A Song of Ponyville

by PonyJosiah13

Rehearsals and Regret

Sunday was one of Rara’s favorite days. The Apples and the hired hooves took a break from working on the farm, the entire family slept late and made a large breakfast, and she and Applejack would frequently take long walks through the orchard in the afternoon, making idle talk.

But Rara’s favorite part of Sundays was church at eleven o’clock. For an hour, she could wash away the rest of the world and just enjoy being in the warm and welcoming sanctuary of the church, surrounded by good ponies on all sides.

And best of all, the choir. The Temple’s five-pony choir, who unofficially called themselves the Ponytones, consisted of Rarity, Fluttershy, Toe Tapper, Big Macintosh, and Burn Torch, all of them adorned in long blue robes with white and gold collars. Right now, they were standing on the raised dais at the front of the sanctuary, singing an energetic rendition of This is Our Mother’s World that had almost the entire congregation on their hooves, clapping their hooves and singing along.

Rara leaned back in her pew, cursing her still-injured ankle for preventing her from standing up with the others, and looked around. Applejack was standing up to her right, clapping her front hooves and throwing her distinct voice into the refrain. Apple Bloom was to her left, standing up on the pew, with Granny Smith behind.

Rarity’s little sister Sweetie Belle was sitting in the row behind, with her parents, Magnum and Pearl. Next to her was Sweetie and Apple Bloom’s friend and fellow “Cutie Mark Crusader,” Scootaloo, with her two aunts Holiday and Lofty.

Up on the dais, Pastor Joyful Sound was lifting her own voice in song, tapping her red and white cane to the beat. Next to her, her son, Flash Sentry, was sitting in a chair, accompanying the chorus on an acoustic guitar. The church’s organist, Danielle, was sitting at the massive pipe organ, lightly flicking her long tail in time to the music.

The Ponytones finished up the song and Flash played a final flourish on his guitar. The congregation burst into applause. The Ponytones all took a bow and returned to their own seats.

Walking to the center of the dais, Pastor Sound raised her hoof for silence. “When the Holy Mother gifted the ponies magic, She held them to remember the same virtues that had given birth to Her.” She nodded upwards, her blind blue eyes pointed towards a flag that hung from the ceiling. The flag was light blue, and decorated with the major symbol of Navahism: a chalice holding a light purple heart-shaped flame, the Fire of Friendship, surrounded by six jewels: purple, red, orange, white, pink, and yellow.

“Friendship, loyalty, honesty, generosity, hope, and kindness,” Pastor Sound said. “These virtues allowed us to survive the ancient times, when we ponies suffered under the cruel hooves of Daybreaker, Nightmare Moon, Discord, Tirek, and the other Old Gods. These acts of goodness changed our universe forever, giving birth to the Holy Mother. She gave us our magic to teach us a lesson: our lives are our responsibility. We have the power to change our circumstances, for better or worse, and to influence others. But with these shining jewels to guide us, and the support of loved ones, we will always find the right path in the end.” She smiled around at her flock, compassion shining in the dull eyes. “Go in peace, my friends.”

Danielle turned to the organ and started playing a classical tune to guide the parishioners out, the blonde jetty expertly guiding her hooves across the keys. The congregation stood and began to make their way down the aisle.

Rara waited until most of the congregation had already filtered past before standing up, grunting as she placed her weight on the injured leg. She leaned against the pew for support.

Noticing her distress, Applejack grabbed Rara’s foreleg and took her weight. “Thanks, AJ,” Rara nodded.

“Sure thing, sugarcube,” Applejack nodded.

Big Mac and Rarity approached. “Rara, darling!” Rarity cried upon seeing them. “What happened to your leg?”

“Sprained my ankle,” Rara said. “It’s fine, it’s healing nicely.”

“Applejack, you’ll work the poor mare to death!” Rarity chastised Applejack.

Rara shot Rarity a glare on reflex, but Rarity didn’t appear to notice.

