Gaffer and Cornelius were almost chewing through the blocks of salt they were given. C-Stand and some strangers were chanting "Chew, Chew, Chew, Chew, Chew!" Lahkranaz tried his best not to show absolute horror toward this completely alien concept. What the hell was this? He truly wanted to ask.

Eventually, near the last quarter of the block, Gaffer coughed and collapsed. Every pony cheered as Cornelius lightly slammed a hoof onto the table.

"Son of a foal, Cor. I never took you for a salty stallion," C-Stand said.

"My bro and I grew up on the stuff," The pianist bragged, "Whatever Dad tried to hide at home, Kurt and I always managed to find."

Kurt... Kurt Foalington... Lahkranaz had a name now. He looked to C-Stand, who managed to avoid a visual indicator that would've suggested that Kurt was the subject of a conversation not even an hour ago.

Every pony was occupied with laughter and cheer. The captain felt comfort that this apparent horror still had good feelings behind it. He didn't want to try salt, though. The stuff looked like it would ruin your mind.

Cornelius chuckled, reached over and patted Gaffer on the shoulder. "Oh man, I should've drank something first," Gaffer complained.

Cornelius picked up the last bit of his own salt block and popped it into his mouth. He then reached for a large mug of water, "I'm always open for a rematch, Gaffer."

Lahkranaz felt better, now that he had access to these sources of positive energy. He didn't want to take too much, as usual.

"Who's Kurt, anyway?" one pony asked- one of the carriage pilots, Lahkranaz recalled.

He looked at C-Stand, who stared back. Both seemed to know where this was going.

"My brother?" Cornelius asked, "Didn't I tell you?"

After a pause, C-Stand shook his head, "No, you haven't."

Cornelius's head wavered. Lahkranaz had the feeling that whatever happened to Gaffer started showing with the pianist.

"He's a great brother, Kurt," Cornelius' positive aura began to weaken. "Mum and Dad were rarely there on account of work, same with Kaia. He and I did everything together. At least, everything when he and I weren't at school... or in his case, training."

"Training?" the same pilot asked.

"The Guard saw potential in him, so they got him started early. He still hanged with me, helping like a father should've. Then Guard duty became full-time."

The auras had become rather stale. Not negative, but there was nothing substantial either.

"Is he still a guard?" Lahkranaz asked. He wasn't sure what relevance to his mission the answer would have, but he was curious about the rumors. He hoped the pianist would say "yes," so the rumors could be proven false right off the bat.

"No."

Damn.

"It's hard to talk about him, to be honest." Cornelius said, "Who wants another round?"

Reluctantly, everyone's auras booted up again. "Yeah," C-Stand said as Gaffer finally pulled himself together to take a long drink of water from his own mug, "We've got a day before the performance. Let's make the downtime count!"

Lahkranaz remained seated at the table whilst everypony else spread across the bar- possibly to meet mares, or mingle with residents of Trottingham. Lahkranaz overheard one of the pilots say something about "attractive accents." Cornelius also remained seated at the table. It was only a matter of time before the pianist really noticed the other stagehand was there.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there," Cornelius said as he downed the rest of the water, "Did you want any salt?"

Lahkranaz held a hoof up, "Not my tastes."

"Pity," Cornelius replied, "It gets your mind off things. A clear mind perfects music."

"A clear mind perfects a lot of things," Lahkranaz commented.

"Yeah, my brother especially."

"How so?" Lahkranaz asked. Even with the obvious desire to avoid the subject, the pianist turned right back to it.

"Ever hear of Kurgan Indrik?"

Lahkranaz paused. Cornelius could tell the disguised changeling knew.

Kurgan... The Hive has met the guy before... A monster, but a required monster. Equilibrium needed a perfect avatar of the primal natures of old- before the level of sapience that allowed for such technologies that even ponies had. He also heard that the rhino met his end when he was previously thought immortal. "History books," Lahkranaz lied, "Why?"

"Well, he threatened to invade Equestria. Kurt... was ordered to kill him."

