Suspended in the air with their points directed at Note's defiant form, the swords quivered as if they were eager for the Analyst's blood. The unicorn responsible for summoning them stood tall; his very aura rippled with the threat of death. Note was unafraid, almost foolishly brave in the face of such a show of force.
"I don't like bullies," he said simply.
With fear slowing his responses, Grace finally ignited his horn. "This is my mess hall! You will lower your swords, armorer! This is unacceptable!"
Stepping forward, Grace's magic called to every bladed instrument in the kitchens. The doors between mess hall and kitchen flew open, the space within the doorframe full of blue-lit steel. Stepping in front of the Analyst, Grace stood with an arch of knives behind him. "Stand down!"
The Armorer's eyes were locked on Note. "This isn't over. You don't get to just say whatever you want about ponies like the Advisor." Grace bristled as the Armorer ignored him, but eased as the pony turned around and his swords disappeared. He didn't truly relax his body until the Armorer was gone.
"That's it for the both of us, then. We will be marked as enemies of the Advisor." Grace murmured in the silence of the hall.
Note tapped a knife, still suspended in air. "Mind lowering these? Your assistant is going to be quite peeved at you for this, you know."
Grace snorted. "Let him be peeved. We have bigger problems."
"The Advisor is in the hospital. Who knows when or if he'll return to the court and what he'll be like when he does." Note said dismissively. Grace noticed the tension in his friend's pose. Juristic Note stood with three out of four legs stock-still, His fourth, a foreleg, rubbed up and down at the elbow joint of his ramrod-straight foreleg.
Grace turned to face his friend, his magical hold beginning to move the knives away carefully. When Juri had a path to an empty chair, he took it, with stiff slowness. With that much accomplished, Grace realized he would be in for a big headache if he didn't get the knives down safely. As he set about directing the cutlery down, he still felt nettled by Juri's reasoning. "There are still ponies loyal to him. Ponies who won't like hearing a bad word about him or what he represents." Grace reminded him.
Juristic Note was haggard, but unapologetic. "He represents the kind of bullies that make me sick."
"He's only ever used his power and influence on those he felt presented a risk to the kingdom." Grace responded, carefully setting down each knife on an empty table. This required him to turn his back on his friend. Grace did so deliberately, to hide the shaking in his front hooves. Juri would understand the shaking, of course, but life taught Grace to hide such displays of emotion.
"And me." Note replied with unfeigned disgust. "He had somepony following me after I told him to leave me alone. He didn't need to come at me like that and yet, I'm still the bad guy who's 'threatening the kingdom.'"
Grace sighed as he finished piling the cutlery, letting the air hiss through clenched teeth. "I didn't come here to be a baker. I didn't come here to use my magic to protect my friends like this. All I've ever wanted to do was perform. And all I've ever been is ignored."
Note paused, then walked around to face his friend squarely. "I'm tired of these games too, Grace. Let's leave the castle together?"
Looking up with his mouth twisted, Grace met Juristic's gaze. He relaxed his posture immediately in response to the hard line of Juri's jaw. There was determination in Juri's eyes. This close, Grace could see the after-effects of adrenaline in Juri's movements as well. "You think they'll just let us?" Grace asked quietly, afraid to break whatever ephemeral dream this was.
Juri's hoof on his shoulder dispelled any notion of dreaming. He wasn't as unshaken as he'd been in the heat of the moment. The same fear that Grace felt so deeply was etched into the care and gentility with which he displayed now. Whatever this was; this was real. "Who's going to stop us? I still have that ship in the harbor. It's big enough to live in." His face lit up as he continued. "We'll head to Manehatten in Equestria. I can get my old job back as a professor and we can leave the kingdom behind us."
Grace surveyed the mess hall around them. He took deep breaths through his nose and let them blow out of his mouth as he took a look around. Finally, after a pause that had Juri more than a little worried, Grace nodded.
"Let's do it."
***
“Already up? You haven’t been up this early since we moved here.” Juristic Note observed as he came down the hall from his cabin.
