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// Sonata No. 1 
// Story: Starlight's Symphony 
// by Phoenix Heart 27 
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Sonata No. 1

At only 2 years old, little Starlight Sonata knew something wasn't... completely right with her. For one thing, she had started to not be able to hear everything somepony told her. Her hearing would fade and she would get frustrated when somepony mistook her trying to ask to repeat as clumsy foal babbles. Eventually by the time it took ponies to be able to understand what she would be trying to ask, it was too late and Starlight would be upset and go off on her own or seek out her big sister. It wasn't until Starlight was over 3 years old that her parents got even more concerned than originally thought. So they took her to a special doctor and had a few vision and hearing tests done on her. Once the doctor came back with the results a few weeks later is when Starlight truly sensed something was changing. For one thing, she found she couldn't exactly hear it when the doctor told her parents that Starlight was going deaf, yet she could make out how the kind doctor moved his mouth and it sounded to her that the doctor said something upsetting. Her mother started to cry a bit. She had never seen her mommy cry like that! It was unnerving a bit to witness, but Starlight did the only sensible thing her little toddler self could think to do. She raised up on her back hooves and hugged her mommy's larger front hoof. Moondance smiled a bit when she did that and returned the gentle embrace.

When it was time to go back home, it was as if Starlight immediately felt the effects of her family's sadness and began to cry a little bit (although, she claimed that she was hungry as to why she cried). With help from her big sister, Starlight managed to get a good lunch in her tiny belly. Afterwards she would toddle away towards the den area where her Papa was sitting at their old piano playing a lively little tune. While she couldn't hear it all too well, she could however feel the vibrations of how the notes would be played through the be-rugged floor. She smiled at the feeling of the notes under her hooves until her father glanced over at her and smiled.

“Do you want to learn how it's played?”, Rain Whip asked his little one.

Of course, Starlight only could make out the words ‘learn’ (because that's what her sister told her that's something they both have to do as foals) and ‘played’ (because that word she herself had used to mean that her playing had happened before). Nodding, she grinned as her Papa placed her hooves on the keys of the piano and helped guide them into the right places on the keys as they played the song together.

Starlight was mystified by how the different vibrations felt under her hooves! She wanted to learn more and be able to do more like that. Well her aspiration came true as her hearing got worse and she had resorted to wearing hearing aids because she could make out the smallest amount of sound by age 4. Along with having to learn Equestrian Sign Language (which she picked up on instantly), she continued to practice with the piano. Eventually surpassing her dad's teachings. She began to figure out that she could make up her own songs for the piano as well. It started off a simple thing because she wasn't in school that day and had gotten bored while her big sister was at school and her friends were all at the special school she went to. Simple melodies just came to her hooves and she played while mouth writing on the lined pieces of paper from her notebook the different notes she’d memorized by heart years prior. The notes had to be written right or else the song wasn't going to feel right. For many weeks she'd find herself after school and homework time sat at the piano. Her little back legs swinging off the bench as she strokes the keys. Trying her hardest to get the song right. One night while the family was sitting at dinner, Starlight had an announcement.

“I have to tell you guys something”, Starlight signed in big gestures to portray speaking loudly.

“What is it ‘lil Star’?”, Moondance asked in words and signs for her other family members.

Taking a deep breath, Starlight signed in clear terms that she had been working on a composition (a big word that she had learned earlier that day that meant the written part of a music sheet). She then explained that it was finally done and that she wanted to show her family. So quickly finishing up her dinner, she fluttered off towards the den and to the piano.

Stretching her forelegs and loosening her hooves, Starlight Sonata began her song at a moderately fast tempo. Her small hooves gliding across the smooth black and white keys with the precision of somepony who’d been born playing the piece instead of one who’d only been playing for 2 years. The piece gradually increased in moderation and intensity before mellowing out by the ending. Panting a bit and smiling about the wonderful vibrations she felt with her first finished piece. Turning around, she was shocked to see her parents and sister stood around her with open jaws. With an understood fear of rejection in her heart, she pinned her ears to the sides of her head and with head held to her chest, asked in sign how she did.

“Starlight that was wonderful!”, Moondance exclaimed and signed.

“My little shining star’s first sonata! I'm so proud!”, Rain Whip signed and beamed at his daughter.

“That was totally awesome ‘Starry’! I knew you could do it!”, Melody Star cheered and signed to her 5 year old baby sister. Quickly zipping over to her and wrapping her in a big hug.

“I did that well?”, Starlight signed in surprise.

This earned her a round of nods and smiles. Beaming herself, Starlight hopped off the bench and did her own special celebratory air dance. She was so happy that she didn't even notice her big sister scoop her out of the air as she almost flew into the ceiling fan. Setting her back down, Melody shook her head.

“I get that you're happy you did your thing right, but can you try and not get yourself killed by a fan?”, The 13 year old Pegasus admonished in sign and speech.

The only response for that was a necessary (in her mind anyways) raspberry and gentle shove before darting across the room. Her big sister chasing her the whole time.