This is a story of my life in Applewood (Hollywood). If you don't want to hear it.. then I understand. I mean, who wants to hear a 17yr old colt blab about his life anyways? but, If you do want to hear it.. then prepare to have your breath taken
The story revolves around my OC while he spends his days doing his job, going on dates, and wallowing in his already forseen sadness.
Lights shining, crowd cheering, begging for more… sadly, its time for the next act, "Thank you everypony, you've been a great audience!" I shouted into the mic and put it back in the stand. Afterwards I took a quick bow and walked off-stage, away from the applause and bright lights. As soon as I'm behind the curtains I walk down the stairs and go into the room marked with my name in big bold letters, 'Voltzs'.
As soon as I enter I'm greeted by my manager who says all the usually stuff like "Amazing work!" and "I couldn't stop laughing! I almost pissed myself!" I promptly thanked him, walked over to the fridge and grabbed a water to quench my thirst. I had a lot of fun telling jokes and my life story, "I guess that falls into the joke department though…" I thought to myself.
After I was done drinking I took a quick glance at the clock, "He should be going up now… Wasn't a good idea to drink this water, now that he's going up its all going to be coming back out one way or another." I chuckled.
"Hey didn't you have a date tonight there Voltzs?" my manager said, much to my horror.
"Oh hairy duck balls she's going to think I stood her up!" I shouted, threw the water down, took off my cape and ran out the door. My manager said something to me but I didn't hear it very clearly, I was in full on panic mode. I went down the hallway and took a left, then went out the door and took to the skies, "Ok she said to meet her at that café didn't she? Oh geez, of all the times to forget brain, you had to forget THIS one!" I shouted, not caring who heard.
My name is Voltzs, well actually that's just my stage name. My real name is Vague Blaze. I'm 17 year old Pegasus with a long dark red and dark golden mane and tail, red eyes and a dark brown coat. I'm just your normal everyday comedic pony who plays at small venues and occasionally gets the big gigs. Even so, I still have a problem with the ladies. I don't like publicity so when I'm on stage I wear sunglasses and a small cape that covers my flank so nopony knows how my eyes look. Ponies would recognize my cutie mark… but I don't have one.
Even after finding something I really wanted to do, and enjoy doing, I never got a cutie mark. My old friends told me that I should just keep looking, but what kind of sick joke is that? I finally find something I want to do, and some unknown force is telling me that it's not my calling? Well there is no way in Equestria that I will submit to something such as that. I'm happy, others are happy, so that's enough.
I landed outside the Café and ran in. The bell above the door made a soft ringing when I entered, and I would've done it again if I didn't have any self control. Looking around the café I try and find the green Pegasus that I asked out, but she was nowhere in sight.
Not like I was expecting her to be…
I sighed and lowered my head, "Great… looks like you've lost another one there Vague. Good job…" I slowly begin to turn around, open the door, and walk outside. The bell makes another soft ringing sound, but I ignore it. I lift my head and look up at the sky, "Guess I'll just head home…"
I spread my wings and take off, flying slowly. I didn't feel like flying fast, I was too depressed. "I guess I could just tell her that I was working late… it's not a lie…" I sigh, "No.. I shouldn't make excuses. I told her that I'd meet her here at 7pm, and its.." I then realized that I have no idea what time it is. "Not like it matters, I was late, and that's all."
After a few minutes of flying I finally arrive at my apartment. (I may be able to afford a larger house, but what's the point if I'm the only pony living there?) I search my saddlebag for my k—… "I can't believe I forgot it at work.." I sigh and turn around, "Is this some kind of joke? Cause if it is then I'm not laughing.. First you refuse to accept that I'm happy and give me a bucking cutie mark… then you make me forget about my saddlebag." I take a deep breath and shout, "GIVE ME A BREAK!"
I quickly put my hoof over my mouth and look around, "Idiot… do you want the landlady to kick you out?" I think to myself.
Lowering my hoof and sighing again, I take off and fly in the direction of the venue I was at.
I land outside at the backdoor and trot slowly down the hall to my door and open it. Inside is my manager, and he's standing right behind my saddlebag, "If you would've listened before you left, then you would've known that you left this." he said with a cheeky smirk. I chuckle and trot over to pick up my bag, "Yeah yeah, you aren't the first to tell me that." I picked up my bag and draped it across my back, after adjusting my wings I said, "Nor will you be the last." "Oh, and also." he began, "Your date isn't until 7:30, and if you look at the clock.. it says 7:24, so you'd better get a move on there Voltzs." I smiled, gave a 'Yes sir!' and ran back out the door, down the hall, and out the backdoor, taking to the skies once more. "there's still a chance!" I kept telling myself this over and over. It was my motivation after all.
