//------------------------------// // Ep 21 - A Hoof in the Door // Story: My Little Pony: Small Town Life // by Mythic Night //------------------------------// The crowd at the pub cheered as Restless Harmony played the last chord of their most heartfelt song, “Big City Dreams.” Mystic Spiral and his bandmates smiled and waved to the barflies, before they put their instruments aside and found a table to relax at. Mystic, as head of the band, went to the bar to get them drinks so they could properly celebrate another successful show. He soon returned with several drinks levitating in his magic, and as he handed out the drinks, he told them, “Great job everyone! That’s another successful gig under our belts.” It had been a couple months since their private concert for friends and family, and since then they’d been playing shows in Ponyville and nearby towns, thanks to a successful advertising campaign. “Was there ever any doubt?” Blossom Beat asked with a grin. “No matter where we go, it seems like everyone enjoys our music,” observed Sky Note. Mystic grinned at their enthusiasm, and said, “Well, I guess we’ll see how true that is when we play our next show in Manehattan.” His three bandmates were shocked by that declaration, and all eyes turned to him. “Are… are you serious, Mystic?” Blossom asked, unable to believe what she’d just heard. “Oh, I’m totally serious,” he replied. “You all remember that I came from Manehattan, right?” They all nodded, and he explained, “Well, I still have family there, and I asked them about places we could play at. Turns out that the bar my cousin works at features live performances, and she convinced the owner to let us play there this Friday.” Mystic grinned as his bandmates cheered, and he chuckled as Low Tone and Blossom shared a passionate kiss in their excitement. “This is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for!” said Sky Note. “It sure is, but only if we do our best,” Mystic said, motioning for them to calm down. “If we play well, and the attendees like us, then we may get to play at that bar again. If we can win over the crowd, then we might even get to do more shows all around Manehattan, which would be a big step toward our dream.” He couldn’t help but smile at the excited faces looking back at him. They had worked hard to make their dream a reality, and this would be the next major step on the road to making it big in the music industry. “Enjoy your drinks, and get well-rested tonight, because tomorrow we’re going to Manehattan!” = = = = = = = = = = The next evening, Mystic Spiral and his band were on the train heading to Manehattan. Strawberry Jewel was also there, going with them to offer her support, just as she had since the band first started playing. Mystic always appreciated having Jewel there to cheer them on, even if he had no idea how much his friend pined for him. Sky Note was in the middle of writing a new song in his notebook, and Low Tone and Blossom Beat were snuggling together as they watched the scenery going by. Jewel watched the couple, feeling envious of their relationship, and she wished for the millionth time that Mystic would see her as more than a friend. Mystic couldn’t help but grin at the thought of going back to his hometown after all these years. He missed the crowds, the sights, and all the old hangouts he’d visit with his old friends. Losing those old friends had probably been the hardest part of leaving Manehattan, and that was why he still held a grudge against his parents for moving to Ponyville. Even though he’d gained lasting friends like Jewel, they couldn’t replace the old friends he’d had. “Excited to go back to Manehattan?” Jewel asked him, noticing his grin. He turned and nodded. “I’ve looked forward to this day since I was a colt boarding the train to Ponyville. Finally, after all these years, I’ll get to see my hometown again.” “You always made it sound so exciting,” she said, thinking of the stories he told her when they were young. Mystic chuckled. “Oh, you have no idea yet, but you will! We’ll be getting there too late to do anything but meet up with the owner of that bar, but tomorrow I’ll bring you with me to see all the sights, to experience all the places I loved as a kid.” Their band would play tomorrow night, leaving the whole day to them until their scheduled appearance. Jewel smiled. “That sounds great, I can’t wait.” It was late in the day by the time they reached the train station in Manehattan, and soon Princess Luna would raise the moon to start the night. It took them a little while to grab their luggage, but soon they met up with Mystic’s cousin, Sundancer. The two shared a hug, before the mare smiled at her younger cousin. “Hey Mystic, long time no see. How was the trip?” “Long, too long,” he replied, stretching out a bit. “It feels great to be back, though.” She giggled and nodded. “I don’t doubt that. Now, everyone, please follow me. There’s a cheap hotel not too far away, and once you get settled in I’ll bring you to meet my boss.” The six of them quickly reached the hotel where they would be staying for the next couple nights. It was large, but plain looking, not that they needed to get rooms in the fanciest hotel in the city. Low Tone and Blossom Beat got a room together, and Jewel elected to share a room with Mystic, leaving Sky Note as the one pony with his own room. Celestia had lowered the sun by the time they finished getting their rooms and luggage taken care of, and the six of them got a few taxis to bring them to the bar they’d be playing at, called The Whiskey Trough. The entrance had large windows which showed off the spacious room filled with ponies, and through those windows they could see the stage in one corner where a band was getting set up. Sundancer lead the five of them inside, and Jewel waited at the bar as the four bandmates were brought to the owner of the bar, a light green unicorn mare. “Hey boss,” she