The Ponyville Rag’s first rehearsal after the gig had been scheduled for Wednesday, but Steel Strings and Dainty Tunes met every day since that Saturday, and it wasn’t only because of music.
Even Dainty’s work colleagues had noticed he looked giddy, almost oblivious at times, but also more impatient than usual as they approached the end of the shift.
“Whenever that happens, there’s only one explanation,” Jack Hammer said one day when he was having lunch with Iron Bolt and Dainty: “Somepony’s found love.”
Dainty laughed timidly, and that was enough confirmation for his two colleagues. He certainly didn’t deny.
When Wednesday came, Dainty Tunes was electric. The thought of getting back together with his band seemed far more exciting and pleasurable than it ever did, and he kept planning in his head how the rehearsal should go. As usual, Steel Strings arrived early, but River Mouth was the next to come. Honey Drop took longer than usual to arrive, and Hard Fiber arrived less than a minute after him.
Dainty had the impression that Honey was a little less enthusiastic than he usually was, which was odd, considering the success of their gig. Still, he thought, everypony had the right to have a bad day sometimes, so maybe it was just that.
“So, here’s my plan,” Dainty said. “I tried writing down the things I could remember noticing during the gig, that I think we should improve. It’s nothing big, like, no serious mistakes or anything, but I think it’s worth working on them a little more. And then, I wanted us to learn a new song, as I think we should keep building our repertoire for a bigger show.”
“Yeah, sounds fair,” River Mouth said. “I also thought of a few things to mention, so maybe we could discuss them?”
“Of course, of course!” Dainty said. “I already talked about them with Steel Strings, but you guys should also give your input and discuss. I mean, maybe you see things differently than we do.”
They proceeded to discuss each song individually. Most of the problems they noticed involved transitions among the different parts of each song, sometimes a bass line or guitar line that worked better, certain drum fills and such, though they didn’t want every single note to be played the same all the time.
“We shouldn’t lose spontaneity,” River Mouth said. “If we always play the same, it gets kinda boring.”
“Yeah, I agree,” Hard Fiber said.
“You’re totally right,” Dainty said. “I think, like, it’s just some things that we should agree on, and leave the rest open for changes.”
And so, they played each song, discussing them afterwards. It didn’t take too long, and Dainty felt he had enough time to introduce a new song to them.
“This is one of my personal favourites,” he said, grabbing the record. “It’s called Twenty Nine, and, well, I’m kinda asking you guys to play this one as a bit of a favour to me, because I love this song to bits. So, if we get to play it live, it would be amazing.”
“Alright, let’s give it a try,” Hard Fiber said.
They sat around, and Dainty played the song a few times. They discussed its different parts, the harmony and the rhythm. Hard Fiber remarked how it was the first song he was learning that had a key change.
“Yeah, it’s true, it goes from G major to A major before the ending,” Dainty said. “But the harmony is mostly the same.”
“Well, I think I’m ready to try it,” River Mouth said.
Dainty noticed Honey Drop was unusually quiet, and he had an uncertain look in his face. He scratched the back of his neck with one of his drumsticks.
“I dunno, dude, the drum rhythm sounds kinda complicated,” he said, looking at the door.
“Well, try your best for now, Honey,” Dainty said. “It doesn’t need to sound perfect. You can improve it at home.”
“Yeah, I guess?” he replied. “Okay, I’ll try.”
They got in position, and Dainty asked for Honey to do a count in. He did so, and they launched into the song, but there was trouble immediately. Honey just wasn’t able to play the drum part correctly, and even though the other band members still managed to play it just fine, the drums kept going off the rails.
“Okay, stop, stop,” Dainty said, softly.
River Mouth was relieved not to hear the elongated “stooooop” he would often say.
“I’m sorry, guys, but this is hard,” Honey said.
“Well, yes, it’s a bit trickier than usual, but I think you can pull it off, buddy,” Dainty said. “Why don’t we listen to the song again and you try to follow along?”
Honey shrugged. “I guess.”
“Okay, let’s do that.”
Dainty put the song again, and watched as Honey tried to lightly tap the drums to the rhythm but he was having trouble. The final part of the song, that had a more straight rhythm, was fine for him, but the more complex pattern at the beginning was too much for him.
“I’m sorry, Dainty, but it just won’t come out,” Honey said.
“Okay, okay, look,” Dainty replied, approaching him. “Let’s not keep insisting for today. Why don’t you take the record to your home and show it to Pinkie Pie? I’m sure she can teach you how to play that, and we’ll try to play the song some other day.”
Honey Drop was already shaking his head ever since her name was mentioned. “Pinkie Pie’s not my teacher anymore,” he said. “My parents told her she was taking too much of my time, and I had to choose between the lessons or the band. It couldn’t be both… and, well, I chose you, guys. I couldn’t quit the band.”
“Well, that’s… that’s a big shame, Honey,” Dainty said, unsure of what else to say. “You were making great progress with her, but… well, it’s… It’s your parents’ decision, so…”
“They’re a pair of losers, aren’t they?” Honey said, his eyes laden with resentment.
Dainty gulped. “Well, gee, Honey, they’re your parents, I can’t say that…” He sighed. “Well. Anyway, you can still take the record home and try to learn the drum part at your own pace. Think of this as your homework, okay? When you learn it, that’ll be amazing, but while you don’t, we’ll just learn other songs. Is that alright?”
“Yeah, it’s alright,” Honey replied with a shrug.
“Okay. Then it’s our deal,” Dainty said, returning to his position, unable to hide his disappointment that they’d have to temporarily abandon the song. “Well, I guess we can learn another one, then, right?”
“Yeah, sure,” Steel Strings said. “I’ve been thinking of Seven Cities myself.”
“Ooh, that’s a good one!” Dainty said. “Yeah. Don’t worry, Honey, that one will be a piece of cake for you, okay?”
He immediately regretted, as he intended to sound encouraging, but that might as well sound like a mockery. Honey Drop didn’t seem to react negatively, though, so he just pointed at the record player. “So, let’s listen?”
The band agreed to join again on Saturday, and Steel Strings stood with Dainty Tunes after the others left. Steel gave him a gentle smile and kissed him, and the two sat on the bed.
“So, Steel, my love,” Dainty said, glancing out the window. “We’re, um, not going to rehearse on Friday, so I thought… well, it’s been a while since I last went out with my workmates, so I thought this Friday night, I might… you know, go out with them…”
Steel watched him with a corner of his eye. “So we wouldn’t see each other, is that it? Well, it’s no problem,” he said. “I wouldn’t forbid you from seeing your friends.”
“Oh, nice…” Dainty scratched his mane. “Well, of course, we could still see each other, if you’re willing to go to the pub with us… but, if you’re not comfortable being around my friends, I wouldn’t demand that from you.”
“It’s up to you, sweetheart,” Steel replied. “Well, it’s up to your friends too, I mean, maybe they’re not comfortable with me being around. But I’d go with you, no problem at all.”
“Aw, thanks, Steel,” Dainty said. “Okay, so I’ll pick you up in your house after work, okay?”
“Sure thing, love.”
After the shift was over on Friday, instead of going straight to the Bamboo Pub with Iron Bolt and Jack Hammer, Dainty went off to Steel Strings’s house to pick him up. Then, the four would meet in front of the pub.
Steel greeted him with a gentle smile. Dainty had learned to recognise the deep affection in his subtlest expressions, and seeing his face always felt like a warm hug.
“Are you ready to go, love?” Dainty said.
“Yes, sure,” Steel replied, greeting him with a kiss on the cheek. “Let’s get going.”
They headed off to the pub, and met Dainty’s friends by the front door.
“Hey, guys, thanks for waiting for us,” Dainty said.
“No problem, pal,” Jack Hammer replied, turning to Steel. “So, you’re Dainty’s friend? Nice to meet you, buddy. I’m Jack Hammer, and this here is Iron Bolt.”
“It’s my pleasure. I’m Steel Strings.”
“So you’re playing together in a band, huh?” Iron said, as they went inside the pub. “That’s really cool.”
“Yeah, it’s been pretty great,” Steel said. “We played a little gig on the town square last weekend. It was fun.”
“You did?” Jack Hammer said, as the waiter led them to their usual table. “You should’ve let us know, Dainty. Not that I’m a big fan of the songs you play, but it would have been nice to watch you.”
“Well, I… I didn’t know if you’d be interested,” Dainty said, a little timidly. “But I’ll let you know next time.”
“Yeah, do so, pal,” Iron replied. “So, how many are in your band?”
Dainty and Steel went on talking a little about the other band members, their rehearsals and process for learning songs. Iron Bolt and Jack Hammer talked a little about their musical preferences, which is something they hardly ever talked about, and the conversation went along other paths.
Steel Strings noticed the pub was getting more full and noisy as the evening went on, though that didn’t bother him at all. Sometimes Iron and Hammer would engage in a conversation among themselves, and Steel and Dainty would start talking about something else in parallel for a moment. Dainty noticed Steel kept giving him those sweet and involuntary smiles, though he was very discreet with showing affection otherwise. That wasn’t such an inviting place for that.
