Ann's POV
Carousel Boutique
My alarm clock began to ring out, stirring me awake from the beauty sleep that I have been having. My eyes were still closed when my ears picked up on the beeping, opening up slightly to keep the light of Celestia's sun from being such a bother. Eventually my eyes open up and the image begins to clear up in my sight.
While lying there in bed, my right hand reaches over towards the alarm clock that sat at my nightstand, hitting the button to turn it off. I wasn't feeling tired at all, but quite relaxed as I raise my upper body from the cushions. I slip out from the sheets, placing my bare feet onto the warm floor of the third level.
Sweetie Belle and Rarity both slept on the second floor since there were renovations over the inspiration room having to be placed into Rarity's room. But hey, anything to make her feel closer to finding something that can give her ideas on what she can make, even if it started off simple. She has told me that she is going to making a dress for me, based on my interests, and I have seen a little bit of it. Guess that's what surprises are for after all.
I move forward slowly towards the closed window, until the blue sky was seen much more and the rest of the town was visible. I observe the outside as there are ponies trotting about, doing their daily business in the wee hours to chat with friends after a hearty breakfast or simply going to take a walk or get groceries from the nearby marketplace.
A smile on my mouth started off small, and then brightened. "Today looks like it will be a great day." I said to myself, turning to see the calendar of events that I needed to do today. "Well, I don't have my spa appointment with Rarity until Friday afternoon next week, so it looks like I will be going to be seeing Fluttershy today after breakfast."
Fluttershy knew that it would be alright if I turned up late, as her times with Brayden had shown that she didn't want to be cross with him. Being that I was close to him, she would keep it easy for me. The way I thought of things between both Rainbow Dash and our friend Alex... not so much.
I move towards my wardrobe on the other side of the room, opening it up and getting out some clothing. I slip out from my pyjamas, putting on a pair of light denim jeans, with a short-sleeved yellow shirt out from all of the other random ones that Rarity had made for me after taking my measurements. I slip a pair of socks onto my bare feet, moving over to the shoe mat by the bedroom door. I put on my black converse chucks and begin to tie them up.
All set, and I could already smell the breakfast downstairs by the time I have finished tying my shoes. I move forward towards my bedroom door and open it up, seeing the usual upstairs hallway that I recognized.
I step out into the hallway, turning to the right and headed downstairs. Rarity's door is open, so I can tell that she had already gone downstairs as well. I move right past, walking down another set of stairs until I had touched onto the main floor.
The smell of breakfast could be traced from across the room at the other side of the room at the open arch. I am very certain that Rarity is there, making it ready her and both myself and her sister Sweetie Belle. I walk underneath the kitchen archway, seeing the white unicorn standing at the counter.
(Play Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD ReMix -At Dusk, I Will Think of You- Extended)
Her ears perk up and she turns around, her blue eyes looking directly at me. "Morning Ann," She greeted me, sounding a little down about something by the tone of her voice having a little sadness. "Did you sleep well last night?"
"I slept fine last night Rarity," I said to her, taking a seat over at the table. "What about you? You sound a little... tired."
"I know... it was mostly just stuff that happened two nights ago that I'm still feeling a little bad about inside." She responded to me, placing four waffles into the toaster.
The expression on my face looked a little confused on what she might have meant by bad. "What bad things? Did something terrible happen?"
"Yeah... it involved me, my friends and Brayden."
"Brayden?" The thought of me brought me to attention. "What happened?"
"I..." She seems almost speechless, even as she is waiting for the waffles to pop up from the toaster when finished. "I'm not really sure that I want to get into it, dear... I didn't cry over it, just a bit shocked..."
"It's alright, you can tell me. I mean, it's not like I am going to tattle-tale."
Rarity exhales a sigh, trotting over towards the kitchen table where everything looked to be set up. "Come sit down, I'll tell you from what I know."
I nod my head, walking over to the chair that gave a view of the rising day outside of the window with a few stallions trotting by. I take a seat, my eyes still on Rarity who takes a seat on the chair next to me. The expression on her face looked as if she didn't want to talk about it, but needed to talk it out from her system. Kind of like how I felt sometimes...
