//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: All's Fair // by Equestria Buck Yeah //------------------------------// Outside the school, the Crusaders waited and waited for Cottontail to make an appearance. One of the first things they started chatting about when they all met up that morning was wondering exactly how things went the night before with their sworn enemies. Could she really have gotten through to them when no one else had ever been able to? If so, what all did she say or do? There was only a few more minutes before the first bell rang, but fortunately the trio wouldn't have to sit around any longer. "Hey girls. How's it going?" Cottontail greeted them, seemingly from out of nowhere, full saddlebag draped across her waist. "Morning, Cottontail," Apple Bloom said. "H-how'd your visit go?" "Couldn't have been better!" The fillies shared a shocked glance. "Really?" Scootaloo muttered. "You can't be serious." "I am. They've seen things in a whole new light." The young unicorn spotted something cautiously approaching the schoolhouse from the corner of her eye and turned toward it with a wide, hopeful smile. "There they are now. Why don't you go talk to them?" The girls spun around and caught eyes with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, making the duo freeze in place. Their manes were as disheveled and raggedy as they've ever been. Their eyes were terribly bloodshot and carried large sets of bags. While they were usually joined at the hip when it came to their activities and insults, one would almost believe it was quite literal now as they huddled against each, trembling like leaves. Their terrified appearance was more than easy for the Crusaders to see. Genuinely curious – as well as strangely concerned for them – they walked up to the petrified pair only to be backed away from by a couple steps. The troublemakers glanced at the glaring pink filly who stood behind the flightless pegasus and shook even harder. The air couldn't have been thicker with tension as they stood there staring at each other, unsure who was going to break the ice. Sweetie Belle eventually had that honor. "Uh...morning?" "H-h-hello," Diamond Tiara whimpered. Another awkward pause followed. Not being teased was great so far, but they certainly weren't expecting them to be so...oddly submissive, to say the least. "Are...y'all okay?" "Sure! Wh-why wouldn't we be?" Silver Spoon mumbled. "Well...you kinda look scared at your mind." They snuck another look at Cottontail. "Oh, that. It was...kind of a nasty storm last night and–" "–a-all that thunder and lightning, it...sort of made it look like the walls came alive," Silver Spoon finished for her friend. "We d-didn't sleep well last night. It's nothing really." Apple Bloom lifted an unconvinced brow. "That's it?" "Uh huh." Diamond Tiara suddenly bit her lip and sheepishly hid her gaze. "Listen, we're...we're really sorry about all the grief we've given you. We were blank flanks too once." "Yeah. It was really stupid that we kept harassing you all this time. Please don't hate us," Silver Spoon added. Three jaws nearly hit the floor. As one, the Crusaders craned their necks and gawked at their new companion, who gave them a gleaming smile. Any questions they had remained unanswered by her very proud and rather inappropriate response. Turning back, a part of them almost felt sorry for their rivals, given how scared they obviously were at...whatever it was. "Err...no, we don't hate you. We just wanted you to stop teasing us, that's all," Sweetie Belle said with warmth, trying to bridge any remaining gaps. "We will. We promise!" Diamond Tiara blurted. "Okay. Um, thanks?" Apple Bloom murmured, still completely puzzled by the sudden turn of events. "Did you maybe, I don't know, want us to carry your books in for you or something?" Silver Spoon offered. "No, that's okay. You girls go on ahead. We'll be in shortly." With grateful nods, the former terrors sped in the door in the blink of an eye and found their seats. Once they were likely out of earshot, the little farmer asked, "What in the world did you say to them?" The unicorn was taken aback. "What do you mean? I thought you said you wanted them to stop bothering you. They said they would, didn't they?" "Well, yeah, but...I guess I didn't expect them to be acting so...scared of...well, it looked like they were scared of you." "I noticed that too," Sweetie Belle confirmed. "Same here. What happened last night?" Cottontail curled her lips as she told her side of the story. "I went over there, we talked for a bit. Her dad eventually came home and... Ohhhh." Her ears drooped as she continued. "I think I know what might have happened." "What?" "I sat down with Filthy Rich and talked to him about some of the things that they had been saying and doing. He didn't believe me at first, but I told him that Miss Cheerilee could confirm quite a bit. I don't think it was the first time he had heard such things about Diamond Tiara before. After a while, I think he started to believe me; I could see it in his eyes. He said he'd talk to her and thanked me, and once I was out the door, I could've sworn I heard some yelling through the wall." The tiny filly cringed. "I...don't really want to think about what might have happened afterward." The Crusaders listened in horror, stunned at the revelation. Sweetie Belle was on the verge of tears. "You mean...Filthy