At one point, Dainty had the impression that a young stallion, who had just come out of the bathroom, stopped near their table and stared at them for a moment, but Dainty didn’t want to let him know that he had noticed.
“Hey, Lime Peel,” Dainty heard in a loud, distinct voice, coming from a table nearby, “isn’t that the loser who was playing that Town Troop crap the other day?”
Dainty noticed Steel’s expression freezing. Iron Bolt and Jack Hammer frowned and exchanged glances.
“Yeah, that’s right!” another voice said. “In fact, there’s two of them!”
Steel looked at Dainty, as if to get the confirmation he needed: those were the ponies that had been heckling them during their gig.
“Imagine the gall of coming to this place after that?”
Steel Strings puffed and looked down at the table. “I can’t believe it,” he grumbled.
“Relax, Steel, don’t get upset,” Dainty said, resting a hoof on his.
“I thought this pub was restricted to ponies with good taste!” the other pony said. “They gotta tighten the security.”
Steel Strings couldn’t help but try to glance to the table where the insults were coming from: aside from the two hecklers, there was a mare sitting with them. She had her back turned to him, so he couldn’t see how she was reacting.
Dainty noticed that the two hecklers kept telling other ponies around them about it, and he noticed varying reactions around the pub; some ponies looked at Steel and him with disdain, while others seemed annoyed at all the heckling, and he even heard a “shut up already!” coming from the other end of the pub.
“Don’t those guys have anything better to do?” Jack Hammer said, shaking his head.
“Yeah, imagine coming to a pub only to pester somepony else,” Iron Bolt replied.
“They were heckling us at our gig,” Dainty said, with a derisive smile. “I think they just don’t have much fun in their lives.”
The four ponies kept hearing the occasional provocation, and Dainty was getting uncomfortable with Steel Strings, who was completely stiff and tense, as if about to explode at any moment. He wished to say something that would help him relax, but he was afraid he’d just make him snap instead.
“Imagine starting a band to play that garbage?” the first heckler said out loud. “What a bunch of losers.”
“Okay, quit it, already!” a loud, booming voice from afar.
Dainty glanced with the corner of his eyes, and saw the owner of the bar storming out from behind the counter.
“Stop that. You’re bothering my clients, and I don’t want that kind of ruckus in here. You hear me?”
“Okay, okay,” the second heckler said, in a begrudging tone.
Steel Strings deflated a bit, but he couldn’t raise his eyes to meet Dainty’s gaze.
“That sucks, pal,” Jack Hammer said, “but I think they’re gonna stop it now.”
“Yeah, love, it’s over,” Dainty said, touching his hoof again.
The other three tried to get the conversation going again, but Steel wouldn’t relax. He kept glancing around the place, and noticed looks that ranged from unwelcoming to hostile. The hecklers, even though they were silent, still glared at them, and Steel couldn’t ignore it. The whole place had become inhospitable to him.
Dainty got startled when he saw Steel abruptly pushing his chair back and getting up.
“I can’t stay here any longer, guys, sorry,” he mumbled.
“Wait, love!” Dainty said, trying to reach out to him, but Steel was already too far.
“Stay there with your friends, Dainty, I’m going home,” he replied, and just headed for the counter.
Dainty watched him, with desolate eyes, and glanced at his friends.
“That’s too bad, pal,” Iron Bolt said. “Real bummer.”
“I’m sorry, guys, but I have to go after him,” Dainty said, already pushing his chair back.
“Yeah, don’t worry about it,” Jack Hammer said.
Dainty was about to get up, but he hesitated for a moment. “I’m sorry to disappoint you… I just…”
Iron Bolt gave him a savvy glance. “Go with him, pal. He needs you.”
Dainty paused and nodded. “Okay, thanks, guys.”
He got up and rushed towards Steel, who was getting some bits from his coat pocket to pay for one of the drinks. Dainty asked the owner’s wife to split the bill more evenly, and the two paid their bill.
“I’m sorry for what they did to you,” she said.
“It’s not your fault,” Steel Strings replied, sadly. “Don’t worry.”
He turned to leave, and Dainty offered a sorry smile to her before following him outside the pub.
“You should’ve stayed in there with your friends, Dainty,” Steel said, as he stared at the night sky. “I didn’t want to spoil your night.”
“You didn’t spoil anything, love,” Dainty replied. “Those jerks did. I… I’d just rather stay with you. Well, I’d rather stay with you and my friends, but I… I couldn’t force you to stay in there.”
“I couldn’t stand them looking at us and judging us,” Steel said, bitterly. “Those… Why do they have to be like that? Why treat us like that, just because we like a band?… By Celestia…”
“Yes, it’s silly, love, but what can we do?” Dainty said. “Look, let’s not worry about that anymore… Why don’t we go out for a walk? Let’s enjoy the night?”
Steel shrugged. “Guess we can do that.”
They strolled around the darkened and quiet streets until they found some benches. Dainty climbed and sat on one of them, and Steel lay on the bench, resting his head on Dainty’s lap.
Steel sighed, as Dainty gently stroked his mane.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart… I wish I could be in a better mood, but I… Those ponies just ruined everything.”
“Steel, don’t worry about that, my love.”
“Yeah, but now you have to put up with my moodiness…”
“But so what?” Dainty replied. “I don’t wanna stay with you only when you’re happy. I’ll be here for you when you’re feeling down too. I’m not some fair weather friend, you know… or fair weather boyfriend, I should say…”
Steel turned to look up at him, with a surprised look. “Boyfriend, huh?”
“Well, yeah,” Dainty said, sheepish. “I guess we never formalised anything, but…”
“You want to?” Steel said gently.
Dainty looked down at him, with a serene smile. “I love you, Steel Strings.”
Steel took a deep, trembling breath. “I love you too, Dainty.”
Dainty gently stroked his face, and they just gazed into each other’s eyes for a long time, as the soft sounds of the night surrounded them.
“I, uh… would you mind… if I spent the night with you?” Steel said.
Dainty turned his head a little, still looking at him, with a mischievous smile. “Do you even need to ask that?”
Steel Strings looked away, feigning shyness.
“Come on, love,” Dainty said, gently nudging him to get up.
They got up from the bench and headed towards Dainty’s house.
Steel Strings and Dainty Tunes spent the first part of Saturday together, and waited for their bandmates to start rehearsing. Once again, Honey Drop arrived later than usual, and they discussed their plans for the afternoon while the drum kit was assembled.
“I thought we’d start with the song we started on Thursday, what do you think?” Dainty said.
“Yeah, let’s get that one finished, I guess,” Hard Fiber said. “Then maybe we can start on another one. I don’t think we need to play all the songs we already know. They’re pretty good already.”
“Yeah, I think we can play more new songs now,” River Mouth said.
“If you think so, then I’m into it,” Dainty said.
River made a little pause. “I just… well, there’s something I have to say.” The others stopped to look at her, and she awkwardly turned her gaze away. “Well, starting this week, I’ll be… doing some field work in a lake away from here. So, for the next few months, I won’t be fully available.”
Dainty felt a pit in his stomach start to form. “Oh… well, how is that gonna work?”
“Well, I have to depart on Sundays, and I return on Wednesday nights to do more lab work here,” she said. “I should be available for rehearsals from Thursday to Saturday, but not on the other days.”
“Oh, well, we can still work with that, then,” Hard Fiber said.
“Yeah,” Honey said, looking very relieved. “We just have to keep that in mind when doing our schedule.”
“I think we should be fine,” Dainty said. “And, I mean, it’s work. That’s your top priority.”
“Yes, and it’s something I’m really eager to do, too,” she replied. “We’re working on the preservation of a lake, which has started to display an odd kind of ecological unbalance. We need to figure out what’s going on, study the risks and analyse how we can stop or mitigate them.”
“Oh, wow, that sounds pretty big,” Dainty Tunes said. “Good luck with your work, River! And let us know how it turns out.”
“Sure, I’ll keep you updated. Thanks, Dainty.”
“Well, let’s get started?” he said, going to his microphone. “Seven Cities. I’m ready when you are.”
Honey Drop finished preparing his drums, and did a count in. As the band played, Hard Fiber still made a few mistakes, showing he didn’t remember most of the song transitions. They decided to listen to the song again, and play a few more passes before it became tighter, and they looked satisfied.
“So, let’s get started on something new?” Fiber said.
“Well, we have Twenty Nine, that Honey Drop said would study at home,” Dainty said. “How’s the song coming along, Honey?”
Honey stretched his forelegs and shook his head. “I can’t play that song, Dainty. I just can’t.”
Dainty deflated a little, staring at him with his head slightly fallen to the side. “Come on, Honey, don’t say that. It might not be easy, but I’m sure you can play it.”
“No, really, I tried,” he said emphatically. “I’m telling you, it just won’t come out. And now that my parents told Pinkie to stop teaching me, there’s no chance I could ever learn it.”
