“Spoon, Silver?” the teacher called out.
“Here,” the grey girl said flatly, resting her chin in the palm of her left hand.
“Tiara, Diamond?” the teacher called out.
A few seconds passed, and the teacher repeated the call, to more silence.
Sweetie stared over at Diamond’s seat, scratching her ear as she did. It was unusual to see Diamond and Silver separated for any length of time, and Silver did seem to be out of sorts herself. Where was the bully now?
She sighed and scanned the rest of the room, eyes falling on Scootaloo, then on Applebloom, and a few other classmates besides. Everyone had grown, and now here they were, just a few months from graduating high school. Scootaloo’s hair had grown long, and she wore it twisted into a long braid that wouldn’t interfere with her skateboarding. Her leather jacket was draped over the back of her chair, it featured patches of all sorts depicting what she felt were qualities she and her friends, and her hero, shared. Faded, torn, jeans adorned her slender legs while a loose fitting t-shirt featuring a picture of a rainbow-colored lightning bolt covered the rest of her. She looked inhumanely bored at this very moment, and Sweetie found herself stifling a giggle at that.
Applebloom had a hat sat leaning against her seat, near her feet. She couldn’t wear it in class, not since the new rules were established, but the Stetson told the story of her life well enough on its own. She still had her ribbon, but now she wore that tied around her upper right arm. A simple pair of jeans and a green shirt covered her up, and work boots covered her feet.
Silver’s glasses had been traded for contacts, and she wore a silvery button-up top tied at the waste, over black leggings that were covered by a light-grey skirt. A pair of silvery slippers finished this off, while bracelets and necklaces were set to accessorize an otherwise simple outfit. Silver didn’t appear to be looking at anything more than a wall, and she was clearly set on giving Scootaloo a run for her money in the bored-looking contest.
“Very well, Ms. Tiara is absent again…,” the teacher huffed as she turned to the chalkboard.
Sweetie noticed Silver visibly slouch as the teacher said this.
Huh?
The rest of class was a blur of numbers and functions, which Sweetie felt was absurd for so early in the morning. Nevertheless, she took down notes through her yawns. Halfway through writing down a particularly brutal equation she felt a buzzing, and jumped with a little squeak before scrambling to locate her cell phone. It was buried in the pocket of her capri pants, she felt herself blushing as the class turned to stare at her.
She sighed and pulled the phone from her pocket, bringing it to life with the press of a button and swipe of a finger. She had received a text message, from Scootaloo.
Sweetie, wna hng aftr skool?
Sweetie giggled briefly, using one hand to rapidly tap out a response while using the other to attempt continuing to take notes.
Sure, wher @?
She took a moment to focus on her notes, crossing out an erroneous number and filling in the correct one above it.
Strt w SCC, duh!
Well, of course. Sugarcube Corner would be the expected starting point. Scootaloo must have known this was not what she meant though.
Wer d u wanna go after?
Sweetie yawned again, and the teacher’s droning finally came to an end with the piercing screech of the school bell. The class was dismissed, and Scootaloo didn’t hesitate to throw on her jacket and grab her bag and start moving to the next class.
Sweetie smiled as she watched her friends readying for their next classes, she wished she’d not moved on to advanced placement when she had, it meant they didn’t share as many classes as they would have liked.
Skt prk
Sweetie sighed as she made her way to her AP English class, bumping into Silver as she approached the door.
“Watch it!” Silver said with a scowl.
“Oh, sorry. I wasn’t paying attention,” replied Sweetie.
“Any idiot could figure that out,” replied Silver with a pronounced roll of her eyes.
“Oh, um, yeah,” Sweetie said with a tiny giggle, then she stopped as she thought of something, “Oh, Silver, do you know what’s happened with Di-”
“Don’t. Even. Ask.” Silver snarled as she stomped away into the classroom.
Sweetie stood there, blinking for a moment as she scratched her head.
“Uh, did I say something wrong?”
“Theems tho,” said a rather distinctive lisp from behind her.
Sweetie turned to see Twist, her orange hair arranged in more manageable tails and her glasses settled comfortably on her nose. She stared at Sweetie for a moment, before tilting her head.
“Thomething wrong, Thweetie?”
