The Second Life of Moztrot

by CrackedInkWell

Chapter 5: Moving In

“I’m rather surprised that nopony has changed the names of the streets,” I commented as the royal carriage drove on as I added, “As well as keeping this old thing around too.” Turning around to face Celestia on her enormous cushion, she simply smirked at me.

“And why would you say that?”

“You would think, Your Majesty, that you might have other means of getting yourself from one end to the other than having your guards dragging you around town by this thing.” I patted the railing of the open air carriage to make my point. “Why not use one of those balloons floating over our heads? It would be a little more dramatic than this… bandbox.”

“I didn’t see the need,” she replied as she smiled and waved to the ponies passing by. “After all, I don’t want to distance myself from my subjects.”

Suddenly, I spotted a flash from the corner of my eye. Snapping my head over I saw somepony holding up the same device that those reporters had. “Pardon my ignorance of this age,” I began. “But why are ponies flashing you with those box things?” Another flash. “And me as well. Is it the new greeting to temporarily blind someone else?”

“Oh no. They are using cameras to take our pictures.” Awkward silence and my nonplussed eyeblinks later, she explained. “Oh, that’s right! Photography didn’t come along for a good twenty or thirty years after your time. Well, to put it in the simplest of terms, that device is called a camera in which has a roll of blank film laced with chemicals inside it. With the press of a button, the lens in front uses the light from whatever they want to have an image of to expose that film for a fraction of a second before the lens closes up again. After that, the film undergoes a process of chemical baths to develop the image, which results in a perfect, realistic portrait of that object.”

It took a moment for my mental clockwork to understand what I heard. “So you’re saying, that little device is capable of painting a picture, only instead of paint, it uses light and chemicals?”

“That is quite correct.”

My attention looked towards the street in the hopes of seeing another camera. “Oh, that is fascinating! To use light itself as a means to create portraits, landscapes and still-lifes in a mere instant are incredible! Has painting been replaced by that thing?”

“Not any means. There are still artists, but they use paint in less realistic ways now.”

I then spotted a mare holding up one of those cameras, pointed the glass lens towards the carriage and flashed us again. There was a wide smile on my face, “Oh I have got to get myself one of those things!” But a thought came to me as I asked Sunbutt, “How expensive are they?”

“It depends on what camera you want to get I suppose. But anyway, here we are,” Celestia directed me towards an iron gate where guards in blue stood. They opened the gate wide for us, leading down an avenue of mansions great and colorful. If anything, what stood out to me the most upon the first impression was the bright colors and painted vines of silver or gold. In between these mansions with their high brick fences were gardens that could rival that those of royals.

“This is the street that I am to live on?” I asked in amazement.

“To give you an idea,” Celestia pointed a hoof. “That over there is your new home Mr. Moztrot.”

Her hoof indicated what was (in my eyes) a palace of white with gardeners at the side trimming bushes and trees. It was three floors tall and several more wide, with everything from the foundation to the roof as white as the winter snow. It had columns, clear windows and a balcony that lead out towards the street.

“If you don’t like the color,” Her Highness added while my jaw was on the chariot floor, “you could always have it repainted however you want. Oh, and inside, I have one last present for you.”

I lifted a shaky hoof, “That… that is mine?”

“With all the security and privacy you could ever want,” she smiled. “Come, let’s have you take a look to see if you can improve the inside.”

Wide-eyed, I followed behind her up to the front double doors. The foyer alone was encompassed in a double staircase that spread out like wings. Above was a crystal chandelier suspended from a dome of iron and glass. Like the outside, the walls, columns, molding, hoofrails, and even the mopboards were as white as the outside. Two wings branched out to hallways that were fashioned in the same manner as the foyer. But in the center of it all, there were three objects in colorful wrapping paper.

