Pony POV Series:7 Dreams/Nightmares: Melody 1/2

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic
My Little Pony Tales
Pony POV Series Side Story Episode 5 of 7
MLP: POV Seven Dreams/ Seven Nightmares
"Melody"
Part 1 of 2
By Jawmax
Edited By Alex Warlorn and Kendell2 and Louis

As Twilight turned to the next entry, a note and a shiny disc slipped out from between the pages.

"What are these?" Twilight asked.

'Before you read this entry watch this first' The note read.

"Watch this pretty little thing? Okay!" Pinkie began to stare at the disc as Twilight twisted it this way and that with her magic... "Oooh, it reflects the light so beautifully! I think I could see a rainbow!"

Luna giggled. "My dear Pinkie Pie. That object is what those of the Second Age refer to as a DVD. It contains sounds, images and cinema... rather like how your movies work in our modern times."

"They store movies on this thing?" Twilight peered closer. "...Yes, I can sort of see that. This Diveedi thing bears a striking resemblance to a music record. Is there any way to play this on a film projector? Or is there a... er... Diveedi player in there also? Is 'Diveedi player' even the right word?"

Pinkie began to shake the journal about, seeing what else would dislodge from its pages, until Luna stopped her with an amused smile.

"'DVD player' actually IS the proper term, Twilight. But the few that remain are broken, inoperable museum artifacts. It will be decades, still, before pony technology is back at that level. But fear not! We think we have a spell that will help us get around that inconvenience!!"

Luna concentrated. The DVD was encased in an aura of her magic. And from that aura, a wide, conical beam of light cast itself upon the wall, playing the DVD's movie as easily as a film from a film projector.

"You'll probably want to darken the room for this," Luna said with a smile. "Twilight, would you do the honors?"

***

Before Revision/Disaster:

"This is Dazzle, reporting live at PTV. As we continue to countdown to the big moment when all our dreams come true, we look back to one of the most outspoken public figures who helped push this miracle forward. Of course I speak of the Rockin' Beats lead singer: Melody. From their humble roots as a high school garage band the Rockin Beats gained fame early on PTV's own Battle of the Bands. I should know, I hosted it." The image of a pink adult mare showed behind her before shifting to a teenage filly.

***

"Wait!" Luna paused the video at Twilight Sparkle's interruption. "What's PTV mean?"

"The 'TV' part twas an abbreviation of 'Tele-Vision,' Twilight Sparkle. A form of transmitting moving pictures -- such as that we're now watching -- simultaneously to every pony's home through technology rather than magic."

"And the 'P' part?" Twilight asked.

"Er... well, think of it this way: when you go to a movie theater, there isn't just one single film showing, is there? Usually, there's six or eight different movies, all competing for viewers to watch them. It's the same basic principle. PTV was one option: television viewers could also watch GTV, BTV, RTV, and many others."

"It stands for 'Pony.'"

Twilight blushed, "Okay, should have seen that one coming, but this Dazzle mare... she said she hosted a contest when Melody was in high school and looks almost the same. Did Dazzle somehow stop aging, or is she just really well-preserved?"

"In a manner of speaking. It is a magic called 'plastic surgery', a costly procedure for those who wish to retain youthful beauty in their elder years. Now please, Twilight, leave thy comments for later."

Luna un-paused the DVD.

***

"After graduation, Melody soared to the top of the charts." Dazzle went on.

A montage of short clips proceeded to play over Dazzle's shoulder: Melody at her own wedding, her husband kicking a soccer ball past a goalie, on and on.

"The good times didn't end there, as she married her high school sweetheart, world-famous soccer champion Ace. Known as the one-stallion team, this athlete has won game after game and broken record after record. Ace is the only permanent member of the Tsunamis… though his teammates often complain about his attitude. But what's a bad attitude with skills like Ace's? Most recently, the Rockin' Beats have acted as spokesponies for the Dream-Come-True spell spearheaded by Melody's old friend Starlight, in their international Seize Your Dreams tour. Life just keeps looking up for the superstar!

"But, as the old saying goes: 'into each life, some rain must fall.' Their long marriage has yet to bless the celebrity couple with a child. Also, many Rockin' Beats fans have spoken out against the Seize Your Dreams for keeping the band from making a new album this year. In a recent interview Melody had this to say..."

The video switched over to Melody.

"Our careers have kept us both very busy and, much as we would like to, we just haven't found the time to start a family. But with this new perfect world on the way, I couldn't think of a better place to raise our kids."

"Well, best of luck, Melody! Right now The Rockin Beats are all waiting for the New World in Melody's and Ace's fabulous mansion, which offers a gorgeous view of the Crystal Rainbow Castle, one of the seven vital points for the Dream-Come-True spell!"

***

"What a tour," I sighed, sitting down on my living room couch; of our mansion.

"The most important tour we've ever done, Melody," Half Note said.

"When we started this band back in high school I never thought that we would go on a tour to endorse a world-changing magic spell," Tuneful added.

"None of us even thought magic existed back then." I said, still amazed that it did.

"The Seize Your Dream Tour is our biggest success yet!" Pretty Beat said, sitting down at the other side of the room.

"Thanks in no small part to our great stage manager and special effects wizard," I grinned proudly at Jing-a-Ling and Ting-a-Ling.

"Thanks sis," Jing-a-ling said.

"It was a blast!" Ting-a-Ling just loves working with fireworks.