"Ann, do you remember when the moon was blood red those past two nights ago?" She asked me.
"I do. As strange as it was to see it that color, it seemed quite lovely for its gaze," I responded to her question. "Why?"
"Something bad happened that same night. While you were busy with helping out Lyra Heartstrings with chores around her and Bon Bon's place, Brayden ended up following Applejack into the Everfree Forest. She looked incredibly nervous throughout the day, and I did have some suspicions on what was going on that I didn't know about."
"She and Brayden are close friends," I said to her. "She knows that if there is trouble to just come to him."
"Yes, but it was different. The Dragon Queen ended up coming up to her doorstep, threatening to..." She takes a moment to nervously gulp. "To kill her and her family if she didn't comply. She wanted Applejack to bring Brayden to her so she could bring harm to him."
I gasped for that moment as I remember the last time that both Brayden and Rebecca fought back on Earth. The last time he did, he managed to escape with us, but ended up getting hurt. My heart was in a bit of a worry about what happened that I didn't know about.
"She ended up telling him about this just before he could even walk into that trap, even using Apple Bloom as a way to provoke him into attacking her. Nightmare Moon came to help him, but..." She seemed almost afraid to speak about what happened next, but manages to muster up some courage to continue. "The Dragon Queen ended up wounding her... but not at all minorly, but fatally. That look of devastation in his eyes, I can't ever remove that from my mind."
"Nightmare... is dead?" I asked, feeling a little bit of sadness inside of me.
As much as Brayden has me in his heart, he and Nightmare were close to each other just like he kept Twilight and Coco close to him. The reality of him losing somepony he loves in that part of him... I can already imagine his reaction when she died in front of him.
"Yes," Rarity continued. "After losing her, he ended up taking it out on me and my friends. Even hitting his wife which I didn't expect, and I know he didn't mean to. Somehow... inside from what he told me of what happened back at the Crystal Empire, I feel a little guilty from trotting away."
"I guess everypony else also feels the same way as well."
She nodded in response. From behind her, the sound of the waffles popping out of the toaster was heard. Rarity takes that moment to get up out of her seat, taking out the waffles and giving me two on separate plates for me and Sweetie Belle who will be downstairs at any minute, with another for her. She already had the maple syrup and utensils already set up and ready at the table, so I didn't really have to worry too much about getting up to go get it.
She sets my plate down onto the table, scooting it forward towards me slowly with one hoof as she took a seat, just staring at her food. I did pour some syrup onto them, taking a bite out of one of them. Just like how they did back home, they tasted great... though I can sense there was a bit of an Equestrian presence in them from every bite I took.
My thoughts linger on the thought of Brayden, and how he is handing the aftermath of Nightmare's death. Is he still upset? Where did he leave off to after all that happened? My heart inside worried a bit for him, wishing I could be there to comfort him just as he was there for me to comfort me when I needed him most.
"You're..." I said, getting Rarity's attention after she has taken a few bites from her waffles. Her blue eyes look up at me. "You're not going to let go of Brayden, are you?"
"I... I couldn't, dear," She says to me, the volume of her voice lowered. "In fact, I think it really was me and my friends to blame all along for what happened back at the Crystal Empire."
"I know Rarity," I tell her, knowing it is most likely too hard for her to explain. "You don't have to tell me. If I know Brayden, he will calm down in time. All you and everypony need to do is to give him some space."
She looks down at her food for a moment, thinking about what I had said for a moment. Hooves are heard from outside of the kitchen, getting closer and the sound becoming moderate in ways. I turn my head towards the open arch, seeing the familiar unicorn filly entering in from the main room: Sweetie Belle.
"Morning Rarity," She greeted her sister who looks to be pretending to be mildly and calmly happy. Her pale, light grayish harlequin eyes turned to look at me, a little surprised to see me and the smile on her lips remaining. "Hello Ann. I didn't expect to see you up this early. Usually you go back to sleep when the alarm in your room goes off."
I giggled for a moment. "It happens, you know," I responded to her. "Good morning to you too Sweetie Belle. Ready for another day at school?"
