//------------------------------// // 2. Choir // Story: Quiet // by Koariangel //------------------------------// A week had passed since the raccoon incident on Sweet Apple Acres. Fluttershy had dropped in for the first couple of days to check on the little rodent's progress. By day three he was able to limp around briefly, relieving everyone. Big Mac had also been nearby the patient quite often, overseeing his recovery and being the primary caretaker when Fluttershy was not around. After the fourth day, Fluttershy felt comfortable enough with the raccoon's healing to leave him in the Apple's care for a longer period of time. She promised to drop in by the end of the next week to evaluate their new friend's final condition. As Autumn continued to stake it's claim on Ponyville, Fluttershy found herself having a lot more free time on her hooves. Most of her animal companions were working on collecting food and storing up for the winter, making their winter nests and dens, and otherwise preparing for the long hibernation ahead. Aside from helping most of them build up their stashes, Fluttershy was happy to find that she was able to spend a lot more time with her pony friends. This particular day, she chose to spend it enjoying a tea party with her friend Rarity. "It seems today is going to be more of a 'cocoa party' if you don't mind. With this chilly weather and all, I couldn't resist trying a new recipe: white hot chocolate with mint," Rarity announced as she walked through the doorway of Fluttershy's cottage, levitating a blanket-covered basket behind her. "Oh, I don't mind at all," the host pegasus replied, taking her guest's silver glittery scarf and hanging it on the coat rack. The two mares sat down around Fluttershy's coffee table, setting out the full teapot (how Rarity managed to pack a full pot and not spill a drop was beyond Fluttershy), matching cups, and a foil-covered plate of assorted tea biscuits. As usual, the unicorn had outdone herself. "It all looks wonderful! When did you find the time?" Fluttershy wondered as her companion filled her teacup first. The smell of mint delighted the yellow pony's senses as she blew the steam off the creamy cocoa. "Well, it wasn't easy," Rarity answered, her horn ceasing to glow after she'd filled both cups. The teapot rested on the table with an audible click. "With the changing seasons, many ponies have been ordering warmer clothes, which means longer sleeves, longer hems, thicker materials..." she cut herself off and waved her hoof as if to disperse of the boring details. "But! My biggest project is one of my own commission: I've decided to redesign the outfits for the PonyTones!" Rarity suddenly announced excitedly. She levitated a biscuit to her lips and took a bite, just as Fluttershy licked the crumbs from her own muzzle. "Oh really?" Fluttershy smiled, remembering the brief time she'd spent with Ponyville's choir group. Though she'd been behind a curtain most of the time and imitating Big Macintosh's bass voice, the thrill of joining her voice with the others' was a thrilling and pleasant memory. "Why, yes! With the upcoming holidays, our little quartet is going to be doing a lot more performances. We already have to bring new songs; why not new attire?" "Well, I can't wait to see the costumes, and you know I'll be at every one of your performances," Fluttershy said, happy to support her friends. She took a sip of the sweet cocoa. "It's funny you should say that," Rarity rubbed the back of her head with her hoof in an uncharacteristically nervous manner. "I was hoping that... you might consider joining us again..." Fluttershy spit out her cocoa. She silently thanked Celestia that she had aimed off to the side, and not into her friend's face. Quite calmly, Rarity levitated a napkin and began to wipe up the new puddle on her friend's floor. Her gaze, however, never left her host. "I know it is a sudden request, and I know how you feel about performing in front of others-" "Terrified! I'm absolutely positively terrified! I know that I've been trying to take baby steps, but the thought of all those ponies, and all those eyes, and- ouch! Fluttershy's wings had been subconsciously lifting her steadily off the ground until her head bumped the ceiling. Rarity persisted, staring upwards at the nervous mare. "-But, we could really use your help. Our group is a lot stronger with five voices, and yours is simply lovely! You know I won't force you to do something you really don't want to do... but at least consider it. Please?" Through Rarity's appeal, Fluttershy had let herself float back to the ground and tucked her wings away. ".......I....I guess.... I could....I don't know." The truth was that the pegasus didn't want to just flat out say no. Not just for her friend's or the choir's sake, but because she knew she really did want to join. The thrill and love of singing truly made her heart soar and her voice come out all that much stronger. But even greater than that desire was always the pressure, the fear...the judgement. "Hmmm," Rarity stroked her chin with her hoof. "How about this: you come to at least three of our practices? If after three you decide you really can't and won't do it, I won't say another word on the subject. If after three you think you can... you can model so I can make adjustments to your outfit." "...Well, that could possibly...wait! You already made my outfit?!" Wide, shocked blue eyes stared into clam, collected blue eyes. "Perhaps." The unicorn floated her cup to her lips as calm as you please. With nothing left to say, Fluttershy fell to her rump in an undignified way, halfheartedly bringing a biscuit to her face. "You're awful," she murmured in defeat. "Hmm, yes. Aren't I?" "Alright everypony, that was great. Let's break for about ten minutes. Tea, water, and lemon are on the table- do take care of your throats now," Rarity decreed. The