You're gonna go far, kid.

I opened my eyes and stretched my wings. I looked around my makeshift “house”. I built it last night out of some branches and leaves I found on the edge of the Everfree Forest. At least it kept the rain off of me at night. I walked over to a puddle in the ground from last night’s storms.

I looked at my reflection. As always, my short brown mane was messy, matted, and dirty. I dipped my hoof in the water and attempted to get some of the dirt off my face and smooth out my mane. It only helped slightly but it still looked better.

“Today is the day” I told myself, “I'm gonna get that last five bits I need for the guitar.” I smiled a little bit and headed towards the center of Canterlot. It was a longer journey but it was worth it because even though the ponies there didn’t have much pity when they did donate, it was usually pretty generous.

When I got there, I went to my usual spot, in between the bakery and music shop. I always like that spot because I love smell coming from the bakery and I'm always reminded of my goal: to get my guitar. I sat down with my little Styrofoam cup.

I looked at everybody that went by with a smile. An hour went by and I had only made two bits. I added them to my little pouch full of money. I had counted them every night. I put the pouch behind my back and went back to smiling at the people. Another half hour went by before I got another bit.

I'm so close now. I just need two more bits. I looked back at my cutie mark: A guitar with a microphone chord wrapped around it. I remember the day I got it like it was just yesterday.

“Strings, are you ready for the talent show yet?”

“Yeah, mom, I’ll be down in a second!”

“Okay, well hurry up! Your sister and I are waiting.” I trotted down the stairs. My hair was spiked up, my blue coat was very clean, and I had my guitar on my back. “Ok mom, let’s go.” We left out the front door and eventually got to where the talent show was being held.

My mom and sister wished me luck and I disappeared behind the stage. Miss Cheerilee said that I was up next. I was very excited and nervous at the same time. When a couple girls my age walked back behind stage from the stage and they didn’t look very happy.

I heard I booming voice call my name. I walked on stage, my legs shaking. I stood on my hind legs and adjusted the microphone to my height. I swung my guitar in front of me and cleared my throat. The audience was so quiet; you could hear a pin drop. I took a deep breath in, closed my eyes, and start strumming.

When the song was over, I looked out at the crowd. They were just as quiet to begin with. I thought to myself: They hated it, didn’t they. I dropped my head and started to walk off the stage. Just then, everypony stood up and started cheering as loud as they could. I looked around to make sure they were applauding me.

A smile grew on my face. When I got back stage again, I felt a numbing sensation run through my body. Everything flashed white for a split second. I looked back at my flank when I saw it. It wasn’t blank anymore, it had a bright and shiny cutie mark on it.

A person dropping some bits in my cup drew me out of my day dream. I counted how many were dropped in…”one, two, three, four, five” I smiled now I can get something to eat AND my guitar. I stood up and stretched my legs before turning to the music shop. I walked in and was greeted with the usual “Hey, kid! Buy somethin’ or get out.”

I could only smile and laugh. “I'm here to buy something today, Merve.” I held up my pouch with 53 bits in it. After the store clerk counted out the 50 bits, he walked through a door behind him. When he finally emerged, he came out with an old, beat up guitar. It looked like the one on my flank except not as nice. Still it would do. It was cheap and it works.

I smiled at him as he took my 50 bits. “Thank you very much, sir.” He grunted at me as I walked out the store. I went next door to the bakery. The owner was much nicer than the guy in the music store. Every so often, he would sometimes give me a brownie or donut. The owner of the bakery was named Mr. Brown. He tipped his hat towards me as I walked in. Luckily his food was cheap. I walked up to the counter and got the biggest thing I could for 3 bits. I got a large loaf of bread for 2 and I decided to save the last bit for later. Mr. Brown told me “Have a nice day, Strings.”

“Right back at ya’ Mr. Brown” I left the store and looked at the sky. The sun was setting into a pretty orange color. I put my guitar on my back, bread in my mouth, and set back towards ‘home’ in Ponyville.

I made it back to my little fort. I sat down under the small dome I made out of branches, leaves, and a tarp. I broke off a piece of bread and popped it into my mouth.. When I finished half of the bread, I set it down on a clean spot and, laid down.

I closed my eyes and was out like a light.

I woke up and ate a little more of the bread. I grabbed my ‘new’ guitar and exited my little hut. I stretched out and started walking to the center of Ponyville. Always start out small. I got to town square and sat on the bench. I strummed it a couple of times before actually playing.

I stood up on my hind legs and started playing and singing. I didn’t have to think, just lets the sound flow through the guitar. I looked around and saw a pony tapping her hoof on the ground. After a while, I started drawing a crowd. It wasn’t a big crowd but it was a couple ponies, and they were all…dancing.

When I finished my song, people started tossing bits in front of me. I looked around at the people and smiled. I started scooping the bits into my almost empty pouch. I might actually be able to get my wing fixed.  As I was doing this, I felt a gentle tapping on my side. When I looked up, I saw three cute little fillies. They each had big grins on their face. “Hi, girls, can …uh…can I help you with something?” The little white one with purple and pink hair spoke first.

