Looking to the Future

Author's Note:

Disclaimer 1: I do not own "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" or its characters. They are property of Hasbro Studios and DHX Media.

Disclaimer 2: I do not own the original idea to this story.

The artist formerly known as Countess Coloratura went backstage following her performance at the Helping Hooves music festival in Ponyville feeling so many different emotions. Yes, Coloratura had given the most emotional performance of her career as a singer, but looking at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but wonder how her future was going to be.

"Rara? Are you back here?" called out a voice in a southern accent, causing Coloratura to stop what she was doing.

"Sure, AJ, come in," answered Coloratura and her dear friend Applejack came into her dressing room. "Do you think that everypony enjoyed my performance? I mean, I know they were expecting Countess Coloratura, not just plan Coloratura."

"Well, it's like I said, Rara," chuckled Applejack, trotting over to her. "When you are true to yourself, you are the brightest star I have ever seen shine. But, you seem to be distressed about something."

"As a matter of fact, AJ," Coloratura sighed as she sat down on a sofa. "Yes, I am distressed about something. It's not about the fact that without Svengallop, I have nothing. My performance tonight proved that. It's just that about where do I go from here? Do I go back to being Countess Coloratura since everypony knows me as a Countess? Do I just announce that I am retiring Countess Coloratura? Or…?"

Feeling the concern that her friend was having, Applejack went over to her friends' side and sat down next to her.

"Why should you worry about something that was holding you back to begin with?" wondered Applejack in a supporting voice. "Tonight proved that you don't need to be somepony who is some out of this world popstar. I reckon that Countess Coloratura wasn't even a real performer. It was just a character that greedy manager of yours created just so he could enjoy the perks that came with being a star."

Coloratura couldn't help but wonder about this. She had to agree with her friend that Svengallop was nothing more than a selfish, greedy pony who had created Countess Coloratura out of his own free will and well-being.

"He did use me, AJ," remarked Coloratura as she went over to her dresser and grabbed a picture of herself as Countess Coloratura performing. "But, I didn't know it at first. I thought I was truly a Countess, a chance to perform like a true pop star. Now, it seems like, its all for nothing now."

"Think of it this way, Rara," said Applejack. "Think of tonight as a new starting point, not just in your career, but in your life in general. Settle down, focus on writing just songs that come from your heart, not from some ditzy pop star that was created out of her selfish manager. Only tour Equestria when you feel like it, play by your own rules. If you want to hang out with the school ponies, then do it. Be a role model in their lives, just like you are with my little sister and her friends."

Coloratura listened intently to what Applejack was saying. She knew that Applejack was right on the fact that tonight was indeed a starting point in her life. But, there was something else.

"AJ, I like how you are giving me all these ideas," she said. "But, there are going to be ponies who will want to see Countess Coloratura and not just regular Coloratura. How should I tell them that their idol is retiring from performing?"

Applejack had every reason to believe that what Coloratura was saying was indeed true. There were indeed some ponies who had no idea that there was a pony behind the black veil and that Coloratura was certainly going to face some backlash because of it.

"Well," sighed Applejack, taking a look at the picture of Countess Coloratura that was on the table. "Just show them that you feel as if Countess Coloratura had run her course, that's all. It will take time for them to adjust, but they'll understand that it is all for the best. I mean, well, tonight proved that everypony doesn't mind that Countess Coloratura is out of the picture, I can tell you that for nothing."

Coloratura then laid back on the sofa, trying to absorb all that Applejack was telling her. Everything that Applejack was saying was true and this was going to be a challenge that would test Coloratura.

"By the way, Rara, have you ever heard of the phrase 'show and don't tell''? asked Applejack.

"I have," answered Coloratura, meekly. "Why do you ask me that?"

"Because the best way to get a point across is to show ponies that you are changing, not by simply telling them, Sugar cube," explained Applejack, getting up from the sofa. "Telling ponies that you are retiring Countess Coloratura will send them the message that you are deceiving them and they will not believe that you are really changing. I know for a fact that part of you is scared to doing just that, but trust me, it will do you all good at the end, Rara. Let your voice show Equestria that the Rara I saw perform tonight with the rest of Ponyville can work her magic throughout all of Equestria."

Moved by this, Coloratura and Applejack embraced one another and the next morning, Coloratura was on a train back to Manehattan, eager to take all that Applejack had said to her to heart.

"AJ's right," Coloratura thought to herself as she rode the train home to Manehattan. "I need to show ponies that I need to be more me and less Countess. It will take time, but it will be for the best. The Helping Hooves Festival was just a stepping stone for me, the first step in a process that I hope proves to everypony that I am much more than just a Countess who hides behind a veil."

…

THE END

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