greeted the elder mare. “This is my cousin, Mystic Spiral, and his band I told you about.” The mare turned from the band on stage to look at the group. “Let’s go somewhere a little quieter,” she suggested, leading them in back to her office, where they could talk without having to shout over the growing crowd. Once there, she sat behind her desk to speak to the group. “My name’s Honeydew, and I own The Whiskey Trough. As you saw out there, we have live entertainment most nights, but it’s usually local bands playing for the crowd.” She looked to Sundancer, then back to Mystic. “I’m giving your band a chance because your cousin, Sundancer, has been a great bartender for the past couple years, and because I think my customers would enjoy some fresh talent. So, want to tell me about your band, and what I can expect tomorrow night?” He looked between his friends, and received an encouraging nod from his cousin. “Well, I’m Mystic Spiral, the guitarist. This is Sky Note, the singer, Low Tone, the bassist, and Blossom Beat, our drummer. Together, we are Restless Harmony, a rock band from Ponyville. We play our own original songs, written by Sky Note with help from the whole band. Everypony back home loves our music, and I promise your customers will love us too.” Honeydew’s brow furrowed. “I hope so. If you play well, and my customers like you, then I’ll be asking you to come back sometime. Truth is, my regulars have been getting bored with the same few cover bands playing every night, and if you turn out to be popular with them, it’ll encourage more business for me. You do well, and we both come out ahead on this.” Sky Note grinned as he stepped forward. “We won’t let you down! We’ve worked way too hard to settle for being a local band, and we’re not about to mess up when we have a chance to make it big in Manehattan!” “He’s right,” Blossom Beat added. “Our dream is to be one of the best bands in Equestria, and you’re giving us the opportunity to really make a name for ourselves here in Manehattan. I promise you, we’ll do our very best tomorrow night.” Low Tone simply smiled and nodded, the big earth pony stallion having nothing to add. Mystic looked at his friends, grinning at their enthusiasm and determination. “Trust me, Honeydew, when our band is touring Equestria, you’ll get to tell everyone that you had Restless Harmony played their first Manehattan show right here in your bar.” She snorted, then started laughing. “You guys really are something else! I have to admit, you definitely seem more driven than the other bands, and if you play half as well as you think you do, then tomorrow night should be entertaining.  Now then, let’s talk pay…” - - - Meanwhile, at the bar, Strawberry Jewel was sipping on a daiquiri as she waited for her friends to finish talking with the owner. She was glad to see all their hard work was paying off, and she hoped that this first show in Manehattan would lead them on the road to greatness. Jewel had supported Mystic and the others from the start, and thankfully she hadn’t had any appointments that would cause her to miss this big step on their journey to stardom. As she drank, her thoughts turned to the city, and Mystic’s planned tour of the city. He’d told her stories about his childhood in Manehattan, and she found herself curious about the way he grew up there. From what he’d told her, it sounded like he’d had a fun and exciting life in the big city, so she was looking forward to seeing the places he loved as a colt. While Jewel was distracted with her thoughts, one of the stallions at the bar trotted up to sit next to her. He smiled, looking at the beautiful mare sitting there all alone, and said, “Well hello, beautiful.” Her ear flicked, and she turned to look at him. “Um, are you talking to me?” she asked. He snorted and grinned. “Of course I am! You ARE a beautiful mare, aren’t you?” “Oh, uh, I guess I am…” she replied, blushing at the compliment. “You guess?” he asked, looking amused. “Babe, I think you need to look in a mirror more often.” She giggled at that, and he felt emboldened. “So, what is a pretty little filly like you doing all alone at a bar like this?” “W-well, I’m not actually alone,” she said, noticing the smile falling from the stallion’s face. “I’m actually here waiting for my friends while they talk with the owner. They’re going to be playing here tomorrow night.” “Ah,” he said, the smile coming back. “And here I was worried you were going to tell me you had a date…” She blushed and stammered in response, before she took a long sip of her daiquiri to buy herself a moment as she took a better look at the stallion. He was an earth pony, light blue with a purple mane, and he had a nice smile. He’s hitting on me… she realized, suddenly feeling self-conscious. He noticed her embarrassment, and chuckled. “You’re a shy one, huh? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” “It-it’s fine,” she replied. “I’m just not used to stallions being interested in me, that’s all.” That’s not to say that stallions weren’t interested in her, but each one that tried was gently shut down by the beautiful mare. Those who saw her around Mystic could see that she was too infatuated with him to consider dating anyone else, even if the stallion in question was completely oblivious to her affection. “Really?” he asked, looking incredulous. “You must not be from around here then, because I’m pretty sure any stallion in Manehattan would gladly give their left hind leg just to be with you.” Jewel couldn’t help but giggle at that. “Well, you’re right. My friends and I are from Ponyville,” she replied. “I see. So, does this pretty mare from Ponyville have a name?” he asked. She smiled, and offered a hoof. “I’m Strawberry Jewel. What’s your name?” “Cobalt Blitz,” he answered. “It’s nice to meet you, Strawberry Jewel.” “Likewise,” she replied. - - - Mystic smiled as he and his friends left the office, having agreed upon a price