Grey.
Shelly was cold.
Which was strange because she thought it was a nice day today. From where she stood, she could peer out the window in the distance and look beyond it to see the bright, shiny day that would befall the ponies outside. She had never felt the sun, never once had she felt the golden radiance splash against her frame. Shelly wasn't all too fussed about that, she could do without the sun, she was perfectly okay with that. It was only when night fell that she felt a tugging want for the day but she was okay. It was nice in the music store.
Shelly never moved and she never was moved. At least, not for a very, very long time. She stood where she always did, held firmly in place by the same rack she was placed in so, so long ago. She looked to her right, there stood a grand golden harp that towered above her. Once upon a time, she had marveled at the sight but they had stood side by side for so long that his presence had lost it's novelty. That isn't to say she was upset to see him. Henry the harp was her friend, after all even though she felt he was placed there to outshine her.
"Slow day, huh?" Henry asked her.
"Yeah. It's too quiet." She answered, a little somber.
"You really don't like the quiet, do you?"
"No. I don't."
"Well, it makes sense. Alex is gone." Another voice piped up. Shelly turned in the direction of the sound, finding Tina looking at her from across the room. She was a triangle that hung on the wall behind the counter of the store. She would always be the last to wave those who were chosen to leave off. Shelly thought she was the wisest of them all.
Shelly stared at , surprised. "The snare drum? He got..?"
"Yep."
"But...but what about the rest of the kit? What about Brian, Veronica and-"
"The pony only needed a snare drum."
"Oh...that's too bad, then..."
"Bah. Good riddance , I say." If Shelly had eyes, they would promptly rolling at the sound of the new voice. The all too familiar pompous tones of Thomas. Thomas was a grand piano and he was the only instrument in the entire store she wished to be taken away. Shelly thought that kind of mean but Thomas was mean. Thomas was just mean. "I couldn't stand that blasted noise he made."
"And I can't stand the blasted noise you're making." Tina said, flatly.
"Please, you're just jealous because you can only make one sound." Thomas practically grinned. "I on the other key-"
"Are a pompous bloody git that should learn when to shut up. Those fancy buttons o' yours don't make ya better than the rest of us." Shelly turned to Jack the acoustic guitar. He stood adjacent from her in his stand and her eyes traveled up the curvature of his body briefly, admiring his colour and how shiny his pick-guard was. He caught her glance and smiled at her. She giggled a little, blushing.
"Hmph. I wouldn't expect someone as rustic as you to understand the class and elegance of-"
"Shut up, Thomas." Tina said abruptly. It was sort of a silent understanding between the instruments. Tina was the wisest, they all agreed. Thomas included albeit hesitantly. He looked away from Jack and grunted, not saying another word.
Shelly looked to the ground, visibly deflated. "So...Alex is really gone, huh?"
"Yep." Henry answered.
Shelly didn't know what else to say. She hoped he had a good home now and was played all the time. "Good for him.."
"Maybe he won't be so dusty anymore, eh?" Shelly looked up, seeing Javier the maraca peaking just over his shelf.
"Mas de lo que se puede decir para nosotros." Shelly rolled her eyes. That was Javier's brother, Emilio. The two of them had come from a land she didn't know but only one of them spoke a language she could understand. "He said 'more than what can be said for the rest of us'." Javier explained.
"Yes, quite." Thomas spoke up.
"Yeah, just look around." Jack said, a flicker of sadness in his twangy voice. "We're all getting a bit dusty."
It was true, ever since the day they had all come together in the store. It wasn't uncommon to see days go by without a single pony walking inside and inspecting the goods. It was even less common for a pony to walk in and actually take something with them. Shelly some days wished some of her more untouched friends were at least be stolen from the store.
Shelly looked a bit more around the store, it was the same view every day but you never know when the last time you see a place will actually be the very last time you see it. It gave her slight hope and made her more than a little anxious.
"You alright, Shell'?" Henry asked her. She looked up at him and saw the concern in his strings. Most of her friends like Jack and Tina or even Simon the theremin, who stood quietly a little ways away could tell if she was feeling alright or not but Henry? Henry was different. They had been side by side for what felt like years to her and maybe that's really how long it had been. Really, he was just a bigger version of her and she couldn't help but consider him like family. She loved all her friends at the music store but Henry was special to her.
