//------------------------------// // Just Another Day // Story: What Is And What Isn't // by ProminenceFlare //------------------------------// Ding, dong! Ding, dong! As the bell rang above Cheerilee’s schoolhouse, she couldn’t help but get a nagging feeling in her head as her students settled in for class. Something was off...but what? Giving the students a quick once over, she could see little Twist, Snips, Snails, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon- ah! “Hm...excuse me, class?” Cheerilee started to ask, “Would anypony know where- ” Before she could finish, however, she heard the sound of speedy little hooves on a wooden floor, and bursting into class and panting slightly, were Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, collectively called the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Quickly trotting to their seats, Apple Bloom quickly spoke up for the group. “Sorreh we’re so late, Miz Cheerilee! We were tryin' to get here as fast as we could, but-” Cheeilee waved her off, smiling warmly. “Don't worry, you made it, and that's what matters. Just don't make a habit out of cutting it so close all the time, alright?” Apple Bloom and the other Crusaders nodded and snapped a short salute, smiling all the while. “We promise!” they said in unison. With that, Cheerilee turned to the board and soon began writing the day's lesson on the chalkboard. In the next row, Diamond Tiara gave a derisive snort as she turned to Silver Spoon. “Probably trying something ridiculous to get their cutie marks again... like mud pie eating!” The two fillies giggled lightly over their little jest as Apple Bloom gave a small scowl toward the little rich pony. “Wuz not,” Apple Bloom hissed. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon simply laughed mockingly and turned to Cheerilee as she began the lesson for the day- however, it didn't escape Silver Spoon's notice that Diamond Tiara would occasionally glance in Apple Bloom's direction and give a small frown before shaking her head and returning to the lesson. A similar frown formed on Silver Spoon's own mouth as she let her thoughts roam. 'Oh no...I hope she's not thinking about it too much again...' Although she wasn't incredibly concerned, she made a note to talk to her friend about it after class. At last, school was over, as the young fillies and colts headed home, homework in tow, some with smiles, others with frowns. Many of them made a point of racing out, eager to get fresh air, but Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon considered themselves a touch more 'refined' than that, instead taking the time to trot out casually, each projecting an air of nonchalance. As they stepped out, Silver Spoon tentatively debated how best to approach the topic she'd had in mind. Keeping her voice casual, she decided to just ask. “So, DT...wanted to ask you what was up with you-” “Ooh, hold that thought, Silver Spoon.” Diamond Tiara pointed off to her right at a familiar trio. “Blank flanks at 2 o'clock.” With a smug grin, Diamond Tiara set off towards the Crusaders, who were, by Silver's own guess, apparently getting ready to go riding around being carted in that silly red wagon driven by that danger prone pegasus filly. Silver herself followed behind Diamond Tiara as she always did, putting on a mischievous grin of her own once Diamond started laying into the three as usual. “Well, now, off to try another useless plan to to get your Cutie Marks, blank flanks?” Diamond took one look at their transportation and scoffed. “Maybe you ought to try for a Cutie Mark in being losers. You're ALL just BOUND to get that one!” Both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon let loose a tinny laugh at that, as the Cutie Mark Crusaders gave the duo an identical flat glare. It was Scootaloo who responded first. “Shows how much you two know,” she said as she stomped a hoof for emphasis. “We're not even worried about that right now.” Unnoticed by the other two, Silver Spoon caught Diamond Tiara's breath hitch slightly and her body tense, and her own pulse quickened a little as her friend continued. “Oh yeah? S-so, what, you're not trying to get your Cutie Marks anymore? You just not going to bother trying so stupidly hard?” Sweetie Belle nodded eagerly as she spoke up. “Well, not today! We're gonna have a secret sleepover, so we can't get too tired.” She could see Diamond Tiara relaxing a touch, and Silver Spoon felt relief flooding her system as she heard Sweetie's words as well- enough to fire off her own retort. “Awww, how precious...ly lame,” Silver Spoon snorted. As lame as it was, for a second there... Apple Bloom by this time had had enough. “Aw, shoot, jus' forget 'em, girls.” With little fanfare she hopped onto the wagon, Sweetie Belle following suit a moment later as Scootaloo finished hitching herself up. “We got us a sleepover to get ready for!” “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS SLEEPOVER! YAY!” And with that proclamation, they sped off, leaving Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon waving away the dust that was kicked up in their wake. “Ugh...” Diamond Tiara made her best effort to shake out her mane. “Losers...I can't believe those three. So stupid. So weird. So...so stupidly weird! Like, like they don't get how big of losers they are!” She sniffed disdainfully. “Why, I'm practically doing them a service trying to let them know, but they're just sooo lame they just never figure it out!” Silver Spoon made a halfhearted attempt to clean her glasses, keeping an eye on her best friend. “Well, it's not like you haven't tried...but at least we know they're still just as nutty about it as ever. For a while there...” she let the statement go unspoken, hoping her friend would pick up on the hint. Diamond Tiara did not disappoint, as she continued the line of thought. “Yeah...I thought they stopped worrying about it too. THAT would've been bad. If they'd just quit, then before you know it, we...we would be...” Silver Spoon shook her head as the duo turned to head home. “Di, I know. That's why we're so mean to them in the first place.” She gave a soft grin toward her friend. “Like we promised, right?” Diamond nodded. “Right...no way we're ever going to let THAT happen to us!” As they parted ways to go to their respective houses for the day, Diamond Tiara stopped short briefly once Silver was out of earshot. Breathing a shuddering sigh, she couldn't help but speak to herself. “No way...especially not me.”