Younger Generation

by Seanzilla115

Music to my ears

At the CMC's clubhouse, the 6 young fillies were busy playing a few instruments...a bit badly at that too since Mischief had some plugs in his ears, which didn't help any.

"For crying out loud! Find an instrument you're good at already! From what I'm hearing, it sounds like somepony's torturing a cat while chewing on aluminum foil!" the dragon yelled, curled up into a ball as he covered his ears.

"What's his problem?" Scootaloo asked, holding a bass-guitar that was her size.

"I don't know. Maybe he doesn't like music," Quirky shrugged, twirling a trombone.

"Hey! I like music! And what you were playing was not music!" Mischief snapped before turning into a turtle and going into his shell, shutting metal doors in every opening.

"...Some ponies just don't appreciate good taste," Sweetie Belle shrugged, holding a pair of drumsticks as she stood behind a pair of drums.

"Hmm…" Dawn Star pondered a bit, holding a guitar in her hoofs.

"I..Is something wrong, Dawn-chan?" Timid asked as she move back a bit from a miniature piano.

"You know..maybe he does have a point," the Alicorn filly said as she put the instrument down, "We've been playing for hours, and haven't found the right instruments that fit us."

"Okay… well… how will we know which instruments fit us?" Applebloom asked as she put down a tambourine.

"I do…" Dawn Star began before the 6 fillies' stomachs began to growl, "...Maybe we'll find out once we grab a bite to eat."

"Sounds like a good idea, Sugarcube corner sound good?" Scootaloo suggested as she and the rest of the CMC put their instruments down.

"I'm all set to go!" Quirky squealed in excitement, "Execute transition!"

"Huh? What tra…" Scootaloo began.
---
'How does she do that?!' Scootaloo gawked as she and her friends were walking down the street, heading towards Sugarcube corner.

"Here we are~!" Quirky smiled in a sing-song voice.

"Neat. I hope there's a special going on. Because I'm really hun..huh?" Dawn Star began as she noticed somepony missing, "...Where's Sweetie Belle?"

"What're ya'll talkin' about? she's ri..huh?" Applebloom blinked when she noticed that Sweetie Belle really wasn't there, "..She was right here a second ago."

"That's weird…" Scootaloo noted, "Where'd she go?"

"A..ano...I..I think I saw her st..stop at that corner we passed a few m-minutes ago," Timid spoke with a stutter, "I..It looked like she saw something she really liked."

"Which corner?" Applebloom asked the shy filly.

"Ano...r...right there," Timid replied as she pointed to a corner behind them.

"..Ugh, I'll get her," Scootaloo sighed a bit as she headed back the otehrway before turning the corner, seeing Sweetie Belle staring at something, "There you are. What's teh hold up, Sweetie Belle? i thought you were…"

Sweetie belle wasn't paying attention to the pegasus filly as she looked at the poster before her, stars in her eyes.

"..Uh..Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo blinked as she waved a hoof in front of the unicorn filly's face, "You alright?"

"Sh...she's coming here…" Sweetie Belle whispered, making Scootaloo blink.

The pegasus filly then turned to see what Sweetie Belle was looking at. It was a poster of a shaded Mare with a long mane, and she was playing a cello as musical notes surrounded her.

"...Who…"

"Octavia..sh..she's coming here," Sweetie Belle whispered, her voice starting to rise in excitment.

"..Who the hay is Octavia?" Scootaloo blinked, making Sweetie Belle freeze up before looking at her.

"One of the greatest cellists of our time, and she's coming here to Ponyville!" Sweeite Belle exclaimed before looking back at the picture, "I really hope to meet her! I really do!"

"..Uh..no offense Sweetie Belle, but I don't really care for that boring stuff," Scootaloo said, making Sweetie Belle freeze up once more.

"..Excuse me?"

"What? I heard that music before, and frankly, it's boring," Scootaloo replied, "Besides, I perfer to listen to the music of DJ- Pon3 when I can."

