Silver Bell Gets Live Advice

>Be Silver Bell
>You let out another bored sigh as you take the millionth look around whatever this town is called
>Girffonhole or something
>Everything is... still the same
>As per what has become tradition in the last hour or so, you take a look at your flank
>It's still there
>Your brand new cutie mark
>Just looking at it fills you with pride
>That little CMC emblem, showing you that your special talent has been what you've been doing all along
>However, the sight also fills you with... doubt
>It didn't take long to notice that you and your friends each have slightly different cutie marks
>And yours is adorned with a star with a music note inside
>And you can't help but wonder
>What does it mean?
>Why is it different?
>Is helping others with their cutie marks not your talent after all?
>However, you can only draw blanks
>After yet another while of trying to think, you let out a drawn-out sigh
>Why did Elusive even bring you here?
>Something about exotic griffon fabrics and expanding his skill set
>And for some reason he really needs you to sit around the town square for that
>...
>Another nothing
>Another sigh
>"Is life so heavy, colt?"
>You look up, right into the eyes of an elderly griffon lady
>Or rather, eye
>One of them has this milky white look that you only get from blindness
>"Cat got yer tongue?"
>She laughs as she perches down next to you
>"The name's Gruff."
>With slight hesitation, you shake the dangerous-looking claw she's extended
"S-Silver Bell."
>"Silver Bell... Hey, you look like that dress fellow. Family?"
>You nod silently
>"Thought so. So tell me, what's gotten you down?"
>She gives you a look of genuine concern on one hoof, but mild amusement on the other
"Oh, um, it's nothing, miss."
>"Nothing?"
"N-nothing."
>In return, she just throws her head back and laughs
>"Don't you try and fool me! I've lived enough years to be able to tell when someone's gotten their feather ruffled, so spit it out."
>You just look the other way, ears flat to your head, head lowered
>She laughs again
>"So this old crow is boring you, huh? Well, too bad! At my age you got even less to do than at yours!"
>"I bet you didn't even want to be here in the first place, huh?"
>Well, she's right there
>You'd rather be home, playing and exploring with your friends
"Um, not that this isn't a nice t-"
>"Oh, shut your muzzle. Look at this dump! Let me tell ya, if I could bugger off out of here I would without a second thought! Not that the town isn't improving. Give it ten more years and this might just become a respectable town!"
>Well
>She's probably right
>You take another look around, and yet again, your gaze ends resting on your own flank
>Swiftly, a single talon comes into view to gently poke the shield depicted there
>"A-ha! So that's the bugger! Having doubts, don't you?"
>After recovering from that major flinch, you meet eye with miss Gruff
>"I see it in your eyes! Come on, we got the time. I know I'm just a lame old berry, but I know one or two things about this life that I haven't forgotten yet."
>Another look around the town square
>Elusive is nowhere to be found
>Just like any other creature, for that matter
>Just you and miss Gruff
"Well..."
"It's my cutie mark. You see, I got this just last week, but I got it when helping somepony else understand theirs! But, um, look... It's got a music note, and a star..."
>"Well, first off, congrats. I hear getting yer cutie mark is important business for ponies."
"Thank you..."
>"Secondly, what's the problem with a star and a music note? C'mon, maybe I can learn something new before my time's up."
"Well... Um... You see..."
>Looking for words, looking for words
>Ah!
"Your cutie mark depicts what you're good at! So, if you're a good baker, it could be bread or a cake, and if you're a god writer, it could be a pen and quill!"
>The griffon lady nods
"And, see, I've got a music note on my cutie mark, and... Well, maybe helping ponies isn't my talent. Maybe it's singing?"
>"So?"
>She leans in close, eye darting left to right
>"Ain't nothing wrong with singing if you ask me," she whispers
"Well, maybe not, but... You know, singing is not a... boy thing. A-and I really liked helping Diamond Crown with his cutie mark, and there's gotta be more to my life than singing, and-"
>Miss Gruff promptly shuts you up with a single talon over your lips
>"I'm a griffon, so I never got the pleasure of a cutie mark."
>"Yet I have found my way in life! Back in my day, I was the cutest little bird in town, you believe me. And every single griffon that dared lay a single talon on me would find their beaks knocked in by yours truly."
>You can't help but giggle at the mental image
>"You get what I'm saying? I didn't let my path in life be decided by norms and expectations. I didn't let anyone tell me what to do, not even myself! And neither should you."
>"Who cares what that cutie mark is? Who cares if you're a colt? It's just a drawing on your butt, Silver Bell. You wanna sing, you sing. You don't wanna sing, you don't sing. You just do what you wanna do, and if you're no good at it to begin with, you'll learn and get better before you know it."
>You take a few seconds to think this over
>It really does make sense
>A cutie mark has never really stopped anypony from doing anything, have they?
>You've seen Diamond Crown take his crown off often enough
>And you've never even seen Silver Spoon carry even a single spoon
"I... You're right. Thank you, miss Gruff!"
>"Call me Granny."
"Um, t-thank you, Granny Gruff! I think I will just stick to helping others! And maybe sing once in a while."
>You feel your cheeks grow a little red at the confession
"It can be fun sometimes... A-anyway, thank you."
>"It's been my pleasure. I won't lie and tell you I've learned nothing about life."
>You shake her claw again, until both of you just screw it and share a hug
>"Silver Bell! Where are you? We're going hooome!"
>That's Elusive in the distance
>You break the short hug, and thank Granny Gruff again
>Just before you leave, you gotta ask one more thing
"Um, Granny? Can I... Can I tell this to my friends? Maybe they'll need the advice, too."
>"Silver Beeeeell!"
>"You go on ahead, colt. Now run along, somegrif's looking for ya."
>As you nod and turn to dash over to Elusive, you can't help but glance at your cutie mark once more
>You may not have to follow it exactly,
>But it's still yours
~THE END~