Chapter 17

Scratch didn’t like to admit it but train rides were extra stressful for her. Every bump and sway along with the rocking and groan on the sleepers assaulted her senses. That was why she chose a car by herself where she could curl up in a ball and wait for them to arrive at Canterlot. Halfway to the Equestrian capitol, Scratch started to get a migraine.

There was a soft knock on her door followed by Ditzy’s voice. “Scratch?”

“What do you want?” the musician hissed. She pulled a pillow tight over her head.

“Are you okay?”

“I hate trains so much!” The car swayed slightly as the engine went around a bend and Scratch moaned as a wave of nausea hit her. “Just-just tell me when we arrive.”

“Okay.”

Scratch heard her friend walk away and regretted using a sharp tone but as the train rumbled over a bridge her thoughts were washed away as her stomach started to churn yet again.

Ditzy returned to others. Thyme and Time Turner talked about how often they’d been to Canterlot and what kinds of activities there were to do. River and Dinky sat together looking through one of the “Equestria Rail Company” pamphlets that filled a box back at the station. Not a very interesting read but entertainment enough for a long journey.

“I don’t know if they give tours of the palace anymore,” Time Turner was saying. “But if they do perhaps we could go there after the wedding is over. Don’t want to run into large crowds coming from that.”

“I don’t think Scratch would enjoy a visual tour of the palace as much as we would.” Thyme interjected. “Places with lots of noise and food are her forte. She likes her food.”

Time Turner nodded. “There are plenty of places like that. So I take it that we should visit any museums of art galleries?”

Both Thyme and Ditzy shook their heads. Time Turner seemed to become slightly downcast. Obviously he had wanted to go to those places and Ditzy didn’t want to see him upset.

“Perhaps me and you could go to by ourselves,” the grey pegasi chimed.

“That sounds nice,” the stallion replied sheepishly. “But what about Dinky?”

Not wanting to lose out on a chance to spend time alone with him, Ditzy turned to Thyme. “You wouldn’t mind watching Dinky would you?”

“Uh..”

“She is such a sweetheart,” the grey mare assured him. “You’ll have no problems from her. Plus, she can keep River company.”

Dinky looked at the older ponies and smiled widely. Thyme looked at her and smiled back but deep down he was still wary about the idea.

“I guess I can watch her,” he sighed. “As long as Scratch doesn’t mind.”

“Just don’t ask her now,” Ditzy chuckled. “She’s a little grumpy.”

“Wow, look at Canterlot.” Dinky gasped. “It’s in a giant bubble!”

They all peered out at the capitol with her and the sight of the royal city encased in a magical sphere met their eyes.

“Looks pretty!” Dinky clapped her hooves together in excitement.

“Quite an impressive decoration they have going on there.” Ditzy agreed. “It’s like a snow globe. Is that the theme for the wedding?”

Thyme and Time Turner watched the rapidly approaching city with sterner expressions. River looked up at them and wondered why they looked so serious. She wondered if they had different and less optimistic opinions about the bubble.

“Somepony better wake Scratch up and tell her that we are almost there,” Thyme said as he pulled his attention away from the window.

“Good luck,” Ditzy chuckled, implying that since Thyme mentioned it that he should be the one to get his head chewed off.

The stallion’s face scrunched up in contemplation. “I think it would be better if I wait until the train stops to do that.”

The train paused momentarily before passing through the magic sphere and continuing on to the station. The moment the train stopped, Scratch came hobbling out of her chambers on uneasy legs but overall in good spirits. Her dress was slightly ruffled.

“I hope we have arrived,” she laughed. “Or I am getting off anyways.”

“We have,” Thyme replied. “And I see your father and sister waiting for us on the platform.”

“Whoo!” Scratch pushed past her friends and led the way out of the car. “Dad! Tavi! Its me!”

“Hello my dear! You looks wonderful.” Maxim hugged his daughter and brushed out a few of the wrinkles in her dress.

Octavia came up after their father backed away and wrapped Scratch in a firm embrace. “Hi sister. I missed you.”

Scratch could immediately notice that something was amiss. “What's wrong Tavi?”

Octavia turned to their father who replied for her. “We will talk about it later.”

The others filed out of the train and looked up at the bubble over their heads. Ditzy, Dinky and River all wore expressions of wonder but Thyme and Time Turner approached Maxim.

“What’s with the giant bubble?” Thyme asked.

Maxim shrugged. “I don’t rightly know but I have asked a few of my good friends in the Royal Guard and they have been uncomfortably mum on the topic. This has led me to believe that it is not a decoration.”

“So it might by a defence?” Thyme looked back up at the bubble with a deeper expression of bewilderment.

The older stallion nodded. “Probably. But don’t concern yourselves with that now. We are all here, together, and seeking a day of celebration.”

