The Beatle

by CrackedInkWell

First published 18th of October, 2019

What would Ocellus do if everyone, except for her, forgot The Beatles?

Warning: The following is currently unedited. You have been warned.

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In the land of Equestria, the music of The Beatles has become beloved. For Ocellus, thanks to Sandbar, she has been introduced to their music and has picked up music lessons to play one of their songs. But what would happen if one day, she wakes up and finds that no one, not her friends, her scholarly Headmare, or even all of Equestria has forgotten about the Fab Four?

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An idea that's based on the film "Yesterday," and is taking in a deeper dive into this brilliant concept.

Chapter 1 - A Complicated Situation

“So, Ocellus,” Sandbar asked, “how are your music lessons going?”

The young, blue Changeling adjusted her saddlebag. Although the hike through the White Tail Woods was rather trying for the whole class – especially Professor Applejack’s survival class – the sudden spring for conversation was welcoming. Since most conversations had fallen quiet for the last half-hour of the field trip, Ocellus greeted the break in the monotony.

“It’s coming along,” she replied to her friend, “Octavia is pretty nice and helpful. She made sense in how the guitar works along with what notes go where.”

“That’s good,” Sandbar, a young light green pony nodded. “And what song are ya gonna be doing?”

“Well, since we agreed that it’s best that I stuck with doing something easy for now, we thought that we should start out with the song, Yesterday.”

“Ooh! That’s a good one!” He beamed, “It’s such a classic.”

“Well, it’s hard not to be influenced when I could hear you playing The Beatles through the wall.” She giggled.

“What can I say? They’re my favorite band. They changed and influenced how music was thought about.”

“Maybe because their stuff is catchy. You know, until I came to school, I never heard of them. But once I’ve heard you playing their songs on that phonograph of yours, it’s hard to forget. To me, they sound like a lot of fun. All You Need is Love, Yesterday, Elanor Rigby, Yellow Submarine, Come Together, Strawberry Fields, Twist and Shout, it’s songs like those that want me to pick up an instrument and sing along.”

“I know, right!” Sandbar smiled.

“Hey! You two gonna catch up or what?” Shouted Smolder further up on the trail. The two of them quickly realized that they were behind and galloped over to catch up. Smolder the Dragoness was looking over her shoulder when they came up. She was behind Gallus, a Griffon; Yona the Yak, and in the lead was Silverstream the Hippogriff. “So, what got you guys distracted back there?”

“We were just talking about The Beatles,” Ocellus told her, “and that I’m gonna be playing one of their songs.”

Gallus asked her which one of their songs, and when she told him, he rolled his eyes. “You really should play Hey Jude, now that’s a fun one that’s catchy as Tartarus.”

“You know who The Beatles are?” Sandbar asked, an eyebrow raised.

“You’d be surprised by the amount of thrown away records we keep finding in Griffonstone.” He replied. “To be honest, before I came here, I was getting sick of Sargent Pepper being played on loop.”

“My favorite is Here Comes the Sun,” Silverstream interjected. “I love to hear it whenever I’m having a bad day. Once it starts playing, it’s like my troubles are washed away.”

“Yona thinks Beatles… okay.” Yona lifted up a hoof, waving carelessly. “Music nice. But Yona thinks pony music be better.”

“I see what you mean.” Smolder agreed. “The druggy stuff is a little too weird for my taste. But some of the other stuff isn’t that bad.”

“Well, I like them.” Ocellus said. “I still kinda wish that they might have made more songs, or at the very least meet them before they split up.”

“Too bad that half of them are still living, though.” Sandbar commented. “Hayson died of cancer, and Lemon murdered…” he shook his head. “It’s still sad, but at least McCart and Star are around, too bad that concert tickets to see either one of them costs a fortune.”

“Maybe,” the Changeling shrugged. “But you know, whenever I do play that song, I kinda daydream what it might have been like to play it along sides them. To become a Beatle, in a way.”

“Yona confused.” The Yak interjected, “Ocellus said Changelings not bugs.”

Ocellus laughed. After a while, the conversation died out as the students continued on the path when, out from the corner of the Changeling’s eye, she spotted something. Off from the path, she noticed a clearing where there was a patch of mud that looked like parts of it were glowing in a spectrum of colors. Curious, she flew over to that clearing to get a closer look.

The mud sat at the bottom of where a portion of the ground had sunken a little. But the longer she looked at it, the more colors that it changed as the soft earth illuminated from red to purple to green, to yellow, to blue and so on. She couldn’t sense any magic from this curious patch of soil as it was radiating light.

“Hey guys!” she called out, “Come look at this.” While she waited, she did what any creature would do – she reached out to touch it. At first, it just felt like ordinary mud. But when she tried to pull away, she found that she couldn’t move, as her hoof was sinking further in. “Guys!” she tried to pull away, but it kept being sunken in further. “GUYS! HELP!”

More of her foreleg was being swallowed up as if something from underneath had taken hold of her and wasn’t letting go. But while she struggled, she heard her friends come rushing in by the time her face was touching the mud. The next thing she knew, she felt their hooves and claws taking hold of her as she was sinking further. She held her breath before her head went under.

Ocellus couldn’t remember how she has woken up in a hospital bed. But the next thing she knew, her eyes were fluttering open in the sanitized lights overhead. Her vision cleared up as she could make out some figures around her. One of them leaned over her face. She could hear words with a tone that was concern. It took her a minute for her eyes and ears to readjust and process what was happening.

It was a face. And from the purple eyes, she realized who it was. Her mother was asking if she was alright.

“Mom?”

She felt being hugged by her. “Oh, thank Goddess, you’ve scared us! I almost thought we’ve lost you.”

Blinking, Ocellus took notice that not only that the rest of her family was here, but so were her friends. “What’s going on?”

“Hey Ocellus,” Smolder waved. “So long story short, you were nearly sucked into some kind of magical quicksand or something like that and you uh… almost died. We were able to pull you out, but we had to rush you over to the hospital as quickly as possible.”

“But you’re safe now,” her cherry eyed father said, placing a hoof over her head. “We got here as quick as we could to make sure you’re alright.”

Sitting up, she rubbed her hooves over her eyes. “How long am I going to be here?”

“Just overnight,” Sandbar told her. “There’s just some medicine you got to take and make sure that you don’t have anything that would make you sick.”

“Joy,” she said sarcastically, letting herself fall back and her head landing on a pillow.

“Which is why,” Smolder went around and pulled out a guitar. “I thought I’d bring this to you. That at least it would give you something to do.”

“My guitar,” she smiled, taking the instrument into her hooves. “How thoughtful of you. Since I’m going to be stuck here overnight, I might as well rehearse that song I’m practicing.”

“What song?” her mother asked.

“Oh! I don’t think you’ve heard of it yet, I just barely figured out how to play it. Do you mind if I…?”

Her parents told her to go right ahead.

Looking down at the row of strings, she took a moment to remember where exactly her hoof should be before she started to play slowly the first few bars, almost like a waltz in rhythm. And then, she began to sing. However, as she sang the first few lines that she stopped. Looking up, she noticed the faces of her parents in which they were entranced, however, what got her attention was her friends. They were looking at her wide-eyed. Amazed at what they were hearing. “What?”

“Well…” Sandbar gestured his hoof, “go on.”

Blinking, she did. As she continued on to sing, she observed the expressions of her friends. They were enchanted as if they never heard of the song before.

She couldn’t finish the song as she noticed how her friends were looking at one another. “Oh wow…” Silverstream whispered. “That was amazing! What was that?”

“Yesterday?” The Changeling answered.

“I must say,” her father told her, “that was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Since when did you learn to write songs like that?” Gallus asked.

Ocellus blinked in confusion. “What are you talking about? I didn’t write it. McCart did.”

“Huh?” Sandbar tilted his head.

“You know, McCart. The Beatles.”

All her friends looked at one another, sharing a puzzled look. “Who?” The pony asked.

“The Beatles,” Ocellus said. “You know, Lemon, McCart, Hayson, and Star.” They blinked. “The Fab Four…? One of the greatest bands of all time…? Ringing any bells?”

“Is this new band?” Yona inquired.

“No! This was a group that was around in the ‘60s. Oh,” The young Changeling smirked. “I get it, this is a joke, isn’t it? Okay, ha-ha, very funny.”

“Now what are you talking about?” Gallus questioned. “We’re not pulling a prank here. You think we would when you’re in the hospital?”

“You’re…” Ocellus’s expression changed from skeptic to realization. “You’re serious?”

“Hon,” her mother asked, “are you okay?”

“But… you can’t be serious.” She insisted, ignoring her mother’s concern. “Sandbar, you introduced their music to me. They’re your favorite band.”

“Uh… no?” He shook his head, “That’s the The Who. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Still,” Smolder said, “that was still a pretty nice sounding song there.”

“Nice?!” She sat up, nearly hopping off the bed. “That wasn’t just a ‘nice sounding song!’ It’s Yesterday! One of the greatest songs ever written! How can any of you not heard of it!?”

“Ocellus,” her father said, placing a hoof on her, “calm down. We’ve never heard of it either. And while that was really good, but you still need to rest.”

“But-”

“No buts,” her mother interrupted. “Ocellus, we’re grateful that you’re back, but right now, you need to rest up and do what the doctors tell you. Okay? You can practice that lovely song all you want, but what’s important right now is you need to take care of yourself.”

Even after her friends had left and her parents after, Ocellus lay in bed, thinking. It had to be a joke. A prank. That’s what it got to be. Her family was one thing was as they never heard of The Beatles or their songs. So, their behavior was believable. But her friends? They knew perfectly well who that band was. That was a fact. They couldn’t have forgotten the Beatles.

