A clopfic between you and the singing sensation: Songbird Serenade
You worked at a casino where you were the pride and joy of everyone around you, giving people tips on how to win and how to avoid getting ripped off. You've always loved to sing ever since you were just a child, but you've always been too scared to sing in front of an audience. Even your father was kind enough to support you throughout the years. But when tragedy struck you after another hard day's work, you end up in a brand new world where you later end up getting with a celebrity who gives you the big break you've only dreamed about.
You always wondered how much different life could have been for both of your parents if you were never born. Of course, this was quite a negative thought, as your mother would be heartbroken knowing that you would think something like that. From the day you were born, you lost your mother and the only one who raised you was your father.
A kind, devoted and loving man, your father never lost sight of what was most important: raising you to be a great man and supporting you through thick and thin. He gave you a childhood that you cherished to this day. He would always drive you off to school and even picked you up at the end of the day despite his busy schedule. This was mainly because he didn’t trust you riding the bus with other kids, as he worried that they might pick on you. Your father worked at a pub as a bartender. The people at the bar were friendly enough to strike up a conversation with your father.
Despite working there, he didn’t really drink all that much. He’ll have one or two shots a months, but that’s just about it. For a long time, you wondered what it was like to be on stage and able to perform in front of millions of people. There was only one problem, even though you were a good singer, you had a very bad case of stage fright. Most of the time when you would sing, it would be in a secluded place like the shower or in your room.
Your father told you how you had an excellent singing voice and you were too embarrassed to even admit it. He said he could help you cure your little stage fright problem, but you had your doubts about that.
Seeing that even with your father’s help your stage fright wasn’t going away, you reluctantly pushed away the dream of being on the spotlight. Instead, when you were done with college, you got a job working at a casino. You took up a job as a bartender, just like your dad. Anytime someone’s on a losing streak, you gave them tips on how to win a few extra bucks. Different strategies for different games.
Just about 65% of the people who played these games ended up going home with big smiles, laughing all the way to the bank. Other customers just came by for a few extra drinks, telling you how you were right about the tips you gave them. It seemed only your father knew that this career wasn’t the one you really wanted.
As much as you wanted to become a star, your stage fright kept getting in the way. You wished your stage fright would just die so you could finally be able to achieve your dream. True to your father’s assumptions, you continued practicing your singing during your moments of privacy. However whenever he brought up such a conversation, you did all you could in order to avoid discussing it. Your job at the casino may not have been what you wanted, but at least it paid still the bills. Working in a casino has another good side to it. Being that you had yourself a nice house to live in.
Anyways, it was almost time for your shift to end and you were cleaning up shop, putting away the alcohol and cleaning up the cups. You said your goodbyes to the customers as they head on home to get a good night sleep.
Just then, you received a phone call from your father. You answered it right away after you got done with cleaning up. “Hey dad, what’s up?”
“Eh, nothing seems to change around here, kid. Speaking of which, it’s never too late to find a way to get you on stage without getting-” you stopped him right there.
“I thought we’ve moved passed this dad, I’m fine with working at a casino. I mean, yeah, there’s lots of people there, but I’m still able to get by and strike up friendly chats with them. Heck, some of them laughed themselves all the way to the bank, probably pissing themselves a little,” you said. You had no problems with cursing ever since reaching adulthood and your dad didn’t see any reason to not allow you. Though, he did remind you to watch what you say when in the presence of kids... unless they got potty mouths.
“Kid seriously, I can tell you’re not happy with your current lifestyle. It’s clear you wanted to be a star, yet your stage fright is causing you to be in denial. You and I both know this,” he argued.
“Yes, but I’m not sure you understand that I’ve long given up on trying to overcome my fears. Some people just don’t have the courage of performing in front of others without feeling like the pressure’s weighing down on you. I really tried my hardest to overcome my fear, but the last time I did, I fainted! I just can’t hack it, dad,” you sighed, almost feeling tears coming swelling in your eyes. That day you fell unconscious on the stage was possibly the most humiliating day in your life.
You were just about to hang up when something caught your attention. You ran outside the casino, which you would later regret doing. In the distance, you can see the police chasing after a vehicle with armed gunmen shooting at them.
“Oh shit!” you exclaimed before running to take cover. By the time you chose to get down it was too late. A sharp jolt of pain coarsed through your body when a stray bullet hit you in the chest. You collapsed to the ground, shouting in pain. “Son of a bitch...!” you groaned before coughing up blood.
As life began slipping away, your vision was failing you. It was only a matter of time before you would pass on and join your mother unto the heavens. Suddenly, you felt someone moving your body, laying you down on your back.
“Just stay with me, I’ll help you!” someone said. You couldn’t see their face and your hearing was failing you as well. Though the person who tried to save you succeeded in getting an ambulance, you gave in and slipped into the darkness, no longer having the strength left to keep yourself alive.
At first, you were surprised to see that you were surrounded by light, instead of a dark void. But it only made you feel more at peace, knowing you’ll be able to finally say hi to your deceased mother and give her the biggest hug. The next thing you knew, gasps and sounds of panic were filling your ears. All too quickly, the light faded and your eyes were exposed to what looked like the night sky.
Your eyes weren’t used to the sudden change in lighting, so you were left to rub your eyes as you sat yourself up, placing a hand over your chest. Now that your vision was clear, you saw that you were at the last place you’d want to be... on a stage in front of a huge audience. You were hit with a serious case of stage fright and backed away from the audience.
Trying your best not to freak out, you suddenly ended up bumping into what felt like someone’s legs behind you. Slowly looking up after turning around, you saw this humanoid horse with wings wearing a beautiful black dress. It was hard to see her eyes because her mane was covering them. Overcome by your stage fright, you didn’t notice it before, but when you looked at the audience again, you saw they too were horses.
“Uh... s-s-sorry for the i-interruption, I’ll just...” you stuttered, unable to finish your sentence. You just rose to your feet and ran off the stage, covering your face to avoid more humiliation. Though if you looked closer, you would have seen that the audience was more concerned than amused, especially the mare you bumped into on the stage.
This was too much for you to handle and you just wanted to get away from it all. However, before you even had the chance to get away, you felt a hand touch your shoulder. You slowly turned around to see who stopped you. It was the very same pegasus mare whose eyes were covered by her mane
“Hey, what’s the matter, are you okay?” she asked. Rather than answer you shook yourself out of her grasp and ran off the stage. You didn’t even look back, you just kept on running as far as your legs would carry you. It wasn’t long before the sounds of cheering rang out from the direction you fled and the sound of distant singing.
Taking your mind off that embarrassing incident, you focused more on the place you were at and how you ended up here.
“What the hell is this place? This can’t be Manhattan... can it? But if it is, how did I wind up here when I was clearly shot in Los Angeles? Something’s not right here.” you said to yourself, rubbing your forehead in frustration. It was a bit hard to think with the singing that was coming from down one of the streets. But you had to admit, that was one great singing voice.
Unable to think straight, you headed on back to the street where the show was being held. The crowd was going wild from watching the pegasus mare perform. Having to keep your distance since you didn’t have a ticket for the concert, you couldn’t get any clear lyrics from the mare’s beautiful singing. Even so, you were impressed by her performance. It made you feel a little envious to see how courageous she is up on that stage. Watching her sing, not at all afraid to be in the spotlight.
If you weren’t convinced before that this was an entirely different world, then you were now. From what you could hear at this distance, the mare was singing things that weren’t even remotely familiar to you.
After a few minutes went by, the crowd cheered as loud as they could. You clapped silently from afar so you wouldn’t draw attention to yourself.
“Alright everypony, you’re in for a real treat. This next song wasn’t made here in Equestria, but rather a land that was once the home of the lovers of Equestria’s protectors. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the show! Hit it!” she shouted gleefully.
Right away, you recognized the song that was going to sing judging by the beat. It was unheard of for this mare to be singing Sia’s song, Chandelier. Questions began to fill your mind. Who were these “lovers of Equestria’s protectors,” and how do they know about these songs that you only heard back in your world?
It didn’t take a genius to put it all together. There had to be other humans in this world. But being able to find them would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Who knows how far they are and how long it’ll take you to find them.
At that moment you saw that bigger problems were coming to you, both literally and figuratively. Talk about bad timing as these security guard horses spot you and make their way towards you. Only one option popped into your head and that was to make like a banana and split. However, the security guards gave chase and you were in full panic mode at this point. You couldn’t really blame them for wanting to catch you, considering you did interrupt the star’s performance.
You weren’t going to stick around to find out what they were going to do to you and got as far away as you could. Thank god for all those jogs you took with your father. Who knew they would come in handy... and in the most embarrassing way.
Each turn you took, each and every path you took, you made sure to keep on moving without looking back, fearing getting caught. When the coast was finally clear, you slide down the wall you were leaning on in order to catch a break and gather your thoughts.
“Okay, now I just gotta find some place to hide. This whole place is like one giant labyrinth...” you breathed looking left and right. Then it hit you again, even if you lost the security, where would you go then? Sleeping out on the street is the farthest thing from comfortable. But what other choice do you have? It’s not like you could spend the night at a hotel. Your only option was to find a cardboard box and an old cloth.
