//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: My Worst Enemy // by englishwitch //------------------------------// My worst enemy... Fanfic by Englishwitch Chapter 1 The school bell rang, signalling lunch. The door of the schoolhouse burst open and a whole herd of colts and fillies charged out into the school yard. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were among the last to walk out of the classroom. They went straight for a shady spot underneath their favourite tree and proceeded to pull their lunches out of their saddlebags. “I gotta zap-apple muffin.” Apple Bloom held up a polychromatic baked good. “Still pretty fresh, only a day old.” Scootaloo stuck her head into her bag. “Trade you for some potato chips.” She pulled out a large bag of haybacon flavoured chips. “Done.” Apple Bloom tossed the muffin to Scootaloo and snatched the chips out of Scootaloo’s hoof. Sweetie Belle held up a small white bottle. “Bottle of milk.” Scootaloo pulled out a purple bottle. “Trade for grape soda?” Apple Bloom held up a red bottle. “I got cherry soda.” Sweetie Belle looked between the two, her brow furrowed in concentration. “I think....I’ll take grape.” The two fillies traded bottles. The lunch time bartering over the fillies started to tuck into their meals. Apple Bloom held up a delicious looking daisy sandwich. Before she could take a bite her attention was diverted to the very familiar sound of two giggling fillies. She lowered the sandwich and glared at Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara. “What do you gals want?” She demanded. Diamond Tiara giggled a little more. “Oh nothing, we’re just amused by your saddlebag lunches.” Scootaloo stopped chewing her zap-apple muffin and jumped to her hooves. “wash wrng ith...” she started to choke on a chunk of the muffin. She pressed her hooves against her throat as she tried to cough up the blockage. Apple Bloom knocked the top off the milk bottle and passed it to Scootaloo. The pegasus filly gulped down several huge mouthfuls. The piece of muffin was cleared from her throat and she took several deep breaths. Only after she’d regained a little of her composure did she look at Diamond Tiara again. “What’s wrong with saddlebag lunches?” She demanded, repeating the question that had almost killed her. “Everypony brings saddlebag lunches to school.” Diamond Tiara and Silver spoon giggled again. “Well,” Diamond said as she flicked her mane, “not every pony.” “Yeah.” Silver Spoon laughed. The three crusaders looked confused. Apple Bloom noticed neither Silver Spoon, nor Diamond Tiara were carrying saddlebags. Didn’t they have any lunch? An earth pony stallion in a black jacket appeared at the fence which bordered the edge of the school yard. “Miss Diamond, Miss Silver.” He rose a hoof slightly into the air to gain their attention. The two rich fillies walked over to the stallion. He handed to them two blue lunch boxes, said a quick goodbye and trotted off back the way he’d come toward Ponyville. With a cocky strut in their steps the two spoiled fillies walked back over the three crusaders. Diamond Tiara tilted her nose into the air. “Well, you see,” she said with a haughty tone in her voice. “saddlebag lunches might be okay for your average ponies but my daddy has my lunch prepared and delivered by our family chef.” She opened the top of the lunch box, revealing a large and delicious looking fruit salad. “My daddy says I deserve only the best.” She shot the three crusaders a mocking look. “enjoy your normal, bland and boring lunches, blank flanks!” Laughing and giggling Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walked to the far side of the play ground to enjoy their lunch in peace. Apple Bloom huffed and took her frustration out on her sandwich by tearing apart with her teeth until her mouth was stuffed to bursting point. Scootaloo shook her head as she finished her muffin. “Getting your lunch delivered by your personal chef, how snooty can you get?” “That fruit salad did look nice though.” Sweetie Belle said. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo gave her an annoyed look. Her ears flattened against her head. “well, it did.” Something small and white drifted in front of Apple Bloom’s eyes. She waved it away with her hoof. Probably a fly. Then another white thing drifted into her vision. Then another, then another. “Is it snowing?” She looked up into the sky. White flakes were drifting on the wind, slowly falling down toward the earth. “In summer?” Scootaloo glanced up at the air. “Holy hay it is.” The other school age ponies had started to notice the unseasonal addition to the weather. Even Miss Cheerilee stepped out of the school to see what was happening. “Wow,” Scootaloo stepped out from under the tree and into the falling flakes. “There must’ve been one weird mix up with the weather team.” She opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue. A flake landed in her mouth, which she promptly snapped shut. Her face suddenly paled and she started coughing violently. “That’s....no....not snow.” She grabbed her milk and drained the bottle. Apple Bloom stuck out her hoof and took a closer look at the flakes that landed on it. “It ain’t. This is ash.” she rubbed her hooves together, leaving a grey streak on her fur. “What’s ash falling from the air for?” Sweetie Belle looked at the falling flakes, they seemed to be getting thicker. They were drifting on the wind from the east. She looked in that direction, “Look!” She jabbed out a hoof and pointed at a huge dark tower of smoke which was rising into the air. “Whoa.” Apple Bloom trotted from under the tree and went right up to the school fence so she could get a better view. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were at her side a second later. “You think it’s a dragon?” Scootaloo asked, sounding excited. Apple Bloom shook her head. “It don’t look like dragon smoke and it ain’t comin’ from the mountains, looks more like it’s comin’ off the ground. Maybe somepony’s house is on fire?” She sighed. “Your house burnin’ down, all your stuff and precious memories just gone up in smoke. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.” Sweetie Belle cocked her head to look at her friends. “Looks pretty far away, and its in east Ponyville. Only houses I know are out there are-” “NNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Diamond Tiara’s scream was probably heard all the way over in Canterlot. ...***... The three crusaders trotted up the dirt road to Sweet Apple Acres. It had been hard to concentrate for the rest of the afternoon, even Cheerilee had been distracted and absent minded. It seemed Diamond Tiara’s home had indeed caught fire. She had charged out of school toward the source of the smoke and she hadn’t returned since. News of Filthy Rich’s house being ablaze had filtered though even to the classroom before the end of the day. “I can’t believe Diamond Tiara’s home burned down.” said Sweetie Belle. “Couldn’t have happened to a nicer pony.” Scootaloo laughed. “That ain’t nice Scoots.” Apple Bloom snapped. “What if the house burned right down to ashes? Diamond Tiara’s one mean pony and she deserves a good kick in the flank, maybe even more than one, but she don’t deserve that. How’d you feel if you got home and found all your stuff, everythin’ you cared about was gone? Your scooter, that picture of you and Rainbow Dash, all your toys, your family photo albums, even your bed. All just gone.” Scootaloo’s ears flattened against her head, which hung low. “I guess you’re right.” She conceded. “My moms would hate to lose all the baby pictures they got of me. Bonbon-Mom says they’re her most precious thing, after me of course.” She stopped for a second and glared at her two friends. “I never said that okay? I have never and will never say anything so sappy, got it? So if you tell anypony I said those things, which I didn’t say, I’ll deny it.” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle giggled but nodded their head. “Sure thing Scootaloo.” Satisfied her friends weren’t going to tell Scootaloo continued on down the road, taking the turn onto Sweet Apple Acres. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were right behind. “I wonder if Big Mac’s home yet?” Apple Bloom thought out loud. “He’s one of Ponyville’s volunteer fire fighters. I’ll bet he was at Diamond Tiara’s house helpin’ put out the fire.” The Apple family home came into view. Big McIntosh was home, he was just trotting up to the porch, pulling a large wagon behind him. The wagon was stacked high with a random assortment of goods, bags and boxes. Sitting at the head of the cart was- The three crusaders stopped in their tracks. “Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo said slowly. “why are Diamond Tiara and her dad at your house?” The earth pony filly just stared, dumbfounded. “I...I don’t know.” “Why does it look like they have all their stuff on the back of the cart?” “I don’t know.” “Why is Applejack helping them inside?” “I don’t know!” Apple Bloom bolted down the path toward her house. Diamond Tiara was the first to spot her. The pink filly let out a long and exasperated groan. “Just great, now the whole gang of blank flanks are too.” Applejack came out of the house and smiled. “Hey, Apple Bloom.” Apple Bloom skidded to a halt in front of her sister. “Applejack....what are they doin’ here?” Applejack’s expression became serious. “I’m not sure I care for your tone missy. Y’all prob’ly heard Rich’s house had a fire today.” Apple Bloom nodded in confirmation. “Well, Rich came here and asked if we’d be kind enough to give him a place to stay until his house is fixed.” “Shouldn’t take too long, if the insurance comes through quick,” Rich said, more to Applejack than Apple Bloom “Only the west side of the house was burned. The worst damage was in the kitchen.” he glanced at Diamond Tiara, who did her best to avoid his gaze. “Apparently our cook forgot to tun off the oven when he’d....stepped out to run a quick errand. It shouldn’t take more than a few weeks. Maybe a month.” “A month! Can’t they stay in a hotel?” Apple Bloom blurted out. Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “That was the first thing I asked.” She muttered flatly. Filthy Rich continued to smile. Only a little filly could get away with such rude questions. “Ah the Apples and the Rich’s have a good long history together since great-grandaddy Stinkin’ Rich started selling Granny Smith’s famous Zap-Apple jam. I can’t think of any other ponies I’d rather turn to when I need help.” Granny Smith nodded from her rocking chair. “Darn tootin’.” she piped to them all. “and we’ll always help each other, like good neighbours should. We’ll be helpin’ each other just like the big blizzard of 38.” Filthy Rich nodded. “I remember my granny telling me that story. Nouveau Rich.” Granny smiled. “Ah heck I remember her, such a nice filly.” She started rocking back and forth in her chair. Apple Bloom recognised the signs of Granny Smith entering story telling mode. “Yessir the big blizzard of 38 