//------------------------------// // Rhythm // Story: Eyes of a Musician // by artsofallkinds //------------------------------// All characters either belong to Hasbro and the Hub or to the Brony fan base as a whole, with the exception to OC ponies, who belong to their respective owners. Enjoy! -Arts ---------- Chapter 3: Rhythm Only another hour later, the pair heard a knock on the window. They looked to each other in silent confirmation. Both girls found courage in the other's eyes. Vinyl replaced her glasses on her nose and the pair walked to the window. On the other side was Quick Step, without his contacts or glasses, but now wearing some kind of gray hat. The girls noticed his cutie mark had changed, now displaying wavy measure bars with two half notes, one pointing up and the other down. "You two ready?" he asked as the mares dropped from the window. "We were just wondering the same thing," responded Octavia. "You... You don't have to come with me, I guess. If you don't want to," clarified Quick Step. His uncertainty betrayed that he really didn't think that not going was a good idea, but he didn't want to force them into something they didn't want to do all the same. "We wouldn't pass up this chance," answered Vinyl. "But you should know, after four years of being on the run, we have high expectations of this place." Quick Step laughed, relieved. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll love it," he said. He began to trot away from the town, in the direction of the forest surrounding the city. The mares followed.” Friends, music, food, safety, and an overall good time. Not to mention all the fiction you could ever read." "Fiction?" asked Vinyl. "Stories," said Octavia, "but in a book. I didn't think they still existed. Weren't all fiction books burned back when they were outlawed?" "So they thought," said Quick Step, "but I have some friends." "You've mentioned a lot of these friends of yours," noticed Vinyl. "I've learned, strangely enough from another friend of mine, that the more friends you have, the happier you generally are. And you can never, ever have too many friends," Quick Step responded. The group had reached the tree line. Despite herself, Octavia gulped in nervousness. She didn't know what was ahead, and it looked easy to get lost in these woods... "Stay close to me, and don't wander off," instructed Quick Step, surprisingly stern. "We don't want you getting lost." "Right," Vinyl said, trying to sound brave. The group, sticking together, made their way into the forest. Tree melted into tree, and very quickly the two mares had no idea where they were, or how they could get out. They stayed side-by-side to each other, and always just behind their guide. "You'll learn the path, eventually," tried Quick Step. "There are certain markers along our trail you come to know." "All I see are trees," said Vinyl. "Yes, but certain trees are different. Like... that one! See how it's gnarled like that?" Sure enough, a tree was almost knotted at one point in the trunk, like something had twisted the wood into a bowtie. "If you s-say so," said a very nervous Octavia. "But you never have to go to town if you don't want to. There are some kids in there that have barely been anywhere else but our hideout and the clearing surrounding it! But like I said, it's only because they don't want to," Quick Step continued. "Oh, yeah, almost forgot!" "Forgot what?" asked Vinyl. "I should probably tell you our hideout's name! For convenience’s sake. It's getting kinda awkward just calling it 'the hideout'." He cleared his throat. "Ladies, I present to you..." he smiled and pointed his hoof through the trees, "The Rhythm Underground!" Sure enough, the three were approaching a clearing. The mares couldn't help but become excited as the trees thinned out and a kind of structure became visible. "Come on!" Quick Step challenged. He raced ahead into the clearing. The two mares looked at each other and shared an excited giggle before bounding off after him. Breaking through the trees, the pair finally got a look at the "Rhythm Underground". It just looked like an old, broken down house, completely made of wood. Abandoned, perhaps. Their spirits dropped for a second. "Don't let this fool you," explained Quick Step. "As the name implies, it’s one-hundred percent underground. We have these sound-protected vents that keep air circulating silently, and all the space we'll ever need we can make with shovels and picks!" "Then why are we out here?" Vinyl said, her vigor renewed. "Can't we go inside?" "Of course, follow me!" Quick Step said, trotting up to the front door of the cottage. He knocked on the door in a very specific pattern. The two mares shared an excited look. Shuffling was heard inside as somepony walked to the door. From the other side, the three heard a voice: "For passage into safety's home, A riddle to solve that all should know. Complete the challenge, and all is well. Just finish the tale I now shall tell..." The voice through the