Shelly just smiled up at him. "No, I'm okay."
He seemed reassured at that. "You know, I've been wondering..."
"About what?" She asked.
"What does it feel like to be played?"
Shelly just stared at him. How did he not know? "What are you talking about, Treble always comes in and-"
"No, no. I don't mean getting tested or tuned. I mean...really...really played, you know?" Henry said, coming to just above a whisper.
"It's over-rated." Tina piped up, looking a little annoyed. Until her look softened. "But it's nice.."
"I've been played for real before. Ya know, before coming here." Jack spoke. "Little colt couldn't figure it out worth a nothing but...gotta say, it was mighty fine breaking in the ol' strings. Even if he kinda sucked."
"Sounds like it's wonderful to be played..." Shelly said, halfheartedly. She remembered how cold she felt just then.
"Oh, it is! It is!" Thomas exclaimed, excited. "My, when I was played, I was up on stage and I must say that pony was absolutely brilliant! The crowd completely loved me! I was drowning in appraise as they threw roses at-"
"Shut up, Thomas!" A new voice said. "A true instrument of greatness doesn't boast about his or her sound! A true instrument is meant to be an amplifier for their musician's soul. An instrument is meant to channel the heart and creativity of whoever's playing them, not try to outshine them. The bond between a pony and their instrument is sacred and will not be tarnished. Do I make myself clear?" This time, it was Cecelia the cello that had something to say. She sat in her rack, her matching bow placed proudly beside her.
Shelly was quiet but she was still smiling. Everyone but Thomas was. She was right. Tina may have been the wisest but Cecelia was definitely a close second. However, as her words sunk in, Shelly couldn't help but feel her smile fade.
"I've never been played before..." She said, sadly.
"Not once?" Henry asked her, concerned for her again.
"Never. I don't even really remember anything before this place. So even if I was, I wouldn't know.."
"It's okay, Shelly." Cecelia said, her voice was soft and comforting. Shelly forced out a smile.
"Well, I hope he cleans us soon, at least. I can feel my strings losing tone." Shelly said. As if on cue, they beheld a new but all too familiar face amongst them. Treble Clef was his name. He was fairly ordinary earth-pony and he was getting on in years. His once short black beard and mane were greying and becoming unkempt, matching his already grey fur. He looked them all over, all of her friends with a touch of sorrow in his eye. He looked tired, very tired.
"What're we going to do, guys?" He asked them. They all looked up at him, questioningly. He had never been like this before. Shelly felt the urge to speak up but held her tongue. That is, if she had a tongue. Once upon a time, she would often try to speak to the owner and was confused and hurt when he simply ignored. The other instruments let her know that he couldn't hear her. Their voices were mute to ponies. They could only speak to eachother.
Treble sat on his haunches and rubbed his eyes with a hoof. His fading yellow eyes looking more aged by the moment. "Nopony's coming in for lessons anymore so there goes half the business and the other half isn't looking too hot now, is it?"
Treble stares a little at Shelly. She stares back, somewhat praying that he could somehow tell that she was. He gives a slight exhale and stands up. "Well, better at least the clean the lot of you, huh?"
Shelly heard the front door opening with the sound of a bell ringing. Treble walked away to greet whoever had come inside, leaving her alone with her friends again. She didn't pay much attention to the conversation the ponies were having and instead turned to Henry. He looked down at her, looking rather deadpan.
"Think he'll forget to clean us?" He asked, sarcastically.
"Wouldn't be the first time." Jack said with a sigh. "Seriously, I need a case. I've had this darn kink in the neck forever now."
Shelly giggled.
"Look lively, everyone." Cecelia spoke up, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Let me know if you find what you're looking for." Treble politely said as a new pony was brought before them. A small filly, her coat was a dark grey and her slick, shiny mane was black as coal. Her bright violet eyes scanned the room before her, excitedly before she turned her head.
"These are wonderful, uncle!"
