Chapters "Rarity I'm off to school!" I yelled to my sister who was still waking up, she murmured something as I closed the door.
"Hey Sweetie Belle I was thinking we should get some new members." Scootaloo said. I thought she had a point we've had the same amount of ponies in our club since we started but the problem was we didn't know any other blank flanks.
"You know anypony?" I asked Scootaloo ignore me and started talking about how she and Rainbowdash were going to hang out today.
"Scootaloo no offense but we're on a different subject." Applebloom said as we began walking. Scootaloo kept on talking though she was so excited that her wings began to buzz every so often.
"I think we lost her." I said and Applebloom nodded.
"Hey look at that we're at school already." Scootaloo said as we approached the building. As we entered everything was pretty much normal Diamond made fun of us, Snips and Snails were hanging out at the swing-set, and Featehrweight and Rumble were eating breakfast. The only things different were the fact Button Mash wasn't playing on his joy-boy and some colt I had never seen before. He had white headphones on playing some kind of music I had never heard of before, he wore a grey hoodie though it wasn't that cold, his tail was longer that the other colts and his mane is what Rarity would call a fashion disaster.
"Hey look another blank flank." Scootaloo said I noticed she was looking at the new pony. His coat was grey but it had a misty texture to it, his mane and tail were purple and had a blue streak though it.
"We should ask if he would join us." Applebloom said
"No he doesn't seem like the type to do that maybe we should just ask Button." I suggested but Scootaloo had a wide grin on her face.
"Or we could ask both of them!" She exclaimed and Applebloom agreed with her I was beaten so I was chosen to ask the new colt. I walked over to him and he took his headphones off.
"Hello my name is Sweetie Belle." I introduced myself, he gave me a confused look pulled out some device clicked a button and looked back up to me. "I wanted to ask if you wanted to join the Cutie Mark Crusaders we're a group dedicated to finding our cutie marks!" I sounded proud but it didn't prepare me for his reaction.
"You have something in your teeth." He said and I just stared into space. Did he hear me. I can't believe that's what he said. Do I have something in my teeth?
"Sooooo........thanks but no thanks." He said and I snapped out of it partly due to Button's crying over his game.
"What do you mean no!?" I said offended partially because I started the club.
"Don't get me wrong a cutie mark is great and all but I'm in no hurry." He said as Diamond and Silver Spoon walked by.
"Did you hear that the blank flank was rejected by another blank flank!" Diamond said which was followed by Silver Spoon to drive the point home. "She's so lame."
The colt standing in front on me grew a grin on his face and raised his voice. "Actually I would love to join your exclusive club." He was loud enough for the entire class to hear. Diamond and Silver Spoon turned around and flashed him their worst scowls.
"What?" I said staring at hi only to have him wink and walk away. We took our seats as Ms. Cheerilee entered the classroom.
Today's lesson was on the history of music and it's influence. When she started talking about rock and roll and it's different styles she lost most of the class and the only pony answering questions or asking them was the new pony. Ms. Cheerilee was actually impressed with him more so than I ever saw her get with anypony. When it came time for lunch Button Mash sat with Applebloom, Scootaloo and I.
"Hey you should sit with us!" I called out to the new pony he walked over and sat down next to me.
"My name is Cord." He said
"Ok well nice to meet ya this here is Scootaloo and Button. I know ya already met Sweetie Belle." Applebloom said as pew pew noises came from Button's joy-boy.
"Cool." He replied he took out his lunch and began eating. "So? What's this club thing?"
"Well we'll explain after school today." Scootaloo said. It wasn't long till school ended and our new members were walking along with us to our club house.
"This is so rad!" Button said enthusiastically with his mouth open still trying to gather what he is seeing Cord wasn't as impressed as him though all he said was "Cool" and that was it. After we swore the two Button, Scootaloo, and Applebloom had to go. Leaving me with the new pony.
"So are you leaving to?" I asked he didn't answer my question.