door was exotic, nothing that either of the girls had ever heard before. It was deep, too, but still young, almost like it knew much more then its years let on. It cleared its throat, whatever it was, and began to speak. "'Ghastly grim and ancient raven Wandering from the Nightly shore - Tell me what thy lordly name is On the Night's Plutonian shore!' Quoth the Raven..." Quick Step finished the riddle. "'Nevermore.'" "A heart of gold and voice so sure, I welcome Quick Step, student of lore." the voice finished. A few locks were heard to be clicked out of place. "He always has to make things dramatic," Quick Step explained. "It's in his culture. But he's a good zebra at heart." "A good WHAT?" both girls cried. Sure enough, in the doorway stood a green, horse-like creature. He had all of the traits of a regular male pony: fetlocks, a tail, and a mane. His mane and tail were an aqua blue. His cutie mark was of a piece of parchment with what looked like words written on it. But there was something very different about him, too. He had tan stripes across his back, legs, and head. His muzzle was also tan, completing the zebra look. His eyes were as aqua as his mane, but deeper and more complex then the singularly-colored hair. The two girls were stunned. Octavia and Vinyl had both received a basic education (Octavia from a tutor, Vinyl from her adopted father), and with it came a small understanding of Equestrian history. One of the biggest milestones was the war the ponies had had with the zebras many years ago. To think that a zebra was here, in front of them, was shocking. He gasped when he saw the two new recruits for their hideaway. "Quick Step!" he exclaimed, "are you sure? Can we trust room for-" he paused for a second, thinking. "...two more?" He looked down at the two girls, skeptic if he could trust them. "I've seen them in action myself," responded Quick Step. "They're trustworthy, at least in my book. The white one's Vinyl and the brown one's Octavia." "Vinyl, or the ancient disk. Octavia, for a note's... pitch. You both were named quite... riskily, How often are... your true names a mystery?" asked the zebra, stumbling over some of his words like he was making them up on the spot. He was about 24-ish, or at least looked like it. His powerful, ancient voice almost sounded 34 years old. "Every chance we get," responded Vinyl shakily, still the more daring of the two mares. "Minus with Quick Step or other runaways." "You journey, young ones has reached its end," the zebra said. But then he stopped completely. A thoughtful expression crept onto his face, which morphed into extreme concentration a moment later. Eventually, he gave up, and turned to Quick Step. "What rhymes with end?" he asked. He was attempting to keep his cool, but his brow was still furrowed in frustration. "Lend?" offered Quick Step. "I guess, let me try that," said the zebra. He looked back at the girls and began again: "Your journey, young ones, has reached its end. A helpful hoof I now shall lend. Safety is now yours to keep As long as- Um, as long as you..." "You don't have to rhyme all of the time, Inert!" sighed Quick Step. "Gah, you just-! While I-! Urg, sometimes..." the zebra said, frustrated. "Wait, I haven't properly introduced you yet!" Quick Step recalled. "Haha, whoops, my bad. Girls, this is-" "Inert of the Scribe tribe," finished the green pony-like creature. He held out his hoof to Octavia. "So, then, may I call you Inert?" she asked as she cautiously shook his hoof. "Yes, the rest is just title." clarified Inert. "But wait," interrupted Vinyl. "How did you get into Equestria? I thought zebras were our enemies ever since the war." Quick Step sighed. "Vinyl, and you too, Octavia; you will come to learn that a lot of what you know is a lie. That pony-zebra war you were taught in school was completely fabricated by the princesses and put into your daily lesson plans. It never actually happened." Inert nodded his agreement. "But... There are war memorials..." stuttered Octavia. Vinyl was just stunned into silence. "Magic, my fellow earth pony, can do so much that we will never truly understand," said Quick Step. "But we do our best. Now, Inert, why don't we all take the stairs down to the main floor and see what this place really has to offer?" Inert smiled at the pair of girls. "You'll love it. I know I did." He cleared his throat and continued: "Um, back when I was just a kid?" "Eh, close enough," responded Quick Step. "But we really should get inside! Pinkie's probably getting impatient." "We don't want to keep that mare waiting," agreed Inert. The two mares, however, understood basically none of the stallions' conversation. But they both stayed close to each other, ready to take on whatever was below their hooves together. As they had always done everything before. Although the news about the war still had them royally confused. ----- The inside of the house was as rickety as the outside. Vinyl had to remind herself that the real treasure was beneath her