Shelly noticed that she didn't have her...what were they called again? The symbol on a pony's rump. Ponies were strange to her.
"Just be careful back there, Tavi'!" Treble shouted out of sight.
"I will!" Hollered the filly.
She walked down their aisle, eyeing each and everyone of them up. She came to a stop in front of her and Henry and stared, humming to herself. Oddly enough, Shelly felt herself sweating. That is, if she had sweat glands. She didn't know why she felt so anxious before this pony. The filly then shook her head and trotted along. Shelly breathed out a sigh, what had got her so worked up?
"Hey." Henry spoke up. She looked up at him. "Maybe next time, huh?" He gave her an encouraging look. Shelly just smiled weakly at him. She wasn't quite sure what she was feeling.
Idly, she watched the pony look amongst Jack, Tim the violin, Veronica the tuba, even going to inspect Samuel the saxophone. It seemed as though no instrument was good enough for the little pony. That was okay, it wouldn't be the first time. Shelly was about to call it there when the filly stopped and stared right at Cecelia. Shelly watched this and was surprised. Every other time a potential customer inspected her, she would keep her head held high and eyes straight, looking as presentable as possible. This time, with this little ash-coloured pony, she stared right back at her. There was something in that look she had that left Shelly in awe. The filly then spoke but Shelly couldn't hear her. She then saw Cecelia speak but again, she couldn't hear it. Confused, Shelly just stared, not really sure what to think.
Barely another second went by before the filly took Cecelia from her rack and took her bow in her hoof. The filly sat her down on the floor, adjusting her endpin and stood up on her hind legs, her opposite hoof reaching up and clamping down on Cecelia's strings.
Then it was like magic.
The pony gave Cecelia's strings a firm glide of her bow and it sounded horrible.
She gave it another go, placing her hoof higher up on Cecelia's neck. It sounded even worse.
But she beaming. There was a brilliantly wide, toothy grin on the little pony's face and she played the cello for what Shelly could only guess was the first time.
The little pony slid the bow over Cecelia's strings, over and over. A screeching symphony that slowly morphed into something else. Something...good. The filly had found on her own which strings to hold down, a task near impossible with hooves but she did it nonetheless. With each wave of the bow, she started to create something akin to music.
And Shelly the lyre was absolutely awestruck by it.
Treble came into view not too long after that with another pony, a mare this time. He had a knowing smile on his muzzle. "Found something you like?"
The filly nodded, beaming and the mare, rich with bright vibrant colours unlike the other two ponies wore an exasperated yet proud grin. "Alright, then."
Time seemed to slow as Cecelia the cello passed by the other instruments. If any of them had hands, they'd surely be waving. Cecelia was carried out and all Shelly could hear was her friends' farewells.
"Goodbye!"
"Good luck!"
"Don't forget to write!"
"I'll miss you!"
"We'll miss you, Cecelia!!"
Shelly just smiled. She was sad. Sad that her friend was being taken away. Cecelia gave her the same look and if she had eyes, there'd certainly be tears in them.
The mare paid for the filly's new cello and just like that, they were gone. Tina watched them leave like she always did and turned to Shelly with a sad smile, not saying a word.
Shelly heard a sniff.
"Thomas...are you crying?"
"No!"
Shelly was cold again today.
Except she knew why this time. The pain had started to numb away at least.
It happened this morning. Another small pony came into the store today. Shelly was a little excited, it had been so long since she had last seen Cecelia and she had hoped to see the same magic that she had seen that day. It was a colt this time. his fur was a bright orange, barely contrasting against his yellow mane and crimson eyes. He scampered in, excitedly. Shelly cringed a bit, he almost knocked over Jack when he ran up to the guitar.
"Can I get this one, dad?!" He asked as a grown stallion, coloured in the same fiery hues followed him around the store. Shelly never thought she'd see somepony look even more tired than Treble but this pony was absolutely buggered.
"It's a little pricey, Bolt. Is there anything else you'd like?" The stallion tried to force a smile. He walked over to Shelly and something compelled her to try and back away. Alas, she remained motionless. "Howabout this lyre?"
"What's a lyre?" The colt asked. Shelly scowled at him.