for their show. It wasn’t going to be a huge payday, but they would be well compensated for their effort. He was feeling pretty good about this trip so far, made even better when he saw Jewel talking with a stallion at the bar. Jewel laughed at something the stallion said, and Mystic found himself happy that she seemed to be well on her way to a date. Surprised it took a visit to another city to manage that, he thought. “Looks like Jewel’s having a good time,” said Sky Note, while Low Tone and Blossom shared a concerned look. “Sure does,” Mystic said, trotting over to meet the stallion trying to woo his best friend. “So, do you have any plans tomorrow?” the stallion asked. “Unfortunately she does,” Mystic told him as he came up. “Ah! Mystic!” Jewel yelped, feeling like she was caught with her hoof in the cookie jar. “And you are?” Cobalt asked, looking at Mystic with a hint of irritation. “Mystic Spiral, Jewel’s friend,” he answered. “Sorry buddy, we have plans to explore the city tomorrow, but we’ll all be here tomorrow night when my band is playing. Perhaps you two could get to know each other then?” He wanted Jewel to come with him to his old hangouts, but he wasn’t going to stand in the way of her happiness. “That sounds like a plan to me, assuming you’re interested?” he asked Jewel. Said mare blushed and whined, feeling very uncomfortable. She felt embarrassed at being put on the spot like that, but far worse was the overwhelming guilt she felt from being interested in the stallion. She was a single mare, but her heart belonged to Mystic, and she knew she’d always feel guilty trying to date anyone else. “I… I’m sorry, but, I can’t.” “What?” both stallions asked. “Why not?” Cobalt wondered. She winced, but told him, “You seem to be a very nice stallion, but it would never work between us; the distance would be too great.” He frowned, and nodded slowly. “Yeah, I guess I can see that…” “It was nice meeting you, Cobalt,” she told him as she got up to head out with Mystic and the others. “Have a good night.” “Yeah, you too…” he replied as they left to get some dinner. = = = = = = = = = = The next morning found the five of them standing outside the hotel. Low Tone, Blossom, and Sky would explore the city for a while, and Mystic would check on some of his old hangouts with Jewel. They planned on meeting up at the hotel that evening to catch up over dinner, before going to the bar to perform their show. The trio stayed there for a while, trying to figure out where to go first, while Mystic hailed a taxi to take them to Mystic’s old neighborhood. They watched the scenery go by as the driver took them down the streets, heading to Mystic’s old apartment complex. “So, do you think you’ll get to see any of your old friends?” Jewel wondered. “Probably not,” Mystic replied, shaking his head. “It would be great to see my old friends, and catch up on everything, but they would have moved out of that apartment complex a while ago. I don’t even know where I’d find any of them in this huge city.” “Well, at least you’ll get to see your old hangouts again, huh?” she said, looking out at the city and all the ponies walking through the streets. “Yeah…” It didn’t take them too long before the taxi stopped, and Mystic paid the driver before he and Jewel hopped off in front of a building. “Well, this is it; my old apartment complex,” he told her. It was a relatively tall building, about twenty stories tall, and plain looking. “Wow… It’s huge,” she observed. “There must be a small town’s worth of ponies living there.” He nodded. “Yep! I met all my friends here, when my family was living in Manehattan. Come on, I’m sure I still know the way to the local convenience store I went to with my friends.” He started walking down the street, mindful of the many ponies rushing to their various destinations, though it was overwhelming to poor Jewel, who was used to the slow and steady pace in Ponyville. “Jeez, why’s everyone in such a rush?” she asked, trying not to get trampled. “It’s just how things are in the city,” Mystic explained. “Just stick close to me, I’ll protect you.” Jewel nodded, sticking right behind him and using him as a battering ram for the crowds as they weaved their way through the city to find the convenience store. It wasn’t a long walk before they finally reached the store, and Mystic couldn’t help but grin at the sight of it. “Look at that, it hasn’t changed one bit!” he said, gazing at the small business. The outside of the convenience store was purple, with a sign above that read Quick Convenience. Her brow furrowed as she looked at the shop in question. “Well, that’s really… something?” It was a nice store, but she just couldn’t see the appeal. It certainly didn’t seem like a place that one would want to hang out at. He snorted at her indifferent response. “Okay, so it might not look all that great, but trust me, my friends and I would hang out here all the time.” “Why? What did you guys do here?” she asked, hoping to understand why this place was so special to him. He smiled as he explained, “We’d just sit around outside this shop, watching the world go by as we talked about whatever came to mind. Sometimes we got into deep conversations about life and the universe, and other times we just spent the day joking around.” “I see why this place means so much to you,” she said. He nodded, then said, “Let’s go inside, I want to say hi to the owner.” She nodded, and followed him inside. The store had a lot of the things you’d expect; snacks, groceries, newspapers and magazines, and other such items available to purchase. At the register stood an old, purple earth pony stallion with a short gray mane and an equally gray beard. Mystic grinned and greeted him. “Hey there, Quick Fix! Long time no see!” “Huh? Do I know you?” the old stallion asked, looking curiously at him. Mystic chuckled in response. “I know it’s been years since I moved out of Manehattan, but I