//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: My Worst Enemy // by englishwitch //------------------------------// My worst enemy... Fanfic by Englishwitch Chapter 6 Applejack yawned as trotted down the path toward the cowshed. This was an early start, even for her. The sun was just peeking over the horizon and she hadn’t had breakfast yet. Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara hadn’t shown up at the house in the middle of the night, so either they hadn’t learned to work together, or they had escaped and chosen to run away to somewhere else. Applejack knew which option she would bet her Bits on. As the cowshed came into view Applejack caught a smell on the wind, a harsh chemical smell that attacked the nose and stuck in the back of the throat. The smell of the chemicals the family used in the outhouses. As harsh a smell as it was it was preferable to the clouds of flies and the scent of sewage, especially on a hot day. “Consarn it.” she muttered to herself. “it’s too early for this.” she didn’t even have to look inside, her thoughts were already beginning to put the pieces of the unseen puzzle together, she could figure out what had happened and why the smell of the chemical toilet was so strong on the air. Applejack looked in on the two fillies in their stall. It wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be, but it wasn’t great. Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara were at one end of the stall, both in different corners. They each lay on half of a torn pillow; both halves were almost empty of their feather stuffing. The feathers were all over the place inside the stall. The chemical smell —as Applejack had thought— was coming from the bucket/chemical toilet, Big Mac had provided. The bucket had been kicked over at some point, spilling its chemical contents. The blanket that had been given to the fillies to share had been used in a hasty attempt to mop up the mess. The sodden mess of blanket had been dumped in the far corner, along with the unused toilet. Most of the food had been eaten but Applejack could see puddles of smashed messes pressed into the dirt, which told her they had fought with, rather than eaten, some of their meals. Apple Blooms eye had turned into a real shiner overnight. During her fight with Diamond Tiara at school yesterday the pink filly must have gotten in one heck of a lucky shot to cause that kind of mark. There were new signs that the two fillies had fought during the night. Apple Blooms bow was torn in two, hanging on her head by a few threads of material. Her mane, coat and tail were scuffed and messed. Diamond Tiara had a smudge of dried blood around her nose, her own mane, tail and coat were just as messed as Apple Bloom’s, she also sported a large purple stain covering the entire left flank, probably where the blue toilet chemical had splashed onto her coat during their fight. Applejack rapped her hoof against the stall door. The two fillies started awake. “Mornin’.” Applejack spoke flatly. “I see y’all couldn’t even make it one night without fightin’.” “She started it.” both Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom said at the same time. They looked at each other, opening their mouths to start to argue. They were silenced before they got started when Applejack slammed her hoof on the ground. “I don’t care who started it. I’m gonna finish it, one way or ‘nother.” she opened the latch and swung the stall door open wide. “This didn’t work, so it’s time for plan B.” Apple Bloom knew she wasn’t going to like the answer but she asked the question all the same. “What’s plan B?” Applejack went to a dark corner of the cowshed and emerged carrying a length of rope. Taking a lesson from Pinkie Pie, she kept them hidden all over the farm; in case of rope emergencies. “All situations have the same Plan B; I get my rope and tie somethin’ up.” ...