Today was different.

Dominiq pushed the chair quietly against the wall. He looked back to make sure no one was watching. After a few long moments of heavy silence, he decided to climb on top the chair and look out the window.

He looked past the yard and the barred iron fencing to the cobblestone streets that were still wet with rain. It looked especially sparkly now that the sun was starting to show. Enough about the weather though; it was the ponies he was here for! Some trotted by with a bounce in their step while others walked with leisure. A few looked awfully tired, but most wore umbrellas. He found that odd seeing as the rain had stopped completely. He suddenly took his hooves from the window sill as a loud voice, "Dominiq!" Rang through the air.
"Ah, ah coming!" Dominiq stammered as he got to his feet and clumsily jumped off the chair, ran up the stairs, and scurried down the long path into his work room.
“Yes?” he said, trying with all his might to hide the fact that he was dying for air.

“Dominiq,” he didn’t turn away from the papers where he wrote various things down, “I have a proposition for you.”

“Yes.” Dominiq could only simply agree as there was no room to do much else.

“Starlight and I have devised a way to broaden your variety of skills,”

Dominiq looked deflated; he didn’t have any skills; he didn’t even have a cutiemark! He started to believe that his father only said things like this to make him feel better and it wasn’t.

“Though I cannot give you all the details, we hypothesize that it will develop your strength in speech. Starlight is in the main room.”

Oh Celestia, hopefully it wasn’t his cousins that were coming over. They were too /everywhere/ to talk to.
But,

he stated promptly, “Yes sir.” with the pretense of complete content and proceeded to trot down the hallway with his head held high. The only thing he considered he was fair at doing; lying. He kept all these feelings concealed until he was sure was out of Father’s view. Then he let his head hang low and a sullen expression take over his face.
His cousins, really?! Oh and Mai was the worst of them. Their leader of sorts. always pushing all the buttons possible to drive him mad! Ah, and there was-
A deep, but feminine voice cut through,“Dominiq? I’m over here.”
Dominiq realized that he was already in the large central room and heading towards the wall. He stopped and cringed, feeling completely embarrassed.
“Sorry...” he crawled over looking at her hooves.

“Ahaha, oh Dominiq.” she said and nuzzled his sullen face when he got close enough.
“So, where are they?” he asked, looking around.

“Where are who?”
“My cousi- I mean the ponies I’m supposed meet here? Aren’t they supposed to be here?”

“Oh, that.” she laughed some more, “We’ll have to go outside for that.” and she opened the door to a wave of brightness.

He had forgotten just how dim that grand chandelier was. Creamy white covered Starlight and transformed her into a mere silhouette. Warm and humid air soon followed after, bringing in the smell of rain soaked dirt. It felt as if the air was hugging his face and legs ever so gently. His eyes soon adjusted to see the garden outside. He never paid it much attention, but the lavender never looked so warm while wet.
“Come on then!” she took the lead, melting through the door and melding with the outside.

Ooh.....cant wait! Luv him btw! And great shading :D

I like it

Very nice! The atmospheric tone and "rough" painting work really well.

Wow, that shading!

Is there anything you can't do??

Lovely :)