It was now day four of Tenors week long vacation, and at the moment, the stallion was trotting beside with his mother as they shop about. Jewel Feather needed to get some new tools, and gems to work with for a big project she was commissioned to do, for a wealthy patron in Trottingham.
The tools were the easiest things to get, as the local crafts pony was good at what she did, in creating things that ponies needed for their own day to day activities. The gems on the other hoof, those were going to be a little, tougher to get, not because of scarcity but because of quality. Sure Jewel could go to the local gem store, where they have all kinds of gems for ponies to purchase, but they were ones that were already crafted—not a bad thing—and were to be used for their own products. There is also the local quarry and gem cave to gather raw materials, but that comes with the risk of encountering diamond dogs, and their pretty territorial of any locales that have large quantities of gems, even if her son went with her to get those gems Jewel doesn’t like the thought of her son being in a fight.
“So mom what are you going to do about the gems?” Tenor asked the pure white pegasus as he trots beside her.
“Well, I usually get my gems from a supplier, who uses gems in her work. and she manages to get freshly dug or picked gems.” Jewel replied as the pair left the market, and were heading for the west district of Ponyville.
The pair continues to trot away as they passed several other ponies, giving hello’s and greetings and receiving some of their own. Eventually the duo made it to the desired destination, a rather fancy looking building, which kind of looks like one has stuck a carousal in the middle of the building. Trotting up to the door Jewel Feather gave a few knocks, creating a small rhythmic tune that Tenor couldn’t help but hum a song in response. But the knocking also caused a pony to cry out from the other side, “Just a minute!” the voice sounded a little familiar to Tenor, but he couldn’t quite place it. but a moment later his memory of the voice was clarified, when the owner of the building opened the door, and show a familiar white unicorn mare that Tenor meet just yesterday.
“Oh hello Jewel Feather, here to get some more gems.” Rarity asked the mare, before her eyes finally noticed Tenor standing off to the side. “OH! Tenor, I didn’t see you there darling.”
“Not a problem Rarity, but I wasn’t expecting my moms main gem provider to be you.” Rarity’s eyes went wide after Tenor had just finished speaking.
“Wait a minute!” Rarity said as she gestured a hoof between Tenor and Jewel, who seemed to be developing a small smile. “You two are related?!” both Tenor and Jewel nodded in unison.
After a few moments of taking in the affirmation of the relationship between Jewel and Tenor, Rarity invited the pair inside boutique, allowing Tenor to look upon Rarity’s work. she was certainly a master of her craft, as each dress, and suit she has tailored, Tenor is able to see the top notch quality that went into making them. one suit instantly caught Tenors attention. It looked like a simple tuxedo suit, but the dark blue trimming on the hems, cuffs of the sleeves, and the almost non-visible design on the shoulders makes it look very impressive to the stallion. If Tenor had the bits, he would love to have a suit like this to own. As Tenor browsed Rarity’s wears, and make a mental list of some outfits he might want to purchase, he waited for his mother and Rarity to discuss about the task at hoof.
“—so these are all of the gems that I need Rarity, do you have any of them in stock?”
“I do have the sapphires, rubies, topazes, and the amethysts you have listed here." Rarity said as she looks over the list Jewel Feather gave her.
"But I don’t have the opals or aquamarines.” Rarity lamented as she levitated the list Jewel Feather gave her back to the blind mare. “However, I might be able to find some opals and aquamarines by tomorrow.”
“Rarity you are a life saver.” Jewel said as she gave the mare a gentle hug. “I’ll come by tomorrow then, would twelve in the afternoon be good enough Rarity?”
“Of course Jewel.” Rarity said as she returned the hug in kind. As Jewel made her way over to the boutiques door, son in tow, Rarity spoke up. “Umm, Tenor, could I talk to you for just a spell?” Tenor looked to his mother, who seemed to have a cheeky smile on her muzzle, before giving a nod.
“Ugh sure.” The stallion said as he made his way over to Rarity. “Is there something you need?”
“Actually, I was wondering if you would like to join me for lunch. I would like to get to know you better, as our first encounter was rather brief.” Tenor gave a small smile.
“I’d love to, but first I have to help mom get her supplies back to the house.” Rarity gave a small nod of understanding. “But once I’ve finished, I’ll come back.”
