Fair warning to all of you, this chapter is one of those classic 'MUSIC' chapters, so expect links galore once you get reading. While not required, it would help you understand the stuff the girls are listening to so avoid them at your own risk. Anyways, now that we have that out of the way, ON WITH THE BOOK!!!!

I paced back and forth in front of the main entrance to my castle, my steps nearing frantic in pace and my mind running a mile a minute,

“Oh, where are they?” I asked myself as I spun around back the way I had come, “They’re three minutes late and not one of them have shown up yet.”

I was just about to turn for another circuit when three sharp knocks sounded from the doors. My magic swung them open so quickly the wind created by their passing ruffled my already frazzled mane. The three mares on the other side seemed frozen in time for a moment before they realized the doors were now open.

“Hiya Twilight!” Lyra Heartstrings announced as she walked in, “Sorry I’m late, but I got held up trying to get out of the market crush, you know how it can get when AJ puts her apples on sale.”

I shivered at the memory that came unbidden to my mind, “Please don’t remind me. I’d rather not deal with another crazy mob anytime soon. It’s nice to see you anyway, it’s been a while since we saw each other last.”

She gave me a polite nuzzle before pulling back, “Oh not that long. You were just so absorbed in research that you didn’t hear me when I came in to check out some sheet music.”

I felt a blush roaming over my cheeks as my ears folded against my head, “Ahah, yeah, sorry about that.”

She smiled and waved it off with a hoof, “No harm done, at least I know how to prank you next time I see you buried up to your ears in books.”

My reply was forestalled by the entrance of the other two mares, although how I could have missed Vinyl Scratch and Octavia Philharmonic was beyond me.

“For the last time Vinyl, I am not going to partake in that pounding migraine-inducing activity you call ‘clubbing’. I would rather not lose my hearing thank you very much.” She tossed her mane to add effect to her words.

“Oh, come on Octi,” the white and electric blue unicorn whined in reply, “I go to all of your orchestra performances, how come you can’t come with me when I go spin disks at the club?”

“Because I wouldn’t last ten seconds in that bone-pounding atmosphere and you know it,” the grey earth pony replied, “besides, I think having you listen to some real music now and again would do wonders for your, um, let’s call it eccentric personality.”

“Octavia! Vinyl! I’m so glad you could make it!” I bumped hooves with them both before addressing the group, “I know I wasn’t able to be very exact with the reason I called you all here, but given how delicate the situation is I had to make sure you would be able to keep a secret.”

This earned me three equally confused looks, “What could be so secret about us giving our opinions on some new music?” Lyra asked, “I mean, we make new songs every day and we play it for a living, you’d think it wouldn’t be that unusual for us to give our opinions on something like that.”

“Indeed,” Octavia added with a prim nod, “I’m a bit skeptical about this secrecy that and lack of details beforehoof. What’s the true reason you called us all here?”

I felt a drop of sweat run down my cheek as I closed the doors with my magic, “I think it would be better to show you than say it. I know it’s a bit much to go on right now, but trust me when I say it will be more than worth it in the end.”

Three equally dubious expressions followed me down the halls until we reached my lab. I opened the doors with my magic and allowed the others to walk in before me, closing and soundproofing the entrance once I followed them in. Their eyes roamed over the various equipment as I made my way over to the table with the creature’s belongings, my magic activating the amazing device I had uncovered earlier in my studies. The light given off by its screen seemed to attract the others like moths to a lantern, their eyes widening as they caught full view of the device.

“What is that thing?” Lyra asked slowly, her eyes taking in the small object from every angle with wonderment sparkling in gaze.

“This is why I had you all come here today.” I explained, “Believe it or not, this amazing device can play music, and if the numbers it contains are to be believed, it holds over sixteen hundred different songs and can play them all at a moment’s notice.”

Lyra’s eyes seemed to grow even wider, although Octavia and Vinyl seemed skeptical.

“Yeah I’ve seen music machines of every shape and size,” Vinyl said as she took a closer look at the device’s screen, “There’s no way that tiny thing can play that many songs, I mean, it’s got no speakers and no space to spin a disk on.”

“While I am certain you wouldn’t bring us here for nothing, Your Highness,” Octavia added, “I am inclined to agree with Vinyl, I just don’t see how that tiny device, no matter how interesting, could ever do as you say.”

I couldn’t help the smile that came to my lips, “Very well then, I’ll just have to prove it to you.”

I selected the music subcategory and moved through the genre lists, starting with the first title that captured my attention. I turned to face the others and tapped the screen with a mote of my magic, and watched their faces as the first song began to play.