"What?! ...How can you enjoy that kind of music?! It's so..so...loud!" Sweetie Belle snapped as she quickly turned to glare at Scootaloo, her voice sounding squeaky near the end.

"Oh yeah! That's not how you acted when we performed our theme song during the talent show last year!" Scootaloo argued as she and Sweetie Belle butted heads.

"That's because it wasn't loud! Then again, I tried to mute out your voice, because it was really scratchy, like your music!"

"Well at least my music doesn't make ponies fall asleep!"

"You take that back!"

"Um…" a voice spoke as Dawn Star and the other CMC members poked their heads out from the corner, "Is everything alright?"

"Scootaloo is insulting my taste in music!" Sweetie responded.

"You're doing the same thing!" Scootaloo snapped before turning to Dawn Star, "Dawn, tell me what's better. DJ-PON3's music, or that boring music made by Octavia?!"

"Her music is not boring!" Sweetie Belle snapped as the two butted heads once more, lightning crackling from between their eyes.

"..Um..I don't know who either of those two are," Dawn Star sweatdropped.

"...Did you two forget that she still has a case of amnesia?" Quirky and Applebloom reminded in unison.

"JYNX!" Quirky giggled, "You owe me some cupcakes, Applebloom!"

"A...ano...I don't think th-they heard you," Timid noted as she saw Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle still glaring at each other.

"Girls! Just chill out for now, okay?!" Applebloom shouted, getting between the two, who were still glaring at each other.

"Not until she admits her music is boring!" Scootaloo snapped.

"It is not boring! And You better admit your music is too loud and annoying!" Sweetie Belle argued.

"Oh yeah?! Since we're on the subject of annoying, I can't stand it when your voice goes squeaky when you talk!"

"At least I don't spend my entire life idoling one single Pegasus!"

"Hey! You leave my sister out of this!"

"ENOUGH!" Dawn Star yelled as she used her magic to hold the two back before they could attack each other, "Honestly, you're both acting like spoiled brats."

"She started it!" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo shouted.

"I don't care who started it! Just..please stop fighting, okay?!"

"Not until she takes back what she said!" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo yelled, pointing at each other.

"Oh geez… we're never gonna get to eat at this point," Quirky whined.

"H..hai.." Timid whimpered, her stomach rumbling.

"Girls! Please stop! For Luna's sake, yer upsettin' Timid and Quirky!" Applebloom yelled at the two, managing to get the two fillies to shut up.

"...On second thought..I think I'll hang out with my big sister instead. I don't want to hang out with miss boring squeaky here," Scootaloo scoffed.

"Well I guess we finally agree on something. I'm going home as well," Sweetie Belle scoffed as well as she and Scootaloo went their separate ways.

"...I thought Scootaloo didn't have a big sister," Quirky pointed out.

"A..ano..Sh..she sees R-rainbow-san as a b-big sister, r..remember?" Timid reminded the dark-green filly.

"...oh yeah! I forgot!" Quirky realized before giggling a bit as she bonked her head playfully, "Silly me."

Timid could only sweatdrop at that.

"...Ano… are we… going to eat, still?" Timid asked the remaining three fillies.

"..I guess so…" Dawn sighed as the remaining fillies there walked back towards Sugarcube corner.
---
"Stupid Sweetie Belle...calling my music annoying...she's annoying…" Scootaloo mumbled as she walked down the street.

She was so busy muttering to herself that she didn't notice a certain mare in front of her, causing the filly to bump into her.

"Ow! Hey! Wa...Scootaloo?" Rainbow Dash blinked when she noticed the filly before helping her up, "You alright there? You really need to be careful when.."

'I'm fine…" Scootaloo replied, the frown still on her face.

"...That look on your face says otherwise," Rainbow dash pointed out as she sat next to her 'little sister', "Mind talking to me about it?"

"...Well…" Scootaloo began, not sure how to answer, "Me and Sweetie Belle got into a fight on music...she said my music was loud and annoying. Well she's wrong! DJ PON3's music isn't…!"

