//------------------------------//
// 11 House of Mirrors, Part One 
// Story: Continuity Disrupted 
// by Doug Graves 
//------------------------------//

"And, in conclusion, I would like to reiterate my three main points," Diamond Tiara reads from her paper. Her front hooves rest on the podium in front of her as she scans across the class, a bright smile on her muzzle. She ignores the groans of her classmates, most of whom are staring outside the windows. Her audience, never the most attentive of classmates, are far more focused on the bright sun quickly drying out the afternoon rain and promising hours of fun before they need to head back home to dinner or chores or younger siblings. Only one pony is in rapt attention: Diamond Tiara's sister Silver Spoon; even Miss Cheerilee finds her gaze occasionally drifting outside.

"As I have shown, the fiasco surrounding the Summer Sun Celebration revealed weaknesses in our command structure. Second, these flaws can be fixed by ponies with better leadership abilities, but not enough opportunities exist in Ponyville for up-and-coming young mares and fillies. Third, I believe that a classroom president, instead of a school president, would be a good start for increasing the leadership opportunities for those so inclined." Diamond Tiara briefly nods her head, "Thank you all for your time." She smiles at her completed presentation as she gathers her papers and packs up her MagiPoint presentation; it was easily longer than any of the others presented today, and the visuals really helped sell her vision.

Miss Cheerilee gazes out of the window for a few seconds more before she glances at the clock. Only eight more minutes; maybe enough time for another filly to read her paper, but then she'd have a riot on her hooves. She realizes she should be smiling, quickly clopping her hooves against the ground while the twenty students halfheartedly follow along. Miss Cheerilee walks up to the front of the class as the pink filly takes her seat. "Thank you, Diamond Tiara. Now, we still have a few minutes before class ends, so does anypony wish to discuss any of the topics we discussed today?" Several students raise their hooves, Miss Cheerilee closing her eyes and saying, perhaps shorter than she should, "Preferably, not those regarding Nightmare Moon?"

Silver Spoon is the only young mare who keeps raising her hoof in the air, a few fillies groaning at their daydreaming being delayed another several minutes. Silver Spoon smiles when Miss Cheerilee reluctantly points at her, forelegs standing up on her desk as she says, "If Diamond Tiara's proposal were to be accepted, what ages would get their own president, or would it be a range of students represented under each?"

Miss Cheerilee pauses, her gaze drifting down towards the class in the basement. For the most part, the older students - about fifteen, those eight years and older - currently engaging in self-study did not need as much instruction as the six year old fillies. Especially as the topics got more and more out of her area of expertise, even more so for the unicorn and pegasus students specializing in a topic specific to their subset. In fact, the current school president, Namby-Pamby, is downstairs and helping teach the twelve foals in the youngest class. Or at least keeping them in line before and during nap-time until she is able to head back down.

Miss Cheerilee looks up to Silver Spoon, the smile on the young silver mare becoming a little more forced at the delay. "I haven't thought on that too much, Silver Spoon. Perhaps you could talk to the other fillies, get an idea of what they would like."

Silver Spoon glances to Diamond Tiara, the pink filly covertly nodding. Silver Spoon grins back at her teacher, "I can do that, Miss Cheerilee. Can I start now?"

"Are there any other things we would like to discuss?" Miss Cheerilee asks the class, glancing around at the faces that look like she feels. She definitely should have not stayed up all night at Pinkie Pie's party. "Very well; class, you may discuss topics of your choice until the ending bell. Quietly, please." Miss Cheerilee stands at her desk, collecting the various reports and ostensibly reading through them while her gaze unfocuses.

Diamond Tiara whispers to Silver Spoon, "Hey, you go meet up with the Apple fillies. Try to see what it'll take to back you for class president."

Silver Spoon whispers back, "Me? I'm pretty sure you're the one who wants the position, not me."

Diamond Tiara nods, "True, but nopony's going to vote for a blank flank. Not yet. That's where you come in."

"You just want me as some figurehead?" Silver Spoon snaps, glaring at Diamond Tiara. "I could be a great class president! I just don't want the job." She flicks her head into the air, half-looking at her sister out of one eye.

"Which is why you're both perfect for the job, but also why you'll never get it." Diamond Tiara grins at Silver Spoon, "And trust me, when we're done with them, I'll be the best school president this school has ever seen."

"School president?" Silver Spoon asks, a touch of confusion in her voice. "But, I thought I was running for class president."

"You are," Diamond Tiara replies in a lower voice, drawing close to Silver Spoon and whispering in her ear. "That's why you're going to..."

Silver Spoon nods along as Diamond Tiara continues, the frown on her muzzle deepening before turning to a large grin. "Really?" she says a little too loudly, Diamond Tiara immediately shushing her as a few ponies glance over at the two. Silver Spoon continues quieter, "You think you can pull that off?"

"Puh-lease," Diamond Tiara smirks, "these foals will never know what hit them."

Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara split up, Diamond Tiara moving to talk to a few of the older roller-derby colts while Silver Spoon moves over to the three Apple fillies. Silver Spoon smiles at the trio, getting two blank stares and Sweetie Belle's smile in return.

Silver Spoon says, "Afternoon, girls. Did you think at all about my question?"

"You mean whether Diamond Tiara is going to be president of the six-year-old's or of the middle class?" comes Apple Bloom's sarcastic reply, rolling her eyes.

