//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Meeting of the Two // Story: the Tale of Tenor Tune // by NinjaMare //------------------------------// Over the town of Ponyville, the early morning sun shined down upon the town, as birds sing their morning chorus as ponies either wake up to their lovely tune. Or were already up and about, and were simply listening to them sing as they work. At Jewel Feathers house, Tenor was currently taking a nice hot shower, while remembering all of the good vibes he was feeling from last night at the Gala. A chuckle escaped from him when during the later part of the Gala, he heard that in a nearby wing, a group of mares really caused a big ruckus that left the room in a horrible mess. And when he went to go see how much of a mess they made, he was actually shocked that this somehow happened, and who these troublesome mares were that created such a mess. Exiting out of the shower Tenor began drying himself off with a towel, while he used a spare toothbrush he bought yesterday before getting ready for the Gala to clean his teeth. Once he was dry, and his mouth was cleaned, Tenor made his way down stairs where he could smell fresh pancakes being made, causing the stallion to lick his lips. Entering the kitchen Tenor found his mom at the stove, mane held back by a soft blue bandana, her long tail swooshing about as she hums one of the musical numbers that Tenor sung last night, as she expertly flips pancakes in the skillet. “Morning mom.” Tenor said as he used his magic to grab cups, plates, and utensils. As well as cartoon of orange juice. “Morning Tenor, did you sleep well?” Jewel asked as she flipped the last pancake onto a large stack on a even larger platter. “I hope the spare bedroom bed still isn’t to, stiff.” “Nah. It was fine last night; it just needed a good ol’ tossing and turning to work it in.” Tenor mused as he set up the table near window facing out into town. Jewel smiled as she heard the slight tone of happiness in her son’s voice. Bringing the platter of pancakes to the table, Jewel and Tenor began to eat their breakfasts. “So Tenor, what will you be doing today?” Jewel asked after swallowing her first bite of food. Tenor took a quick swig of his glass of oj before answering. “I was just going to explore town. I haven’t gotten a chance to see it yesterday, as we were both preparing to go to the Gala.” “I just wished your father could’ve been there with us.” Jewel commented before taking another bite. Tenor nodded as he chewed his latest bite. “Yeah, it would’ve been fun.” Tenor said with a small sigh, before a smile graced his muzzle. “But, knowing him, he’d probably scold the guard for being lax because it was the Gala.” Both chuckled at that thought, and even imagining Brigade going around, and barking orders at any guards that he saw. “Oh I could definitely see your father doing such a thing!” Jewel giggle-snorted, as she tries to reign her laughter in, while covering her muzzle with her wings. “Well, in any case. I hope your little tour down memory lane is fruitful.” The pair continued to eat their breakfast, carrying on whatever conversation topic they could think of. Once their meal was over with, Jewel was going to clean up, but her son insisted that he did instead. After all, a proper house guest should try to lift some burden off their hosts. Twenty to twenty-five minutes later, Tenor bid his mother farewell before heading out into Ponyville, ready to explore his old foalhood town. Leaving the street that his mother’s house was situated on, Tenor headed to one of the main central areas of the town, the Plaza. And just like when he was a colt, the Plaza was a bustle of activity, with ponies either passing by to head to a different destination, or simply hanged out on the various benches around. Tenor started to remember old times where he and his old schoolmates would play around the Plaza, often using their imagination to think they were in a bust city area in an action adventure story. Leaving the Plaza behind him, Tenor made it to the main shopping district, where the majority of activity was as ponies shopped, ran errands for their work places, or were simply hauling goods to every which way that they needed to go. One of the stalls caught Tenors attention almost instantly, when a filly dumped a whole basket of apples into a cream coated earth pony mares saddle bag, and then demanding that the mare pay for the apples. Shaking his head at the sight of the odd sight, Tenor continued to stroll about the town, taking in the sights and having old memories come to his mind. Continuing on his trot through the market place, something else caught Tenor’s eye, a familiar sight in fact. Tenor could see Spike the dragon waddling around, talking to somepony that he couldn’t see. “Spike!” Tenor called out as he made his way over to the little dragon, who looked around for a bit, before seeing Tenor and having a smile grow on his face. “Tenor!” Spike half-shouted as he ran over to Tenor, hoping the remaining distance with a claw raised, which Tenor gently smacked with his own hoof. “What are you doing here?” “Having a week long vacation before going back to the guard.” Tenor said as he ruffled the dragons spines. “But how are you doing Spike? Last time I saw you, you barely reached my chest.” “Yeah but I’ve grown since then.” Spike puffed out his chest as he gave