Just days after committing to the talent show, Rick began to practice back in his apartment complex in Franklin, Tennessee. He made sure that his guitar was tuned, and that he had water to keep his voice in good shape. Applejack found time to visit him and hear him sing to see how he was doing, and to find out what song he has planned to submit on the demo tape. The song Rick picked out was “Life is a Highway”, which most people have heard of, but is wasn’t from Rascal Flatts, which has become to popular version, but from Tom Cochrone, who first played it decades ago.
Life is a highway
I want to ride it all night long
If you’re going my way
I want to drive it all night long
But it was at that point that there some concern in Applejack’s face and Rick stopped to asked her.
“Something wrong?”
“It’s just…your voice is, how should I put this, rough around the edges,” replied Applejack.
“I had a feeling it was going to be like that.” Rick grabbed his bottled water and took a drink before he could explain. “I haven’t singed in a few years, so it’s going to be hard to get it back in shape. And I have a little over a week to turn in a demo tape to the people hosting it before I can get the invite…if I get the invite.”
“I wish I know someone who can help, but the only ones I would know are the ones holding the event,” said Applejack.
Applejack took a moment to think of any pony who could help, but her thoughts would be interrupted when she started to get that feeling in her rear. She took a peek and saw her cutie make flashing.
“Cutie map calling you, AJ?”
“Looks like it.” Applejack started to get her crystal communicator out to call Twilight when it started to ring. Applejack answered it. “Applejack here.”
“Applejack,” said Twilight through the communicator. “Where are you at?”
“I’m at Rick’s place. This better be a false alarm.”
“It’s not. In fact, all of our cutie marks are going off. I’ll explain when you get here. How’s Rick doing with his demo tape.”
“Not going so well,” replied Applejack. “I’ll be there shortly.”
“Hold on there, Applejack. Rarity’s in Manehattan right now making a delivery. Let me get her to talk to you before you come back.” And Twilight ended the call in haste.
“Can’t see how Rarity can help me when she’s being called to the map as well.” Then her communicator rang again, which she answered.
“Applejack, this is Rarity. You’re at Rick’s, right?”
“Eeyep. Why you ask?”
“Activate your transponder. I’m sending someone over to take your place.”
Applejack turned on the communicator’s transponder. It wasn’t long before a small portal appeared, and an off-white mare came stumbling through. Applejack was able to grab her as she came out of the portal before it closed behind her.
“Applejack, did Coco make it there?” asked Rarity.
“I’m here, Rarity,” replied Coco Pommel.
“That’s good. Applejack, I’ll meet you back at Twilight’s castle.” Rarity ended the call.
“I guess you finally got your passport, Coco.”
“Yep. Rarity was able to deliver it to me with one of Twilight’s communicators and teleporter.” She looked to see the human in the room. “You must be Rick. Rarity’s told me about you.” Coco extended her hand for Rick to shake.
“Rick, this is Coco Pommel, Rarity’s assistant from Manehattan,” Applejack explained. “Both her and Rara live in the same apartment building back in our world.”
“Rarity was able to fill me in on what’s going on just as her cutie mark started flashing,” said Coco.
“Then that should make things easier for us to handle.” Applejack activate her teleporter that was on her bracelet, opening a small portal. “Well, I better see what friendship mission I have to deal with this time. I’ll send you a message so you know where you can come back to once I find out what’s going on.”
“Will do,” replied Coco. “Good luck.”
Applejack went through the portal, which closed after she passed through.
Coco was hesitant to speak, but decided to ask the question. “So…how’s the demo tape coming?”
“Not good,” replied Rick. “AJ said that it’s rough. Not sure if I can make it in.” He took a sip of water, which cause him to ask her. “You want something to drink?”
“Oh, just some water will be fine.”
Rick went over to the fridge and got a bottle of water out of it. He walked over and handed it to her.
“I’m guessing Rarity wanted you to have a passport so that you can travel with her on some of her business trips,” said Rick.
“Actually, it was Sapphire Shores who wanted me to get it. I plan to help out Rara when she starts touring, whenever that happens,” Coco explained. “Rarity was able to speed the process along and hand me the tools to do so. Might have to get used to traveling through a portal at times.”
“Well, there is the Crystal Portal Train that most ponies and humans use. They were able to use the old train station area in Nashville to install one,” said Rick.
“Well, I’m still new to all this, and Rarity is trying to get me used to it, since she has thought about bring me along to some of her business trips later on. Not sure if that will happen if I’m with Rara, but you never know,” explained Coco. “So, what song do you plan on singing?”
“Life is a highway,” Rick replied. “Want to hear what it should sound like?”
Coco nodded. So Rick went over to his laptop and pulled up the original music video.
After seeing the video, she asked Rick to sing and see how it sounded like. Rick complied and got his guitar, made sure it was tuned again, and started to sing and play the song. After he went through part of the song, he stopped to get Coco’s opinion.
“Well, I think I can understand what AJ is talking about, but I guess it sounds unique. It doesn’t have to be perfect.”
“I know you’re trying stay positive, but I still not sure it sounds good either,” Rick replied.
