//------------------------------// // Rare Things // Story: The Things Tavi Says // by shortskirtsandexplosions //------------------------------// "I think it sounds absolutely beautiful," Fluttershy says, her voice as pink and soft as her complexion. She stares up at Octavia's stage with glittering eyes. "Such soft, dulcet sounds." Tavi giggles slightly. "Well, to tell the truth, Fluttershy, I'm simply tuning the instrument up right at this moment." Her purple voice swims through bands of discordant cello vibrations as she draws the bow randomly across her strings and does just as she says. "I imagine it must come across as quite unmelodic." "Oh, I don't notice one bit," Fluttershy says, shaking her head. "Even when making random noises, it sounds so peaceful. I can already tell that when you actually perform on it, we'll be blessed with rich, meaninful harmony." "Hmmmm..." Tavi smiles, gazing down at her own instrument as she digests Fluttershy's words. "My my... if you had a paler coat, I might have mistaken you for Rarity." She winks. "I'm not used to any other pony flattering me quite so." "We both do share similar tastes, yes. But that's not the reason why." Fluttershy sits back on her haunches in the middle of the large palace ballroom. Her tiny voice echoes with fuchsia streams. "As a little filly, I was always scared of loud noises... deep noises... scary noises..." Tavi arches an eyebrow. "Do I understand correctly that little Fluttershy once considered the cello to be... ... ... 'frightening?'" Fluttershy gulped, trembling slightly. "I used to dislike anything with too much bass. Even certain types of trumpets and tubas used to sc-scare me. When I was a foal, my mind would dream up all sorts of nasty monsters and creatures to match the sounds." "That's quite... unfortunate." "Oh, don't worry! I've come a long way! And much of it is thanks to my friends. I'm so very glad to rediscover such wonderous works of talents that I used to cower away from. I... I don't know if you can relate... but it's an indescribably happy thing to embrace things that once bothered you... even unnecessarily." "Hmmm... well it's a good thing you got over your—how should I put it?—bass phobia." Octavia winks. "I mean, the cello is one thing." She looks over towards my stage. "But Vinyl's creative penchant for sound? Celestia alive, that would take some getting used to!" "Hmmm..." Fluttershy leaned back, a hoof raised. "Heehee... I can't even imagine!" "How about it, Vinyl, love?" Octavia called across the ballroom. "Have you prepared anything tame for today? Or are you still dabbling in scary bass?" "Oh goodness..." Fluttershy coos. I would like to answer. I really would. But— "How about the 'Electric Ensemble?'" A pair of blue eyes glimmer with creative lustre. "It may be an avant-garde approach for somepony of my usually classical talents, but I could most definitely see myself experimenting with electric blue motifs. With silver sequines, of course. Oh, darling, they would complement your hairstyle so wonderously!" I grimace, leaning in tighter and tighter to my dj booth, fumbling to set up a pair of record tracks so that I might start a session. The ache in my rear leg stars to fade from my mind, replaced instead by a relentless deluge of diamonds—all ringing like bells at the very end of her velvet tongue. "Just think about it, Miss Scratch!" Rarity coos, having ascended yet another platform closer to me. "Wouldn't you look absolutely radiant if you performed one of your 'house sessions' while adorned in reflective silk? I could even construct a material that absorbs and reflects ultraviolet light! You wouldn't even need your mana-powered equipment to shine like a jewell! Don't you think that the underground music scene could use a certain degree of sophistication? You'd be the talk of the town! Outshining all of the competition! Why, you'd most certainly outshine those drab 'Black Eyed Ponies' that Sweetie Belle rambles oafishly about. Meh." I do a double-take. Wait, did she just—? "Oh, Miss Scratch, you must let me assist you on your next tour!" She stifles a slight whimper. The mare is practically begging at this point. "Just a simple nod will do! I won't even have to make you wear anything if that makes you uncomfortable, dear. Why... I could come up with something absolutely dapper for the ravishing Roadie Beau! It so happens that I've been working on a special monochromatic pattern that would look quite spectacular on a zebra! True... I... erm... was initially stitching the pantsuit for Zecora... but... eh-hem... the mare requires a roomy enough outfit as it is, so..." "Yes, Vine." Octavia winks from the adjacent stage. "I do believe that Beau would look wonderful in—snkkkt—a suit built for a forest shaman!" She and Fluttershy giggle. I grit my teeth. Not helping... "I fail to see what's so hilarious!" Rarity fluffs her mane and sticks her nose up. "Is it so wrong that I wish to offer my talents free-of-charge to Miss Scratch, here?" "Oh Rarity, there's nothing at all wrong with it," Fluttershy says, smiling warmly. "But a gift wouldn't be right if it was forced." "In any case, do know that Vinyl and I are grateful for your flattering attention," Octavia says. "It's just that... well... as you can see... we have far more pressing concerns at the moment." "We're all thankful for what Vinyl did for Sweetie Belle," Fluttershy says. "Risking her life for such an innocent foal without a moment's hesitation." She sniffles slightly with a brief wave of emotion, then continues smiling contentedly. "But surely she will be rewarded in time. There's no need to rush things." "Mmmm... I suppose you're right, darling." Rarity sighs, then smiles calmly up at me. "Alas, thank Celestia for Fluttershy. Timid as she may be, she truly is the voice of reason." I nod calmly with a smile. "In fact, if it weren't for her, I can't honestly say where I would be. She's looked after me almost as much as I've kept an eye out for her. We live such terribly busy lives, it would be a shame for me to add more chaos to the mix with unwanton degrees of fashion mania—" Just now, Rarity's face explodes with a pale gasp. "Duaaaah! 'Post-Modern Pony Couture!' I'd fashion you a dress pinned full of glossy buttons displaying the two dimensional pastel busts of Celestia's most famous pop culture music icons of the last thirty years! Oh, Miss Scratch, you simply have to let me at least tackle that one!" Octavia sighs. "Well, Miss Fluttershy, you tried." "I only wish I had tried harder!" I shrink away from the unicorn, hunched over my turntable as I weather the storm of her bejewelled voice. "Oh! I know! How about... 'Generation Cross-Stitch!' The 'Cross' part would stand for an 'X.' It would make more sense on paper, darling. Would you like me to sketch it out for you?"