Canterlot: 20 Years Ago
"He is seven years old and has yet to show any musical aptitude!" A grey stallion steamed, "He just sits there and reads those damned books all day. I am sorry, but he can NOT be enrolled in this school." Salineighri said for the tenth time.
"Please-" A lilac Earth Pony mare tried to say something, but was cut off by Salineighri again.
"No." He stated firmly, his jaw having long been set.
"But-" A light blue Unicorn stallion was cut off by the same grey Pegasus.
"No. No buts. Now, I am quite tired of your persistence." The grey stallion stated.
"Sir, listen to us!" The blue Unicorn said in frustration.
"No, you listen to me. Better yet, listen to your colt! He is seven now and still can't even play 'Twinkle,Twinkle, Little Star'! The Canterlot Academy For Gifted Musicians will not accept a colt or filly that can't play that by the age of three and a half! Yure Concerto, you and Moonlight Sonata may be famous musicians, but you have to understand that your colt did not follow in your hoof steps. You yourself should especially know this, Yure. After all, you barely passed your entrance exam!" Salineighri said, his patience long gone.
"And look how good I turned out to be!"
"You had visible talent that just needed a little molding. This colt of yours has nothing but a coat and mane!" The grey stallion snapped. By the look on her husbands face, Moonlight Sonata could tell they needed to get out of there before Yure did something he would regret.
"Honey," The lilac Earth Pony said softly, "We can't reason with him. Let's just go."
"But-"
"Honey." She said with a little more force, "We'll try again. In Ponyville this time. Besides, I know a few musicians with fillies of their own that live there." Moonlight reasonably stated. Yure sagged his head in defeat and, much to his chagrin, Salineighri smirked.
"Yes, love." The Unicorn said and turned his back to Salineighri. "I'd rather him go there anyways. He won't grow up to be a spoiled, bratty snob." The jet black maned Unicorn spat. Salineighri scoffed at the insult as the two ponies exited the room, slamming the door shut behind them.
A small, tan Unicorn nervously paced in the living room of his temporary Canterlot home. A billion things raced through his mind, but only one truly worried him. His parents were going to make him go to some stupid, snobby school for high and mighty musicians. And he didn't want to go. He wasn't even interested in playing piano like his father nor singing like his mother. Despite his chagrin for playing or singing music, he loved listening to it. He loved flowing with its beauty and rhythm. He just wasn't interested in making it.
But the small colt had never told his parents. He just waited and hoped that they would notice his bordem, but as attentive as his mother and father were, they just didn't want to believe that their only colt didn't want to be a musician. He had finally decided, that night, that he would tell them. But when he came home from playing in the park, they were already gone to that dreadful school to enroll him.
"I tell you, Sonata, he could be the next Beethooven if he would practice!" He heard his fathers exasperated voice coming from outside. The colt froze and jumped behind a nearby lamp, the table concealing his view. The plugin was knocked almost completely from its socket, but the colt didn't thing that it was a big deal, so he didn't fix it. The lamp had been off anyway.
"I agree. It's a shame that Salineighri turned us down." His mothers sweet, down-to-Equestria voice said as Yure's hoof smacked the doorknob. A massive flood of relief washed over the colt as the door swung inward, allowing his parents entry to their home. His father came in first and cleared the way for Moonlight Sonata. Yure Concerto sighed deeply and closed the door behind them.
"We'll just try again in Ponyville." He said in defeat. Fear struck the small colt. "Why wasn't he musically talented like us?"
"The same reason that he is a Unicorn. Genetics skipped a generation, love." His wife reasoned.
"Don't get me wrong, I love the colt to death. I'm proud off him. He's my colt! Why can't Salineighri see what I do?" Yure said and sat on his haunches.
"Because eh can hear what you can't..." The tan Unicorn said softly and stepped out from behind the lamp.
"What?" His fathers shocked and confused expression matched his voice.
"Dad. I can't play music." The colt uttered.
"What? Of course you can, Dust." What makes you think that you can't?" His father said, having obviously convinced himself into believing that his son could play.
