• Published 20th Nov 2011
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Facets and Flaws - Scarlett



Diamond Tiara is spoiled, Silver Spoon is sheltered, both have secrets, will friendship survive?

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Hurts and Healing

WARNING: This story will contain adult themes including homosexuality, gender dysphoria, and other controversial themes. I will be avoiding explicit sex.

Facets and Flaws

By: Scarlett

Chapter 6- Hurts and Healing

Glory Dancer was enjoying herself immensely, it had been so long since she had been to any sort of party outside of stuffy Canterlot; the college parties there could get a bit wild, but she was a bit old for that, and she had been married through most of college. Here in Ponyville though she was able to let her hair down, figuratively of course, she wouldn't dare ruin the work Scarlett had done on her mane.

She had sent the two young ones off to find other fillies and colts to dance with or something, reminding Scarlett to send up an emergency flare if she ran into trouble she couldn't handle. The girls were almost in high school, they didn't need a mom hanging around all night, so after a quick glance at one of the maps posted around the Summer Sun Celebration Masquerade, Glory had found a bar and began a nice relaxing evening. The stallion behind the counter had been flirty, but he was almost half her age, she had milked it though, it made her feel young again, even if he was just looking for better tips.

She had enjoyed some quiet conversation with a few others, mostly couples, but they had all quickly moved on to dancing, or other activities. Still, it was adult conversation, and the Manehattan with a pinch of salt didn't hurt.

There had been a single stallion a little later, some cad who called himself the "Doctor," he didn't seem to actually be a doctor, or in a hurry to give his real name whatever it was. While he was at least her own age, she knew his type, he would flit in and out of her life whenever and wherever he would like, and expect her to be there waiting on him, while he was off on his little adventures. He was attempting to wow her with yet another story of his daring, but she had stopped paying attention when he started using words she didn't understand, like "Tardis", until finally she saw an escape.

"Excuse me, I have to go meet a friend. . . Rarity!" she called desperately, as she moved away from the bar. Despite the masks, she had recognized that long purple mane- as always perfectly groomed- even at a distance.

"Oh my!" Rarity had turned, flashing a happy smile, and put a gentle hoof on her companion's shoulder, "Applejack, this is Glory Banks, a friend from Canterlot. . . Glory was one of the first ponies in the city to really give me more than platitudes, she helped me get a fair loan to start the first of my boutiques there, you wouldn't BELIEVE what some of those ponies were trying to charge for interest, and she has been a regular customer ever since, Glory this is Applejack, my. . . friend."

Glory raised her eyebrow at the slight pause, and saw Applejack pale a bit, the earth pony looked to be an athlete, not what she would have expected Rarity to go after, but she cleaned up nicely enough, "I'm using my own family name Dancer now, Rarity, and I'm glad to meet such an important friend of yours," she gave Applejack a reassuring smile, and an insightful wink, "I've been curious as to why Rarity keeps on coming back to Ponyville, when she is always so excited to visit Canterlot."

Rarity shrugged and leaned against Applejack.

"Rare, you know I cain't, for Granny's sake," the troubled orange mare spoke softly, pulling away, she looked so conflicted, and it made Glory feel for her. She knew precisely how judgmental family could be, and how hard it was to resist that pressure.

"Never mind, Apple dear," Rarity fought her disappointment, "Now, Glory darling, you simply must tell me EVERYTHING at some point, but not tonight, how about we all head to the dance floor and I introduce you to a few nice stallions so we can dance and chat?"

Like Glitter, Rarity was a bit of a gossip, but unlike that other mare, Glory somehow knew she could tell Rarity the whole story without her spreading the more delicate bits to all of ponydom, and she was glad the mare considered her a friend as well. The trust Rarity had shown in sharing her feelings for her marefriend, despite it being so obviously a secret was moving. "That sounds lovely. I haven't had much time to socialize since moving to town, I've been arranging things at the house and getting my daughter enrolled in school," Glory said.

"Well, then you'll simply have to join me at the spa this week for a massage, the twins do such a lovely job."

Applejack might normally have been a little jealous, with Rarity focusing so much attention on another mare, but as they walked and talked Rarity was spending most of her time talking about Applejack herself, how strong, how brave, honest, and loyal she was. She felt guilt starting to gather in her stomach; she truly hated hiding her feelings, but she was afraid of what Granny would say, as she was an old-fashioned mare, even if the dear old biddy did often skip to the beat of her own drummer. Lately she had started to mention wanting to meet some of her yet to be great grandfoals, before her time was up. Applejack almost teared up at the very thought, Granny was just a fact of life, always there, like apple trees or a barn that needs fixin'. If Granny really was nearing her time, Applejack didn't want to disappoint her, but she didn't feel that way about any stallion, or anypony at all, except for one.

