Prequal: As a Test
As I am taking the darkened grey concrete steps of a setting sun, up to the entrance of the home that I share with the two most important mares in my life I reach out a hoof to grasp the door knob. Now it is of note that this place I call a home is nothing more than a simple building of pale red colors and faded a white outline trim, nestled within a lower part of town and yes it may blended in with all the other houses that one would see if they would just turn their head to have a look around, but this single home among the many is special, for it is mine that I share with the two most important mares in my life.
My name is Smooth Jazz, I am somewhat a Pegasus prodigy at the many instruments of jazz, but it hasn’t gotten me very far in life, mainly since not many enjoy the smooth sound of a jazz band nowadays, however, along with the music lessons that I teach, it does pay more than enough for the bills. Now it has been said that if one does what they love then they will never work a day in their in their life and I have yet to experience a single day of work, but what if they want more than what they love? That said I was in the middle of reaching for the knob to the front door.
As I turn begin to turn the knob, I gently apply force to the front door causing it to slowly open inward as the hinges allow. As I step inward I reach down to pick up the mail that was lying on the floor and had fallen from the mail slot. With mail in hoof I start to remove my scarf that had been wrapped around my neck. As it now flows free from my body I gently glide it to a nearby coat rack standing all on its own. After the scarf came to rest limp upon the rack, I take a pause at a nearby mirror. While glaring into the reflective surface I take note of the details of the pony that was staring back at me, with hair as black as waves of tar rolling down from the top of the head down to the back and ending in a small swoop. Then there was the left ear it was the same as the other, but half way up was a piece of metal that pierced the skin and then wrapped around from the front onward to the back of the ear. This was a bit uncommon among ponies, but it has been seen before, although usually on mares and when it comes to colts I am reminded of a saying ‘Left is right, right is an overused expression of stereotypes that should be put to rest’, but that is my own opinion.
Now when looking over the grey colored muzzle of my reflection, one thing that would be hard to miss is the thin rimmed and smaller than normal glasses that rest upon it. Though indeed small in nature and resting gently upon my flesh, the unique part was within the lens for they held a gold tint. This is not difficult to come by but is still not often thought of or seen and when I needed new glasses last, the thought occurred to me that I may try something new. Just behind the gold tint of the lenses rested two weary eyes set into the mirrored valleys of the face. There was a tired look within them after a long day of work as the small but growing bags that hung below showed. The rest of this face looked no better for even at a young age it was clear that time had already taken a toll upon such and what this face did not show was the knowledge that had already been learned from the grueling experiences of life, even the knowledge that well not required being of great intelligence to hold, still was not well known to most and even on a good day this face that looked young had a few years added due to the small amount of hair upon the chin.
As I pull my gaze away from the mirror and start to walk down the long hallway, I look down at the mail held within my hoof, I try to guess at what it was, ‘Junk, bill ,bill, junk, bill,’. Moving down the hall I turn my head to look into the first room on my left, which happened to be our shared living room. Looking through the double door way I was met with an image that seemed to flash before my eyes, a great pale yellow warrior with a two tone mane of bubblegum pink which flowed into the tail and the other color being a cotton candy pink, leap into the air strait forward toward her target, which was another more innocent looking pony with an almost black body color and a green main and tail, with the hair being somewhat matted down from many an unattended to bed heads. Within the middle of trying to comprehend what was about to occur, an ear piercing shriek ran through the air around your head. All that could be deciphered from the shriek was the single word ‘Cheeseburger’, however once this thought had been processed the scene had already finished with the pink haired warrior, who was known by the title of Candy Mane, was on the floor defeated, while sitting on top of her was the green haired mare, who was known as Crystal Audio, had a large grin all the while she started to consume her rightful property.
Then I spoke up. “Evening girls.”
Crystal swallowed her bite and they both said in unison “Hey Jazz.”
“So anything new around here?” I ask moving my gaze between the two of them.
“Oh…, nothing!” They both say like a couple of fillies who have done something that would get them into trouble.
“So if there is nothing new, then I shall be in the kitchen grabbing some dinner, if either of you two need me.” I say with a worn down voice. This had taken notice from Candy mane while Crystal Audio was preoccupied with her cheeseburger.
~~
As I toss the mail onto the small table that we use for breakfast and dinners, having already assessed that it is only junk mail, I rummage over the countertops grabbing the peanut butter, the bread and a spoon and sitting down at the small table I set the three items before me. Looking up to the door way to the kitchen, I see Candy standing their looking at me. She then walks over pulling out the chair from the table, spinning it around and then sitting down, where she then begins to speak.