"Why do you put up with those two bullies?" He asked the question caught me off guard.
"Well what other choice is there?" I asked and he gave me a a diabolical smile.
"I'll show you tomorrow but I should get home my mom will get worried." He said before leaving. I ended up walking off with him to go home as well. I entered the Boutique and Rarity was hard at work.
"I'm back, can I help at all?" I asked she looked at me with an annoyed look.
"Last time you caught the dress on fire." She said I blushed from embarrassment.
"Oh yeah right...." I headed up to my room and started listening to music Rarity liked which were all love songs. It made me wonder if she would ever find a stallion that met her overly large standards. I began to think if I had the same problem but I convinced myself that I just hadn't met anypony that I could relate to. Then I started thinking about the few guys I actually knew and how I acted around them. I came to the conclusion the closet thing I had to a crush would be how I felt about Spike.
"Hey Sweetie Belle how was your day you meet any guys?" Rarity asked as she entered the room . She had been teasing me about that ever since I turned thirteen.
"NO!" I yelled at her as she laughed.
"I'm just kidding anyways dinner is ready." She said
"Your not giving it a try?" I said as Cord stood far away from the cliff. below was a lake that we were planning to jump into, we had decided to try to get our cutie marks in cliff jumping.
"Nope, never will I jump off a cliff for any reason." He said I sighed and jumped along with everypony else at the same time, I hit the water with a big flop. I got out my stomach and chest were red.
"Nice belly flop," Cord called from the cliff. I stuck my tongue out at him and he laughed. Which in return caused Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Button to laugh as well, I eventually joined in. He walked down and handed me a towel, I began using it dry myself off.
"I knew you would come in handy." Scootaloo said as she to took a towel and began drying off.
"We should go to the arcade now!" Button said
"Yeah let's go play video games with all those bits we don't have." Cord said and Button looked down defeated then Cord had an idea.
"We should try to get our cutie marks in odd jobs." He said this met with much confusion from everypony else, which caused him to ecplain further. "You know like cut a pony's lawn or clean their gutters or watering plants just small things but we would get paid."
"Oh sounds like a good a plan as any." Scootaloo said, and we were off. We went through the town with out any luck.
"Well this sucks." Scootaloo said and we all agreed.
"Hey squirt." Rainbowdash said as she flew down to Scootaloo. "Remember I'm suppose to help you to learn to fly today."
"Oh right sorry I have to go." Scootaloo said as she ran off after Rainbowdash.
"So what now?" Button asked
"There's a music store we could go to." Cord said, Button and Applebloom didn't like that idea so they went off on their own. I ended up at the music store listening to Vinyl Scratch's newest song. Across the store Cord was listening to music as well. The bell rang signaling a new costumer I looked over to find that it was Spike. He went to the section Rarity normally goes to and started looking through the albums. I assumed it was another attempt to win my sister over.
"That band isn't any good." Cord said as he went over to Spike.
"What do you mean Rarity loves this band." Spike replied as Cord took the CD and put it back. He went over and pulled out something else it was labeled Vampire Weekend.
"Here try this, it's a lot better than those boy band love songs." Cord said Spike took it and the one he just picked up bought both and left.
"What music do you like listening to?" I asked
"Um hard rock mainly but I also like metal and things like that." He replied I had never heard of those genres.
"What?" I asked he faced palm and grabbed my hoof. He led me to where he was listening and put the headphones on me.
"Listen." He said as the music started it was hard for me to get into it at first but then I found myself liking it. The song ended and I took the headphones off.
"What was that?" I asked he looked at me.
"That was Flyleaf's Fully Alive. Do you like it?" He asked
"Yes!" I cried out the rest of the day we spent listening to music. I bought a few albums before heading home.
"What's in the bag?" Rarity asked as I walked in she was having tea with Spike. I ignored her and went upstairs where I put on my new music. I ended up loosing track of time and before I knew it was dark.