"Say that I could..." The could responded and steeled himself for what he had to say, "Mom, Dad. I don't want to play or sing music." The colt said, a huge burden having finally been lifted from his chest. There was a slight pause before his mother spoke up.
"We know, Dust." She said, causing his father to sigh deeply.
"What else we know is..."
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"That you're a wizard!" Dust Star jokingly exclaimed.
"Hey! That's not what happened!" A white mare accused.
"Forgive me for having a sense of humor..." The tan stallion muttered, flipping his lilac mane out of his smirking face as he knocked back another drink.
"You put those away quite well." A midnight blue Alicorn pointed out, worry skirting at the edge of her voice.
"After what I went through, you would too." The stallion retorted.
"Yes, I hear Hoofwarts was dreadfully cold that year." A grey Earth Pony mused while swirling her drink with a smirk.
"That, and Dracolt was in all of my classes." Dust chuckled, inciting a laugh from everypony else. "Thanks, 'Tavi. I needed that."
"By what they told us all those years ago, I think we all do." The blue maned, white coated Unicorn said.
"They told you a lie. My parents never died in an electrical fire." Dust Star said darkly and bought another round of drinks before continuing his story.
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His father sighed deeply and stood up.
"Yes. In the back of our minds we did. We just didn't want to believe it." Yure said and knelt to his sons level.
"Are you mad at me?" The teary eyed colt asked.
"No son. In fact, we are proud that you finally told us the truth." His father said. The small Unicorn visibly brightened and threw his fore-hooves around his dad.
"Thank you! Does this mean that you won't try to enroll me in anymore of those snobby music schools?" The dusty colt asked. His father sighed heavily and looked his colt in the eyes with a warm smile.
"Yes. We'll enroll you in a normal school with normal, non-snobby ponies." His father smirked, making the colt near exuberant. "But we are still moving to Ponyville." The father said, still trying to assert some authority as to not be trampled.
"That's fine by me! Everypony here is a snob anyways." The excited colt said and hugged his father again.
"Now, Dust Star, I think it's about time for you to hit the hay." His mothers voice mused. The colt and his father shared a laugh, but he was way to excited to go to sleep. Then again, he was also way to grateful to argue. The colt opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by the sound of shattering glass. The family snapped their heads towards the broken window and saw a flash of silver shoot across the room between Moonlight and her family.
"Your voice is silenced." The figure said coldly. Moonlight Sonata's eyes widened and she let out a strangled gurgle before, much to Dust Star's horror, the muscle and flesh on the front of her throat tore open. Blood covered her son and husband as she fell limply to the floor, her eyes a dulled grey.
"NO!" Yure bellowed and charged at the black latex covered assailant.
"And you have played your last note." The chilling voice said and broke a bottle over Dust Star's fathers head. The horrifying mare turned and bucked his chest, sending Yure into the half unplugged lamp. There was a sickening crackle as the smell of scorched hair and skin invaded the terrified colts nostrils.
"D-Don't h-h-hurt m-me!" The colt stammered as the black mare approached him in the burning house. Smoke filled the air and made Dust Star's eyes sting as the murderer stood over him. "You, lucky colt, shall be spared. For the sins of your guardians are not those of your own." She spoke in the same chilled voice as she disappeared in a flash of black.
The colt looked over at the smoldering remains of his mother and father, feeling a rush of anger, along with something else, well deep inside of him. Something powerful. His horn glowed a translucent white aura as his most powerful magic swirled into his horn. He clenched his eyes shut and set his jaw, focusing his magic into getting him out of there and to... Anywhere but there.
He felt a larch, and then the chilled night air through his mane. It was a sudden, but nice, transition from the sweltering heat. He breathed in deeply, taking in the apple scented air and ridding his olfactory bulbs of the smell of burning flesh and smoke. He opened his eyes and unclenched his jaw. He looked into a large orchard of apple trees that were bathed in the beautiful moonlight, crimson apples gleaming against the pale glow.
His mother came to mind.
