It's 1100 hrs Equestria Standard time, a few minutes later, Symphonic halls, Estate garden of a Small Greek revival style mansion home, Trotsdale estates Neighborhood, Grazing Hills, Coltifornia and Los Ungulas.
After slipping on a pair of black comfort flip-flops upon bare ash gray feet with orange toenail polish Baroness Agatha, Lyric walks out onto the concrete path that weaves through the estate garden as the shoes slap the soles of her feet, leaving red marks upon them. She prides herself on being a sincere musician and music composer. But now learning that Baron Argo Lyric might have stolen the music scores from other composers and call them his own work. Has put Agatha in a moral quandary; she figures that the only reason the Baron married her was that she is honest.
'Should have figured it was too good to be true, me a respected violin player. Marrying a famous Music Composer. If my sister Aretha Melody was here, she would tell me, you are so easily taking in Agatha. I always hate her being right all the time, even as fillies. Big sister Aretha protecting her little sister Agatha. But after she mysteriously vanished, I took care of her daughter Octavia Melody and found out I am more like my big sister than I care to admit' Agatha thought as she sits on the edge of the fountain crossing her legs, one knee tossed casually over the other to think.
"They must be a way to catch Argo and expose him for the fraud he really is," Agatha comments, tapping her flip flop clad foot soundlessly in the open air.
"If you create a music score anonymously that the Baron can't resist, he will steal it and claim it as his own. With you being an honest musician and moral music composer. You can catch him." A mare voice from behind a hedge said as Head maid Mavra Curator step out from behind hedge followed by her brother Steward Duncan Curator.
"Mavra and Duncan, do you know about this? How the Baron been stealing other composer music scores and saying it his own?" Agatha asked as the two unicorns shook their head 'yes.'
"Yes, your lady ship, one of the stolen music scores, was written by our mother. My sister and I run a small production company in Downtown Los Ungulas. Our mother continued to fight for her rightful credit for the music scores. She gains the authorities' attention, which seems to have received a report from some questionable music composers. Our mother was a well-known music composer, so authorities investigated the claims. After she died, the investigation stopped; we think that Baron used his connections to stop it." Duncan explains as his sister Mavra took up the story.
"After the investigation stopped, we heard that the Baron was looking for some household help at his Symphonic hall. So we handed over our production company to our siblings to run why we find the evidence to back up our mother's claim." Mavra explains as Agatha's face glazed with shock with the news.
"I see Duncan and Mavra. I am sorry your mother was not giving credit for her work. But I think I know what music score it was that Baron stole from your mother. 'The Sunset Lament' was the one music score that was uncharacteristic of the Baron's writing style." Agatha explains as the earth pony rests her chin in her hand.
It 1000 hrs Equestria standard time, a month later during that same time, Golden Dawn Law Firm, Lady Serena Silverlight's office, Civilian sector: Judicature Ward, City of Canterlot and Capital of Equestria.
Sitting in Lady Serena Silverlight's office at the Golden Dawn Law Firm attired in ice blue colored laser-cut embellished 3-piece skirt suit and tan-colored heeled sandals with two and one-half heel was Miss Agatha Melody. After her latest concert in the City of Canterlot and Capital of Equestria, Agatha set-up a meeting with Lady Silverlight to talk about copyright for a musical score for a production company.
"Miss Melody, why does Silver Clef Production Company want you to make copyright for them here in Canterlot? It would be better for that production company to ask for the Copyright in Los Ungulas." Serena comments, a bit confused with the request from Miss Melody.
"As I explain earlier, Lady Silverlight, the Silver Clef Production Company, wants to protect the piece of music they created in all of Equestria." Miss Melody said as Lady Silverlight begins to write up the copyright for Silver Clef Production Company to cover all of Equestria.
It's 1300 hrs Equestria standard time, Present time, Canterlot Archives, Canterlot Grand Royal palace, Royal ward, City of Canterlot, and Equestria's capital city.
Why Royal Investigator Justice Silverlight was in Crystal Empire with Princess Cadence Sparkle looking for more information about Baron Argo Lyric background. After her latest royal court session ended, Princess Celestia Borealis head down to the Canterlot Archives to search the archives for any kind of information about Baron Argo Lyric or Baroness Octavia Melody to help with Miss Melody inheritance for the Symphonic hall.
A fine layer of dust covers the dress and feet of Princess Celestia Borealis after searching the Canterlot Archives for some time. In a section of the archives dealing with Equestrian law and legal documents, Celestia came across an archive number in the leading archive directory that mentioned a Miss Melody. After getting the archive number and section that it was in Celestia's head to that section, she found the file she was looking for after cleaning off the dust from several files.
'Huh? This file is for Miss Agatha Melody. It looks like she filed for a copyright for a musical score for a production company. The music score was named 'The Darkness Lament.' It looks like it was flagged went someone tried to steal the score and say it was their own work. This file says an investigation was launch into the charges. But a month later, the authorities stop for no reason.' Celestia thought as she reads the file in front of her.
"I wonder why the authorities stop the investigation. The only reason they would stop it is if the guilty one was charged or one that helps launch the investigation was dead." Celestia comments, walking back over to the main archive directory to search for information on Miss Agatha Melody.
