//------------------------------// // Chapter Three - SOAP saves the day // Story: The Nightmare Reborn // by vintage brony //------------------------------// “I really don't think we have time for pizza, not to be rude or anything but we were also planning to go somewhere else afterwords.” Evan said to the incredibly hyperactive pony before him. The only one to rival him in energy was a pink coated mare he met at a party, who ended up literally swinging from the rafters. “Are you sure? We could get oats on it...” Lunar tried lengthening the word oats to make it more persuasive. Kidd looked at this stallion and wondered why he looked familiar, he looked him over for a clue. The pony had a black coat, red hooves, light blue eyes that twinkled when he got excited. He also had long flowing purple mane that extended past his shoulders, he even had a matching tail that went just past his knees. His cutie mark was that of a shield with a microphone in the center. Then it hit him, he was a customer! His mind flashed the memory over his vision. The effort it took to keep this pony still enough for me to paint him was excruciating! He yelled in his head. The stallion in question would see one of his plans for an invention and would scurry towards it, flipping the sketch around trying to make heads or tails of them. He ended up clearing out the room to void it of any distractions. Returning to the present, he was just in time to hear the beginning of the story behind Lunar's bitter rivalry with Kristoph. “Well you being a fan and all I guess I could tell you. Back before my band and I got started I was in a special music school for the gifted. One of the other ponies in there was Kristoph. At first I tried to get to know everypony so maybe we could make just one huge band! They were cool and all, its just that not all of them took to me so easily, mainly Kristoph...” Lunar said looking at the corner of the room eyes glazed over in remembrance. “But I don't think that's grounds to go and make a vendetta on somepony. There has to be something else.” Evan said rubbing his chin with a silver hoof. “Well there was the musical finals. They thought it would be fun to make it into a sort of competition. The ponies that performed in the same genre were pitted against each other. So the only other pony I was competing with was... Kristoph. So we each made a song and we both felt rather confident in ourselves.” Evan started to picture the scene in his head as the singer pegasus continued with the story. “The stage we played on was rather small, it barely fit all our equipment on. And the stands only had five seats for use not far from the stage. These were reserved for the committee, I remember no matter what I tried not one of them wanted to go for ice cream later.” Lunar chuckled a little at this. Then furrowed his eyes as he tried to move on. “I was after Kristoph, when he found out he argued about him opening for me. He fumed until he had to go on. Special effects weren't allowed so he made due without them. He wore a cloak on stage and slowly cantered up towards the middle looking out towards the committee. Then he pulled the hood down to cover up his face. When he started to sing his voice was kept low and strained. Giving the song a creepy atmosphere.” “As a sleeping town nearly reaches the dawn of day. A vessel docks it's bay.” Kristoph sang while he glared at the microphone in his hoof. Lunar watched Kristoph from backstage measuring him up. He could see the extra work the other pegasus had put into the test turned competition. Of course he was good before but this was great! Well for Kristoph... Lunar looked at his band equipment and wondered if his song would even compare to the one brought to life by his rival. This made Lunar think, was Kristoph really his rival? Sure Kristoph was the only other competition he had but was that enough to think of him like this? He hung his head low looking back towards the performance. “I just hope this song is enough.” Lunar said to no one in particular. He was stirred from his day dreaming just as the song ended. “So what happened after that?” Kidd asked getting more curious. “Well I went up to perform and I played the song I played today. And well I scored just above Kristoph so I got a record deal, he still passed but wasn't given an offer.” Lunar said flatly still a little sad. “He still refuses to talk to me, well besides arguing. No matter how many times I've tried.” “Well maybe I can help you with that.” Evan said smiling. “I think I have an idea of how to fix this.” A few minutes later “So smart pony, how do you plan to fix them? Do you plan to lock them together forever?” Kidd said smirking at Evan to bug him. “Well no, just until they stop arguing.” Evan said matter-of-factually. “Wait what? You do realize that's considered pony-napping right? As in thrown in a dungeon if caught pony-napping.” Kidd stared at Evan with a look of disbelief and thought what this stallion was capable of. “It shouldn't take more than a minute or two if my invention works.” Evan said with a touch of smugness. Curiosity piqued Kidd asked “What invention?” “What? Think your the only inventor in this town? Well its something I've been working on for a while. Its purpose is to drain away a ponies anger and aggression. In the test it seems to work fine.” “Dear Celestia tell me you didn't test this out on other ponies did you?” Kidd asked fearing the answer. “Of course not! What kind of psycho do you take me for?” “I don't think you want to know...” Kidd muttered under his breath. “What?” Evan asked looking back while still heading to Kristoph's room. “Oh nothing, you were telling me about something you made?” Kidd said trying to change the subject. “Oh yeah the Spherical. Object. Anger. Perisher.” Evan stated proudly. “When mixed with normal water it can be used to make orbs that suck the anger out of anyone! I tested it myself!” “Ok first when did you have time to test this? Maybe when you should have fixed my roof?” Kidd said a little miffed. “I did it when you cleaned my home restarting some of my most painstaking projects.” Evan Verbally stabbed back. “Touche. But why S.O.A.P.?” Kidd asked hoping to derail Evan's train of thought. “Not SOAP Spherical. Object. Anger. Perisher.” Evan said sounding offended. “So you