You take a deep breath and just go with it. So, you explore this unknown city, in search for any sort of alley with a cardboard box big enough to fit you and any sort of cloth to cover yourself up. It was so frustrating how your life got this degrading so quickly. First, you lost your life after getting shot by a few cowardly robbers, now you’re in some other world running away from a few guards and searching for a place to sleep. Talk about a run of bad luck.
Even as you laid on the hard ground, you couldn’t get that singer out of your head. Songbird Serenade... you learned that name from how much the audience was saying and chanting it. You had your mind so set on Songbird, that you failed to notice someone in front of you and ended up bumping into them.
“Oof, sorry about that, are you alright?” you asked, turning your attention to the one you bumped into by accident.
“I... I’m fine, really,” she replied, dusting herself off. When she looked at you, she gasped as she saw you weren’t a pony. Likewise, you took in the mare’s appearance, seeing that she was a cream coated pony with a blue mint colored mane. You realized hours ago that there were different ponies in this world, and unlike Songbird, this one didn’t appear to have wings.
‘It’s gonna take some time to get used to this place...’ you thought before sitting back down. Judging from the mare’s reaction, even though humans lived in this land, they weren’t very common in this city.
What started off as an awkward meeting, turned into an opportunity as you were now sitting on a comfortable couch rather than the cold pavement. When the mare stopped freaking out, you were able to introduce yourselves and you learned her name was Coco Pommel. Turns out your assumptions were correct and that such behavior was due to few humans appearing around here in Manehattan.
“So... you want to know what this world is and how you ended up here?” Coco asked. You made a note to yourself to be careful and watch the language, as she was clearly the timid type.
“Yeah, I want to be able to grasp the situation I’m in right now,” you nodded.
“Alright. Well, as you may have guessed, this isn’t the world you were born in, but a completely different world altogether. This land is known as Equestria, which is mostly populated by ponies and other mythical creatures not found in your world,” Coco explains.
“Strange... I thought that when I died, I would end up in heaven, but... instead, I ended up here in this... how do I describe it... parallel world where there’s no conflict? Is there a reason to why I was brought here?” you asked.
“Could be. Most of the time, when a human arrives in Equestria, they usually get a second chance at life when life was unkind to them back on Earth. And it mostly happens to humans who had traumatic experiences, bad childhood, and sometimes have wounded hearts that they’re trying to heal through any means necessary. In any case, how did you end up in this current situation?” Coco asked.
“I… I can’t say much, other than I was shot and killed when I was heading home,” you said, placing a hand over your chest, specifically your heart. “It hurt so bad, I couldn’t bare to live with the pain.”
“You were shot? With what?” Coco asked.
“You mean, you don’t know about guns that humans use?” you asked.
“No... are they bad?” she asked.
“In my opinion, they’re the worst. They’re these metal objects with a curved trigger underneath the barrel. When you pull the trigger, these little things called bullets come out and they pierce right through a human’s skin. Depending on where you got shot, it’ll either hurt a lot or it’ll give you a slow and painful death. I got shot in the chest, so I bled out pretty quick. Someone did try to save me, but I didn’t make it,” you explained.
Coco was shocked. “Wh-Why would humans carry those things?” she asked.
“Most of the time, they use them to establish power and dominance. Others use them for... “protection,” but in reality, it’s just so they would have their way with society. Guns come in many different shapes and sizes, including names,” you breathed in deeply and sighed. “Anyways, changing the subject, what was that concert that was playing earlier?”
“Oh, that was Songbird Serenade’s concert. Not only is she famous, she also happens to be the best singer in all of Equestria. Why do you ask?” Coco asked. You decided not to mention being chased by the concert’s security as you prepared to answer the question.
“No reason, I just wanted to know what the concert was and who was singing, that’s all. So she’s that well-known and that famous, huh? I’m kinda jealous,” you said, feeling a bit down.
“Jealous? Why?” You bit your lip, thinking you may have said too much.
“N-Nevermind, it’s nothing to worry about,” you said.
“So, does it still hurt? I mean, when you got shot?” Coco asked.
“Hmm, now that I think about it, when I ended up here, my chest didn’t hurt. I’m not sure why, it just feels like I was never shot at all. Guess my wound healed the moment I set foot on this land or something,” you shrugged.
“I see. Well, I might as well get you some blankets and a pillow. I don’t have a spare guest room, so I hope you don’t mind sleeping on the couch,” Coco said.
“No, not at all. Thanks for your hospitality,” you replied.
“You’re welcome.” With that, the nice mare collected the refreshments that she was serving you before she exited the room. Of course, she also made sure to turn off the lights before leaving.
As you laid there on the couch, you still can’t stop thinking about how amazing Songbird was and how she didn’t show any fear up on that stage. It felt like a slap in the face because you felt like you’ll never be as brave and talented as her. You hated yourself and your stage fright so much, you wished it would just leave forever.
‘Damn it! Why couldn’t I have been born without stage fright!?’ you thought to yourself as you slowly drift off to sleep.
Turns out Songbird Serenade wouldn’t be here in the big city of Manehattan for much longer as she had other places to perform and sing. She was only going to be staying here for at least one or two more days before hitting the road. You of course got this information from Coco Pommel who was allowing you to stay in her apartment for a while. In addition to a nice place to sleep, her generosity extended to giving you some fresh clothes. This was not at all a problem, since she happened to be a fashion designer.
With a map in your hand, you strolled through the busy streets of Manehattan, taking notice of how similar it was to New York. Tall buildings, a wide variety of civilians, not to mention that the map showed a Statue of Liberty wannabe. All this made you wonder how many other cities were like a perfect match to the ones back on earth.
Even though Songbird Serenade didn’t have a performance today, she was still a pretty big topic nonetheless. Every once in a while as you continued your little tour, you would overhear some ponies discussing the pop star’s concert from last night. Then came the subject of how you “crashed onto the stage in a ball of light” in the middle of the show. Was that even possible? Who knows, maybe the laws of physics work differently here.
In order for the ponies here not to recognize you, you kept the map close to your face. It may seem a bit dangerous, but it’s the only thing you could think of to avoid being spotted. Your plan seemed like it was working, until suddenly, you bumped into someone.
“Oof!” you grunted, backing up one step. You removed the map from your face. “Hey, sorry about that, I didn’t see-” you froze from the moment you realize who you bumped into.
“No worried, just be a little mo-” Songbird paused as she turned around and saw you. “Hey, I remember you! You’re the human who crashed onto my stage last night,” she said.
‘Yup… this day just keeps getting better and better,’ you thought to yourself before you felt yourself passing out right in front of the pop star.
You had such an awkward and unexpected reunion with one of the best singers you’ve ever heard from last night. What were the odds that there were hundreds of ponies in the huge city of Manehattan and all of them, you just had to bump into Songbird Serenade? What’s more is that it had to be today, when you were still getting used to being dragged into another universe.
Looking around, you were at least somewhat relieved while many ponies were looking at you, none of them included Songbird’s bouncers from last night. “I uhh... I just uhh... I uh... you know... w-with the c-concert and all...” you stuttered, unable to think of the right thing to say.
“Will you be finishing any of these questions honey?” Songbird asked growing a little amused. Realizing you were making yourself look stupid, you took a deep breath to make it easier to choose your words.
“What I’m trying to say is... I’m sorry for interrupting your concert last night. I hope you’re not upset about the whole ordeal,” you said clearly. The mare’s amused expression didn’t change, not even with your apology.
“No need to worry about it, hun,” she giggled. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re our latest arrival in Equestria. Hey listen, I was just about to go and grab myself an ice cream cone, care to join me?”
You were relieved that unlike you father, you weren’t lactose intolerant and such an offer almost made you lick your lips. Of course, to prevent yourself from looking ridiculous twice in a row, you kept yourself from doing such a childish thing. As Songbird took the lead, you became convinced she’s visited Manehattan a good number of times since she didn’t ask to take a look at your map.
“Sure, it’s been a while since I had one back home,” you accepted.
“Follow me, I know a place where they sell the best ice cream cones,” Songbird said. You followed her closely, but not too close. You still got a lot of disapproving looks from the citizens who reside in Manehattan. Songbird can sense how uncomfortable you were getting with the ponies staring at you like that. “Hey, don’t let them get to you. They just don’t see you the way I see you. I can tell that you’re a good guy.”
“You... think so?” you asked, unsure. “I don’t think security felt the same way last night.”
“Oh, you mean you ran away? Hmm, I guess I should’ve just looked for you myself. I was gonna look for you to see if you were alright, but the guards told me they couldn’t find you. Where’d you go?” Songbird asked.
“I was gonna sleep in a cardboard box, but this mare, Coco Pommel, found me. She offered to let me stay the night at her apartment. She gave me some food to eat and some fresh clean clothes to wear,” you explained.
“Oh, well that was nice of her. You gonna be staying with her in Manehattan?” she asked.
“I haven’t decided yet. To be honest, I don’t think Manehattan would welcome me with open arms like you do,” you said.