Dainty sighed. “Look, maybe you have to try a little harder, Honey Drop,” he said. “I can’t say that everything I learned to play was easy. Some of it took real effort, and some of it actually felt impossible, but eventually I found a way.”
“Dude, you’re a musician,” Honey Drop replied, folding his forelegs. “You were born to do this. I wasn’t. I’m just a dude who was born to taste honey and get stung by bees all day long, and I’m telling you, if I can’t do it, it’s because I can’t learn how to play that stupid song.”
Dainty’s eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped. “Stupid? That’s one of my favourite songs, Honey Drop!” he said, indignant. “It means a lot to me, so don’t say that! That’s insensitive.”
“But you are being insensitive to what I say, too,” Honey replied, shrugging.
“That doesn’t give you the right to say those things, though!” Dainty said, frowning.
Before he could go on, Steel Strings approached him and laid a hoof on his shoulder, looking at him with a gentle sternness. “Dainty, please. Stay calm.”
Dainty looked at Steel, and his expression softened a little, almost involuntarily. Their eyes locked for a moment, and Dainty sighed. “Okay, I’ll… I’m going overboard, love. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Steel said. “Take a deep breath and let’s move on, alright?”
Dainty hadn’t noticed, but Honey had been staring at them, his mouth slightly agape. “Wait a… Hold on, are you two having a… a thing?”
The two turned to look at him at the same beat. “What did you say?” Dainty said.
“Oh, that’s brilliant!” Honey shot back, glancing at Fiber and River. “Now they’ll only ever have ears for each other, and they’ll stop listening to anything we say. That’s all we needed.”
Steel just stared at him, in shock. Dainty frowned. “What did you say?” he repeated.
“And worse!” Honey went on, almost ignoring him. “When you guys have a fight, that’s gonna spill over into the band, because you won’t want to be together, but you’ll have to be, and it’s gonna be bad for all of us, because we’ll have to put up with your crap.”
Dainty stepped towards him, stuffing his chest. “Honey Drop, you’re out of line!”
“Dainty, calm down,” Steel said behind him, his voice faded.
“Well, what do you expect me to say, Steel?” Dainty replied, a little gentler, but still furious. “You have no right to get into our personal life, Honey! That’s none of your business! And how dare you talk about we getting into a fight, like that, like you’re predicting it will happen? What do you even know about us?”
“Look, I just don’t want that to get in the way of the band, because…” Honey sighed, trying to keep himself together. “Well, River already can’t stay with us most of the week, and now… now my parents keep getting in the way, saying that… that they can just make me quit the band if it gets in the way of work… They even said they can just…” He pressed his eyelids, as his voice started to waver. “They said they can sell my drum kit if they have to. And now… I don’t wanna lose the band, Dainty! You guys are… you guys are everything to me…”
Dainty couldn’t help but feel his heart getting softer. River and Fiber gave him a compassionate look, but remained silent.
“Honey, no one wants to lose the band,” Dainty said, approaching him. “This is important for all of us. Trust me, we’ll do everything we can to keep it, and my thing with Steel is not… I assure you, we’ll not let it get in the way.”
Honey Drop took a deep breath, his head still hanging low.
“As for your parents… well, they worry about your future, Honey,” he went on. “Work is important. We all love music, but we still have to maintain our livelihood. Your parents are just concerned. You have to give them confidence that you can reconcile your work and your passion. Did you try talking to them?”
Honey scoffed. “Of course. It was the same as talking to the walls. They won’t listen.”
“Well, they’re older than you, Honey, they think differently. You know… when some ponies get old, their priorities change. Everypony loves to do different and exciting things when they’re young, but, when some of them get older, they settle down. They worry about family, and the future, and their stability. You’re young, you’re different from them. Maybe, if you want them to listen to you, you might have to listen to them too.”
“Yeah? And just hear them say that music’s not gonna do any good for me?” Honey said, trying hard not to weep.
Dainty sighed. “Talking to somepony who’s different from us isn’t always easy. But they’re your parents, Honey, they just want what’s best for you. They need to know that you also want what’s best for you and what’s best for them. Maybe try talking to them again, but talk with love. Open your heart. Just try, okay?”
Honey shrugged. “Whatever. I’ll try.”
“Okay, think about this with care, okay?” He made a pause. “As for the song… Look, I’m serious, I really think you can do it. It’s just that… You know… You wanna know what I do when I have to wrap my head around a rhythm like that?”
Honey Drop turned his head to him. “What?”
“Well, what I know is that I have to feel the rhythm in my body,” Dainty said, “so I figure out ways in which I can sing the rhythm out loud and move my body to it. And, when I say sing, I mean just… make these noises to it. Like, this song, when I hear it, I feel it like this: Ta-ki-chi ta-ki-chi, ta-ki-chi ta-ki-chi, Ta! Ki. Ta-ki-chi ta-ki-chi, ta-ki-chi ta-ki-chi, Ta! Ki. You get it? Why don’t you try it?”
Honey frowned at him for a moment, but, slowly, Dainty’s vocalisations started to make sense to him. Dainty also swung his shoulders to the beat, so Honey slowly started to move along, and finally started to repeat the same vocalisations. They kept repeating that rhythmic mantra for a while, while Dainty punctuated some beats with his raised hoof. Honey rehearsed some basic drumming motions in the air with his drumsticks, with a concentrated face, until he stopped singing. Dainty stopped soon after.
“So, you get it?”
“I think I do,” Honey said. “I think… I’ll try this better at home. I’ll try it, Dainty, but I can’t… I can’t assure you it’s gonna work.”
“Okay, don’t worry,” Dainty said, going back to his position. “Remember, this is something for you to do at your own pace. I’m not making demands, alright? When you figure it out, if you figure it out, we’ll try it again. Okay?”
“Yeah, okay,” Honey said, looking a little more encouraged.
“Right, why don’t we try another new song, then?”
Dainty and Steel bid farewell to their bandmates, who agreed to get together again next Thursday, once River Mouth was back in Ponyville. Dainty closed the door, and looked at Steel, a worried look in his face.
“Do you think I was fair with Honey Drop?” he said. “Was I too harsh?”
Steel lightly shrugged. “I don’t think so. I think you were pretty on point.”
“I feel bad for him,” Dainty replied, sitting on the bed next to Steel. “I didn’t want to be nasty to him. I think he must be really stressed out.”
“Yeah, but he doesn’t have the right to say those things,” Steel said. “You did fine, Dainty, don’t worry.”
Dainty looked at his hindlegs, which swung back and forth. “Yeah, but I’m thinking too… What if Honey Drop is right? What if our relationship does get in the way of the band? That could be a bad thing, couldn’t it?”
Steel paused for a moment, then frowned. “Dainty, are you serious?” He got up from the bed and took a few steps away. “Are you really gonna let that get in the way of your feelings for me?”
Dainty widened his eyes and stuttered for a moment. “No, no, it’s not that— It’s not like I want to let it get in the way, I… I just mean… well, stuff happens, you know,” he said, approaching Steel. “My worry is that things might get in the way against our will. And Honey is right, if it spills over to the band, it’s gonna be bad for everypony.”
Steel puffed lightly. “I just don’t wanna think that something bad could happen to us, Dainty. We love each other, don’t we? Isn’t that a good thing? Shouldn’t that be good for the band?”
“Of course, my love, of course,” Dainty said, bringing his face close to Steel. “I’m… I’m very happy that I’m with you. Honest. If it depends on me, nothing bad will ever happen between us… but it doesn’t depend on me, you know… The world out there… I’ll fight for you. I’ll stay with you, my love, trust me. But we should… protect the others from anything that could happen. That’s all I think.”
Steel gazed at him and gently nodded. “Yeah, I see… It just hurts to think that something could go wrong…”
“I know, baby. Look… I think… What we can do is, whenever we’re working with the band,” Dainty said, “rehearsing, playing together, whatever; everything that’s to do with the band, we’ll keep a strictly professional stance. What do you think? Business is business. Above everything, we have to be bandmates, and keep in good terms.”
“Above everything?” Steel said, lowering one eyebrow. “Dainty, I can’t put anything above our love.”
“Okay, okay, I expressed myself poorly,” Dainty said. “I mean… aside from everything else, we’re bandmates. How about that? Of course our love is more important, Steel, my love, of course it is. But the band is beside that. The band doesn’t have anything to do with that. So, what do you say? Can you remain professional?”
Steel looked at the floor. “I guess… Well, I can try,” he said, looking back at Dainty again. “I’ll do it for you, sweetheart. For you.”
“Okay,” Dainty said, touching his face with his own face. “Thank you, love… You’re wonderful, you know that?”
Steel chuckled. “I think I do, actually.”
Dainty just laughed.
Steel spent the night at Dainty’s house and left by early afternoon, as he had some work to do at his luthier’s workshop.
“Working on a Sunday, love?” Dainty said, feigning frustration. “That’s unacceptable!”
