Cool Mint

by Kumare Tanamaru

First published

Mint is just your average pony. College student by day, musical genius by night. With his recent relocation to ponyville (after some not-so-good things happened to him in Los Pegasus) Mint must learn the new lifestyle of the small town life. He also has one problem: his taste in mares. Being a musical genius, he has high expectations for mares of musical talents.

With his love life put to extreme standards, how will he cope with little options to feed his passion for companionship?

Prologue: Part One

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"Alright everypony! Get ready to get this party started!! This is your mixer, DJ M1n-T, and I'll be takin' care of all y'alls musical wants and needs! Let's get down to one of my new records: Cool Mint!" I yelled as I flipped a light green record onto my turntables. The crowd cheered and started dancing.

This is the life. I thought to myself. No worries. Just me, my music, and the mare down the street. What was her name again...?

I snapped out of my daze and found myself staring into one of the scariest sights I had ever seen. It was the Horse-Shoes. The most feared, respected, and loved DJ's of my time. I would have loved to seen them come in to sample my music. Only, there was one problem with that fantasy: Me.

I had gotten on their bad side when I started hitting on Clef's mare. She was nice too. Slick gray mane, nice violet eyes. Never got in more than two words with her before I was ran out of the club. The Horse-Shoes told me that I'd never be a great DJ if I didn't have a face to match my music. As you can tell, I didn't stick around that joint too long. I also had to promise them something: I was never to DJ in one of the clubs surrounding the Pony Party Center.

Problem: There was no way I could even dream of get my stuff out there without playing in one of those clubs.

Solution: Play secretly.

Current Situation: I'm up on stage, jammin' out, and have no way of leaving, except through the front door. Plus, my only copy of my "Cool Mint" record is here on stage with me. So I have two options:

Option One: Ditch my record and save my hide (which I don't want turned into one of the Shoes' boots).

Option Two: Save my baby, get the living crap beat out of me, and leave town afterwards.

I think I'm going to choose option two.

I grabbed the mic and sighed.

"Alright everypony. I gotta good one for you. This one's called 'Beyond her Tomb.' Hope everypony enjoys, I'm out."

The crowd gasped as I started the record. I looked up and saw the piercing scowls of the Horse-Shoes. I have to say: I've never seen Clef's expression change. Tonight must've been a special occasion, because his eyes looked like that of pure evil.

I approached the group slowly and kept a close eye on the records I had in my bag.

"Clef." I said calmly.

"Mint." he replied without breathing.

"Been a while. Still seeing that mare? What was her name?"

"Synth. And no, I'm not. Not after that night."

"That's a shame. She wa-"

"Shut up. Just shut the buck up, and get out. I won't do anything to you unless you leave." He said.

He blinked and looked at the ground. I had never seen him like this.

"I don't care where you go. Just never come back. You'll never be a successful DJ. You'll never be successful in music. So leave town."

I paused and stared through his sunglasses, and into his light green eyes.

"Agreeable. Just let me get a few things fr-"

"Tonight. You have to leave tonight." He said, taking a step towards me.

"Alt, You-"

"Don't ever call me that again. Just leave. Now. We'll take care of your stuff. Just get out."

I looked at him with disappointment. I used to call him my friend. Now he was just competition. I walked to his side and put on my shades.

"For music, for passion. For friendship..." I paused and opened the door.


Forever.


I walked out the door and headed down the road. Safely snugged in my pack was my pride and joy, my first and only record: Cool Mint.



*****



I arrived in the next town with no problems. No henchmen following me, no one out to get my name.

"This town would be great..." I said to myself. "Without the Horse-Shoes name tattooed all over the damn place."

I winced at the name and nodded at the conductor, who had tapped on the glass, asking if I was staying for another ride. I closed my eyes and drifted into a deep sleep, and dreamt my dream life. The dream I have every night. My own club. My own music. A nice mare by my side, and my whole future ahead of me.

"Excuse me, sir?" I heard a small voice say.

I opened my yellow eyes and found a filly, not much younger than myself, staring at me with her deep blue eyes. She was pretty, slender, and shy. But of all her traits, I notice she lacked a cutie mark.

"My mother and I were wondering if these other seats were taken." she said, breaking my concentration

"Nah. I have no use for them but to put my hooves up. You can have them." I said, pulling my shades over my eyes.

"Thank you sir." She said with enthusiasm.

The filly ran out the room to find her mother, I suspect, and returned not three minutes later.

"Here mother, this nice stallion said we could have these seats!"

I felt the mother's eyes stare at me for a while.

"I'm terribly sorry if my daughter bothered you."

"She asked for seats. Who am I to say no? Take 'em. I don't mind a bit of friendly company." I said smirking to myself.

"See mom? I wasn't lying!"

"Hush, Elegy."

"Elegy..." I said aloud. I smiled at the two and lifted my shades to see them more clearly. "Please, sit. I need some company. You're name. Elegy. Do you know what it means?" I asked softly.

"No sir," she said taking the seat across from me. "What does it mean?"

"It means 'An instrumental lament with praise for the dead.' Basically, you give ponies a happy goodbye gift with song. How does that make you feel?"

The little filly looked at the ground and then to her mother. Tears welled up in her eyes, and I held my breath in fear of what I had done.

"M-my father died when I was younger... His name was Vivace. When he died, I wrote a song for him, to celebrate his life. Here, I want you to have it." she said, scooting a folded paper across the table.

It had a wax seal on it. The seal had a lyre imprinted in it, and was a solid yellow color. I held it to my chest and nodded in thanks. When I opened my eyes, I couldn't help but notice her flank was glowing brightly.

"Elegy! Look!" her mother exclaimed.

Elegy quickly examined her behind and tears fell from her deep blue eyes.

"Congratulations Elegy." I said standing up to leave.

"Oh... You're going?"

"This is my stop. See you 'round." I said about to disembark.

"W-wait! Can I know your name?"

I pulled my shades over my eyes and chuckled a bit.

"Mint. See you 'round, El." I said getting off the train.