Tenor then fared Rarity farewell for now, and followed his mother out of the building. As the pair left the boutique, Tenor continues to noticed that his mother still has that same cheeky smile. But the stallion didn’t pay it too much mind.
After wondering around Ponyville for a bit to gather some other things, Jewel and Tenor made back home and began to unload Jewels new tools, and help put away the other things they bought. Once everything was put away, Jewel practically ushered her son out the door, which slightly confused the stallion but left the household and began making his way back to Rarity’s boutique. Trotting through the market place, and upon reaching the main west district of Ponyville, Tenor found the boutique on the horizon but as he closed in on the building, the stallion saw Spike walking up to the boutiques door. Tenor watched as the little dragon knocked on the door, where Rarity answered.
“Oh, hello Spike.”
“Hi Rarity.” Tenor heard Spike say with a tone of admiration. “I came by to see if you need help with anything.” Rarity was about to say something, but when she caught the sight of Tenor approaching, and her initial response changed.
“Actually Spike I was going to have an early lunch date with Tenor.” Spike looked a little confused, but when he turned to look where Rarity was looking, and saw Tenor now just a few feet from them.
“As promised, I have returned.” Tenor mused, causing Rarity to giggle. Although it didn’t seem like Spike was as amused, in fact, it looked like he was a little upset.
“Oh. Well, I’ll just…come back later then.”
With that Spike waddled off, leaving both ponies just watching him go. Rarity seemed confused by the sudden departure, but it seemed that Tenor has some kind of, vague, notion as to the dragons departure. Sometime later Rarity closed up shop, and she and Tenor headed back into town, where they began talking.
“So Tenor, how long will be in Ponyville?” Rarity questioned as she looks up at the stallion.
“I’ve planned to stay till my week vacation is over.” Tenor replied as she glances down, noticing that Rarity is a head shorter than he is.
“But you grew up in Ponyville originally, yes?”
“Only till I was seven. By that time, that was when my dad got accepted into the Royal Guards training program.” Tenor explained to the mare. “Once he was accepted, we moved to Canterlot.” Rarity swooned as she thought about living in Canterlot.
“It must be nice to live in such a wonderous city.” Tenor just sighed at that remark, which seemed to bring Rarity back from her daydreaming. “What’s the matter Tenor?”
“Nothing. It’s just mom and I thought the same thing, but after you live there for most your life…the city looses its grandeur and luster.” Rarity seemed shocked by that statement.
The two continued to talk as they finally reached the east district of Ponyville, where most of the primary eateries of the town were situated, and it is in this district where Rarity was taking her new friend. The building the duo were coming closer to was actually rather nice looking diner, with a patio that has a few tables set out. Entering the establishment, the pair took one of the inside tables, where a waiter took their order and left the pair to converse some more.
“Tenor, could I ask you a personal question?” the stallion nodded as he got comfortable in his seat. “Yesterday, a few friends and I went to Silver Bit for a little get together, and whilst there, we caught your little concert.”
“Oh! You did?” the mare nodded whilst having a big smile on her muzzle.
“I must say darling, you have such a splendid singing voice.” Rarity marveled as she thought back to the several songs that Tenor sung that afternoon. “Ever since then I’ve been wondering…why are you in the guard, when you have such a wonderful talent?” Tenor went quite for a moment before speaking up.
“It was originally my dads idea. As he climbed the ranks of the royal guard, he thought that he should make it a family tradition to have all stallions be part of the guard, so once I finished my schooling my dad kind of twisted my hoof in joining the guards recruit program.”
“But…what about you? surely didn’t want to be part of the guard.” Rarity questioned.
“Well, at first I didn’t want to…but…” Tenor hesitated for a moment before continuing.
“I wanted to make my dad proud of me, and unfortunately, nothing I did in school or when I graduated impressed him…so I figured that if I joined the guard I might make him finally feel proud of me.” as Tenor continued to talk about his situation in the guard, Rarity seemed to noticed that his tone of voice was slightly becoming more, and more sad.
“…Tenor if this is making you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to continue.” The stallion just shook his head.
“It’s not making me uncomfortable, it’s just, when I did become part of the guard, and climbed the ranks, becoming one the youngest guards to become a lieutenant, my dad was actually proud of me.” Tenor took in a breath before exhaling, seemingly trying to calm his jittery nerves.
