Coloratura clipped the mic back to the stand, attempting to catch her breath. She opened her eyes, hearing a soft clap from the audience. Or at least what was left of it. One mare sat at a rickety table, clapping her hooves together. The wood on the chair she sat on squeaked in time with her movements. The soft light that was illuminating from the candle on the table was not strong enough for Coloratura to make out her features. Though she did take a bow with a little smile on her face.
Least there’s somepony here tonight. She glanced around to the other tables, hoping to catch even a glimpse of somepony else, though none appeared. Her eyes landed on the bar, where the bartender stood polishing a glass, as he always did. A heavy sigh escaped her lips and she retreated to her room backstage. The cracked door opened with a high pitched creak. She grabbed the items awaiting on the dusty countertop, placing them one at a time into her backpack. Just then, a knock came from her door.
Huh? She froze for a moment. “Glass? Is that you?” Cautiously, she took several steps forward towards the door. “Done cleaning the bar?”
“Well, not really.” The voice that answered back was instantly recognizable to Coloratura.
I’d know that southern twang anywhere! She made a dash towards the door, pulling it open swiftly. In front of her stood the stetson hat-wearing orange mare she remembered so fondly. Diving into her hooves, she hugged her tight. “AJ!”
Applejack returned the gesture before holding her at hooves length. “Mind if I come in, Rara?”
“Of course not! It’s so great to see you!” Coloratura moved back in, though when she turned around, she saw Applejack moving much slower, glancing from wall to wall.
“Urr, n-nice place,” Applejack gulped, taking note of how the pink, flower filled wallpaper has basically begun peeling off. The room was barely lit by the few candles placed around the room and even from a distance, her eyes noticed a layer of dust on all the furniture.
“You don’t have to sugercoat it AJ. It’s less than glamorous, I know.” She slumped down on the couch, causing a small cloud of dust to erupt into the air. Applejack waved her hoof in front of her face, letting out several loud coughs. Once the dust had settled, she pulled up a chair and faced her dear friend. “So what’re you doing here?”
“Umm...j-just visiting.” Applejack’s eyes darted to the side.
“You? Visiting Manehatten?” Rara laughed. “Why do I find that hard to believe?”
“Alright, so I ain’t ‘just visiting’.” The country mare smiled sheepishly. “I came here cause Pinkie Pie told me what happened.”
The smile from Rara’s face faded almost instantly. Her gaze darted to the wooden panels on the floor and she went silent.
“R-Rara?” Applejack asked, putting a hoof on her shoulder.
“I… It’s alright Applejack. Heh, I’m fine.” The usually strong and powerful voice broke at the last word.
“You sure don’t sound like it.”
She went silent once more, prompting Applejack to tilt her head upwards. Rara’s eyes met Applejack’s emerald ones, and she released another heavy sigh. “I know I should be happy that Svengallop isn’t my manager anymore. But truth is…”
“...you miss the fame.” Rara could only nod, a wave of shame overcoming her face. She sat her own hoof on top of the one Applejack had on her shoulder.
“I miss the crowds, the ponies cheering my name. The clapping, the charity events!” Her voice started to break, feeling herself on the verge of tears. “And Svengallop’s out there with Mistress Mariposa and making her the most famous pony of all time!”
Guilt had started to creep into Applejack’s heart. “I’m sorry, Rara. When I did that, I-”
“Don’t apologize Applejack.” Rara placed a hoof on her muzzle. “You were right to make me see Svengallop’s manipulative ways. I just wish… that he wasn’t right.” She allowed her hoof to drop on the couch.
“Life just ain’t fair, Rara. You’re more talented than anypony else I know at singing those songs. I...I didn’t even think it would change so fast.”
“That’s how the music industry works, AJ. If you aren’t different, you’re replaced. Even if it only has been a few months.” Coloratura bowed her head dejectedly.
Applejack stood up from her seat, moving over to Rara’s backpack. The singer locked her eyes on her friend, watching her ruffle through her belongings. “What’re you searching for?”
There was no reply at first. Rara saw the determined gaze in Applejack’s eyes and knew her words had not even gotten through. After a few more seconds, Applejack pulled out a tiny, olive-colored hat. “I knew you kept it!” She handed it over to Rara, who stared at it in an almost trance like state. “You remember right?”
