Most stories start with a beginning. On occasion, they even end with a beginning. My story begins with an end.
Trottingham had been such a wonderful place, but I knew I could never return. Everypony there probably hated me by now if the police weren't after me. My whole Orchestra wanted nothing to do with me, my girlfriend dumped me, hay there was even an occasional pony in the streets willing to throw rotten fruit at me. I never did figure out why they were carrying rotten fruit around with them in the streets though...
The rain was heavy and i had no umbrella. If I were a Unicorn I could have cast some sort of shield, but I was stuck with my near worthless wings. I had never been the strongest flier, something my classmates constantly reminded me of, and the storm certainly wouldn't help my situation. Not to mention I'd be carrying the weight of... Oh yeah I left my cello back in town... A carriage passed by splashing me with water soaking me deeper than... Can a sobbing pegasus who's been walking out in the rain, make that a storm, for 8 hours straight be soaked any deeper? Seriously, did I make an enemy of the entire weather team? It wouldn't have surprised me with my luck...
At least I was approaching a town... I could see it on the horizon... So... Cold... I wonder if I were to pass out here how long it would take someone from town to find me...
Getting Off on the Wrong Hoof
The Trottingham Fashion show had been sub-par. Honestly, Rarity wondered if her element had been sleeping around when she heard as much applause as she did. No matter. She was on her way back to Ponyville now and soon she could flop down on her bed and fall asleep after her long trip. Wait, something was amiss... Rarity's fashion sense was alerting her to a small catastrophe in the immediate area!
"Driver! Pull over!"
As the carriage slowed to a stop, Rarity pulled on her boots to protect her feet and stepped out in full investigation mode, "I have to find the source of this feeling before its source makes a total fool of themselves! We're not that far from Ponyville and if these readings are correct-"
"Miss Rarity, you might like to see this."
"What could it possibly be? Can't you tell I'm- Oh dear..." What Rarity's eyes filled with pity as she looked down on the Cyan pegasus passed out on the side of the road. He didn't appear to have been there long, seeming a bit skinny but nowhere into the starvation range, but he seemed pretty worse for wear. He was wearing violet shades that were missing a lens, and his green and violet mane was in absolute shambles. His wings were covered in mud and... Were those bruises? He had a bass clef cutie mark, but she couldn't spot an instrument anywhere nearby, or any sort of pack for that matter... He wasn't from Ponyville, that's for sure, but... This road didn't lead anywhere for hours and hours of travel... Had he been walking all night with no provisions? Trying to prod him awake, she gently cooed, "Excuse me sir are you alright?"
He didn't even twitch.
Oh my he couldn't be dead could he??? Rarity quickly leaned in to check his pulse, but he suddenly jumped to his feet, prompting both Rarity and the Driver to recoil in surprise.
"W-where am I? Who are you? For the last time I didn't do it!" Shouted the previously unconscious stallion, "er I mean I have no idea what you're talking about..."
Rarity could only stutter in surprise, "W-we found you b-by the side of the s-side of the road just now... We were worried about you..."
"Worried about me? Now that's a tune I haven't heard since... Where is this anyway?"
"Well how could we not be worried! You looked almost dead. And the town right there is called Ponyville."
Finally seeming to have regained his faculties from being unconscious, he uttered in a much smoother voice, "Ponyville eh? Then you must be the world famous beauty Rarity herself."
Giggling, Rarity responded, "Oh surely I'm not thaaaaaaat famous."
The stallion took as step back in shock. I've been using that pickup line for years... Maybe next time I should make sure I'm not addressing the genuine article...
"Um... Are you alright, mister..."
Quickly recovering yet again, "Allegro! Mister Vivo Allegro! You've probably never heard of a lowly musician like me, but," walking around to check his savior's cutie mark, producing another astonished stutter, "I-I've sure as hay heard of the Bearer of Generosity herself!"
Rarity smiled, "Well then, Mister Allegro, care to accompany me back to town or should I leave you to your nap?"
"You mean it? Oh I'd love a ri- er... surely a lady of your status can't be seen with a filthy scoundrel like me!" noticing the mud that covered him for the first time. Rarity mused that this must not have been the first time he had woken up in such an undignified manner.
"Nonsense. Now shake yourself off and get in the carriage."