The next day was Saturday I found myself with Applebloom watching Scootaloo practice with Rainbowdash. Scootaloo was using a cloud to help her fly while Rainbowdash flew next to her to make sure she didn't fall.
"So what's with the black lipstick?" Applebloom asked I had forgotten I had put it on.
"I just thought I would try something different." I replied and she had a big grin on her face.
"Your trying to impress that colt you went to music store aren't ya." She said I could feel my face turn red
"NO!" I yelled and Applebloom started laughing. "I would never go out with somepony like him!" Just the thought made me want to vomit.
"Oh come on ya know I was just kiddin." She said and I took a deep breathe.
"It's fine." I said
"Hey you two quiet down!" Scootaloo yelled from her cloud both of us nodded in agreement. She continued practicing for another twenty minutes before Rainbowdash had to go take care of the weather.
"What do y'all want to do now?" Applebloom asked none of us had any idea so we ended up going back to the club house to try to come up with some crusading ideas.
"You know the talent show is coming up we should try that again." Scootaloo said
"Last time we got laughed at." I pointed out
"I say we should give it another shot." Applebloom said I realized I was fighting a loosing battle and gave up.
"Fine but I'm singing this time and we have to include our new members as well." I said and Scootaloo and Applebloom agreed with me. I walked back to my house and sat upstairs trying to come up with a better song than the last time we did this.
Changes
I woke up early the next day, I put on the black lipstick that I had gotten from my sister's make up drawer the previous day. I looked through my closet and found a black head band I put it on and made my way to the door. Rarity was still up working on dresses for the up coming gala. She had circles around her eyes and her mane was a mess.
"That's a new look." She said as she saw me making my way to the door. "Aren't you afraid it's a little depressing?"
"I like it." I replied she rolled her eyes and put down what she was doing.
"Sweetie Belle is this for that guy you've been hanging out with?" She went into the other room and came back with a wet rag. She sat me down on a stool and proceeded to wipe the lipstick off.
"No I just wanted to try out a new look." She took off my head band.
"Is that so well then you should loose the head band." She went back to work and I put it back on,
"Um I think I'll keep it." I replied she ignored my remark and kept working. I left and headed to Sweet Apple Acres. I found Scootaloo along the way and caught a ride in the wagon she was carrying with her scooter.
"What's with the head band?" She asked as we zoomed through Ponyville.
"I just thought it looked nice." I replied she rolled her eyes.
"So this song that we're suppose to be singing is it better than last time?"
"Um I hadn't really started on it." I replied sheepishly. She sighed as we pulled up next to Applebloom's house.
"What's with the fishing poles?" I asked as Applebloom got into the wagon.
"Why else would we get up so early?" She replied as Scootaloo started moving again. We went to the lake that we had tried cliff jumping at and set up.
"So where are the two newbies?" Scootaloo asked
"They decided not to come." Applebloom said. Her pole started to bend. "Hey I got one!" she started reeling it in but she began moving towards the water. Scootaloo bit her tail and began to try to fly backwards I grabbed onto her and the fishing line snapped causing us to fly backwards.
"I guess we aren't getting a cutie mark in fishing." Scootaloo said we all started laughing. After that we gathered our things, loaded them back into the wagon, and headed back towards the town.
"So what should we do now?" I asked as we put the fishing supplies up.
"I know we could work on our act for the talent show!" Scootaloo said so we ended up going into town to get the supplies plus some ideas for a song. We rode through town picking up fabric, wood, and whatever else we thought we would need.
"We should find Button and Cord maybe they'll have some ideas." Scootaloo suggested. I wanted to protest because Button seemed to care more about his games and Cord seems like he could care less but Scootaloo had already turned the scooter around. We found out that Button was sick and Cord was at the music store.
"This is good maybe Sweetie Belle could get some inspiration." Applebloom said as we walked in. It wasn't hard for us to find him he was looking at the guitars.
