By Grace

by TheAmazingMe

Chapter 11: Grace Insufficient

They ambled along the road a short distance to the boardwalk. The afternoon sun hung over the waves, casting shadows that grew steadily longer. Grace was in no hurry, and Juri decided to let his colt-friend take the lead. Their pace allowed for the occasional casual remark about this, that, or another thing. Neither stallion wanted to face the questions they refused to ask.

After another lull in the mindless conversation, Grace noted that there were more ponies around them. He glanced at Juri, who seemed to be faring well. The closer they got to the boardwalk, the less sure Grace felt about the whole idea. "We could just grab a few ingredients and head home," Grace offered.

Juri snorted. "I'm fine, Grace. Look, there's a concert about to start."

Grace turned to look where Juri was looking. There was a stage set up in the middle of the boardwalk. As he watched, the band struck up a very familiar tune.

"It's The Duke!" Grace exclaimed as a well dressed stallion took to the stage.

Sidling up to the edge of the fence that circled the crowd, Juri tapped Grace. "I thought The Duke retired from performing a while ago?"

Grace practically vibrated with excitement. "Remember Sunny said that he was making a comeback? I thought it was just clubs he was performing at. It doesn't look like a tribute act, though."

"Mr. Grace?" A familiar voice called beside him. "It is you! I didn't know you'd be in town right now!" Blue Hope swished his lion-like tail excitedly.

"Hi Blue! Are you here with your mom?" Grace asked, scanning the crowd.

"Yeah, and my grandpa." He pointed towards the front of the stage.

"Oh that's cool." Grace said as he tried to see where Blue was pointing. "At the front row?"

"Uh, not exactly." Blue pushed Grace's head up and pointed higher. Three backup singers were dancing in sync and in the middle of the trio was...

"Your mom can sing?" Grace asked, astonished at her energy.

Blue's eye twitched. "Yeah, okay, yes. But she learned it from my grandpa." The hoof turned to The Duke, unmistakable given how few ponies were front and center on the stage.

"Come on up, I can get you backstage." Blue Hope led the way, his lion-tail swishing happily.

Grace looked at Juri, who shrugged and followed the colt. "Who'd've thought?"

The security guard took a moment to get passes brought up, but then they were in. From the right wing, they had quite a view of the show.

"Blue, I swear to Luna that if you walk off like that again, your grandpa is going to kill me." A bookish-looking forest-green pegasus mare flapped her wings irritably. "What were you out in the crowd for?"

"I saw my music teacher! Mr. Story, this is Per Diem, my grandfather's manager," Blue Hope said by way of introduction.

"Pleasure to meet you." Grace held out a hoof.

"Likewise." Per Diem took his hoof in hers. "Would you like to stand in the wings and watch? He's really going strong today! I haven't seen him this excited in years." Per Diem led us to the wings at stage right and Grace couldn't believe he was standing scant feet away from one of his idols performing.

He couldn't help himself, Grace tapped a hoof, shook his tail and egged Juri and Blue to dance along. Juri contentedly tapped a hoof, Blue was a better dancer than Grace expected and even Per Diem couldn't help but rustle her wings. It was one of The Duke's barn-burning funky songs. The horns were playing strong and loud; the guitars were laying down a groove that'd knock you over.

Grace could feel it coming, and he slowed down to watch as The Duke set up for a vocal run. Then it happened. Grace knew the song by heart, the run was iconic and memorable. The band cut out, The Duke took a breath and...

Grace sang the vocal run to a high crescendo.

Alone.

Off stage.

The Duke stopped and looked directly at Grace. His expression was inscrutable. Grace's eyes widened as he realized he'd just stepped on the hooves of one of the most popular entertainers of all time. The band was confused, some kept playing until they realize the others weren't. The Duke looked around.

Then he laughed. "Well buck my head off! Get out here you crazy unicorn!"

Grace looked at Juri, who was equal parts amused and horrified. He turned to Blue, who shrugged and pointed out to his grandfather. In desperation, Grace looked for Per Diem. It was when he felt her hooves on his flanks that Grace realized she's pushing him on stage.

His hooves caught up with the rest of him and he staggered a bit awkwardly before ascending the stairs and walking out on stage with The Duke.

"Now, mind you mares and gentlecolts, I could have done the same thing he just did, but at my age it takes an extra beat and an extra breath." The Duke patted his shoulder. The crowd whooped and hollered. "Now what is your name?"

A microphone instantly popped up in front of him. "A-amazing," He cleared his throat and tried again. "Amazing Grace, sir."

"Amazing Grace? Well you know that's right, ain't it everypony?" The crowd roared. "Well, let's see that Amazingness in action in front of this group of fine fillies and colts! Players! Gimme that last verse again! Grace, you know what to do!"

The band struck up with vigor once more, and Grace found himself singing and dancing with The Duke on stage in front of hundreds of ponies. The song hits that place again and the band drops out once more. He looked to The Duke to see him just wave him ahead, microphone at his side, and Grace let go with a vocal run just like his, but with a higher end note.

The Duke leaned away backwards, his eyes widening. He shook his head and looked out to the crowd. The song went to the final phrase and The Duke walked over to stage left as Grace finished up. The Duke bowed to him as the band finished. The crowd went deafening. As Grace bowed, The Duke came up and hugged Grace.

As he did, he whispered in Grace's ear, "Now get the hell off my stage and keep your mouth shut!" Pulling back, he smiled at Grace to let him know he was only mock-serious before he turned back to the audience. "Amazing Grace everypony! You're gonna have to look out for this cat the next time you're in Manehatten's Lemonlight Club!"

