Chapter Fifty-One: Ave Maria
Celestia’s morning light brightened the cabin car as it chugged along toward Canterlot. Troy, lying on the bench, slowly opened his eyes and groaned at its insistence on waking him up. At least he had Canvas resting peacefully on his chest.
Troy felt his heart become lighter at the sight of Canvas’ peacefulness. He resisted the urge to nuzzle the dozing pony. Instead, he took satisfaction in the pleasurable tingle of Canvas’ steady breathing brushing against his feathered chest.
Soon the sunlight reached Canvas' face, and his eyelids clenched on contact. Troy smiled as he watched him wake up. He loved how adorable he looked when he was half-asleep.
Once fully awake, Canvas gave a tired smile at Troy’s happy face. Without thinking, Canvas moved his head forward and wrapped his hooves around him, kissing Troy deeply.
"Troy,” said Canvas. “I'm really glad you were with me for this."
Troy leaned in, letting Canvas kiss him once more, and then replied.
"And I would've done it a million times for you."
Canvas' smile grew even bigger, and the two hugged each other tightly. Within their embrace, Troy could see Canterlot come into view from the window. He sat himself upright with Canvas still clinging onto his makeshift gryphon-bed.
"So Canvas,” said Troy cheerfully. "How does it feel to make history tonight?"
Canvas giggled groggily. "It feels amazing, but it’s even better knowing that you're by my side."
The train was slowing down. His heart began to race when he remembered what Rainbow Dash said about Rarity waiting for him at the station.
Closing his eyes, Troy nuzzled his coltfriend’s mane, hoping to keep this moment going for as long as he could.
"I love you, Canvas."
Canvas closed his eyes too.
"I love you too, Troy."
The engine steam enveloped the station platform in a thick, warm mist. Rarity didn’t seem to mind one bit as she stood in a stylish trench coat, accessorized with a matching sunhat.
Her horn glowed with a hue of blue magic as she levitated two items of clothing, each wrapped in plastic and on hangers. She barely noticed Rainbow Dash standing beside her, who looked bored as she tapped her hooves against the concrete platform. She'd rather be flying right now, but she wanted to check on Troy.
The train doors opened, and after several ponies stepped off, Troy exited with Canvas in tow. They both looked happy to see the two mares waiting for them. Rainbow Dash was surprised, however, when Troy made a beeline toward Rarity (instead of his friend/boss).
"Here's your tuxedo, Troy,” said Rarity, particularly cheerful as she carefully folded it with her magic and placed it into his satchel. "And the accommodations are already in place."
Troy maintained an eager smile while securing the satchel against his shoulder, not noticing both Canvas and Rainbow Dash being confused about their interaction. Before Canvas could ask what was going on, Rarity placed the stallion’s suit into his art bag.
"And here's yours, Canvas. I’ve made sure all the measurements were correct, but if anything feels off, just come straight to me so I can make readjustments."
Despite his lingering confusion, Canvas let it slide and nodded. He closed up his art bag and addressed Rainbow.
"Hey, Rainbow Dash, do you know if my package came into Canterlot yet?"
Now Troy was the one who looked confused. Rainbow pondered in a moment of forgetfulness before her eyes widened in remembrance.
"Oh yeah! I think Twi picked it up from the post office herself, so it's probably at the castle by now."
"Great!”
"Wait, what package?" asked Troy.
“Didn’t I tell you? I was working on my other project in time for the Gala, remember?"
"Oooohhhhhh."
"Wait, what were you working on?” asked Rainbow. “I thought you finished that painting like, a month ago!"
"I did, but I decided to do something else for--”
Canvas bit his lip momentarily. He didn’t want to give too much away about what he was making, or why he did it.
"...For personal reasons, and I wanted to have it at the Gala for somepony to see."
Canvas kept his muzzle shut amidst their stares. Fortunately, neither Rainbow Dash nor Troy felt compelled to ask for more details.