“That’s real sweet of you. Now, if you don’t mind me asking, why’d you run off the stage after you crash-landed?” Songbird asked. She knew how to put you on the spot.
With no other choice, you told her the truth, “Because for a long time now, I’ve had a really bad case of stage fright. And my dream was to become a great singer. It might sound silly, but every time I get up on stage, it feels like a huge weight is place on me. I can’t think straight, I start to sweat and my mind draws a blank. It’s so humiliating, I feel like I want to keel over.”
“Oh my, sounds like you really have it rough. I’m sorry you got scared up there...” You raised an eyebrow as Songbird went deep into thought. “You know, maybe I can help you out with that. How about you come to my suite tomorrow and show me how good you are with that singing voice of yours? I’ll be your first official audience. What do you say?” Songbird offered.
“Y-You’d do that... for me?” you asked. “B-But, what if I... screw up?”
“You won’t screw up. You may not know it, but when I looked into your eyes, I saw the singer inside of you and he’s ready to come out and show the world what he’s made of. All you need is the right push to get him out, then you can finally say goodbye to your stage fright. So what do you say? You up for it?” Songbird offered again.
Her words of encouragement somehow seem to give you a sense of hope. All your life, you never had the courage to sing in front of millions of people, but maybe singing in front of Songbird Serenade might be just the kind of practice you need. Before you could even think of another excuse, the ice cream shop finally came into view and you focused on what flavor you would choose.
“Any kind of flavor you want in particular?” Songbird asked. You knew that she was offering to pay for both of you and you shook your head. Reaching into your pocket you pulled out some of the bits Coco Pommel gave you before you left the apartment. At the same time, you were answering her question about your flavor, as there were so many to choose from.
“I’ll have a mint n’ chip flavored ice cream cone,” you said giving two bits to the cashier. You were a bit surprised when Songbird followed suit by ordering the same ice cream flavor. With the cold treats in hand, you went over to a table, managing to ignore the nosy ponies who kept staring at you on the way.
“Now as I was saying, you have that spark in your eye that guarantees success. I’ve been a performer for a long time and I’ve seen so many of these cases. From what I can see, you’ve been allowing your stage fright to control you throughout your whole life and you couldn’t find the right voice to voice your opposition. Well now, all of that is gonna change because I’m going to teach you how to overcome your fear,” Songbird explained.
While you were taking the pegasus mare seriously, you wished she wouldn’t bring this up in a public area. It was one thing to hear this kind of talk coming from your own loving father back home and it was only the two of you talking in private. Unfortunately, Songbird kept bringing it up in a public area for all to hear. It didn’t help because everyone around you was so nosey. Mostly due to the fact that you, a human, were hanging out with a pop star pony.
“I’ll ask once again... what if I screw up?” This time you gave her an expression telling her you wanted to hear something else besides you wouldn’t fail.
“Then I’ll give you some tips on how to keep calm when you sing. We’ll take step by step until you feel ready to start over,” she said reassuringly. “Trust me, I know how to deal with stage fright, because it’s happened to me once before.”
“You had stage fright, too?” you asked, surprised. You didn’t get much of a response as Songbird stood up and reached into her pocket to pull out a card.
“Take this and you’ll have no problem finding my suite, honey. I’ll be ready for you at 8:00 tonight,” she said handing the card to you. Taking it, you watched with confusion as she stood up and walked away with her ice cream in hand, having still not answered your question.
Unlike Songbird, you still had to rely on a map to find your way around Manehattan. Once you finished your ice cream, you decided to head back to Coco’s apartment to get some rest and decide if you’d actually go through with this private mini concert. You humored yourself, wondering if you could even call it a concert since Songbird would be the only one listening.
Despite having a lot on your mind, it didn’t stop you from being a good houseguest as before laying on the couch you made sure to hang your jacket up instead of throwing it on the floor like some people would’ve done. Soon enough, Coco noticed how you were being so quiet and could tell something was bothering you.
“You’ve been awfully quiet ever since you came back, is something wrong?” Coco asked. Such a quiet and gentle voice managed to relieve some of the tension. Naturally, seeing how the first friend you made since arriving in Equestria was worried, you decided not to keep her in the dark any longer.
“I guess I could use a second opinion,” you sighed and sat up. “Believe it or not, I bumped into Songbird Serenade earlier and she invited me to her hotel suite.” As you thought, the cream colored mare before you was surprised by what you told her. However after coughing a few times, Coco’s expression changed back into a happy smile.
“That’s wonderful to hear, but why do you need my opinion?” Coco asked. You scooted over so she could sit on the couch next to you.
“Because she offered to be my first audience after I told her I wanted to sing. But I don’t know if I should do it because I’m scared of being on stage in front of a live audience. Should I take her up on her offer or do I just refuse? What do you think I should do?” you asked.
“I say you should take this chance. Songbird’s only going to be here for a couple more days and then she’s gonna leave for her tour. If she’s offering to be your first audience it could be a big opportunity for you to finally come out of your shell,” Coco encouraged, patting your shoulder.
“You really think I can do it?” you asked.
“If Songbird believes in you, I believe in you, too. Anyway, please get some rest. You’ve been out for a few hours so I bet you’re tired,” she urged putting her hand on yours. Taking the words into consideration, you slowly laid back on the couch after Coco got up and left the room.
You remembered what Songbird Serenade said about wanting to meet you tonight at 8:00. That leaves you at least 2 to 3 hours to get some rest. It wasn’t that hard to fall asleep, as one is most likely doomed not to get a good night sleep after ending up in another world.
Your well-deserved rest lasted for a few hours; by the time you woke up and ate the dinner Coco Pommel had prepared, you had less than 30 minutes to make it to Songbird’s hotel. That’s right, you’ve decided to go through with having the pop star as a private audience.
Manehattan is definitely a city that never sleeps and even at night, you could read your map and card just fine due to the many lights around you. Within a 15 minute walk, you finally arrived at the hotel where Songbird was staying at. Looking around to see this was obviously a 5-star hotel, it was no surprise that such a shining star would stay at such a luxurious place.
Seeing you walk inside, the concierge asked if you were renting a room but you cleared things up telling her that you were simply paying a visit to a guest. Showing her the card as proof, the mare allowed to continue on your way, but not before showing you to the elevator. Looking at the card, you ended up having to go to the 10th floor, the highest floor in the hotel. Even though Songbird Serenade was very friendly, you couldn’t help feeling she rented a room on the top floor to feel powerful.
Approaching the room number that was on the card, two muscular stallions in suits stood by the door, guarding it. Clearing your throat, you approach the two stallions calmly. “Excuse me sirs, I’m here to see Songbird Serenade,” you said, showing them the card she gave you. Despite them being muscular and intimidating, the card was all you needed to make the bodyguards step aside, allowing you to knock on the door.
“Come in,” Songbird called out from inside. You of course, weren’t just going to back out now after coming all this way and did exactly what you were told.
Opening the door, you saw the room was practically fit for royalty. There was a queen-sized bed in the center of the room with lavender curtains and violet blankets. A nightstand on the left-hand side. On the right-hand side of the room was a dresser with some makeup and a huge mirror. Next to the dresser was a door leading to a private bathroom. On the left-hand side was a closet with some of Songbird’s clothes. In front of the bed was a round, fluffy rug. And of course, sitting in front of the bed was Songbird Serenade.
“I see you decided to come after all, hun,” she said with a smile.
“Yeah, I had to think it over for quite a while and decided to give it a shot. My friend Coco told me this could be my last chance and I should take it while you’re still here,” you explained.
“Great. Now let’s get started, shall we?” she asked. You nodded and took a deep breath. There was one song that you always enjoyed listening to over all others in times of stress. A song from this movie you loved to watch.
“Okay, I know what to sing,” you said.
“Good. Now, let’s work on getting rid of that stage fright,” Songbird began to explain. “First, take a deep breath, then exhale slowly and picture a beautiful, white, sandy beach. Picture the sound of the waves crashing onto shore. Imagine the wind brushing against your body.”
You heeded her advice and closed your eyes, doing just that before you were about to sing. Repeating these about 3 times, you felt your stage fright fading away. Once you were ready, you opened your eyes and began to sing.
Songbird was looking at you with astonishment. Every chance you felt your stage fright telling you to stop, you ignored it and sang your heart out. When you got to the song midway, Songbird formed a smile on her face.
“Honey this doesn’t surprise me. Like I said before, when I first looked at you, I could tell I met someone with talent, and if I’m gonna be honest, you remind me of myself before I became such a success,” she said. This reminded you of what she said back at the ice cream shop before she had to leave.
“So you had stage fright too, huh?”
“It started when I was just a filly. We had a talent show that I had signed up for. I was so excited to audition and ready to dazzle everyone with my singing. But the moment I stepped up on that stage... I froze. My vision got blurry, I was short of breath and it felt nerve-wracking when all eyes were locked on me. Even after all these years... I can’t explain what happened next. It’s like a spark went off inside me,” she explained.
“So then... what happened?” you asked.