Except… she could sense when they were talking that they were all sincere. Nothing to hint that they were lying. However, even then they couldn’t be able to forget them…

Right?

As soon as she was free to leave, Ocellus went straight towards the school’s library. She spent hours desperately searching for some trace of The Beatles.

“They got to be here somewhere…” she muttered to herself as she looked around the music section of the library the twentieth time. “I just know it!”

Be it the music section, the history, or the cultural studies sections, she came out empty. Even when she went to every record and music shop in town, there wasn’t a single piece of evidence of their music. She turned towards the shop owners, musicians playing on the street, even her music teacher, but no matter who she went to, no one, it seemed, has any idea who the Changeling is talking about.

So, late at night, she turned to the one source of knowledge that she could go to. If there was someone who knew her obscure knowledge in every field, it was Princess Twilight Sparkle, the Headmare. Flying up to the crystalline doors, banging on them at a staccato pace until a very tired looking alicorn in a nightcap opened it.

“Ocellus?” Twilight asked, rubbing an eye and yawning. “It’s the middle of the night, what are you-”

“Do you honestly not know who The Beatles are?”

She shrugged. “Not really. Why?”

Ocellus’s jaw dropped. “Oh, Goddess… Then I’m in a really, really, really, really, really, really complicated situation.” Just as the Changeling was about to leave, she felt a tug on her tail, finding the Headmare’s magic was keeping her still.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked, trying to wake up. “You’re shaking, has something bad happened?”

“I… I…” Ocellus let her hunches drop to the ground. “Headmare… I think I need help.”

“Well, come inside. Tell me what’s bothering you.”

Chapter 2 - Forgotten Music

In truth, Ocellus had never stepped inside the walls of her headmare’s castle before. While it’s right next door to the school, there were times that she wondered what it must be like inside. She half expected it to be a grandiose, fancy, covered top to bottom in gold and jewels that would make the Crystal Empire jealous. She thought that maybe she would find rows of servants and guards to tend her every whim around the clock.

However, when she stepped inside that, while impressive of the purple crystal walls with a tree motif and massive hallways, the Changeling was taken aback how bare it seemed. Even the humble kitchen wasn’t as big as she expected it to be. Although well stocked, it was much smaller, and she noticed that there weren’t any staff ever since she was invited in. While she sat near the wooden table in the middle of the room where overhead pots and pan were hanging over, Twilight insisted that she make them tea.

“Forgive me if I come off as rude,” Ocellus began, “but don’t you have anyone to do that for you?”

“What makes you say that?” Her Headmare asked once she stuck in the tea leaves into the pot and put it over the stove.

“I mean… you are a princess, and I just assumed that you would have a, uh… servant staff to do this for you.”

She tilted her head a little. “Don’t you know that I don’t have servants?”

“What about Spike?”

“He’s my assistant. I never once saw him as a servant. He’s like family to me.” She sat down next to her. “So, what’s going on with you? Why did you decide to wake me up in the middle of the night?”

“It’s uh… It’s hard to put it into words.”

“But try anyway. The first step to address whatever problem is to address it. Something has clearly gotten under your skin – so to speak – and is bothering you.”

Ocellus fiddled with her hooves, looking down and not looking at Twilight. “You’re gonna think I’m crazy.”

“Why?”

“Because… something happened to me recently and I… I’ve no idea what to do. You remember when I asked you that question if you’ve heard of The Beatles?”

“That was a couple of minutes ago.”

She looked up. “Do you swear that you’ve never heard of any pop-rock group by that name?”

“Honestly? I thought you were referring to the bug, beetle.”

The Changeling sighed into her hooves. “It was like yesterday that everycreature has heard of them, knew the songs and were well respected. And now… I can’t find any trace that they existed. It’s like…” she looked up again, “for you, it’ll be the equivalent that when you wake up tomorrow morning, only to discover that nobody knows who Shakespur is. No one remembers the plays or his poetry, except for you. What exactly would you have done in something like that?”

“Oh…” Twilight tapped her chin. “Big question there. But I think what you’re saying is that you remember something that is culturally important, only no one else does.” Ocellus nodded. “Well… in theory, if I were in those horseshoes, and if I feel strongly that this is something worth sharing… I’d do what I can to preserve those ideas before they’re lost forever. I mean, with Shakespur alone, I can’t imagine a world without A Mid Summer’s Night Dream, or Roanio and Filliet, or even The Tempest. Maybe I wouldn’t be able to catch the genius of his writing style, but maybe I could bring back his stories.”

“Yeah, but music is different.” Ocellus said. “With music, it doesn’t work unless you know every note. With The Beatles, they’ve written about a hundred songs and I only know some of them.” She gasped, “Can I even remember the lyrics?! Uh…” she closed her eyes. At first, she tried to remember songs such as Come Together, Yellow Submarine, and even the song that Dawn Lemon wrote Imagine. Yet, regardless of how hard she tried to concentrate, the lyrics were muddied and mixed up. And Ocellus knew it. She banged her head on the table. “I’m forgetting! I can’t remember some of them!”

She felt a hoof on her back. “Ocellus, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.” She shook her head. “I’m the only one in the world that remembers their songs… but I can’t even do that! I remember the melodies and a hoofful of songs but that’s about it. And I can only play one among the hundreds they’ve made.” Lifting her head, tears were streaming down from them. “I can’t do this… W-What am I going to do?”

Twilight had to spend the next couple of minutes trying to calm her down. Soon enough, the tea was finished and after pouring a couple of cups and drying her tears. Eventually, the Princess asked her, “So… do you remember anything from them?”

Ocellus nodded, “Apart from Yesterday, I remember how some of the tunes go. I wish I could play them, except I don’t know much how to write music, or even…” She paused, looking into the reflection of her teacup, an idea dawned on her. “…. Unless…”

“What?”

“Suppose… The Beatles that I know were a popular band in the 60s, some of them were still alive. So, do you think that maybe… they could be still around. Headmare, even if I could remember every song, with every note and lyric, I don’t feel comfortable taking the credit for something that isn’t mine. I do feel that these songs shouldn’t be forgotten, but I don’t want my name attached to something that isn’t my work. This music needs to be put back where it belongs… but I can’t do this by myself.”

Twilight smiled. “I’m proud of you for taking up such a responsibility. However, I can’t help but think that if you can’t find them, would you still credit these songs as your own?”

“Like, if they don’t exist?” Twilight nodded. “I… I’m not sure. But I still need to find them, that is if they’re still alive. If there’s anyone in the whole world that could bring back what is stolen, it’s them.”

“But do you know what their names are? Even if this band exists, do you have an idea who they are or where they might be?”

She nodded, “All I know is that they came from Trottingham, and their names are Pull McCart, Dawn Lemon, Forge Hayson and Mango Star. They’re most likely be really old by now-”

“Mango Star?” Twilight blinked, “As in the comedian?”

Ocellus’s jaw dropped the second time that night. “Wait! You know him!?”

Twilight shrugged, “Not much really. When Spike and I were trying to return a library book, I remember seeing an old poster and when we got to the retirement place, I saw his face through a window. He’s most likely retired now.”

“Headmare, I need to go talk to him.”

“What?” She asked surprised, “Ocellus, you have school tomorrow-”

“If you have a chance to bring back Shakespur while he’s still around, would you?”

There was a pause between them. “You really believe in this?” She nodded. After a sigh, Twilight thought it over for a good solid minute. “I’ll tell you what,” she said, “I will take you to that retirement center first thing in the morning to find your missing band. But in exchange, you will have to do your schoolwork and I will keep an eye to make sure that you do that work. Deal?”

She shook her hoof. “Deal.”

It took all morning to reach Silver Stable Community, and on the train over, Ocellus had spent her time looking through her homework and textbooks while Twilight was nearby. However, making westward towards the coast, they’ve finally reached the retirement place. They entered the main building towards the reception desk.

“Now I can’t guarantee that he might be here or if he’s available,” Twilight told her as they walked in. “However, I can promise that I will do what I can to see if Mango is open to talking to us.”

“And make sure you ask for the others,” Ocellus insisted.

“I doubt that they would be here, but I’ll try.” She said, stopping at a row of chairs were a few ponies sat there waiting. “Stay right here, I’m gonna go check. But if I don’t find anypony that’s connected to that group, we’re going straight back to Ponyville.” With that, Twilight turned and walked towards the reception desk.

The blue Changeling took a seat next to a pony. A long-maned stallion who held onto a cardboard box, waiting. This wouldn’t catch much of her interest was that this pony’s cutie mark was a guitar, and his face bears a resemblance to- “Can I help you?”

Ocellus was caught off guard, if not a bit embarrassed that she was staring. “Oh! Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare, it’s just…”

“What?”

“You uh… reminded me of someone.”

“Oh?” He then took notice of Twilight talking to someone at the reception desk. “So, uh… You with the Princess?”

She nodded, “Yeah. We’re looking for someone. It’s… It’s really complicated, but we’re trying to find someone that used to be a musician and… I just really hope they’re around.”

“Yeah? Who are you trying to find, if you mind of me asking?”

“Chances are, you probably never heard of him. Someone name Mango Star.”

The stallion went quiet, “The Comedian?”

“I guess s-”

“Who used to be a drummer.”

Now it was Ocellus’s turn to be surprised. “How do you know?”

“Because I’m trying to get ahold of him myself.” He said, tapping the box. “My dad had used to be in a band, and he passed away some time ago. Recently I found this box that had some of his stuff and I thought that maybe I could at least give it to one dad’s friends.”

The Changeling went quiet for a solid minute, it became awkward to the point where he had to ask her if she’s okay. “Sir… what’s your name?” she finally asked.

“Hayson,” he replied. “Name’s Dandelion Hayson. I’m in a band myself and… seriously, are you okay?”