Steel gave a sheepish chuckle. “Yeah, well, I’ve been putting off some jobs for a while now, and I have to get up to speed… I mean, I used to have more time to work before we… well…”
“Oh, now it’s my fault, is it?” Dainty replied, with an accusatory tone. “Yes, of course!”
Steel couldn’t help but find it funny how Dainty couldn’t keep his act for more than half a second; he broke into a grin too easily. Steel smiled. “See, you keep being cute, and I just don’t want to leave you… But, really, I have to go, but… we’ll see each other tomorrow?”
“Yes, sure, love,” Dainty said, kissing his cheek. “Good luck with your work.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. Have a lovely day, okay?”
“You too, my lovely.”
Steel left the house, and Dainty sighed as he closed the door.
In a short moment, his mind wandered back to the band, and to Honey Drop’s situation. He had no idea how his conflict with his parents could be solved, but he couldn’t stop thinking about it. He realised, then, to his surprise, that some fragments of memory started to pop up in his mind: recollections of similar conflicts with his own parents, though they didn’t seem to be related to music. Dainty frowned, as, technically, he didn’t have a past, and he thought it could just be something he was making up from nowhere.
Instead of thinking about that, he focused back on Honey Drop, and an idea started to form. He grabbed a pencil and a sheet of paper, sat at his desk where he’d usually work on music scores, and started writing:
“Dear Mr. and Mrs…”
He pressed the blunt end of the pencil on his chin, realising he didn’t know their names. That was a bad start, but there had to be a way out of that:
“Hello. Even though we haven’t been formally introduced, I’d like to address you as a friend.
My name is Dainty Tunes. I’m a construction worker, and I have been living in Ponyville for several months now. I am also a musician, and have decided to form a band, as a work of passion. All members of the band have regular day time jobs, and we have to find ways of reconciling our paid professions with our musical activities. It can be a lot of work, and it can often be exhausting, but it’s always worthwhile.
Music is not just something we do in our spare hours just to kill time, or as a product of vanity or ego. Music is a way in which we express ourselves, our feelings, our emotions and our outlook on life and the world outside. Music comes from deep inside us, and we can’t shut it down. It compels us to pick up instruments and learn to play, to listen to music and know them like we know the backs of our forehooves. Music is almost as necessary as air and water, and, without it, we feel we would suffocate.
Honey Drop is—and I say this without flattery—a great musician. Not because he has all the skills and technique that we come to expect from a “great musician”, but because of the way he sees and hears music. He feels it in his heart, and the energy that moves him to learn to play the drums flows in his veins. It’s not something he just decided he wanted to do, but something he needs to do. Like the rest of us, he would suffocate without it.
He has told me of his aptitude to work with bees and honey, and how important his work is for your business. I have no doubt he is a fundamental part of your farm, and you would lose a lot if his work were to be compromised. The same is true for my own work in the construction business, and for all of our bandmates in their respective jobs. We have absolute respect for Honey Drop’s profession and your family business, and I’m fully convinced of its importance, not just to your family, but to the Ponyville community as a whole.
The reason why I write this is because I’m also fully convinced that Honey Drop can reconcile his profession and his music, not only in a way that one won’t compromise the other, but in a way they’ll improve each other. The excitement and fulfilment we get from music makes our lives happier and more worthwhile, and this translates directly to a healthier professional life. Likewise, our jobs give us the stability we need to make our music with comfort and confidence, free of external worries. I fully believe this can be the case with Honey Drop as well.
I need you to trust me when I say that, if I had reasons to believe our musical activity was getting in the way of Honey’s regular work, I’d be the first to talk to him. I don’t want the band to be a hurdle for anypony. In fact, I’ve seen Honey Drop become a happier, more confident stallion as his drumming improved. He loves the band dearly—like I love it myself—and anypony can see how much he benefits from it. If you talk to him, I’m sure you’ll see it yourselves, and you’ll come to the conclusion that music is a power for good in his life, and everypony will benefit from that.
I sincerely wish the best for your family and your business, and I assure you that Honey Drop’s work in the band will only be a reason for pride and happiness.
Love,
Dainty Tunes”
He reread the letter a few times, making a few changes and corrections along the way, and let it aside. He’d transfer the sloppy pencil hoofwriting for a neater version some other day, with a fresher mind.
The rehearsal on Thursday wasn’t a particularly smooth one. There weren’t any particular incidents, but Honey Drop played without much enthusiasm, and River Mouth looked more distracted and unaware than usual, though her playing was still good. Hard Fiber had forgotten a couple of important things about the new songs they had been rehearsing, which required extra passes and those songs and some impromptu lessons from Steel Strings. Dainty didn’t even bother asking Honey if he had learnt to play Twenty Nine, as his whole demeanour suggested he hadn’t made any progress, if he even tried.
At least Steel Strings followed rigidly the suggestion of maintaining a professional stance during rehearsals, and his interactions with Dainty were pretty much exactly as they used to be in the beginning.
Still, even with the slower pace, Dainty suggested they start learning a new song, but the process was a little harder this time. The song wasn’t a tough one, but Hard Fiber kept failing to get his parts right, Honey Drop’s playing wasn’t at all invigorating, and River Mouth played strictly by the numbers. Dainty made an effort to inject some energy into the rehearsal, but he felt it was to no avail.
He thought it could be just a temporary thing, a particular day in which things weren’t going too well. Those things happened, so he tried not to get too worried.
As they were preparing to leave, they discussed the day of their next rehearsal.
“Since River Mouth will have to leave again on Sunday, we only have tomorrow or Saturday. What do you think?” Dainty said.
“I’ll be busy tomorrow,” Hard Fiber said, “but I should be free on Saturday, if we do it in the afternoon.”
“Uh, actually, I’ll have to do some stuff with my parents on Saturday,” Honey said. “It’ll take all day… I’m sorry, guys.”
River Mouth looked at them, but realised there’d be no room for negotiation.
“So, we’ll have to leave it for next week, then?” Fiber said.
“I suppose so,” Dainty replied. “I mean, it’s no big deal… Remember, we’re not under a deadline or anything. Let’s just try to keep our parts fresh during the week until we can get together again. How about next Thursday?”
The other four pondered for a second, and agreed.
“Should be fine,” Fiber said.
“Yeah, I think I’ll be free too,” Honey said.
“Okay, then, next Thursday it is,” Dainty said, going over to his desk, while the others started disassembling their equipment.
Dainty approached Honey, and handed him a closed envelope.
“Honey Drop, would you do me a favour?” he said. “Give this to your parents, okay? Don’t open it, just give it to them and let them read it. I… don’t know if this will help much, but I’m making an effort.”
Honey looked at the envelope and took it. “Well, okay, Dainty, thanks.”
The rest of the band remained chatting while they prepared to leave. River Mouth talked a little about her field study, and how it’s far more challenging than she initially assumed, as the lake has difficult access, and the building she’ll stay in her fairly limited resources.
“Sounds pretty tough, River,” Hard Fiber said.
“It is,” she replied, a little concerned, “but it’s important work, and it’s gonna give me a lot of experience in my field. I’ll just have to be strong.”
“We’re with you, River,” Dainty said. “I wish you luck.”
“Thanks, guys, this really means a lot,” River said.
Honey finished putting away his drums in the cart, and the three departed. Dainty sighed as they left, a little uncertain, wondering how things would turn out next week.
He closed the door and turned around, and noticed Steel had been watching him with an eager, impatient smile, and jumped towards him to kiss his face and his lips repeatedly. Dainty was nearly knocked off his hooves.
“Professional stance!” Steel Strings scoffed in between kisses. “You know how hard it is to keep a ‘professional stance’ when I’m around you?”
Dainty giggled. “You’ll have to work on that, I guess!”
“Yeah, because it’s easy for you, huh?” Steel said, holding Dainty’s face with his hooves. “Mr. Professional? Huh?”
Dainty smirked. “Only during business hours, sir.”
Steel smiled and kissed his mouth one last time, before turning around and going to the bed.
“Want some tea, love?” Dainty said, going to the kitchen.
“Hm, I’d prefer to have something else,” Steel said, sitting on the bed, “or somepony else…”
Dainty gave him a wry smile. “Well, I would like some tea, first... You could join me.”
Steel rolled his eyes and sighed, mockingly. “Okay, okay, I’ll join you...“
And so, Dainty headed off to the kitchen to heat the water, while Steel lay in bed, stretching out his legs.
“You know,” Dainty said, “I’ve been thinking about the songs we’ve been playing, and I’m thinking that maybe—”
“Oh, you’re gonna talk about the band now?” Steel said, sitting up.
Dainty looked at him, surprised. “Well… yeah, you know I like to discuss things with you.”
Steel shook his head. “We just spent the whole evening rehearsing together. Don’t you think we could just take a little break?”
“Well… I guess,” Dainty said, shrugging. “But I didn’t expect you’d be so against the idea of talking about music with me.”
“Don’t you think we have… more interesting ways to spend our time together?”
