It was wonderful to be back in Canterlot, Lyric thought to herself as she waited to take the stage. Once a year, storytellers from all over were invited to the capital city to share their tales in this literary festival. There was a good amount of competition and friendly rivalry, and Lyric had spent the last few years honing her craft. The first time she had been invited, she was surprised and nervous. How could somepony like her really impress the crowd? Now as her name was called, she was calm and assured. She strode to the center of the stage, took out her precious lute, and strummed.
"Good evening, fillies and gentlecolts, and thank you for inviting me again," Lyric said to those gathered before her, and she gave a bow to the Princesses. Among those in the audience, she spotted the famous Twilight Sparkle and her friends. She grinned when she saw them and promised herself that she would try to talk to them later, for she was sure their adventures would make wonderful new tales for all to enjoy. She also knew that Twilight had a love for history like herself and could imagine the conversations they would have. For now, though, she turned to address the public.
"You are probably wondering what sort of story you will hear tonight, or what sort of wondrous melodies will sound." Her hoof stroked the strings of her instrument to fill the hushed, expectant air. "Well then, listen close to my tale.
"Many years ago, there was a pony much like ourselves who was told that she was special. For you see, she loved music, and when she sang, the notes were so clear and pure, even though she was just a filly so small. Her parents were overjoyed and told her, 'One day, your music will charm all who hear it. It would even charm the Princesses themselves!'
"With stars in her eyes and a song in her heart, the filly made it her dream to one day perform for Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. She practiced every day, and when big enough to hold them, took up musical instruments to learn them and the lovely sounds they could make."
Here Lyric played a light, delightful melody to match the joy that little filly had felt in her heart. "But soon her passion became an obsession, and no matter how well she performed or how wonderful the song was, it was never good enough." The melody soured. "What was worse, any helpful comment from those who loved her was only a painful barb, one meant to stifle her creativity and prevent her from making her dream come true. When she now tried to recreate the joyful songs of her youth, she struggled to do so, though she could not understand why. Her heart grew heavy and she could take it no longer. Needing to prove to herself that she was still good enough to play for others, she left."
The melody that sounded next was one of quiet dissonance. It was hard for her audience to bear, but it was crucial to the story she had to tell. "The now grown pony traveled, wandering from place to place to practice her talent, so desperate to be able to make a living as she performed for those she met." Her music stopped. "But as she wandered and played, her desperation got the best of her. What should have been slow and sweet notes were quick and discordant." She replayed the wonderful melody of before, but rushed through it as if she were in a panic. "She could barely earn the ears of the ponies she played for, and then she only earned them grudgingly at best. It broke her spirit and tainted her soul even more."
Soft, slow, tentative notes flowed into the silent ponies before her. "And then one day, a beacon of hope shone. While passing through a remote village, she heard word of a magical lute made by a talented luthier ages ago. It was rumored that its notes were the most beautiful of all when played, and that they would charm anypony who heard them. This caught her attention as she remembered her parents telling her that she could do the same so long ago." The melody that had been rising and rising ceased. "She had to have it.
"That night, when she was sure nopony was around, she snuck into the village hall where the lute was gently tucked away. When she laid eyes on it... it was beautiful. It had been well polished, the strings were taut and gleaming, and its decorations were ornate for an instrument of its kind." Lyric gazed at her own lute with longing and love. "It was unlike anything she had ever seen. Without a second thought, she smashed the case, grabbed the lute, and dashed into the forest around her, leaving her old and worn instrument behind."
The youngest of the ponies in the crowd gasped, horrified at this atrocity. Lyric nodded in understanding and continued. "When she thought she was safe, the pony started to play. Her ears were ready for the sweet tones that would charm anypony in the land." She strummed out a simple but elegant melody as she stated, "But what she heard was this." The notes fell flat and lost their elegance. "The pony was devastated and cried out in desperation, 'Why won't this work!? It is a magical lute! Where is the magic? Where is the beauty of the music!?'
"'There is no magic,' a harsh voice called out to her in the night. She spun to face the stallion who had found her, glaring at her with the stolen lute in her hooves.
"'But how can that be?' She nearly wept.
"'Because it's just a lute. It's true that it's a well-made one, but even the best instruments need a talented player to truly make them sing.'
"A talented player. That stung most of all, for hadn't she once been talented? The pony hung her head in shame and gazed at the beautiful lute laying in her lap. Without a word, she handed it to the stallion and took back her own instrument from his hooves. She shouldered it, found her way to the road, and left.
"The pony wandered for days, only stopping to eat and sleep, strumming the strings of her lute every now and then, not noticing her surroundings." Lyric mimicked the actions of the pony in the story, playing simple chords every once in a while. "One day shortly after that encounter in the woods, she heard a small voice. 'That song is very pretty,' it said.
"'What?' she said, and gazed all around. What she saw was a tiny colt standing beside her. "'You broke my concentration!' she snapped, and he cowered.
"'I'm sorry,' he told her, 'but I just wanted you to know. It's a really pretty song.'
"'You don't mean that,' she said to him, more sad than angry now.
"'But I do!' he insisted.
"'But it wasn't even really a song,' she lamented.
"'So?' he said. 'I still liked it. And maybe you can make it into a real song and come back to play it for us!' Before she could respond, bells rang in the town center, and the little colt started to run. 'Sorry, I have to head home now. Bye!' And with that, he was gone.
"The pony stood, stunned, wondering what had just taken place. All of her learning and training amounted to nothing, but a simple strumming of the lute was 'pretty'? She shook her head, telling herself that it was just a young colt and what did he know, but he made an impression on her. At the next towns she reached, she hesitated before playing. Some inkling had struck her on her wanderings, and so she closed her eyes and let her training float away. She simply played from the heart. Then a curious thing took place. Anypony who heard her paid attention now. This continued in the next town, and the next.
"Over time, the pony realized what had happened to her. Although her original goal was noble, when her dream became her obsession, it was no longer simply about the joy of the music and what it could bring to herself and others. She let that obsession rule her until a small colt had opened her eyes. Now the love and joy she had for music returned to her as did her talent and ability to play. She had been afraid that they were lost forever when they were only repressed, buried under her insecurities and other desires for a while.
"Fortunately, that time has long since passed, and the pony did learn a valuable lesson. She learned that it is more fulfilling to do what you enjoy simply for the sake of doing it. With this in mind, she returned home for a while to continue her studies, where she was welcomed with open arms. When she set out again, she did so with more confidence in herself and a newfound appreciation for the music she created." The melody that floated off of the stage was a peaceful one to match the feelings flowing through that pony. Lyric could see the awed faces of her audience as it reached them and as they listened to it along with her tale. "After a time, she even discovered some old songs from around the time of Equestria's founding, instilling in her a curiosity, which led to a love, for history.
"And did the pony ever get what she originally dreamed of as a filly? Did she ever have the chance to play for the Princesses? To that I say she certainly did. But then you might ask, was she ever able to charm those who heard her songs as she was once told she would? Well my dear ponies..." And here the music came to an end. Lyric raised her head and smiled.
"You tell me."
THE END