Predictably, all three of them gaped in shock and awe as the orchestral music echoed around the room. The best part was that I wasn’t even amplifying the sound, it was that loud all by itself. Once they got over their initial surprise, Octavia’s expression faded into a formulaic sort of concentration, even going so far as to wave one of her hooves like a conductor in time with the music. Lyra was simply sitting down with a big smile on her face, humming along with what I assumed were horns and low brass. Vinyl simply looked bored, although as the tempo picked up and the beat became more intense, her eyes lit up with excitement and her horn ignited to summon a notepad and quill.
By the time the song ended, all three mares were completely engrossed in the number, to the point that Lyra and Octavia didn’t stop their actions for a few seconds after the final note.

Once everypony was back in the real world, Octavia lit up like a firecracker, “Oh that was wonderful! It was so familiar, yet seemed to hold something else I have never encountered in orchestra music before.”

“Yeah,” Lyra added, “it was like I was reading a Daring Do book and the music was playing out the action scenes.”

“Never thought I’d say this,” Vinyl said slowly, “but I think I might want to listen to more of that stuff if I can use parts in my gigs. I just got some sweet new ideas for a new remix listening to that.”

“Please,” Octavia begged, “I simply must know who the composer was.”

I grinned inwardly as I thought of a sneaky prank, after all, they still needed to know the origins of this music, might as well have a bit of fun telling them, “His name is Hans Zimmer.”

Three completely blank stares met my word, “I don’t know about you two,” Vinyl said, “but that doesn’t sound like anypony I’ve ever heard of.”

“I don’t think that’s even a pony name.” Lyra muttered before turning to Octavia, “Have you ever heard of this Hans Zimmer?”

She shook her head in reply, “I’m afraid not Lyra.” She turned her gaze to me, “Tell us Twilight, is the composer a gryphon by chance?”

I shook my head, “And that is the reason I had to keep all of this a secret. Yesterday a creature of unknown origin appeared in the castle, gravely injured and lacking in any kind of magic. It’s currently recovering at Ponyville General, but given its, um, unique situation, I’ve been looking into its belongings in order to try and get a better idea what kind of world it comes from.”

Vinyl’s ears perked at my words, “World? As in, someplace other than Equis?” I hesitantly nodded, “Do you guys realize what this means?! We’re listening to music made by aliens!”

Octavia rolled her eyes, “Oh please Vinyl, try and control that overactive imagination of yours. There’s no such thing as aliens.”

“Actually,” I interjected, causing the cellist to stop short, “that seems to be the case, believe it or not. The creature was completely devoid of magic before it appeared in the castle, meaning it came from a place without a magic field. The only logical explanation is that it is not of our world.”

“Well let’s not sit around talking about it!” Lyra yelled in excitement, “Let’s listen to some more of this stuff! It’s why we’re here, right?”

I nodded, selecting the next song with my magic before we could get sidetracked any further. The dramatic violins that sounded off next immediately captured everypony’s attention. Octavia payed careful attention to the piece, while Lyra and Vinyl seemed to be listening simply for the enjoyment of it. It seemed to take only a minute before the song ended, leaving us in the echoing silence once more as we took it in.

“Well,” Octavia huffed, “that was certainly intense. Not as powerful or dynamic as the first, but definitely orchestrated to leave the audience in suspense.”

“Sounded kind of like the theme to one of Bon-Bon’s spy novels.” Lyra mused, “At least it seemed to have that whole espionage motif going in my mind.”

“Eh, I thought the other one was better,” Vinyl muttered, “too repetitive once it got the main theme going.”

“I personally think it was well composed,” I said, “It might have had a bit of a repetitive theme, but it was subtle in its movements when it shifted the mood.”

The others nodded, and I moved on to the next song. I hadn’t listened to the music beforehoof, because I wanted to have this be a true blind viewing. After all, it wouldn’t be any fun if only the others got to react to the songs for the first time. The violins were much slower this time, and for a moment I wondered if it would be best to change the song before everypony fell asleep. Just as my magic formed over the screen, a voice began to resonate from the speakers. I immediately canceled my spell and focused my full attention on the music, noting that the others had done the same.

As the music continued, I felt a warmth in my heart at the lyrics, like I was sitting with Celestia studying some old scrolls like when I was younger. To say nothing of the voice that was singing them. Holy Celestia this stallion could sing!! Octavia was blushing like a tomato while Lyra and Vinyl were snickering at her expense, although I noticed that they also had fairly prominent tints to their cheek fur. Not that I had any room to criticize, given the heat in my face as I listened to the song. As the music wound to a close, I became aware of my partially erect wings, and quickly clamped them to my sides as my blush flared to full power. Oh gosh I hope nopony saw that!

Octavia took a moment, seemingly frozen in place by the unbelievable lyrics we had just heard, “Oh my, I never imagined I would hear something like that in all my years as a musician. That made my heart soar like I was a pegasus flying above the clouds.”

Vinyl snickered before adding in her own thoughts, “By the blush on your face it looks like you want to marry the colt.”

Octavia rounded on her marefriend with a scalding glare, “I’ll have you know that I was simply appreciating the artist for having an outstanding voice. Don’t you dare put words in my mouth.”