He felt his hooves quiver on the ground, throwing his balance off as a tsunami of saddness washed over him. he hit the ground as wave after wave of salty tears gushed from his eyes. He lie there, quivering in an ocean of solitude for the rest of the night.
Author's Note
This is NOT the fanfiction that I mentioned in my blog, if you have not already figured that one out. I just had this chapter written before I had the second one for En Taro, Equestria written, so I decided to go ahead and upload it. I hope you enjoy this one, lol. It's going to be my first mystery fic. Anywho, tell me if I messed up and I shall fix the mistakes immediately! And Stay Brony, my friends.
A New Beginning In Old Passions
"Whoa..." The white Unicorn said softly. "What happened next?" She asked as Dust Star absentmindedly downed another drink.
"I think he needs a break, Vinyl." A timid, yellow Pegasus said from the side. Though, now she was more comforting than demure. "He needs some rest..." She said as Dust Star downed another drink.
"And a break from that." The blue Alicorn said, "Besides, I must return to my royal duties."
"How did you get out of those in the first place?" Vinyl questioned.
"In case you have not noticed, it is almost dusk. I do not work during my sisters daylight." Luna said and excused herself with a teal flash, only earning minor glances from the rest of the pub. The regulars had grown use to the Lunar Alicorns presence, as the four friends frequented the bar in the later hours of the day.
"You girls go ahead. We'll catch up." Fluttershy spoke. Vinyl and Octavia both knocked back their last drink and stood up.
"Take care." Octavia's light Germaneian accent found Dust's ears.
"Yeah, and I look forward to the rest of your story. Have a good night, Dust." The white Unicorn said.
"Wif how mush I drank, I'm more worried about the morning." Dust Star slurred, a pink tint across his cheeks. Vinyl laughed as she and Octavia walked towards the door of the bar.
"Good luck with that one!" Vinyl shouted as she flung the door open.
"Cute couple." Fluttershy commented to the distant Dust Star. But that caught his attention. He furrowed his brow in confusion and looked over at the timid Pegasus.
"Couple?" He asked.
"Yes." She nodded, then raised a questioning eyebrow of her own at him.
"Oh? You didn't know? I'm sorry..." She said, trying to hide behind her mane.
"No... It's fine though. Not your fault." He said and sat his last drink back down. "How did you know?" He asked.
"It's a little obvious... You lived with Octavia and her parents for most of you colthood after the incident and have been great friends with the two for years. How do you not know?" She asked, inciting a small shrug from Dust Star. “Which also begs the question… Is what happened to your parents your reason for you becoming a detective? I mean, here in Ponyville, it’s not that much of a career…” She said, causing the dusty stallion to look at her, stopping with a moment of silence.
"How long?" He asked.
“Um… What?” Fluttershy timidly asked.
“Have they been together?” He asked, clarifying his question as well as avoiding the yellow mares.
"Um... They were always close friends, but I don't think that they were together until a few months ago. When Vinyl moved in with Octavia." She answered, clearly not having the courage to pursue her inquiries.
"Ah." Was his simple reply. "I think that Luna wash right." He said and threw a back of bits at the bar stallion, who expertly caught it.
"Hey," His thick, Bostallion accent cut the air, "Not that I'm complainin', but what's all this for?"
"Your troubles and sorrows!" Dust Star replied in a loopy manner.
"Hey, Shy. It'd be good ta get him outta here." The bar stallion said with a smile, trying not to be rude.
"Oh, yes sir." She replied quickly and grabbed Dust Star's hoof. He looked up into Fluttershy's teal gaze before she spoke gently to him. "You go ahead. I'll catch up." He opened his mouth to protest, but couldn't fight Fluttershy's soft gaze in his drunken stupor. Then again, he couldn't fight it sober either.
"O-Okay." He said and got up, stumbled, regained his balance, and ambled through the door and into the setting sun.
"Listen, I don't mean to be rude, but I think Star might have a problem." He said. Fluttershy raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, no no no."
"Yes, Shy. I know you don't want to believe it, but listen, you know as well as I do that this ain't good for him." The Unicorn said and levitated the back of bits back to her, along with a card that had 'AA' across it.