feet, she just had to trust the two stallions leading her. She was finding this very hard to do, however; both males she had met less then 8 hours ago, and one was a zebra, although apparently not bad as she had recalled her studies pointing out. The hall was rickety, the wood chipped at the group's hooves. Was the floor's condition because of old age, thought Vinyl, or maybe it had been trodden on often? Regardless of Octavia's silent assurance and confidence, the home was spooky. Old, shifting around them, and drafty almost everywhere, Vinyl had to admit it was a great place for a hideout. Nopony would come into this house, even if they wandered this far into the forest. And even if they did, she found it hard to believe they could get inside without knowing the special knock and password. Based on what she saw, Vinyl believed the house had two rooms on either side of the hallway she was in. There was a staircase on their left that elevated to a second floor with two doors, one on the left of the stairs and one on the right. They were traveling to the area behind the staircase, which had two arches on either side to allow ponies to go to either of the two rooms Vinyl had guessed about. There was a doorway on the opposite side of the staircase. It was padlocked, and if you listened closely, you could hear noise. This was the entrance to the Rhythm Underground. "Okay, Inert, unlock it please." asked Quick Step. "Sure thing-" Inert began, but quickly adopted a look of shock. "Uh, one second." he said as he trotted to the entranceway. "Did he... Lose the keys?" wondered Octavia aloud. "I think he did," confirmed Quick Step, who sighed exasperatedly. Vinyl just facehoofed. Inert came trotting back, a proud look on his face and a key ring in his mouth. Quick Step rolled his eyes, took the keys from his zebra friend, and unlocked the padlock himself. As he slipped it out of it's loops with his hoof, he addressed the girls. "Here we go, are you two ready?" he asked. "We've been ready since four years ago, dude," answered Vinyl. Octavia nodded in agreement. "Glad to hear it," smiled Quick Step. "It's right down here." He opened the doorway, and pointed with his hoof down the stairs. There was sound coming from below, a lot of sound, but still indecipherable to Vinyl's ears. The two mares walked into the staircase, followed closely by the two stallions. Inert closed the door behind him, locking it with the door's built-in lock but unable to padlock it from the inside. As the ponies descended the staircase (Vinyl in front, Octavia after her, Quick Step following, and Inert behind them all), the sounds from below grew louder. The mares began to notice that these sounds were voices and hoofsteps. They became even more excited. As they rounded the corner to a second staircase, the sounds grew louder. They heard laughter and happy emotion in voices, unheard of in any village Octavia and Vinyl had ever been in before. They grew even more anxious, and their speed increased. The two behind them kept pace, laughing at the two mares’ eagerness. "They all do the same thing," sighed Quick Step as they hit the final platform. Below them, they could see a doorway. Light streamed out from the bottom, illuminating the ground. This door wasn't locked. The two mares quickly sprinted to stand in front of the door. They both looked at each other, nodded, smiled, and together pushed the door open. Before them was paradise. Ponies, all colorful in both eyes and fur, were milling around, talking about whatever was going on in their lives. They were truly happy, as the grinning, the laughs, and everything else hollow about villages above the ground was gone here below. The cave was huge; it was extremely large and two floors tall and held more ponies then Vinyl could count. She and her partner ran up to the balcony's edge (as they were on the second floor), pushing past a very confused-looking pedestrian, and viewed all they could. The Rhythm Underground was lit by magical orbs that attached themselves to the walls and balcony railings, illuminating the whole room extremely well, but not excessively. There seemed to be almost a city square below them, just without the stalls. Ponies wandered around; one pegasi even flew from the ground floor up to the wooden second floor balcony. Somehow, grass was growing across the floor of the cavern, creating a soft blanket of green. The walls were dirt and rock, supported by wooden framework. Vinyl felt a slight breeze, and her attention was momentarily drawn to the vents along the wall, very silently keeping the air clean and fresh. Magically, she supposed. Quick Step appeared beside them, smiling the whole time. "I can never get enough if this view," he said, then turned to the pair. "Wanna see the best part?" "This isn't the best part?" exclaimed Octavia. "Nowhere near. You haven't gotten your- well, actually, I'll keep that a secret for now." Quick Step smirked. He turned his head to the crowd on the ground floor. "Has anypony seen