//------------------------------// // Track 4: The Storm // Story: The Ponyville Rag // by Fernie Canto //------------------------------// After their time in the theater was through, Dainty decided to bring the newly formed Ponyville Rag to his house, so they could discuss a few things. He also wanted to lend some of his records to Honey Drop, so he could use them as reference for practicing at home. “If you really prefer to play along with actual music, juse use these,” Dainty said. “Start with the slower songs. And start simple. Don’t worry about playing all the fills and rolls, just get confident with the basic patterns.” “Okay, okay, I’ll do that,” Honey said. “And thanks for the records, by the way.” “Yeah, but I’m just lending them to you, alright?” Dainty said, with a comical emphasis. “I expect you to return them to me in pristine condition.” “Yes, you can count on me!” “Also, remember that none of us here are drummers,” Steel Strings said, “so there’s a lot that we don’t know and that we can’t help you with. It would be better if you could get real lessons with a drummer.” Honey Drop scoffed. “You think my parents would want me taking drumming lessons? I think they regret giving me the drums in the first place.” Dainty was rather shocked by the bluntness, but preferred to say nothing. “Well, it’s just a suggestion,” Steel said, reeling back a little. “If you’re only able to practice at home, then do the best you can.” “Okay, I’ll do that.” “In fact, we should all be practicing,” he went on, giving a subtle glance at Hard Fiber. “I mean, even more now that we’re an actual band, you know? You guys know how cool that is?” “I’m not a pegasus, but I’m walking on clouds right now!” Dainty replied from the kitchen, where he started to prepare some tea. “Yeah, it’s cool how we were just the three of us a couple of days ago, and how we are a full band,” Hard Fiber said. “And we even have a name!” “Yup, there’s that too,” Steel said. “Well, you guys know that I just made that up for a laugh,” Dainty said. “It’s not like it has to be our official name and all. If anypony has a better suggestion, feel free to make it.” “I dunno, I kinda like it,” River Mouth said. “It’s humble, but it’s honest.” “Yes, if it was such a spontaneous idea, maybe it’s just meant to be,” Steel Strings said. “Yeah, I know, like, did you really come up with that on the spot?” Honey Drop said, his enthusiasm almost jumping out of his skin. “How do you guys do that? Like, improvise and stuff?” “Well, that’s just something we practice,” Dainty said. “It’s kinda like talking. I’m making up these phrases as I go along, because I pretty much know what I want to say, and I know the words, and the grammar, and how to structure phrases… so, I just put the pieces together as I go. With music, it’s similar: when you have a rhythm, and a key, and a chord progression, you just start putting the pieces together, and it just gets going.” “I dunno, it sounds like crazy talk to me,” Honey Drop said, shaking his head. “For me, that just sounds like magic.” Hard Fiber chuckled. “Maybe for River Mouth, it is!” She laughed. “Nah, it’s pretty much what Dainty said, really. It’s practice.” “So, if I keep practicing, will I become as good as you guys?” Honey said. “I don’t think you should try to be like us,” Dainty said. “You just have to try to be as good as you can possibly be.” “Aw, come on, don’t give me that talk!” Honey shot back. “I know you ponies don’t make all this effort just to be ‘the best you can be’. You want to be great, you want to be amazing. You want to be the best, full stop.” Dainty shrugged. “Well, I guess I prefer to aim too high than too low, but I don’t think I could ever be the best. I don’t think I could be as good as my biggest idols, for a start. But, what I try to do is always overcome my own difficulties. Every time I’m unable to do something, I just practice until I can do it… or, at least, I try.” “That’s what you should do, Honey,” Steel Strings said. “That’s the spirit, right there.” River Mouth and Hard Fiber nodded in agreement. “Alright, then!” Honey Drop said. “I’ll do that!” “We’re sure you will, buddy,” Dainty replied. The Ponyville Rag’s first rehearsal as a quintet happened next Tuesday. Dainty spent the last few days trying not to explode with anticipation, and now, he was back home, just waiting for his bandmates to arrive. As usual, Steel Strings was the first one to show up. Honey Drop arrived just a few minutes later, as Dainty had asked him to come early so he could set up the drum kit. Dainty and Steel helped bring the instruments inside, and Honey Drop would assemble the kit. Hard Fiber surprisingly showed up earlier than usual, and a couple of minutes later, River Mouth was there. “So, Honey Drop, tell me,” Dainty said, while the others plugged their instruments, “what songs do you think you can play now?” “Well, I think my best one is For a While Now, because it’s not too fast,” Honey replied. “But I’m trying the others, I just… I’m not very good at them yet.” “Okay, let’s start with that one, then,” Dainty said. “Have you tried playing any other song that you heard? That is, aside from those we’ve been rehearsing?” “Uh, yeah, I tried It’s Still Early,” he said. “I think I can kinda do it.” “Right. I think we never rehearsed that one before, but we can give it a listen,” Dainty said. “Did you bring the records?” Honey Drop stopped and widened his eyes. “I didn’t… Should I have brought them today?” “Well, yeah,” Dainty said, looking at the floor, “but I think I didn’t tell you that, did I? It’s useful having the records, so we can listen to the songs together. But don’t worry. Just remember to bring them next time. You can take them back home after the rehearsal if you need them.” “Oh, okay, then, thanks.” Soon, they finished setting their instruments, and Dainty sat by the piano, his microphone before him. “So, For a While Now?” Dainty said. “Honey Drop, you start and we’ll follow you.” “Yeah, but, uhh… you know that drum roll that’s in the beginning?” Honey said. “I can’t play that yet.” “Oh, well, no problem. Just give us a count in and we’ll go from there.” “A count in? Like, one, two, three, four, that stuff?” “Yeah, like that,” Dainty replied. “Just do that and we’ll join you.” “Okay.” Honey Drop did the count in, and they started the song. Honey’s drumming was still a little erratic, but he could more or less keep the beat. He hit the open hi hat in quarter notes, which was a little rough, but not bad. He also tried to play all the drum rolls, and he fudged some of them, but Dainty could see he had really been practicing. Hard Fiber still forgot some of the chord changes, and River Mouth kept adding bass flourishes that sometimes muddied up the harmony, but the song didn’t go too badly. “Well, okay, for our first song as a full band, that’s not bad,” Dainty said. “Honey Drop, I think you’re improving. As a hint, you don’t need to play all the rolls and fills exactly like on the record. Keep it simple at first, and then make them more complex as you go. What do you think?” “Yeah, okay, I can do that,” Honey said. “I just didn’t want the drumming to be too boring.” “I understand. But you can work on that over time. If you can keep the beat steady, that’s perfect. Also, Hard Fiber, you missed a few of the changes, didn’t you?” “Yeah, I think I did,” he said. “This song’s hard to memorise.” “Well, maybe try studying the song at home. You have the tabs, right?” “I do, yeah. I’ll try to practice.” They played the song two more times, and then moved on to Lost Time. Honey Drop wasn’t sure about that song, because of the fast tempo, but he made a valiant effort: while his tempo was a little wonky, he knew all the song transitions and played them almost exactly like the record. They got back together on Thursday, and this time, Honey Drop brought the records over. They discussed whether they should try to learn It’s Still Early, but Honey said he was trying hard to learn to play the songs they had been rehearsing before, and said he wanted to try to play Is It. And so, they kept working mostly on the songs they already knew. Honey Drop’s evolution was slow, but Dainty believed he was putting real effort. After the rehearsal, most of the band left, and Steel Strings stood with Dainty a little longer, as usual. “So, what do you think, Dainty?” he said. “Well, we’re making progress, I