I peeped out through the curtains and gulped. That was one huge audience.

Maybe I shouldn't do this. My stomach hurts. I'll just wait for the next talent show. I don't need a cutie mark that badly. My mind ran in all directions and my body made to follow.

"Where do you think you're going?" a voice behind me caused my hooves to falter. "You want the teasing to stop right?"

I turned to see the young colt I'd called friends for years.

"I can wait." My voice pitched and broke. "I can deal with it."

"A tiger without its stripes is just a cat," he sighed, "How will you survive without finding your talent? You need to earn your mane before you can lead your pride."

I hated when he used my name in metaphors.

"Don't make me get Fang on you," I growled playfully.

"Fang's just a big pussycat," he laughed, "Just like you."

"You think your all high and mighty," I grumbled, "just because you got your cutie mark before me."

"Hey, you had an extra eight months on me," he teased.

"Nooby colts these days," I mocked back.

"Hey!" he shouted, "Just because my special talent is videogames, doesn't mean you can use our slang!"

I giggled at his adorable little rant as he went on about how only those who were true gamers could use the slang.

"Well too bad," I laughed, poking my tongue out. "I've spent too much time around you and it's gotten in my head. Plus, I spend just as much time on games as you do."

He scowled at me but stayed silent. I accepted his silence as defeat.

He always made me feel better. His name was Griff and he'd been my best friend for years. His dark blue mane matched his light blue coat amazingly well for a two toned pony. Even though he could get it cut, he let his mane grow long. His most stunning feature was his eyes. The piercing light green made my heart melt. It was too bad I could never tell him that. He was completely different in looks to me. My mane was a light purple, my coat grey and my eyes a midnight blue. Eyes were my favourite feature on me as well, but only because of him.

I blushed unconsciously as I looked into those beautiful emeralds. His mouth was moving and I had to snap myself out of my daze.

"-And I know you'll be great," he concluded, beaming at me.

"At what?" I mumbled, still a little lost.

"Your performance in the talent contest of course," he chuckled, shaking his head at me.

"Oh yeah, that."

All the butterflies that had disappeared when he showed up returned.

"I know you can do it," he reassured me, brushing my bangs out of my face.

My name was called from the teacher through the microphone and I froze. Looking into his eyes again, he nodded at me and then looked away with crimson spreading on his cheeks.

"What's wro-?"

He kissed me. My heart stuttered for a moment before kicking into high gear, beating faster than it ever had from nerves. He leaned back, still blazing red and coughed. I looked down at my hooves trying to hide my own emblazoned cheeks.

"Sing that song for me, Tygra," he mumbled as I looked up. "Pretend I'm up there, pretend it's just you and me hanging out like always. If you do that, then…"

He stammered to a stop then. At that moment, the teacher came through the curtains and dragged me on stage. I was still burning from embarrassment and curiosity as the lights made me blink. I needed to know what he was going to say. I looked out into the sea of faces and gulped.

"Tygra!" Griff's loud whisper came from behind me.

I turned to see him draw a heart with his hooves and mouth, 'Go out with me?'

I turned away and knew what I had to do. Closing my eyes, I drew in a deep breath. We were in his room in my mind; laughing, playing and having fun. The next thing I knew, I opened my eyes again to the whole crowd on their hooves applauding me. I turned to see him beaming so widely and clapping along with them.

"Well," Mrs Bloomington said, striding to the middle of the stage, "I have to say, this is the first time I've hosted a talent show that has actually earned the evidence of a special talent."

"Huh?" I blurted out.

She covered the microphone and leaned down to me.

"You've got something on your flank my dearie," she whispered.

I looked down at myself and I couldn't recognise my own flank. Where there had just been gray, a picture of a microphone had appeared. Behind it were the lines of a stave along with the notes F and D as a quaver and crotchet, respectively, either side the microphone. I couldn't believe my eyes! I just stood there dumbfounded until Griff dragged me off stage. When I finally snapped, I squealed, frightening him in the process and attacked him, rolling us both to the ground.

"I did it! I did it!" I continued squealing and giggling.

On instinct, I kissed him. A second later I stopped and pushed myself up.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

He laughed. "It's okay. So is that the answer to my question?"

My face burned hotter than before and I had to close my eyes, but I nodded. He took the chance to kiss me again while my defences were down.

"Hey!" I shouted. "Just because I'm your g-g-g-g-girlfriend now, doesn't mean you can do that all the time!"

"Well, too bad!" he chimed in a mock tone of my own voice.

"I don't sound like that!" I chastised. "Noob!"

"It's on now!" he challenged. "Lets go play Mariopony Kart. Winner gets to call the loser a noob for a week without any troubles from the loser."

"Challenge accepted!" I laughed, adding, "Loser!" as I raced for the door.

I love the story of my cutie mark.

P.S: I guess I wasn't as nooby as he thought. ;)