--------- Melody's Tale - Extended Family ---------

"Verse, make sure you clean the music room before they get here!" Twilight called out, the loud conversation passing through Melody's room.

"Got it!" Verse replied, shuffling past her open door. Melody was currently up on her chair, leaning over the top shelf of her desk as she reached at the hard-to-get places with a duster. Apparently, ten years had been a long time for dust and other nasty bits of debris to settle. She and Verse had shared their nursery room until they were seven, but at that time, Verse wanted more space to play and Melody was getting tired of his premature snoring. At that time, Lily and Twilight separated their rooms, and even helped a young Melody paint the walls. The faded floral pattern still existed, even though Melody's interests had swayed far from botanics shortly after the move.

When you've planted one flowerbed and watched it die in the winter freezes, you've planted them all... Instead, Melody picked up the mantle of music. It seemed to call her, maybe because of her name, or maybe because Lily was a talented player. Their music room had expanded over the years to accomodate a large piano, several stringed instruments, and for one reason or another, a harp... Not that Melody minded. Some of the most tender memories of her early childhood were sitting in the room, reading a good book in the light of the sun as Lily played one slow, gentle tune or another. She was skilled in the violin, piano, fiddle, cello, harp, and guitar. Melody herself was awfully smitten with the harp, but she picked up the cello soon after playing it the first time. Verse was good on guitar.

Twilight, however, had one instrument and one instrument only... She was a master with the flute. Together, the four of them would play or make music, though Lily always directed them one way or another. She had a talent for it. A knack. Not just that, but she truly seemed to LOVE music. Making, listening, composing, creating, writing, it didn't matter... There wasn't a day that passed the house wasn't filled with notes. Her singing, her playing, or any one of them. Melody sighed as the last bit of dust left her desk, and she emerged for final inspection. She gave Twilight a mock salute as her mother entered the hallway.

"Assignment completed, ma'am! Prepared for final inspection!" Twilight poked her stomach, making her flinch and laugh as she swept into her room.

"Wow! Melody, it's so bright in here!" Twilight's eyes went wide. Melody smiled.

"I washed the windows. The outside had a lot of salt spray build up. Honestly, how the grass keeps growing with all the saltwater in the air is a mystery." Melody smiled and leaned against the door, watching Twilight scrutinize her room.

"Alright, kiddo." She said after a while. "Looks good."

"I'll say." Lily's voice just behind her made Melody jump. She wheeled around and gave her a playful shove as Lily laughed at her daughter's reaction. "Everything good in here, Twi?" Lily slipped past Melody, who watched Twilight give her lover a gentle hug.

"Looks like it. Melody works fast."

"She gets it from her mother."

"Hmm, which one, I wonder..." Twilight grinned as she pulled Lily down onto Melody's bed, the other giving a quick squeal of delight before straddling Twilight's waist. They started kissing then and there, right on Melody's bed.

"Ugh!" Melody groaned and grasped the bed in her magic, flipping the mattress up firmly. Both women tumbled to the floor in a heap of limbs and laughing, and Melody started nudging them with her foot. "You two have your own bed to go fuck on! Go on, get!" She pushed them out the door bit by bit, the laughing women still too caught up in the glee to help much themselves. Once they were in the hall, Melody shut her door, smiling at her parents' antics nevertheless. She could hear the two of them get up and pad off towards their own room, and the sound of a door closing was the last thing she herself heard from them until dinnertime. Until then, Melody made her bed and settled down for a warm nap...

"Hon, dinner's almost ready..." The soft voice roused her a few hours later, making Melody rub her eyes and sit up with a little nod. Lily or Twilight, she never saw. Whoever it was, they left before she could focus properly. Feeling just a little groggy from her nap, she made her way downstairs, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she joined Verse and Lily at the table. Soon after she sat down, Twilight served dinner, floating the four plates onto the table with a graceful wave of her hand. Lily inhaled the scent of fresh fish, most likely caught just the other morning from the sea. That, and green beans, rice, and mashed potatoes, they were in for a hearty dinner. The after-dinner quiz, though, was rather light-hearted and easy. They all set in on small bowls of ice cream halfway into it, none of them giving up for the easy questions. Verse offered to take care of the dishes, and Melody helped. Once they were finished, they did their usual nightly thing. Tonight, though, Verse took his guitar. On nights like this, Lily would hum a simple tune to the rhythm, or occasionally sing.

Tonight just so happened to be a singing night.

Verse played perfectly to match Melody's voice, and she sang a high soprano. Under the waning moon, the two young adults sang and played songs of love and laughter, of simple times not unlike the one that they now shared. However, the night wouldn't last forever, and as Verse let the last note linger, Melody felt her heavy-lidded eyes lower more and more.

"C'mon, sis." Verse said, flexing sore fingers. He helped her up and together the two of them returned to their home. There was a slight chill in the air. The September night bore with it the first hint of autumn, however temperate it was this far south... Perhaps it was because Melody was accustomed to the neigh-tropic clime, or maybe she was just sensitive, but each winter seemed to get colder and colder... She was looking forward to more nights curled up with hot tea by the fireplace, though... Those nights, it wasn't uncommon for all four of them to sleep in various positions throughout the living room. When they were younger, the four of them would sleep pressed chest-to-back, cuddled close for warmth. Melody almost missed days like that. Still, as she hugged Verse goodnight, going to her own bed wasn't such a bad thing.