think. And it’s so exciting to have a real band now.” “Yeah. I still wish we had an actual drummer, though,” Steel said. Dainty stifled a sigh. “Come on, give Honey some time. He’s working hard.” “I know, but, still, he’s just got started, and we, as a band, will only be as good as he is.” “You think so?” Dainty said, furrowing his brow. “Of course. You gotta have a beat,” Steel said. “These songs depend on that.” “Yeah, I suppose, but I still think Honey Drop can get better. He’s enthusiastic. He’s really into this. Now, Hard Fiber doesn’t even seem to care much.” “Oh, but he does,” Steel said. “His problem is that he doesn’t practice, but I know he’s into it.” “Well, I hope.” The next day, at work, he overheard Iron Bolt and Jack Hammer talking about going out to the Bamboo Pub after their shift. Dainty tried to approach them in a casual fashion. “You guys are going out tonight, huh?” “Yeah, like usual,” Jack Hammer said. “We didn’t think of telling you because you’ve been busy for the last several weeks.” “Yes, heh, indeed,” Dainty said with a sheepish smile, scratching his head. He had turned down their invitation several times because of his appointments with the band. “Well, I happen to be free tonight.” “Well, if you wanna come along, just join us, then,” Iron Bolt said. “The more, the merrier.” “Okay, then, thank you!” It indeed had been a while since he last stepped into the Bamboo Pub, but the sights and sounds and smells were all immediately familiar to him. The place wasn’t really full, as they had got there rather early, but the aura of careless enjoyment already hung in the air. The trio greeted the pub’s workers, and were led to the same table as usual, at the far back near the stage. There was nopony playing at that moment. Dainty sat down and took a deep, satisfied breath. He was glad to be there with his pals, and he had extra reasons to be happy along with that. When the drink and the glasses arrived, they toasted and had their first sip. “Yeah, that’s the stuff,” Jack Hammer said. “So, Dainty Tunes, what’s been keeping you busy lately?” Iron Bolt said. “You mind telling us?” “Oh, not at all, it’s nothing secret,” he said. “I mean, we’re yet to make it completely public, but it’s gonna happen eventually. What happens is that I have a band now.” “Wow, that’s pretty cool,” Jack Hammer said. “You’re all into music, and that.” “So you’ve been playing gigs, or something?” Iron Bolt said. “No, not yet,” Dainty replied. “We’ve been getting together in my house for rehearsals, several times a week. And yeah, it’s gonna take quite a lot of rehearsing for us to get ready to play out there, I believe. So I’m really pretty busy with that.” “And you play your own songs?” Jack Hammer said. “No, no, that’s not the plan. We’re… Well, you remember last time we were here, when that dude tried playing a song by The Town Troop?” “Oh, sure I do!” Iron Bolt said. “I remember how that went.” “Yeah, so, he’s in my band. We’re playing cover versions of songs by The Town Troop.” The two ponies stared at Dainty, unable to react for a moment. Then, they instinctively looked around. “But… why?” Jack Hammer said, in shock. “I thought nopony liked that band anymore!” “Well, from what I’ve seen, most ponies have no idea who they are, so they have no reason to dislike them,” Dainty said. “Yeah, some ponies really don’t like them at all, but, to each their own, right? I’m not trying to force anypony to like the songs.” “Yeah, but, you’re doing covers of a band very few ponies even remember,” Iron Bolt said. “Like, who are you doing this for?” Dainty looked at his glass, pondering for a moment. “Well… to be honest, I’ve been doing this for myself, you know? I thought at the beginning that the goal was to stop these songs from being forgotten, but, in reality, it’s just so much fun to do this, like, learning the songs, playing with the guys, solving our little problems and hearing the songs take shape… I’m doing it for the band, and I think we all are. Of course, eventually we’ll try to make an actual concert, but I’m not really thinking about that. Who knows, maybe I’ll play these songs only for, I dunno, four or five ponies? If that’s the case, I don’t mind. I did it for the fun of it, for the experience, and to learn something about myself on the way.” Jack Hammer widened his eyes and shrugged. “Well, sounds like crazy talk to me, but if you’re saying it…” “Yeah, I know it might seem crazy,” Dainty said. “We get this idea that ponies get into music or art in general to get big and famous, but I think, most of all, we have to enjoy doing it even if it doesn’t go anywhere. If we end up becoming well known because of this, that’ll be cool, sure, but if we don’t, then we had a good time doing it.” “I think that’s pretty cool, actually,” Iron Bolt said. “You know, my mom, when she was younger, she used to do paintings. She loved it, and she never became famous or anything, and she eventually had to stop doing it because of work and family. But she’s still happy with what she did, and we have some of her paintings hanging in our house. I think they’re really great, and I’m proud of my mom.” “Huh, that’s nice, Iron,” Jack Hammer said. “I didn’t know that!” “Yeah, congrats to your mom,” Dainty said with a smile. “Thanks, guys,” he replied. “And I also wish luck to your band, Dainty.” “Thanks a lot, buddy.” “Do you guys have a name?” Jack Hammer said. “Well, we call ourselves The Ponyville Rag. I don’t know if the name will stick, but it’s what we have for now.” “It’s not a bad name.” “Yeah,” Iron Bolt said, raising his glass. “So, to The Ponyville Rag?” Jack Hammer looked at his two friends, and also raised his glass. “Yeah! To The Ponyville Rag!” “To The Ponyville Rag!” Dainty replied, joining in the toast and finishing the drink in his glass. The band’s next rehearsal had been scheduled for that Sunday, in the afternoon, so they would have plenty of time to work on the songs and discuss ideas. Honey Drop got there very early, carrying his drum kit on his cart. “I brought the records again, Dainty!” he said, eagerly. “I didn’t forget them.” “Oh, thank you, Honey Drop!” Dainty said with a smile. “Yeah, we might want to listen to a song or two today. Want some help?” “Uh, yes, please!” Honey replied, unloading some of the stands from the cart and handing them to Dainty, who took them inside. They had already started assembling the drum kit when Steel Strings arrived. River Mouth was there soon afterwards and Hard Fiber, going back to his old tradition, arrived twenty minutes later. When he got there, the other four were already working on some details of Lost Time, which Honey Drop was really eager to learn how to play. “Remember that we can go through the songs that are easier to you,” Dainty said. “You just have to suggest them to us.” “Yeah, I know, but, like, this song is just so amazing, you know?” Honey said. “I love it, and I love the way you guys play it. I really want this to work.” “Well, no problem! Just try your best, and we’ll keep working on it,” Dainty said. The five of them were ready in their places, and Dainty asked Hard Fiber to begin. They made a pass through the song, and all four of them could notice Honey Drop had improved a little. He tried to play the hi hats in eighth notes, like on the record, but that was still a little too hard for him, but he kept trying. He played a few drum fills here and there, and at least had nailed all the song transitions. They could play the whole song start to finish without a hitch. “It’s sounding pretty good, I gotta say,” Hard Fiber said. “Yeah, but… I dunno, something feels off,” Dainty said, with some frustration. “Is it me? I know I’m still struggling a little,” Honey Drop said. “No, no, it’s not you,” Dainty replied. “It’s… something that’s been bugging me for a while now. I dunno, the song seems too loaded, but… strangely enough, something seems to be missing.” Steel Strings thought of saying something, but he was still insecure. “Do you really have to play the piano, Dainty?” Honey Drop said. “Why don’t you just sing?” Dainty looked at him, some shock on his face. “I can’t do that! I’m not trying to be Deep Voice.” “But you don’t have to try to be him, dude!” Honey shot back. “I’m not trying to be Cymbal Crash, and River Mouth here isn’t trying to be Rocky Rumble, and neither Fiber nor Steel are trying to be Shimmering Chord. So why are you scared