by Chloe Ryder
‘My voice!’ cried Diva. Her eyes were bright with tears as she stared round at her friends. ‘She’s got my voice in that bottle!’
Divine stopped singing and swung round. ‘It’s my voice now,’ she crowed.
Pippa clenched her hands. ‘It’s not. That’s Diva’s singing voice and you stole it.’
Divine cackled with laughter. ‘You again! You don’t give up, do you?’
‘No, I don’t,’ Pippa said, bravely. Yes, you do, said a small voice in her head. Remember rehearsing the play with Miranda? You gave up then, didn’t you? Pippa felt hot inside but she squashed the thought flat and turned her attention back to Divine. ‘Now give Diva her voice back or –’
‘Or what?’ Divine said, scornfully. ‘You’ll run and tell your mummykins? Too late, foolish child. I shall sing at the concert tonight and everyone will love me.’
Love me . . . love me . . . love me . . . Divine’s voice echoed softly in the cave.
‘Give me the bottle, please.’ Pippa stepped towards Divine. ‘You’ve made Diva very upset.’
‘Stay back!’ Divine raised a hoof in warning. ‘Come any closer and I’ll smash this bottle on the rocks. Then Diva’s precious voice will be lost for ever.’
For ever . . . for ever . . . for ever . . . called the echo.
Pippa froze. She was convinced that Diva didn’t need her singing voice back to be able to sing again – all she needed was to believe that she could do it. But what if she were wrong? She couldn’t take that risk.
‘Zimb,’ Pippa said in a low voice. ‘Can you sneak round her and get the bottle?’
‘I shall try,’ he replied.
On silent wings, Zimb flew over to Divine.
‘Divine,’ Pippa called, hoping to distract her. ‘You don’t need someone else’s voice to be loved. If you treat the other ponies nicely and show them how much you love them then everyone will want to be your friend.’
Divine’s eyes flashed hopefully. ‘Why should I believe you?’
‘Because –’ Pippa started but it was too late. Zimb had reached the bottle and snatched it from the floor.
Divine wheeled round. ‘Little thief!’ she squealed.
Thief . . . thief . . . thief . . . the cave called back.
‘That’s it, Zimb!’ said Pippa.
Zimb was struggling. The bottle was too heavy for him to carry. When Divine’s flaying hooves knocked the bottle, Zimb let go. Pippa went cold with fear as it sailed through the air. She jumped to save it but the jar slipped through her fingers. There was a fierce crack as it hit the rocks and broke apart. Shards of glass pinged around the cave and Pippa covered her head with her hands to protect herself. A long silence followed. As Pippa uncurled her hands from her head a low moan filled the cave.
‘Nooooo,’ wailed Diva. ‘My singing voice . . . it’s lost for ever.’
‘Ha, ha, ha!’ Divine squinted, making her eyes look small and mean. ‘Serves you right for meddling. If I can’t have your voice, no one can.’ Swirling her cloak around her she leapt into a tunnel at the back of the cave and galloped away.
Pippa listened to her hooves echoing into the distance. ‘I’m sorry.’ She threw her arms around Diva’s black neck. ‘I’m so very sorry.’
‘I used to be special – now I’m just ordinary.’ Diva’s sobs rang around the cave. ‘I’ll never sing again. Never!’
Something was tickling Pippa’s ankles. She stamped her feet and felt water splash up her legs. Fearfully, she glanced down. ‘Oh no!’ she cried. ‘We’ve been here too long. The tide’s coming in.’
‘It’s over my hooves already,’ squeaked Stardust. ‘Help! What are we going to do?’
Chapter 6
Pippa’s head spun. They were going to be trapped in the watery tunnels.
‘I’ll fly to Stableside Castle for help,’ said Zimb.
‘There isn’t time,’ said Pippa. ‘We’ll have to call for the pirates.’
Stardust looked worried. ‘But they’ll never hear us in here. We don’t have the conch shell to make our voices louder.’
‘Diva has a powerful voice,’ said Harmony. ‘The pirates would hear her . . . if she sang.’
Diva shook her head. ‘I’m sorry but I can’t do it,’ she said, dramatically.
‘We’re all here for you,’ said Pippa, stroking Diva’s flowing mane. ‘We believe in you.’