Troy turned toward the clock above the train station exit, seeing that there was still plenty of time before the Gala. "Hey Canvas, we could probably make it to the Concert Hall if we start moving now."
Canvas couldn’t help but grin at Troy’s eagerness. Rainbow Dash smiled and watched the two leave. She didn’t notice Rarity’s giddiness as she stood adjacent to her. With the stallion close by his side, Troy looked back at the two and waved at them.
"Thanks for helping out, Rarity!" said Troy. "We'll see you both at the Gala."
With that, the two set off. Now Rainbow could take note of Rarity’s peculiar behavior.
"Okay Rare, what's going on?" she asked suspiciously.
"Wha--I mean…" Rarity quickly look away, a blush making its way across her white cheeks. Rainbow narrowed her eyes. Something was going on.
"I don’t know what you're talking about, Rainbow Dash. I--”
"Spill the beans, Rarity!" Rainbow leaned in close, her face less than a few inches from the unicorn's. "Troy is my co-worker, so I should know whatever it is the two of you are up to!"
"I…” Rarity puffed her chest out and put on a look of righteous defiance.
"I cannot tell you about anything that is going on, Rainbow. I made a Pinkie Promise to stay silent, and I intend on keeping it, no matter what."
Rarity walked away without another word, leaving Rainbow Dash to stand dumbfounded. Rainbow was quick to regain her senses and speak up. She couldn’t just end it like that.
"Oh come on, Rarity! I won’t say anything, I swear!"
"The answer is no.” Rarity stopped and turned back around to face her. "I made a Pinkie Promise. To break a Pinkie Promise means to lose a friend, remember?"
She then walked away once more. Rainbow Dash groaned and rubbed her temple, irritated to be denied the knowledge of what was going on. She then proceeded to pout, muttering under her breath while mimicking Rarity's voice.
"’I made a Pinkie Promise, Rainbow Dash. To break it is to lose a friend--’”
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie's head popped out from inside a trash can right next to her. "FOREVER!!"
Rainbow Dash shrieked and jumped up, landing on top of a lamppost. She looked down at the pink mare still in a trash can.
"What the hay, Pinkie Pie!?” Pinkie simply looked up at her with her usual carefree grin. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
Pinkie's smile suddenly turned into a pout as she pointed a hoof at Rainbow Dash. "And you tried to make Rarity break a Pinkie Promise! Shame on you, Rainbow Dash!"
Rainbow dropped back down, annoyed at Pinkie’s unyielding rules.
"Pinkie, do you seriously just wait around at random places just to catch your friends doing stuff you don’t like!?"
Pinkie Pie blinked blankly.
"… Why? You don't?"
Though Canterlot was the thriving capital of Equestria and the home of two Goddesses, it was surprisingly small, only boasting a few miles in length as it stood on the side of a massive mountain. As a result, the dense number of ponies and small one-way roads made it rather difficult to get anywhere in the city on time. This consequence applied to Troy and Canvas as well, for it took a considerable amount of time to reach the Canterlot Concert Hall.
Upon arrival, Troy's heart sank at the state it was in now. Massive walls of scaffolding and clear tarp hung all over the domed structure. Canvas trotted over to a sign in front of the main doors. He read the notice out loud in hopes of easing his boyfriend's nerves.
"Notice: due to extensive repairs on the exterior, no ponies are permitted to enter until further notice."
Troy groaned. "Crap! I really wanted to see this place!"
Canvas sighed, looking morose himself. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he read the sign again. He grew himself a grin, and he reached out for the door. It was unlocked. He looked back at Troy with a sly smirk.
"Hey Troy,” whispered Canvas. "Come on."
Troy threw his claws up in protest. As much as he wanted to see this place, he knew it wasn't worth ending up in a jail cell.