****

Even with the hired help, Bon-Bon had been a bit overwhelmed when Twist had left to get ready for the masquerade, but the actual mixing and baking had been finished and she knew the girl was looking forward to the night. With the cooling, packing, and delivery left to go, Bon-Bon had been running frazzled between the shop and the event, coordinating everything, making sure the servers knew how to set up the tables- which treats to keep chilled, and which to keep on the warming trays. So when the last tray of fancy goodies finally left for the ball, she had been so tired, and one of the comfier chairs in the shop had looked so inviting, that she had forgotten all about her own plans to attend and had quickly drifted off to sleep.

An hour or two later, she felt a pair of hooves shaking her awake, a pair of soft lips touched her own as she rubbed sleepy eyes, which had opened on her minty green mare, leaning over her from behind the chair, filling her with a soft warmth, "Mmmmm, Lyra? Is it morning? Ten more minutes. . . Oh no! The masquerade! Did I miss everything, did I miss your performance?" she asked, instantly awake.

"No love, but we are going to have to get you into a shower and dressed, I want a dance or two before I have to play the final set just before dawn," the musician said, tickling Bon-Bon behind an ear, and giving her throat a playful nip, making her shiver, "Now hurry and get up so I can kiss you in front of all the stuck up ponies at the celebration."

"Are you sure you can't just ravage me now? That would show them," Bon-bon purred.

"Ooooh I wish, but music to play, bits to earn, remember?" Lyra asked rhetorically, "Hey, Bon?"

"Yeah?"

"The tables look great, I'm proud of you."

****

"FILLYFOOLER!"

That word had brought everything to a sudden halt, a tension filled stillness, it was Scootaloo who finally broke the heavy silence, "I KNEW IT!" she shouted, pointing an accusing hoof at Diamond Tiara, "I knew you were after MY Sweetie Belle! Pretending to be all nice and stuff so you can get close to her!" Her hoof was shaking in fury.

Diamond flinched away, "I'm not, I didn't," she protested, "Its not that," she insisted, turning back to make sure the one she was seeking hadn't escaped her yet, in those few precious seconds, Silver Spoon had tried to push past Scarlett, but thankfully the other pony had clung onto her, and was whispering softly into her ear. Diamond Tiara glanced back at Scootaloo, "I had a crush on my best friend," she spoke firmly, and it was enough to reach Scootaloo, who stopped her threats and bluster and followed Diamond's gaze which had moved onto Silver Spoon, then lowered her head in embarrassment as Diamond Tiara finished loudly and plainly enough for all in the area to hear, "I was in love with Silver."

As her words reached Silver Spoon, she froze in fear in Scarlett's arms. Scarlett tried to comfort her again, "Its okay Spoon, just listen," she squeezed the other filly gently, "She isn't going to hurt you. She cares about you."

Applebloom's jaw dropped, so many things made sense now, Scootaloo obviously hadn't known, but Sweetie and Twist didn't seem surprised at all. Had Diamond opened up to both of them? She herself had been so quick to judge, and now she felt guilty, Diamond had been dealing with alot. All four of the officially sworn in Crusaders moved up alongside Diamond Tiara, filled with concern.

Diamond Tiara looked back at Sweetie and Twist for courage, both girls gave her a smile and a nod, "Silvy, you're my best friend, and I. . . I'm sorry, you were never supposed to know, and-"

"Well, I found out, didn't I?!" Silver screeched at Diamond, her anger and feelings of hurt and betrayal were a boiling sea inside of her, causing her to lose all composure and making her lash out, "What a disgusting pervert, what a liar you are!"

"I didn't do it on purpose," Diamond squeaked, looking down at her hooves, curling in on herself, she began to ramble,"I just couldn't stop thinking about you, how wonderful you are. I knew you wouldn't feel the same way; I couldn't help having these feelings, so I hid them, and I pushed everypony else away-"

"I trusted you!" Silver yelled again, with all the hurt of the past in her words. As she finished, every bit of emotion and energy seemed to drain from her, and she leaned into Scarlett for support.

Diamond winced visibly shaken by Silver's pain, but stood up tall once more as Twist and Sweetie both rubbed her shoulders gently, she looked directly into Silver Spoon's masked eyes, "I was trying not to lose what we already had. . ."

