//------------------------------// // True Talent // Story: A study of Harmony // by Sugar Dove //------------------------------// The group were enjoying lunch outside the rainbow factory gift shop. The mares had some keyrings and were attempting to pick the ones they wanted without arguing. Steadfast was doing his best not to laugh at the pair. D however was ignoring them and was contentedly messing with his wings by looking back and forth at an enchanting lexicon he had picked up back in Ponyville. Edge and Scribe were chatting to themselves. “So where do you think we’ll go next?” Edge asked casually. “I have no idea.” Scribe responded, “but knowing Dove she’ll have something in mind.” It was as if in response that a mail pony flew past. “Excuse me?” He approached, “I was told that I would find a Midnight Scribe here?” “That’s me,” he responded. “Here.” He passed him a letter, “I think its urgent.” And he flew off without another word. “Gotta love the mail force around here, very efficient.” Commented Dove between snatching keyrings. Scribe had opened the letter and was scanning it carefully. He sighed, then he mused and finally he declared. “I have to go to Manehatten. I’ve been assigned a review there. I could do with this. I am slightly concerned though?” “Sounds awesome! What’s up though?” Steadfast chipped in. “My boss wants me to write a bad review. Before I’ve even seen the act I’m reviewing.” “Why would you be told to do that?” Rouge joined in. “I assume he’s been paid off by a competing firm to ruin the performer I’m being told to meet.” “Then we’d best go so you can meet this performer. It’s still professional to follow procedures I assume?” Dove added. “You all want to go with me?” Scribe looked at them all. They all nodded almost in unison. “It’s settled!” Dove declared, “we’re going to Manehatten!” *** One short balloon ride later and the crew were landing on a rooftop in busy Manehatten. “Ok so we’re all clear on where and when we are going?” Scribe checked. D replied “I’m off to sort the hotel for us.” “I’ll take this opportunity to get my hoof into the comedy circuit.” Steadfast grinned. “We’re going shopping!” Dove had grabbed Edge and was already dragging him off into the distance leaving D to pick up the gadgetry he had dropped in the process. Rouge rolled her eyes at Dove but smiled anyway and silently followed a bit behind. “Guess I’ll see them later. Good luck Gentlecolts I’ll meet you at the hotel.” The colts nodded and went on their way. Scribe had only been to Manehatten once. Head office was here and he had done his best to keep his distance. So hopefully if he did right by them he could keep to himself in Ponyville as a small time reviewer. He worked his way toward the theatre district. This was his first time here. The roads were busy, the walkways were busy, even the air was packed. There were queues out the buildings and on the sidewalks for shows, shops and cabs. Scribe felt a little overwhelmed at first but kept his cool and found the building he was told to head too. He took the side door to avoid the hectic streets and ridiculous queue out the door. Entering he found himself in a long corridor. The vinyl floors went on for ages and there were numbered doors on all the walls. There were ponies galloping about in a rush and others in costumes and warming up their voices and muscles. Scribe tapped the first pony that didn’t look too busy on the shoulder to ask for directions. They nodded in the general direction but as with many performers that he knows they really weren’t interested in talking to him. Cantering in that general direction he finds that he can hear music. A piano is playing and is slowly getting louder as he approaches a room towards the end of the hall. At its loudest he turns to face the door. This seemed like the place. He tapped on the door and pushed it open. The piano was a recording the music blasting from a digital player at one end of the room. Prancing around the middle of the room is the pony Scribe has come to see. Rhythm Heart; a new comer to the performing world, this young pegasus is about Scribes age, his pelt is a pale sky blue and his mane is a powerful blonde with shimmering streaks through it that glint in the sunlight that occasionally glitters through the window to the small rehearsal studio and on his flank rhythm lines and music notes wave in bold black. The colt sways this way and that in time to the rhythm and he stamps his hooves to the ground with each sudden heavy note. Scribe waits for the colt to finish. He watches in amazement at the flowing movements and the sudden turns. The colt was very elegant, more so than even Scribe thought possible for a colt. When the music came to its dramatic climax Scribe applauded. The pony was not startled by Scribe instead bounding over gleefully to greet him taking his hoof in his and shaking them then hugging him without thought or permission. “You must be from the press?!” Rhythm Heart announced happily. Scribe nodded, “Yes, I’m from Ponyville press but this might go further. I hear there is a promotion in this for both of us.” “Yeah this is my first big show! I’m so excited. What did you think?” Rhythm Heart spoke fast. “Em. Well I don’t know a