Vinyl lifted an eyebrow over her shades, pulling down the aforementioned articles as she met Octavia’s violet gaze with her own magenta orbs, “Good, because for a minute there I thought you weren’t happy with being with me.”

Octavia opened her mouth to retort, saw the expectant look on the unicorn’s face, and immediately closed it again. “Nice try Vinyl, but it’ll take more than fishing for complements to get that kind of talk out of me.”

While Vinyl peppered Octavia for a more concrete answer, Lyra turned towards me, “I wasn’t expecting a voice to be that clear coming from such a small device, truly that was a beautiful song if there ever was one. What’s next?”

“Well, I think this is something you’re going to like, Octavia, if the artist name is anything to go by.” I tapped the song and was immediately bombarded with a rapid-fire chorus of violins.

We listened for a moment or two before the main line began playing, causing Octavia’s eyes to widen as a smile found its way to her lips. Vinyl groaned as she sat down heavily, apparently disinterested with the energetic cello lead. However, as the music became more aggressive, their expressions began to trade places. On a quartet of heavy notes, Vinyl’s head jerked up as her mouth curled into a smile.

Meanwhile, Octavia’s smile had rapidly dropped into a stricken expression that was enhanced by the rather abrupt loss of color in her face. I was a bit taken aback by the seemingly angry way the artists were handling their instruments, if the tone of the music was anything to go by. I summoned a notepad and quill and began to take notes as Vinyl did the same. While I was certain the disk jockey’s notations were nowhere near as meticulous as mine, it was still nice to see somepony else taking interest in this amazing find.

Roughly halfway through threw the song, it seemed Octavia had had all she could take, “Turn it off!” She yelled, her complexion sharing a hue similar to wet plaster as she held her ears to her head.

I shut off the music, hoping that I hadn’t hurt her in any way. Yet, given Vinyl’s complete lack of concern, topped with Lyra’s neutral expression, I figured it was something more psychological than physical in nature.

“What’s wrong Octavia?” I asked, placing a hoof against her shoulder.

Her eyes were staring at the floor in front of her, unfocused and the size of pinheads as she held her head with both hooves, “I would never have imagined I would hear something so horrid done to a cello. It was, unnatural, sadistic even.”

Vinyl rolled her eyes, “Oh come on Octi, I might like going to your concerts a bit more if you played like that. It may have been a cello, but dang that was some sick beats!”

“Not quite the words I would have used,” Lyra added, “but Vinyl does have a point. This shows us that the creators of this music are willing to do unconventional things to get their message across, even with instruments were are more familiar with. Don’t hate the music for the choices of the artist, even if you don’t agree with them. That’s not what being a musician is about and you know it, Octavia.”

The color was slowly returning to the cellist’s face as she returned her hooves to the floor, “You’re right, I shouldn’t let things like that get to me.” She turned her hesitant gaze to me, “Please tell me we aren’t going to listen to anything like that as we continue?”

I smiled, “Don’t worry, Octavia, I’m sure that there won’t be any more cellos being butchered from here on.”

She let out a heaving sigh of relief, “Oh thank goodness.” She cleared her throat, straightening her mane with a hoof before getting comfortable, “Very well, continue Ms. Sparkle.”

I smiled, glad it seemed everypony was still willing to continue, “Alright, then we’ll move on to the next genre. If the title is to be relied upon, the next group of songs belong to the ‘country’ subset, although I’m not sure if it means what I’m thinking of.”

“What would that be?” Octavia asked, pointedly ignoring Vinyl as her marefriend tried to distract her with puppy eyes.

“Well,” I mused, “it’s only a theory, but I think these songs might be like the ones that the cowponies are so fond of playing during their gettogethers. Lots of fiddle and banjo and the like.”

Understanding dawned on the grey mare as she nodded, “I see, not really my cup of tea but I’ll listen to it all the same.”

With that taken care of, I tapped into the next artist, letting the beginning notes ring through my lab as the bouncing twang of a guitar met our ears. As a new voice started singing, all eyes were on the device as Lyra and Octavia’s eyes began to shine. Vinyl shrugged, although the soft swing to her shoulders told me all I needed to know. Even I wasn’t immune to the catchy tune, one of my hooves tapping with the beat as the chorus came in.

Even as the song came to an end, Lyra’s soft humming kept going for a bar or two, counterpointed by Octavia’s mumbled continuation of the chorus. I giggled behind my hoof as they came back to themselves, although it was Vinyl that spoke first.

“I’ve been at a few gigs in Appleloosa and other frontier places, seems like one of those songs that ponies could get up and dance to.”

“Indeed,” Octavia agreed, “although I have to wonder at the word choice in the chorus. It seems a bit like the singer is missing his marefriend but is trying to move on.”

“A sad story told in an upbeat and carefree fashion,” Lyra mused, “a unique combination that I don’t think is present in any Equestrian music that I know of.”