“Nah, we’ve learned our lessons from this,” Applejack replied. “Big Mac, you good to bring Apple Bloom and Granny Smith back to the farm with the truck after you get changed?”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac nodded.

“I know these robes are traditional,” Rarity commented, pulling at the long blue robes that she and the other choir members wore. “But they’re just so plain! And quite impractical; I’ve nearly tripped and fallen down the stairs every week wearing these!”

“Well, maybe you should design some new costumes,” Applejack suggested, half-sarcastically.

Rarity’s face lit up in delight. “That is a splendid idea!” She quickly rushed back through a doorway in the back of the sanctuary that led up to a staircase, stumbling on the first step before picking herself up.

Applejack sighed and shook her head. “Sometimes, that mare…”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac chuckled, following after her at his own languid pace.

“AJ, I need to speak to Pastor Sound,” Rara said, looking up towards the dais where Pastor Sound was speaking to Flash and Toe Tapper.

Applejack gave Rara a sideways glance, but nodded. She helped Rara hobble her way up to the dais.

“Pastor,” Rara called, prompting Joyful to turn towards her. “Do you have time for some advice?”

“I always do,” Joyful smiled. “Come with me.”

“Careful, mom,” Flash called after her. “I just waxed the staircase last night.”

“Thank you, dear,” Joyful said, her cane leading the way.

Rara and Applejack fell into step behind Joyful as she walked through the doorway behind the dais. Joyful carefully took the bannister and guided herself up one step at a time. Rara grasped the bannister as well and carefully climbed up, leaning on Applejack for support, as every time she placed even the smallest amount of weight on her injured ankle, the entire leg would scream in pain.

When they finally reached the top of the stairs, Rara was breathing hard from fatigue and pain. “You okay?” AJ asked.

“I’m fine,” Rara nodded, following Pastor Sound down the hallway. One the door to their right, she could hear the voices of the Ponytones as they changed out of their robes and discussed upcoming rehearsals. Joyful stepped through the door to the left, entering her personal office.

Rara paused at the door and gently shrugged Applejack’s hoof off of her foreleg. “I’ll just be a few minutes,” she said.

“Rara—” Applejack started to protest, but stopped herself. She nodded and stepped back slightly to allow Rara entry.

Rara paused at the door, taking a breath and closing her eyes. She touched her right hoof to both shoulders, then her mouth, forehead, and heart. “Earth and Sky, body, mind, and heart as one,” she recited, clearing her mind of the dust of the world and inviting in the spirit of the Holy Mother to guide her. She opened her eyes and pushed open the door.

The sitting room of Pastor Sound’s office was minimally decorated, but the entire room carried an aura of welcoming and calm. There were two large sitting cushions on the floor on either side of a low table, upon which sat an antique Japonese tea set and an incense burner that smelled of jasmine. A smaller flag with the Navahist symbol was hung up on the wall in front of Rara; to her right was a set of windows that looked out onto the streets below, while a door to the right led into the office proper. The walls were painted a gentle pinkish-blue that was pleasing and soothing to the eyes.

Pastor Sound took five steps forward along the right wall, then turned left and walked forward, her cane guiding the way, until she reached the cushion. She carefully walked around in front of it and sat down, facing Rara.

“What is on your mind, Rara?” she asked gently.

Rara sat down in her cushion and leaned back slightly to a more comfortable position, calmly fixing her gaze on Joyful Sound’s face. It had taken her some weeks, but she’d eventually gotten used to the way that Sound tended to fix her eyes vaguely in her direction, seeming to focus on something behind her or next to her.

“I’ve been a lot better these last few weeks than I was when I first came to Ponyville,” Rara stated. “I haven’t been having the dreams as often, and I haven’t had a drop of alcohol in four months.”

“That’s excellent to hear,” Joyful smiled. “But, you didn’t come in here just to give me good news.”

Rara was silent for a few seconds, casting her gaze down at the floor beneath her hooves, then continued, “But I still feel tempted.”