In truth, Ocellus was in a state of shock. “Oh, dear goddess… this is… I… c-could I shake your hoof?”

Dandelion blinked, “I guess so? I didn’t do anything special.”

“Actually, Mr. Hayson,” she said shaking his hoof, “your dad was one of the ponies I was looking for.”

“Really? Why’s that?”

She took a moment to think about her next words carefully. “It’s just… Let’s say that I might be one of the few that’s… aware of ponies like your dad. And I want to do what I can to uh… bring them to the limelight.”

Twilight returned to tell her that they could go ahead to meat Mango.

Chapter 3 - Mango Star

Twilight, Ocellus, and Dandelion were pointed towards a particular set of apartment complexes. Two-floor buildings in which resembled that of a motel and each door had a picture of the resident. Almost immediately, the young Changeling spotted which one Mango was in by one of the pictures. A big-nosed stallion with glasses, thin mustache, with a coat of red and yellow and a green mane.

Hesitation nearly made her unable to approach the door. However, Twilight beat her to it by knocking on the door. The Headmare looked over her shoulder. “You coming?”

Nodding, she hastily went up to the door nervously. While they waited and they can hear movement inside, Dandelion spoke up his observation. “Why are your legs shaking?” He asked the Changeling.

“It’s… c-complicated.”

The door suddenly opened briefly with someone saying: “I don’t accept butter toasts on Thursdays.” Before being closed. However, before it could do so, the door paused for a moment before being opened wide to the stallion in the picture. A slightly wrinkled face blinked a couple of times. “Hang on… Dandelion? What are you doin’ with a princess and a Changeling in blue?”

“Hey Mango,” Dandelion said, hugging him. “Long time no see.”

“That’s an understatement, haven’t seen you around since you a baby.”

Hayson snarked, “C’mon, you saw me last week.”

“And not give these two ladies the impression that I’m old? How rude.” He chuckled. “But come in! I was gonna put the kettle on.”

The three of them entered into the small apartment, Ocellus immediately took notice of a wall with photographs in them. She scanned in hopes to find something, anything that suggests what might have happened to The Beatles.

“You’re that other Princess, aren’t you?” Mango asked, slipping into the kitchen.

“You can just call me Twilight, sir.” She told him.

“It isn’t every day you get paid a visit by royalty. So how exactly do you know me?”

“Truthfully? I don’t, but my student seems to know what you used to do.”

“Is that right?”

“Yeah Mango,” Dandelion told him, sitting on a couch. “Apparently she’s heard about when you were a drummer.”

“Seriously? That was ages ago.” He poked his head out, “Eh, miss? What’s your name again?”

The Changeling refocused on the old stallion. “Ocellus, sir.”

“O-cell-us…” He said slowly, letting the words move around in his mouth. “That sounds like the name of a medication for a sleep disorder.” He ducked his head back in. “So Ocellus, how did you hear about me?”

“Well… it’s kinda a long story. But… were you ever part of a band?”

“Yes. Back when I was young.” Mango told her as they heard cups being taken out and put down. “About… fifty or so years ago, I think. My, has it been that long already? Yeah, I used to be in a band. I was a drummer once. It was made of me and three other fellas in Trottingham back in the late fifties, early sixties. Ha… That used to be fun at first when we called ourselves Th-”

“The Beatles.”

The kitchen went very quiet for a minute. In that stillness, Twilight was about to go see what was happening. That was until Mango walked out, amazed. “How the blazes did you know that?”

“It’s… complicated.” She replied. “Look, the point is that I might be the only being in the world that’s aware of what you used to be. If I did try to tell you how exactly I know, you wouldn’t believe me. But all you need to know is that I knew you guys were once a band. Only… something happened. Something different.”

“Being cryptic, aren’t we?” Mango said. “You miss don’t look to be anywhere near as old as I am. But I am rather curious how you know the band name when everyone else has forgotten.”

“I just… I just do. Yeah, I know that’s not a good enough answer, but at the moment, it’s the best I got. So… I came all this way to ask you,” she walked forward towards him. “What happened to The Beatles?”

He let out a breath, in a tried sigh sort of way. “Golly… Never in me life have I ever thought that anyone would have been interested. Ponies back then certainly weren’t.”

“What do you mean?”

Mango returned to the kitchen as he explained. “Well… we did try. I’ll tell ya that. We really tried hard going to gigs just ta get noticed. Sure, Pull and Dawn wrote up some new songs and the four of us pulled together what we had into band competitions or just tryin’ ta get a record deal from someone. But… no luck. We tried, and tried, but by… I want to say… ’64, things got so bad, morale so low, and Pull and Dawn got so frustrated with everything and each other… We just couldn’t do it anymore. We quit. The band fell apart and we went our own ways just ta get by.

“Not to say that we didn’t at least try ta keep in touch now and then. Pull got married and Forge had a son. Dawn took up painting in watercolors last I heard. Once in a blue moon, we’d run into each other somehow ta see how the other is doin’. As for me, I became a stand-up comedian, got married, had a son that, I heard last that he’s getting a job as a drummer for a band soon. Of course, now and then I also run into the kids as well. Oh! That reminds me, Dandelion, what do you got in that box of yours?”

“Oh! Right!” Hayson said. “I just found this when I was going through dad’s old room. And I found some stuff that I felt that should be for you guys to keep.”

“What is it?” Ocellus inquired.

The stallion sitting on the couch opened up the lid. “There’s just some pictures and sheet music. Some of which I remembered he used to sing to me when I was having a bad day.”

“Oh, that’s rather nice of…” her eyes widen. “Sheet music?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I think he wrote this stuff after he broke up with his band.”

“Let me see those!” The Changeling rushed over to peek her head inside the box. But before she could touch it, however, she found her hoof frozen in her Headmare’s aura.

“Ocellus! You don’t just grab things that aren’t yours.”

“Besides,” Dandelion said getting up. “I’m giving this to one of my dad’s friends.”

“So why me?” Mango asked.

“Well, I can’t find Pull or Dawn, knowing that those two tend to go everywhere. Plus, out of the three of them, I know where you are most of the time.” He trotted into the kitchen in which Ocellus followed. “So here, I think this stuff should be yours.”

After Mango put the kettle off when it started to whistle, he took ahold of the box to set it on the counter and looked inside. “Hey! I remember these.” He said, pulling out a few black-and-white photographs. “I remember when we started on the village green when somepony took this. Oh! And this one,” the Changeling saw this picture where it showed a younger Mango at the drums in which had the words “The Beatles” on them. “This was after Dawn came up with the name.”

“So why Beatle?” Twilight asked walking into the kitchen and seeing the photo.

“That was Dawn’s idea. When we got started, ponies asked us what we were called. So he said Beatle. After all, it was only a name like shoe.” He chuckled. “Yes, we could have been called ‘The Shoes,’ for all you know. And… oh hey!” He pulled sheet music. “These were the songs we did!”

“Can I see?” Ocellus pleaded, looking over the older stallion’s shoulder. “‘From Me To You,’ ‘She Loves You,’ ‘I Saw Her Standing There,’ ‘Love Me Do,’ ‘Please Please Me,’ ‘P.S. I Love You,’ ‘I Want to Hold Your Hoof,’ ‘I Feel Fine,’ ‘There’s a Place,’” she gasped, “‘Twist and Shout!’ That one is one of my favorites!”

“You sure you’re a young lady?” Mango jabbed. “Then you must be ancient to have heard some of these like… wait…” He pulled up some other sheet music. “I don’t remember playing any of these.”

“That’s my dad’s,” Hayson told him. “If anything, those songs he wrote them for me when I was growing up.”

The Changeling took hold of the sheet music and read off the titles. “‘Something…’ ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ ‘If I Need Someone,’ and… ‘Here Comes the Sun!’ This is amazing! They’re still here!”

Mango took a step back and spoke over to Twilight, “Princess, I think this one needs some psychotherapy.”

“So, hold on!” Ocellus turned to the ye old Beatle, “Does this mean that Pull and Dawn still wrote song-”

“Oh goodness no! Those two gave up on music a long time ago. Plus, I’m pretty sure those two hadn’t spoken to one another in years.”

“And you two sure you don’t know where they are?”

Dandelion shrugged, “Do you think I would be here if I did?”

“And don’t look at me,” Mango said, “I don’t keep track where those two headed off. Dawn alone, he could be anywhere by now.”

“So…” Ocelles’s ears folded back, “I take it there’s no hope of bringing the band back together?”

Mango shook his head. “Filly, I hadn’t touched the drums since the sixties. I’m far too out of practice myself. None of us, except for Forge had picked up an instrument after the incident. If you’re trying to do what I think you’re trying to do, I’m sorry to tell ya that it’s not gonna work.”

“But… But this can’t happen!” The Changeling pleaded. “Your guy’s music is somehow been criminally underrated and taken for granted. I can’t stand by and let something like Yesterday fade into nothing.”

“Yesterday?” Dandelion asked. “What’s that?”

She waved a hoof, “It’s a song I know that Pull and Dawn wrote… or probably didn’t now.”

“How does it go?” Mango asked.

Ocellus said that it would be best to play it, but she didn’t bring her guitar. Twilight suggested of going towards the music center where she remembered that there were instruments there. However, Mango suggested that if she remembered how it went, then she could just simply sing it. So, slumping in a chair, her eyes closed and forehooves over her eyes, took in some calming breaths while the old Beatle was starting to pour the hot water into cups.

Then, she began to sing one of the few songs she had memoried. Of how all her troubles were once someplace else but now, she was stuck with them.

In the middle of singing acapella, she noticed how quiet the room had gotten. Looking up, she gasped as she saw tears running down Mango’s cheek. “Oh Goddesses! I’m sorry! Did I overstep something?”

