Pinkie Discovers Jazz

by Crisis_Vyper

Too Good, Too Bad

Chapter 5: Too Good, Too Bad

Pinkie has continued to improve on her jazz lesson during her time in Sweet Apple Acres, impressing Granny Smith with the speed in which she is picking up some of these things. However, due to the difficult nature of jazz she could only play three of her instruments at the same time as compared to her normal 10 instruments (honestly nopony alive could have played more than one instrument at once, so she is still defying the laws of logic). Pinkie have decided to take on the harmonica, trombone and trumpet as her instruments of choice from her entire list of ten instruments that she have grown quite adept in playing. During those times, the two ponies have bonded to a level more than those of teacher and student, and instead they are more like family now.

“Well Pinkie, you did well this time. Your swing is purdy nice now. Need to work on them free-stylin’. “ Granny’s seal of approval set a bright glow within Pinkie. Some of the farm animals are now clapping from Pinkie's performance, approving of her music play.

“Thanks Granny, that mean so much to me!”
“Now we move on to the next step: ya need to play in a band. And no Pinkie, you don’t count as a band.” Pinkie groans.
“Awwwwwwww, but I know many instruments Granny.” She tried to reason with the old mare, but knows that she will lose this one.
“Ya need to work with the other ponies to make ya jazz good. Besides don’t you wanna have friends to play with ya?” Granny winks at the pink pony. Now seeing a band in that light, Pinkie’s is now jumping with joy as there will be more friends that will be playing with her.
“MY HAPPINESS IS OVER…….Wait I will not use that meme.” Granny just shakes her head, but smiling at the same time. Her time with Pinkie have shown her that Pinkie is fond of doing things that make no sense, but her heart is in the right place. She see why Applejack is close with her despite her eccentric nature. Applejack always had a good eye for friends, even if she does not know it.

“Well, first thin’ first, we need to get somepony that can keep a nice melody behind. And also somepony that could keep that beat. Anypony you know that can play’em piano or drums?” Pinkie’s hoof is now rubbing her chin in deep thought, as for some reason she had the answer for the former, but it does not click in her mind. Her thoughts were soon interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Hey Pinkie, I heard you from the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres and you sound good.” Pinkie turns around to see a very specific purple unicorn friend with a basket hovering in the air.

“Heya Twilight! What brings you here?” Pinkie is always happy whenever a friend pays her a visit. Twilight’s horn glowed and several sandwiches and plates are now floating in front of them, her magic ensures that they are gently placed and properly arranged to make it look aesthetically pleasing as it is edible. It appears to be a potato salad sandwich with some lettuce in it.

“Can’t a friend visit a friend?” Twilight chuckles and smiles at Pinkie.

“That’s very nice of you! Oh by the way Twilight do you play the piano or the drums?” For some reason, Pinkie feels that the answer to her question has something to do with Twilight.

“Ur……Pinkie, I do not play any musical instrument at all.”
“Awwww…..that’s too bad. Granny said that I should play with other ponies so that I could be good. Isn’t that right Granny?” Pinkie then takes a bite from the sandwich, and turns to the old mare.
“Eeyup, and thank you dear for bringin’ the sadwiches.” Granny answered as she takes a bite from the sandwich.
“No problem, it's my pleasure.” Twilight then takes a canteen out of her basket and some glasses and poured some water for Granny Smith and Pinkie. They went on to have their teatime break.

As they idly chat on for a considerable amount of time, it soon dawned upon Twilight that the sun is setting and she had to return to the library. Pinkie also remembered that she had to bake some of the goods for tomorrow for the Cakes in Sugarcube corner. With that they two ponies bid Granny Smith farewell, and as they both walked back to town, Pinkie’s mind is filled with only one question:

Why do I have a feeling that I know somepony or someone who can play the piano? And if I do, who could it be?

*****************************************

-Meanwhile, at the Ponyville Library-

Spike is bored out of his mind. Twilight had gone to visit Pinkie and the Apples at Sweet Apple Acres. Ever since Twilight told Spike about the farm animals she has been hanging out at Sweet Apple Acres more and more to check up on Pinkie. Whenever Twilight is out, he will always be the de facto librarian of Ponyville. But for him, he honestly needs something to do or else he would go mad from seeing all these books on the shelves. He decides to take out the ‘Out for Lunch’ sign and hangs it over the Ponyville library door and then takes a step out and locks the door.

“Just in case…” Spike then takes a step and started whistling a happy tune. Even though there is not much window shopping to do around Ponyville but is sure beats getting stuck in the library. It was then that he stumbles upon a music store where most of Ponyville’s musicians get their instruments and other stuff to maintain those instruments. A light bell rings as he pushes the door, and he is greeted by hoarse and raspy voice of Mr. Harpstrings, the old and venerable owner of the store. Spike could never really figure out what Mr’ Harpstrings’ cutie mark is as it looks like a cross between a screwdriver and a musical note.

“Hello there, Spike. Anything I can help you with?”
“Oh Mr. Harpstrings, just taking a breather from my library duties. Need to just look around , you know?” Spike replied.
“Very well then, let me know if you need anything.” Mr. Harpstrings then proceed on to tune a guitar.