"A little bit," Sweetie Belle said to me. "Apple Bloom hasn't really been herself for two whole days. She's almost afraid of some human lady coming to feed her to blood dragons. Me and Scootaloo are doing all we can to cheer her up and tell her to not be afraid, but she's too scared."
"I've got breakfast ready for us," Rarity tells her sister who is trotting to the table. "It's waffles with maple syrup. If you want, you can grab a few berries from the fridge."
Sweetie Belle nods, turning and trotting towards the fridge to look inside. I turn to look at Rarity who is sitting there, swallowing down a bit of her waffles. Brayden's wife Twilight is the first to pop into my mind, and I was motivated to ask about her.
"After my visit with Fluttershy today, I'm thinking of popping in to visit Twilight at the castle to see if she is doing better." I said to her.
"That's not really a good idea, Ann." She responded to me.
"Why not?"
"She's still very upset about what happened, especially after Brayden had hit her from frustration. First thing I know will happen when Brayden returns, she'll want to talk to him. She's not angry at him, don't worry, she's worried sick about him."
"I am..." I said, the thought of him upset feeding worry into my heart.
"We all are, dear, but we aren't sure where he flew off to. I could tell he didn't want to run away like last time, he just wanted to find somepony to talk to or just have alone time for a while."
"Somepony to talk to..." I pondered on the thought of it possibly being Coco Pommel in Manehattan. "I am not sure if he went to visit Coco."
"If he is, I am certain that Coco will deliver a letter to ensure that he is alright. I'm not really sure if the mail service is running slow again due to the strike in Trottingham, but there's almost been nothing from her."
"I'm sure she will write eventually." I assured him. "As you said, it's probably the strike."
"Perhaps..."
Sweetie Belle comes trotting back towards the table, carrying her plate of waffles by her mouth and setting it onto the table where she would be sitting. She hops up onto the chair, taking a seat to begin eating. On her plate other than the waffles are the additional strawberries and blueberries to top it along with the maple syrup.
Perhaps when tomorrow comes, I will set on the train and go on my way to Manehattan to check up on Brayden.
"Ann dear?"
My mind snapped back to reality when I heard the voice of the older, elegant mare calling my name. My eyes turned to look at hers as she seemed to look a bit concerned about me for some reason.
"Oh... yeah?" I said, my mind starting blank.
"I was just going to say that your waffles will get cold. Are you going to eat them?"
I quickly gripped onto the fork that was lying on the table, puncturing it into a piece of the waffles I had cut. "Absolutely." I said to her, putting on a small smile as I took a bite from what pieces I had gathered from that silverware.
Fluttershy will be first to visit and talk to. But first, breakfast comes first as the most important meal of the day after all.
Breakfast was rather filling by the time I had finished and had gone out of the door on my way to Fluttershy's cottage. The town itself was rather quiet this morning with everypony from around town doing their usual activities whether it was working, chatting with their friends or doing their own thing.
Sweetie Belle had already finished early, but did get to say goodbye to me before heading out with the Crusaders for another day at the Ponyville School. I said goodbye to her, being that me and her were headed out at the same time but in different directions. I was headed down the northwest trail where the cottage of the shy mare was. The school or course, is opposite direction but near Sweet Apple Acres.
Lyra was around as Brayden would usually ask to keep an eye out for her. She was fine, just chatting with her friend Bon Bon. Her conversation mood didn't seem too good as I knew exactly what she was talking about. It was Nightmare Moon, and she sounded rather worried about Brayden as well.
The rest of the walk to the cottage was quiet, with only the sound of the nearby stream and birds in the air singing. A few of the bluebirds even in the season soar through the summer skies, making twists and turns in harmony once every few minutes from down the trail. They were the sign alone that I was coming up to the cottage.
Her cottage was seen coming up with a few of the land animals seen standing around, as well as Harry the bear who was keeping watch on everything to make sure everything was fine. His eyes turn and notice me, not making any motions to stop me as I am very certain that Fluttershy has taught him that I am good in heart. I walk by him, seeing him lie down again to go for another nap.
I approach towards her door, using my left hand to knock on the front door. Then, comes the waiting as I can hear the sound of hooves from inside of the home. The sound of the doorknob turning is heard and opens up to reveal the pegasus herself.
