Sweetie Belle's Secret

by Little Brave Heart

Rating: everyone
Tags: Diamond Tiara, Slice of Life, Sweetie Belle, Silver Spoon, Apple Bloom, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Scootaloo, Adventure
Length: 6165

Sweetie Belle gets her cutie mark, but a problem comes up that affects all of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Sweetie Belle has waited for this day for as long as she can remember. Don't know what that is? Well, she finally gets her cutie mark! She hid it from her friends as long as she could...but she revealed it, when she realized, why would they be mad at her? After all, she was the first Cutie Mark Crusader to get her cutie mark, now! Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were very proud of her.
Until they both saw how Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had started treating her after Sweetie Belle earned her cutie mark....

Published 2013-01-21 21:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-01-21 21:50:01 UTC

Chapter 2

Sweetie Belle's Secret

Chapter 2

It had been two weeks since the actual lessons at the music studio with the other fillies and colts. It was pretty nice, and it was scary at first for the white filly, but she got over it, and now she didn't have as much stage fright. The best part of it all was, the last day of the second week, she had gotten her cutie mark!

It was a pink heart, like one of the colors in her mane, and a song note the color of purple, like the other color in her mane. There was also some pink and purple sparks around it, and Sweetie Belle loved it. She and her teacher had been right, her special talent was singing. Mrs.Cream Note said she should keep singing at the music studio with her if she wanted singing to be her profession. Sweetie Belle agreed, and if she wanted to be a singer, she would have to get used to singing in front of crowds.

Even though it would be hard to tell her friends about getting her cutie mark, she still remembered the excitement she felt when she saw her cutie mark on her flank. Even though she was nervous in standing up in front of a crowd and singing, but it was what she really loved, and she had gotten rid of her stage fright. The group was practicing for another concert, which Sweetie Belle was prepared for this time. The fright of singing on stage had dissolved into loving it.

Now, that she had her cutie mark, that left one task left; telling Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle thought it would be harder to tell her friends than it would be to earn the cutie mark in the first place. "How am I going to tell them?" The young filly thought to herself. She figured she should just get it over with today, they had another meeting scheduled today. The last one of this summer, because tomorrow was the day they went back to school. Sweetie Belle didn't have time to be upset about that like she usually was in the past years. She had too much on her mind to worry about those kinds of things.

These thoughts raced through her mind another time, as she walked up the ramp to the clubhouse door. She opened the wooden door with a "creak" as she stepped inside. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were in the center of the one room building, chatting about new Cutie Mark ideas for the new school year.
"What about getting cutie marks in writing?" Apple Bloom suggested.
"Or math?" Scootaloo said.

They didn't notice Sweetie Belle at first until she spoke up. "H-hi guys," she stammered, hiding her cutie mark as best she could, "I....I need to tell you something." The earth pony and pegasus exchanged confused glances with each other.

"Um...do ya have a cutie mark idea?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Or are you just going to complain that school starts tomorrow like you do every time the summer vacation ends?" Scootaloo said with a slight amusement in her voice.

"Well, Apple Bloom. It's not a cutie mark idea, but that's what I came to talk about," Sweetie Belle said. Her two friends looked even more confused than before.

"Talk about cutie marks?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Yes, yes. The truth is," Sweetie Belle took a gulp, "I got my cutie mark and have been keeping it a secret from you guys!" She blurted out in a huff. They both looked shocked as the news came out. They exchanged looks once more, then broke out in a laugh. Sweetie Belle was now the confused one.
"What?" She started, "Whats so funny?"
"Oh, Sweetie Belle!" Scootaloo said, "I always thought I was gonna be the first one to get the cutie mark, but I'm happy for you. Whats your special talent anyways?" She finished excitedly.
"Um..singing." She said, still shocked from how they reacted, since she expected them to be mad at her. But instead they were praising her, and they were happy. They weren't jealous or mad at all. It went better than expected.
"Ah always knew you were good at singing!" Apple Bloom spoke up. "See, ah told ya! Now that we have a cutie mark crusader with a cutie mark, we can learn things from ya!"
"That would be a good idea! Scootaloo and Apple Bloom both have amazing talents, they just need help realizing that."
Sweetie Belle thought. She was so excited that this had gone so well, it was a good ending to the summer. She suddenly felt fatigue and sleepiness wash over her, and she knew she needed to get sleep for tomorrow. It was a big day, and she didn't want to be tired on her first day back to school.
"Listen," Sweetie Belle yawned, "I have something planned for tomorrow after school, but I need to go home and get some rest so I won't be tired tomorrow at school. Trust me, I have something good for tomorrows meeting!"
"Oh, yeah. It is pretty late. We should go home, see you tomorrow." Scootaloo said.
"Alright, we can pick this up tomorrow. Night ya'll." Apple Bloom put it.
The three crusaders exited the clubhouse, all going in different direction.

