"Uh... Oh! The new student: Tempo. Are you here?"
"Yes, sir," Tempo answered, raising a hoof.
"Everypony, please welcome Tempo with open hooves, he'll be joining us from now on," The homeroom teacher informed the class.
Tempo wasn't very comfortable with that last comment. As Mr. Pennpaper continued with attendance, Tempo could feel the stares of the other students trying to size him up. The young earth pony simply tried his best to ignore them and face forward, but that was difficult. Sadly, the only open desk was in the center of the room, so everypony could get a clear view of him.
"Excellent, everypony's here," Mr. Pennpaper announced as he finished attendance. "There wasn't anything on the agenda today, so you can quietly work on something or talk amongst yourselves."
With that, the students left their desks to talk to their friends. Of course, Tempo was completely ignored. He didn't mind though. He expected as much. Tempo sat in his desk quietly, occasionally taking peaks at the back of the room, where his cello was waiting in its case. Oh, how he wanted to play right now.
He noticed he was getting looks from the students talking behind him, so he tried to fight the urge to look at his cello. Instead he looked at the clock, waiting patiently for homeroom to end. He found they weren't even five minutes in yet. Groaning internally, Tempo buried his head in his forelegs on his desk and closed his eyes.
He lasted only a few minutes when he finally stood. Nopony stopped talking, but the room did get noticeably quieter. Tempo imagined that everypony was watching to see what he was doing. He trotted to the back of the room and just laid a hoof on the case of his cello, biting his lip and fighting the ever-growing urge to play. When he played he was calm. He was alone. But he knew he wasn't alone, and the thought of playing while his classmates watched scared him.
He fought the urge to play back down and left the room to stand out in the hallway. A moment later, Mr. Pennpaper joined him.
"What's the matter, Tempo?" the teacher asked.
Tempo shook his head and replied, "Nothing, sir."
Pennpaper laughed at that. "Sir? Please, this is just a public school. It's very polite, but you don't need to be so formal."
"Yes, sir," Tempo said automatically. Then he corrected himself. "I mean... Alright."
"So, what's really got you upset?"
"Nothing, sir," Tempo lied. "I mean, nothing. I just wanted some fresh air."
"The accessible windows in the classroom will do a better job providing that than the hall."
Tempo just looked to the door of the classroom, not wanting to go back in. He didn't like it in there. He thought it was lonelier than actually being alone. Finally, Tempo said, "I don't have anything to do." That was true, but it wasn't the real reason he didn't want to go back in.
"Why don't you talk to somepony?" Pennpaper asked.
Tempo didn't answer. He was trying to come up with a reason to make Mr. Pennpaper drop the subject. Tempo had thought he had a decent idea, but just then, a cute earth pony mare, orange in coat and yellow in mane, exited the room and approached Tempo. Tempo was pretty speechless that anypony, let alone a cute mare like this, would approach him.
She wasn't quite so speechless.
"Hello, Tempo," the mare started, cheerily. "I'm Ariane. Welcome to Ponyville!"
"Uh..." Tempo responded. Quickly, he regained his composure and bowed his head to the mare, "The pleasure is mine, ma'am."
Pennpaper chucked beside the two students. Then he addressed Tempo and said, "Like I said, no need to be so formal." Then, to the both of them, "Let's all go back inside."
"C'mon, Tempo," Ariane offered. "Come meet my friends."
Tempo followed the mare and teacher back into the classroom and followed the mare still to her group of friends.
"I told you, fillies. I told you I'd get him to come over," Ariane boasted, presenting the silently confused Tempo as though he were a prize.
"Wow, I thought he was, like, way shy!"
"Heehee, look at him! He so is. It's so cute!"
"He should sit with us at lunch."
Tempo stood straight, blushing and unsure what to do. Eventually, he introduced himself. "Hello, I'm Tempo." Then he bowed his head and added, "It's a pleasure to meet you all."
That made the young mares giggle and talk to each other about how cute he was. Beside him, Ariane said, "I know, girls! Isn't he such a gentlecolt."
"Yeah! He's totally sitting with us at lunch!"
"Wait, which lunch do you have, Tempo?"
Tempo looked from one mare to the next before asking, "Which... lunch?" Then he remembered that Ponyville High had two lunch times. It wasn't like that at Canterlot High. "Second lunch."
All the mares let out disappointed 'aww's.
Ariane explained, "We all have first lunch."
"Hey, what classes do you have?"
