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Curtain Rise!
Act II: Misa's Song
Sugar Cube Corner was full of life as Sweetie Belle and her friends and family celebrated the joyous occasion. Sweetie Belle felt so completely happy, so fulfilled, so accomplished. . .but there was still something bothering her in the back of her mind.
As Pinkie danced crazily in the center of the room along with Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and the other kids from school, Sweetie Belle sat at the very same table at which the Cutie Mark Crusaders were formed, along with Applebloom and Scootaloo. Rarity, Applejack, and Sweetie's parents were close by. Sweetie Belle looked back the mark on her flank. It was a shinning, feathery, mystical golden music note.
Rarity hugged her little sister joyfully and said, "Oh dear Sweetie, I knew you would discover your fabulous singing ability!"
"Singing?" Scootaloo asked, standing up on her hind legs and putting her front hooves on the table to support herself, "But that's so obvious! So simple! So-."
"Right in front of our faces?" Applebloom commented.
Scootaloo humphed and sat back down hard, "Well, you sure got it right, Sweetie Belle-"
"Why does life have to be so ironic!" both the unicorn and the Pegasus said in unison.
"Well, maybe now y'all won't be trying all those crazy things to get yer Cutie Marks anymore," Applejack said.
"Who says?" Scootaloo replied, causing both Applejack and Applebloom to roll their eyes.
After sharing a laugh, Sweetie Belle's mother, Pearl, ruffled her youngest daughter's mane and said, "Well then, my little sweetie, when exactly did you get that Cutie Mark?"
The thing that was bothering Sweetie Belle moved out from the back of her mind and right to her gut. It was so sudden it almost felt like a punch. It sent such a shock that Sweetie Belle had to catch her breath before she could answer.
"I - I - I guess last night. . .when I was singing to myself. . .I kinda got caught up in it, and it just happened without me realizing it."
Rarity hugged Sweetie Belle close and said, "Well, maybe now that you finally see that singing is your special talent, maybe you won't get stage fright anymore, because now you know that you have a gift that everypony will enjoy!"
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie zoomed in sideways and shouted, "Song! Song!"
Sweetie Belle looked a little nervous, "Um. . .well."
Rarity gently took Pinkie aside and said, "Ah-ah-ah! Gently! Give the little dear a chance. She's still a little shy, give her time to find a good song to sing. Maybe for something special?"
Pinkie smiled, "Okay! No song!" She then zipped away into the kitchen.
As Sweetie Belle followed Pinkie with her eyes, she also notice another pink pony, accompanied by a gray one. Diamond Tiara was looking straight at her. Sweetie Belle's horn sparked as she turned away.
"I'm gonna find a really great song to sing!" she said resolutely. "And I'm gonna sing it for everypony this Tuesday!"
"That's my girl!" Magnum said proudly.
Everyone in the party oohed and aahed and response. Sweetie turned to smile at Diamond Tiara, who just humphed and turned away. Silver Spoon, however, looked slightly intrigued.
Eventually the party was over, and everypony could say that they enjoyed it. Sweetie Belle was kinda sad it ended, mostly because that unpleasant feeling had come back. Sweetie Belle looked around Ponyville, and her eyes fell on Spike heading back to the Library.
She gasped and turned to her parents, "Ooh! Um, excuse me! There's something I have to do!" Sweetie Belle then took off as he parents curiously watched her go.
Soon Sweetie Belle arrived at the Library just as Spike reached the door.
"Sweetie Belle?" Spike asked after turning around.
"Um. . .Spike. . . " Sweetie Belle said nervously, looking down at the ground, "I was just wondering. . .about you and Twilight."
"Sweetie Belle."
The filly looked up expecting to see Spike looking sad and depressed, but she was very surprised to see him smiling.
"Of all the ponies in this town, I'm pretty sure, considering the Smarty Pants Doll Incident, you would know how completely insane Twilight can be!" Spike said comically. He then moved his claw in a circle along the side of his head as he continued, "I mean, there's OCD, there's Asperger's, and then there's Twilight! Imagine her trying to run a kingdom! Balancing a budget! Dealing with grouchy diplomats! Okay, she can use the Elements of Harmony, yeah. And she wrote a new spell, yeah. But, here's a little secret."
Spike looked around nervously, and saw that Sweetie Belle's parents weren't in hearing range. He then waved a claw for Sweetie to get closer. Sweetie took a step forward. Spike did this three more times, and now they were really close together. Sweetie Belle savored this closeness.
"You know that whole Cutie Mark Swap incident?" he said.
Sweetie Belle nodded, "Yeah. Mom, dad, and I were so worried. Rarity looked so miserable." A twinge of guilt hit Sweetie Belle. Twilight had been the one to fix that whole mess. . .
"Twilight caused the whole mess."
Twinge of guilt is gone.
"WHAT!?" Sweetie Belle shouted, her voice squeaking.
Spike nodded, "Yep! She carelessly read and unfinished spell right next to the Elements of Harmony. Imagine if Nightmare Moon possessed someone again! We'd all be doomed! And also, Twilight would've just given up and hid in her room if I hadn't forced her to keep going!"
Sweetie Belle's eyes opened wider than ever. "I don't believe it. . ." she said.
"Believe it," Spike said seriously.
"First she made the Parasprites destroy Ponyville, then she made me and my friends and everypony fight, and then she almost destroyed my sister's life. . . "
Sweetie Belle shook off her shock and said, "Wow. . .so, she would be a. . .a. . ."
"Terrible Princess?" Spike said with a smile, "It's alright to say it."
"Well. . ." Sweetie Belle stammered, "Are you going to miss being Twilight Assistant?"
Spike looked at Sweetie Belle for a long time, his face unreadable. The filly felt that feeling attack her gut again. She was about to apologize, when Spike surprised her again by bursting out laughing.
