Find the Music in You

by SterlingC

Chapter 6: Lesson 1a - Diagnostics

Author's Note:

Who wants some lollipop?! Well, here you go!

The sun slowly rose with a bright orange glow above Fluttershy’s bedroom. Its rays slowly penetrated the round window and onto a sleeping Fluttershy. The yellow Pegasus stretched her hooves to greet the rising sun. Fluttershy gave out a loud yawn and took a quick look of her surroundings. Her stone fireplace was stacked with wood, ready to go should her room need to be kept warm. She took a quick peek at the other end of the bed. Her green wooden chest remained unclosed and untampered. Finally, she looked up towards her wooden ceiling. Her small, straw-made bird nests were inhabited by baby blue jays and cardinals just beginning to rise from their slumber like she was.

Her baby birds chirped as the sun began to glow a bright yellow into Fluttershy’s bedroom. Fluttershy giggled and warmed up by slowly flapping her wings. She jumped out of her mattress, neatly tidying her checkered quilt adorned with butterflies on each of the squares. As she tidied her bed, her baby chicks began tweeting chords that molded together like kneaded dough. She blissfully sang along with the tweeting birds a song she loved to sing every time she got up in the morning,

“Lollipop, lollipop, oh Lolli-lolli lolli…” Fluttershy shook her flank along with the beat, joyfully singing about a stallion she’d cherish with all her heart someday. As she was singing one of her favourite tunes, the young cardinal slowly flew towards her bed and placed itself atop her butterfly quilt. The cardinal then tweeted in harmony with Fluttershy’s singing. Soon after, the blue jays flew beside the cardinal, creating a four-part harmony with Fluttershy as the soloist.

“… Sweeter than candy on a stick… If you had a choice, you fill your pick, but lollipop is mine…” Fluttershy continued to sing as she danced towards her window. As she reached the chorus once more, Fluttershy excitedly opened her window and sang with all her might the long slurs while her pet blue jays and cardinals tweeted the melody once again!

The sun now shone brightly on Fluttershy, as if she was centre stage at the most prestigious concert halls in Equestria! By the time Fluttershy held a high E to end the lollipop tune, birds of all kinds flew by Fluttershy, tweeting their delight to hear such a beautiful voice shown so confidently.

“Why thank you my fellow birds!” acknowledged the delighted Fluttershy. “I’m so glad you all could come out today for another beautiful, sunny day! I’m just warming up my vocal chords, since I’m going to be expecting my very first student today!” explained the giddy Pegasus. The birds flapped their wings faster and tweeted all the louder.

“Her name’s Sweetie Belle, and her friends say she has the most delightful voice!” Fluttershy replied. One of the birds, a green grosbeak, quickly tweeted back to Fluttershy and nodded its head up and down!

“Oh, what’s the matter? You’ve heard Sweetie Belle sing yesterday?” Fluttershy curiously asked. The green bird confidently chirped back, stretching its wings as if to mimic the filly’s poised singing back at the Treehouse the previous day.

“Oh, she sang a summer tune? And you sang along with her? Why that’s wonderful! I’m very excited! I’ve already said this is my first time teaching somepony to sing, but it’s just too wonderful to say only once!” Fluttershy giddily cheered as the grosbeak and his fellow companions harmoniously tweeted together.

“Well, in any case, I learned a lot about singing as a young filly, but I never imagined myself performing on stage with it, let alone teach! It’s going to be quite nerve-wrecking, but it’s still exciting!” Fluttershy squeed in delight. “Oh, what was the word Pinkie Pie liked to say whenever she felt this way… Umm…” Fluttershy scratched her chin and closed her eyes, honing at the elusive word.

“Nervciting! That’s the word!” Fluttershy giggled again. The word was so silly, but so applicable to her at the same time! The grosbeak and its feathery friends happily twittered in unison. All that was left now was for Fluttershy to awaken her creatures and to make final preparations for Sweetie Belle’s first ever singing lesson!

---

Fluttershy’s final preparations were complete. Her living room was clear of all the little specks of dust and crumbles that spread throughout the wooden floorboards. She also kindly sent her larger critters out the back door and into her backyard where they could freely exercise and play, away from her lesson. She even blew off the dust from her wooden stool stored inside her cupboard and placed it by underneath her window. Most importantly, Fluttershy placed her black music stand at the centre of her living room, atop her orange flowery rug.

Her living room was clean as a whistle. Fluttershy patted herself on her back for a job well done as her cuckoo clock hooted ten times. It was time for Sweetie Belle to finally begin her first lesson.

After the cuckoo clock hooted for the tenth time, a gentle knock could be heard from her front door.

“Oh, that must be Sweetie Belle!” Fluttershy gasped and raced to the door! The excited Pegasus swung the door open with such speed that the door slammed onto Fluttershy and flung her back to the floor! Sweetie Belle and Rarity squinted their eyes and covered their mouths with their hooves and rushed to the fallen Pegasus.

