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// Prologue: the Singer Hiding in Golden Armor 
// Story: the Tale of Tenor Tune 
// by NinjaMare 
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The Royal Guard of Canterlot. The most estimated position of the ponies military force, trained to be and taught to be peace keepers, mostly for Canterlot but will be stationed in other cities or larger towns across the country, but there is something that most ponies don’t know about the Royal Guard. And that little something is this, the royal guard is a token taskforce, mostly for show with very little actual combat experience. Since Equestria is so peaceful, and hasn’t had many wars, or anything that requires a large military force, so most royal guards barely have more combat prowess than your average pony.

So despite a guard stoic and somewhat fearsome look, they are nothing more than pushovers for any pony confident in their own skills for fighting. Now while royal guards don’t see much combat, the position allows a pony to earn decent pay. However there is one hiccup for ponies who simply enlist for the bits. Once a pony enlist into the royal guard, they are stuck being a royal guard for a minimum of five years, once the pony has passed the selection process, then do a whole year of basic training, then another year of what surmounts to actual field training. So at minimum, after a pony gets passed the selection process, a pony spends 7yrs in the Guard.

And even after the minimum 7yr period, most ponies don’t leave the guard because it’s probably the most easiest job, that earns the most bits there is in Equestria. Now of course this little-known fact is not common known among civilians. But there are some things about being part of the guard that ponies don’t like, such as working for nearly the whole day, with very little breaks, or the fact they don’t get to see friends & families that much. Or get to pursue what they really want.


And for one stallion, that couldn’t be any more true.


Patrolling the southeast corridor of Canterlot Castle, eyes scanning the halls as he trots by, is Tenor Tune. Or while he’s dawning the armor, Silent Strike. Tenor Tune is mildly build for most stallions, even for a unicorn, and is a head taller than most stallions. His coat is a nice shade of white, with his mane & tail being short as is typical for stallions, and is black in color with no highlights or streaks. As far as personalities go, at least to those in the guard, Tenor is rather quiet and seems to be a real stickler for rules & regulations, in fact, his strict streak often makes him seem rather inflexible and a real kill joy. But that’s only what Tenor shows while he’s on duty, but when he’s off duty Tenor is actually a pretty laid-back kind of stallion.

Finishing his patrol of his section of the southeast corridor of the castle, Tenor looked out one of the nearby windows and saw that the sun has almost fully set over the horizon, signaling that Tenor’s shift of being a day guard was coming to an end. Trekking down the route he made throughout the entire section he trotted all day; Tenor made his way to the guard barracks. Reaching the halfway point Tenor stepped off to the side, as princess Celestia’s nephew, prince Blueblood, came trotting in his direction with a few other ponies. All of which seemed to be just as pompous as the prince himself, honestly, Tenor never could tell why Celestia made the pony a prince. Even if it’s in name only.

“—is why you always keep the peasant folk in the south district. Keeps them away from the more cultured, and well-respected ponies.” The prince said as he and his entourage followed in suite.

“Agreed.” A black stallion with a monocle and brown mustache said in response to Blueblood’s remark. “The worst are tourist, nothing but un-cultured ponies who just wonder around, and not minding those who are their betters.”

The group to make their way down the hall, their conversation fading into the background noise, and the subject already being forgotten. Whenever it comes to the nobles or high-up ponies, 85% to 90% of whatever they talk about is either about putting down ponies who aren’t part of their circles, or something that involves brown nosing one another or the princesses, or to simply find a way to make bits wither its legal or not. Luckily Blueblood is pretty stupid and arrogant, so most of what he talks about is not worth actually listening to, at least seriously to commit to memory.

Twenty minutes of trotting more, and Tenor eventually reached the barracks, where he removed his armor and placed it on his assigned rack. Once he was free of his armor, Tenor made his way to the barracks stallion wash room, where he showered off any sweat he has developed, as well as any grease that leaked from the armor that clung to his coat & mane. It didn’t take long for him to finally clean himself, and once he was good and dry, Tenor levitated his black saddlebags over to him, and strapping them to his barrel. the pouch barely covering his cutie mark which is two music sheets.

“Heading out Silent?” a red pegasus stallion asked in between preening his feathers.

“Yeah.” Tenor simply said before leaving the barracks.

“Honestly, doesn’t that guy ever light up?” a white earth pony stallion said as he removed his armor, his coat turning brown and his mane & tail turning a darker shade of yellow. The pegasus just shook his head.