"Uh..." Tempo tried to remember all of his classes. He couldn't remember, so he removed the schedule he received earlier this morning from his saddlebags and read it like a list. "Geometry, Science, Orchestra, Lunch, Language Arts."
"Geometry? In your first year?"
"Sophomores get geometry, don't they?"
"Freshman can take it as an advanced class."
One of the mares gasped and asked Tempo, "Is that true?"
Tempo nodded. Beside him, Ariane smirked at her friends and said, "I have it too, remember?"
"Oh yeah, I totally forgot!"
"You guys are so smart!"
"Hey, you guys should date!"
Ariane and Tempo both blushed beet red and looked at each other simultaneously and looked away equally as quick. This made the group of mares giggle again.
Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing!
"Alright, time to head for your first class. Remember, it's an A day."
"I totally forgot! Tempo, what lunch do you have on B days?"
I should explain. Lunch isn't the only thing at Ponyville High separated into twos. Every student at PVHS has a total of eight classes per semester, but they only have four classes a day. At Ponyville High, a student's first four classes are considered "A day" classes, and the last four are "B day" classes. Their lunch schedules are dependent on their third period classes each day.
Back to the story. Tempo checked his schedule and said, "I have first lunch on B days, I think."
The young mares 'aww'd again.
"Wait, Ariane has first lunch on B days!"
The mares 'oooh'd together this time.
Ariane asked, blushing and trying to change the subject, "Who do you have for geometry?"
Consulting his schedule, Tempo answered, "Mr. Shady Sands"
Ariane cheerfully proclaimed, "We have the same class! Let's go together!"
"Ariane and Tempo sitting in a tree!" One of Ariane's friends began to sing. The others joined in singing, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" on their way out.
Ariane and Tempo both blushed as she waited by the door and he recovered his cello. Then, together, they trotted to class.
Ariane and Tempo happened to be seated next to each other during geometry, but they were doing more math than talking to each other. When class ended, they said their goodbyes and parted ways. During science, Tempo recognized one of Ariane's friends. Lemon Peel, she called herself. They also didn't speak much, as they were seated across the room from each other, but they did share a few words before class. After class had ended, they also said bye and left each other. Now it was time for orchestra.
He especially wanted to confirm who his schedule said his teacher was.
The orchestra classroom was on the other side of the campus, so Tempo had to trot quickly to avoid being late.
Luckily he made it to class on time. The teacher, however, wasn't in yet. Neither were most of his classmates. Tempo checked a clock and found that, apparently, the campus was bigger in his head than it was in real life. He noticed that a few students had their instruments out and were practicing before class started. Tempo, dying to play his cello since school began, thought it'd be nice do so as well.
The young stallion trotted to a corner of the room, away from the strangers, and set his cello case down. He popped it open and stood back to look upon his gift from his great-great grandmother, a smile on his face. Finally he hefted the large instrument out of its case and stood it up. Then he stood up with it, taking the neck of the cello and its bow in his fetlocks. And he played.
He made it up as he went along, but, as usual, it sounded beautiful. He really did have the talent of his now late ancestor. What he played reflected his feelings: scared, confused, hopeful and curious, but quite joyful as well. He played for a few minutes more, aware of nothing and nopony but himself and his cello.
The school bell knocked him out of his daze, though and he stopped playing, realizing he had closed his eyes. He opened them to be met with the awed faces of a small group of students who had sat down in front of him to watch him play. Not just the students, the teacher was there too.
Viola.
If Tempo wasn't blushing before, he sure was after seeing her. Out of habit when playing for his family, he bowed to the audience that had formed. Then they applauded.
Tempo was red as a tomato.
"Bravo! Bravo!" cheered Viola, the same unicorn violist that was beginning to gain recognition with the classical community and the instructor to his orchestra class. "You must be my new student, Tempo. It's nice to meet you."
Tempo swallowed and bowed his head and nervously stated, "The pleasure is all mine, Ma'am."
"Oh, please! I'm just your teacher, none of that," Viola said.
Tempo would beg to differ, but he kept that to himself. Instead, he nodded and said, "Yes, ma-- I mean... Ms. Viola."
"Oh, such a gentlecolt." Viola took her position at the front of the room as the students began to take their seats.
"Okay," Viola started. "Where did we leave off last week? Right! I believe two or three of you have yet to choose instruments? Raise your hooves. Oh, four of you. Alright, well come on down in a bit and we'll get you started. And Tempo? I've apologized to everypony else who knows how to play last week, but there is no longer any intermediate orchestra freshman year due to budget cuts, and the upperclassmen's classes are also full this year. You'll have to go at everypony else's pace."
