[Intro] [Clean guitar and piano] [Verse 1] I found Fluttershy before sunrise, putting seed outside her door. She saw me coming up the pathway. Didn't hide. Didn't smile. I said, "I should've listened when you told me you needed space." She said, "I should've told you before I pushed you all away." Neither one of us said sorry for the things we needed then. She moved over on the doorstep. I sat down beside my friend. [Pre-Chorus] Maybe meeting in the middle doesn't mean we disappear. Maybe I can still be me and choose to have you here. [Chorus] Neither slave nor solitary. Neither chained nor all alone. I won't lose myself to love you. I don't have to stand on my own. I can carry my own heartbeat and still reach for yours beside me. I am mine. And I am with you. Neither slave nor solitary. [Verse 2] Rainbow met me near the station. Said she still had things to do. Places she wanted to fly toward, dreams she wanted to pursue. I said, "Go." She stared like I'd surprised her. Then I said, "Just come back too." She laughed. "That's kinda how friendship works, you egghead. I thought you knew." Rarity didn't promise she'd give everything again. She said giving only matters when you're free to choose the when. Pinkie didn't make a joke when she told me she'd been low. I didn't ask her for a smile. I just said, "I know." [Pre-Chorus] Maybe loving somepony doesn't mean we own their time. Maybe standing side by side still leaves room for separate lives. [Chorus] Neither slave nor solitary. Neither chained nor all alone. I won't lose myself to love you. I don't have to stand on my own. I can carry my own heartbeat and still reach for yours beside me. I am mine. And I am with you. Neither slave nor solitary. [Verse 3] Applejack was last. Of course she was. Same field. Same old fence. This time when she looked away from me, I climbed across it. Didn't tell her she was stubborn. Didn't tell her I was right. I just started bucking apples on the row to her right side. After maybe twenty minutes, she said, "Didn't ask for help, ya know." I said, "I know." Another minute. Then she smiled. "Don't mean ya have to go." [Instrumental Rise] [Bridge] [Warm, building vocals] Fluttershy can tell us no. Rainbow gets to chase the sky. Rarity can keep something for herself. Pinkie doesn't have to smile. Applejack can take a hoof without becoming any less strong. And I can love my friends without believing I must fix what's wrong. [Build] We aren't six pieces of one pony. We aren't islands in the sea. We're six whole lives that choose each other— and that's what friendship means to me. [Dual Guitar Solo] [Final Chorus] Neither slave nor solitary! Neither chained nor all alone! We won't lose ourselves to friendship! We don't have to stand on our own! Six hearts carrying their own fire, seven lights where six once shined! I am mine! And I am with you! Your life! Your voice! Your road! Your choice! My hoof! My heart! My hope! Our choice! Neither slave— nor solitary! [Post-Chorus] [Layered female vocals] I am mine. You are yours. Still we choose something more. [Outro] [Clean guitar] Six friends beneath the morning. No speeches. No grand design. Just Applejack passing me a basket. And me taking it this time. [Seven-note motif resolves]