Sweetie Belle felt like a thousand pounds had been lifted off her. She was in a good mood, and could stop worrying.

To the next chapter!

Chapter 3

Sweetie Belle's Secret

Chapter 3

--

Sweetie Belle woke with a yawn, stretching her forearms as she blinked her eyes from sleep. Today was the first day of school! "The best part," she thought, "Is that I won't be called a blank flank at school any longer!" The white filly jumped out of her bed, and ran down the stairs. She was at her sister Rarity's boutique, since she always slept over there before the first day of school. It had become a tradition.

Sweetie Belle gulped down a bowl of cereal, wanting to head straight out the door and run to school.

"Good morning Sweetie Belle," Rarity said with a yawn. She had come down the stairs in a fluffy white robe and pink slippers, rubbing an eye with her hoof. "What has you so excited? You're usually so tired the first day of school."

The young filly was trembling in her seat, hardly able to gather herself to speak.

"I'm excited because I got my cutie mark!" She squeaked, "But not just that, Silver Spoon, Diamond Tiara, and the other fillies and colts won't be able to make fun of me anymore! I'm not a blank flank!"

Sweetie Belle was gathering pencils, paper, books and a ruler into her saddle bag, slinging it onto her back.

"Oh yes!" Rarity said as if she had forgotten something, "I almost forgot about that! Well, you better hurry along now, to show off your cutie mark!"

Sweetie Belle nodded, and rushed out the door. This was it!

The white unicorn filly approached the door of the old school building. It looked like she was early. No other ponies were around. Ms. Cheerilee must be in the school building, since she was always early. She pushed open the red and white door with her hoof, creaking a little as she stepped inside. Ms. Cheerilee was at her desk, sorting papers into a green folder. She looked up, noticing Sweetie Belle come in, and she looked astonished seeing the young filly in the doorway.

"Sweetie Belle?" the dark pink mare had a look of shock on her face as she continued, "You're three minutes early! On the first day of school? You're always late on the first day!"

Sweetie Belle shuffled her hooves on the wooden floor in embarrassment. "Well, yes I know," She started, "But, you see, something special happened that made me super happy over the past couple days! I finally got my cutie mark!" She turned her flank toward Ms. Cheerilee, with a smile on her face.

"You're the first one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders to get a cutie mark!" The teacher said, "That's great! Whats your special talent?"

"Singing!" Sweetie Belle said with a squeak.

"I always knew you were great at singing," Her teacher said, "Now, how about you get your things together, class is starting in one minute."

Sweetie Belle obeyed, bounding over to her purple cubbie that was still labeled with her name on it in the front. She unloaded her saddle bag, taking out two notebooks, and three pencils. This was always the things she pulled out on the first day, usually taking notes on the lesson. Two ponies came in, and Sweetie Belle recognized them as Featherweight and Berry pinch. Their cubbies were far away from hers, but she could show all the ponies at recess today. She put her supplies on her desk, awaiting her other classmates.

Before long, every pony was piling into the schoolhouse. Talking and laughing, and slowly starting to sit at their desks with their things. She didn't think Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had noticed her cutie mark yet, but it was okay. They hadn't made any remarks like usual like on the past first days. "Did they notice, but just were too shocked to say anything?" Sweetie Belle thought.

But now was not the time to worry about that. Scootaloo was in the front row, struggling to stay awake, her head down on her desk. Apple Bloom seemed drowsy too, but she was doing much better than Scootaloo. Ms. Cheerilee was pulling out a book and turning to page 56 in the lesson book, and was starting to calm the ponies down.

"Alright my little ponies!" The mare teacher started, "I know you all must be tired, but its time to wake up and start the lesson! We'll be starting with some review from the last school year." Ms. Cheerilee picked up a white piece of chalk, and started writing 90x30 on the chalk board. Scootaloo was now snoring away at her desk, and she hadn't even bothered to open up her red colored notebook that was beneath her head now.

