//------------------------------// // 11: March // Story: The Rhythm of Love // by lockheed //------------------------------// My whole body had a dull ache but I’d stopped feeling all the worst pain a day before. Or at least I’d assumed it’d been a day. From what I could gather, I’d been down in a basement for at least two days now. I knew that the situation I was in was not a good one but I felt better knowing that at least Test Tube was safe. There was the sound of hoofsteps on the wooden steps to the basement to which I didn’t even raise my head. “You can beat me and you can starve me and you can torture me; just don’t bore me.” I said to whoever it was that was coming down the stairs. “We’ve found him!” A stallion’s voice called out and I looked up to see a white stallion in gold armor. Several more stallions came down the stairs behind him and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. “It’s ‘bout time you slowpokes got here.” I told them with a small grin. “Thought I was gonna have to bust myself out of here.” They quickly untied me, many of them seeming to be surprised by how I was cracking jokes. I wasn’t in that bad of shape unless you counted my good back leg being broken, my snout being broke, several broken ribs, and half my right ear being cut off; among many other smaller injuries. One of the guards used his magic to levitate me into the air and carry me up the stairs. There in the room at the top of the steps was a tall white mare in gold armor. “Your highness, here he is.” The guard carrying me said as the mare in front of me turned her head, her multicolored mane flowing despite the lack of wind. If I’d had the ability to give a damn at that moment, I’d have bowed my head to the goddess of the sun. “He seems to be in good spirits with all things considered.” “How do you feel?” Celestia asked me. I’d never thought I’d be addressed by Celestia, let alone so casually. “Fit as a fiddle and ready for love.” I replied with a smirk to which I thought I saw the corner of her mouth almost turn up into a smile. “If you’ll humor a stallion like me, what are you doing out with your guards?” I asked her, the pain in my broken leg shooting through it and making me wince. “Are you in pain?” She asked me to which I barely nodded my head. “Yes but pain is weakness leaving the body.” I said while looking her in the eyes. She seemed to smirk at my statement as we made our way outside. “You know, with your attitude, you’d make a very good Royal Guard.” She told me as the guard carrying me placed me in an ambulance that was hooked up to two more guards. “If I thought you’d take me, I’d just about consider it.” I told her just before the doors on the ambulance slammed shut. The medic who was inside illuminated his horn and I immediately felt all the aches and pains in my body disappear. “Hey doc? If you’re gonna do some shit, knock me out first, alright?” He nodded and his horn lit up again. I felt drowsy and yawned in response. Within moments, I was asleep. I woke up in a hospital bed and looked over at the window that was on the wall. Outside, the moon and stars shined bright in the night sky. As I looked out the window, I heard what sounded like whimpering to my left. I looked over and in the moonlight, I could see a familiar grey unicorn stallion with a purple mane who was crying into his hooves. “Why you crying, cutie?” His head immediately shot up and his eyes took a moment to adjust. As soon as they did, he jumped up and galloped over to me. He wrapped his forelegs around my neck in a hug to which I wrapped a foreleg around him. He sniffled again and I felt his tears wetting my cheek. “Hey now, cut the waterworks. I’m fine. It’s not like I lost another leg.” I told him with a chuckle. He leaned back and looked at me, his blue eyes piercing the darkness. “I was so afraid.” He said as he gently ran a hoof over my cheek. I cocked my head in confusion. “Afraid of what?” I asked him. “I was afraid I’d lost you. After they took you, I went back to the club. Whiskey called the police, the guard; anyone who she thought could help. I was so worried that I wouldn’t see you again. I love you so much but…when they took you and I couldn’t do anything, I realized just how big a part of my life you are. I realized that if I’m not with you then I’m thinking about being with you or when I sleep I dream about being with you.” He said. “Is that why the sheets were all sticky the other night?” I asked him with a devilish grin. His face went red enough to see it in the dark which made me smile more. “Although, if I’m being honest, I might have lent a helping hoof.” Just when I thought his face couldn’t get redder, he proved me wrong. I wrapped a hoof around him and pulled him onto the bed as I scooted over. The pain in my ribs was enough to make me bite my tongue to keep from shouting but I made sure not to make a sound. Had to look tough for my handsome stallion after all. He laid his head next to mine on the pillow and I let out a sigh of contentment. “Hey Test?” “Yeah?” “I was thinking, with how you said how much I mean to you; I was wondering if you’d ever thought about marr-“ I was cut off as the door opened and two Royal Guards entered the room. A moment later, a midnight blue alicorn walked in. Test started to move so as to get off the bed and bow but I only wrapped my foreleg around him tighter, keeping him in bed. “Your highness, it is a pleasure to meet you.” I told her as I bowed my head as much as I could. Test did the same but remained on the bed. “Our sister has informed us of your treatment at the hooves of another one of our subjects. For what reason were you attacked?” Princess Luna asked as she sat down where Test had been a few minutes before. “Because I’m in a relationship with another stallion.” I told her which caused her to nod her head slightly. “Guards, please give us a moment with these stallions.” The two bat pony stallions bowed and left the room, shutting the door behind them. Luna watched the door for a second more before turning back towards us. “Mister Rhythm, we know what thou are going through.” She said, making me raise a brow in extreme confusion. “When we were but a filly, we were in love with another filly. But the love we had was taboo. We were ridiculed and treated very harshly by those who did not understand our love. But, much like you, we refused to deal with those who criticized us. We loved that mare with all our heart. But as is the curse of alicorns, I out lived her. We still recall her on many days.” She paused and let out a near inaudible sigh. “Mister Rhythm, we would like you to come work with us.” I felt my breath catch in my throat when she said