"I don't think I can do this." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo glanced at one another, then back at the nervous looking unicorn filly that paced in front of them. Sweetie Belle tripped over her green cloak causing her to stumble in her frantic pacing.
"Relax Sweetie", Apple Bloom said with a comforting smile. "Y'all are gonna do great."
"Yeah", Scootaloo added. " besides, we only have one song to sing and only one or two lines of dialogue."
"Easy for you two to say, you guys have done this play at least a dozen times!" She exclaimed stopping to stand in front of the two other crusaders. "Standing on that stage in front of all those ponies and people, its making my horn spark I'm so nervous." The two fillies looked up at the alabaster unicorns horn to see that it was indeed giving off small green sparks from the tip.
Apple Bloom walked over and rested a forleg around Sweeties shoulder.
"Look, we still got about a half an hour before we go up. I'm sure a little prayin otta do you some good." Sweetie sighed and stared at the two with a flat look..
"You really think he's going to answer me?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. The yellow earthpony only shrugged in response. "I mean, he hasn't answered anyone in a long time. So what would be the point?"
"Y'all just gotta be patient, he'll listen." Sweetie sighed and nodded at her friend.
"Alright, just give me a minute." The young unicorn filly walked over to the paster, who was currently talking to a pegasas mare with a cutiemark of bubbles. Sweetie Belle cleared her throat to get his attention, the paster paused and looked down at the young filly.
"Just one minute, Belle." After the two had finished speaking and the mare had left, the man knelt at about eye level with Sweetie Belle.
"What is it?" The slightly elderly man asked with a warm smile. Sweetie sighed, but kept her eyes on the man in front of her.
"Is it okay if I can go into the main part of the church and prey a little?" The man nodded.
"I don't see why not, just be back on time, alright?" Sweetie nodded and walked over towards the back exit door and into the winter cold.
I should've brought my jacket, she thought shivering from the cold. A few minutes later she entered the church closing the large wooden doors behind her.
Slowly walking down the aisle, she couldn't help but marvel at the stain glass windows that depicted sertain parts in the Bible. When she reached the alter she looked up and gave a slight bow of her head of respect to the crusifide Jesus Christ, then sat in the front pew.
Taking in a deep breath she closed her eyes and began to prey.
"Heavenly Father, I come to you in hopes that you could help me overcome my fear. Please Lord, forgive me of the sins I have committed, for I'am a sinner. In your holy name Jesus Christ, amen."
Opening her eyes Sweetie sighed, feeling calm, but she still didn't want to walk on that stage. She placed her face in her hooves and groaned.
"Lord, help me." For a short while Sweetie sat there, trying to give herself the courage to preform.
"Excuse me, Ms. Are you alright?" Sweetie looked up to see an elderly man standing next to her. He wore a dark brown trench coat, a white sweater, dark blue jeans and dark brown boots.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in." The man smiled and gave a small chuckle, then took a seat beside the small unicorn. Sweetie couldn't help but notice that he walked with a cane clutched in his right hand.
The man smiled and gave a slight nod at the cross. Then he bowed his head and closed his eyes, Sweetie was patient for the man to finish his prayer, then, when he was done he turned to face the filly.
"If I may ask, why is a young filly like yourself doing here alone in a church?" Sweetie bit the bottom of her lip and looked down at the dark blue carpet.
"I came to ask if he could help me overcome me being scared of being on stage and singing", she said in a bit of a timid voice. The man smiled and rubbed his chin, as if he was listening to a person giving him instructions. Then with a quiet nod he looked down at the filly.
"You know, its okay to be scared", he said. Sweetie only stared at the man with a sad look on her face.
"But I'm more then scared, I'm afraid. I'm afraid that if I mess up everyone is going to laugh at me." The man frowned at Sweeties words, but nodded in understandment.
"Once, a long time ago, I was a teacher." Sweeties eyes seemed to brighten at the mans words.
"Really?" She said. Accidentally cutting him off. She gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry."
The man smiled and continued.
"When I first started teaching, I was scared. I was scared and thought I might look like a fool, but I taught my students well. But, I was never afraid, do you know why?" Sweetie shook her head in response. "Because, throughout my teachings I knew that I had the courage inside me to know that I had nothing to fear. Because I knew that God would always be by my side, and that he would never leave me."
Sweetie nodded at his words, then looked up at the cross.
"So if I trust the Lord that he'll be by my side, then I have nothing to be afraid of? Just scared?" The man nodded at the fillies words.
Sweetie looked at the man with a smile on her face.
"Thanks for the advice Mr." the man returned the smile and gave a nod.
"Anytime." With a new sense of confidence she got up from the pew and began to make her way back to the play, then she stopped when a thought occurred in her mind. Turning back to face the man she cleared her through to get his attention. The man turned to face her with a raised eyebrow.
"There's a play that's going on across the street. You could come and see, if you want that is." She offered with a small smile. "You don't have to pay to get in, its free", she quickly added. The man seemed to think for a moment before responding.
"I'll think on it, and thank you for the offer", he said before standing. Sweetie Belle nodded, then she noticed something that caught her eye. Both of the mans hands seemed to have a hole in each palm, she blinked and shook her head, but when she looked again his hands looked normal.
"Well, it was nice talking with you, sir", she said. Then she left the silent church.
"Its about time you got back", Scootaloo said. Catching sight of Sweetie as she came up towards the two crusaders. "We go on in less then five minutes."
"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention", Sweetie apologized. Apple Bloom shrugged.
"Y'all are fine. So, you think y'all can go up there and sing?"
"Yeah, with God standing next to me, I have nothing to fear." The three smiled and when their time to go on the stage came up, Sweetie went on with her head held high.
To say the play was a success was an understatement. Both humans and ponies cheered clapped and stomped their approval. Sweetie and the rest of the actors bowed for the audience. When she rose back up Sweetie Belle could see a man wearing a dark brown trench coat and had a cane leaning on his chair smiling and clapping. Sweetie grinned at the man and gave a silent thanks to God for being with her.
Author's Note
I'm back, also please don't judge me for writing this.
In truth I was scared of writing this.