of that?” Dainty couldn’t help but be amused by the fact that he had memorised the names of all members of The Town Troop, but he was still bugged by the idea. Taking the lead vocals without playing an instrument felt daunting. “Honestly, my friend, I’ve been thinking of suggesting that to you for a long time,” Steel Strings said. “You should just sing.” “But… if I do that, I might steal all the attention!” Dainty objected. “And this is a collaborative effort! The Ponyville Rag is all of us! I don’t wanna be, like, the star of the show, or some nonsense like that!” “I dunno, dude, but I think you should try it,” Hard Fiber said. “Give yourself a chance.” River Mouth just slowly nodded. “Well, okay, I’ll try it,” Dainty said, moving the mic stand away from the piano, and putting it so the whole band was in a circle. “But just because you guys said it.” “Yeah, give it a shot,” River said. “Okay, Fiber, I’m ready when you are.” And so, Hard Fiber played the arpeggios, and the band joined in. Dainty heard with attention and respect, gently rocking his body to the rhythm, waiting for his cue. He started singing, and his eyes wandered around the rest of the band, watching as they remained focused on the music. Gradually, Dainty began to make gestures with his hooves and move his body around, as if his voice wasn’t sufficient to express what the music had to say. River Mouth watched him with a smile, as she grooved along, and during the first big breakdown before the instrumental interlude, Honey Drop beat his drums fiercely as he watched Dainty use every muscle in his body to give weight to those elongated notes. After the vocals returned, Dainty grabbed the mic out of the stand and moved around, rocking his body and belting out the words with force. The band seemed to be way more into the music than they used to be, and even Steel Strings seemed to be swinging harder. After Dainty hit the last note, he just stood in place, grooving along to the rhythm, watching his band members drive the song to the end, when Hard Fiber did his final note bend. “That… was awesome,” Honey Drop said, emphasising each word. Dainty just shrugged and smiled shyly. “Yeah, well, I did my best.” “I think you have no choice, Dainty,” River Mouth said with a smile. “You’re not going back to the piano.” He gave a sad look at his piano, which was an instrument he loved dearly, but it seemed River had a point. Just then, he spotted something with the corner of his eye—or better, somepony. He saw a face watching him through the window, from the road outside. Just as their gazes met, the peering eyes went wide, and the pony quickly turned around. He recognised that face. The yellow coat, the flowing pink mane, the sudden embarrassment. “Uh, wait a second, guys!” he said eagerly, rushing to the door. “I have to do something!” “What happened, dude?” Hard Fiber said. “No, no, it’s nothing!” Dainty replied, opening the door. “Just play something, I’ll be right back!” The rest of the band exchanged glances while Dainty rushed down the road after the pony. “Hey! Fluttershy!” She stopped on her tracks, as she couldn’t simply ignore him, and turned her face to see him coming. “Hey there,” he said, already panting after the short run. “So, uh, sorry for running after you like this, but… uh, were you watching us play, by any chance?” She looked up at him with her face turned down a little. “Um, well, yes, I was. But I didn’t mean to bother you! I… just… thought the music was interesting. If I wasn’t supposed to watch, I apologise, I didn’t mean to…” “No, no, it’s not a problem at all,” he said, trying to sound casual, even though he was about as nervous as she was. “I mean, we play so loud that there’s no point in keeping it secret or anything. It’s fine, no need to apologise.” “Oh… okay, I’m sorry,” she said. Dainty smiled, just not realising how cheeky and daring he was for approaching her like this and talking so casually, as if they were friends, or something. “Well, uh… since you watched us play, I wonder… What do you think of what you’ve heard?” She paused for a moment, and her face lit up just a little bit. “Um, it’s good! It’s… It’s not the kind of music I usually listen to, though, so… maybe I don’t know. But I thought it sounded good. Did you write that song?” “Oh, I wish!” Dainty replied with a cheeky smile. “But no, that’s by a band called The Town Troop. We’re learning to play their music.” “Well, that sounds exciting,” she replied. “I wish you luck.” “Aw, thanks, Fluttershy, I appreciate that.” She looked down, again, and reeled back a little. “Now, I don’t mean to be rude, but I have to get going now? I need to pick up some supplies, for the animals, and all…” “Oh! Oh, sure!” he replied, stepping back. “I, well, I kinda have to go back to rehearsal too, so I won’t delay you any longer. Just… thanks for sharing your thoughts!” “You’re welcome, Dainty Tunes,” she said. “Okay, so, see you around, then? I guess?” “Yes, see you around,” she replied in a tone that could almost seem affectionate, but was probably just polite. And so, they went their separate ways, and Dainty headed back to his house. “So, do we have our first fan?” Hard Fiber said. Dainty gave a sheepish chuckle. “Maybe? I dunno, it’s too early to say, I guess. Anyway, let’s do a second pass on that song?” The rehearsal was quite fruitful that day. Not only did they make a few passes on Lost Time, but they covered Almost by Mistake and For a While Now, and they were getting into pretty good shape. They talked for a while and decided they wanted to start learning a new song. “There’s one I’ve been wanting to try for some time,” Dainty said, grabbing one of the records. “It’s called When the Sun Shines Through the Window of Your Bedroom, and I find it just so beautiful. I think we’re ready to tackle it.” The band listened to it a few times, read the chord tabs and started to figure out the different parts together. They were unable to get the song finished before the band members had to leave, but Dainty still considered it good progress. “Remember, folks, we’re doing this together,” he said as they started to pack their stuff. “We’re a collaborative effort, and as long as everypony is committed, we can totally do this.” “I’m with you, Dainty,” River Mouth said. “We’re pulling this off together.” This time, Dainty thought he’d distribute the records among the band members, so each one could study some of the songs, and hopefully start learning some on their own. As usual, Steel Strings stood behind while the others left. “Ah, these long rehearsals make me really tired,” Dainty said, “but it’s so fun to see how we move along.” “Yeah, they’re really exhausting,” Steel Strings said, stretching his limbs. “So, what did you think? How’s it for you to just be the singer?” Dainty gave him an insecure gaze. “Honestly, it’s… kinda weird. I never fancied myself as a ‘singer’, you know. And… well, when ponies get to watch us perform, they’ll just compare me to Deep Voice. I know they will.” “And does that bother you?” “Well, I don’t want to be compared. I’m not Deep Voice. I’m Dainty Tunes, and I’m just presenting these songs to other ponies.” “You’re worrying about something that hasn’t even happened yet,” Steel said. “You don’t know how ponies will react. Look, what really matters is for you to be true to yourself, and do the best job you can. And, honestly, you’re doing a pretty good job singing those songs. And you sing them your own way. You’re not imitating Deep Voice.” “Yes, that’s true.” Dainty sighed. “I just can’t be sure that other ponies will see me that way.” “Yeah… but look, I can only speak for myself, but, when I watch you sing, I don’t compare you to anypony. I just want to watch you sing more.” Dainty made a surprised pause, caught by that phrase. “That was… a very sweet thing to say, Steel.” He gave a sheepish chuckle. “Heh, well, I… well, it’s true, you are quite an enchanting presence when you sing. And I think other ponies are probably gonna feel the same.” “Well… hopefully,” Dainty said, sitting on the piano bench, and gave a comical smile. “But, please, go on, let’s talk more about how amazing I am!” Steel Strings thought of replying, but he just chuckled, looking at the floor. The conversation went on through different paths. Rehearsals carried on through the following week. They gathered less often than when there were only three or four