that. “Wh-what?” My brain finally seemed to reboot enough for me to think. “Work with you?” She nodded before she began to explain herself. “Swing, my sister has placed us in charge of forming an orchestra for the Royal Guard. We have heard many wonderful things from talking with your coltfriend and your friends. We would like you to help form and lead the Royal Guard Orchestra.” My mouth felt dry and the heart monitor by my bed began beeping faster. “I-I don’t know what to say.” I looked down at the bed and then over to Luna. “What would the job require?” “We would like you to live in Canterlot. You will be a commissioned officer in the Royal Guard. You will not be required to pass a physical examination due to your disability but we do ask that you maintain a healthy weight.” I nodded at that and then looked over to Test who was looking at me. “What do you think, sweetie?” Test bit his lower lip as he thought and I realized that he was definitely going to need time to think about it. “Can we have a couple days to think it over?” Luna nodded her head and stood to leave. “Once you’ve made a decision, ask your doctor to contact us.” I nodded again as she departed and waited until she had been gone for a few seconds before turning to Test. “What do you think about it?” “I’m not sure.” He replied as he nuzzled into my neck, all the while still biting his lip in thought. “Let’s sleep on it and discuss it more in the morning.” “You doctor has informed us that you have made your decision.” Princess Luna said as the door to my hospital room clicked shut from the guards leaving. “Not entirely. We have some questions before we make any kind of real decision. First off, concerning pay, how much are we talking annually?” I asked her as I wrapped a hoof around Test’s waist as he sat next to me. “If our sister told us correctly, you would receive starting payment of seventy thousand per year.” That was far from what I’d expected for a simple job like bandleader. “Seventy thousand?” I asked her and she nodded her head. “And you said something about housing?” She nodded again. “We would provide you and your coltfriend with a home in Canterlot. Fully furnished and ready to move into.” I looked over to Test to see his reaction. He was looking back at me while biting his lip again. “What do you think? I have no problems with it but I want your input. If you don’t want to leave Ponyville then we won’t. We’ll stay there and live out our lives in my apartment.” He seemed to think it over some more as I continued. “But with the kind of money that I’ll be making as bandleader, we can afford to pay the couple hundred bits a month to keep the apartment for when I decide to stop.” This really seemed to get him to thinking. He thought for a few more minutes, Luna and I waiting patiently as he did so, until he began to nod his head. “We shall begin the paperwork then.” Luna said as she stood and left. We sat there in silence for a few minutes before Test looked back at me with and began to blush. “What’s got you hot and bothered?” I asked him with a raised eyebrow. “I was just thinking about how hot you’re gonna look in a uniform.” “I, Swing Rhythm, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to their Majesties Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, their heirs and successors, according to law.” I said as I held my right hoof in the air. The dress uniform I’d been given wasn’t the best in my opinion as the collar on it felt like a boa constrictor around my neck. I lowered my right hoof as a small group of ponies applauded. I looked over to see Test sitting and clapping his hooves. His usually shaggy mane was slicked back and he looked extremely handsome in his purple dress shirt. That was one thing I did like about my uniform. With the officers’ uniforms being purple, it matched Test’s mane almost exactly. I stepped down off the small stage to hug Test before hugging the others I knew who came to see me be sworn in. While we were in Canterlot, I’d managed to talk Mrs. Ink Well into making sure our shop was safe and secure. The nice thing about being in the hospital for another week was that during my time in there, the movers Luna and Celestia had hired managed to get all our stuff moved into the house they provided us. “I’m so proud of you, my handsome stallion.” Test said as he once again came up to hug me but this time he planted a kiss on my lips. We held the kiss for a few moments but broke it before things began to get heated. “Well since your duties don’t officially start until tomorrow, shall we go celebrate at our new home?” He asked me before leaning in and putting his mouth up to my ear. “And maybe break in the new bedroom?” He whispered, his voice filled with lust. I felt my tail almost start wagging as I thought about it. “I’ll see y’all tomorrow!” I smiled as I sat down at the table as Test set down a couple of plates of waffles. “So, my big, strong guard, how’re you feeling about your first day?” He asked as he poured us a couple glasses of orange juice. “Pretty good. Celestia has rounded up several musicians who serve in the guard for me to see how they do.” I replied before taking a bite of my waffles. “I’ve looked over some of their records and they seem to all be skilled enough for what I’m looking for.” “And what exactly are you looking for?” He asked me. “Well, you’ll see eventually.” “Trumpet Solo?” I said as I went down the list of ponies that would be under my command. A white unicorn stallion stepped forward and saluted. I saluted him back and returned to the list. “And finally, Drum Cadence?” A dark grey bat pony mare stepped forward and saluted me, I saluting back at her in turn. “Alright, I want four columns of five!” I called out and they all quickly got into the columns with their instruments. “Alright, I want you to play me whatever is on page thirteen of your songbooks.” I told them and they all began playing an old marching tune. I quickly stopped them and they looked at me with raised eyebrows. “What in Tartarus kind of music was that? We can do better than that!” “But sir,” Drum Cadence started as she stepped to her left to be able to see me “the Royal Guard has been marching to music like that for the last two hundred years.” “Then we’ll play it, but expect to learn some other songs.” I opened up the left breast pocket on my uniform and pulled out some folded up pieces of sheet music. “I want you all to learn these songs.” I passed out the sheet music for each instrument and everypony quickly began looking them over. “And when we play during the review at the end of the week, I expect you to know some of these, understood?” They all snapped to attention and saluted me. “Yes, sir!”