Friendship is Failure #18: If I Can't Love Her...

by DakariKingMykan

Act 2: Creativity

ACT TWO

“He’s planning to move away?!” Cadance asked in shock.

“Well, at least it explains why he declined the offer.” said Spike.

Shining Armor agreed and then pondered, “But why leave the empire, and why hasn’t he told anyone?”

All three of them seemed to ponder more over what the kingdom would think when they found out. Many fans were likely to be shocked and upset that Strings would just up and leave with no explanation.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get the explanation,” said Twilight “He didn’t seem too eager to talk about it, so I just left him.”

“Sounds like whatever reason he has for leaving is pretty deep.” said Spike.

Twilight’s eyes lit up, “Of course, it has to be. And I’m going to find out why.”

Cadance stood next to her, “I’d like to know why too. So I’m going with you.”

“Wait!” called Spike “You can’t just wander off when there’s so much to do. You’ve got events to organize, a musical to plan, and you should still consider finding a new narrator for it since Strings wont.”

Shining Armor assured him, “Most of the work’s already done, and all the charities are underway, and the musical is all done too, we just need a narrator.”

He said all this while looking at his wife and giving her an expression that he was willing to let her investigate with Twilight, to which she smiled lovingly at him.

Then she and Twilight were off.

“I sure hope they can find out what’s wrong with Strings.” said Shining Armor.

“…So do I, and hopefully soon.” muttered Spike as he looked over the big stack of schedules to go over. “Then they can help with all this work!”

Meanwhile, Rarity’s work had, once again, taken a slow spell as she hadn’t had any bidders for a while and was starting to fall asleep.

Rainbow had been hanging out with her all this time, and she let out a big yawn. “Rarity, why don’t you just pack it in already? This is so boring!”

Rarity shook herself awake. “I can’t! I won’t! I am doing this out of the good of Hearts and Hooves Day, as well as so I won’t be alone on said day.”

“Uh-huh, I thought so.” muttered Rainbow. She had figured that Rarity was only doing all this for more of her own sakes-- a typical Rarity thing to do, but since she was trying to help with charity as well, she didn’t bother to scorn her.

Rarity suddenly gasped, and was standing upright with a dazed expression.

“What is it?” Rainbow asked, but then she could see, a very handsome unicorn with a golden yellow body, and a light blonde mane, was heading right for the stand.

Even Rainbow couldn’t help but quiver insight of the handsome creature, especially when he gave Rarity a rather flirtatious look and asked deeply, “…Mind if I place a bid.”

Rarity was too dazed t answer as she gazed into his big brown eyes which seemed to melt her soul, but Rainbow found just enough strength to pass him the clipboard.

“Hope I win.” he said to Rarity and gave her a flirtatious wink before running off.

“Whoa!” Rainbow exclaimed as she looked carefully at the amount of the bid, which made Rarity snap to her senses and she looked very impressed with the vid.

“I feel like the luckiest pony in Equestria.” she gloated.

Twilight and Cadance made it to Strings home, to find the “For Sale” sign placed before the house, and the “Stepped Out” sign hanging on the door again, and below it was a small sticky note which read “I am really out this time.”

Twilight could tell due to the silence from inside the house.

“I wonder where he went.” wondered Twilight.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy was in a nearby park with a small forest by a river. She wanted to express and share her love and her joy with any and all animal friends she could find.

She tied a few cute ribbons around birds’ nests, gave golden colored acorns to squirrels, all each and every time wishing them “Happy Hearts and Hooves.”

The animals were flattered. A few of them even gave her small flowers to wear in her mane.

As she walked along, she could suddenly hear the distant sounds of guitar strings coming from a little ways along the river.

She followed the sound, going along the path of the river leading into the woods.

She then arrived at a beautiful clearing where the river leaked into a large pond, and there she saw Strings, whom she knew from his pictures, sitting along the riverbank strumming his guitar, but looking a little downhearted too.

He was strumming the exact same music that Twilight had heard when she visited his home, humming to it softly, and looking as if he was going to cry-- it was such a beautiful yet sad song.

Fluttershy approached him softly, and then she suddenly stepped on a twig cracking it loudly, which scared Strings, which scared her too, and birds flew off the trees.

…Strings clutched his heart rather painfully.

“Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes…” groaned Strings, and the pain subsided, “Forgive me, but you gave me such a scare.”

Fluttershy felt really embarrassed and didn’t even point out he scared her too, but it was understandable as she crept up on him.

“I’m Fluttershy.”

“Yes, I know who you are. I don’t believe there’s anypony that doesn’t know of Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends.”

Fluttershy blushed, feeling sillier than ever, so she quickly changed the subject. “That was a very nice song you were playing. What is it called?”

Strings looked a little nervous, and seemed to hesitate a bit, but finally he answered, “I can’t tell you, and you must mention this to no one.”

“But why? It sounds beautiful.”

