The auditorium was awash in electoral advertisements and student council members conducting interviews. A state of the art sound system and display were set up over the stage. Bunting of the school logo hung from the mezzanine and the stage as concession trays, which carried water and bags of peanuts, was carried by students who walked the aisles and offered their goods.
In the back of the auditorium, apart from the seating and nearer one of the rear doors, Sweetie sat in a wheelchair, smiling, while talking to Scootaloo and Applebloom.
Sweetie spoke, or very nearly shouted, to Scootaloo, “I’m so glad they let you come here today! I’ve missed you!”
Scootaloo nodded, replying just as loudly, “I’m glad too! Principal Twilight called Slate and told him it was okay! It was her idea, even!”
Applebloom leaned forward, speaking loudly but closer to Sweetie, “How’d y’all get here, anyhow? Yer in a wheelchair!”
“Mom brought me here! Daddy said I could come if the hospital cleared it, and they released me yesterday!” she replied.
“Ah’m glad to hear it! It’s great to see ya back!” Applebloom called aloud with a bright smile.
“Mom’s around here somewhere! She said she didn’t want to go too far, just in case I needed her,” Sweetie said as she scanned the crowd around her for Cookie. After a while of searching, she gave up, especially after what Scootaloo did next.
Scootaloo stepped around behind Sweetie and grabbed hold of the wheelchair’s handles. She began to push Sweetie further from the crowds. After that, she leaned down near Sweetie’s ear and said, “I’m movin’ you to see if we can’t find a quieter spot, okay?”
“Okay, sounds good. Thank you,” Sweetie shouted back as she relaxed in the chair while it moved. Her eyes resumed scanning for Cookie one more time. She also secretly was scanning for Diamond Tiara, but she felt that was a long shot as Diamond was probably getting prepared for her speech.
Applebloom walked alongside Sweetie and her chair, hands in her pockets.
“How are you feeling lately, Sweets?” asked Scootaloo loudly, though still leaned down near Sweetie’s ear.
“Better. Not much pain, and I’m starting to feel my leg again. I’m in this chair because they don’t trust I’ll be able to stay standing for very long. They wanted me to be seated as much as possible,” Sweetie replied.
Scootaloo veered into a hallway. It appeared to lead through to the main school building. Applebloom followed closely. The noise level was reduced immensely at this new location. Scootaloo was fairly certain they could still hear the announcements pretty well from here, too. Failing that, there appeared to be multiple monitors set up down the corridor which broadcast the goings on on stage.
“Scootaloo, did you see Silver Spoon anywhere?” Sweetie asked, “Um… You think Diamond can see me in here?”
“Diamond’s probably gettin’ ready for her speech, and why would I have been looking for Silver?” Scootaloo asked with a raised eyebrow.
“I… I know you wouldn’t… but please, listen to me… She’s hurting, almost as bad as Diamond, only she’s alone… I just want her to not be alone, okay?” Sweetie pleaded.
“Jeez Sweetie, are you going to offer charity to everyone here?” Scootaloo asked in a snippy way.
“Easy there, Scootaloo. No need to rip her head off. She’s just bein’ Sweetie… n’ Sweetie, Ah reckon I did see Silver. Yeah.” Applebloom gazed back at the double doors they had just come through. “Reckon Ah saw her with Snails out there. Didja want me to try n’ fetch her for ya?” Applebloom asked.
“Ugh… Come on! I came out here to get some peace and quiet!” Scootaloo griped.
“Scoots, please be patient with me, okay? I’m trying to do the right thing, that’s all,” Sweetie assured.
“Agh, fine,” Scootaloo said, “I really wish you’d tell me why I should trust them, but… I trust you, and I know you have your reasons.”
“Scoots, Ah was talkin’ with Diamond yesterday… and Silver, a little… n’ I think both of ‘em ought to have another chance, okay? Their hurtin’ each other and themselves, and they don’t know no better. They ain’t been proper friends ‘n forever, like we have,” Applebloom informed.
Scootaloo nodded at Applebloom, “I guess. I’ll trust Sweetie, at least. And you, of course.”
“Ah invited Diamond into the Crusaders,” Applebloom said as she stared directly at Scootaloo.
Scootaloo blinked, and slowly nodded. “Alright, then. I guess I’ll lay off.”
Sweetie smiled in good cheer while pumping a fist. “Oh thank you so much, girls! I’m so happy you’re accepting this!”
Scootaloo sighed, “You… gonna go get Silver, or not, AB?”
Applebloom smirked, and turned on her heel to the double doors.