"Wait wait..DJ PON3? You mean Vinyl Scratch, right?"

"Yeah! Th..wait…" Scootaloo began as she looked up at her 'big sister', "How do you know her real name?"

"Oh, well… I met her before and...well..i was going to…"

"Yo Dash! What's the hold up?!" a voice spoke, catching Scootaloo's attention as she looked over Rainbow Dash's shoulder before her eyes widened.

The pony in question was a white unicorn mare with a musical note for a Cutie Mark, a vibrant blue mane, and red eyes that were currently covered by a pair of black framed and purple lensed glasses.

"V..V...V...V..." Scootaloo repeated, her form trembling in excitement.

"I've been waitin' for ya so we can…" the mare began before noticing Scootaloo stare at her, "...Who's the kid?"

"V...V..V..V..V…"

"Well..remember that filly I mentioned that's my biggest fan, and I've kinda took her in as my little sis?" Rainbow Dash asked the white mare.

"..Oh! You mean the one that also likes my music, right?"

"Yep," Dash nodded as Scootaloo's smile grew really wide, her wings flapping really fast in excitment.

"VINYL SCRATCH!" Scootaloo cheered as she flew high into the air before landing back down slowly, not noticing she was flying a bit, "Oh Celestia, this is the coolest day of my life!"

"Um…" Vinyl began before whispering to Rainbow Dash, "Is she alright?"

"It's alright. She tends to get a bit excited from time to time…" the cyan pegasus replied.

"I see…." Vinyl noted before grinning a bit, "Still, nice to meet one of my fans."

"And it is an HONOR to meet you, Vinyl!" Scootaloo grinned, "You aer one of the coolest ponies alive! Well..almost as cool as my 'big sis', but still awesome!"

Vinyl couldn't help but chuckle at the filly's excitement. She's seen plenty of fans who acted nearly the same way before, so it wasn't new to her.

Scootaloo was about to ask her something before her stomach began to rumble.

"..Uh..Oops. I forgot I was hungry.."the pegasus filly chuckled in embarrassment.

"C'mon. I'll get you something to eat," Dash told her.

"Mind if I join ya?" Vinyl asked, holding a hoof over her stomach, "I can go for a quick bite."

"Of course!" Scootaloo smiled excitedly.
---
"Stupid Scootaloo...Octavia's music isn't boring…" Sweetie Belle grumbled as she walked into her and Rarity's home, "Rarity! I'm home!"

"Welcome back, Sweetie Belle. Sorry I didn't say this sooner, but we have a guest," Rarity answered.

"I don't care. I'm going to my room," Sweetie Belle frowned as she was about to head upstairs until her sister stepped in front of her.

"Are you sure? I'm sure you'll love our guest," Rarity said to her little sister.

"I said I don't ca-"

"What if I told you she was Octavia?"

"...D...did you just say...'Octavia'?" Sweetie Belle asked, hoping she heard her sister right.

"I did…" Rarity nodded before turning her head and calling into the next room, "Octavia, do you mind coming in here? My little sister would like to meet you."

"Coming Rarity!" another voice responded as Sweetie Belle looked to see a grayish brown mare with a black mane, pink eyes, and a G clef Cutie Mark walk into the room.

"...I..I'm not dreaming..aren't I?" Sweetie Belle asked her sister slowly.

"Nope. It's really her," Rarity replied before looking at Octavia, "Apologies, but my little sister absolutely loves your music."

"That's good to hear. It's hard to find younger minds who appreciate the classics," Octavia replied.

'Indeed. Youth these days would rather listen to that horrid music called 'rap'. Honestly, such language at times in those things," Rarity stated with a small huff.

"Agreed,' Octavia nodded before looking at Sweetie Belle, "I am glad you appreciate classic music, young one."

"Oh! Um..th..thank you, miss Octavia," Sweetie Belle stuttered, acting a bit like Timid at the moment.