Silver wordlessly turned away, burying her face into Scarlett's shoulder.

". . . I miss complaining about schoolwork, I miss our weekly cupcake at the Corner, I miss our friendship . . ." Diamond choked out, her whole body shaking as she tried to hold back the sadness, ". . . Silver, please forgive me?"

Silver whimpered and turned in Scarlett's arms just enough to catch a glimpse of her oldest friend, she could see the loneliness in her, deep down she ached to comfort her, but she couldn't forget, couldn't forgive, not yet. She again turned away, and spoke through clenched teeth, "Scarlett, I know what you are trying to do, but all I can feel right now is hurt and angry, please, let me go."

Scarlett was blubbering by this point, overwhelmed by the other girls' pain, she clung tighter for a moment, wanting more than anything to hold Silver there until she dealt with her feelings, but she knew it was over for now. Defeated, she let her arms fall from Silver Spoon, letting her hoof trail across the filly's back as she pushed past her on her way out through the ivy covered arch. She felt like a failure, so much for her cutie mark, she couldn't even help her best friend heal the pain in her heart.

Diamond took a deep breath and put one hoof to her chest, her heart felt surprisingly light, though her eyes still shimmered with the watery sheen of not-quite-tears. She smiled as Sweetie leaned in for a hug, and the other three at her side joined in.

When it ended, Diamond approached the filly that was standing a pace away, still frozen in place, trying to reign in her sobs, "Thank you, it meant alot to be able to say I'm sorry."

Scarlett nodded and sniffled, her emerald eyes downcast, and dabbed at them with her linen hoofkerchief, "Everyone, this is Scarlett," Diamond recalled, and gave one of the unicorn's hooves a reassuring squeeze, "Look, you better go find her, she'll be at a table eating too much chocolate and snapping at everypony. I'm sure she needs her new bestie there to lean on, but. . . thank you again," Diamond gave Scarlett a quick peck on the cheek, and stepped back towards her friends amid a few teasing whistles and cat-calls.

"Oh come on! It was, like, on the cheek, you all know it was— like, totally not like that. Let's go find more crystals"

Running a hoof over her cheek, Scarlett blushed, but as she looked up, she saw a pony in the group mirroring her actions, and staring at her with a sharp jealousy in her eyes rather than joining in the teasing. Scarlett bit her lip, and shook her head slightly, gave a small awkward wave, turned and headed off after Silver Spoon.

****

After a chat with his best friend, Snips had felt a bit better, and he couldn't believe his friend had snagged a dance with Rainbow Dash. His crush on Trixie had just been a fantasy anyhow, but just as Trixie's illusions came to a quick and sudden end, so had Snip's dreams- without the billowing smoke and flashing light. The end to coltish fantasy hadn't been so bad, he found himself a little more interested in the fillies around the dance floor, and without the distraction of where Trixie was and what she might be doing, he found himself listening more intently to what they had to say, this time when he had spent some time being honestly charming, and asked one of them to dance, she had said yes.

Snips was in a bit of a daze as they spun around the dance floor, he enjoyed the first dance, and soon found himself talking softly with a second filly, as they waltzed. He was so glad he had remembered how, he and Snails had practiced for hours to learn the right steps. 'Oh no!' he realized, 'Snails never practiced leading. How did he manage with Rainbow Dash?'

He began to giggle at the picture in his head of Rainbow Dash twirling Snails about the dance floor with abandon, he would have to ask around to see how far off the mark that image was.

****

Silver Spoon was content. She still hadn't dealt with all of her emotions, but curled up on a small sofa at the edge of the great hall with a plate of berry tarts, bite sized cakes, and chocolate treats, with Scarlett's warmth beside her, she was doing better. Avoidance wasn't the healthiest way to deal with things, she knew that, but she didn't know what else to do at the time. Now, away from Diamond, she could breathe, and think.

Could she really be friends with Diamond Tiara again? The filly liked mares, and had a crush on her, wouldn't things be awkward?

She wasn't quite so angry now, and she was starting to understand why Diamond had kept it a secret, and deep down she knew what was bothering her more than anything. Hadn't they always told each other everything?

The thought of two mares, kissing, was still. . . gross. Silver's eyes flared in shock, and she put a hoof to her lips, she had just remembered the time she had convinced Diamond that they should practice, Diamond had tried so hard to get out of it. That was supposed to just be pretend, had Diamond liked her then? Had Diamond been hurting inside pretending the kiss meant nothing, when to her it meant everything?