members, but they still made steady progress. Dainty started to wonder how fast that progress was, though; he had never been in a band, so he had no idea what was an average pace for a band like them. Still, they kept working on the songs and improving some of its finer details. On the first rehearsal after that Sunday, Dainty interrupted Almost by Mistake halfway through, to say the band weren’t keeping up the energy. “The song isn’t supposed to lose steam as it progresses, you know?” he said. “It’s okay if we start a little weak and get stronger towards the end, but if we lose the energy halfway through, that’s not good at all. It sounds like we’re getting bored.” They weren’t able to learn a new song at every rehearsal, but they always made sure to keep working on a new song until they were satisfied with it. Dainty would often interrupt those attempts, and the band was getting used to the fact that, at any point, he would yell an elongated “stoooooop!” into the mic, and then comment on something that wasn’t good. “Honey Drop, don’t play the drum fills that you don’t know how to play yet,” he said once. “Keep things simple at first, and then improve them as you go.” “Yeah, well, I just… I wanna play my parts the way I’m supposed to.” “I understand, but you gotta work with what you’ve got,” Dainty said. “If you lose the beat, you can end up throwing all of us off. Whatever you do, don’t lose the beat.” “Okay, I’ll try,” Honey said. With each new pass of a song, it became clearer that Dainty heard in his mind how the songs should go, and would keep demanding his bandmates to play things according to how he thought they should be. It wasn’t necessarily the way it was on the record, but he had the songs in his head, and expected the others to go along. “Steel Strings, when we get to the final part, I really need to hear your guitar,” he said. “If you have to play louder, play louder, but you need to be present.” “I’ll see what I can do,” Steel said. “And, River Mouth, take it easier with the improvising. There’s already quite a lot of bass flourishes in this song, and I don’t think it needs any more. Don’t go overboard.” “Well, alright,” she replied with a shrug. One night, after lending the band’s first record to Hard Fiber, he asked him to try to learn It’s Too Early and pick up his parts. He felt like that should be the next song to work on. “It’s kinda simple stuff, but it’s also pretty nuanced,” he said. “You don’t need to play exactly the same way Shimmering Chord does, but just get the essence of it.” “Yeah, sure,” Hard Fiber said, and Dainty had the immediate impression he wouldn’t study the song at all. The next evening, Dainty asked Hard Fiber to return him the record so they could study the song, but he had forgotten to bring it. “Aw, come on, buddy!” Dainty scolded. “We were supposed to start listening to the song today!” “I’m sorry, Dainty, I just completely forgot,” Fiber said. “I swear I’ll bring it next time.” “Yes, do so. Did you practice the song, at least?” “Uh, a little, yeah.” Dainty interpreted that as a “no”. “Well,” he said, “might as well start on another song, then. I don’t think we should spend too long just working on the same songs over and over.” “Yeah, but we’re still working on When the Sun Shines Through,” Steel said. “That one isn’t done yet.” “You don’t think we could work on two new songs at the same time?” Dainty said. “I think we’re capable. I know I am” “Are we in a hurry, though?” River Mouth said. “Do we really have to rush?” “I’m just concerned that we might be stalling,” Dainty said. “I wanna learn more songs. I think we can do it.” “Maybe we can do an experiment,” Steel said. “Let’s try to work on two songs at the same time and see what happens. If it doesn’t work, we’ll go back to one at a time. What do you think?” Honey Drop scratched his mane. “I guess it’s ok?” “Let’s do it, then,” Hard Fiber said, shrugging. Dainty suggested they try Theorem, which he thought was a simple and catchy song, and they listened to it a few times. Honey Drop was a little concerned with the rhythm of the drums at the intro, so Dainty and River Mouth helped him figure it out. It didn’t take them many passes to start getting the song right, but, as they progressed, Dainty’s requests became more specific and demanding. “This part right here needs to have a lot of energy,” he said, after another interruption. “It’s not about speed, it’s about intensity. Give everything you have here, and after I sing my line, you can fall back a little.” “I dunno, I’m not sure what you mean by ‘energy’ and ‘intensity’, dude,” Hard Fiber said. “You don’t know what energy means?” Dainty said, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Fiber glanced at the others and shrugged. “It’s in the way you play, guys,” Dainty went on. “Really blast out those chords, strum hard and firm. This is for both of you,” he said, pointing at the two guitarists. “Firm, strong hooves, guys. You too, River Mouth, be a little harsher on those strings. Honey Drop, snappy, tight drums. My vocals here are pretty high and intense, and I need you to back me up.” “Okay, so, like, we just strum harder, is that it?” Hard Fiber said. “That’s just one of the things, Fiber,” Dainty replied, a little annoyed. “But you have to really put energy in your body, and it’ll show. I wanna feel your presence. You’re our lead guitarist, you’re important. You keep thinking that it’s the singer that gets the attention, but the guitar also shines in this music. You gotta shine, Hard Fiber.” He just shrugged. “Okay, I guess.” Dainty refrained from shaking his head, and asked for another pass of the song. As the days progressed, the rehearsals started to get a little less frequent, due to the band members having other appointments. Dainty tried not to feel too frustrated, but the fear that they could start slowing down was striking him again. He spent most of his free time listening to the songs, studying them on the piano, figuring out small details and working on his own voice. He wanted to sound as powerful as he could, and one evening, he felt his throat ache, probably due to excessive strain. On the next rehearsal, they decided to start working on a new song, since the two they had been working on were rather settled. They chose It’s Too Early, and, as usual, sat down to listen to it a few times. “This song has a piano on it,” Dainty said. “I think I should play it.” “Are you sure it’s necessary?” River Mouth said. “Of course it is,” Dainty replied. “It makes a difference. You heard the song, didn’t you?” “I could play the piano, if you want,” Steel said, getting up. “The song doesn’t have an acoustic guitar anyway.” “I didn’t know you could play the keyboards,” Dainty said. “I can, a little bit,” Steel said, approaching the piano. “This song is just D minor, right?” Dainty looked at the floor, thinking. “It’s more D Dorian, I guess, but yeah.” “D Dorian? What’s that?” “The Dorian mode? You don’t know it?” “No, not really,” Steel said. “Well, it’s almost D minor, but with B natural instead of flat,” Dainty said. “It’s just the white keys of the piano, really.” Steel pondered for a moment. “So shouldn’t it be A minor?” “A minor? No, not at all. The song’s clearly in D.” “Yeah, but, we play the A minor chord twice as much as D minor,” Steel said. “Maybe it’s not in D at all.” “No, it absolutely is,” Dainty said. “I hear it. D minor is the home chord, and A minor resolves straight back to it.” “Guys, do you really have to discuss that now?” Hard Fiber said. “Let’s just play the song.” Dainty turned and glared at him. “You’re not the one who decides that, Fiber.” Fiber looked back at him with a bit of shock. “Okay, I… I just…” Steel Strings thought of saying something, but he refrained. “Okay, never mind, I guess we should just play the song, anyway,” Dainty said. “Do the count in, Honey Drop?” “Sure.” Honey counted to four, and he and River Mouth locked into the rhythm. Hard Fiber and Steel Strings joined, while Dainty waited for his cue to begin. He started doing his vocals, staring straight at the floor, concentrating, paying attention to the band’s sound. They played all the way to the end, and Dainty gave a sign for them to end the song. “We forgot to discuss when to end the song,” Steel Strings said. “Glad you gave the sign, Dainty.” “The song needs to sound tighter,” Dainty said, pretty much ignoring him. “Drums and