=Am I Evil 16=

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMQqdqkPBRA

>You strum along with Eris at your back off in a corner of the green room. The two of you sitting in chairs with the other out of sight while you jam before the latest Canterlot show.
>These were important to a band, sessions where you were amped up for the show but could still let the creative juices fly, the perfect synergy of preparation and creativity. Songs and rhythms you made here could go onto the next album or something further down the line, who knew?
>While the others mulled around getting ready or talking on the phone or eating bon bons, the two of you jammed.
“How’s it feel to you?” you ask.
>”I think I need more gain…” she says as she adjusts her bass.
“Illuminating. Anything else?”
>”Uhh…lyrics will be hard?”
“You suck at this.”
>”Chrysalis writes most of our songs, what do you want from me!”
“You wrote that one smooth as hell song on the record!”
>Eris’s head pops up. “This isn’t going on any of our records.”
“Why the hell not?”
>She sinks down again. “…Too personal.”
“It doesn’t even have words yet!”
>”Shut up! I’m invoking girlfriend rights! You have to shut up now!”
>You grunt and roll your eyes, fucking with your guitar.
>From in the hall, you hear a commotion.
>“What now…” Sombra says.
>The door swings open and four guards in resplendent golden armor with blue plumage enter in, taking position flanking the door and creating a path…
>…That you were in the middle of.
>Through the door comes the “tap tap tap tap” of someone walking down the hallway. Someone in heels.
>”Oh no…” Artemis mutters.
>In through the door comes the source of the noise, Her Highness Princess Celestia.
>…Who was wearing a peculiar outfit.
>”Sweetfuckinggod.” Sombra stammers and turns away. Chrysalis cackles under her breath, but you see her looking out of the corner of her eye.
>You yourself find your jaw on the floor.
>God. DAMN.

>Artemis however looks horrified. “Celly! What in Mother’s name are you DOING here!”
>Celestia chuckles and holds her hand up. “Am I not allowed to come visit you at one of your shows, brother? You –are- out now, I would think this grand masquerade would be over.”
>”And why in TARTARUS are you dressed like that!?”
>The princess rolls her eyes and smirks. “I was teaching a late night class! I decided to stop by on my way back to the palace, the council is covering night court for you, again, and I’m not needed so I thought what better time?”
>Artemis grimaces at mention of his covered responsibilities and backs down. Letting an awkward silence fill the room while Sombra controlled his spaghetti and Chrysalis avoided contact with someone she didn’t like.
“Uhhh…well welcome to the green room, we’ve got beef jerky on the table.”
>Celestia’s eyes drift down to you and she smiles. “Ah Anonymous, always the most social out of this group.”
>You swallow, you didn’t think it was a big deal.
“I’m a butterfly. Also I’m the only one here who hasn’t had to fight you to near death so that’s probably helpful.”
>She laughs again. “Very true.”
>You strum a few notes. 

“So, can we expect you out there tonight?”
>Celestia crosses her arms and smiles as she looks around with her ever present smile. “I believe I will, I do enjoy the energy here.” Celestia says before looking down at you with a predatory grin. “Perhaps you can do me a favor, Anonymous?”
“I don’t do anything with children or animals.” You say.
>Celestia covers her mouth and stifles a snorting, un-royal laugh from behind it. “Oh that’s good, I have to remember that…no, actually-“
>Celestia bends down and stops next to your ear, whispering something soft and inaudible to the others into it.
>She smelled like all the best parts of spring.
>Before you know it she’s rising up and backing out into the hall again. “Break a leg out there little brother! Anonymous! Do try!” she calls before she starts down the hall. Her guards file out behind her and close up.
>All eyes are on you.
>”Well?” Eris asks.
>”What’d she want?” Chrysalis says.
>You were still trying to wrap your head all the way around her request…The princess too? Really? 
“She said…she wants us to bring back 80’s speed metal.”

-On stage-
>The song ends and Chrysalis holds up the horns.
>You walk to your mic stand and grab a new pick, pointing at some young kid in the crowd.
>Chrysalis walks to the front of the stage and waves to the crowd and shielding her eyes from the spots to survey the venue.
>She grabs the mic and continues to wave. “Hello Canterlot, the Knights are BACK!”
>The crowd cheers and you clap a few times, enticing them.
>”Look at all these heavy metal maniacs here tonight…” she continues. They cheer again. “Are you all ready for some Neon Knights heavy-fucking-metal!?”
>The crowd cheers.
>”Are you ready?”
>And cheers again.
>”ARE YOU READY?”
>And again.
>”ARE YOU REA-DY!?”
>Again they cheer their exaltation.
>Chrysalis points up to the shadowed royal box dead in the center of the stands and walks back a bit. “Arty! Anonymous! Do it!”
>You and Artemis take your positions next to each other front and center.