To think, my little twin sisters first got involved with my band because I shirked from finding a babysitter, so we could practice for the 'First Annual Battle of the Bands.'

Being a selfish teenager, of course I asked mom to call in sick at work to look after the twins! My bandmates were depending on me! Never mind that Mom had ponies at the hospital who depended on her!

But that didn't pan out, so I called all my friends at the last minute for help! Patch, soccer practice. Starlight, working. Sweetheart, inventory. Bonbon? Grounded. Bright-Eyes, Clover? Didn't exactly think to ask the studyholic and the klutz to look after the little imps.

So what do I do when my bandmates come to pick me up? … I stay home. Yes they were unhappy, Sweet Notes saying they were now the Rockin Beats Minus One.

After seeing the first couple of bands on TV, I decided the Rockin Beats needed me.

So I brought the two foals, just out of diapers, with me to the studio. And when they slipped off just as our turn came up, my conscience kicked me in flanks, hard. So I left the band hanging again as I looked for them.

Thank goodness the damage they caused was never precisely traced back to me. Gave me a swinging entrance on stage though. And who'd have thought they'd have made decent back up dancers? And yes, we did blow-out the 'Rock-O-Meter'! We won. You can find a copy for sale on laserdisc!

Yes, Mom found out, it was on TV after all. Thankfully, she was forgiving since the twins weren't hurt and they'd had fun.

Being a doctor herself, Sweetheart had easily gotten Mom on the Wishes-Come-True bandwagon. Good-bye nasty diseases! Do forget to write! Though I imagine schoolkids are gonna be unhappy about no more sick days.

"You know what I feel like right now? A chocolate milkshake with fudge, whipped cream, and sprinkles, with a cherry on top."

"Melody, you know we all got to stay on our diets," Sweet Notes scolded me. I swear, being a rock and roll star is no fun sometimes! Much more complicated than when we first started out as teenagers.

"The spell is going to be cast today! Sweets probably won't even make us fat or rot our teeth or anything anymore! Why not start indulging now?"

Then he entered the room. Tan with a flowing blonde mane, Ace and I have been so busy that sometimes it doesn't even feel like we're married. "I thought I heard you ladies. Melody, is your mom coming?"

"No. Mom's in the Emergency Ward. She wants to watch all the patients there get healed by the spell. What'll you think she'll do after doctors and nurses become a thing of the past?"

"Anything she wants," Pretty Beat smiled.

I thought back to how poor Sweetheart had gotten threatened by those big business jerks. Teddy sure didn't let them off without some hospital time, and I didn't let their PR go unbruised. But still, I knew even if Mom didn't mind her work not being needed.... we were putting the whole Medical Industry out of business. Many doctors and nurses' entire personal identities were invested in their role as healers. How would the spell treat them?

"So had a good time on tour?"

"Well it was good to sing our old songs again."

"Yeah, we hadn't played Sweet Music for years," Pretty Beat chimed in.

"Sweet Music was always my favorite." Both Jing-A-Ling and Ting-A-Ling said then giving each other nasty looks. Ever since they were ten years old, the twins have trying to move past the image of identical-minded-twins.

"Well for most of the tour we were playing in towns of the other five tribes," Tuneful said.

"Those Sea Ponies went all out for us... building that seaside stadium," Sweet Notes commented.

How did a race of ponies without proper forelimbs build something that huge anyway? Clever little guys.

"Mel', you never did tell us about the time when Patch introduced you to those Paradise Estate ponies. What were they like?" Half Note asked.

I sighed, thinking back. "Well, as you know I was skeptical, but I really missed those girls. I just wanted to get together with them, look back at simpler times, ya know. When I first saw the pegasi and unicorns there, I thought I was going crazy. As soon as they heard I was a musician they wanted to know what kind of music we listen to these days. I just couldn't believe that they were all over a thousand years old! What I really couldn't believe is that they had gone without any good stallions for all that time.

"There's the pegasus, Wind Whistler, she and Bright Eyes I think speak the same language: brainiac. Also a pony with some self-confidence issues named Shady, I think she and Clover had some stuff to talk about, you can guess. There was a unicorn named Twilight who Clover asked about 'dancing' magic. Sweetheart hit it off with this silly pony named Applejack. And Starlight got to know Ember, the only foal there. Ember's a regular Peter Pan, she'd been a foal for centuries!

"Then there was a daredevil pegasus called Firefly who said she made regular visits to 'the other side of the rainbow.' She says there are humans living there! Can you believe it?! One of her winged friends called North Star said she made regular visits to the edge of Dream Valley, when she claimed she met Robin Hood and Hercules I kinda backed off.

"There was another unicorn named Gusty who wished she should have gone with 'Bubbles' and 'Cotton Candy' when they left.

Also, a unicorn named Moondancer, and yes, she was a great dancer, said an evil monster named Tirek used an evil version of the Rainbow of Light to turn her, Applejack, Bubbles, and Cotton Candy into monsters then healed by the real one.

"A pony, I mean Earth pony, named Magic Star, said she could do magic, the kind unicorns do, with a magic wand she'd once owned, but later lost.

"There was another pegasus called Flutterbye, but none of the other ponies seemed to know her that well. Really kept to herself.

"There was Posey, she really loved her flowers, but what a wallflower. Heh. Flutterbye hung around her a lot, but more like a guardian angel than a stalker."

