A Harmony To Be Treasured (Closed: River)

[SteelEagle]

The meat and heat of the issue finally came up. It shouldn't have been entirely a shock to Applejack. Coloratura had discussed the touring schedule with her before, proposed dates and venues. Sure, sure sure! She had never outright asked Applejack to come with her and had never said she was, but the dates started before Applejack was supposed to end helping Rara. You know, she just figured it was better left unsaid. That way, Applejack couldn't say no. "Yes, yes, I know you said that buuuuttt...." Rara said before she hopped over to Applejack's side. "You wouldn't be doing it alone! It's just a few shows to start the tour near the Heartland. Not really all that big of a deal. Really!" She said with enthusiasm born from desperation. "Plus, it will be a lot of fun!" She added as an afterthought, searching for more positives. "And you're gonna look great too, I promise."
Well duh.

[Hippo]

 

Applejack finished her short kitchen duty and sat at the table. "Rara, why would I do live shows when I told you from the beginning that I didn't want to do it anymore." She was noticeably disgruntled, either by the lack of transparency or the general misunderstanding that happens between friends who would otherwise love everything about each other. "The reason why I don't feel comfortable doing shows is because it takes time away from the things that are more important to me. My friends. My family. The farm!" Applejack convinced herself of the story that played out in her head if she had gone a whole season away from home. "Am I supposed to believe Apple Bloom can throw all them hay bales when the grass is cut?" Applejack escaped from her nightmare to think about the things Coloratura was implying. Though she was a pony of integrity, she wanted to give Coloratura the full breath and chance to explain herself.

[SteelEagle]

 

 

You had to work everypony in a different manner. Some mares you could pull into your orbit easily enough that you didn't have to work hard at it. Still others you had to operate in a different manner. Applejack was that. Rara's celebrity didn't work in her favor. Her money didn't really work either, though there was some play there. All she had was their close relationship and a great deal of confidence in the both of them. She would have to be careful how she proceeded, because while what she suggested was in both of their best interests, one of them clearly did not see it that way. 

 

"AJ, what does that even mean? Does grass cutting even matter to hay bale tossing...?" The song are asked honestly. She didn't understand what the impact of one on the other was. She should her head and smiled. "Listen, I know you're worried. Your farm is your life. That's what I love about you. You are passionate about the things you care about and you never half-flank the things you are passionate about," Rara said confidently. She then placed a hoof on AJ's shoulder. "And you've done awesome so far, and so has your family. We aren't receiving news that there is trouble at the farm. They are working hard because you work hard. They aren't half-flanking it because you never half-flank anything." Rara finished with a smile.

 

"But now we move to the part where I am prepping for the actual tour. A lot of dates. A lot rides on it. And I'm not asking you to join me for the whole thing. I just want you for a few dates at the end of your stay and the start of the tour in Mustangia, and a date in Ponyville a few months from now near the end," She then playfully pushed on the shoulder. "You'll get to see me grow from a scrummy little country greenhorn to a bona-fide country songstress. All because of you, because you never half-flank anything, so I know you won't half-flank me."

[Hippo]

 

Applejack was a very stubborn pony. But even she knew when a reasonable argument was made, and it was even softer coming from a pony she respected. She was silent for a moment and continued to hold a grumpy attitude, though when she spoke again, her tone was calm. "The reason I came out here, Rara, was because you said you needed to grab from the inspiration I bring to the song writing process. Somethin' about my down-to-earth singin' from the heart. I figured that was noble, not the mention a compliment. I also thought it would be great to come out and spend time getting to know the older version of one of my best fillyfriends from my youth." She sighed. "So I came out here, on the condition that I wouldn't do any performances. But now you're telling me that not only do you still want me to, but you've already made arrangements to something I didn't agree to." Applejack was not happy. "I feel a little deceived."

 

"And anyway, when you cut the tall grass, you cut it, and then bale it."

[SteelEagle]

 

 

Rara allowed Applejack to speak at length about her understanding of the situation. It was hard to hear her say that she felt deceived. Rara wanted to fight against that but she had to admit- at least to some degree, Applejack had been deceived by her songstress friend. All of the well-meaning and spirited causes behind it only served to shade the event, not change it. She sighed and looked down, shaking her head and allowing the silence to grow between them before she summoned up the courage to look back at Applejack. 

