The Canterlot Music Competition

By TheOrchestralBrony

Edited by Fablesong & MaddieHooves

Prologue

This was it.

The Canterlot Music Competition. The most extravagant showing of aspiring musicians in all of Equestria. A multitude of ponies' careers had commenced through this event; even the famed Octavia was rumored to have gotten her start here. And currently, the finals of this year’s competition were taking place. Two ponies- each possessing unique gifts in the art of song- had a chance to win the prestigious statue in their talented hooves.

But neither one was in it for the fame that was sure to follow. Instead, as they practiced in their waiting rooms, only one nib of thought floated through their skulls: The prize money. All 10,000 bits of it could belong to them before the night fell. But these ponies weren’t greedy. On the contrary. Each pony had a perfectly good reason for desiring that cash.

A thick auburn mane, coated in a film of hairspray, shivered gently on Azure Lyric's crest. As she paced through her poorly-furnished preparation room, she had a small spring in her step, which contrasted the serious expression she was wearing. She blessed the day she saw that violin in the store window. She blessed the day her parents assembled what little money they had and secretly purchased it for her. She blessed every minute that she practiced with that darn thing. Speaking of, I should probably practice a little more… A violet glow surrounded the gaudy violin case as Azure lugged it to her side. Her hearing was cluttered with harsh snaps as she undid the clasps. Levitating it to her outstretched hooves, she expertly drew the synthetic strands of the bow across the strings, thoughts soon trailing to her grandpa, back in the hospital in Fillydelphia. I need this money, she thought to herself. For my grandpa, for my family, and most of all… The notes she played soon transitioned into harsh, gruesome drawls. Most of all, to keep it away from… HIM!

Azure was, of course, thinking of the second contestant, a pegasus named Powerchord. He was at that time nervously pacing around his own waiting room, speaking to himself in a worried, hushed tone. “No turning back. I have to do this. I have to. I have to. Oh Celestia, why am I doing this?” His eyes wandered to the piano in the corner of the room. “This is crazy! I don’t need to do this! I’m not THAT good a player anyway!” He suddenly looked around the room he was in. “Oh, who am I kidding, I’m great. I wouldn’t be in the finals if I weren’t.” To anypony else, the words would have seemed glorifying and encouraging. But for Powerchord, the words only worried him more. “My parents are wealthy! I can just get the money from them…” He stopped pacing, thinking back to his family in Manehatten. “No… I won’t go back to them. I left to prove I could make it on my own. I can’t go back, I can’t!” His thoughts shifted yet again, bringing a new face to the forefront of his mind.. The words the pony had said echoed through his head. “You better win, ‘cause this is your last chance. If I don’t get my money, then… well, it’s not gonna be fun times for you.” Powerchord shivered.. “How did I get into this mess?”

A knocking on both ponies’ doors shook each from their respective thoughts. It was time for the final round of the competition. Both ponies were escorted out to the stage.

“It’s finally time!”

“No turning back…”

“I won’t let him win!”

“…Celestia help me.”

With that, both ponies got onstage and looked each other in the eye. They took their seats and prepared their instruments.

The final round had begun.

>>>>>6 Months Earlier<<<<<

“How much for the pie?”

“Two bits.”

Powerchord reached into his wallet and proceeded to pay the orange farm pony the correct amount. That was one of the things he liked about Ponyville: the food was relatively inexpensive. Of course, I wouldn’t care so much about that if I didn’t need to save every bit that I can. As he wandered through the streets, he looked around to see what other foods the vendors had for sale.

Meanwhile, in a park not far from there, a bit of a competition was going on between two ponies. Each was playing their preferred instrument, trying to outdo the other to prove who was better. And it seemed that they were an even match.

“Ready to admit defeat yet, lyre girl?”

“Never!”