"Hello Fluttershy." I greeted her, smiling softly.
When she had opened up the door, she seemed a little sad about something. Upon seeing my face though, she manages to put on only a small smile. "Oh... hello Ann. Are you here for our hangout today?"
"I sure am," I responded to her question, rather eager to have the day with her. "Is it going to be a nature walk today?"
"I was thinking that it could be a picnic. Angel and the rest of my animal friends got with me to prepare me a basket of food for us. I even got some freshly packed apple juice in there. But yes, a bit of walking should burn off the breakfast to make us both hungry."
"Sounds good, and you've prepared early as well," I said to her. "Is there anything else you really need to do before we go?"
She shook her head. "No, we can head out."
My smile brightened and I hold open the door for her as she heads out from inside, having gripped the picnic basket from the living room. "Thank you Ann." She thanks me.
"No problem Fluttershy. Here, let me place the basket on your back. I'm sure that it's light enough." I said to her, taking the picnic basket from her and placing it on her back in a carefully balanced position.
"Angel!" She calls to inside of the cottage where the annoyed looking bunny peeks his head out from the side of the front door. "Momma's heading out with one of Brayden's friends. Be a good bunny now and don't misbehave."
The bunny nods, closing the door behind us as we went on our way down the path back onto the trail, in the direction away from town. I knew that we wouldn't go straight to the Everfree Forest as even I knew that is not the place to go to with all of the Timberwolves lying around there. I figure because it is quite a nice day, we would go onto the fields of Equestria, surrounded by flowers and green grass. Maybe a stream of water nearby to watch the fish swim...
"So, how have things been going with you?" Fluttershy began the conversation, asking me that question.
"It's been alright. Just going through some stuff inside, but other than that I am alright." I responded to her question.
"Some stuff?"
"Just something that I have inside. A disorder you could say."
"Disorder..." She ponders to herself on the meaning of that word. "I do recall when Brayden told me about his disability. Autism, right?"
"Autism is quite different from what I have. He can have a little difficulty learning sometimes, but with me... it's based on my mood. Sometimes I can be angry one minute, sad another, happy another..."
"That one sounds familiar, but I can't remember the name."
"It's known as Bipolar. Something that I was born with since the moment I came into the world as a newborn." I explained to her, her cyan eyes looking at me. "It's mostly mood swings that are unusual, but it can also have changes with my energy, activity and abilities to go throughout the day. I experience it a lot as it can get intense, and can have trouble controlling it."
"Kind of like Brayden's disability..."
"Growing up with Bipolar had cost me so much in the early years. First four years of elementary were where it made me realize that I have to live with this inside. The trouble that I had with making friends, where I felt like I had lost hope of finding someone that I could trust. Most of them... they'd turn away from me when they saw that I was different. I... I thought it was all gone in middle school. I was the quiet one in class that barely even spoke and even the teachers knew that then," Fluttershy is listening to me as I was telling her this. "It wasn't until I met Brayden and his friend Alex in school when I started to feel like there was only small purpose inside with only small bits of their light in my darkness. They got me out from that spot... though I feel that I can never get rid of the monster inside."
"You're trying to fight against your disorder? Ann, you shouldn't as you'll make yourself feel more worse." She suggested, a little concerned from the tone in her voice.
"I know... even Brayden knows that I struggle with it." I said, my voice sounding a little lower as I felt sad talking about it.
"Don't be sad," She says to me. "I may be a little sad over something that happened recently. But you shouldn't be hiding away from telling me or your friends. You can talk to me if your disorder is acting up."
I turned to look at her. "Thanks." I said to her, doing my best to at least form a small smile. "And don't worry, Rarity told me about what happened. I'm worried about Brayden as well."
"We all are," Fluttershy says to me. "He ended up hitting Twilight which is something that he would never do. He was angry at all of us. I can't help but feel... guilt inside. I feel like I should have been there for him."
"You're his closest friend. If I know him, you would be the one he would come to in dire need if I wasn't there nor Twilight. It's not your fault. Everypony makes mistakes."
"Perhaps so..." She says to me.
