The Music Maker

Things were going pretty well for me in Ponyville. I got a well-paying job on the Apple family’s farm helping out Big Mac and Applejack carry the apple baskets (having hands really helps for this sort of thing.), and I even got to volunteer taking care of Fluttershy’s animals. Even Angel got around to enjoying my company. (Fluttershy said that I was really lucky because he was never this nice to anypony but her.)  Though with how often I stayed at her cottage, we eventually decided that it would be where I lived. Fluttershy was extremely generous to me. She offered a place for me with no rent, and a small list of chores. I thought it was a bit odd for somepony as shy as she was to let a complete stranger like me into their cottage housing many little somewhat defenseless creatures. So one night after a long rehearsal I finally asked her about it all.

“Fluttershy, not that I’m complaining, but… Why are you being so generous to me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you let me stay in this beautiful cottage free of charge, you let me eat your food, and the only real ‘chores’ I have are to help take care of your animals. Not many ponies would do that for someone like me…”

Fluttershy shifted her shoulders and smiled. “Well, to tell you the truth, I really like your company…”

I blinked. “What do you mean, Fluttershy..?”

She sighed and looked away for a moment. Then she looked back up at me timidly. In short, she said that it was because I had a quiet and calm voice. She had a point. I never really was a talker. In fact, I usually would just keep to myself in social situations… But on the off chance that I did speak, I sounded like I was in a library talking with a low enunciated mumble. Almost like a whisper, but without the breathy noise. She told me that since most of her friends were very loud or vibrant in their voices, I was a nice break from the noise. I sighed. For once someone knew how I felt. I was glad to live with someone like that. And so was she. It probably felt like such a positive relief to have a friend so similar. I was glad I could do that for her…

She then went on to tell me that she also enjoyed my keyboard playing. I admit it. With all this newfound attention to me, I liked showing off my rehearsed songs a little bit. And since Fluttershy was the only pony around who could listen, I decided to have her as my go-to critic as she always had something nice to say. She may have been harshly truthful on rare occasions, but her comments would always be fair and relevant in some way. Sometimes, I would go off-tangent from my scripted concert prep venue, and play some slow rock tunes from my world. One of her favorite songs I’d sing for her was Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey. She said that the sound of it always made her want to dance with someone. Unfortunately, I never learned to dance… So that was a wish I couldn’t fulfill.

I sighed. “Well, I do appreciate all that you’re doing for me Fluttershy. I’ll be honest; I’ve never been treated with so much kindness before. So… Thank you…”

“Oh, you don’t have to thank me,” Fluttershy blushed. “It’s my pleasure!”

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This was it. Tomorrow night, I would be on an illuminated stage with hundreds of ponies sitting and watching as we, the orchestra performed our symphonic masterpieces.

I was playing Neil Diamond’s Solitary Man for Fluttershy when Angel came bolting towards me with the mail. It must have been urgent because Angel never came up to me voluntarily. I quickly looked through and found a letter with familiar handwriting. Spike. That meant that Twilight had something very important to tell us. Or me. I began to silently read what Twi had written.

“What does it say?” asked Fluttershy peering over my shoulder. I had never noticed it before, but her mane was incredibly soft… Calmingly soft…

“Twilight wants us to meet her at the library at 5:30pm,” I said, half reading and half answering the question. Fluttershy blinked. Almost as if she had realized something.

“Oh! Well, I suppose we ought to get going! We wouldn’t want to be late for… well… Twilight!” Fluttershy’s persona became very strange; almost hyper. This was a little bit of a shock to me because I never saw her act this… excited? I wasn’t sure how she was feeling really. But, why the sudden emotion? And why, of all things, over an invitation? I didn’t know what to think of all this, but I guess finding out would have been worth the wait. We headed on over to Twilight’s library to see what the big invite was for.

After about thirty minutes of being practically dragged by Fluttershy and her less-than-aerodynamic wings, we reached the Library. Well, guess I’d finally figure out what all the fuss was about. Something wasn’t right. Looking into the door’s window, I couldn’t see any light whatsoever. Something was definitely up. Unless Twilight was conducting some big experiment that needed darkness, the lights were usually on at this hour. I had hardly realized it, but out of sheer curiosity and almost worry I had quickly opened the wooden library door.

Remember how I said that sudden bright lights in my face really annoy, and sometimes upsets me? Well they sure do, but only on certain occasions; the worst one being waking up in the morning. However, when the bright lights are accompanied by practically thirty or forty ponies, including Fluttershy behind me, all yelling ‘surprise’ with confetti and streamers popping everywhere, they are perfectly acceptable. Pinkie Pie had put together a Good-Luck-Tomorrow-Night party for me, with the help of Twilight and her knowledge about me to make this party the best I could ever ask for. To say that they made me happy would be a huge understatement. For the first time in my life, I felt socially accepted… I felt… ecstatic. Hell, I was feeling pure zest! I was a party animal ready to rock!

The party had lasted a good two hours or so, and I was still partying and getting to know everypony. Eventually, though the music was good, I felt a little daring, and decided to give the ponies a taste of my personal favorite kind of dancing music.

