private Rhapsody in Blue

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

 

(Thanks! I've started on the first chapter of the fanfic by the way. Listen to "I'm Gonna Wash Him Outta My Hair for this one!)

 

Sterling was feeling a little disappointed that Blue Note didn't want to sing the first musical number. After all, it was a good start to the musical. Still, he didn't want to push Blue Note beyond what he was already doing, so he opted for another musical number instead.

 

"Well how about this musical number? It's a lot more energetic, but it's not an optimistic song. It's more of a mockery of Emile before he sees her singing about him. She wants to "Wash him off her hair", to quote from the musical." spoke Sterling in reply to Blue Note's assertion. 

Edited August 27, 2013 by Sterling Crimson

[lincolnshirepony 527]

@Sterling Crimson

 

(OOC: Nice! I should probably get started on that too sometime in the near future... :B )

 

Blue Note felt more in her element with this song. It didn't feel so out of place for her to sing. She was used to brushing ponies off. Still her singing was far from flawless, and something was holding back her performance. She had a vague suspicion as to why, but quickly brushed it off before the thought could grow in her mind. Her singing persisted, slightly improving by the time she finished the song. "Well, I suppose I could have been worse."

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

(OOC: That would be nice :3. I've almost reached freedom. Less than 2 weeks to MCAT! Once that's done, I'll be a lot more free for other things!)

 

Sterling was having a lot of fun playing the piano part for this piece. Still, as the practice progressed, he realized that he too needed a singer who could show him the ropes of good singing in a musical. Yes he loved to sing musicals in his spare time, but this was a performance! He needed a teacher! After Blue Note was finished singing, Sterling clapped happily with his front hooves before he spoke with a smile,

 

"That was good singing! I'll bet that with a teacher to help you out, you'll sound even better!" It was that moment that Sterling decided to ask about a teacher,

 

"I just realized something. I still need a vocal teacher. Somepony who can show me good singing. Do you know of any good teachers Blue Note?"

[lincolnshirepony 527]

@Sterling Crimson

 

(OOC: I'll get started once I get a handle on things. Good luck in the coming weeks! I'm think I'm going the opposite way and losing freedom as the weeks progress. =P)

 

"I wish, but I'm always in band land." Blue Note agreed that a teacher would be beneficial. Her singing was nothing to write home about. "Actually, my friend Sassy Sax from Manehatten Moods said she might be able to find somepony for us. Maybe we could go ask her later?" She trusted that Sassy would be able to deliver. It seemed like she knew almost everypony in the music department from one place or another. Surely she could get somepony from the choral department to help them.

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

(That's too bad... Don't worry. I'll still be happily waiting from here!)

 

Sterling smiled at the prospect of having one of Blue Note's contacts as his vocal teacher. Maybe it would provide him a chance to express his feelings towards Blue Note to them and see what she thought of him... Sterling nodded at her suggestion and replied with a smile,

 

"That sounds like a great idea. Let's do that once we finish practicing here." Sterling now wanted to shift gears. He wanted to do some singing himself. He then gave his sheet music to Blue Note and asked her with a warm smile,

 

"Hey Blue Note. I want to sing now. Try playing this number. It's called "Some Enchanted Evening". It's one of the most famous numbers in this musical. It's got a very romantic feel to it, and I want you to play this as warmly as possible. Can you give it a go?"

[lincolnshirepony 527]

@Sterling Crimson

 

"Okay, hopefully she'll still be working," Blue Note said. She wondered if Sassy had met Sterling yet. It seemed like she knew everypony in the music department. 

 

She took the sheet music from Sterling and glanced over it. "Yeah, I think I can play this. And I'm guess you can sing this?" She grinned at him. 

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

(a few more days... Did you know that post count goes up with roleplays?)

 

Sterling noticed Blue Note's grin at him. It just motivated him all the more to sing the best he could for Blue Note. After all, he had to practice as hard as he could before the performances began! He replied to Blue Note with a smile,

 

"Sing it? It's my favourite musical number!" Sterling then let Blue Note get ready to play as he awaited excitedly to perform the song that would express his feelings for Blue Note... now if only Blue Note didn't notice now. He wanted her to notice later... much later...

