Ponies cursed, shouted, and dodged as a purple, cornflower blue, and golden blur sped past them at impossible speed. She always was the fastest thing on four hooves as one could get, though the unicorn was willing to trade her horn for wings right now. She couldn't stand being late- it was her number one pet peeve.
She crashed into a Solar Guard standing by the front gate of the Canterlot castle.
“Are you alright, Miss Midnight?” he asked the frantic mare after he recovered.
“I'm fine, thank you very much.” She smiled,”I'm late, I need to see the Princesses as soon as possible.”
“Ok Miss Midnight, you may pass.” The guardspony said.
Once she was in the castle, Melodious Midnight navigated the well-known hallways straight to the throne room, and opened the doors slowly.
Celestia and Luna were rarely both up at the same time if it wasn't a specific celebration or holiday, and neither were they prepared for the creak of the door opening, penetrating the eerie silence between the two sisters and their individual guards. A tentative purple head sporting a blue and deep purple ponytail and luminous golden eyes popped out from behind the door. Even though Melodious has worked for the Royal Sisters since she was but a young filly, The princesses still intimidated her.
“Hello Melodious. You're a little late today.” stated Celestia.
“I'm deeply sorry Princess. I got a little distracted practicing..” admitted Melodious, blushing a little bit from embarrassment. “But I've written and am able to play the theme for the next Summer Sun Celebration!” she cheerily said.
“Then feel free to enlighten us with your music, young one,” Luna said
Melodious took off the strap of the flute case with her magic. The case itself was soon bathed in a silvery light and opened, the instrument parts putting themselves together under the influence of the unicorn's magic. With a practiced roll, the flute met her lips and Melodious began to play.
The music itself had a sort of royal feel to it. The sort of feel that makes you believe you are superior to the entire world. As soon as that atmosphere arrived, it left, replaced by softer tones played so delicately that even breathing might break the notes. The Princesses were both completely enthralled in the music's trance that they didn't notice it ended for five minutes.
“Well then, I believe that will be our music this year. Do you agree, Luna?”
“Very much so, Tia.”
“Well thank you, Melodious. You have once again crafted a fine piece of music and surpassed our expectations,” Celestia beamed, “We shall call upon you again soon.”
“It is fully my pleasure, Your Highness,” Melodious said, bowing and then exiting the room.
As soon as the doors were closed, Melodious hoof-pumped and whispered, "Yes!" To herself.
Music was no laughing matter to Melodious. She was a professional and worked for the princesses for most of her life. Now at age 21, she thought it would only be a landslide down from her current position. From what happened today, she didn't have doubts anymore. She was the princesses' private composer.
When Melodious got home, the first thing she did was place her beloved flute up on a rack. She cooked a simple supper for two, mushroom steak with mashed potatoes and daisies, as she anticipated her fiance soon.
Her fiance was a musician, too- and neither of them are well known throughout Equestria. Her fiance, Jazzy Jam, is an average height unicorn stallion with a bluish-grey coat, a charcoal black mane, lime eyes, and a cutie mark of a curvy music staff with a saxophone front and foremost- his cutie mark going along with Melodious's cresent eighth note mark.
When Jazzy Jam got home, Melodious waited in the corner of the kitchen. Jazzy knew she was home somewhere, when all of a sudden...
Melodious tackled him in a hug, surprising him.
"OH WHAT THE-"
His sentence was cut short when she kissed him, both of them feeling how affectionate they were to one another when Jazzy broke the kiss.
"Melody, you scared the crap out of me!" Jazzy semi-fumed.
"Sorry Jazzy, and the suprises don't stop there! I made your favorite tonight." Melodious countered.
"Nice. What's the occasion?" Jazzy asked suspiciously.
"Oh nothing..It's just that my music is going to be played at the Summer Sun Celebration, is all." Melodious said jokingly.
"Really Melody?" Jazzy squeaked, "They liked it?"
"They loved it!" the purple unicorn confirmed.
2 hours later, after the excitement died down and the engaged couple ate, Melodious and Jazzy started discussing wedding plans for next week.
"What should our theme be?" Jazzy questioned his fiance.
"I think the answer is obvious here. Music!" Melodious quipped.
"Music is actually a preset package, so that covers the cake, the treats, the decorations, and the invitations. You can choose your dress, Melody, and I can choose my tux. We can also pick between styles of cake." Jazz said,"The music preset also has a choice of weddng rings. I'm eyeing the treble clef.. You?"
"I'm liking the full staff ring." she said.
"Well there's a compromise. There's a wedding ring that is a musical staff with treble clefs on it. Agreed?"
"Agreed." Melodious confirmed, "But right now, I'm taking a shower."
The unicorn walked into the bathroom and got the water running. Once it was hot, she let her hair down and stepped in. To feel the water cascade down her back was a feeling like no other after a stressful day, and Melodious couldn't help but sigh in relief. After she got out, she dried her wet mane with a towel and used her silvery magic to fix it back into its ponytail.
"Hey Melody," Jazzy said upon seeing her exit the bathroom, "Ready for bed?"
"You bet," The worn out unicorn said, and climbed into the bed with Jazzy.
Melodious was finally able to relax as the lights went out.
Author's Note
I don't really expect this to be big, as it is my first chapter of my first story. Clearing something up- If my grammar is off for you, it's just the way I was raised to speak.
Before quetions pop up, yes, the main character is my avatar.