***... “Hurry up, my arm’s gettin’ tired.” Apple Bloom growled at Diamond Tiara. “Keep your horseshoes on.” Diamond snapped. “It’s almost gone.” Using her free hoof Apple Bloom pushed her wet mane out of her eyes. “I ain’t never known anypony stay in the dang shower so long.” Diamond Tiara huffed. “It’s your fault, you knocked the bucket over.” “You insulted the food.” “You call that food?” Diamond quipped. Apple Bloom snorted and yanked her hoof hard. Diamond yelped as her front was pulled away from her. She almost overbalanced, only stopping the impending fall by staggering into Apple Bloom. Applejack had been swift and sinister in her punishment. She had tied the two fillies together, Apple Bloom’s left foreleg was tied to Diamond Tiara’s right foreleg. There was little more than a foot of slack between them. Both fillies had tried everything to get the rope off but it was no use. It was tied with one of Applejack’s special knots, which only she knew how to untie. Ten minutes with a pair of scissors had been been enough to convince Apple Bloom that AJ had, at some point, asked Twilight Sparkle to enchant the rope so it couldn’t be cut or broken. Either that or those had been some incredibly dull scissors; the rope hadn’t even frayed. For the last twenty minutes the two fillies had been forced to share a shower as Diamond Tiara had insisted on getting clean and trying to scrub away the stain on her fur. It had faded but was still present and noticeable. “We’re done here.” Apple Bloom muttered flatly. “Can we get dry and get some grub. I don’t wanna go to school on an empty stomach.” Diamond Tiara started, “School? You think I’m going to school like this you’re dumber than I thought.” Apple Bloom turned off the shower and dragged Diamond Tiara behind her as she left the shower. “You’re dumber than you look if you think Applejack is gonna let us stay here.” she tossed a towel and Diamond and grabbed a second one for herself. Apple Bloom started to dry her mane, only for her hoof to be yanked away as Diamond Tiara started to dry herself. Apple Bloom pulled her arm, yanking Diamond Tiara off balance. “Quit it.” Diamond snapped. She pulled their tied limbs. “If I had to stand there while you tried to scrub your fur off, you can stand there while I dry first.” Apple Bloom pulled back, hard, sending aches into both their wrists. The two fillies pulled back and forth roughly, fighting for dominance of the bound legs. A hoof pounded at the door. “Y’all hurry up, you’re gonna be late.” Applejack’s angry voice yelled from the other side. Their forelegs sore from where the rope had pulled at them and their bodies only half dry, the two fillies left the bathroom and went into Apple Bloom’s bedroom. “Told ya we’d still go ta school.” Apple Bloom muttered. “Shut up.” Diamond Tiara dragged Apple Bloom over to the vanity. She took the hairbrush in her right hoof, dragging Apple Bloom’s left up with her. Apple Bloom pulled back roughly. “No way. I need both hooves to put my bow on.” “Well you’re going to have to wait.” Diamond said snidely. “I have to brush and style my hair.” She pulled at the rope, Apple Bloom pulled back, putting them into a tug of war with each other. “You got ‘nother hoof, use that to brush your hair.” Diamond shook her head stubbornly. “I’m right hoofed, it won’t look right if I use my left.” “Y’all better switch hooves,” Apple Bloom growled. “or the only look you’ll have is bucked in the face.” They glared at each other furiously for several seconds, neither one even daring to blink. Finally Diamond huffed, “Fine!” she switched hooves and allowed her right hoof to be dragged around like a puppet on a string while Apple Bloom tied her hair up with her bow. ...***... Walking was the only thing the two ponies seemed to cooperate on, although it wasn’t by conscious choice. Forced to walk so close together they instinctively fell in step with each other and moved in a natural rhythm not much different from a six-legged race. They walked in silence, side by side, as they walked up the dirt road to the school. Neither one of them enjoyed the attention that they were getting from ponies they passed. “This couldn’t get more embarrassing.” Diamond Tiara growled under her breath. “It could.” Applejack said behind them. “And it y’all don’t stop fightin’ y’all are gonna find out just how bad it can get.” Apple Bloom hung her head as they entered the school yard. She wished she could turn invisible. Tied to Diamond Tiara, there surely couldn’t be anything worse. The fillies and colts had started to notice their predicament, they were starting to point and laugh. “Y’all go find your friends,” Applejack told them, “I gotta have words with ms Cheerilee.” She strode off into the schoolhouse. At the same time Apple Bloom and Diamond tried to move in separate directions. They were pulled back and fell on top of each other. “Get off me!” Tiara yelled. She kicked her legs, pushing against Apple Bloom. “That was your fault.” Apple Bloom snapped. “Y’all knew I’d be goin’ to my friends.” Diamond brushed herself off with her hoof. “And you should