Taken Love

"Delta we're on in five." Splitz said.

"Yeah, I know. I'll be out." Delta said, throwing the picture of his former wife away.

Seeing the sad face on his brother, Splitz decided it was best they perform somewhere else. "Look, I know the divorce killed you, Delta. We should cancel tonight's concert and wait to perform in Ponyville."

"No. Canterlot needs this music, and Celestia will be here. Performing for Princess Celestia would be such an opportunity I can't let slip through my hooves. We're singing tonight, Splitz."

"Okay then. Lets give Celestia the best performance ever. Shall we hit the stage, brother?" Splitz said.

"Yeah. Grab your guitar." Delta said, sliding on his sunglasses.

After a beautiful performance, Delta decided to pack his things into his train and head to Ponyville ahead of his band. Leaving a note on their door, he left for Canterlot Station.

"One-way ticket to Ponyville." Delta said to the ticket manager. Just then, his brother burst through the station door.

"Delta, what the hay?! Why are you going ahead? We don't leave for another three days."

"I know, and I want you and the others to stay here in Canterlot. I want to go into Ponyville alone for a bit. Is that okay my demanding little brother?"

Splitz hesitated a bit, worrying about leaving his brother alone. "Okay, but be careful on the way down. No bars and no mares, Delta. We don't need another fight."

"Splitz, I can handle myself." Delta said, giving his brother a hug. "See you in Ponyville."

"Yeah, I better not have to bail you out of jail when I get there." Splitz said, chuckling. "See you later, bro."

On that Delta got into the train and was off for Ponyville.

Delta was born in Las Pegasus a few years before Splitz. His father ran a few casinos and was very wealthy. He tried to raise Delta and Splitz as well kept ponies, but they were too energetic and wanted adventure. Delta was twelve when he started singing. He met a mare in middle school he liked and decided to ask her out through a song. He wrote a song, but thought it sounded bad as a classical tune, which was what he was raised on, so he gave it a pop. He had Splitz sing a backup part and made him play a guitar, which Splitz excelled in greatly. The mare loved the song, but the relationship wasn't long lasting. Delta wasn't too surprised. After that day, Delta began to write songs. With Splitz as a backup singer and guitarist, they sounded great together.

They began to sing in front of their house, attracting a lot of attention from neighbors. They were greatly known in their neighborhood as 'Delta and Splitz'. When thy went into high school, they met their drummer, Dusty, and bass player, Delirious. They both weren't into classical music and joined Delta, making the band's name change to 'Delta's Quartet'. They played at school concerts, becoming popular in the high school setting.

Enjoying the attention, Splitz brought up the idea to add two more backup singers to the group. Delta, loving the idea, agreed and began to look around for ponies with vocal talent. He ran into Boppy Bits in the food court of the high school. Bop was singing one of the tunes Delta's band performed at their last concert. Delta loved the deep voice and pulled him into the band. Then Splitz ran into Jitzy, a player in the school's band. Turns out he had more singing skill than cello skill. It took a while for Splitz to convince Jitzy to join, but he eventually agreed. They were then known as 'Delta and the Six Stallions.'

They continued their music career after graduation, eventually getting invitations to play at cinemas all around Equestria. This made Delta very egotistical. He thought a lot of himself and his band. That was the only thing he really cared for. That and booze. After his concerts, the band would celebrate at a tavern or club. Delta drank heavily and it really effected him. When he drank a lot, the slightest thing would set him aflame.

After a very successful concert in Manehatten, Delta and his band went to a club. Delta was drunk within an hour or so, and Splitz began to realize this and tried to get Delta to leave. Only problem was that Delta was nowhere to be seen. Splitz got worried and looked through every inch of the club. He went to the bathroom and found Delta fighting another stallion. Delta slammed the stallion's head against the wall as Splitz stopped the fight. Delta fought Splitz, but Splitz calmed his brother down before things got physical between them. Splitz looked at the injured stallion on the floor. He had woken, but he was beaten beyond being able to make it home. Splitz went to the nearest payphone and got the stallion to the hospital. Delta was put in jail for six months on assault charges. When Delta was released, he immediately saw his band waiting for him at the gates. They gave him some fresh clothes and songs to consider singing.

Delta continued his singing career, laying off the drinks, and his band was reborn. At their third concert, Delta met a mare named Shimmer. He adored her for her kindness and beauty. They eventually hooked up and got married. They were inseparable, except when Delta went on stage. They lived a happy life for a few years, but Delta got his drinking habit up again. Shimmer didn't like it when Delta drank, but decided to keep quiet. She stayed quiet until Delta nearly took off someones head with a bar stool. Shimmer grabbed his hoof before he swung. He turned and looked at her with pure rage in his eyes. He bucked Shimmers back legs, knocking her to the floor. He slammed the stool over her back with all his might. Thankfully the bar stool was cheap, but it still hurt Shimmer badly. She was sent to the hospital and everyone shook their heads at Delta as he passed them.

Delta tried to save his relationship with his wife, but it was no use. She didn't want to live with a drunk mess like Delta. She divorced him as soon as she was released from the hospital. Delta was sent into a long pit of stress and vowed not to drink again. His band questioned if he would keep to his vow.

The ride to Ponyville was long, but Delta slept most of the way. About three hours before he arrived, he woke up to a rainbow-maned figure pass the train at sonic speeds. "Ah!" Delta yelled. "What in Celestia's name was that?!"