"Dude, are you serious? I'm not gonna risk getting deported for this! The sign says--"
"The sign says 'no ponies.’ I could get in trouble for going in since I’m a pony, but you…"
Troy looked at the sign, seeing that it didn't make any mention of gryphons entering the property. A matching grin found its way on his face. His coltfriend found quite the loophole.
Troy stepped up to the front doors. He looked around to make sure nopony was watching, and once he was certain of being unnoticed, he stepped over the ropes and headed in. Canvas also checked that the coast was clear before following and closing the door behind him.
Whereas the outside of the concert hall was obviously in need of repair, it was almost impossible to tell from the inside. The luxurious main room was draped in the finest red carpets, and ornate columns lined the walls. The lights were still on, and the faint smell of perfume from the thousands of ponies who had been here before lingered in the air.
Troy then spotted the walkways leading up to the balcony seating. He smiled before rushing up toward the right hall. With Canvas following, Troy ran along like a colt in a candy store, looking at the letters above each section as he moved past them. It wasn't until he nearly reached the end that Troy stopped, his eyes pinned on one particular doorway.
Canvas, panting heavily, was unsure of what made Troy so excited. Looking up at the doorway, he saw the bronze lettering showed the letter ‘J’. A moment of silence later, and Troy walked through.
Troy's talons pressed against the soft, red carpet underneath him, and his heart felt heavy. The view of the stage wasn't that great from this angle, but Troy didn’t seem to care. Instead, he stood between the two rows of plush seating.
Canvas stood at the doorway, watching with happy yet worried eyes. Troy dragged a claw over one of the foreleg-rests. He stayed silent, trying not to cry. He knew what this place was.
For the longest time, Troy's grandparents were the only real friends that he had. Troy was quickly shunned by a lot of the other gryphons in his youth because of his small size and meek build. His father was determined to make him stronger through exercise and discipline, but his grandma and grandpa took a different route with him. Whenever he’d visit them for whatever reason, the two always made him feel welcome. He even started listening to their collection of records, developing the same appreciation for classical music and opera that they had.
Even when he grew up and became a more acceptable size in comparison to his classmates (though still small when compared to his older brothers), Troy still preferred hanging out with his grandparents, listening to their stories about Equestria and appreciating their great company.
Everyone in the family was saddened by their loss, but Troy was especially distraught over it. Nevertheless, he remembered all the amazing things they told him regarding love and Canterlot. Now, with the greatest love he'd ever known in his life, he was in the very spot where his grandfather met his grandmother for the first time.
Canvas put caution to the wind and lifted his hoof, stepping inside the balcony and slowly walking over to Troy. He was happy to see that Troy still had a smile despite all the tears.
Once he noticed his coltfriend standing next to him, Troy leaned in to nuzzle his lover. Canvas' gaze slowly went over the large stage below them, making him smile.
"Hey, Troy. I have an idea…"
Troy pulled his head back, feeling slightly confused. Canvas motioned to the stage.
Though he didn’t want to fly around in a place like this, Troy knew it’d be more convenient than following his coltfriend down the hallways to reach the stage. In a matter of seconds, his paws and claws went from the carpeted floors of the balcony to the wooden floors of the stage.
Said stage was surprisingly well-lit, even without the spotlights on. He took a moment to appreciate how he was standing on a spot where thousands of great performers had stood before. Then, the sound of hooves caught Troy's attention. Canvas was running down the aisle.
Canvas stopped at the front row, keeping his eyes on Troy.
"So Troy, how does it feel? Think you can see yourself performing on this stage someday?"
Troy scoffed and looked away. "Oh come on! You really think I'm good enough for this place?"
Canvas sat in the middle of the row, and spoke confidently.
"Troy, I know you're good enough."
Troy could only smile as the feathers on the back of his neck ruffled out. He quickly rubbed them down, not wanting to get caught looking this bashful. A snicker from Canvas proved that that ship had already sailed.
"So…"
Troy observed how massive this place was, with hundreds of seats in front and dozens of balcony seats above. He imagined all of those seats occupied, thousands of ponies watching him. The idea made his heart race frantically, but at the same time… It felt so right.