Tempo nodded.
"Glad you understand. First the lecture, then your instruments. Today, we'll continue with reading sheet music. Review: the staff is..."
Tempo tuned out for the rest of class. He was aware that he'd have to sit through review, but that doesn't mean he'd have to like it, nor pay attention to it. Of course, he would never vocalize these thoughts.
Finally, the bell rang. Everypony with smaller instrument were packing them up in their cases and leaving. Those with larger instruments replaced theirs in the cases and stored them in lockers at the back of the room. Tempo, however, took his cello with him, despite him knowing he'd have to carry it for the rest of the day.
"Tempo, could you stay after a bit?" He met eyes with his instructor and nodded, trotting to the front of the classroom. He watched as Viola answered some students' last minute questions. Finally, she turned her attention to him. "It's great to have you in this class, Tempo. I admired your grandmother. It's sad to hear about her passing, but at least she lived a life far longer than most others are able to."
"Thank you, Ms. Viola. I feel the same way," Tempo replied, politely bowing in agreement.
She pointed a hoof to the case hanging on Tempo's saddlebag strap. "That cello," she said. "I thought I recognized it from pictures, but it's actually hers, isn't it?"
While she was technically right, Tempo shook his head. "She was always very adamant in me acknowledging it as my own, and so it is. But yes, that is the very same cello."
"Oh, yes. Of course. I meant no disrespect," Viola said, backing off of the topic.
Tempo shook his head again, "It's alright."
They shared an awkward silence before Viola spoke up again. "Anyway, I wanted you to stay after to talk about something." Tempo nodded an acknowledgement and Viola continued. "I've been offered to play at the Grand Galloping Gala next year, in the Spring." Tempo could not even follow where this was going or what it had to do with him. "I'm allowed to invite a few guests to the party if I wish. Since Octavia used to play at the Grand Galloping Gala before she retired, out of respect to her, I am offering to invite you and your family. Would you accompany me?"
Tempo was speechless. The Grand Galloping Gala, while the traditions date back from even before the PLD era, is still a huge annual event. That was on top of the fact that Viola, still a newcomer to the professional orchestral strings business, was offered the job. She must have had all the right connections on top of the talent.
Tempo regained his composure and said, "I would honestly love to. I'll bring this to my mother's attention when she returns from work today." He then had a thought and asked, "But wait, what about your own family?"
Viola patted Tempo's shoulder with a hoof and explained, "I'm an only child, and my parents didn't live as long as your great-great grandmother." Tempo thought about it for a second before Viola nudged him and said, "Hey, you're wasting your lunch time. Think on it later, just know that my offer stands, but I am required to have a guest list by the end of the year, if not sooner."
They said their farewells to each other and Tempo left for the cafeteria.
Tempo wasn't the biggest of ponies. Nor would anyone call him the strongest. As such, coupled with the fact that he would rarely retaliate, he was often subject to an annoying amount of bullying. While it was just that, annoying, it wasn't that big of a problem for Tempo. The way he sees it, if they have to get their kicks from picking on other people, his life is much better than theirs. So, he allows them to have their fun, as long as they don't take it too far.
While he was used to much worse, a group of upperclassmen stopped him in the hallways while on his way to get the roasted wheat and bean burritos that he overheard some students say were good. They went through the normal routine of pretending to be friendly while teasing Tempo and complimenting themselves in such a way that insults him. Then they ask to hang out later, which Tempo would be forced to accept. They agreed to meet at the Appleseed Mall.
Tempo knew, of course, they wouldn't show up, as they never specified any location in the mall, nor a time, so neither would he. He learned that trick in Junior High, the hard way.
As the upperclassmen parted and trotted on past him, a freshman, or so Tempo assumed, walked up beside him as he continued his journey for the burritos. The freshman that approached him was a buck this time, a young blue earth pony stallion with a short brown mane and tail that stood just a bit taller than Tempo. So, average high for a pony their ages. He leaned close to Tempo and said quietly, probably so the upperclassmen wouldn't hear, "They aren't gonna show up. They're just trying to get you to waste your time."
Tempo replied with a shy and quiet, "I know."
"Then why'd you say you'd go?" the buck asked, a bit louder now that there was some distances between them and the older group.
Just as timid as the first time, Tempo explained, "I was just humoring them."
"Ah, I see," the buck said, understandingly. "Just trying to get by. There's no problem with that, but I prefer to stand up against ponies like them." He posed for a second, curling his fetlock and holding his hoof against his chest. As Tempo continued trotting, wondering why this pony was talking to him so friendly, the blue buck caught up and introduced himself. "The name's Grand. It's actually Grand Mile, but I like Grand."