"I made those arrangements because I wanted it to be a surprise. It was something I thought you'd like to try," she smiled sheepishly before getting up and trotting slowly up to a window. After a brief pause she turned around quickly, eyes bright and disposition completely changed. She looked sunny, happy and free, and her tail bounced with a nervous excitement that all performers knew well.

 

"When you perform, you show something of yourself that you don't at any other time. You share an experience with those you perform with and the audience. We all shine differently under those lights," she said as she trotted closer to Applejack. "And I...I think you'd shine bright. I know you would. You do when you perform with me, here. Maybe I just want all of Equestria to see you the way I see you, feel you the way I feel you," she nearly stumbled over her words as she smiled wide, but the smile lied. There was sadness in it, a faux smile to hide a drowning sensation of having failed your friend with something you had considered success. "But you're right," she said as she turned back around and away from Applejack, her voice lowered.

 

"It was meant as a surprise and a gift and something for you to enjoy, but you aren't," she turned around, clearly keeping her emotions as checked as she could, "and if you aren't, then you won't shine the way I know you can. I'll just go and...change some things. It won't be a problem. It'll just be a few minutes, okay?" She ended as she trotted out of the room, keeping her teary eyes driven away from Applejack as best she could.

[Hippo]

Applejack's frown flattened out. Her friend was sounding genuine, although it felt incomplete and chopped up by the words that she received. Applejack knew her words could cut deep sometimes. The way she exposed another pony's intentions through conversation was always cathartic to her. It shoveled away the nonsense and left a pure pony behind to love and cherish. Coloratura was the kind of pony who carried many experiences around with her, and it often affected her emotions. Applejack would always try to slice away the insecurities of her friends when it was appropriate, but she felt that maybe this time she struck a nerve.

 

Applejack interjected with a short grunt. "Rara." She plead for the filly to listen to her response before leaving the room. Applejack took a deep breath and stared at Coloratura's cutie mark. She concentrated on it before speaking her carefully selected words. She closed her eyes, took another deep breath, and then opened her eyes. "There are times when a pony can only do what she is willing to do. Anything more and it might ruin her life. And there are times when a filly is too scared to know when to take a chance. And sometimes it's a friend who helps show them how."

 

Applejack began another pause, and slowly cracked a smile. "If you really think this is the right thing to do..." she looked up and the ceiling and then down back at Rara. "Then I'll do it."

 

[SteelEagle]

 

It was hard to put into words the affections that a mare like Rara could feel. There were simply so many, and each one held a special place in her heart. There was the love she felt with her family, a familial joviality and well-meaning that felt as pure as a radiant sun. There was the energetic affection she shared with the crowd, her fans, at every show. She gave of herself to them every time and bared herself to them through song and performance. The emotional gamut she ran through in her songs were glimpses into her that she gave them, and their joy with her sustained her creative momentum. There was the affection she had with her coworkers, the affection she had for those she met in-pony. Then there was Applejack and the affection that Rara had for her, which was the scariest one of all for it cut deeper in ways that she had rarely felt leave to experience. 

 

"Applejack..." she began as her friend drew in close. She allowed a hoof to linger on Applejack's cheek for a moment as her eyes locked in, almost teary. But then she pulled away, smiling as she tried to maintain a sense of decorum. At least as much as she could "Thank you. This means a lot," she whispered before fighting to regain a normal sense of boundaries. She bounded back into the hallway, tail bouncing joyfully behind her as she bounded deeper into the house. "And I think when we're done, you'll thank me too!" She said with a laugh. Lower, to herself though, all she could muster was, "well, I hope you will."

[Hippo]

Applejack followed Coluratura through the hallway to see what current venture or musing the pop pony was flowing to. The farm gal was now in stardom's possession, and she was along for the ride. She couldn't tell exactly how much of a difference her agreement to do a few shows would make, but she felt confident through the affirmation of her friend that she wouldn't be led astray. "So what's next, Rara?" Applejack tried not to sound too eager. After all, she was thinking a sandwich or a treat in the kitchen would do her fine. She had been pulled away from simple pleasures before, when Rarity would have an idea for a dress, or when Rainbow Dash would find yet another activity to challenge Applejack to a feat. For now, she would continue to see where the purple striped tail in front of her was bouncing to.