Applebloom stepped back the double doors and scanned the crowd for either Silver Spoon or Snails. She strolled down the center aisle, looking left and right until she spotted a familiar head of light-grey hair sitting near the front next to a tall boy with mint green hair. She was leaning against him, and he had an arm wrapped around her. It didn’t look like anyone was paying them much attention.
“Right. Here Ah go,” Applebloom said as a means of motivating herself before she walked all the way down the center aisle and around the students in the front seats until she arrived in front of Silver.
Before Applebloom fully arrived, Silver Spoon already locked eyes on her.
Applebloom wasn’t hesitant on her arrival. She knelt down to get closer to Silver and looked her right in the eyes. “Silver Spoon?” she said, loudly enough to be heard over the susurrus of noise from the crowd interacting with itself.
“Yes?” Silver called loudly enough to be heard by Applebloom but quietly enough not to be heard by anyone else other than the immediately adjacent crowd. “What do you want?” Silver asked in a guarded tone.
“Ah wanna invite ya to come back and hang out with the Crusaders,” Applebloom stated. Snails raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued.
Without realizing it, since Silver was looking at Applebloom instead of Snails, Silver also lifted an eyebrow with piqued curiosity, except her suspicion remained. She asked, “Why?”
“We wanna be friends with ya, that’s why,” Applebloom said with a light shrug.
Silver’s expression held as she asked, “Again, why?”
“Why are you making it so hard on them, Spoony?” Snails asked.
“Because it seems so unlikely that she’d offer that,” Silver Spoon answered as she finally looked at her boyfriend. “I can’t help but suspect an ulterior motive.”
“Really?” Applebloom said, “Ah seem like the type to have an ulterior motive to ya? That’s rich as anything comin’ from you,” she stood after saying that.
Silver Spoon quietly regarded Applebloom for that comment, but otherwise said nothing.
“Come or don’t. Ain’t gonna ruin mah day. Ah’ve got friends to be around. Friends that wanna reach out to ya, and Ah I tried. But Ah ain’t gonna sit here beggin’ ya. Ain’t what ya deserve,” Applebloom said as she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans. “No more n’ you ever deserved any time in mah head.”
“Don’t you want friends again, Spoony? You keep talking about how alone you feel….” Snails supplied.
Silver frowned at Snails slightly, then looked back at Applebloom with a more thoughtful and softer look. She seemed closer on the edge of the fence but didn’t quite tip over yet.
Applebloom shrugged, “Said mah piece. Make up yer own mind.” She started walking away.
“Are you gonna just sit here?” Snails asked.
“Do you think I should go?” Silver asked Snails. “That’s the Cutie Mark Crusaders who Diamond and I teased for years. What if it’s a trap?”
“What if it isn’t?” was Snails’ response
“Then that would be weird. Why would any of them want to make friends with me? Unless they want to exploit me and my wealth,” Silver figured, but even she didn’t sound convinced.
“I know I’m not that smart, Spoony, but that sounds stupid even to me,” Snails replied.
Silver sighed as she looked down while thinking, then looked in the direction Applebloom went off to as she decided aloud, “Well, I’m not getting much information sitting here, so I’m willing to check this out on one condition.” She looked at him. “You have to come with me. I don’t feel safe going to them by myself.”
“You even have to ask?” Snails blinked.
“Come on,” Silver said as she pat his hand then stood up.
“Hey,” Silver greeted as she approached the Cutie Mark Crusaders with a slightly guarded expression as her eyes wandered over each of them for any possible sign of treachery. “I’m here, so … what do you three want?”
“How can you act like we’re the bad guys here, Silver?!” Scootaloo snapped, only for Sweetie’s raised hand to still her forward movement and calm her down. It looked like she might have lunged at Silver right away.
“Wait a second!” Silver squinted at Scootaloo. “Weren’t you suspended after you tried to attack Diamond right in front of me?
“And you,” she spoke to Sweetie next, “aren’t you still busy recovering from the injuries caused by your so-called ‘friend’?”
Sweetie nodded, rolling herself forward to Silver. “Yes, Scootaloo was. She has special permission to be here for the Election Speech Rally, and while I’m not officially back at school, I did get Daddy to talk Mom into bringing me here. I’m here to support Diamond,” Sweetie finished.
“Why?” Silver asked Sweetie suspiciously. “Why support Diamond? What’s in it for you?”
“For fuck’s sake, Silver!” Scootaloo snapped again, this time stepping around Sweetie, “The whole world doesn’t think like your stuck up ass! There doesn’t have to be anything in it, and Sweetie has never worried about what was ‘in it’ for her! Probably why she never cared what you said to her or about her. Probably why she didn’t spend much time crying over your bullshit!”