Rich...?" Apple Bloom tried to say. "That just doesn't make any sense." "Why do you say that?" "Once a year, me and the family harvest this special apple called Zap Apples. He's our first and biggest customer; he always buys a few crates of the jam we make out of them. He just...he just never seemed the kind that would do something like that. He's always really nice." "Oh. Guess you never know what somepony's like until you're around them in private," Cottontail said, staring forlornly at the dirt. "Probably shouldn't have been smiling back there. I just wanted to make sure they left you alone. I didn't want it to look like I was gloating or something." "It's okay. We appreciate it, really. I guess it looked like they were scared of you since you talked to Diamond Tiara's dad and accidentally set everything off. Wasn't like that was your intention or anything." Scootaloo leaned in and whispered, "Do...do you think we should maybe tell somepony about this?" "Adults tend not to listen to kids often because we're kids," Cottontail explained. "Some can have wild imaginations or blow things out of proportion; simply being scared of something may not mean anything. Unless an adult actually sees something like a bruise, it can be hard to convince some of them. I'm afraid Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are the only ones who are going to be able to do anything about it." "Are you sure? It just seems–" "Yes," the newcomer quickly snapped. "We've already ruffled enough feathers as it is. It'd be best to just...drop it. Something tells me that those two aren't going to come to you for any moral support either, seeing as how they bullied you for so long." One by one, Cottontail's new friends looked toward the welcoming school door where their former enemies just entered, their spirits at an all-time new low. "I never honestly thought I'd feel bad for them. But it kinda makes a lot of sense." "Yeah. Really makes you think. Come on, we don't want to be late for class." With heavy hearts, the Crusaders slogged their way in with Cottontail bringing up the rear. They never once saw her glaring daggers at them and gritting her teeth behind her lips. ----- Their sorrow hadn't really left them all day in school. Considering their proximity to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, it was understandable. As implicitly suggested by Cottontail before the first bell, they decided not to question their rivals about what they were told. It would have been a bit difficult to, even if they wanted to, as the two did everything they could to keep their distance from them. Even after they were finished with class, the Crusaders didn't have the motivation to go do anything fun. They just didn't feel right about it. Their usual trip to Sugarcube Corner was also put on hold for another time. Despite the girls deciding to head back to their respective homes early, Cottontail still wanted to spend time with them. With some convincing, Sweetie Belle eventually took her up on the offer and brought her back to Carousel Boutique. The bell jingled overhead as they entered the luxurious shop, midway through a conversation about the white unicorn's family life. "So, where'd your parents decide to go?" Cottontail asked as they went in. "They're taking a trip around the country, seeing some sights here and there. They've sent us a postcard for every place they've visited so far. We've gotten about seven or eight since they left, I think." "Sounds fun!" "Yeah, I'd love to go with them, but all that running around would probably wear me out real quick. Who knows, maybe one summer they'll let me tag along, but it's nice being with my sister while they're gone. It's almost like having a second home, and I honestly wouldn't trade it for anything in the world." Attracted by the bell and the prospect of a customer, Rarity eventually made her way down the stairs with a scaly, purple assistant a step behind her. "Oh, hello Sweetie Belle, Cottontail. How was school?" "Fine." "Alright. You won't believe what happened today," Sweetie Belle proposed. "What's that?" "Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon...apologized for bullying us all this time." "Those two spoiled rich brats?" "Spike!" Rarity scolded. "What? It's just what they've told me," he retorted. "Still, you shouldn't say things like that, even if they are true." The fashion designer looked back at her little sister. "They just up and apologized, just like that? Not that I'm not happy that they've decided to leave you alone – and I know how much you've complained about them before – but, what made them do so out of the blue like this?" "Cottontail talked to them last night. Whatever she said seemed to do the trick." The young filly held her head up proudly. "That's it? All they needed was somepony to sit down and talk with them?" Rarity asked, rightfully skeptical. The two youngsters shared a glance, recalling they finer details Cottontail had shared about the tail end of her visit. The little mare shrugged and put on a false smile. "Yeah. We worked things out pretty well. Who knew that'd be all it'd take, right?" With a warm smile, Rarity stepped forth and gave them each a tight hug. "Well, I'm very happy to hear it." Sweetie Belle's cheeks flushed. "Come on, sis, you're embarrassing us." The elegant mare giggled to herself. "Alright, alright. I'll leave you girls to play. Cottontail, feel