"If I know him, if he just looks past his own mistakes and errors he is quite the brave soul. Some time ago, back in high school he did defend me from a bully. He didn't want to fight him, but when that bully threw fists he knew he didn't have a choice and would do whatever he could to protect me like he did with all his friends."
"Ann..."
A soft-spoken and quiet, yet ghostly voice was heard right behind me. "Who said that?" I said, turning around to see who it was behind me who had said that.
There was no one as I continued walking forward next to Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus looked really confused on why I turned and asked that question. Strange... I did hear that voice behind me as if someone was calling to me.
"Umm... what do you mean who said that? It's just us." Fluttershy says to me, briefly glancing around.
"I thought I heard someone say my name," I told her. "It sounded rather ghostly, and it alone gives me these strange kind of chills that I haven't felt before."
"What do you mean strange? Are you feeling cold?"
I turn from her to look ahead, my eyes looking onto the soil below that we walk on. "No... No, I'm not cold. Just this essence that I felt brush past me. Like magic." I said to her.
"If it's bothering you a bit, I won't ask about it again."
"Don't worry Fluttershy," I said to her. "It's not you. I'm just thinking too hard about Brayden."
Even though I told her not to worry, my thoughts were pondering on that mysterious voice behind me and the feeling that cannot let go for the essence that has caught onto me. It's strange, as if it is some force of Equestria swirling around me.
After some time on the nature trail, taking an observation of all the animals and plants in the wild, we had arrived on a small, yet suitable patch in the fields of Equestria. Fluttershy had passed me the red and white box checkered picnic blanket for the both of us to sit down on and have lunch.
I had already assisted rolled it out onto the soft grass with her assistance, a clear spot for me to see the stream as it drifted onward into the great lake of Equestria was saved for me, as I would sometimes gaze out and watch to think about stuff on my mind that was recent. I take a seat on the silky fabric, and letting myself relax.
Fluttershy takes a seat opposite side of me. She scoots forward towards the picnic basket, her eyes looking up at me for a few moments and then down at the basket every so often to get all of the food and drinks outside.
"Other than Brayden, how are our other friends doing?" I asked her.
She was getting out the small accessories of forks, spoons, napkins and knives when she responded to me. "They are doing alright. You've already heard about me and Rarity, but the others: not really. Rainbow Dash is currently training a few underdogs at the Wonderbolt Academy alongside Spitfire. Pinkie as usual, is throwing parties almost everyday."
I giggle at that moment. "Typical Pinkie," I said to her with a smile, taking the napkin and cutlery with my hands and placing them in front of me.
"She's always happy in spirit. Nopony could ever break her down," She says to me with a smile on her face. "I haven't seen Applejack in a while since the last two days. But from what I know from Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, she's at Sweet Apple Acres. Lies in bed almost all of the time from the past days. She hardly sleeps or eats, and seems to be always sad. When the both of them came to see Apple Bloom, she only came downstairs to get something from the kitchen. Big Macintosh is taking care of her duties while in this phase."
"Because of what happened..."
"Yes. I have no idea why she just wanted to protect her family. But I can tell that she is trying to hide from all of the guilt that she tried to do. She didn't want to betray Brayden... but wasn't given a choice with her family in mortal danger if she didn't go along with what the Dragon Queen said."
The thought of Rebecca trying to kill Brayden gave me a little bit of worry inside, but anger at the fact she was threatening to bring harm to friends and my boyfriend. I placed my right hand onto my heart, pausing for a moment in motion and exhaling a sad sigh.
"Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked me, worried.
"I know Rebecca is a friend to me and Brayden. Why she wants to kill him, I don't know..." I said to her. "Inside, there is still good inside her. Like she doesn't want to do this."
Fluttershy reaches into the basket, taking out a sandwich made with peanut butter and honey, offering it to me. I raise my head to see her, offering me a small smile on her mouth as the sandwich is fresh in her hoof for me to take.
"Here," She says to me, keeping the same expression on her mouth. Those cyan eyes not removing itself from the gaze towards me. "This can help you think better, maybe feel better."
I look at the sandwich for a moment, turning from Fluttershy's eyes. My right hand takes itself off from my shirt covered chest, reaching to the sandwich and taking it in my hand. Now holding onto the edible bread, I look back at her.