do know soap has been around for awhile right?” “Nonsense. I invented it just yesterday.” Evan said matter-of-factually. Maybe there's a difference? There is no way he hasn't used soap before. He Isn't that dirty... Is he? Kidd thought to himself increasing the space between them. They continued walking until Evan rushed off down the hall causing Kidd to have to catch up. Evan came to halt near a pony working on some sound equipment. The first thing Kidd noticed was that this pony had a magic tattoo. He had only heard of them, as they were fairly painful even with the pain reliever spell they used. It was enchanted so you could see it through the wearers coat and never fade. This ponies was a thorny vine going up the white pegasus's left foreleg ending in a budding rose on his shoulder. Next thing he saw was his red eyes with matching mohawk and short spiky tail. Last was the wrench on his flank. “Hey can you tell us were Kristoph's room is?” Evan asked once he came to a stop. The stallion tore his gaze from the machine and looked at the unicorn before him, then he grew a confused look. “Do I know you from somewhere?” He asked looking Evan over trying to get a hint. “Hmm, maybe... did you work at the last concert here? I made the pyrotechnics.” Evan said proudly grinning a bit. “Oh yeah... I smelt like a firework stand for a week.” He grumbled scowling at Evan. “ My tail just started growing back too.” He added sadly glancing at his short tail sighing. Then returned to looking at the scientist, who was looking everywhere but the stallion in front of him. “And I just started seeing colors again.” “Hey I remember! Your Sierra! And I told everyone not to look at it directly! That's not my fault.” Evan said defensively sitting back and crossing his forelegs. “I was sick that day!” “Well be glad the effects weren't permanent.” “Whatever... and what business do you have with Kristoph? He doesn't want to be disturbed at the moment. Especially after seeing Lunar.” “Well we were actually going to talk to him about that.” “He has the notion that he can fix their little dispute with soap.” Kidd tried stifling a laugh at what he just said. What am I doing? He thought. “It's not soap and its the bubbles that'll fix them.” He said looking away a little miffed he was being laughed at. This only got Kidd rolling in the hallway. Trying to get things moving Evan continued pressing information. “So how about that room?” He asked nudging Sierra playfully with a wide grin. “I swear if this comes back to bite me in the flank- he paused to take a second to calm himself- my tail wont be the only thing that will have to grow back. Got it?” He said emphasizing that last sentence with a nudge of his own, all though much less playfully. “Alright no need to get your tail in a kn- he paused seeing the stallion turn almost as red as his mane – nothing. Uh which way did you say it was?” The stallion only replied with pointing his hoof at a door further down the hall. Evan left without a word with Kidd still chuckling slightly and wiping his eye with a hoof. “Hey Kidd go get Lunar. Bring him here so we can do this.” “Alright but you get all the credit. I don't want a pony-napping charge on me.” “Trust me it'll be fine.” He turned around to knock on the door. Kidd thought of this pony's definition of fine and cringed but left to fetch Lunar anyways. “Hello?” Evan said knocking hoping the stallion from before gave him correct directions. “What is it?” “This is Kristoph's room right?” “Yes this is my room. Why do you ask?” Evan became giddy once again but squelched it. Calm and cool, I need to appear professional if this is going to work. He thought. “May I come in? I have some pressing matters to discuss.” Yeah professional not like a librarian dolt... He thought mentally kicking himelf. “Fine but no cameras. Doors unlocked.” Pushing the door open gently Evan walked in and left the door open just a bit for Kidd. He then glanced at the pegasus before him and had to stop the urge to ask for his autograph. The singer was fairly tall, had a red coat and long jet black mane and tail. His eyes were hard to see as they were so pale they almost were indistinguishable from the rest of his eye. He had white hoofs and a bass guitar for a mark. “Well I would like to talk to you about somepony you know who has something to say.” Evan started. “That's being awfully vague for me letting you in here... in other words. What are you talking about?” “Well he's outside this door. Come on in.” Then came Lunar followed by Kidd. Evan swiftly closed and locked the door with his magic to hush the inevitable arguing. “And what in Celestia's name are you doing here?” Kristoph said getting in a defensive stance. “Hey there... Kristoph... I just want to make peace.” Lunar said weakly. “Oh really? Then were are the Cupcakes of Sorriness?” Kristoph said confusing just about everypony in the room. “Wait. What? Did I miss something here? Cupcakes?” Kidd was looking around wondering how he kept meeting crazy ponies. “Oh we should totally go out for cupcakes later! But I think we should sort this out first. I just want us to be friends, if not that than at least stop this rivalry between us.” Lunar said with his head hung low but keeping his eyes on Kristoph. Kristoph let his head sag as well as he sighed. “I think your right, I don't even remember what this was all about.” “OH I know this! It was because I beat you at the contest!” Lunar replied happily then stopped. “Oh umm... sorry... I um get excited. Can you forgive me?” Lunar said as he looked at Kristoph with pleading eyes. To which bubbles started to rain down on them. This caused everyone in the room to look towards the source, Evan. He gestured for them to continue with a hoof and floated the stick with a loop on the end into the container of SOAP again, Kidd shook his head at this. Then Kristoph tried to continue “Um ok? Well lets just forget about this ok? Its in the past. Bygones be bygones?” He said reaching out a hoof towards Lunar, to which he gladly accepted the hoof shake. “Right, thanks Kristoph. So how about those CUPCAKES!” He yelled while still shaking Kristoph's hoof. “See I told you they work.” Evan whispered to Kidd floating up the bottle of SOAP towards him. Kidd facehoofed, I need to get some time to myself soon...