Wanderlust: Equestrian Nights

Scorch

The dragoness looks you up and down, as if fitting the name to you. "Call me Violet."

"Violet, huh?" At first Scorch is confused by the name, but he quickly catches on that's its a mix of the colour of her scales and her eyes. The eyes he can't seem to look away from. "I like it. Mind if I take a seat?"

Scorch

Violet tenses briefly before relaxing and sliding over a little. "Do you play at all?"

"Somewhat," replies Scorch as he sits down alongside Violet. "Somewhat" was a bit of an overstatement that Scorch would rather not admit. He's been taught, but that was some time ago. "Not as well as you do though."

Scorch

Violet giggles a little more. "Yes, I imagine the chains don't help," she suggests, gesturing to the chains on your wrists. "You might wrap them around a few times first, lest they scuff my keys."

"I would bet he does... well, no, maybe not in a fancy place like this. Probably isn't playing for tips..." Soft shrugs, following Water's gaze out to the ice sculptures again. "I'd ask what music you like as well, but I imagine 'What kind of music does Wandering listen to' is a more appropriate question." Water looks over, rejoining the conversation. "So what do you even do? Like, do you sleep mostly, or like... do you have like a library in Wanderering's head or what?"

"Oh, right. Give me a sec." Scorch turns his back for a moment as he opens the shackles on his wrists and puts them on the floor. "They just, sorta, pry open." He removes the one on his neck and places it down as well before turning back. "They help with the look, you know."

Steam Twins

Nightmare considers Water Drop's question, swirling the neon green in his mouth for a moment before swallowing. "It's... Similar to a library. Like I said earlier, all of the 'books' are surrounded by a thick layer of 'dirt' that I have to shovel out of the way first. I can tell where the stuff I want is, even - but I have to dig it out before I can access it."

A moment passes in silence. "You know what? I'm gonna go ask if he takes requests. If he says no then he says no. Maybe he'll even let me sing," he says, hopping off the chair and stepping through the door.

---

Scorch

Violet nods quietly. "Oh, I don't know. The ponies tell me jewelry is usually a girl thing," she says teasingly. "Now -"

She is interrupted by a familiar figure. "Excuse me, miss, do you - Oh!" Nightmare says, exclaiming as his eyes land on Scorch. "Now, this is rich."

Scorch remains silent as he quickly reevaluates all of the life choices he has made that have led to this moment...

"Oohhh, k..." Water watches him head for the piano, and Soft frowns. "So, how do you think it's going?" "I like it." "The date?" "The drink." Water grins. "I think its fine. He's not that bad, just new at this." "So was Wandering, and he was more charming." "If you say so."

---

Got tired of slurring up Water's lines, so just use your imagination.

Scorch

"What do you want, little pony?" Violet says tersely.

"Well, I kind of want to tease my friend here on his new status," Nightmare say. "But that can wait. Right now, I want to sing a song. This song," he says, producing a piece of sheet music and passing it to Violet. "Can you and will you play it?"

Violet looks it over critically. "It seems easy enough. Well? Shall we play it?" she says, passing it to Scorch.

"I didn't think you as the singing type," comments a begrudging Scorch as he looks through the sheet and at the lyrics. "You should lay off the drink a bit." After a small while, he begins to smile. He turns his head to Violet and answers "You know what? I think I can manage this." He turns his head to the Nightmare, his smile widening. "Anything to help a friend on his date."

Crystalite wrote:"Well, if the statue is any indicator he certainly has good taste," Discord said contemplatively. "Certainly not a new idea, granted, but admirable non the less. Let's go meet this dark spectre, shall we?" And with that, Discord drags you into The Willow, no doubt kicking and screaming along the way...

Bubbling Spring examines the ice sculpture, wondering how he might add to it in a manner that would be suitably ridiculous, when he's suddenly jerked off his hooves and dragged into the restaurant. For someone who spent half their day floating in a lounging position, Discord sure knew how to make use of his height.

Bubbling Spring surveyed the impressively fancy restaurant. While looking around, he noted Water almost falling out of her chair and Scorch chatting with Nightmare next to a piano...in a fashion that just oozed demonstration of power. He was about to jerk a candle out of the chandelier to cover for Scorch (anything to cross Nightmare when he was smiling like that), but then Scorch smiled, and he decided he'd just let him roll. He suddenly finds his stomach to be deeply contemplative. "Table for two." He requests as a thoroughly frazzled server with an orange coat approaches them. "Are there any seats left on the balcony?" He asks with a smile.

All

music:

Nightmare does not seem to Scorch's smile. Instead, he simply nods, turning around as his horn lights.

The lights dim as Violet's claws begins to dance upon the keys. The sound flowing out seems a bit louder than before, and the various patrons turn to see what's going on. A sort of spotlight illuminates Nightmare and the piano behind him as Scorch joins in, while the back wall seems to vanish, permitting the twins to see the action. And Nightmare sang.

"For a thousand years I've waited here for you
Waited every night
For I thought you were the
Answer to my life"

"Days turned into years and into centuries
Patience had to fade; don't you see that
There is vengeance in my eyes?"

Nightmare looked up towards the twins, a forlorn look taking over his face.

"Luna, won't you cry for me?
I'm as lonely as I've ever been
I am forced back into the start
Is there any way to fix a broken heart?"