“Wait, a giant bubble? What’s not a decoration?” Scratch trotted up with an expression between a pout and scowl. “If you guys would like to remember... I can’t see! What giant bubble?”

“Sorry dear.” Maxim gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “There is a magic bubble surrounding the city and we don’t know why it is there.”

“Okay.” Scratch quickly became indifferent to the situation now that she knew what it was. “So, what are we going to do first?”

Octavia stepped closer. “My orchestra is not playing until later this evening so whatever you want to do, sister.”

The unicorn though only for a moment before giving a simple reply. “The first thing that we stumble across.”

“Very well then,” Maxim chuckled. “Me and Octavia will lead the way. Just speak up when you hear or smell something that interests you, dear.”

The streets of Canterlot were surprisingly empty compared to what they had expected. Groups of ponies walked by or stood around street corners with pleasant sounding conversation about the assortment of food and activities that were available. But overall a sense of foreboding and unease was evident to Scratch and her family and friends.

From news articles and gossip that she heard back home, Scratch had learned that Canterlot was progressively becoming known for attracting ancient evils. Though Ponyville was also topping the list of most dangerous places, unlike the locations she grew up. She found the prospect of the town erupting into chaos sort of exciting as opposed to life in Manehattan.

But the situation at least felt safer due to the fact that they had ridden into Canterlot with the Elements of Harmony in the adjacent car. If the bubble surrounding the city was indeed meant to protect them from something that wished to get in and “wreck house”, as Scratch would put it, then hopefully everything would be sorted out before it got too hairy. Despite this though, the group still felt uneasy as they made their way deeper into the city.

“Do you think we’ll see the Princess?” Dinky chimed up. She had been growing tired of the silence.

“We might,” Ditzy replied. “I think there is to be a royal parade later. Right?”

“Yep,”  Time Turner replied absentmindedly. The sight of Canterlot Time Works, the most skilled clock builders in Equestria, held his eyes. An elderly unicorn sat by the window putting the final touches on a gold oscillator.

Ditzy noticed him staring at the shop. “Want to go in and look around?”

“Not really,” Scratch stated. “Clocks aren't my thing.”

“Oh, I was actually asking Time Turner.” Ditzy stifled a laugh.

“Ah,” the white unicorn deadpanned. She had known that Ditzy wasn’t talking to her and just wanted to be smart.

“How did you know we were passing a clock store.” Time Turner was still fascinated by Scratch’s ability to notice things without her eyes.

“I can hear the tick-tock-tick-tock all the way out here.”

“Oh.” Time Turner suddenly felt silly when the answer turned out to be so obvious.

Scratch stuck out her tongue and smiled to show that she was just playing around with him. The stallion just gave a soft chuckle.

“If you two want to go in and look around that is fine with me,” Scratch continued. “I smell food further up the street, primarily pastries and cinnamon, so I will meet you guys there in a bit.”

The rest of the group agreed and Ditzy and Time Turner went into the clock store leaving Dinky in the care of the others. The cafe Scratch had smelled wasn't that far away and they soon found some seats around two small tables outside the windows surrounded by a quaint fence separating the eating area from the street. Dinky and River sat at one table nibbling on a wide assortment of sweetbreads and cinnamon rolls. Scratch, Maxim, Octavia and Thyme sat at the other, trying to enjoy the same goodies but were hampered by other ponies beginning to notice the famous individuals. Soon the area around the cafe was crowded with excited ponies demanding autographs and asking questions about Scratch's story in Pony Magazine.

“Hi, yes everypony, it’s me.” She had forgotten how obsessive the inhabitants of Canterlot were with the lives of celebrities. One annoying thing they kept asking for was autographs. There had never been a real Vinyl Scratch autograph for obvious reasons. Yet ponies continued to ask her hoping to be the first ones.

But what was surprising the most to her was that a large percentage of them were also interested in Maxim. His fame still evident in Canterlot and it was unexpectedly surreal to have ponies swarm over the quiet stallion. Scratch had always known that he had been famous but it had never been as evident until now.

It took the group half an hour to finally convince the masses to disperse but a few lingered a short distance away, quietly watching the celebrities as if it was a safari. Ditzy and Time Turner returned later than they were expected. Nearly an hour had passed before they arrived.

“Sorry.” The cross eyed mare blushed sheepishly. “We stopped by a few other places along the way. I had never been to an art museum before and it was so beautiful! I got so caught up that I lost track of time.”

“Without me continuously reminding her that you were waiting she would have been there all day,” Time Turner said as he walked up behind her.

Octavia looked up at a clock tower and sighed. She had wanted to talk to her sister but had not been able to due to Scratch’s fans. Now it was time for her to head to the music hall and prepare for the show.

