//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: As the Spring Bloom Withers // by Jinzou //------------------------------// I woke up just as the sun started to rise over the horizon. I beat the rooster, that’s a new one. Everypony else in the house was probably still asleep. I threw the covers off of me and stretched out my back and forelegs, letting out a mighty yawn. I grabbed the side of my mattress and dragged myself toward the door. I blearily stared down at my dress and wheelchair. And I… had no idea how to put either of them on by myself. Shit. Minutes passed as I lay in bed, staring down at my wheelchair, my mood steadily dropping as I realized I had no idea how to get myself set up in it.  Last night when I had woken up, my door had still been open a bit. But when Scootaloo left last night, I had asked her to close the door behind her. So I couldn’t crawl out and as- No, even if it was open I wasn’t gonna crawl around like a… like a caterpillar just to ask for help. I rolled onto my back, my head just barely hitting the edge of my pillow. It didn’t do much for my dignity, but I was sure somebody in my family would come check in on me, probably just under an hour before school started. Looking out the window, I guessed there was at least two hours until that time. Well, there went my good mood for the day. I wasn’t sure how long it actually took, but after what felt like a year, I finally heard a knocking on my door. “Come in,” I called out. The door opened and the tell-tale green coat of Granny Smith was seen. “How are you doin, child?” She asked. I bit back a sarcastic comment. If it were Big Mac or Applejack, I wouldn’t have, but you gotta respect your grannies. “I’m okay,” I responded. I was anything but okay. “Well let’s get you up an’ at ‘em, then. Big Mac already got some pancakes a-cooking.” The morning passed just about the same as yesterday. I packed my saddlebags, which Cheerilee has apparently brought back to us from the schoolhouse, gave Winona a few pats, and said goodbye to Granny Smith and Big Mac. When I arrived at school I saw Sweetie Belle waiting for me. I made my way to her and looked around. Scootaloo was nowhere in sight. That was weird, she was usually earlier than me since she lived way closer. “Mornin’ Sweetie Belle,” I greeted lifelessly. “Where’s Scoots? Running late?” Sweetie’s head cocked to the side. “You hadn’t heard yet? Scootaloo got suspended.” “Wait, what?” I sputtered. “Why?” Sweetie Belle quickly scanned the playground, looking for Celestia knows what. We both froze instantly when a familiar voice sounded from our right. "She was suspended for almost breaking Diamond Tiara's nose and giving her a black eye." “Silver Spoon?" I wheeled around. "Wait, Scoot… What happened?” “Well…” Sweetie Belle poked at the ground. “After what happened at recess, and you ran away, Scootaloo got really mad. I’ve never seen her so angry. She just started yelling, and ran really fast, then hit Diamond Tiara so hard she fell onto her back." I felt the corners of my mouth curl upward. “And then Scoot turned around, and Diamond Tiara got up and said something really mean. I was still at the bottom of the hill so I didn’t hear it, but Scootaloo turned around again and I think… I think she knocked her out. " "She said something along the lines of 'Oh, trust the only one to help the cripple is the other cripple,'" Silver Spoon cut in. "Mhm!" Sweetie Belle nodded. "Then after Cheerilee figured out what happened, she got Rainbow Dash and Filthy Rich to come to the school and sent everyone but them, Scoots, and DT away.” I had a full on smile on my face now. It was sad that I wouldn’t see Scootaloo, but hearing that Diamond Tiara finally got hit by some karma was pretty uplifting. “But Cheerilee forgot one of the windows was open, so I snuck around and started listening in!" Sweetie Belle smiled. “Cheerilee was like ‘so this is what happened, Rainbow Dash. I expect you, or whomever her current guardian is will take proper disciplinary action?’ And then Rainbow Dash just laughed and just said ‘That depends.’” I laughed too. “No way!” Sweetie Belle nodded. “So then Rainbow Dash starts talking to Scootaloo I guess, and asks her ‘Did you attack her with a weapon, while her back was turned, or while she was on the ground?’ And of course Scootaloo says no, so Rainbow Dash just paused for a moment and said ‘then I’m not gonna punish her.’” “Ooh, how did Cheerilee take all that?” “Badly.” Sweetie Belle chuckled. “Cheerilee responded with ‘but she attacked another schoolmate!’ and then Rainbow Dash interrupts her and starts getting angry. She said ‘She defended her friend against a bully that's been harassing her and her friends for years while you did nothing about it. Scootaloo stood up for her friends. I'm not gonna punish that. C'mon Scoots, let's go get some ice cream.’ and probably started walking towards the door.  “Cheerilee gasped all dramatically and was like ‘Rainbow Dash, there’s a huge problem with-’ then Rainbow Dash interrupts her again and starts shouting." Sweetie Belle put on a poor impression of Rainbow Dash's raspy voice. "'No! There's a huge problem with the way this school is run. If I'm not mistaken, this is the second time Diamond Tiara has made fun of another pony's handicap TO THEIR FACE and nothing has been done about it. I'm not angry at Scootaloo, I'm angry at you, Cheerilee. Scoots, let’s go. You can get whatever you’d like at Sugarcube Corner, my treat.’” “Wow.” I gasped. “No wonder Scootaloo likes Rainbow Dash so much, that’s just dang amazing!” Sweetie’s face fell. “Yeah, but after Diamond Tiara and Filthy Rich left, apparently Scootaloo saw them meet Diamond Tiara’s mom through a window in Sugarcube Corner. Apparently Diamond Tiara was looking like she was expecting praise, but her mom basically dragged her back into her