Dainty stared at him for a moment, lost in thought. “Um… well, there are lots of things we can do, sure, but… we can still talk, can’t we? I mean, we used to spend hours just talking about different things, having conversations about music, art, and just life in general… and, well, I always liked the way you talk, the way you elaborate on the way you think, and the way you listen to me, with so much attention… I… kinda miss that, Steel.”
Steel gave him a cold gaze. “Oh. Nice. So you’re unsatisfied because we don’t do enough talking?”
“But, Steel Strings, that’s always been one of the things I love in you the most,” Dainty replied. “We don’t have to just, like, give that up completely just because we’re in love. We can do the… other things, but, well, I love talking to you. I really do.”
Steel’s shoulders fell a little, and he smirked. “Okay. Fine. What do you want me to talk about, then? What do you wanna hear about?”
Dainty still couldn’t understand what that attitude was all about, and had a hard time figuring out how to react. “Well, we could talk about the thing I wanted to talk about in the first place, which is thinking about the songs we’ve been—”
“Oh, of course, the band.” Steel rolled his eyes. “I should have imagined it.”
“Steel, darling, what’s the problem?” Dainty said, rushing to the bed, even though the water was almost boiling by now. “Why are you so against the band now, all of a sudden?”
“Dainty, you asked me to remain ‘professional’ when doing band related stuff,” Steel said, “and I’m just not in the mood for that right now. I want to enjoy your company before I go home,” he said, softening his tone a little. “I wanna be with you. Is that so wrong?”
Dainty took a deep breath and shook his head. “No, it’s not wrong. It’s not. I… didn’t want to make you feel bad. If you don’t wanna talk about the band, then let’s not.” He glanced behind his back. “Let’s just have some tea and then we’ll… we’ll be together. Is that alright?”
“Yeah, it’s alright,” Steel said, in a more relaxed tone.
Dainty nodded and headed back to the kitchen to get the boiling water off the stove. He felt a pang of guilt for making Steel feel like that, even though something inside him said there was no reason to feel guilty. Dainty hadn’t done anything wrong, after all; but that sense of guilt just lingered inside him, and he hoped he could get into good terms with Steel again that night.
They had their tea, chatting about small, casual things, and then just enjoyed each other for the rest of the night, before Steel Strings had to leave.
There were too many things buzzing in Dainty’s mind as he tried to sleep, and he felt they wouldn’t settle down too easily.
Dainty was anxious that Thursday. He hoped the rehearsal would wash away the bad feelings he got from the previous week, and they’d get to work on some more new songs. The idea he had tried to talk about with Steel Strings the last time was fleshed out through the week: he made a list of all the songs they had in their repertoire, and how they could fit into an actual concert, with some songs allotted in specific places in the set list, a few songs that could be switched over time, and a bunch of empty slots that needed to be filled with more songs. He didn’t want to show that to the band yet, as he feared it could put too much pressure on them, but he already fantasised about a full concert, and he kept playing it in his head when he went to bed.
Steel Strings and River Mouth were the first to arrive, and he noticed River looked rather tired. She talked about her troubles with her field study, and things didn’t seem to be getting any easier.
“Yeah, and when I get here, I have to carry on with the lab work, so it’s really taking a toll on me,” she said. “But, well, I’ll get through it, I just know it.”
“Sure you will, River,” Dainty said. “You’ve got it in you.”
Honey Drop arrived soon after that, and he still looked rather unenthusiastic. As Dainty helped bring his equipment inside, he stopped Honey outside the house for a moment.
“So, did your parents read the letter?” Dainty said, already feeling his eagerness fade away with Honey’s rather limp expression.
Honey Drop just shrugged. “They said it’s up to them to decide, and that, if they want to, they can make me quit the band. I didn’t read what you wrote, Dainty, but I don’t know if it helped at all.” He made a pause. “Still, thanks, I guess.”
He turned to the cart to get some more things, and Dainty stood there, thinking. If his initiative didn’t help, he hoped at least that it didn’t make things worse.
The band decided to start off playing some songs they hadn’t played in a while, just to keep them fresh. Dainty noticed they sounded weaker than they used to, no matter how much he tried to encourage his bandmates. For a moment, he had the feeling that his bandmates just weren’t enjoying the experience.
Then, they moved to the new songs. Dainty wanted to get them in good shape, so they could learn a new one. Still, as they tried to play the songs, things just wouldn’t work out. Dainty noticed he was making a conscious effort not to act like a jerk like he once did, and the don’t be an asshole mantra was in his head most of the time.
“Guys, I don’t wanna be harsh, but this really isn’t too good,” Dainty said. “You have to try a little harder.”
“I know, Dainty, I…” River Mouth stopped talking to try to stifle a yawn, but she couldn’t prevent it. “I’m trying, but I’m pretty tired. I’ll just… try my best.”
“Also, I’m finding your drums a little sloppy, Honey,” Dainty said. “Have you been practicing?”
“Dainty, how do you think I could want to play when my parents keep discouraging me?” Honey said. “I’m embarrassed to practice at home, because my parents are always complaining about how I should work harder.”
“Yeah, but that’s no excuse for you to play like that, dude,” Hard Fiber said. “You look like you just don’t care.”
“Oh, as if you can criticise me,” Honey scoffed. “You keep forgetting your parts. It sounds like you don’t even practice at all.”
“Well, I try, you know,” Fiber replied. “But it’s not easy for me either.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it’s not easy when you’re too lazy to do it.”
Fiber’s jaw hung open. “Lazy? Well, listen here, Mr. ‘My Parents Hate Me’, but I also have problems at home, alright? I have to take care of my little brother. He’s…” Hard Fiber made a pause, trying to keep his calm. “He’s a special pony. He needs care. And, most of the time, I’m the only one who can stay with him, and when I’m looking after him, I can’t just turn my back and practice my guitar, as much as I really wish I could. So it’s also hard for me to focus on my music, but you know what? I just deal with it. I don’t keep wallowing in self-pity like some other ponies here do.”
Honey hung his head down, staring at the floor. “I… I didn’t know, Fiber... Sorry…”
“Fiber, listen, this is not about self-pity,” Dainty said, trying to sound gentle. “But, if we knew about your family situation, we wouldn’t keep expecting things that you just can’t do. You know you can trust us.”
“Look, I didn’t want to bring up my family here with you, okay?” Fiber said, still frustrated. “It’s not you guys’ fault that my brother is like that, so I don’t think you even should know about that… I… I can’t go on like this, I’m going home. Sorry.”
Hard Fiber started to unplug his equipment, and the others exchanged startled glances.
“Fiber, no, there’s no need to leave!” Dainty said.
“I’m not in the mood, okay?” Fiber replied. “I’m just going home.”
“Fiber, I’m sorry!” Honey Drop said, a lump in his throat. “I didn’t mean to offend you! Please, don’t go!”
“You’re not… quitting the band, are you?” River Mouth said.
“I just said I’m going home,” Fiber replied. “We’ll… continue some other day, I don’t know, I don’t wanna think about that now. I just need to leave.”
The other four just hung their heads. Honey Drop breathed heavily, afraid to look at the others.
“So, will you be available on Saturday?” Dainty risked.
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
Fiber took his equipment to the cart outside, and Dainty and Steel followed him, hoping he’d say something a little more reassuring, but he just stood quiet until he was about to leave.
“I’ll see you next time,” he said, and walked off.
“See you, Fiber,” Dainty said.
Steel and him turned around to go inside the house, and found Honey Drop crying. River tried to comfort him.
He looked up at Dainty, sobbing. “I ruined the band, didn’t I?”
Dainty widened his eyes. “No, Honey, calm down, calm down!” he said, rushing towards him. “You haven’t ruined anything. It… it was a sad thing to happen, but the band’s not ruined. I’m sure we can talk to Fiber and he’ll be okay. Don’t worry, it’s gonna be fine.”
“You think so, Dainty?” Honey said.
“Yes, of course I do,” Dainty replied. “Let’s not lose hope. It should be fine.”
“Guys, I… I think that, since Fiber has gone home, I think it would be better if I went home too,” River Mouth said. “I’m really tired and I need to rest. Do you mind?”
Dainty was a little uncertain. He thought they could carry on without Fiber, but it wasn’t good to force her to stay under those conditions. “No, I don’t mind, River. If you’re tired, you’d better get some rest.”
“Okay, then,” she said, making a pause. “So… how’s the next rehearsal gonna be like?”
Dainty scratched his mane. “Yeah, we’ll… have to figure out a way.”
“We gotta talk to Fiber, and see when he’s available,” Steel said. “Then we’ll have to let you know.”
“I’m thinking, would you two mind coming here this Saturday?” Dainty said. “If we get Fiber to join us, we’ll rehearse normally. If he doesn’t, we’ll just… do it without him. Do you think it could be done?”
River Mouth looked uncertain.
“I could do it,” Honey Drop said.
“I wouldn’t like to rehearse without him, but, maybe it’s better than to have to wait until who knows when,” River said. “Yeah, I’ll come.”
“Okay, then you do that, and Steel and I will talk to Fiber to see if he’ll come too,” Dainty said.