figured you’d remember one of your best customers. It’s me, Mystic Spiral!” “Mystic Spiral… Hm…” Quick Fix’s eyes narrowed as he looked closely at the stallion in question. “Yeah… Always came in with a few other colts, right? Kept loitering in front of my shop?” Mystic scowled at the “loitering” part, made worse because of the snickering he heard coming from Jewel. “We were hanging out, but yeah, that’s me.” He nodded slowly. “Yeah, I do remember you… You better not be here to cause any trouble,” he said, scowling at the unicorn. Mystic was shocked by that accusation. “I’m not here to cause trouble, Quick. I’m here in Manehattan on business, and I thought I’d take my friend here to see some of my favorite hangouts, that’s all.” “Why would you think Mystic would cause you trouble?” Jewel asked curiously. “Because the last time I saw those friends of his, two of them robbed me at hornpoint!” he told them. “WHAT?!” the two shouted, utterly shocked by the news. “It’s true,” Quick growled. “I noticed my stock being short every time your group visited, but I could never be sure which of you were stealing from me, until few years ago, when your friends Loophole and Heavy Hitter decided they wanted something better than snacks.” He snorted and shook his head. “Those flippin’ thieves are in prison now, and they won’t be leaving for a good long while.” Mystic was stunned. “Loophole? Heavy Hitter? No…” He couldn’t believe that two of his old friends had sunk so low. He always thought of his friends as a good bunch of colts, but to find out that two of them were thieves was a shocker. I didn’t even realize they were stealing their snacks… Jewel frowned as she saw the stunned expression on Mystic’s face. “Mystic? Are you okay?” His mouth worked soundlessly for a moment, before he simply shook his head in response. His mind was working through his memories, trying to figure out the truth about his old friends. If two of them had turned into criminals, what had happened to the others? Were they really as good as he thought they were, or was he just blinded by friendship? Quick Fix’s gaze softened as he saw how distraught Mystic was at the news. “You didn’t know they were stealing from me, did you?” Mystic merely shook his head in response, and he sighed. “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, kid, but hey, at least you didn’t get caught up in that nonsense.” His words didn’t really help to comfort the unicorn, and he decided to change the subject. “So, uh, what brings you back to Manehattan? Business, you said?” When Mystic remained silent, Jewel answered, “He’s the guitarist for his band, Restless Harmony, and tonight they’re playing their first show in Manehattan at a bar called The Whiskey Trough.” Quick smiled at that. “Well I’ll be! Sounds like you’re really moving up in the world. Maybe I’ll stop by and watch you play; it’d be nice to know at least one of you made something of yourselves.” “Yeah, sure,” Mystic replied, not sure what else to say. Jewel decided that Mystic needed to get out of there, and process what he’d been told. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Mr. Fix, but I think we need to be going. After all, Mystic still has more of the city to show me.” Quick nodded. “Right, right, big city out there,” he said, watching as Jewel gently pulled Mystic out of the shop. “Have a nice day, and be careful out there!” he called to them as they left. Once they were outside, Jewel turned to face Mystic, and said, “Hey, Mystic, talk to me…” He grimaced, his ears folding as he remained silent for a moment, before telling her, “I’m just… I’m shocked to hear that two of my old friends are in prison. I thought they were all good guys, and it turns out some of them became criminals. Were they always bad ponies? Did they become bad because I left?” She didn’t like where his thoughts were going, and she wrapped him in a hug. “Hey, they became criminals because they were bad ponies, not because you left, or because you were a bad friend.” He slowly returned the hug, and she smiled at the embrace. Her smile fell, though, when he asked, “Then why didn’t I notice it?” “Well, maybe they were careful about it. Or, perhaps you just didn’t want to notice anything,” she replied. “They were your closest friends when you lived here, so maybe you ignored the signs. That doesn’t make you a bad pony though, just a loyal friend.” That wasn’t quite good enough for Mystic. “If I had noticed, though, then maybe I could have gotten them to stop stealing.” “Mystic, don’t beat yourself up over it,” Jewel warned him. “They made their decisions, they chose to become criminals, and asking yourself ‘what if’ is only going to drive you crazy.” She decided a distraction was in order, so she broke the hug and told him, “Come on, you had other places to show me, right? Daylight’s burning, and I want to see everything you loved about Manehattan!” He couldn’t help but chuckle at her enthusiasm, the lovely mare’s attitude breaking through his sadness. “Yeah, alright… Come on, there’s a nice park nearby that I used to visit.” She smiled as she trotted alongside him, glad to help him out of his funk. He and his band had a big night coming, and she didn’t want him going into it all depressed. Mystic needed to be in tip-top shape to play in the show that night, and he wasn’t going to play well if he was busy moping. It took a bit longer before the two of them made it to their next destination, a nice park located a couple blocks from Mystic’s old apartment complex. Jewel couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the park, and all the green she saw there. Manehattan had so far been nothing but concrete and brick buildings, with no grass or trees to be found, so this park—which was the size of a city block—was a welcome sight. “It’s lovely here,” Jewel said, trotting into the park to feel the grass beneath her hooves. “I’ll admit, I was feeling a bit