MLP: The Heart of the Song (Capper x Oc)

Chapter Two: A Traveller

Prequel:
Shades of violet, sapphire, magenta, and gold shimmered and shined, like a giant rainbow had blanketed the sky and stretched out over the land. It was early morning, but the night stars continued to shine. Despite the lightness of the dawning sky, the stars were so bright and clear like distant diamonds sparkling in the morning sky. While the faint outline of the moon was in a pale circle of silver, glowing faintly in the dawning sky. As the sun started to rise, it had caught the colors of a blazing, aflame ember as it rise in the east.
A tall, feminine cloaked figure was fleeing across the sandy dunes of the desert. She didn't dare look for any help due to folks had backstabbed her more than once. The sun was low, and the sky was on fire with a blazing sunset and into a calming twilight. Up there, she'd be as easy to spot as one of the dark, circling buzzards that seemed to be waiting for her to die.
But I'm not going to die, she thought fiercely. Not today.
The air was still and hot down on the desert floor. Her fur was baking; her back had never been so hot; her body was a sack of fire-heated stones she had to drag along behind her. Her earrings felt like twin pieces of the river shimmering against her head. Brief, dazed visions of roasted fish drifted in and out of her head. Sometimes, she was the one on the spit, turning above the fire. Sometimes, she had fallen in and was staring up at them as they rotated slowly overhead and the flames licked around her. Was that the sound of paws in the distance?
"Get back here kitty cat!" barked a scratchy voice.
The mentioned feline gasped and started running away from the Diamond Dogs again. She was simply minding her own business, drinking a refreshingly cool strawberry smoothie when those Diamond Dogs had caught her scent and had started chasing her nonstop. She doesn't want to hurt the Diamond Dogs due to her annoyance, so she ran to lose them. But that clearly didn't work.
A dry wind whipped through the air, making snaky patterns in the sand. The lone traveler lowered her eyes and pulled the hood of her cloak over her eyes. Her eyes were both glowing in the shadows of her hood.
As the traveler walked over the restless desert, the wind picked up loose sand and tossed it into the air. More and more sand started blowing in the restless wind. The desert seemed to have started to become alive as the sand shifted and swirled around.
The traveler stopped at the top of a sandy and rocky dune, and she immediately knew that a great sandstorm was approaching. The snaky patterns in the sand were blowing into round, curly patterns. It was soon followed by a weird moaning sound.
"A sandstorm is approaching!" One of the Diamond Dogs yelped to the others, his voice sounded hoarse from thirst. At this news, the pack of Diamond Dogs had each ran away from the cloaked traveler and the incoming sandstorm.
In the distance, a familiar haze of sand was spreading over the desert. As the wind picked up, the sky turned red-gold and the haze has been thickened into a huge brown cloud. The cloud began gliding towards her like a moving wall. She immediately hid herself in a small den and watched as the sandstorm brushed past her towards the pack of Diamond Dogs.
As two hours passed, she continued on her travels. Relief flooded over her when she saw the tips of some buildings. She walked over the hill with a stony trail to see a town. The town seemed to have several raised cliffs connected by bridges.
She let out a relieved sigh at the sight of the town. I thought I'll never found a place to rest at.
As she entered the town, she could smell sharp, spicy cooking smells filled the air, along with the scent of smoke and crowds of overheated creatures. She could see that it was a desert town full of winding alleyways, ramshackle stone buildings, tattered canopies, and dilapidated tents in colors that had been faded by the sun over a long period of time. And it seethed with unique beings: scales glittered from every shadow and tails slithered around corners. This town was a lot duller compared to the towns in Equestria. The streets around her were lined with rickety stalls and tents, and voices began pressing in on her.
"Chuck meat stew! Get it while it's hot!"
"Bet you'd like some gold for them cloak!"
"Stuck up on cactus — you never know when you might need it!"
The Pig Creatures then laughed sinisterly and as they talked about selling their recently captured birds to the customers. Seeing how they treat the birds, it makes her uneasy and worried about it. The unique birds squawked and scared her off.
Nevertheless, the Abyssinian quickly moved on. She walked pass some stalls, which includes fruits, vegetables, meats, toys, tools, weapons, Storm King merchandises and so on. However, they weren't exactly friendly and nice creatures as they often argued and shouted with each other about the money and merchandises. She doesn't like it. Not one bit. Ever since the Storm King had taken over Abyssinia, she has been searching for a new home. Though, the Storm King had initially left her alone, he had taken all of Abyssinia's wealth. Abyssinia was a trade nation, so this essentially ruined her.
Unknown to the silver Abyssinian, she was being secretly watched. It was another Abyssinian dark orange cat with lighter brown fur on his chest and has a dark purple curl of hair on his head while wearing a red coat and has a purple bandage on his tail. While standing near to the bar stall, he hummed thoughtfully while looking at the female Abyssinian. His name is Capper Dapperpaws. 