"Canvas… do you have any requests?"
"Just do what you want. This is your moment."
Troy felt his feathers ruffle out again. He looked over at the J Balcony to his left, where two of the most important gryphons in his life started their beautiful lives together.
Closing his eyes, Troy turned his head to face straight ahead. He then lifted a foreleg up and placed it over his chest, letting the warmth come over him.
He heard the familiar music in his head. He knew which song he wanted to do. He hadn’t sang it, or even listened to it since his grandmother's death. Even so, Troy knew, in that moment, in front of the love of his life, it was the perfect song to sing.
“... Aaaaave Mariiiiiaaa…
“Graaaatia pleeenaaaa…”
The moment he opened his beak, each note came out as slowly and sensually as possible. The lyrics of ‘Ave Maria’ may have varied to some, and the arrangement was one that could be interpreted by many. Regardless, Troy felt his eyes begin to well up at the sound of his own voice. Down in the audience seats, the lone stallion listening was tearing up as well.
“Maaariiia, gratia pleeenaaa…
“Mariiiiia, gratia pleeeeenaaaa…
“Aaaaveeeee, ave dooominuuuus
“Dominus teeecuuum...”
Troy tried to keep his eyes closed as he sang the long-cherished ballad, letting its lyrics flood his soul with the same feelings he had carried throughout the years. He belted out every note with passionate vigor, even while tears ran down his cheeks. The image of his grandmother's smiling face came to his mind, reminding him of the most genuine look of happiness he remembered from her after his grandfather passed. It made keeping himself composed difficult, but he continued to sing with as much tenacity as possible.
“Benediiiicta tu in mulieribuuus, et beeenediiiiictuuus…”
His head raised up to the roof, his beak hung wide-open while each note came out near perfect like a claw gliding over smooth velvet. The gryphon clenched his outstretched claw tightly, and used the passion within himself to belt out those lyrics with the same care he encompassed in that play not too long ago. He could only imagine how his coltfriend must’ve seen him in that moment, most likely with his muzzle agape in awe.
“Et benediiictus fructus, veentris tuuuuiii!!!”
Troy lowered his head again. His body felt practically weightless. As he slowly opened his eyes, Troy was surprised to see Canvas right in front of him, standing on the stage. The stallion was carrying a smile underneath those beautiful eyes of his. More tears came as Troy smiled back. He lifted a claw and held it against Canvas' face. He then used a talon to gently brush away the tears off his lover's cheeks, keeping his eyes locked onto his.
“Ventris tuuui, Jeeeeesuuus…”
The next notes came out much softer, almost as if he was crooning the stallion with that gentle melody he could cherish forever.
“Aaaaave mariiiiiaaa…”
Troy held the stallion closer, wrapping his forelegs around the pony's back so they were now only inches away from each other. They no longer cared that they were on the biggest stage in Equestria. Their eyes were locked between the gryphon's vibrant gold and the stallion's calming blue.
As Troy bent his head in closer, now touching the pony's forehead, he slowly reached a claw into his satchel. The concert hall was completely silent, but Troy could imagine the thunderous applause in his mind. He kept one claw inside his satchel while the other held Canvas' head. He closed his eyes as he kissed him deeply.
Troy’s mind raced over what he wanted to do at that very moment. He had to make sure their kiss was perfect, so he kept his beak locked against Canvas' tender lips as deeply and passionately as the first time they came together. His talons grasped what he was looking for, still wrapped inside his jacket in the satchel. Troy began to tear up again as he pulled his head back, looking into Canvas' eyes with the utmost look of bliss and beauty.
"... Canvas…”
Suddenly, a loud crash from offstage startled both of them. The two jumped back and looked toward the side.
A light fixture rolled its way onto the stage, and dozens more fell to the ground. Of course, neither of them noticed that, for their attention was held by who was standing in the middle of it. A grey earth pony mare with a straight, black mane, looking extremely embarrassed. She spoke in an unsteady but deeply posh tone.