Lahkranaz strained to avoid an unrealistic level of shock. Not even the Queen would've been able to take on such a beast- even with a viable source of positive energy. "How?" He asked in disbelief.

Cornelius shrugged, "Not sure. Honestly, it was at a time when I didn't believe there were such things as ponies like Kurt."

"Yeah... I mean, since the Gryphon conflict and all." Lahkranaz knew about the gryphon conflict. It was the gryphons who informed her majesty about the ponies. It took a time before the first invasion was planned out. He was also at least familiar enough with popular culture to know that most ponies remember it well. Lahkranaz remembered this one video store that had an entire section dedicated to films based on fictional and non-fictional accounts of ponies who were in that conflict.

"Yeah," Cor said, "The last vet passed away years ago."

Pause. Lahkranaz wasn't sure if this was a natural pattern, or if he just sucked at conversations.

"Yeah, I'm not proud of the fact that my brother is able to do that, but damnit," The pianist's aura flashed with a strong positive energy. The facial expression changed almost as suddenly. "If it weren't for him I wouldn't be able to salt Gaffer right out the door."

Lahkranaz smiled a legitimate smile. He liked this pianist's humour.

"C'mon," Cor said as he stood up, "Let's see if we can't find ourselves some mares. You can be my wingcolt."

The captain decided to play along and followed suit. After all, this reminded him of the good times he spent with his old squads while on leave. "You sure, sir? Mares' views on good looks differ."

Cornelius grimaced. "Smart guy, eh?"

"Here's a challenge: try it without mentioning you're Cornelius Foalington," Lahkranaz subconsciously felt at the pockets of the pants he wore. He felt bits, "I'll buy if you can do it."

Cornelius grinned, "You're on."

---

Lahkranaz awoke in the green room. He was lying on a long sofa in one alcove of the large warehouse room. The vague taste of salt tickled his senses. He examined his surroundings to spot a half-finished water bottle labeled in large, bold, black letters, "GRIP." The water bottle sat atop a small platform that was purposed as a makeshift end table.

The changeling helped himself to the remaining water. He didn't remember how he even had the opportunity to get salt. He barely remembered anything. As Lahkranaz's memory of his purpose in Equestria kicked in, he became very afraid. What had happened? Nothing bad could've happened, else he'd be in jail... or someplace worse. He checked his hooves to find he was still very well in disguise.

He then heard music... beautiful music that energized the changeling.

"No wonder you don't eat salt," Cornelius called from around a neat pile of custom platforms, "You hold your salt like a hot coal."

Lahkranaz coughed from the dryness of his throat. "What happened?"

"You joined in a game of Sociables," C-Stand said.

"Oh, and you also won the bet," Cornelius added.

The hell is Sociables? The changeling asked to himself. The desire to ask that question faded as his headache vanished. That music was a drug- a very medicinal drug to the changeling. Lahkranaz really really liked it.

Even though it was obviously practice, the powerful energies it produced were as good as the full-blown show. There was something about that instrument- or the pianist using it. Lahkranaz wondered if there were other ponies who were able to create such beautiful energies. Did they even know they could?

Lahkranaz stretched and stood from the sofa. He stepped around the organized pile of platforms to see the other two stagehands were eating... what was it, breakfast? Lahkranaz wondered what time it was, so he asked.

"It's morning," C-Stand replied.

"Damn," Lahkranaz muttered, "Salt really knocked me on my flank, didn't it?"

Gaffer laughed.

"Anyway, we got you breakfast," C-Stand said, indicating a sandwich wrapped in paper. "You're probably gonna need it, since we never had dinner."

"Agreed," Lahkranaz replied. Although he was capable of eating, he didn't need it. His body could process it like any pony, but the nutrients were minimal compared to the power granted by the auras. He liked the sandwich, though.

The group was silent as Cornelius continued his practice in-between bites of his own sandwich.

"Ever hear of Floyd Gilmare?" Gaffer asked.

"I've met the stallion, yes," Cornelius replied as he paused his music.

"Hell of a guitarist, right?" Gaffer grinned.