“Not when your father was the previous Captain of the Guard.” The pegasus said before plucking out three crooked feathers. “Couldn’t be to easy growing up with a stubborn old codger like him.”

“Guess so.” The earth pony said before heading into the wash.

As the sun further set on the horizon, Tenor made his way out of the castle before teleporting. Teleportation is a very complex spell that not most unicorns can do, and out of his entire class back at Celestia’s School of Magic, Tenor was one of four other ponies that could actually use teleportation. The stallion reappeared in his own apartment, a fairly modest one in the west district of Canterlot, which is where Restaurant Rowe, as well as some inns and bars. Removing his saddlebags, Tenor then grabbed his bit pouch, and tucked it away before teleporting out of his apartment, and reappeared just outside his apartment complex. When he was outside, Tenor looked up to a nearby clock post, seeing that the time was 8:40pm.

“I still have time.” Tenor said as he casually trotted through the district.

As he trotted through the streets of the city, passing by various ponies going about their late evenings, Tenor hummed a small tune to himself as he made his way to his destination. Which was a bar called Red Oak, objectively one of the best bars in the whole city, with the widest assortment of drinks, and some of the better grilled or smoked foods. Reaching the bar after only five minutes of trotting, Tenor entered the bar and was meet with the pleasant smell of smoked applewood chips, ponies talking to one another in hushed manners, as a relaxing calming atmosphere encapsulated the establishment.

Trotting up to the counter, Tenor meet up with an older velvet red coated mare, with a styled noir mane with a single stripe of dark pink. The mare looked over to him, and a small smile came to her muzzle. They both gave a small nod to each other, before the mare sauntered out from behind the bar counter, and made her way to the stage in the back of the building. Igniting her horn, the mare lit a few candles in glass coverings, before taking the stage and clearing her throat, getting every ponies attention.

“Good evening fillies and gentlecolts, and everything else in-between.” The mare said before brushing some of her mane out of her face. “Today is your lucky night, because tonight, you’ll all get to hear some sweet music from your favorite song pony.” The mare then looked to the side before gesturing Tenor up.

“Come on Tenor, and give us some music already.” The crowed in the bar started to get a bit louder as they cheered, and asked for the stallion to hurry up. for his part Tenor could only chuckle. “Knock ‘em dead.” The mare said before giving a peck on the stallions cheek.

“You know I will Velvet.”

Tenor said before taking the stag, and levitating the mic that was just off to the side, and special seat made specially for him, floated over in his sapphire aura. Getting the mic & seat set up wasn’t to much trouble, and once Tenor got comfortable, and Velvet levitated a small stool with a glass of water over to him, Tenor cleared his throat.

“Alrighty folks, I hope you like the selection I got stacked up for tonight.”

The crowd cheered before going silent, just as the sound of a guitar was being strummed, and something doing a steady clicking sound began to developed, before Tenor started the first song of the night. And his favorite pass time, and what he really loves to do.

Music: Kane Brown – Heaven (Official Music Video)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRX0wDNK6S4

Tenor’s voice started to fill the bar, acclimate with the background music so well, that it plunged the bar into a very mellow and relaxing mood. Ponies either just in the chairs, simply listening as the stallions voice danced across their ears, while occasionally taking a sip of their drink, or bite of food. Some ponies just went about with whatever conversations they were just having a moment ago, but they never raised their voice as they wanted to overshadow Tenor’s singing.

As Tenor was singing, showing his amazing talent. Velvet was leaning against the bar counter, her magic working on as usual as she simply listened. Ever since they were foals and school mates, Velvet knew that Tenor was going to be an amazing singer, not only did his voice make a pony feel safe, and very calm, but whenever he sang anything ponies would listen with fascination. She clearly remembers the first time he sung in music class, and when he reached the climax of the song the professor was quite literally swept off her hooves, that was also when Tenor finally got his cutie mark.

The song came to a slow end, allowing the lingering notes to wash over the ponies for a few more seconds, but once they had the ponies clapped their hooves together, or knocked them on their tables. One table with four mares even tossed a rose at Tenor, who caught it in his magic, and gave the mares a heart-warming smile and a grateful nod. Placing the rose next to his cup of water, Tenor took a quick sip before going into his next song. And continuing his true passion in life, singing.