Rhythm of the Waves
The tiny bell above the door chimed as it swung open, catching the attention of the pink unicorn sitting behind the counter. She grinned warmly at the the gray mare who stepped in. "Welcome to Sunshine Smile's Spells and Sparkles, home to trinkets, tricks, and treats of all kinds! How can I help you today?"
"I... honestly, I'm not sure." The gray mare adjusted her bow-tie awkwardly. "I've been in a bit of a creative slump, and when I mentioned it to my flatmate she suggested I come here... wherever here is. She wouldn't tell me why, though." She gave the unicorn an awkward smile. "I'm sorry, I'm wasting your time--"
"No no no, not at all, not at all." The unicorn gestured for her to step closer. "Come on, let's get to know each other. What's your name?"
"Oh. I am Octavia Philharmonica. Perhaps you've heard of me?"
"Octavia, Oct--Oh! You're Vinyl's cute snooty friend with the string thingy!"
Octavia's smile fell. "Is that really how she describes me?"
"Nah, that's just how she summarizes you. The description could go on for hours, I swear she's in love with you or something. I'm Sunshine Smiles by the way." The unicorn flicked her yellow mane. "Now let me guess, you need inspiration for your music?"
"Yes. But I rather doubt--"
"Inspiration comes from experience and contemplation," Sunshine interjected. "So what you need is to relax and have a new experience." She narrowed her eyes at Octavia. "Could be difficult for you, though."
"Are you selling me a vacation plan?"
"Hah! No, that would be something Vinyl would do. Me, I'm more practical, I know you're super busy being super famous at orchestra or whatever the technical term is. So you have plenty of high-class experience. And you're friends with Vinyl, so presumably you've been to a few of her raves."
"...Once or twice," Octavia admitted reluctantly.
"No, we have to go deeper... deeper. Deeper!" Sunshine sprung forward, hooves on the counter. "Super important question: Have you ever been swimming?"
Octavia blinked. "....nnnnnoooooo. My childhood entertainment was more along the lines of--"
"And boats. Ships, air or sea. Any of that?"
"Once on an airship." The mare's face went slightly sour. "Not an experience I want to repeat."
"HA! I think I've got it! Stay right there, I'll be right back!"
She rushed into the back of the shop, leaving Octavia to examine the various knickknacks scattered irregularly on the shelves around her, each labeled with a price and a strange promise. "'Make money come your way...' 'Be the talk of the Gala...' 'Find your true love.' This is a con shop, isn't it." The gray mare sighed. "I should probably leave before--"
"I'm right back!" Sunshine chirped, shaking out a cloth bag onto the counter and sorting through a number of jeweled pendants. "Okay, let me just go through these...hippocampus? Nah, we want new experiences. Kraken? Closer, but... too complicated. Dolphin--ugh." She put the dolphin to the side. "That would definitely be a new experience, but it'd probably ruin your life as well--high class and dolphin don't mix."
"Um," said Octavia. "This really isn't--"
"Tortoise? This is the wrong collection, I keep getting them confused with turtle--OH! Yes, yes, this looks like it could work!" She pulled out a fishy pendant, dangling it gleefully in front of the other mare. "So here's what you do, Octy, you put this on before you go to bed, and let the magic take over. Oh, fair warning, you'll want to make sure to give yourself two nights of ordinary sleep between jaunts, the side effects could be potent otherwise."
Octavia balked as the chain was unceremoniously wrapped around her neck. "That--what?"
"Oh, and don't worry, first one's free. Um, but if you need to find me, don't come back here, store's going to be gone tomorrow."
"What?" The musician blinked. "Wait, you're just going to pack up and move out after giving me a mysterious artifact?"
"Yeah, rent in Canterlot is SUPER crazy. Mobile shopkeeps are practically the only way to do business anymore--that, or find somebody famous to foot the bill." Sunshine Smiles smiled sunnily. "Don't worry, this is my fifth time moving. I've got it done to a science. Good luck with your music writing!"
