//------------------------------//
// Part 2: Escalation 
// Story: Sour Belle 
// by AASBA 
//------------------------------//


Part 2: Escalation

The school bell rang out crisp and clear the next morning, calling the students to class. Fillies and colts alike yawned and greeted each other while the soft rumble of a hundred tiny hooves striking wood filled the air. Many of them were already making plans for the upcoming weekend. Word had come a few weeks ago that a harvest carnival would be in town for a few days and everypony was excited over it.
Sweetie Belle stood at the door, taking in a deep breath. She wore the hairpin behind her left ear and its power provided some degree of comfort as the unicorn prepared to face yet another day of Diamond Tiara’s badgering. Walking into the school house, she took her seat.
“Well, well, well. Looks like you made it back in one piece.”
Sweetie Belle stiffened.
“I told you she’d be okay,” Diamond Tiara called over her shoulder to Silver Spoon. Turning back to Sweetie Belle, she glanced at her saddle bags. “Did you bring it?”
Suppressing the urge to tell her off, Sweetie Belle opened her saddle bag and removed a couple of the flowers inside. “Here’s your stupid flowers, now would you leave me alone?”
Diamond Tiara sniffed haughtily. “Huh, you actually found some. I guess you aren’t quite as scaredy cat as I thought.” She grabbed the flowers in her mouth and trotted off to her seat but not before sparing a glance for Sweetie Belle’s new accessory, jealousy flashing in her eyes.
Something stirred deep within Sweetie Belle and her eyes flashed red before she squashed the impulse to lash out at Tiara. Hurting other ponies just because they make you mad is wrong, she told herself. At least until they try to hurt you.
“Alright class, time to settle down,” Cheerilee took her place at the head of the classroom. “I hope you all came prepared today, you’ll all be giving your speeches on your chosen foreign country this afternoon and even if you don’t end up going today I’ll still be checking to make sure you’re prepared.”
The assembled fillies and colts let out a collective groan as their teacher turned to the black board and began writing, the clack of chalk calling the class to attention. “Now if everypony could take out their arithmetic texts and turn to page 47…”
Sweetie Belle did her best to keep her nervousness from showing. Glancing around, she saw Diamond Tiara smirking in her direction. I bet this was her plan all along, Sweetie thought to herself. With everything that had gone on last night, she had completely forgotten to get her speech ready. If she went up there without a speech to give, Sweetie was sure that Diamond Tiara would never let her hear the end of it. Why can’t this day just be over already?

---
	
The recess bell rang and a horde of students burst out onto the playground. A fresh layer of amber leaves had blown to the ground and they made for an excellent source of merriment as ponies began scooping together piles to throw and jump in. Avoiding the typical noontime festivities of her classmates, Sweetie Belle returned to her spot on the hill she had picked out the day before. It wasn’t long before trouble came looking for her.
“Hey there Smelly Belle, still playing by yourself?” Diamond Tiara kicked a small pile of damp leaves at the sitting unicorn. “I gotta admit, you didn’t do too bad last night. Not that it proves anything. After all, you can’t get a cutie mark in flower picking.”
“Nice one DT!” Silver Spoon chimed in.
“Oh Silver Spoon!” Diamond Tiara motioned her friend closer. “Which country are you doing your report on again?” She spared a wicked glance at Sweetie Belle.
“Who me?” Silver Spoon got the hint. “Why I am doing a speech about Saddle Arabia. What are you doing your speech on, DT?”
Diamond Tiara laughed in the most self-important way she knew how. “Well obviously a pony of my level could only give a report about the glamorous country of Prance. After all, it’s where all true fashion comes from. Not like those stupid designs from that boutique in town.”
Sweetie Belle felt her hackles rise. “What did you just say?”
The smile on Diamond Tiara’s face deepened. “Oh, nothing. Just that no run of the mill unicorn from Ponyville of all places could ever make a dress worthy of being considered truly fashionable. It’s simply embarrassing that she even tries.”
“You take that back!”
“Or what?” Tiara snickered. “You’ll go crying off to teacher? Or you big sister? How do you think that will go? Everypony knows it’s true anyway. And besides, do you have your speech ready?”
Sweetie Belle’s head dropped.
“I didn’t think so.” Diamond Tiara tossed her mane in triumph. “Maybe if you had spent less time picking flowers and more time doing your homework you wouldn’t be in this mess. Just imagine what Ms. Cheerilee will say when she finds out.”
“Oh, the horror!” Silver Spoon joined in on the fun. “Do you remember what happened to the last pony who forgot his foreign country speech?”
“Do I! Oh it’s too terrible to even mention!”
“W-what happened?” Sweetie Belle asked
Diamond Tiara leaned in close. “They say he was sent back an entire grade!”
At that moment the school bell rang out again, signaling an end to recess.
“See you inside, Smelly Belle!” Diamond Tiara called over her shoulder. “Sorry we won’t be seeing each other again after this.”
We’ll just see about that, Sweetie Belle thought to herself as her horn flashed red and she joined the others heading inside.

