//------------------------------// // Sweetie Belle's Most Amazing Voice // Story: Finding True Talents // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// A few days passed since Diamond Tiara discovered the true meaning of her Cutie Mark and began to change her attitude. Thanks to Sweetie Belle, the weight that was in her heart was gone and Diamond Tiara didn't feel so relieved since long time. During a class, Cheerilee took her students to the Ponyville Theater, where, upon entering, students began to sit in the front seats. "Does anyone know why Miss Cheerilee brought us to the theater?" Diamond Tiara, while she sat next to Sweetie Belle, who sat next to Apple Bloom, who sat next to Scootaloo. "No, no clue" Sweetie Belle answered. "Will we see some play?" Apple Bloom asked. "Ah hope so." "I don't know" Scootaloo replied. "Normally, plays are boring." "I don't think that" Sweetie Belle said. "Actually, I love theater. Mainly musicals and operas. Of course this can be my sister's influence." "My mother used to take me to operas" Diamond Tiara said. "Honestly, she just did that to hang out with ponies of the upper classes. She really doesn't like opera, but I loved the dresses and the way they sing." "I just hope there's some famous actor" Silver Spoon said, sitting next to Diamond Tiara. "Maybe he or she will act in person for us." And so Cheerilee got up to the stage and the students stand in silence, trying to hear what she had to say. "Well, I bet you all want to know why we're here" Cheerilee said. "The truth is that a very special pony decided to do a little play here in our village. But I think it's best to let our guest do the honors. My dear students, please, welcome... And then an orange burst of light appeared and Melody appeared, exclaiming: "Me!" And everypony started clapping Melody’s entrance. "I can't believe!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "It's Melody, the General of Music." "What's she doin’ here?" Apple Bloom asked. "Ah thought she was in tha Light Kingdom." "Thank you" Melody thanked to the foals. "Thank you very much. That is what we call a big entrance. How do I know? Because I’m the General of Music and I’m here to teach you all about entrances, exits and everything in between, because we are putting on a play.” “What do you mean with ‘we’?” Scootaloo asked. “I mean that you, students of Ponyville Schoolhouse, will perform to your town a play of mine called Hello, Daisy” disse Melody. “But you’re the General of Music, why do you want to make a play?” Silver Spoon asked. “Because it’s not any kind of play: it’s a musical” Melody answered. “It talks about a young parrot searching for a runaway sister.” Melody made some papers appear and said then: “Now, who wants to be on this play about a parrot on a mission of love?” And so almost all students erected the hooves and said they wanted to participate. "Wow, they usually aren't so hands-on" Cheerilee commented, dropping a laugh. "Well, I guess there's nothing like a good play to get up the motivation" Melody said to Cheerilee. "I think you're right, Melody" the teacher agreed. Melody then turned to the young foals and walking off the stage to get closer to them and starting to give the ones corresponded to the characters roles, saying: “Try-outs will be on Friday, by morning, right here, on this very stage. To try-out, you must perform a song from the play” Diamond Tiara and Scootaloo then lifted their hooves and Melody gave them a copy of the musics to be performed. “And for those who don’t want to be in the play, you can help put on the play” Melody said. “I already have Rarity, the top designer of Ponyville, designing the costumes. But we need somepony to be in charge of make-up.” “Oh, I love make-ups” Silver Spoon said, raising her hoof. “Excelent” Melody said, giving her a paper. “Backgrounds painting?” “Me!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, raising her hoof and receiving a paper. “Fabulous!” Melody exclaimed. “I will take care of some special effects with my magic, but I need some help with helping those who can’t fly to fly, if they end up with winged characters.” “Oh, we want that!” Snips exclaimed, while he and Snails raised their hooves, receiving some papers from Melody. “I don’t know why, but now I hope my character doesn’t need to fly” Scootaloo whispered to Apple Bloom who dropped a laugh. After having delivered the papers, all the students were dismissed and they all left the theater. "Look at all the colors Melody wants me to get" Apple Bloom said. "I think it's best to prepare them." And she walked away. "And I have to see what kind of makeup I will use for each character" Silver Spoon said. "It’s better start practicing." And she walked away too. "I just