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Artist's Note:

Applebloom: See! I told you he's even better now than the last time you saw him.

Scootaloo: Wow, he's certainly gotten over that fillyhood shyness.

Off stage director: Perfect, Taps, that was perfect! Alright everypony let's take a break. I wan't you all back on set in fifteen minutes!

(the bustling crowd of actor and dancer ponies disperse.)

Applebloom: Hey Taps! Over here! (Applebloom waves)

(Tender Taps notices them on the far side of the studio and starts to walk over)

Scootaloo: You know it's been almost three years since we last saw him, I'm surprised he recognizes you.

Applebloom: (winks) We kept in touch.

Tender Taps: Hey you guys! Wow, I'm so glad you could make it!

Applebloom: Today was too important to pass up, so of course we'd make it. (both ponies reach out and hug each other)

Tender Taps: Right. (Tender Taps turns towards Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell) Applebloom talks so much about you in her letters that I was starting to believe that you three were sisters.

Scootaloo: Heh, we aren't sisters, but we are her better half's. (she puts a hoof forward) I'm Scootaloo in case you forgot my face.

Tender Taps: (eagerly shakes Scootaloo's hoof) No not at all!…Well okay, I admit I'm not real good with names. But I remember faces just fine.

(Tender turns to Sweetie Belle and puts a hoof forward.) And you must be–

Sweetie Belle: I'm…uhm…I'm…I'm… (Sweetie Belle lifts her hoof but lets it dangle) Oh my stars what is it? What's my name? What in the depths of Tartarus is my name?! (panic ensued in silence as blanks were drawn.)

Tender Taps: Sweetie Belle, of course, heh. By process of elimination. (Tender smiles bashfully.) Your name suits you.

(noticing her friend's strange behavior, Scootaloo playfully bumps her flank against Sweetie Belle but there is no reaction. Sweetie Belle continues to stand as still as a reed with her head down, swaying only a little when Scootaloo jostles her.)

Scootaloo: You alright?

Sweetie Belle: Hmm?…What? (she sounds oddly trance like)

Applebloom: Uh, well, we're actually kind of late. So if you don't mind Tender Taps, we'll be on our way!

Tender Taps: (nods) Yeah, fifteen minutes isn't enough time to get caught up anyway. Hmm… (he glances around, then points over Applebloom's shoulder) Do you see that mare over there? The blue one. She can lead you to the audition room.

Applebloom: Awesome, ok girls let's get a move on. See you later, Taps!

(Applebloom and Scootaloo are walking away only to notice that Sweetie Belle has not moved)

Applebloom: Sweetie Belle?

(The two mares observe an awkward scene where in Sweetie Belle and Tender Taps are facing each other. Sweetie's statue impression was admittedly pretty ace but Taps couldn't think of a way to diffuse the miasma of…whatever it was that kept the pretty mare stuck in place.)

Tender Taps: Um…is there something I can help you with?

Scootaloo: Hey come on! (she stomps a hoof down) The audition!

(Sweetie turns her head, looking at her two friends as if they had just materialized out of thin air)

Sweetie Belle: W-what audition?

Scootaloo and Applebloom in unison: Yours!

Sweetie Belle: Oh…Oh right! (she seems to finally snap out of her trance. Her stiff composure is replaced by a jittery one as she begins to prance in place) Right, the audition, right right right.

(Tender Taps watches this contemplatively before smiling, he takes one of Sweetie Belle's hooves into his own and holds it up. This causes Sweetie to become a statue again.)

Tender Taps: I know how you feel. Auditions can be nerve wracking, I know, I've been through all of it. But don't lose it before you even try. I know you have what it takes. I've heard you sing.

(Sweetie Belle squeezes his hoof with enough strength to take him by surprise. Her eyes lock onto his for meer moments before she delivers her parting words with a shaky voice.)

Sweetie Belle: Hi…I'm Sweetie Belle, and huh… (she laughs nervously) Th-thanks!

(she looses her grip and turns, running past Applebloom and Scootaloo, straight to the blue mare who would lead them to her first audition for a possible professional role in show business.)


_

I had been contemplating possible ships Applebloom and Sweetie Belle for a short while now. For the past couple of weeks I had been considering Sweetie Belle and Tender Taps. It wasn't fully cemented in my mind until I heard this song on the radio. He's the Greatest Dancer And while the song is not completely accurate to what is going on in the picture, I think it reflects Sweetie Belle's emotional state at this moment.

SingerxDancer just clicked for me.

Upvotes at import: 104 | Stars at import: 69
Posted previously at: 2016-05-12T04:34:23 | Posted previously by: Horses R US