"Nice head band." Cord said as we walked over to him.
"So do you play?" Scootaloo asked
"Yeah why?" He replied and I could see that Applebloom exchanged a quick glance.
"How would you like to play for our act in the talent show?" They asked in unison.
"I c-an't.." He said before turning away and walking to the hard rock music section.
"Hey Sweetie Belle ya should try to woo him over." Applebloom suggested so I walked over and saw that he was listening to some band called Disturbed.
"So why can't you?" I asked he looked away as though he was embarrassed.
"I have um...stage fright..." He replied he turned back to me, I was a bit shocked to hear this. "If you needed any help with lights of effects I can help with that."
"Okay well we won't force you to play." I said we had to go our separate ways after that. I found myself going through all my clothes and finding all the ones that were black. I found a black zip up hoodie, a spider hair clip, and some headphones similar to Cord's. I put everything on and looked at myself in my mirror. I decided that the black lipstick really put it together.
"Sweetie Belle why are you dressed like that?" Rarity asked as she walked into my room. I stared at her for a moment trying to come up with an answer that wouldn't cause her to go into a diva state.
"Well I thought I should change it up a little." I replied luckily for me that was okay with Rarity and she walked back downstairs. I laid down on my bed I was levitating a pencil and had a notebook in front of me. Coming up with a song was harder than I thought it was going to be.
"Hey Sweetie Belle there is a pony here to see you!" My sister called up. I couldn't help but wonder who it is. Applebloom was helping on the farm and Scootaloo was off practicing with Rainbowdash.
I ran downstairs to find no pony there instead Rarity slammed my door shut and levitated me onto the couch.
"Sweetie Belle you need to stop this before it gets out of hand." Rarity said I didn't know what she meant by that. I assumed she meant the talent show but I hadn't told her about it yet.
"Stop what?" I asked. She levitated me onto a stool in front of a mirror so I could see myself. She took off the head band and hair clip as well as wiped off my make up.
"Your personality is beginning to change as well as your behavior. You didn't go crusading with your friends yesterday instead you stayed up in room and played that Celestia awful music of yours." She continued to rant on as she took off my outfit, I didn't understand what the big deal was. "And all of this is because you started hanging out with some colt who I haven't met."
"That's not true!" I yelled she took a step back and narrowed her gaze.
"It is true Sweetie Belle and I'm putting a stop to it right now. From here on till you stop this your grounded that means no friends, no music, and certainly no hanging out around your new friend." She said it wasn't fair I hadn't done anything wrong. She levitated me up to my room and sat me down on my bed. "I know it may seem as though I'm being a little harsh but it's for your own good."
"A little! Since when have you cared! For the past two months you've been doing nothing but work on dresses for Sapphire Shorts!" I yelled at her I didn't know what had happened I just felt enraged I couldn't stop myself. "It's not fair! I chose to dress like that because I wanted to not because of some guy!" I yelled even louder.
"Sweetie Belle-"
"Don't Sweetie Belle me I'm not a kid anymore! I'm thirteen! I practically take care of myself as it is!" I screamed Rarity's face went for tender to rage.
"Says the pony who still hasn't found her cutie mark yet!" It cut deep I teared up and pushed past her I ran out door as fast as I could.
"Sweetie Belle! Come Back!" Rarity cried out but I didn't want to talk to her. I didn't even want to see her again, this was worse than the time I used Applejack as my sister just to make her mad. I ran to the only place I felt I could be alone the club house. I ran up the draw bridge and raised it so nopony could get in. I sat down and began crying I knew this was all my fault.
"Sweetie Belle are you up there?" I heard Rarity call out but I couldn't stop myself from crying.
"Rarity what did ya do this time?" Applejack asked I was guessing Rarity brought Applejack along to help her talk me into coming back down.