bass have to be locked together, tight. Firm, steady. The ending needs more energy, more guitar, more piano. Your lines were good, Fiber, but you need to raise the intensity at the end.” “Can we listen to the song again?” Honey said. “I think I didn’t catch the drum fills well enough.” “Don’t worry about the fills for now, Honey,” Dainty replied. “Focus more on the rhythm. Keep the fills simple.” “Yeah, well, I wanted to listen to it again, if it’s no problem,” Hard Fiber said. Dainty rolled his eyes. “Well, okay, let’s do it, then.” They listened to the record once more, all four paying attention to certain details, while Dainty just absentmindedly mumbled the words along. He knew the whole thing like the back of his hoof, anyway, so he didn’t need to pay much attention. They went back to playing the song, and Dainty remained focused, listening to the sound of the band. Between his sung lines, he’d keep saying “tighter!”, or “keep it tight!”, or “more energy!” during the choruses. The band reached the ending, and the four other members exchanged looks, like Dainty kept staring at the floor. “It’s sounding better, I think,” River Mouth said. “You’re improvising too much, River,” Dainty said, cutting her off. “This song needs a tighter rhythm, and you’re letting it too loose.” She furrowed her brow a little. “But there’s plenty of improvising on the record! I’m just trying to sound like that, to keep the song interesting.” “Well, it’s too much,” he replied. “Cut it back a little.” “I think she’s right, Dainty,” Steel Strings said. “The bass is quite melodic on the record.” “Steel, leave this to me, alright?” Dainty said, cutting him off, raising his hoof towards him. “River, it’s not the bass that makes the song interesting. When you have your own band, you can be the center of attention, but right now, it’s the sound of the band that matters. Keep your ears open, listen to the whole band, and stick with us. Alright?” River Mouth made a pause, and briefly nodded. “Yeah, sure… I just… Yeah, fine.” “Okay, let’s give it one more try,” Dainty said, “and then we’ll maybe work on other songs. Let’s do it.” Steel Strings said his farewell to his bandmates, and stood in Dainty’s house. He had a couple of things in his mind, and hoped he could talk to Dainty about that. Before he could open his mouth, though, Dainty started to speak. “Steel, don’t interfere when I’m talking to the other guys, okay?” he said. “Leave this to me, I can handle this. I know what I’m doing.” He looked up at Dainty, surprised. “But… we’ve been doing things like this since the beginning, buddy,” he said. “Why change now?” “Because I think it’s time for me to be in charge of things,” Dainty replied. “It’s my band, and I know what I want, so let me do the talking.” Steel frowned at him. “Your band? You said a while ago that this was a collaborative effort, and this was our band and we were all important.” “But it was my idea to do this, it was my initiative,” Dainty snapped. “I went all the way to Manehattan to get the records, I talked to Shimmering Chord, he gave me the blessing. And face it, Steel, you wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me. You’d still be trying to play to those jerks at the Bamboo Pub and getting booed off the stage.” Steel stared at him in disbelief, a little shaken, but took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. “I thought we were doing this together, Dainty. I thought you trusted my opinions.” “Well, of course I trust you, Steel,” Dainty said, softening his tone and going to the kitchen to heat some water. “I didn’t stop trusting your opinions, and we are in this together. I just think it’s better if only one of us stays in charge, you know? Too many cooks spoil the broth. That’s all there is.” Steel tilted his head and considered replying. “And this is still a collaborative effort, you know,” Dainty went on. “I couldn’t do this entire thing on my own. I need you guys, but if somepony doesn’t have a clear vision of how we should sound, there’ll be no real unity, no real direction.” “But don’t you think everypony should have that same clear vision?” Steel said. “Well, that’s why I’m always telling them what we should do, isn’t it?” Dainty replied, approaching him. “I’m trying to make them see the same thing I do, so we can make progress together. Look, I trust you, Steel. I love what you do, you’re essential to this band, and I also need you to trust me. What do you say? Do you trust me?” Steel gazed deeply into Dainty’s eyes, and he felt something odd. He saw the essence of love and goodness in him, but something almost seemed to shroud it. Just a week ago, Dainty looked beautiful and enchanting, especially when he sang, but now, there was something a little frightening about him. “Yes, I trust you, Dainty,” he said. “Of course I trust you.” Dainty smiled. “Thanks, Steel. I know we can pull this off.” He went back to the kitchen. “We’ll be a great band, I can assure you that.” Steel nodded, and tried to understand what it was that he felt in his heart. Something pulsed in there, and he wasn’t sure what it was. Dainty was particularly jumpy when the band arrived for rehearsal that Friday evening. He was impatient and eager to get started, as he wanted to get It’s Too Early in shape and hopefully start working on a new song. He barely waited for his bandmates to get their instruments ready. “Okay, guys, let’s do this.” “Hold on,” Hard Fiber said, as he finished tuning his guitar. “What song are we gonna start with, anyway?” River Mouth said. “It’s Too Early, of course,” Dainty said. “We gotta get this song done.” “Okay, I’m ready, Honey,” Hard Fiber said. Honey Drop did the count in, and the band launched into the song. It seemed to be flowing smoothly, but Dainty was once again focused, staring at the floor, listening intently. “Tighter, guys!” By now, Hard Fiber barely cared about Dainty’s instructions at all. It was just part of the song. They proceeded through the first verse, and it seemed to be going well. “Stoooooop!” The band stumbled into silence. “I keep telling you, the rhythm needs to be tight, guys,” Dainty said. “Honey Drop, have you been practicing?” “Yes, I have!” Honey said. “Nearly every day!” “Honestly, it doesn’t sound like it. You need to practice more.” Honey scoffed. “It’s easy for you to say that. All you do is sing.” Dainty gave him an icy look. “It was you guys who told me I should stop playing the piano and only sing! And do you think singing is easy? I’m also practicing every day. And I studied those songs for days on end to learn them. You think I’m doing nothing? Really?” “Dainty,” Steel said, “Dainty, take it easy.” “I’m sorry, Dainty, I didn’t mean to insult you,” Honey said, worried. “Okay, okay, never mind,” Dainty replied. “Let’s just play again. You guys ready?” They responded positively, and Honey Drop did the count in again. Dainty waited for his cue and started the first verse. Honey Drop focused hard on his part, while River Mouth paid special attention to her bass part. They made past all the sung verses and went into the final instrumental. Honey Drop tried to do a long drum fill and fumbled it, falling behind the beat a little, but rushed to pick it up. “Stoooooop!” Hard Fiber puffed and shook his head. “Honey Drop! I told you dozens of times to stop trying to play things you can’t play!” Dainty said, in a frustrated tone. “I keep telling you, but you won’t listen! River Mouth! Stop improvising so much! You’re going overboard and you keep throwing everyone off. Stop trying to be the center of attention. Hard Fiber, honestly, it sounds like you just don’t care. You’re playing with no feeling. In fact, none of you seem to care about this band at all. None of you. I’m singing here like a clown and you don’t give a crap. I’m sick of this shit.” Steel Strings stared at Dainty. He couldn’t believe what just happened. “I’m… I’m sorry, Dainty,” Honey Drop said, his voice trembling, “I’m… I’m trying. I care about the band, I swear.” Dainty breathed heavily and looked at the faces around them, incredulous, shocked, embarrassed. All because of him. He couldn’t recognise himself. He thought of something to say, but words failed him. He had hurt everyone around him, and there was nothing he could do to fix that. Something had completely clouded his judgement, and it didn’t matter what it was; what mattered is that he had done something