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP_qc6BZ4g0

>You slide your fingers down the neck of your guitar as you depress your wham peddle and begin to play. Your pick is a blur of motion as you shred your way across the strings, becoming faster as you go down the neck again and hand off to Artemis.
>Artemis bucks his guitar up and pinwheels is head around as his own fingers flow along the strings like water on a roof, tearing up to his pickups before he finishes and hands off to you.
>You adopt a power-stance and begin the hard and heavy riff of the song. Sombra blasts some beats on the drum and counts down while Chrysalis grabs her microphone.
>You and Artemis stand next to each other on one side of the stage, mimicking one another’s movements as in-sync as you can considering you’re playing the same thing.
>Chrysalis adopts a screeching high pitched voice that sounds to you like the edge of a razor as she sings.
>You play the first of several bridges built into the song, using both your hands on the fretboard to do something quick and look around.
>The crowd in their leather and spikes and denim pound their heads with renewed vigor and strength.
>No less than three circle pits were going on.
>You glance up at the royal box and although it was cast in shadow, you like to think you saw some raucous movement in there.
>Aiming your guitar to the sky, you play to mat Chrysalis’s higher pitched singing that carries over the audience. Artemis bends his strings at an angle and produces an unholy sound at the end.
>Chrysalis lets her hair fall and cover her face as she grips the microphone with both hands. The rest of you, even Sombra, pinwheel your heads around in rhythm with the guitars during the slower chorus.

>The second verse was similar to the first, having an almost identical structure and chorus to it. 
>That was because any dolt could tell that this song was built around the guitar solos, of which Chrysalis was leading you into.
>She’s on one knee in front of you and Arty with her eyes closed and mic to her mouth, belting rapid fire lyrics that end in a harsh scream and Sombra shaking the ground with his drums.
>You and Artemis face off again. Chrysalis uses her magic to turn the room blood red and you feel Sombra’s base drums shake the building under your feet. Outside a storm crashes and inside you’re fired up.
>You start with a short downward riff while you fuck with your wham bar.
>He counters with a choppy beginning and screeching finish.
>You bust out a howling whine of your upper strings that you send out fast.
>Artemis catches and begins his solo where you left off to a note, beginning a shrill cry and sending out a complex noodling pattern with a flourish.
>You hop a step back and get close to him, the two of you holding your guitars close together as you play the same climbing notes. Your notes climb and climb up the mountain until you reach the metaphorical peak and summon a bolt of lightning with a high note.

>The two of you separate as Chrysalis takes to the microphone again, clapping her hands as the song slows down and you and Artemis continue to slam notes out.
>”HOY! HOY! HOY! HOY!” she cries.
>”HOY! HOY! HOY! HOY!” they repeat as you play.
>Chrysalis grabs the mic from the stand and begins to stomp around in circles on the stage, harshly banging her head before she begins to scream into the mic again.
>When that’s done the song picks up its old rhythm for one last quick verse before you all take power stances and play faster and faster.
>Your music grows like a dam about to burst as you go high and harder and faster until you finally explode with a single final chord.
>Chrysalis pops up from her pose and holds her mic up again. “All right, yeah…the person who wanted that knows who they are! You come backstage after this, we’ll treat you right…”
>Oh THAT will be good.

-Later-
>”Come on, tell them brother.”
>”No! Sod off!” Artemis says.
>Celestia puts her drink down on the table and pulls her brothers cheek. “But it was so…grandiose! Like something out of a tall tale one would tell children to scare them.”
>”You already know what happened!” 
>”But your friends don’t!”
“Your highness?”
>The monarch turns away from tormenting her brother and looks at you. “Celestia.”
“Right…Celestia. We all can pretty easily guess why Artemis and Chrysalis broke up.”
>”Not like they hid it.” Eris says as she plays with her hair in your lap.
>Her ears probably burning, Chrysalis walks back into the room. “Ah~ Another show said and done and another paycheck in the bank. Everyone did wonderfully out the-“ She looks at all of you looking at her.
>”…What I miss?”
“Nothing.”
>She narrows her eyes. “Don’t lie to your bandmate.”
“I just did. Don’t fight in front of the guest.”