"The last Earth pony there was named Lickety Split, she said her daughter was the first one to leave the Estate since she really wanted to prove she could live her own life.

"There were these two unicorns named Sparkler and Glory I'm sure had to have been related. Sparkler was into things looking nice and Glory was addicted to her roller skates. Don't ask me how she got roller skates when they'd been cut off from civilization for centuries."

"Then there were the ones whose eyes sparkled like jewels! I asked if they were contact lenses, but the unicorn Galaxy explained the stars gave them to her as a gift."

"How can I get the stars to give ME gifts?" Ting-A-Ling wondered aloud.

"I dunno. Maybe try dating a few," I said. "The two other gem-eyed ponies, Masquerade and Mimic, said they didn't get their eyes the same way Galaxy got hers. I tried to ask more, but the way they acted seemed like it was something to file under 'you do not want to know'.

"Who else...? Oh yeah. Medley the pegasus! She said she loved sliding on Rainbows, and was overjoyed to meet me! For the first couples hours she just kept asking me what kind of music there was now, what kind I played, she even asked me to sing to her a few times. I indulged her. What surprised me more than anything was when the animals, bunnies, raccoons, all began clapping after I finished.

"'Oh don't worry about them, they're just being nice!' Medley assured me.

"'But-but-they're just dumb animals!' I said, and I got some nasty looks from the 'dumb animals' , a skunk looked ready to spray me, so I quickly apologized. Medley explained that the Rainbow of Light gave a lot of critters more wits than your average backyard dog, and they were proud of their smarts."

"Did any of the pegasi give you rides?" Pretty Beat asked.

"Medley did. Let me tell you; flying is something else. Then she decided to surprise me by sliding down a rainbow. Instead of falling through it, we slid on it, right into the river below. Then I got into a fun water fight. I actually gave her my CD player and a few of my discs."

"How many batteries did you leave her with?"

"None," I said. "She could recharge it by plugging it into the wall."

"But... but you said they've been isolated from civilization for centuries!"

"I saw the wall plugs myself." I insisted. "One of the ponies told me they modernized the Estate every few decades."

"How?"

"My working theory is that Galaxy talked the stars into installing the electricity for them. " I answered, with complete seriousness.

The others blinked a lot slower than normal at that. "Did you give the critters a repeat performance?"

"Sure did. They already had a stage for me and everything."

"A stage!" Tuneful laughed. "Did the woodland animals know how to wash dishes and vacuum floors, too?"

"I have every faith that they did."

"You should've brought one of those dishwashing raccoons home."

"Well..." I said, "The way I figure, any creature smart enough to erect a stage is also smart enough to eventually demand worker's comp. So I passed. Anyway, Medley clapped and cheered loudest of all."

"'Thanks' she said, 'I'm a little too scared to go out and discover new music in the outside world. Thanks. I've missed new music most, being here.'

"I asked, 'Why do you stay then? Do you feel 'responsible' for protect the Starbow of Light?'

"She said, 'That's Rainbow of Light, and that's just part of it. I'm kinda scared. If I leave, I grow old, and… and die. Then all the songs I've learned will be forgotten.'

"I gave her a hug and invited her to tour with us sometime. I'm kinda sad she never took me up on that offer. Can't help everyone with their problems."

"Heh, not yet anyway." Tuneful said.

"I also recall these really old pictures of ponies that left the estate, a lot of them were their kids who got tired of being little Peter Pans. They left hundreds of years ago. This one pegasus, Surprise, greeted me by saying: "Hey you look like her!"

Then I paused thoughtfully. "Half Note, were you named after a family member?"

Half Note was surprised by this sudden turn. "Yes, my great-grandmother. Dad said that the name is passed down every few generations. Why?"

"One of the older pictures was of a little filly that looked a lot like me; Surprise said her name was Baby Half Note. For all we know she could be our ancestor; that'd make us distant cousins."

Ace stretched and said, "It's possible, especially if she had more than one child. Maybe you two could have some gene testing done to see if you really are related."

"Well look who's sounding all smart all of a sudden," I teased.

Ace looked all flustered. "Hey I am smart! You can't play on a college level team if you don't keep your grades up. That's what made me a first-round draft pick!"

"You majored in Art History!"

"Just you wait! When my wish comes true, no one will ever see me as a dumb, arrogant jock ever again! I might even teach you all something." Then I could hear Ace whisper, "I'll be better than what I was."

Not hearing what he whispered the rest of the band laughed. "You teach us? That will be the day!"

Tuneful then looked at me. "What about you, Melody? Being a rock star HAS been your dream since the beginning. Will your wish be that you and Ace finally start having kids? A lot of our old classmates already have some. Our clocks are ticking."

"Please don't say things like that! It makes me feel old! Next thing you know our albums will be in the, ugh, golden oldies section!"

All the girls shivered at that thought. "But really, Melody, what IS your wish?" Pretty Beat asked.

"Well, ever since I was a little filly, I wanted to be a princess." Which might have had something to do with how I acted like a royal brat when I scored the lead role in our highschool Shakespony play until the others gave me a taste of humble pie to teach me what Miss Hackney meant by a play having 'No small parts.'

Hopefully Patch will never have to help me fight a dragon that isn't a stage prop (I still can't believe Patch was the most princely pony to audition after trying to add pirates to the script).

Hearing about the Princess Ponies reminded me of that old fantasy.

"Princess Rock Star..." Ace chuckled under his breath.