huge amount about dancing but that was fairly impressive. I liked that bit I cantered into. “ “Oh that bit. I love that bit too. I enjoy the pulsing sudden nature of the music and I wanted to portray it in style. You know a bit of flair!” The boundless energy of the colt had Scribe slightly off guard. After all that dancing the colt was still bouncing about delightedly. “Well uh I suppose we should conduct this interview, is in here ok, it seemed a bit busy out there?” “All the performers get in such a mix up here. You’d think they had never done a show before! Sure we can do it here. Pull up a couple chairs I’ll just turn my music player off.” So Scribe set up some chairs by the light of the window. He pulled a dictaphone from his bag and paper, ink and quill and set them down on the window pane. Rhythm Heart noticed Scribe was struggling to set up a place to write so snuck into the corridor knocked a vase off a decorative table in the hallway and dragged the table in before another pony could see. He pulled the table up to Scribe and smiled. Scribe then set up the space and hit record on the machine. Scribe rambled through the list of usual questions. Who, what, where, why etcetera before asking about the performance and times and dates and travelling and future plans. Rhythm Heart was a natural and answered everything politely and enthusiastically. Scribe was impressed by the colt. His honesty and manner were much nicer than most in the performing arts. “I never did ask but what drove you to follow this path? I suppose your cutie mark story?” Rhythm Heart grinned broadly, a gleam in his eyes. “I’ve always loved performing for as long as I can remember. I danced first, made lots of friends. Then moved on to study and teach dance. Before I knew it I was studying acting and singing and everything in between. To be honest I don’t remember ever not having my cutie mark. I love rhythm and music and sound and movement. But I do remember the moment. My first dance teacher, a salsa mare, she was wonderful. She had a wonderful flank that moved so fluidly. She taught me so much. I remember the day I did my first full dance as a lead colt. She was so proud and I just knew right then that I was meant to dance and perform.” The sudden change in his pelt was apparent as his face saddened for a moment and his pelt seemed to grey. “I really miss those days, I wish I could go back and visit. I would love to show her how far I have come. But alas...” He adds the colour returning to his pelt, “Ever onwards!” “Yes of course,” Scribe stops his recorder. “So how about a preview performance?” “Yeah I can do that, if you wait till tomorrow morning I have a stage rehearsal I can sneak you in?” “Sounds awesome!” Scribe responds delightedly, he is really beginning to like this colt and his attitude. “Oh I’m here with some friends could I perhaps take one along?” “Yeah of course, I love feedback, the more the merrier.” Rhythm Heart shakes Scribes hooves once again before Scribe bids the colt farewell for now and leaves the studio, being careful not to bump into any of the frantic staff milling about. *** Dove, Rouge and Edge had eventually settled down for an evening meal when Scribe arrived at the hotel. He sat between the two mares and set his belongings on the floor beneath the table. “Evenings Mares and Gentlecolt.” He said happily. “Things going well I take it?” Dove asked. “Couldn’t be any better. I have an invitation to a private viewing of the performance.” “You’re joking?” Rouge pipes up. “No. I have a viewing and I can take a plus one.” “Sounds delightful Scribe, who you planning on taking?” The colt rubs his chin with his hoof thoughtfully. “You know I’m not totally sure. Would one of you mares like to come?” Rouge and Dove looked at each other. Rouge was a cultured pony and would probably enjoy the performance more. Dove however a natural with socialites would be great at getting extra words out of the colt before Scribe had to write his article. However Scribe could see he would now have a squabble on his hooves. “Now don’t start either of you. There is a good chance that you will enjoy it Rouge but Dove I know how you are with ponies so if you two could squabble in your room later I’d appreciate it.” Edge who had been quiet up until now addressed Scribe. “Aren’t you meant to write a negative review? How are you going to do that if things are going so well?” Scribe hadn’t thought of this. He did like the colt. How could he say something bad about this colt when it clearly wouldn’t be the truth? Scribe had always been an honest reviewer. That was how he rolled. “I’m not sure. Perhaps tomorrow’s performance will make things easier for me.” With that the group ordered dinner and conversed about the shopping that Dove had Edge doing for her. Rouge sat quietly throughout. As she usually did, piping up sometimes to correct Doves excited anecdotes. Steadfast was very late to join the crew and from what Scribe had heard D had been working all evening which was typical of him. Once all settled in for the night Scribe sat to himself in his room and with his quill in hoof he tickled his chin thoughtfully and attempted to write. He played the recordings over and over and replayed in his