terrible, and he couldn’t blame anyone other than himself. “I’m… I shouldn’t… I’m sorry, guys. I… The rehearsal is over,” Dainty said. He put the mic back on the stand. Honey Drop looked at his bandmates, worried. “Like… the band is over?” “No, I’m not breaking up the band,” Danty said. “I just… I’m just not… I can’t do this today. You should just go home, and we’ll try again another day. I’m… I’m sorry.” “Are you alright, dude?” Hard Fiber said, while River Mouth turned off her amp. “Do you need help?” “I’m… I’m fine, I’m fine,” Dainty said. “I just… I need to be alone, that’s all.” “Are you guys free tomorrow?” River Mouth said. “I’m not,” Honey Drop said. “I’ll be busy with my parents. But I’m free on Sunday.” “Yeah, me too,” River replied. “Sunday’s okay by me,” Hard Fiber said, unplugging his guitar. “I’m okay with it,” Steel said, going to put his guitar in the case. “Will you be free, Dainty?” “Yeah, yeah, I will,” he said, plainly, sitting on his bed. “Right, Sunday it is, then,” Steel said, going off to help Honey Drop with the drums. Minutes later, they started to leave, and Steel Strings once again stood behind. He looked at Dainty, who was still sitting on the bed, slumped forward, his head down. “Do you want to talk, buddy?” Dainty looked up at him. “Actually… I just want to be alone.” Steel watched him for a moment. “Well… okay, I’ll leave, then.” He grabbed his guitar case. “But, if you need me, I can stay here.” “No, it’s fine.” Dainty kept pondering while Steel slowly walked towards the door. “I acted like a jerk, didn’t I?” Steel stopped and looked back. He sighed. “You did, Dainty… You owe them an apology.” Dainty looked at him, with deep embarrassment. It was hard seeing that sweet, beautiful face saying something so harsh and truthful. “I know,” he said, nodding, his head heavy. Steel made a pause. “Take care, alright?” “Yeah.” Dainty felt he wouldn’t be able to sleep that night. His behaviour seemed unexplainable and didn’t seem to make any sense, but, deep inside, he knew it could have an explanation, all due to a fact he wished to avoid, but was being forced to face again: he was a self-insert. He still remembered what had happened in the cave. He knew he represented trouble, and had only been let loose as an act of mercy. He remembered his promise that, if he ever did anything that could mess up the balance of the world, he’d disappear. And he was put in this world to satisfy the whims—whatever those whims are—of some self-professed creator. He used to think his purpose to exist was just for laughs, but he grew out of that. But maybe his purpose was changing now. Could all that passion, all that desire to make music, be the result of something external, something powerful and irresistible, that was beyond his control? If that was the case, he was in deep trouble. And not only that, but he had hurt the feelings of ponies who had joined him for a noble purpose. He still believed in the band, he still loved the songs, and the band was with him because of those songs; and he had thrown so much hostility and frustration right at their faces, in an unfair, cruel fashion. Of course he owed them an apology, but would that help at all? If he had acted in that manner that evening, would he even feel compelled to apologise next time they met? He was sunk so deep into this trouble that he couldn’t even hope to see a way out. Eventually he got lost in the haze of sleep, but he woke up still feeling dazed and tired, and the thoughts of last night quickly came back to hammer on his head. That morning, he had to go off to get some groceries, but his mind was drowning in loud, confusing thoughts. He felt like his body was heavy, the light of the sun bothered him, and, as he got closer and closer to the center of the town, the noise and the chatter made his ears hurt. He kept replaying the events from the last evening in his mind over and over again, and they were interrupted by a promise he made a while ago: “If I ever do even one tiny stupid thing, I’ll be gone forever.” Well, he had done it, hadn’t he? He looked at all the other ponies around himself. They all had a legitimate reason to be there. But did he? Who was him anyway? Dainty pressed his eyelids and tried to focus on the things he had to buy, but he couldn’t find himself. Images and sounds buzzed in his brain, his present surroundings were mixed with his memories, his regret was mixed with the fear of what was to come. He felt his own body shaking. “If I ever do even one tiny stupid thing, I’ll be gone forever.” Trying not to make a scene, he got out of there as quickly as he could, and rushed down an empty street, looking for somewhere quiet. “Hey! Dainty Tunes!” The voice came from far away behind him, as if somepony was running after him. He was afraid of stopping to look. “Dainty, wait up!” He finally looked back, and, with some shock, recognised the purple pegasus, her red mane bouncing around as she ran after him. He stood there, frozen for a moment, and discreetly glanced around himself as she got close and slowed down. “Meteorite?” he said, almost in a gasp. “Dude, what happened to you?” she said. “You looked like you were having a fit back there. What’s going on?” He looked to the sides. “Meteorite, I don’t know if we should talk so often.” She furrowed her brow, perking up her ears a little. “Why shouldn’t we? What’s the matter?” Dainty lowered his voice, approaching her a little. “Meteorite, we’re both… different, you know. Wouldn’t we end up attracting too much attention?” Meteorite gave him a soft, but stern look. “Dainty, we’re two regular ponies having a regular conversation in the streets of Ponyville. There’s nothing bad about this. Now, speak up.” “Well… how much time do you have to hear me?” She looked back at the town square. “I s’pose AJ will understand if I’m helping a friend, so go ahead.” “Okay… let’s go to a more reserved place, if you don’t mind it,” he said. They started walking, looking for a place where ponies couldn’t overhear them. “So, recently, I started a band,” he said. “I got together with some ponies, and we’ve been rehearsing in my house, a few times a week. And it was really great, we were having a great time, and all… but then, I don’t know why or how, but I just… I started acting like an asshole, bossing them around, just… I became insufferable, really, and… last night, I really lashed out of them… and I got scared. I felt like I was turning into a monster of some kind.” “M-hm,” she said, nodding, listening attentively. “And, well… I know that, uh… ponies like me… characters like me, well, they’re sometimes made for… not very noble reasons, you know,” he said, trembling as the words came out. “Like, some of us are put here for pure wish fulfilment, to satisfy whatever whims and wishes of our creator, even if we act in… completely unjustifiable ways. And, well, I started playing in a band, and just started acting like a fucking prima donna all of a sudden, so… could it be that… is that why I’m here?” They stopped in an alleyway, and she looked at him, pondering deeply. “I’unno, seems weird that you’d turn into some lousy Gary Stu all of a sudden… Tell me, what is your band playing? Is it your own songs? As in, your writer’s songs?” “No, no, not at all,” he replied. “They’re songs from another band. We’re a covers band, pretty much.” “Oh,” she said, “so what band is it? Queen? Pink Floyd? Beatles?” “No, it’s not… it’s not a band from… out there,” he said. “It’s an actual pony band from actual Equestria… actually. I heard about them for the first time just a few months ago.” “Hm, okay,” Meteorite replied, still thinking. “What do you remember from the human world?” He put his hoof on his chin, thinking deeply. “You know, I… I haven’t thought much about that. I know I remembered quite a lot of stuff at first, but… I think I still remember some songs, but… honestly, I don’t have many recollections at all! It’s kinda weird.” She furrowed her brow. “Dainty Tunes, are you even a self-insert?” “I’m pretty sure I am,” he replied, after a pause, “or… or at least I have been, for some time. It was pretty obvious to me. I was put here for that reason. Meteorite, I was put here as a fucking joke, you know. I was a goddamn gag created for my creator’s amusement.” “Yeah? Well, gags don’t usually have existential crises,” she said. “And what’s with this ‘my creator’ bullshit? Just call him by