For Silver herself? Well, It hadn't felt bad, but it had just been lips meeting, and she hadn't gotten those butterflies she felt looking at a well muscled stallion. Silver blushed and took a deep breath to chase those thoughts away, she couldn't figure this out, she knew she liked stallions, why would any mare want to kiss another mare for real?

What was love exactly, anyway?

****

Finding someplace to stash her dress had been the biggest complication, but the girls were able to claim a table on the edge of the dance floor eventually, so Applebloom adjusted her new bow-tie while the hated ruffled thing sat unused on her chair. Dancing with Snails nearby, Diamond Tiara was paying part of the price for Applebloom's new attire- Snails' tux now missing a certain piece of neck-wear. A dance with each of them, and Applebloom had already paid her penance, as had Sweetie and Scootaloo, the later had purposely stepped on Snail's hooves a few times, after angrily watching him dance with Sweetie Belle.

Applebloom snickered, it looked like Diamond Tiara wasn't the only one who liked fillies. "MY Sweetie Belle," really Scoots? Sweetie Belle, of course, didn't make the connection, she had come over to Applebloom earlier while the girls were still looking for more crystal illusions, and glancing both ways had whispered conspiratorially, "Did my parents sell me to Scootaloo?"

The last of her friends was nervously waiting her turn at the table, Applebloom knew Twist had had a crush on Snails all through grade school, but Applebloom didn't think she had ever told anyone else, and still wasn't sure what the filly saw in the goofy pony. Just about everything to do with romance had thus far evaded Applebloom's understanding.

As she stood to stretch, she felt the back of her neck prickle, and turned to see her sister gaping at her in shock, her jaw on the floor. Applebloom froze as well, her body going rigid.

"What in Tahr-na-tion, What did you do to yer hair?" Applejack asked, she wasn't yelling like Applebloom had expected, instead her sister seemed more hurt and confused, "And yer dress, yah ain't wearin yer- What are yah wearin?"

"I ummm, I just wanted something different?" Applebloom tried.

"B-but I w-worked so hard. . . so yah don' hafta be a tom-filly like me, and can have purdy things, earnin extra bits, all them side jobs . . ." Applejack seemed crushed, she hadn't realized what Applejack had been doing for her, how did she miss it? Applebloom's guilt was tearing at her now, but she had finally done what she had always wanted, she hadn't meant to disappoint anyone.

"Sis, I love yah, and I think its a good thing I'm- I'm alot like yah. I'm sorry, but I hate dresses, and frilly bows," Applebloom said, hesitantly, she couldn't bring herself to meet her sister's eyes, instead getting a good view of the dirt beneath her hooves, "I didn' know yah'd been workin' extra to pay for the dress, I can put it back on if yah want?"

"Yah can put it back on," Applejack echoed in disbelief, she was starting to worry Rarity who stood nearby, and she began to wave her multicolored pastel fan in the orange mare's face, attempting to give her some air.

It was Snips that came to Applebloom's rescue, stumbling upon the scene, he only had eyes for the short-maned filly in the bow-tie, "Wow! Applebloom your new mane-cut is amazing, and I know manes, and that bowtie really suits you, you look incredible. . .would you like to dance?"

"Yes please!" Squeaked a grateful Applebloom, who hurried away from her still dumbstruck sister with Snips in tow.

"Thank yah for saving me, I'll still have to face her later though," Applebloom said as they began to dance.

"What do you mean?" Snips asked in his gravelly voice, confused.

"Yah mean yah weren't rescuing me from mah sister?"

"Huh, no I, just think you look really pretty tonight," Snips spoke softly and quietly, with just a hint of reddened cheeks.

Applebloom on the other hand was soon shining like a red delicious.

****

The Great and Powerful Trixie looked out on the crowd, it was not by any means the largest she had ever performed for, yet she had been as nervous as she had ever been to start the show, and it had quite a bit to do with a certain purple mare. Her love, Twilight, and her friends had found a spot near the front, and she did her best to fight the distraction, though once or twice she did find herself staring at the pony of her heart's desire. It wasn't nearly enough to stop the show of course, Trixie was far too professional for that, but she normally preferred to make each member of the crowd feel she was looking right at them.

As a flourish to end her grandest illusion, a shimmering dragon of fire that had swept over the audience before being slain by a silver bolt from Trixie's hoof, she completed a magically powered back-flip, appearing to land in midair above the stage, and a burst of fireworks launched into the air before she let the invisibility spell fade on the table on which she stood. Surveying the throngs of clapping ponies, she thought back to her apology at the beginning of the show, and how they had all cheered. She had come full circle and it felt wonderful, Ponyville had been both haunting and driving her for years on her path to success, and now, as she felt their awe and wonder at her abilities, she felt more at peace with her decision.