But in her dreams came the whispers...

Low, impossible to hear clearly, they pulsed through Melody's dreamscape, making the grassy hill underneath her feet ripple and shift with the soft words. This night was no different, if they were slightly more frequent. Still, Melody couldn't make out a single one of them, and she woke before the light came, when it was still dark out. Listening intently, she couldn't tell if anyone else was awake. Groaning, she slid out of bed and quielty made her way down to the kitchen. The sun was just cresting the horizon when she started making the coffee, using Twilight's house-rousing blend, along with her own addition. She shook ground hazlenut in with the coffee grinds and layered the bottom of the pot with a small bit of vanilla extract. When the brew started to pour, it almost immediately began to fill the entire house with it's fantastic scent. Melody felt like she was going to need it to make it through.

By the time the brew finished, Twilight was sitting at the table with a weak, tired smile. It seemed Lily was on her way down, though Verse abstinently remained in bed. Some of them had all the luck... Melody poured three cups and joined her mothers at the table.

"You're up early." Lily grumbled, kissing Twilight on the head as she went to get sugar and cream. Melody, personally, preferred hers black. Apparently, so did Twilight. They shared a look, the sort that made them both smile. Suddenly, Lily perked up.

"Twilight." She said softly, smiling. The purple-haired woman smiled into her mug as she grinned at Melody.

"Are they...?"

"Mmhmm." Grinning, her sleepiness suddenly gone, Melody stood up and started running.

"They're coming from the north-east!" Lily called after her, but she was already out of the door. Barefoot, she ran through the soft dirt straight for the edge of the clearing. There, in the chilly early-morning mist, she saw a different color than green or brown. Grinning as wide as she could manage, Melody poured on the heat, smiling as calls of recognition greeted her early-morning sprint. With a squeal of delight, Melody finally closed the gap on the group of women approaching them, launching herself at the nearest one.

"Melody!" Applejack opened her arms wide and caught the flying girl in a passionate hug, both of them stumbling in the sudden embrace. Melody was soon set upon by three other women, wrapping her in a big, warm, group hug.

"I missed you guys so much!" Melody laughed and cried in equal measure, the tears suddenly coming. She hadn't realized it in the days they had spent preparing for the visit, but her emotions were running high in expectance of seeing the four women that she had come to think of as her aunts, every bit as close to her as family. Blood. They laughed, a few of them shedding tears of their own, smiling all together.

"Where's yer brother?" Applejack said with a grin. "Rumor has it the younun's got a thing for me."

"Yeah, a BIG thing!" Pinkie Pie chimed in, making everyone laugh, save for Melody, who just blushed furiously.

"Man, it's been SO long since I've been down here." Dash said, fluttering her wings as she looked longingly towards the house.

"Come on. Twilight and Lily are waiting. No reason to keep you guys out in the cold." Melody led them across the meadow, smiling as they started the long process of catching up. There was a lot of 'Twilight said you were-' and 'Lily mentioned that...' Melody had nearly forgotten the link her mothers and these four all shared, how they could talk with one another and more with a mere thought. Lily had been the one to inform Melody of their arrival, now that she recalled. Still, she was happy and jittery as she led them all into their home. Twilight and Lily rushed forward, and even more hugs and tears were shared. The ruckus of conversation and tears had, of course, finally roused Verse, who had at least had the presence of mind to put a shirt and pants on before joining everyone. For a budding young man, getting hugs from four strange women in a row, one of whom he had a serious crush on, had to have been uncomfortable. There was an awkward moment all around as he excused himself, using a half-assed alibi that he hadn't showered yet.

"Don't take too long, breakfast will be ready soon." Twilight called after him. It was in that moment that Melody realized their home was actually really small... The addition of four more women was making the living room feel slightly crowded. She sat in front of the fireplace while all the others sat on couches and chairs, rapid-firing questions at her. With the link, she figured Lily and Twilight had to talk on an almost daily basis with them. So for Melody, she was the only one who was the odd one out. Still, though, being close to a friend they hadn't physically seen in so long was a new experience. Applejack and Lily held hands, even. It was a rather touching sight. Melody smiled and answered all the questions fired at her one at a time. It made for a fun morning, and once Verse joined in, a little red-cheeked, there were more laughs to be shared. Applejack took the news just fine, and even shot him a few teasing winks

"Breakfast is ready!" Twilight finally called. Everyone stood and made their way into the kitchen/dining room. A hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, toast, oatmeal, milk, and orange juice was ready, and they all ate their fill contentedly. Fluttershy meekly offered to handle the dishes so everyone else could catch up, but Lily and Twilight helped her out anyways. Melody was left alone with Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie. Which was fine, since one of them was the one she wanted to talk to the most...

"Auntie Dash," She said, getting the avian's attention.

"What's up?" She said, smiling at the young woman.