He sniffed as he wiped away the tears. “No… That was quite something… and something that Pull and Dawn would have written that… It just brought memories is all. I never heard of it before, but I must say, if there’s anypony I know that would have written something like that, it would have been them.” Then as he put the tea bags into the cups, his eyes widen. “You know, why not you sing them?”

“Say what?”

“Those songs. You have a sweet-sounding voice there.”

“B-But I can’t!”

“Why not?” Hayson said. “Whatever that was, it was good. Like… really good. If that was just one song, I’m curious to see how you’d do with the others in that box.”

“I-I don’t…” Ocellus shook her head. “I don’t know. I mean, these songs are still yours and-”

“Here, how about this?” Mango said carrying the tray over. “If Dandelion over here says that you can sing these songs, then you’d have my permission too. The band may have lost faith in these songs, but you haven’t. If you really believe that these songs deserve a second chance, then, why stop you?”

“And I will help you,” Twilight said. “Just as long as you promise to work on your classes, and to give credit to who compose these songs, then I will lend a hoof to bring a song like what you just sang into public consciousness.”

All of them turned to Dandelion. He took a moment to consider, “You know what… If dad were around, I think he would let you sing his songs too. But of course, the only thing that I ask is don’t steal these as your own.”

Ocellus sighed as Mango gave her cup. “It’s… It’s such a big responsibility. I don’t know if I could pull something like this off but… You’re right Mr. Star, I do have faith in these songs. If I’m lucky, maybe I could find Pull and Dawn too so they could help me put back what was stolen. But for now, I only promise to try.”

Chapter 4 - New Songs at a School Dance

From the way back of the retirement community, Ocellus was plotting. It was no secret of how massive such an undertaking was. After all, she may very well be the last person in the world to know who The Beatles were, but she was still a student – and a young one at that. She had begun her musical training, and now she was tasked to bring the music of one of the most influential bands of all time back to public consciousness. The only question she had on her mind was how to do it? How would she, a young Changeling, bring their music back? Especially when she doesn’t have all the music?

After speaking to her Headmare, Twilight did agree that this was indeed a monumental task but suggested that perhaps she should start off small. She recommended that first, she must at least try to master the songs she was given, and suggested to have her music teacher, Octavia to help her out. “If you could learn maybe four or so songs,” she told her, “then in a school dance, you could sing them. I could organize a dance to give you the excuse to shine.”

Ocellus thought it was a good idea.

So, for the next serval weeks right after school, Ocellus went straight to Octavia’s home to rehearse a few of these songs. If anything, her teacher was rather surprised that one of her students wanted to learn some forgotten songs from the ’60s, especially when she read a few of the sheet music that she wasn’t that impressed with it. However, Ocellus did change her mind when she sang Yesterday to her and said that she hoped she could help her developed the song with a string orchestra one day. It more or less sealed the deal.

Not to say that her frequent visit to her music teacher didn’t go unnoticed. One night after practice, Ocellus walked into the student lounge, guitar on her back in which she was confronted by her friends playing cards.

“Well,” Smolder said, folding her cards, “look who’s finally decided to grace her presence.”

“Huh?”

“Did you forget?” Gallus asked without looking up. “Tonight is game night and you promised you’d be here an hour ago.”

Ocellus gasped, “Oh! Is it past seven already?”

“So, where’ve you been off to?” Silverstream asked. “This past two weeks you’ve kept disappearing on us. What’s going on?”

Blushing at realizing how neglectful she’s been, she set her guitar down. “I’m really sorry guys, I’ve got so caught up that I forgot.”

“What Ocellus been doing?” Yona inquired.

“You see, I wanted to keep this a surprise but… I’m gonna be playing for the school dance coming up.”

Now, this caught her friend’s attention. “Really?” Sandbar asked.

She nodded. “Yeah… It’s a long… complicated story, but to put it short, I’ve found some old songs and decided to sing them. I talked with Headmare Twilight and she said that she’d lend a hoof to give me a stage to do just that. Lately, I’ve been going to my music teacher more often to not just practice, but her roommate is helping me record some karaoke versions of what I’m gonna be playing so all I need to do is play my guitar and sing the melody.”

“That sounds cool!” Silverstream said. “So, you’re committing these songs to memory?”

“Well, yeah. That’s what I’ve been doing.”

“Okay,” Smolder folded her arms, “if that’s true, you mind singing one?”

Ocellus blinked. “What? Right here? Now?”

“Why not? If you’re really are gonna be singing for the upcoming dance, I want to see if you could do it.”

She told her that she could. So, picking up her guitar and sitting on her haunches, she strung a few cords. “Okay… This is an old song, written by Pull McCart and Dawn Lemon. It’s called, Please Please Me.”

Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes and her friends were waiting for her to see what exactly she was practicing for. In her mind, she pictured a metronome so that she could be on the beat, and aloud, she counted.

“One two three four, one two three and…”

She began to play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEnf2mste4M

It was a love song, one where she asked of her girl to please her as she did. A simple song with simple lyrics, and yet, she sang with much love as the song was.

When her playing comes to an end, she heard the sound of applause from her friends. Opening her eyes, she spotted Smolder nodding.

“Not bad.” She told her, “It’s okay as far as songs go, but still, it’s not bad.”

“Kinda sounds old,” Sandbar pointed out, “where did you dig this up?”

“It’s a long story, but for now,” she yawned. “I know that I’m supposed to hang out with you guys, but I’m feeling rather tired right now. I’d like to go to bed here.”

Although she could sense their disappointment, they let her go to her room so she could get some sleep.

“You got to admit,” Silverstream said, “that was pretty good.”

“Maybe,” Sandbar shrugged. “I still prefer The Who better. But I can hear that she has put a good deal of effort into that.”

“Yona thinks we should go to dance.” Their Yak friend suggested. “Ocellus clearly worked hard on song, maybe Yona’s friends should go to cheer her on.”

Gallus raised an eyebrow, “Is no creature gonna bring up the elephant in the room?” Off of them looked at him.

“What are you talking about?” Smolder asked.

“Maybe it’s because I don’t listen to music very often,” he observed, “but you ever noticed that whenever a male singer does a love song that it’s meant towards someone who’s female and vice-versa?”

“Where are you going with this?” Sandbar questioned.

“All I’m saying, that is no one questioning why Ocellus is singing a love song that’s clearly meant for someone who’s female?”

Now the student lounge went quiet for a good solid minute.

“Are you suggesting-?” Smolder asked but Gallus interrupted.

“I’m not. For all I know, maybe she’s singing the original song word for word. But I’m just saying that it’s interesting for her to sing a love song to, as she puts it, ‘my girl.’” He turned back to his cards. “Food for thought.”

Ocellus took in a deep breath. Guitar in her hooves, she peeked behind a column towards the stage where everything she needed was there. A simple raised stage with speakers, a few buttons for her to step on to play the songs, and a microphone. In front of it was the students and teachers chatting and waiting for someone to play. Slinking back out of sight, the Changeling took in some deep breaths to calm and steady herself.

“You doing okay there, Ocellus?” She looked up at the Dragoness who just walked up to her.

“I…” She took in a deep breath. “Yep. Just nerves is all.”

Smolder raised an eyebrow. “You sure you’re up for this? It’s no secret to me that this is probably the first time you’re doing this in front of a crowd.”

“I’ve noticed…”

There was a pause between them.

“You know you don’t have to.” She told her. “Twilight, as far as I know, has a backup with Spike so if you can’t go through with it, I get it.”

“No.” Ocellus shook her head. “I have to do this.”

“Why?” Her friend tilted her head. “Look, it’s not that I don’t think you’ll do well – heck, even I’ve noticed how much you’ve gotten better at playing that guitar – it’s just… I don’t want to have any of my friends be forced into doing something they don’t want to. Ya know?”

She sighed, “Smolder… I can sense your concern for me. And I do get it. However, what I’m about to do… is bigger than me (as pretentious as that sounds). I don’t expect any of you to get it, but I do feel that these songs are important.”

“Even though they’re kinda… old fashion?” her friend questioned. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, they’re not bad by any means. Just that it seems a little odd that you’re playing something that would easily fit a good fifty or so years ago.”

Ocellus nodded. “Yeah… even I admit that these fit in a different time. But I’ve heard once that the thing about good music is that they will never, ever age. To tell you the truth, I don’t know if anyone out there will remember the tunes after I played, but I cannot at least try to give these songs a second chance.”

Smolder hesitated for a moment, trying to think of what to say. However, she ended up putting a claw on her friend’s shoulder. “Then you know what? I’d say give it a shot. You’ve come this far and gotten this good, might as well give it a try.”

“Thanks, Smolder.” She said, smiling.

“Okay then,” the two of them turned to find Spike approaching. “It’s all set and ready to go, Ocellus. So before you do this, I’m gonna go up there and introduce you. And since you’re basically starting out as a one-mare band, do you want to go by a different name for tonight?”

After thinking about it for a moment, Ocellus smiled up at him. “Could you call me, The Beatle?”

“I… guess so?” Spike raised an eyebrow. “Why Beatle? That isn’t offensive to Changelings, is it?”

She shrugged, “Not the last time I’ve checked.”

“Okay…”

“Oh! And before you go up, do you remember who wrote these songs?”

He nodded, “Yeah. Never heard of them but I got their names right here,” he pointed at his head. Before he went to introduce her, he asked her if there was anything else and Ocellus told him to go ahead.

Spike said before flying up to the mic on stage. “Good evening everycreature! Are you ready to get this party started!” The school cheered. “Tonight’s music is about to be performed by one of the students here at the School of Friendship! The first time she’s performing with songs by Pull McCart and Dawn Lemon, give a round of applause for… The Beatle!”