And so, River and Honey started to pack their things. Dainty tried to keep calm, to avoid making things worse, and followed the two outside when they left.
Dainty closed the door and hung his head. He turned around, and Steel saw the desolate look in his eyes.
“Do you think he’ll come back?” Dainty said, barely raising his face.
“I think he will,” Steel replied. “Interesting how you were trying to reassure Honey Drop, but now you need reassurance.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t… I didn’t want him to get too worried, but…” Dainty sighed. “I’m worried too, Steel. I mean, it’s not just Fiber, but… everypony seems different. I… I fear we won’t be able to hold on much longer.”
Steel saw he was tearing up, and made a gesture for him to come to bed. Dainty lay next to him and rested his head on Steel’s lap. Steel stroked his mane, in silence.
“It’s so annoying,” Dainty said. “I sometimes take pride in how passionate I am for music, but… but passion is not enough. What’s the point in being passionate when the world keeps throwing obstacles in your way?”
Steel sighed, not thinking of a response, though he did want to keep talking to Dainty to try and comfort him. “Have you always been like this? I mean, has music always been so important for you?”
“Well, as far as I can remember, yes,” Dainty said.
He only stopped to think about what he was saying after he said that. Rationally, it was a silly thing to say: Dainty didn’t have much to remember, as he had been dropped in that world a short while ago with no proper past. However, he found himself seeing things in his head, like a tiny dot of light amid what once looked like pitch black, and maybe he could start walking towards it to see what it was.
“I… remember my parents liked music a lot,” he went on. “They weren’t musicians, but they enjoyed music, and they would usually take me to places where there was music going on. I remember… I was a little colt, no idea how old I was, but… it was this big, beautiful hall, with lots of ponies dancing, and there was a stage, and a band was playing… and I just stood by the foot of the stage, watching them play.
“I was… absolutely entranced,” he said, turning his head a little to see Steel’s face. “I couldn’t describe it, but I felt like I was soaring. I think, if I were a pegasus, then the sensation of flying would be more or less like what I felt that night, watching that band play. The sounds, the melodies, the way the instruments looked… I kept trying to figure out the sound of each instrument, and… well, I don’t know how long I stood there, but I could’ve stayed forever. And I just knew that, wherever there was music, I wanted to be there.”
“That’s lovely,” Steel said in a hushed, sweet tone. “And… how did you start playing?”
“Well, I think a few years later, a relative of mine, an uncle, I think, gave us a piano.”
Steel tried to hold back a sudden involuntary chuckle. “What? They just gave you a piano?”
“Well, yeah,” Dainty said, realising how absurd it sounded, but the memory was vivid. He couldn’t understand what was properly happening, but he kept walking towards that tiny bright dot, and now, he was bathed in light. The memory was there, inside him, and as he kept going, he kept seeing more and more things. Could that memory have been there all along?
“I remember my uncle saying that his family had that piano for a long, long time, but nopony really used it anymore,” Dainty went on. “So it was in serious need of repair and tuning. I remember it looked really beaten at the start. And then, my dad managed to fix it. He got somepony to tune it, and, even though the piano never looked pristine, it worked just fine. And then I… I just started to play with it, you know, just… pressing keys, just to see what happened, and I… I slowly started to learn to play melodies. I’d hear a tune, and I’d figure out how to play it. Sometimes it was hard, but I kept insisting until I got it.”
“That’s nice,” Steel said.
“My parents got some teachers to give me some lessons at home,” Dainty went on. “I think they couldn’t afford a full time teacher, because I remember the lessons weren’t frequent… but it was enough for me to learn to read music, learn the scales, chords, rhythms and all… and, one day, I started to make up a song on the piano, just… improvising, I started to play a tune… and it kinda became a song.”
Dainty gave a sudden smile. “Actually, I would often make up songs on the spot, when I was a little colt,” he said. “It must’ve been unbearable to be around me, because I wouldn’t keep my mouth shut. But they were just throwaway tunes, you know? I’d start repeating a phrase and turn it into a tune, but then I’d forget it. But this time… I was actually writing this song, on the piano, and I made lyrics for it. I… I actually still remember how it goes, in fact.”
Steel smiled. “How does it go?”
Dainty made a pause and scoffed, looking away. “It’s a dumb song written by a kid. It’s embarrassing.”
“No, it’s not,” Steel reprimanded. “It’s your first composition! Come on, I’m curious now.”
“Alright, alright,” Dainty said, rolling his eyes. “It’s goes like:
Hello, moon, hello, sun
Let’s go outside and jump and run
Hello, moon, hello, sun
Let’s go outside and have some fun
Dainty expected Steel to laugh at the silliness, but he just observed him, almost in wonderment. Steel couldn’t help but notice the melody was more twisty than he expected, with the word “go” elongated in an unusual syncopation.
“You wrote that as a little colt, and you’re embarrassed?” Steel said. “You should be proud!”
“Well… maybe?” Dainty replied. “I dunno. I don’t wanna gloat, you know. But… yeah, it was pretty fun when I wrote that tune, and I showed it to my parents, and…”
He suddenly stopped talking and started to sob.
“... and that’s how I got my cutie mark,” he said.
Steel gave an involuntary grin, and gently stroked Dainty’s mane as he sniffed and sobbed.
Dainty realised Steel would never understand why he was so moved, but the affection he received from him was genuine either way, and that’s what mattered.
Dainty had love, and he had a past. With that, the future looked quite a bit less scary.
Steel Strings spent Friday night with Dainty, and in the morning of Saturday, they headed off to Hard Fiber’s house. Steel guided the way across Ponyville until they reached a modest, but charming house, with interesting decorations made with ropes and fabrics of many kinds. Dainty had never seen anything like that, and it was so unique that it stood out in a very beautiful manner.
Steel knocked on the door, and, in a few moments, a green eyed mare showed up. She had a short brown mane, and her coat was a shade of turquoise.
“Yes?”
“Oh, good morning, Mrs. Weave,” Steel said. “Is Hard Fiber home? Could we talk to him?”
“Yes, he is,” she said, as she turned away from the door. “I’ll go call him.”
Dainty and Steel exchanged glances, as the seconds passed. Fiber finally showed up at the door, without stepping out.
“Oh, hey, guys,” he said. His tone was a little bit colder than his usual casualness. “What’s up?”
“Hi, there, Fiber,” Steel said. “So, we talked to the other guys in the band last time we were together, and we decided we’d join again at Dainty’s place today. River and Honey should be coming in the afternoon, and we… well, we wanted to know if you could join us.”
Hard Fiber glanced to the side, as if he needed a second to think. “Yeah, I can. Sure.”
Dainty stifled a sigh of relief.
“Oh, great, then!” Steel said. “It’ll be the usual time, so we can start where… where we left off.”
“Yeah, no problem guys,” Fiber replied. “I’ll be there.”
“Okay! We’ll be waiting for you then, buddy. See you there.”
Dainty caught a glance of a young colt, sitting on a couch in the living room. He had a dark blue coat and a yellow-orange mane, and he kept rocking his body back and forth, staring straight ahead.
“Yeah, see you,” Hard Fiber said. “Thanks for coming.”
Dainty and Steel turned to leave as Fiber closed the door. They walked a few steps before they talked.
“Do you think he’s still into it?” Dainty said.
“I guess,” Steel replied, glancing to the side. “We’ll have to see in the rehearsal itself.”
Dainty just fell silent.
The two of them had lunch at Dainty’s home and hung around, waiting for the others to come. Dainty managed to show his ideas for a potential concert setlist, and Steel gave a few brief pointers, but nothing very substantial. They agreed they needed a couple more songs before they had a proper show in their hooves, but that was only a matter of time, if rehearsals proceeded normally.
It took a while for Honey Drop to arrive, and he brought his cart with his drum kit along the road. Dainty had a vague impression that his expression looked a little brighter than in the past few days.
“Hey, there, Dainty!” he said from afar, as Dainty waited for him by the doorframe. “Am I late?”
“No, not at all,” Dainty replied. “We’re still waiting for River and Fiber.”
“So Hard Fiber is coming?” Honey said, with some extra sparkle in his eyes.
“Yes. Steel and I talked to him this morning, and he said he was coming.”
“Oh, I’m glad,” Honey replied, having parked his cart, and began unloading some of his equipment. “Thanks for doing that.”
“Well, we gotta keep the band together, right?” Dainty replied, as they went inside the house.
“Yeah,” Honey replied. “I… you know, I had a talk with my parents on Friday. We… uh, we talked about the band, because… um, they noticed I was… well, kinda sad, and I… I may have made a bit of a scene because I was scared that I had broken up the band,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, while Steel just listened to him, sitting on the bed. “I was… really scared, you know, and my parents said that… well, if the band really matters that much to me, then I should fight for it, and do my best… And I told them that I love the band just as much as I love the farm, just as much as they love the farm, I mean, I honestly do, you know? I love what my parents have done with that place, and I’m proud of it, and… the band is the same thing. It’s something I helped create with you, guys. And they… they said that I should be proud of it, and… they even agreed to let Pinkie Pie give me lessons again.”