 

[SteelEagle]

Rara could hardly stop herself from skipping across the first floor of the complex, her tail bouncing in equal parts nervous excitement and simple joy. Still, she had the wherewithal to be task oriented for now. "Well next, we get you into your outfit. We can both be fit and ready for stage performance but if what we wear gets in the way, well, that is a quick way to get into the tabloids and tank an entire show. Tour, even! So, we're going to see what tickles you out here and then get to work on some stagecraft," she said as they rounded into the small stage and auditorium that took up half of the first floor. The stage was covered by a small host of workers adjusting this, that or the other, and a small squad that huddled around three different outfits. As Rara led Applejack up on the stage, the squad pulled away from the outfits. "And here are your choices!"

 

There were three outfits. They all shared some common features, being based broadly on the style that Apple Chord was known for.

The first was more or less an updated copy of the design with the features updated. The legs were more breathable than the old design and had a little more give to the, which would make it was to wear. The white hat with blue trim had the name 'Apple Chord' written in beautiful calligraphy and embroidered deep into the fabric. 

The second was a blue and white number that shared some features more commonly associated with the 'cowpony' look, with a vest that that was hoof stitched and laced. Adjustable, it would set in with a little more rigidity once set but was very workable. The hat was very similar though the colors were more reminiscent of the first piece.

The final one was a red and black number, more aggressively designed that accentuated Applejack's body more than the others. It had a big, long black trail behind it and seemed designed for legs and barrel. The black hat was slender and had a red feather tucked inside it, with 'Apple Chord' written and embroidered in a sinister white. It was the largest departure for sure.

[Hippo]

 

Applejack was almost jump-scared when the outfit designers step away from the choices. Two were immediately interesting, good even. But Applejack was not prepared for the judging of dresses, even though she could easily pick her favorite. And if she was honest, which she was often, Applejack found something fascinating about the red and black one, even though it seemed the least logical choice. Applejack was held silent for a few seconds but then confessed. "You know, Rara, I could honestly see myself in all of these. The first one looks like a better version of Apple Chord's original outfit, but that feels too simple. Which one is your favorite? Is there one that matches your outfit?" Applejack attempted to convey a fake opinion based in taste of performance attire. At least this time, she wasn't having to deal with an Equestrian-renowned seamstress.

[SteelEagle]

Coloratura's mind momentarily went blank as she thought about Applejack in the red and black number. She had not truly considered it a possible option when she suggested it. If anything, she was more than a little ashamed to have made it. Mostly because she made it more so for Rara's own imaginations than any realistic chance of it being chosen. It wasn't as if it were necessarily an improper or unrealistic choice, mind you. While it was certainly bolder than something Applejack would normally wear and gave Apple Chord more of an aggressive, impacting appearance, it wasn't something that a mother would shield her foal's eyes from seeing in horror at the lewd nature of the design. 

 

The middle design seemed more Applejack's speed. It certainly fit her cowgirl persona a lot more and was a bit less bold, even if it was still an exciting number. It was something that Applejack could appear in outside of shows if she wanted to. It was probably slightly more wearable in day to day affairs and was very eye-catching. She was certain that it would be a hit. Of course, it certainly pigeonholed her. She was a country mare singing country songs in a country setting, you betcha. Nothing wrong with that, but it didn't always reflect the great qualities that Applejack brought forth through Apple Chord.

 

The one that would be the easiest transition would be the first, It was, for all intents and purposes, just the old design with a few small quality of life changes. She chose that one first. Rara trotted forward to behind the three and started inspecting them. "Well, nothing is wrong with simple," she said with a bemused smile as she looked back at Applejack. "You taught me that. And Apple Chord will look great no matter what, so it really comes down to what speaks to you. Or, well, me. For you?" She asked rhetorically as she moved over to the third costume. "This is the boldest one by a mile. Aggressive, a bit sexy. Wearing this requires you to own it. I think you could, but at the same time it needs to be something you want and by virtue of you asking me..." she let the point live and die as she trailed off, wheeling around to the second outfit, the cowgirl.
"This is probably the best for you. Stylish, exciting, and very much absolutely *you*."

[Hippo]

"Then the middle one it is, then!" Applejack hooked a hoof in agreement and gave Coloratura the affirmation she needed to pick her outfit. "Alright, what's next?"