The stallion motioned towards Shelly and the colt stared at her. She felt uneasy under his critical gaze. "I don't really like it.."
"I don't like you either." Shelly remarked, earning a low chuckle from Henry.
"Looks like you dodged a bullet there, huh?" The harp joked. Shelly just looked up at Henry, flatly. That is, for all but two seconds before she let out a giggle.
She stopped giggling when she felt herself being lifted in the air. What?
The stallion picked her up and waved his hoof along her strings. For a moment, she liked being able to shake the dust off of them and make a pretty little sound but it was short lived. This wasn't the magic that she had seen with Cecelia, this was...this was nothing, really. The stallion offered her to the colt, gesturing for him to play her. Shelly nearly gagged when the smaller pony took her in his hooves and instead of gliding over her strings, he plucked them like she was a bloody daffodil. Shelly winced. She really did not like this kid but much to her horror, after a few more plucks, a smile came to his face.
"This is actually pretty cool." Shelly suddenly felt drained. Making such abrupt and shaky sound wore her out and there was a slight tugging pain in her strings. Still, she couldn't help but smile a little, albeit a little sadly as the colt took her up to Treble Clef.
She looked towards all her friends. They were waving her off with hopeful expressions, trying to offer encouraging smiles. "I guess this is it, huh?" She laughed slightly.
"Good luck, Shelly." Henry said, not really hiding how sorrowful he was feeling.
"Rock on, Shelly!" Jack offered, eliciting a heartier laugh out of her.
"Le doy una semana." Emilio remarked. A quick "shut up" from Javier keeping him silent.
Shelly looked up at Treble as she was presented and being paid for by the other stallion. The was something in his eye, a look of uncertainty as he hesitantly took the money. As Shelly was carried out of the store, she gave one look inside, seeing Tina waving her off, smiling without a word.
It was bright outside.
Shelly was in awe, she hadn't a single memory of being outside. It was breath-taking, everything she had imagined and more. The warm sunlight on her frame, her strings soaking it all up, making her practically glow. Maybe this won't be so bad, she thought. Maybe this here colt that now owned her will practice and become quite the talented little muso. The more the sun beamed down on her, the more she hoped and the happier she felt.
Shelly was so lost in her own little world that she didn't even notice when the stallion left or rather when the colt left him with her in tow. She looked down at the lively bright grass and around at the pastel buildings, she'd only seen such luscious colours from behind glass. She didn't think she'd ever be tired of the outside world with just how beautiful it all was.
Shelly took in a deep breath, a smile coming to her face-
tWAnGgggGgg!
And nearly choked.
Her strings, one by one were being stretched far further than they ever should have been by a pair of clumsy orange hooves. Shelly spluttered as her body contorted in ways she had never felt. Just what the hay was this colt doing to her?!
He sat on his haunches with a massive stupid grin on his face as he practically tortured her. Again and again, she was forced to create noise after horrible noise. She was thankful she didn't have ear else she was sure they'd be bleeding.
The colt laughed childishly but to her, it was the most maniacal thing she'd ever heard. Here she was suffering more than ever and he was laughing?
The laughing stopped.
And Shelly screamed.
All the sounds were nothing compared to the kind of hot, splitting pain she felt right then and there. In the colt's eagerness to produce as many noises as possible, not caring it sounded good or not. He plucked one of her strings just a little too hard for it handle and with a resounded snap. Her seventh string broke. She only had six now. Shelly started to cry, staring at the flimsy piece nylon hanging uselessly off her bridge.
TWANG!
"AHH!!"
Shelly's eyes opened abruptly, she screamed again as the colt continued to abuse the rest of her strings as if what just happened was nothing to worry about. Shelly began to sob quietly to herself, there was really nothing she could do but let him just have his way with her. This...this wasn't the way it was meant to happen.
Another string broke.
Shelly's scream was muffled by her sobbing.
The colt scowled at her, Shelly looked up at him with hope, tears staining her eyes. "Piece of junk.." He spat.