“It was incredible. Even with all those ponies staring at me, it suddenly didn’t seem so terrifying to me anymore. Before I knew it, there was nothing holding me back from giving the audience what they came for. Next thing you know, I ended up getting approached by my agent. She booked a lot of shows for me, I got my own place and a sweet wardrobe. I even got to meet some new friends throughout my career,” she said.
“So that’s how you became the successful pop star you are now?”
“Yes, ever since I got over my fear, I spent the early years of my life honing my skills and eventually became known as the best singer in Equestria,” Songbird said proudly, holding a hand to her chest.
“If I’m gonna be honest with myself. I was kinda envious of you. Yesterday, when I first arrived, I thought you were just this... fearless and proud singer who didn’t let anything stand in her way of pursuing her dream. But now that I know that you were... just like me in a sense, I’ve come to respect you a whole lot more,” you said.
“You know, honey, talent like yours shouldn’t go to waste. And I think I know just the thing that will make your day. How would you like to be a part of my next performance? It starts in just two more days. As a bonus, you can even tag along with me for the rest of the tour. Does that sound good to you?” Songbird asked.
Suddenly, within those words, a spark suddenly jolted throughout your body. You couldn’t really explain what it was, but it you knew that this offer is one that you couldn’t refuse. This could be your big break. You couldn’t bring yourself to answer the pop star clearly and she raised both hands upon seeing you hesitate.
“Like I said, the performance is not until another two days. Run along home and get a good night sleep as you think about what happened today and come back the same time tomorrow with your answer,” she said not wanting to go back to square one. You were about to walk toward the door, but Songbird suddenly caught your arm. “Wait, there’s something I’d like to give you before you go.”
She went over to the dresser and opened up one of the drawers. She reached in and pulled out this beautiful silver necklace with a song note. Songbird walked back over to you, handing you the necklace.
“I want you to wear this. My mom got it for me when I was a filly as a birthday present. I always wore it as a good luck charm. Now that I brought out your potential, I want you to have it now.” You however tried to give the necklace back.
“No, I uh-”
“Take it,” Songbird uncharacteristically urged before she actually put it around your neck. “I want you to have it as a token of... my appreciation. And for showing me how much of an amazing singer you are.”
“T-Thanks...” You couldn’t think of anything else to say besides that and you kept the necklace on as you headed towards the door.
Strangely enough, you were able to fall asleep much easier than the night before. Even as you were snoozing away on Coco Pommel’s couch, you haven’t taken the necklace off. You couldn’t explain it, but keeping it on felt like you were being watched over. It gave you a reason to not be afraid anymore. You felt less insecure and it slowly got rid of any stage fright you had left.
That night, you dreamed that you were up on this big stage in some other town not found in Manehatten, but it looked like Las Vegas. Looking around there seemed to be twice as many ponies attending this concert than the concert you interrupted upon landing in this world. What’s more is that you felt excitement swelling from deep within you. A sense of joy and happiness.
“A pleasant feeling, is it not?” an unfamiliar, but kind voice suddenly asked. At that moment, the dream seemed to freeze in place. As you searched for the one who just spoke to you, the moon suddenly grew brighter, followed by a figure floating down from its light. She was a dark blue pony who not only had wings like Songbird Serenade, but a horn as well. Even though this was a dream, the mare seemed very real, giving you a good reason to keep your gaze away from her impressive bust.
“Y-Yes...” you answered, feeling awkward at the majestic mare’s presence. She obviously noticed your confusion, as she giggled at how much you were stuttering.
“I can see your ears are focused on me, but your eyes seem to be distracted by our bust. I do not blame you,” she said, making you blush. She giggled again before her expression changed from playful to serious. “A member of royalty should know their manners. I am Princess Luna, I am in charge of keeping ponies from having nightmares. I am also the co-ruler of Equestria.”
Realizing now who you were talking to, you didn’t want to be rude, so you introduced yourself to the princess. In addition, you felt the need to thank her, given she’s the reason you’re having such a nice dream.
“You are very welcome. So, you’ve been given a chance to travel with Songbird on her tour. That’s quite an honor coming from the best singer. Even as a princess, I happen to be a fan of hers and I take it you’re discussing whether to go with her or not,” she said before taking a seat next to you on the stage.
“Yeah, I am. I was a bit surprised when she offered me the chance perform at her next concert, but I was even more surprised when she offered to bring me along with her. I never got that kind of treatment back home because I was so scared of just being on stage in front of an audience. However with Songbird, it’s different,” you explained.
“Different? How so?” Luna asked.
“Well, because she was just like me when she was just starting out. She knew exactly what it felt like to be afraid on stage with so many eyes locked on her. In a way, it feels like she and I are connected,” you answered.
“Sounds to me like you’ve become very fond of Songbird Serenade,” Luna said. You shrugged as that was actually quite a good theory. Other than Coco Pommel, Songbird was pretty much the only one you could relate to in the big city. “You certainly have a couple of interesting friends. Did you have one of those in your previous life?”
“Yeah, I had two other friends. One of them was a nice girl named Anne Marie and the other was a guy named Charlie. Meeting in elementary school, we remained friends until we went our separate ways after our college graduation. Charlie was always the optimistic type who liked to party and was loved by many of his peers. As for Anne Marie, she was and always will be the smart one. Sometimes, she helped me and Charlie out in a tight jam. She had plans for becoming a teacher. After college, those two ended up getting married and I got a job at this huge casino,” you explained.
“A casino? Why didn’t you pursue your career in singing?” Luna asked.
“The same thing that’s making me still question Songbird’s offer - my fear of performing in front of others. I want to accept, but at the same time, I’m not sure if I’m cut out for this. What do you think I should do, Luna?” you asked.
“If you want me opinion, don’t let fear stop you from doing the thing you love. Courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality. So I say take this opportunity and let the ponies worldwide know your name. You’ve just got to believe in yourself,” Luna said and touched your shoulder.
“I-I... I’ll... I’ll try,” you hesitated. After giving you another smile, Luna unfurled her wings and began to fly back to the moon. Doing so caused it to glow brightly just as it did before and soon the dream was no longer frozen in place. Smiling, you just went back to giving your imaginary audience a good show.
Because of that unexpected visit from Princess Luna, you decided to go through with doing a song for Songbird Serenade’s concert. She was proud of you wanting to go through with her generous offer and even ended up hugging you. Right now you were sitting backstage just as Songbird told you, waiting for her cue.
After telling her about your decision, Coco decided you should be prepared and made you a sharp outfit. A blue overshirt with a white button-up shirt underneath and some comfortable black pants. You made sure to thank her properly and even convinced Songbird to get Coco a front row ticket to the performance. No doubt she was out there waiting for you to come out. Fortunately for her, she wouldn’t have to wait much longer as Songbird’s song came to an end.
“Whew! Thank you everypony!” you heard her call out to her audience, followed by another round of applause. “Now, we got yet another surprise for you coming up next. I’m sure some of you saw during my last show that Equestria has gained another human. Over these last few days, this man and I have become good friends and I even had the honor of witnessing his musical talent. So please give a warm welcome to our newest rising star!” Songbird exclaimed.
Walking out to take the pop star’s place by the microphone, you looked at the audience before you and suddenly froze. With no music leaving your lips, the ponies began to whisper to each other, wondering what was wrong. You knew soon they would start booing and you almost abandoned the stage... that is until you turned to Songbird who nodded. You then turned back to the crowd and noticed Coco was smiling.
With a deep breath, you grabbed the necklace Songbird gave you with one hand and grabbed the microphone with the other as you finally started singing. The audience abandoned any thoughts they had about chasing you off the stage as you blew them away.
Even though Songbird allowed you to have her place on the stage, her dancers remained where they were. Without stopping your song, you combined it with some body movements, giving your song more feel to it, kind of like you’re expressing yourself. And it seemed to be working.
Coco along with so many other ponies, got so into the song, that she clapped with the beat of the music. Pretty soon, everyone was clapping alongside with her. Never before had you ever felt so alive and so happy to be singing in front of an audience this huge and dazzle them with your singing skills no less. Sure your skill wasn’t in the league as Songbird Serenade’s, but it didn’t matter. Looking at the audience, you can already tell that you didn’t have to be in the same league of singing as Songbird because you were in a league of your very own.
After your song came to an end, the crowd cheered happily. Coco’s smile seemed wider than any other pony within your sight. Very soon, Songbird who was also clapping, returned to the stage and put her hand on your shoulder to let you know how proud she was of you. The moment the pegasus pop star came back, the audience got even more excited and called out for an encore.
You were grateful you got such a good night sleep before the show. As Songbird was given a second microphone, you got ready for another song to please the roaring crowd.
7 months, that’s how long you’ve been living in the land of ponies. It hasn’t been boring either. After you accepted Songbird Serenade’s proposition of performing on her stage, she couldn’t stop herself from asking you to join her in the music business. With every performance, you could feel your singing skills gradually getting better along with the comfort of being on stage. Your stage fright had completely died out and was no longer a problem to you.