“Oh, really?” Dainty replied, with a sudden grin. “Honey Drop, that’s amazing! It’s wonderful to hear that.”
“Yeah, I know,” Honey said, “but… you know, I was still worried about Fiber. I was scared that… I’d come here and you’d tell me that he had left the band, and… and it would’ve been my fault, you know? I really, really, really swear I didn’t mean to hurt him, but I… but I did anyway, and that was nasty of me, and I felt terrible and I almost couldn’t sleep that night. I felt so sorry for him! It’s awful when someone hurts our feelings, and I hurt his, and… I just really want to apologise to him, because I think he’s a super cool dude and I love the way he plays, and if, like, he has trouble rehearsing and forgets his parts, well, I also struggle with my own drumming, you know. I’ve been struggling with that Thirty Six song for days already, and I’d hate it if anypony called me lazy because of that.”
“It’s Twenty Nine, Honey,” Dainty said with a gentle smile.
“Oh, yes! Right! Yes, Twenty Nine, sorry,” Honey said. “But, well, yeah, it was totally unfair of me to think Fiber was lazy, and I actually just think he’s really awesome and I love playing with him and I… I wish he could hear this, because it’s really how I feel, and I swear I won’t hurt his feelings anymore.”
Dainty grinned as he glanced at the door. “Actually, I think he did hear that, Honey.”
Honey’s eyes went wide. “Oh, shit… Are you serious?”
“Hey, there, Honey dude,” Fiber said as he stepped inside the house.
Honey turned to him, embarrassed “Oh, dude, oh, listen—”
“Buddy, relax,” Fiber replied with a smile. “We’re cool. I heard your apology and we’re totally cool, alright? Don’t get stressed out anymore.”
“Oh, okay, I… Thanks, Fiber,” Honey said. “I’m happy that you’re back.”
Fiber gave him a gentle grin. “Trust me, my friend, I never left you. Now, let’s get to work.”
They resumed assembling their equipment, and River Mouth arrived soon after. They started to chat about the plans for that rehearsal, and the desire to learn some new songs.
The rehearsal flowed without further incidents. Dainty noticed they all were in a better mood, and even River Mouth was more energetic and eager to play. They played several songs, including some they hadn’t rehearsed for quite a while, and started work on a new song. It was a very productive afternoon, and as it reached its end, the five ponies were quite exhausted, but happy.
“This was a good one, guys,” Fiber said. “Nice stuff.”
“So, when’s the next one gonna be?” Honey said, disassembling his kit.
“Well, unfortunately, I’ll only be available on Friday next week,” Fiber said. “Maybe I’ll have the Saturday free too, but I’m not sure yet.”
“Friday is fine for me,” River Mouth said. “I actually think it’s better than Thursday.”
“I’m fine with it too,” Honey said.
Dainty turned to Steel Strings. “Will you be available, my lo— Steel?” Dainty pressed his lips in embarrassment.
“Yeah, sure,” he replied.
“Well, we’re set, then,” Dainty said.
They went on chatting until the three went home, and Dainty closed the door. Steel lay in bed in an enticing pose, and watched as Dainty went towards the piano. “I’m glad things seem to be back in a good shape,” he said, idly pressing a few keys, making some loose block chords.
“Yeah, it was nice to see,” Steel replied, as he waited for Dainty to go to him.
Instead, Dainty kept playing some assorted melodies. “I’ve barely practiced the piano for the last few weeks… I wonder if I’m even able to play at all.”
“You’ve got better things to do now, don’t you, sweetheart?”
Dainty looked at him, and Steel tapped the empty space on the bed with his hoof.
“Well, I could just play if I want to,” Dainty said, tentatively.
Steel frowned and lay flat on his back. “Oh, yeah. And ignore me while I’m here. Great.”
“I can play something for you, love. I wouldn’t ignore you.”
“Come on, Dainty,” Steel said, “you’re gonna spend the little time we have together on the piano and not with me?”
Dainty turned to him, a little worried with the route the conversation was going in. “Steel, I’ve been spending most of my free time with you,” he said, walking towards the bed. “And that’s wonderful, I’m not complaining, but I… well, I still wish to do the things I used to do before we started this.”
Steel looked at him, not too impressed. “Yeah. Because that’s fun, right? I stay here by myself, while you do something else entirely. I wonder if you even like me being around…”
Dainty stretched until his face hovered over Steel’s face, trying to meet his eyes. “Steel, I love you. I love you more than anything. You know that, don’t you? Do you believe me?”
He waited for an answer, but Steel’s eyes wandered to the side. The silence made Dainty feel his stomach turn into a pit.
“Why won’t you answer?” he said, his voice wavering.
Steel suddenly looked into his eyes. “I’m… Something just occurred to me, and… Dainty, I’m suffocating you, aren’t I?”
Dainty looked away for a moment. “Well… maybe sometimes,” he said, weakly.
“Yeah, I figured… I’m… I’m being harmful to you, Dainty,” Steel said, lifting himself up a little. “I can’t go on like this… I think… it’s better if we see each other less from here on, so we can… preserve ourselves, you know.”
“Wait… Wait, no! No, we don’t need to do that!” Dainty replied in shock. “We can still see each other, Steel!”
“Trust me, Dainty, I’m not doing this to hurt you,” Steel said, his voice irresistibly gentle. “This is better for both of us, believe me. And we’re not going to stop seeing each other, that’s not what I mean. We’ll still get together for the rehearsals, and we can be together afterwards. And… if we have just one rehearsal in one week, we can see each other some other day.”
Dainty made a pause. “So… twice a week? Is that it?”
“Yeah,” Steel said. “I think that’s for the better. Trust me, Dainty, I’m doing this because I love you. Don’t be sad, alright?”
Dainty looked away. He wanted to say it was impossible not to be sad with that, but he thought it was pointless to say. “Okay… I trust you, Steel.”
“Thank you, sweetheart,” Steel replied, getting off the bed, going to put his guitar in the case.
Dainty watched him, confused for a moment. “Wait, you’re not leaving, are you?”
“Yeah, I have to, Dainty.”
“But you just said we could be together after rehearsals!” Dainty objected.
“I know, but, can we start that from next week?” he said, turning to Dainty. “I… I just need to go home for now. I have to… get some things sorted out. It’s… just for today, okay?”
Dainty hung his head. “Alright…”
“Thank you, sweetheart,” Steel replied, finishing to pack his guitar. “I’ll… see you on Friday, okay?”
“Okay,” Dainty replied with a limp voice. “Take care, alright?”
“You too, Dainty.”
“I love you.”
Steel turned to him before stepping through the door. “I love you too.”
And then, he left and closed the door. Dainty couldn’t hold back the tears, and crawled onto the bed, which felt far more empty than it usually did.
The whole week, Dainty pretty much couldn’t take Steel Strings out of his mind. Sometimes his job and his music exercises at home offered some distraction, but, as soon as they were over, he remembered his loved one. He shuddered just imagining that this could be the beginning of the end for them, and struggled to try to find some strand of hope that nothing wrong was going to happen, and that this was, indeed, better for both of them. The mental struggle made him exhausted, and when he fell on his bed, he just had a feeling of emptiness inside him, the palpable sensation that there was something missing.
How crazy it was, he thought, that he was once completely at peace with going to bed alone, day after day, but now the very same thing terrified him. It was like a part of him was missing, but it was a part he never had for most of his life. What kind of cruelty is it to make somepony suffer for not having something they were once content with not having?
At the same time, he didn’t lose Steel Strings at all, or at least he tried to believe he didn’t. In reality, he didn’t know. He had no idea how it would be to meet him again, and what Steel would say and do. Maybe he’d say that everything was over between them, maybe he’d say the idea of not seeing each other was stupid and they would put an end to that nonsense, or maybe he’d want to continue exactly as it was. Dainty realised, in times like these, that it was the uncertainty that made him suffer. It was tiresome not knowing what to expect, and expecting every possible thing at the same time.
The only solace he had that Thursday night was that it would be Friday the next day, and they’d have another rehearsal, and he would see Steel Strings again. Unless, of course, Steel decided not to come, for some reason. That could always happen.
Dainty puffed: his head was already crowded with uncertainties, but another one always managed to sneak in.
Dainty couldn’t stay still when he returned from home on Friday. He made himself some tea, put on some music, but he could barely taste the tea or pay attention to the music. Time seemed to crawl, but his heart was racing; two foes at war, and his mind was stuck in the middle.
Finally, there was a knock on the door.
“Come in!” he almost yelled, his mind just instantly latching onto the idea that it had to be Steel Strings.
When the door opened, the pony behind it wasn’t deep yellow, but maroon.
“Hey, Dainty!” Honey Drop almost yelled. “Guess what happened?”
Dainty tried to hold back his frustration, as he didn’t want Honey to think he did something wrong.
“What is it, Honey?”
“I learned to play Twenty Nine!” he said, almost jumping out of his coat in excitement.