free to help yourself to any snacks or drinks or whatever you like while you're our guest here. I'll be upstairs putting some of the final touches on a few new dresses I had been working on." She turned and nuzzled her smitten assistant's cheek. "Want to finish up with me, Spikey-poo, or would rather spend some time with Sweetie Belle and her friend?" He was putty in her hooves, a big dumb grin stretching across his face. "I-I'll help you out, Rarity." A scent suddenly tickled Cottontail's nose and she took a quiet, subtle sniff of the air. Her eyes lit up like a Hearth's Warming tree as she looked over the reptile. "You're such a dear, Spikey-Wikey," she cooed. As she headed back upstairs, she waved to the fillies. "Let me know if you need anything, girls." "Sure thing, Rarity." From the corner of her eye, she noticed Cottontail staring intently at the staircase, presumably with their host on her mind. "What is it?" "Since when did you have a pet dragon?" "Spike? He's not a pet. He's Princess Twilight's assistant, but he likes to spend time here helping my sister with whatever little thing she wants." "He's in love with her, isn't he?" Cottontail guessed. "It's that obvious, huh?" Sweetie Belle chuckled. "Yeah, he doesn't hide it as well as he thinks. It's kind of cute." "Huh...interesting." An idea started forming in her head, and the smallest of grins found her face. Her thought process was briefly interrupted when the pink filly felt a pat on her shoulder. "Come on, I'll show you around," Sweetie Belle said. "Sounds great!" As Cottontail followed her friend, her smirk returned. "Say, Sweetie Belle, you said you received postcards from your folks from around the country, right?" "Uh huh. You want to see them?" "That'd be wonderful!" They made their way into the kitchen and to a small, ceramic basket sitting on the back of the counter. Several letters and small papers stuck out from the top. Sweetie Belle levitated them out and set them on the floor between them. At the back of the small pile were the postcards. Fillydelphia, Whinnipeg, and Las Pegasus were among the destinations in the pictures. Cottontail took several in her magical grip and looked over the photos that wished the recipient was there, admiring the vast, impressive sceneries depicted. She flipped them over and found that the script on some of them had faded. The post dates on those indicated they must have been from previous vacations. "I like this one from Mareami a lot. The beaches look gorgeous," Sweetie Belle said, holding up the corresponding post card. Another one was held up. "This one's from San Prancesisco. Mom and dad said that was a pretty fun trip. Here's a card here from this place called Amsteerdam, but they've never wanted to tell me what that place was like. Neither has Rarity when I've asked her – which, of course, makes me want to know about it even more. Not even Twilight will let me look at a book about the place though. It's kind of annoying." "These look like some fun places. I think my folks have always wanted to travel, but we could never afford it. Maybe some day." "Yeah. I'm going to grab a drink. You want something?" "Sure. Some apple juice would be fine. I'll put these back." As Sweetie Belle got up to rummage through the fridge, Cottontail put the papers, notes and cards back in a pile and set them back where they belonged. However, while they floated back into the basket, the new filly kept a watchful eye on her ivory friend as she quietly slipped a recent post card into her bag. ----- It was starting to get a little late when Cottontail decided she needed to head back home. Sweetie Belle saw her out and closed the door behind her. Turning to leave, the filly grinned as she glanced at her saddlebag and its stolen contents. She had more than just homework to do now. She happened to canter past a hopping pony popular to the town but paid her no mind. Pinkie Pie, however, did not share the lack of sentiment. Despite being ignored when she stopped to say hello, she decided to follow her back home to share some fantastic news for her, but not before debating with herself for a good ten minutes if she should. Cottontail eventually returned home and tossed her saddlebag on the couch, letting the contents spill out. Her parents sat, like every other day, perched at the windows and watching the town. "So, how'd it go with those three brats? Were they thrilled at what you did for them?" Curtain Call asked, not shifting her gaze from the window. "Not like I'd hoped. I barely felt anything from them," Cottontail snarled. "Instead, they acted all concerned and worried about those two bullies when they saw them huddled in fear of me. Perhaps I overdid it last night." "They still trust you though, yes?" High Note asked. "For now, yes. But I learned something extremely valuable not three hours ago." With a burning rage, the little unicorn suddenly gripped her father by the throat and dragged him down to her eye level. "And I'm wondering how in Equestria you idiots didn't know about it!" "Wh-what?!" "The little dragon is infatuated with Rarity!" "He...he is?" High Note wheezed. Cottontail released him, sending him tumbling into an end table beside the couch. The parents shared a confused look, shrugging and shaking their heads. "Somepony would have said something about that if they saw some evidence of it." "Maybe he just doesn't display such affection