I lifted an eyebrow. "Being a rock star is hard work. We have to work out and watch what we eat to keep our figures. We're pushed to write at least ten new songs every album, and as soon as a concert is over we have to hustle to the next one. We've been all over the world and I've barely gotten a chance to play tourist, or just enjoy all our success. I love my music and all that, but sometimes I just want things to go back to simpler times when I could do what I wanted... Man, do I sound OLD!"

"Yep." Ace agreed. "But let me ask, Princess Melody, do you really think heads-of-state don't work? No obligations to their royal subjects? Why not wish for what you REALLY want to be: a super-rich lady."

"Nah," I said. "Princess. Has a better ring to it than 'super-rich lady.'"

Meeting Rosy had taught me he was right, but that didn't change my mental image of what a princess was I guess.

Ting-a-Ling and Jing-A-Ling were out on the balcony now. "Look!" Ting-A-Ling said.

"It's starting!" Jing-A-Ling finished. Heh. So this was it. Time for the enter the land of fairy tales, but without the wicked witches and poison apples.

After Revision:

We were all growing horns as a rainbow of colors washed over everything. Unicorns? Which of us wished for that? But looking at the horns, they just felt right.

Ting-A-Ling turned yellow with a blonde and pink mane. Jing-A-Ling became blue with a blonde and green mane. Guess they wished that everyone could tell them apart. They hugged each other.

I was pink with all kinds of colors in my mane. I can't say I wasn't prettier!

Ace became purple with, of all things, a pink mane! I almost laughed out loud when I saw he was taking on more feminine features! But he's supposed to be my prince!

Wait, why is everything getting bigger?

The She-Ace pony hugs me, "You're such a rarity, Melody! My little princess."

I could feel magic going through my horn. The magic was overpowering, it was everywhere and everything.

She nuzzles me, I nuzzle her back. I'm safe knowing she's here. I'm not worried or scared or anything.

Tee-hee! A girl being another girl's prince? That's just silly! Hehehehe! I giggle thinking about it. Just laugh it off. And if she'd be a prince, I'd be a princess. Princesses live in castles, not mansions. Heheheh! A pretty rainbow! I wanna be princess of rainbows! They're so colorful! Let me play with you, rainbow! You will? This is gonna be so much fun! I just know it! And I don't feel any not-good feelings at all.

***

I fling open the window.

"Good morning, Miss Sun! What a beautiful day in Unicornia you made today!"

I think Miss Sun shone extra-pretty and bright at that! Miss Sun may not say a thing, but I just know she loves me greeting her!

"I, Her Royal Highness Princess Rarity will have a lot of fun with my teacher Cheerilee and my friends Brights Brightly and Whistle Wishes! I may still have a lot to learn but I will give everyone beautiful rainbows every day with my magic wand!"

Miss Sun answers by tickling my face with her warmest sunbeams!

I run down to the breakfast table. I hope we have rainbow berry muffins this morning! Then I remember I asked to have a picnic breakfast yesterday, and run outside where my Crystal Carriage is waiting, all nice and white!

Cheerilee is waiting for me. I love her so much! She's like a mom, a big sister, and a best friend all rolled into one! "Good morning, Princess Rarity! Are you all ready?"

"You bet!"

Whistle Wishes and Brights Brightly are there too waiting already. "Good Morning, Rarity."

"Good morning!" I ran and slid on the stairs banister, sliding right to the carriage. "That was fun! Can I do it again?"

Cheerilee giggled. Off in the air we go! The little birdies pulling the carriage fly us to a nice open field overlooking Unicornia. There are a few unicorns nearby flying kites. That looks like fun!

We get everything laid out in a jiffy. I help!

"Would you like some muffins this morning?" Cheerilee offered.

"Yes, please!"

"Better eat up! Today you need to signal the start of the Unicornia Toy Boat Race with a rainbow."

Before, it took me, Cheerilee, Brights Brightly, and Whistle Whishes together to cast the rainbow-making spell. But now I had the Rainbow Wand to make rainbows all by myself!

"Oh! Could we invite the Breezes to the race? I bet they'd all have fun riding those cute little boats."

"It's a little short notice; we can do that next time."

Every year a new pink unicorn filly is chosen to be the Rainbow Princess, but I was sure I'd be picked once again. Why wouldn't I be?

Maybe I treated being princess like a game before, but I've really really learned my lesson! I was late to my lessons with Cheerilee, but it's only because I counted all the ribbons decorations (turns out we had sixty-three and we were supposed to have sixty-five). And then I joined a bubble fight that was happening right outside the castle.

Decorating ribbons was more fun than lessons, but Cheerilee wouldn't let me help Brights and Whistle, so I had to have my lessons anyway.

It all started when this cool-looking caterpillar distracted me from what Cheerilee was saying about using the magic wand and how rainbows were super really important to colors, magic, and happiness. So maybe I didn't hear how to call forth the Crystal Carriage.

Yellow (for Brights Brightly), Purple (for Cheerilee), Blue (for Whistle Wishes), and Pink (for me), the four colors of the rainbow. Huh? Don't be silly, of course those are the colors of the rainbow! See? Ha ha!

I hide, and Cheerilee went looking for me, then I took the magic wand out of the box to play with.

Then ZIP-ZAP-ZOOM, I was suddenly in this forest I've never seen and got to meet these cute little ponies that didn't have horns and had these really cute feelers and dragonfly wings!

