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Never Count Out the Talented Ones

“So you got your Cutie Mark when doing a school assignment Mom?” Sprinkle asked.

“Yeah.” Sparkler responded. “That was a proud moment in my life.”

“Tell us the story!” Sparkler’s Nine Kids, and Lucky, said.

Sparkler glanced around at all the ponies around her and smiled when she saw her old music teacher.

“Well, it all started when Mr. Rhythm gave us his famous group assignment…”

“Now, for the rest of class. I have your next project.” Mr. Rhythm said.

His class let out a groan while little Sparkler actually smiled. True she was the typical kid who didn’t really like getting homework, but this was for her favorite subject so she let it slide.

Mr. Rhythm rolled his eyes. “Oh come on. This is a fun one. I promise.” He said. “It’s when you can really let your creativity flow through you and really show the world what you’re made of. This will be a group project.” Sparkler’s smile wavered a little when he said group. “Groups of four have one of two options. Either cover a song, or create an entirely new song from scratch. In one month all my classes that have the assignment will perform live on stage for the entire school. I’ll pass out the rubric but your grade will be based on contribution, readiness, and energy during the performance. Here are the groups.”

Mr. Rhythm began reading names assigned to each group, while Sparkler gulped. I hope we’ll get individual grades as well. She thought. She could see from a mile away what her “group” was gonna do. They would either effectively kick her out and leave her hanging, resulting in a zero, or they’d let her stay with the group, but take all credit they could away from her, making it look like she didn’t contribute anything. Sparkler heard her name along with three others as she was trying to think of ways she could cover her butt and save her grade. Mr. Rhythm called out the last group’a names and smiled. “Alright. Those are the groups, take the rest of class to brainstorm with your group. Hey Sparkler, mind if you and your group brainstorm up here in the front of the class?” He asked.

“Why can’t the horned chicken just come back here?” Called out one of Sparkler’s group members from the back.

Mr. Rhythm sighed and facehoofed. “That’s why Galvin, I want to keep an eye on you to make sure you guys actually get some brainstorming done, rather than pick on Sparkler.” He said sternly. “Now leave your saddlebags at your desks and come up here.” He said.

“Why?” Galvin asked.

“Call it ensuring that you don’t have any ammo that will end up on Sparkler.” Mr. Rhythm replied. “Up here, now.” He said sternly.

Galvin and his two pals rolled their eyes as they walked up to the front of the class, without their Saddle Bags.

“Yeah. I had a feeling there were eggs in their Saddlebags, and I was not about to let you go back there where I couldn’t keep an eye on you as easily.” Mr. Rhythm said.

“I appreciate it Mr. Rhythm.” Sparkler said. “It might have been the only reason we got ANY brainstorming done that day…if you could call it that.”

“What actually happened?” Pedal asked.

“Basically, they just talked about whatever and wouldn’t even bother listening to me. And at the end, what the group had was this. I would write the song, they would then come and take over the instruments and we would practice.” Sparkler said. “And I actually believed them.”

It was about a few days later when I had the song all written. I had made copies and given them to my group mates. That was my first mistake, my second was not going to their houses and dragging them to mine to practice when another week came by and they hadn’t shown up for any practices like they said.

“Hey Sparkler, mind if you and I chat for a moment? If need be I’ll write you a late pass.” Mr. Rhythm said.

Sparkler nodded and walked up to Mr. Rhythm’s desk while the other students left the class. “What is it Mr. Rhythm?” She asked.

“Your group mates made a complaint about you. They claim you aren’t doing your part of the assignment.” Mr. Rhythm said.

Sparkler’s eyes widened. “What? No, that’s not right.” She said.

“They say you refused to write the group song after you said you would, and then you’re not showing up for practice. That doesn’t sound like you at all Sparkler.” Mr. Rhythm said.

“I DID write the song!” Sparkler countered. She pulled out the song sheets from her saddlebag and put them on Mr. Rhythm’s desk. “This is the song the group is doing. You can clearly see that it’s MY hoofwriting.” She said.

Mr. Rhythm smiled as Sparkler pulled out the song sheets. “And let me guess. They were supposed to come to YOUR house for practice.” He said. Putting together that Sparkler’s group mates were the ones lying.

“Yeah. And THEY haven’t shown up for any scheduled practice.” Sparkler said. “So it’s not ME. It’s THEM.” She said. Furious, but not the least bit surprised that her classmates would pull this on her.

Mr. Rhythm nodded and leaned back in his chair. “So, which one do you think it is? Them trying to get you to do ALL the work and use your magic to make them look good? Or trying to make it so you’re the reason the group failed?” He asked with an amused smiled.

“Either way, clearly they don’t want to work with me and seem to think they’ll get a good grade anyway.” Sparkler responded.

“It sadly looks that way.” Mr. Rhythm responded. “If you want I can let you go solo.” He said.

“Thanks, but I’ve got a plan B already.” Sparkler responded.

“Oh?” Mr. Rhythm asked. “What is it?”

“Seriously? Are those pinbrains actually that stupid?” Lucky asked.

“Back then? Yes.” Sparkler responded.

“So what was your plan B mom?” Crystal asked.

“I had a little help from my dad. But it went a little something like this.” Sparkler responded.

The day of the concert arrived. And I have to admit that every musical act that came before me was decent. And then it was my turn.