As Spike browsed around the store, he could remember the time where he was asked by Pinkie to play that piano in Applelosa. That was hilarious in hindsight, as Pinkie’s song only made the buffalos and the ponies even more antagonistic to each other. It was then that he saw a beautiful piano in the store. It is finely crafted instrument albeit simple in its design, with the majesty and poise of a sovereign. The dark mahogany from which the instrument is made of and the red, velvet seat only enhanced its beauty. He decided to himself that he would like to try this piano out and he positions himself on the seat. The keys are all there before him, and he hits some of the keys and finds them perfectly in pitch.

Mr.Harpstrings sure know how to make these things sound right, Spike said to himself. Spike wonder what kind of tune he would like to play on this piano and pondered for a while before he knows what he wants to play. He always liked the way he played the piano back in Applelosa with that western salt lick bar “feel”, but at the same time he also likes the good o' classical piano plays that he heard so often in Canterlot while he was staying there.He's going to try and mix the two together to something that will way more cooler and fun.

As his claws hammers the piano keys, he begins with a very melancholic and melodious tune just like those classy tunes he heard from those Canterlot cafes before picking the song up to a much more jumpy and joyful tune. Trying to balance the two different speeds to something that have both but neither gives the little dragon much joy. He felt like this could be a hit with the ladies, and he could imagine a certain white unicorn lying on top of his piano swooning over his virtuosity.

A loud and constant thudding bass snaps Spike's attention back to reality and he looked out from the corner of his eye to see who interrupted his daydreaming. He could see that Mr.Harpstrings is hitting the bass drum on one of his drum sets to accompany Spike’s song all while cleaning the drum set. The melodies surprisingly went well together with the bass,

Spike smiled to himself and kept on playing, while the old pony smiled back at him and keeping the beat. And soon enough Spike is now back to his imagination with Rarity.

*****************************************

“Hm…….” Pinkie is still deep in thought about who else she knew that could play an instrument, and she definitely knew somepony that could play the piano. But who?

“What’s wrong Pinkie?” Twilight asked the pink pony.The thought of Pinkie thinking about something is always a surprise for the unicorn.

“I don’t know Twilight. It feels like I know somepony that could play the piano but I have no idea who could that pony be.” Pinkie said with a rather cheerful tone, as if finding this mysterious person is a game.Whenever she thinks about thinks it, she always had her thoughts flashing back to a desert, dancing and buffalo tribes. She then wonders how the buffalos are doing in Applelosa.

“Well, it will all come in due time Pinkie. It will all….” Before long, both Twilight and Pinkie could hear a tune up in the air. The intricate and melancholic melody sounds very similar to a Classical Canterlot-styled piano playing, but at the same time it also felt Applelosan with its jumpiness and slightly frenzied tempo. Both of them looked at each other, and then they both looked around for the source of the sound. It appears to be coming out from Mr. Harpstrings’ store.

“That’s odd….that sounds like a Canterlot classical pianist is trying to play like an Appleosan pianist or an Applosan trying to play like a Canterlot classical pianist. Canterlot pianist are often very proud of their music and will not mix their music with anypony else's . An Applelosan style of piano is quite localized and it only popular with ponies from the western frontiers, and no Applelosan will travel this far to Ponyville unless they are part of the Apple family.” Twilight rubs her head with her hoof.

"Who could this mysterious pony be? That pony must have played both styles before at some point........." A flashbulb moment appears in Pinkie’s mind, lighting up as she puts two and two and two hoofs together. Twilight was taken aback by the improbable number of hooves that Pinkie managed to muster, wondering how on earth does Pinkie break all laws of logic and Twilight scared herself in the process. Immediately Pinkie gasped at the revelation that her hooves had given her.

“I KNOW WHO THAT SOMEPONY IS!!! HURRY WE MUST MAKE HASTE!!!!!” Pinkie immediately rushed towards the store, followed shortly by Twilight.

*****************************************

As he is playing, Spike could hear a light bell chiming and he knows that that is always the cue for the old pony to attend to some customers that entered his humble store. True to the sound that he heard, he can see Mr.Harpstrings getting up and left the drum set to conduct his business, accidentally hitting some of the cymbals while he got up.

Before long, the little dragon ends the song. Once he had stopped a sense of pride and satisfaction wells up within him. Unfortunately he now has to get back to the library before Twilight is back at the library and he has to cook dinner. As he turns around he saw two ponies staring bewilderingly at them, one of them the reason why he had to get back to the library as soon as possible.

“Spike? That was you?” Twilight raised an eyebrow, and immediately he knew that he is in trouble.
“Ur…..Hey Twilight, I could explain…”But it was then that he actually realized that he can’t explain to Twilight about how he finds the library is such a bore and he left to do something more fun. Twilight would flip if she knew that he thinks that being a librarian is boring.