Coco Pommel was a little sad that you were leaving Manehattan, but you promised her that you would keep in touch. To make sure that the two of you remain very close friends, you would frequently send Coco letters about your travels and she would always write back letting you know how proud she was of you. In your last letter, you promised her you would visit her in Manehattan after your tour was over.
During your said tour, your suspicions about Equestria having cities similar to the ones back in your world proved to be correct. Among the cities Songbird took you to included: Fillydelphia, Canterlot, Las Pegasus, Baltimare, the Crystal Empire and Ponyville. Your trip to Ponyville was probably the most memorable, as that’s where you saw the most humans. Like you heard Songbird say on that day you first saw her perform, each of these humans was married to a pony.
It probably should have been explained before, but that list of cities wasn’t visited in chronological order. You and Songbird Serenade’s latest stop was the city of Canterlot, where the rulers of Equestria reside. Since Princess Luna was a huge fan of Songbird along with her older sister, instead of having to pay for a room at a hotel, they allowed you to stay at the Canterlot castle for free. You’ve seen Luna quite a few times in your dreams but it was only when you first arrived in Canterlot that you met Celestia.
As a huge star who travels all over, this wasn’t the first time Songbird has performed in Canterlot. One of her visits was one she couldn’t possibly forget, as it was on the same day Equestria was invaded by the Storm King’s forces. Songbird told you how awful it was, seeing her fellow ponies enslaved and imprisoned, her included. While she was locked up, the guards even forbade her from singing. No doubt if Luna wasn’t around to give her subjects good dreams, Songbird would still get nightmares about all the vile things she witnessed.
You had your legs crossed as you looked up at the ceiling from your place on your bed. The princesses made sure that the room you and Songbird would be sharing was to your liking. You weren’t picky with whatever room you would be sharing with Songbird, as long as you and her were able to relax and wind down. There wouldn’t be any more performances until tomorrow, so you could just take it easy.
“You’re getting more popular each day, Baritone,” Songbird said putting away the magazine she was reading so she could turn to look at you. Apparently, calling you this name has become a force of habit for her, but you didn’t see any particular reason to protest against it. It fit you pretty nicely considering it was the same vocal range in your singing voice.
“It’s a working progress, as I look around, our fans seem to be getting less surprised about a human performing alongside the kingdom’s best singer,” you replied as you uncrossed your legs and turned to meet Songbird’s gaze. After all, it’s common courtesy to look at someone when you’re speaking to them. After all she’s done for you, Songbird Serenade was the last individual you’d ever think of being rude to. “And you know, the more ponies get used to me, I feel less and less overwhelmed.”
“Why’s that?” Songbird asked.
“It’s because they become more calm around me and strike up real conversations with me. I’m alright with taking pictures and signing autographs, but it makes me jump whenever fans try to jump in and hug me,” you explained, pinching the bridge between your eyes as you remembered how wild fans could get. Still squeezing the gap, you heard your companion let out a very short laugh. You grew a little confused, not because she laughed as you expected that, but because the said laughter didn’t last for very long.
“I’ve noticed that a lot of the fans who do come after you are mares. I must say, you’re one lucky guy, Baritone,” Songbird said coming over to your bed so she could playfully jab your arm. Blushing, you recalled all the times security struggled to keep the female fans from tearing you apart, though you couldn’t say the same for your clothes. You’ve only been performing for a few months and you’re already this popular.
Shaking those memories away became easier when your stomach began growling. “Even though we don’t have a performance today, it’ll be torture to stay cooped up in this room. Let’s go grab something to eat,” you said getting off the bed so you could put your shoes on.
Even though you were technically a celebrity now, you had no intentions of eating in Restaurant Row, where all those snobbish rich ponies dine. The food there virtually has no taste, thanks to the influence of food critic, Zesty Gourmand. No, as you reached for your jacket, you already knew where you wanted to go to eat.
When you told yourself you weren’t eating at Restaurant Row, you meant it. Rather, because of what you’ve heard from Pinkie Pie when you told her about your trip to Canterlot, you decided to spend your money at the Tasty Treat. Even standing outside, you picked up the delicious smell coming from the restaurant.
“Mmm, that smells heavenly... Shall we go in?” you asked.
“Why yes,” Songbird replied.
You opened the door and stepped to the side. “Ladies first,” you said remembering your manners.
“T-Thank you,” she said happily. For a second, you thought as you saw her walk inside, a blush appear on her face.
Regardless, the smell naturally got even better once you were indoors. Pinkie and Rarity weren’t lying when they said this restaurant had the best cuisine in all of Canterlot. Taking your first look at the Tasty Treat’s decor, the restaurant seemed to have an Indian theme. A few ponies were sitting at a couple of tables, happily enjoying their food. Soon, this older stallion, who seemed to have a heavy set body, approached your table.
“Welcome to the Tasty Treat. I am Coriander Cumin and I will be your host tonight. May I start you two off with something to drink?” he asked politely. Both you and Songbird Serenade were fine starting off with a glass of water and told him. “Coming right up.” Coriander headed into the kitchen to prepare the drinks.
“The service here is pretty friendly. We should recommend this to anyone else who’s looking to grab something to eat,” you said and Songbird nodded.
“I agree with you there. If I wanted to, I’d eat at this place all day and all night.”
Then, out of nowhere, a little boy came zooming into the dining room with a couple of cookies in his hands. He looked to be both a combination of human and pony.
“Agni, get back here!” demanded male voice. Just then, a man came running out of the kitchen, chasing after the little troublemaker.
“No! I want cookies!” Agni exclaimed. Everyone in the dining room watched this and chuckled at how adorable it looked. Sadly for the little rascal, he was caught by the magical aura of an orange unicorn mare with purple hair.
“Agni, you already had two cookies after dinner, you don’t need anymore. Now put the cookies back in the jar right now and head on back upstairs,” the mare said. Agni made the most adorable pouty face and nodded. “I’m sorry for the commotion, everypony. Please enjoy your food.” The mare headed back inside the kitchen, along with the man who chased after Agni. That little show was certainly something, you’ll give it that.
“Aww, that was just so cute,” Songbird said. You were inclined to agree, kids could be so unpredictable these days that it’s actually quite amusing. Soon, Coriander rushed back out with the cups of water and placed them on your table.
“Sorry for the wait. So, are you ready to order?” Coriander asked. You looked at Songbird to let her know she could place her order first.
“Yes, I’m in the mood for the vegan style curry rice. So, what are you gonna have, Beratone?” Songbird asked.
“Hmm, the vegetable enchilada looks tasty, I’ll have a serving of that,” you said. After writing down each of your orders, Coriander Cumin retreated back into the kitchen.
As you waited for your food, you decided to bring up a conversation about where you would be heading after your business in Canterlot was over. To your disappointment, Songbird confessed that she hasn’t scheduled any more shows after tomorrow.
“So then, what do you think we should do now?” you asked.
“We’ll think of something, don’t you worry,” Songbird reassured.
Turns out the unicorn who you saw earlier, Saffron Masala worked as a chef alongside her husband, Rasoiya. Each of them carried a plate, each one held the food you ordered. Saffron placed the vegan style curry rice in front of Songbird while Rasoiya set the plate of vegetable enchiladas down in front of you.
“Sorry for the long wait. We hope you enjoy the meals. And I do apologize if our son caused you all any trouble,” Saffron said.
“No trouble at all. He’s a real cute kid,” Songbird said.
“Yeah, but he can be a real handful. Anyways, have a wonderful evening,” Rasoiya said. “Anyway like my lovely wife here said, please take your time with your food.” You saw a blush cross Saffron Masala’s face from the compliment before she and Rasoiya left you alone.
Taking a bite of your enchilada, the food tasted even better than it smelled. The taste was unlike anything you’ve ever eaten. Because of the incredible taste, you almost forgot your manners. You made sure to keep in control and savor every bite you took.
“How’s the food, Beratone? Does it taste good?” Songbird asked. You nodded and kept eating. Songbird was enjoying her food as well. Despite how spicey it was, she kept eating and savoring the taste of her curry rice. “Wow, they sure know how to cook up a great meal.” she said after gulping down a bite.
Both of you ate at a steady pace since it wasn’t like you had anywhere to be afterwards. Though as you looked at the mare sitting across from you, you were wondering if you actually did see her blushing when you opened the door for her.
With an entire day of free time, you weren’t simply going to return to laying around in the castle. After finishing and paying for your meal, you decided a walk around Canterlot wouldn’t hurt. Of course being so famous, neither you nor Songbird Serenade could avoid the gaze of the ponies around you and some of them even tried to make conversation. However if they were one of those snobs who you had hoped to avoid, you simply walked away without a single word.
You could probably be called crazy, but you don’t even remember how you ended up holding Songbird’s hand as you explored the streets. You couldn’t explain it but even though you couldn’t recall the moment you started holding hands, something kept you from letting go. You could imagine the gossip that would come out if any photographers were nearby.
Looking at Songbird, she didn’t seem to mind it one bit. Not only did she allow you to hold her hand, but she even moved herself up close to you. You had questions, but you realized opening your mouth could end up making you both feel awkward, so you kept quiet.