[lincolnshirepony 527]

@Sterling Crimson

 

(OOC: Best of luck to you. Yeah, it's really boosted my count. =P)

 

"Well, let's hear it then." Blue Note counted off and began to play. When she had glanced at it earlier, she noticed that it was a song about love. "He's certainly into romance," Blue Note thought. The song seemed unrealistic to her. It was impossible to look across a room and find your love instantly. "If it was it might make life easier..."

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

(Thanks. It's this Wednesday. I was also able to chat with my crush for the past few days. She's been more giddy than I remembered though... More attentive, giggles more often, smiles wider.)

 

Sterling was clearly basking in the moment. It was his personal favourite. He just loved the feeling of finding the mare he loved... which was the blue mare playing on the piano. He couldn't deny it. He was in love with Blue Note. The question of whether she liked him back was still deeply on his mind, but for him to be able to express his feelings without being noticed was a great start. He continued to sing along with such joy and comfort in his arms, it was as if he was holding her by his hooves. Nonetheless, Sterling's intonation still needed work, but at least he knew the lyrics well. After singing the musical number, he turned to Blue Note, asking her with a slightly expectant look,

 

"So Blue Note! What did you think of that? And be honest!"

[lincolnshirepony 527]

@Sterling Crimson

 

(OOC: You'll do smashingly. Oooh, those are pretty good signs.)

 

"Wow, you must really like that song," Blue Note said. His singing wouldn't turn any heads, but she was floored by how genuine his performance was. "I did not know you could act. If I didn't know any better; I'd say you were in love with somepony." She briefly wondered if he was, but quickly dismissed the thought. No way he would get a crush on some pretty little mare and not tell her about it. 

 

"You'll be golden once you get a voice instructor, and I can only hope I'm passable." 

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

(Thanks. As for my crush, I just hope it continues. 3 days is a small sample space.)

 

Sterling blushed when Blue Note mentioned his acting skills and him falling in love with a certain somepony. It wasn't the worst outcome, but her guessing that he was in love with somepony didn't make him feel any better. When Blue Note changed subjects thought, Sterling gave an inward sigh, relieved that Blue Note didn't press further about his loves. He replied warmly to Blue Note,

 

"Thanks Blue Note. I know my singing isn't the best right now, and that's why I mostly sing by myself. My parents certainly seem to enjoy it. As for you though, I wouldn't be worried. You're already sounding very pretty right now. You'll make a great Nellie! When the instructors are done with you, you'll be hailed as the best singer that the University of Manehattan ever came across!"

[lincolnshirepony 527]

@Sterling Crimson

 

"That might be pushing it, but I'll settle for not making a fool of myself." Ponies that partook in the performing arts would attend theatrical functions. Ponies with strong vocal backgrounds would listen to every note she sang. Ponies that were as musically inclined as she was would be listening to her sing, judging her ability. She was guilty of the same thing. Listening to bands and orchestras and solo performances, she would always listen critically. Flubbed notes, poor dynamic contrast, bad intonation, she picked up on it all. In nearly every performance group she was a part in she could always hear the other ponies make comments about the mistakes of others. Choral majors would rip her to shreds. 

 

"Instructors will certainly help, which is something I could use." Blue Note let out a sigh.

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

 

Sterling nodded in reply to Blue Note. He understood. After all, Blue Note wasn't a theatrical major. They both were just whisked because the director simply liked their singing and passion. Whether it would translate into musicality and finesse was truly up to them though. They had to make sure that whatever they sang, that it would truly convey their very best and impress all who listened. He approached Blue Note, and without thinking about the consequences, decided to give her a small side hug. He then replied,

 

"Blue Note. I'm just as nervous as you about South Pacific. I still need to improve my singing, and I have medical school on top of that. I have to sacrifice my violin playing for a while because of South Pacific. Plus, I've never performed in front of anypony before. In a way, we're in the same boat. I can be a nervous freak, so remind me of what I'm about to say to you ok? No matter what happens, you'll be great. All we need is just some practice and some perseverance and everything will turn out alright. Who knows? Maybe things will become a lot more magical than we think."

