It's Great to be Different.

by Filly Derpyshy

Bright Future.

Two years later.

The last few years flew by just like a blur. The events of that night in her mind, but taken a back seat to her new life, one Lyra always dreamed of. She used her magic in music instead of in her horn, and nopony ever believed for a second she didn't have talent. She realized it wasn't the other ponies keeping her from living her dreams, she knew now that it was her own thoughts keeping her chained down.

She had finally found her true self. She didn't hold any resentments against anypony. From her father to the rude and judgmental fillies and colts of her old school in Ponyville, they were all the past. One that Lyra would always believe, without a doubt, had strengthened her, molded her into the mare she is now. She regretted letting all those events get to her for so many years, the happiness she felt now was beyond anything she could have ever dreamed of.

She was who she was meant to be, and it was all thanks to that gray mare with the wall-eyed stare.

“Miss Lyra, you're on in five minutes.” Came the voice of the earth pony band manager outside her dressing room door. She was about to perform her first ever gig in Canturlot. Her heart was beating out of her chest. She eyed the tool of her success, of her happiness, of her freedom. Her mothers lyre had been her instrument of choice since her career had started in Ponyville, and it was obviously showing its wear. At least it was still playable. She walked out into the hallway and slowly made her way towards the stage. After the announcer was done introducing her, she walked out, expecting a few cheers and hollers like she would always get in Ponyville.

The Stadium shook.

Ponies of all size, tribe and age were cheering her on as she took the stage. She looked out over the audience with wide, shock filled eyes. She had never seen this many ponies at a single show, let alone one she herself was the star of.

It took her a few moments for her heart to slow down to a reasonable speed. She sat at the stool in the middle of the stage and gave one last look around at the still screaming crowd. As if on cue, the cheering died down, all focus on the aquamarine unicorn now all alone on the stage.

Before she could introduce herself, not that she needed one, the announcer again came over the booming loudspeakers.

“Before we begin, there is a very special guest here this evening,” This took Lyra by surprise, she was never informed of anypony else arriving. “Please welcome, cellist of the royal Canturlot symphony, Octavia!” Lyra's heart nearly exploded.

Octavia walked up the stage stairs to the left of Lyra, she was unable to take her eyes off of the mare as she approached, her cello slung over her back in its brilliantly decorated case. Octavia has been Lyra's idol since before she could remember, seeing her now was like a dream come true. Octavia trotted over to her and placed her case on the stage next to her, opened it and pulled out her instrument. As the crowd died down, she turned to Lyra and gave her a wink, then turned back to the exited onlookers.

“I presume you all wish for me to explain? I saw that the one and only Lyra was coming to Canturlot, and I simply could not let this moment slip by,” She turned to Lyra, giving her a bright, warm smile. “It would be my highest honor if you would allow me to accompany you in tonight’s performance.”

Lyra's mind was racing, she just stared at her idol, words eluding her at this moment. All she could do was smile at her, and nod.

“Wonderful!” She stood up her cello, stood up on her hind legs, took her bow and laid it out on the strings, all in one simple movement. She looked over at the still stunned unicorn, “You lead.” She flashed her beautiful smile again, and awaited the unicorn to begin.

Lyra collected her thoughts, bringing her hoof up to the strings. She tested them to make sure they were tuned correctly, then began to strum. She began softly, slowly building into a beautiful melody. To her left, she heard the deep sounds of the cello mix with her lyre, as if Octavia knew the song by heart. This made Lyra smile, she not only enjoyed her music, but knew it enough to play it with her on stage.

The song came to an end, and again the stadium shook. Everypony stood up and gave loud cheers at their performance. Lyra glanced over at Octavia and noticed she were clapping her hooves together. Lyra felt her pride nearly burst.

Octavia spoke after the crowd had quieted again. “Lyra, I need to know, what motivates you to work this beautiful magic? I see talent in you that I haven't seen in anypony for a very long time.”

She mentally shook her head, trying to form the words to answer her question. She stood up, placed her lyre on the stool carefully, and turned to the crowd.

“I think the best way I can answer that is to tell my story, if there is anypony who objects to this?” She looked over the audience, then to Octavia, and continued after she noticed no objections. “I grew up hated for being different. From my own home to my school, I was never good enough in anyponies eyes. I was a unicorn who couldn't do magic, I was branded unnatural for my own sexual orientation. My own father was disgusted with me.”

Octavia cut in, “That must have been so terrible.”

Lyre turned to her and smiled. “I just wanted to tell you that the hardest thing I faced wasn't the teasing or the pain,” She turned again to the crowd. “It was convincing myself I wasn’t stupid strange or lame, and helping others do the same.”

She looked out over the audience, for a second she thought she heard a couple sniffs. Her thoughts tugged her back to that night two years ago. She turned to Octavia, then to her lyre, picked it up and sat back down. “I'd like to introduce this peace, inspired by a friend years ago.”

She again pulled her hoof across the strings, the melody she hadn't played in two years again coming into play. She closed her eyes and allowed her voice to join in with the tune. She knew this was the first time she had sung not only this song, but any song, on stage in public.

“Isn't it great to be different? Isn't it wonderful to be exactly who you are? When you learn to start accepting yourself, you'll become a shining star!” She allowed the melody to die down. She opened her eyes and looked out into the crowd, noticing that there were many a damp eye, including her own, before they erupted into cheers, stomping their hooves on the ground.

As she glanced around, out of the corner of her eye, she could have sworn she noticed a certain gray mare, looking up at her with a wall-eyed stare.

Comments

[Filly Derpyshy]

Well, there you have it. I really hope you guys enjoy reading this just as much as i did writing it, and I see this as a great success for being my first ever serious fic.

[Wooldog]

Full of win.

Inspiration increased to 100

[Filly Derpyshy]

1278677 I'm going to take that as a compliment x3. In which case thank you sir/madam

[Forest Rain]

Nicely done! ^.^

[HowDoIEvenBrony]

On my birthday in 2012 (September 24th)
I read this fanfic as my first.
I weren't that much of a brony at that time.
This is what sparkled my bronydom.
Thank you.

[theRedBrony]

“I'd like to introduce this peace, inspired by a friend years ago.”

piece*

Also, it's generally spelled Canterlot.

Not bad anyhow.