Ocellus breathed in deeply. “Wish me luck.”

Smolder patted her shoulder. “You really believe in these songs?” She asked and the Changeling nodded. “You’ll do good. Now go out and knock ‘em out. Literally, if you have to!”

This got a nervous chuckle out of her as she opened up her wings and flew over to the stage. Standing in front of the microphone with spotlights on her and before the eyes of a good chunk of the school, she steadied herself. Waiting for her to do something and that if she did something wrong, then all those hours and days practicing saving those songs would have gone to waste. ‘Goddesses, is this what it was like for them?’ She wondered, clearing her throat, she spoke into the microphone. “H-Hi everyone. How are all of you d-doing?”

There was a polite applause, if not muted.

“Okay, let’s get started, shall we?” She asked, strumming her guitar once. “How about we start this off on a f-fun note? This first one is called ‘S-She Loves You.’” Despite the awkwardness, she looked upon the waiting crowd and spotted her friends near the back. She saw Sandbar and Yona waving at her. Silverstream and Smolder smiling, giving her the thumbs up while Gallus leaned back with a cocked eyebrow.

Taking in a deep breath, she looked down at the buttons at her hooves and pressed the first one on her left. With the speakers started to play drums, she began to sing with a joyful voice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPOS5fJgff0

What came out of her mouth started relaxed at first, a love song that tells the audience that the crush does love them back. Before she was even finished, her confidence grew when she saw students at first nodding, tapping their hooves to the beat before starting to sway side to side. She saw a sea of smiles, that despite how old fashion the song may sound, the students there were beginning to fall in love with it. Even among her friends in the back, they started to dance before she reached the final chorus. Maybe, these songs did have a second chance after all.

Outside of the school, a tried stallion with a briefcase dragged his tried hooves across the ground. It was late and given how tired he was, he reasoned that it’s best to find some local inn to retire for the night. After all, it’s not best to go door to door to try to pitch a sell at this hour. Given how exhausted the train ride to Ponyville was, he wouldn’t pay any attention to the school he was passing by if it weren’t for something that caught his ear.

He paused, his ears perked up as, apart from the crying applause, there was a familiar sound. Too familiar. It was the sound of a drum set, a bass, two guitars, and one voice singing above it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3ER4NllJZQ

Turning his head towards the school to where there was a dance going on through the open doors, the sale’s pony approached it as a passionate, joyful song projected out into the night. He came into the light, a blue stallion with a messy dark blue mane and a face full of wrinkles. Through the front doors of the school, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing and hearing.

It was not just the Changeling on stage, nor the students who were dancing to the tune. Nor was it because of how old fashion the song was given its style. What shocked him, however, was the song itself. It was a song that was from long ago. A song he knew. A song, he co-wrote.

“That… That’s me song…” he muttered; jaw dropped. “That’s me bloody song…”

He watched as Ocellus played her heart out on stage, singing into the mic. Every lyric, every note, down to the key change in tone and rhythm was familiar. Even though he hadn’t sung it in years, he knew the song as a father would recognize their own child. Especially when she sang into the microphone "I wanna hold your hoof!"

On stage, Ocellus finished up playing the song with a happy shout of, “Thank you everycreature! Goodnight!” Much to the roaring applause as she exited flying off to where her friend was at.

“That was amazing!” Sandbar said. “I didn’t know you had that in you!”

“That was so scary,” Ocellus said with a smile on her face, “but so exciting, I mean, wow! What a rush!”

“What did I tell ya?” Smolder told her. “You did good up there.”

While the Changeling was being given compliments from her friends, she failed to notice the old sale’s pony entering into the hall and going towards her. She wasn’t calmed down from her rush on stage until she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She looked over.

She froze.

“Young lady,” the stallion said, “where did you learn that song?”

Her jaw dropped.

“P-Pull McCart!?”

He leaned in closer, a frown on his face.

“I asked you a question.” He said in a serious tone, “Where, did you learn to play that song?”

Chapter 5 - Pull McCart

“So, Forge wrote our songs down after all?” Pull McCart asked.

Ocellus nodded. “Y-Yes, sir.” Never in the Changeling’s life would she have a private chat with someone that she considered to be a genius. Out in the school’s courtyard on a bench, with the lights from the windows and the moon overhead to illuminate them, the Changeling pulled the old sale’s pony aside so that she could at least explain a few things.

“Mango and Forge’s son gave you permission to sing them?”

She nodded again. “Headmare Twilight saw it and can confirm this. Honestly, Mr. McCart, I never mean any disrespe-”

“Honestly,” he interrupted, “I’m just… surprised is all.”

There was a pause between them.

“So…” Ocellus began. “Are you… mad at me?”

“Huh? What- no… No, I’m not angry. Just… Well… I’m a bit shocked is all. That all that work we did when we were young was such a waste… and yet… here I am years later ta hear cheers – actual cheers from strangers at a dance. And there you are, singin’ your heart out… Songs that I nearly forgot about and yet…” He shook his head.

“Well…” Ocellus twiddled her hooves, not looking at him in the eye. “To tell you the truth, sir… I uh… I’m a fan of yours.”

“Are you now?” He raised an eyebrow.

She nodded. “Well, you and Dawn, and Forge, and Mango… I might be the only one in the world that has any idea what kind of talent and genius you guys had that…” her kind words faded when her ears perked up. Pull was laughing. “Sir?”

“I’m sorry, young lady.” He said between chuckles. “It’s just… that idea that any of us had talent is…” he laughed harder. By the time he caught his breath to look over at the Changeling’s direction, he saw an expression of shock, devastation even. His face softens. “Look, it’s sweet of you to say that… but it’s not true at all. When we started out, none of us were geniuses. We barely knew how to play any music, let alone write anything down! Our band back in the day had its run and it didn’t turn out well. Mis, we’ve moved on. I’ve moved on. Music is one thing, but I’ve learned that you still got to support yerself. Now I have a wife, a little family that’s depending on me with these sales.”

“T-That’s not true.” Ocellus shook her head. “Mr. McCart, I don’t know what happened, but you don’t understand what this music means to someone like me. The songs that I know… it changed the world. It changed how music seen. The stuff you and Dawn wrote, is on par with Moztrot and Buch! They were creative, invited, fun, sophisticated, all at the same time! And…” She looked at his face. He wasn’t buying it.

“Lady,” he said, “I know you’re young, but take it from on old geezer like me when I tell you this: music is nice… but it can’t change the world. We tried. It didn’t work. I’m sorry I have to tell you, but this isn’t going to go anywhere. No amount of composing or lyrics could change what has already been done. Call me jaded, but I doubt that a pretty song could change this one’s mind.” Getting up and picking his briefcase with him, he bid her goodbye.

“No! Wait! I still need you!” Ocellus begged as McCart started to walk out. She had to figure out something to change his mind and fast, some way to prevent those brilliant songs from disappearing forever. In that panic, as she watched the old stallion walking towards the exit, she combed through her mind of what knowledge she had on the Beatles for something… anything to convince him otherwise.

Then, her eyes widen as a song came into mind. She began to sing, a song that made McCart froze. One in which made him turned around, his jaw dropped as she continued with the next verse of what few songs she knew by heart. One in which the end of each lyric ended with "Let it be."

The old sales pony dropped his briefcase. Ocellus saw in the Beatle’s eyes, tears forming. Gasping, she blurted out, “Pull! I-I’m so sorry, I wasn’t thinking and-”

“That was beautiful.” Pull sniffed. “I never heard anything so…” he shook his head, “now who wrote that?”

A part of Ocellus wanted for her to scream “You did!” but considering the circumstance, she responded. “Well… it’s complicated to explain but… it was inspired by you.”

“Me?” He blinked, “Sorry, but I don’t follow. That tune back there, that was inspired by me?”

She nodded. “Forgive me for about to say something personal, but that song, it was inspired from when something tragic happened to you.”

He stared at her, “So you just made that up on the spot?”

“No… Let’s just say that I have a funny kind of memory. Like having memories that might have been from another universe. Where I know it happened but for some reason didn’t.”

“Yeah? And what do you remember?”

“That uh… this is gonna sound crazy but… I remember that you wrote that song.” Pull didn’t reply for a long time. “I remembered that my friend said that in an interview you did, what inspired you to write that song, ‘Let it Be,’ came about from a difficult moment in your life. After your… mom… died. You were grieving and one night, you had a dream that she came to you.”

“Telling me the same thing she always did in life,” Pull said, “She told me, ‘Pull, let it be.’” He nodded. “Yes, I remember that part, but I certainly don’t recall writing a song about that. However, it’s very beautiful. Very… personal.”

She nodded, “I know, and I’m sorry.”

“No no, it’s alright.” He said, “I’ve grieved long enough for mom. It’s strange, really, that tune, in how it flows and the lyrics… that’s the kind of song that I would have wrote if I had talent.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you!” Ocellus exclaimed, “You have talent! You and Dawn both!”

Pull frowned. “Me and that airhead? Now that I find it hard to believe.”

“Please listen to me. I know that to you, none of this makes any sense at all. Heck, if I were in your horseshoes, I wouldn’t believe a word of it. But I’m facing a difficult problem that… I can’t do this by myself. I can only recall melodies and a few lyrics here and there, but that’s it. These songs… they’re some of the most powerful songs ever written and yet, they’re nearly gone. If there’s anyone out there that could bring back what was stolen from culture in general… it’s you and Dawn.”

“Lady, what are you trying to ask me?”

Ocellus scratched the back of her head. “Well… to piece these songs back together, I guess.”

Pull shook his head. “I don’t think you realize what you’re asking. I haven’t picked up an instrument since the 60s. You’re asking me to do something I’ve forgotten how to do. I’m not a musician. I’m not a songwriter. I’m just a sales pony from Trottingham. A-And even if I could, it still would be impossible.”

