Technicolor - Chapter 2

"Hi there!" gushed Surprise to a stunned Discord once again. He eyed her intently. White coat, a sparkly smile, alone on a hillside in the middle of nowhere. It was a crazy idea, of course- fit for something like him. It was a wonder to find anypony out here, and now that he had, how could he pass up the chance for some fun?

"Tell me, Miss... what is your name, by the way?"

"Surprise!" She grinned.

"Now, Surprise... What if I told you I could give you a horn?"

She looked at him incredulously, lost for a moment in imagination. "Well... I've always wanted to do fun unicorn things!" She giggled. "You'd do that for me?"

"Of course! You just have to promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"You have to go on a little adventure for me."

"I love adventures!"

He cackled in satisfaction. "Very well. Alright..." He placed a claw on her head and gave her a tap. She gasped. "Hold still."

She flinched at a sudden stinging pain at the top of her skull, closed her eyes and whimpered. Then it was replaced by a ringing numbness. She opened her eyes unsteadily.

Discord presented a mirror, which seemed to leave her with no reflection of her own. All she could see was her new length.

She frowned uncertainly. "...thanks?"

He snapped his digits, causing a portal to appear before the pair. "This is the adventure part." He chuckled, mostly to himself. Not even he knew where it would take her. He just wishes he would be able to watch her fate, but alas.

She cocked her head and pointed a shaky hoof at it. "In there?"

"Oh, I understand if you don't want to go."

She sighed, relieved, then squeaked at the sudden grasp around her neck. The chimera had her magically constricted, turning his attention to her cutie mark. He stroked it slowly, causing her to shiver. "Can you tell me what this stands for, Surprise?"

She coughed. "It... m-means I'm good at throwing parties."

"And to do that, you have to work with ponies, know how to get them together and let them have a fun time..."

She nodded, her eyes beginning to moisten.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to take that all away."

She yelped as she felt that same burning pain, like something about her whole existence was being changed right then and there, something essential being drained.

Discord snaked up in front of her, smirking like some school colt taking pride in his latest prank. He was holding a violet gemstone. "This precious thing contains your talent. If you want it back-" He gave it a flip through the portal. Surprise cringed.

"That's not... fair!"

"Sometimes." He snarled at her. "Sometimes life isn't fair."

He gave the base of her horn a sharp squeeze, sending her mind reeling.

Then he shoved her after the gem.

The white alicorn was in free fall, the ground below featureless. The urge to scream came, then passed by ignored. Surprise's horn throbbed, a sensation completely foreign and overwhelming to her.

A rush of cool air blew past her wings, causing her eyes to snap open. She seemed to recall having them, and began her attempt at regaining control of her descent. Everything seemed to rush past her, too smudged to be discernible. She closed her eyes and tried to let instinct guide her, flapping her wings against the steely breeze.

Soon she was in a comfortable glide again, opening her eyes.

She touched down on the grassy plain and sighed. She noticed her heart rate hadn't seemed to rise at any point.

Time to see where her adventure had landed her.

Officer North Star of the Canterlot Police Department moaned softly against his partner's lips as the pair swayed on the outer edge of the Sunrise Recording Studio. Then he noticed a white figure approaching them and backed away. "Whoa!"

The other stallion followed his gaze. "What's... a pony doing out here?"

"Come on, let's go check it out."

"...shouldn't we run, maybe? I mean, we're investigating a crime here. That thing could be dangerous."

"Come on, this is what we signed up for!" North started walking towards the stranger, the other following him hurriedly. A sly grin was spreading across his face.

As the three converged, he gave Surprise a cuff on the shoulder, waking her from the haze she had been lost in.

Now there seemed to be a pair of ponies before her. She stepped back to look them over- two brilliant white stallions, eerily alike, like the Royal Guards she knew, only in blue uniform rather than armor. Perhaps they could help her.

"Hey!" yelled Star, causing her to shrink back again. "How much did you see, missy?"

"Wha..." Her eyes darted back and forth between the two, trying to comprehend the question, comprehend anything. "I don't know-"

"Silence!" He snorted and began stroking her cheek. "Do you know what we do to mares who just so happen to be out here in a place like this..." He nuzzled her ear, exhaling hotly as he whispered- "All alone, and oh so beautiful-"

"Hey, North, this one's a blank flank!"

He backed away, smirking, and gave a light laugh. "That's... perfect! We, uh, like them young and tender, don't we?"

"We sure do!"

He stifled his giggling. This was too rich- she was genuinely scared of them. Pitiable. "Oh, we're going to use you, sweetie. But first-" He turned his attention to his companion again. Surprise cowered, whimpering.

Then the two stallions kissed again, closing their eyes in passion as they took care of their unfinished business. Surprise stared, her mouth widening silently as realization washed over her.

North Star turned to her again. "Run."

She took off, everything around her dissipating as her only thought became to get away.

It wasn't until she reached the building that it hit her.

Neither of them had said anything about her horn.

"Alright, Lyra, play something again. Please?"

The unicorn mumbled to herself and struck a chord, ringing out and resonating through the plexiglass. Hoity Toity smiled. "Okay, we're ready, just need the- ah, there you are."

Surprise found herself face to face with a gray earth stallion, sunglasses hiding his eyes. He seemed to be expecting her.

"You're the new vocalist, yes?"

She continued staring, trying to find an answer. She couldn't. "...what."

"For the Technicolor Animals? Of course you are! Come, what's your name?"

"S-Surprise."

"Surprise. I love it! Alright, go join your new band, we've got a rehearsal to get through."

She felt herself being led into the booth, joined by four others. They each were at an instrument, showing varying degrees of interest.

"Er... hello?"

An orange pegasus looked at her grimly. "Grab a lyric sheet, shut up, and sing."

For the next two hours, Surprise did just that.

"Alright, we'll take ten minutes, everypony." The words rang in her ears as she set her microphone back in its stand. Finally a chance to make sense of all this.

"What's with those guards outside?" she muttered to no one in particular.

"The pigs are here for a suicide."

"Whose?"

Octavia frowned. "Our last vocalist."

A tan stallion interjected- "She's dead. We don't talk about her anymore."

They all nodded solemnly.

"So who are you all then?"

"I'm Scootaloo!" The mare turned to show her flank. "My cutie mark's for hitting, 'cause I make a great big hit."

"Nice to meet you, Scoot-"

"And I'll smash your face up if you get too friendly."

Silence fell on them.

"...anyways. I am Octavia. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"And I am Frederic Horseshoepin, pianist. Also, this lovely mare's colt." He wrapped his arms around Octavia.

A cyan unicorn cleared her throat. "The name's Lyra Heartstrings. We're the Technicolor Animals. I guess you've already seen what we all do- Scoots' got drums, Tavis plays bass-"

"Octavia."

"Fred plays the synthesizer, and I'm guitar. You sing. To be honest, the only ones ponies really about are you and me, so!"

They stared at her expectantly.

Octavia sighed. "Well, who are you?"

"Oh! I'm Surprise. I... don't really know much else, sorry."

"Oh, honey, trust us, this job makes you forget." Lyra smiled sympathetically.

"Alright, Surprise. Welcome to our little gang. We'll have to get used to you today, tomorrow's your first performance" Frederic grinned, hoping to entice a reaction.

Scootaloo looked up from her drum kit and grimaced. "We're all stars now."