"Thank you Fluttershy." I said to her.
"It's nothing," She says to me. "I'm always there if you need somepony to make you smile."
"Kind of like Pinkie, right?" I said, laughing a little bit.
She laughs as well with me. "Like her too. She'll always bring joy to your spirits when you feel down."
I take a bite from the sandwich, swallowing it down after chewing on it for a bit. "I remember when she threw the welcome party for me and Brayden's other two friends." I said to her.
"Me too," She responded to me. "You should have seen the look on your face when she came out from the Sugarcube Corner's kitchen, with a huge cake for everypony."
"To that day, I still remember how great that cake tasted. For which slice Pinkie had served me from it, I can tell from her genius mind she knew that my favorite flavor was vanilla with lemon frosting,"
"Umm... Ann?"
"In a moment Fluttershy," I said to her, continuing what I was saying. "I asked her how she even knew about that, and I am very certain that with her fourth-wall breaking skills she figured that out."
"But Ann... there's something going on behin-"
"Even so, she certainly knows how to deliver well in the end. It's great to have her and many others here as a friend," I said, finishing about what I was telling her in regards to Pinkie Pie and her party-throwing abilities. "So, what were you trying to tell me?"
"You might want to look behind you, Ann. There's a friendly swarm of butterflies behind you, and they look amazing."
I turn around and could see the many butterflies from behind me, flapping their wings in the silent, calm breeze as they look to be observing me. One of them which I recognized as an orange tip that is mostly common around Britain back on Earth lands on my shoulder and is resting there upon its landing.
"Ohh, hello there. Are you and your friends here to see me and Fluttershy?" I talk to the orange tip.
Of course there isn't a response since insect talk like talking to animals is mostly Fluttershy's specialty. Another few butterflies of the same breed land on my other shoulder and arms, as well as my head.
"They must really like you." Fluttershy commented with a giggle, a smile on her lips.
A smile comes on my lips while more of the butterflies began cover up every other part of me, flying all over around me and her as if we are in a sphere. There isn't much of a reaction from her as they covered me up, no calling out to me as I am certain she isn't sure what is going on and neither do I.
Being covered up, I close my eyes and my vision goes black.
"Ann... wake up."
(Play Kingdom Hearts 3 -Destati- Extended)
There was that voice again calling out my name and telling me to wake up in a calm tone. My eyes almost felt a little tired even with the motion around me feeling rather rocky with the sound of water streaming, but I slowly begin to open them up.
The sky above remains a blue tone, not a single cloud in sight. Not even a sun was above, though it is daytime here in this place. To the sides of my sight, I can see that of what looks like wooden edges, that I myself looked to be in a boat of some sort. Though nothing here seems to feel real from lying down.
Did I fall unconscious unexpectedly? I groaned for a moment as I start to slowly get up, placing my hand onto my forehead and look out beyond what this boat was and where it was taking me. Nopony else was on the boat except just me all alone.
From what I have gathered and seen, this looks quite familiar to what Brayden has told me when the Song of Order came to him. The only exception is that the infinite sea doesn't look to be so dark below, just the color of light blue waters pushing the boat towards a location in the middle of nowhere on this ocean. I turn myself around to see where it is going.
It appears to be a small island of sand and grass with an object floating and shining brightly above it in the middle. I wait patiently until the boat has settled onto the sands, letting myself come out from it, letting my feet touch onto the sand.
Behind me, the boat sinks right back into the ocean underneath the water into the nothing below. My eyes were kept onto the shining object as I take a few steps forward, the brightness settling down for me to see exactly what this was.
It appears to be some sort of staff. The staff itself was mostly in itself a silverish green, but on top of it was a different model with a shape of that to which looks like a butterfly itself. Almost like Fluttershy's cutie mark, but except it is just a single butterfly with it's wings golden and magenta colored.
"Welcome Ann..." The ghostly voice of that which sounded like a female like me, spoke to me, sounding ike it was in front of me.
I look around. "Who said that?" I asked.
"I did. Do not be afraid. I wish no harm," The voice in front of me spoke to me. Almost as if the staff... is speaking to me. "I have watched you in your times with Brayden, the wielder and chosen one for the Song of Order."