Comments are appreciated.
-JoBrony
“Melody...Melody? You awake?” Jazzy asked, “I've got breakfast ready for us.”
“Good morning Jazzy. What time is it?”
“About a quarter till seven,” Jazzy answered, “Not really late.”
“It doesn't matter anyway, I don't have anything planned for today, except for going to see your jazz band this afternoon. Ten bits says that trumpet Half Note will miss!” Said Melodious jokingly.
“Don't bet on a guaranteed thing!” Jazzy countered back.
They ate in semi silence, that exception being the clink of silverware on plates and the occasional giggle from Melodious. Jazzy could tell she had something up her sleeve, but when he asked her about it, she innocently asked,”What do you mean, surprise?” And walked off.
While Jazzy got a shower, Melodious got a bag full of bits and wrote a note to leave on the bed.
When Jazzy emerged from the bathroom he found a white note with a purple crescent eighth note on their bed. He read-
“I'll be back soon, I'm going shopping. ~Melodious”
Thinking back on it Jazzy should have known she wouldn't return with groceries. Instead, when she walked through the door she had a case strapped onto her back. It wasn't her flute case. Or her violin case.
It was a saxophone case.
Jazz was in awe as she let the case thump very lightly to the ground. He stood there, staring with wide eyes.
“Go ahead. Open it up!” The purple unicorn said excitingly.
Jazzy did as instructed, and nearly fainted at what was inside. A brand new saxophone- the most expensive one on the market(a grand total of 56,000 bits)-with the name 'Jazzy Jams' engraved on the side. The saxophone was a solid platinum beauty, with a new box of the highest quality reeds and the best cork grease there is. Jazzy was crying at the sheer look of it.
Melodious smirked at first, but then her face fell as she heard him crying, and her eyes filled with concern and curiosity.
“Do you not like it, Jazzy?”
Jazzy then got up as fast as lightning and kissed her so tenderly that she buckled her knees and feel to the ground, breaking the kiss.
“Melody... it's...it's.. absolutely gorgeous....” Jazzy breathed, “How much was this?”
“56,000 bits, Jazzy.” Melodious said, unsure.
“What?! Why would you spend that much money on me?”
“I'll tell you later Jazzy. First, you need to go to your performance.”
On the way there, Jazzy kept pestering his fiance about the saxophone, which he will play with that night. The entire time there she just smiled and didn't tell Jazzy anything.
When they got there, Jazzy headed behind the stage while Melodious had her mind on the audience. Jazzy reserved her a front row seat.
After a while, the band gathered on stage and began playing, much to Melodious's delight. Jazzy was right in the center of the band and everypony was gazing at the name 'Jazzy Jams' engraved in italics across the front, then the audience heard the music.
The music had a swinging, energetic feel to it. Then the music tone faded, and played a soft swinging low jazz and then the music faded until they weren't playing anymore. The audience, Melodious included, stomped loudly in applause. There was something wrong. Jazzy could barely breathe. Jazzy looked down at his fiance, hoping she saw what was wrong. Noticing her fiance's behavior, Melodious saw that he looked exhausted.
A little..too exhausted...
All Jazzy saw was Melodious rushing onto the stage with fear in her eyes before everything went black.
Jazzy woke up to the steady beep of a heart monitor and a pony he'd never seen before. She had a light gray or white coat, a pink mane, and light blue eyes.
She was talking to another pony which she couldn't see. She was saying something about somepony hitting his head and how they had to get him under care immediately, or something like that. Her voice sounded weird. It was echoing. All the sounds he was hearing had the same effect and seemed to be getting distant...quieter..and soon he cared less about what he was seeing.
Then everything was black again.
–
Nurse Redheart walked out of the room, almost bumping into an anxious Melodious.
“I've figured out what happened, Miss Midnight. He was stressed out, due to his performance, and it triggered an asthma attack. When he collapsed, he hit his head pretty hard, leaving him in a short comatose state. He should be up in about three days, or so we believe, according to previous patients with the same issue.” Nurse Redheart stated, much to Melodious's relief.
“Oh, thank Celestia!”
Meanwhile:
Princess Celestia's ears perked. She rolled her eyes in annoyance.
Back at the hospital:
“You can visit him if you wish, but be careful.”
“Ok, Nurse Redheart.”
Melodious walked in, and what she saw was a nearly unharmed Jazzy. He wasn't bruised at all, except for one terrible spot on his forehead that was the angriest shade of purplish-black that a bruise could be. The purple unicorn's head hurt just looking at it. She slowly walked to Jazzy's bed and kissed him on the snout before turning and leaving.
When she got home, she cooked supper as she usually did, bathed like she usually did, and went to bed as she usually did. The one thought in her head is 'He'll be fine! No worries.'
–
“You shouldn't have her. She's too perfect- look at her! She works for the Royal Sisters for god's sake! You...You're just a lowly nopony that can barely pay your rent each month. By some miracle you got her to date you. Do you really think she'll fall in love with you?”
“You're wrong, she does love me! Do you see the way she looks at me? How she talks to me?”
“That look is out of pity. Why did think she got you that saxophone? OUT OF PITY!!”
“NO!”
– A few days later –
Melodious was bored out of her mind as she was waiting there in the hospital. She wanted to see Jazzy again.
She was about to doze off when she heard hooves clopping on the linoleum floor. The unicorn was up in a flash.
“Miss Midnight? He's woken up.”
