Half-Hour Horses

by HoofAndQuill

Delaying the Inevitable [Slice of Life?]

(The Prompt: And I will open my mouth, and I will sing the song that ends the world.)

Being a Cutie Mark Crusader was the best thing in the world.

It really was. While other fillies studied for their future jobs, or even started doing them early, the Cutie Mark Crusaders went rollerblading. While Applejack bucked down apples all day, Apple Bloom and her friends were out waterskiing. While Rarity worked for hours on dresses for other ponies, Sweetie Belle got to make terrible-tasting cupcakes at Sugarcube Corner. While Rainbow Dash worked what looked like a fun job kicking clouds and setting up storms, Scootaloo managed to drag her friends out for ziplining.

So it was fun. It really was.

Sweetie Belle glanced up at the clock on the wall. Five minutes left. That little diversion had managed to waste two already. It was a start!

She wanted something to fidget with. She was pretty sure her horn was glowing from her nervousness, but nopony was rude enough to call her out on it. She knew that the other Cutie Mark Crusaders were outside waiting for her. Sweetie Belle wasn't sure if that comforted her or just made her more nervous, at this point. She found herself wishing that she was anywhere else. Even ziplining again would be better than just sitting here waiting. She'd take being covered in tree sap over what waited for her out there, any day.

Sweetie Belle smiled a little. It had been a little over two years now since they started the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They were all getting really old for being blank-flanks, but none of them really minded. Sure, sometimes Apple Bloom got upset about it, but they all knew they were going about it the wrong way. Every story about anypony getting their mark was always about them doing something they loved, or at least were already good at. The Cutie Mark Crusaders mostly just did stuff that seemed crazy and fun, but almost always stuff they hadn't tried before.

It was an excuse, really. Sweetie Belle, and she guessed her friends too, knew that once they got their cutie marks, they'd have to stop doing silly things all day and actually try to think about their futures. They'd have to work on whatever sort of skill or career they were meant to do. Sure, everypony had hobbies that weren't related to their marks, but most of them still focused on it as a job.

Sweetie Belle liked trying new things. So did her friends! They never really expected to see a mark when they crashed a wagon or blew up the library basement messing with Twilight's science stuff. It was just for fun. But ponies were starting to talk. Diamond Tiara had never been nice to them, but she was getting downright mean lately. Also, despite how much fun she had, Sweetie Belle could see Apple Bloom's little hints of disappointment sometimes, when one of their more realistic attempts failed.

She glanced at the clock again. Three minutes.

Ruffling through the papers on the floor, Sweetie Belle sighed in exasperation. She knew all this stuff already. She could do it, she could. She was nervous over nothing. Everything was going to be fine. Maybe if she told herself that enough times, it would be true. She picked up the papers in her mouth, and tossed them into a nearby trash bin. No more reading, no more practicing. It was almost time.

It's not like she thought she'd fail, really. She just felt... strange. Like this was a step she wasn't entirely certain she wanted to make yet. But all little fillies had to grow up some day, didn't they? She'd seen other ponies, grown ones, smiling as they went about their work. Even when Rarity was really frustrated with a dress, she at least always seemed to be happy doing what she loved. So maybe growing up wasn't so bad, even if it felt kind of weird to think about.

Sweetie Belle tried to suppress a silly giggle that suddenly found its way into her, and after a moment completely failed, giggling girlishly to herself in the crowded room. Nopony seemed to mind, though she did draw a few looks.

She glanced up at the clock. Time was up.

Sweetie Belle trotted out to the center of the stage, knowing that just on the other side of that curtain was most of Ponyville, waiting in town hall. This wasn't any sort of huge concert, just a little singing competition between ponies, not just fillies and colts but full grown mares and stallions as well. She heard the announcer speaking her name, and the song title. She couldn't help fidgeting a little as she heard it, and focused a moment to make sure her horn wasn't glowing.

The curtains opened. Sweetie Belle froze. Dozens and dozens of faces looked up at her for what felt like hours. Of course, she'd practiced. She knew what to expect. Those hours were really only about two seconds of hesitation before she managed to plaster on the pretty smile that Rarity had helped her perfect. She swallowed nervously, and took a deep breath.

Being a Cutie Mark Crusader was everything in the world to Sweetie Belle.

Then, she opened her mouth, and she sang the song that ended her world.

Comments

[Valhuir]

I see someone's a fan of Penny Arcade. :D

[Solitair]

Aw. This one really stands out.

[PresentPerfect]

A clever way to use the prompt. :)