It wasn't dark... there was light... but the light was barely necessary.
It speckled uselessly around her as she moved, powerful muscles twining along her form in unchecked grace. The specks were nervous, as well they should be, scattering as she approached. For the moment, they were safe--only, however, for the moment. In the depths of her core she felt an icy flame; it sputtered and flickered, never dying, but not blazing, the cold washing from the inside out.
The sand beneath her rippled, hidden things twitching as she passed. Off to one side, she saw a rocky outcropping--perhaps a remnant of the world long before--covered in smatterings of color and ever-moving smaller forms. She considered it as she glided past, watching some of them mimic her own triumphs; ultimately, it was an amusing diversion, not a matter of great import.
In the end, she went on, deeper into the depths.
Vinyl Scratch clapped her white hooves together in rapid succession. "Bravo! Bravissimo! Encore, encore!"
"Thank you, thank you." Octavia bowed with a flourish to her roommate. "This is only the first of many pieces I've been making--I mean, the first I've completed."
"Finally gotten back in the music-writin' biz, huh? Good on ya."
"Yes, yes, that visit to your friend in Canterlot was actually exactly what I needed." She paused for a moment, before giving Vinyl a pointed look. "Incidentally... Cute snooty friend?"
"What? You're cute, you're snooty, and you're my friend." The unicorn shrugged. "There's a lot more then that, but that's what people see at first, so it's a quick and easy identifier."
"I would be far more peeved at you if I hadn't just finished writing a sonata. How did you and Sunshine meet, anyway?"
Vinyl adjusted her purple shades, blushing awkwardly. "Yeah, I... don't think I'll be telling that story without her permission."
"O...kaaaaaay..." Octavia put her instrument in its stand. "I never knew you could be embarrassed."
"Well, it does take a lot for me to feel.... uh... so anyway." Vinyl ran a hoof through her blue mane. "When's your next gig, girl? Something like that will sound incredible in the concert hall."
"Oh, I have a solo set up for next week. Thursday at nine, and saturday at seven."
"Thursday, got it. Might be a tight fit, I have to talk with some techies about my speakers, but I promise I'll be there." Vinyl grinned. "Even if I get stuck in the ticket hall."
"I still can't believe that happened. I gave them a list, and specific instructions--I gave them a picture of you, for crying out loud--"
"Yeah, I saw how pissed you were when you came out."
Octavia huffed. "The Mercury stage has had the gall to hound me for an encore performance. Can you believe it? I told them that I was not going to play for them ever again, and they haven't got the memo." She took a deep breath, letting it out. "No, I shan't focus on problems of the past. I have music to make, and a performance to attend." Her hooves practically bounced as she trotted up the stairs with an eager giggle. "There's just so much I've got to get down, and not enough time to do it!"
"Hey hey hey! Before you get trapped in an artsy fugue, mind telling me what that piece was called?"
"...Speckled Sunlight. That's a good name. Speckled Sunlight."
The light was overcast... not that she needed it to notice what was above her.
Few things had a form more graceful, more powerful then she; those that did earned her respect. She bowed as the massive form passed slowly through the faint cloud, a leader of many other such forms, and moved quietly between them as their timbres echoed back and forth. Some of the smaller ones, perhaps, she could fell, but she was not foolish; the greaters would notice, and she would break.
Such was the way of things. Wonders were wondrous because they were strong enough to grow that way, or smart enough to avoid the danger that attracting attention caused. And if wonders supported wonders, then they became as grand as this collection. Her and her kind, they were smart and strong and rarely worked together.
The cold fire within her grew.
"Terror of Grandeur certainly hit the masses well," Vinyl mused. "I mean, I'm hearing about it at raves, and you know our crowds don't usually mix."
"It's more popular then you think," Octavia mumbled, distractedly strumming her bow across the strings. "I'm getting requests for copies of the music, and... and there's even been some people suggesting I write a full orchestral piece." Her eyes narrowed in annoyance, the bow stopping for a moment. "No, no that's not right..."