[lincolnshirepony 527]

@Sterling Crimson

 

(OOC: Sorry that it has taken me forever to reply. Time has been getting away from me.)

 

Blue Note felted warmed by his hug. It was too brief. She quickly reciprocated before he pulled away. There wasn't any harm in a small hug... 

 

It made her feel slightly better, knowing that they were in this together. He did have a point; nothing would get better if they just sat around bemoaning how unprepared they were. "Hard work is what I do best," she said. "And magic does lead to miracles, so I hope you're right." 

 

Blue Note looked down at the music. "I think we need to practice vocal technique in addition to this. Celestia knows I'd never be able to play any repertoire if I didn't spend hours practicing good technique."

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

(Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're not dead yet.)

 

Sterling nodded at Blue Note. She was right. They needed to keep working in some technique, and time was fast moving along. It was that moment that Sterling checked the time. He gasped at how late it was becoming. They were practicing for quite some time already... maybe it was time for them to enjoy some dinner... Sterling turned back to Blue Note and replied with some urgency,

 

"Blue Note... it's almost dinner... would you like to go out and eat? We've practiced here for quite some time, and we've already shown that we need somepony helping us. Would you just like to take a break with me before we leave for today?"

[lincolnshirepony 527]

@Sterling Crimson

 

"Yeah, a break would be nice." Blue Note attempted to push away thoughts of her responsibilities. Homework could wait; it wasn't like she had anything anything else to do later. Her singing ability was not going to miraculously improve in a night. "I think I've passed the point of productivity, and dinner sounds heavenly." Even the lackluster food they served in dining hall sounded appealing. She hadn't eaten since lunchtime, which felt eons away. Not to mention, she always enjoyed eating with Sterling. Usually, she just went to dining hall and ate her hay as fast as possible; there were more important things to attend to. It would be nice just to relax at dinner, passing the time with meaningful conversation. It wouldn't matter what they talked about; she knew Sterling would have something interesting to say. 

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

 

Sterling smiled warmly at Blue Note when she accepted his invitation to dinner. They spent a long day practicing their pieces, and Sterling knew they both needed a break. He looked giddily at Blue Note, excited that he was going to eat dinner again with her. These past nights were quite lonely for him since he had much work to do and since his parents still hadn't returned home from the Manekees' road trip yet. 

 

"Great! I know of a quick, delicious place we could eat at for dinner! It's a humble diner, but they make the best veggie burgers in Manehattan! You wanna come along?" Sterling asked excitedly to Blue Note, extending his front hoof.

[lincolnshirepony 527]

@Sterling Crimson

 

The image of her purse popped into Blue Note' s mind. She had about twenty bits for spending this week. But Sterling's hoof was extended to her, and nothing was more appealing to her than taking it. "Of course," she said, extending her hoof as well. "That sounds delightful." She broke eye-contact and paused. Sighing, she looked back at him and continued, "How expensive is it?" She just had to make sure. Sterling would probably offer to pay the difference if she came up short, but that would make her feel obligated to pay him back somehow. It wasn't a feeling she cared for. However, the thought of spending the rest of the evening with him was enticing enough to make her forget fiscal responsibility. 

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

 

Sterling could see that Blue Note was a very financially astute mare. He liked that in her. Somepony who knew how much to spend and how much to save. Not somepony who frilled away with questionable things like excessive clothing. He gave a nod to her and responded,

 

"Well Blue Note, you don't have to worry too much about spending excessively here at this diner! Their best cabbage burgers in town are only 10 bits at most! C'mon! I'm hungry!" Sterling then extended his hoof to Blue Note's back, hoping that she would accept his friendly gesture as they walked out of Manehattan's practice rooms, out of Manehattan University, and back into the real world... 