But Sweetie Belle had opened up her yellow notebook, with a pencil in her mouth, writing down the multiplication problem and trying to solve it before Ms. Cheerilee did. Before she knew it, it would be the real moment she had been waiting for; recess.

The bell had just rung, letting the fillies and colts out of the school house for recess. She saw Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara at the edge of the field, strolling over to her.

"Oh, look!" Diamond Tiara started, "Its the blank flanks!" Silver Spoon laughed along with Diamond Tiara.

"Actually," Sweetie Belle said with amusement clearly in her voice, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo smiling behind her, "I got my cutie mark!" She spun around, showing them the cutie mark on her flank. Silver Spoon gasped, and looked as if she was going to faint at any second.

"Well, it looks like you're no longer a blank flank," Diamond Tiara said, with no mean tone in her voice at all, "Looks like you can hang out with us now! I mean, you got it after us, but still, you have a cutie mark. You can't be seen with these other two-" Her glare flicked over to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, "Blank flanks." She finished with a snicker.

Sweetie Belle didn't know how to respond. But before she could, the grey and pink fillies were encircling her, herding her over like Applejack herds cows. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were standing on the gravel path, shock clear on their face as they watched their best friend being dragged away by their two worst enemies.

"Well, are we just going to stand here?!" Scootaloo said buzzing her wings, "We can't let Sweetie Belle be corrupted by those two! The Cutie Mark Crusaders will fall apart if we lose Sweetie Belle!"

Apple Bloom shook herself as though she just took a swim. "Ah know!" She said with her head raised, "But what can we do? That's Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon we're talking about here! Besides, we have the meeting this afternoon after school."

"Oh yeah." Scootaloo said with a slight chuckle, "I bet we can talk to her then."

But Apple Bloom wished she could believe her friends words, as she gazed across the grass field, watching her best friend laughing and talking to Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara as almost the whole class gathered around the threesome. "Would this be the end of the Cutie Mark Crusaders?"

Apple Bloom walked on the dirt path, scuffing up small clouds of dust as her hooves brushed by. "Now," the yellow filly thought, "Ah can go to the Cutie Mark Crusaders meeting to settle this thing once and for all!"

She kept walking on the path, on her way to the clubhouse. She met herself face to face with the red and white door before she knew it. Apple Bloom hadn't realized that she was pretty angry, and she had been walking pretty fast, almost running. She pushed open the door with a creak and stepped in to the clubhouse, her bright pink bow brushing against the frame of the door as she walked in. She found Scootaloo there, with an annoyed expression on her face. She was tapping one of her orange hooves on the wooden ground.

"There you are!" the filly pegasus started, "I was getting bored of waiting. Wheres Sweetie Belle?"

Apple Bloom honestly didn't know, but she knew she would be there soon. Sweetie Belle had said last night that she had something special planned for this meeting. But she was starting to doubt herself. "What if Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara were hanging out with her after school instead of us?" The young filly thought to herself.

They waited, waited and waited for what seemed like months. But then, they heard a creak, and their ears perked up. A white figure stepped inside the door with an uneasy expression on her face.

"H-hi guys," Sweetie Belle stammered, "Well, I'm here, sorry I'm late."

Scootaloo's wings buzzed, and she hovered over to her friend. "Sorry?!" She said with rage, "How could you do this to us! You were hanging out with Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara!"

Sweetie Belle looked shocked at what she was hearing. "I know I was!" She defended herself, "But they forced me to! My plan is going to work perfectly though to work this all out, because they said you two could hang out with us if you had cutie marks. You both have special talents, you just don't realize it! Not that you have to be friends with Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara, but at least this won't happen anymore!" Sweetie Belle was trying to catch her breath after she had said so much.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other with confused looks. "Whada' ya mean, we have special talents?"

Chapter 4

Sweetie Belle's Secret

Chapter 4

Sweetie Belle took a breath to explain the plan to them carefully. "What I mean is that you both have talents, you just need to practice them!" She said with enthusiasm. She took out a blank piece of paper, and a pencil from her saddlebag and began to make a list:
1. ~~Explain plan to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom~~
2. Tell them their special talents.
3. Practice special talents.
4. Earn cutie marks!
5. Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara don't make fun of the Cutie Mark Crusaders anymore!