"You... feeling okay, Octy?"
"What? Oh. Yes, certainly. I'm very happy!" Octavia smiled broadly. "I'm out of my slump, I'm a rising star on top of that, and I... I'm happy with how things are going."
"...You know, one thing you pick up quick in the raves--there's a difference between 'happy' and 'pleased.'" Vinyl trotted over, putting a gentle hoof on the gray mare's shoulder. "You're pleased, Octavia. Things are going your way, and it's incredible. But you're also tired, and stressing yourself out, and you haven't been able to play one of your favorite tune right in the past half-hour."
Octavia dropped her bow with a snort. "What, are you saying that because I got what I wanted, I'm suddenly not happy anymore?"
"I'm saying that not even I can rave twenty-four seven. Heck, I had twelve hour blocks for six days straight once, and after the third day it was the worst possible torment you could imagine. You need to take a tiny little break from this, that's all--walk around Ponyville, relax, take it easy."
"...I don't know, Vinyl." The mare gave a long, slow sigh. "The thing is, with raves, you can adapt to the changes easily. But when you're in the orchestral business--this chance may never come again."
"...At least let me get you something at Sugarcube Corner. Okay?"
Octavia looked at her, at the concern and worry in her eyes, and sagged over her strings. "Alright... alright." With great reluctance, she put the instrument on its stand, trotting toward the door.
"Good. Don't want you doing anything crazy." Vinyl chuckled, following her out. "Say, you never did tell me what you got from Sunshine's store."
"Oh, just a bauble, I'm supposed to sleep with it."
"It's been helping?"
"Perhaps. It certainly helped last night."
The unicorn half-smirked. "You going to wear it to bed tonight?"
"...you know, I might at that."
The cold fire demanded fuel, and fuel it would receive.
Already the specks around her were scattering, so many taken into her and burned, consumed in the tide, but she wanted more. No--she needed more. Something larger, something that would satisfy not just the base of the flame, but the chilling power it pumped through her blood. And there, she saw something--a clever one, almost as big as she.
It saw her too, and it tried to dart away--but she moved swiftly, quickly. It tried to hide, lie with its skin, but she had more then mere eyes guiding her. So battle was joined, and the clever one made one last desperate attempt to dissuade her--its many tails slapping at her face, its sharp beak trying to scratch into her skin--she, in comparison, only had one weapon. A weapon feared and powerful.
With one snap, the clever one was doomed to the fire, and she, at last, was at ease.
Vinyl Scratch half-jumped when she felt something rub against her. "O-Octy! Wow, I didn't hear you come down. You doing okay?"
"Mmmm. Yes." Octavia's flank continued brushing Vinyl as she trotted slowly past, almost oblivious to her presence.
"...you certainly seem... relaxed," Vinyl noted, watching her open the pantry. "You get a good night's sleep or something?"
"Mmmmm." The gray mare pulled out a bag of oats and... began munching at them in large, slow chomps.
That gave Vinyl pause. She tip-hooved carefully around Octavia, trying to take a look over her without gaining her attention.
"...Do you like what you see?"
"Wha--?"
Octavia rose her head, slowly cleaning the crumbs off her muzzle with a single rotation of her tongue. "You are not nearly as stealthy as you think, miss Scratch." Her tail swished, just once.
"Oh, I--uh, I was, uh... looking for... um... llllllice."
"Lice." The mare's voice was unnaturally calm, almost sultry, as she turned to walk out of the kitchen.
"Yeah." Vinyl followed after, trying--and not entirely succeeding--to keep her eyes off the Octavia's slowly oscillating haunches. "I've heard that some lice have diseases that cause lethargy, and, uh, that can be an issue, so--"
"Lies," Octavia practically purred, "do not become us songcrafters."
"...Okay, you're acting weird. Like... you're usually so strict with everything, yourself included, and kind of snarky, but now you're... almost sensual."
"You don't like it?"