Graceful Bass smirked over the pancakes still cooking on the stove. “I’m surprised I didn’t wake you sooner. I think I must have burned half of these so far.”
Note lifted an eyebrow. “Aren’t you supposed to be a cooking whiz?”
The unicorn sighed, pouting his lips as he gave an exaggerated whine. “Baking whiz, maybe. I think I got the hang of this, though. I just had the burner set too high."
"Careful about that, I know we're at a dock, but water and gas fires don't mix." Note noted, idly swishing his tail as he passed by. Grace flicked his tail at Note’s flank sharply. In return, Note aimed a withering glance directly at Grace. "Watch it." He warned, though his word lacked any bite.
Grace smirked at him and flipped the pancake. "Would you like some pancakes?"
Note opened the hall closet and rummaged around for something warm. "I think I'll have to grab something on the way. There's a new set of cases we're studying. There isn't a lot linking them, but I have a TA that is convinced they're related. It doesn't help that they're cold as yak dung."
Grace leaned on the counter and gave Juri's rear a hard glare. "You've been away a lot this whole week."
Note turned around wearing a deep brown scarf and paused at the door leading out to the deck. "I'm..." His tone started out louder than he intended, alarming himself. Taking a breath, he tried again. "I'm sorry Grace. I guess I did drag you out to Manehatten. This place can make a pony very lonely if they're not careful."
Removing the pan from the heat, Grace turned off the stove. Exhaling slowly, he turned a happier face to his friend. "You didn't drag anypony; I decided to leave the castle to pursue my passion too. It just doesn't help that you have settled back into your passion and I have to go chasing after mine."
"I understand, I just wish there was something...hey!" His ears perked up at a sudden thought. Grace's own ears swiveled around in response to the exclamation. "How about teaching music?"
Grace cocked his head, one ear perked and the other flat. "I never earned a degree though. And hasn't the school year already started?"
Juristic Note shook his head. "No, not as a professor. More like a tutor. You know mandolin, harp, and vocal disciplines just fine. You could do one-on-one lessons with some of the music students. I'll get a flyer done up and approved at the campus. You'll probably be swimming in students before the end of the week."
The smile became genuine. Grace's few auditions so far were less than promising and although Juri made enough to pay their dock fees and provide for the two of them, Grace didn't want to become a burden. "Well, that sounds great! Just make it clear that the lessons will be at the student's location of choice. I'm not about to deal with students trying to play here."
Juristic Note smiled in return, his lips parting to show his pearly whites. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea. I'll have it taken care of, so you have a good day!"
"Thanks! You too!" Grace called out as Note left for the day. The prospect was exciting. Music students would also be trying to break into the music industry. A few might even be well-connected. Who knew what would happen?
***
"I didn't know this would happen." Grace muttered under his breath. Only Hope, or just Hope for short, was on her second try at college. Her first time was interrupted by the arrival of a foal. She'd given birth and raised him in her parent's home until they decided it was time for her to try again. She seemed to be making an earnest effort, for the most part. It was difficult to live the kind of life at college that she had before her son arrived. They lived together in a neat, but cluttered, two bedroom in the modest part of the college district.
The door closed behind Only Hope as she left, off for a study-group meeting that she assured would only be a few hours. Blue Hope swished his unusual, lion-like tail idly. The lessons he'd been hired to give were for Blue Hope. The foal.
Unsure of where to begin, Grace coughed into a hoof politely. This drew Blue's full attention. He lifted his chin proudly and puffed up his chest as he spoke. "I already know how to read music. I've performed in my school's music program every year. I even had a solo last year."
Grace couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Oh. So where does the harp come into this?" He asked.
Blue hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. "I just started middle school. There's a filly...a friend, I mean. She's in the orchestra. I...can't play any instruments. She's nice, but she only really notices colts in the orchestra. Well, only a few colts in the orchestra." His posture changed as he spoke. Now his chin was lower, his eyes distant. Grace resisted a sigh. The poor colt was smitten.
Grace had a feeling he knew where this was going, but as he was being paid for a few hours of lessons (or foal-sitting) he shrugged and prompted the colt to continue. "What kind of colts in the orchestra?"
