Brother's Lament

Chapter 09: Class is in session

Bass Rhythm yawned loudly waking up in his bed, it was still night outside and Warsong was nowhere to be found “What happened?” he asked out loud as he held down a burp coughing loudly as the radio seemed to turn on a love song playing to the sounds of a deep voiced stallion saying ‘Keep on doing it’ and ‘Right on’ in a breathy tone Bass Rhythm frowned looking down at the bed finding it was now a double bed before he looked at the radio “That’s Berry White ‘Never gonna give you up…That’s a song for love making…”

His voice trailed off as he turned his gaze to the bathroom, what he saw made his horn begin to heat up, his face blushing red, what he saw was Princess Luna stepping out of the bathroom wearing socks over her hooves covering her legs, her face a look of seduction as she slowly sauntered over to the bed, her wings unfurled and erect, her tail swishing back and forth behind her, crawling onto the bed she straddled over him her hooves placed on his shoulder pushing him down onto his back her mane gathered against Bass’ cheek, touching her horn to his he could feel the heat building between the two magical appendages. She moved her lips to touch against his, lowering her plot towards him she-

A feeling of cold water splashed over him causing him to sit up with his eyes closed tight sun shined through his eye lids, wiping over his face he finally opened his eyes to see that it was morning in his room, Warsong stood at the foot of the bed with an empty bucket covered in red magic, a look of disdain and disgust on his face Bass Rhythm yawned loudly before looking at his teacher “What did you do that for?” Warsong shook his head “I needed to wake you up you were saying things in your sleep that would make even a Fillydelphia courtesan blush. Plus your horn is getting bigger and pitching a tent now put it away before a maid walks in and becomes scarred for life.”

Bass frowned before he looked closer to his lower body, covering it with his hooves quickly he lay sideways to hide it.

“I can see you drank last night so I usually wouldn’t give you the day off to recuperate. But seeing as I have to organise the Lunar Guard it seems you will have today off so behave and rest. Also get rid of that jewellery it’s unbecoming” Bass Rhythm looked at his hooves to see several glow in the dark bands were around his hooves and around his neck was a flashing foal pacifier

“We went to a rave?” his head started to beat painfully like drums as the hangover hit him “What happened after that Jazz club?” Warsong put the bucket down and moved to sit on the floor next to his bed “You came in stumbling and singing songs like a drunken airship sailor. I heard Princess Luna put you to bed then leave, I could tell because she was singing with you. What did you do last night?” Bass Rhythm touched his head closing his eyes “I…Can’t remember after the Jazz club” he looked up at Warsong his shook his head “Listen I don’t really want to know what you did last night, I got to go” he turned to leave but before he did he looked over his shoulder “You were also saying Luna’s name in your sleep, I can figure what you were dreaming about” a smirk appeared on his face before he left.

Bass Rhythm got out of the wet bed, casting a dry spell on the sheets before he made his bed and went to take a cold morning shower his bowels roiling inside of him causing him to vomit into the drain of the shower, his blood shot eyes feeling sore in their sockets when he finished his cold shower he dried himself off and made his way down to morning court, stepping into the room and making his way through the crowd he spotted Celestia on the throne in conversation with a farmer on fruit “I like…Mmmm Banana’s” Was all he heard from Celestia before he drowned her out.

His gag reflex acted up again but he held his bile down and moved his gaze over to Luna a weak smile coming to his face as she returned a small smile that was barely noticeable unless one were looking directly at her, placing his spectacles over his eyes to keep the sun out and hide his blood shot eyes he watched the rest of the morning court in silence, when it ended he stood outside waiting for the sisters to step out when he saw Luna he made his way over to her “Morning” she said looking down at him Bass Rhythm bowed his head in respect “Good morning your highness’” Celestia turned her head with a warm smile “Would you care to join us for breakfast Bass Rhythm? Luna will be going to sleep soon but she’ll join us for lunch”

Bass Rhythm nodded “I would enjoy that your highness, I probably will be practising my spells today, Warsong will be busy all day so I have today off” They entered the royal dining room which had been reorganised into the one long table, the sisters taking their seats at one head, Bass Rhythm took a seat on Luna’s side next to her.

“So what did you two do last night?” Celestia asked looking at her sister and the Unicorn stallion Luna and Bass Rhythm looked at each other unsurely “Uh…Well you see…” began Bass Rhythm before Luna cut in and answered for him “We patrolled the palace mostly but we made a stop at the library and had a chat and read books, we taught Bass Rhythm some spells and history from a first pony account” Luna seemed to have taken on her previous speech pattern Bass Rhythm was relieved when she gave her excuse but hoped Celestia wouldn’t have any questions for him on said history or spells.

