Find the Music in You

by SterlingC

Chapter 3: Sweeties and Shysies

The Cutie Mark Crusaders ran in the direction of Fluttershy’s house, passing through Sugarcube Corner and Town Square along the way. Carousel Boutique was also one of the trio’s waypoints, but when they reached Rarity’s abode, Sweetie Belle came to a sudden halt. Applebloom and Scootaloo continued to run onward, but firmly came to a halt as well, their hooves firmly planted on the ground. The yellow filly and orange Pegasus turned around and noticed that Sweetie Belled was facing the Boutique!

“Hey Sweetie Belle! Don’t you wanna head over to Fluttershy’s house?” Scootaloo and Applebloom asked with a shout.

“Yeah sure!” Sweetie Belle shouted back. “But just wait a sec…” Sweetie Belle slowly trotted towards her home’s front door, stopping a foot short. Meanwhile, Scootaloo and Applebloom scratched their heads with confused looks on their faces.

“What are you waiting for? It’s just your house Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo shrugged, trotting towards the stationary filly.

“Yeah! What’s up?” asked a curious Applebloom.

“Shhh! Just listen!” scolded Sweetie Belle, motioning her friends with her hooves. Applebloom and Scootaloo closed their eyes, trying their hardest to focus on the thing that Sweetie Belle wanted them to listen to. After a few moments of intent listening, Scootaloo’s eyes perked upwards.

“Hey! I hear it! It’s… four ponies singing together!” beamed an excited Scootaloo. Applebloom soon followed suit, having also heard the singing voices.

“Hey! It… it sounds like The Pony Tones!” Applebloom exclaimed happily! “They’re back!” Applebloom jumped in place, like a filly who just received her long-awaited Hearth’s Warming Gift!

“They really are! When they’re rehearsing like this, it usually means a concert’s going to come really soon!” squeaked an elated Sweetie Belle! “And they’re singing ‘O Susanna’ too!” Sweetie Belle elaborated for her friends.

“‘O Susanna’! Does that mean your sister’s gonna wear blue overalls, put on a straw hat, and play on a banjo?!” Applebloom asked with a hearty laugh.

“I still remember that day! Rarity was hilarious at the Running of the Leaves concert! I never imagined her stooping so far from her fashionable tastes!” Scootaloo mocked Rarity’s voice, recalling the act the Pony Tones did at that memorable occasion.

“I don’t think that’ll happen again. Rarity cried on her bed for days. She couldn’t believe she let herself do it in the first place!” Sweetie Belle snickered with the fillies. But as they were whinnying, Sweetie Belle’s ears perked up once again!

“Wait!” Sweetie Belle motioned her friends.

“Listen! They changed songs! Now this is a song I haven’t heard before!” Sweetie Belle eagerly jumped, using her hooves to motion her friends to come closer! The Crusaders quietly trotted towards one of the Boutique’s towering windows and ducked underneath it. They then carefully raised their heads to peer through the glass window.

While they gave their best efforts to be discrete with their snooping, their bodies wouldn’t have it. The Pony Tones were sounding groovy with the new tune and the booping sounds they made. The Crusaders began to shake their flanks in place!

“Guys… be quiet!” Sweetie Belle whispered loudly, but she too was a victim of the groovy music the Pony Tones were singing.

“I can’t help it!” Applebloom snapped back. “This song’s so catchy! They’re really going to bring Ponyville down with this new song!” eagerly whispered the yellow filly.

“Let’s get out of here before we get caught singing along!” Scootaloo chuckled as the three fillies quickly tip-toed away from the Boutique and ran onward towards Fluttershy’s house.

As the Crusaders continued running, Applebloom and Scootaloo couldn’t help but rave about the Pony Tones!

“They were so amazing! I can’t wait to hear them in a concert again! I wonder where they’re going to perform!” said Scootaloo as she excitedly fluttered her wings!

“I know! They’re preparing so many songs for their come-back concert! First ‘O Susannna’ and then this song! Just imagine what happens if ‘You’ve got the Music in You’ makes a comeback too!” replied Applebloom! She too couldn’t contain her exhilaration at hearing the Pony Tones rehearse again!

“See Sweetie Belle?! Singing like that’s a ton of fun! And you’re a great singer too! I bet all of Equestria would rave if you joined the Pony Tones!” Scootaloo and Applebloom shouted together.

“Just imagine! Sweetie Belle repping the Cutie Mark Crusaders with her voice!” Scootaloo and Applebloom cheered together.

“Guys, I enjoy singing, but I still can’t bear singing in front of others right now!” replied the abashed Sweetie Belle. “Plus, I don’t sing as well as they do!” Sweetie Belle giggled.

“Hey!” retorted the young Pegasus. “You’re an amazing singer! Stop denying it!” Scootaloo snapped back.

“Not this again! Guys, stop bickering! Sweetie Belle just needs to see that other ponies can enjoy her singing if she gives them a chance, that’s all!” mediated the young Apple family member. “Plus, we believe you’re a great singer!” continued Applebloom, leaving Sweetie Belle blushing.