The crowds were just beginning to throng the marketplace as the last heat of the day began to wane. Colorful tents and awnings clung to every structure as far as the eye could see, like late orange light made the towers and balconies gleam like ancient gold.
Locals inspected the produce and goods with keen eyes. Among them wandered foreigners, strange-eyed creatures in dark galabia and women with equally dark makeup. Occasionally there was the flash of gold around a wrist, the spark of bright gems on a neck. 
Capper sighed in sadness. Could there truly be any more greater places to be at than this place? In a place like Klugetown, you were either looking for anyway to profit off those around you or you were just trying to get by on what little you had to begin with. Either way, you were in it for yourself and that extra layer of fear that permeated through the streets did little to help the already bleak situation of the desert city. Neighbors turned on one another and exploited each other for their own gain and there was nothing it seemed that could be done about it.
But Capper was different somehow. At least, that's what he told himself. And he believed it too. Unlike all these other rotten scoundrels and merchants who peddled their goods at inflated prices and cheated each other at every chance they got, Capper was much more graceful. He was quick witted, light on his feet, and had a keen eye for detail. While tension grew between other conmen and their marks, as they practically forced their goods and services down each others throats, Capper's dealings were smooth and easy. His marks always left with smiles, because he was more than just a simple conniving conman.
Capper felt a shift in the market crowd's mood. The creatures were turning their heads and watching a female Abyssinian as she walked through. She wore a tan cloak and a dark brown satchel being partially covered by both the cloak and her hand, but she didn't feel like a market regular. She walked slowly and gazed at everything with wary curiosity. When she pulled off her hood, Capper felt his breath caught in his throat when he saw such brilliant blue eyes from her and her fur is same shade of silver as the moon. She had a warm smile and was obviously avoiding the locals. She walked with the grace of a cloud in the wind, like her body wigged nothing at all, and held her head high with easy pride and dignity.
But Capper stiffened when he spotted some shifty looks from the nearby locals. He stepped towards the silvery she-cat with a warm smile and led her to an empty alleyway. The silver Abyssinian looked a little confused, but her eyes lit up with understanding and started following him. "Um... Hello. I'm Shira Silverfeather."
Capper smiled at the sound of her name, enjoying the sound of it. Humming thoughtfully, he tests how her name sounded on his tongue. "Shira?" Smiling, he found that he quite liked how it sounded very much. As Shira turned to look at him, he tilted his head at her. "If I'm not mistaken, it means music or something like that, yes?"
Shira nodded. "Yes, it does."
Capper smile brightens as he gazed at her. "What a beautiful name." He soon curtsied to Shira, making her giggle. "Capper's the name. Charming's my game." But he became serious and looked around cautiously while lowering voice. "Come with me. I'll take you to my home, we'll can talk there."
Shira nodded understandingly and spoke with a light, youthful voice that had the vaguest hint of a lilt to it. "Let's go before any more craziness happens then."
Capper begins to sing about Kludgetown to Shira. He showed Shira some of the neighborhood, where some creatures showed sinister and greedy looks, like they wanted to harm the newly arrived Abyssinian. 
"Oh, imagine a land, it's a faraway place.
Where the caravan camels roam.
Where you wander among every culture and tongue.
It's chaotic, but, hey, it's home."
Capper has his new companion to turn and face to the market street's alley. He has his right paw's nail to cut down a rope that brought down the boards, covering the alley in darkness. It made Shira become startled and worried of the situation.
"When the wind's from the East.
And the sun's from the West.
And the sand in the glass is right.
Come on down, stop on by.
Hop a carpet and fly.
To another Arabian night."
Arriving to the barrel in middle of market street, Capper snapped his paws, allowing the spotlight to shine on him. He then led Shira to a dark blue humanoid rat-like brute, who is guarding the door. He gave the rat a secret handshake, which the rat opened the door and allowed them to enter.
"As you wind through the streets.
At the fabled bazaars.
With the cardamom-cluttered stalls.
You can smell every spice.
While you haggle the price.
Of the silks and the satin shawls."
While leading Shira to another market area, Capper secretly has his tail to swipe and steal the mangoes from the fruit seller. He juggled them for the moment.
"Oh, the music that plays as you move through a maze.
In the haze of your pure delight.
You are caught in a dance.
You are lost in the trance.
Of another Arabian night."
He thrown two fruits to both a nearby Lizard Kludgetowner and a Mouse Kludgetowner, and even passed one to Shira, which earned him a smile and slipped it into her satchel.
"Arabian nights.
Like Arabian days.
More often than not are hotter than hot.
In a lot of good ways.
Arabian nights.
Like Arabian dreams.