His ears perked up at that last bit as Grace exited the stage. He looked at Per Diem as she applauded me. She leaned in as Grace got close.

"Sunny can't stop talking about you. Big Red too. Don't worry, Sunny will pay us for that little plug just now. And since he's smart, he'll only deduct it out of the increased cut from The Duke marketing it himself. Don't be surprised when your club is packed for the next few weeks." Per Diem walked away, fluffing her wings as she went.

---

Grace couldn't stop the music in his head, though, and he sang a few bars as they made their way through the pier. Juri followed, and it took nearly a full song before Grace realized Juri wasn't beside him.

"Juri?" Grace asked, wheeling around. "Are you doing okay?"

"I'm, um, fine. Line. Sign. No!" Closing his eyes, Juri stepped to the side and leaned against a wall. "Overstimulated. I guess."

Looking around at the increased crowd after the performance, Grace realized just how much trouble they were in. "Let's get back to the condo then. Just give me your hoof and keep your eyes closed."

"Quiet, I'm trying my best!" Juri suddenly snapped. "I'm not weak!"

"I didn't say you were...Juri look at me." Grace held either side of Juri's face and resisted the urge to shake his boyfriend. Juri opened one eye, but wouldn't look at Grace.

"Juristic!" Grace said loudly.

"Shh! I'm trying. Tying. Spying. Crying. Ugh!" Juri's eyes screwed shut again. With a gasp, Juri snapped both eyes open and locked onto Grace's gaze. "Get me out of here."

Grace nodded, grabbing one of Juri's hooves. "Come on, keep your eyes closed and stay close."

"Closed. Close. Closed. Close." Juri repeated, seemingly unable to stop himself. Grace worried, but then the crowd thinned out and they were able to exit the boardwalk. Grace shoved Juri into a taxi and held him as he rocked all the way to the beach house. Paying the driver, Grace half-carried, half-levitated Juri into the house.

Leaving Juri on the couch, Grace rushed into the bedroom and started searching through Juri's things for the pills. When the dresser failed, he turned to Juri's luggage. Poring through every pocket, Grace could hear Juri talking to himself in the next room. While he couldn't understand what the stallion was saying, he could hear him getting louder.

Grace left the luggage and went back to the living room. Juri was rocking on the edge of his seat on the couch. His eyes were screwed shut and he was whispering something.

"Juri, where's your pills?" Grace asked, his voice taking on an edge he hadn't intended.

"I just missed a dose. I didn't think it would be this bad." Juri put his head in his hooves and kept rocking.

"Where are they, Juri?" Grace repeated. He walked around the coffee table and stopped short. Taking a deep breath, he counted to ten and tried again. "Juri. Juristic. Talk to me."

"You think I can't take care of myself. You're wrong!" Juri suddenly shouted, head still buried in his hooves. "It was just a little mistake!"

Grace reached a hoof out to try and comfort Juri, but Juri shrank away. Taking a step back, he took a second and thought of an old standby from his college days. A little cantrip spell that allowed a pony to find what they'd lost. Picturing the bottle in his mind, Grace cast the spell. He felt the sphere of energy flow out in all directions, searching for his lost item. It extended the full length and breadth of the condo and didn't come up with any results. Changing his mental image to the pills themselves, Grace tried again and got a ping.

"I know where they are. I'll get them. Stay here and just take deep breaths, Juri." Grace turned to go, and nearly lost his footing as Juri grabbed his hind legs.

Juri was sobbing uncontrollably. Grace took a deep breath of his own and tried to get Juri off his rear and into his front hooves.

"I thought I took them this morning, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Juri broke off into sobs again.

Grace smoothed Juri's mane with a hoof. "Juri, it's fine. Just let me get them for you and you can rest until you feel better."

Juri's breathing slowed. He seemed to be doing better, as far as Grace could tell. Graceful ran to the spot the spell indicated and unzipped the hidden pocket in Juri's luggage that Grace had missed in his frenzy. Returning to the living room, Grace stopped dead. Juri wasn't on the couch.

Spinning around, he found Juri at the dining room table with a file in his hooves.

"Juri, I have your pill." Grace came forward as he spoke. Juri didn't give any indication of hearing him. "Juri?"

"Professor is the more proper title. Thanks Chalk Dust, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm kind of in the zone. I should have these reports done before I leave the office." Juristic didn't look up from the file in his hooves. Grace came around the table, set down the bottle in front of Juri and lowered the file.

"Chalk, I- oh, excuse me. I thought you were my TA. My mistake. This file doesn't seem to have all the information I need anyway. What can I do for you?" Juristic asked.

Stunned, Grace pointed a hoof at his chest. "Juri, it's me. It's Grace."

"Of course you are." Juristic seemed to be caught off guard and merely feigning understanding. "What I don't understand is how I can help you at the moment."

"Juri, take your medicine please. You're really starting to freak me out." Grace nudged the bottle closer and put his face in his hooves.

"You seem fairly stressed. I'm sorry to ask but as I am unfamiliar with this kitchen, would you mind giving me a glass of water?" Juristic asked.

Nodding, Grace lit his horn and secured the glass and water. Pouring it half-full, Grace passed it over, feeling distinctly half-empty.

"Thank you." Juristic said with detached politeness. He took the pill and the water and returned to his file.

Resolving to address this when they were safely back at home, Grace went to bed.

Comments

[Bruno]

Dude, you picked the worst possible day to update this story, I almost skipped over it because I thought it was an April fools joke. That being said, I’m very glad there’s a new chapter. I’m also very worried about what’s currently happening with Juri.

[TheAmazingMe]

8833932
No fooling today! It's my third FiM anniversary!