As she waited for Diva to reply, Pippa crossed her fingers. If Diva said yes then she would try harder at all the things she found difficult too, starting with her lines for the play.
‘Oh, OK,’ Diva said, reluctantly. ‘I’ll try.’
‘That’s my Diva,’ said Harmony.
‘Ssstand back, give Diva some room,’ instructed Zimb.
Diva stood alone in the centre of the cave. Pippa held the lantern out to make a spotlight. There was a faraway look in Diva’s eyes as she opened her mouth and began to sing. ‘Yo! It’s a pirate’s life for me . . .’ she crooned.
‘That’s so beautiful,’ called Pippa. ‘Again, Diva. Louder this time.’
Diva blushed. ‘Thank you, Pippa,’ she said. ‘YO! IT’S A PIRATE’S LIFE FOR ME,’ she began again.
As Diva sang the pirate sea shanty, the echo sang it back to her. Pippa swallowed a lump in her throat. She’d never heard such a wonderful voice. Zimb ushered everyone along the tunnel, back to the cave where the pirate ship had left them. The water was rising too quickly. By the time they reached the cave it was up to Pippa’s knees. She held the lantern high above her head and peered into the gloom. Where was The Jolly Horseshoe?
Suddenly Diva stopped singing, but her voice continued to echo through the tunnels.
Diva’s ears swivelled forward. ‘Is that what I sound like?’ she asked.
‘You sound like a star,’ said Pippa.
‘With an audience,’ added Stardust. ‘Look!’
Pippa looked to the mouth of the cave just in time to see The Jolly Horseshoe sail through. ‘Hoorah!’ she cheered. ‘You did it, Diva. You haven’t lost your singing voice at all. There was no magic in that potion! Divine stole something else from you, something much more important – your confidence.’
Diva stared at Pippa with a mixture of surprise and joy. ‘You’re right, Pippa. I can sing. But it’s not too late, is it? I haven’t missed the concert?’
‘No,’ said Pippa, as the thud of The Jolly Horseshoe’s gangplank echoed around the cave. ‘There’s still time to get you back to Stableside Castle for your performance.’
Captain Rascal insisted on sailing everyone around the coast to the beach nearest to Stableside Castle. ‘It’s a pirate’s life for us,’ he laughed.
‘There won’t be enough time to get you ready.’ Stardust fussed over Diva. ‘And we’ve missed our appointment at the Mane Street Salon. Can any of you pirate ponies please lend me a brush so that I can try and smarten Diva up a bit?’
Stardust’s request was met with gales of laughter. ‘A brush!’ The pirates with the spotty bandanas giggled. ‘What’s a brush?’
‘Don’t worry, Stardust,’ said Diva. ‘I don’t mind how I look. It’s more important that I give my best when I’m singing.’
Pippa smiled to herself. Diva wasn’t the diva she’d seemed when they first met. ‘That’s true,’ she said. ‘But Stardust has a point. You’re a star, Diva, and the Royal Ponies will expect you to look tidy.’
Pippa used her fingers to untangle the worst knots in Diva’s mane and tail. She found a clean tissue in her pocket and wiped the mud from the Cloud Forest away from Diva’s face. ‘You look great,’ she said, stepping back to admire her work.
The strong wind blew the boat around the island. It wasn’t long before The Jolly Horseshoe arrived at the beach where Rosella had left Pippa. ‘Not far now,’ said Pippa. ‘Are you ready to sing, Diva?’
‘I’m readier than I’ve ever been,’ Diva said, with a smile.
There was a loud rattle and the boat shook as Captain Rascal dropped the anc
hor. ‘All landlubbers ashore,’ he cried, lowering the plank.
‘Aren’t you coming with us?’ asked Stardust.
‘Not me. I’m staying aboard for the finale.’
‘The finale?’ Stardust was mystified.
Captain Rascal winked. ‘Let’s just say that I’m here to make sure the evening ends with a bang.’
As Pippa, Stardust, Diva, Harmony and Zimb made their way to Stableside Castle they were joined by some of Zimb’s horsefly friends. ‘We came to sssee where you were,’ they buzzed. ‘The unicornsss are here too. They’re already ssseated in the amphitheatre next to the ponies from the Mighty Oaksss Senior Ponies Stables, who didn’t get to hear the concert earlier.’