The two ponies began playing their respective instruments even more furiously, each trying to show the other up. A large crowd of ponies had gathered to watch and listen to the spectacular music. This may have been one of the largest crowds that had ever come to listen to Azure. And Azure had no intention of losing, not after what that sitting… freak… had said! ‘You don’t need any skill to play a violin!’ The nerve! “I’ll show you how much skill I have!” The blue unicorn began moving the bow across the violin faster, a steady stream of notes flowing from it. Faster, faster, eventually the bow was moving so fast you seemingly could have started a fire with it. Not one to be outdone, her opponent matched Azure’s speed and attempted to play even faster.

So it went for quite a while, until eventually the lyre player began to slow her playing. She began breathing heavily and struggled to remain upright, but to no avail. She was starting to fall over.

Yes! Azure thought to herself. I’m going to win! I’m going to… uh oh. No sooner had the thoughts entered her head before she herself began to elicit the same symptoms of weariness. Azure’s bow began to slow it’s movement across the violin, and she too began to droop forward. No, no! Keep standing Azure! You can do this!

Unfortunately for both musicians, neither could keep playing and both collapsed on the ground, gasping for air. The crowds that had gathered watched, everypony wanting to make sure the two were ok. After what seemed like hours, Azure spoke, and made a humble suggestion.

“How ‘bout we call it a draw before we kill ourselves?”

“…Deal.”

Once both ponies had regained use of their lungs, Azure took note of the crowds standing around them. With a polite nod of her head, she managed to disperse the crowd and was soon standing alone in the park (aside from her opponent). As Azure left the park to go about her business, a giddy laugh escaped her lips. Oh, that was so much fun! I’ve never competed against somepony like that before! What a rush! I wish I could do that more oft… “Oof!”

Unfortunately for her, she had been so lost in thought that she hadn’t been looking where she was going, and consequently ran into somepony. And that pony had been Powerchord. But in any event, each had dropped their belongings from the impact, and began scrambling to get their things back, apologizing all the while.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!”

“No no, it’s my fault!”

“I think those are my bits!”

“Do you see my glasses anywhere?”

“Um… yeah, they’re over here!”

Azure levitated the glasses over to Powerchord, and at that point Azure was able to get a good look at the other pony. He was bigger that most ponies, though not nearly as big as Celestia. Almost like that one red farm pony I see around town now and then, Azure thought to herself. His mane was red, and his coat was black… no, more of a dark grey. His coat was absent at the bottom of his legs, exposing his tan colored hooves. His eyes were a clear, sky blue. And the cutie mark… a piano? So he’s a musician too…

Simultaneously, Powerchord was finally able to take in the pony he had run into. Blue coat, orange mane... a very curly orange mane at that. Kinda reminds me of that pony at the bakery… what was it called? Sugar Cook Corner? He shook the thought from his head, getting distracted from the moment at hand. He put his glasses back on, allowing him to see her face much more clearly. Purple eyes… they look good with that coat. Powerchord suddenly remembered that it’s impolite to stare at other ponies, and turned his gaze away.

“Sorry for bumping into you,” he mumbled. “I was cleaning my glasses, and couldn’t see where I was going.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Really. Now if you’ll excuse me, I should be heading home now.”

“Oh, right. Me too.”

“Goodbye.”

“Goodbye… and sorry again!”

As both ponies went their separate ways, Powerchord turned back one last time to see her leave. He glimpsed her cutie mark, a violin, just before she disappeared into the distance.

Glad that’s over. Now where to next… Maybe I’ll go to Sugarcane Corner. I hear that pink pony’s just made some new cupcakes…

>>>>><<<<<

Azure’s house was quiet. Then again, no one was there, so that’s only natural. But the silence didn’t last long, for once Azure got home, she began cheering and celebrating her victory against that unicorn in the park.

“She should have known better than to try and outdo me! I’m the best violinist there ever was!” She paused for a minute to look around her house. “…Now if only somepony actually cared,” she sighed to herself. She was indeed a great violinist, yet she had not been able to make a career from it and was thus left only able to afford living in the cheap, yet still relatively nice, one room building that she called home.