name.” He looked at her for a moment, and then at the floor. “I… don’t remember his name.” Her jaw hung open. “Seriously? Dainty, how the hell are you supposed to be a Gary Stu for a writer whose name you don’t even remember?” He slowly nodded. “Yeah, it’s… it’s weird. I’m even more puzzled now. What is even happening?” “If I could risk a guess,” she said, “I’d say ‘your creator’ wants you to have a life of your own. That’s kinda the same with me… or at least I presume.” “Well, to be perfectly honest, I always felt like you were just a regular pony, you know,” he said with a sheepish smile. “Then it’s time for you to be one yourself,” she replied. “I don’t think you’ve been acting like that because you’re going full Gary Stu. If you were, would you even be so conflicted?” “Yeah, I guess that doesn’t make much sense,” he said, putting a hoof on his chin. “So that means that, if I’ve been acting like an asshole… it’s because I’m just an asshole after all?” She tried to stifle a laugh, but couldn’t resist it. “Hey, don’t laugh!” he said, frowning. “I’m sorry, that was just goddamn funny,” she said. “No, but seriously, you’re… you’re not an asshole, Dainty. Maybe… who knows, maybe you weren’t feeling very satisfied. Do you enjoy being with your band?” “Well, I really love the music,” he said, “and the guys are good, I can’t deny that. I… I do feel like we have potential, honestly.” “Yeah, yeah, okay, but do you like being with them?” she insisted. “Is it fun to hang around with them?” Dainty scratched his mane. “Actually… we don’t really ‘hang out’ that much. I do spend some time with one of my bandmates, but the others… I kinda don’t even know them well. We just get together to rehearse, and then they go home. I never had huge problems with them, but…” “Seems to me like you need to have a talk to them, Dainty,” she said. “Maybe you’re treating them too much like musicians and not enough as… well, ponies. To be fair, I have no idea what it’s like to be in a band, and if I ever tried to touch a guitar, I’m sure I’d break all of the strings just by holding it, but… I always assumed that ponies in a band gotta have some affinity. You’ll be together for a lot of time, so it should be fun for all of you. If you’re… well, this is harsh to say, but if you’re not having fun, and if they’re not having fun, maybe it’s not meant to be. But who knows, if you get to know them better, it could make a difference.” He stared at some point in the distance, listening to her, but also immersed in thought. “That makes a lot of sense, Meteorite. Really. I think I know what I could do to sort this out.” “That’s good,” she said. He gave a chuckle. “It’s kinda funny, but I’m relieved to think that my jerkass behavior probably comes from within me. I mean, if I can act like an asshole sometimes, it means I can learn not to act like one.” “That’s the spirit, dude,” Meteorite replied. “And stop being scared of talking to me, alright? If you need to chat, just look for me… but, well, I really need to go back to work right now.” “Oh, of course!” Dainty said, with a bit of shock. “Yes, of course. I don’t want AJ to think you’re slacking off. Just… thanks a lot. I feel much better now.” “Glad to help,” she said, a few steps away. “And good luck with the band, too. And now, see ya!” “See ya, Meteorite,” he said, just as she quickly trotted back to the town square. He couldn’t say he had completely overcome his insecurity and his fear, but he had reasons to think he could fix things on his own, and he had plans on how to do that. Dainty was already impatient when Steel Strings and Honey Drop arrived, within minutes of each other. “Guys, don’t need to get your instruments out,” Dainty said. “I have… other plans for today.” “Other plans?” Honey said. “Yeah. I’ll wait for the others to show up, if you don’t mind.” “No, I guess not.” River Mouth and Hard Fiber arrived soon afterward, and Dainty also told them not to get their instruments. “I thought we’d do something a little different today,” he said. “Instead of rehearsing as usual, I think we should… hang out.” Honey Drop and Hard Fiber exchanged glances. River Mouth tilted her head a bit. “I mean, we’ve been doing this for so long, and we get to meet so often here to play songs, but we… don’t seem to know each other very well. At least I don’t know you very well. And I think, if we should keep doing this together, it would be nice if we… if we got a little closer.” “Sounds fair to me,” River Mouth said. “Yeah, I guess that’s good,” Honey Drop said. “Well, so, I thought that we could… go out there and have a picnic. What do you say?” “Huh, it’s been a while since I’ve done that,” Hard Fiber said. “Could be fun.” “Yeah, let’s do it,” River Mouth replied. The other two just nodded. “Alright, then!” Dainty said, almost joyful. “So, can you help me bring along the supplies?” He pointed to a couple of baskets lying around the kitchen. They went around to pick them up, and went out of the house into the bright afternoon. They chose to go to Saddle Lake, where a few other ponies sat and walked around, enjoying the scenery. The band chose a fairly isolated spot, and Dainty spread a large cloth on the grass. They sat around and started pulling out the items for the baskets. “You really put effort into this, Dainty,” Steel said. “Well, yeah, I wanted this to be nice for everypony.” Honey Drop pulled out a pot of honey and held it in his hoof, with a smirk. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” Dainty gave a sheepish chuckle. “Heh, I swear I didn’t make the connection! I just… figured you guys would like it.” “Well, he works with that stuff every day, I guess he must get sick of it,” River Mouth joked. “No, not really,” Honey replied, opening the pot and taking a small spoon from inside the basket. “What work do you do, exactly?” Dainty said. “Eh, whatever my parents ask me to do, really,” he replied, taking out a small portion of the honey and putting it in his mouth. “Hmm… this is definitely blended,” he said, examining the honey inside the pot. “Buckwheat, sunflower… chestnut, maybe? I bet this has chestnut in it. Grade B. Pretty good stuff.” “You can tell all that just by tasting it?” Hard Fiber said. “Yeah,” Honey said. “Been doing this since I’m a kid. That’s what my main job really is: quality control. But I do almost any job on the farm, really. I’m not a fan of handling the bees, because I don’t think they like me much. But my sense of taste is just excellent. It’s always been like that.” “That’s pretty cool,” River Mouth said. Dainty, once again, noticed that hadn’t paid much attention to the cutie marks of his bandmates, and Honey’s mark featured a honey dipper. “I just wish I was like that with music, you know,” he said. “Why couldn’t it be that easy? Music means so much to me, but it’s so hard for me to learn.” “Yeah, but I’m sure you can get there,” River Mouth said. “I don’t have a natural gift for music, either. I mean, I think only Steel Strings and Dainty Tunes have.” “What do you work with, anyway, River?” Honey Drop said. “I’m a scientist,” she said, while a cookie magically hovered near her face. “I specialise in water plants and animals, and study most water based biomes. It seemed like an obvious thing for me to do, since I’ve always loved to see anything that has to do with rivers, lakes, oceans, swamps and whatever else. I just love getting my hooves wet, you know.” “That’s a pretty peculiar interest,” Dainty said, “I like that. So it’s like, I guess, you know a lot of fish and plants and stuff?” “Yes, the flora and the fauna, yes, but I also have to study the terrains, the environments, the dynamics of rivers, currents, all that stuff. I love how there’s a lot of information, and I have to put them all together to understand what’s going on.” “That sounds really hard, honestly,” Steel Strings said. “I bet most of that stuff would fly right over my head.” “Oh, I’ve had to do a lot of studying,” she replied. “Tons of reading, tons of field work, tons of research… but it’s fun, because I love the subject. It gets tiresome, sometimes, but it makes me happy.” “Kinda like when I play music with you,” Dainty replied. “It’s often pretty exhausting, but I feel good.” “I also feel like that,” River said. “I just have to put a lot more effort into the music. When I do my job, things just seem to come to me more easily. With music, I have to reach out and grab the stuff. It’s harder, but I also love it.” Dainty discreetly noted her cutie mark, which displayed a beautiful river delta. “You guys make me look a little boring,” Hard Fiber said, with a slightly sad smile. “Honey’s tongue can detect flowers in honey, River knows everything about all that lives underwater… and I just work with plant leaves and ropes and stuff.” “But that’s not necessarily boring,” Honey Drop said. “I’m sure you know a lot of stuff that we have no idea about.” “Well, yes, working with fibers is pretty technical, and there’s always somepony out there that needs our work,” he replied, shrugging. “But I dunno, I just think music is so much cooler. Pretty much everypony loves music, but, like, nopony looks at a rope and says, ‘wow, what a cool looking rope!’