“Tough day today?”
As I start to build my sandwich I respond, “Not really, it was just another normal day… as always.”
“Look Jazz I know that there is more going on than what you’ve been telling us.” She says as she tilts her head to one side.
“How could you tell?”
“For one thing you have been far more exhausted than normal when you come home from the music lessons you teach and secondly you really do suck at hiding these things.” Candy said with a small smile upon her face.
Leaning back into my chair I let out a sigh, “Thanks Candy and the thing is my life has become too predictable, even with the fact that I live with you two, and I just want something more than this, but on the other hoof I don’t want to lose what I have now. Do you see what I’m trying to get at?”
“Indeed I do, for I can see that your hooves grow restless even though you’re not known to be the one to take risks.” She takes one of her hooves, resting the bend upon the table, she gently places her head on it.
Then she continues. “You know what Jazz, I can remember the last time you took an opportunity just on a whim and it was the night the three of us met. Your band had just finished playing your slot and I was up after the next band. Crystal was there because she was asked to fix the sound system earlier in the night and while, as timid as she was we were both able to strike up a conversation and once we were deep within the thick of it and wanting to leave together for deeper conversation, we both came to the realization that neither of us had a place to stay and that we were both crashing at friends pads. Then you came up, apparently having overhearing the dilemma, you offer the two rooms that you needed to fill at the time and after we came to know you, we realized that the offer you gave to us was one of the biggest leaps you have ever taken in your life.”
I smile lust a little bit more than when she started her story of how we met. “Yeah… and after those three years that the both of you having lived here you two still owe me rent!”
The two start to laugh at the running joke that the three of them have had for those three long years, for they all knew those rent payments were never going to be paid and as the laughter started to die down Candy took a more serious tone within her voice.
“Look I just want you to know that even though Crystal is the one that I love with all my heart, that doesn’t mean neither of us care about you any less, we both still love you like a brother, so when you’re like this we begin to worry about you. Just remember that when anything does trouble you, we are here to help, okay and remember it is sometimes good to go and take a flying leap once in a while.” She says as she raises to leave.
“Thanks Candy and… wait was that supposed to be an insult or a compliment?” I ask with a little confusion.
“Well you have nothing to be insulted about so it must be a compliment.”
I give her a look of thanks as she leaves the room and I am left to finish my sandwich. With all but the crumbs left of my meal, a simple turn of my neck is all it takes to tell the degree of how sore my muscles truly were from the long day and I decide to take a shower, hoping that it will put my joints at some ease.
~~
Turning the silver knob to the shower I gently let the rush of cascading water pour over my aching body. Letting the muscles rest for a moment, I sit down on the ledge of the tub. As I let out a sigh a problem of another kind comes to me and while sitting there I place a hoof over my heart and I can’t help but think, ‘It doesn’t feel right, this doesn’t feel right.’ Moving one of my wings into a better position so that I may rub it and ease some tension. I run a hoof along my wing and I can feel how ridged the shape of it is in quite the contrast to that of a mare, whose wings are always more delicate and graceful. Placing my wing back into place behind my back, I start to rub my back legs and I think, ‘No matter how well maintained I keep you two, it’s never quite right. Still so meaty instead of thin and delicate, no matter how hard I try an still.’ As I start to clear my mind from wandering through these thoughts of mine I decide to finish my shower as a sigh escapes my lips and I rise to a standing position.
‘The water cannot wash away these feelings.’
~~
Crystal Audio was standing outside the bathroom door listening to Smooth jazz as he was deep in thought and once she was sure that he had continued his shower, she turned to leave heading to the living room and upon entering she looked towards Candy Mane, her mare friend and said “He’s thinking about his other problem again.”
“I know, it was held within his eyes earlier when I spoke to him.” Candy said as she patted the pace next to her on the couch for Crystal to come and sit next to her.
Crystal walked over and as she sat down she set her head on top of Candy’s front hooves. “Isn’t this kind of thing become more common in recent generations?”
Candy laid her head just behind Crystal’s in a sweet embrace. “Yes Crystal, but even so this is still a very touchy subject with an unclear solution of how to tackle it.”
“What are we going to do about Jazz and what he wants, Candy.” Crystal said closing her eyes.
“I don’t know Crystal, I don’t know.” Candy said following suit with her eyes.