Joyful nodded sagely. “We all have our demons to deal with.”

“Pastor, I thought this would get easier,” Rara protested. “But every time somepony mentions alcohol, or I see somepony drinking it, I get this itch my throat again, and I start thinking about how good it would taste…” She groaned in frustration.

“It will get easier, Rara,” Pastor Sound said soothingly. “But life is not without its challenges. This world is not a perfect one, and we are not meant to be perfect ponies.”

“Life would be a lot simpler if we were,” Coloratura grumbled.

“Don’t lose hope, Rara,” Joyful said kindly. “Being tempted is not a sign that you are weak.”

Coloratura sighed and wiped her face. “Then why do I feel so tired from it?”

“It’s a battle, Rara,” Joyful said. “But you are not alone in this fight.”

Coloratura glanced at her watch, then got up off the cushion with a sigh. “Thank you for your time, Pastor, but I need to get going. It’s rehearsals at the Apple Pie today.”

“Don’t dwell too much on your struggles and downfalls, Rara,” Joyful advised her as she headed for the door. “Remind yourself of all the good in your life. It will get easier.”

Coloratura sighed and licked her lips, swallowing to try to soothe her suddenly dry throat. “Thank you, Pastor,” she said and exited.

Applejack was waiting for her on the other side. Once again, she took Coloratura’s foreleg. Coloratura managed to smile like Rara, but all she could think about at that moment was the itch in her throat and the throbbing pain in her hind leg.

They descended the stairs one step at a time and stepped outside. Big Mac was already gone, having driven Apple Bloom and Granny Smith back home. They walked down together to a trolley stop at the curb and sat down to wait.

“You doing okay, Rara?” Applejack asked.

Coloratura nodded and sighed. “Well, hopefully rehearsal will take my mind off things.”

“Hopefully,” Applejack agreed.

With a dinging and a clattering, the trolley pulled up to the curb and stopped. The two mares waited for the passengers to disembark, then climbed on, finding seats near the back. The trolley trundled onwards, heading west towards the Apple Pie in Your Eye.

---

The lunch hour at the Apple Pie in Your Eye had just started when Coloratura and Applejack arrived. Pinkie Pie was rushing back and forth between tables in a blur of pink, taking and handing out orders.

“Hi, Rara! Hi, Applejack!” Pinkie chirped as they entered; she was standing on her hind legs, balancing several dishes on her forelegs, shoulder, head, and tail.

“Hey, Pinkie,” Applejack said, observing the multiple dishes with amusement. “Need a hoof there?”

“I could use an extra one!” Pinkie chirped. “Steamed, Flambe and I are all working down to the bone!”

“Well, time for me to get to work,” Applejack grinned. She looped a foreleg around Coloratura and kissed her; Rara returned the kiss, allowing herself to briefly fall into the warm, apple-scented embrace, but all too soon, Applejack broke the kiss and hurried off behind the bar to aid with the lunch rush. Pinkie disappeared through the swinging doors into the kitchen: Coloratura caught a brief glimpse of Steamed Carrot and a tall, thin donkey with reddish-brown hair and a beard working in the kitchen, Steamed checking on a grill of flapjacks while Flambe slid a pan of dirty dishes into the conveyor dishwasher.

Shaking her head, Coloratura limped towards the stage and found two ponies waiting in front of the stage: Caramel, carrying a guitar over his back, and his marefriend Sassaflash, holding a violin case beneath her wing.

“Thank you for coming on time,” Rara smiled.

“We know you appreciate it,” Caramel said, shaking Rara’s hoof. “It’s always a real honor to get to perform with you on the stage.” Sassaflash smiled, but said nothing.

“All right, follow me,” Rara said. She led them through a door next to the stage labeled “Employees Only,” then down a hallway and through another door. On the other side of the door was a large room with a few instruments leaning against the walls or hung up on racks, including a spare piano.