suffocated, being surrounded only by buildings and streets. It’s nice to see a bit of green here in the city.” Mystic chuckled. “If you think this is nice, then you should see Central Park; it’s massive, like a forest in the middle of the city, but I wanted to show you the park I normally visited.” His smile fell a bit as he looked around. “It’s smaller than I remember…” “Well, you were just a little colt when you last visited this park; maybe you just grew up?” she suggested as they walked through the park, watching as families and foals played together. “Maybe…” he replied, letting Jewel set the pace as she wandered through the park. There was plenty of activity there, such as a pair of foals flying a kite, and a couple having a nice picnic. Eventually, Jewel settled on a field in the park, and she sprawled out to relax from all their walking. Mystic laid down next to her, and for a while the two just silently watched the clouds overhead. After a while though, he broke the silence, telling her, “You know, I used to dream about coming back to Manehattan, and experiencing everything the city has to offer. I felt trapped in Ponyville, and I hoped that this band could get me out of that small town and back into the big city.” She frowned, and turned her head to look over at him. “Does Ponyville really seem that bad to you?” He had told her years before that he felt restless in their small town, but she never realized that he felt so suffocated there. “It used to,” he admitted. “Ponyville is pretty quiet and boring compared to Manehattan. But now I’m starting to question everything I thought about life in the city; I was so convinced that my life in Manehattan was perfect, but it’s obvious that I was wrong. Sure, there’s plenty to see and do here, but my life revolved around just a few city blocks.” Mystic rolled over onto his side to face Jewel, the mare content to simply listen. “For the longest time, I was angry with my parents for moving us to Ponyville. I hated leaving behind my old friends and my favorite hangouts, but it turns out two of my friends became criminals, and our favorite hangouts really weren’t all that special.” He sighed, and shook his head. “All this time, I’ve been holding a grudge over some glorified childhood memories…” “I’m sure your parents had good reasons to move to Ponyville,” she told him. “I’m sure they did, which is why, when we get back home, I’m going to talk to them,” he replied. “And apologize?” she asked, though the tone was more of a command. Mystic winced, and slowly nodded. “Yeah, I’ll have to.” He knew he’d been grouchy around them for a while now, and saying sorry was only the start of what they deserved from him. He just hoped they could forgive him for being so irritable for so long. “Good,” Jewel replied, happy at that response. “So, what do you want to do now?” His brow furrowed as he thought it over, then he grinned as he came up with an idea. “Well, the day’s still early, and there’s much more to see in Manehattan. Tell me, Jewel, did I ever tell you about Coneigh Island?” “I think so? Some type of permanent carnival, right?” she asked, trying to remember his old stories about the city. Mystic grinned as he got up. “That’s right. Come on, let’s have some fun.” His enthusiasm was infectious, and she grinned back at him. “Okay!” = = = = = = = = = = Meanwhile, across town, Low Tone, Blossom Beat, and Sky Note were standing on the observation deck of the Crystaler Building, the tallest building in Manehattan. They were surrounded by many other ponies, all looking for a unique view of the city—unique, at least, to the ground-bound ponies. Sky Note and his fellow pegasi weren’t exactly all that excited by the view seen from the top of the building, as they were capable of getting a bird’s-eye view whenever they wanted. Said pegasus was looking at some of the murals on the walls that detailed the history of the building. Blossom and Tone were standing by a window, looking down at the city beyond. It was their first time visiting Manehattan, and both were amazed at the sight of the sprawling metropolis below. The paved streets and towering skyscrapers were far different from the dirt roads and thatched roofs they were used to in Ponyville. “Can you believe it, Tone? We’re actually gonna play a show in Manehattan!” Blossom said, turning to grin at her lover. “I didn’t think we’d get a chance like this for years!” He chuckled softly as he wrapped a foreleg around Blossom, holding her close as he said, “It’s definitely a step up from playing at the local pub, that’s for sure.” She leaned into him, and gently nuzzled his shoulder. After a moment, she said, “Hey, Tone?” “Yeah?” he asked, glancing down at her. “Do you think anything’s going to come of this? Of our band, I mean,” she wondered. Tone was silent for a moment, contemplating her question, before he answered, “Well, I suppose it’s too soon to tell. We’ve only been working together as a band for a few years now.” He chuckled and kissed her forehead, telling her, “Gotta be patient, hon.” Blossom pouted at that. “I know that! But, still… Not every band out there makes it big, and I worry sometimes that we’ll spend years of our lives on this, only to end up going nowhere.” He shrugged, and told her, “Honestly, I’m not all that concerned over becoming rich and famous.” He noticed her confused look, and explained, “It would be great to make a living from rocking out across Equestria, but even if nothing comes of this, I’ll still have you in my life.” She blushed, and buried her head against his shoulder, mumbling incoherently. He chuckled, and kissed her forehead as he held her. “I think the best thing about this band was meeting you. Making it big in the music world would just be a bonus.” Her blush only intensified, and she rewarded him with a gentle punch to his side. He grinned, and looked out the window at the city below as his special somepony worked through her