"There's no need to be shy, dear," Octavia smiled a bit, "I'm as normal as any other pony out there."

"Y..ye…"Sweetie Belle began before her stomach rumbled, making her blush in embarresment, "..."

"Don't worry, you two. I was just about to prepare lunch anyway," Rarity told them.

"Actually, why don't I treat us to lunch?" Octavia offered, "It's the least I could do, especially for one of my fans."

"..Well…" rarity began before she felt Sweetie Belle hug her leg, making her look down.

"Please~?" Sweetie Belle begged, giving off the cutest face she could make.

"Well…" Rarity began again as she turned to Octavia, "If you're sure dear...alright."

"Excellent. I know the perfect place to go," Octavia nodded before giggling a bit, "To tell you the truth, I haven't been there since I was a filly. But the food they served there was absolutely delicious."

"Yay!" Sweetie Belle smiled before they left the house.
---
"..Is somethin' wrong, Dawn?" Applebloom asked the alicorn filly, who seemed to distracted to eat the cupcakes before her.

"...I just can't help but feel like…" Dawn began before the front door to Sugarcube corner opened.

"Hey! There's Scootaloo right now with Rainbow dash and…" Quirky began before she spotted a mare she didn't recognize, "...wait..who's she? I..feel like I've seen her somewhere."

"No way… is that DJ PON-3?" Applebloom gawked.

"Y..you know her, A..Applebloom-chan?" Timid asked.

'Yeah. Ah've heard a few of her songs with Scootaloo from time to time," the southern filly replied, "They're good, but Ah prefer listening to a bit of country from time to time."

"I..i see…" Timid noted.

"Man…" Vinyl began as she looked at her surroundings, "Being here sure brings back some memories from my childhood. Heh..it's also where I met Pinkie pie, and that mare can really party."

"Yep. She's now the official Party Planner here in Ponyville, too," Dash added.

'Nice," Vinyl grinned before smelling the air, "Mmm~ Oh man, I missed the smell of those awesome cupcakes."

"Yeah? Well maybe.." Rainbow Dash began before the front door opened once more.

"Sugarcube corner? This is the place you mentioned?" Rarity blinked as she, Sweetie belle, and Octavia walked in.

"Of course. This place was one of my favorite places to eat when I was a filly, especiialy with my old friend, V…" Octavia began.

"Tavi? is that you?" Vinyl blinked, catching Octavia's attention.

"Vinyl?" Octavia gawked, seeing the unicorn before her.

"Aw snap! Tavi! long time no see!" Vinyl grinned as she walked over to the mare, "How've you been?"

"I've been just fine, Vinyl. And how have you been?" Octavia asked.

"Been doing good. Pretty good I might add," Vinyl replied.

Sweetie Belle was abit confused as to how Octavia, her favorite musician, knew DJ PON3. However, that didn't last long as she noticed a certain pegasus filly, who spotted her as well.

"YOU?!" both fillies snapped before glaring at eachother as they butted heads, "What're you doin here?! What am I do..stop that! Stop copying me! No! You stop copying me!"

"Uh… are they okay?" Vinyl asked, confused.

"I'm..not quite sure…" Octavia admitted as Rarity and Rainbow dash pulled their sisters away from each other before they could hit each other.

"Would you two mind explaining what's going on?" Rarity demanded with a scolding frown.

"I just saw a poster of Octavia coming to town today, then Scootaloo called Octavia's music boring, and..." Sweetie Belle started.

"It is boring! You started it when you called Vinyl's music loud and annoying!" Scootaloo argued.

"No, you did!" Sweetie snapped.

"Oh dear… it sounds like us as fillies all over again," Octavia sighed.

"Too true," Vinyl nodded before she and Octavia looked at the two, arguing fillies, "Okay you two, enough. There's no need to fight."

"How do you know?! She insulted your music!" Sweetie and Scootaloo shouted in unison towards Octavia and Vinyl respectively.