Cornelius nodded before getting back to practice. "An old one too," he added. "But age doesn't..." He paused for a second, both in his speech and his music. "... Diminish that kind of skill."

"Ever think of playing alongside Floyd?"

"I never really met the guy," Cornelius replied, "Well, I met him, but I wasn't a musician at the time. I'm thinking of calling him once this tour's done."

Ah, excellent, Lahkranaz thought, potentially more music to give him power. While not confirmed, there was a goal in sight. All he needed to do was stay the course.

Hours passed, and then the crew set the stage and instruments. The show came and went in a similar fashion to Stalliongrad. Lahkranaz felt the power that was granted to him by the time Cornelius finished his bit in the show.

He wondered just how strong it made him. He didn't want to test out this power, lest he waste the energy he craved like a drug.

---

The next show came and went. All the while, the changeling spent the time building chemistry with C-Stand and Gaffer and Cornelius. He was certain one more show would get him enough power to try something for real.

The convoy soared through the sky to the East. Lahkranaz spotted Canterlot far to the right of their current path. The humiliation happened there, he grimaced at the reminder.

"So there was this movie that won a lot of Broncos," Gaffer sparked a conversation.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, it's got this weird title with big words like... Exeh... Eggsegeesis?"

"Exegesis?" Lahkranaz corrected.

"I don't even know what that means, Grip," Gaffer replied.

"Isn't it a fancy word for interpretation?" C-Stand asked.

Lahkranaz nodded.

"Anyway, it's like this fantasy movie where this pony is immortal, and he's lived through some crazy made-up version of Equestrian history."

"Made-up?" Lahkranaz asked, "Like what?"

"Eh, none of it was really that cool. Almost all of them showcased ponies as ignorant monsters. Mostly it showed the old Queen as some evil pony who stole from zebras, gryphons- most every one of our neighbors."

Lahkranaz stifled laughter. If only they knew, he thought. Equilibrium was killed by the Queen Galaxia. His ancestors felt it happen. He saw the crater that remained before he was through Basic.

"I know, crazy, right?" Gaffer responded to the stifled laughter.

"I'm not sure," C-Stand said, "I heard one of the Princesses endorsed it."

"Well, it was a thought-provoking piece, I guess,"

"Aren't all films that try for the Broncos?" C-Stand laughed.

"Yeah, but this one seemed different," Gaffer stuttered a little in his response. "It wasn't like the annual Birth of Equestria adaptation, or some war film about the Gryphon conflict."

"What are you, a film geek?" C-Stand chuckled.

Gaffer bumped into C-Stand jokingly. "I'm serious, the movie was pretty emotional. It was speaking to me in some way."

"You mean the film had an aura to it?" Lahkranaz asked.

"Yeah, an aura!" Gaffer replied, "That's the word I was looking for."

"Hell, Gaffer. Next thing I know, you'll be saying that Exegesis movie really is true."

"What's to say it isn't?" Lahkranaz asked.

"It can't be, dude. It's just..." C-Stand paused for a bit. Lahkranaz allowed the co-worker to collect the right words for a response, "I mean, look at us now. I mean ponies in general. There's almost no poverty that I know of. Even in Manehattan or Baltimare, there is not a single pony who lives out on the streets unless they're some kind of hippie who chose that sort of lifestyle."

"And?"

"How could we live in such a utopia without anyone finding out about such a horrific past?"

Lahkranaz slowed down a bit; his wings stopped almost automatically. He was quick to pick up speed again and catch up.

"It's the conspiracy, dude," Gaffer replied with a laugh.

C-Stand joined in the laughter. Lahkranaz simply blinked.

"Hey Grip, what's wrong?" C-Stand asked when he noticed the disguised changeling wasn't laughing.

"I want to see this movie," Lahkranaz replied, "I mean, I can't really judge it unless I've seen it, you know?"

"Really? I think there might be one in the video store in the next city," Gaffer replied, "Or the city after."]

"Yeah," C-Stand added, "It was distributed to the public a few months ago."

The rest of the flight was spent with them discussing card games- which Lahkranaz realized was the only hobby he had that was in any way familiar to ponies.