"Do you really think I can do this?" Sweetie Belle asked nervously. "What if I'm not any good? What if I get booed off the stage? I'll be the biggest laughingstock in all of Equestria!" The little unicorn filly let out a frustrated whine and began pacing back and forth nervously. "Do you think it's too late to back out?"

Scootaloo let out a sigh, and stepped in front of her friend to cease the pacing, looking at her straight in the eye. "You can do this." she said sternly. "After all, not just anypony can make it onto Equestrian Idol!"

"But -"

"No buts 'bout it," Apple Bloom piped up. "Yer talented, Sweetie."

"I don't even know if singing is my true talent!" Sweetie Belle argued. "Just because I've made it this far doesn't mean anything. Besides, if it was, wouldn't I haven't gotten my cutie mark by now?"

True to her words, she still had a bare, blank white flank, as she had always had since before she could remember.

"Even if it isn't, you're still famous!" Scootaloo encouraged, with a smile. "Maybe that'll lead you to doing something else, like-"

"Sweetie Belle?" a voice called.

The three fillies turned around, and saw a stage employee with a clipboard, staring at them, with an affirmative nod.

"Th-that's me," the unicorn in question said softly, stepping forward.

"You're on," the attendant replied, as they walked off.

That was it. No good luck, or any of that.

"We believe in ya," Apple Bloom assured.

"Yeah, we'll always be your biggest fans!" Scootaloo added. "So go on, get out there and show 'em what you're made of!"

With a slow nod, and a slightly hopeful smile, Sweetie Belle shuffled out on stage, suddenly baffled by what she was up against. The crowd itself was massive, everypony staring at her, awaiting the next performance, and wondering if this would be Equestria's next big pop star.

...those certainly were big horseshoes to fill.

And the three ponies who were the judges didn't make Sweetie Belle feel any better.

First, on the far right, there was Vinyl Scratch aka DJ Pon-3 - Equestria's newest star, a popular songwriter and disk jockey. Then, in the middle, there was Octavia Philharmonica - a longtime cello player for the Royal Orchestra. And finally, on the far left, there was none other than Sapphire Shores herself - Equestria's most famous singer, no doubt about it, what with over thirty years of chart-topping hits.

She also just so happened to be Sweetie Belle's one and only inspiration.

"Hey kid," Vinyl spoke up. "What do you got for us?"

"Um, hi," Sweetie Belle murmured. "I - I'll be singing one of my favorite songs, and-" Her voice slightly squeaked, and she suddenly stood still. She couldn't be nervous. Not now. This was it. This was her moment. "I hope you all like it."

Behind her, on the big screen, a timer appeared. She was given sixty seconds to wow this crowd, or else.

And so, the timer began ticking just as she started to lightly harmonize - her beautiful, melodic, perfectly on-key voice ringing throughout the stadium, and then the catchy music began picking up with it. Sort of resembling a soft pop ballad, it was definitely an old song that everypony knew from days back.

The lyrics rolled out of Sweetie's mouth with ease, and even if she felt as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs, she seemed to shine with confidence, because everypony in the crowd was smiling at her, humming along and even mouthing the words along.

Much to her surprise, Sweetie Belle was shocked that the judges were also enjoying the song, swaying to the beat, and just before the buzzer went off, the young unicorn let out the final lyric of the chorus - proud and loud.

"Don't give up on your faith, love comes to those who believe it, and that's the way it is!"

Sixty seconds were up.

Everypony in the crowd looked satisfied, some were even clapping their hooves or cheering, which caused Sweetie Belle to give the sort of smile that was truly priceless.

"Well," Octavia spoke up, immediately silencing the crowd. "I, for one, enjoyed your performance very much. It was quite powerful. Might I ask how old you are?"

"I'll be twelve soon, miss," Sweetie Belle said sheepishly.

"Such a bold voice for somepony so young," the classical musician praised. "Wonderful job."

"Y'know, for once, Tavi, I gotta agree with you," Vinyl chimed, lowering her sunglasses as she looked to Sweetie Belle thoughtfully. "How long you been singing?"

The little unicorn filly gave a halfhearted shrug, and her smile turned bashful. "For as long as I can remember," she said simply. "I just like doing it whenever I'm happy. It makes me feel... good."

A moment of silence passed, and suddenly, everypony had their eyes plastered on Sapphire Shores, who was in disbelief, just staring up at the stage with a stunned expression. In all of her lengthy career, nopony had ever seen the normally loud, show-off pop star so quiet.

...and suddenly, she stood up from her seat and let out a loud cheer, shooting her hoof in the air. "Now that's talent!" she practically sang. "You remind me of myself when I was a filly, y'know that? Proud, loud, and not afraid! I like that in a performer - you're goin' places." She let out a chuckle, and shook her head in disbelief. "Congrats, by the way."

Sweetie Belle took a step back, and nearly squealed, as she managed to compose herself, giving a light bow and brief thanks, only before bounding offstage, approaching her friends, who greeted her with a massive hug.

"We knew ya could do it!" Apple Bloom declared.

"And look!" Scootaloo exclaimed. "You got your cutie mark!"

Just when she thought it couldn't get any better, Sweetie's jaw nearly fell to the floor as she looked back, and saw on her flank, a microphone wrapped around a heart. Instantly, she knew what it meant - she sang from the heart, true and confident, like Sapphire Shores had said.

Dreams really do come true, Sweetie Belle thought, with a smile that could never be copied.