“Oh on the note of teaching I must ask you Bass Rhythm if you would be willing to teach a young class of unicorn filly’s and colts some basic self-defence magic?” Bass Rhythm was taken aback by Celestia question as he began to eat the food he placed on his plate a little while ago “I would be honoured but what kind of self-defence would I teach young fillies and colts? Music I can teach but magic? I don’t want to accidently teach those little ponies anything that may harm anypony”

Celestia nodded her head slowly “Yes I understand this but you were taught basic shield spells correct? Try teaching those or a stasis spell” Bass Rhythm thought this over before nodding “I accept our highness but a stasis spell may be hard for young ones, it’s in the telekinesis family and at the age of ten these little ponies can probably barely lift a box let alone stop somepony in their tracks.” Celestia smiled warmly “These little ponies may surprise you Bass”

After breakfast Bass Rhythm received the school address and made his way up out of the palace. He walked down the street making his way to the Canterlot School for gifted unicorns, when he arrived and made his way to reception a secretary Earth pony mare was at work, he pressed the bell with his magic to get her attention. “Hello I’m here to teach the self-defence class for the day.” The mare looked up at him from behind the desk and smiled “Yes they are on the playground, they are a little rowdy.” Bass Rhythm shrugged and smiled back at the secretary “I’m sure they won’t be trouble” he made his way out of the office and through the school campus to the playground.

He saw little unicorns playing and frolicking, his heart melted at the sight of the cute children, a smile coming to his face “Alright my little ponies I’m your teacher for self-defence magic gather ‘round now” one of the little filly’s came over to him a smile beaming on her face a trio of stars on her flank “Hello Mr teacher!” Bass Rhythm smiled down at her “Please call me Mr Rhythm, now I’m filling in for your normal teacher today usually you’d be learning something different but it was requested of me that I teach you defensive magic”

The rest of the young ponies trotted over to the blue stallion, a snooty looking colt stepping up to Bass Rhythm “Your cutie mark shows you’re a musician, what can you teach us in any kind of magic?” Bass raised an eyebrow and lowered his head to be level with the colt, a smirk on his face “I can teach you how to stop bad ponies from hurting you…Permanently, but why should I teach one who looks like he puts down others?” the little colt smiled innocently the sound of a squeak coming from him Bass Rhythm kept his smirk as he rose back up “That’s what I thought. Alright today I’ll be teaching you three spells, a shield spell, a counter spell and a stasis spell.”

He began walking through the playground looking around him “Now to teach you these spells I will have to go through some explanations. To cast these spells effectively especially the shield spell you must picture your magic like a ball of clay which you can shape and change to whatever you want or need.” He closed his eyes for a moment, his horn glowing before it dissipated just as quickly as it appeared

“Go ahead, someone throw something at me” he smiled when the filly from before picked up a small pebble with her magic and threw it at him, it bounced off the surface of an invisible shield surrounding the stallion the filly’s and colts leaned in with intrigue “Now close your eyes, focus your magic into your horn, and imagine that ball of clay spreading into a dome around you.”

He watched at the young ponies closed their eyes and their horns began to glow, many showing signs of extreme focus “Now pair up and lightly throw a pebble at each other you don’t want to hurt your partner” The students threw pebbles at each other, the shimmer of shields appearing around several of the little ponies only a few failing but they tried again and eventually got it Bass Rhythm went on to teach them the stasis spell and counter spell, creating a game for the colts and filly’s to practise the spells, using the stasis spell to attack, the shield spell to block and the counter spell to get out of stasis, the young ponies ran around the playground firing stasis beams at each other while Bass Rhythm sat in the shade watching them play.

“Is that you Bass?” came a soft melodic voice above him he looked up to see a grey Pegasus mare with orange hair, a musical note coupled with a bell as her cutiemark flying down to meet him, he stood up his mouth agape slightly as he approached the mare “Harmonic?” He stopped in front of the mare before she hugged him tightly, throwing her hooves around him “It’s so good to see you again brother, what are you doing here?”

Bass looked at his elder sister with a smile “I could ask the same of you, what are you doing here?” The opera singing mare smiled “I just came to drop off our little cousin, I was just leaving when I saw you teaching these little ponies, I didn’t know you got a job as a teacher now” Bass Rhythm shook his head “No I’m not a teacher I was asked to come and teach them some self-defence magic” Harmonic frowned at him “When did you learn self-defence?”