PonyTones began moving about, left to their own devices. Two days after the "cocoa party" at her cottage, Fluttershy found herself in Rarity's shop, participating in the first of her three trial choir practices. She figured things were going well enough, though it really wasn't practical that everypony in the choir had to turn away from her while she sang, just to get her nerves in check. It was only a temporary fix, but she wasn't sure how to overcome it. "Um, R-Rarity?" Fluttershy's timid voice somehow reached the unicorn's ears as she magically shuffled some sheet music. "Yes, dear?" Rarity responded, her eyes scanning the notes of the next song. "I-I just...I mean, I don't...How can I... I can't do this!" Even Fluttershy's shout came out as a timid bellow. Her ears folded tight against her head as she hung her head in shame. Her pink mane successfully covered half of her face. Rarity put down her sheet music and turned to her friend. "Darling, don't think you're alone. You probably won't believe this, but we all get nervous before a performance. It's perfectly natural, you know." "But there's a difference between nervous and scared out of your wits!" Rarity nodded. "But it is possible to overcome- it's a process. Just look at Big Mac," she gestured to the stallion, who was currently using both hooves to squeeze lemon into his water. Fluttersy gave Rarity a dubious look. "He may look tough and all, but he's actually quite shy. He barely says a word to me or any of the other choir members, but the confidence he shows on stage seems to come out of thin air! Maybe you should ask him how he does it." Fluttershy watched as the large earth pony chugged his lemon water. Could someone like him truly be as afraid as she was? She felt a shove behind her as Rarity used her nose to urge her nervous friend over. "Go on, just see if he has any advice." The momentum caused Fluttershy to stumble a couple of steps before timidly making her way over to the refreshment table. Big Macintosh had finished his drink and seemed to be debating whether or not to have another before Fluttershy quietly cleared her throat, catching his attention. A moment of awkward silence passed between them as Fluttershy tried to think about how to go about asking her questions. "Um.....hi." Always the clever one, Fluttershy... "Hi." He smiled politely, so she took that as a sign to continue... but how to ease into it. "Nice weather, yes?" It's raining, you dolt. Big Mac glanced out the window at the downpour. "Eeyup." I guess it could be good for his crops. "Well...I was just wondering...you've been singing with the PonyTones for a while." It was more a statement than a question. A nod from the stallion answered her invisible question. "It's got to be nerve-wracking: standing up in front of all those ponies and hitting every note perfectly." Wow, that was actually a sentence. I'm getting good at this. "Eeyup." "Well, I was wondering... how do you do it? How do you get past your nerves?" Big Mac looked upward, as if thinking deep, intellectual thoughts. Finally, his green eyes came back to rest on her as he relayed his answer. "Breathe." Fluttershy wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she felt her ears and wings droop at his anticlimactic response. "Breathe? That's it?" "Eeyup." "Just plain old breathing? In and out?" Give me a little something to work with. "Um, no," he answered back. At this, Fluttershy looked a little more hopeful. She lifted her head expectantly, waiting for him to go on. He offered no more words as explanation. Instead, he moved until he was sitting next to her on the floor. He looked ahead for a moment before closing his eyes. With them closed, Big Mac brought his hoof to his chest and let it rest there a moment before he slowly breathed in a large, steady breath through his nostrils. With his lungs full, he held it for maybe three seconds before exhaling it as slowly as he had taken it in. Once the breath was expelled, he let his eyes open slowly, and let his hoof fall from his chest and land on the floor. After the whole process was over, he looked over at her with a slight smile that practically said, and that's all there is too it. "Hmm," Fluttershy wondered at last. It still seemed pretty simple. The mare was secretly hoping for a more... well, she didn't know. Big Mac motioned toward her, encouraging her to try. Well, it couldn't hurt. Slowly, Fluttershy let her eyes close. She paused a moment before lifting her hoof to her heart, just as he had. In letting it rest there, she noticed that she could feel her heart beating, and the steady rhythm seemed to use her hoof as an amplifier as she could now hear and feel the soothing resonance all throughout her body. She slowly drew in the breath through her nose, letting it rest in her lungs for three seconds, before slowly letting it out. The released breath seemed to take away the anxiety she'd previously felt, and all that was left was a comfy, fuzzy feeling. She let her eyes open, and immediately looked to her side at Big Mac, as if seeking his approval of the execution of his technique. He was already smiling, and once they'd made eye contact, he nodded reassuringly. "Better?" He asked. After a quick assessment, Fluttershy could honestly answer, "Yes! Wow, it really did work. I mean, not that I didn't think it would but-" Good job Fluttershy. "Thank you," she settled on at last. "Eeyup." "Alright PonyTones, let's get back to it!" Rarity said in an appropriately singsong voice as she placed new sheet music on each member's stand. "This time we're going to do something a little different." The choir members came to gather around, awaiting further assignment. "Well, I found a lovely piece for the town's FeastShare Celebration. It has an impressive solo for two ponies- a duet! Aaand I already know exactly who I want to sing it: Fluttershy and Big Macintosh!" ".....WHAT?!"