“That’s not it,” Coco said as she waved her hands. “It sounds unique. I think with a bit more practice, you might be able to convince the judges to have you perform in the show.”
Rick wasn’t convinced in this, so Coco decided to change the subject in a way.
“Look, I know you want to do your best, and I can understand. When I started to create the Midsummer Theatre Revival, I wanted it to be big, but with the park in a mess, and only Applejack and Rarity to help, we learned that we didn’t have to go big to make it happen. With just a small stage, we were able to get ponies who walked on by and stopped to watch the show. Now we have members who were able to bring new life to the park and add their support.”
“So, I should do what I can and let it happen?” said Rick.
“More like, trust your friends and trust yourself. You have friends right?” asked Coco.
“Besides my pony friends, it’s hard to say,” Rick replied. “Everyone I know from school, work, and the local convention scene are always busy with their own lives, so I rarely see them in person. And both home and work took over my life. Now I’m enjoying some freedom, but I sometimes wonder if it’s too little, too late.”
“There’s always time to enjoy life,” Coco responded. “Sure you have to work a lot, but as long as enjoy what you do, then it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“That might be true, but I had to work for a living. My dreams were to have a music career, but every time I tried to do so, there was always others who were better than me. Now I don’t even know if I have that same voice that I had in the past.”
Coco needed to lift Rick’s spirits. She looked around his room to get a better idea of him, and the first thing that crossed her mind was the pictures on a cork-board on the wall.
“Say, who are these people that you are with?” asked Coco.
“Oh those? Those are people I’ve met at either events or conventions,” Rick responded.
“Do they have a profession in music?” Coco asked Rick.
“It’s more mixed. Some are into music. Others are voice actors who spend their free time in music as well.” Rick started to point out some of the pictures on display. “For example, there’s Johnny Yong Bosh. Started off in acting and martial arts for a kids show called Power Rangers. Now he does voice acting for several anime shows video games, and started his own band called Eyeshine, which he’s the lead singer.”
Coco had a confused look on her face. “Anime?”
“Japanese cartoons for various ages. Might be best to have either Twilight or Rainbow Dash explain from their view. I did get them hooked on them since we’ve met.” Rick pointed to a shelf with DVD box sets on display. He turned his attention back to the cork-board. “Another voice actor that I’ve met was Vic Mignogna. He spends some of his time as a Christian artist.” Rick saw the confused look on Coco’s face and knew he had to explain. “It’s like they believe in their religion to God and perform songs that relate to it. Kinda like how your kind would pray to Princess Celestia, since she’s lived for thousands of years, since Twilight has never bother to ask for her age in the first place. You would have to think she was a goddess.”
“So are they all voice actors?”
“Not really, but they share something else beside music,” Rick replied. “There’s Lindsey Stirling, who dances and plays violin. And she has a love for video games that she would dress up as the main character from her favorite video game and play her version of the theme song. She even made it far in America’s Got Talent one year.”
“Rarity’s told me about that. It’s another talent show similar to what you tried to perform on,” explained Coco.
“It is. The main thing is that they are geeks or part of the geek fandom, which they enjoy. And that’s what I am as well, a geek. But even geeks have a hard time living a normal life in front of others, and sometimes it can be explained through music. And there are artists out there who prefer to tell the story or the hardships that others go through,” explained Rick.
“So, what you want to do with your music is tell the story of what you went through?” asked Coco.
“Not just me, but others as well,” Rick replied. “But whenever I try, it’s like I can’t get my foot in the door.”
“Then stop trying to be the best and be who you really are,” explained Coco. “Once the judges see what you can do, then I’m sure you can win.”
“Do you even know who the judges are?” asked Rick.
“Not really. But I do know that Rara will be one of them. And there’s supposed to be some human musicians who have experience in this as well,” explained Coco. “Just don’t stop practicing. There’s still time before you have to submit a demo tape. We just need to get the rust out of the system so that you can perform.”
“I guess you’re right,” Rick replied. He went back to grab his guitar and sat down. “Well, let’s see what I can do to make some improvement.”
So Coco stayed a while to listen to Rick practice and get her side of his singing. After a few hours of practice, and some small improvement, Coco decided to head back home. She already got her instructions from Applejack on how to return to Twilight’s castle through the portal. Once she did, she was able to catch a train back to Manehattan and was able to walk back to her apartment. As she was walking up to the door to her room, Rara was able to walk downstairs to greet her.
“So, how was your visit to the human world?”
“It was…interesting,” Coco replied as she unlocked and opened the door. She gestured Rara to enter, which Rara replied.
“What all did you do while you were there?” asked Rara.
“Just covering for AJ on helping Rick getting ready for the talent show,” replied Coco.
“So he’s one of the humans who’s trying out to be my singing partner?”
“Yep. And you know, while I don’t want this to affect your decision of who you would want as your partner, but there’s something special about him,” Coco explained. “I can understand why Rarity has been trying to help him with finding a companion, and I did my best to avoid the topic, but I think it’s more like he’s trying to find his own path, and it’s something that he has a hard time doing alone.”