They really loved talking! They told me I was in Breezie Blossom!

I met the Breezies for the first time! They wondered what the big bump on my head was, ha ha ha! They'd never seen a horn before! Some of them even wondered why I was so big and where my wings were! They must not have seen other ponies that often!

They were really tiny, but they insisted I was really big! That was fun to hear!

Then they told me how the Rainbow Celebration was going to help them, and told them how I made the rainbows. They… looked me kinda funny hearing that and took me to Ponyville. Riding Breezies was really fun! They said something about bumping my head when I talked about my magic wand.

In Ponyville I said how I was hungry and this pony named Sweet Berry offered me a cake of rainbow berry. I had a piece. Miss Rainbow Dash asked if I'd like more, so I ate all of it. Erm, maybe I was a little selfish? I asked for more, but there wasn't any more.

When they talked about getting more rainbow berries after the year's first rainbow… it kinda began to sink in that maybe I had … not been, thinking about what me not being in Unicornia might mean. Especially when the fourth star would appear.

I began to explain where I was from and that I was a princess, when I saw these really cool shoes called roller skates! They were a little scary at first, but I rolled all around the cafe! I wished I was better at them. And I was spinning and twirling and jumping over tables. Then I rolled out the door, down the road, over the river, and into a cart (the flowers kinda fell out) rolled along, then got knocked out and grabbed some kites and flew up and up and up into the air! Ever since I was a baby I knew flying would be the greatest! The breezes brought me down so no problem, so I kept rolling and rolling, and ended up in this nice mud puddle. It was so fun! "Let's do it again!" It must have been time for Miss Rainbow Dash's nap. It wasn't my fault! The roller skates just went so fast.

Then I was feeling really homesick, and asked the way back to Unicornia, and found out the adults around me somehow didn't know where my home was.

Miss Rainbow Dash said if she knew where Unicornia was she'd GLADLY tell me where.

Then I got to meet Mr. Spike, (Wow, a dragon!) and we played hide and seek, and talked about how my castle was only one of seven across Ponyland. Happiness. Friendship. Family. Kindness. Laughter. Music. And mine, Crystal Rainbow Castle! Then I got a map to show me the way home!

Spike, Minty, Pinkie Pie, Zipzee and her two friends, and Miss Rainbow Dash came along to help me.

Rainbow Dash sure brought a lot of luggage, but Spike was the one who pulled it along. I played with a butterfly and ended up in a river. Pinkie and Minty went into the river with me. It wasn't my fault (I sure say that a lot, don't I?). Thankfully the breezies saved them, while Rainbow Dash let a piece of luggage get wet to save me before I went over the waterfall! It was fun! I wanted to do it again, but no one else did.

Did you know Breezies snore? … That night, staring at the sky, that was when I think I realized the way I acted wasn't exactly nice. Maybe I shouldn't have played with a wand I didn't know how to use. No. Cheerilee was to blame. She was one who… didn't try to teach… didn't try to warn… didn't tell me to pay attent-… … Maybe, just maybe it was all my fault everything was happening. All my fault.

That was when I saw the third star. Time was running out. Spike dreams of being a king in his sleep, I had to scream 'Your majesty!' to wake him up.

Rainbow Dash woke up and… we saw most of her rainbow was gone. She… didn't really take it all that well. When Pinkie Pie pointed out she still had pink and pink is pretty, she said, "I'M NOT PINK DASH, DARLING! I'M RAINBOW DASH!"

I really wished I could find Cheerilee. We finally found Cheerilee and the others! They had been looking for me! And I really had to explain everything really really fast!

And I finally got the princess twirl right to summon the crystal carriage to get us back to Unicornia lickety-split! And we had to RACE the pink shooting star back to Unicornia! And into the dome inside the castle to perform the ceremony! Rainbows all over the land were vanishing! It was terrible! Rainbow Dash's mane was all white!

Cheerilee thought all was lost. We used our magic… and absolutely nothing happened. Not a spark. I said we should try again. But Cheerilee and the others looked like they didn't want to try. Then Cheerilee, BLAMED HERSELF for what happened! No!

I told her. I told her all of it. It was all my fault. From beginning to end. I was responsible. Cheerilee just looked away sadly. "Now who's not listening?" I asked. Cheerilee smiled, and we tried again! And WHOA! MY HORN GREW! Didn't expect that to happen!

The light shined from all four of our horns, and hit the center of the castle dome, and the first rainbow of the year was born, and it traveled everywhere like a happy ribbon! And the rainbows returned… last but not least Rainbow Dash's colors. And I was formally recognized as Rainbow Princess, the Breezies even carried my cape during the ceremony! I created rainbows here and there for every inch of Unicornia! It was wonderful! I promised I'd make a new rainbow every day more spectacular than the last!

That all happened in just a couple of days… but it feels like a lifetime. I think I'm happy I changed. I grew. Unicornia was always the place for me. But I never imagined how I'd grow by visiting other places.

And I got to make such wonderful friends! Like Rainbow Dash… she wanted to stay in Unicornia a while… she was super duper absolutely positively fun to have around! I even got her to laugh! Ha ha!

Lilly Lightly?

She's our unicorn in charge of the yearly Rainbow Lights Party: The Night of a Thousand Lights. I kinda ended up covering myself with lights this year. That's me. Rarity. Silly all around!