Spike continued in his mirth for about a minute, and then he wiped his eyes and said, "Sweetie Belle. Do you know what my days were like? Wake up. Cook Twilight breakfast. Go shopping with her. Carry her stuff around. Write down everything she says. Cook her lunch. Write down everything she says. Go through the entire library to get books for her. Put the books back. Hold up books and paper for her to see. Write down everything she says. Triple check all her millions of checklists. Bandage up my claw cramps. Cook her dinner. Record everything she does in the basement lab. Clean up the basement lab. Go through all her schedules. Force her to go to bed. Get woken up in the middle of the night by her worrying and antics. Get her a glass of warm milk. Finally go to bed. Get a few precious hours of sleep. Get woken up early by Twilight. Repeat."
Sweetie Belle stared at Spike in utter disbelief. He had said all of this with a perfectly straight face. A new ache arose in her. An ache in her heart. She jumped forward and hugged him a tight as possible.
"Oh Spike! I had no idea!" she wept, tears escaping her eyes as she nuzzled Spike's head.
Spike blinked in shock at the sudden display of affection. Then he smiled and hugged Sweetie Belle back, "It's okay. Don't cry, Sweetie. It's fine, really."
The pair let each other go and wiped their tears.
"Everything's fine now, Sweetie Belle," Spike said, "I was a slave. . .but now I'm free."
And with that one sentence, the unpleasant feeling in Sweetie Belle's gut and head was obliterated into atoms and sent to the edges of the galaxy. An adorable smile spread across Sweetie Belle's face. It seemed to be infectious, because Spike smiled just as wide.
Sweetie then looked up at the Library and said, "I just realized something. Are you going to live here on your own?"
Spike looked at the empty library for a moment, then he shrugged, and forced a grin, "Sure! Why not! I don't really mind it. I have plenty of freedom now. I can have fun with friends. Maybe go to school-."
"Sweetie Belle? Are you two alright?" Magnum said as he and his wife approached them.
"Ummm. . . ." Sweetie Belle bit her lip, knowing that this was a chance of a lifetime. She couldn't let this opportunity slip by. She took a deep breath and said, "Spike shouldn't have to live all by himself. And if he goes to Canterlot, Twilight will make him do all of her work again. So. . .could he. . .maybe. . ." Sweetie Belle blushed and looked away, and squeaked out, "stay with us?"
Spike's eyes went wide with shock and Sweetie's parents exchanged shocked glances.
"Well. . ." Magnum said slowly.
"What do you think, Spikey?" Pearl asked in a kind tone.
"Compared to what Twilight had me to, I'm sure chores at your house will be nothing!" Spike said eagerly. He looked like he was gonna jump out of his skin with excitement.
Author's Note: Yeah, let's just cut out "Spike at Your Service" from this continuity. Yeah, that episode never happened. It doesn't exist.
Magnum chuckled as Perl just smiled.
"Well then, all I have to say is. . ." Magnum said with a dramatic pause, "Need any help packing?"
Everyone laughed as Spike led the couple into the Library. Sweetie Belle stood out, however. She needed the time to think.
"Wow. . .this is just. . .great! It's amazing! I'll be closer to Spike than ever! And Twilight won't be able to hurt me, my family, or Spike anymore! And, that song I sung. . . "
A spooky feeling ran through her body, and then ended with a pink spark on the tip of her horn. She thought of how those ponies in that mob had quoted lines of that song word for word. Sweetie Belle turned to look at her Cutie Mark. The musical note was elegant, mysterious, and ethereal. It kind of reminded her of either Celestia's or Luna's mane. Just looking at the shinning golden magic filled her with wonder. On closer examination, the note seemed to be made of twisted strands of gold. Like the Threads of Ponies' Lives. . .
At that moment, it all clicked in Sweetie Belle's mind.
She had repaid him for saving her from the Want It Need It Spell.
She had defeated Twilight Sparkle.
Sweetie Belle smiled knowingly.
She had freed him.
"My singing is magic. . . It changes the Threads of Lives. . .I can change the world. . .and stop the bad ponies. . ."
Sweetie Belle looked up at the starry night sky, now completely at peace.
"I didn't do anything wrong. . .I did something right. . ."
Sweetie Belle was interrupted by the hooting of an owl. She turned to see Owlicious perched on a low branch with a mouse in his beak. Sweetie Belle smiled. Even Owlicious was better off without Twilight.
Sweetie Belle stared at the owl, lost in thought about her new abilities. Just like the owl, that keeps watch during the night and picks off the mice, she would keep watch as well. She'd now when sing her spells. A higher power gave her this gift, and surely that higher power would tell her when to use it, and whom she should use it on. The young filly closed her eyes and started singing.
Careful what you do,
'Cause God is watching your every move.
Hold my hoof in the dark street,
For if you do I know that I'll be safe.
Twilight flew to the gates of Canterlot Castle. Guards bowed to her as she ran past them frantically.
Even if I'm far away and alone,
I can be sure you will find me there.
This I know.
You draw me close for a while, so quiet.
You tell me everything.
If I forget what you say, then you come to me and tell me again.
Yes you'd tell me once again.
Celestia held Twilight close with her wing and stroked her mane gently. Using a handkerchief, she dried the purple Alicorn's tears.
But what happens when I know it all?
Then what should I do after that?
What then?
The door suddenly opened and Spike, Magnum, and Pearl came out, each with a suitcase.
". . .and so I'll just come back here from time to time to see what books have been checked in and out until Mayor Mare finds a new Librarian. Ya know, I've always wondered what happened to the old one."
Sweetie Belle felt her heart go warm as she looked at Spike. Now she knew what she was going to do after that. Just as she knew what her big song would be. Let's just say it involves Spike.
Curtian!