//------------------------------// // Gifted Things // Story: The Things Tavi Says // by shortskirtsandexplosions //------------------------------// Sweetie Belle pants and pants... Swiping her brow, she spins away from the microphone and stares through the glass at Lyra and me. "Didja get that?" her voice crackles. I smile. I can't help it. Even when shuffling between breaths, the little filly is a blue melody unraveling itself. "We got that and a half!" Lyra says, her hoof on the red intercom button. "Drink some water and take a breather, Sweetie. We can move onto the next song if you've still got some energy in ya!" "Are you kidding?" her voice cracks from within the sound booth. "I could do this all night!" "Heheheh..." Lyra switches the intercom off and makes a note at the most recent time marker. "If she hear herself say some of those golden nuggets ten years older..." "Yeah, and?" Bon Bon strolls in with a plate of celery snacks. "Erm..." Lyra bites her lip. "N-Nothing, BB!" "Hmmmf... that's what I thought." Putting on a pleasant smile, Bon Bon trots over to the furthest chair behind the booth. "Enjoying your sister's show, Rarity?" "And how!" Rarity levitates a morsel and nibbles daintily on the end of it. "Mmmff... I always knew she was talented, but just seeing her shine like this!" "Heehee..." Bon Bon giggles. "Can a musician shine through her voice?" "Just ask Vine here." Lyra gestures my way. I roll my shaded eyes and continue processing the recording. "Well, you know what I mean," Rarity says with a slight blush. "I feel as if the goddesses of creativity sprinkled their muses over the two of us in completely different directions." "Oh?" Bon Bon leans against a wall, munching on her own celery. "How so?" "Well, I've always been blessed with making fabulous gowns that appeal to the naked eye," Rarity muses. "It would seem as if my sister has been bestowed the auditory half of the family talent!" "Heh..." Lyra munches on some celery herself. "That's a really fruity way of looking at it." "Lyra!" Bon Bon scowls, frowning. "Mrmmmf—lemme explain before you chop off the balls that I don't even have, girl!" Lyra takes the time to finish her bite and then exclaims: "True talent, I believe, comes from practice and compassion and commitment. No doubt Sweetie Belle was born with the right stuff... but to turn the right stuff into righteous stuff takes time! It's not all conception... erm... if you know what I mean." "But even still, surely you must agree that there are some ponies simply born with their gifts!" Rarity gestures towards my half of the room. "Why, take Vinyl for example." My hoof fumbles, slipping off the instrument panel. "Surely she knows a thing or two about innate gifts!" "Uhhhhhh... eheh..." Lyra fidgets, glancing nervously at me. Rarity blinks. "... ... ...did I say something amiss?" "Oh! No... I mean... not really... it's just that—" "Sometimes it takes more than gifts to become legendary," Bon Bon suddenly says, nibbling some more. She avoids my gaze. "Sometimes it takes a certain degree of fortune... mmm... although it depends on how you see it... or choose to see it." "And... a-and we see it as really good luck!" Lyra smiles crookedly, then jerks her head in my direction. "Don't we, Vinyl?" A magenta sigh. Gradually, I nod, smiling politely. "I... didn't mean to pry in any way," Rarity remarks. "Oh no. No prying," Lyra says. "Sometimes, the best kept secrets must stay... the best kept secrets." "True that." Rarity points, smiling. "I most certainly wouldn't want anypony copying my fashionable talents... especially after that... nnnghhh... ghastly Polomare fiasco." "Polo-who?" Bon Bon blinks. "Precisely!" Rarity smiles. "Cheating renders no fame or fortune!" She winks my way. "Good to know you've made it to the top, Miss Scratch! For it means you got there legitimately!" I nod, although my eyes linger along the dusty edge of the platform. I suddenly feel very exhausted. I wonder if Octavia plans to be practicing her cello tonight. For once, I think a turquoise bed of silence would be somewhat welcoming. "Hey, uhm..." Sweetie Belle's blue voice crackles through the speaker. "Can we do that thingy where you record me covering that one song by Canter Rae Jepsen?" Lyra's hoof thunderously lands on the intercom switch. "No we canNOT." "Awwwww..."