She's always done such a good job that Cheerilee gave her the title 'Princess of All That Twinkles And Glows.'

If I can be Princess of Rainbows during the day, there's no reason she can't be Princess of twinkly and glowy things during the night, right?

I never expected Lilly Lightly's horn to start glowing on its own like a night light. Or her to run off like it was something to be ashamed of. So she was a little bit different, that's nothing big, right?

Brightly mentioned how the only time she's SEEN Lilly laugh or have fun was at the Rainbow Lights party. Weird. But not funny weird. I wish she could teach me how to light my horn like that.

Pinkie Pie and Minty were actually invited to join the party this year but ended up getting lost in the forest because Minty forgot the map, and had no sense of direction.

Brightly and I ended up gettin' lost, too, when looking for Lilly after she ran away into the forest.

By good luck we found Lilly, or rather we found her glow behind a boulder. A nice little firefly came out and explained -she- was making the light. Except of course Lilly's light was much brighter. The firefly said that was one of her friends who was very shy.

"Well, tell your friend she doesn't have to be shy around us," Brightly said.

"And we've been looking for her and want to say how special she is!" I cheered in.

"You mean different." Lilly came out, not sounding happy.

Me, Minty, and Pinkie all told her what made us different, and made us special and it was nothing to be ashamed of.

The firefly seemed overjoyed at us for helping Lilly realizing being unique wasn't something to be sad about. And when we all got back to the castle… we saw Cheerilee and everypony was covering their horns in lights to let Lilly to know she didn't have to be ashamed. Lilly told them all that, "Being different also is what makes me special." And a super-beautiful dress just appeared on her!

It's funny, in a wonderful, beautiful, shinning, sparkling way. It was like Lilly had brought something new yet familiar back into the world when she said that. Something, I didn't know, but it felt good. The firefly left just telling Lilly to shine on.

I don't really understand it... but It's like I've begun to notice things I didn't before. How I seem to be the only filly in Unicornia, though I was supposed to be picked from among lots of pink fillies. But, but I'm not scared. I'm not worried. I have Rainbow Dash, Minty, Pinkie, Cheerilee, Lilly Lightly, Brights Brightly, Whistle Wishes, Zipzee, Tiddlywink, Tra La La, and now there are the Pegasuses! Huh? It's pegasi? Oh whatever! The point is that I have lots and lots of friends new and old! And I won't be afraid to be myself either.

Miss Sun is so shiny and happy today.

The next thing I know Whistle Wishes screamed out in fright. We all looked at what she was pointing at and saw the two strangest things I ever seen floating in the sky. The first one looked like it had parts of different animals for a body: a pony head, snake body, doggie paw, birdie claw, kitty leg, ox leg, fish tail, a bird wing with a claw, and another wing like some kind of dragon.

The other one looked like a big boy pony with both a horn and wings; I even didn't know ponies could be boys! He was black and white. He really scares me; it feels like he doesn't belong here EVEN MORE than the many-animal-thing! They're making all the Unicorns disappear!

He flies down and warps his wings around my two friends, "Good night."

They're vanishing before our eyes! "Brights Brightly! Whistle Wishes!"

All the colors are going black and white! This is worse than when I almost didn't make the first rainbow of the season! Even the rainbows are white and sky is black! "You, who are you and what did you do to our friends!?" Cheerilee screamed.

"Name's Rancor. Just deleting most of these ponies, recycling a few. By the way, 'Princess Rarity,' is it? I'm a big fan of your previous self's music, it's such a big disappoint that you became someone whose only passion now is making pretty little rainbows."

"HEY!" I snapped, wondering why being told I wasn't good at singing made me so upset. "I sing really good! I sang at the Rainbow Lights Party, and it was a song I sang that help me become a real princess instead of just playing!"

"… Spunky kid. I like spunk. Maybe you're fun after all. Glad you're on the 'to keep' list," The mishmash of animals zoomed down face to face with me and slipped a piece of paper underneath one of my hooves, leaving behind an imprint. I couldn't move, I was scared stiff. "One down, two to go. Sadly, princess, while it's great to see you, I am technically here on a job. Too bad, otherwise maybe I could've heard your wonderful singing voice."

The next thing I know, she broke my crystal carriage to pieces! Rancor then gripped the two yellow birds who had been hitched to it and… they were just… gone.

"No… " I felt tears in my eyes. "Why… why are you being so mean?"

"You don't want to see me mean, Princess."

The boy pony spoke. "Rancor! Let me remind you that My Parents allowed you to join this mission from your future on the condition that you follow my lead!" Then he talked to us. "I am Mortis, I am truly sorry, but all things depend on what we do here today. The time where rainbows were the most important aspect of your lives has now come to an end."

"What did she mean?" I asked Mortis. "What clock?"

"Give back Brightly and Wishes!" Cheerile snapped.

"That can not happen." Mr. Mortis landed and all the plants around him withered. "Until now, I have only been allowed in this world rarely before. But Death has returned to this world in full force. Regrettably, soon I will be the only entity allowed to exist here at all."

"Deh-iff?" Cheerilee sounded out. Now that was something. Something Cheerilee didn't know anything about.

"Death. The end of life. To cease living. The last soul I came to guide to my Father in your world was the mother of the one you know as Star Catcher."

Star Catcher…she said her momma just…went to sleep and…and wouldn't wake up.