have known that it’s bad enough I have to be tied to you, I ain’t gonna hang around with your blank flank loser friends too!” Apple Bloom started snickering, which only frustrated Diamond Tiara more. “What?” Apple Bloom continued to laugh. “You said ain’t.” she giggled. Diamond Tiara flinched. “No I didn’t.” Apple Bloom grinned knowingly. “You did. You said ain’t.” she giggled all the harder. “Quiet!” Tiara stamped her hoof. “That’s you fault. Being around you all day is dragging down my intelligence. Listening to your stupid talking is ruining my brain.” “What’s going on Apple Bloom?” Scootaloo interrupted their argument. “Great.” Diamond sighed. “It’s turning into a whole loser convention.” She glared at Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, who were unaware of her gaze as their attentions were fixed on the length of rope between the two fillies. Apple Bloom was relieved to see her friends. She needed something to distract her from the fact that she was tied to Diamond Tiara. “It was Applejack’s idea,” she explained. “she don’t like it when we fight, so she decided to tie us together. She thinks it’ll help, somehow.” Sweetie Belle looked dubious. “I don’t see how. I would think it’d make things worse. I mean, you can’t get away from each other when you’re fighting.” The conversation was interrupted by the ringing of the school bell, signalling the start of the school day. Both frowning at each other, Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom moved inside. The door was a bit of a squeeze but, with only a small amount of pushing and shoving, they made their way inside. Cheerilee smiled at the two of them. “Diamond Tiara, Apple Bloom, if you wouldn’t mind taking those two desks over there.” She pointed a hoof to two desks which had been pushed right up next to each other so the two fillies could work without the foot of slack rope between them being a problem. Cheerilee turned her attention to the board. “Now class -” she glanced over he shoulder. “No, Diamond Tiara, you sit on the left, Apple Bloom, you take the right.” She waited for a second as the two feuding fillies rearranged themselves. There were, at least, no arguments while they were working. Both fillies used their mouths to write, so the length of rope on the hooves didn’t cause any trouble. Cheerilee pointed to the board, “Now, does any pony know the names of the first ponies to settle in Equestria?” A pair of hooves shot into the air. “Diamond Tiara?” Cheerilee smiled at the pink filly. Diamond Tiara shook her head. “I didn’t put my hoof up.” She threw a dirty look at Apple Bloom. When the farm filly had risen her hoof she’d dragged Diamond Tiara along. Cheerilee smirked and tried not to laugh. “Sorry Diamond Tiara, Apple Bloom, you know the answer?” Apple Bloom nodded, “Princess Platium, Commander Hurricane and Chancellor Puddinghead were the leaders, and they had their assistants, Clover the Clever, Smart Cookie and Private Pansy.” she beamed at Cheerilee, who smiled back at her. “Correct.” the teacher nodded. “well done Apple Bloom.” “Egg-head.” Diamond muttered. “Well, after seein’ Applejack rehearsin’ so hard for the Hearthswarmin’ Eve play, them names are kinda stuck in my head.” Apple Bloom admitted. Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes. “It was bad enough having to watch the play, you actually bothered to watch the rehearsals?” Cheerilee tapped her hoof against her desk. “Girls, please pay attention. You will be tested on this later. Now,” she turned back to the board. “contrary to popular belief Princesses Celestia and Luna were not the first alicorns, or the first rulers of Equestria. That honour goes to-” she turned her attention back to Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom, who had ignored her request for silence and were exchanging a heated —albeit whispered— discussion. ...