hope to do well in the try-outs" Diamond Tiara said. "These songs seem to be very complicated." “If you want, I can help you pick a song and practicing” Sweetie Belle said. “Really?” Diamond Tiara asked. “Sure, why not?” Sweetie Belle. “Like I said, I love theatre. Scootaloo, do you want to join us.” “Nope, I prefer to practice alone” Scootaloo said. “I don’t want to stun you with my talent.” That made Diamond Tiara and Sweetie Belle drop a laugh and the latter said: “Okay, as you want.” Scootaloo then moved away and Diamond Tiara said: “You can come to my house tomorrow. My room is big and have a great acoustics.” “Okay” Sweetie Belle answered. “See you tomorrow.” And they also have moved away, each one going to their respective house. Melody came out of the theater and saw Sweetie Belle going home. “I don’t think she’ll go to the try-outs” she said. “Don’t worry about that” Purple Smoke’s voice said, as he appeared besides Melody. “I have faith you’ll hear her sing so you can accept her as one of your actors.” “What makes you be so certain of that?” Melody asked. “Because there is somepony who is in debt with her and that somepony will try to help her in any way” Purple Smoke answered. “And, if that doesn’t work, I can always intervene.” The next day, Sweetie Belle went to Diamond Tiara’s house. When she got there, she was astonished to find a small mansion. She knocked on the door and waited a few seconds until the door opens and Diamond Tiara appeared. "Hi, Sweetie Belle" Diamond Tiara greeted. "Hello, Diamond Tiara" Sweetie Belle greeted, entering. "Well, I have to say, your house is incredible." "Thank you" Diamond Tiara thanked, closing the door. "Come, my room's upstairs." The two started heading to the stairs, but it was then that they meet with Spoiled Rich. "You?!" she asked, seeing the filly who made her daughter turn against her. "Good morning, Mrs. Rich" Sweetie Belle greeted, a little nervous. "What are you doing here?" Diamond Tiara’s mother asked with her rude tone. "Mom, be nice" Diamond Tiara said. "I've invited Sweetie Belle. She will help me to rehearse for the try-outs." "Oh, I see" Spoiled Rich said, trying to contain her displeasure at seeing Sweetie Belle in her house. "But don’t litter anything.” And she walked away. "Wow, your mom's still a sweetheart" Sweetie Belle joked. "Don't listen to her, she is still getting used the fact that I don't want to be like her” Diamond Tiara said, while she and Sweetie Belle began walking up the stairs. "But I got my father’s support, and she now has no alternative but to accept. So, can I ask what song do you think I should sing?" She passed to Sweetie Belle the papers with the songs Melody had given her and, while advancing down the hall to Diamond Tiara’s room, Sweetie Belle read and then said: “If I were you, I’d sing Wings of a Dream or My First Flight for the try-outs, because those two songs would really show up your voice.” Diamond Tiara received the papers and said: “I like the words in My First Flight. I can go with that one.” And they arrived to Diamond Tiara’s room and, when entered, Sweetie Belle was surprised. Her bedroom was big, decorated with pink and with a four-poster bed. Her room also had a balcony with a table with a pitcher of water and a couple of chairs. It also have a beautiful view to the village. "Wow, your room is beautiful!" exclaimed Sweetie Belle. "Thank you" Diamond Tiara thanked, closing the door. "You're the first friend to see it, apart from Silver Spoon. I hope you are the first of many." "I'm sure of that" Sweetie Belle answer. "You have made a lot of progress." "Thank you" Diamond Tiara thanked. "What if we started with the rehearsals?" "Sure" Sweetie Belle said. "We can start with some exercises to warm up the throat. I know some that are very good. I can teach you." "You know, you seem to know a lot about this" Diamond Tiara noted. "Besides, I've heard you sing and you do it very well. Why don’t you try-out to the play?” “Oh no, I wouldn’t do that” Sweetie Belle said, taking the papers with the lyrics and putting them on a music stand there was there. “Ready for some warm up?” But before she could begin, Diamond Tiara felt her throat a bit scratched and she said: “I think I’m a little horsed. I think it’s bet I get some water. I’ll be right back.” And Diamond Tiara went to the balcony to server herself of some water. After she get away, Sweetie Belle couldn't resist and took the papers with the lyrics, starting to sing the first lines of the song, with a melodious voice. Diamond Tiara, who heard it, went back to the room and saw Sweetie Belle. She then noticed in her presence and stopped, but Diamond Tiara said, while approaching: “Don’t stop. You have an amazing voice. Keep