>The Changeling queen’s emerald eyes drift over to Celestia, still in her weird outfit and sipping a drink from a red cup while looking eerily relaxed. “Did the guards outside give you any trouble?”
>Chrysalis doesn’t say anything for a moment before she sits down, having forgotten you. “No. But one of them was trying to look under the door.
>Celestia closes her eyes and nods “Yes, which would be Helios. I’m afraid he’s a bit of a worrywart.”
>”I’m surprised that he listened when you told him to leave.” Sombra says.
>”As you well know, Sombra, one of the benefits of being a monarch is that your subjects have to do what you say.” She says as she levitates another beer from your cooler and pours it into her cup.
>”Someone’s going hard tonight…”
>Celestia smugly looks at her brother while she sips her drink. “What are you going to do, tell Mom and Dad? They left –me- in charge, remember.”
“Oh so thaaaat’s why you’re the big boss around here.” You postulate
>Celestia chuckles. “Well it certainly wasn’t my aptitude for politics.”

>You lean back in your chair, no one else wanting to talk. “My my, was that a joke from the Princess?”
>She holds her arms out wide and shrugs. “I dearly hope so, I can’t stomach the idea of someone wanting to willingly enter into the political. If only I had a sibling I could unload all the responsibility on so that I could go fulfill my dreams…”
>”Oi!”
>Celestia chuckles and sips her drink again at her brother’s expense. 
“You’re…way more casual then the last time I met you, you say.”
>”I’m not working now. Or are you judging me privately through the image I’ve presented publically, Anonymous? I’d hope that this motley crew of all of them wouldn’t do that.”
>You nod slowly. 
“I suppose that’s right…teacher.”
>Celestia looks down at her outfit, seeming to notice it again. “Oh, this? I admit that this was partially dress code and partially to tease Sombra with what he can’t have.”
>The drummer looks away coughing. “I’m still waiting on my chocolates~” Celestia says.
>Artemis rolls his eyes. “Sombra isn’t the only one she teases…” he mutters under his breath.
>Celestia looks down at Artemis and sighs, closing her eyes and putting her cup down. “And there I think I’ll take my leave…”
>She magics the door open and reveals two guards kneeling down to where the crack was. “Go clear the street, I’ll be leaving in a few minutes.”
>The two stand embarrassed and salute before rushing down the hall. Celestia stands and floats her coat over. “Anonymous, can you walk me to the door?” she says on the way out.
>You cough on your drink.
“Uhh…”
>”Go ahead.” Eris says.
>You look down at her, a bit gobsmacked. “Hurry or she’ll turn you to stone, trust me.”
“Right, right.”
>Eris lets you up and you hurry out of the room.

>You and Celestia walk silently down the hall of the venue leading outside. Even though the princess isn’t saying anything, you can feel her looking at you from the corner of your eye. You try not to meet her gaze.
>”Sorry for putting you in that situation.” She says sympathetically.
“Huh? Wwwhat situation?”
>Celestia sighs. “You were right earlier in the evening. I’ve had to fight each and every other person in that room with the fate of the kingdom on the line. I’m afraid that that leads to some…awkwardness in conversation.” She says, though still with what could be called a smile.
“It’s no big deal…Eris drunk, that’s awkward. This is…it’s whatever.”
>Celestia snorts lightly through her nose. “To be able to be so blasé…I swear it comes from your age. Reach your first millennium and see if you’re not bitter yet.”
>You reach the door and hold it open for Celestia. 
“How in the world are YOU bitter?”
>She smiles at you, you no longer caring or too buzzed to notice you’re looking her in the eye. 
>”You’re not the only one who wears a mask, Anonymous…the immoral is never as evil as we pretend it is, and the righteous are never quite as good. An old centaur told me that once.”

>You’re taken aback.
“You? Really?”
>Celestia puts her coat back on as her limo pulls around, she walks backwards out the door, still looking at you. “I’m far more interesting than my position as ruler of a country would have you believe, Anonymous.”
>Killer…
>Something quickly crosses your mind as she keeps walking.
“Wait, don’t you need an umbrella?”
>”Hmm? Oh the storm stopped once your set ended, that should make more sense to all of you in the future if you keep your pace.” She says.
>One of her guards opens her limo door and Celestia sets one foot inside before waving back. “Take care, Anonymous! And do be good to that little chaos sprite in there, I put the most lovely flowerbed where her statue was and I’d hate to have to tear it up again.”
>You wave but Celestia climbs in and drives off before you can respond. You look up and indeed see that the clouds are gone and the sky is clear now before you turn and head back to the band.