Forcing yourself to push the questions away, you admired the beauty of Equestria’s capital city. Such beauty kept you from imagining what this place looked like when the Storm King took over all those years ago. Thank goodness Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends prevailed against the tyrant, otherwise you’d probably either be dead or enslaved right now.
Your stroll around Canterlot lead to eventually coming across the high-class pony Upper Crust and her husband Salvator. Years ago, the unicorn mare was snobbish along with many of the other nobles, mainly due to her previous marriage with Jet Set. Because of this, she wasn’t interested in Songbird’s performances back then. It wasn’t until she divorced Jet Set for his affair and fell for Salvator that she gave the pop star and chance and soon became fond of her amazing talent.
Love has amazing results. One was sure to be convinced that Upper Crust and Salvator had a positive relationship if they looked at the beautiful baby twins asleep in the stroller. Anyway, feeling it was a privilege to have bumped into you, you both got yourselves an invitation to their mansion. Seeing it would be a good way to kill time, you went and allowed them to guide you to their home and away from all these nosey ponies.
The moment you and Songbird arrived, you looked in astonishment how big Upper Crust’s manor was. “My goodness. I guess a nobles really knows how to earn a living. This place is beautiful, how did you afford such a nice house?” you asked.
“A lot of hard work, dedication and divorce files on my previous marriage, which earned me most of Jet Set’s fortune. Though, I also owe it to Salvator for helping me make ends meet and for caring for our two beautiful little girls,” Upper Crust answered kissing her husband’s cheek.
“Anyone can get married and have kids, but it takes a real man to be a husband and a father. You just gotta follow your heart and do the right things,” Salvator said.
You sat down as Upper Crust called out for two of her maids, one to take the twins upstairs for their nap while the other was assigned to fix some tea. Keeping maids was something that hasn’t changed for the rich mare even after her divorce, but it was clear that each of them was greatly appreciated. Taking the cup of tea that was placed before you, you smiled at the taste of the rich flavor.
“This tea is amazing, thank you,” you said.
“You’re very welcome,” the maid said with a bow before taking her leave.
“My wife and I are really looking forward to your show tomorrow,” Salvator said. “As soon as we heard your tour was bringing you to Canterlot, we made sure to get tickets before they ran out.”
“Any idea where you’ll be going next?” Upper Crust asked, much to your displeasure.
“Yeah... that’s the question,” Songbird sighed placing a hand on your shoulder. “At this point in time, we haven’t heard anything from our managers about any new gigs.” The couple frowned sympathetically from hearing this but Songbird shook her head before they could console you. “It’s fine, it simply can’t be helped if a few more months have to pass to get another chance.”
“In the meantime, after our show is done, we can use the opportunity to catch a little break. We’ve been singing so much that our voices were growing tired. So if no other shows are scheduled, we’ll take some time off to recover and rest for a while,” you said.
“Yes, a little relaxation always calms down the tired body, even the voice,” Upper Crust said. “I really appreciate you two gracing our home for a nice friendly chat and a hot cup of tea. We should really do this more often. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how many times I’ve seen you visited Canterlot, Songbird,” she said with a wink.
You didn’t just stay for a single cup of tea, for over an hour, Upper Crust and Salvator made you feel at home by showing you around the mansion, even asking her masseuses to give you and Songbird some much-needed massages. By the time, you were both ready to leave, you were feeling good and refreshed. Such relaxed moods would be beneficial in preparing for the concert tomorrow.
With about 15 minutes left, to finish getting ready for tonight’s performance, you leaned down to give each of your shoes one last shine. Turning back to the mirror to convince yourself you looked presentable, you were wondering why Songbird unexpectedly took off when the show would start soon. For that matter, there were a lot of questions about that mare that you would like answered. Though as you stared in the mirror, you smiled the moment you saw your partner had returned.
“Hey Baritone,” she said with a tone that seemed quite excited. “I got a little surprise for you.”
“What is it?” you asked, only for her to cover your eyes and urging you to stand up. You should have seen this coming, as it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if Songbird told you what it was right off the bat. Keeping a good grip over your eyes, you were forced to rely on the playful pegasus as she led you out of the makeup room.
“Okay, you can open your eyes now,” she said putting her hands down after you both finally came to a stop. Doing what she said, you were overjoyed when you saw your good friend, Coco Pommel, whom you hadn’t seen her in months ever since you left with Songbird. You couldn’t stop yourself from running over and wrapping your arms around the mare a tight embrace, making her laugh.
“Coco, it’s so nice to see you again! How has everything been going?” you asked.
“Everything’s been going great. And it looks like you’re doing well, too,” she replied. You were so happy to see your old friend here that you didn’t take the time to get a good look at her. After releasing her from the hug, you saw she was wearing a purple blouse with light blue buttons in the center and a long light blue skirt.
“Aww, your outfit looks so adorable,” you said, getting the result you thought it would by making her blush.
“T-Thank you. I made this outfit before I got here,” she replied looking to the side bashfully. Even after so many months, that cute, timid side of Coco was still there.
“I’m so glad you were able to make it to the show, Coco. In fact, you’re just in time, we were about to start soon,” you said turning to look at Songbird who was just as ready as you were.
“I wish you both the best of luck. I can’t wait to see what song you’ll be singing,” Coco said.
“Oh trust me, we plan to make it a real treat to everyone here,” you assured and waved off to Coco as she left to take her seat.
Soon, it was time to shine. As always, Songbird stepped out on stage first, waving to the crowd and expressing her gratitude to everyone who showed up. It was part of the plan to wait until you came out to make her announcement to the crowd. Looking around you smiled, seeing not just the nobles, but lots of ponies who were from Ponyville: namely Princess Twilight and her friends, including their families. And in the front row center of the audience, was where Coco Pommel was sitting down.
“Good evening, everypony!” Songbird shouted through the microphone, causing the audience to roar like they always did. “Glad you could all make it to our show. It’s been a real treat being here in Canterlot. And to show our appreciation, we’re gonna give you all a show you’ll be telling your grandkids about! Now then, let’s get this party started! Take it away, Baritone!”
You caught the mic as Songbird threw it to you and immediately let the audience hear your incredible voice. Of course, this was a duo, so having rehearsed the song for the last few weeks, Songbird was handed her own mic and joined in when it was her turn.
The crowd had smiles all around, their mouths gaping open in astonishment. Reactions only got better as the two of you got further the song. Your dancers had their roles as well, and they received just as much praise as you and Songbird did. Just like her dancers, yours were all dressed in crimson long-sleeve shirts with black tuxedo vests, minus the ties. Their hairstyles were made in the same way as yours, only the length of their manes were different from yours.
As you continued singing, you did your best to mask your disappointment that this would be your last show for quite a while. On the positive side all it would do is give you some time to plan a private vacation with just the two of you. Your tour has led you to many places, but there are still plenty of cities unfamiliar to you that could give you a good time. Regardless, now is not the time to be thinking about some future vacation.
After the song ended 5 minutes later, everyone gave you a standing ovation. You had to prepare yourself as you took some time to catch your breath, as this concert wasn’t going to end with just one song. After all that practice and rehearsing, you could now go quite some time without taking a break. To dedicate her appreciation to you, all the songs being played at tonight’s performance were songs that came from your world.
You noticed that many mares in the crowd actually started fainting out of admiration for your undeniable talent. Sadly for them, you had no intention of asking any of them out. Other mares were being held back by security to keep them off stage. You would have to remember to watch yourself when the concert ended and security wasn’t around to protect you.
The stamina you’ve built up was thanks to all that practice and rehearsing, for you and Songbird Serenade played for 30 minutes before going backstage for a break. Since tonight’s would last about 2 hours, this was the third and last time you retreated to the back for some air. Songbird Serenade handed you a bottle of water, which you gratefully accepted.
“Whoo! That feels nice,” you sighed after taking your first gulp of the cold water.
“You’re getting better at this, Baritone. Very soon you’ll be able to sing as good as me,” she giggled, purposely forgetting any kind of modesty in order to tease you. You rolled your eyes at the immaturity with a smile. Though you had to admit, your skills still needed some work in order to compete with the best singer in the land.
Your break lasted a good 10 minutes before you returned back to the stage for the final round. You were really looking forward to the next song, as it happened to be one of your favorites. With a deep breath, you take another sip of your water and then head back out on stage. For the grand finale, you and Songbird blew up the stage with yet another amazing song.
Tears almost fell from your eyes as you sang, for this song has been a personal favorite ever since you were young. You can recall when you first sang this song back when you were just a kid during your 7th birthday with your dad. When you reached the song halfway, tears of happiness flowed out of your eyes. Fortunately the crying wasn’t able to mess with your singing, the audience probably hasn’t even noticed.
Another 5 minutes had passed and the song had come to an end. This time, the cheers from the audience was a whole lot louder. Everyone’s excitement skyrocketed and you joined Songbird in taking a bow along with your dancers after you wiped your tears and sweat.
You truly did have a good time at the concert, but even pop stars reach that point where they just want some peace and quiet. That’s exactly what you were being given after you returned to your room in the castle. Princess Celestia has treated you to a nice dinner which was being prepared right now. Until then, you and Songbird just sat quietly in your shared room.