“I’m a bit curious about this ‘hell’ he spoke of,” I said as I made a quick note in my growing list of bullet points, “from the context it sounds like a different version of Tartarus. I’ll have to get more information later.”

“Well let’s get into the next song!” Vinyl said with an excited hop, “I want to see what the next one has in store for us.”

I rolled my eyes at the DJ’s overexuberance, but I did as she asked and moved on to the next song. As the guitar strummed into another upbeat tempo, I set down my notes and quill to listen, giggling to myself as Lyra began swaying to the beat.

Vinyl didn’t seem to be immune to the effects of the music either, and before long she was swaying just as much as Lyra, singing along to the words while Lyra did a little dance around the tables of my lab. Octavia was a bit more reserved, although she was tapping her hooves and swinging her tail to the beat as she smiled warmly to the chorus.

As the song wound down I had to grab the device out of Vinyl’s magic, causing the unicorn to pout in the most adorable way, “Aww, come on Twilight, I want to see what other songs that thing has inside it. Just a little look, please?”

I shook my head, although I could understand her desire to search for more catchy songs like that one, “I know it’s hard to resist, but we need to keep going. After all, if we focus on one genre and ignore the others, then we won’t accomplish what I called you all here to do.”

Octavia placed a hoof over her marefriend’s shoulders, “Cheer up, Vinyl, I’m certain Twilight will share more with us in the future, right now we just have to do the job we were hired for and then we can play around with this new music.”

I nodded, “I’m planning on sharing all of this with the rest of Equestria once I get some more concrete answers, but I’ll make sure to let you know once I’m letting everypony else in on the secret.” I cleared my throat, “So, what did you think of that song?”

“I thought it was a celebration of youth, and the adventure of doing new things.” Lyra spoke up with a smile, “Kind of like going to new and exciting locations just because they’re there to discover.”

Vinyl nodded her agreement, “Yeah, I almost want to meet this colt in person so I can talk with him about what he does for fun.”

“Well,” Octavia mused, “it’s all a bit unrefined for my tastes, although I will admit it was fun listening to it and it has a wonderful tone when you delve into the lyrics. All and all a genre I can enjoy but would never dream of playing in front of others.”

I nodded, “Fair enough I guess, although I think you might want to hold judgement until we listen to this last song.”

I moved on to the next artist and was surprised by the piano solo that began the next song. For a while we listened to the soft and somber music, and I caught Octavia wiping a tear from her eyes as the song came to a close. I added a note about the reference to a god of some sort to my growing list before turning to the others.

“So, what do you think?” I asked.

“For one thing that was a really high voice for a colt.” Vinyl said with a fair amount of snark, “I mean, what did he have to do, kick himself in the balls to get that high or did he never grow up from colthood?”

“Really Vinyl,” Octavia interjected, “must you be so crass. I personally think it was quite romantic, having that colt bare his heart to his mare like that and reminiscing about the struggles that led him to her.”

“Kind of reminds me of that first song we listened to,” Lyra said as she placed a hoof against her chin, “A story of love lost and love gained, all told in a happy light. Definitely something I’ll remember for some time to come.”

“Well, let’s move on to the next genre,” I said as I picked up the device again, “and I think this one is more your speed, Vinyl.”

Her eyes lit up as she lifted her shades up and over her horn, “You mean it’s stuff I can mix on my tables?”

I shrugged, “All I know is that it’s labeled as electronic, so I guess we’ll have to see.”

At first I didn’t know what I was listening to as the song began, although Vinyl’s eyes widened sharply as the chimes came in. Apparently, she recognized something about the music we didn’t, because the second the singer came in her quill was going a mile a minute on the paper in her magical grip.

Once the song ended Vinyl dropped the pad and quill, beaming at me with all of her teeth as she said, “It’s not exactly what I’d call clubbing music, but I like it. It just gave me a whole bunch of new ideas for a new mix I’m working on.”

“Yes well,” Octavia droned, “it wasn’t as bad as some of the rubbish you make me listen to, so I think I wouldn’t mind listening to that style in the future if it followed the same theme.”

“Seemed kind of like the singer was dreaming,” Lyra added, “At least that’s what I got from it. It seemed a bit to surreal to be centered in the waking world.”

I nodded, “I got that impression as well, I wonder how Princess Luna would react to this song.”

I didn't mention it to the others, but I had noticed something else about the song. The artist mentioned a planet called 'Earth', and I was beginning to wonder if Dr. Tenderhoof's theory of the creature being extra-terrestrial in origin might actually be true. I made a side note on a spare scroll to ask about the name of the planet once I could establish dialogue with the creature, if it would allow me to that is.