“But you’re my friends! You’re supposed to be complimenting me!” replied the increasingly insecure filly.

“But we friends are also supposed to tell you the truth! And we do mean it! You’re a talented singer!” explained Applebloom as Scootaloo jumped in agreement.

“Thanks guys… but I kinda wanna hear what Fluttershy thinks first. After all, she sang with The Pony Tones and made quite the impression as Flutterguy!” Sweetie Belle chuckled, thankful that her friends were being supportive as always.

“Well alrighty. You’d best get ready, cause we’re here!” Applebloom giggled as the three fillies finally arrived at Fluttershy’s house. The Crusaders slowed down to a halt just at the bottom of the small hill that led up towards the tree-shaped house…

---

Applebloom gave a few quick taps on the front door of Fluttershy’s tree abode. After a few moments, the yellow Pegasus with the long pink mane opened the wooden door. Fluttershy smiled upon seeing the three fillies and greeted them,

“Oh! Hey! What brings you all here today?” Fluttershy sweetly queried. Applebloom was the first to answer,

“Well we know about you being a really talented singer!” Scootaloo then jumped along with Applebloom,

“And we recently heard Sweetie Belle sing!” Fluttershy looked at the three fillies, confused at what the Crusaders were planning this time.

“So… did you want me to do something related to singing then?” Fluttershy asked.

“Well… kinda. You see, we think Sweetie Belle has a special talent in singing, and we were hoping you could be her singing coach!” Applebloom responded with a wide grin.

“Yeah! You were so awesome, even more so as Flutterguy when you sang with The Pony Tones! You’re also really kind, so we think you’re the perfect teacher for Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo elaborated, fluttering her wings in excitement.

“Why… thank you!” Fluttershy blushed, recalling the embarrassing experience. “Well, I’d love to teach Sweetie Belle, but I’m not sure I can be a good teacher…” Fluttershy meekly explained.

“Well, that’s that! I guess I don’t have to sing in front of other ponies then!” remarked Sweetie Belle as she turned her body away from Fluttershy’s house. But Scootaloo and Applebloom wouldn’t have any of it.

“Hold up! How can you be so sure you ain’t a good teacher if you haven’t even tried yet?!” probed Applebloom as she stood in place.

“Well…” Fluttershy shuffled her hooves.

“Sides, we think you’re the best teacher for Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo and Applebloom stretched their smiles wide with puppy dog eyes, deeply hoping that Fluttershy would at least try to teach!

“Well... okay then. I guess I can have Sweetie Belle come by tomorrow morning so she can show me her voice!” Fluttershy cutely smiled.

“Yay! Sweetie Belle, we said we’d get you to develop your voice, and now’s your chance! Don’t waste it!” Scootaloo and Applebloom remarked.

“Ummm… okay I guess…” Sweetie Belle quietly mumbled.

“Great! I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then Sweetie Belle!” Fluttershy waved her hoof goodbye as the Cutie Mark Crusaders trotted away from her home. While Applebloom and Scootaloo were ecstatic, Sweetie Belle kept her head down, her mind filling with fear over the prospect of singing in front of others for the first time…

Author's Note:

Here's the song Sweetie Belle heard!

Fun fact: You hear this song in Disney's Cars! And I won't be surprised if the Pony Tones were based off the Over Tones, a British pop vocal quintet!

Comments

[SterlingC]

6431031
With all that in mind, do you know of any editors or proofreaders to check for the repetition? It's hard for me to find them all, even as I speak each sentence out loud. I also assume that I have to talk about every detail that goes on within the scene, including their head movements. What things do I assume what things do I not assume in my writing?

Thanks for the compliments too. I used to roleplay a lot, so it's easier for me to make characters come alive if I want to. The hard part's writing it without sounding repetitive or unnecessary. Since I don't get much constructive critique on my writing, it's hard for me to improve. A friend told me that roleplaying's really different from story-writing, and I'm really noticing those differences now.

I'll definitely make the necessary changes that you pointed out, but yeah... any editors I can talk to?

[Big Slick]

I find this to be a vert charming story and I cannot wait for it to be updated. Best of luck

[SterlingC]

6432861

Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far!

[Jesse Coffey]

Fun fact: You hear this song in Disney's Cars!

This is true, and it was via the original version, which was a top 10 R&B hit in 1954:

(Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corporation, by arrangement with Warner Music Group Online Licensing)

And, since this was an R&B song in '54, it had to be snatched up for the pop market by this Canadian pop quartet:

(Courtesy of Mercury Records, under license from Universal Music Enterprises)

[SterlingC]

6436961
Absolutely true! Wooo someone knows their music history! I chose The Overtones version just cause it sounded more boopy and that I thought the Pony Tones were named off that group.

[Jesse Coffey]

6436974

I chose The Overtones version just cause it sounded more boopy and that I thought the Pony Tones were named off that group.

I don't think the people at Hasbro/DHX have ever heard of the Overtones before this story came out, so I don't think that was the case.

[SterlingC]

6436999

Who knows? Still a funny coincidence though.

[Jesse Coffey]

6437011 *chuckles* Yes, I would imagine that indeed be a funny coincidence.