“Why?”

“Because, if you want to get Dawn involved… Filly, we haven’t spoken to each other in decades. Even if I wanted to get the band back together, I don’t have a clue where he’s gone off to.”

Ocellus squeezes her eyes tight. “Mr. McCart… I’m not asking to bring the band back together. All I’m asking is some help.”

The older stallion raised an eyebrow. “So why are you doing this?” He questioned. “What’s in it for you anyway? You’re obviously trying to gain something out of me.”

The young Changeling hesitated for a long time. Before McCart’s patience ran out, she replied. “I don’t want to take credit for something that isn’t mine.” She told him. “In fact, tonight at the dance, do you know what the very first thing I did? I told my whole school that I will be playing songs that were written by you and Dawn Lemon. And do you know why? I don’t care if the songs I sing make a single bit. I’m doing this because I feel strongly that the songs you two created are important in the grand scheme of things. These are songs that changed lives, saved lives, gave inspiration, hope, wonder, comfort, and a dream that the world can get better. Now that somehow those songs were never written or sang… a world without the music of The Beatles is not much of a world that’s worth living in.”

“…. You really believe in all that?” Ocellus nodded. Scratching his head, he replied: “That… That’s the first time I’ve heard anyone that believed that the band could amount to something. Still,” he said, picking up his briefcase and opening it up to look through some papers, “even if I could help, I don’t know how much use I would be. Not to mention that I still have a job to do. Going to door to door and all…” He paused. “Oh, you have got to be joking.”

“What?”

McCart didn’t say anything.

“What is it?” Ocellus asked again.

He frowned. “He lives here.”

“What?”

Shaking his head, he replied, “Either they have the same name and age, or Dawn has finally found a place to live.”

“What!”

“Yeah, here in town apparently.” He put the papers back in his briefcase. “At least I know one particular address to avoid.”

“Waitwaitwaitwait!” Ocellus galloped over till she was in front of him. “Are you telling me that Dawn Lemon, thee Dawn Lemon, lives right here in Ponyville!?”

“I hope not.” He said, walking around her. “At best, I better find a hotel to rest for the-”

Ocellus was right in front of his face.

“What does he live?”

He blinked. “What? Now? At this hour?”

“Yes.” She said, narrowing her eyes.

Pull frowned. “Filly, I appreciate you being a fan and your compliments to our music, but right now it’s late and I need to get some…” in a flash of green fire, a titanic bear with a look that threatened to rip his head off stood before him.

“Where… Does… He… Live…?” She asked through her sharp, pointy teeth.

He gulped. “Well… when you put it like that…” he thumbed to open his briefcase and pull out the list of addresses. “1940 Apple Road.”

“That’s on the other side of town.” Ocellus said to herself as she picked the sales pony by her bear claws. “You are coming with me. I don’t care what happened in the past between you two, you are going to go up there, and at the very least find some way to tolerate each other so you two could help me out. Got it?”

“Ah great,” Pull moaned, “I’m dealing with a mental case.”

Chapter 6 - Dawn Lemon

There was a series of knocks that had woken up the old green stallion. Noticing that it was still dark outside, he turned on a lamp near the nightstand, putting on his rounded glasses to see what time it was. 1:45 in the morning. Scratching his brown, messy beard, he sat up after another round of knocks, he wondered who would want him at this time of night.

Slumping over to put on his house robe and slippers, he walked out of his bedroom, past the rows of unfinished paintings and buckets of paint towards the front door. There were more knocks, quicker and more desperate than before.

“I think I’d heard ya the first time!” He called out. “Just hold on there.” Unlocking the bolts on his door, he swings it open to a very large bare in front of him, along with a pony fling about in its gigantic paw. He blinked. And once again when the bare erupted into green flames that a blue Changeling took its place and allowing the other stallion to fall into the mud of a tulip garden.

“Uh…” He blinked. “What just happened?”

The Changeling lowered herself down onto the front steps of his house. “A-Are you…” She struggled to say. “D-Dawn?”

“Yes?” He raised an eyebrow.

“As in… Dawn Lemon?”

“That’s right.” He tilted his head. “Who are you? What do you want at this time of night?”

At first, Ocellus was at loss for words. But luckily, she was reminded when Pull was getting himself out of the mud. “I uh… I brought you somepony.” She said. “That has something important to say.”

Dawn was confused at first as his attention was turned to the other pony. Turning on a porch light, he tried to get a good look at the stranger covered in mud. He blinked. “Is that…? Pull?”

“Hey, Dawn.” Pull said flatly.

There was silence between them.

“What in blazes happened to you?”

“I turned into an alicorn.” Pull deadpanned. “No, I was minding my own business when this nutcase,” he pointed at Ocellus, “somehow found out that we were in a band, turned into a bear, dragged me all the way here so we could talk or some rubbish.” Ocellus coughed loudly; he rolled his eyes. “Alright, fine!” He got up, look at Dawn in the eye and said, “Dawn… I…”

He hesitated, for a long moment, Pull was silent while his old friend waited.

“What?” Dawn asked. “In case you haven’t noticed, it’s almost two in the morning and I’d preferred to go to bed. Unless you have something worth saying, I’d prefer you to leave.” The mud-covered stallion stayed silent. “That’s what I thought.” Before Ocellus could do anything, before Dawn could retreat into his house to lock up his door and go to bed, he froze when he heard a phrase from Pull.

“I’m sorry.”

There was a pause between them.

“What did you say?” Dawn inquired.

Getting out of the mud, Pull walked onto his doorstep. “Dawn… I don’t expect you to forgive me. After what I said to you blokes… I probably wouldn’t be so quick to forgive either. But at the same time, what I said was unfair, to you especially. Now I’m not asking you to be friends again, I’m not asking for you to forgive and forget what I said. I suppose I’ve been given this chance to at least say that I’m sorry.”

Dawn adjusted his glasses. “You’re… you’re being serious right now, aren’t you?”

He nodded. “The thing is… I still remember how good friends we were. And I still remember how… sour of a note we left things off. Of course, we were stressed, and things had gone bad, but now with time to cool down… I had no excuse for saying those things. It wasn’t fair to you or the others. You can still hate me all you want after tonight, but at least let me try to say I’m sorry.”

Hearing this put Dawn in disbelief. “Hate you? Pull, what gave you that idea?”

“I thought that after what I said-”

“I was hurt.” He told him. “Believe me, we all were. I especially, when you told to my face that I had no talent.”

Pull’s guilty ears folded flatly against his skull.

“To be honest,” he said further, “I didn’t think that years later you’d come to my front door in the middle of the night to say you’re sorry. I mean…” Dawn shook his head. “Fifty years, Pull! I haven’t heard a word from you in fifty years! I thought you’d never changed and yet… Why now? What changed?”

Pull pointed to Ocellus. “She did.”

“Oh, right…” Dawn coughed, “Sorry, what was your name again?”

“Ocellus, sir.” She replied. “If it’s not too much to ask, may we come in for a minute?”

The old stallion sighed. “Fine… Pull, there’s a bathroom down the hall to the left. You miss, come to the kitchen so I could fix some tea.”

Ocellus followed them into the house where Pull went to the bathroom to clean himself up. As she followed Dawn into a small kitchen, she couldn’t help but notice the paintings and art supplies lying about. Then, walking into the kitchen and respectively sitting down at a dining table while the stallion picked up a kettle, she saw an old picture of the band – smiling.

“You know,” Dawn said, filling up the kettle. “Out of all the things that I’d expect of moving to this town, I didn’t think I would run into him again. Or apologizing, no less.”

She didn’t reply.

“But he said you knew we were in a band, is that right?” She nodded. “Maybe it’s because this is the first time I’ve seen a Changeling up close but, if you don’t mind of me askin’, how old are you?”

“I’ll be turning fifteen soon, sir.”

He waved a hoof. “Don’t call me sir, makes me older than I’m already am.” He said, putting the kettle on the stove and turning on the heat. “But how did you know we were in a band? That was years and years ago.”

“It’s… pretty complicated. But let’s just say that I have a… unique memory.”

“Oh?”

“As in… from another universe kind of memory.” He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I know it’s crazy, but it’s the honest truth. If anything… I was hoping that I would get both you’re and Pull’s help.”

“In what?” He asked, getting out a few mugs and teabags. “If you’re expecting us to get the band back together, I don’t think that’s-”

“I’m not asking that. If anything, I was hoping that maybe you guys could help me bring back what was lost.”

Dawn raised an eyebrow. “I don’t follow.”

Ocellus sighed. “I only remember bits and pieces of songs. Masterpieces that each day I’m slowly forgetting. And the worst part is, there’s no one I could turn to help me except, maybe you guys. There are songs that are important, songs that are timeless, but these are songs that aren’t mine. All I’m asking is to help me piece these songs back together before they’re lost.”

Dawn shook his head. “Filly… You’re asking us to do something we’ve forgotten how to do.” He sat the mugs down. “I haven’t picked up a guitar in years. I’ve been so focused on being an artist that I have forgotten how to be a musician. And even if we could, what makes you think we’d be of any help?”

“Because you started out…” Ocellus said but trailed off.

The old stallion adjusted his glasses. “What?”

“I uh… remember how I said that I have a unique memory? Well, I recalled reading somewhere that with the band you and Pull started, you didn’t know what you were doing either.”

Dawn paused. “Yes… Yes, that’s right. And?”

“Well… You guys just learned as you go. I figured that maybe if I could help you learn how to play again, maybe you could help me in remembering how the songs go.”

“Songs like what?”

“Well… I do know one song that’s supposed to be yours. Only, I can remember half of it.”