“My, oh my Fluttershy! Are you alright?!” Rarity worriedly asked. Sweetie Belle jumped by Fluttershy’s side and gently poked on her back.

“Equestria to Fluttershy, Equestria to Fluttershy, are you there?” Sweetie Belle mildly inquired. Rarity moved her hooves to shove Sweetie Belle away from Fluttershy.

“Sweetie Belle, let Fluttershy regain her composure!” called Rarity. Slowly Fluttershy rose from the floor and rubbed on her head. Her eyes shot wide and glistened after seeing Sweetie Belle arrive!

“Oh Sweetie Belle! I’m so glad you could make it today! The birds were telling me that you’re an amazing singer! I can’t wait to hear you sing!” Fluttershy gleefully cheered and clapped her hooves. Sweetie Belle only stood there, letting out a forced smile.

“Don’t worry darling. Remember what I told you. Just sing your best. Fluttershy’s going to coach you, not destroy you,” Rarity gently whispered. Her words traveled through Sweetie Belle’s ears like soft waves that trickled by a beach’s shores. Sweetie Belle gently shook her hooves and took a deep breath. Fluttershy was the Element of Kindness, a pony who only wanted the best for everypony. If she took care of her birds and critters with love and gentleness, surely she’d do the same with Sweetie Belle. At least, that’s what Sweetie Belle hoped as Fluttershy declared,

“Well Sweetie Belle, it’s time we began our first lesson!” Fluttershy squeed. Sweetie Belle waved goodbye to her sister who gave her a warm smile.

“Goodbye Sweetie Belle! Have fun at your lesson!” said Rarity as she trotted out of Fluttershy’s house and gently closed the wooden door.

---

Fluttershy and Sweetie Belle trotted into her tidied living room. Sweetie Belle glanced at the black music stand that stood at the middle of the room. Sweetie Belle then turned her head, also observing a wooden stool at the far end of the living room, by one of the windows. The apprehensive filly gulped, having just realized that she was going to perform for the very first time in front of another pony. Fluttershy may have been the best candidate to perform in front of, but that didn’t stop Sweetie Belle from worrying about the worst that could happen during her first lesson.

Fluttershy softly hovered to the wooden stool with Sweetie Belle trotting close by. Fluttershy landed atop the stool and made herself comfortable on it as Sweetie Belle stopped in front of the sitting Pegasus.

“Welcome to your first lesson Sweetie Belle. Today, I want to start by hearing your voice and how you perform,” Fluttershy soothingly explained. Her voice resonated into her ears like soft whispers into Sweetie Bele’s ears. The filly unicorn slowly nodded with a weak smile.

“Now don’t worry. I won’t say anything as you perform. I’ll just listen to you sing and take notes on what you’re doing well and what we can focus on during our lessons,” Fluttershy giggled. Sweetie Belle gave a warmer smile. It was as if Fluttershy had been teaching for years! Sweetie Belle couldn’t quite believe that she was Fluttershy’s first student given her calm, collected demeanour!

“Now Sweetie Belle, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to trot to the music stand and tell me the song you’d like to sing to me today. Just describe what the song’s about and why you chose that particular song,” Fluttershy calmly directed. Sweetie Belle slowly trotted to the centre of the room, starting to feel shivers down her spin as she trotted. Without her student knowing, Fluttershy immediately noted her shaky posture as she trotted to the stand.

Sweetie Belle turned her body to face Fluttershy, lowering the music stand that covered her face. The shy filly cleared her throat and quietly introduced her song,

“Hello. My name’s Sweetie Belle, and I’m going to be singing In the Good ‘Ole Summertime.” Fluttershy gently clasped her front hooves and serenely asked,

“Umm… Sweetie Belle… could you speak a little more loudly please? I didn’t quite catch the title of the piece you wanted to sing,” Fluttershy requested, gently raising her hoof and motioning her to speak louder.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m going to be singing In the Good ‘Ole Summertime! It’s… it’s tune my parents sang to me when I was about two years old as a lullaby,” Sweetie Belle cleared her throat, enunciating her tone.

“That’s better Sweetie Belle. When you want to introduce yourself, you need to do so with confidence to grab your audience’s interest! First impressions are very important to a good performance, but we’ll get to that later. Now, just take a deep breath, and begin your tune,” Fluttershy lifted her hooves and slowly moved them down, re-enacting the slow intake. Sweetie Belle gently hummed her first note and then took her breath. She was ready to sing.

---

Sweetie Belle began to sing her childhood tune. As she sang the piece of her choice, memories of her parents singing to her as a foal surfaced. She imagined the baby crib where she lay to rest and her parents gently rocking the crib and singing the lullaby. Sure their tone wasn’t the greatest, but the words easily put her to sleep. Whenever she cried in bed, her parents sang that song. Whenever she held her parent’s hands as they trotted through a grassy meadow filled with flowers, they would sing that song. Whenever the Winter Solstice arrived to cloud the world into seemingly everlasting darkness, her parents sang that song to help her remember the long, bright days.

