At the residence of Sweetie Belle, both her parents were going about their day as was the norm for them: Sweetie's mom was dusting the fireplace mantle, and Sweetie's dad perused the newspaper whilst he sat upon the sofa. The peace was abruptly shattered by the bursting open of the front door by a despondent Sweetie Belle, her bawling sustained as it was throughout her whole journey home. Both her parents are in shock over seeing their little girl crying so extensively, considering she is not normally like this.
"Sweetie Belle??"
"What's wrong, dear?"
Both Sweetie's parents were deeply concerned with their daughter's state of mind and well-being, but she paid them no heed. Without uttering a single word, the filly ran up the stairs and down the hall to her room, slamming the door behind her. Both her parents were speechless and still in shock at what they just witnessed. What could have driven their sweet little girl to such tears? And could they do anything to help her? Being Sweetie's parents, it was their duty to reassure their child whenever she was feeling down.
The two of them traversed the stairs and made their way to Sweetie belle's bedroom door. On the opposing side of the door, the tearful aria of the downcast Sweetie could be heard. This brought about a troubling dilemma for Sweetie's mom, as she was unsure as to the proper course of action to take in this scenario. Should she try and talk to her daughter, or just leave her be for the time being? A choice like this was clearly a difficult one, but Sweetie's mom soon made up her mind. As she did not want to intrude too hastily, Sweetie's mom knocked on the door first.
"Sweetie Belle? Is there something you want to talk to us about?"
"NO!!" Sweetie Belle hollered, causing her parents to recoil in alarm. They had never heard a tone of such harsh severity from their daughter before. Whatever it was that was making her feel this way, it was clearly a serious plight for the little filly. As Sweetie Belle was not in the mood for talking at this time, Sweetie's parents felt that they did not want to force their daughter into a conversation pertaining to whatever misfortune had befallen her at this time. For now, it was best to simply let Sweetie Belle be, so her parents left and went back downstairs, hoping that Sweetie Belle would be uplifted from this depression soon, as it pained her parents greatly with the knowledge that their dearest daughter suffered, and that they both felt so inept in helping Sweetie Belle overcome this serious matter.
The sun had lowered only by a small degree when Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had arrived at Sweetie Belle's home. They were both unsteady in entering their friend's domicile, as it would apparent to anypony that she would still be in shambles over Lester in the short time since the tragedy was revealed.
Apple Bloom knocked upon the front door, and not long after she and Scootaloo were greeted by the less-than-joyful demeanor of Sweetie Belle's father. His expression stated better than words that he and most likely Sweetie Belle's mother had already taken notice of their daughter's plight, making the two fillies feel even worse than they already did for bringing about distressed feelings in Sweetie's parents as well.
"Hello, mister...Sweetie Belle's dad. Is Sweetie Belle here?"
"Well, yes she is, but I'm afraid now isn't the best time for you all to be palling around. You see, she's been really depressed and—"
"Now hold on a minute," Sweetie Belle's mother interjected, having walked up next to Sweetie's dad. "Seeing how terrible our little girl is feeling right now, maybe seeing her friends will cheer her up. Would you girls mind doing that?"
"Oh, no, not at all."
"We'd be happy too, missus...Sweetie Belle's mom."
"That's wonderful to know," Sweetie' mom replied with a smile and a hint of comfort in her voice. The fillies walked inside as Sweetie's dad shut the door, and went back to the living room while Sweetie's mom led Apple Bloom and Scootaloo up the stairs. While traversing the steps, Sweetie's mom expressed her concern over her daughter's current condition.
"I just can't understand why my darling Sweetie Belle is like this. she's usually so happy—in fact she'd been happier than ever these past few weeks." Apple Bloom and Scootaloo's exchanged glances showed their anxiety on the situation.
Once making it to Sweetie Belle's room, her mom knocked upon the door. "Sweetie, dear? Your friends are here to see you," Apple Bloom and Scootaloo both greeted Sweetie Belle, but she didn't make a sound from the other side of the still closed door. Growing more worried, Sweetie's mom followed up with another question, "If you'd like...the three of you could maybe...talk?"
"NO!!!" the filly screamed, her enraged outburst greatly startling her mom and friends. "I don't want to talk to anybody!! Ever again!!" Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were just as shocked as Sweetie's mom after hearing Sweetie Belle shout in such a furious tone. They never imagined the level of anger and grief she would be feeling in response to Lester's passing. The fillies to sink to their lowest point ever after this flare-up, and felt that it had come to the point where neither of them could do a single thing to bring their friend back to the way she was. She was just too hurt over Lester to want to have anything to do with her friends, or anypony, and clearly it was still not the time to try and converse with the filly about any topic pertaining to her beloved pet. Even though she still didn't know about Lester, Sweetie's mom felt the same notion as Sweetie's friends, and decided the three of them should just go back downstairs and dwell on the situation further amongst themselves.
"It sounded like it didn't go well," Sweetie's dad said upon the other ponies' arrival back in the living room.
"You can say that again."
"Ohh...I just don't understand why my dear Sweetie Belle is like this," Sweetie's mother bemoaned.
"Must've been something really bad to upset her like this, since she's usually as sweet as can be."
"Yeah...and we can't just stand by and let her stay that way forever! We have to find out what's wrong with our Sweetie Belle!" Sweetie's mom proclaimed.
"How can we do that if she won't even talk to us?"
"There must be somepony who knows something about this," Sweetie's mom pondered out loud. She turned towards Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. "Do either of you girls know what could be wrong with Sweetie Belle?"
This piercing question struck through both of the fillies, and they became petrified with the fear of giving the truth because of what the repercussions may be. Beads of sweat formed at their brows, dribbling down their heads and bodies with the quickly amplifying trepidation emanating inside them both. The perspiration took only seconds to shape into the puddles set around their hooves, growing in size with the increased perspiring of the fretting fillies. Apple Bloom bit her lower lip nervously while Scootaloo concurrently grinded her teeth, feeling the same level of nervousness as Apple Bloom.
This odd behavior made both Sweetie's parents suspicious of the girls, with Sweetie's mom giving them both distrustful glances.
"Why are you both acting so strange?"
"Is there something you're not telling us?"
"Why would there be anything we wouldn't want to tell you??"
"Yeah! We don't know anything about Sweetie Belle being sad that her pet died! Nope, not a thing!" Scootaloo smiled as Apple Bloom smacked her face in response.
"Wait, what's this about a pet?"
"Sweetie Belle had a pet?"
The fillies were in an inexorable predicament now, though Scootaloo still attempted(poorly) to get her and Apple Bloom out if it.
"Is that what I said?" Scootaloo responded with her poor acting skills. "Because I'm pretty sure I got mixed up somewhere...maybe with my words or maybe you two just heard me wrong, or..."
"Scootaloo, just forget it..." Apple Bloom sighed in submission. "We can't keep lyin' like we tried to do with Sweetie Belle. That's never gotten us anywhere tuhday, so we might as well start tellin' the truth now," Scootaloo was disinclined to admit defeat at first, but she realized that her lousy lying wasn't going to help them avoid this problem either. The only way for them to deal with this dilemma to face it head on, which both girls were finally ready to do so.
"So you both know what's wrong with my little girl?" Sweetie's mom asked.
"Yes, yes we do."
"But it wasn't our fault, even though Sweetie probably blames us for it..."
Sweetie's father walked over to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. "I think it's best for you both to start from the beginning."
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom nodded to one another and began their narrative of all the events that had occurred in the last few weeks, which was one story they most certainly wished they would not have to speak of again, though they did not hesitate in doing what it took to help out their closest companion, who out of everypony, demanded the assistance of friends most of all.