"Here." She said pushing the list toward Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. They exchanged looks and then began to read it. Apple Bloom was the first one to speak up. "So you're gonna tell us our special talents?"

Sweetie Belle shuffled her hooves on the ground. "Well, yes. I think Scootaloo already knows her special talent is riding her scooter, and you, Apple Bloom, your special talent is building! Just look at how wonderful the clubhouse looks because you repaired it from its original state."

"Well, of course I know I'm awesome at riding my scooter!" Scootaloo said, "I should work on riding more instead of trying to fly!"

"Buildin?" Apple Bloom started, "But, are ya sure?"

Sweetie Belle wore a look of annoyance on her face now. "Of course! Now, we need to do phase three of my plan-" She said as she looked at the list, her gaze flicking over to step 3, "practicing your special talents!"

"Alright, then! I think Sweetie Belle should stay with Apple Bloom, and I can go get Rainbow Dash to help me!" Scootaloo said. Without waiting for a reply, she dashed out of the door, and they watched as she ran down the ramp and into the thickets, with determination on her face.

"Well, looks like its just you and me, Apple Bloom," Sweetie Belle said, "Now, we'll need some tools."

"Ya need tools?" Applejack asked the two fillies in front of her, "What for?"

"We think Apple Bloom's special talent is building and repairing!" Sweetie Belle squeaked.

"Buildin' huh?" Applejack put a hoof to her chin in thought, "Hmm, well she did fix up the clubhouse pretty good. Ah guess you can borrow the toolbox in the woodshed. Just be careful."

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom smiled and trotted off toward the shed which was beside the barn. "Don't say ah didn't warn ya!" Applejack called to the two young fillies, but they didn't seem to notice.

Apple Bloom opened the brown old door of the shed, which creaked even more than the clubhouse door. Inside there were many wheelbarrows that Applejack and Big Macintosh used to haul apples to the house, barn and storage. There were harvesting tools for far up apples that don't come down when Applejack bucks the bark of the apple trees. On a low shelf, there was a red rectangular box, with a black handle for easy carrying.

Apple Bloom spotted it first in the slightly messy shed, and walked over to it and picked it up by the handle. "Lets go!" she said in a muffled voice, trying to hold onto the heavy toolbox. "Okay, then." Sweetie Belle replied, "But are you sure you can carry that for such a long distance?"

"Ah'll be fine!" She came again in a muffled voice, "Where exactly are we goin' anyways after this?"

"We'll be going to get some wood planks, paint, and extra nails at the edge of the farm." Sweetie Belle replied, "You'll need to build something to get your cutie mark. Like a simple table, or a painted box."

Apple Bloom nodded her head in reply as the two walked out of the wood shed happily. They were making their way to the edge of the farm, even though Apple Bloom was breaking a sweat, she still held her head high and kept walking along. "Apple Bloom is strong," Sweetie Belle thought, "Which will help her to become a builder!"

They had reached the edge, where more supplies were kept in a separate, smaller shed. Sweetie Belle pushed open the door with a hoof, which creaked as much as the other sheds door. Inside there were no wheelbarrows, harvesting tools, or big toolboxes. There were a few packets of nails on an organized shelf, big wooden planks on another shelf, smaller planks below it, multiple buckets of paint, and an extra hammer close to the nails.

"Well, lets get the toolbox open, and we can get the supplies." Apple Bloom said, sounding excited.

"Right!" Sweetie Belle replied with a squeak, "I'll help."

Sweetie Belle picked out three long wooden planks, staggering to carry them all out the door. Apple Bloom was muttering something to herself and Sweetie Belle could barely make out, "Now, if we're gonna make a box, we should get small planks, and more big planks. We'll need extra nails so it stays together properly, and some paint, but not a lot.."

Apple Bloom was talking like a professional carpenter, or builder. She flipped open the lid and took out a saw and a tape measure. She began to lay out long plank of wood, measure it, and cut some of it off. Apple Bloom did the same with multiple other ones. Before long, she was carrying planks on her back, out of the shed.

"Alright," She said, "I'm gonna start with making a floor base of the box. then I'll build the front, and walls, and lastly, the top!"