“Really? What’s it called?”

“Imagine.” She answered. “It was one of the last songs you wrote before you…” Ocellus stopped; icy dread knifed her in the chest before she could finish her sentence.

“Before I what?” Dawn questioned. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Ocellus quickly shook her head. “Do you want me to sing what I know?”

He told her to go ahead while he prepared the tea. Gulping, she closed her eyes and began to sing. As nervous as her voice was shaky, she bid the very artist who made it, to imagine no afterlife, where all creatures live for the moment, that there are no countries worth dying for in wars, but instead to live peacefully. However, she only got so far with her memory with the short chorus: “Ugh, I can’t remember the rest.” She told him. “I know there’s more, but I can’t remember how it-”

“A dreamer.” Ocellus quickly opened her eyes at Dawn, with a sober, solemn expression. “If I could write something like that, I would say that I’m a dreamer. I guess it would only make sense that all my life, I’ve been doing just that. Dreaming for a better world that might never come.”

“To be fair,” the two of them suddenly looked over to a somewhat cleaner Pull who walked in. “That does sound like something you would have made back in the day.” Pulling up a seat next to Ocellus, he asked his friend, “So Dawn… How have you been getting on?”

He yawned. “I’ve lived happily.”

“Oh… and how successful are you?”

“I just said I was happy.” Dawn told him, “I figured that counts as successful. Having a profession that I love to do.”

“You’re an artist?” Ocellus asked, looking back that he paintings in the other room.

“Well, going back to art school helped a little,” he said, “especially after the band broke up. I drifted here and there, trying to find myself. Did paints here, gone to protests there, fell in and out of love with all its complications. But in the end… I found peace. A quiet life to sit down to and pick up a brush. What about you?”

“A sales pony,” he told him, “I’ve gotten married, had a few kids, and doing what I can just to get by.”

“Oh… I see…” Soon enough, the water in the kettle started to steam, and Dawn began to serve the tea to each of them.

For a while, they sat in silence, sipping the hot beverage before Pull spoke up. “So… Ocellus, what exactly do you want us to do? Since we haven’t picked up a guitar in decades and all.”

“Maybe… Maybe I can have my music teacher well… teach you both again. And from there, help me piece together these songs I remember.”

“Songs we’ve never heard of before?” Dawn questioned.

Ocellus shook her head. “No, songs that, as I recalled, you and Pull wrote together. Lyrics and everything. I can only remember bits and pieces. Maybe… Somehow, we could not only bring them back but who knows… make them… better?”

“Suppose we could,” Pull asked, “let’s pretend that we, old geezers who never had a music lesson in our lives, could do just that. Suppose that we could write songs out of those bits and pieces. What’s in it for us? We still have families to support, lives to live, and jobs to go to. Even if we could, why do it?”

“He’s got a point,” Dawn said, sipping his cup. “For me, as much as I love being an artist, even I still have to struggle just to get by too.”

Ocellus sighed into her hooves and thought it over for a moment until she got an idea. “Okay, give me your hooves.” Confused, they did so, and the young Changeling took them into her own. Looking them in the eye she said. “On my honor, my parents, my friends, and my King, I hereby swear to both of you, as well as to Mango and Forge’s son, that when I sing these songs and earn any money because if it, that every bit I earned will be shared to the four of you. I swear that I will not be owned a single bit of money for any future concerts, performances, or anything else that is tied to any of you. And I swear further, that whenever I play your songs, I will give credit where credit is due and say that they are only covers of your songs.”

The old Beatles looked at one another before returning to Ocellus. “You’re being serious now?” Pull asked and she nodded. “I mean, you said you’re a student, aren’t you? That isn’t something that comes chea-”

“I can take care of myself.” She told him. “When I said that I want to do everything in my power to bring the music of The Beatles back, I meant it. But I can’t do this without both of your help. You can have the money, you can have the fame, all I ask is for your help. So please… help me.”

“I think she serious,” Dawn said with a yawn. “But is it possible to do this tomorrow? I still need to sleep.”

Ocellus’s ears perked up. “You mean… you’ll actually help?”

“Don’t get me wrong, young lady, I still think this is all daft.” Dawn shrugged. “However, I can see clearly that you believe in us. It wouldn’t be hurt to at least give you a chance.”

Pull nodded. “I only promise to try. But I still have work to do here in Ponyville for a while.”

“Oh, thank you!” She said, flying up and hugging them both. “Thank you so much!”

“All good,” Dawn said. “But I think it’s about time you start heading to bed yourself. There are still a few things I want to talk to Pull about.”

“Oh absolutely!” She beamed. “So, when tomorrow do you want us to meet up again?”

“Probably noon,” Pull replied.

Ocellus quickly agreed and bid them goodnight. Leaving the old friends some time to talk things over.

Chapter 7 - Love Song by the Pond

At first when Ocellus introduced Pull and Dawn to Octavia, her music teacher thought that it was rather odd that she was being asked to teach these ancient ponies to play the guitar. If anything, the teacher was suspicious of her student’s claim that these two can create some of the greatest’s songs in history. However, despite their age, having to reteach them the basics wasn’t too difficult. At one point, while they did struggle, Dawn commented that it was like “Learning how to ride a bicycle again.”

In between teaching the stallions the scales and arpeggios in different key signatures, Ocellus noticed that once they learned them, they start to improvise on them in which, she insisted that they should be recorded. They were experimenting with rhythm and melody that at first was abstract. However, as days went by, they were starting to form bits and pieces of the songs the Changeling recognized.

About five days since they started, and during one of these improve moments, Dawn mused over an E Major scale that he plucked out seven familiar notes that he played over and over.

Ocellus’s ears perked up. “Wait a minute… I think I know that… Can you play that again?” Dawn did, and she sang out the last few notes. “That’s ‘All My Loving!’”

“Well I’m glad you know it,” he said, “Because I can’t figure out how to finish it.”

“Let me try,” Pull said, taking a closer look at Dawn’s playing before he improvised himself. While he played, it helped jog the Changeling’s memory of the melody. Although bits and pieces of the lyrics were on the tip of her tongue, Dawn helped piece together the poem that went with it. Amazingly to her through their improvisation, they were able to recreate the song in about half-an-hour.

Slowly, Ocellus, Dawn and Pull started to piece together some of the songs that the Changeling could remember. Starting with the love songs. Within a week and five days since they started, they pieced together the melodies and lyrics for: All My Loving, And I Love Her, Can’t Buy Me Love, Eight Days A Week, You Like Me Too Much, Yesterday, Manechelle, Girl, In My Life, Love You To, Martha My Dear, I Will, and Oh! Darling. From there, Ocellus turned to Octavia to help pen the notes and lyrics down on paper out of the recordings so that they would be in print.

At one point after their group lesson after Dawn and Pull left, her teacher inquired her student: “Are you planning on playing all of these?”

Ocellus nodded, “Eventually, yes. But right now, I’m just hoping to get as much of these songs preserved as possible.”

“You do have to remember that you still have to play in that recital coming up.” She told her. “If you’re still doing that Yesterday song, I hope that you got it all memorized for Saturday.”

“That reminds me, did you-”

“Yes, it’s all written down. Although, given how hard you’ve been working, I think that I might give you a surprise.”

Ocellus tilted her head. “What does that mean?”

“Now I admit, when you brought those Gentlecolts in, I was skeptical at first. However… I can see that with every passing day, they have something in them. A gift of sorts. In fact, when I was transcribing the song Yesterday down, I realized that this simple song is much more… richer than I anticipated. And it’s not just that, but a few others so far. So, giving how hard working you three are, I figured that I might do something special for the recital. Before you go, I was hoping I could ask a favor from you.”

“That being?”

“Would it be of any bother to you if I moved your performance to the very last?” She asked. “I have a feeling that this would fit better as a final piece.”

Ocellus nodded. “Sure thing. And don’t worry, I have the song memorized. If anything, I’m looking forward to it!” She smiled.

After she bid her goodbye, Ocellus trotted up over to Dawn and Pull up ahead. “Hey! Wait!” She called out to them. “My recital is coming up this Saturday and I’m going to play Yesterday, do you wanna come?”

“Oh…” Pull scratched the back of his head. “I’m afraid I can’t. You see, I’m expected to head home on Saturday so I think it would be unlikely for me to come to see it.”

“And I’m going to introduce my latest work in a gallery that day too,” Dawn said, scratching his beard. “Of course… If I’m lucky, I think I could slip away for a minute to at least have a listen. But I’m afraid there are no guarantees in that.”

Ocellus’s ears folded back as she turned to Pull, “But… aren’t you coming back? There’s still so much work that needs to be done.”

“I said that I would try to help as much as I can,” he told her, “I didn’t agree to work for you. I mean… I still don’t see any point in sticking around to see our songs go nowhere.”

“But it won’t this time. Everyone is going to lo-”

“How would you know it’ll be different?” Pull questioned. “When we first did this back in the day, we hardly got noticed by anyone. We wasted years in trying to get somewhere, so what makes you think we’d get those songs off the ground?”

“The first step is to get noticed first, that’s what this recital aims to archive is to spread the word that you two have written these incredible songs.”

Pull shook his head. “Even so, I still have a job to do. Maybe… I’d come back one of these days, but right now, I need to get to work.” After he bid them goodbye, he trotted off.

“I’d come,” Dawn said to her. “Of course, it might be a tight spot for me to get out of, but maybe I could try to step out to get to hear your song and back again.”

“Thank you, Dawn,” Ocellus said.

“But if for some reason I can’t be there, at least you know why.”

The young Changeling thanked him again before they said their farewells and parted.

“…. And I think that should cover everything.” Ocellus said, looking up from her Algebra book. There was a collective sigh of relief from her friends now that their time for the study group was mercifully finished.