going.” “Okay” Sweetie Belle. And Sweetie Belle started the song, but after the lines she had sung just before, the pace began to accelerate, what made her joy also increase. When she found herself, Sweetie Belle was singing with all her soul, freeing all the joy she had for music. Diamond Tiara joined her and the two sang a duet together, running and jumping around the room, with Sweetie Belle leading. They then arrived at the end of the song when they were on the balcony. “Sweetie Belle, your voice is more amazing than I thought!” Diamond Tiara exclaimed. “You have to try-out to the play.” “I really liked to, Diamond Tiara, but I can’t” Sweetie Belle answered. “Why not?” “Because there would be many ponies watching the play and I don’t feel comfortable with that” Sweetie Belle answered. “Wait, you have stage fright?” Diamond Tiara asked. “It’s not that” Sweetie Belle replied. “I just don’t like having everypony watching me.” “Why not?” Diamond Tiara asked. “It’s a wonderful feeling.” “Maybe to you, but not to me” Sweetie Belle said. “I love singing. It’s something that I do to clear my mind and to calm me down. I don’t want that ponies watch me doing something that is so precious to me.” Diamond Tiara remained silent. She understood Sweetie Belle, but that was a shame as she had the most beautiful voice she had ever heard (not counting with Melody’s, of course). “Can we please continue with the practicing?” Sweetie Belle asked. “But, this time, I want you to sing, not me.” Diamond Tiara sighed and answered: “Okay, as you wish.” The next day, the students of Ponyville Schoolhouse were all preparing the theater for the play. Apple Bloom was watching a few buckets of paint to find out what colors she would have to mix. After making the right color of blue for the sky, she gave the bucket to one of her colleagues and told him: "Ready, use this to paint the sky at the top of the background. I then help you with the bottom, when I create a golden tone representing the sunset." And her colleague took the bucket and walked away and at that moment, Diamond Tiara approached and greeted: “Hi, Apple Bloom, how is the backgrounds painting coming along?” “They will be amazin’ after Ah find tha right shade of gold fer tha sunset” Apple Bloom said, looking to the paint buckets. “Well, if I were you, I would use those ones” Diamond Tiara pointed to some paint buckets. Apple Bloom looked and then said: “Ya’re right. They will make tha perfect shade of gold. Now Ah can’t finish tha background. Thanks, Diamond Tiara.” “You’re welcome” she thanked. “Apple Bloom, can I say something to you as we’re friends now?” “Sure, what is it?” she asked. “It’s just Sweetie Belle wants to try-out to the play…” “But she won’t do it ‘cause she doesn’t like tah have everypony watch her while she is doin’ somethin’ she loves, right?” Apple Bloom completed. “Yes, how did you know?” Diamond Tiara asked. “Ah’m one of her best friends, remember?” Apple Bloom answered. “Ah already heard her singin’ hundreds of times. Remember that musical number we made at tha talent show Miss Cheerilee organiz’d.” “Of course, me and Silver Spoon couldn’t stop laughing for days because you…” Diamond Tiara said, realizing then what she was saying. “Sorry.” “Don’t be” Apple Bloom said. “Ah admit, that wuz not one of our best moments. An’ in hindsight, Ah think we could already have our Cutie Marks if we had better distribut’d the roles. But tha thing is Sweetie Belle didn’t want tah sing since there.” “Well, I’m trying to figure out how to get Sweetie Belle to try-out to the play” Diamond Tiara. “After what she did for me, it’s the least I can do for her. Do you have any ideas?” Apple Bloom though for a moment and then she said: “If Melody heard Sweetie Belle sing, maybe she would want Sweetie tah try-out. She is very persuasive.” “That’s a good idea” Diamond Tiara said. “If ya can get Sweetie Belle tah sing in front of her.” “Well, Sweetie likes to help. So, if I ask Sweetie Belle to help me in singing in front of Melody…” “Ya’d get her tah sing without her even knowing it” Apple Bloo concluded. “Exactly” Diamond Tiara confirmed. After some time, Diamond Tiara took Sweetie Belle to the stage, saying: “I want to practice my song on stage. Do you mind helping me?” “I’d love to” Sweetie Belle answered. “Great” Diamond Tiara said, advancing then to the stage. Then, she saw Melody, going to the seating area. That was her opportunity. She turned to Sweetie Belle to stop her from seeing Melody and told her: “I forgot the melody. Can you sing the first lines to me?” “Sure” Sweetie Belle said. And so, she started singing the first lines of the lyric, while Diamond Tiara, taking advantage of Sweetie’s distraction, went to hide on the backstage to observe. Melody heard her. She recognized that voice. It was Sweetie Belle’s. She smiled, seeing that Purple Smoke’s plan was working. And so, faking that was the first time was hearing Sweetie Belle’s voice, she said to Sweetie Belle, making her stop: “You have a voice of a pitch perfect parrot.” “I do?” Sweetie Belle asked. “You do” Melody confirmed, going to the stage and approaching Sweetie Belle. “And believe in me. After all, I’m the General of Music. And I can’t wait to hear you at the try-outs tomorrow… Sweetie Belle.” “You know my name?