The Lucky One

"Sweetie Belle, darling, could you come here a moment please?" Rarity called from upstairs. Sweetie Belle sighed. Her older sister probably just wanted to dress her up in some frilly dress again. Nonetheless, she trotted up the staircase and into Rarity's room.

"What's up, Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked. Rarity whipped around.

"Oh, Sweetie, it's simply marvelous!" Rarity gushed: "I've been called in for an interview at the most high end fashion boutique in all of Equestria!"

"And?" Sweetie Belle deadpanned.

Rarity gave her younger sibling a bored look. "And you'll be coming to Canterlot with me for the interview tomorrow."

Sweetie Belle groaned. "Aww, Rarity, do I have to? That's a whole day of crusading I'll miss out on!" Rarity rolled her eyes. "And Canterlot is big and crowded!"

"You'll be with me the entire time, or at the lovely hotel where I've booked a night," Rarity said, turning to her sewing machine. "Now, go pack. I want to catch the train to Canterlot at eight o' clock tomorrow morning."

Sweetie Belle left the room dejectedly, but instead of packing as Rarity said, she bolted downstairs and out the front door of Carousel Boutique. She raced for Sweet Apple Acres, and safe harbor.

"Sweetie Belle? What in tarnation-," Apple Bloom shouted as the white filly plowed into her.

"Save me!" Sweetie Belle squeaked.

"From what?" Apple Bloom looked confused.

"Rarity! She's trying to take me to Canterlot!"

"What for?" Apple Bloom questioned.

"She has some sort of interview thing... Please don't let her take me!"

"Ah'll ask Applejack if ya can stay here!" Apple Bloom yelled, scrambling to her feet.

**************************************

"Ah'm sorry, Sweetie Belle, but we've got relatives comin' in from Manehattan tonight," Applejack said softly. "Which Apple Bloom did know about," She added, turning a glare on the small earth pony. Sweetie Belle's ears drooped.

"What about Scootaloo?" Apple Bloom suggested, ignoring her sister.

"No," Sweetie Belle said sadly: "You know how her parents are." Apple Bloom's ears fell as well.

"Ah'm sure ya'll will have fun," Applejack said. "Now, run along, the both of ya. Ah got some chores ta finish."

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom trudged out of the barn, muzzles nearly dragging on the ground.

"I guess I should go pack," Sweetie Belle said. "It's almost sunset."

"Yeah... I guess I'll see ya when ya'll get back then," Apple Bloom responded.

"Yeah. Bye, Apple Bloom. Tell Scoot I said goodbye?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Apple Bloom nodded, "Sure thing!" Sweetie Belle trotted away from Sweet Apple Acres, kicking a stone across the road sadly. She hated Canterlot. There were just too many ponies for her to enjoy her time. Even when she was a flower girl in Princess Cadence's wedding, she couldn't wait to go home to Ponyville.

As quietly as she could, Sweetie Belle opened the front door of Carousel Boutique. She peeked inside, making sure Rarity was nowhere in sight. Slipping inside, she kicked the door shut, and bolted to her room.

"Sweetie Belle? Was that you?" Rarity called from her studio.

"Yep!" Sweetie Belle yelled in response. She threw her saddle bags on her bed and packed the only outfit she had, other than her flower girl dress. She doubted she'd need anything else.

That thought remained rooted in her mind as she boarded the train with her sister early the next morning. Even the train was crowded! And they were still in Ponyville!

"Sweetie Belle, dear, do you mind if I take the window seat? You know how easily I get sick," Rarity simpered.

Begrudgingly, Sweetie Belle complied. She huffed bitterly as she sat down, resting her head on the arm rest.

"Well don't you look happy to be alive," A male voice remarked. Sweetie Belle's head shot up.

"Excuse me?" She snapped. A unicorn colt in the row across from her chuckled.

"The name's Ice Flame," He said proudly. The name suited him, with his pale white coat and spikey bright orange mane.

"Sweetie Belle..." The unicorn filly said. She didn't much like the looks of Ice Flame, with his bored-looking face and cocky attitude. Nonetheless, she figured she could use the conversation. It was a five hour train ride to Canterlot, after all.

"Why so glum, Sweetie?" Ice Flame smirked, causing Sweetie Belle to roll her eyes.

"I don't want to go to Canterlot, that's why," She said vaguely.

Ice Flame looked shocked. "But Canterlot is where dreams come true!" He exclaimed. "Don't you have any dreams?"

"You mean other than getting my cutie mark?" Sweetie Belle muttered under her breath.

"Wait, you're a blank flank?" Ice Flame asked, looking surprised. Sweetie Belle's ears flattened and she flipped her tail over her flank. "No worries, kid. You're still young."

Ice Flame didn't look much older than Sweetie Belle and her friends, maybe a year or so difference. Glancing at his flank, she saw his cutie mark was a flaming musical note.

Curiosity got the better of the Cutie Mark Crusader. "What's yours mean?"

"I'm a singer. I play guitar too, but I mainly sing," He answered.

Sweetie Belle nodded. "Like Sapphire Shores?"

"Heck no," Ice Flame spat. "That's the most annoying music I've ever heard."

Sweetie Belle was taken aback. She and Rarity loved Sapphire Shores' music. Sweetie Belle herself had never listened to any other type of music.

"Rock is where it's at. Now that is something you can bang your head to," He mused, then, seeing the look on Sweetie Belle's face, asked: "You've never listened to rock, have you?" When she shook her head, Ice Flame levitated a small music player from his saddle bags. He handed her an earbud, which she managed to put into her ear without magic. He dialed up a song quickly, saying: "I'll give you something softer for your first listen."

Gentle, but rapid guitar riffs floated through the earbud.

Clap until your hooves hurt, standing ovations or boos. Watch until we blur, trot off into the sunset.

"What is this?" Sweetie Belle asked. It wasn't something she'd normally listen to, but she didn't dislike it.

"It's called 'Alpha Colt' by Fall Out Pony," Ice Flame answered. "This is isn't technically rock, though, it's alternative."

"Huh," Sweetie Belle thought. "Maybe Ice Flame isn't so bad."

They sat and listened to music for the majority of the train ride, Ice Flame introducing Sweetie Belle to various new genres.

A short time later, Sweetie Belle's music was interrupted by a tap on the shoulder. She turned to see Rarity levitating their bags down from the overhead compartment. "We're here, darling. Say goodbye to your new, ehm, friend," She said, casting a disproving glance at Ice Flame.

"See ya around," Sweetie Belle said.

"Later," Ice Flame responded, trotting off after a very gruff looking dark blue stallion. Sweetie Belle followed Rarity off the train, into the swarms of fancy-schmancy ponies. Her mood, which Ice Flame had slightly improved, dropped.

"I don't think I like that colt very much," Rarity commented as they stepped into the stage coach that would take them to their hotel.

Sweetie Belle was appalled. "You didn't even speak to him!" She shouted.

"Sweetie Belle, please, lower your voice!" Rarity scolded. "He was a ruffian, I could tell."

"You call Scootaloo and Apple Bloom ruffians and you still like them!"

"Now, that's enough, Sweetie," Rarity snapped. "Or I'll be forced to leave you in the hotel room while I meet with my interviewer."

"Fine by me," The filly responded bitterly, earning her a glare from Rarity. "This is going to be a long day," Sweetie Belle thought despairingly.