorted. "If this is what having a 'spicy' relationship feels like, I think I'd prefer mine mild."
Rarity giggled. "She's a farmer slash national hero and you're a changeling spy from over the hills and far away, I'm afraid a 'mild' relationship is out of the question."
He sighed. Although he hated to admit it, she was right. There was no going back to the way things were, not now. When Applejack lobbed him out of that window, any chance of normality went with him. Even if he somehow did earn her love again, it simply wouldn't be the same. She had fell for a pony from Baltimare with a pair of dead parents and a sister who lived abroad. He wasn't that pony. He was some old Runeforger's apprentice from a backwards village in the mountains turned trained spy. He was the guy who'd been keeping tabs on his marefriend's life for the past year.
"So... Tell me about this ball."
"Oh, it'll be simply wonderful!" exclaimed Rarity. "The highest of Equestria's nobility are gathering there, and from what I've heard the fireworks display is to die for!"
"Fireworks and nobility, huh? No offense Miss Rarity, but that doesn't exactly sound like Applejack's cup of tea."
"That's ludicrous," said Rarity. "Fireworks are everypony's cup of tea. Besides, it's not like Applejack has much choice in the matter. Princess Celestia has personally requested that all six elements be present. Like I said, we're guests of honour." she put emphasis on the word 'honour'.
Caramel rolled his eyes. "None of that changes the fact that Applejack won't want to be anywhere near me."
Rarity gave a determined smile. "Darling, leave that to me. I can be very convincing when I want to." she got up from the sofa and stretched. "So that's my plan, and dare I say it, it's a rather good one. The only question is whether or not you're willing to go through with it."
Caramel sighed. This was his choice? Either spend the rest of his days lonely or effectively throw himself into a meat grinder?
"I... Fine." he huffed. "I'll go to the ball. Just don't let any of those guards near me."
Rarity squealed joyfully, hopping from hoof to hoof. "I knew you would, I simply knew it! Oh it'll be incredible, trust me, dear, you won't regret this!"
Part of him already was.
Ser Kaathe could taste blood on his tongue.
It wasn't unusual. The three gashes which strode across his cheek would seep regularly, so he had gotten used to the metallic tinge of blood. The pain was constant, like a layer of embers buried just beneath the skin, refusing to go out no matter how much he willed them to. He'd gotten used to that as well.
He had not gotten used to the looks his scar would earn him.
He could see it in the faces of passers-by. Most were careful with their eyes, sparing his wound a quick glance when they thought he wasn't looking, only to shy away when he turned towards them. The claw marks were an ugly sight to behold, and had ruined whatever handsomeness he once had. That didn't matter to Kaathe. Romance did little to interest him anymore, so the loss of his looks bothered him little. However, the scars went deeper than that. They were a mark, a sign of his failure as an assassin, something that meant more to him than something as petty as appearances ever could.
And it was there for the entire world to see.
Kaathe dismissed the scars. He'd been young then, a novice in the arts of assassination. When the time had come for him to act, he faltered, and paid the price. He promised himself that he would not falter again.
Frauk stood beside him, silent and stoic as usual. The palace and its surrounding cityscape bristled behind them. They had left earlier on today, and were currently standing within a field of deathly pale grass. Mountains lurched up against the horizon, and the sky was clustered with stars. The moonlight caught the grass in a way that it almost seemed to glow.
Before them a small fire loamed, crackling and snapping. It wrought an orange light around the two assassins, licking at them with its heat.
Kaathe unsheathed his knife.
He wore the blade in a sheath on the inside of his leg, and took great measures to make it as unnoticeable as possible. The blade itself was wrought from obsidian mined from the Black Shores, and had brought more than a few lives to an early end. He rested the tip against the inside of his foreleg and gracefully slipped it across his flesh. The knife bit into him effortlessly, allowing a small river of green to flow from the underside of his leg. Apart from a small wince, his face remained blank throughout.
Frauk looked on intently. The rituals his fellow assassin would perform fascinated him to no end. Kaathe hailed from the Dead Plains, a hot and dry land where changelings sought refuge underground in twisting catacombs to escape the blisteringly intense heat. The sands of the Dead Plains were as black as the night, and the magic the inhabitants practiced darker still.
Kaathe extended his leg, hanging it above the dancing flames. Small beads of blood began to drip from the wound and sizzle as they touched the fire. Kaathe began to whisper under his breathe. Frauk had learned several languages, from Griffon Diamond Dog, and none of them matched the queer, hissing dialogue his partner was using now.
"Sva vit dara Uoros, sva vit dara Yuvoi, sva vit dara skratas. San vit ta-dora... San vit ta-dora,"
With a sound akin to a scream, the orange fire curdled into a sickly green, bathing the two of them in its otherworldly light. Frauk shivered despite himself. He'd seen his friend perform this ritual a thousand times before, but that never seemed to make it any less unsettling.