"While that is true, you shouldn't let a thing like that get between your friendship," Octavia stated to the two fillies, calming them down a bit.

"We learned that the hard way," Vinyl added, "But we were able to mend that friendship, and while we don't see each other as much as we used to, we still value each other's friendship."

"Agreed. So always treasure your friendship, and never let such petty things destroy it," Octavia finished with a small smile.

"Oh…" the two fillies gawked before looking at each other apologetically.

"Sweetie Belle...i'm...sorry for calling your favorite music boring…" Scootaloo apologized first.

"Yea… and I'm… sorry… for calling yours loud and annoying," Sweetie apologized shortly after.

"Yeah...so..we still friends?" Scootaloo asked hopefully.

"Friends," Sweetie nodded as they shook hooves.

Dawn Star let out a sigh of relief as she and the other CMC members watched nearby, the Alicorn filly happy to see their two friends making up.

"Good to see you making up," Dawn smiled.

"Yeah," Applebloom agreed.

"H..hai.." Timid added.

"Yippee!" Quirky smiled as Pinkie came down.

"Hiya Vinyl! Hiya Tavi!" Pinkie waved.

"Yo, Pinkie!" Vinyl waved.

"You two just in time! The cupcakes are hot and ready to eat!" Pinkie beamed.

"Perfect. Just how I like them," Octavia smiled as she, Vinyl, Dash, Rarity, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle joined the others.

"They sure changed their mood rather quickly," Dash noted to Rarity.

"Yeah. And I'm relieved," Dash noted as she took a bite of her cupcake, "Besides, getting in a argument about music is stupid...even though Scoots was right."

"Yes wel-...excuse me?" Rarity paused as she looked at the cyan pegasus.

"Kidding," Dash smiled with a laugh, "I had ya for second there, Rarity."

"...Oh… ha ha… you sure did, Rainbow Dash," Rarity rolled her eyes.

"Come on, let's go eat already."

"Yeah..now we can finally eat."
---
"Ahh...de-licious," Quirky sighed in content as she laid back, her stomach bloated from all the cupcakes she ate.

"...I'm..not sure how to react after what I just saw," Octavia gawked after she and Vinyl watched Quirky eat an entire tray of Cupcakes in one go.

"She's a lot more like Pinkie than expected," Dash noted.

"A...agreed," Rarity slowly agreed.

"...Never knew a filly could eat so many cupcakes without getting a tummyache," Vinyl added, poking Quirky's bloated tummy a bit, "Still, mad props to her for doing that."

"Oh thank...YOU!" Quirky belched loudly, blowing everypony's manes back, "...excuse me."

"...Well… that's another thing with my mane I need to take care of," Rarity sighed.

"Same here," Octavia agreed before she heard Vinyl snickering, "...What's so funny, Vinyl?"

"I..I'm sorry Tavi but...you..you look so..so…" Vinyl began before she collapsed on the floor, laughing hysterically.

"...What? How do I look?"

"...Uh...miss Octavia? Whatever you do...don't look in a mirror," Dawn Star warned.

'Eh? Why? Is it that…" Octavia began before seeing her reflection in the window, "...KYAAA!"

"...DAAAAAHAHAHAHA! Y..YOU JUST SAID 'KYA'!" Vinyl laughed loudly.

"It isn't funny, Vinyl Scratch!"

"It's hilarious!"

"No it isn't!" Octavia snapped as she slammed her hoof on the table, unintentionally sending a cupcake flying into Vinyl's face, "...oh dear…"

"Oh boy…" Dash gulped.

"..." Vinyl remained silent before laughing a bit, "Okay, Tavi. You got me back for laughing at your mane. But..." she grinned as she began to use her magic to levitate a few cupcakes.

"V..Vinyl?" Octavia slowly asked.

"Of course you realize…"

"..No. Don't you dare. Don't you even dare…" Octavia frowned, seeing where this was going.

"This. Means. War!" Vinyl whooped as she pelted Octavia, along with the CMC, Dash, and Rarity, in cupcakes.