“Uh, I mean… I don’t know. Just was wondering if Silver knew what was going on with Diamond, she’s been absent awhile now… Dunno, just feels wrong, I guess,” she said with a sigh.
Twist nodded in response.
“Thure, but it’th not really our buthiness, ith it?”
“I… guess?” she answered awkwardly as they both entered the classroom.
The rest of the day went by more smoothly, without Sweetie further unintentionally angering Silver, with random texts from Scootaloo and Applebloom throughout the day, and even the odd text from Rarity just checking in on her little sister so close to graduation. I mean, darling, it’s so exciting! Soon you’ll move on to college, grow and find the path you’re meant to take! I can hardly contain myself, dear!
All the while, though, she could never quite get her mind off of Silver, or Diamond. Why was Silver so upset? She was surly very often, but outright hostile? No, she was more along the lines of an antagonistic brat most of the time. It didn’t fit her at all, so what was up?
Naturally, Sweetie’s thoughts meant she wasn’t paying attention to her surroundings, and so she collided with someone else. That someone else grunted as she fell and her bag slid a good distance from herself. Sweetie looked down and gasped.
“Oh! I’m so sorry!” she cried as she reached down and helped Silver up from the floor.
“What the hell are you doing?!” Silver snapped as she shoved Sweetie back.
Sweetie was caught off guard. She blinked, stunned into silence at Silver’s hostility.
“Gah! You’re an even bigger idiot than I thought!” she screamed as she lashed out and slapped Sweetie across the face with actual strength behind it. It left a mark, and left Sweetie even more stunned than before. Silver marched off, shoving another student out of the way and grabbing her bag before storming down the hallway and finally through the school’s exit.
“What the fuck is her problem!?” yelled Scootaloo as she watched Silver storming off, then turned to investigate Sweetie’s face, “Are you okay? That looked like it hurt pretty good…”
Sweetie blinked her stun away and focused on Scootaloo’s violet eyes, “I-I’m okay, thanks… Uh, how much did you see?”
“Saw my friend, the space case, walking along in her own little world before she runs into Silver and sends her crashing to the floor… then helps her up and gets yelled at for her troubles, and then gets slapped,” Scootaloo growled.
“Oh…”
“Y’know what? I’ve had it with her crappy attitude,” Scootaloo said as she adjusted her jacket and dropped her bag by Sweetie’s feet before spinning on the heel of her boot and marching after Silver.
“W-wait!” cried Sweetie.
“Ah don’t think she’s gonna listen ta ya,” a familiar twang spoke up from her other side.
Sweetie looked at Applebloom, they nodded at each other, and both took off at a run after Scootaloo, who had just turned and walked out the door moments earlier.
By the time they arrived outside, Silver was on the ground with a fuming Scootaloo staring down from over her.
“Scootaloo!” cried Sweetie as she ran up and placed herself between her orange-toned friend and the grey-toned girl. Scootaloo glared at her, clenching a fist and raising it up.
A strong hand gripped her wrist and held her fist steadily.
“Now hold on there, Scoots… Ah don’t think ya realize what yer about ta do,” said Applebloom calmly.
Scootaloo took a moment to collect herself, looking first at her fist and then at Sweetie who was stood resolutely between her and Silver.
“Oh… I…,” she tried, but the words failed and she deflated. As soon as this happened, Applebloom released her wrist and Sweetie took a breath. Silver groaned from her place on the ground before Applebloom reached down and caught her by her left elbow and carefully lifted her to her feet.
“Hands off me!” she screamed.
Scootaloo twitched, but Sweetie stepped up and hugged her first.
“Calm down, Scootaloo… Please…,” she said softly.
Applebloom just shook her head slowly at Silver, “Ain’t how ya show gratitude, Silver… and yer welcome, by the way, fer coming to yer aid so fast.”
“I don’t need your damned help! Leave me alone! All of you!” she said, hot tears forming at the corners of her eyes as she turned and sprinted away.
“Wha?”
After some time, the girls found themselves at the Corner, sipping on shakes and chatting about college prospects. Although, Sweetie never quite fully joined the conversation as she stared out the window. Scootaloo groaned and hammered a fist into the table they shared.
“What’s up with you, Sweets? Why are you acting like this?”
“I can’t help thinking about Silver… and about Diamond…,” she replied softly.