"Kor yorvan savakai, vit varok sertaia,"
Shadows began to flutter in the green light the fire had cast. They moved and twisted unlike anything Frauk had seen before. Some took the form of equines, whereas others shaped themselves into strange, unnatural figures. The way they writhed across the ground became mesmerising. Frauk realised that they were moving- no, dancing to the sound of Kaathe's voice.
"Sorvak varitia! Vit orochai dak tara!"
The figures danced faster, and the flames crackled evilly. Another chilling scream escaped the fire, and the air grew suddenly colder. Frost began to form on the white grass, and Frauk's breathe misted in front of him. There were no longer any stars in the sky, only the moon glowering down at them like some colossal white eye. Howls echoed through the air, too mutilated and horrible to be of this world.
"Sva vit Kor! Sva vit Kor! Sva vit Kor!"
Something within the fire began to take shape. The sickly sweet smell of death clotted Frauk's nostrils, so strong that it made him want to gag. The terrible scream cut through the air again, so loud that it left Frauk's ears ringing. Beneath the screaming he could hear a low, resounding chant sang by some non-existent choir. The words were sharp and squealing. The shape within the flames grew clearer, a muzzle stretching and ears sprouting from what had suddenly become a clearly defined head. It shimmered as the fire licked at it, like the surface of water to one's touch. Frauk's breath caught as a pair of eyes flared to life upon that ghastly face.
'Those eyes...'
They were a bloody crimson, so dark that Frauk almost mistook them for black, and shimmered along with the rest of the face. He could see no life within them, no joy or hope or glee. They swallowed the light around them, turning themselves ever darker with each passing second. There was wisdom to those eyes, and greed. So much greed. Given the chance, this creature would devour everything, from the souls of the living to the sun and stars themselves. Even now Frauk could feel their light tug upon him, beckoning to come closer and give himself to the nothingness that resided in those dark, red pits.
The face looked over Kaathe's shoulder, momentarily resting its deathly red eyes on Frauk.
And then it smiled.
It disappeared in an instant. The face, the dancing shadows, the ghastly screams, all gone within the blink of an eye. Kaathe withdrew himself from the fire, now loaming a natural orange. Frauk released the breath he'd been holding deflating as he did so. He'd sat through the same ritual with his companion dozens of times before, yet it never failed to unnerve him.
"You done?" he grumbled. Every second they wasted was another second in which the traitorous spy still drew breath, which meant the empire's secrets were at risk.
"Yes," said Kaathe. "The pact has been made."
Frauk gave a small nod. As treasonous and unnatural as Kaathe's fire magic's were, there was no doubting their effectiveness. Now that Kaathe had made his little deal with whatever that thing was, their victory was all but certain.
Whatever that creature was, Kaathe had promised it a soul...
And with the blessings it had bestowed upon them, they were certain to give one to it.
Stats
Page generated in 0.027 seconds
Total duration
674 users online
996,446 hits today, 2,054,621 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
kay
3275074Kay ._.
Sugarcube, Ah think y'all need ta find yerself an editor. Er t'least a dictionary.
3275133 A bit of derpiness on my side, apologies. I've corrected it.
I think Trixie now works as cards making company.I dont know the name of that job.
The plot thickens!
But I'm curious about this line:
Does Equestrian really have a space program in this universe? If so, awesome... but it kinda jumped out at me.
3275282 Well, Celestia did send her sister to the moon, so it's debatable.
3275305
Fair enough, I just thought it a bit jarring in the context of MLP and a fic with a romance focus.
Not that I mind a hint that this version of Equestria isn't completely magic focused, in fact it's a cute bit of world building... Just not one I was expecting.
3275486 I enjoy a little bit of world building here and there, helps flesh out the story and all that. Rest assured that I'll try to fit a little more in here and there.
I suspect that should be give not dive. Also, I have a feeling that the soul they will be giving it is not the one they are planning on.
3275920 Right you are, thanks for pointing out the mistake. I'll fix it right away :)
3276659 *Lowers head shamefully* Yes Sir...
I believe that's supposed to be let alone.
Question: Why do you feel the insertion of a adventure/intrigue subplot is necessary at this juncture given you have a prettily good comedy/romance going?
imageshack.us/a/img33/5764/likethischapter.jpg
3276923 Herp derp... Let me fix that. Thanks for pointing that out
The constant tone shifts is starting to get unpleasant.
I'm still interested and definitely still wanna read this, mind you. It's just that this talk of Chrysalis wanting to start a war, and assassins forming demonic pacts to kill our protagonist is...very different from the original premise. You should probably add a "Dark" tag if it's gonna keep going in this direction, I find it to be a little disingenuous to merely have it labeled as a RomCom otherwise.
3277057 I've added the little subplot to give the story a daunting feeling. Caramel's demise is slowly closing in, and I wanted to convey that, hence the spooky assassins.
Also, I intend for the subplot to become instrumental in later chapters. Trust me, it's all leading up to something
3283068 Yes, he's a psychic omniscient mind reader.
I thought I made that obvious.
Oooo moar! I just discovered this fic and it's quite good.
3367343 as soon as I get back from Tenerife. Im'ma enjoyin' ma holiday!