in public?" Curtain Call suggested. "...Maybe. But, even better, he's Twilight's personal assistant. He'll make getting to them even easier than I thought, more so than trying to manipulate their annoying little sisters." "So, what are you going to do now?" Before she could answer, there was a knock at the door. "Who could that be?" High Note looked through the peep hole and saw a pink mare rocking back and forth, waiting patiently for an answer. "Ugh, that one," he grumbled. The family put on smiles and greeted the bouncy, happy visitor. "Hey there, everypony!" Pinkie Pie said. "I saw this little cutie walking home and I remembered that I wanted to let you know that I've got that super duper party all planned out in full for you now. I'm really sorry I couldn't come up with something a little more festive when you first got to town, but I've been running around like a loon lately and haven't been getting much of a chance to welcome folks to the town properly. So, I just wanted to make sure you got the invitation to stop by Sugarcube Corner after school tomorrow and I can show you how we get down in this town, yeah!" "Oh, heh, thank you, err...Pinkie Pie, but if it's all the same with you, we're simply not the partying types," the father explained. "Awww, are you sure? There's going to be all kinds of fun and games and cake and punch and pie and stuff." "We're sure. We do appreciate the gesture though." The disappointed mare kicked at the dirt but maintained a smile nonetheless. "I understand. I suppose it's not a total loss. At least I have a party ready to go should the need ever arise, and I do have to show a bunch of other new families a good time." "That's one way to look at it," Cottontail added. "Alright, well, I'll head on home then. Let me know if you ever change your mind, okay?" "Will do, Pinkie. Thanks again." As the happy-go-lucky party planner bounced away and High Note shut the door, Cottontail growled through her teeth. "I swear by all the gods, I hate that one so much." "You and me both. She's going to be the hardest to break, you realize." "On the contrary, she'll probably be the easiest." "Why do you say that?" Curtain Call asked. "What do we know about her? The thing that makes her the happiest is making others happy. So..." "If she thinks she's making others miserable..." High Note concluded. "Exactly. We won't have to lift a hoof, really." "Should we tell the others to get started with that?" "Not just yet. I wouldn't be surprised if her friends' happiness means even more to her. We need to wait until our plans are in full effect." "You're assuming it's all going to work out smoothly," High Note muttered. He received an icy glare for his off-handed comment. "I-I mean...it will, it's just...uh...it'll take some time!" "So, err, what're you going to do in the meantime?" Curtain Call stepped in to ask, hoping to disarm the situation. Backing off – and leaving High Note with his skin, much to his relief – the filly went up to the couch and sorted through the papers until she found the post card she took from Rarity's place. She flipped it over and examined the note written by her folks closely. "Homework." ----- Two days had gone by before Cottontail allowed herself to be seen in public after returning home from school. The only thing she'd tell the Crusaders is that she had some plans with her family and they left it alone for the most part. Stories about going out to eat or doing some shopping seemed to quell their curiosity as to why she didn't seem to want to spend time with them. At least they enjoyed each other's company during class. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon continued to maintain a healthy distance from them as well. Cottontail had only spent about ten minutes at home before heading out that afternoon, and it wasn't to stop by the Crusader's Clubhouse; she hadn't even bothered to take her saddlebags off before she was out the door again. Instead, she made a beeline for a coffee shop in the heart of town where three stallions – two pegasi and one unicorn – sat in wait. Like her, they were relatively new to town and had kept to themselves, save for Pinkie Pie insisting she throw them a Welcome Party as well. They weren't having any of it either. Without saying a word, however, Cottontail strolled up to them, pulled a large envelope from her bags and tossed it onto their table. They exchanged a subtle nod, and the filly was on her way again; she barely broke her stride before she started her trek back home. Once she was out of sight, the cream-colored unicorn undid the clasp and dropped Rarity's post card, a few bits, a pen and a note onto the table. He held the letter up for them all to get a good look at what it said. "Everypony got all that?" the unicorn said. His companions nodded as he slid the contents back into the envelope. "Alright then. Let's go." ----- The next week was dreadfully slow for the pink filly. Before the first one had even finished, she hated being in that stuffy classroom talking to ponies whose names she would never bother to remember. One in particular that she did was Sweetie Belle's, and Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were getting a little jealous of how much extra time they had suddenly been spending together after they were done crusading for the day. But they didn't let it bother them; they simply assumed that they connected better somehow