//------------------------------// // "Ee-lick-tron-uh-ka" (A Starry Eyed Beginning: part one) // Story: Starlight Venue // by swingbeat //------------------------------// As I looked up at the moon I had raised, I could not help but think of what I had missed in my thousand year absence, and of how music had changed. Because as the music of the “DJ” Vinyl Scratch was playing in one of the new concept clubs , it felt... off. My night is supposed to be serene, a time of peace. A time in which a pony, whether they be mare,stallion,or foal, could look up and see the night sky in which I help form, so they can feel at peace. But the new “night music” is utterly against this idea, with its bright lights and the vibrations the super charged speakers produce, not to say I don’t like it, but its just not the music I had in mind. Having decided to take a short flight, I found my self over the coastal town of Seahorse bay. Upon landing to give my wings a short rest, I heard music coming out of the small store called "Cornet Valve’s Instruments". It was a slow paced song that had a bit of a brashness, but only slightly. Most of it was woodwind instrument and, other than the occasion bass playing, it sounded very heartfelt, like it was made for my night, so as to add a background for the other music that is produced by the nighttime animals. I was entranced by this, having never heard this form of music, and soon found myself up by the window where, as I peeked in (shameful, I know, looking in on a ponies private life), I saw a yellowish earth pony with a horn instrument for a cutie mark sitting by a fireplace, reading a book as the music played, completely oblivious as to my presence. Suddenly, the record playing accidentally jumped its groove and was repeating a single note set over and over. The pony shook his head after being pulled away from the book and looked at the record player and mumbled something about old records falling apart. I quickly ducked my head away so he could not see me and, as the music played, again he returned to his reading. As he finished the book, I was already back in the air, thinking to myself that that is what I had envisioned for my night, minus of course being inside. But that type of music brash enough to capture your attention but soft enough to lull you into the wonder that is the night. That morning when my sister woke up, I tried to ask her if she knew that type of music. She quickly told me she will not answer anything until she got her morning coffee (despite being the princess of the day and of the sun, she is not a morning person). After she did, however, get her mandatory coffee, which she gets “black as Sombra's soul” (apparently this joke came about after I was banished and stuck around), I again asked her. She then said, “Yes, I know what you are talking about. That type of music is called Jazz. It's recent, but only barely having been first played about a hundred years ago when ragtime and different slower bluesy songs mixed. Why do you ask sister?" “I was flying last night when I heard a melody that seemed to fit with me.” “Ah. I think I know which song you heard. It's called Moonlight Serenade by Captain Trombone Mills of the Pegasi Corps.” As she reminisced, she said, “Funny thing about that pegasus, he was scared of flying.” The next night I told the courts to cancel everything, because I wanted to know more about this Jazz. So, with the night young and my mind wanting answers, I went out in Canterlot to try to find this music. But after having no luck (for all the nightclubs played was ee-lick “tron uh ka”), I found myself at Doughnut Joe's shop with a warm glazed pastry and a glass of milk. The baker was shocked to have me come in, but after taking my crown off in frustration, he saw that I was distressed and listened to my story of trying to find more of this music that has taken my mind and soul with it. “I know Cornet Valve,” Donut Joe said. “You do? Pray tell, do you think that he could send me some of those jazz records?” “I know one better. He's part of a quartet actually that plays here in Canterlot every month.” “Then I must get his quartet to play for me! I shall write a letter post haste!” I said, rushing out and about to take flight when I felt something wrong. I lowered my wings trotted back in and levitated my crown back on my head and, embarrassed, I then left to return to my chambers, where I quickly wrote down: “Dearest Cornet Valve, I, Princess Luna, ruler of the night, mover of the moon, and sovereign of dreams, hereby request that you and your “Jazz quartet” play for the night court this upcoming Friday. You will be compensated, of course, and should you accept my request, I shall be eternally grateful to you and your band. With highest regards, Princess Luna” With a quick roll and my seal upon it, I gave it to my messenger, who then flew quickly out and onwards to Mr. Cornet Valve's instrument shop. Seahorse Bay 10 o'clock Cornet Valve Instrument Shop KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! I was shaken from my sleep as I heard the rapping at my stores door. Grumbling, I left my wife, who mumbled something about “leaving the jello in the oven too long” in the bed. As I trotted down, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I wondered who in the name of the royal sisters could be calling this late at night? Doesn’t the sign say we're closed for the day? After reaching the ground floor, I grabbed the lantern and clicked it on, then went to the door, where the knocking happened again. “I’M COMING! LUNA DAMMIT!” As I opened the door, my grumbling ceased and I instantly regretted my choice of swearing, for in front of me was a bat pony, the personal messengers and soldiers of the sister I just used to swear. I gulped in fear. “Cornet Valve?” he asked. It's true! When a bat pony speaks, it's like a rumbling of thunder. “Y-Yes?” I stammered. Reaching into his saddlebag, he grabbed a pair of cuffs. I immediately went to the ground, begging, almost in tears. “PLEASE SPARE ME! I DIDN’T MEAN TO USE LUNA'S NAME IN VAIN! IT WAS AN HONEST MISTAKE!” As I rambled on about how I was normally irritable when I wake up, he looked at me then looked at his hoof. “Oops, wrong bag.” As he put it away, he produced a scroll while I was still on the ground begging not to be arrested. “PLEASE! I HAVE A WIFE AND TWO FOALS TO FEED! DON’T ARRE…” I looked up and saw the scroll. He looked at me like I was the dumbest thing in Equestria as he dropped the scroll in front of me. At this, he pulled out a slip of paper with a quill and said, “Please sign this so the princess knows you received it.” I looked up, shakily taking the quill and I signed my name. At that, he took off and flew back to wherever bat ponies come from, leaving me with a scroll that had Luna's mark on it, with the words “ To Cornet Valve” on it. I broke the seal and read the scroll. After reading it, I stampeded towards the others in my quartet. 30 minutes later... We were all gathered at Swing Beat's apartment, some of us more awake than others. But, it comprised of myself, Swing Beat (a blue unicorn stallion), Drumroll (a bright yellow Pegasus mare), and Fender Note (a red earth pony). Drumroll was still pouring the coffee she desperately needed to stay awake and Swing Beat was asking why I had to gather us so quickly tonight. “Alright, I understand that I am a nocturnal pony, but 10:45 at night? What would cause that to happen?” “When you hear what I got to say, you will flip your horn Swing” “Well tell us already!” Drumroll said after chugging down another coffee. “Yes, tell us. I was with my mare friend tonight at her place and I would like to get back,” Fender Note said. “What, you two playing ‘hide the carrot’?” Drumroll asked. “No! We were actually just sitting around, talking.” “Sure you were...” Swing Beat said jokingly. “GUYS!” I called out above the din the three were making. I handed the letter to Swing Beat. “As the guy who came up with the band in the first place, you should read it.” After wrapping his dark blue aura around the letter and widening his eyes at the contents, I was sure his pride and ego were about to manifest and do the tango in joy. After he read the letter, you could hear a pin drop, but instead we heard a coffee mug break on the floor from Drumroll dropping it in disbelief. “Luna… wants us… to play at… the night court, Friday.” Swing beat suddenly developed a twitch under his right eye. Drumroll's mouth was agape and Fender Note was on the floor passed out from overload. By the noiseless atmosphere, it was a certain fact that upon this night... The jimmies had been rustled