“I need to go,” the mare stated as she stood and prepared to leave. “I will see you all after the performance.”

Scratch had easily noticed her sister’s depressed attitude and  wanted to speak to her as well but reclined to let the discussion happen later. She realised that Octavia wanted to talk about it and there was no sense rushing her. Especially when she needed to prepare for a show. Scratch had always noticed that about her. Whereas all the unicorn had to do was get excited for a performance and it was guaranteed to be flawless; Octavia needed a while to warm up.

When the cellist had left Maxin chimed up. “There will still be an hour before the show starts. What shall we do? I don’t think spending the day eating cinnamon rolls is the appropriate activity when there is so much more.”

“The bad thing is, most of the other activities can only be enjoyed with eyes,” Scratch replied with a huff.

Maxim couldn’t help but agree. “Canterlot is a place revolving around glamor and fashion but I think we can find something.”

The group set out again to find an activity that would please all of them. After half an hour of wandering the city they could find nothing other than the occasional musician playing on the sidewalk to any passerby that happened to stop. The entire time they walked an ever present herd of fans and paparazzi lingered behind. Eventually it was time to head to the music hall and find their seats.

“There are a few special guests playing,” Thyme stated as he looked through the pamphlets. “I don’t remember hearing about this. It doesn’t even say who the guests are.”

“It was sort of a last minute thing the director added in,” Maxim said. Scratch could tell that he was playing at something that would only be revealed at a certain time.

Before any of them could press the stallion further the curtains parted, revealing the orchestra sitting with their instruments. When the music started they finally started to enjoy themselves. The composer had actually been taught by Maxim long ago and his style actually mirrored the old stallion’s.

River was the only one not paying full attention to the music. She continuously looked around at the other ponies and the architecture that was painted in vast murals. When a wrinkly old mare scolded at the filly, River stuck out her tongue but finally sat still.

The main performance lasted an hour. But as the orchestra was finishing their last song Maxim stood and walked out of the side exit without saying where he was going. Scratch, though, knew full well what he was doing. Her father wasn’t that skilled at keeping a secret. A special guest along with Maxim acting secretive, it was only a matter of time before she put two and two together.

“Thank you for attending today,” the composer said standing on the edge of the stage as the musicians bowed and filed away. “Now, before you wander away we have something special for you. Coming back after many years of living a quiet life, my teacher and acclaimed composer and musician; Orchestratus Maxim and his daughter Octavia! Put your hooves together!”

A loud cheer erupted from the hall with Scratch cheering the loudest. Maxim and Octavia bowed and waved.

“Thank you everypony,” the stallion replied. He sounded younger to Scratch and there was a hint of a long lost joy in his voice. “It has been a long time since I stood on this or any stage and it is the first time I am doing it with my daughter. I shall be playing for you a few of my classics and one that we created together over the week.”

Both musicians took their seats and the sweet sound of a cello and violin filled the hall. Scratch hadn’t heard her father play happy and playful songs in many years and she quickly felt a rush of joy filling her heart. But as the duo was finishing with their third song there was a loud crash from outside. It was barely audible to the other ponies but Scratch heard it plainly.

“Did you hear that?” the unicorn asked her friends. “There was a loud noise from outside.”

Time Turner shook his head as Ditzy and Thyme whispered, “no”.

Maxim and Octavia continued to play and Scratch quickly began to forget about the noise. Suddenly another shattering bang, much louder than the first, followed by several equally loud ones filled the hall. Only then did the audience start to murmur to themselves. Maxim and Octavia slowly stopped their song and stood, watching the doorway.

“What’s going on?” Scratch asked as more explosions happened outside.

The sound of the hall doors being hurled violently open and the horrified shrieks of the ponies drowned her ears. But over the noise a single voice like a snake’s hiss, yelled. The hall quickly went silent.

The voice, now clear, spoke again. “Remain ssseated, do as we sssay and no one will be hurt! But if you try to run, we will not hesssitate to hunt you down.”

There was another rush of fearful murmuring from the ponies. From the jumble of terrified conversations Scratch could hear the word “changeling”.

“What is happening?” Dinky squeaked to her mother, moments before Scratch could ask the same question.

“It’s a changeling attack,” Thyme whispered. “Whatever happens, we mustn't let them separate us from each other.”

No sooner had he said that when the changeling spoke again. “Ssseparate the loved ones from each other! Feed off of them! The queen will need our help sssoon and we must be at our full ssstrength!”

That was when the screaming and weeping started and Scratch was eventually dragged away from her family and friends and put with a group of ponies she didn’t know. She heard her father and sister calling for her but their voices became hidden within the wails of the others.

“Now,” the changeling spoke again. “We feassst!”