Sparkler smiled as she walked to the stage with her guitar. With a Pegasus mare tailing her. Sparkler saw her other “group mates” all snickering at her as they tried to join her. “And now you fail you horned chicken.” Galvin said.

“Yeah. We already told—“ Was as far as another of the group got before Sparkler used her magic to stop them in their tracks.

“No, you three aren’t walking out on that stage with me. Maredosa is.” She said.

Maredosa waved at the stunned group before she and Sparkler walked onto the stage. Mr. Rhythm introduced them and Sparkler took the mic. “Hello everypony! I’m Sparkler and this is Maredosa. Our song is called Play It Loud.” With that, she started jamming out on her guitar. After a few beats, she started singing.

Thankfully, the crowd didn’t only consist of students as it was made a public event so the ones who didn’t go to school, and the teachers, were going wild as Sparkler and Maredosa performed their song.

By the end, the aforementioned audience cheered and applauded. Sparkler and Maredosa bowed and made their way off the stage. Once they were off the stage, Sparkler turned to Maredosa and smiled. “Thanks for doing this Flappy. I really appreciate it.” She said.

“Maredosa” smiled as she began to morph. She shrunk, and turned into Flappy, finally dropping that disguise.

“Squawk! Any time pal. Squawk!”

“Hey Horned Chicken!” Came an angry voice. Sparkler turned and saw her “group mates” marching up to her.

“What the hay was that about?!” One of them demanded.

“Yeah! And where’s that Maredosa chick? She doesn’t go here!”

Thankfully they hadn’t noticed Flappy yet so Flappy quietly slipped away to go get Mr. Rhythm. Sparkler meanwhile just smirked. “You all thought you would get me to fail eh? That I would just back down and accept the F. Sorry to foil your plan but Mr. Rhythm knows the TRUTH. That YOU effectively cut me out of the group the moment I hoofed over the song.” She told them. “And he’s the one who let Maredosa and I do this.”

“Liar!” Galvin shouted. “You’re just saying that to cover your own stupid flank!”

“And what if she is Mr. Galvin?” Asked a very ticked off Mr. Rhythm.

Galvin glanced at Mr. Rhythm. “Mr. Rhythm, she wouldn’t let us perform with her!” He proceeded to whine.

“Yeah I know. And I will tell you that I DID allow her to do that. With some help from a very special friend.” Mr. Rhythm said.

“Squawk! Yeah! Squawk!” Flappy said from Mr. Rhythm’s back. “Squawk! If you thought you’d get away with it you have another thing coming. Squawk!” He said.

Galvin and his two pals blinked. “...Maredosa was a PARROT?!” One of them shrieked as they put two and two together.

“Maybe she was, maybe she wasn’t. But that really isn’t your concern. It’s your turn to go on stage. And for your sake, I hope you did SOMETHING to prepare.” Mr. Rhythm warned.

Seeing no other options, and seeing that their plan had failed, Galvin and his pals gulped and made their way to the stage. Sparkler smiled as Flappy transferred to her back. “Thank you so much Mr. Rhythm. I really do appreciate you, and Principal Lampshade, allowing Flappy to pose as a mare for this.”

“No problem Sparkler. I think it goes without saying that you get an A for the assignment.” Mr. Rhythm told Sparkler.

“Squawk! As she’s rightfully earned after having to put up with their crap. Squawk!” Flappy commented.

Mr. Rhythm smiled and shook his head. “Speaking of earned. You might want to check your flank. I saw you glowing up there on stage during the second half of the song.” He told Sparkler.

Sparkler raised an eyebrow as she craned her neck, and what she saw on her flank made her eyes go wide in shock.

“And that’s when I discovered my cutie mark.” Sparkler finished the story. “Not only did I get an A for the assignment, I also found my special talent.”

“How in the hay was Flappy a mare to begin with?!” Trail asked.

“Yeah! How?” All the other kids asked.

“Squawk! Her dad turned me into a pony temporarily, and we managed to get a potion to turn me into a Mare in that time. Squawk!” Flappy responded.

“Whoa!” All the kids said. “That’s so cool!”

“My reaction exactly.” Mr. Rhythm commented. “Your mother was a bright mind even back then.”

“So, what happened to your garbage heap of a group?” Lightning asked.

“Naturally they were the worst performance of the bunch because they were too busy trying to make me fail. And Mr. Rhythm actually gave them detention for a month for passing my work off as their own.” Sparkler responded. “So those three got Fs and a month’s detention for their trouble.”

“Serves them right!” Lumber said.

“Yeah!” Lucky said. “Seriously. It sucks that they couldn’t just be nice to you.”

“Yeah. It did suck. But hey. I got my Cutie Mark, an A, and I got some rare and sweet revenge against the bullies so overall it turned out fine.” Sparkler said.

“Can you play the song you sang? Please?” Melody said.

“Yeah! Please?” All the kids were giving Sparkler the puppy dog eyes.

Sparkler laughed, and got out her guitar. “Hey Flappy, remember the song’s drum part?” She asked.

Flappy smiled and started beating the table with his wings, in a beat. Sparkler smiled and launched into the song. Singing the song that got her her Cutie Mark.

To be continued…

Author's Note:

Yeah that's right, Sparkler was able to get revenge every once and a while. A little Life Lesson, if you don't plan on doing any work, don't effectively kick out the only pony in the group with any talent or work ethic. they may have a parrot willing to help them pull through, and then your plan backfires spectacularly. Lol.

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