embarrassment. While they shared a quiet moment, he thought about all the memories they made in their past year together, from the day he first asked her out, to the previous week when he bought the ring he carried in his saddlebags. They first met when Mystic accepted them into his band, alongside Sky, and at first they were simply bandmates practicing together, hoping to make a name for themselves. After several months spent practicing and figuring out their style, a strong bond developed between the four of them, especially between Tone and Blossom. It was after one practice session that he asked Blossom out on their first date, and so their relationship began. Mystic and Sky were both wary of the two of them dating, fearing that the band could fall apart if things went badly between them. Their fears were unfounded, however, as Blossom and Tone’s relationship went as smoothly as one could hope for, which made the move to their current home that much easier when the two were made to share a room. He glanced down at Blossom, who had gotten over her embarrassment, and was simply staring out the window. She meant everything to him, and he couldn’t imagine a life without her by his side. He glanced back at his saddlebag, and thought about his plan for the ring inside, only to decide that he couldn’t wait another moment to use it. She felt Tone pull away from her, and she looked curious as he stood to face her, looking solemn. “Honey? Is everything alright?” she asked worriedly. He nodded, flashing her a small smile as he told her, “Yeah, everything’s fine. I just… There’s stuff I need to say to you.” “Okay…?” she replied, wondering what he needed to talk about. Some small part of her feared that he was about to break up with her, but she quickly stomped that thought down. It can’t be that, not after everything we’ve been through together! Tone took a deep breath, and said, “Blossom Beat… When our band first started, I’ll admit I didn’t expect too much; I figured I’d just have some fun playing with other musicians when I wasn’t working on the family farm. I didn’t expect that we’d end up playing a show in Manehattan, and I certainly didn’t expect one of my bandmates to end up becoming the love of my life.” She blushed and smiled up at him, reaching a hoof to caress his shoulder as she listened intently. Feeling confident, he reached back to his saddlebag, telling her, “You bring joy to my life every single day, and I can’t imagine living without you.” He pulled out the velvet box, and she gasped, as did a few ponies watching them. “Whether we end up touring Equestria, or living out our lives in Ponyville, I’ll be happy as long as you’re right there by my side.” He opened the box, revealing a golden bangle with a diamond at the center. “Blossom Beat, will you marry me?” Tears welled up in her eyes as she smiled and nodded. “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!” She reached her hooves behind his neck to pull him down for a passionate kiss, which he gladly returned. The crowd around them cheered and applauded for the happy couple. Sky Note cheered louder than anyone else there, overjoyed at seeing his friends finally getting engaged—something that was a long time coming, according to the pegasus. The two of them were oblivious to the cheers of the crowd, lost in a world of their own. Whether or not the show went well that night, their lives would be forever changed after that day. = = = = = = = = = = That evening, the five of them met up in front of the hotel they were staying at, and it only took Mystic and Jewel a moment to notice the golden bangle around Blossom’s pastern. Blossom and Tone announced their engagement, and the two mares hugged and squealed in delight while Mystic gave Tone a congratulatory hoof-bump. “It’s about time,” Mystic told him, while Jewel and Blossom were busy talking about the upcoming wedding. Tone grinned sheepishly. “Hey, I would have proposed a lot sooner, but it took me a while to save up for the ring…” Sky spoke up next, telling them all, “Hey, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m feeling hungry! Let’s go get some food before the show!” They all agreed, and the five of them went to a nearby restaurant, where they talked about everything they did that day. The trio talked about the sightseeing they did, and the major tourist attractions they visited, while Jewel and Mystic talked about the games and rides they enjoyed at Coneigh Island. Mystic had even won Jewel a nice teddy bear, though that was probably because a game inspector was standing there, watching them play and causing the vendor no end of stress. Though they enjoyed reminiscing about the day, they got through dinner quickly so they could get their instruments from the hotel and head to the bar with time to spare. It didn’t take them long to get from the restaurant to the hotel, and the group soon found themselves in the lobby. They started heading to the elevator, only for Mystic to order them to stop. “Huh? What’s wrong?” Jewel asked, looking curiously at the stallion. “Them,” Mystic replied, pointing to Tone and Blossom, much to their confusion. “Excuse me?” Blossom asked irritably. “What do you mean by that?” He snorted and grinned as he told her, “If I let you two head up together, then we’re going to be late to the bar.” At Jewel and Sky’s confused looks, he explained, “They just got engaged this morning, and they’ve got a nice, big bed in their room. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what they’re going to be doing when they get a moment alone, especially considering they postponed their ‘celebrating’ to do some sightseeing.” Jewel blushed at that realization, and Sky snorted in amusement, while Tone and Blossom shared a sheepish grin with one another. “Yeah, I guess I was thinking about a quickie…” Blossom admitted. “Maybe two,” Tone added. “Figured,” Mystic replied. “Tone, you go up first, and then when you get back down here, Blossom can go up for her things.” “W-well, what about asking the front desk to send someone up to help with the drums?” Jewel suggested. “It’s a lot to grab and bring down, right?” “Great idea,” Sky agreed. “I’ll go to the front desk right now.” With that, he headed off to get a bellhop to help with the drum set. A short while later, Mystic, Jewel, Sky, and a bellhop with a cart headed to the elevator to get their instruments and gear, while Jewel and Tone waited for them in the lobby. It didn’t take very long for everything to be gathered up and brought down to the lobby, and the bellhop was kind enough to help load the drum set onto one of the taxis they were going to use to reach the bar. The sun was low in the sky when they got to the bar, where they found Honeydew and Sundancer at the door, getting ready to open the bar for the night. They both turned around to look curiously at the group, obviously not expecting them so early. “Well… You’re punctual, I’ll give you that,” Honeydew observed. Mystic grinned, and told her, “We’re not going to mess up our big break by being late!” She burst out laughing, shaking her head at the absurdity of it. “Your ‘big break’? Kid, I don’t know what you expect from this, but I’m pretty sure you’re not going to suddenly become rock stars by playing in my bar.” “Well, maybe not,” Sky admitted, “but this is our opportunity to make a name for ourselves in Manehattan. And sometime down the line, perhaps we can play shows elsewhere in the city.” Honeydew smirked, and couldn’t help feeling impressed by their determination. “Well, that depends on how well you play tonight. If things go well, and my patrons like you, then maybe I can talk to some ponies I know about getting you more shows around town.” With that said, she opened the door to head inside, leading Sundancer and the band into the bar. When they were inside with their gear, Mystic asked, “So, I guess we should get set up now, then?” As Honeydew worked with Sundancer to get the chairs off the tables, she told them, “Yeah, go ahead and get set up, but don’t bother playing anything for an hour or so.” She snorted and shook her head, adding, “When I told you to get here early, I didn’t mean to come when I opened the bar…” “An hour, huh? That’s a lot of time to kill…” Blossom said, glancing over at Tone with a sly smile. “I don’t suppose we could head back to the hotel for a while?” “No,” Mystic said, shutting them down. “You two can wait to celebrate your engagement AFTER the show.” “Engagement?” Honeydew asked, looking over to the mare to spot the gold bangle she was wearing. “Yep!” Blossom said, lifting her hoof to show it off. “Tone proposed to me this morning, and I said yes!” She grinned at the happy couple. “Well, congratulations! I suppose that deserves a round on the house, but you lot need to pay for anything else you want to drink.” “That’s fair,” Mystic agreed. The four of them, plus Jewel, worked on getting their gear set up on the stage in the corner of the bar, and once that was done, they relaxed at the bar while several patrons came through the door. Honeydew brought out several shot glasses and a bottle of her finest whiskey, and the five of them had a toast to Blossom and Tone’s engagement. After that, they each got a drink and left the counter to the patrons while they found a table to sit together and plan out their show for the evening. They were going to play around a half-hour of music, and they needed to figure out what songs to play and when. This was their one chance to make a good impression on the citizens of Manehattan, and they didn’t want to blow it. While the four bandmates were making plans for their show, Jewel sat there thinking about her day with Mystic. She had enjoyed their time at Coneigh Island, all the games they played and the rides they went on. It was one of the many great things about the city, and she was glad that he shared it with her. Her smile fell as she thought about the discussion she’d had with Mystic after visiting a couple of his old hangouts, about how he felt so trapped in Ponyville. He’d realized that his childhood wasn’t as fantastic as he thought it was, but life in Manehattan would still be far more exciting than anything he’d experience back home. Mystic had been a part of her life for many years now, and she had taken for granted that he’d always be there in Ponyville, but now that his band was starting to make a name for itself, she began to worry about losing him forever. It hurt to think about that, but it was a painful truth Jewel needed to face; Mystic had dreamed for years about leaving Ponyville for the big city, and now this was his chance to finally do so. She felt her heart ache every time he dated another mare in Ponyville, but at least he was still there, being her best friend; this was the first time she had to face the thought of losing him entirely. Is this it, then? she wondered. Am I just going to spend the rest of my life wishing that he loved me, or am I going to do something about it? She needed to gather her courage, or she’d forever regret losing him to stardom. Before she could say anything, she felt a hoof on her shoulder. “Hey, Jewel?” Mystic said, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Huh? Yes?” she asked, gazing into his orange eyes. He smiled, and told her, “I wanted to thank you, for coming to Manehattan with us. You’ve been with us every step of the way, from our very first practice session all the way to now. You’ve always supported us, and you’ve always believed in us, and I want you to know just how much I appreciate that. I couldn’t ask for a better friend.” She blushed deeply at the praise, glad to know her support, both as a friend and a lover, were appreciated. “Well, I mean… The thing is…” Oh, just spit it out! she shouted at herself. Unable to speak her feelings for him, she did the only thing she could think, which was to