This mystical land of magic and sand.
Is more than it seems."
While leading Shira to home, Capper helped and protected her from danger such as stopping her while allowing giant monster to cross.
"There's a road that may lead you.
To good or to greed through.
The power you're wishing commands.
Let the darkness unfold or find fortunes untold.
Well, your destiny lies in your hands."
Capper glanced at Shira with a small smile and struggled to hide his blushing face. But Shira could see he has more honor and generosity than half of this town. But a deep-throated singer has suddenly cut in.
"Only one may enter here.
One whose worth lies far within.
A diamond in the rough."
He stopped a snake trying to eat Shira, making a long board for Shira to cross from one to another building, riding the mine cart on railing tracks, and guiding her through the mist. Shira was amazed and happy to see how considerate and generous Capper is.
"Arabian nights.
Like Arabian days.
They seem to excite, take off and take flight.
To shock and amaze."
Nevertheless, she followed the other Abyssinian cautiously. Capper led Shira to the windmill-like resident, which is believed to be his home.
"Arabian nights.
'Neath Arabian moons.
A fool off his guard could fall and fall hard.
Out there on the dunes." 
Capper entered his home, where Shira was waiting for him. He chuckled happily as he led her to use the giant gears that acted as elevator, reaching up to the windmill.

After climbing up the moving gears, elevators and stairs; Capper has led Shira to his home via trapdoor. He got out from it. Shira followed him and got out from the trap door as well. She was in awed surprise and amazement of what she just saw. Looking up off from the wooden planks, the first sight of it was a slightly worn, yet comfy rug there in a living room setting. The rest of the windmill home itself looks to be like he is one for collecting all kinds of random junks and turning them into wonderous masterpieces. Hanging above her are what look to be like what is to be many small chandeliers, but are mostly just pots carefully secured onto by ropes.
"Welcome to my little home," Capper said to her. "Apologies for the state of it. I wasn't expecting company today."
Shira immediately started looking through the humble abode. Capper has many collections of treasures and art, and the fact that the pirate portrait took up most of the wall space in the windmill. To the silver Abyssinian, everything was starting to make sense when it comes to Capper. This painting, his home, his intellect, all that he had shown to them reflected a need for the finer things in life. A need for beautiful, artistic, creative, worthwhile things. Shira completely understood this feeling, because she would feel it everyday. That is why she creates beautiful paintings, stories, and poems all the time.
Capper gave her a cup of water. "Here. This is what you wanted, right?"
Shira gazed at Capper curiously and nodded to him gratefully. "Thank you. You've saved my tail back there." She pick up the cup and drink the contents. When she was done drinking, she put her bag down unintentionally revealing beautiful paintings that she had made during her travels.
"It looks you had artwork on claw," Capper remarked.
Shira smiled at him warmly. "You got that right." She picked up one of the paintings and showed it to Capper, who carefully picked it up and gazed it with amazement. They weren't stylized or exaggerated in any way. These images looked as real and accurate, the colors seemed to pop right out of the page like iridescent butterflies. It was a gorgeous painting of a beautiful emerald green landscape with white clouds pouring rainbow-colored waterfalls.
"That's Winsome Falls," said Shira with a smile.
Shira soon took out another painting and showed it to Capper. It's just like the first one. They weren't stylized or exaggerated in any way. These images looked as real and accurate, the colors seemed to pop right out of the page like bright iridescent butterflies. It was a gorgeous painting of a morning sky. It has shades of violet, sapphire, magenta, and gold that shimmered and shined, like a giant rainbow had blanketed the sky and stretched out over the land. It was early morning, but the night stars seemed to shine in the sky. Despite the lightness of the dawning sky, the stars were so bright and clear like distant diamonds sparkling in the morning sky. While the faint outline of the moon was in a pale circle of silver, seemingly glowing faintly in the dawning sky.
"It's beautiful," said Capper. "You painted this?"
Shira nodded. "I've traveled to all sorts of places since the invasion and painted the places that I had wandered to." She smiled softly at Capper. "It's my special talent. Well, part of it. I'm good with writing and singing too. Art, writing, and singing."
"So, you could make more like this?" Capper leaned in front of her, tail curling behind him.
"Yeah." Shira nodded. "If I have the right supplies I can."
"I'll give you a deal, Shira," said Capper. "You can stay here, food and water included. But in exchange, you make more of those paintings for me to sell." Capper leaned over as he returned the first painting to her and pointing towards the canvas.
Shira nodded. "Fine by me. I'm not sure I want to get any of the wrong attention."
Capper chuckled softly and smiled at her. "I don't blame you on that." He remembered when he had sworn off friendship after his former best friend had betrayed him and was killed during the midst of his betrayal.
But he's starting to regain a faint trace of hope of having a new friend by his side.