"Well, it was given to him when he had to save Nightmare from her dark self," I said to the staff in front of me, still a little surprised to hear an object speak to me. "What about you? I haven't seen anything like you before. Why did you bring me here?" I was almost filled with hundreds of questions that probably won't all be answered.
"As I introduce myself, you'll be surprised that the Song of Order isn't the only pre-Equestrian artifact to exist for the protection of Equus. That is where I and three others had existed in spirit until we were forged as weapons for chosen wielders. Myself? I am the Song of Nature."
"The Song of Nature..." I pondered about it, thinking to myself of this. Nopony has ever told me about any of this, and I am certain that Brayden does not have any knowledge of this staff existing. Maybe the Song of Order would know, but because I have no connection to it, I cannot hear its voice. "Then why bring me here? Am I... chosen?"
"Yes."
"I don't understand..."
"Better to explain very little of why then of the now. There is a future ahead of what happens for you, Brayden and the other wielders yet to be found."
"A future?" I asked, confused. "What do you mean? Can you tell me what happens and why you would need me?"
"If I tell you what happens, then it won't happen." The Song of Nature tells me. "The other wielders for the three are: Aqua, Earth and Flames. The Song of Flames won't be hard to find, because its wielder is a puppet of Vuurtongo, the dragon demi-god the First Alicorn had cast out from the heavens."
"The Song of Flames..." My thoughts poked and prodded on this until I realized who the wielder of them was. "Rebecca! She's a wielder!"
"Yes. But unless Vuurtongo's influence on her heart is ceased, she remains lost to the darkness and under his control."
"Is there a way that the influence he cast on her can be reversed?"
"Perhaps so... if the Song of Order's wielder is able to find the First Alicorn's book and use the power learned from its pages to free the darkness that covers her spirit and heart. Vuurtongo however will not take it lightly, as the Dragon Queen has been passed down for many generations until it has reached your friend Rebecca."
"Brayden is not going to kill her. She's his best friend."
"No doubtingly. Because he has a heart of good in him, he won't use the power to do so, but do what he did with Nightmare Moon. Save her."
I reached forward, my hand gripping onto the staff's wooden handle, pulling it to me as I can see myself starting to glow brightly like the spirits above in the sky. I feel my feet begin to lift off the ground, my body becoming weightless as I float towards the light above, turning everything white.
"Find Brayden... bring news of you being the new wielder and ask him to build you up. You have greatness awaiting you inside. Ann, wielder of the Song of Nature."
Everything was black again, and I can feel my eyes begins to open up slowly, seeing the glimpse of a blurred Fluttershy in front of me, looking a little concerned as I start to get up slowly, a little shaky.
"Are you alright Ann?" She asked. "When the butterflies covered you up, you ended up passing out for a few moments. I got a little worried."
"I... I'm fine?" I was a bit confused, holding onto something in my right hand. I turn my head, raising it a bit to see what it was, but you can imagine both myself and Fluttershy's shock when I recognized it from that realm that felt like a dream.
It was the Song of Nature itself, in my hand and for use when I learn how to channel the magic from inside it.
"Ann? What is that? Why wasn't it here before?" Fluttershy was asking questions while she looked at it, studying its appearance. "It's a staff of some sort. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it before, though I love the butterfly on top of it."
"The Song of Nature..."
"Kind of like the Song of Order, right? The one Brayden has."
My mind snapped back out from the trance when I realized what I had to do. "I... I have to go and find Brayden! Right now! Whether he knows or not, he has to tell me about whatever the purpose of these Songs are!" I got up onto my feet, eager to head back to Ponyville and catch the train to Manehattan.
"Where are you going, Ann?" Fluttershy asked, a bit concerned still. "What about lunch?"
"I'm sorry Fluttershy, we'll have to do lunch another time! I hope you can forgive me!" I said to her, turning and beginning to run off towards the trail, on my way to find Brayden and see if training can be done.
"Don't worry! Go find him and bring him home!" She calls out to me as I turn around with an assuring smile at her and then turn back to look forward as I head down the trail towards town.
From deep within my heart, I hope that he will be there.