“Okay, let’s get started. We’ll just do a bit of a warm-up first,” Rara said, walking over to the piano bench and laboriously sitting atop it, brushing her tail behind her and concealing her winces every time her injured leg flared with pain. Clearing her throat, she turned to see Caramel and Sassaflash both taking their seats and extracting their instruments; Caramel’s guitar had new strings that seemed to shimmer slightly in the lighting and the wood was newly polished to a shine. Sassaflash’s violin was a pristine instrument as always, a gorgeous reddish-brown color, but Rara noticed that it was in need of a polish.

Declining to comment, she turned back to the piano and cleared her throat. She struck the middle C and found that the instrument was in tune.

“Middle C, please,” Rara instructed the other two. Caramel complied with a pluck of the strings, summoning a perfect note. Sassaflash, however, was looking away, her bow and her violin hanging at her sides.

“Sassaflash?” Rara asked.

“Hon?” Caramel asked, touching the mare’s shoulder. Sassaflash jumped slightly and turned around.

“Right, right, sorry,” Sassaflash nodded, tucking her violin under her chin. She stroked the strings with her bow, drawing out a middle C.

“Okay, good,” Rara nodded. “Um, I understand that you don’t have a lot of time, so we’ll just start with Marry Me.”

She cleared her throat and began the intro to the song. Caramel followed up with the guitar, carrying the melody, and Rara continued the song.

“She wants to get married
She wants it perfect
She wants her granddaddy
Preaching the service…”

The creaking of a door distracted Rara and she paused, looking up. Steamed Carrot was standing in the doorway of the storeroom, her eyes widening as she realized that she was caught.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she apologized, stepping back a pace. “I just...I heard you singing and wanted to listen. I love this song.”

Shoving aside her momentary annoyance at being interrupted, Rara smiled at Steamed. “Oh, it’s no problem!” she said. “You can come in and listen if you want.”

Steamed glanced back down the hallway. “Oh, I’m sorry, but I need to get back to work.”

“Oh, all right,” Rara nodded. Steamed closed the door and exited. Turning back to the piano, she cleared her throat and licked her lips, pushing away the itching her throat. “Shall we get back to practice?” she asked her companions.

“Yeah,” Caramel nodded. “Pick up where we left off?”

“Sure,” Coloratura said, shaking her head and refocusing. She placed her hooves back on the piano and continued the song.

“She wants magnolias
Out in the country
Not too many ponies
Save her daddy some money.
Whoa, she’s got it all planned out…
Yeah, I can see it—”

She stopped suddenly, realizing that something was wrong. She turned around to see that Sassaflash had stopped playing her violin and was staring off into the distance, eyes unfocused.

Coloratura cleared her throat sharply, but the pegasus didn’t react.

“Babe,” Caramel said, shaking Sassaflash’s shoulder. Sassaflash jumped again, pulled back into reality. “What’s going on? You’re kinda out of it today,” Caramel commented.

“Sorry, I...I’m having a little bit of a hard time focusing,” Sassaflash muttered, shaking her head.

“Sassaflash, you’re going to be performing on stage in a little less than a week,” Coloratura said sternly. “You need to take this seriously.”

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry,” Sassaflash nodded. She settled back into position and shifted in the seat.

Coloratura took a deep breath, ignoring the growing itch in her throat, and resettled her position at the piano. “All right, let’s start back in the bridge to the chorus. One, two, one-two-three…

“Whoa, she’s got it all planned out....
Yeah, I can see it—”

She stopped again and turned around. Sassaflash was stroking the violin’s strings, her eyes far away, paying no attention to what she was doing: the result was that she was creating a cacophony of discordant notes.

“Sassaflash!” Coloratura snapped. The pegasus jumped so much that she fell out of her chair.

“Babe, what’s with you today?” Caramel asked, leaning down and helping her up. “You’re not like this normally.”

“I’m sorry, I’m just—” Sassaflash started to apologize.

“Sorry is not cutting it,” Coloratura said, rubbing her suddenly pounding head. “If you’re not going to take this seriously, then there’s no point in rehearsing.”