Sweetie Belle didn't understand how she knew all this, but then again, the clubhouse must have been a lot more complicated than a little box. But she nodded her head anyways, deciding to let Apple Bloom build it herself. Sweetie Belle figured she could help paint the box, if Apple Bloom wanted her to. She heard the thudding of nails against wood, and saw Apple Bloom nailing two plants together, and when she was done, it looked like a half of a mini floor. It looked like it needed two more planks of wood for a full bottom base. She was right, because almost right after, she began adding another small plank to the foundation.

"This was not the end of the Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Apple Bloom thought, nailing harder at the plank of wood. "I'll show Silver Spoon, and Diamond Tiara, that nothing will separate us!" The floor of the box was now done, and before long, both walls, and front of the box was done. The only thing left was the top, and she nailed that together quickly, but with quality.

"Alright," Apple Bloom said, "Now we paint it!" She picked up a paintbrush and dipped it in bright red paint. "It looks like she doesn't need help painting, I guess."

Apple Bloom painted quickly, but with even strokes. Before long, the whole box was painted in paint as red as Apple Bloom's mane and tail. "Whew!" Apple Bloom said, raising a yellow hoof to her forehead to wipe sweat off, "It's done!"

Suddenly, there was a flash near Apple Bloom's flanks. She gasped in delight as she raised her leg slightly to look at her new cutie mark. It was a wooden heart, with a paintbrush inside with red paint painting a squiggle, and at the top of the wood heart was a curvy stem and a leaf, like on an apple.

"Wow!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, "Its beautiful! Ah wonder how Scoot is doin."

"Congratulations Apple Bloom!" Sweetie Belle said, "That leaves the last phase of step four. We need to see if Scootaloo got her cutie mark. She should be out with Rainbow Dash in the field they practice flying in. Lets go!"

Chapter 5

Sweetie Belle's Secret

Chapter 5

"Alright, Scoot!" Rainbow Dash shouted as Scootaloo was preparing to go down the ramp they had build, along with the help of a building crew, "Now, be careful! When I say go, you push yourself down the ramp and do your thing!"

The orange filly nodded her head. She buckled her white and purple helmet, and readied her left back leg, and started buzzing her tiny wings. She waited for the signal anxiously, looking down at the steep drop she was about to plummet into, but then, go up the other side of the ramp. "Alright, don't freak out," Scootaloo told herself, "I've done ramps before, and the worst injury was a little bruise! This'll be awesome."

"Go!"
"This is it! No more time to think, now is the time for action!"

This was her final thought as she pushed back her hind leg, and plummeted down the wooden ramp. It shook a little as
the rolls of the scooter rolled down its form. She was picking up speed greatly, wind in her bright purple mane and with a smile on her face. She was now in the middle of the ramp, still rolling and speeding by greatly. She flew up the opposite side of the ramp, her left hoof on a handlebar of her scooter, and her right hoof on her helmet.

She jumped off the scooter, and did a massive flip in the air, only to land perfectly on her scooter in the air again just in time to land on the ramps right sided platform. She let out a "Whoo hoo!" Of triumph as she landed.

"Scootaloo! That was so awesome!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Just one more thing. Look at your flank!"

The orange filly gasped as she lifted her leg to look at her flank to see the shining mark. It was still sparkling with magic, and that would last for a few more days. It was a beautiful mark, a scooter that looked like hers, with two giant wings surrounding it. She didn't need flying to get a cutie mark, her scooter had been her special talent all along.

"Scootaloo!" A voice nearby called out.

"Huh?" She replied. It sounded like Sweetie Belle's voice.

"Scootaloo!" The voice called out again. It was definitely Sweetie Belle's voice.

Next to the unicorn filly was Apple Bloom, and they were both galloping towards her. Scootaloo jumped down from the ramp, buzzing her wings to hover down to the ground safely. At once she noticed Apple Bloom's flank, and Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom noticed hers.

"Ya got yer cutie mark!" Apple Bloom said with excitement.

"And you got yours!" Scootaloo said with equal excitement.

"My plan is working perfectly!" Sweetie Belle thought, "We all have our cutie marks! Now we'll show Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara! The Cutie Mark Crusaders will be made fun of no longer!"

Apple Bloom walked into the schoolhouse with a new saddlebag. Most ponies had their saddle bags with their cutie marks on them, and Rarity had made the Cutie Mark Crusaders all new saddlebags with their cutie marks on them. In one pocket, was her school supplies, in the other pocket, was her red and gold cutie mark crusaders cape. Even though she wasn't a blank flank anymore, she would never forget the CMC. The crusade for the cutie marks may be over, but the friendship would never end.