“Finally,” Gallus sighed, “now we got that out of the way, how about we do something fun? Anycreature got any ideas?”

“I vote we go swimming,” Silverstream said, raising a claw. “I haven’t been to the pond in a while.”

“Eh,” Smolder shrugged, “I got nothing better to do.”

“Maybe Ocellus bring guitar,” Yona suggested.

The Changeling tilted her head. “For what?”

“To play, of course.” She said. “Did Changeling learn new song?”

“Actually… I’ve been working on a few.”

“Yeah?” Sandbar asked. “Is that what you’ve been doing the last few weeks?”

She swayed in thought. “You know what? I’ll tell you all later. For now, I wouldn’t mind cooling off somewhere.”

So, after exiting the library, putting their books and papers away, the six friends walked out of the school and towards a nearby pond. Despite not all of them know how to swim, they chose this particular spot as it was a place where all of them could stand in and still have their necks and heads be above the waterline. Yona the Yak was the first to belly flop into the shallow clear water, sending tidal waves that enormous ripples around the small shores of the pond. Ocellus put her guitar down by a tree and the rest of the friends followed after. Silverstream and Ocellus temporarily transformed into sea ponies, easily circling their friends and splashing them every so often.

Eventually, they flopped on shore to dry off in the sun. It was here that Sandbar turned over to Ocellus, “So, how about those songs?”

“Huh?”

“C’mon, the songs you’ve been working on for the past few weeks. You said you were going to talk about it.”

“Oh yeah! I almost forgot.” She sat up. “Well, at least there’s some good news. Do you guys remember that old stallion that wanted to talk to me right after the dance?”

“What was that about?” Gallus inquired. “You were gone for pretty much the rest of the night. Where did you go anyway?”

“Well, as it turns out, that was Pull McCart, one of the ponies that wrote the songs I’ve been playing.”

“Really?” Silverstream asked. “What did he say?”

“Well, to make a long story short, he was surprised that I was singing his songs because they didn’t do well when he sang them years ago. But after we talked about it, we eventually found out that the other songwriter lives right here in Ponyville. Dawn Lemon. And I was able to convince them both to help me piece together some of their songs with my music teacher transcribing their songs on paper.”

“Yeah?” Smolder raised an eyebrow. “And how many songs have you been able to come up with?”

“Well… Including the one that I’m going to sing at my recital… Thirteen so far.” All of her friend’s heads snapped their attention towards her, wide eyes. “What?”

“Thirteen!” Sandbar rolled over onto his belly in the sand. “That’s enough to fill an album.”

“Why so many?” Yona asked.

Ocellus shrugged. “I guess coming together, we’re able to piece together some great stuff.”

Smolder raised an eyebrow. “Play us one.”

“Huh?”

“Right now, play us a song that you’ve been working on with some old guys. I wanna hear what you’ve been up to.”

Her other friends agreed.

“Well… okay,” Ocellus went up over to fetch her guitar underneath the tree. “Let’s see…” She sat down near them on the sand, pondering for a moment. “How about this one? It’s called, All My Loving.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQvuNkMANHA

At first, she plucked a few ascending notes in a slow, but moderate pace. Tranquil in sound, like the pond next to them. Then she began to sing. It was a farewell song to her special someone, to bid for them a last kiss because tomorrow she will missing them. To reassure them that she’ll write home every day while away to send all her love.

While her friends listened to this simply haunting song, it captivated them in the tune as time went on, their friend did pick up the pace a little while added more cords to make the sound richer, almost symphonic in tone. There was a liveliness to the song that sounded something very modern and yet, somehow old at the same time. As they listened, it was as if there was love in it in every single note. One that wasn’t faking it, but for them, this love song sounded genuine. As if she was pouring her heart into her guitar and her voice.

And yet, it was short. It was as if as soon as she started, it was over.

“That was so pretty!” Silverstream said.

“No Yak song,” Yona commented, shrugging, “But nice.”

“Honestly,” Sandbar said, “I’d rather listen to something like that then whatever pop song there is on the radio now.”

“So,” Ocellus smiled, “I take it you all liked it?”

“I have to agree with Sandbar on this one.” Smolder said, “Compared to something like Sapphire Shores, or Coloratura, or even Songbird has on the radio on loop, that song there, is breath of fresh air.”

“It’s… good.” Gallus said. “Maybe not the absolute best song I’ve ever heard you sing, but it’s fine by me. Still, I kinda preferred that one song you did when you were at the hospital.”

“You mean Yesterday?” Ocellus asked.

“That’s the one.” He nodded. “There’s just… something about it that’s captivating.”

“Maybe you guys should come to my recital on Saturday,” she suggested. “I’m actually going to be playing Yesterday there. You guys wanna come?”

“Oh! Oh!” Silverstream flew in the air, “I have an idea, why not we tell the school that so they could come too!”

Ocellus blinked, “The school?”

“I mean, why not?” Sandbar asked. “You were a hit at the school dance, and if they hear that you’re going to be playing a new song – I’d be shocked if no one came.”

“Maybe…” Smolder rubbed her chin. “Maybe we could try to organize a concert for you. After all, if you already have been making thirteen new songs, as well as those songs you did at the dance, that should be more than enough for at least one concert. Maybe we can start selling tickets and stuff like that.”

“Yeah!” Gallus snapped his talons. “I can probably make some posters out there for the school, or maybe the whole town!” He wrapped an arm around his friend. “I can see it now, ‘Friday Night at the School of Friendship’s Theater, The Newest Musical Sensation – The Beagle!”

“Beatle,” Ocellus corrected him.

“The Beatle!” He grinned, “If your songs are as good as what we’ve heard, I think we can be able to make a fortune before we graduate!”

“Guys! What a minute,” Ocellus stepped back. “Look… before I say anything… I do appreciate what you’re doing here that, yes, I do want these songs to be as widely known as possible. However… if we’re seriously going to do this, then there are two things that I need you guys to promise me.”

“Sure thing,” Sandbar said, “What is it?”

“First, and most importantly, if you’re going to make posters and such, then you have to make it clear to everyone that the songs I’m going to be singing, that they’re not mine. I didn’t write them. They’re from Pull McCart and Dawn Lemon.”

“So, say that you’re doing covers of songs?” Gallus asked and she nodded. He shrugged. “Fine by me, but what’s the other thing?”

“That I will not be making a single bit” – Gallus was about to interrupt by she finished – “instead, whatever we do make, a good chunk will have to go the creators of the songs, as well as to two other surviving band members whose songs I’m singing for them. This is something I promised them, and if you can’t uphold that promise, we’re not doing this.”

“Why?” Yona questioned. “Ocellus should have fair share too.”

The Changeling put her guitar down and walked up to her. “Yona, do you know why I’m doing this in the first place?” Yona blinked but didn’t reply. “I’m doing this because just trying to sing these songs to as many creatures out there as possible so that they won’t be forgotten. These songs, I believe, have the power to change things the better. Maybe not in a huge way, but I think they’re important. So much so, that money has nothing to do with it. Preserving this stuff has more value to me than platinum.”

“Still…” Smolder scratched the back of her head. “It just doesn’t sound fair for you.”

“I don’t need money; I can take care of myself guys.” She said, “So, change of subject, does anyone want to hear another song?”

“Well, that’s interesting,” Gallus commented.

“Huh?” Smolder turned to him. At this point of the day, the students were on their way back to their dorm rooms. The two of them were following the rest of them but were at a distance where they were out of earshot. “What is?”

“I know she keeps insisting that what she’s singing are covers,” he pointed out, “but did you notice something?”

The dragoness raised an eyebrow, “What are you talking about?”

“They were all love songs.”

“So what? Nearly every song out there is about love.”

“Yeah, but did you noticed that in all of them, she is singing her heart out to a female? I mean, typically, most songs where girls sing them tend to be focused more on males? Are we starting to connect the dots here?”

“What? Are you saying that…?” She looked between him and the Changeling up ahead. “She’s a lesbian or something?”

“Hey, I’m not saying that she is,” he shrugged, “I just find it interesting is all.”

“And why would you care?”

“Well… think about it. Let’s suppose that she might swing that way for a moment. Just remember that back at the pond, whenever she was singing those love sings, she sounds like she’s singing her heart out. Like she’s serenading or something.”

Smolder raised an eyebrow. “Yeah…? And?”

“Now here’s the million-bit question: Who is she singing it to?”

The dragoness was about to reply, but her mouth hangs open for a moment, closing, and blinked. “But… that can’t be. She’s doesn’t have a crush on one of us… right?”

“But what if she was, who would it be?” Gallus asked. “It’s certainly wouldn’t be me or Sandbar. So that narrows down to Yona, Silverstream, and you.”

Smolder shook her head. “I don’t think Yona would count as she’s pretty much dating Sandbar. And I doubt it would be Silverstream either.”

Gallus raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? And why not?”

She waved a claw, “Let’s just say that I happen to know that Silverstream isn’t into girls. So that only leaves…” Her eyes widen.

Her friend smiled smugly while Smolder stopped, looking over to Ocellus walking away.

“Is there something you wanna share with the class?” Gallus inquired.

The dragoness shook her head. “C’mon? Me? That’s just ridiculous!”

“Is it? Is it really?” Gallus smirked. “If Ocellus is singing love songs where who she’s singing to is a lady; logically, out of all of us, it most likely would be you.”

“Now hold on a second, just because we’re good friends, and we study together, and we tell each other’s secrets, and we trust each other, and we study together, and have our rooms right next door it doesn’t mean she’s…” Her eyes widened. “Oh Goddesses…”

“Hey, I’m not saying that she is,” Gallus said, walking past her, “just… food for thought.”