[PRP] Follow the Money! [Red Velvet, Pale Moonlight] [Fin!]

[Scaramouche Fandango]

Pale Moonlight was taking the long way home from piano lessons, pausing to look in the shop windows he passed- and occasionally, think about going in to buy something. The week's pocket money was tucked into the front cover of his book of etudes, its promises and potentialities a tantalizing thing. But he resisted the sweetshop, the bakery, the bookstore; no, he needed to save it this week. He was saving up for an out-of-print copy of this fantastic Chopin symphony, and he'd have enough for it next week!

Of course, that didn't mean he couldn't windowshop. As he dawdled along, he didn't realize that his etude book, his name and address neatly printed on its inside cover- and his money inside of it- had slipped out of his saddlebags.

In fact, he didn't notice until he was nearly home. Digging around for his housekey, he realized that the book had fallen. Crestfallen, he began to panic. Not only was his music missing, but also his money! Where could he have dropped it?

Chibi_Kokoro143

 

[Chibi_Kokoro143]

Red Velvet trotted on by the stores with some baked goods to deliver to a customer for her mama.

Red Velvet dropped them off and turned back towards their stables.

"Whoot! I almost have enough money for the new saddle bag I wanted."

Red Velvet wanted this new saddle bag since her old one was getting worn down and torn.

She wasn't paying attention until a buck whipped over her eyes.

"What the-?" She looked at the money that is on her hoof and quickly looked around and saw a book and money around it!

"Oooo~!" She grabbed the money and placed it in her bag, then opened the book. "Whoever this 'Pale Moonlight' person is...thank you!"

She smiled and placed the stuff in her bag. I'll buy the bag tomorrow. Right now, she had to get home to her Mamas before night fell.

Scaramouche Fandango

 

[Scaramouche Fandango]

It wasn't long before the colt realized his only recourse was to retrace his steps. At top speed, he galloped back down the route he'd taken home, occasionally mumbling to himself about where it could have gone. He wasn't alone on the street, and he was terrified that his book had gotten trampled asunder in the flurry of color that was the other phony passers-by. He stopped outside of each shop he'd looked into, but he didn't see it lying on the sidewalk. Perhaps he'd dropped it closer to his teacher's home? Frantically, he galloped back that way, occasionally stopping others on the street to ask if they'd seen a sheet music book. Eventually, he came across a magenta earth filly who looked friendly enough that he wasn't afraid to ask. "Excuse me, miss. I hate to be a bother, but, uh, you haven't- you haven't seen a music book lying around on the street? I'm afraid I dropped a book of sheet music. Piano music, lots of etudes. You- you haven't seen such a thing, have you?" His panic was obvious in his voice; misery was beginning to creep in as he began to grapple with the distinct possibility of not ever getting it back.

He didn't think to mention the money. At the moment, he was preoccupied with the book itself, and assumed the money would be inside.

Chibi_Kokoro143

 

[Chibi_Kokoro143]

Red Velvet looked at the panic pony in front of her and rustled her bag.

She hooked her hoof back in a nervous gesture and thought to herself.

She thought about giving the book back, she really did, but he wasn't taking care of his stuff and lost it. Red Velvet would never loose her stuff like that.

Red Velvet put on her concerned face at the pony. "No. I haven't seen it at all."

((I'm gonna have her go home to her mama and have her be told a lesson))

Scaramouche Fandango

 

[Scaramouche Fandango]

"I see," Pale Moonlight said sadly. "I knew it'd be a longshot; I'm so very sorry to have bothered you." He was almost back to his instructor's home; perhaps it had been picked up and turned in to one of the store clerks along the main street? He'd have to check.

Half an hour, none of the stores had even seen his book, and he'd gone home. He fought back the tears; it was silly to cry over having lost something like that. And besides, it was his own fault; he must not have closed his bag completely.

Well, there was nothing to do now but wait. Somebody had probably picked up his book and thrown it away. He supposed he could buy a new one next week, or ask his moms about buying a new one. He knew they would, but he felt responsible for having lost it in the first place.

After all, the Chopin would still be there in a month.


((Gotcha! Sounds grand!))

Chibi_Kokoro143

 

[Chibi_Kokoro143]

As soon as Red Velvet saw the young foul turn away, she started to pick up the pace as she made her way home. Until she knew it she was galloping home with a panic look on her face.

Home in view, she ran through the front door and slammed it shut. She was swallowing big gulps of air and sat down on the floor, slumping forward.