“Hey everypony!” I shouted. “How would you like to hear some party music from my world?” The ponies all cheered in approval. I took that as a definite yes and walked over to the table supporting the sound system. The music stopped. A few distorted clicks. Then just before I played the song, I announced one more thing to everypony.

“Alright! This is a dance song. It has no steps, no rules, all you have to do is move your body to the beat! Just have a great time with this alright?” One more cheer of approval. I sighed of excitement, and selected my favorite jig: Salty Dog by Flogging Molly. Irish punk rock really does turn parties into a great place. Once the drums and guitar kicked in, everypony was locking arms and spinning and dancing like that scene from Titanic. The Irish party in 3rd class. I had never seen these ponies so entertained in all my life. They had never heard Rock, or Irish music before, but they all loved it. I even heard Berry Punch yell out “This is my new favorite song!” By the second breakdown, everypony was really getting into the dance and having the time of their lives. So was I. Or at least I was until I noticed something wrong. Fluttershy was missing.

My eyes darted anywhere she may have gone. A round room doesn’t necessarily leave any corners or rooms to be hidden in. Since I was the tallest there it was much easier to see where she would be, but she just wasn’t here. I began to worry… Causing a scene was the last thing I wanted to do, so I tried to play it cool as I walked to the only other room this tree house had: The second floor bedroom.

She was there alright; softly sobbing into one of Twilight’s pillows… I startled her when I asked if she was alright… She looked back at me with the largest pupils I had ever seen… Her body, only softly highlighted in the soft, pale glow of the moonlight… She had been up here for quite a while it seemed. Maybe she was just experiencing the ‘party depression’ some people get when things are just too much… Even so, I had to comfort her somehow. She was my roommate and more importantly, my best friend.

“Fluttershy?” I asked in the quietest calming voice I could. “Is the party getting to you?”

She sniffed a bit and glanced away as she nodded…

“Well, the window’s open. Would you like to go for a little walk outside?

She looked back at me and wiped her eyes “m-hm…” and gave a small nod. And that was that. We climbed out the window and snuck down the tree to the cool dewed grass below. As we walked through the forest path behind the tree house, we could hear the muffled sounds of dancing hoof-beats and Flogging Molly’s Drunken Lullabies.

After a short while, we reached the edge of a large field beautifully lit by the full moon. I sighed, and Fluttershy gave me a weak smile. I had always liked her smile… It had a sort of warmth to it that made me feel… home… I spied a large tree stump a small distance from where we stood.

“Would you like to go sit for a bit?” I asked with a grin.

“Sure. My hooves kind of hurt…” That was the first thing she had said all night.

The stump was rather cold, but that was expected in the fresh misty nights of spring. I didn’t mind. A friend in need is much more important than a freezing bottom. I peered over to see her wincing at her forehoofs. The path we walked was pretty sharp and gravelly. Her hooves must have been killing her…

“Fluttershy, let me see your hoof a moment, ok?”

“Oh... Alright,” She calmly sighed as she handed me her hoof.

I clasped her hoof in my hand a moment taking a deep breath. I checker it over and softly dusted a few pebbles out of it. No real injury or cuts. A few scrapes, but no blood. Her poor hoofs were just sore, that’s all.

“Would you like me to massage it for you?” She looked up at me with surprise. I guess she wasn’t expecting anything like that from me.

“Well…” She sighed. “Actually, yes. I would really like one…”

I had never given a massage before… I was only asking to be nice… Damn it… Why was I so prone to say things without thinking first? Oh well. I made the offer. I had to follow through. But I wasn’t an experienced with massages. In fact the only thing I ever really did with my hands was… play my keyboard… That was it! I knew how to move my fingers on a keyboard just fine! Maybe I could give a decent massage if I ‘played’ a song on her hoof. But... which one?  Most songs I play are just a bunch of chords, and the Orchestra pretty much had me doing accompaniment. What song had a keyboard part that allowed me to move my hands and fingers around in a random yet repetitive way? Of course. Only one song I knew could do that. And it was perfectly fitting for Fluttershy’s beautiful personality. I gently placed her hoof onto my lap and began to ‘play’ Owl City’s Fireflies; A glorious and heartwarming song in my opinion.

“Is this alright?” I soothingly asked.

“It feels… wonderful… It really does.” She began to blush. Then she looked up at me with that genuine, tiny smile she would always get when everything seemed right with her world.

“Would you sing to me too? I want to hear your beautiful voice again.”

I smiled. She was such a beautiful creature. Forget the party, sitting here comforting my most special friend was the best way to prepare for my concert tomorrow evening. That night, I knew she would always hold a special place in my heart… I cleared my throat softly and began to sing.

As I did so, a few lightning bugs began to light up around us…

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You would not believe your eyes

If ten million fireflies

Lit up the world as I fell asleep

‘Cause they fill the open air

And leave teardrops everywhere

You’d think me rude but I would just stand and stare…

I’d like to make myself believe

That planet Earth turns slowly…

It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep.

‘Cause everything is never as it seems…

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