Muttered agreement was shared from all present, and I moved on to the next song with little fanfare. As the music started, I was caught off guard again by the seeming narrator, although the notes and bass in the background belied the idea that it was a simple lecture. Vinyl was going ballistic as the song began to wind up, and I took several more notes at detailed explanation of these ‘earthquakes’. I’d never heard of something like them before, and I wondered just how powerful something of that magnitude would be if it happened here. Once the song stopped Vinyl began scribbling notes to fast I could have sworn I smelled smoke coming from her paper. Octavia just shook her head and rolled her eyes, while Lyra just smiled like her greatest dream had come true.

“I could really get going if I was able to dance to that kind of music.” Lyra said as she came out of her little fanfilly moment.

Octavia rolled her eyes again at the aquamarine mare’s words, “Ugh, apparently even aliens like listening to this gut-pounding amalgamation Vinyl insists on calling music.”

“Hay yeah they do!” Vinyl yelled as she finished her notations with a flourish, “I just got so many new ideas from these sick beats!” She rounded on me with the most pathetic puppy eyes I had ever seen, “Show me more, please?!”

Luckily, I had practice fighting off puppy eyes from the CMC, so Vinyl’s assault was minuscule in comparison, “Sorry, Vinyl, but we have to keep moving. I promise to share more with you later, but for now we need to move on.”

She groaned in frustration but relented, sitting next to Octavia as I moved on, “Alright, so this next genre is called ‘jazz’, so I’m not sure what to expect. Try to keep an open mind if it’s something we haven’t heard before, but other than that I want your honest opinion once we’re done.”

Three nods of agreement met my words, and I tapped the screen to start the next song. The first thing we heard was a cymbal, followed closely by what seemed to be a saxophone. As the main theme came in Lyra began dancing in place with a huge smile on her face, leaving Octavia to watch Vinyl as the white unicorn bobbed her head to the beat.

While it was a bit shorter than the other songs we’d listened to so far, it was by no means a boring or uninspiring thing to behold. Once the song ended Lyra let out a loud whoop, jumping into the air before coming back to herself.

“I hope all the songs are this upbeat,” she said as she turned towards us with her lips still curled into a smile, “I could get used to having dance numbers like that in my regular collection.”

“Eh, I could do one better if I put my mind to it.” Vinyl mused while looking over her notes.

“It certainly was a unique use of syncopation.” Octavia added, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard a song that used it to such an extent.”

“It also seems to be a genre that relies on the brass and percussion more than anything else.” I noted as I added yet another bullet point to my notepad.

While Octavia and Vinyl were discussing the finer points of off-beat synchronization, I started the next song, although I nearly dropped my quill when the deep guitar started pounding out a rhythm. Octavia and Vinyl immediately ceased with their conversation in favor of listening to the next song, and as the rest of the instrumentation came in I couldn’t help but bob my head along to the beat.

This song was by far the longest one yet, and it took me a while to realize that part of the length was due to the dual solos that took up the middle half of the song. The first sounded like another saxophone, but once the second started I was a bit at a loss. It sounded like a string instrument, but it wasn’t any kind of string music I had ever heard.

Once the music stopped, Octavia spoke up with a thoughtful look on her face, “That song kind of reminds me of one of my action novels, like it was the soundtrack to a high-speed chase or something like that.”

“I think there was a bit of swing mixed in there as well,” Lyra added, “at least in the main chorus line.”

“Well one thing’s for sure,” Vinyl said with a big grin, “jazz has some sick beats when it gets moving.”

I chuckled softly at their antics, “I’m glad you girls are enjoying yourselves. The next genre is something called ‘pop’, although I’m once again at a loss as to what it might be.”

“Well don’t keep us waiting Twilight, start up the next song.” Lyra said.

I moved into the next song, and the chorus of voices that started off the song immediately captured every ear in the room. As the song continued, I held a hoof against my chest as a warm and tender feeling enveloped my heart. I glanced towards the others and saw that I wasn’t the only one affected. Lyra had tears threatening to break out of her eyes, while Octavia was mirroring my position with a hoof over her own heart. Vinyl was doing her best not to roll her eyes, although I was able to spot the soft blush that was present on her cheeks as she glanced at Octavia.

Octavia was the first to speak once the song ended, her voice somewhat rough until she cleared her throat, “That brought tears to my eyes. I felt like I was sitting with Vinyl under a starlit sky, just the two of us holding hooves and leaning against each other for warmth.”

That little comment made Vinyl’s blush flare into full power, and the disk jockey did her best to try and blow it off as she averted her gaze, “W-Well this stuff is all too sappy for me anyway. Not like I care or nothing.”

Her little act did nothing to fool me or Lyra, and Octavia seemed to have no difficulty reading her marefriend like a book, “Oh come now Vinyl, you wouldn’t mind sitting with me by the fire, all wrapped up in a blanket with two cups of hot coco. Nopony but us and no interruptions when we decide to get a bit closer to one another.”

That really made Vinyl blush, along with Lyra and me, “What are you saying Octi?”

