FAME!: For ponies

"Spike I just can't do this anymore!" Rarity cried.

Rarity had run into Spike in the band wing after a run in with Mr.Sunburst.

"Rarity it's okay," Spike reassured her.

"No! No, it isn't okay! He doesn't understand."

"I don't know Rarity, he kind of does."

"What?!" Rarity cried.

"I mean," Spike gulped, "he is right just right about this. You need to discover yourself. You keep hiding behind your roles so that you don't have to be you."

"You're starting to sound like one of them!" Rarity screeched.

"Maybe that's what you need!" Spike blurted.

"ah-" Rarity spluttered. She regained composure. "I just want to be famous okay? I just want to get up there!" She cried.

"But Rarity, it doesn't work that way! You have to work to your goals. Fame isn't just served to you on a silver platter!" Spike countered.

"Easy for you to say!" Rarity huffed. "Your parents are already famous! All you need is an agent and you're on the top ten list!"

"No," Spike said sadly. "Everyone in my family is a perfectionist. Nothing I do is ever good enough." Spike's ears flattened and he looked at the ground.

"Spike," Rarity began, her voice quiet. "What you do is good enough for me," she said.

Spike looked up at her "I'm sorry."

"It's what I needed to hear," Rarity smiled.

"From now on," Spike started. "Let's be a team."

"No more fighting." Rarity confirmed. "I've got it."

"And I've got you!" Spike added with a wink.

The two embraced just as the bell rang. Then, with frantic looks on their faces, they scurried off to class.

Lyra and Bon-Bon skidded down the hallway together to get to the band room. Since Spike was busy writing with Rarity, the two had decided to arrange a simple piano duet for the junior festival. The two collapsed in laughter in front of the piano. As they pulled themselves onto the bench, a simple melody came to Bon-Bon. Placing her hooves on the upper part of the keys, she began to play. After a moment, Lyra joined in on the bottom notes and their tones blended perfectly. At one point, their hooves both reached for middle C. This sent a great smile through both of them.

"Places everyone!" Coltura cried. "Where is Rarity?"

Juniors paced excitedly as the teachers assembled them for their first junior festival dress rehearsal. Dancers were decked out in beautiful black topped dresses that puffed out into puffy tulle tutus of pinks and yellows. Actors were donned in the costumes for their play short. The rest of the music students had different outfits on their hooves for their different acts. An electric energy buzzed through the backstage area as the house lights dimmed. Then, Rarity rushed in. She fluffed her skirt and smiled at Coltura who scowled back. Over the next two hours, scenes changed, colors flashed, lights shone, voices sounded through the school, and hooves whirled in rhythm.

"Wonderful!" Ms.Coltura called out at the end. "Come back tomorrow for final dress."

Rainbow Dash slunk out of the auditorium and into Twilight Sparkle.

"Ms.Twilight-" Rainbow started.

"Ms.Rainbow," Twilight began. "I am very proud that you passed Sophomore English over summer school and the past few weeks." Then, she flashed Rainbow Dash her first ever smile.

Fluttershy was rushing to the front of the school when she literally ran into Starlight Glimmer.

"Oh!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "I'm so sorry Starlight! I was going to see the cast list for Romeo and Juliet!"

"Oh." Starlight said with a happy sadness to her voice. "I saw the list already and I wanted to find you." Starlight cleared her throat. "You're Juliet."

Fluttershy's insides lit up with happiness as she opened her wings and spun around in the air. She took Starlight's lilac hoof in hers.

"With your natural acting abilities we'll-" But Starlight cut her off.

"I'm Mercutio." She said simply.

Fluttershy's face fell. "Then, who's Romeo?" She asked desperately.

Just then, an outraged Cheese Sandwich stormed in. "ROMEO? How am I supposed to be THIS guy?" He stormed out.

Fluttershy's jaw hit the floor. Maybe this love scene was too much for her.

"It's okay." Starlight whispered.

Fluttershy looked up at her.

"I'm sorry." She added, rubbing the back of her neck. "I'm sorry for how I treated you about my headshot I-," her face fell. "I still want to be your scene partner. But Cheese is now so-"

"No," Fluttershy said. "Cheese may be my lover on stage, but you and I should still be friends off stage." She ended with a smile.

Starlight's eyes caught hers and they were filled with true happiness. Maybe a friendship is better than love Fluttershy thought to herself.

"Rarity. Please listen to me." Mr.Sunburst trotted up to Rarity as she shoved the contents of her locker into a giant silver tote. "You can't do this."

"Look Mr.Sunburst," Rarity said. "I want to be famous! Three years of self-reflection has gotten me nowhere! I need to move on now Mr.Sunburst!"

"Ms.Rarity, the only reason that you have spent your last three years at Canterolt P.A. reflecting, is because you can't find yourself! If you just tapped into who you are, you could get to what you think is further!" Rarity snorted. "Fine then," Sunburst said. "I know I can't stop you from leaving. But let me tell you, leaving would be the greatest mistake of your life."

Rarity paused as Sunburst's words sunk in. She bowed her head and waited for his footsteps to fade down the hallway.

"So you're leaving." A familiar voice sounded. "And I'm the last to know." Rarity turned.

"Spike I-"

"Rarity!" Spike cried. "I thought you had changed. I thought that we were enough!" Spike's eyes were welling up with tears.

"Spike I just-" But she had no words. "Photo finish is going to make me what I've always wanted to be."

"What?" Spike asked. "Another pretty face that no one will remember? 'Cause that's what you're going to be if you take this route."

"Spike-"

Spike's voice quieted. "I thought I was enough. I thought I had finally found a partner. But no. I guess fame really does things to ponies."

"Fine!" Rarity sobbed. "Be that way! I'll-" But she had no way to defend herself. Her words turned to silent sobs as Spike ran off in tears. Fame did have a dark side. But she-didn't know what to think.

"I can't do it anymore!" Pinkie screamed as she pounced on Applejack for her applesauce. "For Celestia's sake why can't this be easy?"

"Pinkie Pie! I need my applesauce!" Applejack called.

"You know what?" Pinkie said. "I give up! I can still dance, I can still sing. So why try to control this?" She gestured to her stomach. With that, she grabbed Applejack's applesauce and skipped out of the cafeteria.

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight called at the end of English class. "I believe I have figured it out."

Rainbow Dash trotted to Twilight's desk, leaving Applejack waiting behind her.

"Read this to me." Twilight handed Rainbow Dash a book called CANTERLOT P.A. GUIDE BOOK. A nervous sweat broke out all over Rainbow as she stuttered out the first sentence. "I knew it!" Twilight cried "You ARE dyslexic! Tell me Rainbow, what do you see on this page?"

Rainbow gulped. "A blurry cloud of jumbled letters."

Twilight smiled. "I'll let you go now, but if you work with me a little bit, I know I'll get you reading in no time!" With that, Rainbow trotted back over to Applejack.

"You used me." Applejack said.

"What?"

"All those times I helped you with your homework! If you had just told me you couldn't read then we could've figured something else out!" Applejack began to storm out.

"Applejack wait-" But it was no use.