“You know, I can’t keep it bottled up anymore. As tiring as a performance can be, we enjoy doing it and it’s a shame your manager hasn’t found a way to continue the tour,” you sighed.
“I know, but I’m all out of ideas on where to go next. We could try and visit the other cities we’ve already been to, but I doubt our managers will give it the green light. But I gotta say, you were on fire today. Also, what was with the waterworks, were you going on a trip down memory lane?” she asked.
You were acting a bit like a child now, laying on the bed after groaning that the tour had seemingly come to an end.
“You know, I don’t think your that disappointed about the tour. You’re just a little crabby because you’re hungry,” she theorized.
“You know me all too well,” you chuckled and decided to stop acting so immature. Luck seemed to be on your side, as not long after you admitted you were hungry, one of the castle maids came in telling you that dinner was ready. Thanking her, you and Songbird allowed the mare to lead you downstairs.
You arrived at the dining room where the princesses, Celestia, Luna and the rest of the royal family were all waiting for you. Your mouth gaped wide open from all the food displayed on the table. There was a huge bowl of mashed potatoes, fruit salads and soup. Plates that were filled with carrot dogs, hay burgers, garden salad and much more.
“It’s so nice that you could make it,” Luna’s husband, Prince Nebula said raising his glass of wine to greet you.
“And it’s a real honor for you to have us for dinner,” you replied as you took your seat. The same maid who lead you into the dining hall, filled your glass with some wine
“Same here, it’s nice to settle down after a concert. I’m pretty sure you saw how the fans got with Baritone. Man, it was a riot,” Songbird said.
“I have to agree,” Celestia giggled. “The moment you stepped onto that stage, I just knew you weren’t going to let any of us down. Though it is unbecoming of a princess, I can’t help feeling envious of how you two manage to perform so well.”
“Envious? How?” you asked.
“Well, at some point I was asked by my former student, Twilight, to do a play for her, but later on, it became evident that I just wasn’t suitable for acting. I was just too quiet whenever I would speak my lines,” Celestia said.
“It’s true, my dear sister here has always been a terrible actress. It’s harsh, but true,” Luna said. This earned the blue alicorn a harsh glare from her older sister.
“Anyways, where do you plan on heading off to now that you finished you’re concert in Canterlot? Any other places you have in mind?” Platinum asked.
“We’re not sure where to go next. We were planning on finishing up our tour in one more city after Canterlot, but we don’t know where. We might think about stopping the tour a little early and start planning a vacation or something,” you said sighing once again.
“He’s been pretty upset that the tour has to come to an end,” Songbird said. Celestia stroked her chin, thinking of something. Her eyes then widened, as she appeared to have found a solution.
“You know...” she began, getting your attention. “...I think I might be able to help with that.” You and Songbird looked at one another suspiciously before turning back to the white alicorn to hear her proposition.
You couldn’t thank Princess Celestia enough for what she had in mind. You ended up having to wait 3 days, but it was worth it as she managed to get you another gig. However the location you’d be performing surprised you, as you’d be traveling beyond Equestria to get the chance to sing in... Mount Aris!
Songbird Serenade was as happy about the gig as you were. She told you of how Mount Aris was the home of the hippogriffs and how years ago, they too were attacked by the Storm King. Apparently, the hippogriff monarch, Queen Novo and her subjects had no choice but to hide underwater after the invasion, but after the Storm King was defeated, they came out of hiding and joined in Songbird’s celebration.
You unfortunately noticed that none of the hippogriffs were able to make it to Canterlot for the concert at all. That gave you all the more reason to accept the opportunity to perform when you received Novo’s invitation.
You put up with the long train ride, which took over 4 hours to get you from Canterlot all the way to Mount Aris. Getting your luggage as you got off the train, you took a look at the mountain, having been told by Celestia that Queen Novo resides at the very top. Fortunately Celestia added that a carriage would be sent to come and pick you up. Your trust was rewarded, as two armored hippogriffs just landed before you.
“We’ve been expecting you. The king and queen will be pleased to know that you were able to make it,” one of them greeted while the other opened the carriage door for you. It was just as you climbed inside that you processed what the hippogriff guard just said.
‘Wait... king?’ you thought as Novo’s letter didn’t mention anything about her being married. Though it seemed you wouldn’t have to wait too long to meet the leaders of Mount Aris as the carriage has already taken off into the air. It wasn’t long before the city on top of the mountain was right below you and the carriage slowly started to descend. However the royal guards made your journey easier by instead landing in front of Queen Novo’s castle.
“Thank you for the ride,” Songbird told the guard who got out to hand her her luggage.
“We appreciate the help,” you said. The other guard handed you your luggage afterwards. That same guard motioned for you and Songbird to follow him as he lead you inside the castle. Since the structure was so impressive, you could imagine how much work it took to rebuild the entire hippogriff kingdom after the Storm King was killed.
Still walking down the hall, you were stopped as a young hippogriff with yellow feathers blocked your path.
“Thank you both for coming to Mount Aris. It’s been a long time since we got a chance to see Songbird perform. Guards, you’ve done well but I’d like to take it from here,” she said causing the armored hippogriffs to leave with a bow. “Oh where are my manners? I’m Skystar, princess of the hippogriffs and daughter of Queen Novo and King Bellator. They’ll both be quite pleased that you’re here.”
Finally reaching the throne room with Princess Skystar’s help, you looked up to get your first look at her parents. Queen Novo, whom you can tell was the hippogriff, sat on the left. However when you looked at the one who was obviously King Bellator, you were surprised to see that he was a human. No trace of him whatsoever could be found on the princess, so you assumed he must be her step father.
However you didn’t think the same for the young hippogriffs that were being held in their arms.
“Nice to see you again, your highness. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?” Songbird asked, bowing.
“Yes, I can still remember that day long ago... and how I had to ground my daughter for leaving without telling me,” Novo said before laughing.
“Mom, do you have to bring that up?” Skystar asked, a little embarrassed.
“Anyway it’s good to know our citizens will have some good singers visiting our land,” Bellator said walking over to you in order to shake your hand.
Once the introductions were over, Skystar once again took the place of the guards by leading you up to your room. Comparing it to your room back in the Canterlot castle, it was hard to decide which of the two was nicer. Though you did notice that there was just a single, king-size bed instead of two queen-sized ones.
Your eyes drifted from the bed to Songbird and right away, she had that deep blush covering up her face. “Songbird, why are you blushing?” you asked.
“I-It... It’s not important...” she softly stuttered. Having put more trust in Songbird than anyone else, you decided to stop being so suspicious.
Queen Novo and King Bellator thought ahead and got a stage set up before you arrived in Mount Aris. This gave you both plenty of time to get all warmed up and ready to go. That night, when everyone was gathered together at the stage, you and Songbird were just about finished getting ready.
You can hear the sound of everyone chatting outside. “Are you ready to show them what we’re made of, Songbird?” you asked trembling with excitement
“You better believe it and I’ve got a special song that I’ve been saving up to this moment. A song that I wrote a couple of years back when the Storm King was just recently defeated. And in a moment, you’ll get why I haven’t sung it up until now,” Songbird said.
“Is that so? Well then I can’t wait to hear it,” you replied. You saw no more reason to keep the audience waiting any longer and stepped out into the spotlight. As the crowd went wild, you turned to Songbird, signaling her to greet the fans just like always.
“Hey there! How are all of you doing tonight?” Songbird asked. The cheers rang even louder. “I can’t thank you all enough for having us here in the kingdom of Mount Aris! Now, without further ado, my partner and I have a special treat for you: A special song that I’d like to dedicate to a special someone I’ve been working for the past few months.”
You smiled and allowed the pegasus to take the lead. Only a few hippogriffs had the privilege of coming to Canterlot to hear Songbird sing after the war. So you could understand the surprised looks on many of their faces as they listened to that graceful melody.
Since this song was unfamiliar to you, you acted as back up by cleverly repeating many of Songbird’s lyrics. It was when it felt half-way done that you noticed your partner was leaning a little closer to you. Of course it wasn’t to make you lose focus, but you definitely noticed it.
The hippogriffs were impressed with the teamwork you and Songbird displayed. You could hear them clapping in sync with the rhythm of the beat. The hippogriffs also seemed just as surprised as you were, but for different reasons other than your own. A few of them only knew Songbird was a great singer, but were surprised by the face that you had become her partner and that the song was dedicated to you.
For you, you were surprised that they’d show you the same exact support just as the main star considering you were still new to them. It felt good to know that just about everyone who comes to watch the concert make you feel welcome. Luna and Coco were right, you had to take your chance and it was the best decision you ever made.
The song ended in 3 minutes and 17 seconds and already, you and Songbird got a standing ovation with a round of applause. You both bowed to the crowd after that. Despite the bowing, it would take more than that to fool the audience into thinking the night of fun was already at an end and you intended on giving them a show they’ll never forget.
