It was a lazy day. Too wet to go outside. Too toasty to do anything inside. Rainbow and the little fillies enjoyed sitting inside and monging out on the sofa.
Rainbow was laid out on the sofa, staring into nothing with a slight grin, enjoying the company of Dash, who dozed peacefully on her stomach. Shine was sat on a cushion on the floor, pushing a pencil along as if it was a toy.
Swirl was actually moving, looking around the house as she liked to do, investigating every bit of territory. She found a particular fascination with the strange boxes sitting in opposite corners. They were bigger than her and had circles on them. She followed some strange string that seemed to link them a different box. Several boxes in fact, stacked atop each other and just out of her reach.
“Muuuum.”
“What is it, sweety?” Rainbow ask from her comfort.
Swirl pointed at the boxes.
A thought struck her as she realised she hadn't used the stereo Swirl was so interested in since before they were born. She had a brilliant idea for something for them to do.
“'Scuse me, Dashie” she said politely as she politely moved her daughter to one side. “C'mon here, Swirl, and I'll show you.”
She grabbed her other daughter and begun showing her the box in more detail. Swirl loved the dial that changed the volume. There was always something about circles with her.
“And you see, the box then sends sounds to the other boxes. Shall we put something on?”
Swirl didn't know how to answer so she used the other word she had learnt, whatever it meant. “Yes.”
“That's the spirit.” Rainbow spent a moment fiddling the dials, which was hard with Swirl in her hooves, before powering the box.
The speakers bumped into life, shaking the dust from the cases. A heavy bass filled the air.
The fillies shot up and ran to their mother's side. It took a moment for the beat to take over. Rainbow could see them bob with the music ever so slightly, almost an unconscious reaction.
“That's it,” Rainbow cheered. “Get moving!”
The fillies wathced as their mother danced like an idiot. It looked fun enough to join in.
What was going to be a dull afternoon soon became one of their favourite activities. Rainbow found the box of records from the spare room and they had fun going through them one by one, finding each of their favourites.
After a few weeks the fillies had found their favourite records. Swirl liked anything with a fast upbeat tempo. Shine like the bass heavy stuff and would sit near the speaker to feel it. It almost seemed to relax her. Dash loved rock and things with guitars, and she would headbang with the pros.
It being Rainbow's music she loved all of it. This was fortunate as there was a lot of crossover with their music, so very few arguments were had. But Rainbow had another thought. Something else she had never shown her children.
She ran upstairs while the fillies danced. From under her bed she pulled an old violin case. Downstairs again she turned the music off, much to the fillies' horror. What ever was happening better be good.
“Now little ones,” Rainbow started as she took a seat on the floor and the fillies gathered in front of her. “I have something very special here.” She opened the box and started laughing. It wasn't her violin but rather the joke her father had played on her once. The one where he replaced her violin with a toy tommy gun.
“This isn't right fillies. Hang on.”
She returned quickly with a second violin case. “Now, THIS, little ones, is a very special thing. This is a violin. Nana got this from her mother, and every Rainbow after her has learnt this instrument. One day you will too.”
Rainbow could see their curious stares slowly fading, clearly craving music over anything, so she took the bow and drew it across the strings. It sounded horrible, but it kept the fillies' attention.
“One sec.”
Rainbow fiddled the tuners and roisined the bow before trying again. This time it was a simple, beautiful chord that rang through the air. Played perfectly. It felt good to play again.
The fillies stared, eyes wide jaws slack, at this music that their own mother was making. It was amazing to them. Such a beautiful sound.
Rainbow played to them until her hooves ached and a little after that. They were entranced. They wouldn't move nor look away. This music was more special to them than anything else they had heard. And when their mother had finished they sat still as it soaked into them. It's a moment that would, in some way, always stay with them.
Rainbow smiled at them.
The door opened in the silence.
“Hello?” called out a familiar voice. “You're still here right?”
Star walked into the house slowly, worried they had left in the brief time he had given himself to prepare.
“Oh... you're right there.”
Rainbow and the fillies were sat in silence, basking in what must have been emotionally important to all of them. He felt he was interupting something.
“Star!” Rainbow shouted once the surroundings became clear again. “How long have you been there?”
“Literally just opened the door. I shouted in, didn't you hear?”
“I guess not.”
Star mumbled before being affectionately tackled by the fillies.
“I've just been playing them some music. I can't believe I've not done this before!”
“I heard ya. I came round about half an hour ago and heard you then I left to get this.” He gestured behind him. It was a small wagon holding a few instruments. “I thought this would be fun.”
Rainbow helped him unload the cart. The little Rainbows were fascinated by these new boxes, especially the guitar as that looked a bit like a giant violin.
Star took a different box though, one the seemed dull to them, but once he removed it from its case and drew air into the instrument they all jumped. Never hearing anything like it before meant their first interaction with an accordian was a shock, but they ran with it.
It was a short ditty he played but it was happy and upbeat. Rainbow and the little ones skipped happily around the living room, and once it was over they wanted more.
“Rainbow. Remeber that one song we got really good at?”
Rainbow looked to her hoof. She could still feel the muscles straining inside, but that was nothing when she thought about the joy on her daughters' faces as their two favourite ponies played them music live. She quickly grabbed the violin.
“How did it go again?”
“A bit like this.” Star whistled part of a tune.
“Got it. One, two, three, four!"