Had she still been talking, she probably would not have heard the knock on her door. She went to the door and opened it to find a cross-eyed pegasus holding a letter in her mouth.

“Hi, miss Lyric! I got a letter for you!”

“Oh yes, thank you Derpy.”

Azure took the letter from the mailmare and began to leave, until the grey pegasus stopped her.

“Oh, that’s not your letter!” She reached into her mailbag and pulled out a different letter. “This is!”

“Wha… then why were you…” Derpy’s eyes slowly began rotating in opposite directions. “…never mind. Thank you.”

Azure exchanged the correct letter for the one she had taken by “mistake”, and then Derpy was off.

“Such a strange pony,” Azure nearly whispered to herself. Sighing, she opened the letter. Quickly her confusion towards the mailmare turned to shock as she read the contents.

Dear Azure,

It’s dad. How have you been, sweetie? No, before you ask, I haven’t finished that great novel I’ve been writing. (It’s coming along though!) But I have some very bad news. My dad, your grandpa, is in the hospital. He passed out last night after dinner. The doctors here say it isn’t looking good. They’re only giving him 7 months to live, unless we can give him some surgery. But the surgery costs 8,000 bits. We could never afford it. So I’ve written this to you so you can come and be with grandpa in his last year here. I hope you can come and visit soon.

Signed,

H. Lyric

Azure reread the letter to make sure she read it correctly. And again. And again and again, until she had read it at least twenty or so times. Only then did she snap out of her stupor and begin to react.

“Grandpa… no!” Azure thought aloud to herself. Memories began to come to her of times she had spent with him. She thought of the day they had gone out on the beach and in spite of his old age, he had spent the whole day playing and swimming with her. She remembered all of the times he had told her of ages long past, and all the wise words he had to say to her. She remembered the time he had a little too much to drink and had spouted off random nonsense, like “Confound those purple mice! They keep stealing my socks!!” But even during such times as those, Azure loved him very much.

7 months to live…

The words began to echo in her head. Azure stopped  and started crying. It couldn’t end now. Not this year. She had to make sure he didn’t pass away. She had to! But she didn’t have nearly enough to pay the bill. And her parents, poor as they were, would never be able to pay it.

Think, Azure! There must be a way I could pay that bill!

Another knock on the door. Azure opened it.

“Hi again, miss Lyric! Sorry, I forgot to give you your magazine too!”

“Thanks Derpy, but now isn’t really a good…”

She stopped in mid sentence as she read the front page of her magazine.

CANTERLOT MUSIC COMPETITION

The biggest music competition in all of Equestria!

Who will win the 10,000 bit grand prize?

“10,000… bit… grand prize!?!?” Azure's jaw dropped as she read it.

“Oh yeah, that thing! Hey, you play violin, doncha? Maybe you should enter! Well, I gotta get going, so b…” It was at this point that Derpy was interrupted by a sudden attack hug from Azure.

“Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!!!” was all that came from Azure’s mouth as the grey pegasus struggled to get away.

“Um, you're welcome, I guess.”

“That will be MORE than enough to pay the bill!”

“Bill? Who’s that?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

“…”

“um, miss Lyric?”

“Yes?”

“Will you please let go?”

>>>>><<<<<

“I wonder what that pink pony meant by rainbows?”

Powerchord had just gotten back to his home in Cloudsdale. Most of the pegasi were surprised that Powerchord didn’t live in Ponyville since that was where he spent most of his time, but none of them knew that the houses in Cloudsdale were MUCH cheaper, which is exactly what Powerchord needed. Besides, he needed the exercise, what with his relatively) scrawny shape.

“Well, whatever she meant, those cupcakes didn’t sit too well. At least they were free.”

“And thank Celestia for that, eh Mr. Powerchord?”

“Powerchord immediately tensed up. He knew that voice. Only one pony had that low, soft, intimidating voice. But he’s a unicorn, how could he be here??? Powerchord slowly turned around and had his worst fears come true.