"...That's it…" Octavia began as she wiped some cupcake off her face, "It..is..on, Vinyl Scratch!"

"Uh oh," Vinyl gulped before flipping the table over and heading behind it just as Octavia grabbed a nearby pie and threw it at her, "Now Tavi, let's be reasonable!"

'The time for being reasonable is over, Vinyl Scratch! Now have at you!" Octavia snapped before grabbing some pies and tossed them at the white unicorn.

"Now this is fun!" Pinkie giggled before getting hit with a stray pie, "..."

"Oh no…" Rarity and Dash paled, knowing the grin that was slowly growing on Pinkie's face.

"FOOD FIGHT!"
---
Eventually, everypony left Sugarcube Corner, all having a friendly laugh while covered in cupcakes and pies.

"Oh man..that. Was...Wicked!" Vinyl scratch laughed as she walked next to Octavia, "You nearly had me with that large barrage of cupcakes Tavi!"

"Yes well...I kinda snapped a bit when you got my mane dirty with that chocolate cream pie…" Octavia admitted with a small chuckle.

"You mean you aren't mad at each other anymore?" Scootaloo asked.

"Kid..when we were fillies, me and Tavi got into fights like that from time to time..most of which were kinda started by me when I pranked Tavi a few times," Vinyl chuckled.

"Yes...I remember that one you pulled on me, where you put hot sauce in my sandwich and I had to cool my mouth down with a pie since there was no water or milk available," Octavia stated.

"Yea… that was a classic," Vinyl laughed, placing a hoof over Octavia.

"Quite. But despite that, we're still best friends," Octavia smiled.

"Oh yeah," Vinyl agreed, "We sure are."

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo couldn't help but smile at that before looking at each other, still feeling a bit stupid for arguing with each other like that earlier today.

"Now that we're full, we can finally get back to choosing our instruments!" Quirky beamed before looking at herself and the others, "...As soon as we clean ourselves off."

"Maybe we can help you out," Octavia suggested, having overheard what she said.

"Yea," Vinyl agreed, "We don't mind helping out the possible next generation of musicians."

"Do you mean it?!" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle gawked in unison.

"Eeyup/indeed," Vinyl and Octavia nodded.

"...Sweetie Belle?"

"Yeah Scootaloo?"

"..I think I'm going to faint now…"

"Ahh...me too…"

"3… 2… 1…" Quirky counted, and with that, both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo collapsed on the ground, huge, excited grins on their faces, "And...there they go."

"..Um...why don't we try tomorrow?" Octavia suggested.

"Yeah. Things… kinda got hectic today," Vinyl added.

"Sounds fair to me," Dawn shrugged, "We need to clean ourselves off anyway."

"H...hai…" Timid nodded as Rainbow Dash and Rarity picked up the still unconscious Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.

"We'll meet up tomorrow then," Applebloom nodded, "Granted Ah can finish mah chores in time."

"We can wait for you, Applebloom," Dawn reassured her.

"Okay. Thanks," Applebloom smiled.
---
The next day, Octavia and Vinyl arrived at the CMC clubhouse, the six fillies already having all the instruments ready while Mischief stood inside, covering his ears.

"Alright young ones, let us see you play," Octavia said as she and Vinyl sat down.

With that, Quirky started with a set of drums, followed up by Sweetie playing the mini piano, Applebloom with the trumpet, Timid with the ocarina, Scootaloo with the bass guitar, and Dawn with the regular guitar.

"St...stop stop!" Vinyl yelled as she and Octavia held their ears.

"Well? Was it good?" Quirky asked.

"...Well…" Vinyl began as she nudged Octavia a bit, "You tell her, Tavi."

"Well… you're… okay, but… what if we switched you girls around? Try out a different instrument," Octavia answered before looking at Timid Swallow, "Timid dear, why don't you try and pick up that tambourine over there?"

"O...okay, Octavia-san," Timid nodded as she put the ocarina down and picked up the instrument Octavia mentioned.