kiss him. Mystic’s eyes widened as his best friend suddenly kissed him, and he felt his heart skip a beat at the clumsy kiss. He felt something stirring in his heart as the kiss continued, a warmth deep inside. He didn’t know why, but this kiss, this moment, just felt right. His eyes slowly closed, and a hoof came up to caress Jewel’s cheek as he returned the kiss. Jewel felt like butterflies were going wild in her belly as she felt Mystic returning her kiss, and where she was clumsy and inexperienced, he was talented and knowledgeable. Her knees felt weak as she let him take the lead, and she savored her very first kiss. Eventually though, they needed to break for air, the two panting softly as they stared into each other’s eyes. She wanted to tell him how she felt, she wanted to let him know how much he meant to her. Unfortunately, though, the words wouldn’t come, and instead she said, “F-for luck.” She did her best to maintain her composure, even as she was crying on the inside from her weakness. He remained speechless, feeling a rush of new emotions, and a desire to hold her close and kiss her again and again. His mouth worked soundlessly, his mind scrambled from the intimate moment between them, but before he could even form a thought, he felt a tapping on his shoulder, turning to spot Honeydew. “If you’re done making out with your girlfriend, I think now’s the time to start the show,” she told him, motioning to the stage where his other friends were already ready. The bar was pretty well filled, and there was a good audience for their show. “Uh, yeah,” Mystic replied, too stunned to even deny her assumption. He glanced once more to Jewel before he got up and headed for the stage. Honeydew followed along, and went onto the stage to grab the microphone from Sky so she could address her patrons. “Alright everypony, listen up! I’ve heard your complaints about the bands that keep playing here, so tonight I have a new rock band for you, straight from Ponyville.” There were mutterings heard from the crowd, and she gave them a moment before she continued her speech. “They’re going to play some original songs for you, so I want you to be respectful, and give them a chance.” With that, she hoofed the microphone back to Sky, and she went behind the counter to help Sundancer with their many thirsty customers. He grinned, and told the crowd, “Hey, everypony! We are Restless Harmony, and we’re here to rock! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!” He gave Blossom a nod, and the mare started the beat on their first song for the night. Each member of the band put their hearts into their music that night, and the show went well enough to call it a success. While they may not have received a standing ovation, neither were they booed out of the bar either. The patrons enjoyed the unique tunes, a nice change of pace from the cover songs they had grown accustomed to. When the show ended, there was polite applause from the crowd, and the band took the praise with wide smiles. Afterwards, the four bandmates went to sit with Jewel once more to relax, and celebrate another successful show. Mystic elected to get them some drinks, and he headed over to the counter with their orders. It was there that he met up with Honeydew, who was smiling at him as she told him, “Not bad, kid. Your band has talent, I’ll give you that.” He grinned. “Told you we did,” he replied. She chuckled and nodded. “Yes, you did. My customers liked you, so I guess that means I’ll have to let you come play again sometime. You live too far away for this to be a regular thing, but perhaps your band could come play on a monthly basis?” “I’d have to talk with them, but I don’t think it’ll be a problem,” Mystic replied with a wide grin. “And what about those friends you talked about earlier? The ones who could get us more shows around town?” “Yeah, I suppose I could tell them about you,” she replied, looking thoughtful. “There are more than a few places to find live entertainment around the city, and I think a few of them would be interested in featuring fresh talent like yours. I can’t promise anything will come of it, but I’ll at least get your name out there.” It helped that she was a big music fan herself, which was why she knew of these places, and why she featured a stage in her bar. She didn’t tell him, but deep down she always hoped to tell ponies that she discovered the next big band, and these out-of-towners had plenty of heart. If anyone could make it big, it was them. “That’s all I ask,” he told her. “Well, I’ll go get your pay for tonight,” she told him, going over to the register to gather the bits she owed them. “Sundancer, get your cousin and his friends whatever they want. First round’s on the house,” she added, hoofing over the bits. Sundancer worked on getting their drinks ready—a round of beers for the band and a strawberry daiquiri for Jewel—and while Mystic waited, he felt a hoof tapping him on the shoulder. He turned to see a pretty, pink unicorn mare smiling at him. “That was some show you put on for us,” she told him. “I don’t suppose you’d like to find a table and talk about music with me, would you?” He opened his mouth to respond, and paused, feeling hesitant. He turned to look at the table his friends were at, in particular the beautiful red mare that was his best friend, and he felt something stir within him. He looked back at the pink mare and told her, “Sorry, but I’m not interested.” With that, he snagged their drinks in his magic, and trotted back to the table where his friends were waiting, leaving the mare to pout in disappointment. He sat down to pass out the drinks and the pay, and to tell them about his talk with the owner about regular shows at the bar. He never noticed the look Jewel gave him, having watched him at the counter as he turned down that mare. She smiled, and for the first time in a while felt a sense of hope for her own dream to come true.