~Apple Bloom~
"Apple Bloom, why are you so glum? Ahnd shouldn't ya be doin' ya homework?" Applejack said to her pouting baby sister.
"Ah don't have homework, I just got some project doodley." Apple Bloom made a weird gesture with her hooves and Applejack giggled slightly.
"Then what's wrong?"
"It's WHO ah have to do the project with."
"And who would that be?"
"Diamond Tiara. Stupid Cheerilee put me with Diamond Tiara."
"Now, sweetie don't go taking this out of Miz Cheerilee. She's probably trying to make ya two get along. Ah don't blame her."
"We just cahn't get along. Ah mean, we cahn't even decide what to do for the project! We're too different."
"Actually the opposite. You're the same, and that's why you guys cahn't stop fighting."
"What? What do you mean?" Applejack just smiled to herself and cantered off. "DON'T JUST LEAVE ME LIKE THAT! Oh, for hooves sake..." Apple Bloom got up from her sulk spot and went down to her workshop. She took a block of wood and started whittling a figure.
~Diamond Tiara~
"Ms. Tiara, how was school milady," said the butler, Peeves.
"Fine, thank you Peeves." Diamond Tiara gave him her saddlepack and trotted into the dining room.
"Good afternoon Miss Tiara. Your father requests a homework update," said the housekeeper, Miss Clean.
"Project due Friday. Prepare for a guest on Wednesday." Diamond Tiara sighed. "We'll need a business consultant. We're to make a pretend business so we'll need the help."
"Of course milady." Miss Clean scampered off. A maid stayed by Diamond's side. It was her personal maid, Lilac.
"Lilac, do you have a moment?"
"Yes mistress. What can I do for you?"
"Would you mind if I ranted a little?"
"No, of course not mistress."
"So, you know those really annoying ponies with blank flanks?"
"Yes, they call themselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders."
"Well, Miss Cheerilee is making me do a project with Apple Bloom of all people. And she's the one I hate the most! In fact, I almost wish I had Sweetie Belle. She's the type to give you a second chance."
"But.. do you want a second chance?"
Diamond Tiara pondered that. Did she want a second chance? Or just to pass the project?
She sucked in a breath and trotted over to the stairs.
"I'll be in my room. Tell Peeves to bring me a vanilla milkshake."
"Of course mistress."
"And Lilac?"
"Yes mistress?"
"Thanks for listening. And.... for the advice."
"Anytime mistress."
~Sweetie Belle~
"A picture perfect ponayy... a picture perfect pony pony pony pony," sang the radio. Sweetie Belle bopped her head as she threaded some embroidery floss through the intricately designed fabric.
"A picture perfect ponayy... a picture perfect pony pony pony pony." Sweetie Belle sang along as the needle popped in and out.
"Thank you so much for helping me on this project! It's Bon Bon's birthday soon and the party is going to be extravagent! Everyone wants new dresses. But don't you have homework?" Rarity asked her baby sister.
"Just a project. Speaking of projects, I'll need some knitting needles and some wool. In lots of colors. And my partner is coming on Wednesday."
"And who would that be?"
Sweetie Belle sighed. "Silver Spoon."
"You mean that sidekick of Diamond Tiara who's always torturing you?"
"That's the one." Sweetie Belle turned her attention back to her threading.
"Photo Finish, that's the name, making everypony pretty is her number 1 game, she do what she do to make you more that you, nopony gonna care to share is true," the radio continued to play.
"So how you gonna deal with that?"
"We came to an agreement on what project to do. We're making scarves since it's so cold."
"That's a great idea! I fully support it."
"You support most anything that has to do with fashion."
"True, true." The two ponies giggled as they shook their hips to the thumping music.
~Silver Spoon~
"Hey Silver Spoon, welcome home!" said Silver Spoon's older sister, Ivory Statue. Ivory was much too cheery for the grey pony, but she still had to tolerate her. Of course, she loves her sister, but a pony such as herself can only take so much smiling.
"Hello Ivory. How has work been?" Ivory owns a jewelry shop in Manehattan with her fiancee, Tanzanite (nicknamed Tanner).
"Amazing! We were named top jeweler in the greater Manehattan area!"
"And wedding preparations?"
"Erm... we got a date."
"And that's it."
"...yes..."
"I'm coming in Spring Break and forcing you to buy a dress and pick colors, and bridesmaids and the bridemaid dress. And who's your mare of honor? You're so behind and the wedding is in-"
"You sound like mom."
"I do not!"
"You're right, you're more like dad."
"That's even worse."
"Oh, you're impossible."
"Thank you." Silver trotted out, her stone face turned away from her peppy sister.
"Wait... what's your homework situation?"
"A project with this unicorn Sweetie Belle. Wednesday we're going to her sister's boutique to work on it."
"Back up. Boutique?"
"Yes... why?"
"Maybe she could make my dress!"
"Uh... I guess."
"Can I come with? PLEASE!!!" Ivory pouted and did puppy-dog eyes.
Silver Spoon sighed. "Fine. For an adult pony, you really are such a child."
"And you should be more of one."
~Twist~
"Hi mom," Twist said, wiping her hooves on the mat at the door.
"Hello sweetie. How was school?" Twist's mother cantered down the hall to see her darling daughter.
"Thuper! We are doing a project and my partner ith Thcootaloo!"
"Cool! What is the project?"
"We're creating a buthineth! We can't find an idea though... But Thcootaloo ith coming over on Wednethday."
"That sounds fun! Come over here, we'll make a snack."
The mother-daughter pair walked into the kitchen.
"How'th father?"
The filly's mother sucked in a breath.
"He's... holding on."
"When will he get better?"
"I dunno Twist, but I hope soon."
"Me too."
~Scootaloo~
The scooter whizzed along the dirt path. The scooter was a present from her grandmother, who gave her the name Scootaloo. For a while, Scootaloo wondered where her grandmother got the money to buy it. Her family was generally poor.
Then on her grandmother's deathbed, she was told.
Her grandmother stole it.
For a couple months, she didn't touch it. But she needed it to go all the way from home to school and back.
She thought of her friends. Sweetie Belle went home to Rarity and they laughed in their sisterly love. Apple Bloom went to the barn to her loving family.
Scootaloo goes to a shack with a father.
Finally, she found the rocky side road and she swerved onto it. She continued along until she came to a wooden house, if you'd call it that.
She propped her scooter up and clicked in the old bike lock. Then, trotted through the door.
"Scoots! Is that you?" Her father turned to look from the stove.
"Yeah." She slung her pack on the small hook on the wall.
"I bargained for an extra blanket today, so you won't be so cold." Scootaloo smiled slightly.
"Thanks, dad."
"So what's your homework?"
"I have a project, so Wednesday I'll be at a....classmate's house," she said, praying she wouldn't get agitated at Twist during project work.
"Ok."
"No drinking while I'm gone, alright?"
"Three months sober," said her father, saluting.
"Aye, soldier," she replied with a smirk. After her mother died, her father spiraled down into a drunkard. They would have been destitute if Scootaloo hadn't smacked sense into him. Occasionally, he'd catch a drink, but she'd bring him down to Equestria again. "So what are you cooking?"
"Corn."
"Ah! Are you serious? Where'd you get those?"
"Stand on the side of the road. Three bits each."
"That's a darn good deal."
"So when are you gonna bring some of your friends over here?"
"Um.... well.... I don't want them to walk so far out." That was a lie. Apple Bloom can go through half of the orchard in an hour. Sweetie Belle would just be pulled in the wagon.
"Alright, but whenever you want them to, just let me know."
"Ok." Scootaloo just prayed it wouldn't happen soon.