Blue's tone was instantly dismissive. "Two harpists and a bass player. They can't play very well, but they've improved slightly since the start of the semester. I need to catch up. And then surpass them."
Grace let out a breath slowly. "That's a tall order. Can they read music too?"
"Not as quick as me." Blue Hope replied, chest up and chin high again.
Grace patted the colt's shoulder. "Well, there's that in your favor then. How did you talk your mother into getting you a harp? She's a student and a single mother. Harps are a lot of bits."
Blue Hope turned to the instrument, still covered by a rather worn case. "Grandma Facet gave it to me. She has all sorts of instruments. Mom says she practically grew up picking up one instrument or another."
Grace opened the canvas and held his breath. Inspecting the harp, his immediate fears turned out to be unfounded. The instrument in question certainly had a passed-down look. It was well-cared-for, but showing its age. It would do for a first-timer though. "Well, should we start then?"
"Yes, please sir." Blue Hope nodded eagerly.
Grace cast his magic over the harp to gauge its playability. "It's in better shape than it looks. The strings need replacing soon, but it still has some life in it. Well, no time like the present."
The time passed, but Hope's mother hadn't returned. As the colt got ready for bed, she stumbled in with another mare. They were giggling but didn't smell of alcohol as far as Grace could detect it. She paid Grace what they'd agreed on and a little extra for being late. He watched her as she went to tuck her son into bed and bid Grace goodnight. Before he could hit the door, her friend stopped him.
"So you're some sort of musician, eh?" The giggly earth mare asked.
Grace shrugged. "Some sort. I teach it."
"Well you know what they say about those who can't do." She said, shrugging her shoulders as she let out another giggle.
Grace's eyes narrowed. "I can do better than most. Problem is getting in. Most acts around here seem to be as well-established as they are territorial."
A different laugh greeted him then, Only Hope was back. "That's for sure. But I got a friend who started up a new place. Lemonlight. Ever heard of it?"
Shaking his head, Grace opened his mouth as he lifted his hoof to gesticulate. Before he could speak, she set a matchbook down on his extended hoof.
"If you got anything worthwhile, give it a shot Mr. Bass." She said, one eyebrow up in a challenge.
***
"How did your first lesson go?" Note asked. Grace closed the door and leaned against it. Cocking his head over to Juri, Grace took in the scene before him. Juristic had a pile of papers on the end table near where he sat. Folders were strewn in an order that Grace could only assume made sense to Note.
"Well, you were home before me, what does that tell you?" Grace replied, somewhat crossly. Heaving a sigh, Grace shook his head. "No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say it like that. It just was a little different than I expected. You helped me even get the gig, so I shouldn't complain."
Note smiled, clearing a place and waving a hoof to the seat next to him. "No, by all means, complain! What happened?"
Grace crossed over to take a seat. He grimaced. leaning over to free a missed sheaf of papers. Now settled, Grace sighed and gave him the overview.
Juristic stood and began picking up folders. Once again, Grace was mystified at the seemingly random order to his collection. "The club sounds fun. I think I've heard some of my students talk about it. Kind of a crazy place, some of the ponies there are really out there. Kind of a jazz, bluesy, electro-swing place. Maybe you should audition there!"
Grace crossed his hooves and thought about it. "I just might go. You in?"
Now encumbered slightly by the pile of papers, Juri turned around. Grace caught a few folders in his magic before they hit the floor. "Ah, no. Still have classes to handle, cases to look through. Studies to review. All that boring crime stuff."
His eyes fell to one folder as he stood to replace them on the pile Note held. "I have a feeling it's not all as boring as you like to make it sound."
Note accepted the folders gratefully. "It really is."
Lifting a hoof to poke Note's nose, Grace teased his friend. "And yet, you left a position of influence in the royal court to come back and do it again."
Note snorted. "It says more about the royal court, if you ask me. Not that I have to remind you."
The image of a showdown involving swords, the castle mess hall and all of the knives Grace could hold in his magic came to mind. Grace nodded. "Well, when you put it that way."