house and started screaming so loud even Scoots could hear her. She couldn't hear any clear words, and Diamond Tiara has been pouty since, and… and her eyes are red, like she’s been crying.” "She..." Silver Spoon trailed off. "She would have been suspended too, but her mom is part of the school board and has enough influence to pull some strings." Without explanation, my good mood fell again. I felt a pit form in my stomach. “That’s… less awesome...” I managed. No, I wasn't gonna feel anything but happy that Diamond Tiara got messed up. I forced that feeling to the back of my mind. But that was still not addressing the elephant in the room. "So why are you here? And not bein' mean to us?" I asked Silver Spoon. Silver Spoon's gaze fell to the dirt. "When Diamond Tiara told me her plan, it was just 'stick a branch in her wheels and laugh when she can't reach us.' I don't know if she was planning on making you fall, but even I have some standards. After her mom and Cheerilee chewed her out, I told her I was making some space from her until she got her head back on her shoulders. And even then, she still got a talking to by your brother-" Silver Spoon failed to acknowldge Sweetie Belle's nonverbal pleas to shut up. "-and sister." I let out an angry snort. Of course Applejack was shoving herself into my life again. "I..." Silver Spoon contined. "...We didn't know how badly Scootaloo took our comments until way after, and seeing that? No. I'm mean, but that's too far." There were a few moments of silence. "Why do you hang around her?" Sweetie Belle asked softly. "You seem a lot... nicer than her." Sure, nicer in the way that being mauled by a dog was nicer than being mauled by a timberwolf. Silver Spoon met Sweetie Belle's gaze with a surprising fire in her eyes. "All you need to know is that she was there when I needed somepony, and I need to return the favor. There are two sides to every story." Silver Spoon turned around with a huff, and started making her way away from us. "Just know I'm sorry for what happened." We both returned to silence, not meeting each other's gazes. "So I guess we ain't seein' Scoots for a while." I sighed. “Yeah…” Sweetie Belle agreed. “I’m not sure how long Scoots is suspended for, though. Rainbow Dash left before Cheerilee said how long.” “So we might see her next week?” I asked hopefully. “We might not even see her next week,” Sweetie replied bluntly. “I mean, there’s always the afternoons, but Rainbow Dash turned Scootaloo’s watch to Rarity last night, and I don’t know how she’s going to handle it.” “So y'all will get to be with her, but I can’t.” I realized. Sweetie Belle looked down. “Sorry. I hope it isn’t that way.” “...Me too…” The bell halted our conversation, and we all filtered inside, Diamond Tiara taking up the rear. It was obvious she was wearing makeup to make the injuries look better, but it was also obvious that it wasn't fooling anypony. Her eye was swollen and black, and her nose was padded with gauze and slightly off-center. I had hoped that Diamond Tiara being as injured as she was would keep the attention off of me, but it just seemed to make it worse. Students kept staring at me AND Diamond Tiara more frequently. The school day got worse, because of course it did. At least today I had the sense to nudge Sweetie Belle when I needed help, and not draw a ton of attention to me when I did so. Didn't change the fact that I was getting tons of attention anyway. I was called on a few times, but I couldn't find myself able to pay attention. The invisible stares from all the rest of the foals in the classroom made it impossible to focus. Sure, the filly that got beat up was interesting, but there was a pathetic freak to stare at. Why not? It's not like she didn't already have enough emotional crap going on, and didn't want to be the center of attention again. Recess made it worse. All the foals circled around Diamond Tiara and of course she spun the story so she was just the victim. She did make sure to describe the embarassing fall I took, and the fact that I ran away crying and hid at my house. I wanted to fight back. I wanted to yell. But I didn't. I just spent the time hiding in the corner of the playground silently with Sweetie Belle.  When recess ended, Cheerilee had to scold the entire class for not paying attention to the lesson and staring at me. I hated it. I hated it all. I hated myself, I hated the fact that I could barely do anything without help, I hated Diamond Tiara, and Applejack, and I hated how Scootaloo was being punished for something stupid that wouldn't have happened if I wasn't stupid. I hated my life. The day went by slowly. It felt like I spent another ten hours there after recess. I hated that too. I just wanted to run away from Ponyville and never look back. I wanted to change my name, dye my mane, and go join a circus or something. Best place for freaks is around freaks, right? I wanted to go to sleep and never wake up. By the time school got out, Sweetie Belle was asking about hanging out. She told me we could go crusading again still, but we had to stay far away from the Everfree Forest because it was timberwolf mating season and they were especially violent and territorial. I told her I was too tired. As we parted, I gave her a hug and thanked her for all her help, and asked her to tell Scootaloo the same thing. Sweetie Belle left and made her way home. But I didn't go home, not until later. I walked to Twilight's library. I had a plan forming in my head and I knew she was the best pony to get what I needed. I knocked on the door and Twilight appeared moments later. She gave me that smile. The smile that just screamed pity. I hated it. "Hello Applebloom," Twilight smiled. "What can I do for you?" It was time to put the plan into motion. "Hey Twilight. Do you have some rope and a book on knots I can borrow?"