"More like who, darling." came a Canterlot voice in the seat across from Delta. "That's Rainbow Dash. She enjoys a good fly once in a while. I'm Rarity."

"Delta. Delta Star. I'm lead singer in Delta and the Six Stallions. You ever heard?" Delta asked.

Rarity's face just lit up. She was riding with one of her favorite band's lead singer. "Of course I know who you are!! You sing some of my favorite songs!"

"Well, somepony who likes my music. I'm sorry, but classical didn't cut it for me as a kid. Thank you for the appreciation, but I am not feeling the best and need some rest, if you don't mind." Delta said.

"But of course. I'll wake you when we reach Ponyville."

"Thanks, again." Delta said, closing his eyes. He felt a tug on his wing and looked down at a filly.

"Can I have your autogwaph?" The filly said.

Delta smiled and pulled out his quill and wrote his signature on the small photo of himself in the filly's hoof. "There, kid. My next show is in Ponyville in a few days."

"Awesome! Mom! I got Delta Star's autogwaph!" the filly said, running to his seat.

Delta smiled and saw that Ponyville was still a ways away. Delta, feeling emotionally exhausted, tried to get some shut eye again. He finally got comfortable and drifted off to sleep.

"Ponyville station!" the conductor yelled.

"Delta, darling, we're here." Rarity said.

"Hmm? Oh okay." Delta said, standing up. He grabbed his luggage and proceeded to a motel, just across the street from the train station. He entered it and walked up to the reception desk. "Room for one. One week, under the name Delta Star."

"Will that be all, sir?" the receptionist asked.

"Yes, thank you." Delta replied. He went to his room and unpacked.. I might as well practice a bit. He began to sing a few of his popular songs to himself as he got ready for bed. After about a half an hour of singing, people began to crowd his door. He then stopped and closed it, locking it in the process. The people were disappointed, but he didn't care. He continued to sing until he was fully ready for bed. At about eleven he began to drift off. He had to think of what to do for three days until the concert.

"Uh, R-Rainbow? W-will you go out with me? Oh forget this." Twilight said to a picture of Rainbow Dash, as if she'd get a response out of it. Nothing. Twilight began to cry. For months she's really wanted to ask Rainbow Dash out, but she was nervous about the negative attention of being a fillyfooler. "Spike, help me. I don't know what to do. I feel like an idiot talking to a picture of Rainbow Dash!" Twilight said, breaking out in tears.

Spike, seeing his friend crying, wrapped around her neck, hugging her until her crying subsided. "Twilight, you've been at it for weeks. You have to tell her soon. She's been looking around, you know. Rainbow Dash doesn't want to be alone anymore, either. Go talk to her. I'm sure she'll say yes." Spike said, reassuring that Twilight had a chance.

"You're right. Give me a few days. I need to figure out the perfect time to ask her." Twilight said. She decided it was time for bed, since it was getting late. Tomorrow would bring another day.

Delta woke up peacefully the next day. He rose from his bed and put on a suit and his bow tie. He always liked to dress nice, especially in public. He walked out of his room and downstairs and saw a couple getting a room. The mare had a leg around her stallions neck, and the stallion laughed and kissed his mate. This made Delta feel alone and sad, like he'd been feeling in the past weeks. "Ugh. I want someone to call 'mate'. Someone to hug and kiss." Delta said to himself. He walked outside and looked around and saw a library just down the road. He decided to look into stress relief books. He started to sing Long Way from Your Love. One of his slower songs. He passed the pony, now he knew as Rainbow Dash, and she was kicking a cloud away. She flipped her mane out of her face and met eyes with Delta, who was looking right at her. "Hey up there. You sure do keep this place looking good!" Delta said to Rainbow Dash, adding charm in his voice.

"Oh. Thanks. Wait...I know you. You're Delta Star! I love your music! I heard you play at a Wonderbolt Show a few months back. Where are you headed?" Dash asked.

"The library. I was going to get some books on stress relief. I recently divorced and I've been down lately." Delta said, putting back his tears. Dash came down from the sky and stood next to him.

"Hey. That mare is stupid to let go of someone like you. I have the perfect solution to your problem. Lets go to Sugarcube Corner and get something sweet to eat." Dash said.

"What's that?" Delta asked, having not been to Ponyville for a long time.

"A place to go if you crave sweets and a dentist appointment. It's a really good place, I'll introduce you to Pinkie Pie, the cook." Dash said, meeting eyes with Delta again. The two turned around and headed in the direction of Sugarcube Corner.

"See, now that isn't that a good milkshake? Tell me about yourself, Delta, and what happened with your wife, if that's not asking much." Dash requested.

Delta didn't want this kind mare to be troubled with his past, so left out the parts about getting drunk and made up a story on why he got divorced. "....and that is that." Delta said to Dash.

"Wow. You had a cool childhood. Only things I'm know for is my loyalty and awesomeness! Not to mention I'm in the Wonderbolt Reserves. I also hold the element of loyalty, one of six elements of harmony that protect Equestria." Dash said. She began to tell Delta about all the cool things she's done and Delta listened to every bit of it. He liked Rainbow Dash's personality and he decided to write her a song to "woo her."

"I'll get the tab. Listen I have to get ready for my concert. I'll tell my bouncer to let you and anyone with you in for free, in the front, of course." Delta said, again adding charm in his voice. "I'll see you around sometime. The concert's in two days, seven at night that day. Have a nice day, Rainbow Dash." Delta said, leaving the five bits for the milkshakes. He winked in Dash's direction, put his sunglasses on, and flew toward the hotel.