As the turrets of the Castle grew nearer Pippa felt fizzy with excitement. Diva was very quiet but her face was set with determination.
‘You’re going to be brilliant,’ Pippa whispered.
‘I’ll give it my best,’ Diva replied.
The amphitheatre was buzzing with chatter as Pippa and Stardust took their seats in the royal box.
Queen Moonshine leaned forward in her seat. ‘We were beginning to worry that you wouldn’t make it,’ she whinnied.
‘Did Divine give Diva her singing voice back?’ asked Princess Crystal. ‘Is it as good as it was?’
‘Wait and see,’ Stardust said, with a smile.
‘What about Diva’s hooves and mane and tail? Did she get them done? Only she missed her appointment at the Mane Street Salon,’ Princess Honey said, anxiously.
Before Pippa or Stardust could answer the conductor tapped his baton against his music stand. The audience fell silent. A soft, pink spotlight circled the stage and came to rest in the centre where Diva stood with her head bowed. Bathed in light, she turned to the royal box and curtsied to the King and Queen. She winked at Pippa and Stardust, then throwing back her head she began to sing.
After the performance the audience went wild. They cheered and stamped their hooves and some threw wild flowers on to the stage. Diva was made to sing three encores before finally the conductor tapped his baton on his music stand for silence. Diva stepped forward. In a low voice she addressed the crowd. ‘Ponies, unicorns, Pippa MacDonald and friends of Chevalia, thank you. Your support means so much to me. It was only with the help and love of my friends that I made it here tonight. They taught me a lesson that I’ll always remember. Never give up on your dreams. If you believe in yourself then you can make good things happen. I believe in me but I also believe in Chevalia, a magical place for ponies and their friends. To Chevalia.’
‘To Chevalia.’ As the roar of the crowd died away pink stars exploded overhead.
Pippa stared up as more bangs sounded and the sky was filled with a rainbow of coloured stars. ‘Fireworks,’ she said, happily.
‘So that’s what Captain Rascal meant when he said the evening would end with a bang! I love fireworks,’ Stardust added.
‘Me too,’ said Pippa as a rocket whizzed into the night sky and exploded in a myriad of coloured sparkles. ‘What a perfect end to a brilliant concert.’
After the concert everyone wanted to congratulate Diva on how well she’d sung. There was such a huge crowd around her that Pippa and Stardust couldn’t even see her. Gradually the ponies drifted away. When at last Diva was on her own again she made straight for Pippa and her cousin Stardust. Her eyes shone with happiness. ‘Thank you,’ Diva said.
‘No, thank you,’ said Pippa. ‘You showed me how important confidence is. You’re a truly extraordinary pony, Diva.’
Stardust neighed. ‘Let’s get something to eat. The buffet looks delicious and I’m hungry after all that excitement.’
There was plenty of food. Stardust and Diva tucked into carrot burgers and hot popped oats, washing them down with steaming carrot juice. To Pippa’s delight the Stableside cook had remembered her too. She had her own dish of fish and chips served in a paper box and a mug of hot chocolate. Pippa drained the hot chocolate and licked her lips. ‘How come food tastes so much better when it’s eaten outdoors?’ she asked.
‘I don’t know but it does!’ Princess Stardust agreed.
‘Sssorry to break up the party.’ Zimb hovered by Pippa’s ear. ‘Captain Rascal is ready to take you home, Pippa.’
‘I’m sailing home on a pirate ship!’ Pippa’s face lit up.
‘Can I come too?’ asked Stardust.
‘Of courssse,’ said Zimb. ‘Go and sssay your goodbyes, Pippa.’
There was a heavy feeling in Pippa’s chest as she said goodbye to her friends. She didn’t want to leave, but she knew it was time to return home and practise for the school play.
‘You’re always welcome in Chevalia,’ said Queen Moonshine, as Pippa curtsied. ‘We hope to see you soon.’
Pippa flushed. She hoped to be back soon. Chevalia was her special place.