a broad smile, which only got a small chuckle from the stallion. “Is this an old friend of yours Spike?” A new voice spoke and catching Tenor’s attention. “Yeah! He’s an old friend of mine, and Twilight’s while we lived at the castle.” Looking away from the small dragon, Tenor saw a rather beautiful white coated unicorn mare, with a styled indigo mane & tail, with some sky-blue eye shadow accenting her eyes. Tenor’s has seen many beautiful mares before, especially on the pin up posters in the guard barracks lockers, or in a magazine that he gets in the mail from time to time, but this mare, this mare is definitely a cut above the rest. After looking at the mare for only a few moments, Tenor finally noticed that the mare was now looking at him directly, allowing the stallion to see her navy-blue eyes. “Hello there darling, my name is Rarity.” The mare said as she daintily holds up her right hoof. Tenor took the hoof in his left, and gave a proper shake. “Nice to meet you Miss. Rarity, my name is Tenor Tune.” “It’s a pleasure to meet you Tenor, but please, just call me Rarity darling.” The mare said as Tenor removed his hoof. “So Tenor, are you a servant at the castle?” Rarity asked as she looks the stallion over, but instead of the stallion responding, Spike quickly spoke up. “Actually, he’s part of the royal guard. And his dad is the retired captain, Iron Brigade.” Rarity turned to looked at the baby dram with disbelief. “Really!” Rarity asked as she looked back at Tenor, who just nodded. “Strange. You don’t look like the type to be part of the guard.” “Well, it wasn’t really my decision.” Tenor said in somewhat lowered tone. “But that aside from my station, what is it that you do Rarity?” Rarity began telling Tenor of her profession of being a seamstress, and even telling the stallion of her latest creations. Including the ones from last night she, and her five closest friends, wore for the grand galloping gala. At the mention of the Gala, Tenor asked if Rarity was one of the mares that caused the ruckus in the first dance hall, and much to the mares shame, Rarity nodded. Now very little things cause Tenor to be surprised, after all he was trained to never show that he is surprised by anything, that and not many things actually cause him to feel the sensation. So hearing that Rarity was indeed one of the mares that made the ruckus, and then learn that she really told Blueblood off, Tenor was surly dumbfounded. “Tenor!” the group heard the familiar voice of Twilight Sparkle, and sure enough when the group turned to where the mares voice came from, they saw the unicorn trotting them. “Hey there Twilight, what’s up?” the stallion asked as Twilight skidded to a stop. “I came to see where Spike was, he’s ten minutes late in helping me with my latest experiment in alterations to teleportation.” Spike had a very slight confused look, before it exploded into a look of realization as he smacks his face with a claw. “Agh pony feathers, Twilight I’m so sorry! I lost track of time.” Spike said, which Rarity quickly followed. “I’m afraid he got hung up because me darling.” Rarity bemoaned. “I was asking Spike if he could give me a hoof of collecting more gems for a few orders coming up in the next few days.” Twilight nodded in understanding, after another apology from both Spike & Rarity for holding Twilight up, the purple unicorn and dragon left Rarity and Tenor alone. as the two unicorns were left alone, they continued to talk with one another for a while, and were actually enjoying each other’s company. Tenor found Rarity to be quick witted, and a rather interesting pony, for despite growing up in Ponyville Rarity worked hard to conduct herself as a Canterlotian pony, which caused Tenor to inwardly cringe. As most Canterlot ponies, nearly eighty-five percent are selfish, vain, and small minded. As for Rarity, she was starting to find Tenor a very charming pony, not only that, but she also found his resolute composure, and noble demeanor to quite captivating. Rarity also found Tenor to be quite handsome. There isn’t that many stallions that live in Ponyville, especially those that are single, so seeing Tenor was definitely a pleasant surprise. “Well Tenor I hate to leave you, but I must return to my boutique now. I need to prep for the orders when my shipment of supplies arrives later today.” Rarity said as she started to leave the stallion. “No problem Rarity. I wish you luck on you’re orders.” Tenor said as he gave the mare a polite wave. ‘Such a gentle stallion!’ Rarity inwardly mused as she returned the wave. ‘She seemed like a nice mare.’ Tenor thought to himself as he continued to walk about the town. After Tenor and Rarity had parted ways, the stallion continued to tour his old home town for the next couple of hours, and so far, everything looked as he remembered it. Hardly anything has changed in the years since Tenor moved to Canterlot, aside from one or two new buildings and shops, and a few renovations, Ponyville still looks like it had back then. As the sun started to make its slow descent from its zenith in the sky, Tenor ventured back to his mothers house for an early lunch. “I’m back mom.” Tenor called out through the hall of the house before popping his head into the living room, seeing Jewel at the large table, and carefully working on something. “Welcome back Tenor, how’s the town? Same as it was when we moved to Canterlot?” “E’yup. I’m gonna make something for lunch, do you want anything?” Tenor asked as he stood in the archway. Jewel sat up straight, as she placed her tools down. “Lunch?” she questioned. “What time is it?” Tenor looked at the nearby clock on the wall, noting the exact time. “It’s roughly twelve-thirty.” Tenor commented before looking over to his mother. Jewel seemed to be thinking about something, before a look of a sudden idea was plastered on her face. the mare carefully stepped off the seat she was on, and made her way over to her son. “I actually have a better idea for lunch son.” Jewel mused as she walked past her son and made her way to the door of the house. “Follow me.” quirking a brow Tenor wondered what his mother had in mind, but shrugged his shoulders and followed the older pony. ~~~~~ The time was ten minutes to one o’clock in the afternoon, and Rarity was trotting with her friends Twilight, Applejack & Pinkie Pie, the four mares heading to the Silver Bit. The only pub in Ponyville, that actually has a good assortment of food to choose from. Now while pubs aren’t exactly Rarity’s, or even Twilight’s, general idea to have lunch, it was good to have a change to ones routines in life, that included lunch. “—and then I wanted to use a new method to throw parties, like my party cannon, but more portable! And so that’s how I came up with the Party BOMB!” Pinkie finished the LONG explanation of her latest advancement in party preparations, or at least what she calls ‘advancement’. But more like wild experimentation until something didn’t go, boom. “Pinkie…as you’re friend, Ah have to say that a, party bomb…” Applejack said as carefully as the group closed in on their destination. “Might be pushing it, just a tad.” “OH come Applejack!” Pinkie said as she skidded to the front of the group. “Think about! All I have to do is pull out my party bomb, throw it to the ground and then—BAM!—instant party in the blink of an eye!” “Yes darling, but think of the poor ponies that you’d scare off if you did so. I mean really Pinkie, your new invention has ‘bomb’ in its name…I would think ponies would be rather, hesitant, to have you use those.” Rarity said to her friend while getting affirmative nods from the other two ponies. Pinkie brought a hoof to her chin, and began to stroke it. “…maybe I did go a little gung-ho with this one.” Pinkie said as she pulled a clip board out of her mane, with a quill. “Note to self: change design, and name, of the party bomb.” After jotting down the little note, Pinkie stuffed the items back into her mane, and proceeded to enter the pub with a skip and a hop. Her friends meanwhile just shook their heads. They love Pinkie and her boundless enthusiasm of applying her trade and calling, but sometimes they worry that Pinkie maybe getting to, worked up, in her passion. Leaving the matter alone for the time being, the other three mares entered the pub, and was meet with the sound of music, but as the three mares looked around the room they couldn’t find a phonograph, or even a live band. But when Twilight looked to the back of the pub, she saw Tenor standing in a small empty space, with all ponies in the building looking in his direction. Twilight pointed out where the music was coming from, and when her friends saw Tenor they all looked surprised. Especially Rarity, as Tenor never said anything about him being able to make music with magic, or even sing. Ushering her friends to a nearby open table, Twilight guided them to a spot that was right in the middle of the pub, and lifted a hoof to muzzle in a hush gesture just in time as Tenor began to sing. Music: Cascada - Everytime We Touch (slow) [Male Version]. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNUPT85Tmgk&feature=youtu.be. Rarity was absolutely taken aback as she listens to Tenor sing. His voice sounded so soft, yet still held his strong presence within its rhythm, which harmonized with the tempo of the music playing perfectly. Looking around herself, Rarity either saw ponies leaning into one another, swaying their heads to music slowly, or even sat there in their chairs with their eyes closed, simply listening to the stallion sing. And if the fashionista was honest, it was hard not to do the same. “He’s really good!” Pinkie whispered to her friends, getting a few ‘SHOOOs’ from neighboring ponies. “Sorry.” Pinkie apologized, again getting ‘SHOOOs’ in response. Despite the slight disturbance to the wonderful music being played and sung, Rarity has to admit, Tenor was an amazing singer. As the song tappers off into silence, and as the song officially ended, everypony in the pub from customers, servers, even the cooks in the kitchen gently clapped their hooves. Not because they thought Tenors song was sub-par, on the contrary, they were quietly clapping to accentuate the very mood of the pub that Tenor changed. From rowdy loud talks, to a mellow calmness. The only one who was sort off throwing this ambiance of tranquility, was Pinkie doing quiet yet rapid clapping. “He’s pretty amazing isn’t he?” Twilight asked her friends, who all nodded in response. All except Rarity, who was still looking at the stallion who was listening to requests from the crowed. “…yes…” the fashionista said as her eyes continue to linger on Tenor, a small blush touching her cheeks as he looked her way, and waved with a smile. “Yes he is.”