I land outside of the café and speed inside. The bell above the door made the same lovely ringing.. and it did it again… and again.. and again.. and aga— "Make that bell ring once more and it's going down your throat." The Café owner told me.
The Café was set up in a simple yet appealing way. The floors were tiled white, save for a few blue tiles, the walls were a cream color, and the ceiling had two fans, one over the bar area, and another over the booths. In total, there were 5 bar stools, and 6 booths. The booths were on the right wall, while the bar and bar stools were on the left.
I quickly stopped and gave a "yes Ma'am, so sorry Ma'am" to her.
I heard a giggle from one of the booths and I made my way over to where the sound came from and saw her sitting there.. the mare that I asked out.
Lucinda.
She was a Pegasus with a beautiful green coat and a soft flowing light blue mane that slightly covered her eye. At present, she was giggling and had her eyes closed and a hoof over her mouth.. but as soon as she was done, she opened her eyes and dazzled me with her sparkling green eyes.
My heart skipped a beat.. and I began feeling nervous "What were you thinking asking somepony like this out?!"
"You know…" she spoke up, "you don't have to stand, you can take a seat." She said with a calming smile.
I snapped out of my trance and awkwardly said, "Y-yeah, sorry about that." I took a seat across from her, then began to freak out in my head. "Abort mission! Abort mission! Target is beautiful! I repeat, target is beautiful!"
"So Vague… what do you do for a living?" she asked me.
I blinked twice and started to say, "Oh I'm a come—" but quickly stopped myself and gave her my back up job, "Oh I'm an assistant manager for singers." I said with an awkward smile.
"That must be wonderful!" she said quite loud.
"Y-yes it is.. in fact, at The Shady Oak in town, one of the ponies I work with should be singing any moment now."
"Oh really? Then wouldn't she want you to be there to support her?" she asked with a questioning look.
"Well, after all the begging I gave her to come out on this date with you, I think that she'd much rather me be here." I chuckled.
She looked like she was thinking, "What's her name?"
"Melody." I answered with a smile.
She slammed her hooves on the table, stood up, and shouted, "You mean the Melody?! You're her manager?!"
The Café owner shot us a glare, and she sat down.
I was shocked but I simply nodded, "Yes. Have you heard of her?"
"Of course I have!" she said in a loud whisper, "I once heard her sing at The Shady Oak, her voice is so beautiful! I can't believe that you're her manager."
I gave a slight frown. I had no idea that Melody was well known.. looks like I hid one identity just to be found with another.. once again universe, you suck.
"Oh I didn't mean it like that!" she quickly said.
I guess she took my frown the wrong way, "Yeah I know, I know. Now, would you tell me about yourself?" I said to try and shift the conversation in another direction.
She sighed and said, "Sure thing. But before that, can we order something? I'd love to get something to eat and drink." she smiled wide.
"Dying of cuteness now! Quickly! Vacate the premises!"
Brain? Stop it and grow a pair.
"Sure thing." I waved the café owner over, and when she finally got to our table sporting a pen in her mouth and a notepad I said, "May I have a glass of strawberry milk and a daisy sandwich?"
She wrote it down and turned to Lucinda who immediately shouted, "Hot chocolate with whipped cream and extra marshmallows!"
Now it was my turn to laugh and be surprised, "Quite a sweet tooth you got there Lucinda."
She blushed.. "D'aww attack is imminent, I repeat D'aww attack is imminent!"
One more time brain.. and you and me are going to have a battle.
The Café owner put the pen in the rings of the notepad and said, in a tone unlike the one I experienced earlier, "I'll have your order out in a jiffy!" then trotted away into the kitchen.
I blink twice, unable to comprehend what I just witnessed, then turn back to Lucinda, "So, about yourself?"
She smiled and thought, "Oh! I'm a Script Supervisor."
"Wow, I've always wanted to be in a play.. but I'm not sure I could stop laughing and be serious for long." I chuckle. It wasn't a lie, there aren't many times where I wasn't smiling or laughing in some way.
Except when I talk about my…
"All it takes is practice, I've been in a few myself and of course, written a few. And I think that I'm pretty goofy myself." She giggled.
"From what I can see you have more of a… bubbly personality. And I find it very interesting." I smiled.
The owner then came out and handed us a tray with our orders on them, then handed them to us and said, "If you need anything else, just ask." Then left.
