Eyes of a Musician: Anacrusis to the Rhythm.

by Jaffaarchfiend

Chapter 1

Five years before current date

Well this has certainly been an unusual day. Started out as a normal day out here in the city, I got up, had a bath, got breakfast and got started on a sculpture for a client.

By Celestia I was bored out of my skull. Day in and day out… every client wants the exact same statue as everypony else. The same alicorn statue with the legs raised just so, and the neck ever so positioned and the wings in such a manner… But, as monotonous as it is it pays the bills. Besides a true sculpture requires inspiration… and well that’s been in short supply I must say.

That is until that mare showed up at my door. I was just finishing up on the more delicate features on the wings when I heard a sudden banging on my front door.

“Oh for the love of… Rolly if this is another of your surprise inspections so soon I am going to buck you to the moon!” I yelled as I made my way to the door, and opened it my wings flaring. They immediately dropped as soon as I saw the pony outside.

For one thing it definitely wasn’t that jackass of a guard pony Rolly Polly. No, it was a unicorn mare with a pure white coat, purple mane, and… Bright blue eyes. She looked up at me locking eyes for a moment before uttering three words. Just three words.

“Help me please.”

Now I’ll admit here and now… I cannot resist a mare in trouble. I just can’t. I’ve pretty much had honour, integrity and other stuff like that ingrained into me since I was a foal. So what do I do despite her being a Bright Eye and all such ponies to be brought to the guards for suspicion?

“Get inside. Hurry.” I replied standing aside so she can get in through the door. That’s right… I be the White Knight… Celestia I just can’t stop myself sometimes. Although she was kinda cute…

“Thank you!” she says as she dashes inside and I close the door. “Oh my… I hope I didn’t interrupt any work sir…”

“Well-“ I started before looking at her examining my work. Nopony’s actually looked at it properly like she was. Usually the client gives it a brief look over and takes it after paying… but this mare looked as if she knew exactly what she was looking at. “Well not really… truth be told I could probably make this sculpture in my sleep. Every pony that comes in here keeps wanting the exact same thing as every pony else…”

“Oh how utterly stifling! An artist should be allowed to express themselves through their work… not just-“ she started before a quick bang on my door sounded. This one sounded a lot more familiar.

“Open up Storm! We have reports that a Bright Eye was seen running into your shop!” a brutish voice bellowed. I rolled my eyes and then looked around for somewhere to hide her, before glancing at an unused alcove with a mound of clay at the ready.

“Miss, I need you to trust me on this…. Go into that alcove there and cover yourself in the clay. Close your mouth and close your eyes. Got it?” I asked her quietly. She took a look at the clay and cringed slightly before the door banged again. She quickly ran over, used her magic and did as I asked. She’d left some holes for her nose to breathe through. I walked over and started to act as if I was sculpting the clay as my door was broken down. I glared over in the direction of the door and the rotund guard standing there.

“Storm I have ord-“ the Earth Pony started.

“Rolly, if you say you have orders to bash down my door when you perfectly know very well that I leave my door unlocked whenever I’m in the middle of creating for a client then I will be wanting a word with your superiors. This falls under your replacement pay. Not mine.” I growled at him.

“Regardless, a Bright Eyed mare was seen running into your shop not a moment ago. I have orders to search the place.” He replied already sending guards through my shop looking around.

“Very well then. But I’m the only pony here, aside from your guards. OH for the love of Celestia, be careful with that! That is a genuine antique! If you break it I’ll see to it that the cost comes out of your salary.”

The pony in question looks at me then back at the vase he was about to shove aside.

“For the next fifty years.” I added. The guard blanched at the thought and put it down gently instead of simply shoving it aside. After an hour of searching my home the guards left. “Guess your informant was wrong Rolly.” The guard simply snorted and left. I sighed as I went over and slammed my door back into place and used some nearby planks to hold it in place. “That’s going to need to get fixed soon…”

I walked back over to the clay covered mare and pretended to do more sculpting giving her a quick shake of the head when she peeked her eye open. After a few more minutes I tapped her on the shoulder signalling she could move again. The clay quickly lifted off of her and she shook her fur clear.

“As much as I love a mud bath darling at the spa, I must protest at being covered in clay… but thank you… I thought for a moment you were going to…” she left the thought hanging in the air between us.

“No matter the eyes, I won’t just hand over a mare in need. Especially if it’s to the “tender” mercies of guards like Rolly Polly there.” I said nodding my head at the busted door.

“That’s… very noble of you mister… oh! I don’t even know your name, and you don’t know mine, oh how utterly rude of me.” She exclaimed.

“Perfectly reasonable. You needed help fast. Introductions could wait… and still can. Listen, as much as I’d like to help… I’ve got a life to think about. It’s boring as heck, but it pays the bills and keeps food on the table.” I said looking out the window. The sun was beginning to set. “You can stay the night here if you don’t have anywhere else to go…”

“But at least allow me to-“ she started before I gave her a stern look.

“Right now, it’s best if we just remain strangers alright? If I don’t know your name and you don’t know mine then if one of us is caught, then nothing can happen to the other. Got it miss?”

She nodded at my logic and sighed heading for the couch.

“No. You take my room upstairs. I’ll take the couch. You’re my guest, so you take the bed. First door up the stairs.” I said looking at her. To her credit she didn’t protest, just smiled, nodded and trotted upstairs.

The next morning I woke up to the smell of her making waffles. I didn’t even remember having the stuff to make waffles. I peered over the couch into the kitchen and just looked at her. She was even humming as she made them… Humming! I got a knot in my stomach thinking about what would happen if some nosey neighbour or guard could hear the inside of my house right now…

“Oh, morning. I thought that I should at least repay your kindness in helping me… so I made breakfast. I hope that’s not too much trouble?”

I grumble and adjust my glasses. “No… although trying to say so at this stage would just be stupid since the waffles are already made…”

We sat down and ate in silence. Afterwards I went to the door, did a quick check and let her out once I was certain the coast was clear.

“Thank you again sir… Oh I wish I could do more to repay you…” she said.

“Just keep yourself out of trouble all right?” I mutter as I start to close the door. She nods and walks away from my shop.

I thought that would be the last I saw of her… buck me I was wrong.

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The mare adjusted her monocle as she finished the entry.

“Hmm… note to make. Investigate Officer Rolly Polly later for… oh that’s right. He was the subordinate who fell in the struggle to subdue Mister Storm…”

She re-read the part where Tempest had let the unicorn into his house.

“Nobility… honour… valued traits, although woefully misused in this situation I’m afraid…”

She continues to read on.