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Of course” Melody answered. “After all, I know your sister. So, what do you say? Do you come to the try-outs.” “Well… you know…” Sweetie Belle started. “I won’t try-out.” “But you must” Melody said. “A voice like yours is a bird in a cage earning to be set free. Open the cage door, Sweetie Belle. Spread your vocal wings and set your voice free.” Despite Sweetie Belle's fear was trying to overpower her, she took a deep breath and replied: “Okay, I’m gonna do it.” “Wonderful!” Melody exclaimed. “We meet tomorrow then after school right on this very stage.” And, having said that, she get away. Diamond Tiara then approached and put her hoof on Sweetie’s hoof, smiling to her. Next day, after school, the young foals gathered at the theatre to make the try-outs. Melody was evaluating. At that moment, it was Scootaloo who was singing. Although she tried her best, singing was not her strong suit and she sang sometimes off key. After she finished, Melody said to her: “Well… thank you, Scootaloo. Later I’ll see which role suits you.” And she get out of the stage. “Preferably one where you don’t sing” Melody said in a low tone, taking notes on her clipboard. Then it was the turn of Diamond Tiara, who sang My First Flight". After that, Melody applauded and said: “Very nice, Diamond Tiara. Although your tone voice is not quite what I want to Daisy, it’s perfect to Primrose, Daisy’s sister. The role is yours.” “Thank you” Diamond Tiara said, making a bow and then leaving the stage. When she got to the backstage, she found Sweetie Belle, whose try-out was next. “Good luck… I mean, break a leg” Diamond Tiara said. Sweetie Belle then entered on the stage and Melody said: “I’m so glad you came, Sweetie Belle. So, tell me, what are you going to sing?” “I’m going to sing Wings of a Dream” Sweetie Belle answered. And so, Sweetie Belle started to sing the song. Diamond Tiara, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom observed from the backstage, expectant. But the young unicorn didn’t have sing much than a few lines, Melody raise up and said: “Enough.” Sweetie Belle stopped singing, thinking if she had done something wrong, but then Melody said: “I had just found my lead. Sweetie Belle, you are Daisy.” “I’m Daisy?” she asked, starting to get enthusiastic. “I got the lead! I got the lead!” The other three fillies went to her to congratulate her. That night, Sweetie Belle told the news to her sister and Shadow Claw who were quite happy for her. "I can't believe it!" Rarity exclaied, enthusiastically. "My little sister will be the lead of Melody’s musical. Oh, this is so exciting!" "Congratulations, kiddo" Shadow Claw congratulated. "I knew you had a beautiful voice, but being recognized by the General of Music is a huge compliment." "Thank you, Shadow Claw" Sweetie Belle thanked. "That's it!" Rarity exclaimed. "I'm going to make some alterations to the Daisy costume. I want you to be astounding on your big debut." "Rarity, you don't need to" Sweetie Belle said. "I'm sure it will be okay anyway." "Nonsense, my dear" Rarity said. "I would never let my sister have her debut with a simple costume. Of course, for that, I'm going to have to do the same alterations in the Primrose costume, but it doesn’t matter. I can't wait to tell her mom and dad. We're going to buy the tickets for the first row." Seeing Rarity’s enthusiasm, Sweetie Belle began to feel her increasing nervousness. Her sister was so excited about the fact to see her younger sister to debut on stage. Now, Sweetie Belle was afraid to do something wrong and disappointed her and their parents, not to mention Melody and her friends. After a few days of rehearsal, it finally arrived the night of the play. Sweetie Belle had already dressed her costume and headed to the curtain and looked through it. All the seats were occupied. It seemed that all the ponies were there to watch the play. She could see her sister, her parents and Shadow Claw on the front row, with Rarity immensely looking forward to the beginning of the play. She also saw Rainbow Dash, the Apple family, as well as Diamond Tiara’s parents. Fluttershy and Thunder Night were also there with their daughter, Moonlight