and left it at that. On one particular visit to the Carousel Boutique, the two young unicorns happened to find Rarity sitting at the kitchen table, sipping at some tea. The mail was in a neat pile before her, save for a post card that had been pulled from the group. She sat in obvious deep thought, her brow furrowed as she read and reread the letter. "Hey Rarity." The designer blinked back to reality. "Oh! Hello, Sweetie Belle. I didn't hear you come in." "S'okay. What're you looking at there?" The letter floated its way down to the younger sister. "Mother and father sent me a post card from Manehattan. It says they happened to meet somepony rather important in the fashion world and wanted me to come up to see them at the hotel they're staying at. But they didn't say who it was they ran into. Supposed to be a surprise." "What are you going to do? Sounds like it could be a golden opportunity for you," Cottontail asked. "Yes, it does, but I couldn't leave Sweetie Belle and Opal unattended, and I do have some things I've been working on. Still, if somepony would be willing to take you in until I return... Oh, I'm not sure what to do." "What would you like to do?" Sweetie Belle asked. Rarity curled her lips and looked away from the little ones, almost ashamed at her answer. "I'd honestly like to go. Meeting just the right somepony could really help my career take off to where I'd like it to be. Plus, I may bump into some friends I made the last time I was in town and see what they've been up to. Please, dear, I don't want you to get the impression that I don't want to spend time with you, it's just...well, like Cottontail said, this could be a golden opportunity." "I understand where you're coming from, sis. It's okay," the filly said with a big smile. "It's still early yet. Want to head to Sweet Apple Acres and talk with Applejack? I can't imagine she'd mind having me over till you get back." "Unless she has some things of her own going on. Still, I...don't suppose it'd hurt to ask. I guess I could talk to Fluttershy on the way over too. I can't imagine she'd turn down taking in Opal for the time being. You sure you're alright with the idea, Sweetie darling?" "Sure. It's really no big deal, Rarity." "Well...a-alright." The filly found herself hugged tightly, gratefully, by her big sister. "Hopefully, she'll be able to take you in tonight. I'd like to get packed up tonight and be on the way in the morning if I can help it. Cottontail, would you like to come or do you want me to drop you off at home on the way?" "Home's fine, thanks. You don't mind, do you, Sweetie Belle?" "Aw, I was hoping we could hang out some." "Eh, I just remembered my parents asked me to come straight home this morning after school. Hopefully they won't kill me for being a little late!" Cottontail joked. "I'm sure you'll be fine. Your folks seem really nice." "Yeah, they're swell!" "They did seem rather pleasant when Pinkie introduced us. I honestly wouldn't mind getting to know them a little better at some point, but right now's not the time to worry about that," Rarity said as she put the mail pile back together. "Alright, just need to take care of a couple quick things and then we can go." ----- "Shoot, I don't mind looking after Sweetie Belle for you, Rarity," Applejack said as they sat in the living room. "You gotta do what you gotta do sometimes. May not get another chance like this again, so you may as well take it. Besides, it's not like your sister hasn't spent an inordinate amount of time on the farm playing with Apple Bloom anyway." "Oh, you have no idea how much I appreciate this, Applejack," Rarity sighed. As predicted, Fluttershy was more than happy to look after her fussy cat. Now, thanks to A.J., all her bases were covered with friends she could depend on. "T'ain't nothing to worry about. Did you want to stay for dinner tonight? One last home-cooked meal before your big trip?" the farmer offered. "That sounds lovely, thank you." In the meantime, half a town away, Cottontail sat impatiently with her family, wishing the night would come and go as quickly as possible. While it wasn't a terribly thrilling evening for her – though few were – she ultimately preferred it to being around the Crusaders for any extended amount of time. Anything she had done up until that point was out of necessity. However, if things went down at Sweet Apple Acres that evening as she expected, tomorrow opened up a whole new set of possibilities. "So, what are you supposed to do with the school now?" High Note asked, getting his daughter's attention. With a roll of her eyes, she replied, "Y'know, you could go instead. It's not like it matters." "You realize they'll wonder where you are. Those three are...tenacious." Cottontail narrowed her eyes at her father. "That wasn't a suggestion." High Note blinked then hung his ears as he got the gist. "Oh. Well, that isn't going to be fun." "No, it's not. Deal with it." "What if they ask me questions I don't have the answers to?" "Just fake it! By the gods, do I have to do all the thinking for us?" Cottontail growled. "N-no," High Note whimpered. "See that that remains so." As her father sulked his way out of the living room, Cottontail turned her attention back to the window she sat in front of and smiled venomously. Save for one thing in particular that she wasn't looking forward to, tomorrow was going to be a good day – she could feel it.