Rancor ran her doggie paw through Mortis' mane. "Yeah, that Grant-All-Wishes spell you ponies cast forced this guy take a long vacation and now I bet he is bummed about going back to work full-time."

"The only thing about my work that I don't like is being the one that has to deliver the souls of the wicked to be hitched to Your Father's chariot! I delight in bringing the souls of righteous and innocent to My Father and reuniting loved ones with each other."

"Hey, Dad's your Father-In-Law pal. What does Strife see in you?"

"If you dislike me, Rancor, feel free to swear off killing others."

Rancor just laughed. "Trust me Morty, you can have plenty of violence and revenge without killing."

"I still have no idea what you two are talking about, but I will not let you harm one hair on Rarity's head!" Cheerilee threw me on her back.

"You don't have any say in the matter." Rancor reached for us and Cheerilee ran full speed away while I held on as tight as I could. They chased us but we made it back to the castle. "Get back here!" I heard Rancor say, followed by a big boom.

"Don't worry Rarity, I'm sure our friends from Ponyville can help, I know they can!" Cheerilee told me. I know she has to be right.

---

Rancor found that she could not move. Needles were jammed all over her body. Her mouth ripped itself off and began to speak. "Mortis! What did you do to me?"

"If you go after them or linger much longer we risk you running into your siblings or mine. As far as they are concerned you have not been born yet."

"What's the matter?! Worried about triggering a Time Paradox?" Rancor sneered. "We're CONCEPTS, Mort! We're immune to paradoxes!"

"Maybe so, but I have strict orders from You Father that Destruction and Discord are not to have any idea you could potentially exist."

Rancor thought about that. "Oh yeah... I suppose that WOULD be shooting Past-Me-From-The-Future in the foot." She tried to struggle with her unresponsive body. "What's with these needles?"

"I knew that aggressive action has little effect on you so I decided to give you a nice friendly acupuncture treatment to relax your muscles. All of your muscles."

"I hate you so much right now," Rancor's mouth said. "Soon as I get a chance, I'm going to find some hotblooded hero -- a righteous griffin warrior or such -- and goad him into slaying a thousand evil pony-trafficers or witch weed producers. Then I'll encourage Dad to have you, personally, hitch their souls to his chariot... just because son-in-laws ought to be hassled every now and then."

Mortis just ignored her, looked on to the fleeing ponies. "They always run."

"So?"

"Once, in the first age, a pegasus stallion spotted me in Dream Valley. After seeing me he flew, faster than any living thing before him all the way to the Royal Paradise Inn. That evening in his room I was waiting for him. He asked me why I was there; he surprised me by being able to see me. I told him that I was surprised to see him in Dream Valley because we had an appointment at the Royal Paradise Inn. Those that try to run from their fate often are running toward it instead."

She snorted. "I don't get you; you're the Concept of Death. for crying out loud! Death seems like something My Mom would give birth to, not Fauna Luster."

"I do not blame you for your confusion. My full title is Concept of Death, Rebirth and New Beginnings. I allow things to end so that they can begin anew. This world is ending so it can live again. My sister Celestia asked Mother to give phoenixes the power to be reborn from their ashes after death, as a way of always demonstrating this to mortals. I have always found it a touching gesture." Mortis was silent for a few moments. "Joyride's over, Rancor. Come, you must return to your future. As you have said, I will be incredibly busy from here on out."

---

We've made it back to the castle, but everything is already so gray and empty, and the sky looks so cold and heartless. Spike and Wysteria are already here. Guess they were already on their way here when things started to go wrong.

Cheerilee looks sick, oh dear. I remember one of those shadows thingies grabbed her as we ran away when it tried to grab me. She pushes me towards Spike and Wysteria, she tells me to use the wand to teleport us away from Unicornia. Except her. She says it is inside her. I don't understand! But… but Cheerilee promises she'll be along in a bit. I… I believe her. I have to believe her. Cheerilee's never lied to me, so why would she now? I know we'll see each other again. I just know it. I have to believe, I DO believe! Cheerilee… please be safe. I know you'll be!

***

Intermission:

Twilight whispered lowly, "Rancor… Rancor the Draconequus."

Pinkie Pie was in a huff. "Well so much for me being one-of-Melody's sisters-who'd-wished-to-stand-out-from-her-other-sister!"

Twilight blinked at her. "You thought you were Ting-A-Ling? Jing-A-Ling?"

"Neither of them was me! I would have even accepted being both of them. Right wish, though."

"I disagree. If anything, that kind of wish sounds downright Trixie-ish." Twilight pursed her lips. "Personally, I'm shocked that Cheerilee-of-Unicornia was ACE and not their old teacher, Ms. Hackney!" Twilight said.

"True, the nature of their relationship was altered completely, but at least the two remained a close-knit pair who loved each other dearly."

"But if our Cheerilee was Cheerilee-of-Unicornia... then she used to be a stallion!"

Luna only gave a huge shrug at that. Twilight might as well have stated that a small cloud of steam had once been a quart of water.

"Twilight, I just realized something."

"What, Pinkie?"

"Our Rarity used to be Princess Rarity, who used to be Melody, right?

"Right."

"And our Cheerilee used to be the unicorn Cheerilee, who used to be Ace, right?"

"Seems so."

"Then would that make Rarity, Cheerilee's ex-wife?"

Twilight Sparkle felt her brain about to split in two.