Sonnet, who sitting on the lap of her mother. Pinky, of course, was there too, eating popcorn one after another. And when Sweetie Belle looked at one of the boxes, she saw Twilight, Blue and their child, Star Knight. She could see the other Generals of Order at another box, including Purple Smoke. It seemed that everypony Sweetie Belle knew had come. All this made her come to the limit. Not holding anymore, Sweetie Belle managed to drive quickly to the back door of the theatre. She then passed by Scootaloo, who was already with her costume, and by Apple Bloom, but she seemed to have not seen them. "You saw how Scootaloo passed through us?" Scootaloo asked. "She seemed upset." It was then that Apple Bloom realized what was going on. "Oh no, this is bad. C’mon." The two found Diamond Tiara who was being made up by Silver Spoon. "Diamond Tiara, we have a problem" Apple Bloom said. "Calm down" Diamond Tiara said. "Don't you see that Silver Spoon is putting makeup on me. Do you want the second lead of the play looking bad?" "No, but there can be no show without the lead" Scootaloo said. "Sweetie Belle had cold hooves." "What?!" Diamond Tiara asked, trying to not move abruptly as she knew Silver Spoon was making her up. "She changed her mind?" "She must have got nervous with tha public that we have" Apple Bloom said. "What do we do?" "Silver Spoon, is this going to take much longer?" Diamond Tiara asked. "Hey, good make-up takes time" she replied. "Perfect" Diamond Tiara joked, turning then to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. "Go talk to Melody. She should know what to do." "Good idea" Apple Bloom said. And she and Scootaloo drifted. They sought Melody and found her with Snip and Snails. "I hope you now know how work with the ropes" Melody said. "Today I don't want any accident like those that took place during the rehearsals." "Don't worry, ma'am, everything will be fine" Snip said. "Honestly, that don’t tranquilize me" Melody confessed. "Melody!" Apple Bloom called, while she and Scootaloo came to her. "We have a problem." "A problem?" "Sweetie got cold hooves" Scootaloo said. "We saw her running toward the back door." "What?!" Melody exclaimed. "But this is horrible! We have to find her. There can be a play without the lead. Come on." And the three advanced to find Sweetie Belle. She was sitting against the wall beside the back door. "You know that this door is open, don't you?" a voice asked. Sweetie Belle looked and came across with Purple Smoke. "Purple Smoke?" she asked. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in the box with your siblings." "The truth is that I was feeling too tight and I decided to stretch my legs before the show started" Purple Smoke said. "But the question here is: what are you doing here? You should be getting ready to the play." "I don't know if I can" Sweetie Belle said. "I'm afraid to fail." "Well, everypony fails" Purple Smoke said. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Sweetie Belle asked cynically. "No, I only highlighted a fact" Purple Smoke said. "Sweetie Belle, everypony makes mistakes and are not those errors that will make ponies look at you differently. You have to have confidence in yourself and believe you can do this." "But what if nopony likes to listen me?" Sweetie Belle asked. "After all, I am the lead. I have to be perfect." "You don't have to worry about that" Purple Smoke said. "In my opinion, you have an amazing voice. But you better have an expert opinion on this matter." And it was at that moment that Melody appeared, followed by Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. "Sweetie Belle!" her friends exclaimed, happy to see that their unicorn friend had not fled. "And it seems that she has arrived just in time" Purple Smoke said, turning to Melody. "She's all yours." And, having said that, he turned into a purple smoke and walked away, probably to return to his box. Melody approached Sweetie Belle and asked her: "Why are you running, Sweetie Belle? I don’t understand." "The truth is, I don't know if they will enjoy my performance" she said. "This is ridiculous" Melody said. "Of course they will. You have an amazing voice." "Are you sure?" Sweetie Belle asked. "Of course I do" Melody said. "Do you think the General of Music would lie about something like that? The truth is, I and Purple Smoke planned all of this for you." "For me?" Sweetie Belle asked. "We wanted you to notice your talent" Melody said. "Sweetie Belle, you have a wonderful voice and with a power able to move ponies' hearts. It was thanks to this talent you managed to trigger the change in Diamond Tiara. The problem is that you let your fear of what the other ponies may think about your voice dominate you. What you