“But once my dad retired, and Twilight’s brother became the youngest Captain, my dad started to grow distant. To the point, where he was neglecting me and mom, but then he started to try and make things at home unbearable to the point where mom moved back to Ponyville, after divorcing him.”
“But…what about you?”
“Since I was part of the guard, I had an obligation to stick out my time as one. Plus if I did try to leave the guard earlier than what’s regulated…my dad would probably disowned me.”
“Surely you jest darling!” Rarity said, shocked to even hear that. “Surely your father wouldn’t do such a thing, because you decided to leave the guard.” Tenor seemed to tense up a little…as a pretty bad memory came to mind, before it was quickly brushed off.
“Being a guard was everything to my dad, and he lived his life doing everything to be one, and be the best there ever or will be. So if a member of his family did leave the guard…I assure you, he would erase you from his mind, or even the family.”
Rarity was absolutely…dumbfounded by this revelation. She knew that some parents could get a little, weird, or crazy when it came to their way of life, and having their children follow that path as well. But to actually hear that Tenor’s father was so, strict with him and his mother, and forced them to live as if they were supposed to be part of the guard as well, and even threaten of not only disowning you but make sure the rest of the family did as well. there were no words that Rarity could use to describe how wrong that all seemed.
After a brief moment of silence between the two, Tenor apologized for bringing the mood down and tried to bring it back up, by describing his time at this one bar where he is able to do what he wanted to do. Sing for ponies. But even with the pleasant deviation from the topic, Rarity still felt, sad for Tenor. Here was a stallion, a pleasant and charming one at that, who has this incredible talent to make ponies smile by singing to them…to play soldier all because his father was to attached to his ways. Eventually the pair received their food and began to eat, but Rarity wasn’t really thinking about her food at the moment, all she could do now was just pick and nibble at, as she continued to run everything that Tenor has just told her about himself. And how it must hurt having to live a life like that, and not the one that he should be living.
~~~~~
The hours went by and once the pair were done with their lunch, Rarity decided to help brighten up the slightly soured mood they both had, by introducing Tenor to her closest friends. of course Tenor already knew Twilight, who was happy to see her two friends getting along, she even tried to do something called a Friendship lesson based on them. Tenor had no clue what a, Friendship Lesson was, but he figured it was something between the bookish unicorn, and the sun princess.
Moving on to the rest of Rarity’s friends, Tenor nearly had a heart attack when Pinkie just, POPPED, into existence at the library and began bouncing around the room, all the while saying how happy she was to meet one of Twilight’s older friends who was going to be a new friend for her. the level of enthusiasm that Pinkie Pie gave off, was a bit to strong for Tenor to handle, but thankfully as quickly as Pinkie appeared, she vanished while proclaiming she well create the greatest ‘Welcoming and Welcome back to Ponyville party, ever’. After meeting Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Twilight decided to intro Tenor to the more calm and steadiest member of their circle, Applejack. Who after spotting Tenor said she really loved the songs he sang the other day, which got the stallion to blush, and thanked the farm pony for her words of praise. Unfortunately though, after meeting Applejack, and trying out one of her Granny Smiths pies that she was selling at the market—which was probably one of the tastiest things he’s ever consumed—Rarity and Twilight couldn’t find the remaining members of their circle.
By the time it was late afternoon Tenor escorted his to filly friends to the library, where Twilight left them, and began escorting Rarity to her boutique.
“Thanks for inviting me out for the day Rarity, it was nice.” Tenor remarked as they were closing in on Rarity’s residence.
“It was my pleasure darling, I’m just sorry if I brought up a touchy subject from before.” Rarity lamented, but Tenor just shook it off.
“It’s fine Rarity.” Tenor simply stated as they stopped in front of the shop. “Again, thanks for inviting me to hang out. We should do it again sometime before I have to go back to Canterlot.”
“Of course darling, I would be delighted to spend more time with you.”
Tenor then gave a smile and a nod, before bidding Rarity a goodbye as he turned to make his way back to his mothers house. Although as the stallion trotted off into the distance, Rarity still felt a little twinge of sadness in her chest. While the day was mostly a pleasant experience, she was still brought down a little by Tenor’s tale of his life in Canterlot, shaking the unpleasant thoughts away Rarity headed inside her shop, a now deep thinking expression etched on her face as she makes her way to her work room.