He held out a hoof for Tempo to shake. Being the polite pony his is, Tempo stopped long enough to shake it and introduce himself. "My name's Tempo." Then he continued trotting, able to smell the roasted wheat from here.
"Just Tempo?" Tempo nodded. "Oh, I see. It fits, because you play that instrument."
"It's a cello."
"Yeah, that's right!"
Tempo turned a corner and trotted through the open door to the cafeteria. The line for those roasted wheat burritos was shorter than he thought it would be. Well, it was nearly the later half of lunch, so why wouldn't it be? He got into line, Grand Mile--Or Grand, as he likes to be called--trotting into place behind him.
"So, are you new here? I haven't seen you at all last week."
"I just transferred."
"I knew it! from where?"
"Canterlot High."
"Oh, i bet it was real nice up there."
"I guess, but there were a lot more students. It was crowded."
"Wow, more crowded than this place?!"
Tempo nodded.
"Wow, there must be a lot of ponies in Canterlot."
"Yes, it was a bit harder to get around than in Ponyville."
"No kidding." The was the end of that conversation, but it wasn't even half a minute later before Grand asked, "Hey, what songs can you play?"
"Well, I know a lot of compositions, if that's what you're asking."
"Well, maybe. I'm not really sure about all those music words. I'm more of a sporty stallion myself."
Tempo was finally at the front of the line in the kitchen. They were running low on the burritos for today already, but Tempo was able to snag one. He tapped in his id number, which he memorized last night, into the lunch machine with his hoof and went on his way after putting a carton of milk on the tray he balanced on his back between his saddlebag and cello case he wore on his sides.
Grand mile continued after him, getting a similar lunch. When he caught up to Tempo, he said, "Oh, we got the same thing! Cool! Great minds thing alike, eh?"
"I guess they do."
"Oh! After you eat, can you play something on your, ah, shelly?"
"Cello."
"Yeah, that."
Tempo actually contemplated playing, but then said, with a nervous chuckle, "No, that'd be too embarrassing."
"Oh, c'mon! I bet you're really good!"
"Well, I've certainly got talent," Tempo said quietly and mostly to himself. He then covered his muzzle, not believing he could say something so immodest out loud!
"See? Even you think so," Grand laughed.
Tempo chose an empty spot along a wall to sit and eat his lunch. Grand, following his recent patterns, sat right next to Tempo. Tempo refused to make eye contact, still blushing after what he said, as Grand ate his food rather mannerly, compared to how he came across. Just as Tempo did, Grand always covered his mouth with his hoof as he chewed with his mouth closed and tried to chew as quietly as possible. That's as far as it went, though. While Tempo chose to wipe his muzzle with a napkin when finishing a bite that left beans on his face, Grand licked his muzzle clean behind his hoof.
The two ponies, finished their meals around the same time, their trays now bearing an empty burrito wrapper and milk carton each. Tempo quickly decided, with a smile, that Ponvyville High had much better lunches than at Canterlot High, despite only having eaten at CHS a few times before moving.
Grand also showed his appreciation for the meal by taking and a deep breath and steadily exhaling.
"I am ready for next class," Grand declared proudly. He turned to Tempo and then asked, "Hey, wha'd you got next? I'm going to P.E."
"Language arts."
"Hey, I just came from there!" Grand patted Tempo on the back and laughed as Tempo timidly smiled. Tempo was actually enjoying himself, despite Grand Mile being a stranger to him, which was weird. "Hey, are you gonna play?"
Tempo quickly shook his head and said, "I couldn't possibly play in front of all these people..."
"Well, you play in class don't you?"
"Yes, b-but that's different! It's..." Tempo could exactly explain it at first, but tried to sum it up like, "In class, everypony's doing it. I'm not the only one playing. Besides, I'm sure nopony wants to hear a cello while they eat."
Grand didn't push anymore and digressed with a, "Yeah, I guess you're right. I didn't mean to push you."
They sat in silence for a few seconds more before a timid young stallion said, "Well, I... I guess one short melody wouldn't hurt..."
"Wait, so you'll play?" Grand asked, honestly surprised. Tempo was glad to find somepony who felt genuinely sorry to push him for a song. In junior high, most ponies would get angry at him for not playing upon request.