"Scootaloo, why don't you give Applebloom your instrument, and Dawn, give your instrument to Scootaloo," Octavia said, Scootaloo giving her bass guitar to Applebloom, and Dawn giving her guitar to Scootaloo, "Next…Sweetie belle, let Dawn Star play the piano. And Quirky…"

"Yeah?" said filly spoke.

"...You're fine with your instrument," Octavia replied as she looked at Vinyl, "Right."

"Yeah. You were doing pretty good before the others...well… n-nevermind. You're pretty good on the drums kid," Vinyl stated.

"Thanks!" Quirky beamed, making a 'squee' noise when she smiled.

"Okay, let's try this again," Vinyl told the fillies until…

"Wait!" Sweetie Belle spoke, catching the older mare's attention, "I don't have anything to play now!"

"Oh...uh… sorry dear...hmm…" Octavia began to ponder a bit before an idea popped into her head, "Can you sing, dear?"

'Huh? Uh...yeah but…" Sweetie Began before blushing a bit in embarrassment, "I'm not sure I'm good enough… I only sing when I'm in the shower."

"You sure about that Sweetie Belle?" Scootaloo spoke, "I thought you were pretty good during Hearts and Hooves day last year when we were trying to find a special Somepony for Ms. Cheerilee."

"R-Really?" Sweetie Belle blushed.

"Yeah," Scootaloo nodded.

"Ah agree. You can sing pretty good, Sweetie Belle," Applebloom added.

"Really?! I wanna hear! I wanna hear!" Quirky smiled excitedly.

"Ano… I… I'd like to hear too," Timid added with a small, shy smile.

"I think it's unanimous at this point," Dawn noted.

Sweetie Belle couldn't help but blush at the compliments she was given by her friends.

"Well… we're waiting, dear," Octavia said, waiting for Sweetie Belle.

"Uh… o-okay… can you girls please play something?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Sure…" Dawn nodded as she looked at the others, who got ready as well, "Okay… one… two… three…go."

Thus, Quirky started on the drums, and the other fillies picked up their instruments, playing rather well and softly, and Sweetie Belle took a few deep breaths before she began to sing.

"Tale as old as time… true as it can be…"

"..." Mischief slowly raised his hands down as he began to listen to the melody.

"Barely even friends… then somebody bends… unexpectedly…"

Octavia and Vinyl slowly listened in as they watched.

"Just a little change…" Sweetie continued to sing as the other fillie managed to play beautifully, and somehow sound like a full orchestra.

'...d..dang..' Mischief thoughts as he listened to the calm, beautiful melody.

"Small to say the least… both a little scared… neither one prepared… Beauty and the Beast."

"P..please...stop right there.." Octavia said, holding back a few tears as the CMC did so, "Sweetie Belle..dear?"

"Wh-What's wrong, Octavia… was I singing badly?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"N...no..that...that was beautiful…" Octavia smiled, wiping a few tears away from her face.

"Beautiful? No Tavi...that was...was...excuse me…" Vinyl said as she turned her head, using her magic to lift her glasses as she wiped some tears from her eyes.

"Vinyl, are you crying?" Octavia realized.

"N...no. Just..have something in my eye is all," Vinyl denied as she put her glasses back on.

"If you say so…" Octavia smiled a bit as she turned back towards Sweetie Belle, "Sweetie dear, you have a ton of potential...potential i haven't seen in somepony so young."

"R..really? Y...you think I'm that good?" Sweetie Belle asked, a blush on her face.

"Indeed. In fact…" Octavia began as she walked over to the unicorn filly, "There's an upcoming competition in Canterlot in a few months."

"Wait...you mean that one competition where some judges decide which filly is the best singer?" Vinyl asked, making sure she heard her friend right.

"Indeed," Octavia nodded as she turned back towards Sweetie Belle, "And I think young Sweetie Belle here can win it. That is… if she'd like to enter of course."