For a while we talked and ate, she asked how it was to work with someone like Melody, and I asked if I could see one of her scripts sometime.
Time went by pretty fast…
We walked out of the Café after I paid the 25 bits. Lucinda wanted to pay for her own meal, but I told her to "Let me do something manly tonight." And after a little more protest, she finally agreed.
"I had a fun time with you Vague, and I wouldn't mind doing this again sometime." She smiled.
"Likewise. Oh, where do you live? I'll take you home." I offered.
"Nope. Since you didn't let me pay I'll be flying home alone." She stuck her tongue out at me.
"Aww man.. curse you my need to be manly!" I shook my hoof in the air.
She laughed and walked away, "See ya later." She spread her wings, and took to the skies, leaving me standing outside the Café.
I stretched my wings, "Welp, the night is still young… better go check on Melody." With that, I took off in the direction of The Shady Oak.
I may be 17, but I know the pony who owns the bar, and I also know a few of the singers there.
I land outside The Shady Oak after 5 minutes of flying, it wasn't far away, I just forgot where it was is all.
I quickly trot to the door, open it, and enter. I push past the velvet curtain and go into the main area where I stop at the main desk to be seated by the waiter.
...
At present, there are candles lit on the individual tables that occupy the area in front of a large stage covered by a dark red velvet curtain. To the left is a door that holds a sign that reads, "Employees Only" and to the right is a fire escape.
...
The waiter pony looks up from his clipboard and asks, "May I have your name?"
I tap my hoof on my chin trying to remember what name I used the last time I came here, "well if I tell him Vague Blaze and I'm not on there.. then I switch it tell him Voltzs it'll be kinda weird won't it? Unless I used Voltzs first… but I hate using that name unless I'm conducting business.."
"Uhm.. sir?" he says, earning a 'Huh?' from me. "Your name?"
I sigh and mumble in an inaudible tone, "Voltzs.."
"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that." He says and leans in.
"To troll or not to troll… that is the question at this moment.." I feel a grin cross my lips as I shout, "Voltzs!" into his ear, making him drop the clipboard and fall to the ground.
And it seems I also earned some unwanted attention to those inside. I couldn't tell before because their heads were turned, but now that they're facing me I can see their eyes staring at me. Then I hear them begin to whisper amongst each other, "Did he say Voltzs?" "Is Voltzs eating here?" "Is that really him?"
I begin to panic and quickly take the waiters napkin out of his suit, drape it across my flank, then quickly pick up the clipboard, and make a run for it to the "Employees Only" section. I heard a few screams and a few glasses hit the ground and break, but I ignore them and continue making my way towards the door. "Just a little further…" the door opens, and behind it I can see a familiar looking pony shouting, "Hurry up!"
I spread my wings and make a quick dash for the open door and speed through, the pony then shuts the door and locks it, stopping the hoard that lies behind it.
I sigh and land, "Thanks for the hel—" Is all I can say before two light pink hooves wrap around my neck and sling me around. "Mel-o-dy!" I shout as she swings me around. But as soon as she hears her name she stops and sets me down.
"Yes Vague?" she says in her usual sweet voice.
"Thanks for the save." I say after catching my breath.
"Oh don't worry about it! Anyways what are you doing here? I thought you were on a.. date." She added extra emphasis on the word.. date.
I smile, "I was, it actually ended a little while ago."
She takes my hoof in hers and begins to move down the hall, "Well I want to hear all about it! I'm not going up for 10 minutes so you have until then to tell me how it went!"
Melody.. She's a Pegasus, like me. Her coat is a light pink, her eyes are a soft light blue, and her mane and tail are a bright yellow. I've been her manager for 4 years, and it'll be 5 starting a month from now. From the time I've known her, she's been kind of a special case. She's very caring, yes, but she can occasionally have mood swings, and it's impossible to predict them. They're usually just small ones, and thankfully, according to her, I haven't had the pleasure of experiencing one of her real mood swings.
Nor would I want to.
We make our way into, from what I can tell from the outside, a dressing room. My assumptions are proven correct as we make our way past rack upon rack of clothes and shoes, before stopping in front of a sofa, made for two, in which melody casually plops herself into. She then taps the spot beside her and motions for me to join her.
I smile, and lay myself out on the ground, much to her dismay, "You never would sit with me in this chair.." she pouts.
"You know that things like that are really awkward for me." I chuckle, "Besides, this way I can quickly get out of the way of any incoming.. what'd you call them?"
"Glomps. And you can't escape them, it's impossible!" she boasts.
I roll my eyes, "Anyways, you still want me to tell you about how the date went?"