… well, nopony but me, I guess…” “I think, if there was nopony that was interested in ropes, we’d be in trouble,” Dainty said. “They’re super useful, you know.” “Yeah, that’s true. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy about what I do. It’s just not very… glamorous, I suppose.” “Never mind that, Fiber, you’re a cool pony,” River said. “What about you, Steel? What do you do for a living?” “I’m a luthier,” he said, after munching on a sandwich. “Mostly that.” Honey Drop just kept staring at him, one eyebrow raised. “And that is…?” Steel looked at him with a bit of embarrassment. “Guess I should’ve explained, right? Sorry. I build and fix musical instruments.” “Oh, that’s cool!” “Well, thanks,” Steel said, with a slight smile. “I do enjoy it. You know that guitar I play? I built it myself.” “Wow, that’s pretty impressive!” River Mouth said. “And he’s pretty good, too,” Hard Fiber said. “I once broke the neck of my guitar, and he made it better than it was before. That’s how we met, by the way.” “I also taught you how to take better care of your instrument, you know,” Steel said. “That poor guitar was in pretty bad shape.” Fiber scratched his mane, with an embarrassed smile. “Yeah, I know…” “So, are you a musician who turned into an instrument builder, or an instrument builder who turned into a musician?” Honey Drop said. “It’s more the latter, I guess,” Steel said. “I always loved music, but I mostly learned how to play because I wanted to learn how to work on the instruments. So it just grew from there. I love to play, but I don’t think I’m an actual musician, you know. I just like making noise.” “You make good noise, Steel,” River Mouth said with a smile. “So, what about you, Dainty?” Fiber said. “Do you work with music?” Dainty lowered his head a little. “Nah. I’m a construction worker.” The other four faces looked at him in silence for a moment. “Really?” Honey Drop said. “Yeah. I mean, I sure would love to work on music, but… I guess I haven’t found an open door yet, you know? So I just… raise buildings. I’d like to work with something a little less dangerous, but, well, it keeps me afloat!” “I hope you can work with what you truly love someday, Dainty,” River Mouth said. “I’m sure it will be rewarding for you.” “Well, here’s hoping!” Dainty said. “But you know, it’s pretty fascinating that we’re a band made up of ponies who come from completely different fields of work. I mean, if it weren’t for music, how likely is it that we’d ever get together?” “Yeah, right?” Honey said. “This is what brought us together. And… I mean, I… I seriously love music, dude. I love playing with you guys, and… and I know I’m not that good of a drummer, but I swear it makes me so happy to be part of this.” “I’m happy you’re with us, Honey,” Dainty said, sighing. “And… well, I… I should’ve said this earlier, but I… I owe you guys an apology. I was… The way I treated you, I should’ve never done that. Ever. You don’t deserve that. I acted like a jerk, and I…” He took a deep breath to try to keep his composure. “I hurt you. And there was no excuse. I won’t do that again, I promise.” “Dainty, I’ll be honest with you,” River Mouth said. “I wasn’t gonna come today. If it depended on me, I would’ve just… left the band. But Honey Drop came to talk to me, he begged me to come, and I did so because of him. I’m glad to hear that from you. I really think the band has potential, but we have to respect each other. We’re all in this together, and even though all of us can always improve a little bit, there has to be mutual respect.” “You’re one hundred percent right, River,” Dainty said. “You’re totally correct, and, honest, I’m sorry for what I did, and I won’t act like that anymore. I… guess I got too passionate about this project, and I kept trying to rush ahead, and I… didn’t consider that you’re not there to do what I want, but to do what you love, and I… I almost ruined everything. I’m sorry, guys, I’m sorry.” Steel Strings put a hoof on his shoulder, and Dainty gave him a sweet smile. “You’re a cool dude, Dainty,” Honey Drop said, “well, when you’re not being a meanie, I guess. But I totally think you can stop being a meanie.” “I will, Honey,” Dainty Tunes said. “You guys have my word.” “Thank you, dude,” Honey replied. “I… you know, I was really scared that you were gonna break up the band… Please don’t do that. I really want to play with you.” Dainty saw the pleading, almost desperate look in his eyes. “Honey, this band means a lot to me. You guys mean a lot. The music means a lot. This is special, you know, this is… this is amazing. I feel…” He took a deep breath, pondering as he watched the surface of the lake. “You know why I’m so fascinated with that band? You wanna know why I like those songs? It’s because they disquiet me. They unsettle me. They make me feel uneasy, and they make me realise that the way we feel sometimes can be difficult, and that’s just part of life. These songs aren’t all about feeling happy and relaxed, it’s not music that makes me feel everything is going to be fine… it’s music that makes me feel alive, you know?” he said. “It makes my heart race. It gets my blood pumping. That’s why this music exists, and that’s what I want to do to other ponies. “I wanna shake them. I wanna make them feel something. I wanna make this place rattle and shake, you know? I wanna grab everything that’s buried in my heart and put it out there, so that everypony can listen. That’s what drives me. That’s what makes me passionate, and, well, I can’t force any of you to do that, but I wish you do the same. Take everything you feel, everything that’s buried in you. It doesn’t need to be only bad feelings, anger, frustration or sadness; just everything. Grab it all and put it in the music. Remember the things you’ve lived, the things you’ve seen, the things you’ve felt, all the things that make you feel alive. Put it in the music. Make the music pulsate. Make it a monster. Make those songs into something big and terrifying and that can’t be tamed. Make it fucking real. “This way, you don’t need to play all the correct drum fills, or play the most interesting bass lines, or anything, because you are interesting. The music will be great because you are great ponies. The music will just flow right out of you, as long as you play it with your heart. You are amazing, and all the music needs is that you be who you are. That’s all I ask from you. The little problems, we can iron those out with rehearsals, but be true to yourselves, always. You hear me?” “Yeah, I hear you!” Honey Drop replied, with enthusiasm. “You got it, dude,” River Mouth said. “Right on,” Hard Fiber replied. Steel Strings gave Dainty a gentle look. “I know exactly what to put into the music.” Dainty casually looked back. “So do I, buddy.” The band remained there for hours, talking, laughing, watching as sunlight faded into the soft darkness of the evening. They just couldn’t notice time going by so quickly, and the end of the day caught them all by surprise. Before it got too dark, they returned to Dainty’s house to get their instruments and head back home. “Thanks for the picnic, Dainty,” Hard Fiber said. “It was a great idea.” “Yeah, I had a super good time,” Honey Drop said. “We should do that more often.” “I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Dainty replied. “I really needed this.” They talked about their next rehearsal, and scheduled it for next Tuesday. Steel Strings stood with Dainty for a while longer, as he always did, and after he left, Dainty felt like a huge weight had fallen from his shoulders. He felt good. Things looked great.