The filly with the pink bow walked in and put her things in her cubby, then sitting down at her desk. Most of the ponies were already there, notebooks out and ready to learn with today's lesson. Before long, all the ponies were inside the schoolhouse, and then the lesson was starting. Today's lesson would be something for Scootaloo, because it was on Cloudsdale Stadium.

Apple Bloom began to take notes like this:
1/20/13 Cloudsdale Stadium Lesson

-Was built for Wonder Bolt preformances and races.
-Made mostly out of clouds.
-Unicorns and earth ponies have no access to the Cloudsdale Stadium or Cloudsdale alone, because only pegasi can fly and walk on clouds.
-Unless Twilight Sparkle casts the cloud walking spell which allows unicorns and earth ponies to walk on clouds.

--

"Ah recess!" Apple Bloom said as she walked out with her two best friends beside her. "Now, lets find Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara!"

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle nodded their heads in agreement. Looking around the clearing, they didn't see them anywhere. But it looks like they found them first.

"Look! Its the blank flanks!" Diamond Tiara said with a snicker. "What did you do for your first test for the school year for crusading? Chicken herding?" Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon both burst out laughing.

"Actually!" Scootaloo stepped forward, face to face with the pink bossy filly, "We all have our cutie marks now. So what do you have to say to that?"

The two bullies mouths were wide open. Silver Spoon was stomping her hoof in rage. "Well, now we can't make fun of them anymore, no one will! They're practically cool now!"

"Easy now, Silver Spoon," Diamond Tiara replied, "It doesn't mean they're cool. We'll just....uhg! Just you wait, we'll find something to make fun of you about!"

With that, they both galloped off, with nothing to say.

Scootaloo nudged her elbows on Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, "Heh, I guess they'll never learn."

Sweetie Belle's cutie mark story

Sweetie Belle's Secret

Another fan fiction by Little Brave Heart

Chapter One: Sweetie Belle's cutie mark story

--

This was the second day Sweetie Belle had gone to singing practice at Ms.Cream Note's music center. She had discovered her one day after walking home from Rarity's Boutique. The cream colored mare had noticed her singing, and invited Sweetie Belle to join her class of fillies at the music center. She thought it would be great, but she didn't want to sing in front of all those other fillies, she still didn't like singing in front of any pony. So she offered a temporary membership for private lessons at night.

She accepted, thinking she could actually earn her cutie mark this way. She told Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, but not that she would hope she would get her cutie mark in singing. What would they think? They made a vow, that they would earn their cutie marks together, no matter who earned it first. But how could she say no to Ms.Cream Note? Scootaloo wasn't a very good singer at all, after the Cutie Mark Crusaders theme song performance at the school talent show.

She sighed. Just how would she keep the secret from her friends forever? It was impossible. If she did get her cutie mark this way, she couldn't just hide it. Sweetie Belle would finally no more be a blank flank! In a way, she figured, that there was a bright side to the whole situation. That if she did get her cutie mark, it would mean two things, one, she would finally have a cutie mark, and wouldn't be called a 'blank flank' any more, and two, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom would most likely be proud of her. But until she had got it, she would have to keep her lessons a secret.

Sweetie Belle was very dedicated to her singing. Ms. Cream Note gave Sweetie Belle a bright blue binder, with notes and sheet music to practice. She was expected to practice a half hour each night, and to bring her binder with her to each class. Sweetie Belle told her teacher about her situation, with the whole cutie mark thing. "Well, if you do get your cutie mark, your friends should be very proud of you!" She had told her. "But they could feel jealousy. I don't think you'll have to worry about that, though. From what you told me, you seem like very close friends."

Sweetie Belle decided to trust what her mentor had said to her, and perhaps what she said was true. They had been friends for as long as she could remember, they were very close. If anything, they would be proud, maybe a little mad a first, but they know that one of them would have to get their mark first, and that Scootaloo and Apple Bloom would not be blank flanks forever.