The cellist smiled coyly as she kissed Vinyl on one cheek, “Let’s just say I’m in the mood for some fun once we finish up here.”

“O-Okay then, moving on!!” I yelled, “So, Lyra, what did you think of the song?”

She smiled as she rubbed one hoof against the other, “I loved it. It made me all warm and fuzzy inside, and I would absolutely fall apart if I could have something like that playing at my wedding. It just seems to fit so well.”

“True that,” Vinyl said as she extracted herself from her marefriend’s grasp, “that sounds like a great idea.” Her face took on a sneaky expression as she turned to Octavia, “Hey Octi, if you really like me that much, how about we put the hot kinky action on hold and get hitched?”

Vinyl’s words seemed to throw Octavia completely for a loop, her cheeks taking a bright red hue as she took a step back, “V-Vinyl! Surely you don’t mean that in a serious manner?!”

“Why not?” She replied, “I never was one for the mushy stuff anyway." She walked up and ran her tail under Octavia’s chin, making the mare’s already vibrant blush even brighter, “So what do you say, want to run away together?”

I cleared my throat, trying to fight down my own blush, “If you would hold off on the wedding bells for just a moment, I would greatly appreciate it if we could finish up here first.”

Vinyl gave me the most pathetic pout I have ever seen, “But Twilight,” she whined, “I want to sweep my mare off her hooves and gallop into the sunset with her.”

Octavia rolled her eyes, giving the DJ a playful shove before turning back to Lyra and I, “I do apologize, Twilight, sometimes Vinyl’s mouth gets ahead of her brain.”

“Ahem, well I guess it’s not that big of an issue,” I said slowly, “I just hope we can get through all these songs before lunch. I’d rather not miss out on Spike’s home cooking if I can help it.”

“Play the next one Twilight.” Lyra said.

The next song began playing, although once the singing began, I was caught off guard by the fact that it was a mare’s voice. Up until this point we had only heard stallions doing the vocals. For one thing, this song was nearly the opposite of the first, with its fast pace and bouncy chorus, it was about as close to the first song as a rock was to Poison Joke.

“Truly a motivational work if ever there was one,” Octavia said as the song wound to a close, “it made me feel like I could take on the world, as long as I worked hard and did everything I could.”

“I got the same feeling.” Lyra added, “Like I could do anything so long as I believed in myself.”

“I think this would be another one Princess Luna would like, if for no other reason than to show how much we care for her.” I said, “‘Glow like the Moon and shine like the stars’, indeed.”

“So, what’s next on the list, boss mare?” Vinyl said as she bumped Octavia with her rump, “Hope it’s good.”

“I don’t know,” I said as I scrolled through the artists, “this is a blind viewing for me as well, so I have no idea what the next song will sound like.” Finally, an artist caught my eye, and I selected the next song.

The song started out slow, but as the echoing singer rose in volume, I couldn’t help the slight bounce my hips developed, followed by a few wing flaps as the chorus kicked in. Vinyl was having a ball, jotting down notes like me on a study binge, while Lyra and Octavia were dancing with each other in their own styles. Lyra was kicking and flailing like I did at every party, while Octavia was more refined, taking careful and measured steps, yet exuding a grace and style that would make Rarity swoon.

“Woo! Let’s party!” Vinyl yelled as she finished her notes.

“Definitely a club style song.” Lyra agreed, “I could dance to that all night long.”

“Eh, a bit repetitive in my tastes,” Octavia said as she finished her final move, “but a fun and exciting piece in its own right.”

“Well that’s all I have for the ‘pop’ genre.” I said as I moved through the lists on the device, “Up next is something called R&B, although I have no idea what that stands for.”

“Ready when you are.” Vinyl said as she picked up her pad and quill.

I selected the next song, and our ears were met with the soft melody of what sounded like a bass and a horn of some sort. Once the stallion started singing, my wings once more threatened to spring upright, and if the vibrant blushes on my companions’ faces were anything to go by, they were feeling the same way. By the end of the song, Lyra was more red than green from the shoulders up, Octavia looked like she had been verbally assaulted, while Vinyl had the biggest grin I had seen so far today.

“Wow, umm,” Lyra forced out once she found her voice, “that was certainly a mental image I’m not going to get out of my head anytime soon.”

“It’s scandalous!” Octavia nearly shrieked, “That type of theme shouldn’t be broadcast through song in such a manner, it’s, it’s, inappropriate!”

“Oh, I think it’s appropriate for the right setting,” Vinyl hummed as she nuzzled against Octavia’s cheek, “if you’re looking to set the mood for a special occasion.”

“Keep things clean until you get back home!” I yelled, fighting to get my overactive wings under control, “You two are more than welcome to do that kind of stuff on your own time, but not in my lab and not where other ponies can see you. Jeez, have some decency.”

Vinyl rolled her eyes, either not noticing or ignoring Octavia’s raging blush, “Alright mom, I’ll behave like a good filly should.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding, “Thank you. Now, before we get caught up in any more distractions, let’s move on to the next song.”

