She-Ra-tober Fanfic #25: Music

There was a way up the cliffside behind the castle that led to a formation from which (if you had a simple grappling arrow), you could swing across and land on a particular stretch of the castle roof.

From that part of the roof, you could reach a portion of the main spire that was scalable, and from there it was possible to clamber up to a ledge that formed the base of one of the massive wings of the spire.

That ledge was comfortable and quiet. An ideal spot for private contemplation, away from all of the typical activities associated with castle life.

Bow was thinking about the future when Glimmer appeared beside him in a brilliant flash of sparkles. He startled as she grabbed his arm.

"Bow, come on! I've gotta show you something!"

And they vanished together.

In a completely different part of the castle, Adora and Catra were wrestling together, grappling in an immobile tangle of interlocked limbs.

At that moment, the air around them exploded as Glimmer and Bow materialized beside them.

"Guys! You gotta come see this!" Glimmer squealed with excitement as she reached out to Adora's shoulder.

All four of them vanished together and immediately reappeared in one of the castle hallways in front of a closed set of double doors.

Catra and Adora rolled apart in a confused heap, and Catra groaned.

"Gah! Really, Sparkles?!" She sat up, scowling. "At least a little warning, maybe!"

Glimmer smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry! I just got so excited, I-- Oo!"

Suddenly, Glimmer's expression changed, her eyes wide and smiling.

She looked at Bow. "It's the baby again!"

She touched her slightly swollen belly, then grabbed Bow's hand and placed it there. "Feel it? It always seems to happen after I've teleported a bunch!"

Bow looked at her belly and grinned. "Hey, yeah! That's so amazing!"

Adora had jumped to her feet and was looking on with interest.

"Oh. Can . . . can I?"

"Sure!" Glimmer grabbed Adora's hand, too, and placed it flat against herself.

Adora's mouth widened. "Oh, wow! I can feel it!" She turned to her girlfriend. "Catra!"

Catra stood with arms folded. "I don't really need to--"

Before she finished her sentence, Adora grabbed her arm and pressed Catra's hand onto Glimmer's belly.

Catra fell silent, and her eyes suddenly became very wide!

"Woah." She blinked a few times rapidly. "So, uh . . . so you brought us here so we could feel your stomach?"

Glimmer shook her head. "No. Let me show you."

She drew away from their hands and turned, taking grip of each of the door handles. "Welcome to . . . " She flung open the doors, and her friends looked with wonder at what lay beyond.

" . . . Bright Moon's treasury of music!"

Glimmer led her friends into a huge storage space. And it was filled with a generous array of musical instruments!

"I used to love this place when I was really little, but I forgot about it during the war" Glimmer explained. "I only found it again today!"

Bow walked over to a wall of stringed instruments and a variety of ornately carved musical bows! "This is sooo cool!" He picked up one of the instruments and a beautiful bow. "It's even cooler than the armory!"

Catra's ears perked up. "Armory?!" she snapped, turning to Adora. "You been holdin' out on me?"

Adora wasn't paying much attention to her. She picked up a golden instrument with a mouthpiece, a curved neck, and a large number of press-keys along its length.

"Wow! It's so shiny! What do you do with it?"

Glimmer beamed. "Oh, that's a saxophone: one of my favorites! You blow into the smaller end and use the keys to change the notes. Try it!"

She turned to the others and gestured toward the instruments. "Go ahead and try them!"

Adora blew into the saxophone and made a loud groaning honk that ended in a squeak. She blinked at it and smiled. "I love this!"

Glimmer tapped Catra's shoulder and pointed to a set of drums in the corner. "And you play those by hitting them with sticks," she explained enticingly.

Catra raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Oh, yeah?" She sauntered that direction.

Just then Swift Wind poked his head around the corner, with an intrigued expression. "Hey, guys. How's it goin'? Did somebody say Swift Wind?"

Glimmer had seated herself at a sort of piano. She looked up and urged Swift Wind, "Pick an instrument!"

Glimmer began to play with the piano, while Bow sawed on an upright bass, Adora created some interesting honking noises, and Catra began to bash skins with vigor!

Swift Wind nodded with understanding and found a large xylophone, which he began to play by tapping the notes with his front hooves.

"Hey!" Bow announced loudly, "We're the Best Friends Symphony!"

The cacophony that followed was joyfully raucous!

It spilled into the halls and corrupted the peaceful atmosphere of the castle.

In less than two minutes, General Juliet arrived on the scene accompanied by three of her Bright Moon guards.

"Your majesty!" she called into the room, "Is everything . . .?!"

Seeing what was occurring and noting the evident pleasure it was bringing the perpetrators, the General wisely withdrew.

Being sure to shut the doors tightly before she left.