[lincolnshirepony 527]

@Sterling Crimson

"Not too bad..." Blue Note thought. She could lose some of her spending money; this was worth it. "Okay, then let's go." Blue Note smiled at him. "I can't wait to have a veggie burger again. I'm not sure what they put in the ones at the dining hall, and I'm not quite brave enough to find out."

 

Walking by the glittering stores and passing by countless ponies who were infinitely more interesting than most ponies at UofM and hearing the songs of hopeful musicians blasting through the small venues onto the streets and feeling the cool autumn air nipping at her under a beautiful night sky and most all walking next to an extraordinary pony that she was proud to call her best friend made her feel glad to be alive. The streets of Manehatten welcomed her into a space where worry didn't exist for her. She couldn't explain this illogical feeling to herself, knowing that she should be miserable with all of her stress and responsibilities and enemies and difficulties and pessimism. However, Blue Note had long forgotten what it felt like to be home and had never been able to find it since then. But tonight, walking next to Sterling, she was as close to remembering as she had ever been. 

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

 

Sterling walked across the streets of Manehattan. He was never bored of the gleaming lights that shone throughout the city amid the night sky. He purposely chose that particular diner because they would be walking through these lights again. He simply loved them. He felt at home with all the excitement and engagement occurring within the towering skyscrapers and bustling streets. With Blue Note beside him, the experience had doubled. He finally had a trusting friend he could be with to enjoy all these things and more with him.

 

When Sterling arrived at the diner, he opened the diner's metal doors as if to escort Blue Note into her destination.

 

"After you my lady." Sterling spoke elegantly and with a blush on his face. He had never done anything like this before, and he was stunned at how confident he was doing it.

[lincolnshirepony 527]

@Sterling Crimson

 

Blue Note was caught off guard by Sterling's suaveness. "There's something I don't hear everyday," she said, blushing slightly. She quickly stepped forward, almost tripping on her way in. The aroma of veggie burgers wafted around her. It made her acutely aware of how hungry for delicious food she was. "Well, I have to hand it you, Sterling. You sure know how to pick a restaurant. Those burgers smell so delicious."

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

 

Sterling was glad to see that Blue Note responded with a giggle to his suaveness. He wanted to be nice, and he knew that Blue Note was having it just as tough as he was with life in UoM. After Blue Note trotted in, Sterling walked closely behind her. He too could smell the delicious aroma of veggie burgers but was quickly interrupted by Blue's compliment. He replied with a giggle,

 

"Oh Blue Note... It's because of my parents actually! Their journalist circles know all of the best places to eat in this town!" Sterling then took a seat at one of the areas designated for two. He then motioned for Blue Note to sit with him as they waited for the waiter to take their orders...

[lincolnshirepony 527]

@Sterling Crimson

Blue Note sat across from Sterling. "Wow, journalists know a thing or two about food," she said. "You must have eaten well growing up." She glanced down at the menu full of pictures of perfect burgers. Could they look that good in real life? If the food at the table across from them was any indication, it was possible. "Did you come here often?"

[Inactive01 5,299]

@lincolnshirepony

 

Sterling nodded at Blue Note. Journalists sure had good tastes. However, not all was always this easy for them...

 

"Well... life wasn't always this easy... And I'm not sure how my parents are doing right now. This road trip they're going through has been the longest they've ever gone to in their lives. And I'm not sure whether they're getting paid adequately. I've heard rumours that journalists weren't receiving their pay... and that my parents are among those victims. But I can't say for sure..." Sterling then finished with a sigh. He loved his parents. They supported him even through his worst of times. His parents would talk about their financial difficulties and about their lack of pay at times, but Sterling was never too concerned about it since his parents always pleaded for calm. 

 

Before Sterling could continue on those worrying thoughts, the waiter had just come over to hand the menus. She gave them both a warm smile before asking for their drinks. Sterling asked for iced water. He then waited to see what Blue Note wanted...