“We were wondering if you could show us how you play guitar and stuff. See, we’re trying to get our cutie marks and thought maybe guitar or singing could be it.” A cute yellow filly said with a southern accent “And maybe, when we get there, one of mah big sis’s friends can help fix up that wing of yours.” I smiled awkwardly. “Uh…sure, if you guys want to.”

They all said in unison: “Ok come with us!” They, all three, started pushing me from behind. I stood up and trotted, so they didn’t have to push me. I followed them across town, to a big red barn on an apple orchard. It was huge. The three fillies were greeted by a bright orange pony with a yellow mane tied into a pony tail.

The orange pony saw me and started looking at me real close. “What’re you doin’ ‘round my sister and her friends?” I opened my mouth to speak but was interrupted by the little yellow filly. “AJ, he’s gonna be teachin’ us how to play guitar. Ya’ know, so we can see if that’s our true talent.”

I told the orange pony: “I can leave if you want me to. I'm sorry if I caused any trouble.” I dropped my head and turned to leave but was stopped by the three little fillies. The yellow one went over to her sister and started trying to persuade the orange one to let me stay meanwhile the white and orange fillies started talking to me. I found out that the orange one was Scootaloo, the white one was Sweetie Belle, the yellow one was Applebloom, and the big orange one was AppleJack.

AppleJack and Applebloom came back over after a few moments of whisper-yelling. Applebloom was jumping up and down and said rather loudly “Mah big sis said you can stay!” AppleJack quickly added on to that “Just for a little while. Then you gotta go home where ever that is.” I nodded quickly as the girls started pushing me again.

When they finally got me inside, they started asking me a bunch of questions. I replied quickly to every question, so I could leave as soon as possible. That AppleJack pony looked like she could mess me up if she wanted. I was there for about an hour when AppleJack came in the door and told the girls to go to bed.

They all groaned before they all shouted out in unison “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER GHOST STORY TELLERS!” They all ran upstairs. I stood up to leave when AJ offered to walk me home. I only accepted because I'm not a fan of walking alone in the dark.

When she asked me where I lived, I told her “Next to the Everfree Forest.”

“I ain’t never seen a house out there. Is it new?”

“You could say that.” We made it back to my leafy shelter. I thanked AJ and expected her to leave. I started laying down and getting ready for bed. She still hadn’t left. She finally broke the silence “Hey, uh…if you wanna, you can stay with us on the farm” My ears perked up slightly.

“Really? You mean it?” She nodded. I stood up and grabbed my guitar. We trotted back to her house. When we got back, she asked me why I didn’t build a house out of clouds if I had wings. I mumbled something under my breath that she couldn’t hear. She asked me to repeat myself. I sighed and finally spoke clearly. “Because I never learned to fly.”

Her face softened. “Oh, I'm sorry. I didn’t know.”

“It’s fine,” I grunted. She led me inside and brought me a blanket for the couch. I thanked her for letting me stay laid down. She went upstairs. I eventually drifted off to sleep.

I was in a field chopping down, what looked to be corn stalks, with a scythe. I was almost done when a tree started sprouting up from the ground. When the tree got to about a foot taller than me, it emitted a blinding glow. I covered my eyes until the glow dissipated. When I looked back, it was a green mare. She had leaves for a mane and bright red lips.

She handed me a guitar, the one that I had now, and smiled. I wandered off with my guitar, playing songs at random. I looked over and saw a pony dancing. I smiled and went to town. When I played for them, they were all dancing, cheering, showering me with the shiniest of gold bits.

I was snapped awake with three faces looking over me. They all had big smiles on their faces. I sat up and coughed a couple times. Applebloom said happily “AppleJack never said that you could stay the night! If she lets you stay tonight, we can make s’mores, and tell scary stories, and you can teach us more guitar and singing and stuff. Ya’ know that Sweetie Belle here is a pretty good singer.”

I looked over at the little white filly with a smile. “Is that so?” Her muzzle turned red with embarrassment.

“It’s just a hobby.” I just smiled slightly, and then Apple Bloom’s face lit up. She whispered to the other girls for a couple of short moments. They all shouted out in unison “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER HAIR STYLISTS!” I looked at them, slightly shocked.

“I’ll get the scissors!”

“I’ll get the mane dye!”

“I’ll get the towels and mirror!”

The girls all ran off in different directions. When they came back, they all had something in their hooves. I tried to protest but they wouldn’t listen. They draped a towel around my neck and sat me down on a couple towels on the ground. I heard the snipping of the scissors.

When they stopped cutting, they looked at the different boxes of mane dye to use. I still tried to protest, but my words were falling upon deaf ears. They decided to use yellow/blonde. They rubbed it in my short mane for a few minutes before they took me outside to rinse it out with a hose.

They brought me back inside to show me my new hair. It didn't look bad. It looked less 'scruffy'. I wasn't a fan of the color, but they did a pretty okay job with it.