“I thought that you might like your presents as soon as you’d seen your new home,” Celestia said. “Go right ahead, open them.” She waved a hoof at the wrapped gifts and I went up to them like a colt on Hearth's Warming morning. There were five in all, one huge one and four rectangular boxes, so I went to unwrap the smallest one. Flipping open the lid, I found a small violin case that was made out of some black, smooth material with metal latches on it. Setting on the *biggest present present, I unlatched it to reveal a familiar, but quote worn looking little violin.

Looking over in confusion, Celestia was over my shoulder, “Do you recognize it?”

I took it out of its case. “It’s a violin of course.”

She shook her head, “No, that was your violin, the one you had in your foalhood.”

“Wait a minute…” I looked through the “F” holes inside and recognized the maker. “No wonder why this looks familiar! But wait… Didn’t I gave this to my sister?”

“Open the others,” the white Princess urged on.

So I did. The other presents included my concert violin that I had left in my native home town; the other violin that I had with me in my time in Canterlot; my personal viola; an old-looking clavichord that was indeed mine; and unwrapping the largest present, my favorite fortepiano, still preserved and well-tuned.

“To tell you the truth,” said Celestia, “It did take some skillful persuasion on my part for the museum to give up all of these. However, I did feel that you would want them back.”

I turned to her, hoof on the black keyboard. “Princess, I do thank you for giving me all of this, even going as far to bring all my instruments back to me. And I suppose this house has servants too?”

She nodded, “Considering your lack of housecleaning skills, I found it appropriate that you should be given a few servants so that you won’t turn this place into a disaster area.”

I laughed at that. “Many thanks, Your Highness. Although, I can’t help but wonder – are you feeling that guilty over me?”

The sunny alicorn sighed, “In a way, I am making an effort to make all those years up to you. You know as well as I that it was my fault you ended up in poverty despite the music you made.”

Looking around, I felt for my locket for a sobering moment. “I just wish that I could share all of this with those I cared about.”

She put a wing over me. “You must still miss them, do you?”

“How could I not?” I muttered. “As great as my fortunes are, now that they’ve finally turned around, what’s the point of having all of this, when I…” I shut my eyes as tightly as I could. Trying to fight back the oncoming tears from pouring out, “It’s not fair. Why did I have to go right there and then?”

“Moztrot, is there something I could do for you?”

I shook my head, “You are too kind Princess. I do thank you for everything you’ve done for me. As much as I want to explore this new Equestria, I have some rather important matters to be taken care of before I do so. I hope you understand.”

She nodded, “Take your time to grieve Mr. Moztrot. Do what you have to do to bring yourself closure, but before I go, I have three last things to tell you.”

“What?”

“The first is that whatever you need from me, support, advice, or just a friend to talk to, you are welcome to come to the palace at any time.” She let her wing off of me and folded it. “The next is that in this hard time, just remember that you are not alone. There are ponies out there that are more than willing to help, all you have to do is ask.”

I nodded, “And what of the third one?”

“Do be kind to yourself,” she said. “I need to go. Feel free to explore your new home and get yourself acquainted with the staff here. Remember, if you need anything, no matter what it is, just ask away.” After we said our goodbyes, I bowed as she left me alone.

After gaining control of my emotions, I began to wonder about the massive space. I found it easy to navigate around as there were hallways and rooms that lead to bedrooms, bathrooms, a dining room, and a library which, upon close inspection, had the complete copies of every printed piece of music I’d ever written. They shared the shelves of history books and textbooks on science, art, literature and nearly everything else. The library, I felt, was carefully chosen by the Princess for the purpose of having me caught up with the times.

Eventually, I came to the kitchen and I found a scrawny looking pony preparing vegetables at a cutting table. He had a sandy coat with a blond mane and a cloth tied to his head. The uniform was white but a little baggy because he was such a scarecrow. And for a cutie mark, he had an image of an onion frying in a pan. The young stallion looked up when I opened the door, “Oh! You’re here already?” He said as if he was surprised to see me. Wiping his hooves with a cloth, he rushed over to me. “M-Mr. Moztrot isn’t it? Sorry I-I wasn’t expecting you for another few hours and…” trailing off, the teenager held out a hoof to me. “I-It’s such an honor to actually meet you! Can I shake your hoof, sir?”