Silver narrowed her eyes at Scootaloo as she asked, “What, are you her lawyer now? How much is she paying you? Whatever it is, you probably desperately need it.”
Scootaloo’s eye twitched, and Applebloom lurched forward to grab her wrist just before the fist would have launched. “Easy, Scoots. She’s an idiot. Gotta be patient with her. She don’t know any better.”
Sweetie blinked, “Scootaloo! Haven’t you learned anything?!”
Scootaloo grunted, ripping her wrist free from Applebloom’s grasp before stomping past Silver, stopping for a moment to look directly at her.
“You ever wonder why you’re alone? I don’t. I celebrate that you’re alone, that you’re miserable, that you have all that money and you can’t really be happy. You know how long it’ll be before you chase away your boyfriend here? Not long. You’re too fucking selfish to hang on to someone that nice,” Scootaloo hissed at her before storming off.
For a brief moment, Silver’s chin wrinkled in genuine pain, then she veered her head to the side to look at Applebloom as she said, “I asked you all earlier what you wanted to invite me here for. Now I guess I got my answer. I’m not really surprised.” She looked at Snails and said to him, “I warned you this would happen.”
“Spoony, take a moment. Breathe, and hear me out, okay?” Snails said quietly, taking her hands in his. Sweetie, meanwhile, had begun to wheel herself after Scootaloo. As Sweetie did so, Silver Spoon cooperated with her boyfriend's request.
“Who antagonized who first?” Snails asked, “Be honest with me, okay?”
“Scootaloo! Wait!” Sweetie said, panting as she wheeled herself vigorously.
Scootaloo stopped, and turned to Sweetie, striding back to meet her halfway. “You shouldn't be straining yourself, Sweets. Take it easy.”
Silver Spoon was just quiet as she held her boyfriend's hands and gazed into his eyes. Pain glinted around the edges of her eyes.
“Spoony…,” Snails urged.
“Scootaloo, please don’t walk away. I know she’s mean and she’s hurt you a lot… but please… Let it go. Just… Can we try to start fresh here?” Sweetie pleaded.
“I don’t feel safe here,” Silver Spoon whispered to Snails quietly.
“You’re changing the subject, Spoony. Who antagonized who first?” Snails repeated patiently.
“I was just asking them all some questions!” Silver snapped irritably. “They are the ones who chose to take offense to it.”
“Why do you question their motivations so much? What have they done to deserve that?” Snails asked, adding, “You were showing a little concern, that’s true. Scootaloo did overreact, and you don’t have to worry about losing me, either.”
“Because I don’t trust them,” Silver answered as she looked across the Crusaders. “A lot of people tried to pretend to be a friend to Diamond and I when all they wanted was in our pocket books or something. I never got a straight answer to my question, which indicates they do have something to hide.”
“Try again, okay? For me?” Snails asked quietly.
Scootaloo sighed. She grabbed Sweetie’s chair and rolled her back.
“Why are you talking to me like I’ve been insincere?” Silver asked Snails defensively.
“I know you’re sincere, I’m only asking you to try again, okay?” Snails replied.
Scootaloo stood behind Sweetie, looking a little grim.
Silver closed her eyes as she took a deep breath then released it like her boyfriend had often instructed her to do, then she faced the Crusaders again as she remarked to Scootaloo, “It’s terribly nice that the principal would allow you back into school for the election speech during your suspension, but I take it that’s not done? How long will you remain gone for after today?”
“Um… A week and a half, I think,” Scootaloo answered.
“Okay.” Silver blinked at Scootaloo then addressed her next question to Sweetie Belle. “How about you? How is your recovery progressing? Not in too much pain?”
“I’m okay today. Thank you. They gave me some painkillers before I came here, and the wheelchair is because I’m not having a lot of trouble walking. They wanted to be sure I did have a seat here,” Sweetie explained.
“Painkillers?” Silver lifted an eyebrow slightly and her forehead wrinkled with a bit of concern. “So you’re not out of the woods yet on that regard?”
“No. The headaches are the worst part though… Thank you for your concern,” Sweetie replied.
“Please don’t take offense to this question, but why does Diamond matter to you, all of the sudden?” Silver asked Sweetie Belle. “And it’s just you, too. The rest of your friends are either take it or leave it, but you’re the only one who is pushing to get closer to her. Why?”
Sweetie blinked as she looked around. “Applebloom?” she asked.
“Yeah? What’s up?” Applebloom asked.
“I um...,” she looked up at Scootaloo, “Can you take us someplace… more private?”