The pirate ponies sang sea shanties and told tall tales of their adventures on the high seas. Pippa decided to practise for the school play. She stood on the deck and recited her lines, pretending to be a brave knight. The pirates applauded her and asked for more.
‘For the price of a song,’ Pippa replied, with a smile.
They sang more sea shanties all the way home. Pippa and Stardust joined in and the journey passed even more quickly than usual. Pippa could hardly believe it when The Jolly Horseshoe pulled up on the riverbank, alongside the bulrushes where she’d first seen Rosella.
‘Goodbye, Stardust.’ Pippa gave the pony the longest hug ever.
‘Goodbye, Pippa. See you soon?’
‘I’m sure of it,’ said Pippa, as she hopped on to the bank. She turned to wave goodbye but The Jolly Horseshoe had gone. Pippa stared at the empty river for a long moment, then she took a deep breath. The adventure wasn’t quite over. There was one thing left to do. She strode over to the tree where Miranda was reading her book.
Pippa cleared her throat. ‘I’ve changed my mind,’ she said, confidently. ‘I’m going to practise my play now. Please will you be my audience?’
‘All right, Pippa,’ said Miranda, with a smile. She put her book down. ‘Are you ready to be a star?’
Pippa smiled back and stood tall. She was ready.
After a sensational performance at what is being called Stableside Castle’s concert of the year, this reporter was granted a backstage interview with superstar, Diva, to talk about what really went on behind the scenes in the lead-up to the show.
TI (Tulip Inkhoof): First of all, Diva, let me just say: I’m a big fan.
D (Diva): No you’re not, you’re a pony! Ha ha ha! Seriously, though, Tunic –
TI: It’s Tulip, actually.
D: How lovely for you, da . . . ha . . . ling. As I was saying, of course you’re a fan. Foals look up to me and ponies want to be me. I’m Diva, the Duchess of Savannah!
TI: You’re sure of yourself, aren’t you?
D: Why yes! If I don’t believe in myself, then neither will my fans.
TI: Can you tell our readers where all of that confidence comes from?
D: When I’m singing, it’s just me out there on stage, in front of thousands of cheering ponies. To give them what they want and what they expect, I have to be the best. I dig deep, right down to my horseshoes, and summon up all my courage and confidence. Tunis, I’ll let you in on a little secret . . .
TI: It’s Tulip, Tulip Inkhoof, and that’d be great.
D: As a foal I wasn’t the best singer in Savannah, and along the way I’ve faced plenty of rejection. I remember wanting to sing so badly that my mare took me to the Winter Fair to try out for the Chevalia Choir. I hadn’t prepared and I was awful. Everyone laughed at me.
TI: How terrible!
D: I never forgot that day, and ever since then I’ve always rehearsed and prepared. Even when I’m the star attraction at a big concert, I still feel just one gallop away from that little foal who messed up her first audition. That’s where confidence comes in. It gets me over that jump – no matter how high it is.<
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TI: That’s very inspiring. Can you tell our readers what happened to your singing voice before the concert tonight? Chevalia was rife with rumours that you’d lost your voice. There was even talk of dark magic afoot.
D: That sneaky pony Divine convinced me she’d used a potion to take my voice – and I fell for it. But it was my confidence that I lost! I got caught up in my own fame and thought that it was just my voice that made me who I am. Now I know that’s not true.
TI: Well, your voice is wonderful. We hear that the infamous pirate Captain Rascal thinks so too. Is he the fearless thief that the ponarazzi report him to be?
D: Not in the least! After all, he helped me to find my most precious treasure: my confidence.
Chevalia Now! is delighted to reproduce this special letter from Pippa, received via Princess Stardust.
Dear Stardust,
I’m going to give this letter to the seahorses to take to you. I do hope that it reaches you.
I’m back at school now. Chevalia seems so far away, and yet you, and all of the other ponies, are in my heart.
Yesterday was the school play. I practised and rehearsed all week, and when I stepped on to the stage, dressed up as a brave knight, I delivered my lines loudly without forgetting even one.
Mum said I looked like a natural up there, especially when I rode my loyal horse – which was actually two boys from my class dressed up in a horse costume! You would have laughed so hard.
I can’t believe that just a week ago I was too timid to perform in front of an audience. I was scared that everyone would laugh at me.