I blinked, “And who are you?”

“Call me Sauté Mr. Moztrot,” he replied with a starstruck gaze in his eyes. “I-I’m your cook sir, it’s my first day on the job really.”

Gently I did shake his hoof. “You’re quite the excitable type, aren’t you?”

“That’s because I’m lucky enough to be able to work for you,” he explained as he returned to the cutting table. “Celestia herself had chosen me for this and I can’t begin to tell you how excited to not just to cook for but actually meet you.”

A smirk crept on my face. “I take it that you know of my work?”

“I admit,” he said, now dicing a few carrots, “that I was a nerd about classical music before Beethoven came to make it popular again. And out of all the stuff I’ve listened to, I liked your stuff the most.”

After reminding myself to find out more about this Beethoven character, I then inquired, “If I may ask, how old are you?”

“Turned twenty last month sir,” he replied. “I graduated from culinary school just last week too.”

I looked around at the vast space, “Seems like an awfully big kitchen for one pony doesn’t it?”

“Oh, Celestia said that I’m just the first to arrive. There should be more to come soon,” he said as he moved on to the celery. “But I’m not alone of course, I know that there’s a maid straightening out the bedrooms and the butler is on the third floor.” He stopped for a moment to look up at me. “Again, it is a real honor, sir.”

“Why do you call me sir?” I inquired. “After all, I’m not a noble or anything like that – just a really good composer.”

“What can I say? I and my grandma are fans of your music, especially your Little Night Music.”

He took notice of how I hadn’t responded and I asked, “What do you mean by ‘fan?’”

“C’mon, you know, fan…? Short for fanatic?”

“Oh! Why didn’t you say so?”

“I just did,” he raised an eyebrow. “But to answer your question, I call you sir is because partly to show you respect and partly because that I’m working for you.”

“Very well,” I replied. “Although, if you really are going to, would you do yourself this favor for me?”

“Anything sir.”

I rolled my eyes, “First of all, for now on, don’t call me sir or Mr. Moztrot. Just because you’re a servant, shouldn’t mean that you’re not on the same level as I am.”

“But… But you’re a genius.”

“That’s also an Earth Pony, just like yourself lad. So please, do away with this sort of addressing and call me Wolfgang. Can you do that for me Sauté?”

He nodded, “I think so.”

Suddenly I heard a bell rang, my ears picked it up and spotted on the wall a plaque of bells in which one of them was still moving. Underneath it read: “Front Door.”

At first, I thought that it might have been Princess Sunburn come back to bring me another present as I went towards the double doors. Not to say that my curiosity was piqued, I went over to the foyer to open it myself and found a white unicorn stallion with a blue mane and a black suit.

“Hello Mr. Moztrot,” he said with a smile on his face, “Welcome to the neighborhood.”

Author's Note:

Editor's Note:

*"biggest present present" is not a typo. Just some "clever" wording on my part.

Comments

[The Radiance]

Fancy Pants enters the fray

[Chrome Masquerade]

At first, I thought that it might had been Princess Sunburn to come back to bring me another present as I went towards the double doors. Not to say that my curiosity was piqued, I went over to the foyer to open it myself to find a white unicorn stallion with a blue mane and wearing a black suit.
“Hello Mr. Moztrot,” he said with a smile on his face, “Welcome to the neighborhood.”

Ah! Fancy Pantss has come to visit! I wonder if he'll meet Octavia at some point?

[Greenhorn]

Hmmm, looks like Celestia chose a nice neighbourhood for Moztrot after all.
Waiting to see his reaction to the record player. Should be fun.

Hmmm..., actually Sweetie Belle should ask Moztrot to teach her. After all, his other version did teach Beethoven.