The white filly had this in mind for the past two weeks, and sometimes during her lessons. But she knew that she needed to focus on the music, if she really wanted to know if she was cut out to be a singer after all. It seemed Ms. Cream Note noticed this during one of their lessons on a cloudy afternoon. "Sweetie Belle? Do you have something on your mind?" She asked the young filly. But she did not reply. "I see. I think I know whats bothering you. Your still concerned about your friends being mad or jealous about you earning your cutie mark with this, possibly. But you won't know for sure if you don't confront it. I know that if you really try in your music, you can succeed in getting a cutie mark. You won't know that your friends will be mad or proud if you, unless if you actually earn it, and see their reactions."

She sighed. "I guess your right." She said. "I'll have to find out for myself! Lets work hard!" Her teacher smiled. Her words had finally gotten through, and the little filly had finally understood. There was still a hint of doubt that Sweetie Belle had, but not as much as before, and she could now focus on her music. Ms.Cream Note had said she had progressing in her music since she began her lessons with her. Sweetie Belle was beginning to adjust well, and learning the lyrics and song notes well. Until one day, her lessons would completely change.

She had walked into the studio, at her usual time, when all the other classes left for the day. She had gone to take out her sheets of music from where she always kept them, but Mrs.Cream Note pushed her away from them. "No, Sweetie Belle," She said firmly, "I want to discuss something with you." "Am I in trouble?" Sweetie Belle thought.

"You know, you've been doing private lessons for almost 2 months now," Ms.Cream Note started, "So, I was wondering if you wanted to sing with the other fillies and colts." Sweetie Belle looked at her with wide eyes.

"Sing with the other fillies and colts?!" the white filly squeaked. "What? Why? I'm perfectly happy here in my private lessons, and I'm afraid of singing in front of other ponies." Sweetie Belle was making a big fuss, and she knew she wouldn't be forced into going to actual lessons to sing in front of other ponies. What if there were concerts to attend? Then she would have to sing in front of a huge crowd of ponies!

"Well, what if you get your cutie mark that way?" Sweetie Belle thought about it for a moment. What if she had to share her music for a cutie mark IN music? "I'll let you think about it, but for getting a music cutie mark, you'll have to share some of your music." Sweetie Belle sighed.

"Okay Mrs.Cream Note," the white filly said after some thinking, "You're right, if I want a cutie mark in music, then I'll have to share it. I can start lessons with the other ponies tomorrow."

"Excellent!" said Mrs.Cream Note. "Now, you get home, and meet me back here in the afternoon for the afternoon class." The unicorn teacher was tidying up things and putting sheet music away as Sweetie Belle walked out the door. She avoided the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse, even though Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were wondering where shes been. Even though advice from Mrs.Cream Note helped, she wasn't ready to confront them, and tell them what she was doing.

Instead of going to the weekly meeting, she went to Rarity's Boutique, she was supposed to sleep over that weekend, and it was Friday. She made a turn, the Club house far out of her way by now. The unicorn filly opened the door, finding Rarity sewing up a hole in a dress. Her older sister was muttering and fussing about the dress. Rarity hardly noticed Sweetie Belle walking in to the store, being so focused.

She caught sight of her little sister as the filly was walking up the stairs. "Sweetie Belle?" the white mare gasped. "Aren't you supposed to be at a Cutie Mark Crusaders meeting?"

Sweetie Belle sighed. "I'm supposed to," she said. "But I'm not. I'm not going to the meeting today."

Rarity looked shocked. "Not going to the meeting?!" she gasped. "Why not? Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are probably worrying about you as we speak!"

Sweetie Belle had never thought about that. "Well, I don't want to let them know that I'm secretly trying to get my cutie mark." she blurted out. "Why did I just say that?!" Sweetie Belle thought.

Rarity looked even more shocked now. "Secretly...trying to get your cutie mark?" the older sibling started. "I thought you thought of ideas to get cutie marks and swore you were going to get your cutie marks together!"

"I know, I know!" the younger sibling said with frustration, "But I know what my special talent is, its singing! A teacher named Mrs.Cream Note said so, and shes helping me with my singing, and now she wants me to sing with the other fillies and colts tomorrow afternoon."

Rarity gasped. "And you didn't tell me?" she said. "Well...you should have! But I'm glad you've found your special talent. But you know you'll have to tell them if you get your cutie mark this way." Rarity now had the dress on the table, putting it aside. "Why don't you go get some rest? You've got a big, big day ahead tomorrow!"

"Right." Sweetie Belle said, and she went up the stairs, with a mind filled with thoughts.