It took long hours of practice and preparation to get everything just right, even back in her more. . . humble days, such as when she had first visited Ponyville. It felt nice to be appreciated, to be adored on the stage, but this performance truly put things in perspective. The temporary fleeting love of the audience, paled to Twilight's smallest smile.

Floating, she gently landed behind the table, telepathically she cleaned it with a rag, then pulled in a table cloth from offstage, letting it float up and then drift down to settle perfectly in place. She clapped once and a raincloud began to form above the stage, and when the audience looked back to the table it was set with utensils, plates, bowls and cups, a glass pitcher, and a vase with a rose. She clapped again and fruit began to rain from the cloud, including a whole watermelon and a stream of orange juice, all magically guided to their rightful places.

"This was Trixie's last Illusion for the night, and what you see before you now is merely her breakfast," she spoke in her stage voice so all could hear and tapped the watermelon which fell into perfect slices, then bowed to the audience as they began to cheer wildly, "Please enjoy the rest of your night as I enjoy the company of some friends of mine, The gardens are still full of wonderful sights to see, and I believe the musicians have all gathered at the outdoor dance-floor for the final hours of starlight before the dawn, Thank you Ponyville, for your forgiveness and your applause."

She waved to Twilight and her friends, motioning them up on stage, while a few roses and bits fell onto the stage. She giggled at her surprise, she hadn't told Twilight about breakfast, and she looked out at the audience one more time, surprised to find she recognized a few others near the stage. The two colts who had been her fans were unmistakable even masked, one tall with that same bowl cut mane, the other portly with a scratchy voice. They had caused her some trouble all those years ago, but were clapping for her wildly and whistling, along side a group of fillies, she smiled, remembering how at the time she had made herself the hero of her fantastical tales, feeding her ego, and how the two had sought to prove her word.

She walked to the the edge of the stage where they stood, for a smile, a wave, and a bow.

****

Like most of Ponyville, Silver Spoon was on the dance floor as the stars began to fade into not quite blackness as dawn slowly approached. She was taking care to stay far away from Diamond and her new friends as they clustered over close to the bandstand. She danced with Scarlett first, and then a few older colts from the town. She was not in the mood for it really, and she couldn't recall anything they had said the whole time, still dwelling on her friendships and missing Diamond Tiara, the real Diamond that had been only hers, that was starting to open up and reveal herself to all the rest of them.

Diamond had always been afraid to really try, her parents expected so much of her, and those expectations had always seemed to crush her when she couldn't do something just right, just perfect. She had tried to tell Diamond it was only because her parents believed in her, and Diamond had said she knew, but knowing it did not help at all; she still felt like simply giving up some times, because in the end she would just fail anyway. Those feelings had been eating away at her friend since before she had known her, and had become a self destructive cycle, Diamond had seemed to grow colder to those around them every year, until only Silver ever received a smile or a kind word from her.

Now Diamond was confiding those feelings in other ponies, and Silver felt a jealousy so strong that it surprised her. Her best friend couldn't come to her anymore, and she couldn't go to her in return. She couldn't share her own feelings with Diamond anymore, her feelings of uselessness, her parents disregard of her unless she did something that violated their precious Rules and the feeling of loss and despair and emptiness that seemed to fill Silver to the top every time she was chastised for some breach of etiquette. She had told Scarlett some of it, but it was not quite the same yet, and she could tell Scarlett was holding back too. They were growing closer, and Silver Spoon was sure they could be almost as close in time, but it could not ever be quite the same­— Diamond had been there from that first day of school til now, and it was supposed to last forever.

She looked across the dance floor seeking the white clad filly with her eyes, trying hard to figure out if she had it in her to forgive, and to accept.

"How can I be her friend when she feels that way?" Silver had asked Scarlett earlier.

"Those feelings will fade when she finds someone else, but she'll never stop caring Silver. Even in the worst of falling outs, even if you want to hurt them or hate them, you never stop caring," Scarlett spoke from experience, Silver could tell, but she had tempered her curiosity.

She was starting to understand, but it still hurt when she looked at Diamond.

Silver looked around for Scarlett, and found her desperately clasping her hooves over her ears while the colts from earlier carried on a conversation about sports at their table. She went over and grabbed her by a hoof and with a grin, pulled her towards the dance floor. Scarlett would help her figure it out, she was sure.