Three nods followed my words, and I tapped the screen before anything else could happen. The smooth piano that sounded off seemed to indicate another mellow song. However, as the beat built up, I found myself nodding my head as the bass kicked in with the vocals. Tapping hooves and bobbing manes were the theme that fell over my lab, and I couldn’t really blame anypony. The solid beat and the catchy lyrics were nearly enough to make me sing along, although that didn’t stop Lyra and Octavia from joining in on the chorus.

“Seems like this song is about a strong and independent mare.” Lyra said as the music came to a stop. “I’d like to meet this mare if she really exists.”

“Then why don’t you talk to me?” Vinyl snarked, “I’m all the mare anypony could ask for.”

Octavia rolled her eyes, bopping her marefriend on the back of the head, “Only you could come up with something like that. While I did enjoy the song, the thing I found most enduring about it was the way the rhythm and beat kept me engaged through the whole way.”

I nodded, “I agree, it was enjoyable without being overbearing. Kind of like some of the music I heard up in the more cultural parts of Manehatten.”

Lyra tapped her hoof against the floor as her eyes ignited, “I think I figured out what R&B stands for.”

My notepad and quill were at the ready in an instant, “Please, share with the rest of us Lyra.”

She nodded, “Well, I got part of my master’s degree in Manehatten, and I know exactly what kind of music you’re talking about. The colts that play that stuff call it Blues, and when Octavia said something about the beat of the genre I realized what the name means. R&B is short for Rhythm and Blues.”

I made a note as she finished, “Well done Lyra. This is exactly why I called you here. I needed your perspectives in order to better understand this new music.”

“So, is there more of this ‘rhythm and blues’?” Octavia asked.

I nodded, “Yup, one more song. Don’t know what it’s about, but we’re about to find out.”

A solid bass beat echoed around the room, and I felt drawn into the song immediately as the singer began the first verse. However, as the music began to pick up, I couldn’t help the shiver that ran up my spine. The lyrics were reminding me of a memory I would rather forget, given the fact that we still had no idea where Queen Chrysalis had run off to after Starlight and the others saved us from her clutches. I glanced at Lyra, knowing she had some similar feelings regarding our first meeting with the changelings, and saw that she was a few shades paler than normal. Octavia and Vinyl were deeply engrossed in the song, their faces mirror images of concentration as they nodded or shook their heads at certain parts of the chorus or refrain.

Lyra shivered as the song ended, her mane and tail a fair bit more frazzled than before the song began, “I’m not really sure how I feel about that song. I know the creatures that made it have never met a changeling before, but the mare in this song sounds a bit too much like Chrysalis for my liking.”

“Oh, that’s not all the song has to offer,” Octavia countered, “it could apply to anypony with an air of class and sophistication. After all,” she flipped her mane behind her neck and fluttered her lashes at the aquamarine mare, lowering her voice into a sultry rasp, “a lady has to have some spice in her demeanor or else she never catches the eye of a stallion.”

Vinyl chuckled, “Oh take me away my sweet Octi! You know how much it gets my fur up when you talk like that.”

I rolled my eyes, “If we could get back on track, there’s one more genre I need to show you. It’s called ‘Rock’, although if the genre titles from before are anything to go by, I still have no idea what it’s going to sound like.”

The deep thrum of the bass drum and the mystery string instrument met our ears as the song began, and I found myself paying extra attention as the artist began the first verse. This was certainly unlike anything we had heard so far, and it only kicked into a higher gear as the chorus began. Vinyl was tapping her hooves to the beat while Lyra was nodding her head. Octavia seemed to be uncertain about the new style, although her expression was more neutral than anything else.

Once the song came to an end, Lyra opened her eyes and examined the device in a new light, “Never heard an instrument like that before. Seems to be a string of some sort, but other than that I’m stumped.”

“Never listened to jams like these,” Vinyl said with a wide grin, “but I like it.”

“Indeed.” Octavia agreed, “it’s certainly a new sound when compared to the other songs we’ve listened to.”

“It would seem that whoever these beings are,” I said as I scrolled through the list for the next song, “they have a diverse culture if the vast array of music styles is anything to go by. Oh, I can’t wait to talk with the creature about all of this. It could open up so many new fields of research!”

“Equis to Twilight.” Lyra forced out between giggles, “we’ve still got music to listen to, remember?”

I started as a blush found its way onto my cheeks, “Oh yes, um,” I cleared my throat as I selected the next song, “let’s continue.”

Unlike the previous songs, this was one of the few that immediately started out with vocals, although if the aggressive singing was anything to go by, we were in for a wild ride.

As the pounding beat and powerful lyrics met our ears, I watched the others’ reactions to try and gauge their thoughts. Lyra was the purest image of concentration, her eyes closed and her brow furrowed as she measured out the beat with her hoof. Octavia seemed to be a bit worried, although I had no idea why, while Vinyl was simply tossing her head back and forth like a mad mare.