"Of course I do!" she squealed and moved herself a little closer to me.
"All righty.. But I gotta tell you what happened before it." I took in a deep breath, "After the show I did I went down into my room and talked with my manager for a little, and he told me "Don't you have a date there Voltzs?" to which, upon hearing, I quickly left and made my way to the Café."
"I can't believe you forgot about your own date! I mean, you even asked her out yourself!" she face-hoofed.
Chuckling I reply, "Yeah well I was pretty ticked about forgetting." After taking a slight pause I continue, "As soon as I arrived at the Café I ran in and looked around for her, and much to my dismay, she was nowhere in sight…"
"I wouldn't be either if someone who asked me out stood me up.." she mumbled. "But wait, if she left how'd you still go on a date?"
"I'm getting there." I cleared my throat, "So, after a long sad flight back home I realized that I forgot my saddlebag, which had my keys inside. So, I went back to the venue I was at and, as soon as I got down to the room, Cut, my manager, was standing there with my bag behind him and a wide smile on his face, he said "If you woulda listened to me before you left then you would've realized that you left this." After giving him one of my signature replies he reminded me that my date starts at 7:30, and it was still only 7:24." I took a deep breath.
"If it weren't for Cut, then you'd be lost." She giggled.
"Yeah, and I'm really thankful to him for all that he's done for me." After exhaling I continue, "Well after flying at a speed that would stun The Wonderbolts themselves, I arrived at the Café and went inside. At one of the booths.. was Lucinda, the mare I asked out, who was giggling."
"Why was she giggling? Did something happen?" Melody questioned.
"Well.." I chuckled half-heartedly, "Before I went over to Lucinda, I kinda ticked off the Café owner by making the door bell go off about four times.."
"Ugh, you never can be serious for one lousy second can you?" she retorted, much to my surprise.
"W-well, it got her to laugh.. and I apologized to the owner, so I think everything went very well." I stuttered out.
"You just got lucky. Now, how was the actual date and not the events leading up to it?"
I blink twice and just chalk that up to a minor mood swing, "Well in my opinion the date went great! She's so sweet.. cute.. funny.. and smart! Oh yeah, and she said that she's heard you sing before."
"She has? And how'd you get on the topic of me anyways?" she moved a little closer.
I chuckled weakly, "We were talking about our jobs. She told me she was a Script Supervisor, and I told her that I was an assistant manager, and your manager."
"I see.. well, how's she like my singing?" she asked nervously.
I got up, stretched and smiled, "She said that she loves your singing. Apparently you're very well known.. which means this job is also one that ponies know me for.."
Giggling she replied, "Someday you'll get used to the publicity Vague."
I rolled my eyes, "That's like saying I'll get a cutie mark.."
I lay in my bed, thinking about how Melody and I had gotten into a fight… No, it wasn’t a hoof-fight, or any real fight. I guess it can be called a slight altercation. … After finishing telling Melody about how the date went, and how it was to me, we began walking down the hall to the main door. On the way, she asked if I wanted to stay and listen to her sing.
I was about to accept and open the door that lead out into the main area of the bar, when I realized what would be waiting for me beyond that door. “I-I’m just going to listen from here.” I told her nervously.
She looked at me and rolled her eyes, “But you won’t be able to hear, the walls in here are soundproof.”
“I’ll put my ear real close to the door. Besides, if I go out there.. that crowd may be waiting to tackle me.”
“Well fine then! You don’t have to stay and listen…” She huffed, walked ahead, then mumbled, “even though I listened to you blab about your date.”
I stood there, staring at the ground, speechless… I knew that she didn’t mean it, but for her to bring it up… “Well good. Glad we got that settled!” I turned and began walking towards the back door. “Good luck with your singing.” I said angrily. It’s not like I meant to say it like that.. everything was telling me to go back and make up with her…
But I didn’t want to listen. … So here I am, laying in bed at… 2:34am, unable to fall asleep and thinking about the argument over and over. “I really need to make peace with her… I know how she can get sometimes, but for me to not immediately see what was going on..” I slam my hooves at my side and exhale. “I’ll go see her tomorrow. I’ll have to talk to Cut about my schedule, but regardless I need to make time to go and say sorry.”
“But you weren’t even in the wrong! Why should you have to apologize?!” I shouted in my head.
“I just said why. I know how she can get, and I still argued with her anyways.” I said with a sigh. Rolling over I drape the thin sheet over my body and get comfortable, “I need to get some sleep..” I said groggily to make myself sleepy. “Gotta get up in 8 hours to check the schedule…”