[SteelEagle]

Rara nodded. "First, you need to get dressed. We won't know if it is right until you do. So head into that room and get ready. When you're out, we'll have the stage ready. We're gonna work on stagework and practice some choreography during our songs," she said before noticing immediately what the concern might be. "And don't worry. We're not doing the Countess dance routine or anything too significant. Just some basic work. I am also going to be getting dressed in a stage outfit and we can work on some stuff together. It is going to be a lot of fun, Apples!"

[Hippo]

Applejack nodded sheepishly and took the middle dress off it's form. She carefully took it into a room setup for wardrobe functions. As Applejack slipped on the outfit carefully, testing the sizes of the cuffs and feel of the fabric around her curves, she couldn't help but notice areas in which Rara was being too forward. She wasn't worried about being roped into unnecessary practice sessions and preparations, but she knew that a show with both of them would have plenty of Coloratura's style and signature. Applejack just needed to make sure that not only did the show she was in have Apples written all over them as well, she also needed to attempt to bargain for compromises where she felt it would benefit a show.

 

Applejack walked out with the outfit on, sporting only a minor limp as she broke in the fabric. "It's a little tight around the thighs and legs but I'm sure it can be adjusted. Or maybe I can be adjusted, heh." Applejack probably would suggest going on a diet, if she truly thought about what that would entail. More likely, she would just push herself to burn more calories through the day. Fortunately, it seemed that would happen somewhat soon. "What do you think, Rara? Is Apple Chord lookin' good in her new duds?" She gave a performative wink as she lightly posed.

[SteelEagle]

As Applejack went ahead and got herself dressed, Rara went ahead with her own wardrobe. She would start off with a simple number, one that any fan of hers would be well acquainted with by now. A veil covered her flank as a black high-shirt terminated around the middle of her neck, the last few inches opened and veiled itself. It was comfortable and had become the more or less official uniform of Rara rather than the Countess. Simple, elegant. Comes equipped with a piano. For this performance she would have to wear many hats and hooves, from piano to guitar to bass and dance all in between.

 

When that was done she made sure the instrumentation was ready. To start with it would be just a piano and a guitar and the stands they would need. In front of the stage some stagehounds would be milling about and some audio-visual engineers, Azure leaning against the far wall and overlooking the process. Right before Applejack came out they had finished, and a red circle appeared off of a reflection on a crystal mirror above the stage, near the front. That would prove important for staging reasons. For now, Rara would just have to be content with-

 

Oh no she's hot.

Applejack looked very very very good. A few small hitches around the legs and thighs, not that Rara was looking or anything, but she otherwise looked absolutely killer. Just as Rara had imagined it to be. Rara rolled her shoulders to hide the shudder and blush. "You are looking amazing. I think we're gonna be on the covers of magazines for the next few months," she said as she stuck her tongue out. Fact was, she was losing it by the moment. She needed to go ahead and get back to focusing on her work and do so fast.

 

She coughed her voice clear. "Red feather, yellow feather, Red feather, yellow feather..." she spoke in a sing-song fashion as she looked about the stage. "Okay, so here is the start of it. See that red dot? I mean, well of course you do. Hard to miss. That red dot signifies the audience's center of focus. It isn't something to hyper focus on, but rather something to just keep in mind. The closer you are to that, the more easily you can be seen by the whole audience. With two of us, the spacing will be important- don't want to clutter their view during simple songs. Speaking of, we'll work in trios as a set. The first song will be the simplest and we ramp up. After each set we can step back and see where we are," she said as she trotted over to her piano and took a seat.

She started playing some keys to warm her hooves up.
"First up we'll do 'I Overlooked An Orchard'. Pretend as if we're live and have an audience," she said as she started to repeat the opening keys to the song. "No big dance here, just a nice simple rendition of the song. You can take the lead and I'll come in with the chorus. After that we can hit something a bit faster passed but still maintain the lack of a dance, to keep it simple. We'll wrap this set up with something a bit more high energy. Ready?" She asked rhetorically as she winked. The lights changed ever slightly and she started playing the song.
 