“I need this music in my life.” Vinyl said as the music stopped, “I swear by Celestia’s sweet flanks that if you don’t share this stuff with me at some point I will fillynap you and subject you to the most painful music-based torture imaginable.”

Octavia rolled her eyes, “Really Vinyl, must you be so melodramatic?” She cleared her throat before speaking, “Anyways, I thought the song was interesting, even if the subject matter was a bit morbid when you actually listen to the lyrics.”

“I noticed it was also much more aggressive than the other genres.” Lyra added, “Could it be that the heavy theme and powerful style are what define this particular genre?”

I shrugged, making a note to ask the creature later if I could, “I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Anyway, I have one more song before we call it a day. I think we could all use some time off after all this.”

A round of nods met my words, and I selected the final song of the day. At first, the rhythmic keyboard and pounding bass seemed fairly normal, but that all changed when the first verse kicked in. My wings snapped to attention in my shock, as the eyes of everypony present widened in awe and amazement. We were struck frozen and speechless as the song progressed, completely unable to formulate a response other than to gape at the device as the lightning fast notes and thunderous drum line echoed through the room.

As the song came to a climactic ending, I stayed frozen for a moment before I was able to close my mouth. My wings folded back against my sides as the others shook out of their stupor.

“That. Was. AMAZING!!!” Vinyl managed to yell at the top of her lungs, “I need to make a remix of this thing immediately.”

“That was certainly something alright.” Octavia mused as she rubbed her ears with a hoof, “I never imagined I would hear something like that when we came over to hear this music.”

“I didn’t even know you could play notes that fast,” Lyra added, “and given those were string instruments I would have to imagine the artists would need years of practice to get that good.”

“Note to self,” I muttered as my quill moved over my now quite expansive list of scrolls, “talk with creature about how music is made.”

“Well, it was great that you girls could help me with all this.” I said as I teleported my notes and quill back to my study, “I can’t thank you enough for sitting through all this with me.”

The girls followed me out to the foyer once I had powered down the device and removed the security spells on the lab doors. Lyra walked on my let while Octavia and Vinyl brought up the rear.

“It was an absolute pleasure Twilight.” Octavia said with a smile, “I enjoyed listening to them with you. Do call on us again if you want to listen to more.” She grabbed Vinyl around the shoulders and directed the mare out the doors as the DJ jotted notes at a frenzied pace. “Come along Vinyl, or else we aren’t going to have time to make lunch before you head out for work.”

Lyra chuckled behind her hoof as the duo exited the castle, turning back to me with a smirk as she leaned in to give me a quick nuzzle, “It was great seeing you again Twilight. Don’t be a stranger and call me up next time you have some free time.”

I returned her smile, “Sure thing Lyra. I’ll see if I can work some hang-out time into my schedule.”

She nodded in return, flipping around and calling over her shoulder as she walked out, “See you next time Twilight.”

I waved with one hoof, “See you.”

As the main doors closed with an echoing thud, I let out a sigh, turning back to face the now empty hallways of my home. However, my moment of introspection was interrupted by the doors slamming open behind me, ruffling my mane and feathers with the wind of their passing. I spun around to see Rainbow sprawled out on the floor, her eyes rolling around in her head for a moment before she leaped to her hooves.

“Twilight!” She yelled as she raced up and grabbed me by the shoulders, “the creature’s awake!”

My mind and heart began racing at the possibilities, “Are you sure? It’s woken up?”

She nodded, “Yeah, I heard the docs telling the guards to keep a sharp eye out. It doesn’t seem to want to move right now, but that could change any minute. I raced over here as fast as I could so you could blast it to pieces if it tries anything.”

I rolled my eyes, “While I appreciate your confidence in me Rainbow, I don’t think I’ll need to be ‘blasting it to pieces’ anytime soon. From what the doctors were able to say, it’s lucky to be alive at the moment, let alone running around causing trouble.”

“Well come on then,” my prismatic friend said as she practically dragged me out the doorway, “the sooner we get back the sooner we can get things settled.”

I let out a sigh as I was bodily directed toward the hospital, “Sure thing Rainbow, whatever you say.”

Sometimes it’s better to just leave well enough alone.

Author's Notes:

Hi everypony!! I'm back again after almost a month off the job!! *hides under table as fans throw rotten fruit and vegetables at me* Alright already!! Enough with the flame mail!! I have a legitimate excuse!! Well, finals were a pain and I'm still out of the job. But I plan on changing that very soon so in the meantime I can work on posting chapters for you guys!! Also, this thing is over eight thousand words, so be happy you got this one when you did!! It took me three days of solid writing to get this moster finished, so don't get sore with me if you wanted more!!

Anyways, thanks so much for making this story so popular, and I'll see you all next chapter,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.