//------------------------------//
// Irony In a Nutshell 
// Story: Music To His Ears 
// by FrostbiteTheBlind 
//------------------------------//

Music Note passed by several ponies, all with their own stallion or mare accompanying them. Some even with foals. The pure thought of a relationship made her shiver. It wasn't that she didn't like stallions, no. It was just that she had no....courage. She was always so nervous, and could never talk to any cute guys. That's what held her back. She sighed, moving her hair from her face with a finger.

Finding the dairy vendor was a bit tricky this time. Instead of staying in his usual post, which was right near the town's elegant fountain, he was closer to the dirt path leading out the apple orchards. Strange. 'Maybe someone else managed to grab the usual spot before he got there.' Shaking off the thought, she approached the old stallion, who faintly reminded her of someone who'd been discharged from Celestia's Guard. "Hey there, Cheese Slice. Why is the cart all the way over here by its lonesome?" 

The vendor, apparently Cheese Slice, laughed. "Some new rookie from Manehattan came and took my spot. Some cool-headed milk mare."

After a long conversation dwelling from the topics of dairy, to animals, to somehow politics, Music Note had obtained three cartons of milk. With a smile and a laugh, she bode Cheese Slice a kind farewell, and started to head back home. 'That's the first time I laughed in....a while. Cheese Slice isn't that strange when you think about it.' Interrupted by the body of a stallion, she fell to the cobblestone, her milk cartons breaking and leaking their contents.

"Oh, sweet Celestia!" The stallion said worriedly. He extended a hand to Music Note, at the same time trying to clean the mess. She blushed, her cheeks becoming a lighter shade of orange due to her fur. Taking his hand, she was pulled onto her feet, and quickly into the gentle, but strong, arms of the stallion.

"Are you okay..? I didn't mean to bump into you like that...." The stallion said. She looked up slightly, seeing his face for the first time. He had sky blue, almost cyan fur, with a light gold mane. What she noticed most of all were his eyes. Light yellow, almost like syrup....mixed with butter. She laughed to herself at the thought. 

"It's okay. I was....distracted, and didn't see where I was going." The stallion smiled, letting go of his hold on Music Note. "I'm Phoenix Wing, but most ponies call me Pheen." He said with a warm smile. She blushed, moving her hair from her face. 

"I'm...Music Note." She held onto her guitar case very tightly, which, thank Celestia hadn't been broken or damaged when she fell. "Umm....I gotta go....I'll see you around, okay?!" Music Note said, hurrying off to immediately head home, much to the bemusement of Phoenix.