Tempo only nodded in reply before rising to his hooves. He set his cello case on the ground and opened it slowly, smiling once again as he saw his cello. He removed it from the case and stood it up. Standing with the instrument, Tempo familiarly took the neck of the cello and the bow into his fetlocks. It hesitated, wondering what he should play.
Grand realized this and asked, "How about something by Octavia? I heard she played the shella-"
"Cello," Tempo corrected quietly, also wondering if he should inform Grand it's said with a 'ch' sound and that he just has an accent.
"-back in the day, too. I think, at least. My mom listens to her music all the time, and i think she plays a shello." Close enough, Tempo though. Grand rubbed his chin before looking up to Tempo and asking, "Do you know any songs by Octavia?"
A very rare smirk spread across tempo's face. You have no idea, he thought to himself. The smirk vanished as he closed his eyes and touched his bow to the strings of his cello. He decided to play the first original composition Octavia taught him. One that wasn't recorded, and might not ever be. It was a song for her and him.
The melody started slow, quiet and low. Soon it entered a crescendo where it plateaued into a slightly faster pace, the rhythm carrying sounds of an upbeat nature. Then it bridged, another crescendo, sending the song into it's climax, where it followed a diminuendo back to the slow and low start. Then the song ended. It was short, only maybe a bit over a minute, like Tempo said it would be, but it was satisfying.
Grand thought so too, applauding the timid young stallion. Out of habit, once again, Tempo bowed to his audience, which was more than just Grand Mile. He hadn't noticed until then, but Grand wasn't the only pony putting their hooves together. After Tempo looked around and saw almost everypony in the hall clapping, he nearly turned pink. He hurriedly, but carefully, put his cello away and sat down next to Grand, the hall now quiet.
Grand looked to the timid pony with a wide grin. He jumped to his hooves and declared, "That was freaking awesome!" Tempo heard some other students agree from their own groups of friends. Tempo wouldn't dare raise his face from behind his hooves.
"Even though that wasn't an Octavia original," a voice said from across the hall. It came from a light gray unicorn stallion, his coat still darker than Tempo's own gray coat. The buck wore his hair short, like Tempo's, but combed back, and also wore glasses on his muzzle. He was a bit bigger, so Tempo assumed he was an upperclassman. "I've heard all of Octavia's original compositions and that was not one of them."
Timidly, but proudly, Tempo declared, "Of course you wouldn't know that one, nopony does."
The unicorn scoffed, "You speak as though you personally know her."
"I do," Tempo said, matter-of-factly, rising to his hooves.
"That's impossible, she's dead," the rude buck dismissed, waving tempo away.
"I know that," Tempo said, starting to get a bit angry.
"Then you would also know that Octavia never wrote that composition," he said, smiling smugly at Tempo.
"Wrong," Tempo correct, stomping a hoof, "She never recorded that composition. Nor did she send it to Pon-3, so it's not on file there. She gave this composition directly to her twice-great grandson, who she probably never thought would never have to defend her work from some glib teenager. I wouldn't expect you to know that, but in the future, you shouldn't be so rude when you correct people. Especially when you're wrong. Anypony with a trained ear could hear Octavia all over the melody." With that, he grabbed his cello case and his empty tray and made his way back to the cafeteria, leaving the formerly smug unicorn's mouth agape.
Grand jumped up and followed Tempo, saying, "Wow, you sure told that guy! You didn't tell me you were related to Octavia! I feel weird having asked you if you knew any of her songs. You probably know all of them, don't you?
Back in friendly vibes, Tempo smiled and nodded. "It's very difficult to know all of one pony's work by heart, but I have played all of her compositions in the public files in Pon-3 Records at least once, as well as some of the compositions she hasn't sent in, like that one I just played..."
"Wow!" Grand exclaimed, having no more words. And then he had some more. "Do you only know Octavia songs?"
Tempo shook his head, dumping his empty milk carton and burrito wrapper into a trash can. "I have also memorized some Beethooven, Baach, and Marezart while I was learning to play, and have several books at home full of sheet music that I've read many times over."
"Really? Dude, you're awesome! What lunch do you have tomorrow?"
"First."
"Me too! Let's totally hang out again!"
Tempo looked at Grand, surprised, as he slid his tray through the slot back into the kitchen. He asked himself, did I just make a new friend? He smiled and said, "S-sure."
Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing!
"See ya, Tempo," Grand said, as he trotted off to the gym.
"Goodbye, Grand," Tempo said as he waved. He started to trot to his next class, and looked back. Then he thought back to homeroom and asked himself, does that mean Ariane's my friend too? And her friends? He shook the questions from his mind and turned it to language arts.