---

“So who would like to go first?” Cheerilee gazed out across a sea of fidgeting ponies, none of them seeming to want to take the first step. “Going once! Going twice!”
“I’ll go first, Ms. Cheerilee!” Diamond Tiara’s hoof shot into the air. “I’m ready!”
Sweetie Belle did her best to hide her smile. This was going to be fun.
Walking up to the short podium, Diamond Tiara readied her notes. Clearing her throat, she began. “A long time ago in a cookie far, far away-“ She stopped abruptly. Snips and Snails could be heard giggling from the back. “I-I’m sorry, let me start over. Once upon a time in the magical land of Magrathea, somepony sneezed and Grifinland was born-I MEAN. Uh…”
Cheerilee clicked her tongue. “If you aren’t going to take this assignment seriously, you can let somepony else go.”
“I’m trying to take it seriously, Ms. Cheerilee, but the words aren’t coming out right!” Diamond Tiara pleaded. “I swear I’ve got my speech ready!”
“Very well,” the teacher nodded. “But this is your last chance.” She silenced the class again and gestured for Diamond Tiara to continue.
Swallowing, she opened her mouth again. “There once was a horse from Nantucket-“
“That’s enough, Ms. Tiara. Return to your seat.” Cheerilee waved her down, away from the podium. “I do hope the rest of you actually came prepared today. Well?”
“I can go next!” Sweetie Belle stood and made her way to the front of the room.
Ms. Cheerilee sighed and returned to the teacher’s desk. “Whenever you’re ready, Sweetie Belle.”
Looking down her muzzle at Diamond Tiara, Sweetie Belle smiled wide and began. “The nation of Prance is one of the oldest in the world next to Equestria. It is mostly known for its cuisine and fine art…”

---

The school bell chimed in the Equestrian afternoon air as the school doors swung wide open and the students head off home to make plans for tomorrow’s carnival.
Sweetie Belle felt good; better than she had in a long time in fact. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo would surely be better by tomorrow so they had a lot of planning to do tonight. Lucky for her, Applebloom and Scootaloo were staying together in town (Applejack had said something about the orchard being no place for a sick pony during harvest).
“And just where do you think you’re going,” Diamond Tiara’s voice halted Sweetie Belle in her tracks.
“Come on DT, just let it go. I’m sure it was just a coincidence,” Silver Spoon urged her friend. “Everypony freezes once in a while, it’s no big deal.”
“No big deal? NO BIG DEAL?!” Diamond Tiara hissed through gritted teeth. “Do you have any idea how I looked up there?! This little blank flank made a total fool out of me!”
Sweetie Belle laughed. “Who, me? What did I do?”
“You know exactly what you did! You stole my speech you little thief!”
“What? Me? Steal?” Sweetie Belle let out a mocking gasp. “Now just why would you go and say a thing like that? Words can hurt, you know!”
“Oh yeah well this is going to hurt a lot worse!” Dashing forward Diamond Tiara spun around and bucked Sweetie Belle clean in the jaw, sending the unicorn sprawling in the dirt road. “I don’t know how you did it you little piece of trash, but you’re going to pay for it.”
Sweetie Belle shakily made her way to her feet. She could taste copper in her mouth. Spitting the blood out, she turned and glared at Diamond Tiara. “You kicked me.”
“You guys! Don’t do this!” Silver Spoon planted herself in between the two fillies. “Somepony’s going to get hurt!”
Diamond Tiara snorted, rage burning in her eyes. “You got that right.”
Silver Spoon rushed over to Sweetie Belle. “Please, just get out of her. I’ll talk to her and try to calm her down but you need to go.”
“DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!” Sweetie Belle screamed and unleashed a wave of magic energy, shoving Silver Spoon out of the way. Diamond Tiara charged again but this time Sweetie Belle was ready, shooting forth a bolt of rage fueled energy that connected with the circlet Diamond Tiara always wore.
A wave of force hit Sweetie Belle like a wall as a deafening crack obliterated all other sound. Her ears ringing, she slowly got to her feet and looked over. Diamond Tiara lay on the ground, breathing shallowly. Her tiara was blackened and twisted, smoke rising slowly from where it touched her head. What was left of her mane was ragged and patchy. The smell of burnt hair and singed flesh was heavy on the air.
Off to the side, Silver Spoon sat stunned. She looked up at Sweetie Belle with terror in her eyes. “I… I told you to go. I said I’d calm her down so nobody would get hurt. What did you do? What did you DO?”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened as the situation sank in. “I… I didn’t mean it. She kicked me and I was just so angry and I… I… Oh my gosh… I’m sorry.” Blinking back tears she turned and began running. “Please forgive me. I didn’t mean it! Please! I’m sorry!” Choking back the tears, she ran off towards the town.


To Be Concluded