Scootaloo nodded and started wheeling Sweetie to the girl’s room. Applebloom began to follow them, speaking over her shoulder, “Come on, Silver. She wants you with us too.”
“I take it Snails is not welcome to come into the ladies restroom?” Silver checked because she felt uncomfortable to leave him behind.
“Only if there’s anyone else in there, but I don’t mind,” Sweetie answered as Scootaloo continued to push her forward, and Applebloom continued walking alongside them.
Silver looked at Snails to see how he’d answer.
Snails shrugged and started following then, “If anything, I’ll wait outside for ya,” he offered.
Accepting his answer, Silver followed the rest of the Crusaders a little nervously.
Scootaloo pushed Sweetie carefully into the lady’s room, and Applebloom followed them in.
Sweetie scanned the room upon entering. She checked each of the stalls. Eventually she noted that no one else is here, so she called back, “It looks like we’ve got it to ourselves for now.”
“Yeah,” Scootaloo replied.
“Why do we need this again?” Applebloom asked.
“I… I have to tell you something, Applebloom, and I’m going to tell Silver at the same time. Just… Don’t hate me, okay?” Sweetie begged.
Applebloom raised an eyebrow as she stared at Sweetie for a moment. “Hate ya? Not in a million years.”
Silver Spoon entered the room then reached back for her boyfriend as she said, “It’s okay. Us girls give your permission to enter this time, for we are not using this room for it’s normal purpose this time.” She looked back at Sweetie Belle. “Well, at least, I don’t think so.”
“No, we’re not,” Sweetie giggled.
Snails nodded and followed Silver into the room.
Now that he stood inside and got a look at his surroundings, Silver tilted her head at him curiously and asked, “Now that you’ve seen this place, I have a question for you. How different does this place look compared to the boys restroom?”
Snails shrugged, “More mirrors. Color is different. Um.. no urinals,” he said lamely.
Scootaloo blinked, “Good to know. I can die happy, now. Yay me!” she said sarcastically.
“So, what’s this about?” Appleboom asked as she leaned against the sink at the seat of her pants. The rest of the girls, and Snails, had arranged themselves in a circle.
“Okay, Silver asked why I care so much about Diamond…” Sweetie began.
“No. Don’t you dare say what I think you’re going to say!” Scootaloo insisted.
“Yes, Scootaloo. You’re probably right,” Sweetie said. Scootaloo punched a wall, hard enough to damage the tile.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not sorry,” Sweetie said.
“Well, that’s another week of suspension,” Silver Spoon said as she observed the damaged tile, then swept a gaze across the Crusaders as she asked, “Okay, what am I missing here?”
“Y’know, yer takin’ an awful long time to get to the point of this,” Applebloom reminded.
“Ah, yeah. I’m sorry.” Sweetie took a deep breath, “I’m gay.”
Sweetie took a moment to collect herself, then continued, “And… I have a crush on Diamond Tiara…” she said meekly.
Applebloom blinked. Scootaloo stormed out of the bathroom.
Snails, however, said, “Woooooooooooow…”
Silver Spoon crossed her arms. Her face seems impassive, but she doesn’t say anything yet because she feels too speechless. Her mind needed a moment to process this.
“Um… so… She feel any of the same?” Applebloom checked.
“I… I don’t know… I don’t think so? I know she’s my friend, and that’s important to me,” Sweetie looked at Applebloom, “You… don’t seem surprised or… bothered?”
“Sweets, Ah’ve known ya darn near mah whole life… Ah ain’t never seen ya make googoo eyes at no boys, and ya turned away Button Stitch when he showed he fancied ya… Kinda thought that maybe this was why,” Applebloom replied with a shrug.
“Is that really all there is?” Silver Spoon asked suspiciously, then shook her head. “Maybe I can accept what you said about your own feelings as true, but with Diamond … I think there is something else going on with her or between you and her. I just can’t put my finger on it yet.” She looked out the exit of the room. “Also, isn’t any of you going to chase down your barbarian friend before she causes more property damage?”
“Nope. She’ll be fine. She’ll find her way back here too. She ain’t gonna hold it against Sweetie, just gonna have to take her time to cool down. That’s all,” Applebloom replied.
“You didn’t know about this?” Silver checked with Applebloom.
“Didn’t know much about any of it, nope. Didn’t know Sweetie had feelin’s for a gal, specially not Diamond,” Applebloom replied, “Didn’t know why she wanted me to reach out to ya, but now I’m startin’ to see a little better. She’s tryin’ to fix you n’ Diamond, and make ya both our friends now. Ain’t surprised.”