“Are you freaking kidding me, Sweetie?! Those jerks!? If they’re miserable, it serves ‘em right!” cried Scootaloo.
“I don’t think anyone deserves to hurt, Scootaloo,” Sweetie returned.
“I-I,” Scootaloo stammered.
Applebloom sighed and drummed her fingers on the table, “She’s got a point there, Scoots… Ah mean, Ah ain’t no fan of them gals neither, don’t get me wrong now… Ain’t sayin’ ah’d go n’chase after ‘em or nothin’”
“...I just mean… I hate to think they’re hurting like that, y’know? What if it were me? I’d want you girls there for me-” Sweetie said.
“And we would be!” Scootaloo declared.
Sweetie smiled, “I know, and thank you… But… I’m worried, a lot… They don’t really have friends like I do, like you do… Sure, they have each other, but they don’t seem all that great at it, do they?”
“Eh, Silver’s just a follower to Diamond’s prima donna anyway,” Scootaloo scoffed.
“Ah think Scoots is right, Sweetie. Ain’t like they don’t get each other, at least,” Applebloom offered.
Sweetie fidgeted for a moment before she grabbed her drink and stood up.
“Okay, you girls can stay here then… but… I’m going to go and check on Diamond, and maybe she’ll know why Silver is so angry…” she said steadily as she looked at Scootaloo then Applebloom.
“You’re serious?!” cried Scootaloo.
“Ah don’t think that’s such a great idea, Sweetie… What if she just turns ya away?”
“It’s a risk, I’ll admit… but I’ve still gotta try!” she declared as she turned on her heel and walked toward the door of the Corner.
“Ah fine! It’s your damn funeral!” Scootaloo yelled after her.
The manor was intimidating. That was the first thought that went through Sweetie’s head, followed quickly by “Why did I come here?” and that was supplanted by “Okay, Sweetie, just a knock on the door…”
And so, she did. After that she noticed the large brass knocker and smacked her own forehead.
It took several minutes, during which time Sweetie considered she might have come at a bad time and might have to return later. However, the time spent considering leaving meant that the butler had time to arrive at the door and gingerly open it.
“Yes, ma’am?” he spoke eloquently, poise and confidence dripping from the words.
“Uh… I’m Sweetie Belle, a friend of Diamond’s… uh, and I’ve been getting kinda worried about her because I haven’t seen her in school,” she supplied.
“Ah, I see. You wish to visit the Young Mistress?”
“Uh, yeah?”
“Understood, please wait a moment,” he said as he backed into the house and quietly closed the door, leaving Sweetie Belle staring at the door with some confusion.
“What just happened?” she asked the door.
The door did not respond. It did, however, open. Once again revealing the butler.
“The Young Mistress seems not inclined to respond to my entreaties… However, I do not believe that silence necessarily indicates unwillingness. At any rate, she so seldom receives visitors other than Miss Spoon. Do you wish to see if she will respond to you?”
“Um, yes,” she replied.
“Very well, please follow me,” he spoke quietly as he turned and receded into the manor toward an enormous spiraling staircase. It was thick marble, with a large crystal chandelier hanging above as centerpiece to the scene. Sweetie was in awe, the house looked huge on the outside and the inside agreed with the notion wholeheartedly.
The butler ascended these stairs, choosing to move up the right spiral. Sweetie followed him, still looking around at statues, ornate crown molding, and so much more. The house was decorated at every point, practically bragging about being the size it was and the wealth of its occupants.
It took a few minutes to reach a mahogany door, at which the butler nodded.
“Ms. Belle… The Young Mistress is behind this door,” he said softly.
Sweetie nodded at the butler, at which point he nodded in return and took his leave.
Sweetie turned to the door and took a deep breath. She’d never been in Diamond’s house, couldn’t imagine any reason she would be, and yet here she stood, ready to talk to the girl.
She raised a hand and gently knocked on Diamond’s door, which gently opened on its own. Sweetie blinked, then stepped forward and carefully moved the door further, poking her head inside.
“D-” she cut herself off when she saw Diamond Tiara standing before a full length mirror, down to her bra and panties, staring at herself. Angry red scars crisscrossed over her legs, stomach, and upper arms. Her eyes were sunken, and she looked tired. She was also crying, and seemed not to notice Sweetie at all.