An hour passes by after the show had reached its end. After signing a few autographs and such, the hippogriffs finally backed off and allowed you to return to your room. Sweaty and tired, you got in the shower to relieve that smell after Songbird Serenade had her turn. Once your hands started getting pruney 15 minutes later, you decided to get out. Sighing as you dried off and put on some fresh clothes, you returned to the bedroom deciding it was time for you and Songbird to clear things up.
“A song dedicated to me, was it? It was very beautiful, but how come you never told me about it during the time we’ve been going on several tours?” you asked.
“Well, if I told you about it during the beginning of our first tour, it wouldn’t have been special. Plus, there’s one reason why I saved it just for you,” Songbird replied. You’ve lost count of how many times you’ve been cut off, but this time... you were interrupted by a kiss.
Your eyes went wide, as she gave you absolutely no warning about the kiss. Even as she pulled away, you had trouble processing what just happened and all you could do was stutter. Giggling, Songbird leaned forward to kiss you again, this one not lasting as long as the first.
“I take it you know what I’m trying to say, right?” she asked.
“I-I-I... you... w-wha… how long have you...?” you asked, unable to put it into the right words. The stuttering didn’t stop until Songbird placed her hand over your mouth.
“Baritone... I’ve been having these feelings for you throughout the whole tour. The way you put your heart and soul into your singing, the way you show how much you love and appreciate everything in life and you’re kinda cute when you’re shy. And whenever we’re up on that stage, I feel like we’re becoming whole. There’s no other stallion or human that exists in this world I love more than you,” Songbird confessed.
A confession like that moved you. A small smile formed on your face and in return for her affections, you gave her the biggest hug ever. “You know something, Songbird. I had this feeling that you and I... were made for each other. You saved me from a life of regret and gave me a future in my dream career and you made me feel like... I belong here... in this world... and also with you. I love-” With fresh tears streaming down her face, Songbird mashed her lips against your with such intensity that you lost balance and fell to the bed with her in your arms.
“You don’t have to say anymore...” she whispered taking some strands of her mane and tucking it behind her ear. With her mane out of the way, you gazed up and got a clear view of her eyes, which were as blue as sapphires. Still blushing she grabbed your hand gently. “Have you ever done... well... you know?” she asked. It took a moment, but seeing how embarrassed she was getting, you eventually figured out what she was talking about.
”N-No, this would be my first time, why?” you asked, blushing a little.
“Well, this is... also my first time. Being a star comes with its side effects. I wasn’t able to find me someone special to spend time with for the rest of my life. I mean, I had a few dates here and there, but I could never find a coltfriend to stick with. All of them just wanted to have bragging rights knowing they went out with a star...” she explained.
You felt sorry for Songbird and snuggled with her. “Maybe it’s because they were too afraid to take the bigger step with you because you’re a star. They never had the guts to take their relationships with you seriously. I on the other hand look at you and can already tell we’re going to create a bright and better future together,” you said.
Wiping her tears, Songbird got up and pulled off her black and purple striped tank top. Underneath, she has on a bra with the same matching color pattern as her shirt. Then, she reached down and pulled her thin, yet stretchy dark pink shorts down and kicked them to the side. All she had on now was her striped bra and striped panties. You were impressed that even her underwear had the same color pattern.
“Well, go on... take off your clothes,” she said rolling over beside you. With a nod, you sat up and took off your T-shirt and sweats. You kicked off your socks, leaving you with only a pair of boxer briefs. You looked over to see that Songbird had just taken off her bra, revealing her nice E-cup sized breasts.
“O-Oh wow! You... You look b-b-beautiful, Songbird,” you stuttered, making her giggle.
“You’re cute when you’re shy and stuttering. Also, I like the way you kept your body in shape,” Songbird said, brushing her fingers on your body. You only had a little bit of muscle around the arms, but you didn’t have a six-pack. It didn’t seem to matter to your new lover here as she leaned down to nuzzle in between your pecs. You shuddered the moment because of the ticklish feeling of her fur dancing on your pecs.
Your eyes widened however as you felt her reach in between your legs and grabbed your “little friend” tenderly. Moaning, her once gentle touch evolved into a more aggressive one as she pulled away from your chest to get down and rip your boxers off. You gave out a small shriek, lifting yourself up with your arms and looking at Songbird in shock.
“S-S-Songbird, what’d you do that for?” you asked.
She didn’t answer as she observed your impressive length. Initially you were going to continue complaining about her mood swing, but when Songbird leaned down to tenderly suck on the top of your shaft, you didn’t care anymore. She went into town with your shaft, smothering the top with little kisses before swirling her tongue around it and then taking it all in. She bobbed her head up and down, sucking on your huge mushroom hungrily.
“Sorry baby...” she gasped pulling herself away from your manhood. “When I felt the size of this thing, I just couldn’t resist the urge to take it all in.” That last sentence was followed by a sultry growl before she returned to sucking on your length. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head because of the warmth of her mouth.
You couldn’t resist the temptation and grabbed Songbird, laying her on the bed, resting her left leg on your right shoulder and having your throbbing shaft aimed at her pussy.
“Sorry, Songbird, but I can’t stop myself. Please let me put it in,” you begged, hoping she would allow it. You looked up at you surprised at how eager you were. That eagerness however, turned into guilt when it appeared that you had frightened her. “S-Songbird I... I...”
“No, it’s okay honey...” she said smiling tenderly. “I don’t mind it at all. You want to take charge, then by all means... the spotlight is all yours.” You could still sense some nervousness in her tone so you let go of her leg so you could lean down and kiss her. As your tongues interlocked with each other, you grabbed your throbbing shaft and once again positioned it in front of her marehood. Songbird moaned into the kiss as she felt her pussy open up and shrieked when you went all the way in.
You didn’t have to look down to know what that warm, wet feeling traveling along your leg was. You’ve taken the pop star’s virginity. Looking at Songbird as you stopped kissing, you tried to provide some comfort by wiping the poor mare’s tears away. It looked like your attempts were successful, as she flashed a small smile.
“Thanks, hun. Go ahead and give it to me,” she urged.
You did what she asked, going slow and steady. You wanted her to get used to the size and the length before going crazy. Hey pussy wrapped tightly around the base of your length. You grunted a little, then let out sighs of bliss as you reached up to grab one of her breasts.
To no surprise, as you went to town on pounding her with more power and speed, Songbird’s moans began to sound musical. Your ears enjoyed the way you and her made beautiful, musical love together. Her wings unfolded and stuck out like a couple of wing boners. Tempted by curiosity, you reached down to give one of her wings a good rubbing. In addition to her moaning increasing drastically, Songbird locked you with her legs wrapped around your waist.
“Oh, sweet stars above, yes! Yes! I want more of it!” she moaned. Her breasts jiggled all over the place from her twitching and you messing up her insides with your meaty stick. “In fact... I don’t care anymore, you can release that load INSIDE me!”
“But, won’t that get you pregnant?” you asked.
“What’s so bad... about having your foal?” she asked sweetly. “Besides... I doubt you’re even finished yet,” she added with a challenging look. You decided to go through it, but not before taking your member out and flipping Songbird onto her front. She started off giggling at your assertiveness, but what came out next were moans as you returned all the way in with a single, powerful thrust.
“I should have said it before, but even your moans sound beautiful...” you whispered and squeezed her rear. You groped her cheeks quite a few times, but since you weren’t getting any response, you went back to thrusting. She quickly let out some more of the beautiful moans you adored so much. Songbird’s world was being rocked like there was no tomorrow. Excitement filled her mind from how you took charge, turning her into your breeding mare.
Lost in your world of lust, you leaned over her and gripped both of her lovely breasts, fondling them in circles while you kept rutting her. Soon you stopped squeezing them and instead gave her nipples a soft pinch. She squeaked before retaliating by tightening her marehood around your shaft, but all that did was make you pump inside her pussy faster. Songbird’s juices squirted out of her vulva onto the bed sheets.
“Oh S-Songbird...! I-I feel s-something... strange coming...” you moaned gripping her hips. You no longer were hesitant about finishing off while you were still inside. Frankly, it would be wonderful to start a family with the mare who you were now certain that you loved. “Here it comes... Here it comes!”
“Give it to me! Fill my womb with your cum! Make me a mother!” she hollered only seconds before you let loose and released your pent up seed. You were about to pull out as you were even more tired than before, but Songbird’s legs were still wrapped around you.
“What do you think you’re doing!? After all the months we’ve been performing together, I thought you would know better than anypony not to finish... without an encore...”
“E-Excuse me...?”
It was only until 2 more hours passed that ‘encore’ seemed so much more than a mere understatement. After so many positions, you were almost completely drained and could only watch as your lust-driven love bounced up and down on your shaft. You feared that Songbird might keep the fun going all night and a hippogriff guard would catch both of you in the act tomorrow morning.
Still, even if it seemed she’s lost her mind, you were still very happy. It’s one thing that her feelings for you were mutual, but after how much you’ve come in her, you were possible that you were going to be a father. Sure your singing career would have to be postponed for a few months, but as you watched Songbird continue to bounce, you grew more excited for what the future had in store for both of you.