The bag was in front of her, and the more she started to stare at it, the guilt starts building.

"Mon petite? You there?"

Red Velvet turned to see her mom, Play Belle coming from the adjacent room. She rushed to her mom then, and hugged her in a vice like grip.

"What is wrong? What has happened?" Play Belle leaned forward and hugged her tightly.

"Oh mama!"

Red Velvet decided to tell her what happened then.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"And that's what happened mama." Red Velvet hung her head.

Play Belle and Red Velvet were sitting on the couch and the bag was open with the music book and the money.

"I feel so much....guilt! And it keeps on building up inside. I dunno what I should do!"

Play Belle hugged Red Velvet sideways and gave their hug a squeeze. "I think you already know what to do, little one."

Red Velvet shook her head. "NO I DON'T"

Play Belle then turn her head and gave her daughter a smile. "Give yourself credit. YOU. DO. KNOW. Now tell me, what does your heart say you should do?"

Red Velvet looked at her mom and spoke from the heart. "It tells me...that I should be honest." A spark lit in Red velvet when she admitted the truth. "That being honest would release me from this heaviness in my heart, and that it isn't right to take something knowing that it belonged to someone."

Play Belle smile. "And there you go. I knew you are a smart one."

Red Velvet went over to her bag and picked up the music book and money and put it in her bag.

"Mama. I would like to go over to the foal's house and return this to him." She turned around. "Will you go with me mama?"

Play Belle got up and went to open the door. "Let's go."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red Velvet stood in front of the house and she was nervous.

Play Belle lad a hoof on her shoulder. "You know, they do say that 'The truth shall set you free'."

Red Velvet nodded and went up and knocked at the door.

Scaramouche Fandango

 

[Scaramouche Fandango]

Morosely, the unicorn colt flopped down on the floor of the music room, not in the mood to even think about playing the piano. When he heard a knock at the door, he didn't feel quite like moving to get it; but when nobody else answered, he managed to drag himself to his feet. Much to his surprise, the filly he'd stopped on the street was standing at the door. "Can I help you, Miss?" he asked, tilting his head. What was she doing here?

Chibi_Kokoro143

 

[Chibi_Kokoro143]

Red Velvet looked at her mommy and back at the colt.

She then placed her worn bag on the ground and opened it to show the colt his music book with money.

She then sat on the ground and looked away before speaking. "I'm sorry for not telling you the truth that I had found your book with the money."

She turned her head and looked at the book bag. "I just..," she sighed and looked at him. "I just really wanted a new carrier bag and saw the money. It is no excuse for what I did though. I should of been honest with you and myself. Make an honest work at earning my money as you have too."

She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Scaramouche Fandango

 

[Scaramouche Fandango]

"My MUSIC BOOK! I thought I'd never see it again!" Pale Moonlight practically kicked up his heels, he was so happy. "Thank you so much for returning it!" The white unicorn smiled happily; he was so thrilled by the filly's honesty that he legitimately forgot that maybe he should be a little angry at her for lying earlier. It felt so nice to know that she'd found it; her honesty was refreshing. Grabbing the filly's hoof, he shook it. "Seriously, thank you for tracking me down and telling me the truth. I was so worried; it was so good of you to do this!" He smiled at the filly's mother, hoping she was proud.

Chibi_Kokoro143

 

[Chibi_Kokoro143]

Play Belle smiled at the two phonies as her daughter spoke again.

Red Velvet turned away, blushing, ears folding back. "I-I should thank you!" She looked at him and smiled shyly. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been honest with myself."

She then reflected on everything that led up to this moment. If she would of kept the money, she would forever feel guilty. She would look at her new bag and feel shame.

She then looked up at her mother then at the phony in front of her, standing proud that she did the right thing. "So....thank you. For everything."

Scaramouche Fandango

 

[Scaramouche Fandango]

Pale Moonlight laughed a little. "Gratitude for everybody, then! Good luck getting your bag; I'm sure you'll save up enough for it soon!" Or, if her mom was anything like his, he had a sneaking suspicion that the lesson itself might be the impetus for a parental purchase of the item in question.

That was, after all, how he himself had gotten his Beethoven bust.

"I'm gonna go practice now; I'll maybe see you around!"

Chibi_Kokoro143

And there you go! Honesty GET!

 

[Chibi_Kokoro143]

Red Velvet smiled, "See ya around."

And she had a good feeling about that.

Scaramouche Fandango

Thank you so much!