"Why are you?" Fluttershy asked.
"Just because I'm from Bostallion don't mean that I'm a jerk." He chuckled, "I won't steal from no drunk. Besides, our nightly princess payed in advance." He shrugged with a smile. Though Fluttershy saw straight through the lie, she held her tongue. She just thought it best to not look a gift horse in the mouth, so to speak.
"Thank you." She said, causing him to wave a nonchalant hoof.
"Forget about it! Now, these streets ain't tha safest for a lone, drunken detective." He winked. Fluttershy nodded in understanding and stored the bits, along with the small card, in her saddlebag as she walked towards the door. "And Shy?" The green Unicorn called. She turned back towards him. "Take care of yourself and Dust, alright?" She gave him a gentle smile before replying.
"Of course." She lightly nodded and exited the bar, finding Dust Star's silhouette struggling to keep upright as he staggered up the street. Fluttershy smiled and trotted up beside him, helping him stay upright
"Hey, Flushershy?" He slurred, inciting a cute giggle from the buttery Pegasus.
"Hm?" She answered.
"Thank you." He said, causing her to smile shyly.
"You're welcome." She said.
"Not jus for that. For everything ya've done for me." Dust Star suddenly stumbled, losing balance and almost face-planting on the dirt road. Luckily, from years of animal care-taking, Fluttershy's reflexes had improved. She caught him, or at least tried too. Dust Star's naturally heavier male body pulled the butter yellow Pegasus down the hill with him. They tumbled down said incline with multiple 'oofs' and 'eeps'. When they reached the bottom with a crash, Dust dazedly rolled his eyes until they managed to focus on the yellow face below him. Though, now it was more crimson than anything.
"I-I-I-I'm s-s-so sorry!" She stuttered out. Dust Star looked at her softly and smiled.
"It's alright... You look wonderful in this light." He muttered, his voice laced with infatuation.
Behind her mane, Fluttershy was blushing fiercely.
"S-S-Star... You-You're drunk." She said, still frozen in place.
"But I'm not that drunk." He said, his voice sounding oddly sober to her for a second.
“Dusty…” She breathed, using the nickname she once had given him.
“Heh, heh. Been a long time since you called me that.” He chuckled, reminiscing back to their time as a couple. Fluttershy only blushed deeper, her voice barely audible at this point.
“Mhm” Was her only sound, the situation being much too awkward for the mare to bear.
“Ya know, I kinda miss those times…” He trailed off, searching deeper into her eyes as he leaned toward her muzzle. Fluttershy took a deep breath as well, closing her eyes and leaning forward slightly. She was surprised when, instead of kissing her, he became deadweight. His head slumped passed hers and there was a gentle snoring that took hold of the dusty stallion. She smiled lightly and whispered in his ear,
“Goodnight… Dusty.” She said. She began to struggle to get him on her back, but eventually got it. He was a lighter stallion, mostly due to the, to Fluttershy, appealing fact that he worked out quite a bit, so it was easier for her to carry him. At least down the road to his apartment. She walked in and turned the light on, moving him through the sparsely decorated living room to his bedroom that would give Rarity a heart attack, should she ever see it. It was all white, nothing else being even a shade lighter or darker. There was only one furnishing amidst the sea of white, and that was a small, full sized mattress without any sort of support. Just a plain mattress with white sheets. She placed him on his small bed and tucked him under the covers like she would a tired foal, then layed next to the unconscious stallion, thinking about all that had transpired that night.
She smiled gently, rolling over and staring at the stark room’s walls. She finally knew the truth of why he was so interested in the field of homicide, which, as she could tell by her barren surroundings, was not a very profitable career. She mulled over what had happened after they had left the bar, deciding how she would tell him, if she would tell him, if he did not remember. That night, Fluttershy dreamt of what would have been between her and Dust Star, harboring a love that the stallion was oblivious to. She slept well.
Author's Note
Well it's finally off of hiatus, lol. Enjoy! And like always, tell me if I missed anything! Stay Brony, my friends.