"Pff," Scootaloo laughs as Silver Spoon raises an eyebrow, "Diamond Tiara isn't running." She smirks at Silver Spoon, "Am I right, or am I right?"

Silver Spoon nods, "Yup. I was thinking about running, actually, but I'm trying to figure out whether I should focus my efforts just our year, or on the whole class." Silver Spoon smiles at the three, "What do you all think?"

Sweetie Belle says, "I think you'd be fine running for the whole class. I mean, it's twice as big, but if you were just running for one year then you couldn't really get a lot done, you know?"

"Hey, we have lots of experience getting stuff done without a whole lot." Scootaloo points a hoof at Apple Bloom, "I know one pony who thinks she should fill the spot." Scootaloo rolls her eyes. "Too bad nopony's going to vote for a BF."

"Hey, just because we've never had a school president who's a blank flank doesn't mean it isn't possible!" Sweetie Belle glances back at her own white coat, sighing at the lack of cutie mark. "It's just because it's always the older fillies who run for office. They're the ones with the most friends, have had the most time to make a name for themselves, you know?"

"Yeah. I think Bolt is going to try to upset Namby-Pamby in the coming election. Haven't had a colt as president, either." Apple Bloom glances around the room, snickering at the lack of decent options.

"Hey! Rumble could run for the younger class," Scootaloo breaks in, glaring at Apple Bloom. "Just 'cause fillies are better at running things than stallions in general doesn't mean that every colt isn't cut out for it."

"Sounds like somepony's got a bit of a crush," snickers Apple Bloom, Scootaloo glaring at her. "Too bad you can't vote for him, though if you keep cutting class you might end up together."

"Hey!" Scootaloo shouts, though she quiets down at Miss Cheerilee's glare, "Just 'cause Rainbow keeps pulling me out of class for extra practice doesn't mean I'm cutting." Scootaloo waves a hoof at Silver Spoon, "What are we learning about now? Politics?" Scootaloo blows a raspberry, "I'm never getting into that, no thanks."

Silver Spoon smiles, "Exactly!" At Scootaloo's confused expression she continues, "Which is why it's so important to elect a leader who takes your issues to heart, and strives to improve them!"

"Ah can see that," Apple Bloom says, smiling at Scootaloo, "although Ah don't know why we gotta keep studying how other cultures tried and failed to run their places."

"Well," Silver Spoon replies as Scootaloo groans, "not every country can have Princess Celestia in charge. It's a shame so many of them end up like the Griffons."

"What happened to the Griffons?" Sweetie Belle asks, pulling her textbook out of her bag. "I don't remember anything happening to them in a while." Scootaloo takes her own textbook and covers her head with it, pressing her hooves against her ears as she groans again, trying to get Sweetie Belle to get the hint.

"Oh, that? It's a bit more recent, and our books are a little out of date." Silver Spoon holds up her own textbook, grimacing at the twenty year old pages starting to fall apart. "Apparently their whole society fell apart when they opened up a trade route with Equestria ten years or so ago. Like, they only care about getting bits or gold and then trading that for things we make instead of making it themselves." Silver Spoon nervously coughs as the other two ponies look at her blankly, "I think one of the first things I would do as class president is get some better materials for the school. I heard they came out with a millennium edition of our textbook at the start of the year! We'd be learning about stuff that just happened!"

"You heard?" deadpans Apple Bloom, glancing towards Silver Spoon's embroidered bookbag, "Or you bought, and read at home?"

"It's not my fault Rich makes us keep up on current events," Silver Spoon mutters defensively. "Celestia knows nopony else around here cares about it."

"Exactly!" Sweetie Belle says with a grin, patting Silver Spoon on the back. "That's why you'd make a great class president! You care about all that stuff, which leaves the rest of us to..." she glares at Scootaloo, exaggerated snoring sounds coming from the book on her head, and then to Apple Bloom, still staring at the expensive bookbag.

Silver Spoon chuckles to herself as she rubs the back of her head, "Actually, it's Diamond Tiara who really cares about this stuff. She likes lecturing me, oftentimes about how much better things would be under her command. Or other countries under Equestrian rule. Like, she's the one who told me about the Griffon Kingdom and what went wrong with them."

"Well, why isn't she running for office, then?" Apple Bloom says with a groan, "If'n she's the one who wants it, anyway."

"Isn't it obvious?" Scootaloo moans from underneath her book, the school bell ringing and announcing the end of the class only slightly delaying her sarcastic, "Nopony would vote for a blank flank. Duh." She glances to her sisters, "We're walking the rest of the herd home, right?"

Silver Spoon's smile becomes forced as she replaces her book into her saddlebags, the three Apple fillies nodding to each other, donning their packs, and leaving the school. Silver Spoon walks over to Diamond Tiara, the two quickly becoming the only ponies not madly exciting the room. "So, I didn't really get a clear answer from them," Silver Spoon says to Diamond Tiara, "Sorry about that, DT."

"That's fine, we just wanted to plant the idea in their heads," Diamond Tiara says with a smirk. "If we can get the Apple fillies on our side, and your two sibs? That's a quarter of the school, right there. Nopony in this class cares enough to run, but we need some sort of opponent for you." She smiles to herself, "And I know just the one."