“C-Camp Friendship,” Rara muttered under her breath, to which Applejack nodded firmly.
“Back then, I made a promise.”
Applejack sat the guitar down on her bunk bed, a wide smile plastered on her face. “Rara that was amazing!”
Rara blushed, rubbing the back of her head with her right hoof. “Thanks, AJ. Your guitar playing isn’t bad either!”
“No really Rara. You should be on stage performing in front of thousands with that voice!” Applejack gleamed.
The bracelet in Coloratura’s hoof softly clinked with each twirl, the beads sliding roughly down the string.. “W-well, my dream always has been to go to Manehatten to make it big.”
“Go!” AJ yelled without a second’s pause. “You have to go!”
“I don’t know, Applejack.” Rara brought her hindhooves up to her chest. “What if I don’t make it? It’s a big risk. I don’t wanna end up failing.”
“Hmm…” Applejack tapped her chin with her hoof, her mind racing. “How bout this. I promise that if you fail, you can come stay with me in Ponyville! That way you’ll always have a home to call, well, home!”
“Y-you’d do that?”
“Mmhm!” She gave a single confident nod. “But you gotta promise me that you’ll try, alright?”
“A-alright. Promise!” Rara slammed her hoof with Applejack’s, a grin on both their faces.
“I… I forgot it. After all this time.” Rara felt a well of emotions swirl inside her chest.
“Well, I plan to keep my promise.” Applejack threw a hoof around her best friend. “You tried, and even though it didn’t work out, you’re more than welcome to perform in Ponyville! I do know of a few places that’d love a voice like yours!”
The mix of emotions in Rara intensified. Feelings of sadness, happiness, guilt and so much more had begun to overcome her swiftly.
“And we do have a guest room in the farm if you don’t mind living there. I can’t offer you Rainbow Falls imported water or cherries, bu-” Applejack’s offer was immediately cut short by a sudden hug. Soft sobs filled her ears and barely legible words dotted the spaces between them.
“Thank you, AJ. Thank you so much.” Were all the words Rara could muster, and all Applejack needed to hear. She wrapped her hooves back around Rara, patting her back softly.
Once she had calmed down, Applejack spoke again. “Feel better?”
“Yeah. Didn’t know how much I needed that.” She chuckled through broken breaths, wiping a stray tear with a hoof.
“Looks like a lot.” AJ inserted the hat back into the bag and zipped it up. “So, was this a one time gig or…?”
“One time.” Rara laughed. “It’s all I can get these days.”
“Well that’s all gonna change! I promise!” Applejack tightened the saddlebags on Rara, who wore the biggest genuine grin on her face since she could last remember.
Yeah. I bet it all will.
Coloratura finished her song to the loud applause of the audience in the restaurant. It wasn’t as deafening as the ones which came from a stadium filled with thousands of ponies, but she didn’t mind. If anything, she preferred it.
She gazed out to the filled establishment, her eyes catching glimpse of a table where a familiar orange mare, and her 5 friends, sat at. With a smile, she bowed to the crowd, causing another eruption of applause.
Rara retreated backstage where, just a minute later, the curtains parted and Applejack leapt to hug her tight. “That was unbelievable!”
“Thanks, AJ. I have to thank you again for this opportunity.”
“Aw, shucks.” Applejack gave a modest wave of her hoof. “So we still up for dinner with your fans?”
“Pretty sure Princess Twilight and the others qualify for much more than fans,” Rara giggled. “And yes, yes I am.”
“And how’re you feeling?” Inquired Applejack.
“Good. No, better than good. It feels like it was back when I was performing! The passion, the emotion! ...Feels like I can sing the colors of the rainbow.” Images of running to the top of a rooftop and screaming out loud just how amazing she felt were flashing through Coloratura’s eyes. Though she managed to not do such a ridiculous thing.
“Good, cause you still haven’t told us that story about when you spilled noodles over the stage.”
“Ooo, that’s a long one. Well, it started with Svengallop’s request…”
Slowly, the two mares made their way to the exit. Coloratura closed the door softly behind her, though one in her life had just opened.
Author's Note
A fun writing prompt from EqD! Love the episode and was such a fun character to write for! Hope you guys enjoyed it!