"What can you tell me about Canterlot? And the war?" Melody leaned forward, hoping she could learn something before either of her mothers found out she was asking such a question. Applejack chuckled as Pinkie Pie shot Melody a wide grin.

"Oh silly. Twily and Lily already told us you'd ask those questions. We made a super Pinkie-Pie swear that we wouldn't tell you!" The bubbly woman crossed her heart and covered her left eye, smiling all the while. Melody's hopes sunk as the other two repeated the gesture, soft smiles on their own lips.

"But, she did say we could tell y'all this, sugar." Applejack reached out to lay a hand on Melody's arm. "With any luck, you n' Verse will be comin' up to spend some time with me an' Braeburn in Appleoosa. Now, don't get yer hopes up. It'll be in another year or so, but Twilight and Lily both think it's 'bout time you two got yer fill o' the world." Melody's heart bottomed out and immediately soared higher than it had been before. Probably higher than it'd been in a few long weeks.

"R-really?" She stuttered, eyes wide. Verse, who had been listening in, had much the same expression. "Do you really mean it?"

"Honest truth, Melody." Dash said with a grin. "IF it happens, and that's a bit if, it'll be when I get just a little time from assignments to head south, and when Fluttershy gets a break in Fillydelphia. All eight of us will meet in Appleoosa, and the princesses want to meet with us as well."

Melody stopped listening after that. Rainbow Dash kept talking, her mouth was moving, and Pinkie Pie jumped in a few times, too, she was sure... But past the words 'Meet with us,' Melody was completely lost. Verse managed to beat her to the punch, and he spoke first, bringing the topic back to the important part.

"D-did... You just say that... Princess Celestia and Princess Luna wanted to... MEET with us?"

"Well of course, sugar." Applejack grinned at Verse. "They've been wantin' to meetchya both ever since y'all was born. Shoot, I'm sad mahself it's been ten years since Ah've seen y'all. I'll be damned iffen you don't grow up to be a damn fine man one day, Verse." She said with a smile. They were changing the subject again. Melody re-affirmed.

"You're telling us, the two most powerful beings in all of Equestria want to see US..." She said quietly, leaning in closer. Dash, Pinkie, and Applejack all shared a look and a smile.

"That's the short of it, yeah." Dash said, shrugging nonchalantly.

"It's true, you know." Twilight said, wiping her hands on a towel as she emerged from the kitchen with Lily in tow. "If Dash and Fluttershy can get the time off they need for us to get together, we can make a trip up to Appleoosa. Braeburn is always the sort to open his home, and you two need to see more of the world a it is. Miko and Jokkan will take us north, just like they brought these four south, and with any luck the princesses will make it. I meant to ask, did Jokkan and Miko come with you?"

"Well here's the thing," Dash said softly. "They took off last night, told us they'd mark the path before they left. We found everything we needed to get us here. They were real quiet, though... Like, they didn't really say anything..." Twilight and Lily shared a knowing sort of look, and even Applejack smiled softly.

"Twi'll be able to tell yeh more about it than me." She said, nodding to the purple-haired magi. Twilight nodded and collected her thoughts before speaking.

"It would appear as if the locals around here are all magi. Each and every one of them. They do a lot of things without magic, though... Hunt, gather, grow... But there is one thing they do with magic all the time. And that is talk. Did you notice a sort of... Hum in the air? Like, a sort of underlying current of power?" Pinkie Pie chimed in then.

"Ooh! You're RIGHT, I DID feel something! There was that one time I was sleeping and they were kinda close, and it felt almost like someone was playing a really low bass note!" Twilight smiled at her.

"You're right. That's when they talk. I can't understand how they do it, but it's really interesting to see in action."

"That's really cool..." Dash said, then, somewhat wistfully. "The weather team used to send cloud messages, but nothing so cool like that..."

"I think the premise is similar. The weather team just painted braille patterns in midair, right? I think that might be what they're doing... Or something simliar."

"So... Timed pulses of magic, in some sort of pattern to make letters and words?" Melody asked quietly.

"You're right, Melody. At least, I think so... I can't be sure." Twilight shrugged. "Still. You girls must be tired, but we don't really have anything else to do around here. Would you like to go swimming?" Applejack grinned over at Verse, who had fallen silent in contemplation.

"Ah brought mah swimsuit just fer this."

-------------

The rest of that day had been spent between swimming, eating, and relaxing. Melody was glad for a long nap under her tree next to Fluttershy and one tuckered-out Verse, the three of them waking again in time for dinner before going back to sleep for the night. Melody shared her bed that night with Pinkie Pie, Applejack slept downstairs on the couch, and Fluttershy and Dash decided to sleep outside on a cloud. The arrangement worked, though Melody could have done without Pinkie's snoring. It stopped, however, when the rowdy woman rolled over and hugged Melody tight. She was really warm and really soft, and Melody soon drifted off with ease...

That night, though... The whispers came in force. Melody stood in the middle of an ankle-deep pool, the water rippling and bubbling with the force of the whispers this night. They were still faint, but Melody was able to start making them out, one by one.

"Come,

Sleep,

Live...

Together,

Scream."

"FEED."

Melody woke screaming.