Nightmare pauses to look at the floor as a few of the ponies cheer. A hint of anger crosses his face as he begins the next verse.

"Infinite despise and endless jealousy
Bottled in my soul
Has erupted as I'm
Tearing through the skies"

"Days turned into years and into centuries
Patience had to fade; don't you see that
There is vengeance in my eyes?"

"Luna, won't you cry for me?
I'm as lonely as I've ever been
I am forced back into the start
Is there any way to fix a broken heart?"

He pauses again. Nightmare's forlorn anger is replaced by a small smile as Violet and Scorch work through the bridge.

"Days turned into years and into centuries
Patience had to fade; don't you see that
There is vengeance in my eyes?"

"Luna, won't you cry for me?
I'm as lonely as I've ever been
I am forced back into the start
Is there any way to fix a broken
Luna, won't you cry for me?
I'm as lonely as I've ever been
I am forced back into the start
Is there any way to fix a broken heart?

Is there any way to fix a broken heart?

Is there any way to fix a broken heart?"

Nightmare finishes on a drawn out note, and takes a bow to the polite applause of hooves on the floor.

Scorch relaxes as the song ends. "Well, that went well."

Water and Soft don't applaud. Water seemed to enjoy the song at least, bobbing her head in time, but Soft just cocks an eyebrow when its finished, and takes another sip of wine. "I wonder where our food has gotten to..." she wonders aloud, Water nodding along. "Very hungry."

"Oh, excuse me Violet, I should lead my drunk friend back to his table." Scorch gets up and moves to the Nightmare. "Hey buddy," he whispers with a smile, gently leading the Nightmare towards the table Scorch ordered his drink from. "Walk and talk with me. That was a very brave thing you did, you know? Not many stallions would sing about a crush while on a date with somepony else. Very brave."

Scorch

Nightmare doesn't seem to catch on at first, happily walking off the stage at Scorch's direction as the lights come back. "You really think so? I worked hard on that song, I hope - wait." He stops, turns, and glares. "What is that supposed to mean?"

---

Steam Twins

As if on cue, Glowing Lantern returns with a tray - surprisingly quick for the elaborate dish. "He is a wonderful singer, isn't he?" she says as she puts them down, seeming to have gotten over her earlier fright.

---

Bubbling Spring

Nightmare's song causes some confusion among the servers, and the orange mare leaves to settle some problem or another, hurriedly saying something about waiting a minute.

As Nightmare's song ends to applause, the lights raise to show a different server (A purple unicorn) approaching, and - perhaps more disturbingly - that Discord appears to have vanished.

"Very sorry about that, sir," he says apologetically. "Table for one, I assume?"

"Well, that was him. What do you--" Bubbling Spring's question was cut short by the lack of a receiver. "...table for one, yes. Are there any tables left on the balcony?" He asks the unicorn, looking disgruntled.

"Well, I mean, you are a nightmare who just sang a song dedicated to the former Nightmare Moon," replies a hushed Scorch, "Kinda obvious what that means, right?" Scorch's smile widens to a grin as he lowers his head down to the possessed stallion's level. "And not to mention that we both know Wandering well enough to know he's got that good sweet-spot for Luna. The only pony in the world who truly understands what he's going through. You said it yourself, you're everything Wandering wishes to be, and I'm pretty sure 'to be with Princess Luna' ranks pretty high on his unlikely fantasies list. It's obvious you've inherited this affection, it's where your heart truly lies. Now, if someone were to tell the Twins that, I don't think they'll be that much interested in continuing this date."

"So it's a good thing I'm not gonna," concludes Scorch has he stands up straight once more, his grin reduced to a serious but confident smirk, "Unless I had a good enough reason to, of course."

"Foood." Water says, and begins eating. Soft watches as Scorch takes Nightmare to the other table, and absently responds to the waitress. "I suppose. Though I don't think he pulled off the point he was going for."

Scorch

Nightmare's eyes narrow. "How dare you insult me so," he growls between his teeth. "I should - no. I refuse to let you goad me this way. Water Drop and Glowing Soft are mine, and I will let nothing stand between us. Least of all you."

---

Steam Twins

"Somehow I'm not surprised," she says, looking at his glass of neon green, now about half empty.

---

Bubbling Spring

"There is, sir!" he says excitedly, almost seeming relieved. "If you'll come right this way."

He seats you on a small table on a small balcony overlooking the river. You can see Water Drop and Glowing Soft on a separate balcony chatting with the server, although Wandering Nightmare does not appear to have returned yet.

In any other circumstance, Scorch would press forward. Tease the nightmare. Comment on his seeming desperation. But not tonight. Not in public, and certainly not if it's gonna hurt his chances with Violet. "Well, go on then," comes the reply with a arm directing Nightmare to the Twin's table as if he didn't know where they were, "Go get them." He grabs his drink and downs it in one go, and returns to Violet and the piano...

Bubbling Spring waves to the twins as he sits down, quietly hoping that Discord will reappear. Thankfully, the walk to the balcony had given him at least one solution to his perpetual brokeness. "The stallion that sits at that table is paying with a golden crown, yes? He can't possibly expect you to make change for that, so just put my order on his bill. They all owe me dearly."He says with a small smile.