“M… M-M-M-Mr. Gunner! How did you…”

“Oh, please, Mr. Powerchord. No need for formalities. You know I prefer it when you call me Tommy.”

“…Tommy Gunner. But how…”

“I had my boys whip up a little walk-on-clouds spell. Helps a lot with getting to those… ‘out-of-reach’ clients.”

“W-w-why are you here? You said I had until the end of the month!”

“And knowing you, you probably still wouldn’t have it by then, would you?”

Powerchord glanced away. He knew the mob boss was right, and he dared not argue with him. There was a reason his cutie mark was a clip of bullets.

“So, I merely came to check on how you were doing. Is that such a crime?”

“L-look, Tommy, I’m trying my best. But I’ve still only saved about 200 bits. I’m going to need more time…”

The mobster’s red eyes shot up at Powerchord, causing him to realize that he may not have said the right thing.

“Mr. Powerchord, how many clients do you think I have?”

“Um…”

“A lot,” Tommy said, not giving Powerchord time to answer. “And how many of them do you think ask for more time?”

“…all of them?”

“You’re a smart boy. So tell me, how often do you think I give those clients more time?”

“…not often?”

“Not often at all. Do you know why?”

Powerchord gulped. “W-why?”

“Because, you see, if I gave my clients the time they asked for, I’d be out of business. Those ponies would never give me the money they owe me, and eventually they wouldn’t need to. So I don’t give ponies more time then I think they need. So tell me; what makes you think I should give you extra time?” Tommy began to edge closer to Powerchord, in turn causing Powerchord to step back. “Me, I got a little voice in my head. It’s telling me to shut you up once and for all. But I’m a reasonable pony. Don’t want to resort to no violent means, you know? So howsabout this; If you can give me a very, VERY good reason to give you more time, then I won’t listen to that voice in my head.” Tommy then leaned in uncomfortably close to Powerchord. “And you don’t want me to listen to that voice, do you?”

Powerchord began to panic. His eyes darted around the room. He didn’t have a good reason to be given more time. Hay, Powerchord wouldn’t even give himself more time! What am I going to do?

“I’m waiting, Mr. Powerchord.”

Powerchord glanced around the room, desperately looking for a solution to his problem. Then, as if by luck, the solution came to him in the form of a newspaper lying on his desk.

Equestria Daily

Canterlot Music Competition Coverage

Read about the musicians who come from all across Equestria to win the Grand prize of 10,000 bits!

“I’m beginning to lose my patience, Powerchord.”

“There! That’s why!” Powerchord said, quickly pointing a hoof at the paper. Tommy turned in the direction of the paper and read the headlines. He turned back to Powerchord.

“I’m listening.”

“Y-Yeah! I’m not too bad at the piano! I’ll enter that competition, and if I win, I’ll make enough money to pay you back double what I owe you! B-But it’s in a couple months, and if you…” *gulp* “O-o-off me now, then I won’t be able to enter!”

Tommy didn’t speak for 3 minutes. Finally he ran a hoof through his well-groomed black mane, and said “Mr. Powerchord, I believe you may have saved yourself an untimely demise.”

Yes! Thought Powerchord. I did it!

“But this is your last chance.”

“…beg pardon?”

“If you lose this competition, then you’re going to lose your life. So you better win, ‘cause this is your last chance. If I don’t get my money, then… well, it’s not gonna be fun times for you. Oh, and don’t think of skipping town. I know ponies. We’ll know if you try to escape.”

With that, Tommy Gunner lit up his horn and teleported away.

>>>>><<<<<

Although Azure Lyric and Powerchord were different in nearly every way imaginable, both seemed to have the same thoughts run through their heads immediately after discovering the solution to their problems.

“Nothing will stop me!”

“I have to do this!”

“For my grandpa!”

“I won’t let Tommy get the better of me!”

“I better practice…”

“…and practice hard!”

“Because no matter what happens…”

“No matter who I run into…”

“I won’t let myself lose!”

End Prologue