head the few movements of the colt he could recall. The more he thought the harder it was to find a fault with this hard working colt. After a few hours of stewing to himself Scribe decided that some rest might be what he needs. Although he knows he’ll probably sit all night as he always does. *** When morning comes Scribe has barely slept but that isn’t unusual. He had started writing for himself in the night and was feeling content enough to go out and do some good work today. When he got to the hotel lobby Dove was bouncing up and down excitedly. “Rouge said I can go! She is going out with D. Literally I think....” Dove trails off distracted. Rouge and D were hardly a surprise to Scribe. He had known them a while and seemed well suited to each other. Although this was the first time he had heard of it. However since Dove was being a little silly he took the comment with a pinch of salt so to speak and dragged her away to the theatre before she started dithering on the subject. It took longer to get there this time as Dove had to stop and take photographs of everything. She always had a camera on her but this was the first time Scribe had seen her use it so much. Once in the theatre district he pushed his way to the rear of the theatre in question and with the same difficulty as last time dragging Dove behind him he made his way to the side door of the stage marked rehearsal. Pushing the door, Scribe can see ponies bustling around and musicians settling and dancers rushing about the stage. Out the front among the seats is Rhythm Heart. He waves to the pair and flies up to meet them. “Glad you can make it Scribe. And oh my gosh!” Scribe is bewildered at first then realises that Dove has leapt on Rhythm Heart. “Oh my word I didn’t realise you were the target of interest! You finally made it to Manehatten?” “Hang on Hang on!” Scribe halted the pair, “You know each other?” “He was teaching in Canterlot last we met, he taught me some Salsa. That was awesome by the way.” Dove grinned. “Yes indeed, I wish we’d kept in touch. We’ll have to catch up some time. So this is your friend then?” Dove nodded while Scribe just laughed. “Dove you never fail to surprise me. So shall we get on with proceedings? We can maybe all go out for lunch when you have finished your shows? Get properly introduced.” “A great idea, yes just make yourself comfortable, “Rhythm Heart points a hoof to the seats, “I’ll be on shortly.” Dove and Scribe hover down to the audience seating. The red velvet seats in steep rows all the way up the tilted floor and then vertically in booths up the walls all around; and the musicians in a little alcove just below the stage; and the stage itself was huge and wide and massive thick curtains to match the chairs are being held up by massive gold cords. Dove sat beside Scribe and giggled with delight. The stage lit up with a single beam of light. It focused on Rhythm Heart centre stage and stretched out boldly. Dove went instantly silent. The music started, subtly at first then built up as it reverberated around the room. Scribe fixed his eyes on the colt and he pondered on whether he should take notes, but in his heart he knew what he wanted to do. Rhythm Heart started his performance. He was a bold colt and very flexible. He leapt and bound and spinned and flipped, and from what Scribe could tell without the use of his wings. The music pounded and the colt just kept getting faster and hitting the floor harder until the music came to a sudden and sharp stop and he was panting doing the splits on the floor. Dove bounced up and applauded excitedly. Scribe raised his hooves in support also and professionally waves Rhythm Heart down. The exhausted colt still manages to fly over excitedly. “What did you think?” He beams. “You are a natural. I look forward to writing this review.” Scribe confidently replied, “and speaking of this review I must be off as I have to get it written before your show! Do excuse me.” Scribe takes the colts hooves shakes them firmly and takes his leave. Leaving Dove to beam and make odd girly noises at the colt. Scribe had so much he wanted to say. And he had made a decision. *** It was early in the morning and Scribe was sitting in the hotels fine dining room with a paper on his lap and a steaming cup in front of him. In the arts section was his review. His manager had yelled something fierce when he received the last minute piece before it went to print from lack of other resources. Scribe smiled at his handiwork as he sipped his drink reclined in the chair. In Manehatten you get the best of the best theatre. But there are very few performers that have really made the cut. However there is one colt who has made it his personal mission to climb that career ladder. And I can say that this colt does not disappoint. Full of energy and with a focus unlike any I have ever seen. He gives a performance that even the greatest of showmares would praise. Enter Rhythm Heart. Manehatten needs more talent like this. And in his showcase he displays an array of modern and show dance with the skill of an extremist earth pony and when he fully utilises his wings there are no words that can describe the elegance that this colt displays. Do not miss this show!