“I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT THAT IT WAS SPIKE!!!!!!!!!!!” Pinkie screamed with joy. Twilight looked at Pinkie with a smile, and she then focuses her attention on Spike. Spike is now utterly clueless about what is going on, but he knows that his choice of playing the piano today is perhaps going to put him into a very difficult situation. And definitely he wonders if he is in any deep trouble. Twilight looks at her little assistant and as she slowly brings her hoof around him, Spike’s heart pounded and he wanted to run. And then Twilight whispers to him, answering his thoughts.

“You have no idea. And I will suggest that you get a head start now.” The dragon is now looking at her, wondering what does she mean, until Twilight points towards Pinkie, and then he understands, He understands it all now. He had heard of Pinkie's infamous tracking abilities and now, Spike could now see the crazed eyes of Pinkie looking at him with glee. Immediately the dragon ran out from the store screaming.

"Wait up Spike! Where are you going? I really want you to join my band!" Pinkie then gave chase, hopping merrily to find the little purple dragon.

"Spikeeeeee!" Spike could hear her voice coming in from a distance, even as he pants, Spike did not believe his luck today, as he did not expect to run away from something in fear and definitely not Pinkie Pie as his object of fear. After a while, he turns back and notice that the pink pony is nowhere in sight. As he turns around, the corner of his eyes caught something in front of him.

"I need a favor Spike, I totally promise it will be totally fun!" But before Pinkie could tell Spike about her proposition, Spike has already disappeared. The pink pony shrugs, and looks around before hopping towards the direction of the lake.

*****************************************

Spike is now hoping really hard that this is a nightmare and that he could wake up from it. He pinches his cheeks and then he realized that dragons do not feel any pain for pinching. For all he cares you could stab his cheek in the face with a needle and he will not feel a thing. Hiding among the bushes in the Everfree Forest, he wonders how long before Pinkie decides to go back for her muffins and cakes. He now wished that there was someone to talk to him as he needs the support now.

"Hi!" A happy cheeerful voice greeted him, a voice that Spike appreciates and a voice that he needs now. However, muscle memory of his lips, vocal chords and tongue then identifies the owner of that voice.
"Hi Pinkie. Good to see you" As the words slip by Spike's lips, he knows that he must run.....now. He ran screaming, as Pinkie happily hops after him.

Spike had never ran so much in his life before. He is usually the couch potato at the Ponyville Library, and this running is taking its toll on him. He had already ran to the top of mountains, hid among the crates in Ponyville, crouched under many stone bridges, and every darn time he found Pinkie already at the locations greeting him. All that running had made him really scared, tired, and hungry. As he looks around to see where he is, he could see that he is in Sweet Apple Acres and he sure could take a bite from one of these delicious apples now.

"Here's an apple if you would like" Pinkie Pie hands Spike an apple. As the dragon nonchalantly picks up the apple and was about to take a nice bite, he realized the pony that handed him an apple. Spike drops the apple and ran as hard as his little scaly feet could get him.

*****************************************

The dragon has never known what sweating really is, as he is technically cold-blooded. But if he does sweat, he would be flooding poor Fluttershy’s house right now. Pinkie is a monster. But then that saying, among the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony Pinkie is the most mysterious pony of them all. Spike could only run around waving his arms in the air as he wails in fear. Somehow she always knew where he is hiding, popping out from the most impossible places. But thankfully he is now in Fluttershy’s house and not having to fear the unknowns of the wild anymore If there is one place that Pinkie would not be able to enter, it would be Fluttershy’s house. The animals will be able to somehow detect her and even then Pinkie would have to ask her friend politely to enter into the house, Spike reasoned. So far he thought right, as there is no pink pony greeting him in front of Fluttershy's house.

Fluttershy is now returning from the kitchen with a plate of cookies. The pink pegasus lets him into her home after some frantic door banging, and she wondered what is it that made the poor little dragon so alicorn-fearing. Nonetheless, she will try to make him feel all warm and cozy now.

“Thank you for letting me in here.” Spike said as he takes a bite from one of the cookies.

“What are friends for? Would you like anything to drink? You look like you just ran around Ponyville.” Actually, Spike ran around Ponyville thrice.

“Yeah, a glass of water would be nice.” Now all he needs is to just take it easy and just drink that glass of water.

“Alright, Spike. Pinkie, could you get Spike a glass of water? He looks so tired.” It was then that Spike froze in fear, and his little heart pounded like a jackhammer, each pound louder than the one before and in the end the crescendo eclipsing every other sound in the house. How could this be? The last time he saw her, it was at the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres.

Unless......... Spike drops the cookie on the floor, and as the cookie cracks and shatters on the floor, as the thought sinks into his mind, Pinkie's already in the Fluttershy’s house while I was running to her house. A dark, ominous atmosphere soon descends over the little dragon. To make it worse, he could now hear Pinkie's voice.

“Sure thing Fluttershy.” From within Fluttershy’s kitchen, the unmistakable pink pony hops towards Spike with a glass of water in one hoof, and a wide grin on her face. With nowhere to escape , Spike could only do what his little mind is telling him to do;

Scream, Spike. Scream like a little scared filly.

Author's Note:

Spike's piano song - George Shearing-Lullaby of Birdland (piano cover)

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