“…Please don’t!” snapped Strings, making her jump.

He apologized most sincerely at once for yelling. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”

Being the nice pony she was, Fluttershy forgave him, but still asked why he wouldn’t tell her.

So he decided to let her on a little. “This song, I wrote it a while back. It’s for my ears and mine alone. No other pony is to even guess of its existence.”

Fluttershy felt the desperation of his voice, and she found this all to be extreme. “No pony? Not even your family or your friends?”

Strings looked a sadder than ever, and hung his head low. “I… I don’t have a family.”

Fluttershy gasped softly. “You don’t?”

Strings shook his head, and told her part of his story…

“I was born and raised in Canterlot.

I never knew my father; he was a royal guard, but he died before I was born-- killed in action.

My mother was a Cook to Princess Celestia, and she raised me well, but then one day she got sick, and she passed away.

…I had no pony else.”

Fluttershy felt like crying already. “Oh, you poor thing…!” she sniffled.

Strings continued…

“So I lived in the palace foster care for orphans, but I felt so depressed, so alone. I tried to make friends, but I was often teased and bullied by bigger ponies. They pushed me around, messed up my drawings, and even stole my cookies and milk during snack time.

Then one day, as I was sitting in the courtyard, away from the other children so as not to be bullied, I met--” he paused quickly, not wanting to reveal the name of the pony he met. “Well, let’s just say, some pony taught me a song that I’ll never forget.”

He began to strum his guitar and play the very song…

Whenever you feel sad and down,
and lonely as can be
Or you’re so mad you just want to hit,
Just listen to me
There’s a better way to deal with pain
A way to help other see
Just channel the bad and put it all
…into creativity

You’ve a voice, let it ring out loud
You’ve a voice that can be heard in a crowd
Give it your all, you’ll stand tall
You’ll find its inside of you, see…
…Creativity.

Fluttershy was enjoying this song, and closed her eyes listening to the tune warmly.

Strings continued singing…

When you look deep inside you know
There’s a special magic there
The feelings that you feel each day
Floating in the air
They’re calling out, and they’re saying “Hey,
there’s a way you can use me.
it’s harmless, and it’s great
…It’s all creativity.

You’ve a voice, let it ring out loud
You’ve a voice that can be heard in a crowd
Give it your all, you’ll stand tall
You’ll find its inside of you, see…
…Creativity.

You’ll find its inside of you, see…
…Creativity.

Strings strummed the last notes, and he sighed warmly. He had an expression that even Fluttershy couldn’t mistake-- the look of a pony in love.

Then he looked sad again, like he did when she first saw him.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

Strings couldn’t answer.

“I have to go. I have things to do.”

He got up with his guitar and headed off down another path that led back to the village, when he accidently bumped into someone and they both fell to the ground.

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry.” said Strings, but when he looked up and saw who it was, he froze on the spot-- it was Princess Cadance.

“…Strings.”

Twilight came along and saw Fluttershy, but before she could say anything Strings had quickly taken off into the sky leaving his guitar behind.

“Wait!” cried Cadance, but he was already gone.

“What is with that guy?” wondered Twilight.

“What are you two doing here?” asked Fluttershy.

Twilight and Cadance explained that they took a walk around the village waiting to see if Strings would come home so they could both try and talk with him.

Twilight told Fluttershy about Strings plan to move away, which shocked her.

“Just leave the empire? But what about all his fans…? They’ll all be very disappointed.”

“That’s one of the things we plan to talk with him about.” said Twilight.

Then Cadance said “We were passing by the woods and we could hear the song he was singing. I remember I taught him that song long ago when we both lived in Canterlot.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened “Wait…! You were the one who taught him that song?”

Twilight nodded, “Cadance taught the creativity song to me too, when she foal-sat for me. It always made me smile.”

Cadance smiled and said, “I taught any-pony who needed a perk up. It was one of my ways of spreading love to those who looked as if they needed it.”

“Love…?” muttered Fluttershy, and she thought back to Strings expression when the song ended, as well as his practically running away at the sight of Cadance.

…She had a mighty thought.

Strings flew all the way home and clutched his chest as another strike of pain hit him. “It’s getting worse!” he groaned “I’ve got to get out of this place sooner than I thought.”

He didn’t even seem upset that he had left his guitar behind either. He just dashed into his house.

Author's Note:

Tara Strong and Greg Cipes both follow me on Twitter.

they both know I don't like MLP (Tara's even agreed before that Twilight's a bit too unrealistic) And they know about Starfleet, and YES... they know about Count Logan and Flurry Heart, and all that stuff.

They understand it's just fiction, and they approve of what I do-- how I handle the situation. Instead of drinking, doing drugs, or smoking, or getting into fist-fights and breaking things, I simply channel my anger and hate into works of "Creativity."

That's what inspired me to write that song.

And that's what I use fiction, video games, or any kind of sport for-- venting anger in less destructive way