Sassaflash’s eyes flashed danger. “And maybe there’s no point in me performing onstage at all!” She stood up, flung her violin to the ground, and stomped out.

“Sass!” Caramel called after her, but she was already out of earshot. She sighed and turned to Coloratura, looking like a lost colt. “I...I’m really sorry, she’s...she hasn’t lost her temper in ages…”

Rara, however, was distracted by the violin on the floor. She slowly stooped and picked up the little instrument, examining it carefully for any sign of damage. A quiet gasp of shock escaped her when she spotted a sizable scuff on the body. “Oh, no,” she whispered.

“Oh, it’s okay! It’s okay!” Caramel cried, taking the fragile wood into his hooves. “I can take that back to my workshop and get that fixed, no problem! And I’ll talk to Sassaflash, get her to calm down. She’ll be okay, and we’ll be here next week! Right?”

Coloratura didn’t respond except to sink down onto the piano bench, placing her head in her hooves. “Er...right. Right. Okay. See you next week. We’ll keep practicing,” Caramel muttered indistinctly. He packed up his guitar and Sassaflash’s violin and walked out the door, leaving Coloratura by herself.

Coloratura remained on the piano bench for a minute of silence, holding her heavy, pounding head in her hooves. “Stupid,” she whispered. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”

The burning in her throat was growing into a wildfire, demanding to be quenched. Just one drink, the voice whispered. Forget about all of this for a moment. You’ll feel better.

“No,” she whispered back, shaking her head.

Instantly, the fire in her throat flared even hotter, so hot and dry and harsh that she nearly choked. Just one, the voice demanded again.

Rara swallowed, but it did nothing to soothe her thirst. With a grunt and a wince, she got up off the bench and exited the storage room. She paused at the hallway, then turned right and opened up the next door, reaching up and pulling a cord. A bare bulb flicked on over her head, revealing what she had been seeking: wooden barrels stacked up on racks, stretching all the way back to the other wall of the storeroom. She walked down to one barrel near the end of the room with a spout attached to it and examined the label stamped on the top:

“Sweet Apple Acres Cider: 10% ABV.”

With a sigh, Coloratura reached plucked a stein that was hanging up from a nail on a nearby post and held it under the spout. Turning the faucet, she watched as golden liquid spilled into the stein, filling it up to the brim. She held the stein up in front of her; the sweet smell of apples was like a blast of cool air across the fires in her throat.

“Just one,” she promised herself, and drank deeply.

Author's Note:

It always starts with just one...

Thought I'd forgotten about this story, didn't you? Well, schedules and stuff got in the way of writing for this, but thankfully, I've managed to piece together enough of a story to keep this alive!

Lyrics for Marry Me belong to Thomas Rett.

Comments

[Blast]

I would not mind it if Rara ended up getting some sane sage advice out of the least likely of ponies (and the last one anypony would ever expect).

Svengallop is going to looooooooooooooove this turn of events.

[narusakufan]

I'm glad things are somewhat going good for Rara. Hopefully Sassaflash will get her barrings straight and I hope Rara won't go off the deep end by drinking too much. Applejack won't like that.

[The Bricklayer]

Oh no. Oh no, no Rara... don't do that.

Also, is it just me or does Pastor Sound remind one of Matt Murdock's friend and pastor Father Paul Lantom?

[PonyJosiah13]

10247526
Well, she was meant to be a voice of wise counsel, so there is a parallel. I'm not planning on her dying, though.

As for why Rara dropped the drugs, she ultimately decided she'd had enough one day and left. Ran from Manehattan all the way to Ponyville and hauled herself up to AJ's doorstep.

[The Bricklayer]

10247534
Problem with that is, there's too much tell and not enough show. That's basic writing, and really that wasn't something you should skip over.

[BirdsBooksBrownies]

8879227
He would wouldn't he. I can imagine him promising to take her to specialists, the finest help money can buy, but when push comes to shove, he just wants to control her again.