Vinyl gulped. "Um. I... am concerned over the sudden change--"
"You do like it," Octavia churred, leisurely draping herself over her instrument.
"Yyyyyyes, okay, yes, I do, a lot, but it's not--it's kind of--like, there's usually a reason for this sort of thing, and--"
She paused as Octavia began playing another melody. It was similar to the ones she had played before, but there was something a touch different to it. Something wild, active.
"...What... what is this piece called?"
"Struggle... of the clever one."
"That's an interesting name..."
The mare finally looked up, meeting Vinyl's gaze with dilated black pools. "Isn't it though?"
The feeling of power enveloped her, warming her more then the sun on her skin.
She prowled among her kind, and knew that they were equals--but only, only for the moment. The urge would rise and take one--and they would all grow restless, the delicate peace broken by a sudden surge of raw vigor, joining the battle or leaving alone, as per their whims. This was the way of things, of wonder and of horror.
A small form caught her attention, and she swiveled toward it, her self focused upon it. It did not know it had been seen, focused as it was on the scraps it had found; an easy mark, then, one that had not learned respect for her and hers. She slunk forward coolly, feeling the cold fire twitch in anticipation, scent of demise all alluring.
The form looked up to see sharp teeth, and then knew no more.
Sunshine Smiles looked up from her counter as the door chimed open. "Oh hey Vinyl! Long time no see! You like the new digs?"
"Octavia's acting weird and I think it has something to do with something you gave her."
"Octavia.... oh, your cute snooty friend, right? Gray mare, pink bow-tie--?"
"SHE BROUGHT A RAT HOME. Not even a live one. A dead one. A dead rat with bite marks." Vinyl Scratch pushed herself onto the counter. "And then she started composing a song she called Tide Rising."
Sunshine Smiles smiled sunnily. "That sounds totally bogus. What else have you noticed?"
"Like, before this? Well, she was nervous about her fame, but that's normal--and then there was one day where she was... slinky." Vinyl blushed. "Not saucy, but... like, saucy without the sauce, you know? And her eyes were just... dark, wide. I don't know how to describe it."
"I told her to only wear the pendant once every three nights," Sunshine mused. "It sounds like she might not have listened."
Vinyl blinked. "She... never mentioned that. Actually... I might have suggested she wear it more then that--oh crap. This is my fault."
"Mmm, maybe. Maybe not. But it sounds like she's in the early stages, so there should still be time. Unless she's started wearing the shark pendant all the time."
Vinyl blinked. "Shark pendant."
"Yep."
"Pendant shaped like a shark, goes around the neck?"
"Yep."
"Haven't seen her without it in five days."
Sunshine's smile grew. "Well, miss Scratch, we best catch your friend soon."
"Why are you not panicking?!"
"I had to give up my sense of concern to get to my position. I'm literally incapable of giving a feather." She giggled, reaching under the counter, and pulled out a large net. "Come on, time's a-wastin'! We gots us a shark to catch!"
"Ugh." Vinyl sighed, leading her out. "I swear, if it wasn't for what happened when we met, I'd probably think you needed to be committed or something."
"Oh I probably do."
All around her they were nervous... as they should be.
The cold fire was hungry again. No, not merely hungry--it blazed out, flowing through her body in passionate lust. She felt the power of her twining muscles, the wonder of her glorious form, the sharpness of her singular, undeniable weapon. The others moved swiftly away, all of them seeking to distance themselves from her, from the spike of strength.
As they should. As they should. Light was about her, but she did not need it to feel--to know that she was the heart of the cold fire, that it had chosen her as the greatest. She moved with precision, not slow but not sharp, each motion exact and direct. There were targets all about her, fuel for the flames, and she would have her way with them--
--and then something like a ghostly clever one descended around her face.
"Whoa!" Vinyl yelled, barely keeping her magical grip on the handle of the net. "Come on, Octy, pull yourself together!"