Bass Rhythm went on to explain to her about Warsong and his training “Odds are sis’ I’m probably going to have to quit my job as a DJ if things get too time consuming which they are.” Harmonic nodded gently “I understand, do you want me to tell mom and dad?” Bass lowered his gaze “Yeah, anyway I should get going my lessons done here and I got to get back to the palace for lunch” he began to walk with his sister out of the school “I don’t understand your staying at the palace?” Bass looked to his sister and nodded “Yeah Warsong prefers to use the palace’s facilities to train me, care to join me for lunch?” Harmonic smiled and nodded, they made their way back to the Palace the guards making way for Bass recognising him as General Warsong’s student.

When they entered the dining room once more, Bass spotted Warsong sitting next to Celestia talking in hushed tones over some papers laid out on the table around their plates there was less nobles in the room today than there was yesterday but Luna sat in her chair eating silently, spotting Bass and Harmonic she waved a hoof “Come join us Bass Rhythm and introduce your friend to us” she called while the two ponies made their way over, sitting next to the princess of the night.

“Your Highness allow me to introduce you to my sister Harmonic Rhythm” Luna nodded her head with a smile towards the Pegasus “We enjoy thy company at the table this beautiful day thou wouldn’t be THE Harmonic Rhythm of the Opera?” when Harmonic Rhythm nodded to the ruler of the night her eyes lit up “Oh we enjoy thy work we have only been here for one month and we already enjoy all thy music, your talents are well placed” The Pegasus bowed her head “You honour me too much your highness”

They continued in conversation until the doors opened, a white unicorn stallion with blonde hair stepping inside “Aunt Celestia you weren’t at my fencing match” he whined as Luna rolled her eyes and mumbled close to the two other ponies“And there is my least favourite nephew, it’s ponies like him that make me almost regret that my sister took on a consort”

Celestia turned her gaze to the Unicorn “I’m sorry Blueblood but I’ve been busy talking with General Warsong over some important matters” Prince Blueblood stomped his hoof and flinging his mane out of his eyes “I am sure the matters a peasant would ask of you can wait when it comes to family matters” at this Warsong began getting out of his seat, a dark look brewing in his eyes before Celestia placed a hoof on his, stopping him from going further slowly he lowered back in his seat “I know you can probably turn him inside out and back again without breaking a sweat, but Blueblood must learn his lesson on his own.”

The prince made his way down the table stopping behind Harmonic leaning in between her and Bass “Who is this lovely lady that I see before me? Is that THE Harmonic Rhythm?” The mare lowered her eyes while Bass’ eyes narrowed his hoof pushing against the edge of the table. Prince Blueblood continued to flirt with Harmonic while Bass Rhythm seemed to start losing his temper Warsong’s eyes narrowed at the blonde unicorns arrogance before he noticed his students anger.

Suddenly green magic surrounded Bluebloods hooves and he slid back like a chess piece he didn’t lose his balance or seemed to notice until he stopped, Bass slowly rose from his chair his horn glowing green looking over his shoulder with his eyes staring daggers at the noble “Don’t attack him in anger” whispered Warsong under his breath though he couldn’t be heard he could see Bass Rhythm was restraining himself as the magic dissipated, Blueblood showed signs of disgust “How dare you touch me with your disgusting magic, who do you think you are!?” Bass Rhythm turned to the noble “I’m her brother, I think I get a say in you flirting with her” The prince harrumphed and held his nose in the air “I think the lady can make her own choices in whom she courts”

Bass Rhythms horn glowed once more as he prepared to strike the prince “STOP!” came Luna’s voice using the Royal Canterlot voice, the glow from Bass’ horn dissipated “If thee wish to defend thy sisters honour then thee must duel thine enemy in a duel of swords, three bouts decided with first blood” Bass looked at the princess before he turned back to the prince who started chuckling loudly but there was a particular fear around his eyes about getting hurt especially having blood drawn

“This peasant will lose terribly against me, he has no skill” Luna rose from her chair regally and stepped between them “Then you wouldn’t mind if Mr Rhythm is given two weeks of training then?” Blueblood shrugged plainly “It won’t matter in the long run, his two weeks versus my five years will see me winning the match without trouble, I will see the peasant in two weeks then” When the prince left Harmonic turned to her brother “I’m sorry I caused you to do this duel” Luna stepped over to Harmonic and rose her head with her hoof

“Do not worry child, Bass Rhythm will be trained by one of the best swordsponies alive, one of the nine legendary swordsponies.” Harmonic looked up at the matriarch with tears in her eyes before she looked at her brother who smiled at her “That pony is standing right over there” said Luna jerking her head towards the red stallion sitting next to Celestia who stood from his chair, Harmonic rubbed the tears from her eyes looking at her great uncle before he spoke “Princess Celestia I’m going to need to get my sword out of the treasury tomorrow.”