Dainty’s anxiety momentarily gave way to a genuine burst of excitement. “You did?”
“Yeah! I swear, dude, I kept playing it the whole day today,” Honey Drop went on, rushing to bring his equipment inside. “I got it! I finally learned it, and I can’t wait to show it to you!”
“Honey Drop, that’s really wonderful,” Dainty said, not sounding as joyful as he wished he did. “So, did Pinkie Pie teach you, or something?”
“No, that’s the craziest part!” he replied, not knowing whether he should stop to talk or go on bringing his drum kit inside. “I kinda just learnt it by myself! Remember you taught me to sing the rhythm with my mouth and feel it in my body? Well, I just kept doing it, and, suddenly, it all clicked! Well, after that, I did show it to Pinkie, and she gave me some tips to improve, but all I had to do was follow your advice! Isn’t that cool?”
“It is, Honey, it really is,” Dainty said, realising he’d better help Honey with the drums. “Just… slow down with those drums. I don’t want you to stumble and drop anything.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Honey replied. “I’m just so excited!”
“So am I, buddy, but let’s keep ourselves together.”
After a while, Honey had finished assembling his drums, and he sat behind it, drumsticks in hoof. “So, can I show you now?”
“Yeah, sure, go on.”
So, Honey cleared his throat, as if that was even necessary, did a count in with the drumsticks, and launched into the rhythm of the song. He played a couple of measures, staring at Dainty with wide, expecting eyes.
Dainty just watched him for a moment, paying close attention. “Yeah, that sounds about right!”
“It is, isn’t it?” Honey replied. “This is it!”
Dainty then walked to the piano and started to play the chords. Within a few bars, they were actually playing the song, and Dainty started to sing. Honey even played a few simple fills along the way, trying to reproduce what he remembered from the song, and kept the rhythm steady all the way to the key change. Then, Dainty counted out loud, when the song switched into a fast, straight rhythm, and Honey made the change perfectly.
They went on playing for a couple of repeats, until Dainty made a gesture for them to end the song.
“Woo, Dainty! We did it!” Honey said, lifting his drumsticks in celebration, and then glancing at the door. “Oh, hi there, Steel Strings! Did you just hear that?”
Dainty instantly turned his head to the door. “Steel!” he cried, jumping off the piano bench.
Steel Strings almost tumbled as Dainty latched onto him and started to kiss his lips and his face repeatedly.
Honey Drop, embarrassed, turned his head to the side, but he could still hear them.
“Dainty, Dainty,” Steel said with a smirk, “what happened to our professional stance?”
Dainty backed off a little. “I’m sorry, I just… I just missed you so much.”
“It’s been barely a week, sweetheart,” Steel replied sweetly.
“Yeah, but, I mean, it felt like ages,” Dainty said.
Steel Strings just smiled. “I know. I know, sweetheart. I’m happy to see you again.”
Dainty turned to lead Steel inside, and couldn’t help but giggle at how embarrassed Honey looked.
“So, Steel, did you hear that?” Dainty said, casually. “Honey Drop just learned to play Twenty Nine. I think we’re ready to try it with the band.”
“Yes, I could hear it on my way here,” Steel said. “It sounds great, Honey.”
“Yeah, thanks!” Honey said, turning to face them. “It’s a fun song to play, too!”
They remained talking and getting themselves prepared, and Hard Fiber arrived soon after. River Mouth showed up just a few minutes later, and Danity suggested they listen to Twenty Nine again, so everypony could be up to speed to play the song. It took them quite a bit of rehearsal to get the parts right. Dainty insisted on playing the piano, to improve the texture of the song and give it more color.
“I preferred to play the guitar, but I don’t have one that I could plug into an amp,” Dainty said. “I guess I’d need an extra microphone.”
“Well, I like it when you only sing,” Fiber said, “but, if you really wanna play the piano, then go ahead.”
So, they played a few passes of the song. It was far from perfect, but they all felt they could improve it with more rehearsals and make it sound fine.
Dainty was satisfied with the results of the rehearsal, and, at a certain point, he was already eager to get it over with. He even feared he was pressuring the rest of the band to wrap it up and leave, so he had to make an effort to keep it cool. Still, they reached a point where both Hard Fiber and River Mouth were quite tired, but Honey Drop was still enthusiastic, and wanted to keep on playing.
“You did great, friend,” Dainty said. “But I think we’re really past the time to call it a day.”
“Yeah, I know,” Honey said, a little dejected. “It’s just so fun to do this with you.”
“I know, it’s a lot of fun,” Fiber replied. “Imagine when we get to play live again?”
“I think we should start looking into it already,” River Mouth said. “We’ve got a bunch of songs already. We should have nearly a full show.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Dainty said. “We just need to rehearse some songs a little more, and… maybe we should start trying to arrange a concert.”
“I believe we can do it in the theater,” River said. “I think they’d be willing to let us do it.”
“That would be amazing!” Honey Drop said. “A concert in the theater? Oh, we should totally try it!”
“We’ll look into it, Honey,” Dainty said. “I’m sure it can be done.”
They started packing up their instruments, and both River and Fiber went off as soon as they were done, as both needed some rest. Dainty and Steel helped Honey Drop put his equipment away.
“I’m happy to see you happy again, Honey Drop,” Dainty said. “I love your energy.”
“Aw, thanks, Dainty,” Honey replied. “I mean, yeah, I feel excited again, now that my parents kinda understand that this is important to me… and, like, I know I have to improve a lot, you know… I wish I was a much better drummer, you know, ‘cause you guys deserve it…”
“Honey, one thing I can say to you: you are a good musician,” Dainty said. “You are a true musician, because you have the passion, the dedication, the need to play. You have the essence. What you lack is the one thing that we can learn through training, which is the technique. But you can have all the technique in Equestria, but nopony can teach you that essence. You have it in your spirit, and that’s what makes you great.”
Honey Drop was visibly moved. “You guys are too nice,” he said. “I don’t deserve this.”
Steel Strings smiled. “Yeah, but Dainty just can’t help himself.”
Dainty gave him a hard nudge, stifling a chuckle. “You mean stallion!”
“Well, really, I promise I’ll keep practicing and keep getting better,” Honey said, “especially now that Pinkie’s been giving me lessons again.”
“Oh, yes!” Dainty said. “Learn all you can from her.”
And so, they bid their farewells, and Dainty looked at Steel with an eager look.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” he said, gazing at the front door.
The two ponies lay in bed, cuddled together, while the soft breeze and the sounds of the night gently enveloped the house. Steel had decided to spend the night there, and go back home in the morning.
“I missed you so much, my love,” Dainty said. “I missed you.”
“Sweetheart, you’ll have to get used to this,” Steel said. “We spent less than a week without seeing each other.”
“Yeah, I know, but…”
“Just think about how wonderful it is for us to be together again after these days. It… makes the waiting worthwhile, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, it does, I know,” Dainty said. “I… I mean, I… just like being with you, and…” He sighed, frustrated. “And this is all my fault. I should’ve never made that stupid complaint. Just because I wanted to play my piano while you were here. So petty, and—”
“Dainty, sweetheart,” Steel said, looking deeply at him. “Do you wanna know why I decided to do this?”
He looked at Steel, realising there was probably a reason he wasn’t aware of. “Yeah… Sure.”
Steel looked at the ceiling, breathing deeply. “I was… I was engaged once. Years ago. I met a stallion, and he was… a wonderful pony, good natured, loving, very sweet. We fell in love, and after some months, he proposed to me. And I accepted. I was in the clouds, you know, it was… wonderful.” He gave a sad sigh. “And then, I just started to become… demanding, and bossy, and I kept piling expectations on him… I think there wasn’t a single day when I didn’t make a complaint. I was… suffocating him, and, because he was so sweet, I felt I could do anything, you know. But then… one day, he became fed up with it. He realised that, if I was acting that way during our engagement, how would it be afterwards?
“He… broke up with me, and I’ve never talked to him again since.” Steel bit his lower lip, and gave a trembling sigh. “I… I realised I was doing the same thing to you, Dainty. I thought I had learned my lesson, that I had changed… but I didn’t. And I don’t want this to happen to us. I need to… respect your space, respect your life… I have to do this, you know. It’s up to me. That’s why I asked this. I don’t want to hurt you, Dainty, you’re… You’re the pony I love, and if I don’t treat you well, then… I don’t wanna lose you, Dainty. Understand, I’m not doing this to hurt you, I’m not doing this to make you feel bad, I… I need to do this.”
“That’s a sad story, Steel,” Dainty replied, trying to sound gentle. “I’m sorry you went through that.” He turned to Steel, and held his hooves between his own. “If you feel this will be better for us, I understand. I trust you. I… I can’t demand you to be with me if that doesn’t make you comfortable, so… if this is the best for you, then it’s the best for me too.”
Steel sniffed and smiled. “Dainty Tunes, I love you so much…”
He kissed Steel’s cheek, and cuddled next to him. “I love you too. We’ll be alright. It will be alright.”
They remained like that until sleep fell over them.