"Y-You mean it?!" Sweetie Belle gawked, hoping she heard right.

"Yes. Like i said, you have potential young one, and I don't want that to go to waste," Octavia stated, "I just need your sister's permission, and I can go and sign you up for it."

Sweetie Belle didn't know how to react… Octavia, one of her idols, was not only praising her singing, but wanted to enter her in a competition in Canterlot as well.

"Well? Are you going to do it, Sweetie Belle?" Dawn Star asked the unicorn filly.

"Uh… well…" Sweetie Belle began nervously, "Well… yea…if you think I'm that good..."

"..If you're still unsure dear, I won't rush you," Octavia said to the young filly as she got back up and walked back to Vinyl, looking back at Sweetie Belle over her shoulder, "I'll be in Ponyville for a few weeks, so when you've decided, come and let me know, okay?"

"Oh… okay," Sweetie Belle nodded.

"Good," Octavia nodded as she turned back to Vinyl, "Come on Vinyl, let's head back to your place."

"Alright," Vinyl nodded as the two mares left, leaving the CMC by themselves.

"Can you believe it?!" Quirky squealed as she pulled Sweetie Belle into a hug,"You just got complemented and recommended by your favorite musician, Sweetie Belle! Isn't that awesome?!"

"Can't...breathe…" Sweetie Belle wheezed from how tight the hug was.

"Huh? Oh! Heh heh... Oopsie," Quirky chuckled as she let the unicorn filly go, letting her catch her breath.

"That's… better…" Sweetie Belle panted, catching her breath, "Y...y..yeah. It is kinda cool but…"

"..What's wrong?" Applebloom asked.

"A..are you okay, S..Sweetie Belle?" Timid asked, noticing the nervous look on Sweetie Belle's face.

"...Well… I'm glad that Octavia praised my singing and wants to sign me up for a competition in Canterlot but...well…" Sweetie Belle began as she nervously rubbed her left front leg, "What if I mess up? I… I don't want to let her down…"

"Relax, Sweetie. I'm sure you'll do great," Dawn Star reassured her friend, "I'm sure your sister would say the same thing if she heard you singing just now."

"She's right," Applebloom nodded.

"Yeah...in fact, if you do enter that competition, I bet you'll sweep them all away," Scootaloo added.

"Exactly!" Quirky agreed.

"H… hai… I… I'm sure you'll do really well, S..Sweetie-chan," Timid added with a smile.

"..."

"Like Octavia said, she'll be in town for a few weeks, so you'll have enough time to decide," Dawn Star said to her friend.

"...You're right…" Sweetie Belle spoke as she looked up, "I still have enough time to decide."

"Exactly. And who knows? Maybe you'll get your Cutie Mark during that competition as well," Dawn Star added.

"...Yeah… maybe I might…" Sweetie Belle began to smile, not feeling so nervous, "Thanks girls, for cheering me up."

"No problem. it's what friends do after all," Dawn Star smiled.

"That's right," Quirky nodded before remembering something, "Oh! And I got just the way to help cheer you up more! Sugarcube Corner is currently making a fresh batch of carrot cupcakes with that delicious frosting we like! if we hurry now, we can get some just as they're taking them out of the oven!"

"Oh yea! Let's hurry," Sweetie smiled before she and her friends left, hurrying to Sugarcube Corner to get those cupcakes.

Inside the clubhouse, Mischief was quietly sobbing hysterically (which was kind of an odd combination) as he laid against the wall, blowing into a piece of tissue.

"That singing… so beautiful… U...uwaaaaaggghhh!" Mischief cried before looking at the screen before turning back and hiding his face, "J...just end it already, okay?!"

With that, the scene ended on Mischief with an iris out.

Author's Note:

You like? Comment/review if ya possibly can. Also, apologies if the last few Author notes were a bit confusing. I was..half awake when I was writing them. Also, don't ask how the CMC playing their instruments made it sound like a full ochestra cause...well..MLP logic or something...still, I hope ya enjoyed the chapter