***... “That was your fault.” DT snapped at Apple Bloom. “Was not.” the filly snapped back. “Was too.” “Was not!” “Was too!” Their argument had earned them losing recess so Cheerilee could give them a lengthy and difficult pop-quiz on the ancient history of Equestria. It was now lunch time and the two fillies were restless for fresh air. They pulled in separate directions, which only resulted in yanking the two of them back together when the rope grew taut. Diamond Tiara pulled on the rope again. “I’m going to Silver Spoon.” she ordered. Apple Bloom pulled back. “No way, I’m going to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.” Diamond stomped her hoof against the ground. “I am not hanging around with your loser friends.” she yelled. “it’s bad enough I have to hang around with your loser family.” Apple Bloom yanked the rope so hard she almost pulled Diamond off her hooves. They were nose to nose and Apple Bloom glared right into Diamond Tiara’s eyes. “You take that back right now.” she growled. “What’s going on here?” Cheerilee’s stern voice cut into their developing argument. “Nothing Miss Cheerilee.” both Fillies chanted at once. Cheerilee nodded, although she looked doubtful. “Good,” she said flatly. “why don’t you call your friends over to you, rather than try and go in two different directions?” “Yes Miss Cheerilee.” the ponies responded in unison. The teacher slowly went back into the schoolhouse, keeping her eyes on Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara until the very last second. It was with a begrudging reluctance that the CMC’s and Silver Spoon approached the two fillies. Like representatives of warring nations they loathes the be in each others presence. “You okay DT?” Silver Spoon asked her friend. She looked at the rope that bound her friend to the farm pony. There was no denying the rumours now, Diamond Tiara must be staying with the Apple’s, how else could this have happened? “How do you think I’m feeling?” She rose her tied hoof, dragging Apple Bloom’s along with it. “I’m stuck with this loser blank-flank farm pony like some kind of prisoner. It’s torture.” Apple Bloom looked at her with a deadpan expression. “Y’all know, I’m right here.” Diamond Tiara frowned, “Don’t remind me.” she didn’t even glance in Apple Bloom’s direction as she spoke. Apple Bloom tried to ignore Diamond, a very hard task considering the filly was right next to her. She turned her attention to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. “This is gettin’ real annoyin’ you guys. I don’t know what Applejack is tryin’ to do, but I’m startin’ ta think she’s gone a little bit crazy.” “I can’t believe you’re tied to Diamond Tiara,” Scootaloo commented. “Can’t you get the rope off?” Apple Bloom shook her head. “It’s Applejack’s toughest knot, only she knows how to open it. And I think she got Twilight to do some magic or somethin’ on the rope ‘cause we can’t cut it.” Scootaloo cocked an eyebrow. “Really?” she looked around the yard for a second. “Hey, Snips, come over here.” A pudgy unicorn colt with a light blue coat an orange mane and a cutie mark of a pair of scissors trotted up. Snips’ special talent was cutting things; he cut his own hair all the time, which was the reason for its uneven scruffiness and habit of sticking up in all directions. “Hey guys,” he smiled at them. He barely gave the rope a second glance, as though it wasn’t something unusual. “what’s up?” Scootaloo pointed to the rope between the two fillies. “Cut the rope.” “Okay.” He pointed his horn at the rope. Apple Bloom and Diamond Tiara shuffled away from each other as far as they could, pulling the rope tight, bringing it right up to the tip of Snails’ horn and putting themselves as far away from Snails’ magic as possible. It would be just their luck if one of them had a leg amputated. Snips scrunched up his eyes and concentrated hard, he looked like he was about to hurt himself. The tip of his horn started to glow, a clover green. He gritted his teeth and shot out a thick green line. It hit the rope and bounced off, shooting upwards at an extreme angle. The bolt hit the corner of the school building and sliced a corner off the wooden tiles. The rope wasn’t cut, frayed or even dirty. It did glow with a faint magenta light, which proved to them all that the rope really had been enchanted. It made sense to Apple Bloom for the rope to be enchanted, even if it wasn’t going to be used to tie ponies together. If you knew the rope wasn’t going to snap or break you didn’t have to worry about keeping an eye on it when you were lifting heavy things, like all the timber needed when you were raising a barn. AJ was all about doing things the earth pony way but that didn’t mean she was against the use of magic on a farm entirely, just against using it unnecessarily. Casting a spell on a rope wasn’t the same as, say, making a plow move itself across a field. Making farm equipment do the work for you was cheating, making sure the equipment wouldn’t break when you used it was just good sense. Sweetie Belle shrugged. “Wow, that’s on there good.” “Ya think?” Apple Bloom dead-panned.