//------------------------------// // Faltering Rhythm // Story: To Dance A Dream // by Poet Knight //------------------------------// A couple of days later... Glamdancer groaned as the morning sunlight poured in through her small apartment's only window. As consciousness slowly crept on her she noticed her pillow was a little damp. Huh? She wondered about it a little, until the reason came to her. Tear-soaked. My tears. Because of them.... She looked to the dresser by the door and the letters on top of it. A couple were bills, but the other three envelopes were what drew her attention. Three rejections in four days, and rent is almost due.... The thought was enough to make tears start to brim her eyes again. The last rejection was yesterday from a theatre troupe, (and it wasn't even for a dance part!) just gaff work. She knew she could probably get a job working the counter at a McHayburger's, but she knew that would probably be the end of her dream. She got up and walking to the dresser, took one of the letters and re-read it. It was the one that hurt the most. It was the audition that had given her such high hopes before her meeting with Blossomforth. She smiled a little at the remembrance of that day, unfortunately the smile could not hold as Glam's eyes passed over the text. Dear Auditionee, (couldn't even be bothered to put in my name) We regret to inform you that you have in fact not been picked for a position in Miss Shores upcoming tour. Your performance was not up to par with her standards. We are sorry if this inconveniences you, but the decision is final. Signed, Co-Signed, High Signage Sapphire Shores I was better than most of the other there, and they know it! I even cut my mane for this other one! Fuming in anger, she crumpled the letters and slammed them into her trashcan. Stuck up, prissy, too-good for thou celebrities and their managers! She didn't even remember Sapphire being there for the auditions, nor was it magically recorded as she could tell. She just remembered High Signage sitting there, looking bored, as she performed her dance routine. It was based on one of Shores own dance numbers, one of her more challenging ones, followed by a bit of her own interpretations. Seeing as how Sapphire and Signage were both earth-ponies, Glam had made sure her routine included no magic. Grumbling around a half-bowl of water and cereal, she decided she needed to get out and practice. Finishing and cleaning her bowl, Glam donned her legwarmers and hoodie, forgoing her shorts today, and picked up a thick briefcase and balanced it on her back. As she exited the door, she saw a note attached to the outside. "Hey Glam, just reminding you your rent is do (three months worth) at the end of the month. At least pay me one months rent and I can see about giving you another extension. The new owners are on my neck about this. Dusty Broom, Landlord." She groaned after reading it. Dusty was a good pony and had always tried to help out his tenants, most of whom were struggling art-types. But, she remembered him saying that the previous owner had passed away and their heir had taken over. Supposedly the new owner was more interested in profits than ponies and was cracking down hard on rent payments. Closing her apartment door behind her, she trotted out the complex's front door. She turned toward the neighborhood-shared studio building, her thoughts already on the routine she was going to try. She just hoped a room was available. /-\ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \-/ Opalescence watched the mare exit her apartment complex from the corner. She had dressed down today so she would 'blend-in', but she was still better dressed than most. Her large sun-hat and white sport-shirt and shorts look drew more attention than she thought. Ah ha! I was right, it was fairly easy to find her! Opal watched as the other mare turned and started walking down the street away from her apparently lost in thought, but balancing a large briefcase on her back. Why doesn't she just levitate it behind her? Opal wondered this as other unicorns were out in the street and were levitating all kinds of things. Determined not to let her quarry escape her, Opal trotted after the other mare. Opal followed the other mare to an unadorned three-story building, before losing sight of her. She cautiously approached the door and finding it unlocked, entered. She found herself in a long hallway with doors on either side and a staircase at the end. The door nearest her left looked like an office but the lights inside were out a large clock adorned the opposite wall. A board with what looked like room numbers, a few initials, and names on it was hung by a sign with a slot under it. Perusing the sign Opal read, "Please sign up for use of a room. Please indicate time of use. One bit for an hour, please. Remember to clean up afterwards. Not fire of any kind allowed!! (This means you T.L.!!) Please deposit payment in slot below." Glancing at the board, only two initials were signed with time indicators showing that they had been there for a few hours; along with a name bearing a recent time stamp. She felt she could ignore the labels of O.M. and V.S. on the first and second floors respectively, and that the mare she had been following was on the third floor with the name: Glamdancer. Raising an eyebrow at the name Opal proceeded to the stairwell, looking a the room labeled for O.M. as faint cello music reached her ears. Ah, the rooms must be soundproofed. Makes sense for multiple performers to practice here. /-\ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \-/ Glamdancer sighed as she opened the briefcase, revealing an old turntable-player and two LP discs in a sleeve in the top. There used to be more LP's, she remembered, but she had to sell a few to help with bills. She carefully chose one and put it on the player, readying it to play when she was set. She then moved to the center of the dance floor and started a stretching routine. /-\ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \-/ As she approached the door to the room rented by this Glamdancer mare, Opal smiled knowing that the soundproofing would also prevent people from hearing any yelling. Pressing her ear to the door Opal frowned, no sounds came from the other side. Carefully opening the door with her magic, she crept inside and found a heavy curtain blocking the rest of the room of from this little foyer. She quietly shut the door behind her as she peered around the curtain.