It's 1530 hrs Equestria Standard time, that same day, the present day, Rhapsodic School, Downtown Los Ungulas, Coltifornia, City of Los Ungulas, and the secret room.
In Baron Argo Lyric's secret room at the Rhapsodic School, Baroness Octavia Melody, Lady Emerald Luster, and Lady Anita Stormchaser continue going through the stolen notebooks connecting the music scores to the rightful composer who wrote it. Suddenly Octavia's face glazed with shock, followed by her light purple eyes mist over with tears that Emerald noticed quickly.
"What is wrong, Tavi?" Emerald inquiry as she held a notebook in her hand, looking at a musical score on the page.
"My mother wrote this musical score, 'The darkness Lament.' But she disappeared a year earlier before all this happened. How could my mother write this musical score?" Octavia said as tears ran down her cheeks.
Meanwhile, in a small airport in Mountreal near the Crystal Empire, an attractive older slate gray colored earth pony mare with puce (dark pink) colored mane and tail buys a shuttle ticket to Crystal City carrying a cello case with her.
"Miss, could you put your name down on the manifest." The ticket seller asked the well dress mare.
"Very well, the name is Miss Aretha Melody," Aretha said as the ticket seller gives the well dress earth pony mare a ticket.
"The shuttle to the Crystal city will be boarding in a few minutes. And it is confirmed that your ticket to Canterlot will be waiting went you arrive in Crystal City. Do you have planned to fly to a different location from Canterlot, Miss Melody?" The ticket seller inquiry as she's typing on her computer.
"No, I live there," Aretha answers as the ticket seller type more on her computer.
"Very good, Miss Melody, here give this paper to the ticket seller in Crystal City for your ticket to Canterlot." The ticket seller said, handing the earth pony the paper she printed.
"Thank you," Aretha said politely as she walks over to the waiting area.
Sitting in the waiting area to board was an attractive older slate gray earth pony mare with puce (dark pink) mane and tail. Her elegant 5ft 11in equine figure was attired in black three-fourths inch sleeved slightly below the knee-length fit and flare dress. Her slate-gray athletic legs were encased in a black thigh-high stocking. Her eleven-inch long slate gray bare feet with deep teal green toenail polish were clad in black heeled sandals with three and one-half heel. This older earth pony mare was Miss Aretha Melody, the mother to Miss Octavia Melody.
It's 1130 hrs Equestria Standard time, a week later, in the past, Symphonic hall, Small Greek revival style mansion home, Trotsdale estates Neighborhood, Grazing Hills, Coltifornia and Los Ungulas, music room.
"You ruined me! Agatha!" Argo said, dripping with spite.
"You ruined yourself, Argo! By stealing the hard work of others for your own greedy gain! All those other music composers worked harder to make it! Then you stole the work and said it your own! Went they try to claim they proper credit, you destroy them!" Agatha said sharply as their guttural scream follow loud pop.
Its 1300 hrs Equestria standard time, Present time, a few minutes later, Canterlot Archives, Canterlot Grand Royal palace, Royal ward, City of Canterlot, and capital city of Equestria.
"According to this News report I found, Miss Agatha Lyric (Melody) was found dead in the Music room of the Symphonic Hall by her husband, Argo Lyric. He reports that she tried to play a cursed music score." Celestia said out loud read through the file.
"Strangely, no music score was ever found to back up the report from her husband Argo Lyric account. But maybe there was never a music score played, maybe he killed her. With all evidence pointing toward him stealing other composer's work and saying it was his own. Maybe she found out about it and was killed for it. From the background that Justice and I found out about Miss Agatha Melody, she was quite a wonderful mare." Celestia comments on closing the file on this case.
It's 1900 hrs Equestria Standard Time, two months later, Sun and Moon amphitheater, amphitheater ward, City of Canterlot and Capital city of Equestria, Miss Octavia Melody Concert.
"Thank you all for attending this very special tribute concert for my Aunt Agatha Melody; all but a few musical scores were written by my Aunt Agatha Melody. All other musical scores were written by other composers whose name appears on the screen behind me as I played them." Octavia said as she takes her final bow before walking off the stage.
"Octavia!" A familiar mare voice called
As she turns around standing there, was a very attractive ash gray earth pony mare with styled cadet gray mane and tail. Her 5ft 11in elegant equine figure was attired in finely made black top of the knee-length fit and flare dress. Why her ash-gray bare feet with dark red nail polish were attired in black heeled sandals with a three-inch heel. This was the spirit of Miss Agatha Melody, Octavia's aunt.
"Auntie!" Octavia exclaimed as tears come to her light purple eyes.
"Hello Tavi, I don't have much time. But I should have asked went I was alive. Was it my fault that you left ponyville for Canterlot?" Agatha inquiry.
"No, Auntie, like my own mother, I wanted to try a bigger stage. So that why I left Ponyville for Canterlot." Octavia explains as Agatha smiled.
"Now I can rest, Tavi. Please take good care of my Stradivarius violin. It a very special instrument from our family." Agatha said as she fades away. A moment later, a stagehand arrived carrying a bouquet of fresh flowers with him and give it to Miss Octavia Melody.
"An older slate gray earth pony mare with puce mane and tail asked me to give you them and told me to tell you to check the card with it." The stage hand explains as Octavia looked at the card.
"From your mother, Aretha Melody." Octavia read off the card as she knew her mother's own writing.