****

On the dance floor beneath the stars, surrounded by the citizens of Ponyville, Bon Bon and Lyra shared a fairly chaste kiss at the end of their final dance of the night, they held hooves for a moment longer, lingering together, but it was time for Lyra to play through the dawn. As the distance between them grew, Bon Bon stifled a sigh, chastising herself for being so clingy. She grinned with pride as the first notes from the lyre drifted into the chill morning air.

****

Not far off, a certain orange Earth pony had still been fretting over her sister's words and actions, when a gasp from Pinkie Pie shook her out of it, she looked around for the source of Pinkie's surprise, and saw Lyra and Bon Bon's muzzles parting. She wondered for a moment if she would ever have such courage- to kiss Rarity in front of everypony. It was then that her sister's words began to haunt her, she had said she wanted to be like her, but Applejack wasn't being very courageous, or honest, with the very ponies who mattered most. What kind of an example was that?

****

Glitter Spoon had been digging up dirt on the Glory Bank's split from her husband, something was off about the whole thing, but she wasn't quite sure what it was yet. Everyone of her friends that had come down from Canterlot for the ball seemed to agree the split was over the children, but the details had been a bit vague. Just as Glitter was about to press for more about the foals, she and her friends bore witnesses to a terrible crime against all of Equestria.

"Disgusting," the gaggle said, almost in unison, as they watched the two mares kissing.

****

Seeing Sweetie Belle dancing with that stupid smelly boy had been enough to convince Scootaloo it had to be tonight, and now, with all the Crusaders watching the romantic scene happening on the dance floor she could. . .

. . .wait a little while longer, yeah that was a good idea, right now there were too many ponies around. She didn't want too many witnesses to see her inevitable soul-crushing rejection after all.

****

"That is so hot," mumbled Snails as he and his buddy turned and saw the source of all the gasps and gawking.

Snips nodded, feeling awkward— the sight did little for him, but it did cause a fleeting thought to cross his mind, one of those uncomfortable thoughts he always pushed to the back of his mind, 'what would Snail's lips taste like?'

While Snails drooled over the two mares, Snips forced those thoughts away, filling his head with the memory of Trixie giving the two of them a personal bow after her performance, and his dance with Applebloom. He had always found the filly enticing, he knew he "like liked" her, so why was he having the same kind of thoughts about the colt next to him?

****

Her shoulders tensed as they kissed, but seeing the two ponies reluctantly parting had brought tears to Silver's eyes. It was still a little weird seeing two mares behave that way, but that look of love and pride in the creme colored mare's eyes as her musically inclined companion took the stage made Silver long for the day when a stallion would look at her that way. . . but would that day ever come?

She thought for a moment of her mother and father, and the cold calculating looks the two gave each other. She had always felt something was missing there, and in her relationship with each of them in turn.

Her life was already set, her father would pick a fine unicorn for her- would his eyes be warm or cold?

Those were The Rules.

****

While the rest of Twilight's friends, (her friends now too she supposed) were busy gawking at the two mares, Trixie had become focused on something entirely different. It was a powerful illusion spell, one that had been carefully hidden, inverted on itself so that its thaumic pattern was small enough to blend into the surrounding patterns of the land itself. Were she not looking out for just such a thing, (it wouldn't do to have someone's rogue illusions disrupting her own which still entertained at the edges of the dance floor,) she never would have noticed it. The spell was a convoluted knot of magic, seemingly chosen at random, there were elements of healing and transformation as well as elements of time magic in it's construction. It was tough to decide if it was complex or merely chaotic, and she wasn't even sure what it's purpose was, but it was centered around a pair of fillies out on the dance floor.

"Twi, can you take a look at something for me?"

****

On stage Lyra played at her very best, at times accompanied by other musicians, but for the finale, which she dedicated to "my own summer's day", she played alone. Timed to the rising of the sun and the conclusion of the Celebration, her lyre began to play a melody that was new to those listening, a piece composed specifically for the event. As the dark sky turned grey her music ebbed and flowed, and pulled at her listeners, it wasn't long before all conversation, all dancing stopped. Ponyville was entranced as the pre-dawn grey gave way to pink and orange her music reaching a crescendo of frantic noise and then with near perfect timing stopped entirely. . .

. . . As the first true rays of sunlight crested the mountains, only rustling leaves from a light breeze and birdsong pierced the silence.

Her eyes were wet as she finished.