"Alright I get it Sapphire I need to smile and watch my posture." I said as we went through the dance steps on stage.
"You're also off key." She said I let out a loud ugh she rolled her eyes. "Where's your duet partner?" I shrugged I hadn't seen Cord since we first got to Canterlot. "No matter take ten." I walked off the stage, Spike handed me a towel I levitated it and used it to wipe the sweat off of me.
"I thought you were great." He smiled unfortunately though he was wrong I was off key and I need to fix it. NJot to mention COrd was supposed to be here by now. The whole thing was stressing me out. I grabbed a bottle of water and drank a little of it, I gave the towel back to Spike along with the bottle.
"Am I late?" I turned around to see Cord with an electric guitar Iw as about to kill him.
"Yeah by two hours! What part of six in the morning did you not get!" I yelled and he shrugged.
"The whole wake up early thing doesn't work well for me." He smiled as he sat his stuff down then spotted his old guitar. "YOu actually kept it?" He took it in his hooves and plugged into an amp and began playing to see if it was tuned.
"I thought of it as a good luck charm, and I thought you could use it tonight." I said
"Why not I missed this old thing anyways." I smiled at the thought of us recreating the night I got my cutie mark. "So what's the deal here anyways?" I looked at him confused then it hit me.
"Our duet will be the finale." I said and he nodded
"Oh good your here now we go over your dance steps" Sapphire said Cord looked somewhat concerned about that. "It's a duet so you'll have to dance with Sweetie Belle."
"But-" He started say but Sapphire pushed us both onto the stage. "I thought I was going to playing guitar." Sapphire stopped us and face hoofed.
"I completely forgot about that." She went over and picked up a guitar and gave to him.
"Actually we were wanting to use that one." I said nervously she sighed went over picked it up and gave it to Cord.
"There now practice." She wasn't to happy I assume I wasn't the only pony under stress right now. We practiced several times then I went back to go over my songs and dance moves. Cord stuck around back stage raiding the buffet, much to the disapproval of Sapphire.
"If you keep eating your going to throw up on stage!" She yelled Cord rolled his eyes.
"I think you need to relax a little." I thought it was amazing how he could act so calm with the pressure on us to do well. "But if you makes you feel better I'll stop." He left the buffet table and went back to his guitar and starting playing a new song and I saw Sapphire face light up followed by a devious grin on her face.
"How about if you do well you finish out the tour with us." She asked Cord's ears perked up then he had an equally devious grin.
"Only if I can bring my niece with me." He said as he held out his hoof Sapphire took it.
"If you do well tonight its a deal." Inside I was screaming at the top of my lungs, I couldn't believe Sapphire was actually allowing him to come with us, it took a lot of begging to get Spike to come but here she is allowing Cord to come.
"Don't worry about it." He replied the rest of the day we were resting waiting for the show to begin. When it was time I took to the stage the crowd cheered the place was packed, I looked over them and saw Rainbowdash and Scootaloo flying above cheering.
"Hello Canterlot!" I said into the microphone and the show began. When it was time for Cord to come I took I took the microphone again as he walked onto the stage, I could tell he was nervous. "This is the song that gave me my cutie mark." I said and the crowd cheered we played and everything went perfectly. We bowed and walked off the stage, it was exhilarating. Spike ran over and hugged me tightly.
"Well you certainly held up your end of the bargain." Sapphire said to Cord who smiled back.
"You had doubts?" He walked off after that, I ran after him.
"You need to be at the train by twelve tomorrow I'll come by to get you." I said he nodded and we went our separate ways. I couldn't wait for tomorrow, on the way home something seemed to be troubling Spike.
"Hey Spike what's wrong?" I asked he looked at me funny and I knew it wasn't going to be good for any of us.
"I'm sorry Sweetie Belle but I think it might be best if we broke up." He said I couldn't believe it we had been dating for two years now and now he was just going to break up with me after my first concert.
"Your breaking up with me..." I said sheepishly I had tears in my eyes. Everypony stopped and looked back at us. Spike put his hand I me I brushed it off. "Just go." I said coldly and he left, that night I drowned my sorrows in ice cream and songs about break ups. Sapphire had made an offer to cancel the tour due to my newly developed emotional issues. But I told her I would be fine, then I headed out for a walk I found myself at a bar. I was barely old enough to drink, before I could get a drink I felt a hoof on my shoulder. I turned around to see Cord.
"That won't help you know." He said as he led me out of the bar.
"Why?" I asked I was on the verge of crying.
"I don't know let's get you home though." He said for the longest time I didn't understand why he was always looking out for me. Even back when we were kids he helped me with the talent show and fixing my relationship with my sister. He even stopped me from harming myself. I couldn't help but feel there was something between us that I was just oblivious to. At the same time I had always wanted to repay him for helping me out but I never knew how. He led me back to the hotel. Rarity took me from there, he led me back to her room, I began to cry. I didn't get any sleep that night, I stayed up watching tragic movies. In the morning I looked terrible, my mane was a mess and I had rings around my eyes.
"That's it I'm canceling your tour." Sapphire said upon looking at me.
"No I can manage." I said she gave me a hard look and frowned.
"No it's for your own good I think it might be best for you to go back to living with your sister and give this whole pop star thing a rest till your over this." She said kindly Rarity nodded in agreement. Part of me wanted to go along with this but I needed to push myself on.
"I said I can manage." I replied and Sapphire sighed
"Sweetie Belle I'm-" I cut Rarity off.
"I want to continue this tour if I just stayed and moped around in Ponyville I won't be helping myself." I said as I perked myself up.
"Alright fine get your stuff together and get Cord so we can go." Sapphire said and that was what I did. We got on the train and headed to our next stop Manehattan. We were going to be there at the same time as the Apple family reunion which was also going to be held there this year.
"So am I going to have to-" Sapphire cut Cord off he brought very little with him just a guitar and a saddle bag.
"Yes, press conferences, parties, formal events, face it kid your going to be as famous as Sweetie Belle." Sapphire laughed as Cord sighed. "Don't worry about it you should be fine as long as you do everything I tell you to do."
"Hey Cord where's your niece?" I asked hoping to get to know the little filly.
"With her mother she didn't want her to come with me." He replied
"Oh." Rarity looked at us and smiled we were sitting next to each other. "What?" I asked and she just rolled her eyes and stuck her nose in a magazine. She had never smiled like that with Spike and me together I assume she was having some weird ideas about Cord and me.
"So what's this Apple family reunion thing?" Cord asked me I rolled my eyes.
"It's in the name genius." I said which was met with a counter argument.
"Exactly I don't see why we're going." He replied before I could respond Sapphire answered.
"It's good P.R. to have Sweetie Belle be seen with her old friends especially with the one who considers her an honorary family member." Cord nodded I could tell he didn't get but wasn't really going to say anything about it. I ended up falling asleep mid way through the train ride.
"You two time to wake up." I opened my eyes my head was in Cord's chest. He was a sleep I quickly pulled away I looked in the window my face was bright red. He opened his eyes and I quickly turned away.
"Um we're here you should get your things together." I said as I made my way to the exit, as I walked past Rarity and Sapphire they were snickering.