"Ooo, look at her, she's slipping fast." Sunshine Smiles giggled as the sharp-toothed mare twisted her neck, trying to snap at the barrier around her. "Fish tail, fins on her hooves--"
"FOCUS, Sunshine, you need to get the pendant!"
"Right, of course." The pink unicorn trotted up to Octavia happily, her horn glowing with magic. "Hello hello! I'm afraid I might have given you bad merchandise, I'll just take it back--"
Something tugged from around the mare's neck, and the primal intelligence behind her eyes snapped into focus. She lunged at Sunshine, her jaws breaking through the thin fabric and wrapping around the unicorn's leg.
"OWIE-ZOWIE!" Sunshine cried with a grin. "That hurts a bundle!"
"Sunshine!" Vinyl cried in shock.
"Oh, wow, that's a lot of blood. I could feed a whole coven of vampires!"
Octavia's deep pools focused on the wide grin, a growl rumbling through her throat, and she started shaking her head back and forth.
"Wheee-eeee-eeee-eeee-eee-eeee-eee-eeee-okay I'm going to pass out soon!"
"Sunshine, the pendant, you've got to--"
"And by soon I mean now! Sorry Scratch! Blegh!" Sunshine Smiles went limp, her eyes shut, a grin frozen on her face.
Octavia slammed the mare into the ground, releasing her grip with a guttural snarl. She worked her jaws once or twice, snapping back for another lunge--
--but Vinyl slammed into her, shoving her into the dirt. "NOPE!"
The gray mare bucked angrily, jaws gnashing as Vinyl held her head down. A dangerous grumble emitted from the depths of her form, her dilated eyes focusing on the white unicorn.
"Sorry Octy," Vinyl huffed as her horn lit up.
Octavia's eyes widened as she felt something, something tugging against her neck. Her thick tail slapped against the white knee pressing into her rough-skinned haunch.
"But this! Is for! Your own! GOOD!"
With a final tug, the pendant snapped free of the gray mare's neck.
The cold fire was gone.
The cold fire that had driven her was gone. She had her power, her weapon, her glory, and yet... in these quiet waters, with no specks to be found, with only the broken light as her companion... they were of no use to her. She did not even bother looking to the sands, for those hidden beneath. She did not even care to see the colored outcroppings, or the pod of wonders above.
She came to rest. And with that, she knew it was over. None of her kind had ever come to rest. Always they had moved... and to not move was to end. A clever one approached her, prodding her cautiously, and for a moment she considered snapping at it, but she... she did not feel the fire, and so she rested, and let it crawl over her form. And at last, she shut her eyes.
At last, the shark was at peace.
"Mmmmrngh... Unngh. Viiiiinyl, your machines are on the fritz again..."
"Really? How can you tell?"
"That Celestia-damned beeping," Octavia grumbled. "It's... wait. What are you doing in my room?"
"Heh. You might want to open your eyes."
Reluctantly, the gray mare obeyed the suggestion. She paused, looking around. "This... isn't my room."
"Nope," confirmed the unicorn sitting next to her.
"...This is a hospital room."
"Yep."
"Vinyl Scratch," Octavia said with a very, very forced calm. "Why am I in a hospital room?"
"Yeah, um..." Vinyl bit her lip. "You... maaaaay want to do a quick self-pat. Check your body out. You know."
There was a quiet moment.
"Oh sweet Celestia I've lost a leg haven't I."
"Nope. You, uh, gained a few things, though."
"Gained--?" Octavia rolled over, incredulous--and froze. "...Vinyl, there's something between my legs."
"That's your tail."
"My tail is soft and easily compressed. This is rough and meaty."
Vinyl nodded. "Yeah. Check your hooves next."
Octavia obeyed. "I've got... thingies."
"Fins."
"I've got fins. On my hooves."
"Yep."
"And... something's wrong with my mouth, now that I think about it--"
"Careful, your teeth are serrated now."
"...Serrated."
"Like knifes."
"...Vinyl Scratch, I am inches away from panicking. What happened to me?"
"Well... there's no easy way to say this... but you almost turned into a shark."