have to do is to ignore the others’ opinions. Just your opinion about your voice is what matters. What do you feel when you sing?" "I feel... free... complete" Sweetie Belle replied. "So take those feelings and project them through your voice and make everypony do not be motivated to hate you." Melody’s words, along with Purple Smoke’s, gave a new spirit to Sweetie Belle who stood up and said: "Let's get this show on the road." And her friends, when they had heard that, showed smiles of happiness and relief. "That's what I'm talking about" Melody said. "All right, let's go, girls!" And so, the curtains of the stage opened, while all spectators cheered. Onstage, was Sweetie Belle. Rarity looked at her, eager to hear his sister singing the first song, the one who would initiate her debut. So Sweetie Belle took a deep breath and, when the melody of the song began, she began singing My First Flight". When it was over, she waited for the reaction of the audience. It was then that an explosion of applause was heard. They had all enjoyed, and that made Sweetie Belle be more excited for the rest of the piece. The play continued until the last scene, where the entire cast (except Diamond Tiara) was on stage with Sweetie Belle in the center position. She began singing Wings of a Dream and, after the firsts lines, Melody, who watched everything at the backstage, carried her Horn and cast a spell on Sweetie Belle who made temporary wings appear on her, which made it possible for her to take off and fly over the audience, who watched aghast. She returned to the stage, remaining in the air, and continued to sing a few more lines, before Melody cast a spell to the back of the room, invoking a gilded cage that was hovering in the air and, at that moment, Diamond Tiara, as Primrose, appeared flying with wings like Sweetie Belle’s, flying around the cage before Sweetie approach and both look at each other with a smile. "Primrose!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, playing her character. "Daisy?!" Diamond Tiara exclaimed, making the same. The two approached until they were muzzle to muzzle and then they took the hooves. “I can’t believe you found me” Primrose said. “Will you come home?” Daisy asked. “Yes, yes, yes!” Primrose answered, while spinning around the air with her sister. And the two continued to sing the song together while flying over the audience before returning to the stage and landed with holding hooves, while singing the last lines. When they ended singing, the music ended and everypony stood up, stamping with the hooves on the ground, mainly Rarity, who kept telling everypony: "She's my sister!" Sweetie Belle, receiving all those applauses, felt a great joy in her. It was a state of mind that she had never experienced. She felt like she was born to sing to the others and see how her voice brought them joy. Suddenly, Sweetie Belle felt a tingling in her flank and, for a moment, she thought she saw a light on it through the costume. Was that what she was thinking? After the curtain closed, Sweetie Belle raised the hem of her costume to see her flank and then saw it: her Cutie Mark. It was a pink heart with a sheet music and a quaver. "My Cutie Mark…" she said, not wanting to believe. "Finally I got my Cutie Mark!" When they heard that, everypony approached Sweetie Belle and, seeing the Cutie Mark, they began to congratulate her. "We are happy fer ya, Sweetie!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. "Finally we all have our Cutie Marks" Scootaloo said. "It's that great?" "It seems nopony no longer will have no more reasons to call you blank flank" Diamond Tiara said to Sweetie Belle, joking. "Congratulations, Sweetie Belle." "Thank you, Diamond Tiara" Sweetie Belle thanked. "And thank you for never giving up of making me go to the try-outs. If it was not for you, I wouldn't get the lead of the play." The two exchanged a hug and then Sweetie Belle turned to her two best friends and told them: "And thank you for never having given up of help me find my talent." "Hey, that's what friends are" Scootaloo said. The three hugged and, when they ended the hug, Sweetie Belle approached Melody and told her: "Thank you for helping me when I was most vulnerable. You and Purple Smoke helped me overcome my fears and thanks to that I was able to act." "It was nothing, my dear" Melody said. "I have to thank you for making this a very special play. But, now, I think it's time for us to thank our audience, don't you think?" Sweetie Belle waved. And then the curtains opened again and all the foals that helped to make the play and Melody made bows to everypony. And so that was how Sweetie Belle, the last of the Cutie Mark Crusaders with the flank in blank, obtained her Cutie Mark.