"I crossed the line I'm afraid." Rarity said
"Just give her some time to herself." Applejack said and with that I was alone to think about everything. I could hear Applebloom and Scootaloo with Spike talking about the talent show. Then my sadness turned to anger I was going to prove Rarity wrong. The only problem was I didn't know where to start, I had no idea what my talent could even be. I started by going through everything we tried as the cutie mark crusaders so that took some of the items off the list.
"Hey anypony up there?" I heard a pony call out I went to the window and saw that it was Cord. Maybe he could help me I thought as I lowered the bridge to let him up. When He got in I closed it back up again. "You alright?" He asked upon seeing the running remains of my make up. I broke down and started crying again.
"Its my stupid sister!" I cried out he face lit up as though he had an idea.
"Wait here." He said before lowering the draw bridge and running off. Oh great he was going to get Rarity it was the only thing I could think of. I sat there waiting thinking about how Rarity must hate me now and it was all my fault. I reached for an old nail that had fallen out of some where. I pressed it against my skin so that it hurt. When I realized what I was doing I dropped it terrified but at the same time it felt kind of right to punish myself for what I had done. Instead of the nail this time I went for a pair of scissors I opened them up and pressed the blades against my forearm before I could proceed they were yanked away from me.
"Stop that isn't going to help anypony." Cord said I looked at him, I was begging for him to let me do it. I felt like I had deserved it. "Here I think this might help." He dropped his saddle bag and pulled out some small device it attached to two pairs of head phones he put one set on me and the other on himself. Music started playing it was a song I hadn't heard of before or one that I thought he would listen to. It was a softer than the things he had me listen to at the music store yet I couldn't help but feel like it described how I felt right now. When the song stopped he took the headphones off me and himself.
"What was the name of that?" I asked him as he put everything back into the saddlebag.
"It was Inside out by Eve 6" He replied then I had an idea on how to get my cutie mark.
"Hey Cord you can play the guitar right?" I asked.
"Yeah I can why?" It was the reply I was hoping for.
"Do you know the guitar part for this song?" I asked he thought about it for what seemed like forever.
"Nope, but you know I have stage fright." He replied I had forgotten that part and then my plan was ruined.
"Um....could you stay here I don't want to go back home yet?" I was to afraid to face my sister again after what I had said.
"Yeah sure, my brother locked me out of the music store anyways." He laughed a little. I didn't expect him to actually live there it was kind of cool in my opinion. We stayed all night talking about our older siblings. We found ourselves sleeping on the cold wood floor and in the morning I was ready to face Rarity again. We walked through the streets until we reached the Boutique when I opened the door I found my sister sleeping on the couch with some stallion. My mouth dropped I turned to Cord who was face hoofing repeatedly. I couldn't help but think Applejack might have been right about my sister being one of those ponies who put out. There was a distinct stench of alcohol in the room as well. We walked in, the stallion she was with was about as big as Big Mac. He was purple and had a blue mane, his cutie mark was a CD.
"WAKE UP!" I yelled directly into my sister's ears. She shot off the couch faster than Rainbowdash flies. She quickly grabbed her head, her mane was a mess and she smelled terrible.
"Oh Sweetie Belle you're back." She said as she reached for a bottle I moved it out of her way.
"I'm sorry." I said and she looked at me with tears in her eyes.
"Hey big brother wake up!" Cord jumped on top of the stallion Rarity was sleeping with.
"Ow what was that for?" The stallion asked
"You know exactly what it was for now let's get going you have to open shop in thirty minutes and you smell awful." Cord got off the stallion who got off the bed then had a look of realization as he saw Rarity and me.
"So i just had-" He started to say but Cord covered his mouth.
"Not a word. Let's just go." He said and they left leaving me with my hung over sister. As soon as they were out of sight my sister hugged me crying, I had seen cry before but this time it was different as though she felt awful for what she said. I began crying to and as soon as we were finished Rarity picked up the living room and got started on making breakfast as I went upstairs to take a shower.