[Hippo]

Applejack was distracted with the tight bands around her waist and thighs. On the best of circumstances, and even when she liked what she was wearing, she was generally not comfortable wearing clothes for reasons other than protection from being roughed up doing farm labor. But overall, her outfit fit nicely. Coloratura ran her through the drills of the stage rehearsals and started without much haste. Applejack stood their silent and awkward not sure what to do next, until a stagehand presented her with her guitar. She grabbed it and started strumming. Once the music flowed, she was much more in the element of performing music, and she exhaled a deep breath that came straight from her heart.

 

"An orchard is a tree that blooms so tenderly
It thrills the fairest filly of the land
If placed beside a blushing rose, the rose could not compare
But how was such as I, to understand..."

[SteelEagle]

 

The song was simple enough that it allowed Rara to focus a bit on her stage craft, trilling her hooves above the piano with theatrical flair as Applejack sang, coming down and moving in line with the rise and fall of her voice. Of the two, Applejack had a deeper tenor to it that lent itself to the swoon of the song well and proper. When it came time for the chorus however, Rara would join.

 

"I overlooked an orchard while searching for a rose
The orchard that I overlooked was you.
The rose that I was searching for has proved to be untrue
The orchard that I find my dear was you."

 

The high and low of their voices married well in the chorus. Rara started a half beat sooner and a half beat later did she finish, like a gentle voice lost in longing. She played them out of the chorus, allowing her piano to sing and dance in the in between, marrying craft and passion. As she neared the end sh turned to Applejack and mouthed the words, "I've got second". True to her words, a moment later as the song rounded up she started the second voice, her powerful and modulated voice turning on each word with the gentle submission that comes with long-buried feeling

"The rose has lost its color, but the orchard stays the same
And I'm alone to face these lonely years
I didn't see the orchard, I was searching for a rose
And now I pay the price with bitter tears..."

[Hippo]

 

Applejack faced Coloratura in agreement as she joined her for the chorus.

 

"I overlooked an orchard while searching for a rose
The orchard that I overlooked was you.
The rose that I was searching for has proved to be untrue
The orchard that I find my dear was you."

 

During the interlude, Coloratura let Applejack know that she would solo the second verse, and Applejack nodded, smiled and concentrated on playing the guitar in the best way she could. When the second verse was completed, Applejack rejoined again for the second and final chorus.

 

"I overlooked an orchard while searching for a rose
The orchard that I overlooked was you.
The rose that I was searching for has proved to be untrue
The orchard that I find my dear was you."

 

At the last measure, Applejack made a finishing strum that represented her appreciate of the flavor of this music and the tempo and harmony of the melody. She looked at Coloratura not really wanting to say anything, and waited for the expert musician to orchestrate her next objective.

[SteelEagle]

Rara was beyond excited by how well the first song went. It wasn't a hard song by any stretch and allowed both of them to get a good workout going vocally and with their instrumentation. She had chosen it for that very purpose, easing Applejack into it. "Great work, AJ. We will make a stage mare out of you yet," Rara said with a wink as she got up from her piano and looked out at the stagehoofs, including Azure. The younger mare looked up and nodded. "Good down here boss. Maybe Apples can work on her eye level for the audience but that'll come with time. Want anything up there?" Azure asked. 

 

Rara stretched her legs out in front of Applejack. She didn't know why. Well she did. "We should be good. I think we'll hit track 7 now. Should be a lot of fun! And Apple Chord can show off her fiddling skills," she said with a wink as she made room for the other musicians. Unlike the first song which could easily be done with just them, you needed some instrumentation backup on this one. It was also far more lively than the first song! "Did you have fun, Apples? Your voice was on point. Very smooth transitions. i think we both work well together, though I could do more work on hitting the notes a little better. Country is just different enough to throw my vocal rhythm off. Still, I think by the time we nail Discord Went Down to Ponyville, I'll have it all set!" Rara continued, her nervousness billowing and mingling with multiple flavors of excitement. 

And like a taste of many flavors, each sensation brought with it a cavalcade of emotions that she kept well-bottled and seasoned with professionalism. Still, it was hard. Even in the best of times there was that kernel of fear that had existed in her for so much of her career, telling her that she was lesser than the sum of the production's parts. The mare besides her had showed her that this was untrue, but only slowly did the concerns of a lifetime wither and die on a shorn vine.