“Scootaloo did know, didn’t she?” Silver asked Sweetie Belle. “Why did you tell Scootaloo and not Applebloom?”
It seemed as if, even as she asked, she had a theory.
“Scootaloo knew I was gay… because I confessed I had a crush on her back in middle school… She… uh… we stopped talking for a few months back then, and I thought she hated me… um… but she didn’t. She just didn’t want to hurt me by being around and being out of reach,” Sweetie answered.
“Yeah? Scoots? Really? What in the hell’d ya ever see in that sasquatch?” Applbeloom asked with a chuckle.
“Lots of things. She was nice to me, protected me… She was my first friend, too,” Sweetie answered.
“Are you sure Diamond doesn’t have feelings for you?” Silver checked with Sweetie critically. “Or at least … not in that way?”
Silver briefly checked on her boyfriend's reaction to see how he was handling all of this. In doing so, she noticed that Snails was calm and quiet as ever.
“I don’t know! I’m scared to ask her! She said she loved me, on the phone after you gave it to her, Applebloom, but I-I really think she means as a friend!” Sweetie whimpered.
“I wonder if that’s why Di has been avoiding me,” Silver said under her breath.
“What?” Applebloom asked.
Scootaloo re-entered the girl’s room.
“Why would she avoid you over that?” Snails asked Silver.
Silver answered, “Because that is what Scootaloo did to Sweetie Belle. If Di confessed to Sweetie, it means she’s gay. Maybe she avoided me for the same reason Scootaloo avoided Sweetie.”
Snails blinked, “But… You didn’t confess any feelings to Diamond?“
“Ah … no. Nothing like that,” Silver admitted. “But still … if she had feelings for me like that, that might be reason enough for her to feel uncomfortable around me.”
“Ah’m not seein’ it... prolly just feels like yer a bad influence or somethin’” Applebloom offered.
“That’s your opinion!” Silver snapped at Applebloom. “Not Diamond’s. We don’t know why Diamond abandoned me.”
“Sure we do,” Scootaloo said as she propped herself up to sit on the sink, to everyone’s surprise. “You’re a shitty friend.”
“Scootaloo! Stop it!” Sweetie admonished.
“Yeah, come on! ’nuf with the cheap shots. Y’all gotta grow up,” Applebloom said, “Imagine Silver as one of your gazillion siblings.”
Scootaloo snorts and looks away, “Fuck you. I’m the one making cheap shots? Really?”
Applebloom shrugged, “Jus’ calm down already. Be nicer to Silver. She ain’t trying to be antagonistic, and you sure are right now.”
“Ugh, okay… okay...,” Scootaloo relented.
Silver Spoon continued to look deeply thoughtful. Sweetie Belle’s news greatly blunted the impact of Scootaloo’s accusations to the point where it seemed to be entirely ignored.
“Silver?” Sweetie asked, rolling closer and reaching out to gently take her hand, “You okay?”
Silver focused on Sweetie. She continued to hold her silence for a further four seconds, then asked, “When did you start developing feelings for Diamond?”
“Over the last few weeks,” Sweetie answered, “When I first walked in-” she stopped talking abruptly.
“What?” Silver asked with sudden and sharp interest. “Go on.”
“No. I won’t. I promised,” Sweetie replied.
“Promised who?” Silver pressed.
“Diamond,” Sweetie answered.
That response made Silver quiet and thoughtful again. The others could see her withdrawing into her mind while it spun.
“I’m sorry. I’m not going to tell you,” Sweetie promised to Silver Spoon, then called over her shoulder at the rest of the Crusaders, “Scootaloo? Applebloom? We should find seats for the speeches.” She looked at Silver again. “If you want it, we’re extending our friendship to you, no strings attached, and nothing in it for us but you as a friend.” Her eyes quickly shifted to Snails as she added, “And Snails, too.”
“I, um … need a little time to think about that,” Silver replied. “But I do intend to go back and watch Diamond’s speech. I could even sit nearby you if you don’t mind, but something tells me we’re no longer going to find five seats in a row anymore. At least you have your own chair, though,” she said as she waved to indicate Sweetie.
“Don’t know until we try. Gotta ask, too. See if anyone might be willing to switch seats,” Scootaloo said as she hopped off the lip of one of the sinks.
Applebloom grabbed Sweetie’s chair and began pushing her out of the bathroom while she promised, “Ah still love ya, Sweets.”
“Thank you for coming,” Silver said gratefully to Snails as she gave him a hug. “I know it might feel weird for you to be in here, but I appreciate the support.”
“Anything for you, Spoony,” he replied happily.