Luna held up her hoof. "If the two of you are this confused, then imagine if Cheerilee and Rarity themselves, found out. How would they react? Both of them have been friends since foalhood; could they even look at each other the same way? This is a prime example why most ponies should not know who they were in previous worlds. You must remember they are all unique beings, not merely actors playing different roles. Melody's soul is no doubt observing our Rarity."

Twilight Sparkle nodded.

"Uh, Luna," Pinkie Pie asked. "Can we please read the rest of these, erm, somewhere else?"

The night itself tilted her head, "Where would that be, Pinkie Pie?"

The pink pony whispered a location in the goddess' ear. Luna's eyes widened. "We are not certain that is a wise idea."

Pinkie Pie made puppy dog eyes. "Please?"

"… Against our better judgement, we will allow it."

Twilight Sparkle opened her mouth, but was sucked up into Luna's midnight blue vortex.

An instant later the same blue vortex deposited the three ponies in a place Twilight Sparkle thought she'd never see again.

Pinkie Pie walked down the streets of the brightly colored town. The sun shining bright on the smiling ponies below.

Sunny Daze and Scootaloo compared the virtues of surfing and roller skating. Daisyjo and Moondancer tending the public garden under Wysteria's watchful eye. Sparkleworks thanked Daffidazey for a job well done. Extra sparkles glinted in her hair.

Pinkie Pie waved at Toola-Roola painting a starscape, while Razzaroo took pictures of ponies. She listened in as Starsong Melody sang at Fiesta Flair's outdoor theater.

Sweet Berry helped Cotton Candy move supplies into her cafe that would be used to create more of Sweet Berry's towering sweet creations.

Twinkle Twirl thanked Rainbow Dash for the new tutus for her dance class, Skywishes was convincing Kimono and Storybelle to attend a few lessons.

Cheerilee sat in her house telling a make-believe tale of Heart Bright and Star Flight to Starbeam and Applejack.

Puzzlemint smiled and nodded at Pinkie Pie, letting her pass as Pinkie Pie walked into the center of the town square, Looking at it all. Minty standing next to her. Every pony, every house, every roof shingle, the smell of every flower, the note of every song, the warmth from everypony around her. A carousel of feelings and colors where most wonderful of all, there were never ever any walls around pony's hearts.

"Pinkie Pie... WHY here?" Twilight Sparkle asked.

Pinkie had just been staring from one thing to another with a sad smile.

The shining sun became the moon, and Pinkie Pie let super imposed image of memories slip away to the broken imitation.

"If we're going to keep reading about them, I thought this made a better backdrop." Pinkie Pie said, still with a poofy mane, but with a slight wistful tone.

Twilight shivered at the change from her nice warm library to the Everfree Forest just outside the castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. They were in the incomplete microcosm of Pinkie Pie's Ponyville that Nightmare Whisper had ordered the Sunnytowners to build. Twilight gave another shiver at the memory of the battle with their corrupted friend.

"Fluttershy saw this place in my memories, she saw how happy everypony was, I think, she wanted to make it again as a gift for me." Pinkie Pie said calmly.

The half-finished construction had already fallen into decay, the Everfree Forest claiming back the incomplete town, but there were a few completed building still standing. Pinkie Pie looked at each one in perfect recognition. She patted one of the inert wooden puppets made in the images of her friends from that never was world. "Glad our Shadow Who Makes abandoned the 'trapping ponies inside them' idea."

"Pinkie, I gotta be honest, I'm REALLY, REALLY, uncomfortably here. You and I have already slogged through the story of this world's downfall five times in a row. Through five different sets of eyes. And we still have two more to go."

Twilight drew her hoof back and looked around unhappily.

"Bad enough to read about it all in a journal. But to stand here... among all THIS... Pinkie, I feel like we're in a graveyard. I don't like being here! And neither should you! I'm seriously worried about the effect these stories are having on your sanity, Pinkie!"

"It's okay Twilight," Pinkie Pie said and trotted over to a simple roller coaster with teacup and butterfly shaped carts. There were no safety harnesses. In a perfect world, there was no danger of accidents. "I remember riding this coaster. It was a straight-up ride. But none of us cared, it was all we knew."

"Pinkie Pie, let's.... let's put Bon-Bon's journal away for a week, let's give ourselves a chance to touch base with the real world again. Please? We can always return to it later!"

"No."

"I don't want to see you slip away any further into the past, I don't want to lose you to The-World-The-Gods-Erased. No history lesson is worth losing you, Pinkie!"

Twilight Sparkle didn't want to accidentally start a forest fire or have to face Pinkie Pie's wrath if she thought she was trying to burn down the town, but this empty memory didn't offer her any warmth like Pinkie Pie. Princess Luna noticed the unicorn shivered and put a wing over her.

"What's started is started. Trust us Twilight Sparkle, the sooner this is complete the better. For both of your sakes," said the night. "Pinkie Pie would have come back here sooner or later. It's not this memory that calls to Pinkie Pie, it's Pinkie Pie that calls for this memory." Princess Luna stepped forward, lifting Bonbon's journal up. "Pinkie Pie, we're not done reading Melody's chapter yet."

It was impossible to read Pinkie Pie's expression. But she nodded.

"Don't worry so much Twilight, I'm just doing a little reminiscing. I'd never want to lose you either."

Pinkie Pie turned away from the nostalgia and trotted back to her friends. The three of them gathered together and began reading again.

***

To Be Continued In Part 2