Pinkie anywhere?" he loudly asked the ponies below. Suddenly, a pink mare jumped up and down within the crowd. "Oh! Oh! That's me! Here I am!" she said. She almost seemed to laugh as she talked, completely filling any word she said with energy and volume. Suddenly, she dashed below the balcony and up the stairs just to the group's right, appearing almost instantly next to the arriving ponies. "Hi!" she began. "My name is Pinkie Pie, what's yours?" She seemed to be childish and hyper, and a real dozy by the looks of it. Unused to being shown kindness by strangers, the two girls stayed silent for awhile. Pinkie waited patiently, her excitement not diminishing in the least. "Uh, I'm Vinyl. This is Octavia. We're... new." Vinyl once again showed a greater amount of extrovert-ism then her partner. "Well, you do know what happens when you're new, right?" smiled Pinkie Pie. "Steppy, did you tell 'em?" "Nope, I know how you love surprises." answered Quick Step, or apparently 'Steppy'. "Ooooh! Then they can be surprised with their-" she cut herself off abruptly, then did a series of movements that started with her zipping her lips and moved on to doing some other random stuff that Vinyl couldn't make heads or tails of. After that, she shot away. Vinyl and Octavia both were still confused even after a few seconds of silence. "She's just Pinkie, And can be quite dinky." said Inert from behind the two. "Oh, no offence Dinky," he said to the passing family of an adult pegasus and two unicorns, one teenaged and the other still a filly. "None taken!" said the smaller unicorn happily as she and her family trotted on by. Was it just her imagination, or did Vinyl really see that adult mare's eyes correctly? "Anyway, don't worry about her." said Quick Step. "You'll see soon enough. But can I ask you to come with me?" "Oh, um, sure," said Octavia. Vinyl nodded in agreement. The two once again found themselves following the white stallion. He led them along the balcony, but the mares only paid half attention; they were still enthralled at the majesty of the cavern. They found themselves going down a hallway. This hall was short and lead to a three-way cross, but Quick Step made his way to a door in the wall. He opened the door and ushered the two inside. The room was rather fancy. There was a desk and chairs, a few tables with vases, and a stack of filing cabinets. It was illuminated by another magical glowing orb hanging from the ceiling. "Welcome to my office," said the stallion. He didn't seem all that excited. "You two need to fill out some information forms, unfortunately. It'll ask for your names and some other boring stuff, but it's all for the sake of organization. So, if you don't mind..." He passed them both a small pile of papers. "...Really?" asked Octavia. "Hey, I only founded this place, I don't run it," defended Quick Step. "This is the only boring part, I swear." Quick Step noted the pair still wore their clothes. "Oh, and if you want, you can leave your clothes here. There's not much of a need for them anymore." Both girls nodded and got up to disrobe. Octavia looked over at Quick Step. "Um, can we have a little privacy, please?" "Oh, uh, sure?" said a confused Quick Step. He left the room and closed the door behind him. The girls laughed at his unintentional blush. The girls didn't really need privacy to change, it was just s running gag between the two. Back when they had first met, Octavia had asked Vinyl for some privacy to change, at which Vinyl outright laughed. Octavia had realized how silly her request was later (she normally had to change in private to hide her switching her contacts and hadn't known better) and the joke had begun. The mares disrobed, Vinyl even taking off her glasses. They piled their belongings in a corner for Quick Step to deal with later. Both sat down, sighed, and looked at the first page of the small packet. At least it was a manageable number of pages and nothing too gigantic. "Are you going to put your last name?" asked Vinyl, looking at the sheet. "You know just as well as I do I abandoned that name when I had to run away from home," said Octavia snidely. "But would you do it for the sake of 'organization'?" Vinyl questioned. "No. I'm just Octavia, nothing more." finished Octavia. "You're also 'Tavi, don't forget," reminded Vinyl with a smile. Octavia sighed and also grinned. The packet took a few minutes to complete. Under half an hour later everything was filled out. Octavia had, understandably, finished first. Even with her horn, Vinyl simply lacked the experience of holding a quill with her horn. "Wow, that was boring!" sighed Vinyl. "I think it'll be more then made up for," responded Octavia. "And I read everything over again; there were no loopholes I could find about anything." "That's good to hear," chuckled Vinyl. "I just kinda signed it; I didn't really read it..." Octavia sighed and wondered if Vinyl, given the chance, could ever live a normal life without messing something up with her