Shelly held her head low for all but a moment before she gasped, feeling herself take flight. The colt nonchalantly tossed her into the air and walked off. Shelly grunted, her golden frame hitting the grassy earth with a dull thud. She watched the colt trot away without a care for a second but just turned away and cried to herself. It hurt so much, she tried to cradle herself, to hold her broken strings and hope that they'd pop back into place if she just tried hard enough but it was no use.
Shelly was just a lyre. She wasn't a living being to these ponies, she wasn't even an instrument. Not like what Cecelia had said all those months ago. She was just a...a tool and now...she really was a piece of junk...
Shelly's crying was interrupted when she felt something bump into her sound-chest. She looked up and saw a pair of golden eyes staring down at her in surprise peaking under a veil of pale blue and white. It was another pony. A mint green unicorn filly with a pair of saddlebags hanging by her sides. She looked around, Shelly figured she was searching as to where she had come from but when she apparently found nothing, she looked back down at Shelly, curiously.
The filly took Shelly in her hooves and frowned at seeing her broken strings. Shelly felt so ashamed at that. The pony gave a firm nod and placed her snugly in her saddlebag. Shelly's crossbar poked out just enough to see the world around her as the pony trotted along. It hadn't occurred to Shelly that she had stopped crying. She found herself peaking up at the little unicorn, staring at her mane, catching just a glimpse of her muzzle and bright eyes. The world around her that she had loved to see so much didn't seem anywhere near as fascinating as the pony. There was just something about her that comforted her, she wasn't sure what it was though.
Shelly was suddenly very aware of where she was. There was a click then the sound of a door swinging open accompanied by a familiar bell. She looked up and saw Tina the triangle looking down at her in surprise and horror, Shelly felt Tina's eyes on her broken strings and gave her a sad smile.
"Hey, Tina." She mumbled.
"Shelly! What happened?! Your strings..."
"It's...it's okay.."
"Excuse me?" The little pony spoke up, looking over at Treble as he was wiping down Clarice the clarinet of dust. The old stallion turned to the filly with a polite smile but reeled back when his eyes met Shelly's. The filly took her out of the bag and presented her to the stallion. "I found this and I wasn't really sure what to do with it and it's got a few broken strings, so I thought..." The filly trailed off, nervous.
Treble simply nodded with an understanding smile. He gestured to the grand golden harp, the filly finding an empty stand next to it. Henry was staring right at Shelly, his mouth agape in shock. Shelly couldn't meet his gaze, she didn't want him to see her like this. Not like this.
The little unicorn nodded with a smile and carried Shelly over to her spot. Shelly felt comforted by the old familiar sight and the pain seemed to numb away as she relaxed. Though, she couldn't but feel as though it was the pony that brought her that peace.
The pony lifted her into the rack and made sure she sat snugly into it. The filly took a step back and frowned at the broken strings once more. Shelly just watched her as a curious look befell her muzzle. In one slow movement, the pony ran her hoof along the five strings that connected her bridge and crossbar.
Shelly let out a light gasp in surprise. It was...it was nice.
The sound she had made, it was so simple but it was nice. Shelly wasn't even really thinking at that point, all she knew it that she wanted to make that sound again. Her wish was granted somewhat as the filly stroked her strings in the opposite direction, reversing the noise she had made before, hitting her bass string last.
The filly smiled down at Shelly, as if to say that she still sounded good despite losing her strings. That even though she was broken, she could still sound beautiful. She had brought her back home, surrounded by her friends that were all smiling at her. As if they knew something she didn't. Tears of a new kind welled up in Shelly's eyes, staring up at the unicorn. She didn't even know her name and yet she felt so connected to her right then and there. She took a deep breath, not noticing that the filly had turned and started to leave.
"Thank you..."
The unicorn stopped and turned her head back to Shelly, confused for all but a moment before her face softened. The she whispered, barely audible but Shelly could hear it. "You're welcome..."
Shelly gasped, her eyes darting up only to see the pony walking out the door.
"Well...welcome home, Shelly." Thomas said aloud, trying to mask whatever emotion he was feeling.
"Don't worry, the ol' stallion will have ya patched up in no time." Jack offered an encouraging grin.
"Glad to see you home, Shelly." Henry said.
"Yeah...home..."