[Hippo]

Coloratura was taking really kindly to the idea of singing songs that were originally just outside of her repertoire. Applejack knew she could do it, but the amount of songs that required a bit of twang seemed a little more than Applejack was ever expecting out of the pop star. "Heh heh, I'm havin' fun and you did really swell yerself! Ya know, Ra-Ra, we don't have to do every song country, especially if it's hard on your vocal cords to do so many in a row. Wouldn't want the show we perform to end up ending by the time we get to 'My Mustangia Prarie Home' on account of your voice going raw from all the drawl."

[SteelEagle]

 

Ra-Ra smiled to herself. It was one borne of confidence, but also a glint of risk in her eyes. She knew she could do anything if she put her mind to it, put her voice into it, and she had Applejack to thank for that revelation. "I am confident in myself, and I am confident in you. If I feel like I am going a bit too far I'll pull back. Can't hurt as much as death metal, right?" She said as she allowed the stage musicians to set themselves up. The next song needed more than two ponies and she was always happy to make sure that they got their work in. They were as big a part of the show as Coloratura and Apple Chord!

 

She took a few deep sips and stood up. She tapped her front hoof a few times, and started getting the rhythm down. As she did, she turned to AJ. "I'll take the first verse and we'll exchange, but you take the parts with the heroine, okay? One of us has to play that fiddle 'hot'," She said with a wink as she grabbed a guitar, allowing Apples to get herself a nice fiddle. She was gonna kick some flank, Rara was sure of it.

[Hippo]

Applejack grabbed the fiddle that was provided. She was still regretful that she didn't bring her own personal fiddle, but she didn't have the hindsight that she would need it. The amount of bases that were being covered were far more than she had predicted, but she was all for it. "You got it Missy!."

 

A few knocks to start from the drums, and Applejack began playing her instrument. It was fast-paced, energetic, and then it faded into silence as her partner's vocals took focus.

 

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OvKYPTGgi4

 

[SteelEagle]

 

Apple Chord went and started the song well and true. Discord Went Down to Ponyville was an old favorite of the country circuit, with dozens of covers over the years. Even Apple Chord had released a very popular version years ago! The title of the town changed from time to time, but the meat of the song stayed the same. Rara herself was a fan of the song even as a filly. It was an exciting song- good theme and storytelling and balling out on the violin that made the song so well known. And luckily, Rara just happened to know one of Equestria's finest violin players even if she was often too modest to really admit it! Rara allowed the song to play for a while as the musicians got into their role. When the song's first verse came back around, Rara stood up and took the microphone.

 

"Discord went down to Ponyville, he was lookin' for a heart to steal," she started, her voice deeper and more conversational than normal. "He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind, and he was willin' to make a deal. When he came across this young mare sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot! And Discord jumped up on a tree stump and said, "filly, let me tell you what!" She said as she pulled back for a moment to put on her best Cheshire grin. "I guess you didn't know it but I'm a fiddle player too. And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you! Now you play a pretty good fiddle, filly, but give Discord his due- I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your love 'Cause I think I'm better than you!" She said as she waited for Apples to take the heroine's part.

[Hippo]

Applejack stepped up to her microphone and continued the song story. "The mare said 'my name's Jackie, and I don't play with skin, but I'll take yer bet, yer gonna regret, i'm the best that's ever been.'"

 

The drums kicked up and guitars started their chorus. Applejack would share this chorus with her singing partner.

 

"Jackie, rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard
'Cause chaos broke loose in Pon'ville, and Discord deals the cards
And if you win, you get this shiny fiddle made of gold
But if you lose, Discord gets yer love!"

 

Applejack stepped back and began playing her refrain on her fiddle, ending with a thematic strum of the strings into the next verse.

[SteelEagle]

 

Rara took her cut and got back to it. "Discord opened up his case and he said, "I'll start this show," she said as the background musicians for the next part signaled they were ready, with Rara taking a pre-arranged fiddle. "And lightning flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow. And he pulled the bow across the strings It made a chaotic screech-" she said as she pulled the bow across and a terrifying screech echoed out. "Then a band of fools joined in, and it sounded something like this-" she finished before she start playing the violin.

 

Well, play was a strong choice of words. She did her best but the real play came from the backup musicians who made this rocking element of the song play well. Her own violin playing was mediocre and not up to the necessary standards of the song, though she had plans to rectify that before they took this act on the road. Soon the instrumental section ended with flair, the rocking and off-putting display of musical prowess giving way to Jackie's Made in Equestria pride and swagger!