recklessness. "So, uh, what now?" asked Vinyl. "I assume we should leave the papers here and go look for Quick Step," decided Octavia. "Sounds like a plan," Vinyl agreed. "Lead the way." So the two mares left the room. They were suddenly struck with silence. What used to be a bustling underground town sounded just as desolate as a real cave. The two moved towards the balcony, only to realize all of the lights were out. They thought they heard shuffling below them. They stumbled around until they got to the stairs that led to the ground floor. After going down the stairs, they called out: "Hello? Anypony here?" Suddenly, a recognizable, high energy voice called out. "One, two, three!" The lights suddenly came on to unveil a huge crowd of ponies, all standing at one end of the square. "SUPRISE! Welcome to the Rhythm Underground!" they all shouted. They seemed to be organized into rows, standing excitedly, all of their attention on the two mares. But it was the ponies after the second row that truly held the pair's attention. Each held a device in their hooves, certain ones keeping strings taunt, others ready to make sound from airflow. A few in the back even held sticks in their hooves and stood over some kind of cylindrical object. There was even one pony behind a large contraption with what appeared to be parts to press down labeled in black and white. "Are these... Instruments?" asked Octavia, completely in awe. "Eeyep," sounded a voice from the audience. Everypony in the crowd laughed. "And now we're going to play a song for you!" said the energetic pink mare, in the front row and practically exploding from excitement. Vinyl and Octavia couldn't believe it. A song? For them? "Ready everypony?" asked Quick Step from the center of the front row. A large number of "Yes”es gave his answer. He turned specifically to the mare next to him, who was yellow with a pink mane and looked unnaturally nervous, and whispered something to her while the rest of the band waited for the signal. She smiled and appeared to gain confidence at his words, looking at him in thanks before returning his attention to the two guests of honor. "Okay," conducted Quick Step, "a-one, a-two, a-one two three four-!" [Click Here for the Song] The room began to fill with the sounds of the piano and percussion setting the pace for the others to follow. Another stringed instrument joined in, but very quickly was drowned out by an entire orchestra of sound. The ponies in the front row burst out into singing and movement, keeping harmony with the violins and singing their message: "Music is grand It just won't ever fade! We make a stand They can't take it away! Every note planned But it never grows dull. Music is grand It's so wonderful!" The music toned down a little, and from the choreographed singers/dancers, who now surrounded Vinyl and Octavia, a purple unicorn removed herself from the crowd and began to sing a solo, still in time with one section of the violin orchestra. "Vocalists up front And Lyra's there, back at the rear." Another pony, white and with a styled indigo mane, also stepped forward from the crowd. "Drums help keep the beat And Violins help us change gears." An orange pony with a blonde, ribbon-tied tail stepped forward next. "Piano is distinct While this here Bass gets the low part." All three came together in harmony for the final part of the verse: "All of us have a job From the finish back to the start!" Quick Step and his cream partner appeared from the dancing crowd, and began their solo, still in time with at least one section of the band behind them. The two danced together for the duration of their solo in a practiced, ballroom-like pattern. Quick Step's partner was first, her voice light and clear: "Every sound heavenly, All across the sky." Quick Step then took his turn, more certain then his partner: "We'll play it loud We make it shine now." The yellow pegasus continued her solo, now reassured by the white stallion. "Every sound pure, Proud and true" They both came together for a harmony as the second part of the verse finished, complemented by the string section: "It comes from our hearts I'm sure this music loves you, too!" The room once more burst into perfect sound and rhythm, filling every part of Vinyl and Octavia as the chorus repeated itself. "Music is grand It just won't ever fade! We make a stand They can't take it away! Every note planned But it never grows dull. Music is grand It's so wonderful!" Halfway through the chorus, Quick Step and his partner came up to the excited pair. "Okay, you two, next is your solo!" he said over the beautiful noise. "W-what?!" the two mares exclaimed. "Don't worry, it comes naturally to everypony. Give it a try!" The two mares looked at each other in shock. It was so sudden, too much. But the chorus was ending, and it was up to the two mares to continue the song. The violins stopped playing as strongly, although one still played as a guide to Vinyl. The percussion still held the beat for her, too. Everything was set up