As those memories began to surface, Sweetie Belle sang more and more confidently. It was as if she was back at her treehouse, singing with the birds! But all throughout her singing, Sweetie Belle found herself gasping for breath at every other phrase, which interrupted her singing. She noticed the same problem occurring back at the treehouse as well! Once she finished the song at the B-flat, Sweetie Belle immediately gasped for breath.

Fluttershy clapped her hooves with a gleeful smile. Sweetie Belle smiled, realizing that the song went by so quickly. Her fears never crawled on her! When she sang the song, Sweetie Belle felt herself transported into another world, the world that placed the setting of the song she sang. Not only did she imagine her foalhood memories, she also saw a world filled with grassy meadows and blooming flowers with rich, colourful petals. It was a world much more soothing and rich than even Equestria, and Sweetie Belle basked in it all when she sang.

“Well done Sweetie Belle! There’s a lot of beautiful things about your singing! I could place myself into a world filled with grassy fields where I could freely roam with the sun shining brightly on me! You conveyed the song’s meaning very well with your tone!” Fluttershy generously complimented as she glanced the notes she scribbled on her yellow notepad.

“Ohh, thanks Fluttershy!” Sweetie Belle squeed with a light, rosy blush developing on her puffy cheeks. Nevertheless, every performance had room for improvement, and Fluttershy duly remarked on them,

“But at the same time, there is much we can do to make your singing shine above the rest! Most notable of the improvements that can be made lie in your breathing.” Fluttershy paused briefly to let Sweetie Belle reflect before she continued,

“You see, there were a bunch of places where we can extend your breath and make some of those musical phrases develop more. That way, the song won’t feel abrupt in any way.” Sweetie Belle’s face soon turned into a light frown, saddened that her singing still had many flaws to fix.

“And that’s why I didn’t want to keep singing in front of ponies…” Sweetie Belle mumbled. Fluttershy immediately took note of her mumbles and gently asked,

“Oh, I didn’t quite catch that Sweetie Belle. Was there something you wanted to say?”

“It’s just… I knew I’m a terrible singing. There’s so many things wrong with it, and it makes me worried about all the bashing I’ll receiving for what I like to do on my own. This was the very thing I was worried about,” Sweetie Belle sighed. Fluttershy peacefully flapped her wings and hovered to Sweetie Belle’s side. The Pegasus flapped open her wings and wrapped them around Sweetie Belle.

“Sweetie Belle, you are a very talented singer. You have a natural gift for being in tune and for capturing the feelings a song evokes. But a singer can always strive to be better. You have so much untapped potential in you, and it would be a huge shame if you didn’t develop it further. I know I’m your first teacher, but I’ve always wanted to teach somepony how to sing. To see that you’re my first student delights me!” Fluttershy comfortingly explained to the dejected filly.

“That’s what Rarity told me… It’s just I’m scared of ponies not liking my singing. I love to sing, and I feel hurt whenever somepony criticizes what I do. It’s as if they’re telling me that a part of me stinks and that I’m not worthwhile to listen to,” Sweetie Belle sighed, hanging her head low. Fluttershy tightened her embrace by holding her wings closer to her.

“Sweetie Belle… such feelings are normal in everything we do. I too get criticized every now and then for how I treat my animals. But if what I’m doing is right and my animals appreciate it, then that’s what matters most. If there are ponies who enjoy your singing like I do, then what you’re doing is already admirable,” Fluttershy asserted. She wasn’t the strong, confident pony like Rainbow Dash was, but she certainly learned how to remain strong even in the face of criticism. Now was her chance to impart her wisdom and comfort.

“Your singing will put smiles on many ponies’ faces. Ponyville has yet to hear of a budding singer. You don’t have to be famous or astonish the critics with your singing. If your singing helps lighten the mood of your friends and those around you, even if it’s just a few ponies, you’re already doing something right,” Fluttershy smiled. Sweetie Belle nuzzled Fluttershy on the nose with a gleeful grin.

“Thanks Fluttershy. I’ll remember that,” Sweetie Belle giggled.

“I’m sure you will. But back to what I said. You have yet to fulfill all your potential Sweetie Belle. And that’s why I’m here: to help you and push you to greater challenges and newer heights,” declared the confident Pegasus. “Now Sweetie Belle, as I said before, we need to work on your breathing. So I’ve got a bunch of warm-up exercises we can try for this lesson! You can practice with these warmups after our lesson, and it’ll be your homework assignment!” Fluttershy squeed with a beaming smile.

“Homework?!” gasped Sweetie Belle. “But I already get enough homework from Cheerilee!” exclaimed the shocked filly.

“It’s certainly homework Sweetie Belle, but it’s not the same type of homework! It’s called practice. A talent is only a talent unless it’s developed. It takes dedication and time to make a talent something more. Otherwise, it remains stagnant, its full potential unrealized,” explained Fluttershy. Sweetie Belle reluctantly moved her head up and down.

“Good. Now, let’s begin our warmups!” Fluttershy giddily clapped as the two ponies began their warm up exercises post haste!