The Talent Show
"Now Sweetie Belle are you sure you want to to go through with the talent show again?" Rarity asked she was concerned that I was going to make a fool of myself again in front of everypony in town.
"Yes Rarity I know I'm going to better than last time." I said the look she gave wasn't to sure about that but she went along with it anyways.
"Well it is tonight what song will you be singing?" She asked. All I could was oh crap I completely forgot to write it. I ran out the door to find Scootaloo and Applebloom when I found them they were rehearsing a song with Spike as their singer.
"Sorry Sweetie Belle but we don't have anymore room in the act for you." Was all I heard I walked solemnly back to the Boutique defeated by my own friends. I walked by the music store and I saw Cord playing a guitar and I couldn't help but go back to my original idea. I ran into the music store and interrupted him.
"What songs do you know how to play?" I asked quickly he looked at me confused. "No time to explain just tell me!"
"I mean a lot actually." He replied I rolled my eyes.
"Can you play Unbreakable by Fireflight?" I asked and he nodded his head then I remembered he had stage fright and my plan was once again ruined.
"But if you want to do something cool you should mix two songs up." He said I thought about it for awhile I didn't know what song would go with the one I suggested.
"What would you suggest?" I asked he thought about it for a moment before coming up with something.
"You're gonna go far kid by the Offspring could work." He said
"Will you be able to go on stage?" he smiled in a way that gave me a ray hope that we could actually pull this off.
"You should stop trying to be dark the look doesn't fit your personality to well." I nearly broke it was completely off topic and he was agreeing with my sister to make matters worse. "But yeah I'll play for you." I hugged him tightly I couldn't wait for tonight. I ran to where we were suppose to sign up and soon I found myself getting a prep talk from Rarity.
"Remember smile, there's nothing to be nervous about, and you can do this." She was more nervous than me that's when it occured to me Cord and I never practiced our act.
"Cord how are we going to do this?" I asked him and once again he smiled at me.
"It's easy I'll start with my song then move to yours we'll switch out every verse." He replied I assumed it was going to be a lot harder than that. The act before us was Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Spike they were just as bad as when we first did it. It didn't help me to much I grew a pit in my stomach, I was feeling nauseous I managed to pull myself together at the end of their act. Cord was just as nervous as me as we took what remained of the stage. I looked out into the crowd to see my sister sitting next to my parents. Cord got himself set up and it was time to begin.
"Show me how to lie,
" Where are the people that accused me?
"Now dance, bucker, dance
"God, I want to dream again
After we were done we bowed to a standing, cheering crowd. We walked off the stage then I spotted the fact he got his cutie mark, a red electric guitar with music notes swirling around it. I looked at my own flank to see a half note, I was so happy I ran over to him and kissed him on the cheek. His face lit up red, I thought it was rather cute. Rarity came back stage and hugged me. The surprising part was when she apologized to Cord for being a little judgmental about him. To which he replied "I didn't know about that till you brought it up."
"Well everypony I think we know who won this talent show!" The voice sounded familiar I looked onto the stage to see Sapphire Shorts with the microphone. I looked at Cord who was leaving.
"Time to go." His older brother said
"Sweetie Belle and Cord!" The crowd cheered but I didn't want to go on without him. He turned around and smiled in that way that gave me a warm fuzzy feeling.
"I have to go or I'll miss the train." He said
"Wait your leaving!" I said on the verge of crying he walked over to me.
"Don't think of it as leaving try temporarily separation, we'll see each other again. GO out there with out me you deserve the win after all. Um, before I go here." He handed me the guitar he played we were on stage. "Think of it as a promise we'll see each other again." And with that he left, I didn't know what to do now except to go on stage.
"Where's Cord?" Sapphire asked I looked towards the train and then at the guitar.
"He had to go." I replied
"Well that's a shame I was going to see if you two wanted to perform your song for my concert here in town." She said I couldn't believe it a chance to do it all over again.
"I can still do my part." I said and she nodded her head in approval.
The end of part 1