for her to succeed. So she took the chance and sang a line that suddenly came to her; "Tavi, I can't believe That a place like this exists!" Octavia quickly picked up where her partner left off: "Vinyl, I think that here We have friends; that we fit in." Vinyl kept up, leading Octavia in their chorus. An ecstatic smile spread on both of their faces. "Tavi, don't wake me up. If I've died, consider me gone." Octavia chuckled at this, and sang her own made-up part. "Vinyl, I am here, too! And our dream is inside their song!" They both silently decided to join their newfound friends in their chorus this time. They sung along with the violins (now adding more flare with a second pattern to complement the first), and danced with the performers as the chorus welcomed them to their new home. "Music is grand It just won't ever fade! We make a stand They can't take it away! Every note planned But it never grows dull. Music is grand It's so wonderful, oh," Vinyl and Octavia were surprised at the extra 'oh', but were soon rewarded with a new chorus, sung by everypony in the room as they danced in pattern: "Music is life And we live on the sound! Everything's right When the music is found! Music takes flight Through the wings of our soul. Music is life And that's wonderful!" A pegasus with a very vibrant rainbow mane flew up and over the crowd, landing in front of the pair to sing her solo: "This place is our home We're like a group, a big family. Music can unite We learn a song, and we all sing." A familiar pink blur shot up to stand beside her friend and to sing her half of the verse: "You two can stay here Where you'll be safe, warm, and secure! You can practice all day 'Till you can play all notes and chords." Quick Step and his dancing partner once again took center stage, this time flanked by two other pairs of dancers mimicking their movements. The solo's pattern remained the same, however, and the cream mare was the first to sing: "Every sound heavenly, All across the sky." Quick Step continued the verse from there, using a similar line as before: "You'll play it loud You'll make it shine now." The yellow pegasus then changed lyrics, still dancing with her partner: "Every sound pure, Strong and free." They both came together yet again for the verse's send-off line, still in perfect, practiced harmony: "It comes from your heart I'm sure you'll play beautifully!" A familiar chorus rung through the cave. Quick Step danced up in time with his fellow runaways, telling the two mares "Your turn again." He then re-includes his voice in the chorus: "Music is grand It just won't ever fade! We make a stand They can't take it away! Every note planned But it never grows dull. Music is grand It's so wonderful!" Vinyl was ready this time, with a line prepared for her to sing. "Tavi, what do you think? Can you call this place a home?" She awaited her partner's answer, who quickly and gladly supplied it: "Vinyl, this is the place We can stay, we won't have to roam!" Vinyl smiled and recalled something else: "Tavi, maybe we'll find The right instrument to play!" This got Octavia very excited. She began to hop in time to the music, completely exhilarated: "Vinyl, let's have some fun! Cause our dreams, they start today!" The two were pulled apart to dance with a specific group of ponies. They joined in with the singing and tried to keep up with the dancing as the instruments played the merry tune: "Music is life And we live on the sound! Everything's right When the music is found!" The two mares pushed out of their respective groups, each ecstatic and looking for their friend. "Music takes flight Through the wings of our soul." The two mares found each other and ran to meet in the middle. "Music is life" The two ran in for a hug. But Vinyl was just so happy, too happy to even care. She wanted to give something other then a hug to the mare she loved. "And that's wonderful!" The two came together. Vinyl didn't even hesitate. Suddenly, Octavia found herself in her partner's arms, their lips locked and Vinyl's eyes closed. She was surprised, but quickly too happy to care, closing her eyes as well. They both smiled into the other's faces, completely overjoyed to share this moment together. The song continued on without interruption. The singing was done, minus some ponies "da"ing or "la"ing to the tune, so some ponies gave out foalish "Ooooh!"s. No pony disapproved, however, and they all continued dancing around the couple. Vinyl and Octavia shared that one moment in time. The music had stopped altogether in their ears, each of the partners' level of excitement and joy doubled over, if that was even possible. They both thought they would never have a moment like this again in their lives. Their lips left their embrace. The two looked into the other's pure, unveiled eyes. Each knew they saw the eyes of somepony they loved, and somepony who loved music as much as they did. They both saw the eyes of a musician. And better yet, the eyes of their musician. --(End of Part 1)--