was one bad winter for all of Ponyville. Some ponies thought them Wendigoes had started invadin’ Equestria. Snow as tall as Big Macintosh.” she glanced at Applejack. “I was about your age then. I remember it was so cold we all slept in one room to keep warm and save on firewood. “Then one night the weight of snow was too much and the whole roof collapsed in. We was left homeless on the coldest night you can ever imagine. We’d’ve been in big trouble if it weren’t for Stinkin’ Rich.” She looked at Filthy Rich with pride. “He came outta the snow, walked all the way by himself to make sure we was okay. When he saw what had happened he invited us to stay with him and his fam’ly.” “Well their house is big enough.” Apple Bloom said flatly. She glanced at Diamond Tiara as she said it. The pink filly returned the glare. Filthy Rich seemed oblivious to the tension. He was chuckling. “No, great granddaddy didn’t live in the mansion, I bought that after Barnyard Bargains turned into such a big success. Back in those days the family lived in an ordinary cottage in the middle of Ponyville. I think it’s the flower store now.” Granny Smith was nodding in time with her rocking, it was an odd sight to see. “That’s right. Good old Stinkin and his little filly Nouveau was nice enough to invite us into their home. We spent the rest of the winter there, sleepin’ in the one room to share warmth. We shared food and chores and everythin’ we could until winter was all wrapped up and we could return to the farm. The old homestead was in a sorry state after been buried all winter but Stinkin’ Rich helped us out again. He paid for a new home to be built for us. We weren’t no charity case though, we paid him back, every last bit.” Rich nodded. “You certainly did Granny Smith. The way Granny Nouveau told it, Great Granddaddy saw it as a long term investment, without your family farm there’d be no more zap-apples, which meant no zap-apple jam, which was the biggest seller in his store back then.” He placed a hoof on his daughters shoulder. “You see Diamond, it was the Zap-apples that brought ponies to Ponyville. If it weren’t for the Apple family there’d be no Ponyville and we wouldn’t be as well off as we are today. Granny Nouveau always used to tell me; Filthy, you treat the Apple’s right. If it weren’t for us they wouldn’t have a house. But if it weren’t for them we wouldn’t have a home.” Granny Smith looked like she was starting to tear up. “Ah heck, I knew I liked that filly. So sweet of her.” Applejack came back to reality now that the story time was over. “Okay now, times a wastin’. Apple Bloom, why don’t you help Diamond Tiara take her bags inside.” Apple Bloom took a look at the small trunk and two suitcases Big Mac had unloaded from the back of the wagon, each one printed with a picture of Diamond Tiara’s cutie mark. “Where am I takin’ em?” in her head she hoped Applejack would say The Barn, but part of her knew that wouldn’t be the answer. She dreaded what her sister was going to say next. Applejack started to unload a few of the suitcases which bore a picture of Filthy Rich’s cutie mark. “Well, Fil...I mean, Rich, here is gonna be sleepin’ in the guest room. And since that only has one bed, you and Diamond will be sharin’.” “She’s stayin’ in my room?” Apple Bloom yelped in shock. She spun around to look at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, to confirm that she had really heard what she had just heard. The two crusaders were backing away slowly, nervous, forced, smiles on their faces. “Wow, look at the time.” Scootaloo looked at her bare hoof like there was a watch there. “Looks like you have your hooves full with all this, so we’ll see you later Apple Bloom. Good luck.” Together Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle raced down the dirt road. They ran so fast they kicked up twin clouds of dust. “Well at least that’s one problem gone.” Diamond Tiara muttered. She stepped up next to Apple Bloom. “You heard your sister, carry my bags.” “Ahem.” A voice behind her made her freeze. She turned slowly to face her dad. “Applejack said to help you take your bags inside Diamond. Which means you’ll be carrying your fair share.” He nodded to Big Mac, who picked up the large trunk and placed it down on Tiara’s back. The filly groaned, her legs bent under the weight suddenly placed upon her. “Don’t think this is going to be like a hotel.” Rich continued. “We’re going to pull our weight while we’re guests of the Apples.” He nodded to Applejack and then to Granny Smith. “I have to work at Barnyard Bargains every day, but I’ll help with food bills and such and Diamond will help with any chores.” “But Daddy!” his daughter groaned from under her trunk. She was silenced by one hard look from her father. Granny Smith nodded her head. “Well thank ya kindly Filthy. That’ll be some welcome help.” Apple Bloom felt slightly better knowing that Diamond Tiara wasn’t going to get an easy ride. Not too much better, she still had to share her bedroom and home with the pony for a month, but slightly better than she had felt a moment ago. The weight of the trunk had almost forced Diamond Tiara to her knees, her carefully styled mane had become dishevelled and she’d begun to sweat. Apple Bloom took the suitcases —which collectively had to weigh as much as the single trunk— and piled them up on her back. “Well, c’mon then.” She walked into the house, cantering lightly as though the cases weighed nothing. Grunting and groaning in a very unladylike way, Diamond Tiara slowly followed.