"I-I'm sorry! I didn’t mean to… interrupt you two."
Troy’s eyes narrowed on the mare. He could’ve sworn he’d seen her before. His eyes then found the pink treble clef on her flank, and they widened in recognition.
"Wait a minute! You're Octavia! From Concerto in Canterlot!"
Octavia stood dumbfounded for a moment before a smile came up on her face.
"Umm… yes! Yes, I am! I must say, I'm rather surprised you know about me."
"Well, I… kinda bought your cassette on my birthday."
"Well, I'm glad someone bought a copy."
Octavia walked onto the stage with a pleased smirk. Troy suddenly remembered the questionable situation he and Canvas were caught in, and quickly tried to stammer out some form of apology.
"Umm… Just so you know, we… well…. We're sorry, about--”
Octavia held up a hoof, waiting until he stopped before responding cheerfully through her Canterlot accent. "You don't have to explain, gentlemen. I won't say anything."
Octavia then bent her head in closer and whispered. "To be honest, I shouldn’t be here either."
The two chuckled. Canvas held out a hoof to her. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Octavia. We just wanted to visit this place before the Gala tonight."
Octavia's eyes widened and she shook the stallion's hoof. "Oh yes, I know you! You're Canvas, right? I've read about your success in the paper."
Canvas' smile grew bigger, excited at how he was becoming so well-known because of his art.
"Umm. Yeah, I'm Canvas. Thank you for recognizing me."
"Well, how couldn’t I? Being the first earth pony to accomplish what you’ve done is quite the achievement! Plus…"
Octavia briefly looked at where she was, making Canvas and Troy notice the large cello propped against the wall in the shadows. Octavia's voice came out more subdued and sincere as she continued.
"I know how difficult it can be to be noticed for those kinds of talents as an earth pony."
Canvas nodded. "Yeah… I'd hate to say it, but unicorns can really be uptight sometimes."
The mare giggled and looked away. She blushed and muttered under her breath. "Not Vinyl Scratch." Octavia shook her head and brought her attention back to the couple. "Oh! Um… well, you two should probably get ready for the Gala. It might take a while to get past security this year, so…"
Canvas and Troy both nodded before looking back at each other. Although Troy didn’t want to leave yet, he groaned internally as he realized that the mood wasn't right anymore.
Once the two secured their bags and made their goodbyes to Octavia, they left. Troy then started thinking about how to move forward with his plans. He really wanted to do it here at the Concert Hall, but there was no going back. He sighed and made a mental note that no matter what, he wasn't going to get distracted like that again.
At the Gala, thought Troy. Tonight, I'll do it at the Gala.
Because life is too short.
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Well shit, it better be at the Gala
If u make it like their first kiss where they were interrupted at every turn I'll be pissed!
I'm not saying skimp on story just, pretty please with a chocolate covered cherry on top, make the proposal at the Gala
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I'll do whatever I want!
iambrony.jsmart.web.id/mlp/gif/133408830328.gif
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A really great story,
just stating the obvious.So many feels here! Troy standing in the spot where his grandparents met was just wonderful.
Also:
What you did there--I see it.
Good author, have a cookie.
Calling it now: They're both gonna propose. At the same time. Who will feel more awkward? Find out in the next exciting chapter of... BRUSHED AWAY!!!
Lol he asks canvas to marry him
Damnit you and ruining such a moment! -_-
Everyone's gay! I mean why not!
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You get a gay! You get a gay! You get a gay! Everyone gets a gay!
And this is the chapter my eyes start watering my mustache.
Okay so, listening to Ave Maria enhances that scene by at least 20 percent. Also, while I love that Octavia showed up, the moment before would’ve been absolutely perfect to propose during.
FUUUUUUUU..... I swear you had this straight dude with tears in his eyes! Good song pick btw.